Cibrarjp of t:he trh^ological ^tminavy 
 
 PRINCETON • NEW JERSEY 
 
 Donation of 
 
 SAMUEL AGNEW, 
 
 Of Philadelphia, PA 
 
 March 15th 1855 
 
 sec #11,108 j 
 
 Barclay, P. (Peter) _ 
 
 Persuash^e to the people of Scotland, in or 
 remove Ihdbr prejudice lo the Book of Cor 
 "Trayen wherein are answered, all objectio 
 
PERSUASIVE 
 
 T O T H E 
 
 People of Scotland, &a 
 
H E Firft Edition of this 
 Book was Publifhed in 
 the Reign of Her late 
 Majefty Quiien ANNE, 
 of Glorious Memory, by whofe fole 
 bounty One Thoufand of them were 
 X)iftributed to the People oi^ Scotland: 
 Many more have fince beenDiftribu-. 
 ted in England^ Scotland and Ireland^ 
 and likewife in Nezv-England^ by the 
 Piety of feveral Gentlemen and La- 
 diesc 
 
 ^ ^. 
 
PERSUASIVE 
 
 ^flH^^'a, T O T H E ^i*-*-^ 
 
 People of Scotland, 
 
 In Order to remove their 
 
 PREJUDICE 
 
 To the BOOK of 
 
 COMMON PRAYER. 
 
 "Wherein are Anfwered, 
 
 All Objections againft the 
 LITURGY of the Church 
 of ENGLAND, &c. 
 
 b>p/barclay, A.m. 
 
 I Cor. 14. 15. / vjill pray with the Spirit , and I will 
 pray with the Underflanding alfo. 
 
 The Second Edition. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for J o n A h B o w y e r , at the Rofe in St.PauVs 
 Church-yarA : And fold by the Bookfellers in Eden- 
 horoughy Dubliyiy and Bofton in Neiv-Engiand. 1 72 3. 
 
( i ) 
 
 T H e\,~II30L6GIG&' 
 
 P R E F A CTT 
 
 H E N I fii-ft undertook this Task, 
 I intended to have contraded Dr. 
 Comber s excellent Treatifes, The 
 Companion to the Te?nplc and the Al- 
 tar^ without any Additions of my 
 own, or any Body's elle^ but upon fecond 
 Thoughts, confidering that feveral others had 
 wrote very well upon the fame Subjed; 
 fome anfwering the Objedions made by Dil- 
 fenters againft the Liturgy j others explaining 
 it for common Uie , I thought it would not 
 be Time ill-fpent, to make a ihort Collec- 
 tion out of thofe Books adapted to the 
 meaneft Capacity, to fend my Country-men, 
 as a Token of my AfFedion. 
 
 I am not fo vain as to think, that the fol- 
 lowing LETTER is the beft Performance 
 upon this Subjed: that is Extant : Dr. Qmiber 
 and Dr. Nichoh have obliged the World with 
 incomparably better : Dr. SparroW:, Mr. Falk- 
 
 A nei\ 
 
11 
 
 The P RE F A C E. 
 
 fievy and others, have learnedly vindicated fe- 
 veral Parts of the Liturgy : But the two firft 
 are too large to be either bought or read by 
 thofe for whom I principally defign thefe 
 Sheets ; and the other Books that 1 have met 
 with upon The Cotmnon Prater (however va- 
 luable in their Kind) want fome Things 
 which thofe have to rendlr them ufeful to 
 People unacquainted wini our Worfliip. I 
 have therefore endeavoured, in as few Words, 
 and as plain a Stile as 1 could, to put the 
 following Papers together, by the beft Helps 
 I could procure. 
 
 Such as they are , I offer them to my 
 Country very willingly , with my hearty 
 Prayers to Almighty GOD for your In- 
 creafe in all true Religion and Vertue -, that 
 you may worfliip him with an holy Worfliip 
 in this World, and be eternally Happy in the 
 World to come. 
 
("H 
 
 THE 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 ^;;^ Q<OQQQCQ<PGQQQ QQQQQQ0OQ0OC-r:.^ 
 
 HE Introduction of Tra^ev in general 
 
 Page I 
 Fraying with the Sprit ^ what 2 
 The Difference between Torino of 
 Prayer and Extempore Prayer ibid. 
 
 Sect. I. Forms of Prayer bejl to excite Dele- 
 tion 3 
 Objections anfwerd - 3> 4 
 wi- — 11. Praying with Faith y beft done b) 
 Forms 5 
 
 III. Forms bejl to encourage our Hope 7 
 
 Objections anjweid 7. 8 
 
 ■ IV. Forms commanded by God to thejtwt 
 
 S. 9 
 
 "" V, Authorized by Chrifl ; i. In his oz9.rn 
 
 frequenting the Jewilh JVorJhip ibid 
 
 2. In grcing his Difciples a Form 9^ 1 c 
 
 3. In ufing Forms himfelf ibid. 
 *- — Vlt Forms uui by the primiti've Church 
 
 1C';> II, I 
 
 A 2 
 
iv : The CONTENTS- 
 of the Common Prayer BooL 
 
 OF our firfl coming into the Church Page 1 5 
 , 'StcT. I. Of Beginning the Service with 
 Sentences of Scripture 16 
 
 ; - II. Of the Exhortation ibid. 
 
 , III. Of Kneeling at Prayer 17 
 
 lY. Of theConfeJf/ion 18 
 
 . V. of the Peoples joining in it^ and other 
 
 Parts of Worjhip 19 
 
 , VI. Of the Abfolution 22 
 
 — — VII. Of the Lord's Prayer 24 
 
 Of the frequent Ufe of it 25 
 
 — • VIIL Of the Verficles, particularly the 
 
 Gloria Patri 26 
 
 Of Standing at this and all the Pfalms 2 8 
 
 . IX. Of the 9sth Pfalm ibid. 
 
 Oj alternate Reading that and other Pfahm 
 
 Of the whole Book of Pfalms 3 1 
 
 Of the Tranjlation of the Pfalms 3 2 
 
 — — X. Of the Leffons, or reading the Holy 
 Scripture in Churchy forbidden by Presbyteri- 
 ans ibid. 
 Of the Order of Reading them 3 3 
 Of omitting fo?ne Chapters ibid. 
 Of the Apocryphal Lcffons 34 
 
 XI. Of the Te Deiim, &c. and the other 
 
 Hymns in Morning and Evening Prayer 3 j 
 
 Sect. 
 
The CONTENTS- v 
 
 Sect. XII. Of the Creeds: i. The Apoftle^^ 
 
 Page 37 
 
 2. That of St. Athanafiiis 38 
 
 ' ■ XIII. of the Co?n??iendatory Prayer 39 
 —— XIV. Of Lord have Mercy upon us 40 
 —— XV. of the Lord's Prayer 40, 41 
 
 - XVI. Of the Prayers and Refponfes after 
 it ibid. 
 
 Jufiiffd 43 
 
 XVII. Of the Collects for Sundays 44 
 
 XVIII. Of Holy Days and Saints Days 
 
 45, &c. 
 
 . XIX. Of the other two Collects for Mor- 
 
 ning and Evening Prayer 53, 54 
 
 . XX. Of the Prayer for the King^ &c. ibid. 
 
 ^. — XXI. Of the Litany ibid. 
 
 Of the ancient Ufe of fiich Prayers 5 5 
 Our Litany not fofijlo 5d> 
 
 The true Popery of Prayers 57 
 
 Of the Addrefs to each Perfon of the Tri- 
 nity ibid. 
 Of the joint Addrefs to the Trinity in Unity 
 
 58 
 
 Of the Offences of our Forefathers 59 
 
 Of deadly Sin 60 
 
 Of fudden Death . ibid. 
 
 From all Sedition^ &c. 62 
 
 By the Myfiery of thy Holy Incarnation^ &cc. 
 
 65 
 
 Catholick Churchy zvhat 68, 69 
 
 The Obligation to hold Communion with it 
 
 JO J to J 6 
 
 The Prayer for the KJng^ and all the Hoyal 
 
 Family l^-y 11 
 
 A ^ For 
 
vi The CONTENTS. 
 
 For the Clergy Page 78 
 
 A port Proof of the dhine Right of Epif 
 
 copacy 785 to 90 
 
 Bijhop^ his Power 90, 91 
 
 Priefi, the Name proper to Gofpel Minijiers^ 
 
 a?id why 9X3 92, 93 
 
 Deacon ibid. 
 
 Without Epifcopacy no lawful Minifters 94 
 Of Prayings for all that travel by Land 
 
 or by Water 96 
 
 Of Prayings for Mercy upon all Men 97 
 
 S F c T. XXII. Of the Jlmt Petitions after the 
 
 Inter cejjion 98- 
 
 — XXIIL 0/ the Prayer againft Perfecution 
 
 99 
 
 Of the alternate Prayers 100 
 
 Of the Prayer for Truft in God loi 
 
 ,Qf the occafional Prayers ibid. 
 
 > > 'XXIV. of Eviber Weeks 102, 103 
 
 Of the Prayer for the Parliament 104 
 
 Of the general JnterceJJim ibid. 
 
 — XXV. Of the general Tha?2l{fgi'Ving 105 
 ■ XX VL The Prayer of St. Chryioi\om 106 
 
 — XXVII. The Elefing ibid. 
 
 The Comr?7t4mon' Service. 
 
 Of frequent Comiunnion Page 107, no 
 
 Sect. I. Of the Lord's Prayer 1 1 o 
 
 II. The Prayer for Purity in 
 
 — — III. The Commafidments ibid. 
 
 Sect. 
 
The CONTENTS. vii 
 
 Sect. IV. The Prayer for the Khig Page 112 
 
 V. The Collect for the Day ibid 
 
 VI. TheEpiJile jij"' 
 
 VII. The Gofpel ibid. 
 
 VIII. Nicene Creed ibid. 
 
 The Sermon u^ 
 
 The Offertory 1 1 ^ 
 
 IX. The Prayer for the whole Church 116 
 
 X. The h'vitation to the Sacrament 118 
 
 XL The i??imediate Invitation ^ 121 
 
 Of Kneeling at the Sacrament m^ 125 
 
 XIV. Of the ConfeJJlon ibid. 
 
 XV. Of the Abfolution 126 
 
 XVI. Of the Sentences of Scripture 126 ji2 J 
 
 XVII. Lift up your Hearts ibid. 
 
 XVIII. Proper Prefaces 128 
 
 XIX. Trifagium 129 
 
 XX. Of the Prayer before Confecration ibid. 
 
 XXI. The Prayer of Confecration I ip^ 1^2 
 
 Of the Manner of Receiving 1 3 2, 1 34 
 
 - — - XXII. The Service after Communion 134 
 
 XXIII. The Thankf giving 135 
 
 -. — XXIV. The Angelical Hy?nn ibid. 
 
 XXV. TheBlcffing 137 
 
 An Addrefs^ i. To theVvQshyt&n2insJh>ew-' 
 
 ing the Opinion and Practice of fome Re- 
 formed Divines^ with Reference to Litur- 
 gies 138 
 2. To thofe of the Epifcopal Communion 139 
 
 A 4 BOO K S 
 
 h ■■■ 
 
BOOKS Primed for Jonah Bo wye f, at the 
 Rofe jn St. Paul^ Church-yard. 
 
 AN Original Draught of the Primitive Church, in An- 
 fwer to Sir Peter King's Enquiry into the Conftitution, 
 Diicipline, Unity, and Worlhip of the Primitive Church. By 
 a Presbyter of the Church of England. The fecond Edition. 
 
 Dr. Souch's Sermons, in (i-x. Volumes Svo. 
 
 Bin, op Smalridge's Sermons, one Volume Svo. 
 
 Bifnop Hickman's Sermons, two Volumes S^^o. 
 
 Dr. MaynarJ's Sermons, one Volume Svo. 
 
 Mr. Trap's Difcourfes, two Volumes Svo. 
 
 Mr. Hcaum's facicd Succeflion of the Priefthood by a Di» 
 vine Right, in S.'o. 
 
 The Archbil"hop of Cambray's Tnftru£lions for tlje Educa- 
 tion of a Daughter : Tranflated from the French, and Dedica- 
 ted to her Grace the Durchefs of Ormond. By the Reverend 
 Dr. Hjcks, lace Dean of Worcefter, in iimo. 
 
 Dr. Fehon's Diflertation on Reading the ClaiTicks, and 
 forming a jud: Style, &c. in i2mo. 
 
 Dr. Taylor's Living and Dying, in Svo. 
 
 Golden Grove. 
 
 Bifhop Patrick's Devout Chriftian, in i2mo 
 
 Chriftian Sacrifice, in 1 2mo. 
 
 Help to young Beginners, in 240. 
 
 Mr. Stcbbing's young Chriftian inlhu£ted, in 1 2mo. Price 
 Four-Fence, or One-Pound Eight-Shillings per Hundred. 
 
 Mr. Trap's DiTcourfe of Family Prayer, in i2mo. Price 
 Three-Pence, or Twenty-Shillings per Hundred. 
 
 The Duty and Advantage of Confulting a Spiiitual Guide, 
 in i2mo. Price Four-Pence, or One-Pound Eiglu Shillings 
 per Hundred. 
 
 The Spiritual Week ; by the Reverend Mr. Wafs. Price 
 One-Shilling. 
 
 Dr. Goodnr.an's Penitent Pardon'd, in Svo. 
 
 Winter Evening Conference, in S /o. 
 
 Mr. Ketlewcl's PraOical Believer. 
 on the Sacrament. 
 
LETTER 
 
 T O T H E 
 
 People of North-Britain. 
 
 T is an excellent Advice which Solomon gives, 
 Eccl. 5. 2. Be not rajh 'with thy mouthy and let 
 not thy heart be hafty to utter any thing before God ; 
 for God is in heaven and thou on earthy therefore 
 let thy words be few. 
 
 And indeed, whoever confiders the Majefty 
 of that God to whom we addrefs ourfelves in Prayer, that he is 
 the great Creator of the World, and we Duft and Afhes, muft 
 own, that the heft Manner we can pay our Homage in, is far 
 beneath his Dignity ; and therefore, that we ought to be very 
 careful not to Affront him with any indecent Words or Behavi- 
 our ; that no rafh Expreflion proceed out of our Mouth, nor 
 any Thought, which may reflet: upon his infinite Purity, affeO: 
 our Hearts ; that we neither offend him, by asking what we 
 ought not, nor put up even lawful Defires in Terms with which 
 we would not: dare to accoft our Superiors. For, tho' it is the 
 Heart which God principally require.'?, yet a good Meaning will 
 not be fufficient (in my humble Opinion) to jnftify either un- 
 chriftian Petitions, or impertinent Expreflions. And therefore 
 even in private Prayers we fhould confider well what we are 
 to fay, and order our Devotion fo as to be acceptable to God ; 
 and how much more ought we to heep our foot when we go into 
 the Hotife of God, that we offer not the facrijice of fools, Eccl. 5. i. 
 and (o to order our Behaviour in the publick Con^^regation, 
 that we may -pray with the Spirit, and pray with the Underjlati- 
 dinz ^dfo, i Cor. 14. 15. 
 
 To fhew you what Sort of Prayers have the beft Title to the 
 Spirit and the Under/landing, I have undertaken this Task ; and 
 therefore, before I go farther, it will not be aniifs, in a few 
 Words, to explain the Phrafe [Praying with the Spirit.^ 
 
 By Praying with the Spirit then m/'ft be meant one of thefe 
 two Things, i. The having the Words of our Prayers imme- 
 diately infpir'd by the Holy Spirit : Or, 2. Being affiled by 
 
 God's 
 
God's Grace and Holy Spirit, to pit up our Trayers to him ivkh 
 Z)evotiony to have our He.irts a}id Affeciiom cjnickend an enliven d^ 
 our Faith Jirengthen'd, and our Love encreas'd. 
 
 In the fiiii of thefe Senfes the Apoftl cs, and many of the 
 firft Chiiftians, ( without doubt) often pray'd by the Spirit : 
 i. e. they had upon fevcral Occafions immediate Impulfes of 
 the Spirit to prompt them to pray ; and then the very Words 
 of their Prayers were dictated by the fame Spirit, and fo they 
 had feveral other miraculous Helps, which were neceflary (at 
 that Time) for the Hftablifhing and Propagating the Gol'pel. 
 
 But after Chriftianity was Planted, and the Church in a 
 good meafurc fettled, that immediate Afliftance which was 
 requilite to confirm a new Difpenfation, became unneceHary 
 for ChrilHans in after Ages, and therefore God Almighty 
 thougt fit in his all-wife Providence to withdiaw it, and 
 left his Church only fuch Helps of his Spirit (with lefpeft to 
 \\»''or{hip) as are ordinarv, and require human Induftry and 
 Pains : For, as there is no Ojcafion now for Raifing the Dead, 
 miraculous Curing the Sick, Qpc. to prove the Truth of 
 ChrilHanity ; fo neither is there any Ground to expeSl that 
 the Spirit dictates to us immediately the I'Vords of our 
 Prayers. 
 
 I need not infill upon the Proof of this, for (notwithftand- 
 ing the great Noife and Cant about Praying luith the Spirit ) I 
 know none, to whom the Name of Chrifiian belongs, who 
 t^are to fpeak out and fay that they Pray with the Spirit in 
 this firfl Scnfc. 
 
 All then that the Chriftian Church can cxpeSl or pretend to 
 have of the AfiTiftance of God's Spirit in Prayer, is, 
 
 2. To be afliliod by tlic Holy Spirit to pray with Devotion 
 and Faith, ivith Zeal and Affeciion. 
 
 The (>jcll:ion then is, What fort of Prayers is fttefl to raife 
 the Devotion, to quicken the AffeclionSy to Jirengthen the Faithy 
 and to encourage cur Dependance on God ? 
 
 There are two Sorts of publick Prayers, vi^. Set Forms of 
 Frayevy and Extempore Concei'j'd Prayers (as they are call'd). 
 
 Set Forms of Prayer, are fuch as are made and compos'd 
 cither by a Numbjr of Men, or by particular Perfons, for 
 publick V(^Cy (for it is of publick Prayer only that I at prefent 
 treat.) Extempore Conceivd Prayers, are fuch as are not put to- 
 getiicr before they who u'iQ them begin to oifer them to God, 
 but are the Remit of immediate Thought, and no fooncr 
 come into the Mind but they are addrefs'd to God Almighty. 
 Nov; let ns fee whcrlier fiich Prayers as are put together with 
 ferlous Thought and Deliberation, and duly weirrh'd afrer 
 they are ro.r.Lios'd ; or fuch as were never confider'd before 
 they \Nere cticr'd up, nor ever can be weigh'd (hccaufe rhey 
 
 can't 
 
[3] 
 
 can't be remember' J) after : I fay, Whether of thefe two 
 Sorts of Prayer be beft for all the Purpofes of Chriftianity, 
 and defcrves belt to be reckoned Graying ivith the Spirit. 
 
 And I do fay (and by God's Help \vill prove it too) that 
 any well difpcs'd ChrilHan, may pray ivith the Spirit better 
 by joining in a fet Form which he is acquainted with (if it be 
 good ) than he can do by hearing an Extempore 'Brayer evea 
 fuppofing it to be good in itfelf. 1 or, 
 
 SeB. I. He that joins in a good Form is the likelieft to pray 
 with fevvent 'Devotion. 
 
 When a Miniitcr goes before his Congregation in a Form 
 which they arc acquainted with, they have no more to do 
 but go along with the Prayer, of which they are already 
 affur'd of the Goodncfs, and to endeavour to raife their De- 
 votion to th.e iiighell Pitch they are capable of; they are 
 never at a (rand to confider whether they can lawfully join in 
 the Prayers, there being nothing in them but what they have 
 well conlider'd before, and found agreable to found Dodrine : 
 And if the Minider fhould change a Word, or throagh Inad- 
 vertency mifs one (which may happen cither in a Form or an 
 Extempore Prayer) they who are acquainted with his Form 
 may eaflly fupply the Defeft for themfelves, and arc never at 
 a lofs for the Senfe of what he fhould have faid, and there- 
 fore go on witnout Interruption of their Devotion. 
 
 Whereas in an Extempore Prayer, eve:y one muft pray at 
 the Pleaiure of the Minifter, without knowing what he is 
 going to fay, and (which is worfe) without being fure that 
 what he utters is agreable to the Analogy of Faith {a). They 
 mult therefore firfl confider, whether they can with a fafc 
 Confcience join in every Petition, and before they have 
 ihidy'd one Petition (cfpecially if there be a long Parenthefis 
 in it) the Minifter is gone to another, and fo they lofe the 
 Benefit of the lall by Ihidying the next ; and thus while tlic 
 Congregation are confidering of the Lawfulnefs of their 
 Prayers, they leave no room for Devotion. 
 
 Jf any fhall fay, That they are fure their Teacher will not 
 pray any Thing but what is agreable to found Doftiine : I 
 confefs that is fuch an implicit Faith as I will never advifc 
 any of my Acquaintance to give to mortal Man ; for as long 
 as there is a Poiribilicy of being guilty of iv-illakes, what 
 Security has any Man that iiis Minilter may not lltimhle into 
 one as well as any Body elfe ? And why ihould People put 
 themfelves under the Inconvenience of praying nvilhout JJjider- 
 
 (■?) See Dr. Rcvercclgc V Sirmon of the Excellency ajid Uj'efulnefs of 
 
 JIandii!9 
 
[4] 
 
 favdin^y or of being at a Stop in the middle of their Prayers, 
 becaule they are not fatisficd of the Lawfulnefs of them ? And 
 I daic appeal to the Confciences of thofe who have been ac- 
 curtomcd to hear what they call Conceiv'd Prayers, whether 
 they did indeed examine theSoundnefs of them, or if they took 
 them upon Truft, beciuife they thought their Teachers fo good 
 that they wonld not fall into Herefy, and fo gifted that they 
 would not (lumbie into Nonfenfe ? 
 
 Now, if no Body can be fuie that an Extempore Prayer is 
 good till he has confider'd it, and if that Confideration mull 
 necelTarily take up Time, the Time fo taken up is deduced 
 from his Devotion, unlefs Studying be Praying, (which I hum- 
 bly conceive it is not.) And therefore I conclude, that our 
 Hearts may be more alFefted with (incere Devotion, where by 
 our Acquaintance with the Prayers we know them to be Ortho- 
 dox, than they can be while we are in doubt at every Sentence 
 whether we can lawfully make it our Prayer or not. 
 
 Oh]. If any One fliould fay. That he has experienced the 
 contrary, and can be more devout at an Extempore Prayer, than 
 he could ever be at a Form. 
 
 Anf* I would have fuch a One ferioufly to confider the great 
 Difference between the Fancy and the Heart. One's Fancy 
 may be tickled with the Novelty of a Thing ; for Inftancc, 
 with a bold or beautiful Phrafe, with a pafiionate Hxpoltula- 
 tion, &^c, and People may be pleas'd with new Prayers, as 
 fome Stomachs are with Variety of Meats ; but as it is not the 
 bcrt Sign of Health to want new and nice Sauces to make 
 our daily Bread go down, fo it is a fhrewd Indication of a 
 Decay of the true Spirit of Devotion, when our Hearts can't 
 be cxcired with our Prayers, unlefs we have new Chimes of 
 Words rung in our Ears. 
 
 Ohj. If it be farther objefted. That Vrefcr'ih'd Forms of Prayer 
 are very unlikely to raifc Devotion ; becaule being made to 
 the Miniftcr's Hand, they may be carekfly and fuperiicially 
 read over ; whereas one who has no Form to triilt to, muft 
 have his Heart affe£i:ed with his own Prayers ; and when the 
 People fee their Minifter mov'd with what he fays, it excites 
 Devotion in them. 
 
 Anf. To this I anfwer. That one who prays without a Form 
 may (nay, mult) have his Invention bufy in putting his Ex- 
 prefifions in Order, and may be at fome Pains to fcrew up the 
 Eyes and Ears of his Audience with his Gcfturcs, and the Tone 
 of his Voice ; but that is very far diftant from true Devotion : 
 A ftaycd and grave Frame of Spirit is the trueft Sign of real 
 Piety and Devotion, as a regular Motion of the Blood is the 
 btft Sign of Health in the Body : And indeed, he that thinks 
 anti.k Gclliires, and violent Raptures, can make his Prayers 
 
 more 
 
[5] 
 
 more acceptable to God, has much fuch an Opinion of him 
 as BaaVs I'neds had of that Idol, i Khgs i8. 2(S, 28. who 
 cut and lanced them/eheSy and leaped upon their altars y and rais'd 
 their voices to rouze him. 
 
 But fuppofc the utmoft that the Objeiiion carries, liz. That 
 fome Miriifters read (or fay without Book) a Form of Prayer 
 with little Sign of Devotion, (which may happen, for all Men 
 are not fo good as they Ihould be) yet that is not the Fault of 
 the Prayers ; for an ill Man may fay an Extempore Prayer with 
 as little Affe£lion or Sincerity as any Man can read a Form ; 
 there is only this Difference (as I obferv'd before) that in the 
 Conceiv'd Prayer the Invention is at work, and a ftr4dying Face 
 often pafTcs for a devout one ; in the Form a Man's Devotion 
 is impioy'd, (if it is not his own Fault.) But fuppofing llill 
 farther, that Extempore Prayers do make the Speaker more de- 
 vout ; (which in Truth is a Miftake to my Knowledge) yet 
 the Bufmefs of our aflembling together is not i^o much for the 
 Sake of the Minilter as the Congregation ; and if I fhew yoa 
 how you may be enabled to raife your Devotions, leave your 
 Miniftcrs to give an Account to God Almighcy for the Sincerity 
 of theirs. If we ofter up Prayers that are good ; if we con- 
 fefs in your Name, fuch Sins in General as are proper for a 
 publick Congregation, and beg of God fuch Graces as arc ne- 
 ceflary for Chriftians ; if we put up your Wants in Terms that 
 are fignificant, and ufe fuch decent and becoming Importunity, 
 as our Bleiled Saviour and his Apoftlcs have taught and autho- 
 riz'd ; if we give Thanks to God for fuch Mercies as are com- 
 mon to the whole Congregation ; (and upon fpecial Occafions 
 return the Prai fes of particular Perfons when defir'd.) In a 
 Word, if we perform every Part of Worfhip after fuch a Man- 
 ner as the Holy Scripture warrants and allows ; What, in the 
 Name of God ! fhould hinder you from being devout at thofe 
 Prayers, let the Minifter do what he will ? If we be Hypo- 
 crites, we will be fure to be damn'd for our felves ; but you 
 may pray well, and be edify 'd by good Prayers, let who v/ill 
 go befoje you in them. 
 
 I have faid this much in anfwer to a popular Objeftion, not 
 that I think it a true one, or offer'd with any good Reafon ; 
 but Men are frail and liable to Errors. From all that I have 
 faid upon this Head, it appears that Set Forms of Prayers are 
 moft proper to raile the Peoples Devotion, and therefore they 
 who pray by them may be truly laid to pray ii'ith the Spirit, 
 
 SeB. II. He that prays by a Fc?yw, (always, provided it be a 
 good one) is the likeiicrt to pray ivith Faith. No Chriftian has 
 any Reafon to expeft that (jod will hear his Prayers, unlefs 
 they be fuch as we aje commanded to offer op : If we cithe» 
 
 ask 
 
ask fuch Things as are contrary to the Genius of rhe Gofpel, 
 or negle£i: to ask fuch Things as are neceflary towards" pro- 
 curing the Pardon of our Sins, how can we with Faith expe£l 
 to have our Petitions granted ? Should one, for Inftance, 
 dcfire Fire from Heaven to deliroy one who had done him an 
 Inj iry, or neglect or rcfufe to pray to God for the Repentance 
 and Pardon of his lincmies ; the doing the one, or omitting 
 or refufmg to pray for the other, is fumcient to put a Hop to 
 the Keturn of fuch Prayers : Now, without a Form of Prayer, 
 how can the Congregation be fecure that the Minifter will 
 not be guilty of Miftakes of that Kind ? If he be either a 
 paflionate or a forgetful Man, it is poilible a warm Expredion 
 may drop from him, or that he may conclude the Prayers of 
 the Congregation without that necclTary Petition, forgive us 
 our trefpaJfeSj as we forgive them that trefpafs agaitifi us. Men 
 are too apt to make Performances of this Kind according to 
 their own Temper or Inclination : If they are melancholy and 
 fplenetick, their Conceiv'd Prayers will readily favour of their 
 Difpofition : If they are malicious and reijengefuly their Prayers 
 may be fo too : So that while Miniftersare Men, we are not 
 to expert (without Infpiration) that a Prayer, which is the 
 Refult of immediate Thinking, Ihould be fice from faults. 
 "Whereas a Form of Trayer Itudyed and compos'd by Men of 
 found Principles, Piety and Learning, and confider'd by fe- 
 ,veral Generations of Men of Senle and Probity, (though it 
 can't be faid to be abfoluteiy perfcft) is liable to fewer Mis- 
 takes and Exceptions : For fuch Compofers of publick Prayers 
 will undoubtedly be careful, that that Form be apply 'd to all 
 the NecclTities of Chriftians in general, and even to particular 
 F-xigencies as far as pubiick Prayers can well be : And if the 
 firft Compilers of thofe Prayers fhould have omitted fome 
 Things, they who fucceed nugnt have fupplyM rhr.t Defeft. 
 In a publick Form it is eafy to avoid vain Repetitions^ which is 
 hard (.if not impraclicable) in a long Ex/fw/oye Prayer. 
 
 But above all, that which makes a Form the bell Help to 
 Praying with Faith, is, That we may (by a good Form con- 
 ttantly u eJ) reft fecure that no IJeretick, who denies any- 
 fundamental Article of the Chriftian Faith, can foift his 
 Errors into the FuUick Frayers ; whereas, in the Ufe of Ex- 
 ienipcre Frayers a Man thut is cunning may vent the moft 
 damnable Htreiies : Of which there was an Inftance not 
 many Years ago in Dublin in the Kingdom of Ireland, One 
 Mr. Emlin, a Pcrfon of no mean Account among the Dif- 
 fenterS; Preach'd and Pray'd in one of their Congregations for 
 many Yeais together with great Applaule, and was for the 
 greateft Part of that Time ( ns he own'd himfelf ) endeavour- 
 ing to ovcithiow the Belief of our Saviour s Diviyiityy ajid of 
 
 his 
 
[7] 
 
 his SatisfaBlon made to Gody by his "Death, for the Sins of the 
 World \ and yet by this Liberty of ufing Extempore Prayers he 
 continued long, perverting his Hearers, without being dif- 
 cover'd ; and it is not probable, that a Man of his Senfe and 
 Indiiftry could be propagating one Error fo long, without 
 making fonne Profelytes, (however they might conceal them- 
 felves for fear of the Law.) But in a 'Fublick Form, well 
 compos'd, (fuch as our Liturgy) there is no Sociniartf that will 
 ftick to his Principles, could lurk undifcover'd : For a right 
 ftated Form of Woriliip ought to be a thorough Body of 
 Chriflian Divinity, and an Orthodox Confeflion of Faith, as 
 ■well as a Collection of Devotion, (As 1 Ihall fliew hereafter 
 ours to be.) 
 
 SeB. HI. Tsyms of Vrayer are 9^nc{{ to encourage our Hopel ■ 
 {a) For one (and indeed the principal) Advantage of Prayer is, 
 the certain Expeftation of having a futable Return of them ; 
 and for that it is neceiTary we fhould know, (after we have 
 put up our Prayers) what it was we ask'd, and which we hope 
 to receive from God Almighty : For unlefs we know whac 
 we have ask'd, how can we look up as the Royal Pfalmift did» 
 ffal. 5. 3. in F.xpeftation of what we want? Nor when any 
 of you hears his Teacher put up Prayers to God, which you 
 never heard before, and which is morally impoffible yon 
 jQiould ever hear again, how can you expeft a Return of 
 what you don't remember to have ask'd ? (for I fuppofe few 
 have fuch Memories as to remember a Prayer of half an Hour 
 long for once hearing it.) Whereas, if you pray by a good 
 Form, you may, by often hearing the fame Prayers, remem- 
 ber every Petition of it, and by that conftant Life you impor- 
 tune God (in the moft lawful Senfe of the Phrafe) by a reve- 
 rend and devout repeating the fame Rec^ucft, to grant your 
 Defire : And upon your receiving a Return of any one Peti- 
 tion, you are encourag'd to hope for every Thing elfe you de- 
 fire of him, (if he fees it fit for you) and likewife may be 
 CKcited to give him Thanks for what his Bounty has already 
 beftow'd upon you. 
 
 Ohj. If it be alledg'd. That Extempore People do ask of God 
 the fame Things, but only in diitcrent Terms ; as one would 
 ask the fame Favour of a great Man, but put their Petition ia 
 a ?7ew Drefs every Time they prefer it. 
 
 Anf. I would fain know upon what Account this chopping 
 and changing of Prayers fh'ould be done : Is it becaufe God 
 Almighty is fond of Novelty, and that you think he will 
 more readily grant thofe Petitions, which are put ud in a new 
 
 (a) nde ubi fupra, 
 
 Drefs 
 
[8]. 
 
 Drefs and Forin of Words ? Or, is it becaufe your felves are 
 pleas'd ^^irh them ? If you fancy that God loves new Prayers 
 better than old, or that you can by change of Phrafes and Ex- 
 prelTions move his Aftedions, you have not a juft Notion of 
 his infinite Underftanding : For the fame Thing oii'er'd in the 
 fame Words, v.ill prevail as much with him as the greateft 
 Variety in the World ; and bring to the Throne of Grace but 
 fteiv Devotion, r^eiu AffeHionSy and a jincere new Heart, and (my 
 Soul for yours) the old Prayers will do. But if it is to pleafe 
 your felves that you arc fo fond of new Prayers, take care that 
 the Vanity of being eftecmed Gifted Men^ and the Pride of 
 tickling the Peoples Fancy is not a greater Motive than their 
 lEdification, 
 
 And thus I have fhewed you, in a few Words, that Praying 
 ty a Form is the beft Help to Praying with the Spirit. 
 
 Obj. But if after all you will fay, That Fraying with the 
 Spiritt is, in S. Paul's Scnfe, praying Extempore and without 
 Book. 
 
 Anf» I hope you will allow, that the Spirit is taken in the 
 fame Senfe in the very next Words, i Cor. 14. 15. I will Jivg 
 with the Spirit y and 1 will Jing with the Underjianding alfo. Now 
 if praying with the Spirit be praying Extempore, can you fhew 
 any Reafon y^^y Jlnging with the Spirit ihould not likcwife be 
 finging Extempore ; and if fo, you have as much Reafon to 
 throw the Aflembly of Divines Tranflation of the Pfalms, out 
 of your Aflemblies, and every Teacher is to conceive a Pfalmy 
 as you have to boggle at our Liturgy : And finging a Vcrle of 
 the ftated Pfalms is as much afinting of the Spirit^ as a Colled 
 of the Common Prayer. 
 
 I will make no Comparifon between our Prayers and fome 
 "Extempore ones which I my felf have heard, and which I could 
 not help remembring fome Part of: I have no Inrention to 
 difoblige any Body ; I fhall only fay, That if there were no- 
 thing eife inForms of Prayer but that theChuich had thought 
 it expedient to injoin them, for the Sake of that Vnity and 
 XJniformity which is requifite among Chrirtians, I ihould think 
 that People ought to be better aiTur'd of the Abilities of their 
 Teacher than 1 can yet fuppofe any Congregation can well be, 
 that would truft their Addrcflcs to the Divine Majcfty to their 
 trff hand Effujlons. But indeed, there is fomething more to be 
 laid for Set Forms than the bare Expediency of 'em. For, 
 
 SeB, IV. If we will be concluded by the Jewifh Chuich as 
 approv'd by our Saviour, by the 1-xamplc of Ch;irt and his 
 pofuive Command, and by the Praftice of the whole Cbrittian 
 Church in all Ages ; 1 fay, if thcfe will be fnfficicnr for our 
 Rule, v.e fliall find Set Forms of Prayer amount to a Vi^ty. 
 
 We 
 
[p3 
 
 We find theny Numb. 26, 22. a Set Form of Blefltng the 
 People prefer! b'd to Aaron j The Lord hlefs thee^ ^c. Beut, 
 26, 5. there isa prefcrib'd Form of Confelllon ac the Offering 
 the firft Fruits, A Syrian ready to perijhy &c. And v. 13. 
 another Form of Pray'r at prefenting the Tythe of the third 
 Year. And Deuf. 21. 7, 8. there is a Form of Pray'r in* 
 join'd in cafe of uncertain Murther. 
 
 That Mofes pray'd by a Form is plain from Numb. 10. 35, 
 "When the Ark fet forward, he ufes that which was after- 
 wards made the beginning of the 68ch F/alm^ and pnt into the 
 Jewifh Liturgy, Arife, Lord, Sec. And when the Ark 
 refted, he faid Return^ Lord, &c. v. 36. 
 
 What are Davids ^falmsi but io many ftated Forms of 
 Pray'rs and Praifes, which he, being infpir'd by God, com- 
 pos'd and directed to the Mailers of the Choir for the Ufe of 
 the publick Service, (as I ihall {hew hereafter. ) And that 
 thofe Pfalms were ns'd in their Worfhip appears, efpecially 
 from 2 Chr. 5. 15. where the Priefts and Levi[cs pray'd in the 
 Words of the i3^th Vfalniy and God fhew'd his Approbatioa 
 of that Manner of Worlhip by a fignal Manifeftation of his 
 Prefence. And 2 Chr. 7. 3. the People had their Share in the 
 fame Form, The-j howd themfeh.'s with their faces to th6 
 ground upon the pavement j and ivorjhiped and prais'd the Lord, 
 fayingj For he is goody for his Mercy endureth for ever* And 
 King Hezekias commanded the Prieils and Levites, 1 Chr. z^t 
 30. to praife God in the words of David and Afaph. 
 
 I might eafily tranfcribe many Tellimonies from ancient 
 Authors (who have taken much Pains to underftand the Jewifh 
 Conftitution, and prove Set Forms to have been in conftant 
 Ufes among them ; ) but the Texts now quote i ace fuflticient 
 to warrant that Way of Worlhip, from the Old Teftament. 
 
 SeB. V. I proceed therefore to the New. That our BlciTei 
 Saviour frequented the Jewifh Worfhip is plain from many 
 Places of the Gofpels; and particularly S. L«Ay 4. \6. And 
 we find him blaming the Jews many times for feveral Faults, 
 but not one Word againft their Worlhip : Now if they wor- 
 fhip'd God by Forms, fure his Silence is at leaft a good 
 Argument for the Lawfulnefs of 'em. 
 
 But they are more than lawful, I mean, they are neceflary 
 too, as appears plainly from our BlelTcd Saviour's command- 
 ing his Difciples to ufe one, and from his piaying by Forms 
 himfelf. 
 
 That he taught a Form to his Difciple<; is evident frotn 
 S. Matth. 6. 9. and S. Liike 11. a. in the latter of which he 
 appointed it to be conftantly us'd as their Pray'r, for he gave 
 it to them upon their own defiring him to teach them to pray: 
 
 B And 
 
[ 10 ] 
 
 And can v/c imagine he would have comaaanded them in fo 
 pofitive Terms ivhen ye prafy fay, Owt Father, &c. if it ^vere 
 unlfiti^fttl or carnal to fray by a Form, 
 
 I might eafily enlarge upon this Argcim^nt, but it has been 
 fo often infifted upon by Divines both of the Church of 
 Englartd and Scotland, before and iince the Revolution, that 
 for brevity's fake I fhall not infift upon it. 
 
 As to our Saviour's Pra£lice, S. Matthefuo tells us thatiti his 
 Agony in the Garden, he went the third time from his 
 Difciples and pray'd, SAYING THE SAME WORDS, 
 S. Mitt. 2.6 J 44. And S. Mark gives the f?.me Account, cJy. 
 14. 39. And when he was upon the Crofe, he pray'd in the 
 exprefs Words of the £2d Vfahuy My God, Sec. 
 
 Now if our Lord gave Commandment 10 his Difciples that 
 they fhould ufe a Form ; if upon the moft folemn Occafions 
 he who was God as well as Man, us'd a Form himfclf ; Who 
 is he that dares fay that Praying by a Form is not Fraying 
 ivitb the Spirit? Or that it is not only Lawful but a Duty to 
 ufe Forms of Pray'r 1 
 
 SeB. VL That the whole Catboliek Church ih all Ages has 
 fo taught and believed, is demonftrable from their Praiilice. 
 
 That the Lord's Pray'r particularly was us'd in the firft 
 and beft Ages of the Church, is aiftrm'd by many eminent 
 Writers of thofe Times. TertuUian (as he is quoted by 
 Dr. Falkner {a) fays that *' Chrifl appointed a New F&rm -of 
 " Fray*r, (6) " and he affirms that '* the Cbrifiians in his time 
 ** whilfi they us'd other Prayers did not emit the Lord's Fray'r^ 
 ** but /aid it firfi (c), and made that the Sound^tion of their 
 ** other Frayrs" 
 
 And very foon after him S. Cyprian has a large Treatife of 
 the Lord's PrayV, in which among many other things in 
 Commendation of the Ufagc of it, he fays, " {d) What wore 
 ** Spiritual Frityv can there be than that luhich ivas given nts by 
 *' Chrifl by nvhom the Holy Ghofi <vas -alfo givien '^. What Fray\ 
 ** can avail more ivith God than that avhich came from the 
 
 " Mouth 
 
 (a) Libert. Eccl. p. loi, loz. 
 
 C^) Tert. de Orat. c. i. Chriftus ncvam Oratlonis fonuam 
 detcrmjnavif, &c. 
 
 (f) Ibid. c. 9. Prcemifia legitrima & brdinaria Orstffone quafi fun- 
 daincnto. 
 
 (d) Cypr. de Orar. Dom. Fatnclii'Edir. p. iS^. Qysc enlm potcfl 
 cfle migis Sp'ritualis Oratio, quam qujc vere a Chrjito nobis riara 
 eft a quo nobis 5c Spiritus fiudus niiflus cU ? Q.u£C vera magis 
 apud Purrcm Prccatio, quam qua: a f'^ilio, qui eft Veritas, dc ejus 01 c 
 
 pioiaca 
 
" ^^&^4ih of Chr'ffi <U^ho is the Truth V ^ 'fhe F/t tier will 
 
 ** acknoivledge his Sort's Words. When lie Sinners heg the 
 
 ** pardon of our Sins, let us U'itig li^ith us the Words of our Ad- 
 ** vacate ; ivith ^dihat Succefs jhall lie obtain inhat ive ask in 
 ** Chrifi's Name, if ive ask in his o-ivn Words. " 
 
 S. Jerom fays that '•" Chrifi taught his Apojiles that ezery Bay 
 " in the Sacrifice of his Body, {i. e. in the Enchanft) the 
 •* Faithful pould fay Our Father ivhich art in heaien," &c. {a). 
 
 And S. Augujiine fays, '' 'The. herd's JPray'r is necejfary for 
 " all, ivhich the Lord gaie to tie CUcf of -his Flock, that is to 
 ** his Apoflles that every o::e f:oi.ld fay Fi.rgrce us our trefp.yf- 
 '' fesr &c. {b). ^ , .' \ 
 
 Nor was the Lord's Pray'r the only Form us'd in the pri-^ 
 mitivc Church. The Liturgies commonly afciib'd to S. James^ 
 S. Mark and S. Vetev, (though perhaps not wrote by thofe 
 ^\'hofe Names they bear) arc of iuch early Antiquity in the 
 Church, that it will be hard to fix' then-i upon later Authors : 
 Indeed Dr. }iamn:ond is of Opinion that they were Coile«Siions 
 vHit of thofe holy Martyrs infpir'd Pray'is, taken by their 
 immedia,te Difcipics, and fo called Liturgies of thofe feveral 
 Saints. [See HammondWicw of the New Directory, Se8l, 17.] 
 
 S. Clem. Rom. tp. to Cor. apud Comber. Kill. L:t. '' V/s 
 ** ought to do all things in Order, ivhich our Lord has cammaii- 
 *' ded us to perform, viz. fo celebrate our OBLATIONS 
 *' ^w^ L I T U R G I H S /?/ certain Days. " 
 
 Ignatius ad Magnef. Seci. 7. Wake's Tranflation, *' Being 
 •' coo.e together iu one place, have ONE COMMON" 
 " PR A YLR." 
 
 Vliny\ Account to Trajan about the beginning of the fe- 
 cond Century, fhews that the Chriftians in his time had Sec 
 forms. *■' They ufe (lays Jic) to repeat to one ar.oiher (py by 
 ** turns) a Hymn to Chrifi as God " (c). 
 
 prolata ell? Agnofcat Pater Filii fui verba. Quando 
 
 PtLcaroits pro dclidis noiiiis petinu)?, Advocati noftii verua pio- 
 niimus. Quanto tflicacius impcnamus quad petimus m Chrjfti no^ 
 mine, li pccamus iplius Ofatione. 
 
 (*r) Hicron. aviveif. Fclag. 1. 3. c. 5". Doccir Ap ftolos fu s, uc 
 quo idic in C..rpui;s illius lacificio, c»td;;ncts uudcant 1( qui i'atcr 
 Nuft J, See. 
 
 (b) Aug. Kp. 89- Omnibus nectflaiia cfl Ovario Dominic?, qviam 
 ij^Hjs Ar-Kubui Grrgis, i. e, Apoltolis luis Dcmhhius rfcJu, uc u, \^{^. 
 qu'.fquc dicar. Dimitte nobis Ucbita, 2cc. Fallvne; V V.7id. of Litur* 
 gics, p. izi, izz. 
 
 (c) Fliiiii Kp. 1. 10. Ep. 97. Ca-menque Chrifio quafi Deo di- 
 €tit feLum inviccm. Vid. Falkmr^Vind. 9* Lit. p. 133." 
 
 B i Lucian 
 
Lti itn brings in 'TryphotJ giving an Account of feveral 
 pra£liccs of the Chriliians, and among the rcl} he fays, '* Be- 
 *' ginning uith the Fray'r from the Father y {viz* the Lord's 
 Piny'r) " nnd adding at the End, the Hymn ivith the many 
 " Names^' {a). Which Dr. H<i w wo/, ^if thinks was the Hymn in 
 our Communion Service, which begins Giory be to God on high^ 
 &c. [Sec Hammond sViey.'v^ Qpc. as above.] 
 
 In the third Century Or/gen fays they had conjlifufed or ap- 
 pointed PrayWs. {h). 
 
 S. Cyprian makes the Prietts fiirfum Corda, {i. e. lift iTp 
 your Hearts) and the Peoples anfwering, habemus ad Dominuni^ 
 (i. e. we lift them up unto the Lord) to be a ftated Beginning 
 and Preparation for the Service in his Time, (c) 
 
 In the Fourth Century the Liturgies of S. Bafil and S. Chry- 
 fojlom were compos'd. 
 
 In the Fifth, thofe Liturgies are mention'd by VrocluSy 
 Bifhop of Conjlantinople^ who had his Education in that City 
 when S. Chry fojlom was Bifliop of it. {d) 
 
 And earlier than this the Laodicean Council prefcrib'd the 
 conftant \j{c of Liturgies, Can, 18. This Council was held 
 about the Year 564, (or earlier.) And this 1 8th Canon of 
 the Council of Laodicea was approv'd by the great Council of 
 Chalcedon, one of the firft four General Councils, Can. 1. 
 held ab-^ut the middle of the fifth Century. 
 
 I need not come farther down, for if there were ftatej 
 Forms of Worfhip in the firft five Ages of the Chriftiaii 
 Church, I hope it will be fufficient to take oft' the Imputation 
 of their Stinting the Spirit. 
 
 And now I think I have fhew'd you that Set Forms of 
 Pray'r were appointed by God himfelf, prafl:is'd by holy Men 
 in the Old Teftament, countenanc'd in the Jewifli Church by 
 our Blelfcd Saviour, commanded by him to Chriftians, con- 
 fcciated by his own Example, and handed down to us thro* 
 the Univerfal Church for five Hundred Years, (and no body 
 difputed the Life of 'em in the following Ages.) 
 
 And now, my Brethren and Country-men, will any be fo 
 hardy as to alTcrt that this Cloud of WitnelTes, with our 
 Lord himfelf ai their Head, were a Set of People that wor- 
 ihip'd, God vvithout the Spirit? I hope not. 
 
 (a) Lucian in Phijop. apud Falkner u'm fiipra, p. 158. rvjv k'xvfv 
 
 ('}) Ong. contra Cclftim- 1. 6. ap. Falkncr, Lib. Eccl. p. 108. 
 Tipoqctx^lficuit; ivxcCic,. 
 
 (r) V ypr. de Oiar. Dom. Pam. R^iir. p. 271. 
 
 fi) Procl. Conftit. dc Trad. Lirurg. >n Bibl. Pur. Falkner, T/W. 
 »r Li:, p. I)-;. Falk. Lih. Eccl. p. io5. ti find of Lit. p. 155. 
 Vivlc Dr. CombciV ////?. of Liturgies. 
 
 1 know 
 
[ 13 ] 
 
 1 know (however they of the Presbyterian Perfwafion may 
 oppofe this) my Brethren of the HpifGopal Communion were 
 always f^r the primitive Way of Worihip ; and tho' they were 
 not fo happy as to have a dated Liturgy, they compos'd 
 Forms for themfelves, and many of 'cm out of the Englijlo 
 Liturgy ; and often with'd their Worfhip might be perform'd 
 in the fame Manner in which it was in the Englip Church : 
 And after the Revolution, the perfecuted Clergy of the 
 Church of Scotland gave fufficient Demonltration of their Af- 
 feSion to the Englijlo Worfhip, by introducing the Book of 
 Common Pray'r (to their laftmg Honoui) into fomc of their 
 Aflemblies. 
 
 It pleas'd Almighty God, of his Goodnefs to you, to put 
 it into the Heart of our late moft Gracious Queen, to comply 
 >vith the pious Defire of the I arliament of Great Britain, to 
 grant a Toleration to thofe of the Rpifcopal Communion in 
 yotir Country ; I hope ye will be thankful to God and her late 
 Majclly for that Favour ; and to enable you who love Li- 
 turgies, to worfhip God acceptably in the Ufe of ours, and 
 to contribute as much as I can (in the Spirit of Meeknefs) to 
 take off the Prejudices of all my Countiy-men, which the 
 Prepofleffions of hducation, or want of Acquaintance with ir, 
 may have left with them to this BOOK, I h^ve undertaken 
 this Task. 
 
 And therefore I fFiall, without farther Ceremony, apply 
 myfelf xo confider in particular, 
 
 l^he Common Prayer Book 
 
 IN recommending this admirable Form, I fhall, by the 
 BlelTing of God take notice of it, 
 
 I. As to the Subftancc of it. And, 
 
 II. As to the manner in which it is us'd. 
 
 I. The whole Book of Common Pray'r, as to its Subdancc, 
 may be reduc'd to fix Heads. 
 
 I. It confifts of Pray'rfy and thofe taken out of the Holy 
 Scripture, and the Forms of the ancient Fathers ot the Chji- 
 iHan Church, agreable to the Holy Sciipturc ; and I hope no 
 Body will affirm, That it is unlawful to pray to God in the 
 '\v Olds of holy Men in Scripture ; or, Tlai felect Pray'rs taken 
 our of ancient Liturgies that arc entirely confonanr to the 
 Holy Scripture, and don't fo much as carry a femblance of 
 falfc Doctrine, may not be offjr'd to that God who gave fuch 
 
 B 3 Gr:;ce 
 
Grace to the firft Compofc s oFthofc Littirgic,';, thit they rcai'J 
 the Doilrine contain'd in them with their iilorid. 
 
 The nrft Farhcrs arc fo mnch (and juftly too) efrcem'd hy 
 all Chriliians, that I take it for |:;ranred, whatever Portions of 
 our Licmgy are tianfcrib'd from them, and agreahle to the 
 true Orthodox Apollolicnl Do^rine, will not be disputed, and 
 therefore I lliall not need to make any Apology for fiichPray'is 
 as arc ro be found amoi g them. 
 
 2. The Comm.on Pray'r Book confids of fjovt Sn^nrnarles of 
 cur Chrif'i'tn E^itb, commonly cali'd Creeds, And thcy are 
 three: The Apoftles Creed, the Athnn:ffiany and the Nirerre, 
 The firrt is fo ancient, that it has hecn by many faid to have 
 been made by the Apoftlcs thcmfelves ; it is fo tine in every 
 Arricic, that no Orthodox Chriftian denies one Word in it ; 
 and (o neceflary. that every one muft know and believe it 
 that expe£is to be fav'd : And therefore it has, in all Af^es, 
 been received as the Symbol of the Chiiftian Faith. The 
 other two Creeds being only Enlargem.ents and Explications 
 of the Apoftles Creed in fome particular Articles, have been 
 rcceiv'd (ever fince they were fram'd) by all Orthodox Chri-» 
 iHans, as a Teft to diftinguifh true Believers from thofc Here- 
 ticks againft whofe fallc DoSrines thofc Creeds were com-' 
 posM. 
 
 5. It is made up of fome Tortious of Holy Scripture ; viz. The 
 Epifllcs and Gofpels, which are icad on the Lord's Day, and 
 thofe other Days appointed b-y the Church to bt.- obferv'd in 
 Commemoration of the particular Steps of our E.cdeiT)ption» 
 or for his Grace given to the holy Apoftles, and other Martyrs. 
 (Of all which in their due Time.) 
 
 4. Of the a;hole Ecoh of TfalmSy ayid other feleci CJn'/f!ian 
 Hyrnrjs. As to the Pfalms I need not fay any Thing in Vindi- 
 cation of 'cm ; and for the other prefciib'd Hymns I hope to 
 jhew before I have finiili'd this Letter, that there can no rca- 
 fonable ObjciStion be made againft them. 
 
 5. Of fome godly and pious Exhortatlors us'd by the Mini- 
 iler to the People ; viz. Before the Pray 'is begin : In cafe there 
 be a Communion, Qfc, 
 
 6. Of fome Occaficnal Offices, Such as Baptifm, Confirma- 
 
 tlO)-!, gPC. 
 
 Thefc I think arc the Subftancc of what is properly t!ic Li- 
 turgy. As to the Kubrick, ( /. e. the Directions wJiich yoa 
 fee in fmall Letters, cali'd Kubrick, bccaufc it us'd to be in 
 red Letters in the ancient Liturgies ) I fhall take notice of a«y 
 Thing material in it as I go along. 
 
 In all thc^c I hope to fhew, That there is nothing joftly ex- 
 ceptionable, if you can be rcconcird to, 
 
 II. 'The 
 
C ^5 ] 
 
 IT. I^je Maimer in ^yhich our Worfhip is perform'^. 
 
 That therefore I may recommend it to you, I fhall (God 
 willing) take a fhort View of the whole Liturgy, or Common 
 Pray'r, juft as we ufe it in our Lord*s Day Service, and in the 
 Service for Morning and Evening throughout the Year ; and 
 then I fhall confider the other Offices as they are in order. 
 
 When therefore we meet together to worfhip God, it is 
 ufnal with us for every particular Perfon as he firft comes into 
 his Pew in the Church, before he takes his Seat, to fall on his 
 Knees to put up his private Pray'rs for the Affiftance of God's 
 Grace, and Holy Spirit, to enable him to ofter him acceptable 
 Service. 
 
 This Praftice is fo decent and reafonable, that I wonder it 
 fhould not be every where us'd. When we come into the 
 Houfe of a Superiour or Equal here among otirfelves, it is ufual 
 to pay our Civility to the Mailer of the Family ; And fhall 
 God Almighty's Houfe be the only Place treated withDifre- 
 gard, and his infinite Majefty meet with lefs Refpect from us 
 than our Neighbours? I know you of the Epifcopal Commu- 
 nion always follow'd this religious Practice ; continue in well 
 doing, and let others fee your good Example, that they may 
 imitate you in it. But becaufc the Devotion of your Heaits in 
 Pray'r fhould be accompany'd with an humble Pofture of Bo- 
 dy, fall on your Knees, and fay in the Words of that excellent 
 Service which I am going to explain. 
 
 " Let thy merciful Ears, O Lord, be open to the Pray'is of 
 " thy humble Servant, and that I may obtain my Petitions, 
 " make me to ask fuch Things as fhall pleafe thee, through 
 " Jelus Chrift our Lord. Amen, (^a) 
 
 Our Father which art in Heaven, QPc, 
 
 Or, 
 
 " Almighty and everlafting God, who art always more ready 
 *' to hear than we to pray, and art wont to give more than 
 *' either we defire or deferve, pour down upon me the Riches 
 ** of thy Grace, forgiving mc thofe Things whereof my Con- 
 *' fcience is afraid ; and giving me tliofe good Things which 
 *' I am not worthy to ask, buc through the Merits and Media- 
 *' tion of Jefus Chrift thy Son our Lord. Amen, {h) 
 
 Our Father which art in Heaven, Qpc* 
 
 And when you have recommended yourfcIvestoGod inthefe 
 or the like Forms, then you may rife and pay your Civilities 
 
 (a) ColUci for the \oib Suti^ay after Trinity. 
 
 [b) Callcci for tbe izthSwiday afcerTrinity. 
 
 B 4 to 
 
[ 16- ] 
 
 to your Nelghbocirs as you fee Occafion,- (always provided that 
 you come in before the Worfliip is begun, which you ought 
 llill to do ; for in Time of Divine Service, it is highly Inde- 
 cent, and indeed, Irreligious, to inteiiupt your Devotion by 
 Bows and Curtefies to thofe about you.) 
 
 When the Minifter comes in, and is ready to begin the Ser- 
 vice, then you muft bend your Minds more particularly to 
 what you are going about, and compofe them to atten4 to 
 what he fays. 
 
 I know vour Method of beginning your Service is by finging 
 a.Pfalm ; I fay nothing to difparagc that Practice ; it is with- 
 out doubt very lawful, and not indecent, and yet I will fhew 
 you a more excellent V/ay. 
 
 SeB. I. With US the Minidcr beginning the Service, reads 
 with a loud Voice (as the Kubrick directs) one or more Sen- 
 tences of Scripture : And thofe are chofen on purpofe to 
 ilievv, 
 
 I. God's Willingnefs to forgive Sins upon Repentance : 
 Ezek, 1 8. 27. When the wicked mar turnSy 8cc. Or, I)^;;. 9. 9, 
 ^0 the Lord our God belong mercies y &c. Or, Tfal. 51. 17. 'Jihe 
 fifcrijices of Godj &c. 
 
 1, The Necellity of confcflfing our Sins : TfaJ. 51. 3. / ac- 
 kpoiuledge my trarifgreJfionSi £cc. Or, I S. John I. S. // 'vue fay 
 that ive have no fln^ &c. 
 
 3. An Exhortation to Repentance: yoel 2. 15. Rerit youv 
 heartSy &c. Or, S. Matt. 5. 2. Repent ye, 8cc. Or, S. Luk& 
 15. 19. I avill arife, &c. 
 
 4. An earned Pray'r for Pardon : Tfal. 51. 9. Hide thy face, 
 6cc. j^er. 10. 24. Lord correB mey &c. TfaL J43. 2. En- 
 ter noiy &c. 
 
 Nov/ what can be more edifying, than, before we begin 
 onr immediate Worlliip, to be excited to Devotion, by the 
 Gonfideration of our Sin and Mifery, and of the Mercy of God 
 in promifing Pardon upon Repentance ; and thofe declar'd 
 from God's own Word. So that whatever Sentence or Senten- 
 ces theMinifter makes choice of, the People arc thereby ftirr'd 
 up to a ferious Reflc£tion of the Necefiity of Pray'r. And to 
 help that RcHedion, the Miniltcr goes on with a flioit but 
 eaineft Exhortation (according to the Dire£tion in the tirll Ri^- 
 brick) in thefe Words, 
 
 ScB. II. Dearly beloved Brethren, the Scripture ivoveth its, &C» 
 This is agreable to your ov/n Cullom hpfore your Pray 'rs, and 
 therefore if this Form of Exhoitarion be good, you will noc 
 w^kc any Obje.^ion againft the UTage. AnJ the bare reading 
 jthij, v^erc fufHcicnt lo fhew the Gooduefs of it : For the 
 
 Minifter 
 
[17 ] 
 
 Minift^r firft addreflbs the People in a loving Manner ; Dearly 
 
 beloved Brethren. And when he has thus befpoke their 
 
 Attention, he tells *em, " 'The Scripture moves us in fundry 
 *' places WiZ' in thofe Sentences which you have heard read, 
 and in many others] " to acknowledge and confefs our mani- 
 ** fold fins and ivickednefsy and that nve fiould not dijfemhle pot 
 
 ** cloak them but confefs them 'with an humble^ lowly, pent- 
 
 " tent, and obedient heart. Then he fliews the Defign of fuch 
 Confeffion and Repentance ; viz. *' To the end that ive may 
 *' obtain the forglvenefs of the fame by his infinite goodnefs and 
 " mevcy. Then he proceeds to fhew, That the aircmbling of 
 Chiiltians is a more efpecial Seafon for confefling and implo- 
 ring Pardon ; " And although we ought at all times yet 
 
 *' ought we mofl chiefly fo to do when we affemble together, 
 Becaufe the Defign of our aflembling is, " To render thanks 
 ** for the great benefits tuhich we have received at his hands^ to 
 ** fet forth his mofl worthy praife^ to hear his mofl holy word, 
 ** and to ask thofe things which are requifite and neceffary as well 
 *' for the body as the foul. But bccaule we cannot perform 
 thofe Duties acceptably, while we continue in our Sins, 
 therefore the Minifter concludes the Exhortation with a 
 friendly Importunity to move the Congregation to confefs 
 their Sms to God ; " Wherefore 1 pray and befeech you as many 
 " as are here prefent, to accompany me with a pure Heart, and 
 *' humble Voice, unto the throne of the heavenly Grace, faying 
 " after me. 
 
 This iTiort Exhortation is an excellent Help to prepare your 
 Hearts, for the following Worfhip : According to the Advice 
 of the wife Son of Syrach\ Ecclef. 18. 23. Before thou pray efi^ 
 prepare thy hearty and be not like one that tempts God. 
 
 SeB. III. Being thus ftirr'd up to Devotion by the Exhorta- 
 tion mention'd, the Minifter and all the People go to their 
 Knees, (as the Kubrick injoins) which being a Pofture of Body- 
 generally requir'd of the People in our Worfhip, I will fay 
 lomething of it here, which may ferve for all the reft till I 
 come to the Communion. 
 
 And, indeed, I cannot be reconciPd to thofe common Phra- 
 fcsy (as they are abus'd) that It is the Heart that God re(fuires ; 
 and thap People may be devout in any Poflure, For, {a) we owe 
 a Worfhip to God with our Bodies as well as our Souls . And 
 though, without doubt, bodily Worfhip is but mockery where 
 ihe Heart is gone aftray, and that where a devout Pofture is 
 not pra£i:icable, as in Sicknefs, ^c. God will accept the Will 
 for the Deed ; yet the Devotion of the Heart will be no Ex- 
 
 fji) 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ephff 3, 14. 
 
 Ciifc 
 
[ i8 ] 
 
 cufc for the Contempt or Negle^ of bocJify Worniip : For it 
 is no Privilege of Chriftianity, that I know of, to be more 
 impertinently Remifs in our outward Behaviour towards God 
 Almighty, than we commonly are in our Addreffcs to Men : 
 Nor can I apprehend what Authority any Man has, to be fo 
 much more familiar with his Maker, than he dares be with the 
 (<i) Lailrd, or his Chamberla'm : I am afraid the indecent Pof- 
 ture of fitting at Pray'rs, gives ignorant People too much 
 Ground to think, that all their Budnefs at Church, is only to 
 fl2:!g Pfalms, hear Sermons, and let the Miniftcr offer Pray'rs 
 for the Congregation, which they are no farther concern'd in, 
 than to ftay till they are done and get fhare of the Blefling. 
 Bnt you, when you worfbip God in Public.k, do not begrudge 
 him your Knees ; And to fhew what Authority we have for 
 this devout Poftarc (not to infift on other Proofs) our Blefled 
 Lord (who might have made as free with his Father, rrt leaft, 
 as any Body fince) kneeVd doiOn and prayed thrice before his 
 Pafllon, ias both S. Matthew and S. Luke inform us. After his 
 Example S. 'Paul kneel d down andprayd with the Elders of the 
 Church, AHs 20. ^6. And again, Acis 21. 5. when the Dif- 
 ciples from 'Tyre accompany'd S. Paul to his Ship, they kneeVd 
 down on thejijore and pray d. 
 
 And the primitive Church praftis'd it conftantly, except at 
 fome particular Times, in which they were obliged to ftand at 
 Pray'rs in fome Churches, {b) Eiifeb'nts calls it, "The ordinary 
 Cufiom to kneel at Pray'rs. And they who have found out, I 
 do not know what, Supcrftition in kneeling at Pray'rs in 
 Churches, do commonly ufe that Pofturc in private Families ; 
 and why it fhould be lawful to kiicel at Home, and yet be ne- 
 ccifary to ufe the irrevercnd Poliure of fitting in the Houfe of 
 God, is what I cannot underfi:and. 
 
 Having therefore fo good Authority for kneeling, let both 
 Minifter and People (c) worpip and fall down., and kneel before 
 the Lord our maker. And in that decent and devout Pofture, 
 let them begin that excellent Confcffion, the whole Congrega- 
 tion faying after the Minifter, (as the Rubrick directs.) 
 
 SeB. IV. In this flioit but comprehenfivc Form, every fingle 
 Perfon may confefs his Sins of what Sort foever, under the 
 general Exprcflions there us'd. " We have erred and jlrayed 
 *' from thy ways like lofi peep : We have followed too much the 
 ** devices and dejires of our own hearts : We have offended again jl 
 *' thy holy laws : We have left undoyie thofe things which we ought 
 *' to have done : And we have done thofe things which we ought not 
 
 {a) Landlord, and Receiver, [b) Eufeb. Led Hiji. lib. 5. cap. S- 
 (c) I'fal. ^J5- 0. 
 
 * to 
 
C^9] 
 
 *' fo havi done : And there is nd health In ui. And by this 
 Form you fee you may Gonfefs all your Sins to God, -whutln^r 
 of OmifTion or CommifiTion, open or fecret, done delibe* 
 rarely, or by fciipriTfC : And one Pcrfeftion of this Form of 
 ConfelTion I take to be, that it is fo general that the moft 
 pious may ufe it, and yet fo full that it may ftite the moll 
 profligate. 
 
 Certainly the Wifdom of our Church in beginning her Ser- 
 vice ^vifh an humble Confefiton of Sin, is very commendable ; 
 for while we continue impenitently in Sin, we cannot perform 
 any religious Duty acceptable to God ; that v/e may therefore 
 find Mercy, we here confefs our Sins, 'Fyov. 28. 15. 
 
 In this Confcilion, we begin with the moft ancient and well 
 known Attributes of God, his Power, and his Goodnefs ; 
 *' Alrf/ighty and mofl merciful Father, And after confefling our 
 Sins in general, we beg for Pardon and Mercy in the moft 
 humble yet prcPiing Terms : ** But thou, O Lord^ have mercy 
 *' upon us mijerable Offenders ', Spare thou them^ God., who con- 
 ** fefs their Faults ; Refiore thou them that ate penitent. And 
 bccaufc we are not worthy of the Favour of God for any 
 Good that wc have done, wc beg his Mercy for the Sake of our 
 oniy Mediatorjefus Chrift, and by Virtue of that Covenant and 
 Promifc which God was gracioufly pleas'd to make to Men in 
 and through his Son : '' According to thy 'Bromifes declared unto 
 ** Mankind in Chriji Jefu our Lord. And becaufe the Pardon 
 of our sins would not (ignify much to us without the renew- 
 ing of our Lives, wc beg that he may, for Chrift's Sake, give 
 us Grace to amend our Lives for the future : *' And granty O 
 " moji merciful Father, for his Sake ; "That we ma,y hereafter live 
 *' a godljy righteous, and foher Life ; 'to the glory of thy holy 
 *' Name, Amen. 
 
 I will not infill: any longer upon the Matter of this Confef- 
 fion, le(i I fhould be thought to doubt your Chriftianity ; for 
 no Orthodox Chriftian can find Eault with one Word in 
 ir. 
 
 But however good and found it may be in itfelf, yet I am 
 ffjfficienrly aware that you who are not acquainted with out 
 Way of WorOiip, will boggle at our Manner of ufing this 
 Confcilion ; viZ' Allowing and enjoining the People to repeat 
 evc;y Sentence after the Minifter. This, fome fay, confounds 
 the "WorJhip ; others, that it is rank Popery. To vindicate 
 this Manne; of alternate Praying, I will, in as few Words as I 
 can, fhcw you what Authority we have for it. 
 
 If wc look into the Practice of the Jewilh Church, What 
 can be meant by many RxprelTions in the TfahiSy where David 
 errcourages the People to fay Amen, Hallelujah^ but their ha- 
 ving a Part in the publick Piay'is? P/4/. 10^. 41^* 
 
 The 
 
[20] 
 
 The whole Congregation of the Children of Ifrael join'd to 
 addrefs God Almighty, ^udg. 21. 2. and faid, Lord God of 
 Ifrael, luhy is this thing happen d in Ifrael ? &»c. 
 
 When Solomon had pray'd at the Dedication of the Temple 
 in the Words of the i32d Tfalmy the People had alfo their 
 Share, for they bowd themfeheSy and avovjlnped and praifed the 
 Lord, faying, for he is good, for his n/ercy endnreth for ever : 
 aChr. 7. 3. 
 
 Nor was this only a Jewifh Prafticc, but Jikewifc among the 
 Apoftles we have more than probable Arguments, for the 
 Faithfuls joining their Voices in Pray'r ; A^s 4. 24. The 
 Apoftles, and they of their Company, lifted up their voice ivitb 
 one accord, and faid. Lord thou art God, 6cc. Nor will it do to 
 fay, That one only pray'd, and the reft join'd -in their Hearts : 
 For the Text fays ex prefly, 'They (i. e. the whole Company, 
 V. 23.) lift up their Voice ; and doubtlefs lifting up the Voice 
 is one Thing, and joining with the Heart is another. 
 
 Again, S.Paul and Silas pray'd, A5is id. 25. fo that the 
 Prifoners heard them. If any fay. That firft S. Paul urter'd 
 his Pray'r, and then Silas (after he had done) begun his ; this 
 is faid without Proof, whereas their joining alternately in one 
 Pray'r (that being the Cuftorii of the Jewifh Church) is at 
 leaft more propable. 
 
 (a) And S. P^«/exprefly fuppofes it to be the Budnefs even 
 of the Unlearned xo fay Amen, at the giving Thanks (/. e. at 
 the Confecration of the Sacrament, as Dr. Hammond thinks) 
 fo that in that Apoftle's Opinion, fome Anfwers to the Pray'rs 
 are lawful : And he exhorts the Romans, With one mind, and 
 one mouth, to glorify God : Kom. 15. 6. 
 
 And if we will take the Prophet's Reprefentation of the 
 Angels, and S. J-ohns Account of the Church Triumphant for 
 our Pattern, we will find this Practice agreable to that of the 
 Heavenly Choir. Thus, Ifa. 6. 3. the Angels are reprefcntej 
 crying to one another, Holy, &c. 
 
 And Rev. 7. 9. the Chuich above is brought in worfhipping 
 alternately, (or Time about, as we Scotfmen call it) The mul- 
 titude cryd with a loud voice, faying. Salvation, &c, ver. 11. 
 "The angels fell down and worfuped God, faying, Amen, Bleffing 
 and Glory, &c. And again, Rev. 19. i. / heard a great voice 
 of much people in heaven, faying, Allelujah. ver. 3. Again they 
 faid Allelujah : then the four Bea/ls, and the twenty four Elders, 
 fell down and faid. Amen, Allelujah. And when the voice came 
 out of the throne, ver. 5. faying^ Praife our God, &c. Then a 
 K>cice of a great multitudey as of many waters, faid Allelujah, 
 &c. 
 
 (it) 1 Cor. i;j.. 6. 
 
f " ] 
 
 In thefe Places of the Revelations^ we fee thofe glorify *d 
 Saints reprefcnted praying acceptably with thefe three remark- 
 able Circumftances, i. Kneeling, or Frojlratiorty 2. Making 
 Re/ponfes, or anfivering one another. 3. Repeating the fame 
 Words often. All which I defire you to note carefully as an 
 Argument of the Excellency of the Englifh Liturgy^ which 
 appoints all thefe to be nfed. 
 
 As to the Pra«Siice of the Primitive Church, (which it will 
 not be much for any Man's Reputation lightly to defpife) 
 there are many Tcftimonies of the People's joining with their 
 Voice in Prayer. St. Cyprians Sitrfum Corda, pronounc'd by 
 the Prieft, (formerly mcntion'd {a) ) and the People's anfwer- 
 ing, Habemns ad Dominnmy is a fufficienc Indication of this 
 way of praying in the third Century. 
 
 it. Enfil (who liv'd in the next Century) fays (^) £"/>. 55. 
 that in his Time the Praftice of many Eafiern Churches was, 
 that every Man by his o^vti Words did profefs Repentance and 
 make Confeffon. 
 
 And Gregory Nazianzen declares, (c) Orat, 3. that Julian^ in 
 imitation of Chnftians, appointed a Form of Pray *r among 
 the Heathens, to be faid in Paits. 
 
 St. Jerom (d) (about the end of the fourth Age) fays, the 
 People fpake in the Prayers with the Prieft. 
 
 And Gregory the Great (e) (Century the fixth) affirms, that 
 the Lord's Prayer was ordinarily faid by all the People toge- 
 ther, Ep. 1. 7. c. 53. 
 
 And indeed, this Cuftom of the People's having a fhare in 
 the Prayeis of the Church is fo very natural, that in Churches 
 where it is not injoin'd, People fall, of themelves, into the 
 Praftice of it, tho' not fo orderly, nor with fuch Under- 
 ftanding as the Liturgy dire£ts. Thus I have very often ob- 
 ferv'd in many Churches in Scotland, the better Sort of People 
 repeating the Prayers after the Minifter, and in fome Places 
 they were fo well acquainted with this Form, that I have 
 heard them fometimes go before him ; while the more igno- 
 rant made Pvefponfes of their own, (loud enough to be heard 
 of many in the Chuich) fuch as Lord grant it ! God do it ! 
 Chrifl hear us ! Lord have Mercy ! and the like. 
 
 And if it be lawful to join fo far with your Mouth in the 
 Prayers, (as to my knowledge many did without any Check 
 from their Miniftcr, and indeed who would hinder fuch 
 Offers at Devotion) then how much the more edifying 
 is it that the whole Congregation fhould have the fame 
 
 {a) Cypr. de Qr.xt. Do. p. 2.71. {b) Vide Falknr. lib. Eccl. n. ijo. 
 Con,t>er Ccn^p. to 7lw?/>//. (c) Fihkmr, Ibid. {d) Falhner, Ibid. 
 
 p. 131. y€) I'-ld. 
 
 Anfwers, 
 
[.. ] 
 
 Anfwers, that all thifigs he done decently and in orders i Coti 
 14. 40. 
 
 When therefore the Minifter begins the Confeflion, faying. 
 Almighty and moft merciful Father^ ict all the People fay after 
 him with an audible Voice, Alnjigliy and wvji weniful Father^ 
 and fo repeating after him every i^cntenee in the Confeffion, 
 ■which is fo excellent a Coinpofuie that the reading of it Vvill 
 recommend it to all People of Senfe and Piety. 
 
 And if you fay this Vvith true Devotion, then you wilJ have 
 your Heart prepared f6r the Pardon which the Minifter is go- 
 ing to pronounce in the 
 
 SeH> VI. Ahfolutiont Which is the next part of our Service. 
 In recommending this, it will not be amifs 6p fay fomething 
 of the Power of Abfohition in general. 
 
 By the Power of Abfolution I mean, an Authority left by 
 our Blejfed Saviour to Miniflers, {lawfully ordain d to that Of- 
 fice) to forgive Sins upon Jijicere Repentance andjledfafi Faith. 
 This certainly is the leaft that can be meant by Chrill'i Words 
 to his Apoftles, yohn 20.23. PVhofefoever Jins ye remit, &c. 
 
 Thar Chrift gave this Power to his Apoftles you fee plainly 
 in the Text : that it was not to die with them is as clear fiom 
 onr Lord's promifing to be with em always, {tizi, in the tx- 
 ercife of their Miniftry) to the end of the World. 
 
 Nor was the Power of Abfolution any part of the extraor- 
 dinary miraculous Power which the ApolHes had, for th.c: Ho- 
 ly Ghoft was not given in the fuUeft Meafure till fome time 
 after this Comraiflion. And tho' the Infpiration, wiiich the 
 Apoftles and firft Difpenfers of the abfolving Power were en- 
 dowed with, enabled them better to difcern who was quali- 
 fy 'd for Abfolution, and who not, that docs not infer that 
 the Power it felf dy'd with them : for fince all the Power that 
 (even) they had was only to abfolve upon Repentance and 
 Faith ; there is no reafon why Ch-.ilHans now ITiould be de- 
 priv'd of the Comfort of that Ordinance, beca ufe we can't in- 
 fallibly determine who is a true pcnicent Believer, and who is 
 an Hypocrite. 
 
 When any Perfon who profefTcs to be griev'd and wearied 
 with the b'.'.rden of his Siiis comes to me to dcfsre Abfolution, 
 I muft inquire with all due Caution, whether he truly repents. 
 If I have reafon to believe that he does, I will abfolve him, 
 i. e. I will declare in God's Name that his Sins are forgiven. 
 If he be a faithful Penitent, what 1 have loofed on 1-arth 13 
 -(by vcrtue of Chrift's Promile) loofed in Heaven. 
 
 I will not deny but I may be miftaken in my Judgment, and 
 may declare a Perfon abfolv'd whom God neither has nor will 
 abfolve, becaufe he is a rotten Hypocrite ; which 1 could not 
 
 had 
 
ifiod out ; b«t I know Ukewife that if S. 'Beter or S. P^«/ had 
 abrdv'd any Man, God Almighty would not ratify their Sen- 
 tence, but upon the Score of Kepent-ance and Faith : For Ab- 
 folution is no Charm to give Pardon to one (in himfelf un- 
 <jualify'd ) by only pronouncing thefe "Words, I abfolute tJ^e 
 in the name of the Father^ and of the Son, and of the Holy 
 Ghoji. But as other poiitive Inftitutions of the Gofpel are 
 made means of Grace by God's appointment, to thofe who are 
 duly qualify'd for 'em, and partake worthily of 'cm ; fo Ahfo- 
 iution to a Soul fitly difpos'd by Faith and Repentance, is a 
 Declaration vf God's Pardon upon Earth, which will be rati- 
 fy 'd and confirm'd (without queflion) in Heaven. 
 
 If fome have abus'd this Dodrine, and fcrew'd it up to 
 fuch an unwarrantable Height as to make the Priefts pronoun- 
 cing thefe Words / ab/ohe thee, &c. an abfolute Pardon ex 
 opere operato^ i. e. by his bare fpeaking of the Words : Or if 
 ■they have further taught, that Abfolution ought to be given 
 to a Perfon that has only an imperfect Contrition, "which 19 
 call'd Attriticfjy ( /. £. a ila.vifh Fear of Punilliment.) I fay 
 if any one has fo taught, I am not to anfwer for that. Our 
 Church .gives no Countenance to fuch loofe Dot2;rine ; nor is 
 fhe accountable for either the Opinions or Practices of 
 others. 
 
 But however high or low fome cary this Matter, no 
 Chriftian can fcruple the Abfolution in our daily Service, 
 10/ the other two Abfolution s in the Liturgy 1 fh all (peak in their 
 proper places.} Our daily Abfolution begins " Almighty God 
 *' the father of our Lord Jefus, &c. 
 
 Here the Minifter begins with the known Attribute of 
 God ; and, to raife our Confidence, he fubjoins his being the 
 Father of ou-r Lord Jefus Chrifi, and therefore certainly the 
 more willing to be reconcil'd to penitent Chriftians. 
 
 And what can be more comfortable to thofe who are fen- 
 fible of their Sins, and heartily forry for *em, than to hear 
 that that God, who is Almighty and can forgive, isalfothe 
 Father of that Saviour who made Satisfaftion for our Sins ; 
 and in and thro* him, is ready and willing to pardon ua : 
 And in token of his Willingnefs, " Has given pomer avd 
 " commandment to his Minifiers^ to declare and pronounce to 
 *' his people being penitent., the Abfolution and Remiffion of their 
 " ftns. Thus the Minifter encourages the People to hope for 
 Pardon from thefe Confidcrations : And thtn he goes on to 
 pronounce the general Xemifllon in thefe Words, " He par- 
 *' doneth and ahfoheth all thofe ivho truly repent, and unfeign^ 
 *' edly believe his holy Gofpel." The Meaning of which is no 
 more than this: 'That God {ivho has given Power and Authority 
 to me, and other Ltwfnl I^dlnifiers, to declare his Pardon to 
 
 teniient 
 
[ M ] 
 
 fcrt'itent Belie'Vers^ by my Mouth pardons alt ydu who are duly 
 qualify d for It by Repentance and Faith. And this general 
 pardon every one of the Congregation (who is duly difpos'd 
 for it ) may apply to himfclf : And then the whole Congre- 
 gation are to join in " Befeeching him to grant us true re- 
 •* pentance and his holy Spirit, that thofe things may pleafe him 
 ** which we do at this prefent ; and that the reji of our life here- 
 " after may be pure and holy ; fo that at the laji we may come 
 ** to his eternal joy thro Jefus Chriji our Lord, Amen. 
 
 Now I befeech you to conhder this part of our Service 
 ferioiifly without prejudice ; how agreable it is to the Nature 
 of the Gofpel and the Chriftian l3oftrine, and you will be 
 convinc'd that here all things are done to Edifying, i Cor. 
 14. 26. 
 
 This A'foliition is to be pronounc'd by the Vriejl alone fland- 
 ing, (fays the Kubrick) the People Jlill kneeling. 
 
 If any one is fo ignorant as to take Exceptions at the 
 Word Prieji, they will find it afterward explained {a)» The 
 Priefi is here particularly nam'd, becaufe (tho* an inferiour 
 Minifter may read Morning and Evening Pray'r, or any 
 Mafter of a Family who is not in holy Orders) ?7owff other 
 but he that has been ordain'd a py/e/2 or (as they arecall'd) 
 Presbyter, may take upon him to give Abfolution ; for that 
 Power is a part of the Commiflion granted to the Apollles, 
 and delegated thro' the whole Chriftian Church to their Suc- 
 ceiTors the BipopSy and to lawful Priefls ; and in our Church 
 granted by the Bifoop to Priefls only in their Ordination, buC 
 never to Deacons {bj. 
 
 The Prieft is to (land in pronouncing the Abfolution, be- 
 caufe it is an Aft of Authority "addreis'd in God's Name fo 
 the People, whereas the other Pray'rs are humble Rctjucfts 
 addrefs'd in their Name to God. 
 
 The next part of the Service, is, 
 
 SeB. Vir. 'The Lord's Pray v. [To be faid by the Minifler as 
 well as People kneeling, the Minijler [peaking with an audible 
 Voice, and the People repeating it after him here^ and in every 
 other part of the Service wherefoeuer it is uid ; as the Kubrick 
 cxprcfly dircQs.] 
 
 I am heartily forry there fhoulJ be any Occafion for proving 
 to People who are call'd Chriftians, the Lawfulnefs of ufing 
 this admirable Pray'r ; but having faid fomcthing of the 
 ancient Ufe of it in the Chriftian Worfliip in the former part 
 of this Letter, I fhall only add as an Argument ad homines^ to 
 
 (a) Vide Litany of pr flying for Bijhopi, Pricfis and Deacon!' 
 \b) Vide Ordering of i'ntjh. 
 
 yot! 
 
[ ^5 3 
 
 you Gentlemen of the Presbyterian Pcrfwa/ion, that in your 
 own Directory for Worfhip, the Lord's Frafr is not only 
 recommend as a 'Pattern for Prayy^ but allowed TO BE 
 US'D AS A FORM. And the fame Ailembly of Di- 
 vines who made that DireBory^ in their Annotations upon 
 the Lord's Pray\y fay the fame: So thiU from the avow'd 
 Principles of the Presbyterians, the Lords Frayr MAY be 
 tis'd in your Pray'rs. That your cmiverfal Praftice is againft 
 this, is your own Fault, and Father for jjve yon, you knou not 
 what you do. 
 
 But for you of the Epifcop.il Communion^ (who have fo long 
 and canllantly adhor'd to che Ufe of this Divine Prayer^ that 
 it has been a Part of your Diftindi'>n in WoiHiip from your 
 Neighbours) I Ihall ha^e no need to vindicate our ufing it. 
 All therefore that I l1iu.Il do at prefent, is to fhew the Reafon 
 of repeating it fo often : For ic may, perhaps, feem new to 
 thofe who are accuitom'd to hear the Lords Pray'r only 
 once, to find it us'd four times in the ordinary Lord's Day 
 Service. 
 
 To fet you Right in this Matter, you may obfcrvc our Sa- 
 viour's Words, S. Luke ii, 2. When you p- ay, fay, our Fa- 
 ther^ 6cc. The leuft that can be inferr'd from which is, that 
 upon every Occafion of folemn ftaced Pray'r ChrUlians fliould 
 ufe this Form ; no.v, whenher it iliould be us'd to begin our 
 Pray'rs, or in the middle, or at the conclufion, the Scripture 
 is filent. If the Hpifcopal Church of Scotia?7d us'd it after 
 Pray'rs, and our Chuich fometimes in the middle, and fome- 
 times in the beginning, it is not material fo to be us'd every 
 time we pray. 
 
 Now if you confider our Service, the Lord's Pray'r is us'd 
 Only once in every difl:in£l Part of it. For, 
 
 I. After the Lord's Pray'r the firlt Time, we rife from our 
 Knees, and make an Lnerruption in the praying Part, by 
 reading fome Chapters out of the Old and New Teftament* 
 fo that the Lord's Pray'r is us'd only once in the firft Part of 
 our Service, 
 
 1. After the Creed, we go to Pray'rs again, and in that 
 Part of our Service we fay the Lord's Pray'r again once* 
 
 5. Once in the Litany, which is another diftind Part of 
 Worfnip, only upon fome Days. And, 
 
 4. In the Communion Service, (the fir(t Part of which is 
 repeated every Lord's Day, whether there be a Communion 
 or not.) 
 
 So that the frequent Ufe of this Divine Pray'r is only a 
 Compliance with our Lord's Comm^md^ When ive pray, fay. 
 Our Father, &c. [0/ the frequent Interruptions hi our Pray'rs 
 I jhallfay fomething by and by.] 
 
 C When 
 
[26] 
 
 when therefore the Minifter has ended the Abfolution, and 
 devoutly kneels with the Congregation ; lee all the People 
 join Heart and Voice, faying along with him with a decent 
 Loudnefs, Our Fathety &c» 
 
 Se^. VUI. When the Lord's Pray 'r is ended, the Minlfter 
 fays, ** Lordt open thou our lips ; and the People anfwer, 
 *' AffJ our mot4th j\mll peiv forth thy praife. Minilter. Gody 
 " make fpeed to fave us. People. Lord, make hafle to help 
 
 Onr Natures arc fo frail that much of the bcft Things tires 
 and clog^ us, and the moft ferious among us all, are weary 'd 
 with being long intent upon Devotion. Therefore, to help 
 our Infirmities, our holy Church has wifely chang'd our Man- 
 ner of Worihip. We are now to rife from our Knees to our 
 Feet, and from praying to God, we are going to praife him. 
 Bat becaufe we can't offer up our Praifes to him without his 
 Afliftance, we ufe fome choice Sentences out of Dai;id\ 
 Pfalms i^inflead of the Mafs-Book, ivhich fome fooliply, and 
 others malicioufly, ehjeB to us) to implore God's Help to en- 
 able us to perform *our Duty of Praife acceptably. The Mi- 
 nifter faying out of Ffal. 51. 15. OLordoperjy &c. and the 
 People anfwer out of the fame Place, And our Mouthy &c. 
 Then the Minifter repeats his earneft Recjueft for God's Af- 
 fittance out of Tfal. 70. i. God, make fpeed, &c. Anfwer. 
 LiOrdy make hafle to help us. 
 
 And being thus encouraged by the Mercy of God, which all 
 devout Chriftians have reafon to expe£l by praying for it with 
 a (Incere Heart, we rife from our Knees, (aj the Rubrick di- 
 reBs) and with all the Chearfulnefs of our Souls we give 
 Glory to the Eternal Trinity, Three Perfons and One God, 
 by repeating that excellent ihort Hymn, commonly call'd the 
 Doxologyy the Minifter faying, Glory he to the Father, and to 
 the Son, and to the Holy Ghofi. And the People anfwering. 
 As It was in the beginning is now, and ever fjall be., ivorld with' 
 out end. Amen. 
 
 As to the Subftance of this Hymn (which is a fhort Creed, 
 as well as an Act of Praife) I hope noChriftian will except 
 againrt it : For, whoever believes the Trinity, will not 
 fcriiple to give Glory tO each Perfon of that Trinity by him- 
 fclf ; and whoever has a right Notion of the Deity, w ill 
 readily aftent to the latter Part of it ; vii. As it was in the 
 beginning, &c. /. e. That the whole Three Perfons were Co- 
 /eterna I together and Co equal, and Ihall continue fo for ever. 
 
 This Hymn has been of fuch ancient Ufe in the Chrirtian 
 Church, that it is not known when it begun to be us'd, but 
 it became more univcrfal after the Arian Herefy, and the 
 
 Ortho- 
 
[*7] 
 
 Orthodox complained of Arius's corrupting it by changing it ta 
 Glory be 'TO the Fathery BT the Sou, and IN- the Holy Ghofl, 
 iXheodr. Hift. 1. 2. c. 24. (^)J \vhich is a certain Indication 
 that it was us'd in the Chiircl) before /4W/f/'s Time. The Faith- 
 ful always ttood at the repeating this Hymn, to Ihew that 
 they held the right Faith in Oppofition to all thofe who de- 
 ny'd the Divinity of our Bieflcd Saviour, or the Pcrfonality 
 of the Holy Gholl: : But more efpecially has this been in Ufe 
 in the whole Catholick Church (ince the -titlt Council of 
 
 If it be faid, That there is no Occafiorj' for the Doxology 
 now, becaufe Ar'ianifm is gone : 1 would have you to conli- 
 der that Socimanifm (which is not in Effect much difteicnt 
 from the other) is come in its Room. And if the Taint oi 
 that Herefy has not reach'd to North Britain, I will beg leave 
 to fay, that that Happinefs is not owing to your want of da- 
 ted Liturgies. But indeed Toi afraid there are Hcicfies v>ith 
 you playing a fecret Game, and by the Help of random Prayers 
 (pardon the Hxprcfiion"^ lurk undifcovcr'd : And however free 
 you may be from Arianifm ox Socinianifnu there is another 
 
 i[m which I doubt gains too much Ground i.mong my 
 
 .Countrymen, that 1 believe ^^ill fcarce fubfcribe to all the 
 Creeds and Prayers of the ancient Church ; I fhall be hearti- 
 ly glad to find my felf miftaken, and fl-iall willingly rccantmy 
 trror, when I am convinc'd of it by the AiTcnt of thofe who 
 .have efpous'd (what I confcfs I think) new Opinions, ;o the 
 Athanafian and Nicene Creeds, and our exceilci.t Liturgy. 
 And this I take to be fufficicnt leafon for ufing the Doxology 
 at this time of Day in the Church. 
 
 The frequent repeating of this Ihort Hymn can't (tartle any 
 Body that reads the Pfalms, and thinksit lawful to ufe one 
 intire Pfalm in the praife of God. For infeveral Pfalms there 
 are Forms of Praife oftner repeated than the Doxology is in 
 our whole Service. For Inftance, 1 would ask any one who 
 fcruples CO repeat that Hymn fo often, whether his Conicicnce 
 can fuft'er him to fay or ling the 136th Pfalm, where riie fame 
 Words [viz. For his Mercy endureth for ever.'] are to be found 
 twenty (\yi times ? If he can with a good Confciencc fing that 
 pfalm, (as he certainly may) or a conliderable Part of it, why 
 fhould the Glory he to the'Bnther^ &c. offend him ? If it be 
 faid, that the \7,6vn Pfalm is Canonical Scripture, and the 
 other not ? I anfvver, That tho' this fliort Hymn is not in 
 Scripture in the very Form of "Words, yet in Senfe and Sub- 
 ftance it is ; and fure many Things are lawful, (by being agre- 
 able to Scripture, and provable out of it) tho' the veryexprofi; 
 
 («) Sparrow RatiQnal. p. 32, 
 
 C 2 Words 
 
[ 28 ] 
 
 Words aie not joined together there, or elfc let Extempore 
 Pray'rs look to them feW^s. 
 
 I told you that we rife when we repeat the Doxology, and . 
 indeed ( bcfides our ftanding up at this Hymn, to (hew our 
 Faith in the Holy Trinity ) it is Jiighly reciuifite we fhould 
 (land in all our Praifcs, whether they be laid or fung. When 
 we praife we fpeak to God, and he that takes tipon him to 
 fpeak to God in the indecent Pofture of fitting, I think it de- 
 ficient both in Religion and good Manners. 
 
 The Primitive Fathers had no fiich Cudom, nor did it come 
 in \5i'c in the ChrilHan World, till the Life and Soul of Reli- 
 gion, in a great Meafnre, went out of it. 
 
 Our Church tlierefore, which loves and follows the decent 
 Praftice of Antiquity, commands her Children to jland up at 
 this Hymn, and at all the other Afts or Praife in our ordinary 
 Worfliip, (I mean at the Pfalms and Hymns generally repeat- 
 ed ). So that when the Minifter fays, Glory he to the Father, 
 &c. let all the People chcarfully ahfwer, As it ivas in the be- 
 gijjmngy &c. 
 
 Then the Minifter fays, Frai/e ye the Lord. And the Con- 
 gregation anfwer, 'The Lord's Name be pr.xifed. 
 
 This (hort Form of Pruife is fo often to be found in the 
 Book of Pfalms, and other Prayers and Hymns recorded in the 
 Bible, that I need not fay any Thing in ir$ Vindication. The 
 Primitive Church had fuch a Veneration for it, that they 
 would not tranll.ite it out of the original Hebrew, but ufed the 
 Word Hallelujah often in their Service : But our Church (that 
 Ihe might have nothing in her Worfliip but what the meancft 
 of her Children may underftand ) has made Englijh of that 
 which was fo often in holy David\ Mouth, that (according to 
 St. Vattts, Pvule, i Cor. 14. 15.) we may Jlng with the Spiritf 
 and Jlng ''Juiih the JJnderjianding alfo. 
 
 SeH. IX. When therefore the Mini iter and People ha^^e ftir- 
 red u^ one another by this Ihort Form of Praife, and the ^u^ 
 table Anfwer to it, then the Minifter proceeds to praife God 
 in the Words of holy David more at large, viZ' The 95th 
 Pfalm, (which the Rubrick directs to be faid or fung every 
 Day at Morning Prayer, except on Eafter Day, ivhen their is 
 another Anthem appointed to be ufed inflead of this Tfalm^ vi'A. 
 Some Portions of Scripture proper for that Solemnity, taken out of 
 1 Cor. 5. 7. Rom. 6. 9. I Cor. 15. 20. luhich are fet down he- 
 fore the Collet, Epiflel and Gofpel for Rafter Day ; and like wife 
 on the i()th Day of eve r"^ Month, this ij^th V fain being in the 
 Courfe of Pfalms for the Day^ it is net repeated as a preparatory 
 Hymn as on other Days.) 
 
 And 
 
And certainly in the Vvholc Book of Pfalms there is not 
 one fitcer to excite our Devotion than this ; for here we en- 
 courage one another to praife God. The Minifter begins, 
 come let us [ing unto the Lorci : let us heartily rejoice in the 
 firen^th of our Salvation. The People anlwer, Let us come 
 before his Trefence liith 'Thanl^fgiiingt and JJ)cw our felnes glad in 
 him With PJahns. 
 
 It would be an unneceflary Task to enlarge upon the Excel- 
 lency of this iTiilm, nor will my defign'd Brevity admit of it. 
 
 All then that I l>.all do at prefent, is to vindicate the Prac- 
 tice of our Church, in having this, and all the othei Pfalms 
 and Hymns, read alternately, i. e. one Verfe by the Minifter, 
 and another by the People. 
 
 Indeed, the Rubrick docs not command the reading the 
 Pfalms alternately ; but it is fo univerially pra£tis'd, that it 
 ^viil not be amifs to Tnew you what Authority there is for it. 
 
 And for this (bclide what I obferv'd before of the Peoples 
 joyning with their Voice in Pray'r) we may farther confider 
 the S rjpture PraiStice which appears ficm many Places. 
 
 When Adpfes and the Children of //>\re/ fung, Excd. 15. i. 
 / ivill JJng unto the Lord, for he has triumph'd glorioujly^ &c. 
 Mivani the Prophetels, the Sifter of Aaron^ took a timbrel in 
 her h:y.nd, and all the vjomen went out after her^ and Mi ram 
 ANSWERED them, fmg ye to the Lord for he has triumph\i 
 6cc. Here was a Plalm to the Praife of God, and the People, 
 as well Women as Men, had their Share in it : It is true they 
 fung it, and had Inftraments of Mufick in their Praifes, and I 
 v/ilh we could imitate them in that laudable Practice ; but till 
 you learn to perform your daily Praife in that heavenly Man- 
 ner, you muft make the Devotion of your Souls, ai,d the Har- 
 mony of your Minds, fupply the Place of their Vocal and In- 
 firumeiital Muilck. In the mean Time they \vho can, would 
 do very well to encourage the Cathedial Manner of Worihip, 
 'uiz.' by finging all the Pialms and Hymns, inftead of faying of 
 them, and prai/ing God with holy David upon Organs and 
 other Inftruments. 
 
 That the Pfalms and Hymns in the Jewijlj Service were per- 
 form'd in Parts is after ted by many Authors, and is evident 
 from the very Titles of the Pfalms ; for the Bible Tranflation 
 fhews us, that many of them were fent by David to the chief 
 Aiaflers of the Choir, ( without doubt to be fet to Tunes for the 
 fohhn Servie of God.) Thu^ the 4th Pfalm is directed to the 
 chief Mufician upon Negi^-oth ; r!ic 5th Pfalm to the chief 
 Muiician upon Nehiloth, 6cc. and particularly, the 3910 is di- 
 rCiSled to the chief Mufician, even to J-eduthany who (as we 
 find I Chr. 25. I— 3.) v;as one of the Superintcndants of the 
 Choir for the Service of the Church. 
 
 C 3 And 
 
[30] 
 
 An.1 that thefe Pfalms v/ere fiing in the Je-wifi Service by 
 
 Pans, is plain Froni Ezra 3. 10, 11 -They fet the Priefis in 
 
 their apparel 'Lvitb trumpets, and the Levites, the foyis of Afaph, 
 rjj'ith cymbals, to praife the Lord after the ordinance of David 
 hng of Ifrael. And they [mig together by courje in praijing and 
 giving thanks unto the Lord, hecaiife he is good, for his mercy 
 enduveth for ever towards Ifracl. And all the people pouted with 
 a great pout when they praijed the Lord. Here Ezra tell us, 
 that the Piiefts and Levite$ \^e^e fet wirh Trumpcr.s and Cym- 
 bals, to praife the Lord AFThR THt ORDINANCE OF 
 VAVlD. Now the Places rcferr'd to in the Ma; gin? of your 
 Bibles, to ihcw what this Ordinance of D^wV was, are i Chr. 
 6. 51 and chap. 16. 7. and chap 25. 1. in the fecond of 
 -which Places, viz- i Chr. 16. 7. we find that David delivered 
 a Pfalm to Afaph, and his Brethren ; and at the Conciufion of 
 the Pfalm, ver. 36. All the people /aid, Amen, and praifed the 
 Lord, 
 
 Now if the Pfalms were compos'd by the royal Pfalmift, 
 and other infpir'd Men ? If they were lent, or delivered, to 
 AJaph, to J-eduthan, and other Mafiers of the Choir, to be fet to 
 feveral Tcines ? If they were perform'd in the publick Service 
 "with the joint Voices of many, and feveral mufical Inlhii- 
 ments ? I appeal to the common Practice of the World in fo- 
 lemn Pieces of Mufick, whether they are not perform'd by 
 different Parts. And the People's faying, Amen, Hallelujah:, 
 lor praife ye the Lord] as they are commanded in feveral Pfalms 
 fhews, that certainly the Peoples fpeaking with their Voice in 
 the praife of God is agreable to the Jexsifh Practice. 
 
 That our Saviour diflik'd not this manner of finging Pfalms, 
 is evident from his faying nothing againft it, (rho' withont 
 doubt he was often prefent at it. ) Nay, we have moie than 
 probable Arguments that he praftis'd this Way with his Dif- 
 ciples ; for we find, St. Maith. 16. 30. that they fiing an 
 Tlymn. Now you can't fuppofe that our Savioui gave out 
 the Line, and the Difciples fung it, (as your Cuftom is) for 
 that is only a late Praftice, but rather ( as learned Men ob- 
 ferve to have been the {a) Praftice of tl.e Jews) they had 
 fome feleiSt Hymns adapted to particular Occafions, and iv,ng 
 them in Parts. See Ifa. 6. 3 Rev. 7. 9. chap. 19. 1, 5, c^c. 
 
 And for the Primitive Church, Plinv'i Hymn to Chrift fung 
 (b) to one another, ( formerly mentioned ) is a good Evidence. 
 It is hard to call this Practice unlawful, \shich is fuppoircd by 
 fo good Authority. 
 
 (n) Vide Faulkner's Lib. 1. Eccl. p. iz^. K.hcre he qucics ths Tal- 
 mud and Fagius. 
 [(?) ijecum Invicem. 
 
 And 
 
[ 31 ] 
 
 And whoever confidcrs our Way, will jutfge it more for 
 Edification than yours : For at your rate of l^raife, viz. by 
 finging iive or fix Vcrfes of a Pfalm at the beginping of your 
 Service, and as many after it, (and perhaps as many more be- 
 fore your Le8:ures ) the whole Book of Pfaims can't be gone 
 thro' in many Years : Whereas in our Church, we praife God 
 by reading (or finging) the whole Book once every Month, 
 where there are i^rayers every Day ; and even where there is 
 only the Lord's Day Service the Pfalms are read thrice over 
 (and almoft half through a fourth Time ) in two Years. 
 
 And indeed who ever confiders how admirably the Pfalms 
 are fitted for all Conditions of Life ; to elevate our Minds in 
 Praife ; to excite our Devotion in Prayer; to comfort us in 
 Affli£lion ; to inilru£t our Ignorance : In a Word, how excel- 
 lently they ferve to all Purpofes of Religion : I fay, whoever 
 ferioufly confiders this, will be well fatisfy'd with the Wif- 
 dom of our Church in appointing the Pfalms to be fo fre- 
 quently read. 
 
 When therefore we have praifed God in the Words of the 
 ^5th Ffalm, we go on with the whole Book of Pfalms in or- 
 der, reading a certain number Morning and Evening till the 
 whole 150 be read over in 30 Days, without being any clog 
 or hinderance to Devotion. And every Piaim is concJu- 
 ^t^ed with Glory he to the Father^ &c. to fiicw, that as in 
 the Pfalms we worihip the God of the Jews, fo by this 
 l^ort Acknowledgment we profefs ourfelves true Orthodox 
 Chriftians. 
 
 And left the Pe-.plc fhould think that the Pfalms are only 
 to be read as Inftruiiion, but no Part of immediate Worlliip, 
 ( if the Minifter read them by himfelf ) therefore the whole 
 Congregation bears a Part, and with one Mind and one Mouth 
 glorify God. 
 
 When the Minifter then begins the Pfalms, he fays f^e ly?, 
 %cii 5^ OY ^th Day of the Month, (or whatever other Day it 
 happens to be ) Morning ( or Evening ) Prayer , the ijl, ^thy 
 I'yth or ic)th Ffalm, &c. And then both Minifter and People 
 (ftanding as before) read the Pfalms appointed for the Day 
 by turns ; i. e. the firft Verfe by the Minifter, and the next by 
 the People, till the Pfalms are ail read. If it falls to the Minif- 
 ter to read thelaft Verfe of any Pfalm, the Congregation fay. 
 Glory be) &c. and the Minifter Anfwereth, As it ivas in the begin- 
 mng, &c. and the People be2;in the next Pfolm : And fo on 
 till the Courfe of the Day is ended. 
 
 Some make an Objection, that the Tranflation of the Pfalms 
 us'd in the Common-Prayer-Book is diftercnt from what is in 
 our Bibles. I ihall not at prcfcnt take Notice of all the dif- 
 ferent Phrafes in one and the other. I believe they are both 
 
 C 4 vi 
 
[30 
 
 very good : Ancl Dr. Falkjier (^) fhews, by comparing cnr 
 Tranflation \Mth that of the Scptuagint and the Syriack Veir- 
 fion, that ours is more agreabc lu the Original Hebrew than 
 any Tranflation ufed by the ancienr Chriftian Churches. 
 
 The Tranflation of the Bible is newer and mere agreable to 
 the prcfent Way of fpeaking ; but thut in the Liturgy is very 
 good too, and may lawfuliy be uiedy And therefore 1 believe 
 the Governors of the Church did not think fit to alter the 
 Tranflation in the Pray'r oook, becaule the Ixople of England 
 were (o well acquainrcc with it, tha*- it would have been 
 hard to have brought them to a new one ; and perhaps too, 
 the more Ignorant might have been made to believe, that the 
 Clergy had a Mind ro alter the Doftrine. (For ill Men have 
 put ftranger Things into Peoples Heads than this, with lefs 
 Colour of Reafoii. ) But I proceed. 
 
 SeB. X. Having thus reid the Pfalms, the Kubrick dircQs 
 that the Minifler Ihiuli read a Chapter ('which is called a 
 Leflbn) oi;t of the Old Tellament. 
 
 It might be expefted that no Society of Men (who own the 
 Holy Scripiure to be God's Word, and the Rule of Faith) 
 >vouid exclaim againrt reading them in the publick Congrega- 
 tion. Our Blefled Saviour bids the Jews fearch the ScriptureSy 
 S. John 5. 59. The Scriptures of the Old Tcftament were 
 read every Sabbath Day among the Jews {]o). The Apoftle 
 S. l^aul commends the Bereans 'tot their Diligence in reading 
 the Scriptures, ABs 17. 11 And he appointed his Fpiftle to 
 the Colojjians to be read both in the Chuich of the Colojftans 
 and Laodkeans-, and alfo the tpiftle to the Laodiceans to be 
 read aiCcIlofs, Col. 4. i<). 
 
 It would be need lefs in fome Parts of the World to fay any 
 Thing to perfwade Chriilians to the Publick Reading the 
 Word of God ; but any one who knows that it was the con- 
 ftant Practice of the Hpifcopal Church of Scotland to have 
 the Scriprures read to the People, and that upon the abolifli- 
 ing Kpifcopacy there, the reading of the Scriptures in the 
 publick Aflemblies was UNIVhRsALLY laid aiidc, (or for- 
 bidden) I fay, he that knows that (as you and Ido ) will not 
 think it amifs to preis the ancient Practice. 
 
 As to you then of the Presbyterian Perfwafion, I defire you 
 to read your own Dire5^ory, which appoints o?/e Chapter out 
 cf the O'd T'rJ},7me?7t, and one out of the Neif, at cjery Meetingy 
 and fonielhves move. Now how do you perform this Rule ? 
 ^s there fuch a Thing iifcd in any of your Aflemblits in Scot- 
 
 ia) Lib. Eccl. />.igo. 
 
 \}) ^Qjh. i, 35. ^cfs I}. 14, ;7. Ibid. i;. :;i. 
 
 AW I 
 
[33] 
 
 lafid? Have you not hindcr'd rhe Readers, (in Farifhcs where 
 theEpifcopal Minillcr was turn'd out, and your People came 
 in their Room) I lay, have yoo not forbidden them (to my 
 certain Knowledge) to read the Scriptures as they us'd to do 2 
 l( your Dire£tory was wrong, correft it, and dou'c let it ftand 
 as a Reproach to you ; but if (in that) it was agreable to 
 Scripture and Antiquity, then follow the Rule, and let the 
 poor People have the Key of Knowledge, 
 
 And for thofe of the Hpifcopal Communion, who always 
 had the Holy Scriptures read, I hope they will not diilike 
 our Worlhip for being agreable (in this Rerpeft) to their 
 own. Hear then the Word of God with all Reverence, and 
 humble Attention ; For all Scripture ivas ghen by hfpiration 
 of God, 2 Tim. 3. 16, and is profitable for doHrine, for re- 
 proof, 8c c. 
 
 [The Order in which the Holy Scripture is to be read, you 
 will fee before the Morning Prayer. For finding the Lellons 
 for Week Days, you muft look in the Kalendar for the Day of 
 the Month, and over againft it you find what ChaptCiS are to 
 be read : But for Sundays and Holydays there is a Table before 
 the Kalendar which dire£ls you to the Lcfl'ons : If there be 
 but the firft Leflbn in that Table, then you muii look the Day 
 of the Month for the Second.] 
 
 According to our Kalendar, the Old Tetlamcnt (which is 
 always us'd for the fiift Leflbn) is read (MKe a Year, (except 
 fome Part which is left otit.) The New Teftament (which is 
 the fecond Leflbn) is read thrice. 
 
 That there are fome Chapters omitted in our Kalendar, I 
 think may be for the two following Reafons. i. Becaufe fome 
 of them are lefs edifying. 2. Ocneis of 'em have never been 
 underftood. But of this by and by. 
 
 As they begun the Year in the Church Account (following 
 the ancient Roma??) (o they begun the Bible with JnvMary. 
 6ur Church did not alter the Method (tho' we begin our 
 Year on the 25th of March) but reads the firfl; Chapter of 
 Genejis on the 2d of January. [Of Circumciiion Day, vhich 
 is the I ft of January^ and has a proper Leifon, I will fpeak 
 afterwards.] And fo in our ordinary Service, we read the 
 whole Book of Genefis for the firft Leflbn at Morning and 
 Evening Prayers, except the loth, nth, and 56th Chapters, 
 which are omirted, becaufe they contain only hard Namc« and 
 Genealogies. In reading Exodus (which begins January 27, 
 Fvcn. Pray'r) we pafs by feveral Chapters, as being peculiar 
 to the Jewilh Service, fuch as the Order of the Tabernacle^ 
 the Habit of the Priefts, and the then particular Sacrifices, and 
 therefore lefs edifying to Chrifi:ians. And for the fame Rea- 
 Ipn there is litilc of Leviticus read : They are proper for pri- 
 ... varc 
 
[ 34 ] 
 
 vatc Reading, but in the publitk AffeinbHes more inflru£ling 
 Portions of Jjcripture arc propercr. 
 
 It would be too tedious to go through all the Chapters of 
 the fcvcrai Books of the Old Tcfbmcnt : And tho' no ChrilH- 
 an will preftimc to fay, That thee is one Chapter in the Holy 
 Bible that is not worth Reading ; or, that thofe we omit were 
 not very proper to the Defign of the Holy Ghoft ; yet, I hope, 
 I may lay, without Offence, that it was wifely done in-^h^ 
 Governors of the Church to leave out fome Chapters, -which 
 don't fo much c6ncern fimple People to know, to make Way 
 for others more ufeful for hxample of Life, and Inftruftion of 
 Manners. For Inttancc, It was very proper for Mofes's Defign y 
 in giving an Account of the Pofterity of Efauy Gen. 55. to fhew^ 
 the great Progeny he left behind him ; but I humbly conceive, 
 one of your People would not be much wifer or better for 
 hearing forty-three Veifcs full of hard Names, which he would 
 forget before they were all read : Any one that has the Curi- 
 ofity to know how many Dukes defcended from EfaUi may 
 read that Chapter at Home ; but in the Church, an Account of 
 God's Providence in preferving Jofe-ph from the Malice of his 
 Brethren (which follows in the next Chapters) is more edify- 
 ing. Thus, 
 
 In Places where there is conftant Weekly Pray'rs, the Old 
 Teftament is read once a Year ; but where there is only the 
 Lord's Day Service, the mod edifying Parts of it are only- 
 read, (as may appear from the Table of proper Leffons for 
 Sundays.) 
 
 Oh]. I might now pafs on to the next Part of our Liturgy, 
 but for one Objection, "Az- That on Week Days fome Chap- 
 ters out of the Apocrypha are read for the firft LefTon, tho' it 
 is not own'd to be Canonical Scripture. 
 
 In anfwcr to this I defne you to Obferve, 
 
 1. That none of the Apocrypha is read on the Lord's Day, 
 but on fome Week Days, 
 
 2. We don't impofe it upon our People as the Word of God, 
 for we declare the contrary in the 6th Article of the Church 
 of England. 
 
 3. We cftablifh no Article of Faith by its Authority, 
 but read fome Chapters out of it for Example of L'lfe^ 
 and InfhuHion of Manners ; as the fame 5th Article de- 
 clares. 
 
 And, indeed, fome of the Apocryphal Books are very pro- 
 per for that ; particularly, that excellent Book of Ecclefiajlkus^ 
 or the Wifdom of Jefus the Son of Syrach ; which (next to the 
 Holy Scriptures) is, I think, the wifeft and moft divine 
 Writing that I have ever read. There are fome Paits of the 
 Apocrypha which we don't read, uz- The Btoks of Efdras ; 
 
 the 
 
[35 ] 
 
 the Supplement to the Book of Efiher ; the i6:h of Ecclejtap- 
 cm, and fome Part of the 25th, 50th, and 45th Chapters ; the 
 hook of Baruch ; the Song of the Three Children ; the Pray'r 
 of Manajfeh, and the two Books of Maccabees. Becaufe fome 
 of thefc are liable to Exception ; but what VvC do read is very 
 fafe. Tho' if any one fcruples any Part of 'tohit or Judith^ 
 fince wc don't allow them Divine Faith, when thofe Cha^'ters 
 are read, the People my pick what's good out of 'em, and lee 
 the reft flip by as human Failings, k is polTible you may, at 
 a chance Time, hear an indifferent Sermon, and yet there may- 
 be fome good Things in it : Let old 'toh'it but come in for fome 
 uicful fniiri:£^ion, and if you find {<ct many real Faults in any 
 Chapter of the Apocrypha, (appointed by our Kalendar to be 
 read) as I {hall Ihew in fome Sermons, and (^) Letters, which 
 have been approv'd by your People, I will own myfelf rnifta- 
 ken. And this I hope is enough to account for the firft 
 Leffon. 
 
 When, therefore, the Minifter has read with an audible 
 Voice one Chapter out of [he Old Teftament, (or upon fome 
 Days out of the Apocrypha) the People all rife to give Thanks 
 to God for fo gracioiifly revealing his Will to rhem, and to 
 that hnd the Minifter begins an lixcellent Hymn, well known 
 to the Chriftian Church, by the Tide of Te 'Deum^ &c. We 
 praife thee, God^ Scc. 
 
 Seel. XL Of the Ufc of Pfalms and Hymns in General, I 
 have faid fomething already ; and alfo of the Decency and 
 Reafonablenefs of ftanding at our Praifes. I lliall not trouble 
 yotj to refume what I then faid : But in a few Words confider 
 this Hymn in Particular. 
 
 It has been commonly faid to have' been coirpos'd by S. Am- 
 irofe, the learned and pious Bifliop of MiUain, and has been 
 famous in the Church thcfe many Ages. It contains not only 
 a moft pious Form of Thankigiving, but a moft Orthodox 
 compendious Confcilion of Faith, and a devout Pray'r. The 
 Words of this Thankfgiving, being for the moft Part taken out 
 of Scripture, are unexceptionable: For we addrcfs our felves 
 to praiie God, by faying, 
 
 '^ We pyaife thee, God, we acknozvledge thee to be the Lord. 
 The People anfvvfer, " All the earth doth <worJJ}ip thee^ the Father 
 ** eterlajlirjg. 
 
 Then we encourage one another to this Duty from the Ex- 
 ample of the Heavenly Hoft ; mz. 'The Angeht Cherubim, Se- 
 raphim, Apcjiles^ Prophets, Martyrs ^ then of the 'whole Church ; 
 *' 'To thee, all Angels, &c. 
 
 i^a) Seg Mr, Ruth^rfordV Utters. 
 
 In 
 
[ 30 
 
 In the fecond Part of this Hymn, v.c are taught to confefs the 
 Glory of the Eterval 'Trinity^ oar Saviour's Divhify^ Incarna- 
 tioriy and Redemption^ purchas'd by him, *' 'ithe Fnther of an in- 
 '* finite Majefly ; thhie honourable, true and only Son ; alfo the 
 »' Boly Ghoji the ComfoYter, &c. 
 
 In the third i^art of it Nve have a devout Pray'r to that Savi- 
 our for Mercy and Proicdion againft all Dangers and Tempta- 
 tions. *' We therefore pray thee help thy Servants, 8cc. 
 
 I mio'ht eafiiy enlarge upon the iixccUency . of this Hymn, 
 but being perfwaded that no Orthodox ChrilHan can find Fault 
 with one Word in it, I will leave you to find out the Elegancy 
 of it by a farther Accjuaint.ince with it. And I fhail not doubt 
 to affirm, that whoever joins heartily in this Primitive Form, 
 and confidcrs it without Prejudice, will fee a truer Spirit and 
 Life of Devotion in it, than in all the Extempore Fffuiions that 
 ever they heard. 
 
 It is true the Chotch allows another Hymn to be us'd here 
 at the Difcretion of the Minister, viz- *The Song of the three 
 Children, which is a very good one ; and tho' it is not Canoni- 
 cal Scripture, is agreable to the Tenor of the ]4Sth Pfalm, 
 and therefore liable to no Fxccption. But becaufc it is feldom 
 or never us'd I don't infift upon it. 
 
 When the Minifter then, after the firfl: Leflon, begins in the 
 Words of the ancient Father St. Ambrofe, (as is fuppos'd,) We 
 fraife thee, God, 6cc. let the whole Congregation join Heart 
 and Voice, and fay, All the Earth doth wcrjlnp thee, the Father 
 evevlnfling. 
 
 And when you have faid a devout Amen at the clofe of it, 
 then prepare your Minds to hear, witli reverend Attention, the 
 fecond LcHon, taken out of the Ne'UJ 'Tejiament, which is the 
 peculiar Charter of Chrillians. 
 
 INote, That we don't uCe the Doxology after the Te Deumy 
 becaufe the whole Hymn is a continu'd Doxology to the Tri- 
 nity.] 
 
 I have told you, that the Neio Teftament is read over thrice 
 a Year, except the Apocalypfe, or Revelation of St. John, out 
 of which only fome few Leflbns are taken upon particular Oc- 
 cafions; and the reft of that Book is myfterous, and therefore 
 our Church wifely leaves thofe dark Paltiges to be expounded 
 by Time, and entertains her Children in her daily Devotior^ 
 ■with more eafy Inrtruftion. 
 
 We begin the Year with St. Matthew, and read every Morn- 
 ing a Chapter out of the Gofpel, or A£ts oi the Apoftlcs, in 
 order, till they be all read over, (which is finilh'd the 2d Day 
 of May^ and then we begin with St. Maftheiv again. And for 
 the Evening Service we read all the F.piftles, from Rorj7. i. to 
 the Hnd of St. f tide's F.pilllc, and then Rom. i. again ; as may 
 be feen in the Kalcndar. Having 
 
[37] 
 
 Having therefore read in the fecond Lcnfon an Account of 
 our Saviruu's Birth, or of his mighty Works, or of his Pafli- 
 on, Rerurredion, Afcenfion, the Defccnt of the Holy Ghoft ; 
 <-)r elfe of the gieat Grace givcii to the Apoftles ; what can be 
 more edifying, than to praife God for his Mercy in redeem- 
 ing us, and makmg known to us the glad Tidings of Salvati- 
 on : And therefore we all ri^e to our Feet, and join with the 
 M-inifter to praife God in the Words of old Zacharyj Sz. Luke 
 1.68. Blefed be the Lord God of Ifracl, S^c. or in the Words 
 of the 100 Pi'alm, be joyful, &c. Neither of which (they 
 being the exprefs Words of Scripture) is liable to any Ex- 
 ception that I know of. 
 
 Having then oftlred up our Praife to God in one of thcfe 
 Divine Hymns, and teftify'd our Acknowledgnjent of the 
 three Pcrfons of the Blefled Trinity, by faying, Glory be to 
 the Father y 8cc. Then we enlarge our confeffion of Faith, by 
 lepreating diftinctly the Apoftles Creed, 
 
 Seci. Xir. Ir is upon a true ProfeflTion and fincere Belief of 
 the Chiiftian Faith, that our Salvation very much depends. // 
 *we coyifefs ivith the mouth the Lord J^efuSj and believe in our heart 
 that God has raifed him from the Dead-, 'jue fljall be favd, as the 
 Apoftle affures us, Rom, lo. 9, 10. For with the heart ive believe 
 unto rigkieoufnefs, a?2d with the mouth confejfton is made unto fal- 
 ''cition. 
 
 And therefore our Church appoints the Creed to be rehears'd 
 by all the Congregation together, that they may demonflrate 
 their tiue Faith by owning (every Man for hioFifelf ) this 
 Form of found Words ; which being taking out of the Neiv 
 1'eftament is very fitly repeated after the fecond LelTon. 
 
 It may be thought unneccflary to fay any Thing in Vindica- 
 tion of this Practice, fince the ApoiHe's Creed is allow'd by 
 all Orthodox Chriftians ; and even they who difir'er from us in 
 Woiiliip dare not difown ir. It is in the VVeftminjler Confcln- 
 on of Faith, as well as in our Chuich Catcci-ifm, only with 
 this Dirference, that the Lord's Prayer and the Creed are in the 
 Body of our Catechifm, and are iearn'd as a necefl'jry Part of 
 our Inftruilion to the Ignorant ; whereas, in the Aircrnbly's 
 Catechifm they are put in the Fag-end, as if People might 
 chufe whether they will learn tlicm or not. Shall I praife you in 
 this ? I praife you nof. 
 
 You and we talk mr.ch of Faith, and a right Belief in 
 Chrift ; and thu That faving Faith is origin:;lly contain'd in 
 the Holy Scriptures, and we are to believe nothing of NecciTuy 
 to Salvation, but what is faiily dednc'd from them ; yet for 
 the Advar.tage of all Chriftians, this fummary of ouv Faith 
 v-a? compos'd, that at one View v,e may fee what wc are to 
 
 believe • 
 
[ 38 ] 
 
 believe ; that we may be faved : And fincc widiout Faith it 
 is impodible to pleafe God, to il^ew tiiat ouis is found, with 
 one Voice, as well as o»e Hearty we all repeat this fliort Symbol, 
 which is fo ancient, that it has been commonly laid to have 
 been compos'd by the Apofties themfelvcs, and left to fuccecd- 
 ing Ages as a Tell of found Doctrine. 
 
 By repeating this Creed we declare, in tlie prefence of God, 
 our full AiTent, and faithful Adherence, to all the Articles of 
 Faith contained in thofe Scriptures which we have heard read 
 to us ; and in l:tFe6t piomife, that we will live and die in that 
 Faith. 
 
 And that we may not forget our Obligation to a right Be- 
 lief of thofe Truths, we repeat this Confcffion every time we 
 ■wcrfhip God, that by often declaring our Afl'ent, we may 
 both underftand them the better, and imprint them in our Me- 
 mories, that upon every Temptation we may uppofe this Shield 
 of 'Faith to deflroy the fiery Darts of the Dei;il, tph. 6. 
 
 But tho' the Apolfles Creed be very plain and exprcflive of 
 our true Chriftian Faith, yet what will not the Wit and Ma- 
 lice of wicked Men abufe r For the' the true Belief of the 
 Articles of this Creed be fufficient to Salvation, they were per- 
 verted by Hereticks, and made to fpeak a Language to which 
 the Holy Scriptures never gave any Countenance, and which 
 the ancient Orthodox Fathers of the Church never under- 
 llood. 1 believe in Jefits Chrifl, his only Son our Lord, was al- 
 ways underftood by Orthodox Chriftians to denote, that Jefus 
 Chrift was GOD the SON of the fame ESSHNCli or SUB-; 
 STANCE with the Father, as himfelf fays, / and the Father 
 are ONE. But when by the Malice of the Devil, and the 
 perverfe Difputes, and cunning Arguments, of fubtle Hereticks, 
 that great Truth of Chriftianity came to be openly denyed 
 and oppofed ; and when Arius,2ind his Followers, would needs 
 expound the Creed, as well as the Scriptures, in a Senfe un- 
 known to the ApoiHes ; then it was judged necefl'ary to ^.dd 
 ( not a new Creed, but) a fuller l-xplanation of the old or.e ; 
 compos'd (as is generally faid ) by the learned and pious 
 Athanafiusy who, in almoft a general DcfctSlion, himfelf itood 
 in the Gap, againft the united Force of the tmperonr , 
 and the Arian Clergy, and maintained the true Cathoiick 
 Do£trine againft almoft the whole World : And tho' he was 
 banifh'd for his Steadinefs, yet by the Blcfiing of God he 
 re-eftabliflred the right Faith : And that Creed ( which to 
 this Day goes under his Name) is the bcft Tert againft Ari- 
 anifni and Socinianifm of any Form of Words in the Chrillian 
 Church. 
 
 In this Creed is more at large exprefs'd the Docirine of the 
 *Xrinity ; for there we are taught to fay, IVhofoezer luili he fa- 
 
 led 
 
[39] 
 
 t)ed — = — miffi 'ivorflnp one God in Trifiity, and Trlmty In Unity : 
 And move paiticuiarly as to the Divinity of Chrift. '" The 
 ** right faith is, that ive believe and confefs that our Lord Jefus 
 " ChYift the Son of God, is God and Man. God of the SUB- 
 *' STANCE of the Fatlier, &c. 
 
 And is it not edifying to make this publick Profeflion of 
 our right Faith in the Words of the Creed ? In our ordinary- 
 Service that of the Apoftles is uied^ and upon fome folemn 
 Feftivals, this other of AthanajiuSy which is fo full an Expla- 
 nation of thofe Fundamental Articles of the Trinity, and the 
 Divinity of our Saviour, that no Keretick whatfoever can 
 with a good Confcicnce own this deed, and at the fame Time 
 hold either the Arian or Socinian Principle. And he that re- 
 fufes to profefs his Faith in the Words of this Creed, ought 
 to be avoided as an Hnemy to the Catholick Faith. 
 
 When therefore the Miniftcr begins the Confeilion of Faith, 
 whether the ihorter Apoftles, or the longer Athanajlan Creed, 
 let no Men be afhamed to make a publick ProfefTion of 
 his Faith, by faying aloud afrer him, / believe in Gody &c, 
 or by repeating alternately, Whofoever ivill he faved, &c. 
 
 Se^i-. XIII. Having thcis taken up fome Time in reading the 
 Scriptures, and blelled God for revealing his Will in them ; 
 and declar'd our unfeign'd AlTent to thofe Articles of Faith 
 revealed in them ; we then go about to addrefs our felves to 
 God in Prayer : And bccaufe we can do no good Thing of our 
 felves, without the Alfiftance of God's Grace and Spirit, 
 therefore the Minirter recommends the People to God in the 
 Words of S. Pauly i The/. 5. 16. The Lord be ivith youy i. C. 
 The Lord be prefent with you, and ailift you in the Perfor- 
 mance of the holy Duties you arc farther to be engaged in. 
 The Lord be with you to pardon your Sins and Failings ; and 
 to excite in you that true Spirit of Devotion, which will make 
 your Prayers acceptable to him. 
 
 And becaufe the Minifter wants that gracious AfTiftancc as 
 much for himfelf as for the People ; the whole Congregation 
 makes Interceffion for him, by anfwering in the Words of the 
 fame Apoftle, 2 Tim. 4. 22. And with thy Spirity i. e. The 
 Lord Jefus be likewitc prefent with thee, and alTilf thee in 
 going before ns in our Prayers, and that no Imperteilions or 
 Sins of thine, hinder the F.jfficacy of God's Ordinances, and 
 his BlelTing to us upon thy Miniftry. 
 
 And is it not very Ldifying to fee that Charity and Unity 
 between the Minifter and People, that they mutually ;alute 
 and pr;)y for each other 1 For as it is the Miuirter s Duty to 
 pray for you, fo S. Paul exhorts the People to pray for their 
 Teachers, i Thef.i. 25. Brethren pray for us. And Eph. 6. iS, 
 
 19. 
 
[ 40 ] 
 
 19- Pr^yi^^ always for all Saints : And FOR ME^ 
 
 that utterance may be given me that I may open my mouth bcldly^ 
 and make known the my fiery of the Go/pel. In purfuance tberu- 
 foie to thofc Obligucions wc are under to each other, the 
 MinilK-r fuys, 'The Lord be with you. And the People anfwer, 
 And with thy Spirit. 
 
 Tiien wc go to our Knees again, and addrefs ourfelves to 
 the Throne of Grace, with a devout Pray'r for Mercy and 
 Pardon directed to each Perfon of the BlefTed Trinity. 
 
 Lord have yuercy upon us ; 
 
 Chrifi have mercy upon us ; 
 
 Lord have mercy upon us* 
 
 SeB, XIV. We have lately made a Confeffion of a true 
 Fait.i, and own'd all the Perfons of the Trinity, the Father, 
 the Son, and the Holy Ghoft ; and it is fit that in our Pray'rs 
 we ihould apply to each of thefe for Grace and Mercy : So 
 that the Meaning of thefe fhort Petitions is no more than 
 
 Lord God the Father, have mercy upon us ; Chrifi who art 
 God the Son, have mercy upon us ; Lord God the Holy Ghoft, 
 have mercy upon us. 
 
 And is it not edifying to addrefs ourfelves to one God and 
 Three Perfons for the Pardon of our Sins, and Grace to enable 
 us to offer acceptable Service to God ? 
 
 Jefus, Mafier have mercy upon us, ofJcr'd with Zeal and 
 Devotion by the Lepers in the Gofpel, prevail'd with our 
 Saviour to heal them, S. Luke 17. 13. And why fliould we 
 think that the fame Pray'r put up with the fame 4ffe£l:ions, 
 and prefs'd by a becoming Importunity to the Father, Son and 
 Holy Ghoft, lliould have worfe Eftc^t now 1 
 
 I fl^ould abufe my Reader's Patience, and never come to an 
 End of this Letter, fhould I enlarge as much as I might upon 
 every Part of our Liturgy : But my Defign is to explain, and 
 not to fhew, all the Beauties of it ; and if I fhall by any La- 
 bour of mine undeceive thofe who have taken a Piejculice at 
 our excellent Worfhip, I fhall think my Pains wcU bcftow'd : 
 And they who will not be convinced with Reafon when it is 
 offered, without the vcrnijh of Learning and fine Drefs, 
 (which I have by no Means affe£led in this Undertaking) I 
 hope tiiey will not take it amifs that I fay, God the Father, 
 God the Son, and God the Holy Ghoft, have Mercy upon them, 
 open their Eyes and Hearts, and give them Repentance to the ac* 
 knjwledjjaent of the 'Truth 
 
 SeB. XV. The next Pavt of our Service is the Lord^s Frayer, 
 
 1 told you before that v.c ufe this Form in every diftini^ Part 
 
 of 
 
[41] 
 
 of oar Worfhip, and that it is very edifying to make up the 
 Defefts of our Pray'rs by this divine and perfeS: Form, Our 
 Pray'rs thcrfore having been interrupted (as ye have feen) by 
 reading tlie Scriptures, it is expedient now that we renew our 
 Pray 'is, to begin with this Form which we are fuie is the 
 beft, and therefore we fay again as our Bleffed Lord has 
 Uught usy Our Father t &:c. 
 
 This Pray'r confecraies ours ; and if it be faid with fincere 
 Devotion, can't but be acceptable to God. And for my Part, 
 were I in fuch Circumftances that I were under a Nectifity of 
 chufing whether I would fay the Lord's PrayW alone, or 
 another without it ; I would much rather take my hazard of 
 God's hearing the Pray'r of his Son, tho' Ihort, and granting 
 me every thing that he faw convenient for me, without ufing 
 any other Pray'r, than to put up all my Wants in the beft 
 Pray'r that ever was devis'd by mortal Man when the Lord's 
 Pray'r was omitted. 
 
 When thcrfore the Minifter begins Our Father, &c. let 
 the whole Congregation join, and repeat devoutly every Pe- 
 tition after him ; and 1 don't know what Contufion feme 
 People may pretend to find in the united Voice of the Af'- 
 fembly of Chrittians, but I declare nothing raifes my Devo- 
 tion more than to hear the whole Church faying aloud thofe 
 things which they are allow'd to join in, whereof the Lord's 
 Pray'r is always one wherever it is us'd. 
 
 Having thus Addrefs'd God Almighty in our Saviour's 
 Words, we purfue our Requefts ; the Minifter going before, 
 and the People following, with fome pious Ejaculations out of 
 the Pfalms and other places of Holy Scripture : As, Lord 
 Jhew thy mercy upon us* Anf. And grant us thy fahation, 
 
 SeB. XVI. We cane too often implore God's 1/lercy : And 
 we find the blind Man in the Gofpel, when the Multitude 
 rcbuk'd him for crying J-efus thou f on of Vaijid have mercy on 
 me^ S. Luke 18.98. He repeats the fame Supplication, 'Then 
 (on of David have mercy on me. And his earneft repeating of 
 thofe few Words mov'd our Saviour to Compaflxon, fo that 
 he reftor'd his Sight. 
 
 Our Church therefore docs not make vl(q of any Petition 
 oftener in her Service, than this for Mercy, In this place it 
 is taken out of the 85th Pfalm, v. 7. Lord foe iv tJjy mercy 
 upon us. And the People anfwer in the very next Words, 
 And grant us thy fahation. 
 
 But becaufc we don't aiTemble together to Pray only for 
 ourfelves ; bat the Apoftle commands, i TCim. a. i. 'That f up- 
 plicationsj pray'rs, Interceffions and thanJifgivlngs be made fo- 
 al! men; for Kings and all in authority. Therefore the Mi- 
 
t 4^ ] 
 
 nirter prays, Lordfave the King, i Sam. lo. 24. And the 
 People anfwer, And meniftilly hear us <when ive call upon thee. 
 Here the whole Congregation pray, That God would be 
 gracioufly pleas'd to hear their Petitions for their gracious 
 Sovereign, and to blefs and profpcr HIM for tlje pnblick 
 Safety and Welfare of the Realm, and the Good of every 
 faithful and dutiful Subjeft. 
 
 And as we were oblig'd to pray for the King [or QMecn] for 
 the Good of the Nations ; fo it is no Icfs out Duty and Inte- 
 reft to beg God's Blefling on the Clergy in general, who are 
 God's immediate Servants, feeing their Office and Fundion 
 have more need of his fpecial Grace. 
 
 Innocency of Life being their moft neceflary Ornament, the 
 Minifter prays, Endue thy Minijlers with vitrhteoufnefs* And 
 the People anfwer. And make thy chofen people joyful , which 
 Words are taken out of the i52d Pfalm. v, 9. And indeed, as 
 nothing more difgraces Religion than the fcundalous Lives of 
 thofe who ought to be the greateft Examples of a good Life ; 
 fo it much rejoices the Hearts of good Men to find that they 
 to whofe Care their Souls in a great mcafure arc tiufted, are 
 Men who by a faithful Difchargt; of their Duty, are Perfons 
 fit for their Office : And fince Righteournefs and Piety are as 
 neceffary (at leaft) for a Miniiter as Learning and good 
 Senfe, it is very edifying to pray that God would be pleufed 
 ia endue (or cloth) his Minijlers -with r{^hteonfnefs ; and there- 
 by make his chofen Feople (or his Saints) />)/«/. 
 
 Thus do the People join in putting up their SupplicatioRS 
 for their Clergy ; in return of which Kindnefs, the Minifter 
 next offers up his for the People, in the \Vo.ds of the Royal 
 Pfalmift, Pfal. 28. 9. Lord fave thy People \ i. e. preferve 
 them from all Dangers and Adverfities by thy good I'rovi- 
 dence, and from all Sin and Wicked nefs by thy Grace and 
 Power ; that they may imitate the go-^d hxample of thy 
 righteous Minifters, and follow their good Advice and Coun- 
 cil. The People anfwer, and bkfs thine inheritance ; e. e. be 
 gracioufly pleas'd, OLord, to hear theRequelt of thy Servant 
 our Minilter, in our behalf, and blei's us thy Servants and all 
 thy People, the Members of Chrift's Holy Church, thy pecu- 
 liar Flock and Inheritance. 
 
 And becaufe one of the chief Temporal BlefTmgs which 
 God beftows on Mankind is Peace ; therefore the Miniftcr 
 prays out of 2 Kings 20. 19. Give Peace in our 'Time, Lord, 
 and the People anfwer, Becaufe there is none other thatjight^ 
 eth, &c. 
 
 We know that all things are order'd by God, he makes 
 Peace and creates War : He makes Men to be of one Mind in 
 a Houfe, and again, for the punilliment for fomc Nations or 
 
 Perfons, 
 
[43] 
 
 Perfons, he divides them and fets 'em at variance : therefore 
 we pray to him that he would avert all Wars and Tumuirs 
 from us ; And becaufe the Race is not to the fwift, nor the 
 Battle to the ftrong, we addrefs our felves to him alone who 
 is the Lord of Hofts, and who only is able to lave, that 
 he would be pleafed to preferve us from War, or fave us 
 in it. 
 
 And now being to proceed to our Pray'rs to God, by enlar- 
 ging our Forms, we conclude there fhoit Hjaculations for bis 
 Grace and Afliftancj in the performing orir Duty ; the Mini- 
 fter faying, in the Words of Davidy Pfal. 51. 10. Godinake 
 clean our hearts ivithin us> And the People anfwer^ ver. 11, 
 And take not thy holy Spirit from us. 
 
 The cleanfing of our Heaits, and making us fit for any ho- 
 ly Duties, is intirely owing to the Grace of God, and the Aid 
 of his Holy Spirit ; we therefore pray that he would vouch- 
 fafc to purge our Souls from all the Dregs and Corruptions of 
 Sin, that we may be in fome meafure fit to go on with our 
 following Devotions ; and that he will be pleas'd to continue 
 the fame Afljftance with us which we trult has accompany d 
 us in the Duties we have already performed ; that our 
 Pray'rs and Praifcs which we are yet to oifcr may be accep- 
 table to him, as we hope thofe we have already put up have 
 been. 
 
 And now what is there in all this that is not Edifying ? I 
 fhew'd you already the Edification of the People bearing a 
 part in the Worfnip ; that we may with one Heart and one 
 Voice, make a publick Confeflion of our Sins and beg pardon 
 for 'em : That we may all with one Mouth and one Heart cx- 
 prefs our firm and full Aflent to the Truth of that Faith we 
 pretend to be of: and give Glory tu God for the Mercies we 
 daily receive from him : For all which I ihew'd you we have 
 very good Authority. 
 
 Such Short Petitions as I have been treating of, are fo far 
 from being either finful or ufelefs, that they are recommen- 
 ded to us by our Bleffed Saviour's avow'd Acceptance of 'em 
 in many placed of the Gofpel. 
 
 Lord be merciful to me a Sinner^ was the Pray'r of the poor 
 Publican, which Chrift exprefly fays procured him Juilifica- 
 tion. 
 
 Jefus, Mafler have mercy upon us, prevail'd on him to cleanfe 
 the ten Lepers, St Luke 17. 15. 
 
 Lord faiic us, iveperipyt was the Pray'r of his own Immedi- 
 ate Followers, St. Mat. S. 25. And can we have a better Au- 
 thority for the uCe of lEort Pray'rs, than our Saviour's ufing 
 fuch a one in his Agony, Father if it be pojjtble, 6cc, St. Alat, 
 16. 39 = 
 
 D a When 
 
[44] 
 
 When therefore in our ptiblick Pray'rs we ofe thofe {hort 
 Peticions, Lord have mercy upon «x, or, Lord peu, thy mercy 
 upon US) &c. Let both Miniltcr and People join with all the 
 Devotion of their Souls, with a firm AfTurance, that he who 
 heard fuch lliort but faithful Requefts, and upon them cur'd 
 blind Eyes and leprous Bodies, will likcwife now grant our 
 Petitions, if we add true Devotion to our Words. 
 
 The next Part of our Liturgy is, 
 
 Sea.XVll. THE COLLECTS. The firftCoUeftis cbang'd 
 every Sunday in the Year, and the two next are the fame thro' 
 the whole Year. 
 
 But before I difcourfe particularly of *em, it will not be a- 
 mifs to fay fomething of this fort of Pray'r in general. 
 
 They are called ColleQ:s, either becaufe they are iis'd in the 
 Aflcmblies of Chriftians, or becaufe they stre coilcfted out of 
 the Scriptures. They are t)ffer'd to God, thro' the Mediation 
 and Interceflion of Jefus Chrift out Lord, only fome few 
 are directed to our Saviour himfelf upon fome particular 
 Days. 
 
 If it be Gbje£led as a Fault, that the Colle£ts are too fhort, 
 and it would be more edifying, that the whole Pray'rs were 
 one continu'd Form ; I think the Shortnefs and frequent In- 
 terruption of our Pray'rs, are fo far from being Fatilts, that it 
 is one of the Excellencies of our Worfhip (4). The Lord's 
 Pray'r is fhorter than many of our Collects, and fure our Sa- 
 viour knew bcft what was edifying. Thofe Pray'rs he us'd 
 himfelf were fhort, and none will prefume to fay they were 
 not Edifying. Short Pray'rs quicken the Devotion, whereas 
 one continu'd long Pray'r occafions Drowfinefs, and makes our 
 AfFe£tions languid. And if the whole Congregation would 
 be ready (as they ought) to fay Amen to thofe excellent 
 fhort Collects, it would oblige them to a conftant Attention 
 to the whole Service. 
 
 And indeed the Colle£ts in our Liturgy are admirably fitted 
 for all Purpofes of Devotion. 
 
 The firlt Collect I told you, was chang'd every Sunday in 
 the Year, and they are generally taken out of fuch Portions 
 of Scripture as are read for the Epiille and Gofpel. For in- 
 ftancc, 
 
 The firft Sunday in Advent [i. e. four Sundays before Chriji- 
 mas"] we commemorate the humble manner of our Saviour's 
 going to Jerufalem, and from thence confider what influence 
 that ought to have upon our Pra£tice. The Gofpel therefore 
 for that Day is taken out of St. Mat. 21. which treats of 
 
 (^) Vide Comber, Sp^vrow, 6cc. 
 
 Chrift's 
 
[ 45 ] 
 
 Chrift's riding to Jenrfakm. And the Epiftle taken out of 
 Rom. 13. S. prefles us to love one another, bccaufe the coming 
 of Chritt in the Ficih was to improve thofe Graces and Ver- 
 tucs in us which are requifite to pcrfeft our Natures. And the 
 Colleft is taken ont of thefe two. 
 
 Almighty God give us Grace, that ive may cafl away the Works 
 of Darknefs, &c. 
 
 I might go thro' the ColIe£ls for all Sundays, and fhew how 
 exceliently they are chofen both for Matter and Form, being 
 for the moft part taken out of the Holy Scripture, and all of 
 'em fo agreable to the true Do£irine and Genius of the Gof- 
 pel, that no Orthodox Chiiftian can find fault with one Word 
 in them : But as it would fwell this to a great bulk to dif- 
 courfe particularly of every one ; fo I conceive it would be a 
 needlefs Task. 
 
 I fhall only in general obfcrve that they confift of an Ac» 
 knowtedgment of fame eminent Attribute of God^ and a devout 
 Pray'r for fome Alercy and Benefit^ and that often prefs'd for 
 feme fpecial Reafon or C on fi deration: and all that lie ask is for 
 the Sake and Merits of ^efus Chriji cur Lord. 
 
 And is it not Edifying to put up all our Wants and Necef- 
 fnics to God, who is Almighty and can do^ the Fountain of 
 ail Wifdom, and knows what is fittelt for us. Our Father, 
 • and is willing to grant our Requefts ? 1 ^^y^ is it net Edifying 
 to addrefs our felves to God, that for the lake of his Own 
 Mercy, or Wifdum, or Power, he would be pleas'd to grant 
 our Requeft, thio' Jelus Chrilt our Lord ? 
 
 All thefe Lord's Day COLLECTS are fo unexceptiona- 
 ble, that I think it would be to queftion yourChrittianity once 
 CO fuppofe that you would objed againft 'em. 
 
 Secf. XVIII. I fhall therefore only treat a little of the Col- 
 lefts appointed for Holy Days, viz. Chrifimas-Vay, Good Fri- 
 day, &c. This fome People fay is rank Popery. 
 
 That there is no Sin in keeping Days holy to God, in re- 
 membrance of fome (ignal Mercy vouchfufed by him, either to 
 particular perfons or publick States, will not be deny'd by 
 any who confiJers the Sabbath, the Faffover, the Veajl of Weeks^ 
 6cc. by God's own appointment : and iell: it Ihould be faid, 
 that tho' God may appoint what Holy Days he will, yet his 
 Church may not aifume that Power ; we find two Feafts ap- 
 pointed in the Jcwifli Church, purely by their own Authori- 
 ty, viz. The Feafl of Furim, and that of the Dedication. The 
 fird inrtituted by the Authority of Movdecai^ Eflher 9. 20, zi. 
 without any Divine Warrant that wc hear of. And the fe- 
 cond not begun (that we read of) before the times of the Mac- 
 cabes, i Maccab. 4. 59. And yet our Saviour honour'd the 
 
 D z liift 
 
[4^ 
 
 I'A of thofe Feafh witb his Prerecca, and fhews no diflike to 
 the Obfervadon of it. 
 
 And indeed it is fo nataral for People to blefs God for Mer- 
 cies receiv'd. that ihce have been Holy Days appointed in all 
 Kingdoms, by People of all fveligions tnie or faKe. And 
 even yoa your felves, ^ho refufe to keep the Feftivals cf oar 
 Church, in Remembrance of the great Merer of God in the 
 fereral Steps of oar Redemption, obey the O.ders of the Go- 
 vemmen' in keeping Tome Days holy in reroembraDce of Tem- 
 poial Deliverance ; fucb as Tkantsghhtg Dap for ViHcritSt 
 ?ea:e, &c. 
 
 But it « cbjeSted, that thofe Days are kept only to blefs 
 God for the Living ; bar our Holy Days are appointed to 
 pray for the Dead, or to fhew Honour to the Angels and Mar- 
 tyrs ; and that is Popery, 
 
 To m^ke this matter as clear as poffible, yoa may cbferre 
 that Holv Dav5 virh :3s arc of t7 forts, i. Such as have re 
 hsB to our BUjfed Sa'jiour imrrediatsly. 2. Such as are ay^inf- 
 ed in rer?:en-.crarce n tie SainiSy e/pecially tl-e holy A^-cfiUs, 
 Both "s^hich are vei)- far from any Tinoore of Popery. 
 
 I. \re cbferve Tome Davs holy, in remembrance of cor 
 BlelTed Saviour's pcrchafLng our Redemption by the feveral 
 Steps and Degrees of it, c/c 
 
 1. I^ie AnmiKshthrt, or the Argel's declaring -to the BlefTed 
 Virgin that fhe was to be the Mother of the N'efiian. 
 
 2. Cl-r'ijhr.ffs D-zyy or the Day cf our Lord's Narivity. 
 5. His Circurrcijlon according to t^e Jei^ifh Law. 
 
 4. 'the Effphar:), or the Manifeftaticn of Chrift to the Gen- 
 tiles, by the Star which appear'd to the three Wife Men. 
 
 5. Tie Turlf.cation or the prefentirg Chrift in the Temple 
 according to the Lav. of A^cfes for ihz Firft-bors. 
 
 6. Er.fier Dav, or his Refurre&ion. 
 
 7. Afcerfcn Day, o: the Day cf his afcending into Hea- 
 ven. 
 
 3. Perfe.oB or WlHfunday, or the Dzy en which the Hcly 
 Ghoft Je.cended on the Apoftles. 
 
 As for -'i^j-lVednffday and Gc'Td-Triday, thcr are appointed as 
 Days of loleir.n Fafiing and Han'.iliarion, the one m remem- 
 brance of ChrilFs Facing 4c Days, and the other in comme- 
 rnorr-ripn of liis Crucinxion. 
 
 To fee thefe from the Im potation of Popery, I might take 
 up mnch Tine and Paper in tranfcribing Tclhmoniisof the 
 arcient F-the s of the Chnich, before thcT^e was fvch a thing 
 in the Churrh as ve now call Popery. And God foibid th.:-: 
 the trrcrs of that Chorch were of 2s ancient Date z^ :he Ob- 
 reT?ariori of the Feftivals mention *d, panicularlj Cbr'ipmafs 
 |U!d Z'f:fr, 
 
 Th: 
 
[47] 
 
 The early Difpute abcac the Day upon which oar Saviour's 
 RefurreaiOQ was ro be cexebraced, will leave co room for 
 queftio.iing the ObxCrvation of it in the ChriiHan Charch, 
 Dr. Hammond in his praaical Catechifm, brings nianv Au- 
 thorities from Oricen- Cyprian and Chryfoficm, for the Obler- 
 vation of feveral of the teftivals mentiori'd, particularly the 
 Nati.ity of oar Lord, ^raci Cat. -p. 179. iSo. And S. Au- 
 9uftiKe (as he is there qcoted> makes it a Chura«5tcr of a true 
 Son of the Chorch, that he l"olemniz<rs the Fet^ivah of the 
 Chorch, and particclarly names the Feaft of the Natiuty, 
 And the fame Author (I mean Dr. Hanimondj in a little 
 Treatife of his, call'd A Letter oj RefclHtiOv to fx Queries ^ 
 p. 440. (0/ the lejirjals of the Church) quotes the Apoft. 
 Cooftitutions, /. 5. c. 15. for the Obfervation of Chrijimafs , 
 and ti>:eth the 25rh of Vecember, (which the Conitirotiens 
 cail the 25th of the pth Month) as the D-y (a). And as a De- 
 roonftrauon that the Obfervution of Feftivals was not 
 brought into this Church by Popery, Dr. Ranm^nd in the 
 fame Treatife, p. 415. &c. fhevs chat both Chnfimas and 
 E Ber, and orbers, where obierv'd in the Bririlh Church be- 
 fore- Au^ufine the Mor.k came into £«o/4W!^: At v, hich time 
 he (heivs from the AnAver of the Bifhop of Baf7^cr to Au?uf- 
 tine tbs; Mck, that the Bijb^p did Ttot think he o^i- d any Suh- 
 jeBtcn tJ tie See cj Rome. 
 
 But to wave a tedious Refaearfal of ancient Authors, it v.ill 
 luficieDriy vindicate our Liturgy to cake a ihort View of oar 
 Service for the FefJivals mention d. 
 
 I will nor in<j^ upon our Dot being mlft-ken as to the 
 Days: As, >*hether the 25rh of 'Decemher be the Day of oar 
 Saviour's Birth , (tho we have better Reafon to beiie.e it 
 is, than any Man alive has that it is nrii [b] ; ) ic is not mate- 
 rial. Our Ch!::rch appoints chat D-if, and while we give 
 fo.emr. Thanks to God for the Mercy, there is do harm done 
 in miltaking the precife Day. 
 
 Ail then that is particoiar fcv the Holy-day Service, is ap- 
 p.'iinring a Col-ect or fhorr Pr^y'r, an tpifeie and Gofpei, ar d 
 fjme particular Ch^prers our of the Bible, poper for zhc Oc 
 cali^n and Scbjea ok the Fcliival. 
 
 Thus on the Annii7i:i.ttic.n ^being a Thankfgiving to God 
 for declaring unto us the IttcarK.Uion of his ^on by the Mef- 
 fage of the Angel to the B!e«?cd Virgin ' we read inllcad of 
 tnc Epiftle If. 7. 10. being a Pr'>phecy of the Mciliah's being 
 b'>rn afrer that miraculoos Manner. And the Gofpcl taken 
 out of St. Ltike I. V. z6. being tbe Account of the Angel's 
 appearing to iiis Mather. 
 
 (mj H'.mmocd^s jix ^l^ies^ p- Sr^C. 
 
 D 4 Ac4 
 
[48] 
 
 An(3 the Collet or Pray'r for that Day is, " We hefeech 
 •* thety O Lordy pour thy Grace into out hearts y that as we 
 *' have known the Incarnation of thy Son by the mejfage 
 *' of an Angel ; fo by his Crofs and Vajfion ive may be brought 
 '* to the Glory of his Re/urreSiion) thro' the fame Jefus Chrifi 
 *' our Lord* Amen. 
 
 On Chrijimas Day, we read for the Epiftle Heh, i. i., 
 where the Apoftle tells us that Chrift was the brlghtnefs of his 
 Fathe/s Gloryy and the exprefs image of his Per/on ; and by 
 applying many Texts out of the Old Teftament to our Sa- 
 viour, clearly fhews the Divinity of Chrift. The Gofpel for 
 that Day, S. Jo. i. i. fhews that Chrift was God and Man in 
 OHe Perfon. 
 
 And the Colle£l is " Almighty God who hajl given us thine 
 •* only begotten Sony &c. 
 
 Ic would be tedious (tho' no difficult Task) to run thro' all 
 the Collects, Epiftles and Gofpels for all the Holy-days ; I 
 lliall only fay that they are admirably contrived to exprels the 
 particular Jnftances of God's Mercy in every Step of our Re- 
 demption ; and all of 'em have an Influence on our PratHce. 
 And is it not edifying to pray, " "ithat God would pour 
 
 *' his Grace into our hearts that we may by the Crofs 
 
 *^ and Fajjion of Chrifiy be brought to the Glory of his Refur^ 
 <* reaion^ [ANNUNCIATION.] 
 
 •' T}.'>at we being regenerate and made God's Children by 
 *' Adoption and Grace, may daily be venew'd by his holy Spirit^ 
 tCHRISTMAS.j 
 
 *' "That we may have the true Circumcijion of the Spirity that 
 '* our hearts and all cur members being jncrtify'd from all 
 •' worldly and carnal luflsy we mayy in allthingSy obey his blejfed 
 »' Willy [CIRCUMCISION.] 
 
 ** lljat we wbo know God now by Faithy may haze the 
 •* fruition of his glorious Godheady [EPIPHANY.] 
 
 *' 'timt as Chrifi was prefented in the "Temple in Siihfiance 
 ** of our Flejh, fo we may be prefented to God with pure and clean 
 «* heartsy [PURIFICATION.] 
 
 *' Ithat God would create and mahe in us new and con- 
 *' trite henrtSy that wg worthily lame?;t}y,g our fins and ac- 
 ** kncwledging our wretchednefsy may obtain perfcH remiffion 
 " andforgivenefsy [ASH-WEDNESD A V.j 
 
 " That God would mercifully behold lis fatrily. for whom 
 *' our Lord Jefus Chrifi was content to be betray d and given 
 ** up i'to the hands of wicked meny and to f/iffer death up^ 
 V on the Crofs. That it would pleafe him to receive our 
 *' fupplications for all efiates of m^n in his holy Churchy 
 ** that every member of the fame in his vocation and wir/ifiry^ 
 ** may truly and godly ferve him* That it would pleaje htm 
 
 '' to 
 
[49] 
 
 ** to have mercy upon all Jewsy 'Turhf Infidels and Herethh^ 
 ** an^ to take from them ail ignorance^ hardnefs of heart and corf 
 ** temp of his ivoydy and fo to fetch them home to his fiock, 
 ** that they may be faved ; and to make us all one fold under one. 
 ** pepherd Jefiis Chrift our Lord, [GOOD FRIDAY.] 
 
 *' 'That as ive are baptized into the death of Jefus Chrijly fo hy 
 ** continual mortifying our corrupt affeBionSf we may be buried 
 ** with him; that through the grave and gate cf death, we may 
 »* pafs to a joyful Refurreciiony [HASHR EVEN.] 
 
 *' That God, who through his only begotten Son has overcome 
 " death and opened unto us the gate of everlajlivg life, and that 
 " as by his fpecial Grace preventing us, he puts into our hearts 
 ** good dejlres ; fo by his continual help, we may bring the fame 
 " togoodeffecl, [EASTER DAY.] 
 
 '* That God would grant, that as we do believe thai our Lord 
 " yefus Chrift afcended into the heavens ; fo we may in heart and 
 ** mind thither afcend, and with him continually dwell, [ASCEN- 
 ** SION DAY.] 
 
 '^ That God, who taught the hearts of his faithful people by 
 " fending to them the light of his Holy Spirit, would grant us 
 ** by the fame Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, 
 " and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort, [WHITSUN- 
 DAY.] 
 
 And finally, " That God, who has given unto us his fervants 
 " Grace, by the confeffion of a true faith to acknowledge the glory 
 *' of the Eternal Trinity, and in the power of the Divine Majejly 
 ** to fVorpip the JJnityy would keep us fleadfafl in this Faith, and 
 *' evermore defend us from all adverfitieSy [TRINITY SUN- 
 DAY.] 
 
 Are not thefe Prayers edifying ? I hope yon will confider 
 them fcvioufly before you rejed them ; for I perftiade my felf 
 if you underltood them well, yoci would think them the beft 
 Prayers in the World. But bcfides all that I have faid of thefe 
 Feftivals there \$ this certain Edification that attends them, 
 liZ' That by the conftant Obfervation of them, the more Ig- 
 norant come to be perfccijy acquainted with the Gofpel Hif- 
 toiy of the Birth, Life, Death and Refurreftion of Chrif!. 
 Every one can't read, nay fome whole Families labour under 
 that difadvantage, or if they can they may perhaps be at a 
 lofs to underlEmd fome things in the Gofpci Hiftory. By 
 joining conftantly in our Liturgy, you may hear every remark- 
 able PalHigc of yonr Redemption read out of the Bible once 
 a Year, and Prayers fuitable to each Part ; and to help your 
 Underllandings, there is a Sermon explaining thofe memora- 
 ble PaiTages, and Jhewing what Influence they ought to have 
 I pon youi Praaice. If this be not edifying, I profefs I don't 
 tcdcilland what Edification is. 
 
 And 
 
[50] 
 
 And thus I have given a brief Account of the firf! fort of 
 Holy-days, which 1 did not defign to have treated of fo par- 
 ticularly, but that I truly found more Excellency in them, 
 ■while 1 was confidering them upon this Occafion, than I ever 
 did before ; tho' I have weigh'd them many and many a time 
 with great Pleafure, and (I hope) Devotion too, and I pray 
 God you may read them and think of them with the fame 
 Mind. 
 
 II. The fecond fort of Holy-days obferv'd by us, are fuch 
 as we keep in Memory of the Apoftles and Martyrs. And 
 they are Nineteen in number, 'viz- The 12 Apoftles, [reckoning 
 Matthias for fudas'] *The Converjion of S. taul. S. Mark the 
 EvaKgelift. S. yohn Bapifi. S. Bavnahas the Apojlle. S. Luke 
 the EvangeUfl. S. Stephen Martyr. And the Holy Innocents. 
 There are two others ; viz- S. Aikhael and all Angels : And all 
 Saints. 
 
 The Innocency of all thefe will appear from the Manner of 
 keeping them. 
 
 That the primitive Church in the earlieft Ages kept the 
 BIRTH-DAYS of the Martyrs ( f(^r fo they call'd the Days of 
 their Martyrdom) is evident beyond Contradiction from the 
 Writings of the moft eminent Fathers. Ovigen in his third 
 Homily on S. MattheiVy mentions the Feafis of the Holy Inno- 
 cents as a Pradice of the Church in his time. *jCertullian 
 fpeaks of the Natalitia or Birth-Days of the Martyrs, in his 
 Book de Corona MilitiSy c. 5. But the mcft ancient as well as 
 the fulleft Teftimony I fhall produce, is that of the Church of 
 Smyrna, in their Letter upon the Aiartyrdotn of their famous 
 Bifhop S. Polyrarp ; where you will find this EviJence for the 
 Obfervation of Saints Days, "That (^ after they had gathered up 
 the Bones of that holy Martyr and hury'd them ) '' /;; that tlace 
 " they 'Would hold by the Blefing of God 'The XEARLX COM- 
 «* MEMO RATION of the BtRTH-DAr of his Martyrdom, 
 *' ivith much Joy andGladnefs, both to HONOUR the MEMO- 
 ^* BX of thofe who had overcome in that glorious Engagement, and 
 " to injiru5l: all others by their Example. 
 
 I have given you this Teftimony tranflated by your Country- 
 man the Bidiop of Salisbury, in his Expofition'on the 39 Arti- 
 cles of the Church of England, p. 243. becaufe I (uppole his 
 Words will find more Credit with thofe of the Presbyterian 
 Perfwafion than other eminent Divines, for he is (o MODE- 
 RATE a Man in any controverted Point between the Church 
 and the Presbyterians, that you can't fufpcui: him of tjuoiing 
 falfe againft you. But with others perhaps the Teftimony of 
 Dr. Hamynond may weigh more, who cjuotcs ihe fame Letter 
 of the Church of Smyrna, the fame in fubftance with the 
 Bifhop of Sarum, in his Traft formcily mentioned, viz- The 
 Refolution to the fix Queries ^ p. 43 S. Now 
 
[51] 
 
 Now if SAINTS DAYS were kept fo near to the Apoftles 
 Pays as the Martyrdom of S. Folycarp, I hope you will be- 
 lieve, they were obfer/'d before the times of Popery. 
 ■ The POPERY of Saints Days ( as I take it ) confilh in pay- 
 ing Honours ro the Saints that don't belong to them, and put- 
 ing up our Prayers to them : which no body of common Senfe 
 or Honerty can obje£t to our Church. All that we do upon fuch 
 Days as I have mention'd, is to read fome part of the ABs of 
 the ApofileSy which gives the Hiftory of the ApolHe or Saint, 
 or fome part of any of his own Rpjftles, and a few Verfes ia 
 the Gofpel, recommending the Virtue he was famous for. 
 /^nd we uCe a fhort Colleci or Prayer to God, giving him thanks 
 for granting fuch Grace to that Saint as enabled him to live 
 fo well, or fuffer fo patiently ; and we beg of GOD to give us 
 Grace to foRow thofe Vertues which they give fuch Exam- 
 ples of.. For inftance, 
 
 The firft Saint's Dlay in the Liturgy is S. Stephen^ Decemb. z6. 
 The Scripture read for the Epiftle that Day is ABs 7. 55 — ■ 
 giving an Account of his Martyrdom, with his Patience and 
 Love to his Enemies. The Gofpel is S, .Mattb. 25. 34. being 
 our Saviour's Expoftulation with the Jews, and his fore- 
 telling how they would ufe his Followers. The Colle£fc 
 is, 
 
 " Granty TjOrd, that in nil our Sufferings here on Earth for 
 *' the ieflimony of thy 'Truth, we may fledfaflly look up to Heaveny 
 *' and by Faith behold the Glory that forJl be revealed and being 
 *' filed with the Holy Ghofi, may learn to love andblefs our Verfe- 
 *' cuiorsy by the Example of thy frfl Martyr ^. Stepben, who 
 " pray'd for his Murderers to thee, Blejfed J-efus, who ftands 
 " at the right hand of God, to fuccour all thofe that fuffer for 
 *' thee, our only Mediator and Advocate. 
 
 S. yohn the beloved Difcipie ( whofe Day is next in the 
 Liturgy, as another Attendant on his Mafter ) was an Apoftle 
 and Evangel fi. On his Day we read a parr of one of his 
 Epiftles, viz- i S. ^ohn i. i. and for the Gofpel, an ac- 
 count of our Saviour's calling him, recorded by himfelf 
 in the 21(1 Chapter of his Gofpel, from the i^th Verfe. 
 And the Collea is, 
 
 " Merciful Lord, we befeech thee to cafl thy bright Beams of 
 '' Li^iht on thy Church, that it being enlighten d by the Do5frine of 
 *' thy Blejfed Ap?f}le and Evangelifl S. John, may fo walk in the 
 *' Light of thy Truth, that it may at length attain to the Li^ht 
 *' of everlajling Life ; through Jefus Chrijl our Lord. 
 
 Is not this Edifying ? Is there a Word in cither of thefe 
 ColleSrs, that a good Chriftian may not with a good Confci- 
 ence fay Amen to? Surely, No. I need nor be fo parricuhr 
 i»i them all, for I dare appeal to any one who will but read 
 
 them. 
 
[5^ 
 
 chcm» whether there be a Syllable in the CoIIe£t upon any 
 Saints Day that is liable to any Exception. 
 
 If our :iervice upon S. Michael's Day is miftaken, it is for be- 
 ing mifundeiftood. 
 
 No body that reads the Scripture can be ignorant of the 
 Mimjlvy of Angels in Chrift's Kingdom in fubfervience to him. 
 Not to mention many Places of the Old Tejlar?ie>!t^ we may fee 
 in the Neiv, that God fent Angels on feveral Mcflages to the 
 Apoftlesand other Difciplcs ; to Fhilipf A^s 8. 26. to Corneli- 
 uSf ABs 10. 3. but this we don't expeft. 
 
 There are other Miniftries of Angels ufeful ftill to Chrifti- 
 ans, vix. to 'fuppcrt us in Calamities by fecret Influences ; to 
 ivarft us againfi Danger ; to proteB us from the fury of evil Spi- 
 rits \ to prompt us to good AH ions ; to do what they can to reflrain 
 us from Sin ; and to conduB feparate Souls to the Manjtons of 
 Glory : Of all which I could give manifeft Scripture Proof, as 
 the ingenious Dr. Scot fhews at large, Chrifi.Life, Part 2. 
 Vol. 2. p. 551. And the Author to the Hebrews tells us, chap. 
 I. 14. 'That the Angels are minijlring Spirits^ fem forth to mini- 
 fier to them which pall be Heirs of Salvation. 
 
 Now if the Angels are by God's Appointment fo ufeful to 
 Chriftians, is it not Edifying to pray to God (for we never 
 pray to them) that it would pleafe him to give his Angels 
 charge over us ? And that this is all we do is plain from the 
 Service of S. Michael and all Angels. We read for the Epif- 
 tle, Rev. 12. 7. an Account of the Battle between the good and 
 bad Angels ; the Event of which is very comfortable to all who 
 expert the Benefit of the Miniftry of Angels, for here they are 
 aifur'd, that they got the better of the Devil. And then we 
 
 read the Gofpel our of S. Mat. 18. 10. where our Saviour 
 
 cautions againrt offending his meaneft Followers from this 
 Confideration, that THEIR ANGELS do always behold the 
 Face of God, i. c. (as Dr. Scot explains it) thofe blrjfed Spirits 
 *who are appointed by God to be their Giiardiavs here^ have their 
 continual Returns and Intevcourfes from Earth to Heaven^ there 
 to receive their Commijfions, here to execute them. 
 
 Is it not Edifying then, after chcfe Portions of Scripture, to 
 pray with our Cliurch, 
 
 " everlajliffg God, who haji conflituted and ordai?7ed the Ser- 
 ** vices of Angels and Men in a wonderful Order j merrifully grajit, 
 ** that as thy Holy Angels alway do thee Service in Heaven, fo BT 
 " THY APPOINTMENT the may fuccour and defend us on 
 " Earth, through jfefuf Chnfl our Lord? 
 
 The only Holy Day nov/ remaining is ALL SANTS DAY ; 
 which liiuws the Prcidence of the Church very much. The 
 Primitive Church without doubt had many more Saints Days, 
 but ours has been very cautious of making too many Saints, 
 
 both 
 
[53] 
 
 both for avoiding a Burden in this lukewarm Age, and like- 
 wife for fear of bringing any into her Calendar that are not 
 Saints indeed. And therefore there is one Day appointed, to 
 give God thanks for all thofe who have liv'd well in general, 
 without naming any other than I have mentioned. The Scrip- 
 tures peculiar to that Day are Rev. 7. 2. inftead of theEpiftle ; 
 (which gives an Account of the Angel's fealing the Tribes, 
 i, e. difcoveriog fo many Saints and Servants of God, even 
 among thofe who were reckoned to be call off as Reprobates) 
 and for the Gofpel, S. Mat. 5. i. which ihews what Vertues 
 are requifite to make a Saint. And the Collect is, 
 
 *' Almighty God, who haji kmt together thine EleB in one 
 " Communion and Tellowjl/ip, in the myjlical Body of thy Son, 
 *' Chrlft our Lord. Grant us Grace fo to follow thy blejfed Saints 
 *' in all 'vertuous and godly Living, that we may come to thofe un- 
 *' fpeakable Joys, which thou haft prepared for them that unfeign- 
 ** edly Icoe thee, through Jefus Chrifl our Lord, 
 
 And is not this Edifying, to pray to God that he would af- 
 fift us fo to follow the good Examples of thofe v^ho have 
 been Patterns of Piety and Vertue ? '* 'That with them^ we 
 ** may he Partakers of God's e'uerlajling Krngdom C^). 
 
 Thus I have given you a fhort View of the Holy Days ob- 
 fcrv'd in our Church : and I think I may appeal to your Con- 
 fciences, whether there be any thing done or faid in our Ser- 
 vice upon them rhac is not becoming an Aflembly of Ortho- 
 dox Chriftians. No undue Reverence is paid the Saints. No 
 Prayers offered to any but God and our Saviour. No Intcrccf- 
 fors but the one Mediator between God and Man. 
 
 Confider them with a good Mind, and you vvill find that 
 with us. All things are done to EDifTlNG. 
 
 When therefore the whole Congregation has joined with the 
 Minifter in repeating the Creed, and after that the Lord's 
 Prayer, and the Suffrages after it ; then the Minifter turns to 
 the Colle£t for the Sunday, which ferves for the whole Week, 
 (unlefs a Holy Day intervene) and devoutly reads that Collect, 
 (the People faying only Amen, to that and all other Collets 
 in the ordinary Service), After which he comes bat^k to 
 
 Seel. XIX. *The fecond Collet \ which for Morning Prayer is, 
 *' O God who art th& Author of Peace and Lover of Concord^ 
 ** &c. 
 
 This Prayer is fo plain that I need not fpcnd time in explain- 
 ing it, and (o Orthodox that I never hcnid an Objeftion to ir, 
 and therefore I think it would be trifling to iniift upon it.. 
 
 f^) Vide Pr^jirf.rthe vkoh S^^te of Chrifi's Church MUtaiit. 
 
 Nor 
 
[54] 
 
 Nor is there any occaflon to Tay much of the next which 
 follows, viz- 
 
 " Lord, our Heavenly Fathery Almighty and Everhflifig 
 " God, who h.iji fiifely brought us to the beginning of this D/ry, 
 ** defend us in the fame-, &c. 
 
 Here we own our Dcpendance on God, and his Power over 
 ns, ve expiels onr Acknowledgment for our Pielcrvation hi- 
 therto, and beg his Protection for the future, that we may be 
 prderv'd both from Sin and Danger. 
 
 iii our Evening Service, after the Colle£i: for the Day, we 
 ule ihefe rwo following.* 
 
 ** O God, ffom ivhom all holy "Defves, all good Counfels, ajid 
 ** al' jiifl Works do -proceed : give unto thy Servants that ^eace 
 •* *ivhich the World cannot give, &c. 
 
 And> 
 ' *' Lighten our Darknefs we hefeech thee, Lord, 8cc. 
 
 The bare repeating of theft- is fufficient to Ihew the Excel- 
 lency of them. And therefore I proceed. 
 
 SeB, XX. In our Weekly Service follows the Prayer for the 
 King, [or Queen] (if there be one) in which we pray, 
 " that He [or Shej may he replenified (i. e. fill'd) with the 
 ** Grace of God's holy Spirit, that He [or She] may aJway in- 
 ** dine to his Will and walk in his Way, that He would erdus 
 " Him [or HerJ pletitioujly with Heavenly Gifts, and grant Hir/i 
 " [or Her] in Health and Wealth lo?7g to live, &c. 
 
 Then folJov-s the Prayer, for the Koyal Family ; and after 
 that for the Clergy and PcDple. And then we ufually turn to 
 the Collect for all Conditions of Men. " God the Creator 
 *' and Freferver of all Aiankind, &c. 
 
 All thefe we ufe both at Morning and Evening Prayer con- 
 ftantly throughout the Year, except upon Sundays, Wednef- 
 days and Fridays (for then the Litany being ufed, fuperfcdes 
 them. ) 
 
 I don't infift upon the Explication of thefe Collects, bccaufe 
 the Litany comprehends them all, and I de(lgn to be as parti- 
 cular upon that as my defign'd brevity will allow. 
 
 Upon the Days mentioned then, we go from the Colleft 
 for Grace in Morning Prayer, (inftead of the Collei^t for the 
 King) immediarely (as the Kubrick direfts) to the LI- 
 TANY. 
 
 SeB. XXI. Before I treat of this excellent Prayer in the fe- 
 yeral Parts of it, it will not be amili to fiV fomeihir;g of ix 
 in general. 
 
 tt 
 
[ 55 ] 
 
 It is objcftcd foolifhly by rome, and malicioufly hy others, 
 that our LITANY efpecially, was compo^'d by l^ope Gregory 
 {a) 800 or 1000 Years after Chrift ; and that it is only tne 
 Mafs in Englijh. 
 
 Now though no Man of Reading can hear People talk Co 
 without fmiling, yet for the Inftrudion of the ignorant, I 
 fhall give a iiiort Hiftory of Litanies in general, and ihew 
 how ours was compos'd. 
 
 The Word Litany fignifies an earneft Supplication both in 
 Heathen and Chriftian Wnttrs, Homer. Iliad, 4- Co?icil. Mo- 
 gunt. can. 32. 
 
 That fuch Supplications were of ancient Ufe in the Church 
 is plain from many Tcftimonics. 
 
 The Stationary Days in "TertuUian^ Time on Wednefd.iys and 
 Fridays, were Days fet apart by the Church, to put up earneft 
 Prayers to God to deprecate his Wrath and implore his Mer* 
 cy, (/>) which the Chriftians then did by Forms not unlike 
 this of ours. 
 
 S. Amhrofe compos'd one ( as Dr. Comber fays(c) ) which is 
 very like ours. And about the Year 460, Mamerttu Bifhop 
 of Vienna perfeQed the Latinies long before in uicy and upon 
 Occafion of Evils threatning that City, made all his People 
 ufe that Form which he had accommodated to their particu- 
 lar Circumftances ; as Dr. Falkner^ lliews, Lib. Eccl. p. 148. 
 from the Teftimonies of Alcuinus, Amalarius, Sfrabo, Gregory^ 
 TuronenJtSy &c. And foon after Sidonius Bifhop of Averfia 
 followed Mamertuss Example, Sid. Ep» I. l-Ep. i. And be- 
 fore Gregory's Time Litanies were eftablifhed by a Council, 
 Cone. Aurelian. can. 12. And Dr. Comber {d) I'hews from the 
 Authority of Nicephorus, I. 14. c. 2. that Litanies were in 
 ufe in the Ealkrn Church long before ; and gives an Inftance 
 of one being appointed at Confiantinople upon account of an 
 Earthquake : at which l^heodofths the Emperor affilied. 
 
 To come to Pope Gregory. It is very certain that he, about 
 or before the Year 600, (for he dyed 4 Years after ) rcvievv'd 
 all the ancient Foims, and compos'd a mofl excellent Li- 
 tany out of them. After his Time many Years, when Errors 
 crept into the Romifli Church, Corruptions of courfe got into 
 her Devotions, and feveral New Petitions were added to the 
 Litany which S. Gregory never thought of; till in procefs of 
 Time, inflead of an earneft Prayer to God for Mercy, it be- 
 
 {a) Reafo7iable Accmr.t xohy Jvme pious Nontonfgrmiji Minifxers ch - 
 p. 6i. 
 {b) Terr, de Corona Milir. Terr, ad Sap. & 1. z, ad Vya^r. 
 {c) Comp. to the Ttn^fe, p. 6. 
 (a) Itiic p. 7. 
 
 came 
 
came a Jumble of Addreires to the Lord knows how many 
 Saints and Angels. And thus it continu'd in the Wejiern or 
 hatln Church, and fo in England 'till the Rtformation, 
 "When our worthy Reformers having thrown off the Popijfh 
 Hrrors, and being refolv'd to purge the Worfhip as well as 
 Do£lrine, chofe 15 eminent Divines about the Year 1549. to 
 compofe a Fo:m of publick Service, which might be agreabie 
 to the primitive Practice. They took the fame Method that 
 Gregory had done; ijiZ" They colleSed our Liturgy out of 
 the Liturgies of S, J-ameSy S. Markj ( which, though not com- 
 pos'd perhaps by thofe Apoftles, were undoubtedly of early 
 Ufe in the Church ) S. Bajil^ S. Chryfoftom, S. Amhroje and this 
 of S. Gregory's, and others ; taking nothing from any of 
 them all, but what was pcrfeftly agreable to the Analogy of 
 Faith, and to the Circumftances of all Chriftians. And as 
 ^hey compil'd it, we now have it, with fome few Alterations ; 
 and in it this Litany of which I now treat, compiled with 
 the fame Care and Caution, as any one may evidently fee in 
 the Companion to the 'Temple^ formerly mentioned, ^art 2. 
 where there is fcarce a Petition in the Litany, but what Y^x, 
 Comber quotes either in Words or Subftance, from the ancient 
 Forms. 
 
 And now if thofe Litanies from which the Subftance of 
 ours was taken, were in ix^e. in the Church fo long before 
 S. Gegory's time, then he was not the firft Author of it. 
 Nor, 
 
 Suppofe he had composed it juft as we have it, would it be 
 Popery 1 For if he was the Author of it, it was made before 
 moft of the Errors objeQied againft that Church were brought 
 into it. Let fome (whether out of Ignorance or Malice) 
 make you believe that Gregory liv'd about the Year 8 or 900 ; 
 it is for all that very certain that that great Bifhop (as I ob- 
 ferv'd before) was dead near 300 Years before the Year 900 ; 
 and God forbid that moft of the Errors we aflert to be in the 
 Romifh Church, were fo old as the Year 600. 
 
 But however that be, it is to me (and I think to every 
 other unprejudiced Pcrfon) an evident Dcmonftration of the 
 Diftance of our Liturgy from that which is truly Popery, 
 that Archbifhop Cranmer, Rldly^ and fome of the reft who 
 ■were the Compilers of our Service, were profecuced to death 
 for Hcreticks in Qneen Marys Reign. 
 
 Rut fuppofing the utmoft ; viZ' Tiiar this part of our pub» 
 lick Worfhip, which we call Litany, were really taken out 
 of the Mafs-Book Word for Word, muft it therefore be Supcr- 
 ftitious and Idolatrous ? No fure. 
 
 The Papifts areChriftians, though conupted : They own the 
 Articles of the Chriftian Faith, though they add many more 
 
 than 
 
[57] 
 
 than Clirift and his ApoltJes taught : And muft v;e renouncO 
 our Creed, rather than allow the Itomilh Church to believe 
 any Thing right ? 
 
 They worlliip God and Chrift, tho* they worfliip Creatures 
 too. And muft we turn Atheift rather than own them to be 
 Chriftians? 
 
 God forbid. As far as the Komlili Church follows Chrift 
 land his Apoftles, let us follow them ; and where they com- 
 mand contrary to the Rules of the Gofpel, let us there leave' 
 them. 
 
 But after all this Cry about Popery ; Pray what is it? Is ic 
 Popery to pray to God out of a Book ? Or, For the People to 
 partake in the Pray'rs, or to divide them inio fhort Collefts ? 
 No certainly. I have jliewn yon the contrary. Eut if the 
 Popery in Worfhip cofififh in praying to thofe who have no 
 Right to our Addrefl'cL , in praying in a Language not undQr- 
 ftood by the Congregiition ; ai.d in faying over our Pray'rs 
 by Numbers like a Charm, rather than with Devorion, like 
 ^vhat they ihould be : I fiy, if this be the Popery of Worihip, 
 (as certainly it is) then let any Man fl^ew me any Thing like 
 ihefe Faults in our Liuuigy, and I declare I fhall recant. 
 
 And for convincing you the better that there is no Popery 
 in the Litany, I fjiall uow examine it particularly. 
 
 It begins then. " God the Father of Hea'veKy hatje meycj 
 *' u^on us miferahle Jinners. 
 
 And the People repeat this after the Minifter, to fi^nify 
 their Senfe of their Sins, and their Acknowledgment of God's 
 Mercy and Power. 
 
 Then the ' Minifter proceeds. *' God the Sen Redeeynet cf 
 " the ^xorld, haije n:ercy^ &c. 
 
 This is likewife repeated after the Minifter by the whole 
 Congregation, to teftify the Soundneis of their Faith, that 
 they expe^ Mercy and Pardon by God the Son their Re- 
 deemer. 
 
 Then theMiniilcr goes before, and the People follow, in the 
 fame Add.'^cfs to the Holy Ghoft, the Third Perfon of the 
 Trinity ; " God the Holy Gtfjoji fvvceeding from the Father 
 *' a77d the So?Jj have mercy y &c. 
 
 Here we profefs our Faith in the Holy Ghoft as the Creed 
 direfts, and put up our earneft Supplications to him as a Per- 
 fon ecjual to the Father and Son, and proceeding from them ; 
 and beg that that Comfortec who fanftifies all the ele£t People 
 of God, would vouchfafe to have Mercy upon us, and pardon 
 us wherein we have flighted his holy Motions. 
 
 And now having put up our Pray'rs to each Perfon of th? 
 Holy Trinity in tha fame Words, to fbew that we firmly be- 
 I't'Vc ey«ry Perfon by himfelf to be God and Lord, having 
 
 & pray a 
 
C 58 ] 
 
 pray'd that God the Father would have Mercy upon us, and 
 Forgive us thofe Sins we have committed againii him. That 
 God the Son would have Mercy upon us, and forgive us 
 wherein we have otFended againft the Gofpcl he has reveald 
 to us. And that God the Holy Gholt would have Mercy upon 
 OS, and forgive thofe Sins we have committed againft the In- 
 fluences of that Spirit, and the clear Difcoveries he has made 
 of our Duty. *' 
 
 Then left the Minds of the more Ignorant fhould be mif- 
 led, and think that there be three Gods or Three Lords, be- 
 caufe we call each Perfon God ; the Minifter addreiTes the 
 v/hole Three together in that excellent Form : 
 
 *' Holy, Blejfed and Glorious 'Trinity, 'Three Terfons and 
 *' One God^ have mercy upon us niifevahle jlnners. 
 
 *' For like as nve are compelled hy the Chrijlian Verity to ac^ 
 ** knofjiledge every Terfon by himfelf to he God and Lord ; fo are 
 '* <we forbidden by the Catholick Religion to fay there he Three 
 «* Gods or Three Lor ds.^ [ATH AN ASIU S'i CREED.l 
 
 To evidence therefore our True Faith in the Holy Trinity^ 
 the People follow the Minitter in this excellent Supplication, 
 thereby fhewing their Faith to be Orthodox, as well as their 
 Devotion fincere; Owning, the Father to be Cod, the Son 
 God, and the Holy Ghoft God> in the three firft Petitions ; 
 and yet acknowledging in this Fourth, that there are not 
 Three Gods but One God. 
 
 ' And is not this edifying to a Chriftian AlTembly, whofe 
 Hope of Acceptance depends upon a true Faith, that they 
 fhould give Demonftration of that Faith by a devout Appli- 
 cation to each Perfon of the Trinity, and to the whole 
 Three Perfons together ? 
 
 Whoever confiders the Danger of Herefy (of w-hich I faid 
 fomething in the firft part of this Letter) would cfteem this 
 part of our Service beyond any Form of Pray'r us'd in any 
 Congregation of Extempore Chriflians in the World. 
 
 And indeed I believe (and I think I can prove it too) that 
 all the Herefies, Schifms, and extravagant Doftrines, which 
 have infe£led thefe Kingdoms within thefe Hundred Years, 
 have been as much (if not more) owing to the neglcS: of 
 the publick Liturgy, than to any other vilible Caule whatfo- 
 ever. 
 
 What was the Original of Q^iakerifmy Anahaptifm, and a 
 
 foul Number of abominable other '//wj, which we are 
 
 now pefter'd with ? Was it not the diluling the Publick 
 Pray'rs by fome in (^een Elizabeth^ Time ; and more efpcci- 
 ally the unreafonable Difcardingtheeftablilh'd Liturgy by that 
 • FXECR ABLE Parliament in King Charles the Firft's Reign, 
 and by that means introducing the unwarrantable and dange- 
 
[59] 
 
 fo^s Pra£llce, of every Minifter's praying as well as preaching 
 vhat came nppermoft in his Head or Tongue. For ho\v ever 
 fome People may be taken with the Extempore tffufions of 
 fome Men, (and I v/ill not fay, but it is poffible that fome 
 pious and learned Men may pray well that way) yet I can 
 never get over it, but a good eftablifh'd FORM of Pray'r, is> 
 and always will be, the beft Security to any Church agairftEi-* 
 ror and Herefies of all Kinds; and where luch a one obtains, as 
 is not only an Bxccllent Method of Devotion, but a Summary 
 of Chriftian Faith, it is a hard matter to introduce faife Doc- 
 trines into the Church. But I muft not infill. 
 
 The next Petition in our Litany is, 
 
 " Remember not Lord oi4r Offences^ &c. 
 
 I think there is no Exception taken at any Part of this, 
 but thefe Wo:ds, " Ncr the Offences of our Fjre-fathers. 
 
 But to vindicate this, you need only conlider the fecond 
 Commandment, where God threatens to 'viftt the Sins of the 
 Fathers upon the Children to the third and fourth Generation of 
 them that hate him. And is it not necejary that I fhould pray 
 that God would avert that Curfe from me, and that he will 
 not remember againft me the Offences of my Fore- fathers. 
 
 Not that we believe that God will damn any Man for the 
 Sins of his Parents only ; but that there are fome Sorts of Sins 
 of ftich a heinous Nature, (fnch as Rebellion, Murder, Oppref- 
 fiony &c.) that God Almighty puts a Mark upon ihofe who 
 are guilty of 'em, by punifting even their Pofterity for them j 
 as the Scripture affords us Inftances of. 
 
 The meaning therefore of this Petition is, 
 
 Remember not, Lord, thofe Oft'ences which we have been 
 guilty of in our own Perfons, neither call us to account for 
 the Offences of our Fore-fathers, of what Degree or Sort foever 
 they were, nor let their Faults be recjuir'd of the People of 
 this Generation ; neither take thou Vengeance of us for their 
 Sins, or our own, *' Spare us, good Lord, &c. 
 
 The Words of this Petition are not only agreable to Holy 
 Scriptuie, but almoft verbatim taken out of it. Remember not 
 agaitjjl us our former Iniquities^ Pfal. 79. 8. the MargenC 
 reads, [the Iniquities of them that were before us] and fo(^) 
 
 St. AucTujline expounds it, Antiquarum i. c a Farentibus 
 
 lenicntium. 
 
 And the People anfwer, Spare us, gooA Lord. 
 
 It is very reafonable that, as the People join'd in the Con- 
 feflion of their Sins, and in praying for the Graces of God's 
 Spirit requifite for them ; fo, now they fliould alfo join in de- 
 precating his Wrath and Indignation, which they have juft 
 ^ ,-■■.... — 
 
 (a) Auguft. in Pfal. 79, 8, 
 
 E a Caufe 
 
Canfo to fcar». both from the Apprehenfion of their own Guilt, 
 and that of their Fore-f:ithcrs. And therefore they ought de- 
 voutly to {^a.y, '* Spare tis, good Lord. 
 
 Then the Minillcr fays, " From /til Ev'/I and Mif chiefs ^c. 
 And the People anfwer, ** Good Lord deliver us. 
 V-vW and Mifchief are what every one ought to dcfire to 
 avoid ; and can we be better free from ir, than by pr:iyingthat 
 God would deliver ns from ir. 
 
 We ought careftilly to guard againft SIN, and the Cr;T/ifi 
 and AJfualts of the Devil, (which lead us to it,) and God's 
 Wrath and e'verhphm DarjinatlotJ', (which are the Confeqiicnces 
 of it) and can we better do fo than by praying that God 
 would deliver us from it. 
 
 From all bl'indriefs of Hearts, &c. Good Lord delher us. 
 All thefe are Sins which effectually exclude from the 
 Kingdom of Heaven, and therefore we pray to be deliver'd 
 from 'em. 
 
 *' Fornication, &C. Good Lord deliver us. 
 By Fornication is meant all Sort of Uncleannefs. It is one 
 of thofe Sins which the Apoftle tell '?s excludes from Hea- 
 ven, I. Cor. 6. 9, 10. and therefore is fitly cerm'd a Deadly Sin^ 
 I. e, a grievous hainous Crime. Not that we believe any Sin 
 of fuch a Nature as not to be damnable, if indulg'd and unrc- 
 pentcd of. But here we pray againft all great or prefnmtnous 
 Sins, fuch as Uncleannefs is, that God v-ould deliver us from 
 them. And we not only pray againll fuch great Sins, but to 
 be freed from all others, both fmall and great, which we mighc 
 be led into, by the Deceits of the World, the Flefh and the 
 Devil. From all which we ought heartily to pray, *' Good 
 *' Loi^d deliver us. 
 
 And as we pray againft Sin, fo alfo we beg to be deliver'd 
 from all thofe Miferies which are the Confequcnccs of it. 
 And therefore we fay, 
 
 " Fr»m Lightning and T'empeji, 8cc. Good Lord deliver us. 
 The Judgments here mentioned, arc either fnch as proceed 
 immediately from the Hand of God, or fuch as Men are often 
 inlirumental in. Of the firft Sort arc Li3,htning and 'Tempefty 
 plague, Fejiilence and Famine* Of the laft Sort are Bat- 
 tig, Murder and Sudden 'Death. I need not tell you of the fad 
 F.fiefts of Thunder and Lightning, they are fo terrible where 
 rhcy light, and the greateil Atheift is afraid of *em with Cali- 
 gula. And fince God has both the Caufcs and tftc^s of 'em 
 under his own immediate Goveraracnt, can we be better fe- 
 cur'd from Danger by 'cm, than by praying earnclHy that he 
 woidd deliver us from them. Storms_ and Tcmpefts have as 
 bad I:ffecls, where they happen often, or continue long, and 
 they too are only to be avoided by God'* Merry and Provi- 
 dence, 
 
d-ence. TIa'rue and Veflihnce are, in our common way of fpcak 
 i.ng, only two Words for the fame Thing ; but here they iccm 
 to diifer ; blague being put for that dreadful Difeale which is 
 too well known in fome Parts of the World, and iometinies 
 in thefe Kingdoms ; and Peftilence for any infe£i-ious epide- 
 mical Sicknefs : Both which (tho' they proceed fiom poifon- 
 ous Vapours in the Air) are Rods by which God Almighty 
 punilhes finful People. 
 
 Famine is no lefs terrible than the other four, and being the 
 more lingering Death caufes the longer Pain. I need not fay 
 any Thing to reprefent the Dreadfulnefs of any of thefe kinds 
 of Puniilimcnts. Trjiilence and Famine are among thole which 
 are, by way of Emiijence, ftiled God's fore judgments, Ezeh 
 14. 21. And is it not Edifying, that we fiiould pr:iy to him 
 who alone can fa/c us, that he would deliver us from them. 
 
 Battle and Murder comes from the Hand of Man immedi- 
 ately, and whether we are engag'd again/l foicign lincmies in- 
 vading us, or private Factions diftuibingcis, and obliging tis 
 to take Arms in our ov.n Defence, boih are gvievor.s to Chri- 
 itians, who ought always to defire Peace. But Murders arc 
 often committed even in Time of Peace, and therefore we have 
 inuch need to addrefs our felves to God, to deliver us from 
 the Fury of open Knemies, and the fecret Pradices of private 
 ^efigning Men. 
 
 Sudden Death fomctlmes proceeds from God, and fometimes 
 from Mt*n, and v;hen it happens it prevents all that Prepara- 
 tion for Death which the beft of Men judge necelTary. I 
 know this Part of our Litany has been ccniur'd. Some term 
 it praying againd the immutable Decrees of God, and there- 
 fore either Impious or Vain. 1 don't know wiiat Notions 
 thofe People may ha e of God and his Decrees ; but I thinly 
 every good Chriftian, ought to deiire that he may have Time 
 to recolleSi: himfelf before Ins Death; and tho' no Man ihould 
 leave the great Bufinefs of making up his Account v-ith God 
 Almighty to the Time of his Death ; yet he that takes moft 
 pains, will be glad to have fome lime before he dies to 
 look 'em over. 
 
 I remember indeed, Jtilins Cdzfar us'd to tell his Friends, 
 that that Death was moft delirable winch was ieafl forefeen ; 
 and that might fuit well enough with his Notion of Religion 
 and his Life ; but that a Chrifb'an Ibould be fond of an unex- 
 pected Stab to the Heart, or to bieak hi-i Neck by an unfore- 
 feen FaU, is to me very odd. And if a Man would not dt:fire 
 it, I fee no harm in praying to be deliver d from it. 
 
 I will by no Means take upon mc 10 judge of any Man's Eter- 
 nal State: God forbid! But I may be allow'd'to fay, th:ii: 
 he who by Sicknefs or Age has warni;ig of his Death»^ ha» 
 
 E z feme 
 
[ 62 ] 
 
 fome Advantages, which they want who die fudJenly. They 
 have the Advice and Ghoftly Counfel of God's Minifters ; 
 they have the Pray'rs of the Church, Abfolution, and t^e 
 Blefled Sacrament ; all which he who is cut off fuddenly'is 
 depriv'd of. Befidcs the Comfort which his Friends \varjt, of 
 feeing him die well, and the avoiding Jarrs and Law-fuits by 
 fettling his Temporal Affairs. I confefs, if all ChrilHans v.ere 
 as good as they fhould be, there would be lefs Occafion for 
 this Petition, but till that be (which I believe wiil not hap- 
 pen in our Days) let us pray, " From fudden Death ; Good 
 *' Lord deliver us. 
 
 But as Sin, in whatfoever Shape it appears, is hateful to 
 God Almighty, fo there are fome particular Sins of a more 
 hainous Nature, and worfe Confequence, than others. Thofe 
 againft CHURCH or STATE are of a deeper Dye than 
 Sins againft Frivate Ferfons, Rebellion is as the Sin of Witch- 
 craft, lays SamueL 
 
 And indeed any thing that firikes at the Foundation of Go- 
 vernment, and affects the whole Community at once, is of far 
 greater Concern than what relates to particular Pcrfons; and 
 therefore we ought to pray heartily, to be deliver'd from 
 every Thing which may tend to the Ruin of the Common- 
 Wealth. 
 
 And certainly nothing is of worfe Confequence to a Society 
 than Sedition', when licentious People affume the Liberty to 
 tax the ftated Laws of the Nation, and either in c'ofe Cabals, 
 or open Meetings, endeavour to alienate the Affections of the 
 Populace from their Governours, by putting falfe Gloffes up- 
 on their A£lions or Ordinances. Againft this the Holy Scrip- 
 ture teaches, not to /peak Evil of Dignities (^), net to meddle 
 with them that are given to Change (6). What Mifchief fedi- 
 tious Practice have done in Kingdoms and States needs no 
 proof, cfpecially to siBritainyjho remembeis FORTY ONE; 
 and ferioiifly and Sadly confiders, That all the Misfortunes we 
 have labour'd under fince, (and which I'm afraid are not yet 
 over) are owing to the Sedition of our then Pietenders to Zeal 
 for God and their Country. And furely any one who abhors 
 the Villany of that Time, and laments the Milchief that en- 
 fu'd upon it, (as all true Chriftians do) will heartily pray» 
 
 *' From ail Sedition Good Lord deliver us. 
 
 Frivy Con/piracy and Rebellion are Sedition put in praflice ; 
 only with this Difference, that Privy Co^fpiracy, is Sedition fe- 
 Cretly improv'd into traytorcus Deigns, and Rebellion is {'J.'^ 
 it vserc; Sedition and Privy Con/piracy run to Seed. 
 
 (a) §. jar^.gs. {(>) Prov. 14. ii. 
 
 Privy 
 
[ ^3 ] 
 
 Prhy Con/piracy then is, when one or mor£ Traytors lay 
 their Heads together (which is commonly bound by Oaths, 
 and therefore call'd in Latin Conjuratio) to deftroy the Go- 
 vernment, or cnief Governor. That this is a heinous Crime 
 v.iil be no News to any who reads the Holy Scripture, and 
 finds that we ought not to curfe the King, no not in our 
 private Chamber (^). And that the Apoftles make the Per- 
 fons of Chief Governors \o facred, that the reiifting their Aa- 
 tho; ty is flying in the Fuce of God himfelf (Z»). Hvery Chri- 
 fti;.n : uererore Ihould heartily pray, " From Privy Cortfpiracy — 
 ^* Gvci:i Lord deliver MS. 
 
 Reh.Klhn is an open Rifing in Arms and publick Refift- 
 ing the Government ; A Sin fo direfl:ly oppofite to the 
 very Genius of Chriftianity, that they who are guilty of it, 
 do. {ipfa fa^h) renounce Chrid and his Religion. If every 
 fc-^i muji befubjeci to the highep powers^ by the Apoftic S. Paul's 
 Rfjie ic), then lurely iiying in the Face of thofe higher Powers 
 h -:rte» ly unlawful. Nor is there ANY CAUSE whatfoever 
 that will jt^ftify Subje£i:s Rebelling againft their Siiperiours; 
 for if Kings aft ONLY by GOD's Authority, they are ac- 
 countable ONLY to HIM, and rebelling againft them is as 
 iraich rebelling againft God, as rebelling againft the late Queen's 
 lawful Commiftioner in North Britam was rebelling againft 
 her lute Majtfty. I wiili they who preach Refiftauce, would 
 coniider ferioufly whether the Holy Scripture, or the Primitive 
 Fathers, give them any Countenance for that Anti-chriftian 
 D^£t:rine; and let them lay the Doftrine of Chrift and his 
 Apoftles, and the Doctrines of the whole Catholick Church in 
 the one Scaie> and the new Dreams of fome Apoftate Chri- 
 ftians in the other, and fee which will carry it; and if the Cor- 
 ruption of the Times or fecular Intereft prevail with any Man 
 to judge partially in a Matter of fo great Confequence, take 
 S. Paiilis DaK'inafmi, and put it with his Do8:rine, and the 
 thorough Confideration of that will far outweigh the FALSE' 
 PEACE which the highejl Prieft in Chriftendom can pro- 
 nounce to the contrary Opinion. 
 
 My dcfign'd Brevity will not allow me to enlarge upon 
 this : All therefore that. I fhall fay is, That whoever will 
 approve himfelf a good Chriftian, an honeft Man, or a good 
 Subjeft, will heartily pray, " Fror/i all Sedition, privy Confpi- 
 *' racy and Rebellion ; Good Lord deliver us. 
 
 The Welfare of all Chriftian States depends much upon the 
 Eftublifhment of Religion: For, befides the Proceftion which 
 all Nations profefling the true R/cligion have rea!'on to expect, 
 the Obligations of Confcience go very far (where they are 
 
 . {a) Eccl. 10. 20. {b) Rim. 13. 2. {c) Ibid. 
 
 E 4 duly 
 
[^4] 
 
 <3ul)r freft) towards due Obedience to Lawftil Magiftratcs ; 
 And if Peoples Principles be tainted v.ith/^//e Doclrinesj they 
 rnnlt and will have Influence upon their Practice too : And 
 vhat Mifchief lorne falfe DoHrh^es liave done in the World I 
 fhan't at prefent recount. And therefore it is very edifying 
 
 to pray, *' Fro,7i all falfe DoBrine Good Lord deliver us. 
 
 Hevefy is an obftinate iirror in fome fundamental Article 
 of the Faith, This great £yil began early in the Church ; 
 even in the Apoftles Days \v«e find Tome denying the Refur- 
 re£i:ion of the Dead, and no wonder fince others deny d the 
 Lord that bought them.. It will not be expculed that I {hould 
 go thro' the many Species of Hcrefies, which we are now 
 forrounded with: I am heartily for! y they are fo numerous. 
 The Chriftian Faith is but one, and whoever believes con- 
 trary to that Eaith, which was once deli ver'd to the Saints, 
 and pcrfift cbftinately in that Error, is an Heretick : An<l of 
 what pernicious Confequence that has been in all Ages to the 
 Church of ChriH, and to all Civil States, is two well known to 
 need any Iliuftration. When we have fo many about us, and 
 ftill gathering more Strength, we have good Rcafon to pray, 
 
 ** Trom all Berefy Good Lord deliver us. 
 
 Schifvz is a Caufelefs Separating from a Right Conftituted 
 Church ; i. e. Leaving the Communion of a Lawful Church, 
 when wt; may partake of all the Chriftian Ordinances in that 
 Church, without doing any thing which God's Law forbids. 
 If the Church whereof you are Members is a found Part of the 
 Church of Chi ill, and requires nothing of her Children that 
 is in its own Nature finful, No Pretence cap mak^ a Sepa-r 
 ration from that Church lawful. Wherever there is a Sepa- 
 ration, there is Sihifm; but if the Church of wliich I am a 
 Member requires Terms of Communion which are inconfiftcnt 
 Avith the known Laws of God, I mull feparate from her ; 
 and then tht^rc is, without doubt, a Sihifrn^ but the Chmch is 
 guilty of it, not I ; and Wo to them by whom the Offence 
 cofTies. 
 
 Let us then yjrarJ: them nvho caufe Divijloyis and avoid them. 
 The Chuich of Chrift i,s one, and all the particular Chur- 
 ches in the Chriftian World (which hold the Orthodox 
 faith, the true Chriftian Worfhip, and the artcient Apoftoli- 
 cal Government) ntakc up that O N L CaiJolick and Apoflolick 
 Churchy out of which (in God's ordinary way of dealir;g v.ith 
 N't'n) theie is no Salvation ; whoever therefore without Caufe 
 fcparatcs from any one particular Chuich, whofeFAI"}!-}, 
 WOPv^SHlP and GOVHRNMhNT are agreabic to tiie Ploly 
 Scriptuic? (as a Separation from fuch a Ciuirch, muft ccrtaia- 
 Jy be caufelefs) he, that thus feparates, \s ^ Schijnintickixova 
 the Univerfal Chmch of Chrift ; For as a Man's linger cur 
 
 ofi^ 
 
ofF from his HanJ, is as much depriv'd of all Nourilhment 
 from the Body, as a piece of Flefh or a Rib cut out of his 
 Side; lo one \Nho fepaiatcs without Caufe fi cm the Church 
 of England or Irelandy or any other lawful Church, is, ipfo 
 facio, as much fcparated from the Church of Chrift, as if he 
 'had been alive in the Apoitles Days and feparated from them. 
 This Sin was thouglu i"o great in the b«^ft and pureft Ages of 
 the Church, that the Offering Incenfe to Idols is by fome (^) 
 thought not fo great in fome Kefpefts : If People now a-days 
 indulhioufly leifen the Heinoufnefs of it, and give others 
 loofe Notions of it, left upon Hnqniry they fhould be found 
 to be gniliy ; this will never alter the Nature of the Crime ; 
 for Schifm will be Schifmy whether they think it fo or not. 
 
 And therefore let us heartily pray, *' From Schifm Good 
 
 ** Lord deliver us. 
 
 But the Mifery of too many is, that they live in fuch grie- 
 vous Sins as Sedition^ Rebellion^ Hevef'jt and Schifmy without 
 confidering their Guilt, or their Danger : They are either 
 blinded with Prejudice, or harden'd by Luft ; and while they 
 continue in that State, there is little hopes of their Amend- 
 ment : And this is the greateft Misfortune which can befall 
 People in this Life, to have their Hearts harden'd fo as to de- 
 Cpife God's Counfel cither reveal'd in his Woxd, or by the 
 gentle Motions of his Blefled Spirit. And therefore our 
 Church with great Edification teaches tis to fay, " Yrom hard- 
 ** nefi of hearty avd contempt of thy Word and Commandment 
 ** Good Lord deliver us. 
 
 AVhatfoever we have yec ask'd, or are further to pray for, 
 is only to be obtain'd upon the Account of our Blefled Sa- 
 viour's Merits and Mediation ; and therefore we addrefs our 
 felves particularly to him, that he would vouchfafe to make 
 every Step of his Redemption inftiumcntal in our Deliverance 
 from Sin, and the Punifliment of it ; and therefore we fay, 
 
 " By the my fiery of thy holy Incarnationy 6cc. Good Lord dell- 
 *' <ver us. 
 
 *' By thine Agonyy Sec. Good Lord deliver ui. 
 
 The Meaning of which is no more but this ; 
 
 *' O Son of God who waft pleas'd for our Redemption to 
 " take our Nature upon thee ; by thy afluming of oqr Flefli, 
 " Goyd Lord deliver us. 
 
 " Thou who waft pleas'd to be born of the Blefled Virgin 
 *' Mary, without the kaft Spot or Stain of Original Corrup- 
 " tion ; By thy immaculate Birth and holy Natittityy Good 
 ** Lord deliver us. 
 
 '* Thou who did ft fulfil the Law for us, and was circura- 
 
 [fl) Gyp. de Unit. Ecclfilx, 
 
 '' aiVd 
 
[65] 
 
 « cis'J the eighth Day according to the Jewifh Law ; By thy 
 " Obedience to the Divine Command and Inftifution, Good 
 *' Lord deliver us from thofe many Sins which we have com- 
 " micted againft God's Laws. 
 
 ** Thou, who wait bapiir.ed by Johns Baptifm, to teach us 
 " Purity of Mind and Confcience ; By that Baptifm, Good 
 *' Lord deliver us from the many Breaches of our Baptifmal 
 ** Vow, and grant that we, after thy Lxample, may fulfil all 
 ** Righteoufnefs. 
 
 ** Thou, who for our Sakes didft faft 40 Days and 40 
 •* Nights ; By thy Fafting, Good Lord deliver us from ail Sins 
 •* of Intemperance, and give us Grace fo to mortify our Bo- 
 *' dies, that our Flejh being Jubdued to the Spirit^ aie may ever 
 ** obey thy Godly Motions. 
 
 " Thou, who didlt fully Experience the Force of the Devil's 
 ** ftrongeft Aflaults againlt human Nature, and who by thy 
 ** mighty Power overcame and vanquifhed him ; By thy 
 ** 'Temptation, Good Lord deliver us from all Temptations of 
 ** the World, the Flcfh and the Devil , and let us not be 
 ** tempted above what we are able. 
 
 ** Thou, who for our Sakes didft undergo fo great- a Conflift 
 " in the Garden, as to fweat as it were Drops of Blood ; By 
 " that Agony and bloody Sweaty Good Lord deliver us from thj 
 *' bitter Pains due to Sin. 
 
 ** Thou, who for our Sins didft give thy felf up into the 
 " Hands of barbarous Men, and didft from them endure many 
 " Indignities and Affronts, and afterwards the fhameful and 
 ** painful Death of the Crofs ; By thy Crofs and Pajpon, Good 
 *' Lord deliver us from the Shame due to our Sins here, and 
 " from the Curfe that v^aits impenitent Sinners hereafter, . 
 
 " Thou, who by thy Death didft finilh that Satisfa6lion 
 ** which God's Jufticc required for oar Sins, and by thy de- 
 <* fcending into the Grave gaveft Teftimony to all the World 
 ** that thou waft truly dead ; By the precious Death and Burial^ 
 ** Good Lord deliver us from eternal Death, and grant that 
 " we may be bury'd with Thee, that through the Grave and 
 " Gate of Death we may pafs to our glorious RcTuncrtion. 
 
 " Thou, who by the Power of thy glorious Godhead didft 
 ** overcome Death, and by thy Reftrrrcciion didft open the 
 ** Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers ; By thy ^hrious Refut- 
 ** region, Good Lord deliver m and raife us from the Death 
 ** of Sin to the Life of Rightcoufnefs. 
 
 *' Thou, who didft afcend into Heaven to prefcnr thy farri- 
 ** ficed Body to God as our High Prieft, and by thy continual 
 ** Interceflion fhewcft tir/ felf our merciful Advocate ; By 
 *' thy glorious Afcenjion, Good Lord deliver us from all our 
 " Sins. 
 
 *' Then, 
 
[ ^7 ] 
 
 " Thou, who didft fend the Comforter, according to thy 
 " gracious Praniife, to thy Followers, even the ^pi it of 
 ** Truth to lead us into all Truth: ; By the coming do^n of the 
 *' Holy Ghofl, good Lord deliver us from all faife Doftrine, 
 *' and give us, by the fame Spirit, a right j-idgmjent in all 
 *' Things, and grant that we may always obey his godly Mo- 
 ** tions. 
 
 And is not all this very Edifying ? Does not every Petition 
 of this tend to make us wifcr ana better ? And is there one 
 Word in all this that has the lealt Tincture of Popery or Sa- 
 peiftition ? 1 hope you don't think there is. 
 
 The next Thing that occurs in our Litany is, 
 
 *' In all time of our "Trihulation, &c. Good Lord deliver us. 
 In this we pray for Mercy and AiTiftance in all States and Con- 
 ditions of Life ; there being no Time of onr Life but what is 
 comprehended in this : For as by 'Tribulation is meant all kind 
 of AfflitHcn, fo by Wealth is underftood all forts of worldly 
 Comfoi ts. When therefore we fay, " In all time of our Tri- 
 
 ** bulation — Good Lord deliver us, we me?n thus much : 
 
 In all our Affliftions, whether in Want or Sicknefs^ in Danger 
 or Lo/jf, in Perfecution or Reproach, or any other Trihalation 
 whatfoever, Good Lord deliver us from murm.iiring or repining 
 at thy Vrovidencey from putting our 'Trujl in any other but 
 God, from hating or revenging our felves upon thofe who are 
 made the Inftruments of Providence in afBifting us ; and efpe- 
 cially. Good Lord deliver us from doing any Thing that is nn- 
 juft oi unla\v;ful, to extricate our felves from our Difficul- 
 ,tics. 
 
 ** /;; all time of our Wealth Good Lord deliver us^ i. e." 
 
 When we are in Profperity, and have Plenty, and Friends, and 
 Health, and Strength, or any other worldly Comforts, good 
 Lord deliver us from ferting our AffeSiions upon them, or from 
 forgetting his Mercy from whom they came ; fave us from be- 
 ing exalied becaufe we are in better Condition than other 
 Men, and from treating others with difdain ; deliver us from 
 abufing our Plenty to intemperance and Luxury ; and efpe- 
 cially, good Lord deliver us from being Stingy and Unmerci- 
 ful' to thole who want. 
 
 I hope I need not fpend Time in recommending the reft of 
 tilts Petition to you : In the Hour of Death, and in the Day 
 ** of Jijid^menty Good Lord deliver us. For, whoever confi- 
 de rs, that it is appointed for Men once to dicy and after this the 
 J-udgment ; and at the fame time reflefts upon the Uncertainty 
 of the time and manner of our Death, will heartily join in this 
 Petition ; and as devoutly in the next to be fav'd in the Day 
 of the Lord. It were an eafy Matter to make a long and nor 
 yfelefs DifcoHffc upon this whole Petition ; but it \vo:uld be 
 
 foreign 
 
[68] 
 
 foreign to my Defign ; there being then in this nothing diffi- 
 cult or liable to hxception, 1 iliall not queftion your cither 
 iinderftanding it, or being convinc'd of the Edification of it ; 
 I therefore pafs to the 
 
 INTHRCHSSION PART of the Litany. 
 
 Hitherto ^ve have prayed only for our felves ; but we 
 fhould not perform our Duty, nor follow S. ?aul\ Advice, 
 I jTiw. 2. I. to make Intercejfion for all Man, if we did not 
 likcwife pray for others. 
 
 Our Church therefore, (whofe extenfive Charity fliews her 
 ApofioUcal and Orthodox^) prays for all Men according to the 
 Apoftle's Rule, and that in fuch excellent Order, that the 
 very repeating this Part of our Litany, is enough to iccom- 
 nicnd it to People of Senfe and Piety. 
 
 It begins, iVe Sinners do befeech thee to hear us^ Lord God^ 
 " /ind that it may pleafe thee to rule, 6cc. 
 
 If the Univerfal Church would fall from the right "Way, 
 there would be an end of Chriftianity at once ; and though 
 we are very well allured that Ihall never happen, yet that 
 Promile does not excufe us from praying, that God would 
 rule and govern his Church. 
 
 For though we are infallibly certain, that the Catholick 
 Church fhall not totally fall away from the Faith, (for the 
 Gates of Hell fhall not prevail againft it) yet we have too 
 fad Experience, that Errors and Herefies have (o prevail'd 
 among Chriftians, that in human Appearance the Church was 
 well nigh gone. In the fourth Century the Ariart Hcrufy had 
 fij far over-run the Church, that Athanaftus^ and a very few, 
 Ifidicps more, were all that openly ftood u^ for the true 
 Chriftian Faith ; and that honeft adhering to it procur'd 
 his Banilhment. 
 
 In After-ages, many, once famous Churches, were fwnl- 
 lowed up in Errors, or dcftroy'd by barbarous Nations: And 
 the Roman Churc!) (which in the Apoftle's Days, and long af- 
 ter, was celebrated for their Orthodox Faith) has been fpr 
 many Ages fo corrupted botli in Doctrine and Practice, that 
 fome will fcarce allow them tlic Name of a Church. 
 
 Whoever confiders thefe Tilings, and has a juft Value for 
 that Church which Chrift purclias d with his own Blood, will 
 heartily pray, that God would rule and govern his h:)ly Church 
 univerfal in the right way. 
 
 The Anfwer made by the Congregation to t?iis Part of the' 
 Litany is, We befeech thee to hear uij (rood Lord. Which was 
 the Kefponfe in many ancient Lit!«-gics, only v-ith this 
 difference, that they only ufed,, IVe befeveh thee to hear us^ and 
 our Churcli adds GOOD LORD ; perhaps to ihc^^s that we 
 make no Rcqucft to any but God. 
 
 But 
 
[69] 
 
 But becaufe this Term Unherfal Church is not Co ^ell ni1« 
 derftood as it fhould be, (the Belief of it being Co neeeflary 
 that it IS an Article of our Creed ) I fhall take this Opportu- 
 nity to explain Vvhat is meant by it, and what regard ought 
 to be had for it. 
 
 I'he Holy Church JJmverfal (or as it is in the Creed, the Ho- 
 ly Catiioiick Church) is, ** 'The 07ie uvlverfal Society of all 
 ** Chrijilan People incorporated hy the Ne-w Co<venant in Baptifm^ 
 ** under fefus Chrijl its fupreme Head, arid diflributed uy^det 
 " iaivful Gover720TS ajjd FaJIors into particular Churches^ hold- 
 ** iw^ Communion ivith each other in all the EjfentiaU of Chrijiian 
 " Faith, and Worflvp Df/cipljne. [Dr. Scott's Chrift. Life, Pare 
 
 2. V. 2. p. 2/7.1 
 
 That the Chriftian Univerfal Church is Ian JJmverfal So- 
 ciety of all Chrijiian Fecple] is plain from Epb. 4. 4, 5. There 
 is but One Body as well as one Spirit, one Lord, one Faith, 
 one Bapcifm, Aad our Saviour tells us, That upon the calling 
 of the Gentiles, there ITiall be One Fold under one Shepherd, 
 5. yohn 10. 16. 
 
 That the Chriftian Church is a Society of Chriftians [/V- 
 coYporated hy the Neiv Coienant in Baptifmj we are told, Epb. 
 2. 21. That it is a Building ft/y jrarnd together , growing into 
 an holy Temple in the Ij>rd. And i Cor, 12. 13. By one Spirit 
 dve are all haptizd into one Body^ 8c c. 
 
 That the Catholick Church is one Society- [under fe- 
 
 fus Chrijl its fupreme Head] appears from Col. I. 18. ^'e (i. e. 
 Chriii) is the Head of the Body of the Church. And Eph. 5. 23. 
 The Husband is the Head of the Wife EVEN AS Chrijl is Head 
 of the Church. 
 
 That the Catholick Church is one univerfal Society Idijfri- 
 huted into particular Churcl^es'\ plainly appears from the fre- 
 quent mention of the Churches of Judea, Gal. i. 22. of ^ania- 
 ria and Galilee, A^Ssp. 31. and the feven Churches in the 
 Revelations ; all which and many others mention'd in the New 
 Teltament, are only fo many particular Churches, :.ll toge- 
 ther making up the ONH UNIVLRSAL or CATHOLICK. 
 CHURCH. 
 
 That the Catholick Church is diftribiitcd into particular 
 Churches [under Iaivful Gccernovs and F^rjlors] is plain from 
 Reafon and Scripture. It is impofiible for the whole Church 
 to meet together in one Place, eithci for \V"orll)ip or Govern- 
 ment ; and therefore I have Jhew'd that it is diltributed inio 
 particular Churches for the Convenien y of thofe. But lo 
 particular Church can have either Worihip or Government, 
 without lawful Paftois. And the ApoiUe tells us, Eph. 4. 
 II, 12. that Chrift ordain'd Apofiles, ^Prophets, Evan^jliflsy 
 Fajlors apd Te^icberSy fir the eempij^ing together the Saints. 
 
[70] 
 
 And fdr this Reafon, our Saviour Cent the Apoftles, with 
 Po ,vcr to Tend or ordain others as Paftors of his Church to 
 the end of the World, S. jFohrt 20. 
 
 Ar*d that the Cathoiick Church is one Society diftiibuted 
 into particular Churches [hoUhg Communion with each other^ 
 I think will be very eaiily prov'd, from Scripture and tne Na- 
 turt of Chriftian Vuiiy, Jt3ut becauie I would have our Obli- 
 gation, to hold Liommunion with all Churches who are in 
 Communion with the Churcti Catholick, made very inttiligi- 
 ble ; and that I can't do it better than that excellent Author, 
 tvhoie Definition of the Church I have given you ; I will beg 
 leave to transcribe all that he fays upon this Head. You will 
 find it in his Chr. Life. Part 2. v. 2. p. 298. 
 
 ^' By hoidiijg Communion with each other, I mean owning 
 " each other as Parts of the iame Body, and admitting each 
 ** others Members, as Occafion ferves, into a£^ual Communi- 
 " on with them in all Religious Offices. It is true, in the 
 ** Primitive Churches there were fundiy prudential A£is of 
 ** Communion pafs'd between them, fuch as their form'd and 
 " communicatory Letters, by which the holy Bifliops gave 
 " an Account to each other of the State and Condition of 
 •* their refpeftivc Churches, and confulted each others Judg- 
 •* ment about them ; but thcfe were not at all eflential to that 
 ** Communion which they were obliged as true Churches to 
 " maintain with one another. All the Communion which 
 *' they are obliged to, as they are fimilar Parts and Diftribu- 
 ** tions of the Catholick Church, is, that they fliould not 
 ** divide into feparate Churches, fo as to exclude each others 
 ** Members from communicating in others Worfhip when- 
 ** ever they have Occafion to travel from one Church to an- 
 ** other : For fo long as there is no Rupture between diftant 
 ** Churches, no declar'd Difov/ning of cadh other, no exprcfs 
 ** Refufal of any Aft of Communion to each others Members, 
 '* they may be truly faid to maintain all neccjfary Commu- 
 •' nion with each other. And that this Communion is ab- 
 ** folutely necefifary between all thofe particular Chwrchcs into 
 ** which the Catholick Church is dilhibutcd, will evidently 
 ** appear from thefe four Confiderations. Firjif That by 
 ** Baptifm, as was l"hewed before, all Chriftian Peopie are 
 ** made Members of the Catholick Church, and by being 
 ** made Members of it, they are obliged to communicate 
 ** with it ; for how can they a£l: as Parts of the Whole, that 
 " hold no Communication with the Whole ? They who arc 
 ** Members of any Society, have not only a Right to com- 
 ** municate in all the common Benefits of it, butalfo anObli- 
 ** gation to communicate in all the common Offices of it 
 *' And thtrcfore fince by Baptifm ^\e are made Members of 
 
 ** the 
 
[71] 
 
 " the Catbollck Church or Society of Chriftians, we are 
 ** thereby not only entituled to partake with it in all its Pri- 
 ** vileges, but alfo obliged to join with it in all its Offices. 
 ** But then, Secondly, It is farther to be confider'd, that the 
 *■*' Catholick Church being all diftiibuted into particular 
 ** Churches, we can no otherwife communicate with it, than 
 " by communicating with fome particular Church : For haw 
 " can we communicate with the Whole, that is all diftribu- 
 " ted into Parts, without communicating with fome Part of 
 ** the Whole ? And lince the Whole is nothing but only a 
 *' Collection of all the Parts, what Communion can they 
 " hold with the Whole, who hold no Communion with any 
 " Part of it i So long therefore as there is any fuch thing as 
 *' a vifible Catholick Church upon Earth, we are oblig'd by 
 " our Baptifm, unlefs Necefiity hinders us, to maintain a 
 " vifible Communion with it ; and fo long as this Catholick 
 ** Church is all diftributed into fo many particular vifible 
 *' Churches, we can't vifibly communicate with it, unlefs we 
 ** communicate with fome one of thefe particular Churches : 
 ** For how can we be in Communion with the whole Body, 
 " when we are out of Communion with all the Parts, uniefs 
 *' we can find a Body to communicate with, without all ics 
 " Parts, or fome Univerfal Church without all particular 
 *' Churches? But then, Thirdly^ It is alfo to be confider'd, 
 " that as we cannot communicate with the Univerfal Church 
 " without communicating with fome particular one, fo nci- 
 *' tlier do \vc communicate with the Univerfal Church by 
 " communicating with any particular one, unlefs that par- 
 " ticular one be in Communion with the Church Univerfal. 
 ** For if I cannot communicate with the Whole, without" be- 
 ** ing in Communion with fome Part of the Whole, it is 
 ** impofiible I fnould communicate with the Whole, unleis 
 ** I communicate with fome Part that is in Communion with 
 *' the Whole. It is as pofiible for a Finger to communicate 
 ** v/ith a Body by being join'd to an Arm which is feparated 
 *' from the Body, as it is for a Chriftian to communicate with 
 " the Church Catholick, by being join'd to a Church that is 
 " feparate from the Church Catholick. But then, Fourthly 
 " and laftly, There is no particular Church can be in Com- 
 " munion wich the Catholick, that fepaiates itfclf from the 
 *' Communion of a particular Chuich that is in Communion 
 ^* with the Catholick. For they who feparaie from any Part 
 ** of any Whole, muft necefT.nly feparate from the Whole, 
 " becaufe the Whole is nothing but all the Parts together, 
 " and it is a Contradiction to fay, that they wJio r.re fepar- 
 "*' rated from any one Part are yet united to the Whole. How 
 *^ then is it po/Iible for any Church to feparate itfelf from the 
 
 *' Comma- 
 
[7^ 
 
 " Communioft of any other Church, which is a trnc Part of 
 " the Church Catholick, -without feparating itfelf fiom the 
 ** Communion of the Church Catholick itfelf ; fince the 
 " Chuich Catholick is nothing but a CoIIedion of all true 
 ** Churches; and to be at the fame time united to all true 
 •' Churches and feparated from one true Church, is the fame 
 *' Abfurditv as to be feparated from all true Churches and 
 •* united to one. In ihoxty the Catholick Church is one by 
 " the Communion of all its Parts, and therefore they who 
 *' break Communion with any one Part, moft necciTarily dif- 
 •* unite themfelves from the Whole ; for when two Churches 
 ** feparate from one another, it muft be cither becaufe thcJ 
 *' one requires fuch Terms of Communion as are not Catho- 
 ** lick, or becaufe the other refufes luch as are. Now that 
 ** Church which requires finful or uncatholick Terms of Com- 
 *' munion, does hereby not only exclude one, but all parts of 
 ** the Catholick Church from its Communion, becaufe they 
 " are all equally oblig'd not to communicate with any Church 
 '* upon finful Terms of Communion, and that Chuich which 
 ** excludes all Parts of the Catholick Church from its Com- 
 *' munion, muft in fo doing feparate itfelf from the Commu- 
 « nion of the Catholick Church. And fo on the other Hand, 
 ** that Church which refufes the Communion of any other 
 ** Church upon lawful and catholick Terms, docs thereby fe- 
 ** parate itfelf from the Communion of all Parts of the 
 " Catholick Church, becaufe it feparates from a Part that is 
 <* in Communion with all the Parts of it : For that Church 
 *' which may be lawfully communicated with, is in Commu- 
 " nion with all other Churches that arc in Communion witli 
 " the Catholick Church ; and therefore that Church which 
 ** feparates from its Communion, cannot be in the Number 
 " of thofe Churches that are in Communion with the Catho- 
 " lick Church : And how then can this feparating Church be 
 ** in the Communion of the Catholick Church, when it is 
 ** out of Communion of any one of tliofe Churches of which 
 ** the Catholick Church conlifts 1 All thofe particular Chur- 
 " chcs therefore into which the Catliolick Church is diftribu- 
 ** ted, muft be in Communion with each other, otherwife 
 " they are fo f;ir from being Diftributions of the Catholick 
 ** Church, that they are only fo many Schifms and Divifions 
 *' from it. For if every Chriftian is oblig'd by his Baptilm 
 *' to communicate wirh the Catholick Church ; and if he can 
 '* no Otherwife communicate with it, than by communicating 
 " with Tome particular Church which is in Communion with 
 " the Church Catholick ; and laftly, if no particular Churcli 
 *' can be in Communion with the Church Catholick, whicli 
 " is not in Communion with all the Churches of which the 
 
 *' Churclj 
 
t ^3 ] 
 
 *' Church Catholicks confift ; then ir is abfolutely ncceilarvj 
 *' that all thofe Chriftians into which the Church Catholick is 
 *• dillributed Ihould maintain a Cathoiick Communion with 
 ** one another. 
 
 Now whereih this Commtmion confifb, I told yon in the 
 Definition of the Church, -uz- In all the Ejfentials of Chrijlian 
 Faith, Worjioip ami Difciplhe. 
 
 I. By the EJfemials of Chrlpan Faith ^ muQ: be under- 
 flood every Dodrine neceffiry to the Being of Chriftia- 
 nity ; for it is not every Difference in Opinion about 
 Points of Faith, that will unchrifhan either particular Men, 
 or particular Churches, but it is denyi fig a fundament alI)oc~ 
 trine of Chrijiiaijiiy, without which the Religion of th6 
 Mediator can't (land, that makes any Man, or any Churchy 
 Heretical, and loofes the Obligation of Chriftian Commu- 
 nion with that Man or Church as to Doctrine. That fuch i 
 Communion in the Hllentials of Faith ought to be between all 
 the particular Churches which make up the one Cathoiick 
 Church, is plain from 2 Cor. 13. 11. where all Ch.riftians are 
 commanded to Jiand faji in one Spirit with one Mind. Phil. 
 I. 27. Walk by the fame Rule y and think the fame things, i Cor. 
 1. 10. 'To he joind together in the fame Mind, and in the fame 
 J-udgment. 2 Tim. 1. 13. To hold fafl the Form of found 
 Words. 
 
 " It is not the difFeiing of one Church from ano- 
 
 " ther in Doftrines, that are either remote from or near the 
 *' Foundations of Chriftianity, that dilToIves their Commu- 
 " niofi in the Chriftian Faith ; but ^o long as the Fundamen- 
 ** tal Doctrines of the Gofpel are fccur'd on bath fiJes, no cor- 
 ** rupt Do£lrines on either llde can v/arrant a Breach of Com- 
 " munion between 'em. It is true, if the erring Church im- 
 " pofes the Belief of its Hrrors as a Condition of its Commu- 
 *' nion, no Church or Chriftian that believes them to be Er- 
 *' rors, can lawfully Communicate with it, be thofe HrrorS 
 *' never fo fmall or inconfiderable ; not that in tbemfelves 
 ** they are fufEcient Caufe of Separation, but becaufe they 
 " who don't believe 'em can't profefs they do, without lelling 
 
 " a Lye, which is a Condition that is limply unlawful ■ 
 
 t)r. Scot's Chr. Life. Part 2. Vol. 2. p. i^c6. 
 
 But heje they who feparate muft be very ("ure from plain Evi- 
 dence of Scripture, that the Doctrines which they call Corrupt 
 are really ioy and not pretend Corruptions for Separation^ 
 when there is no fuch Thing in the Church they depart from i 
 t^or rto Error can feparate any Church or Chriftian from the 
 Cathoiick Communion of Faith but Herefy, or making things 
 of Faith which are not fo ; either of which is a iawfui Caufe 
 4>.f Separation* 
 
 F %. Aii 
 
[74 J 
 
 2. All particular Churches hold Communion with one ano- 
 ther in all EfTuntials of Chriftian Worfnip. 
 
 The ItlVence of Chriftian Worfhip is, " 'The hvocafion 
 " of the one Eternal God thro" the one Mediator Jefui Chrifi, 
 " and the Participation of the ttuo SucramentS) Bapifm and the 
 " Lords Stopper. 
 
 For as tiiere is but one Faith^ (o there is but one Lord, Eph. 
 4. 4. and one Mediator betiveen God and Man, i Tim. 2. 5. 
 but one Baptifw, Eph. 4. 4. and one Bread of -vuhich ive are all 
 partakers, 1 Cor. 10. 17. 
 
 Now all particular Churcbes or.ght to communicate with 
 one another in thcfc, and whoever refufcs to join in any of 
 thefe (where they are not hindcr'd by finful Worfhip) fepa- 
 rutes from the Catholick Church : and whatever Chuich im- 
 poles unlawful Terms of Worfhip, excludes all other Churches 
 from her Communion in Worfhip, and whatever Church ex- 
 cludes all others from her Communion in Worfhip, excludes 
 her felf from the Catholick Church. 
 
 — '■ " As long as the EiTentials of Worfhip are kept in- 
 
 " tire and pure, and arc not fo blended with unlawful Mix- 
 *' turcs, but that we fafely may partake of 'em without being 
 *' at all oblig'd to partake of any Sin ; in this Cafe, to refufe 
 *' to Communicate with any Church is to feparate from the 
 *' Communion of the Catholick Church. For, for the fame 
 *' Reafon that any Church refufcs to communicate with this 
 ** Church, ic muft refute to Commijnicate with all others in 
 ** the World, becaufe we cannot to this Day, nor ever could 
 *' Communicate with any Church in the World in which there 
 " arc not fome Defefts of Difcipline, fome Intermixture of 
 '' bad Men with good, and fome indifferent Modes and Ce- 
 '' rcmonies in Worihip, And yet thefe muft without all 
 doubt be all the Reafons that can be pretended for refufing to 
 ioin in Worfhip with any Church, where the Eflentials of 
 Worfhip are held intire. 
 
 5. All the particular Cluuclics which make up the one Ca- 
 tholick Church niuft Communicate with one another, iw rt// 
 the Effentials of Chrifiian Di/cipUne and Government, 
 
 That our Saviour left a Government in his Church will nor 
 (I fuppofe) be deny'd : that all Churches ought to fubmit to 
 that Government which he left, I conceive will not be dif- 
 putcd, for if there be any (landing Government to continue in 
 Chrirt's Church, no particular Church or Community of 
 Chrillians, can refufe rv> Communicate in it, without divi- 
 ding it felf from the Communion of the Church Catholick. 
 
 [What that Government is which Chrill has appointed in 
 his Chuich, I ih all (God willing) fnev/ hereafter.] 
 
 I have 
 
[75] 
 
 I have been fallci- in this Difcourfe of the Church than Come 
 perhaps -will think neceflary, but I muft confefs. the little ne- 
 telTity which too may find for a Difcourfe of this Nature was 
 the very Reafon why I found a great deal. 
 
 For would every one who calls himfelf a Chriftian, leri- 
 oufly confider, the Obligation that lies upon him, to Uw/Vjf 
 and Communion with the Catholick Church ; and that fuch Jlni- 
 ty and Communion is not to be held but by communicating with 
 that particular Church in which he lives ; and that nothing 
 can juftify his feparating from the Communion of that 
 Church, but her impofing FALSE DOCTRINES upon them 
 as Matters of Faith, IDOLATROUS WORSHIP in their 
 Devotion, or FALSE PASTORS as their Governours and 
 Teachers : I fay, would People duly confider thefe things^ 
 they would be afraid to rend the Church of God into (o munf 
 Schifms and Factions as it is at this Day, to the fcandal of 
 Chriftianicy, and the great hazard of many thoufand Souls. 
 
 Separating from the Church is a renouncing Chriftianity, 
 and denying your Creed, {a) Whoever (fays St. Cyprian) is fc^ 
 parated from the Churchy is join'd to the Adulterefs, feparated 
 from the Fromifes of the Church. Nor floall he ever attain the 
 Chrifiian Reivard ivho forfakes Chrifi's Church. He is an Alien^ 
 ProphanCj an Enemy, He cant have God for his Fathery thai 
 
 has not the Church f%r his Mother I could with a great 
 
 deal of Pleafure, tranfcribe a great many Pages from that ele- 
 gant Book, concerning the Unity of the Churchy but that I don't 
 defire to be tedious : and I wilh with all my heart, that they 
 ^vho make light of Catholifk Unity were well acquainted with 
 St. Cyprians Writings. 
 
 Let them look to it who are the Authors and Abettors of 
 Schifm ; for tho' 'tis very true that there have been Divifions 
 in the Church ever fince it was firft planted, it were better for 
 thofe who from Time to Time have been the Occafinn of 'em, 
 that a Miljlone ivere hanged about their Nscksy and they iverc 
 throivn into the depth of the Sea. 
 
 If then the tlniverfal Church be fo Sacred, and the being a 
 Member of it of fuch Importance to all Chriftians, can we be 
 too frequent in cur Pray'rs to God for its Prefervation in the 
 right way: and ought we not to join with all the DevctioiT 
 of our Souls, and fay, We hefeech thee to hear us good Lord ? 
 
 (a) Quifquis sb Ecclelia fegregatus Adulterse jungitur, a pro^ 
 milhs Ecclcliae f:.pararur, nee pcrvenier ad Chnili pisemia/qux 
 rclinquic F,cc efiam Chrifti : Alicnus eft, FrQfanus eft, Hoftis elh 
 Habere jam non poteft Deum Pairem, qui Ecclefiam non habcc ma- 
 
 KHm ■■ Dc Unit, Eccl, Pam. Ed. p. 25-4.. b- 
 
 F % Having 
 
. [76] 
 
 Having thus pray d for the whole Chtwch, we proceed to 
 put up our Supplication for our Sovereign the King (or 
 Qi^ieen, when there is one) faying. 
 
 " 'That it may fleafe thee, to keep and Jlrengthe?? h the true 
 " Worpiping of thee, in right eoufnefs an A hoVinefs of Life^ thy 
 " Servant GHORGfi our mojl Gracious King and Goiernour, 
 
 Anf\v« TVe befeech thee to hear us, good Lord. 
 
 The KJNG is put next in our Litany after the U>?/VgrA I 
 Church, becatife He is in our particular Church the moft emi- 
 nent Member ; and therefo:e when ^vc come to Particulars, as 
 in Duly bound, we begin with His Majefty. 
 
 This Supplication for the KING is chofen with fuch Dif- 
 crction and Piety, that no fobcr loyal inbje£ts will find Fault 
 •with ir. For, i. we pray to God to keep and Jirengthen him 
 in the true Worjhip of him : And, 2. That He may adorn that 
 true Worfhip with holinefs of Life. For iince it is true, Regis 
 ad exemplum totits componitur Orbis, th.it Princes, and Chief 
 Govemours, have the Reformation of the World very much 
 in their Power; we have much reafon to pray, That cur Prin- 
 ces may be Orthodox in their Worfhip, for the good of the 
 Church, and Prcfervation of true Religion ; and that they 
 may by their exemplary Lives be indeed what the Apoftle fays 
 they ought to be, a 'Terror to evil Doers, and for the Fraife of 
 them that do well. 
 
 I told you before {a) what Authority we have from i Tim, 
 2. 2. for praying for our Govemours, and therefore fhail 
 not fay any more of it here. 
 
 We generally give our King [or Queen'] the Epithet of 
 Moft Gracious, becaufe our Holy Church (always Loyal, and 
 Ihewing a due Regard to our Princes) will not fo much as 
 fuppofe a wicked- one : And God be prais'd, generally fpeak- 
 ing, we have had very good ones fince the Reformation: And 
 if we have had, or Ihould have, an ill King for a Plague, we 
 may thank our felvcs for provoking God Almighty 10 fend us 
 a King in his Wrath. 
 
 We have now, by the good Providence of God, a Sovereign 
 who underftands our Worpip and LOVFSit, I pray God it 
 may always be fo. 
 
 Let us therefore heartily and devoutly pray, that our Kings 
 [or Queens] may be kept andfire?jgthen'din the true Worfinp of 
 God, and in Righteoufnefs and Holinefs of Life. 
 
 but becaufe a King may pretend to be a Member of an Or- 
 thodox Church, tho' at the fame Time he wants only a fafe op- 
 porturiity to deftroy it, (as ye/.'« pretended a mighty Zeal for 
 the Lord ofHofts, and made a pubiickP'xample of the Pn>/?i of 
 
 \a) Pagt 41. 
 
 BaaU 
 
[77] 
 
 Baali that he might fix himfelf in the Throne of Ifyeal by the 
 Afliftance of thole who hated Idolatry ^ and then fet up his lit- 
 tle Prielh at Van and Bethel^ and thereby ftrengthen'd the 
 Schifm which was begun about a hundred Years before.) I fay, 
 becaufe it is pofTible that fuch a Misfortune may happen to i\%, 
 ^ve pray, 
 
 *' 'That k may pieafs thee to rule His [or Her] Heart in thy 
 *' Taith, Fear and Love^ and that He [or She J may evermore 
 *^ have Affiance in thee ^ and ever feel: thy Honour and Glory* 
 We hefeech thee to hear usy good Lord. 
 
 Here we pray that our Sovereigns may not only fhew good 
 Example in their PraSice, but do it from a good Principle ; 
 that their Hearts m:;y be right in the true Faith and Fear of 
 Gcd, that they may love and truft in him, and in all Afts of 
 Government, fet the Glory of God before their Eyes. 
 
 But the World is fo corrupted, that the Governing accor- 
 ding to this Riile v/ili be fure ro procure Enimies to a good 
 Piince both at home and abroad, and we of thefe Nations 
 have reafon from dear bought lixperience to fay fo, nor can 
 it ever be deny'd as long as FORTY ONE ftands as a black 
 Record for the Truth of it. Therefore we pray, 
 
 *' "That it may pleafe thee to he His Defender and Keeper, 
 *' giving Him the ViHory over all His Enemies <. 
 We befeech thee^ 6cc. 
 
 Here we pray, that God would fuppnrt him in the faithful 
 Difcharge of that Truft committed tohim BT GOD ; that he 
 would prefer ve him from the open Force of our Enemies, and 
 the fccret Contrivances of feveral Underminers, that neither 
 Foj-eign Arms, nor Domeftick Poifon, may prevail againft him. 
 And ceitainly, whoever confiders of what vaft Confequence 
 it is to any Nation to have a good King or ^teen, and how 
 pernicious it is to have fuch opprefs'd or infulted by Foreign 
 Foesy or Domejlick Rebels ^ will think the Pray'r of our Litany 
 very Edifying. 
 
 The next Thing that follows is a Supplication for the Royal 
 Family^ viz. 
 
 ** 'that it may pleafe thee to hlefs andpveferve his Royal High-. 
 '* ^/</jf George Vrince 0/ Wales, the Princeff, and the-, • ///)/(?, &c. 
 We hefeech thee, &c. 
 
 The Reafonablenefs of this will appear to any one who has 
 a value for the Conftitutinn of theie Kingdoms, whtre the 
 Crown for many Ages has been Hereditary^ and I hope in God 
 will always continue fo. 
 
 The Ancients us'd to pray for the Emperor and his whole 
 Family, as appears from the Liturgy of bt. Ambrofcy where the 
 Emprefs is exprefly nam'd. We therefore pray, 'Thai it. may 
 pleafe thee* 
 
 F 3 The 
 
. [78] 
 
 The next SuppliGation is for the Clergy. 
 '^ 'That it may pleafe thee to illuminate all Bijhops, Friejfs ani 
 ?* Deacons, &c. We befeech thee, &c. 
 
 In recommending this Part of our Litany it might fcem 
 fufiicient to give a fhort Paraphrafe upon the Words, bccaufe 
 every Chriftian muft allow the Expediency of praying for 
 (jod's Bleffing, upon thofe who minifier about holy things ; 
 and both the Jewiih and the Chriftian Churches praftis'd it. 
 
 Bat becaule the Words of this Pray'r inay be excepted a- 
 gainft, by thofe "who don't own the Form of Government in 
 our Church, I will take this Opportunity, as briefly as I can, 
 ^o jiiftify our Conftitution. 
 
 And here I will wave all Difputcs about ^Vords, and there- 
 fore I iliall firft prove, this Propofition. *Xhat the Government 
 of Chriji's Church ivas left by h'tmfelfy and mana^^d for the jirfi 
 three hundred Tears by jome Miniflers of the Word and Sacra- 
 mentSy exercijinz Authority^ and halving J-urifdiBion over othev 
 ]ldinijiers of the Word and Sacraments. And then 1 will take 
 notice of the Names given to em by our Church in her Li- 
 tany. 
 
 And, I. That the Government of Chrift's Church was left 
 by himfelf, and manag'd for the firft three Centuries by fome 
 Go/pel Miniflers of the Word and Sacraments^ exercifing Autho- 
 rity and Jurifdi^ion over others, who were LIKEWISE Mi- 
 niflers of the Word and Sacraments. 
 
 The only Go/pel Miniflers which we read of fent by our 
 Bleffed Saviour in his life time are the Twelve and the Se- 
 
 1 know fome Eminent Divines of our Church derive the 
 Superiority of the Twelve over the Seventy, from theTwelve'^ 
 being feparated from the others, to be conftantly about our 
 Saviour's own Perfon, from their being Ordain'd firft, arid 
 from their being always nam'd in the front of Church Offi- 
 cers. 
 
 But becaufe you -who deny an IMPARITY in Go/pel Mini- 
 fierSy will not allow thefe to be any Indications of the Apo- 
 ftles being above the Seventy, during our Lord's ftaying with 
 %\\em ; I ynll at prefent take you in your own way. And 
 therefore, 
 
 I will tor once fuppofe, that the fending the Seventy out to 
 peach the Gofpely St. Luke lo. made them as fully Gofpel 
 Minifters, as the Ordination, St. Lul:e 9. made the Twelve, 
 i. e> the Twelve and ihc^t^erwy v-icrchcxh authoviz'd hy vev- 
 tue of thni Comnyi'fjion (or Ordination) to preach the Gofpel, as 
 appears from the Words of the Commidion, 
 
 Thar they both exercis'd the Power of PREACHING (and 
 BAPTISING too) is very plain from Scripture, that the. 
 ■ ' ' ■■ ' ' ■ ■ ■■ Twelve 
 
[79] 
 
 Twelve freacFd is exprefly affirm'd, Sc Luke 9. 6. 'They de- 
 parted and ^vent thro ihertoivnl^ RE ACEl NG the GOSPEL. 
 And S. Luke 10. 17. 'The Seventy Uke'Wife return dy and gave 
 their Mafier an account of their Succefs. 
 
 And S. y^. 4. 2. we are told of the Difciples Baptizing* 
 I fhall not at prefent enter into a nice Hnquiry what that 
 Baptifm was; but it is at leafi: highly probable it was into 
 the Faith of the Mejjlah come ; and there is no Inconvenience 
 that I can fee, in allowing that they baptiz'd in the Name of 
 the Blejfed Trinifjfy tho' we have no Account of that folenia 
 Form of Baptifm till after the Refurre£tion. 
 
 What I afTert is, that both the Tiuehe and the Seventy were 
 Miniflers of the Go/pel in o.^r Saviour's Life-time, and I do 
 now fuppofe that they wcxe equally-, fo. 
 
 Now if we can find a SHCOND SUPnPvIOR ORDINA- 
 TION given by our Saviour to the E/gL'^;^?, which i\\Q Seventy 
 did not receive, I hope it will appear that the Eleven were of 
 a higher Order ViXid had a greater degree of Poiver'xa the Church 
 than they. 
 
 To evince this, let , us turn to S>t.J-o. 10. from the 21ft 
 Verfe, where he gave the Eleven Apofties a neiv Commijfion or 
 Ordination, AS MY FATHER SENT ME, EVEN, SO 
 SEND I YOU; and luhen he had f aid thist he breathed 071 
 them, and [aid, Receive ye the Holy Ghojly luhofoever fins ye re- 
 mit, &c. 
 
 Now that they were the E/^z^fw only who rcceiv'd this/^- 
 cond Ordination, appears from comparing this Goipe' vith 
 the other three Evangelids, who tell us exprefly tha: it was 
 the Eleven he appeared to, when he gave this CommilTion ; 
 St. Mat. 28. 16. St. Mark 16. 14. St. Luke 24. 36. And more ^ 
 particularly Acis i. 2. we are told, That j-efus thro' the Hoh 
 Ghofi gave Commandment unto the APOSTLES ivhom he had 
 chofen. 
 
 The Apojiles then by the fir/l Commi£Ion or Ordination had 
 only Fozver to Preach and exercife the ordinary Parts of the 
 Minirterial Office, which are now perform'd by onr Pref- 
 byters and Deacons; but by virtue o^ this fecond Ordination 
 they had alfo Power of fenjirig others, for unlefs he gave 'em 
 that Po ver,* he did not fend them as his Father fenf him : And 
 if this fecond Commijfion did not veil the Apojiles with the 
 Power of ORDINATION, I defirc to know wheic we fmd 
 TEIAT POWER given 'em in the whole Bible. 
 
 If then the Eleven Apojiles receiv'd a Po.ver by this lafl Com- 
 miffion whic'i they had nor before, and v/liich none of the 
 Seventy did then receive, and fome of them never^ then cer- 
 tainly Jt is evident that our Saviour left his Church with a 
 Set of Gofpel Minrfien vefleJ with d liferent decrees of Power 
 and Authority. F 4 To 
 
[8o] 
 
 To fay that this gave the Eleven no Superiority over the 
 Seventy^ js falfe in Fait : For, 
 
 The Apojiles purfuant to this Commiffion did {de frfh) 
 exercife J-nr'ifdlBion over all other Gofpel Miniflers in their 
 Time, except Icicii as were taken into the Apojio late, and To 
 becime equal with them hy Vertue of that Advancement; as 
 Matthias who from the Sevjity -^ ;'.s chofen an Aprflle, 
 
 Their exercifing this Power ppears, i From feveral In- 
 {lances of it in their own Pcfons ; and, 2. From their 
 deriving that Power over Clergy and Laietyy to others in the 
 feveral Churches which they planted. 
 
 I. The Tcjuer of the Apofiles over the rtft of the Go/pel Me- 
 n'ifters in their time, appears from their making Laws for the 
 Government of the Church, from their ordaining to Minijieriai 
 Ojjicesy and their cenfuring Offenders, 
 
 I will not infift upon Sr. James's poGtive Sentence at the 
 Counfel Q^ Jertifalem^ tho' it has been us'd as an Argument 
 for th^ Apoliolical Superiority to a very good Purpofe ; but I 
 will bring one or two Inftances, which I think are liable to 
 no Cavil. 
 
 As to making Laws, St. P<j:«/ (who was an Apoftle by im- 
 mediate Divine Appointment) AHs 15.2, 5. tells the Cor/>- 
 thianSf I Cor. 11. 34. '£he refi will I fet in order when I come. 
 We can't doubt of there being o/^^rA/i^^y^er/ in the Church 
 of Corinth, becaufe they had the Lord's Supper among em,, 
 arid yet the Apoftle ajfumes the liberty of Jetting things in or- 
 der ; i. e. prefer:' i.'g Xules for 'em. And i Cor. 16. i. He 
 gives order for tlxir coile^ions* [Vide 2 'Thejf» 5. 6, 14. Fhilem* 
 8. 2St. P^^ 5. 2.] 
 
 As to Ordination. We find it always performed by the 
 Apofiles. ABs 6. 6. the Apoftles ordain'd the Deacons. 
 Thus St. Paul and Barnabas (who were made Apoftles by the 
 Tame Divine Appointment, and at the fame time) ordain d 
 Elders in every City, Afts 14. 25. This Apoftolical Stiperioii- 
 ty plainly appears from one Inftance ; for when Fhil/p {who 
 was a Man full of the Holy Ghofl) bnptis'd the Converts in Sx- 
 maria, AHs 8. 12. yet they could receive no Iwpcjltiort of 
 Hands from him ; but the Apofties at Jerufakm fent bX.. Peter 
 and St. Jchn to lay Hands on them; i. e. for Confirmation and 
 Ordination. \\'\Aq Hammond in Acls 8. 17. Note r.] 
 
 It is oSje61ed, that mere Presbyters ordain'd St. 'Timothy from 
 I T/w. 4. 14. 'The layi/7g on the Hands of the Presbytery. 
 
 But this Text does not at all prove that Presbyters (in our 
 Senfe of the Word) ordain'd Timothy {at leajl not without an 
 Apofile) for St. Paul fays f -a-rcfly 2 'Tim. i. 6. that Timothy 
 was ordain'd by the laying on of the Hands ; io that if mere 
 i'rfjbyiers (in the modern Notion) did lay Hands on him, ic 
 
C8r] 
 
 was only h conjunBlon with S. Tauly and fo Is agreaWe to onr 
 Praflice at this Day, as may be feen in the Rubrick of the 
 OiSce for Ordaining Priefts. 
 
 But indeed many eminent Divines are of Opinion that the 
 "Word np5c,SuT*p;ov, which is render'd Presbytery^ fignifies the 
 Office to which 'T'w'othy was ordain'd, and not the Perfons who 
 laid Hands on him. And becaufe the Teftimony of C/i/i»i» 
 .•will r I fuppofe ) be of greateft Weight with you; I will give 
 it you in his own Y/ords. 
 
 (^) Paul hhnjelf elfewere declares,, *That he {ivlthout any others) 
 laid Hands on Timothy ; I admonijh thee {fays he ) that thott 
 fiir up the Gift ivhich is in thse, hy the laying on of my Hands ; 
 fory ivhat is faid in the other Epifile of the laying on the Hands 
 of the Presbytery, I dont take it as if Paul fpake of the College of 
 Pres'o)ters, hut by that Name I underfland the Ordination itfelfr 
 As if he flwuld fay^ fee that the Grace ivhich thott didjl receive by 
 the laying on of Hands tuhen I made thee a Presbytery be not in 
 vain. Thus he. 
 
 Nor is it any Argument for Presbyterial Ordination, that 
 the Word jceTpwv, Hands, is ufcd in the Plural Number ; for 
 lo the Cime Word is ufed in S. Matth. 19. 13, 15, for our 
 Sa^'ionr's laying Hands on tb.e little Children, and fure no 
 body join'd with him. And ABs 19. 6. S. Paul is faid to lay- 
 Hands, %i~pury upon twelve Men. And in many other 
 Places K^h). 
 
 So that the Word npe^.CLTc'piov- in what Senfe you will, 
 ■vvill be of no Service to the Presbyterian Canfe. If it be only 
 the Office of Presbyterate, then there is nothing in that Text 
 which looks like Presbyterial Ordination : If it be the Perfons 
 who o;dain'd "Timothyy yet dill there was an Apoftle prefent, 
 and (o no Colour for the Power of Ordination in mere Presby- 
 ters without a Superiour. 
 
 1 have not fo much as mention'd the Opinion of Dr. Hart' 
 nwndy and other great Divines {viz. that by the Presbytery 
 here is undcrllood the Apoftlcs, for fo both S. Peter and 
 5. yohn call themfelves i Pet. 5. i. and ijohn i. and 5 John i.) 
 
 (a) Panlvis ipf', alibi, fe non alios complorss Timotheo manu§ 
 irripjiuille commen-ovdr ; admoneo te, ir.qui^ ut gratiam fufcitcs, 
 guge in re eit, per n-npohtioneni manuum mearum j nam quod in 
 c-Jrtia Epiftula de impoii-ione manuum J-resbyteiii dicitur nnn 
 ita accpio, qujfi Pauiu<? , de Seniorum Cojlegio loquarur j fed 
 hoc nonnne Oidinationem ipTam inteliigo ; quali dicerer, Fsc iK 
 Gratia quam per manuum iinpufuiuneni reccpiili, quum ce Pre!- 
 bycrum crcarum, non lie irrita. L.nl'v. hjiit. l. 4. c. 3. 
 
 f^h) See Mr. CauipbelV Utt&r to Mr. Thu. Gowan. 
 
 hut 
 
[ 8^ ] 
 
 bat however truly Dr. Hammond has Hiew'd Elders to be Bi 
 Jhops in our Senfe of the "Word, I fhall not infift on it, for I 
 have neither Leifure nor Inclination for Difpute, and therefore 
 fliall urge nothing but what I take to be very plain and obvi- 
 ous ; as I cannot but think this to be, viz* That there is nei- 
 ther Precept nor Example in Holy Scripture for Presbyters WITH- 
 OVt A SUPERlOUR to ordain a Presbyter {a). 
 
 As to the Power of Cenfuring Offenders exercifed by the 
 Apoftles, it is plain from i Cor. 4. 21. 1 Cor. 5. 3. i 7'im. i. 
 20. 
 
 The only Anfwer that I know to this Argument taken from 
 the Apoftles ufing thefe Powers of Ordination and Jurifdi£lion 
 is, 
 
 Tbat the Apoftles were extraordinary Officers^ and therefore 
 though they exeicis'd thofe fuperiour Powers, it is no Argu- 
 ment for the Continuance of them in fome above others. 
 
 But this is a begging the Q^ieftion : For pray wherein did 
 the Extraordinarinefs of the Apoftolick Office confift ? Was 
 it in working Miracles ? The other Gofpel Minifters did fo 
 as well as they ; for fo S. Stephen^ A£ls 6. 8. Philip, Acl.j 8. 6. 
 and the Seventy, Luke 10. 
 
 Was it in travelling from Place to Place in planting Chur- 
 ches ? Others did fo too. Thus Timothy travell'd ,with S.Paul. 
 So Philip was alone at Samaria, ABs 8. 
 
 Was it their being fent by Chrift ? So were the Seventy. 
 
 So that if they were only extraordinary in thefe or the like 
 Cafes, ihcObjeQiion is nothing ; for though it is very true that 
 Men endu'd with fnch miraculous Gifts are extraordinary with 
 refpeQ: to us, yet it is a great Miftakc to fay they were extra- 
 ordinary with j-efpccl to the others who liv'd in their own 
 time; for not only the Seventy, but, all other GofpLi Mini- 
 fters, and even many of the Laity were powerfully fill'd wuh 
 the Holy Ghoft ; and therefore the Superiority of the Apoftles 
 confifted in fomething elfe than any miraculous Po\\cr they 
 had ; for that was common. It is plain then, that the Supe- 
 riority confifted in the Particulars mention'd ; namely, in ma- 
 hin^ Laws, laying on of Hands, and the Po'u;er of the Keys. 
 And whoever aflerts that the Apoftolical Office (as fuch ) was 
 only temporary, may as well fay that the Sacraments were 
 confin'd to the Times of the Apoftles ; and indeed the Qua- 
 kers (who fay fo) have as concluding Reafons for their 
 Aflertion as they have for the other. 
 
 But the beft Anfwer to this temporiety of the Apoftoli- 
 cal Office, is by fhewing, 
 
 {a) CampbeiV Letter to the Dijinting Teachers^ C^c 
 
 2. That 
 
[83 ] 
 
 2. That the Apofiles did de facio delegate their Power to' 
 others- And of this, I Ihall only name two Inftances ; Tinia- 
 j&y and Hitui. 
 
 Indeed Dr. Scatt brings good Aathorities for S. fames of 
 Jeriifalem% being one, to whom the Apoflles delegated their 
 Authority, and not one of the 'Twelve, And S. Jerom calls 
 him the 15th Appftle. 
 
 But this being controverted, I will make no other ufe of 
 it but this. If S. fames of fevufatem was one of the 'Twelve^ 
 then we have in him an Inftance of one of the Apoftles being 
 a fettled Bijhop, (for we have no Account of his leaving that 
 See). If he was not one of the 'Twelve^ but another Perfon, 
 then here is an Inftance of the Apoftolical Power deriv'd to 
 others. [For that he was a Man of great Authority in the 
 Church of JeYufahm^ is very evident from his Behaviour at 
 the firft: Council there. AHs 15. 19.] 
 
 But to proceed to Timothy and Titus. That they were or- 
 dain'd or confecrated Bipops of Ephefus and Crete by S. Paul, 
 is evident C I would fay beyond Contraditllon, but that De- 
 monftration may be oppos'd when People have a mind to 
 wrangle) S. Paul tells Tiiiothyy 1 Tim, 1. 5. that his Defign 
 in leaving him at Ephefus was, that he might charge fome that 
 they preach m other VoBrine. And through both hisEpiftles to 
 him, he lays down Rules for the well ordering of his Viocefey 
 [or Province.'! 
 
 In the 5d Chapter of his firfl: Epiftle to Timothy, he gives 
 Dire£lions for his exercifing Spiritual Cenfurcs, even over 
 Elders ( who without all doubt were Gofpel Mini(lers) i Tim. 
 5.14. ch.^.ii. c^. 5. i; 19,21. And he impowers HIM (in the 
 fingular Number) to ordain others, i Tim. 5. 22. and iTim.i. 2. 
 
 The fame may be faid of T/V//i, where the Apoftle tells him, 
 ch. I. 5. For this caufe left I thee in Crete, that THOU fkouldft 
 fet in order things that are wanting, and ordain Elders in every City, 
 And ch, 3. he gives him Charge about rejeBing Hereticks. 
 
 And if any Bifhop in our Church takes more Power to 
 himfelf,. under Colour of any Succeflion from the Apoftles, 
 than S. Paul gave to Timothy and Titus, I for my Part am ve- 
 ry well fatisficd that thac Bifhop be brought to thefe three 
 Epiftles of S. Paul In be try'd. 
 
 I might have dwelt longer upon thefe Epiftles, but I really 
 think the bare reading them will be fufticient to convince any 
 Man but him that is refolved not to be convinced. 
 
 I might farther prove this Delegation from the Angels of 
 the {even Churches, to whom the Spirit Addreftes as to fingle 
 Perfons in the Revelations of S. John: Bur I avoid as much 
 33 pofTible being tedious. I fhall therefore fay no more of the 
 Time in v/hich the Apoftles liy'd^ and I wilh v/ith all my 
 ■■■'■■'■■■ ■ Hifari: 
 
[ 84 ]; 
 
 Heart yon would read the Holy Scriptures witliout prejodice, 
 and I am confident you will find the Epifcopal Juridic- 
 tion as plainly there, as in the Canons of the Church of 
 EtJglarjd. 
 
 As to the Aj^es afcer the Apoftles, I might bring a whole 
 Volume of Tettimonies for the Jurifdi^tion of one certain 
 Pricft over many, (for immediately afrer .the Apnftlcs time 
 the Terms, Bilhop, l^rieft [or Presbyter] and Deacon, ob- 
 tain'd over the whole Church) bur I will confine myfelf 
 to two Fathers of every Age for the firll three Centuries, 
 and from thofe I fhall only bring two or three Qiiota- 
 tions. 
 
 Immediately after the Days of the Apoftles we have two. 
 eminent Fathers v/ho convers'd with them while alive ; viz* 
 •S. Clement ( wbofe Praite is in the New Tcftament, JPhif./^.^,) 
 %vho was Bifnop of Ronre, and S. Ignatius the Difciple of 
 S. Titer and Bifhop of Antioch. 
 
 S. elements High Friejiy Vriejls, and Levites, in his Epiftle 
 to the Corinthians (which was much cfteemed among the 
 Ancients) can be apply'd to none but Bifhops, Priefts and 
 Deacv"ins (^). 
 
 And as to S. Ignatius, I don*c believe a Bifhop or Priefl: of 
 any Chrittian Church thefe looo Years, ever rais'd the Epif- 
 copal Dignity to fo g.cat a height, or fpake of Bifhops in fo 
 high Terms as he did. It would be to tranflate his Epiftlcs 
 ^vhich he wrote on the Way to his Martydom, if I fhould go 
 about to colled all he fays to eftablifh the Epifcopal Power ; 
 I iliall only quote a few PalTagcs. 
 
 In his Epiftle to the Smymeans, he fays, {h) Follow your Bi- 
 JJjop, as Jejus Chrijl folloived the Father : And the Presbyters as 
 the Apojlles. Reverence the Deacons as the Commavd of God. 
 Let no Man do any thing belonging to the Church without the Bi- 
 pop, &c. 
 
 In his Epiftle to the Magnejtans, he exhorts them to do all 
 Things in a Divine Concord : (c) Tour B/pop prejlding in the 
 Thxce of God ; your Presbyters in the Place of the Council of the 
 Apojlles ; and your Deacons mojl dear to me^ being intrujled 'with 
 the Minijlry of Jefus Chrijl. 
 
 (a) Clem. I £0. to the Cor. 
 
 Kai Tc5 IIpfffSuTepj'ot) co<; rolq ' Air a qo?\Oiq' rolq St i^iXKovovq ev- 
 
 cfTo) rtaj u^/vjKovriav uq r^v 'Ev.nAy\cia.v. Ignar. Ep. t,dir. Voffij Am- 
 ftelodam. 1446. ad Smyrt). p. 6. 
 
 (c) TpoxaGv)/xfvo-j Tou 'Et/cxotou eiq tctov OboC kcu twV ' 
 
 ITpt<r,3uT5fa'y tiq Tottov cuvgSpj'ou Tiav A-zoq:A'jJv' kx) T'Z-j /^iCCko^ 
 
 vwv 7<av l.xc/ y^-jK-SrxTcav ad iVla^ncl p. ;?. 
 
 la 
 
[8j ] 
 
 In his F.piftle to the ^hlladelphlans. 
 
 There is ^a) one Altar, as alfo one B'lpopy logethr tvlth his 
 Presbytery, and the Dearoyis :ny Fellow Servants. 
 
 Writing to the 1'rallia.nSy he fays, (after having exhorted 
 them to be lubjeS: to their Bifhop and the Presbyters ) 
 (&) Lihezulfe let all reverence the Deacons as Jefus Chrifi, and the 
 Bipop as the Son of the Father, and the Vr'.^byters as the Council 
 of God, and the Colledge of the ApoJIles, Wuhout thefe there is no 
 Church. 
 
 And again, in the fame Epiftle, (<;) He who is without the 
 Altar, that is, he ^xho does any thing without the Bijhop and Fref- 
 hyiers and Deacons, is not pure in his Confcience, 
 
 And in the Conclufion of the fame iipiftle, {d) Farewel in 
 Jefus Chrifl, being fubjcB to your Bijhop as to the Command of 
 God, and ii\ewi/e to the Presbytery* 
 
 I have given yo« but a few of many Qtjotations out of this 
 great Biihop and holy Maityr ; and indeed, I am aftonifh'd 
 that any Man of Senfe and Integrity can read [gnatius's genu- 
 ine Epiftles, ( for out of thofe only I have brought the prece- 
 ding Tellimonies) I fay, that any Man lliould read thofe 
 Epiftlcs, and yet difpute Epifcopal Governtnent in the Days of 
 chat Martyr. ^ For there he always fpeaks of the Bifhops in 
 thefingular Number, and the Presbyters and Deacons in the plu- 
 ral, which plainly fhews, that in one Church there were ma- 
 ny Presbyters and Deacons, and but one Bifhop. Again, He 
 every where commands the Presbyters and Deacons to be fub- 
 jeci: and obedient to their Biihop, in Terms which would 
 feem very arrogant and alTuming if ufed by the greateft Bi- 
 fhop in England now a-days. 
 
 If any lliould vainly fay, That the Bifhop in S. Ignatius's 
 time was the Minifler, and the Hlder and Deacons only Lay- 
 Men, appointed for Helps and Afilllants of the Minifter i 
 Thar Lay-Chara&er will never agree with the Martyr's Pref- 
 byfcrs and Deacons ; for he places his Presbyters in the Head of 
 
 {a) *Ev BvCiCcc;yipto:'y uig itg 'ETiay.o-zog a[xa. tw npea-pursp.'w 
 
 kuI Aictyovsiq Tc'iq cvv^ovAOiq (xov Ad Philadelph. p. 41. 
 
 te,^ v.ctl rov 'Zm^Ko-^ov, ovraj viiv tov UccTpo';, rwq Ss Upecpjvriiiovg ■ 
 'xq 'cvvi^ptnv Geov ncct 4q avv^eqfJiov 'Kr^^qo^Mv' oc^p)'; rovrav 'Ey.nAyi- 
 CiX oZ KUXutui' ^d Trail. 
 
 (c) 'O S« iHToq $v, tq€t' iqiv 0' %wp]q 'Etiskc'ZOv Jtai Hpf-^v 
 a^vrepicv v-oCi A<iZK;voD 'zpccccwv n, ovroq cj ycc^upbq iclv re cvy- 
 £,^csi' Ibi^. p. 50; . ^ . . • , 
 
 the 
 
tso 
 
 the Conncil of the Apoftles ; aj:id his Deacons are intrufted witli 
 the Miniftry of Jefiis Chrift ; which I humbly conceive Lay- 
 Elders and Deacons are not. 
 
 Now how is it pofllble that two Men who convers'd withihe 
 Apoftles, and who in all probability were ordain'd Bifhops 
 (the one at Ronie^ the other at Amioch) by the Apoftles ; I 
 fay, is it poffibic they fhould foon forget the Church Govern- 
 ment left by them, and fall into fuch large Encomiums upon 
 one Perfon above the reft, if the Apoftles had left all Golpel 
 Minifters equal ? 
 
 In the next Age I fhall only mention Iren^us and Chmeni 
 Ahx^ndy'inus* 
 
 Iren^us had feen S. Folycarpj who was S. Johns Difciple, 
 and confequently muft have known if any Innovation was 
 brought into the Government of the Church fince S. Johns 
 time. He fays then, (^) We can reckon ihofe <who avere ordain d 
 Bifiops in the Churches by the Apofiksy and ivho fucceeded them 
 
 down to our oivn times And fpeaking of the Succeflion 
 
 of the Bifhops of Rome he fays, {h) The hleffed Apojllsiy 
 founding and ordering the Churchy (fpeaking of that of Rome^ 
 gave the Epifcopal Power of governing that Church to Linus • 
 to him fucceeded Anacletus : after him Clemens {who faw 
 the Apoflles and convers'd with them) undertook the Epifcopal 
 Office, the third from the Apojlles : next to Clemens fucceeded 
 
 Evariftiis. • And now (fays Jrenaus) in the nth Place 
 
 from the Epofles, Eleutherius has the Bifhoprick, or Epifcopal 
 Office. 
 
 And again, (c) The true Knowledge is, the "DoBvine of the 
 Apojlles y and the ancient State of the Church in the whole Worlds 
 according to the Succeffion of Bipops to whom they (viz. the 
 Apoftles ) delivered the Church in every Place. 
 
 Clemens Akxandrinus lived at the fame time with Irenaus, 
 and he tells us, {d) It {viz* the Presbytery, for it was of the 
 Prieftly Dignity of which he was fpeaking ) was not honour'd 
 
 (a) Lib.-^.c.^i. Habemus annumcrarc eos, &c. See Bilfon, Dow- 
 nam. Dr. bcott. 
 
 (/;) Fundanres igittir 6c Inftruentcs beati ApoftoJi EccUfiam, Lino 
 Epiicoparum adminiftiandx \La\d\x nadidciunt j fuccedit ti Ana- 
 cictus J ptft, cum teitio Joco ab Apoftolis Epifcopatnm foicitur. 
 Clemens, qui & vidic ipfob Apoftolos 6c contulit cum eis, O'c. 
 Jhid. 
 
 (c) Agnitio vera eft Apoftolorum Do6lrjna, & anriquus Eccltf a& 
 ftatus in univerfo mundo fecundum Succefliones Epilcoporum, c>t. 
 i. 4. c.C^. , , , ■ 
 
 (d) K^v (vTUvB' iV/ y>iq ifiu}r6 accBi^pta f^Jj T.7x»;65f > Strom. 6. 
 
 Downam* 
 
 with 
 
[ 87 3 
 
 <iLith the chief ( or firft ) Seat : and immediately after he names 
 Bijhops as the firft Order. 
 
 And in a Book of this fame Clemens quoted by EufehiuSy 
 1, 5. c. 23. he declares, 'That when 5. John returned from his 
 B<inijlmi€nty he ivent to v'lfit the ChnrcheSj partly to ordain Bi- 
 fiops^ and partly to bring ftich into the Clergy as the Holy Ghofi 
 
 appointed- and that then the Bilhop was st' Tra^) -^ccBeqa^, 
 
 fet over all. 
 
 In the third Century I fhall only name 'Tertullian and S. Cy- 
 prian. 
 
 'TertuUian (in his Book De Vr^fcrlpt'.onihus adverfus hAveti- 
 cos) challenges them thus, (a) Let the rn Jhew the rife of their 
 ChurcheSy ar.d produce the drder of their BipopSy fo derivd by 
 Succeffion from the beginnings that that firft Brjhop had an Apof- 
 tle or Apoflolic Man for his Author and Fredece£or : for fo the 
 Apojlolic Churches keep their Accounts : as the Church of Smyr- 
 na, ijuho had Polycarp placed by S. John : the Church of Rome 
 fyews Clemens ordain d by 5. Peter ; as the refi of the Churches 
 Jl)ew avhat Branches they have of the Seed of the ApoflleSy 
 viz. thofe nvho ivere placed in the Epifcopal Office by the 
 Apojiles. 
 
 Again he fays, [Ibid] {h) Go through the Apoflolic Churches ^ 
 where the Chairs {or Seats ) of the Apoflies are continued to this 
 Day : Art thou near Achaia : there thou fjalt find Corinth. // 
 Macedonia is not far from thee ? there thou hafi Philippi and 
 Theflalonica. // thou travellefl into Afia ? there is Ephefus. 
 // to Italy ? thou haft Rome. 
 
 And more fully in his Book De Baptifmo ; (c) Of giving 
 Baptifm, the Chief Frieft has the {firft ) Power, then Presbyters 
 and DeaconSy but not without Authority from the Bif\)cp. 
 
 What S. Cyprians Opinion was, as to the Epifcopal Sape- 
 riority, is evident almoft in every Page of his Works: I jhall 
 only name a few, and leave the Reader to the Author him- 
 felf, or to our Conntrey-Man Mr. Sage's excellent Vindication 
 of the Principles of the Cyprianick Age. 
 
 {(f) Edanr Origines Ecclefiarum fiiarum, evolvanc ordinem Epif- 
 copuium fiioium, jta per Succc/liones ab initio dccurrenrem uc 
 pnmu'. ille i'p'fcopiis aliqucm ex Apoftolis 3ut Apoftolicis vi- 
 ns, habuerir Aurhoiem 6c AntcceHbirem, (Tc. B-lJon, Downham. 
 
 {b) Pcrcurre Eccielias Apoftolicas apud quas ipfse adhuc Cathedrje 
 Ap<;lt loruni (uis iocis prselidennir, <cj'c. Ibid. 
 
 ic) Pandi Bapcifmum jus habet fumrr.us Sacerdos qui eft Epifcopus, 
 dchinc Presbyrtri 2c Diacori, non umcn line Epifcopi authoiitace. 
 Bilior.y ScQit. 
 
 We 
 
[88] 
 
 \Ve find then in the loth Ep. where S. Cyprian blames Come 
 Presbyters for airuming the Power of receiving the laps'd 
 ChriiHans. 
 
 (^) What danger have ive not caufe to fear Ly offending God ; 
 vihen fome Presbyters y neither remembrlng the Gofpel^ nor their 
 own Order ; nor minding a future j^udgmer^i, nor their B'/jhop 
 ^ho is fet over them^ (^ thing never done to my Prederejjors) 
 fijfunie all to themfelvesy to the NegleB and Contempt of their 
 
 Bi[l}op 1 could dijfenible and beiir the Contempt of my Epif- 
 
 copal Authorityy as I have always done hitherto^ but here there is n9 
 room for Conniving 
 
 Heic it feems S. Cyprian thought that the forgerting the Ju- 
 rifdiftion of a Bifhop over Piesbyters was to forget the Gofpely 
 and a future Judgmemt* As he plainly fays upon the fame 
 Occafion in the very next lipilHe, {h) Keither Regarding ih4 
 fear of Gody nor the honour of their Bifnop. 
 
 And, [c) I hear that /owe Presbyters y neither windftil of the 
 
 Go/pel nor referving to their Bifiop the DlGNII'T OF BIS 
 
 OFFICE and Chair t have begun to Communicate with the 
 laps'd 
 
 And that it was not a Piece of Pride in that Holy Father, 
 but the Praftice of the Church in his Time, appears from a 
 Letter wrote to him by the Priefts and Deacons of Romey after 
 the Death of Fabian their Bifhop. 
 
 The Title of the Letter ij., {d) 'To the Holy Father, or Tope 
 Cyprian, the Presbyters and Beacons rejiding at Rome wijl) Prof- 
 ferity. 
 
 In this Epiftle, which the Clergy of that Church wrote 
 to him concerning the receiving the Laps'd , they fay , 
 
 (^)Quod enim non periculum meruere dcbemus, de offenfa Domini} 
 quando aliqui de Presdyreiis nee Evangclis, nee Loci Tut memores ; 
 led nequ2 tururum Domini Judicium, utquc nuiic lit>i Pii^^polirum 
 Epifcopum cufritanres, quod nunquam ciinnino Tub anttcdlorious 
 factum trt, cum contuinclia & C'...rciiip,u Prrepoliri toium libi 
 
 vindicent ~ — Contunvlras ^pifLopiCus nuiln dimmulare &; 
 
 icrre pjflem, ficuc diiTimulivi fcjviixr 6c; pertuli : fed diirunulandi 
 nuMc locus nun (it. Panalii. Edit. p. 29. 
 
 (b) Ncc timoiem dei, nee Epilcupi huiiurem cogirames* Epi, 11. ^d 
 liar tyres, p. 31. 
 
 (c) AudiO tatTs.en quofdam de Piesbytcris rec Evangelii memo- 
 res nee Epiicupij iKjnurem SaL-erdOiii iui ik. Cathcdige rt- 
 
 jcivanies jam cum laphscumiiiunicare cKpilk Ep. 12. p. 
 
 {d) C>yriano Papae, Prcsbyteii .ik, Discjui Roms: Conliflences. S. 
 
 {a) Although 
 
, [ 89 ] 
 
 (<?) Aifho* there lies a greater Kecejfify upon us io delay this 
 rnattery who {ftnce the Death of Fabian of glorious Memory^ 
 have no Bijhop fet over us, {hy reafon of the difficulty of our Af- 
 fairSy and the prefent 'Times) who might order all thefe mat" 
 tersy and take an account of the Lapsed with Authority and good 
 Counfel. 
 
 Then they go on to blame thofe, who without the Advice 
 and Dire^ion of the Bipops, Freshyters, Deacons^ Confeffors and 
 Peophy \vould receive fuch ro Communion who h;td f*.:icn 
 from the Faith ; and conclude, (,b) Before the fettling of a Bftjop 
 
 over us, we have judq'd that no Innovation he made in the 
 
 mean time that the Caufe of thofe who can bear delay^ may be 
 fufpended till it fhall pleafe God to give us a Bifi&p. 
 
 Thus I think I have fully proved, 'That our B'effed Lord left 
 the Government of his Church in the Hands of fome Go/pel Mini- 
 fiers fuperiour to, and excarcifing J-urifdiBion over other Gofpel 
 Minifiers, viz. In t,he Apojlles ovet the Seventy; I have ihew'd , 
 that the Apojlles did indeed govern the C^^/^rcZ; by exexifing 
 that Superiority during their own Lives ; I have given Indan- 
 ces of their delegating that Tower and Authority to partica- 
 lar Perfons, to whom they gave CommilTion to a£i: as Apo- 
 files in thofe Places where they could not be prefent them- 
 felves ; and I have likewife fFjew'd you, That the Church was 
 govern'd for the frjl three hundred Tears after the fame man- 
 ner, viz.* hy fome Gofpel Minifiers fuperior to other Gofpel 
 Minijlers. 
 
 I might eafily have come lower down, and have given the 
 concurrent Teftimony of later Ages for Epifcopal Govern- 
 ment; but I avoid as much as poffible the Tedioufnefs of 
 Qnotations. To thofe who with unprejudic'd Minds feek for 
 Truthy what I have faid will, I hope, appear fufficient ; and 
 to thofe who lludy to obfcure Truth for Inferefl, and to fop- 
 port a bad Caufe, a Volume of Teftimonics from Primitive 
 Antiquity will be only loft Labour. For if they hear not Chriji 
 and his Apoftles, neither will they he perf waded if a hundred Fa* 
 thers pould rife from the Dead, 
 
 {(%) Quanquam nobis differcnd^ hujus rei necedlcas major in-, 
 cumbar, qmons, y^H ExcelRim nobiliHTimx memories viri Fa- 
 biani, nondum eft Epifcopas proprer Renim 8c Tcmporum Diffi- 
 cultates cunftiturus, qui omnia ifta moderetur, & eorum qui L-pti 
 func poliic cum aucloiitate & confilio habere Rationcm. ^. Cypr- 
 Epili.^i.p.Si. 
 
 (b) Anrc Conftitutionem Eplfcopi nihil innovan.-lum putavi- 
 
 mus- uc interim dim EpiCcopus dari a Deo nobis fuftine- 
 
 lur, in fufpenlb eorum qui moras poffunc diiationis fuftinere, caufa 
 
 ceiicatur p,6z, 
 
 G I will 
 
1^ 5° ^ 
 
 I will therefore now take Notice of the Names given to the 
 feveral Go/pel Minifiers by our Church in her Litany ; 'vlz* 
 BISHOPS, PRIHSTS and DHACONS. 
 
 And however the Names Bipop, and Presbyter or Elder, may 
 be promifcuoufly apply'd in Holy Scripture to the fame Per- 
 fpns, yet 1 think that will be no Argument for the Indentity 
 of the Office, fincc it is never to be deny'd (without flying 
 in the Face of thf^le Oracles of Truth) that the Apojiles were 
 fuperioar to the reft of the Clergy : And indeed, if being 
 calrd a Bipop in Scripture be fufficient to level a Perfon to a 
 mere Presbyter, it will make our Bleifed Lord himfelf of no 
 higher Order, fince the Apoftle calls him, The Bifiop of our 
 Soulsy iS.Tet. 2. 
 
 But whatever they are call'd in the very Times of the 
 Apoftles, (which I will not enter into any Debate about, 
 fince it is the SUPERIORITY and not the NAME I contend 
 for ) I have ihew'd you that Tome Gofpel Minijlers had a higher 
 Degree, and were Superiour to others ; and thofe who are 
 (according to the Command of our Saviour, and Pra£i:ice of 
 the Apoltles and Primitive Church) veiled with that Supe- 
 riority we call Bijhops. This is a Name which in the very 
 firft Century became appropriated to the higheft Order and 
 Degree of Gofpel Miniltcrs, as is very plain throughout all 
 S. Ignatius's Epiftles : And if any Man will make Senfe of 
 that Admirable Piece of Antiquity without that Diftinftion, 
 he will have a better Knack at folving Paradoxes than I can 
 pretend to. 
 
 Whether thofe great and glorious Martyrs of the firft Age, 
 had any other Reafons for ufing the Word Bifloop inftead of 
 Apoflle^ befide their Humility, I will not pretend to deter- 
 mine ; but that they did univerfally do it is certain, which I 
 think is a very good Precedent for our Excellent Church to 
 follow. 
 
 The Power which ourBifhops of Right exercife, is the fame 
 ■with which our Blefled Saviour veiled the Eleven x^poftles, 
 with relation to the Government of the Church. [As to the 
 miraculous Power, I have already fliew'd, p. 82. that it ought 
 not to come into the Argument, as not being granted at their 
 Confecration but three Days afterwards ; fo that they were 
 as much Apoflles the Day before Pentecoft, as they were the 
 Day after.] 
 
 That our Saviour gave Commiflion to his Apoftles, as full 
 as was neceflaiy to the Government of his Church, I fuppofe 
 none of my Countreymen will deny, by thefc Words, Receive 
 ye the Holy Ghofl, &c. and, Go ye unto all the World, Sec, 
 That he gave them Power to fend others, is as plain from 
 thefe Words, As my Father feat tue, even fo fend I you ; i. e. 
 
 As 
 
[ pO 
 
 As my Father fent me with Power to give this CommifTidn 
 to you, even fo fend I you with Power to fend others, and 
 that not for any limited Time, but while the Chriftian 
 Church Ihould continue on Earth ; for fo thefe Words, Lo I 
 am luith yoa always, &c. muft imply. Now, who are they 
 whom he promifes to be with to the End of the World ? Not 
 with tht: Perfons of the Apoftles ; for they, did not outlive 
 himfelf very long ; and therefore we muft underftand this 
 Promife, of the Apojlles and their lawful Succejfors. There- 
 fore whatever Power the Apojiles had by 'vertue of that Commif- 
 jion, thofe to whom they derivdthat Conim'ijfion muft neceflarily 
 have been vefted with the fame : And fmce they, who in the 
 Times of the Apojllesy were call'd by the Name of Apojlles, and 
 immediately after their Death diftinguilli'd by the Title of 
 Bipops ; fmce they, I fay, were the Perfons to whom the 
 Apoftles dying or departing, deriv'd their Commiilion ; then 
 it neceftarily follows that they (who in the Apoftolic Age 
 were cali'd Apoftles and foon afiev Bifhops) had by Virtue of 
 that Commiflion the full Vlenitude of the Apoplic Power, de- 
 riv'd to them from Ch-rift : And by the fame Authority they 
 to whom they delegated their Commiflion, received the fame 
 Power, and fo down through all the fucceeding Ages of the 
 Chriftian Church to this Day. If it is noc by Virtue of this 
 Commiflion given to the Apoftles by our Saviour, that all 
 Go/pel J\^inijlers are authorized and ordained, I defire any one to 
 fhew what Authority they have, and where it is given. If it is 
 by Virtue of this ConlVniflion that any Man is an authoriz'd 
 Mlnifler, then it can come by no Hands but the Apoftles, and 
 theirs to whom the Apoftles gave it. And that was TO 
 SOMH SUPEKIOUR TO OTHERS, (as I have fhew'd bet 
 fore.) And thofe who are the Superiour MiniferSy are they 
 ■Whom we call Bi(l)ops. 
 
 The Power which thofe Bijhops have by Virtue of that dele- 
 gated Commiftion is, 
 
 I'o make Laws for the good Government of the Church* 
 
 'To ordain to Ecclefiajlical Offices. 
 
 *To cenfure or relax Offenders. And, 
 
 To confirm thofe who have been lawfully enter d Into the Church 
 hy Baptifm, 
 
 It will not be expe£led that Ifhculd difcourfe particularly 
 of all thefe Epifcopai Powers : They who have a Mind to 
 read of them, will find them very concifcly treated of, in Dr. 
 Scott s Chriftian Life, of the Mlnifiry of Chrijl's Kingdom. 
 
 The fecond Order of Gofpel Minifters in our Church, is tbat 
 of PRIESTS. 
 
 The Word PRIEST (whether we rake it as a Contiaaion 
 of the Word Presbyter^ or as a Tranllation of le^sK or Sacer- 
 
 G % dos] 
 
iiof) is very fitly apply'd to the Minifters of Chrift. The 
 Clergy arc call'd Presbyters in the New Teftamcnt To fre- 
 quently, that I fuppofe you Gentlemen of the Presbyterian 
 Way, will not quarrel v.ith the Word Piieft, upon the Ac- 
 count of its being deriv'd from that. 
 
 Nor is it to be rejefted for being the Tranflation of Sacer- 
 ,dos-, for t)0th in Greek and Latin it iigni ties /;ro/_y ; denoting, 
 that they who are fet apart for that Office are holy (that is, 
 confecraitd ) to God. 
 
 I know that fome objeft that this is Popery, Juda'ifm or 
 Heathenifm^ and tends towards introducing the Do^rine of 
 Sacrifices. 
 
 For furcly no ingenuous Man that reads our Communion 
 Service, and particularly the Pray'r of Confccration, where 
 we affert, " rChat Chrift by his ONE OBLATION ONCE OF- 
 ** FER'D made a full, perfeB, and fujficient Sacrifice, Oblation 
 *' and Saiisfatlion for the Sirs of the 'whole World : I fay, no 
 Man who reads this can affirm, that our Church gives the 
 leaft Countenance to the Sacrifice of the Mafs, as pra6lis'd in 
 the Church of Rome. And far lefs is there any room to objeft 
 to iisthe Jewifh or Heathen Sacrifices. 
 
 Our Minifters are indeed Friejls as they are ordairi'dof God 
 io mediate between God and Man, Heb. 5. i. and the Sacrifice 
 they offer up to God for the People, is neither the Blood of 
 Bulls nor Goats, fuch as the Jews ; nor human Flelh, [uch as 
 the Heathens us'd ; but the Sacrfpce of Frayrs and 'Thanl^fgi" 
 'ving, and the COMMHMOR ATIVE SACRIFICE OF 
 CHRIST'S BODY AND BLOOD. 
 
 It is not indeed a proper real Sacrificey (for there never was 
 either among Jews or Gentiles A TRUE and PROPER Sa- 
 crifice, but the O N E Offering 0/ JESUS CHRIST upon the 
 Crofs) but as all the Sacrifices i\nder the Law were Reprefen- 
 tations of that Propitiatory One nvhich was TO b¥^ offer dn> 
 God for the Sins of the whole World, fo the Gofpel Pricft's 
 Oftering the Eucharifl is a Reprefentation and JMemorial of 
 Chriil Sacrifice of himfelf ALREADY OFFER'D. 
 ^ Apd therefore I Ihall never quarrel with any Man upon the 
 . Score of calling us Sacrificing Priefis : For we of that holy 
 Order have undoubtedly as much Power, and offer a truer 
 Reprefentation of the ONE Expiatory Sacrifice, than ever the 
 Prieft did under the Law. And hence it is that the moft 
 ancient Fathers of the Chriflian Church call thofe who have 
 Power to abfolve Penitents, and confccratc the Euchariil, very 
 often by the Name of Priefts («r), and the holy Eucharill ic 
 
 felf 
 
 (a) Juftin Martjr, Dialogue with Trypho. p. 2 (Jo. Eufcbius Com. 
 
 OH 
 
[93] 
 
 fcif is termed the Sacrifice of the Altaty and the unbloody Sa- 
 crifice la). 
 
 The Power which Priefis or Presbyters have in our Church, 
 is no other than what they have exercis'd thefe 1700 Years ; 
 viz. 'The Poiver of Preaching and adminijiring the Gof pel Sacra- 
 ment s^ and of abfo lying Offenders upon their Repentance. 
 
 If any ask, How they can exercife thofe Powers without be- 
 ing Apoftles or Biiliops, fince our Saviour gave that Commif- 
 fion only to the ApclHcs as luch, I anfwer. It is true our 
 Saviour gave thofe Powers only to the Apofiles, but he gave 
 them Authority to delegate that Power to whom they thought 
 fit and worthy : And they gave to fome ALL their Power, 
 (and fo they were as much Apoflles as the firft Eleven were) 
 but to others they only gave PART of their Power ; ^'iz. To 
 Preach and adminiftcr the Sacraments, (as without doubt was 
 done by the Elders or Priefts of the Church of Corinth when 
 S. Paul was abfent from them, i Cor. 11.) fo that whatever 
 Part of the Apoltolical Authority any Minifter of the Chri- 
 ftian Church duly or validly e^cercircs^ii;^ is by Virtue of a 
 regular Delegation from the firjl Apojlles or their Succeffors, 
 And whoever pretends to exercife any Part of the Miniilerial 
 Office without that Delegation or Million, is an Intruder into 
 the Prieji's Office, and every Aft of his is NULL and VOID, 
 and in the Scripture Style an Abomination to the Lord, 
 
 That the Power of Abfolution i^ given to Prieih in our 
 Church, is plain from rhe Words of their Ordination, Whofo- 
 foever Sins ye remits &c. 
 
 The third Office of Gofpel Miniflers is that of DEACONS. 
 That they were ordain'd to an Office in the Church by the 
 Apoftles by Impofition of Hands, I think is not deny'd. That 
 they were Preachers and Baptizers, is plain from the Inftance 
 of S. Philip, who was one of them. That they can have no 
 more Power iu the Church than the Apoitles or their Succef- 
 fors think fit to give them, is plain from the Cafe of the Came 
 ,S. Philip at Samaria, who (though he Preach' d and Baptizd,yet} 
 
 m Pfal. U. laji Verfe Ch^yroft. de S-:crlficio, /. 3. Bafil. cleBipcifnio, 
 /. 2. ojUiejl. II. Vide Chriftian Pr icjl hood ajje, -ted, p. )j. Sec 
 
 {a) Greg. Naz. Orar. 17. Orat 3. contra Juiianum. Orar. i. andin 
 his I \th Poem to the Bifhops. 
 
 CI Q'jfftug 'Tfjw.xovTs? civ£eiiJ.cii<rov<; lefiyjeg. 
 
 n. Oeov avQ:u}Troi(Ti, p-£y' i^o^ov e/.; ev ayoyre-. 
 
 O Priejl I IVho ojf^r up unbloody Sacrifices ; and \ 
 
 O great Dignity ! Who reconcile Men to God. 
 S.Cyp. Ep.53. ad Caecil. J. Ghr. Sacriiicii hiijus aiiaor. 
 Vide Preface to Chrijiian Priejihood afferted, p. 27, 6wc. 
 
 G 5 coiUd 
 
C n ] 
 
 could proceed no farther, but the Apoflks fent S. Peter and- 
 S. John to ordain and conjirm^ Afts 8.14. 
 
 I don'r deny but the firft Inftitution of that Order in the 
 Church, was to take care of the Poor and the Alms of the 
 Church, (and perhaps that would be a more confiderable Part 
 of their Office at tins Day than it is made, if the unhappy Di- 
 vifions that are among us would (uSex the Difcipline of the 
 Church to t.tke dwc Place ) but at the fame Time they areGof- 
 pel MInilfcrs, veftcd (by their Ordination, by the Example 
 of the Scripture Deacons, and the long PraBice of the 
 Church) with a Power of doing feveral parely miniflcrial 
 A£^s, fuch as Freachh7p by the Bijhop's Licence, Baptizhig, and 
 AdminiJIrinpr the Cup to the People in the holy Sacrament of the 
 Lord 'i» Supper. 
 
 I have infiitcd the longer upon thefe three Orders of Gofpel 
 Miniilers, to fhew you (if poiTible) your Error, in fetting 
 up Miniftevs to your f elves ivho have NO AlfSSlON. For 
 though in this Letter I have carefully avoided every Thing that 
 might look like ill Nature or Refle£l:ion, yet I Ihould be an 
 Enemy to Truth and Honefty if I fhould not warn you of the 
 Danger you are in for want of Gofpel Ordinances, If you have 
 no Ordination you can have no laivful Minijlers, if you want 
 latvful Minifers, you your felves {a) allow that you can have 
 NO BAPTISM ; and without Baptifm, you have no Title to 
 the Covenant of Grace/m God's ordinarily way of dealing with 
 us. Therefore I befeech you to look to it, for though you 
 may amufe your felves and the World with a legal Eftabiifli- 
 ment, I fhail take the Liberty to fay ( with all due regard and 
 fubmiffion to the Civil Power ) that what our BlelVcd Saviour 
 has commanded, no Fo-zver on Earth can make void ; and what 
 he or his Aportle.s have either by exprefs Words or necefifary 
 Gonfequencc forbidden, 7io Laiv of Alan can make lawful. And 
 whether Epifccpacy or Freshytery be the Governmenc appohted 
 hy Chrijl and his Apoflks, to continue in his Church to the End 
 Oi- the World, I appeal to the Holy Scriptures, as they are in- 
 terpreted by the Fathers of the beft and purelt Ages of Chrif- 
 tianiry ; and I fubmit all thnt I have faid upon this Argument 
 to any judicious unprejudic'd JReader ; but efpccially my Go- 
 vcrnoin.s. 
 
 And now, my Brethren, if Bipops, Friejls and Deacons be the 
 LAWFUL NHNTSTERS of Chrift's Church, what can be 
 more Edifying than to pray, (according to S. FauVs Dire£lion) 
 that God 'Would " illur?:inaie them nvith true Knowledge and 
 *' XJnderfranding of his Word, and that both by their Freaching 
 
 and Living they may fet it forth and fljeiv it accordingly. 
 
 {») See, Dialogue bitisecii a Curate and a Count rcjtnan. 
 
 This 
 
[95] 
 
 This Petition is Co good that it wants no Vindication, and 
 fo plain that it needs no iljufiration. I therefore go on : 
 
 " I'hiit it may pleafe thee to etiduc the Lords of the Council^ 
 *f and all the Nobility ^ with Grace ^ Wifdom and Jlnderfian- 
 ?* ding. 
 
 We befeech thee to hear its, good Lord. 
 
 Whoever conliders the great Happinefs or Mifchief that ac- 
 • crues to a Nation from the good or bad inBnence of the 
 COUNCIL of their Princes, (of which we in thefe Nations 
 have often and always vvill feel the EfFe£ls, ) will think this 
 Part of our Litany of great Ule ; and therefore by no means 
 are we to negleSt Praying to God, that he would " give the 
 " Lords of the Council, and all the Nobility , ( who are all ei- 
 ther Ordinary or Extraordinary Counfellers and Advifers of 
 our Princes) Grace to live well themfelvcs, and Wifdom and 
 Underftanding to promote the Intercit of Religion, and the 
 Happinefs of the Kingdoms. 
 
 " 'That it may -pleafe thee to hlefs and keep the JUagiJlrates, 
 " giving them Grace, to execute J-ujiice and to maintain "Truth* 
 We befeech thee to hear us, good Lord. 
 
 Here we pray, that God would be gracioudy pleafcd to 
 blefs and prote£l the inferiour Magifirates under His Majeflyy 
 that they may have Grace to execute J-uJlice without Corrup- 
 tion or Partiality, and maintain God's Truth with Courage and 
 Conftancy. 
 
 Then we pray for all God's People in thefe Nations in ge- 
 neral, i.e. for all Chriftians under the King's Dominion and 
 Government. Not that we arc fo fcanty in our Charity, as at 
 all Times to confine our good Wifhes and Prayers to thofe 
 who are of our Religion or Countrey, (for in other Parts 
 of this excellent Litany we pray for all the World ) but 
 having pray'd for the King, the Clergy, the Nobility and 
 the Magiflracyy we here pray for the ivhole Commons of 
 the Realm. 
 
 After which we beg of God, that he would " give fo all 
 *' Nations Unity y Veace and Concord. 
 
 Here we extend our Petitions ; and as \vc have prayed for 
 our fellow SubjeQ:s before, fo now we pray for all the World. 
 That all Nations vmder Heaven may be brought to the Unity 
 of the Chridian Religion, tliat they may live at Peace with 
 . their Neighbours, and good Agreement among themfelves. 
 Then we pray again for our fclves, that God wtnild be 
 pleas'd *^ to give us an heart to love and dread hiniy and dili- 
 *' gently to live after his Commandments. 
 
 For as all religious Deities, done out of any other Principle 
 than the love and fear of G^<\, will be bar fo many A8:s of 
 
 G 4 Uj^ocrify 
 
Kypocrify^ and as we can't love and fear God aright nnlefs he 
 give us an Heart to do it, we pray that he would be gracioufly 
 pleafed to grant our Requeft, that from a true Principle of 
 Love and Fear we may diligently live after his Command- 
 ments. 
 
 And that v/e may ftili pioceed in a virtuous Life, we pray, 
 " 1'hat it may pleafe thee to give to all thy 'People incveafe of Grace y 
 that they may daily improve thofe Talents which have been 
 committed to their Truft ; and in order thereto, give them 
 Grace *' to hear meekly^ without Pride or Paflion, " thy 
 " Word, whether Read or Preach'd ; '' and to receive it with 
 " pure AffeHion^ and difiaterefted Hearts ; " and to bring 
 " forth the Fruits of the Spirit^ Gal. 5.22. 
 
 Then we piay for thole who have, either through Ignorance 
 or Wickednef'i, departed from the Truth of the Gofpel. 
 " "That it may ple.xfe thee to bring into the way of 'Truthj all 
 " ftich as have erred and are deceived. 
 
 We alft) pray, that God would " firengthen fuch as do Jland, 
 ftedfaft in the right Faith and orderly Pra£lice of their Duty, 
 " con:fort and help the weak hearted, and fuch as by, either a 
 mifapprchenfion of the Laws of God think themfelves guilty 
 of fome Sins when they a:e not ; or by too fevere a Notion of 
 God's Juftice and Indignation againft Sins, judge tiiemfelves 
 out of a Capacity of Mercy ; *' and to raife up them that 
 *' fall, by granting Repentance to all thofe who iiave either 
 fwerv'd from the Truth, or fallen into any grievous Sin, 
 *' And finally : to beat down Satan under our feet y that we be 
 not overcome by any of his Temptations. 
 
 Having thus made our Interceflions to Almighty God for 
 the Spiritual Wants of others, and begg'd his Ailiitance for 
 our felves ; we proceed to implore his Mercy and Help for 
 the temporal Neceffities of our Brethren. That he would be 
 e;racioufly pleafed, to juccour all that are in danger, of what- 
 foever Kind, and from whatfoever Caufe it proceeds-; To 
 help all that are in *' Necejfttyy in whatfoever Degree: And 
 comfort all that are in *' 'Tribulation, or Alili6tion. 
 
 Then we defcend to Particulars, viz. " To prefcrve all that 
 " Travel by Land or by Water ; all Women labouring of Child ; 
 ^' all fick Perfons and young Children, ami to foew thy Pity upon 
 ^* all Pr'i{o-asrs and Captives. 
 
 Here we pray, that God would accept our Prayers for thofe 
 who can't have the Conveniency wiiich we now enjoy, of 
 worfhipping God in his Church, we pray for thofe who arC 
 travelling upon their lawful Occafions by Sea or Land ; or if 
 any one Thould be fo captious as to fay, that we pray for Rob- 
 ber and Pirates. I believe it is not again(f the Genius of 
 Chriilianity to pray, that they may have time to Repent ; but 
 
 ■ as 
 
[97] 
 
 as i never knew any Member of our Church that onderftood 
 by this (ntcrccdion any other than lawful Travellers, I think 
 the Obje£tion mjjde by the Presbyterians at the Savoy Confe- 
 rence is trifling^/ 
 
 I hope no good Chriftian will except againft the latter 
 Part of it, viZ' " For Women Libouring of Child, Jlck Verfons 
 ** and young Children, and that God would have pity upon all 
 '* Frifoners and Captives, 
 
 Want of Liberty is a great AfHi£lion, we therefore Pray 
 that God would di^liver thofe who are depriv'd of it undefer- 
 vedly, and to grant Repentance to thofe who are Prifoners 
 for their Crimes. 
 
 I hope, I need not fay much to juftify the next Interceflbry 
 Petition. That God would *' defend and provide for the fa- 
 *' therlefs Children and Wido'JJs, and all that are defolate and 
 *' opprefs'd. If it be Pure Religion and undefil'd before God and 
 the Father^ ( as S. fames fays ) to vifit the FatherJefs and 
 Widows in their A-^iciion ; fure it is a Chiiftian Duty to pray 
 for them. And it it is a Part, and a neceifary Part of our 
 Keligion, to mourn with them that mourn^ we can't refufe to re- 
 member in our daily Devotions the defolate and opprefs'd. 
 And fmce there are many Thoufands o{ fatherlefs Children and 
 Widows, and of defolate and difirefs'd People that we don't 
 know, and many of thofe which we do know that we can't 
 relieve ; it is our Duty to recommend them to God Almighty, 
 who can both defend and provide for them. 
 
 But however innocent this Petition may be allow'd to be, 
 the following one is excepted againft as black Popery, or 
 fomething worfe. 
 
 *' T!hat it may pleafe thee^ to have Mercy upon all Men* 
 This is faid to be praying for what we are fure God will never 
 grant, as being contrary to his ^5?^^-^« ^♦'^ "^ ^-^ "* 
 
 I will not here trouble you, nor myTelf, with unneceflary and 
 dangerous Difputcs about the Eternal Decrees of God and P/e- 
 defiination : It had been happy for the Church of Chrift if 
 there had been no Noife about fuch dark Things. What is 
 fuflicient to juftify our Litany in this Petition, is, that S. Paul 
 (who underrtood God's Decrees at leaft as well a? you or I) 
 commands us to pray for all men, i Tim. 2. i. And the very 
 Reafon he gives for it v. 5. is, that it is acceptable to God^ 
 who will have all men to be fav'd and to come t$ the knowledge 
 of the 'Truth : 1. e. That God does not defire the Death of a Sir^~ 
 fier, (as he fays by his Prophets more than once) but rather 
 that he pculd turn from his Wickednefs and live. Now if God 
 be willing that ALL IAYlN foould be fa-vd: U Chriji dy'd 
 FOR ALL : (as certainly he did) And if it be only Peoples 
 cwn FaiiU if they be damn'd ; And Finally, If the Apoftlc 
 '■' commands 
 
[P8] 
 
 commands as to put up our Prayers and Inter ceJfioTis FOR ALL 
 without exception ; Let us follow the Precept, and Pray, 
 That God would hnie Mercy upon all Men. 
 
 And now having finifh'd the Interceflions in our Litany, we 
 come to the 
 
 SUPPLICATIONS. 
 
 *' "That it may pleafe thee to give and preferve to our ufe the 
 ** kindly Fruits of the Earth, fo as In due time we may enjoy 
 **■ them. 
 
 And indeed, the Wifdom of the Church in wording this 
 Petition is very evident, it being proper for every Seafon of 
 the Year: For we Pray that God would give his BlefTing up- 
 on all the Fruits of the Ground which we have not as yet 
 reaped, and that he would preferve to iis thoie which we have 
 already in Poflefiion; fo that In due time we rn^.y enjoy both one 
 and the other. 
 
 The next Petition is plain and unexceptionable, ijlz. *J^hat it 
 ** way pleafe thee to give us true Repentance, to forgive us all our 
 *' Snis, &c. 
 
 To which C as to all the preceding Interceffions ) the People 
 anfwer, *' We hefeech thee to hear uSy good Lord. 
 
 SeB, XXII. But becatife thefe Prayers fcem to have been 
 addrcfs'd to all the Three Perfons in the Holy Trinity, we now 
 luorc particularly apply to Our Bleffed Saviour. *' Son of God 
 *' ii-e befeech thee to hear us. And the People anfwer, ** Son 
 *' of God, &c. 
 
 Of thefe fhort Petitions I have faid enough in the former 
 Part of this Letter, to vindicate them from the Sjandal of 
 vain Repetitions. Nor is it much for the Ciedit of thofe 
 who call themfelves Chriltians, to cavil at fuch an excellent 
 Service as this of the Litany is ; becaufe in it we are taught 
 to acknowledge the Divinity of Chrift, by addrefling our De- 
 votions particularly to him as our God, our Mediator and 
 Advocate. Therefore 1 hope you will think better, and join 
 heartily with the MiniHer in Praying, Son of God -ii'e befeech 
 ** thee to hear us. 
 
 Then the Miniftcr Prays, '' Lamb of God that tahefl away 
 *' the Sins of the World. The People anfwer. Grant us thy 
 *' Feace. The Minidcr fays again, Lamb of God^ &c. 
 And the People, *' Have Mercy on us. 
 
 That thefe iliort Petitions are taken ont of the Holy Scripr 
 ture I need not tell you, and that they were very anciently 
 iifed in the Divine Offices of the Chriftian Church we are fuf- 
 ficiently alTiircd {a). 
 
 {a). See Dr. Comber /« Lqc 
 
 In 
 
[99] 
 
 In thefe earneft Ejaculations we addrefs cur Saviour, ac- 
 cording to his feveral Titles, As Son of God ; as the Lamb 
 pf God ; and then as the Anointed of God. " Chrijl hear 
 " us. And we Pray to him to hear us, to grant us his Peace, 
 and to have Mercy upon tis. All which are fo unexceptiona- 
 ble to thofe who own Chrift to be God, that really one would 
 be tempted to believe, that there were fome hankering after 
 Socinianifm at the bottom of the great Outcry againft our Li- 
 turgy, more upon the account of our particular Addrelles to 
 Chrilt, than any other Part of it : But I hope, my Brethren, 
 Xe hxve not fo learn d Chrifl. 
 
 Having therefore put u^ our Supplications to him after a 
 peculiar manner ; we next addrefs ourfelves to the Holy Trini- 
 ty ; the People faying aficr the Minifter, Lord [God the Fa- 
 ther] " haiie Mercy upon us. Chriji [God the Son] hai;e 
 *' Msrcy, &c. Lord [God the Holy Ghoft] have Mercy upon us. 
 And this fliort Litany ( as it was call'd ) was frequently ufei 
 among the ancient Orthodox Chriftians, and probably begun 
 in the Greek Church, becaufe in the L^/iw Church (though 
 the reft of the Prayers were in Latin) they kept this ftiil in 
 Greek y-'^pts eAsscov' Then follows the Lord's Prayer ; of which 
 fee/>. 24.. Afcer which the Prielt adds, 
 
 ** Lord deal not with us after cur Sins. And the People 
 anfvver, Neither reiuard us after our IniquitieSy Plal. 103. 10. 
 
 SsB. XXllI. Theny the Priefl flirs up the Devotion of the 
 Congregation, by putting them in mind of what they are 
 about, and inviting them to join their Hearts with him in one 
 Common Prayer, faying, 
 
 " Let us pray. 
 
 *' Gody merciful Father, &c. 
 
 This Prayer (though at tirtt dcfign'd, as indeed the Litany- 
 it felf was, for Times of Perfecution ) is very fit for all Times 
 and Seafons. For in this World we meet with many Trou- 
 bles and Adverfities, fometimes from the Craft and Subtil- 
 tv of the Devil, and fometimes from the Malice and Fury of 
 wicked Men ; and however diftant we may think Perfecution, 
 we can ne/cr be fecure that we fhall not meet with it ; and 
 therefore, we Pray, That the wicked De/igns of our I-nemics 
 may be brought to nought, and by the Providence of God's 
 Goodnefs (which alone can do it) they may be difperfed : 
 And if he does not fee fit to keep Perfecutions intirely from us^ 
 yet we beg of him, that we may not be hurt by them, but may 
 ftill have the Liberty of our Holy Religion, and praife him 
 evermore in his Holy Church, through Jefus Chrill our Lord. 
 
 Inftead of the AK-zen which is ufed afcer other Prayers, the 
 People are to. fay, 
 
 Lo.d, 
 
[ 100 ] 
 
 Lovdi a^ljey help us anddeViver uSy for thy Name's fake. 
 
 Here we arcTaughc, that the: b no other Refuge to be de- 
 pended upon in Times of Difi'< alty and Danger but God 
 alone : And therefore we addrefs our felves to him, that for 
 his own Name's fake, by which we are call'd, he would deli- 
 ver and help us as he did his ow. People of old, ?/<?/. 45. 16. 
 
 Then, becaufe nothing encourages our Hope more than the 
 Confideration of former Mercies, the Minifter fays, out of 
 Tfal. 44. I. " God, we have heard ivith our EarSy and our 
 " Fathers have declard unto uSy &c. 
 
 Nor is this Argument of lefs ForcCj becaufe the Royal Pfal- 
 mift applies it particularly to the Jeivs ; for the Chriflian 
 Church is no lefs God's Inheritance than the J-eiv'ijlj was : Nor 
 have we in thefe Kingdoms lefs reafon to declare the wonder- 
 ful Works which God has from time to time done for us, than 
 they of old. The Minilter therefore prompts the People, to 
 pray for Help in all Time of Adverfity from a due Refleftion 
 upon what God has already done ; to which they anfwer, 
 *' Lordy avifey help us and deliver uSy for thine Honour, Pfal. 
 44. 26. and Pfal. 79. 9. Here we repeat the fame Petition as 
 before ; we prayed firft for Deliverance for the fake of God's 
 holy Namcy now for his Honour : That as he has glorify'd his 
 Name in old Times, and got Honour before the Heathen by 
 delivering his Servants heretofore ; fo now we pray, that he 
 would vouchfafe to give the fame Deliverance to us, that his 
 Name may he glorified by us. 
 
 Then we repeat again the Doxology^ to fhew, that as our 
 Truft is only in God, fo our Praife and Thankfgiving fhould 
 be return'd only to him. We therefore fay, *' Glory he to the 
 " Father, 6cc. Which is at once an Ad: of Praife for Meicies 
 receiv'd, and fhews our Faith and Truft in God for future 
 Bleifuigs. 
 
 But though we do Truft in God for Deliverance in all Trou- 
 bles, yet we muft not ncgle£l to put up our Prayers to him 
 when we are in Diftrcfs : We ihereforc pray, That our Bief- 
 fed Saviour would " defend us from our Enemies ; and the 
 People anfwer, *' GraciouJIy look upon our Affi^lions , Exod. 
 2. 25. 
 
 The Minifter goes on, " Pitifully behold the Sorrows of our 
 *' Hearts. Anfwer. Mercifully forgive the Sins of thy PeoplCy 
 Pfal. 25. 17. 
 
 *' 'Favourably with Mercy hear our Prayers. Anfwer. 
 " Son of David have Mercy upon us ; Job 35. 16. 5. Matt. 9. 
 27. 
 
 ** Both now and ever vouchfafe to hear uSy Chrifl. An- 
 fwer. *' Gracioujly hear us, O Chriji ; gracioujly hear us, 
 Lord ChriJl, Such Supplications wc often find in the Pfalms, 
 
 cnlj:. 
 
[ lOI ] 
 
 only with this Difference, that theRoj^al Pfalmift addrefles his 
 Prayers to God the Father ; we Chriftians, in this Place, to 
 God the Son, as onr merciful Saviour and Redeemer. See Vfal. 
 4. I. ?fal. 5. I. ?M 52. tfal. 51. 
 
 Then to conclude thefe alternate Supplications, the Minifter 
 out of ?fal. 39. 22. fays, *' Lordy let thy Mercy be pewed 
 *' upon us. " Anfwer. As ^we do -put our truft in thee. Here 
 again we beg God's Mercy, not becaufe we deferve it, but be- 
 caufe we depend upon his Goodnefs alone, and put our Confi- 
 dence in him for it. 
 
 All thefe Supplications are fo often to be found in holy 
 Scripture with very little Alteration that there is no occafion 
 to fpend much Time in vindicating them ; and -whoever joins 
 in them with a good Mind, will find that they are not only 
 Lawful but Edifying too. 
 
 Then follows a Prayer for Grace, to fan£lify all our Trou- 
 bles and Affli6lions. " We humbly befeech theCf Fathery 
 &c. 
 
 I hope I need not take much Pains to juftify this excellent 
 Prayer, there being nothing in it but what is agreable to the 
 true Orthodox Chriftian Faith. For here we pray to God as 
 oar " Father, mercifully to look upon our Infirmities, whether 
 Natural or Moral ; and that " for the Glory of his Name he 
 Would '* turn from us all thofe jtvils ivhich ive moji righteouf- 
 ** ly (i. e. juftlyy) have deferv d. Then we pray for a full 
 Truft in him in Time of Trouble. " And grant, that in all 
 ** our 'Troubles <we may put our nvhole Truji and Co?7f.dence in thy 
 ** Mercy. And becaufe that Confidence will only be an im- 
 pudent Prefumprion unlefs we live holy Lives : We there- 
 fore pray, " That o/^ may evermore ferve God in Holinefs and 
 *' Purenefs of Living to his Honour and Glory. And we beg 
 this, and all our other Petitions, not for any Merit of our 
 own, nor for the Merits of any Saint or Angel, but " through 
 '' our ONLT MEDIATOR AND ADVOCATE^ Jefus Cbriji 
 " our Lord. 
 
 The Litany ends with the Prayer of S. Chrifo- 
 flomy and the Blelling, as the Morning and Fvening 
 Service does. But becaufe there are other Occajional 
 Frayers that fometimes come before the Prayer of 
 S. Chryfojiom ; and a General Thankfgiving which 
 is always ufed before it, I l"hall fay fomething of 
 them. 
 
 It will not be nccelTary to infift particularly upon every one 
 of thofe Prayers. It will be fufficicnt to fay, That thefe Col- 
 lc£ls, viZ' for Rain, for fair Weather, in time of Fami?:e, in time 
 
t 102 ] 
 
 p/ fVar and 'Tumults^ of Plague or Sichiefs ; and ^o of the 
 Thankfgivings for Rain, for fair Weather, &c. I fay, thefe 
 are only u(Gd upon particular Occafions, and therefore are not 
 to be faid but when our Circumilances require any of them. 
 And furely to a Chriftian, who confiders that it \s fiom God's 
 Hand that we are to expcQ: Relief in any Calamity, it will 
 need no great Pains to lliew the Neceflity of addieffing our- 
 felves to him when we are under any Afflidion, fuch as Famine, 
 Drought, immoderate Rain, 8cc. And when we confider that 
 it is God's Mercy only that delivers us from thefe Evils, 
 is it not juft and reafonable to return Thanks to him for 
 Rain, Plenty, &c. 
 
 The Prayers appointed for thefe Occafions are fo good, thac 
 the bare reading of them is enough to recommend them. I 
 fhall therefore only be a little more full in explaining the 
 Prayers for HMBER WEEKS, the ParJiawent, the Prayer for 
 all Conditions of Men, with the fhort Prayer after it, and the 
 General 7'hanJ^fgiving, 
 
 SeB. XXIV. As to the EMBER WEEKS, I fhall very 
 briefly inquire into the Name and Defign of them, and then 
 fay fomeching of the Prayers appointed for them. 
 
 They are called EMBER WEEKS, from the ancient Cuf- 
 tom of baking Cakes upon Embers during the Eaft ; or, 
 from an old Saxon Word, Signifying Courfe, becaufe ihey 
 are obferved in conftant Courfe {a). They are of great Anti- 
 quity in the Church of Chrift, being mention'd ( as Dr. Com- 
 ber {b) obferves) by Calixtus, who was Bifhop of Rome in 
 the Year 221, as having been in Life in that Church before his 
 Time (c^. And Dr. Comber brings feveral Tcilimonics from 
 later Authors for the Antiquity of them. They are in our 
 Church four in Number ; one for every Seafon in the Year, 
 viz. 'The Wednefday, Friday, and Saturday after the frjl Sunday 
 in Lent, the Wednefday, Friday, and Saturd.iy after Whitfunday^ 
 the fame Days of the Week after Scbt ember the I^tb, and Decem- 
 ber the J'^th. 
 
 The Reafons given for the Appointment cf thefe Quarter- 
 ly Fafts are, i. Tn Imitation of the jezv/jh Fafts of ihc 4th, 
 5rh, 7th and loth Months, Zach.S. 19. 2. That cveiy Seafon 
 of the Year might be begun with devout Prayers and Pafting. 
 3. That every Part of lime may have its proper Fad. As 
 Lent is the folemn Faft for the Tear, and Friday for the Week ; 
 fo the Twelve Ember Days may be the Fall for the like Num- 
 
 {a) See Nelfon of the Ferfls and FjJIs of the Qkur.h, p. ^C^, 
 
 [b) Com'o. to the Temple, rarrz. Sc6t- 7. 
 
 (c) Calixr. £p. I. Bcncdidto Epilc, 
 
 ber 
 
[ 103 3 
 
 l)er of Months. And, 4. more efpecially that there mny be a 
 (olemn ftated Time appointed to beg God's Blefiing upon thofe 
 who arc to be ordain d as Minifters and Labourers in Chrilt's 
 Church {a). 
 
 The laft of thcfe Rcafons (though there is not one of them 
 bad ) is what the Prayers here refer to ; and what I hope no 
 Chriftian will obje£i: againft : For whether we confult the 
 Holy Scriptures, or the Reafon and Expediency of the Thing 
 icfelf, we fhall find that Vajiing and Grayer are vcty proper for 
 preceding Ordination of Minifters. The Apoltles Failed and 
 Prayed before they laid Hands on S. Bavfiabas and S. Paul, AHs 
 15. 2,5. And however both Prayer and Fafting upon thofe 
 Occafions aie too much neglected in our Days, it is very ne- 
 cePiary that they who are to receive Orders, ihould by thefe 
 means prepare thcmfelves. And Purely any one who loves 
 the Church, and is foUicitous about having worthy Men 
 brought into the Miniftry, will think himfelf oblig'd to join 
 not only in the Vrayevs of the Church for a Blefling upon thofe 
 •who are to receive Orders, but alfo by Falting (after the Ex- 
 ample of the firft Chrirtians) begs God's Grace upon them. 
 
 But this can't be done unlefs the Times of Ordination be 
 afcertain'd ; for by appointing fome folemn Times and Seafons, 
 out of which (except upon extraordinary Occafions) there 
 fhall no Perfon be Ordain'd to any Ecciefiaftical Office, the 
 •whole Church, not only of one City or Province, but alfo of 
 the whole Nation, nay (in this Cafe) the Univerfal or Ca- 
 tholick Church, Laity as well as Clergy, may join in Faftirg 
 and Prayer, to beg God's Direction and Blefling in fome good 
 Orthodox Form, fuch as thefe two Prayers of our Li- 
 turgy. 
 
 And that the People may not forget thefe holy Seafons, 
 the RubrJck appoints that the Miniifer Ihould give Warning 
 to the People the Sunday before, what Fafts are in the fol- 
 lowing Week, ih) and then one of the CoileSs is to be 
 faid through that whole Week at Morning and Evening 
 Prayer ; neither of which ought to be neglciSed. 
 
 Thefe ColicGs are excellently compos'd, fo that there can 
 be no Exception taken againft them ; for here we Pray for 
 Grace. 1. Upon thofe who are ro Oidain others, 'viz. The 
 Bipops and Vnflovs of the Churi h, that they may lay Hands fud- 
 deniy on M<vn-, hut faithfully and avifely wale Choice of fit 
 PerfoTis to ferve in the [acred AJiniJlry. 2. We Pray for thofe 
 ivlo are to be ordain d to any h.ly Function, that he would ^jve 
 them his Grace and heavenly EenediElibny that both by their Life 
 
 («) Vide Cornpmilon to the Temple, ubi fupva. 
 lb) Sa the Rubruk after the tNicene CraU, 
 
 and 
 
[ 104 ] 
 
 at7d DoBr'ijie, they mny fet forth his Glory y and fet fornvard {he 
 Salvation of all Men. 
 
 Here we pray for all thofe Things which are requifitc for 
 the Clergy : For if they have Gcd^s Grace, they will be fure 
 to be fit for their Office ; if they have his heaz-enly BenediBion, 
 they can't fail of having fuccefs in it. Jf they live good Lhes 
 they will be Ornaments to their ProfeflTion, and \o fet forth 
 God's Glory; and if they always Preach found VcBrinej they 
 will be moft likely to fet foravardthe Salvation of thofe com- 
 mitted to their Charge. And all this through Jefus Chrijl 
 our Lord. 
 
 The fecond Collect or Prayer for this Occafion is nor much 
 different from the other, and therefore I fliall not infill upon 
 it. If any take Exceptions at the beginning of it, [viz.. of 
 God's having appointed divers Orders in his Church] let him 
 look back to f 78, &c. of this Letter. 
 
 Next follows the Prayer for the Parliamer/t. I hope no Bo- 
 dy will judge it my Province to make a Icng Difcourfe about 
 the Nature of the Authority of this great Senate ; I fuppofe 
 they who are for giving to Parliaments greater Power than 
 ever a good one thought lawful 10 afTume, will not quarrel 
 with giving it a Place in our daily Service : And while 
 we have good and loyal Reprefentatives, I hope neither the 
 Crown nor the Nation will ever fufler by them. That there- 
 fore that great Body may always Aft wifely, and confult 
 the Glory of God, the Honour of the Crown, the Good 
 of the Church, and the Welfare of the Kingdom, in fet- 
 tling Feace and Bappinefs^ Tiruth and J-uflicCy Religion and 
 JPietyj and that not only for onr Time, but for all Generations^ 
 we w^t this Prayer (which is always faid during the Meeting 
 of the Parliament) to beg of God to direft all their Con- 
 fultations to thofe good and great Ends. And whoever re- 
 fufes to join in this excellent Prayer, is an Enemy to the 
 Conftitution, and loves neither the Churchy nor the King^ 
 nor the Kingdom. 
 
 There is nothing exceptionable in this Prayer : Ifhall there- 
 fore pafs to the 
 
 Prayer for all Conditions of Men, which is ufcd at Morning 
 Prayer on all fuch Days as the Litany is not to be faid, and at 
 Evening Prayer conftantly. *' God the Creator and Treferver 
 *' of all MarMnd, Sec. But having difcourfed of the Litany, 
 which compreliends all that is contain'd in this general Sup- 
 plication, I fhall not refume what is there faid : Onlj^ I be- 
 feech you to read this Prayer without prejudice, conlider it 
 ferionlly, and then tell me honefily whether in all the Extem- 
 pore Prayers that ever you heard in your Lives, you can fhew 
 fo much Matter comprehended in fo narrow a compafs, and di- 
 
 gcftcd 
 
[ion 
 
 gefted into fo good a Method. I dare anfwer you have not 
 found it ; nay, I will be bold to fay you never Avill. 
 
 As to the fliort CoIleS: which follows, ** God whofe Nd'- 
 ** ture and Property is ever to have Mercy, &c. it is left to 
 the Minilkr's Difcretion whether he will i\(e it or not. It is 
 very proper to be faid towards the clofe of our daily Devo- 
 tions, being an htimble Acknowledgement of our Sin and Un- 
 worthinefs, and a devout Prayer to God (from the Confidera- 
 tion of his merciful Nature) that he would receive our hum- 
 ble FetitioTJSj and eafe us of that Guilr, and hofe us from tholb 
 Bands of Sin which chains us like Slaves. And this for the 
 Honour of J-efiis Chrijij who is cur only JU'ediator and Ad^ 
 locate. 
 
 Having thus Prayed to God for ourfelves and others ; for 
 the ivhole Church of Chriji throughout the World ; for our gra-^ 
 cious King ; the Clergy ; the Nobility ; Magijlracy ; Gentry j 
 and Commons ; for all in AffiBion oi ViJIrefs ; for our Enemies 
 &c. Then, that we may not be thought to forget the Good« 
 neCs of God in granting us many and great Favours, we comg 
 next to the 
 
 Sea. XXV. GENERAL THANKSGIVING. <» Almighty 
 " God^ Father of all Mercies t 8cc. 
 
 I won't here detain yoa with a long Difcourfe about thg 
 Nature and Obligation of Thankfgiving. We all own it to 
 be a Part of our Worfhip, if we Can agree upon the Form. 
 
 And indeed, I can't believe that any Ortnodox Chriftiart 
 will find one Word in this excellent Performance of otir holy 
 Church, which he may not heartily fay Amen to. For, 
 
 Wc begin with an humble Acknowledgriient of God's Mer- 
 ties : " Almighty God, Father of all Mercies. Then of Our 
 own Unworthinefs of them : Pl^e thine univorthy Servants d6 
 " give thee moji humble and hearty 'Thanks. The Extent of the 
 Goodnefs of God : " For all thy Goodnefs and loving Kindnefs 
 '* to us and to all Men. 
 
 [Here if there be any who defires to retdrh Thanks 
 for any particular Mercies receiv'd, this Sentence is ap- 
 pointed to be infcrted : ** Particularly to thofe who d^" 
 '' fire to offer up tleir Praifes and Thankfgivings for thj^ 
 *' lati Mercies vouchfafed unto them,"] 
 Then we enumerate the feveral temporal Mercies we have 
 i-eceived under the general Heads of CreaUon, Prefervaticni 
 and ail the Bleffmgs of this Life. But ahove ally we acknow- 
 ledge his Goodnefs in out fpiritnal BlelTings. viz. his imfii- 
 imable Love in the Redemption of the World hy o^j- LORD JESQS 
 CHRBT ; for the Medns bf Grace , vix. his Word and Sacra- 
 befits, GCf, and for the Hops of Glory. 
 
 H The,si. 
 
[ ic5 ] 
 
 ' Then v;e pray for his Grace, that we may have a dm Senfe 
 GJ all his Mercies; and that we may from that due Senfe of 
 them in our Hearts, J}}e<w forth his Praife with our Lips : And 
 pot only fo, but like wife i?t our Lines, by giving up ourfehes 
 to his SeriicCy and ivalhing before him in HoUnefs and Righteouf- 
 mfs all our Bays. And this we beg thro' Jefus Chrifi our Lord, 
 to whom with Thee and the Holy Ghoji, Sec. 
 
 I will not once doubt of your Approbation of this excellent 
 Thankfgiving, and therefoie I fhali return to. 
 
 Se^, XXVI. The Pra/r of S. Chyfofiom, This Prayer is as 
 ancient as that holy Father whofe Name it bears, and is ftill 
 to be feen in his Liturgy, as alfo in that of S. Bajtl {a). It is 
 very fitly iis'd at the end of our daily Devotions; for here we 
 afcribe to God (as we ought) the Glory of any thing which 
 we have done aright ; By giving us Grace with one accord to 
 make our common Supplications to him. And to ihew our Con- 
 fidence in his Acceptance of our Pray'is, we repeat our Sa- 
 viour's Words, S. Matth. 18. ip,- 20. and does promife that 
 when two or three are gather d together^ 8cc. We therefore 
 beg the Performance of that Promife, " Fulfil now, Lord, the 
 ** Lejires and Petitions of thy Servant s^ as may be moji expedient 
 ** for them ; granting us in this World knowledge of thy Truth, 
 ** and in the World to come Life everlajling. 
 
 We do not here fay, thro' Jefus Chri ft our Lord, becaufe 
 the whole Pray'r feems to be dire8ed to him, as appears from 
 lepeating the Promife in S. Matthew. The People are only to 
 fay Amen,^her joining with all theii? Hearts in the whole 
 Pray'r. And then follows 
 
 The Blefftng. " The Grace of our Lord Jefus Chrifiy &c. 
 
 1 might here bring many Teftimonies of the Antiquity of 
 difmifling the Congregation with a Bleffing, both among jews 
 and Chriftians, but fince it has been the conftant PraSice of 
 my Country-men, I think I need not enlarge upon that Part. 
 
 The Words of our BleiTing arc much the lame with what 
 has been in ufe both before and fince Presbytery was eftablifh'd 
 in Scotland, and I hope neither my Brethren of the Epifcopal 
 Communion, nor the Presbyterians, will object againft our 
 Blefling, becaufe we keep to the Letter of the Scripture, 2 Cot, 
 15. 14. which they generally do not. 
 
 Thus I have gone through the Daily Service of our Church, 
 and have (I hope) explained all that looks like difficulty in it. 
 If I have undeceiv'd any Body who was before prejudic'd 
 againft this Part of our Worfhip, I fliall think my Labour well 
 beftow'd. And (hall only beg the Favour of them to ful- 
 low me to, The 
 
 (a) Vide CQH'pamon tothi Tiwple, Parr. !. Scd. 25. 
 
[I07] 
 
 ^he Communion Service, 
 
 WHoever carefully reads the New 'Tejlame7tt, will find 
 the receiving the Blefled Sacrament appointed by onr 
 Saviour, and pra£l-ic'd by the Apoftles, as a conftant Part of 
 the Chriftian Service. 
 
 That cur BlefTed Lord ordain'd the Holy Sacrament to con- 
 tinue in his Church, I need not go about to prove to vouj 
 fince you do not deny it. 
 
 But when I confider the Unchriftian NegleB (I had almoft 
 faid total D'ljufe) of this Holy Ordinance in many Pariilies (if 
 not Provinces) of Scotland^ for above 20 Years laft paft, T^here 
 many have very feldoni (and fome never) had an Opportuni- 
 ty of remembring Chrift's Death in the Holy Sacrament ; I 
 can't forbear faying, That this with-holding the Bread of Lifcj 
 the Body and Blood of Chriji from his Flock, (hews, that what- 
 ever Pretence your Teachers may make to be your lawful Pa- 
 yors, they only cheat themfelves and you ; fur he that pre- 
 tends to feed the Flock, and withholds the neceifary Food 
 from them, is a Murderer, and no true Shepheid. 
 
 That the Apofties thought the receiving this Sacrament an 
 Obligation upon them, as a Part of their conftant Worihip, is 
 evident from their Practice. 
 
 The firft Difciples are faid to continue fledfafily m tJ?e Apo- 
 pies boHrine and Felloivpipy and in BREAKING of BREADy 
 and in Pray^rs^ Afts 2. 42. Again, ver, 46. 1'hey continued 
 daily ivith one accord in the Temple, and BREAKING BREAD 
 from Bonfe to Hoitfe^ and chap. 20. 7. they arc faid to come 
 together to BREAK BREAD. And i Cov. 10. zo. S. Paul 
 fuppofes that there meeting together was with a Defign to re- 
 ceive the Holy Sacrament, tho' they corrupted it by their pro* 
 phane Behaviour. 
 
 That the Breaking of Bread fo often mention'd in the A£ts 
 and Epiilles of the Apoftles, is to be underftood of receiving 
 the Holy Sacrament, is not only manifeft from its being join'd 
 with Prayer and DoHrine in two of the Texts above-mention'd ; 
 but likcvvife from the Y/ritings of thofe who immediately 
 fucceeded the Apoftlcs in the Government of the Church, and 
 muft be Tuppos'd to have underftood their Meaning beft. Thus 
 Si Ignatius lays, // a Man he not within the Aaer he is ds~ 
 pviv'd of the BREAD of GOD {a). And aj;ain, he calls the 
 BREAKING of ONE BREAD the Medicine of Immortality, and 
 
 (^; Ignit. Epijf. the Ephefians. 
 
 H ^ ouf 
 
[ io8 ] 
 
 our Antidote that ive Jljould not die, but live for ever In Chrijl ye- 
 fui. And the Syriac Tranilarion of thole Places of the A£is 
 above quoted, calls the Breaking cf Bread, RECEIVING ike 
 EUCHARIST {a). 
 
 Nay, of fuch Obligation ^vas our Saviour's Inftitution 
 thought to be in the hill and beft Ages of the Church, that 
 we hnd the Chriftians then celebrated the Euchnrifl evciy 
 Day : Infomuch, that S. Cyprian expounds thofe Words of the 
 Lord's Praver ; Give us this Day our daily Bread \ to fignify the 
 tucharift (b). 
 
 Jn the fecond Century, \vc find Communions at leaft every 
 Sunday, or Lord's Day ; as appears from Iren^us's fecond 
 Apology for the Chriltians, where giving an Account of the 
 Chriftian Worfhip, he fays, " That upon that Day, viz.. 
 " Sunday, after reading the Holy Scriptures, the Bifhop ha- 
 " ving Preach'd, the whole Congregation goes to Prayers, and 
 " then Bread and Wine and Water are brought forth, and the 
 " BilTiop offers Prayer and Praife, (i. e, Confecrates the Sacra- 
 ment) " to which the People joyfully fay, Amen, and fo 
 ** Diltriburion is made of the Confecrated Things to all pre- 
 ** fent, and the Deacons carry them to the abfcnt. 
 
 In S.BaJlfs Time they celebrated the Eucharift four times a 
 "Week (c). Ard S. Epiphanius mentions it, being receiv'd 
 thrice a Week in his Days (rf). 
 
 And this frequent Communion continued as a neceflary Pars 
 of the Chriftiaa Worfhip, while that Zeal and Warmth of 
 Devotion lafted among Chriftians. 
 
 But when the Life and Spirit of Chriftianity began to De- 
 cay, then the Holy Sacrament came to be Adminifter'd but 
 once in three Weeks, till at laft it dwindled into three times 
 a Year. 
 
 And indeed, I believe it will be hard to determine, whether 
 the Neglect of the Holy Sacrament was occalion'd by the De- 
 cay of Chriftian Piety, or was not rather the Caufe of it. If 
 at firfl; want of Devotion made the Sacrament IcCs frequented, 
 I'm furc Negleft of that Holy Ordinance fince has made Devo- 
 
 (a) See Dr. Patrick'; Treatife of the NecrJJity of recei'vhig the Holy 
 CvnwJunioTj, p. 14. 
 
 (0) Hunc autcm panem dari nobis quoridie poftulamns ne, qui in 
 Chnlti fumus, &: EncharijUam ^OTIDIE ad cibum faJuris accipi- 
 inus, interccdenrc aliquo gravioie delicto, dum abltenti 6c non Cum- 
 inunicantes a Calelli pane piohibemur, a Chrifti Corpore f:paiemur. 
 Cypr. lie Oratione Domin. p. 2.58. 
 
 (c) See Dr. PatnckV Treatife abuve-mcntion'd, 
 
 (d) Ibid. 
 
 tion 
 
[ 109 3 
 
 don flag. And for my own Parr, I have often obferv'd, (and 
 J don't ftick at laying ir down as a General Rule) that ih'ey 
 who are the moft conftant Communicants are the bell Chril- 
 tians. 
 
 I don't fay, That the Holy Scriptures have pofitively dcter- 
 min'd how often we Ihouid celebrate tlie Sacrament , but our 
 Saviour's Command is, DO 'THIS in rememhrame of me. And 
 S. Yaul fays, ^5' OF'TEN as ye eat this Bread, 6cc. From whence 
 the natural Confequence is, that it was dcfign'd as a conftant 
 Part of the Chriftian Service. For thus the Apoflles and pri- 
 mitive Fathers underftood it, as I have abeady laid. 
 
 And indeed, when we coniidcr that this Commemorative Sa- 
 crifice is the FecuHar Worjhip offer'd to Chrift, we can fcarce 
 think that it was left fo loofe, that People might Celebrate it 
 once a Year, or once in Ccvcn Years, or (as fome is fatisfied) 
 once in their Life. 
 
 Prayers and Praifes to God, are common to Heathens and 
 Jews as well as Chriftians ; Kneading and Expounding the 
 Holy Scriptures are perform'd by Jews : But Receiving the 
 Blelted Sacrament is peculiar to Chriftians ; and fure we 
 ought CO be frequent in that WorOiip ; which diftinguifhcch 
 U5 from all others. 
 
 By this we remember the Lord's Death till he come, i Cor. z. 
 And can we do that too often ? By this we entertain Fellow- 
 fhip with our Bleifed Saviour ; and can we have that too fre- 
 quently ? By this we fhevv our mutual Love and Charity to 
 our Fellow Chriftians : And is that amifs to be often repeated ? 
 efpecially in an Age 'wheji the love of many is waxed cold. 
 
 I might bring many Arguments to prufs the Duty of fre- 
 quent Communion, bat for Brevity's fake I only hint at them, 
 and leave the Reader to thofe many excellent Treatifes wrote 
 by En^lif) Divines upon the Subject. 
 
 And whoever conliders the many Abufes which have crept 
 into the Church by tiie Neglect of the Holy Sacrament, will 
 fee the reafonablencis of reviving the ancient Pra£i:ice. 
 
 Dr. Patrick, late liifhop of Eli> charges the Roniifh Doc- 
 trines of the Sacrifice of the Mais, an J Tranfubftantiation, 
 {a) upon the Neglect of the People's receiving the Sacrament, 
 becaule there was thereby a Neceftity, eithtr of the Prieft's 
 receiving alone, (which could not well be done as a Sacrament) 
 or elfe laying afide the Confecrarion of the Hiichanft in their 
 ordinary Service, which they thought not fir to be done : 
 therefore to keep up the ancient laudable Pruaice of Confe- 
 crating the Elements in their daily Service, and yet beatnolofs 
 
 (a) Dr. Pat. Ubi fupra, p. 2s, and ^z. B/jhop King's Invent, of Ml?! 
 in the Worjhip of God, p. 109. 
 
 H ? ' for 
 
[ no ] 
 
 for want of Coramnhicants, they have fonnd oat the Expedi- 
 ents of making the Prieft's receiving himfelf a Sacrifice for the 
 Living a?id the Dead. And to enhance the Dignity of the 
 Pricftly Office the change of Subftancc was brougiit in, which 
 is called Tranfubrtantiation. 
 
 But however this be, our Church, following the primitive 
 Practice, has appointed the Communion to be celebrated every 
 Sunday and Holy Day, and to that end there is a conflanc 
 Service provided for all thofe Days, which is call'd, "The Com- 
 munion Service^ which I am now going to explain. 
 
 And here in the Entrance to this excellent and divine Office, 
 it will not be amifs to take notice of the Riibrick, or Dire£tion 
 before it ; where they who defign to receive, are appoint- 
 ed to fignify their Names to the Curate fome time, at leaji the 
 Day before. 
 
 This is agreable to your own Practice, in giving Tickets, 
 to thofe who are to Communicate with you ; (which I by no 
 means diflike) that Perfons who are under publick Cenfure, 
 may either be prevail'd upon to reform and give Satisfaftion, 
 or elfe be hindcr'd from giving more Scandal by coming to 
 the Holy Sacrament. How well this Rubrick fccures the 
 Digniry of tiiis Holy Myftery, (if Minillers do but their Du- 
 ty) is obvious to any that reads it: But I hope there's no 
 Occafion to prcfs this upon you, who are ftrift enough that 
 way. 
 
 For the Decency of the Adminiflration, I am forry the pre- 
 fent State of the Church among you, will not allow of our 
 Directions in the Rubrick. They who can come up to them, 
 will do well to imitate our Example ; but where that is nor 
 practicable, let not the want of outward Decencies hinder you 
 from the Subftance. 
 
 The primitive Chriftians in times of Perfecution celebrated 
 the Eucharift in private Hoiifes, in the Night ; imitate their 
 Zeal, and God Almighty will accept of your doing your Du- 
 ty as well as you can, when 'tis nor in your Power to do it as 
 well as you would. 
 
 Sea. I. \Vc begin our COMMUNION SHPvVICE with the 
 LORD'S PRAYER : and furely no Pray'r can be fitter to be- 
 gin the gieatcft Solemnity of the Chjiftian Worlliip, than 
 that which Chrift himfelf taught. 
 
 I will not repeat what is already faid, in the former Part of 
 this Letter, to juftify this admirable Pray'r; I pals there- 
 fore to, 
 
 Sccf. 11. The Vray'r for P^urity, the very reading of which 
 is fufficient to recommend it. 
 
 AltrihJ.'iy 
 
Almighty God unto nvhom all Hearts he open, &c. 
 
 There is no rime in which we ought to be more pnre than 
 -when we approach the Altar of God ; and therefore we (hould 
 examine otir Lives well before lue prefume to eat of that Breads 
 and drink of that Cup. And fince the Commandments arc the 
 Rule by w[;ich we ought to try ourfelves ; by way of Trepa- 
 ration for that Examination, the Minifter devoutly prays, that 
 God Cwho fees the Heart as well as the Actions) woult! 
 vouchfafe to cleanfe our Hearts by the Infpiration of his 
 Holy Spirit) that by his GiSiCe ^we r/i ay love him perfeBly, i. e. 
 f merely ; and magnify him '"Worthily ; i. e. worlliip him in 
 fome meafure futabie to his infinite Perfection ; thrcngh 
 Chrifi our Lord. 
 
 SeB. III. Then the Minifter repeats the Commandments one 
 by one ; the People anfwering after every one of them, Lord 
 have Mercy upon «i, and incline our Hearts to keep this Law* 
 
 It is your Cuftom in Scotland before your Communion, 
 to rebearfe the feveral Sins which come under the feveral 
 Heads of the Decalogue ; excommunicating and debarring 
 (as I rhink your Terms are) from the Lord's Table, all who 
 are guilty of fuch Sins, as you there recite: And, indeed, I 
 have often wondered how many ignorant Perfons durft venture 
 to communicate after the frightful Denounciations which 
 fome indifcreet Teachet^ ufe upon that Occafion. But our 
 Church takes a much prudenter Method, in appointing the 
 Ten Commandments to be repeated to her People eveiy Lord's 
 Day and Holy-day, that they may know their Duty, and be 
 put in Mind of the many Sins they have committed againft 
 vCvery feveral Commandment ; and fo th^y have an Opportunity 
 of begging God's Pardon for what is paft,and his Grace to ena- 
 ble them for the future to obferve that Precept more carefully 
 and ftriclly. Lord have Mercy upon us, S. Luke i8. 12. i. e. 
 Lord forgive us wherein we have offended againll this Com- 
 mandment, and incline our Hearts to keep this Laiu, Pfal. up, 
 ^6. i. e. Give us Grace to obey this Law with more Care 
 for the time to come. Then the Minifter p oceeds to the 
 next \ and the People aufwer in the fame manner, Lord have 
 Mercy upon us, &;c. And after the Tenth Commandment 
 they f"»y, Lord have Mercy upon us^ and write all thefe thy Lazvs 
 in our Hearts we befeech thee, Jer. 31. 33. 
 
 Now is not this Edifying, That in a publick Congregation of 
 Chriftians, the People fhould have God's Laws (v. hich arc 
 the Rule and Guide of their A£tions) rehcarfed to them, that 
 they may examine themfelves whether they have obfery-d 
 them or rot ? And when .upon.XeArcb they fhall find, that in 
 fome Degree or other they have broke every one of them, is 
 
 H 4 ic 
 
it not edifying to beg Mercy and Pardon for their Sin, and 
 Grace to keep them more conlciencioufly for the future ? And 
 becaufe the tnrning our Hearts to GoJ's Teftinionies is a Grace 
 ■which he alone can give r.s, we piay that he would incline otn 
 Bearts, to ohferve his Lazvs, 
 
 It will nor be expefted that I fhould make a particular Dif- 
 courfe upon every one of thofe Commandments ; he whofe 
 Heart is inclin'd by God to examine himfelF by them in order 
 to a worthy receiving the Holy Sacrament, will find brief 
 Heads of Self-hxamination taken out of the Commandments, 
 in that excellent Treatife of the ivhole Duty of Mctn-t with a 
 particular Exercife adapted to the Sacrament : To which I 
 refer you, as being a Book in moll Peoples Hands, and I know 
 none better, 
 
 SeB, IV^ After repeating the Commandments, the Minifter 
 prays for the King, who being (under God) not only th& 
 t>efenc{er of the Faith, but Cuftos utriufque TabuU, {a) is fitly 
 remember'd after the Decalogue : And this being a diftino: 
 Service, we purfue the Apoftle's Rule, i Tim, i. 1,2. in pray- 
 ing for his Majefty. 
 
 In the firft Colleft, we pray that God would rule his Heart, 
 that he confldering whofe Authority he has^ viz. GOD's, may 
 imploy his Power to his Honour and Glory. And that the 
 People confidering that he is GOD's Minifter, (NOT the 
 PHOPLH's) may faithfully ferve, honour and humbly obey him 
 in and for God, according to his Word and Ordinance, Rom. 1 5, 
 I. 1 5. Pec. 2. 
 
 And indeed, this firft Colle£^ feems to have been calculated 
 to obviate the corrupt Doftrine of Refiftance, which we vCcd 
 to lay at the Jefuits Door ; I wifh it were peculiar to them 
 ftill. But whoever Preaches up the Lawfulnefs of it in 
 bur Chuich, mult not only make NEW ARTICLES OF 
 FAITH, and NEW HOMILIES, but NEW PRAYERS ; for 
 the old onus will never do. 
 
 The fecond Colled for the King (which may be uCcd at 
 the Dilcretion of the Miniftcr) is io plain, that I Ihall not in- 
 tiil upon it. 
 
 SeB, V. Then follows the ColleSi: for the Day, (of v hich^ 
 I have treated in the former Part of this Lcticr, Se^. XVIII.) 
 and after that, 
 
 SecI. VL The Epiftle is read ; at which the People are al- 
 low 'd to fit, to make the Service the lefs unealy. When thofe 
 
 ^a) OwpMrnn to, the AUar^ CoUtci i. for the King. 
 
 Scrip- 
 
C"3] 
 
 Scrlptnres are taken out of any of the Epiftles of the holy 
 Apoftlcs, (as for the mod Part they are) the Minifter fays, 
 
 ^The Epiftle is taken out of Chapter of Epijile to 
 
 the beginnhig at the vevfe {a). But if (as on 
 
 fonie Holy-days) there is any Part of a Prophecy read proper 
 for that Day's Solemnity, then the Minifter fays, "The Portion 
 of Scribiure appointed for (or INSTEAD OF) the Epifile, {b) is 
 taken out of, Qpc. 
 
 SeB. Vri. Then the whole Congregation ftands up to hear 
 the Gofpel read, [for fo is the univerfal Practice, though not 
 pofitively enjoin'd by the Kubrick.] And this is very agre-ble 
 to prinnitive Antiquity ; who ufed to Jland ivith fear and re- 
 Terence at the reading the Gofpel ; ic) to fliew their particular 
 Regard to the more immediate Words of our Bleffcd i)aviour, 
 or the Account of his Alliens. And pnrfuant to the fame 
 ancient Pra£lice we fay, Glor-j he to thee, Lord {d). And to 
 give God Thanks for revealing the glad Tidings of Salvation 
 to us mentioned in the holy Hvangel ; after the Gofpel, we 
 fay, I'hanks be to God for his Gofpel {e). 
 
 SeB. Vlir. The Nicene Creed (which follows the Gofpel) 
 was firft composed by the Fathers of the Council of Nice, and 
 afterwards alter'd in fome Particulars by the Second general 
 Council of Conjiantinople about the Year 38 3 (/). And fince 
 that Time has been receiv'd by both the Eajlern and Wefierti 
 Churches, as appears from their feveral Liturgies. 
 
 The Creed is very proper after the Epiftle and Gofpel, be- 
 caufe a true ConfelTion of Faith muft be taken out of them, 
 or it is not to be received as neceffary to Salvation. And 
 THIS Creed is very proper before the Sacrament, becaufe it is 
 a good Tcft againft all Hereti ks : And whoever refufes to 
 o\s n this Creed, is very unfit for receiving the Holy Sacrament, 
 and ought to be excommunicated from it. W4ien therefore 
 the Minifter begins this Confeflion of our Faith, let the whole 
 Congregation fay along with him, / believe in one God, &c. 
 
 I will not take up Time in explaining the particular Articles 
 
 (a) See the Ruhrick after the Prayer for the KivF. 
 {b) iDid. ' 
 
 (c) Legirur Evangclinm ftantibus omnibus cum simore & reverentia ; 
 Lit. S, Batil. Stantes audiamiis Evangelium ; Lit. S. Chryfoft-. Apud 
 C''mber, Comp. to the Mtar, bedt. 5. of the Epijile, Gofpel, &c. 
 
 (d) Gloria tjbi Uomine dicant omnes j Lit. S.Chryl, 
 (v') Concil. Tulec. 4. c. 11. Sparrovo's Rat. />.zi4, 
 (/) Sparrow Rat. ib.d. Cornf to the Altar, 
 
 €ontain'd 
 
["4] 
 
 contain'd in this Creed : For though too many of my Conntry- 
 men are prejudiced to onr Worfhip, I hope you will not 
 throw away your Chriftian Faith bccaufe we have it in our 
 Liturgy, I Ihali only add, that this Cteed has been always 
 thought the beft Teft againft Aiianifin, Maccdonianifm, gp<r, 
 of old, and Socinianifm of laie Days, of any ConfcfTion of 
 Faith that has yet been uted in the Church : And I ihall ne- 
 ver doubt to call the Soundnels of that Man's Faith in quefii- 
 on who will not join in it. It were eafy to prove eveiy Sen- 
 tence of it from Holy Scripture ; but fince it has been fo long 
 received in the Church in the very Form of Words it now 
 Hands with us ; and that you, to whom 1 addrels this Letter, 
 are not fufpefted either of Arianifm or Socinianilm, I will 
 take it for granted, that .( write to thofe who believe the Di- 
 vinity of Chrift, and the Perfonality of the Holy Ghoft, and 
 therefore fhall not infift. 
 
 After the Creed, the Rubrick direfts the Curate (i. e. the 
 Minifter) to declare to the People what Holy-days or Fafting- 
 days are in the Week followir^g ; and to give Warning of the 
 Communion, (if Occafion be) to pubiifh the Banns of Matri- 
 mony, ^c. 
 
 I hope what I have faid before of the Feafts of our Church, 
 is fufficient to juftify them ; and as to Fafts, the conltant 
 Prafticc of the whole Catholick Church in all Ages, will 
 fatisfy any Chrillian of the Lawfulnefs of obfcrving them ; 
 And if thjy are to be obferved, it is expedient the People 
 fhould be warn'd of the Days upon which they Diould keej> 
 them. I am forry they arc not more univerfally kept than 
 they are, but I can't now fpare Time to make a Difcourle of 
 them particularly. 
 
 As for the relt of the Rubrick after the Nicme Creed, there 
 is nothing in it liable to Lxcepiion that I know of, and there- 
 fore I pals to the next Part of otir Service, 'viz. 
 
 The SevKion^ or one of tlie Homilies. The common PraQice 
 of moft Countrey Churches is to htig a Pfalm after the Creed. 
 I fuppofe you will not diflike this Cuftom, bccaufe it agrees 
 Avith your own Way, and makes up a confidcrable Part of 
 your Service. 
 
 There is indeed a Cannon in the Church of England, to 
 have (what is call'd) a Bidding Prayer before Sermon. But 1 
 muft confefs I think after the Prayers of the Liti-rgy there is 
 no great Occafion for it. But fince it is enjoin'd by Authority, 
 and that fuch Prayers are Forms, though Private ones, when 
 the Congregation is once acquainted with them, they may 
 join in them ; and I fuppofe you will not like them the woric, 
 becaufe they feem to refemble Exten:pre Prayers, though ia 
 Truth they are not. 
 
 If 
 
tf yon will pray before Sermon, the Lord's Prayer is the 
 bell ; and if there muft be another before it, there is an ex- 
 cellent Collect for the fecond Sunday in Advent, viZ' " t^ief- 
 *' fed Lord, Avho has caufed all Holy Scriptures to be written 
 ** for our Learning, grant that we may in fuch v^i^e hear 
 *' them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digeft them, tnat 
 ** by Patience and Comfort of thy Holy Word, we m-y em- 
 " brace and ever hold fait the blefledHope of everlafting Life, 
 '' which thou hart given us in our Saviour Jefus Cbrifi. 
 
 It is beyond my Province to fay any Thing here of Preach^ 
 ing : I will not take upon me to direO: thofe, whofe long i-x- 
 perience in that Employment muft have qualified them better 
 tor it than 1 can pretend to be. I fhall only add my hearty 
 Prayers to God Almighty, that all who labour in the Word and 
 Vodrine may do it fo, as lofa've then/felves and thofe that hear 
 them. 
 
 When the Sermon is ended, the Vriefl or Minijler returns 
 to the Lord's Table (as the Rubrick directs) and begins 
 the 
 
 Sect. VIIL OFFERTORY. It is fo call'd becaafe therfe 
 the People offer to God their Alms and Oblations^ as the Mi- 
 niHer exhorts them in the Sentences which are then read. 
 
 [And while the Sentences are reading, the Deacons and 
 Church-Wardens go about to receive the Charity of the Con- 
 gregation.] 
 
 It is not my Bufinefs to make a long Difcourfe to prefs the 
 great Duty of Almfgiving : The reading and confidcring the 
 Sentences of Scripture in our Liturgy will fufficien-tiy recom- 
 mend it to all Chrillians ; and it being your own Cuftom to 
 give Alms to the Poor, efpecially at your Communions, I 
 need not juftify that Practice among us. All then that vill 
 be necelTary for me to do at prefent, is to confider thofe Sen- 
 tences which feem to appropriate the Offerings of the People 
 to the Ufe of the Miuifters. Such asiCcJr.p. 7. iCor.$,ii, 
 and t;. 15, 14. and Gal. 6. 6. 
 
 In the Infancy of the Church, People gave all they had, 
 and fold their very Lands, and laid the Price at the Apollles 
 Feet, Acls 4. 34. cJut this is a Pitch of Charity not required 
 now ; and it is well it is not, for I am afraid more would go 
 awi-y forro-ivftil than the young Man in the Gofpel : For if 
 there are fo many in the World that keeps from the Church, 
 what belongs to her by a ftronger Right than any Man in 
 Britain holds his tftare, (for the Tythes of the Clergy have 
 mere than a human Tenure) what would thofe do if they 
 were commanded to Part with their own tilates, for the ufc 
 of the Church ? Surely we can't fuppofe that they who rcftife 
 
 to 
 
[II5] 
 
 to give the Church what is juftly hers, ihould ever bcftow 
 her what is there own. 
 
 In the Times of Perfecution in the Primitive Church, the 
 Oblations were Co large, that the Bilhops nnd orher Minilfers 
 were maintain'd, Neceflaries for performing Divine Offices 
 were provided, and the Poor fupply'd out of them, asS. Cy~ 
 frian and 'Tevtullinn affirm (/r). 
 
 But when by the Piety of Chriftian Princes, the Clergy was 
 reftor'd to what was their RIGHT by the Law of God\ viz,, 
 the TYTHES of all your Encreafe ; and when other Endow- 
 ments were conferr'd upon the Church, according as God 
 Almighty mov'd the Hearts of religious People ; then that 
 Charity which was offer 'd by the People at the Altar, fecm'd 
 to have been appropriated to the Poor ; and I ihould think 
 him a very ill Man who had a fufficient Income to fupport the 
 Dignity of his Office, if he would take one Penny of chat 
 Money for his own Ufe which was defign'd for the Poor. 
 But in Places where the Church's Revenues, and the Clergy's 
 Patrimony, are fvvallowed up by Lay-Men ; or, where the Or- 
 thodox Clergy are banifli'd from their Livings as well as 
 Charges, and have no ftated Maintenance for their Support, 
 which was the Cafe of the Chriftian Priefts in the firft Ages 
 of the Church, and has been the Fate of many honeit Men 
 fince ; then it well becomes them who ferve at the Altar, to be 
 Fartakers ivith the Altar, i Cor. 9. 14. 
 
 Nor will any religious Man begrudge his Minifter, or think 
 it much if be has [own to him Spiritual things^ that he iliould 
 reap of his Wordly things^ v. 1 1 (6). 
 
 Whether therefore the Necellity of theChtirch requires that 
 your Oblations fliould be apply 'd to the Relief of your Mi- 
 nifters, or whether in better Times they go to the Maintaining 
 other neceflitous People ; let ail Men (as God has bleifed 
 them) bellow their Alms liberally, remembring, that He that 
 gives to the Toor lends to the Lordy Prov. 19. 17. 
 
 If any ihould take Exception at the two Sentences taken 
 out of the Apocrypha, viz. T^/;/f 4. 7, 8, 9. Let him b-it 
 read them, and compare them with the Texts refer'd to in 
 the Margin C<^), and he will tind that eld Tobit did not fpeak 
 without book. 
 
 SeB. IX. Then follows, The Prayer for the ivhoU State of 
 Chrifi's Church militant here on Earth. 
 
 (a) Compa7i!OH to the ^It/ir^ Sccl. 6. 
 
 (b) Set the Sco's Lituygy Ruhrick after the Communioyi. 
 
 (c) Deut: ij. 7. Pruv.zS. 27. Ads 10. 4. Miik 12.. 43- 1 Tim. 
 €, 18. 
 
 The 
 
["7] 
 
 The People having humbly offered their Clhs to God Al- 
 mighty, the Prieft begs of God to accept their Alms and Ob- 
 lations, avd to recehe their Frayers ; and becanfe we can't re- 
 lieve all Men with our Gifts, we fhew our Charity in praying 
 for all Men, i Tim. 2. i, 2. 
 
 In this excellent Prayer we put up our Requefts, i. For the 
 XJniverfal Church. 2. For all Chrifiian Kings^ Princes and Go- 
 sjernoursy and efpecially cur mojl Gracious KING. [If any Bo- 
 dy quarrel with praying for ALL Chriflian KingSy let them 
 read the Text laft quoted, and they will find S. Paul's Exhor- 
 tation as extenfive as our Prayer.j 3. We pray for his Ma- 
 jefty's Council, and the inferiour Magiftrates. 4. For the Bi- 
 pops and Curates. 5. For the whole Body of the People, 
 6. For ali in Acherpy. 7. We praife God for the good Lives 
 of the Saints ; and beg that he would give as Grace to follow 
 their good Examplesy Sec. and all this for Jefus Chriji's Sake^ 
 our only Mediator and Advocate. 
 
 There is nothing in this Prayer that Malice it felf can ob- 
 jeQ: againft ; unlels perhaps People may miltake the praifing 
 God for the good Examples of the Saints departed ; and call 
 it Popery. 
 
 To vindicate this moft innocent and ufeful Part of our Ser- 
 vice, 1 need not tell you a long Story of the Introducing the 
 Popifh Practice of praying to the Saints, whom they believe 
 in Heaven, nor of praying for fuch as they allert to be in Pur- 
 gatory. You your felves know that the Church of England 
 dorh neither ; but both in her Articles and Homilies dif- 
 claims them. But as the Lives of holy Men, (who by a Per- 
 feverance in a Chriftian Courfe have departed this Life in 
 God's Faith and Fear) vvere a good Example to others, and of 
 great Advantage to the Church ; we blefs God for that Bene- 
 fit, and pray for Grace to follow them as they follow 'd Chrift, 
 that we, imitating their Faith and Virtue, may ivith them be 
 partakers of his heavenly Kingdom. 
 
 In the early Ages of the Church they ufed to keep a Cata- 
 logue of their Saints and Martyrs, and recited them at their 
 Devotions, efpecially at their Sacraments (^) : But our Church 
 (to avoid all fufpicion of Canonizing any but thofe who were 
 Saints indeed ) mentions God's Saints in general, without 
 naming even the Apoftles in this Prayer (of whofe Hoiiuefs, 
 
 {a) Tertul. de Corona Miliris. Cypr. Ep. 24. Epinhanius hxr. 75-. 
 and particitliirly S. Augultine {Jpeaki?2g cf the Saints departed^) 
 
 fays _ Suo loco 5c ordine NO^vllNATUR non ramen a ijacerdo- 
 
 tc qui facrificac invocantur. Aug. de Civitate Dei /. 22. c. ig>. Vide 
 L'EftrangeV Alliance of Divine officer, chap. 5. page ipz, 
 
 and 
 
[•"8] 
 
 and confequently Happincfs, no Chriftian makes the leaft 
 doubt.) 
 
 1 wiih there were nothing more amifs in Popery than praif- 
 ing God for the Virtues of good Men, 'viz. (for the good Lives 
 and wholefome Inihuwtior.s of Apoftles, Prophets, Martyrs, 
 CxjnfelTors, and all other good and holy Men,) and then v.e 
 would molt willingly give the Church of Rome the Right 
 Hand of Pcllowfhip, and own her for that Church once io 
 Famous in the Apoftles Days for her Faith, Rom.i.^. 
 
 And this I think may liiffice for the Prayer for the <ivhoId 
 State of Chriffs Chnnh, &c. which begins, what is generally 
 cail'd, THL THIRD SERVICE. 
 
 Hiiheito cur Communion Service is ufed whether there be 
 a Sacrament or not, becaufe there has been as yet nothing pe- 
 culiar to that holy Solemnity. Upon thofe Days therefore 
 ■Vvhen there is no Communion, the Miniftcr (after this Prayer) 
 fay.\ one or more of the Colleftsat the end of the Communi- 
 on Service, viz, Ajjtji uSy mercifully, Lord, &c. or, Grants 
 ue hefeech thee., Almighty God, that the Words nvhich ive have 
 heard this Day with our outivard Ears, &c. And then concludes 
 •with the Blelling. 'The Peace of God, &c. Thcfe ihort Prayeis 
 are fo innocent that they are liable to no Cavil, and To plain 
 that they need no Application, and the Bleffing, being almoft 
 the expre's Words of Holy Scripture, Phil, 4. 6. iCor. 13. 14. 
 and agreable to your own Fra£tice, I fhall not once doubt 
 your allowing it. 
 
 And thus, my Brethren and Countrey-Men, I have gone 
 through our whole ordinary Lord's Day Service. I hope I 
 have done it with fuch Temper and Modefty, that you will 
 not have Occafion to be angry with me for it ; if what I have 
 faid fhall by the Blefling of God, reconcile any to our Wor- 
 fhip who had any Prejudice to it, or fatisfy and reform others 
 who did not underftand fome Things in it before, 1 fhall 
 think my felf abundantly rccompenc'd for my Labour : How- 
 ever, I have done thus much with a good Intention, and 1 pray 
 God, that all that read thefe Papeis may do it with the lame 
 ^lind. 
 
 SeB. X. When there is a Communion, the Minifter (im- 
 mediately after the Prayer for the ivhole State of Chrijl's Church 
 Militatit,) piocecds to the Invitation, which begins, Dearly 
 Beloved in the Lordy &c. 
 
 [The two Exhortations to the Sacrament following 
 the Prayer, are to be ufcd at the Difcietion of the 
 Minifter, the Sunday or Holy Day before it is cele- 
 brated, to prepare the Congregation for it.] 
 
 I will 
 
[IIP] 
 
 I will not take np your Time in difcourfing of the Prepara- 
 tion for worthy Keceiving. I leave yon to other Books for 
 that. I fhall only fay, that it is very nnfeemly (to fay no 
 worfe) for one that profefles himfelf a Chriftian, to come to 
 Church and Worfhip God, and hear a Sermon, and yet go 
 away wichoat receiving the Holy Sacrament, where he has an 
 Opportunity of being Partaker of it. But there are too ma- 
 ny that are guihy in this Particular, I pray God they may re- 
 pent and amend their Lives, that they may be fit to come. 
 
 Whoever does not receive, muft depart, for the Blefled Sa- 
 crament is not to be gazed upon and flared at, but to be ta- 
 ken and received with Reverence and Devotion. For fo the 
 primitive Church conftantly praftifed with great Care {a). 
 
 When therefore they who have not Devotion enough to re- 
 ceive, are gone, the Minifter proceeds in the Service, turning 
 himfelf from the Altar to the People, and faying, De»?r/y Be- 
 loved in the Lord, &c. 
 
 In this Ihort buc comprehenfive Form of Exhortation, the 
 Prieft puts the Congregation in mind, hoiv S, Paul exhorts 
 all Aden diligently to try and examine themfeheSy before they pre- 
 fume to eat of that Bready and drink of that Cup. Then he 
 ihews the Benefit of receiving with Repentance and Faith : 
 For as the Benefit is ^reat, &c. for then lue fpiritually eat the 
 F!ef'), &c. lue dwell 'with Chrijl, &c. 'we are one with ChriJ?, 
 &c. i. e. we partake of Chrilt's Bleffed Body and Blood, 
 which are VHRILY and INDEED taken and received BY 
 THE FAITHFUL (and by them only) in the Lord's Sup- 
 per, we have Fellowfhip and Communion with him, are uni- 
 ted to him, and made Partakers of all the Benefits of his 
 Palfion. 
 
 Then he fhews the Danger of coming Unworthily, /. e, 
 without Repentance and Faithy viz,, being guilty of the Body 
 and Blood of the Lordy &c. i. e. they who intrude into this 
 Holy Myftery without the neceflfary Qualifications, make 
 void (as to themfelves) the Death of Chrift, and as the 
 Author to the Hebrews fays, Heb. lo. 29. ha've trodden un- 
 der Foot the Son of Gody and counted the Blood of the Co- 
 venant, 'wherewith they are fanBified, an unholy thing-, and 
 come to that heavenly Feaft as to a common Meal, not con- 
 fidcring or difcernin^ the Lord's Body in this facred Myftery ; 
 and fo eat and drink Damnation [or Jugmentj to themfehes, 
 inftead of the Body and Blood of Chrift ; and provoke 
 God to punifli them as he did the Corinthians in S. Paul's 
 
 {a) Apaftol, Cir!.9. See a Difo'trfs of the Sacrifice of the Mafs, p. 
 ^0^ 61, CrAiicil of Airich, c.z. See Libercas Ecdef. />. io8. 
 
 Time, 
 
[ 
 
 120 
 
 Time, I Cor. ii. 30. For this Caufe many are fick and weaJi 
 a:-ong yottf and many Jleep. 
 
 fudge therefore your/ekes Brethren (fays the Pried) that yoii 
 be ?20t judged of the Lord. Repent you truly of your Sins paji, Sec. 
 In thel'e Woids he puts them in mind what they ought to 
 have done befure; and what is ftill their Duty to do, z-iz. to 
 call their own Ways to remembrance, to repent them truly for 
 their SinSx to have a lively Faith in Chrifl our Lord, and to he in 
 jierjeB Late with all Men ; that fo they may be meet partakers 
 of thofe holy Myfieries, Then he proceeds to fhew the more 
 immediate Duty of Communicants ; viz- That, above alt 
 we mufi give moft humble and hearty 'Thanks y &c. 
 
 Here is a Confeflion of the filcifed Trinity, and an Ac- 
 knowledgment of the Divine and Human Nature in Chrifti 
 a Commemoration of that Humiliation and Death which 
 is reprefented in the Holy Eucharift, together with the mifera- 
 ble i)tate we were in, and the glorious Deliverance from it by 
 our Blefled Saviour. 
 
 Then he fhews them the Ends of the Inftitution of the Ho- 
 ly Sacrament ; viz* i« Tiiat 'xe fi)ould alivays remember the ex- 
 ceeding great Love of our Ma per and only Saviour Jefus Chrijit 
 &c. And furely nothing can better reprefent the Paffion of 
 our Savioui than this holy Ordinance, where the Bread bro- 
 ken, and the Wine poured out, to peiv forth the Lord's Death 
 till he come. 
 
 Our Blefled Saviour well knew how apt we are to forgec 
 even the greateft Mercies of God, and therefore to refrefh our 
 Memories he has appointed fenfible Signs to be obferved by 
 us Chiiftians after the Example of the Jews, who were com- 
 manded to keep the PaiTover, in Remembrance of fparing the 
 Fiift-born of Ifrael, when the deftroying Angel killed^ the 
 Egyptians, &c. 
 
 Nor is this the only End of the Lord's Supper. For, 2. It 
 was inftituted as a Pledge of his Love, and an Earncft of his 
 Grace and Favour, thereby afliiring us that all the Benefits of 
 his Paflion fliall be fccur'd and made over to us, to our greai 
 and endlefs Comfort. 
 
 The Refult of all which Mercies fhould be a grateful Re- 
 turn of Praife and Thankfgiving. "To him therefore with the 
 Father, &c. And this not only with our Mouth to give him 
 continual 'Thanks {as we are mojl bounden) but aKo by our 
 Actions, in fubmitting curf elves wholly to his holy Will and 
 Tleafure^ and Jludyinfr to ferve him in Holinefs and Rightecufnefs 
 all the Days of our Life. Amen. 
 
 I might make a long Difcourfe upon this excellent Txhor- 
 tation, but as that vvould make this Letter very much iargei' 
 than I defign at prcfent ; fo I don't conceive there is any 
 
 thing. 
 
[ 121 ] 
 
 thing in ic that you except againft, and therefore it needs no 
 explaining. 
 
 Sect. XI. Next follows the immediate Invitation. " Te that 
 *' do truly and earneflly repent^ 6cc. 
 
 In this Invitation^ the Prieft again puts the Congregation in 
 rnind of the neceflary Qualifications for worthy receiving, viz» 
 Repentance, Charity^ and fi4ll Purpofe of ne-zv Life : And encou- 
 rages all thofe who arc lb cjuaiify'd to draw near with Faiths 
 and take the Holy Sacrament to their Comfort. 
 
 But becaufe the firft Step to true Repentance is an humble 
 Confeflion of Sin, he advifes them to make their humble Confef- 
 fon to Almighty God. 
 
 So far I iuppofe you will approve of this Invitation, but the 
 next Words have m:ide a mighty Dillurhance ; viz. Meek.'jt 
 KNhhLING UPON YOUK KNHbS : Which Poiture not be- 
 ing chang'd till after you have receiv'd in both Kinds, I will 
 here, once for all, take Occafion to juftify our Church in com- 
 manding her Members to KNHbL in receiving the Blefled Sa- 
 crament. 
 
 And this I fnal] do by fbewing, i. That it is lawful in it 
 felf. 2. That it is mod proper to the Solemnity of that holy 
 Ordinance. 3. That it is agreable to the Ptadice of the Pri- 
 mitive Church. And, 
 
 I. That Kneeling is lawful in itfelf, is evident from hence^ 
 that it is not againft any Law of Gnd natural or reveal'd. For 
 •without doubt, as it is the Law of God that makes any Thing 
 a Duty, fo ir is a Prohibition either (exprels'd in Terms, or ne- 
 ted'ariiy imply'd) that makes any A^ion finful ; now if theie 
 be no Law in the whole Bible which exprefly appoints the 
 Geftidre of receiving the Holy Sacrament, nor any one Text 
 which forbids that of Kneeling, then certainly it can't be faid 
 to be unlawful : For where there is no Lazu there is no 'Tranfgref- 
 fion. If there is fuch a Scripture, let it be produc'd, and we 
 have done : If there is not, why is all this Cvy about the Un- 
 lavvfulnefs of an A£tion which Chrift has left indifferent, t 
 know it is faid, That it is not agreable to our Saviour s firfl Infli- 
 tution. But I defire to know, what Society of Chrillians there 
 is this Day that follows the Fxamplc and Practice of our Savi- 
 our in every Inftancc, in adminiftring the Lord's Supper. Who 
 are they that give or receive \.\\Q}inc\\:M'\i\ after Supper, in an 
 upper Room, in a private Houfe, with the precife Number tiielve ; 
 and yet all thefe Circumftanccs are much more certain than the 
 Pofture of Receiving {a'). And why we lliould be ry'd to 
 one uncertain Circumftance in that holy Inllituiion, and kft 
 ^t Liberty to ali the rcll, 1 can fee no Reafon, 
 
 (a) London Qafe^ 
 
 I If 
 
[ 122 3 
 
 If yon fay, That the Sinfulnefs cf Kneeling lies in this, that 
 it is impos'd upon People's Confcicnces, and is made a necef- 
 fary Term of Communion : 
 
 I will only ask you of the Presbyterian Perfwafion this one 
 Qucftion. Is it a greater Sin in the Church of England to tix 
 a ceitain, determin'd Ceremony in Worfhip, than it is in you? 
 If it is, fl^ew lis for v. hat: If not, Why not KneeUng with us, 
 as well as Sitting \Nith you. ^ 
 
 You have as pofitively injoin'd SITTING at your Commi- 
 nion, as the Church of England has Kneeling: And I conld 
 name the Place where a I'crlon, defiring to partake of one of 
 yours rather then none, elTay'd to receive KNhhLlNG ; but 
 being reprov'd, and deny'd the Bread in thut Pcfture, the 
 Gentleman STOOD, but was abfoiutely refus'd it, till he 
 SATH DOWN, which he did, rather than want (what he 
 thought) the Memorial of his Lord's Death. 
 
 Pray will not the Objection (of forcing the Confcience) 
 lie as much againft your i ollure as ours 1 
 
 If you of the Presbyterian Way are as ftrift in confining 
 your People to SIT at your Communions, as our Church is 
 in injoining KNEELING at our Altars, why fhould our 2?«- 
 brick be thought a gieater Force upon the Confcience than 
 the Dire^ory ? Smm^ is no more commanded in Scripture 
 than Kneeling ; it is no nearer to the Pofture us'd by Chnft 
 and his Apoft les : And why then fhould Kneeling be a more 
 finful Pofture than Sitting? 
 
 Nor can any Body that knows the Doftrine of the Church 
 of Englaj:dy with common Honcfty fay, that \Ne enforce Kneel- 
 ing at the Sacrament as the Command of God. I never either 
 read or heard of a Divine of the Church of England, that 
 though it a Sin (cut of England, where the Command of 
 Governors has not taken off the IndifFerency of it) I fay, that 
 thought it a Sin in any other Part of the World to receive 
 the Holy SacramGr.t FROM A LAWFUL PRIEST in another 
 Pofture, according to the Ulage of that Country. We all 
 allow, that the Pofture is (in irs own Nature) indifferent ; nor 
 w as there ever any other Reafon given for the uling it in our 
 Church fince the Reformation, but for Decency and Reve- 
 rence (a). 
 
 But Kneeling at the Holy Sacrament is not only lawful, 
 but, 
 
 2. It is the moft proper Pofture for that Holy Ordinance. 
 For you yourfclves allow Kneeling at your Devotions at fome 
 Times : For Inftance in private Families. Now if a Pofture 
 ot Adoration be proper in cur Addrefl'es to God ; certainly 
 
 (a) Scs the Declaration after the Commu?iio?i Scr'vice* 
 
 the 
 
[ 123 ] 
 
 the more folemn Parts of Woiihip ought to be perform'd with 
 the moft folemn Devotion : And why it is lawful to kneel in 
 our ordinary Pray'is, and improper to ufe that humble and 
 devout Pofture in the greateft and moft myrtcrious Service o^' 
 the Chriftian Religion, 1 can't fee. 
 
 I know it is objected, That the Papift do it to adore the 
 Elements, and therefore we ought to forbear it. Indeed one 
 can't but be extreamely furpriz'd to find the leaft ^uggeftion 
 of the Church of England's 'Worfliiping the Elements ; as 
 forr.e good natur'd People are fond of infinuating. 
 
 That the Body and Blood of Chrljl are VhKILY and IN- 
 DEED taken and received BY THE FAITHFUL i« ^/je Lor/i 
 Supper, is what no good Proteftant will deny: Nor fhould we 
 have any Reafon to quarrel with the Church of Rome for 
 alTerting THE REAL PRESENCE, if they had not prefum'd 
 to determine the MANNER of that Prefence, and ty'd us 
 down to an abfurd and unintelligible TRANSUBSTANTI- 
 ATION. 
 
 That Chrift is truly prefent in this great Myftery, is what 
 the beft and greateft Fathers of the ancient Church ftill be- 
 liev'd and taught ; what the moft eminent Reformers not on- 
 ly of our Church, as Ridley y Crannier^ Qpc. but aifo Luther, 
 Calvin, Qpc. ftiil allow'd, [as that admirable AfTerter of the 
 true Chriftian Doctrine in Opposition to the Popilh Enors, 
 very fully proves {a). ] 
 
 But 'Tranftihjlantiation is a Word of their own devifingj 
 withouc any Authority either from Scripture or Antiquity ; 
 and as fuch rejected by us as a dangero.iS Innovation,^nd 
 their Practice of adoring the confecrated Elements, as being 
 SUBSTANTIALLY changd from Bread and Wine INTO 
 the REAL and NATURAL BODY and BLOOD of CZ^ri/?, 
 we have fufficiently declared in our Liturgy {h) to be a'Thing to 
 he ABHORRED hy all Ckrijiians as IDOLA'TRT. 
 
 Now after this Declaration, I think it is very unfair an4 
 unjuft to tax us with 'cuorpiping the Elements in the Holy Sa- 
 crament, becaufe we partake of the Eucharift in a Pofture of 
 WoiOiip. 
 
 That we adore Chrift while we receive this Holy Sacra- 
 ment, is indeed true, (and God forbid that weihould prcfume 
 to touch thofc d.eadful Myfieries without adoring our Blcfled 
 Saviour who gave his Body and Blond for us) but I think 
 there is a vaft Diftererce between worfliiping our Blcfted 
 Lord IN the Holy Sacrament, and Vvoifhiping THAT S.icra- 
 ment AS our Lord, The firft is a Duty which every Chri- 
 
 (a) See Jrchiijlop LaudV Accmnt of the Cohfererice vsith Mr. Fiftier, p. 
 (>; Ubifupra: ' 
 
 I 2 ftian 
 
[ ^H ] 
 
 ftiao ought to perform ; the other is what we Charge upon the 
 Papifts as Idolatry, and what we utterly difclaim. And if we 
 ought to worfhip our Saviour as fpiritually prefect IN the Holy 
 Sacrament, then certainly the humbieft Pofture we can put our 
 felves in, is the moft becoming. 
 
 And this in the 
 
 ^hivii Place is agreable to the Pra3:ice of the beft Ages of 
 the Church. I don't fay, That the Chriftians in the primitive 
 Church always receiv'd Kneeling ; but it is certain they re- 
 ceiv'd in a Pofture of Adoration. 
 
 S. Cyril {ds he is quoted in the London C^{gs {a) fays, Ap- 
 proach not rudely Jlretch'ing forth thy HandSy but bowing thy fclf^ 
 and in a Tofiure of Worjloip ar>d Adorationy faymg. Amen. S. 
 Chry/ofiom is quoted by the Author of the fame Cafe {h), as 
 encouraging the People to fall down at the receiving the Eucha- 
 fifiy from the Example of the Wife Men. And the Teltimo- 
 nies of S. Amhrofe and S. Augnjltne (r) are likewife produc'd to 
 the fame Purpofe. And, without doubt, many others might 
 be nam'd, if there were any Occafion ; whereas, Sitring was 
 never the ordinary receiv'd Pofture of the beft Ages, Ai^d 
 their Bowing or Proftration, is equivalent to our Kneeling, as 
 the Jewifh and Eaftern Cuftom of Bowing in the Prefencc of 
 Kings with the Face to the Ground, denoted their Worlliip- 
 ing their Princes, (that is, fhewing them Reverence ) and is 
 rather a greater RefpeQ:, than our paying our Homage on our 
 Knees to our Princes. 
 
 Nor is it any Objeftion againft this laudable Praftice, that 
 the Papifts abufe it ; for by the fame Rule, we fhould never 
 worfhip God in a Church which has been adorn'd with Cru- 
 cifixes and Saints Images, becaufe the Papifts pray'd to them. 
 But as the Church once confecrated to the Worfhip of God is 
 very fit for the fame ftill, and we may without Scruple attend 
 Prayers in that Church when the Abufes are remov'd ; fo when 
 ■we confider, that what ever Malignity attended Kneeling at 
 the Holy Sacrament in the Times of Popery, it being now 
 wholly laid afide by us, there is no Reafon why we fhould lay 
 afide likewife an old and decent Ufage. 
 
 He that comes to the Holy Sacrament with a due Senfe of 
 his own Sin, and the Mercy of God in Chrift Jefus, will not 
 refufe to fall on his Knees to beg God's Pardon for his Offen- 
 ces, and to bicfs and praife his gracious Redeemer for his in- 
 
 (a) See London Cafes abridg'd, p. i^o. Cyril. Hierof. Myft. Ca- 
 tech. 5. near the End. 
 
 (b) Ibid. 
 
 (c) Aug. in Pf. j4 Sin it is not to adore, when ve receive this. See 
 SparrowV Rationale, p, loy. 
 
 eftimable 
 
eftimable Love commemorated in that holy and myfterions 
 
 Feafr. 
 
 "Wlien therefore the Prieft invites you to make your humlJe 
 Confejjion to Almighty God, meekly KNEELING upon your Knees ; 
 let the whoie Congregation (as well they v/ho are in their 
 Pews, as they who are at the Rails before the Altar) with all 
 the Dev'ocion of their Souls, and all the Humility of their Bo- 
 dies join with him in the Excellent Confejjion of our Liturgy, 
 faying after the Minifter, 
 
 Sett. XIV. Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jefus Chriji, &C. 
 In tl^.is Confeflion, we acknowledge the Power of God, and 
 his Sovereignty over us, to Inr our felves up to a thorough 
 Senfe of our Sin and Danger ; and that we may not be difcou- 
 raged by the Confideration oF his Power and Greatnefs, and 
 par own Wickednefs, the Church teaches us fcafonably to re- 
 member, that he is the Father of our Lord Jtfui Chrijl, as well 
 as the Maker of all Things^ and Judge of all Men : Which Epi- 
 thets being prudently join'd together, (as here they are) at 
 once engage our Dread of God's Anger, and yet fill us with 
 Hopes of Mercy. 
 
 But becaufe there is no Promife of Pardon or Pity if we 
 continue impenitent in our Sins ; therefore, we profel's to ac- 
 knoivledge and he-wail our manifold Sins and Wickednefs , which 
 through the whole Courfe of our Lives, /row 'Time to Time, we 
 lave moll grievoiijly coi/imitted ; and that not only by our Acti- 
 ons, but by 'Thought and Word, as well as Deed ; and all thefe 
 againfl his Divine Majefly ; -provoking^ (and that we confefs) 
 mo(l jujlly., God's Wrath and Indignation againjl us. 
 
 From the Confideration therefore of the Greatnefs of our 
 Olfences, and our Ingratitude to the Father of our Lord Jefus 
 Chrift, we profels that lie do earnejlly repent, and are heartily 
 forry for thefe our Adifdoitjgs ; the Remenibvance of them is grie- 
 'cous unto uSy the Burden of them is intolerable. A due and tho- 
 rough Conviction of Sin will prompt any generous Soul to Re- 
 pentance ; and whe;e there is true Rpencancc, there the very 
 Remembrance of paft Sins will be Shame and Sorrow, and 
 the Weigh: cf them will, like a heavy Burden, opprefs the 
 Conltiience, Pfal. 58. 4. 
 
 Having thus confefs'd our Sins, we beg for Mercy : Haze 
 Mercy upon us, have Mercy upon us^ mcji merciful Father ^ Pfal. 
 57. I. Pfal. 123. 5. We prefume to call him Father, after 
 the Example of the Prodigal, Luke 15. 21. tho' we have offen- 
 ded him. But that we m^xy be fure to obtain the Pardon we 
 defire, we prefs this Petition for the Sake of our Blcfled Savi- 
 our, whofe Merits we know are acceptable to God. For thy 
 Son our Lord Jefus Chris's Sdke forgive us all that is pafl, 
 
 I 5 But 
 
[ 126 ] 
 
 But bccaufc a Pardon will not do -wichont Grace to enable 
 us to perform the Conditions of the Gofpel for the future, we 
 therefore pray, that God would vouchfafe to grant that 'we 
 may ever hereafter ferve and pleafe him in newnefs of Life : to 
 the Honour and Glory of his Name : And all this thro" Jefui 
 Chriji our Lord. 
 
 And now the v;hole Congregation having with one Heart 
 and One Voice humbly confels'd their Sins to God, and with 
 great Earneftnefs and Devotion implor'd his Mercy and Par- 
 don ; for their Comfort and Encourugment the Prieft rifes up, 
 and declares, 
 
 SeB. XV. The ABSOLUTION in the Form immediately fol- 
 lowing the Confeflion. Almighty God our heavenly Father^ &c. 
 I have in the beginning of this Letter faid fomethingof Ab- 
 folution in general, and therefore lliail not refume it in this 
 Place. Only this I fhall add, That (as our Church well ex- 
 preiTcs it, in the firft Exhortation to the Sacrament) becaufe 
 it is requifite that tione fiould come to the holy Communion, but 
 luith a full 'Trujl in God's Mercy^ and tuith a cjuiet Confcience, 
 This Part of our Service is moft edifying, that after the Con- 
 feffion of Our Sins, the Prieft ifliould here again declare the 
 Pardon of 'em to all that are duly qualify 'd for it. For as the 
 ancient Church receiv'd none to the Sacrament (who were un- 
 der Pennance) without Abfolution,(^) fo our Church applies 
 this General Abfolution to all who come to the Holy Com- 
 munion upon a charitable Prefumption, that all fuch as oiFer 
 tliemfelvts to the Lord's Table are fincere Penitents and true 
 Believers : And as foch, the Prieft pronounces this Abfolution 
 by wciy of Prayer, That God would have Mercy upon them, 
 ■pardon and deliver them from all their Sins^ confirm and Jireng- 
 then them in all Goodnefs, and bring them to everlafiing Life^ 
 thro' Jefus Chrifl our Lord. All which every penitent faithful 
 Communicant applies to himfclf to his great Comfort and Sa- 
 tisfaction. 
 
 Seel. XVJ. Then the Minifter reads feme comfortable Sen- 
 tences out of the Holy Scripture, ihewing what Encourage- 
 ment we have to expe6l Pardon upon Repentance, viz. S.Alat, 
 11.28. S. John '2,. 16. I Tim. I. I-). S.John 1.1. All 
 which Scripicnes are fo many loving invitations, and Decla- 
 rations of the Love of God and our Saviour, that no iincere 
 Ch.iftian can hear them without rejoycing. 
 
 Yi/hen thcicfore the Minifter fays, [Hear ivhat comfortable 
 Words our Saviour Chriji fays to all that truly turn to him.} 
 
 {■*) Cypr. dc Laplis. 
 
 Liften 
 
[ 127 ] 
 
 LIften to him with Reverence and Attention, as unto Chiift 
 and his Apoftles whofe Words he reads unto you. 
 
 When he reads St. M^t. Ii. 28. Come itnto me all ye that la- 
 bour and are heavy laden^ ar.d I ivlll refre^o you. You may 
 devoutly fay, / labour, and am heaiy laden under the burden of 
 piy Sins, Lord Jejui refrejl) mc and give me re(i. When you 
 hear our Saviour's Words out of St. J^ohn 3. 16. God fo loved 
 the World, &c. You may fay, I believe, Lord^ help my Un- 
 belief. 
 
 When he reads i 'Tim. i. 15. This is a faithful Saying, &c. 
 Let your Heart reply, I am a Sinner, Lord J-efus fave me. 
 
 When he reads out of 1 St. John z. 1. It any Man fin, QPc, 
 You may anfwer, / have find, Blejfed Redeemer be thou my 
 I'ropitiaiiony and plead thou my Caufe ivith thy 'Father. 
 
 With thefe or the like pious hjaculations you may private- 
 ly anfwer to all thefe Scriptures when you hear them read ; 
 and whoever ferioufly and devoutly joins in this Part ot our 
 excellent Service, will find that here all things are done to 
 Edifyinq. 
 
 It" any Body fhould objcS:, that fuch Confcflions as thefe 
 feem to inter that the Abfolution formerly pronounced is to 
 no purpofe ; let them confider, that the ir.oft puthetick Form 
 of Confeffion that the Avhole Bible gives any Account of, viz* 
 Tfahi 51. was compos'd, and, no doubt, ofei'd up by Holy 
 Da^id, after the Prophet Nathan had, by God's Direction, 
 a£tually abfolv'd him ; therefore Abfolution is no diflblving 
 of our Obligation to Repentance, even for Sins which are 
 forgiven. 
 
 Having therefore in the Words of the Church confefs'd our 
 Sins, and receiv'd Abfolution, and heard fome comtorrable 
 Scriptures read to us; then we are prompted by the Miniiter 
 of God to begin our 
 
 SeB. XVJI. Solemn Thankfgiving, in the Form of the pri- 
 mitive Church, Lift up your lle.iris. And the People anfwer, 
 We lift them up unto the Lord. 
 
 The Holy Sacrament being call'd in all Ages of the Church, 
 the EUCHARIST, or the Sacrifice of Praife; we fnould but 
 lamely perform this Duty without that Part of it from which 
 the whole feems to have raken this Name. We therefore be- 
 gin the Thankfgiving Part after the Patrern of primitive An- 
 tiquity, (^) with thefe Words which were us'u both in the 
 
 1 4 Greek 
 
 (.») Cypr. de Orar. Oom, obi fupva, p. . of this Litter. Sa- 
 
 ccidos ante Oranonem, piselatiwne pxmifu parac fiirruni aiimos 
 diceado SURSUM COP^DA, 6c dum iclpondct plets H VBEMUS 
 
 AD 
 
[128] 
 
 Greek and Latin Chinches. [As may be fcen in the Qiiota- 
 tions at the Bottom of this Page.] 
 
 Then the Prieft goes on ; Let us give 'Thanks unto our Lord 
 God. And the People anfv^er, It is meet and right fo to do (/t).' 
 
 Prieft. It is very meet^ right, and our bounden Duty, that ive 
 Jlwuld at alt times, 8cc. All which is taken out ot the moll 
 ancicnr Forms, and having nothing that any Chriftian can ex- 
 cept againft, I need not trouble either you or my felf with any . 
 long Difcourfe about them. 
 
 When the Holy Sacrament is adminifter'd upon any of the 
 great Feftivals of the Church ; fuch as Chrifimas-Day, Eajier- 
 J)ay, Afcenjloji-Vayf Whit- Sunday ^ or 'Trinity-Sunday. There 
 are, 
 
 SeB. XVIII. Froper Prefaces ; appointed to give particular 
 Thanks to God for the fevcral Steps of our Redemption, as 
 may be feen in the Words to be ufed upon thofe foiemnFefti- 
 vals in this Part of our Service ; v^hich are now put into fach 
 general Terms as to the Time of their Celebration, that they 
 v-ho will not allow the 25th of December to be the Day of 
 our Saviour's Nativity, may blefs God for it in the Words of 
 this Preface, [viz- for his being Bom AS AT THIS TIME] 
 ■without any Scruple. And furely they, who think they may 
 blefs God every Day for thofe great Mercies of the Incarna- 
 tion, Biyth. RefurreBion and AfcenJIon of our Saviour, and the 
 fending of the Holy Ghojl, and that they ought always to ac- 
 knowledge the Glory oi the Eternal and Undivided Trinity ; 
 I fay, they who can, with a good Confcience, do this every 
 Day, (as all good Chriftians can) need not fcruple fetting par- 
 ticular Days apart for it : And this Part of our Service is fo 
 unexceptionable, that even the Presbyterians at the Savoy Con- 
 ference only quariclled at the fixing the prccife Day {b), and 
 at their Defire the Word [DAY] was chang'd to [TIME] and 
 Xb ftands ; (which I muft own is a good Amendment, fince 
 thofe Prefaces are appointed to be read fevcn Days after thofe 
 great Feftivals.) . , 
 
 AD DOMINUM, admoncatur nihil fe quam Dominum cogitate. 
 
 5. ^n£. de i€f/'p. Ser. 44. dicen'e Sattrdote bUKbUM CORDA le- 
 
 curc r.fpondtii [lidcic;] llABfcM'JS t\D DOMINUM. ^poJt.Cafwm, 
 
 J. 8. c. 17. j-1 Uance Of Divine Ojfices, p. 215. 
 
 ■■ (/i) '^pi^Ji. Cnmns, ubi fupis. Cy\\\. Hieiof. Catech. Myftpg. 5. 
 
 AugulL^'de .Vpir. & Lit. 11. Aut;. de vera Rel. c. 3. Apud Lou/b(^r 
 
 Csmp. to the y^Itar, Farr 3. SctL if. Sedt. 4. p. Folio 520. 
 
 . (t>) See the ^iccunt vf the Prvceedings of the Coi/majiomrs, 5cc. 
 
 Whca 
 
[ 129 ] 
 
 "When therefore, upon any of the Five great Feftivals, the 
 Minifter adds one of the proper Prefaces after the firft Part of 
 the Thankfgiving, let the whole Congregation join with 
 their Hearts in praifing God for rhe Mercy there commemo- 
 rated ; and after that, both Prieft and People join Heart and 
 Voice in the 
 
 Sea. XIX. TRISAGIUM. Therefore with Angels and Arch- 
 angels, &c. Of the Antit^uity of this Hymn, there is not 
 the leaft doubt ; it being in the Liturgies of St. Mark^ 
 Sr. James, St. Bajll, St. Chryfojiomy and in the Apoftoiick 
 Canons, {a) (ail which are very ancient.) And as to the 
 Sound nefs of it, it is fufficient to quote //« 6. ^. and Rev, 
 4. 8. in which two Places you will find it almoft Word for 
 Word. 
 
 It was caird by the Greeks, Trifagium ; i. e. thrice Holy : 
 And is an excellent Orthodox Acknowledgment of the Holy 
 Trinity. 
 
 SeB. XX. After exprefling our Thanks to God the Father, 
 God the Son, and God the Holy Ghoft, the Minifter turns to 
 the Altar, and there in the Name of the whole Congregation 
 fays this Prayer : 
 
 We dont prefuryje, &c. In which there is nothing which 
 has given any Offence that 1 know of, but thefe, {That our 
 finftd Bodies may be made clean hy his Body. '\ This ( fay the 
 Presbyterian Commiflioners at the Savoy) feems to give lefs 
 Efficacy to the Body of Chrift, than the following Words do 
 to the Blood. But this looks liker a captious (parrel than 
 an Objection taken up upon any Ground from thefe Words ; 
 for that the Church, or the Compilers of this heavenly Office, 
 did not dQ^i^n any fuch Diftinftion between the Body and 
 Blood oF Chriil, nor to divide the Effe£l:s of them, is evident 
 from the Words which the Prieft ufeth in delivering the Con- 
 fecrated Bread to the Communicants, viz. The BODY of our 
 Lord Jefus Chrijl ivhich was given for thee, 'PRESERVE thy 
 Body and SOUL unto everlafling Life. Where the Frefervatiort 
 ef the Soul is attributed to the Body of Chrift, as well as the 
 •tvapinn; the Soul, in this Prayer, is attributed to his Blood. 
 Wiiich I think is a fufficient Anfwer to this Cavil. 
 
 ' SeB. XXI. Then follows the Frayer of Confecraiion ; which is 
 fo EfTential to the Holy Sacrament, that it is no Sacrament 
 without it. 
 
 (^) See Comber ubi jupra. Seel. 7. p. 521. 
 
 Our 
 
[ T30 ] 
 
 Our Saviour himfelf has taught iis to give thanhs, or blcfs, 
 Ci. e. to confecrate the Bread and Wine) before vvc can take 
 and eat. And therefore thro' all the Ages of the Church, it 
 was the conftant Praftice to confecrate the Elements, by re- 
 peating over them OUR SAVIOUPv's WORDS C^). It is by 
 his own Inftitution that we perform thi.s great Sacrament ; it 
 is by his Blefling that the Bread and Wine can ever be to us 
 his Body and Blood ; and by his own Words therefore it is 
 that the Prieft confecrates them to fo Divine a Myltery. Our 
 Church therefore following the Carhohck Practice, has ap- 
 pointed herPriefts to rehearfe the Words of Inftitution, which 
 changes the Bread and Wine from their ordinary Ufe, and 
 makes them the Memorials of the blefTed Body and Blood of 
 Chrift our Lord. 
 
 In this Prayer the Prieft addrefifes himfelf to God from the 
 Confideration of his tender Merc) to Mankind, in fending his 
 only Son Jefus Chrijl to fuffer Death upon the Crofs for our Re- 
 demption ', ivho made there {by his ONE Oblation ONCE of- 
 fer d ) a full, perfeH and fuficient Sacrifice, Oblation ar/d Satis- 
 faBion for the Sins of the ivhole World; and alfo did injiitutey 
 and in his holy Go/pel command us, to continue a perpetual Me- 
 memory of that his precious Death until his coniing again. From 
 this Confideration he prays, that God would vouchfafe to 
 hear us, and to ^rant that nvc, receiving ihofe Creature of 
 3read and Wine according to Chriji's holy injlitution, may he par- 
 takers of his mojl bleffed Body and Blood. 
 
 Then follows the immediate Confecration. Who in tie 
 fame Night that he nvas betray d took Bread, &c. 
 
 It has always been the Praftice of the Chnftian Church, to 
 lehearfe the Words of the firfi Inflitution in Confecrating the 
 Eucharijl, as both Dr. Comber and Dr. Nichols obferve {b). 
 And hence it is that fome of tlie ancient fathers attribute the 
 confecrating the Elements to Prayer(c), and others to the pio- 
 nouncing the Words of Chrift (^). Nor is there any Contia- 
 diclion in thefe two Opinions : For fince the Words of the 
 
 {a) Quomodo pofeft qui panis eft, elTc C)rp\is Chiifti ? C<^n- 
 
 fecracione ; C^niecracio jgitLir quibiis verbis clt ? D. m'n i 
 
 )elu. Ambr. de Sacr. /. 4. c. 4. CiiryC iavm. de Juda rruriiri.rc. 
 Ubi Chrifti verba de prom pa lutrunr, jmi non p-nis d c;rur ltd 
 Corpus appelJarin-. Aug. de Verb. Dom. Scim. z8. See CoV'pan. 
 to the j^lcar. Part 3. S.^. 17. p. 532- 
 
 (h) See Dr. Cumjer aud Dr. Niciiols in locum. 
 
 (c) Origen. contra CcHum. /. 8. Arabrof. de tiHe. 
 
 ic^) Ambr. de Sacr. ubi fupra. Aug. de verb. Dom. ubi fupra. 
 
 Inftitu- 
 
Inftitntion were rchearfed either in the Prayer or immediately 
 after it, they may both be properly enough faid to make the 
 Bread and Wine the Body and Blood of Chrift, in the Senfe 
 that the Primitive Church, Hill believed the Sacrament to be fo. 
 
 Since therefore, the Catholick Chii ch has always join'd 
 thcfc two together, vlz^ Prayer and the Words of Chrift ; 
 our Church very wifely continues the ancient Praftice ; firft 
 offering Prayer to God to blefs his Creatures of Bread atid Wine ; 
 and then reading our Saviour's Words, by which the Bread 
 ivhich ive break becomes the Communion of the Body of Chriji : 
 And the Cup of Blejjlng which ive blefs becomes the Communion 
 of the Blood of Chrift. 
 
 And indeed, it is mod reafonable to believe, that the Con- 
 fecration is peiform'd by thefe Words of our Saviour ; for 
 there is nothing in the Bread and Wine themfelves, which 
 can any way exhibit to us either the Benefits purchafed by 
 Chrift's Death, or in any tolerable Propriety of Speeches 
 confer Grace : Nor indeed would the Blefling of them, in any 
 Form of Words that could be devifed by mortal Man, be fuf- 
 ficient to Confecrate them to thofe holy Purpofes, to which 
 they now ferve, without their being defign'd by God himfelf 
 to thofe Ends ; Since then it is the Divine Inftitution and Ap- 
 pointment which makes the Holy Sacrament in any refpcft to 
 become the Body and Blood of Chrift, it muft be Confecrated 
 and made his Body to all Believers by his Divine Word 
 only (^). 
 
 And therefore our Church appoints, that at the pronoun- 
 cing the Words {took Bread] the Piieft fliould take the Vaten 
 (or Plate in which the Bread is kept) into his Hands, to imi- 
 tate our Saviour's Praftice. At the Words Ibrake i^j he alfo 
 breaks the Bread. And in this we prcferve the firft Inftitu- 
 tion and the Practice of the Primitive Church, where the 
 Bread was firft broken before it was diftributcd to the Com- 
 municants (o). Which Practice the Romifh Church has laid 
 afide as to the Sacrament ; and only keeps up a faint Refem- 
 b'ance of it in what they call the Sacrifice of the Mafs, as 
 dirtin£t from the Eucharift. At the Words Ithis is my Body] 
 the Prieft lays his Hands on as much of the Bread as he de- 
 figns to Confecrate, by which he feparatcs it from the reft, 
 which may be ufed as formerly ; but what is thus Confecrated 
 ought nor to be converted to common Ufc^ nor taken out of 
 the Church (r). 
 
 {a) Set' Comber on thefe M'ords, fthis is my Body.] 
 {h) Irenaeus, /. j. c. 4. Aug Serm. 140. de Tempore, apud Dr. Ni- 
 chols, of the Prayer of Corf ecrat ion. 
 (c) See the B^ubnck afufthe Qommuniin Service, 
 
 After 
 
After the fame manner the Wine is confecrated by taking 
 the Cup into the Piiert's Hands (as the Kubrick direds) apd 
 laying his Hand upon as many of the Veflels which contain 
 the Wine as he thinks will fuffije for the time, and faying over 
 it GUI Saviour's Words. All which ihcw, that as the Church 
 d England does not continue any thing in her Liturgy which 
 the Fapijis have fuperinduc'd upon the Church of Chrilt out 
 of Superftition, fo neither will fhc throw away any ancient 
 Ufage when it may be reftor'd without Sin and Danger. Ani^ 
 indeed this Kubrick, which directs the taking of the Bread and 
 Wine into the PrielVs Hand, was relloi'd (for ought I find ) 
 by tiie Importunity of the Presbyterian Commiflioners at the 
 ■Savoy Conference; for though it was always the Chuich's Pra- 
 ctice before to confccrate the holy Hucharift after the fame 
 manner, yet there was no Hated Rnbrick at that time, dired- 
 ing th ; Prieft to take the Bread into his Hand, ayid to break it. 
 Their Words are, " We conceive, that the manner of CON- 
 « SECRATING THE ELEMENTS is nor here EXPLICITE 
 « and DISTINCT ENOUGH, and the Miniller's BREAK- 
 •' ING THE BREAD is not fo much as mention'd («). 
 
 Now from he::ce I think I may fairly infer, that in the 
 Opinion of the Preshyterianst (at that time at leaft) the pro- 
 rtounci?ip; of our Saviour s Words, and tiic breaking of the Bready 
 v.as efl'cntial to Confccration: Or elle, why did thofe Gen- 
 tlemen objcft againft the Prayer of Confecration as defeftive. 
 And there being then no other Obje£tion againft our Form 
 of Confecration, I think it is plain, that nothing elfe was 
 (in their Opinion) amifs in it, and fince that was inferred at 
 their Defire, I hope my Countrymen will like our Form the 
 better for it. 
 
 After the Prayer of Confecration, the Rubrick direfts that 
 the Miniftcr (who officiates) iTiall receive in both Kinds him- 
 felf. 
 
 This is agreable to the Practice of the primitive Church(^), 
 and very pioper that they who adminilcer the holy Sacrament 
 to others, fhonld p.irtake of it themfelves firft. And the Pref- 
 lyterian Commiffioners at the Savoy^ in the Liturgy which 
 they propos'd, appoint that the Minifter ihould receive firft, 
 and then give it to others. 
 
 The Rubrick likewife requires that it fhould be given to 
 the BifiJOpSy Priejlsy and Deacons {if there be any prefent.) This 
 •was appointed (a.s the firft Rubricks have it) that the other 
 Minifters may help the chief Minifcer ; but I humbly con- 
 
 ■> (a) Exct-ptio7JS ngaiji^ the B ok of Common- Prayer in the Proceed- 
 ings of the Co'f.fnijpm rs, &c. p. i8. 
 (b) J^ojl. Lerrfiir. 1. S. c. 13. Apud Nichols Note u. 
 
 ■ ceivc 
 
[ 133 ] 
 
 ccive there is a further Reafon for it, vtz> to keep up the Di- 
 ftin8:ion which was fo ancient in the Church between Clerical 
 and Lay Communion : Bccaufe the Clergy always received at 
 the Altar, the People without the Rails {a}. 
 
 The Church alfo injoins that the Holy Sacrament fhall be 
 given in both Kinds to the People, which is fo exprcfly com- 
 manded by our blelTed Lord, and fo warranted by Catholick 
 Practice, that it is ftrange that any Church fhould negle6i it : 
 But I fhall not enter into the Ar^^uments againft the Romifb 
 PraQ:ice, fince I don't addrefs this Letter to them : And I know 
 you are of our Opinion. [As to the Peoples receiving in the 
 Pofture of Kneeling, I have already faid enough, p. izi.] 
 
 There is only one Thing more in our Way of adminiftring 
 the Sacrament, boggled at, viz. That the Minifter delivers the 
 Bread and Wine to every Perfon fingly, and docs not let the 
 Congregation rather take out of the Paten or Difh, the confe- 
 crated Bread, and likewife give the Wine about one to ano- 
 ther (^). This I know is your Cuftom in Scotland: But ( be- 
 fides the Indecencies which the Ignorance of fome may expofe 
 this facred Ordinance to, if that Practice were allow'd, as 
 fome taking a greater Quantity of the facred Bread than is 
 proper, and eating and drinking with an Irreverence very un- 
 becoming that Place and Occafion:) I defire to know, fiiice 
 the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is a Seal of the Covenint 
 of Grace to every Believer, as well as Baptifm, why it ^liouid 
 not be particularly apply'd by God's Minifter to every Perfon, 
 as well as Baptifm is (r). 
 
 It is faid, that our Saviour did not give the Sacrament to 
 every one of the Difciplcs, but to them all in general: Bul I 
 think, this is only faid, but not proved : For tiiere is no ex- 
 prefs Text that neceflfarily infers any fnch Thing. For that 
 in St. Luke zz. 17. 'Take this and divide it amon^ yourfehes^ is 
 not to be refeir'd to the Sacrament, but the PalTbver ; for in 
 the 19th Verfe follows the Inftitution of the Eucharifl. So 
 that oiir Saviour's Pra£lice in this being uncertain, it is no 
 Argument againft ours. 
 
 When therefore thePrieft has received the Sacrament in both 
 Kinds himfelf, and given it to the other Miniftcrs prefent; and 
 comes to deliver yoti the coniecrarrd Br^ad, let your Prayers 
 and Meditations be alt direiSted to Chrift ; and when he fays, 
 *The Body of our Lord Jefm Chriji ivhich ivas given for thee, pre- 
 ferve thy Body and Soul unto everlajlinff Life ; let your Hearts 
 (if not your Tongues) fay an humble ^nd devout AMEN, (for 
 
 (a) Council of Laodicea, Can. 10. 
 
 {b) Sre the Exc- prions of the Pres'b. CommiJJioners at the Savoy. 
 
 {c) Hooker. £a7. Polity. 1. $. Seel. 68. 
 
 fo 
 
[ml 
 
 (6 the ancient Chnrch did {a\ and fo do mod of ours, though 
 not pofitively enjoin'd by the Kubrick.) And then ^vith all 
 Reverence and Thankfulnefs, take from his Hands the holy 
 Bread which he offers you, and eat it, feeding on Chriji in your 
 Hearts by Faith with Thank/giving. And lo like wife when he 
 brings you the Cup. 
 
 It is not my Intention to difcourfe of the particular A£ls of 
 Devotion and Praife, which worthy Communicants ought to 
 exercife at that Time, for thofe I refer you to the Whole Duty 
 cf Mafii or fuch other Books as you think proper. I Ihall 
 not therefore infiit longer upon the Aft of Receiving, I pray 
 God all who come to the Holy Altar for that purpofe, may be 
 fo fitted and prepared for it, as that they may truly eat and 
 drink the Body and blood of Chrift, to the Food and Nou- 
 rifhment of their Souls. 
 
 The Kubrick directs, that Uf the confecrated Bread and Wine 
 he /pent before all have Communicated, the Friejl is to Confecrate 
 wore according to the Form before prefcrib'd : Beginning at 
 [OUR SAVIOUR CHRIST in the fame Night, &c.J for blef- 
 fing the Bread: And at Uikewife after Supper] for bleffing the 
 Cup. And indeed, this is abfoluiely necelfary : For fmce a 
 lawful 'Brief: s confecrating the Elements by our Saviour s Wordsy 
 is of the very BlTence of the Sacrament, any Bread or Wine 
 not fo Confeciated, are Hill common Bread and Wine, and as 
 fuch never can be the Body and Blood of Chrift to thofe who 
 receive them. 
 
 The next Rubrick appoints, that [jwhen all have communica- 
 tedy the Minifier fhall return to the Lord's-'Table, and reverently 
 place upon it what remains of the confecrated Elements, covering 
 the fame with a fair Linnen- Cloth, 1 This was an ancient Cul- 
 tom {h) and is IHII very decent, as fhewing a particular Re- 
 gard to that Bread and Wine, which has fo lately reprefented 
 our Saviour's PalTion ; and therefore is never afterwards to be 
 apply'd to ordinary Ufes. 
 
 Thus I think I have e^cplained this Part of our Communion- 
 Service, in as fhort and plain a Method as I could. I come 
 next to the 
 
 SeB. XXII. Service after the Communion. And here we be- 
 gin with THE LORD's-PRAYER. And certainly it can never 
 be more proper than after the Holy Communion. For having 
 BOW fed our Souls with Chrift's Body and Blood, it is very 
 
 (a) Ambr. de "Sacram. /. 4. c. %. Cyr. Carech. Myft. f. Aug Refp. 
 ad. Orof. qu. 49. apud Comber Conip. to the JlturFui 3- Se£t.iSi. 
 Sea. I. , , 
 
 ib) See Dr. KichoWs Nofe upon this Rubnek, 
 
 juft 
 
[135 ] 
 
 jnft that we (liould open our Mouths in his Praife ; and what 
 Words fo fit for that as his ovvn. This was the early PraQice 
 of the Church. St. Jerom tells us, '* That Chrift taught his 
 " Apoftles, that every Day in the Sacrifice of his Body, the 
 ** Faithful fnould be bold to fay, Our 'Bather, {a) ^c. 
 
 In this holy Prayer the whole Congregation is to join; 
 furely every devout worthy Communicant will, with Heart 
 and Voice, in praiflng and worfhiping God and our Saviour, 
 for the great Bkffing ihey have To lately tafted. 
 
 SeVx. XXIII. After which follows two excellent PRAYERS, 
 whicii contain both a Supplication, an Oblation, and a 
 Thankfgiving. I have feriouily confider'd them more than 
 once, and finding nothing liable to any Cavil in either of 
 them, I don't conceive there is any Neceflity of juftifying 
 them. I did indeed once intend to have paraphras'd them, 
 and fcveral others in our Liturgy, after the Example of Dr. 
 Cornher, and Dr. Nichols ; but (with all due Refpe^i to thofe 
 two Great Men, whofe Books I very much eftecm, and am 
 very much oblig'd to, thro' this whole Performance) I mnft 
 confefs I think the Prayers of our Liturgy (jcift as they are) 
 do to me, carry a Spirit of Devotion and Strength of Expref- 
 fion, which no Paraphrafe that I ever faw can be thought to 
 come up to: I therefore chufe to leave them to your Confi- 
 derarion in their native Simplicity, wherein yocj will find to 
 a Mind rcligioufly difpos'd, fuch an elevated Strain of Piety, 
 as can't fail of raifing your Minds to the higheft Pitch of de- 
 vout Thankfulnefs ; and whoever with an honeft Heart gives 
 up himfelf to God Almighty in either of thefe Forms which 
 the Minifter fhall pitch upon, and ferioufly endeavours to 
 make good in his Life and Converfation, the Obligation he 
 lays himfelf under at this holy Seafon, will find his Soul fir'd 
 with Love to God and his Saviour, and will allow the Edifi- 
 cation of this Part of our Liturgy, and blefs God that he has an 
 Opportunity of joining in a Service where he can truly fay he 
 has pr/ifd VJith the Spirit^ and prayd with the 'Underfiandi77g alfo, 
 
 SeB-XXlV. Then follows that moft ancient Hymn(i^\ call'd 
 ^he Ay??elical Hymn, becaufe it begins with the Song of the An- 
 gels at our Saviour's Birth : Glory he to God on high, &c. and well 
 known in the Church of God, by the Title of Gloria in ex- 
 
 ^{(t) Hier. in Pelag. /. 3. :^ee Aug. Rp. 5^. Greg. /. 7. Ep. 6^. 
 Ambr. de Sicr. /. 5. c. 4. a pud Combr. Comp, to the ^Itar. Part 
 4. Sea. 19. Sta 2. 
 
 (b) Clemcnr. Gon'tirur. l. -j . c. 48. Cyncll. Toler. 4. Can. iz. 
 See CombsiV Comp. Sect. 2z. Sect. i. 
 
 celps. 
 
[ I30 
 
 eetp. Here both Prieft and People (after the Example of outf 
 blefTed Saviour and his Apoftles) join their Hearts and Voices 
 in finging or faying an Hymn: In which we blefs God above 
 all for his many and great Mercies, that by his Son Jefus 
 Chrift, has fent Teace on Earth by reconciling us to God, and 
 Ihewing his wonderful Good-will towards Men, by purchafing 
 our Redemption by the Body and Blood of Chrift, of which 
 we have but now been Partakers. 
 
 We therefore with Hearts inflam'd with Love and Grati- 
 tude, -praife him and blefs him,, we worship him, we glorify 
 him, we give 'Thanks to him for his great Glory. And all this 
 addrcft to our great Lord and heavenly King God the Father 
 Almighty, Then we addrefs ourfelves particularly to God the 
 Son, we acknowledge him to be the Lordy the only Begotten 
 Son the Mefliah or anointed Saviour Jefus Chrift, the Lamb of 
 Godt the Son of the Father ; from the Confideration of all 
 which, but efpecially his taking away the Sins of the World, 
 "we beg of him to have Mercy upon us; and becaufe we are 
 now more encouraged to addi^fs our Prayers to him, fince we 
 have been admitted to the great Honour of Feeding at his 
 Table, we repeat the fame Petition, Thou that takeft away the 
 Sins of the Worldy have Mercy upon us. And fince we cannoft 
 reprefent him to ourfelves under a more endearing Charafter 
 than that of having taken away Sin, we pray, That he who 
 takes away the Sins of the World, would receive our Grayer : 
 And becaufe to crown the Work of our Redemption he afcen- 
 ded up into Heaven, and there liveth to make Interceffion for 
 us, we pray, Thou that Jittefi at the right Hand of God, have 
 Jldercy upon us* 
 
 Nor is there any vain Repetition here, but according to 
 the Example of our Saviour in his Agony, the blind Man in 
 the Gofpel, and the whole Catholick Church in all Ages, we 
 cry to Chrift for Mercy, and with a becoming Earneftnefs 
 and repeated Devotion, we again beg for Mercy and Pardon, 
 which we can never do too often. And why we fhould not 
 think that our repeated Prayer for Mercy will prevail with 
 Chrift (provided it be devout) now, as well as in the Days 
 of his Flefh, I don't know. 
 
 The latter Part of this Hymn is an Acknowledgment of the 
 Blefled Trinity, as well as owning the Divinity of our Saviour. 
 For thou only art holy, &C. 
 
 Indeed this whole angelical Hymn, is both an admirable 
 Thankfgiving, and a moft excellent Prayer; and there is not 
 one Word in it, but what is taken out of the Holy Scrip- 
 ture (<t); and whoever reads the Prayers and Hymns compos'd 
 
 (a)S.Lukez. i6. Rev. \z. iz. Rev. s» ^S- S.John \. 14,2^,3^. 
 Cal. 3. I. Rev. ij. 4. i Tim. 6. 15. by 
 
[ t37 ] 
 
 ty the Sai;oy Commiffioners to be iifcd inftead of onr excel-* 
 lent Liturgy, will find more Repetitions in Subftance, though 
 perhaps the very Words not repeated. For Inftance. Give us 
 
 Repentance unto Life. — Give us that broken contrite Hearts 
 
 T. Create in us a clean Hearty and renew a right Spirit with- 
 in us. "Take out of us the old and prong Hearty and irive us a 
 new and tender Heart C^), &c. And in your Extempore i^raycrs, 
 you ofcen Pray to God to have Mercy upon you, and perhaps 
 in the next Sentence, to be merciful unto you, or t& jhew yon 
 Mercy : At another time, you beg of him to forgive your Sins^ 
 and immediately after to pardon your OffenceSy or blot out your 
 Tranfgrejftons, And why we may not twice beg of God to 
 have Mercy upon as, as well as to fay once, Lord have Mercy^ 
 and anon to pray, Lord be merciful unto us, is a nicety that I 
 don't well undeiftand. 
 
 When therefore the Minilter begins the Hymn of the Holy- 
 Angels ; Glory be to God on high, &c. Let the whole Con- 
 gregation join Heart and Voice, and repeat this excellent 
 Thankigiving, which was of very early Ufe in the Primitive 
 Church (6) before there was fuch a' Thing in the World as Po* 
 
 After this is done, the Prieft prays in one or more of the 
 Forms which are to be found after the Blefling. Thefe Col- 
 lefts are compos'd with fuch a true Spirit of Devotion, that 
 I am fure no Chriftian can diflike them ; I fhail not therefore 
 infill upon them ; but only to exhort you earnedly to join 
 with the Minifter in them, when ever upon any Occafion he 
 ufes them 5 and indeed, if you ufe them in your Families 
 and private Devotions too, you will find them very Edifying. 
 
 Then the Bifhop (if he be prefent) difmifles the Congre- 
 gation with the Blefling ; becaufe the lefs is blejfed of the 
 greater, Heb. 7.7. If the Biihop is not there, the Prieft fays, 
 
 SeB. XXV. The Peace of God, &c. I hope t fhall not riee4 
 to vindicate this Part of our Service, fince it is to be found 
 in the Holy Scripture, with only fuch Alteration in the lattet 
 Part of it as makes it (from a good Jewifh Benedi£lion com- 
 manded by God himfelf ) a very Orthodox Chriftian Blefljng 
 expiefling our Faith in the Holy Trinity. The firft Part of it 
 is taken out Phil. 4. 7. and 2 S* Fet. 3. 18. And the latter 
 Part is only a Chriftian Paraphrafe upon Numb. 6. 24, 25, 160 
 by turning the LORD ihrice repeated there into the Father i 
 
 (a) See the ConfeJJion of Sin in the Petition for Peace, po 20. 
 
 (b) Clem. Conlt. /. 7. r, 48. Vide Comber Cojnu. tg (hf Altfitt 
 f art^. Scdt, rr. 
 
Son and Holy Ghoft in ours; which I hope yon will not dif- 
 like. 
 
 After therefore the Prieft, or Bifliop, has pronounced the 
 Blefling, which ihc whole Congregation is to hear with Hu- 
 mility and Revercrxe, you may recommend yourfelves to God 
 privately, in Tuch a Form as ihall bcft fute your Circumftan- 
 ces ; or, in one of the Collc£ts of the Liturgy : Such as thefe 
 noted at the Bottom {a) ; to which you ought always to add 
 the Lord's Prayer. After which you may rife from your Knees, 
 and depart in leace, and tie God of Peace be nv'ith you, 
 
 AND THUS 1 have gone through the whole ordinary 
 Lord's Day Service, and the Celebration of the BlefTed Sacra- 
 ment, according to the Ufe of the Church of England. 
 
 I did at firft defign to have taken in the whole Liturgy ; but 
 finding that what 1 have already done, has fwell'd to a greater 
 Bulk than I defign'd, and being oblig'd to add an A? PEN- 
 V IX to it, I chufe to defer what I intended upon the Occaii- 
 onal Office, to another Opportunity ; which I will take (by 
 the Bleffing of God) if I find that what I have now offer'd 
 fhall be of any Service to my Country. 
 
 May I take the Liberty now to addrefs my felf in the Spirit 
 of Meehnefs^ to thofe of the Presbyterian Perfwafion, that they 
 will but confider ferioufly, and without Prejudice, The COM- 
 MON PRAYER BOOK as an ordinary Book of Devotion, 
 abltrafted from its being a ftated Form of publick Worfhip ; 
 and read the preceding Sheets (or the better Expofitions of 
 Dr. Cemher^ ^nd Dr. Nichols) in Vindication of any Paflages 
 they except againft, and they will find, That any private Chri- 
 ftian may, li'ith great Edification, make ufe of the Prayers con- 
 tained in it, in his Clofet or Family ; and if fo, I cannot fee 
 why its being commanded by Authority fhould make it un- 
 lawful. Tho' if you fhould think, That the impofing it upoa 
 you, is a rcftraining your Chriflian Liberty ; you are fafe as 
 to this, fince it is not impofed on you, but recommended as a 
 more excellent Way. 
 
 Confider, I befeccli you, the PraGice of the Jewifh and 
 Chriftian Churches in all Ages ; and yon will find, that even 
 before and fince, immediate Lifpi ration ceas'd, they ferved 
 God in Pnblick by STATFD LITURGIES {b). Look to the 
 Reformed Proleftants through all ErncpCy and you will fee that 
 they always did, and do to this Day worfliip God by PRE- 
 SCRIBED FORMS. 
 
 {ri) Fourth Sunday after Epipliany ; Second Sunday in Lent j i/, id, 
 ^d, ^th, 6th, -jth, cjth^orthe \phsundajs after Tim'ny. 
 'b) See, p. 9, 10, 1 1. 
 
 Thu.«! 
 
[ 13? ] 
 
 Thus Luther made a Liturgy for the Church of Wittenhur^h : 
 And all the Lutheran Churches have a Itated Prefcrib'd Form, 
 \vhich they conftantly ufe {a). 
 
 That Calvht approve 'd of Liturgies, is plain from his Letter 
 to the (then) Protestor of England, where he fays, That /i&fi 
 "Eorm of Prayer and Ecclejiajilcal Rites jhould be certain, front 
 nvhich it may not be lawful for any Minijier to vary in the Exer- 
 cife of his FunBion. And the Reafons he gives for it are very 
 good ; viZ' !• I'he Weaknefs and Ignorance of fome, z. For the 
 Sake of Vniformity. 5. To avoid Novelty {b). And he himfelf 
 made a Liturgy, which is nfed to this Day, both in Geneva^ 
 and (where they dare do it) in France : And even in Holland 
 rhey have a Set Form of Prayer. And our Country man Mr. 
 Xnox's Liturgy is yet Extant, and not deny'd by the Author o£ 
 the Dialogues, in his Letrer from the Country-man to the Cu- 
 rate. 
 
 If then all thofe foreign Divines, whofe Authorities yoa 
 Ceem to depend much upon, and efpecialjy Mr. j!C;7o;^, whofe 
 Principles, as diftin^l from yours, you glory in, and boatt of: 
 If, I fay, all thefe have declar'd againil you in this Point, in 
 fine, if there is not a Chriftian Church real or pretended in 
 the whole World (except yourfelves) that wants a Liturgy, I 
 befeech you, leave this afFe£ted Singuhriry, embrace out Li-. 
 turgy, or in God's Name make a better ; and when you do, 
 we ihall not feek to recommend ours. 
 
 But as to you, my Brethren, of the Epifcopal Communion, 
 ■who always declar'd your felves for Forms, and taught your 
 People the Lawfulnefs and Expediency of them, who lamen- 
 ted the Loofenefs of Extempore Effullons, and often wifh'd 
 you had a Liturgy, I flioujd be forry that it fhould prove a 
 difficult Task to reconcile you to the life of I'he Common Frayer 
 Book. You muft find upon reading it, that for Subftance it is 
 agreable to that Form of Sound Words which you have be-* 
 liev'd and taught : And fince you have always, even in the 
 worft of Times, and when you were in a State of Perfecution, 
 profeis'd to adhere to the DoiSlrine and Practice of the Primi- 
 tive Church, (as indeed you have in many Things) let it now 
 appear, that it was nor your Fault that you wanted Uniformity 
 in Worfhip. If there be any of your People who entertain 
 Scruples at the Liturgy, it is becaufe they are not acquainted 
 with it. Ufe them to it for fome fmall Time, and by the 
 Bledlng of God they will like it, if you be hearty and finccre 
 in recommending and explaining it to them. 
 
 {a) Combsr'j- Hiftory of Litnrgies, 8vo. Part 2. pa^. 3o5. 
 (h) Vide Calvin £i?. 87. ad Fioredt AngU 
 
 K 2 I hope 
 
[ 140 ] 
 
 I hope you will not take amifs the Freedom I here ufe tO' 
 ward you : For I don't take upon me to prefcribe to thofe who 
 have both more Learning and Hxperierxe, than I can pretend 
 to i but as I undertook this Task for the Benefit of my 
 Country-men, fo I hope you will give me Leave earnertly to 
 befcech you, That will not negleO: this happy Opportunity, 
 now put into your Hands by the good Providence of God, and 
 the Indulgence of our moft Religious King, to unite the fmall 
 Remains of the Epifcopal Church of Scotlatid'm Worfhip, as 
 veil as Doftrine and Government, to the beft and pureft 
 Church this Day in the Chriftian World. If ever it fhould 
 pleafc God to open the Eyes of thofe who differ from the 
 Truth and you, that they lliould defire Epifcopal Ordination^ 
 and the Re-ertabiifhment of that Divine and Apoftolical Go- 
 vernment, you will find even Epifcopacy lame and imperfeft 
 without a Liturgy, as you know it has hitherto been. And 
 what a prepofterous Thing it would be, to fee in one King- 
 dom two Churches (agreing exa£tly in Doftrine and Govern- 
 ment) differing fo widely in Divine Worfhip. I hope you 
 will pardon me, if I fay> You can't anfwer it to God Almigh- 
 ty, if you don't u(c all your Endeavours to fettle that Wor- 
 fhip among your People, which has been found in Enghnd to 
 be the beft Fence againff Popery, and all other Herefies ; and 
 they laying afide of which in the Great Rebellion, was one 
 Great Occafion of all the Schifm and Divifions which have fo 
 infefted us ever fince. 
 
 I will here make Ufe of no politick Reafons to perfwade 
 you to embrace the Liturgy, (tho' thofe might be brought to 
 recommend it) I fhall only prefs it upon you from this one 
 Confideration, that you, as well as the Church of Englandy 
 may ^ray with the Sfmty and fray ivith the JJnderfiandlng^ alfo. 
 
 I am, 
 
 Your moft affectionate Country-man, 
 
 And moft faithful Servant. 
 
[■4- ] 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 ^2?. H E N moll of the Sheets of the LETTER 
 
 were tranfcrib'd for the Piefs, I had two Pam- 
 phlets fcnt me, call'd, DIALOGUES between 
 A CURATE and A COUNTRY-MAN. I 
 have read them over v/ith fome Care, and in- 
 tended to have new-modeli'd the Whole for 
 their Sakes ; bat finding Nothing in them that has been ob- 
 jeSied to the Liturgy before I was born, and anfwer'd, more 
 than once, by Englijh Divines, and many of thofe Objections 
 taken Notice of in the Letter before I favv the Dialogues ; I 
 therefore chofe to print it as it is, and add this Appendix in 
 anfwer to fuch Exceptions as are there made, to which I have 
 not apply'd my felf particularly in the Letter, 
 
 I am not concern'd in his tiift Inlinuation of bringing in the 
 Pretender ; that is foreign to my Bufinefs at prefent : But if I 
 am not mifinformed, the Presbyterians in Scotland drink K. ^'s 
 the Vlllth's Health, and have made as publick Declarations 
 againft the Oath of Abjuration, as their Neighbours. And if 
 our Authour has taken it, which I don't know, many of his 
 Brethren have not. 
 
 The firft Objcclion brought againft the Liturgy, is Vage 4. 
 of the firff Dialogue, viZ' the Charge of Popery ; and that 
 is made cue from King Ediuard's che Vlth, the Pope, and 
 King James the Vlth. 
 
 I have in the Letter vindicated every PalTage in our Lord's 
 Day Service, and the Office for the Communion, which I have 
 heard charged with Popery ; but I iliall now fay fomething of 
 it in General, which I hope may pave the Way for anfwenng 
 the Lnftances brought to prove the Charge. 
 
 I will not fuppofe, that our Author induftrioufly runs into 
 this ObjciStion, as into the Cant of a Party to keep up the 
 Diffe ence : I hope, he is a Man of Integrity as well as Senfe : 
 If therefore I can juftify the Liturgy as to tliis Point, I fhall 
 think to hear no more of it from him. 
 
 I iliall therefore enquire what Popery is, and then fee whe- 
 ther there be any Thing of it in our Prayers. 
 
 K 
 
 I hope 
 
[ H^ ] 
 
 I hope neither the Author of the Dialogues, nor any Man 
 ot" Senfe of his Perfuafion, ^^ill call any Thing Popery, becaufe 
 it is ufed in the Roniiili Church : For that \\ere to call the 
 Chriftian Religion Popery ; but (as I take it) Fopery is jome- 
 thhg fuperindHc'd upon the Chrifllan Religion, by the Authority of 
 the Church of Rome, contrary to the Holy Scriptures^ and the 
 Fra^tice of the Catholick Church in the firji and bejl Ages, 
 
 If any Body thinks, that this is too loofe a Notion of Po- 
 pery, I am forry for it : But let them confider it well, and 
 then tell me, Whether they think in good liarneft, that any 
 Thing can be juflly charg'd- as an unlawful Term of Commu- 
 nion with any Church, but what is contrary to the Word of God, 
 and priKK'itive Antiquity. For my own Part, I fincerely declare, 
 were 1 in any Country where the I)oHri?!e, Worpip, and Go- 
 vet-nwent, weie ApojioUcal and Primitive, (and that I look upon 
 to be Divine) and where I could find nothing impofed as a 
 I'er/n of Communion, which were plainly contrary to the Pre- 
 cepts of Chriji and his ApofileSy and the FraBice of the firJi and 
 hejl Ages of Chrijliamtyy I fhould think it as great a Sin to 
 make a Schifm in that Churchy by either feparating my felf, or 
 encouraging others to feparate from it, as to break any other 
 Precept of the Gofpcl. Nay, I will go a Step farther, and 
 yet very fafely : Were I Member of any Church, which in 
 EJfentials of faithy Worflnp^ and Government held the ApojioU- 
 cal and Frimitive Rules, but hy Vertue of her own Authority, had 
 impofed Ceremonies which the Holy Scripture has not appoin- 
 ted, nor were ever known in the Primitive Chinch, but were 
 of Yelterday ; though I do freely own, that I am as little 
 fond of Novelty in Religon as any Chriftian in the King's 
 Dominions, and had I a Vote in impofing Ceremonies, I 
 ^vould withftand fuch to my utmoft Power ; yet, nvhen they 
 were once enaHed hy the Governours of the Church (provided al* 
 ways, that they were not contrary to the Word of God, and plain 
 Apojlolical and Frimitive Frecept) I would fubmit to them qui- 
 etly, and practice them religioufly, rather than give the lead 
 Diihirbance to the Peace of that Church, whofe Determination 
 {in ^11 indiffevejtt Matters) every good Chriftian ought, for 
 Confcience Sake, to obey. 
 
 I will not now go through all the Superindu£l:ions which the 
 Church of Rome has made upon Chriftianity ; the prefent 
 ConiiJcration is Worfiiip : I will then, from my former Defi- 
 nition of Popery, Ihew you wherein it confifts with Relation 
 to WorO^ip. And it is in thefc Particulars: 
 
 I. In their forbidden antilcriptural AddrcHcs of their Pray- 
 ers and Praifes to wrong Objects ; and their vain and impious 
 Adorations of Saints and Angels, the Crofs and Images. 
 This, I lay, is not only witliout Warrant from the Scripture, 
 
 and 
 
[ 143 ] 
 
 and the firft and beft Ages of the Chinch, but exprefly againft 
 both, (as I conid prove, were I difputing againft Papift ) and 
 brought in by the Authority of the Chuich of Rome alone, a§ 
 a Itated Part of their Worfhip. 
 
 2. In having their Worfhip in an unknown Tongue, \yhich 
 renders it ufelefs to the Unlearned, contrary to the expref^ 
 Words of Scripture, and the Example of the whole Caiholick 
 Church for many Ages. 
 
 5. In depraving and corrupting the moft folemn Parts of 
 the Chriftian Woriliip [the Jjoly Sacraments] by Prayers con- 
 trary to found Doftrine, {a) by Tranfubftantiation, by deny- 
 ing the Cup, and offering Sacrifice for the Living and the 
 Dead, and fuch like Praftices, contrary to the. Word of God 
 and primitive Antiquity. 
 
 4. Impnfing Apocryphal Writings upon Ch:iftians, and rc- 
 •quiring Allent to them as to the Word of God. For though J 
 "will allow the Chriiiian Church a confiderahle Authority in 
 afccrtaining and proving the holy Scriptures (join'd with 
 other Proofs) yet no particular Church has Authoiity to make 
 Canonical Scripture, nor to receive any Writing (how good 
 foever) into the facred Canon, contrary to the plain and 
 Icnown Principles and Praftice of the hrrt and bell Ages of 
 Chriftianicy. To this I add, their forcing their own Interpre- 
 tation of Scripture upon m. 
 
 5. Impoling a burdenfom Number of Ceremonies by her 
 own Authority, and placing a Vertue and Ltlicacy in the \](e 
 of 'em equivalent ro the Vertue of Sacraments, contrary to 
 Scripture and Primitive Antiquity. 
 
 Thefe T conceive, are all that we can charge of /;>7?7oati/ow 
 upon the Papifts, with refpca to Publick Worfhip. 
 
 And now I challenge all the World to Hicw one Foocffep 
 of any of thefe in the EngUp Liturgy. 
 
 Our Prayers and Praifcs are direded to God alone. Our 
 Worfliip is in the Common Language of the Country, undcr- 
 ftood by all. Our Sacraments adminifter'd in the Words of 
 Scripture, and the earlieff Antiquity, without any new Whims 
 of our own Invention. Oar Scripture the pure Word of God, 
 as it has been ov/n'd by the whole Catholick Church ; and 
 when we read other Books, we read them as Apocr'ipha, and 
 don't fo much ss allcdge that they arc Canonical : And as 
 to the Interpretation of Scripture, our Church forces ro Man 
 to believe any Scnfe of hers of any one Text in the Bible, con- 
 trary to the Senfe of the liril Ages of Chriflianity. And laft- 
 ly, the Ceremonies of our Church arc fo few and decent, that 
 none need to find fault with them, and we declare that we are 
 
 ('*) See the Prajer -iohm ths Salt is put into the Child's Moiitb. Office 
 
[ 144 ] 
 
 fofar from placing any Vertue or Efficacy in them, that on 
 the contrary they are fo indifterent, that they may be chang'd 
 as the Governors of the Church fhall fee Caufe C^). 
 
 Ifanyonecan Ihew any Popery in the Liturgy, let him 
 give the Inftance, but till then, general Side Wipes and un- 
 charitable Inuendnrns are not fair. 
 
 Having premis'd thus much ; I come to his Proofs. The 
 firft is that of King EdiuatdW. in his Letter to ihc Devon- 
 pjire Rebels, where he fays, That the Liturgy is the Mai's in 
 ErJglijhy only fome things taken out which ivould have been a 
 Shame to have heard in Lnglifh. 
 
 If the King was advifed to footh Rebels by good Words, 
 (as that Hiltory and the very Letter itfelf Ihew ) I don't fee 
 that can be any Aigument againft the Liturgy, iincc the very 
 Words quoted by our Author overthow his Argument ; for 
 thofe few things (which the King fays were taken out) were 
 the Subftance of the Popifh Corruption that ever was in it. 
 If you or I fhould tell a Papift, that our Creed is the fame 
 with the 'Trent Creed, only a few things omitted in ours which 
 the Rornijh Church had foijled into that ; would it therefore 
 follow that the Apoftles Creed (which is ours) were Popery. 
 If there was really at that Time, vi::.. in the firft Book of King 
 Edward VI. any thing in the Liturgy which feemcd to favour 
 the Popifh Hirors, particularly with relation to Tranfub- 
 ftantiaiion ; ( tho' the Words do not infer any fuch Dodrine, 
 but only the real Prefence which I have fhew'd to be a Pro- 
 teilant Do£tiine (6)) yet they being long fince laid afide, as 
 alfo that Part of the Prayer for the whole State of Chrift's 
 Church Militant, which recommends thofe who now teji in the 
 Sleep of Veace to Gods Mercy of E'verlajling Peace ; I fay, thefe 
 being long fince laid afide, I have no Occafion to juftify them, 
 nor indeed can they with any Reafon be brought (how inno- 
 cent or ancient foever they may be faid to be ) as Arguments 
 againft our Liturgy as now it ftands. 
 
 But afrer this was ftiuck out and the Liturgy mended (as 
 our Author, out of Ridicule terms it) viz- in Qiit t-n Eliza- 
 beth's Time, yet it was ( in his Opinion) i'o neiir the Mafs 
 Book, that even the Pope himfelf was content to cftablijh it 
 upon Condition that Ihe would join herfcif to the See of 
 ■Jiome. ■'■:■■:' 
 
 ■ In anfwer to this. I fuppofe that the Tope's Supremacy is 
 the Hinge of the Popifh Stru8uie upon the Chriliian Ke!i- 
 j^ion ; and that once iubmirtcd to, he may mould any Cluirch 
 ii'S he pleafes, (and as he has done heieiofoie: ) So that v-hat- 
 
 {r) See the Prayer Book [of Ceremonies \ brfore the CaUndar. 
 ih P'^l of thiLciur, * 
 
 ever 
 
[ HJ ] 
 
 ever Conceffions he might out of Policy make to reduce a 
 potent Prince, and great Kingdom, under his Obedience, I 
 think thofe will never amount to a Proof of our Liturgy's be- 
 ing like his own at Home. If a Presbyterian Teacher (fpeaking 
 of the Devil's Wiles) fhould tell his Congregation, that the 
 Devil is not to be triilted, for he would not ftick to give them 
 leave to go to publick Prayers twice a Day, and to the Com- 
 munion on:e a Year, provided they would agree that he fhould 
 have the Management of them for all the reft of the Time : 
 Would any one conclude from that Speech, that the Teacher 
 ^vas of Opinion that the Devil lov'd Prayers and Commonion ? 
 I need not make the Application. 
 
 If King James call'd (nay thought) the Englijh Liturgy an 
 ill mumhled Mafs, while he was under the Prejudices and Mil^ 
 reprcfentation o^ Presbyterian Education, and was then himfelf 
 but young, he underftood both Popery and the Englijh i>ervice 
 better afterwards, than to continue that Opinion : And indeed, 
 his own managing the Hampton-Court Conference (almoft 
 without any Affiftance ) is Demonftration, that he both under- 
 ftood and lov'd our Liturgy, as I hope all honeft Presbyterians 
 will when they know it as well as his Majefty did. 
 
 Oir Author's Wit, p. 5. of the Tinkers mending, I think is 
 but lamely made out, by the leaving oat that one Petition in 
 Q^Elizabeth's Liturgy, From the Tyranny of the Bijhop o/Rome, 
 &>c. Suppofe now (which I believe indeed was the Keafon) 
 that the (Tueen and the Bifhops had then a Mind to reconcile 
 the Englip Papifts to the Liturgy, and for effecting it, did 
 ( with a good Chriftian Intention ) put out that Petition which 
 was enough to frighten Men of their Principles at the very 
 Threfhold ; will that argue, that therefore the Litany is more 
 Popilh than it was in King Edivard's Time? I never heard that 
 ftriking out was Popery, but always believed that the Popery 
 <of Wcifliip confifted in putting in Things into it which ought 
 iiot to be there. • 
 
 Unlefs therefore that our Author can fhew fome Thing put 
 into the Liturgy of our Church, which is truly Popery, /. e. 
 fotnething fuperaddcd to our Worfhip by the Authority of 
 the Romifh Church, which is contrary to God's Word and the 
 ^Pririciples of the Primitive Churchy neither he nor any one elfe 
 can ever infer his Conciufion, viz.. That the Englijh Liturgy 
 either is or favours Popery. And when that is fairly done 
 {iis certainly it may be, if it be true) I, for my Part, (and I 
 think I may venture to ftipul:.te for the whole Clergy oi Eng~ 
 4and) will recant that i:rror. - ■ , . ■ 
 
 His Objection p. 6. of omitting fome Chapters of the Old 
 Teftament, ard the Revelation, is anfwer'd in the Letter, 
 fSeif, 10. ^. 33. I fhall only add, that the Objeftion does not 
 
 found 
 
[ H^ ] 
 
 found very well from a Presbyterian, With v/hat Face can 
 any Man of that Perfwaficn (cfpccially if he is a Teacher) 
 blame the Church of England for omicting a few Chapters in 
 their publick AlTemblies, -when THHY lay afide the Bible by 
 the Lump? Is it worfe in US to chule a more edifying Chapter 
 than another, than it is in THEM to make no Choice at all ? 
 We don't forbid our People to read thofe at Home Avhich are 
 omitted in the Calendar ; fo that they have as good Keafon 
 to be acquainted Vvith Leviticus, &c. as the Presbyterians, be- 
 caufe they may read them at home as well as they ; and they 
 muft be better acquainted v.ich the reft of the Scripture, be- 
 caufe they hear it read in Church as well as at Home, which 
 the others do not. 
 
 Of the Apocrypbay fee p. 34. of the Letter. The Story of 
 ^obit 6. of the Angel and Tobias eating the Filh, is not lo ri- 
 diculous as our Author would make it. There is nothing in 
 the whole Story btit what is not only pojGible, but realbn- 
 able enough : For the Text docs not fay, that thty eat the 
 whole Fifh : So that the Witticifm of the Afjgel's and Xoung 
 Mens Stomachs y is quite fpoil'd. Or if they did, allowing 
 the Hiftory to be true, (which I believe would trouble our 
 Author to difprove) ftranger Things have been done by An- 
 gels without the Help of a Young Man. Nor is there any 
 thing either contrai-y to found Dottrine, or vain and foolitk 
 in the Method of conjuring the Devil ( as he phrafcs it.) If 
 God fhall be pleas'd to u^i^ luch a Method to perform any Mi- 
 racle as to make it feem the f.ftciSl: of a natural Caufe, to con- 
 ceal (for Reafons beft known to himfelf) his own immediate 
 Hand in it, there is no Reafon why the Liver and Heart of 
 a Fiih fhould not ferve as well as any thing elfe. But whether 
 this Story be true or falfe, the InftruSlions given by the An- 
 gel ( whether real or pretended ) are without exception, and 
 fit for any Chriftian Alfembly. 
 
 As to the Story of Bsl and the Dragcn ; there is no conjti- 
 ring in it, but a natural and T^gacions W«y of difcovcrin,:^ 
 to the King the Cheats and Impofture of iiis heathen Priufts. 
 And if our Author's Romantick Heroes do no m'.)re ircon- 
 fiftent Pranks than Dayiiel is here faid to do by the Spirit of 
 God, (which we all know the true Darnel IVi^d ) ail his Ro- 
 mances may pais for true Hiftorics. 
 
 His Exception Rg.unii E- clejlafiicus 12. 5. I>ial. i. p. S> will 
 equally lie againft the icpth Pfalm^ and the Apoftle's forbid- 
 ding to bid ivicked Men, God fpeed. 
 
 His Ob'brvacion upon Ecciejiaflicus 30. 12. is not juft, nor 
 are the Gentlemen of the Faculty at all atnonted by it; for it 
 is no mere than this, Tiuit he that is a Sinner fnall bring upon 
 himfelf, or be vifited by God, with Sicknefs, and fo fail into 
 
 the 
 
[ 147 ] 
 
 the Hands of the Phyfician, which (with all due Refpe£l to 
 thofe of that Profcffion) is no very dcfirable State. 
 
 The Exception, p. ii. againft the Tranflation of P/. 105. 
 28. may be very eafiiy reconcil'd, by taking the Word Ithey] 
 in that Verfe either for Mojes and Aaron, or for Fharaoh and 
 the Egyptians, 
 
 But fince the Objection lies againft the Contradi£lion be- 
 tween the two Tranflations, the great Qieftion is, Which of 
 the two is agreable to the Oiiginal ? Mr. jfohv/on {in his 
 Holy 'Davidf and his Old EngJiJlj TranJIatcrs clear d, or (under 
 another Tide) 'The Ffa Iter, or Pfalms of holy David, according 
 to the Tr^tnjlation usdin the Comm 071-? ray er Book ; printed jot 
 R. Knaplock, London, 1707.) fays, p. 66. of the Notes, at the 
 End, That thefe Words ought to be tranflated by way of Inter- 
 rogation, Did they not rebel againfi his Word ? And this he 
 fupports by the Coherence : For v. 27. the Pfalmift fays, l^hey 
 ( i. e. Mofes and Aaron ) fiew'd his Signs [or TolcensJ among 
 *itIIEAi [i. e. the Egyptians] and Wonders in the Land of Ham, 
 And then, f. 28. He fent Dnvknefs, and it luas dark; and 
 rebelled they not againfi his Word? That the Word THEY 
 ought to refer to the Egyptians, ieems very rcafonable ; *' Be- 
 " caufe (fays he) it was not the Defign of the Pfalmift to 
 ** fhew that Mofes and Aaron did not rebel, but that the 
 ** Egyptians did: And therefore God tmnd their Waters into 
 " Blood. &c. Where the Word [THI.IR] feems to refer to 
 the fame People to which the Word [THEY] in the former 
 Verfe. And if this Conjc£ture be true, ( which indeed is very 
 reafonable) then tranflating the Interrogation {_Did they not 
 yebel?} by the Affirmation iThey were not obedient] is very 
 proper and very frequent ; particularly in the Gofpel. What 
 St. Mark puts as a Queftion, ch. 11. 1;. -ly. and ch. 12. v. 24. 
 St. Matthe-iu relates affirmatively, ch. 21. 13. and 22. 29. 
 And upon this Acconnt the Old Tranflation is juftcr than that 
 in the Bible, and therefore can't be any Objection againft the 
 Verfion in the Liturgy. But fince every one at firft Sight 
 will, by common Reafon, be taught to refer the [THEY] in 
 the Liturgy Tranflation, to Tharaoh and the Egyptians ] and 
 the [THhY] in the Bible to Mofes and ^aron ; and fince both 
 are Senfe, and both true, I can't fi:e fuch Inconvenience from 
 this Miftakc, (if it be one ) as to make a Noife about to di- 
 fturb a Church. 
 
 Of vain Repetitions which our Author objects to us, p. it. 
 ■ I have fpoke more than once in the Letter. And fhall 
 only here add. That Extempore Prayers are the moft liable to 
 vain Repcritions of any ibrc of Prayers in the World : .And I 
 will appeal to all that frequent them, (and are not Bigots) 
 wheihcr the lame Pctiuon is not often put tip {i^ nor in the 
 
 very 
 
[ 148 ] 
 
 very fame Words, yet at leaft in fynonomoas Terms) in one 
 Prayer. I hope what is Vertne in a Presbyterian, does not 
 immediately turn Vice by being pra£tis'd by us. But he is 
 much miftaken in aflerting, that in thofe Things \vhich he 
 calls vain Repetitions, our Reformers took their Pattern from 
 the Romijb Ritual ; for I have already fhew'd the contrary {a)» 
 And it will be plain to any unprejudiced Perfon, by conful- 
 ting the Liturgies mention'd in the Page here referr'd to, that 
 thofe very Sentences which the Dialogue cenfures as vahi Re- 
 ■petitionsy are often repeated in more than one ancient For/n^ 
 compos'd before there was fuch a Thing as Popery ( properly 
 fo call'd ) in the Chriftian World. 
 
 Of Buccaneers and Robbers fee f. ^6, 97. of the Letter. 
 
 I fhould have thought there had been no great Nccelftty of 
 the Country-man's asking, (as he here does) Do you think it 
 true, Sir, that every one in Baptifm becomes a Member of Chriji, 
 a Child of God? p. 15. And had I been to anfwer the Que- 
 ftion, I fhould have made no if's or bufs in it ; for I fee no 
 caufe for mincing the Matter with the Church does not mean. 
 Yes, The Church does mean, and teaches that every one who 
 is baptiz'd, is by one Spirit baptiz'd info one Body^ luhether Jeii) 
 or Gentile, Bond or Free, 1 Cor. 12. 15. And that as many 
 as have been baptiz'd into Chrijiy have put on Chrifl, Gal. 3. 27. 
 Now to be BAPTIZ'D INTO ONH BODY, to be haptizd 
 INTO CHRIST, and to have PUT ON CHRIST, aic Terms, 
 I think, as Iiigh and ftrong as being Members of Chrifi. And 
 he that boggles at afTerting this, taxes the ApolHe with falfe 
 Doctrine : For the Apoftle argues in many Places of his 
 Epiftlcs, That all they who are baptiz-'d have put on Chrijl, 
 that they are all one in Chrifi Jefus, Gal. 3. 28. And v. 29. 
 If ye be Chriji'sy then are ye Abraham's feed, and heirs according 
 to promife. And thefe fame Perfons whom in the 3d Chaprer 
 he calls Heirs, in the 4t[i Chapter he terms SONS, v. 6. fo 
 that every one who is baptiz'd, is sl Member of Chrifi and 
 Child of God, 
 
 Having then afTerted this, I fuppofe our Author docs nor 
 doubt but I yield farther, That ail that are baptizd, are rege- 
 nerated by the Spirit. 
 
 Well, I grant that too : And bccaufe I don't love, in 
 Points of Doctrine, to fpeak without Book, the fame Apoiiie 
 St. ^aul, 'Tit, 3. 5. calls Baptifm the ivaflnng of Regeneration, 
 And St. Teter afcribes Remiffion of Sins to Baptilm, ABs 2. 20. 
 And more exprefly, Acls zi. id. Ananias fays to Saul, Arife, 
 and be baptizd, and ivafl) aivay thy Sins. And fhall I doubt to 
 fay, that one is regenerated when the Holy Scripture fays it ? 
 
 (a) Utter, p. 55. 
 
 Of, 
 
[ 149 ] 
 
 Or, fhall I impute Sin to hirriy ivhofe Sins are forgiven ? The firft 
 Fathers fpake the fame Language, by calling Baptifm Ilitmh 
 nation (_a\ the Laver of favipg Water (^), &c. 
 
 But this our Author lays, -p. 14. contradiBs the Ohfervation of 
 all the World : For many never give the leaji Indication of their 
 being fo, [i. e. regenerared.J 
 
 To this I anlwer, that People make a very falfe Judgment 
 by the outward Appearance of any Man ; and {as the Wind 
 bloivs nvhere it ///?i, and you cant ttll ivhence it comes nor ^uhi- 
 th^r it goes) the iceds and Principles of Regeneration may 
 be in that Man whom you believe to be a Reprobate. And as 
 to Children, I know no Reafon why Regeneration fhould be 
 deny'd them though they don't fhew it, any more than they 
 can be dcny.d to be rcaionable Creatures before they become 
 to the Hxerciie of their Reafon. 
 
 Nor is his Inftance of Sinwn Magus^ a fuflBcient Argument 
 againft Bapti/mal Regeneration : For I do fay, That he was re- 
 generated by Baptifm ; and have this unaniwerable Argument 
 for it, That the Scripture fays exprcfly that Simon himfelf 
 BELIEVED alfo, Aas8. 15. "^y ^^'^^^^ P^^afe is exprefs'd, 
 in more Places than one or two, the Condition of Bap- 
 tifm, and confequently of Regeneration. Nor will our Au- 
 thor's Diftinftion [_of puting on Chriji's Livery'] do; for the 
 Apoftle's Words in the Text quoted by him, viZ' Gal, 3.27. 
 will not bear this Glofs. The Connection between the 
 25th and 27th Verfes, fheweth, that it is to Baptifm that he 
 attributes their putting on Chrifl. And indeed, I don't fee 
 any Argument in his following AVords, [For they being gene^ 
 nerally aged Perfons who are baptizd in the firfl 'Times ; and ha-' 
 ving nothing to encourage them to embrace the Chrifiian Religion 
 but ConviBion of Confclence^ and a VrofpeH of a happy Eternity^ 
 they might be reafonably fuppos'd {in the Judgment of Charity) 
 to have been truly regenerate by the Spirit before they came to 
 Baptifm.] I fay, 1 can't apprehend any Argument in this, un- 
 le(s he would {in the judgment of Charity) allow Simon Ma- 
 gus to be regenerated too. For he was of Age, and had as 
 little to tempt him as the reft, ( for he knew nothing of con- 
 ferring the Holy Ghoft by Impofirion of Hands when he was 
 Baptiz"d. ) And though Baptifm docs not work as a Charm, as 
 our Author fays from the Bifhop of Sarum's Expojltion of the 
 39 Articles^ (for that is a blafphemous Expreflion apply'd to 
 the Sacraments of Chrift's Appointment) yet the Spirit of 
 Grace is conferr'd in Baptifm after a manner which neither 
 
 (a) Juftin Martyr. 
 
 (b) Cypr. Ep. 2. ad Donat, apud Comber Difcourfe of the Office of 
 Baptifm, SU\. j. 
 
 Biihop 
 
[ ISO ] 
 
 Bifhop Burnet nor our Author knows any Thing of, S. yohti 
 
 3- 1- 
 
 "Where he Icam'd that the firft Chriftians only receiv d Bap- 
 
 tifm as a Badge of their Profejpon, and a Seat of the ^roniifes on 
 God's Party and of the Chrijlian Engagement on their oivn» I 
 don't know. But the Scriptures teach no fuch Dodrine, as the 
 Texts above quoted abundantly fhew. 
 
 Nor is it without Reafon, nor contrary to Scriptuie to fay, 
 iThat all receive fpiritual Regeneration in Baptifr/iy but that many 
 Jofe it again, (as he aflt'rts p, 15.) for both Xeafon and Scrip- 
 ture prove it. Reafon tells us, that it is in a Man's own power 
 to be wicked, though he was once good, and to aft contrary 
 to Light and Grace, though he once had them ; or elfe there 
 can neither be Virtue nor Vice, and confequently neither 
 Reward nor Punifhment. Scripture tells you, that you jvay 
 FALL AWATj though you ivere once enlightned, and ha^ve tafied 
 cf the heavenly Gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Gbojr^ 
 and have tajied the good Word of God, and the Vowers of the World 
 to come, Heb. 6. 4, 5, 6. and chap. 10. v. 16. If we Jin ivil- 
 fully after <we have received the Knowledge of the l^ruth, there 
 remains no more Sacrifice for Sin. "That we may turn the Grace 
 of Gcd into Wantonnefs. 'That we may grieve the Spirit by which 
 *ive are fanBifyd, 
 
 And however early People may choke the Seeds of Gracc^ 
 fo that afterwards they may never fprout up ; yet it does noc 
 follow from thence that all who are Baptiz'd have them not ; 
 any more than it would follow that there was no Seed fown 
 in fome Ground, becaufe it is poiTible to prevent even tlie 
 fpringing cf one Grain, and very often it is fo. 
 
 The next Objeftion is p. 16. againft the SIGN OF THE 
 GROSS in Bapt'ijm. Becaufe it is not of Chriji's InJiitutioTi, 
 nor Apojioliral Fra^ice. 
 
 To this I anfwer, that many Things are lawful as Gircum- 
 ftances of Worfhip, which are not commanded in Scripture,. 
 nor praftifed by the Apoftlcs that we know of. Does our Sa- 
 viour command that every Body fhould receive their Name in 
 Baptifm ? Or that they fliould only be fprinkled with Water ? 
 or that there fhould he Fraycrs ufed before or after it ? Is there 
 clear Evidence of Apoltolical Piadice in any of thefc 'i If 
 riot, then why lliould not the Want of Divine Inllitution and 
 Apoftolical Practice make thefe Circumjiances criminal as well 
 as the Sign of the Crofs ? 
 
 Is there nothing left to the Governours of the Church ? 
 furely there is. But no tlTentials are in their Power ; thefe 
 are afcertain'd and determin'd by Divine Appcintment , from 
 which it ii) a Sacrilege to vary in a Tittle. If then they have 
 
 not 
 
C^jt ] 
 
 not Power In Ceremonies and CircumflanceSy they have Power 
 of nothing, but are Cyphers in the Church. 
 
 Allowing then Aiuhority in the Governonrs of the Church 
 to appoint the Ceremonies of AVorlhip, (which the Presbyte- 
 rians thcmfelves mift admit, for otherwife they can never jafti- 
 fj their own Praftice in any one Part of Divine Worl"hip ;) 
 then he Qucltion is, To what Sort of Ceremonies their Power 
 extends, und what are the Linjitations of their Authority ? 
 And thefe I think may be reduced to thefe three Heads, i. 
 That they appoint no Ceremonies but fnch as are laivful in 
 their own Nature. 2. Such as are decent and edifying. 3. That 
 they don't iwpofe them as Sacraments or Divine Commatids^ 
 but as Ceremonies and Conconntar^ts of thofe Parts of Wor- 
 ihip they refer to. Let thefe three Rules be obferved, and 
 I think we are fafe from the Malignity of um?fiituted Ce* 
 remonies. 
 
 Now that the Sign of the Crofs in Baptifm is agreable to all 
 thefe, I think will be no liard Task to prove. 
 
 1. It is in its own Nature Lawful^ becaufe it is forbidden 
 fey no Law either Divine or Human ; and I can have no No- 
 tion of the Sinfulnefs of any one A£lion in the World but 
 what is forbidden by one or the other. 
 
 2. It is decent and edifying^ becaufe it very fitly exprefles 
 our Faith in Chriit crucified, and fignifies our Willingnefs to 
 confefs that Faith, and our Obligation to live agreable to it. 
 It is cuftomary to exprefs tlie Initiation or Injialment of any 
 Perfon into any weo; Society, Office or Dignity, by fome Sign 
 or Ceremony not effcniial to the Initiation or InrtalmenC 
 it felf : Thus they of our Author's Fraternity (if he be a 
 Teacher, as I am inform'd) ufe upon receiving a Brother into 
 their Order, after Prayer and Impofltion of Hands (which 
 I fuppofe they account to be the Effentials of his external 
 Miifion) to take their new Brother by the Hand one by one 
 to (ignify their Approbation of him, and then prefent him 
 to the Lay Elders for their confenting ShaJ:e ; thereby wel- 
 coming him into that Order which they prefume he has re- 
 ceived. If this be their conftant univerfal Prafticc, (as I 
 know it is done fcmetimes, and I think not indecently) 
 why may not fome fuch Ceremony be ufed by the Mi~ 
 nijler of Baptifm, to ihew^, that the Perfon lawfully Baptix'd 
 is received inco the Chriftian Church. And the Crofs being 
 the Inflrnment of cur Kedemption, I don't know a more 
 decent Way of declaring a Perfon to be entcr'd into the 
 Church. Nor can any mere Ceremony be more edifying 
 after one is Bapti'A'd, than to inftru£t them that the Crofs is, 
 what he muft always glory in, and never be afham'd of. 
 Nor, 
 
 ". Is 
 
Is the Sign of the Crofs ufed (much lefs impored ) as a 
 Sacrament or Divine Infiitution^ but purely as a Ceremony 
 of Ecclefiapcal Appointment, For Baptifm is good and law- 
 ful without it, as is evident from omitting it in private 
 Baptifm : Which the Church would never allow in Cafe of 
 a dying Infant, or other Perfon, if (he thought it ejfential to 
 Baptifm. 
 
 And indeed, the Antiquity of it (which our Author does 
 not difpute) long before Popery, fhews the Innocency of it : 
 Unlefs we will tax the beft and purelt Ages of the Church 
 with Idolatry and Supeiftiticn (4). They tell us that ligning 
 -with the Sign of the Crofs, was a Cuftom of long and an- 
 cient Ufage in the Church ; nay, that it was an Ecclejlajiical 
 Conptutiony which had prevailed from the very Days of the 
 Apoflles {^b). 
 
 But from the Antiquity of the 'working of Anti-Chriji (which 
 •was abominable and condemn'd ) to argue againft the Lawful- 
 nefs of a Primitive Cujlom^ which is laudable and never 
 reproach'd till the laft Century, I think it is not fair. But 
 our Author has turn'd himfelf into a Popifh Prieft, and pi 17^ 
 has overturn'd the Lawfulnefs of the Sign of the Crofs, by alllr- 
 ting the equal Expediency of Oyl^ Salt and Spittle in Baptifm. 
 
 1 am afraid he would think that I were really what he per- 
 haps only perfonatcs, if I fhould fay that thofe Ceremonies 
 are indeed lawful, and that if our Church had injoin'd them, 
 I durft not feparate from her for that Reafon : And that I 
 look upon our lirft Reformers to have been as ftanch Protcftants 
 as any Presbyterian in Scotland^ though they did retain the Ufe 
 of Oyl in Baptifm with this Prayer. 
 
 Almighty God the father of our Lord Jefui Chrifty who has re- 
 generated thee by Water and the Holy Ghoji, afid has given untd 
 thee Remijfton of all thy Sins : He vouchfafes to anoint thee with 
 the UnBion of his Holy Spirit, and bring thee to the Inheritance 
 of everlafting Life. Amen. I Book of K.Edzv.Vl. 
 
 But however he may think, I can't alTcrt that the injoin- 
 ing fuch Rites are are in their oivn nature fmful : Though Salt 
 and Spittle feem to be very foreign and impertinent, and both 
 new, therefore jaftly rejefted by our firft Reformers. And 
 fince that of Oyl (though rctain'd by them) is neither in- 
 join'd nor praclifed by the Church of England, now it is no 
 Part of our Service, and therefore I have done with it. 
 
 {a) Tertul. de Corona Militls, c, 3. & de Pixfcript. Hxrer. c. 40. 
 Origen Horn, in Pfal. 38. p. i. Cypr. de Unicatc EaV. 3; dc Laplis. 
 (b) Balil de Spir. Sandto. c. 17. Tom, z. 
 
 or 
 
Of Kneeling at the Sacrament fee the Letter, p* 121, I 
 Oiall only add. in anfwer to his bold Challenge, That if /?^ 
 can prove jitting at the Communion to haie been the Citjlom of the 
 Church for the firji thoufand Tears after Chrift, I will recant all 
 that I have faid upon the Subjeft. So that I think, even ac 
 cording to his own Hypothefis, we are ec^nal as to this Point : 
 But I hope the Arguments ufcd in the Letter, will turn the 
 Scale to our Side. 
 
 His next txception is againft the Office for Burial. In 
 [me and certain Hope of the Refuvre^ion to eternal Life. This 
 he cenfures, p. 20. as putting e-jevy Body in Heaven almojl eer 
 their Feet be cold. 
 
 Indeed, had the Words been, Infure and certain Hope of HIS ^ 
 or HER RefurreBion to eteryial Life, the Exception would have 
 had a better Colour. But I fuppofe our Author will not dil- 
 
 own the Apojiks Creed. Now we fay there, I believe 
 
 the Refurre^ion of the Body, and the Life everlajiing. Which 
 I think is cantamount to a fure and certain Hope of the Refur^ 
 region to eternal Life : And why we may nor repeat this 
 Article of our Creed at a Grave as well any where elfe, I 
 don't know. 
 
 But fays he, tVhen the Triefi vijlted him white he ivas Jich^ 
 [he here fpeaks of the lewdeft Fellow who dy'd of a Surfeit] 
 he gave him. peremptory AbfoJution : So that being both regenerated 
 and abfolvd, what jJjould hinder him to be favd ? 
 
 In this, I think, he fecms to millake the Intention of the 
 Church, as if the Prieft were oblig'd to give Abfolution to 
 every Body, without any Confideiarion of their being quali« 
 ficd (in his Judgment) for it, or not. Indeed, when a fick 
 Perfon feems to be throughly fenfibie of his Wickednefs and 
 heartily forry for it, and humbly and earnelfly dcfires Abfo- 
 lution ; God's Minifters are to prefume, in the Judgment oC 
 Charity, that fuch a Perfon is a fincere Penitent, and when 
 (upon our Belief that all the Requifites of Remilfion are in 
 that Perfon) we give Abfolution to him ; then it wQxe judg- 
 ing another Man's Servant to think otherwife than well of his 
 future State : And if we are in Charity, to hope that a Per- ■ 
 fon is forgi /en upon a Repentance which we ourfelves thought 
 fincere (however wicked he had been in his former Life) I 
 fee no Reafon why we might not declare this Hope openly, 
 even fuppoling thofe Words of our Office for Burial of the 
 Dead, to refer to the Perfon deceased ; which indeed they do 
 not. T fhould be fony to believe that our Author dejt/rnedly 
 emitted the Word [The'] in his quoting of this Part of out 
 Service, to confine it to the particular Perfon to be Buiyed^ 
 But that Word ( hov/ fliort foever ) makes a great difterence 
 in the Senfe, and no Body that owns the Creed caa with 
 
 L an/ 
 
[ 154 ] 
 
 any Rcafon find Fault with the Exprcffion as it is in the 
 Liturgy. 
 
 I always thought, that the Church of England had been more 
 chai liable to Infants of all Sorts, than they of our Author's 
 Pcrfvvadon; and am glad to iind one Scots Presbyterian exceed 
 us that Way, as ho inlinuates, ^. 21, 
 
 But I'm afraid I'm too hafty in my Approbation, and that 
 it will be found that in thcii Opinion even Baprifm will not 
 fave a Child, ( who dies without actual Sin) unlefs it had the 
 good Luck to be included in God's Eternal Decree. 
 
 I will not at prelcnt enter into that abftrufe Difpute, nor 
 docs my Bufinefs require it. The Obje£tion lies againft the 
 Rubiick, which forbids the Office of Burial to be perform'd 
 over the Corps of a Child who died without Baptiim. And 
 this our Author calls Damning the Child, 
 
 Without taking nicely to task his Notion of denying Burial 
 to fuch ; I anf\Ner directly, That we can't (in any tolerable 
 Propriety of Speech ) call any Man, Woman, or Child, ouf 
 Brother or Silter in Chrift, that never was a Chriftian, (as 
 no unbaptiz,'d Perfon ever was, or can be.) And if we can't 
 call them fo, we cannot perform any Chriftian Office, either 
 to them or about them as fuch. We can't fay, that they are 
 within the Covenant of Grace, becaufe their Patent was not 
 part:. But we are far from determining that Infants are 
 damn'd, who die without Baptifm ; we fay, they can't be 
 fav'd in God's ordinary Way : But his uncovenanted Mercy 
 is bound lefs, and to that we leave them : For if we fhould 
 pofitively affert, that all that die without Baptifm are certainly 
 damn'd, wefliould damn more than our Author feems to be 
 aware of. 
 
 His next Exception, is againft the Ri?^g in Marriage, p. 21. 
 
 To vindicate this Ceremony, it might feem lufficient to 
 fay, that it being a Thing indifferent, the Command of the 
 Church is FvCafon enough for its Obfervation. And the An- 
 fwcr which he himfelf puts into the poor Curate's Mouth, I 
 think will be found a ftrong One for ail that is offer'd againli 
 it ; viz. That the Ring tts'd here ly m, is as la-wful as JOIN- 
 ING OF HANDS iis'd by the Presbyterians. For none can 
 pretend that there is any pofitive Law in Scripture for either ; 
 and therefore being both uninjlituted Ceremonies, and neither 
 unlawful, they may be pra£tis'd without any Cenfure when in- 
 join'd by lawf[il Authority. 
 
 But to this he anfwers, That God has expvejly approvd of 
 that Ceremony [viz- joining of Hands] i?j mahing of Co'venants^ 
 Ezek. 17. 18. and he owns that any one luho brings as clear 
 Froof from Scripture for the Ufe of the Ring <ii^ill quit Scores zvitb 
 him in this Particular. 
 
 Ifhall 
 
[ IJ5 ] 
 
 I fnali only name two Places of Holy Scriptrre ( and one of 
 therrt too out of the New Ttftamcnr, and to fat I think I have 
 the better of oa-. Author) where the ghij^g and receiving of 'a 
 Ring, was a "Token and Fledge of high 'Tritji, and great hove arid 
 Frie'tidjinp. The Places are Gen. i. 41, 42. where Vharaa>h, to 
 Ihew his Trtift and Alfeition to jofeph, took ojj his Ring from 
 his Hand, and pit it upon Jofeph'i Hand. And St. Luke 15. 22. 
 Avhere the kind Father of the returning Prodigal commanded 
 his Servants (in Token of his Love to his Son) to put a Ring 
 on his Hnnd. 
 
 Well, but what are thefe Scriptures to the Ptirpofe ? Vha- 
 roah did not marry jFofeph by this Ceremony, nor the Father, 
 in the Gofpcl, his prodigal Son. Why it is true, they did not 
 ( as a Man may fay) marry them, but they marry 'd thc?m as 
 much as the King of Babylon marry'd the King of Judah^ Ezek. 
 17. 18. And why we may not make ufe of ourBlefled Saviour's 
 Approbation of giving the Ring in Token of Love, as well as of 
 God Almighty's approving the giving the Hand in Token of 
 Fidelity, I don't fee; iinlefs one King's giving his Hand to 
 another King, be liker Marriage than a Father's giving his 
 Son a Ring, or a King his Favourite. 
 
 But the Thing which jafiities joining of Hands from the 
 17th of Ezekiel is, that it <ivas in a Covenajit^ and Marriage 
 being a Covenant, the Parallel is more ftrong and natural. 
 Why truly, I think, that the Inftances I bring, being to fhew 
 fome outward Sign of Love and Fidelity, will agree as well 
 to Marriage as the other will : Befides, hov/ docs it appear 
 .from the Text, that thofe two Kings join'd Hands in making 
 'this Covenant. The Text only fays, When h he had given Lis 
 '-Hand, Now he that figns a Writing, gives his Hand; he 
 that fweavs upon the Book, gives his Hand ; fince therefore 
 it does not neceflarily imply joining of Hands, nor if it did, 
 does it refer to Marriage ; nor if fo, is it a Command of the 
 Gofpel ; therefore (according to the Vreshyterian Principle) 
 it is not to be the Meafnre of our Praftice. That this Cetemo- 
 iny of ihc Xing in Marriage is a very ancient One, is very plain 
 from feveirai Writers, both Heathen and Chriftian {a). 
 
 Why the Ring is laid upon the Book, the learned' Bx/f^f 
 (whom the Freshytcrians muchEftccm when he does not favour 
 our Liturgy) gives this Reafon. " This feems to be a very 
 *' becoming Ceremony, that the Ring, and other Gifr^, wi,h 
 
 (a) Javenal. Sar. 6. — & cligito pignus fortafTa dedifti. Piin. 
 
 Nat. l-lilt. /. 3. c, 1. etiam nunc Iponlse annulus ferrtus niirdtur. 
 Clem. Akx, Ptdagog. /. 3. c, i. Tertu!. Apol. c. 6. Idem de Idol, an- 
 nulus pronubus de nullius Idoli honore defcindiC. Sk Gorober upon 
 th'i Ring. 
 
 L % " which 
 
'< which the Bridegroom would adorn his Bride, are firft laid 
 " upon the Prayer Book, and are returned by the Miniftcr to 
 ** the Bridegroom to be given by him to his Spoufe ; (ignifi- 
 ** ing that we ought to otfer and confecrate all our Goods be- 
 ** fore we nfe them, to God, for they are all his. and to re- 
 " ceive them as from his Hand, to be ufed for his Glory {a). 
 
 There is only one Thing more I fhall take notice of here, 
 and it is he Words faid by the Husband afier the Minifter, 
 fVith this Ring I thee Wed, Sec. In the Name of the Father^ 
 and of the Son^ and of the Holy Ghoji. 
 
 One would think there were no great Occafion to juftify 
 
 this to a Chriftian ; for it fignifies no move than this. " I take 
 
 . ** this Women to my wedded Wife, and in Token that I do it, 
 
 ** / iVed her ivith this Ripg^ as a Pledge and Sign of my be- 
 
 •* coming her Husband, and luith my Body Iher Worpip (i. e. I 
 
 • *' refpeiStand honour her as my lawful WitV,not as my Servant 
 . '* or Slave) and with all my ivordly Goods I her endow {i, e. I 
 
 " make her my Partner in my Fortune, and promife her a fuit- 
 
 • " able Maintenance) and as a iolemn Confirmation of this 
 " Engagement and ContraQ:, I invocate the Blefled Trinity as 
 " Witnefs to it ; and therefore do all this In the Name of the 
 ** Father^ and of the Sony and of the Holy Ghoji ". And this I 
 humbly conceive, is fufEcient to juftify this Part of our Ser- 
 vice, fo that People of ordinary Swallow may pafs it down 
 •without any Danger of being choak'd 
 
 But now comes a sioft terrible Objection, and what I am 
 told a great many of our Author's Perfwafion are of Opinion 
 is unanfwerable. It is p. 22. to the End of the firtt Dialogue. 
 "That the Rule of Rubrick in the Liturgy, for finding Eafter, is 
 falfe^ and therefore the giving our Affent to all Things contained in 
 the Book of Common-Prayer is giiitig our AJjent to an UN- 
 TRUTH ^77^^ CONTRADICTION, Good Words pray. 
 
 Now if I can fbew that there is neither Vntruth nor Contra- 
 ditiion in this, I hope this Charge falls. . 
 
 That this Rule is faife, is founded upon two Miftakes. 
 
 I. That if the Full Moon happens on the twenty firft of 
 Marchy that is not to be reckoned the Full Moon referr'd to in 
 the Rule. And, 2. That the Full Moon mentioned in the 
 Rule, is to be found by the ordinary Almanacks or Prognofti- 
 cations. Both which are Miftakes, as I fliall fhew. 
 
 I. I do fay, that if the Full Moon happens on the 21ft of 
 March, that Full Moon is the Full Moon refer'd to in the Rule, 
 and confequenily the Sunday after the 21ft of March, is Eafler 
 Day. To make good this I dcfire it may be confider'd, that 
 
 {a) Buceri Cenfura p, 48. apud L'Eftrange ^L of Divim offi^^es, 
 
 it 
 
[ 157 ] 
 
 it is an ordinary "Way of fpeaking, to take the Words AFTER 
 or NEXT AFTER (when apply'd to Time) inclufively, /. f, 
 they do not always exclude the Time mentioned before them. 
 Thus (to begin with the Holy Scripture) S. Mark 8. 51. our 
 Saviour tells his Difciples, that AFTER three Days he Jhould 
 rife again. Now how was that true, if it is not by this way or 
 reckoning ? Upon Friday he was crucified, that was one Day. 
 Saturday was the fecond, on Sunday Morning (which was the 
 third Day) he rofe ; and yet he fays,' that after three Day, 
 he would rife ; fo that thefe Words AFTER three Days, mult 
 include the third Day, and we muft underftand them after the 
 Beginning or Commencement of the third Day. So again in the 
 J-ews Account of it to 'Pilate, S. Mat. 27. 63. After three Days 
 I nvill rife again, muft be taken the fame way to make it true. 
 And in the fame Senfe muft the Words S. Joh. 20. 26. be 
 
 taken. After eight Days came fefus^ occ. i. e. reckoning 
 
 the firft Day of the Week (on which he appear'd ijer. 19.) 
 for one Day ; and the Day on which he appear'd again, for 
 another Day, the fix Days intervening, make eight. So that 
 in the Scripture way of reckoning, after fo many Days, muft 
 always be meant to take in both the fiift and the laft of the 
 Term mentioned. The plain Senfe of thefe Words [after 
 three Days'\ or iafter eight Days'] is AFTER the third Day or 
 the eighth Day BEGINS (a). 
 
 Nor is this only the Scripture manner of reckoning, but was 
 conftantly in Ufe among the Old Romans whofe Stile and 
 JManr^r of Reckoning our Year, we to this Day retain. So 
 their I'ertio Calendas^ or Ante Calendas, (i. <?. the third Day 
 before their Calends) was but two Days before them. For 
 Inftance, fuppofe this prefent Tuefday to be the Calends of any 
 Month, Sunday laft would have been their 'Tertio Calendas, 
 and Saturday Q^tarto Calendas ; i. e. the third or fourth Day 
 before 'Tuefday, whereas to reckon, excluding Tuefday^ or the 
 Calends themfelves, Sunday would be but. two Days before, 
 and Saturday three Days before "Tuefday. 
 
 Nor is this way of fpeaking quite left off in 'Scotland ; for 
 nothing is more common there, than to fay, this Day eight 
 Days, to denote the fame Day of the following Week. Now 
 you can't fay fo Vvith any Truth, unlcis you reckon the Day 
 on which you fpeak to be one, and the Day to which you 
 
 ('*) See Dr. Wallis'j Difcourfe of the Chrifiian Sabbath, 4ro. p. 20, 
 quoted by the Aritho*' of it\t RULE lor finding Eajier in rhe Book 
 oi Com7Jon-Prayir explained and vindicated p. 33. frinted ijn. 
 
 L 3 refer 
 
[ ^58 ] 
 
 refer to be another of the Eight. So that you Inchide 
 both. 
 
 The Ufe I make of it is this. When the Rubrick fays, that 
 Eajfer day Is the firfl Sunday after the firjl Full Moon 'wlnch 
 happefjj next after the zijl of March, you muft rake the 21ft 
 of M^^^'^'h to be itfelf included in that term of Time ; (o that 
 if the F:ill Moon happens upon the 21ft of March, it is by 
 this Manner of Speaking properly enough faid to be after the 
 21ft o^ March ; i. <?. 'atter the Commencement of it. If our 
 Author will not allow this to be proper and agreable to the 
 ordinary Way of Reckoning among the J^etus and Romans^ I 
 fliall delire him to reconcile the Scriptures above-mention'd to 
 Truth by any other Way, If thofe Scriptures muil be imder- 
 ftood this Way and no other, then I hope he will not find Fault 
 with the Church for followin!^ the Scripture Pattern in reckon- 
 ing the Time : And fo the wint of the Word ON or UPON 
 in the Rubrick, is no Defe£l:, as he fays in his Advertifement 
 at th Rnd of the fecond Dialogue. 
 
 Indeed, I could wifh that the Word ON were added in the 
 Rubrick, not to make it truer, bur plainer ; f^r it is as true 
 that AFTFK, here mull: be underftood UPON or next after, 
 as that after three Bays in the Gofpel fignifies upo?! the third 
 Day. So that if the Full Moon happens upon the 2 ill of 
 Mnrch, (as it always will when the Golden Number is 16. as 
 he obfervcs) then the Sunday after is Eaferday. And this, 
 as I have fhew'd, is agreable to the Rule : And his Exception 
 is founded on a Miftake, liz^ of the Rule's being to be un- 
 derftood exclr.frce of the 21ft o^ March ', which indeed it 
 is not. 
 
 2. The fecond Miftake of this Rule is, that the Full Moon 
 referr'd to in it, and which governs Eajler, is to be found in 
 the common Almanacks. I don't afcribe this Miftake to our 
 Author, for he feems to underfiand it otherwife both in tiie 
 firft Dialogue, and in his Advertifcm.ent at the Fnd of tiie 
 ftcond : But being upon this SubjeS: I ihall anfwer this Ob- 
 je£tion as well as his, and fhew how Eafler is to be found out 
 for ever by the R^ubrical Rule, which (when ri^iciy undcr- 
 ftood ) never contradifts the Table. 
 
 The common Almanacks then have nothirr; to do in iind- 
 jng out any moveable Feaft in the Church ; foMT-ie has a Cal- 
 culation of her own, oi' the New Moons, and by that Calcula- 
 tion, this Rule for finding EaJIer was made ai;d muft always 
 go. I will not take up Time in giving any Account of- the 
 iirll Original of tliis Calculation at the Covmcil of Nice, 
 and the Reguhirlons which were made to it by '"fheophilns 
 Biihop ojf Alexamhia, Anm ^lO. and by the Roman Abbot 
 Dionyji^is 532. It is fuiScient to ihcvj that the Church has 
 :......, ' . laid 
 
[ 159 ] 
 
 laid down a certain Rule for determining the New Moons, and 
 appoinied a Calendar for tinding them otit ; and they once 
 found, the full Moon follows of Courfe, and coufcquently 
 Eajier-day is determin'd according to the Rule, 'viz. that it is 
 the firft Sunday after the fir ft Full Moon, as it is to be found in 
 the Church Calendar. Which that you may the better under- 
 itand I ihall briefly explain. 
 
 You may obferve in the Calendar (before the Morning 
 Prayer) there are, in the firft Column, before the Days of the 
 Month, feveral Figures whole ProgreiTion is 8. as in the Month 
 of January you find (where the Figures are right placed as 
 they are in a Prayer Book which I have now by me, Printed 
 in 1574, in Latin) 3. placed over-agamft January i. 1 1. over- 
 againft January 3. 19. againft January 5. See. Thefe Figures 
 are theOOLDhN NUMBER for every Year ; and the Uie ol 
 them is this. 
 
 You muft look in the Table of moveable Feafts) for the 
 Golden Number for the Year in which you would know Eafier- 
 Jayj [or if you have a Mind to find out the Golden Number 
 for any Year paft or to come, which is not in the Table cf 
 moveable Fcafts, add i to the Year of God, and divide the 
 Prcdud of that Addition by 19, and if tliere be any Fvcmain- 
 der, that is the Golden Number for that Year ; if nothing ic- 
 mains, then 19 is the Golden Number, e g. If you would 
 l^now the Golden Number for this Year 1713. add i to it, 
 which makes 17 14. which divided by 19. the Remainder is 4. 
 the Number fought] then look for that Number in the Month 
 of March, and the Day of the Month which is over-againft 
 that Number in the firft Column is the Day of the New Moon, 
 according to the Church Computation. Then reckon 14 Days 
 from that Day of the Month (including the Day itfelf) and if 
 the I4rh Day happens either upon or after the 21ft of Marchy 
 that is the Full Moon which governs Eafier, the Sunday after 
 being Eafier-day. For Inftance, to find Eajier for the Year 
 1713. You may find in the Table of moveable Feafts that the 
 Golden Number is 4. Now look in the Calender, and you 
 ^r\6. 4 over-againft the 20th of Adarch \ therefore, the 2och 
 of A^i-rn/j this Year was the Ecclefiaftical New Moon. Then 
 reckon 14 Days forward, making the 20th Day of March the 
 ift Day of the Moon, and fo the Full Moon is the 2d of 
 Apil\ and (that being the firft Ecclefiaftical Full Moon v^hich 
 happen'd after the 21ft o^ March) the Sunday after was Eafler- 
 day, viz. April 5. 
 
 To find £.tj'?g>" for the Year 17 14. Look in the Table <^f 
 moveable Feafts, (as above) and you find the Golden Num- 
 ber to be 5 ; which Number is plac'd (in the Calendar for 
 March) o/er-againft the 9th Day of that Month. Then 
 L 4 reckon 
 
[ 100 ] 
 
 reclcon 14 Days forward, beginning at the 9th of Mavch^ and 
 you find that the Full Moon happens March 22d, the Sunday 
 after which (being March 28) is Eajler Day. 
 
 To find Eafler for the Year 17 17, I find the Golden Num- 
 ber is 8, and S being over-againft March 5, the Full Moon 
 (which is 14 Days incluflve from that) falls on the 19th, but 
 that being before the 21, cannot be the Full-Moon which go- 
 verns Eajier : I muft therefore look foi the ne^ft 8, which I 
 find over-againft April 5, (that being the next New-Moon) 14 
 Days from which incJufive, make 18 for the Full-Moon, the 
 Sunday after wliich (being April 2 i ) is Eajler Day. 
 
 When the Golden Number is 16, the Full-Moon always 
 falls on March 21, and then the *S';/w^^^ after that, whatever 
 Pay of the Month it fall lipon, is Eajier Day, as I obfcrved 
 before {a). 
 
 Now let the Author of the Dialogues, or any other what- 
 foever, try this Rule by this Way as often as they pleafe, and 
 they will find it ftill hold, which 1 think is a Proof that there 
 is neither UNTRUTH nor CONTRADICTION in it. Quod 
 erat demon fir. zvdH'r/J. 
 
 If this be well attended to, thee will be no Occafion to go 
 to the Pope for reconciling Contradictions ; nor will Septua- 
 gejima^ Sexagejima. 6cc. nor any other Part, (much lefs the 
 whole Service Book) be wrong upon that Account. And fo I 
 difmifs the FIRST DIALOGUH. 
 
 His SECOND DIALOGUE begins with fome broad Abufe 
 and Refleftion upon Dr. South (who is not now a live, and 
 therefore not able to anfwer for himfelf ) All therefore 
 that I fhall fay to it, is, that if our Author had anfwer'd the 
 Doftor's Arguments which are couch'd often under fuch Ex- 
 pr^'flions as he here falls foul upon, he would have put me to 
 iny Trumps more than any Thing I have found in either of 
 the Dialogues. 
 
 His fiift Obje£lion Is, />. 5. That our Prayers exclude Preach^ 
 ing by th.e Length of them. 
 
 This 1 muft own was one of the laft ObjcSions I cype<rlcd 
 from one of his Profeflion : For let any one compare their 
 Prayer before Lefture, the Prayer before Sermon, amd another 
 after Sermon, together with three confiderable Portions of 
 J*fahiJ in Metre ; I fay, compare thefe with our ordinary Ser- 
 vice upon the Lord's-Day, and I dare undertake thcii Prayers 
 are longer than ours ; and for the occafionai Offices, fuch as 
 
 (a) See Dr. Nichols'j- N.tes upon the Ru'oiick, ci'nd tie Tre'ttife 
 fdiave mentioned, viz,. The Rule for fi:iding Eajlir in the Bj;k of 
 Common- Prayer, cxplain'd and vindicated. 
 
 Baptifm 
 
[ ^^I ] 
 
 Baptifm and the Communion, let all the World judge that 
 know oar Service, and are acquainted with the Presbyterian 
 Way, whether we come near their Prolixity in thofe. I have 
 not been in Scotland many Years, but I know fome there, 
 and not very far from Dunhartony whole Prayers (as they chant 
 them) will out-do the Liturgy in length, by at lead one Col- 
 lect or two. Indeed generuiiy fpeaking, our Sermons are not 
 quite fo long as theirs, though much might he done for that 
 too, if there were more Briefs and Semi-briefs in our Way of 
 Delivering our Sermons, as fome of my Acquaintance in Scot- 
 Jand ufe for the Sake of the Hour-Giafs. 
 
 But does our Author really think, that Preaching is neglec- 
 ted in England? Or, th^t one Englijl) Sermon would not, mo- 
 deftly fpeaking, make up three primitive Ones : I believe he 
 knows it would. And though at the Beginning of the Refor- 
 mation, there might be fome Incumbents whom the Church 
 did not think fit no trull with Preaching (I wifh they had con- 
 tinued the Caution) I challenge all Europe to fliew a Set of 
 Divines more eminent for Preaching, than the Clergy of the 
 Church of England have been for many Years, and are at this 
 Day. I have heard fome of them,, and fome of their Neigh- 
 bours, but Comparifons are odious. And however wittily fome 
 People may think they caft fide Wipes upon the Homilies of 
 the Church, I cannot help thinking, had fome People that the 
 Author and I could name, always read a Homily inftead of 
 Preaching a Sermon of their own Compofing, we lliould have 
 had more Unity and more Religion in thefe Kingdoms, than 
 I expeft to fee in my Days. 
 
 But our Author might have fpar'd his Wonder, f. 6. about 
 not ufing a Prayer before Sermon. Are not the Office of Morn- 
 ing Prayer, the Litany, and Part of the Communion Service 
 nfed every Sunday Morning, and the Evening Sei vice in the 
 Afternoon before Sermon ? And why the Country-Man (who 
 f. 5. complained of the Length of the Prayers, as taking up 
 too much Time from the Sermon) fhould now quarrel at the 
 v/ant of another Prayer, I don't undcrftand : But it feems 
 long Extempore Prayers are very allowable, and the Time 
 for Preaching may be indulg'd to them. 
 
 I know there is a Canon in England for a Prayer before Ser- 
 mon, which was anciently call'd the Bidding Prayer ; but in 
 ray humble Opinion, there is no great Occafion for it after the 
 Prayers in the Liturgy. But this I fubmit to the Judgment of 
 my Superiours. 
 
 But neither our Author, nor his pretended Curate, under- 
 ftood the Practice of the Church, nor feem to havc»read the 
 Liturgy, when they fay, p. 7. That we ufc no Prayer after Ser- 
 mon. When is the Frayer for the ivhok State of Chy'fs Church 
 
 Militant 
 
[ 162 ] 
 
 Militant here on Earthy to be us'd ? The Kubrick tells yoii^ 
 *' ia) Upon the Sundays, and other Holidays, (when there is 
 *' no Communion) Ihaii be faid all chat is appointed at the 
 *' Communion, until the End of the general Grayer, [tor the 
 ** good iiftate of the Catholick Church of Chnft] together 
 *' with one or two of the Colle£ls laft rehcars'd concluding with 
 ** the BlefTing. Now, in all the Chuiches in England (where 
 the Clergy do their Duty as they ought, and I hope tliey all 
 do) that Prayer is conft.intly read after Sermon ; and among 
 thofe Collets which are appointed before the Bielling, there I's 
 one very proper for begging God's BlelHng upon the Word 
 ■which has been read and preach'd. *' Grant, we befeech thee, 
 ** Almighty God, that the Words which we have heard this 
 *^ Day with our outward Ears, may by thy Grace, To grafted 
 " inwardly in our Hearts, that they may bring forth in us the 
 ** Fruit of good Living, to the Honour and Praife of thy 
 ** Name, thro' Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen. So that the Li- 
 tany before, and this Collecl: after Sermon, contain both Pray- 
 ers for the Minifter's Affiftance who is to preach, and for God's 
 Blefling on what has been preach'd ; and therefore the Liturgy 
 is not imperfe£i: for that fuppos'd Defefl:. 
 
 He has a mean Opinion of the Englip Clergy, when he fup- 
 pofes, p. S. that they muft neglecl: Praying by a fick Peifon for 
 want of a Candle. And though I am utterly againft Extempore 
 Prayers, for theReafjns aflign'd in the Beginning of this Book, 
 I believe there is not a Minifter of the Church of England, 
 but what could perform any occafional Office at a Pinch, with- 
 out either Book or Candle : And it is one Excellency of prc- 
 (cfib'd Forms, that they may (by frequent Ufc) be Icarn'd 
 without Book, and fo us'd upon Occafion. 
 
 When any of our Divines preach or write againft Extempore 
 Prayer, they alv.ays mean by it, fuch as are made by People 
 now a-days who are not infpir'd, and therefore it is a ihaining 
 of their Senfe and Words to make them condemn our BiC^lcd 
 Savionr, and his Apoftles, and other infpir'd Perfons, for that 
 indeed were a Blafphemy not to be more endur'd. 
 
 But tho' our Author fliould, in the next Edition of this Dia- 
 logue, apply S. Alat. iz. 52. to me, as he docs to Dr. Soi/tb, 
 p. 9. I can't help faying, That (confidering the Sti.itf that fomc 
 Pretenders to the Spirit, vent) they who would make the Holy 
 Gholl patronize all their Prayers, may be more truly faid to 
 blafphcme him, tlian the Do£lor for telling them fo. 
 
 I will not here, in Vindication of Dr. Soutby run out into an 
 Enquiry into the Mifchiefs which accrue to the State, by Ex- 
 tempore Prayer or Preaching ; all that I fliall fay is, that if all 
 
 (a) S£S the fiy;'} Pj.ibrick after the Cojumuulm ScTjice, 
 
 tliefe 
 
thefe Kingdoms had worfhiped God in publick by the Book of 
 Common Itrayer only, fince it was made, we fhould have had no 
 faife Worihip ; and if no Minifters, with or without lawful 
 Miifion, had preach'd worfe Do£lrine than Dr. South, and Dr. 
 Sache'verel il never faw the Sermons of Dr. Sibthorp, and Dr. 
 Mnnivari}7g) thefe Nations would not now be in the Condition 
 they arc in, by falfe Doftrine, Herefy and Schifm. But 
 
 Of Extempore Prayers, I have faid enough in the Letter, and 
 therefore ihaji not trouble you with giving a particular Anfwer 
 to what he fays, p. lo, ii, 12, 15, 14, 15. You will find SET 
 FORMS of Prayer vindicated in the firlt Sheet of the Letter. 
 What follows p. i6. of the Interruption of our Prayers, by 
 rea.iing PHilms and Lelfons, and the Shortnefs of our Colle&s, 
 is accounted for in the Letter, p. 16. 
 
 But he fays, againft what is there advanc'd, that it was not 
 O'.ir Lord's Intention that we fliould part our Prayers, but that 
 we fliould fay them all at once. Now I thought, that inter- 
 pofing a Lecture, or a Seimon, or fmging a Pfalm between one 
 Part of your Prayers and another, had been as much an Inter- 
 ruption of your Devotion, as our interpoling a LefTon, Qpc. 
 And w^iere you have clearer Scripture for the one, than we 
 have for the other, I confefs I do not knov;. 
 
 But what he fays, p. 17. of Peoples praying themfelves and 
 others into a Divine Y\rarmth, tho' tiicy begun heavily, does 
 not acquit them necelTarily, of mi flaking the Fancy and me- 
 chanical Operation of the animal Spirits for Mvhe Heat ; for I 
 have heard a Lav^yer at the Bar, begin very deliberately and 
 calm, and h the Frogrefs of his Speech, work himfelf into al- 
 mnft as great a Heat as a FreshytcYinn Teacher, and atfeft his 
 Audience very much too, and all this x:\-iQ Lffecl: of mere Mc- 
 chanifm. I will not fay, that all Exten.pore Prayers are fo ; 
 but if there's Danger that they may be fo, the Argument is 
 ftrong enough of our Side. 
 
 He feems much to midake the Church's Defign in her Veft- 
 ments, and other decent Ceremonies, as if they were appoin- 
 ted to fupply the Place of Devotion, as he fairly fuggefts, 
 p. 18. ■■ But People may be Decent and Devout too. 
 Of the Word Prielt, fee p. 91. of the Letter. 
 The next Exception is. p. 20. againft the Oueftions in the 
 office of- Baptilm, and the Anfwers made to them by the God- 
 fathers and Godmothers in the Name of the Child. 
 
 Oar Author's Exceptions againft this Order of the Church 
 are Four: i., Thar PV;fi//j fays, thefe Qiieftions and Anfwers 
 have been a Grievance to Peoples Confciences ever fince King 
 Ed-zi-ard the Vlth's Time. 2. That Dr. Bur?iet, in his Hiftory 
 cf the Keformation, fays, that Bucer did not approve them. 
 5. That fuch Mimikry can't be the reafonable Service rcquir'd 
 . '. by 
 
[ 1^4 ] 
 
 by God. 4. That this Praaice takes away the Ground of In- 
 fant's Baprifm, for all other Protellant Churches teach tliat 
 Children are Baptiz'd in the Right of their believing Pa- 
 rents. 
 
 In anfwer to this : i. Vcet'ius, a foreign Divine, was a very 
 unlikely Perfon to meafure Erjgl/fi Confciences. J3ut fuppofe 
 this had been a Grievance to fome, Was it therefore a general 
 Grievance ? Our Liturgy, Epifcopacy, nay, Monarchy, have 
 been Grievances to fome Peoples Confciences. The Refor- 
 mation was a Grievance to more Confciences than ever thefe 
 Qtieftions and Anfwers were : And muft all thefe be laid afide 
 to quiet the Confciences of all that are aggiiev'd ? I think 
 not. 
 
 2. Bucer did not approve the anfwering by God fathers. I 
 am forry for it ; for I reverence the Memory of th:<t great 
 Man. t)ut greater Men, and Men whofe Judgments v.e are 
 more bound to follow, have and do approve of it ; viz> the 
 fucceffive Governours of the Church of England fince the Re- 
 formation. 
 
 3. This Mimikry (as our Author is pleas'd to term it ) is 
 the only Way that I know to perform this Service, 'uiz. the 
 Kapti7,ing Infants. To make this appear, we muft confidcr 
 Bapttlm as the folemn Entry into Chnft's Church, and confe- 
 ({ueiitiy into the Covenant of Grace. If we are all baptiz'd 
 hjto one Body, i Cor. 12. 15. we can't be faid, without Bap- 
 tifm to be Members of that Body, and if we are not Mem- 
 bers of Chrift's Body, I think wc are not within the Cove- 
 nant of Grace, nor have we any Title to the Promifes made 
 to thofe who are. Our Blefled Saviour makes Baptifm necef- 
 fary to Salvation, Except a MiXn be born of Water and of the 
 Spirit^ he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God, .S". John 3. 5. 
 Now if Baptifm be tite onlj> Way of entering into Covenant 
 wirh God, of being Members of Chrift's Body, and being 
 admitted as Candidates for the Kingdom of Heaven, then In- 
 fants muft be received into thcChiiftian Church by Baptifm, 
 or eife they can't be faid to have any Title to thefe Privile- 
 ges : For ir is only he that believes and is BAPTIZ'D that 
 JJjall be faved, S. Mark 16. 16. And if Infants muft be bajj- 
 tiz'dy they muft perform the Corditions necefTary for Baptifm ; 
 that is, they muft repent and believe : Eor there is no Sciiprure 
 that d'ffpenfes v.ifh thofe Conditiom, nor can any Form of pub- 
 lick Paptifm be aftign'd in any Age of the Chriftian Chuvch, 
 which v/ants fuch QHef/iom and Anfzvers as we ufc. And fmce 
 a Child is not capable of repenfino and believing in its ^wn 
 Name, fome Body nuift undertake for it (as Guardians do for 
 Minors) or elfe 1 know no Tex: that nnaiifies them for Bap- 
 tifm. And therefore, 
 
 4. If 
 
C ^^s ] 
 
 4. If all the Protedant Churches (except England) teacfi 
 that Childven are Baptizd in right of their believing FarentSj 
 ONLY, (for ^^^ ^^^^^ 3dd, that if he would make his Argu- 
 ment conclude any Thing againft the Church of England) 
 without any Stipulation made in their Name, I am lure that 
 is a Dofltiine which neither the Holy Scripture warrants, nor 
 the Catholick Church agrees to. And if this his AlTcrtion 
 fhould be true (which 1 liave not Time at prefent to iearch 
 into) I can only fay, that if it is not fupported by Scripciue 
 nor primitive Antiquity, nor agreable to the Doftiine of the 
 Church of Efighnd (which when the other two are lilent, is 
 the Standard of my ObedicEce) I fhall have very little Confi- 
 deration of their Authority. But I think I have heard fay, 
 that the Direftory alTerts, That all 'who areBaptizd in the Name 
 of Chriji, do renounce^ and by their Baftifm are bound to fight 
 againjt the Devil, the Worlds and the llefh. I only ask now 
 Childien can do tliis ? not by their own proper A6t and Deed ; 
 therefore by their Sureties. 
 
 The only Difpute then that feems to be between us, is, 
 whether God- fathers and God mothers be proper Sureties for 
 a Child ? : 
 
 To this our Author only fays, that the Chmch of England 
 has the Roman Ritual on her Side, /?. 21. 
 
 I have a very good Opinion of the Author of the Dia- 
 logues, and therefore am unwilling to think, that he would 
 indullrioufly amufe his Readers with a Cry of Popery, when 
 he knew there was no Caufc. I will therefore (if he has not 
 been at Pains to inform himfelf as to this Particular in a few 
 Words fcew, that it was an ancient Praftice in the primitive 
 Chuich, .to. require fuch Security as our Church now demands 
 before Baptifm, and that in the Cafe of Infants, the Anfwers 
 were made by God-fathers and God-mothers. 
 
 In the eaiiieii: Ages of the Church, every one at his Bap- 
 tifm was taught " to renounce the Devil and all his Works 
 '• Powers and Service, the World, and ail its Pomps and Va- 
 " nities. To believe in God, ©T. («?) And this Form has 
 been continued in the Chriftian Church, without any material 
 Alteration ever fince. 
 
 In the Baptifm of Infants they retain'd the Form, but 
 allowed others to anAver in the Infant's Name- Thefe are 
 cali'd by feveral Natnes by the ancient Writers, they are 
 call'd npo$epovT£5 (b)i ^iuSii%of {c), Sponfores {d)y Fide^ujfcres{e),- 
 
 (a) S^e Apoft. Conflir. /. 7. c. 41. Dion. Areo, de £cc!. Hier. c 1 
 ;». 77. Ed. Par. i5i5-. Cyril. Cat. Myftag. 2. ' ' 
 
 (b) Juft. Mart. Re! p. ad Oi thod. 
 
 (c) Dion. Areop. Eccl. Hier.. c. 2, 
 
 (ci) Terr, de B;ipr.f. i^. (e) Aug. Sen iC%, ^\\ 
 
[ 166 ] 
 
 All which arc only fcveral Names for the fame Thing. 'vJzo 
 Sureties and Sponfors^ who Iroitght Children to holy Baptifr/iy 
 and there in their Name liipnlated for their Part of the 
 Covenaur. 
 
 But our Author obje£l:s it as faife Doftrine in the Church, 
 to admit Children to Baptifm that we don't know to be of be- 
 lieving Parents, at leaft of one. 
 
 Put the Cafe now, that a Child newly born were laid at 
 our Author's Door, and that it ITiould chance to be a Quaker's 
 (for fuch I fuppofe he will not allow to be Believers) and that 
 the Parents, had out of Zeal to their own Opinion left a Nc£C 
 •with it, declaring their Aveifion to fprinkling (as they igno^ 
 minioufly terra Baptifm^ I would only ask, whether that Gen- 
 tleman would not think himfelf obiig'd to get the Child Bap- 
 tiz-'d. Or, fuppofe a whole Family of Children born of (Qua- 
 kers or Infidels in our Author's Parifh, Ihpuld (by the Dtath 
 of their Parents) come into the Hands of Chriftian Relations. 
 or even Strangers to their Blood, who out of Charity, would 
 undertake for their Chriftian Education ; would it be un- 
 lawful to Baptixe fuch Infants becaufe they had the Misfor- 
 tune to have Infidel Parents ? God fordid. The ancient 
 Church knew no fuch Cruelty. '' It cometh fometimes to 
 *' pafs (faith S. Augufline) that the Children of bond Slaves 
 *' are brought to Baptifm BY THEIR LORD ; fomenmcs 
 ** the Parents being dead, the Friends undertake that Office ; 
 ** fometimes STRANGliRS or Virgins confccrated to God, 
 *' which neither have nor can have Children of their ov^n, 
 *' take up Infants in the open Streets, and fo offer them unto 
 *' Baptifm, whom the Cruelty of unnatural Parents call out, 
 " and leaveth to the Adventure of uncertain Pity. Hooker 
 *' Eccl. PoE/. 5. SeH. 64. 
 
 But there is nothing laid by our Author p. 22. againft the 
 Validity of Sureties promifing in the Children's Name, that 
 will not condemn the whole Chriftian Church in all Ages. 
 It being tke univcrfal Practice to require for Infants a fponfo- 
 rial Faith and Repentance, becaufe they were not capable of 
 performing thofe Duties aQ:ualiy. 
 
 But from his finding Fault v.'ith the Anfwer to thatQueftion 
 in the Cntechifm, (wl.ich was altcr'd at the Importunity of 
 the Presbyterian CommUTioners at the Sai\y Conference ill 
 ](55i.) we may perceive what little Encouragement there is 
 for our making any Alterations in our Liturgy or Canons, for 
 the Sake of tender Confciences, (as is pretended) when thofe 
 Changes then made to pleafe them, are now, and have been 
 often before made ufe of aguinft us, and made Arguments for 
 chopping and changing to the End of the Chapter, 
 
 He 
 
[ ^^1 ] 
 
 He makes his Curate fay, f. 24. That the God-fathers and 
 GoJ-mothcrs are Sureties, bun that the Parents are Principals 
 for the Education of the Children. Now, I conceive, that 
 the God-fathers and God-mothers are Sureties fot the Child, 
 and not for the Parents, and therefore in every Stipulation 
 made by them, the Child (and not the Parents) is the Prin- 
 cipal. Tlie Promife made by them in the Child's Name, is 
 to renounce the Devil, Qpc. to believe all the Articles of the 
 ChrilHan Faith, and to keep God's holy Will, &c. Now, 
 in this without doubt, the Child to be Baptiz'd is the Princi- 
 pal in the Obligation, and the Benefits are ihe Child's, as 
 the Mifchief fhall certainly fall upon the Child if he breaks 
 his Part of the Covenant. But becaufe the Infant cannot per- 
 form the Covenant, unlcfs he is inftru6i cd in it when he comes 
 to the Ufe of Reafon, t! e Minifter exhorts the Sureties that 
 they take Care that he iliould be taughc. Now though by 
 the Law of Nature, and the Laws of the Gofpel, all Parents 
 are obligd to take Care of the Education of their Children, 
 and no Stipulation made in their Name by any one elfe can 
 fupeicede their Obligation ; yet they cannot be faid to the 
 Principals in their Obligation made by the Sureties : And 
 therefore our Author's Laiv Maxim will not be any Argument 
 againft their Care. 
 
 If there are bad People receiv'd by the Church as God- 
 fathers and God-mothers, notwithftanding the good Rules 
 made to the contrary, it will not deftroy the Validity of 
 Baptifm, nor make the Liturgy a bad Book. Pray, what be- 
 comes of the Children of all wicked Men in Scotland? I 
 fuppofe our Author thinks that he and his Brethren have 
 Baptizd many fuch. And may a wicked Parent ftipulate for 
 a Child better than a wicked God-father 1 If Immorality is a 
 Bar to the one, why not to the other 1 
 
 As to the Miniiter's Power of keeping notorious Offenders 
 from the Holy Sacrament, it is no Difpute with me ; nor need 
 it be with any one elfe, who reads the Rubrick in the Litur- 
 gy before the Communion. And I Tnall not Itick to fay, 
 that I would not admit a NOTORIOUS SCHISMATICK to 
 Catholick Communion, till he recanted his Error, upon any 
 confideration of Laws or Statutes ; though I do declare, that 
 I have as great ConfiJc-.-arion and Regard both for the Laws 
 and thofe that make them, as any Body whatfoevcr. 
 
 I hope our Aurhor does not intend to jciftify the hypocriti- 
 cal Prophanefs of Occafional Conformity ; but that being 
 now out of Doors in England, I Ihiall pais it. 
 
 Bur his next J.xceprion, ^. 16. will not appear to be fo 
 much againft the Liturgy as he makes it, viz.^ abovit the Ef- 
 fentials of Baptifm. 
 
 He 
 
[ 168 ] 
 
 He afferts two Things, which are both miflakes. i, Thaf 
 the Service Book teaches, That the Matter and the Words aris 
 the ONLY EJfentials of Baptifm. 2. That the Church of 
 England ratifies Baptifm adminifter'd by Laicks and Women, 
 and that the Liturgy, upon \n hich he fays the Epifcopalians 
 doat, allows of the Bjptifm of Mid wives. 
 
 I. Firft then I do not fee that the Liturgy teaches that the 
 MATTER and WORDS are the ONLY hifentials of Bap- 
 tifm. The Church, An. 50. calls the Bread and Wine both 
 Vans of the Lord's Supper, does it therefore follow that a Lay- 
 man may adminifter it 1 If any Law fhould fay, that figning 
 and fealing are Eflential to Covenants, would it therefore fol- 
 low that the figning by a proper Perfon is not Eflential : As 
 the ingenious Author of Lay Baptifm Inijalid^ argues in his 
 Book of Biffenters Baptifm null and void, p. 40. The Church 
 has declared An, 23. That IT IS NOT LAWFUL for any 
 
 J^an to take upon him the Office of minijlring the Sacraments 
 
 before he he lawfully call d^ and fent for that Purpofe. Again, 
 An. 16. fhe teaches. That the Minifter does not minifler Bap- 
 tifm IN HIS OWN NAME but in CHRISTs, and by his 
 COMMISSION and Authority. 
 
 If then, in the Judgment of the Church, none have his Com- 
 miflion but they who are lawfully call'd and fent, then ihe 
 does not think the Matter and Words the ONLY Eflentials 
 in the Miniftration of Baptifm. Nay, Art. 57. fhe denies 
 even to her Princes, the Power of Adminiflration of the Sacra- 
 ments ; and therefore furely {he believes the lawful Minifter 
 eflential. This, I think, is fo clearly and plainly prov'd in 
 the Book laft niention'd, viz. Viffenters Baptifm null and void^ 
 Sect. VI. that I believe it to be unanfvverable. 
 
 2. I have read over all the Rubricks which relate to Bap- 
 tifm, and the three Oflices of Baptifm very carefully, and can't 
 find one fingle Word of either Laick, Midwife or other Wo- 
 man as the Adminiftratois of Baptifm, nor indeed any Thing 
 that can poflSble be ftrain'd to that Conftruftion. There is in- 
 deed before the Office for private Baptifm, a Rubrick which 
 plainly enough infers the direct contrary, viz- "That the Adi- 
 fiifter of the Pariflo {or in his abfence any other LAWFUL MI- 
 NISTER that can be procurd) Ihall Baptize the Child in cafe 
 of Neceflity, and no other Perfon. And in the fifth Rubrick, 
 the Words LAWFUL MINISTER aie ufcd again : But not 
 one Word of Lay-men or Midwife. 
 
 Well, but the Bifhop of Salisbury has faid it in his Expo- 
 fiticn of the 23d Article. Ergo I ! 
 
 Why really that may be ; but I know no Law that obliges 
 the Clergy of the Church of England to fubfcribe to his Lord- 
 Hiip's Expofition of the Articles, and therefore if he fhould 
 
 havt' 
 
[ I6p] 
 
 have advanc'd falfe Dowlrine, I would not ftand by it. Sup* 
 pofe that this bad Pradice was fome Time ago (i. e. before 
 the Hampton-Court Conference above loo Years fince) us'd by 
 fome, which the learned Bifhop owns, in the very Page quo- 
 ted by our Author, to be MreBly contrary to the Rules of the 
 ApoJileSi Art. 33. p. 26. fhall either his Lordfhip, or any 
 one elfe, make me believe, that the Church (which does not 
 fay one Word in its Juflificacion) authoriz.es it ? Don't be- 
 lieve it. 
 
 Well then, our Author and I will not quarrel about the Ef- 
 fentials of Baptifm. I freely allow, that the Mhijler'o^ Bap- 
 tifm is indeed one Eflential of it, and that where there is no 
 LAWFUL MINISTER there is no Baptifm ; and I don't 
 fee that this Opinion contradicts any Part of the Liturgy. Let 
 them look to it, that pretend to baptize without a lawful Or- 
 dination ; and let the People confider well what they are do- 
 ing, when they receive any pretended Sacraments from fuch as 
 ha^e no Authority to give them. 
 
 The next Exception, p, i-j. of the Difcipline of the Church, 
 feems to have been only broi'ght in for a Pretence to give 
 Dr. Sacheverel an ill Epithet for fpeaking. Truth, which he is 
 pleas'd to miltake ; the Dr. does not affert, that the Difcipline 
 of the Church of England is the belt that ever was in the 
 Chiirtian Church, but the beft that is now ; and therefore 
 the Complaint which fhe makes once a Year, of wanting 
 fome Godly Difcipline which was in the ancient Church, 
 does not contradift the Dr's Words, nor give him the Lye, as 
 ^ our Author modeftly expreflls it. And I am of Opinion, that 
 the Church's pious Wifh might ere this Time have been redu- 
 ced into Aft, but for the Trouble that fhe has had from the 
 FALSE BRETHREN mention'd in that Sermon, which our 
 Author is fo angry with. And indeed, that Spirit of Schifm 
 and Divifion which has been but too much encourag'd in Eng- 
 land more than once, is one very great Caufe of itopping the • 
 Mouths of thofe wholfome Canons ; which were they dif- 
 charg'd againft Offenders of all Kinds, would (ct the Difci- 
 pline of our Church as much above the Kirk, as the Liturgy is 
 above the Direftory. 
 
 Tho' bowing towards the Altar^ and at the facred Name of 
 JESUS, is not injoyn'd by any Canon now in Force, I t'^ink 
 the laudable Pradice is very defenlible, being only an outward 
 Demonft ration of that inward Reverence and Homage v hich 
 we owe to our BlefTed Saviour in every Thing that rehrcs to 
 him. And if there is a Refpc6t due to the very Walls of a 
 Church confecrated to his Worfhip, how much more to that 
 Altar on which the facred Memorials of his Death and I'af- 
 fion are exhibited; and to that awful No.me at which e.evy . 
 
 M Knee 
 
lijo ] 
 
 Knee ought to ho-w. If, by God's own Commandment, Mofes 
 Avas to put his Shoes oft' his Feet upon holy Ground ; and holy 
 Vavid was won't to bow towards the Mercy- Seat of God's 
 Temple or Tabernacle ; I can't fee any Reafon why we may 
 not (after the Cuftom of England) put off our Hats when we 
 go into Church and worfliip God, by bowing our Bodies to- 
 Avards the holreft Part of the Church, 'viz- the Communion 
 Table. And if we muft not approach a Throne, nor go into 
 a Prefencc-Chamber without Reverence, (not out of Reg.ird 
 to the Throne, or the Canopy of State, but for the Sake of 
 the Prince that llts on the one, and under the other) I don't 
 knov/ any Allowance v/e have to Ihew lefs Relpefl: to our Al- 
 mighty Lord than to an earthly Prince. 
 
 As to the Language of our Common Prayer Book, I wordcr 
 our Author fhonld objeft to the Piainnefs of it, becaufe we 
 retain Latin or Greek Titles to fome Hymns and Pfalms con- 
 tain'd in it ; when thofe Names or Titles are not fo much as 
 heard in ourWorfhip. Does he think the 7th Pfalm is not plain 
 Englip, becaufe it retains the Hebrew Title of SHI GGAIOM 
 of David? Or, the i6th Pfalm not intelligible, becaufe it 
 is called a MICHTAM of David? And does he believe, that 
 all his Congregation underftand the Meaning of all fuch Ti- 
 tles ? I am fure more People tinderftand the Names of our 
 Pfalms and Hymns (for they are only the Beginning of them 
 in Latin, and are retain'd becaufe they were fo well known by 
 thole Titles) than there.aie, who underftand the Titles of the 
 Pfalms. 
 
 If the Language is now proper, I hope it will recommend 
 the Liturgy to our Author and his Party, that that Propriety 
 is owing to the Presbyterians, as he fays. But he makes fome 
 Exceptions even to that,/;. 30. which one would think he might 
 have fpared. For the Epijile is no more than INSTHAD of the 
 Efifile, which is as common a Way of fpeaking as any. 
 
 Of the old Tranflation of the Pfalms I have laid fomething 
 in the Letter p. and as to the finging Pfalms (I mean Stern- 
 hold and Hcphins) they are no Part of the Liturgy, as may be 
 feen by the Title in the AB of Uniformity, to which our AlTent 
 is required : But any Parifh that pleafes may make Ufe of the 
 new Tranflation of Brady and 1'ate. 
 
 But neither our Author, nor the 'Tatler, will make the Words 
 {^ivith my Body I thee nvorflnp') either idolatrous or improper. 
 Not idolatrous, becaufe there never was (I believe) any Man 
 in England that thought he was oblig'd, by thefe Words, to 
 ADORH his Wife : Nor improper, becaufe the Word IWor- 
 Jhip] in the En^Uflo Language is very frequently ufed for civil 
 Refpect. Hvery Jufticc of Peace in England is call'd his Wor- 
 J}}ipt and the Worjl}ipfui» And you may as well fay, that St. 
 
 Matthew 
 
. [ ^71 t 
 
 il^atthew 4. 10. forbids all Service to aiy bot God, as that • 
 Worjl^ip, in a civil Sence, may not be given to a Man's Wife. 
 
 As to Holy-Day Sy and Days of Abfiheme, which our Author 
 is fo very merry about, />. 31. 1 fhali only add to what I 
 have faid p. 45. of the Letter, that there never was a fettled 
 Church of God either before our Saviour's Time, or fince, 
 that had not both Feafts and Fafts. And he that would make 
 the Obfervation of them come up to the Stigma mentioned 
 h. Matt. 15. 9. will condemn the beft Chriftians, nay, our 
 bleiTcd Saviour himfelf, who kept the Feaft of Dedication, 
 which was of human Inftitution, 1 Aiaccab. 4. 59. The In- 
 ftance of our Saviour's juftifying his Difciples in eating with 
 Hnwalhed Hands, feems to be foreign to the Bufinels in Hand, 
 for it was rellraining People's Liberty in the common Ani- 
 ons of Life, and not particularly apply *d to the Worfbip of 
 God. 
 
 But our Author is raiftaken in our Reafon for rejeSing the 
 PopilTi Ceremonies ; Wc don't rejeft them becaufe God hath 720t'< 
 commanded them -y but becaufe many of them ate forbidden, 
 and becaufe the Church of Rome has no Authority to impofe 
 Ceremonies upon the Church of England fhe having a Power 
 within her felf of altering Rites of Worlliip, in their Nature 
 indifferent. [See Preface to the Liturgy. And of Ceremonies^ 
 ivhy fome be aboHfl)edy and fome'retained.'] And particularly the 
 34th Article declares ; " 'that every particular or national Church 
 *' has Authority to ordain> change and aboliflo Ceremonies or Rites 
 *' of the Churchy ordained only by Mans Authority^ fo that all 
 *' 'Things he done to edifying. 
 
 Whether the 25th of December be the very Day of our 
 Lord's Bifth, fee the Letter />. 47. And for the Story of the 
 Beesy I ftjppofe c0.r Miifhoi.do«2im?t jexpc^ aferiQ Anfwer. 
 I fhould be for/y^ -that any Man that .reads the "Liturgy hut 
 once over, and underftapds plain Englip., Ibouid commit the 
 Blunder that he fpeaks of, in calling the.EPI PHANY a great 
 Saint. For the very. Title in the Liturgy is, the Epiphany, < r 
 MANIFEST ATION of.Chrijl to the Gentilesy and the Service for 
 it is adapted to that Occafion. I don't deny, but the Baptifm 
 of our Saviour was Ukewife commemorated in this Fcftival by 
 the Ancients. I am glad to find, that our Author will allow 
 the Feaft of Ep}pha?ty to be fo old in the Church as S. Chryfo- 
 jiom's Time, viz. 1300 Years ago. And if he will be at Pains 
 to read the fecond LeiTon appointed for that Feaft, he will fee, 
 that the Church of England docs commemorate the A:fanifejra- 
 tion of Chrifi to be the Son of God at his Biiptifm. 
 
 Of the Ufe of Liturgies I have faid enough in the Letter, 
 SeB. 4, 5, 6- And I think I have nothing further at prefent 
 to add [his Reflexions upon the Canons concerning Excom- 
 munication 
 
[ 172 ] 
 
 munication not coming within my Province, nor can they ever 
 afFeft the People of Scotland while the Liturgy is only tole- 
 rated.] 
 
 Whether the Author of the Fundamental Charter of Presby- 
 tery was in the right or the wrong in his Alfertion, I have not 
 Time at prefent to enquire ; nor is it (in my humble Opinion) 
 very material. If the Liturgy be a better Way of Woriliip 
 than yon have in Scotland, then your never fubmitting to it 
 before, I hope will be no Bar. And whether it is evinc'd to 
 be fo by this Treatife, muft be left to the Judgment of the 
 Reader. 
 
 And now I fhall take my Leave of the Dialogues : If I have 
 faid any Thing in anfwer to them, which the Author fliall 
 think convincing, I fhall be heartily glad ; for I have fo good 
 an Opinion of him, that I would fpare no Pains to fatisfy 
 him. If I fhall not be fo happy, and that he thinks any 
 Thing in thefe Papers deferve a Reply, I hope he will remem- 
 ber that I have us'd him with Manners. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
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