The reform'd samaritan, or, The worship of God by the measures of spirit and truth preached for a visitation-sermon at the convention of the clergy, by the reverend Arch-Deacon of Coventry, in Coventry, April the sixth, 1676 : to which is annexed, a review of a short discourse printed in 1649, about the necessity and expediency of worshipping God by set forms / by John Allington ...

TO THE READER.

THough this little Treatise now appears under a second Im∣pression, it is the Author's First: For the Father being in those days Proscriptus, the Child might very proportio∣nably be Expositivus. When the Father durst not shew his Head, the Childe durst not tell his Name.

Nor was it written with any intention of a publick View; so that indeed by that shift, it bear's a fairer Front than he who writ it durst have put upon it: for amongst the honourable Army of Confessors, Di∣vines sequestred upon our Church-account, he held himself too too unworthy to write their Apology: All his designe was to give the reasons of his own Sufferings, and to shew that he conceived he had just cause to prefer the Liturgie to his peace.

Now for as much as these Reasons were given in such a time, when if they had not been Reasons, the Pressures and Indigenoes attending them would easily have discovered, at their Request whom I much honour, I have reviewed the thing, and finde that what is Truth and Reason, it will still be so, change the state and condition of Seculars how they please: So that look what in the days of Tryal they then did, no other in these better days do they seem to me. And what to me, that also they appear to some so candidly judicious, that upon their account, and (as they conceive) for the good of others, they again shew themselves; not so much because strong, but because short and plain, and ad Captum vulgi, and to their capacity who most need them; it being thought by some, that what was writ and published when the Liturgie (like Christianity in the days of St. Paul) was every where much spoken against; that will be much sooner heeded than what hath been published, since our Form of Wor∣ship hath been like the rising Sun, either for the Beauty or Necessity of it, received at most hands: For to receive it now may be gain, but to retain it then had more of godliness. But as the Apostle of the Gospel, the same may I say of the Liturgy; whether in pretence or truth it is now used, I do therein rejoyce, and will rejoyce; for I know this may turn to the salvation of many, by the supply

of the Spirit of Jesus Christ; which being the spirit of Wisdom and Holiness, will much more certainly accompany a well-digested Form, than a sudden Rapsody, in as much as Consideration and Prudence ap∣proach nigher to Holiness and Wisdom, than rashness, basty and in∣considerate Effusions.

One pretending to pray in my sequestred Pulpit, is said to say, [O Lord get up upon thine Horse, and make haste into Ireland, or thou wilt lose more honour there than ever thou gotst in Eng∣land.] He certainly had less of the spirit of Prayer, than he who shall devoutly read the meanest of our Collects. And it is very well known, if it were worth the while to shovel up such Dunghils, we might present the World with an huge heap of such unsavory Profa∣nations; and therefore except the madness of the people, and the up∣holding of their Credits who have thus dishonoured God, I cannot ima∣gine what should hinder as universal joy, that Forms are established, and Ministers confin'd to pray with the Spirit and with the Under∣standing also: For if St. Paul did wisely well when he preferred five Words spoken with the understanding, before ten thousand in an unknown Tongue, certainly it is as proportionably true to say, A Prayer of five Lines deliberately made, understandingly penn'd, and devoutly offered, is to be preferred before an whole hour of that which neither Speaker nor Hearer can give any tolerable repetition or account of.

Some whom I have lately treated with are come to this, Truely they like the Prayers, and wish there were no worse made: but the Im∣position, that Christians should be under penalties compelled to be present at these Prayers, that they like not. Now for their sakes who make this Objection, I must needs (and especially to them) remem∣ber, that when the Lords and Commons, acting both without and against their King, were doing (as the godly Ministers and Party then hoped) their work; then, even they (now Enemies to Impo∣sition) were by them stiled Custodes & vindices utriusque Tabu∣lae. Not onely Gods Ministers, but Gods Avengers. Then it was lawful for their Magistrates in matters of Religion and Worship to Impose; and if not obeyed, to Dispose, even of all men had.

Thus thought the Worthy that I have to deal with; for Mr. Mar∣shall * 1.1 in a Sermon upon Psal. 102. v. 16, 17. thus; Those in Au∣thority in things of this life, may command and act ad Modum imperii [by way of imposing] in matters of Religion, And a lit∣tle after: As Josiah put to death those that followed Baal, so may

the Parliament those that will not return to the Lord, and leave Antichristianism.

In the year 1647, I have the testimony of many persons of Quali∣ty (then Prisoners in the Tower) who after an hundred Sollicita∣tions but to have Bread out of their own Estates, received from a Chair-man this Answer; He would famish them into the taking of the Covenant and Negative Oath.

In the Articles for which I loft my Livelyhood, a grand Charge is, the refusal of the Directory. Now, if it were lawful for usur∣ping Powers to oblige, under the severity of undoing, to be present at no man knew what; at such Prayers as could neither be con∣sidered on, nor reviewed: Certainly then à Fortiori, it is much more lawful for a legal and undoubted Authority to exact our presence at a Form, which may be both seen, and read, and examined before men approach to make or give consent to the oblation of it. And in∣deed (not to make a business of this pretence) it is undoubtedly clear, that no party in Authority but did impose and did exact a Conformity to their Imposition.

Witness the Protestation, the Covenant, and the Engagement! All Forms, Humane Forms; and such as have neither Command nor Example in the Book of God: Yea, they were Forms Contradi∣ctory and gain-saying each the other: And yet whosoever refused any one of them, he was proceeded against as disaffected to the pre∣sent Government, and by consequent unworthy to enjoy his own Bread. Nor do I believe there can be found so great a difference between a Vow in Form and a Prayer in Form, that it shall be lawful for Ʋsurpers to impose the one, and unlawful for the legal and loyal Magistrate to impose the other. So that refusal of the Common-prayer meerly upon the account of Imposition, it seems to carry a greater measure of stomack than Conscience in it.

And thus thought Mr. Calvin, or else he would never have writ to the Protector in the first of Edw. the sixth (as in the Title-page) That he exceedingly approved a set Form both of Prayer and Ecclesiastical Rituals, and would have it such, as no Pastor might recede from. And for proof of it, in England, I shall onely relate what hapned some nine years after, and may be read in the 1531 Page of the old and unpurged Edition of The Book of Martyrs, of John Careless a Coventry-Confessor; who to Dr. Martin thus:

The second Edition [speaking of the Common-prayer of Edw. 6.] is good and godly, and in all points agreeing to the Word of God.

And then infra: I will adde thus much more, That the same Book which is so consonant and agreeable to Gods Word, being set forth by common Authority, both the King's Majesty that is dead, and the whole Parliament-house, ought not to be despised of me, or of any other private man, under pain of God's curse and high displeasure, and Damnation except they repent.

* 1.2 April 25, 1556. See here one ready to go to the Stake [being, as himself writes, proclaimed Heretick at Paul's Cross] makes such a conscience of obeying the Authoritative Imposition of the Com∣mon-prayer-book, that he professeth, Nor he himself, [and will these Exceptors say he had not the Spirit of God?] nor any private man might not under the pain of God's curse despise it; pronouncing Damnation to all despisers if they repent not.

In the Stirs of Frank-ford reprinted * 1.3 you shall finde the Exiles of Frank-ford were so far from thinking it a pressure to a tender Con∣science to impose a Discipline, that they made it a condition without which no reception into their Congregation, That not onely Mini∣sters, (as with us) but Men of all sorts, yea, and Women too, were to subscribe unto it. Nor is it ever to be dream'd there should ever be such a thing as Subordination, (or as they love to speak) Ruling Elders, without Impositions: Or that any wise man should impose, who hath not a coercive Power. So that either every particu∣lar Christian must be a Church, or there must be an obeying of them that have the rule over us, and a Communicating in such Prayers as * 1.4 we our selves made not.

As for that fond Objection, (giving, but not granting of it) That set Forms stint the Spirit; I conceive the result of that Dispute a∣mounts onely to this. Whether it is meeter every private Mini∣ster, or a consultation of many Fathers should do it? For both equally do it. For, if the Prayer which they call conceived Prayer be indeed so; forasmuch as no Conception is imaginable without Form, by consequence this conceived is a formed Prayer. And if so, then the Spirit in the Speaker is confined pro tempore to that Form.

If it be not conceived nor considered, then 'tis rash, indigested; a present unfit for a Ruler, much more for a God. However, be it what it will, it circumscribes the Auditors, and bindes up their attention to the present speaking.

In a word, being the Nation hath sadly found, that both God hath been highly dishonoured, and the Souls of men truely religious mighti∣ly grieved at the Follies, Rebellions, Impertinencies, and prodigious

Failings of private spirits, even under pretence of Prayer; there is a grand necessity of stinting, restraining, and limiting such spirits; to∣ward which there is no more excellent expedient than a Form of Pray∣er; nor any Form (that I ever yet saw) beyond our own; concer∣ning which I shall adde this onely.

Sir Edward Cook in his famous Reports, reports, how in the 33 year of Queen Elizabeth, Mr. Cawdry sometime Parson of South-Lussenham, (in the little County of Rutland) was deprived as the Jury then gave in, For that he had preached against the Book of Common-prayer, and refused to celebrate Divine Service according to the same.

Now (of the same little County) the Writer hereof May the 5th 1646. was at the Committee for plundered Ministers in Westmin∣ster Sequestred. March 17th, 1653, at the General Sessions at•• Oakham * 1.5 Indicted. And upon the 28th of November, 1655, actually deprived by Ma∣jor-General Butler, for Officia∣ting or Celebrating Divine Ser∣vice by the same. To the abi∣ding of which Sequestration, Indictment, or Deprivation, whether (notwithstanding Mr. Stephen Marshall's following Answer) the Reasons here following in the Letter were perswasive, shall now be left to the censure of the patient and the prudent Reader.

Isaac Massey.

Notes

• * 1.1

  March 26. 1645.
• * 1.2

  In a Letter of his.
• * 1.3

  Pag 180.
• * 1.4

  Rom. 13. 17.
• * 1.5

  A President without a President: or the Form of the Indictment.

  The Jurors for the Lord-Protector of England, upon their Oaths do present, that Edward Freeman of Ayston in the County of Rutland Gent. and Dorothy his Wife, the 25 of December, and the first of January 1653. and divers other Sabboth-days, and several days commonly called the Holy-days of Saints, and Friday called Good-Friday, and suchlike days as Ash-wednesday, and Sundays in Lent, Easter-day, and Whit-sundays, do usually travel from Ayston afore∣said to Wardly in the same County, to hear Mr. John Allington Clerk to read the most part of the Book of Common-prayer, and to receive the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper according to the Form of the said Book; and also do present the said J. A. Clerk, for rea∣ding the said Book of Common-prayer, or most part of it, at every such Assembly; and for administring the Lord's Supper to Popish and Prelatical persons of other Countries, Cringing, Bowing, and Kneeling to the Altar and Sacrament then administred, contrary to Ordinance of Parliament in that case provided. And did also say, he would be torn in pieces by wilde Horses before he would give over bowing at naming Jesus.