A modest confutation of a slanderous and scurrilous libell, entitvled, Animadversions vpon the remonstrants defense against Smectymnuus

§. XI.

OF Liturgie first. Into which that distinction of Saint Pauls shall lead the way: All things are lawfull, but all things are not expedient. A thing in its own nature in∣different, and so lawfull, doth sometimes 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 become in∣expedient, and so unlawfull. By this rule we will examine

the point in hand. For that set forms of Prayer are in them∣selves at least indifferent, the precept and practice of Christ confirms, and no man in his right wits ever denyed. [Some set forms of Prayer, by some men, in some cases may be law∣fully used.] The question is therefore of the expediency, not of the lawfulnesse of such prayers, viz. Whether a set form of Prayers, this in particular to which the Church of Eng∣land hath been, and is laudibly as piously accustomed, may 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, expediently be used, and enjoyned by all to be used, in a nationall Church, as ours is.

To the clearing of which point, there are two things of necessity to be done:

• 1. The conveniencies and inconveniencies of such prayers in the generall, must be weighed.
• 2. The blemishes with which this of ours in particular is charged must be examined

According as we find which, for or against, our conclusion must be made.

1. It suits to, and agrees best with Gods own proceedings in the government of his Church. In which it hath pleased his divine wisdome so to order the matter, that (since all men are not alike capable of knowledge, nor have the same abilities,) his providence should as it were conform it self to this unequall condition of men: whence it is, he hath made choice of some to teach others, and pray for others; chose some to be Apostles, some Ministers, Pastors, Teachers; whereas had he not had respect to this, and purposed to go along with this weaknesse of mans nature, he could as well have infused abilities (I mean supernaturall) into the brest and brain of the most ignorant despicable member of the Church, sufficient without other teachings or helps, to have raised him to converse with God here, and possesse God hereafter, as ever he did into the ablest of the Apostles.

And now having thus ordered the matter; (for thus it is, was, and ever will be, let men dream never so long, torture and rack Scripture, to make it roare out an imaginary lying perfection) God looks that those some which he hath chose, endued, set apart to teaching and praying, and all other of∣fices

of ministeriall function, as they are publike men, so should have a publike care of that Church wherein they are: So drive, as the Church may go like a flock together, a due respect had to the Lambs and Ewes big with young, to the weary, faint, and lame:

—Hanc aegram vix Tytere duco:

which alwayes are the most considerable number.

Yea, come we to the Shepheards themselves: How many laborious, painfull, conscionable men are there, that if these helpes may not be allowed them, must either tempt God, fail in the performance of their duties, or give them quite up, as not sufficient for these things? And if it come to this once, how many souls, (every one, for ought we can say of this or that particular, being to God alike pretious,) will here be desperately, irrecoverably lost! For what help? will our Land afford enow such ex tempore men? no nor the much magnified Amsterdam, with Geneva and New-Eng∣land to boot. Hope is a brave, heroick, sublimed Christian virtue, but it is of things which make us not ashamed.

2. Such Liturgies and set forms are most expedient, if we look to the nature of Prayers (publike Prayers.)

Prayer in it self considered, Is the proper act of the soul, of the will and understanding, and may be completely and perfectly offered up to God, without those subsidiary helps of invention, disposition, memory, language; these, when we speak of private Prayer, are but the vain pomp of it: when of publike, the necessary adjuncts.

I will pray with the Spirit, and I will pray with understand∣ing, 1 Cor. 14. 15. This often mis-applyed Text is to be un∣derstood of publike Prayer, as you may see by comparing it with the second verse, He that speaketh or prayeth in an un∣known tongue, speaketh or prayeth not unto men, but unto God. By Spirit is meant (not as our vain humourists would have it) an extemporall faculty of wording it, but that gift of the Spirit which Saint Paul mentions vers. 5, 6, &c. viz. the mi∣raculous gift of tongues, or faculty of speaking divers lan∣guages: by understanding is meant the understanding of the people; for he that prayeth in an unknown tongue, prayeth

not unto men, that is, not to their understanding. That which I gather from hence is this; That those publike Pray∣ers are most expedient to be used, which are most accom∣modated to the capacity of the people. Herein I known you will agree with me. I go on. But a set form is most accom∣modate, Ergo. This proposition is easily proved: I make it good thus.

1. The understanding is prae-acquainted with, and the subject otherwise difficult is thus made obvious and easie. 2. The matter is the same, not at the will, or passion, or ig∣norance, or negligence of him that prayeth to be varied: by reason of which, sometime the people cannot, sometime dare not go along with their Minister. 3. Though the language be not in it self unknown, yet the harshnesse of it in some, the length and ediousnesse of stile in others, the affected heighth of forced Allegories and Tropes, not to say the nonsense and ridiculously absurd variations of many pretenders to the faculty, render•• it altogether as unintelligible, as it were Latine or Greek. If were to make good this assertion by a particular in ••ance, I would go no farther than your prayer you have given us, pag▪ 6, 37, 38. which infinite of honest and simple Christians would no more know how to under∣stand, than they would doe a Scene out of Iohnsons Ca∣taline.

But what command in Scripture is there for it? Where is conceived prayer mentioned! what such virtue is there in the extemporall wording of a Prayer, that for the giving it such undoubted liberty we must run all these hazzards? The soul may be as much inflamed that prayes in a set form, as that which doth not: and that may be as cold that prayes extempore. Will you say, that every one that hath the gift, hath also affections answerable? you dare not. That then may be belyed, and we shall admire the spirit where it is not: what is this, but to warm our selves at a painted fire? For indeed it is not the volubility or roundnesse of tongue, that is the work of Gods Spirit primarily in him that hath this gift of Prayer, but the enkindling of the affections: I say primarily; for where the Spirit of Grace, which is as

fire in the heart, findes such abilities, such naturall abilities, either actuall or potentiall, it doth catch hold of them, and make fuell as it were of them, whereby the soul burns the more ardently: But where it finds them not, God never in∣fuseth them, (this is meer Anabaptisme) otherwise no such abilities, no grace, no extemporall expressions, no Prayer. And this being thus, doth it make a Prayer ever the more ac∣ceptable to God, that it is extemporall? Doth it make a Prayer unacceptable, that it is not so? In truth, no: But this is it, there is more of the man in the extemporall Prayer, and that makes us doat so much upon it; as the fond mother commonly loves that child best, whose face is most like her, though perhaps of worst conditions. You cannot but know, that there are of the holiest men, and most able Ministers about London, and elsewhere, that both use our Liturgy, and accustome themselves to a set form of their own; wisely considering as I said before, that they are publike men, and are bound to do not what they could more to their own be∣nefit, but what they must, to the peoples. Yea, those that do use extemporall expressions, I would ask them, how far they are from a set form: Is not yesterdayes, to dayes, to morrows, and every dayes Prayer alike, in the frame, oeco∣nomy, or disposition of the matter? Is not the matter the same? do they not preface, petition, conclude always alike? Not in the same words, you will say. Well, but S. Paul did so in all his Epistles in the very same words; and it is more than probable did so in all his Prayers. If there be new emergent occasions, do not those men insert into their own? doth not the Church insert into the Common-prayer book such peti∣tions as are needfull for those occasions? Consider then in what things their Prayers come near yours, and yours come near theirs, and where's the difference? why is the world distracted about nothing? either you are exorbitant, or both may agree.

3. Most expedient to attain the end such worship drives at; Order, Unity, Piety, and the best advancement of Gods glory: Whereas an unbounded liberty in extemporall and fanaticall Prayers, brings forth the quite contrary; disorder,

dis-union of affections between man and man, impiety, athe∣ism, and anarchy. Ex ungue leonem. What leud demeanours, what insolent and irreligious behaviours, both towards the Book of Common-prayers, and the men that use them, hath this lawless time shewn? now, while the laws are still in force that authorize them. The King and Parliament devoutly use them, religious people morning and evening frequent them; now some to spurn and tear them, others spit at them, you to call them superstitious, evill, a Crambe, a Kickshoe, an Hotch-potch, a Drench, &c. If this be not the highest degree of profanation, nothing is. Surely, if we do not re∣pent for this, our posterity will; and besides that, blush when ever they shall be upbraided by such prodigiously A∣theisticall Ancestors. But to proceed: What order can ever be expected? what uniformity looked for? what consent and harmony betwixt Church and Church, when every one shall differ in that which should make them truly one? a Communion of Saints, even their community of Prayers? How, while some are starved, shall others be pampered? and then what likenesse? Tell me not, that they that will shall use the Churches set forms; for either they will be wholly neglected, where others cannot be had, being so discounte∣nanced, if left arbitrary; discountenanced, I say, by publike authority, & depraved, condemned, damned, by private per∣sons; or else, whiles both are in use, it will nourish a conti∣nuall enmity betwixt the users of each. It is a requisite in the Church of Christ, that the particular Congregations which are the members of that mysticall body, be of one heart and one minde, especially in their Prayers to, and Praises of God; more especially in publike meetings, at pub∣like deliverances, in publike dangers: how shall we be so, when we shall not know what one anothers hearts and mindes are? No, but the designe of your dear friend, the Authour of The Protestation protested, and some since him, is, to have the Church at length sifted and winnowed, and the grain laid apart by it self, that is your faction; and for the chaffe, all else, let them do or be what they will, it mat∣ters not. If the Kings State will maintain the faith of Christ,

well and good, they shall have your fair leave: if not, they shall have your leave too; so you may enjoy your conscien∣ces you are indifferent. This is the Common good that is cryed up, though indeed the Publike wo: and thus you tread a fair way to it: you shall have the hold of the hearts of the people, the surest hold that may be, of their consciences, of all their religiousest actions, their Prayers, Supplications &c. and the State shall have none of you: not command you to pray for the King, that you say is time spent in flattery; not for Bishops, they are Antichristian; not for his subjects, that they may live godly and peaceable lives u••der him, they are dogs, shut out of the gate of the new City▪ howling.

Immortale odium, & nunquam sanabile vulnus Ardet adhuc Ombos & Tentyra—

What can the end of these proceedings be, but an irrecon∣cileable distance between party and party; then jealousies, then provocations, then wars, then ruine! I doubt not, but if Christ had been pleased to have converted to his faith but one King and his whole State, and for to have ordered a na∣tionall Church, and have given over to us that order as a pattern, surely it should not have been any such independent anarchicall Government as your platform is, nay will be if we can tell when; for as yet the Whelp is not licked into any fashion. You say that set forms of Prayers are quenching the Spirit; whether it be so or no, I am sure your Extempo∣rall will set such a fire on your Spirits, that they will need quenching, or the whole Kingdome will burn with them. Weigh these circumstances, and you will see that there is an expediency of set forms in a nationall Church.

2. Of set forms some of ye will grant, but not of these that are. Your reason?

[The form of your Liturgie is phantastick and superstitious, and the end sinister, the imposition violent, pag. 2••.]

Phantastick? Like enough they might think so, that saw or heard you read them; Sed malè dum recitas, &c. But then the fault was not in the Prayers, but your officiating. If

ever you were present at a Synagogue in Amsterdam, and saw how the Jewes with voice and ge••ure read a Se∣ction of the Law, or one of Davids Psalmes, you might justly say the men were phantastick, yet the matter was good.

But the Forme is so. Wherein I pray? I suppose you mean the same thing, with those importunate triflers in Queen Elizabeths dayes, who were offended at the short cuts or shreddings, at the intermingling of praying and reading in it, in such manner, as if supplicants should use the same to a mortall Prince in proposing their suits, all the world would think them mad. If thus, the answer is, where you had the objection; I have turned down the leaf, pray save me the labour of transcribing, and look it your self: Onely the close is this; Our case were miserable, if that wherewith we most endevour to please God, were in his sight so vile and despicable, as mens disdainfull speeches would make it.

Though you borrow your arrowes (your objections) from their quiver, yet what with being new feathered with the peoples discontents, perhaps flying with the wind; and lastly, their heads being poysoned with the gall of Aspes, they pierce deeper now than formerly: then our Prayers were but ridiculous, now superstitious. Were they alwayes so? Yes. Belike it was beyond the skill of those holy men to refine a Scorpion into a Fish, pag. 14. Where then was their errour in transmitting over this superstition to us? Was it malice, or ignorance, or both? that when we asked them Bread, would give us a Stone; when we asked a Fish, would give us a Serpent? [It bribed their judgements with worldly engagements, pag. 16.] O the inconsideratenesse of eager and headlong ambition! that men, who but now were, some returned from banishment, others drawn out of prison, should in an instant be so turned about, that they would forfeit their Religion, their Wisedomes, their Cre∣dits, yea their Souls, in obtruding upon a Church superstiti∣ous and damnable Rules for Devotion; and all this to

get a narrow incompetent Bishoprick. If they had minded preferment, why looked they not abroad, where sacriledge and misdevotion had not so streightned their walkes, nor demolished their goodly prospects, nor washed out their gilded titles? they could not have been worse there, if they were superstitious at home. I wonder not now to hear them so traduced by the Papists, when our selves doe thus uncharitably misreport them. Martin Mar-prelate (as Master Sandys can tell you) is in the disgrace of our Clergie cited by the Papists, as a grave unquestionable Authour: and what place your Animadversions may once have in the Vaticane, is yet dubious; though it be certain that those Spiders of Rome cannot have a fitter subject from whence to draw poyson. But is it certain they are supersti∣tious now? Will your Smectymnuans affirm so much? Tru∣ly then they are as deeply concerned in it, as any of the rest of their brethren, who before the unhappy distaste of the late Convocation, could alike swallow so much Popery. However; where is the superstition? In this, this, or this Prayer, or any of the rest? If not in any of the parts, not in the whole. O but [it symbolizeth with the Masse, and pranks it self in Popish weeds, and goes too garish upon holy-days, p. 22.] They have Anthems, and Organs, and Copes, and Surplices in the Church of Rome: True; and when all this is away, still they have Prayers: and if you will wholly abolish them because symbolicall, Antichrist will symbolize with ye 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in his Creed in spite of your teeths, unlesse you mean to have no other but The Christian Beleef concerning Bishops. That soul that can soar aloft upon the strength of his own wings, or hath its flagging Pinions completely ym∣ped with feathers from the Dove, the Spirit of God, shall little need such advantages as are these things which we speak of; (for advantages they are, and but advantages;) onely take you heed you do not, Icarus-like, over-dare, and give all the Christian world else leave to acknowledge and remedy as they may, their almost irremediable weaknesses. This outward State and glory (sayes my fore-cited Author)

being well disposed, doth ingender, quicken, encrease and nou∣rish the inward reverence and respectfull devotion, due to so soveraign, so awfull a power: which, those whom the use there∣of cannot perswade so, would easily by the want of it be caused to confesse.

Next, [the end is sinister: a bait for Papists to bite at.] Saving your scorn Sir, such baits are laid by his direction, that made his Apostles fishers of men. But what would that do? bring them to our Churches? Yes, and did: Alas, what was that you will say? I will tell you; It was a shame to such Recusant Prote∣stants as you are, that will not only not bite, but not so much as nibble. But you have answered your self: It was [a greedy desire of winning of Proselytes, by conforming to them unlawfully.] I will confesse with you, that there was a greedy desire of winning Proselytes, and is still; but no unlawfull meanes used, till you have proved that those things, with which our Church and the Church of Rome do symbolize, are either in their own nature, or due use, superstitious. If you know what is the meaning of that passionate entreaty of S. Paul, Destory not him with thy meat for whom Christ dyed: or of that which he alledgeth as his own example; To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak; I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some:] you would not call it, as you do, a vain-glorious and Pha••isaicall project; unlesse you think that a Papist cannot have a tender conscience; or if he hath, that he ought not for his satisfaction to be yeelded unto in things indifferent. Neither is this end (a respect indeed it is, that was and is had in having such forms, though not the main and ultimate) frustrate if they do not come; for it keeps as many Protestants at Church now, as it did Papists at first (till they were upon other reasons diverted;) many of which by so unsufferable a scandall, would either ab∣stain from the worship of God altogether, or go where they might have it nearest to their ancient manner.

In the last place, you say the imposition is violent: you mean this in respect to your selves, who have resolved never but by force to submit to any thing, how just soever: otherwise I s••e not how you can possibly call it so, since the authority is lawfull and just; the thing in it self indifferent, and in the circumstances ex∣pedient,

the extent of the imposition no farther than as it may stand together with Prayers of our own framing, whether as private m••n or as publike. To conclude thi•• Section, you and I might hav•• b••n far better busied in using those pious forms, than ••n thus d••sputing them either of the one side o•• the other.

Notes

• 1 Cor. 10. 23. a Re ringen∣d••m est 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈…〉〈…〉 ••g∣tur, sc. indiff.
• Lord Viscoun•• Say and Seal in his answer to the Archbishop.
• •• Cor. 2. 16.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Rom. 5. 5.
• See Perkins ca∣ses of Consc. of set forms of Prayer.
• Hooker Eccl. Pol. p. 241.
• ••pee. Europ.
• Rom. 14. 15
• 1 Cor. 9. 22.