FOR EPISCOPACY, AND LITURGY.

WE cannot be too wary of, or too opposite to Pope∣ry & Antichristianism: But let me admonish you in the fear of God to take heed that we do not dilate the name and imputation of these too farr; for I speak it with just sorrow and compassi∣on there are some well meaning and seduced souls that are by Erro∣neous teachers brought into the opinion that the sacred form of the Goverment of the Church and the holy forms of the publick devo∣tions, and prayers of the Church and all the favorers of them are worthy to be branded with the title of Popery and Antichristi∣anism.

For the first, my heart bleeds in me to think that that calling which was instituted by the Apostles themselves and hath ever since continued in the universall Church of Christ without interruption to this day, should now come under the name of Popery: I speak of the calling; if the persons of any in this station have been faulty, let them bear their own burden, but that the calling it self should receive this construction in the opinion of well-minded and conscio∣nable Christians is justly most lamentable. I beseech you look back upon the histories of former times, look but upon your Acts and Monuments, and see whether any have been more expensive either of their ink, or their blood against the tyranny of Popery and su∣perstition then the Bishops of this Church of England, in so much as the reverend Dr. Du Moulin in his publick Epistle professes that the Bishops of England were they to whom this Church is beholden for the liberty and maintenance of the Protestant Religion in this Page  422 Kingdom and in this present age how many of us have written and are content and ready to bleed for the sincerity of the Gospel? If there be any therefore in this holy order whose lips have hang'd to∣wards the onions and garlick, and fleshpots of Egypt, let them un∣dergo just censure; but let the calling, and the zealous and faithfull managers of it be acquitted before God, and Men.

For the latter, I see and mourn to see that many good souls are brought into a dislike and detestation of the common prayers of the Church of England as meer Mass and Popery, wo is me that error should prevail so farr with good hearts. I beseech you for Gods sake and your souls sake be rightly informed in this so materiall and im∣portant a point.

I see there is herein a double offence. One of them which dis∣like the prayers because they are set forms; the other that dislike them because they are such set forms.

For the former I beseech them to consider seriously whether they ought to think themselves wiser and perfecter then all the Chur∣ches of God that ever have been upon the Earth: This I dare con∣fidently say that since God had an established Church in the World there were set forms of devotion: in the Jewish Church before and since Christ, in the Christian Church of all ages; and at this very day all those varieties of Christians in the large circle of Christiano∣graphy they have their set forms of prayers which they do and must use, and in the Reformed Churches both of the Lutherans, and France, and Scotland, it is no otherwise: yea reverend Mr. Calvin himself whose judgment had wont to sway with the forwardest Christians writing to the Protector of England, Anno 1548. hath these words, Quod ad formulam precum attinet & rituum Ecclesiasticorum valsle prob• ut certa illa extet a qua pastoribus discedere non liceat in functione sua, &c. And adding three grave and solid reasons for it, concludes thus: so then there ought to be a set form of Catechism, a set form of admi∣nistration of Sacraments, and of publick prayers; and why will we cast off the judgment both of him and all the Divines of the whole Christian World till Barrow and Browne in our age and re∣membrance contradicted it, and run after a conceit that never had any being in the World till within our own memory:

For the latter. There are those who could allow some form of set prayers, but dislike this of ours as savoring of the Pope and Page  423 the Mass, whence they say it is derived; Now I beseech you Bre∣thren as you would avoid the danger of that wo of calling good e∣vill, and evill good, inform your selves throughly of the true State of this business.

Know therefore that the whole Church of God both Eastern and Western as it was divided; both the Greek and Latin Church under which this Iland was wont to be ranged had their forms of prayer from the begining, which were then holy and Heavenly compiled by the holy Fathers of those first times: Afterwards the abuses and er∣rors of popery came in by degrees, as Transubstantiation, Sacrifice of the Mass, prayers for the dead, prayers to Saints; these poysoned the Church, and vitiated these holy forms whiles they continued, but when Reformation came in, divers worthy Protestant Divines, whereof some were noble Martyrs for religion, were appointed to revise that form of service, to purge out all that popish leaven that had sowred them, to restore them to their former purity; leaving nothing in that book but that which they found consonant to godli∣ness, and pure religion.

If any Man will now say that our prayer book is taken out of the Mass, let him know rather that the Mass was cast out of our prayer-book into which it was injuriously and impiously intruded; the good of those prayers are ours in the right of Christians, the evill that was in them let them take as their own.

And if it should have been as they imagine; let them know that we have departed from the Church of Rome but in those things wherein they have departed from Christ, what good thing they have is ours still; That scripture which they have, That Creed which they profess is ours, neither will we part with it for their abuse.

If a peece of Gold be offerd us, will we not take it because it was taken out of the channell? If the Devil have given a confession of Christ, and said, I know who thou art even Jesus the Son of the living God; shall not I make this confession because it came out of the Devils mouth? Alas we shall be herein very injurious both to our selves and to God whose every holy truth is.

This then is the form which hath been compiled by learned and holy Divines, by blessed Martyrs themselves, who used it com∣fortably, and blessed God for it.

But if the quicker eyes of later times have found any thing which Page  424 displeases them in the phrases and manners of expression or in some rites prescribed in it, Let them in Gods name await for the reform∣ing sentence of that publick authority whereby it was framed and e∣nacted; and let not private persons presume to put their hands to the work; which would introduce nothing but palpable confusion, let all things be done decently, and in order.

Shortly my Brethren let us hate Popery to the death but let us not involve within that odious name those holy forms both of administration, and devotion which are both pleasing unto God, and agreeable to all Christianity and Godliness.