Thou shalt not fear God, and reverence my sanctuary. A sharp rebuke, or A rod for the enemies of common prayer, that wrote the book of unmasking it with lies; I also prove it to be the pure worship of God taken out of his word, his revealed will. By Thomas Hicks.

Thou shalt fear God and reverence my Sanctuary.

Loving Christians,

THis last week being the beginning of Se∣ptember, there came forth a slanderous Book and a lying false Book, called Common Prayer, a sinful Idolatrous worship of God: I answer to those ungodly wicked men that would pluck up that pure and unspotted worship of God the Common Prayer Book, and the Successors of the Martyrs that gathered that Book out of the pure Word of God, like so many Flow∣ers out of that plenty of Gods revealed will, those wicked men in this matter are the Devils chief friends, worse than lewd and debauched men: for they are not able to come with such lying shewes of godlinesse. Beloved Brethren, did not those un∣godly Governors that usurped authority, that took

away mens rights of lands goods & power, did not these men put down the pure worship of God, the Common Prayer book, did they not destroy Gods Laws and ten Commandements, did they not love the Preachers that led innocents out of the right Way into a bloudy War, did not those men love the Preacher that praid sinful, corrupt prayers al∣most an hour long not agreeing to the pure word of God, the Common Prayer Book never learned men such lessons, Cōmon Prayers are pure prayers taken out of the Word of God, they are no Po∣pish Masse, nor idolatrous, nor superstitious wor∣ship of God, as these lying men say, that writ this Book which they call Common Prayer unmasked, but these men are ignorant judges in this matter, or else they are proud and wrangle, and God hath not revealed his secrets unto them so much as unto meek and humble men: but I pray God to keep my soul from their blind zeal, the Papists hate the Common Prayer, and did put it down in Queen Maries dayes, because they are pure and holy taken out of the Word of God, and offered up in the name of Christ Jesus the only Son of God, & hath no Idolatry in them, there is nothing presented in them to the Virgin Mary, nor to any Saint or Angel, they are such godly prayers as God

Almighty loveth: Christ Jesus heareth & receiveth them in the publick Churches, the prayers of his weak Lambs, and the prayers of his faithful sheep, he being the chief Shepheard of their soules, and offereth up their prayers to the holy and blessed Trinity, and he sendeth down his blessing upon their soules, and maketh them grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and he sendeth down his blessing upon their bo∣dies, their goods, and their lands, and blesseth their increase, for Saint Paul saith, The good things we have are sanctified by Gods Word and prayer, the humble Confession, the faithful Absolution, the Lords prayer, and the earnest cry of Lord have mercy upon us, Christ have mercy upon us, Lord have mercy upon us, and the standing up, and gi∣ving glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the holy Ghost, the ground work of Christian faith, brings great comfort to humble, repenting sinners, and quietnesse of soul, more sweeter to them than the fatnesse of marrow, or the hony or hony-comb: I confesse with the Author of that hard-harted Book, that the invisible mighty God is a holy pure Spirit, and must be worshipped in spi∣rit and truth: but our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ took the body of man upon him and gave

us an example of standing and kneeling: and we hope by faith in Jesus Christ to have our bodies raised and glorified. Then let not mortal men be such Clowns or Fools, but let us worship God with our souls & bodies, so God commandeth you shall fear God and reverence his Sanctuary, our bodies are comely creatures when they are clothed with the clothing of this World, then how beautiful wil they be when they be clothed with righteousness and eternal salvation in Heaven. The Author of that malicious Book, finds fault with the Crosse in Baptisme, and with ten pound a year and lesse to some Readers, and he says God will not hear the prayers of the Service Book, others like himself commend him, O evil and wicked judges you have beams in your own eyes! and yet you will cast out the motes in your brothers eyes: the prayers of the faithful Ministers of God in charity for the people, are neer to the prayers of Common Prayer, and prevail much with blessings for the people, but you have corrupted your prayer with self-seeking, and pray for the destruction of better men than your selves. The enemies of our Com∣mon Prayer Book are known to be fierce judges, far from patience and long suffering, and far from

judging righteous judgment, you are against holy Government and degrees of men in the Church of God, when you may know there is degrees of Saints and Angles in Heaven, the enemies of Com∣mon Prayer in that Book desire the Honourable men in authority to pluck up the Common Prayer branch and root with the godly Governours of the Church! O ungodly desires of these men they would turn the glory of God and the comfort of the Church of England into the darknesse of a Nation, or a City, or a few Towns which come far short of the godly wisdom and government, and godly Common Prayers of the Church of En∣gland. Why my reformed Brethren, did not the Church of God the Jews use prayers in the Temple. Did not the godly generation of Seth in the be∣ginning of the World begin to call upon God? Why Adam and Abel offered sacrifice before, therefore I think they meet together to call upon God. The best of the Kings of Gods own Church∣es to the Jews, King David, King Solomon, King Abiah, King Asa, King Jehoshaphat, King Hezechias, and King Josias, these godly Kings, ap∣pointed Psalmes of praise, and Psalmes of prayer, and Psalmes of Thankfulness, and Psalmes of prophecies to be read and sung in the Church of

God, besides the reading of Moses Law: and our Saviour calls it the House of Prayer, and yet the Scribes and Pharises did teach there: and Saint Peter, and Saint John went up to the Temple at the hour appointed for Prayer: at Prayer the ninth houre, which is at three a clock in the after∣noon with us. Why, sure the Apostles did well in going, did Gods Church the Jewes call upon the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and shall not wee Christians call upon God in the name of Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour, where he hath commanded us to come to him, We are weary and heavy laden with sins, Let us pray in the common prayers of the Church, let us pray to God pri∣vately in our chambers, let us pray to God upon all occasions according to his Word, his revealed Will, in the purest times of Religion men did meet together to pray, the Apostles and the godly wo∣men continued in prayer with one accord, and they met upon our Sunday, and so the godly and best of Christians hath met together, and prayed with one accord. And now in these Reformed times it pleased God to raise up King Edward, Queen Elizabeth, and King James, and King Charles the First, which with help of the godly Bishops and Martyrs of Jesus Christ have transla∣ted

the Scriptures into our own language, they have gathered out of Gods revealed Will, such good Common Prayers as the whole World cannot mend them: therefore will I (by the help of God) thank God with heart and soul upon the knees of my body for the mercy of God in the bringing of our gracious Sovereign Lord King Charles the Se∣cond, which hath brought much quietnes to these Lands, and suffereth the Common Prayer to be re∣stored to us again: And although I am but weak in knowledge and not worthy to petition, yet I humbly intreat our gracious Sovereign Lord King Charles, and all his noble privy Counsellors, Lords, Knights, and Burgesses of Parliament, Ju∣stices, Aldermen, and Ministers, to encourage the pure worship of God, the Common Prayer, and God grant that we may pray heartily and reve∣rently in Church, and send his people to pray at home Evening and Morning, and seeing the Lord hath been merciful to us, God grant we may be a good example to other Nations: this is my peti∣tion to God and man, and so I end this small wri∣ting being sixty six years old, hoping that some a∣bler pen will write some larger Book of this mat∣ter.

FINIS.