Common-prayer-book no divine service, or, XXVIII reasons against forming and imposing any humane liturgies or Common-prayer-books, and the main objections to the contrary, answered also, the English Common-prayer-book anatomized, likewise twelve arguments against diocesan and lord-bishops, with the main objections answered, and the great disparity between them, and Timothy and Titus, shewed / by Vavasor Powell.

TO The

• Composers, of
• Imposers, of
• Readers, of
• Hearers, of
• Disputers and Writers for

Common-Prayer.

I Would desire you all in the Name and Fear of the All-seeing, Almighty, and All-judging GOD, to set these following, and the like Considerations to your hearts, and your hearts to them.

Consider

• 1. How jealous the Lord of Heaven and Earth is of his own Worship, and of all the Parts and Circumstances thereunto belonging, Deut. 5.9. Hos. 5.11. Mat. 15 3. Col. 2.21, 22. Rev. 22.14, 20.
• 2. How abominable and unacceptable to this holy just God have been and are all Idola∣trous, Superstitious and False Services, and all that do serve him in any Way or Thing which he hath not himself commanded and appointed, Deut. 7.25, 26. Isa. 30.22. & 66.3, 4. Jer. 9.13, 14, Ezek. 20.4.
• 3. How sorely and severely he hath punished

• ...
  • those Kings, Priests, Prophets, and People that have been false Worshippers, and swerved from His Holy Commandements, 1 Kin. 11.6. Num. 11.3, 4.
  • 4. Whether God doth call upon any of you all, to offer him any such Service as this is. And whether he may not say to you, as he did once to Judah, Who hath required this at your hand? Isa. 1.12.
  • 2. How inconsistent with the Day and Light of the Gospel is this Service, God having sent his Word more fully and plainly to direct his Mini∣sters and People, and given his Spirit in a more abundant measure to help and inable them to call upon him.
  • 6. How little good (if any at all) hath been done by the long use of the Service-Book, though men have prayed long by it, That the rest of their Lives might be holy, and righteous, and yet they still continue prophane and unrigh∣teous.
  • 7. How much hurt it hath done in shouldring and thrusting out many godly, painful, soul-saving Preachers; and in bringing in, and main∣taining so many ignorant, scandalous, lazy and formal Priests and Curates, to the deceiving and utter undoing of precious Souls.
  • 8. Whether the imposing of the Scottish Li∣turgy (which in some things was better, though in some others worse than the English) was not the beginning, and first Cause of the late grie∣vous Wars; and if so, whether men should not be more cautious to do the like for the future?
  • 9. Whether if the Truth were thorowly and

• ...
  • truly weighed and examined, the first end of composing the Common-Prayer-Book (which doth so much symbolize with the Mass) was not, to bring Papists to Church: but it effected so lit∣tle therein (not because they so much dislike it, as because it was not in Latine, and commanded by the Pope) that it did rather confirm them in their Mass-Service.
  • 10. Whether some now may not intend by the re-establishing of this Book, to oppose and pull down that excellent and gracious Spirit of Prayer and Preaching, which God hath poured out upon his Ministers; and to make this a Snare and Net against all Preachers and People, that out of Conscience cannot conform thereto.
  • 11. Whether any Persons can produce any such Liturgie, or such Form of Prayer from the be∣ginning of the World, either among the Jews or Gentiles, till above three hundred years after Christ, when Antichrist began to exercise Papal Power?
  • 12. Whether if there were no other Reason but that this Book hath been so much idolized by the generality of men, and offensive to so ma∣ny Christians, it should not be done with as the Brazen Serpent was by Hezekiah? 1 King. 18.4.
  • 13. Whether one end of Christs coming into, and one part of his work in the world, was not to redeem men from the Rudiments and Tradi∣tions of men? of which this is one. And whether it be not a Sin against the Blood, Spirit, and Gospel of Christ, to impose, maintain and con∣tinue

• ...
  • still to use the same? 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. Heb. 9.10, 11.
  • 14. They that worship God in a false way, are said in Scripture to worship Devils, Lev. 17.7. Deut. 32.17. 2 Chron. 11.17. 1 Cor. 10.20.
  • 15. Whether at the great and terrible Day of judgement, any Magistrates, Ministers or People can justifie before Christ the making, imposing, reading or hearing of this or the like Service? (And whether good men as far as they build with this Material, will not then suffer loss?) And whether those can then stand in the Judgement without fear, shame and sorrow, that have cast out, persecuted, imprisoned, or other∣wise afflicted the true Preachers and Servants of God, who did chuse to obey GOD rather than men, and to observe His Divine Will, rather than Mens Traditions?

Consider what I say, and the Lord give thee (you) understanding in all things, 2 Tim. 2.7.

I esteem all thy Precepts concerning all things to bee right, and I hate every false way, Psal. 119.128.