An Anti-Brekekekex-Coax-Coax, or, A throat-hapse for the frogges and toades that lately crept abroad, croaking against the Common-prayer book and Episcopacy and the copie of a letter from a very reverend church-man, in answer to a young man, who desired his judgement upon this case, viz. whether every minister of the Church of England be bound in conscience to reade the Common-prayer : with another letter from a convinced associatour, that a while boggled at the Common-prayer, to a brother of the same association, not yet convinced, together with the above-said reverend person's brief and candid censure thereupon, with some uses of application by the publisher.

TO Conclude these Discourses, 'tvvill not be amisse to adde one seasonable Exhortation, to all such as are ill-affected to the old Government of the Church, by Bishops, and the Publick Divine Service, by the Liturgie, that are not contented to worship God, and hear his holy Writt, read, expounded, or preach't, at the Canonical houres in Churches; and to pray, and reade the Bible at due times in their own Families, besides their Closet or private Devo∣tions, and occasional good Conferences, that they may finde opportunities for, as they ride, or walk, or otherwise regularly converse with others, as they be going about their other lawful occasions, but must needs have, and by no Prohibition of the Laws of the Realm, and the Church, will forbear their riotous meetings, unlavvful Assemblies and Conventicles, in and by which principally, the late hor∣rid Rebellion was hatcht.

Let them but seriously reflect upon the past troubles and the first Rise of them; and make impartial enquirie, vvhether or no all those, and only those, that vvere for such Conventicles, and Despisers of the Church-Govern∣ment and Liturgie, vvere not those that made up the first Army, that Rebell'd against the King, Robbed Churches, Seized on other mens estates, and out of whom are spaw∣ned all the Phanaticks of latter dayes.

They seriously considered, and found true, which will easily be, if in every Town or Parish a slight kenne be taken, one would think it sufficient to make every sober minded person to repent heartily, if he be guilty in this kind, and after so much mercy from so gracious a Prince, to be∣ware how he be found faultie, by countenancing or fre∣quenting such unlawful Assemblies, or Conventicles: Af∣ter so much mercy, I say, of so gracious a Prince, who, as a

Rank Phancie did expresse it t'other day, hath in some sense been more merciful, then God Almighty hath ever given us hope he will be, toward those that trespasse against him. For God never did, nor ever will forgive any that repent not, and make no restitution. But his Majestie hath forgiven hundreds, nay, thousands, I doubt, milli∣ons, that never truly repented of their trespasse against Him, and his Father, of blessed memory; and for ought that yet appears, intend no restitution. 'T were to be wisht they would consult their beloved Mr. Calvin, Mr. Perkins &c. and then answer this Question, viz. VVhether they be not bound in Conscience to make Restitution to those they have wrong∣ed, to their utmost ability, if ever they hope for Heaven, notwith∣standing the Kings Act of Oblivion, which absolves them only in Foro Humano, not in Foro Conscientiae.

But it is too too Apparent, how farre from any such Act as this, nay, how Diabolically malicious some Non-con∣formists and Phanaticks be, if they cannot compasse their irregular designes, by a late Horrid slaunder, that an un∣worthy, more then Treble Turn-coat wretch, the other day forged against the Reverend Father in God, the Bishop of Bath and Wells; not sticking to brand him, in the Audi∣ence of one of the most eminent persons in the Nation, for an old Leacher or Goat, as the vile foul-mouth exprest it, affirming, That the good old Father, who is now in his fourscorth year, and even bowed together with age, was a most insatiate effeminate person, and had lately married a young wench of one or two and twenty, and yet was not satisfied with her, but neighed after other women. Now all this Hellish Aspersion was raised upon no other ground, but because the said vile wretch, a vertiginous Co∣lonel forsooth, of the worst stamp; could not wrest out of

the said Reverend Bishops hands, one of the best Man∣nors, belonging to the See of Bath and Wells. But the Bishop being, as was said, now in his eightieth year; and his second wife, whom he married about foure or five years since, for a Nurse and Comfort in his disconsolate conditi∣on, being a very grave Matron of sixty years of Age; what spark of Probability, or ground for such a base slander there could be, let all candid Christians judge, to whom the Reverend Father does appeal; and the same Father is rea∣dy to take an Oath, with such an Awful Execration, for his purgation in that particular, that his slanderers dare not fol∣low him therein. Yet what if an Ancient Bishop or Churchman had indeed taken a young Abishag in the way of Matrimony, to comfort and cherish him in his old age; as David did, without it, had it been such an abominable thing? The truth is, too many of our English Nobilitie and Gentry, as vvell as the Commonaltie, do speak too vile∣ly of Gods Ordinance, Matrimony, especially in the Cler∣gie, as if they did more then encline to Poperie in that point; And some coy Ladies, that think it a fine thing to have a spruce Chaplain to vvait upon them, in a little higher Sphere then a Serving-man, do even vomit to hear of the marriage of a bavvdy Priest, as they most unchristianly speak, as if they honoured neither God, nor his Christ, so much as Ethnicks honour'd their false gods, and their Priests for their sakes. Hovv frequent is it vvith the most, to make a scorn in all companies of a Minister of the Gospel, by cal∣ling him Parson, Parson, at every turne, not in Respect, but in base contempt. Which vvord hath too long, and yet doth continue, to be in as great derision, as of late the name of King, Duke, Earle, Lord, or Bishop. And vvhat mocks and flouts are daily, and hourely, cast at the Regular

Clergie, as they passe in the streets, and even in some of the most Eminent Noble Families in and about London, 'tis a shame to hear and see. And if his Majestie, and other Noble Personages, do not speedily declare in their Families, and elsewhere, their detestation of such scornes, and give open countenance to those that are set apart for God's Service, as well as to that Worship by Common prayer, established by Law, 'tis to be feared, that all our old Animosities will ferment to that height, that 'twill be too late to suppresse them.

'Twas some few daies ago spoken in no lesse a family, then the Lord Generall's, by a Majors wife, who may be supposed to speak the sense of her husband, and of divers others of that gang, that the Kings Quire, were no better then a com∣pany of Fidlers, and that she hoped to live to see all such su∣perstitious fooleries, pulled down with a vengeance, and to have those that love to go in long Garments, and yet were in∣deed Wolves in Sheeps clothing, to bestript of their forma∣lities, and that she knew there were thousands, nay, millions in the three Nations of her minde. The reason why this is here inserted, is, that if possible, some notice of such seditious spirits may come to his Majesties, and the Lord General's eares, and be speedily checkt.

That slander lately raised against the Bishop of Bath and Wells, is much like that other of old forged, and in all Pulpits of the Non-conformists most impudently, as grosse a lie as it is, proclaimed, to make him, and that whole order odious, viz. That he should say, that he thanked God, he had left never a Lecturer in his whole Diocesse. Whereas there is not a Per∣son of any Intelligence, that lived in that Diocesse, but knowes, that there were continually, as learned Lectures of Reverend men, with the approbation of the said Bishop, in the said Di∣ocesse,

as in any other. Indeed that prudent Governour of the Church, was, and is, somewhat of Sir Henry Wootton's, or rather of Lipsius his opinion, that not only Disputandi, but also Praedicandi pruritus fit Ecclesiae scabies; and there∣fore did his endeavour to suppresse, and hinder the placing of single Lecturers in Cities, Townes, and Villages, by any fa∣ction of the people, without, and against the good liking of the lawfull Rector, or Incumbent. And how many are there, that were the greatest followers, and admirers, of such single factious Lecturers, that are now convinc'd, that they were the bellowes, that blew up the flame, that hath so long wasted both Church, and State. And indeed such is imprudence, and passion, of many Preachers, that wise men conceive Sir Francis Bacon's proposal, not without very good reason; and that it would tend more to the Churches peace, and the good of souls, if there were one compleat body of wholesome Homilies, or Sermons, one, or two, for every Lord's day, and other Festivalls thorowout the whole year; composed, or collected, by the most learned, and pious of our Church, and set out by Authority to be read to the people, in stead of so many Crude Rhapsodies; as are many times through haste, or want of learning, and prudence, obtruded on them. And that only some few that are known to be pru∣dent, and of a right sober, and peaceable temper, upon very speciall occasions, or emergencies, should be allowed to com∣pose Prayers, or Sermons, of their own; and those likewise to be well scanned by some in Authority, before they be pro∣nounced in publick. The very Poets, and Oratours, a∣mong the antient Ethnicks, took this care, before they did dare to commit any thing to publick view, or audience, not only for the propriety, and puritie of the words, and phrase, but also for the soliditie, and pertinencie's sake, of what they

penned, as the Illustrious Lipsius, and since him, the learned Vossius shew in their treatises de Recitatione veterum. And shall Heathens be more tender of their credits, then we Chri∣stians of the peace of the Church, and of Charity?

I know nothing has conduced so much to the bringing us into those late horrid confusions, and so likely to hurry us back again into them, as that overweening Enthusiasticall opinion, which the common people have got among them, viz. That when a man is got up into the Pulpit, especially, if he make use of no Notes, he has a speciall, extraordinary inspiration, not much short of, if not the very same, with that of the old Prophets, Evangelists, and Apostles; and that God puts even the words, and phrases, into his minde, and mouth, and that what he there prayes, and preaches, as they call it, is the very word of God, farre transcending that which is read in the Pew below. The occasion, or cause rather of this opinion among people, is, that this, and the like prefaces, are ordinarily recited in the Pulpit, never in the Pew, viz. Hearken to the word of God, as you shall finde it written, &c. Or, hearken to the good word of God, as it shall be delivered to you, upon these words, &c. Or, give good heed, or attention, to the whole minde of God, as it shall be exhibited from these words, &c. Whereas alas, too too often, to the great grief of sober minded Christians, some are so far from giving the minde of God, that they do not un∣derstand the minde of learned men, upon those places they undertake to handle.

What if a man should say, that since the death of the Pro∣phets, Evangelists, and Apostles, there is no preaching at all, properly, and strictly so called? For they were the only proper 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 i.e. Heralds, Proclaimers, Predicatours, or, Embassadours, that brought the sacred Messages to us im∣mediately

from God; and the Ministers of the Gospell now are bound up to their Canon, may not adde or diminish one Iota; and therefore are rather Expositours, then Preachers, unless it be in a very large, and improper sense.

What if a man should say, that the expounding of any place of Scripture, must be done in the same way, and by the same helps, that a Master, or Usher in a School, uses in the exposition of Isocrates his Paraenesis, or Tullie's Offices, or any other Classicall Author.

What if a man should say, that publick praying, or preaching in a large sense, ex tempore, if any be so pro∣phanely rash and sinfull, as so to do, (for some that are thought by the Deluded people so to do, do nothing less; but do make as many wry mouths & close-stool faces in private, to prepare those crudities, as they do in squeezing them out in publick) is no more then for a school-boy to make a rude Theam, Oration, or Verse ex tempore. 'Tis true indeed, that praying and preaching, still I mean in the larger sense, are Acts conversant about sacred things, and yet are no more properly gifts, then any of the liberall sciences. God's good blessing no doubt does go along with them, where they are soberly and Regularly used, in their kinde; and so it doth with a christian scholar or student in his other learn∣ing, in it's kinde: And any one in the Pulpit, if he hath not read much, and studied hard before hand, may as soon mistake the true sense of a place of Scripture, or faulter in his prayer, as a school-master or scholar at the Desk or Table, if they be not circumspect, in expounding, con∣struing, or parsing an Authour, or composing and pro∣nouncing, Theam, Verse or Oration.

And this I take to be correspondent to the mind of that Illustrious light of our Church, Doctor Hammond, in his

preface to his precious Annotations upon the New Te∣stament, and of all the most pious and learned Church-men of our Nation: who are content with that Honour which God hath given them, by an ordinary call, and his ordinary As∣sistance, without desiring to boy upthemselves in the esteem of the Vulgar, by a Pretence to such Mountebank Enthu∣siasmes, as others boast of.

And for the Specialties or particular Bills, that are put up in some of our Churches, it were well if they were a little better considered of, and whither they tend. As for ex∣ample, if a Lace-maker, or Button-seller, hath occasion to go to a Faire or Market, at thirty o fourty miles distance, or to place a Boy to School, or an Apprentice, the Prayers of the greatest Congregations are olemnly desired for a bles∣sing upon the Journey and Under taking. 'Tis true, God's Providence is over the meanest thing, and the lowest Acti∣ons of men, as over the very Sparrows, and the very hairs of our heads; and yet if a Sparrow, that one loves, should be sick, or ones haire begin to fal off, were it fit to put up a particular, publike, solemn prayer in a Church for them.

What will wise men say to this Bill, viz. A Servant that is fallen into a prophane Familie, desires the Prayers of this Congregation, that God would be peased in mercy, by his Provi∣dence, to finde out a way to remove him out of that Familie. Whi∣ther, I pray, tends this, but to faction and sedition in Fami∣lies, as well as in the Church and State? One would have thought, if it had been fit at all, that such a thing should be put up in a Bill for publick Prayer, it should rather have been thus, viz. A Servant that is fallen into a prophane Familie, desires the prayers of this Congregation, that God would give him patience to continue there, and be a bles∣sing to that Familie, as Joseph was to Potiphar's, and Instru∣mental

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

for God's glory, by his good example.

But should we tell of all the strange Extravagancies of some men, in their praying, preaching, thanksgivings and fastings, as how one desires God to make the King truly a Defender of the Faith; as if it were not his legal Title, and an Injunction of both Houses, that he should be prayed for as Defender of the Faith, truly Ancient, Catholick, and Apostolick, and in all Causes, and over all Persons, as well Ecclesiastical as Temporal, in his Majesties Realmes and Dominions, Supreme Head and Governour. But some men fondly think, if his Majestie be not for Presbyterie or Independencie, against Bishops and Common-prayer, he cannot be truly a Defender of the Faith. Another appoints a publick Fast of his private phancie; and prayes, that God would humble the Nation for not sticking close to the Co∣venant, for starting aside from the Covenant, for not Ad∣hering to the Covenant, in it's principal and main ends and intentions. Another begs God to undermine and pull down the great ones in the Nation, that are combining a∣gainst God and Jesus Christ, and the Power of Godlinesse in the Nation, and that he would set up his Zerubbabels again in the Nation. Another preaches, that a true Minister of the Gospel must use Distraction in his preaching, and not such a kind of general preaching, as was now coming up in the Nation, which would break no bones, and convert no soules. Hath his Majestie been so gracious, as to forgive so much; and to declare for a warning his Resolvednesse to use all rigour, and severity, for the future, against all such, as by word, or deed, shall do any thing contrary to the Go∣vernment, which comprehends as well that in the Church, as that in the State; and yet dare these Audacious Incendia∣ries still go on, under a pretence of zeal for God's glory, to

blow the Trumpet of Sedition, and another Rebellion? Let them take heed, that the hand of God, and Justice do not o∣vertake them, e're they be aware, as it hath some of their wicked crew.

The Reader is desired to take notice, that whereas there is a scandalous story grassant in dishonour to the Reverend Bishops, and Doctours of our Church, viz. That when the first newes of the Parliament's due submission to, and close with his Majestie's Gracious declaration, was brought to the Hague; His Majesty should call upon a Bishop or Doctour then present, in these, or such like words. Come Doctour, since it hath pleased God, to be so Gracious to me, and my people, let Us immediately give God solemn thanks here, while the Commissioners be present. At which the Bishop, or Doctour, was much abashed, as the story runs, and making shift for a Common-prayer-book, did tumble it, and fumble it a long time, for some forme, or formes, to serve the particular occasion; but after long ado, his Majesty, with some passion said, Why, cannot you give God thanks upon such an eminent occasion, without your Book? To which the Bishop, or Doctour replied, may it please your Majesty, I desire not to be wiser then the Church At which, His Ma∣jesty hastily snatcht the Book from him, laid it under his own Armes, and gave God thanks ex tempore, in an admirable man∣ner. This is the story; but upon good enquirie, and discourse with sundry Persons then present, it appears to be indeed but a story; and if it be otherwise, let any of that gang disprove it, if he can, in the next Pamphlet, or Journall. Doctour Earle, and Doctour George Hall, are Persons fide digni, and were present, all the while the Commissioners were deliver∣ing their Message to the King; and they have been talked with, and averr the contrary. And no question, His Majesty,

if he be humbly asked, will make good what they averr.

VVell fare Mr. Faireclough of Wells in Somersett, who hath the Knack of praying Ex tempore, as well as the best of them, and hath gone for a Presbyterian, that at a friendly Conference with some Divines in Dorsetshire; ingenuously confessed, That he never prayed so heartily in his life, as at Cambridge by the Common-prayer. And that rather then there should be another such a Confusion in Church or State, he could wish all the Presbyterians and Independents in England banisht.

FINIS.