Rome ruin'd by VVhite Hall, or, The papall crown demolisht

SECT. 11.

ANd like to their Booke of Common Prayer are their Homi∣lies, seeing to preach, and to pray in the Church, are two* 1.1 speciall duties of the Ministers of Christ, who giveth his Servants gifts for the whole Ministry, and therefore as in Prayer, to be the mouth of the people unto God, so also in Preaching, to be the mouth of God unto the people, Ephe. 4. 8. 12. Act. 6. 4. and if any take upon them the calling of a Minister, and be not endowed with such gifts, there is no warrant in the Word of God to make use of them as Ministers of Jesus Christ; but if they be so endowed, there is no warrant to prescribe them stinted prayers, or Homilies, for in so doing they derogate from the honour, fruit, and benefit of Christs assention into Heaven, and from the care, love, and bounty that he hath continually shewed unto his Church Militant, to whom he gives gifts for the worke of the Ministry, as in Eph. 4. 8. 12. 13. 1 Cor. 12. 4, 5, 6. Mat. 28. 20. It also abridgeth the office of the Holy Ghost, which is only said to teach us to pray as we ought, and also keepeth out of the Church the gifts, and graces of God, quenching the Spirit in the Ministers and people, in the service of God, Rom. 8. 26, 27. Eph. 4. 8. & 6. 18. 1 Thes. 5. 19. Jud. ver. 20.

Now if these set formes had been appointed by Christ, then* 1.2 his Apostles had shewed themselves unfaithfull, or insufficient for the worke committed unto them, who never left such a presi∣dent or commandement to the Churches; neither can it be of faith in us, or pleasing to God, to worship him after another man∣ner then himselfe hath prescribed, as may appeare by these Scrip∣tures, Exo. 20. 4, 5, 6. & 30. 9. Psal. 141. 2. & 119. ver. 113. 118 Col. 2. 23. Rom. 14. 23. Heb. 11. 6. & 12. 28, 29.

This which hath been spoken, I hope wil be sufficient to dis∣swade every one (that hath the least measure of the grace of God) from the fond conceipt they have had of that Booke, titu∣led, The Booke of Common Prayer, which hitherto they adore with as much zeale, as the Ephesians did their Diana; and in that I would not only draw them from worshipping the Image, but also from her Shrines, and her Dimetriousses, who still with open mouth cry them up, (desiring rather to set the Com∣mon-wealth in another cumbustion, then that their craft should be dispised, and set at naught, it being the chiefe instrument of their subsistance, and livelihood) I shall therefore act the Town-Clarke, in perswading them to be patient, (in regard another up∣roare wil not end the controversie) and implead one another at Law, viz. by the Law of the Spirit (which is, the Word of God) who wil speedily give the right to whom it belongeth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Against ••ea∣ding o•• Ho∣milier.
• * 1.2

  God will only be worshipped as himselfe hath prescri∣b••d.