to it, to prove the English and Roman Liturgies to be the fame. Do you find in the firft any Devotions directed to the bleffed Virgin? Do you find there any Prayers to the Saints departed? Do you find there any Prayers about Purgatory, or the Publick Worship in an unknown Tongue? Do you find there that the Cup is taken away from the Laity? Is there mention made there of any more than two Sacraments? Is there any Adoration lefs or more paid to the Crofs or Relicks? In fine, I dare you to let me fee where they both agree in any one Point controverted betwixt us and the Papifts, and in this if you fail, as I am fure you must, so far confequently fhould your Credit fail amongst your Hearers, that they fhould never hereafter take any thing from you, on your bare Word.Matters of Fact, and fuch this is, are only probable by Witneffes,and when attefted bythofe of undoubted Credit, (tho❜ fome thousand Years ago) are to have equal Credit with that, and fuch this is, which happen'd in our own, or our Fathers Time. Truth may be faid to be immortal; what's once true muft ftill be always true, otherways the whole Credibility of Reveal'd Religion muft fall. I as firmly believe the Incarnation of our LORD and Saviour JESUS CHRIST, as if I had liv'd in the fecond or third Century, and that upon the Authority of the Evangelifts, &c. I as well believe Julius Cafar was murther'd in the Senate-Houfe by thofe two ungrateful Wretches Brutus and Caffius, upon the Teftimony of the Roman Hiftorians, as I believe that glorious Martyr K. Charles the First was murder'd by thofe two Bands of rebellious Schifmaticks,the Presbyterians and Independants of Britain, who like Herod and Pontius Pilate joyn'd Hands in that nefarious Parricide. And fo, if I prove in what follows, (as I hope I fhall) by the the Teftimonies of unexceptionable Authority; that the English Liturgy is free from all the Corruptions of Popery; I think it cannot mifs to open the Eyes of all unbyaffed Readers, and this I fhall endeavour to do as demonftratively as Matter of Fa& can allow of. And fo we fhall come close to the Question in Hand. That the Liturgies of the Church of England and Rome do agree in fome things is not denied: We with them worship the fame GOD in Trinity and Unity; they with us agree in all the fundamental Articles of Faith. That the Church of Rome was once Orthodox, is not denied by any Proteftant I know of; fhe furnished the Chriftian Church with many glorious Martyrs and Confeffors, as well from the Laity as Clergy, who bore Testimony for the Truth, and confirmed it with their Blood; Then the Doctrine of that Church was pure and undefiled, in after Ages Corruptions came to creep into her Doctrine, and fo confequently into her Worfhip. And therefore when the Doctrine and Worship of the Church came to be reformed, and the Liturgy of the Church of England to be compiled, thofe imployed for that end, as they were careful to avoid the Errors (and to be fure none knew them better) fo were they equally careful (and indeed, upon as good Ground) to retain what was agreeable to the Word of GOD, and Pra&icè of the Apoftles and the Primitive Church, rightly applying that Advice of the Apoftle: Be ye followers of me, as I am of Chrift: And in fo far does the English and Roman Liturgies agree. Muft the Liturgy then be called the Mafs, becaufe in it that excellent Prayer taught by our SAVIOUR is commanded to be frequently used? In it the Decalogue repeated? In In it the Pfalms alternately fung or faid? The Te Deum by divine Infpiration compofed, and alternately fung by St. Ambrofe and St. Augustine at the Baptifm of that illuftrious Convert? The (a) Magnificat endited by the Bleffed Virgin upon her being infpired by the HOLY GHOST? The (6) Benedictus miraculously compofed and fung by Zacharias immediately after his Mouth was opened at the Circumciffion of his Son John? The (c) Nunc Dimittis, or Song of good old Simeon compofed and fung by him, upon his meeting our SAVIOUR in the Temple when he came to be pre fented? Now as thofe divine Hymns made ftill a Part of the Devotions of the Primitive Church, would you have us lay them afide, because they are in the Mafs Book? Are they to be found no where elfe? Are they not in the holy Scriptures? At that rate may you not as well call St. Luke's Gofpel Popery as the English Liturgy? How can you vindicate finging David's Pfalms? Is not St. Luke's Authority as good as his? Were not the bleffed Virgin, Zacharias and Simeon, &c. as divinely Infpired as he? Its truly odd Reafoning, because Papifts use them, we should not: At that rate be caufe Papifts keep the first Day of the Week for the Chriftian Sabbath, we may come to think of chufing any other Day, as Calvin was willing to do. And it has been faid, that fome of our ta lots for that fame Reason once entertained fuch a Thought. But I fhall affert nothing of which I am not fure, however this I'm fure of, the Reafoning is close and equal. I fhall fay nothing of the Excellency and Usefulness of that admirable (a) Luke 1. 16. (b) Luke 1. 68. (c) Luke 2. 26. Liturgy Liturgy, in the firft Composure of it, when com par'd with thofe extemporary and undigested Rhapfodies now ufed by too many in their publick Devotions, even to the Reproach of the Proteftant Name. As I have fufficiently vindicated the Service Book from the Imputation you put upon it, fo do I think, if you will duly confider what is al ready faid, you will find it a harder Task to make your Affertion good, than probably at first you took it to be. But to put the Question beyond all manner of Doubt; we will next confi→ der the Compilers and Authorifers, whether they were Papifts or not, and what Opinion the most eminent Divines both at home and abroad had of them and it, what Deference was paid them, and with what Refpect they treated them on all Occafions. And this being precife Matter of Fact, I fhall advance nothing but what I bring from authentick Writings, and for your Eafe direct you where to find it. I fhall pafs over what Steps were made in the Reign of Hen. VIII. towards reforming the Romish Service, A. 1537, 1540, and 1543. that not being very material at prefent, and fhall come to Edward VI. the firft Proteftant King of England. In whofe Reign A. 1547, Dec. 2. the Convocation of the Clergy unanimoufly agreed, that the Communion should be given in both Kinds to the Laity as well as to the Clergy, and appointed a Committee of Bishops, &c. to draw up an uniform Order of Communion, according to the holy Scriptures, and the Practice of the Primitive Church. And thereafter the whole Service Book was compiled by a felect Number of thirteen of the most emi nent Divines, both for Piety and Learning, then in C England England, which was afterwards authorised by the Parliament, and a full Convocation of both the Provinces of Canterbury and York. The Compilers were, Tho. Cranmer, Archb. | Tho. Godrick, Bishop of John Skip, Bishop of Rid. Coxe, Dean of Thefewere the Compilers, the Authorisers were, The Convocation, the King and Parliament, An. 1548, with this Encomium; which at this Time by THE AID OF THE HOLY GHOST, with uniform Agreement is by them concluded. It was again revifed and confirmed An. 1551, and fo continued until the Death of that young Prince. But being difcharged in Queen Mary's Reign, and Popery re-established; it was again after her Death introduced and confirmed Imo Eliz. An. 1558, and fo continued 'till the first of K. James, when it was again revised and confirmed, and fo continued 'till after the Restoration of K. Charles the Second, that it came again to be revised by the (d)whole Convocation, and confirmed by Parliament. (d) 14 Char. II. This |