sowiug of the seed; it is the lifting up of the brazen serpent, the ministry of faith, and the ordinary means of salvation: but yet it is good to take example, how that the best actions of the worship of God may be extolled excessively and superstitiously. As the extolling of the sacrament bred the superstition of the mass; the extolling of the liturgy and prayers bred the superstition of the monastical orders and oraisons and so no doubt preaching likewise may be magnified and extolled superstitiously, as if all the whole body of God's worship should be turned into an ear. So as none, as I suppose, of sound judgment, will derogate from the liturgy, if the form thereof be in all parts agreeable to the word of God, the example of the primitive Church, and that holy decency which St. Paul commendeth. And therefore, first, that there be a set form of prayer, and that it be not left either to an extemporal form, or to an arbitrary form. Secondly, that it consist as well of lauds, hymns, and thanksgivings, as of petitions, prayers, and supplications. Thirdly, that the form thereof be quickened with some shortness and diversities of prayers and hymns, and with some interchanges of the voice of the people, as well as of the minister. Fourthly, that it admit some distinctions of times, and commemorations of God's principal benefits, as well general as particular. Fifthly, that prayers likewise be appropriated to several necessities and occasions of the Church. Sixthly, that there be a form likewise of words and liturgy in the administration of the sacraments, and in the denouncing of

the censures of the Church, and other holy actions and solemnities; these things, I think, will not be much controverted.

But for the particular exceptions to the liturgy in form as it now standeth, I think divers of them, allowing they were just, yet seem they not to be weighty; otherwise than that nothing ought to be counted light in matters of religion and piety; as the heathen himself could say, "etiam vultu sæpe læditur pietas." That the word, priest, should not be continued, especially with offence, the word, minister, being already made familiar. This may be said that it is a good rule in translation, never to confound that in one word in the translation, which is precisely distinguished in two words in the original, for doubt of equivocation and traducing. And therefore seeing the word potrep and iepeis be always distinguished in the original; and the one used for a sacrificer, the other for a minister; the word, priest, being made common to both, whatsoever the derivation be, yet in use it confoundeth the minister with the sacrificer. And for an example of this kind, I did ever allow the discretion and tenderness of the Rhemish translation in this point; that finding in the original the word ȧyán and never pas, do ever translate charity, and never love, because of the indifferency and equivocation of the word with impure love.

Touching the absolution; it is not unworthy consideration, whether it may not be thought improper and unnecessary for there are but two sorts

VOL. VII.

G

of absolution; both supposing an obligation precedent; the one upon an excommunication, which is religious and primitive; the other upon confession and penance, which is superstitious, or at least positive; and both particular, and neither general. Therefore since the one is taken away, and the other hath its proper case, what doth a general absolution, wherein there is neither penance nor excommunication precedent? for the Church never looseth, but where the Church hath bound. surely I may think this at the first was allowed in a kind of spiritual discretion, because the Church thought the people could not be suddenly weaned from their conceit of assoiling, to which they had been so long accustomed.

And

For confirmation, to my understanding, the state of the question is, whether it be not a matter mistaken and altered by time; and whether that be not now made a subsequent to baptism, which was indeed an inducement to the communion. For whereas in the primitive Church children were examined of their faith before they were admitted to the communion, time may seem to have turned it to refer as if it had been to receive a confirmation of their baptism.

For private baptism by women, or lay persons, the best divines do utterly condemn it; and I hear it not generally defended; and I have often mar. velled, that where the book in the preface to public baptism doth acknowledge that baptism in the practice of the primitive Church was anniversary, and

but at certain times; which sheweth that the primitive Church did not attribute so much to the ceremony, as they would break an outward and general order for it; the book should afterwards allow of private baptism, as if the ceremony were of that necessity, as the very institution, which committed baptism only to the ministers, should be broken in regard of the supposed necessity. And therefore this point of all others I think was but a "Concessum propter duritiem cordis."

For the form of celebrating matrimony, the ring seemeth to many even of vulgar sense and understanding, a ceremony not grave, especially to be made, as the words make it, the essential part of the action; besides, some other of the words are noted. in speech to be not so decent and fit.

For music in churches; that there should be singing of psalms and spiritual songs, is not denied: so the question is " de modo;" wherein if a man will look attentively into the order and observation of it, it is easy to discern between the wisdom of the institution and the excess of the late times. For first there are no songs or verses sung by the quire, which are not supposed by continual use to be so familiar with the people, as they have them without book, whereby the sound hurteth not the understanding and those which cannot read upon the book, are yet partakers of the sense, and may follow it with their mind. So again, after the reading of the word, it was thought fit there should be some

pause for holy meditation, before they proceeded to the rest of the service: which pause was thought fit. to be filled rather with some grave sound, than with a still silence; which was the reason of the playing upon the organs after the Scriptures read: all which was decent and tending to edification. But then the curiosity of division, and reports, and other figures of music, have no affinity with the reasonable service of God, but were added in the more pompous times.

For the cap and surplice, since they be things in their nature indifferent, and yet by some held superstitious; and that the question is between science and conscience, it seemeth to fall within the com"that the pass of the apostle's rule, which is, stronger do descend and yield to the weaker." Only the difference is, that it will be materially said, that the rule holdeth between private man and private man; but not between the conscience of a private man, and the order of a Church. But yet since the question at this time is of a toleration, not by connivance, which may encourage disobedience, but by law, which may give a liberty; it is good again to be advised whether it fall not within the equity of the former rule: the rather, because the silencing of ministers by this occasion is, in this scarcity of good preachers, a punishment that lighteth upon the people as well as upon the party. And for the subscription, it seemeth to me in the nature of a confession, and therefore more proper to bind in the unity