Popery. Woe is me, that error should prevail so far with good hearts! I beseech you, for God's sake, and your soul's sake, be rightly informed in this so material and important a point.

I see there is herein a double offence: one, of them, which dislike the prayers, because they are set forms; the other, that dislike them, because they are such set forms.

For the former: I beseech them to consider seriously, whether they ought to think themselves wiser and perfecter, than all the Churches of God, that ever have been upon the earth. This I dare confidently say, that, since God had an established Church in the world, there were set Forms of Devotion. In the Jewish Church, before and since Christ; in the Christian Church, of all ages; and, at this very day, all those varieties of Christians in the large circle of "Christianography," that have their set Forms of Prayers, which they do and must use; and in the Reformed Churches, both of the Lutherans, and France, and Scotland; it is no otherwise: yea, Reverend Mr. Calvin himself, whose judgment had wont to sway with the forwardest Christians, writing to the Protector of England Anno 1548. hath these words: Quod ad formulam precum attinet et rituum Ecclesiasticorum valdè probo, ut certa illa extet à quá Pastoribus discedere non liceat in functione suâ, &c. And, adding three grave and solid reasons for it, concludes thus: "So, then, there ought to be a set Form of Catechism, a set Form of Administration of Sacraments and of Public Prayers." And why will we cast off the judgment, both of him and all the Divines of the whole Christian World, till Barrow and Browne, in our age and remembrance, contradicted it; and run after a conceit, that never had any being in the world, till within our own memory?

For the latter: there are those, who could allow some Form of set Prayers; but dislike this of ours, as savouring of the Pope and the Mass, whence they say it is derived. Now I beseech you, Brethren, as you would avoid the danger of that woe of calling good evil and evil good, inform yourselves thoroughly of the true state of this business. Know, therefore, that the whole Church of God, both Eastern and Western, as it was divided; both the Greek, and Latin Church under which this island was wont to be ranged; had their Forms of Prayer from the beginning; which were then holy and heavenly compiled by the holy Fathers of those first times. Afterwards, the abuses and errors of Popery came in by degrees; as Transubstantiation, Sacrifice of the Mass, Prayers for the Dead, Prayers to Saints: these poisoned the Church, and vitiated these Holy Forms, while they continued; but, when Reformation came in, divers worthy Protestant Divines, whereof some were noble Martyrs for religion, were appointed

to revise that form of service, to purge out all that Popish leaven that had soured them, to restore them to their former purity; leaving nothing in that book, but that, which they found consonant to godliness and pure religion.

If any man will now say, that our Prayer-Book is taken out of the Mass, let him know rather, that the Mass was cast out of our Prayer-Book, into which it was injuriously and impiously intruded: the good of those prayers are ours, in the right of Christians; the evil, that was in them, let them take as their own. And, if it should have been as they imagine, let them know, that we have departed from the Church of Rome but in those things, wherein they have departed from Christ: what good thing they have is ours still that Scripture which they have, that Creed which they profess, is ours; neither will we part with it, for their abuse. If a piece of gold be offered us, will we not take it, because it was taken out of the channel? If the Devil have given a Confession of Christ, and said, I know who thou art, even Jesus, the Son of the Living God; shall not I make this confession, because it came out of the Devil's mouth? Alas! we shall be herein very injurious, both to ourselves and to God, whose every holy truth is.

This, then, is the Form, which hath been compiled by learned and holy Divines, by blessed Martyrs themselves; who used it comfortably, and blessed God for it. But, if the quicker eyes of later times have found any thing, which displeases them, in the phrases and manners of expression, or in some rites prescribed in it, let them, in God's name, await for the reforming sentence of that public authority, whereby it was framed and enacted; and let not private persons presume, to put their hands to the work, which would introduce nothing but palpable confusion. Let all things be done decently, and in order.

Shortly, my Brethren, let us hate Popery, to the death: but, let us not involve within that odious name those Holy Forms both of administration and devotion, which are both pleasing unto God, and agreeable to all Christianity and Godliness.

POLEMICAL WORKS.

PART THIRD.

ON THE FIVE POINTS.

VIA MEDIA:

THE WAY OF PEACE:

IN THE

FIVE BUSY ARTICLES,

COMMONLY KNOWN BY THE NAME OF ARMINIUS.

TOUCHING

1. PREDESTINATION.

2. THE EXTENT OF CHRIST'S DEATH.

3. MAN'S FREE-WILL AND CORRUPTION.

4. THE MANNER OF OUR CONVERSION TO GOD.

5. PERSEVERANCE.

WHEREIN IS LAID FORTH SO FAIR AN ACCOMMODATION OF THE DIFFERENT OPINIONS, AS MAY CONTENT BOTH PARTS AND

PROCURE HAPPY ACCORD.

BY JOSEPH HALL, DD. DEAN OF WORCESTER.