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tions; and they none of them all, asserted, either by Scripture or antiquity, that if I had a mind to leave the way of God, and of the catholic church, and run in pursuit of this meteor, I might quickly be amused; but should find nothing certain, but a certainty of being misguided. Therefore, if not for conscience' sake, yet for prudence, bonum est esse hîc,' it is good to remain in the fold of Christ, under the guard and supravision of those shepherds Christ hath appointed, and which his sheep have always followed.

For I consider this one thing to be enough to determine the question." My sheep," saith our blessed Saviour, "hear my voice; if a stranger or a thief come, him they will not hear." Clearly thus. That Christ's sheep hear not the voice of a stranger, nor will they follow him, and, therefore, those shepherds whom the church hath followed in all ages, are no strangers but shepherds or pastors of Christ's appointing, or else Christ hath had no sheep; for if he hath, then bishops are the Shepherds, for them they have ever followed. I end with that golden rule of Vincentius Lirinensis: "Magnoperè curandum est ut id teneamus, quod ubique, quod semper, quod ab omnibus creditum est. Hoc est enim verè, proprièque catholicum." For, certainly, the catholic belief of the church against Arius, Eunomius, Macedonius, Apollinaris, and, the worst of heretics, the Cataphrygians, was never more truly received of all and always, and everywhere,' than is the government of the church by bishops." Annunciare ergo Christianis catholicis, præter id quod acceperunt, nunquam licuit, nunquam licet, nunquam licebit :" "It never was, is, nor ever shall be, lawful to teach Christian people any new thing than what they have received" from a primitive fountain, and is descended in the stream of catholic uninterrupted succession".

I only add, that the church hath insinuated it to be the duty of all good catholic Christians to pray for bishops, and as the case now stands, for episcopacy itself: for there was never any church-liturgy but said litanies for their king, and for their bishop.

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AN

APOLOGY

FOR

AUTHORIZED AND SET FORMS

OF

LITURGY,

AGAINST

THE PRETENCE OF THE SPIRIT.

1. FOR EXTEMPORE PRAYER,

AND

2. FORMS OF PRIVATE COMPOSITION.

TO HIS

MOST SACRED MAJESTY.

It is now two years, since part of these ensuing papers, like the public issue of the people, imperfect and undressed, were exposed, without a parent to protect them, or any hand to nourish them. But since your most sacred Majesty was pleased graciously to look upon them, they are grown into a tract, and have an ambition (like the gourd of Jonas) to dwell in the eye of the sun, from whence they received life and increment. And although because some violence hath been done to the profession of the doctrine of this treatise, it may seem to be ‘verbum in tempore non suo,' and like the offering cypress to a conqueror, or palms to a broken army; yet I hope I shall the less need an apology, because it is certain, he does really disserve no just and noble interest, that serves that of the Spirit, and religion. And because the sufferings of a king and a confessor are the great demonstration to all the

world, that truth is as dear to your Majesty, as the jewels of your diadem, and that your conscience is tender as a pricked eye; I shall pretend this only to alleviate the inconvenience of an unseasonable address, that I present your Majesty with a humble persecuted truth, of the same constitution with that condition whereby you are become most dear to God, as having upon you the characterism of the sons of God, bearing in your sacred person the marks of the Lord Jesus, who is your elder brother, the King of sufferings, and the Prince of the catholic church. But I consider that kings, and their great councils, and rulers ecclesiastical, have a special obligation for the defence of liturgies; because they having the greatest offices, have the greatest needs of auxiliaries from heaven, which are best procured by the public spirit, the spirit of government and supplication. And since the first, the best, and most solemn liturgies and set forms of prayer, were made by the best and greatest princes, by Moses, by David, and the son of David; your Majesty may be pleased to observe such a proportion of circumstances in my laying this Apology for Liturgy' at your feet, that possibly I may the easier obtain a pardon for my great boldness; which if I shall hope for, in all other contingencies I shall represent myself a per

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