before, out of his 12th epistle, and therefore need not here repeat it. See Book 1. c. 5.

But I will add what he wrote to Bishop Grindal, upon occasion of the first separation that was begun in England by those that disliked the Liturgy: "Non sine acerbissimo dolore intelleximus, usque eo vexari Ecclesias, ut nonnulli jam seorsim suos cætus habeant. It is not without most bitter sorrow of heart that I understand your Churches are so far disturbed, as that some begin to hold separate meetings among you, &c. Ep. 23. ad Grindal."

No one doubtless would have used such passionate expressions againt separate meetings to an English bishop, who thought communion with the Church in her Liturgy unlawful, and that it was necessary to make a separation from her.

But we have a greater testimony from the mouth of Beza. It was in the year 1564 some years after the reformation was completed by Queen Elizabeth, that Beza dedicated his New Testament to her; where, in the epistle dedicatory he tells her, "That England owed to her, verum Dei cultum, nunc tandem a sordidissimis illis antichristianismi sordibus repurgatum; the true worship of God now at length purged from the sordid dregs of antichristianism. Which thing did deservedly set her above all kings in the world: for some kings could not reform as they would; others were utter enemies to all reformation; and those few, that did reform, did it in such a manner, as to leave religion still deformed with many failings, especially in point of ecclesiastical discipline. Some condemned idolatry, but did not cast out the idols; others cast out the popish mass, only to introduce another of their own. All unanimously agreed in rejecting transubstantiation, but yet many endeavoured to establish as fond doctrines in its room. But you, O Queen," says he," and your people by your means, enjoy what perhaps no other kingdom does, the complete profession of the pure and sincere doctrine of the Gospel. To which, if you add (what all good men hope for, and the most faithful bishops of your kingdoms have long ago desired) the full . restoration of ecclesiastical discipline also; in truth I do

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not see what England can desire more of you, or your majesty can confer more upon it.”

Here are none of those home-bred charges of superstition, idolatry, antichristianism, popery, brought against the Liturgy; but it is owned to be the pure worship of God, purged from the filth and dregs of antichristianism. Our doctrine also, contained in the Articles, is commended as a complete system of the pure and sincere doctrine of the Gospel, free from those errors and defects, which may be found in some other Churches. And for discipline, it is not so defective as to make the Church deformed, as he says some others are for want of it; only he wishes it were more completely and fully restored, which is the Church's own wish in the office of commination. Now either Beza strained a point to compliment the Queen, or else he highly justifies the Church of England: for I cannot see what any of her own sons, that had studied for it, could have said more in her commendation.

If from these we descend to authors of later days, who had better opportunities to acquaint themselves with the knowledge of the English Liturgy than the former, we shall find as ample testimonies given of it, as of the English Church.

Isaac Casauban, a man inferior to none in learning and knowledge of ecclesiastical antiquity, gives this character of the Church of England, as it stood reformed by Queen Elizabeth and King James, that no Church in the world came nearer to the form of the most flourishing primitive Church; having observed a middle way betwixt the two extremes of such others, as failed either by excess or defect, by which moderation she obtained this privilege, that even those, who envied her happiness, were constrained to extol her in comparison of other Churches." Præf. Exercit. in Baron. See also his answer to Card. Perron, cited by Bishop Morton of Episcopacy, p. 4.

About the same time Dr. Rivet, being then scribe of the National Synod of Tonneins, wrote in the name of the whole Synod, a letter full of high respect to King James, in which they not only give him in particular the title of the

bright-shining star in the heaven of God's Church, with some other elogiums of the like nature, but also tell him it was their most earnest desire to maintain a good correspondence with the Churches of his kingdoms." Which had been altogether false and ridiculous, had they believed the Liturgy or the Communion of the English Church unlawful. See this letter in the acts of the Synod, cap. xix. p. 438. Ludovicus le Blanc, a man of accurate judgment, and one who had viewed the English Liturgy, having occasion to cite it, though but upon a particular account, yet gives it such a character, as shews he had a general liking of it and did not think any part of it, superstitious or unlawful. Otherwise he would scarce have alleged it with so honourable a title, as "Celebris illa Liturgia Anglicana, the famed English Liturgy," and much less have used its authority to pay some respect to the Apocryphal Books, (as I shall shew hereafter that he does) had he believed it so mean or imperfect a work, as some would make it. Vid. le Blanc. Thes. de Script. Canon, et Apochr. p. 175.

I do not here add the testimonies of those three late eminent divines, Mr. de l'Angle, Mr. le Moyne, and Mr. le Claude, because their whole letters on this subject may be seen at the end of Bishop Stillingfleet's "Unreasonableness of Separation." And many others I omit, which have been already produced by Mr. Durel; only I will crave leave to repeat one testimony cited by him out of Ludovicus Capellus, divinity professor at Saumur; who, in his discourse about Liturgies among the Theses Salmurienses, gives this testimony to the Liturgy of the Church of England, among the rest that were compiled by the first reformers in every nation. "At the Reformation," says he, "the Liturgy, or service of the Church was purged from all popish superstition and idolatry, and all such ceremonies as were either too burthensome, or of no use towards edification. And then set forms of Liturgy were composed and prescribed, by the several authors of the reformation, in the countries where they lived; as in Germany, France, England, Scotland, Belgium, &c. varying as little as might be

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from the ancient forms of the primitive Church. And these set forms have hitherto been happily used with profit and advantage, by the reformed Churches in every nation; till at last, of very late, there arose in England a sort of morose and froward, nice and scrupulous, not to say superstitious men, who upon very slight and slender reasons have thought fit not only to disparage, but abrogate the Liturgy hitherto used in the Church, (together with the whole hierarchy of bishops) and instead of the Liturgy, have substituted the Directory (as they call it) in its room; which contains no certain form in express words, but only the heads of such things as either in prayers, or administration of the Sacraments, or the use of other rites and ceremonies, are to be said, done, asked of God, or propounded to the people; meanwhile leaving it to the liberty of every pastor to express himself in what words he pleases. To which some other furious and mad men have added; that it is unlawful to use any prescribed form of prayers, either in public or in private, and that a Godly man cannot with a safe conscience be present at them. Thes. Salmur. part. 3. Disp. 47 de Liturgia, p. 658.

This he calls matter of fact; after which he proceeds to dispute de Jure, concerning the lawfulness and necessity of set forms in all the parts of divine service, and answers all the common pleas that are made against such impositions and injunctions; which I leave the reader to consult at his leisure, and go on to consider the exceptions that are made against our Liturgy in particular, beginning with the business of assent and consent, which some make the ground of all their scruples.

CHAP. III.

That the French Church requires Assent and Consent to her Liturgy, &c. as strictly as the Church of England.

To make this appear, it will be necessary to shew first what the Church of England means by assent and consent: for the straining of this too high, and putting too rigid a sense upon it, seems to minister the chief occasion of objections against it. Now it is to be observed, that, assent and consent are words of the very same importance, as Dr. Falkner proves from many instances in our statute-law, and mean no more, when applied to things to be practiced, ordered, or used, save only an allowance that they may lawfully be used or practiced. Thus we give our unfeigned assent and consent, to all and every thing contained and prescribed in the Book of Common Prayer, &c. that is, that we allow it to be a book that has nothing contrary to God's holy ordinances in it; but is such as may lawfully and piously be used in all the offices prescribed therein, and that as such we ourselves will use it to the edification of his Church. In the same manner we give our assent and consent to the Book of Homilies, that (as the 35th Article expresses it) they contain a godly and wholesome doctrine, necessary for these times, and fit to be read in churches by the ministers, that the people may understand them." Now supposing there should be in any of these some lesser mistakes or errors of small moment; such as a wrong quotation of an author, a weak consequence in argumentation, a misapplication of a text of Scripture, or a doubtful interpretation of any, or a parachronism in point of history, or the like: these are errors indeed, which in strictness no man can assent to as truths, (if that were the precise meaning of assenting:) but he may give his unfeigned assent and consent to the use of those books, notwithstanding any such errors contained in them. For they are not of that moment, as to make the books unlawful or unfit to be used, as containing any false