"of a Comprehenfion! Or, indeed, who would wish for it!" I have read, Sir, and I hope profited by the Rights, &c. As you profefs to have read, and I hope not without Profit, Bellarmin, an Author incomparably worse. As for my Agreement with THE RIGHTS, &c. as far as that Author agrees with Truth, with Scripture, with Law, you must give me Leave to fay (without augmenting, I hope, your Sorrow) that I efteem it not the leaft Reproach. Nay for once, Sir, if you please I will make you my Confeffor, and frankly own, that in many Things I agree in Sentiment and Reasoning with one far worse than either Bellarmin or the Rights, &c. Who this may be, you will fee, Luke iv. 41. James ii. 19.

Diffenting Minifters and Gentlemen, I prefume, deal in Books of all Sorts, from whence they can gather ufeful Knowledge, and improve and enlarge their Minds. They have dealt in the Writings of the fhrewdeft Deifts (Books much worfe than the Rights, &c.) as you fee by the many noble Defences of Chriftianity which their Pens have produced. Your-Dealing in Books of this Sorts a Bugbear, Sir, which may frighten Children in Understanding; but Diffenters, you fhould have known, have not fo learned CHRIST. They are commanded to try the Spirits; to examine, and prove all Things; and remember the noble Bereans, who are commended by St. Paul for fearching carefully into the Grounds and Evidence of Things before they gave their Affent. And if this Liberty of Examination, and of fpeaking and writing freely upon Subjects of Religion, be a Bar to a Comprehenfion very long

may it remain! It is the Glory of Chriftianity that it fhuns not the fevereft Search: 'Tis Bigotry and Errer only that love to hide themselves in Darkness, and grow touchy and alarm'd if you feek to bring them into open Sight..

Appendix, Page 41, 44

F 2

We

We acknowledge, Sir, your Goodness in bringing down to our Understandings the Mystery of CONSECRATIONS of Churches and Church-Yards; and your kind Attempt to illuftrate the Ufefulness, Edification, and Comeliness of this Ceremony. There are fome previous Questions, which I could wifh to fee anfwered, before we enter thoroughly into the grand Debate

As, whether you think the Apostle Paul, in all his apoftolic Labours and Travels thro' the Churches, ever confecrated a Plat of Ground? Whether any of the twelve Apoftles, amongst the Miracles and mighty Works which they every where wrought, ever did this wondrous Thing? Whether the Synagogues, where our SAVIOUR preach'd; the Chamber where he instituted, and first celebrated his facred Supper; the upper Room where the Apoftles met, when they actually received the extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghoft; the House of Aquila and Prifcilla, Nymphus, &c. in which were Chriftian Churches; had really any other Confecration than our Places of Worship have? And yet, whether thefe were not as much the House of God, and Places of his more immediate Prefence, as any fplendid Cathedral, now confecrated with all the Pomp of facerdotal

Device?

You appeal to "the Forms which Bp. Andrews and "others have used in their Confecrations. And afk"What think you now? Is there any Thing ridicu"lous or fuperftitious in all this? *" Yes, extremely much of both, if they at all refemble that of A. B. Laud (the only one I have ever feen) when he confecrated the Churches of St. Catherine Cree, St. Giles's, and others in London. An intolerable Piece of eccleftaftical Foppery, fufficient to have made a popish Cardinal blush, and which no Proteftant can read but with indignant Concern! The Form has, in larger Histories, been more than once publifh'd; but having never feen it in any little Tract, I fhali beg leave to transcribe it, for the Edification of our common Readers. A

* Appendix, Page 45.

ftriking

ftriking Inftance of the Danger of indulging human Invention in Things of Religion; and which fhews, into what Wilds of ridiculous Superftition even learned Minds are apt to run, when they leave the Simplicity of the Gospel of CHRIST.

"The Bishop came attended with several of the high "Commiffion, and fome Civilians. At his Approach "to the Weft Door of the Church, which was fhut

and guarded by Halberdeers, fome that were ap"pointed for that Purpose, cried with a loud Voice"Open, open, ye everlasting Doors, that the King of "Glory may come in! Prefently the Doors were "open'd, and the Bishop, with fome Doctors and

principal Men, entered. As foon as they were "within the Place, his Lordship fell down upon his "Knees; and, with Eyes lifted up, and his Arms "fpread abroad, faid, This Place is holy, the Ground is "holy; In the Name of the FATHER, SON, and HOLY "GHOST, I pronounce it holy. Then walking up the "middle Ifle towards the Chancel, he took up fome "of the Duft, and threw it into the Air feveral Times. "When he approach'd near the Rail of the Commu"nion Table, he bow'd towards it five or fix Times; "and returning, went round the Church, with his "Attendants, in Proceffion; faying first the hundredth " and then the nineteenth Pfalm, as prefcribed in the "Roman Pontifical. He then read several Collects, in "one of which he prays Gop to accept of that beauti"ful Building, and concludes thus We CONSE"CRATE this Church, and feparate it unto THEE AS "HOLY GROUND, not to be prophaned any more to com"mon Use. In another he prays-That ALL who "bould hereafter be buried within the Circuit of this "HOLY and SACRED Place, may reft in their Sepul"chres in Peace, till Chrift's coming to Judgment, and may then rife to eternal Life and Happiness."

"Then the Bishop, fitting under a Cloth of State, "in the Ifle of the Chancel, near the Communion "Table, took a written Book in his Hand, and pro"nounced

"nounced Curfes upon thofe who fhould hereafter pro"phane that boty Place by Mafters of Soldiers, or

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keeping prophane Law-Courts, or carrying Burdens "through it: And at the End of every Curfe, he "bowed to the EAST, and faid, Let all the People fay "Amen. When the Curfes were ended, which were "about twenty, he pronounced a like Number of Bleffings upon ALL that had any Hand in Framing "and Building that facred and beautiful Church; and "on those that had given, or fhould hereafter give, "any Chalices, Plate, Ornaments, or other Utenfils: "And, at the End of every Bleffing, he bow'd to the "EAST, and faid, Let all the People Say Amen. After "this came the Sermon, then the Sacrament, which "the Bishop confecrated and administer'd in the fol"lowing Manner.

"As he approach'd the Altar, he made five or fix "low Bows; and coming up to the Side of it, where "the Bread and Wine were cover'd, he bowed feven "Times. Then, after reading many Prayers, he

came near the Bread; and gently lifting up the Cor"ner of the Napkin, beheld it, and immediately let

ting fall the Napkin, he retreated haftily a Step or "two, and made three low Obeifances. His Lord

fhip then advanced, and having uncovered the Bread "bowed three Times as before, Then he laid his "Hand on the Cup, which was full of Wine, with a "Cover upon it; which having let go, heftep'd back, "and bowed three Times towards it; then he came "near again, and lifting up the Cover of the Cup, "looked into it, and feeing the Wine, let fall the Co"ver again, retired back, and bowed as before. "Then the Elements were confecrated, and the Bishop "having firft received, gave it to fome principal Men in their Surplices, Hoods and Tippets; after which, many Prayers being faid, the Solemnity of the Con"fecration ended."

This, Sir, was the Senfe, and this the Manner of that celebrated Martyr and Governor of your Church,

in

in this Bufinefs of CONSECRATION. And, what now think you? Was there nothing ridiculous or fuperftitious in all this! You feem, indeed, to have not quite so exalted an Opinion of this Solemnity as his Lordship; but as the Church has no where (that I know) explain'd herself as to this Matter; nor cenfured Laud's Conduct; nor prescribed any fet Form in which this Ceremony is to be done; any Bishop, I apprehend, at prefent, is at full Liberty to use the fame, and may now confecrate a Church after the Manner of St. Catherine Cree Church. And pray! to whom fhall I attend, as best knowing and expreffing the Church's Sente in this Point, to the great Archbishop Laud; Or, toMr. White fometime Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge.

I have now done with your AppendixThere is another OFFICE of your Liturgy, alike liable to the fevere Exceptions of all well-inftructed Chriftians, and to the Sneers of infulting Deifts, as any I have yet confidered; and that is, your OFFICE for the Ordination of Priests and Deacons. This, if you call me forth again, I may more particularly fhew. At prefent, I only afk-Whether to your fober Reafon it really appears a fit Question, to be put to EVERY young Gentleman that comes from the University for Orders to the Bishop; whether be trufts that he is INWARDLY MOVED BY THE HOLY GHOST to take upon him this Office? And for EVERY fuch young Gentleman to declare folemnly as in GoD's Prefence, that be trufts that he is SO INWARDLY MOVED. The Gentlemen and their Communication; the Manners, the Tafte, and State of the Univerfilies; you, perhaps, better know, Sir, than I fhall pretend. Tell me then, before God, is their moral State fuch that you can reasonably think EVERY Student that comes thence, when he gets a Title to a Living and applies for Orders to the Bishop, doth really feel himself inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost to make that Application? How is it we are not afraid to trifle in an Affair fo exceeding ferious and important! Is it

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not