1,c4 ` The L I F E of the Part Houfes, where was nothing done, that I know of, contrary to Law; There was nothing done but Reading the Pfalms, and Chapters, and the Creed, Command - erena, and Lord's Prayer, and SingingPfalms, and Praying and Preaching ; and none of this is forbidden by Law : The Omiffion of the rat of the Liturgy; is no Ai, but a nvt-acting, and therefore is no pretended Woip according to Lan,. But were it otherwife ; the Law Both not impofe the Liturgy on Families., but only on Churches, anda Family is not forbidden to have more than four Neighbours at Paying Grace, or Prayer, nor is bound to give over Family-worfhip when-ever more than Fourcome in. The Aft alloweth Four to be prefent at Unlawful Worfhip , but forbids not more to be prefent at Lawful W'orfhip. And Houfe- worihip without the Liturgy is lawful worfhip. And yet if this werenot fo, as the Curate's Omillon of the Prayers makes not the Preacher' andAlfanblÿ guil- ty (fuppofe it were anAffize-Sermon that for haft omitted the Liturgy ; ) fo the owner of the Houle, by omitting the Liturgy, maketh not him guilty that was not bound to ufe it, nor the Meeting unlawful to any hut. himfeif. Charity and Loyalty bind us to believe, that our King and Parliament, who allow more than many Four's to meet at a Play -houfe, Tavern, or Fear,, never meant to forbid more than Four to be together in a Houfe to Ping a Pf.lm, or Pray, or Read a Licenfed Book, or edifie each'other by Godly Conference, while no Crime is found byany Man in the Matter of their Doétrinc or Prayer ; and no Law im- pofeth the Liturgy on any but Church-Meetings. If after many years Reproach, once Imprifonment, and the late Diftrefs andSale of á1l my' Books and Goods, and thofe that were none of mine, but another's and this by five or fix Warrants for prefent Execution, without any Summons or Notice of Accufers or Witneffes, Icould yet have leave to die in peace, and had not been again perfecuted with new Inditements, I had not prefumed thus to plead or open my,own Caúfe. I Pray God that my Profecutors and Judges may be fo prepared for their near Account, that they may have no greater fin laid to their Charge, than keeping my Ordination -Vow is, and not Sacrilegioufly forfaking my Calling, whohave bad fo good PMaaméntogod and $ fogood Succefs, and fo muchAtteftation fromDing, City, P , as have had If they ask why I Conform not? I fay, I do, asfar as any Lawbindeth me If they askwhy I take not this Oatlr, I fay, Becaufe I neither underftandit, nor can prevail with RulerstoExplain it. And if have a good fence, Ihave not on- iv fübfcribed to it, buttomuch more, in a Book called , Thefecond Pleafor Peace, page 60, 6r, 67. Where alfo I have profeffed my Loyalty much furtherthaa this Oath extendeth. But if it have abad fence, I will not take it. And IMd. the Conformifts utterly difagreed of the Sente, and molt that I hear of renoun- cing that fence which the words lignifie in their common ufe. And knowing that Perjury is a mortal Enemy to the Life and Safety of Kings, and the Peace of Kingdoms, and to Cltnvetfe, andto Man's Salvation, I will not daily with fucha . dangerous Crime. Nor will Ideceive my Rulers byStretches and Equivocations; nor do I believe Lying lawful after all that Cronus de IureBelli , and Bithop Tay - tr Dull. Dub. have fail forit. I think Oaths impofed are to be taken iñ the or- dinary fenceof thewords, if the Impofers put not another on them. And I dare not Swear that a Commiflion under the Broad-Seal is no Commiflion, till I that am' no Lawyer know it tobe Legal : Nor yet that theLord Keeper may Denefe the King without reliiftance, by Sealing Commiffons to Traytors to feize on hisForts, Navy, Militia,or Treafüre : Nor can I confent to make all the pre- lent Church-Government as unalterable as the Monarchy ; efpecially when the Se- venthCanon extendeth it to an.G7 extera,to . rch-bi o s, Bi o s,Deans,/,rck-deacons, ah lthered that bear Office in thè.fame ] not excepting Lay -Chancellor's ufe of the' Keys ; (L ipfo faelo Excommunicateth all, Nobility, Gentry, Clergy and Com mono; that fay, That it is repugnant to the Word of God.) And it's time to take_ heed what we Swear, when the Aft of Uniformity, the Oxford-Ad, the Corpora- thin Aft, the VeftryAd, the MilitiaAft and the Oath of Supremacy, do bindall the 'Nation by Solemn Oath, not. to endeavour anyalteration of Government in Chinch or State; And yet molt Reverend Fathers, who moft fharply call us to Conformity, do Write for a Foreign Ecclefiaftical Jurifdidion, under the Name. of in Univerfal Colledgeof Bilhops, or Council, having fuck power as other Co.uurtes,,,
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