IF you have any thing to object against the use of the Book of Common Prayer, (I must confesse some expressions in the Forme for the Buriall of the Dead, and for Baptisme are such, that, though I do not dislike them, I do not under­take to vindicate them, because I do not finde that God has directed my minde so much to the study of those Points): But, Sir, if you have any thing to object against that Excellent Book (excepting those expres­sions) either as a forme of Prayer in generall, or as an Inconvenient Forme, I have no small confidence that I shall be able (by Gods assistance) to answer your Objection: And to give you some occasion to con­ceive some Spirituall Notions concerning Prayer, which possibly (for want of a due reflection upon your owne Opinion concerning Set Formes, &c.) you have not yet had; I shall intreat you to write me your thoughts, as briefly as you can with perspicuity, and plainnesse. Sir, I ackuowledge your superiority in respect of Yeares, and Learning; but yet, let me tell you, I do not thinke you Infallible, neither so know­ing, but that some of your Brethren, who are much your Inferiours in Parts, and Learning, may have recei­ved from the Father of Lights some particular Portion [Page 2] of sacred Truth, which as yet you have not received. And therefore, Sir, I beseech you (as you expect that dreadfull Day, wherein you shall answer for all your Actions before him that shall judge the Quicke and the Dead) that you would not despise my Youth, and scorn to send mean Answer. If you convince me, I doubt not, but the GOD, whom I serve will give me Grace to acknowledge my selfe Oblig'd to you for it: And if you do not, I firmely hope there shall be such an issue of our Controversie; that if you be so pious, as some good Men take you to be, you will not be trou­bled for having written to me. Sir, Farewel; And if you love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, be not so Uncharitable, as to thinke otherwise, then that 'tis the love of Him that puts me upon any business of this nature, which is so great a Trouble to my Outward Man. I am

BEeing suddenly surprized yesterday with an un­expected Letter from an unknown person by a strange hand, and having made a cursory view of it, with respect to its contents, I thought it best to muse a while, and not hastily return; but having since reviewed againe, I finde these heads observable therein.

1. A challenge of me to be an Opponent against an Excellent book of Common-prayer, wherein, you have no small Confidence, that you shall be an able Respondent, & give some Occasion to conceive some spirituall Notions concer­ning Prayer, which possibly (for want of a due reflection up­on my owne Opinion concerning Set Formes, &c.) I have not yet had. Sir, I shall be heartily glad to catch at any reall Notions about the spirit of Prayer, for I want much of it; but I should strange to see such spirituality to arise out of the flesh, and of prayer as stated by men; however I should be glad to see your promise performed.

As for my objecting, and your answering, it will be requisite, that the Question be rightly stated, and to know what Book you mean, there was that of Edw the sixth, which since hath had many Editions and Additions to make it unlike it self: and yet of all these it is asserted by men wiser then my selfe, that none of [Page 4] them are established by Law; which I suppose is a Ba­sis whereon you would not a little lean; It were meet that the speciall Subject were assigned; or perhaps the quaere may grow higher and more generall, whether any set Forms as imposed by men, are warranted by God; and if none, your particular will fall in that: but I list not to be an Opponent yet, though provoked by you. I look for an higher Call.

2. Your censure of me, as to yeares, &c. yet you tell me, you do not thinke me infallible, nor so knowing, but some Inferiours in parts and Learning, may receive from the Father of Lights some portion of sacred Truth, which as yet I have not received. All this is truly spoken, I finde it as well as you say it; yet for saving truth, I trust I have received, what the Gospel revealeth, though but in my measure, and I am pressing on. What other sa­cred Truth you may intend, I know not, but I am not so old, but shall be willing to learn any truth of God.

3. Your adjuring of me, ( that as I expect that dreadful day, wherein I shall give an account of all my Actions before him that shall judge the quicke and the dead) that I despise not your youth, and scorn to send you an answer. Sir, I trem­ble at Gods Word, and take it well to be minded of that great day; yet thus to be adjured upon so slight a matter, as the sending you an answer, I think is more than you can exemplifie from Paul to Timothy, who u­seth such a solemn charge upon the highest concern­ments. I thanke God I despise no mans youth, I re­joyce to see them grow in grace; and for your selfe, I know not how old, or young you be; yet without scorn, I shall say in Gods presence, among the many that I have known (if your owne word may be taken) [Page 5] you are Iuvenum confidentissimus. The Lord humble me and you also. You add fair hopes of the Issue, whe­ther Victus or Victor.

And again, if I be so pious, as some good men take me to be, I will not be troubled for having written to you. Sir, I hope I love piety, yet it quiets not my heart that good men thinke so well, nor much troubleth me to be o­therwise judged of the world, I stand not at mans stay or judgement; but I hope, if I had not written to you, it could not certainly argue with you an utter defect of piety in me; I trust I shall lay the proof of piety up­on better evidence. To take away therefore that pre­judice from you, I have written what you see; nei­ther do I choose as you provoke me, to be an Obiector, but in generall I desire rather to be a Quaestionist, and aske of you satisfaction to some Questions or cases a­bout Prayer, which may let you see some difficulties in your particular instance. Take them thus.

Qu. 1. Whether the Scripture inspired by God be the only rule for Prayer, as for Faith, which must frame it?

Qu. 2. Whether in this Scripture doth appeare any pre­cept imposing a set forme of prayer upon the Church, or any practice in the Church of Christ answering such a precept?

Qu. 3. Whether in case the Law of God doth not impose any forme of prayer, even the best upon the Church, it be in the power of men to do it?

Qu. 4. Whether the Booke mentioned in your Letter be not so imposed by men, without precept or example from God?

Sir, in all these is not queried, what may be the lawfulnesse, or usefulnesse of set formes of Payer a­mong some, nor how far prudentiall, good and law­full forms may be commended; but whether it be [Page 6] lawfull for men to impose any such formes upon Con­sciences, that those and none but those must be used in the Church, by any who are able to make use of the Scripture Directory in all cases of their addresse to God. Unto these your clear answer is desired if you please, before we come to a congresse about particu­lars; wherein if you deale rationally and ingenuous­ly, I may afford a further Reply; but otherwise, my worke is too much for my time, and I shall not spend hours vainly in such writing-contests. I shall give you no worse Farewell, than I had from you, commend­ing to you the Book of books, from which your ex­cellent Book hath all that is good in it. Make the Scri­pture your rule of your Faith, and Prayer, and Obedi­ence. I am

I Thanke you for your Letter, but must crave your pardon for not answering your Quaeries, being im­pertinent to my Designe in writing to you, which is, To know, whether or no you have any thing to object against this Position: That a man may worship GOD in Spirit, and in Truth in the Use of that form of Prayer for Morning, and Evening, which we call the Common Prayer (simply considered, without respect to it's being imposed, &c.) I conceive you might easily have apprehended this to have been my Aime by the expressions of my other Letters. As for the Forms for the Buriall of the Dead, Baptisme, &c. Though I do not except against them, yet because there are many expressions in them, from which such Controversies may easily arise, as a Spirituall Man cannot well dis­cusse without losse of Time; I shall not undertake to vindicate them, unlesse provok't to it by any that professe that they are scandall'd at my using of them. I have heard many men speak much against the use of the Letany, if you have any thing to say against it, I shall entreat you to insist on that in a particular man­ner; For, as yet I cannot apprehend any thing that can be objected against it, but what may easily be re­solv'd into a Phanaticke humour: And I would faine know where the strength of that Opposition lies that [Page 8] may be made against that, which I conceive may be of so great use to the Church of God. As for that I said I might give you some occasion to conceive some spiri­tuall Notions concerning Prayer, &c. I shall maintain the expression. If your Opinion be, That a man cannot pray in Faith, using that form we speak of, I doubt not, but if I shall be able to discover to you the workings of mine own spirit, mov'd by God, in the use of that Forme, I shall be able to do that I said I had no small confidence that I should. Good Sir, deal with me, as 'tis fit for one Christian to deale with another, and a­void, as much as you can, all such expressions as may probably be made Instrumentall by the DEVIL, to worke in me that sinfull Anger, to which J am natu­rally inclin'd upon such Occasions, as in Writing-Con­tests (to use your own words) men are apt to give one to the other: But, blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, with his Sons Blood J am able to Quench the Fire of that, and all other Lusts, as soon as J perceive it to be Kindled in me. Jf you say in your heart at the Reading of this, Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall, I shall entreat you to pray for me that J may take heed.

As for my Adjuring of you, J take the matter to be of so high Concernment, that J did well in so doing. You say (reflecting upon some expressions of mine) For saving Truth, I trust, I have received what the Gospell revealeth. God forbid that J should be so Uncharitable as not to hope that you have received all the Principall Truths that concern Eternall Life; but there may be some Subordinate Truths (that I may so speak) the Apprehension of which might make the Knowledge of the other, more Intense, and more Powerful in their [Page 9] Influence upon the Heart. Such Truth I meant by that expression which you seeme not to apprehend. Some Discoveries of such Truth ( viz. Particular Notices of the Meanes of Grace) I have often received from the Discourses I have had with Experimentall CHRISTIANS, though Persons of no Lear­ning, or Art of Expression: and therefore, S [...]r, I do not thinke that you may justly say that I am Iuve­num Confidentissimus, because I said (in effect) I had no small confidence that you might receive some New Apprehensions of sacred Truth from My Discourses. whose greatest Study for some yeares hath been how I may set forth to others those Truths, which I finde Written with the Finger of GOD upon the Table of mine owne Heart. Sir, That Confidence which I allow in My selfe, I esteem so highly, that I pray unto GOD continually to Encrease it: I know no Vertue a Minister of CHRIST hath more frequent Occasion to make use of, then true Confidence and strength of Spirit, drawn forth into the Soule from an Apprehension that GOD is our Helper.

Sir, I desire to approve my selfe to all Men, and particularly to your selfe (like Him, whom we are Bound to love, and imitate with all our heart, and with all our soul) Meek, and Gentle; and I hope you will shew your selfe no otherwise to

YOur reply of the 4 ^th instant, I received the fifth, and finding your resolution not to answer my Quaeries, I cannot but in civility return these lines as a close to your Chalenge begun, seeing the matter is not determined by the Respondent, unto which Objection should be made; for J know, the hinge of the Controversie about set Forms imposed, depends upon Scripture-Authority (from which in this case, as in all matters of Faith, J shall not depart, ne hilum quidem) As to what you write of other mens speaking against the Letany, J shall not meddle with­all, nor as what you can say to other pieces of the book you mention; But this I shall say, if I understand what Letany is, neither is the word reciprocall with your matter unto which it is prefixed, nor the matter with the Word. And however you say, nothing can be said a­gainst it, but what may easily be resolved into a Phanaticke humour, I suppose if you read those Books written a­bout this Argument, of which J think you are not ig­norant, you may find more reason to be answered, than phancy to be jeered. If you seek for Objections, I refer you to them. As to other passages in your Letter, I shall be silent, lest I give you occasion to be angry; Only (I hope) as you urge the experience of your own heart in your way of prayer to give you proof of its good­ness, [Page 11] so you will allow the experience of others in an­other way of praier than by book, to plead for them. Sir, I shall make this amicable close with you, as to any more writing; You say my Quaeries were impertinent to your designe: Truly I know not what your designe was, but I am sure they were pertinent to determine the question of imposing formes of Prayer on them, who have no need of them in the Church of God. You say also (you consider it simply, without respect to its being im­posed:) If you stand to your word, I come to this issue, if you argue not to impose it on the Church of God, which can by Scripture directory make their addresses to God without it, I shall not trouble you nor any that think your selves to stand in need of any lawfull forme of Prayer to help you. Onely do not bind men to crut­ches whom God hath inabled to go without them. I have done as to any more Letters about this matter; And now commending you to the Word of Gods grace, which is able to keep you, and give you an inhe­ritance among them that are sanctified, I shall ever rest,

I Thank you for your last Letter; but should thank you more, but that I finde and expression in it, which I apprehend, as very Scopticall, and Unfriendly: That is this: As to other passages in your Letter, I shall be silent, lest I give you occasion to be angry. Sir, if those passages were Evill, I conceive you should be Bound in Conscience, having so fair an opportunity, to shew me wherein, (and that in such Plainnesse, and Simpli­city of expression, as is fit to drop from the Tongue, or Pen of a CHRISTIAN, one that carries the Heavenly DOVE in his Bosome:) if they were not E­vill, you ought not to have such a reflexion on them, as I conceive you had in the writing of that expression. I must confesse a Carnall Man might easily have taken an occasion to scoffe at me, if I had written to him as I did to you, desiring that you would avoid all exas­perating Language. But, Sir, I take you to be a Person, who know by your own Experience that it must needs be an exceeding great Trouble to any one that would alwayes Repose his Spirit in the GOD of Peace, to be at any time Discompos'd, though it be but by the least Act of Animosity, or Indignation against any mans person; and therefore that 'tis not so Foolish to do, or say what we can to prevent any thing, by which the DEVIL may possibly frame in us a Temptation to [Page 13] that Sin of Anger, or Roughnesse of Spirit. If you won­der why I should feare that you would deale Vncivilly with me, I must tell you, you gave me too much reason for it in your first Letter: namely by your Iu­venum Confidentissimus, your so slight a matter, as the sending you an Answer: Your putting in these words, An Able Respondent, as mine, though they were not to be found in any part of my Letter: If I had exprest my selfe in those words, the expression must have implyed a vaine boasting of mine owne Abilities, whereas the expression that I used implied onely a Confidence of the Goodnesse of my Cause, and the Strength that thereupon I should expect from God, when ever I should (in a pure, and vertuous inten­tion) undertake to maintain it.

Sir, I cannot but wonder that you should say, I know not what your Designe was, when I had told you what it was expresly in these words: To know whe­ther or no you have any thing to Object against this Position: That a man may Worship GOD in Spirit, and in Truth, in the Vse of that Forme of Prayer (for Morning, and Evening) which we call the Common-Prayer: Which, I told you, I consider'd simply, without respect to the imposing of it; And I do stand to my Word. But this I say, that if the KING shall thinke fit to impose it (by the reinforcement of that Old Act) I doubt not but there will be men enough found out that shall be ready to manifest to the World the reasonablenes, and the piety of such an Action: but this Worke GOD hath not Call'd me unto That which I undertake is, to maintain the Assertion above mentioned; which I shall be ready to do (God willing) when ever I finde [Page 14] any thing like reason propos'd against it. And I shall humbly entreat you to tell me what Book you would chiefly advise me to read which hath any thing in it expresly against the Letany, which I take to be the best part of the Common-Prayer, if any part may be said to be better then another in a Composition so entirely Excellent. Alas, Sir, I do not stand in need of a Set Forme (I thanke GOD) but the generality of my Con­gregation do, being not so ready to Apprehend extom­porary Expressi [...]ns, as I am to Deliver them. Even those that are of the weakest capacities I advise to use their owne expressions when they Pray in secret: I am not a­gainst a grave, modest, discreet and humble use of Ministers gifts even in publick, the better to fit, and excite their owne, and the peoples affecti­ons to the pre­sent occasions. K CHARLS the First in his [...].Nei­ther do I ever confin [...] my selfe to a Set Forme in the Pulpit either before, or after Sermon, conceiving that that way of ex­pressing my heart in Prayer, which I use there, may be more helpfull to the Devo­tion of some of my Auditory, then the o­ther, and not wholly useless to the Other sort, whose hearts in all probability are more wrought upon by the Other Service. Sir, I shall not trouble you any further concerning this business, unlesse it be in vindication of what I have already writ­ten, if you express those exceptions against it, which you seem to imply in that saying, Lest I give you occasion to be angry. If you shall grant me the request above mentioned, I shall take it for a great favour, and shall be desirous of an opportunity to approve my selfe

I Have reason to suspect that what has been spoken by you, and others in this County against the use of the Common Prayer, hath begotten in the minds of severall persons such a prejudice against it, as deprives them of many of those good Thoughts which they might enjoy, when they hear their Ministers say that Service, if they did duely, and without prejudice at­tend to it. Sir, If you think that a man may not wor­ship GOD in spirit, and in truth in the use of that Form of Prayer, which we call the Common-Prayer, I shall earnestly entreat you to shew me what Reason you have (or rather what you take to be a Reason) for this your Opinion, which I take to be very Erroneous, and very Obstructive to the Peace of the Church. If you think your Reason Convincing, pray make use of it, and endeavour to convince me. If you refuse to write to me, how justly may I Feare that you make it your Businesse to Draw the Vulgar into your Opinion, rather then to Guide any one into the way of Truth? If you shall object any thing against particular expressi­ons, I must tell you, that those portions of the Litur­gie, whose expressions I undertake to maintain, are Morning, and evening Prayer, and the Letany. As for the Formes for the Buriall of the Dead, Baptisme, &c. though I do not except against any passage in them, yet [Page 16] I do not undertake to vindicate them, because I fore­see that such Controversies may easily arise from them, as a Spirituall Man cannot well discuss without Loss of Time (as I have said to another Learned Person.) Sir, I beseech you do not mistake me: I abhor Contention, though sometimes I finde it necessary to ingage my self in Controversie: I call no man upon Earth Master; but in all humility I acknowledge your Superiority, and profess my selfe

SIth you scorn to answer my Letter, and Despise my Youth, saying, old men know young men to be Fools, &c. (of which my Friend has inform'd me at large) I would have you, and all others who shall Censure me, for writing to you, so harshly, as you have done, to know this, that I boldly Appeal to his Judgement, who saw My Heart when I wrote that Letter, and Yours, when you contemn'd it. I am

IF these LETTERS shall chance to be seen by Mr Isaac Pennington the young­er, If what hath been written by this Pennington, came from his heart, I conceive it impossible, but that he must needs Abhor that black Hellish act of Murthering our late KING of Glorious Me­mory: and also that cursed Opi­nion, that it may be Lawfull in some Cases for Subjects to take up Arms against their Prince.one of those whom they call Qua­kers, (whom I take to be one of the most Honest, and Ingenuous of all those, who any way oppose the Doctrine, or Discipline of the Church of England) I shall entreat him to per­use them seriously, and if he find upon his spi­rit any thing to be objected against that Asser­tion, which I have tendred to these men, Mr. Hughes, and Mr. Ford, either to be Granted, or Oppos'd by them, I shall entreat him to discover it in Exact, and Punctual Expressions: For from my soule I desire to know where the strength of that Fancy lies, which holds men so fast in this Errour of Disliking the Common Prayer. I shall further entreat this man to peruse seri­ously, and to lay deeply to heart (in the real Fear and Dread of the Great God, whom both He, and I say We Know) these following Lines, which I sent a while since to the Quakers in my own Country, who I hope (some of them) will not deny that I am a true Preacher of Je­sus Christ, and Him crucified: And will I hope, e're long, by the Day star arising in their Hearts, clearly Discover that the opinion that the Church of England is any way Antichristian, must needs proceed from The Father of Lies.