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THE LIFE OF

them so to have done, and to have recommended the Use thereof to them.And this appeareth by those Directions which he gave, in one of which (be-cause he feared, that all Ministers were not so careful to prepare the Peoplefor the holy Communion, as was expedient) but, at the most, used only to preacha Sermon to that Effect, upon the same Day, and but immediately beforethey were to go to it, therefore this Defendant directed, that warning of aCommunion for the Sunday following, should ever be given the Sunday be-fore ; and that as soon as such Warning was given, one of those Exhortationswhich the Church in the Service-book hath provided, being excellent Prepa-rations to the blessed Sacrament, should be audibly pronounced, thereby thebetter to fit the People for worthy receiving, is the Minister in his Sermondid omit to do it.

But he further faith, that if on the working Days (under pretence of Prepa-ration Sermons) the said Mr. Devereux or Mr. Swaine, whom he never knew,had devised to set up a Lecture, of their own Authority, and so to draw aConflux of the Country People round about, from their Houses and from theirLabours, it might well be, that he might advise the Chancellor or Commis-sary to inhibit the same, until they should crave Licence so to do, and by ap-proving their Intentions and good Usages therein should obtain the Ordinary’sApprobation of the same.

This Defendant further believeth, that the said Mr, Devereux had been com-plained of, to the Chancellor, for Inconformity in sundry Particulars, and forholding some Conventicles, and for thrusting himself with a Train followinghim, into another Man’s Church without any Leave. Nevertheless the Chan-cellor having suspended him, he repaired within a Day or two after to thisDefendant, who presently wrote on his Behalf, and obtained his Dismission,

To the eleventh Article this Defendant anfwereth and denieth, that he didendeavour to suppress the Power and Benefit of Prayer. And for Proof there-of humbly cravetb, that he may here alledge the Contents and Sufferance ofthe ninth Article in this Charge.

He likewise denieth that he injoined, that no Minister should use any Prayerbefore or aster his Sermon : inasmuch as he required them, as well before orafter Sermon, to use the Prayers by Law pretcrib’d. Only his Inquiry was,whether they did use any Form os Prayer, which was of their private con-ceiving or collecting, and of their own inventing and chusing. And betweenthese two (as he humbly conceiveth) there is a broad Difference. He wellknoweth that every Creature of God is good , and is JanciiJicd by the Word ofGod and Prayer, i Tim. iv. fie was therefore very careful, that the Prayersorder’d by the Church should be joined with the Sermons: In which Prayersthe Assistance of the holy Spirit, and the blessing of God both upon theSpeaker and Hearer, is most fully and excellently prayed for, so as no Manshall need to help out or supply the same by his own Inventions. As for Ex-ample [That those Things may please him which we do at this present, &c. O Lordopen thou our Lips , &c. To Day if you will hear his Voice, &c. Indue thyMinisters , &c. 0 Lord make clean our Hearts , &c. shut all our Doingsmay be ordered by thy Governance, to do always, &c. These fix arc in theMorning Prayer. Then in the Litany there are three other Passages moreexpress than the former. From all fase Doctrine, Heresy , and Schism , frontHardness of Heart and Contempt of thy Word , 6cc. That it may please thee to rideand govern thy holy Church, &c. To illuminate all Pa/lors, Bishops, and Mi-ni/lers of the Church with true Kncnvledge and Underjlandmg of thy Word, andthat by their Breaching and Living they may Jet it f orth, 6cc. To give us anHeart to love and dread thee , &c. ‘Jb give to all thy People increase os Grace,

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