have neither time to read many Books, nor are they qualified to judge of those Arguments, which are drawn from the controverted Sense of Quotations from THE FATHERS, and to understand the Force of which a competent Skill in the learned Languages is neceffary. To remedy this Inconvenience, I have reduc'd the Subftance of what has been wrote on both Sides into this short Compafs, and having thrown out those elaborate Criticisms (which were of no other Signification in the Controversy, than to fhew the Learning of the Writer that uses them) I have ftated every thing material in fo clear a Method, that I hope this Book, in the Hands of the Laity, will prove an effectual Antidote againft all the fubtle Reasonings of our NEW REFORMERS. I have made no References to the Places quoted out of THE FATHERS, because to them, for whose Use this Abridgment is principally defign'd, they will be of no Service; and Men of Learning and Lei

fure

fure will not content themselves with Abridgments, but read the Controverfy at large. I dare appeal to our Adverfaries themselves, whether I have not faithfully propos'd their Objections in their full Strength, and put nothing in their Mouths, but what they have really said in the Controversy; not excepting even the ridiculous Challenge at the End, which NEOPHYTUS, I fuppofe, has not forgot.

Thad once fome Thoughts of redu cing their chief Arguments into Syllogifm, and most of them would have made as odd a Figure, as that from the Teftimony of JUSTIN MARTYR, which is fo reduc'd in the Book: But I content my self with having ftripp'd them of that false Ornament, which the eloquent Pen of the AUTHOR OF THE REASONS had varnifh'd them over with: Their Weakness is now fufficiently manifested; and as the other Method would have been too dry, fo the Confequence of an Argument will be

much better apprehended by vulgar
Understandings in this Form. I pray
God to blefs this Work, that it
may be a Means of confirming those,
who have been wavering, of bringing
back to the Church those, who have
been feduc'd from it, and of filencing
the Gainfayer, which was the fole In-
tent of its Author in compiling and
publishing it.

MARCH 31.
1720.

S. D.

INDEX.

F Tradition

Page

5, 29
5,6,7

Of the Mixture
Prov. ix. 1. 5. clear'd
The Pafchal Cup not neceffarily a mix'd Cup 7,8
Unleaven'd Bread as necessary as mix'd Wine 8,9
Of our Saviour's Words not necessarily exclu-
ding Water

10, II

II, 12

Of the Diftinction between the Fruit of the Vine,
and the Fruit of the Tree
Wine not the only thing mention'd, because the
principal Ingredient

Their Argument from the End of the Inftitution
anfwer'd

John 1 Ep. ch. v.8. confider'd

Their Argument from Heb. ix. 19. anfwer'd 16
That from John xvi. 12. replied to

Of the Teftimony of Juftin Martyr

13

13, 14

15

16, 17

17, 18

19

20, 24

24

24, 25, 26

Of Irenæus and Clemens Alexandrinus

of St. Cyprian

of Origen

Of the Apoftolical Conflitutions

Of the Liturgies of St. Bafil and St. Chryfo-

ftom

26,27

27, 28, 29

29, 46

What Advantage they think it of to the Dead

29, 30

of

Of their Argument from the laft Verse Page of St. John's Gofpel

30

Of the Inftance of it in the B. of Maccabees 30,31 Of Eph. vi. 18.

Of 2 Tim. i. 18.

31, 32

32

Of the Teftimony of Tertullian

33,38

Of St. Cyprian

38, 39

Of the Ancient Liturgies

39

of Epiphanius

40

Of St. Ambrofe

40, 41

41

41, 42

Of St. Auftin

Of St. Cyril of Jerufalem

Of the Lawfulness of Prayer for the Dead 42 Whether there are Prayers for the Dead in the prefent Liturgy

43, 44 Our Reftorers had no Authority to compofe New Offices

45

Of St. Paul's Rule of Forbearance Rom. xiv. 45 Of the Prayer for the Defcent of the H. Ghoft 46 Of their Teftimonies from the Fathers

Of Chrift's bleffing the Elements

Of Heb. ix. 14.

Of 1 Cor. xiv. 16.

I

Of the Form of Confecration in our Liturgy 50 Of the Oblatory Prayer

51, 54

An Alteration of the Liturgy on this Head prov'd unneceffary and inexpedient from

Mr. Johnfon, one of their own Witneffes 52 Strange Opinions of our new Reformers

55

ΑΝ