their Brethren Thus far we do not question whether they pray for us I mean in genere * Field of the Church l. 3. c. 3. yea what if I should add that it is not incredible but that they pray for their friends and acquaintance and in general desire the removal of Evils and the granting those things which are necessary for their Salvation yea if I should add further that it is not incredible but that they pray for them whose Conditions on Earth they remember even this also some eminent Protestants have thought †Andrews Opusc Posth Resp ad c. 20. l. 5. Repl. Card. Perron Montac adv Buleng pag. 21. yet still 't is no way certain not certain I say that they do pray in particular for their fellow members or remember in their Prayers all the particular necessities of the faithfull on earth for if we say we are certain that they do thus particularly pray the question will return which way or by what ground are we certainly assured and it will apear there is no certain ground but only some guesses and supposed probabilities and ê‘o this Doctrine must be doubtful and uncertain Fourthly I instance in the Doctrine of Indulgences the Councel of Trent declares That since there was a power of bestowing Indulgences granted by Christ to the Church and the Church from the most ancient times hath used it The Synod doth teach that the use of them being very wholsome to Christian people and approved by authority of Councils to be retained in the Church and Anathematizes them who either say they are unprofitable or deny the Churches power to bestow them The same also is sworn by their Clergy in the profession of faith made by Pius 4. Indulgentiarum Potestatem à Christo in Ecclesia relictam esse illarúmque usum Christiano Populo maxime salutarem esse affirmo No more was said of this Article by the Council of Trent whether for hast of ending the Council or rather for multiplicity of abstruse questions which must have been determined as the History of the Council sayes I cannot judge The meaning of the article must be gathered from the practice of their Church and opinion of their Doctors t is certain in the practice of their Church that there are indulgences granted by the Pope in which he doth absolve à culpa et poena both from fault and punishment That for visiting such a Church frequenting such a Station Saying over at such an Altar so many times Ave Maria or pater noster they shall have plenam remissionem peccatorum so it is in the Bul of indulgence for celebrating the year of Jubilee in the first institution of Jubilees by Boniface the 8th * Platina in vit 〈◊〉 Bonifac 8. he gave to those who visited the thresholds of the Apostles plenam omnium peccatorum remissionem a full remission of all sins Leo the 10th gave to those who devoutly repeated this Prayer after the divine Office to the holy and undivided Trinity the humanity of Christ Crucified the fruitful integrity of the most blessed Virgin be eternal praise glory and honor Indulgence of all the defects and faults which in the performance of the office were contracted by humane frailty * Gavant Thes Sacr. Rit in Fine Libri Nothing is more common in the Buls for the Crusadoes then pardon for half sins or for all sins so in the Crusado which Vrban the 6th publisht against the adherents of Clement there were given to Henry Spenser Bishop of Norwich mirabiles indulgentiae * by †Hen. Knighton Cron. l. 5 inter script Hist. Anglic. Pag. 2671. the authority of which he did absolve as well the dead as the living for whom there was a sufficient contribution from all the fault and punishment and some of his Commissaries affirmed that at their command the Angels descended from Heaven and took the souls which were in Purgatory out of their punishment and instantly carried them to Heaven In the Crusadoes against the Albigenses Innocent promised to all who either died in the way or in battel on Gods part and by the authority of St. Peter and St. Paul absolution from all the sins contracted in their lives which they had confest and for which they had not done penance * Rigord 1 i st An. 1208 Pag. 207. Sometimes the indulgence runs for penance injoyned so for repeating the new office of the Blessed Virgin if they be not obliged to do it Tius 5 remits 50 days de poenitentiis injunctis as oft as they do it for repeating the office of the dead for repeating the 7 penitential psalms or the Graduals 40 days and so the Indulgence runs which Martin the 50 anno 1429 gave for the Celebration of Corpus Christi day to all that were present at the Mattins and Evensong of the feast 200 dayes indulgence to all that were present at the Prime the third the sixth the ninth or the Completory of that feast 80 days to the Priests who said Mass for every Mass 100 days to those who follow the procession in which the Host is carried 100 days c. to indure every year for ever * Const Prov. Tit de serlis gloss In Cap. Ex â—cript p. Corp. Christi Sometimes they are Indulgences pro poenitentiis injungendis for remission of Penance which might be enjoyned sometimes the words run Indulgentiam in Domino miserecorditer relaxamus and these Indulgences are some for daies so every Arch Bishop and Bishop at their first coming to their Cathedrals* grant †Carem Epsc l. 1. c. 2. 40 daies sometimes for one year as at the dedication of a Church sometimes for 7 sometimes for an 100 years sometimes for 1000 So the Monastery of St. Sebastian in Catacumbis hath Indulgences of 3000 years for all that visit a stone which hath the print of our Saviours footsteps by other Popes 7000 years were granted on the feast of the Asoention unto the Calends of August every day 4000 years on St Sebastians day 3000 years and 40 days of Indulgence and all these are doubled in Lent and in the double festivals I could reckon up multitudes of large Indulgences which some bountiful Popes have bestowed as at Crowland Abby a pardon of 8000 years so the pardon procured by Thomas Cromwel* †Acts and Monum in the life of Cromwel Pag. 49. for Boston from Julius the second that all who are of the gylde of our Lady in St. Botolphs Church in Boston who resort to the said Chappel on the Nativity or Assumption of our Lady giving to the support of the Chappel at every such festival shall have full remission of all his sins or if they could not come to that Chappel yet if they said at their Parrish Church one Pater noster and Ave Maria they should have like remission and those that came every Fryday to that Chapel should have as much remission as if they went to the Chappel
Imprimatur Tho. Tomkyns RR mo in Christo Patri ac Domino Domino Gilbert divina providentia Archiepiscopo Cantuariensi á sacris domesticis Ex Aed Lambethanis Oct. 31. THE UNREASONABLENESS OF THE ROMANISTS Requiring our COMMUNION With the present Romish Church Or a DISCOURSE Drawn from the perplexity and uncertainty of the Principles and from the Contradictions betwixt the Prayers and Doctrine of the present Romish church to prove that 't is unreasonable to require us to joyn in Communion with it LONDON Printed by T. R. for Richard Royston Bookseller to his most Excellent Majesty 1670. THE PREFACE AFter the Ascention of our Saviour the Apostles separated themselves for the Publishing of the Gospel through all the World and where they saw any likelyhood of a plentifull Harvest they bestowed there the greatest Paines in the Planting of the Christian Religion Their first care was for the converting of the Cities for the greater would draw after it the lesser and Religion settled in the Cities would sooner diffuse it self through the adjacent Villages By the same reason their Care was the Conversion of the Metropolis of the Roman World that from that head Religion might more opportunely be conveyed into all the members of that vast Empire And by its Authority and Example other Countries subject to that City might be moved to embrace the Faith Et cito pervios haberet populos praedicatio generalis quos unius teneret Regimen civitatis * Leo Serm. de Nat. Petri ◠Pauli In the Conversion of this place both the Doctor of the Gentiles and the Apostle of the Circumcision and Tertullian de praescriptionibus mentions also S. John bestowed their time and Labour Here they Preached here they Suffered quibus Romanis Evangelium Petrus Paulus sanguine quoque suo signatum reliquerunt and both founded this Church a gloriosissimis duobus Apostolis Petro Paulo Romae fundatur constituitur Ecclesia * Tert. adv Marco◠li. 4. Both exercised here their Apostolical authority and by Epiphanius Heres 27. are both called Bishops of Rome †Irenae lib. 3. cap. 3. Both of them appointed Linus to that Bishoprick Fundantes instruentes Ecclesiam Lino Episcopatum tradiderunt * Irenae ibi The Faith of this Roman Church was famous throughout the World their Sufferings were great for they usually endured the first heat of the Roman fury Their Bishops for the first 300 years were most of them Crowned with Martyrdom Polydor Virgil * De invent rerum Li. 9. cap. 1. saith that seven only of 32 escaped the Church thus founded in the Imperial City was most observed and Eyed both by the Heathen and by the Christian By the Heathen it was so eyed that usually it became the mark of their fury and their Edicts of Persecutions were first executed in the City before they were transmitted into the remoter Provinces The Martyrs here were so numerous that it became the businesse of 7 Notaries to record their sufferings as Platina reports This Church was much eyed by the Christians being placed in the chief City The Faith of this Church like a Candle on a Hill was more conspicuous and its suffering was more observed than in Remoter places The Bishops of Rome were commonly the most Eminent like the choicest Soldiers placed in the Front of the Battle The Clergy here were very numerous according to the largenesse of the City for in Pontians time which was about the year 231. there were 236 Cardinal Priests as Polydor Virgil * D Invent rerum ◠4. cap. 9. reports from Guido Archidiaconus and Franciscus Zabarella and these he explaines to be such who had chiefly cure of Soules This Church being thus advanced by the dignity of the City the eminency of its founders and the worth of its members was accounted the chief Church the Chair of Peter the Apostolick See and Valentinian in an Epistle to Theodosius saith Antiquity hath given the Bishop of the Roman City a Principality of Priest-hood above all After that the World came into the Church and the Ensign of Christianity became the Banner of the Empire the Roman Church encreased in Dignity Revenue and Credit for the Christian Emperours out of their respect to Religion honouring the Bishops enlarging their Revenue and increasing their Dignity did shew more particular kindnesse to the Church of Rome where was the Seat of their Empire and which had gained such esteem for the merit of its Founders In short time the Riches of the Roman Bishoprick or'e-topp'd the neighbouring places the Pomp of their Bishops was suitable to the magnificence of the City Now Communion with the Roman Bishop was made the Test and Mark of Orthodoxnesse in Religion Now it was decreed by the Emperours that it should not be Lawful for the Bishops of Gallia or other Provinces to attempt any thing without the Authority of the venerable Pope of the Eternal City * Apud Baron an 445. n. 9. and in all things they hast'ned to increase the Authority and Honour of that See per omnia properamus honorem Authoritatem vestrae Sedis crescere saith Justinian * L. Seder C. de Sum. trin But now the Roman Church which by the favour of Emperours and affection of Prelates in reverence of S. Peter and respect to the Imperial Seat had gained this dignity and honour began to swell with higher aimes and to Aspire to greater Priviledges If the Councel of Calcedon would advance Constantinople to the second Patriarchship upon the same reason as the Fathers bad dignified Rome Propter imperium civitatis illius and would now give equal Priviledges to new Rome judging it reasonable that the City adorned with the Empire and Senate should enjoy equal Priviledges with the elder Rome * Conc. Calced Act. 16. then Leo epist 58. to the Empresse Pulcheria durst pronounce Consensiones Episcoporum sanctorum Canonum apud Nicaeam Conditorum Regulis repugnantes in irritum mittimus per authoritatem Beati Petri Apostoli generali prorsus definitione cassamus we do make the agreement of the Bishops repugnant to the Canons of the Council of Nice for so he conceived the advancement of Constantinople to be null and by the authority of the blessed Apostle Peter do make them void If the Councel of Sardis * Conc. Sardic Can. 3. n. 8. to honour the memory of S. Peter appoints in the case of a Bishop or Priest that if he think he hath good reason why the cause should be examined over again those who heard the cause should write to Julius the Roman Bishop and if he think fit it should be re-examined that it may be so and he may appoint Judges and if he does not think it fit to be re-examined then what he doth determine shall be confirmed Or in case of a Bishop deposed if he appeal to the Roman Bishop that Bishop if he thinks fit may write to the Neighbouring Bishops
that they determine the cause and in case the deposed Bishop desire the Roman Bishop to send one of his Presbyters it shall be in his power and if he will send some with his Authority to judge the cause with the other Bishops he may do it This priviledge shall be extended higher that inferiour Priests may appeal to the Roman See out of any Provinces that the causes of Bishops may be called to Rome and heard by him alone and this profitable Authority of receiving Appeals was pretended by Zosimus * Cod. Con. Ecl. Affr. in Conc. Carth. 419. from the Canons of the Nicene Councel though no such thing could be found in any of the Copies of that Councel in the Eastern Church as Cyril of Jerusalem and Atticus of Constantinople testified afterwards this priviledge was so heightned that all causes almost were drawn to Rome * Vrsperg in Phill. lmp. all jurisdiction hindred and causes were determined more according to mens gifts than thâ—ir rights If the Antients did show any respect to the Roman See allowing it the priviledge to be the first Seat and that Bishop to be first of all Priests so Justinian * Nov. 131. Cap. 2. determines according to the ancient Cannons that he be the chiefest of Bishops and the first Patriarch and have the first place in Councels before the other Patriarchs and I 'le add another priviledge which Pope Julius mentions * Socrat. li. 2. Cap. 13. as an Ecclesiastical Law that without the Roman Bishop no decrees should be made in Councels Now these priviledges shall be extended higher that all other Patriarchs shall be his Subjects * D st 22. Ca de Constant that by divine right the Bishop of Rome is head of the Church Caput Cardo à Domino non ab alio Apostolica Sedes constituta est sicut cardine ostium sic hujus Apostolicae Sedis authoritate omnes Ecclesiae reguntur * Dist. 22. c. Saâ—r Ecl. Rom. That it is of necessity to Salvation for every Humane Creature to be under the Roman Bishop saith Boniface who lived 1294. in the extravagant * Vna de major Obed. If the Ancient Church allowed him the priviledg to see the Canons of the Church put in Execution and as the first Seat to see that the Laws made by general Consent be Observed This Law shall be extended higher that he may dispense with the Laws made by general Councels unlesse it be in Articles of faith †Caus 25. Qu. 1. That no Councel can put Bounds to his power as Paschal the Second who was Pope 1099. Bragged that if the Council should add any Clausa irritans virt Should declare all dispensations to be Null and Invallid which are contrary to their Canons yet the Pope hath power to dispense in those cases as Victoria * Râ—lact 4. de pot Papae N. 4. prop. 4. saith Again if the Ancients did account the Vnion with the Roman Church to be the Test of Orthodoxnesse in Religion as Hierom tells Damasus I following no Chief but Christ am joyned in Communion to thy Blessednesse that is to the Chair of Peter and he that gathereth not with thee Scatereth that is who is not Christ's is Antichrist's because the Roman Church at that time was free from those Heresies under which the Eastern Church had groaned and therefore if they joyned with the Roman it was a sign that they Renounced the Errors which afflicted the Eastern and so it was Required by the Emperours * L. cunctos C. de Sum. trin that all should professe the Religion which it appeared that Damasus and Peter Bishop of Alexandria follow i. e. that according to the Discipline of the Apostles and the Doctrine of the Gospel we believe one Deity of the Father Son and Holy-Ghost Now what they spake of the present time the Roman Bishops pretend to be constant priviledges of that See for they lost no time to inhanse their own greatnesse Leo was hammering at it Hactenus fides Petri non defecit hitherto it hath not failed and he adds Nec defectura Creditur in Throno suo * Leo. Epist 9. ad Pat. Antioch that the Roman Church neither hath Erred nor shall Err †Greg. 7. li. 2. post Ep. 55. and in dissention about matters of faith be that shall take that side to which the Bishop of Rome adheres shall be secure for Christ hath prayed that Peters faith faile not The first ground of the priviledg was because that the Tradition of the Christian Doctrine concerning that point was preserved sincere in the Roman Church For the Emperours say they would have all the people to professe that Religion which S. Peter delivered to the Romans and which it appears Pope Damasus followed This afterwards the Popes claim as the fruits of Christs Prayer for S. Peter and the priviledge of their See By these Steps the Roman Bishop ascended to that height of Power he enjoyed what was either by consent or Custom either in honour of S. Peter or Respect to the Imperial Seat either for the greatnesse of the City the Eminency of many Bishops or the Orthodoxnesse in Religion while the World groaned under Arianisme ascribed to the Roman Bishop was afterwards challenged to be due by Divine right Then the Sister challenged to be the Mother the fellow-Servant to be the Mistresse of all Churches and the Roman Bishop who was so often called by Cyprian his Brother and Collegue to be in effect the Lord and Master The Canons were trodden under foot the Authority of Bishops deprest and all things brought into confusion his flatterers and those that thrived by his greatnesse labouring still to advance his Power they cried him up to have Omnia jura in scrinio pectoris all Laws contained in his Brest * Const. provinc de â—emp ord gloss in C. 2. expresse Lanc. init jur Canon L. 1. tit 3. de Eccl. Const that he was above all Laws and his bare will a sufficient Reason and his decretal Epistles were equal not only to the Canons of general Councils but they were also Reckoned among the Canonical Scriptures and yet this Blasphemous saying fathered on S. Augustin lib. 2. de Doctrina Christiana * Distinct 19. in Canonicis is not expunged either by Thomas Manriques when he set forth the censures on the glosses by command of Pius Quintus or by Sixtus Faber Mr. of the Apostolick Pallace in his Censures published by command of Greg. 13 th 1580. nor did he only challenge a primacy in Spirituals but even in Temporals as Bonif. 8. in the extravagant †Extrar Vâ—â—a de major obedient saith that in the Churches Power are two Swords the Spiritual and the Temporal and so Pope Nicolas tells the Milanois that God gave to Peter the Key-keeper of Eternal life Terreni simul coelestis Imperij curam That he shall take the charge of
afterward he censes the Quire and the sub-Deacon then the censer bearer censes the Deacon then the Acolites lastly the People * Rubr. Generaâ— in offert c. 7. â— 10. And all this is done to drive away devils saies Innocent †l. 2. c. 17. the third in his exposition of the Mass and Gavantus * Com. in Rubr. Missae paâ—t 2. tit 4. n. 4. l. ic â— from him but by what record or what ground shall I be certain that the Apostles commanded this or that their Church in conformity to the practice of the Apostles did thus or Lastly that the present Roman Church pretends no other virtue or efficacy in Incense than was allowed by the ancient Church Secondly I have further reason to question the uncertainty of this pretended Tradition for even several authors of the Roman Communion have affixed a far latter date to the beginning of this Institution Platina †In vitâ Sixti 1. and Polydor Virgil * De Invent rerum l. 5. c. 10. refer it to Leo the third who was the 98th Bishop of Rome according to Platina Fourthly It is no way certain that they received the use of Priestly Garments from Apostolical Tradition though we do not contend whether the Priest may use distinct Garments in the Celebration for the practice is according to St. Hierome's expressions Religio divina alterum habet habitum in ministerio alternm in usu vitâque communi that their habits in their ministration were different from those they commonly used yet we judge these are liberae Institutionis which are indifferent in themselves and not absolutely necessary such things as the Church may injoyne from its own authority in things indifferent not which it must injoyne from Apostolical command For First We are no way certain that the Apostles practiced or commanded such things that either at the first Institution by our Saviour or at the Celebration of the Sacrament by the Apostles they used any such Priestly Garments and ê‘o Polydor Virgil * De Invent Rerum l 4. c. 7. saies Hebraica magis quam Apostolica referunt instituta they more resemble the Jewish than Apostolical Institutions Secondly We are not certain that though God did appoint in the Old Testament such habits for Aaron and his Sons when they were to minister the Priests ê‘o in the New Testament must have such for all agree that nothing prescribed in the Mosaical ministration doth bind us Christians unless where the nature of it is Moral else we should be obliged to observe all the Rites annd Ceremonys which Moses appointed and ê‘o it seems very strange that Bellarmine * L. 2. de Misâ—â—â— c. 14. should say that the Garments of the Aaronical Priests were Figures and Types of those Vestments which the Christians use for to represent and tipify something to be used in the times of the Gospel requires a Divine Institution but it is no way certain that they were so appointed by Divine Institution ê‘o we cannot assert that they are Figures and Types of the Priestly Vestments which are now used Thirdly If we look on the several habits which belong to their Clergy we shall think it very unlikely that they were derived from the Apostles either if we consider the things required or the significations they assign to them First As for the things required there are six things required in the attire of a Priest but 15 several parts of the attire of a Bishop as Durand * Ration Div. Offic. l. 3. c. 1. â—it G. H. reckons them and though the High Priest among the Jewes had only eight things in his attire yet the Bishop must have fifteen because forsooth as Durand gives the accurate reason our righteousness must exceed the righteousnes of Scribes and Pharises Nay these fifteen are not all for besides these he wears his Surpliss and his pluviale now it 's very improbable that the Apostles should require more than Moses did or that when they imposed such several habits that yet neither in the Scripture nor Primitive writers there appear the least footstep of this injunction Secondly If we consider the grounds they pretend and the signification they give them it will seem altogether improbable that they should be derived from the Apostles The Sandals say they come from the Apostles who used Sandals Mark 6 9. But if the Apostles example there be a sufficient argument then they must neither have a Staff in their Journy nor Mony in their Purse or if they pretend our Saviours command Go teach all nations which reason Durand * Rationale Div. Offic. l. 3. c. 8. tit A. gives that will never sute with the grandeur of their Bishops nor yet with their practice who do not use to foot it to Preach in their own Cures The Miter saies Baronius †Ad annum 34. n. 298. came from the Apostles and the Bishop with his Miter represents Moses coming down from the Mount with the 2 Tables but if it came from the Apostles how comes it to have 2 Horns because say they Moses when he came from the Mount was Horned * Polyd. Virgil. dâ— Invent. Rer. l. 4. c. 7. an error which the vulgar Translation has occasion'd by misinterpreting a word For where it should be read his face shone That translation renders it cornuta erat facies ejus Exod. 34. 2. and yet here 's an Apostolical Tradition pretended to justifie their mistake But this is not all why must it be Horned to note saies Durand * Rationale Div. Offic l. 3. c. 13. tit C. D. the 2 Testaments why must the Miter have two stays hanging behind to note saies he the Spirit and the letter Why must it be made high to note the eminency of knowledge which must be in a Bishop the Gloves saies Durand †161. l. 13. c. 12. must be put on according to the Tradition of the Apostles next after the Dalmatica that his left hand may not know what his right hand doth And why Gloves to cover their hands because workes must be publick but the intention secret * Gavant Thes Sacr. Rit Part 2 tit 1. pag. 99. why must he sometimes put them off and sometimes put them on because good works must sometimes be secret to shun vain glory sometimes publick to edefy their neighbours Saies Durand will ye see more of these five reasons which their Ritualists give concerning Priestly and Episcopal habits and you will then think that those who pretend to give a reason of those Ceremonies do only insanire cum ratione and that 't is very unlike the simplicity of Religion which the Apostles delivered Fourthly I add that 't is so far from being certain that these Garments came from the Apostles that their own authors tell us that at first they said Mass in their usual Garments so Gavantus * Part. 1. tit 18. out of Walafrid Strabo and that by degrees the multitude of these
O Almighty God who madest Stone walls to fall before the Ark of the Covenant by the sound of Trumpets poure out thy blessing on this Bell that the fiery darts of the enemy the shaking of Thunder may be driven far off before the sound of it and in another prayer that the enemies army may be affrighted the people cal'd by it may be comforted in the Lord and the holy Spirit even as it was delighted with Davids Harpe may descend upon them then the Bell must be sprinckled with holy water and the Priest must name it laying his hands upon it and so must the Godfathers and Godmothers who must name it after the Priest and cover it with Linnen cloaths and after this benediction the Bell becomes so holy that no man must Tole it unless he wear a hallowed Surplis saies Gavantus * Part. 1. tiâ— 20. from a Council of Colen This is their strange way of blessing Bells which almost needs no other refutation than bare recital of the manner of it for what reason of anointing within and without or if it was no more than in imitation of the Jewes to seperate this for an holy use yet why 7 times on the outside and 4 times on the inside why must this be censed and so that it may gather up all the smoak and why must it be named in so solemn a manner what use of Godfathers and Godmothers here of laying their hands on it afterwards of covering it with Linnen cloathes which is an imitation of that Ceremony of the white garment they used in Baptism and why do they pray that their sound may drive away devils frighten enemies hinder storms c as by the sound of Trumpets the walls of Jericho fell down for there was both a command that the Priest should blow the Trumpets and a promise of extraordinary blessing here is no ground to pretend either command or promise I might Instance in their strange forms of exorcizing persons possessed with devils the vanity of which is sufficiently described by my Lord Bishop of Downe in his excellent disswasive from Popery for they rather seem like magical Enchantments than devout formes of prayer I might Instance in their consecrations of Chrysme how it must be brought from the Vestry to the Bishop by 12 Priests representing the 12 Apostles and by other Clergy men signifying the Disciples how after it is blessed it must be saluted by the Bishop and his Priests 5 times with a lowd voice ave Sanctum Chrysma hayle holy Chrisme and how the Bishop must breath 3 times on it as Durand * Rational l. 6. c. 74. gives us the forme I could instance in their strange formes of processions with anticks going before them as if they intended rather to Create laughter than stir up Devotion a custome which Polidor Virgil * de Invent. â—â—rum 〈◊〉 6. c. 11. confesses was without doubt received from the heathenish Romans I could Instance in their acting of the passion which turns the whole seriousnes of religion into a mimical sport as Ludovic Vives * in August de Civit Dei l. 8. c. ult complained many more of this nature I could reckon up but these are to many The sum of the second argument is this it is unreasonable to adhere to that Church which not only practices such cerimonies which are vain and ridiculous and which is at best uncertain whether they be not superstitious but requires all to owne them for good and wholesome but the Church of Rome doth so ê‘o CHAP. III. MY third Consideration shall be drawn from the absurdities and untruths in several Offices because there are several things false many things derogatory from the merits of Christ and ascribing too much to the Creature First I instance in the prayers they make to the B. Virgin the Titles they ascribe to her and the praises they give her First In the prayers to her it is certain that a great part of the devotion of the Romanists is employed in the prayers to her she hath her Fices she hath her Houres she hath her Letany she hath her Rosary and Gregory 13. Instituted a Mass in honour of the Rosary with Indulgences to them that celebrate it she hath her Psalter composed by Bonaventure which are onely Davids Psalms deformed in which the name of Lady is put for Lord and what he said of God is ascribed to the B. Virgin she hath 8 Festivals and least they should faile in the performance of their duty to her there is a peculiar Mass iâ— the Missal of Salisbury call'd Missâ— Missale sec usum Sarum an 1555. in Vigil Pasch recollectionis festorum B. Mariae Let us consider the prayers themselves in which they do not only intreat her to pray for them or pray that God would grant their requests upon the intercession of the B. Virgin but they desire that by her merits and prayers they may be brought to Heaven * Offic. B. â—irg ad matutin And if you think they do not derogate from the Son who leane on the merits of the Mother you shall find them equal'd in a prayer of the Mass of the most holy Rosary where they pray that God who predestinated Jesus Christ according to the flesh and chose the most holy Virgin to be his mother would grant that through both their merits compleated by the 15 sacred mysteries of the Rosary we may be so for the present addicted to them that we may continually perceive in our selves the fruit of them in the glory of an Heavenly life praesta quaesumus ut amborum meritis per sacra 15 mysteria Rosarij completis ità in praesenti simus illis addicti quatenus in coelestis vitae gloriâ— fructus eorum jugitur sentià mus * Missal Rom. in Miss Rosarij Pariâ— 1631. nay it s well if they do not question whether they do not owe more to the Mothers milk than to the Sons blood for that was 〈◊〉 only a Poetical fancy of Carolus Scribanius but was crept up into a Picture which they call a Lay mans Book on a wall in a Church at Bosledue and there found by the Dutch at the taking of the Town from intercession she is got to commanding and she that acknowledged in the Magnificat the lowliness of his Handmaid is importuned to command by the authority of a Mother and if we consult their Offices there is little can be desired of our Saviour which they do not ask of her and â—o do not only desire her intercession for blessings but desire from her the blessings themselves in the Himn Ave Maris stella which is sung at the feast of the presentation of Mary they say Solve vincla reis profer lumen caecis mala nostra pelle bona cuncta posce which in the Officâ— translated into English is something minced The guilty Souls deliver Light to the Blind restoring Drive hence our Harms for ever all Good for us