thinke it fit to trouble your Ladiships eares with any tedious canuasses to and fro but rather to recommend it to your Ladiship in one briefe view to peruse the same at your best leasure And here it is in writing praying your Ladiships honour to pardon my rudenesse and plainnesse therein according to your honours promise to my Lady here Cur. Sir I thanke you very kindly wishing I could as easily requite your paines and courtesie as I can hardly otherwise deserue it Ioh. Madam your noble acceptance shall be to me as a most ample recompence Cur. I promise to bestow the reading of it thorowly Ioh. Madam God grant you may reape much fruit thereby The Lady CVRIA reades the Writing of M. Iohannes here set downe concerning the Booke intituled A Collection of Priuate Deuotions OR The Howres of Prayer And hereupon as it seemeth such is â—he affection of the Authour or Authours and Abbetters of this Booke of Deuotion that rather then they will be scrupulous to auow themselues affectionate well-willers at least of the Church of Rome if not rather symbolizers and intercommuners with her yea and to be Authours of reducing this Church of England backe againe to that spirituall Aegypt while all along without difference they shuffle all together in one Church as more particularly will appeare in the sequell They sticke not to prefix the Iesuits vsuall Marke IHS vpon the Frontispiece of their Deuotion and vnderneath it a votarie or two with a Crosse deuoutly erected As if they would with the Name of IESVS Inchanter-like coniure downe the Spirit of Truth and coniure vp the spirit of Pontifician errour and sedition againe in this our Church So that this Booke of Deuotion bearing and wearing the Iesuits badge vpon the Forehead we cannot better parallell then to that egregious dissimulation and counterfeit Deuotion which HENRY the Third of France tooke vpon him when he found that he could not by downe-right force suppresse the Truth with the Professors of it Therefore he attempts what force there is in framing and conforming himselfe to be a patterne of Deuotion to others Hereupon he builds Monasteries vndertakes Prilgrimages confirmes the Brotherhood of Penitents erects the Order of Hieronymites is daily and familiarly conuersant with the Capuchins and Fueillans called Iesuites carries a Crucifix and Beads in Procession with a whip at his girdle causeth many Bookes of Deuotion to be printed and to conclude he institutes the Order of the Knights of the Holy Ghost founded vpon such conditions as tye them by a strict and sacred bond to the Church of Rome And wherefore all this Saith the Storie to omit other complementarie ends For the entertainment of a number of Minions and Horse-leeches to whom they must rather weigh then tell money but chiefly to pull downe the Protestants to vndermine them by this lure of worldly greatnesse withdrawing the chiefe Heads who could not attaine to this high and stately degree of Knighthood but by renouncing of their Religion But see the mischiefe of it this dissembled Deuotion not so well suiting with his other hâ—mours of Feasts Maskes sumptuous pastimes drawing on new impositions to maintaine them led the first dance of rebellion While saith the Storie the Queene-Mother and those of Guise seeing the King drowned in these delights of Court did willingly entertaine him in that humor that either busying himselfe in numbring his Beads or treading the measures of a dance themselues might hold the Raines of Gouernment and dispose of affaires of State without controule What way also this made for the Spanish-faction working by his Indian-Gold the Storie sufficiently toucheth But this by the way The parallell I confesse is vneuen in regard of the persons compared the one a Prince the other meane Parsons But the things compared are not so vnequall as Popish deuotion on both sides that adorned with the Badge of the Holy Ghost this of Iesus in both those two Diuine Persons in the Trinitie most hellishly and impiously prophaned being made the Badges of those who are professed Vassalls of Antichrist that Man of Sinne and being worne by such as would still be reputed Protestants they are the verie Ensignes of Apostacie from CHRIST to Antichrist and therefore how true Seruants and Subiects such can be to Protestant Princes who by their Order of Knighthood are sworn Liegemen to the Pope I leaue to others to iudge Onely that King caused to be published sundry Bookes of Deuotion yet all of one meale But this Booke hath no fellow must alone be published for a singular and vniuersall Platforme of all Deuotion silencing and suppressing all other Bookes of the like nâ—ture So that what entertainment in time is this deuout Booke like to find in the world when none else shall be permitted to be printed yea when as not onely Bookes of religious Deuotion but also of sound Doctrine may not be allowed to see the light As therefore Popish Deuotion is the Daughter of blind Ignorance So on the contrarie this Deuotion is like to proue the Mother of Ignorance verifying that Riddle of the Water and Ice mutually bred of each other Mater me genuit eadem mox gignitur ex me And so plausible is this Booke of Deuotion to all Papists as they begin to triumph not sticking to say that they hope ere long these faire and towardly beginnings will grow on apace to the full and vniuersall reestablishment of their Roman-Catholicke Religion here in England telling their seduced Disciples as one of them now reformed blessed be GOD told me that we had now already at London a Booke of Seuen Sacraments publickly allowed In summe therefore let not the Authours of that Booke disdaine to be vulgarly reputed and reported for the Seruants of the Church of Rome whose Badge specially that of the Iesuites they sticke not to put vpon the Front of their Deuotion And so much for the first Frontispeice of the Booke Now to the next Page wherein they father this Septenary horary forme of deuotion vpon the practise of the ancient Church And these houres of prayer are compiled much saith the Booke after the manneâ— published by authoritie of Quéene ELIZABETH 1560 c. First for the ancient Church of CHRIST No Church did anciently obserue or precisely prescribe these Seuen houres of prayer duely and daily to be vsed as the Authour or Athours would beare vs in hand How ancient I pray you is this Canonicall obseruation Forsooth Pope PELAGIVS the Second was the first instituter of the Seuen houres and that was towards 600 yeeres after CHRIST This somewhat ancient But what authoritie haue we for it PAMELIVS vpon CYPRIAN saith They say so that this PELAGIVS was the first instituter Onely They say so Though POLYDOR VIRGIL speake a little more confidently Satis constat It is apparant enough but tells vs not whence Nor doe I find this Septenary to be more ancient then Pope GREGORY the Ninth who composed the Decretals about 400
judgement for what they say the common accusations which out of the abundance of those partiall affectious that transport them the wrong way they are pleased to bring so frequently against vs being but the bare reports of such people as either doe not or will not vnderstand vs what we are Doe we cast behind vs the blessed Sacraments of Christs Catholicke Church Who told you so I pray you at Rome No I would yée well wist it we hold seuen Sacraments the same Sacraments that the Church of Rome Christs Catholick Church holdeth as shall appeare by good proofe anon But leaue we his proofe to the fit and proper place and prosecute we the rest His third reason for his 7. Canonicals is for the ease of those whom earnest lets and impediments doe often hinder from being partakers of the publick here they may haue a dayly and deuout order of priuate prayer c. First what an incongruitie is this to prescribe thâ—se his houres to men earnestly imployed in worldly affaires Indeed the obseruation of these houres is proper if for any for such as liue a Monasticall life Abbey Lubbers as we say such as haue nothing else to attend but to be busied with their beads And againe for all sorts of persons in our Church blessed be God we haue plenty of Psalters and Testaments wherein they may as profitably I trow exercise their vacant houres as in these consarcinated and new moulded prayers And in the third place doth not this new Rubrick of our Author trench intrude vpon those formes of prayer both publicke and priuate which by our Church are generally prescribed for all persons in the daily practise of their Deuotions And are not Ministers in particuler admonished to read the Morning and Euening Prayer priuately euery day in case at least if hee bee not hindered by his studies and other imployments of his calling Againe in the same Clause he glancingly giues a sound by-blow to those that stand vp in maintaining the quarrell of Gods truth against Popish perturbers and Pelagian innouators the continuall and curious disquisition of many vnnecessary questions among vs being nothing else but onely the new seedes or the old fruits of malite and by consequence the enemy of godlinesse and the abatement of true deuotion This man would willingly fold his hands and wrap vp all his Deuotion in the mantle of ignorance the Mother of his Deuotion Like to the glowoâ—me or rotten post that shines not but in the night so shines his deuotion without light or heat Or at the best like a wandring ignis fatuus And how should the lampe of true Deuotion flame forth and burne in holy feruency of effectuall prayer if it be not fedde with the oyle of sauing knowledge being pressed forth more copiously by the ventilation of errours and dissipation of mysts which would dampe and extinguish all Nor is he content herewith but this blind Deuotion of his he dare call that true deuotion wherwith God is more delighted and a good soule more inflamed then with all the subtilties in the world when at one dash he interesseth God as an approuer of his superstitious and blind Deuotion and a disallower of his owne fundamentall diuine Truthes as busy needlesse subtilties yea as new seedes or old fruits of malice and as the enemy of Godlinesse and abatement of true Deuotion His last reason is that this his booke of Canonicall houres might stirre vp all those who are coldly affected to the like heauenly dutie of performing their daily Christian deuotions c. Thus this man hopes to conuert all England at a cast and bring them within the circle of his Canonicall houres wherein they may trauerse and turne round their Beads as a blind mill-horse in the â—ound Impius ambulaâ— in Circuitu As for his exact and compleate Calender of Saints we omitt it as too tedious and fitter for the Almanack-maker to examine Onely we cannot but touch vpon his times wherein Mariages are not solemnized as from Aduent sunday vntill 8. dayes after the Epiphanie from Septuag sunday vntill 8. dayes after Easter From Rogation Sunday vntill Trinity Sunday All which times summed vp together according to the computation of his owne Calendar take vp aboue 19. weekes from the yeare Now vnder Benedicite be it spoken where doth Gods sacred word suspend or prohibite any times from sacred solemne nuptiall rites I remember it warnes vs of the perillous times of the last dayes wherein men should giue heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Deuils And what be those The Apostle there tels vs Forbidding of marriage and abstaining from Meates Now God blesse the Church of England from such seducing spirits and Doctrines of Deuils And is not the prohibiting of marriage for some certaine times in the yeare and those no small times neither as incroching vpon aboue a third part of the yeare as well as forbidding of marriage to certaine persons as Priests a branch at least of that very forbidding of marriage which the Apostle calleth a doctrine of Deuils And might not the same Church which prohibited aboue the third part of the yeare haue also with the allegation of a few more plausible pretences of holinesse or so brought all marriages to secke and sue for licâ—nces in the Court Buâ— blessed be God that these prohibited times are not any where set downe either in our booke of Common Prayer or any other bookes containing the Doctrines of the Church of England wherevnto Ministers subscribe least all should either haue cause absolutely necessary not to subscribe or subscribing to such a Decree they should proue a very packe of spirits of Frrour teaching or at least subscribing to Doctrines of Deuils But let vs heare the Authors reasons why in such times marriages are not vsually solemnized Some of these saith hee being times of solemne-fasting and abstinence some of holy festiuity and ioy Both fit to be spent in such sacred exercises without other vnnecessarie auocations So he Alas Neither times of fasting nor times of feasting for marriage Indeed for time of fasting and prayer something may be said Yet with qualification The Apostle saith speaking to the man and wife Defraud you not one the other except it be with consent for a time that yee may giue your selues to Fasting and Prayer and come together againe that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency A respect then might be had to fasting and prayer euen to them that are married But how Doth the Apostle inioyne them by some Apostolicke Constitution or Canon to abstaine for such or so long a time vnlesse they will purchase their liberty with a Licence No such thing He leaues that to their owne liberty and referrs it to their mutuall consent not limiting themselues to any set time least in the meane time Satan tempt them for their incontinency Much lesse doth he confine them to mutuall separation ten leauelong weekes together A shrewd 〈◊〉
his Doctrine to wit not to worship those Images with the worship of Latria nor otherwise simply but with relation to the Prototype So that for ought we know the Authour implyeth that some kind of adoration may be either giuen to the Image respectiuely to the Prototype or at least before the Image to the Prototype Againe he saith They that are worshippers of Idols or representments of false Gods This clause is wholly Iesuiticall See the Doway translation on Exod. 20. where the Iesuites allow none other Images to bee forbidden in the second Commandement but onely Idols and those forsooth are say they the Images of false Gods Iust so our Author here As if Angels or Saints being worshipped in and by their representations were not turned into false Gods Or as if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idolum Simúlachrum an Idol and Image were not all one See Polyd. Virgil. de Inuent rerum Lib. 5. Cap. 13. Againe They that are worshippers of Saints Images and out of a false opinion of promeriting the protection of the blessed Uirgin or any other Saint of God doe giue a religious adoration to those vsuall representments which be made of them Now in all this he speakes nothing against Poperie and so all his flourish is but a meere froth while he would seeme to say something against it For howsoeuer Popish practise is yet they teach not that Adoration of Images or Saints in them is meritorious So that the Authour leaues it as granted that a man may vse Images in their Saint-inuocation so he account it not meritorious Thus he is rather for Poperie in this point then against it Vpon the fourth Commandement he saith They offend vnder a pretence of seruing God more stâ—â—â—tly then others especially for hearing and meditating of Sermons doe by their Fasts and certaine Iudaizing obseruations condemne the ioyfull festiuitie of this high Holy-day which the Church allowes as well for the necessarie recreation of the body in due time as for Spirituall exercises of the Soule Here we come more plainly to discerne the Wolfe in the Sheeps skinne or in the Sheepherds cloke For here he breakes down a gap and whistles out the Sheepe that straying hee may deuoure them Yea in this speech he goes about to set open the verie Flood-gate of all profuse prophanesse First All truly religious and conscionable seruing of GOD he makes to be but a pretence Hypocrisie and dissimulation But the maine marke his enuie and malice shootes at is especially Hearing and meditating of Sermons By this verie speech a man that neuer saw nor knew the Authour may easily conclude whether he be a Resident vpon his Cure or no a faithfull Sheepherd or no. Hearing and meditating of Sermons hee cannot away with they are a burthen vnto him These he ranketh with I wâ—t not what Fast and some certaine but vncertaine what Iudaizing obseruations But the worst is that by such exercises as hearing and meditating of Sermons especially such persons condemne the ioyfull festiuity of this high and holy day which the Church allowes as well for the necessary recreation of the body as the spirituall exercises of the soule Well yet he acknowledgeth the Sabbath or Lords day to bee an High and Holy day Let him hold him to that But what be those ioyfull Festiuities of this High and Holy-day He mentioneth not But seeing he shuts out none we may well conclude hee meaneth all kinde of Festiuity and iollity and iouialty such as hee â—eâ—â—nes necessary recreations for example Rush-bearings Whitsun-Ales Morice-dances setting vp of May-poles hearing of a play or seeing of a Maske or Dicing and Carding or bowling or bowsing or whatsoeuer other Glosse the carnall vulgar may make of this vnlimited ioyful Festiuity or necessary recreation But he saith that this ioyfull Festiuity the Church allowes What Church surely none other as throughout his whole Booke but his holy mother Church of Rome Indeed that Church allowes a most liâ—entious vnlimited latitude of all such ioyfull Festiuity and especially on the Lords day as may feed the humours of the carnall and prophane multitude That Church indeed reckoneth hearing and meditating of Sermons among Iudaizing obseruations But the Church of God doth not neuer did allow such ioyfull Festiuity as the Author allowes â— S. Aughstine saith Iudaei c The Iewes do seruilely obserue the Sabbath day to luxury and drunkennesse how much better were it for their women to spin wooll and vpon that day in their New-Moones to dance Farre be it my brethren that we should say they keepe the Sabbath And againe Qui in obseruatione Sabbati c. They who keeping the Sabbath doe not continue in good workes and prayer which is to sanctifie the Sabbath and sanctification is where the holy Ghost is are like to those little Flies ingendred in the mud which disquitted the Egyptians And De Consensu Euang. lib. 2. cap. 77. speaking of that flight in winter and on the Sabbath day mentioned Luke 21. by Winter he vnderstands the Cares of this life and by the Sabbath surfeiting and drunkennesse agreeable to Christs admonition ver 34. Quod malum Sabbati nomine c. Which euill is therefore signified by the name of the Sabbath because this was as now it is the impious custome of the Iewes vpon that day to flow in delights all one with our Authors ioyfull Festiuitie or necessary recreation while they were ignorant of the spirituall Sabbath And de Genesi contra Manichaeos lib. 1. Iudaei carnaliter obseruando Sabbatum non nouerunt The Iewes by keeping the Sabbath carnally knew not the Sabbath But our Author allowes of ioyfull Festiuity and necessary recreations in their due time onely not in time of diuine seruice Neither did the Iewes omit their diuine seruice in their Synagogues both Maâ—ins and Euenâ—ong And yet spending the rest of the day afterwards in such ioyfull Festiuity as the Author allowes as done in due time S. Augustine cals them prophane and impious and that they might better spend the rest of the day in spinning For the worke of a mans honest and lawfull calling is at all times to be preferred before the workes of the Diuell that come not within the compasse of any Christian mans Calling being renounced and disavowed in our Baptisme And because the sanctification of the Lords day is so mightily impugned and cryed downe not onely by such Ministers of Sathan as are Popishly affectâ—d by their precept and precedent by the prophane rabble rout especially in those places where there is not a settled Ministry of the word Let me adde a word or two more in Gods cause that we may not so easily suffer prophane wretches like swine to trample the Orient pearle of Gods glory so prophaned on his owne day in the mire S. Augustine saith againe Prâ—ponitur Dies Dominicus c. The Lords day is preferred befode the Iewes Sabbath in the faith of the Resurrection and not in the
fashion of Refection 〈◊〉 in the Licentiousnesse of drunken Songs And ibid It is questioned whither a man must not fast on the Sabbath but not whither he must not reuell it on the Sabbath which neither is done on the Lords day of those that feare God although they fast on that day And deuout Bernard Obserue the Sabbath which is to exercise thy selfe in the Holy-dayes so as by the Râ—st present thou mayest learne to hope for that which is eternall And that a prophane person may not flatter himselfe as though his voluptuous keeping of the Sabbath may teach him to hope for those eternall and true ioyes in heauen Heare the same Bernard or rather Gillibert whose Sermons are added to fill vp Bernards vpon the Canticles inserted in Bernards workes where mentioning Esay 58. hee saith Non dicit c. He saith not onely that the Sabbath is a Delight but he addeth And Holy and Glorious to the Lord that these things may not bee in the confusion of thy Glory Non sit desidiosum Sabbatum tuum operare in Sabbato tuo opera Dei Let not thy Sabbath bee idly spent but in thy Sabbath worke the workes of God Opus Dei in die siâ—o And surely the Lords day is not called so for nought If it be Christs day sanctified and founded in his Resurrection as S. Augustine saith then what workes are proper for that day whereby it may bee sanctified of vs and wee of it but such as are the fruits of those that are risen with Christ from the graue of sin to newnesse of life and not those which with the swinâ— would lead vs backe to our wallowing in the mire And is not the hearing and meditating of Sermons a speciall part of the sanctification of the Lords day How come we to be sanctified but by the word of God Sanctify them with thy truth thy word is the truth saith Christ. And as we noted before that Deuotion is blind whose lampe is emptie of oyle to supply the light A plaine argument that the Authors whole booke of Deuotion is but a meere counterfeit And to inuy or inueigh against the due sanctification of the Lords day what is it but to raze the very foundation whereon all true religion is built To heare Sermons and not to meditate of them is to receiue water into a Sieue to be an vncleane creature that chowes not the cudde to receiue the seed vpon the highway side where it being vnharrowed and vncouered is by the fowles of the ayre that fowle spirit that raignes in the ayre and in the vnsetled hearts of aery and windy braines to be deuoured The Lords day is the Marketday of our foules He that stands idle in the marketplace is justly reproued Or he that buyes those spirituall commodities needfull for his soule in hearing of the word and goes presently and squanders it away and brings it not home to dispose of it for his weekely vses is an vnprouident housekeeper a prodigall vnthrift of grace because he heares not for afterwards for the time to come Such are they that either are carelesse of hearing the Word or when they haue heard goe and dance it away about the May-pole or walke and talke it away in idle prate or any kind of prophane or profuse recreation Those are like the Wolfe who neuer attaine to any more learning of God then to spell Pater but when they should come to put together and to apply it to their soules in stead of Pater they say Agnus their mindes and affections running a madding after the profits and pleasures of the world Such are enemies to all Godlinesse and expresse their enmitie in nothing more then in their proâ—anation of the Lords Holy-Day If any man would know of 〈◊〉 estate and condition of any Parish in generall in 〈◊〉 Land whether it bee religious or no let him buâ—â—â—quire what conscience they make of the due sanctification of the Lords day That 's the true touchstone of a truely religious man And although all are not that sincerely whereof they make outward profession for there will euer be some hypocrites among sound Professors yet none can be a true and sound Christian who makes not speciall conscience of a religious and sober keeping of the Lords day For this day well kept sanctifies to a man the whole weeke The seuenth day sanctifieth our six as the tenth of our goods doth all the other nine As Elias his meate made him strong to trauell forty dayes and forty nights to Horâ—bâ— so the hearing and meditating of sound Sermons on the Lords day ministers strength to our soules to serue God all the weeke in our particular Callings But I may not transgresse the bounds of my proposed breuity For Conclusion of the Commandements among other offenders against the sixt Commandement he reckoneth those that be sowers of strife and sedition among any men whatsoeuer Now how farre the Author is guilty hereof or whether he may not merit to be put in the forefront with the most grand Authors of strife and sedition not onely to set priuate men together by the eares but the whole Church and state of England in a most fearefull hurly-burly and combustion I referre to all wise men to judge that doe but read this most pernitious pestilent and Popish Booke As it followeth Of the Sacraments of the Church What Sacraments trow we are these The Sacraments of the Church This is written I am sure fiylo 〈◊〉 This title is no where learned but from the Church of Rome from the Councell of Trent and from the shop of Iesuiticall Catechists He learned not this of his Mother Church of England if so he account her his Mother and not rather that other Church to which he intitles his Sacraments for the Church of England sets downe the title simply Of the Sacraments saying also Sacraments ordained of Christ. So that she intitles the Sacraments vnto Christ the sole Author of them But let vs heare what those Sacraments of the Church be or how many Namely Two and Fiue which put together as euery Arithmetician can tell make seuen Now England thou art come to thy seuen Sacraments againe This euery Papist can now bragge off And haue they not reason for there is more in it then the bringing of vs backe to the seuen Sacraments againe he would hereby knit vs fast againe to be one Church with the Church of Rome For these seuen Sacraments he calls the Sacraments oâ— the Church Oâ— what Church surely no Church euer held seuen Sacraments but the Church of Rome nor doe I read of seuen Sacraments beâ—ore Peter Lombard set them downe All the ancient Fathers knew but two Saint Ambrose writing six bookes of the Sacraments could find but two The Greeke Church neuer held but two yet saith our Author the Church holdeth them yea the Catholicke Church of Christ as before in his Preface Whereupon here he concludes
yet at least striues to get the vpper hand seeking to cast the blacke mantle of blind Deuotion ouer all mens eyes and that by Satans Ministers seeking by all meanes to quench the light of the Gospell Therefore what great need haue we euer to take in our mouthes this worthy prayer recommended vnto vs by our reuerend Mother-Church of England and to pray heartily Wee beseech the O Lord to mainetaine thy cause against all rauening wolues and strengthen thy seruants c. And so much the rather because our Author and he goes not alone hath also in this his booke patched vp a prayer of his owne head which he intitles A prayer and thanksgiuing for the whole state of Christs Catholicke Church wherein he prayeth for the holy Catholicke Church the mother of vs all that beare the name of Christ and that all may become one fold vnder one shepheard Iesus Christ. Now comparing this holy Catholicke Church with that Church which all along his booke he recommends and would obtrude vpon vs as our Mother which is no other Church but that Church of Rome what doth he here pâ—ay for else but that we may all become one with that Churâ—h to be one flocke vnder one shepheard Iesus Christ and consequently vnder the great Antichrist who challengeth the title of sole head of the Catholicke Church and â—ole Vicar generall of Iesus Christ. But to the rest Pag. 232.233 c. He comes with his Septuagesima and therein and thenceforth thoroughout Lent â—e by a suddaine motion brings men vpon the knees of their most solemne Deuotion to expiate all their mad gamballs and Reuels in the Christmas time at least As Saint Chrysostome saith Men thinke to expiate the whole yeares excesse and sinne with forty daies humiliation and then the weeke following they fall afresh to their lusts Only suddainnesse here from one extreame into another is dangerous except it be of our true conuersion from sin vnto God and then the more speedie and suddaine the better and safer Otherwise the saying here may be verified Dum vitant stulti vitia in contraria currunt Yet this suddainnesse from Christmas reuels to Lent-relâ—ntings may seeme to be like that strange and suddaine alteration in those men that being mad liued among the Tombes and kept a pitifull rule to whom Christ comming he cast the Diuell out of them and â—oorthwith they came to their sober and right wits sitting and Christs feete cloathed and heaâ—â—ng his word But heere is the difference commonly out of those mad men the Diuell was whoâ—y câ—st out But in our ordinarie Lent-obseruâ—â—s hee is but at the least wise bound to goo◠〈◊〉 for the time but not cast out when after â—â—ster at the furthest hee breakes loose againe Such Obseâ—uants and selfe-castigators returning to their excesse of riot a fresh These for the most part being much like to the Images in Popish Churches which all the Lent are all vailed ouer in blacke as mourning that they haue beene Idol-obiects to Idolators But beginning on Easter-Eue to peepe out oh how doe the people begin a fresh to be rauished with a glimpse of their glittering Gods so long clouded and ecclipsed from their deuout Adorers But on Easter-day morning no sooner is the Vaile with-drawne by the Priests dexterous hand but down they fall on their Maribones beating their brests more eagerly now then euer as imputing it to their most grieuous sinnes that they haue been so long withheld from their prettie pettie-Gods For euer Nitimur in vetitum semper cupimusque negata And this abstinence from their Images all the Lent makes the people the more to dote vpon them all the yeere after as accounting them the more precious the lesse familiar And such are the most strict obseruers of Lent If there be any sinne or pleasure whereof out of blind superstition they impose and inforce a restraint vpon themselues for Lent-sake while they demurely goe in blacke It giues them but occasion to affect and pursue the same sinne or pleasure with greater desire all the yeere after The affections for the time being but as waters stopt with the Sluce which the longer pent vp breake out againe with greater violence Although in the meane time all the Lent long they abate nothing of their Pride of their Couetousnesse of their Ambition and other habituall Lusts. He that will eat no Flesh in Lent will not intermit his ordinarie Swearing and vaine wicked Oathes though he remit some-what of his Eating yet will not abate an ynch of his Drinking and good-fellowship will take no lesse Vse-mony then at Christmas will not abate an ace of his poore Tenants Rackt-rent will stretch the strings of his Simon Magus pouch as much now for a lustie preferment as he will doe any time out of Lent Though IOHN the Patriarch of Constantinople were for his much fasting called Iohannes Ieiunator IOHN the Faster yet he wanted for no pride and ambition to aspire to be vniuersall Head of the Church that which GREGORY of Rome cryed out against as Antichristian but BONIFACE the Third a little after got that Title wholly to himselfe suffering none to be that Antichrist but the Pope and Bishop of Rome And it is vsuall that as fasting breeds wind in the stomacke So the opinion of fasting specially when it is a part of Will-worship and humane inuention fills the stomacke of the Soule full of windy pride and hypocrisie As Pope VRBAN the Second to make the better speed for the recouerie of the Holy Land ordained that no Cleargie or Lay man should eat Flesh from Shrouetyde to Easter Guil. Malmesâ—ur Lib. 4. Misterie of Iniquitie A meritorious matter I wis so to fast all Lent long as to eat no Flesh. For as nothing displeaseth God more then the worship which we frame to him out of our owne fancifull braines So no deuotion is of more value with vs doth more please our humours then such as we inuent our selues So that it fareth with our Lent deuotion as with the young Ape we so dote vpon it so claspe and hug it as being the barne of our own braine we strangle it so that such Lenten deuotion seldome suruiueth the time of Lent but is dead all the yeere after And what I pray you is all the Lent-fast as it is generally vsed but a meere apish imitation and mocke-fast The example of CHRISTS Fast fourtie dayes and fourtie nights is brought by our Authour for vs to imitate Well Let our Authour begin to imitate CHRIST Let him fast fourtie dayes and fourtie nights without eating and drinking as CHRIST did if he be able to endure such a Fast â— see no reason but others may brooke it as well who haply are more acquainted and inured to fasting at other times then himselfe is Nor doe I see any reason why such a keeping of Lent as our Authour prescribes should haue the name of a Past. For a Fast is to eat nothing and drinke
the Authors will not acknowledge it an errour but put it vpon the Printer But the thing it selfe cryes shame vpon the authors of such iuggling tricks And if there had not beene some maleuolent dispositions in the world to quarrell such impious affronts giuen to Christ and his blessed truth maintained in the Church of England there had not beene so much as one word amisse being all so exactly waighed in the Goldsmiths ballance before it came to bee minted for currant then prayer for the dead would haue passed for a doctrine of the Church of England But maleuolent dispositions haue troubled and marred all But it was nothing but the misprision of a word or two aâ— liable to a faiâ—e and lawfull vnderstanding as otherwise Indeed if so such dispositions cannot bee excused from maleuolency if they judge not chariâ—ably where there is no cause to the contrary Euer take a mans meaning rather with the right hand then with the left if it bee capable of a good instruction But â—ere the quarrell is not about the slip of a word but of a positiue false doctrine The question is whether prayer for the dead may not be taken as well in a good sense as in a bad Charity being judge Yes if blind popish Charity may be judge Nor is it a word or two but a whole solemne prayer of many words and sentences wherein the state of the dead is deuoutly prayed for and that in expresse words After the soule is departed Then O LAMBE OF GOD c. and That he may receiue this body How are these things as liable to a faire and charitable vnderstanding as otherwise Vnlesse it bee a charitable worke to pray for our deare brother after his soule is departed from the body that in his passage betweene earth and heauen which is a farre journey he may not misse or mistake his way by falling into the Pit of Hell or Purgatory Or what faire and charitable vnderstanding are these words liable to when after our dead brother hath receiued a formall absolution from all his sins which he hath committed in this life yet he hath need to be prayed for that he may escape the gates of Hell and the paines of eternall darkenesse What other construction can be made of â—hese words if Charity her selfe were the judge but â—hat according to the doctrine of that Church which â—olds Purgatory after this life and after absolution from a mans sins which Church our Author all along this booke of Deuotions graceth with the name of the one and onely Holy Catholicke Church the Mother of vs all c the soule being in danger to go into purgatory for all his Absolution shadowed heere out by the Gates of hell and the paines of eternall darkenesse close vnto which as it seemeth the soule passing may be in danger to fall therein Therefore the Author deuoutly prayeth that in his paâ—â—age to heauen he may escape the gates of hell and the paines of eternall darkenesse Nor need the Authors impute it to a maleuolent disposition to expound the gates of Hell and the paines of eternall darkenesse of Purgatory especially of finding them wrapped vp mistically in an expresse prayer for the dead But if the Author or any of his consorts can make a more â—haritable vnderstanding of this prayer for the dead we will giue them a charitable hearing But being vnderstood in the worst sense it doth say you not onely loose the thankes due for all the good contained in the worke but c. That were great pitty that so much good as is contained in this worke should be all lost by loosing the due thankes and all by the mistaking of a word or two let fall too but by a slip or misprision But for all that let not the Pretence or good opinion of the good contained in this worke so farre charme our affection to it as thereby to be drawne to take downe withall the poison contained therein as in a mingled golden Cup. It is Scaligers note that Malum non est nisâ—â— boâ—o The originall nature of the Deuill is good wherein all his wickednesse subsisteth But is euery booke to be inrertained for the much good though the Printer say All the good as if it were all good except the slip or misprision of a word or two as liable notwithstanding to a faire and charitable vnderstanding as otherwise contained in it Why The Roman Missall or Maâ—le booke hath much good contained in it in so much as when a motion was made to the Pope to haue it translated into the Mother tongue for all countries he answered Not so least the â—lies to wit the common people should come to taste of the good ointment Yea the Turkes Alcaron hath much good contained in it Are these bookes therefore to be approuâ—d in the true Church of God When one highly commended the Cardinall Iulian to Sigismund he answered Tâ—â—en Româ—nus est And though the Authors predicate neuer so much good to be contained in this booke of priuate Deuotions yet we may answer Tamen Romanus est It is a Romish booke for all that And let me tell you Mr. Printer and so tell your Author that the more he commends all the good contained in this worke the more pernicious and perilous he makes it to our simpler people Satan is neuer more dangerous then when he comes transformed into an Angell of â—igâ—t And that poyson proues the most speedingly mortall that is administred in a cup of the best wine which being of a more penetrating and searching nature then other duller liquor conueyes the poyson into euery vaine of the body spurring the spirits post to their finall period A booke of Deuotion is a golden cup of sprightfull wine pleasant to euery palate but if it be mingled with poison it is the more dangâ—rous especially to vulgar palates who want the quicke and acute judgement oâ—â—ast and relish to discerne it primoribus labris at the first touch taste or sent which as the best and safest antidote may preuent the taking of it downe And so the case standeth with this worke Mr. Printer that the better it is the worse it is â—ith vnder the colour oâ— venerable Devotion that execrable strumpet of Rome vaiâ—ed and hoâ—ded vnder the name of The Church The Church The Holy Catholicke Church the Mother of vs all which is the maine summe and scope of the Authors Deuotion is obtruded and thrust vpon vs to inchant and charme euen those who should be most vigilant and most oculated Aâ—gusses among vs. But besides the good losâ— it doth also say you purhcase to â—he 〈◊〉 nor a reproachfull imputatiâ—â— of way mâ—kiâ—g to Popish Deuotion and apish imitation of Romish superstition If the Author hath purchasâ—d to himselfe such an Imputation it is all at â—is owne cost he hath payd or it and who shall deny it to be due vnto him as his peculiar chattell Yea he hath bought it at a deare
A TRYALL OF PRIVATE DEVOTIONS OR A DIALL FOR THE Houres of Prayer By H. B. Rector of St. MATHEVVâ—S Friday-street MATH 6.7 When yee pray vse not vaine repetitions as the â—â—athen or hypocrites doe for they thinke that they shall bee heard for theyr much Babbeling Gloss. Ordinar in Math. 6. vers 6. In fide interiori dilectione oratur Deus non strepitu verborum sed deuotione virtutum LONDON Printed for M. S. 1628. TO THE MOST BLESSED AND BELOVED SPOVSE of IESVS CHRIST the Church of England my deare Mother DEare Mother SOPHOCLES the Tragedian when being intent vpon his Studies in his Old age hee was of his Sonnes called before the Iudges and accused by them as one vnfit to gouerne his Family and so worthy to bee remoued and dismissed from that charge then the good old man in defence of himselfe produced and recited before the Iudges the Tragedie of Oedipus Colâ—neus which he then had in his hands newly written asking of the Iudges whether that verse seemed to be written by a foole which when hee had recited hee was by the sentence of the Iudges â—reed The like plea seemeth to bee commenced against you deare Mother and that by some who call themselues your Sonnes Your reuerend old Age joyned with a too motherly indulgence as is too vsuall towards your younger Sonnes they requite no better then to sue out such a Writ For proofe hereof may it please you but with your maturest judgement to 〈…〉 so called lately published 〈…〉 â—ou may see how one of your sonnes at 〈…〉 about to reduce you to an vnion with the Church of Rome as your only Mother to entertaine againe a conformitie and communion with her in her superstitious Rites and Ceremonies Wherein â—ow nearely it concerneth you to vindicate and acquit your honour reputation your selfe can best judge Nor need you as Sophocles to produce some new proofes of your old and venerable wisedome in the gouernment of your so noble a Family it being not onely established vpon the pure doctrines of â—he word of God but sealed with the bloud of so mâ—ny Martyrs and witnessed by the â—estimonies and writings of so many of your ancient learned and reuerend sonnes both Bishops Doctors and others Nor onely so but the same Religion anciently and for so many yeares continuance avowed and maintained by such a cloud of Witnesses hath beene withall backed hitherto from the first Reformation and your just separation from Babylon by so many Parliaments all along So that neyther doth your Motâ—erhood need to solicite Gods Vicegerent your royall Gouernour and Protector next vnder Christ to call a nâ—w Synod for the discussing and determining of those Tenents which for so many yeares you haue holden and maintained It was the serpentine Craft of the Arrians to procure a Councell at Ariminum wherein they might if not by number of voyces wherein they exceeded the Orthodox there present cry downe the Conclusions of that famous Councel of Nice touching 〈…〉 with the Father in pugned by 〈◊〉 yet at least so shake waue them by calling them into question as thereby to disable their validity and authority Which fraud the Orthodox part smelling out did openly protest against them avouching that they there assembled not now to dispute or discusse the Decrees of Nice but altogether to ratifie subscribe vnto them by common assent May it please you therfore in your wisedome to resolue whether it were not expedient to petition his gracious and excellent Matieâ—ogether with the Hon Court of Parliament now assembled that an Act of ratification may be decreed for the Religion hitherto maintained and an Act of Prohibition for the suppressing of all Popish Arminian bookes henceforth sith the Arminian section â—ath abused the Kings Proclamation so dishonoured the King as if it gaue liberty to Popish Arminian bookes to be published and restraint to their opposites which maintaine your Orthodox doctrines quite contrary to the intent of the Proclamation and an Act of qualification that in case any Orthodox booke such as tendeth to found edification in piety as in Eltons booke of the Commandements if it be in some one particular or other found faultie may not presently all at a clap be coÌ„mitted to the mercilâ—sse fire as his was but purged rather wheras on the contrary such books as here is answered the whole frame body whereof is Popish and worthy the fire yet vpon the pâ—iring onely of a naile as if now thoroughly purged is suffered to passe without controule to be prinâ—ed and reprinted As if the Truth now were brought to such nice termes so weake an estate as the least straw is enough to stumble it and cause it to fall and wholly to suppresse and bury it in the ashes and contrarily Popery and Heresiâ— so highly aduanced as it can easily leape ouer all blocks Bulwarks of opposition Againe be pleased to take notice of one great inconuenience if not rather mischiefe which is like speedily to incroch vpoÌ„ your indulgence if not preuented Some of your sonnes haue already dared to add to the CoÌ„munion booke as the whole forme of the consecration of Archbishops Bishops Priests Deacons being now inserted in the said book I wot not by what authority Yea and if such may be suffered to goe on they will correct Magnificat For if it please you but to make search you shall find in the great printing house at London a Communion Booke wherin the Author of the booke of private Deuotions and I saw it with mine eyes hath in sundry places noted with his owne hand as they say how he would haue the CoÌ„munion booke altered as in the Rubrick or Calendar he tels where and how he would haue such a Saints day called and where he would haue red letters put for the blacke and so to canonize more Holidayes for you to obserue Also throughout the Book where he finds the word Minister he would haue Priest put in stead thereof such an enemy is he to the very name of Minister as if he would haue the world belieue he had rather be a popish Priest then a Minister of the better Testament as Christ himselfe is called or a Minister of Christ as the Apostles were called I haue ordayned thee a Minister saith Christ to Paul And in Conclusion for those private godly prayers in the end of the reading Psalmes he thinkes them fitter to be omitted then added I doe but briefly touch them leauing them to your fuller inquirie more particular examination But if such liberty may be indulged to such like Sonnes it will shortly come to passe that as neither you can owne them for your sonnes so nor they you for their Mother such a new face of Religion are they like to induce if they bee not the better looked vnto Yea what a Metamorphosis haue wee seene already in these our daâ—es How vnlike is the present time to the
this And for the better boulting out of the truth and satisfaction on both sides my Chaplaine also shall be here to answer to such things as yours shall except against For I must tell you Madam my Chaplaine Master Diotrephes doth as much applaud this Booke as yours doth disallow of it Ch. Madam I doubt not but my Chaplaine is able to shew good grounds for any thing that he shall except against But I like it very well that your Ladiship is pleased to appoint your Chaplaine to be here Both I and my Chaplaine God willing will be ready at your time appointed to attend your Ladiship But Madam if I may be so bold with your Ladiship will your honour be stirring so soone as by eight in the morning Cur. Nay God helpe vs Coâ—rt-Ladyes 〈◊〉 in the Countrey haue but a poore conceit of vs to thinke vs such idle Hous-wines as to lye a bed till eight of the clocke in the morning But we must beare all with patience Char. Madam if we in the Countrey thinke so of the Court it is but because we are willing to hope that all the idle Hous-wiues be not in the Countrey But before I take my leaue of your Ladiship for this time 〈…〉 me leaue a little to shew my learning and to try 〈◊〉 that our Chaplaines may not seeme to carrie all 〈…〉 away let me obiect one verie materiall 〈◊〉 â—n the Booke to your Ladiship Cur. Nay God a mercie Madam For I wis if we women as light account as men make of our learning and iudgement might but as freely as men dispute and if the fashion were but ones on foot they shall find that we haue not onely words but wit at will and perhaps as smart and shrewd arguments as the most Scholasticall among them But I pray thee Madam let vs heare your obiection Char. Madam I am possessed with an exceeding wonderment that this Booke should find such entertainment and approbation in the Court especially among pardon my rudenesse you Court-Ladyes being so full I say not of complements but of many imployments chiefely your selfe Yea the verie curiosities of Courtly attires and the varieties of fashions which not onely must be followed with the first but studied also to vphold the Court credit are they not enough to take vp all one forenoone And then Madam where will you find time for your Matins and other houres of Deuotion which this Booke imposeth vpon you What Will the Author of this Booke make the Court a Monasterie or Nunnerie Would he haue the Ladyes and Mayds of Honour to turne Nunnes What Nothing almost but euerie houre of the day to turne ouer and ouer your Beads This were a strange Metamorphosis for Courtiers thus to keepe holy day And therefore Madam I wonder that the Court of all other cryeth not downe such a Booke as this Nay Madam seeme to approue it as much as you will yet you can neuer perswade the simplest Rusticke that you Courtiers are or can be euer a whit the deuouter for all this Booke For it is impossible for you to practice one quarter of it And taking vpon you the obseruation of such canonicall rules as standeth not with possibilitie to keepe either you must get a dispensation to remit the rigour of them and to admit of such a practise of deuotion as either your Court-leasure or disposition can conueniently or but indifferently performe Or otherwise you must be driuen of necessitie either daily to goe to shrift for absolution or to chawke vp all your defects and failings for your generall shrift Wherein and for which such penance may be imposed vpon you as you shall hardly determine whither of the two is more grieuous to obserue the rules for your deuotion or to satisfie for the penaltie Cur. Surely Madam you argue verie vnhappily nor doe I thinke your Chaplaine or any man can say more to this Booke then you haue done But Madam what would you haue vs to doe in this case We poore Ladyes Protestants of the Court are in a great strait We are pressed on the one side with importune impossibilities as you say On the other with the vrgent examples of Romane-Catholicke Ladyes among whom we conuerse who presse vs with their exemplarie practise of pietie and deuotion in their Religion putting vs and our Religion to shame if we doe not equalize at least if not outstrip them in point of deuotion Char. Madam all such Romish practise of deuotion is not worth Godamercie or that it should stand in the least competition or comparison with true deuotion The Priests of Baal what a stirre kept they what zeale shewed they in launcing of their flâ—sh what vnwearied deuotion in the repetition of their prayers and that euen vntill the euening Sacrifice fulfilling almost all their canonicall houres and yet all to no purpose Whereas Elias Gods Prophet vsed onely a short prayer which preuailed with God Doe you thinke Madam that your Roman-Catholicke Dames are euer a whit regarded of God for all their turning ouer their Beads or saying ouer their Beadrowes of Pater-nosters and Aue-Maries and they wot not what Alas Madam blessed be God we are not so childish after so long a bringing vp vnder the Word to account such Baby-deuotion worthy of our least emulation much lesse of Apishimitation Therefore Madam if I may aduise you away with this idle Apish Booke of Popish Deuotion suffer not either your Court or your Christian libertie so to be imposed vpon with such obseruations as are either impossible and at the best perhaps vnprofitable as whereof it may be said Who required these things at your hands But I feare I am too bold with your Ladiship Thus you see a Fooles bolt soone shot I will take my leaue Cur. Madam I will detaine you no longer my attendance also calling me away Therefore till the set time adiew Madam Remember Friday morning Char. Madam I will not forget The next meeting on Friday morning Charis MAdam God giue you good morrow Cur. Welcome Madam I was euen expecting of you Haue you brought your Chaplaine with you Char. Madam I haue who is ready to tender to your honour such satisfaction as he hath in his iudgement conceiued to be conuenient Cur. Master Iohannes I would intreat you here to spend a little familiar conference with my Chaplain Master Diotrephes about that Booke which your Lady hath acquainted you with I suppose you come sufficiently instructed what to say therein Iohannes Madam I must craue pardon for my boldnesse in this my rudenesse hoping that wherein I shall offend my Ladies command in bringing me hither will helpe to excuse me For as for this Booke I confesse I was loth to meddle with it but vpon her ouer earnest pressing of me And besides my time hath beene verie short to informe my selfe sufficiently touching all the particulars of this Booke which perhaps a more iudicious eye vpon better deliberation might more fully discouer Nor did I
first and second Impressions Now reading ouer diligently both the Bookes I find no difference at all betweene them but only about Prayer for the Dead which we last touched And there we caÌ„not come to discerne your escapes better then by setting downe so much of both the Copies one against the other as is requisite at least for the more full satisfaction of all well disposed Christians The first Impression Lord Iesus receiue my spirit And these to bée repeated vntill the soule be departed Then O thou Lamb of God c. The second Impression Lord Iesus receiue my spirit And these with the prayers following to be repeated vntill the soule be departed O thou Lamb of God c. Here wee obserue a huge difference betweene your Impressions And is this but an Escape or ouersight Certainly it is a very monstrous one and such as a man in his right wits could not easily commit vnlesse in some sit eyther of drunkennesse or madnesse But I spare you Let vs compare the rest With this Prayer O Lord with whom doe liue the Spirits of them that dye c. O Lord with whom dâ—e liue the Spirits of them that dye c. And a little after towards the end And that when the dreadfull day of the generall Iudgement shall come he may rise againe with the just and receiue THIS DEAD BODY which must now be buryed in the earth to bée joyned with his soule and â—e made pure and incorruptible for euer after in thy glorious Kingdome c. And that when the dread-day of the generall judgement shall come he may rise againe with the iust his body being reunited to his soule pure and incorruptible and be receiued into thy gâ—orious Kingdome c. Now Mr. Printer I will not alone take vpon me to judge of these your escapes but rather I referre you to the whole Bench of the most judicious and learned yea and those graue and honourable Sages of the Councell-board Onely this I dare say peremptorily that in the first impression there is an expresse and formall prayer for the Dead but in the second it is qualified and corrected and the case quite altered And yet is all this but an escape of the Printer or ouersight of the Corrector But was not the Author himselfe the Corrector was not his naturall affection earnestly busied in licking his young Beere while it past the Presse and receiued the perfect forme Or being an escape of the Printer how came not the Author himselfe or some of those his neere and deare friends for him first to espy the faults and so to haue them corrected before they came to be found out by others For surely he and his had reason first to read ouer that priuate first impression before it should come to open view it being a booke not of an ordinary stampe and which for the admirable ouerdaring of it was like to runne a most desperate hazzard But it seemeth they would put it to a hazzard They imagined that haply it might passe vnespied and then all would haue beene well enough and you might haue spared your labour of printing your Epistle Apologeticall before the second Impression But yet Mr. Printer you should haue done well which would the more haue cleered the credit of your excuse taking all the blame from the Author to haue cancelled all that Paper beginning O Lord with whom do liue c. Vnto these words Wee most meekely c. Putting all those first six lines among your Errata or Escapes For so much is a part of a gratulatory Collect vsed in the Communion Booke at the Buriall of the dead So that vnlesse this prayer stand still in force for a prayer for the Dead as it was in the first Impression it is very improper for your second and corrected Booke For euen your owne reason Mr. Printer may induce you to thinke that it is improper to vse a Collect for a mans buriall for him that is yet aliue vnlesse you would bury the man quicke And therefore me thinkes you were very ill aduised and seeme to haue for hast committed another fowle escape in that you did not thorowly aduise with your Author about a more exact correction of your escapes that so the booke vpon second and more mature cogitations might haue passed currant aboue all exception to the better satisfaction of all well disposed Christians But did you consult with your Author before you set vpon your correction It may be feared noe Otherwise it is hoped that the Author and his learned friends would haue thought better of the matter then to haue suffered such an absurdity to stand still in the Booke and that vpon a solemne correction And therefore what if they come vpon you and disauoning it themselues lay a further blame vpon you then hitherto you haue taken to your selfe For besides that such an improprietie brings their judgement in question they may seeme to take vpon them to be Innouators turning the Collects which the Church of England hath appointed for the publike buriall of the dead to the priuate visitation of the liuing sicke So that Mr. Printer for all your Apologies and Protestations it is to be feared that your Author will disclaime this your correction as not done by his direction but of your owne head it being left so full of Non sensâ—s and Non sequiturs And what if he shall call in this your corrected Booke and either put out those six lines or else bring his Authoritie for the first to stand in full force and then all will hold a due â—immetry and proportion It will then be the more tollerable to borrow a peece of the Church Collect being a thankesgiuing at the buriall of the Dead turne it into a prayer priuate at least for the dead then to vse it for the liuing But how it was shuffled vp among you you can best tell But tell me in good sadnesse Mr. Printer are you perswaded that any man but of common sense giues any credit to your Epistle Or do you thinke your selfe euer a whit the wittier or learneder that like a Parrot you haue powred it out being infused into you But Dignum patellâ Operculum Will any trow you take these grosse alterations and cobled breakes for Escapes of the Printer Neuer so befoole your selfe Notwithstanding one thing remaines vnaltered that in the same prayer he placeth the soules of Abraham Jsaac and Jacob in a certaine place which he calls the region of light but at the resurrection he allowes them Gods glorious Kingdome This Region of light in his prayer for the dead vnaltered may well be taken for some Limbus patrum different from Gods glorious Kingdome in the resurrection And Limbus and prayer for the Dead will well sort together But to returne to the rest of your Epistle I pray you goe on where we left You see what a trouble your Escapes haue put vs too Onely the Collector hereof and
rate no doubt much sweat much oyle hath beene spent in this laborious Collection of priuate Deuotions Such a worke as this may be a rich price for such a purchase But Mr. Printer are you sure the Author accounts it a reproachfull imputation to be a way-maker to Popish Deuotion Is not that your bare imagination as perhaps not discerning the Serpent lurking vnder the greene leaues of Deuotion or perhaps hauing some sparke of loue to your Mother Church left as to judge your Author in tâ—is case by your selfe if it were your owne Nay doth not your Author account it an honour to him to be a deuout instrument among others to bring in again and re-eâ—ect the Religion of Rome in England Onely it may be two or three words doe not well relish with him to wit Popish Apish Romish superstition and perhaps imitation too All these put together in this forme the Author may account it a reprochfull imputation as to be a way maker to Popish Deuotion and Apish imitation of Romish superstition But let Popish be turned into Catholicke and apish imitation into absolute refoundation and Romish superstition into Religion of the see Apostolicke Then set the sentence in more handsome tearmes thus and for a reproachfull imputation will he not trow you account it an honourable commendation of way-making to Catholicke Deuotion and an absolute refoundation of the Religion of the Apostâ—licke see You goe on And howsoeuer he may be requited for his paines herein he shall neuer depart from his good intention of wishing that the Reader may at all times and for all occasions be assisted with diuine grace obtained by continuall prayer It seemes you are very intimously priuie to your Authors good intentions and no lesse solicitous of his rich requitall for his paines herein And pitty but he should be requiâ—ed to the full as he hath deserued and if not in this world he may looke for it in the world to come But hath he but a good intention of wishing c. But this good intention it seemeth bath relation to his worke wherein his intention was good to occasion vnto the reader at all times and for all occasions assistance of Diuine grace obtained by continuall prayer namely by continuall prayer out of this booke of priuate Deuotions in obseruing his 7. Canonicall houres Neuer will he depart from thâ—s his good intention of well-wishing And as for the misdeeming censures and detractions of any say you he feareth them not but rather hopeth that his prayers to God for them will be more beneficiall to them then any their censures or detractions can be preiudiciall to him He that durst publish such a popish booke as this was armed before hand from top to toe not to feare any mans censure or detraction when not euen the armed lawes of the Land could deterre him from aduenturing vpon such a bold attempt as to go about to bring England backe againe to Popery But yet he hopeth that his prayers to God for his Censures wil be more beneficiall to them then any their Censures or detractions can be preiudiciall to him You know that the Fox the more he is cursed the more he thriâ—eth Their Censures and detractions cannot preiudice the Authors rising higher and higher to preferments for his good demerits to the Church But yet he hopeth his prayers will be beneficiall to his Censurers No doubt but the Author hath learned the Art of Deuotion to a haire But what prayers hath he in that kind He must not pray of his owne head but what the Church puts in his mouth And surely I find but one prayeâ— in all his booke except the repetition of it in sundry Letanies a prayer borrowed from the Church too and not from his owne bowells for such as he calles his censurers and detracters as That it may please thee to forgiue our enemies persecutors and slanderers and to turne their hearts But sâ—ing his hope of doing tâ—em good by his pâ—ayâ—rs stands rather vpon comparatiue then positiue tearmes for he rather hopes good to them by his prayers then feares euill from them by their Censures therefore we leaue his prayers as doubtfull of their successe it being rather to be hoped for by his Censurers that his prayers shall doe them as little harme as good In the meane time let him looke that he wrong not his Censurers in miscalling their Censures Misdéeming Censures For Conclusion Hee doth in this and in all things else humbly submit himselfe to the judgement of the Church of England whereof he is a member though inferior vnto most yet a faithfull Minisâ—er I like your conclusion well yet that your Author doth in this and in all things else humbly submit himselfe to the Church of England· But I hope that he doth not meane that the Church of England is pend vp in a corner or ingrossed by Monopoly to this or that man or that any one man hath a Papall definitiue voyce to determine the doctrines of the Church of England for I remember your former apology That he will defend the faith of the present Church of England by law established 〈◊〉 oppose Popery and Romish superstition Well I hope then that the Church of England whose body representatiue is now happily assembled â—n Parliament I meane not onely the representatiue body Ecclesiasâ—iâ—k but ciuill both together ioyntly representing the Church of England will take such order with this booke of Deuoâ—ion as he shall haue no just occasion to complaine he and his booke are vniustly dealt withall censured or iudged but that he will be as good as his word himselfe· Onely two things I heartily pray for as fruits and effects of his humble submision that he may henceforth approue himselfe a better member of the Church of England and a more faithfull Minister and that hee may striue as much to excell others in the best indowments as he is not inferiour to most in temporall preferments Which that he may be and doe a more ingenuous and humble confession is requisite then is made vnder your name of a slip or misprision of a word or two Now to conclude all in a word with his owne Conclusion pag. 417. The blessing there he is not content with the peace of God c. The blessing of God Almightie the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost but he addes the vertue of Christs blessed Crosse c. This forme of Blessing he hath no where learned out of the Communion booke The vertue of Christs blessed Crosse is of his owne addition But the Crosseâ—uâ—ts â—uâ—ts well with his Deuotion He both begins and ends it with a Crosse. And seeing you Mr. Printer haue so well appologised for your Author there is one Crosse for you and another for him whereon you may crucifie at least your slâ—p and misprision But pray rather that laying aside all disimulation and daubing ouer of your rotten booke and that dealing ingenuously with God and Man in the humble confession of your grosse faults and true repentance of the same you may find that Mercy of God which followeth vpon all true belieuers through the only soueraine vertue of Christ Crucified Now the grace of the Lord Iesus Christ and the loue of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with all them that loue the Truth in sincerity Amen FINIS Cicero de Senectute 2. Cor. 11.23 Acts 26.16 Reuel 2. Reuel 3. Prou. 23.34 Iohn de Serreâ— in his History in Henry 3. Decret de Celebratione Missar C. Praesbiter tit 41 Concil Agath Niceph. l. 15 c. 23. Euagrius l. 1. c. 21. See Centuria 5. c 6. de Ceremoniâ—s Compare this with pag. 86. in his later edition where he mentioneth the Decrees of the Church Cypr. de Orat. Dom. Clem. Constit. l. 8. c. 40. for 34. Preface to the Communion booke Ciâ— deseâ—ectute The Authors owne words in is Preface * In the end of the Preface before the booke of CoÌ„mon prayer 1. Tim. 4. 1. Cor. 7.5 a Iudei seruillter obseruant diem Sabbati ad luxurâ—am ad ebrâ—etatem guanto meliùâ—â—emina eorum â—â—nam facerent quà m eo die in Neomeâ—iis Saâ—tarenâ— Al siâ—â—raties vt illos dicamus oâ—seruaâ—e SabbatuÌ„ c. Agu. Tract 3. â—n Iohan. b Sermo 95. de Tâ—mp tom 10. Aug. Epist. 86. Casiâ—lano Prasbytero Sermo super salue Regina Domini Resurrectio promisit nobis â—ternum diem et consecrauiâ— nobis Dominicum diem De â—erbis Apost ser. 15 Math 13 Esa. 55 1 2.3 Esa. 42.23 * As I told my reuerend Ordinary wheÌ„ I was called before him the second time of my Examination about Isâ—aels Fast. Attic. â—â— Cathol Tradition q. 20. P. 119. In his Preface in the 2. reason The Oath of the Kings supremacie in the booke of Ordering of Deacons Psal. 50. Pag. 86. * And i◠〈…〉 see 〈…〉 of it 〈…〉 lately to â—ee at a 〈◊〉 Printing house an old Communion booke â—cored and noâ—ed all along with this Authors owne 〈◊〉 where â—mong other â—hâ—nâ—s which he â—ould haue 〈◊〉 hee 〈…〉 that 〈◊〉 pâ—iuâ—tâ—â—â—aâ—ers 〈◊〉 â—ettâ—r 〈◊〉 â—hen there 〈◊〉 iâ— the CoÌ„munion 〈◊〉 * * Homâ—â—â—7 â—7 〈…〉 Ierom. ad Neâ—otâ—an Epist. 7 Gal. 4.10 As the Pharisee who will neither enter into Heauen himselfe nor suffer those that would to enter in Cent. 1. lib. 2. c. 10. De vitis Doctorum Socratis Hist. Eccl. lib. 5. cap. 21. Also Zorom Hist. Eccl. lib. 7. cap. 19. Eusebu Eccl Hist. lib. cap. 23. Pag. 104. see his first impression * To wit that the old lâ—aues may yet be had for money See the CoÌ„munioÌ„ booke at the Buriall of the Dead * The words of the Printers Epistle * The Prinâ—â—r goes on For 〈◊〉 fundo parsimâ— niapunc * For the Pontificians say that Purgatory is in the suburbs of Hell and that must needs be close to the gates of Hell and that the paines of Purgatory are for the time no whit inferiour to the paines of eternall darknes Nor let any man think the Author would be so grosse to name Purgatory here in plaine termes no more then he doth Limbus Patrum when he sayth the Region of â—ight distiâ—ct from Gods glorious kingdome
perfection And now when all is done would the author with his bring vs backe at least to the brinke borders of Popery againe by his Canonicall houres and the like Being now men of ripe yeeres would he haue vs to become children againe And after we haue begun and gone on so farâ—e in the spirit now to be made perfect in the flesh by turning back to beggerly rudiments After the cleare meridian Sun-shine of the Gospell would he reduce vs to those duskish dawning shadowes out of which that first Horarium was but newly peeped but to last no longer then till time might more fairely shake hands with all Popish shadowes As the Iewish Ceremonies had a time euen after the establishing of the Gospell for their solemne obsequies But to conclude the plaine truth is to such a passe is Popery now come in these our dayes that if euer the Church of England ought henceforth to haue the least correspondence and conformity with it yea to be so farre from renewing any old acquaintance with it as vtterly to shake hands and if any ragges or reliques of that Whore haue beene patched to our Mothers Robe we ought to rip it off and strip our selues of it Rome is now fully reuealed to be the Whore of Babylon the Pope the head thereof to be that man of sinne that grand Antichrist which for any learned man not to see in these dayes of the Gospell is to stumble at Noone-day yea to be strucke blinde at the cleare light It followeth in the Title Taken out of the holy Scriptures the ancient Fathers and the diuine Seruice of our owne Church Here be three authorities the least whereof not to be contemned The first is that he saith his houres are taken from the holy Scriptures His quotations are strowed all along the booke but so as if we amasse all the generall precepts and particular practises of prayer in Scripture into one Canon or rule there should not be one houre or minute throughout the day and night which we should not spend altogether in prayer So that the abusiue vnderstanding of Scripture in this kinde was that which brought the Euchetâ— to do nothing else but pray The Scriptures commend to vs specially two times of publicke prayer for the day the Morning and the Euening prayer the one about our nine in the forenoâ—ne the other about three in the afternoone which our Church followeth these two were called the Morning and the Euening Sacrifice Hence it is that Christ began to bee offered from the Morning Sacrifice to the Euening Sacrifice as sanctifying all our Sacrifices of Prayer and Prayse Morning and Euening in that Sacrifice of himselfe But he speakes here of Priuate houres of Prayer And where will he find in Scripture any such practise as the obseruation of his Seuen Canonicall houres DANIEL prayed three times a day Yes DAVID saith Seuen times a day will I prayse thee But that 's of Prayse And though it may be meant also of Prayer it signifieth onely his frequent praying farre from a superstitious obseruation of Canonicall houres in those dayes not hatched or heard of But of Prayer he saith Euening and morning and at noone day will I pray c. But for all this mans colouring the matter with Holy Scripture he hath no other Scripture for his Canonicall houres but the Popes Scripture in his Decretalls where the Pope takes all his Canonicall houres from the actions about CHRIST in his death As in the Glosse Haec sunt septenis propter quae psallimus heris Matutina lâ—gat Christum qui crimina purgat Prima replet sputis causam dat Tertia mortis Sexta cruci nectit latus eius Nona bipaertit Vespera deponit tumulo Completa reponit Indeed the Scripture doth so command this excellent dutie of Prayer to vs as that no time should exempt vs from it but that we should be diligent in the practise of it vpon all occasions and especially keepe constantly ouâ— morning and euening sacrifice priuate and publike also as the day requireth Yea to let no oportunitie slip wherein we are not breathing out some eiaculations out of a sense and feeling of our manifold infirmities and necessities But nowhere doth the Scripture prescribe a set septenarie forme of Deuotion as the Authour would impose vpon vs. In the second place he nameth the Ancient Fathers But these faile him as much for his purpose as the Scriptures doe Indeed the Fathers doe euerie where following the Scriptures inculcate and prâ—sse the incessant practise of Prayer Hora nulla a Christianis excipitur quò minùs frequenter ac semper Deus debeat adorari c. saith CYPRIAN No houre is exempted from Christians that God might not frequently and alwayes be adored And he saith indeed that in his time the times and exercises of Prayer were much encreased Yet hee no where setteth downe seuen Canonicall houres Yea CLEMENS ROMANVS a great Authour with him though misquoted in his Constitutions which euen Pontificians themselues haue confessed to bee counterfeit yet fayle him at least in two of his houres as Câ—mplene and the last Onely GREGORY the Ninth fayles him not being as I said his first complete Authour of his seuen Canonicalls But after the Ancient Fathers in the third place hee nameth the Diuine Seruice of our owne Church out of which his Houres are taken Now surely for ought that euer I could learne out of our Seruice Booke I can find but two set Houres of Prayer besides certaines priuate Prayers recommended to priuate Families for Morning and Euening with a godly Prayer to bee said at all times in the latter end of the Booke Vnlesse out of this Prayer to bee said at all times hee would picke out his seuen Canonicall houres But whereas hee seemeth to ground the forme of his Deuotion vpon the Diuinâ— Seruice of our owne Church On the contrarie hee offereth foule violence to that more exact and profitable forme prescribed in our Liturgy For whereas the forme of Prayer in our Communion Booke is so compiled as that by a daily practise thereof the whole or most part of the OLD TESTAMENT is read ouer once in the yeere and the NEVV TESTAMENT three times and the whole Booke of PSALMES once euerie moneth The Authour or Authours of this Booke intruding a new forme of Deuotion hereby coozen GODS People of their allowance in the SCRIPTVRES while in stead of the whole hee cutteth out here a peece and there a peece here a quarter of a Chapter and there a quarter Herein crossing the Communion Booke which in the Preface fâ—atly reproueth this verie practise of the Authour in these words Now of late time a few of the Psalmes haue been daily said and oft repeated and the rest vtterly omitted And is it not so in this Booke of Deuotion Doth he not confine vs to a narrow circle of so many Psalmes so many peeces of Chapters so many Lawâ—eâ— as he calls them
to be repeated ouer euery day Doth he not hereby rob vs of the rest of the Scripture Chapters and Psalmes Wee like our Communion booke better then so thus to exchange it to our losse All Priests and Dâ—acons are bound to say dayly the Morning and Euening Prayer either priuately or publikely except they be letted by Preaching studying of Diuinitie or by some other vrgent cause Thankes be to God there are plenty of manuall Psalters and Testaments as easie to carry in mens pockets and I am sure farre more profitable to edification then this booke of Deuotion Yea and it will appeare all along this booke howsoeuer he seeme tenderly affected and deuoted to his mother Church and to our diuine Seruice that neuer any though Popish booke published this threescore yeares vnder the name of Deuotion hath more slily and subtilly vndermined the state of this our Church then this doth while it would confound our Church with that of Babylon whereof more hereafter in the proper place So much in generall of the state of this Booke occasioned by the two first title Pages The Preface NOt to intangle our selues with perplexed questions aâ— whither all prayers other then set prayers and those either the Lords prayer or the Churches publicke formes of this Authors priuate formes bee denyed to Gods people or Ministers as vttered from priuate spirits and Ghosts of their owne they are the words of the Preface wherein perhaps the Author takes the liberty to bewray his malice or ignorance or want of experience of the supply of the spirit of Christ helping our infirmities in prayer Rom. 8.26 Phil. 1.19 as not hauing his wits exercised that way we haue occasion giuen in the first place to touch vpon the second reason of these his houres the words are To let the world vnderstand that they who giue it out and accuse vs here in England to haue set vp a new Church and a new faith to haue abandoned all the ancient formes of piety and deuotion to haue taken away all the religious prayers and exercises of our forefathers to haue despised all the old Ceremonies and cast behind vs the blessed Sacraments of Christs Catholick Church c. Is not here a sound reason for the bringing in of old Popish Ceremonies and superstitions and such trumperies into our Church to the end that Popish mouthes may be stopt who slander our Church in this behalfe for antiquating all old Ceremonies whereof the obseruation of the seuen Canonicall houres is one Then belike we must set vp Popery againe at least in a good part onely to appease the clamours of Papists accusing vs for Nouelists But take heed what you doe for vnlesse you meane thus by degrees to reare vp the whole tower of Babylon again in England you striue in vaine to stoppe their mouthes who will haue all or none But in the meane time remember what your Mother the Church of England if ye be indeed her true bred sonnes saith Of such Ceremonies as be vsed in the Church and haue had their beginning by the institution of man Some at the first were of godly intent and purpose deuised and yet at length turned to vanity and superstition some entred into the Churh by vndiscreetâ— deuotion and such a zeale as was without knowledge and for because they were winked at in the beginning they grew dayly to more and more abuse which not onely for their vnprofitablenesse but also because they haue much blinded the people and obscured the glory of God are worthy to be cut away and quite râ—iâ—cted c. Heere consider whether your seuen Canonicalls be not of the number of those Ceremonies which haue had their beginning by the institution of man by Pope Gregory 9. as we haue shewed and perhaps for a good intent and purpose yet at length haue turned to vanity and superstition as is manifest both by the doctrine and practise of the Church of Rome or such as hauing entred into the Church by vndiscreet deuotion and zeale without knowledge and for because winked at in the beginning and growing dayly to more and more abuses our Church not onely for their vnprofitablenesse but because of their much blinding of the people and obscuring Gods glory hath thought worthy to cut away and cleane reiect Consider it I say For hath not our Church among many other superstitious ceremonies quite casheered this of your Canonicall houres But thereupon she heareth A nouellist a setter vp of a new Church and a new faith to haue abandoned all the ancient formes of piety and deuotion to haue taken away all the religious â—xercises and prayers of our forefathers to haue despised all the old Ceremonies c. But of whom doth our Church heare this Of the Church of Rome And can she blame Rome for it But charity would or Christian prudence or I wot not what tender care of her owne reputation being thus exposed to the obloquy of her enemy she should salue the wound againe which the venemous tongue hath made How The Authors of this booke her pregnant young sonnes though no small babies I wis can tell their old Mother shee must now after threescore yeares and more seing there is no other remedy in her old age turne ouer a new leafe begin to renew her old acquaintance with her stepmother or elder sister at least the Church of Rome intertaine some of her old ceremonies againe as religious which long agoe she abandoned as superstitious receiue reuiue that faith and religion as the Old which earst she reiected as the New thus after shee hath begun yea so many yeares continued and growne vp to a ripenesse in the spirit she must with the foolish Church of Galatia be made perfect in the flesh But we hope better things of our reuerend Mother that with aged Sophocles accused by his sonnes of carelesse improuidence in gouerning his family she will vindicate her wisdome and motherly authoritie ouer her darling but ouerdaring sonnes As for that other clause of hauing it cast in our dish that we cast behinde vs the blessed Sacraments of Christs Catholicke Church which cannot be obiected to our Church but onely because we allow no more Sacraments but two a point not a little materiall if well weighed of this we shall haue occasion to speake more when we come to his Sacraments of the Church Onely by the way this is a faire inducement to draw on his 7. Sacraments for otherwise how shall he thereby acquit vs forsooth of the grieuous scandall and imputation which the Church of Rome layes to our charge of our reiecting the blessed Sacraments of Christs Catholicke Church As if he should say as in effect and almost totidem verbiâ— he doth say They charge vs falsely in saying that we cast behind vs the blessed Sacraments of Christs Catholicke Church alas silly simples these men do little else but bewray their owne infirmities and haue more violence or will then reason or