THE ABOLISHING OF THE BOOKE OF COMMON PRAYER By Reason of above fifty grosse CORRVPTIONS in it As also for that it commands the use of such Ceremonies in the WORSHIP OF GOD namely Surplice Crosse and Kneeling which man hath devised and which are notoriously knowne to have beene of old and still to be abused to Superstition and Idolatry and are of no necessary use in the CHVRCH Being the Substance of a Booke which the Ministers of Lincoln Diocesse delivered to King IAMES the First of December 1605. Well worthy of the serious consideration of the High COVRT of PARLIAMENT Reprinted and are to be sold by SAMVEL SATTERTHVVAITE in Warwicke Lane 1641. THE ABOLISHING OF THE BOOKE OF COMMON PRAYER WITH Exceptions against Subscribing to it EXCEPTION I. FIRST IN that by the Order it appoints for the reading of the holy Scriptures the greatest part of Canonicall Scripture is never to be read to the Congregation Contrary to the practise of the Church of the Jewes before Christ and of the Primitive Church in the Age next succeeding after Christ and his Apostles and of all the best Reformed Churches at this day in none of all which any part of the Canonicall Scripture was ever commanded to be left out in publike Reading And contrary to the Opinion of Bishop Jewell who affirmeth that to limit and diet the people what they ought to reade and what they ought to leave was sometimes the Superstitious discretion of the Rabbins herein saith he wee may say as Hilary saith the Sonne of God hath revealed to us no such thing 2. And that by the Order it appoints many of the first Lessons are to be taken out of the Apocryphall Books and that under the name of the holy Scripture of the old Testament without any note of difference from the Canonicall and Commands the Story of Susanna to be read under the name of Dan. 13. In which Story the Jewes in Babylon are said to have had Judges of their own and power to put offenders to death and Daniel is said to have beene a young childe when hee executed judgement upon the two false witnrsses and this is said to have beene done immediatly before the reigne of Cyrus and to have bin the meanes wherby Daniel grew famous all which doe evidently shew this Story to be fabulous and untrue as is observed by Iuntus Lubbertus Dr. Fulke Dr. Whitakers Dr. Willet and others In like manner also sundry of the other Apocryphall Chapters that are thus apointed to be read doe containe manifest errours and corruptions as are observed by the foresaid Authors 3. In that the Booke of Common Prayer appointeth such a Translation of the Psalmes to be reade in the Churches as leaveth out of the Text sundry words and sentences which were given by Divine inspiration for the profit of the whole Church as the titles of the Psalmes and these words Higaton and Selah and Praise yet the Lord is omitted at least seventeene times which is contrary to the word of God who hath expresly forbidden to take ought from his Word and said he will take their part out of the Booke of Life that shall presume to doe it 4. In that the Booke of Common Prayer misapplyeth sundry places of Scripture and that to the countenancing of some points of unsound Doctrine as for example to instance in one for many that in Rev. 14. 15. is applied to those children whom Herod murdered which is also made more plaine by the Collect which calleth them the witnesses of God which confessed and shewed forth his praise EXCEPTION II. In that the Booke of Common Prayer commands the use of such Ceremonies in the worship of God as man hath devised and which are notoriously knowne to have beene of old and still to be abused to Idolatry and Superstition and as are of no necessary use in the Church And as this might be made manifest by Arguments drawne from holy Scriptures so also is it confirmed by the judgement of the godly learned of all Churches and ages to wit that Christians are bound to cast off the Ceremonies and Religious Customes of Pagans Jewes Idolators and Hereticks and are carefully to shun all conformitie with them therein as we might instance in the testimonies of ancient Fathers and Counsells but we will onely produce the judgements of moderne Writers 1. It was the judgement of the Church of Scotland as appeareth in a Letter written from a generall Assemblie held at Edenbrough 1566. unto the Bishops of England in which besides many other sentences to this purpose thus he writ If Surplice Corner-cap and Tippet have beene badges of Idolaters in the very act of Idolatry what have the prayers of Christian liberty and the open rebukers of Superstition to doe with the dregges of the Romish beast and more plainely in the generall confession of their faith whereunto King James with other of the chiefe States of that Kingdome did solemnly sweare and subscribe where wee finde these words Wee detest all the Ceremonies and false Doctrine of the Roman Antichrist added to the Ministration of the true Sacraments wee detest all his vaine Allegories Rites Signes and Traditions brought into the Church without the Word of God Occolampadius writing to a Minister of the Church of Scaphusium requireth him utterly to cast off all the Ceremonies of the Papists in the celebration of the Lords Supper which cannot saith he be continued but they will nourish the Superstition and impiety whereunto they served of old Calvin in one of his Epistles having spoken of some moderation that is to be used in reforming and remedying abuses in the Church yet saith he I doe no lesse constantly affirme that great heed is to be taken lest under this pretence any thing be tollerated in the Church which came either from Sathan or from Antichrist Musculus writeth thus It is not fit that those things which are rather Superstitious than Religious or have so much as a shew of Superstition should be received in the Church God forbid that I should maintaine any Tradition Rites or Worships which are Popish which either of their owne nature or by abuse doe serve unto Popish impiety Peter Martyr saith that Order ought to be kept in Administration of the Sacraments which is most sincere and differeth most from the toyes and Ceremonies of the Papists and commeth nearest unto that puritie wherein Christ and his Apostles did first adminster it Of the same judgement was Beza Bucer and many other besides of the most famous Divines of other Nations which for brevity sake I will not so much as name Our late Queenes injunctions require that all Monuments of Idolatry and Superstition be so utterly extinguished and destroyed that there may remaine no memory of them either in our Churches or houses Bishop Jewell speaking to the Papists of their Ceremonies saith You have so misused these things or rather so defiled and bewrayed them
with your Superstitions that we can no longer continue them without clogge of conscience Bishop Pilkinton misliked that we were so like the Papists in marriage and many other things Dr. Humphry professeth plainely both his desire and hope of the utter abolishing of the Ceremonies and of all Monuments of Popish Superstition that yet remaine in our Church We abhorre saith Dr. Fulke whatsoever hath but a shew of Popery we might also produce the judgements of Dr. Andrewes Mr. Greenham and others of our English Moderne Divines for the proofe of this point in generall But it will better appeare if we shall consider these three Ceremonies in question severally 1. The Surplice is notoriously knowne to be by the Papists abused to Superstition and Idolatry for the Bishop when hee halloweth any of them he useth to pray thus that the Priest wearing this holy Vesture may deserve to be shielded and defended from all assaults and temptations of wicked spirits And this garment is injoyned to all that are admitted to the very lowest degree of their Clergie which they call primam tonsuram and this was it which first brought in that custome into the Universities that every Student should at certaine times weare the Surplice in Divine Service because they did in their matriculation receive this Primam tonsuram and first entrance into the Clergie Neither is the Surplice onely a badge and ornament of their Priesthood but the use of it is also injoyned in their Idolatrous Masse For all Priests that are at Masse must needs have their Surplice on and indeede some Priests cannot say Masse without it yea they glory in it as a garment peculiar to their Religion And therefore have the most learned and Judicious of our Divines judged the Surplice to be a Popish Massing garment and by this Reason they have condemned the use of it in those Churches that professe the Gospell as namely Peter Martyr Bullenger Brentius Beza Gualther Zanchius Bishop Hooper Bishop Farrer Mr. Rogers Bishop Jewell Bishop Pilkinton Dr. Humphry Dr. Reynoilds and others The Signe of the Crosse also is notoriously knowne to be abused to Superstition and Idolatry by the Papists for both Stapleton and Bellarmine doe make it the speciall badge of their Idolatrous Religion and professe that it is one of the Images to which they give Religious Adoration yea they teach that it is to be worshipped but they doe no where more abuse it to Idolatry than in the Sacrament for in Baptisme they hold that the water hath no spirituall vertue till it be sanctified by it they marke the childe with it as a meanes to drive away the devill they hold that none can be rightly Baptized nor have his perfect Christendome without it and this hath caused many of our chiefe Divines to condemne the use of it in Baptisme as Beza Zanchius Polanus Napier Dr. Pulke Dr. Reynolds Thomas Rogers and others The gesture also of kneeling in the very act of receiving the Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper is notoriously knowne to have been of old and still to be abused unto Idolatry by the Papists for it grew first from the perswasion of the Reall presence And for this cause also have our Learned Divines condemned that gesture as namely Calvin Peter Martyr Bishop Hooper Mr. Beza and others And besides this that these Ceremonies have beene abused to Idolatry the evill of them is manifest in that they are neither needfull nor profitable in the Church neither unto edification nor unto the more comely and orderly performance of the duties of Gods Service and this may appeare both by the experience of many yeares whereby it is found as Mr. Bucer also observed in his time that there hath been farre lesse growth of Knowledge and piety in those Congregations where they have beene most precisely observed yea though they enjoyed a Ministry of greater learning and gifts then in those where they have beene wholely left and especially by this that neither Christ nor his Apostles who doubtlesse did performe every thing in their Ministry in that manner that was most decent and fit for edification did use them And it cannot but grieve many of the godly to see these things brought into the Service of Christ which have beene so defiled by Antichrist and of this judgement is both Calvin and Bucer yea many of our owne Bishops and that of late dayes as Dr. Whitegift late Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Chaderton Bishop of Lincolne and Dr. Vaughan Bishop of London and others in Ecclesiasticall dignity doe professe that the Church might well be without them and that they could wish they were taken away and have spoken very basely of them and in their owne Congregations have beene accustomed oft times to omit the use of them by all which they have evidently declared that they doe not in their conscience thinke them fit or profitable to edifie the Church by the more decent or orderly performance of the Service of God Furthermore besides the commanding the use of these Ceremonies which you see are so neddlesse and offensive the Booke of Common Prayer containeth in it sundry things that are contrary to the Word of God The Booke of Common Prayer containeth in it sundry things besides those handled in the Abridgement that are contrary to the Word of God For 1. It appointeth a Leiturgie which in the whole matter and forme thereof is too like unto the Masse-booke 2. It appointeth a Leiturgie which by the length thereof doth in many Congregations oft times necessarily shut out Preaching viz. When Baptisme the Communion Marrying Churching and Buriall concurre all together as oft times they doe in great Congregations 3. It approveth of a Ministery as lawfull which wanteth ability to Preach 4. It containeth in it sundry Popish errors of such things at least as tend strongly to the maintenance of Popish Superstition As 1. The Minister of the Gospell is throughout the Booke called Priest 2. It commandeth the observation of many Holidayes and requireth the Minister to bid them and preferreth them in some sort before the Lords day For the ordinary Lessons appointed in the Calendar for the Lords Day must give place to the proper Lessons of that Holy-day that falls on the Lords Day and Athanasius Creed is appointed to be read only upon certaine Holi-dayes 3. It appointeth Saints Eves to be kept as Fasting-dayes and commandeth the Minister to bid them so 4. It appointeth the time of Lent to be kept as a Religious Fast and perverteth both the Example of Christs Fast and sundry other places of Scripture to the justifying thereof It prescribeth a speciall service for the first day of Lent and appointeth the Commination and other speciall Prayers and Exhortations tending to Repentance to be read upon that day onely and it affirmeth that It was a godly Discipline in the Primative Church the restoring whereof is much to be wished that notorious sinners at the beginning of Lent
were put to open Penance 5. The weeke before Easter onely of all weekes in the yeare hath prescript Service appointed with Epistles and Gospels for every day as solemne as the Holy-dayes are wont to have 6. The Fryday before Easter is called Good Friday and hath three speciall Collects appointed for it as hath no one day of the yeare besides 7. It commandeth that every Parishioner shall receive the Communion at Easter 8. It appointeth the Congregation to pray that God would give them that which their prayers dare not presume to aske 9. The Catechisme in delivering the number of the Sacraments saith there are two onely as generally necessary to salvation 10. The Minister as if Baptisme were of absolute necessity is allowed not onely to Baptise in private but to use the words of Institution and the element though hee have not so much time as to say the Lords Prayer 11. The Minister is allowed and directed to administer the Communion to one sicke of the Plague though there be not one more to communicate with him 12. Interrogatories in Baptisme are ministred unto Infants as if repentance and Faith were requisite in them before they may be Baptized and it is said in the Catechisme That infants performe faith and repentance by their Sureties who promise and vow them in their names 13. Every child baptized as if outward Baptisme did conferre grace to all that receive it is said to be regenerate and in the Catechisme it is said that we are by Baptisme made the children of grace and in the Rubricke immediatly before Catechisme that it is certaine by Gods Word that children being baptized have all things necessary for their salvation and be undoubtedly saved 14. The Minister is appointed to command that children be brought to the Bishop to be confirmed yea none may be admitted to the Communion till he have beene confirmed In confirmation children are said to be certified by the signe of the imposition of the Bishops hands of Gods favour and gracious goodnesse towards them And confirmation is said to be ministred to them that are baptized that by imposition of hands and Prayer they may receive strength and defence against all tentations to sinne and the assaults of the world and the devill Yea confirmation is dignified above Christs Sacraments in that none may administer it but a Bishop And it is said to be administred after the example of the holy Apostles and warrant thereby 15. It saith that Matrimony doth signifie unto us the Mysticall union betwixt Christ and his Church and that God did consecrate the state of Matrimony to such an excellent mystery that in it is signified and represented the spirituall marriage and unitie betweene Christ and his Church And the Ring in Matrimonie is appointed to be laid on the Booke and the Priest to take it and deliver it to the man and to teach him to say thus With this Ring thee wed c. And the Priest is appointed in his Prayer unto God to say that the Ring is a token and a pledge of the Covenant and vow made in marriage 16. The Priest is appointed to absolve every sicke person that findeth his conscience troubled with any weighty sinne and maketh speciall confession of it in this forme by Christs authoritie committed to me I absolve thee from all thy sinnes in the name of the Father c And in another place the people are appointed to come to the Minister to receive the benefit of Absolution 17. Buriall is made a ministeriall duty and a prescript Leiturgie is appointed for it to be said at the grave and we are appointed to pray thus that God would hasten his Kingdome that we with this our brother all other departed in the true faith of thy holy name may have our perfit consummation and blisse both in body and soule 18. Churching of Women is commanded and made a Ministeriall duty and a prescript Leiturgy appointed for it and the woman is appointed to kneele neere to the place where the Table stands and the Priest to stand by her when he Churcheth her and that he must offer her accustomed offerings 19. Both in that place and elsewhere in the booke offering dayes and an Offertory are allowed 20. In the Catechisme it is said that the Sonne of God hath redeemed all mankinde taking that phrase in a larger sense than for all the elect as is evident by the words immediatly going before and following after 21. It appointeth sundry things that tend directly to the profanation of the holy Sacraments either by prostituting them to unworthy persons or administring them unreverently For 1. All Priests and Deacons in Collegiat Churches are commanded to receive the Communion every Sunday at least 2 Every communicant may chuse whether he will give notice of his purpose to receive till after the beginning of morning Prayer on the same day that he is to communicate 3. All new married persons must receive the Communion the same day they are married 4. Private Baptisme in some cases is allowed to be administred without any Prayer Doctrine or Exhortation 5 It avoucheth sundry manifest and apparant untruths As 1. That in the Calendar so much as may be the reading of the Scripture is so set forth that all things might be done in order without breaking one piece from another 2. That nothing by this Booke is ordained to be read but the very pure Word of God the holy Scripture or that which is evidently grounded upon the same 3. That this booke is so plaine and perfit as that the Curates shall neede no other bookes for their publike service but this booke and the Bible and yet it injoynes him to read Homilies 4. That all our Ceremonies pertaine to edification and are apt to stirre up the dull minde of man to the remembrance of his duty to God by some notable and speciall signification 5. It calleth certaine Chapters of Esay Ieremy Ioel and the Acts Epistles 6. It appoints us to say every day from Christmas day to New-yeares day in a Collect that Christ was borne this day and upon whitsunday Munday and Tuesday God which on this day hast taught c. 7. It affirmeth that Michael mentioned Rev. 12. is a created Angell 8. It peremptorily affirmeth sundry things that if they be not manifestly false are doubtfull 1. That the Infants whom Herod murthered were Innocents and Gods witnesses and that they confessed his praise by dying 2. That there are Archangells 3. That every one that is buried is a brother That God hath taken to himselfe his soule that we commit his body to the ground in sure and certaine hope of Resurrection to eternall life 4. It appointeth sundry things that bring great disorder and confusion unto the worship of God As 1. That the people should say after the Minister whole sentences of prayer and