Against the apple o◠〈…〉 of antichrist or the masse 〈…〉 lurking darknesse making way for the apple of the right eye of antichrist the compleat masse book of palpable darknesse This apple of the left eye commonly called the liturgie or service book is in great use both among the halting papists and compleat papists and the things written heere are also against the compleat masse book IOHN X. veâ—â—â— All that ever came before mee ar◠〈◊〉 and robbeâ—â— but the sheep did not heare them vers 9. I am the doore by 〈…〉 man 〈◊〉 in bee shall be saved and shall go in and 〈◊〉 and find◠〈◊〉 vers 10. The thief cometh not but fâ—◠〈◊〉 steale and to kill and to destroy I am come that 〈◊〉 â—ight have life and that they might have it more 〈…〉 Printed Annâ— 16â—â— The Contents of this Book IF superstitious rites be comely in Gods Kirk Quest 1. How many wayes doth this masse book restraine the libertie of Gods Spirit Of crossing confirmation how Gods worship bindereth other parts of Gods worship Qu. 2 By what clouds of darknesse is the light of the gospell obscured in the kingdome of antichrist Of governing the kirk by prelats the oath of intrains Quest 3. The evidencies of idolatrie in this book how all wil-worship is idolatrie The sorts of Idolatrie Qu. 4. What popes first ordeined the superstitions of this book Of feasts or holie dayes and fasting dayes Of reading Scriptures out of their owne canon their incorporation with witches charmes with the Alcoran c. Privat Sacraments the surplice crossing c. Q. 5. Should Scriptures bee left out for obscuritie Qu. 6. Wherefore omitted in reading Qu. 7. If they edifie lesse and yet should bee read Qu. 8. If the reading of this book be Divine service because of the Scriptures contained in it Qu. 9. 10. Of fixing the Scriptures vnto set dayes Set dayes of fasting and thanksgiving Qu. 10. Of set formes of prayer and conceived Q. 11 Conceived prayers are also set formes c. Qu. 12. We may use some set formes Q. 1â— The Scriptures are a set forme the Lords prayer the 10. Commands and Articles of belief Qu 14. Of catecheticall Doctrine Qu. 15. Of libertie in indifferent things Qu. 16. when lawfull ceremonies become vnlawfull Qu. 17. The patriarkâ— were taught without Scriptures Ergo wee may want some Scriptures Qu. 18. Are not traditions best when reading and preaching the Scriptures profite nothing Qu. 19. The pride and covetousnesse of the Clergie at Divine service Qu. 20. Pride at the communion Qu. 21. If this book may be used when it is corrected Qu. 21. The vse of a table taken away Q. 23. 24. Of giving the elements out of the Ministerâ— hands If Christ did so to all c. The meaning of the words I will not drink of the fruit of the vine The signification of the elements Qu. 25. The minister goeth about to distribute Qu 26. Of kneeling to the Sacrament for humilitie It is as lawfull to honour Christ by giving the inward as the outward worship to the elements Qu. 27. Of adoring the Sacrament because it is 〈◊〉 holy ordinance Qu. 28. We bow towards a king Ergo. Qu. 29. We should vse the Sacraments reverently Ergo c. Qu. 30. It is an excitative mids Ergo c. Qu. 31. If the sacrament bee worshiped when wee adore before it Qu. 32. Of vncovering the head c. Qu. 33. Of sitting Jackfellow like with Christ Q. 34. The midses and objects of indifferencie Oâ— necessitie Of a determinat religious adoration which is the mids of neceâ—â—â—tie that iâ— neerest unto God who is adored Salomon worshipped before the altar By what sorts of union was GOD united to the things wherein he appeared Qu. 35. If more learned men should bee obeyed Qu. 36. We can not cast away all rites c. Qu. 37. Nor worship God if we eschew all that idolaters doe Qu. 38. Why doe you who kneel not deâ—â—â— from our communions Qu. 39. Whether I preach or not mere is danger Qu. 40. Better to yeeld to some abuses then 〈◊〉 theefe or wolf should enter into my place Qu. 41. The profitable meanes to keepe men from apostasie Qu. 4â— QUESTION ALL the rites and ceremonies prescribed in this masse book are they not used in Gods kirk for comlinesse and decency Answere Thus you do calumniat Christ our Lord and his apostles as if they had worshipped God undecently because they used not these rites 2. Is it decent that a Queene shall be clad with the garments of a whore you do cloath Gods kirk with the garments of the whore of Babylon by idolatrous and superstitious rites 3. Is it decency in Gods kirk that either rulers or usurping prelats by their lawes shall burden mens consciences persecute them if they obey not such laws 4. If a servant binde his masters hands and feet that he may not stir nor walk nor move himselfe If the servant I say being accused for the same shall answer I did it for decency think you this a decent answere But the authors obtruders of this book do binde Gods spirit so far as lyeth in them by restraining the free passage of the gifts of Gods Spirit in their lawfull and right use among Gods people Quest How many wayes do the popish prelates by this book restraine the libertie of Gods spirit so far as their power may reach Ans They lay bands on Gods spirit by hindering the register of Gods truth viz. the Canonicall Scriptures to be read in publick divine service placing in stead thereof rent and clipped pieces of Scriptures with humaine traditions 2. They destroy the holy order wherein God◠〈◊〉 placed the Scriptures as if the most High had 〈…〉 them like a God of confusion They have turned this order into Babylonish confusion and Gods Spirit is restrained from the use of his own holy order among his people 3. By obtruding this book they hinder oftimes preaching and interpretation of scriptures which are the gifts of Gods Spirit 4. They hinder the indifferent use of time in reading his word by fixing the reading of the scriptures unto set dayes of the year 5. They hinder and restraine Gods spirit in not making known the whole extent of his word for there are a hundreth and twentie chapters of the scriptures unto the publick reading whereof they appoint no time of the yeer 6. They binde and restraine the gifts of Gods spirit in his Ministers at publick prayer so that whatsoever holy meditations God shall put in their hearts they may not expresse them if they be not in the forme of the words of this book This is a forbidding of Gods Spirit to give any meditations to his servants otherwise then this book prescribeth 7. They force the people to kneel when the priest rehearseth the law and giveth the sacramentall elements so that God is hindred of that honour that if himself were rehearseing the law he shall not
hands and turne in peeces with the teeth of the faithfull de Consecrat Dist 2. Ego Berengarius c. This service book craftilie includeth in it the same thing in the prayer at the coÌ„munion praying That God would so blesse the bread and wine that they may be the body bloud of Christ 36. Pope Innocent the 3. ordeined that the Sacrament of the altar should be keept and reserved in Churches continuallie under lock and key to be in readinesse at all times least the sick persones want spirituall confort in the time of death This book also hath a reservation of the Sacrament 37. Pope Vitalian is said to have brought the Organs into the Churches Platina Volateran This doth accompanie both the compleat and incompleat masse books Q 6. Are not the omitted Scriptures left out of the masse book and also not suffered to be read in the Church because they are obscure and hard for the people that understand them 〈◊〉 Ans 1. Then the Preachers should instruct them for it is the chief part of their callings to interpret the Scriptures as Philip did to the Eunuch Act. 9. and Christ to the two men going to Emmaus 2. By taking away or omitting any part of GODS word they professe the Spirit of GOD to be imprudent and rash in dyting such Scriptures as their Antichristian wisedome thinketh needlesse and have omitted Item they show their owne ignorance and presumption in taking the calling of the ministrie when they understand not these omitted Scriptures at the least in a generall sense and their own unfaithfulnesse if they can and will not interpret them 3. The people should read even obscure Scriptures and glorifie GOD 1. By confessing their ignorance 2. and that if they shall ever understand his word this knowledge commeth not of themselves but it is the gift of God 3. They shall also glorifie God by seeking the understanding of his word 4. By waiting upon God untill he reveale it which in his owne time Hee will do either in generals or particulars as is fittest for His glory and their well It is good service done unto God if they read these obscure Scriptures with such a disposition and God will be glorified all these wayes Christs sheep will hear his voice speak what he pleaseth John 10. John 5. They are bid Search the Scriptures This searching is also a service done unto GOD for it showeth a love of his word consequentlie a love of himself because he is found in his word Great searching showeth great love little or no searching little or no love But if no Scriptures were obscure there should be no â—â—ed of searching 5. The LORD alloweth his Apostles to heare many things of himself which they understood not untill after his resurrection neither understood they many things written by Moses and the Prophets untill after his resurrection see Luke 24 vers 25.27 and vers 6.44 45 46. Mark 9. vers 10. Act. 1. vers 16.20 and chap. 2. vers 25.30.34 Act. 3. vers 22 24 25. and sundry other places He willeth also that we should heare and read all his word albeit we understand not many things in it untill the resurection of his mysticall body at his second coming As GODS kirk in the Old Testament understood not many things in the Prophets before his first coming notwithstanding the Prophets were dayly read in the synagogues And when GODS people in due time shall understand these things clearly then they shall magnifie the LORD in that they see his Al-seing Majestie doeth nothing and speaketh nothing rashly and ignorantly but knoweth and foreseeth all things before the foundation of the world and this thing shall teach them humilitie in that neither learning nor long experience shall make them know the secret things of the LORD untill himself reveale them These things foresaid do also convince the Papists who forbid the people to read privatly the Scriptures they labour to perswade the people that the Pope can not erre that thereby all his doctrine and traditions may be received by all men and so they exalt the Pope above GOD whose holy word they spoile from the people importing no lesse then that GOD should bee in error and not the Pope Qu. 7. The book of Leviticus edifieth not containâ—â— but rites and ceremonies the Chapters of Genealogies containe names only the Canticles and sundrie prophesies are obscure should they then be read publictly Ans All should be read for all edifie 1. The book of Leviticus prophesieth of Christs suffrings and first coming in the flesh for as the audible word read and preached taught the same unto the ears of men so the ceremonies sacrifices and Sacraments as a visible word foretold the same unto their eyes When preachers now do read and interpret this book it edifieth us and serveth for the strengthning of our faith in that by this book we see that the doctrine of Christ is no new thing invented of men but GOD taught by his Prophets in the Old Testament Also it showeth that Christ is of great dignity and Majesty whose coming was foretold so many wayes and that his suffrings have great vertue and merite being prefigured by so many types 2. The chapters of Genealogies do also edifie showing what care GOD taketh of men and of their children and seeing that these are written for us it showeth that God taketh notise as well of all others whose names are not written in the Scriptures and that the names of his own are written in the book of life and that his care and providence reacheth unto every person in the world And also the chief scope of many Genealogies was to point forth Christs Genealogie that men might know Hee was 〈◊〉 a false Christ nor a false prophet coming into 〈◊〉 kirk without warrand of God but that God â—â—d chosen him only to be the Saviour of the world 3. The Canticles are most fit to be read for no scriptures do more edifie because none are fitter to set forth that most comfortable doctrine of the mutuall love between Christ and his Kirk Therefore the Holy Ghost calleth the song of Salomon the most excellent song 4. There are 19. chapters of the Revelation left out and not read neither in the Sabboth nor week dayes viz. from the 2. to the 18. and the 20.21 chapters because they are most dangerous for the false kirk discovering the antichrist and his persecution of true kirk and the fall of antichrist Some do alleadge that satan liketh not to hear tell of his first falling and ruine from God so the Kingdome of Babylon liketh not to hear tell of their last falling and ruine and they hide from the people the light of Gods word least it discover their filthinesse which if it were discovered men would abhor them and destroy their Kingdome The other Scriptures which they never read all the book of the Canticles Genesis chap. 10. Exod. chap. 2. 4 6 7 8. the 25. to 31.
chap. and 26 27 28 29. chap. Leviticus chap. 1. to 8. and 10.11.13.14.15.17.22.26 chap. Nombers chap. 1.2.3.4.18.19.26.33.34 chap. Deuteron chap. 14. Josua 11.12.14.15.16.17.18.19.21 2. Chronicl chap. inclusive 1. to 9. and 11.12.23.24.25.26.27.2 Chron. 3.4 Ezra 7. Nohem 3.7.11.12 Ezechiel 10. and 26. to 33. inclusive and 38. to 48. inclusive Amos 1. Nahum 3. in these the whole chapters are omitted 5. Prophesies and obscure Scriptures should bâ— read as reverently and attentively as the Apostles did heare obscure doctrine and parables out of Christs own mouth and they learned humilitie in that they would not bee wiser then Christ to make a glosse of their own upon his words but did patiently awaite untill that the Lord himself revealed the matter Gods Spirit by obscure Scriptures can also help our faith as Christ made the blinde to see with clay and spittle which otherwise maketh blinde This work of the Spirit is known when the Faithfull say in their hearts I know whatsoever you obscure words do meane it shall be foâ— my well The traditions of men whether they be obscure or plain have no such authoritie nor warrand nor power of Gods Spirit therefore they have neither title nor right in this ministration 6. If Gods Word be true which saith All Scripturs is given by divine inspiration and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of GOD may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works 2 Tim. 3.16 17. Then all Scriptures should bee read to make the man of GOD perfect But humaine traditions doctrine of errors and wil-worship do make the man of sin even antichrist perfect and furnished for all evill works their most charitable and pious works whereof they glory much are but evill and full of Divine-laesmajestie because they derogate from the merits of Christ in attributing merits unto creatures who before GOD have no merit of themselves so their most charitable works are most uncharitable Qu. 8. But these omitted scriptures do lesse edifie then other scripturs Ans 1. How much or little they edifie it is only known to God who by the weakest meanes effecteth the greatest works Therefore thou should only have said they seeme to edifie little 2. I suppone that they alwayes edifie lesse then other Scriptures yet the omitting of them maketh them not to edifie more but rather nothing at all which is worse We should do all things for edification 3. Their little measure of edification should not be despised but rather receaved with thanksgiving as we receive other benefites will a man pull out his infirm eye because it is more tender then the other eye Will he cut of his little finger because the other fingers are stronger Will a covetous Prelat refuse his small teynds because they are lesse gainfull then the other teynds Casteth he all away his coyne that is not gold Therefore as God abolisheth not the smallest stars in the firmament because they give not so great light as the Sun or Moone or greater stars so we should not reject the smallest lights of Gods truth albeit their shyning be not so bright as the glansing of other principles of Divinity The obscurest scriptures have some light in them and some cleer doctrine mixed with them for which cause also they should be read Qu. 9. Is not the reading of the masse book Divine service because of the passages of Divine Scriptures in it Ans There are as good passages of Scriptures in the Turks Alcoran in the Iewish Talmud and in witches charmes In these books and charmes the holy Scriptures are written to cloak and cover the deformitie and filthinesse of idolatrous superstitious and â—â—mane traditions as good wine may hid deadly poison in the same cup. Qu. 10. You do choose on t particular Scriptures to be read as fittest for the purpose in time of plagues or extraordinary blissings and you confesse that to be Divine service so in this book wee have fitted the Scriptures for diverse occasions Therefore it is Divine service to read it Ans You have fixed the Scriptures unto set times but you have not fitted them for diverse occasions you are not Prophets you foreknow not the occasions we choose no Scriptures to be read at extraordinary times untill that God make the occasions sensible to our eyes and then his word inviteth us to choose such Scriptures saying Call upon me in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee and thou shall glorifie me Psal 50. All our reading and preaching of such Scriptures are for expressing our desires in trouble and then God when he heareth us he blesseth us and then wee thank and glorifie Him extraordinarly in his worship but not in fixed dayes of the year Thou knowest not but thy fixed dayes of fasting and prayer for averting Gods judgements or delivering thee from plagues may be the very dayes of Gods greatest bountie in giving unto thee many spirituall and bodily blessings and then if thou keep thy humiliation foresaid thou art a mocker of God and lyest against him in pretending a plague when he blesseth thee and â—hus thou art unthankfull in not praising God solemnâ—y for these blessings The like mocking and lying against God are effected in thy fixed dayes of thanksgiving for his spirituall and bodily blessings when 〈◊〉 his anger God multiplieth his plagues Thus the antichristian Clergie are false prophets seeming to foretell by these fixed dayes of fasting and thanksgiving that God hath fixed His blessings and plagues unto the same dayes which God never intended 2. To read and hear divine service out of the canon of Scriptures which Gods Spirit hath authorized and sealed to be the rule of our faith and holy life and to be the register of Gods revealed will towards his kirk To read them I say out of this canon it is not divine service more then to read a witches charme which is full of Scriptures also But it is devilish service to obtrud the reading of them for divine service when they are incorporat into one treatise with humaine and devilish doctrine to beautifie and procure credit to the doctrine of devils The Scriptures are out of the authorized canon not when they are lying in louse sheets of paper or bound in severall books by themselves or when they are bound only with other books nor yet when they are made use of in sound doctrine of Divinitie for all these times they losse not their spirituall union and cohesion with the true canon But when they are incorporate into one treatise with humaine and profane doctrine with which they can have no spirituall union nor agreement of Divine veritie whereby they losse their dignitie more then if they were burnt in the fire for the burning of them procureth no credit to errors and lies as when they are incorporate into one treatise with errors and lies 3. The morall sentences of Philosophers containe many things which aâ—e in Gods word shall
apparitions and visions we have need therefore of greater abundance of the evidency of his revealed will in the Old and New Testament Qu. 19. But now neither the reading nor the preaching of the Scriptures profiteth the people They loath the word as an unsavory thing They live without zeale without faith repentance Therefore they will make better use of humaine traditions Ans Thou should have said also that GODS word doth no good unto the preachers else they would not have beene so presumptuous as to have thralled GODS kirk with humaine traditions and carnall instructions 2. I confesse that wesps will make more use of poison then of hony The children of darknesse love rather the night then the day yea GODS people when 〈◊〉 spirituall graces decayed liked better of the flesh 〈◊〉 of Egypt then of the heavenlie Manna 3. Humaine traditions may work in men blinde zeale a temporarie faith a Pharisaicall repentance but no saving grace for God will rather blesse his own ordinances then humaine traditions If he do not so he will give no blessing of saving grace at all If GOD forsake Saul the Prophet Samuel can do him no good albeit he honour him before the people much lesse shall witches and devils help him in his distresse The waters of Damascus shall not cure Naaman of his leprosie if the waters of Jordan GODS ordinance do it not If God make not effectuall the ordinary meanes of his word it is time to fast and pray that GOD may turne back his spirituall iudgements least He plague us with finall desertion Qu. 20. Do not the prayers in this book witnesse that there is great humilitie in the Clergy and prelates Ans 1. The ambitious obtruders thereof upon GODS kirk for establishing their bastard orders have declared their greatest pride in the exercise of prayer wherein should be seene greatest humilitie for first because they dare not do otherwise in the Letany used on Sundayes Wedinsdayes and Fridayes they have a forme of prayer for the King the Queene and their children next for the prelats Bishops and elders of the clergy Thirdly for the Nobility then for the rulers and Magistrats lastly for the people So they must come before God as they ride in Parliament usurping place before the Nobility and magistrats They stand 〈◊〉 for off like the Publicane They who humble not themselves like little children shall not enter into the kingdom◠〈◊〉 heaven Also in the same Litany there are 3. particâ—â—â—â— prayers one for the King an other for the Queene their children the third for the Bishops and clergy but no prayer for the Nobility Magistrats and people 2. Neither can they hide their covetousnesse in their religious service wherein they should be most charitable for this book commandeth the halfe of the almes which the communicants give to the poore shall be given to the presbyter that celebrateth the coÌ„munion That which is given to the poore is given to God for they are the members of Christ If the clergy rob the sacred almes from Christs members they will not have it called sacriledge but if a superstitious portion be taking from them when they have more then sufficient that is called sacriledge when as the antichristian clergy and all that teach errors and idolatrie live only upon sacriledge for God as he alloweth neither false nor idolatrous doctrine so neither alloweth he meanes for sustaining false teachers though he permit the same This book appointeth them also to have an accustomed duety at mariages what will they do at baptisme at the kirking of women and at the making of testaments when they are so shamelesse at the Lords supper and at marriages Ambition covetousnesse idlenesse cause them praise this book highly in their pulpits Qu. 21. If wee correct this book and take away the faults of it may it not then be read for Divine service in Gods kirk Ans 1. That is Repugnantia in adjecto a speech contradictory to it self for if you take all the blemishes away this book can have no being for it is 〈◊〉 it blemish because it usurpeth the place of Gods word and it layeth bands on Gods Spirit in that if God would give as excellent gifts unto his servants as ever he did unto my Prophets or Apostles they may not exercise these gifts being hindered by the formes of this book and albeit the Scriptures contained in this book are in themselves good yet as they are placed in this book they are but a blemish as a gold chaine is an ornament about the neck a of queen but it is a blemish about the neck of a sow for how much so ever these Scriptures do procure credit and respect to this book and to the superstitions thereof so much they procure discredit and contempt to the rest of the Scriptures as when Dinah was defiled with Sechem it was a shame to the whole family of Jacob and if the son of a Prince become a theefe he shameth all his kinred If any wold glew the nose and lugs of a man to the face of an ox or the nose lugs of an ox to the face of a man both these wayes it is a disgrace unto man So the glorious banner of Gods word is disgraced whither it be incorporat and sewed together with the dishclouâ—s of humaine traditions and errors or whether they be incorporat with Gods sacred word 2. They make choose of some Scriptures to be insert in this book as if the rest of the Scriptures were but babling and not beseeming the wisdome of God and as if God unadvisedly had sent them unto his kirk 3. If nothing were in his book but these few Scriptures the clouting and clamping of them together is a despising of the order wherein God Spirit placed them as if he were not a God of order And it is a restraining of Gods Spirit by the continuall reading of them to hinder the free passage of the reâ—â— as an herald receiving many ordinances from his king by the oft repitition of one or two of them he leaveth no time to promulgat the rest In the Kalendar they ordeine the Psalmes to be read twelve times in the year They appoint not the rest of the Scriptures to be read six times in the year and 122. chapters of the scripture are never appointed to be read 4. They miscall some Scriptures is a historie in Act. 10. vers 34. which is read on Munday in Easter week and Act 7.55 c. read on S. Stevens day Joel 4.12 c. read on the first day of Lenâ— Revel 7.2 on all Saints day these and such other places are niknamed Epistles Qu. 22. In what order do they minister the communion Ans Their pride is seene also in this for all bishops presbyters and deacons must alwayes first receive the coÌ„munion before others they say it is done that the clergie may help to distribute the elements but they do it when there is no need of help
be discerned by religious adoration from a priest when he rehearseth the law yea a priest is honoured and not God for when God gave the law the people did only stand and kneeled not Also Christs personall presence if he visiblie were beside us could not be discerned from the sacramentall elements by religious adoration Item the holy desires and the libertie of Gods people are restrained from expressing the religious divine adoration in due time and place as Gods spirit teacheth them to eschew the confusion of divine adoration with other points of Gods service 8 They restraine Gods honour and dignity in that his sacred word which for the exellency thereof should be written and set apart by it self and so declared to be more esteemed then all other word it is put together into one incorporation with Apocrypha and humaine traditions and so made only equall to them 9. They presse down the dignity of Christs sacraments and consequently the wisedome of Gods Spirit by whom Christ gave these sacraments in that a presbyter or deacon may give baptisme and the Lords supper but the bishop must only give confirmation as if it were more excellent then the sacraments of Christs ordinance But the bastard office of a tyrannizing bishop which God never planted is the fittest minister of a bastard sacrament 10. By making one part of divine service to hinder another part thereof as the reading of the Psalmes twelve times in the yeer hindreth the other Scriptures to be read six times in the year as if a servant would labour and plew all the year upon two or three rigs of his masters land and leave no time for plewing the rest of his field 11 By binding the significations of divine ordinances unto humaine traditions as when at baptisme they demand questions at infants as if they could understand and speak like their parents they make the sign of the Crosse in the Childes fore-head after hee is baptized saying Wee receive him in the Congregation of Christs flock as if Baptisme it self did not signifie our entrie into Christs kirk So they deny the force of Baptisme attributing it unto crossing they make crossing also a token that he shall confesse the Faith of Christ and resist the divel the world They spoile this also from Baptisme they make matrimonie to signifie the mystical union betwixt Christ and his kirk and so they make it a sacrament This signification is also robbed from Christs Sacraments for Baptisme signifieth our beginning and ingrafting in Christs mysticall body and the LORDS Supper signifieth our continuance in that union Matrimonie is a Divine ordinance but the using of it as a Sacrament is a humaine ordinance 12. By making the Clergie in divine service keep the precise words of this Masse book so that they may not read one verse of any chapter of Scripture more then the passages quoted in this book neither may they diminish one word or verse which is printed in this book yea where this book hath all the LORDS Prayer they must say all the LORDS Prayer where it hath but a part of it they must say but a part of it Where this book omitteth Christs descending into hell in the Apostolick Creed they must omit it and where the Creed hath all the Articles they must say all Where it hath the Creed of Athanasius they must say it So oft as the book hath the words Lord have mercie upon us which words are the Popish Kyrie Eleison the Priest must say them as often and no more They adde unto GODS word and diminish from it as they please they will have none to adde unto their traditions nor diminish from them Thus the Man of Sin as GOD sitteth in the Temple of GOD and exalteth him above all the three Persons which 〈◊〉 called GOD and the most High is used as a slave The most wicked men will make use of some of the speeches of their slaves if they can make these words fitting for their purposes So the Antichristians make use of the word of God for earthly gaine pleasures 13. By hindering Gods people to use extraordinarie fasting and praying and solemne humiliation unto GOD even when the LORD plagueth his people with many and grievous plagues spirituall and corporall Thus the Antichristian Prelates themselves are become the greatest plague of Gods kirk when they hinder the lawfull meanes of taking away Gods judgements 14. By forcing the People to fasting and solemne humiliation at Lent and other set times albeit GOD were blessing his People with all good things without any plague and so restraining the dueties of solemne thanksgiving 15. By ordeining the Scriptures which they appoint to be made use of in publict divine service not only to be read upon fixed dayes of the year as was said before but also they have appointed them to be read on such daies of the moneth when People because of their civile distractions may not come to heare them So except the twelve whole chapters that are only written in this Masse book the rest are but parcels of Chapters and the hundreth and thirteene chapters which are appointed for the Sundayes of the year there shall no more whole chapters be read on Sundayes through the whole year for the rest of the scriptures are so appointed for the dayes of the moneth that if these dayes fall upon the Sunday then the chapters ordeined for these dayes of â—â—e moneth shall be omitted at that time but if they â—all on the week dayes these scriptures shall be read except I say these 12 and 113. Chapters the people shall never heare the rest of the scriptures read in publick divine service being hindred by lawfull civile bussinesse on the week dayes The jewes were more religious for they caused the whole old testament to be read on the sabboths at the least once in the yeer It is said in a fable that a foxe invited a cran to a dinner and he powred forth scatred abroad on a broad table a thin broath for the cran to eate But the cran smitting the table with his long beak could not take up the broath scatred abroad So these deceaving foxes have so scattred abroad divided the spirituall food of Gods word that Gods people can not be the better of it They have appointed it for such dayes as people can not come to heare it And upon the sabboths when they should heare it they finde a serpent in stead of a fish in stead of the bread of life which is Gods word they feed more upon humaine stonie traditions Qu. By what clouds of darknesse is the light of Christ the son of righteousnesse obscured in the antichristian kingdome Ans By diminishing Gods word in the Canonicall register as when they left out the second commandment of the morall law 2. By diminishing his word in choosing some places of scriptures to be insert and read in their service book rejecting the most part of the
Scriptures which are omitted as not worthy to be written with their traditions 3. By hindering many chapters in the canonicall scriptures to be read at Divine service which is a diminishing of the word of God from publick audience 4. By forbidding the laicks privatly to read 〈◊〉 Gods word at all this is more then a diminishing 〈◊〉 Gods word it is a robbing of the whole word from the people 5. By obtruding upon them wil-worship and humaine traditions 6. By renting and cutting the passages of Scripture that are read that as a man can not bee knowne by his face when it is all wounded and cutted his deformitie and wounds make him hid and obscure So the glory of God that shined in his word is hid by cutting and renting peeces of Scripture from the true canon This is not the dividing of Gods word aright as some affirme whereof Paul speaketh 2 Tim. 2.15 meaning that Timothy should apply the severall parts of the word unto the spirituall necessities of Gods people The antichristian clergy cut away the passages of Gods word from publick reading application 7. By incorporating the word and vniting it unto one treatise with humane traditions that as a King can not bee known to bee a king but is thought to be a beggar or a robber if he dwell in the same house or familie with beggars and robbers so Gods word when it is united to a witchesse charme is but a witches charme united to humaine traditions doctrine of wil-worship superstition and idolatry it is then such a doctrine A man cloathed in womans clothes is obscured as he is a man and taken for a woman so is Gods word hid with the superstitious doctrine of the whore of Babylon wherewith it is cloathed and taken for such doctrine 8. By appropriating places of Scriptures unto fixed dayes of Martyres and Saincts so that they seeme rather to bee â—â—e doctrine of these Saints then of God 9. By persecuting the instruments who hold out the light Not only they hold back and will not suffer qualified men to be imployed in the Ministrie but they also silence depose banish oppresse and torment these who were imployed therein So they close the windowes of Gods kirk that the light of the Son of righteousnesse may not shine within it they remove the candlestick that the candles may not give light and they put in stead thereof the light of a fish head which is humane traditions 10. By serving God in an unknown language in Latine Liturgies c. The Latine superscriptions written with Liturgies of other languages doe hide and obscure the meaning of things under-written in a mans own language unto the simple people 11. By wriesting the Scriptures for the extolling of the merits of Saints and Angels and setting at naught the merits of Christ in teaching of purgatory satisfactions and works of supererogation 12. By Heathnish and Jewish rites and ceremonies 13. By idlenesse and negligence in Gods work in Pastors Preachers and Prelates 14. By outward glory and worldly pompe in buildings gardeins garments glorious images carved pictures processions lying relicts c. All which procure a carnall reverence and respect unto superstition and idolatrie and a contempt of the povertie of true religious Professors for antichristian members are ashamed of the poverty of the crosse of Christ and they who professe poverty do become exceeding rich by begging 15. By idolatrie and superstition 16. By wil-worship 17 By making one duetie of Gods worship to hinder aâ—oâ—â—â— as at the instant act of receiving the Sacrament when all the outward gestures and senses and all the inward thoughts of the heart should bee exercised upon the outward beholding receiving eating and drinking the elements and in the meditations of Christs death and sufferings done for the salvation of the receiver these actions and exercises of faith for which chiefly the Sacrament was ordeined they are perturbed and hindered by the meditations and gestures of humilitie which should be done in more fit times of prayer before the receiving and of thanksgiving after As a Herald by proclaiming one part of the kings will continually leaveth no time for proclaiming the rest This confusion is effected albeit the receivers would turne their backs to the Sacrament for eshewing the appearance of idolatrie when they kneele If a man would let down a cord to deliver his friend out of a pit but the captive would stretch out his hands testifying his thankfulnesse to his deliverer in the very instant when he should put his hands to the cord to hold it for his deliverance If a man would sing Psalmes at the time of preaching when he should hear Gods word The like confusion is effected by this untimous kneeling also by reading the book of the Psalmes twelve times in the year in publict divine service the rest of the Scriptures can not bee read six times in the year 18. By taking from GODS servants the power of church government and giving it unto one or few persons as to bishops or prelats by whose usurping tyrannie are brought in GODS kirk all the bands whereby the gifts of GODS Spirit are restrained and the true light of the gospell is obscured They doe what they please there is none to controule them In assemblies when they would conclude any thing they speare the votes of some few persons of their own faction who minde the same things without demanding the votes of these who are of a sounder judgement The bishops will say I see you are all of one minde as if they had sought the votes of all and if any of a better conscience vote against them they shall surely suffer for it either directly or indirectly And when the prelates are to establish wicked lawes they send for these persons chiefly that can temporize with themselves that they may come to the assemblies 19 By making all that enter into church offices to sweare that they shall obey whatsoever their usurping commanders shall injoyne unto them If they obey they are mansworn both in making this oath and in performing it because both the making and performing of these unlawfull oathes are against the covenant and promise made at baptisme which is made by the persons baptized or by their parents in their names and against the oath and covenant made by the Christians who were the first reformers of the true religion which oath and covenant we are as religiously bound to keep as the children of Saul were a stricted to keep the oath made by the princes unto the Gibeonites Josua 9. and 2. Sam. 21. yea we are more strictly bound to keep it because it was made more advisedly then was the rash oath of the Israelites Tyrannizing prelates are not called of God to their usurping offices and consequently have no lawfull power to require an oath of obedience to such offices and men have neither lawfull power to obey them nor to sweare to their obedience Neither is the matter which is
they therefore be read for Divine service And also they and the scriptures called Aâ—â—â—crypha can prove nothing which may beget nor establish saving faith in the hearts of men 4. God in His word did registrat the lives doings and sayings of many Pagans and wicked men as are Nimrod Balaam Pharaoh and Haman and of the devill plagueing Job tempting Christ and entring into Judas c. these should bee read in Divine service But who dare censure GODS doing and who dare imitate his practise in hatching new Scriptures All fire in Heaven and in earth is but fire yet if God send fire from himself upon the sacrifices who dare burn them with strange fire Qu. 11. Is not this book good for publict prayer in that it setteth down some formes thereof for in conceaved prayer men spend their time in thinking what should be their wants and what way to expresse them before God Ans 1. The knowledge of the wants of Christians is alwayes present to such as are nor senslesse and carelesse the manner of expressing of them is at hand to such as are frequented with Divine service for use maketh promptnesse 2. Your set formes of prayer know not mens particular nor yet their common wants which occasionally may fall out into Gods kirk and therefore they can not make the time shorter by discovering unto men their wants neither can they expresse their occasionall wants There is more time â—pended before that thou canst apply a set forme unto thy heart and stir up thy desires thereby without the which thou doest not pray but prat 3. Thou must also take time to consider if thou hast need of the things contained in the set forme for it will perturb 〈◊〉 prayer to seek deliverance from war tempest famine thunder and pestilence when such things are not neer unto thee This prayer is commanded to be said in the Litany which is appointed for the Wednesdayes Fridayes and Sundayes such a prayer is a mocking of GOD. 4. The set forme perturbeth thy minde in publict prayer when true griefs and wants come into thy minde and thou hast no libertie to expresse them unto GOD because they are not mentioned in the set forme 5. Thou that condemnest a conceived prayer doest also condemne the set formes for all set formes were conceived by these who first published them Why may not wee then use now also conceived prayers If any pray for things unlawfull let the kirk censure them If any pray for things agreeable to GODS glory and the well of his kirk how dare any accuse it This masse book teacheth men not to be Christians but apes in unpertinent gestures of standing sitting kneeling c. and parrats in reading praying vociferation and crying unpertinently All is hypocrisie the very substance of antichristian devotion Qu. 12. Doth not the conceived prayer used by the preacher become also a set forme unto the people if they fixe their meditations and devotion unto his prayer why then may not both the preachers and people use the set formes of this book Ans 1. When the Preacher conceiveth a prayer GODS Spirit is no wayes restrained for he expresseth as Gods Spirit informeth him And if the people in the meane time have the same information at the hearing of the Preacher then no man hindereth 〈◊〉 expression thereof by themselves But if GODâ— Spirit put in them any heavenly meditations different from the words and meditations of the Preacher they may also secretly expresse them 2. Every day as troubles or changes shall fall out in kirk or common-wealth GOD offereth unto men new occasions to have variety of meditations and of the expressing of them in prayer The set formes in the masse book do hinder both Preachers and People from such expression Qu. 13. May not preachers sometimes vse some ordinary set forme of prayer Ans They may if the prayer conteine only things that are perpetually needfull for GODS kirk as Confession of sins mercy and remission of sins sanctification of life a blessing to the present exercise increase of faith c. that thereby ignorant people if there be but one of them in the whole flock who understand nothing and have neither form nor words of prayer at all at the least they may learne some form of prayer to call upon God in such a forme is better then not to call upon God at all This forme so used restraineth not Gods Spirit both because the matter of it is perpetually needfull as also because it hindereth none to say conceived prayers before or after as men think good Experience hath shown that the memories of some people have beene so weak that neither painâ—s nor travell nor repetitions could make them get perqueer the LORDS Prayer Others have learned the LORDS Prayer but no further others learned also some set forme but could never conceive a prayer â—â—â—refore these preachers are both undiscreet and uncharitable who deny altogether a set forme of prayer unto weak Christians who can neither understand nor imitate a conceived prayer It is mercilesse Divinitie that showeth no pitie upon the infirme and ignorant Christians Then when the Ministers have thus taken care for the ignorant people they do best afterwards to conceive their prayers that the libertie of GODS Spirit in his gifts may be enlarged and not diminished and that the more learned people by the diversitie of the Preachers meditations may bee edified as well by his prayer as by his preaching Paul become as under the Law for them that were under the Law he became weak for them that are weak he became all things unto all men that he might gaine some So the faithfull and true Pastors that are not hirelings neither puft up with a conceat of spirituall gifts they will accommodat themselves not only to strong Christians with diversitie change of meditations in a conceived prayer but also to the weak and infirme for whom Christ dyed with a set forme containing things ever needfull for Gods Kirk that the infirme may be gained untill the Lord bring them to greater perfection Qu. 14. Their are set formes of Divine service in scriptures as the Lords prayer and the 10. commandments may not wee make set formes following this example Ans 1. The whole word of GOD in the Old and New Testament is a set forme of Gods revealed will for us to make use of in the practise of a holy life but not in the practise of making new formes May wee then make new Scriptures and Gospels as we please containing the form set down by Gods Spirit 2. 〈◊〉 set formes in Scripture do not lay bands on Gods Spâ—â—rit they were the effects of his libertie which hee used at his pleasure He may restraine and command us we may not do so unto him 3. Masters who appoint set formes of service are offended if their servants do not obey them as they command but as the servants like to obey The antichristian Prelates themselves are not