Lent the Lords day the great festivalls of Easter and Whitson day beside these we 〈◊〉 there are and have been many ancient 〈◊〉 traditions from which as foundations grew those noted practices of not fasting on the Sunday of adoring towards the East 〈◊〉 before the altar of signing the baptised with the crosse of exorcising the party baptised and putting a white garment upon them of receiving the 〈◊〉 fasting of mixing water with the wine of sending it to such as were absent of eating the confecrate bread in the Church or carrying it home of crossing themselves when they went out or when 〈◊〉 went in when they went to bed or when they rose when they sate downe to meat when they lighted candles or had any businesse of moment to doe that ceremonies and rites of this nature are 〈◊〉 the power of the Church to ordaine we generally grant to our adversaries White on the Sabboth page 97. The reformed Churches reject not all traditions but such as are spurious 〈◊〉 and no consonant to the holy Scripture but genuine traditions agreeable to the rule of faith derived from the Apostolicall times by a successive current and which have the uniforme testimony of pious antiquity are received and honoured by us Now such are these which follow the historicall tradition concerning the number integrity dignity and perfection of the books of Canonicall Scripture the Catholick exposition of many sentences of Scripture the Apostles creed the baptisme of infants the observation of the Lords day and some other 〈◊〉 as Easter 〈◊〉 c. baptising and administration of the Supper in holy assemblies the service of the Church in a known language the delivering of the Communion to the people in both kindes the superiority of Bishops over Priests and Deacons in jurisdiction and power of ordination c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 396. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tur in Scripturis infantes batizari aut in coena Domini sub utraque specie communicantes participare 600. sunt ejusmodi in rebus sacris à Deo institutis 〈◊〉 mandatis usurpatis ab Ecclesia de quibus possumus pro 〈◊〉 nihil tale docet Scriptura Scriptura haec non aedicat d Mon. orig p. 276. Nihil est memoriae proditum quod ego quidem sciam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apud vetustiores sive historicos five 〈◊〉 probabile tamen est 〈◊〉 receptam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de traditione vetustiore aut scriptis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vetustioribus nunc deperditis dimanasse Montag apar 389. Ad me quod attinet si 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sanctis patribus per illa tempora inventum primo 〈◊〉 nulla traditione priore commendatum nullo usu veterum ne quidem vestigiis leviter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per 〈◊〉 annorum decursum ad nostra usque tempora sine contradictione 〈◊〉 non video cur non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vim suam obtineat authoritatem Absit enim ut 〈◊〉 Ecclesia vel in rebus de facto Ecclesiasticis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diu aberraverit Ibid. p. 382. Meminerimus 〈◊〉 olim statuisse cum applausu de hujusmodi consuetudinibus si legem expostules scriptam nullam invenies sed traditio praetenditur autrix consuetudo 〈◊〉 fides observatrix Et Irenaeus quid autem si neque 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nobis Scripturas nonne oporteret 〈◊〉 traditionis Idem antig p. 42. That author saies no more then is justifiable touching traditions for thus he 〈◊〉 the doctrine of the Church is two waies delivered unto us first by writing then by tradition from hand to hand Both are of alike value or force unto piety e White in his examination of the dialogue 〈◊〉 not only this testimony of 〈◊〉 Etiamsi Scripturae authoritas non subesset totius tamen orbis in hanc partem consensus instar praecepti obtinet 〈◊〉 alia multa quae per traditionem in 〈◊〉 observantur authoritatem sibi scriptae legis 〈◊〉 but also that of Eusebius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in sanctis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 decernitur id universum divinae voluntati debet attribui And this of Bernards Sive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 homo vicarius Dei mandatum quodcunque tradiderit pari profecto obsequendum est cura pari reverentia 〈◊〉 ubi tamen Deo contraria non praecipit homo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 31. Sensum Scripturarum ex patribus doctoribus Ecclesiae 〈◊〉 traditum conservatum in Ecclesia approbatum quidni pro tali traditione agnoscamus in 〈◊〉 veritate acquiescendum à qua minimè 〈◊〉 sit f Montag orig p. 353. Eusebius de Severianis hereticis loquens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prophetis 〈◊〉 utuntur sacrarum Scripturarum sensus sententias ut nostri solent puritani novatores pro suo arbitratu interpretantur Mon. orig p. 318. Neque enim insanire solent sine Scripturis haeretici mir 〈◊〉 casdem ad suos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solent applicare defendendos persusdendosque g Mont apar 382. Non ut nostri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quibus 〈◊〉 est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 resipit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ideo 〈◊〉 est vel ut amant 〈◊〉 reformandum ad Dei verbum hoc est ad Lesbiam plane regulam ipsorum cerebrositatem amussitandum h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 129. The godly and learned Fathers of our Church give strick charge to private preachers that they preach nothing in their preachings which they would have the people 〈◊〉 to beleeve and observe but that which is agreeable to the doctrine of the old and new Testament and that which the Catholick Fathers and ancient Bishops have formerly taught and collected from thence White upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 12. The holy Scripture is the fountaine and living spting containing in all 〈◊〉 and abundance whatsoever is necessary to make Gods people wise unto salvation The 〈◊〉 and unanimous 〈◊〉 of the true Church of Christ 〈◊〉 the primitive ages thereof is the 〈◊〉 or a 〈◊〉 pipe to derive and convoy to 〈◊〉 generations the 〈◊〉 water 〈◊〉 in the holy Scripture Ibid. From 〈◊〉 he saith Injuriam nobis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nos 〈◊〉 solam 〈◊〉 esse 〈◊〉 judicem 〈◊〉 siarum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritum 〈◊〉 p. 14. The Ecclesiasticall 〈◊〉 reporteth of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 that in their studying the holy Scriptures 〈◊〉 collected the sense of them not from their owne judgement or presumption but from the testimony and authority of the ancients who had received the rule of the true intelligence of Scripture from the holy Apostles by succession In the doctrine of faith justification fulfilling of the Law merit they are fully Popish i 〈◊〉 pag. 46. This one faith is called by Divines the Catholike faith contained in the three Creedes of the Apostles Nice and 〈◊〉 The false faith is contrary to this the private faith or fancy rather by which men beleeve to be saved by themselves that which is the mother and nource to vice an enemy to all good life that this is not the Catholick faith shall appear because that faith hath not a special
of his tongue and harp as a third marrow should come to perswade yet that none of you shall ever bee moved by all their oratorie to espouse the quarrels of so unhappy men If I faile in my faire undertaking let me bee condemned of temeritie and no houre of your leasure be ever again imployed in taking notice of any more of my complaints But till my vanity bee found I will expect assuredly from your Honours one hearing if it were but to waken many an able wit and nimble pen in that your venerable House of Convocation Numbers there if they would speake their knowledge could tell other tales then ever I heard in an out-corner of the Isle farre from the secrets of State and all possibilitie of intelligence how many affaires in the World doe goe It is one of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the World how many of the English Divines can at this time be so dumbe who could well if they pleased paint out before your eyes with a Sun-beame all the crimes Ispeake of 〈◊〉 that head and members It is strange that the pilloring of some few that the slitting of Bastwickes and 〈◊〉 nose the branding of Prinnes cheeke the cutting of Lightouns eares the scourging of Lylburne through the City the close keeping of Lincolne and the murthering of others by famine colde vermine stinke and other miseries in the caves and vaults of the Bishops houses of inquisition should bind up the mouthes of all the rest of the learned 〈◊〉 wont not in the dayes of hottest persecution in the very Marian times to be so scant of faithfull witnesses to the truth of Christ we can not now conjecture what is become of that zeale to the true Religion which we are persivaded lyes in the heart of many thousands in that gracious Kirk we trust indeed that this long lurking and too too long silence of the Saints there shall breake out at once in some hundreths of trumpets and lampes shining and shouting to the joy of all the reformed Churches against the campe of these enemies to God and the King that quickly it may be so behold I here first upon all hazards doe breake my pitcher doe hold out my lampe and blow my trumpet before the Commissioners of the whole Kingdome offering to convince that prevalent faction by their owne mouth of Arminianisme Poperie and tyrannie The main scope and delineation of the subsequent Treatise CHAP. I. OUr Adversaries are very unwilling to suffer to appeare that there is any further debate betwixt them and us but what is proper unto our Church doth arise from the Service Book Canons Episcopacie which they have pressed upon us with violence against all Order Ecclesiasticall and Civill In the mean time lest they become the sacrifices of the publike hatred of others in a subtle Sophistication they labour to hide the 〈◊〉 wrongs and assronts which they have done openly to the Reformed Religion to the Churches of ENGLAND and all the Reformed Churches in the main and most materiall questions debated against the Papists ever since the reformation for such as professe themselves our enemies and are most busie to stirre up our gracious Prince to armes against us do wilfully dissemble their knowledg of any other controversie betweene them and us but that which properly concerneth us and rubbeth not upon any other Church In this their doing the Judicious may perceive their manifold deceit whereby they would delude the simple and many wittie worldlings do deceive themselves First they would have the world to think that wee obstinately refuse to obey the Magistrate in the point of things indifferent And therefore unnecessarily and in a foolish precisenesse draw upon ourselves the wrath of the King Secondly when in our late Assemblies the order of our Church is made known and the seeds of superstition heresie idolatrie and antichristian tyranny are discovered in the service Booke and Canons they wipe their mouth they say No such thing is meant and that wee may upon the like occasion blame the service Booke of England Thirdly when by the occasion of the former quarrellings their palpable Poperie and Arminianisme are set before their eyes and their perverse intentions desires and endeavours of the change of Religion and lawes are upon other grounds then upon the service Booke and Canons objected against them they stop their eares or at least shut their mouths and answer nothing This challenge they still decline and misken they will not let it be heard let bee to answer to it And for to make out their tergiversation for to dash away allutterly this our processe they have bin long plying their great engine and at last have wrought their yondmost myne to that perfection that it is now ready to spring under our wals By their flattering calumnies they have drawne the Prince againe to arms for the overthrow of us their challengers and for the affrighting by the terrour of armies on foot all others elswhere from commencing any such action against them As for us truly it were the greatest happinesse we do wish for out of Heaven to live peaceably in all submission and obedience under the wings of our gracious Soveraigne and it is to us a bitternesse as gall as wormwood as death to be necessitate to any contest to any contradictory tearms let be an armed defence against any whom hee is pleased to defend Yea certainly it were the great joy of our hearts to receive these very men our mortall enemies into the arms of our affection upon any probable signes in them of their sincere griefe for the huge wrongs they have intended and done to their Mother church and Country But when this felicity is denied and nothing in them doth yet appeare but induration and a malicions obstinacie going on madly through a desperate desire of revenge to move a very sweet Prince for their cause to shed his own bloud to rent his own bowels to cut off his own members what shall wee doe but complain to GOD and 〈◊〉 to the Worlds eyes the true cause of our sufferings the true grounds of this Episcopall warre or rather not Episcopall but Canterburian broyle for wee judge sundry Bishops in the Isle to be very free of these mischiefs and believe that divers of them would gladly demonstrate their innocency if so be my Lord of Canterbury and his dependants were in any way to receive from the Kings justice some part of their deserveings Howsoever that wee may give a testimony to the truth of GOD which wee are like at once to seale with our bloud wee will offer to the view of all Reformed Churches and above the rest to our neerest and sibbest sister of England as it were in a Table divers of these errours which our party first by craft and subtilty but now by extreame violence of fire and sword are labouring to bring upon us to the end that our deare brethren understanding our sufferings in the defence of
that small Treatise and yet been so farre from reproving the Authour from censuring the licencer his Chaplain from calling in the booke from expurging any one jot that was in it that the Treatise the second time is put to the presse at London with the same licence the same dedication no letter of the points in question altered May wee not conclude with the favour of all reasonable men that it is my Lord of Canterburies expresse minde to have his owne name prefixed and his chaplaines hand subjoined to the grossest errours of Arminius and so to professe openly his contempt of the Kings Proclamation for the pretended violation where of he causeth stigmatize mutilat fine excessively imprison for time of life very vertuous gentle-men both Divines Lawyers Physitians of other faculties What there can be said for his graces apologie nothing commeth in my mind except one alledgeance that the point in hand crosseth not the proclamation discharging toproceed in those questions beyond the Grammaticall construction and literall sense of the articles of England The Authour indeed in the Epistle dedicatory avowes to his grace that the These alledged and all the rest of his Booke doth perfectly agree with the English Articles in the very first and literall sense whereof the Proclamation speaketh And to this assertion the Licencers hand is relative as to the rest of the booke but of this miserable apologie which yet is the onely one which I can imagine possible this will be the necessary issue that the grosse lie which good King James put upon the bold brow of impudent Bertius for his affirming that one article of the Saints apostasie let bee other more vile Arminian Tenets was consonant with the Articles of England must bee throwne back from Bertius on the Kings face and that in as disgracefull a way as it was first given Montague and White with his graces permission did give that venerable Prince long agoe the lie at home in English affirming the perfect agreeance of the Arminian apostasie with the Doctrine of England But this afront contents not his Grace except the barbarous medicine under the shelter of his Archiepiscopall name belie his Majesty over sea and over the whole world where the Latine is understood Beside this shamefull inconvenience another dangerous evill will necessarily follow from this apologie to wit that the Arminian doctrine may not onely be tollerat in England which yet if King James bee trusted cannot faile to draw downe upon England a curse from God shame from abroad horrible schisme at home but also since their grossest Articles are declared in print and in Latine under the shadow of Canterburies name to be fully consonant to the very literall sense of the Articles of England all the members of that Church may bee compelled presently without more delay to embrace those doctrines and that any manis permitted in England to believe in peace the Antiarminian Articles wherein Queene Elisabet and King James did live and die it is of meere favour and the Princes mercy who readily by the Arch-bishops intercession is diverted from pressing the profession of those articles according to the first and most literall sense which now is clearly avowed to be after Arminius yea Molina his mind CHAP. III. The Canterburians professd affection towards the Pope and Popery in grosse IT was the opinion of many among us for a long time that the innovating faction did minde no more nor Arminianisme but at once those who touched their pulse neerer did finde a more high humour working in their veines With Arminius errours they began incontinent to publish other Tenets which to all meere Arminians were ridiculous follies The elements of the Lords Supper began by them to bee magnified above the common phrase of protestant Divines a corporall presence of Christs humanitie in and about the elements to bee glanced at a kind of omnipresence of Christs flesh to bee preached a number of adorations before those elements and all that was neere them both the altar bason chalice and chancell to bee urged many new ceremonies which for many yeares had beene out of use to bee taken in a great bitternesse of spirit against all who ran not after these new guises to appeare This made us thinke they intended to step over from Arminius to Luther In this conception wee were somewhat confirmed considering their earnest recommendation to the reading of young Students the late Lutheran Divines such as Hutter Meisner Gerard with their crying down both in private and publike of Calvine Beza Martyr Bucer and the rest of the famous Writers both ancient and late of the French and Belgicke Churches Their giving it out also that their martyred Reformers Cranmer Ridley Latimer were of Luthers Schoole and from him had learned those things wherein the English Church did differ from the other Reformed of Calvines framing But most of all by my Lord of Canterburies great diligence under-hand to promove and reward that late negotiation of Master Duries with the Churches over Sea for the extenuating of the Lutheran errours and procuring with their Churches not only a syncretisme which all good men did ever pant for but also a full peace in tearms so generall so ambiguous so slippery that are very suspitious to many other wayes very peaceable mindes This I speak without any intention of putting the least note of blame either upon the person or pains of Master Durie or any of the Divines of either side who have been ready to declare their inclination and employ their labours towards that more desired then hoped for union of the Protestant Churches whom evill instruments have keeped too too long asunder in a lamentable dangerous and disgracefull distraction Master Duries labours in this kind were ever by mee esteemed worthy of great prayse honour and reward I wished alwayes in my heart to them a most happy successe ever rejoycing when in any of his informations I did perceive the lest step of advancement My remarke only is upon the malice of the Canterburians who to their wicked designe of re-uniting to Rome and so overthrowing all the Protestant Churches doe most perversly abuse as all whatsoever at any time hath falne from the pen of any Reformed Writer tending towards mutuall peace or moderation so especially the negotiations which of old or late hath beene in hand for the drawing of us and the Lutherans into one body These Treaties whether for a full agreement or a friendly toleration are laid by them as the principall ground-stones of their negotiation with Rome for to them both the persons and doctrine of the Lutherans are more odious than these of the Papists as you will see it hereafter demonstrate from the Writs of Forbes and Kellet so that all the countenance they have showne hitherto towards the negotiations of our peace with the Lutherans did not proceed from any true affection they carried either to the men or to their negotiation in
their approaching That it is a favor for the King or the Emperour to win near that place for the short time of his offering 4. That none of the ceremonies of the popish baptism neither their salt their spitle nor exsufflation are superstitious 5. That a number of the Masse toyes which yet are not in practise in England yea all the guises of the Masse which can be proven to be ancient are all to be embraced 6. That who ever in the publick prayers hath their face toward the North South and West must be publickly called upon to turne themselves ever towards the East 7. That in the Church not onely in the time of prayer but at the reading of the ten commands all must fal on their knees but when the creed is read all must stand upright on their feet when the epistle commeth all may sit downe but when the gospell beginneth all must again arise during the time of sermon all must stand discovered That to these and all such pious practises we are oblidged by the sole example of the bishops or some sew of them even before the inacting of any Law either of church or state 8. That the conscience is oblidged not only to keep religiously the greater festivities of Yule pasch pentecost and the rest which are immediately referred to the honour of the Trinitie but also a number of the festivals of the blessed Virgin of the Saints and Angels Those must not bee polluted with any worke or secular affaire as wee desire to bee helped by these glorified persons intercession Yet Christs Sunday must bee no Sabboth bowling balling and other such games may well consist with all the holinesse it hath yea no law of God no ancient Canon of the Church doth discharge shearing of Corne taking of fish or much other husband labour upon that day but by the contrary acts both of church State do warrand such labour yea there is so great Jewish superstition in the Land about Christs Sunday that all preachers must bee obliged in their very pulpits to proclame the new book of sports for incouragement of the people to their gaming 's when the short houre of divine service is ended and that under no lesse paine than ejection from the Ministerie 9. Pilgrimages to Saints Reliques and bare-footed processions to their Churches are preached and printed Those Throats which are so wide as to swallow downe all these it seemes they will not make great bones in all the other trash which in the Romish Church we challenge as superstitious CHAP. VII The Canterburians embrace the Masse it selfe OF all the pieces of popery there is none so much beloved by papists nor so much hated by Protestants as the Masse since the reformation of Religion the Masse hath ever beene counted the great wall of division keeping the parties asunder who ever could free that ditch whose stomack could digest that morsell no man of either side was wont to make any doubt of his name but that with consent of all hee might passe for a true papist and no waies in any reason stand for a moment longer in the catalogue of protestants If then I bee able to demonstrate the Canterburians minde to be for the Masse I hope no man of any understanding and equity will require of me any further proofe of their popery but with good leave of all I may end my taske having set upon the head therof this cape-stone In the mouth of both sides reformed and Romish preaching and the Masse goe for reall opposites the affection of Papists to their Masse maketh them value our preaching at the lesser rate the affection of Protestants to preaching maketh the Masse to them the lesse lovely Our faction to make roome for the Masse so farre as they dare so fast as they can are crying downe preaching They tell us first that much of the preaching which now is at London and over England is not the word of God but of the Devill because indeed the best and most zealous preachers in their sermons doe oft taxe Arminianisme and Popery and the waies whereby his Grace is in use to advance both This to him and his followers is doctrinall Puritanisme much worse than disciplinarie yea it is sedition taught by the Devill 2. They tell us that the most of preachers though voyd of the former fault are so ignorant idle impertinent clamorous fellowes that their silence were much more to be wisht than their speech Because indeed grave and gracious Ministers are not either able or willing to stuffe their Sermons with secular learning and imploy extraordinarie paines for to gather together a Masse of tinkling words as Andrewes was and his admirers are wont to doe for to spoyle preaching of that life spirit and power which ought to shine into it 3. That the preaching which themselves approve and praise is but sermonizing in pulpits no necessary part of the Ministeriall charge but a practice to bee used of some few of singular learning eloquence and that only at rare and extraordinary times as the Bishop or the Star-chamber Court shall be pleased to give licence 4. That the onely ordinary profitable and necessary preaching which God hath appoynted and the Church laid upon the backe of Pastours as their charge for which their tithes and stipends is due to them is nothing but the distinct and cleare reading of the Service Booke As for sermonizing in pulpits when so it is permitted it ought to be very short and after the popish form without any prayer at all either before or after That the custome of English preachers who before Sermon pray for the help of the Spirit of God to themselves and their hearers or after Sermon crave grace to practice what hath beene spoken is all but idle yea intollerable novations to bee abolished Neither this onely but that the most able Pastors are not to bee suffered so much as in their private studies to recommend their soules to God in their owne words but in their very private prayers are to bee tyed precisely to the words of the Service Booke 5. That the sermonizing which themselves permit must bee in the greatest Townes in the most solemne times but once a day that the practice of hearing two Sermons in one day is to be corrected that one in a month is abundant and all the English Canons doe require 6. That over all England Lecturers whose Sermons wont to be the farre best must be presently silenced as those whose calling the Canons Ecclesiasticall of England cannot permit In a word that Sermons are the great occasion of the division and heart-burnings which now trouble the Church and State of the presumption and pride and most sins among the people That therefore it were verie good to returne to the old fashion in the dayes of popery before the 19. yeare of Henry the eighth where there was
than to us What we have said against the Scots liturgie may well reflect upon them and so farre as we intend upon them alone and that for three of their crimes chiefely First their forcing upon us with whom they had nought to do so many novations even all that is England at one draught and that by meere violence 2. Their mutation of the most of those things to a plaine popish sence which in the best sence that ever was put upon them did occasion alwayes to England much trouble 3. Their mutation of the English books not onely to popish sences but even to popish words and that in a number of the most important passages of the Masse This last here wee will shew holding us within the bounds of our few forenamed leafes by which conjecture may bee made of the rest Of all the limbes of the Masse the most substantious for many evill qualities are those three which lie contiguous together the Offertorie the Canon the Communion The English at the reformation howsoever for reasons of their owne thought meet to retaine more of the Masse words than our church could ever be induced to follow yet in those three portions of the Masse they were very carefull to cast out what they knew protestants did much abhorre in the church of Rome But at this time the Canterburians having gotten the refraiming of the Liturgy in their hands for to manifest their affection openly to Rome do put in expressely that which the English reformers put out as wicked scandalls That this may bee seene consider severally the three named portions The popish Offertorie in it selfe is a foule practice even a renovation in the Christian church of a Jewish Sacrifice as Durand confesseth But as it stands in the Masse it hath yet a worse use to bee a preparatorie peace offering making way for that holy propitiatorie which in the Canon followes It is pretended to bee a sacrifice for the benefit both of quicke and dead for the good of the whole church universall for the helpe of these in Purgatorie but it is really intended to be a dragge a hook to draw in money to the Priests purses This piece of the Masse the English did cleane abolish but behold how much of it our present Reformers are pleased to replant in our booke First they professe in plaine tearmes the reduction of the Offertorie and that not once alone but least their designe should passe without observation they tell us over againe of the Offertory 2. In the very forefront of this their Offertory they set up unto us whole five passages of Scripture whereof the English hath none all directly in the literall sence carrying to a Jewish oblation 3. For the waking of the Priests appetite which of it selfe uses to be sharpe enough Upon the hope of present gaine to sing his Masses with the better will they set up a Rubrick seasing and infefting the officiating Priest in the halfe of all the oblations which hee can move the people to offer and giving a liberty to him with his Church-warden to dispose on the other halfe also as he thinks good expresly contrary to the English which commands all the almes of the people to bee put up in the poores boxe 4. They will not have us to want the very formality of a Jewish offering for they ordaine the Deacon to put the bason with the peoples devotions in the hands of the Priest that hee may present it before the Lord upon the Altar just as the papists in this place ordaine to bring the paten with their oblations unto the Priest that hee may set it before their altar 5 The priest is ordained to place and to offer up the bread and wine upon the Lords Table that it may be ready for that service just the popish offering in that place of the Masse of the bread and wine as a preparatory sacrifice for the propitiatory following 6. The English prayer for the Catholick Church is in our book cast immediately at the back of the offering of bread and wine and that we may know it must be taken for the Offertory prayers that stands there in the Missall and that for the benefit not onely of the living but also of the dead The Masse clauses for the honour of the Saints and helpe of those who are in purgatorie which the English scraped out they put in againe For as the Papists say these Offertorie prayers for the honour of the Saints especially of the blessed Virgin and Apostles and Martyrs so they in this their Offertorie prayer commemorat all the Saints who in their severall generations were the lights of the World and had wonderfull grace and vertue they might have put in particularly as Couzins in his devotions doeth page 371. The blessed Virgin 〈◊〉 the holy Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and Martyrs also they mention among the dead not onely these glorious Saints but the rest of Gods servants who have finished their course in 〈◊〉 and now doe rest from their labours the best description that can be if Bellarmine may be believed of the Soules in Purgatory for whom not only thanks is given but also prayers made as Couzins who is suspected to be one of the maine pen-men of our booke doth comment this passage in his devotions page 372. That at the last day we with them and they with us may attaine to the resurrection of the Just and have our perfect consummation both of soule and body in the kingdome of heaven There is no footestep of any of these things in the English book The piece which followes the Offertorie in the Missall and in our booke also is the Canon no lesse detested by all Protestants then admired by papists as Bellarmine telleth us Many of the prefaces and prayers thereof wee have word by word and what ever we want these men in print are bold to justifie it all as in nothing opposite to the truth or protestant Doctrine So the appendix to D. Fields third Booke Chap. 1. But wee must consider the time wherein D. Field is made to utter such speeches it is in the twenty eight yeare long after the death of that learned and reverend Divine It is in that yeare when his Grace sitting in the Chaire of London had 〈◊〉 now the full superintendence of all the presses there and could very easily for the promoving of his designes put in practice that piece of policie among others to make men after their death speak in print what they never thought in their life or at least to speake out those thoughts which for the good and peace of the Church they keeped close within the doors of their owne breast and withdrew from the notice of the World it would then seeme reason to father these strange justifications of the Masse which are cast to Fields booke so long after his death as also many passages in these posthume works of Andrewes which his Grace
avowedly sets out in the twentie ninth yeare and those new pieces never heard of which in the thirtie one yeare are set out by M. Aylward under the name of the English Martyrs as also that writ of Overall which Montagu puts out with his owne amplifications in the thirty six yeare These and the like pieces must in reason be ratherfather'd on those who put them forth then upon their pretended authors who readily did never know such posthume children or else did take them for such unhappy bastards as they were resolved for reasons known to themselves to keep them in obscurity and never in publike to avow them as their owne In this Canon there are two parts most principall which the papists call the Heart and Head thereof The prayers of consecration and of oblation this head the English strikes off this heart they pull out of their Booke that the wicked Serpent should not have any life among them But our men are so tender and compassionate towards that poore Beast that they will again put in that Heart and set on that Head The consecration and oblation they will bee loth 〈◊〉 want Consider then these mens changing of the English booke towards both those the two incomparable worst parts of the whole Masse First the English scrapes out all mention of any consecration for however we delight not to strive with the papists any where about words yet in this place while they declare expressely that by consecration of the Elements they doe understand not the sanctification of the Elements by the word and prayer but a secret whispering of certaine words upon the Elements for their very Transubstantiation Consecration in this place being so taken by the papists the English rejects it and will have nothing to do therewith but our men being more wise and understanding their owne ends put up in their rubrick in capitall letters formally and expressely their praier of consecration 〈◊〉 The Papists to the end that their consecratory words may bee whispered upon the elements for their change and no wayes heard of the people who perchance if they heard and understood them might learne them by heart and in their idlenesse might pronounce them over their meales and so which once they say was done Transubstantiate their ordinary food into Christs body for the eschewing of these inconveniences they ordaine the consecration to bee made in the outmost corner of the church so far from the eares of the people as may be and for the greater security they ordaine their priests in the time of consecration both to speake low and to turne their backs upon the people For to remedy these wicked follies the English expressely ordained their Communion Table to stand in the body of the Church where the Minister in the mids of the people might read out openly all the words of the Institution But our men to returne to the old fashion command the table to be set at the East end of the Chancell that in the time of the consecration the priest may stand so farre removed from the people as the furthest wall of the Church can permit and as this distance were not enough to keep these holy words of 〈◊〉 from the prophane eares of Laicks our book hath a second Rubrick enjoyning expressely the priest in the time of Consecration to turne his backe on the people to come from the North end of the Table and to stand at such a place where bee may use both his hands with more decencie and ease which is not possible but on the West side alone for on the South side the commoditie is just alike as in the North. On the Eastnone can stand for the Table is joyned hard to the Wall and whosoever stands at the West side of the Altar his Back is directly to the people that are behind him They say for this practise many things first That in the good holy Liturgie of Edward the sixth the Priest was ordained to stand with his back to the people Againe that alwayes in the ancient church the priests stood in the uppermost end of the church divided from the people behind them with railes and vailes and other distinctions 3. That Scripture is the ground of this practice for so it was in the Jewish Church the Priest when hee went into the Sanctuary to pray and offer incense for the people they stood without and never did heare what he spake nor saw what he did If from this practice wee would inferre with Bellarmine that the priest in the consecration might speake in latine or in a language unknown to the people since God to whom he speaks understands alllanguages the elements upon which the consecratorie words are murmured understands none and the people for whom alone the vulgar language is used is put backe from the hearing of the consecration we know not what in reason they could answer But this weknow that the maine ground whereupon we presse the use of the vulgar language not onely in the consecration as they call it but in the whole service of God I meane the warrant of Scripture they openly denie and for it gives no ground but the old tradition of the Church 3 When our priest is set under the East wal within his raile his backe upon the people he is directed to use both his armes with decency and ease what use here can be made of the priests armes except it be for making oflarge crosses as the masse Rubricks at this place doth direct We doe not understand only we bave heard before that they avow the lawfulnesse of crossing no lesse in the supper than in Baptisme 4. The prayer which stands here in the English booke drawne from the place wherin it stood of old in the Masse to countenance the transubstantiation of the bread and wine into Christs body and blood but standing in this place before the consecration it is clear of all such suspition Our men are so bold as to transplant it from this good ground to the old wicked soyle at the backe of the consecration where it wont to stand before in the old order of Sarum 5. In the next English prayer we put in the words of the Masse whereby God is besought by his omnipotent spirit so to sanctifie the oblations of bread and wine that they may become to us Christs body and bloud from these words all papists use to draw the truth of their transubstantiation wherefore the English reformers scraped them out of their Booke but our men put them fairely in and good reason have they so to do for long agoe they professed that about the presence of Christs body and blood in the Sacrament after consecration they are fully agreed with Lutherans and papists in all things that is materiall and needfull as for the small difference which remaines about the formalitie and mode of presence it is but a curious and undeterminable question whereabout there would bee