successe to the Preaching of the Gospell as thanks be to his holy Majesty it hath had in many kingdomes since Martin Luthers time and shall have every day more and more ANSWER This which you now mention is well spoken and not amisse For true it is that at the fixt verse the second part of the Chapter beginneth wherein the downfall of Antichrist is proclamed by three preaching Angels the first whereof is said to fly through the midst of Heaven having an everlasting Gospell to Preach By which and those other Angels following we are not to understand any coelestiall Angel in respect of the accomplishment of this Prophesie but rather some speciall Ministers of God whom the Lord stirred up as his instruments to work a reformation in the Church And yet I deny not but that Saint John saw the representation of this in that heavenly theater wherein his visions were represented to him in the seeming shape and person of a celestiall Angel which was but to shew that at the time appointed God intended the accomplishment of this and the like appearances by such instruments as were pre-ordained for the same purpose DIALOGUE Gent. I am glad to heare this I pray you goe on to shew where the meaning of Christ is perverted Min. On Michaelmasse day the twelfth chapter from the seventh verse to the thirteenth is appointed to be read for an Epistle it being no Epistle but a prophesie c. ANSWER The Corinthians you know are termed Pauls Epistle written in his heart an Epistle for that they were in stead of an Epistle as Theophylact observeth So this Scripture howsoever not an Epistle properly may stand in stead of an Epistle For the denomination given to this and other portions of Scripture taken out of the Prophets Acts and Revelation is retained in respect of the greater part which is taken out of the Epistles and not because they be in themselves Epistles properly which why it should be quarrelled with is more then needeth But you go on and tell us That it is a Prophesie of a battell fought in Heaven between Michael and his Angels and the Dragon and his Angels and of the victory that Michael and his Angels had over the Dragon and his Angels and of the casting of the Dragon and his Angels out of Heaven all which is true and not at all to be denyed DIALOGUE Gent. What is meant by Heaven Min. By Heaven is meant not the highest heaven but the Church of Christ militant here on earth ANSWER Concerning this warre in Heaven you speak well enough For in respect of the vision seen it was shewed in that heaven or heavenly theater where Saint John saw the representation of these things as I think need not be denyed and not in heaven it self For in heaven properly taken there is no fighting the warfare of those who inhabite there is quite ended they are all triumphant they rest in joyfull peace But in respect of the accomplishment there is cause enough to grant that we are pointed either to the Church of God which is a kinde of heaven upon earth or else to that heaven whither the womans Childe was taken up after his mother had brought him forth for the Dragon in the Imperiall Dragons or heathen persecuting Emperours raigned over the Church till then I mean till Constantine subdued them who hanged up on high over the gates of his Palace a Table wherein was painted a Dragon which lay thrust through with a dart under his own and his subjects feet DIALOGUE Min. By Michael and his Angels are meant Christ and his true followers especially the faithfull Preachers of the Gospel ANSWER This is also reasonably well expounded but not full enough For the accomplishment it selfe sheweth that Constantine is chiefly to be comprehended amongst those of Michaels Angels who fought with the Dragon and his Angels as if I were to write purposely of these things I could shew at large DIALOGUE Gent. What is meant by the Dragon and his Angels Min. By the Dragon and his Angels are meant the Devill and the heathen persecuting Emperours and the Popes ANSWER Not the Popes for this was a vision of what was done before their times The vision which belongs to them is in the next chapter and in the account of times came not in thus soone In the rest you speak right enough For though that old Serpent which is called the Devill and Sathan be the Dragon primarily yet neverthelesse the instruments of his fury are secondarily termed Dragons too as well as he for which we may see the Scriptures in Jer. 51.34 Ezek. 29.3 Psal 74.13,14 Esa 27.1 and chap. 51.9 And so also for his Angels not onely the infernall Hags of Hell are meant but even the wicked men who were of his side and helped to fight against the truth for which we may likewise see the Scriptures in Pro. 17.11 Revel 2.10 and chap. 9.14 DIALOGUE Gent. What is meant by the Battell Min. By the battell is meant persecutions raised by the heathen persecuting Emperours and the Popes and the popish Princes against the Christian Religion and the professors thereof ANSWER You extend again the Vision too farre in bringing it down so low as the Popes and popish Princes For it is a Prophesie of a warre begun and finished before the Dragon went forth to make warre with the remnant of the womans seed which warre was indeed in the dayes of Antichrist and is found to have relation first of all to those cruell warres of the Beast against the Albigenses and Waldenses together with all such as were if any were called by other name professing the true worship of Christ and hath hitherto continued still against the Saints both in Martyrdomes Inquisitions Massacres and the like but the horns of the beast falling from him by degrees shall at the last give an end to this warre and being become partners with the Saints as many of them already are shall turne their forces against the Beast as in the 17. Chapter may be seene And for your better instruction you may see it in the end of the 12. Chapter how that S. John saith he saw the Dragon standing upon the Sea-shore or upon the sand of the Sea which was not onely a good while after the Battell that he had with Michael but was also for the raising up of the Beast to doe that which you here mention to be done by the Popes and Popish Princes DIALOGUE Gent. What is meant by the victory that Michael and his Angels bad over the Dragon and his Angels Min. By the victory is meant the victories that Christ gave to Constantine the Christian Emperour and that he hath doth and daily will give to Christian Princes fighting his battell against Antichrist and his partakers and to the faithfull Preachers against false Teachers ANSWER Here still you faile by carrying the accomplishment lower then the dayes of Constantine The successe of Christian Princes against Antichrist
him to bee an Angell it is like enough he would have demeaned himselfe otherwise but taking him to be a man as he seemed hee was more honest than to set him a worke for nothing Nor in case this story were as true as could be were it more absurd for old Tobie to offer this Angell wages whilst he knew him not than it was for Gideon to present an Angell with a Kid or for Lot to afford the Angels lodging or for Manoah to dresse a Kid likewise that the Angell might eate For Manoah saith the Scripture knew not that he was an Angell Iudges 13.16 And as for the dog going with them it is an usuall thing for a dogge to runne abroad with his Master and I pray quarrell not with him for feare hee bites you Little reason is there that you should bee troubled to see a man with a dogge at his heeles except he were going into a Church But if you be of the Packe of Praecisians you care as little to exclude your dogge from thence as you doe to shut out your owne irreverence And yet Iacob could say Gen. 28.17 How dreadfull is this place surely it is no other than the house of God and the gate of Heaven The Lord also saith Levit. 19.30 Ye shall observe my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuary And in the Prophet Malachie Mal. 1.6 If I saith the Lord be a Father where is my honour If I be a Master where is my Feare And in the Gospell Mat. 21.13 Luke 19.46 It is written saith Christ that my House shall bee called the house of prayer but yee have made it a denne of Theeves Thus t was then And I would to God it could not in some sort bee as truely said that Gods House is by many made no better still than a denne of Theeves wherein they rob him of his service and are not against the respect which is done there to themselves giving none at all to him before whom they cannot bee too reverent but should bow which we commonly reade Worship fall downe and kneell Psal 95.6 as the Psalmist speaketh Nor doth Saint Paul but say 1 Cor. 11 22. That the Corinthians despised the Church of God for which hee praysed them not And as for reverence to bee done to the Lord of Heaven and Earth the same Apostle instructs the Hebrewes thus Wherefore saith he Heb. 12.28,29 Wee having received a kingdome which cannot be shaken let us have grace whereby wee may serve God acceptablie with reverence and a godly feare For our GOD is a consuming fire All which Scriptures mentioning these things are quoted in the Margent DIALOGUE Minist On the third of October another lying fable is appointed to be read how Tobias being come from Rages did call the Angell unto him and bade him take a servant and two Camels and goe to Rages for mony and that the Angell went and carried writings which he delivered to Gabael who brought bags of mony sealed up which he delivered to the Angell ANSWER Her 's still great noise and little Wooll much spoken but to little purpose as in the former answers hath beene already shewed DIALOGUE Gent. O horrible how have the Bishops deluded King Edward the sixt Queene Elizabeth King James and Our gracious King Charles and the whole estate and made them beleeve that there was nothing in the service Booke contrary to Gods Word God Almighty deliver us from them ANSWER You talke you know not what for that the Bishops have not deluded the state nor those Princes which you speake of appeares First by the Martyrdome of those worthy Bishops which suffered in the dayes of Queene Mary Secondly by the conference holden at Hampton Court in the beginning of King Iames his Raigne who as you know was a Prince so well accomplished in learning and particularly in Divinity that if they would they could not have captivated his judgment and skill as in that conference is most apparent His wise Nobles saw it well enough For being present and observing all passages they were perswaded that His Majesty spoke by inspiration And thirdly that they went not about to delude him appeares by that which they said throughout the whole conference and especially by the faire dealing with His Majestie about particular absolution and private Baptisme DIALOGUE Gent. Now that you have shewed me the blasphemies and lying fables shew also what are the Popish errours that are in it and first tell me whether the Service Booke doth command that all both Ministers and people shall bow their bodies when the Name Jesus is read Minist The Bishops only without any warrant from God but from the Pope Gent. I have read that the Name Jesus was a common name among the Jewes was it so Minist Yes Syrach of Jerusalem had a son whose name was Iesus Eccl. 50.23 Also Ioshua the son of Nun was called Iesus Acts 7.57 and one of Saint Pauls fellow Labourers was called Iesus Col. 4 11. Gent. Why doe the Bishops make an Idoll of the name Jesus by causing men to bow their bodies and to put off their hat when it is read Min. Because they mistake the Word of God where it is written that at the name of Iesus every knee shall bow both of things in Heaven of things on earth and of things under the earth Phil. 2.10 Gent. What is the name of Jesus Min. As by the name of our gracious King Charles is meant not the name Charles which is a common name but the authority and power that God hath given him over all people within his owne dominions as when men are prest to the Kings service they are prest in the Kings name that is by vertue of authority and power from the King even so as by the name of K. Charles is meant his authority and power c. So by the name of Iesus ia meant the authority and power that God hath given him over all things in Heaven and in Earth and under the Earth Gent. What is meant by things in Heaven Min. By things in Heaven are meant the holy Angels and soules of the faithfull that have no knees Gent. What is meant by things on Earth Min. By things on Earth are meant all mankinde living on earth whether they be Elect or Reprobate Gâ—nt What is meant by things under the Earth Min. By things under the Earth are meant the Devils and damned soules in hell Gent. What is meant by bowing of the knee Min. By bowing of the knee is meant subjection Isa 45.23 and not bowing of the body when the name Jesus is read as Pope Anastatius did command Anno 404. Gent. What is meant by bowing of every knee of things in Heaven of things on earth and of things under the earth Min. Thereby is meant that all the holy Angels and Saints in Heaven and all mankinde on earth and all the Devils and damned soules in hell shall submit themselves to
Christians of the Primitive Church ANSWER The errour of Transubstantiation we detest as much as you but may not therefore fall in with you in your irreverence If the King offer us his hand to kisse we take it upon our knees How much more when the King of Heaven gives us his sonne in these pledges on whom wee feede in our hearts by Faith with Thanksgiving Another reason is because it is received in Prayer and if men will be ruled by reason they will not when they are to petition the King of Kings omit such a gesture of humility as kneeling is being the most sutable for a man at his prayers and for this cause we kneele at the Communions receiving whereat wee both lift up thankfull hearts unto God for the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ as also begge of God that by the merits thereof our bodies and soules may be preserved to everlasting life It would trouble you sure to derive our kneeling from the errour of Transubstantiation and therefore to no purpose doe you come in with the name of Pope Honorius and tell us of what was hatched at the Councell of Lateran If you were acquainted with Tertullians accipere reservare you would be ashamed to say that Pope Honorius was the first that brought in kneeling Adoration of the Host was indeed brought in by him but not kneeling without such adoration in the act of receiving for they kneeled at the Sacrament in Tertullians time and hee lived betimes and was flourishing about the yeare of our Lord 200. which was 1020. yeares before the Councell of Lateran But you thinke it a great matter I perceive to set up a Shaw-foule to scare a foole yet men of understanding will find you out To ollow on therfore that of Tertul. In the Primitive times were times of persecution when the christians could not meet so often as they would for feare of troubles they had also their Station dayes on which it was not lawfull to worship kneeling In the first case they did accipere reservare receive this Sacrament from the hands of the Priest at Church in severall portions and take it home and eate it there at such times as they thought it fit for their ghostly comfort that they might be sure to have it for their last Viaticum at the approach of sudden and unexpected danger but did not alwayes so for that were to overthrow the nature of the holy Supper and make the Communion to become a private eating And secondly on the dayes of station when they might not kneele they rather chose to forbeare the receiving and partaking of the holy Sacrament than to take it standing Tertullian therefore wisheth them to come though they might not kneele and take it standing at the Altar from whence they might bee suffered to carry it home and eate it at their owne houses kneeling The Leper which came to Christ as Saint Marke reports he kneeled and as St. Luke he fell on his face teaching us in prayer to fall down and kneele before the Lord our Maker He that worships God irreverently shewes himselfe not a Christian but a Manichee who thought God made the soule but not the body It is recorded of the Heathen that before they began their Sacrifices the Priest first beheld the people round about him and demanded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who is here who is here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the people againe meaning A company of good folkes Intimating hereby that if there were any there guiltie to themselves of any foule offence they should depart as unworthy the sight of those rites or mysteries of their religion which were then to bee performed And yet because they used to sit at their Sacrifices Tertullian blamed them Ter. lib. de Orâ—t cap 12. For esteeming them to bee Gods whom they worshipped they ought to shew more reverence than to sit before them whom they thought to bee Gods and thereupon inferreth Quanto magis sub conspectu Dei vivi Angelo adhuc orationis astante factum istud irreligiosissimum est Meaning that if it were irreligious for them to sit before their false Gods seeing they esteemed them for true ones it would be more irreligious for us to doe the like before the true God indeed But you say that the Apostles did not kneele when Christ Himselfe delivered the Bread unto them I answer that if this be a good argument then we should receive in no place but in an upper Chamber have no more company but twelve no women but men and take it at no time but after Supper al which we know is otherwise throughout the whole Christian world it being in the Churches power to alter matters of circumstance although she may not alter any matter of the essence or substance of either this or the other Sacrament The rule which we find in Scripture is 1 Cor. 14 40. that all things bee done decently and in order And without question what is reputed enough decently and orderly done at some time and place and upon some occasion is not so at another time and place where no like occasion is we doe not therefore make our selves wiser than Christ and his Apostles but follow the rule which his word affordeth So then if they sat when they received most like it was because they sat down to supper and were not yet risen from the Table nor did they know what their Master was about to do it was more than ever he did before They might perhaps be therefore lesse orderly than otherwise they would have beene And yet that they tooke it irreverently is no where manifest neither that their sitting was like your fashion of sitting but after another manner as differing from your sitting as kneeling is from standing Or however this is certaine that things were not brought into order but by degrees Saint Paul had else never said it that other things he would put in order when he came 1 Cor. 11.34 I tye you then still to Scripture For though the Kings Daughter be All glorious within Yet her cloathing is of wrought Gold Psal 45.13,14 so saith the Psalmist in the 45. Psalme at the 13. verse And whereas you terrifie us with the noise of Canons when you know how to alledge them to better purpose wee shall be willing to heare you For to urge Canons that were against Canons that are is nothing for you It shewes indeed your factious zeale in the way of Shismaticks and the desire that you have to separate from us although wee care as little for the Pope as you But because you talke of ancient Canons I will afford you one to your little comfort namely That with Heretikes or Shismatickes wee ought not to pray which Canon you may reade in the Code of Canons For the Universall Church authorized by the Emperour Iustinian And that you may the sooner finde it I direct you to the hundred and seven and
thirtieth Canon of the same Booke or to the three and thirtieth Canon of the Councell of Laodicea which was celebrated in the yeare of our LORD GOD 364. as Iustellus writeth DIALOGUE Gent. What other errour doe you find to be in the Service-Booke Min. The interrupting of the Minister by the Clarke and the whole Congregation is a foule errour and such an error and confusion as doth much offend God and that therefore many are unwilling to come into the Church till the Service be all read ANSWER I doubt me you are none of those who will be so diligent as to reade the whole Service your pretended errours and dislikes which you here lay downe in this Dialogue are cause enough to make me think so And therefore they of your Parish had need to come betimes to Church if they meane to know your Text or heare any more than a peece of your Sermon except you doe as no few of your Sect trifle away a great deale of time in vaine repetitions and idle tautologies in some prayer of your own which our Saviour Himselfe likens to the practice of the Heathen and calls no better than much babling DIALOGUE Gent. How doe they interrupt the Minister Minist By rehearsing his words with a loud voyce and by taking words out of his mouth and by mingling their prayers with his ANSWER This may be answered out of Doctor Boys whose words be these I am occasioned saith he in this place justly to defend the peoples answering the Minister aloud in the Church The beginning of which interlocutory passages is ascribed by Platina to Damasus Bishop of Rome by Theodoret to Diodorus Bishop of Antioch by Walfridus Strabo to Saint Ambrose Bishop of Millane all which lived 1100 yeares before the Church was acquainted with any French fashions and yet Basil Epist 63. alleadgeth that the Churches of Aegypt Lybia Thebes Palestina Phoenicians Syrians Mesopotamians used it long before Socrates and Strabo writ that Ignatius a Scholler unto Christs owne Schollers is thought to be the first Author hereof If any man shall expect greater antiquity and authority we can fetch this order even from the Quire of Heaven I saw the Lord said Esay Esay 6.3 set on an high Throne the Seraphims stood upon it and one cried to another saying Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts all the World is full of His glory Esay 6.3 Blessed spirits in praising God answer one another interchangeably though unhappie scornefull spirits unmannerly tearme this custome Tossing of Service an interrupting of the Minister a foule errour yea such an errour and confusion as doth much offend God DIALOGUE Minist The Minister when he prayeth is the mouth of the people speaking to God for them therefore they ought to bee silent till he hath done speaking and then to say Amen 1 Cor. 14.16 and not to interrupt him by rehearsing every word after him as in the confession of sinne when the Minister saith Almighty and most mercifull Father we have erred and strayed out of thy wayes like lost sheepe and in the Letany when he saith ô God the Father of Heaven have mercy upon us miserable sinners The Minister must stop and be silent till the Clarke and people have with a loud voyce rehearsed every word after him in which time it is impossible for the Minister to keep idle and by-thoughts from comming into his minde ANSWER If it be so with you that idle and by-thoughts will not be kept from comming into your mind pray to God to settle you better and bee not so rash as to measure other mens corne by your owne Bushell Saint Ambrose tells us that in his times the Church resounded againe with the responds of Men Women and Children like to the Sea with its beating waves or like to the rushing of many waters Thus in the Latine Church And in the Greeke Church Saint Basil is witnesse that the voyce of their prayers and Responds was like the noise of waters beating against the Rockes The patterne whereof seemes to be in Revel 14.2 besides what was before out of Esay 6.3 This is therefore all that I may yeeld you viz. that in every part of the service it is not requisite that it should be so For in many of the Prayers the people are to be silent and have no more to doe with an open and loud voyce than to say Amen But then again when occasion is offered I must say unto them as David did O praise our God yee people and make the voyce of his praise to bee heard Psalm 66.7 Or as it is in another Psalme Psal 95.1 O come let us sing unto the Lord let us make a joyfull noise to the Rocke of our salvation Or as in another Psal 107.31.32 ô that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse and for his wonderfull works to the children of men Let them exalt him also in the Congregation of the people and praise him in the assembly of the Elders And in a word as for those times in which by the Apostles warrant they are to say Amen at the end of the Ministers prayer it was not without due care observed in the ancient times Saint Paul mentions it in the place alledged by you 1 Cor. 14.16 And as Saint Hierome writes it was the praise of the Primitive Church That their Amen was like a clap of thunder and their Halleluja as the roring of the Sea DIALOGUE Minist Also when hee prayeth for the King saying Lord save the King they interrupt him by mingling their prayer with his saying And mercifully heare us when we call upon thee The Minister being interrupted and put out in praying for the King doth pray for Ministers saying Indue thy Ministers with righteousnesse they doe then also interrupt him by mingling their prayers with his saying And make thy people joyfull ANSWER This is strange that you dare dally thus These Suffrages at which you kick with scorne are answerable to that prayer of David in the hundred and two and thirtieth Psalm where hee prayes for the Prince Priests and People orderly For the Prince Lord remember David For the Priests Let thy Priests be cloathed with righteousnesse For the People Let thy Saints sing with joyfulnesse So we in like manner Lord save thy King Indue thy Ministers with righteousnesse And make thy chosen people joyfull This also justifies our order in praying for the King first for the Clergie next and for the Laity last of all in our well composed Letany with which you quarrell next But had your quarrell been with the mattter of it as with the manner I should have said as worthy Hooker did What one petition is there found in the whole Letany whereof we shall ever be able at any time to say That no man living needeth the grace or benefit therein craved at Gods hands And a little before It now remaineth saith he a work the absolute perfection whereof upbraydeth with error or
somewhat worse them whom in all parts it doth not satisfie And let me say that heretofore Rogations or Letanies were the very strength stay and comfort of Gods Church In the dayes of Mamercus bishop of Vienna the people seeing how heaven threatned their City with imminent ruine began to fly away from it but their Bishop staying still and some others with him exhorted such as remained to use those vertuous and holy means wherewith others in the like case have prevailed with God Whereupon they fly to the Rogations or Letanies formerly used the Bishop perfects them in what he thâ—ught meet and addes unto them what the present necessity required Their good successe was not only a thing known but an encouragement to others who being afflicted with famine and besieged by their enemies took the same course as in particular is storied of Sidoneus the Bishop of Arverna Nor doe we but find by daily experience that those calamities may be neerest at hand and readiest to break in suddainly upon us which we in regard of times or circumstances may imagine to be farthest off as judicious Hooker speaketh Or if they doe not indeed approach yet such miseries as being present all men are apt to bewaile with tears the wise saith he should rather by their prayers prevent Or if finally we for our selves had a priviledge of immunity doth not true Christian charity require that whatsoever any part of the world yea any one of all our brethren doth either suffer or feare the same we account as our own burthen The Letany saith one is a common treasure house of all good devotion It may be said of the Church in composing that exquisite prayer as it was of Origen writing upon the Canticles In caeteris alios omnes vicit in hoc seipsum In other parts of our Liturgy she surpasseth all others but in this her self Some mislike the Letany for that it hath a petition for all men and all people and yet the precept in Gods word is that supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men 1 Timothy 2.1 Others are angry that we should pray From suddain death good Lord deliver us And I wonder much at this let men of understanding tell me and let a wise man hearken unto me whether it be not better to leave this world with a kinde of treatable dissolution then to be snatcht away as in a moment Xenophon and Plato were Ethnicks and strangers from the common wealth of Israel yet it was no little beauty to their stories to tell us how leasurely Cyrus in the one and Socrates in the other departed hence Absolon had a suddain death and how did David therefore exceed in lamentation Elibu speaks of some which dy in a moment we may therefore beg of God to depart as Jacob Moses Joshua David who had not only respit to end their own lives in peace but also to adde comforts and blessings to those about them But I hasten and come again to the Dialogue DIALOGUE Min. Throughout the whole Letany they doe interrupt him by mingling their prayers with his ANSWER Here still you urge us with interruptions but I have already shewed the weaknesse of this cavill in my former answers and should be glad to see you studdy quietnesse and not to think your selfe wiser then the Church of God in all ages with whom these eager devotions were better esteemed And as Fishes were never accepted for Sacrifices so neither would those Christians be as mute as Fishes in their Congregations DIALOGUE Min. They doe also without any warrant from God but from Pope Hormisda interrupt the Minister when he readeth the Psalmes by taking every other verse out of his mouth to reade it for him with a loud hackering and confused noise especially in Country Churches where the people cannot read well The Minister when he readeth or preacheth Gods word is the mouth of God speaking to the people therefore they ought to be silent and to hearken with reverence ANSWER The Psalter as you know contains the whole book of Psalms they were made by severall men someby Moses some by Solomon some by Asaph and the most by David and not seldome composed upon speciall occasions for the most part either to pray unto God or to praise him in such a set form of words David inscribes many of them to sundry Musitians had them used in the service of God were then and have been since otherwise used in the Lords service then the other Scriptures their tittles shew it and the practise of the Church both among the Jews and the Christians evidently declare it This therefore takes away the edge of your argument by which you endeavour to limit them altogether to the mouth of the Minister And whereas you would beare the world in hand that Hormisda was the man that first appointed them to be used interchangeably See St. Aug. confess lib. 10. cap. 33. you are greatly out from the truth of the story as even your own T. C. will witnesse against you Pantaleon brings testimony that this which you mention was done by Celestine Pantal. in Chronol who was Bishop of Rome about an hundred years before Hormisda But Polydore Virgil goes higher and saith Polyd. Virg. de invent rerum lib 6 cap. 2. That the division of Davids Psalter into seven parts called Nocturnes according to the seven dayes of the week was the work of Hierom at the request of Damasus who was then the Bishop of Rome Damasus also saith the same author instituted that the Psalms should be sung and said by course Thus also Platina Plat. in vitae Damasi but some again say as Polydore noteth that this was first devised by Ignatius Thus also Socrates who maketh Ignatius the Bishop of Antioch in Syria Hist Eccl. cap. 8. the first beginner thereof even under the Apostles themselves he suffered Martyrdome in the daies of the Emperour Trajan unto whom it was related by his own vice-gerent concerning the Christians of Pontus and Bithinya that the onely crime he knew of them was they used to meet together at a certain day and to praise Christ with Hymns as a God secum invicem one to another amongst themselves secund Nor doth this but agree most aptly to the Apostles exhortation in Eph. 5.19 Speak to your selves saith he In Psalms and Hymns and spirituall Songs See also Exod. 15.1 compared with verse 21. and again look into Esay 6.3 DIALOGUE Min. When they read the eighteenth nineteenth and twentieth verses of the fifty Psalm they are likened by some to women scoulding and accusing one another The Clark and people doe begin to scould with and to accuse the Minister saying When thou sawest a thiefe thou consentest unto him and hast been partaker with adulterers Then the Priest accuseth the Clark saying Thou hast let thy tongue speake wickednesse and with thy tongue thou hast set forth deceit Then the Clark and people
and of faithfull Preachers against false Teachers belongs to other visions and cannot be here intended unlesse you had the faculty of making one thing serve for all purposes DIALOGUE Gent. What is meant by the casting the Dragon and his Angels out of heaven Min. Thereby is meant the utter confusion and overthrow of Antichrist by the Spirit of Christs mouth that is by Preaching of the Gospell so as he shall be deprived of all dignity and shall have no place in heaven that is in the Church of God to domineere any more as thankes be to God the Arch-bishop of Canterbury is deprived of all dignity and shall never have any place againe in heaven I meane in the Church of God to domineere as he hath done ANSWER The further you goe the more wrong still in your interpretation But was it so that you could not have a fling at the Archbishop of Canterbury except you streine a Prophecy You had better sure have let him alone then by a false glosse corrupt the text for in this very passage you have done no lesse as is more then manifest nor doe my former Answers but declare it DIALOGUE Gent. Why is this Prophecy appointed to be read on Michaelmas day Min. It is appointed to be read on Michaelmasse day of purpose to pervert the meaning of our Saviour Christ by mis-applying to Michael and all Angels in the highest Heaven the victory that Christ hath and daily doth and will every day more and more give to true Christians that doe follow him fighting his battell against Antichrist ANSWER Here is againe another small dram of your little Charity the accusation is the same with a former and the exposition not agreeing with the scope of the Prophecy For if you study the Revelation throughly you will finde this to be a vision of the Primitive times and not to be extended so low as Antichrist or to the successe of sound Christians fighting against him Besides as for the Churches meaning you might have soberly judged this to be the meaning of the Church in ordering to have this Scripture read at the time appointed That albeit Christ be figured and signified to vs under the type of Michael yet even the Angell Michael is understood to have appeared in the vision shewed to S. John with an host of other Angels fighting against the Dragon and his Angels representing thereby Christ with his heavenly Angels and his servants on earth to sight against the Devill with his Angels and wicked complices and to prevaile against them as was historically fulfilled in the dayes of Constantine who with his souldiers did undoubtedly fight under Christs banner and was incouraged thereunto by miracle and thereby made Generall upon Earth of this holy warfare for behold a bright Crosse appeared in the Heavens about mid-day with this inscription on it * Vide lib. 1. de vita Constant cap. 22. In hoc signo vinces under this ensigne thou shalt overcome The truth of which miracle was confirmed to Eusebius by Oath even from Constantine himself And at the sight of this Constantine being admonished of the Christian Religion suffered himselfe to be taught in Christianity and had the Banners of his Souldiers proportioned according to the fashion of the Crosse with two Greek letters X and P made upon them which should stand to signifie the name of Christ After all which when the warre was ended the divine providence thus ordering these occurrences that thereby we might learn the accomplishment of this Prophesie he took order that a table should be hanged up on high over the gates of his Palace wherein a Dragon was painted which lay thrust through with a Dart under his own and his Subjects feet as a little before I have already mentioned and do now cite for my Authors Eusebius Socrates and Theodoret. Euseb de vit Const lib. 3. cap. Socrat. lib. 1. c. 6. Theod. lib. 1. cap. 15. In every of which places of the said authors the story mentioned stands recorded AND thus hitherto I have followed you step by step and balked nothing which your pretions Dialogue hath afforded You make a sally next against new Orders which because they are upon their tryall I passe them over heartily wishing that under the feare of hatching Popery we may be better setled then to part with piety For whilest these things have been in question the ruder sort are every day more and more irreverent But the God of Heaven put it into the hearts of the high Court of Parliament to look into it and to make the whole kingdome know that the Lord is King both of Heaven and Earth and therefore more to be honoured then any King nay then all Kings else * Psal 99.1 The Lord is King saith David be the people never so unpatient he sitteth between the Cherubins be the Earth never so unquiet a Ps 96 3,4,5,6,7,8,9 Declare his honour unto the heathen and his wonders unto all the people For the Lord is great and cannot worthily be praysed he is more to be feared then all Gods As for the Gods of the heathen they are but Idols but it is the Lord that made the Heavens Glory and worship are before power and honour are in his Sanctuary Ascribe unto the Lord oh yee kindred of the people ascribe unto the Lord worship and power Ascribe unto the Lord the honor due unto his name bring presents and come into his Courts O worship the Lord in the beauty of holinesse let all the Earth stand in aw of him b Ps 122.1 I was glad when they said unto me let us go into the house of the Lord. c Ps 93.6 Thy testimonies O Lord are sure Holinesse becommeth thine house forever d Psal 95 6. O come let us worship and fall down and kneele before the Lord our Maker e Ps 86.8,9,10 Among the Gods there is none like unto thee O Lord there is none that can doe as thou dost All nations that thou hast made shall come and worship thee O Lord and shall glorifie thy name For thou art great and dost wondrous things thou art God alone f Psal 5.7 I will come into thy house in the multitudes of thy mercy and in thy feare will I worship towards the Temple of thy holinesse g Ps 63,2,3,4,5,6 My Soule thirsteth for thee my flesh also longeth after thee in a barren and dry land where no water is Thus have I looked for thee in holinesse that I might behold thy power and glory For thy loving kindnesse is better then the life it self my lips shall praise thee As long as I live will I magnifie thee on this manner and lift up my hands in thy name My Soule shall be satisfied even as it were with marrow and fatnesse when my mouth praiseth thee with joyfull lips h Ps 74.2,3,4,5,6,7 O thinke upon thy Congregation whom thou hast purchased and redeemed of old Thinke upon the