brought in Godfathers and Godmothers in the year 143. Pope Adrian brought in the white linnen Surplice in the year 769. Pope Zacharias brought in Priests Garments Copes and Vestments horned Caps and that none but hallowed Garments should be used Pope Telesphorus ordained Lent to be kept seven weeks before Easter Pope Higinus hallowed Churches or Temples Pope Calistus Church-yards Pope Honorius in the year 1214. brought in kneeling at the Sacrament Pope Nicholas forbid Marriage in Lent and other set times Pope Calistus the Imbring daies for Fasts four times in the year Pope Silvester the first added Wednesdaies Fridaies and Saturdaies weekly Pope Innocent put unto the former the Apostles Eves The Saints and Angels were beholding to those Reverend Fathers for hallowing their daies For generally all the Saints and Angels found such favour with Pope Boniface that they had not only a Catholick holy day called Alhallows but a famous Temple in Rome once dedicated to all the Devils called Pantheon was turned by this Holy Father into the name of Maria Rotunda and consecrated to the B. Virgine and all Martyrs Boniface the eighth shewed like honour to the four Evangelists Pope Sabinian ordained bells to call the people together to Divine Service vertue attributed to bells first to preserve the Fruits of the Earth secondly to drive away the evil will of our enemies thirdly to expel storms Tempests Thundrings Lightnings fourthly to drive away Spirits and Devils and therefore it is that the Custom is continued in many places as yet to ring as they call it the passing bell when a man or woman is dying Pope Felix the third made holy the day of the Arch-angel Michael Pope Damasus as Writers say added to the Psalms Glory be to the Father c. and to be sung in turn as the Church of England yet useth Pope Witalianus brought in the Organs to make up the Musick in the year 653. Pope Gelasius brought in prick-song Pope Gregory plain song Pope Vitalianus descant Pope Clement the first brought in Confirmation of Children by Bishops Anno 310. Melciades succeeding him said it was a more worthy Sacrament than the Sacrament of Baptism Pope Anasiasius brought in as VVriters say standing at the Gospel iâ— the year 404. Pope Damasus enjoyned Hierome to make an Order of Service for Churches and how many Psalmes and prayers should be said on every day c. which being done the Pope commanded all Churches should use that Order and no other And a much like exploit was performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury and his brethren as Master Fox reports in King Edwards daies and coninues still by the Convocation-house I shall omit some things one Pope put the Pater noster into the Masse and commanded it to be sung Pope Marcus would have the Nicene to be sung after the Gospell Pope Anacletus would have the priest and the people to salute one another in Service time and therefore appointed the one to say The Lord be with you and the other to say And with thy Spirit Pope Sergius put in at the Sacrament O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the World have mercy upon us Pope Symachus added the Hymne Glory be to God on high The other Popes brought in their parts and patched together the Lethany or Lithurgy out of which the Service-bâ—ok is taken Pope Leo as some affirm brought in Infant-baptism about 300. years after Christ Pope Pase halus decreed Tythes in the year 827. Pope Vrbanus ordained Canterbury to be the chief patriarchal Seat Many things of this nature I shall omit at present as also the names of the several Authors who writ of them but I hope Wife you will believe me Husband if these things came from Rome tell me what the Reverend Dean and Doctor W. meant when he said We bless thee Lord for the solemnities of the Church Truly Wife as far as I conceive the Formalities and Ceremonies of the Church now in use but I can tell you what an old Non conformist would express in his prayer Lord purge thy Church of all the Remnants Reliques of Popery Idolatry Superstition which do but adulterate thy worship cause the sacrifice and oblation to be abominable in thy sight and take away those things which do but contaminate the Consciences of thy people are but as botches and blains in the face of thy Spouse This man was a sufferer necessitated sometimes to leave the Nation never changing his Judgement But this Doctor being sometimes a Clark in the Convocation-house made a handsome well-pen'd Speech against some formalities and was accounted a young Puritan and was called to the Bar and to his knees too but had a Friend But now his narrow silken throat is grown wider he can sup Ceremonies yea and swallow a fat Parsonage a Prebendship and a Deanry and never keck at it I have seen him in his formalities that if he had worn bells on his Legs you would rather have taken him for a Maide-marrian in a Morrice dance than a Minister and with us much contempt cast upon him as ever I saw upon a man in a Pulpit indeed he saith he doth it to come as near Rome as he can under pretence of drawing them to his religion for that end he hath now put himself into the Suburbs and it is supposed by many that he wil be as easily perswaded to come to live in the City as he shal perswade What that is I know not he puts so many simples in the consection the Romanists to come to live in the Suburbs One thing I took from the mouth of an honest Countrey man of his which was the Doctors Speech thus That it was a lesser sin for a man to kil his father than for a man in regard of the ceremonies to refrain coming to Divine service established in the Church of England the one was the killing of a particular person the other made a breach in the mystical body of Christ but this I shall only say O Doctor Doctor quae te dementia cepit what madness hath possest thee remember from whence thou art fallen Husband I would be satisfied in one thing concerning this Divine service how it came to be imposed how came it up at first The first that ever I read of was Pope Damasus who enjoined Hierom to mak an Order or service for Churches and appoint Guliel Durandus what prayers should be said on every day c. and how many Psalmes c. which being done the Pope commanded all Churches should use that service and none other and the like was performed by the Archbishop and his brethren in King Edwards dayes as Mr. Fox reports and stil continued by the convocation-Convocation-house as at this day Object But did not the Lord give forms of blessings prayers and Psalms c. therefore why may not the prelates do the like I tel thee what I shal say Dost think Ieroboham had so slender a
soon eat our meat That thus fell to our broth Where are the thousand men become That sought for reformation Doct. Ravis A rare bird with his heady book Soon wrought their desolation Ho! they 'ld have superstition down Dumb Ministers supprest They would have no non residente Each pastor flock must feed And yet have but due recompence Here were a world indeed They'l'd no commendam's have they'l'd no Pluralities permit They shout at Rovers yet how right These Oxford heads they hit They would have mended many things In Common-prayer-book In fine they would have Discipline Which none of us can brook 'T is Discipline I say 't again That we cannot abide And have therein all formal men And Prelates on our side And newters our Religion like And civil men no doubt Yet should it come to parting wealth It 's fear'd they would stand out They would join close for House and State For Countrey Children Wives It 's thought they would not part with these But jointly venture lives 'T is this heark in your ear a word That puts us to our pause That we try not by dint of Sword the goodness of our-cause Protes Avaunt you peevish plotting Priest You Jaylor keep him sure And hear him longer they that list I will it not endure See how he hath the bloody minds Of Popish crew discry'd More meet their cause by Princes Lawes At Tyburn should be try'd And are our Prelates Popish then I thought they had been wise I took them for good Protestants Though none of them precise Oft have I heard a speech it is No less a just complaint Of Priests and Papists liberty And Puritans restraint I mean such as those Imps do tearm That means of grace withstand And under that pretence molest The quiet of the Land This Practiser dissembles not Whom Papists mean to strike He tells us plainly whom the Pope And Prelates love alike He brings to mind an adage old Which once I saw in verse It 's not so new or old as true I will it here rehearse Lord Bishops make dumb Ministers Whence ignorance doth spring Hence Popery thence Treachery ' Gainst Countrey State and King Why stay I thus and presently Betake me not to Court And in the ears of Prince and Peers This Conference report Is Princes life so little worth Is Countreys love so cold Shall Wives and Children be to Sword As sheep to slaughter sold Much better true Church Rule were sought That those things might be staid Then Popery or Prelacy That favours it endur'd We shall be counted Puritans Too strict men screpulous Better we wrongfully so tearm'd Then justly treacherous Who ever heard that such as stand For Christs true Discipline In Popish Plot had head or hand In treacherous design Intreat we then His Majesty The Prelates may restore To the Church her ancient Parish Right Usurping it no more It s this you see would daunt our foes Our Friends would gratifie Our State secure judgments remove And blessing multibly But if we walking as before Christs Discipline withstand Some fearfull Plague and judgement sure Will overtake the Land The Lord hath sent his messengers But we have them disgrac'd His Prophets mockt his Ministers Suspended and dis'placed Some are disperst others despis'd In Prison some remain Some ended have their dayes in bands Whose blood doth yet Complain Their Wives and Children here and there Expos'd to misery No marvel if ere long we hear There 's now no remedy But let 's have these restor'd Let no dumb Ministers be made Let such as have crept in return Unto their former Trade Let learned Hildersham go forth Who knows him knows 't were meet He Preaching were not Prisoner In Kings-bench or the Fleet Let other more be set at large Let Ashby men be gone Let Leicester men have their discharge Let Banbury men alone Down with that cursed Office-Oath Let Ceremonies cease Unjust subscription scourge of truth And bane of Churches Peace The things their Patrons count but toyes Le ts banish hence with speed Let learned men not formal boyes Be set the Flock to feed In brief let 's all submit to Christ Our Prophet Priest and King At 's this t' our Countrey State and selves In the end will safety bring But as for those that be his foes And will not have him raign In wofull plight into his fight They shall be brought and slain An Exhortation to Bishops Come down ye Bishops fear a fall Your Kingdom 'gins to shake The hand is writing on the wall Which makes your knees to quake Your Buildings like a tottering wall The ground-works laid in sand Come down it will take Babels fall Sure long it cannot stand Your Language is confounded sure Ye wote not what to say And yet to build up Babels Tower You still bring Clods of Clay But all this while you patch and piece With paltry stuff indeed So that in th' end the mark you 'le miss When you hope best to speed It is not Jeroboams Calves Can save you I am sure Nor yet your cruel Canon Lawes Can make your Kingdom dure You have deprived many a man For breaking mens Decrees But for the Lawes of God not one That doth his living leese How can this stand with equity Resolve me this I pray To maintain Guides that cannot see And thrust the good away For let him be the vilest wretch That lives under the Sun If he will wear a Surplice And Cross the Child with Thumbe He is countenanced still by you Much better than the best If this prove not to be too true Then let me have no rest You sell most foul adulteries For Silver and for Gold The poor must crouch upon his knees By you to be absolv'd And sometimes you bless Jack for Gill If Silver do appear If not then sometime say you will Poor knave what dost thou here You think to have your Heaven here And after Heaven too But I can tell you in your ear That will be much adoe For you be grown so monstrous great Even now a dayes of late That it will go hard for you to get In at the Narrow Gate Wherefore me thinks 't were best If you could so agree To let your hearts have now no rest Till you unladen be Of all this Pomp and glorious train Which caused God to frown Which sin of yours he doth so hate That sure you must come down For sure the Word of God is True and do it not forget He will pluck up I say to you Those plants he never set But prethee Husband seeing the seminary Priest tels the Sabellicus Platina Sabellicus Platina Exorcizo te Creatura salis aquae per Deum vivum Sanctum c. Protestant that we had these things from them how may it appear Wife History reports it Pius Primus brought the conjured font into the Roman Church Anno 547. in a most fearful manner as I read in the old Church Rubrick Pope Higanus
Lawes and by their actions in effect charging him thus That he is an imperfect King insufficient for Government wanting wisdom to rule and that his Lawes are very imperfect like the Nouns Heteroclites in quae genus some superant others deficient some have too much in them some too little and therefore they have other Lawes of humane invention which will serve their turn better and by them they hope to keep their Revenues and find themselves somewhat to do for nothing do nothing have and so fall to persecute which as we say in a Countrey Proverb is as natural to them as for a Calf to suck Milk And now Wife prethee tell me are not these a parcel of pretty fellows I believe you 'le say as I say anone but tell me VVife whence had they dost think this their form of Government at first Indeed Husband I do not know whence say you I do imagine Wife where they had it heark a word in your ear because no body shall know what we say I do think the Devil brought it over Sea in his Plocket for it smells very Romish and hath a strong tatch o' th old Whore But of that not a word more good Wife Well Wife now wee 'le speak a word concerning those that speak in his Name some of them they suspend imprison they put the Consciences of others in the Stocks and unless they will set up their posts by Gods posts and their Thresholds by Gods Thresholds of which the Lord complaineth by Ezekiel â—he Ordinances of men by the Ordinances of God they shall not speak in his Name unless they will first give the people a little Frith Froth Riff Roff Slibber Slobber Whish Waysh such stuff in the guts being so windy would quickly endanger and cause the Ilâ—ia capatio and make the Carkass of a poor Soul look like Prometheus sacrifice skin and bone without flesh against which there is an Antipathy in the Souls of those that look for the bread of Life Next they come to such Assembles of the Kings Subjects where they meet to Worship him and take away both their priviledges and their persons or by their means they are so dealt withal contrary to the Magna Charta of their great King Kings-bench Dedford Bridewell Gate-house Newgate and other prisons will testifie it but none in Bedlam One saith that when the Devil shewed our Saviour all the Kingdoms of the earth he never shewed him Ireland he kept that for himself Surely these fellows keep Bedlam for themselves the fittest place for such mad fellows Bedlamites let them be then But Husband you have almost forgotten the Text you were speaking a word about the sin of wearing Hats No Wife I was something long in speaking a word of small Consolation to those that were of the house of Convocation I remember we were speaking of the sin of wearing Hats in Sermon time a Cap of Linnen or woollen is as tollerable as the Doctours silk Cap and if a Wollen Cap may be worn why may not the Felt-maker make him as well as the Taylour Being both species of the same Genus both made of wool the sin must be then in the breedes or brimms which being cut off the sin is done away I know they draw an argument a pari thus If men shew such reverence to an Ambassadour that is sent from an earthly Prince how much more to an Ambassador that is sent from the King of Kings First this is not generally so for in some Countreys as in Russia and other Countreys if you put off your Hat to salute they 'le go nigh to stab taking it for a jeer and the French preach with their Hats on if a man put not off his Hat it s no breach of any Law their being no Statute for it men do it out of civility to an ambassadour it being a Custom and if a man keep on his Hat in Sermon time it s no sin because there is no prohibition if it be not the custom of the place I see no reason why the Preacher should beget a custom seeing he hath no Warrant from the word But to prove that they are sent are Ambassadours from the King of Kings here they 'l have a hard tugg on 't let them prove their Mission or Sending I know how they are called just as Hoggs to the Troughs the Maid comes and puts the meat in the Trough the piggs it may be are grasing in the pastures or Commons she takes the pail jumbles aad knock it from side to side against the Trough and calls them upon the report of the pail away they come as fast as they can creep through Hedges tumble over the little Pigs in their way or out-run them and to the Troughs they come and from one Trough to another leaving it may be a little in the bottom for the little Piggs that come after Even so when they hear the report that such a Deanry Prebendship or fat Parsonage is fallen they take Horse and away they ride Post as fast as they can out-run some of their lesser fellows from one living to another until they have gotten two or three livings then they ' le deal kindly with the Devil they ' le serve in one place let the Devil take t'other or send one in his place that shall do the Devil as little hurt as himself who shall live by the Lickings of the Trough those in some places are called Rats in other places Curates And upon this riding Post the question arose of the two Creatures which were most miserable Horses or Asses it was determined Horses because they were many times rod Post to get livings for Asses but these fellows can swallow a great deal of Popish trash Towers and Steeples and yet cannot endure that a man should sit with his Hat on Wife prethee are they not favoured like those Hypocrites our Saviour speaks of That strein at a Knat and swallow a Camel But cannot they Husband prove their Mission or Sending from the Bishop Yes Wife they can thus according as it is in the Book of Orders after the Priest for so the Book of Orders stiles them hath promised the Bishop due Reverence and Obedience the Bishop puts his hand on his head and saith Receive the holy Ghost whose sins ye remit c. be thou a faithful dispensour of the Word Here he shews himself to be Christ or rather Anti-Christ who sits in the temple of God shewing himself that he is God when the poor Patriarch could give no more then did hang on his fingers when he laid them on the Priests head What say you wife is not this pretty stuff that ever any man in a day after so much light breaking forth should be brought under such Egyptian blindness and as they are that make them so are they that are made by them But stay a little Wife before we go to Bed for our Candle begins to grow short we must not let this go so The Bishop himself whence ere he come God never sent him for God never sent a man and puts him upon impossibilities the word is no more as is commonly known than Overseer to oversee his Flock to be diligent to know the state of the Flock to visit the sick to preach the Word in season and out of season These are part of his duties belonging to his Office these things are impossible for his Lordship to perform and therefore we must send him to look another Master that sends him on his Errand Wee 'le talk a little of his duty for Preaching that he doth not for he neither preacheth in season nor out of season or very seldom nay most of them preaching down preaching and some of the fraternity speaking contemptuously and jearingly against those that preach twice in a day saying that they are like Virgils Cow that bis venit ad mulctram came twice in a day to the Pail indeed they come but seldom to the Pail and when they do come 't is a poor quantity of thin geer they give let it stand there will be no Cream on 't they were as good kick it down for they put some bitter thing or other in it like wormwood which is good in beer but not in Milk and rub the breast with it and wean the Children apace some such Milk the Dean of Norwich lately gave which made boâ—h Man and Owle admire him for in his Sermon at Norwich preaching against preaching and long praâ—ers which some made as he said an Ell long and which as he said he was assured was of no Divine Certified in a Letter to London from a vâ—ry good hand Institution whereat an Owl standing or flying over his head Hemm'd him up with a note of admiration crying Hoo Hoo Hoo. What Milk that was that the Bishop of Liechfield and Coventry gave down about the midst of May as fruitful a season as they ear affords what Milk that was I do not know for he in the Administration of pope Clements Ordinance pope Melciades Sacrament delivered it to the blew coate boyes a mong the rest to one Iohn Hurst a Limner whose Mother dwels at the Swan in Newgate-Market who could never speak nor hear he poured it in at their ears with which they made their confession of Faith for they never open'd their lips and which is to be admired how the Bishop could confirm them in Faith that had none or if they had it was more than he knew The worst on 't is if any give better Milk those curst kine wil endeavour to kick it down or strike down the poor Creature that gave it I could wish those curst kine short horns VVife being time to go to bed we will talk no more to night but leave till another ttme and then we will begin with Magna Charta and talk over three or four sheets more Good Husband you take the Child and the Candle I le take the VVarming-pan and some Coles and so to Bed Read the two lines But this c. in Folio 7. after 27 lines But this our Doctours Proctours could In no wise well digest Read VVhy do we c. in Folio 9. after 16 lines VVhy do we not that would he thought Good Subjects in request First to the Lord then to the King These things may be redrest FINIS
reason for his golden Calves God gave a Law by Moses therefore there may a Law be given by the Bishops the Apostles wrote a New Testament or Gospel therefore the convocation-Convocation-house may write a Testament or Gospel if the prophets practise will bear them out in the one I see no reason why it should not bear them out in the other and let them if they can shew where any of the Apostles made any forms of prayer and imposed on other Churches neither did I ever hear any man stand for Common-prayer that had the spirit of prayer 'T were other passages I heard you speak of the Doctors I did so the one was we thank the Lord for the reformation he might rather have called it a regradation for as the Sun went back ten degrees in the dayes of Ezekiah by the Sun-dial of Ahaz so we in England according to an outward appearance Fascicu temp are gone back ten degrees by the Sun-shine of the Gospel of Christ And whereas you told as that on Fryday next you shal have the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel which day is to be kept holy by the appointment of the Church of God I suppose he means Rome to be the Church of God because pope Felix the third ordained and appointed that holy day What meant our Reverend Diocessan when after one year of his being our Diocessan and had not preacht two Sermons he told us they were our spiritual fathers Paul saith that although you have many Instructors I have begotten you indeed if the Patriarch had told us how many thousands of pounds he and the rest of his brethren of the Cloyster had gotten he had said something but let him or any of his brethren say and speak truth that since I came to this place or City the Lord hath blest my labours for such a poor Soul came to me and told me that the Lord had by my Ministry made him to see how that he was most vile wretched sinner and under the wrath of God which if they can as I am confident they cannot I le submit and do penance in a White Surplice which is as base as in a White Sheet In the next place now Wife we wil talk a word of our own Reverend Dean he saith that we must worship in the Temple at the Temple and going from the Temple and speaking of the several Gates to Heaven he told us that Baptism was Infants Gate you need not question the truth of it seeing it appears to be plainly exprest in the Church Catechism To his Temple worship I shall say nothing because he is supposed to be a Mongrel Papist but I cannot but admire that Baptism should be Infants Gate into Heaven and so much the more for that when they are there they do not stay there scarce one in an hundred but out they come tumbling and by the fruit they bring with them speak evil of that good land but this I can say of him that he is a great admirer and lover of fish on Fasting-dayes and eats no other flesh and there is some reason for it Durandus renders it why fish is more holy than flesh because God curst the earth but never curs'd the water Husband another of our Doctors cryes out against Sacriledge what 's that He tell thee Wife as they account it a robbing of the Church and so by consequence as they would maintain it a robbing of God but they never tell how the Church first rob'd the poor Countrey by telling them that it was a meritorious-work promising them to fetch souls out of Purgatory Henry the third was pressed by his Clergy and hookt in to grant liberally unto them and by his Magna Charta saith thus Henry by the grace of God King of England c. To all Archbishops Bishops c. Know ye that to the honour of God and the salvation of my Soul and the Souls of my Progenitâ—rs and Successors do give and grant c. An easie piece of matter to cheat both King and Nobles as my Author saith when neither of them could write or read And Richard Wetherhead alias Wethershead Archbishop of Canterbury by a Provincial Constitution it was forbidden to all Physitians to administer any Physick to a â—ick person upon pain of excommunication until the Priest had first shrived him for his sins although his condition was ever so desperate The pretence was to physick his Soul first but the intent was to get a â—ollop out of his estate Surely he that would not have the hire of an Harlot to be brought into his house will never accept of such lands and goâ—ds thus cheated to be imployed in his service but most sure it is that God doth not accept of any thing that he doth neither requite nor command But we know these fellowes came but to fill their bellies and if the means were gone they 'le be like Bagg-pipes when the wind is out they tattle no longer Husband you know they are accounted but Fanatiques and Schismatiques that speak against those men or their practises you have been in some trouble already medle not with their Cathedral service and things which as they say are for decency Wife for my fathers sake I shall not because its next my fathers Religion he being a Roman Catholique and yet for the poor Jews sake I am not willing to be silent it s a bad requital for the prayers they put up for us Gentiles Cant. 8. ver 8. we have a little sister and she hath no breasts what shall we do for our sister in the day that she shall be spoken for See what a stumbling block we cast before them we tell the Jew that all the Ceremonies of the Mosaical Law were abrogated by the coming of Christ he will argue thus Why may not we use those Types and Ceremonies instituted by Moses at Gods command as well as you to make use of those Ceremonies instituted by several Popes which you say were Antichrists Christs utter enemy Ask the Ceremoniaster or the Ceremonimaster what he can say to that But as for accounting others Fanatiques they are the greatest Fanatiques themselves who leaving the sacred Scripture which are the rule of life doctrine and discipline and set up the traditions of men whereas his Worship must be as his Word is sincere quasi sine cera without mixture or composition of humane invention and is forbidden by the second Command as William Gloucester Bishop saith And then what can you say for your Cathedral service Wife you know that neither praises nor prayers are accepted with him unless they be the fruit of his own spirit Jesus Christ takes the Odours which are the prayers of the Saints and presents them to his Father if not acceptable they must needs be abominable Do you think that Jesus Christ will take the bawling squeling voices of singing men and boyes together with the grunting squeking noise of the Bishops Pigs I mean the Organs