Gâ—spels and Epistles In a word all the dayes dedicate to Christs severall acts are all humane inventions some later some more ancient Iewish formes wherwith that people was brought up under the pedagogie of the law a rudimentarie kind of instruction not beseeming the Christian Church nor answerable to the cleare light of the Gospell The Iewes anniversarie dayes were abolished not onely for their peculiar service or signification of things to come but altogether howbeit memorials of by-past benefits Christ and his Apostles did institure no day for remembrance of a particular benefit no not the weekly sabboth let be an anniversary day For the weekly Lords day was not appointed for remembrance of the particular benefit of Christs resurrection but for the whole worship of God If the Lords day were referred directly and expressely to the commemoration of the resurrection then should it be the proper and peculiar service of the Sabboth then should we not have at all a day determinate in the new â—estament and institute to worship God for himselfe and all his workes in generall There was then no memoriall dayes appoynted in the new testament but a morall day for the worship of God The sacrament as often as it is celebrate it is a memoriall of his passion When the word is preached Christ is crucified before our eyes But dayes of particular commemorations of some speciall actions with solemnitie and cessation from worke we have none nor was it the intention of Christ or his Apostles If there be no warrant to dedicate anniversarie dayes to Christ farre lesse to the virgin Mary and the rest of the Saints and of Angels Their holy dayes of Saints are called the Saints dayes as well as Christs dayes are called his And they have their collects gospels epistles as well as Christ hath his and what reason have they to have some anniversarie remembrances of so many Saints of the new testament and never one for any of the old Can they give any reason of this difference but a â—opish one And among these of the Christian Church why is Timothy and Titus and many â—oe not remembred as the rest are Is the 〈◊〉 purification of our Lady upon the candleâ—masse day a matter of such moment that it is to be honoured with some speciall day and actions of greater importance are not so to be celebrate This night the Maior of London kneeleth downe at S. Edwins tombe in Pâ—ules Church and sayth a Pâ—ter noster as Barroâ— reporteth If I should insist upon every particular day and rip up their collects gospells pisâ—les hymnes and songs I should be too proâ—ixe For we should fall upon many fooleries and impertinent application of the word of God In the collect from Christmas to New-yeares day they are appointed to say that Christ was borne upon this day when as it beâ—oved him to be borne onely upon one day 〈◊〉 it is grounded upon an erroneous conceit of Zacharies high priesthood that he was born â—n the 25. day of December In the collect upon Innocents day it is sayd that the infants whom Herod murthered were Gods witnesses Athanasius creed is to honour the high dayes 〈◊〉 not the common creed and is appointed to be read onely upon certaine holy dayes it must not grace other dayes Venite may not serve at Easter as it doth all the yeare before and after follow Domine labia mea They have no reason for these and other like superstitious vanities but such as Durandus or any other papist can give them out of their reasonlessâ— Rationalls What holynesse they place in their holy dayes may be seene in that they haue a stricter rest enjoyned upon them not they urge for the sabbath whereas the Lord required a stricter rest upon the Sabbath then upon other dayes appointed by himself Then againe their principall feasts haue Eaves and devout fastes going before Thirdly they say they will not change them to let us see that they may be changed but retaine the same dayes which the papists observe and which they say were consecrate and made more holie then other dayies be the actions which were wrought on these dayes as the manger and crosse of tree was with the truth of Christs body Even howbeit this reteyning without change doeth nourish in the people both a superstitious and popish conceit of the holynes of the day and the erroneous conceits that Christ was borne on such a day Iohn Baptist on such a day that Zacharie was high priest etc. To let passe other popish opinions of worship and merite The most part observe it with masking dancing gluttonie games enterludes For the which superstitious and erroneous conceits and incorrigible abuses they ought to be abolished suppose in themselves they had bene never so indifferent Besides their Eaves they have their ordinary fridaies Ember weeks and lent fast And if they say that abstinence from flesh onely is coÌ„manded for some politicall respects I would demand wherefore is the minister or Curate enjoyned after sermon homilie or exhortation to declare unto the people whether there be any holy dayes or fasting daies the week following Are not the people commanbed likewise to repaire to the Church to pray and to heare divine service Their lent beginneth as the popish doeth upon Ashwednesday with a terrible coÌ„mination where are pronounced many bitter curses and the people answer ratifie every one of them with their own mouth saying Amen The priest before he utter the curses after the lettanie is sayd goeth to the pulpit to imitate the levites who pronunced curses upon mount Ebal and never but once he saith Brethren in the primitive Church there was a godly discipline that at the beginning of lent such persons as were notorious sinners were put to open pennance and punished in this world that their soules might be saved in the day of the Lord and that others admonished by their exaÌ„ple might be the more afraid to offend In stead wherof untill the same discipline may be restored again which thing is much to be wished etc. it is thought good that at this time should be read the generall sentences of Gods cursings against impenitent sinners Yee see that corporall and afflictiue penance is commended for good discipl for the disci of the prim church for the discipl of lent and espetially on ashweonesday that it is wished to be restored again I beleeve theÌ„ It is displing ashes shriving and such other gear that they would haue In the last collect upon the first day of lent or ashwednesday the priest or Curate sayth Be favourable to thy people which turne unto the in weeping fasting and prayer Is this to fast for ciuil respects onely for the main tenance of sea faring men and preservation of cattell The Priests and Clerks kneeling say the Psalme miserere mei Deus The prayers and special exhortations tend to begin their repentance that day The week before Easter hath a prescript service
shall require All â—auses testamentarie and their appendicles are impertinent for Episcopal audience or any Ecclâ—siasticall oâ—sistorie Bona caduca is taken in the lawes as when failing him to whom they belonged by law the goods fal to another as the akorn which falleth to the ground when there is none to take it up is called Caducâ— glans By law Ecclesiasticall and coâ—firmed by the Municipall as 1. to conferre benefices or to institute into a benefice at the presentation of others 2. to command the persons instituâ—ed to be inducted 2. to command the fruits of vacant benefiâ—es to bee gathered and kepâ— in suâ—e custodie by some indifferent man to the use of the next successor 4. to assigne a competent portion to a vicarâ— 5. To grant dimissorie or testimoniall letters 6. to visit every third yeare thâ— Diocie Oâ— institution collation induction we shall entreat in a fitter place As for the third the sequestration of the fruits of the vacant benefices the authour of the Assertion of the true Christian Church policie thus writeth By the interest where by the Bishop challengeth to be custos Eccl. siarum there happen as bad if not worse then these for there is no sooner a Church voyd but a post is sent in all haste with letters of sequestiction to sequester the fruits to the use of the next incumbent which next incumbent for the greater care taken to preserve the fruits to his use before hee can obteine to be put in reall possession must pay 10. shillings or a marke or more for these letters of sequestiation with as much more also for letters so called of relaxation besides 2 pence 3 pence or 4 pence a mise for pottage Somner â— And from hence as â— take it is the Patron very much 〈◊〉 For he being as appeareth by the Statute of 25 Edm. 3. Lord and Avower of the Benefice ought to have the custodie and possession thereof during vacancie The fourth should not be at the Bishops carving but it is no great matter what be modified to them seeing they are for the most part hirelings or blind guides As for the fift it is agreeable to good ordour that no Clergie man passing from one Diocesse to another should be admitted to take on any cure without letters of commendation and a Testimoniall of their honest life and conversation and sufficient qualification but that this should be in the Bishops power is against reason and therefore no wonder if many abuses and inconveniences arise upon their flight Passe-ports Visitation is needfull and it were better for the Church if it were annuall But that the Bishop or any other should be sole Visitor is hurtfull A number is more able to make a sharpe enquirie for moe eyes see better then one and would not be so foone drawen away with corrupt partialitie The chiefe part then of voluntarie jurisdiction is every three yeare to visit the Diocie and to enquire by the Church-wardens and Side-men of the excesses and defects either of the minister of the Church wardens themselves or the rest of the parishioners Or the Minister as he is Minister or as he is another sort of man As Minister either in respect of his publick function in committing or omitting what hee ought not or in respect of his private life for many things are tollerate in lay men which do not besâ—eme Ministers Or the Church-wardens themselves and that concerning their office either in the Kirk or temple or out of it Oâ— the rest of the Parishoners â—ither as having some peculiar function or any other Christians As having peculiar function Phisitians Chyrurgians Schoolemasters Mid-wives if they exercise their function not being approved or use â—â—rcerie or superstition keepers of hospitals when according to their foundation the Bishop is only appoynted visitor or no other Of the other Christians offending against pieâ—ie righteousnesse sobrietie Against pietie as by blasphemy against God or the holy scripture idolatry superstition sâ—rcerie if it be such as by civill lawes of the kingdom is either not at all corrected or by order and dirâ—ction of the lawes is made also subject to Ecclesiasticall censures Breach of oath called Laesio fidei made before an Ecclesiasticall Iudge or voluntarily to any private man Heresie error against the Articles of Religion set forth in a Nationall Synoâ— holden the yeare 1562. and confirmed by royall authoritie schâ—â—me unlawâ—ul conventicles absence from divine service in their own parish upon the Lords dayeâ— or other festivall dayes where there is not a lawfull impediment unlawfull abstinence from parâ—aking of the Lords Supper which is to be celebrated thrice every year Against justice calumnie contumely râ—proach anent any cause Ecclesiasticall Simoniacall suing for sacred orders or degrees or of a benefice Vsurie above the rate often in the hundred by yeare Temerarious administration of the goods of the deceased subornation of perjurie falshood or forgerie committed in any Ecclesiasticall action violence to a minister deâ—eining of that which was left in legacie to the use of the poore or of goods due to the publick uses of the Church dâ—â—apidation of Ecclesiasticall goods and buildings Against sobriety as incontiniencie whatsoever committed with one of his kindred or bloud or of alliance either of them within the 4. degree exclusive according to the computation of the civill law which is called incest or adulterie or committed with a widow which is called stuprium or where both bee single tearmed fornication fiâ—thy speech sollicitation of anothers chastitie drunkennesse clandestine mariages either in respect of consent of parents or tutors not obteined or of the private place or witnesses moe then two not being present or the bannes not proclaimed three several times upon the Lords dayes or holy dayes in lawfull distance In this table we have an enumeration of offences belonging to Ecclesiasticall cognisance but it is unsufficient For there are many moe then are here expressed as Theft Sacriledge Murther Prophanation of the Sabboth Sodomie disturbance of divine service Polygamie Diffamation c. as by opening of the 10. commandements may be drawn out to a great number which ought to be censured by the Church This partition wall of crimes made in the Canon Law to make some crimes temporall others spirituall hath made the crimes reputed Ecclesiasticall to bee neglected by the Magistrates and many crimes not reputed Ecclesiasticall on the other side to be neglected by the Church As Adulterie howbeit by Gods law it be capitall so ought to be also by the law of man is not made capitall by their lawes but referred to the Ecclesiasticall Courts as proper to them many sins of witchcraft and sorcerie likewise And on the other side a Theefe should not passe uncensured by the Church howbeit he be overseen by the Magistrate For the church ought to deale with every scandalous sinner to bring the sinner to repentance notwithstanding the Magistrate pardoÌ„ or neglect to punish Next they have the offences there
reckoned up onely for the fashion of others not their mentioned they take a severeâ— account As for example Mucket doth adde these following Delay of Baptisme at the point of death contempt of Episcopall confirmation not bowing the knee at the Letanie and at the name of Iesus reproaches against the Liturgie the government of the Church c. Profanation of the Chalice and the plate Profanation of the Church-yards with Markets or Faires with weapon shewing with dancing c. In the Admonition to the Parliament it is said Now great sins either not at all punished as blasphemie usurie drunkennesse c. or else slieghtly passed over as with pricking in a blanket or pinning in a sheet as Adulterie Whoredome c. Again such as are no sins as if a man conforme not himselfe to Popish orders and ceremonies if he come not at the whistle of him who hath no authoritie to call wee meane Chanscellours Officials and all that rable are grievously punished not onely by Excommunication Suspension Deprivation and other as they terme it spirituall coertion but also by banishing imprisâ—ning reviling taunting c. So howbeit the offences which are abovementioned in the Table belong to Ecclesiasticall enquirie in respect of the slander they are taken from the lawfull iudicatorie of the Church and transferred to the Bishop to enquire as he thinketh good And therefore it is but pro froma that they are here set downe Simonie is one of the number and yet what Simonie is committed and how that may be dispensed with wee have already manifested Where is horrible blasphemie so rife It were longsome to goe through all the particulars But this I cannot passe vvith silence anent the prophanation of the Lords day howbeit it bee not heere expressed The Bill for the better observation of the Sabboth 27 Elizabeth being â—assed by both houses of Parliament was notwithstanding gainesaid and withstood by none so much as by certaine Euangelicall Bishops and whiâ—h as there men generally conceived was onely stayed from being made a Law by the Queene upon their counsell and perswaasion When the Bshop doth visite he doth not visite every parish by it selfe as our Presbyteries wont to doe but all the Parishes in the bounds of foure or five rurall Dâ—anries at once When his lordship commâ—th to some principall Kirk of one of the Deanries then the Ministers Church-wardens and Sidemen within the bounds of those Deanries are to repaire to that place The Parishes which perhaps have just matter of complaint against their dissolute Minister of Church wardens are not warned to be present at this Visitation The Bishop being set on high and the rest standing before him the Church-warden touching the book and kissing it is enjoyned at an appointed day to make known to the Bishop or his Vicar such offences as in a book of Articles given them are expressed For he hath his Chancellour or Vicar and Arch-deacon to assist him At the appointed time the Church-wardens come and giue up their bills of presentments the names and dwelling places of the delinquents The delinquents are sent for if they can round over the matter with the bishop or his chancellour or vicar there is no more of the matter but if not then is the delinquent enjoyned to take an oath suppose there be no evidence of the crime but onely a slanderous report and bruit and if he free not himselfe by an oath he shall be holden as guiltie yea further he must have sixe or eight besides to sweare at a set day their oath of credulity that they perswade themselues he hath sworn the truth and thus hee is purged by canonicall purgation Thus are they very careful when the matter is not rounded over For as Lindwood Canterburies principall Officiall who wrote about 200. yeares since saith Vigilare non curant proelati quamplures ut obseruentur statuta nullam utilitatem bursalem inducentiâ— Many Prelates are not vigilant and carefull to have statutes observed which bring no purse profite with them Many abuses and corruptions are in their Vâ—sitations no doubt which have not as yet come to my knowledge but you must be content good Reader with the little that I have delivered In contentious jurisdiction are to be considered either the persons or the causes judged or judgement it selfe The persons either the ordinarie judge or else his surrogate or the parties the pursuâ—r and defâ—ndant and they doe plade either by themselves or by others as by the advice of advocates or the diligent travels of their Procurators The things judged are either of publike or private interest of publike as I contribution for reparations of the Church fabrick and Church-yard dike and for acquiring any other thing which is lâ—cking in the Kirk or 2 punishment some Ecclesiasticall offence or contumely It is true every Church ought to be carefull to hold up the fabrik of the Church and to furnish it with all necessarie utensils but if the Parishioners who ought to bee contributories be slack they ought to bee pursued for the money in the Kings Courts not in Church consistories If a man holding land which usually payd a pound of waxe to the Church do withhold it the Churchwarden may very welpursue before a civill judge Suchlike if the Church be uncovered or the churchyard unclosed Church officers may not impose taxations Of privat interest in causes of 1. matrimony 2. succâ—ssion to the goods of the deceased 3. Ecclesiasticall rights Of matrimonie either by action or for supporting or dissolving of it By action either to conciliate knit as when we sue at law that matrimonie may be celebrate and consummate according to the contract or that after the celebration the mutuall marriage duties may be performed which is called Actio directa or when we intend actioÌ„ of lactication of maâ—â—mony against another who falsely pretendeth a matrimonial contract to our prejudice which is called Actio contraria For supporting or upholding of matrimonie as when aftâ—r the marriage we sue for the money promised in dowrie with the Bride For dissolving of matrimonie either for a precontract matrimoniall of either of the parties with some other or perpetuall and incurable frigiditie or consanguinitie or affinitie by lawfull or unlawfull copulation or adulterie or for rigorous dealing in which case separation from the bedd and boâ—rd but not from the bond is granted Such matrimoniall causes as are meere civill belong not to Ecclesiasticall courts as debts and dowries promised in marriage are not properly demandable in Ecclesiasticall courts Matrimonie as it is a civill contract may be ordered by civill lawes seeing upon it dependeth the right of inheritances providing that nothing bee done repugnant to these conditions which God in his word hath superadded to that contract as to determine within degrees prohibited or polygamie to bee lawfull So farre as it is divine in that God conjoyneth and interveneth as third person and setts downe conditions both
fruits and crop of the ground as of corne or fruits of trees Personall are such as are payed by reason of the person himselfe out of the gain that he maketh of this trading handicraft hunting warfaring c. The Mixt is added by sâ—me as a third kinde but others reduce them according to their diversitie to one of the first two and such are the birth of bestiall wooll milke whether they be fed at home or be at pasture in the field Tithes of whatsoever kinde are but temporall goods not spirituall howbeit they be annexed to spirituall things and be appoynâ—ed to uphold and maintaine divine service and spirituall functions Tithes were of old recovered in the Kings Court not in Ecclesiasticall as is averred in a treatise alledged by the author of the Apologie of proceedings in Courts Ecclesiasticall We think that the Kings Courts be put out of iuâ—â—sdiction for tythes by a custome of the Realme and not by the immediat power of the law of God And againe That suits for tithes shall be taken in the spirituall court is onely grounded upon a favour that the Kings of this realme and the whole realme have in times past borne to the Clergie That the kings Courts of his Bench and common pleas and also other inferior courts were put out of jurisdiction for tythes suits for tithes were granted to spirituall Courts was a favour it is true granted to the Clergie inabling them with power within themselves to recover tithes destinate to their maintenance but wee must not look so much to the commoditie wee may reape by the grants of Princes as whether Church consistories should medle with such controversies concerning things temporall This man owe me a cole that man a stiâ—k the third two stone of butter the fourth such a number of Saffron heads the fift so many sallow Trees such and such suits were verie pertinent for a Presbyterie to sit upon for the Presbyterie is the true and right Consistorie Now change this Consistorie as ye please and make the Bishop alone to be the Church consistorie it is all one For the causes themselves being temporall the qualitie of the person doth not alter the nature of the cause In the Assertion for true and Christian policie it is said That by a statute 32. Hen 8. c. 44. it is enacted That the Parsons and Curates of five Parish Chuâ—â—hes whereunto the Town of Royston did extend it selfe and every of them and the successors of every of them shall have their remedie by authoritâ— of that Act to sue demand aske and recover in the Kings Court of Chancerie the tithes of corne hay wooll lambe and Calfe subtracted or devyed to be payed by any person or persons Are the tythes of other Parishes more spirituall then these of Royston But admitting such pleas to be pertinent for a spirituall Court they should not be turned over to a Civilian the Bishops Officiall And what favour is granted to Church men by Princes when a Doctor of the Law shall determine in these pleas 2. Oblations due of custome either every quarter of the yeare or in baptismes or at blessing of mariages or at Churching of women or at burials 3 Mortuaries 4 Indemnities 5 Procuâ—aâ—ions 6 expences laid forth for the repairing of Ecclesiastical buildings decayed by the negligence of the Predecessour 7. Synodalls 8. wages and feel due for causes judiciall as to the Iudge the Advocate the Proctor the Clarke Or for causes out of judgement as to the Curate or Sexten A procuration is the furnishing of necessarie expenses for the Archbishop Bishop Archdeacon or any other having power to visit in respect of their visitations For howbeit the Bishops have great temporalities and possessions Ecclesiasticall that doth not content them but they must be sustained besides in their travelling They say they must have great riches because they have a great burthen and must not discharge their charge still in one place but through the whole Diocie And yet when they have gotten more then may suffice reasonable men they will not travell without a new pension and their expenses borne For no man is bound say they to goe on warfare on his owne cost And so with a new trick they got procurations annexed to their visitations as proper stipends due to visitors At the first the visitor and his retinue had their sustentation in victuals for the day which he visited the particular Church Afterward the procuration was rated to some value of money answerable respectively to the dignity of an Archbishop or Archdeacon for their retinue was prescribed in the Canons and Constitutions The Archdeacon was appointed to have onely to have 4. persons on horsebaâ—ke and one Sumner What think ye then shal be the retinue of the Bishop or Archbishop if this be moderate in the Archdeacon Farther whereas they ought not to have procurations except they visit every particular Church They will visit 30. or 40. churches in one day at one place and yet receive the diet in money of 30. or 40. churches or dayes They make commodity of their visitations otherwise also as ye have heard Synodals are another pension due to the Bishop by every Church in the Diocie for convocating Synods And yet their Synods are not worthy the name of Synods for the Diocesan Bishop is onely Lord and Iudge the rest are to bee judged rather then to partake in common with his power A Mortuarie is the second beast that the deceased person hath within the parish if hee have three or above the best being excepted and reserved to the iust owner If the three be of one kind or of divers the parish Priest must have the second and wherefore I pray you for recompensation of the personall tithes or offerings withholden while he lived yea howbeit ignorantly and unwittingly sayth Lindwood and to what end pro salute animae suae sayth Simon Langham Bishop of Canterburie in his Provinciall constitution For the safetie of the soule consisteth in remission of the sinn sayth Lindwood in his glosse upon that constitution which is not remitted sayth hee unlesse that which is withholden be restored These are the Mortuaries as yee see which are demandable in their spirituall courts Oblations should be free from compulsion and superstition not offered immediatly to God upon the Altar as sometimes they doe nor exacted under the colour of maintenance of the ministerie whereto the tithes are already bestowed to that use The rich parson yea the Bishop himselfe claimeth a right to these oblations as well as the poorest Priest To compell men to offer by the censures of their Courts is against the nature of a free offering The fees demandable in their Courts as due to the Iudge the Register the Advocates the Proctors are unreasonable Large fees are payd for the Iudges sentence for the Register and the proctors pains above the rate set down by their Canons as the defender of the last petition doth affirme
Ministerie a whole yeare when the Bishop shall finde good cause to the contrary but that there being now foure times appointed everie yeare for the ordination of Deacons and Ministers there may be ever some time of triall of their behaviour in the office of a Deacon before they be admitted to the order of Priesthood Yet they are not so nice but this order may be dispensed with and that one may take on both the orders upon one day as Mucket doth record When the time of giving orders draweth neere the Bishops Bull is set up upon the Church doore to give warning that if any be minded to receive orders let them repair to the Bishop at such time and place This is sayth Mr. Cartwright like the sound of a trumpet to gather an Armie But the Bill which is set up upon the Church doore is in latine so that the people cannot understand the sound of the trumpet This Bill doth not desire the people to come object against the persons to be ordained And suppose that were the end it wer but a deluding of the people for either they have a Priest or Curat already and then they have not need to object or else the place is voyd but they know not against whom to object for amongst 40 50 or 100. perhaps they know not who is the man that is appoynted for them The Bishop and the patron out of the whole number wil choose afterward when and whom they thinke meete And howbeit there were not one voyd Church in all the Diocie but incumbents in every one of them yet the Bishop will give orders And againe if none of them have ever been conversant in these vacant parts how can they stand up and object against them The day of giving orders being published which is ordinarily upon the Lords dayes after the Ember weekes then there is repaire to the citie or village where the Bishop is to give orders He that can purchase the letters commendatory of some nobleman or knight shall come best speed Then is he to be tried by the Archdeacon who is but a Deacon onely in respect of his Archdeaconrie Howbeit sometimes the Archdeacon be also a Priest beside that it is a confounding of distinct offices it is not by vertue of his Priesthood but of his Deaconship that he trieeth the persons who are to be ordained They are tried by some questioning but as the Archdeacon pleaseth Their pastorall gifts of utterance doctrine and exhortation are not tried either by the Archdeacon or any particular church may these gifts are not needfull in an English priest for a bare reader is sufficient to bee an English minister The Archdeacon is sometime in one part of the countrey and the bishop in another The Bishop making ministers at Exceter and his Archdeacon at Oxenford or the Bishop making ministers at Leichfield and his Archdeacon at Durham When the day of ordination is come after an exhortation made the communion celebrated the Epistle and Gospel read and the hymne Veni creator sung or sayd the Archdeacon presents to the Bishop all those who are to take on the order of Priesthood that day with these words Reverend father in Christ I present to you the persons here present to be admitted to the order of Priesthood Then after some demands and answeres of the Bishop and the other who is to be admitted he demandeth of the people who are present there where he giveth orders if they know any impediment which may hinder any of these present to bee admitted to the order of priesthood which is a manifest mockage For it may be that none there present ever heard or saw any of them or all of them before that day But these words import that ordinations of old were performed before the congregation whereunto he was to bee appoynted Thereafter the oath of the Kings supremacie is taken then againe after an exhortation follow other demands an answers After that the people who are present are desired secretly to commend the businesse to God for which cause they are all silent for a little space After that the Bishop readeth a prayer which being finished they who are to be ordained sitting on their knees at the Bishops feet the Bishop and the rest of the Priests who are present lay hands severally upon the heads of every one of them the Bishop uttering these words Receive the holy Ghost whose sinnes thou doest forgive they are forgiven and whose sinnes thou doest retaine they are retained and be thou a faithfull dispenser of the word of God and of his holy sacraments In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Amen Hee commandeth the ordained to receive the holy Ghost as our Lord and master did when hee breathed on his Disciples bestowing in very deed the gifts of the spirit when hee breathed upon them Ordinary pastors cannot conâ—erre the gifts of the spirit whether breathing as Christ did or by laying on of hands as the Apostles did They may as well imitate Christs breathing as they may usurpe these words Whether the ordained receiveth the holy Ghost or not let the world judge Calvin sayth of the Popish Priests ex equis fieri asinos ex fatuis phre neticos quicunque in sacerdotes consecrantur Is any of their Curats after the pronouncing of these words either the holier or more apt to teach and yet beside this blasphemie they will the ordained to dispense the word of God who cannot divide and cut it aright Where it is sayd whose sinnes yee forgive shall be forgiven c. a power to reteine and forgive is given them separate from the preaching of the word as in the Roman Church an infinite number of Priests cannot preach yet all have power to absolve from sins So may the blind English Curates Sicklike it is a mockage â—hen after that the bishop delivereth to each of them the Bible in his hand saying Take thou authoritie to preach the word of God and to minister the holy sacraments in the congregation where â—hou shalâ— be appointed He should rather have put the service-book in his hand For either they are ignorant and cannot preach yea not tried in that facultie or if they can they may not till they get a licence of the Bish and whether they shal be appointed to any congregation or not they are uncertaine because it dependeth upon the pâ—trons pleasure So that if either the forethinking himselfe like the shop better then the Church or if the Patron will keepe the docâ—e shut against such insufficient men which the Bishop opened so wide or as somtime falleth out they cannot agree of their market it commeth to passe that he is made a minister which either cannot or will not not onely not fulfill but not so much as lay hand of that Ministerie whereunto hee was appoynted sayth Mr. Cartwright When all this is done the companie convened sing the Creed and they goe
whole Parish To the minister himselfe either in reading some Psalmes each day of every month or of the rest of the Bible partly out of the Canonicall Scripture partly out of the Apocrypha bookes and that within the yeare The reading of Psalmes and other parts of Scripture is not preaching but the word read is like a loafe unbroken or not divided in peeces and morsels And therefore it is not a right set forme of service to prescribe all the Psalmes to bee read within the space of a month or so many lessons of the Scripture within a year to take up the time which should be spent in preaching Lesse Scripture read and withall explained and opened up to the use of the hearers is more profitable And if the other prejudge this howbeit the matter be good for it is the good word of God so much as is canonicall yet the forme is naught and in this case unlawfull Then as for the reading of the Psalmes they make daily prayers of them when as they bee not all prayers or else the matter of these which are praâ—ers doth not agree to the present time and state of the Church but are read hand over head The Apocrypha bookes should not receive that honour as to be read publickly in the Church as canonicall Scripture is Because they containe sundry false and frivolous things and suppose not yet they are not the trompets which are set apart and sanctified by God to bee blowne by his priests in his temple The church of the Iewes read no other scripture but Canonical Moses and the Prophets and the Psalmes and the Christian Church in the purer times onley the monuments of the Prophets and Apostles The Councell of Laodicea decreed the same also The reading of them in the Church hath made the people beleeve that they are portions of the old and new testament Sundry of the Prelates take texts out of the Apocrypha sayth the authour of the petition to the Queen Divers chapters of the Apocrypha are appointed to be read for extraordinarie lessons upon Feast daies and some parts of the canonicall Scripture are omitted The directories which direct in such things as belong to the whole Parish are anent observing feast dayes and daies of abstinence from flesh They have a number of feasts and fasting daies more then the Iewes had appointed to them The holy dayes observed by them besides the weekely Sabboths are these following the dayes of the Feasts of the Circumcision of the Epiphâ—â—ie of the Purification of the blessed Virgin of S. Matthias the Apostle of the annuntiation of the virgine of Saint Mark the Euangelist of Saint Philip and Iacob the Apostles of Christs Ascension of the nativitie of Iohn Baptist of S. Peter the Apostle of Iames the Apostle of Bartholomew the Apostle of S. Matthew the Apostle of S. Michael the Arch-Angel of S. Luke the Euangelist of S. Simon and Iude the Apostles of all Saints of Saint Andrew the Apostle of Saint Thomas the Apostle of Christs Nativitie of S. Steven the Martyr of S. Iohn the Euangelist of the holy Innocents Munday and Tuesday in Easter weeke and Munday and Tuesday in Whitson weeke This is their number and order as it is set downe in the beginning of their service booke They keep the same order in the observation of them that the Popish church observeth with the same distance of time from other upon the same dayes Gospels Epistles Collects and proper lessons the same howbeit some time fewer with the like observation of rest And howbeit S. George be left out in this reckoning yet is his day honoured This Saint saith Barrow hath no small entertainment with his solemne procession and that by no small estates but even the greatest of the land with Cornets Trumpets Harbe Shackebuts Psâ—lteries Duâ—â—imer and all instruments of musicke c This Saint beside his noble ordour of Knighthood hath also his peculiar Chaplaine Palatine of the order who it to weare a gold ring on his thomb The holy dayes are dedicate to the Trinite to Christ alone to Saints to Angels As for the day dedicated to the honour of the Trinitie Bellarmine doth confesse that it is recent that it was not observed at Rome in the dayes of Pope Alexander the third It was celebrated in some particular Provinces but not received into Rome till the time of Pope Iohn the 22. It was thought needlesse seeing the Trinitie was remembred either one way or other in the daily service but especially upon the Lords day for the Preface of the Trinitie day was of old sung upon the Lords day and the Creed wherein the Trinitie is remembred was not omitted If there should be a holy day for every great mysterie of our religion then must we have many more holy daies then we have yet had If a particular day for the Trinitie entred but of late in the Church for the respects foresaid then what mysterie of Religion is remembred frequently on the Lords day in hymne prayer confession creed or sermon needeth not a speciall day and a set service with bodily rest for that mysterie You see then that the feast which was rejected a long time by the Popes themselves the English doe retaine As for the feastgoelonging to the life death of Christ the most â—enoumed most ancient is Easter and yet it was not observed by the Apostles The hote contentions about it whether it should be observed upon the day of the full Moone or the Sabboth after declareth that they did not institute it for they could have easily decided that question whether shall we be conforme to the Iewes in observing the same day with them or not yea the Apostle 1. Cor. 5. 8. speaking of the celebration of our Easter tyeth us not to a certaine number of dayes as the Iewes were who after the eating of the Lambe might not have any levened bread in their house for seven daies but sayth ours is all the yeare long to be observed ye through our whole life with other kind of unleavned bread both by particular Churches persons No where doth he refer us to anniversary Easter The Christian Pentecost was not observed by the Apostles howsoever sometime some of theÌ„ went up to Ierusalem at the Iewish Pentecost to confirme or â—ucrifie the Iewes as long as the Temple stood If the Apostles theÌ„selves upon whom the gifts of the H. Spirit were powred that day did not observ it themselves who were the receivers of the benefit what warrant haue we to observe it If neither Easter nor Pentecost were Apostolical institutions far lesse the Ascension day and the Nativitie The feast of Circumcision Bellar. saith is very recent it is to be observed that they have a service day or holy time for Christs circumcis but not for his Baptism for upon the Eâ—iph day they make mention of the 3 wisem the star but nothing of Chr. Baptism in their
epistles and gospells for every day which no other week in the yeare hath say the ministers of Lincolne in their Abridgement p. 90. 91. They observe likewise that not one day in all they care hath three collects but good Friday the Friday before Easter May we not see then that the end of their Lent fast is the same with the Popish to wit that they may be prepared to receive the communion at Easter as if that communion needed a greater preparation then at other times or had a greater vertue Item to be prepared against the celebration of the feast of the resurrection to repent for the sinnes of the whole yeare to imitate Christs fast of 40. dayes which was a miraculous fast a fast of another kind for it was without hungring a fast for one time and not used againe either by himselfe or his Apostles Mat. 9. The Ember weekes which were called Ieâ—unia quatuor temporum are appoynted they say for praying and fasting because the Bishop is to give orders upon the Sundayes immediately following as it is sayd in their latest Canons They tie the giving of orders to set seasons of the yeare when as ministers should be thrust out into the Lords harvest whensoever there is need Then againe such are enioyned to fast as have no need of a pastor for all the parishes of the Diocie are not destitute Where there is no feele of a want the prayers will bee cold It is expedient indeed that the particular congregation which hath need humble themselves Thirdly this their fast is but abstinence from flesh but not from fish or any other delicacies which they can get as if flesh were an uncleane creature and polluted So their fast in all the orders and rites of it is the Popish fast Lastly they joyne not fasting and giving of orders together as they should doe if they followed aright that example which is set downe Act. 13. 1. 2. but they observe their ceremonious fast or rather superstitious abstinence from flesh on the week before and not upon the Lords day following when they give orders For upon the Lords day they thinke it unlawfull to fast And yet they will rather sever their ceremoniall fast from the action then that it should not be performed upon the Lords day for why that was the day on which the fierie tongues came downe upon the Apostles and they observe the third houre of the day commonly that is about nine a clocke because it was about that time that the gifts of the holy Ghost were powred on them For the Bishop must say to the Priest Receive the Holy Ghost And so one superstition is at jarre with another and great confusion there is and disorder in their rites and ceremonies and no wonder for they are Babylonish Yet for all their apish imitations the cloven tongues come never downe upon any of their silly Curates The Friday fast is like the rest and dependeth upon their mother good Friday which hath bred them These are their set and superstitious fasts Extraordinary and occasionall fasts for urgent calamities and the miseries either of their owne Church or other Churches abroad they have none or very rare Other directories are contained in the Rubrickes which serve to direct in the manner of administration either of some parts of the liturgie or of the sacraments Of some parts of the liturgie in such things as concerne all which are of that congregatioÌ„ or some onely Of such as concern all as in the publick prayers or reading of sacred homilies In publike prayers eyther ordinary or peculiar to some time and occasion Their prayers are to be consiâ—ereâ— both in matter and forme In the matter as when in the collect upon the 12 sunday after Trinitie sunday it is sayd Almighty and everlasting God poâ—re doâ—ne upon us the abâ—ndance of â—hy mercie giving unto us that that our prayers dare not presume to ask There is nothing which is needfull for us and lawfull but wee dare and should aske it They pray to be delivered from thundering tempest when there is no appearance of danger The third part of their prayers concern the commodities or incommodities of this life They crave to be delivered from all adversitie as if the petition in the Lords prayer deliver us from that evill one or wicked one to witt the Divill should be translated from all evill In S. Bartholomâ—w his collect they pray that they may follow his sermons and there is none of them extant Why say they O Ananias Azarias and Misael praise the Lord more then O Peter Paul and virgin Marie praise the Lord. The forme of their prayers is set downe as a lesson for the minister to read So that the gift exercise of the spirit is stinted circumscribed with their prescript prayers For howbeit hee could pray with the tongue of an Angell heâ— must be tied in time of their service to the words which are set down in the booke Sometime the Minister is enjoyned to beginne the Lords prayer with a loud voyce Sometimes the Clarks and people are directed to say the Lords prayer with a lowd voyce at one time and not another Then againe their prayers are shred into many small peeces They pray in two or three lines and then after having read some other thing come and pray as much more and so to the 20 or 30 time with pawses betweene Prayers should be continued together not cut off and interrupted or cut in small peeces They doe with their prayers as they doe with their Gospels and Episties which they rent from their contextis which would serve for memorie and greater edification They multiply words tending to the same effect using repetitions and babbling How many Kyrie eleeson and Christe eleeson will they have at one time At one and the same meeting of the Assembly the Lords prayer is to be repeated 8 severall times and Gloria patri 12 times May not the Papists justly defend their beads Glorie to the Father c. is not sayd after Te Deum laudamus as after Benedicite Magnificat and nune dimittis They have their times to kneel at some prayers not at others The Minister is ordained to stand in the accustomed place or at the discretion of the Ordinarie So that is left to the discretion of one man which tendeth to the edification of many The accustomed place is the Chancel Thereupon saith M. Cartwright the Minister in saying morning and evening prayer 〈◊〉 in the Chancell with his back to the people as if he had some secret talke with God which theâ— people might not heare And hereupon it is likewise that after morning prayer for saying another number of prayers he climeth up to the further end of the Chauncell and runneth as far from the people as the wall will let him as though there were some variance betweene the people and the minister or as though he were afraid of some
infection of the plague and indeed it renueth the memorie of the Leviticall priesthood which did with-draw himselfe from the people into the place called the holiest place where he talked with God and offered for the sinnes of the people The chauncel distinguished from the body of the Church is their holy place for the Priest and He hath a peculiar dore to this chancell through which none might passe but himselfe saith Borrow For the châ—piters and letanie there is commandement given that they should be read in the body of the Church saith M. Cartwright in his first Reply In his second Reply he saith I am assuredly perswaded that the tenth Church in England hath not all the service said in that place where the whole Church may heare it They will rather stick to the Iewish or popish rites and imitate Masse priests then edifie Gods people For mariage he commeth to the bodie of the Church for Baptisme to that part which is over against the Church-dore and so trudgeth from place to place The Letanie must not bee used but upon Sundaies Wednesdaies and Fridayes except the Ordinarie appoint other dayes the Minister propoundeth things to be prayed for or against the people performe the prayer saying with a lowd voyce Good Lord deliver us we beseech thee to heare us good Lord and this they often repeate And yet one suffrage is put out of the letany which was in it before to wit From the tyrannie of the Bishop of Rome and all his detestable enormities good Lord deliver us They say certaine Psalmes and prayers over the corne and grasse and certaine gospels at crosse-waies saith Barrowe In the service booke the Curate is thus directed anent Homilies After the Creed if there be no Sermon shall follow one of the Homilies alreadie set forth or after to be set forth by common authoritie Who knoweth what is hereafter to be set forth The Survey of the booke of common prayer doth relate that many points of Poperie and Lutheranisme are broached in Court and citie pulpits and yet not called into question as be Doctrines tending to the Reformation of Popish ceremonies Iudg then what corrupt Homilies may be set forth And yet Ministers are urged to subscribe to the book of common prayer notwithstanding of the foresaid Rubrickes It is the office of a Pastor to preach and not to reade Homilies Hee ought to cut and divide the word aright and apply it to particular sores which cannot be done by homilies What was said against Apocripha bookes may be throwne against them The reading of homilies is a cushion for idle or blind Priests to rest upon What say you to the Vicar of W. who upon an holy day in stead of preaching the Word which he could not or reading of homilies which he would not to terrifie his Parishoners with the judgements of God and to move them to repentance solemnly read and published a counterfeit fable out of a little pamphlet intituled Strange newes out of Calabria pretended to be prognosticated by M. Iohn Doleta The parts of the Liturgie which concerne onely certaine persons are â—nens 1. Celebration of matrimonie In the first words uttered to the married persons by the Priest it is said that Matrmonie signifieth unto us the mysticall union which is between Christ and his Church Then againe in a Collect after the conjunction it is said O God which hast câ—nsecrated the state of matrmonie to such an excellent mysterie that in it is signified and represented the spirituall marriage and unitie betwixt Christ and his Church Is not this to apply these words Ephes. 5. 32. This is a great Mysterie to the conjunction of man and wife which the Apostle uttereth of Christ and his Church by which interpretation the papists have made mattimonie a Sacrament and the band betwixt the married persons inseparable and not to be dissolved but by death In the first part of their homilie of Swearing Baptisme and Matrimonie are called Sacraments The minister receiving the woman at her fathers or friends hands is to cause the man to take the woman by the right hand and give his troth to the woman Then are they to loose their hands againe and the woman taking the man by the right hand giveth her troth Then shall they againe loose their hands and the man shall give unto the woman a Ring laying the same upon the booke with the accustomed duty to the Priest Clerke And the Priest taking the ring shall deliver it unto the man to put it upon the 4 finger of the womans left hand And the man taught by the priest shall say with 〈…〉 thee wed with my bodie I thee worship 〈…〉 worldly goods I thee 〈…〉 name of the Father Son and H. ghost Then the man leaving the ring upon the fourth finger of the 〈◊〉 left hand the minister shall say set us pray O eternall God c. In the prayer the ring given and received is said to be a token and pledge of the vow and convenant made betwixt them Is there not heere an heap of toyes and yet never one wanteth a signification The ring must be put upon the fourth finger of the left hand because say they there is a nerve which runneth from that finger straight to the heart The ring must be layed on the service booke I know not to what end except it be to sanctifie it in stead of that blessing and sprinckling with holy water which the Popish Priest used as may be seene in the Romane Rituall Then againe what sense can be made of these words with my body I thee worship One of a thousand doth not understand them their Pâ—elats have not explaned them The words of the Apostle Peter 1. Epi. 3. 7. giving honor to the wife as to the weaker vessell doe signifie onely honest care and follicitude and to beare with her infirmities she being the weaker vessell For honor after the Hebrew phrase is largely taken To give honor as to the weaker vessell and to worship her with the body is farr different as the word worship foundeth in our Language The Apostle 1 Cor. 12. 23. saith And those members of the bodie which we thinke to be lesse honourable upon these we bestow more abundant honour that is with greater carefulness we cover then wee doe other members But we are not to worship the members which are lesse honourable The Priest is appointed to say to God in his prayer that the ring is a token pledg of covenant made betwixt them If the ring had beene used onely at the contract as a civill rite it might have been comported with but to bring it into the Church I meane to divine service is either to prophane the same with civill ceremonies or pollute it with Popish and superstitious rites rather as these are For they were counted in time of poperie holy and religious rites of a holy Sacrament The married persons must
communicate also as was the custome in time of blindnesse where every holy action behoved to have a Masse and so that action which should be common to the whole Congregation who are members of one body is made private and particular to a few howbeit in a publique place Then againe they have their forbidden times to marie in yea moe then the Papists have at least so many as have embraced the decrees of the Councel of Trent from Advent to the Epiphanie from Septuagesima sunday to the octaves of Easter from the Rogation weeke to the octaves of Pentecost amounting in all to the third part of the yeare as if marriage which is called honourable did prophane these holy times The councell of Trent hath dispensed with the Pentecost and the second they beginne at Ashwednesday Now notwithstanding of these forbiddeÌ„ times they may get a dispensation for some money and then it shall be lawfull enough and these holy times shall receive no pollution for mony hath a great vertue with it 2. Thankesgiving after childbirth This is commonly called the Churching of women Iâ— standeth more in Psalmes suffrages and collects wherein help is craved at God not notwithstanding he take upon him authority to 〈◊〉 from sins Then there is a Psasme and 〈◊〉 prayers read The silly curat can give no more comfort then the few set words which he must read can minister to the departing soul. If the 〈◊〉 person can get some to communicatâ—â—â— with him 〈…〉 as being ashamed to looke-up for some folly committed When she commeth to the church shee must kneele downe high unto the place where the table standeth that is nigh unto the Quire dore as the Rubrick in 2. Edward beareth as the women did who after the dayes of their purification were ended were appointed to bring their offering to the dore of the Tabernacle Levit. 12. 6. unto the Priest who shall make attonement for them Then the Priest readeth over her the 121. Psal. and assureth her that the Sun shall not burnâ— her by day nor the Moone by night Is not this a very pertinent Psalme for the purpose The Lords prayer being sayd and some versicles and answeres and then another prayer she doth offer her accustomed offrings and if there be a communion she receiveth the communion Call this churching a thankes-giving yet what reason is there of publick thanksgiving in the Church more for deliverance after childbirth which is ordinarie then from drowning or other extraordinary dangers or diseases and of womeÌ„ more then of men were not that the imitation of the Iewish purification is the Mysterie of it And so was this service intituled in the booke 2 Edw. The order of the purification of women as is reported in the Survey This superstitious service is not voluntarie but enjoyned When they come to the grave while the corpâ— is made ready to be laid into the earth they sing or say againe another parcell of Scripture out of Iob then while the earth is cast upon the body by some standing by the Priest again saith something and confidently affirmeth that God hath taken his soule and is of assured hope 〈…〉 3. The visiâ—a and comfort of the sick The Priest entering into the sickmans house sayth peace be in this house and to all that dwel in it When he commeth to the sickmans presence he kneeleth downe and prayeth his prescript lines for forgivenes of sinnes with two kyrie eleesons and one Christe eleeson the Lords prayer and some other versicles and responsories when as yet he hath not spoken a word to the diseased or understood whether hee bee sleeping or waking After the exhortation read which he may break if need be and the Creed rehearsed he desireth him to make his will and also declare his debts what he oweth and what is owing him Thereafter he moveth him to liberalitie Then shall the sick person make a speciall confession if he feele his conscience troubled with any weightie matter after which confession the priest shall absolve him When he absolveth he sayth By his that is oâ—r L. I. Christ authoritie committed to me I absolve thee from all thy sinnes in the name of the father and of the son and of the H. Ghost Amen He absolveth like a judge as the Popish Priest doth giving out a definitive sentence and absolutel doth forgiue not by way of deolaration This absolution is seuered from the preaching of the word For the dumb Gurat cannot preacâ— in thansgiving This help is to live and walkâ— faithfully in their vocation as if they were made uncleane by their childbirth to enterprise any thing Shee will not stirre out of the house suppose she were never so strong till the compleate time be expired that is a month commonly When she commeth forth she is muffled 〈…〉 him the communion If others may not conveniently come neere him yet the minister and he alone may communicate together and for shortnesse of time they have but one collect pistle and Gospell Thus are the people nourished in an opinion of the necessitie of the sacrament and the action which should be publick and solemne as the institution beareth and the practise of the Apostolicall Church declareth is made private administred peculiarly in a corner as if there were no other meane to eat the flesh and drink the bloud of Christ of that grace were tied to the externall signes 4. The Buriall of the dead They have a threefold peale enjoyned in their latest canons When any is passing out of this life a 〈◊〉 is to be tolled after the parties death a short peal is rung another before the buriall another after the buriall When the time of the funerals draweth neere the Priest the clearks make them ready The Priest putteth on his surplice and then commeth to the Church stile to meet the corps Then the Priest shall say or the Priest and cleark shall sing and so go either to the Church or towards the grave The words which are sayd or read alowd by the Priest or sung by the Priest and clearkes are 2 or 3 small sentences of scripture For any part of scripture is sung by theÌ„ as well as Psalms in their services and the Bishops haue punished women for not being churched sayth the authour of the petition to the Queen Some are churched at home by the Priest and therby saith the Surveyer They confirme women either in pride if they be able to goe to church and will not or in superstition if being not well recovered they yet must needs be chur 〈…〉 of his resurrection to 〈…〉 againe is said or sung a sentence out of the Revelation after the lesson two Kyrie eleesons with one Christe eleeson betwixt them after that the Lords prayer then the Priest prayeth that God might histen his kingdome that we with our brother and all other departed in the true faith of thy holy name may have our perfect consummation and