could not have hatched the Dragon that was sent unto Scotland The Superstitions of this Bulk are such and so many that if Paul were here and saw them as hee saw that of Athens hee would undoudtedly cry out Act. 17. Men and Brethren I see that in all things you are too Superstitious We may better apply that Speech of Tacitus concerning Superstition 22 Annal lib. 14 not exitialis hurtful or dangerous but execrabilis cursed and execrable and so it is indeed both to whole Churches and other People whose eyes God hath opened to see the evil of it which wee are confident you do Act. 25 27. and I say as Paul said to King Agrippa Wee know you beleeve it But as it seemed unreasonable to Festus to send Paul a Prisoner without the charge laid against him Act. 26.27 so we neither will nor dare charge any thing upon this Lyturgy which wee shall not Prove nor desire the outing of it without good and sound Reasons for our desire and therefore wee humbly and heartily desire your Honours to take into your consideration these five Reasons following The first is from the Name wherein the Champions of the Service-book agree with the Papists calling it the Masse The second is from the Ground of it The third is from the Matter of it The fourth is from the Manner of it The fifth is from the Effects of it to which wee will adde some Motives CHAP. II. Of the Name FOr the First the Service-book-men and the Papists do mutually interchange the Name of Lyturgy and Masse the latter call their Masse by the name of Lyturgy the Jesuite Sanctes Professeth That the most convenient Name that can be given to the Masse Liturg. p. 8. is that of Lyturgy or Service not but that the word Lyturgy is of good use for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to officiate in sacred Worship witness Act. 13.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they were ministring unto the Lord. Where the Rhemists vaunt of a coined liberty Ro 15.16 to translate the word saying Masse which were to cross the truth and all the learned upon the place as Oecumenius Theophylact and Chrysostome yea and their own Expositors as Casetan and others the Apostle rendreth it by another Word of the same value 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but howsoever they scrape kindness to a word of use till they abuse it yet who knoweth not that knoweth any thing that their Liturgie is the very Lethargie of Worship And what difference between our Liturgie and theirs Truly nothing but a pair of sheers and putting ours in a Coat of another tongue as shall afterward abundantly appear only ours hath not all that theirs hath but ours hath nothing to a word but out of theirs And thence it is that our Lyturgian Patrons do meet the Jesuite mid-way by owning the name of Masse to our Service-Book Sunday n◠sabbath Witness Pocklington who calls the second Service just the same with the Masse so Cozens witness Master Smart's Sermon and not only so in relation to the second Service Antic p. 10. but even in regard of the whole Bulk as Pocklington in the end of his Altare c. and Mountague In name you see then there is an unanimous agreement and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 names are the very images of things for their agreement in matter manner in all things of importance we shall make it as evident as the former in the mean time what reason is there that we should groan still under the burthen of a Lyturgie born in upon us under the Name and Nature of a Masse which is nothing but a Mass of Idolatry and an Idol of Abomination The name is a name of Blasphemy out of the Devils Cabula as we take it For what language it is or what it signifieth for any thing we know was never yet known the Hebrews call their Tribute by the name of Missa witnesse that place in Exodus laying out the oppression of the Israelites by Pharaoh and his Princes or Officers Exod. 1.11 who are called Officers of the Tribute set over Gods people the Word Tribute in the first language is Missa of thé word Messas as the Learned observe which signifieth to melt both the name and Etimologie suit very well with the Popish Masse for it hath melted away true Religion and Spiritual devotion and as it inslaveth the souls of people by leaving them naked as Solomon saith of the Preaching of the Word Prov. 29.18 for so the word signifieth so it is made an engine to screw out the bowels of their estates wasting melting mens substance as the snow against the Sun besides the universal experience of the extortion of the Mass where ever it beareth sway we may instance it too fully in this Island where infinite Masses of Money hath been melted away within these few Yeares without any profit to the King or Subject but to the great prejudice of both for the exhausting of the Subject is the emptinesse of the King Tiberius could say Adulterinum est aurum quod cum subditorum lachrymis exprimitur it is a base kind of Gold that is squeezed out with the tears of the subject but who hath cast the State in this consumption of mony Who hath made the hearts to ake and the Souls to groan of honest Housholders when they have been forced it may be to part with more than they had Who in time of Peace and under good Laws have caused mens Houses and Fields forcibly to be entred their Goods to be carried away Who have caused the Kings liege People and that for obeying the Laws of God man to be carried to stifling Prisons contrary to the Laws of the Land and priviledge of the Subject Who have caused some to be Tormented and Tortured with unparalel'd cruelty both for kind and continuance Lastly Who have been the Incendiaries or Firebrands to melt away if they could the Kings love to his Subjects and the Subjects true loyalty to the King who we say but these Lyturgian Lords and their Jesuited confederates together with their Popish and hellishly prophane Priests Officers and Appendices to prove these or any of them were to shew a Man the Sun and many sheets could not hold the Particulars But to the purpose in hand the Service or Masse-Book as they call it is the main engine it is the Saddle and we to speak a homely Truth are the Asses for Englishmen are called by the Jesuites the Popes Asses the Hierarchie their Adherents are our riders the Saddle hath so pinched and galled our Backs that we know not how to take on the burthen of the Lord Jesus though it be very light our riders have with Spur and Rod of their Rhadamanthean Courts and Temporal Usurpations so jaded us with leave be it spoken that they have almost rid the Spirit of zeal and courage out of us and had they but
their unjustifiable courses and grievous wrongs Whether we should not endeavour to introduce that which may better the Ecclesiastical government and bring this Prelatical power within bounds and our selves from the intollerable burthen thereof The humble Petition That for these so many great and grievous evils they may be questioned and caused to reform or else be censured and punished For they never had possâ—ssion peaceably but they have been 1 Prayed against for a long time 2 Preached against by many 3 Written against by divers on this side and beyond the Seas 4 Testified against by suffering Suspension Excommunication ' deprivation open punishment to the cropping of Eares slitting of the Nose standing on the pillorie imprisonment and some have suffered death 5 Withstood by the Sword And what now remaineth but for these their evils they should be condemned by the Honorable and happy Assembly in Parliament That a better way of Government might be thought of after the wisdome of God in the State tending not to the subversien of Ecclesiastical Government but to moderate the now Prelatical governours ease the Land of excessive charges rid our selves of these insufferable evils weaken the Kingdome of Satan advance the glory and procure our own peace and happiness A short Letanie From this Prelatical pride and their Lordly dignities From all their superstitious vanities and Popish Ceremonies From their late innovations and mischievous policies From the cursed oath Ex officio and high Commission cruelties From their Romish Clergy and the peoples unsufferable maseries From their greedy gainful visitations and the Church-wardens enforced perjuries From their most corrupt Courts and their vexing slaveries From all their fruitlesse shadows and hypocritical formalities From their hatred and malice against Christs appointed Ordinances From their needlesley devised and troublesome conformities From all their Illegal proceedings and oppressing Tyrannies From their sinful Synods and all their Papal Hierarchy From Abaddon and Apollyon with their Priests Jesuites their favorites and all their furious blasphemies Good Lord deliver us A short draught of Church-government to be erected I. In every Parish THat there be a meeting of choise men for wisdome gravitie and love of Religion to wit Churchwardens else-where called Elders and Over-seers of the poor in other Churches called Deacons the number more or sewer as the place shall require These with their Pastour to come together as often as shall be judged fit at a set time and place once a moneth to look unto all within the Parish concerning their Religion their honest behaviour and peaceable demeanure and to see all abuses reformed according to the word of God and according to the godly and Ecclesiastical laws which shall be prescribed unto them This will free us from all weekly corrupt Courts and free the people from all burthensome expences and not suffer sin to raign as it doth in every Congregation II. In every division or Circuit That there be a Presbytery of Ministers such as they should be learned grave and godly men The meeting to be appointed at a certain time and place once a fortnight and in every meeting an Election to be freely made of a fit moderator in it These are to see how the government is to be observed in Parishes and how Ministers and Overseers do discharge their duties at this meeting Ministerâ— gifts are to be shewed and tryed that such as come thither may be edified and instructed and here are they to be ordained III. In every Province That there be a Provincial Synod gathered once a year of godly and learned Pastors and out of every County certain learned and grave Divines selected and the number to be according to the Circuits in every County In this to look into the Presbyterian Assemblies and to see that all things be well ordered according as they ought to be IV In the whole Nation That a general Assembly National be gathered once in three year of chosen men to consult for the general good of all to make Canons and to establish Ecclesiastical Government Of the Excelleny of this Government I. It may stand with a Monarchy for what is here that justly can be said to hinder it II. It takes off all Prelatical Lordly tyranny for every part is subordinate to another the Parochial meeting to the Superintendent and his Presbytery this Presbytery to the County Assembly this Assembly to the Provincial Synod and this to the National Convocation III. It keeps Pastours to their spiritual function and suffers them not to intermeddle in Civil and worldly affairs IV. It sets up a learned and preaching Ministry and casts out the before mentioned Prelatical destroying Clergy V. It furthers the power of Religion in Families Villages Townes Cities in Vniversities and in Princes Palaces VI. It s Christs government and easie yoke freeing Gods people from great payments as hath before been named from all the corruptions of the Courts which all the Land doth groane under from that cruel oath ex officio and that unlimited high Commission grievous to be born It s a government that aymeth at godliness and not at greatness and gain It makes none jealous of painful Pastors none to be offended at Christian meetings as if they were Conventicles none to envie other mens graces but stirreth up to wrath one over another and freely to admonish one another to further one another to Heaven It graceth very highly the godly and learned Laity It s grounded upon the word proceedeth by the word rejecting the Popish Canon Law Popish Ceremonies Popish Superstitions and Idolatry and all mens vain inventions in Doctrine Sacrament worship and government of CHRIST Lord Jesus advance thine own self in thine own Ordinance The second part of the Letanie That it may please thee to take into thine own hand thine own cause to plead against all thine Enemies which would not have thee to raign over them That it may please thee to deliver us from cruel and unreasonable men and let them be snared in the work of their own hands let their feet be taken in their own net and let them fall into the pit they dig for others We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. The Conclusion of all is this and the summe of my desire viz. that there may be a full Conformity in Doctrine and Discipline with the rest of the Protestant Churches of Scotland reformed Church of France Geneva c. 1. For this will prevent future differences betwixt the two Nations 2. Prevent the removal of many of the Kings good subjects into other countries with many other benefits This I humbly request to be taken into Consideration which being done will bring a blessing upon this Kingdome and Church The manner of CONSECRATION Of the BISHOPS IN DUBLIN By the LORD PRIMATE in this present year 1660. WHereas we have thought fit to appoint the 27th of this instant January 1660. for the Consecration of Bishops To the end therefore that the same may be
afraid to deliver his opinion of such a peece of ordnance mounted fully charged upon him the great Canoneers sitting by ready to give fire yet with much ado plucking up his spirits he told them freely that it was a halter to lead a blind horse to the water such dumb Diegoes or devouring Caterpillers might rightly be called as the Prophet speaketh foolish Shepherds and so the Service-book the Instrument of a foolish shepherd Zach 11.15 they truck away their Souls and the souls of others for a crust are they not then errant fools And this foolish instrument the Service-book is the Broker in this unhappy bargain Sect. There are another sort of bad Ministers Phil. 3.2 Vers 18. who will not be idle as they say but they are very ill exercised such the Apostle calls evil workers doggs enemies to the Cross of Christ The Apostle bids us beware of such but indeed ours are worse than those false Apostles for they preached Christ though of envy Phil. 1. â—5 but ours preach error heresies blasphemies calumnies out of envy not Christ Were there ever the like accusations heard of for number nature as hath bin laid against those unparallel'd Ministers for vileness both in living preaching The Goliah his staffe wherewith they maintain all this and all their brags against the Host of Israel is the Service-book which is the Helena of the Hierarchy the strict and total observation whereof Lincoln Articles do punctually appoint To those we might adjoyn Nonresidents Pluralists who knowing that Service will serve the turn can have choice of Readers to serve their Cure at a cheap rate In Kent a common Fidler read Service for 12. d. a week In another place a Black-smith did the like yea the Prelates themselves trade in this comodity when they have an old off-cast servant the ruines of a profane wretch good for nothing then make a Priest on him witness a Prelates Porter made Priest of Paddington One that we all know diebus illis Chaplin to a great Officer of State but now a proud Prelate in the time of his Chaplainry possessed 3 Benefices to the value of 700. l. a year or thereabout allowing nothing out of all this for the feeding of so many flocks save 10. l. a piece or thereabouts to three poor Curats with a number of cast Service-books which are no good meat neither cold nor hot yea had not this Service-book been this man and others could never have been so unconscionable Sect. Yet further the Service-book hath been the bane of many good Ministers and that of two sorts Conformers Non-conformers the latter of whom were deprived of their Ministery dearer to them than their lives cast out of their Free-holds against the Law of the Land Excommunicated Imprisoned their Families dissolved and cashired from all Callings yea their very Being through calumnies and injuries thrust at so that with Fambria against Scaevola they quarrelled with them Quod totum ferrum in se non receperant Tul. that they received not the whole deadly Weapon into their body and what the quarrel but the Service-book To which the Ministers must not only conform but also subscribe As to four Books more some of which it may be they had never seen that nothing in them was contrary to the Word of God Monstrum horrendum O fearful sin to father falshood and lies upon God for which the Lord may justly quarrel with this Nation Now for the godly and painful Ministers yet conforming and subscribing the Service-book was a heavy burden to them and they groaned under the rigour of the Service It may be said of the Service-book as it was said of Gath in another kind namely It was Metheg Amath the bridle of the hilly tract or strength of the Philistims so the Book was the strength of the Philistim Prelacy and a bridle with a Curbing bit to stop to winde and turn them at their pleasure yea sometimes to cut them in the Mouth if they delivered any such part of Gods Counsel as touched their Copy-hold besides the scoffing calumnies that the Prelates and their Janizaries would put upon them How did they grieve the souls of divers worthy men that divers of them were forced to break thorow that Egyptian bondage with danger of their liberties and lives if they had been reached by the Prelates ill Angels but flying with the Woman into the Wilderness the flood of the Service-book out of the mouth of the Serpent was sent after them but both fire and water conspired to the devouring of it witness its arrival at New England two fellows being drunk addressed themselves by water to disperse some bundles of them one of them swearing that he would have a Pipe of Tobacco in despite of the Devil striking fire the sparks fell into a barrel of gunpowder which blew both men and Books all into the Air the men were saved by swimming in the water and the Liturgy sunk when it could not swim and so we hope it shall Some of us heard a painful Minister complain with abundance of tears a little before his death That so long as he and such as he carried the Prelates fardel after them they would never down We will shut up this point with a very remarkable observation Ier. 23.23 Joh. 4.23 24. Though God made conforming Ministers being the dispensers of his Word the means to turn many from their evil wayes yet this proved for the most part but in the point of life and conversation and not in point of Purity of Worship according to our Lord and Masters practice upon his Patient that Samaritan Woman whom he reclaimeth not only from uncleannesse of life but also from a polluted Worship the Woman here is not only touched in Conscience for her evil life but also desires to be rectified in the case of Religion Christ healeth her of both those Diseases and having given check as a Father observed both to the arrogancy of the Samaritans Ciril and of the Jewes for the latter was faulty as well as the former though not in the like degree he layeth down an undeceivable Rule for both that they and all who will worship God acceptably must worship him in spirit and in truth in spirit that is opposed to bodily service as washings anointings garments c. In truth that is opposed to shadows and figures whereof Christ is the substance and the body such converts then as will reap Comfort out of respect had unto all Gods Commandments Tract 15 in Ioh. they must come down from the mountains of impure worship Austin hath a pretty saying upon this that he that will draw near to God must come down from his own mountain or from the mountain of his own device in Gods worship it is a duty laid on Christs Messengers in preparing of his way to lay those mountains level as well as others but the good men durst not meddle with the
may be a terrour to all men in place that they do not the work of the Lord by halves and quarters Num. 14.24 but that with Caleb they follow the Lord to the full The Lord hath said his Command upon you to put away the Excommunicate thing and to cleanse his house of Idols and Idolothites and blessed be that God whom you serve ye have begun by your Edict though men of disobedience hinder the work but follow home the work we intreat you and remember those Achans but above all put away that Ashtaroth the Service-book for that we may well call Fundi nostri calamitas the very Caterpiller of Gods Husbandry To shut up this Motive from the point of danger be pleased to take notice how God bears in upon Moses that great Commission to Pharaoh to let his people go Exod. 4. and that both by words and signes namely by turning his Rod into a Serpent his hand made leprous and the waters turned into bloud which were not onely to confirm him in his message against the fear of his adversaries but more particularly to teach him that if he withdrew himself in part or in whole from the work the Plague of Leprofie of Blood and Biting with Serpents should be upon him yea God put Moses upon a present trial of Obedience and Faith by causing him to take the Serpent by the tayl notwithstanding of the danger to be bitten by it we speak to the wise who can apply it better than we CHAP. X. Of the Covenant THe third Motive for removal of the Book may be taken from the Protestation dated May 5. 1641. Confirmed sent abroad and solemnly sworn unto yea and bound up with a publick Covenant on the publick day of Tâ—anksgiving by Ministers and People so that it is an inviolable Covenant stricken between God and us like unto that in Nehemiah which is there called a surâ— Coverant Neh 9.38 Coverant a written Covenant to which our Princes Ministers and People seal unto from which we cannot depart except we will incur that fearful Judgement threatned against Covenant breakers Emblemed out un ous in Scripture Psal 15.4 by dividing of the Sacrifices and causing the parties to go betwixt them Gen. 15.17 admonishing that God will so divide them in his wrath if they forsake the Covenant The subject of the Covenant consisteth of three parts In the first we are sworn and tied to maintain all the Rights of Religion Jer. 34 18 King and State In the second to oppose all Persons and things that do oppose the three former mentioned and more specifically to oppose with all our life and power all Popery and Popish Innoâ—ations which Expressions are thrice mentioned once in the Protestation or Oath and twice in the Explanation The third and last piece of the subject iâ— the Peace of the three Kingdomes England Scot aâ—d and Ireland which we by Oath are also bound to maintain Hâ—nce two Arguments will offer themseives one more directly and the other by way of conseâ—uence For the former Sect. if all Popery and Popish Innovations are to be opposed then it will follow that the Service book and Ceremonies should be opposed and by consequence by your Authority abolished Verba Statuti sunt amplianda non râ—stringenda the words of Acts and Statutes for good and against evil are to be taken in the largest extent but the words themselves are universal enough Now that the Service-book and Ceremonies therein contained and pressed upon mens Consciences are Popery we and many others have cleared yea they are Popish Innovations Nam omnia quae a Chriâ—o non sunt nova sunt all things that are not from our King Christ in his worship are meer Innovations Cant Prax. as Tertullian was wont to call Praxeas hesternum Praxeam a yesterdaies upstart so one and all of them are Exotick upstart things It is true indeed by the malignity of the Masters of those Ceremonies the bulk was increased and would have been like Crocodiles who grow so long as they have a being if you had not come in place of the Tâ—tyrites a creature terrible to the Crocodiles which leapeth upon their backs and brings them to the shore but otherwise for the kind they are all non ejusdem farinae sed furfuris the same kind of Bran and as the woman said of the Foxes Plin. lib. 8. c 25. If one be good all are good For the further confirmation that they are Popish we have proof from that Treatise of Ceremonies annexed to the Service-book Bible in the Duâ—â— letter Anno. 1561 in some antient Copies we have read that they thought good to retain some Popish Ceremonies but in another Copy they call them the old Ceremonies retained stil all one in effect The latter Argument from the Protestation Sect. by way of sequel is from our muâ—ual Covenant and Oath joyntly and severally to maintain the peace of the three Kingdoms which is impossible to be done in the opinion of our Brethren the Scots without Identity of Discipline and Worship witness the very words of the Arguments by the Scotish Commissioners given to the Lords of the Treaty perswading conformity in these to be the chief meanes of peace We will transcribe some passages for all we cannot leaving the thing it self to your Honours review It is said they tâ— be wished that there were one Consession of Faith one form of Catechisme one Directory for all the parts of Gods publick Worship as Prayer Preaching Administration of Sacrameâ—ts c. Page 2. The Arguments that they use are first from the Conjunction of spirit and presence both of great and small of Assemblies in the Courts and other where where there is oneness of worship but by the contrary there is division where the worship is diverse Secondly Vnity of worship will extinguish those Nick-names as Puritanes and Scismaticks put upon Professors Thirdly This will make the Ministers of both Nations with face to face labour strenuously and chearfully to build up the body of Christ Fourthly and lastly Pages 3 4. This will break the back of the Recusants hope of bringing Rome into England all which works strongly for peace the sense whereof we cite though not the very words But if this unity of Worship be not say the Commissioners there is no unity in Policy or Church to be looked for for as all the former combustions and stormy tempeâ—â—s formerly arose from that Popish Service-book born it upon them whereby all the three States were much indangered so they professe in plain terms that their Reformation so dearly bought Page 8. shall again be spoiled and defaced from England and whatsoever peace shall be agreed upon they do not conceive how without Reformation it shall ever be firm and durable for that Service Government and Officers being none of Christs but the main evil and the cause of all evil in the three Nations That Maxime
observed by the Commissioners we may fear will prove too true the same causes will not fail to produce the same effects witness Simeon and Levi's digging thorow the wall that is the present conspired Plots of Treason like to blow up all if they be not hindered even when you and your brethren are making up the breach Now as we are tied by Oath to the preservation of this Peace according to our Power We can look for no peace with God nor blessing from God if we give way to that or suffer that according to our power that breaketh this peace They say in the Preface of the Ceremonies that without Ceremonies it is impossible to keep Order or quiet Discipline in the Church So we reply that Mans Ceremonies in Gods Worship will spoil the peace and quietnesse both of Discipline and Worship witnesse the putting of the Ark upon the Philistims Cart Apoph 66 though it was a new one Erasmus telleth us quod mala non sunt tantum abolenda sed etiam quae speciem mali in se habent things evil of themselves are not onely to be abolished but those that have in them appearance of evil In all this Noble Senators We take not upon us to put uncouth glosses upon your Edicts but under favour we use the words without forcing to overturn that which crosseth the Truth and peace of Religion and State as means conduce to the end so impediments frustrate the end if they be not removed And now since under favour We have presumed to inlarge our selves in this point oâ— Peace We beg leave of your Honours to speak a word or two of the Improbabilities of Peace here among our selves without removal of that stumbling block the Service-book People can worse be without the Ordinance than without Liberties Lives and Being When Pompey the Great was about to supply Rome with food in a great Famine the Master of the Ship told him when he went abroad a great Storm appearing that he could not sayle and live Pompey replyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is necessity of Sayling but not of Living and in this case what shall they do for with this Mock-ordinance or Will-worship of the Service-book they dare not joyn There are such multitudes of people saith Smectymnuus that distaste this Book that unlesse it be taken a course withall there is no hope of any mutual agreement between Gods Ministers and their people We will say no more of this but let the sudden tumult raised by that Make-bate Service-book in Scotland be a seasonable Caveat to us and all other Nations to strike with Authority lest that which should be done with the Right hand be done unhappily with the left hand Here might be place for another Motive namely from the reward sed recte fecisse praemium to do nobly is reward enough God employeth not man propter indigentiam sed propter munificentiam so much for any need of him as for honouring of him by that employment up then as the Lord biddeth you your Honour shall be blazoned through the world you shall be called the Saviours upon Mount Zion in setting Christ on his Throne and the Kingdom shall be the Lords Answer of the Surplice WE had almost forgotten to say somewhat of one rag of the Ceremonies namely the Surplice of all the Idolatrous Rites not least yea worse we dare averre than that Plague fore-clout which was sent as should appear to infect Mr. Pym and the rest of the House for this rag is so infectious in Gods worship that many thousands of Gods people dare not joyn with it and that upon good grounds as shall appear for as it hath been argued against all the rabble of the Ceremonies it is mans device and hath been an Idol in Gods worship Therefore in the worship of God it must be an Idol still The Antecedent no man will deny for it hath been the Master Idol in worship amongst the Papists sanct fying all other Idols and without which it is unlawful to officiâ—te The consequent is as clear from induction of particulars as hath been instanced from groves and things of that nature yea from the Brazen Serpent though of God his Institution now according to the rule of Art either let the Defendant give an instance extra propositum besides the thing in question or acknowledge the truth of the Consequent without contradiction This hath been a grand Instrument of much mischief against the Ministers and People of God as we can shew at large depriving the people of their faithful Ministers and the Minister and theirs of all means of livelihood The unlawfulnesse of this Babylonish Garment will further appear if we look to the original whence we have it We must either have it from Heathen Rome Gallestus which in her Idolatrous service did Apishly imitate Aaron his garments as it is instanced in the reign of Numa 800. years after the Law or we must have it from the Dreides the mad Heathen Priests amongst the Gaules and Britains or from the Antichristian Rome as we have indeed it being one of the Popish Ceremonies retained or lastly from the Pâ—iestly attire of Aaron which Heathen and Popish Rome hath impiously followed denying thereby the Lord Jesus to be come in the flesh who with his graces was typified out by those goodly and beautiful garments Col. 2.17 which being shadows are done away and Christ the Body is come for us then to imitate them in this foolish Relique or to devise a Priestly garment of our own head in Gods worship is to rob Christ of his honour exceedingly and to make our selves deeply guilty of will-will-worship Had not God himself clothed those garments in the Law with a particular and punctual command for matter and manner they had been foolish and ridiculous things Exod. 39.1 Simler they made the holy garment saith Moses as the Lord commanded which later words as the Lord commanded are repeated as the learned observe nine several times in this Chapter intimating that they did not swerve one jot from Gods â—irection teaching all Gods servants thereby as the learned apply it Pelarg. ut se contineant intra limites verbi Dei that they contain themselves within the limits of Gods Word and bring nothing into the service of God of their own invention for the Apostle calls that Simler 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will-worship this being so it appears what evil workers those Ministers are who with an high hand do display this Banner of the Man of Sin against Gods own face in the time of his worship interposing betwixt Gods presence Exod. 39.43 and the worship and diverting of the blessing upon the worship for Moses is said to bless the work of the worship upon this ground because he saw it done as Jehovah had commanded The Hebrewes adde and that truely that because of this the presence of God was in it Isa 20.22 Wherefore we humbly intreat
1. His Vicar General 2. His Guardians of Spiritualities 3. The Dean of the Arches with all the number depending upon them 4. His many Courts The Court of Faculties The Court of Audience The Prerogative Court The Delegates The Consistory in Pauls The High Commission Court With the swarms of attendance on these Courts Advocates Registers â—octors Proctors Pursivants Messengers and Apparitors With all other belonging to them all which come to many hundreds Quaere Whether all or any of these be of d vine institution Whether the words of Christ forbidding to be called gracious Lords extend not to these Mat. 20.2 26. â—uke 2.25.26 Mark 10.42 43 44 45. Whether any Spiritual function ordained by Jesus Christ standeth in need of so great a Prelate and so great a dependance to discharge the Spiritual duties thereof Whether this greatnesse hath been any time the support of goodnesse and of good men in their places or rather hath not from this greatnesse risen great troubles at at this day and much persecution almost ever since the beginning of Reformation The humble Petition That the immeasurable greatnesse of these gracious Lords might be taken away and the number of those their Dependants lessened That they might be made to shew themselves Arch-preachers of Christs Gospel and to attend upon some particular Flock to feed them That they might not be of Princes counsel for commonly God leaveth such to become ill Statesmen because they do contrary to Christs bidding It shall not be so with you Mat 20.26 Luke 21.25 Mark 10.42 and for that they neglect the sacred calling of the Ministery which is to be of Christs heavenly counsel to give attendance unto temporal affairs and to be of earthly Kings counsel II. There be twenty four Bishops Diocesan Lord Bishops They are seated in several places throughout the Kingdom Of these three are under York Carleile Durham and Chester All the rest are under Canterbury Dependants on these Their traine of Domestick Servants Their Chaplaines Their Officers concerning their temporalities Their 24. Courts And hereto belong 26 Chancellours with waiters on them 24 Registers with their men 24 Gentlemen Apparatouss 48 Proctours if but two to a Court. 120 Apparitours at least more then a good many QVAERE Whether these Diocesan Bishops be jure divino Read Tim. and Titus unbishoped and have warrant from Scripture Whether St. Peters speech reacheth not to them that they should not Lord it over Gods heritage by over-ruling it 1 Pet. 5.3 Whether we cannot be as well without them as all other reformed Churches or whether we will condemne those Churches for casting them out or not receiving them in Whether this be not a mockery to say no Bishop no King seeing they also say no Ceremony no Bishop therefore no Ceremony no King what a weake standing bring they a King unto But a King is Gods ordinance nor so they And in Denmark hath been a King and no Bishops this hundred years Whether Bishops wanting in Diocesses upon vacancy some ten some twenty years as some have been may not be so for more years so forever And if they may be wanting in a Diocesse why not in a Province and so why not every where Whether may not our King as lawfully cast them out of his Dominion as did the King of Denmarke his Grandfather out of his Kingdome Whether by their authority have they advanced true Religion or upheld meer formes of it as shews habits gestures and Ceremonial observances rather then the power of godliness What wickednesse and vanity is suppressed by him nay what errour what vice Idolatry and prophanesse groweth not under them What one made better by them in the wayes of God What one brought to a pious reformation by their Citations Excommunications and imposed Penancies The humble Petition That they may be seated in Pastorall charges every one over a Particular flock as all the first Bishops were there to preach and teach the people and so their many dependants might be taken away That their Chancellours be removed from them and their overswaâ—ing wasterfulnesse in their Courts be taken down and cut off That they their Officers and their Courts be brought under some such authority as may rule over them question them and duely censure them when there is just cause and not suffer them to be like Kings free without command or any power of censure at all over them is it fit they should judge all and be free from the judgement of any III. There be threescore Archdeacons under these Bishops Dependents on these They have threescore Courts to which do belong Commissaries Officials Surrogates 60. Registers with their Servants 120 Proctors if but two to every Court 200. Apparitors at least The whole number appartaining to Archbishops Bishops Archdeacons with the many Peculiars are judged to be no fewer then ten thousand persons which need yearely 200000 pounds to maintain them all the greater and inferiour ones reckoning but 20. pound a man when many have an hundred a year some 200. l. others more Quaere Whether these swarmes of wasps be of necessary use in the Spiritual Kingdome of Christ Whether their Courts be reformative or deformative Whether there is any likelihood that their grosse abuses of Gods ordinances in sending out Excommunications and their commuting of Penances c. can be blessed of God to bring an holy reformation Whether it can be probably imagined that those Courts can reform others which in themselves are so corrupt and mercenarie and do imploy such base and lewd companions in a spiritual businesses as be the Apparitours whom either they cannot or will not reforme Whether their Courts being taken away as in all other reformed Churches their want should be bewailed and their setting up again be desired Whether the masse of money which is spent by these so many thousands might not well be spared and far better employed The humble Petition That these Courts be not longer permitted to take in so many thousand Presentments every half yeare only to make such gain of the people as they do for they reform no mens persons but plague their purses That some other way might be considered of agreeable to Gods word and the godly practise of other Churches for suppression of vice and the maintenance of vertue in every Parish That their lewd Apparitours so many and so base be not longer suffered That in their Courts their proceedings may be open to the hearing of all and that they lap not up businesses in secret as their manner is to shut their Consistorie door where they do as they please with Delinquents That they delay not men in their Courts forcing and vexing poor men to come very often some have come eight some 10. some 16. times before they can be dismissed a grievous vexation to needy labouring men SECT III. Of the means to support their Prelatical greatness THese have their Lordly Palaces and great houses They have their Ecclesiastical dignities and
spiritual offices and what do thereto belong They have their Baronries and the ample Revenues thereof Viis et modis such is their Income as it cannot but amount to four hundred and fifty thousand pounds per annum if not more so much their greatness comes unto as the state of a King may be supported not a little therewith Quaere Whether the true officers of the Church of Christ need so much to bear up their train Whether Christ be hereby better served by them or followed of them Whether their studies are more bent to advance the Churches spiritual good Whether are they more sequestred to the wayes of God to attend Gods service the reformation of ill mens lives the setting forward those that are good in the pathes of grace Whether do they take the more time to apply themselves to Fasting to praying to preaching to do workes of piety and works of charity Whether do they not rather intrude into secular affairs and into State businesses to the disgrace of the Nobles and Gentry of the Land and the peace thereof Whether are they more bold against sinne to suppresse it in all sorts Or are they not hereby the more Lordly minded to beare up themselves and to crush all that justly find fault with what is amisse in them Whether are they not hereby higher from controle and less subject to any censure both they and such as depend upon them Whether may not the King paire them as well as did blessed Queen Elizabeth some of them in her daies Or as King Henry did the Lord Abbots and Lord Priors with all their superfluous meanes For those were of men and so are these and not of God The humble Petition That they be made to change their Palaces for countrey Parsonage houses there to keep hospitality and feed the people with the word of life That their Baronries be taken from them and so the Lordly title and not be suffered to sit any more in Parliament as Lords there That their thousands be reduced to some hundreds and so their Officers and retinue made fewer What need a true Pastour be so pompous and Lordly great to do his heavenly office for Christ in preaching and in all other Spiritual duties SECT IV. Of the Prelatical rule and Government THeir rule is partly after the Canon Law yet in force and partly after their owne framed Canons and Articles and not according to Gods word The manner of their ruling is Lordly and alone in their inferiour Courts and in the high Commission Court their power is unlimited citing examining swearing judging sining and imprisoning as they please one of the most insufferable evils in this Kingdome The ends which they do aime at in governing are these I. To keep their own greatness even by exacting oaths for it as the oath of Canonical obedience and the late oath in the new Canons II. To hold others in subjection under them as they like best by citing to their Courts by hasty suspensions by rash and very abusive excommunications c. III. To enrich themselves gathering very much wealth The means are these I. By ordaining Deacons and Ministers for money four times a year by which they put up yearly hundreds of pounds II. By instituting and inducting Parsons and Vicars Some have paid 7. pounds when Benefices do fall and so scrape together much out of 9285. livings 3l for every one one way or other which in time comes to many thousands III. By making Rural Deans yearly where they be in every Deanry And for the oath taken some pay 8s 6d or a Noble but no benefit to the Deanry at all but to execute Bishops mandates IV. By granting Licenses which ought to be free I. To Beneficed men to preach in their own Cures though at their ordination they give them authority to preach yet may not they afterwards without 10s for every license look then how many licensed Preachers there be whether they preach or no so many 10s is paid suppose there be in 9285. Parishes but 6000. of them the sum cometh to 3000. pounds Thus they pay money to have leave to discharge their highest duty of their office II. To Curates who must pay for a license to read prayers in some place For a license to preach For a license to teach School undoing poor beginners before they get any thing III. To Clerks of the Parish to be Clerks IV. To Physicians to practice Physick V. To Midwives to do their office for they have still in all trades and professions to gain money VI To parties which are to be married without Banes asking and in times prohibited and both for money allowed yet against Law By absolving after a rash suspension after a prophane excommunication and both for money By aggravations for money VII By putting men to clear themselves by oath with their Compurgators for money VIII By imposing Penance which the richer may commute for money But the miserable poor doing their penance cannot be freed from their Courts without money though they beg for it must stand excommunicated and so be shut out of the Church and given over to the Devil for non-payment of money IX By willingly receiving any secret information true or false to call any before them putting them to the oath ex officio to catch them and make them pay money X. By interdicting of Churches whole Congregations XI By framing very many Articles forcing Church-wardens to present upon oath that they may get money XII By Probates of Wills and by granting letters of Administrations XIII By suits about Tythes and long delaying thereof much money is spent of others but gotten by them and thus a masse of money is gathered together of them to the great vexation of his Majesties Subjects especially of the meaner sort Yea so ravenous they are for gain that on fasting dayes appointed they send out every time a book which yet is one and the same with small variation and for it do exact 8d which in the several Parishes amounts to above 300l Thus of solemn fasts shamelesly they make gain and charge without cause the people At this last Fast a farthing paper prayer they sent forth and took 2d for every one which comes to threescore and ten pounds They can do nothing except they or their Officers lick their fingers Quaere Whether such a rule and authority by such Canons in such a manner and for such ends can be approved of God or any longer suffered of men Whether this be not to make money of Gods holy ordinances and to gain by sin what hope of a blessing can there be by such a base kind of Ecclesiastical government Whether it be not fit and just to squeeze such Spunges and ravenous Harpyes by finding out their illegal courses and punishing them The humble Petition That they may not rule by the Canon Law which yet is in force so far as it toucheth not the Kings Supremacy nor by their own
devised Canons but by Gods word and by such Canons as agree with the word and are made with the full consent of the Convocation and confirmed by Act of Parliament That in ruling they Lord it not alone but that they sit with learned godly and grave assistants keeping within the bounds of the Lawes doing neither contrary to nor besides them nor yet dispense with any as they do for marrying without banes asking and in times prohibited That they keep not their Courts nor send out Processe Summons Citations nor proceed to censure in their own names or stile nor use onely their own seal of office and armes as they do thereby denying their power to be derived from the King this is an unsufferable usurpation That they be made to acknowledge their authority not to be divine but humane from the King as hath heretofore been fully acknowledged That the power of the high Commission in ministring the Oath ex officio be taken away as also in all other inferiour Courts and that it may be a limited power under Law in all the proceedings in citing examining judging fining and imprisoning that so the complaints of Gods Ministers might not still cry aloud in the Lords ears to bring down wrath Who can but pity with tears of bloud the unsufferable misery of M. Peter Smart of Durham for preaching against setting up of Images and Altars the severe handling of Mr. George Huntly Minister and very many others heretofore and of late years now famously known That by their high authority they may not be suffered to hinder such as be troubled from taking the benefit of legal courses to help themselves and neither Judges and Lawyers made so to fear as the one sort dare not freely plead for them nor the other judge but with fear of them as they ought not That seeing they are otherwise sufficiently provided for they make not such wicked gain in making and instituting Ministers in giving licences in imposing penance in absolving and in all the rest before named to the great grievances of his Majesties subjects robbing them of a treasury of money and making sale of Gods holy Ordinances Is there Simony in buying a Benefice and none in giving money for the use of spiritual gifts That they make no encroachment upon the subjects liberties as they do prove fully by the Author of the Breviate SEC V. Of their Praelatical Visitations and in these These are pecuniary meerely for money I. Are Bishops Visitations 1. Church-wardens of every Parish and Chappel are called who receive a book of Articles to present by if any are wanting they are warned to appear at their Court with cost These Church-wardens pay for their book of Articles every year though the very same and for other things as also for writing their presentment by a Clark which they themselves could do 2s 4d which in 9285. Parishes commeth to 1058l and odd moneys besides Chappels which be here and there many II. Ministers Beneficed These pay for Licences to preach if they have none Then they pay xxd. or thereabouts for shewing their letters of Orders their Licence to preach unto the Register at every Bps. Visitation though seen and allowed of before After for Procurations to the Bishop 4s a piece To the Gentleman Apparitour 8d but the abler sort pay xijd Lastly sometimes the Bishops crave benevolence as the occasion is but the summe they will set down and threaten those that refuse their rate Besides all these they pay Paschal rents or Synodals to the Archd. in the Bishops visiting III. Curates If they want Licences to read preach or teach a School then they pay for them Also for shewing their letters of orders so that in 9285. Parishes the summe will arise to some thousands of pounds Thus they do at Archbs. visitations but when an Archb. comes newly to York the Parsons and Vicars though never so poor under him give him the tenth of their living for a benevolenâ—e to help the poor Archbishop to settle himself to 5. or 6. thousand pound a year which extorted benevolence if not paid him of the poorest Vicar the Reverend Father out of his mercifulness will pitifully afflict him in his Court II. Arâ—hds Visitations These be twise a year here the Church-wardens do as before The Ministers pay At Easter Visitation their paschal rents or Synodals which summes are not a like to all some pay 5s some less At Michaelmas they pay Procurations some 7 s. some 10 s. some lesse but it s judged that Ministers pay yearly at Visitations throughout the Land 4 or 5 thousand pounds some reckon more And what is all this for 1. To call every Minister by name and to pay as is aforesaid To call Churchwardens Questmen Sidemen or Posts as some name them to take their oaths to make presentments that men may be brought into their Courts to get money Quaere Whether these visitations be after God or man Whether any can hereby be bettered by them either for Life or Doctrine Whether any reformed Churches keep such kind of Visitations and such a manner of Visiting Whether these be worthy of so many thousands of pounds for calling such Visitations Whether such meetings be worthy the assembling together of so great a number of the Clergy and Laity The number out of 9285. Parishes to wit one Minister besides Curates and foure men Church-wardens and Sidemen or Posts besides two in every Chappelry are above 45. thousand at one visitation and at both the number double is 90000. where if they expend alike twelve pence a man for dinner and horse-meat as usually they do the summe doth arise in both the Visitations throughout the Land to 4000. and 500. pounds yearly Why should men cast away so much money yearly year by year for upholding them in such vain Visitations injurious to others and only gainful to themselves The humble Petition THat some way may be taken to make more useful these Visitations in calling together so many thousands than thus only to fill their purses That neither the Bishops nor Archds be permitted to frame Articles so unlawfully out of the Canons with sundry of their own additions as may appear by comparing of some of their Articles with the Canons which every Parish are bound to have and so need none of their Articles That threescore and fourteen thousand men be not constrained to swear threescore and fourteen thousand Oathes yearly as they do to their souls damnation without Repentance For 1. Not any do nor can keep the Oath in presenting all offences faults defaâ—lts and crimes as they call them mentioned in so numerous Articles and so do forswear themselves with breach of Oath goeth through the whole Land and with every oath goeth a curse II. If men should present for offences faults and crimes every thing according to every Article then they cursedly swear to present for offences faults and crimes which before the Almighty GOD are none as for instance 1.
so ordered aâ— decency and the dignity of so holy an Office shall require We have thought fit by the advice of our Brethren the Bishops who are to assist in that sacred Administration and with whom we have consulted in that behalf to order That at seven of the clock in the morning of the said day the Lords Bishops Elect do attend us at the Dean of Christ-Church his house and that all the Bishops Consecrators be there also in their corner'd Caps Rochets and Chimers That notice be given to the said Deans of the two Cathedral Churches of Dâ—blin that they likewise are expected to attend at the same time and place in their formalities That the said Deans respectively shall give orders to the Dignitaries Prebendaries Canons Pettit-Canons Vicars Chorals and Choristers that they do attend at the same hour in their respective formalities in the body of Christ-Church That the Vice Chancellor or Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University all Doctors of Divinity and of the Law as also all the Ministers and Civilians in this City with the whole University do likewise repair thither so far as they can conveniently furnish themselves with gowns and formalities to their respective Offices and Dignities appertaining That the order of proceeding be as followeth The Pursivant of the Court of Prerogative and the Apparatour general bare-headed The Vergers of the said two Cathedrals also bare-headed The Choristers two and two and the rest of the Procedents also in order two and two as followeth Vicars-Chorals Pettit-canons Prebends Dignitaries The said two Deans The Bishops Elect in their Albs. The Lord Primates Gent. Usher and Secretary bare-headed The Lord Primate The other Bishops Consecrators two and two The Bedel of the University The Vice-Chancellor or Provice-Chancellor and Provost Deans and Doctors two and two That the abovesaid orders may proceed with a silent solemn and slow-paced gravity until the time of entrance into the West-gate of St. Patricks Church where the Vicars and Choristers are to proceed singing into the Quire and there continue singing the te Deum accompanied with the Organ untill the Archbishops Bishops and the rest of the principal precedents shall be placed and seated in their respective stalls That the office of morning prayer be solemnly celebrated by the Dean of the said Church Which ended Dr. Jer. Taylor Lord Bishop Elect of Down designed to preach the Concio ad Clerum is to ascend the Pulpit during the singing of per veni nobis That after the said Bishop hath ended his Sermon he be conveyed by the Verger to his Stall That upon his Lordships descent from the Pulpit an Anthem be sung That from the end of the Anthem the voice of the Organ be heard and continued until the Lord Primate and the other Bishops who are to consecrate ascend into the enclosure within the rails and somewhat longer at least till the noise which may be occasioned by the usual motion of the People from their places after Sermon shall cease That after the Primate and Bishops Consecrators are seated in their chairs and the sound of the Organs continuing the Vicar-General as sent by the said Primate is to go to the Lords Elect sitting in their stalls and so with the Dean of St. Patrick to conduct their Lordships to the enclosure and there to range them in their order according as direction shall be given by the Primate That then the office of consecration be celebrated which ended the Anthem to that purpose composed by the Dean of St. Patricks called Quam denuo exaltavit Dominus coronam be sung as it here followeth Anthem after the Consecration Treble Now that the Lord hath re-advanct the Crown Which thirst of spoil and frantick zeal threw down Tenor. Now that the Lord the Miter hath restor'd Which with the Crown lay in the dust abhor'd Treble Praise him ye Kings Chorus all sing Tenor Praise him ye Priests Chorus all sing Glory to Christ our High-Priest Higheâ—â— King Treble May Judahs Royal Scepter still shine clear Tenor. May Aarons holy Rod still blossoms bear Treble and Tenor. Scepter and Rod rule still and guide our land And those whom God anoints fâ—el no rude hand May Love Peace Plenty wait on Crown and Chair And may both share in blessings as in care Chorus Angels look down and joy to see Like that above a Monarchy Angels look down and joy to see Like that above an Hierarchy That while Veni Creator is in singing the Bishops to be consecrated shall have their Rochets and Chimers put on which done the consecration ended and the Anthem and Te Deum sung the Communion is to follow and after the Communion the blessing to be pronounced by the Lord Primate That after the Consecration ended the whole Pâ—ocession do attend us to the Primate his lodgings That the laetificetur cor Regis be sung before the Lord Primate as he goeth from the quire to the outward part of the Church That in the return of his Grace from the Church the procession be so altered that the now consecrated Arch-Bishops and Bishops be disposed with the other Bâ—shops Consecrators according to the respective dignities of their Sees Quality and Seniority of Consecration This is an exact Copy Jo. Armacanus A Particular of the manifold Evils Pressures and Grievances caused practised and occasioned by the Prelates and their Dependants I. FIrst the subjecting and inclining all Ministers under them and their Authority and so by degrees exempting of them from the Temporal power whence follows II. The faint-heartedness of Ministers to preach the truth of GOD least they should displease the Prelates as namely the Doctrine of Predestination of Free-grace of Perseverance of Original sin remaining after Baptisme of the Sabâ—ath the Doctrine against Vniversal Grace Election for faith fore-seen Free will against Antichrist Non residents humane Inventions of GODS worship All which are generally with-field from the peoples knowledge because not relishing to the Bishops III. The incouragement of Ministers to dispise the Temporal Magistracie the Nobles and Gentry of the Land to abuse the Subjectâ— and live contentiously with their nighbours knowing that they being the Bishops Creatures they shall be supported IV. The restraint of many godly and able men from the Ministry and thrusting out of many Congregations their faithful dilâ—gent and powerful Ministers who lived peaceably with them and did them good only because they cannot in conscience submit unto and maintain the Bishops needlesse divices nay sometimes for no other cause but for their zeale in preaching or great Auditories V. The suppressing of that Godly design set on foot by certain Sects and sugred with many great gifts by sundry well-affected persons for the buying of Impropriations and placing of able Ministers in them maintaining of Lectures and founding of Free-schooles which the Prelates could not endure least it should darken their glories and draw the Ministers from their dependance upon them VI. The great increase of Idle lewd and
got the Saddle with some more new girts trappings upon the Scots as they intended they had gone near to have rid Religion and Policy to death Gen. 49.17 but as the Scots have proved like Dan. Lyons for Prowess and Serpents for Providence in overturning both the Saddle and Rider up in the Name of the Lord and do the like What should we do with the Mass Deut. 23.22 some of whose Friends nor so well acquainted with the Nature of it would storm if we should call a spade a spade but they must believe their Book-mens testimonies published under the favor of their little great Land-lord of the Soyle who knows best how it should be called â—one of whose Bandiliers tells us in great heat Pocklington Sunday no Sabbath none but Schismatiques will deny the harmony of missification away with it then To finish this point I will enforce the conclusion with this Argument We are not to name an Idol but with detestation much less are we to offer it as a worship of God But the Service or Mass-book is an Idol Ergo we are not to mention it but with detestation much less to offer it to God as a Worship The Spirit is abundant in the proof of the former Proposition Exod. 22.13 Hos 13.2 2.17 Psal 16.4 all remarkable Places teaching us to be wary with what Worship we joyn with but in the first of these places there is a Triplication of the charge in divers terms yet all beating upon the same thing to make us to look to it In the latter Proposition there are two things one implyed namely that the Service-book is the Mass-book for proof whereof Habemus confitentes we have their own avouchment and if they should deny it we shall in the point following prove it whereunto now we come CHAP. III. Of the Original THe second thing considerable for the matter in hand is whence the Lyturgie hath his rise or Original Namely from the Masse-book that whose Original and rise is naught must be naught in it self Can there come clean water out of a corrupt Fountain Note that the Lyturgie is wholly from the Masse-book and other Popish pieces as it shall be full cleared First by comparing of the Books Secondly for that mutual liking that our Lyturgie-Masters and the Masse-Bookmen have one of anothers peace And thirdly from the evidence given from the King and Councel of England Sect. Now to the first every piece and Parcel of the Lyturgie word for word is out of these pieces namely the Breviary out of which the Common-prayers are taken the Ritual or Book of Rites out of which the Administration of the Sacrament Burial Matrimony Visitation of the sick are taken the Mass-book out of which the Consecration of the Lords Supper Collects Epistles and Gospels are taken As for the Book of Ordination of Arch-Bishops Bishops and Ministers that is out of the Roman Pontificial we might further prosecute the proof hereof from the division of the Masse into parts essential and integral with the enumeration of the said parts Lib. 2. de Missa c. 16. as the ten or eleven parts of the preparation to the Introit as Pater noster the first Collect which Bellarmine calls the Masse because they are the best part of the Masse p. 44. The Introit for which see Doctor Lauds †pleading in his Star-chamber Speech the Kyrie Eleyson or Lord have mercy upon us c. The Gloria Patri the Misereatur the Confession the Absolution the Angelick Hymn Gloria in Excelsis word for word in the Scottish Lyturgie Cap. 3. p. 107. the Salutation the Lord be with you Lastly the posterior collects all patches of Popes devising which the brevity which we study will not suffer us to instance Be pleased to see Morney de Missa If any object that in our Introit the Ave Maria is wanting we answer as hath been said that though every thing in the Masse-book be not in our Lyturgie yet all that is in our Lyturgie is word for word in the Masse-book Again though Ave Maria be not actually in it yet if purpose had holden it was in more than a fair possibility to have been the head Corner-stone of the Lyturgie Witnesse Staffords invective defence thereof Printed at London not disallowed nor retracted in any point by Heylin or Dow Canterburies surveyors of the piece further that which hath been said of the pieces of the Introit may also be said of our Creeds Epistles and Gospels Offertory and other things whether more or lesse Principal in regard of our calling them from the Mass-book Sect. Secondly the second ground or reason is from that love and liking that the lovers of the Lyturgie bear to the Mass as also from that mutual contentment or complacency that the Mass-mongers take in the Service-book we have shewed already p. ult how they agree in Name and now we are to give evidence of their mutual liking of the Matter there be abundance of instances for the Papists approving of our Liturgy witness Mortons Appeal Pope Pius Explicat Illust qua 4. p 112. p. 46. the fourth and Gregory the thirteenth offered to Queen Elizabeth to confirm the English Liturgy witnesseth Doctor Abbot then Prelat of Canterbury and Master Cambden in the life of Queen Elizabeth to these I adjoyn Doctor Boyes who was a bitter expositor of the English Liturgy as Heiga by the Doctors of Dowayes appointment was of the Mass after he had whetted His Teeth upon the Schismatiques in his Epistle to Bancroft he produceth the letter of Pius for the approbation of the Service book and notes also the testimony of approbation from Bristow in his motives Motiv 34. Queen Elizabeth being interdicted by the Popes Bull Secretary Walsingham wrought so that he procured two Intelligencers to be sent from the Pope as it were in secret into England to whom the Secretary appointed a State Intelligencer to be their guide who shewed them London Canterbury Service in all the Pomp of it which the Popish Intelligencers viewing and considering well with much admiration they wondered that their Lord the Pope was so ill advised or at least ill informed as to interdict a Prince whose Service and Ceremonies so symbolized with his own and therefore returning to Rome they possest the Pope that they saw no Service Ceremonies or Orders in England Consid p. 45 Sect. 9. but they might very well serve in Rome whereupon the Bull was recalled to this also Doctor Carrier a dangerous seducing Jesuite gives ample evidence the Common-prayer-book saith he and the Catechism contained in it hold no point of Doctrine expresly contrary to antiquity that is as he explaineth himself the Romish Service c. and thereupon he comforteth himself with hope of prevailing and of the like mind were Harding and Bristow as hath been said one more and we have done not long ago a Jesuite meeting a woman in Pauls
Lord for so the word is in the number of multitudes to speak impartially we see no colour of way to evade this Proposition but by undertaking the defence of the Mass-book for as Mountague and others produced that their Service is the same in most things with the Church of Rome the differences are not great nor should they make any separation then a necessity is laid upon the Prelates and the rest Recusancy p. 1. either to defend the Mass so far to be the true worship of God against the truth and all Orthodox Writers or else to give up the Service-book to fall with the Original and though the Treatise will not give us leave to limne out the Mass in every piece patch'd up by divers Popes having given a specification of some parts of it most concerning our Liturgie yet will it not be amiss to lay down from the learned the first entrance of it into England and then to take off briefly the silly defence that the Papists seem to make for it To the former Augustine the Monk sent from Gregory called the Great for what we know not except for his grand devises of Will-worship his man Austin finding not all things for his tooth in France put over into England and there finding an ignorant King and a superstitious Queen there like the envious man he sows his corrupt seed of all Popish trumpery as Masses Letanies Processions Copes Vestments Altars Candlesticks Holy-Waters Consecrations c. Having like a Serpent deceived the People and as the Apostle saith corrupted their minds 2 Cor. 11.3 from that simplicity that is in Christ sore against the minds of the godly Lib. 1 and learned Preachers of the times yet to make them as Beda witnesseth add this condition which he never ment to keep that no man should be forced or constrained thereunto but having plaid the Wyly Fox in his entry to finish the work he had begun he took on the Lyons skin and being opposed by one Dinoth a great Divine who withstood him to his face in a publick Synode avouching that he ought not to change the ancient form of Religion neither would he acknowledge him for Arch-Bishop but the bloudy Prelate to be revenged on him incensed Etheldred King of Northumberland against him who murdered the Servant and Minister of God and twelve hundred Monks with him afterward about the Year 637. Pope John the fourth sends over Malitus Honortus Justus his Bandogs one after another to hold out and confirm the continuance of this dismal alteration as they might easily do once having got footing for Pompous superstition suits too well with corrupt nature then came in keeping of Easter after the Romish manner Lib. 18. cap. 14. de gest Ang. Ministers called Priests chanting and playing upon Organs with all which godly Beda his soul was grieved who vented his grief in this sad complaint heretofore instead of these things the principal Service of God consisted in Preaching Morney of the Masse Lib. 1.6.8 and Hearing of Gods Word Here we may observe for matter of Humiliation how easily Superstition finds entrance into England and how hardly it is rooted out that former Maledict Monk Banedict as they call him found so little entertainment in France that he made little stay there only stomacking that the Worship was not after the Romish Order he certified his Master by a grievous complaint who being more moderate than the Monk bid him take that which was good in every Church but England found that that would not serve him of whose Mass and Mischief it could never yet be rid It is also worthy your observing how he laid the Foundation of the Mass and established it in blood yea that See of Canterbury in him and his Successors hath been a See of Blood yea it is too well known that that cursed Mass whether Latine or English hath lived in blood and bathed in the blood of bodies souls and states as shall be more particularly manifested hereafter Sect Now for any thing that can be said in defence of this Idol the Masse-book it is not worth the citing and hath been more than abundantly refuted yet one touch for a taste and that upon Prayers because it is the Subject of our discourse we will shew you one place out of the Old Testament and another out of the New such as they make choice of to defend their Masse or Liturgy as they call it the place of the Old Testament is in Genis chap. 4. vers 26. the words are these Then Men began to call upon the Name of the Lord as there be diversity of thoughts upon the meaning of the words so Pertertus a Popish Fryer will have this the meaning that then they found out some set form or order of Prayer to gain footing forsooth to the Popish Liturgy but say it were so what would it make for them The Doctors of Doway are of the same opinion and fuller also in their words It is meant say they of Publick Prayer with observing some Rites and set form in a particular place dedicated to Divine Service Grant that that were the meaning as indeed it is not yet what would this make for them Would the faithful Prayers of the godly Patriarcks consirm or would they not rather confute the abominable Prayers of the Popish Masse The word Invocat in the first Language signifieth also to prophane though not so in this place for it suiteth not with the sense but if this were the sense then the Papists might well take a hint to parallel their unhallowed Masse which is nothing but an high prophanation of the Name of God The other place which I touch upon and which they do egregiously abuse as they do many more is from the New Testament 1 Tim. 2. vers 1. I exhort therefore that first of all Supplications Prayers Intercessions and Thanks-givings be made for all men out of which words of the Apostle the Rhemists make this deduction that the Prayers and Petitions of the Masse are deduced out of the Apostle his words producing or rather traducing the Fathers making them speak that for the Masse which they never meant the transcription of all the passages would be too tedious but let Master Cartwrights answer suffice First by way of Concession grant the Mass-book to have in it the same prayers that the Apostle commands will it therefore follow saith he that their prayers is the true service of God no more than the using or rather abusing of the words of Institution This is my body makes for the Justifying of Transubstantiation Inchanters and Charmers use many holy words in their Charms as they do with a piece of the first Chap. of S. Johns Gospel but it agravateth their sin This plea from good words is or hath been too frequent in the mouths of some Professors whom we desire to satisfie with this answer Again if their whole Liturgy or Service be here as they say where are
the worship of Christ as it is partly begun and shall be more fully accomplished when they have done all that they can all is but lost labour they shall not prevail the world shall go after Christ CHAP. IV. Of the Matter NOw we come to the third particular namely the Subject matter of the Liturgie the graine is like the ground it grows upon the fruit must be like the Tree it is not possible that any wholsome sap of life should come out of a noysome and poysonous root To give a delineation of the matter in general Troubles of Frankford p. 36 we can use no better expression than that of Calvin in his pithy Letter to the Church of Frankford much troubled with this Service-book where he calls it the Reliques or leavings of the Popish dregs this may be made to appear without contradiction by scanning some particulars for to go through them all would fill up a great volumn then to give a touch as briefly as we can the matter is partly false partly rediculously frivolous yea and some part of it is not without a tincture of Blasphemy To this effect a worthy and zealous Pastor to that people of Frankford regrating fore the troubles brought upon them by that Service-book after that he had told them that nothing must be thrust upon any Congregation without the Warrant of the Word and forasmuch as that in the English Book there were things both superstitious impure and unperfect P. 38. ib. which he offered to prove before all men he would not consent that of that Church it should be received To come then to the first particular of the charge Sect. concerning the falshood of the Matter which we will first discover in the generals and then come to some particulars For the generals we lay down these three instances In false or corrupt transledons of the Word additions to the Word and substractions all which the Service-book not only allows but injoyns subscription to them being so rendered in the old Latine Bible which translation the Service-book injoyns to be used and no other yea to which the Ministers were to subscribe it being the most corrupt piece of all the Latine Translation none of them being found witness the current of the learned Fathers and others yea the very pleaders for the Book and that Bible Ad Damas iâ— praesat ad 4. Evang Si in Latinis exemplaribus fides est adhibenda responderit quibus c. If we must believe Latine translations you must first tell us which of them saith Jerome Which argues the Latine one fathered upon him not to be his but of all other Latine translations he damneth this most which we are forced to follow as Erasmus testifieth of him Damnat superiorem translationem quae nos tamen maxime utimur he condemneth saith he that translation meaning the vulgar translation condemned also by the grand Pillars of Popery Burgensis Lyra Jansenius and others yea and by two Popes Sixtus the fifth and Clement the eighth Lastly we have the dict of the defendants themselves Doctor Sparke diebus illis complaining of the corruptions of the Service-book instanced in these two particulars First for omitting much Canenical Scripture and putting Apocrypha in the place of it Secondly for appointing a corrupt translation to be read To some particular instances we come and amongst many places we must give but a touch we will begin with that palpable falshood Psalm 105.28 which the Book hath thus They were not obedient to his Word but the Scripture saith They were not disobedient to his Word what directer contradiction can there be than this The Scripture given by inspiration of the Spirit admitteth no contradiction Doctor Spark told the Arch-bishop of Canterbury that it was apparent by the History of their dealing in Egypt that to read They were not obedient to his word were to charge Moses and Aaron with falshood Another place abused Sect. Luke 10.1 being their Gospel for that Evangelists day After these things â—he Lord appointed other seventy also and sent them two and two before them but the common Book read seventy two which though it be not in matters of Faith as the defendants answer yet it is a corrupting of the Scripture May we tear a mans skin from his flesh because we cut not the sinews nor beak not the bones In a word this is the answer of the Papists upon the place which our Writers take off But now we will evidence in a place as matter of Faith Sect. as we take it Epistles the Sunday after the Nativity Eph. 2.3 Gal. 4.5 the Service book readeth that we through election might receive the adoption that belongeth to natural sons where the Church-Bible according to the original hath it thus That we might receive the adoption of the sons For natural sons of God we cannot be said to be Nam non nescimur sed renescimur Christiani for we are not born Christians but born again yea by nature we are the children of wrath is there not matter here of flat contradiction that in a high point of Faith We will trouble you but with one other place Sect. and that upon matter of Faith too namely Luke 1.28 and 48. the Text hath it Hayle freely beloved or having found favour but the Service-book will none of that but read it Hayle full of grace just with the Rhemists and the defenders of it go upon the same grounds that they do crossing the true signification of the words all sound and learned Expositors antient and modern as Pagninus Vatabalus Chrysostome Beza Doctor Fulke Doctor Whitakers and others sorting full with Gregory Martin Reynolds and the rest and gives incouragement to Stafford in his Female Glory to tell the Puritains railingly that till they be good Marians in his sense they shall never be good Charistians There are fifteen places more in the Service-book of this cut but these are enough and too many to be so abused Now we come to a touch of Additions Sect. as the Book adds three whole verses to the 14. Psalm where a great difference is to be thought on between a Paraphraster and a Translator The former may amplifie but yet in different letter from the Text but the Translator may not adde no not from other Texts of Scripture The grand Papists the justifiers of this and other such stuff dare not avouch these Verses to be in the Hebrew or Greek Copies no not in the Greek Bible set forth at the command of Sextus Quintus 1587. for the justifiing of the Vulgar Latine as appears by his own Copy written by Cardinal Carraffe and another Cardinal namely Cajetan Pag. 154. avoucheth that Paul in the third to the Romans had taken them from divers places of scripture Sed ignorans nescio quis adjunxit haec Psalmo 14. But some ignorant party I know not who hath added them to Psal 14. So there is a whole Verse added to Psal 13.
close to the sense of the Service-book because it is from their own Mass-book and gives this as a reason why Michael is painted fighting with a Dragon both Opinion and Reason are of the like weight Now from things without colour of Ground what colour or ground is there for that speech in the end of the Magnificat O Ananias Azarias and Mizael Praise the Lord If this was the Prayer of these men when they were alive what sense or reason that we should speak to them being dead more than to others For Popish Tenents Sect. look that Prayer at the Burial of the Dead That we with this our Brother and all other our Brethren departed in the true Faith of thy holy Name may have our perfect Consummation and Bliss both in Body and Soul First here every one Buried is a faithful Brother which cannot be said of every one no not in the Judgement of Charity It is true indeed That the Priest of Newgate bid the poor Condemned Thieves provide Money for their Burial and they needed not doubt of their Salvation Again the words are an express Prayer and tyed to be said by the Minister Now for the Ceremonies having place in Gods Worship and being mans device must needs be Idols or Idolatrous Actions Quicquid praeter mandatum est Idolum Whatsoever is placed in Gods Worship without the Commandement of God is an Idol for none hath power to Ordain or Place a Ceremony in Christ his Church but himself who is King of it For instance whereof there is a remarkable place amongst many Numb 15.39 And it shall be unto you for a Fringe that ye may look upon it and remember all the Commandements of the Lord and do them and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes after which you use to go a Whoring where Observe both the Ceremony and Signification to be from Gods own Appointment And further every device of man in Gods Worship is to be avoided but against those there are divers Treatises never Answered nor like to be yet it shall not be amiss by one indissolvable Argument to put all the Defenders of the Ceremonies to it which is this That which is mans Device and hath been an Idol in Gods Worship must of necessity be an Idol still in the Worship of God But the Ceremonies mentioned in the Service-book have been Idols in Gods Worship as Cross Surplice c. Ergo they must be Idols still in the Worship of God The Proof of the former Proposition is from instance of Abrahams Grove Gen. 21.33 but being abused to Idolatry as 2 King 17.10 Jerem. 51.2 Isa 57.5 then God forbiddeth his People the usage of it because it was an Idol yea commanded to destroy it Deut. 12.13 The latter Proposition none can deny Here we may add the foul Abuses of the Sacraments as Baptism and the Lords Supper and that Jewish Popish Instrtution of Churching of Women called Purisication that bastardly piece of Confirmation the particular Enoâ—mities whereof we need not stand upon they are so well known especially to your Honours which is a part of our happiness Again the Treatise would be too large yet we would not have the Lent Fast forgotten which the Patrons of our Liturgie make a Religious Fast 2 Part of Homil. of Fast Anno quinto Elizab. C. quint. abusing places of Scripture by mis-application of Scriptures as Joel 2.12 Mat. 6.16 2 Cor. 6.2 Mat. 4.10 clear contrary to the Law and indisputable Prerogative of God the Homilies appointed by the Law of the Land the most and best Reformed Churches the harmony of Confessions none siding with them in it but Papists and Popishly affected Now we come to Touch Sect. and but to touch upon the foppish and foolish things in the Book besides the foolish and sensless Translations of some Psalms pressed by the Service-book as Psal 58.9 Psal 68.30 which would be too large to set down and canvafs What can be said for those Tautologies and Battoligies used in the Service-book as Lord have Mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us the very Popish Kyreileison Christaleison condemned Matth. 6.7 the word Battology here condemned cometh as the learned observe from one Bactus a ridiculous Poet repeating the same words or verses often and so Christ forbideth a vain repetition of words or phrases and the better the words are the more grievous is the sin so the vain repetition in Prayer is most odious of all both the heathenish and Popish Battologies are struck dead at one blow saith Master Cartwright for mumbling up the same prayers again and again and can these repetitions of ours being the very same in English go scot-free One foppery more for we cannot name them all namely that mutual salutation between Priest and People in these words The Lord be with you and with thy spirit which Doctor Boyce girding at the Novellists takes upon him to defend from Ruth 24. with many invictive strains with other matter to little purpose is it a good Argument from salutation in civil conversment to fall a saluting one another in the worship of God Luke 10.4 2 King 4.29 if our Lord and Saviour forbad his Disciples to salute any in the way so far as it might be any impediment to his service like unto that of Elisha the Prophet how much less will Christ admit salutations in the middest of his Service It seems their devotion is very hot that falleth to tosse a salutation whilest they are upon Gods Worship Hence is that apish trick in the Northern parts that all the Women especially in coming into the Church make a courtesie to the Priest Dr. Boyce for further confirmation citeth the Liturgy of James Chrysostome and Basil but all know as hath been said that they who are acquainted with this subject know these Liturgies to be as Apocryphal as the subject the Dr. Lib. 2. de Missa c. 16. Lib. de Scrip. Eccles fol. 51. confesseth upon the report of Bellarmine that Tritenhemius writ a whole book upon Dominus Vobiscum in which are many fruitless questions and so we are sure the thing it self is fruitless CHAP. V. Of the Letany VVE come now to the last piece of the matter of the Lyturgie but not the least sinful but rather the most offensive Namely the Letany not a stump or a limb of Dagon but the head of the Masse-book appointed to he said on Sundayes Wednesdayes and Fridayes yea and at other times if the Ordinary appoint it of this it may truly be said as one said of the Pharisees sin that it was either the sin of the Holy Ghost Tossan in Mat. 12. Canon 15 or a sin very nigh it so the Letany is either blasphemy or very nigh blasphemy upon these dayes one of every house must be present setting a note of some preheminency both upon these week dayes and the Service yea from the Etymologie of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 or Letany the defenders of it will have it to be a more serious and cordial Prayer then others It is observed by the Learned that the Antients had the order and manner of the Letany from the Heathens Serarius in Litan Cassan in Liturgy P. 244. Exercit. p 237. as Dionysius Halioarnassius witnesseth and Causabon observeth in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Letanies or Supplications about the Altars of their gods Polybius renders the words very handsomely and significantly by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to intice the gods by blandishing allurements these words others used by human writers to the same purpose as by Homer and others falls in with the same fault that our Saviour accuseth the Pharisees of namely vain repetition and multitude of words for which saith Christ Mat. 6.7 they think to be heard Now this Letany is a very facinating fardel of Tautologies and Battologies besides its other faults in this Latany there is Lord deliver us eight times hear us we beseech thee 20. times to omit many desires to be delivered from things from which there is not the least appearance no more than of the French pox the danger of being drunk at a Whitson-ale or a purse cut at a stage play and not so much In that prayer to be delivered from fornication what meaneth that addition from all other deadly sin as though some sin were not deadly Again after a tautolog cal suming up and repetition of the titles and Elogies of the Trinity tossed with responses they fall on in a Heathenish way to act the word Letany or Maggany as it is well rendered namely as it were to conjure and as if the devil were now to be dispossest which no Priest must dare to do by the Canon without license from the Ordinary they would use the very same pieces namely By the mistery of the holy incarnation by thy holy nativity and circumcision by thy baptism fasting and temptation by thine agony and bloody sweat and by the cross and passion by thy precious death and burial and by the coming of the holy Ghost Good Lord deliver us This piece of the Popish-Masse-book whence we have it is no better than that conjuring or juggling of the Magicians whereby they seemed to imitate Moses his working of Miracles Porph. in his doub which they did not as the learned in that Art testifie without magick-spels they use ridiculous invocations saith the same Author so be the invocations in the Letany and the better the words are as we have said the more grievous the abuse And that we may not come short of the Papists idolizing of this Letany we have not only our ordinary and weekly letanies but also our annual or yearly letanies acted in Procession It is true we have left out the Saints in our Lyturgy that was too gross but had the Laudenses got their Colours fixed ere this the letany had been flancked with this stuffe But why did they expunge that suffrage in King Edward his Book against the Pope From the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome Good Lord deliver us To shut up this cursory trial of the matter for it is no more how can the Service-book-men justisie these words of the Collect on the twelfth Sunday after Trinity Giving unto us that which our Prayer dare not presume to ask It is true we obtain more than we Pray for but what we dare not Pray for either in act or desire we shall never obtain The sum of that which hath been said we bring up into this Argument That Service the matter or bulk whereof is partly false partly foolish and frivolous should not be presented unto God But the parts of the Service-book whether essential or integral are such as hath been fully proved Therefore they should not be presented to God We humbly intreat your Honors to lay this Argument in the ballanoe of truth and if it weigh down the Service-book let the said Book we pray you be cast out of the Sanctuary as light CHAP. VI. Of the Manner NOw we come to the Fourth Particular namely the Form or Manner which is large as exorbitant and offensive as the matter the Form is the essence of a thing say the matter were good and the manner naught God would never like it for the old proverb is true God loves Adverbs better than Adjectives Bene better than Bonum It was a good work in David 2 Sam. 6◠to bring up the Ark from the house of Aminadab but one Philistine Ceremony spoiled the whole Work 1 Chron. 15.13 David therefore acknowledged the breach to be made because they sought him not in order when our Saviour taught his Followers to pray in that Plat-form of Prayer Cyprian which a Father calls the foundation of all our Prayers he layeth not down only the Matter but also the Form when ye pray pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after this manner 2 Tim. 1.13 hold fast saith the Apostle the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me c. Where he layeth down not only the matter of Preaching but also the form even so should Prayer have a Form of sound words Conformers to the Service-book make Jonas his his Gourd of one place of Scripture 1 Cor. 14 40. Let all things be done according to order and decency But as the place is no shelter for them so we wonder that they cannot see the gross disorder of the Service-book and Ceremouies and still call for order The Apostle rejoyced to see the order of the Colossians Col. 2.5 but it would have grieved him exceedingly to have seen the disorder of the the Service as he grieved at the superstition of the Athenians for it is Will-Worship which the Apostle condemneth in the same place of the Colossians but to some particulars Vers 23 and first to the Minister whose change of voice posture place is strange and ridiculous For the first he must say some Prayers with a loud voice not all what can be the reason of this but that of the Masse-Priests that there are some Misteries Tanquam sacra Cereris that the prophane Laicks should not hear Secondly for his Posture besides the windings turnings and cringings his face must be sometimes towards the People and sometimes his back Thirdly the Priest sayes somewhat in the Church somewhat in the Chancel getting himself from the People as far as he can as if there were some out-fall between him and the People or as if he were the High-Priest gone into the Holy of Holies In the second place comes the unmannerly handling of the matter First they have many short Collects but a long and tedious Service the persecuted Christians indeed made short Prayers upon the fear of the Enemies Approaches when they were forced to fly A good Foundation we acknowledge Lib. 1. ◠38. Lib. 3. p. 210. but to turn this into a
Gerezim of the Service-book because they were captive to it and partly because the Philistims that kept it would fall upon them We come in the second place to the Ordinances Sect. blocked up by the Book as close as the Ministers we must give but a touch as our Liturgian Mass-mongers esteem more of the Service than Preaching so they justle out and keep out Preaching with it For the former let Howson speak not being ashamed to assert That Preaching is no part of divine worship Serm. on Psal 1.8 p. 78. agreeable to that Canon of the Constitution Anno. 1603. making a clear and possitive distinction between Preaching and Worship in these words In time of divine Worship or Preaching And for the latter Can. 19. we will cite but one testimony for brevities sake namely from the same Canons If any Minister having subscribed to the Articles to the Lyturgy to the Rites Ceremonies therein contained do afterward omit any thing he is liable to the penalty of suspension for one month after that if he amend not to excommunication and lastly if he continue so the third month to total deprivation they have their pattern from Pope Pius the fifth who made the same impious sanction for the Breviary that at no time nor in any case any thing thereof should be omitted yea the Congregations of London have had too much experience of Service for Sermons which exchonge is very robbery contrary to the proverb for it is ordinary with the Journey-men Levites and Letany-Priests to spin out all the time in making up that course thred of the Service that is allotted for Sermons and this they do of malice like the dogg in the manger but were it good they would never be so eager upon it for the Countrey Priests will cast it through a riddle and curtail it to the waste to gain a long afternoon for prophane sports but judge ye Honourable Senators if this be not a miserable case that Hagar should not only insult over Sarah but also thrust her out of her own house How unreasonable yea how dangerous a thing it is that the wholsome and soul-saving Word of the Lord Jesus should give place to a fardel of mens devices in the Worship of God! We come now in the third place to the People There are three things of note in every Common-wealth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the People Religion and Law the Service-book intrencheth upon all these as first upon the Law in so many particulars though we cannot name them all that it justly may be called Nomomastix a scourge to the Law we will instance in one or two particulars first by the Law of England No Clergy-man to the very Pope himself shall bear any Rule or exercise any jurisdiction Nisi in rebus spiritualibus except in spiritual things witness the second Lawyer that ever wrote of our Laws namely * Lib. 1. f. 5. n. 2. Bracton who lived in the time of King Henry the third when Popery was in the Ruffe for a little before in King John his time the Crown of England was at the Popes disposing which I alledge the rather to shew the Insolency and Impudency of our Prelates managing of the Service-book against the Law to which Book if Ministers will not conform and subscribe they out them of their Free-holds contrary to Right and Law the iniquity of which course hath been clearly manifested in Caudryes Case Another witness yet more antient appears in this particular namely * Lib. 4. f. 32. cap. 6 Glanvil the first that ever writ of our Lawes in the time of King Henry the second under whom the said Author was Lord Chief Justice and speaking of the Case of the triall of advowsons belonging as he alledgeth Ad Coronam dignitatem Regiam to the pleas of the Crown he produceth a prohibition to the spiritual Court which he calleth Curiam Christianitatis that they meddle not with the matter though it might seem collateraly to belong unto their Courts and if they should persist after their Prohibition then they are commanded by appearance to answer it in the Kings-Bench But how many of the Kings prohibitions have been slighted by the High Commission threatning those that have brought them the Case then depending having its rise from that Service-book Another instance we will cite of their incountering of the Lawes it is decreed that Ecclesiastical power Sect. shall neither imprison nor fine except in case of mutation of Penance but how many good Christians both Ministers and others have been not only Fined more than they were worth but also closely imprisoned in the nastiest dog-holes they could devise never Parting with them till their breath departed from them And what was the ground of all these illegell and cruel courses contrary to the Common and Statute Laws Stat. Art cleai c. 1. Fitzher de natuâ— brev fol. 51. Edw. 3. c. 6. but Non-conformity to that Service-book and Ceremonies We might be large in this Point but the Treatise will not bear it onely we Pray your Honours who are Judices Vindices Legis the Judges and Revengers of the Lawes and breaches thereof to look upon this Law-destroying-piece and to manifest that the Law of God is in your hearts with which it cannot consist cast it out of Gods House that he may delight to dwell amongst us In the second place for the Service-bookes affronting of Religion somewhat hath been said and more we have to say in the fourth Evill effect namely against God but now a little more of its malignity against the people wherein we will be briefe People are of two sorts good and bad how the better sort have suffered from this Iron Furnace it is more then manifest in spoyling of their goods loss of liberty desolating of their Families being forced to wander from place to place their nigh friends and acquaintance not daring through feare to lodge them at last forced either to forsake their native soyl and dearest friends with no small grief genio paâ—riae plangente the genius of the Country to speake with Lipsius lamenting after them or if they staid by it and were catched in the Prelates clutches they told them when they petitioned they should lye till their bones rotted as Doctor Abbot then Prelate of Canterbnry said of Mr. Baits whom they stifled in the Gate-house and all this because they could not eat and swallow down to the choaking of their conscience the Arsnical Goblets of that poysonable Book Deut. 4.20 which is worse than the Iron Furnace for so the Spirit terms it Gods People came out of that but the Furnace heated for the not adoring by their Service-book as Nebuchadnezzars for not adoring of his Idol did ordinarily consume such as were cast into it so that it became like the Lions Denne whereof the Poet speaks Omnia te advorsum spectantia nulla retrorsum Many impressions of ingress but none of regress But
in pressing of that Book and other like stuffe their insolent domineering over Nobility and others yea their daring attempts to set a-foot their interdicted power and their supercilious insultations their proud words and affronting attempts vented by themselves and their Priests even now when the hand of the Lord is lift up against them which they will not see but they shall see it in this they are worse than the Egyptians or Philistims 1 Sam. 6.6 who were content the Lord his hand being upon them not only to let the Ark of the Lord go but also sent it up in the handsomest way that they could taking Egypt for an example in this their insolent striving against God and his Truth they may be compared to the Peasants of Lycia Metam Ovid l. 6. lib. 1. de fals Religione whom the Poet seigneth to be transformed into Frogs for their cruel and barbarous usuage of Latona of whom Lanctantius also makes mention but the Poet tells us that for all the Metamorphosis they left not their old manners Litibus exercent linguas Et quanquam sub aqua sub aquis maledicere tentant Englished thus Their brawling Tongues but setting shame aside Though hid in water under water chide Or with Du-Bartus in this posture they may be compared to Lizards or Snakes cut in pieces Threat with more malice though with lesser might And even in dying shew their living spight Or as God said to Moses of Pharoah that he would not let his people go no not with a strong hand that is he will stand out with God Exod 3.19 so do they they will not let the Ordinances go the Liberty of the Ministry go they will not let the kingdom of Christ go though Gods strong hand be out against them but as he fell at last so shall they all their houshould-stuff and never rise again the Scots have put them in the Pond Judg. 7.17 let the love of the truth lead you and their practice be to you as a speaking emblem in the words of Gedeon Look on me do likewise We will shut up the Point with a Parallel of loyal entertainment of Kings in their Inthronization the men of Judah the men of Israel contended zealously who should be most Officious in Crowning King David though he was crowned before Judah annointed him King over them and Israel did the like over them 2 Sam 24.5 and to bring the parallel nearer home what pious emulation was between us our brethren the Scots to set King James of blessed memory upon the Throne of England 2 Sam. 5 â— Deut. 17.15 they might both deservedly say for they shewed it in effect that they were his flesh and bone as Israel said to David he was no stranger as the Scripture hath it but a King from among his brethren never King was received with greater concourse higher magnificence and more applause this made the Kingdoms as Jerusalem Ps 112.1 as a City compacted in it self which the Septuagint translateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a partici ation or communication together often indeed attempted but never effected till then but now blessed be the Name of God in a more loving league and stricter bond than ever contending who shall do God and his Majesty that now is most service shall we not then joyn with them heart and hand in bringing the Lord Jesus the King of glory into his Kingdom he hath shewed himself no stranger amongst us but done great things for us but to the woe of our hearts we have used him too long like a stranger in keeping him at doors and the door upon the hinges Now let us set open the gates Rev. 3.20 and bring him in with triumph which will never be done so long as the Prelacy and the Liturgy or either of them keep the house Non patitur regni socios Christ will have no consort in his Kingdome much lesse an Antichrist Christ bare many calumnies and injuries from the Jews at his arraignment under Pilate and past by many things not answering again but when Pilate came to meddle with his Kingdome he would not let that pass but freely avouched it Art thou a King saith Piâ—ate thou fayest I am answered Christ and to this end was I born Joh. 18.37 1 Tim 6.13 and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witnesse â—nto the Truth of which words Paul giveth this testimony that Christ before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession which words of the Apostle have two remarkable things in them First that Christ hath a Kingdom which he will vindicate in despight of all opposing power wherein he will have his own Officers Government and Service to take place Secondly that this course must continue till the coming of he Lord Jesus and every one that is of the truth especially Ministeâ—s and Magistrates must maintain it as they will answer it at that day for this work God hath brought you together and if you should divert this work so exemplified expressed by Command which God forbid then might Christ say unto you 2 Sam 19.12 as David to his Kindred ye are my brethren ye are my bones and my flesh wherefore are ye the last to bring back the King Wherein if you will not be faulty but intend as we verily hope you do to bring back the King then let it be your special honour to make the paths of the Lord streight by removing of that rubbish Sect. that the King of glory may enter in The second Motive is from the Danger of not removing of the Service-book Craesi filius Danger as all knows is the strongest motive to cause a people or Nation to take heed Histories report that danger hath made a dumb man speak The danger from this Service-book may be looked upon in a twofold respect namely a priori from that which is past and a postoriori from that which is like to ensue the former may also be looked upon in a way of prophecie or in a way of performance the men and servants of God to whom he was pleased to reveal himself in more than an ordinary way especially in time of persecution or some pressure lying upon them have foretold how the house of David should wax weak and the house of Saul should wax strong that is Popery should make head and the truth of Christ should suffer much and many in tryal should forsake it according to that of Simeon a sword shall pierce thorow thine own soul also that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed Luk. 2.35 where by the swords piercing of the soul according to all the ancient is meant the wounding sorrows of the Mother of Christ at his sufferings and by the revealing of the thoughts is meant the discovery of some stumbling or taking scandal at his death Chrysostome Austin Origen Ambrose Theophylact and what is the ground of all this