perfection And now when all is done would the author with his bring vs backe at least to the brinke borders of Popery againe by his Canonicall houres and the like Being now men of ripe yeeres would he haue vs to become children againe And after we haue begun and gone on so farâ—e in the spirit now to be made perfect in the flesh by turning back to beggerly rudiments After the cleare meridian Sun-shine of the Gospell would he reduce vs to those duskish dawning shadowes out of which that first Horarium was but newly peeped but to last no longer then till time might more fairely shake hands with all Popish shadowes As the Iewish Ceremonies had a time euen after the establishing of the Gospell for their solemne obsequies But to conclude the plaine truth is to such a passe is Popery now come in these our dayes that if euer the Church of England ought henceforth to haue the least correspondence and conformity with it yea to be so farre from renewing any old acquaintance with it as vtterly to shake hands and if any ragges or reliques of that Whore haue beene patched to our Mothers Robe we ought to rip it off and strip our selues of it Rome is now fully reuealed to be the Whore of Babylon the Pope the head thereof to be that man of sinne that grand Antichrist which for any learned man not to see in these dayes of the Gospell is to stumble at Noone-day yea to be strucke blinde at the cleare light It followeth in the Title Taken out of the holy Scriptures the ancient Fathers and the diuine Seruice of our owne Church Here be three authorities the least whereof not to be contemned The first is that he saith his houres are taken from the holy Scriptures His quotations are strowed all along the booke but so as if we amasse all the generall precepts and particular practises of prayer in Scripture into one Canon or rule there should not be one houre or minute throughout the day and night which we should not spend altogether in prayer So that the abusiue vnderstanding of Scripture in this kinde was that which brought the Euchetâ— to do nothing else but pray The Scriptures commend to vs specially two times of publicke prayer for the day the Morning and the Euening prayer the one about our nine in the forenoâ—ne the other about three in the afternoone which our Church followeth these two were called the Morning and the Euening Sacrifice Hence it is that Christ began to bee offered from the Morning Sacrifice to the Euening Sacrifice as sanctifying all our Sacrifices of Prayer and Prayse Morning and Euening in that Sacrifice of himselfe But he speakes here of Priuate houres of Prayer And where will he find in Scripture any such practise as the obseruation of his Seuen Canonicall houres DANIEL prayed three times a day Yes DAVID saith Seuen times a day will I prayse thee But that 's of Prayse And though it may be meant also of Prayer it signifieth onely his frequent praying farre from a superstitious obseruation of Canonicall houres in those dayes not hatched or heard of But of Prayer he saith Euening and morning and at noone day will I pray c. But for all this mans colouring the matter with Holy Scripture he hath no other Scripture for his Canonicall houres but the Popes Scripture in his Decretalls where the Pope takes all his Canonicall houres from the actions about CHRIST in his death As in the Glosse Haec sunt septenis propter quae psallimus heris Matutina lâ—gat Christum qui crimina purgat Prima replet sputis causam dat Tertia mortis Sexta cruci nectit latus eius Nona bipaertit Vespera deponit tumulo Completa reponit Indeed the Scripture doth so command this excellent dutie of Prayer to vs as that no time should exempt vs from it but that we should be diligent in the practise of it vpon all occasions and especially keepe constantly ouâ— morning and euening sacrifice priuate and publike also as the day requireth Yea to let no oportunitie slip wherein we are not breathing out some eiaculations out of a sense and feeling of our manifold infirmities and necessities But nowhere doth the Scripture prescribe a set septenarie forme of Deuotion as the Authour would impose vpon vs. In the second place he nameth the Ancient Fathers But these faile him as much for his purpose as the Scriptures doe Indeed the Fathers doe euerie where following the Scriptures inculcate and prâ—sse the incessant practise of Prayer Hora nulla a Christianis excipitur quò minùs frequenter ac semper Deus debeat adorari c. saith CYPRIAN No houre is exempted from Christians that God might not frequently and alwayes be adored And he saith indeed that in his time the times and exercises of Prayer were much encreased Yet hee no where setteth downe seuen Canonicall houres Yea CLEMENS ROMANVS a great Authour with him though misquoted in his Constitutions which euen Pontificians themselues haue confessed to bee counterfeit yet fayle him at least in two of his houres as Câ—mplene and the last Onely GREGORY the Ninth fayles him not being as I said his first complete Authour of his seuen Canonicalls But after the Ancient Fathers in the third place hee nameth the Diuine Seruice of our owne Church out of which his Houres are taken Now surely for ought that euer I could learne out of our Seruice Booke I can find but two set Houres of Prayer besides certaines priuate Prayers recommended to priuate Families for Morning and Euening with a godly Prayer to bee said at all times in the latter end of the Booke Vnlesse out of this Prayer to bee said at all times hee would picke out his seuen Canonicall houres But whereas hee seemeth to ground the forme of his Deuotion vpon the Diuinâ— Seruice of our owne Church On the contrarie hee offereth foule violence to that more exact and profitable forme prescribed in our Liturgy For whereas the forme of Prayer in our Communion Booke is so compiled as that by a daily practise thereof the whole or most part of the OLD TESTAMENT is read ouer once in the yeere and the NEVV TESTAMENT three times and the whole Booke of PSALMES once euerie moneth The Authour or Authours of this Booke intruding a new forme of Deuotion hereby coozen GODS People of their allowance in the SCRIPTVRES while in stead of the whole hee cutteth out here a peece and there a peece here a quarter of a Chapter and there a quarter Herein crossing the Communion Booke which in the Preface fâ—atly reproueth this verie practise of the Authour in these words Now of late time a few of the Psalmes haue been daily said and oft repeated and the rest vtterly omitted And is it not so in this Booke of Deuotion Doth he not confine vs to a narrow circle of so many Psalmes so many peeces of Chapters so many Lawâ—eâ— as he calls them
not that Some after they haue fasted till nine of the clock vse sundry meates And others otherwise And because none can shew any precept vpon Record concerning Lent it is euident that the Apostle therein left free power to euery mans mind will that euery one might do that which is good and honest being induced thereto neither by feare nor by necessity Thus Socrates And Eusebius before him saith that some thought one day sufficient for fasting some two some moe others in reckoning 40. continued houres day and night do determine that the time of their Fast. This being so what is become of the Apostolicall Constitution for 40. dayes Fast when it was left free for euery Church or Christian to fast as few or many dayes as they thought fit And therefore neuer let our Author obtrude vpon vs the authority and practise of the present Church of Rome to impose a necessity of a religious if not a superstitious 40. dayes Fast when notwithstanding the old Church of Rome in her purer times fasted but three weekes yet two dayes in euery weeke excepted And besides in those times Easter being a generall time for publicke Baptisme as also Whitsuntide for that cause they thought fit to humble themselues with fasting and prayer for the better preparation thereunto But enough of this Pag. 246. of the last impression Hee mentioneth Christs Rest in the graue and his Descenâ— also into Hell as vpon Easter Euen The Author is very skilfull to tell vs the punctuall time of Christs Descent into Hell Of the manner of it or how the Article in the Creed is to bee vnderstood he makes no question but comes with an actuall downe right Descent But he grounds this his time of Christs Descent into Hell vpon the Epistle and Gospell for Easter Euen Indeed the Epistle is taken out of 1 Pet. 3.27 c. where the words of Peter are thus translated according to the corrupt vulgar Latin In which spirit hee also went and preached to the spirits that were in prison c. Now the Author hereupon inferreth that this place of Peter is to be meant of Christs Descent into Hell contrary to all sound Interpreters the Text it selfe no way bearing it And vpon the same ground according to the corrupt translation wherein is added contrary and besides both the Originall Text and our last and best English Translation these words That were whereas the Text is To the spirits in prison that is now still in prison not that were in prison as if vpon Christs descent into Hell and preaching vnto them hee had deliuered them thence as out of some Limbo which the Author if well examined must needes meane And indeed he is too much helped by the corrupting of the Text so that it were to be wished that vulgar English Translation of the Epistles and Gospels in the Communion booke were corrected yea and wholly made vniforme to our last Translation of the Bible that so no Popish spirits may haue any such starting holes for their lurking and sly old Popish and mopish doctrines In the next place pag. 291. he setteth downe sundry sayings prayers Psalmes Hymnes before the receiuing of the Sacrament to pag. 301. In all which it should seeme 〈◊〉 â—rescribeth a new solmne seruice for the Sacrament For else what time is there allowed for any mans priuate deuotion while hee is present at the publike administration of the Sacrament Or would he haue a man busied about his priuate deuotions while the Minister is in the publicke seruice Or would he haue the Minister to be mute vntill euery man present haue said ouer such lessons as our Author teacheth Indeed if it were at a Masse which the people vnderstand not these formes of priuate deuotion were good to exercise euery man while the Priest is mumbling ouer his Masse But blessed bee God there is no such need Pag. 298. he sets downe a new forme of prayer but taken either from the Bull of Pope Clement 8. where hee commands the Angels c. or rather hee borrowes it from the Romane Missal in the Cannon of the Masse restored by the Decree of the Councell of Trent and published by the Commandement of Pope Pius 5. printed at Antwerp 1574. Cum priuilegio Pontif. Max. et Regis Cathâ—l pag. 272. where the Masse Priest Profundè inclinatus iunetis manibus dicat Lowly ducking with his hands ioyned let him say Supplices te rogamus Omnipotens Deus iube hâ—c perferri per manus Sancti Aâ—egli tui in sublime Altere tuum in conspectu diuinae Maiestatis tuae vt c. that is We humbly beseech the Omnipotent God command these things to be conuayed by the hands of thy holy Angel into thy high Altar in the presence of thy diuine Maiestie that c. But what a presumption is this in our Author to prescribe God a new way of conueying our prayers into the presence of his Maiesty by such a meane as he hath no where reuealed in his word Where hath God commanded his Angels to bee our Mediators betweene vs and him Yet see how slily this Author would foyst in the mediation of Angels Is not the onely name of Christ our Mediator in whom we offer vp all our Seruice and Sacrifice of Prayer and Prayse sufficient to bring them vp into the presence of his Father yea and to make both vs and them acceptable to his Maiestie But what promise of acceptance hath our Authour of such Mediation of Angels if they should presume to present our Prayers Much more when they doe it without warrant And warrant they haue none in GODS Word And without the Word we haue no warrant for any seruice we doe to GOD. But contrarily the Word alloweth vnto vs but one onely Mediatour as well of Intercession as of satisfaction 1 Iohn 2. If any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the Righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes The same must be our Aduocate and Intercessor who is also our Propitiation Therefore our Authour here commits high Sacriledge if not Blasphemie against the Sacred Maiestie of GOD and the honour of IESVS CHRIST to assigne GOD the appointing of a new way whereby we may come vnto him namely another way then by IESVS CHRIST But proceed we to Page 388. where he sets downe The manner of commending the Soule into the hands of GOD at the verie point of time when it is departing from the Body Before yee haue his Forme of Prayers at the houre of Death now another Forme at the point of Death Nay which ought diligently to be marked at the verie point of time when the Soule is not about to depart but departing from the Body Surely a man would thinke his prayer had need to be verie short onely a jaculatorie breath and away least the Soule bee departed from the Body before hee make an end of his prayer and so he shall pray for the dead
yet at least striues to get the vpper hand seeking to cast the blacke mantle of blind Deuotion ouer all mens eyes and that by Satans Ministers seeking by all meanes to quench the light of the Gospell Therefore what great need haue we euer to take in our mouthes this worthy prayer recommended vnto vs by our reuerend Mother-Church of England and to pray heartily Wee beseech the O Lord to mainetaine thy cause against all rauening wolues and strengthen thy seruants c. And so much the rather because our Author and he goes not alone hath also in this his booke patched vp a prayer of his owne head which he intitles A prayer and thanksgiuing for the whole state of Christs Catholicke Church wherein he prayeth for the holy Catholicke Church the mother of vs all that beare the name of Christ and that all may become one fold vnder one shepheard Iesus Christ. Now comparing this holy Catholicke Church with that Church which all along his booke he recommends and would obtrude vpon vs as our Mother which is no other Church but that Church of Rome what doth he here pâ—ay for else but that we may all become one with that Churâ—h to be one flocke vnder one shepheard Iesus Christ and consequently vnder the great Antichrist who challengeth the title of sole head of the Catholicke Church and â—ole Vicar generall of Iesus Christ. But to the rest Pag. 232.233 c. He comes with his Septuagesima and therein and thenceforth thoroughout Lent â—e by a suddaine motion brings men vpon the knees of their most solemne Deuotion to expiate all their mad gamballs and Reuels in the Christmas time at least As Saint Chrysostome saith Men thinke to expiate the whole yeares excesse and sinne with forty daies humiliation and then the weeke following they fall afresh to their lusts Only suddainnesse here from one extreame into another is dangerous except it be of our true conuersion from sin vnto God and then the more speedie and suddaine the better and safer Otherwise the saying here may be verified Dum vitant stulti vitia in contraria currunt Yet this suddainnesse from Christmas reuels to Lent-relâ—ntings may seeme to be like that strange and suddaine alteration in those men that being mad liued among the Tombes and kept a pitifull rule to whom Christ comming he cast the Diuell out of them and â—oorthwith they came to their sober and right wits sitting and Christs feete cloathed and heaâ—â—ng his word But heere is the difference commonly out of those mad men the Diuell was whoâ—y câ—st out But in our ordinarie Lent-obseruâ—â—s hee is but at the least wise bound to goo◠〈◊〉 for the time but not cast out when after â—â—ster at the furthest hee breakes loose againe Such Obseâ—uants and selfe-castigators returning to their excesse of riot a fresh These for the most part being much like to the Images in Popish Churches which all the Lent are all vailed ouer in blacke as mourning that they haue beene Idol-obiects to Idolators But beginning on Easter-Eue to peepe out oh how doe the people begin a fresh to be rauished with a glimpse of their glittering Gods so long clouded and ecclipsed from their deuout Adorers But on Easter-day morning no sooner is the Vaile with-drawne by the Priests dexterous hand but down they fall on their Maribones beating their brests more eagerly now then euer as imputing it to their most grieuous sinnes that they haue been so long withheld from their prettie pettie-Gods For euer Nitimur in vetitum semper cupimusque negata And this abstinence from their Images all the Lent makes the people the more to dote vpon them all the yeere after as accounting them the more precious the lesse familiar And such are the most strict obseruers of Lent If there be any sinne or pleasure whereof out of blind superstition they impose and inforce a restraint vpon themselues for Lent-sake while they demurely goe in blacke It giues them but occasion to affect and pursue the same sinne or pleasure with greater desire all the yeere after The affections for the time being but as waters stopt with the Sluce which the longer pent vp breake out againe with greater violence Although in the meane time all the Lent long they abate nothing of their Pride of their Couetousnesse of their Ambition and other habituall Lusts. He that will eat no Flesh in Lent will not intermit his ordinarie Swearing and vaine wicked Oathes though he remit some-what of his Eating yet will not abate an ynch of his Drinking and good-fellowship will take no lesse Vse-mony then at Christmas will not abate an ace of his poore Tenants Rackt-rent will stretch the strings of his Simon Magus pouch as much now for a lustie preferment as he will doe any time out of Lent Though IOHN the Patriarch of Constantinople were for his much fasting called Iohannes Ieiunator IOHN the Faster yet he wanted for no pride and ambition to aspire to be vniuersall Head of the Church that which GREGORY of Rome cryed out against as Antichristian but BONIFACE the Third a little after got that Title wholly to himselfe suffering none to be that Antichrist but the Pope and Bishop of Rome And it is vsuall that as fasting breeds wind in the stomacke So the opinion of fasting specially when it is a part of Will-worship and humane inuention fills the stomacke of the Soule full of windy pride and hypocrisie As Pope VRBAN the Second to make the better speed for the recouerie of the Holy Land ordained that no Cleargie or Lay man should eat Flesh from Shrouetyde to Easter Guil. Malmesâ—ur Lib. 4. Misterie of Iniquitie A meritorious matter I wis so to fast all Lent long as to eat no Flesh. For as nothing displeaseth God more then the worship which we frame to him out of our owne fancifull braines So no deuotion is of more value with vs doth more please our humours then such as we inuent our selues So that it fareth with our Lent deuotion as with the young Ape we so dote vpon it so claspe and hug it as being the barne of our own braine we strangle it so that such Lenten deuotion seldome suruiueth the time of Lent but is dead all the yeere after And what I pray you is all the Lent-fast as it is generally vsed but a meere apish imitation and mocke-fast The example of CHRISTS Fast fourtie dayes and fourtie nights is brought by our Authour for vs to imitate Well Let our Authour begin to imitate CHRIST Let him fast fourtie dayes and fourtie nights without eating and drinking as CHRIST did if he be able to endure such a Fast â— see no reason but others may brooke it as well who haply are more acquainted and inured to fasting at other times then himselfe is Nor doe I see any reason why such a keeping of Lent as our Authour prescribes should haue the name of a Past. For a Fast is to eat nothing and drinke