Papists sprinkle their Sepulchers with Holy Water perfume them with Incense c. Holy Water saith Durand burning Coals with Frankincense are put into the Sepulcher Holy Water that Devils who much dread it may not come near unto the Body for they are wont to rage against the Bodies of the dead that what they could not do in life they may do after death Frankincense is put there to remove the noisom smell of the Body or to signifie that the departed offer'd unto his Creator the acceptable odour of good Works c. Lastly Laurel and such-like which always keep their greenness are cast in to signifie that they who are dead in Christ cease not to live Rational lib. 7. cap. 35. num 38. Belethus Explicat divin Officior cap. 161. 7. The Heathen offer'd Gifts and Sacrifices for the dead on certain days after their decease the third seventh ninth tenth twentieth thirtieth and fortieth day that is for so many days So much is asserted by Rosinus And hence saith he their Parentationes Feralia Novendialia Decennalia Vicennalia Tricennalia c. had their Original Antiq. Roman lib. 5. cap. 39. The sâ—me is affirmed by Kirchman de Funerib Roman lib. 4. cap. 1. And in the next Chapter he gives us a large account of the Gifts and Sacrifices which were offer'd for them on these days Thus do our Romanists offer Gifts and Sacrifices for the dead the third seventh day after their decease The Church of Rome hath appointed an Office for the dead on these days in which we have this Prayer We beseech thee O Lord graciously accept the Gifts which we offer unto thee for the Soul of thy Servant N. that being purged by Heavenly Remedies it may rest in thy Piety Through our Lord c. Amen Missale parvum Miss pro defunctis p. 240. I cannot here pass over in silence the pretty taking Reasons which their great Durand hath given for these Observations and their mystical Significations Some commemorate the Dead the third day having respect to the Resurrection of Christ which was on the third day or to the Trinity or that their Sins may be remitted which they when alive committed three ways viz. in thought word and work Others observe the seventh day 1. That the dead may sooner come to the Sabbath of Eternal Rest 2. That all his Sins may be pardon'd that he committed in this life which is measured by seven days 3. Because of the sevenfold Number of Soul and Body for the Soul hath three Powers viz. rational concupiscible and irascible and the Body consisteth of four Elements Others observe the ninth day that the Souls of the deceased being freed from punishment by this Office they may be joined to the nine Orders of Angels Others observe the thirtieth day 1. Because three tens make thirty for by three we understand the Trinity and by ten the Decalogue Therefore we observe the thirtieth day for the dead that God would in mercy pardon their offences committed against the Decalogue and the Trinity 2. Because the Number of the Moon is perfected in thirty days therefore we observe the thirtieth day for the dead to denote that their Works are full and perfect before God Others observe the fortieth day 1. That God would pardon what they have committed against the Doctrine of the four Gospels and ten Commandments 2. To represent our Saviours Burial praying that the dead may have Glory with Christ who lay in the Sepulcher fourty hours Others observe the fiftieth day because fifty is a perfect Number and signifies the year of Jubilee c. Rationale divin Officior lib. 7. cap. 35. Spectatum admissi risum teneatis amici CHAP. XXVII I Will only mention lest this Book should swell into too great a Volume some other Doctrines and Ceremonies taught and observed in the Roman Church which they have deriv'd from or at least wherein they symbolize with the old Pagans Holy Vessels and Vestments The Heathen consecrated their Vessels and Vestments used in Sacrifice and other holy Services Natalis Comes Mythol lib. 1. cap. 14. Brissonius de Formul lib. 1. p. 6. And Homer tells us that these Purifications were made with Sulphur and Water 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iliad lib. 16. And their Vestments also were purified Casta placent superis pura cum veste venite Tibul. lib. 2. eleg 1. Puraque in veste sacerdos Setigerae faetum suis intonsamque bidentem Attulit Virgil. Aeneid lib. 12. Thus do our Romanists consecrate their Vessels and Vestments for holy uses The Bishop having put on his Robes saith to the People Beloved Brethren let us pray That God and our Lord would sanctifie these Vessels with the inspiration of his heavenly Grace c. And then after a short Prayer he anoints the Patten and Chalice with holy Oyl saying Vouchsafe O Lord to conse †crate and sancti †fie this Patten and Chalice by this Vnction and our Benediction in Christ Jesu our Lord c. And then follows this Prayer Almighty Everlasting God we beseech thee pour out by our hands the aid of thy Benediction that these Vessels may be sanctified by our Bene †diction and by the Grace of the Holy Ghost may become a new Sepulcher for the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesu Christ Through the same Amen And lastly he sprinkles them with holy Water And much after the same manner doth the Bishop consecrate their Sacerdotal Vestments He reads certain Prayers of which this is one O God of invincible Power the Creator and Sanctifier of all things attend to our Prayers and be pleased with thine own mouth to bless †sancti †sie These Vessels and Vestments are supposed to be so holy upon their Consecration that 't is not lawful for Laymen to touch them Decret pars 3. dist 1. cap. 41 42. and conse †crate these Vestments of Levitical Sacerdotal and Pontifical Glory which are to be used by thy Servants and vouchsafe to make all that use them fit for thy Mysteries and devoutly serving thee in them acceptable to thee Through our Lord Amen And then he sprinkles them with holy Water Pontificale Roman p. 355. Blessing of Sheep The Heathen had their Palilia on the 11th or as others on the 12th of the Calends of May. Which Fâ—stival was dedicated to Pales the Goddess of Shepherds This Feast was solemniz'd with several Ceremonies 1. They made a Perfume of the Embers of a Calf the Blood of a Horse and the Top of a Bean. 2 Early in the morning the Shepherd did lustrate or purge the Sheepfold and Sheep after this manner He sprinkled the Sheep with Water and walked about the Sheepfold burning Sulphur Savine and Laurel and by this Perfume he thought the Sheep were purged and all Diseases expel'd 3. After these Purgations Prayers were made to Pales that she would bless the Sheep c. Gyraldus de diis Gent. Syntag 17. p. 526.
faithful deceased that they be done piously and devoutly c. And they anathematize every one that shall say The sacrifice of the Mass is a naked commemoration of that Sacrifice on the Cross and not propitiatory or that it only profiteth him that receives it and ought not to be offer'd for the living and the dead for sins punishments satisfactions and other necessities Ses 22. Can. 3. For the further clearing of this I might set down several prayers in their Missals take one or two We beseech thee O Lord mercifully to look upon the sacrifices which we offer unto thee for the souls of thy servants that upon whom thou hast conferr'd the merit of Christian faith to them thou wouldst also give the reward Missale parvum Offic. pro defunct O Lord let the oblation of this present sacrifice satisfie thee for the soul of thy servant and let him find the pardon of his sins which he hath sought and what he could not fulfil with the office of his mouth he may through thy grace reap the fruit of desired penance Through our Lord c. Missal sec us Sar. p. 43. 4. The Heathen had a certain time especially assign'd them every year when they were to offer their Purgatory-sacrifices S. Aust. de Civit. Dei lib. 7. cap. 7. Plutarch tells us That the Romans made their offerings and sacrifices for the dead in the Month of February Roman Question Quest. 34. Hence he calls this Month 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Expiatorie and purgative In vita Romuli When the Romans saith Ovid in the heat of their Wars had for some time omitted these yearly Feasts and Sacrifices for the dead their Ghosts were frequently seen and lamentable howlings heard thorow the City in the night-time Take the whole relation in his own words Fastor lib. 2. At quondam dum longa gerunt pugnacibus armis Bella parentales deseruere dies Non impune fuit nam dicitur omine ab ipso Roma suburbanis incaluisse rogis Vix equidem credo bustis exisse feruntur Et tacitae questi tempore noctis avi Perque vias Vrbis Latiosque ululasse per agros Deformes animas vulgus inane ferunt Post ea praeteriti tumulis redduntur honores Prodigiisque venit funeribusque modus And a little after he adds Hanc quia justa ferunt dixêre Feralia lucem Vltima placandis Manibus illa dies And in another place he tells us That this Month of February anciently the last Month in the year was consecrated to the Infernal Gods because a considerable part of it viz. eleven days was spent in offering Sacrifices to them for the weal of the Dead Qui sacer est imis manibus imus erat Fastor Lib. 2. Thus our Romanists have a certain day every year appointed on which they are to pray and offer Sacrifices for all Souls viz. the second of November There 's a particular Office appointed for this day in their Missals on which there must be two Masses in Cathedral and Collegiate Churches That herein they conform to the Heathen nay that they derive this custom from them is ingenuously confessed by their Polydor Virgil who after he hath discoursed of the yearly Sacrifices which the Pagans offer'd for the Dead saith Vnde omninò factum videtur ut Odiloni in mentem venerit hujus religionis celebrandi anniversarias exequias defunctorum now Odilo was the first Author of these Anniversary Commemorations De Inventor Rerum Lib. 6. cap. 9. 5. Besides the foresaid time the Heathen observ'd certain days every year for particular persons On these Anniversary days saith Natalis Comes they killed black Sheep and having taken the blood of them into a Vessel with prayers poured it into an hole digged in the earth and called upon the souls to drink as Euripides in Hecuba hath expressed it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Has mortuorum inferias meas cape Mulcimen adsis ut bibas hunc sanguinem Castae puellae quem tibi donavimus Mythol Lib. 1. cap. 13. And much like to this is that of Virgil. Aeneid Lib. 5. Quinas de more bidentes Totque suos totidem nigrantes terga juvencos Vinaque fundebat pateris animamque vocabat Anchysae magni manesque Acheronte remissos Nec non socii quae cuique copia laeti Dona ferunt onerantque aras mactantque juvencos Thus do Papists observe certain days every year for particular persons These Anniversary days are kept saith Durand for three Reasons 1. That the Dead may pass from the years of calamity to the years of eternity i. e. eternal life 2. Because as we observe an Anniversary day to the honour of Saints and our profit so we observe yearly the day of their Death to their profit and our devotion 3. Anniversary days are kept for the Dead because we know not how 't is with them in the other world and 't is better that our charity to them superabound than be defective Rational divin Offic. lib. 6. cap. 35. And if this Anniversary day for the Dead fall upon a Sunday or any great Festival it must not be put off till the next day as the Festivities of Saints are but be observed the day before that the pains which the deceased suffer in Purgatory may be sooner mitigated Durand ibid. The Church of Rome hath appointed a particular Office for these Anniversaries in which we have several Prayers take one of them Grant we beseech thee O Lord that the souls of thy Servants when 't is kept for more than one the Anniversary day of whose decease we commemorate being purged by these Sacrifices may obtain indulgence and eternal rest Through our Lord c. Missale parvum in Anniversario defunctor CHAP. XIV Consecration of Bells THe Heathen had Trumpets for religious Uses Rosinus Antiq. Rom. Lib. 2. cap. 4. 1. These they purged and hallowed at the Feast of Minerva called Quinquatria and at the Feast of Vulcan and for this reason they were called Tubillustria Of which Ovid writes thus Summa dies quinque tubam lustrare canoram Admonet forti sacrificare Deae Again Proxima Vulcani lux est quam Lustria dicunt Lustrantur purae quas fecit ille tubae Hospinian de Origine Festor Pagan p. 73. 95. And Rosinus out of Varro informs us where these Trumpets for holy uses were consecrated Antiq. Rom. Lib. 4. cap. 7. 2. They taught that these consecrated Trumpets were sovereign Antidotes against Magical Conjurations Apparitions Thunder Tempests c. So much is affirm'd by Ovid. Fast Lib. 5. Rursus aquam tangit Temisaeaque concrepat aera Et rogat ut tectis exeat umbra suis And the words of Arnobius import some extraordinary virtue according to the judgment of the Heathen in these mystical Instruments Etiamne aeris tinnitibus quassationibus cymbalorum Etiamne tympanis quid efficiunt crepitus scabillorum Adv. Gentes Lib. 7. Thus do Papists consecrate Bells
continued Victorious and Prosperous Did Religion universally prevail and influence the hearts and lives of men then might we beat our Swords into plough-shares and our Spears into pruning-books then every man might sit under his own Vine eating the fruit thereof and none should make him afraid then there would be no leading into Captivity no complaining in our Streets no vexatious Suits no groanings of the oppressed no private injuries no publick Seditions In a word this would make England a Land of desire an heritage of glory even the glory of all Nations And in order to the advance of Religion so advantagious to Mankind let me recommend two Things to your special care and observation 1. The suppression of such Doctrines as subvert Religion particularly those of the Romish Church How dangerous they are to Government and destructive of Vertue you cannot be ignorant and how malepert the Promoters and Professors of them are lately grown is visible to all I am not for your sheathing the Sword of Justice in their Bowels such severity becometh Romanists best yet let them know you have one and that you dare draw it in the defence of that Faith you own which is truly Ancient Catholick and Apostolical 2. The strict Observation of the Christian Sabbath That this day is of Divine Institution and grounded on the fourth Commandment is expresly asserted in the Homily of the Time and Place of Prayer in these words Whatsoever is found in the Commandment appertaining to the Law of Nature as a thing most godly most just and needful for the setting forth of Gods Glory it ought to be retain'd and kept of all good Christian People and therefore by this Commandment we ought to have a Time as one Day in the week wherein one ought to rest yea from our lawful and needful works For like-as it appeareth by this Commandment That no man in the six days ought to be slothful or idle but diligently to labour in that state wherein God hath set him Even so God hath given express charge to all men That upon the Sabbath-day which is now our Sunday they should cease from all weekly and work-day labour to the intent That like-as God himself wrought six days and rested the â—eventh and blessed and sanctified it Even so Gods obedient People should use the Sunday holily not in Sports and Plays and rest from their common and daily business and also give themselves wholly not an hour or two to heavenly Exercises of Gods true Religion and Service So that God doth not only command the Observation of this Holy-day but also by his own Example doth stir and provoke us to the diligent keeping of the same If we will be the Children of our Heavenly Father we must be careful to keep the Christian Sabbath-day which is the Sunday not only for that it is Gods express Commandment but also to declare our selves to be loving Children in following the Example of our gracious Lord and Father In which words we may observe 1. That by virtue of the fourth Commandment one day in seven is perpetually to be kept holy 2. That the keeping of the Lords-day is grounded upon and commanded in the fourth Commandment This Testimony I have urged to check those who confidently Preach and Print too contrary to their own Subscriptions That our Sabbath hath only the Churches Authority to support it and have no better Name than Judaick Precisians for the strict Observers of it But let me further add and 't is what I mainly intend That the devout and conscientious Observation of this Day is the Support of Religion A great Divine tells us The Commandment for the Sabbath is put in the close of the First and in the beginning of the second Table to denote That the Observation of both Tables depends much upon the sanctification of this Day And another observes That Religion is just as the Sabbath is it decays or grows as the Sabbath is esteemed it flourisheth in a due veneration of the Sabbath and it pines and consumes when the Sabbath is neglected I never knew any Place or Person eminent for Piety that was not careful in the sanctification of this Day My next request therefore Right Honourable and Worshipful is That you would unanimously and zealously endeavour to promote the strict Observation of our Christian Sabbath Let not the notorious Profaners of it escape unpunished I will not further oppress your Patience only crave your Patronage and favourable acceptance of this Treatise and a thankful acknowledgment of the great Obligations you have laid upon me That God would incline your hearts to contribute your utmost endeavours towards the advancement of true Religion and Vertue and Succeed you in them and Reward you for them That he would Confer on you all the Blessings you want and preserve and sanctifie those you have and Crown all with the unconceivable Glories of another World is now and shall be the humble and fervent Prayer of Your most obliged and Devoted Servant Joshua Stopford The Epistle to the Reader IGnorant Persons who know little or nothing of Rome but from the Pamphlets of her Parasites may be induced to fancy it to be no less than a Heavenly Jerusalem and they whose Ears are continually fill'd with the Venerable Expressions of Catholick Faith Holy Fathers General Councils Perpetual Successions S. Peters Chair c. ingeminated by Romanists may saith a late Writer by the very sound of such Words be some-what dispos'd to entertain a favourable Opinion of the Romish-Religion The Design of the following Treatise is to fortifie These against such allurements by representing both the one and the other in their true native Colours And to expose unto publick View such dismal Pieces of their Catholick Doctrine and Worship as whosoever observes them well shall have I hope no great temptation to look over-friendly towards Rome And in Order to this end I have used no arguments but such as all that can read may understand My present intention being only to instruct common Christians and to lead them in a plain way In discovering their Corruptions Superstitions and Idolatry I have used all sincerity urging nothing material to their prejudice but what is found either in their publick Liturgies or their best Authors and as much moderation as the matter in hand was capable of Indeed I am forced sometimes to call Things by their proper Names as lying with another Mans Wife Adultery purloining another mans goods Robbery adoring Stocks and Stones Idolatry And if our Romanists think these Expressions uncivil and instead of confessing themselves guilty of what is most justly charged upon them complain that I reproach them I must answer some-what like Elijah in the like case That they are the only men who have reproached themselves For I only say that which they do and cast nothing upon their Face but what I find in their Bosome and not the hundredth Part of it Some Hours and Days and Weeks I