A Quench-Coal, To the reader
TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.
CHRISTIAN READER, it is aHeroda…i Clio. p. 34. & Solinus Hist. p. 175.storied of Croesus his dumbe-borne Sonne, that when he saw a Persian Captaine going to stay his Father, his filiall affection was so stirred in him at the sight, that though he never spake before, yet then he brake forth into these words: O man, doe not kill Croesus; And so saved his Fathers life.
What this dutifull Sonne thus unexpectedly uttered (being ever before tongue-tied) out of his endeared love to his naturall Father, I am here constrained, (out of my loyall respects to my spirituall Mother the Church of England) publikely to speake to some treacherous seeming-Sonnes of hers, who have almost stabbed her to the heart, under a specious pretence of fighting for her, in some late printed workes: O man, doe not murther and betray my Mother the Church of England. (Even asbLuke 22. 41. Iudas once did our Saviour with a kisse) whiles you are in outward appearance contending wholy for her.
Alas, when I behold you writing professedly against her Homilies Articles, and the Booke of Common-Prayer, to which you have all cArticles of Religion, 25. and Canon. 36. 37.subscribed; When I see you raking the very ashes, and mangling the deceased Carcases of her most eminent Iewel, Raynolds, Whitaker, Fulke, Willet, Perkins, with other of her most victorious triumphant Champions over Romes greatest Goliahs, (whom you never durst so much as looke upon, by way of Opposition, in their life times) proclaiming professed hostility to their authorized Writings; When I behold you siding with the Papists, maintaining their Antichristian Errours, Doctrines, Ceremonies & abuses before all the world, without blush or shame; Defending their Erronious Writers against our famous Orthodox Authours, whose blessed memories you seeke causelesly to steine; When I behold you avowing even in print;dChowneus, Reeve, Shelford, Pocklington, Heylyn, Bis: White, Bishop Mountague, Bish: Wren, with sundrie others have defended these Positions between them in printed Bookes, others have done the like in Sermons, yea in the High Commission.
That the Church of Rome is a true Church.
That personall Succession of Bishops is requisite and Essentiall to make a true Church.
That the Arch-Bishops and Bishops of England derive their lineall Succession and Episcopall dignity from S. Peters Chaire, and the very Sea of Rome, and that we should not acknowledge them for Bishops in case they either did not, or could not doe so.
That the Pope of Rome or Papacy is not the Antichrist; Nor Antichrist yet come or revealed.
That Crucifixes and Images in Churches are Lawfull and necessary comly Ornaments.
That Christ is Really present upon Earth, on the High-Altar and Communion-Table.
That Communion-Tables are Altars; Ministers of the Gospell, Priests serving at the Altar; The Sacrament of the Lords Supper, the Sacrament of the Altar, and may yea ought so to be phrased.
That men ought to bow to Altars and Communion-Tables, and to place and Rayle them in Altar-wise at the East end of the Church, and come up to them, and receive when there is a Sacrament; And that Ministers must read their Second Service at them when there is none.
That auricular Confession to a Priest and Absolution are very fitting and necessary: (points much insisted on, and pressed at this present, when Cleargie-mens sinnes are so open and notorious, that they need no Confession, but correction rather.)
That the Lords-day is no Sabbath.
That it is Iewish to call or keep it as a Sabbath.
That it is not of divine but humane Institution, nor within the morality of the fourth Commaundement.
That two howers only of it are to be sanctified, nor the whole day.
That Morrises, Dancing, Sports and Pastimes (yea labours of mens calling, not specially prohibited by some humane Lawes even out of cases of necessity) are Lawfull on it.
That men may fall totally and finally from Grace.
That they have free-will, and may exactly fulfill the Law of God if they please themselves.
That men are justified by workes, yea by charity, and not by faith alone.
That men are Elected from the foresight of faith and workes, and Reprobated only out of the foresight of their sinnes.
That there is an universall grace given to all men, whereby they may be saved if they will.
That Christ died alike for all men wha soaver.
That preaching is an extraordinary thing*Among the Bishops it is so. necessary only for extraordinary times, and belonging to none but extraordinary men.
That one Sermon in a Month is enough and better then two a day.
That reading is properly preaching.
That Arch-Bishops and Bishops Episcopall Iurisdiction and degree is above other Ministers, Iure divino.
That the Ministers know more then the Lay-people, the Bishops more then the Ministers, the Arch-Bishops more then the Bishops; And therefore; what ever the Ministers shall teach or prescribe the people, what ever the Bishops, the Ministers and people; what ever the Arch-Bishops, the Bishops, Ministers and people too, are bound to believe and obey, without further question or dispute.
That the Popes Lawes, Decrees and Canon-Law are still in force, and our Church ought to be governed by them, and our Ecclesiasticall Courts proceed Legally according to them.
That Bishops have power to make and publish Articles, Canons, Injunctions, Oathes, Orders, Rites & Ceremonies in their owne names and rights, and to enforce both Ministers and people to obey them.
That they may silence, suspend and excommunicate, (yea deprive and imprison) Ministers at their pleasure without any Legall cause.
That Bishops are not bound to preach so much or so oft as other men, (though they have greater wages, and so should doe more worke;)
That they may Lawfully and laudablie neglect their spirituall functions to mannage temporall Offices and affaires, exercise both Swords at once, and rule both Church and State together.
When I see out owne Divines (if we may believe them) by publike License in printed Bookes defending all these with sundrie other erronious Romish Positions, maintaining all Popish Ceremonies, conforming themselves to Popish Masse-Priests, in their noddes, cringes, genuflections, habits, preaching, writing, Ceremonies; And joyning thus with them in a most treacherous confederacie against the established Doctrine & Discipline of the Church of England, as many late Writers, and by Name Bishop Mountague, Bishop White, Edmond Reene, Dr. Pocklington, Dr. Heylyn, Dr. Primerose, Dr. Laurence, Dr. Read, Mr. Shelford, Mr. Chowne, Mr. Studly, with others in their late printed Bookes, Bishop Wren and other our Prelates in their Visitation Articles, and hundreds in their unprinted Sermons, both in the Court, City, Uniuersitie and Country have done.
When I behold our Lords Tables eueryevery where called, and turned into Altars, or rayled Altar-wise; Our Ministers transformed into Priests, and so stiled: Our Religion Metamorphosed into externall Popish Pompe and Ceremonies; Our Devotion into Superstition; Our Holines into professed prophanesse; Our godnes into impiory; Our Preaching into Piping and Dauncing; Our Lords dayes into Play-dayes; Our Conscience into unconscio… ablenes; Our feare of God into Atheisme; Our Bishops for the most part into Bite-shrepes; Our Ecclestasticall High Commisioners into Spanish Inquisitours and meere Tyrants; Our Pastors into Wolves; Our Religious Fasting (even in this time of Plague and danger) into Feasting; Our devout Prayers into carnall lollity; Our Profession of Religion into Derision, and Gods Word, (yea Heaven and Hell) into a Fable; And that principally by meanes of some … Authorized Bookes in print, (which no man can have free liberty to answer, this being one grand Policy of our Popish Innovatours, to ingrosse the power and commaund of all our printing Presses into their owne hands, and to stay whatever may either detect or crosse their Antichristian Romish designes.)
When I behold all this, I say, even with a bleeding heart and troubled spirit, how can I but unloose my hitherto silent tongue and penne, and cry out aloud that all may heare, to these open Powder. Traytours, who would blow up our Religion and our Church at once; O men, doe not thus murther and destroy the Church of England.
Now, because I cannot at once encounter all those who are guilty of this unnaturall Treachery, nor crush all these viperous Cockatrices in the shell, I have here single & out some three or foure of them to combate with, (especially the Authour of A Coale from the Altar, intiteled, A Iudicious Learned Divine; Whose Coale set on fire by Mr. Samuell Baker, in the Bishops of Londons Open, hath kindled a new Combustion every-where in our Church,) concerning Altars, the Sacrament of the Altar, the …swing of the Communion Table an Altar, and the placing of it Altarwise, with one side against the Wall, as the East end of the Church.
VVhichWhich they have earnestly pleaded for in late printed Bookes, in open affront and defiance to our Statu…es, Articles of Religion, Booke of Common-Prayer, Injunctions, Canons, Martyrs, and most Eminent Writers.
Which particulars though they seeme small at first view, and are slighted by many, as matters of no great moment, yet, all Circumstances considered, they are very important, and the conniving at them without Opposition, like to prove fatall to our Religion, as the Reading of the Treatise itselfe, will evidence more at large.
To make this apparant in few words; There is no man almost so ignorant, as not to know; So blinde, as not to see that there is a strong faction sprung up of late among us (the heades whereof were particularly voted and descried in Parliament-House the last Parliament) who labour with all diligence, power, and cunning artifice, to bring the whole body of Popery into our Church againe, yet secretly by degrees, with as little noyse as might be, by those severall Stratagemes and meanes, which that cunning-pated Iesuite Adam Contzin in his Booke of eL. 2. c. 17. 18. 19 See the Booke called, Looke about you.Politickes printed at Mentz, Anno 1621. hath prescribed them for that purpose; Which they prosecute and follow to an haires-breadth.
To effect this Plot the better (according to the Popes consultation and direction in his Conclave) they first vented all the Arminian points in printed Bookes; Which though at first oppugned by many to their hazard, have now (under a pretence of silencing all controversies in this kinde) quite silenced the truth itselfe; Being now publikely printed and preached every where without controll, contrary to his Majesties Proclamation, concerning the inhibiting and calling in of fP. 20. 21. 42.Mountagues Booke (which led the Dance,) in his Declaration before the 39. Articles; And concerning the Dissolution of the last Parliament; Which are now made snares only by these potent Confederates (contrary to his Majesties pious intention) to suppresse the truth, and bring those into trouble, who defend it against Arminian Novelties or Popish Tenents, either by printing or preaching.
Next after this, they began to crie up, practise, and enjoyne m…ny superstitious Popish Ceremonies, especially bowing at the name of Iesus, both in time of Divine Service and Sermons, to the end it might usher in bowing to Altars, Images, Crucifixes, with adoration of the Sacramentall bread and wine; Which Ceremonie getting head by violence, many suffring for opposing it, and others either ignorantly or cowardly submitting to it, though not prescribed in the Booke of Common-Prayer; Then they began at first in some private places to set up Images, Altars, yea Crusifixes in Churches, directly contrary to our *Against the Perill of Idolatrie.Homilies; To call Lords-Tables, Altars; To turne them Altarwise or into Altars, and bow downe unto them.
And because an Altar without a Priest was to no purpose, they next begin, to tearme themselves with other Ministers by no other name but Priestes; Yea Priestes to dance attendance on these new Altars, both in their Sermons, Bookes and VVritings.
VVhichWhich being done but secretly in corners (as every Evill is bashfull at first, and creepes up but by degrees) these new devises also got… ground by litle and litle, some potent Bishops setting them on, and countenancing them under hand, Crushing such who chiefly oppugned these Innovations in the High-Commission and elsewhere.
And having thus by publike Censures and these under…and Devises given open countenance to them, and disheartned people from opposing them, they grew in a short time so impudent as openly to plead for Jmages, Altars, Priestes, turning of Communion-Tables Altar-wise, bowing to them and at the name of Iesus, reading of Second Service at them, standing up at Gloria Patri, the Gospell, &c. and that not only in the Pulpit, but in the High-Commission and in print, setting some shallowpated fellowes (as Giles Widdowes, Reeve and Shelford) in the fore-front to breake the Ice, to see how the people would relish them; And then when these men had borne the brunt and blame for a while, and the strangenes of the things was almost vanished, seconding them with others of better note and parts, to give greater Countenance to them, that people might the more willingly embrace these Innovations.
VVhichWhich being thus once pleaded for in print, our Bishops (the chiefe Plotters and fomenters of them) begin first more covertly under-hand by way of persuasion and intreatie, and now at last openly in their Visitation-Articles by way of peremptorie commaund, (one pragmaticall impudent Prelate giving the first onset, and then others seconding him in their fore-plotted order,) to enjoyne all these Innovations, Popish Practises and Ceremonies to be put in full execution throughout their Diocesse; And now they are growen so impudent, as to excommunicate, suspend, yea Censure in the High Commission all such Church-wardens and Ministers, who out of Conscience towards God, Obedience to his Majesties Lawes and Declarations, or love to Religion, dare oppose or not sub…ie unto … many *The Church-warders of Berkington, Ipswitch, Colchester, and others.Church-wardens being excommunicated for not … in the Table Altarwise; And many Ministers suspended excommunicated, put from their Livings, if not field … imprisoned too (especially in Bishop Wrens and Bishop … Diocesse) for not bowing to the Altar, and as the names Iesus, not reading Second Service at the High Altar … Lords-Table, for opposing the rayling in of the Table Altarwise, without Lawfull Authority, or preaching against, or not yeelding to these Popish Proceedings; VVhichWhich have lately gotten such head in most places, that now all thing except Latine Service, are prepared for the Masse in many Churches, which added to these Novelties, will make us perfect Papists: For we have Altars (with Altar-clothe… Tapers, Bisons and other Romish furniture on them,) Priestes, Crucifixes, bowing to Altars, coming up to the Altar, and there kneeling downe to receive, all Popish Trinekets and Massing Ceremonies, Copes, Organs, Vestments (especially in our Cathedrals, which now must be. gCoale from the Altar. p. 26. 27. 28. 51. 52.Pattern… of Imitation to all other Churches in the Diocesse,) all which being but meere Preparations for the Masse, how soone that also may steale in upon us, (if his Majesties pious care, with other our Magistrates vigilancie and inferiour Minister out-cries, who are over-silent in such an exigent, prevent … not with speed,) by these active hot-spurs machinations who have made such a swift progresse in all the other particulars which they impudently presse and justice with bra…e… faces and obdurate hearts; (not fearing already to stile th… Lords Supper, an unbloody Sacrifice, the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the Altar, and to maintaine a corporall presence in the Eucharist, I feare to divine.
And when Masse is once installed and sett up, the next thing these Novellers are to effect,) Popery wilbe perfectly restored with it, and then face well all our Religion, which we have enjoyed, with all extern… peace and felicity attending it.
Now, … it is plaine (according to the moderne Papists and these Innovatours Doctrine,) that there can be no Masse without an Altar, or Super-Altar; No Altar but at the East end of the Church, as remote from the people as they he, for the better officiating of private Masse; And neither Masse nor Altar without a Sacrifice, a Sacrament of the Altar, and a Priest to Consecrate and Offer it; The oppugning of these Innovations (the immediate Harbengers and fore-runners both of Masse and open Poperie, without which there can be no Masse, and Poperie can never get head among us, (and by conniving at which without …ong and sodaine Opposition, both Masse and Popery, the things principally a…med at, without which these other are to no purpose, will presently perke up and get quiet possession among us, to the utter overthrow of our Religion,) must needs be of great consequence.
… know, that when a Ciety is beleaguerd, whiles the … and Out workes are safe and defended, the Citty is in no danger of surprisall: But if the Enemies once get them, all is in danger to be lost: Our Lords-Tables, Ministers, Lords Supper, yea the very use and defence of these Titles, … well as the things, are the Bulworkes and Outworkes of our Religion, as long as we maintained them, there was as feare of Masse or open Popery; But since the Altars and the name of Altars invaded and thrust out our Lords-Tables and their names, Priestes out Ministers and the Title of Ministers, and those other Massing Ceremonies prevayled, the Outworkes of our Religion are quite lost and taken, with many of the In-workes too; by our Popish Adversaries, and all is in great danger of speedy surpris…; Is it not then high time for us to awake and bestirre ourselves; To beat out these secret Traytours, which demolish these Out-fortifications, or betray them to our Romish Adversaries and to make good and regaine these Sconces (if it be possible) without which all wilbe hazarded, if not quite l…st, and that in a litle space for ought we know?
Let no man then thinke slightly of these smaller matters, without which the grandest designes of our Popish Adversaries cannot be effected or proceed: But let all rather labour to prie into that great Treacherous plot and hidden mystery of Iniquity, which sets all these under-wheeles on worke, and endeavour all they may, to oppose that imminent inundation of the whole body of Popery, flowing in a maine upon us, all which wise men both foresee and feare… Which it wilbe in vaine to doe, if we permit these Bankes, these Bulworkes J here content for, to be broken downe… Which alone will secure us, if maintained, but ruine all if once demolished, by forraigne Opposites or homebred Traytours.
For the Coale from the Altar (the maine Treatise I he… encounter, which fires all these fortifications at once, that the enemies may enter and surprise us whiles we either neglect or strive to quench the flame:) The Authour thereof, … seemes, was ashamed to owne it by his name, (though as impudent, as shamelesse, as active an instrument of mischiefe as great an incendiary for his yeares as any living in our Church, if he on whom fame hath fathered it, be the man.)
The Title informes us, that he is a Divine, yea a judicio… Learned Divine, (perchance in his owne and some other conceit;) But certainly what ever his Learning is, sure I at his Iudgement is not very great, and his honestie lesse, as will appeare in the Quench-Coale.
For the Letter he undertakes to answer (which he would injuriously without any ground Father upon Mr. Cotton of Boston, the more to abuse had Censure the true Authour of it, with whom he hath lately had some personall quarrels and contests) is certainly knowen to be Dr. Williams now Bishop of Lincolne and Deane of Westminster, a man farre more Learned and judicious then the Answerer, and every way able to make good his owne Letter, which I have not particularly undertaken to defend, dealing in this Controversie with the Coale, no further then concernes the points debated in the Letter, and that in generall, without any relation unto the Epistoler, who no doubt will answer for himselfe without a Proctor.
As for this Quench-Coale, having to doe with others as well as the Coale, I have therein followed mine owne Method, though confused, not the Coales; And cleared the points in Controversie by our owne English Martyrs, VVriters and Records, omitting Forraigners, partly for brevity sake, and partly because impertinent in these particulars, which principally concerne the practise and judgement only of our owne Church; In which as I wonder much that the rumored Authour of the Coale could finde no Lords-day Sabbath, though he writ An History of it, so J wonder how he could finde an Altar in it; Our Church having cashered Altars as Popish, Heathenish & Iewish, yet he deemes the Christian; And retained & prescribed the Name and Sanctification of the Lords-day Sabbath, which he brandes as Iewish, as if Altars were not more Iewish then it.
And here good Reader, I desire thee to obserue, … they are that thus plead most stifly for Altars, calling Comunion-Tables Altars, and turning them Altar-wise, … hBish: White, Dr. Hylyn, Dr. Pocklington, Ree…e, &cthose who write and preach against the name … Sanctification of the Lords-day Sabbath, as Iewish.
Certainly, these men, I feare, are quite distracted thr… malice, or tossed to and for with a spirit of giddines, … they could not so earnestly oppose & write against Iuda… (as they tearme it,) with the one hand, and yet at the … time embrace and write for it with the other.
Now, if Judaisme be so distastfull to them, as that … cannot brooke the name, much lesse the Sanctification of … Lords-day Sabbath, which the Homilies of the Time and … of Prayer, and the third part of the Homilie against Rebellus to which they have subscribed, pleades for, as truly Christian How then can they write for Altars, (yea the naming of … Lords-Table an Altar, and his Supper the Sacrament of … Altar,) which the first part of the Homilie, against the … of Idolatrie, p. 18. and the second Part of the Sermon of … Time and Place of Prayer, p. 131. condem… both as Iewish Popish and Heathenish, as many of our Writers before and since these Homilies have done?
Let them therefore either reject Altars, as they doe… Christian Sabbath, because they are Iewish; Or else … and plead for this Sabbath, and its strict Sanctification, (…mitting it be Iewish, as it is not,) because they write so … lie for Altars, more Iewish farre then the names, or strict Sanctification of the Lords-day Sabbath.
To draw to a Conclusion; All J have here written, is …y out of pure zeale to Gods glory, the Patronage of his …, and benefit of his Churh, without any private spleene particular persons.
If any good accrue to Gods people by it, or this my Mo… Church of England; I desire God may have the glory, … whom alone it is due; If no publike benefit be reaped by …, nor satisfaction given to private Christians in these …ggering times, to settle both their Iudgements, Conscien… and Practise, as I hope there will; Yet I have done my … endeavour; The Successe is Gods alone, not mine to …; To his Blessing I commend both thee and it, desiring … the short space I had to compile it in, may excuse the de… in the composition. So I rest.
Thy Friend in the Lord. Iuli… the tenth 1636.