Against Human Ceremonies in Gods Worship, Frontispiece – Dedication 1
Sic fuit▪ (ah, fuit▪) Amesius. Quid funere tanto,
Cum grege Papali, Pelagianus ovat?
Quid rides Hierarcha? Viri nos arma tenemus,
Astra animam, tellus ossa, sed os tabula.
A FRESH SVIT Against HUMAN CEREMONIES IN GOD'S VVORSHIP. OR A Triplication unto. D. BVRGESSE HIS REJOINDER For D. MORTON.
The First Part.
Psal. 119, 113.
I hate vayn inventions: but thy saw doe I love,
Printed Anno 1633.
An ADVERTYSEMENT to the Reader, Occasioned by the never enough lamented death of my deare freind the Authour of this Fresh suite.
VNderstand Christian Reader, that with the comming forth of this booke into the light, the learned and famous Authour Dr. Ames left the light, or darknes rather of this world. His name for diverse reasons (not needfull here to be recited) hath been hitherto concealed, and that which generally was but imagined before, (viz. that the Repl. and this fresh suit to D. B. Rejoynder) to be his work, now it is certainly known to be his, that none need to doubt therof. It pleadeth trueth succinctly, yet perspicuously, and with sinewy Answeres to B.M. and D. B. poore Sophisms, as indeed his veinc in all his writings and discourses did most admirably lead him to do. Concerning this matter, I may not keep back what I heard him speake as in the sight of God, that he was in his conscience more perswaded of the evill of these reliques of Popery and monuments of that superstition then ever, and yet he never had seen good in them, or come from them: and that moreover if D. B. or any other of them would yet be daubing with suntempered mortar, and not give over to paint rotten sepulchres, he was by the grace of God resolved still to maintain the cause, and while he liued never let fall the uit commenced this way, not that he sought victorie to himselfe, no; That trueth might returne out of the feild with conquest was the highest pitch of his ambition. And though this worthy of the Lord be with us no more, yetGod (I trust) who is rich in mercy, and hath more then one blessing, will (as need shall require) supply the advantage trueth had, and now hath lost in the losse of this glorious instrument. Together with his life God hath put an end to all his travailes, wherein he shewed himself a pattern of holines, a burning and a shining light, and lamp of learning & Arts, a Champion for trueth, specially while for the space of 12 yeares at least, he was in the Doctors Chaire at Franequer, and having fough… the good fight of faith, whereunto he was called, & professed a good profession before nyamwitnesses, he hath now indeed layd hold on eternall life. His spirit gon to the spirits of just men, and his body committed to the ground, we committ his labours to thy use, wherein he being dead, yet speaketh, and his memorie we hope shall live for ever.
Fare well in Christ, the Fountain of all welfare.
To the renovvned King, EDVVARD THE SIXT And so To our present Soueraigne King CHARLES his Successor. IOHANNES ALASCO (a Godly Learned Polonian Baron and Superintendent of the Church of strangers at London) in the Epistle Dedicatory of his tractate Concerning the Sacraments, printed at London, Ano. 1552.
WEll doth that Father, and vvithout doubt diserueth praise, vvho having a daughter a Virgin dravvne by the guile of panders into some levvd and dishonest house, and there trimmed after the vvhorish guise doth presently rescue her thence and bring her home to his ovvne house before shee be utterly spoyled. But the same Father (if he be vvise) thinks it not enough for the safty of his daughter, and the honor of his house, that he hath brought her home agayne, vnles he take from her vvholly vvhatsoever he knovves to be accounted in those houses a vvhorish attyre.
Neyther doth he inquire vvhence such attyre came first: but iudgeth it dishonorable to himselfe, and so unvvorthy his daughter and vvhole family, that any such thing at all as strompets hauehave vsed for dressings in their houses, should appeare in his.
Neyther doth hee giuegive eare to their persvvasions, vvho beare him in hand that all things are to bee Esteemed according to the Fathers mynd in his ovvne house; and so thinke that the Fathers approbation can make that honest, in his ovvne house, for his daughter, and vvhole family, vvhichwhich in another house, is most dishonest, for any daughters that regard their ovvne credits: ascribing so much to the Fathers prerogatiue, that vvhat soever he approues, must be of others vvell liked of, so farre as it concernes his ovvne house. For he knovves full vvell, that although all those things vvhichwhich he hath authorized in his ovvne house be there vvell thought of, yet that is not enough, synce the honor of his daughter, and his vvhole Family, must not only hee cared for vvithin his ovvne house, but also throughout the vvhole Citie, that he may remoue all evill suspicions from his family among all his neighbours; and is heedfull that the panders hauehave not the least occasion left them, of challenging or laying clayme to the sayd daughter, as hauing some of their vvhor-house-marks upon her.
Even so in the Church of God, as in a city, Magistrates and Ministers are in place of parents, having the pure and right Administration of the Sacraments committed unto them of God, for to be tended, and tendered as their ovvne daughter. It is therfore very commendable in these parents of the church (as vvee may terme them) if they rescue the lavvfull & pure Administration of the Sacraments from the violence and tyrany of the Romish Panders, by taking it into their ovvne care and Custody.
But heer they ought to remember (Especially they vvho are called by the holy Spirit, Eminent Ministers of God, and Nursing Fathers of his church I.E. Christian Kings and Monarchs, that it is not enough for them, thus to have brought this daughter out of the Papists stevves, home into their ovvne care and keeping, unles they also put of from her, all that dressing, vvhichwhich they knovv to be vvhorish in the sayd stevves, that no such thing may be seene vvith them, vvhichwhich may be accounted vvhorish: Especially in that citty vvhere there is great Variety of judgments, the ouerruling vvherof by mans Autority is not to bee expected, and vvhere there are so mamy hucksters for the stevves remayning.
Nor let them heare the delusions of those vvho suggest, that such kindes of dressing from vvhence soeuer they bee taken may bee made good & honest by Authoritye. For vvell they knovv, they are not set ouer the vvhole church of God, but only one part of it, as a Family in a Citty, and that therfore though they could beare out such things at home by their Authoritye; yet it is their dutye (as they regard publike Chastity and honesty) to procure the honor of their daughter and familye not only vvithin their ovvne vvalls but alsoe throughout the vvhole citty; not suffring any thing to be seene vvithin their house, vvhichwhich they knovv to be held, urged, and maynteyned by the Romish stevves and their instruments as their proper vvhorish stuffe.
Last of all they must bee vvary, least any signes or tokens bee left upon their daughter, by vvhichwhich shee may bee questioned agayne by these panders as one of theires.
Novv (if it please your Excellent Majestye) you are one of these nursing Fathers of the Church of God blessed bee his name therefore: and in this high calling (by Gods providence) you hauehave this Ministery of the Sacraments rescued out of the popish Brothells, and brought into your ovvne care and keeping: Here therfore bee pleased to set before your eyes the foresayd example of a good Father in those things vvhichwhich yet remayne to be performed, I. E. in prouiding for the credit of this your reduced daughter and so of your vvhole Family, not only in this your Flourishing Kingdome, but also in the Catholike Church of Christ vvherof you are a citezen, unto vvhom a principall part therof as an honorable familye is Committed in trust.
This is that which all the Godly throughout the Christian world doe expect from your hand, and that the more earnestly because they know that God hath enriched you with such excellent gifts, & placed you in so high a place almost aboue all others; euen to this very end, that you might remoue from the Ministery of the Sacraments all those popish trinkets, wherewith it hath bin fearfully prophaned, & restore unto it agayne that virgin-like attyre, wherwith it was of old adorned by the high King of Kings, and lawgiver Christ the Lord in his holy Institutions. So shall your faith and fidelitye bee famous throughout the Christian world: and the Church of England grow more honorable under your Gouernment.
The Latyn vvords of Iohannes Alasco himselfe.