The Root of Romish Rites and Ceremonies, Title page – To the reader
THE ROOTE OF ROMISH RITES AND CEREMONIES;
Shevving That the Church of Rome hath borrowed moſt part of her Ceremonies of the Iewes & ancient Pagans, and that from this ſpring proceeded the Iubile.
Firſt written in French
By M. CHARLES DRELINCOURT, Miniſter of Gods Word in the Reformed Church of Paris:
And now tranſlated into Engliſh By M. T.
ANNO M.DC.XXX.
To the Reader.
THAT which thou ſeeſt here tranſlated, Chriſtiā Reader, is not a whole booke, but taken out of a litle booke, called, The Iubile of the reformed Churches, with an Examinatiō of the Iubile of the Church of Rome (written againſt the greate Iubile, cellebrated Anno 1625.) dedicated to the Dutcheſſe of Bouillon, and publiſhed in the yeare 1627. The ſame is diuided into three Treatiſes, whereof this is only the eleuenth chapter of the ſecond Treatiſe. I confeſſe the whole worke were verie requiſit to be tranſlated, the rather becauſe of another greate Iubile, celebrated this preſent yeare 1627. as well by the Engliſh Catholicks, as by all others in all the world, with praiers for the extirpation of our Religion, which they call hereſie, as alſo becauſe many others in England begin to looke back to the fleſh-pots of this ſpirituall Egypt, and thinke to reconcile ſome of the differences betweene Papiſts and the Church of England, and to make the reſt ſeeme leſſe then they are. But ſure I am that this chapter is more then I ſhall hauehave thanks for of them; and that if I had ſent it ouer the Seas, to hauehave it printed at London, it could neuer hauehave beene licenſed there, becauſe of ſome things, which were like to offend the Biſhops: though it may be the Author in writing of it, did neuer ſo much as thinke of them, but only of the Romaniſts. I hauehave indeauoured to tranſlate him faithfully, without adding any thinge to the text. And if then ſuch a worke as this, ſo needefull and proffitable, ſo full of learning and delight, written by a Miniſter, ſo eminent religious and impartiall, and ſo well approued in all the Churches of France, be forced to ſeeke corners in England, let it giuegive thee to vnderſtād that there is ſomwhat in that Hiarchie, which endures no*Joan. 3 20. light. Which for my part I ſhould neuer hauehave looked after, much leſſe helped to diſcouer, if the noiſe of theire late Arminian practiſes, to change Religion, had not beene heard on this ſide the Seas; and that they who let ſo many Arminian and Popiſh bookes & projects paſſe vnreſiſted, are euer vigilant to ſuppreſſe all that doe but in the leaſt meaſure croſſe theire Hiarchie and Ceremonies, wherein they vſe the art of the French Papiſts, who beeing the Maiſters in power, and yet finding themſelues vnable to defend theire cauſe by the Scriptures, labour all they can to keepe theire Adverſaries bookes and arguments from the Princes and people; mocking them with the fanaticall zeale, ſchiſme, hereſie and innovation: which as it is theire beſt weapon, as one of theires confeſſed vntounto me, ſo it makes that many Papiſts, and ſome of the more vnderſtanding ſort,*Pſa. 58.5. will not hearken to the voice of the charmer, but turne the deafe eare to all arguments; mocke and ſpeake euill of the things they doe not, will not, nor can not know; beeing by ſuch ſleights made verie babies, and kept from the proofes, as men keepe knives from infants: wherein ſuffering them ſelves to be thus made ſheepe, the*Matt. 7.14. wolves devovre them. Soe the Biſhops, who are alſo the Maiſters, unable, as it ſeemes, to defend theire cauſe by the Scriptures (unles it be by ſhufling and wreſting of them, like the Papiſts) labour all they can to diſgrace and ſuppreſſe ſuch bookes as diſcover them, and ſtudie nothing more then to keepe them from the Princes and people; mocking and ſcorning them with fanaticall zeale, ſchiſme, hereſie and innovation; calling all ſuch proofes Puritanicall, Browniſticall and Anabaptiſticall, though they be not ſuch matter, but only ſuch as are uſed againſt the Papiſts, by the reformed churches of France, Germanie, &c. which yet makes many Proteſtants, and even ſome of the more capable and ingenious Spirits, caſt them all aſide, mocke and ſpeake evill of the things they doe not, will not or can not know; beeing thus with like cunning, kept from the ſight of the proofes; and made to ſtop theire eares to all ſuch charmings, beholding many moleſted, impriſoned and diſgraced aboute them; by them that would teach the Dolphin to ſwim, if he ſhould come into theire ſeas, ſo much the Biſhops thinke themſelues wronged, if the Scriptures or any thinge elſe be alleadged againſt them: yet whether they, or thoſe they ſuppreſſe, may more truly ſay with the Church, All this is come vponupon vsus, yet hauehave wee not forgotten thee, nor dealt falſly in thy couenant; Pſa. 44.7this they are no more willing to put to triall, no more then the Papiſts; vnles themſelues may be judges; or rule a Synod in theſe and Arminian caſes, as the Court of Rome did the Councell of Trent in the like: chooſing rather to deſende theire cauſe by power and terrour. Wherein yet they do ſo litle hurt me, who by Gods grace am out of theire reach, liueing in a more reformed Church, that for my owne particular, I finde no neede to publiſh ſuch works. It is the louelove of my countrey that conſtraines me: for though by reaſon of my habit, and long abode in theſe parts, almoſt all men take me to be a Dutchman; yet doe I not denie but that I was borne in England, of Engliſh Parents, and there had my education. All which were nothing, if I were not tied by greater bonds to my Sauiour to ſeeke his Kingdom, and the righteouſnes thereof. To the which Readers are alſo equally obliged, and aboue all ſuch as by theire neerenes to Princes hauehave beſt meanes to further it. God once giuegive them and vsus all the grace, that denying our ſelues, our vaine Policies and temporiſings, wee may ſeeke and follow the Lord Ieſus in his Kingdom and ordinances, Amen.