A Short View of the Prelatical Church of England 2, Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Of the Original.
THe ſecond thing conſiderable for the matter in hand, is, whence the Lyturgie hath his riſe or Original; Namely, from the Maſſe-book; that whoſe Original and riſe is naught muſt be naught in it ſelf: Can there come clean water out of a corrupt Fountain? Note that the Lyturgie is wholly from the Maſſe-book, and other Popiſh pieces, as it ſhall be full cleared: Firſt, by comparing of the Books: Secondly, for that mutual liking that our Lyturgie-Maſters, and the Maſſe-Bookmen, have one of anothers peace. And thirdly, from the evidence given from the King and Councel of England.
Sect. Now, to the firſt, every piece and Parcel of the Lyturgie, word for word, is out of theſe pieces; namely, the Breviary, out of which the Common-prayers are taken; the Ritual or Book of Rites, out of which the Adminiſtration of the Sacrament, Burial, Matrimony, Viſitation of the ſick, are taken; the Maſs-book, out of which the Conſecration of the Lords Supper, Collects, Epiſtles and Goſpels are taken: As for the Book of Ordination of Arch-Biſhops, Biſhops, and Miniſters, that is out of the Roman Pontificial; we might further proſecute the proof hereof, from the diviſion of the Maſſe into parts, eſſential and integral, with the enumeration of the ſaid parts,Lib. 2. de Miſſa c. 16. as the ten or eleven parts of the preparation to the Introit, as Pater noſter, the firſt Collect, which Bellarmine calls the Maſſe, becauſe they are the beſt part of the Maſſe;p. 44. The Introit, for which ſee Doctor Lauds † pleading in his Star-chamber Speech, the Kyrie Eleyſon, or, Lord have mercy upon us, &c. The Gloria Patri, the Miſereatur, the Confeſſion, the Abſolution, the Angelick Hymn, Gloria in Excelſis, word for word in the Scottiſh Lyturgie,Cap. 3. p. 107. the Salutation, the Lord be with you; Laſtly, the poſterior collects, all patches of Popes deviſing, which the brevity which we ſtudy, will not ſuffer us to inſtance. Be pleaſed to ſee Morney de Miſſa. If any object that in our Introit, the Ave Maria is wanting; we anſwer, (as hath been ſaid) that though every thing in the Maſſe-book be not in our Lyturgie, yet all that is in our Lyturgie, is word for word in the Maſſe-book.
Again, though Ave Maria be not actually in it, yet if purpoſe had holden, it was in more than a fair poſſibility, to have been the head Corner-ſtone of the Lyturgie, Witneſſe Staffords invective defence thereof, Printed at London, not diſallowed nor retracted in any point, by Heylin or Dow, Canterburies ſurveyors of the piece: further, that which hath been ſaid of the pieces of the Introit, may alſo be ſaid of our Creeds, Epiſtles and Goſpels, Offertory, and other things, whether more or leſſe Principal, in regard of our calling them from the Maſs-book. Sect. Secondly, the ſecond ground or reaſon is, from that love and liking, that the lovers of the Lyturgie bear to the Maſs, as alſo from that mutual contentment, or complacency that the Maſs-mongers take in the Service-book; we have ſhewed already,p. ult. how they agree in Name, and now we are to give evidence of their mutual liking of the Matter; there be abundance of inſtances for the Papiſts approving of our Liturgy, witneſs Mortons Appeal, Pope Pius, Explicat. Illuſt qua. 4. p 112. p. 46.the fourth, and Gregory the thirteenth, offered to Queen Elizabeth to confirm the Engliſh Liturgy, witneſſeth Doctor Abbot, then Prelat of Canterbury, and Maſter Cambden in the life of Queen Elizabeth: to theſe I adjoyn Doctor Boyes, who was a bitter expoſitor of the Engliſh Liturgy, as Heiga by the Doctors of Dowayes appointment was of the Maſs, after he had whetted His Teeth upon the Schiſmatiques, in his Epiſtle to Bancroft, he produceth the letter of Pius, for the approbation of the Service book; and notes alſo, the teſtimony of approbation from Briſtow in his motives.Motiv. 34. Queen Elizabeth being interdicted by the Popes Bull, Secretary Walſingham wrought ſo, that he procured two Intelligencers to be ſent from the Pope, as it were, in ſecret into England, to whom the Secretary appointed a State Intelligencer to be their guide, who ſhewed them London & Canterbury Service in all the Pomp of it; which the Popiſh Intelligencers viewing and conſidering well, with much admiration they wondered, that their Lord the Pope was ſo ill adviſed, or at leaſt ill informed, as to interdict a Prince, whoſe Service and Ceremonies ſo ſymbolized with his own; and therefore returning to Rome, they poſſeſt the Pope that they ſaw no Service, Ceremonies or Orders in England, Conſid. p. 45 Sect. 9.but they might very well ſerve in Rome, whereupon the Bull was recalled; to this alſo Doctor Carrier a dangerous ſeducing Jeſuite, gives ample evidence; the Common-prayer-book (ſaith he) and the Catechiſm contained in it, hold no point of Doctrine expreſly contrary to antiquity, that is, as he explaineth himſelf, the Romiſh Service, &c. and thereupon he comforteth himſelf with hope of prevailing; and of the like mind were Harding and Briſtow (as hath been ſaid;) one more, and we have done: not long ago a Jeſuite meeting a woman in Pauls, in whoſe houſe he had lodged, ſhe not knowing then that he was a Jeſuite, the work-men of Pauls being hot at ſervice, he asked her how ſhe liked that work: ſhe retorting the queſtion, asked him how he liked it, he replyed, exceeding well, neither had he any exception to it; but that it was done by their Prieſts. We have inſiſted the longer in this point; firſt, that men may ſee, that this plain & evident approvement of our Liturgy by Papiſts, is not from one ſingular or more indifferent Papiſt, but from an unanimous conſent of the greateſt, zealouſeſt and learned'ſt among them. Further, this ſymbolization of Papiſts and Prelate-men in the name and nature of Maſs and Liturgy, diſcovers how they conſpire againſt the Truth, and thoſe who deſire to worſhip God in Spirit and Truth: it is a true maxime, Quae conveniunt in aliquo tertio, conveniunt inter ſe, & diſſentiunt a contrario; They who agree in a third, agree between themſelves, and diſſent from the contrary; If the Papiſts then ſort with the Service-book-men, in the liking of the Liturgy, & the Service-book-men with the Papiſts in the liking of the Maſs, and ſo agree betwixt themſelves, they muſt both by conſequent diſſent from the true worſhip of God, which is contrary to it. Laſtly, the Papiſts liking of the Service-book, makes it plainly appear, how little God likes it, for if it were pleaſing to God, it would never pleaſe the Papiſts: as the Iſraelites true and ſincere worſhipping of God was an Abomination to the Aegyptians, Exod 8.26.ſhall we ſacrifice (ſaith Moſes) the abominations of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not ſtone us? Even ſo, if this were the true worſhip of God, the Papiſts and the Prelatical crue, would never endure it, but would ſtone, tear in pieces, impriſon, burn, baniſh, and kill with all manner of cruelty, as they do, and have done, thoſe that love and worſhip God according to his Will; and as every ſhepherd was an Abomination to the Egyptians, ſo there was no being for ſuch Shepherds, as would not lead out, and lay down their ſheep by that muddy Nilus, or, Egyptian water; yea, and not only ſo, but they muſt bear falſe witneſs in proclaiming it under their hand by ſubſcription, that this ſtinking puddle is the River of God; when indeed it is the Euphrates of Babylon, by which the Soul of many grieved Miniſters hath ſit down with tears; being forced to hang his harp upon the Babyloniſh willowes; but if his ſoul loathed the practiſe, much more the approbation, then all the ſouls of the Maſs-book-men would loath ſuch an one, and with open mouth, would dart out againſt him the Poyſon of Aſpes, all manner of rotten Calumnies, of Sedition, Tumults, Schiſm, Factions, and the like, not vouchſafing him, & his, native ayre to breath in, much leſs a calling to maintain him and his: neither is this al, but when theſe Miniſters & others to fly the hatred of Eſau and his brood, had caſt themſelves upon the ends of the Earth, to enioy with much affliction the purity of the Ordinances; yet Eſau his hatred ſlacked not, like a boyling Furnace, till he caſt the ſcum of his cruelty after them,Rev. 12.15. doing them all the miſchief he could in word and deed: the Serpent caſt not only the flood of waters out of his mouth, that way after the woman; but alſo purſued others in other parts, who endeavoured to ſacrifice that which God called for; for proof whereof take Doctor Laud his own words, This hand (ſaith he) ſhall reach them, and threatning a Scotiſh-man for refuſing to take the oath againſt his Country, he laid his hand on his breaſt, and vowed and proteſted, as he lived, he would make the hearts of all the Scots to ake; and what had the Scots done to him? Nothing, but maintained that worſhip that was an abomination to him and his. One inſtance more, very pat to the purpoſe, God having appeared to Abraham (as often he did) Abraham in thankfulneſs builded an Altar, but immediately after he is ſaid to remove to a Mountain, Eaſtward of Bethel; but what was the cauſe he ſtaid not by it?Gen. 12.18. The learned tell us, that it was dangerous ſo to do; for the erecting of the Altar of God, was ſo offenſive to the Idolatrous Inhabitants, that it was a wonder, he was not ſtoned of them: where obſerve now by the way, that if the Altars now erected,Calvin. were of God, they would be an abomination to the Prelates and their Faction, and dangerous for Gods people to ſtay by them: but as they are Altars of Baal, erected and maintained by Baalites and Balaamites, ſo they and all their Ceremonial accoutrements, and the Service-book it ſelf,Exod. 8.26. are an abomination, witneſs that place of Exodus already quoted; The Abominations of the Egyptians ſhall we ſacrifice to Jehovah our God, ſaith Moſes to Pharaoh, it is not meet ſo to do.
The laſt ground or evidence of this particular; Sect. is from the undenyable teſtimony of King and State, namely, King Edward the ſixth, and the Councels letter, to the Papiſts of Cornwal and Devonſhire, making of Commotions and Inſurrections againſt the King and State, amongſt many they give this ſatisfaction for the Service-book, that it was the very ſame, word for word with the Maſs-book; the difference only was, that it was in the Engliſh tongue, the extract of the Letter recorded in the Acts & Monuments, are theſe; as for the Service in the Engliſh tongue, Vol. 2. p. 667.it perchance ſeems to you a new Service, and yet indeed it is no other but the old; the ſelf-ſame words in Engliſh that were in Latine, a few things taken out. If the Service of the Church, was good in Latine, it remaineth good in Engliſh; for nothing is altered: but to ſpeak with knowledge, that which was ſpoken with ignorance, we have the whole letter in Print at large for your Service, we thought fit for brevity, only to tranſcribe ſo much as made for the clearing of the point; the ſum of that which hath been ſaid by way of open diſcourſe, we draw up in this Argument.
That which is word for word out of the Popiſh Maſs-book, is not to be offered to God, as worſhip, but to be aboliſhed as an abomination to him.
But the Liturgy in controverſie, is word for word out of the Maſs-book, as hath been proved abundantly.
Therefore it is not to be offered, as a worſhip to God, but to be aboliſhed as an abomination to him.Cap. 8.26 As the latter propoſition of the Argument is proved to the full, ſo the former is as clearly by the paralelling place of Exodus twice quoted, to which we will add for abundance, theſe places following, Deut. 7.25. and 12.31. 2 King. 23.13. Ezra. 9.1. Eſa. 44.19. In all which places, the Lord commands all Idols and Idolatrous Service, to be utterly deteſted and abandoned, and ſtill the ground and reaſon is given, that they are abominations to the Lord, for ſo the word is in the number of multitudes; to ſpeak impartially, we ſee no colour of way to evade this Propoſition, but by undertaking the defence of the Maſs-book; for as Mountague and others produced that their Service is the ſame in moſt things with the Church of Rome, the differences are not great; nor ſhould they make any ſeparation; then a neceſſity is laid upon the Prelates and the reſt,Recuſancy, p. 1. either to defend the Maſs, ſo far to be the true worſhip of God, againſt the truth, and all Orthodox Writers; or elſe, to give up the Service-book to fall with the Original; and though the Treatiſe will not give us leave, to limne out the Maſs in every piece, patch'd up by divers Popes, having given a ſpecification of ſome parts of it, moſt concerning our Liturgie, yet will it not be amiſs to lay down from the learned, the firſt entrance of it into England, and then to take off briefly, the ſilly defence that the Papiſts ſeem to make for it. To the former, Auguſtine the Monk ſent from Gregory, called the Great, for what we know not, except for his grand deviſes of Will-worſhip; his man Auſtin finding not all things for his tooth in France, put over into England, and there finding an ignorant King, and a ſuperſtitious Queen, there like the envious man, he ſows his corrupt ſeed of all Popiſh trumpery, as Maſſes, Letanies, Proceſſions, Copes, Veſtments, Altars Candleſticks, Holy-Waters, Conſecrations, &c. Having like a Serpent deceived the People (and as the Apoſtle ſaith) corrupted their minds, 2 Cor. 11.3.from that ſimplicity that is in Chriſt, ſore againſt the minds of the godly,Lib. 1 and learned Preachers of the times; yet, to make them (as Beda witneſſeth) add this condition, which he never ment to keep, that no man ſhould be forced, or conſtrained thereunto; but having plaid the Wyly Fox in his entry, to finiſh the work he had begun, he took on the Lyons skin, and being oppoſed by one Dinoth a great Divine, who withſtood him to his face in a publick Synode, avouching, that he ought not to change the ancient form of Religion, neither would he acknowledge him for Arch-Biſhop; but the bloudy Prelate, to be revenged on him, incenſed Etheldred King of Northumberland againſt him, who murdered the Servant and Miniſter of God, and twelve hundred Monks with him: afterward about the Year 637. Pope John the fourth, ſends over Malitus, Honortus, Juſtus his Bandogs one after another, to hold out and confirm the continuance of this diſmal alteration, as they might eaſily do once having got footing, for Pompous ſuperſtition ſuits too well with corrupt nature: then came in keeping of Eaſter after the Romiſh manner,Lib. 18. cap. 14. de geſt. Ang. Miniſters called Prieſts, chanting and playing upon Organs, with all which, godly Beda his ſoul was grieved, who vented his grief in this ſad complaint; heretofore, inſtead of theſe things, the principal Service of God conſiſted in Preaching, Morney of the Maſſe. Lib. 1.6.8.and Hearing of Gods Word.
Here we may obſerve for matter of Humiliation, how eaſily Superſtition finds entrance into England, and how hardly it is rooted out; that former Maledict, Monk Banedict (as they call him) found ſo little entertainment in France, that he made little ſtay there, only ſtomacking that the Worſhip was not after the Romiſh Order, he certified his Maſter by a grievous complaint, who being more moderate than the Monk, bid him take that which was good in every Church: but England found that that would not ſerve him, of whoſe Maſs and Miſchief it could never yet be rid. It is alſo worthy your obſerving; how he laid the Foundation of the Maſs, and eſtabliſhed it in blood; yea, that See of Canterbury, in him and his Succeſſors, hath been a See of Blood; yea, it is too well known, that that curſed Maſs, whether Latine or Engliſh, hath lived in blood, and bathed in the blood of bodies, ſouls and ſtates, as ſhall be more particularly manifeſted hereafter. Sect
Now for any thing that can be ſaid in defence of this Idol, the Maſſe-book, it is not worth the citing, and hath been more than abundantly refuted; yet one touch for a taſte, and that upon Prayers, becauſe it is the Subject of our diſcourſe, we will ſhew you one place out of the Old Teſtament, and another out of the New: ſuch as they make choice of to defend their Maſſe or Liturgy (as they call it:) the place of the Old Teſtament is in Geniſ. chap. 4. verſ. 26. the words are theſe, Then Men began to call upon the Name of the Lord; as there be diverſity of thoughts upon the meaning of the words, ſo Pertertus a Popiſh Fryer, will have this the meaning: that then they found out ſome ſet form or order of Prayer, to gain footing forſooth to the Popiſh Liturgy; but ſay it were ſo, what would it make for them? The Doctors of Doway are of the ſame opinion, and fuller alſo in their words; It is meant (ſay they) of Publick Prayer, with obſerving ſome Rites, and ſet form, in a particular place, dedicated to Divine Service. Grant that that were the meaning, as indeed it is not, yet what would this make for them? Would the faithful Prayers of the godly Patriarcks conſirm, or would they not rather confute the abominable Prayers of the Popiſh Maſſe? The word Invocat, in the firſt Language ſignifieth alſo to prophane, though not ſo in this place; for it ſuiteth not with the ſenſe; but if this were the ſenſe, then the Papiſts might well take a hint to parallel their unhallowed Maſſe, which is nothing but an high prophanation of the Name of God.
The other place which I touch upon, and which they do egregiouſly abuſe (as they do many more) is from the New Teſtament, 1 Tim. 2. verſ. 1. I exhort therefore, that firſt of all Supplications, Prayers, Interceſſions, and Thanks-givings, be made for all men: out of which words of the Apoſtle, the Rhemists make this deduction, that the Prayers and Petitions of the Maſſe, are deduced out of the Apoſtle his words, producing, or rather traducing; the Fathers, making them ſpeak that for the Maſſe which they never meant: the tranſcription of all the paſſages would be too tedious: but let Maſter Cartwrights anſwer ſuffice. Firſt by way of Conceſſion, grant the Maſs-book to have in it the ſame prayers that the Apoſtle commands, will it therefore follow (ſaith he) that their prayers is the true ſervice of God? no more than the uſing, or rather abuſing of the words of Inſtitution, This is my body, makes for the Juſtifying of Tranſubſtantiation. Inchanters and Charmers uſe many holy words in their Charms, as they do with a piece of the firſt Chap. of S. Johns Goſpel: but it agravateth their ſin. This plea from good words, is, or hath been too frequent in the mouths of ſome Profeſſors, whom we deſire to ſatisfie with this anſwer. Again, if their whole Liturgy or Service be here as they ſay, where are their Mattens, Even-ſong, Complin, Proceſſion, Dirgie, &c. As for the name Maſſe uſed by the Fathers, we are to underſtand, as Morney and others well obſerve; that as the Church finding eaſe, and growing in Wealth, under and after Conſtantines time, fell to grow a little gawdy to pleaſe the Gentiles, and alſo to allure both the Jews and Gentiles; the Chriſtians were content to hear and ſpeak antiquated Names, as Altars, Sacrifices, Prieſts, Firſt Book of the Maſſe c. 4.and ſo fell in the word Miſſa; but it is as clear on the other ſide, that never one of the Fathers alleadged, nor Orthodox Councels did uſe any of theſe words in their Sence; and this may ſuffice for the Popiſh Maſſe. They alſo abuſe that place of the Acts 13.2. tranſlating it as they were ſaying Maſſe; but the foolery of it as hath been ſaid, anſwereth it ſelf. The Maſſe then being ſuch a piece, as it was Englands great unhappineſs to lye ſo many years under the burthen of ſuch an abomination: ſo when the light of the Goſpel ſprung up, to fetch us out of Darkneſs, and from the ſhadow of Death, it was great incogitancy (to ſpeak the leaſt) in our Reformers, in King Edwards dayes,Ioſh. 7. to take a Monk from among the Canaanites, and putting a coat of Engliſh cloath upon it, to repreſent it, being an unclean Beaſt, as a ſervice to the Lord: it is no better truly than the excommunicate thing. What had we to do with the River of Nilus? How could we look to pick Gold out of the Popes Dung-hill,Valer. max. lib. 1. tit. de. Relig. where there is nothing but mire and dirt? It is true, that Heatheniſh Rome ſent the Suns of their Senators to the Etrurians, to have their inſtructions for ordering of their Religion: but why ſhould we, when God had brought us out of Babel or Antichriſtian Rome, turn immediately in again to take a pattern out of it, for the ſervice of our God: this is an expreſs thwarting of the Book of God, whoſe Omniſcience ſhould only appoint in his own Worſhip, witneſs that order and appointment given from him by Moſes to the Iſraelites; firſt,Deut. 12 28. he layeth it down affirmatively, Obſerve and here all theſe words that I command thee: and he enforceth it with a ſtrong reaſon, It ſhall go well with thee and thine, when thou doſt what is good and right in the eyes of Jehovah thy God: but now, leſt they ſhould patch up his Service with ſome Heatheniſh tricks, he ſtrictly inhibits them, ſo much as to inquire of their Gods,Verſ. 30.31. ſaying thus, How did theſe Nations ſerve their Gods, even ſo will I do likewiſe; where the Hebrews obſerve, two things are obſerveable: Firſt, Idolatrous Service is not to be inquired after, becauſe that occaſioneth a turning into it; and ſecondly, all imitation of ſuch ſervice is forbidden. Cypryans complaint cited by the anſwers to the Humble remonſtrance, ſuits well to this purpoſe: Ad hoc malorum devoluta est Eccleſio Dei, & ſponſa Chriſti, &c. The Church of God and Spouſe of Chriſt, falls unhappily into this evil exigent, U… lux de tenebris mutuetur, Ep. 7.4.& id faciant Chriſtiani quod Antichriſti faciunt: That light ſhould borrow from darkneſs, & Chriſtians ſhould do that in Gods ſervice, eſpecially which the vaſſels of Antichrist do. From this diſcovery alſo the Service-book is unbottomed of that main Plea from antiquity, which Doctor Hall in his humble Remonſtrance makes his ſheet Anchor;P. 13. but Smectymnuus in his anſwer puts him to it, that for want of ground it is come home; but to follow this a little further, and to wave the antiquity of a ſet Liturgy, an inſtance whereof, for divers hundred years, the Doctor, nor any of their Book-men cannot produce: We deſire to know what Antiquity they, or any other can alledge for this Liturgy, ſurely he can go no higher than the Maſſe-book; and when it hath gone as high, or higer than it can, ſometime abuſing Scripture, and ſometime butting upon the coined and counterfeit Liturgies,Firſt Book of the Maſs c. 4 & 3. fathered falſely upon the Apoſtles and Diſciples of Chriſt; yea, and alſo upon the Fathers, as Peter, James, Matthew, Andrew, Denis, Clement, Baſil, Chryſoſtome, and others; the falſhood whereof Morney diſcovers at large: yet for all this, ſaith the noble defender of the Truth: the Popiſh Maſſe is no part, nor ever was of the Divine Service of God, and therefore the Engliſh Liturgy out of it, and not able to aſcend higher than it, can be no Divine Service, as they call it (and that incluſively, by Catexochen, or excellency) it can be no Divine Service, but is indeed a deviſed Service; but ſuppoſe it or the unbloody Sacrfice of the Maſs, ſhould look as high as Cains unbloody Sacrifice, yet if there want truth, they would prove no better than antient errors.
Laſt of all, to ſhut up the Point, Sect. the diſcovery whereof caſts the Doctor upon a very foul ſhift; namely, the denying of the Liturgy to have its riſe, or to be ſelected out of the Roman models: wherein we beſeech your Honours, to cauſe him to deal, Obſignatis tabulis, by comparing the Books together: and beſides all the evidences alledged, if it appear not, and that to the eye, to be what we have ſaid to be the truth we will de-relinquiſh our ſuit: but if it be ſo as we aver, we deſire no more of the Doctor, and all the admirers of the Liturgy, that they would deal candidly with the truth, with your Honours, and with us, a whole body of Petitioners; who in conſcience do profeſs we deſire to do nothing againſt the Truth, but for the Truth; and as it becometh not thoſe that defend the Truth, Fictis contendere verbis, to Skirmiſh with deviſed, or velitory palliations, as the Poet hath it, even ſo, foreign, there is nothing becometh candid ingenuity, better than the Truth. To defend evil cunningly, is no good commendation; it was no grace to the Orator, of whom it was ſaid, Candida denigris, & de candentibus atra: That he could with ill abuſed eloquence, make black white, and white black: and yet, when ſuch men have done all what they can, they find that true of the Civilian; Mala cauſa pluribus eget remed…ts: The malady of an evil cauſe ſtands ever in need of more medicines than he that undertakes the cure can afford. For a cloſure of the point, in love to the truth, we deſire all men that have any wit, to take notice of theſe two things; the former, a man had better be tongue-tyed than appear in an ill cauſe; the latter, when they have done all they can, it will fall out with them as it did with the Scribes and Phariſees, envying that the people ſhould follow Chriſt, Perceive you not (fay they) one to another, Ioh. 12.….how ye prevail nothing; the world is gone after him. Juſt ſo in this caſe of the worſhip of Chriſt, as it is partly begun, and ſhall be more fully accompliſhed, when they have done all that they can, all is but loſt labour, they ſhall not prevail, the world ſhall go after Chriſt.