A Catalogue of Superstitions, Part
OF all the aforeſaid Fifty Superſtitious Innovations, in Services and Ceremonies of irregularities, and tranſgreſſions againſt the Church of England, Articles of Religion, Injunctions, Rubricks, Cannons, &c. Now let us take a view and ſee, of which amongſt the 50. I, or my accuſers and perſecuters of Durham, London, and Yorke are moſt guilty, and deſerve more to be puniſhed.
1 Innovators in Durham, contrarie to the Injunction, commanding Altars to be removed, and Communion Tables ſet up: have done quite otherwiſe, they have caſt out of the Church lawfull Tables, and brought in unlawfull Altars.
2 They have left the language of their Mother the Church of England, in uſing the word Altar, and leaving Table.
3 Inſtead of a decent Table, they have ſet up a brave and ſumptuous Altar, with much Superſtitious and unlawfull Furniture.
4 Inſtead of a Wooden Table, ſtanding on a Frame, they made a Stone Altar, on a Wall, or St one Pillars, and conſequently heavie and unmovable, wheras it ſhould be light and portable, that it might be removed as occaſion requireth.
5 The Rubricke commands the Communion Table be placed where Morning Prayer, and Evening Prayer are appointed to be ſaid, that is in the body of the Church or Chancell: but they place their Altars at the Eaſt end of their Chancells or Quires, where Evening Prayer is never ſaid, nor all Morning Prayer, ſo that the People cannot well heare, nor be ſo well edified.
6 Our Church commands that the Miniſter Officiating, ſhall ſtand at the North-ſide of the Table, but they ſet up Altars or Tables Altar-wiſe, along by the Wall, with neither ſide toward the North.
7 Our Lyturgie, and all our Church Books uſe conſtantly the words Miniſter, Sacraments, Communion Table: but our Durhamors, and Yorkers ſay falſly, that the words Altar, Sacrifice, Prieſt, are indifferently uſed in our Lyturgie, where indeed they are never uſed, only in the Rubricks Prieſt is uſed ſomtimes, never in the Text: Miniſter is uſed alwayes in the Text, and ſomtimes in the Rubricks.
8 They preferre Altars, Prieſts, Sacrifices, before Communion Tables, Miniſters, Sacraments alleadging falſly that the Fathers of the Primitive Church did ſo. I ſay the learned Divines that reformed the church of England, rejected many things, which ſome of the Fathers erroneouſly maintained, as namely this of Altar, Prieſt, Sacrifice, and our learned Biſhop Morton ſaith the ſame, That their libertie of Speech, occaſioned in Romaniſts that prodigall error in Doctrine.
9 They removed the Font from place to place, from the Eaſt end of the Church to the Weſt end, from the North to the South, where lately it ſtood. I ſay, with the Injunction, the Font muſt not be removed, and 81 Cannon, the Font ſhall ſtand in the ancient uſuall place.
10 They adored their brave Altar, making legges to it, and bowing down their bodies oftentimes, and profoundly before it, more then ever the Papiſts uſe to doe: I ſay the Table is as holy as the Altar, yet none make legges to the Communion Table when it ſtands as the Church appoints, in the body of the Church.
In theſe 10. points concerning Altars, judge rightly ô Biſhop and High Commiſſioner, who maintains the truth? who obeyes the Laws and orders of the Church of England, they that did all things wrong, or I that oppoſed my ſelfe lawfully againſt their unlawfull Innovations; yet you have condemned me only for doing my duty. But did you ever puniſh the wrong doers mine adverſaries? did you ever call them in queſtion? did you amend any thing that was done amiſſe in the Church? No verily, but you have aſſiſted, cheriſhed, and rewarded them with great preferments; you have joyned with them in perſecuting me with all rigour and extremitie. As for example, Doctor Duncon, one of my ſpightfulleſt perſecutors hath written a Treatiſe call'd A Determination in defence of Altars, and bowing down before Altars, which is a Ceremonie not allow'd by the Church of England, but forbidden by the Act of Parliament for uniformitie: yet he proveth it by many fooliſh reaſons, amongſt which this is a principallone, the Altar is the moſt holything the Church of God hath, therfore it muſt devoutly be bowed unto. His words are theſe, or to this effect; Sanctitas, & excellentia Altaris prae reliquis omnibus in Eccleſia: and againe, Altare eſt optima, praecipua & ſanctiſſima pars univerſae ſupellectilis Eccleſiaſticae. The ſanctitie, the excellencie of the Altar above all other things in the Church. The Altar is the beſt, the nobleſt, the holyeſt part of all Eccleſiaſticall ſtuffe or implements.
And againe thus he writeth, The Latine Worthies (Heroes) terme it Sacrum, Sanctum, Venerandum Altare, ſacred, holy, venerable Altar: and they make compariſon ſaith he, Inter Altare apud Chriſtianos, et Sanctum Sanctorum apud Judaeos, illudq multis nominibus praeferunt.
Hinc etiam eſt quod Altaria ſeptis et cancellis, undiqua que munire et vallare conſueverunt: ne laicorum aliquis propius quam par eſt, ad Altare? ccederet.
Heroes ſcilicet; rather Blasphemous wretches, which dare compare their falſe Imaginary, Idolized Altar, ſet up in Churches by Antichriſtian Prieſts, in the place of Gods holy Table, compare it I ſay, and in many reſpects preferre it alſo before the ſanctum ſanctorum of the Iewes, the inward moſt holy Sanctuary, into which the High-Prieſt alone might goe, and that no more then once in a whole yeare: read what Saint Paul writes, Heb. 9. 2, 3. to the 11.
And as the moſt holy inward Sanctuary, where the Arke of the Covenant, the Tables of the Law, the 10 Commandements, &c. were placed, was divided from the outward Sanctuary by a ſecond Vaile, ſo muſt our Prieſts have a holy Chancell parted from the Church, with Railes, and within that Holy, Holy, Holy Sanctuary or Chancell where the Altar that glorious S…at muſt ſtand encloſed with Rails to keep our laiks from aproaching to neer the Sacred Altar. Thus much, and twenty times more, writeth Biſhop Neales Chaplaine Duncon, in juſtification of Altars, and Altar-cringings. I wonder that none of you Biſhops, Deanes, and arch-Deacons, have taken this Duncon with his determination unto examination, that it might be purged with fire, as many better Bookes have bin; I know ſome of you have ſeene it, and peruſed it: The learned Biſhop of Lincolne, in his Holy Table Name and thing, writes, that lately there came to his hands a certaine Determination concerning Altars, a Treatiſe well Languaged, but of poore ſtuffe, poor… God knowes, hungry and ragged, naſty and ſcab'd, and ſwarming with loathſome vermine, as by Gods helpe I ſhall make manifeſt to the world hereafter, if no man elſe will take it in hand.
11. The Church of England commands, that all Monuments of Idol…try and Superſtition, Images, pictures, paintings, croſſes, Crucifixes, Candleſticks, &c. be defaced and aboliſhed, that no memory of them remaine in walls, windowes, or elſewhere. Theſe I preached againſt, and for preaching this truth, I have bin perſecuted by them, who inſtead of defacing Images, they have given them new faces, bravely painted and guilded, inſtead of aboliſhing them, they have multiplied them, and renewed their memory in walls, windowes, copes, &c.
12. They reject the Homilies, becauſe they diſallow Images, Altars, and other Superſtitious Ornaments, with Organs and chanting, without underſtanding: I defend the Homilies, and the Doctrine of the Church of England taught in them.
13 They terme their Images, and other Superſtitious trinkets Ornaments of the Church: but I with the Homilies, St. Bernard and Hemingius ſay they are diſgracements of religion, and impediments of pietie; they are abominations in the ſight of God, and godly men.
14 They taking libertie to themſelves to ſet up Altars and Images, and to aboliſh the Sabbath day, the name whereof they cannot endure to heare; have taken away the ten Commandements quite out of Durham Cathedrall, becauſe the 2. forbiddeth Images, the 4. enjoyneth the obſervation of a Sabbath; this they have done contrarie to the expreſſe words of 84. Cannon.
15 They have uſed Copes, and other ſuperſtitious Veſtments falſly called Copes, at their Altar, when there was no Communion, and after every Sermon to ſay Prayers in Copes, contrary to the expreſſe words of the Advertiſement, and the 24, 25. Can.
16. They have Preached, and juſtified him that Preached in the Pulpit, and ſate in his ſtall wearing a Cope, and not a Hood, contrary to the Advertiſement, and the 25 Cannon; and they did Article againſt me, and cenſured me at Yorke, for blaming in Mr. Burgain of Durham, this notorious irregularitie: but him they excuſed, they never call'd him in queſtion.
17 They uſed in Durham and ſtill they uſe, not decent, but ſumptuous Copes, embroidered with Images; and they have uſed py-bald, curtaild, ridiculous Veſtmēts, even at the adminiſtration of the holy Communion, contrary to the 24. and the latine Canon. de officio Decani, which command decent Copes to be uſed, never but at the Communion: they forbid all Veſtments. ſuperstitione contaminatas, defiled with Superſtition, that is, ſuch as have Images on them, or have bin uſed at Maſſe.
In theſe 7. points concerning the aboliſhing of the Monuments …f Idolatry, defacing of Images, rejecting the Doctrine of the Church of England in the Book of Homilies againſt exceſſive coſt upon Organs, Altars, Idols, which falſly they call Ornaments of the Church, being indeed pollutions of Religion, and abominations.
In taking out of the Church the Decalogue, becauſe the 2. Commandement forbids the bowing down to Images, and the 4. commandeth the keeping holy the Sabbath. In uſing Copes at the Altar, when there is no Communion, and thoſe not decent, but either raſcall Robe…, very fooles coats or exceeding ſumptuous, glittering with Images: in preaching in a Cope, ſitting in a Stall in a Cope to heare Service, when Copes are forbidden, and Hoods injoyned. In all theſe 7. judge O Biſhop or High Commiſſioner, who is faulty, who tranſgreſſeth the Laws and Orders of the Church? which of us is conformable to the Church of England? who deſerves puniſhment, and who ſhould be rewarded? I have obſerved all theſe Laws and Canons, yet I have been puniſhed with all rigour and extremitie: my perſecutors of Durham and York having broken all Laws of the Church have never been call'd in queſtion; ſome of them have been advanced to high dignities, and preferments. Is this Prelaticall Iuſtice? is this Epiſcepall government? ſurely the judges of hell, Minos and Radamanthus would never pronounce ſo injuſt ſentences.
18 The 49 Injunction commandeth that Muſicke be not abuſed in the Church; that the Common Prayer ſhould be worſe underſtood. That there ſhould be modeſt and diſtinct ſinging, to the intent all may be underſtood plainly, and the ſenſe perceived: But Durhamers have uſed exceſſive Muſicke, both Inſtrumentall and vocall, even at 6 a clock Prayer in the morning, uſed to be read plainly, and the adminiſtration of Sacraments, wherby thoſe holy actions have been greatly diſturbed. 19 The preface to the Communion Book commandeth Anthems to be cut off, and Pſalmes are allowed to be ſung before and after Sermons: But our Innovators of Durham, have forbidden all ſinging of Pſalmes, till this laſt yeare 1641. from 1629. all which time no Pſalme hath bin ſung in Durham Church.
20 The Nicene Creed hath been ſung, not after the manner of diſtinct reading, that the people might underſtand, and the people have bin compelled with fighting and brawling to ſtand on their feet, though they could not repeat the ſame Creed in an audible voice, as the 18. Canon appoints.
21. They tooke for Aſſiſtants at the Communion, the whole quire men and Children which communicated not, contrarie to the cuſtome and practiſe of all Cathedrall Churches.
22 They chaunted or approved him that did ſit in his ſtall, to ſing prick ſong, which both cuſtom and Law forbids Preachers and Praebends to doe; but they would not ſuffer Pſalmes to be ſung, that all the Congregation might ſing with them.
23 & 24 They took the Morning Prayer at 6 of the clocke quite away for two years together, a moſt impudent Innovation, contrary to all the Cathedralls of England, and in this they violated many Lawes and Injunctions, eſpecially the Injunction made by Commiſſioners under the great Seale of England, prime Eliz. for the Church of Durham; and in ſo doing, they incurd the terrible crime of perjury, becauſe that morning-prayer was eſtabliſhed by Law and cuſtome, which all took their othes that they would obſerve.
25. They confounded and turned all forenoone ſervices upſide downe, by ſaying the whole ordinary ſervice, with Pſalmes and Chapters read at ſix of the clocke in the morning, and ſaying a new found ſecond ſervice, without either Chapters or Pſalmes betweene ten and eleven, the uſuall time in all Churches for the ordinary ſervice to be ſaid.
26. They removed the ordinary ſervice a whole twelve Mo…eth together from Ten of clocke to eight, and all that time they had three forenoon ſervices: afterwards they placed the ordinary and moſt ſolemne ſervice both Sundayes and working dayes, in the roome of morning prayer at ſix a clocke, and they called the people thereunto by the ringing of ſix bells, to which not three perſons uſually reſorted, in Winter time eſpecially.
27. They did not obſerve the time, place, order and faſhion of rights and ceremonies, as the 14. Canon preſcribes, without adding or diminiſhing any thing in matter or forme.
28. They ſaid evening prayer in the accuſtomed place alwayes: but the Altar at the Eaſt end of the Quire where they ſaid their ſecond ſervice, is no accuſtome d place for any ſervice; but it is an Innovation in Durham, begun by Biſhop Neals Chaplains.
29 They made Chancels within Chancels, contrary to the Rubrick. which ſaith chancels ſhall remaine as they were in times paſt: a ſtrange Innovation.
30 The Act of Parliament commands all Churches to be Vniforme, but Durham Cathedrall was agreeable to none in their forenoone Services.
31 No rite, order, forme or manner of ſaying Mattens, may be uſed in Cathedrall or Pariſh Churches, then what is appointed in the Booke of Common Prayer, and if any Perſon compell by deeds or threatnings, to ſay Prayers in any other manner, let him be Indicted, Mr. Coſin and his Aſſociates have tranſgreſſed againſt this clauſ of the act for uniformity, oftentimes notoriouſly
32 They ſuffer not the Preacher to diſmiſſe the Congregation, but the Sermon being done he comes downe from the Pulpit, and another goeth to the Communion Table, and having ſaid 2, or 3 Prayers, he ſaith the Peace of God, and the People depart, which is grounded upon a Rubricke miſunderſtood.
33 They have ſpoken, and Preached againſt the Religion eſtabliſhed, terming the Reformation of our Church a deformation, and the Reformers ignorant Calviniſticall Biſhops.
34 They tooke upon them to make new Orders for the obſervation of unlawfull Services and Ceremonies, for which they are Excommunicated.
And they have given to the Biſhops tranſcendent Authoritie in ordering Church matters, which notwithſtanding is limited by the locall Statutes of Durham Church, and by the Cannons, his Office is to Preach, and not to hinder Preaching &c.
35 They make Gloria Patri a fourth Creed, and therefore they injoyn the Ceremonie of ſtanding, which is a Prayer, and a part of the Letany, at which all muſt kneele.
36 They lighted on Candlemas Day more then 200 waxe Candles, when none were needfull, the day being lengthened 2 houres, the 2 of February being equall to the 18. of October. St. Lukes, on which Day no Church lighted Candles.
37 They conſtantly obſerve that unlawfull Ceremonie of turning faces to the Eaſt, not allowed by the Church, and ſome when they officiate at the Communion Table, looke toward the Eaſt, turning their backs to the People, after the manner of Maſſe Prieſts.
In theſe 20. from 17 to 37. mine Adverſaries of Durham have offended, they have violated above 40. Orders, Cannons. Injunctions, Rubrickes, not onelyonly in Ceremonies, but in the moſt ſubſtantiall parts of Gods Service and Sacraments. yet which of them was ever puniſhed, convented or Queſtioned before a Biſhop or other Eccleſiaſticall judge for ſo great and ſo many preſumptuous irregularities, and Innovations which have …throwne the whole frame of our Church Diſcipline, and Gouernment: I, that to my knowledge have Tranſgreſſed in nothing, I that oftentimes offered the Comiſſioners Biſhop Harſnet and his Colleagues which cenſured me ſo cruelly; that if they would ſhew me my error, and in what I offended againſt the Church of ENGLAND in Doctrine or Ceremonie, I would amend and make ſatisfaction: But it is great Tyranny and Div…lliſh oppreſſion to kill a true Man, unleſſe he will betray Truth, and renounce his Religion.
O ye Biſhops and other Spirituall Iudges, how terrible have you been in deſtroying painfull Preachers, for not obſerving the Croſſe in Baptiſme and other trifling Ceremonies.
But theſe monſtrous Hell hounds of Durham and Yorke, thoſe Popiſh, Hereticall, …rminian, Schiſmaticall Innovators, and moſt pernitious corruptors of Religion amongſt us: you let them ſcape, nay ſome of you have abetted and aſſiſted them unperſecuting me and others living peaceably amongſt you: you help theſe Enemies of God to afflict and vexe me: you honour and reward Wolves, and make them ſtrong to worry Chriſts Sheepe and Lambs.
Pſal. 94. O Lord God to whom Vengeance belongeth, thon GOD to whom Vengeance belongeth, ſhew thy ſelfe.
Ariſe thou Iudge of the World, and reward the proud after their deſervings, and ſo forth to the 6 Verſe.
FINIS.
End of the text · Peter Smart, A Catalogue of Superstitions (1642)