A Just Defense of Hearing the Sermons, Chapter 7 · Section 14
Sect. 14. The Common-Prayer Book worship was not abused to Idolatry.
3. Nor can it be denied, but they offer up to God, a VVorship meerly of humane composition (as the Common-Prayer Book worship hath been proved to be) once abused to Idolatry, with the m…es …nd rites of Idolaters. That the Common…Prayer Book worship, is a worship, that was once abused to Idolatry, being the worship of that Church, whose worship (at least in the complex thereof) is so, cannot with the least pretence of reason be denied. That the whole of it, is derived from, and taken out of the Popes Portuis, as are the Common-prayers out of the Breviary: The administration of the Sacraments, Burial, Matrimony, Visitation of the Sick, out of the Ritual, or Book of Rites: The Consecration of the Lords Supper, Collects, Epistles, Gospels, out of the Mass Book: The Ordination of Arch-bishops, Bishops, and Priests, out of the Roman Pontifical, hath been a…erted and proved by many. VVhichWhich might be evidenced (if needful) beyond exception; not only by comparing the one with the other, but also from the offer was made by Pope Pius the 4th. and Gregory the 13th. to Q. Elizabeth, to confirm the English Liturgy, which, did it not symbolize with the service of the Church of Rome, they would not have done. Yea, when the said Queen was interdicted by the Popes Bull, Secretary Walsingham procures two Intelligencers from the Pope, who seeing the service of London and Canterbury in the pomp thereof, wonder, that their Lord, the Pope, should be so unadvised, as to interdict a Prince, whose service and ceremonies did so symbolize with his own: VVhen they come to Rome, they satisfie the Pope, That they saw no service, ceremonies, or orders in England, but might very well serve in Rome, upon which the Bull was recalled. Not to mention what we have already minded, viz. the testimomy of King Edward the 6th. and his Council; witnessing the English service to be the same, and no other but the old, the self-same words in English, that were in Latine (which was the worship of England and Rome in Queen Maries dayes) it is evident, That the present Minsters of England, offer up a worship to God, once abused to Idolatry. That they do this, with the rites, ceremonies, and modes of Idolaters, (viz. such as are in use in that Idolatrous Church of Rome) needs not many words to demonstrate: What else is the Priests change of voice, posture and place of worship enjoyned them? Not to mention their holy Vestments, Bowings, Cringings, Candles, Altars, &c. all which, as its known, owe their original unto the appointments thereof. In the margin, Maccovius loc. com. append. de adiaph. p. 860. saith, Non licet mutuari, aut retinere res aus ritus sacros Idololatrarum sive Ethnicorum sife Pontificiorum, &c. etsi in se res fuerint adiaphorae quia vitandam esse omnem consormitatem cum Idololatris docemur. Lev. 19.4.27. and 21.5. Deut. 14▪ 1▪ It remaineth, That the present M…nisters of England, acting in the holy things of God, by vertue of an Office-power received from Idolaters; and offering up to him a worship meerly of humane composition, once abused to Idolatry, with the rites and modes of Idolaters, are deeply guilty of the sin of Idolatry.
Answ. That the Common-prayer Book worship, is a worship meerly of humane composition, however the Form of words be, is denied, and not proved by this Author, whose mistakes in confounding them are before shewed. Nor is the worship of the Common-prayer Book proved to have been abus…d to Idolatry, because the Fo…ms of words were taken out of the Popish Service Books, any more, than that the Scriptures or Creed, found in them, were abused to Idolatry, because thence taken: The worship being agreeable to Gods Word, cannot be abused to Idolatry. Nor doth the Form of words used in the Mass-book or B…eviary, which is otherwise holy and …ight, if it had never been in those books, cease to be holy and right, when the Idolatrous Forms are left out, any more, than Gold found in a Dunghill, remains Dung, and ceaseth to be Gold, when the filth is washed away from it. To that of the Common-prayer Book being taken out of the Popes Portuis, and King Edwards words, answer is made in the Answer to the 3d. chapter, sect. 4. The offer of the Pope, and the report of his Intelligencers, p…oves, that the Pope had nothing to except against the Common-Prayer Book, or the Service of the Church of England; but not, that they are every way the same with that which is used in the Church of Rome. Concerning its being taken out of the Popes Portuis, at least for the greatest piece, Arch-bishop Whitgift, in his A…swer to the first Admonition, p. 82. said long agoe, It maketh no matter of whom it was invented, in what book it is contained, so that it be good and profitable, and cons…nant to Gods Word. Well saith Ambrose, Omne verum à quocun que dicitur, à Spiritu Sancto, All truth, of whomsoever it is spoken, is of the Holy Ghost. As for the Book of Ordination, he an…wers, the words of the second Admonition, p. 201. thus▪ It is most false and untrue, that the Book of ordering Ministers and D…acons, &c. now used, is word for word drawn out of the Popes Pontifical, being almost in no point correspondent to the same; as y…u might have seen, if you had compared them t…gether: But ignorance and rashness drives you into many errours. As for the rites, and modes, and ceremonies objected, those, which are in the Church of Rome Idolatrous, are not observed, or used by the Ministers, who minister according to the Common-Prayer Book, to whom conformity with the Popish Priests therein is injuriously imputed; and they are so farr from being found deeply guilty of the sin of Idolatry, that the very a…guings of this Author rather acquit them, than convince them. As for the words of Maccov…us, they are not right; we may retain the goods used to Idol…try and apply them to holy uses, though they have been abused by Idolaters, yea, and abused to Idolatry, as the Temples, Bells, Tables, which have been abused to the Idolatry of the Mass, as is largely proved by Mr. Page…, in his Arrow against the separation of the Brown…sts, in answer to Mr▪ Ainsworth, ch. 7. Nor is it p…oved by Maccovius▪ out of the Texts alleged here, That the sacred rites of Idolaters, though they be things in themselves indifferent, are not to be retained; but that all conformity with Idolaters is to be avoided. For none of the Texts speak of things in themselves indifferent; Turning unto Idols, and making to themselves molten Gods, forbidden Levit. 19.4. being gross Idolatry: the rounding the corners of their heads, marring the corners of their beards, v. 27. making baldness upon their head, shaving off the corner of their beard, cutting their flesh, Levit. 21.5. making baldness bettween their eyes for the dead, being heathenish customes, which were Idolatrous; as Ainsworth, Annot. on Levit. 21.5. Such as those, 1 Kings 18.28. Or as Salmasius in his Book of long hair; the rounding of the corners of their h…ads, to have been in honour of the Moon: Or shewing heathenish sorrow for the dead; all sinful in themselves, and therefore not indifferent. But there is yet one more Charge behind.