The Canterburians Self-Conviction, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Ament their Superſtitions.
IN the church of Rome, the Canterburians uſe to profeſſe corruptions of two kindes,Few of all Romes ſuperſtitions are againſt thier ſtomack. errours and ſuperſtitions, as for hereſies or Idolatries, they are loath any ſuch crimes ſhould bee laid to the charge of their mother church, how many and how greivous errours they finde Rome guiltie of they had need to declare; for in the moſt of thoſe, werein the Proteſtants place the chiefe of the Romiſh errours, you have heard them plainlie take their part, readilie it will prove no otherwiſe when wee come downe to try them in the particular heads▪ wherein Papiſts are reputed moſt ſuperſtitious.
The ſuperſtitions which in Papiſts are moſt remarked in their private carriage are theſe four: In their frequent ſigning of themſelves with the ſigne of the croſſe: In wearing about their neck a crucifix or ſome ſuch toy of an image or relique: In ſaying their prayers on their beads: In abſtaning from fleſh on fryday, wedneſday, lent; or ſome great feaſtivalls Eave; Our men are farre from diſproving of any of theſe practices. For the firſt, they avow that ſigning with the ſigne of the croſſe at ryſing or lying downe, at going out or coming in, at lighting of candles, cloſing of windowes, or any ſuch action is not only a pious and profitable ceremonie, but a verie Apoſtolick tradition.(a)Samuel Hoards Sermon. p. 15. Reckons out among his traditions, the croſſing of themſelves when they went out, or when they came in, when they went to bed, or when they roſe, when they ſet down to meat, or lighted candles, or had any buſineſſes of moment to doe Montag. apeal page 286. What hinders but that I may ſigne my ſelf with the ſigne of the croſſe in any part of my boody, at any time when I goe to bed, in the morning when I riſe, at my going out, at my returning home, the ancient Church ſo uſed it, and ſo may wee (for ought I know) without juſt ſcandall or ſuperſtition. 2. They avow expreſly the carrying of theſe holy trincats about their neck, in caiſſes of ſilver or gold.(b)Montag. antid. p. 17. Ego certe illas reliquias faſ…iis involvam; auro includam, circumgeſtandas, admovebo labiis ac collo ſuſpenſas manibus, oculiſque crebro uſurpatas intuebor. Ibid. p. 24. Imagines praeſertim Christi crucifixi aſſervamus diligenter & cum cura: ſunt apud nos per feneſtras, ambones, vaſa, vestimenta. 3 The ſaying of their prayers; yea, their Ave maries upon their beeds is to them an holy Arithmetick worthie of praiſe and imitation.(c)Female glory, pag. 148. Among the other praiſes of his holy Nuns, this is one, You who ply your ſacred Arithmetick, and have your thoughts cold and cleare as the cryſtall beeds yee pray by: And in his proemials, Omnis terra revibrat aeve 4. Wedneſday, fryday, and Lent-faſts, are to them not only lawdable practices of the ancient church, but alſo traditions come from Chriſt and the Apoſtles which for religions cauſe all are oblidged to embrace.(d)Montag. antid. p. 164. Quadrageſimale jejunium libenter ego conceſſerim ab Apoſtolis conſtitutum, & apud vetiſſimos Eccleſia proceres uſurpatum. Ibid. p. 9. Doceatur eſſe aliquid ab ipſis Apoſtolis inſtitutum, utpote jejunium quadrageſimale; Cauſam non dicamquin haereſeos accuſer, ſi non ut ab Apoſtolicae authoritate ſancitum propugnavero. William Wats ſermon, page 50. Moſt preciſe and ſevere obſervers were they of Lent-faſt, which the whole primitive Church did believe to bee of Apoſtolicall inſtitution, ſo that they had their Saviours and his Apoſtles example for that ſtrictneſſe. I paſſe their obſervation of Wedneſdayes and Frydayes faſt weckly, which Epiphanius among many others aſſureth to bee of Apoſtolicall inſtitution, Couzins devotion: It had alſo beene an ancient and religions cuſtome, to faſt all the Frydayes in the yeare, except thoſe which fall within the twelve dayes of Chriſtmaſſe. The Lent which now is, and ever hath beene reputed an apoſtolical conſtitution, and wee adde out of Chryſologus, that it is not an humane invention, as they call it, but it comes from Divine authoritie that wee faſt our fouritie dayes in Lent, p. 221.
They embrace the groſſeſt not onelyonly of their private, but alſo of their publick ſuperſtitions.The popiſh publick ſuperſtitions are very many, but of theſe which that whole Church doth allow, very few comes to my minde which ſtand much againſt the ſtomack of our men: Thoſe that come firſt to my thoughts are all pleaſently digeſted; Proteſtants wont to deride the popiſh conceat of their holy ground, of their conſecrat walls, and the ſanctuary of their Chancels, their turnings towards the Eaſt, their manifold toies in baptiſme and the Lords ſupper joyned with the ſacramentall elements, their hallowing above the Sabboth a multitude of Feſtivals, their pilgr…mages, their proceſſions and many ſuch their practiſes. In this behold the minde of our men, they tell us firſt that Kirkyards by prayers and conſperſion of holy water muſt be made holy ground; that before theſe epiſeopall conſecrations, no Chriſtian buriall may be made therein, but after that the biſhop hath uſed the pontificall ceremonies therupon, no Heretick, no Schiſmatick, no Excommunicat perſon may be brought there, no worldly, no common action there performed without the profanatiō of the holy place.(e)Laurence ſermon p. 9. Chriſtians diſtinguiſhed their oratories into an aetriū, a Church yard, a ſanctū, a Church a ſanctum ſanctorum a Chancell, they did conceive a greater degree of ſanctitie in one of them, than in an other, and in one place of them than another, churchyards they thought profained by ſports, the whole circuit both before and after Chriſt was priviledged for refuge, none out of the communion of the Kirke permitted to lie there, any conſecrate ground preferred for interment before that which was not conſecrat, and that in an higher eſteem which was in a higher degree of conſecration, and that in an higher which was neereſt the altar. Halls ſermon at the conſecration of a buriall place p. 38. Out of the conſideration of the holy deſignation of theſe peculiare places came both the tittle and practice of conſecration of cemiteries, which they ſay is no leſſe ancient than the the dayes of Calixtus the firſt who dedicated the firſt Cemmiteries, albeit it was decreed by the counſel of Arles, that if any Church were cō ſecrated the Church yard of it ſhould require no other hallowing but by ſimple conſperſion. p. 40. It is meer and neceſſary that thoſe places ſhould be ſet aſide to this holy uſe by a due and religious dedication, by prayers and holy actions tending thereunto. if the Iews uſed theſe dedications how much more we. Ib. in the preface, an act worthy both of this common celebration and of that epiſcopall ſervice of mine. Again they ſhew us that the church by the biſhops anointing ſome ſtones thereof with oyl and ſprinkling others with water, and uſing from the Roman pontificall ſome mo prayers, ſome mo ceremonies upon it, becomes a ground more holy: That before theſe conſecrations though the people of God for many years have meet into a Church for divine ſervice, yet it is no more holy then a barn, a tavern, a tolbooth; but after theſe conſecrations there is ſuch holineſſe in the walls, that even when there is no divine ſervice, men at their comming in, and going out muſt adore and all the time of their preſence ſtand diſcovered, and never ſo much as ſit down, were the ſervice never ſo long, except upon great infirmity.(f)Tedders ſermon p. 8. It is the conſecration that makes them holy and makes God eſteeme them ſo, which though they be not capable of grace, yet receive by their conſecration a ſpirituall power whereby they are made fit for divine ſervice and being conſecrate, there is no danger in aſcribing holineſſe unto them, if we beleeve S. Bernard. quis parietes iſtos ſanctos dicere vereatur, quos manus ſacratae Pontificum tantis ſactificavere mysteriis. When we come to Church ſayes the holy Fathers of the devotion of thoſe primitive times, corpora humi sternimus, they that ſhewed the leaſt devotion did bow all the time that they were there, none preſumed ſo much as to ſit as being too bold and lazie a poſture in Gods houſe; but only for infirmitie or ſome other cauſe were diſpenſed with. There were ſome that would not have their ſhooes on their feet in the temple, a ſhame to them that have their hats on in Gods hoaſe. Shelford. p. 51. Some profaine Gods houſe by going out with heads covered as if God were not preſent and it were not his houſe when ſervice was ended. Pokling. altare. p. 141. Churches when they were made they were conſecrate, for a man may as lawfully and Chriſtianly adminiſter the ſacrament in a barn or town hall as in any place that is not conſecrate to ſuch holy uſes, Queenſcoale p. 223. S. Giles Church in the fields being newly repaired after two years ſervice, ſermon and ſacraments in it in D. Montany B. of Londons time, was required to be conſecrat by his ſucceſſor D. Lad, the people refuſing the biſhop, cauſed ſequeſter and lock up the houſe for a monethmonth, and forces the Pariſh after fiftie pound fies to put up a crucifix upon the eaſt window and receive the other orders of conſecration. The fundation ſtones of the repaire of Pauls were ſolemnly bleſſed by the biſhop, his main reaſone for the urging of the viſitation of Cambridge was, that two chappels there was not yet cenſecrat, notwithſtanding of divine ſervice in them for ſome ſcore of years bygone. 3. That the Chancell and the Altar muſt not only be dedicat with prayers and unctions, but with lighted candles, burning in-cenſe, and many other ſuch toies; that it muſt be divided from the Church with vailes to keep not only the bodies, but the eyes of the Laicks from beholding the arke and throne wherein the body of the Son of God doth ſit, as in a chaire of ſtate, that none but prieſts muſt enter there and that with their triple low adorations at their approaching: That it is a favour for the King or the Empetour to win near that place for the ſhort time of his offering.(g)Pokl. alt. p. 141. Was not the altar the chiefeſt place which with moſt ceremony and devotion was hallowed? was there not a feaſt annuall keeped in joyfull remembrance of the dedication of every Church. Doth not S. Auſtine ſay. Novit ſanctitas veſtra fratres, conſecrationem altaris celebramus in quo unclus vel benedictus est lapis, as he cites the place in his Sunday Quenſcoale. p. 198. In the collegiat Church of Wolverhampton in the countrie of Stafford, the altar and cloaths thereof were conſecrat 11. Octob. 1635. As ſoon as the prieſts come to the Church each of them made a low congie at their firſt entring in the Church doore and after that three congies a peece towards the altar, ſo they went unto the chancell where a baſon with water and a towel was provyded for the prieſts to waſh in, where alſo was incenſe burning; after they returned making three congies apeece. After the ſermon every one of them had a paper in his hand which they tearmed a cenſer, and ſo they went up again to the altar: As they went they made three congies apeece, the communion being ended they waſhed their hands and returned giving three congies as before. Ib. 220. There are diverſe high altars ſolemnly dedicated of late in diverſe colledges of Combridge and Oxford adorned with tapers, candleſticks, crucifixes, baſons, croſſes, rich altar clothes, crimſon, cuſhons, rich hangings. Pokling. alt. page 24. Optatus ſaith that erant eccleſiae ex auro & argento quam plurima ornamenta. ibid. page 80. At the upper end of the Chancell was a place railed in, whereunto none were permitted to enter but the prieſts. The Canon is cleare. Nulli omnium qui ſit in Laicorum numero liceat intra ſacrum altare ingredi. A diſpenſation indeed there was for the Emperour to enter in hither when he would Creatori dona affer… but ſtay there he might not Laurence p. 10. Beyond theſe railes duo cancelli which diſtinguiſhed the body of the Church from the Oracle, none out of orders came. A more awfull reverence was commanded to this part being barred from common view. Ibid. pag. 29. We have the Grecians triple proſtrations from their liturgies, foreign Ibid. p. 12. The ſame God is through all the parts of the Church, but not in the ſame maner through all the parts thereof, for as they are different degrees of ſanctiry in them, ſo is there a different diſpenſation of his preſence in them, Ibid. p. 15. This followes upon the conſecration, as there was a greater communication of the divine preſence in thoſe places than in others, ſo was there a greater communication of the ſame preſence in ſome parts of the temple of Salomon than in others. And as that diſtinction in holy places continued after Chriſt ſo did the reaſon of that diſtinction too. The whole indeed is the houſe of God, for albeit the Lord be without theſe walls yet is he more within, as we are not preſumed to be ſo much abroad as at home, though the Church conceived him to be preſent in all parts of this houſe, yet it conceived him to be preſent more in one part of it than another, in reſpect of that peculiar diſpenſation of his preſence to that place of the Church, as of old to that place of the temple which was within the vaile, having an altar heere anſwerable to a mercy ſeat there, as alſo in reſpect of that union betwixt this place and his humane nature. Cant. Star. Chamber ſpeach p. 47. The altar is the greateſt place of Gods reſidence upon earth. I ſay the greateſt, yea greater than the pulpit, for there it is hoc ectcorpus meum, but in the pulpit it is at moſt hoc eſt verbum meum, and a greater reverence no doubt is due to the body than to the word, and ſo in relation anſwerable to the throne where his body is uſually preſent then to the ſeat whence his word uſes to be proclamed. 4 That none of the ceremonies of the popiſh baptiſm, neither their ſalt, their ſpitle, nor exſufflation are ſuperſtitious.(h)Vide ſupra cap. 5. (x). 5. That a number of the Maſſe toies which yet are not in practiſe in England, yea all the guiſes of the Maſſe which can be proven to be ancient are all to be embraced.(i)Lincolneſhere Miniſter p. 163. I was ſhewed a latine determination read in one of out Univerſities, aiming to prove, that look what ceremonies were uſed about the altar before the reformation by power and force of any generall cuſtome, though paſt over in deep ſilence by our liturgie, are notwithſtandig commanded us by a kinde of implicit praecept, even unto us, that live under the diſcipline of the Engliſh liturgie. Heylene in his Antidot. lect. 2. p. 63. doth confeſſe the fact and doth not diſclame the author therein, only leaves that Kings profeſſor D. Colines as a man moſt able to juſtifie that writ. Theſe are his words, as for your Sally on the author of the latine determination, I leave him to himſelf: Hee is of age to doe you reaſon in this, as well as in that other quarrell you have againſt him. 6. That who ever in the publick prayers hath their face toward the North, South, and Weſt muſt be publickly called upon to turn themſelves ever towards the Eaſt.(k)Vide ſupra, cap. 5. B. 7. That in the Church not only in the time of prayer, but at the reading of the ten commands, all muſt fal on their knees, but when the creed is read all muſt ſtand upright on their feet, whē the epiſtle commeth, all may ſit down, but when the goſpel begineth, all muſt again ariſe, during the time of ſermon all muſt ſtand uncovered. That to theſe and all ſuch pious practiſes we are oblidged by the ſole example of the biſhops or ſome few of them, even before the inacting of any law either of Church or ſtate.(l)Edward Bugheus, ſerm. pag. 9. We may not think it enough that we ſtand at the Creed, except we ſay it alſo with the Miniſter audibly with a lowd voice, nor is it enough for us to ſtand up at the goſpel, but we muſt alſo bow at the name of Ieſus, not as if we were aſhamed of what we did, but with due and lowly reverence, neither is it ſufficient to be bare in time of divine ſervice, except we alſo reverently kneell on out knees when the commands and letanie are read. Shelfoord p 20. Let us learn of our Cathedrall Churches, for there our reverend Fathers, the prelats, make their reverence to God in this wiſe, both at their entry and their returne, wherefore to follow their good and holy paterne we are to do the like both at our comming in to Gods houſe and at our going out. Ibid p. 22. The fifth office of holineſſe is to riſe up from our ſeats when the articles of our faith are read, we alſo do more reverently to ſtand up at the reading of the pſalmes before, after, and behind the holy leſſons. We are alſo to ſtand at the reading of the goſpell. The reaſon that the old Lytargick writters gives of this ſuperſtitious ſtanding at the Creed and goſpel more then at the reading of the leſſons and epiſtles is, becauſe theſe epiſtles among which they put the revelation the penteteuch and ſundry other parts of the old teſtament, containes more baſe doctrine then the goſpel which comes behind them, as the Maſter comes after his ſervant which goes before to make way. 8. That the conſcience is oblidged not only to keep religiouſly the greater feſtivities of Yule, paſch, pentecoſt, & the reſt which are immediatly referred to the honour of the Trinitie, but alſo a number of the feſtivals of the bleſſed Virgin, of the Saints and Angels: Thoſe muſt not be polluted with any work or ſeculare affaire, as we deſire to bee helped by theſe glorified perſons interceſſion.(m)Couſins devotions they offend againſt the fifth command that obeyes not the precepts of the eccleſiaſtick governours. The precepts of the Church are firſt to obſerve the feaſtivals and holy dayes appointed in the Church calendar vide ſupra cap. Yet Chriſts Sunday muſt bee no Sabbath; bowling, balling, and other ſuch games may well conſiſt with all the holineſſe it hath, yea, no law of God, no ancient Canon of the Church doth diſcharge ſhearing of corne, taking of fiſh, or much other husband labour upon that day; but by the contrary acts both of church & State do warrād ſuch labour; yea, there is ſo great Iewiſh ſuperſtition in the land about Chriſts Sunday, that all preachers muſt be oblidged in their very pulpits to proclame the new book of ſports, for incouragment of the people to their gamings, when the ſhort houre of divine ſervice is ended, and that under no leſſe paine than ejection from the Miniſtere.(n)Whits examinat p. 118. The injunction maketh no difference betwixt Sunday and the other holy dayes concerning working, in harveſt no ſpeciall priviledge is given it more then the reſt. For King Edwards ſtatute repeated by Queen Elizabeth ſaith, It ſhall be lawfull to every husband man, labourer, fiſher-man &c. upon the holy dayes aforeſaid in harveſt or at any other time of the yeare when neceſſity ſhall require, to labour, ride, fiſh, or work any kinde of work at their free wils and pleaſure. Ibid. on the Sabbath p. 217. In the new teſtament we read of no prohibition concerning abſtinence from ſecular actions upon the Lord day more then upon other dayes. Et quod non prohibetur ultro permiſſum eſt. The Catholick Church for more than 6…0. year after Christ, gave licence to many Chriſtian people to work upon the Lords day at ſuch houres as they were not commanded to be preſent at the publick ſervice by the precept of the Church. In S. Ieromes dayes the devoteſt Chriſtians did ordinarly work upon the Lord-day. In Gregorie the greats time it was reputed antichriſtian doctrine to make it a ſin to work on the Lords day. Helens anſwer. p 111. His Majeſtie having publiſhed his declararion about lawfull paſtimes on the Sunday gives order to his biſhops that publication thereof be made in all their ſeverall dioceſſes, the biſhops hereupon appoint the incumbent of every Church to read the declaration to the people, and finding oppoſition to the ſaid appointment, preſſe them to the performance of it by vertue of that Canonicall obedience which by their ſeverall oaths they were bound to yeeld unto their ordinaries, but ſeeing nothing but contempt upon contempt after much patience and long ſuffering, ſome of the moſt perverſe have been ſuſpended as well a beneficio as officio for an example to the reſt. 9. Pilgramages to Sants, reliques, and barefooted proceſſions to their Churches are preached and printed. (o)Vide ſupra caput. 5. w.Thoſe throats which are ſo wide as to ſwallow down all theſe, it ſeemes they will not make great bones in all the other traſh which in the Romiſh Church we challenge as ſuperſtitious.