The Canterburians Self-Conviction, Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII. The Canterbuerians joine with Rome in her groſſeſt idolatries.
THE acts of Romes Idolatrie be many and various: None more open to the eye of beholders then theſe five, their adoration of altars, images, relicts,In the midſt of their denyall, yet they avow their giving of religious adoration to the very altar. ſacramentall bread, and Saints departed: For the firſt, their worſhipping of the ſtocke or ſtone of the altar, if wee would impute it unto the Canterburians, they will deny it allutterlie, and avow, that they may well worſhip God before the altar, but to worſhip the altar, it ſelf, to give to it that worſhip which is done before it, to give to it any religious worship any cultus, any foreign, any foreign, any adoration, they do deteſt it, as palpable idolatrie. So his Grace, ſo Pocklingtoune, ſo Heylene, ſo Lawrence, ſo Montagu do oft profeſſe: But that you may ſee how little faith thoſe mens Proteſtations do deſerve, and that all may know either their deſperat equivocating, or elſe their ſpirit of giddineſſe, which makes them ſay and unſay the ſame things, in the ſame pages; conſider all of the five named authours, for al their denyall, printing with approbation and applauſe as much worſhipping and adoration even of the altar, as any Papiſts this day living.
Begin with his Grace, you ſhal finde him in his Star-chamber ſpeach, for all his denyall, yet avowing within the bounds of two pages, once, twyſe, thryſe,a)Pag. 47. A great reverence is due to the body, and ſo to the throne where his body is uſually preſent. Ibid. pag. 49. Domino & altari ejus, to the Lord your God, and to his altar, for there is a reverence due to that too. Ibidem pag. 45. Therefore according to the Service-book of the Church of England the prieſt & the people both are called upon, for externall and bodily worship of God in his Church; Therefore they which doe it not, innovat, and yet the government is ſo moderat, God grant it be not too looſe, that no mā is conſtrained, no man queſtioned, onelyonly religiouſly called upon, venite adoremus. the giving of worſhip to the altar, and that ſuch worſhip, which is grounded upon that place of Scripture, Venite, adoremus, which we ſuppoſe none will deny to be Divine adoration, But wee muſt underſtand, that the King, and the Church of England heere, as in all things muſt beare the blame of his Graces faults, that the King and his moſt noble Knights of the garter muſt be patrones to this practice, and the Engliſh Lyturgie the enjoiner of it: But his Grace and thoſe that have the government of the church muſt bee praiſed for their moderation, in not urging this practice upon all their brethren.(b)Pockling. altare pag. 160. I shall intreat the pious and judicious reader, to conſider with meet reverence, what is recorded among the ſtatuts of that moſt noble order; non ſatis benè Deo atque altari reverentiam exhibuiſſe viſi ſunt, ut Deo & ejus altari proni facti debitum impenderent honorem, quoties praetergredietur ſummum altare in honorem Dei, debita genu flexione, reverentiaque conſalutabit. Idem, in his Sunday no Sabbath at the end, If wee doe not onelyonly bend or bow our body to his bleſſed board, or holy altar, but fall flat in our faces before his footſtool ſo ſoone as ever we come in ſight thereof, what Apoſtle or father would condemne us for, and not rather be delited to ſee the Lord ſo honoured. D. Pocklingtoune with his Graces licence, proclamed the bending of the bodie and the Proſtration even to it. Heylene comes up at laſt to his Maſters back, and tels us that the adoration before the altar is the honour of the altar it ſelf, and that filling downe and kiſſing of the altar; for the honouring of the altar was a very commendable practiſe.(c)Antidot Lincolne preface to the King, altars were eſteemeed ſo ſacred, that even the barbarous ſouldiours honoured them with affectionat kiſſes. Ibid. Pag. 86. The altar being thought to be more ſacred, had a far greater meaſure of reverence and devotion conferred upon it foreign, a reverend ſalutation of the table, foreign, he and Pocklingtoun both page 142. commends that exhortation of the patriarch of Conſtantinople, in the fifth counſell, Adoremus primum ſacraſanctum altare. Idem, in his anſwere to Bourtoun, page 137. If you look higher unto the uſe and practice of the ancient Church, you can not miſſe a foreign, an honour to the altar a foreign, ad ad geniculationem aeris Dei. Laurence as he prints with Canterburies licence, but undoubtedly by an impudent lee, at the Kings ſpeciall commandement, doth maintaine not only veneration, but religious worſhipping adoration, foreign and all,(d)page 25. We finde in Ignatius foreign, a honour due to the altar, and in Tertullian ad geniculari aris a kneeling to the altars: and in the councell, foreign, an adoration of the altar; and in the ſynodals of Odo reverentian altaribus exhibendam, and in Damaſcene foreign; and in another divina altaria, and in the life of Marie the Egyptian foreign, caſting my ſelfe to the earth, and worſhipping the holy ground, and the Grecians triple proſtrations tria foreign before the altar in the old Liturgies. not only by a relative and tranſient worſhip as he ſpeaks,(e)Ibid. Although they gave a religious reverence to theſe places, yet they terminat that religious reverence in God not in the places: The throne is honoured for the King; hee that reſpects the houſe for the owners ſake, reſpects not the houſe but him. but alſo, which is a degree of madneſſe, beyond any thing that I ever have marked in any Papiſt, he will have a Divine adoration given to the altar it ſelf without any relation, or mentall abſtraction, becauſe of the union of Chriſts bodie with it which ſits there as in a chaire of eſtate even as without ſcruple or relations, or mentall abſtractions▪ wee give to the humane nature of Chriſt, for that perſonall union of the godhead with it Divine adoration, whereof in it ſelfe it is not capable.(f)Ibid. page 30. So much they ſaid, but to juſtifie the practice of our Church: I need not ſay ſo much, for as although the humane nature of Chriſt receive all from the Divine, yet wee adore the whole ſuppoſitum in groſſe, which conſiſts of the humane as well as of the Divine. So becauſe of Gods perſonall precenſe in the place, wee adore him without abſtraction of his perſon, from the place, to wit, the altar. Pockling. alt page 153. Altars have beene in allages ſo greatly honoured becauſe they are the ſeats and chaires of Eſtate, where the Lord vouchſafeth to place himſelfe amongſt us. Quid eſt enim altare (as Optatus ſpeakes) niſi ſedes corporis & ſanguinis Chriſti.
For the adoration of the communion elements,As much adoration of the elemēts they grant as the Papiſts require. which Proteſtants count an Idolatrie ſo horrible, that for it alone they would not faile to ſeperate from the church of Rome, though ſhe had no other fault,(g)Apologie des Egliſes reformes par Ioan Daile chap. 20. their minde is plaine by the practice which his Grace maketh Heylene in his State anſwere defend, we do paſſe their adoration in the act of communicating, albeit wee think it ſtrange to ſee men who once were counted moderat and wiſe, by the touch of his Graces patron, to become ſo inſolent, as to hiſſe and hout at the doctrine and practice of the beſt reformed Churches, as vile and monſtruous,(h)Hale remedy of profainneſſe, page 128. away with theſe monſters of opinion and praictiſe, in this ſacrament Chriſt Ieſus is heer really tendered to us, and who can, who dare take him but on his knees. who in the act of receaving hath thought meet to ſit or ſtand, rather than to kneele, we ſpake onlie of theſe their new adorations, which againſt the conſtant practice of the Engliſh church they are now begun to uſe, without the act of receaving, a number of low cringes towards theſe elements, when they take the paten in their hand, a low inclinabo before the bread, when they ſet it downe, another; when they take up the chalice, a third; when they ſet it downe a fourth,(i)Heylens moderat anſwer, pag. 237. if bowing towards the communion table bee offenſive to you at the adminiſtration of the Sacrament, I would faine know upon what reaſons you ſtomack, that men ſhould uſe their greateſt reverence in ſo great an action thinke you it fit the Prieſt ſhould take into his hands the holy myſteries with out lowly reverence, or that it is an innovation ſo to doe? That theſe avowed adorations before the element, without the act of receaving, are directed by them, not only they ſay to the perſon of Chriſt, whom they make their eſſentially preſent, but alſo unto the elements themſelves; we prove it by no other reaſon but their former confeſſion. Their adoration before the altar is done as they confeſſe unto the altar, much more their adoration before the elements, without the act of receaving muſt bee unto the elements: For I hope they will bee loath to affirme, that there is in the altar any worthineſſe or aptitude or any other cauſe imaginable, which can make it capable of adoration, but the ſame cauſes are in the elements in a farre higher degree: The relation to Chriſts Body and Perſon, which they make the only foundation of thoſe worships being much more true, more near, more clear in the elements, then in the altar, howſoever the Popiſh proſtrations, and adorations, before the hoſtie; which to all Proteſtants is ſo abominable idolatry, are abſolved by theſe men, not onelyonly by the clearing of Papiſts of all idolatrie everie where, but particularly by their impatience, to have the adoration of the elements to be called Popiſh. For in our book of Canons when in the copie ſent up to the King, the adoration of the bread, Chap. 6. Was ſtyled by our Biſhopes the Popiſh adoration, my lord of Canterburie on the margine with his owne hand directeth to ſcrape out the word Popiſh, as we can ſhew in the authentick manuſcript of that booke now in our hands.
Concerning images,In the matter of images their full agrean…e with Rome. behold their aſſertions, firſt they tell us that the pullers down of images, out of their churches, were but lownes and knaves, pretending onelyonly religion to their profane covetouſneſſe, that they were truelie iconoclaſticke and iconomachiam hereticks.(k)Montag. orig. pag. 162. Imagines illa per Eccleſias conſtituta quae furorem effugerunt, iconoclastarum. ibid. pag. 174 ſub praetextu reformatae pietatis, Deum, Eccleſiam, pietatem, per nefandiſſima ſacrilegia everſis ubicunque monaſteriis, templis, ſacrariis, & redactis in fiſcum maximis reditibus emunxerunt cauſantur ſc. religioſi nebulones, &c. 2 That thoſe who do pull downe or breake, or offereth any indignitie to a croſſe to a crucifix, to a Saints image; are but madfools, that thoſe injuries reflect upon Chriſt and the Saints, and are revenged ſundrie times with plagues from heaven;(l)Montag. antid. pag. 28. Veriſſimum est omninoquod affirmas foreign, ut Caeſaris imago in numiſmate, ut Miletii character in pala annuli, quod ſi quis Caeſarem in charactere ſuo & numiſmate foreign in archetypum tranſit ea contumelia, quo modo ſi quis ſancti alicujus imaginem dedecore afficiat, illum ego & foreign optaverim, & ſuae temeritatis paenas dare. Studley in his glaſſe for ſchiſmatiks about the end, tels us, that hee knew a Churchwarden for the taking downe of a croſſe, which he conceived to have beene by his neigbours idolized, to have al his ſwine ſtricken with madneſſe, and therafter the man in deſperation to have drowned himſelfe: Whence hee exhorts all men to beware ſo much as to cenſure their anteceſſors of idolatry, for erecting ſuch monuments of their devotion 3 That the church of England (they take that church commonly by a hudge miſtake, for their owne prevalent faction therein) doeth not onelyonly keep innumerable images of Chriſt, and the Saints in the moſt eminent and conſpicuous places of their Sanctuaries, but alſo dayly erect a number of new, long, and large ones, very curiouſly dreſſed, and that heerein they have reaſon to rejoice and glory, above all other reformed Churches;(m)Montag. antid. pag. 24. Haeretici nequaquam à te cenſeri debemus foreign aſſervamus enim deligenter, & cum cura Petri, Pauli, beatae virginis, ſanctorum aliorum innumeras imagines, praeſertim vero Ieſu Chriſti redemptoris crucifixi, etiam in templorum cryptis, & larariis in parietibus, & fenestris quas tamen non adoramus. Ibid. pag. 26. foreign ut cum Theodoreto loquar, impugnamus foreign. Sunt apud nos qùod aliquoties dicendum frequentiſſimae imagines in Eccleſiis per ſtallos, ut vocant, Canonicorum, per feneſtras, ambones, vaſa, vestimenta, & ipſa foreign. Pokling. altare pag. 87. In my lord of Lincolne private chappell, are to bee ſeene beſide the altar, moſt richlie furniſhed cloſſe to the wall under the eaſt window, many goodly pictures which can not but ſtrick the beholders with thoughts of pietie, and devotion at their entrance into ſo holy a place, as the picture of the paſſion, and likewiſe of the holy apoſtles, together with a fair cruſifix, and our bleſſed Lady, and S. Iohn ſet up in painted glaſſe in the eaſt window, juſt over the holy table, or ſacred altar; So that I muſt ſay, That who ſo lives in this dioceſe, muſt bee condemned of great impietie, that will deſert his Lord, and not follow him giving a precedent of ſuch devotion, ſo conformable of the rubrick of our Church. Heylens anſwere, page 174. For your particular inſtances, in the cathedrals of Durhame, Bristou, Pauls, &c. the moſt that you except againſt, are things of ornament, which you are grieved to ſee now more rich or coſtly, nor they have beene formerly. Pokling; altare pag. 24. Our Churches (by Gods mercy) are a glory to our religion, beautified with goodly glaſſe windowes. Ibid. pag. 87. A fair Crucifix, and our bleſſed Lady, and S. Iohn ſet up in painted glaſſe in the eaſt window, juſt over the ſacred altar. 4. That theſe their manifold images, they uſe not onelyonly for ornament, but alſo to be bookes to the Laicks, both for their inſtruction and kindling of their affections to piety, zeale, charity, imitation of the Saints; (n)Widowes Schiſmaticall Puritain, p. 10 Church pictures are an externall beauty of the Church, a memorie of honour to the dead, & S. Gregorie cals them Laymens books. Poklin alt. pag. 87. There are to be ſeen many goodly pictures, which can not but ſtrike the beholders with thoughts of piety and devotion. Montag. antig page. 318 The pictures of Chriſt, of the bleſſed Virgine, and Saints, may be made, had in houſes, ſet up in Churches, reſpect and honour may be given to them the Proteſtants do it, and uſe them for helps of pietie, in rememoration, and effectuall repreſenting of the prototyp. Ibid. pag. 3…0. Images have three uſes, aſſigned by our ſchooles, Inſtruction of the rude, commone faction of ſtorie, and ſtirring up of devotion, theſe you and wee alſo give unto them.5. That towards the images of Chriſt and the Saints, the hearts of the Godly ought to be affected with a pious devotion, with a religious reverence, and that this reverence may very lawfully bee expreſſed, with an outward religious adoration; yea, Proſtration before the image, as well as before the altar, with the eyes of the adorer fixed upon the image;(o)Montag. adtid. page 30. Christiani omnes adoramus Chriſtum, imagini & ſimulachro, non proſternimur coram imagine ſorſan, quid ad rem vero? Invitatio est ad pietatem, ex intuitu tolle ſcandalum, ita ſi velis proſternaris, etiam oculos defigas in cruſifixum ante menſam Dominicam inclinamur, in genua procumbinus, venerationem exhibemuss, non tamen menſam adoramus. 6. That the Popiſh diſtinction of duleia and latreia is good, and well grounded, that the onelyonly abuſe of images is the worſhipping of them with latreia; that the Papiſts are free of this fault, that all their practice heere is but iconoduly, not idolatrie, that all our contraverſie with them about the worſhipping of relicts, and ſo much more of images, (for to images, they profeſſe a farre leſſe reſpect then to reliques) is but the toying of children, the ſtriving about ſhadowes, that long ago both ſides, are really agreed, though ſome for their own pride and greed delight to keep this contraverſie about ambiguous words ſtill upon foot.(p)Montag. antid. page 16. Lateriam, illum cultum ſoletis appellare, neque ego nomen aut nominis rationem, vel ſubiectum improbavero, tum à duleia ſoletis diſtinguere, non alio fine, quàm quod rerum ſubjectarum rationes, ſecundum magis & minus inter ſe diſtinguanur. page 27. Tantummodo taxumus in imaginibus foreign uſu & utilitatem non ſollicitamus ullo pacto. page 24. Pergamus ad, Eccleſiae Romanae foreign. Montag. orig. page 40. Nolunt illi quovis pacto creatura cuicunque lateriā ne quidem cultu relativo exhiberi ſed non constat quis ſit ille cultus latreiae ſoli Deo preciſe & peculiariter, debitus quibus terminis circamſcribatur: quis ille qui ſolus creaturis debetur, quis ejus modus, gradus, menſura, partes, conditio, limitatio, omnia vacillant vel ignorantur, nec illud agitur ut conſtare p…ſſint luſum diu eſt in hac queſtione & illuſum per ambiguitates è privatis nempe vel contendendi vel diteſcendi; reſpectibus conſtet autem hoc, & facilè conveniet inter nos Magnam certè graciam ab Eccleſia Christi, & partibus inter ſe contendentibus iniverint, qui docerent quouſque progredtin hoc ſanctorum cultu, & foreign poſſumus ſine juſto ſcandalo, animae pereulo, pietatis & religionis naufragio interim quod pueri ſolent, in hac re, ut in multis foreign.
About reliques they agree with Papiſt.Concerning reliques they teach firſt that the carying of them about in cloaths by devout people is tollerable.(q)Andrews ſtricturae For their reliques were we ſure, they were true wee would carry to them the regard that becomes. It was raſhneſſe & nudiſcreetly done of Vigilantius ſo to a baſe his termes concerning them, had they power of doing miracles we would have eſteemed them ſo much the more, but in their own degree: yet the caring of them about in linnen cloathes, and kiſsing which Vigilantius did object, if he did it truely, we would rather bear with it, and excuſe it is as proceeding from popular and privat divotion which will many times overſhut it ſelf then commend it. Next that thoſe bones or that duſt of the deceaſed Saints ought juſtly to be put in a caſſe of ſilk or of gold that they may be well hung about our necke and oft kiſſed; that they may be layed up amongſt our moſt pretious jewels.(r)Montag. antid. page 17. Oſſa ſanctorum cineres, reliquias vaſe aureo, velamine precioſo convolvebant. Ego certe cum Conſtantino, illas reliquias faſciis involuam, auro includam circumgeſtendas, admovebo labiis ac collo ſuſpenſa manibus oculiſque crebo uſupatas intuebor, vel in apothecas condam, & recludam inter preciofiſſima cermelia cenſendas. 3. That in thoſe reliques there is oft found ſo much grace, holin…ſſe, …rtue, that all who touches them are ſanctified by that touch.(s)Montag. antid. page 16. Magnus Baſilius ait foreign Martyris oſſa quicunque tetigerit ob gratiam illi corpori infidentem, fit quadam tenus particeps ſanctificationis. 4. That to theſe relicts a great honour yea a relative worſhip is due albeit not a latria or divine adoration(t)Montag. antid. page 16. Agnoſcimus eccleſiam veterem ſanctorū reliquiis & cineribus magnum honorem detuliſſe, & veneratione quadam relativa coluiſſe. Fiftly, That pilgramages to the places where thoſe relicts ſtand are very expedient, that proteſtants doe reprove only theſe pilgramages towards the Church of the Saints which are made for greed or ſuperſtition, that papiſts do diſallow all ſuch as well as wee.(w)Montag. antid. page 44. Neque peregrinationem religioſam ad loca ut appellant ſancta quiſquam improbaverit qui in rebus eccleſia Chriſtiana veteris non eſt hoſpes; improbat Molinaeus & meritio peregrinationes ut appellant malas, inventas vel ad ſuperſtitionem, vel ad queſtum, vel ad tyrannidam, quas & ipſas nemo ſanus inter catholicos Romanos non improbaverit. 6. That all the contraverſie which here remaines betwixt papiſts and proteſtants is about juſt nothing even about goates woll and the ſhadow of ane Aſſe.(x)Montag. orig. page 45. ut de lana caprina, vel foreign hic rixare videantur contendentes. They come very neer to the invocation of Saints.
About the invocation of Saints whereof the learned of the papiſts are ſo aſhamed that they diſavow their owne practiſe thereof,(y)Andrews structurae page 57. The Cardinall freely confeſſed to M. Cauſabon that he had never prayed to a Saint in all his life ſave only when he happened to follw the proceſſion, and that then he ſung ora pro nobis with the Clerks butelſe not. yet our men tell us firſt that the Saints in heaven are truely our meditators with God of interceſſion, as Chriſt is of redemption.(z)Montag. antid. page 20. Non anuerim ſanctos eſſe orationis & interceſſionis ut loqu… ſoletis mediatores, ſed univerſum univerſos: precibus ſuis apud Deum interveniun… & orationibus mediantur, Cbriſtus ſolus & abſque aliis eſt mediator redemptionis & quoad meritum paſſionis ſua foreign interceſſionis mediator. Again, that wee ought carefully to keep the Saints feſtivalls, to this end that we may be partakers of their interceſſion.(a)Andrews ſtrictura. page 8. We agree with S. Auguſtine, we celebrat the memories and hold the feaſts of the bleſſed Martyrs as well for imitation, as that wee may be partakers of their interceſſion. Schelfords firſt ſermon page …4. Upon the Saints dayes the Saints in heaven joine with us, now if the Saints in heaven after their manner aide us with their prayers, ſhall we be ſo baſe minded as not to pray with them? Ibid. page 27. In obſerving Saints dajes and in dedicating remples to God in their name; theſe who neglect this holy followſhip have a great loſſe, which none can ſee but they who have ſpirituall eyes 3. That albeit for common their interceſſion be univerſall, yet that ſundry times they deſcend to particulars, They remember the eſtates of their friends and acquaintance as they left it at their death, they are informed of many new particulars by the Angels which hath been upon earth, and by the Saints which after their death hath newly come to the heaven, and that accordig to their particular informations they frame their interceſſion.(a)Andrews anſwer to Cardinall Pirron. 20 chap. Wee wil hope well that Theodoſius might interceed with God for his children, wee ſee no cauſe to the contrary. Montag. antid. page 22. Meminerunt amicorum ſuorum & rerum aſe quondam in terris geſtarum quoeirca ad Chriſtum in coelo recollecti poterint devia ordinaria per Ieſum Chriſtum apud Deum patrem amicos, familiares foreign precibus commendare & adiuvare..
4. If wee were certaine that the Saints in heaven knew our eſtate it were no fault at all but verie expedient to make our prayers to them that they might interceed with Chriſt for us. And though wee bee not certaine of their knowledge, yet all the fault that is in our prayers to them is only ſome idleneſſe and curioſitie but no impietie at all.(b)Montag. antid. page 229. Save all other labour in this point. Prove only their knowledge of any thing ordinarly I promiſe you ſtreight I wil ſay holy S. Mary pray for me. Ib, antid. page 23. Tu mihi proba & demonſtra poſſe me certum eſſe de ſcientia ſanctorum particulari quocunque tandum modo ac quiſita ego certe quod ad me ipſum attinet ſanctos defunctos beatam puta virginem, ſanctiſſimos Apoſtolos, glorioſiſſimos Martyres non verebor adire interpellare, alloqui, ſupplicibus precibus deprecari habeant me commedatum & adiutum ſuis interceſſionibus apud Deum patrem per filium. Idem antid. page 200. Perhaps there is no ſuch great impietie in ſaying holy S. Laurence pray for me. 5. That none ought to reprove our prayers unto our Angell keeper.(c)Montag. invocation of Saints page 99. If thus my ſelf reſolved to do infer (holy Angel keeper pray for me) I ſee no reaſon to be taxed with point of Popery or ſuperſtition much leſſe of abſurdity or impiety. Ibidem author. page 203. The caſe of Angels not guardians as being continually attendant alwayes at hand, though inviſible, and therefore though we may ſay S. angel keeper pray for me, it followeth not, wee may ſay S. Gabriel pray for me. The Saint in heaven which the papiſts doe moſt idolize is our bleſſed Virgine to whome it is well knowne they give much more falſe worſhipe, then true to the whole Trinitie, Concerning her the Canterburians affirme firſt, that ſhe is created in another way then any of the race of Adam, that God did meditate fiftie ages upon the work of her perfect creation, that ſhee did live all her dayes without mortall ſin yea without all actuall ſin, yea without all originall.(d)Anthonie Stafford Female glorie. page 3. Others of theſe firſt and purer times not without admiration obſerve that God was almoſt fiftie ages in the meditation of the ſtructure of this ſtately palace. Montag. apar. page 301 Magno procul dubio opere templum illud foreign aparabatur, nec una de multis mater Domini in hunc mundum proceſſit è materno utero. Ibid. page 338. Vicunque conceptam in originali peccato, vixiſse tamen immunem à mortali peccato cum Auguſtino putaverim. Staffords Femal glorie in his proemiall verſes, for Eves offence not hers ſhe did begin to learn repentance ere ſhe knew to ſin. Idem page 20. She ſent forth many a ſigh for ſin not having committed any, and bewailed that of which ſhe was utterly ignorant idem page 8. The apoſtles ſometimes were obſcured with the fog of ſin, but her brightneſſe nothing vitious could leſſen, much leſſe alutterly extinguiſh. that ſhe is now advanced above all the Angells to the higheſts created perfection that is poſſible to the daughter, mother, and ſpouſe of God and that her very bodie is alreadie tranſlated to the heavens.(e)Femal glorie page 28. Nothing in her was wanting but the Dietie it ſelf. Idem in the preface, Whether we regard her perſon or her divine gifts, ſhe is in dignitie next to God himſelf. Ibid. Great Queen of Queens, daughter, and mother, and the ſpouſe of God Idem. page 210. Her aſſumption by many of the Fathers, by all the Romiſh Church, and ſome of the reformed is held for an undoubted. 3. That God hath made her to bee true Ladie and empreſſe of the Catholike Church of all the earth, and of the heaven, and that all theſe honours ſhe hath abtained by her due deſervings and merits.(f)Montag. apar page 312. Dominam profecto indicat Mariae nomen, nam revera facta eſt domina omnium creaturarum, Damaſaenus ait, cum conditoris omnium effecta fuerit mater. Ibid. page 302. Certe nulli Sanctorum dedit Deus plura, nulli majora, nullum ne omnibus quidam Sanctis, tanta, hoc est elogia matris Dei Deus impertivit qui titulus foreign omnes omnium creaturarum dignitates illud unicum privilegium ſupergreditur. Recte ait. B Thomas, beata virgo ex hoc quod eſt mater Dei habet quandam dignitatem infinitam. Ex his licet colligere (inquit Baradas) ſanctiſſimam virginem infinitam haberè quondam dignitatem ex Deo, qui & è Bonaventura recitat, majorem mundum Deus facere poteſt majorem autem matem quam eſt mater Dei Deus facere non poteſt Fem gl. page 21. She undoubtedly deſerved to be rapt up, if it were poſſible, a ſtorie higher than was S. Paul. Ibid. page 80. Certainly all the ancient Fathers with one conſent affirme that ſhe deſerves to be Empreſſe of all others who humbled her ſelf below them all. 4. That all the Angels and Saints in heaven, let bee men upon earth are obliged to adore her and bow their ſoules unto her.(g)Femal glorie. In the Panegyrirk, To whom do bow the fouls of all the juſt, whoſe place is next to Gods, to whom the hierachie do throng, and for whom heaven is all one ſong. Ibid page 3. Truely our belief may eaſily digeſt this that his omnipotencie would make her fit to bee Empreſſe of this lower world. Ibid. page 17. There were no doubt ſome of Gratitudes children, who lay proſtrat before, & did homage to their deareſt Lady. Ibidem pag. 32. The Saints glorious Empreſſe. 5. That ſhe knoweth all things perfectly heere beneath upon the earth: For in the face of God in the glaſſe of the Trinity ſhe doth behold all creatures.(h)Femal glorie panegyrick. Whoſe place is next to GOD, and in her face all creatures and delytes do ſee as darling of the Trinity. 6. That it is but prophane puritans who refuſe to ſay the Ave Maries, and to follow the example of their pious predeceſſors who wont ſo to pray.(i)Ibid. pag. 220. The Puritans of this land are thoſe I mean, they reject all teſtimonies of her worth as haile Marie full of grace, &c. They abhorre to hear her called Domina, becauſe forſooth they challenge to themſelves a greater meaſure of knowledge but a leſſer of piety than did their anteceſſors by diſclaming wordes and phraſes familiare to antiquity. Of one thing I will aſſure them till they bee good Marians they shall never be good Chriſtians. 7. That the devotions of the preſent Monks, Nunnes, and Princes who have enrolled their names in the ſodality of the virgin Mary is worthy of imitation.(k)pag. 23. My arithmetick will not ſerve mee to number all thoſe who have regiſtrate their names in the ſodality of the roſarie, of this our bleſſed Lady. The Princes of this Iſle have not beene defective in doing her all poſſible honour, and in conſecrating chappels and temples to her memory. Many holy orders alſo are of this ſodality as the Benedictins, the Ciſtertians, the Franciſcans, the Cartuſians, and many others. If all thoſe teſtimonies and examples of great worth and pious people will not move us to honour her, wee shall be judged both unworthy of this life here & ignorant of that better to come. 8. That the old pious ceremonie of burning of waxe candels in all the Churches of England through the whole cleare day of her purification ought to be renewed.(l)Ibid. pag. 153. This day the celebration whereof is inſtituted by the Church is called Candlemas, as much as to ſay, the day of lights, on which while maſſe was ſinging very many tapers were burning in the Church. Montag. orig. pag. 157. Diem ab illa ſolemnitate celebrem vocant praeſentationis: nos angelice the purification of our Lady, vel communi ſermone potius. Candlemaſday adiſtributione vel geſtatione cereorum ardentium. Couzins did put all this in practiſe in the cathedral of Durham mede burn in day light ſome hundreths of wax candles. Peter Smart for preaching againſt him was depoſed and impriſoned, but Couzins for his devotion advanced from a poore prebend to a Provoſt of a Colledge and a royall Chaplaine in ordinar.
9. That the Chriſtians obtained that famous victory over the Turkes in Lepanto by her interceſſion at their prayers with Chriſt her Sonne.(m)Femal glory pag. 226. The originall of the ſodalitie of the bleſſed virgin is derived from the battell of Naupactum gained by Iohn of Auſtria and the Chriſtians, which victorie was attributed to her interceſſion with her Son. All this his Grace hath permitted under his eye to be printed at London without any cenſure, and when this doctrine was challenged by Burtoun, he was rewarded with the loſſe of his eares and perpetuall priſon. The booke which he inveighed againſt let bee to bee recalled, is openly excuſed in print at his Graces direction as containing no evill but only innocent retorications.(n)Heylens anſwer. page 123. As for the book in tituled the Femal glory you finde not in it that I ſee by your collections any thing poſitively or dogmatickly delivered contrarie unto any point of doctrine eſtabiſhed and received in the Church of England. Some ſwelling language there is into it and ſome Apoſtrophees I perceive by you to the virgin Mary which if you take for invocations you miſtake his meaning, no invocation hitherto in point of doctrine. Yea M. Dow with his Graces licence pronounceth that book to bee free of all poperie and that upon this reaſon, becauſe the author profeſſeth his tracing the ſteps of Doctor Montagow whom all England muſt know to be above all ſuſpition of poperie.(o)M. Dow page 54. In all theſe panegyrick ſtraines of Rhetorick (for ſuch for the moſt part they ſeem rather than poſitive aſſertions) Stafford hath not deviat ſo much to the one extreame as M. Burtouns marginall hath to the other in ſcoffing and calling her the new great goddeſſe Diana. And if it bee true that he hath not digreſſed in any particular from D. Montagu the B of Chicheſter as M. Burtoun makes him affirme, I dare boldly ſay M. Burtoun will never be able too finde the leaſt point of Poperie in it: For it is well know, that Biſhop hath approved him ſelf ſuch a champion againſt Rome, that they who have tryed his ſtrength durſt never yet come to a ſecond encounter.