A Parallel Comparison of the Liturgy with the Mass Book, Title page – Preface
A PARALLEL OR BRIEFE COMPARISON OF THE LJTƲRGJE WITH THE MASSE-BOOK, The Breviarie, the Ceremoniall, and other Romiſh Ritualls.
VVherein is clearly and ſhortly demonſtrated, not onelyonly that the LITURGIE is taken for the moſt part word by word out of theſe Antichriſtian Writts; but alſo that not one of the moſt abominable paſſages of the Maſſe can in reaſon be refuſed by any who cordially imbrace the Liturgie as now it ſtands, and is commented by tbe Prime of our Clergie.
All made good from the Teſtimonies of the moſt famous and learned Liturgick Writers both Romiſh and Engliſh.
By R. B. K.
Seene and Allowed.
LONDON, Printed by Thomas Paine, and are to be ſold at the Caſtle in Cornehill, 1641.
THE PREFACE.
The reformed Religion is a great Enemy to Sathans Kingdome.THe Kingdome of Sathan theſe laſt thouſand yeares hath not been ſo much indamaged by any work of God, as by that glorious reformation of Religion, which in the dayes of our Fathers the LORD ſtirred up many Proteſtant Potentates and Divines to undertake, and to this day with an undaunted courage and marvellous ſucceſſe to maintaine: it is nothing ſtrange to ſee or heare of plots ſingularly craftie, of practiſes eminently cruell, employed by the vaſſalls of the God of this world for the cruſhing of that reformation which hath preved ſo divine an engine to profligate errour, prophaneneſſe, and all other wickedneſſe, whereby the ſoules of men were wont to be led away to their deſtruction without controlment.
Sathans new deviſe to overthrow the reformed Religion by his mediators of peace.The old devices of the Devill against the Proteſtant Churches by their long uſe are a little blunted and become nothing either ſo terrible or effectuall as once we felt them▪ the learning, vivacitie, & indefatigable induſtry of the Jeſuits & other Romiſh orders, in their Voluminous Writings: the ſpight and rage of Antichriſtian Princes, in their warres, maſſacres, baniſhments, and perſecutions of all kinds, have done their worſt upon us, and yet by the mercies of our Protector, we ſtand firme againſt all theſe efforts. Our reſtles enemy finding himſelfe in theſe his former indeavours diſappointed, hath lately run about to a new poynt of his circle, and thought meet to aſſay another quarter of our walls, which to him appeared more weake and leſſe attended, than thoſe upon which he had ſpent his ſtrength, and skill ſo long in vaine. When the moſt ſubtile diſputations and ſharpeſt ſwords were not likely with haſte enough to bring forth our ruine, behold that miſchievous Generall ſends forth the reſerved ſquadron of Knights of his new order of refined Reconcilers, by whoſe pretences of friendſhip and peaceable mediations, he is confident to overthrow the Protestant cauſe more quickly than by the heads and hands of all his former Souldiers. The experience he hath had of the efficacious operation of this engine, when at the firſt framing it was managed by the weak hands of Caſſander, his remembrance how many thouſand ſoules by the unhappy conceits of this mans moderation were kept in the boſome of the great whore, when upon the cleare ſight of her abominations they were on their wing to have forſaken with ſpeed her communion, fills him now with hopes of drawing over to Rome whole Nations and kingdomes of Proteſtants, when he perceives this his noble inſtrument to be fallen into the hands of far greater ſpirits, and men armed with much greater authoritie.
Holland by this engine was well neare catched in the net of the Pope and Spaniard.The Churches and States of Holland having outridden all their former tempeſts, by the blaſt of this laſt ſpirit, were well neere daſhed on the rocks of a totall ruine: Arminius and Utenbogard, breathing nothing but charitie and moderation of the rigours of Calvin and Beza, after they had gotten the ſhoulders of Barnevelt and Grotius to ſupport them, in a ſhort time did bring theſe famous Provinces in a more evident hazard, to fall into the mouth of the Spaniſh Lyon for their bodies and eſtates, and of the Romiſh ſhee Wolf for their ſoules and Religion, than fortie or fiftie yeares of cruell and continuall warre had ever been able to reduce them.
By this inſtrument Cardinal Richelieu is labouring to deſtroy the Churches of France.How ever the Cardinall of France by the ſword of the King his Maſter, hath weakened the Proteſtant Churches of that Kingdome in all their outward ſecurities, much more than all the enemi…s that ever profeſſed to oppoſe them, yet his peaceable weapons are far more terrible than all his inſtruments of warre. Whither his finger did ſtirre in that late ſmoke of Amirant and Teſtard, I doe not know, but the world doth now ſee him ready to ſtrike (if he can) to the very heart theſe gracious Churches with Caſſanders ſword. This is all the labour of his hypocritiſh emiſſary Milletier, once amongst the moſt zealous and learned Gentlemen of the Religion there, but lately having taſted of the Cardinalls favour, by all the meanes he can endeavouring avowedly to perſwade the Churches of France not to become at the firſt full Papists, but onelyonly to paſſe from their firſt reformation as raſh, to enter into a new capitulation of peace with the Pope, to keep ſo much and leave ſo much of the reformed Religion, that if his importunate adviſe were hearkened unto, the moſt both of Paſtours and people of their owne accord without any violence from the Kings force or perſwaſion from the Jeſuits craft, behoved incontinent to fall in ſuch a miſt of confuſion, that they could not eſchew to betake themſelves either to open Atheiſme or plaine Popery. No engine againſt our Churches pleaſed that too too wiſe man ſo well as this of a pretended reconciliation. Wherfore if it ſhould faile in the hands of his ſervant Milletier, as indeed his too palpable ſiding with the Pope hath made him to the moſt of Proteſtants contemptible and ridiculous, yet hath his Maſter projected other means for the proſecution of this deſigne: his familiar and frequent conferences with the prime Miniſters of the Religion; his contentment to heare of a Patriarchate in France, of tranſlating the Popiſh Bible and Liturgie in the vulgar Language, and ſome other ſuch fables, hath no other end but to amuſe the Proteſtants with pleaſant and fooliſh dreames, that the Papiſts at laſt are inclining to meet them in the mid-way; that by this means they may be drawne from their old ſtation, defended ſo long with rivers of the beſt blood of France, that they may deſert a great part of their cauſe on vaine hopes of an equitable condiſcending, and when they are brought to the mid terme they imagine, they may either by perſwaſion be drawn quite over to the Romiſh ſide, or els quickly by force be chaſed out of France.
The greateſt operation of this engine was in the Iſle of Britaine.But of all the Regions of the world this evill Caſſandrian ſpirit did chooſe the Iſle of Britaine for his principall habitation, having once gotten poſſeſſion in the heart of the great Arch Prelate there; from him as the head without much adoe he diffuſed his venome into the most of the inferior members, numbers of the Clergie were incontinent in all the Dominions ſo farre intoxicated with this p…ſtilentious vapour, that how much true proteſtant life remained in their breaſt, it is hard to ſay. By all appearance too great a number needed no more for their poſting to Rome, but a Warrant from the King and Parliament, yea ſo great a minde had they to the voyage, that many of them, notwithſtanding of the King and States expreſſe diſcharge are found as fugitives much beyond the mid-way, if not within the walls themſelves of that Babel: who pleaſeth to peruſ… with attention that late Treatiſe of the Canterburian ſelf-conviction, will find it more eaſie to recite the Catalogue of Romiſh errours, which were avowed by a great number of Divines, with the heartie approbation, or at leaſt open countenance of all the Biſhops, than to finde any abomination of Popery whereof they were free.
The Canterburians by the meanes of the Liturgie did moſt promote their wicked deſigne.Amongst the manifold policies employed by theſe new ingeniers to ſteale away the hearts of people from their zeale to the Proteſtant Religion, to diminiſh their hatred of Popiſh corruptions, peece and peece to bring them inſenſibly within the doores of the Harlots houſe: their maſter-peece for theſe ends was the crying up with all their ſtrength of the Liturgie and Popiſh ritualls: they knew that amongst people the capacities of few did reach to the comprehenſion of doctrinall controverſies, they perceived that the diviſion of Proteſtants from Rome was moſt if not alone ſenſible in the uſe of their Liturgie and rituals; a civill ſocietie with Papiſts we did never refuſe, diverſe alſo make no ſcruple to come to their Sermons, but to countenance their worſhip, to partake of their Sacraments, to joyne with them in their Miſſall, Breviatie, Pontificall, or any other of their Ceremoniall books, all true Proteſtants have ever abhorred as ſuperſtitious and idolatrous pollutions. To remove this great if not ſole wall of ſeparation,See Halls defence of his Remonſtrance, p. 10. our Maſters of the new art did make it their chiefe task to frame all the rituals of our Church in ſuch a mode, that they ſhould in nothing at all croſſe with the leaſt offence the mind of the Pope himſelfe: and as if it had not been favour enough to Papiſts to have removed out of our Books of devotion, every thing any wayes diſpleaſing to them, they will yet more ſhew their care of complying with the deſires of theſe their friends; when the reframing of the Liturgie commeth into their hands, by cunning conveyance they will ſlide in ſo many more new clauſes from the Romiſh Miſſall, as may ſerve at their firſt explanation to be a faire bridge to all our people to walk ſtraight over the ancient ditches of diviſion to the midſt of the Citie of Rome. They ſaw by ſenſible reaſons, that when we did embrace ſuch a Liturgie as did juſtifie the Maſſe Book of the Papiſts, their Breviarie and all other their publick devotions, in all the moſt materiall exceptions we were wont to take at them, that then we were brought to an inevitable neceſſitie to conjoyne at the firſt occaſion with the Papiſts in theſe things wherein our ſeparation almoſt alone was apparent.
The Liturgie of old was a pregnant mean to ſubdue England to the Pope.Beſide reaſon and ſenſe they were taught by ancient experience, that the eaſieſt way whereby the Pope of old ſubdued the moſt of the Weſtern Nations to his obedience, was by the ſnare of his Liturgie; they were not unacquainted with the hiſtory of forraigne Churches, at leaſt of their owne: It was not onelyonly in Italy, France, and Spaine, where the Pope after his long warres and conteſts both with the Preachers and people, for the receiving of his Ordo Romanus, at laſt ſore againſt the heart both of the Churches and States by the violent oppreſſion of miſled Princes, did bind the yoke of his Service-book ſo faſt on the necks of theſe realms, that to this day the knot of that ſlavery could never be gotten either looſed by art, or cut by force; but in England above all Nations the firſt introduction of the Romiſh Liturgie was tragicall and tyrannick, for notwithſtanding of all that the crafty and in famous Apoſtle Auſtin could do, the Church-men of England were never induced to receive that Roman order, till that cruell maledictine Monk by the ſword of the miſ-informed King, had maſſacred 1200 of the moſt zealous and innocent of his oppoſers, to the end that the ſeed of Romiſh rituals being watered with the blood of ſo many Martyrs, might take the deep…r root in Engliſh ground; ſurely when once that cruell Monk, then Archbiſhop of Canterbury, and the Popes Apoſtle to England, had brought that Romiſh ſervice into the Church over the carkaſes of ſo many martyred Divines, the ſlavery of the whole Nation become ſo pitifull, that for many ages without any poſſible remedy, both their ſoules, bodies, and eſtates were trod upon by the foule feet of the Romane Antichriſt.
Theſe tryed experiences did encourage much of late our Leaders to aſſay the reducing of our Church in that old beaten path to the obedience of the Apoſtolick Sea. The Engliſh Liturgie which contained the m…ſt tolerable fooleries of the old order of Satum was winked at in the beginning of King Edward and Q. Elizabeths Reigne, by many gracious men overſwayed by the prepotent Popiſh faction, hoping withall in due time by the power of preaching to get all that traſh caſt out, and all the miſt of theſe ſhadowes diſpelled: but in this hope they were much deceived, for that book which at the beginning might have (albeit with ſome difficultie) been gotten quite removed, in proceſſe of time was ſo rooted, became ſo lovely to many of the Clergy, that when this new faction of Reconcilers was lifted up on the ſtage of this Iſle, they found it the beſt inſtrument they could have wiſhed for the promoving of all their deſignes: the greateſt follies and moſt inexcuſable faults thereof, which in the dayes of former Governours were either altogether neglected or but ſoftly preſſed, by our new Maſters wiſdomes were all punctually and moſt ſtraitly urged: theſe men gave unto many paſſages of that Book, which by a benigne interpretation were wont to be drawne unto a proteſtant ſenſe; their firſt and native expoſition according to the minde of theſe Popes who had at the beginning compoſed them; and finding it moſt eaſie by a little variation to get in much more of the Romiſh ſtuffe, they procured from the King, as if it had beene for the uſe of the Church of Scotland alone, the reframing of the whole Book: in this their work they inſerted ſo much farther of the Romiſh ritualls, that if God had not croſſed their deſigne, it had been in all appearance moſt eaſie for them ſo to have dreſſed that new ſervice in a ſecond Edition (which by a freſh Proclamation for a full uniformitie in the worſhip of God amongst all the Kings Subjects, might have been impoſed on all the three Dominions) that Proteſtants ſhould have no longer made any ſcruple to have gone to the Popiſh Maſſe and Matins, nor Papiſts to have come to the Engliſh Liturgy, when both of them with their eyes did ſee theſe books at laſt to have become really the ſame.
It is marvellous that any good man ſhould now be zealous for the Liturgie.It is ſtrange that men who profeſſe more than ordinary zeale to the peace of the Church of England, ſhould at this time be ſo earneſt ſoliciters for the preſerving of this Liturgie, when the far moſt part, if not ſimply all the godly of the Iſle are longing with great expectation, and greater deſires to ſee that inſtrument after all the evill they have ſuffered by it to be broken in pieces; theſe bygone yeares the truths of God, of the higheſt qualitie in a very great number by their Brethren the Canterburians were ſhamefully trod underfoot, the world truly wonders how then theſe mens pens and tongues were employed, where their remonſtrances, their defences, their apologies lay then buried? when the whole Proteſtant religion before their eyes was violate, when a deluge of Arminianiſme and Popery was overflowing the Land, were they not then dumb as fiſhes? did either the King, or the Parliament, or the Countrey heare one ſyllable of the ſmalleſt complaint from them? but now when the holy Miters of Prelates begin to be touched, when the book of ſacred Ceremonies commeth in hazard of a removall, heaven and earth is filled with their clamours, no end there is now of their pamphleting, as wave preſſeth wave, ſo their irrefragable propoſitions muſt be ſeconded with their divine Epiſcopacy, and that backed with a remonſtrance, and this with a defence; and however all theſe ſhould ſwell never ſo big with diſdainfull pride and moſt bitter injuries, yet the world muſt forſake their ſences, and take all for the moſt ſweet, milde, and humble moderation. I will paſſe no cenſure on that Spirit which leads men of eminent parts and dignitie to a dumbe ſilence, when both Church and State are ſet on fire about their eares by Incendiaries of their ſpeciall acquaintance and intime familiaritie, but wakens them to high and outragious paſſions, when Biſhops and Ceremonies come to be cald in queſtion, onelyonly they would beware leaſt this their ſecond practice be a juſt puniſhment on them from God for their firſt fault, leaſt for their former betraying (at leaſt through their connivance) the truth of God, and liberties of their Countrey, they be now ſcorched with the flames of intemperate zeale for keeping in the Church that traſh which they may know hath ever been, and now is like to be an occaſion of moſt pitifull diviſion both in Church and State, which the world knowes hath ever been a rod of Scorpions in the hands of the ſons of Belial, to ſcourge alongst all the Kingdome many amongst the beſt both paſtors and profeſſors of the whole Land, which themſelves have ſeene with their eyes to have been the prime inſtrument whereby the Canterburians were like in a ſhort time to have redelivered all theſe Dominions into the hands of the Pope, and which if they pleaſe they may know to be of that nature that to the worlds end will make it very apt to doe the like ſervice to any who ſhall have the like boldneſſe and occaſion to reattempt the like deſignes.
The ſcope of the ſubſequent Treatiſe.But with the Liturgie of the Church of England I will not meddle, thoſe whom more properly it concernes will doubtleſſe now ſhortly in all ſeriouſneſſe recogniſe upon it, whether or no at this divine occaſion when without the leaſt hurt to any ſoule it may moſt eaſily be gotten quite removed, it ought not once for all to be caſt away for the remedying of many great evils wherwith in all bygone times it hath afflicted both Church and State, as alſo for the procuring of many great bleſſings which through the want of its incumbrance all other reformed Churches this day enjoy. It is my onelyonly intention to conſider the Scottiſh Liturgie, which the Biſhops perſwade the King to be all one with the Engliſh, and is indeed by the Engliſh Authours ſo cunningly contrived that no ſenſible difference to a common and running eye will appeare: according as the generall Aſſemblies and Parliament of Scotland give expreſſe warrant, and as now thanks be to God both his Majeſtie and this gracious Parliament of England doth freely conſent; I will ſhew that this our Service-Book is not onelyonly taken well neare word by word, out of the Sincks of Rome, but alſo that all the filth which runs in any laines of the Maſſe, is either clearly to be ſeene in the gutters of it, or at leaſt ſecret conduits are laid under its ſtreets for to receive all the myre of the Romiſh rituals, whenever it ſhall be the pleaſure of a miſleading Prelate to open the Sluſes for deriving to us more of the Romiſh puddle. It is my labour in this ſubſequent Treatiſe to ſhew not ſo much that the Liturgie is in the Maſſe, whereof none doe doubt, as that the Maſſe is in the Liturgie: that the matter and the forme, that the ſubſtance and the accidents of the Maſſe are here; that of the integrall parts thoſe which are incomparably the worſt, doe actually and expreſly appeare in our Service; that all the portions of the Maſſe better and worſe are in our Booke, if not expreſly (as very many be) yet virtually ſuch a ſeed of them being ſowne that for their bud, bloſſome, and fruit, they needed no more but a command from a Biſhops mouth to a Printer, upon a privie Warrant from Court, purchaſed by falſe information; if this I make good to the ſenſe of every imprejudicate Reader, I hope all reaſonable men will abſolve of rigour not of unjuſtice onelyonly, the decrees of the Scottiſh Church againſt this unhappie Booke, and all thoſe within her juriſdiction who have contributed their indeavours for the contriving, impoſing, or defending thereof, and who yet refuſe to give any true ſecuritie of their purpoſe to oppoſe, if that ſame Booke or a worſe by a miſled Church, or miſ-informed Prince, ſhould to morrow againe be recommended, though not peremptorily commanded to be imbraced by our Nation. With what ſafetie a flock of Chriſtian people may be committed to the charge of men of that temper, it is eaſie to judge.