the presbyter being sufficiently provided alreadie when many of the clergie are present not only so many as might be for help but all must first communicat The cause then is only pride for they will be first in all things and yet they say that men should receive the Sacrament with greatest humilitie Qu. 23. What use have they of a communion table Ans They appoint a table neverthelesse they take it from the people in two respects 1. In respect of the people who kneele at the act of receiving the elements what use have they of a table when they neither sit at it to eat their meat neither take they their meat off from the table 2. In respect of the minister â—â—at giveth the elements the ministers hands are only their table from which they receive their sacramentall food The communicants even when they kneele not yet they sit at the table not like feasters but like beggars at a dyke side waiting for the distribution of their almes The beggars may turne their backs as well as their faces towards the dyke for any use they have of it so may the communicants turn their backs to the table for any use they have of it Qu. 24. May not the table stand for the elements to abide on it untill that the Minister take them for to distribute unto the people Ans Then it is a table for the ministers attendance but not for the peoples feasting Some have byboards whereon vessels and meat stand untill they be placed on the feasting table and when the tables are drawn all is put on the byboard again that they may be put in order and taken away The antichristians make a by-board of the Lords table and the hands of the ministers are only their feasting table Qu. 25. Should not the Ministers give the elements to every one out of their own bands seeing it is their calling and Christ did so give them unto the Apostles and it may be that the laicks who sit neerest me be witches or profaine persons so it is not comely to take the elements from laicks Ans 1. It is the calling of ministers to consecrat blesse the elements by the word and prayer but no Scripture can prove it to be their calling to give alwayes the elements with their own hands more then by the hands of others it is alike if he give them by whose hands soever it bee He giveth not the Bible which is the audible word to every one out of his oâ—â—â— hands albeit he explicateth and preacheth the meaning end uses and application of both the visible word of the sacraments and the audible word of the Scriptures and albeit both the doctrine of the word sacraments are written in one canon if thou say that he giveth not except he do it with his own hands Thou may as truely say that Christ giveth not except he do it with his own hands 2. No Scripture proveth that Christ gave the elements to every one out of his own hands neither at Baptisme nor at the Lords Supper As for Baptisme John 4. 1. saith that the Pharisees heard that Jesus baptised mo disciples then John and in vers 2. he saith that Iesus baptised not but his disciples the first verse showeth that he gave the Sacrament by his authority and blessed it the 2. verse showeth that he gave it not with his own hands but by his apostles and at the Lords supper Luke 23.17 saith Take this and divide it among you this is meant of the cup of the Lords supper 1. because the same words which are subjoined to this cup here are subjoined to the cup of the Lords supper in Math Mark these are I will not drink of the fruit of the vine untill the kingdome of God shall come 2. If these words were of the cup of the Passeover they should be false for they drank wine after the Passeover at the Lords Supper Luke speaks twise of this cup in vers 17 20 In the vers 17. he speakes of it with the speach of the passeover because alike speach is subjoined to both for after the passeover he said words that were not mentioned by other Evangelists viz. I will not eat any more thereof untill it be fulfilled in the kingdome of God â—hat is I did eat oftimes the Passeover before but the thing signified by the Passeover was never fulfilled It shall not be so now for I will eat no Passeover after this untill it be fulfilled in my sufferings in the kingdome which GOD hath in his kirk on earth and albeit I never drank the wine of this new instituted supper before neither will I drink any more of it untill I drink the thing signified by it viz. I must drink the wine of the cup of GODS wrath by my suffrings He prayed his Father to take this cup from him if it were possible the bread and the wine of this new supper signified unto Christ the bread of affliction and the cup of the wine of GODS wrath which now should be his food in his suffrings as in his lifetime it was his meat to do the will of GOD so now at his death he feedeth in suffring Gods will for he saith not my will but thine be done This bread and wine signified to the apostles the body and bloud of Christ not as he was in health rest and peace but as he suffred tribulation and GODS wrath for our sins he was like a nurse that eateth bitter things for the health of the infant The wine of GODS wrath is mentioned in Revel 14.10 he drank it with the apostles not only because they were with him in the garden when he did sweat blood and water but as when the head drinketh the whole man is said to drink because of the union between the head and the members and because strength and comfort cometh to the members by the drinking of the head He drank personally they drank spiritually by faith in his suffrings and by imputation for his suffrings are counted their suffâ—ings but their sins were counted his he being their cautioner The taste of this cup was bitter to both for Christ prayâ—â—â— against it and the elect pray dayly to GOD to save them from it the fear of the danger of Gods wrath is bitter the effect of Christs drinking of this cup was sweet to both it was sweet comfortable to them to get mercy it was sweet and delectable to Christ to show mercy though he bought it with his bloud he drank this cup new with them because never man drank the like of it before and hee himself drank never such a measure of GODS wrath before the Elect under the gospel drinks it new by faith for the nature of the cup of Gods wrath which Christ suffered was never so cleerly known before the comforts of Gods Spirit given to the elect by faith in his sufferings were never so sweet before they are now sweet like new wine
kneel without blessing of God at the receiving and eating of the Sacrament Secondly looking is not so religious a gesture as kneeling therefore lesse dangerous If men when they blesse God were urged to look to the table as if it were a worshiping of God to do so it should be idolatrie Qu. 28. Can the adoring of Christ by fixing our worship to the instant of receiving the Sacrament or bowing towards it determinatly be idolatrie seeing the Sacrament is a holy ordinance of God Ans If mâ—n had fixed the religious gestures of adoring God determinatly toward the oxen and sheep which were offered in sacrifices and towards the Paschall lamb which represented the same Christ whom now the sacramentall elements do represent it had beene idoaltrie albeit they were holy ordinances and had Christs spirituall operative presence with them 2. If you esteeme the bread to be GOD and will adore it as GOD the being a holy ordinance no more hindereth this adoration to be absolute idolatrie then was the worshipping of the fire by the Chaldeans of the sun by the Persians and of Dagon by the Philistims So also there is no reason why the being a holy ordinance shall hinder it to be relative idolatrie when we worship GOD by directing our religions gestures determinatly towards the sacraments more then to worship the same GOD by directing our religious gestures determinatly towards the Sun or the fire or Dagon or towards the golden calf c. True humility will make us eschew all appearance of evill and fear the least colour of idolatrie kneele unto GOD at more pertinent times as at the actions of prayer and thanksgiving before and after the participation of the Sacraments and that because these actions as well as our gestures do expresse also our humility prayer expresseth our humble desire and thanksgiving our humble gratitude and duetifulnesse Christ our LORD did expresse humility by action when he did wash his disciples feet that night he was betrayed and by word gesture when he kneeled down and prayed in the garden The same humility remained in him also when he used not such expressions Qu. 29. We may take gold out of the hand of a King bowing towards the earth may we not also adore God when he giveth unto us the Sacramentâ—â— Ans 1. The Minister and the Sacraments are neâ—ther GODS nor kings therefore thou owest to none of them neither the religious honour of GOD nor the civile honour of kings 2. But if the kings servant in the kings name would give gold unto thee in the kings presence and thou wilt take it out of his hand directing that same civile gesture towards him that thou usest to direct to the king what honourable civile difference makest thou betweene the master and the servant 3. Albeit a king like Dioclesian would give all his civile honour to any of his subjects yet God will give his religious honour to no creature Matth. 4.10 4. God gave unto us Christ the thing signified by the Sacrament when he was crucified Hee giveth spirituall comfort and grace using his own libertie either at the preparation sermon before the Sacrament or at receiving of the elements or afterwards at thanksgiving or at any other time as he pleaseth albeit he giveth faith and increase thereof and mercy and spirituall comforts to the right receivers of his ordinances yet he fixeth not his benefites to any appointed instant of time Peter the Apostles at the first Lords supper having also received the Passeover the same night were so far from receiving spirituall courage and comforts and increase of faith and of heavenly graces that the same night Peter denyed and the rest forsooke the LORD But when hee arose from the dead and when hee sent downe the holy Ghost then they were exceedingly strengthned in the faith many children are baptised who receive not inward regeneration and repentance untill that afterward God convert them by his word Qu. 30. Should not the Sacraments be holily and reverently used Ans 1. They are profained when Gods worship is determinatly fixed to them as if they were idols 2. They are reverently and holily used when they are used as Christ commanded That is when by looking upon the bread broken and the wine poured out we take occasion to remember the LORDS death when his body was wounded and his bloud shed when we take and eat the elements then we by faith should believe and apprehend that these sufferings were for our sins to purchase unto us life eternall Qu. 31. The Sacrament is an excitative mids of adoration Ergo may I not kneele towards it Ans So are all the benefites and mercies of God Ergo we have as good reason to kneel towards all his benefites Qu. 32. Wee worship before the Sacrament but we give no worship unto the Sacrament Ans When we worship God more respectively then before any other thing by kneeling before the sacrament it is done unto the sacrament because we worship God at the sacrament for the religious respect we have to it which if it were taken away we would not adore before it more then any other thing This outward worship is relative idolatrie outwardly the reverent respect is inward relative idolatrie 2. To worship a thing and to worship before a thing determinatly are both esteemed one thing Matthew saith chap. 4. that Satan bad Christ worship him and Luke saith in the Greeke language If thou wilt worship before mee Qu. 33. May not I kneel towards the Sacrament as I uncover my head at the hearing of the word read Ans The uncovering of the head is a sign of common reverence given both to God to men of a honourable and also a lower estate kneeling is not so it is most proper unto God himself who is above all dignitie and therefore it is more dangerous This gesture discernes the Majestie of God from all creatures and therefore Paul said Phil. 2.10 At the name of Jesus shall every knee bow for God bath given him a name above every name vers â—9 No name is above every name but the name of him that is God The Father gave unto Iesus the name of God That is declared him to be as truely God as he is man after that he arose and ascended unto glory 2. When I uncover my head I direct not that gesture towards any sensible object more determinatly then towards other objects therefore it is done to God himself immediatly Qu. 34. Should we sit Jack-fellow like with Christ at the Lords table Ans His divine nature is alike present every where his humane nature sitteth in heaven at the right hand of God his spirituall presence is in the hearts of the Elect and sitteth at no Table Therefore we sit not Jack fellow-like with him we are not every where nor in heaven nor in a particular manner in the hearts of the Elect working by the holy Spirit 2. The Apostles sate with him at
sworne lawfull albeit they pretend true religion and divine worship yet oftimes it subverteth both 20. By obscuring the evidency of the visible word to wit Christs sacraments both by forging confirmation and other popish sacraments and in giving privatly baptisme and the communion when as the Sacraments should be publict badges of our Christian profession and by adding unto the true Sacraments superstitions which Christ never ordained as crossing unto baptisme altars unto the LORDS supper 21. By confounding the signes with the thing signified as in affirming the bread and wine to be the naturall body and bloud of Christ 22. By confounding humaine traditions with divine ordinances for they observe as strictly crossing the saying of Ave Maria praying for the dead c as any point of Christian religion 23. By equalling in honour the creatures with the Creator as in appointing fixed dayes of the year unto Saincts and observing them as solemnly and religiously as they do the LORDS Sabboths as in praying to Saincts and Angels in dedicating religious places to Saints and Angels as the temple of Ierusalem was dedicate unto GOD. 24. By attributing divine vertue unto creatures unto actions and unto imagenarie things as unto works of charitie that they merite any thing from GOD as believing that Saints and Angels can heare our prayers or interceed for us and that crossings relicts holy water altars and masse cloathes have power to sanctifie other things as by giving Divine vertue to Baptisme and the Lords Supper saying Opus operatum the work done may save or sanctifie that purgatory can purge from sin or satisfie for sin 25. By forged and lying miracles and other lies in Popish legends 26. By miraculous things in nature calling them supernaturall and saying they are done of GOD to confirme some points of superstition and idolatrie Upon a Christmas day about the yeer 1606. in London a woman handled her apron rudelie oftimes it did cast out fire like flint Some said It was a divine miracle proving thereby that this superstitious day should be keept holy But the truth was that the apron was dipted into melted suggar and thereafter it was dryed at the fire and so hardned and then when any did touch the apron or smite it rudelie fire came out of it It is the nature of well dryed suggar if it be not mixed with other matter to cast fire when it is smitten violentlie 27. By misinterpreting the terrors of GODS judgements for the defence of antichristian errors In the yeer of GOD 1621. in a Parliament holden at Edinburgh it was concluded that these superstitious articles should be embraced and observed in Scotland to wit Geniculation to the Sacrament private Baptisme private Communion Confirmation and some holy Dayes At the very moment of concluding this Parliament there was heard such terrible thunder with raine that the LORDS within the Parliament house and the Citizens without were striken with great fear astonishment Some taking it for a signe GODS anger for the superstitious errors that were â—â—â—â—â—blished that day Neverthelesse some Time-serveâ—â— blasphemouslie said that GOD was shooting his Gunnes and Canons from heaven for a show and a signe of approbation that these articles were then concluded 28. By deluding Kings and Princes perswading them that their dignities and estates can not be established except the bastard offices of Bishops be also established Some of them presumptuouslie affirm that no Bishop no King and so sacrilegiouslie by treasonable vsurpation they ascribe unto themselves that honour which belongeth unto Christ who Prover 8.15 saith By me Kings reigne Princes decree justice The antichristian prelats say no lesse then By Bishops Kings reigne and Princes decree justice By what Bishops were David Salomon and Hezekia c. established Whether did the Bishops of Rome reigne or the Kings when some kings led the Popes horse bridle When the Pope did cast down with his foot the crown off some Kings head when the Popes usurped both civile and ecclesiasticall government c. 29. By spoiling the people with oppression and by povertie they must want the meanes of learning and so they shall be ignorant not knowing the Scriptures neither perceiving the craftinesse of the clergy The prelates themselves both doe spoile the people and also they cause civile Magistrates oppresse them with taxations and heavy burdeins 30. By denying the morall observation of the Lords Sabboths and by giving libertie unto men to spend the halfe of the Lords day in games playes and civile exercises saying â—his should bee the refreshment from their bodily labours of the week Iudge you if this bee a hallowing of the Sabboth The Pagans did keepe all the LORDS Sabboths and many of them did keep all the dayes of their life with this kinde of holinesse The antichristians hereby do hinder the light of the Sun of righteousnes to shine upon GODS People in interpreting the Scriptures and preaching the same the one half of the day and also indirectly the other half for they who look for a liberty of playing and games c. in the after-noone can hardly affixe their mindes upon the reverent hearing of GODS word before noone their thoughts before the time will bee so exercised upon the after-noone Playes c. 31. By beguiling mens senses at Divine service with outward vaine objects as with tapers torches candles and with their gesticulations c. to exercise the sight By the sounding of Organs and musicall instruments to exercise the hearing Faith is bred and increased in mens hearts by hearing of the word preached and not by the hearing of Musick When the Priests offered sacrifice in the old Testament there was great need of Musick because killing of beasts was a melancholious exercise But now the Preaching of the glad tydings of Salvation should be more delightsome then all the Musick of the world The damned people in hell would think it ten thousand times sweeter then all instrumentall musick The vocall musick of the Psalmes not only is a praising of GOD which dead instruments can not doe but also it expresseth the Gospell in the very proper termes thereof Quest 4. I see all that is conteined in this masse bâ—â—â— is wil-worship For the using of the Scriptures themselves as this booke prescribeth is wil-worship that is as they are fixed to the solemne dayes of Sancts and determinate times of the yeer and as they are cutted diminished and incorporated with errors and superstitions they are made a matter of wil-worship but what evidences of idolatrie finde you in this book Ans If you take idolatry in a generall sense for such worship as men used to give to idols and false Gods then all the will worship foresaid is idolatrie The most part of all idolaters did worship their idole Gods according to humaine inventions and as they pleased themselves because their idols being dead stocks could not direct nor teach them in any manner of worship If a wife rule and governe
the familie either without or contrary to the direction of her husband and if a servant obey after his own pleasure not subjecting himself to the lawfull commandment of his master they are said to make idols and cyphers the one of her husband the other of his master So all these who serve God with wil-worship not submitting themselves to his heavenly will and wisedome they make an idole and a cypher of God himself using his most glorious majesty as if he were without judgement and could not direct the manner of his own worship Other idolaters who worshiped divels or idols as they were informed by the oracles and responses of devils will condemne our wil-worshipers for they thought the devils wiser then themselves Our arrogant wil-worshipers think themselves wiser then GOD and will not bee taught by his Doctrine 2 If you take idolatrie for the giving of any divine service that onlie belongs unto GOD unto creatures and unto other things that are not GOD then such as these are idolatrie viZ The solemne observation of fixed dayes and times in a religious manner for the honour of martyrs Sancts and angels The praying unto angels and Sancts unto crosses crucifixes and images The keeping of relicts hoasts holy water eucharisticall elements altars monuments images crucifixes c And also the using of them for some supernaturall vertue alledged to be in them The swearing by these or by any other thing that is not GOD The attributing of merits to Sancts or angels saying they can deserve good things from GOD These and such like things are grosse idolatrie for all such honour worship only belongeth unto God 3. If you take idolatrie more strictlie for giving of religious adoration to creatures either inwardlie or outwardlie then the determinat directing of kneeling or of any outward religious adoring gestures towards any thing that is not God or the directing of any inward affections or spirituall operations correspondent unto these gestures towards any thing that is not God It is idolatrie Because if Christ were visiblie present before us we should discerne him onlie from all other creatures by this kinde of worship for he is both God man If we give this honour to other creatures it is idolatrie because these creatures have no personall union with God neither doth God personallie appear in them as he did in the time of the fathers in the old Testament If this worship be done for some supernaturall vertue alledged to be in these creatures it is grosse and absolute idolatrie but if it be for any reference or respect they have unto God as that they are Gods ordinance or they represent Christ Or if they think that this honour direct to these creatures is a honouring of God and of Christ it is relative idolatrie If it be direct to images pictures or relicts for some supernaturall vertue alledged to be in Sancts and angels whom these things do represent or if they think that Sancts and Angels are thereby adored It is both absolute and relative idolatrie It is absolute idolatrie because it is neither directed to God neither have the things worshipped any reference unto God but unto Sancts or Angels It is relative idolatrie also because it is done to images and pictures c. for the reference and representation they have unto Saints and Angels 4. There are evidencies that the obtruders of this masse book labour to draw men unto grosse and absolute idolatrie For 1. at the communion they pray That the elements may be the body and bloud of Christ They explane not the words to be taken figuratively and sacramentally 2. How oft soever the communion shall be celebrate in the year Pasch day must be one of these dayes that the very time may seeme to declare their sacramentall bread to be transubstantiat unto the body of him that was crucified at the Iewish Passeover 3. At the act of receiving the sacramentall elements the people must all kneele upon their knees The Papists do the same thing unto their transubstantiat God when they receive him 4. This book hath oblation consecration and consummation which importeth an other sacrifice than the sacrifice of thanksgiving 5. When the celebration is ended the Priest covereth the relicts of the elements with a linnen cloath called a corporall that is a cloath that covereth the body of Christ making it a winding sheet or funerall cloath as Joseph of Arimathea did cover Christs body when he took it from the crosse and so they will have Christ who in his Manhead is now living in heaven and sitting at the right hand of God to be in his Man-head both living and dead at once 6. The Surplice was an idole among the Papists which the halting Papists have also Durandus in rational divin officior lib. 3. cap. 1. calleth the hallowed vestiments belonging to the Priest Pieces of armour wherewith the Bishop or Priest must be harnished that will fight against spirituall wickednesses and the Bishop when he halloweth any of them prayeth Missal Rom. part 3. pag. 10. That the priest wearing this holy vesture may deserve to be defended from the assaults and tentatious of the wicked spirits The Egyptian Priests did not abuse their white vesturs or surpliceâ— with so grosse idolatrie If thou say we use them not for such wicked ends as they did I answer Thou also may offer sacrifices of sheep and oxen and use all the rites of Iewish and Heathen idolatrie pretending better ends Should not the worship of the true GOD differ as well outwardly as inwardly from all other kinde of worship we should eschew all appearance of evill mens intentions do not appeare because they are invisible Hee that loveth a whore conformeth himselfe to the fashions and customes of the whore So doe they who love the whore of Babylon and according to their love so are their intentions whorish 7. The signe of the Crosse is also by the Papists abused with grosse idolatrie they ascribe supernaturall and Divine operations to it Bellarmine De imaginibus sanctis lib. 2. cap. 30. artic 11. 13. 15. saith That it driveth away the devils expelleth diseases sanctifieth all things that are marked with it breaketh the force of witchcraft c. They teach that the signe of the Crosse is to be worshipped Iacob de graphiis decisionum aurearum lib. 2 cap. 3. sect 15. cultu latriae That is with the worship that is given to GOD. Our Liturgie book hath already ascribed more vertue unto crossing then unto baptisme For at baptisme they make a signe of the Crosse upon the Childes forehead when the Childe is baptized saying at the making of the signe We receive him into the Congregation of Christs flock as if Baptisme it self were not the sign of our entrie unto Christs kirk And also they make Crossing a token that hee shall confesse the Faith of Christ and resist the Divell and the World they spoile this also from Baptisme 8. The superstitious keeping
of the bread after that the celebration is ended and the eating of it only by such as communicate showeth that they esteeme more of it then of a Sacrament For after the Celebration of the Sacrament the elements are no more holy by a Sacramentall relation then they were before the celebration Any man might drink the waters of Jordan after that men were baptized in it So any man may eat and drink the Sacramentall elements when the Celebration is ended Therefore in the Primitive kirk they did not keep the Sacramentall bread neither for them that were in sicknesse nor in health It was not hanged up in the pixis to be worshipped as is now done by the Papists and intended by the halting Papists who now by â—â—eping the elements will come the more easily to the worshipping of them Origen said Comment in Leviticum that of old in some places they brunt the Sacramentall bread which remained And Euagrius in histor Eccles saith That in some places children learning at schooles were called to eat it Hieron in comment in 1. Corinth 11. saith That after the celebration the Communicants did eat tâ—â— Sacramentall bread and drink the wine in the kâ—â—â— their common supper Our formalists as they superstitiously keep the bread so do they keep the water in the font 9. The pretending of the necessitie of salvation when they minister private baptisme and private communion showeth greater vertue and merite attributed unto them then either pertaineth to a Sacrament or to any divine ordinance except the death and merite of Christ whereupon only dependeth the necessitie of our Salvation The professing of a necessitie of salvation to depend upon a private communion is a denying of the spirituall use and benefite that men receive by the publick Sacrament 10. The hindering of GODS word to be read making it give place to the reading of humane traditions is grosse idolatrie for this honour belongeth only unto God that as all religions in the world should give place to the true religion whereby God is rightly worshipped according to his own word So the reading of all traditions in the world should give place to the Divine traditions of his sacred word dited by his holy Spirit and that chiefly when religious Divine service should be exercised 11. The dedicating of dayes to be solemnly keept for the honour of Martyres Saints and Angels is grosse idolatrie as is the praying unto Saints and Angels and the religious kneeling to them or to their pictures used by Papists all such sort of honour belong unto God only 12. The usurping of power to ordeine Sacraments as the Popish Prelates have ordeined five bastard sacraments and the halting Papists ordeine Confirmation to bee observed among themselves To appoint holy dayes for Angels and Saints to make rites and ceremonies have spirituall and religious significations to make these things to be points of Divine worship and religion All Rulers who do such things in doing the same they commit Divine-laesmajestie usurping Gods place for the power and authoritie of ordeining such things belongeth unto God only All people that give obedience in such things unto any but unto GOD they commit idolatrie for the honour of that kinde of obedience only belongeth unto GOD and that only when he commandeth such things to be done If men obey GOD in these things when he neither commandeth nor giveth approbation nor warrand for such obedience it is wil-worship when things indifferent are counted divine service it is wil-worship and idolatrie in the large sense but when things only belonging unto GOD are robbed from him and given unto creatures albeit usurpers will have the same also called GODS honour yet it is grosse idolatrie So when prelates usurpe this honour and authoritie they become idol-GODS And as GOD by his own law and by no other law commandeth children to honour their parents servants their masters so the prelates by their owne lawes and not by GODS law doe command men to obey GOD as if GOD were inferiour to prelates so they exalt themselves above GOD in giving lawes how God should bee obeyed as God giveth Lawes how parents should be obeyed 13. The communion table must stand at the uppermost part of the chancell or Church conforme to the standing of the Popish alters when the table is covered with superstitious vestiments the Priest standeth at the north side or end of the table with his back or side to the people saying the Lords Prayer with a collect After the collect he turneing to the people rehearseth the Commandements the people all the while kneeling and asking God mercy at the end of every commandement All this showeth a conformitie to Popish idolatrie for they fixe religious adoration determinatly unto the Priests act of rehearsing the commands as if God were personallie appearing and speaking out of the Priests mouth The Priest kneeleth not as if he were not a sinner neither prayeth he with the people for mercy 14. The most part of things contâ—ined in this book were first decreed and ordeined by Popes the 〈◊〉 authors of antichristian idolatrie which showeth thâ—â— the obtruders of this book do draw men unto grosse idolatrie Qu. 5. Rehearse some of these examples Ans Pope Pius the 1. brought into the church the font and the hallowing thereof as say Sabellicus and Platina 2. Pope Sixtus the 2. first ordeined altars whereat they celebrat the Lords supper Volateran Durandus 3. Pope Sixtus the 1. ordeined the corporall cloath Platina Sabellicus 4. Pope Boniface the 2. ordeined the partician between the chancell or queer and the church that the people should hear divine service in a severall place from the clergy Platina So as Moses might not come neer the bush where God appeared in the fire but should declare his reverent respect of his glorious Majestie by standing far off The sinfull laicks must have the same respect unto the sacrilegious holinesse of the clergy by standing in a severall place from them 5. Pope Clement the 1. as Papists affirme commanded all the baptized to be annoynted with oyl and crossed on the forehead Ioannes laziardus No marvell if this be true for the mysterie of iniquitie began in the dayes of the Apostles 6. Pope Honorius the 3. commanded the Sacrament to bee worshipped and kneeled unto by the people Liber conciliorum 7. Pope Fabian commanded all Christians to receive the Sacrament thrise in the year to wit at Easter Whitsunday and Christmas Eusebius Platina so the Communion was fixed superstitiously unto set times 8. Pope Zepherinus appointed that all professing Christians being of 12. or 13. yeares or upward should at least once in the year as at Easter receive the sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ Platina Sabellicus Laziardus 9. Pope Clement the 1. ordeined Confirmation or Bishopping Some say it was Pope Sylvester the 1. Platina Volateranus all agree in this that some bastard Bishop of Rome ordeined it 10. Pope Gregorie the 1. and Pope
Gelasius brought in the respondes and the collects to be said at mateins Durandus 11. Pope Damasus appointed this sentence Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the holy Ghost as it was in c. to be said at the end of every Psalme and at the mass He other Popes caused these words of praising God to be said frequently that thereby the idolatrous worship might seeme a very holy and religious thing having such holy sentences in it This hideth the sacrilegious wayes whereby they rob God of his glory see Volateranus This Pope appointed also what prayers and how many Psalmes shall be said every day of the week Gulielmus Durandus He also ordeined that the Priest before the altar should say the confession standing and that the people should say Misereatur vestri and thereafter the Priest should pronounce the Absolution before he go to the altar Platina Polidorus 12. Pope Stephanus the 1. ordeined the Preists at Divine service to use no other but hallowed garments Sabellicus 13. Pope Silvester the 1. commanded the Priest at the masse to we are no silk nor coloured clothing but a white linnen alb only for Christ saith he was buried in a fine white linnen cloath Platina 14. Pope Adrian the 1. ruling it was deâ—â—â— in a popish councell at Frankford that every man shoâ—â—â— weare a surplice upon his back at service time Mossaeus 15. Pope Anacletus put to the masse this salutation Dominus vobiscum The Lord be with you and this answere of the people cum Spiritu tuo and with thy Spirit Some say it was Pope Sotherus Gratianuus de consecrat distinct 1. can Hoc quoque c. Ioannes Laziardus writâ—tâ—h That Dominus vobiscum was taken out of the book of Ruth I know not saith he by whom And cum Spiritu tuo was brought saith he by the councell of Arles 16. Pope Gregorie the 1. ordeined the Kyrie Eleison That is Lord have mercie upon us and that it should bee sung nine times openly of the Clergie onely at the masse Which Pope Silvester before commanded the Clergie and the people to sing together Durandus Platina 17. Pope Gregorie the 1. added to the masse the Alleluia That is Praise ye the Lord Platina 18. Pope Marcus ordeined the Clergie and the people to sing the Creed together with a loud voice to confirme their faith Platina this loud voice then is as good as a sacrament 19. Pope Pelagius the 1. ordeined funerall exequies or dirigies with masses of requiem to be sung or said for the dead Platina Gratianus This booke also hath funerall devotion and service 20. Pope Pius the 1. ordeined the keeping of Easter holy on the Sunday 21. Pope Gregorie the 1. appointed the feast of Trinitie Durandus 22. Pope Gregorie the 9. appointed the feast of the nativitie of S. John Baptist called Midsomer Chronica Germanica 23. Pope Silvester the 1. ordeined the feast of Lammes called ad vincula Petri Gratianus Polidorus 24. Pope Felix the 3. ordeined the feast of the archangel Michael lib. conciliorum 25. Pope Gregorie the 4. ordeined the feast of all Sancts on the first of November Platina 26. Pope Sergius ordeined candlemasse day feast called the Purification of Marie Sigebertus 27. Pope Boniface the 8. ordeined the feasts of the four Evangelists Matthew Mark c. 28. Pope Innocent bearing rule it was ordeined in a Popish councell at Lyons what holy dayes in the year should be specially observed viz. All Sundayes The feast of the Nativitie of Christ Of S. Steven Of S. Iohn the Evangelist Of the Innocents Of Silvester Of the Circumcision Of the Epiphany Of Easter with the whole weeks that goe before and after Of the Rogation dayes Of the Ascension of Christ Of Whitsuntide with the two dayes following Of S. Iohn Baptist Of the twelve Apostles Of S. Laurence Of blessed Mary Of the dedication of the Temple Of all Sancts Of S. Martine Of all such canonized Sancts as every Bishop of his Diocesse with consent of the Clergie and people appoint to keep holy Polidorus Durandus 29. Durandus saith after the minde of S. Gregorie de consecrat dist 5. Lent is counted to begin on the first Sunday in Lent and to end on Easter even which is 42 dayes of which taking away the six Sundayes there remaines only 36. dayes Therefore that the number of 40. dayes that Christ fasted might be perfected this Pope Gregorie added to Lent foure dayes of the week that go before viz. Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Durand in rational divinâ—â— offic Pope Telesphorus first ordeined Lent to be fasted and that more by the Priests then by laicks for they should be holier show more abstinence then others 30. Pope Silvester the 1. ordeined the Wedinsday Friday and Saterday should be fasted every week thorow the whole year Bergomensis 31. Pope Gregorie the 1. ordeined neither flesh nor other thing that hath affinitie with flesh as chiese milk egges c. should be eaten in such dayes as are appointed to bee fasted Polidorus Gratianus There is not a dog in the kitchin but it can keep these holy fasts as precisely as the Papists do if they can get their bellies filled with fishes bread and sweet meats and sauces and such delicats as Papists use in Lent But when will the Papists bee as abstinent in their fasts as horses are who are content neither to eat fish nor flesh all their lifetime The papists doe brag that they keep Christs fast when they can not reach to the fasting of horses no not in Lent 32. Pope Gregorie the first devised the anthems and made the tune or song unto them Guilielmus Durandus Ioan. laziardus Yet some write that in the time of pope Euaristus anthemes were brought into the kirk by Ignatius the disciple of Iohn the Evangelist Phil. Bergomensis Tripartita histor 33. Pope Damasus foresaid ordeined the order of the Queer that the Queer being divided into two parts they should sing one verse of the psalmes on the one side and an other on the other side Durandus Polidorus 34. Pope Gregorie the 1. appointed this service book which is now used and keept in Europe but â—ope Damasus first began the book when as the service book made by Ambrose was first more used in kirks but Charles the Great with the Popes in his time caused the service book of Gregorie to be made common through Europe and the book of Ambrose to be only used at Millaine where Ambrose was Bishop Of this writeth Iacobus de voragine In vita Gregorii primie Guilielmus Durandus 25. Pope Nicolas the third decreed that the Bread and Wine which are set upon the Altar are not onelie after the consecration the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ but they are also the very selfe same body and blood of the LORD Jesus Christ that was born of the virgin so that his very body is truely handled with the Priests
hands and turne in peeces with the teeth of the faithfull de Consecrat Dist 2. Ego Berengarius c. This service book craftilie includeth in it the same thing in the prayer at the coÌ„munion praying That God would so blesse the bread and wine that they may be the body bloud of Christ 36. Pope Innocent the 3. ordeined that the Sacrament of the altar should be keept and reserved in Churches continuallie under lock and key to be in readinesse at all times least the sick persones want spirituall confort in the time of death This book also hath a reservation of the Sacrament 37. Pope Vitalian is said to have brought the Organs into the Churches Platina Volateran This doth accompanie both the compleat and incompleat masse books Q 6. Are not the omitted Scriptures left out of the masse book and also not suffered to be read in the Church because they are obscure and hard for the people that understand them 〈◊〉 Ans 1. Then the Preachers should instruct them for it is the chief part of their callings to interpret the Scriptures as Philip did to the Eunuch Act. 9. and Christ to the two men going to Emmaus 2. By taking away or omitting any part of GODS word they professe the Spirit of GOD to be imprudent and rash in dyting such Scriptures as their Antichristian wisedome thinketh needlesse and have omitted Item they show their owne ignorance and presumption in taking the calling of the ministrie when they understand not these omitted Scriptures at the least in a generall sense and their own unfaithfulnesse if they can and will not interpret them 3. The people should read even obscure Scriptures and glorifie GOD 1. By confessing their ignorance 2. and that if they shall ever understand his word this knowledge commeth not of themselves but it is the gift of God 3. They shall also glorifie God by seeking the understanding of his word 4. By waiting upon God untill he reveale it which in his owne time Hee will do either in generals or particulars as is fittest for His glory and their well It is good service done unto God if they read these obscure Scriptures with such a disposition and God will be glorified all these wayes Christs sheep will hear his voice speak what he pleaseth John 10. John 5. They are bid Search the Scriptures This searching is also a service done unto GOD for it showeth a love of his word consequentlie a love of himself because he is found in his word Great searching showeth great love little or no searching little or no love But if no Scriptures were obscure there should be no â—â—ed of searching 5. The LORD alloweth his Apostles to heare many things of himself which they understood not untill after his resurrection neither understood they many things written by Moses and the Prophets untill after his resurrection see Luke 24 vers 25.27 and vers 6.44 45 46. Mark 9. vers 10. Act. 1. vers 16.20 and chap. 2. vers 25.30.34 Act. 3. vers 22 24 25. and sundry other places He willeth also that we should heare and read all his word albeit we understand not many things in it untill the resurection of his mysticall body at his second coming As GODS kirk in the Old Testament understood not many things in the Prophets before his first coming notwithstanding the Prophets were dayly read in the synagogues And when GODS people in due time shall understand these things clearly then they shall magnifie the LORD in that they see his Al-seing Majestie doeth nothing and speaketh nothing rashly and ignorantly but knoweth and foreseeth all things before the foundation of the world and this thing shall teach them humilitie in that neither learning nor long experience shall make them know the secret things of the LORD untill himself reveale them These things foresaid do also convince the Papists who forbid the people to read privatly the Scriptures they labour to perswade the people that the Pope can not erre that thereby all his doctrine and traditions may be received by all men and so they exalt the Pope above GOD whose holy word they spoile from the people importing no lesse then that GOD should bee in error and not the Pope Qu. 7. The book of Leviticus edifieth not containâ—â— but rites and ceremonies the Chapters of Genealogies containe names only the Canticles and sundrie prophesies are obscure should they then be read publictly Ans All should be read for all edifie 1. The book of Leviticus prophesieth of Christs suffrings and first coming in the flesh for as the audible word read and preached taught the same unto the ears of men so the ceremonies sacrifices and Sacraments as a visible word foretold the same unto their eyes When preachers now do read and interpret this book it edifieth us and serveth for the strengthning of our faith in that by this book we see that the doctrine of Christ is no new thing invented of men but GOD taught by his Prophets in the Old Testament Also it showeth that Christ is of great dignity and Majesty whose coming was foretold so many wayes and that his suffrings have great vertue and merite being prefigured by so many types 2. The chapters of Genealogies do also edifie showing what care GOD taketh of men and of their children and seeing that these are written for us it showeth that God taketh notise as well of all others whose names are not written in the Scriptures and that the names of his own are written in the book of life and that his care and providence reacheth unto every person in the world And also the chief scope of many Genealogies was to point forth Christs Genealogie that men might know Hee was 〈◊〉 a false Christ nor a false prophet coming into 〈◊〉 kirk without warrand of God but that God â—â—d chosen him only to be the Saviour of the world 3. The Canticles are most fit to be read for no scriptures do more edifie because none are fitter to set forth that most comfortable doctrine of the mutuall love between Christ and his Kirk Therefore the Holy Ghost calleth the song of Salomon the most excellent song 4. There are 19. chapters of the Revelation left out and not read neither in the Sabboth nor week dayes viz. from the 2. to the 18. and the 20.21 chapters because they are most dangerous for the false kirk discovering the antichrist and his persecution of true kirk and the fall of antichrist Some do alleadge that satan liketh not to hear tell of his first falling and ruine from God so the Kingdome of Babylon liketh not to hear tell of their last falling and ruine and they hide from the people the light of Gods word least it discover their filthinesse which if it were discovered men would abhor them and destroy their Kingdome The other Scriptures which they never read all the book of the Canticles Genesis chap. 10. Exod. chap. 2. 4 6 7 8. the 25. to 31.