and Cambridge Anno 1638. Tit. 7. Num. 12. If we will follow the course of the Ancient primitive Apostolicall Church we ought not to traduce or be offended at the name thing or use of Altar whereat A MANIFOLD SACRIFICE is offered to God What kind of Sacrifice this is Francis Sales thus declares in his Introduction to a Devout Life P. 191. 194. Vse then all diligence to be present often at this Heavenly Feast that with the Priest and other devout assistants thou maist joyntly offer up the fruit thereof Christ Jesus to God his Father for they selfe and all the necessities of holy Church The death and passion of our Redeemer which are actually and essentially represented in this holy Sacrifice with the Priest and the rest of the faithfull people thou shalt offer unto God the Father for his eternall honour and thine owne salvation Robert Shelford in his five Treatises seconds him in these termes Pag. 2. The Sacrament of the Altar in which the sacrifice of our Lord Christ is remembred and represented unto his Father P. g. 4. There the memory of the everlasting sacrifice is made and presented unto the holy Trinity Pag. 19. Here the great sacrifice of Christs death for our Salvation is in rememberance represented to God the Father c. Doctor Pocklington is very copious in this Theme in his Altare Christianum P. 130 Bishop Mountague saith thus I beleeve no such sacrifice of the Altar as the Church of Rome doth I fancie no such Altars as they imply though I professe a Sacrifice and an Altar And a little after speaking of his Adversaries hee saith thus I have so good opinion of your understanding though weake that you will confesse the blessed Sacrament of the Altar or Communion-table whether you please to be a Sacrifice c. Pag. 135. Abuses of Altars and sacrifices condemned not the things themselves Priests Sacrifices Oblations Altars The Sacrament of the Altar is not abolished P. 122. The Prophet Malachi saith Saint Justin Martyr did prophesie de Sacrificiis Gentium id est de paue Eucharistia poculo Eucharistiae It appeareth that St. Iustin that holy Martyr did call the Eucharist a sacrifice and hath the Prophet for his warrant Saint Ireneus also saith that when Christ tooke the Bread and the Wine Gratias eget he gave thanks and said the bread was his body and confessed the wine to be his bloud et novi Testamenti novam docuit oblationem and taught a new oblation of the New Testament which the Church receiving from the Apostles in universo mundo offert deo doth offer unto God in all the world This saith he is that pure sacrifice offered unto God in every place which the Prophet Malachi spake of before Pag. 124. Saint Chrysost How shall we receive this sacred host How shall we partake the Lords body with a defiled tongue For this sacrifice Domini sacrificium est This sacrifice the Priest standing at the Altar offereth to God for al the world for Bishops for the church c. according to our Collect on Good Friday Pag. 126. When the sacrifice of our Mediatour is offered it cannot be denied but the faithfull are hereby eased This oblation the same Father calls summum verissimum Sacrificium and saith that at the memories of Martyrs Deo offertur sacrificium Christianorum ipsum vero sacrificium corpus est Christi which is not offered to them for themselves are the body of Christ but unto God Pag. 127. It appeareth by that which hath beene said that there were Altars and oblations and sacrifices which the Fathers allowed To conclude this constant Doctrine of the holy Fathers concerning Altars Oblations and Sacrifices is confirmed by the Canons of sundry Councells Pag. 128. Altars Oblations and sacrifices were in Common use amongst the most holy Saints of God that ever lived Pag. 136. If there be no Christian Altar there is no Christian Sacrifice if no Christian Sacrifice there is no Christian Priest if there be no Christian Priest away with the Booke of Ordination of Priests and Deacons We shall close up this with Doctor Peter Heylins words in his Antidotum Lincolniense P. 6. 17. and 26. A Sacrifice it was in figure a sacrifice in fact and so by consequence a sacrifice in the Commemorations or upon the Post-fact A sacrifice there was among the Jewes shewing forth Christs death unto them before his comming in the flesh a sacrifice there must be amongst the Christians to shew forth the Lords Death till he come in Judgement and if a sacrifice must be there must be also Priests to doe and Altars whereupon to do it because without a Priest and Altar there can be no sacrifice yet so that the precedent sacrifice was of a different nature from the subsequent and so are also both the Priest and Altar from those before a bloudy sacrifice then an unbloody now a Priest derived from Aaron then from Melchisedech now an Altar for Mosaicall Sacrifices then for Evangelicall now for visible and externall sacrifices though none for bloudy and externall sacrifices Not an improper Altar and an improper sacrifice as you idlely dream of for sacrifices Priests and Altars being relatives as your selfe confesseth the sacrifice and the Altar being improper must needs inferre that even our Priesthood is improper also No Iesuit can or doth say more then this amounts to 6. That the body and blood of Christ are really and substantially present in the Eucharist and the Bread and Wine transubstantiated into them FRancis Sales in his Introduction to a devout life determines thus P. 194. 219. The death and passion of our Redeemer are actually and essentially represented in this holy sacrince Our blessed Saviour hath instituted the venerable Sacrament of the Eucharist which containeth really and verily his flesh and bloud Christs Epistle to a devout Soule thus seconds him Page 77. 78. Because thou maist be inflamed with a greater reverence love and desire towards this blessed Sacrament I assure thee that without all doubt my body is there Sacramentally delivered unto thee to be received under the forme of Bread Wherefore seeing it is the same body which I carry now glorified in Heaven seeing it is no other nor any like unto it but even the very same and seeing I carry not a body which is dead nor with out bloud it followeth of necessity that together in the same body there must be also conteined my soule my bloud my graces and my vertues To all which since the word is united it must also follow that the whole Trinity is present in this Sacrament as truly and as verily as they are in Heaven though in another kind id est under a Sacramentall forme The same opinion thou must in like sort have of the Chalice the new-testament in my bloud consider therefore that thou hast mee really and perfectly there Page 238. Make also every day to me in the honour of the holy Sacrament of my
12. and that two manner of wayes viz. First for a time onely as those who were baptized into John's baptisme received not the graces of the spirit till afterwards Act. 9. 2. And Secondly sometimes finally and for ever and thus Simon Magus was baptized but never benefitted at all by it Act. 8. 13. 20. 23. It may here be demanded why the Sacraments are sometimes in-effectuall seeing they are the Sacraments of Christ instituted by himselfe First because they are Sacraments appointed for the confirming of grace formerly given not for the conferring of grace by any phisicall power in themselves Rom. 4. 11. and therefore no wonder if the Sacraments be not effectuall when they are administred to one voyd of grace for a seale set to a blank profits nothing Secondly because those things which are a meanes of conferring grace according to the Ordinance of God are but onely meanes and not efficient causes and therefore unto the receiver is like the preaching of the Word altogether unprofitable when they are not mixed with faith Heb. 4. 2. How may we know whether we are truly baptized or not or whether our baptisme be effectuall or operative in us We may know thisby a serious examination of our selves by those things whereunto Baptisme is compared viz. Water A. Spirit B. Fire C. A. First Baptisme is compared to Water which hath these two principall properties First it washeth cleane and cleanseth away filth and pollution from a garment and therefore we must examine and try whether we be washed and cleane purged from the pollution of â—inne or not Secondly It moysteneth and maketh apt to fructifie and to bring forth fruit Isa 44. 3. and therefore we must try whether we are barren or not for if we encrease nor in the works of sanctification we are not yet truly baptized unto Christ B. Secondly baptisme is compared unto the Spirit or to wind or breath whoâ—e properties are these two namely First to coole and refresh the Lungs and secondly to work insensibly according to our Saviours speech John 3. the wind blowes where it lists of which afterwards in his proper place viz. upon John 2. 5. Let us here onely examine whether lust burne and rage within us or not for if we be enflamed therewith and have no spirituall breath to coole these carnall flames then we are not truly baptized into Christ the pulses of the conscience being sighes and prayers wherewith the child of God doth querch the fire of concupiscence C. Thirdly Baptisme is compared to fite whose properties are these three to wit First to give light and therefore he that is blind is not yet by baptisme made a member of Christ for where the spirit of Christ is there the eyes of the understanding are opened by him and secondly to purge away drosse from mettle and therefore we must try whether the corruption of our nature be more and more subdued and whether we be more holy more pure and more unspotted then formerly we were yea like gold seven times tryed in the furnace and thirdly it doth enflame and burne and therefore key-cold and luke-warme Christians are not yet baptized into Christ wherefore we must labour that our hearts may be enflamed with a desire to advance the glory of God as Saint Paul when he saw the City Athens subject to idolatry his spirit was stirred in him Act. 17. 16. 66. Passages deleted that the Eucharist and Masse are no Propitiatory Sacrifice See Masse before IN Master Ward 's Comentary on Matthew written copy page 324. this discourse is deleted Quest. Is the bread in the Lords Supper when it is consecrated to be offered up as a Propitiatory sacrifice unto God Answ No our sacrifices now are Thanksgiving and Almes Hosea 14. 3. Phil. 4. 18. Heb. 13. 15 16. Object But this Sacrament is frequently by the Fathers called a sacrifice and therefore the Masse is no Idoll yea the Papists urge Heb. 13. 10 c. and from thence of set up the Bread Christ unto God for a propitiatory sacrifice Answ First it is not certaine that the Apostle in that place speaks of the Eucharist yea rather contrarily it is certaine that he speaks not of the Eucharist for verse 15. it is said Per illum by him therefore let us offer c. and therefore if we offer sacrifice unto God per illum ergo non illum by Christ then we doe not offer up Christ himself unto God Secondly our sacrifices now are spirituall viz. prayers praises and almes as was shewed before in the answer to the Question And hence collections were wont to be made in the Church 1 Cor. 16. at the time when the Eucharist was celebrated and thus the Fathers doe alwayes explaine themselves when they speak of sacrifice for there is a double sacrifice to wit first one which the Priest offers up and this the Papists speak of but not the Fathers secondly a sacrifice which every Communicant offers and of this the Fathers speak Tu sine oblatione venis participas quod pauper offert Chrysost When thou commest to the Lords Supper thou must not come without an offering Ibid. page 365. The Papists object Christ in the institution of his supper speaking of his sacrifice doth not utter the words in the future tense This is my body which tradâ—tur shall hereafter be given for you and my blood which effundetur shall be shed for you but in the present tense pro vobis traditur effunditur which is given for you and shed for you therefore Christ did not onely sacrifice his body and blood upon the Crosse but also in the Lords supper Answ First if these words this is my body which is given and my blood which is shed be the substantiall words of the sacrifice of the Masse then there is a grosse and impious errour in the Canon of the Masse for in the first part of the institution the Canon wholly omits these word quod pro vobis traditur which is given for you and in the other part of the institution the Canon hath not the present tense but the future effundteur this is my blood which hereafter shall be shed for you and thus the very nerves and sinewes of this argument are quite cut a sunder by the Canon of the Masse it selfe Secondly how can the sacrifice of the Masse be called Jucruentum an unbloody sacrifice if there were in effusion of blood even at that instant when Christ celebrated his supper yea if the Wine be substantially changed into the blood of Christ and the Bread into his body and that there be blood not onely in the Cup but also with the flesh as they teach then it must needs be a bloody sacrifice Thirdly it is not unknowne to the Christian Faith of Protestants when and where the body of Christ was given for the redemption of our soules and the blood of Christ shed for washing away of our sinnes for the Scripture in many places declares that
prepare a blacke letter and to send it to his servants at Edenburgh for Printing this booke Of his approbation of his proofes sent from the Presse Of his feare of delay in bringing the worke speedily to an end for the great good not of that Church but of the Church Of his encouraging Rosse who was entrusted with the Presse to goe on in this peece of Service without feare of Enemies All which may be seene in the Autographs and by letters sent from the Prelate of London to Rosse wherein as he rejoyceth at the sight of the Scottish Canons which although they should make some noyse at the beginning yet they would be more for the good of the Kirke than the Canons of Edenburgh for the good of the Kingdome So concerning the Liturgy he sheweth that Rosse had sent to him to have an explanation from Canterbury of some passage of the Service Booke and that the Presse behoved to stand till the explanation come to Edenburgh which therefore he had in hast obtained from his Grace and sent the dispatch away by Canterburies owne conueyance But the Booke it selfe as it standeth interlined margined and patcht up is much more than all that is expressed in his Letters and the changes and supplements themselves taken from the Masse Booke and other Romish Ritualls by which he maketh it to vary from the Booke of England and are pregnant testimonies of his Popish spirit and wicked intentions which he would have put in execution upon us then can be denyed The large declaration professeth that all the variation of our Booke from the Booke of England that ever the King understood was in such things as the Scottish humour would better comply with than with that which stood in the English service These Popish innovasions therefore have beene surreptitiously inserted by him without the Kings knowledge and against his purpose Our Scottish Prelates doe petition that something may be abated of the English ceremonies as the Crosse in Baptisme the Ring in marriage and some other things But Canterburie will not only have these kept but a great many more and worse superadded which was nothing else but the adding of fewell to the fire To expresse and discover all would require a whole booke we shall only touch some few in the matter of the Communion This Booke inverteth the order of the Communion in the Booke of England as may be seene by the numbers setting downe the orders of this new Communion 1. 5. 2. 6. 7. 3. 4. 8. 9. 10. 15. Of the divers secret reasons of this change we mention one onely In joyning the spirituall praise and thanksgiving which is in the Booke of England pertinently after the Communion with the Prayer of Consecration before the Communion and that under the name of Memoriall or Oblation for no other end but that the memoriall and Sacrifice of Praise mentioned in it may be understood according to the Popish meaning Bellar. de Missa lib. 2. cap. 21. Not of the spirituall sacrifice but of the oblation of the body of the Lord. It seemeth to be no great matter that without warrant of the Booke of England the Presbyter going from the North-end of the Table shall stand during the time of consecration at such a part of the Table where he may with the more ease and decency use both hands yet being tryed it importeth much as that he must stand with his hinder parts to the People representing saith Durand that which the Lord said of Moses Thou shalt see my hinder parts He must have the use of both his hands not for any thing he hath to doe about the Bread and Wine for that may be done at the North end of the Table and be better seene of the people but as we are taught by the Rationalists that he may by stretching forth his Armes to represent the extension of Christ on the Crosse and that he may the more conveniently lift up the Bread and Wine above his head to be seen and adored of the people who in the Rubricke of the generall confession a little before are directed to kneele humbly on their knees that the Priests elevation so magnified in the Masse and the peoples adoration may goe together That in this posture speaking with a low voyce and muttering for sometimes he is commanded to speake with a loud voyce and distinctly he be not heard by the people which is no lesse a mocking of God and his people then if the words were spoken in an unknowne language As there is no word of all this in the English Service so doth the Booke in King Edwards time give to every Presbyter his liberty of gesture which yet gave such offence to Bucer the censurer of the Booke and even in Cassanders owne judgment a man of great moderation in matters of this kind that he calleth them Nunquam satis execrandos Missa gestus and would have them to be abhorred because they confirme to the simple and superstitious ter impiam exitialem Missae fiduciam The corporall presence of Christs body in the Sacrament is also to be found here for the words of the Masse-booke serving to this purpose which are sharpely censured by Bucer in King Edwards Liturgy and are not to be found in the Booke of England are taken in here Almighty God is in called that of his Almighty Goodnesse he may vouchsafe so to blesse and sanctifie with his Word and Spirit these gifts of Bread and Wine that they may bee unto us the body and blood of Christ The change here is made a worke of Gods Omnipotency the words of the Masse ut fiant nobis are translated in King Edwards Booke That they be unto us which are againe turned into Latine by Alesius Vt fiant nobis On the other part the expressions of the Booke of England at the delivery of the Elements of feeding on Christ by faith and of Eating and drinking in remembrance that Christ dyed for thee are utterly deleared Many evidences there be in this part of the Communion of the bodily Presence of Christ very agreeable to the Doctrines taught by his Sectaries which this paper cannot containe They teach us that Christ is received in the Sacrament Corporaliter both objective and subjective Corpus Christi est objectum quod recipitur corpus nostrum subjectum quo recipitur The Booke of England abolisheth all that may import the oblation of any unbloody Sacrifice but here we have besides the preparatory oblation of the Elements which is neither to be found in the Booke of England now nor in King Edwards Booke of old the oblation of the body and blood of Christ which Bellarmine calleth Sacrificium Laudis quia Deus per illud magnopere laudatur This also agreeth well with their late doctrine We are ready when it shall be judged convenient and we shall be desired to discover much more matters of this kind as grounds laid for missa sicca or the halfe
reverence come to the Lords-Table when they are to receive the Holy Communion and not after the most contemptuous and un-holy usage of some if men do rightly consider sit still in their Seats or Pewes to have the blessed Body and Bloud of our Saviour go up and downe to seeke them all the Church over Tit. 9. Of Clerks Sextons Church-wardens and Sidemen 5. Doe you or have any of you medled with setting placing displacing removing the Communion-Table up and downe of your owne heads without the Minister or with him not by order from the Bishop 6. Doe you know of any Parishioner or Forreiner who hath committed or attempted such an Act If you can learne them Present their names Tit. Sect. 10. Distinct and punctuall Answer must be made to every one of these Articles On all which Articles Church-wardens and Sidemen were obliged to present Non-conformists to them by this strict ensuing Oath The Tenour of the Oath to be administred unto and taken by the Church-wardens and Sidemen SWeare you shall that you shall duly consider and diligently enquire of all and every one of these Articles given you in charge and tendered unto you and that all affection favour malice hatred hope of reward gain displeasure of great men malice or other sinister respect set aside you shall faithfully discharge your duty and truly present all and every such person of and in your Parish as hath made any default or committed any offence in or against these ensuing Acticles or that be vehemently suspected or defamed of any such offence or crime wherein you shall deale uprightly truly and fully presenting all the truth and nothing but the truth without partiality having God before your eyes and an earnest Christian zeale to maintain truth order and Religion and to suppresse the contrary So helpe you God and the holy contents of this Booke Matthew Wren Bishop of Norwich in his first Visitation of that Diocesse among other Articles to be enquired of within that Diocesse prescribed these ensuing Articles upon Oath printed by Richard Baiger 1636. concurring in substance with Bishop Mountagues Chap. 3. Sect. 2. Have you ïn your Church or Chappell a Font of stone set in the ancient usuall place whole and cleane and fit to hold water a conuenient and decent Communion-Table with a Carpet of silke or some other decent stuffe continually layd upon the Table at the time of Divine Service and a faire linnen cloth thereon layd at the time of Administring the Communion and is the same Table placed conveniently so as the Minister may best be heard in his Administration and the greatest number may reverently communicate to that end doth it ordinarily stand up at the East end of the Chancell where the Altar in former times stood the ends thereof being placed North and South is it any time used unreverently by leauing or sitting on it throwing hats or any thing else upon it or writing on it or is it abused to any other prophane or common use and are the Ten Commandements set up in your Church or Chappell where the people may see and read them and other chosen sentences also written upon the walls in your said Church or Chappell in places convenient for the same purpose Sect. 12. Are all the Pewes and Seats in the Church so ordered that they which are in them may all conveniently kneele downe in the time of Prayer and have their faces up East-ward toward the holy Table Are there also any kinde of Seats at the East-end of the Chancell above the Communion-table or on either side even with it Sect. 14. Hath any in your Parish defaced or caused to be defaced or purloined any Monumenâ—s that is Crucifixes and old Images or Ornaments in the Church Chap. 4. Sect. 7. Doth every Priest and Deacon in your Parish daily say the Morning and Evening Prayer either privately or openly Doth the Curate say the same daily in the Church or Chappell with the tolling of a Bell before he begins At the end of every Psalme doe they stand and say Glory be to the Father c. Chap. 4. Sect. 8. Doth your Minister and Curate at all times as well in Preaching or Reading the Homilies as in reading the Prayers and Lerany in Administring the holy Sacraments Solemnization of Marriage Burying the Dead Churching of Women and all other Offices of the Church duly observe the Rites prescribed without omission alteration or addition of any thing And doth he in performing all and every of these weare the Surplice duly and NEVER OMIT THE WEARING OF THE SAME nor of his Hood if he be a Graduate Chap. 7. Sect. 4. Have you in your Parish that doe not reverently behave themselves entring into the Church that is by bowing towards the Altar Doe all use due and lowly reverence when the blessed name of the Lord Jesus is mentioned and stand up when the Articles of the Creed are read Sect. 17. Doe all your Parishioners of what sort soever according as the Church expresly them commandeth draw neere and with all Christian humility and reverence come to the Lords-Table when they are to receive the holy Communion and not after the most contemptuous and unholy usage of some if men did rightly consider sit still in their Seats or Pewes to have the blessed Body and bloud of our Saviour go up and down to seeke them all the Church over Chap. 9. Sect. 11. Were there any particular or speciall Injunctions given as you know or have heard by the Vicar Generall or any other Commissioner at the last Metropoliticall Visitation of the most Reverend the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury his Grace and how have the same beene performed or observed by the Minister or any other of the Parish whom they concern Sect. 12. Lastly have you and every of you by your selves read or have caused to be read to you all these Articles have you well examined and inquired into every particular therein intended have you sincerely uprightly and without any partiall affection or concealement presented and made known all and every of the offenders in any of the particulars either as they are taken in truth to be or by common fame reported To these Articles this Bishop annexed divers particular Injunctions prescribing Rayling in of Communion-Tables Altar-wise bowing towards them reading second Service at them that every Combination Lecturer should in his Surplice and Hood begin the second Service at the Communion Table before he went up into the Pulpit into which he should ascend after the reading of the Nicene Creed using no other prayer than that prescribed in the 55. Canon nor Preaching above one houre that hee should not give the blessing out of the Pulpit but should descend againe to the Table and read the Prayer for the universall Church and so dismisse the Congregation with the Peace of God c. That all Communicants should come up by files and receive the Sacrament at the new Rayles kneeling
Geneva called Francis Sales translated into English by a Jesuite and intituled An Introduction to a devout life where thus we read Pag. 22. Confesse often and choose a Confessor of Learning and discretion c. Pag. 66. Shalt thou have leasure to confesse thee or not shalt then have the Assistance of thy spirituall guide or not Alasse O my Soule c. P. 210. Of holy Confession Our Saviour hath left in his Church the holy Medicine and balsome of Confession or Pennance that in it we may wash away all our sinnes Pag. 210. Confesse thy selfe humbly and devoutly once every moneth and ever before thou communicatest if it be possible although thou feele not thy Conscience charged with guilt of any great sinne for by Confession thou doest not only receive absolution of the Veniall sinâ—es which thou mayest then confesse but also great force and vigour to avoyd them hereafter Pag. 212. Make not those superfluous accusations which many doe of Custome I have not loved God so well as I ought c. for so thou bringest nothing in particular that may make thy Confessor to understand the state of thy Conscience Pag. 214. Thinke it not enough to confesse thy Veniall sins but accuse thy selfe also of the motive c. Pag. 215. Wee must then confesse the particular fact the motive and continuance of our sinnes Pag. 216. Spare not to tell plainly whatsoever is requisite to declare purely the quality of thine offence as the cause subject or occasion Pag. 218. Change not lightly or easily thy Confessor but having made choice of a sufficient one continue constantly rendring him account of thy Conscience on the dayes and times appointed opening to him freely and plainely the sinnes thou hast committed from time to time and monthly or from two moneths to two moneths tell him likewise of the State of thy Inclinations though thou hast not sinned by them whether thou bee given to over-much mirth or desirous of gaine or such like inclinations Here wee have Confession and Confessors serued up to the highest pitch of Popery by Popish Authors printed in Lond. with publike Authority by the Archbishops and his Chaplaines speciall License Wee shall conclude with Dr. Cosons Devotions Intituled the Houres of Prayer printed at London 1627. The precepts of the Church Fifth to receive the blessed Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ with frequent Devotion and three times a yeare at least of which times Easter to be alwayes one And for better preparation thereunto as occasion is to disburden and quiet our Consciences of those sinnes that may grieve us or scruples that may trouble us to a Learned and discreete Priest and from him to receive advice and the benefit of absolution And Pag. 25. A devout manner of preparing our selves to receive Absolution How stifly this Doctrine of Auricular Confession and Priests power of absolution was maintained not only in print and Pulpit but in private Conferences by the Archbishops Creatures and Heads of Houses in the Vniversity of Cambridge will appeare by this memorable instance On Sunday the 25. of Iune 1637. one Master Adams preaching publikely in Saint Maries Church in Cambridge before the Vniversitie on Iohn 20. 23. Whosoever sinnes yee remit they are remitted c. used these exorbitant Popish assertions touching Confession of sinnes to Priests That a speciall Confession unto a Priest actually where time or opportunity presents it selfe or otherwise in explicite intention and resolution of all our sinnes committed after Baptisme so farre forth as wee doe remember is necessary unto salvation in the judgment of Fathers Schoolmen and almost all Antiquity not onely Necessitate pracepti but also necessitate medij so that according to the ordinary or revealed meanes appointed by Christ there can be no salvation without the aforesaid Confession That Christ intended this Confession of our sinnes in speciall before the Priest for a necessary meane to bring us to salvation and to frustrate his intention or will though misconceits what were it but an argument no lesse of indiscretion then of madnesse and impiety That God being an Enemy to all sinne will not pardon any if we willingly conceale but one in our Confession to the Priest That Confession is as necessary to salvation as the Ministry of Baptisme as necessary to salvation as meat is to the Body That since Christ ordained a Tribunall seat of Judgment where sins should be remitted or retained at the discretion of a lawfull Minister as was evident by the Text he did then WITHOUT DOUBT t was his intention that the faithfull should necessarily confesse all their sins before the Priest so farre forth as they remember for the purchasing of his pardon and remission This he averred to bee as hee conceived the Doctrine of the Church of England contained in our Lyturgie That Confession is a duty of farre more antiquity and extent then ever Popery was in regard t was instituted by our Saviour practised by the Apostles the Holy Fathers and all succeeding Ages and therefore though the Papists use it it is not it cannot be as some would have it A point of Popery What shall their Errors in some Tenets prejudice the Truth in this What shall we refuse the Grape because the stalke is withered This were a Puritanicall a Novatian nicity I never heard of any thing but a foolish Cock that ever refused a Gemme though in a Dung-hill and surely those that reject so speciall a means of their salvation as Confession is meerly because t is practised by the Papists may not unfit but very properly be said to weare his badge The whole Sermon was to this effect Dr. Ward Doctor Love Dr. Brownrig and Doctor Holdsworth tooke exceptions against this Sermon as scandalous and Popish Whereupon Master Adams was convented for it before the Vice-Chancellour and Heads who both required and perused the Copy of his Sermon which done the Vice-Chancellour Doctor Brownrig drew up this ensuing Recantation which hee enjoyned him to make in publike to give satisfaction to those his Sermon had scandalized Whereas c. On Sunday the 25. of Iune last in my publike Sermon on these words St. Iohn 20. 23. whose sins yee remit they are remitted and whose sins yee retaine they are retained I delivered this doctrine That a speciall Confession unto a Priest actually where time or opportunitie presents it selfe or otherwise in explicite intention and resolution of all our sinnes committed after Baptisme so farre forth as we doe remember is necessary unto salvation not onely necessitate praecepti but also necessitate medii so that according to the Ordinance or revealed meanes appointed by Christ there can bee no salvation without the aforesaid Confession upon more mature thoughts and better information I doe find that this Doctrine then delivered was both erroneous and dangerous having not warrant from the Word of God and crossing the doctrine of our Church as may appeare by her Lyturgie in the second exhortation
Augustines time And if we doe not only bend or bow our bodie to this blessed Board or holy Altar but fall flat on our faces before his Footstoole so soone as ever we approach in sight thereof what Patriarch or Apostle would condemne us for it Which he thus further prosecutes in his Altare Christianum pag. 108. Humble and lowly Reverence towards the holy and most Sacred Altar where Christ is most truly and really present in the blessed Sacrament pag. 142. Was not the Altar set in Sacrario or Sancto Sanctorum whereunto the Priest ascended by certaine steps and degrees and when they did so ascend were there not Psalmes of degrees sang called for that cause Gradualls durst the Priests themselves ascend thither without doing lowly Reverence three severall times Veneration towards the Altar was then required and practised pag. 145. Priests in our Church at the Ordination kneell upon their knees before the holy Altar then is given imposition of hands before the holy Altar then the Bishop takes the holy Gospells from the holy Altar c. no Bishop was authorized before his Altar was consecrated pag. 153. To warrant and justifie the bringing them in and due honouring of them because they are the seats and Chairs of estate where the Lord vouchsafeth to place himselfe amongst us Quid est enim Altare nisi sedes corporis sanguinis Christi p. 159. To come home to our Countrie when the Author sees the Kings most Sacred Majestie and the honourable Lords of the most Noble order of the Garter performe most low and humble Reverence to Almighty God before the most holy Altar the Throne in earth of that great Lord from whom their honour proceedeth pag. 160. Deo atque Altari reverentiam exhibuisse visi sunt Domino Deo ejus Altari proni facti debitum impenderent honorem Summum Altare in honorem Dei debita genu-flexione reverentiaque consalutabit p. 175. Honour and Reverence of right belongs unto it in regard of the presence of our Saviour whose Chaire of State it is upon earth Nay he proceedes yet further p. 75. The Eucharist cannot be receaved among Heretiques for the Elements must be consecrated before they become partakers of that Eucharist this Heretikes could not then doe quia nec Altare nec Ecclesiam because they had neither Altar nor Church for of necessitie sayes St. Cyprian Eucharistia in Altari sanctificatur the Eucharist is consecrated upon the Altar If then this were true which this unadvised man would make the Vicar believe that there were no Altars nor Churches within 20. yeares after Christ it must needs follow that the holy Eucharist was not received by any of the holy Martyrs and blessed Saints of God in all the primitive Church or else that they did receive some kinde of Sacrament that was not consecrated for Eucharistia in Altari sanctificatur is a ground in which he sets his rest as the Fathers before him and his successors ever did P. 174. Saint Cyprian tells you that the use of Altars is to sanctifie the Eucharist upon and that without an Altar it cannot be consecrated and that therefore Heretiques have no Sacraments among them because they have no Altars Edmond Reeve in his Christian Divinity contained in the Divine Service of the Church of England seconds him in these words p. 132 to 137. Unto the due honouring of Gods holy name the place where Gods name is put is to be honoured also now also ought every one being come into Gods House to prostrate himselfe i. e. to make low obeysance towards Gods mercy-seat being in the uppermost part of the Temple pag. 133. A great Divine in our Church Mr. Dr. Laurence in his most weighty Sermons thus writeth Wee are no more Idolatrous by our prostration towards the Table of the Lord than the Iewes were by theirs towards the Tabernacle of the Lord or the mercy-seat pag. 134 Gods Board is to be accounted the peculiar seat of God within the Temple and therefore towards it unto God there we are to make low obeysance whensoever we come into Gods House for to pray Gods board is ever to have due reverence and God who is there perpetually is alwayes to be prostrated unto Should not Christianity teach us that no seat of any Person much lesse of any of the Layty should be above Gods mercy-seat the sacred Communion Table The sacred Communion Table is called an Altar and it is also called Gods mercy-seat Gods Board is ever to have due Reverence and God who is there perpetually is alwayes to be prostrated unto yea when as the Body and Blood of Christ in the blessed Sacrament is not upon the same Robert Shelford Priest in his Five learned and pious discourses printed at Cambridge 1635. determines thus p. 4. To this day all our Churches are called sanctuaties as in many other Regards so especially in regard of the Lords Table or high Altar at the upper end of them which is Iesus Christs mercy seat because there the memory of the everlasting sacrifice is made and presented to the holy Trinity pag. 15. Seest thou not the Son of Gods seat here the holy Altar at the upper end of this House Pag. 17. The 5. sort of Reverence beseeming Gods House is at the entring in before we take our seates to bend the Knee and to bow our Body to him towards the more usuall and speciall place of his residence or resemblance which is the high Altar or the Lords Table usually standing at the East end of Gods House Idque propter Christum qui est Lux Mundi Oriens nominatur Zach. 6. 12. ab oriente etiam expectatur venturus pag. 19. 20. The first reverence that you make because the house is Gods and not mans direct your aspect to Gods Table which Saint Paul calls the Lords Altar saying We have An altar whereof they have no right to eate which serve the Tabernacle this is the great signe of Gods residence in this holy place as the Arck was the signe of hs presence in his Tabernacle here the great sacrifice of Christs death for our salvation is in Remembrance represented to God the Father and can we remember so great a benefit and not reverence the Father Son and Holy Ghost for it I do not exhort you to give Divine worship to Gods Table but to worship God towards it for Gods Altar is not terminativum cultus but motivum only as Daniel being in Captivity turned his face towards Jerusalem when he prayed but prayed not to it thus if we come before God in his house with due reverence then will he hould out his Golden Scepter of grace to us as the great King Ahasuerus held out his to Queene Ester but if we slight God in his owne place and hee hould out his Iron Scepter to us then let us be wise and learned Let us learne of our Mother Churches for there our Reverend Fathers the Prelates and others make
blessed body two reverent adorations Doctor Laurence in his Sermon before the King resolves thus Page 17. 18. As I like not those that say he is bodily there so I like not those that say his body is not there because Christ saith t is there and Saint Paul saith 't is there and the Church of England saith 't is there and the Church of God ever said t is there and that truly and substantially essentially and that not only by way of representation or Commemoration and yet without either con sub or trans which the antient Church said not by a reall and neverthelesse a spirituall and mysticall and supernaturall presentation and exhibition For why should our Saviour bid us take what he would not have us receive We must beleeve t is there we must not know what is there our faith may see it our sence cannot t is a mistery they all say and t were no mystery if t were knowne his presence they determined the manner of his presence they determined not they say he is there end they say the Lord knowes how For why should we seeke him naturally in the Communion whom naturally we cannot finde in the Wombe of the Virgin Doctor Pocklington in his Altare Christianum writes thus Page 108. 153. The people were not so prophane and unchristian not to performe their most humble and lowly reverence towards the most holy and sacred Altar where Christ is most truly and really present in the blessed Sacrament c. Altars because they are the seates and Chaires of estate where the Lord vouchsafeth to place himselfe amongst us quid est enim Altare nisi sedes corporis et sanguinis Christi as Optatus speaks have bin in all ages so greatly honoured and regarded of the most wise learned and most blessed Saints of God Doctor Heylin in his Cole from the Altar affirmes Page 15. Bishop Ridley doth not only call it the Sacrament of the Altar affirming thus that in the Sacrament of the Altar is the naturall body and bloud of Christ c. The Archbishop of Canterbury in his Speech in Star-Chamber hath this strange Passage which did much amuse the VVorld Page 47. To Almighty God I doubt not but yet it is versus Altare towards his Altar as the greatest place of Gods residence on earth I say the greatest yea greater than the Pulpit For there t is Hoc est corpus meum This is my Body But in the Pulpit t is at most but Hoc est verbum meum This is my word and as many men use the matter Hoc est verbum Diaboli This is the word of the Devill And a greater reverence no doubt is due to the Body than to the VVord of the Lord and so in relation answerably to the Throne where his Body is usually present than to the Seat whence his Word useth to be proclaimed c. These words doe necessarily imply a reall presence of Christs Naturall Body on the Altar not of his Sacramentall only For this sentence The greatest place of Gods residence on earth I say the greatest yea greater than the Pulpit for there t is Hoc est corpus meum C. But in the Pulpit t is at most but hoc est verbum meum clearely demonstrates that he meanes this only of Christs very naturall body For first he speakes of that Body of Christ to which the Deity is hypostatically united and ever present with Secondly of that body which drawes along with it the greatest presence and residence of God Himselfe on earth Thirdly of that body of Christ which is farre more worthy and honourable than the word of Christ Fourthly of that body to which a greater reverence no doubt is due than to the word of the Lord and so by relation to the Throne wherin his body is usually present then to the Seat where his word useth to be proclaimed Now all these cannot be intended of any representative or Sacramentall Body of Christ but onely of his Naturall body Therfore his cleare meaning can be no other but that Christs very natural body is really present on the Altar in the consecrated bread when the Sacrament is there administred And to put this out of doubt these passages in his Conference with Fisher p. 286. 293 294 295 296. intimate or rather clearely expresse as much All sides agree in the truth with the Church of England That in the most blessed Sacrament the worthy Receiver is by his Faith made spiritually partaker of the true and reall body and bloud of Christ TRVLY and REALLY I would have no man troubled at the words TRVLY and REALLY c. Bellarmine saith Protestants doe often grant That the TRVE and REALL BODY OF CHRIST IS IN THE EVCHARIST and T IS MOST TRAVE For the Calvinists at least they which follow Calvin himselfe do not only beleive that the TRVE and REALL BODY of Christ is received in the Eucharist but THAT IT IS THERE and that we partake of it VERE ET REALITER Nor can that place by any art be shifted or by any violence wrested from Calvines true meaning of the presence of Christ IN and AT the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist And for the Church of Engl. nothing is more plaine than that it believes and teaches The true and reall presence of Christ in the Eucharist unlesse A. C. can make a body no body and bloud no bloud Nay Bishop Ridley addes yet further That in the Sacrament IS THE VERY TRVE and NATVRALL BODY and BLOVD OF CHRIST that which was borne of the Virgin Mary which ascendod into Heaven which sits at the Right hand of God the Father which shal come from thence to judge the quick and the dead c. All which compared with his Alterations and Additions made with his owne hand in the Booke of Common Prayer which he would have obtruded on the Church of Scotland recited at large in A Necessary Introduction to his Tryall pag. 158. to 164. so grosly Popish that hee durst not hazard the giving of them in evidence to this particular point but pleaded the Act of Pacification and Oblivion in barre thereof as soone as ever they were but mentioned will undoubtedly manifest him a meere Papist in this particular and a professed Patron of the Reall presence Transubstantiation and the Masse it selfe 7. That Crucifixes Images and Pictures of Christ God Saints may bee lawfully profitably used set up in Churches and â—ught not to be demolished or removed thence HOw zealous the Archbishop with his Confederates were in defence of Images and Crucifixes in Churches how forward to introduce and set them up in their Chappell 's Churches Cathedralls Houses confirming this Popish position by their practise contrary to our Homilies Statutes Writers and how extreamely violent hee was against such who did by word or deed oppose them hath beene already at large demonstrated in the premises especially in the cases of Master Sherfield and Mr. Workman We shall
The Woman is discribed c. All Princes have become his Vassals and I think he tyed them to pay tribute and blood so pleasing to the Pope's pallate that howsoever they have differed in their lusts to meats some to Peacock and some to Porke all of them have liked one kind of drink and that is blood Let no man wrangle c. What doth the Pope pop us in the mouth with Emperours Julian the most malicious of them all vexed the Christians but would shed no blood but the Pope is all for blood his Buls and Briefes like Dracoes lawes writen not with Inke but blood I plead not for the Hereticke as if I held he might not suffer death such may be the Heresie but the Pope maintaines distinction between mortall sinne and veniall holds it towards God and failes it to the Pope are some veniall to Gods selfe and all mortall to God's Vicar pardons may be purchast for offenders against God but he must dye the death that trespasseth the Pope The least ill word Pope Alexander punished with death their owne liege people write it Onuphrius c. Bona verba quaeso it is the Pope the shamefuller his sinne the holy Father to spill holy blood belike as Parsons said he had a holy Italy so the Pope happily hath a holy thirst for why not why not sacra sitis as well as sacra fames or doth his Holinesse mistake the blood he might if Popes could erre but they cannot and he doth not but wittingly and willingly he sheds the blood of Saints Faine would he cover this impious blood thirstinesse by calling them Hugonists Lollards and Heretiques For the two first of them I know no harme in them and for the third what Harlot will not call an honest woman whore The faith which they have suffered for and their holinesse have Sainted them without the Popes canonization They may be Saints though not of his making and of a better order then the Popes to wit of the holy Ghosts he is the right Saint maker c. So sweet is blood to the throat that he sheds it where he finds it be it of what rank what sex what age soever etiam in infantem saith Tertullian nullius hostem nullius reum c. the harmlesse Infant that hath done no hurt that doth think no hurt even his blood will this Herod have what doe I call him Herod a more inhumane blood-sucker then ever Herod was then ever Pharaoh was both of them shed the blood of babes new borne this monster spils the blood of babes unborne a Kid night not be sod in the mothers milke this beast spares not the babe in the mothers wombe c. A woman that affects the title of Holinesse her head the Popes holinesse her selfe holy Mother-church can this holy woman murther holy men shee that canonizeth Saints the founder of their feasts the builder of their Temples the adorner the admirer the adorer of Saints can shee shed the blood of Saints shee can shee does and that in such abundance Drunkennesse beseems any ill a Bishop worst of all men Church-men should be sober what a sight is this John sees here a Bishop drunken the Universall Bishop the Prince Patriarch the Pope drunken for we are bold under his benedicite to make that man this woman not wine-drunke though by their leave some of these are noted for that too as Leo 10 and Nicholas 5. but blood-drunken c. Wherefore are the Jesuits in France and here and every where but to be his slaughtermen to shed Kings blood their feet swift to spill it because his throat lusts to swallow it be wise now therefore O ye Kings and be learned by France O ye Princes of the earth at least let the Lyon learne by the Flower de luce to watch not the Jesuit onely whose fingers itch to spill his blood but the Recusant also as very a Traitor in his heart as he the Lord convert their persons and confound their plots as many as look at Jacob with an Esan-eye c. The woman that rid on a beast of hell hammers her bloody plots from the forge of hell the Pope c. The wicked Antichrist would purchase heaven by sending us to hell had the Romish Canibols thirsted for our blood yet charity would they should have wished well to our soules but the Pope like Satan the sonne like to the sire malices even our soules he would have sacrificed our blood and our soules should have ascended into the flames of the Altar not like Manoahs-Angel into heaven but our soules and bodies too into that part of the Ayre where the prince of the Ayre and his angels have their residence that is in votis the Pope wished it so I will not say c. Their Jupiter Latialis their Lord God the Popel or their Jupiter Infernalis their Lord God the Devil should have many Hecatombees c. The Vicar of Christ a sticker of Christians the successor of Saint Peter a worker with salt-peter he that makes God's blood of Wine to drinke mans blood as Wine In Doctor Clarkes second Sermon on the fifth of November page 237. the Licenser hath obliterated three whole leaves together against the tyranny bloodinesse and viciousnesse of Popes and their Instruments so as they cannot be read and in the same Sermon page 234. 235. 237. he hath deleated these clauses and phrases The spawne of Antichrist Romes Martyrs and canonized Saints I hold them neither All Martyrs are Christs Martyrs of Jesus A discription of Antichrist the Romish Antichrist There are two Antichrists Gog in the west and Magog in the east Nay beside Magog the Turke Rome hath two at times First the Empire then the Papacy this woman in the latter described here Aristotle makes mention of one so inhumane that shee would rip up womens wombs to eat the infants Saint John's woman here hath been as savage hath not spar'd a babe springing out of the wombe of the mother at the stake Into the fire with it 't is a young Heretick In his 23. Sermon page 463. this passage is deleated Popes are free peradventure nay it is past peradventure my Text sayes every man one Pope was free he was a woman nay all are free for Popes are Gods 't is their own phrase Our Lord God the Pope or if not God yet not meere man something between both their saying too but by good chance 't is not here every man but every one who will scare that yet as the Devil would not be belyed so neither would the Pope be wrongd Preaching against iniquity let me doe none 'T is every one that cals on Christ's name some Popes doe not Julius the second called on the Devils name In nomino omnium diabolorum in all the Devils names at his losing of Raveâ—na But take the passive sense all that are called by Christ's name Christians Popes are all so not all so neither Paul the III. was no Christian
most repugnant to Scripture and reason First Heaven must containe the body of Christ till all things be fulfilled Ergo it cannot be on the earth Secondly if the bread that Christ gave to his Disciples were turned into his owne body he must of necessity have two bodies the one held in the hand of the other Their distinction of a bloody and unbloody sacrifice will not serve the turne for without blood there is no remission of sinnes and if his body were offered for our sinnes in the Supper then why was it offered after on the Crosse either it was a perfect oblation or imperfect if they say imperfect O horrible blasphemy if they say perfect then why was not another made for as bono nil melius sic perfecto nil perfectius The Apostle cals the Gentiles fools prosessing themselves wise they become fools for they turned the similitude of the incorruptible God into the similitude of Beasts Birds and creeping things much more may we call the Papists fools that turne the similitude of God into the similitude of a peice of bread If the Aegiptians are worthily to be derided for worshipping a Cat for God then justly may we laugh at the Papists for worshipping a wafer cake for God If the Angel in the Revelation would not have John to worship him O doe not so worship God how much more doth it grieve the Angels to see a piece of bread worshipped for God wherefore let us spit at this abominable sacrifice and never give entertainment to it Doctor Taylor was angry with the Priest that began to say Masse at Hadley in Queen Maries dayes thou Devil who made thee so bold as to enter into this Church of Christ and to profane it with this abominable Idolatry the people pulled downe the Altar you that have been seasoned with his wholsome doctrine tread in his steps Let no Masse-monging Priest that will take upon him without Commission to offer up Christ forty or a hundred times be admitted into our Church remember that Christ can be but once offered to take away the sinnes of the world The deleting of such a notable passage as this discovers a professed designe to bring in Popery among us againe without the least opposition But this is not singular but seconded with others Ibid. page 305. Whereas they say the Masse is but a commemorative and applicatory Sacrifice to bring to our remembrance the sacrifice on the Crosse and to apply it to us that needeth not a sufficient commemoration and representation of it is to us in the Supper 1 cor 11. 26. and it is applyed to us by faith Rom. 3. 25 26. Act. 18. Page 244. No mortall man can offer up Christ as the popish Priests blasphemously presume Page 292. Here we have a club to beat downe the Masse Page 417. If the Martyrs in Queen Maries dayes would have gone to Masse if they would have acknowledged Masse with mentall reservation to themselves the reall presence of Christ in the sacrifice they might have been delivered but they would not they had rather have irons on their legs then the intolerable burden of an evill conscience in their soules they had rather have bodies in prison then soules in prison they had rather endure the paines of a materiall fire for a time then the torment of hell fire or ever this was greatly to be admired Page 418. We may scoffe at the Idolatry of the Papists a woman said unto a Priest in Queen Maries dayes that came to buy a Capon man canst thou make God Almighty and canst not make a Capon Ibid. page 263. When Christ saith doe this in remembrance of me If the Masse be a remembrance of Christ as they say it is comemorativum sacrificium then Christ is not there himselfe P. 270. Obj. although Christs death was necessary for the full confirmation and accomplishment of the New Testament yet it was begun to be declared in the sacrifice of his last Supper Matth. 26. 28 whereby it is plaine that the blessed Challis of the Altar hath the very sacrificall blood in it that was shed on the Crosse in and by which the New Testament was dedicated and doth consist Answ The New Testament was ratified by the blood of Christ at his death as appeareth by the whole discourse for the Testament is of no force till the Testator be de dead Ergo it could not be ratified at all by the Sacrament of his blood Page 291. there are sixteen lines crossed to the same matter that the Masse is no commemorative nor propitiatory sacrifice and may well be spared Judge then by these purgations what was intended by this Arch-Prelate and his confederates 43. Passages blotted out in defence of Priests marriage IN the Sermons of Doctor Clarke page 205. after as our Apostles this is obliterated The Papists except that mariage is a clogge to Christians and an encombrance to the practice of religions duties Saint Chrysostome controles that it is saith he no hinderance unto heavenly things yet doth the Pope condemne it And in Master Wards Comentary on Matthew fol. 1. this is deleted Honourable marriage is to be preferred before dishonourable whoredome and therefore ex ungue Leonem we may easily conjecture without breach of christian charity what to think of Popery that to all or any of their Clergy doth allow a dispensation for fornication but denies unto them the lawfull remedy of marriage In Doctor Jones his Comentary on the Hebrewes chap. 12. v. 14. this is deleted Saint Paul straines holinesse to marriage this is an holy bed Heb. 13. 4. men may be holy and honest men though they be married 44. Passages dashed out that the Virgin Mary was not without sinne originall and actuall brake not the Serpents head is not to be prayed to c. In Doctor Clarks ninth Sermon of the Nativity these words are deleted there 's a woman too Papists say without sinne Christs Mother for her why calleth shee then her sonne her saviour c. Ibidem page 338. l. 20. after never any sonne should follow One woman onely is exempt from sinne but onely by the man of sinne c. And p. 336. l. 20. after the right Puritane the Licenser hath deleted these lines 't is a hard posse that never comes in esse if one may live without sinne 't is mervaile never any did still they urge Christs Mother shee lived without sinne was borne without it some say conceived without it too that they say is not de fide and indeed it is not fit that every John Duns should encrease the Churches creed for he was the first that forged that paradox But if Christs Mother why not his Father too was he not the sonne of David then had the Psalmist spared this speech and I my paines at least in this poynt he might have in the peoples name said our sinne not my sinne in earnest sooth the Papist must correct Magnificat or grant our Lady was a sinner
for calleth shee not her sonne her saviour My spirit saith shee rejoyceth in God my Saviour Christ was called so the Angel saith because he should save his people from their sinne Christ was not Maries Saviour if Mary had no sinne In Doctor Jones his Comentary on the Hebrewes chap. 11. v. 32. page 414. this sentence is blotted out the Virgin Mary had him in her womb that had no sinne yet shee had sinne in herselfe and was reproved by our saviour And page 292. after will be like God this clause is blotted out Pardon the Papists that mount Christs Mother above the Angels shee hath deserved it shee bare God 't is fit shee should sit beside her sonne Mater jube filium shee may command him too School-men were not first founders of this pride 't was long before them what Gods propriety 45. Passages expunged against Popish Monkery Vowes Stewes and Incontinency of their Monks and Clergy THese clauses are deleted in Doctor Clerks Sermons page 341. with Papists Oratio is Aratio they worke as at the Plough men pray almost all day Monastery rise in the night too Ibid. page 371. What meant that Monk that said Rominizare was Sodomizare Rome was turned Sodome the whole city Ibidem page 218. Answ 1. But the Monkish life is not persecution except thus because the Locusts which are no other but Monks and Fryars Revel 16. doe bite and sting like Serpents that is doe secretly wound mens consciences And foure lines after An. 3. All goe not to Christ that come into Monasteries but rather goe from him they living after another rule then Christs for Francis their great founder erected a new sect of Monkery and found out a new rule for them which he called Regulam Evangelicam the rule of the Gospel as though Christs rule were not sufficient And page 309. Thirdly so the Papists being ignorant of the way of salvation sometimes runne unto the Masse sometimes enter into divers Orders of Monasteries staggering like a drunken man too and fro not knowing what way they should take to come into Heaven 46. A Passage crossed out against mixing the Sacramentall wine with water THis clause is purged out in Master Ward 's Comentary on Matthew page 380. Wine and blood cannot be both in the Sacrament corporally and substantially as the Papists teach It is controverted between us and the Church of Rome whether the Wine in the Lords Supper be to be mixed with water or pure Wine to be administred and they say it is to be mixed with water and we deny not but that of ancient times in hot Countries especially where their Wine was strong they used to mix water with wine in their common drink and thereupon so used it in the Sacrament but now to put water into the wine at the Sacrament when it is not ordinarily so used or drank we hold it to be an Antichristian custome and contrary to Christs institution as appears by this argument Christ in his last Supper gave wine and not water to be drank for he calleth it the fruit of the Vine which is wine and not water Matth. 26. 29. c. 47. Passages purged out concerning the Ministers doing their duty in Praying frequent Preaching of the Word the peoples diligent hearing of the Word preached c. IN Master Ward 's Comentary on Matthew page 41. this clause is obliterated Mending their Nets Quest What is observable in these Nets Answ Note here two things in them viz. First Lead that is the ponderous denuniiation and menaces of the law Secondly Corke and that is the sweet and comfortable promises of the Gospell teaching us that the preaching of the Word should be fitted to the capacity and disposition of the hearers and that in a threefold regard as first in regard of the time it must be preached in season and out of season 2 Tim. 4. 2. and secondly in regard of the object to every creature Mark 16. 10. c. thirdly in regard of the manner milk must be given to Babes and strong meat to men the weak must be strengthened the obstinate reproved the ignorant instructed the erronious reduced into the way of truth and the wicked reclaimed from their evil wayes Quest Wherein must the Preachers of the Word principally labour in the preaching of the Word Answ In these two things First to sink to the bottome the Net with the weight of Lead by diving penetrating sounding and descending into the intrals bowels and lowest vaults of the heart because otherwise they cannot catch those who are hid and drowned in the mudde and earth they must reveale and make knowne the wrath of the Lord against all iniquity and wickednesse of men Rom. 18. that sinfull men by flying from and forsaking their sinnes may avoid the wrath of God Secondly when they have truly humbled their hearers with the judgement pronounced and denounced against them for their sinnes they must then raise them up to the top with cork which brings the upper side of the net above water they must be comforted and cherished by the promises of the Word least otherwise the sight of their sinnes and sense of Gods wrath drive them to despaire and these two lead and cork are carefully to be observed and handled for first sinners must be cast downe then raised up That Net needs no cork that hath no lead nor those hearers comfort who never lamented for their sinnes and therefore first Ministers must shew the people the anger of God against sinne Rom. i. 17. 18. then secondly the righteousnesse of faith Rom. 3. 21. First ordinarily comes the spirit of bondage which sinks the soule to the bottome of sorrow and then seasonably is held forth the spirit of adoption Rom. 8. 15. and the evangelicall promises which raise up the soule from the pit of hell aâ— cork without lead and comfort without lamentation leads to presumption so lead without cork loseth the net in the mudde and earth and therefore our concord must be mixed with discord and our creble with bases we must in our preaching sing of mercy and judgement mixing threatnings with promises and weaving inter-laâ—cing promises with terrors as the Lord himselfe doth through the whole book of the Scripture if we desire to fish that we may catch many soules for an offering unto the Lord for he fisheth in vaine whose net wants either lead or cork Ibidem on Matth. 13. 55. written copy 261. this is dashed out Quest Who are unfit or unworthy to take the calling of the Ministery upon them Answ First those who being arrogant and proud for their learning and parts thiâ— themselves worthy to be preferred before others Secondly those who make a 〈◊〉 of Religion for base and worldly respects and ends onely Thirdly those who are â—â—dued onely with a fox-like wit and craft and subtle policy Fourthly those who â—â— light and aiery in their preaching seeking therein nothing more then popular applaâ—â— and praise Fifthly those who
and yet have saved all for Christ who satisfied his Father for the Elect might also have so done had he pleased for the Reprobates Alas besides why made God choice of thee and not of me I must answer with Saint Paul O homo tu quis est Who art thou O man that presumest to plead with God hath not the Potter power to make vessels of his clay to what use himselfe listeth As clay is to the Potter so is man to God he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy This project of Gods gracious love hath caused the Scripture by elegant Antonomosie to cast the name of it upon the meanes of it Christ called not onely a Saviour but salvation Mine eyes saith old Simeon have seen my salvation yea not Christ onely that procured it but the Gospel also that proclaimes it it is called Gods salvation Acts 28. 28. for the Gospell is the word of it Paul cals it so and Christ is the horne of it old Zachary cals him so a project worthy c. 61. Passages purged out against popish Purgations of sinne by other meanes then Christs blood and against Purgatory IN Doctor Clerkes Sermons page 23. l. 13. After these words Gregory Naz. the Lycenser hath expunged these lines following Satisfaction 's a Purgation too a Popish one the Almes of the living effectually purge for the sinnes of the dead The Saints intercession I thinke another too the prayers of the dead for the sinnes of the living and why not their blood too as well as Christs Tu per Thomae sanguinem Beckets blood is not so dry a drug as Christs happily it will worke better Indulgences are another the Popes too he hath a great facility in that kinde of physicke The Masse another a strong purgative Paul said all purging is by blood the Masse hath none t is incruenta hostea themselves so tearme it an oblation without blood A suppe of the Chalice or a kisse of the Pax offering to an Image or creeping to a Crosse Pilgrimage Oyle Holy-water purgers of sinne all I thinke all Popery is a purge What meane the Priers flagellant who whip their bodies but to purge their sinnes with their own blood set scourgers to be selfe purgers happily they will not be beholding unto Christs The Prophet sayes By his stripes we are healed but they thinke they are by theirs shall I presse these purgers with this fourth tearme of my Text per simetipsum by himselfe they will flye unto the second and say Paul said not he had purged All say sins before Baptisme are purged by him but those we act after it must be purged by others by the Pope the Priests our friends or our selves by pardons penance Masse good works New Romanists old Montanistes even Aquinas himselfe puts but Originall sin onely to Christs purging Actuall to the Masse But you heard what point before that Saint John was Paul's Paraphrast 1 John 1. 7. he saies The blood of Christ cleanseth from all sinne but yet that Almes purge sinne they find in Tobia's History whence they may ground good manners but not faith but Solomon sayes it too Prov. 15. 21. and that book is canonicall that book but not this verse it is a bastard Scripture foisted in by some forgery the Hebrew Text hath it not Ibid. page 200. l. 16. after unworthy of Christs presence these words are put out they will rather goe to Purgatory 62. Passages obliterated concerning preaching its end and frequency IN Master Ward 's Comentary on Matthew these clauses are deleted written copy fol. 239. Observ 3. The Apostles gently perswade and admonish that so Christ may be planted in our hearts Object There is a double scope of the preaching of the word viz. a declaration of the mercy and anger of God Rom. 9. 22 23. and therefore the end and scope of all preaching is not to call men unto salvation An. Certainly it is most true that there is a double scope of preaching but the difference is in the Object these differing in the Event not in the first scope of God for the Lords scope is that all should be saved Ezek. 18. 8. 1 Tim. 2. 4. 2 Pet. 3. but his will is that those who will not be saved should be damned and therefore the Ministers of the Word of God in the preaching thereof declare pronounce and publish the wrath and anger of God against all those who will not accept of the tender of mercy offered by him in his Word Observ 5. Ministers are often calumniated for their zeale industry in the preaching of the Word Quest How doth the truth of this appeare Answ First naturall and simple men would not have them labour at all because a little preaching is too much for them But Secondly they are ashamed to confesse and acknowledge this and therefore they lay their fault either upon their Parsons or their manner of preaching It is according to the Proverb easie to find a staffe to beat a dogge and those who are ill affected to the Ministers of the Word will easily find something to tax them for as for example First for the person of the Minister be he rich or poore of noble or ignoble parentage old or young learned or illiterate or whatsoever something malice can find out to reproach him withall Secondly for the manner of preaching let him preach sweetly or sharply often or seldome out of the Word onely or else also out of the Fathers and humane Authors or howsoever yet some aspersion shall be cast upon him Thirdly for the manner of his life be he severe and more reserved as was John or humane affable and more familiar as was Christ yet he shall not goe without a censure but shall either be called a Devill or a friend of wicked men Page 32. Observ The most profitable preaching is to apply generall doctrines to particular persons c Quest Why is this manner of preaching most profitable Answ First because we regard not generals hearing them onely for forme as though we heard the scenes or acts of a stage-play Answ 2. Secondly because people are not able to apply generall Doctrines to themselves and therefore they had need be applyed unto them by the Ministers who are able to doe it Answ 3. Thirdly because if people be able to apply it yet for the most part they mis-apply it that is they apply what they heare to others not to themselves self-love so blinding their consciences that they cannot see their owne faults Luke 8. 11. John 9. 40. 41. Ibidem printed book fol. 92. written copy fol. 224. on Matth. 11. 15. 16. Thou hast hid these things from the wise Quest How doth it appeare that God hides the knowledge of the Gospell from those who swell great with humane wisdome Answ First it appeares thus because God takes away his helping hand from unworthy persons and that two manner of wayes to wit First sometimes outwardly by prohibiting the Pastors