chap. and 26 27 28 29. chap. Leviticus chap. 1. to 8. and 10.11.13.14.15.17.22.26 chap. Nombers chap. 1.2.3.4.18.19.26.33.34 chap. Deuteron chap. 14. Josua 11.12.14.15.16.17.18.19.21 2. Chronicl chap. inclusive 1. to 9. and 11.12.23.24.25.26.27.2 Chron. 3.4 Ezra 7. Nohem 3.7.11.12 Ezechiel 10. and 26. to 33. inclusive and 38. to 48. inclusive Amos 1. Nahum 3. in these the whole chapters are omitted 5. Prophesies and obscure Scriptures should bâ— read as reverently and attentively as the Apostles did heare obscure doctrine and parables out of Christs own mouth and they learned humilitie in that they would not bee wiser then Christ to make a glosse of their own upon his words but did patiently awaite untill that the Lord himself revealed the matter Gods Spirit by obscure Scriptures can also help our faith as Christ made the blinde to see with clay and spittle which otherwise maketh blinde This work of the Spirit is known when the Faithfull say in their hearts I know whatsoever you obscure words do meane it shall be foâ— my well The traditions of men whether they be obscure or plain have no such authoritie nor warrand nor power of Gods Spirit therefore they have neither title nor right in this ministration 6. If Gods Word be true which saith All Scripturs is given by divine inspiration and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of GOD may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works 2 Tim. 3.16 17. Then all Scriptures should bee read to make the man of GOD perfect But humaine traditions doctrine of errors and wil-worship do make the man of sin even antichrist perfect and furnished for all evill works their most charitable and pious works whereof they glory much are but evill and full of Divine-laesmajestie because they derogate from the merits of Christ in attributing merits unto creatures who before GOD have no merit of themselves so their most charitable works are most uncharitable Qu. 8. But these omitted scriptures do lesse edifie then other scripturs Ans 1. How much or little they edifie it is only known to God who by the weakest meanes effecteth the greatest works Therefore thou should only have said they seeme to edifie little 2. I suppone that they alwayes edifie lesse then other Scriptures yet the omitting of them maketh them not to edifie more but rather nothing at all which is worse We should do all things for edification 3. Their little measure of edification should not be despised but rather receaved with thanksgiving as we receive other benefites will a man pull out his infirm eye because it is more tender then the other eye Will he cut of his little finger because the other fingers are stronger Will a covetous Prelat refuse his small teynds because they are lesse gainfull then the other teynds Casteth he all away his coyne that is not gold Therefore as God abolisheth not the smallest stars in the firmament because they give not so great light as the Sun or Moone or greater stars so we should not reject the smallest lights of Gods truth albeit their shyning be not so bright as the glansing of other principles of Divinity The obscurest scriptures have some light in them and some cleer doctrine mixed with them for which cause also they should be read Qu. 9. Is not the reading of the masse book Divine service because of the passages of Divine Scriptures in it Ans There are as good passages of Scriptures in the Turks Alcoran in the Iewish Talmud and in witches charmes In these books and charmes the holy Scriptures are written to cloak and cover the deformitie and filthinesse of idolatrous superstitious and â—â—mane traditions as good wine may hid deadly poison in the same cup. Qu. 10. You do choose on t particular Scriptures to be read as fittest for the purpose in time of plagues or extraordinary blissings and you confesse that to be Divine service so in this book wee have fitted the Scriptures for diverse occasions Therefore it is Divine service to read it Ans You have fixed the Scriptures unto set times but you have not fitted them for diverse occasions you are not Prophets you foreknow not the occasions we choose no Scriptures to be read at extraordinary times untill that God make the occasions sensible to our eyes and then his word inviteth us to choose such Scriptures saying Call upon me in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee and thou shall glorifie me Psal 50. All our reading and preaching of such Scriptures are for expressing our desires in trouble and then God when he heareth us he blesseth us and then wee thank and glorifie Him extraordinarly in his worship but not in fixed dayes of the year Thou knowest not but thy fixed dayes of fasting and prayer for averting Gods judgements or delivering thee from plagues may be the very dayes of Gods greatest bountie in giving unto thee many spirituall and bodily blessings and then if thou keep thy humiliation foresaid thou art a mocker of God and lyest against him in pretending a plague when he blesseth thee and â—hus thou art unthankfull in not praising God solemnâ—y for these blessings The like mocking and lying against God are effected in thy fixed dayes of thanksgiving for his spirituall and bodily blessings when 〈◊〉 his anger God multiplieth his plagues Thus the antichristian Clergie are false prophets seeming to foretell by these fixed dayes of fasting and thanksgiving that God hath fixed His blessings and plagues unto the same dayes which God never intended 2. To read and hear divine service out of the canon of Scriptures which Gods Spirit hath authorized and sealed to be the rule of our faith and holy life and to be the register of Gods revealed will towards his kirk To read them I say out of this canon it is not divine service more then to read a witches charme which is full of Scriptures also But it is devilish service to obtrud the reading of them for divine service when they are incorporat into one treatise with humaine and devilish doctrine to beautifie and procure credit to the doctrine of devils The Scriptures are out of the authorized canon not when they are lying in louse sheets of paper or bound in severall books by themselves or when they are bound only with other books nor yet when they are made use of in sound doctrine of Divinitie for all these times they losse not their spirituall union and cohesion with the true canon But when they are incorporate into one treatise with humaine and profane doctrine with which they can have no spirituall union nor agreement of Divine veritie whereby they losse their dignitie more then if they were burnt in the fire for the burning of them procureth no credit to errors and lies as when they are incorporate into one treatise with errors and lies 3. The morall sentences of Philosophers containe many things which aâ—e in Gods word shall
Against the apple o◠〈…〉 of antichrist or the masse 〈…〉 lurking darknesse making way for the apple of the right eye of antichrist the compleat masse book of palpable darknesse This apple of the left eye commonly called the liturgie or service book is in great use both among the halting papists and compleat papists and the things written heere are also against the compleat masse book IOHN X. veâ—â—â— All that ever came before mee ar◠〈◊〉 and robbeâ—â— but the sheep did not heare them vers 9. I am the doore by 〈…〉 man 〈◊〉 in bee shall be saved and shall go in and 〈◊〉 and find◠〈◊〉 vers 10. The thief cometh not but fâ—◠〈◊〉 steale and to kill and to destroy I am come that 〈◊〉 â—ight have life and that they might have it more 〈…〉 Printed Annâ— 16â—â— The Contents of this Book IF superstitious rites be comely in Gods Kirk Quest 1. How many wayes doth this masse book restraine the libertie of Gods Spirit Of crossing confirmation how Gods worship bindereth other parts of Gods worship Qu. 2 By what clouds of darknesse is the light of the gospell obscured in the kingdome of antichrist Of governing the kirk by prelats the oath of intrains Quest 3. The evidencies of idolatrie in this book how all wil-worship is idolatrie The sorts of Idolatrie Qu. 4. What popes first ordeined the superstitions of this book Of feasts or holie dayes and fasting dayes Of reading Scriptures out of their owne canon their incorporation with witches charmes with the Alcoran c. Privat Sacraments the surplice crossing c. Q. 5. Should Scriptures bee left out for obscuritie Qu. 6. Wherefore omitted in reading Qu. 7. If they edifie lesse and yet should bee read Qu. 8. If the reading of this book be Divine service because of the Scriptures contained in it Qu. 9. 10. Of fixing the Scriptures vnto set dayes Set dayes of fasting and thanksgiving Qu. 10. Of set formes of prayer and conceived Q. 11 Conceived prayers are also set formes c. Qu. 12. We may use some set formes Q. 1â— The Scriptures are a set forme the Lords prayer the 10. Commands and Articles of belief Qu 14. Of catecheticall Doctrine Qu. 15. Of libertie in indifferent things Qu. 16. when lawfull ceremonies become vnlawfull Qu. 17. The patriarkâ— were taught without Scriptures Ergo wee may want some Scriptures Qu. 18. Are not traditions best when reading and preaching the Scriptures profite nothing Qu. 19. The pride and covetousnesse of the Clergie at Divine service Qu. 20. Pride at the communion Qu. 21. If this book may be used when it is corrected Qu. 21. The vse of a table taken away Q. 23. 24. Of giving the elements out of the Ministerâ— hands If Christ did so to all c. The meaning of the words I will not drink of the fruit of the vine The signification of the elements Qu. 25. The minister goeth about to distribute Qu 26. Of kneeling to the Sacrament for humilitie It is as lawfull to honour Christ by giving the inward as the outward worship to the elements Qu. 27. Of adoring the Sacrament because it is 〈◊〉 holy ordinance Qu. 28. We bow towards a king Ergo. Qu. 29. We should vse the Sacraments reverently Ergo c. Qu. 30. It is an excitative mids Ergo c. Qu. 31. If the sacrament bee worshiped when wee adore before it Qu. 32. Of vncovering the head c. Qu. 33. Of sitting Jackfellow like with Christ Q. 34. The midses and objects of indifferencie Oâ— necessitie Of a determinat religious adoration which is the mids of neceâ—â—â—tie that iâ— neerest unto God who is adored Salomon worshipped before the altar By what sorts of union was GOD united to the things wherein he appeared Qu. 35. If more learned men should bee obeyed Qu. 36. We can not cast away all rites c. Qu. 37. Nor worship God if we eschew all that idolaters doe Qu. 38. Why doe you who kneel not deâ—â—â— from our communions Qu. 39. Whether I preach or not mere is danger Qu. 40. Better to yeeld to some abuses then 〈◊〉 theefe or wolf should enter into my place Qu. 41. The profitable meanes to keepe men from apostasie Qu. 4â— QUESTION ALL the rites and ceremonies prescribed in this masse book are they not used in Gods kirk for comlinesse and decency Answere Thus you do calumniat Christ our Lord and his apostles as if they had worshipped God undecently because they used not these rites 2. Is it decent that a Queene shall be clad with the garments of a whore you do cloath Gods kirk with the garments of the whore of Babylon by idolatrous and superstitious rites 3. Is it decency in Gods kirk that either rulers or usurping prelats by their lawes shall burden mens consciences persecute them if they obey not such laws 4. If a servant binde his masters hands and feet that he may not stir nor walk nor move himselfe If the servant I say being accused for the same shall answer I did it for decency think you this a decent answere But the authors obtruders of this book do binde Gods spirit so far as lyeth in them by restraining the free passage of the gifts of Gods Spirit in their lawfull and right use among Gods people Quest How many wayes do the popish prelates by this book restraine the libertie of Gods spirit so far as their power may reach Ans They lay bands on Gods spirit by hindering the register of Gods truth viz. the Canonicall Scriptures to be read in publick divine service placing in stead thereof rent and clipped pieces of Scriptures with humaine traditions 2. They destroy the holy order wherein God◠〈◊〉 placed the Scriptures as if the most High had 〈…〉 them like a God of confusion They have turned this order into Babylonish confusion and Gods Spirit is restrained from the use of his own holy order among his people 3. By obtruding this book they hinder oftimes preaching and interpretation of scriptures which are the gifts of Gods Spirit 4. They hinder the indifferent use of time in reading his word by fixing the reading of the scriptures unto set dayes of the year 5. They hinder and restraine Gods spirit in not making known the whole extent of his word for there are a hundreth and twentie chapters of the scriptures unto the publick reading whereof they appoint no time of the yeer 6. They binde and restraine the gifts of Gods spirit in his Ministers at publick prayer so that whatsoever holy meditations God shall put in their hearts they may not expresse them if they be not in the forme of the words of this book This is a forbidding of Gods Spirit to give any meditations to his servants otherwise then this book prescribeth 7. They force the people to kneel when the priest rehearseth the law and giveth the sacramentall elements so that God is hindred of that honour that if himself were rehearseing the law he shall not
Scriptures which are omitted as not worthy to be written with their traditions 3. By hindering many chapters in the canonicall scriptures to be read at Divine service which is a diminishing of the word of God from publick audience 4. By forbidding the laicks privatly to read 〈◊〉 Gods word at all this is more then a diminishing 〈◊〉 Gods word it is a robbing of the whole word from the people 5. By obtruding upon them wil-worship and humaine traditions 6. By renting and cutting the passages of Scripture that are read that as a man can not bee knowne by his face when it is all wounded and cutted his deformitie and wounds make him hid and obscure So the glory of God that shined in his word is hid by cutting and renting peeces of Scripture from the true canon This is not the dividing of Gods word aright as some affirme whereof Paul speaketh 2 Tim. 2.15 meaning that Timothy should apply the severall parts of the word unto the spirituall necessities of Gods people The antichristian clergy cut away the passages of Gods word from publick reading application 7. By incorporating the word and vniting it unto one treatise with humane traditions that as a King can not bee known to bee a king but is thought to be a beggar or a robber if he dwell in the same house or familie with beggars and robbers so Gods word when it is united to a witchesse charme is but a witches charme united to humaine traditions doctrine of wil-worship superstition and idolatry it is then such a doctrine A man cloathed in womans clothes is obscured as he is a man and taken for a woman so is Gods word hid with the superstitious doctrine of the whore of Babylon wherewith it is cloathed and taken for such doctrine 8. By appropriating places of Scriptures unto fixed dayes of Martyres and Saincts so that they seeme rather to bee â—â—e doctrine of these Saints then of God 9. By persecuting the instruments who hold out the light Not only they hold back and will not suffer qualified men to be imployed in the Ministrie but they also silence depose banish oppresse and torment these who were imployed therein So they close the windowes of Gods kirk that the light of the Son of righteousnesse may not shine within it they remove the candlestick that the candles may not give light and they put in stead thereof the light of a fish head which is humane traditions 10. By serving God in an unknown language in Latine Liturgies c. The Latine superscriptions written with Liturgies of other languages doe hide and obscure the meaning of things under-written in a mans own language unto the simple people 11. By wriesting the Scriptures for the extolling of the merits of Saints and Angels and setting at naught the merits of Christ in teaching of purgatory satisfactions and works of supererogation 12. By Heathnish and Jewish rites and ceremonies 13. By idlenesse and negligence in Gods work in Pastors Preachers and Prelates 14. By outward glory and worldly pompe in buildings gardeins garments glorious images carved pictures processions lying relicts c. All which procure a carnall reverence and respect unto superstition and idolatrie and a contempt of the povertie of true religious Professors for antichristian members are ashamed of the poverty of the crosse of Christ and they who professe poverty do become exceeding rich by begging 15. By idolatrie and superstition 16. By wil-worship 17 By making one duetie of Gods worship to hinder aâ—oâ—â—â— as at the instant act of receiving the Sacrament when all the outward gestures and senses and all the inward thoughts of the heart should bee exercised upon the outward beholding receiving eating and drinking the elements and in the meditations of Christs death and sufferings done for the salvation of the receiver these actions and exercises of faith for which chiefly the Sacrament was ordeined they are perturbed and hindered by the meditations and gestures of humilitie which should be done in more fit times of prayer before the receiving and of thanksgiving after As a Herald by proclaiming one part of the kings will continually leaveth no time for proclaiming the rest This confusion is effected albeit the receivers would turne their backs to the Sacrament for eshewing the appearance of idolatrie when they kneele If a man would let down a cord to deliver his friend out of a pit but the captive would stretch out his hands testifying his thankfulnesse to his deliverer in the very instant when he should put his hands to the cord to hold it for his deliverance If a man would sing Psalmes at the time of preaching when he should hear Gods word The like confusion is effected by this untimous kneeling also by reading the book of the Psalmes twelve times in the year in publict divine service the rest of the Scriptures can not bee read six times in the year 18. By taking from GODS servants the power of church government and giving it unto one or few persons as to bishops or prelats by whose usurping tyrannie are brought in GODS kirk all the bands whereby the gifts of GODS Spirit are restrained and the true light of the gospell is obscured They doe what they please there is none to controule them In assemblies when they would conclude any thing they speare the votes of some few persons of their own faction who minde the same things without demanding the votes of these who are of a sounder judgement The bishops will say I see you are all of one minde as if they had sought the votes of all and if any of a better conscience vote against them they shall surely suffer for it either directly or indirectly And when the prelates are to establish wicked lawes they send for these persons chiefly that can temporize with themselves that they may come to the assemblies 19 By making all that enter into church offices to sweare that they shall obey whatsoever their usurping commanders shall injoyne unto them If they obey they are mansworn both in making this oath and in performing it because both the making and performing of these unlawfull oathes are against the covenant and promise made at baptisme which is made by the persons baptized or by their parents in their names and against the oath and covenant made by the Christians who were the first reformers of the true religion which oath and covenant we are as religiously bound to keep as the children of Saul were a stricted to keep the oath made by the princes unto the Gibeonites Josua 9. and 2. Sam. 21. yea we are more strictly bound to keep it because it was made more advisedly then was the rash oath of the Israelites Tyrannizing prelates are not called of God to their usurping offices and consequently have no lawfull power to require an oath of obedience to such offices and men have neither lawfull power to obey them nor to sweare to their obedience Neither is the matter which is
apparitions and visions we have need therefore of greater abundance of the evidency of his revealed will in the Old and New Testament Qu. 19. But now neither the reading nor the preaching of the Scriptures profiteth the people They loath the word as an unsavory thing They live without zeale without faith repentance Therefore they will make better use of humaine traditions Ans Thou should have said also that GODS word doth no good unto the preachers else they would not have beene so presumptuous as to have thralled GODS kirk with humaine traditions and carnall instructions 2. I confesse that wesps will make more use of poison then of hony The children of darknesse love rather the night then the day yea GODS people when 〈◊〉 spirituall graces decayed liked better of the flesh 〈◊〉 of Egypt then of the heavenlie Manna 3. Humaine traditions may work in men blinde zeale a temporarie faith a Pharisaicall repentance but no saving grace for God will rather blesse his own ordinances then humaine traditions If he do not so he will give no blessing of saving grace at all If GOD forsake Saul the Prophet Samuel can do him no good albeit he honour him before the people much lesse shall witches and devils help him in his distresse The waters of Damascus shall not cure Naaman of his leprosie if the waters of Jordan GODS ordinance do it not If God make not effectuall the ordinary meanes of his word it is time to fast and pray that GOD may turne back his spirituall iudgements least He plague us with finall desertion Qu. 20. Do not the prayers in this book witnesse that there is great humilitie in the Clergy and prelates Ans 1. The ambitious obtruders thereof upon GODS kirk for establishing their bastard orders have declared their greatest pride in the exercise of prayer wherein should be seene greatest humilitie for first because they dare not do otherwise in the Letany used on Sundayes Wedinsdayes and Fridayes they have a forme of prayer for the King the Queene and their children next for the prelats Bishops and elders of the clergy Thirdly for the Nobility then for the rulers and Magistrats lastly for the people So they must come before God as they ride in Parliament usurping place before the Nobility and magistrats They stand 〈◊〉 for off like the Publicane They who humble not themselves like little children shall not enter into the kingdom◠〈◊〉 heaven Also in the same Litany there are 3. particâ—â—â—â— prayers one for the King an other for the Queene their children the third for the Bishops and clergy but no prayer for the Nobility Magistrats and people 2. Neither can they hide their covetousnesse in their religious service wherein they should be most charitable for this book commandeth the halfe of the almes which the communicants give to the poore shall be given to the presbyter that celebrateth the coÌ„munion That which is given to the poore is given to God for they are the members of Christ If the clergy rob the sacred almes from Christs members they will not have it called sacriledge but if a superstitious portion be taking from them when they have more then sufficient that is called sacriledge when as the antichristian clergy and all that teach errors and idolatrie live only upon sacriledge for God as he alloweth neither false nor idolatrous doctrine so neither alloweth he meanes for sustaining false teachers though he permit the same This book appointeth them also to have an accustomed duety at mariages what will they do at baptisme at the kirking of women and at the making of testaments when they are so shamelesse at the Lords supper and at marriages Ambition covetousnesse idlenesse cause them praise this book highly in their pulpits Qu. 21. If wee correct this book and take away the faults of it may it not then be read for Divine service in Gods kirk Ans 1. That is Repugnantia in adjecto a speech contradictory to it self for if you take all the blemishes away this book can have no being for it is 〈◊〉 it blemish because it usurpeth the place of Gods word and it layeth bands on Gods Spirit in that if God would give as excellent gifts unto his servants as ever he did unto my Prophets or Apostles they may not exercise these gifts being hindered by the formes of this book and albeit the Scriptures contained in this book are in themselves good yet as they are placed in this book they are but a blemish as a gold chaine is an ornament about the neck a of queen but it is a blemish about the neck of a sow for how much so ever these Scriptures do procure credit and respect to this book and to the superstitions thereof so much they procure discredit and contempt to the rest of the Scriptures as when Dinah was defiled with Sechem it was a shame to the whole family of Jacob and if the son of a Prince become a theefe he shameth all his kinred If any wold glew the nose and lugs of a man to the face of an ox or the nose lugs of an ox to the face of a man both these wayes it is a disgrace unto man So the glorious banner of Gods word is disgraced whither it be incorporat and sewed together with the dishclouâ—s of humaine traditions and errors or whether they be incorporat with Gods sacred word 2. They make choose of some Scriptures to be insert in this book as if the rest of the Scriptures were but babling and not beseeming the wisdome of God and as if God unadvisedly had sent them unto his kirk 3. If nothing were in his book but these few Scriptures the clouting and clamping of them together is a despising of the order wherein God Spirit placed them as if he were not a God of order And it is a restraining of Gods Spirit by the continuall reading of them to hinder the free passage of the reâ—â— as an herald receiving many ordinances from his king by the oft repitition of one or two of them he leaveth no time to promulgat the rest In the Kalendar they ordeine the Psalmes to be read twelve times in the year They appoint not the rest of the Scriptures to be read six times in the year and 122. chapters of the scripture are never appointed to be read 4. They miscall some Scriptures is a historie in Act. 10. vers 34. which is read on Munday in Easter week and Act 7.55 c. read on S. Stevens day Joel 4.12 c. read on the first day of Lenâ— Revel 7.2 on all Saints day these and such other places are niknamed Epistles Qu. 22. In what order do they minister the communion Ans Their pride is seene also in this for all bishops presbyters and deacons must alwayes first receive the coÌ„munion before others they say it is done that the clergie may help to distribute the elements but they do it when there is no need of help