Against the apple o● 〈…〉 of antichrist, or the mass 〈…〉 lurking darkness, making way for the apple of the right eye of antichrist▪ the complete mass book of palpable darkness.  
This apple of the left eye, commonly called, the liturgy, or service book, is in great use both among the halting papists, and complete papists, and the things written here are also against the complete mass book.  JOHN X. ve●●● All that ever came before me ar● 〈◊〉 and robbe●● but the sheep did not hear them. vers. 9 I am the door: by 〈…〉 man 〈◊〉 in, be shall be saved: and shall go in and 〈◊〉 and find● 〈◊〉. vers. 10. The thief cometh not, but f●● 〈◊〉 steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I am come, that 〈◊〉 ●ight have life, and that they might have it more 〈…〉. 
Printed, Ann● 16●●   

The Contents of this Book.  

IF superstitious rites be comely in Gods Kirk? Quest. 1.  
How many ways doth this mass book restrain the liberty of God's Spirit? Of crossing, confirmation, how God's worship bindereth other parts of God's worship. Qu. 2  
By what clouds of darkness is the light of the gospel obscured in the kingdom of antichrist? Of governing the church by prelates, the oath of intrains Quest. 3.  
The evidencies of idolatry in this book how all will-worship is idolatry The sorts of Idolatry. Qu. 4.  
What pope's first ordained the superstitions of this book. Of feasts or holy days, and fasting days. Of reading Scriptures out of their own canon, their incorporation with witch's charms with the Alcoran etc. Private Sacraments, the surplice, crossing, etc. Q. 5.  
Should Scriptures be left out for obscurity? Qu. 6.  
Wherefore omitted in reading? Qu. 7.  
If they edify less and yet should be 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 unto set days. Set days of fasting and thanksgiving. Qu. 10.  
Of set forms of prayer, and conceived? Q. 11  
Conceived prayers are also set forms, etc. Qu. 12.  
We may use some set forms. Q. 1●▪  
The Scriptures are a set form, the Lords prayer, the 10. Commands, and Articles of belief. Queen 14.  
Of catechetical Doctrine? Qu. 15.  
Of liberty in indifferent things. Qu. 16.  
when lawful ceremonies become unlawful Qu. 17.  
The patriark● were taught without Scriptures, Ergo we may want some Scriptures▪ Qu. 18.  
Are not traditions best when reading and preaching the Scriptures profit nothing? Qu. 19  
The pride and covetousness of the Clergy at Divine service? Qu. 20.  
Pride at the communion. Qu. 21.  
If this book may be used when it is corrected, Qu. 21.  
The use of a table taken away. Q. 23. 24.  
Of giving the elements out of the Minister● hands. If Christ did so to all, etc. 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 Queen 26.  
Of kneeling to the Sacrament for humility. It is as lawful 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 use the Sacraments reverently▪ Ergo, etc. Qu. 30.  
It is an excitative mids, Ergo, etc. Qu. 31.  
If the sacrament be worshipped, when we adore before it? Qu. 32.  
Of uncovering the head, etc. Qu. 33.  
Of sitting Jackfellow like with Christ, Q. 34.  
The midses and objects of indifferency, O● necessity. Of a determinat religious adoration, which is the mids of nece●●●tie that i● nearest unto God who is adored, Solomon 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 be obeyed▪ Qu. 36.  
We can not cast away all rites, etc. Qu. 37.  
Nor worship God, if we eschew all that idolaters do? Qu. 38.  
Why do you who kneel not de●●● from our communions. Qu. 39  
Whether I preach or not mere is danger. Qu. 40.  
Better to yield to some abuses than 〈◊〉 thief or wolf should enter into my place, Qu. 41.  
The profitable means to keep men from apostasy. Qu. 4●    

QUESTION. ALL the rites and ceremonies prescribed in this mass book, are they not used in God's church for comeliness and decency?  
Answer. 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 Queen shall be clad with the garments of a whore, you do cloth God's church with the garments of the whore of Babylon, by idolatrous and superstitious rites.  
3. Is it decency in God's church, that either rulers or usurping prelates, by their laws shall burden men's consciences, & persecute them, if they obey not such laws.  
4. If a servant bind his master's hands and feet, that he may not stir nor walk, nor move himself. If the servant, I say, being accused for the same, shall answer, I did it for decency, think you this a decent answer. But the authors & obtruders of this book do bind God's spirit, so far as lieth in them, by restraining the free passage of the gifts of God's Spirit, in their lawful and right use among God's people. Quest.  
How many ways do the popish prelate's by this book restrain the liberty of God's spirit, so far as their power may reach?  
Ans. They lay bands on God's spirit, by hindering the register of God's truth, viz. the Canonical Scriptures to be read in public divine service, placing in stead thereof rend and clipped pieces of Scriptures, with humane 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 God's 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 God's Spirit. 4. They hinder the indifferent use of time in reading his word, by fixing the reading of the scriptures unto set days of the year.  
5. They hinder and restrain God's spirit, in not making known the whole extent of his word: for there are a hundreth and twenty chapters of the scriptures unto the public reading, whereof they appoint no time of the year. 6. They bind and restrain the gifts of God's spirit in his Ministers at public prayer, so that whatsoever holy meditations God shall put in their hearts, they may not express them, if they be not in the form of the words of this book. This is a forbidding of God's 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 sacramental elements, so that God is hindered of that honour, that if himself were rehearseing the law, he shall not be discerned by religious adoration from a priest, when he rehearseth the law; yea, a priest, is honoured and not God: for when God gave the law, the people did only stand and kneeled not. Also Christ's personal presence, if he visibly were beside us, could not be discerned from the sacramental elements, by religious adoration. Item, the holy desires and the liberty of God's people are restrained from expressing the religious divine adoration in due time and place, as God's spirit teacheth them to eschew the confusion of divine adoration, with other points of God's service.  
8 They restrain God's honour and dignity in that his sacred word, which for the excellency thereof should be written and set apart by itself, and so declared to be more esteemed than all other word, it is put together into one incorporation with Apocrypha, and humane traditions, and so made only equal to them.  
9 They press down the dignity of Christ's sacraments, and consequently the wisdom of God's Spirit by whom Christ gave these sacraments, in that, a presbyter or deacon may give baptism, and the Lords supper: but the bishop must only give confirmation, as if it were more excellent than the sacraments of Christ's ordinance. But the bastard office of a tyrannising bishop, which God never planted, is the fittest minister of a bastard sacrament. 10. By making one part of divine service to hinder another part thereof, as the reading of the Psalms twelve times in the year, hindereth the other Scriptures to be read six times in the year, as if a servant would labour and plew all the year upon two or three rigs of his master's land, and leave no time for plewing the rest of his field.  
11▪ By binding the significations of divine ordinances unto humane traditions, as when at baptism they demand questions at infants, as if they could understand, and speak like their parents: they make the sign of the Cross in the Child's forehead, after he is baptised, saying We receive him in the Congregation of Christ's flock, as if Baptism itself did not signify our entry into Christ's church. So they deny the force of Baptism, attributing it unto crossing: they make crossing also a token, that he shall confess the Faith of Christ, and resist the devil, & the world: They spoil this also from Baptism, they make matrimony to signify the mystical union betwixt Christ and his church, and so they make it a sacrament. This signification is also rob from Christ's Sacraments: for Baptism signifieth our beginning and engrafting in Christ's mystical body, and the LORDS Supper signifieth our continuance in that union. Matrimony is a Divine ordinance, but the using of it as a Sacrament, is a humane ordinance.  
12. By making the Clergy in divine service keep the precise words of this Mass book, so that they may not read one verse of any chapter of Scripture more than the passages quoted in this book, neither may they diminish one word or verse which is printed in this book: yea, where this book hath all the LORDS Prayer, they must say all the LORDS Prayer, where it hath but a part of it, they must say but a part of it. Where this book omitteth Christ's descending into hell, in the Apostolic Creed, they must omit it: and where the Creed hath all the Articles, they must say all. Where it hath the Creed of Athanasius, they must say it. So oft as the book hath the words Lord have mercy upon us, (which words are the Popish Kyrie Eleison) the Priest must say them as often, and no more: They add unto GOD'S word, and diminish from it as they please; they will have none to add unto their traditions, nor diminish from them. Thus the Man of Sin, as GOD, sitteth in the Temple of GOD, and exalteth him above all the three Persons which 〈◊〉 called GOD, and the most High is used as a slave. The most wicked men will make use of some of the speeches of their slaves, if they can make these words fitting for their purposes: So the Antichristians make use of the word of God, for earthly gain & pleasures.  
13. By hindering God's people to use extraordinary fasting and praying, and solemn humiliation unto GOD, even when the LORD plagueth his people with many and grievous plagues spiritual and corporal. Thus the Antichristian Prelates themselves are become the greatest plague of God's church, when they hinder the lawful means of taking away God's judgements. 14. By forcing the People to fasting and solemn humiliation at Lent, and other set times, albeit GOD were blessing his People with all good things without any plague, and so restraining the duties of solemn thanksgiving. 15. By ordaining the Scriptures which they appoint to be made use of in public divine service, not only to be read upon fixed days of the year, as was said before, but also they have appointed them to be read on such days of the month, when People because of their  distractions may not come to hear them. So except the twelve whole chapters that are only written in this Mass book, (the rest are but parcels of Chapters) and the hundreth and thirteen chapters which are appointed for the Sundays of the year, there shall no more whole chapters be read on Sundays through the whole year (for the rest of the scriptures are so appointed for the days of the month, that if these days fall upon the Sunday, than the chapters ordained for these days of ●●e month shall be omitted at that time: but if they ●all on the week days, these scriptures shall be read) except, I say, these 12 and 113. Chapters, the people shall never hear the rest of the scriptures read in public divine service, being hindered by lawful  business on the week days. The jews were more religious, for they caused the whole old testament to be read on the sabbaths, at the lest once in the year. It is said in a fable that a fox invited a cran to a dinner, and he poured forth & scattered abroad on a broad table a thin broth for the cran to eat: But the cran smiting the table with his long beak, could not take up the broth scattered abroad. So these deceiving foxes have so scattered abroad & divided the spiritual food of God's word, that God's people can not be the better of it. They have appointed it for such days as people can not come to hear it: And upon the sabbaths when they should hear it, they find a serpent in stead of a fish, & in stead of the bread of life which is God's word, they feed more upon humane stony traditions.  
Qu. By what clouds of darkness is the light of Christ, the son of righteousness obscured in the antichristian kingdom?  
Ans. By diminishing God's word in the Canonical register, as when they left out the second commandment of the moral law. 2. By diminishing his word, in choosing some places of scriptures to be insert and read in their service book, rejecting the most part of the Scriptures which are omitted, as not worthy to be written with their traditions. 3. By hindering many chapters in the canonical scriptures to be read at Divine service, which is a diminishing of the word of God from public audience.  
4. By forbidding the laics privately to read 〈◊〉 God's word at all: this is more than a diminishing 〈◊〉 God's word, it is a robbing of the whole word from the people. 5. By obtruding upon them will-worship and humane traditions. 6. By renting and cutting the passages of Scripture, that are read, that as a man can not be known by his face, when it is all wounded and cutted, his deformity and wounds make him hid and obscure, So the glory of God that shined in his word is hid, by cutting and renting pieces of Scripture from the true canon. This is not the dividing of God's word aright (as some affirm) whereof Paul speaketh, 2 Tim. 2.15. meaning that Timothy should apply the several parts of the word unto the spiritual necessities of God's people. The antichristian clergy cut away the passages of God's word from public reading & application. 7. By incorporating the word, and uniting it unto one treatise with humane traditions: that as a King can not be known to be a king, but is thought to be a beggar or a robber, if he dwell in the same house or family with beggars and robbers: so God's word when it is united to a witchesse charm is but a witch's charm, & united to humane traditions: doctrine of will-worship, superstition, and idolatry, it is then such a doctrine. A man clothed in woman's clothes is obscured as he is a man, and taken for a woman, so is God's word hid with the superstitious doctrine of the whore of Babylon, wherewith it is clothed, and taken for such doctrine. 8. By appropriating places of Scriptures unto fixed days of Martyrs and Saints, so that they seem rather to be ●●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 employed in the Ministry, but they also silence, depose, banish, oppress and torment these who were employed therein: So they close the windows of God's church, that the light of the Son of righteousness 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 Latin Liturgies, etc. The Latin superscriptions written with Liturgies of other languages, do hide and obscure the meaning of things under-written in a man's 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 Heathenish and Jewish rites and ceremonies.  
13. By idleness and negligence in God's work, in Pastors, Preachers, and Prelates. 14. By outward glory and worldly pomp, in buildings, gardens, garments, glorious images, carved pictures, processions, lying relics, etc. All which procure a carnal reverence and respect unto superstition and idolatry, and a contempt of the poverty of true religious Professors: for antichristian members are ashamed of the poverty of the cross of Christ, and they who profess poverty do become exceeding rich by begging. 15. By idolatry and superstition. 16. By will-worship. 17 By making one duty of God's worship to hinder a●o●●● 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 be exercised upon the outward beholding, receiving, eating, and drinking the elements; and in the meditations of Christ's death and sufferings, done for the salvation of the receiver: these actions and exercises of faith, for which chief the Sacrament was ordained, they are perturbed and hindered by the meditations and gestures of humility, 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 turn their backs to the Sacrament, for eshewing the appearance of idolatry when they kneel.  
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 thankfulness 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 Psalms at the time of preaching, when he should hear God's word. The like confusion is effected by this untimous kneeling; also by reading the book of the Psalms twelve times in the year, in public divine service, the rest of the Scriptures can not be read six times in the year.  
18. By taking from GOD'S servants the power of church government, and giving it unto one or few persons, as to bishops or prelates, by whose usurping tyranny are brought in GOD'S church all the bands whereby the gifts of GOD'S Spirit are restrained, and the true light of the gospel is obscured. They do what they please, there is none to control them. In assemblies when they would conclude any thing, they spear the votes of some few persons of their own faction, who mind 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 mind 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 prelate's are to establish wicked laws, they send for these persons chief, that can temporize with themselves, that they may come to the assemblies. 19 By making all that enter into church offices to swear, that they shall obey, whatsoever their usurping commanders shall enjoin 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 unlawful oaths are against the covenant and promise made at baptism, which is made by the persons baptised, 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. Tyrannising prelate's are not called of God to their usurping offices, and consequently have no lawful power to require an oath, of obedience to such offices: and men have neither lawful power to obey them, nor to swear to their obedience. Neither is the matter which is sworn lawful, albeit they pretend true religion, and divine worship, yet oftimes it subverteth both.  
20. By obscuring the evidency of the visible word, to wit, Christ's sacraments, both by forging confirmation, and other popish sacraments, and in giving privately baptism and the communion, when as the Sacraments should be public badges of our Christian profession, and by adding unto the true Sacraments superstitions, which Christ never ordained, as crossing unto baptism, altars unto the LORDS supper.  
21. By confounding the signs with the thing signified, as in affirming the bread and wine to be the natural body and blood of Christ.  
22. By confounding humane traditions with divine ordinances: for they observe as strictly crossing, the saying of Ave Maria, praying for the dead, &c, as any point of Christian religion.  
23. By equalling in honour the creatures with the Creator, as in appointing fixed days of the year unto Saints, and observing them as solemnly and religiously as they do the LORDS sabboth's, as in praying to Saints and Angels, in dedicating religious places to Saints and Angels, as the temple of jerusalem was dedicated unto GOD.  
24. By attributing divine virtue unto creatures, unto actions,, and unto imaginary things; as unto works of charity, that they merit any thing from GOD, as believing that Saints and Angels can hear our prayers, or interceded for us, and that cross, relics, holy water, altars and mass  have power to sanctify other things; as by giving Divine virtue to Baptism, and the Lords Supper, saying, Opus operatum, the work done may save, or sanctify, & that purgatory can purge from sin, or satisfy for sin.  
25. By forged and lying miracles, and other lies in Popish legends. 26. By miraculous things in nature, calling them supernatural, and saying, they are done of GOD, to confirm some points of superstition and idolatry. Upon a Christmas day, about the year, 1606. in London a woman handled her apron rudely, oftimes it did cast out fire like flint, Some said, It was a divine miracle, proving thereby that this superstitious day should be kept holy: But the truth was, that the apron was dipted into melted suggar, and thereafter it was dried at the fire, and so hardened, and then when any did touch the apron or smite it rudely, fire came out of it. It is the nature of well dried suggar, if it be not mixed with other matter, to cast fire when it is smitten violently. 27. By misinterpreting the terrors of GOD'S judgements for the defence of antichristian errors, In the year of GOD, 1621. in a Parliament holden at Edinburgh, it was concluded, that these superstitious articles should be embraced, and observed in Scotland, to wit, Geniculation to the Sacrament, private Baptism, private Communion, Confirmation, and some holy Days: At the very moment of concluding this Parliament, there was heard such terrible thunder with rain, that the LORDS within the Parliament house, and the Citizens without were stricken with great fear & astonishment. Some taking it for a sign GOD'S anger for the superstitious errors that were reestablished that day. Nevertheless some Time-serve●● blasphemously said, that GOD was shooting his Guns and Canons from heaven, for a show and a sign of approbation, that these articles were then concluded.  
28. By deluding Kings and Princes, persuading them that their dignities and estates can not be established, except the bastard offices of Bishops be also established. Some of them presumptuously, affirm that no Bishop no King; and so sacrilegiously by treasonable usurpation they ascribe unto themselves that honour which belongeth unto Christ, who (Prover. 8.15.) saith, By me King's reign, & Princes decree justice. The antichristian prelates say no less, then, By Bishop's Kings reign and Princes decree justice. By what Bishops were David, Solomon and Hezekia, etc. established? Whether did the Bishops of Rome reign or the Kings, when some kings led the Pope's horse bridle? When the Pope did cast down with his foot the crown off some King's head, when the Popes usurped both  and ecclesiastical government, etc. 29. By spoiling the people with oppression and by poverty they must want the means of learning, and so they shall be ignorant, not knowing the Scriptures, neither perceiving the craftiness of the clergy. The prelate's themselves both do spoil the people, and also they cause  Magistrates oppress them with taxations and heavy burdens.  
30. By denying the moral observation of the Lords sabboth's, and by giving liberty unto men to spend the half of the Lords day in games, plays, and  exercises, saying. ●his should be the refreshment from their bodily labours of the week. judge you if this be a hallowing of the Sabbath. The Pagans did keep all the LORDS sabboth's, and many of them did keep all the days of their life, with this kind of holiness. The antichristians hereby do hinder the light of the Sun of righteousness to shine upon GOD'S People, in interpreting the Scriptures, and preaching the same, the one half of the day, and also indirectly the other half: for they who look for a liberty of playing and games, etc. in the afternoon can hardly affix their minds upon the reverend hearing of GOD'S word before noon, their thoughts before the time will be so exercised upon the afternoon Plays, etc. 31. By beguiling men's senses at Divine service with outward vain objects, as with tapers, torches, & candles, and with their gesticulations, etc. to exercise the sight: By the sounding of Organs and musical instruments to exercise the hearing. Faith is bred and increased in men's hearts, by hearing of the word preached, and not by the hearing of Music. When the Priests offered sacrifice in the old Testament, there was great need of Music, because killing of beasts was a melancholious exercise: But now the Preaching of the glad tidings of Salvation should be more delightsome than all the Music of the world. The damned people in hell would think it ten thousand times sweeter than all instrumental music. The vocal music of the Psalms, not only is a praising of GOD, which dead instruments can not do, but also it expresseth the Gospel in the very proper terms thereof.  
Quest. 4. I see all that is contained in this mass b●●● is will-worship: For the using of the Scriptures themselves, as this book prescribeth, is will-worship; that is, as they are fixed to the solemn days of Sancts, and determinate times of the year, and as they are cutted, diminished, and incorporated with errors and superstitions, they are made a matter of will-worship; but what evidences of idolatry find you in this book?  
Ans. If you take idolatry in a general sense for such worship as men used to give to idols and false. Gods, than all the will worship foresaid is idolatry. The most part of all idolaters did worship their idol Gods, according to humane inventions, and as they pleased themselves, because their idols being dead stocks, could not direct nor teach them in any manner of worship. If a wife rule and govern the family either, without or contrary to the direction of her husband, and if a servant obey after his own pleasure, not subjecting himself to the lawful commandment of his master, they are said to make idols and cyphers, the one of her husband, the other of his master. So all these who serve God with will-worship, not submitting themselves to his heavenly will and wisdom, they make an idol and a cipher of God himself, using his most glorious majesty, as if he were without judgement, and could not direct the manner of his own worship. Other idolaters who worshipped devils or idols, as they were informed by the oracles and responses of devils, will condemn our wil-worshipers, for they thought the devils wiser than themselves. Our arrogant wil-worshipers think themselves wiser than GOD, and will not be taught by his Doctrine.  
2 If you take idolatry for the giving of any divine service, that only belongs unto GOD, unto creatures, and unto other things that are not GOD; then such as these are idolatry; viZ, The solemn observation of fixed days, and times in a religious manner for the honour of martyrs, Sancts and angels. The praying unto angels and Sancts, unto crosses, crucifixes, and images. The keeping of relics, hosts, holy water, eucharistical elements, altars, monuments, images, crucifixes, &c: And also the using of them for some supernatural virtue alleged to be in them, The swearing by these or by any other thing that is not GOD: The attributing of merits to Sancts or angels, saying, they can deserve good things from GOD: These and such like things are gross idolatry, for all such honour & worship only belongeth unto God. 3. If you take idolatry more strictly, for giving of religious adoration to creatures, either inwardly or outwardly, than the determinat directing of kneeling, or of any outward religious adoring gestures, towards any thing that is not God, or the directing of any inward affections, or spiritual operations correspondent unto these gestures, towards any thing that is not God, It is idolatry: Because if Christ were visibly present before us, we should discern him only from all other creatures by this kind of worship, for he is both God & man. If we give this honour to other creatures, it is idolatry: because these creatures have no personal union with God, neither doth God personally appear in them as he did in the time of the fathers in the old Testament. If this worship be done for some supernatural virtue alleged to be in these creatures, it is gross and absolute idolatry: but if it be for any reference or respect they have unto God, as that they are God's ordinance, or they represent Christ. Or if they think that this honour direct to these creatures is a honouring of God, and of Christ, it is relative idolatry. If it be direct to images, pictures, or relics, for some supernatural virtue alleged to be in Sancts and angels, whom these things do represent: or if they think that Sancts and Angels are thereby adored, It is both absolute and relative idolatry. It is absolute idolatry, because it is neither directed to God, neither have the things worshipped any reference unto God, but unto Sancts or Angels. It is relative idolatry also, because it is done to images and pictures, etc. for the reference and representation they have unto Saints and Angels. 4. There are evidencies that the obtruders of this mass book labour to draw men unto gross and absolute idolatry: For 1. at the communion they pray, That the elements may be the body and blood of Christ: They explain not the words to be taken figuratively, and sacramentally. 2. How oft soever the communion shall be celebrated in the year, Pasch day must be one of these days, that the very time may seem to declare their sacramental bread to be transubstantiat unto the body of him that was crucified at the jewish Passeover. 3. At the act of receiving the sacramental elements, the people must all kneel upon their knees. The Papists do the same thing unto their transubstantiat God, when they receive him.  
4. This book hath oblation, consecration, and consummation, which importeth an other sacrifice than the sacrifice of thanksgiving.  
5. When the celebration is ended, the Priest covereth the relics of the elements with a linen cloth, called a corporal, that is, a cloth that covereth the body of Christ, making it a winding sheet, or funeral cloth, as Joseph of Arimathea did cover Christ's body, when he took it from the cross: and so they will have Christ, who in his manhood is now living in heaven, and sitting at the right hand of God, to be in his Man-head both living and dead at once.  
6. The Surplice was an idol among the Papists, which the halting Papists have also, Durandus, (in rational. divin. officior. lib. 3. cap. 1.) calleth the hallowed vestments belonging to the Priest, Pieces of armour, wherewith the Bishop or Priest must be harnished, that will fight against spiritual wickednesses: and the Bishop when he halloweth any of them, prayeth, (Missal. Rom. part. 3. pag. 10.) That the priest wearing this holy vesture, may deserve to be defended from the assaults and tentatious of the wicked spirits. The Egyptian Priests did not abuse their white vesturs or surplice● with so gross idolatry. If thou say, we use them not for such wicked ends as they did. I answer, Thou also may offer sacrifices of sheep and oxen, and use all the rites of jewish and Heathen idolatry, pretending better ends. Should not the worship of the true GOD differ as well outwardly as inwardly, from all other kind of worship: we should eschew all appearance of evil▪ men's intentions do not appear because they are invisible. He that loveth a whore, conformeth himself to the fashions, and customs of the whore: So do they who love the whore of Babylon, and according to their love, so are their intentions whorish.  
7. The sign of the Cross is also by the Papists abused with gross idolatry, they ascribe supernatural and Divine operations to it: Bellarmine (De imaginibus sanctis, lib. 2. cap. 30. artic. 11. 13. 15.) saith, That it driveth away the devils, expelleth diseases, sanctifieth all things that are marked with it, breaketh the force of witchcraft, etc. They teach that the sign of the Cross is to be worshipped (jacob. de graphiis decisionum aurearum, lib. 2 cap. 3. sect. 15.) cultu latriae: That is with the worship that is given to GOD. Our Liturgy book hath already ascribed more virtue unto crossing then unto baptism: For at baptism they make a sign of the Cross upon the Child's forehead, when the Child is baptised, saying at the making of the sign, We receive him into the Congregation of Christ's flock, as if Baptism itself were not the sign of our entry unto Christ's church: And also they make Crossing a token, that he shall confess the Faith of Christ, and resist the Devil, and the World; they spoil this also from Baptism.  
8. The superstitious keeping of the bread, after that the celebration is ended, and the eating of it only by such as communicate, showeth that they esteem more of it then of a Sacrament: For after the Celebration of the Sacrament▪ the elements are no more holy, by a Sacramental relation, than they were before the celebration. Any man might drink the waters of Jordan, after that men were baptised in it: So any man may eat and drink the Sacramental elements, when the Celebration is ended. Therefore in the Primitive church they did not keep the Sacramental bread, neither for them that were in sickness, nor in health: It was not hanged up in the pixis to be worshipped, as is now done by the Papists, and intended by the halting Papists, who now by ●●eping the elements, will come the more easily to the worshipping of them. Origen said (Comment. in Leviticum) that of old in some places they brunt the Sacramental bread which remained: And Euagrius (in histor. Eccles.) saith, That in some places children learning at schools were called to eat it. Hieron (in comment. in 1. Corinth. 11.) saith, That after the celebration the Communicants did eat t●● Sacramental bread, and drink the wine in the k●●● their common supper. Our formalists as they superstitiously keep the bread, so do they keep the water in the font.  
9 The pretending of the necessity of salvation, when they minister private baptism, and private communion, showeth greater virtue and merit attributed unto them, than either pertaineth to a Sacrament, or to any divine ordinance, except the death and merit of Christ, whereupon only dependeth the necessity of our Salvation. The professing of a necessity of salvation to depend upon a private communion, is a denying of the spiritual use and benefit that men receive by the public Sacrament. 10. The hindering of GOD'S word to be read, making it give place to the reading of humane traditions, is gross idolatry: for this honour belongeth only unto God; that as all religions in the world should give place to the true religion, whereby God is rightly worshipped, according to his own word; So the reading of all traditions in the world should give place to the Divine traditions of his sacred word, dited by his holy Spirit; and that chief when religious Divine service should be exercised. 11. The dedicating of days to be solemnly kept for the honour of Martyrs, Saints, and Angels, is gross idolatry: as is the praying unto Saints and Angels, and the religious kneeling to them, or to their pictures used by Papists; all such sort, of honour belong unto God only. 12. The usurping of power to ordain Sacraments, as the Popish Prelates have ordained five bastard sacraments, and the halting Papists ordain Confirmation to be observed among themselves. To appoint holy days for Angels and Saints, to make rites and ceremonies have spiritual and religious significations; to make these things to be points of Divine worship and religion, All Rulers who do such things, in doing the same, they commit Divine-laesmajestie, usurping Gods place, for the power and authority of ordaining such things belongeth unto God only: All people that give obedience in such things unto any but unto GOD, they commit idolatry, for the honour of that kind of obedience only belongeth unto GOD, and that only when he commandeth such things to be done. If men obey GOD in these things, when he neither commandeth, nor giveth approbation nor warrant for such obedience it is will-worship: when things indifferent are counted divine service, it is will-worship and idolatry in the large sense; but when things only belonging unto GOD are rob from him, and given unto creatures, albeit usurpers will have the same also called GOD'S honour, yet it is gross idolatry: So when prelate's usurp this honour and authority, they become idol-gods': And as GOD by his own law, and by no other law commandeth children to honour their parents; & servants their masters: so the prelate's by their own laws, and not by GOD'S law do command men to obey GOD, as if GOD were inferior to prelate's, so they exalt themselves above GOD, in giving laws how God should be obeyed, as God giveth Laws how parents should be obeyed. 13. The communion table must stand at the uppermost part of the chancel, or Church, conform to the standing of the Popish altars: when the table is covered with superstitious vestments, the Priest standeth at the north side, or end of the table, with his back or side to the people, saying the Lord's Prayer, with a collect After the collect, he turneing to the people rehearseth the Commandments, the people all the while kneeling, and ask God mercy at the end of every commandment: All this showeth a conformity to Popish idolatry; for they fix religious, adoration determinately unto the Priest's act of rehearsing the commands, as if God were personally appearing, and speaking out of the Priest's mouth. The Priest kneeleth not, as if he were not a sinner; neither prayeth he with the people for mercy.  
14. The most part of things contained in this book were first decreed and ordained by Popes, the 〈◊〉 authors of antichristian idolatry, which showeth th●● the obtruders of this book do draw men unto gross idolatry.  
Qu. 5. Rehearse some of these examples:  
Ans. Pope Pius the 1. brought into the church the font and the hallowing thereof, as say Sabellicus and Platina. 2. Pope Sixtus the 2. first ordained altars, whereat they celebrat the Lords supper, Volateran, Durandus. 3. Pope Sixtus the 1. ordained the corporal cloth, Platina, Sabellicus. 4. Pope Boniface the 2. ordained the partician between the chancel, or queer and the church, that the people should hear divine service in a several place from the clergy, Platina, So as Moses might not come near the bush where God appeared in the fire, but should declare his reverend respect of his glorious Majesty by standing far off: The sinful laics must have the same respect unto the sacrilegious holiness of the clergy, by standing in a several place from them. 5. Pope Clement the 1. (as Papists affirm) commanded all the baptised to be anointed with oil and crossed on the forehead, joannes laziardus. No marvel if this be true for the mystery of iniquity began in the days of the Apostles.  
6. Pope Honorius the 3. commanded the Sacrament to be worshipped, and kneeled unto by the people, Liber conciliorum.  
7. Pope Fabian commanded all Christians to receive the Sacrament thrice in the year, to wit, at Easter Whitsunday and Christmas, Eusebius, Platina: so the Communion was fixed superstitiously unto set times.  
8. Pope Zepherinus appointed, that all professing Christians, being of 12. or 13. years, or upward, should at least once in the year (as at Easter) receive the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, Platina, Sabellicus, Laziardus. 9 Pope Clement the 1. ordained Confirmation or Bishopping. Some say it was Pope Sylvester the 1. Platina, Volateranus: all agree in this, that some bastard Bishop of Rome ordained it.  
10. Pope Gregory the 1. and Pope Gelasius brought in the respondes, and the collects to be said at mateins, Durandus. 11. Pope Damasus appointed this sentence, Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the holy Ghost, as it was in, etc. to be said at the end of every Psalm, and at the mass: He & other Popes caused these words of praising God to be said frequently, that thereby the idolatrous worship might seem a very holy and religious thing having such holy sentences in it: This hideth the sacrilegious ways whereby they rob God of his glory, see Volateranus. This Pope appointed also what prayers, and how many Psalms shall be said every day of the week, Gulielmus, Durandus: He also ordained, that the Priest before the altar should say the confession, standing; and that the people should say, Misereatur vestri: and thereafter the Priest should pronounce the Absolution, before he go to the altar, Platina, Polidorus. 12. Pope Stephanus the 1. ordained the Priests at Divine service to use no other but hallowed garments, Sabellicus. 13. Pope Silvester the 1. commanded the Priest at the mass to we are no silk, nor coloured clothing, but a white linen alb only: for Christ (saith he) was buried in a fine white linen cloth, Platina 14. Pope Adrian the 1. ruling, it was de●●● in a popish council at Frankford, that every man sho●●● wear a surplice upon his back at service time, Mossaeus. 15. Pope Anacletus put to the mass this salutation, Dominus vobiscum, The Lord be with you; and this answer of the people, & cum Spiritu tuo, and with thy Spirit. Some say it was Pope Sotherus, Gratianuus de consecrat. distinct. 1. can. Hoc quoque, etc. joannes Laziardus writ●t●h, That Dominus vobiscum was taken out of the book of Ruth: I know not (saith he) by whom: And & cum Spiritu tuo, was brought (saith he) by the council of Arles. 16. Pope Gregory the 1. ordained the Kyrie Eleison; That is, Lord have mercy upon us, and that it should be sung nine times openly of the Clergy only at the mass: Which Pope Silvester before commanded the Clergy and the people to sing together, Durandus, Platina. 17. Pope Gregory the 1. added to the mass the Alleluia: That is, Praise ye the Lord, Platina. 18. Pope Marcus ordained the Clergy and the people to sing the Creed together, with a loud voice, to confirm their faith, Platina: this loud voice then is as good as a sacrament. 19 Pope Pelagius the 1. ordained funeral exequys, or dirigies with masses of requiem to be sung or said for the dead, Platina, Gratianus: This book also hath funeral devotion and service.  
20. Pope Pius the 1. ordained the keeping of Easter holy on the Sunday. 21. Pope Gregory the 1. appointed the feast of Trinity, Durandus. 22. Pope Gregory the 9 appointed the feast of the nativity of S. John Baptist, called Midsummer, Chronica Germanica.  
23. Pope Silvester the 1. ordained the feast of Lambs, called ad vincula Petri, Gratianus, Polidorus.  
24. Pope Felix the 3. ordained the feast of the archangel Michael, lib. conciliorum. 25. Pope Gregory the 4. ordained the feast of all Sancts, on the first of November, Platina. 26. Pope Sergius ordained candlemas day feast, called the Purification of Marie, Sigebertus. 27. Pope Boniface the 8. ordained the feasts of the four Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, etc.  
28. Pope Innocent bearing rule, it was ordained in a Popish council at Lions what holy days in the year should be specially observed, viz. All Sundays, The feast of the Nativity of Christ, Of S. Steven, Of S. john the Evangelist, Of the Innocents', Of Silvester, Of the Circumcision, Of the Epiphany, Of Easter; with the whole weeks that go before and after, Of the Rogation days, Of the Ascension of Christ, Of Whitsuntide, with the two days following, Of S. john Baptist, Of the twelve Apostles, Of S. Laurence, Of blessed Mary, Of the dedication of the Temple, Of all Sancts, Of S. Martin; Of all such canonised Sancts as every Bishop of his Diocese, with consent of the Clergy and people, appoint to keep holy, Polidorus, Durandus. 29. Durandus saith, after the mind of S. Gregory (de consecrat. dist. 5.) Lent is counted to begin on the first Sunday in Lent, and to end on Easter even, which is 42 days: of which taking away the six Sundays, there remains only 36. days: Therefore that the number of 40. days that Christ fasted might be perfected, this Pope Gregory added to Lent four days of the week that go before, viz. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Durand. in rational divin●● office Pope Telesphorus first ordained Lent to be fasted, and that more by the Priests then by laics, for they should be holier, & show more abstinence than others  
30. Pope Silvester the 1. ordained the Wedinsday, Friday, and Saturday should be fasted every week thorough the whole year, Bergomensis. 31. Pope Gregory the 1. ordained neither flesh nor other thing that hath affinity with flesh; as chiefe, milk, eggs, etc. should be eaten in such days as are appointed to be fasted, Polidorus, Gratianus. There is not a dog in the kitchen but it can keep these holy fasts as precisely as the Papists do, if they can get their bellies filled with fishes, bread, and sweet meats; and sauces and such delicates as Papists use in Lent. But when will the Papists be as abstinent in their fasts, as horses are, who are content neither to eat fish nor flesh all their life-time? The papists do brag that they keep Christ's fast, when they can not reach to the fasting of horses, no not in Lent.  
32. Pope Gregory the first devised the anthems, and made the tune or song unto them, Guilielmus, Durandus, joan. laziardus. Yet some writ, that in the time of pope Euaristus anthems were brought into the church by Ignatius, the disciple of john the Evangelist, Phil. Bergomensis Tripartita histor. 33. Pope Damasus foresaid ordained the order of the Queer, that the Queer being divided into two parts, they should sing one verse of the psalms on the one side, and an other on the other side, Durandus, Polidorus.  
34. Pope Gregory the 1. appointed this service book, which is now used and kept in Europe, (but ●ope Damasus first began the book) when as the service book made by Ambrose was first more used in kirks, but Charles the Great, with the Popes in his time caused the service book of Gregory to be made common through Europe: and the book of Ambrose to be only used at Milan, where Ambrose was Bishop: Of this writeth jacobus de voragine, (In vita Gregorii primie) & Guilielmus, Durandus. 25. Pope Nicolas the third, decreed, that the Bread and Wine which are set upon the Altar, are not only after the consecration the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, but they are also the very self same body and blood of the LORD Jesus Christ, that was born of the virgin, so that his very body is truly handled with the Priests hands, and turn in pieces with the teeth of the faithful: de Consecrat. Dist. 2. Ego Berengarius etc. This service book craftily includeth in it the same thing in the prayer at the communion, praying, That God would so bless the bread and wine, that they may be the body blood of Christ. 36. Pope Innocent the 3. ordained, that the Sacrament of the altar should be kept and reserved in Churches continually under lock and key, to be in readiness at all times, lest the sick people want spiritual comfort in the time of death This book also hath a reservation of the Sacrament. 37. Pope Vitalian is said to have brought the Organs into the Churches, Platina, Volateran. This doth accompany both the complete and incomplete mass books.  
Q 6. Are not the omitted Scriptures left out of the mass book, and also not suffered to be read in the Church, because they are obscure, and hard for the people that understand them 〈◊〉.  
Ans. 1. Then the Preachers should instruct them▪ for it is the chief part of their callings to interpret the Scriptures, as Philip did to the Eunuch, Act. 9 and Christ to the two men going to Emmaus. 2. By taking away or omitting any part of GOD'S word, they profess the Spirit of GOD to be imprudent, and rash, in dyting such Scriptures, as their Antichristian wisdom thinketh needless, and have omitted. Item, they show their own ignorance and presumption, in taking the calling of the ministry, when they understand not these omitted Scriptures, at the least in a general sense, and their own unfaithfulness, if they can, and will not interpret them. 3. The people should read even obscure Scriptures, and glorify GOD: 1. By confessing their ignorance: 2. and that if they shall ever understand his word, this knowledge cometh not of themselves, but it is the gift of God: 3. They shall also glorify God by seeking the understanding of his word.  
4. By waiting upon God until he reveal it, which in his own time He will do, either in generals, or particulars, as is fittest for His glory, and their well. It is good service done unto God, if they read these obscure Scriptures with such a disposition, and God will be glorified all these ways. Christ's sheep will hear his voice speak what he pleaseth John 10. & John 5. They are bid, Search the Scriptures. This searching is also a service done unto GOD, for it showeth a love of his word; & consequently a love of himself, because he is found in his word. Great searching showeth great love: little or no searching, little or no love. But if no Scriptures were obscure, there should be no ●●ed of searching. 5. The LORD alloweth his Apostles to hear many things of himself, which they understood not until after his resurrection, neither understood they many things written by Moses and the Prophets until after his resurrection, see Luke, 24 vers. 25.27. and vers. 6.44, 45, 46. Mark 9 vers. 10. Act. 1. vers. 16.20. and chap. 2. vers. 25.30.34. Act. 3. vers. 22, 24; 25. and sundry other places. He willeth also that we should hear, and read all his word, albeit we understand not many things in it, until the resurrection of his mystical body at his second coming. As GOD'S church in the Old Testament understood not many things in the Prophets before his first coming, notwithstanding the Prophets were daily read in the synagogues. And when GOD'S people in due time shall understand these things clearly, than they shall magnify the LORD, in that they see his Al-seing Majesty doth nothing, and speaketh nothing rashly and ignorantly; but knoweth and forseeth all things, before the foundation of the world: and this thing shall teach them humility, in that neither learning nor long experience shall make them know the secret things of the LORD, until himself reveal them. These things foresaid do also convince the Papists, who forbidden the people to read privately the Scriptures: they labour to persuade the people that the Pope can not err, that thereby all his doctrine and traditions may be received by all men, and so they exalt the Pope above GOD, whose holy word they spoil from the people, importing no less than that GOD should be in error, and not the Pope.  
Qu. 7. The book of Leviticus edifieth not, contain●● but rites and ceremonies: the Chapters of Genealogies contain names only: the Canticles, and sundry prophecies are obscure, should they then be read publicly?  
Ans. All should be read, for all edify.  
1. The book of Leviticus prophesieth of Christ's sufferings, and first coming in the flesh: for as the audible word read and preached taught the same unto the ears of men, so the ceremonies, sacrifices, and Sacraments as a visible word foretold the same unto their eyes. When preachers now do read and interpret this book, it edifieth us, and serveth for the strengthening of our faith, in that, by this book we see that the doctrine of Christ is no new thing invented of men, but GOD taught by his Prophets in the Old Testament, Also it showeth, that Christ is of great dignity and Majesty, whose coming was foretold so many ways, and that his sufferings have great virtue and merit, being prefigured by so many types. 2. The chapters of Genealogies do also edify, showing what care GOD taketh of men and of their children: and seeing that these are written for us, it showeth, that God taketh notice as well of all others whose names are not written in the Scriptures, and that the names of his own are written in the book of life, and that his care and providence reacheth unto every person in the world: And also the chief scope of many Genealogies was to point forth Christ's Genealogy, that men might know He was 〈◊〉 a false Christ, nor a false prophet coming into 〈◊〉 church, without warrant of God; but that God ●●d chosen him only to be the Saviour of the world.  
3. The Canticles are most fit to be read: for no scriptures do more edify, because none are fit to set forth that most comfortable doctrine of the mutual love between Christ and his Kirk. Therefore the Holy Ghost calleth the song of Solomon the most excellent song. 4. There are 19 chapters of the Revelation left out, and not read, neither in the Sabbath nor week days, viz. from the 2. to the 18. and the 20.21. chapters, because they are most dangerous for the false church, discovering the antichrist, and his persecution of true church, and the fall of antichrist. Some do allege that satan liketh not to hear tell of his first falling and ruin from God: so the Kingdom of Babylon liketh not to hear tell of their last falling and ruin, and they hide from the people the light of God's word, lest it discover their filthiness; which if it were discovered, men would abhor them, and destroy their Kingdom. The other Scriptures which they never read, all the book of the Canticles, Genesis, chap. 10. Exod. chap. 2. 4, 6, 7, 8. the 25. to 31. chap. and 26, 27, 28, 29. chap. Leviticus chap. 1. to 8. and 10.11.13.14.15.17.22.26. chap. Numbers 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. Prophecies and obscure Scriptures should b● read as reverently and attentively as the Apostles did hear obscure doctrine and parables out of Christ's own mouth; and they learned humility, in that they would not be wiser than Christ, to make a gloss of their own upon his words, but did patiently await until that the Lord himself revealed the matter. God's Spirit by obscure Scriptures can also help our faith, as Christ made the blind to see with clay and spittle, which otherwise maketh blind. This work of the Spirit is known, when the Faithful say in their hearts I know, whatsoever you obscure words do mean, it shall be fo● my well. The traditions of men, whether they be obscure or plain, have no such authority nor warrant, nor power of God's Spirit, therefore they have neither title nor right in this ministration.  
6. If God's Word be true, which saith, All Scriptures is given by divine inspiration, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of GOD may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works, 2 Tim. 3.16, 17. Then all Scriptures should be read, to make the man of GOD perfect But humane traditions, doctrine of errors, and will-worship do make the man of sin, even antichrist, perfect and furnished for all evil works: their most charitable and pious works, whereof they glory much, are but evil, 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 less edify then other scriptures.  
Ans. 1. How much or little they edify, it is only known to God, who by the weakest means effecteth the greatest works: Therefore thou should only have said, they seem to edify little. 2. I suppone that they always edify less than other Scriptures, yet the omitting of them maketh them not to edify 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 received with thanksgiving, as we receive other benefits: will a man pull out his infirm eye, because it is more tender than the other eye? Will he cut of his little finger, because the other fingers are stronger? Will a covetous Prelate refuse his small teynds, because they are less gainful than the other teynds? Casteth he all away his coin 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 Moon, or greater stars; so we should not reject the smallest lights of God's truth, albeit their shining be not so bright as the glancing of other principles of Divinity: The obscurest scriptures have some light in them, and some clear doctrine mixed with them, for which cause also they should be read.  
Qu. 9 Is not the reading of the mass 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 jewish Talmud, and in witches charms: In these books and charms the holy Scriptures are written to cloak and cover the deformity and filthiness of idolatrous, superstitious, and ●●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 blissing, and you confess that to be Divine service, so in this book we have fitted the Scriptures for divers 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 divers occasions: you are not Prophets, you foreknow not the occasions: we choose no Scriptures to be read at extraordinary times, until 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 hear thee, and thou shall glorify 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 we thank and glorify Him extraordinarly in his worship, but not in fixed days of the year. Thou knowest not but thy fixed days of fasting and prayer for averting Gods judgements, or delivering thee from plagues, may be the very days of God's greatest bounty, in giving unto thee many spiritual and bodily blessings; and then, if thou keep thy humiliation foresaid, thou art a mocker of God, and liest against him, in pretending a plague when he blesseth thee, and ●hus thou art unthankful in not praising God solemnly for these blessings. The like mocking and lying against God are effected in thy fixed days of thanksgiving for his spiritual and bodily blessings, when 〈◊〉 his anger God multiplieth his plagues.  
Thus the antichristian Clergy are false prophets seeming to foretell by these fixed days of fasting and thanksgiving, that God hath fixed His blessings and plagues unto the same days 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 church: To read them (I say) out of this canon, it is not divine service, more than to read a witch's charm, which is full of Scriptures also. But it is devilish service to obtrud the reading of them for divine service, when they are incorporate into one treatise with humane and devilish doctrine, to beautify 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 several books by themselves or when they are bound only with other books, nor yet when they are made use of in sound doctrine of Divinity, for all these times they loss not their spiritual union, and cohesion with the true canon: But when they are incorporate into one treatise with humane and profane doctrine, with which they can have no spiritual union nor agreement of Divine verity, whereby they loss their dignity more than 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 moral sentences of Philosophers contain many things which a●e in God's word, shall they therefore be read for Divine service? And also they and the scriptures called A●●●crypha, can prove nothing which may beget, nor establish saving faith in the hearts of men. 4. God in His word did registrat the lives, doings and sayings of many Pagans and wicked men, as are Nimrod, Balaam, Pharaoh, and Haman; and of the devil plagueing Job, tempting Christ, and entering into Judas, etc. these should be read in Divine service: But who dare censure GOD'S doing? and who dare imitate his practice, in hatching new Scriptures? All fire in Heaven and in earth is but fire, yet if God send fire from himself upon the sacrifices, who dare burn them with strange fire?  
Qu. 11. Is not this book good for public prayer, in that it setteth down some forms thereof: for in conceived prayer men spend their time in thinking what should be their wants, and what way to express them before God.  
Ans. 1. The knowledge of the wants of Christians is always present to such as are nor senseless and careless: the manner of expressing of them is at hand to such as are frequented with Divine service, for use maketh promptness. 2. Your set forms of prayer know not men's particular, nor yet their common wants, which occasionally may fall out into God's church; and therefore they can not make the time shorter, by discovering unto men their wants; neither can they express their occasional wants. There is more time ●pended before that thou canst apply a set form unto thy heart, and stir up thy desires thereby, without the which thou dost not pray, but prat. 3. Thou must also take time, to consider if thou hast need of the things contained in the set form: for it will perturb 〈◊〉 prayer to seek deliverance from war, tempest, famine, thunder and pestilence, when such things are not near unto thee. This prayer is commanded to be said in the Litany, which is appointed for the Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays: such a prayer is a mocking of GOD. 4. The set form perturbeth thy mind in public prayer, when true griefs and wants come into thy mind, and thou hast no liberty to express them unto GOD, because they are not mentioned in the set form. 5. Thou that condemnest a conceived prayer, dost also condemn the set forms, for all set forms were conceived by these who first published them, Why may not we then use now also conceived prayers? If any pray for things unlawful, let the church censure them: If any pray for things agreeable to GOD'S glory, and the well of his church▪ how dare any accuse it? This mass book teacheth men not to be Christians, but apes in unpertinent gestures of standing, sitting, kneeling, etc. and parrots in reading, praying, vociferation, and crying unpertinently. All is hypocrisy, the very substance of antichristian devotion.  
Qu. 12. Doth not the conceived prayer used by the preacher become also a set form unto the people; if they fix their meditations and devotion unto his prayer; why then may not both the preachers and people use the set forms of this book?  
Ans. 1. When the Preacher conceiveth a prayer, GOD'S Spirit is no ways restrained, for he expresseth as God's Spirit informeth him: And if the people in the mean time have the same information at the hearing of the Preacher, than no man hindereth 〈◊〉 expression thereof by themselves: But if GOD● Spirit put in them any heavenly meditations, different from the words and meditations of the Preacher, they may also secretly express them. 2. Every day as troubles or changes shall fall out in church or commonwealth, GOD offereth unto men new occasions, to have variety of meditations, and of the expressing of them in prayer: The set forms in the mass book do hinder both Preachers and People from such expression.  
Qu. 13. May not preachers sometimes use some ordinary set form of prayer?  
Ans. They may, if the prayer contain only things that are perpetually needful for GOD'S church, as Confession of sins, mercy, and remission of sins, sanctification of life, a blessing to the present exercise, increase of faith, etc. that thereby ignorant people, if there be but one of them in the whole flock, who understand nothing, and have neither form nor words of prayer at all, at the least they may learn some form of prayer: to call upon God in such a form is better than not to call upon God at all. This form so used restraineth not God's Spirit, both because the matter of it is perpetually needful, as also because it hindereth none to say conceived prayers, before or after, as men think good. Experience hath shown, that the memories of some people have been so weak, that neither pain●s nor travel, nor repetitions could make them get perqueer the LORDS Prayer: Others have learned the LORDS Prayer, but no further; others learned also some set form, but could never conceive a prayer. ●●●refore these preachers are both undiscreet and uncharitable, who deny altogether a set form of prayer unto weak Christians, who can neither understand nor imitate a conceived prayer: It is merciless Divinity that showeth no pity upon the infirm and ignorant Christians. Then when the Ministers have thus taken care for the ignorant people, they do best afterwards to conceive their prayers, that the liberty of GOD'S Spirit in his gifts may be enlarged, and not diminished; and that the more learned people, by the diversity of the Preachers meditations may be edified, as well by his prayer, as by his preaching. Paul become as under the Law, for them that were under the Law: he became weak for them that are weak; he became all things unto all men, that he might gain some. So the faithful and true Pastors that are not hirelings, neither puffed up with a conceit of spiritual gifts, they will accommodat themselves not only to strong Christians; with diversity & change of meditations in a conceived prayer, but also to the weak and infirm (for whom Christ died) with a set form, containing things ever needful for Gods Kirk, that the infirm may be gained until the Lord, bring them to greater perfection.  
Qu. 14. Their are set forms of Divine service in scriptures, as the Lords prayer and the 10. commandments, may not we make set forms following this example?  
Ans. 1. The whole word of GOD in the Old and New Testament is a set form of Gods revealed will, for us to make use of in the practice of a holy life, but not in the practice of making new forms: May we then make new Scriptures and Gospels as we please, containing the form set down by God's Spirit. 2. 〈◊〉 set forms in Scripture do not lay bands on God's Spirit, they were the effects of his liberty which he used at his pleasure: He may restrain and command us, we may not do so unto him. 3. Masters who appoint set forms of service, are offended, if their servants do not obey them as they command, but as the servants like to obey. The antichristian Prelates themselves are not pleased with such voluntary service, no more is God pleased with the will-worship of men. 4. We are not bound in our prayers to say the Lords Prayer at all times, in the precise words of the Text: for Matthew, chap. 6. at the fift petition, saith, forgive us our debts: Luke chap. 11. hath other words, viz. forgive us our sins. The LORD and his Apostles oftimes thereafter prayed in the New Testament, not using the words of this form of prayer. We may either say this prayer as a perfect rule of prayer, or we may conceive our own prayers after this manner, as Matthew saith: that is, we should seek both heavenly and earthly things, only so far as is needful for setting forth God's glory, and for our own well & salvation: and seeing in scripture none are bound to use the precise form of the Lords words, far less are we bound to be thralled with humane forms. As for the set forms that we use for the weak memories of the infirmer sort, we have liberty to change them also: and we should change them, if we think it needful for the weak ones. The Lord's Prayer, and the x. Commands are short compends, the one of prayer, the other of the contents of God's Law: both were ordained chief for weak memories; as the primitive church ordained the articles of the Apostles Creed, that weak memories might have perqueer a short sum of the history of our salvation, which is also a plain kind of preaching unto the ignorant, explicating the chief passages of Scripture that concern our faith: Neither is it needful at all times to rehearse and confess the precise words thereof: for in Act. 8. the Eunuch said only, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God: And in John 20. Thomas said, My Lord, and my God.  
Qu. 15. Is not the mass book as lawful as catechetical doctrine?  
Ans. 1. catechetical doctrine is for a memorandum to Preachers, in catechising the people, and for people to answer; it hindereth not Preachers to propound, and the people to answer other questions, as GOD'S Spirit shall assist them. 2. It is a preaching of the word by questions: Preaching is commanded, Matthew 28. vers. 19, 20. Luke 24.4. Act. 1.8. GOD'S word, and the orthodox preaching thereof are both of Divine authority, because God commanded both to be in his church, but they are not of equal dignity. As by the same authority a man commandeth his treasure, and the ark that containeth it, to be kept in a strong house, but the treasure is of greater dignity: So GOD'S word is of greater dignity than the preaching of it. The word is the light of a heavenly candle, the Preacher is the candlestick, preaching is a holding out of that light that men may see spiritually: the mass book is a bushel, under which the light of God's word is hide and obscured, Matthew 5. vers. 6, 7.  
Qu. 16. Did not God give liberty unto his Kirk to 〈◊〉 indifferent things as they please?  
Ans. Not, as that thereby men shall obscure his glory, pollute his worship, corrupt his word, or hurt the consciences of his people, nor to persecute the professors of his truth, nor to hinder his word to have free passage in reading, printing, preaching, practising, and professing it. If indifferent things be thus abused, they are no more indifferent, but deadly unto Christian religion: all these evils are effected by the mass book:  magistrates have neither power nor authority, to make indifferent things hurtful unto Christian religion. If any say that the royal authority is disobeyed when men obey not such hurtful laws. I answer, It is not disobeyed, for there is not such a royal authority that may hurt Christian religion; neither may the laws of men be essential points of Christian religion. GOD alone decreeth such laws to be kept: GOD giveth no power nor authority unto men, but to defend Divine laws, and to make humane laws conform, and subordinate unto the laws of God, and by the sword of justice to defend such laws. He will not give authority to men, to command or do any thing against the law of God, no more than a Prince will give power to a subject to spit upon his face. If Magistrates ignorantly or by misinformation make laws hurtful to true religion, if they repent & amend, God will forgive them, albeit he approve not their sin. Qu. 17. When then do lawful rites and ceremonies become unlawful  
Ans. When opinion of necessity or holiness is known to be annexed to them, either by such as impose them, or by the people on whom they are imposed, They then become unlawful, because they confirm and harden the people in their superstition: Therefore Hezekiah rejected the brasan serpent, which want to be a divine ordinance; much more should rites, which never were ordained of GOD be rejected in this case. If thou say when Magistrates command indifferent things, than they become necessare: Ergo they should be obeyed. I answer, If they be hurtful to true religion, they are neither necessare, not needful to be obeyed, but altogether to be rejected, because they are contrary both to the commandment, & worship of GOD, the supreme Magistrate.  
2. When the use of them is urged more, or as much as the ordinances of GOD, It is time to put the slave out of the house, when he is obeyed as much or more than the Master of the house. Absalon should not now live, when he is more obeyed and respected then David the King 3. When the omission of them causeth men (who otherwise agree with GOD'S church in matters of faith and manners) to be esteemed shismaticks, and sectaries, and so are contemned as men of a contrary religion. 4. When the omission of them is accounted and punished as a sin, even out of the case of scandal. 5. when they are hurtful to true religion, and to the professors thereof, as was said in the preceding question.  
Qu. 18. Did not God without Scriptures teach the Patriarches, as Adam and Abraham: Sometimes with few Scriptures as in the days of the Judges, May not God do the like now, albeit we diminish the Scriptures?  
Ans. Who made thee wiser than GOD, to dimin●●●●● the Scriptures which he hath registrat for the good of his church? He may give laws unto thee, thou may not do so unto him: he may abrogat thy laws, thou may not alter nor diminish his laws, neither restrain, nor hinder the free passage of them. 2. May as little food and raiment susteene men of a perfect age, as susteeneth infants? GOD'S church in the Old Testament was in the infancy, when they had no written word; yet in substance they had the same word of life which we have; they had it by the traditions of their fathers, which they heard of GOD, personally appearing and revealing his will unto them. Sometimes he sent his Angels and prophets working miracles for their edification. Afterwards the manner of revealing his wi●● was written, and enlarged, now we want these 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 loathe the word as an unsavoury thing: They live without zeal without faith & repentance: Therefore they will make better use of humane traditions?  
Ans. Thou should have said also that GOD'S word doth no good unto the preachers, else they would not have been so presumptuous as to have thralled GOD'S church with humane traditions, and carnal instructions.  
2. I confess that wesps will make more use of poison then of honey. The children of darkness love rather the night than the day, yea GOD'S people when 〈◊〉 spiritual graces decayed, liked better of the flesh 〈◊〉 of Egypt, then of the heavenly Manna.  
3. Human traditions may work in men blind zeal, a temporary faith, a Pharisaical repentance, but no saving grace; for God will rather bless his own ordinances, then humane 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 less shall witches and devils help him in his distress. The waters of Damascus shall not cure Naaman of his leprosy, if the waters of Jordan, GOD'S ordinance, do it not. If God make not effectual the ordinary means of his word, it is time to fast and pray, that GOD may turn back his spiritual judgements, lest He plague us with final desertion.  
Qu. 20. Do not the prayers in this book witness that there is great humility in the Clergy and prelate's?  
Ans. 1. The ambitious obtruders thereof upon GOD'S church, for establishing their bastard orders have declared their greatest pride in the exercise of prayer, wherein should be seen greatest humility: for first (because they dare not do otherwise) in the Litany used on Sundays Wedinsdayes, and Fridays, they have a form of prayer for the King, the Queen; and their children; next for the prelates, Bishops, and elders of the clergy; Thirdly for the Nobility, then for the rulers and Magistrates; lastly for the people. So they must come before God as they ride in Parliament usurping place before the Nobility and magistrates. They stand 〈◊〉 for off like the Publican. They who humble not themselves, like little children, shall not enter into the kingdoms' 〈◊〉 heaven. Also in the same Litany there are 3. partic●●●● prayers, one for the King, an other for the Queen & their children; the third for the Bishops and clergy, but no prayer for the Nobility, Magistrates and people.  
2. Neither can they hide their covetousness in their religious service, wherein they should be most charitable: for this book commandeth the half of the alms, which the communicants give to the poor, shall be given to the presbyter that celebrateth the communion. That which is given to the poor, is given to God for they are the members of Christ. If the clergy rob the sacred alms from Christ's members, they will not have it called sacrilege; but if a superstitious portion be taking from them, when they have more than sufficient, that is called sacrilege; when as the antichristian clergy, and all that teach errors, and idolatry, live only upon sacrilege: for God as he alloweth neither false nor idolatrous doctrine, so neither alloweth he means for sustaining false teachers, though he permit the same. This book appointeth them also to have an accustomed duty at marriages, what will they do at baptism? at the kirking of women? and at the making of testaments? when they are so shameless at the Lords supper; and at marriages: Ambition, covetousness & idleness cause them praise this book highly in their pulpits. Qu. 21. If we correct this book and take away the faults of it, may it not then be read for Divine service in God's church? Ans. 1. That is Repugnantia in adjecto, a speech contradictory to itself, 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 God's word▪ and it layeth bands on God's 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 forms 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 chain 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 thief, he shameth all his kindred. If any would glue 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 ways it is a disgrace unto man: So the glorious banner of God's word is disgraced, whither it be incorporate and sewed together with the dishclouts of humane traditions and errors; or whether they be incorporate 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 babbling, and not beseeming the wisdom of God; and as if God unadvisedly had sent them unto his church. 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 God's Spirit, by the continual reading of them, to hinder the free passage of the re●● as an herald receiving many ordinances from his king, by the oft repartition of one or two of them, he leaveth no time to promulgat the rest. In the Calendar they ordain the Psalms 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 history in Act. 10. vers. 34. which is read on Monday in Easter week: and Act 7.55, etc. read on S. Stevens day: Joel. 4.12, etc. read on the first day of Len●: Revel. 7.2. on all Saint's day, these and such other places are niknamed Epistles. Qu. 22.  
In what order do they minister the communion? Ans.  
Their pride is seen also in this, for all bishops, presbyters and deacons must always first receive the communion before others: they say it is done, that the clergy may help to distribute the elements, but they do it when there is no need of help, the presbyter being sufficiently provided already, when many of the clergy are present, not only so many as might be for help, but all must first communicate. The cause than is only pride, for they will be first in all things, and yet they say that men should receive the Sacrament with greatest humility. Qu. 23. What use have they of a communion table? Ans. They appoint a table nevertheless they take it from the people in two respects: 1. In respect of the people who kneel at the act of receiving the elements, what use have they of a table, when they neither sit at it to eat their meat neither take they their meat off from the table? 2. In respect of the minister ●●at giveth the elements, the ministers hands are only their table, from which they receive their sacramental food. The communicants even when they kneel not, yet they sit at the table, not like feasters, but like beggars at a dyke side, waiting for the distribution of their alms. The beggars may turn their backs as well as their faces towards the dyke, for any use they have of it, so may the communicants turn their backs to the table, for any use they have of it.  
Qu. 24. May not the table stand for the elements to abide on it, until that the Minister take them for to distribute unto the people? Ans.  
Then it is a table for the ministers attendance, but not for the people's feasting. Some have byboards whereon vessels and meat stand, until they be placed on the feasting table; and when the tables are drawn, all is put on the byboard again, that they may be put in order, and taken away. The antichristians make a byboard of the Lords table, and the hands of the ministers are only their feasting table.  
Qu. 25. Should not the Ministers give the elements to every one out of their own bands, seeing it is their calling, and Christ did so give them unto the Apostles, and it may be that the laics who sit nearest me be witches, or profaine persons, & so it is not comely to take the elements from laics?  
Ans. 1. It is the calling of ministers to consecreate & bless the elements, by the word and prayer; but no Scripture can prove it to be their calling, to give always the elements with their own hands, more than by the hands of others: it is alike if he give them, by whose hands soever it be. He giveth not the Bible, which is the audible word to every one out of his o●●● hands, albeit he explicateth and preacheth the meaning end, uses, and application of both the visible word, of the sacraments, and the audible word of the Scriptures: and albeit both the doctrine of the word & sacraments are written in one canon; if thou say, that he giveth not except he do it with his own hands; Thou may as truly say that Christ giveth not, except he do it with his own hands. 2. No Scripture proveth that Christ gave the elements to every one out of his own hands, neither at Baptism, nor at the Lords Supper. As for Baptism, John 4. 1. saith, that the Pharisees heard that Jesus baptised more disciples than John: and in vers. 2. he saith, that jesus baptised not, but his disciples: the first verse showeth that he gave the Sacrament by his authority, and blessed it: the 2. verse showeth that he gave it not with his own hands, but by his apostles: and at the Lords supper, Luke 23.17. saith, Take this, and divide it among you, this is meant of the cup of the Lords supper: 1. because the same words which are subjoined to this cup here, are subjoined to the cup of the Lords supper in Math & Mark: these are, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. 2. If these words were of the cup of the Passeover, they should be false, for they drank wine after the Passeover at the Lords Supper, Luke speaks twice of this cup (in vers. 17 & 20) In the vers. 17. he speaks of it with the speech of the , because alike speech is subjoined to both: for after the  he said words that were not mentioned by other Evangelists: viz. I will not eat any more thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God: ●hat is, I did eat oftimes the Passeover before, but the thing signified by the Passeover was never fulfilled: It shall not be so now, for I will eat no Passeover after this until it be fulfilled in my sufferings in the kingdom which GOD hath in his church on earth: and albeit I never drank the wine of this new instituted supper before, neither will I drink any more of it, until I drink the thing signified by it, viz. I must drink the wine of the cup of GOD'S wrath by my sufferings: He prayed his Father to take this cup from him, if it were possible: (the bread and the wine of this new supper, signified unto Christ the bread of affliction, and the cup of the wine of GOD'S wrath, which now should be his food in his sufferings: as in his life-time it was his meat to do the will of GOD, so now at his death he feedeth in suffering Gods will; for he saith, not my will, but thine be done) This bread and wine signified to the apostles, the body and blood of Christ, not as he was in health, rest and peace, but as he suffered tribulation and GOD'S wrath for our sins: he was like a nurse that eateth bitter things for the health of the infant. The wine of GOD'S wrath is mentioned in Revel. 14.10. he drank it with the apostles, not only because they were with him in the garden, when he did sweat blood and water, but as when the head drinketh, the whole man is said to drink because of the union between the head and the members, and because strength and comfort cometh to the members, by the drinking of the head. He drank personally, they drank spiritually by faith in his sufferings; and by imputation for his sufferings, are counted their sufferings, but their sins were counted his, he being their cautioner: The taste of this cup was bitter to both, for Christ pray●●● against it, and the elect pray daily to GOD to save them from it: the fear of the danger of God's wrath is bitter, the effect of Christ's drinking of this cup was sweet to both; it was sweet & comfortable to them to get mercy, it was sweet and delectable to Christ to show mercy, though he bought it with his blood: he drank this cup new with them, because never man drank the like of it before, and he himself drank never such a measure of GOD'S wrath before: the Elect under the gospel drinks it new by faith, for the nature of the cup of God's wrath which Christ suffered, was never so clearly known before, & the comforts of God's Spirit given to the elect by faith in his sufferings, were never so sweet before: they are now sweet like new wine, he drank this bitter cup in his Father's kingdom. Where a king is most obeyed, there is his kingdom: But none gave so great obedience to God as his own Son, who obeyed him to the cursed death of the cross. 3. The Lord said not 12. times, Take ye eat ye, albeit 12. disciples were with him: he said it but once, when he gave the elements. One stretching or this hand, could not touch all their hands at once, neither was it needful, therefore they divided the elements among themselves. 4. Luke vers. 20. speaketh again of the cup of the Lords supper, to show the time of it, which was after the eating of the bread: but he saith not the words of thanksgiving; nor yet, Take it, and divide it amongst you, because they were mentioned in verse 17. 5. You fear the laics that su●h side you be witches, or profane people, and therefore you will not take the elements from them. If you ●●ow them to be so, flee from them. If thou know not, why judge you before the time so uncharitably at the feast of charity, usurping also the place of Christ the great judge of all. It may be at his coming, many whom thou condemnest, shall be found more innocent than thyself; and thou shalt be found unworthy to have taken the elements from them. Also, if thy reason be good, neither shouldst thou take the Sacrament out of the ministers hand, for thou knowest not if he be profane, or a warlock, or a hypocrite.  
6. If thou come well prepared, thou will be so humble, like the Publican, that thou will think thyself the profanest in the company: If thou come unprepared, thou art not worthy that the profanest laic should give unto thee the elements; and albeit thou receive them from the minister, thou shalt eat and drink thine own damnation. 7. When Christ giveth the elements by his servants, and the blessing by himself, it representeth the communion between Christ the Head and his mystical members: And when the members of Christ give the elements one unto another, it representeth the communion of his members among themselves: If any of these be wanting, the communion is not rightly celebrate. In this communion the Elect are conjoined unto Christ by faith on their part, and by the holy Spirit on Christ's part, they are conjoined one unto another among themselves, by mutual love and charity.  
Qu. 26. Is it not troublesome to the Ministers to go about, giving unto every one the elements?  
Ans. It is doubtless: but the ambitious clergy do think otherwise, 1 Because they get this honour that men shall take the elements out of their hands 〈◊〉 their knees; and where the people kneel not, yet 〈◊〉 Ministers go about, expecting a time when the people shall be compelled to kneel. 2: Their going about also will excuse their idleness and ignorance, if they want exhortations for the people. 3. In like manner they are well pleased to stand, rehearsing the X. Commands before the Communion, and the people all the while are sitting upon their knees, at every Command crying for mercy; but the presbyter like one without sin, neither kneeleth, nor asketh mercy.  
Qu. 27. May we not kneel at the receiving of the elements, to express our greatest humility?  
Ans. If you have your greatest humility only at the instant of receiving the elements, GOD neither regardeth it, nor the expressing thereof, for it is hypocrisy: But if your greatest humility be sincere, and of a longer continuance, it will make you careful not to express it in an idolatrous manner, to the dishonouring of GOD: it is a dishonouring of GOD, if that outward religious adoration be determinately fixed towards the presence of any thing visible (whether it be a Divine ordinance or not) more than towards the presence of any other creature, by which outward adoration, GOD'S own personal & visible apparition, & presence should be discerned from all creatures whatsoever: as a king is outwardly discerned from all his subjects, by his crown so is God outwardly discerned from all creatures, by this religious honour. It is a dishonouring of the king to put his crown upon the head of any of his best subjects; so it is a dishonouring of GOD to discern the best of his creatures with this honour.  
2. If Christ were visibly conversant with men, how shall he be outwardly and religiously discerned by Divine adoration from all things visibly in heaven and in earth, but by pointing at his determinat local presence with kneeling, or falling on the face, or such religious gestures: but seeing this is done to the Sacrament, the difference of Divine honour is taking from Christ. And if the bread were GOD indeed, by what other outward honour could we discern it religiously from things that are not GOD, if not by kneeling. Albeit we would give our greatest inward reverence to Christ, yet this outward adoration is relative idolatry. It is idolatry, because we discern the elements with that religious outward worship, whereby we should discern Christ, GOD and man, from all other creatures. It is relative, because men believe that it is a honouring of Christ so to discern the elements, as the Israelites thought it a honouring of GOD to adore outwardly the golden calf. 3. Christ made both the body and the soul, and therefore he should be worshipped by both, as also because he redeemed both: And if it be lawful to honour Christ by directing our outward adoration, to any other object but Christ; it is as lawful to honour Christ, by directing our whole inward adoration, & reverence due unto GOD, unto that same outward object: the reason is alike, Gods' word neither forbiddeth, nor commandeth the one more than the other: And if we serve GOD by directing his worship to another object which is not GOD, than his justice requireth to glorify 〈◊〉 in heaven, by giving the glory we hope for unto other creatures, and not to ourselves.  
4. It is as great a calumny, to say that men 〈◊〉 their greatest humility, if they kneel not at the instant of receiving the elements, as to say, they want faith, if they rehearse not the articles of the creed at the same instant: And that they want charity, if they give not alms to the poor at the same instant; for as we should come with the greatest humility, so should we come with the greatest faith, and charity to the Sacrament, And if humility can not consist, except when it is outwardly expressed, no more can other heavenly graces consist, without their outward expression.  
5. Some say; the not kneeling to the Sacrament, hindereth Turks and Pagans to turn Christians. I answer then they would all turn Papists, for the Papists do kneel. 6. Some say, men turn their faces to the table when they bless GOD at their meat, and drink. Ergo we should kneel towards the Sacrament. I answer, first, do they kneel & bless GOD at the instant act of eating & drinking meat & drink, and at the receiving thereof, as the halting Papists kneel without blessing of God at the receiving and eating of the Sacrament: Secondly, looking is not so religious a gesture as kneeling, & therefore less dangerous. If men when they bless God were urged to look to the table, as if it were a worshipping of God to do so, it should be idolatry. Qu. 28. Can the adoring of Christ by fixing our worship to the instant of receiving the Sacrament, or bowing towards it determinately, be idolatry, seeing the Sacrament is a holy ordinance of God? Ans.  
If m●n had fixed the religious gestures of adoring God determinately, toward the oxen and sheep which were offered in sacrifices and towards the Paschall lamb, which represented the same Christ whom now the sacramental elements do represent, it had been idoaltrie, albeit they were holy ordinances, and had Christ's spiritual operative presence with them. 2. If you esteem the bread to be GOD, and will adore it as GOD, the being a holy ordinance no more hindereth this adoration to be absolute idolatry, than was the worshipping of the fire by the Chaldeans, of the sun by the Persians; and of Dagon by the Philistines: So also there is no reason, why the being a holy ordinance shall hinder it to be relative idolatry, when we worship GOD by directing our religions gestures determinately towards the sacraments, more than to worship the same GOD by directing our religious gestures determinately towards the Sun, or the fire, or Dagon, or towards the golden calf, etc. True humility will make us eschew all appearance of evil, and fear the least colour of idolatry, & kneel unto GOD at more pertinent times, as at the actions of prayer and thanksgiving, before and after the participation of the Sacraments, and that because these actions as well as our gestures do express also our humility, prayer expresseth our humble desire, and thanksgiving our humble gratitude and dutifulness: Christ our LORD did express humility by action, when he did wash his disciples feet, that night he was betrayed, and by word & gesture when he kneeled down and prayed in the garden: The same humility remained in him also when he used not such expressions.  
Qu. 29. We may take gold out of the hand of a King bowing towards the earth, may we not also adore God, when he giveth unto us the Sacrament●●.  
Ans. 1. The Minister and the Sacraments are ne●ther GOD'S nor kings, therefore thou owest to none of them neither the religious honour of GOD, nor the  honour of kings. 2. But if the king's servant in the king's name would give gold unto thee in the king's presence, and thou wilt take it out of his hand, directing that same  gesture towards him, that thou usest to direct to the king, what honourable  difference makest thou between the master and the servant. 3. Albeit a king like Dioclesian would give all his  honour to any of his subjects, yet God will give his religious honour to no creature, Matth. 4.10.  
4. God gave unto us Christ, the thing signified by the Sacrament, when he was crucified. He giveth spiritual comfort and grace, using his own liberty, either at the preparation sermon, before the Sacrament, or at receiving of the elements, or afterwards at thanksgiving, or at any other time, as he pleaseth: albeit he giveth faith and increase thereof, and mercy, and spiritual comforts to the right receivers of his ordinances, yet he fixeth not his benefits to any appointed instant of time. Peter & the Apostles at the first Lord's supper (having also received the Passeover the same night) were so far from receiving spiritual courage and comforts, and increase of faith, and of heavenly graces, that the same night Peter denied, and the rest forsook the LORD. But when he arose from the dead, and when he sent down the holy Ghost, than they were exceedingly strengthened in the faith; many children are baptised, who receive not inward regeneration and repentance, until that afterward God convert them by his word.  
Qu. 30. Should not the Sacraments be holily and reverently used? Ans. 1. They are profaned, when God's worship is determinately fixed to them, as if they were idols. 2. They are reverently and holily used, when they are used as Christ commanded: That is, when by looking upon the bread broken, and the wine poured out, we take occasion to remember the LORDS death when his body was wounded, and his blood shed: when we take and eat the elements, than we by faith should believe and apprehend, that these sufferings were for our sins, to purchase unto us life eternal.  
Qu. 31. The Sacrament is an excitative mids of adoration: Ergo may I not kneel towards it. Ans.  
So are all the benefits and mercies of God: Ergo we have as good reason to kneel towards all his benefits.  
Qu. 32. We worship before the Sacrament, but we give no worship unto the Sacrament. Ans.  
When we worship God more respectively then before any other thing, by kneeling before the sacrament, it is done unto the sacrament, because we worship God at the sacrament, for the religious respect we have to it, which if it were taken away, we would not adore before it, more than any other thing: This outward worship is relative idolatry outwardly, the reverend respect is inward relative idolatry. 2. To worship a thing, and to worship before a thing determinately, are both esteemed one thing: Matthew saith, chap. 4. that Satan bad Christ worship him: and Luke saith in the Greek language, If thou wilt worship before me.  
Qu. 33. May not I kneel towards the Sacrament, as I uncover my head at the hearing of the word read?  
Ans. The uncovering of the head is a sign of common reverence given both to God, to men of a honourable, and also a lower estate: kneeling is not so, it is most proper unto God himself, who is above all dignity, and therefore it is more dangerous. This gesture discerns the Majesty of God from all creatures; and therefore Paul said (Phil. 2.10) At the name of Jesus shall every knee bow: for God bathe given him a name above every name, vers. ●9. No name is above every name, but the name of him that is God, The Father gave unto jesus the name of God: That is, declared him to be as truly God as he is man, after that he arose and ascended unto glory.  
2. When I uncover my head, I direct not that gesture towards any sensible object more determinately then towards other objects, therefore it is done to God himself immediately. Qu. 34.  
Should we sit Jackfellow like with Christ at the Lords table?  
Ans. His divine nature is alike present every where, his humane nature sitteth in heaven at the right hand of God his spiritual presence is in the hearts of the Elect, and sitteth at no Table: Therefore we sit not Jack fellowlike with him; we are not every where, nor in heaven, nor in a particular manner in the hearts of the Elect, working by the holy Spirit. 2. The Apostles sat with him at Table, but that sitting made them not equal, nor matches unto him; no more than did the eating, drinking, and conversing with him: the Elect shall be with him in heaven, albeit they be not matches with him Qu. 35.  
In 1 King, vers. 54. It is said, when Solomon ended his prayer unto the Lord, be arose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees, and streaching out of his hands to heaven, etc. Ergo we may kneel before the elements when we adore GOD. Ans. 1.  
The Text showeth not whether his face or back was towards the altar, albeit he worshipped before it.  
2. Yet the altar was before his face because his face should have been directed determinately towards the mercy seat, where the Lord ordinarily dwelled and appeared: The altar was only a mids and outward object standing between his face, and the mercy seat, GOD had two sorts of glorious presence, one of less glory, where he personally, typically, and ordinarily appeared between the cherubins, upon the mercy seat, which is called God's footstool, towards the which the church in the Old Testament was commanded to worship GOD Psal. 99 vers. 5. Towards this presence Solomon did kneel, and turn his face, because GOD personally appeared there. The second sort of glorious presence was, and is of superexellent glory in heaven, where God dwelleth among his Angels and Sancts, and where now Christ in his manhood sitteth at the right hand of God, unto this presence Solomon streached forth his hands. 3. There are three sorts of midses or outward objects before men when they worship God: a mids of indifferency; a mids of necessity, a determinat religious mids of adoration. They are called midses, because they are placed between the worshipper and the object that is worshipped. They are called objects, because they are before our face and senses when we worship God. 1. The mids of indifferency is, when we make no difference of one thing more than an other to be before our faces, when we adore God, as we look towards a wall or a door, or a window, a hill or a rock, etc. not fixing our adoring gesture to one of them more determinately then to another, and that because God whom we worship is every where, as really in his essence as in any Sacrament or Divine ordinance.  
2. The mids of necessity, is such a mids, as we can not eschew to be before our faces, for it is in a right line between us and him whom we adore. So when salomon's face was directed determinately towards the ark and mercy seat, where God dwelled typically between the cherubims: (1 Sam. 4.4. and 2 Sam. 6.2.) Then the brazen altar, the altar of incense, the veil of the temple, etc. were situate between his face, and the mercy seat; & of necessity they were midses and objects before his face, he could eschew them. 3. The determinate religious mids of adoration, is that mids whereunto men determinately, and of set purpose direct their adoring gestures, whither any other mids go between them or not, and that because God determinately and immediately appeared in this mids. It was that mids of necessity which was nearest unto Gods personal manifested presence, men did adore towards it, not for itself, but for the personal apparition of God in it, such were the ark and mercy seat, and the temple, albeit it was burnt in the time of the captivity. Daniel worshipped towards it when the ark and mercy seat were not in it: If these things were now extant, it were gross idolatry to adore determinately towards them, because the personal presence of God foresaid is not in them. It is now personally united to the manhood of Christ in heaven towards the which all knees should bow, albeit the elements and heavenly orbs be between him and us, as midles of necessity, his manhood is the outward determinate object of adoration: when he appeared like fire in the bush unto Moses, and like a man unto Abraham, these appearances or forms were midses of necessity nearest unto himself, and they were determinate religious midles of adoration, because they were nearest unto his determinate presence, so that he appeared in them and by them, yet he did not subsist by them. A man appeareth in his garment, & by his garment, but he subsisteth by his natural body, which is of the same person with the soul, so Christ determinately subsisteth by his humanity which is of the same person with his Divinity, when he became man, his manhood only became the determinate ordinary outward object of religious adoration, The vail of his flesh is a a●i●● between his Godhead and us, but not between his person and us, for it is of the same person with God, man visible, & God invisible are both one person. 4. God was united to the ark by a local and personal manifested presence, but not by the union of a personal subsistence, he did not subsist by the ark, because it was nothing of his person, he was united to the voice that spoke above the mercy seat, by a local and personal presence and also by organical application he spoke in the ark, but not by the ark, but he spoke both in and by the sounding voice or air: he was united to the fire in the bush, and to the humane form that spoke unto Abraham, by a personal presence, & by a double organical application, for he was seen by the fire and by the humane body, and was heard speaking by a voice in the fire, and in the humane body: But when he became man, and appeared in the humane nature, which consisted o● a soul and a body, he was united unto that nature by a personal union, (which included all the unions foresaid in it) because he did determinately subsist by that nature, and in it. H● hath a twofold existence, one infinite, which is in and by in Divinity, an other fa●i●e and determinate, which is in his humanity, and by it he did determinately subsist in the form● wherein he appeared in the old Testament, but he did not subsist by them, albeit he appeared by them; but in the New Testament he both determinately subsisteth in the humanity, 〈◊〉 by it, and also he appeareth and is seen unto men by it. 〈◊〉 his determinate presence whereby he appeared personally, men should have directed determinately their adoring gestures. To his infinite existence and presence, men should direct their gestures to all places alike indifferently. Then it was idolatry to make the golden calf's determinate religious midses of adoration, It should have been idolatry to make any sacrifice or sacraments in the old and new Testament, such midses for God did never personally appear, nordwell in them determinately.  
Qu. 36. Men are now more learned than they were in the primitive Kirk, therefore their traditions should be obeyed.  
Ans. Are they more learned than God's spirit who immediately taught the primitive church. 2. The devils are more learned than men are now, & heretics, should they therefore be obeyed. 3. Men now have more means of learning, but they are more doted than the infancy of the Jewish church, who were content of the rites that were commanded of God, but now men without warrant of God dote both upon Jewish and heathen rites. 4. If they be more learned, they have less need of the rudiments of this world, which were fit for the unlearned.  
Qu. 37. We can not cast away all rites, no religion consisteth without rites?  
Ans. ●. Christ and his Apostles were religious above all men, without will-worship and idolatrous rites.  
Qu. 38. If we eschew to do all things that idolaters and Pagans the, we cannot live nor worship God at all?  
Ans. 1. We need not eschew things wherein they are like true professors, but the things that make us conform to idolaters and pagans. Qu. 39  
Why do you who kneel not to the Sacraments depart from our communions? Are we not all under one Head Christ, though we have a blemish? A brunt and wounded finger is a member of that body which hath whole members, should the whole members be cut off from the sore? should you excommunicate yourselves from us?  
Ans. 1. A man cutteth not the whole fingers from the sore, ●●beit he neither burn nor wou●d his whole fingers, that they may be conform to the sore; so we excommunicate not ourselves from you, though we hurt not our consciences with your blemish, for we hear the same word, and are baptised with you, and we converse together. 2. If a sore member refuse to be healed, it rather excommunicats itself from the whole, so you refuse spiritual health, etc. 3. We separate ourselves not from you, but from your idolatrous blemish, for we should not countenance such contempt of God, then heal your sore, and we shall communicate with you. 4. We communicate with the whole church of God, if we take the sacraments publicly with any members thereof. 5. All the pari●hes in the earth are not excommunicate every one from another, though they communicate not all in one assembly.  
Qu. 40. There is a double danger: If I preach not the Gospel, God will punish me: If I preach the Gospel, I must admit idolatrous rites: and woe is me if I preach not the Gospel, 1 Cor. 9.16.  
Ans. If thou preach admitting idolatrous rites and ceremonies, God will punish thee: If thou preach, and do not admit them, man will punish thee; take now thy choose. 2. If man punish thee, deposing thee from thy place, for not admitting these rites, this hindereth thee not to preach; for by suffering thou preaches more effectually, then when thou did proclaim GOD'S word in a public place: all the power in the world can not hinder faithful preachers to preach, either by public speaking, or by a holy life, or by suffering for Christ's honour. Romanus the martyr, in the days of Galerius the Emperor, when Asclepiades the tyrant was sent from the Emperor to persecute him, after he had caused his body to be sore wounded in many parts, Romanus still confessed Christ: therefore Asclepiades caused the tormentor to smite him on the mouth. Then Romanus said, I thank thee, for thou hast opened many mouths to me, he esteemed every wound a mouth, whereby he confessed and preached Christ.  
Qu. 41. Is it not better that I yield to same abuses, rather than to leave my place, and then a wolf or a thief shall enter in my place?  
Ans. It is better that a wolf or a thief shall enter into thy place, then that thou remaining in the place shall turn into a wolf or thief, by yielding to these abuses, etc.  
42. What outward means are best to be used for conserving the knowledge, and practise of true religion among men, that they be not suddenly turned into apostasy, by every wind of corrupt doctrine?  
Ans. 1. If Pastors and Preachers would preach, and continually catechise the people in the orthodox points of religion, and at meetings cause some of themselves catechise one another, and help them with their own questions, and cause some of them say a conceived prayer, or a set form as they may best have it. This shall cause them make conscience of praying to God at home, & in the fields, albeit they could say no more but the Lord's prayer upon their knees. 2. If Pastors with the Magistrates and Elders cause masters of families catechise their domestiks, and the domestiks to catechise one another, and every one rehearse a prayer their time about.  
3. If schoolmasters would do the like with their disciples in catechising and prayer, and if after the master hath said his prayer, than one of the disciples their day about say a prayer, and if any disciples come into the school after the time of prayer, let him pray privately in a quiet place, before he enter to his studies, and let them do the like if they must go home before the evening prayers▪ men of a good conscience will find many ways to make their disciples to be also Christ disciples.  
Some of the grossest things are omitted in this book until the people be confirmed in the errors thereof, and ther● they ●●all receive the complete mass book, or bible of the whore: These locusts deal so subtly, that they draw me● unto their kingdom unawars, that they shall be citizens o● spiritual babylon, before they know themselves to have departed from God's truth, and from the sanctuary of Zion. If the iniquity of the false church had not been covered with the show of wisdom, will-worship and humility, (Coloss. 2.23.) Then Paul had never called it The mystery of iniquity: for the antichristian vultures do pull out the eyes of heavenly knowledge of God's word, from people, that they can not discern error from truth, and that they can not see to save their souls from hell, their bodies from persecution and their estates from spoliation.  

The lawfulness of renewing the Covenant with God and of the Confession of the Faith, practised by the Kirk of Scotland, ANNO 1638. and answers to some scruples.  
FOR our subscription, and our renewing of the Confession of Faith, we are well warranted: for if we look to God, we have his Commandment, MATH. 11. Come unto me all ye that are weary, and heavy loaden, and I shall case you, take my yoke on you, and learn of me, etc. we are now burdeined not only with our personal sins and infirmities, but also with the heavy yoke of antichristian traditions and errors, the least of these is too heavy a burden for pressing down our consciences. If we look to the Godly in old, we have their approven practise, In the Old Testament GOD'S church fell oftimes into idolatry, and therefore then they renewed their covenant by repentance, and GOD delivered them: If we look to the church, we have the authority of her assemblies; if to the authority, we have the declaration both of King and Counsel, in the acts of Counsel: if to our progenitors we have the laudable example of our King, and his family; of Cou●seders, and of the whole members of the College of Justice, of his Majesty subjects of all degrees from the highst to the lowest of the which kingdom; if to the prescription and custom, we fa●de it i● perpetual and recent observation unto this day. If we look to the Prelates, the authors and urgers of the present novations, we find that they themselves have subscribed the same Confession before, but now they have laboured to involve us in the same guiltiness with themselves; and Our Subscription at the time is the most innocent, most worthy, and most powerful mean to confirm Ourselves and to stop O●r ad●●●sar●● their presumptions, that they no more here star attempt ●● like amongst us, and so far as the secret intention of the 〈◊〉 of man may be seen, Our proceed to this time, the tenor that which We do now subscribe, and OUr whole deportment and carriage We make manifest to all who are not possessed with prejudice against us, that We mean nothing but the maintenance of the reformed Religion, to the glory of GOD, the honour of Our King, and the happiness of Our kingdom, for now and for afterward. The first Objection.  
That it is the making of a band against the Act of Parliament, Anno 1585. Answer 1.  
That naturalists know the parts of the world, must sometimes forget themselves, and pass their particular bounds for the preservation of the whole: As in naturalibus individua operantur ac aguntur contra naturam suam particularem, ad conservationem naturae universalis, nam ascendit grave, & descendit leve, ne detur vacuum: Item manet grave in superiori, leave in inferiori loco, ad evitandum vacuum. A flagon full of water, if the narrow mouth of it being open, shall be holden straight downward to the earth, the water will remain still, having the lighter air under it. A can which watereth herbs, having many holes in the bottom, if it be filled with water, and if thou hold thy thumb upon the narrow mouth of it the water will not run out at the holes of the bottom; but if thou uncover the mouth of it, the water shall rin out. A pipe of lead that convoyeth water from one place to another, if the middle part of the pipe ascend, the water will ascend in it, providing that the ascending part of the pipe go forward unto a descension, which shall in the end be lower ●●en where the pipe began to ascend; in which descension when the water beginneth to descend, the lighter air shall des●●● before it. So in moral observations politics justly plead 〈◊〉 the safety of the people is the sovereign law. It is lawwill; yea; necessary to pass by one legality or formality of the law, for the preservation of the whole laws of the kingdom, seeing every particular law must abide the exception of Salvo jure cujuslibet, & of the fundamental law of all laws; which is, Salus reipublice, suprema lex esto. If a Gangrene hath consumed a finger or a toe, the chirurgeon cutteth of the member, lest the disease spread unto the rest of the body: If the patiented be bleeding with great danger, the chirurgeon cutteth a vein in another place, for avoiding the danger. If a house be burning, servants will leave their master's service, to quench the fire, lest their master's house, and the whole city be burnt, and men will cast down the tback, and covering of the houses beside, lest the fire come upon them, and thereby find a passage unto the rest of the city. In all these there some transgression of a civil law, but they agree with the fundamental law, in the preservation of men, or of the city. So in matters of religion Christians can not but acknowledge that Queen Esther did better in coming to the king, which was not according to the law, then if according to the law of the kingdom she had destroyed herself, and her father's house, with the hazard and destruction of God's people. If she had not come to the king, it had been very hurtful unto God's church. If King David, so faithful a servant of God, and ruler of God's people, had perished for hunger; therefore to keep him from this evil, the Priest gave unto him of the shewbread to eat, which according to Gods own law (Levit. 24.9. Matth. 12.4) was lawful to none to eat but the Priests, then salus Ecclesiae canon esto. To this effect the people would not suffer king Saul to kill jonathan when he had eaten of the honey, when Saul band the people with an oath, not to eat until the evening: This was no treason when they hindered the king 〈◊〉 secute his rash intention, but it was his honour and glory 〈◊〉 preserve his children alive, It is reported, that King james the 6. in a treatise anent the powder treason, said, Pro aris, & focis, & patre patriae, etc. That is, when the religion the Commonwealth, and the King are in danger, men should not be silent, but the whole estates and members of the kingdom, as one man, should arise for the safety of any of the three. Hath not the body of this kingdom good reason to arise, when all the three are in danger at this time? 2. It is a mistaking to think that this is a new band against law, since it is nothing but the renewing of the Confession of Faith, warranted by the command and example of King james, and by the acts of Counsel, and Assembly: and if it were a new band, yet it is lawful and agreeable to the fundamental law foresaid, in respect that both King, country and religion were compassed either with spiritual dangers, or with both spiritual and bodily dangers, through the tyranny of the antichristian prelates.  
3. It is not a private league or band of any degree of subjects among themselves, but a public Covenant made of the collective body, even the estates of the kingdom, as well collective as representative, with God, and for God and the King.  
4. It can not fall under the censure of sedition (quae est seorsim itio à republica, ecclesia, à lege, rege, & grege) nor of troubling the peace of the kingdom, mentioned in the act of Parliament, since it is for the maintenance of religion, the King's authority, and the preservation of the laws, liberties, & peace of the kingdom, against all trouble and sedition, a duty whereunto all his Majesty's subjects are bound by the law of God and man to concur: and they who are enemies thereunto, are enemies to the peace of the kingdom, and seditious.  
●e 2. Objection, Is from the Act of Pearths assembly, commanding the practice of these novations in the worship of God, which by this Subscription we oblege us to forbear. Ans. 1. The conclusions of these meetings can not have the authority of a general assembly with us, except we by seeking precepts of that kind for these novations had inclined unto the same: and because it was unlawfully constitute both in the moderator and other members thereof, (The moderator was an usurping archbishop, the members were other usurping bishops, the constant moderators of presbyteries of the bishops own making, and one of every presbytery with the moderator, as the bishops commanded, by writing unto the presbyteries) and because the proceed and carriage thereof were crafty and violent: and although the prelates pretend the authority thereof against others for conscience, yet themselves have forborn the practice of some of these novations until this time, why then may we not forbear the practice of the rest, since the collective church or greatest part of the kirks in the kingdom did never acknowledge them for the constitution of an assembly. 2. The reason of the appointing of kneeling, by way of contraries infers now the forebearing of kneeling, For kneeling was concluded, because (as they alleged) the memory of superstition was passed. It should therefore now be foreborn, because the memory of superstition is revived and fragrant: They who practise kneeling, do keep the letter of the Act foresaid, but they who forebear it, do keep the life and reason of the Act. That is, They will use no gestures in God's worship which may strengthen superstition. 3. The Act was concluded, not by way of precept, as if it did ordain kneeling, but by way of counsel s●ying. The assembly thinks it good, etc. which was professed by the prelate themselves, and promises given, that no man should be constrained, end therefore no censure 〈◊〉 pointed for the contraviners. 4. The manner of practic hath never been particularly determined, which hath made so many disordered forms of observation in this land, hath multiplied scandals made the worship of GOD ridicolous, and therefore it may be a sufficient ground for our forebearance.  
5. The prelates profess themselves to be leaders and good examples unto others in all kind of good order: how many acts of the lawful general assemblies have they daily violate and broken? How can they then accuse us, for rejecting their unlawful acts, and crafty conclusions of their unlawful assemblies.  
The 3. Objection, Is from the Act of Parliament, ratifying the foresaid novations. Ans. 1. Ratification was not desired by the assembly: if the greater part had looked for ratification in Parliament, they had never given their consent in the assembly. 2. A supplication was orderly presented before the Parlaiment, in the name of the Ministers, against these novations, and the supplication being suppressed, protestation was made in due time and place, according to the order of law. 3. The greatest promises that could be devised was made by his Majesty's Commissioners, that the articles should never be pressed, nor penalty should be affixed; and that no further conformity in ceremonies with England should be urged hereafter. 4. The Act of Parliament, although it hath the nature of a law, and therefore hath authority over all the subjects is nothing but a mere ratification, and can not alter the nature of the act of the assembly, to turn a counsel into a precept; neither a precept into a counsel, for that were rather to make a law in matters of religion, then to ratify the act of the church the act of the assembly ordained kneeling by way of counsel, Therefore the act of Parliament when it ratifieth the act dissembly, it must only ratify it to be but a counsel.  
5. It is repugnant to the fundamental laws of the kingdom, to fine, confine, or punish the subjects with any pain which is not expressed in the common law; supposing it to be enacted by their own consent in parliament. The subscribers, who are the greater part of the lieges, do deny preceptive power to the act, and will concur by all means lawful to keep themselves and others free of all censures for matters of that kind, till they obtain a Parliament & free assembly, like as they have already disclaimed the prelates & protested against the high commission  
The 4. objection, is from the oath that some Ministers have made at their entry, unto which the subscription seems to be contrary. Ans. So many as perceive the oath given at their entry to be unlawful, whither in respect of the unlawfulness of the thing which they have sworn, to practise; or in respect of the obligation of the oath tying them to practise, can pretend no scruple for their forbearance in time coming 2. Let every one consider with himself whither it was a dispencing with himself in the darkness, or scruple in his conscience, that he had at his entry in the Ministry, or an full persuasion of the lawfulness of the things themselves, that made him to give his oath: Every conscientious man would have been glad of a free entry without any oath of this kind.  
3. In the covenant there is nothing spoken of Pearths articles in themselves, or of any perpetual forbearance of the practice of them, but only of the forbearance for a time, viz. until a general assembly. 4. No prelate will say that he required, nor minister, that he hath given an oath of another kind, then that which is agreeable to the acts of assembly, and of Parliament; and therefore the observation thereof must be free & voluntary as unto a counsel; and not necessary, as unto precept.  
5. The reviving of superstition is a reason no less for●● for forbearance of the practice of the thing sworn, than the pretended removing of superstition, which was forcible for the practice itself, for the freedom from superstition, and the removing thereof was the ground of the act, and thereafter of the oath required. Because I promised to hold the ports open while the enemy is a far of, shall I be bound to hold them open and not rather to shoot them, when the enemy is come near unto the door, and beginenth to enter in. 6. All thought the matters were indifferent (yet in case of scandal, which is palbable) they being introdictory to Popery, forbearance is a necessary duty, neither is it to be thought that any man was so unadvised as to swear a perpetual practice, whatsoever should be the consequence: For even the ceremonial law, which God himself ordained was abolished, when it became unprofitable. 7. The prelate's are now turned Popish, and liberty from their yoke being offered they deserve to die in servitude who refuse the offer.  
8. The oath to be taken of the Ministers at their entry is expressed in the act of Parliament: The prelate's for exacting an oath without warrant of law, and the Ministers who subject themselves to this episcopal tyranny, are both censurable by the law, and the things themselves are unlawful which were sworn, and therefore they are the more censurable. 9 No Minister hath sworn obedience to Pearths articles, but they have already forborn, and are like to forbear all the days of their life the practice of some of them (as of confirmation, etc.) without any suspicion of perjury: for how can the Ministers be further bound then the prelate's, the authors and urgers of the oath, why may not we also forbear the practice of the rest?  
Qu. May not subjects make a religious solemn covenant with God, with the approbation of their  rulers, albeit neither the subjects themselves, nor their progenitors have made such a covenant before?  
Ans. May not the children of a great man, without the liberty and consent of his chamberlain make a solemn covenant, and promise of loyal service and obedience to their loving father 〈◊〉 Lord? All governors, kings, and princes are GOD'S cha●●rlanes, the e●ect are God's children by creation and regeneration, they may and should offer service and obedience to their Lord and heavenly Father, though all the world be against it: Christian magistrates, if they be well informed, will be the first practisers thereof, and cause their subjects do the like. 2. Joseph of Arimathea sought liberty of Pilate, to bury the body of Jesus, but he sought not liberty to believe in Christ, and turn a Christian. Moses sought liberty, and did supplicat Pharaoh, to let the Israelits go out of Egypt, but Pharaoh re●ected it, & contemned the message, GOD without supplication brought his people out with a high hand. 3. When Christ called his apostles, converted Zicheus, Marie Magdalene, and others, He bade them not seek liberty from any ruler. When the 3000 converts received baptism the seal of the covenant, Act 2 they sought not liberty from Pilate nor Caesar. Rulers are ordained of GOD to take care that the people bind themselves by the strictest bands that can be, to do such loyal duties unto GOD, and they should not hinder the same.  
4. Our Lord said, Matth. 18.19. If two of you agree on earth, touching any thing that you shall ask, it shall be done for you: and where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am in the mids of them: shall two or three have greater liberty than many thousands? Quest.  
May they make a Covenant of mutual defence from the injuries of their enemies, if their ruler's consent notwith them.  
Ans. They are false Christians, if they be not united God by faith, and among themselves by mutual love. The Lord said, john. 13. A new Commandment I give you that you love one an other, etc. They neither have Christian love neither can any man know it, if it be not expressed in such loving acts, and mutual duties, which men should both swear and perform, for these duties are the righteous judgements and commandments of God, The sum of God's law is the love of God, and of our neighbours, which is practised in such duties. Psal. 119.106. I have sworn and will perform, that I will keep thy righteous judgement. Qu. Should not men obey their rulers in all things, either by doing or suffering, whether they command good or evil? Ans. Yes, if a more lawful cannot be found how to eschew their evil, then good laws should be obeyed actively, & evil laws passively. But oftimes Christ lawfully fled away from his persecutors, so did the Prophets and Apostles. Elias had a warrant from God to kill Baal's Prophets, the people justly hindered King Saul to execute his rash intention in kill Jonathan, we should not resist evil, in revenging our own particulars, for it is a robbing of God's glory, who saith, Vengeance is mine, I will repay. But when God's glory and worship is tread under foot; then the zeal of God's house should consume his servants, & chiefly when no Magistrate will continuance and assist God's matters. Thus jesus did scourge the buyers and sellers in the temple, Samuel killed king Agag. Phineas killed Zimri and Cosbi, Samson slew the Philistines. Qu.  
GOD saith honour thy father and mother, Ergo we should obey them in all their precepts?  
Ans. The scribes and pharisees sat not in the chair of Moses, God's Prophet, when they taught against his law: so magistrates are not in station of parents, but of God's enemies, when they command things contradictory to his word; when men than obey them, they honour them not as parents, but as God's enemies, and thereby they profess themselves to be the children of God's enemies: when men dissobey such precepts, they honour their parents, because when governors return again unto the true station of parents, they will allow and command unlawful precepts to be dissobeyed: But if men suffer by unlawful judges, they should do it patiently, because Christ hath commanded it. Qu. Some orthodox fathers approved kneeling; and the service book, Ergo we should do so.  
Ans. Origene said, the devils should be saved: Tertullian and Hieronymus condemned second marriages; Ambrose condemned the children of the faithful, who died unbaptised, should we do so, because they were orthodox fathers. 2. Sundry counsels ordained kneeling to the sacrament: but albeit all counsels and fathers had ordained it, seeing it hath been unto men's Souls oftimes deadly, evermore hurtful, and never profitable, it should be abolished. The like I say of this book.  
3. Act. 15. the Apostles ordained the Christians of Antiochia to abstain from meats offered to idols, from blood, and from things strangled; shall we therefore be burdened with these things. Some legal rites were permitted to Christians in the new Testament, until they were better instructed, and then they would willingly forsake them: The ceremonial law was not smothered down suddanly, but it evanished by little & little, and so it was honourably buried. The ark and mercy seat, and the Urim and Thumim were abolished, before the birth of the Messiah, for they were not in the second temple.  
FINIS.   

Answers to the censures of some, in certain particulars of this book.  
SOme allege that the answers of the question 33. dissuade men to kneel unto Kings and Monarches, because it is said there that kneeling is most proper unto God, and that by kneeling God is discerned from all creatures.  
Ans. Kneeling and all kinds of honour with their gestures are most proper unto God, because he is God.  adoration and the gestures thereof is a honour that secondary belongeth unto men, because they are inferior unto God 2. God is discerned from all creatures by kneeling, either by itself alone or conjunct●●e with other gestures. 1. When some admit other sorts of bowing and adoration, but they leave kneeling unto God only. 2. When some admit kneeling with one knee, leaving unto God kneeling with both the knees. 3. When some kneel unto men with their knees clothed and covered, but unto God with naked and bare knees. 4. When some with their kneeling unto God conjuctlie hold their faces and hands unto heaven, thereby acknowledging his glory, or with Elias, holding their faces on the earth acknowledging their own unworthiness. 5.  
When some kneeling unto men, do but touch the earth, and suddenly they rise up again, but they continue a long time kneeling unto God at prayer and thanksgiving. 6. When some kneel unto men only 〈◊〉 they seek a great benefit or deliverance, but unto God always in their daily worship. All gestures of  adoration are more tolerable, ●f greater expressions of reverence & humility be given unto God. This reason is good: Kings and Monarches are of greater dignity, and place then other men, therefore they should have more  honour. This reas●n is also good, for God's honour who is of greater digni●y than all creatures, And albeith n●ne can express the greatness of the inward and outward honour that is due unto God, shall he therefore not differ in outward adoration above all others?  
The question 29. speaketh of bowing towards he earth, It includes in it kneeling, which is a k●nde of bowing, Then God is discerned from all creatures by kneeling, albeit men kneel unto kings & Monarches; etc. But neither religiously nor civility should men keel unto the Sacrament; for it is neither God nor a fellow citizen with men. If is were lawful to adore any creature religiously, the poorest Christian is more worthy both of religious and  adoration than any sacrament. 1. Because the sacrament is ordained for Christians, but not Christians for the Sacrament.  
2. Christians are members of Christ, so are no Sacraments. 3. Christ died for them, but for no Sacrament. 4. They are lively temples of the Holy Ghost, so are no Sacraments.  
Answers to the censures of the question 35.  
SOme say that the writer defendeth that Christ hath two person, because he speaketh of a twofold subsistence to be in his natures.  
Ans. Alstedii metaphysicae pars. 1. cap. 3. Exist●●●●est nobilior vel ignobilior nobilior dicitur subsistentia, à quares denominatur subsistens. Estque vel suppositum vel persona. Suppositum est quodlibet individuum per se subsistens, persona est subsistens intelligens. Existentia ignobilior dicitur inexistentia. Regula. 7.  
Suppositum latiùs patet quàm persona.  
Suppositum est res per se subsistens, id est, non existens in alio per modum inbaesionis. Persona insuper est aliquod intelligens. Sic lapis in lapicidina aicitur supppositum, & non persona. Paulus est & suppositum & persona. Subsistere hic non accipitur late pro eo quod habet verum esse & non apparens; neque pro eo quod alicui substat sed strictè pro eo quod est non inesse in subjecto per modum inhaesionis, neque inesse in toto per modum partis. Schola facit duplex subsistere, viz. 1. Negativum, quod non est in alio ut accidens in Subjecto, quo sensit humana Christi natura dicitur subsistere in verbo seu persona divina. 2. Positivum quod ita per se existit ut ab alio non pendeat, hoc modo non subsistit, nisi persona seu hypostasis.  
These show that the schoolmen admitted a twofold subsistence in the person of Christ. The writer of this book hath this division, for in the person of Christ his humane nature hath a negative, his Divine nature a positive subsistence; for his humane nature subsisteth not in his person, as accidents inherent in a subject, but so it dependeth upon his person, that from his first conception he was assumed into the personal union. If he had ever any being without this union, he had been a person by himself, Because he hath understanding: But his manhood had never such a being, and so it was never a person; His Divinity had never such dependence: but before this union he was the second person of the Trinity, without all beginning. This union was signified by binding the sacrifice to the horns of the altar. Christ, GOD and man, is the Priest, his Divinity the altar, his humanity the sacrifice; the personal union is the binding of the sacrifice to the altar: When the sacrifice was killed and brunt, the ashes fell down through the grate of the altar, and remained still within it: when Christ was killed, his dead body in the grave, and His Soul in paradise, remained still united unto the altar of his Divinity; Death separated his soul from his body, but could not break the personal union. By virtue of this union he did cast out devils by the finger of GOD, healed the sick, raised the dead, forgave sins, he wrought miracles, and prophesied. Because of this union he said Before Abraham was I am; He said to his Apostles: ●eho. I am with you into the end of the world. Because of this union, Joh. said chap. 1. The word was 〈◊〉 plesh, & Thomas said, Joh 20. My Lord and my God. This union is called hypostatical that is the union of subsistence, because his humane nature did never subsist, nor have being without it. That the writer used not the word subsistence in the strict sense for a person, but in the larger sense for a true being, without accidental inhesion, his own words immediately preceding do prove it: For he testified five times that Christ● two natures were united into one person, viz. in the 〈◊〉 line of page 65. and in the 13. 17. 18. and 〈…〉 of the page 66. The like was never done by here●●●● would they so often & so manifestly contradict themselves in the same page, a Kingdom divided against itself can not stand, no more can an heresy stand against such contradiction. If some witnesses had testified against the writer, and as many for him, a charitable judge should incline to the best censure, rather absolving then condemning him, much more when five witnesses do clearly testify for him, proclameing his innocency, and one only is brought against him, which taken in the right sense is also for him, And the manner of the speech importeth a personal union, for he saith not, They have, but he hath two subsistances. This word He cannot be meant of the GOD head alone nor of the manhood alone, for none of them alone hath two natures much less two people. Then it is meaned of one who hath the two natures mentioned in the division; viz. the person of Christ. Then albeit the word hypostasis or subsistentia, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by an excellency, is oftimes taken for a person, because it is the more noble subsistence, it followeth not therefore that every subsistence shall be called a person Because Rome by an excellency is called urbs a town, Ovid. Sine me liber ibis in urbem; Shall therefore no other town be called urbis but Rome. The father's speaking of the Trinity, because some confusedly spoke of the persons in the Godhead, and of the Divine essence as of one thing: Therefore they ordained that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should only be spoken of the essence of GOD, and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be spoken of every person particularly: for the essence of GOD, is common to the Father, Son and holy Ghost, but the personal properties are different, and not common. This was decreed in a council at Alexandria, about the year of GOD 363. But the Fathers never forbade the same words to be used in their other significations, when occasion is offered: Such a prohibition would import a contempt of the holy Scriptures, wherein both these words are read in other significations, for in Luk. 15. vers. 13. the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth riches or goods. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is read in 2. Cor. 9.4. Hebr. 1.4. and 3. vers. 14. and 11. vers. 1. Aria's montanus' in all these 4. places exponeth the word substance but never person, others in all these places indifferently turn it substance or subsistence, except only Hebr. 1.4. where some turn it person. But all agree in this, that Hypostasis in scriptures doth oftiner signify some other thing then a person.  
Then the Scriptures do favour this division & the sense thereof. Hebr. 11.1. faith is the subsistence of things to come: That is, by faith we believe the true being and existence of things to come, & that as truly as if we did see them with our bodily eyes, and among things to come is Christ whom we believe to have a true subsistence, or being as GOD, because he is very GOD, and to have a true subsistence, or being, and existence as man, because he is also very man in the same person By faith, I say, we believe that he hath this wosold subsistence, and true being in one person, because neither natural reason, nor sense, nor experience have taught us the same, but only we believe it by faith in his word, as the holy Spirit hath persuaded us. Pareus in Hebr. 11.1. interprets the word indifferently by substance, or subsistence, and not by person, and in Hebr. 3. vers. 14. he giveth it the same sense: and because some take occasion at this same text to deny that Hypostasis did ever signify a person, he saith, Nec est quod heretici hinc negent hypostasin personam significare ●n Divinis: voces enim homonymae pro subjecta materia acci●iendae sunt, hic subsistentiam spei significat: at in Cap. 1.3. subsistentiam filij Dei. This writer hath pro subjecta materia the twofold subsistence or twofold manner of ●rue being of the natures of Christ.  
Quest. But how is the ambiguity removed from the word?  
Ans. The answer to the question 33. plainly showeth his personal union, this is sufficient: but the five testimonies in the same page are more than sufficient to remove the homonymy and ambiguity of the word. And albeit these were not, seeing the words may ●s well have a true sense as a false, why was the false ●●nse fathered upon the words and not the true, seeing ●here is not a word in the book that smells of the false ●●nse? Nevertheless, the writer desireth such as ●ave the book to change the word subsistence into existence, for subsistence in the general sense differeth not much from it, not as if the word subsistence ●ere not both sound and orthodox in this place, But ●ast this present censuring of the word, make anti●hristians think that the word favoureth their bad purposes, & also lest the more ignorant be offended, ●s if the word signified nothing but a person.   

Answer to the censure of the beginning of the second treatise in pag. 70. That ●he te●t of Math. 11. is cited impertinantly there.  
Ans. The yoke of antichrist doth heavily burdeine men's consciences with sin & guiltiness, with the fear of purgatory, and the doubting of salvation, which they teach: They are thralled with idolatry, and ●●●ed with the pride and covetousness of prelates: The LORD speaking of the Scribes & pharisees (in Math. 23.) saith: They bind heavy burdens, etc. and lay them on men's shoulders: Is not this their oppression and traditions? The renewing of our Covenant with Christ is a foresaking of this yoke, & a returning unto Christ for ease and Christian liberty. In the commentary of the harmony written by Chemnitius and Polycarpus, Lyserus upon the same text, Chrysostomus is cited affirming this only to be the meaning of Christ's words: and when the commentary itself saith that the words are spoken of three sorts of persons, he beginneth with the same meaning, saying: That Christ understandeth these who labour under legal ceremonies, & humane traditions; and of these whose consciences are burdeined with sins & with the sense of GOD'S wrath, and of these who suffer crosses and tribulation.   
FINIS.  
At Domini in cunctis aequa est verax que potestat,  
Aspectum cujus nulla remota latent.