7 Though other Churches were thus over-grown with Forms of Worship, yet the Roman Bishops especially, did multiply Forms and superstitious Rites excessively. Rome being (in Gods secret Providence) left to become the very seat and throne of Antichrist. The Bishops themselves also finding it exceeding hard to bring in the Religion of Christ, without conforming to the Pagan rites, as Casaubon observes. For it appears even in the time of Theodosius, wherein Christianity was risen to a great head, the1 Senate being sent unto by him to renounce their Pagan Religion, and receive the law of Christ, they returned answer that they would not, but that they would observe the ancient law Pompilian, to avoid the ruin of the Common-wealth, which they feared might come by the change of Religion. The Roman Bishops also for 400 years together, could never obtain of the Senate, nor multitudes of the Roman Idolaters, to renounce their inveterate Idolatry, and receive the Gospel. Hence they conformed their Rites and Ceremonies to the Pagan and Idolatrous customs, the better to allure them to Christ according to their carnal policy. ⟨p. 66⟩We find all the principal parts of the Mass to be borrowed from the Idolatrous Pagans, and to have their original from Numa Pompilius that Conjurer, who lived 700 years before Christ, to adorn and deck (as the Bishops thought) the Religion of Christ Jesus, to the which with much ado at last the Romans were converted. To which principal parts, viz. Vestments, Holy-water, the Con•iteo•, Organs, Incense, Offertory, &c. other deckings were added also, as divers Litanies, and the Kyrie Elyson to be sung nine times, invented by Gregory a Monk at first, well studied in the laws of Numb and Tullus Hostilius: Damasus (as Platina and Sabellius show) enriched it with Gloria Patri, &c. i. e. Glory be to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Sergius, with an Agnus Dei, to be sung three times. Alexander and other Bishops added the Canon of the Mass; others, the Epistles and Gospels: The Gradual and Collects were added by Gelasius, anno 493. The Gloria in excelsis by Symmachus 508. At last came the Host in about 1062. Much more might be said. All which when we consider, we confess we are pus•ed to discern the difference between the sound part and the scab. For if the principal formalities of the Mass (out of which our Liturgy was taken;
7 Though other Churches were thus over-grown with Forms of Worship, yet the Roman Bishops especially, did multiply Forms and superstitious Rites excessively. Rome being (in Gods secret Providence) left to become the very seat and throne of Antichrist. The Bishops themselves also finding it exceeding hard to bring in the Religion of Christ, without conforming to the Pagan rites, as Casaubon observes. For it appears even in the time of Theodosius, wherein Christianity was risen to a great head, the1 Senate being sent unto by him to renounce their Pagan Religion, and receive the law of Christ, they returned answer that they would not, but that they would observe the ancient law Pompilian, to avoid the ruine of the Common-wealth, which they feared might come by the change of Religion. The Roman Bishops also for 400 years together, could never obtain of the Senate, nor multitudes of the Roman Idolaters, to renounce their inveterate Idolatry, and receive the Gospel. Hence they conformed their Rites and Ceremonies to the Pagan and Idolatrous customes, the better to allure them to Christ according to their carnalll policy. ⟨p. 66⟩We finde all the principal parts of the Masse to be borrowed from the Idolatrous Pagans, and to have their originall from Numa Pompilius that Conjurer, who lived 700 years before Christ, to adorn and deck (as the Bishops thought) the Religion of Christ Jesus, to the which with much ado at last the Romans were converted. To which principall parts, viz. Vestments, Holy-water, the Con•iteo•, Organs, Incense, Offertory, &c. other deckings were added also, as divers Letanies, and the Kurie Elyson to be sung nine times, invented by Gregory a Monk at first, well studied in the laws of Num• and Tullus Hostilius: Damasus (as Platina and Sabellius shew) inriched it with Gloria Patri, &c. i. e. Glory be to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Sergius, with an Agnus Dei, to be sung three times. Alexander and other Bishops added the Canon of the Masse; others, the Epistles and Gospels: The Graduall and Collects were added by Gelasius, anno 493. The Gloria in excelsis by Symmachus 508. At last came the Host in about 1062. Much more might be said. All which when we consider, we confess we are pus•ed to discern the difference between the sound part and the scab. For if the principal formalities of the Masse (out of which our Liturgy was taken;
- 1Vid. Birth of Heresies, out of Elasopolitans Comment.
