It is now time to Argue the Point a little. The Discourser has Reasoned after this manner; The Mass-book is the Papists Idol: Protestants should not p••t such Honour upon that Idol, as to take their Prayers and Ceremonies from it. The Answerer Denies that the Mass-book is an Idol: and yet it is certain that the Papists Idolize it. And do, they not Swear by it? See Howell's Letters, pag. 218. And do they not say, that to Swear on a Protestant Bible, is no more Swearing, than on Aesop's Fables? If the Mass-Book is not (as among Papists it is) an Idol forbidden in the First, it is an Idol forbidden in the Second Commandment. All Images or Means of Worship not appointed by the Lord himself, are such Idols. But the principal difference between the Discourser and the Answerer, is on this Question, Whether the English Liturgy is not as to the Substance of it, borrowed from the Papists? The Author of the Discourse ••firms ⟨p. 10⟩that it is derived from the Romish; and that although' there are things in the Romish, which are not translated into English; and some things in the Common-Prayer Book, which are not in the other; nevertheless, that the Substance of the latter is taken out of the former. The Answerer says, that this is a gross Falsehood. If it is so, King James I. was very much mistaken, when in a General Assembly of the Ministers in Scotland, he thus Expressed himself; As for our Neighbour Kirk in England, their Service is an evil said Mass in English; they want nothing of the Mass, but the lifting up. I Charge you my Good People, Ministers, Pastors, Doctors, Elders, Nobles, Gentlemen to stand to your Purity, and to Exhort the People to do the same. This Speech was uttered by the King, August 4. 1590, as is testified by Mr. Calderwood, in his History of Scotland, pag. 256. We find in our Martyr Books, Vol. 2. p. 667. that King Edward the VI. in his Declaration to the Devonshire men who rose up in Rebellion, in defence of the Popes Service Book, has these words; As for the Service in the English Tongue, it perchance seems to you a New Service; yet indeed it is no other but the Old, the same words in English, for NOTHING is altered; but to speak with Knowledge that which was spoken with Ignorance, only a few things taken out so fond, that it had ⟨p. 11⟩been a Shame to have heard them in English. If the Service were good in Latin, it is good in English.
It is now time to Argue the Point a little. The Discourser has Reasoned after this manner; The Mass-book is the Papists Idol: Protestants should not p••t such Honour upon that Idol, as to take their Prayers and Ceremonies from it. The Answerer Denies that the Mass-book is an Idol: and yet it is certain that the Papists Idolize it. And do, they not Swear by it? See Howell's Letters, pag. 218. And do they not say, that to Swear on a Protestant Bible, is no more Swearing, than on Aesop's Fables? If the Mass-Book is not (as among Papists it is) an Idol forbidden in the First, it is an Idol forbidden in the Second Commandment. All Images or Means of Worship not appointed by the Lord himself, are such Idols. But the principal difference between the Discourser and the Answerer, is on this Question, Whether the English Liturgy is not as to the Substance of it, borrowed from the Papists? The Author of the Discourse ••firms ⟨p. 10⟩that it is derived from the Romish; and that altho' there are things in the Romish, which are not translated into English; and some things in the Common-Prayer Book, which are not in the other; nevertheless, that the Substance of the latter is taken out of the former. The Answerer says, that this is a gross Falshood. If it is so, King James I. was very much mistaken, when in a General Assembly of the Ministers in Scotland, he thus Expressed himself; As for our Neighbour Kirk in England, their Service is an evil said Mass in English; they want nothing of the Mass, but the lifting up. I Charge you my Good People, Ministers, Pastors, Doctors, Elders, Nobles, Gentlemen to stand to your Purity, and to Exhort the People to do the same. This Speech was uttered by the King, August 4. 1590, as is testified by Mr. Calderwood, in his History of Scotland, pag. 256. We find in our Martyr Books, Vol. 2. p. 667. that King Edward the VI. in his Declaration to the Devonshire men who rose up in Rebellion, in defence of the Popes Service Book, has these words; As for the Service in the English Tongue, it perchance seems to you a New Service; yet indeed it is no other but the Old, the same words in English, for NOTHING is altered; but to speak with Knowledge that which was spoken with Ignorance, only a few things taken out so fond, that it had ⟨p. 11⟩been a Shame to have heard them in English. If the Service were good in Latin, it is good in English.
