A mess of Pottage well seasoned and crumbed, With bread of life, and easy to be digested. Against the contumelious Slanderers of Divine-Service, terming it porridge.  
whereunto is added an Answer to lame Giles Calfines mess of Pottage, which he terms in his halting speech to be well crumbed and seasoned, &c.  
In which small Tract you shall find such reasons given against it, as are unanswerable by any man whatsoever.  

I Need not make an apology to the ensuing Discourse, it is well known to all honest and discreet Protestants, how basely our Service-Book is termed( by the name of porridge, a name very frequent in uncivil mouths) and trampled under foot by unreasonable men, that have neither Faith nor charity; and although they bee now well fed to the full, and may go from one Church to another to please their palate, and taste of what pleaseth them best yet there may a time come( which I pray God there do not) that they may be glad of the crumbs which fall from their Masters Table: but let them alone a while, the thing that I say is this, That our Common Prayer is so abhorred, depraved, detested, and despised by many, as if it were the most vilest thing in the world; nay, if the devil himself had composed it, it could not be more vilified than it is: It is a shane to speak, and I blushy to hear it, that men that think themselves such rare Divines, that people that think they have such knowledge and zeal, to term such a good thing, and such holy matter as there is, to be porridge: oh fie! where is your judgement? where is your moderation? what, quiter lost? is this your zeal turned to hate? you are surely of an hot and fiery spirit, contrary to the name of warm and wholesome porridge; if you knew but the right virtue of Pottage, you would not have termed the Common Prayer so, but your own Prayers: For do ye not know, That they were godly men that made them, they were not made ex tempore, but with deliberation, not hand over head, as many do in these dayes, but seriously considered of, and premeditated: and do you not know, That these good men laid down their lives for this and the Truth? and do ye not know, That they were established and maintained by Acts of Parliament? in the reign of three Kings and one queen, and is it now made a laughing stock; surely you should have more manners than so.  
Indeed, it is Parliament time, and men speak and do what they list now, and so do ye: for ye speak evil of Kings, of authority and dignity, and despise government, contrary to the Apostles rule. Oh the great malice that is one against another! against peer and Peasant, against Priest and People; oh envy, thou limb of the devil! how rulest thou in the hearts of people, especially against Bishops; oh how odious is that name to many! but I counsel you to speak moderately, and judge charitably; if they bee stained, let them be pained: they have faults as well as wee, yet they are Gods ambassadors, his Stewards, his Angels, Disposers of Gods secrets, Disbursers of his treasuries, then revile them not, for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the Ruler of the people.  
But as for that which you call porridge, who hatched the name I know not, neither is it worth the inquiring after, nor the worse for that name, nor none the worse that useth it; for I hold porridge good food, it is better to a sick man than meat; for a sick man will sooner eat Pottage than meat: Pottage will digest with him, when meat will not: Pottage will nourish the blood, fills the veins, runs into every part of man, and make him warmer; so will these prayers do, and work more effectually, set the body and soul in a heat, warm our devotion, works fervency in us, lifts up our soul to God. And many things more it worketh in us; if we had but appetite to them, and it is well stored with herbs out of Gods garden, here a little, and there a little, as appears in the beginning of the Common Prayer, and so forward to the end of it. For there is the herbs of Gods own planting( in our Pottage, as you call it) the ten Commandements, dainty herbs to season any Pottage in the world; then there is our Saviours form of Prayer, and that is a most sweet pot-herb, cannot be denied; then there is also Davids herb, his Prayers and psalms, help to make our Pottage relish well; then S. Pauls precepts; also the Creed, a very faithful pot-herb; and the Song of the blessed Virgin, a good pot-herb; so that this porridge hath abundance of choice herbs to season it, and those that will eat no such porridge as these, so well dressed, it is pity but they should fast, and as the proverb is, Those that will eat no porridge must eat no meat. Though they be( as some term them) Cock-crowed Pottag, yet they are as sweet, as good, as dainty, and as fresh as they were at first: The Sun hath not made them sour with his heat, neither hath the could winter taken away their vigour and strength, but they are as wholesome and as well relished as at the first, and unless you be sick for novelties, you cannot eat better than these. Compare them with the Scriptures, and see if they be not as well seasoned and crumbed: if you find any thing in them, that is either too salt, or too fresh; too bitter, or too sour, too little, or too great; that herb shall be taken out, and a better put in if it can be got, or none at all: And as in kitchen porridge there is many good herbs in it: so there is likewise in this Church porridge,( as you call it.)  
For first in kitchen porridge, is good water to make them so; on the contrary, in the other porridge is the water of life. 2. There is salt to season them: In the other is a prayer for grace to season our hearts. 3. There is oatmeal to nourish the body: in the other, is the words of him that is the bread of life, which nourisheth our souls and bodies to eternal life. 4. There is Thyme in them to relish them, and it is very wholesome: In the other is a wholesome exhortation, not to harden our hearts whilst it is called today: this relisheth well. 5: There is a small Onion to give a taste: In the other is a good herb called Lord have mercy upon us, which gives a sweet taste to the soul. 6. There is Rosemary to comfort and refresh the body: In the other is comfortable words of Christ: Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden, and I will refresh your souls. 7. There is Marie-gold leaves, to revive the spirits: And so in the other, there is the souls magnifying the Lord, and the spirits rejoicing in God our Saviour. These and many wholesome herbs are contained in it, and all these boiling in the heart of man, will make as good porridge as the world can afford, especially if you use the herbs following for digestion, viz. The herb repentance, the herb grace, the herb faith, the herb hope, the herb love, the herb good works, the herb piety, the herb zeal, the herb fervency, the herb ardency, the herb vigilancy, and the herb constancy; with many more of this nature, which are most excellent for digestion. And those that despise this porridge of ours have no appetite to the Lords Prayer the ten Commandements, the psalms of David, and other good matter that is in them, this being contained in the Common Prayer, must be despised also: but me thinks I hear some say, they despise not those. What is it then I pray that you dislike in this porridge? O sir I know your meaning by your gaping, this sticks in your teeth, and spoils your stomach. 1 There is,( you say) too much of the Surplice, which smelleth of the garment of the whore. 2. There is too much crossing in baptism, and that smells( you say) of the mark of the Beast,( but of what beast I wot not.) 3. There is too much bowing and that tastes of Idolatry. 4. There is too much ring in Matrimony, and this smells of superstition. 5. Too much kneeling at the Sacrament this tastes of Antichrist. 6. Too much standing up this smells of vain glory. 7. Too much Glory be to the Father, and this is superstitious. 8. There is too much Lord have mercy on us, and this is needless. 9. Too much Lords Prayer, and this is odious in every ones mouth. 10. There bee too many prayers, and they savour not of the spirit. And what of all these, do they savour so strong in your nose, that you dare not peep into the Church? Then I may say, you savour of an ill smell, and are very absurd, and you have got a great could in your feet, and it is fumed up into your head, and so stuffs your brain, that you cannot smell any thing at all, and carrion is as good to your scent, as good& wholesome porridge is. That which you hold to be the worst,( as namely crossing, bowing, surplice, kneeling, &c. is not worth the speaking and he is a mad man that believes there is salvation in them, and so of necessity we must use them: no, they may be left at any time, when authority shall command: they are ordered but for decency sake, and as near to the Primitive times as could be gathered; and if we have no order in our Churches, we shall be a reproach to all people. If wee should bee of that mind as the fashion is, or many people are, we then must have a new form of prayer every year, so that you would have something, but know not what: so that you are not content full nor fasting, neither with porridge, nor without.  
If Pottage had not been good food, jacob would have made none, neither would the Angel of the Lord have carried Abbacuc by the hair of the head, to Daniel in the lions Den, that he might eat the Pottage which Abbacuc had prepared for the Reapers. Ile warrant you Daniel was glad of them, he went not behind the door to eat them, as many in our dayes to stand at the Church door till the Service is done, and then come and eat the bread out of others mouths: but believe it theres no death in this pottage, in this Common-prayer, though many have preached, and said there is, and that it is mere popery. If this be the opinion of roundheads, then it is no marvel we are so subject to change: for mark it always, that that which is round is soonest moved, and never constant, neither in manner, fashion, or place: their wit is like quick-silver in a foot-ball, always running, so nothing can stay their humour. Therefore I counsel you to do as Esau Iacobs brother did, who sold his Birth-right for a mess of pottage, so would I have you to do, to sell your selfe-opinions for this Pottage; I do not mean that you should your chiefest Birth-right, The Word of God, that unto which you are born, and must die for; not to sell this for ceremony, not to sell the substance for a shadow, but despise the bare conceit of it: and I dare warrant you that the using of this which you call porridge, will never prove your bane, neither shal you commit any sin in the least degree, provided, that you use them to no other end, then they were ordered unto, and that is as St. Paul speaks concerning the World, to use it, as not abusing it; for the fashion of the World passeth away, to such end we may use them and not abuse them knowing that it is in the power of the King and Parliament, to alter and change them when they please, if in case they be corrupted.  

You that unto the Flesh are so inclined,  
And love no meat but porridge( that's your mind)  
hark in thine ear, what I say, look well to it,  
For too much Flesh, perchance, will make thee rue it.  
See not thy mind upon the flesh too much,  
Least that it prove too hot for thee to touch;  
This kind of diet meat and porridge filleth,  
But too much Flesh alone the body spilleth.    

AN Answer to lame Giles Calfines mess of Pottage, which he terms in his halting speech to bee well crumbed and seasoned, &c.  
WHereas it seems to some lame in reason and blind in judgement, a great indignity to call the Service-Booke porridge, by a metaphor and similitude which will very well hold, considering the fat Cookes that first composed it out of the Popes kitchen, and have put thereinto weeds of Idolatry, thickened with many tautologies and repetitions; yet because Similitudo currit quatnor pedibus, Similitudes are more clear to illustrate than strong, to prove, it shall be here demonstrated that the Service-Booke is corrupted and unlawful, and first from the name, then from the nature: for that which is called the liturgy is the same with the mass, and so promiscuously called by the Papists jesuits; and is onely but an English mass, as theirs is in latin. Now it is known, that {αβγδ}, names are the very images of things, so that this liturgy is either a lethargy of worship, or a mass of Idolatry: it is therefore the Popes porridge, and his idol of Ignorance, and we are not to offer to an idol: Ergo, We are not to offer it to God as a worship.  
But that you may take a view of this Crambe recocta this twick-s●d pottage, mark the ingredients thereof, and whereof it is made, and you shall find therein no purity, but all papistry; the common prayers taken out of the popish Breviarie, out of the Papists ritual is deduced the Administration of the Sacraments, burial, Matrimony, and Visitation of the sick, and then the Consecration of the Lords Supper, Collects, Epistles and Gospels are taken out of the mass-book; and besides, in all the essential and integral parts thereof it is omoregenous with the mass▪ and therefore being taken and translated word for word out of the popish mass, it is not a book of Divine Service and worship, but an abomination to God, and therefore to be abolished, which may be proved out of these places of Scripture, Deut. 7. 25. 2 King. 23. 13. Ezra 9. 1. and Esa. 44. 19. Thus you see it is not taken out of the garden of godliness, nor composed of pure wholesome herbs as some ignorant Cooks would pretend, but the old profane pot-herbs of papistry. Now you shall next discern the matter of this porridge, which is false and erroneous in the corrupt Translations of the Word; as first, Psal. 105. 28. the book hath it thus, They were not obedient to his word; but the Scripture faith, They were not disobedient, to his word. Another place is, Luke 10 1. After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before them: but the Service-booke reads seventy two. Besides, there are many omissions, as of Hallelujah in the 72. Psal. and for, Praise the Lord, seventeen times omitted, the book putteth in, Gloria Patri▪ drowning also 160. Chapters, and in stead thereof have placed the Apocrypha. Besides, in reading the Scriptures they take but scraps and shreds▪ And thirdly, much superstitious action in reading the Epistles and Gospels.  
Having thus proceeded against the Service-booke in these accusations, of false Translations additions omissions, and mis-nominations, there are other faults in this book committed by mis-application of Scriptures, by coining things, and by popish expositions, and by pressing upon Ministers and people an heap of popish Ceremonies and tenants, as the prayer at the burial of the dead, Crosses and Surplices, and bowing and cringing to the Altar, and christening Font, all which being mans invention, must needs be Idolatrous: for, Quicquid praeter mandatum est Idolum, Whatsoever is placed in Gods worship without the Commandement of God, is an idol: besides, there are foppish foolish things in the book, as tautologies and battologies. vain repetitions of words, and that mutual salutation between Priest and people, in these words, The Lord bee with you and with your spirit▪ and W●men at the coming into the Church making a courtesy to the Priest: besides all this there is a litany, which is not a stump or limb of Dagon, but the head of the mass-book, in which there is nothing but vain repetition, and a multitude of words, as Lord deliver us, hear us wee beseech thee, and ridiculous Invocations like magic spells, and no better than conjuring. And therefore if the matter of the Service-Booke be partly false, foolish, ridiculous, and frivolous, therefore the worship therein contained should notbe presented unto God.  
Now as for form, which is the essence of a thing, it is nothing but unformed heap of disorder, and will-worship, the Minister using a strange and ridiculous change of voice, posture and place; and then many short Collects, of ●… ort shrods patched up together, to make a wearisome service upon the long last, and much tossing or driving the Service between the Priest and the people, praying with the Priest or repeating his prayer, and adding some responses and answers.  
Thus the name, original, matter and manner of the Service book, hath been shewed to be nought, and corrupt, therefore not to be suffered, but abolished, which hath been proved by nominal and real Arguments, and now it shall bee also clearly evinced from the proper and necessary bad effects thereof, and the evil cau●… is worse then the effect. Nam propter quod aliquid tale, &c. is a position in logic and Philosophy: and these evil effects are four, first it maketh a number of Sir Iohns, mere Surplice and Serv●ce-book men: also many non-residents and plurallists, who take choice of Curates to serve their cures at a cheap rate; besides it was a great affliction to Conformists, and non-Conformists, so that the Service-book was in some sort like the Metheg Ama●h, the bridle of the belly tract, or strength of the philistines; so this Service-booke was the strength of the Philistim prelacy; and a bridle with a cur●ing bit to stop, to wind and turn them at their pleasure; and some about this Service-booke were committed to the Egyptian bondage.  
In the second place, this Service-book brooked up all preaching, Doctor Houson affirming that preaching was no part of Divine worship; and thus Christs Word gave place to a farthel of mens devices: besides the Service-booke entrenches upon {αβγδ}, the people, Religion, and Law, and especially upon the Law by imprisoning and exercising jurisdiction in rebus non spiritualibus, in matters that were not spiritual, and then good people suffered in this furnace, in spoiling their goods, loss of liberty, and forsaking their own country, Gen●… patriae plangente, as Lipsius saith, the Genius of their country lamenting after them, or else laid in prison till their bones rotted, as Doctor Abbot said M. Baits should be, who was afterwards starved in the Gatehouse. And thus the furnace( for not adoring the Service book, as nabuchadnezzar for not adoring his idol) was ordinarily heated, and devoured many that were cast into it, and all opposition in that kind was punished with cutting, branding, slitting, whipping, pilloring, and fining. Then for bad people, if ignorance be the mother of destruction, then much guilt lieth in many plac●… of the Service-booke, having in some parishes not had a Sermon in many yeares: and in other places Sermons that were only. Husks, and no bread to feed upon, and all this proceeding from divers places of the liturgy and Service-booke, wherewith the Common people and Priests of Ignorance were enforced to be content.  
The l●st evil effect of this Service-booke is directly and immediately against God. Calvin in his Letter to Frankeford calleth it, the leavings of the popish dregs: and the Frankford book calleth them burdens, yokes, and clogs to Gods people and his Service: this derogation from Gods Service is their festival dayes to Saints, and their kneeling at the Communion, for non: but God can appoint an holiday, and for kneeling at the Sacrament it is a popish, modern posture of but 400. yeers standing, and is mere will-worship; for denying of which some have extremely suffered: and in regard this kneeling is a kneeling in respect and adoration by or before a creature, it is Idolatry, and likewise there be many strong arguments urged against the cross, to prove it the mark of the Beast. Lastly, the intercession of the Saints must be according to the will of God, otherwise he heareth not: but the prayers of the Service book are not such, but delinquent and peccant, both in name, original, matter, form, effects, properly proceeding therefrom, therefore they have no acceptance before God, they shall not by him be heard: and therefore are profanely and superstitiously used, and being gross papistry, may be called the Popes pottage, made of divers weeds instend of Herbs, preposterously served up by the Priest, unwholesome for the soul, and displeasing to God, as being mans Cookery, full of absurdity, contrary to Gods glory.  
Thus lame Gyles Calfine, I hope I have satisfied you in your halting Laodicean opinion: for whereas you say it is the true bread of life, I do think you are mistaken, and that you were an hungry and wanted your breakfast at that time: and whereas you say they are well seasoned, you are mistaken also, unless you head put some flesh into your pot, or at least wise the four first letters of your name; which if you had done, they would have been somewhat better crumbed and seasoned. So in fine, good Gyles Calfine, hoping to an end, He leave you in the midst of your pottage; and( such stuff); and for my part I will put off my doublet, and will swim to the meate, which is fitting for men, and not for such children as you are who are ignorantly brought up, and still are as innocent in matters of Exposition, as alyour generation was in matter of state-affairs. And so much for this time.   
FINIS.