The orthodox faith and vvay to the Church explaned and iustified in answer to a popish treatise, entituled, White died blacke; wherein T.W. p. in his triple accusation of D. White for impostures, vntruths, and absurd illations, is proued a trifler: and the present controuersies betweene vs and the Romanists are more fully deliuered and cleared. By Francis White Bachelour in Diuinitie, and elder brother of Doctor Iohn White.

Article 12. Keeping set houres of Prayer; as in the mor∣ning, at the third, the sixt, the ninth, euensong, and midnight.

Our Aduersarie would hence extract his Popish Ca∣nonicall houres: but neither the number, (for Popish houres are seuena) nor the the time, neither yet the form and matter of the seruice agree.

Midnight is none of the Romane houres; and the matter of Paula her seruice, were praiers, thanksgiuings, and Psalmes, taken out of the holy Scriptureb, vsed in a knowne tongue, and ioyned with vnderstanding and in∣ward deuotion. But our Romists Canonicall houres consist (very much) of inuocation of Saints and An∣gels, of superstitious blessing of Creatures; Hymnes and chauntings in the honour of the Virgin Marie; and the parcels of Scripture vsed in their seruice, are miserably and ineptly peruerted to superstition. Also this seruice is performed in an vnknowne tongue, which many times the Priests themselues vnderstand notc: and according to their doctrine it is not materiall, whether any person present vnderstand a word of it or notd. Neither is in∣ward deuotion necessarie to the substance of this seruice, but onely for greater perfectione: nor yet any particular attendance to the wordsf, or actuall attention to the mat∣ter in hand, or to the end in generall: but onely an atten∣tion virtual, which is, that one going to Mattins or Euen∣song,

purpose to fulfill the commaundement of the Churchg; and admit that in rehearsing these Orisons one pronounce the words softly, that others can scarse heare, or in false orthography, or wherrie them ouer as one troales an emptie cart; and if the mind wander and be distracted, yea, if one whisper with another; and salute commers in, or subscribe his name; yet entertaining no wilfull cogitation repugnant to the generall end of ser∣uing Godh: This externall worke of babble and lip-la∣bour, is diuine worship; and doth impetrate, satisfie and merit for themselues and others.

Also the Papists concerning the time of canonicall houres, turne night into day, and one houre into ano∣ther: midnight Euensong is said at Sunne settingi; the Mattins of the next day may be rehearsed ouer nightk. And if a Priest post ouer all the canonicall houres by nine of the clocke in the forenoone, because he would go to pastime, and sport himselfe the rest of the day, he com∣mitteth no mortall sinnel.

Thus the superstition of Popish canonicall houres agrees with the practise of Hierom and Paula, like the croaking of Frogs in a marrish with Dauids harpe.

Notes

• a

  Azor. p. 1. mor. instit. l. 10. c. 1. Epiphan. haer. 80. in fine, hath but two or three houres: and Hierom 6.
• b

  Hier. ib. Psal. terium canta∣bant, &c.
• c

  Catharin. an∣not. con. Caieta. cited by Sixtus Senens. l. 6. bibl. an. 263.
• d

  Iac. Graph. decis. aur. p. 1. l. 2 c. 52. n. 15.
• e

  Ib. c. 53. n. 16. qui caret deuo∣tione non pec∣cat.
• f

  Bellar. de bon. oper. l. 1. c. 18. Tolet. instr sac. l. 2 c. 13. Less. de iust. & iur. l. 2. c. 37. d. 2.
• g

  Azor. p 1. inst mor. l. 10. c. 10. Naua Man. c. 25 Siluest. sum. v. hora. n 14. Iac. Graph. ib. c. 52. n. 4. & 8. Vide Bellarm. Tolet. Lesseus. Nauar. &c.
• h

  Azor. ib. c. 11. Iac Graph. ib. n. 8 & 18. Durand. 4. d. 15. q. 12. n 6. Paluda. 4 d. 15. Antonio. 3 tit. 13. c. 4. § 8. Angel. v. hora. Tabien. v. hora. Siluest. v. hora. Ioh. Medina, de orat. q. 15. and many later Ca∣suists. Caietan. opufc. to 2. tr. 4. Clericus obli∣gatus ad horas, si praeter inten∣tionem euaga tur, excusatur ab intentione. Dum cantatur Kyrie (in Missa) potest licite sacerdos, dicere horas canonicas.
• i

  Azor. ib c 9. Tolet ib. l. 2. c. 13. Nauar. Siluest. &c.
• k

  Tolet. ib. l. 2. c. 13.
• l

  Iac. Graph. decis. p. 1. l. 2. c. 53. n. 19.