A History of Antient Ceremonies; Containing an Account of Their Rise and Growth, Their First Entrance Into the Church, and Their Gradual Advancement

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1669 edition. Excerpt: ... The Preface., S touching the benefits dear Reader) which may accrue from what u presented to thee in this Trea use, and the Additions made thereunto by a person desirous of thy welfare: If so be that God hath 'vouchsafed thee deliverance from S uperstition and Error, by perusal hereof thou shalt be confirmed in the prosession of the Truth: but in case thou art still envajsalled under the Tole of Popery, thou shalt hereby be given to underhand how far thou art enslaved in that bandage; thou shalt see that the opiniative adherence of the Jews to Legal Ordinances; the invincible Obstinacy of Pagans in pursuit os their superstitious Ceremonies nies i the vain-curious arrogancy of their Philosophers, who have affected at the fame time to embrace Christianity, and und by Humane Treason the more Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, and to discourse the same according to their own carnalsense and apprehension i have been the persons that. laid the Foundation of external Pomp, and of those many Heresies which have molested, and dojiill molest the Church of God: Add hereunto that proportionably to the encredfe of Ignorance and Barbarism through the inundation of Goths and Vandals, and 1 kgovo not what other Barbarous Nationsl who quite destroyed all good Literature' and the constitution of that.savage People wholly consisting either ofrPagans or Arrians, there ensued hereupon a horrid Medley in Religion: J But which is yet matter of greater wonderduring the time that those Barbarians made havocs of the Roman Empire and sackj. it in the West, the Bishop of Rome Rome, to the end that be might proselyte and bring over to himself the former, to wit, the Pagans, permitted them to intermingle many of their own Smdiions with sbrijlianity, content tbcoey...