Ixiv MEMOIR OF EICHARD SIBBES, D.D.
and if the Calvinism of its fathers "were not to degenerate into uZ^ra-Arminianism ; and it was done, as we shall see. Peter Heylin was now at the ear of Laud ; and Hacket observes, that ' they that watched the increase of Arminianism, said, confidently, that it was from the year 1628 that the tide of it began to come in ;' and this because it was from that year that ' all the preferments were cast on one side.' * Similar is the testimony concerning the favour shewn to popery. Thus opposing Laud in his two darling objects, it is easy to foresee that one like Sibbes, resident in London,' could not fail to come into conflict with the vigilant and suspicious head of the church. Nor are we to suppose that, if he was vv^atched by Lambeth's police, Lambeth went unwatched. How far the primate was going in his 'papisti- cal tendencies,' may be gathered from one notorious exhibition. Besides its bearing on the persecution springing out of the im- propriation scheme, it gives point to a suggestive hit by Sibbes, which was probably the thing that stung Laud to further action against him and his coadjutors in another blessed work. I there- fore give the record of it from the admittedly authoritative pages of Rushworth and Wharton, in extenso : — On Sunday the 16th of January 1630-1, a new church — St Catherine Creed — in Leadenhall Street, was consecrated. It had been re-built, and had been suspended by the primate from all divine service, sermons or sacraments, until it should be re-consecrated. Laud and a number of his clergy came in the morning to perform the ceremony. Then as strange and sad a ' performance ' as ever men beheld was en- acted, regard being had to the fact that the performer was the Protestant Primate of England : —
' At the bishop's approach to the west door,' says Eushworth, * some that were prepared for it cried, with a loud voice, " Open, open, ye ever- lasting doors, that the king of glory may enter in ! " and presently the doors were opened, and the bishop, with some doctors, and many other principal men, went in, and immediately, falling down upon his knees, j with his eyes lifted up, and his arms spread abroad, uttered these words : " This place is holy ; the ground is holy: in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 1 pronounce it holy." Then he took up some of the dust, and threw it up into the air, several times, in his going up towards the ' chancel, f When they approached near to the rail and communion-table, the bishop bowed towards it several times ; and, retm'uiug, they went round the church in procession, saying the 100th Psalm, and after that the 19th Psalm, and then said a form of prayer, commencing, "Lord Jesus
* Hacket . . . Life of Williami?, Lord Keeper. Pt. ii. p. 42 and p. 82.
t Masson, ' Life of Milton,' i. 850, adds hero this foot-note : — This was sworn to on Laud's trial by two witnesses ; but Laud denies it, and moreover, says that, if it had been true, it would not have been a popisli ceremony, as the Komish pontifical prescribes, not ' dust,' but ' ashes ' to be thrown up on such occasions.
MEMOIR OF EICHAUD SIBBES, D.D. kv
Christ," &c., and concluding, " "We consecrate this church, and separate it unto thee, as holy ground, not to be profaned any more to common use." After this, the bishop being near the communion-table, and taking a ^n•itten book in his hand (a copy, as was afterwards alleged, of a form in the Romish pontifical, but according to Laud, furnished him by the deceased Bishop Andrewes), pronounced curses upon those that should afterwards profane that holy place by musters of soldiers, or keeping profane law- courts, or canying bm'dens through it ; and at the end of every curse, bowed towards the east, and said, "Let all the people say. Amen." \Vhen the cm-ses were ended, he pronounced a number of blessings upon all those that had any hand in framing and building of that sacred and beautiful church, and those that had given, or should hereafter give, any chahces, plate, ornaments, or utensils ; and at the end of every blessing, he bowed towards the east, and said, " Let all the people say. Amen." After this followed the sermon, which being ended, the bishop consecrated and ad- ministered the sacrament in manner following : — As he approached the communion-table, he made several lowly bowings ; and coming up to the side of the table, where the bread and wine were covered, he bowed seven times ; and then, after the reading of many prayers, he came near the bread, and gently hfted up a corner of the napkin wherein the bread was laid ; and when he beheld the bread, he laid it down again, flew back a step or two, bowed three several times towai'ds it, then he drew near again, and opened the napkin, and bowed as before. Then he laid his hand on the cup, which was full of wine, with a cover upon it, which he let go again, went back, and bowed thrice towards it ; then he came near again, and lifting up the cover of the cup, looked into it, and seeing the wine, let fall the cover again, retired back, and bowed as before. Then he received the sacrament, and gave it to some principal men ; after which, many prayers being said, the solemnity of the consecration ended.'