Mutina of Lucius the Pope blessing the citie with the signe of the Crosse at his departure in these wordes Benedicta sit terra quam incolitis benedicti vos posteri vestri in perpetuum Here the materiall is a monument of the mysticall There is a p Missale in offic peregrin rule that no man make a materiall Crosse in any part of his bodie and they that in Baptisme q Conrad Lutzenburg in verb. Iosim burne Crosses materiall in the foreheads of their children are enrouled among the heretiques Here the materiall Crosse is condemned when the aereall sanctifieth consecrateth and maketh holy vnto God But the materiall is more grosse more sensible and it inticeth more with some perhaps But there is reason with some to the contrary what the aereall Crosse in popish estimation The more vncapable a thing is of worship in it selfe r Vazq de adorat lib. ◠disput ◠cap. 1. saith the Papist the more capable of latria and the more fit to be coadored with Christ What the aereall Crosse in popish apprehension We adore not any Crosse for the matter saith the s Damascen de sid lib. 4. cap. 12. Alphons de castro in verb. adorat Martial in reply art 10. Papist but for the forme so that the lesse materiall and the more formall so much the quicker is the passage t Thom. Aquin p. 3. qu. 25. art Pro. 30.20 ab imagine ad rem significatam in which motion of the minde all the worshipping doth consist Last of all what the aereall Crosse in popish vse Is it not more common to vse is it not more ready to be vsed at all assayes and doth it not serue all times and turnes better then the Crosse materiall Hath it not also more excuses attending on it to colour hypocrisie whereby this spirituall adultresse may like the bodily wipe her mouth and say I haue not sinned #Sect 33. It auailes nothing to remooue the materiall Crosse retayning the mysticall FOurthly what though the materiall Crosses done away by our Church were euery way worse To remoue the materiall Crosse and to leaue the mysticall behinde in Gods seruice is to breake the 1 1. Sam. 5.4 hand of Dagon not the head if the head yet to leaue the stompe behind to remoue the adultery of the breastes if of the breastes wholly but to leaue the adultery of the 2 Hos 2.2 apud Tremel forehead behinde and the whorish painting as it were of the 3 Ezech. 23 40.41 face at a word it is to remoue the flesh of the adultery if the flesh throughly but to leaue the 4 Iud. 23 garment behinde which it hath touched and spotted This how can it stand before that God that vseth to censure a reformation though neuer so vpright in doctrine if there be but an 5 1. Reg. 15.4 12 23. 2. reg 12.3.14 4. high place standing which perchaunce was neuer abused to Idolatry as the signe of the Crosse hath bene and who neuer contenteth himselfe with a reformation of his Church in part but requireth a a Bucer in Math. 18 Pet. Martyr in 1. Sam. 14 Marc. 11.15 totall clensing of his house and that from the 6 abused instruments of his owne seruice how much more then from Crosse and Surplice which haue bene instrument of the seruice how much more then from Crosse and Surplice which haue bene instruments of the seruice of Deuils Indeed the reformation publique should be such as may further the priuate puritie of euery man whose throte and belly if they must be pure from the meat of the Idoll then much more his b Tertul. in lib. de spectacul membra which are augustiora must be kept pure from the Idoll it selfe as his hands his eyes his eares from the Surplice and from the mysticall signe of the Crosse Fiftly whereas the abolishing of the Crosse materiall is thought to throwe disgrace sufficient vpon the mysticall Crosse of popery we are most humbly to intreat our godly gouernours to take knowledge of a contrary euent there being nothing indeed that doth credit it more then this that the Crosse of the forehead standeth when all other Crosses fall and that by authority of law and magistrate which if they be not the onely Lords of the common peoples faith yet are known to c Iosias Simlerus in praecep 2. Gualt in Luke cap. 5. sway it more that awry in such a case then were conuenient And as the remouall of the Crosse materiall graceth after this fashion the aereall left behind so the aereal left behind another way graceth the materiall that is cast out against the doctrine of our Church that is confirmed by Act of Parliament which therefore d Homil. ag peril of Idolat p. 3 excludeth an Image out of the Church because if it be suffered there he will giue credit to other Images that other where are worshipped When did not the Crosse materiall aererall mutually scratch and claw one another when the Crosse materiall was to be taken for the recouery of the holy land what course hath Bernard but to ply the c Catal. Sigon de reg Italiae li. 11 in Conrad 2. Crosse aereall that which he doth in healing the sicike and so preuaileth that Conrade the Emperor himself assumeth the material Crosse resolueth on the iourney Robert f Genebrard Chronolog lib. 4. an 1 148. Bishop of Nazareth stayeth the flame of the fire with the Crosse materiall g Idem ann 824. Paschalis with the Crosse aereall Was the materiall onely graced by the former the aereall only by the latter do not both giue credit to all Crosses yea to the whole religion of popery in the eyes of all Papists And now that wee are lighted vpon the mention of these Papists if it be true that h Tertul. li. de coron milit Tertullian hath Nihil tam dignū deo quam quod indignum Idolo then can we not doe God better seruice then to offer the greatest indignitie that we are able to the aereall signe of the Crosse We may perceiue by this that they drawe it to the gracing of their religion because they take nothing more l Laurent Surius in comment pa. 690. Ioh. Grop de Eucharist lib. Iacob Billius in Gregor Nazianzen indignly then to see the least indignity offered against it Can the signe of the Crosse grow cold he not burne Is the signe of the Crosse touched he not tormented or can any take it downe he not take on Tush say our Opposits of the signe of the Crosse non in eo po sitae sunt fortunae graciae but I shall neuer heare so much out of the mouth of the Papist Who as if Haniball were before the gates and all the forts of Rome were shaking vseth to cry out all religion goeth downe if the Crosse goe downe a way is open to all m Rhemist
iniustè irascimini nunquid vobis inobedientes fuimus nist nunc cum ad malum cogimur videte illum qui prohibet ab incepto #Sect 15. They that disobey or displease in vnlawfull Ceremonies doe not scandalize I comme now to Scandall which is also layde to our charge to make vs sinners when we omit these ceremonies You make shewe of conscience not to giue scandall say our Opposites and should yee not then be chieflie warie that you doe not offende the Magistrate which is the greatest scandall that may be This obiection seemeth to implye that the Magistrate is scandalized as often as he is displeased which is not true Our Opposites in their conformitie perchaunce please their Reuerend Fathers when yet they scandalize them We in our not conforming doe indeed edifie them although it may be wee displease them of which we are sorie Ioab despleaseth Dauid 2 Sam. 24.3 when he contesteth against the numbring of the people which he was commaunded to doe Iehosaphat doeth not please King Ahab when he speaketh for the Prophetes 1 King 22 8. of whom he thought ill without a cause Daniel did not what Darius did commaunde when he honoured him not before his people by praying vnto him alone Yet did not Ioab scandalize David but edified him euen as Iehosaphat edified Ahab Dan. 6.10 and Daniel Darius so did Isaacus edifie Valens though he displeased him when he requested a Theodor. histor li. 4. cap. 34. redde gregibus optimos pastores euen as Terentius did in the verie same case He b Ibid. c. 32 returning with victorie out of Armenia and being willed by the same Emperour to aske what he would he put vp a petition to him for a Church to bee giuen pro Apostolica doctrina sufferentibus The Emperour tare the petitioÌ„ to peeces and willed him to make his suite for somewhat else which he gathering vp the peeces refused to doe with this replie Accepi inquit habeoque Imperator abs te domum neque aliud petiturus sum quid verò ego spectaverim iudicet huius vniversitatis iudex c Ibid. c. 33. Traianus his generall was more rough yet did he edifie him when he displeased him in these wordes non ego sum victus sed tu victoriam corrumpis Imperator qui adversus deum aciem instruis an te fugit quos ab ecclesijs abegeris quibus eas commisseris d Theodo histor lib. 2. cap. 16. Liberius at the first defendeth the innocencie of Athanasius and suffereth bannishment rather then he will subscribe to his condemnation afterwarde being wearie to liue in exile he subscribed at which of these tymes did he edifie Constantius the Emperour or at which scandalize him Did he not scandalize him at the last when he pleased him by subscribing seeing thereby he did confirme him in his badde course for all the while he did displease him with this apologie what the Synode did against Athanasius it was done gloriae metus à te infamiae causa coram he was neuer condemned the Synode heard him not speake for him selfe ne vlciscaris inimicitias O Imperator in Episcopos manus nâ—ecclesiasticorum sanctificationi vacare debent proinde si tibi videtur iube in suum quenque locum restitui so longe hee did edifie him By analogie from hence it appeareth that men are farre from scandalizing their Superiours when in a righteous cause or suite they doe offende them But by omission of the ceremonies will some say you doe vilifie the authoritie of the Superiour which as it is an hurt to him so is it a scandall to the people before whom it foundeth as it were the alarume of disobedience make many bold against the lawe in greater matters First this cometh not per se from our omission of the ceremonies but per accidens only and the scandalum is not datum by vs but acceptum by the people Daniel wil not omit the ceremonie Danial 6.10 of looking out of the windowe towards Ierusalem Mordecay omitteth the ceremonie of bowing the knee to Haman Christ will not vse the ceremonie of washing handes Hest 3.2 though a tradition of the elders gouernors of the church then being Mat. 15.2 The authoritie of the Magistrat was violated by these and an incitement of disobedience was in their ceremoniall breach as much as there is now in ours yet were they guiltlesse notwithstanding because they did but that which was their dutie to doe and we nowe doe the like Secondly our covering of the lawes imperfection is such in our preaching for we iumpe with e Melanct. in Rom. ca. 13. Melancthon in this if the faultes of a private neighbour must be covered then of the publique ones much more our preaching for obedieÌ„ce is also such as that no hurt accrueth at all vnto authoritie by our omission of the ceremonies while great good cometh by our preaching for the sanctifying of the heart to true obedience euen as the subiection of our charges in which we labour giue evident witnes to all the worlde As for the good which our Opposites boast of in their conformitie in that they thinke it teacheth obedieÌ„ce to the people let them consider whether they edifie not the people to such an vnholy kinde of obedience which the Germane f Confes eccles Mansfeld aedit An. 1560. apud Conrad Schlusselburg tom 13. p. 530. Adiaphorisme once brought forth which was that men were to obey what was commaunded without examining without trying by the worde the least occasion wherof now cannot be little sinne with vs considering the generall prophanes abroad which is thus resolued alreadie Let the Magistrate looke to my soule he hath charge of it If I be not right he shall answere for me I need meddle with no matters of religion he that is bound he must obey Thirdly If there come anie hurt by our forbearance of coÌ„formitie as it is per accidens so is it lesse theÌ„ that which conformitie brings foorth per se and we knowe that in things indifferent we must alwayes avoyde that course which threatneth amplius detrimenti followe that which offereth to vs g August epist ad lanuat 119. cap. 18. maiora lucra to be hoped for First the hurt of our omission is the lesse because it may be more easilie prevented many rites may be omitted saith h A. Hippe de sacris stud non deserend pag. 159. one without offence yet so as we be not authors of publike scandall This daunger will be preuented if the weake brethren who are likely to be offended and to iudge that we omit them of contempt be fully instructed in the whole matter that so they may vnderstand that we doe not omit them for anie coÌ„tempt of publique authoritie but for other iust causes Our Reverend Fathers I trust wil be contented with that measure which themselues meate to the Lord but behold we afforde them better The
The Hussites that conformed in Boheme esteemed better of the papistes their of their syncere brethren pag. 120. I. All Idolatrous Rites and Ceremonies are to be rooted out pa. 66. Idolatrie cannot possible be separated from Church-Images but is an inseparable accident to them pa. 138. Iewells borrowed from Egypt proved at last matter for the making of a calfe pa. 19. The Jewes in Rome and in Franckforde are counted better then protestants pag. 119. The Iewish ceremonies were not presently to be left but were to stay till the Gospell was preached and the Iewes instructed to a leaving of them pa. 69. The time of their funerall was the time of the Tēples destruction after which they might not be vsed ibid. and pag. 71. Images in Churches offend the godly and confirme the wicked in their impietie pa. 73. Jmages had a base beginning Q. p. 2. they are to be put out of the church Q. p. 2. and R. p. 1. they are harlots and temptations to Idolatrie R. p. 1. they came into churches by degrees ibid. they are devises of man brought in through blinde zeale and devotion ibid. they are dangerous even to them that bee most wise pag. 139. their danger is vnavoydable pag. 140. The Imperfection of predecessours is by the successours to be perfected pa. 3. That which is Inexpedient and Jnconvenient is sinnefull pag. 44. Inexpediencie is of two sortes ibidem Inferiors haue libertie to examine the lawes and constitutions of their Superiours pag. 11. The Israelites are a plaine president of mans pronenes to Idolatrie and superstition pa. 76. K. The Kings of Judah were not blessed of God but when they purged the lande of Iurie from all ceremonies not prescribed by Moses lawe pag. 4. Kings haue not an vnlimited and Pope-like Authoritie pa. 113. 114. When Kings command that which is good Christ him selfe commaūdeth in them pa. 114 Kinges owe the same reverence and obedience to the Word and Sacramentes that every private man doeth pa. 114. The custome of not Kneeling in prayer betweene Easter and Whitsontide is disvsed though it be very auncient pa. 120. L. The Law of the lande punisheth not a bare omission of any parte of the service booke but only an obstinate kind of refusall of the forme thereof ioyned with contempt pa. 39. 109. To Leave Antiquitie vpon causes iustifiable was never deemed vnlawfull pa. 120. Our Leiturgie is more prest then the booke of God it selfe and the prayers thereof are so strictly observed as that they are in a maner turned into a Charme pa. 19. Lighting of tapers at the monumentes of Martyrs forbidden by a Councill pa. 78. M. The Magistrate must wholy abolish poperie pa. 2. The Magistrates commaundement doeth not take away from the Ceremonies the reall hurt and scandall of them but doeth rather much increase it pa. 26. The Magistrate hath no power to make Ceremonies lawfull to be vsed so long as they remaine scandalous and hurtfull ibid. The Magistrate and the Minister bee the Nurses of Gods people pa. 54. The godly Magistrate must drive away al Idolls vnd Images out of churches R. p. 1. Malitious persons are not to be scandalized by our doing of any thing that is vnnecessarie pa. 57. 63. The Ministers which conforme not are not refractarie but ready to obay in all things so farre forth as they may with a good conscience pap 34.35 they are deprived for disvsing Rites which all Churches except our owne haue banished pag. 39. they are called from preaching of the Gospell by the violence and iniustice of the Prelates pag. 48. they can no more be accused for troubling the Lande then might Elias or the Angell pag. 81. their Apologie ibid. and pa. 82. 83. c. 117.118 they are vniustly thrust from their Ministerie and from their flockes pag. 103. they are as farre from the iudgement and practise of Donatistes and Anabaptistes as their accusers pag. 113. Ministers iure divino are all equall succeede the Apostles all alike from whom they receiue like power not onely for preaching but for binding and loosing pa. 101. and 86. Ministring the Communion to Infantes was in former times vniversally observed as well as the crosse pa. 131. Mixture and medly of ceremonies is no way to make peace pa. 98. Monachisme is falsely fathered vpon Elias Elishah Iohn Baptist and the Apostles pag. 126. N. Names of Protestantes and Puritanes are names savouring of pernitious debate and division pa. 111. The Nativitie of our Lord was about the point of the Autumnall Equinoctiall pa. 121. Necessitie doeth sometimes so alter a fact as that it taketh away from it all reason of sinning pa. 49. Necessitie in rites was never heard of in the church till Antichrist began to vsurpe over the libertie of christian men pa. 91. Non-residents pompous lords and idle ministers are vnprofitable to Gods church pag. 83. O. The Occasion even of a passiue scandall must be removed by the Magistrate and disvsed by the Ministers especially if it be a monument of Idolatrie that hath beene is or is likelie to be abused superstitiouslie pa. 34. All Occasions of contentions which may lawfully bee taken away are to be remooved pag. 89. He that offendeth is faid to destroy because he doth that which is apt to destroy of which destruction would insue were not men by the Lord preserved which is no thankes to him that gweth scandall pa. 43. Bare Omission of anie thinge commaunded by the Magistrate is no contempt pag. 32. The Oath ex officio is against the lawe of nature the Civill and the Canon Lawe pag. 104. It maketh a breach vppon the order whiche God hath setled and appointed in his providence ibidem It fighteth directlie against Gods worde pag. 105. It maketh way to the Spanish Inquisition and offendeth against the contrarie iustice practised of olde ibidem It pervertech the duetie of a righteous Oath crosseth the law iustice of all nations times and Countries ibid. It is against the law of this lande pa. 107. the Oath to which the Adulteresse was put in Moses lawe maketh nothing for it pa. 106. Oyle was heretofore as vniversally vsed as the crosse pa. 131. P. Pagans Rites continued in the church corrupt the christians doctrine and confirme the Pagans in their idolatrie pa. 73. The Papist must be healed like the melancholike man pa. 71. The Papist is the right Puritane the reasons why pa. 112. The Patrones of the ceremonies are negligent in divers regardes pa. 55. Paul though he circumcised Timothy refused to circumcise Titus because hee saw it would breede scandall pa. 45. Paul was necessarilie to vse the Ceremonies of the Iewes to their edification till such time as the preaching of the Gospel had made their abolition manifest pa. 46. Paules conformitie in the Temple was helde of divers to haue bene not warrantable pa. 70. yet our case and his are very different p. 71. 72. The Pax of the papistes is very absurdly defended by the
the causes of this superstition or at the least the nourishers of it in the hearts of the simple neither is it ynough if the people by sermons and admonitions be reuoked from error vnlesse by the common care of Princes Bishops it be effected that with as little a do as may be omnis huiusmodi errorum occasio praescindatur What that our booke of g Homil. ag peril of Idolat p. 3. Homilies it selfe reiecteth this pretence of preaching as insufficiēt not only because it often wanteth but also because whē it informeth yet it doth not so much preuaile as whē the monumēts of Idolatrie themselues are remoued Lastly thus Bucer h Bucer in censur cap. 10. fol. 478 Si dicamus vsum istorum signorum salutarem posse restitui per doctrinam videmus doctrinam alijs deesse alijs covsque non prodesse sublata itaque haec signa malim quam retenta Fourthly whether is it better to l Baeza in epistol fill vp the pit as God 1 Exod. 21.33 commandeth or set one to warne the passengers they fal not into it Must not our gouernours make good to the Lord euery soule that shall miscarry either by his owne blindnesse or deafenesse or by the watchmans sleepe or doumbnesse for that his course is disobeyed a course that would haue cleared all daunger and a contrary course taken which neither is so wise nor safe And let the commandement of the 2 Deu. 22. ◠raile and of the battlement be adioyned For as the former forbiddes all occasions of throwing downe so this commandeth to bring in place all occasions and all meanes of staying vp Woe worth therefore the carelesse exposing of the precious soules of men to the daunger of any Idoll from which the Lord in loue hath fenced them as it were with a double hedge I speake not here how this course doth tempt the Lorde or how neare it approcheth to that m Nichol. Saund. de imag c. 17. hardinesse yea hardnes of heart that will haue Crosses and other Images for the triall of mens strength least it should bee idle For the credit of the Church least it should be esteemed weake and for a priuate credit also to wit to auoid the blot and staine of pusilanimitie Such men if they disdaine to learne of n Quint. Curtius Scithians Nemo contemnendo vicit etiam ferrum rubigo consumit I send them to a Christian writer who thus can counsell him in the like case of adultery bodily the victory o Author lib dsi ugularit cleric apud Cyprian is vncertaine quando pugnatur inter arma hostilia and it is a foolish thing Arctari cupere ad laborem quando offertur abque vllo periculo delicatus triumphus the sight of the harlot such as spiritually this signe is serueth for nothing saue ad augendas impugnationes it is farre better vt homo cognoscat se infirmum vt fortis existat quam vt fortis videri velit infirmus emergat Last of all quanto quisque magis ab aduersis est tanto minus aduersa sentit Fiftly what shall the people be taught the right vse of the Crosse what need they be troubled about learning his vse at all who hardly are brought to heare willingly the necessarie points of their saluation What that the doctrine of the right vse of it is so hard that a man may say of the Crosse in particular what p Erasm in Cateches Erasmus of all other Images They may more easily themselues be throwen out of the Church then their right vse defined And know we not the beaten prouerbe which experience tryeth too true q Flace Illyrie in lib. de Adiaphor populus non intelligit acuta Lastly is it safe to propose to the people these controuersies not so materiall of things vnnecessary For both A Paule forbiddeth to assume the 3 Rom. 14.1 weake to the controuersies of disputation about things that are indifferent such as the Crosse is held to be and A r Euseb de rit Constan lib. 2. cap. 67. Constantine will not haue the people burthened with the preaching of any matter controuersed which is not of waight and moment to be knowne #Sect 30. SIxtly what though the people might be taught and it were fit they should it is ouerruled by an Adiaphorist himselfe that till occasio superstitionis praescindatur a Georg. Cassand in consultae ad Ferdinand Maximil art 21. nullus superstitionis finis sperandus est And home authoritie hath permitted this to be published touching the Crosse b M. Ca lt h. ag Martial art 4. fol. 88. Doctrine will not preuaile with the people if the Crosse it selfe which is the thing they trust to and delight in be not taken from them The Adiaphorisme of Saxonie and Interim of Lipsia inioyne the keeping of the holyday of Corpus Christi with this c Conrad Schlusslburg lib. 13. for 509 elusion that there might be a Sermon on that day to teach the people as I take it against the abuse thereof Hereby see how large the mockage of this excuse is The people may bee taught against the abuse Indeed the suffering of a thing that hath but a shew of conformitie with poperie doth ten times more hurt then peaching is able to doe good Doth d Homil. ag peril of idolat p. 3. meat nourish so fast as poyson extinguish Or Physicke heale so fast as the pestilence doth infect or in a 1 Gal. 5.6 leauen is there not a quicker power to make sower then is in any drugge to sweeten Adde that the people are moued more with the sight of the Crosse which they see made then with any words of the preacher which they vnderstand hardly attend vnwillingly and they marke more what the preacher doth then what he saith and while the law commaundeth the Crosse it will seeme but Puritanisme what is spoken against it And last of all if a preacher shall make the Crosse and the same preach against it being abused the people with whom the abuse of it is for the most part the right vse of it will thinke he speaketh one thing and doth another So that here the Counsel hath place which one in a like case giueth e Pet. Mart. epistol amic cuid in Angl. Quis videns te c. who seeing thee the messenger of Christ praying at the Altar before the Image of a crucifixe attired with the Priestly Vestiments will not think that thou also doest not only beare with these rites but also approue them whence it will follow that when thou shalt afterwards teach otherwise none will beleeue thee For hee that teacheth otherwise then hee doth destroyeth what he buildeth and on the other side buildeth that which he ouerthroweth There hath here place also what a whole Church wrote about the like rites of poperie retained Quod vero quidam ineptiunt c. f Hamburgens epist de
say wee vse the same Crosse that Papistes vse but not as a worship as they vse it How the Papistes vse their incense before the Crosse I leaue in the middest their making of the Crosse with incense is thus described l Durant rational lib. 1. ca. 7. Num. 36. Crucem cum incenso facere est Christi passionem patriostendere ipsum pro nobis interpellare What difference heere betweene them and vs For we vse to signe with the Crosse to signifie the merit of Christes death they the Crosse and incense withall to signifie his intercession by the merit of the same Secondly though we vse not the signe of the Crosse as a worship yet our vsing it in Gods worship giueth occasion of wil-worship in other men We may not thinke but this commaundement forbiddeth all occasions as well as other commandements doe and that in the Crosse it selfe which because it is an occasion of superstition it is to be done away in the iudgement of our m Calfh ag Mart art 1. D. Fulke reioynd art 1. p. 140 Exod. 12.15 writers Is it sufficient the leauen be not put in the bread of the Paschall supper or that it be not eaten with it as a part of that worship No it is further required that it bee not suffered so much as in the basest roome of the house The equitie heereof hath feared our Diuines from suffering ceremonies lesse hurtfull least in the end they giue occasion of a worship superstitious As they remooue the receauing of the communion with the n Bucer in Censur cap. 3. mouth least in the end it should breed an opinion of holinesse in the consecrate handes of the Priests And the o Ibid. ca. 4. p. 464. reseruing of the communion Bread and Wine to auoyde the occasion which it giueth of thinking them holy extra vsum or chaunged in substance The same Diuines of ours condemne euen omnem speciem of the popish superstition euen p August epist 19. as Augustine long since affirmed The man is throwne downe into the dungeon of the Deuill that obserueth a Iewish ceremonie in deede or in shew so much the more because in this land q Bucer in Censur cap. 3. Omnia sunt superstitione referta This last clause willeth vs to be more wary of shew when the people are readie to take hurt by it I say take hurt euen as our Communion Booke forbiddeth the wafer cake to take away all superstition which any might r Rubrie after the L. supper take marke take in it in which wafer cake when was there put the one halfe of that superstition which is now in the Crosse Nay the censure is yet more strict If we loue Christ Iesus s Bucer in Censur cap. 9. p. 472. Nihil prorsus loci apud nos inuenient eaeres omnes verba gestus in quibus vel appareat esse aliquid tantis impietatibus affine aut ad vllam rapiatur quanquam improbè absque data causa harum suarum impietatum commendationem Howbeit in Crosse and Surplice there is euen occasion giuen first by that shew of a will-worship which is greater in them then of a Masse in the Priestes going vp to the Communion table to say the prayers before the Offertorie which notwithstanding we haue t Bucer in Censur cap. 3. p. 458.459 censured for occasioning and through that representing of a popish worship which is as great in Crosse and Surplice as in the eleuation of the bread for ostension to the people which is condemned for u Alexand. Alesius in proaemio leitourg a prouoker And last of all by the appointing of them to be vsed in holy vse which is adiudged offensiue euen as the w August epist 86. ad casulan appointing of a fast on a Sunday it being the same day as the Manichees do appoint sauoureth too much of approbation But there be instances fit for this purpose euen in the very Crosse it selfe Our Diuines could not abide those nigrae cruculae which were in x Bucer in Censur cap. 9. p. 472. King Edwards communion booke to direct the Minister how to make Crosses on the bread and on the wine It is forbidden by the popish y Missal secund vsum sacrum in offic peregrinor Canons that any pilgrimes should burne a Crosse in their flesh Wherfore It seemeth because they were to meet at Hierusalem with the z Bernard Bridenbac peregrinat Hierosol p. 2. de Abyssen Pet. Bellan obseruas li. 2. ca. 85. Aethyophians the a Danaeus de haeresib cap. 97. Iacobites with others who in their baptisme burne som one som two som tree crosses with an hot iron in the forheades in the cheekes and aboue the noses of their children By proportion from hence we may not figure the Crosse in baptisme because they figure it as they burne it not because the superstitous burne it Let the Germane Diuines shut vp all who alleadged against the Surplice and other ceremonies thē inforced that al b Lib. Concord apud Conrad Schluselburg tom 13. P. 751. shadow of shew was to be shunned with popely #Sect 14. The holines and necessitie of the Crosse cause it to smell very ranckely of superstition NOw this participation and this occasioning is much aduaunced by the ranke sauour which the Crosse hath amongst vs both of that holines and of that necessitie which are propet to a worship What faults find we in a popish ceremonie but only these a Bellar. de effect Sacrament cap. 31. two when it is made a worship by them But now a ranke sauour of these two cleaueth as closely to the Crosse vnto this houre as did the leap rosie of Gehazi vnto his seede Begin we with the former first how neare are we to the yoke of fellowship with them in the efficient of the Crosses holines For when they recite what doth make an Image holy and a Crosse they b Suar. tom 1. in Tho. disput 54. sect 4.7 name antiquitie and the authoritie of holy persons that haue vsed it and the presence of God that hath wrought miracles by it the benediction of the church In which who heareth not the very sound of our home pulpits which declaime before the people how ancient the signe of the Crosse is How much reckoning the Fathers made of it What miracles God hath wroght by it how devoutly our Church hath sanctified it to be a meane whereby to dedicate our seede to him that dyed vpon the tree therof But they say that the Crosse hath power against Sathan c Ibid. disput 56. sect 3. ex diuina institutione and that it is holy by way of d Bellarm quo supra impetration for that God heareth his Church when she doth blesse it But what if in the former by diuine institution they meane naught else but Apostolicall vse then so many of our Opposites concurre with them as hold the
controversies among the greatest often aiso more about them then about matters of the faith so an whole church d CoÌ„fess Eccles Mansfild aedit an no 1560. ap Conrad Schlussel burg tom 13. p. 526. sic fieri solet vt semper adiaphora maiores excitent tumultus quaÌ„ ipsa doctrina they proue it by these instaÌ„ces the Prophets had more to doe to dispute against humane traditions theÌ„ to deliuer the true doctrine Christ in his time had many bickerings against the ceremonies of the Pharisies In the time of St August in tanta fuerunt certationes de traditionibus humanis rebus indiffereÌ„tibus vt secuta sit inde miserabilis vastitas in ecclesia of which he coÌ„plaineth say they in his answer ad inquisitiones Ianuarij lib. 1. cap 2. They proceed nec dubitamus affirmare quandocunque tandem erit concilium plus nobis facesset negoiij controversia de adiaphoris quam tota doctrina and they giue two reasons hereof the first is because men contemne the simplicitie of Gods service are delighted with the magnificence and with the splendencie of rites and ceremonies vt expleantur aures oculi Et quidaÌ„ veluti habitus nudo per se cultui accommodetur whervpon they assume that ornament of ceremonies qui fuit adhibitus in papatu etiumsiipsas ceremonias non probant The second is because diverse men doe hope by admitting multipâ—ying the adiaphora to mitigate content and appease the papistes Against the first of these say they we must holde faste this consolation that God doth choose loue that which is base abiect in the eves of the world Against the second that omnes spes de placatione hostium frustra sunt because they will never rest in our admissioÌ„ of their indifferent things vntil the whole body of their falshoods be received withal To leaue this church goe we to the greatest lights of the former churches where wee shall finde that manie profitable for the ministerie haue not been able often tymes to be perswaded in things indifferent as the controversie of Easter sheweth in which Neque e Euseb histor lib. 5. c. 23. Anicetus Polycarpo persuadere poterat nec Polycarpus Aniceto suasit Take another instance in the fast of a Sabboth day where scripture speaketh neither one way nor other Is this easie to be resolved f August Epist 86. ad Caesulâ—â— when once controversie is mooued about it No interminabilis est ista coÌ„tentio saith August generans lites noÌ„ finiens quaestiones There may another instance be given in the controversie about long haire of Monkes of which August againe g August l. de opere Monachor c. 33. Existunt inter fratres infirmiores firmiores amarissimae periculosissimae contentiones quod illi fortè si scirent hoc quoque sine dubitatione corrigerent quorum caetera miramur amamus Are there no profitable ministers that cannot perswade them selues in our retayle of popish ceremonies Quorum caetera miramur amamus then are there no profitable Ministers neither thorough out Germanie Fraunce Helvetia and the rest of the Churches One speaking about popishe rites ceremonies retayned in our church h Alexand. Ales in proem leirurg Anglic magna ardua res est indicium saith he And as for the addition of the crosse to baptisme an proceres in ecclesia saith l Herman Hamelman de tradit p. 1. l. 5. in fine another addere aliquid debeant in SacrameÌ„tis magna est quaestio In which language another speaketh likewise m Chemnit Exam. p. 2. de rit p. 37 cùm ipse silius Dei Sacramenta ita instituerit vt ea certis à se institutis ritibus praeceperit administrari valde ardua est quaestio an hominibus permissum sit alios praeterea quocunque consiliâ— superaddere Indeed though adherent circumstances which one calleth n A Hiper non sacramentales be in the churches disposition as tyme place c. yet of inherent that belong to the manner of administration as eating giving c. or to the matter administred such as the elementes are and the signes which are ceremoniae sacramentales he that doubteth not whether the church may adde or no hee may perchance come too neare the Iesuiticall o Bellarmi de Effect Sacram. c. 31. assertion Christ ordayned but a fewe ceremonies about the Sacraments of purpose to leaue the adding of more to the Pastours of the Church And is it an easie question to be resolved on that the Magistrate hath authoritie to diminish from the signes Nowe he may aswell diminish as adde in all proportion #Sect 18. The 4. scandall of the Cerem is that they offende all sortes of men among the people A Fourth scandall giue the ceremonies in that they offende all sortes of men among the people The first sorte is of them who as yet cleaue to their olde mumpsimus where their auncient crosse most deare how doth it confirme them The Israelites must needes haue a calfe for a signe of Gods presence it is because of the olde a Ios Simler in Exod 32. Ioh. Caluin in Act. 7.1 Cronic 17.6 1. King 22 44. twange of Egyptes idolatrie which yet sticketh in their stomackes Iehosaphat forbiddeth the high places yet the people will vse them still which incorrigiblenes of theirs must be greater in a crosse then in a calfe or high place because it hath the commendation of antiquitie aswell as it the Magistrates commaund too boote Because the b Hospin de origin templor c. 1. viscus of an old Oke was among the Heathens of old accounted signum à Deo electae arboris therefore the converted Christians could not be wayned no not from buying with their money this prisca stultitia so that the crosse counted of old signum à Deo electum yea sanctified with Christes owne bloud and being commaunded by lawe besides how madd will men bee vpon it The Gnostickes haue they images like the Heathen then will they grow at last to c Epiphan â—â—â—res 27. perficere Gentium mysteria about them The papistes haue they images after the manner of the Gentiles then will the Gentiles superstition be sound in them as one of their owne d Ludouiâ— Viues in August de ciuita Dei l. 8. c. vlt. non video in multis quod sit discrimen inter corum opinionem de sanctis id quod Gentiles putabant de suis dijs In like maner haue the people a popish crosse in vse amongst them they will vse it no otherwise then papistes vse it many of them Quicquid lex praetexat as one of e Beza Epiâ—â— 8. our writers speaketh or what diverse vse soever it prescribeth what meaneth else their decking of crosses in gang-weeke their feasting and revelling every holly-roode day and their keeping of that day holy to the honour of the crosse their sewing of redd crosses over right
the nose who holde that the Church of Englande is so pure so perfect as that nothing nothing at all needes to be reformed in it Secondly The Donatistes held the Magistrate might not compell to Godlynes nor punishe hereticques and because they were punished themselues by the Lawe of Arcadius and Theodosius therefore they barked at the Magistrate the holy ordinance of the Lorde tanquam semper Ecclesiae Lupi pestes Magistratus essent Of this we are guiltie as Christ was guiltie of denying Caesars tribute it being a meere b Bexa aâ—â— Saraviaâ—â— calumniation to affirme that we doe Principi omnia adimere because we doe not omnia tribuere to witt that vnlimited and Pope-like power which doeth not binde him to the rules which God in his holy worde prescribeth in the ordering of the ceremonies of the Church What must Bellarmine nowe at last be iustified c Bellarmin de notis eccles l. 4 c. 7 iam re ipsa Calvinistis in Anglia mulier quaedam summum Pontificem agit or that speach of Constantius d Athanas ad vitam solitar de gent. At quod ego volo pro Canone sit ita me loquentem Syriae Episcopi sustinent Aut ergo obtemperate aut exules estote Which our e D. Bilson cont Apol. p. Opposites themselues condemne Shall we suppe vpp the errour which Hart f Ioh Reynold confer ca. vn p. 589. him selfe retracted or returne to Gardeners vomitt g Ioh. Caluin in Amoi c. 7. potestas est penes Regem vt statuat pro suo arbitrio quidquid voluerit whom King Henrie the eight him selfe reprooved and checked for his flatterie Shall we make our religion parliamentarie as the l D. Hill quartron of Reasons papistes obiecte Or subscribe to that flaunder m Allen. in Apolog of Engl. Catholiq cap. 4. sect 6. Absolute power is asscribed to the h Polus Cardinal de vnitat eccles l. 4. Parliament so that nothing there determined must be counted error or schisme what order decree sentence constitution or lawe soever be to the contrarie holy Scriptures them selves not excepted If we be blamed for not giving this power to the King then blame the n Ambros epist 33. ad foror Athanas vb sup Hilar. cont Constant defunct Gregor lib. 9. epist 41. Fathers and all our laÌ„te o Nowell in reproofe of Dorman Ioh. Reynold confer c. 10. P. Iun. coÌ„trovers 3. lib. 4. c. 16.17 Writers one of whom because he is both learned and revered I cannot omitt over the Word and Sacramentes p D Bils cont Apolo p. 2.235 saith he we graunt Princes no power Againe q Ibid. pag. 237. Princes haue no imperiall right over divine things to alter and abrogate what they think good which is lawfull for neither men nor Angells Againe r Ibid pag. 298. Dominion power and maiestie belonge as right to God alone and are by him imparted to Princes to the end they should raigne vnder him not over him commaund for him not against him be honoured and obeyed after him not before him Donatistes then we cannot be for denying the absolute power of the Prince in matters of Gods service or for tying him to the holy Worde of God without the companie of the Godly But nowe this absolute power excepted who giveth anie thing to the Magistrate which we doe not The admonition of the iniunctions acknowledgeth him for a good subiect that will acknowledge the Princes Supremacie which we most willing lie both acknowledge and performe according to the statute s Statut. 1. Eliza. ca. 11 13. c 12 made in that behalfe as also we giue to the King the authoritie which the booke of t Articl ann 1562. articles doth we say with u August epist 166. Augustine It is Christ him self that commaundeth in Princes when they commaund that which is good when otherwise we agree with w Gregor l. 9. epist 41 Gregorie beare it with sileÌ„ce so long as we may without sinne on our partes and last of all in matters indifferent we submit both our bodyes and goods vnto him and all saue our consciences which is all that some of our x Mat Sutcliu de Pontific li 4. ca. 6 pa. 338. Opposites them selues require But we hold that Princes must licke the dust of the churches feet and be subiect to our Consistories This latter clause as it is not found in our writings so is it farre from our hartes The former is taken out of Isaiah and that we affirme in our y D Bils vb sup pag. 2. pag 224. pag. 3. pag. 64. Psal 7. title Psal 52. adversaries sense of a spirituall not temporall submission voluntarie not coacted of soule not of body to the ministerie not to the Minister or if our accusers them selues can frame any other interpretation more commodious we will subscribe to it Not so for we hold the Eldershippe hath power to depose a Prince In deed I heare that some Shimeis haue so given forth to incense the power against vs for whose curse also we trust the Lord will blesse vs the sooner and looke downe on our affliction Neuer was a church more impudent a Doeg more virulent never an Onager that euer had an hart of more lead a mouth of more iron a forehead of more brasse theÌ„ they that so speake who if they should be put to their proofes must make that sluttishe shift againe which one of their z D. Cousins answ to the Abstract p. 28 fellowes was once driuen to when to proue the Puritans held the people may resist the Prince that hindreth the presbyterie hee was faine to cite Franciscus Iunius in steed of Stephanus Iunius or if they cite any man truly of any forraine part whatsoeuer wee protest against him truly Wee knowe him not And as for our selues name one amongst vs that doth clayme more power ouer Princes then that which the Bishops themselues doe clayme and challeng to themselues whose wordes are these a D. Bis vâ— sup pag 301.342 Princes touching the regiment of their owne persons liues owe the very same reuerence and obedience to the Word Sacraments that euery priuat man doth And if any Prince would bee Baptized or approach to the Lords Table with manifest shewe of vnbeliefe or irrepentance the Minister is bounde freely to speake and rather to lay downe his life at the Princes feete then to admit him And they make b Idem pa. 3. pag. 65. good the wordes of Nazianzen to the Emperour The Law of Christ hath committed you to my power and to my pulpit for wee rule also and that with the more excellent perfect gouernment you are a sheepe of my fold a weanling of the great shepheard when they iustifie the fact of Ambrose excommunicating Theodosius out of the c Homilie and driue vs to subscribe vnto it they subiect the K. more then we subiect him that which