to kindle his Fury against us And though the Epistle deserves wholly to be transcribed yet not to be too tedious I shall shorten it He calls those Garments unknown to the Christian World in the Times of the Apostles and of the Apostolical Men Garments of Godless Priests and Slaves of Antichrist So assuredly by the arguing of things indifferent to trouble the Peace of Churches and to cause Strife between good Men and bad yea between good Men themselves is so wicked that it can by no means be defended If your gracious Majesty desireth as you would to seem Apostolical then in this matter imitate the Apostles Neither lay and impose this Yoke upon the Neck of Christ's Disciples your self nor suffer others to do it For all Men know that most part of all the Churches that are fallen from the Bishop of Rome for the Gospel's Sake not only have left off but also abhor those Garments 'T is in vain to hope in so doing to bring in Papists over to us who can never amend their Doctrines nor part with their abominable Superstitions and Idolatries then saith he this woundeth the Consciences of private Believers a tender Conscience that feareth God is a most precious thing and acceptable to him for if these things be imposed as necessary we do ungodlily because we make those things to be necessary which Christ would have to be free if indifferent they ought to be left free These are the same Arguments we use but here we leave off thinking we have done enough to shew the Sence of that Learned and Famous Divine upon so solemn an Occasion But this Letter nor other weighty Reasons could not prevail for any thing they were resolved upon another way the Queen was young when she came to the Throne and they that were about her and coming upon the Stage were willing to retain Part of that Pomp and as much as they could of that Power which popish Predecessors in their places had enjoyed Self denial and a perfect Zeal for the Glory of God did not wholly govern in the Spirits of some Men wherefore in that Convocation in 1571 when the Cranmers Hoopers Latimers c. were gone instead of following The Reformation began in King Edward's Days they made those Alterations which we all know But I need not to insist upon these Evidences of particular though eminent Men seeing we have for us that of whole Churches I mean that the Generality of Reformed Churches doth about the Matters now in Hand joyn and agree with us so that we are not fingular in our Opinion but well grounded therein For first we affirm that Christ hath instituted a Discipline according to which and no other his Church ought to be governed The French Reformed Churches say the Order which Christ hath by his Authority setled in his Church ought inviolably to be kept Confes Gallic Articl 25. and somewhat lower they add we believe the true Church must be governned according to the Rule and Order setled by the Lord. Art 29. And this is the Perswasion of the Church in the low Countries how the Church ought to be governed according to the Spiritual Policy which God hath taught in his Word Conf. Belgica Art 30. which containeth three things First There is a Government already settled secondly That Government is set down in Scripture thirdly The Church ought to be governed according to that exclusively to any other seeing a Divine Institution doth exclude Humane Inventions To this also agree the Churches of Switzerland for say they Discipline is administred according to the Order which the Lord hath given in his Word Helv. Conf. cap. 18. quemadmodum suo verbo praescripsit dominus Docemus Gubern c. And a little lower the Church-Government given us by the Apostles is sufficient to keep it in good Order And the Church of Scotland in her Confession of Faith published in the beginning of Reformation giveth for a Mark of the true Church the Administration of Church Discipline such as God hath prescribed in his Word Conf. Scot. Art 18. This overthroweth the prelatical Opinion that 't is left to the Prudence of the Governors of the Church to establish what Government they shall think fit Secondly We say all Ministers of Christ have the same Authority and by the Commission none is to have more Power than another and are not these the positive Words of a Confession of Faith we believe all true Pastors to have one and the same equal Power among them Gal. Conf. Art 30. Let this be taken notice of how 't is an Article not only of their Discipline but also of their Faith we believe the low-Dutch Churches speak to the same purpose Conf. Belg. Art 31. whatsoever Place God's Ministers are in they have the same Power and unequal Authority Helv. Conf. cap. 18. So do those of Switzerland all Ministers of Christ have received the same Power and Office Observe how as there is but one and the same Power so there is but one and the same Office whereby are condemned Primacy and the Episcopal Distinction which they explain elsewhere Apostolis suuis principatum Christus Severis sine prohibuit c. Christ hath most strictly forbidden his Apostles Primacy in the Church who then can but perceive that those who oppose this plain Truth and do bring in a different Government and as it may be taken Diversity of Government into the Church ought to be taken for those of whom Christ's Apostles have foretold 2 Pet. 2. and Paul Acts 20.29 2 Cor. 11. 2 Thess 2. and in several other Places It is also the third and chief Advice of that religious Prince Conf. Palat. at the latter end the Palsgrave in his Confession of Faith to his Children and Successors to take heed of those who acted by meer Ambition as 't is practised in Popery dostrive for a Command over the Consciences of Magistrates and Subjects and to erect for themselves some new Primacy of a large Extent And to shew that Union Equality and Affection which ought to be between Ministers The antient Church of the Waldenses saith Discip of the Vaud Chap. 2. about the middle speaking of Pastors He that is ordained last ought to do nothing without the Leave of him that was ordained first and he that was first must do nothing without the Leave of him that was chosen last Now all this doth ruine the superiority settled by Bishops We say in the third place that no Humane Invention ought to be introduced into God's Worship and that Men must not impose upon Consciences the Yoke of Ceremonies and the Reformed Conf. Gal. Art 24. reject Ceremonies partly because they are Humane Inventions and a Yoke which Humane Authority imposeth upon Consciences Indeed Divine Worship ought to be practised according to the Purity and Simplicity of the Gospel which Mind the Vaudois are of Compend Conf. Art 1. Divine Worship
and he addeth Austin would have us to be content with those very few Ceremonies which are contained in the Canonical Scriptures Another saith Dr. Fulk in his Rejoinder to mart The Gates of Hell in idle Ceremonies did assault the Church the Fathers in them declined from the Simplicity of the Gospel Again Every idle Ceremony that prevailed had the Prelates of the Church either for Authors or Approvers Christ committed his Church to them to be fed with his Word and not with dumb Signs and dead Images which things he hath forbidden The Prelates of our Church have continued in the same Temper as those he speaks of out of what hath been said it appears how the Church hath no Authority to institute such Ceremonies as have no warrant in the word of God such are ours But they are not content to assume and usurp that Power to themselves but also to impose such Constitutions of theirs upon the Church and God's People thus arrogating to themselves a legislative and executive Authority but we are perswaded they may do no such things nor Men in Conscience obey and practise them yet 't is a strange Opinion of theirs as if observing or not these Ceremonies could make Men good or evil honest or dishonest they who would require and six our Practice of such Constitutions must first as much as in them lies fix our Judgments which all the Convocations can never do so as to settle other Peoples Judgment concerning things lawful or unlawful according to the Notions they themselves have of them or else to impose it whether one will or not is no less than Tyranny All Casuists amongst Papists do hold it for a Wrong done to Monks Fryars Seculars and Regulars of any Order if their Priors Abbots Generals or other Superiors should impose upon them the Observance of any thing besides the Vow they have made to observe the Rules and Rites instituted by their Founder and we Christians are we not as much by our Vow tied unto the Lord Jesus as they are or can be to Francis Dominick Benedictus Bruno c. Or are we more subject to our Prelates than they to their Superiours by Vow of Obedience Christ hath purchased his Church a Christian Liberty which she ought not to be deprived of and 't is a presumptuous Attempt in any Man or Society of men to go about it and to institute any Religious Ceremonies to be used in God's Worship 't is unlawful for men to add unto God's Institution in Worship and to say this is true as to the doctrinal not as to the ritual Part is as good as to say Man may not add unto God's Institutions any of God's Institutions but mans only which is a Piece of Nonsence And as the Church hath no Authority to add to Divine Institutions or to make new ones upon a religious Account so it may not by its Institution make a thing good or bad true or false only it may declare it so to be according to the Rule of God's Word except we would give it the same Power which some Doctors of the Church of Rome give the Pope namely to alter the Nature of things as to make that to be Sin which is not Sin and that not to be Sin which is Sin I hope we do not entail Infallibility upon our Church nor stretch her Power so as to transubstantiate things a Prayer made in the House of Lords or Commons doth not cease from being a religious Duty to become a civil one Such an Application doth not alter the Nature of it To prove the Churches Authority to institute their unnecessary Ceremonies which we deny after they have screwed up their Wits with Endeavours to prove it out of Scripture of the New Testament they can find but one place which they stretch as far as they can and under the Notion of Decency and Order they think they may bring into the Church what they please not only all Papists but also all Jewish and Heathenish Ceremonies if the Convocation and Rulers of the Church think them to be decent and for Order The Place is let all things be done decently and in order 1 Cor. 14.40 Elsewhere the Objection I answered but thus much I shall add for all their going about to inlarge the Commission there is a Restriction to be admitted V. 26. Let all things be done to edifying That which is granted is to have things done decently and in order for Edification Edification is the end Decency and Order the means or as we may call it a decent Order tending to Edification thus an holy Sacrament must be decently and orderly or in a decent order administred This Decency and Order relate to Place Time Manner Persons Number as how many Psalms sung Sermons preached Chapters read and the like Circumstances the Apostle leaves no more to the Churches Liberty than to order God's Ordinances to be performed in a decent manner Any Constitution beyond ordering that which before was enjoyned is properly a Law now Christ is the only Lawgiver of his Church which receiveth no other Laws but his and any Laws added to God's Laws are contrary to them which are really perfect in themselves in their Reason and Manner and those of the Church are but Directions for better observing of Divine Laws according to the Diversity of Times Places and Persons which are occasional Circumstances and no new things in God's Worship The Churches Authority as I already observed is but Ministerial to see those things observed which Christ hath appointed not to institute any new things Decency is when God's Worship is performed with those convenient Circumstances of Gesture and such as I already named agreeing not only with God's Service but also with any grave Assembly In this place Order is strictly taken in Opposition to Confusion so is Decency opposed to the Vice of Undecency hence it follows that Order doth require nothing but what is necessary to avoid Confusion and Decency to hinder Undecency Our Ceremonists must give me leave to make them take notice how they are guilty of the Breach of two things contained in that Chapter the first of Confusion for to speak all together aloud as they do in the use of the Common-Prayer-Book makes a confuse Noise and brings in a Confusion thus they interrupt one anothers Devotion Vers 28. The Apostle forbiddeth to speak all at once Cannot they follow the Minister when he reads Vers 34. and according to the Apostle's Order speak every one to himself and to God Another Breach they are guilty of is directly against Women keeping silence and not speaking in Churches yet commonly they speak the loudest So then if they will answer the Apostles end they must act to edifying which through Persecution they have not taken the Way to do he tells them the right Way Charity wherein they have been so wanting Cor. 8.1 edifyeth Our Ceremonies contribute nothing towards Order and Decency
Church we may hear any other Voice but his which is revealed in his Word Then his Kingly Office whether we may receive and obey any other Laws Institutions and Ordinances but what he hath himself appointed We own no other Law but what is in and derived from his holy Word Gal. 6.16 and let Peace be upon those that walk according to this Rule and to the Israel of God The Determinations of the most famous Councils are to be followed only as much as they agree with it and the Rulers of our Church have no more Power than they had We allow of none such Maxims of theirs as these how in the things in question the Precept of a Superiour doth bind more than the Conscience of the Inferiour can but we say particular men are allowed to examine the Orders of their Superiours as much as therein their Consciences are concerned and chuse whether or not they are to obey for we are not to admit of an implicit Faith and blind Obedience Neither is it true that the Subject having the Command of King or Bishop for his Warrant ought not to examine but only to perform what he is commanded a fair way indeed for Men to ride upon the Consciences of others at pleasure Upon Colos 2.13 Bishop Davenant teaches us a better Doctrine when in Opposition to Jesuitical Blind Obedience he she weth how Subjects may and ought to judge with the Judgment of Discretion the Decrees of their Superiors so far as in particular they are concerned These Matters about Ceremonies were under Debate not only here but also in other Parts of Europe in the Beginning and Progress of Reformation Junius who died a Divinity Professor at Leyden saith If any Man either by Civil or Ecclesiastical Authority will add things not necessary nor agreeable to Order we would not pertinaciously contend with him but desire only that he would seriously consider of three things first by what Authority or Example he is led to think that the holy Church of God and the Simplicity of the Mysteries of Christ whose Voice only is heard by his Sheep must be clothed with Human Traditions which Christ doth reject Secondly To what end he judgeth that those things should be added unto those that are Divine for if the End be Conformity with others it were more Equity that other Churches should conform to those which come nearest to the Word of God as Cyprian's Counsel is than that these should conform to the others if the End be Comeliness what is more comely than the Simplicity of Christ What is more simple than that Comeliness If there be no other Reason besides Will then that of Tertullian is to be thought of the Will of God is the chief Necessity and the Church of God is not tied unto Man's Wisdom in divine things The third thing to be thought on is what Event hath always followed upon human Traditions as a long Experience doth shew And as Polanus another Author well known Syntag. lib. 9. cap. 3 6 8. saith Superstition stands in chusing Worship to God or when one exceedeth Measure therein True Religion worshipeth the true God in a manner prescribed by the Word false that is Superstition worships God otherwise than he willeth or enjoyneth and elsewhere whatsoever pertaineth to God's Worship must by him be required Lib. 9. cap. 28. in another place he adds it is a foolish ill Zeal of the Popish Clergy to use such Player-like Apparel in Divine Service and thereby to be distinguished from Lay-men that Difference and Variety under the Old Testament was Typical but the Substance being come what mean they to require Types any more And if upon this matter we will hear few Words more of Calvin to Cassander Opusc pag. 355. he taught that the Ceremonies ordained by Christ are intirely and uncorruptly to be kept and nothing must be added to their Institution as if thy were lame or imperfect which indeed is somewhat but not all because by an indirect Shift he would let into the Church all other Rites but this half Truth is overturned when he believes a Right given to the Apostles and Successors to institute such Ceremonies in the Administration of the Sacraments which may be for Ornament therefore he which before confessed nothing should be added doth now not only admit such By-Ceremonies but also commends them yet will he help himself with a subtle Shift namely Additions must be allowed if the Sacrament be not held lame and imperfect therefore with what Mixtures you will Sacraments may be wholly changed and yet all be well provided you charge not Christ to his Teeth that any of his Institutions go lame and halting These Witnesses I bring in not only to shew their rational way of arguing upon this Subject but also to let Men see how there were those beyond Seas who stood in Opposition to Human Inventions in God's Worship and consequently it was not a Spirit of Refractoriousness as they call it that made here several learned and pious Men speak and write against them from the Beginning The Truth is the most wise God needeth none of our Help to find out means to excite Faith nor would the meanest Mechanick in his Profession endure but would himself take his own way and not be put out of it See then how bold are these Men who will prescribe to God means how to help forward our Salvation and that Decency which they would make a stalking Horse of is as Pareus saith opposed to Vanity Upon 1 Cor. 14. Spots and Riot it stands not in Hoods Caps or Vizards of fond Ceremonies Thus our Reasons we back with the Authority of some famous Men and shall do it farther to shew we are not singular in our Opinion they and we do all draw out of the same Spring the Word of God But I now conclude this Point with those notable Words of Calvin It is Devillish Blasphemy to say that God hath taught Men all that it behoveth them to do In Deuter. Serm. 85. Common by-word here hath place thou art the Devil's Servant for thou hast done more than was commanded thee Of Cross in Baptism HAving thus briefly spoken of Ceremonies in general for I intend as much as I can to contract my Discourse I must now speak of them in particular We shall begin with the Cross whereof the aerial Sign is used in Baptism this is one of their significant Ceremonies a Help to Devotion as they say which signifieth unto us that we should not be ashamed of Christ crucified I would know whether and where Christ the only Authentick Appointer of means appropriated to God's Service teacheth this Doctrine 'T is not enough for me to say 't is the Doctrine and Practise of the Church I must be satisfied how the Head and only Lawgiver of the Church hath commanded it with them 't is also a sign of Constancy but to what purpose is this Doth not the
of his Homilies speaks of an absurd Practice of some to put a living Man under the Bed of the deceased and then the dead person was asked whether he would be baptized whereupon he that was under the Bed made answer for the dead and desired Baptism and him they immediately baptized in the place of the dead and this he justly calls there a piece of meer Mockery an histrionical Sacrament aludicrious Prophanation of Baptism for thus they did but act a Part in a Play And indeed I believe our Questions in Baptism to the Child and the God-father's Answers come very nigh to this for the Child though naturally alive yet wanting the Use of Reason and Senses is as good as morally dead Further to see the Errors of primitive times baptizing of the dead was anciently used by some Christians as it was usual to give the dead the other holy Sacrament as both appear to have been practised out of two ancient Councils in which is a Prohibition against that Administration of Baptism and of the Eucharist to the Bodies of the deceased the Grounds of these Practices are given by Zonara and Balsamon 3 Conc. Carthag Can. 6. and Conc. Trullo Can. 83. and if we must believe Buxtorf so well versed in the Tongue and Rabbinical Learning in his Synagoga the Jews had the same Error about Circumcision for if the Child died before the eight Day he was circumcised in the Burying-place After this we must agree with Scaliger Disput 17. De Baptismo who out of Lactantius and Austin speaks of the Dotages of the primitive Church which he calls Ineptiae patrum Ecclesiae Doctorum So we must say of the Sign of the Cross in Baptism which once was introduced into the Church though perhaps without an ill Design but hath thorough Superstition been continued therein and is abominably abused in the Romish Church Hence we may see how those things that are brought into God's Ordinances without a Warrant from his Word thorough a just Judgment become a Snare as Altars proved to Ephraim wherefore they ought to be left off and forsaken Hos 3.11 and the Lord never blesseth what he hath not appointed in his Worship Now I say this every Image or Likeness for a religious Use is forbidden in the second Commandment but the Sign of the Cross in Baptism is a Likeness for a Religious Use wherefore it is forbidden by the second Commandment whose Latitude no Man may restrain Of the Surplice NOW I proceed to another Point which I shall be the shorter upon because some things I already said concerning the Cross that may be appliable to the Surplice which say they signifieth Purity and Righteousness required in Ministers yet with some Country Ministers that Purity is very foul as well as their Surplice where we have seen some make use of them as of Hankirchifs and so dirty that they spoiled the Decency However Angels appeared in white Apparel and in the Book of Revelation Ministers are called Angels This indeed is a strange way of arguing for People who pretend to much Reason Thus because God calleth himself the antient of Days Dan. 7.9 he may be represented as an old Man with a grey Hair and a grey Beard as Papists do so may Ananias be represented with a Surplice because St. Paul calls him a whited Wall Acts 23.3 I also should have said the Holy Ghost may be represented under the Shape of a Dove because he appeared so in our Saviour's Baptism Luke 3.22 but if to prove the Surplice a Sacrament for that 's the long and the short of the business only it wanteth God's Institution though it hath Man's and that Sanctity wherewith Ministers ought to be endued we have no better Grounds in Scripture for if we had we would fetch it than Angels appearing in white Raiments we have nothing but Apparitions to ground it upon Out of this way of arguing we should also conclude that every Minister should have six Wings fastened to his Body with certain Faces like Faces of Lyons Isa 6. and Ezech. 1. Eagles Oxen c. because Angels have so appeared and nothing of black about them no black Caps no Tippets nor Hood because Angels appeared all in white It cannot be denied but that this white Garment is an Invention of Popery used in most if not all their religious Worship hardly any Foppery is acted amongst them but this is in nay it is ever used in the very Act of Idolatry for idolatrous Ends hence one may judge how defiled it must be but say they amongst Papists 'tis consecrated not amongst us as for that it may as well be consecrated as Altars Churches and Church-yards however we ought to hate even the Garment spotted by the Flesh Jud. 23. not to bring them in and make significant Ceremonies of them this might very well be spared and no hurt in the case as there is some to use it but say they 't is appropriated to an holy use in God's Service reading of his Word c. But the thing is never the more holy for that or else the Pulpits Tables Table-cloths Cups Railes Bells Seats would be so for they are appropriated to God's Service in their kind as the Surplice is As to Decency is not a black Gown as decent as a Surplice The Worship of God doth not confist in Garments or such Ceremonies that 's good for those who will make Religion as pompous as they can like the Romish Church and we imitate it upon Coronation-days but Soundness and Purity in Doctrine Simplicity in Worship and Holiness of Life is what we ought to stand upon so then the use of Surplice or Font in Baptism gives them not any Sanctity no more than have the Bottles wherein is the Wine to be used in the Lord's Supper or the Mud and Banks that contained the Water of Jordan where Baptism was administred Now amongst the several Evils this idle Ceremony causeth this is a great one that it stops the Course of the Gospel the Church is deprived of the Labours of many a good and learned Man the wearing of it is so necessary a Qualification that no Surplice no preaching and time hath been when Men neither ignorant nor scandalous who had a lawful Call to the Ministry being distressed between two either to be deprived of the Exercise of their Ministry a thing more grievous than the Loss of their Places or else to do things contrary to their Consciences were put to a sad and lamentable Dilemma either to be deprived of all or else to comply with the times and become Hypocrites We justly blame the Violence in France offered to the Consciences of People and yet here hath been done as ill though in another kind within these 30 Years till the time of our late Deliverance We made nothing of above a thousand poor Ministers at once upon the account of these Superstitious Rags and Ceremonies turned out
be the better for it or else they would not do it nay they think it to be no Church till it be done for till then there is in it no preaching at least no administring of Sacraments yet both they administer in private Houses Other things there are as churching of Women after the Jewish Way of Purification as we keep a Day about it for the blessed Virgin which God never required at our Hands nor she ever desired but all is our Fancy after the Pattern of Popery there are also the private Communion private Baptism Burial of the Dead at Sea there was also a Form about healing or touching for the King 's Evil a Popish Foppery too but now quite out all which we omit speaking to having things enough besides to discourse upon so we must proceed to a second general Head namely the Discipline of the Church Of Church-Government THUS having spoken of Ceremonies we must now say something of the Government of the Church which is much after that of Rome Triplicat art whitak cap. 9. Hierarch Anachrys lib. 2. pag. 45. in the manner of Hierarcy by Archbishops Bishops Archdeacons Deans and Chapters then Chancellours Commissaries Officials c. These have been the Steps for Popes to ascend upon that Throne of Iniquity which they now sit upon these are of Man's Invention whether or not the Design was good I shall not dispute but certainly it hath proved fatal Staplet and Scalting Two of the great Champions of Rome both highly commend and in it do much approve of our Constitution and Practice Those Offices in the Church which are of God's Institution we have them named in Scripture Eph. 4.11 and 1 Cor. 12.28 God gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastours and Teachers The Apostles were universal Preachers of the Gospel immediately called by Christ who wrought Miracles and were infallible in Doctrine The Prophets did interpret and expound Scriptures by a Divine Light having the Gift of Tongues and of things to come The Evangelists were the Writers of the History of the Gospel inspired of God or else Preachers of the Gospel called by the Apostles and attended on them in their Journeys Pastors also called Bishops that is Overseers were Ministers settled in certain Churches to teach and govern them The Doctors or Teachers were Successors of Prophets whose Office it was to explain Scriptures and vindicate them from the Errours of Hereticks The Apostles instituted Elders or Presbyters for that 's the true Signification of the Word who also are called Bishops though not always some being only to rule the Church others also to preach Men chosen by the Church endued with Gifts and Authority above others who with the Pastors took care of the publick Doctrine administred Ecclesiastical Discipline and in the Churches Name were taken up with the Vocation of Ministers Acts 6. There were also Deacons to take care of the poor to visit the sick to maintain Hospitality and sometimes to preach the Word These are all the Offices in the Church we have in the Word of God for all are reduced under these Heads No Lord Pastour and Ministerial Pastour no Bishop of Bishop or Arch-bishop that is Prince Bishop no Deacon of Deacon or Archdeacon This is contrary to the Rule of Christ so expresly forbidding his Disciples to affect any thing of Dominion or Superiority of one over another and indeed those Offices named in that to the Ephesians are sufficient for the Church as 't is said in the 12th Verse for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ All besides this is of a Humane Superstructure Rectors Curates Vicars c. are Names Things and Limbs of the Roman Church most of the hyerarchical Officers are not for these good Ends. Now Bishops which answer to Watchmen Pastors Ezech. 23.27 and Elders in God's Word are but for one and the same Office We see it clearly out of that place of Scripture where 't is written how St. Paul sent for the Elders of the Church of Ephesus to come to him to Miletus in the Charge he giveth them he saith Act. 20.17 82. Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the Flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God In this Text we have the three Names given to the same Persons those he sent for and speaks to are called Elders God made them Overseers v. 17. for that 's the Sgnification of the Word in the Original and what in other places of Scripture is translated Bishops is here rendered by the Word Overseers though in the Greek the Word be the very same and amongst the Translators was debated whether or not in this Place it should be Englished by the Word Bishop but upon Consideration that it might prejudice the Difference they make between Bishop and Pastor or Elder they made use of the Word Overseer which could not be taken notice of by those that understand no Greek this by the by then these Elders of the Church of Ephesus the Holy Ghost had made Bishops them he charged to seed the Church and do the Office of Pastors so that in the 28th Verse Pastors and Bishops are but one and the same and here by the way I shall make this general Observation how in the Exposition of a Text three things are chiefly to be taken notice of first The true Signification of the Word in the Original secondly The Scope of the Author in the Place Thirdly The Analogy of Faith and Relation to other Places of Scripture The first I have spoken of the second here is a Charge of St. Paul for those Elders to perform their Duty of overseeing and feeding their Flock 1 Pet. 5.1 2. which St. Peter asserts also to be the Duty of Elders whereof he owns himself to be one The third is the Analogy of this Place with others as that which Paul writes to Titus For this cause I lest thee in Greet that thou shouldest ordain Elders in every City Tit. 1.5 6 7. If any be blameless c. for a Bishop must be blameless In the 5 Verse he calls Elders and in the 7. Bishops the same Persons This is the divine Bishop of a divine Institution for as to the Diocesian Bishop 't is but an Humane and Prudential Institution and there is no such thing known in Scripture as it appears out of that Place to the Philippians St. Paul directs the Epistle to all the Saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi Chap. 1.1 with the Bishops and Deacons out of which Place after Jerome we may say that Philippi is one Town in Macedonia and as now Bishops are reckoned there is but one not many of one Town or City but here are Bishops of the plural Number of Philippi therefore the Pastors and Elders of the Place are meaned which also
Several things might hereupon be observed against the Rashness and stroug Presumption of such Writers who go about to blame that which God approveth in this Man's Opinion Hezekiah was a silly Man who knew nothing when he might have done much better but trimming about God's Worship was not in fashion in his time yet he was a Prince not wanting to ask Counsel of the Lord upon occasion as we read of he did after Rabshakeh's Blasphemies surely he acted not out of his own Head about the great Design of Reforming in the Beginning of his Reign seeing he had several Prophets to advise with at that time as Isaiah Hosea and Micah he was one of the best Kings of Judah whom Dr. Morton blameth for running into such an Extremity as to break in pieces the brazen Serpent yet by the Dr's leave the Spirit of God saith this is one of the things wherein he did that which was right in the Sight of the Lord whether right or wrong let the Dispute be between God and the Doctor but without any farther enlarging upon this I content my self with setting down an Observation which several Years ago an ingenious Man made upon the very Words The meaning saith he is this the Disease of Idolatry is more easily cured in that Church which doth lively express the Face and full Body of those Churches which were infected with many Errors and declining in many things to Superstition than in Hezekiah's Church at that time most purely reformed To vindicate our retaining a Trash of Popish Ceremonies we could not but therein justifie that Party and make use of their Words and Reasons but not being therewith satisfied we go yet farther and claim a near Relation with that Mother Church which the Word of God calls a Whore and a great one too and I wonder why we should brag of being her Sons and what Profit or Honour we may gain by owning in one respect or other to be descended from her Yet it is too true we do it it is strange to see how fond some of our Church-men are of their Hierarchy and what a Pother they keep about the Validity of Ordination and Episcopal Jurisdiction that to prove they have it amongst them in a lineal and uninterrupted Succession from the Apostles which is a very high Pretence for they would some of them have their Prelacy derived from the Apostles to make it of a divine Right they must assert they have it by the means of Popish Bishops which is to plead the some continued Descent of Bishops as Papists do of Continual Successors of Peter and indeed 't is a wonder to see how the Author of the Conferences troubles himself and how much ado he keeps in the second Conference against the Papist to shew the Difference about the Validity of Ordination and the Power of Jurisdiction which the Papists would have to be two different things distinct and separable arising out of a different Principle but the other on the contrary would have them be together and the same Act that conserreth the one also to give the other and therein great pains are taken to shew that this present Opinion of the Church of Rome and Council of Trent is new and much different of what it was before that time 'T is very true one and the same Act doth confer both Ordination and Jurisdiction but why to trouble one self to quote a Legion of Popish Authors and to propose several Questions why some Popes did so and so But to what purpose raise so much Dust And all this in spight of Papists to affirm Ordination came to us by their means as if the Ordination which is amongst some forreign Protestant Churches was not valid because not derived from Popish Bishops which Communion of Rome since for these several Hundred of Years came to be so abominably corrupt with Heresie Idolatry doth not deserve the Name of a Church for the true Doctrine of the Gospel in many essential Points is not preached nor the Sacraments another true Mark of Christ's Church truthem and according to the 19th of our 39. Art the Romish Church is no true Church of Christ But what then of all this Ordination If we be so fond to have it of them we must take it for what they give it and no more that is for a doubtful thing in a word that the Nation is on a sandy Bottom for Papists who make a Sacrament of it say the Efficacy or it s really being so doth depend upon the Intention of the Priest Bishop or Administerer thereof So then if during that long and continual Succession one Bishop had not an Intention to ordain such and such then such and such so ordained were not really ordained and all since by them ordained had no Ordination at all themselves so could not ordain others Now who can assure our Bishops that going back so many Degrees their Predecessors were intentionally and lawfully ordained That some of them were ordained without an Intention to ordain it is very possible and that the strictest Papists cannot deny now they cannot give it better than they had it and to speak as modestly as can be the Case remains doubtful whether Ordination or no Ordination Besides that some Cheats may happen to have stept in during Confusions pretending to have been ordained though they never were Now I ask is it worth the while for an Uncertainty and a doubtful thing so much to stoop to or court the Romish Church as to say that whether they will or not whether their Ancestors had an Intention or no yet we are their humble Servants and have received Commission and Ordination from them When Water conveyed to us is through the Fault of the Pipes become corrupt is it not not lawful for us to leave it off and go to draw at the very Spring So in matter of Ordination and Commission to preach the Gospel after such an universal and abominable Apostacy and Corruption of the church of Rome who will give no Bread without Poison no Ordinance of God in its Purity and without insufferable Abuse and Depravation Are we not allowed there to leave it and return to the first Institution and purge the Filth of Human Inventions Additions and Defilement have we not done so in matter of the Lord's Supper Have we not done so in point of Baptism who of us would receive the Lord's Supper after the Popish way or have his Child christned with all the Trash and Fopperies by them used in Baptism The like we may say of Ordination when God was pleased in the time of Reformation in an extraordinary manner to reveal his Truth to our Forefathers I do not say they that had been ordained in Popery should be reordained again but for those whom God raised to be Instruments to preach the Gospel should they have gone to Babylon for Ordination where it was so corrupt No they betook themselves to the first Institution and so settled a
Ministry amongst them as at this Day 't is amongst most forreign reformed Churches But all this doth tend to unchurch all Protestant Churches beyond Seas that want Bishops because for want of a right Ordination they must have no Ministry thus their Ministers must be Intruders seeing they preach and administer Sacraments without a lawful Calling So the Marriages they bless are but Concubinages the Children they christen are not lawfully baptized and to shew by Experience this is the Opinion of some here have we not from time to time specially of late invited and exhorted several Outlandish Ministers to be as actually they have been reordained and so we set our Hands to what Papists said of them they were no Churches a thing as uncharitable as unpolitick for this hath been their only Way to get leave here to preach the Gospel and if a Popish Priest should turn Protestant here we would not so much as desire him to be reordained whereby we plainly own Popish Ordination to be good but that amongst Reformed Churches not so This is not the only Abuse we have in these Matters if Ordination and Jurisdiction be together and conferred by the same Act why then are they separated in the same Subject We have seen lately a valid Ordination deprived of the Power of Jurisdiction in the Case of the Bishop of London which at other times hath also been the Case of others 'T is known how the King as Head or Governour of this Church and excepted Infallibility a Shaddow of a Pope doth suspend or command Bishops and others to be suspended ab Officio or a Beneficio and sometimes of both for in many of these things we are so fond of the Beast as to make use of his Language as if the English Tongue was so barren as to want Words to express such things Whilest we disown Reformed Churches to be true Churches on the contrary the Church which is become a Synagogue of Satan and for all her abominable Errors in Doctrine and Practice we must own to be a true Church with saying she holds all essential Points of Faith whence they take this Advantage that then she may not and must not be charged with Idolatry which is an Errour not only in Practice but also in Judgment for we believe that as there is one God and but one God so he alone ought to be served with a religious Worship exclusively to every Creature and 't is sad to see how to defend that Diana Hierarchy and to shew how the Communion of Rome had Right to convey to our Bishops a valid Ordination and a Power of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction we must whether or not she be so make her a true Church or else she could not have conveyed it but Papists do press on either they have not all essential Points of Faith which our Church-men grant they have or else they must be cleared of the Charge of Idolatry I say it again 't is sad to see them reduced to Shifts as first to say by that is meaned no more than that Rome owneth all the antient Creeds when those Creeds are but a short Epitome of the Articles of our Faith for several other things are implied therein but expressed in several Parts of Scripture out of which those Creeds were compiled and though they may be reduced under some of the Heads of these Creeds yet they want Enlargement Thus we see in the Time of Arrius when he had published his abominable Heresie what Enlargements upon the Apostolical Creed were made by the Council of Nice in their Creed and that of Athanasius so though no new Creeds were compiled when Nestorius Eutiches and such Arch-hereticks spread their Poison the Councils assembled against them made Canons and Enlargements upon the true Christian Faith concerning those Points And as this sheweth how the few short Articles of our Faith contain more than they express in relation to the Person of Christ the like may be said in Matters of his Grace which were so fully and clearly enlarged upon by Austin Prosper Fulgentius and other Orthodox Divines who did write against Pelagians and Semipelagians See farther what another Shift we make to come off with saying that the Commandments are no Articles of Faith I well know the Distinction between things to be done and things to be believed so as to say that to honour my Father and my Mother is not an Article of Faith though it be a Rule of my Obedience But that doth not hinder but that one and the same thing may be a Commandment and an Article of my Faith and we ought not to attempt to teach God how to speak in his holy Word None may deny but that to have no other God before the Lord is a Commandment and that not to bow down before the Likeness of any thing in Heaven or in Earth or in the Waters is a Commandment but also none must deny that we ought to believe there is one God alone to be worshipped and adored which is the first Article of our Faith when alas all these narrow Steps might easily be avoided with laying by the Design of holding a Succession of Ordination and owning the Truth in that the Church of Rome is no Church as wanting Purity and Truth of Doctrine and right Administration of the Sacraments according to the Institution and striking at the very Fundamentals of our Faith We may justly call it as our Lord calleth the Synagogue of Satan Rev. 2.9 Some who called themselves Jews or the true Church though that Name did not in the least belong to them So let our Friends to Popery speak of it all the good they can as all the Evil against Presbyterians the one shall never be a jot the better nor the other the worse for their talking against the Unreasonableness and Injustice of such Proceedings We appeal to some of the true Sons of the Church as none can deny Mr. Thomas Rogers to have been in his Analysis of the 39 Articles which he asserted to be the true Doctrine of the English Church and dedicateth it to the then Archbishop of Canterbury he doth not as some others slight forreign Churches but brings in their several Confessions of Faith to shew how they agree and concur with him in his Assertions in several Places he gives them their due Title of Reformed Churches and is not ashamed to quote the Augustan Saxon Bohemian Swevick Helvetick Basil Gallick Belgick Wittemb c. Confessions to shew the Harmony and Consent of all Protestant Reformed Churches against that of Rome Now those Churches are known to agree with Presbyterians not only in Doctrine but also about Church Government Worship and Discipline yet none of them is so unjust imprudent and uncharitable as to say they had rather to be Papists than Presbyterians and Dissenters Mr. Rogers calls the forreign Churches our Godly Brethren in forreign Countreys pag. 103. and the Romish Church the Antichristian Synagogue of Rome pag. 127.
Censure so contrary to what Scripture prescribeth in matter of passing a Judgment upon others There is nothing of an healing Spirit which a little before and at the time of the Conferences in Worcester House only to have time to settle their Affairs and amuse others those Men pretended to But in the Head following concerning the Service of the Church are these Words The Service in this Church of England these many Years hath been read in Latin to the People whereby is meaned the Time of Popery so 't is called the same now as it was then namely the Church of England which I think is no great Credit or Honour to the present Church then it implieth the Service now used to be the same as 't was in those Days only with this Difference that then it was in Latin now in English So there is mention made of the Division of the Psalms into several Portions called a Nocturn and the Rules called the Pie which made the turning of the Book so intricate However though it hath suffered some Alterations in Substance 't is the same as it was in times of Popery only put in plainer Order and whereas heretofore there hath been a great Diversity in saying and singing in Churches within this Realm according to the Uses of Salisbury Hereford Bangor York Lincoln henceforth there shall be but one Vse namely the Romish or next to it in Cathedrals Collegial Chappels and the like In the following Rubrick an unnecessary and unrequired Leave is given to say in any Language understood Morning and Evening Prayers by which means the Latin is still continued but all Priests and Deacons 't is imposed upon to say it thus amongst Papists their Clergymen must say their Breviary which is meritorious Morning and Evening to pray to God is a necessary Duty incumbent upon all but I see no reason why one should always be stinted to such a Form In the proper Lessons is a Feast called Annunciation of our Lady it is not sufficiently expressed by the Name of the blessed Virgin Mary but our Lady Seeing they come upon those Terms they ought to have said which of the Ladies either of Egypt Loretto Monserrat and fifty more without Hyperbole which we could name for they are all Ladies with Churches dedicated to and Days appointed for them The Word Lady is not enough 't is common to so many though in the Word we read of one Lord Jesus Christ but of no Lady she should have been called Queen of Heaven and those great Titles given her in her Litany In a due and decent manner we honour her Memory and call her the most blessed amongst all Women but not in a Popish and Superstitious Way In the Kalender we are taught to reckon the Month after the Roman Way by Nonae Idus and Calend but to what purpose they know best In the manner of ordering of Priests and consecrating of Bishops we have Veni Creator Spiritus for those Words in Latin have a greater Emphasis and Energy than in English but not in ordering of Deacons that is used in the Conclave in the Election of a Pope which brings Infallibility in the Election Acts 24.23 and 1 Tim. 4.14 and 2 Tim. 1.6 when Paul and Barnabas ordered Elders or Ministers in every Church they prayed fasted and laid Hands upon them without any other Ceremony I should have said how their Way of Service in Cathedrals depriveth People of the Comfort of singing Psalms But we must return back to the Kalender there in red Letters we find King Charles Martyr and the 29th of May Observations upon the 30th of January and 29th of May in 1694. but I shall say nothing thereupon one not long ago having published something upon the matter and thus saved me that Trouble only I take notice he is in the 3 d. Collect of Evening Prayer mentioned in this Stile according to the Example of this thy blessed Martyr if a Martyr then of Hierarchy as his Son King James Confessor of Popery in the Morning Prayer 't is said instead of Venite exultemus for we cannot leave off our Latin shall the Psalm following be used called a Psalm a Mixture of broken Parts of Scripture Acts Jonah Lament and Baruch too and this one Verse by the Minister the next by the People so round about and the last Collect of the three the People to repeat it after the Minister The Service for Charles II's Birth and Restoration as to the Occasion Matter and Manner is a fit Match for this all alike I remember one thing I shall mention now we speak of Kings and that 's about Coronation wherein are observed some meerly Popish Fopperies which make Westminster Abbey so much like a Church in Rome or upon such an Occasion any Popish Church elsewhere the manner of laying the Regalia upon the Altar the bowing and cringings c. But I shall only speak of the anointing an idle Ceremony now formerly a Jewish one anointing of Priests Prophets and Kings under the Law were Typical all ended in the Lord Jesus Christ who yet though a Priest a Prophet and a King was not anointed with Oyl but with the Gifts and Graces thereby signified our Ministers or Priests as they call them should also be anointed as well as our Kings in this and that certain Parts of the Body rather than in another it is pity but that to perform so solemn an Action we should also have a miraculous Bottle of Oyl brought down from Heaven or a St. Ampoul that 's never diminished to anoint our Kings as the French pretend to as also till now they imitated them in touching for the King 's Evil however anointing may not be said to be essential to the Coronation Now to the manner of using the Prayer-book Why should the Minister read one Verse and the People with a loud Voice another which is against Decency and St. Paul's Rule not to speak all at once Why should the Doxology Glory be to the Father be repeated so often as well as the Lord's Prayer And why so divided as that the Minister should ever say one Half and the People the other Like Priest and Clark in Popery this to answer for the other Why should the Title of every Psalm be Latin Why is Simeon's Song called the Nunc dimittis The blessed Virgin 's to be known under the Name of Magnificat when we speak of the Rich Man to call him Dives Why Simon rather Magus than the Sorcerer If we be so fond to call things by Names in an unknown Language let it be in Hebrew or in Greek which are the original Tongues of Old and New Testament and not in Latin which with their Decrees is the Language of the Beast if in English we wanted Words to signifie things then there would be Cause to borrow of others but we are not brought to such Streights every one knows how all the Popish Service is in Latin wherein we still
for some others may follow by degrees or in a Croud Let us not be wiser than God or trust our strength too much we give Papists advantage upon us and matter of bragging with cause of hardning themselves that we borrowed our Ceremonies from them and this string they hung upon amongst us or else one way or other they had been gone but by the same reason some Ceremonies were taken away all ought to have been We return to the Intention and say 't is not the Opinion that Men have that makes a true or false Worship but the nature of the thing as already said for thus a Man may go to Mass conceiving a private Opinion to himself different from that which Massmongers have so he may fancy he doth not sin when he commits a gross one Calderinus when he was about going to Mass used to say eamus ad communem errorem let us go to the vulgar Error but going to Mass that is doing all those outward actions which Massmongers use to perform is Idolatry which to avoid the three young Men would not fall down and Worship the Image of Nebuchadnezar Dan. 3.18 If the Intention had made the thing lawful or unlawful they might have fallen down before the Image but intentionally worship'd God but they would not going to Mass with what intention you please is to approve of and commit Idolatry God hath made Body and Soul and will be Worshipped in both the proper Nature of Worship consists in honouring of God so that all outward Ceremonies whose proper use is the honouring of God will be external Worship 'T is sad to see how to defend these Ceremonies retained in our Church they are put upon shifts they are resolved to keep and defend them let what will become of it In order to it they call upon Sophistry for help and to avoid coming to the point they make a Logomachy a Dispute about words coining Definitions Divisions Distinctions as Doctrinal and Ritual Ceremonies essential accessary accidental simple double and treble significant sacred by application mutable ambulatory arbitrary reductively sacramental moral Ceremonies immediate Worship in respect of means by vertue of something else in respect of the manner and reductively in respect of the utmost and Divine Worship and many more of the same stamp so 't is like to me when I hear such words to be with Lombard Durandus Occam and other Schoolmen to hear of entity quiddity ut qui ut quo and such other barbarous terms under which they confounded the Nature of Things Thus they will talk of Altars commanded and Altars permitted under the Law Deut. 4 2â— And when out of Scripture we press them against Additions to be made unto the Word and Worship of God then they will tell us of corrupting Additions but not preserving are there forbidden let them shew the least step in Scripture to ground that shameful and pitiful distinction upon as despicable as those I heard hissed out in Philosophy Schools ex creditis concedo ex credendis nego ut soepius concedo ut semper nego which yet considering the matters they were about and only to try Man's Wits were much more tolerable than this which concerneth things of so high a Nature But such distinctions can never put off the blow of these words Ye shall not add unto the Word which I Command neither shall ye diminish ought from it Besides that these preserving additions are an inlet for Superstition and incongruous Acts of Parliament are for preservation of Religion but they would not hear their Laws are an Addition to the Word and Worship of God All this while our Ceremonies go upon a wrong Principle which 't is necessary to beat them off and this is it they think the Church hath power to institute all such things but a preliminary question is who that Church is They will say 't is the Convocation out of which most Ministers and all the Laity a Chancellor excepted are excluded so this will be a National Church Thus if we ask Papists what they mean by their Church they will say Pope and Council or else Pope and Cardinals Well that 's for Papists For us the Convocation decides and then the whole Church as well Ministers that have right to sit there and give in their Opinions and all the Laity must submit But this Convocation never concludes any thing for the common good of the Church they generally are servile to those whom they depend upon and Tyrannical over those that are subject to them and though sometimes some good motions be made amongst them 't is nothing but what we may say of the Council of Trent and of other mercenary publick Assemblies But doth not this Convocation except they will be above St. Paul think that what Authority the Church hath is for edification 2 Cor. 10.8 and not for destruction 't is a bound power not Magisterial but Ministerial If they may institute Ceremonies then Circumcision if thought fit may be imposed as well as Cross in Baptism It may be as of the King who was not to multiply Horses Wives Deut. 17.16 17 Silver and Gold to himself which Solomon made a shift to go thorough So the Church or Convocation might in time happen to multiply Ceremonies that which is not grounded upon the Word may at last be upon ill Custom if it was thought fit to bring in that which hath been kept out not heeding what Paul saith if I build again things which I destroyed I make my self a transgressor Gal. 2.18 To see how in these matters they tread the steps of Popery they assert how some such Worship is good which is not taught in Scripture that many teaching Ceremonies which God never instituted may by Men be brought in to Worship Images themselves not excepted that Additions to God's Word so they be not contrary to it may and ought to be made The sum of their Doctrine in this point is by Hooker set down in his Book of Ecclesiastical Policy He hath these words much the Church of God shall always need that which the Scripture teaches not Page 125. Which argueth the Word of God of insufficiency contrary to what our Saviour and Sr. Paul say which no doubt must be supplied with Traditions These are rare Principles They further say Scripture is as perfect in giving general Rules as it should be in setting down of particular Instances this is only to make good to themselves the adding and enlarging Power But general Rules make only the proposition tending to particulars and particulars are not so fully inferred as if they were expresly set down General Rules for Civil Policy may be given in the New Testament yet not so fully and clearly taught as in the Old or as Religious Worship is now in the New the Rule of clean and unclean Beasts was general and easily discernable without Institution of Men as now for Bread and Wine in the Communion
the Vail True Worshipers must avoid the Rites of Idolatry for all the Difference we can make in some Circumstances The Heathen out of an ancient received Custom did in their lower Chambers in the Forenoon hang out consecrated Boughs what could have been said of Christians if they had also hanged them out though unconsecrated out of an upper Room and in the Afternoon Would to God we had none of these heathenish Customs as Maypols Green Boughs at certain times of the Year at the Windows of our Houses and in the very Churches but two great Abuses are committed about this Posture of kneeling the one most cruel to deny the Sacrament to those who believe in Conscience they may not receive it in that Posture This if the Party be otherwise well qualified I look upon as unwarrantable at least the Posture ought to be left indifferent the other Abuse is that an Ordinance of God instituted to be a Seal of the Pardon of our Sins is made use of for a prophane End namely to qualifie a Man for civil Offices for except he receiveth the Sacrament kneeling he shall not be admitted to any publick Place Of Altars IN the Celebration of the Lord's Supper we ought wholly to cast off all Popish Ceremonies as those that cannot be continued without nourishing that Superstition whereunto they served of old and this brings us to another Point relating to the Lord's Supper namely to Altars hereupon the Church is indeed too superstitious as if in part we would bring in the old Ceremonial Law or the Popish Worship and after this rate we must call the Lord's Supper the Sacrament of the Altar as Papists call the Mass for we have Priests that 's the Name we give our Ministers we have Altars with Steps to come up to them railed about in their Situation we observe East and West Offerings are made towards it Men bow at it that Part wherein it stands must be holier than the rest of the Church for at the side of it the Ten Commandments and some other Part of the Service ought to be read thence by those who are the thorough-paced Ceremonists blessing is given to the People we adorn them with the diminutive of the Name of Jesus embroidered we have Candlesticks and unlighted Candles upon it we formerly had Crucifixes upon them and nothing is wanting but saying Mass for we have what we call Priests to make it perfect Popery Are we not ashamed to have all these Trinkets in our Churches so like to Popery if not so why should we not call it the Communion Table St. Paul calls it the Lord's Table 1 Cor. 10.21 and why should we borrow all these things and Names from the Synagogue of Anti-Christ Those who have been beyond Sea and in Popish Countries and have seen their Churches may have observed what I say And now I am speaking about Altars before I leave it I must take notice how to prove that Men may institute things belonging to Divine Worship they use an Argument fetcht very far off the Altar at Jordan built by the Children of Reuben Gad Josh 22. from 10. to 34. and half the Tribe of Manasseth But 't was not upon a religious as the other Tribes thought it had been which made them so stirring in the Business but upon a civil account and a Memorial as they declared no more holy than a Land-mark I cannot but once more think upon the Fancy to say that Candles upon the Altar do signifie the Light of the Gospel but our Lights are out In this Papists are more in the right than we their Candles are a burning but can a Candle unlighted signifie Light that there is hope of Light or that there hath been a Light it may but surely we are out to think a Candle out is the Sign of Light Lord heal our Blindness this is the Effect of instituting morally significant Ceremonies which are condemned as well as sacramental And seeing God will be worship'd by the Rule of his Law and therefore doth detest all feigned and intruded Services it is undoubtedly contrary to Faith that any thing be added to his Precepts by the Judgment of Man so we must not wonder to see such Intrusion attended with so bad Effects Of bowing to the Altar NOW we must come to our bowings whereof we have two one to the Altar which is to bow to Wood and Stone to the Work of Man's Hand which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only without but also against Scripture here is a Worship expressed by an outward Act bowing which is not denyed only they say they worship not the Altar but God before the Altar so Papists say they worship not the Image but God before the Image so the Jews might say they worshipped not the Golden Calf but God before the Golden Calf however in the second Commandment God hath as expresly as can be forbidden to bow down before any Image or Likeness of any thing This is performed in the Church the Place appointed for God's Worship But this having more at large been handled elsewhere In the just and sober Vindication of the Observation of the 30th of January c. I shall add these few Words how there are different Degrees of Idolatry and Superstition whereof the very least is carefully to be avoided They who worshipped the Sun and Moon cannot be excused from Idolatry however 't is not in such a Degree and so grosly as of those that worshipped Kine Calves Snakes Crocodiles c. and rational Men will own it is a worse Degree of Idolatry to worship Stock and Stones than living Creatures which are God's Works when others are Man's Now indeed Idolatry committed by Christians as we all know Papists do is more abominable than that of Heathens because they sin against greater Lights So amongst Christians they which know most and are better acquainted with God's Will revealed in his Word are more guilty than those who know less for they ought to act according to and be guided by their Light Was it a fair and Christian-like thing for some Jesuits in the Indies when they found that barbarous People unwilling to forbear worshipping their Idols amongst them to set up Crucifixes and then boast of that kind of Wit how they had brought them to adore the Crucifix A rate Mixture and a fine trimming of Worship indeed whereby they withal strengthened them in their Idolatry instead of removing their Idols they only increased their Number with bringing a new one amongst the old ones though under a specious Pretence of Christ crucified but in matter of Worship all Pretences are not worth a Straw Remove the Cause and the Occasion too do neither countenance nor encourage it in the least if Altars be unto us a Sin we must not make Altars to sin rather no Altars at all Hos 8.11 if they prove Snares False Ways are many whilest there is but a true one to please a God
Logicians are they all But if this was litterally to be taken I see no Reason but we may do so of all those Places where Bodily Members as Eye Hand Arm c. and Passions as Anger Fury Vengeance Jealousie c. are attributed to God and thus fall into the Heresies of Antropomorphites and Antropopathites I must not omit to say how Papists make use of this Place in the Philippians to the same Purpose as our Men do so that this Practice is not free from Superstition Of Holy-days NEXT comes the Point of Feasts by them called Holy-days but there is no other Holy-days besides the Sabbath which God blessed and sanctified and now the Christian Sabbath or the first Day of the Week which our Saviour sanctified by his Resurrection after which he at several times appeared unto his Apostles who constantly observed it so that in St. John's time it was called the Lord's Day Rev. 1.10 As for all other Days kept in Memory of Creatures we disallow Keeping of Days hath Relation to God's Worship which ought not to be communicated to Men We are not satisfied to keep Apostles Days but we must also keep All Saints Michael and his Angels the Innocents c. All idle and superstitious Fopperies for which we have neither Precept nor Example in the Word of God to what purpose they contribute neither to Decency to Order nor to Edification only are an Inlet to Superstition He that keeps a Day let him keep it unto the Lord and not to Man either dead or alive An African Council condemned certain Feasts used in Memory of Martyrs because they were drawn from the Errors of the Gentiles whose Abominations Christians must not meddle or have to do with 1 Cor. 10.20 for the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice it to Devils and I would not that ye should have Fellowship with Devils So that when a Man saith to us this is offered in Sacrifice to Idols we ought not to eat Upon this Consideration that Council resolved on this And this we are to seek of the Emperor that such Feasts as are in many Places contrary to the Word of God and from the Errors of the Gentiles be forbidden for indeed some Christians being too ready to draw such things from them they transmitted them to others Christians and their Guides and Pastors instead of fencing against these things such was their Frailty that they rather complied therewith For Proof of this De Origin fest In Tertul. de Cor. Mil. let us hear what Hospinianus saith after Beat. Renany The old Bishops saith he were used when they could not call Men from the Superstitions of the Heathens by the preaching of the Word to seek at least to do it by observing their Holy-days with their own Worship but this was to drive out one Nail with another no Way to take off Superstition Although at the Beginning these Solemnities seemed tolerable yet at last they grew to such a Heap of Superstitions that they became the Fountain and Beginning of most horrible things Thus far he and Austin who then was alive wished them abolished and he gives in a Counsel for a good End Hom. 6. de Verb. dom in Matth. If ye ask how the Pagans may be won enlightened called leave all their Solemnities and forsake their Toys So we may say at this time only changing the Word Pagans into those of Papists Now the great Reason in those Days used by their learned Men not to receive those Vanities or if received to abolish them was because they were derived from Heathens which made Tertullian so sharply dispute that a Christian might not wear a Lawrel Crown for no other Cause but that the Gentiles did so which makes him say elsewhere Those Ceremonies are superstitious and vain which we used without any Authority of Divine or Apostolical Command and are to be accounted superstitious and therefore be restrained because in some sort they make us like the Gentiles and we may say they in some kind make us like the Papists for certainly we have it from them as they had it from the corrupt Church and this had it from Pagans so that the Springs whence they came and the Pipes thorough which they were conveyed are corrupt if there was no other Fault but this that they are empty Observations to be justly upbraided with Vanity as being done without any Warrant out of the Word for such things serve not to Religion but to Superstition and are affected and forced and rather over curious than any wise rational at all and therefore to be restrained because they do some of them suit with the Gentiles and all with the Papists Why then should we practise Ceremonial Festivals of Man's making 't is well to take occasion of hearing the Word and praying upon any Day when 't is offered but 't is not the Day but the Word of God that puts us in mind of the Birth Resurrection and Ascension of Christ and with Bucer we may well say I would to God that every Holy-day whatsoever besides the Lord's Day In Matth. 12. were abolished that Zeal which at first brought them in was without all warrant from the Word and it meerly follured corrupt reason to drive out the Holy-days of the Pagans as one Nail drives out another Those Holy-days have been so tainted with Superstition that I wonder we tremble not at their very Names and yet these every Year upon certain Days are observed with Mention of him or her whose Day it is and with an Epistle Collect Gospel Of Fasts WHAT I say of Feasts may also be spoken of Fasts We own Fasts publick or private being kept out of a right Principle in a true manner and for a good End are commendable but it must be upon occasion either to prevent an imminent Danger to remove some Judgments or to be humbled for our Sins then it must be joyned with Prayer for 't is an Accessary and Help to it and to speak more generally there is a Fast from Sin and evil Works which we are constantly bound to observe 't is what Scripture calleth ceasing from Evil but here this is not the Question 't is of prescribed Fasts which ought not always to be upon certain Days of the Year which are a Yoke upon the Church but as I said only upon Occasion voluntary and not forced and they ought not to consist in the Abstinence of some Meats but of all sorts for a time the better to fit us for Prayer not to have them too frequent as in the Church of Rome which looks on it as meritorious The Heretick Montanus brought in and promoted the stinted Fasts which afterwards did superstitiously multiply and to this Day Papists are full of them from them we borrowed some as those by the Church ordered to be kept upon Eves of several Holy-days so called all to be returned to those whom we had it from as well as the Feasts of
Innocents Michael and his Angels All Saints with the 30th of January and 29th of May. But we shall wave them all to speak of Lent that Chaos and Complication of Fasts this above all is an intolerable Yoke and yet was a greater when People were to buy Licenses to get leave to eat Flesh brought upon their Table as 't is in the Church of Rome whence they had it 't is strange that after Men have bought their Meat and so it must be their own yet besides they are to buy a License to eat it but now I thank God that 's over though there be those who out of Custom do strictly keep it and we have seen such Formalists as during all Lent would wear no Lace in their Linnen none but black Cloths as it were putting themselves in Mourning for the Death of our Lord without which there had never been any Joy or Happiness for us At first when Lent came in two or three Days were kept before Easter to meditate upon the Mistery of our Saviour's Death and with Prayer reading and hearing of the Word to prepare to receive the holy Sacrament but as Superstition came in and that ever it is for going on those few Days so multiplied by degrees till it came to the Excess it is now in so that we hear of first second Matth. 4.2 third fourth fifth Sundays in Lent and this we must pretend to be in Imitation of our Saviour's Fast not to be imitated for it was miraculous of forty Days then it is not well timed for his Fast was immediately after his Baptism and not about the Time of his Death Of Musick SOmething must be said about Musick not so much Vocal as Instrumental the Vocal is necessary to sing Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs to the Praise of God according to the Advice of St. Paul and St. James Col. 3.16 Jam. 5.13 yet without Affectation and Nicety as minding the Tune and rules of that Art more than the matter and making a pleasant Harmony to the Ear more than the Affection of the Heart Sing with Grace in your Hearts saith Paul To this purpose in a Distich or two Latin Verses one said well not the Voice but the Affection not the Sound of stringed Instrument but the Heart not he that cryeth out but he that loves makes a sweet Harmony in God's Ear. Non Vox sed Votum non musica chordula sed Cor Non clamans sed amans psallit in aure Dei Pet. Martyr spoke well when he said Musical Instruments belong to Jewish Ceremonies and agree no more to us than Circumcision In Cathedral Churches it makes a very confuse Noise so improper as indifferently to sing Prayers and Praises I know there are Psalms of Prayer but they ought jointly to be sung in the Church by all the People not appropriated to few singing Boys and Men who after the Popish Way shew their good Voices and Skill strive to tickle the Ears of Hearers who must be content to hear and say nothing Should one beg Alms in a singing Tone some would think he is mad or at least in a respectless and mocking Humour besides that by this people are deprived of the Comfort of singing Psalms which no doubt would tend more to Decency and Edification Those who are so fond of this kind of Musick might go to Musick-houses or Popish Churches if any was now publickly in the Kingdom where they shall have enough and Variety of it and not to make of Churches Play-houses or a kind of Dancing-schools In the late Reigns we heard in the Royal Chappels Violins and such sorts of Instruments fitter for a Ball-room than for the House of God and therefore should be taken away It is not only my Opinion but also of the thirty two grave and learned Men which is King Edward's Days were chosen to reform Ecclesiastical Laws they say we like well to have this kind of tedious Musick taken away De divinis officiis cap. 5. And because I my self am a Party I will say nothing more of my own but bring two or three more considerable Evidences who will speak to the Purpose Thom. Aquinas is one in whose time in the Church of Rome this was not so much in request as afterwards Quest 22. A. 4. he saith The Church useth no Musick for Divine Praises least it should seem to Judaize Musical Instruments do no more stir up the Mind to delight than frame it in a right Disposition in the Old Testament there was some need of them c. and also because they did figure out something Then Zuing lius saith It is evident that that same Ecclesiastical singing and roaring in our Temples scarce also understood of the Priests themselves is a most foolish and vain Abuse Act. Disput 2. pag. 106. and a most pernicious Hinderance to Piety I make no Question but all that kind of Musick was a Part of the Legal Pedagogy in the solemn Worship of God I do not judge it more suitable than if we should recal the Incense Tapers and others Shadows of the Law into use I say again to go beyond what we are taught is most wicked Pervicacy So saith Calvin but let us hear Erasmus whose Testimony will by some be better received than his in 1 cor 14. We have brought a tedious and Player like Musick into the Church a tumultuous Noise of many Voices such as I think was not heard amongst the Theaters of Grecians or Romans for which purpose whole Flocks of Boys are maintained at great Charges whose Age also is spent in learning such Gibble Gabble at such Cost is the Church for a pestiferous thing c. Doth not he just fit our Case and how many Drones are maintained at this rate Not to speak of Prebends and Canons who if they were Men of Parts and Piety might be better imployed in preaching the Word than they are in doing little or nothing Of Consecration of Churches SOME few Words I must speak about Consecration of Churches which Papists make a great Pother about and we are their Diminutive To set a-part a Place for God's Service and make no other use of it but wholly and only to dedicate it to God is a sufficient Consecration without any farther Ceremony a Church and a Church-yard are never the better for being thus consecrated wherefore 't is vain and superfluous to do it 't is appointed to an holy Use but there is no inherent Holiness the true preaching of the Word and the right Administration of the Sacraments are that which doth sanctifie and distinguish it from a common Use If the Church is to be consecrated Why not the Pulpit Why not the Bells Which Papists baptize and have God-fathers and Godmothers for So they do to Ships so this Consecration of Churches is not commanded in Scripture an Imitation of Popery and an unnecessary unprofitable and superstitious Ceremony for some Men think the Church to
confirmeth it to be the same Office as we said but just now out of Acts 20. 'T is a thing I here have no mind to discuss Mr. Clarckson of primitive Episcop one having lately done it so well where he clearly shews how Bishops were but Ministers of Parishes as formerly Cardinals were but Priests of Parishes in Rome and to this very Day every Cardinal assoon as he is made hath with that Dignity the Title of one Parish or other in or about Rome What is said of Timothy and Titus being Bishops one of Ephesus the other of Creet is amongst some a vulgar Error grounded upon the Subscriptions of the second Epistle to the former and of the onely Epistle to the later But those do not belong to the Epistles but are Additions to them long after the Time when they had been written they are no Part of those holy Writings as it appeareth out of the Subscription of that to Titus where is a Mistake of the Place which St. Paul could not commit and is confuted out of the 12th Verse of the last Chapter where St. Paul desires him to be diligent to come to him to Nicopolis for I have determined there to winter if the Epistle had been written from Nicopolis as 't is said in the Subscription he would have said I determined here to winter as of a Place where he was and not there as of a Place where he was not at that Time when the Epistle was written The Truth is both Timothy and Titus were Evangelists who went with him in his Journeys and when he had formed a Church he left one to set things in order whilest he was gone to preach the Gospel in some other Place as to Timothy 't is clear when he exhorteth him to do the Work of an Evangelist 2 Tim. 4.5 therefore in his Epistles to them he chargeth exhorteth and doth direct them how to carry on the Work he had set them upon during his Absence and then come to him when and where he appointed them Here I shall not enter into a long Discussion only in few Words shall say how after holy Scripture the antient orthodox Doctors as Austin Jerome Ambrose and some of the Papists as Hugo Cardinal Anselm Lumbard Cusan Johan Parisens and others whose Words upon occasion we can produce hold the Distinction between Diocesian Bishops and other Ministers Elders or Pastors not to be jure divino but only jure positivo or Humane Right hence all Ministers by Decrees of ancient Councils ought to have Voices both deliberative and decisive in Councils as Gratian Duraren Gentilet exam Cone Trid. Pag. 216. and Gentiles do declare this last alledging the Councils of Nice Calcedon and Carthage and others Hierom's Words are well known and very remarkable In Tit. 1. Idem est ergo presbiter qui Episcopus Episcopi noverint se magis consuerudine quam c. The Elder is therefore the same as the Bishop and before there were in the Church Divisions through the Devil's Instigation and some said I am of Paul others I am of Apollo and others I am of Cephas Churches were governed by the common Consent of the Elders If any one thinks it is only our Opinion and not of Scripture that the Bishops and Elders are but one and the same and that one is a Name of Age the other of Office let him but read the Apostle's Words to the Philippians Paul and Timotheus the Servants of Jesus Christ to all the Saints which are in Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons Let the Bishops know that they are greater than the Elders more by Custom than by the Lord's Institution and that in common they ought to govern the Church And to Evagrius so upon these Matters Cyprian is to be consulted who declares how from the Beginning of his being made Bishop he resolved to do nothing without the Advice of the Elders and the Consent of the People Every Plant saith our blessed Saviour which my Heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up Matth. 15.13 to be understood not only of Persons but also of Doctrines but now we speak of Persons The Lord Jesus declareth by himself how every true Commission must come from the same Hand I am come in my Father's Name John 5.43 and when he gives his Disciples their Commission he mentions by Vertue of what thus as my Father hath sent me so do I send you John 20.21 The Commission is originally from the Father and by the Son to the Disciples thence derivatively to others any other Commission is wrong so void and null This same Commission gives an equal Power to all and is of the same Extent for one as for the other wherefore let Prelates shew their Commission of Authority over their Fellow-ministers sure we are their Commission is not for but against it Luke 22.25 26. If they pretend to any other we say 't is not right but null and is insignificant Nothing of that Lording Office in the Place where ordinary and extraordinary Offices of God's Appointment are named Eph. 4.11 A poor Woman can say that when the Messiah cometh which is called Christ he will tell us all things John 4.25 yet he never spake of such Offices of Superiority as Lords Bishops Archbishops c. He is our Lord and Master yet gives us a wonderful Example of Humility John 13.13 14 15. elsewhere he bids us to learn of him but what To domineer over others or to be high above Fellow-servants or to assume Names or things of Superiority no such thing but Meekness of Humility for I am meek and lowly of Heart Matth. 11.29 Wherefore let Prelates be satisfied with the Rank which civil Authority hath given them as to an outward Respect but not to stretch out their Commission beyond Bounds lest they give cause to renew the Complaint of King Frederigo of Spain An. 1300. Episcopi Ceremonias c. As for Ceremonies saith he and such things as do serve to the advancing of the vain Glory of the Prelacy the Bishops take solemn Care for the promoting of these but of the Government of Souls and their eternal Salvation they are the very Plagues c. But we must leave off the Discourse about Diocesian Bishops and shall not meddle with it any further However let them not wholly engross to themselves all Jurisdiction and Ordination the whole Ecclesiastical Power and the sole Right of Ordination whereof the laying on of Hands which is an essential Part of it is called the laying on of the Hands of the Presbitery 1 Tim. 4.14 which is a collective Body not of one but of many so that for a Bishop wholly to arrogate it to himself is a great Abuse so 't is though one or two more be called if it be done pro formâ and for Fashion sake which is an owning that that thing ought really to be so though it be otherwise like one who is made to sign a
nor be a Hinderance for Ministers to exercise the Gift of Prayer or to make them neglect it nor to justle out preaching neither must Men make the publick Worship of God consist only or chiefly in hearing Prayers read With these Cautions we approve well of a Liturgy wherefore let it be known we except not against Liturgies in general and as such but in particular against such as we think to have just Exceptions against either as to the matter or to the manner of using them As to those Liturgies fathered upon St. Peter St. James and Mark they are spurious and were obtruded upon the World by the Romanists Although I do not intend to insist upon those Places of the Common-prayer-book which we have just Cause to except against because others have done it before yet something must be said to it and we must come to some particlars I shall begin with the Rubrick concerning the Order how the rest of the holy Scripture besides the Psalter is appointed to be read in the first Paragraph is a Brand and a Slight put upon holy Canonical Scripture of the Old Testament for it is said It shall be read through once every Year except certain Books and Chapters which be least edifying and might be spared yet instead of these are read several of the Apocryphal Books as Ecclesiasticus the Wisdom 2d of Esdras Baruch Judith Tobith c. Whereby a visible Preference is given to those Humane Writings before the authentick Word of God for they are lookt upon as best edifying and least to be spared In the point this is worse than Papists who give the Apocryphas and their Traditions an equal Authority to Canonical Scripture which is the Word of God when the others are the Word of Man but this as I already observed giveth the Preference to some of the Apocrypha before some of the Canonical I hope this shall be no Question between us we all know the Reasons we have against Papists about the Authority of the Apocrypha First They were all written after the Time of Malachy the last of the Prophets Secondly None of the Apocrypha is written in Hebrew which is the Tongue used by the Prophets Thirdly Neither the Jews nor the primitive Apostolical Church ever received them as Canonical Fourthly they were never quoted in the New Testament by our Saviour or his Apostles tho there be Places quoted out of every Book of the Old Testament and our blessed Saviour mentioned the Old Testament under three Heads The Law of Moses the Prophets Luke 24.44 and the Psalms But the fifth and chief Reason because in every thing they do not agree with the Canonical Scripture nor with themselves as hath been shewed by some of our Divines as Whitaker Reynolds c. specially in Vsher's Body of Divinity and by Forreigners as Polanus Chamierus and so many more And this I press the more because the Authority of it in Scripture is one of the Fundamental Points of our Religion and one of the greatest Controversies between Papists and us In the last Paragraph of the same Rubrick 't is ordered thus as often as the first Chapter of St. Matthew is read either for Lesson or Gospel ye shall begin the same at Vers 18. and the third Chapter of St. Luke 's Gospel shall be read unto the middle of Verse the 23d Surely that which is ordered to be left out is Part of Scripture as that which is read the one as well as the other are written for our Instruction as well as Comfort That which is unread is of a high Concernment for though it consists only of proper Names yet contains a most important Matter every Degree of our blessed Saviour's Genealogy which God under the Old Testament took such Care to preserve clear that when the Messiah came to be born there should be no Doubt no Difficulty made of his being of the Seed of Abraham of the Family of David which St. Matthew proves on Joseph his supposed Father's side as St. Luke on Mary's the first divided into three Classes of 14 Generations every one of which makes undisputably a great Article of our Faith how Jesus Christ born of the Virgin Mary is the true Messiah promised to the World out of Abraham's Seed and then the mention amongst Christ's Ancestors made of Thamar of Rachab of Ruth of her that had been Vrias's Wife Bersheba whereby Christ owns for his Relations according to the Flesh some branded with notorious Faults others though Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and Strangers from the Covenants of Promise to shew how in his Spiritual Relations he would not disown the most notorious Sinners and never so much Gentiles This I say affords matter of Meditation and so is not to be unread Here followeth the Table of the proper Lessons to be read at the Head whereof we find the Word Mattens for Morning Prayer and to have matched things well there should have been the Word Vespers instead of Evening Song both Words in that Sence used in the Church of Rome from whom we borrow both Names and things as we shall have Occasion farther to speak of now these Words are derived from Latin and used in Italian Spanish French c. 'T is no wonder if having taken things out of their Latin Books we also retain some of their Names as Advent Epiphany Quinquagesima Sexagesima Septuagesima c. which are barbarous to every English Man unacquainted with the Latin Tongue or with the Customs of that Church so we do continue their Mass Names and Days as Christmas the Day when Mass is said for the Birth of Christ Candlemass the Day of the Mass of Candles for then Popish Churches are full of them Lammas Day the Day when here in Time of Popery they said Mass for the Preservation of Lambs Michaelmass the Day when Michael's Mass is said c. We say no Mass upon those Days but we have Collect Epistle and Gospel some of which Papists use upon those very Days Now if we look into the Kalender we shall there find the Names of many Saints which either were never in Nature or else are honoured upon Earth when may be their Souls are tormented in Hell Boniface Silvester Clement Dunstan George Martin Denis for there must be Champions to defend the rest specially the Ladies as Margaret Agnes Magdalene Katharine Agathe c. and to be merry Cicely the Patroness of Musitians with Nicolas Crispin Blasius Patrons of Seamen Shoemakers c. Hugh Valentine Edward Machal amongst other Inventions that of the Cross must be in too Remige and several other Popish Saints whose Names should not be in our Mouths much less in our Common-prayer-book we must not omit how there are five Holy Days for the blessed Virgin Purification Annunciation Visitation Nativity and Conception there should have been also her Assumption when she was as they pretend carried up to Heaven in Body and Soul then we could have
all the Papists keep for her when alas I defie them all together to prove any of those Days to be the Day which they keep it for so then they are kept at a Venture What shall we say of the Names of Rogations Ember Week and so many more to be found in our Prayer-book which are the Quintessence of Popish Superstitious Holy Days What I say is not in Relation to the civil Part of those Names but as to the Spiritual as they are brought into the Church But they will say we keep not all such Dayes there is only a certain Number mentioned after the Kalender but I ask wherefore then do you set them down yet there are Mornings and Evenings first and second Lessons for the very Day which I make no doubt are read where Service is every Day In the same Kalender we find the fasts as well as Feasts and those Fasts are always upon the Eves of certain Holy Days which are many only I find St. Mark and St. Luke have none whilest All Saints have wherein a Partiality appeareth we have Good Friday Holy Thursday no better nor holier than another whole Lent c. But this matter of Feasts and Fasts I have spoken of before Upon the first of May is the Feast by Papists dedicated to Philip and James but we are so fond of the Latin Tongue that because Jacobus is the Latin for James in the Payer-book 't is called Jacob and not James I know no other Reason why it should be so only because it hath a greater Affinity to the Latin the Latin Church we still retain a Kindness for After the Kalender are certain Notes belonging to it whereof one is that the 13th Chapter of Daniel is to be read until such Words The Book of Daniel hath but 12. Chapters in all and must the History of Susanna against which as an Apocrypha are lawful Exceptions be fathered upon that holy Prophet and be inserted into his Book as a Chapter of it In the Morning and Evening Prayers when the general Confession is read by the Minister it were well for the People within themselves or with a very low Voice to follow him but so loud as usually it is is not pertinent but makes a Noise and Confusion for the same Reason the Answers that follow the Lord's Prayer which indeed have very little Relation if any at all with what goeth before or what followeth In Prayer the Minister is the Mouth of the People to God and the People with their Hearts are to joyn with the Minister in his Prayer as with Reverence and Attention they ought to hear when he is God's Mouth to them that is when he preacheth I might take notice of what is said there of singing the Lesson in plain Tune to sing the Collect Epistle and Gospel which are very improper things So of their Benedicite Magnificat Nunc dimittis which I suppose might admit of English Names of which I shall speak hereafter as for the Answers at the latter End they contain good Expressions but ill applied without a Connexion between themselves all after the Romish way which 't is to be wished we had not so much of as we have we could well enough be without it as without those Portions of Apocryphas when we are wanting something for Instruction Comfort and Edification which the Word of God may supply us with 'T is not enough to sing our Prayers but our Creed and Confession of Faith must also be sung as ordered in the Evening Prayer upon some certain great Days therein named We grant that 't is well to have those several things in Verses to use them however herein Men ought not to allow themselves oto much Liberty for the Word of God ought always to be handled with a great Respect and Reverence the Tone of our Voice ought to be adapted to the Matter and the Occasion according to that Rule of St. James Jam. 5.13 Is any among you afflicted Let him pray is any merry Let him sing Psalms Prayer and Singing are different Duties to be used upon several Occasions as are Affliction and Mirth Before I proceed farther one thing I must take notice of which to me seems unaccountable that is the using of the Word Priest in our Prayer-book In the two Places I quoted before Ephes 4.11 1 Cor. 12.28 whereunto we may joyn Rom 12 the Apostle mentioneth the several Offices belonging to the Church but there is no sign either of the Name or of the Office of a Priest under the Law there were some because Sacrifices were to be made but under the Gospel no Sacrifice but of Prayer and Praise we have the Eucharisty or Commemoration of our Lord and Saviour's Sacrifice upon the Cross but that 's good for Papists to have Priests who pretend daily to make an Expiatory Sacrifice for the Sins of the Living and of the Dead but we abhor such a thing at least pretend to do so We say we abolish the thing and yet retain the Name the Name of Minister is in Scripture known in this Sence 1 Cor. 44.1 Let a Man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God The Names Bishop Pastor and Elder are known in Scripture but if they think the Word Minister below them which I charitably believe they do not because sometimes though seldom they use it then they may use the Word Elder or Presbyter which is the Greek for Elder 1 Pet. 5.1 Presbyter as St. Peter calls himself and Presbytery are Scripture Names signifying Office in the Church but there is a great Difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Presbyter and a Priest which is the proper Signification of the last as Heb. 5.6 so then the Word Priest is fetched afar off and there is no such Office in the Christian Church As to the Litany the same may be said by the People at the same time with the Minister but with a low Voice and not not after and separately they do it after the manner of the Kirie Eleison used by Papists here the People not the Minister make the Prayer for they and not he say Spare us good Lord Good Lord deliver us We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. When 't is said from Fornication and all other deadly Sin the Word deadly doth favour the Popish erroneous Distinction of Mortal and Venial Sins They hold but seven Mortal Sins whereof Fornication is one but they hold there are Sins of their Nature not mortal and which do not deserve Death which is contrary to the whole Course of Scripture Ezech. 18.20 Rom. 6.23 which saith expresly the Soul that sinneth it shall die and the Wages of Sin is Death This may easily be mended with changing the Word deadly into any of these gross horrid enormeous or such like which to deny is certainly to refuse Peace upon easie Terms to
their Salvation and be undoubtedly saved Nothing more Positive than this can be said upon a Matter In the two foregoing Heads something there was to this purpose to say it once should have been enough but twice is too much again to say as if by Baptism the Child had been infallibly adopted c. for our Lord Jesus doth not deny his Grace and Mercy to such Infants this is too positive how can he tell it One may charitably believe it yet not be true the same Caution must be observed in the Exhortation following doubt ye not therefore but do earnestly believe that c. If this was by way of prayer as we beseech thee to regenerate to receive into the Number of thy Children this Child c. or if it was said we charitably believe it would be well but to say so peremptorily that it is certain by the Word of God but no such thing in the Word of God on the contrary this sets up two Popish Errors first Necessity of Baptism to Salvation as if one could not be saved without it hence they exclude from Heaven Children that die without Baptism the second Errour that the visible Sign doth confer the invisible Grace so that whosoever is baptized opere operato is thereby regenerated Whosoever eats the Bread and drinks the Wine eats and drinks the Body and Blood of Christ There are good Rules set in the Rubrick about Matrimony as asking of the Banes three several Sundays c which well observed would prevent abundance of Mischief by unlawful Marriages in the Words and Form it may be well till the Ceremony of the Ring put upon the fourth Finger of the Woman by the Man after it had been laid upon the Book with the Money due to the Minister and Clark indeed amids the Celebration 't is very undecent to bring in Money which might better be done before or after the Blessing but they will make sure of their Fees Then the Words spoken when the Ring is put upon the Finger With this Ring I thee wed with my Body I thee Worship c. are unbecoming that holy and solemn Institution it seems the Ring is made essential to the Marriage then joyning together the right Hands why the right rather than the left called that of the Heart The Minister may pronounce the Words but plighting the Troth and joyning of Hands are idle Ceremonies too much like a Play whether or not they be significant though necessary for the Minister as the Ground of his declaring them Husband and Wife The saying or singing a Psalm when going to the Communion Table then the Answers after it even the Communion at that time is not very proper neither repeating the Prayer after what was said in the Beginning that Marriage signifieth unto us the mystical Union of Christ with his Church All Forms of that Nature must be short full and becoming the Gravity and Majesty of the Ordinance Concerning the Visitation of the sick those Answers at the Beginning do much smell of the Popish Priest who hardly goes about any Part of his Office but always hath with him his Clark to answer at Mass and elsewhere Surely upon this Occasion it should be left to the Prudence of the Minister to use his Gift of Prayer according to the Nature of the Disease to the Shortness or Length of it and the Temper and Condition he finds the Patient in by Discourse and Conversation first with Comfort and Exhortations suitable with that State he finds him in and after with Prayer 't is strange that upon such Occasions a Minister should be only doctus in libro and very sad he can or must not pray comfort a Patient nor hardly preach or execute any other Part of his Ministry without Book then 't is not possible to pen a Prayer that at all times and Places can reach every Patients Case The special Confession required of the Patient is too much like Popery but the following Absolution of the Priest is very strange amongst Protestants specially these Words and by the Authority committed to me I absolve thee from all thy Sins Upon Condition of Repentance a Minister may declare a Sinner absolved but not absolve him these are the very Words used by Popish Priests by Christ's Authority committed to me how hard is it to walk upon the burning Coales and not burn his Feet And though the following Prayer be very good and fit for the Occasion yet after a positive Absolution of all Sins it is preposterous and had been better placed before Now to see a Minister coming into a sick Man's Room with a Book in his Hand is the true Posture of a Popish Priest upon such an occasion stinted to it About the Burial of the Dead We ought upon this account to be very shy not to do any thing seeming to favour Popish Errors about the dead The Truth is what in that and some other things we do we have taken it from them A Sermon is what in such an Occasion may be allowed or a general Discourse about Mortality and Preparation for Death but we exceed and go too far as first for the Minister to meet the Body at 〈◊〉 certain Place then for him and his Clark perfectly after the Popish Way to sing either into the Church or towards the Grave the Words therein set down then when they are come to the Grave for Priest and Clark to sing another Tune The Word sing is expressed then a third one while the Earth is cast upon the Body afterwards a fourth Scene all too far and beyond the Modesty and Simplicity upon such an Occasion to be used Of churching of Women Upon this Occasion Thanks to God may be returned but not in that Formal Way which we retain from Popery and which they had from the Jewish Purification all which kind of Ceremonies ought to be abstained from That Law lasted until John and in the Time of the Apostles did wear off by degrees but an ill Circumstance is mentionen last of all still there is Money in the Case the Woman must offer accustomed Offerings not to God but to the Minister God must be satisfied with Thanks but the Priest must have Money this indeed is to make a House of Merchandise of the Church I should also have taken notice how in the foregoing Answers Repetitions ought to be avoided things follow one another with little Relation or hardly any Connexion All this was extracted out of a prayer-book printed in 1645 but in that now used which was published in Charles II's Days we find some Alterations yet something more than in the Former In the preface are contained some uncharitable and unjust Reflections against Nonconformists called Men given to Change who always discovered a greater Regard to their own private Fancies and Interests than to that Duty they owe to the publick and at the latter End they are called Men of factious peevish and perverse Spirits a very hard
are Breeders of to give them their due they are the Burthens of the Church the Blemish of God's Ordinances the Scourge of good Preachers the Brood and Hopes of Popery the rejoycing of the Prophane the Grievance of the Good and the Seed of Dissention so then it is an unwarrantable Presumption to bring them in the Case can be no better illustrated than with the Parable in the Gospel where the Lord Jesus is said to be like a Man taking a far Journey Mark 13.34 who left his House and gave Authority to his Servants and to every Man his Work and commanded the Porter to watch The Church we must understand to be his House where we observe no Authority but that which is given and no Work but that which is left and over these the Porters must watch that no other Authority be intruded nor other Work be done To this belongs what St. Paul saith 2 Cor. 10.13 We will not boast of things without our Measure but according to the Measure of the Rule which God hath distributed to us It would be very strange if during the Absence of the Lord and Master of a House some of the Servants would introduce other Rules and other Works to be done than what he commanded to be observed If such Attempts be so odious and against Rule and Reason in worldly things what must it be in God's House Thus much I could not forbear taking notice of in my way now we return to our Evidences Peter Martyr comes next who though a Divinity Professor at Oxford yet was a Forreigner born he adviseth the Ministers of Poland to keep such Order in the Administration of Sacraments as differeth most from the Toys and Ceremonies of Papists and if from the Heart we hated Superstition certainly we would do our Endeavour clean to put out and deface all the Footsteps and Monuments thereof Further he saith there is somewhat more hard I confess of those Garments they call holy and which somewhat troubleth me that I wonder they are so strictly retained and he himself refuseth to wear the Surplice for he saith when I was at Oxford I would never use those white Garments in the Quire though at that time I were a Canon I had no reason for it but that wich then moved and doth still move me and perhaps may justly move you is how that is not to be done which shall confirm what my Conscience cannot allow of and those things he calleth meer Relicks of Popery The Wirtemburg Confession saith it is not lawful either to restore the old Ceremonies of the Law or to devise new ones to shadow forth the Truth already laid open or brought to light by the Gospel as in the Day-light to set up Candles to signifie the Light of the Gospel or to carry Banners or Crosses to signifie the Victory of Christ thorough his Cross 'T is added no mystical Rites which carry some Mystery or Signification in them though not otherwise impious as namely such as should be Parts of God's Doctrine or kind of Sacraments but only because such Laws as belong to Order and Decency are lawful But why any longer to stand upon some particular Evidences we have with us a whole Cloud of Witnesses for beyond Sea Zuinglius Oecolampadius Bullinger to whom some Letters from Lady Jane Grey are to be seen at Zurich Danaeus Sadeel Chemnitius Zesperus Mullerus Chamier Musculus c. besides some we named before and all I shall conclude with several Passages of that excellent Epistle a purpose and by Order from the Elector Palatine by Zanchius written to Queen Elizabeth which doth begin thus Most Gracious and most Christian Queen We have not without Grief understood that the Fire of Contention about certain Garments which we thought had been quenched long ago is now again to the incredible Offence of the Godly as it were arised from Hell and kindled afresh in your Majesties Kingdom and that the Occasion of this Fire is because your gracious Majesty being perswaded by some otherwise great Men and carried with a Zeal but certainly not according to Knowledge to retain Unity in Religion hath now more than ever before resolved yea doth command that all Bishops and Ministers of the Church shall in Divine Service put on the white and linnen Garments which the popish Priests now use in Popery to the perpetual Disgrace of your renowned Majesty which thing being so I see not how your gracious Majesty can with good Conscience propound again the Garments in Question and other things of that kind smelling as yet of popish Superstition and once banished out of the Churches to be taken on again and therefore all things are to be called back as much as may be to the Rule of God and to the Former and Apostolical and to the more pure and simple Form of Religion Finally if as the Apostle commandeth we are to abstain not only from all Evil but from all Appearance of Evil to what End I beseech you most Renowned and most Godly Queen should those things be brought in again into the Church of God by the Prince's Commandments which are contrary to the Gravity of the Apostolical Worship which smell of the popish Superstition which do not serve to the Edification of the Godly nor to Order nor for Ornament except that which is whorish which lastly can bring no Profit but on the contrary many Evils to the Church c For though they be not evil or unclean in their Nature yet because of the former and late Abuse they are not altogether free from Uncleanness certainly it cannot be denied but that at least they will give Occasions of many Evils and very grievous Superstitions now the very Occasions also of Evils are to be avoided This is to tempt God We ought most Religious Queen to have nothing to do with the Papists in matter of Religion save in those things which they have common with the Apostles Why I beseech you were some things otherwise Godly reproved and blamed in Scripture that they had not taken away Temples and Churches for Divine Service in the Mountains or high places which were built by holy Fathers before the building of the Temple Now which is the better to follow the Godly Simplicity of the Apostles or the ungodly Pomp of Papists This recalling of such popish Garments will be a greater Evil then peradventure it may be seen even to the very wise Men at the first Sight therefore to recal these stinking Garments and other Rubbish of the Popish Church into the Church of Christ at this time what is it but to give Papists an occasion and the best that may be to confirm and harden themselves and theirs in their Superstitions and also to help them therein And who knoweth not that these Garments are a Part of the Houshold Stuff of the Romish Seducer and to bring them into the Church of Christ What is it else but to provoke God to Anger and
ought to be performed only in Spirit and in Truth for God is Spirit John 4. So that the Use of those Ceremonies ought to be abolished Belg Conf. Art 25. Also the Churches of the united Provinces do believe that amongst Christians all Ceremonies must be abrogated Now he that saith all excludeth nothing and to shew what kind of Ceremonies those are elsewhere they explain it we do reject all manner of Humane Inventions brought into the Service of God Art 32. And 't is an unexcusable Presumption to introduce into the Service of God that which he hath not prescribed The Believers of part of Switzerland express thus much saying no Man may command that which Christ hath not commanded Conf. Basil Art 19. among other things therein is mention made of Days dedicated unto Saints but in another Place they declare more at large when having said how the Church of Christ doth what she can to preserve Peace and Union 't is added therefore she hath no Communication with Sects and receiveth not any Rules given to settle a Distinction of Meats Cloths Days and Ceremonies Herein with us do also agree the four imperial Cities in their Confession of Faith presented to the Emperor Charles the Vth. where after they have condemned the Impositions of Fast Days at certain times as Lent and on Fridays specially that called good-Friday and having quoted some Places out of Ireneus and of Apollonius against Montanus who was the first Imposer of Fasts and of Chrysostome Neque enim apud nos leve momentum habet c. they speak thus for as we ought we had a special Regard to what St. Paul saith to the Coloss Chap. 2. Let no Man judge you in Meat or in Drink or in respect of an holy Day And in another Place having spoken about Abuses under Pretences of Divine Worship introduced into the Church 't is added Many things are admitted subservient unto Superstition more than to Piety This overthrows the Ceremonies of our Prelates If after all this we have a Desire and Curiosity to know the Mind of the most remote Churches from us and which are settled in Poland Russia Lithuania c. We shall find though some follow the Confession of Ausburg others that of Bohemia and others that of the Evangelical Cantons Postnaniensi Conventu art 10. Disciplina ecclesias secundum Dei verbum ab omnibus approbatur Ex lib. Bucer cui titulus scripta duo adversaria latol p ag 159. they unanimously tell us that Church Discipline which is according to the Word of God is approved by all Who then can hinder ut hence to conclude that all approve to have that Church-government settled which is grounded upon God's Word And indeed they have that Company of Men that excel in Prudence and Gravity of Spirit whom Bucer speaks of whose Office is to warn and correct those that commit Faults and to compose Differences c. those Elders saith he Ambrose hath written of they are those that help in the Administration of Church-government to the great easing of the Minister whereof the Benefit is great in those Churches that have them though they be derived from Scripture yet are wholly despised and rejected by the prelatical Party A general Synod held in Poland since the Agreement at Sandomir Uladislaw Synodus art 12. Syn. postnan art 8. Syn. Xansens cap. 2. speaks of two Kinds of Elders Spiritual and Secular Another famous enough makes mention of them and a third not only declareth how they ought to be chosen but also what their Office is 'T is then past all Question that they have ruling Elders Moreover we must admire at the Charity and Prudence of those Churches much different from what we have seen here practised at home for though Part of them that are united by the Agreement they made at Sandomir be of the Confession of Ausburg and do retain some Ceremonies yet they impose them not neither do they constrain People to submit thereunto for say they Petricoviens Synod art 4. qua quidem propter externos ritus homines pios ferire neque domini est voluntas neque purioris ecclesiae mos c. if they were imposed some Opposition might happen and then it would be necessary to make use of the Discipline but 't is neither the Will of God nor the Practice of the more primitive Christian Church to punish pious Men for outward Ceremonies therefore Ceremonies we leave to Christian Liberty Hence we see how they wisely avoid the Occasions of Severity and Dispute Though among those Churches there be Overseers and Superintendents whence our Prelates would prove a Conformity with their Episcopacy we shall find a vast Difference between both not only as to the Election which is made by the Ministers but also in relation to the Authority which is subordinate and inferiour to that of the Synoct Xansens Syn. cap. 1. Art 10. see from art 1. to the 10th and as to the Time assigned for it which is from one Synod to another and according to the Pleasure of the Synod he shall be confirmed or else another shall be chosen if the Synod think fit And if it will appear those Overseers have a different Employment from that of our Bishops if one will take the Pains to read the Articles of that Synod from first to tenth inclusively and that for them it is an Addition of Care and Pain more than of any Worldly Honour or Gain In a Word they are such as Chair-men Prolocutors and Moderators in Synodal Assemblies except that the Work of these doth cease at the breaking up of the Synods but the Labour of those doth continue This we might strengthen with other Testimonies of the Confessions of Faith and Articles of the Ecclesiastical Government of other Churches But forbear for we think we said enough to our present purpose Now to come to the Judgment of some of our home good and learned Men about these things Written in 1566. we shall begin with a Letter of the general Assembly of Scotland to the Bishops of England for though they be of a different Kingdom yet they make part of the same Land If Surplice say they corner Cap and Tippet have been Badges dies of Idolaters in the very Act of Idolatry what have the Preachers of christian Liberty and the open Rebukers of Superstition to do with the Dregs of the Romish Beast And in their Confession of Faith are these Words We detest all Ceremonies and false Doctrines of the Romish Antichrist added to the Ministration of the true Sacraments we detest all his vain Allegories Rites Signs and Traditions brought into the Church without and against the Word of God King James when he was yet in Scotland could tell them they had the purest and best Reformed Church in the World even beyond that of Geneva which said he keepeth some Days yet when he had been here a while being well pleased with
the Complement of some of our Bishops how he was the wisest and most learned King since Solomon's Time which Learning and Wisdom whatsoever he after God owed to Buchanan whose Principles he soon forgot here and his Friend's Kindness there upon ascending on the Throne he became another Man a Puritan that is one according to the Principles of the Church of Scotland was odious to him In a publick Declaration he allowed Sports upon the Lord's Day which afterwards was revived and confirmed by his Son and that made Scotch men say they had sent up a good King but thorough Flattery he had been spoiled and he himself could not forbear to say how glad he was to be here amongst the Clergy that gave him a great Respect when in Scotland every Minister was allowed freely to speak to him and may be sometimes allowed to tell him things which he did not like Here we had Hooker afterwards Bishop of Glocester who opposed Cap Rochet and Surplice and stood much against such things which Opposition of his made a great Noise in those Days so I shall not stand upon it but come to Latimer in his third Sermon before King Edward he said that the Lutherans in Germany made a Mengle Mangle Hotch Potch of Popery with true Religion meaning their Ceremonies Bishop Jewel approved of Tertullian's Judgment against Garlands because they were worn by Heathens and upon his Death-bed he declared he would not grieve any of his Brethren who were of contrary Opinion concerning Ceremonies for at that time several did so Pag. 412. and Dr. Fulk in his Repeal of Heskin's Parliament saith Jewel had no Pleasure to minister in Coapes for though he was a Bishop he might condemn some superstitious Ceremonies in in England as Cardinal Cajetan condemned many superstitious Ceremonies in the Church of Rome for when he died he said he would not be buried in a Church as we have it in his Life prefixed before his Commentaries upon Joh and the same Bishop in his Epistle to Queen Elizabeth before the Defence of his Apology he prays to God that she may live to abolish all Groves and high Places in England He was no great Approver of such things Bishop Pilkinton said it is our Fault generally that we differ no more from Papists in all our Ministry and Dr. Bilson alloweth and approveth those that cannot by any means digest one Dram of Popish Ceremonies As for Dr. Fulk he declareth that he which saith our Form of Service is not sufficiently differing from the Papists sheweth his Zeal in Detestation of Idolatry and in another place we abhor whatsoever hath but a Shew of Popery and in his Rejoynde to Martial he saith that the Ceremony of the Cross once taken up with good intent being grown into so horrible Abuses is justly refused of us and 't is reported of him that rather than he would wear a Surplice he with his Pupils went out of St. John's College in Cambridge and hired in Town Chambers for them and himself Mr. Perkins in his Explication of the Decalogue specially upon the second Commandment in his golden Chain in his Treatise of Idolatry is positive how all Worship all things obtruded under the Name of Worship without any Exception if they be not commanded of God are unlawful and superstitious Worship some other Churchmen there are whom we omit to speak of and amongst them there are of another sort who though they be for the generality yet they are against some particular Ceremonies as Dr. Whitgift against significant Ceremonies I omit the Testimonies of those who all along from the Beginning declared against Ceremonies because being Parties they ought not to be of either side Evidences or judges Now to draw towards a Conclusion of the whole we are loth to own the Reformation of other Churches to be as good as ours so we will stand meerly upon our own Ground and may not we upon the Occasion say with Solomon Ecces 4.10 woe be to him that is alone we make a Difficulty to own or joyn a thing as unpolitick as uncharitable with Reformed Churches beyond Sea as those that once were in France are now in Switzerland Geneva Holland the Palatinate Hessen Bremen and other Parts of Germany who agree amongst themselves and others in Bohemia Hungary Poland c. and with the Vaudois that Mother Church whence the Gospel passed into most Parts of Europe and such a Church as was never stained with Popish Abominations which no other Protestant or Reformed Church can say and so in no Necessity of Reformation hence some Popish Authors as Seissel Archbishop of Turin and others do write they were always Hereticks for by Authentick Writings of above 800 Yerrs ago it appears they as to Doctrine Worship and Church Government held the same thing as now do which is the same as in Holland and other Churches I mentioned but just now and we must believe they had and have the Spirit of God as well as we And 't is to be observed they had some different Instuments in the Work of Reformation though they corresponded and advised one with another so all these embraced one and the same Way of Reformation and we differ from them As to the other Way of Reformation according to the Lutherans we cannot commend it as the best neither do we in Doctrine joyn with them in every thing as Vbibuity Consubstantiation c. and in Ceremonies they retain more than we own though to say the Truth the Reformation in Luther's Time was purer than after some modern Lutherans having defaced that which was done at first As for Ceremonies Luther was against but kept some which in time he intended to have removed by Authority of Magistrates as Crucifixes Images but because Carolostadius stirring up the People threw them down without Delay that vexed him and stopped his Resolution his Reason was to stop the Mouths of Slanderers who accused Protestants of Tumults and Sedition yet in some places amongst them they have them not In all such things the Glory of God more than our Passions is to be minded which is not when under the Notion of Uniformity Unity it self is ruined and when Tooth and Nail men stand for such Ceremonies as ours as much as for the Fundamental Points in Religion which argues neither Prudence nor Charity rather a Spirit of wilfulness and contradiction you shall have and do because you will not Why do we say that amongst Papists it is held a greater Wickedness to omit Auricular Confession than to live impiously to eat Flesh in Fasting Days than to live in Fornication to work on Saints Holy Days than to act Mischief their Practice shews us the cause for they punish more severely the Breach of their Ordinances than of God's Laws if we do the like about our ceremonies if we refuse to admit or do deprive a Godly Learned Man and Laborious Minister meerly because he cannot conform and if we take in any
scandalous and ignorant Drone because he conformeth as it too often happeneth if Drunkards Swearers Fornicators Sabbath-breakers be let alone if a Man for not coming to the Offering or refusing to pay his Groat be fined or excommunicated and then the Writ de excommunicato capiendo be issued out yet in the mean time one who lives in open and notorious Drunkenness Whoredom and Adultery be winked at do we not prefer our Tradition before the Commandment For Abuses in things of this Nature I shall bring an Evidence without Exception a darling Son of the Church Dr. Andrews in a Sermon of his before he was a Bishop preached to the Convocation Truth forceth these Words out of him The Church Censures now a days do only touch the Purse Evil doers when they have paid their Fees return Scotfree if no Money then have at the Offenders with the Episcopal Sword presently at one Blow they are cut off from the Church and delivered over unto Satan proclaimed Publicans Heathens Anathema for the most ridiculous things and against every good Man these brutish Thunderbolts do fly up and down and only to be feared of the Purse so let become what it will of God's Law Man's shall be executed though contrary to Right and Reason Yet I think Man ought to consider that the Church is a Society in order to Salvation rather than to buying and selling or Depredation 'T is an imperfect Body except Christ the Head be comprehended and his Right of Ruling and making Laws asserted By these Laws he hath left us a Freedom from the Yoke of Ceremonies for the Body as for the Soul not only an inward Liberty of Mind and Conscience but an external Freedom of Body and outward Man from such Rites in Worship as have not his Stamp such are our Popish ones that are evil from the Beginning and most taken out of the Mass-book and the Ceremonial All this he saith according to Truth only we must add how those Popish Dregs we do retain are of the same Nature with those we left off and were by him condemned In every thing we perform about Religion it is our Duty to obey Ordinances and use the means which God hath appointed God indeed can work without but we have no warrant to think he will In this case we are sure to be tied by a Commandment and encouraged by a Promise if we go the contrary way it will be with us as with the People of Israel about Manna they were told upon the Sabbath there would be none they would not believe but try they went and found none Exod. 16.16 27. V. 19 20. They were charged upon Week-days to leave none till the Morning but they would do it but it bred Worms and stank So it will befal any one that goes out of God's Way and follow their own they shall find no Instruction no Wisdom no Comfort or if there be any it will stink be of no Use and come to-nothing let us take notice of what the Prophet saith Isa 1.16 Put away the Evil of your doings He doth not enjoyn to take away the Works but the Evil of them as if he had said sacrifice still according to the prescribed Rules chuse a Sacrifice without Blemish for the matter offer it according to the Rites I appointed as to the manner but bring also a reformed Life an humble Heart a Submission to and Conformity to my Ordinance and bring nothing of your own but Obedience from the Heart wherein hitherto ye failed It is a Sin not to do well and to do ill Ignorance excuseth though not from the whole yet from the measure of Punishment but in those who sin against Knowledge namely that God hath not commanded but rather forbidden such things 't is a double Sin and with a Witness many Stripes for the Servant who knows the Master's Will and doth it not and I think we may truly say no Nation was ever more severely punished than the Jewish because they sinned against greater Lights 't is not enough to know the Truth but also we must obey it This whole Discourse I can no better conclude than with some few Observations upon the 14th Chapter of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans I wish it to be read more than it is and what is therein contained better observed for it doth justly fit and reach our Case the whole being reduced to the great Rule of Charity great I may call it Rom. 13.10 for it is the fulfilling of the Law Charity now a-days is much talked of but little practised we are all agreed about the Speculation and Theory but the whole Difficulty lies in coming to the practicable Part thereof Which that it may be well ought to be universal in every thing we do according to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 16.14 Gal. 4.9 Let all your things be done with Charity however it will never do if Men stand upon Punctilios and Niceties and say tell us which hath been told a thousand times what ye would have and in case we think fit to grant you some of the things you desire will you joyn with us as to the rest This is pertinaciously to defend a barren and unprofitable Ground and this kind of Capitulations do not become the truly noble Spirit of Christian Religion ye keep the Doors shut upon us do but level all the Rubbish of out-Works those Humane Buildings to make way for us to come into the Body of the Church which whether we come or not 't is your Duty to do and that once being over you have done your Part and if after it we do not come in you may lay the Blame at our Door but not only you keep Men from Church but also stop all approaching to it you shut them out of the Places that are accounted the Springs of Learning as Vniversities to hinder them from qualifying themselves for publick Service in the Church you will not allow them Wells to drink Waters out of their own but of your own not so much as allow them to draw together with you but upon such hard Terms and Conditions as are unjust and they cannot accept of Thus all Schools Universities Places Preferments Offices whether ecclesiastical or civil ye do wholly monopolise to your selves Well this by the by but to come to St. Paul he exhorteth not to despise or condemn one another for things indifferent he instanceth it in two things that may serve for all of the same Nature namely eating or not eating some kinds of Meats keeping or not keeping some certain Days which were the Dispute of the Times and though they may be indifferent of themselves yet by the Access of some Circumstances become unlawful as may be when Men stand too much and lay too great a Stress thereupon which makes the Apostle call it weak and beggerly Elements Gal. 4 9 10 11 and condemn it when he saith Ye observe Days and Months and Times
from them on the other side to say so argues a very great Ignorance of what Popery and Presbitery are as indeed it is common amongst some of our ordinary Sort of People which like Parrets in a Cage have learned the Name they often heard repeated unto them by some of the Church's passionate Teachers who will as confidently affirm Arminianism to be the Doctrine of the Church though never so false and who sometimes have been heard to complain how the first Reformers went too far they might have spared several things and not have been so rigid to have preserved Union with the Romish Church and not made an absolute renting from it doth not a sensible Man believe that Men of such Principles will be ready when it doth not cross their Worldly Interest to meet half way with the Church of Rome but such no Reason can cure the very Springs of their Souls are corrupt the Disease is past Recovery without the immediate working of God's Spirit wherefore I shall not trouble my self with speaking to those that are such But to the unlearned that are imposed upon and that sin out of Ignorance I shall give Reasons to inform and Satisfie their Judgments no Man may with himself to be of a Church except he already be a Member of it that believeth such Fundamental Errors which a Man dying in cannot be saved and doth practise Idolatry if Scripture saith Truth Here I desire not to be mistaken as if I should say how none that is a Papist can be saved for God's Mercy is great and free and when he pleases he can reveal his Truth to some that now lie in the Ignorance and Blindness of the Errors in Judgment and Practice of that Church so the good God may do to any Jew Mahometan or of any other wrong Perswasion whatsoever as in Practice to the repenting Thief but I say that a Papist dying in the Belief of those effential Errors God not imparting the Light of the Truth unto his Mind and the Love of it into his Heart such an one if God's Word speaks Truth shall not be saved Why so Because the Church of Rome hath instituted several Ways of Salvation when Scripture speaketh but of one surely all but that must be wrong and false so Christian Religion owns but one only Saviour namely the Lord Jesus Christ Acts. 4.12 Neither is there Savation in any other For there is none other Name under Heaven given amongst Men whereby we must be saved and as there is a Saviour and but one Saviour so there is a Mediator and but one Mediator there is one God and one Mediator mark as there is but one God so there is but one Mediator for in the Original the Word to express one God is the same to signifie one Mediator the Man Jesus Christ Now any one though but little versed with the Doctrines of the Popish Religion knows that they have other Mediators to trust to to intercede for them whom they worship and pray to as all their Saints specially the blessed Virgin and these in a high Degree as her Litany doth fully evidence they attribute her a Power of commanding her Son the Lord Jesus Now as to their other Ways of Salvation they are many and by Vertue whereof they pretend to be justified before God as are good Works Indulgencies of Popes See seasonable Discourse about Religion in 1689. Treasures of the Church Merits of Saints for the Favour of one Saint or other whose Protection they put themselves under they do much trust to and depend upon 'T is true they do not exclude the Merits of Christ but they come in only in part and as Sharers to what purpose this Heb. 7.25 Seeing Christ is able to save them to the utter most that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them he alone hath satisfied God's Justice and pacified his Wrath I have trodden the Winepress alone Isa 63.3 and of the People there was none with me saith he by the Mouth of his prophet neither Archangel or Angel or any Creature in Heaven or in Earth being joyned with him in that Work and can we think that after he alone hath endured the Torments of making Atonement for our Sins he would leave with the Creatures the Honour to have it applied throrough their Intercession Heb. 12.2 Now he is the Author and Finisher of our Faith take notice of both Author and Finisher of our Salvation and of all things belonging thereunto which is more clearly explained in that other Place he became the Author of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him and he is also called the Captain of our Salvation Chap 2.10 Again I say they which for Salvation depend upon any other Sacrifice than that which Christ made of himself upon the Cross may not upon any good Grounds hope for Salvation because no Promise for it in the Word Scripture makes mention of none other but of that only We shall be content with quoting some few Places all out of one Book of Scripture where the Point of the Lord Christ's Priesthood is of a set purpose and fully treated of and therein the pretended and abominable Sacrifice of the Mass is condemned which Point alone if there was none other is a sufficient Cause for true Christians to break off Communion with that Church Heb. 9.25 26 28. 't is in the Epistle to the Hebrews Nor yet that he should offer himself often speaking of the Lord Jesus for then must he often have suffered since the Foundation of the World Hence we see how Christ was not often to offer himself The Reason is because he was not often to suffer wherefore they that would have him often offered would have him also often to suffer for whether he offereth himself or be offered by a Priest still a Sufferer he must be Now to shew how often this was to be 't is expressed and fixed v. 28. so Christ was once offered to bear the Sins of many once and no more and that 's passed too Christ was once offered and it must be of a high Concernment for us to know it ought to have been but once for Chap. 10. 't is repeated twice in v. 10. We are sanctified thorough the Offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all and v. 12. But this Man Jesus after he had offered one Sacrifice for Sins for ever but one Sacrifice and that for ever that is never to be reiterated any more and v. 14. the Reason is given why there ought to be no more because there is no Necessity for it for by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified But why should I trouble my self any longer to insist upon these essential and abominable Tenets and Practices of the Church of Rome which is full of Errors in Doctrine and of Idolatry and Superstition in Worship I hope no true Son of the Church can have the Face to deny the Church of Rome to be guilty of Idolatry for they yield a religious Worship to the Creature as to the Pope whom after his Election Cardinals do place upon the Altar and there adore him for that 's the Word to signifie the Homage which at that time they give him then to the Virgin to Saints to Images and to their Wafer-God whereof they have Millions amongst them Now I say no more only neither Presbyterians nor Independents believe or do so that is that there is any other Mediator than the Lord Jesus that there are other Ways of Salvation than by the only Sacrifice he once made of himself upon the Cross neither do they practise any Idolatry as the Church of Rome doth and we know for certain that no Idolaters shall inherit the Kingdom of God I hope these few things of many more I might have said will satisfie any impartial Reader not blinded with Prejudice or with a violent Passion As for those that had rather to be Papists than Presbyterians let them now with their Mass in their Mouth their other Saviour and Saints upon their Backs with their Superstition and Idolatry about their Girdle go home with Shame and hide themselves or rather amongst the Church of Rome where they would be in their proper Place and not amongst us for we can spare them well enough FINIS
us it be not abused to that Degree yet still it is in some Degree But as I would not drink out of a Cup where I know there hath been Poison thus in Matter of Religion I would have nothing to do with any thing that was and is still in the Golden Cup full of Abominations of the Mother of Harlots Rev. 17.4 Away then with Popery for of the Word Papa every Letter makes a Word Poculum aureum plenum Abominationum The Golden Cup full of Abominations Two things more I shall add to this First How the Cross and Sign of it is the chief Idol of Popery and the thing most abused amongst them for though their Wafer-God be their essential Idol yet it never becomes a God except the Sign of the Cross be many a time made over it and this I may call the proper and essential Mark of the Beast which in Scripture is said to be in the right hand or in the Forehead which is thus Rev. 13.16 whensoever they make the Sign of the Cross 't is with their Right Hand Part on the Forehead the right and left Arms and Part on the Breast pronouncing these Latine Words In nomine patris c. The first thing they teach their Children is to make that Sign of the Cross at their Graces before and after Meat they ever use the Sign of the Cross 't is the first and last thing they do when they rise and when they go to Bed and in a Morning before they go out they look upon it as an infallible Preservative against ill Accidents and if any Mischance befalls one they will say it is because he did not before make the Sign of the Cross and that 's the chief thing their Priests do commend to Children and others be sure whatsoever you do to make the Sign of the Cross and when they come into their Churches and and go out the first and last thing they do is to dip a Finger into their Holy-water-pot and to make the Sign of the Cross When they go to and come from Pilgrimage to their pretended Saints they never are without little Crosses either on their Hats Cloths in their Pockets or somewhere else about them and this is one of the Merchandises they buy in such Places All their Souldiers or Pilgrims as they called themselves that went to their Holy Wars either against the Saracens or against the poor Albigenses Vaudois and the like crossed themselves or had a Cross on their Cloths whence were called their Cruciada or Croisade In few Words Crosses they have in their Churches Convents Gardens Houses High-ways and every one carrys Beads and Crosses they are to be seen in their Pulpits and Altar-cloths upon every Church this we are not free from Cross here and Cross there and Cross every where and they look upon the Cross and the Sign of it as an universal Remedy against all manner of Evil They say that as many as are not marked with the Sign of the Cross upon the Forehead are damned and reprobate Analys pag. 77. as is noted by M. Rogers And more particularly to shew how this Cross and aerial Sign of the Cross is the Characteristical Note and Mark or Name or Number of the Name of the Beast formerly and of late as I know it out of certain Knowledge because some weak Protestants beyond the Sea would out of Fear pass for Papists Priests and others used two ways to find them out first they asked whether they had any Cross and Beads which never are one without the other if they had none then they called them Heretick and used them accordingly but if they had because it was herein an easie thing for them to counterfeit then to discover them they put them to this further Tryal namely to make the Sign of the Cross upon themselves and hereby they commonly found them out for Papists have a certain Rule for it as what Place to begin at then where to follow next either right or left Arm and where to end but the poor Protestants not being used to this Ceremony usually mistook and this was the Shibbolet when they were surprized to steal away Bellarmin and Stapleton call the Cross one the Character of their Glory and the other a notable Sign whereby to know a Catholick I hope this makes it clear enough how the Cross or Sign of it is the Mark of the Beast seeing within his Kingdom in Matters of Religion nothing is done without it why then should those that say they are the Followers of the Lamb take and receive it upon themselves Surely Scripture saith the Names of those that have the Mark of the Beast are not written in the Book of the Lamb why should we have amongst us such an Idol of Jealousie so abominably abused to Idolatry And this leads me to the second thing I promised to speak of namely how things abused to Idolatry though once never so good ought quite to be rejected this I say not of my own Head but out of the Word of God and shall out of many Instances bring only three The first is of the Name Baal which signifieth Lord a true proper Name of God a good Name indeed yet because it had been abused and attributed to the Creature and to the Idols of the Assyrians and Caldeans as I said before God abhorred it and would no more be called by that Name Thou shalt no more call me Baali thy Lord Hos 2.16 17. for I will take away the Names of Baalim out of her Mouth The second Instance is that of Groves or Altars once they were good and acceptable things unto God for Abraham built one Gen. 13.18 Chap. 35.7 so Jacob by God's Command did build another But when once God had settled the Place of Worship all such became abominable and those Kings who either did set them up or continued them are branded for it as those who threw them down are highly commended The Third Instance is that of the brazen Serpent which though set up by God's special Command yet when the People had committed Idolatry about it 2 Kings 18 3. King Hezekiah destroyed it wherein he did that which was right in the Sight of the Lord he removed the high Places brake the Images and cut down the Groves and brake in pieces the Brazen Serpent At this time the Cross and Sign of it are no better than those things were then surely the Altar of Damascus or the Copy of it was an Idol in Jerusalem as well as in Damascus 2 Kings 16. Ezech. 8.3 and was not the Idol of Baal called the Idol of Jealousie in God's House an Idol still Is the Cross an Idol amongst Papists and shall it not be so amongst us Part. 1 pag. 33 91 129 160. What Privilege have we for it Parker proves it according to the Tenor of the Words to be not only significative but also effective they make it a
Sacrament in effect as Papists do Confirmation by Baptism they bring the Infant into the Church and by Confirmation make it a Souldier of the Church so we do the same with Baptism and the Cross yet a high Place is given it in the Ordinances as the daily use of it the Canon for the use of it Can. 30. and the Testimony of some Writers do witness the Canon calls it an honourable Badg this gives it a Place of Honour De polit lib. 5. cap. 65. fol. 160. and Hooker calls it a sacred or holy Sign attributing great Vertue to it and affirming no means to be more powerful to preserve a Man from deserved Shame and to stir up Devotion than by this signing of the Forehead with the Sign of the Cross thus Mountebanks use to commend their Drugs as infallible and present Remedies for all manner of Diseases but the very Words in Baptism are very emphatical and give it the Vertue of a Sacrament thus they once having received it think themselves engaged to maintain and right or wrong to defend it and from Papists whom they had it from to borrow Arguments to do it Shall not at last such things arise up in Judgment against those who sin against so great Lights and also be Witnesses as well as Stones which are Witnesses and hear the Word of God Joshua said unto all the People Behold this Stone shall be a Witness unto us Josh 24.27 for it hath heard all the Words of the Lord which he spake unto us God hath given a sufficient Warning against such things Perkins hath a large Discourse upon this and Dr. Fulk shews how the Devil did sow the Seed of Idolatry by the Cross of Valentinus after him Montanus nursed it and got it Credit in religious and civil Uses which he collected from Irenaeus and Epiphanius but both Valentinus and Montanus were Hereticks As for England it had no Cross at all till Austin the Monk brought it in So have we not cause to think that there is the accursed thing amongst us as long as we retain such things as have been and are daily abused to Idolatry Wherefore let us put it away and give Glory to God or else we are in great danger of falling before our Enemies whether Temporal or Spiritual Psal 106.39 for whoring with other Mens or our own Inventions and if any one talketh of Peace and Happiness then Jehu's Answer to Joram is at hand What Peace so long as the whoredoms of thy Mother Jesabel and her Witchcrafts be so many 2 Kings 9.22 As long as we uphold the Spiritual Filthiness of Jesabel and Romish Babylon whom we brag to be allied unto Gen. 35.2 3. If like Jacob we have a mind to go to Bethel to build an Altar for God's Worship then as he did we must remove all Idols out of our House Josh 24.14 and as Joshua commanded the People to do put away the strange Gods and Ashtarod their beloved Idols 1 Sam. 7.3 4. from among you which they did accordingly Here was a People over Head and Ears in Calamity highly oppressed by the Philistines for the which in them was Humiliation but they wanted Reformation the Prophet Samuel bids them with Humiliation to joyn Reformation and they should have what they desired and the Event answered the Promise thus all Popish Idols and Superstition by a thorough Reformation ought utterly to be removed if we have a mind to please God and to be received under his Protection Something more I must say to this before I leave it The Cross amongst Christians is what the Brazen Serpent was amongst the Jews 't was good at first of Divine Institution and when it had ceased to produce those Miraculous Effects for the which it was erected was indifferent but when it came to be abused it became evil then a good King brake it in pieces so once amongst Christians the Cross was good Christ to save Mankind was appointed to suffer on it yet herein inferior to the Serpent that the Wood of the Cross never wrought any Miracle after the Passion it was indifferent I mean the very same upon the which our Lord was crucified to have it or not but the Multiplication or making others in Imitation was unnecessary but after Idolatrous Worship was rendered to it it became abominable and so must be destroyed as being an occasion of Idolatry They say this is an ancient Custom of the Church well let it be yet that doth not take away the Abuse nor make it a jot the better is the Devil the better for being a Liar and a Murtherer from the beginning though at first he was a most excellent Creature but to the Point of Baptism of old there hath been some gross Abuses as first the delaying of it which though it doth intimate they did not absolutely believe it necessary to Salvation yet it argues in them a Contempt or else a Neglect of that holy Sacrament we read in the Book of the Acts how assoon as Men were converted they were baptized as in the case of those that heard Peter's Sermon of the Eunuch and of the Centurion and his Houshould and Friends But some of the primitive Christians Acts 2.38 41. chap. 8.36 37 38. Chap. 10 47 48. I mean 300 Years after our Saviour delayed it as Constantine the great who was not baptized till he was 65 Years old which was the 31 of his Empire in Nicomedia by Eusebius his Son Constantius was baptized only at the point of his Death so Theodosius the great and the other Theodosius did put it off for a long time and Valentinian delayed it being willing to have been baptized by Ambrose but was prevented by Death Jerome and Ambrose were not baptized till they were 30 Years of age Austin was a Manichean till 31 and then and not before baptized by Ambrose so amongst the Greeks Chrysostom Gregory Nazianzenus and Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople entered into Orders before he was baptized This was an ancient Custom even amongst great Men yet I hope now none will commend them for it for certainly they might much sooner have made a Confession and given an account of their Faith as no doubt they were able to do We know some but I think none of those I named had a strange Reason for so long putting off their being baptized namely that they might be the more at liberty to indulge themselves in their Vices for they used to excuse their Failings with this that they were not yet baptized for they thought they were punctually to perform their baptismal Vow to be dead to evil Works and raised in Newness of Life one tells us Cyprian they had this false Notion that there was no Pardon for those who after Baptism relapsed into Sin which was the Error of Novatian In those Times there was a worse thing practised about Baptism On 1 Cor. chap. 15. for Chrysostome in one