occasions did almost universally obtain before the Christian Religion prevailed in the World But again other Deities were presumed to be so nice and squeamish that nothing was to be offered them but Milk and Wine and Honey and some Fruits of the Earth It were infinite to relate the Rites and Customs of their Sacrifices and all the ways they used to please their Gods and to find out whether they were pleased or not by the posture the tongue the entrails of their Beasts by the flying of Birds the feeding of Chickens the falling of a staff the holes of a sieve c. and innumerable ways of Divination by which they flatter'd themselves that they understood the good Will and Pleasure of their Gods which did not so much satisfy their curiosity as fill them with perpetual fears and oppress them with the horrible Bondage of Superstition which exalted almost every thing to the honour of a Deity and made themselves miserable by seeking to please them But although this were the deplorable state of Mankind forsaken of God and left to their own inventions yet such is the weakness and folly of Men that when God himself had given a Law to the Israelites to regulate their Worship with as much condescension to their weakness as the Wisdom of his Laws would permit yet so great was the Witchcraft of Superstition that they were always almost hankering after the Dotage of their neighbour Nations And although they often smarted severely for it yet the rod was no sooner off but they were ready to return to their former Superstitious vanities and were so obstinately bent upon them that nothing could move them not their former experience not the unreasonableness of the thing not the terrible denunciations of Gods heavy judgments against them till at last when there was no remedy the whole People were carried into Captivity from whence the greatest part never returned and their very memory is lost by a mixture with other Nations Those who returned have been so wise ever since as to abhor that provoking sin of Idolatry which their Ancestors suffered so much for but by degrees they fell into other kinds of Superstitions For it was thought a mean thing among them to keep to the Law but the Traditions of their Elders were looked upon as precious things and happy was the Man that was strictest in the observance of them Their frequent Washings their additional Fastings and Prayers their Garments their Postures their very Looks had such an appearance of Sanctity above other Mens that a man who kept only to the Law was of no regard or esteem for Piety and Devotion This was the state of Religion among the Jews when Christ appeared who laid open the foppery and hypocrisie of these great pretenders to extraordinary Sanctity He directed men to the love of God and their Neighbours as the main substantial parts of true Religion And next to his making a propitiation for the sins of Mankind by the Sacrifice of himself his great end was to restore true Religion to the World which had been so long buried under the heap of Superstitions And there needed so great an Authority as his was to assure Mankind that nothing was so pleasing and acceptable to God as unaffected Piety and universal Goodness which comprehends under it all the Duties of Temperance Righteousness and Charity And it is one great Argument of the Providence of God watching over his Church that he hath caused the Discourses of our Blessed Saviour to be preserved by the Writings of the Evangelists without which in all likelihood the Christian Religion had been long since lost in the World For the Jewish Christians who corrupted Christianity had represented St. Peter as so favourable to them and so misrepresented St. Paul that unless Christs Doctrine had been preserved in his own words and that by the concurrent Testimony of different Writers the Christian Religion had preserved little more than its name in the World And yet with all this advantage such was still the fondness of Mankind for their own Inventions that even under the Apostles eyes most of the Churches began to be tainted with these corruptions partly by the Judaizing Christians and partly by the followers of Simon and Menander But they all agreed in something new and mysterious and more pleasing to God than the dull and common way of Faith and Obedience After the Apostles decease the corruptions still multiplied and any new pretence to Revelations and Mysteries especially being joined with greater Abstinence and severity of Life took wonderfully among weak and injudicious Christians and made them apt to despise the Churches Devotions as too cold and flat and not having that Life and Spirit that Strictness and Austerity which appeared among the new pretenders What disturbance on this account did the Spirit of Montanus give to the Churches of Phrygia Galatia and Cappadocia The meer pretence to Revelation had never done it had it not been for the stricter Laws of Fasting and Mortification and greater Severity of Discipline than was used in the Catholick Church It was this which made Tertullian swallow the bait he had despised before and the force of all his Arguments against the Church is we are stricter than you But notwithstanding all these pretences the Christian Church still kept it self within its bounds making nothing necessary to Salvation but what Christ and his Apostles had made so yet recommending the Practice of Fasting as there were just Occasions especially before the great solemnity of Easter wherein both the Sacraments were administred with more than ordinary Devotion and the Penitents reconciled to the Communion of the Church If we look at this day into the state of the Christian World how great a part of it is relapsed into almost Heathen Superstitions in the Worship of Images and Saints and Angels as Mediators and no great difference in the outward Solemnities and Processions save that their Sacrifices are turned into a Consecrated Wafer which is carried in Procession as the Heathen Gods were wont to be It is true there are great pretences to Will-worship and Humility and neglecting the Body in several Orders of Men and those are looked on as ways of greater perfection than living in the World and doing good in it Which we have no reason to think agreeable to the Doctrine of Christ or our Apostle here But where there is not only Sanctity and Merit placed in such observations but Supererogation too they flatly contradict S t Paul for if that be true these things have far more than the shew of Wisdom for what wiser thing can any man do than not only to provide for his own Salvation but for others too In the Eastern Churches the best part I fear of their remaining Christianity lies in the strict observing the Fasts and Feasts of the Church They mightily despise the Fasting practised in the Roman Church as not deserving the name of Fasting because they end it at noon
Name doth not so well answer to the shew of Wisdom for what shew of Wisdom is there in doing an ill thing This is therefore a readiness of Mind to do any thing in Religion which men think pleasing to God whether required by him or not So Hesychius expounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And other Greek Words of a like composition do imply no more than a voluntary inclination as in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Plato useth for a service out of good Will and free Inclination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Xenophon And St. Augustine observes that in his time a Man that affected to be Rich was called Thelo-dives and he that desired to be thought Wise Thelo-sapiens so according to this Analogy a Man that would be thought very Religious would then have been called Thelo-Religiosus taking Religiosus in the sense of Massurius Sabinus and not of Nigidius Figulus i. e. in a good and not in a bad sense And so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a desire of appearing more Religious than ordinary which is not a thing evil in it self but depends on circumstances The next is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Humility a Vertue so graceful so becoming Mankind with a respect to God and to each other that whatever makes a Shew of that doth so of Wisdom too The third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not sparing the Body but using it with hardship to keep it under 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which Words have such a hardness in their construction as hath caused great variety of interpretations which I shall not repeat That which seems most natural is that Honour implies a regard to the Body and so it only explains what was meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sense being not with any regard to the Flesh for its satisfaction which hath a farther appearance of Wisdom not barely in the subjection of the Body to the Mind but as it seems to argue a Mind so elevated above the Body that it hath little or no regard to the necessities of it 2. Notwithstanding all this fair shew of Wisdom the Apostle doth really condemn these things as not pleasing to God nor suitable to the Christian Religion For 1. He saith they have only a shew of Wisdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith St. Chrysostome who certainly understood the force of the Words the Shew saith he not the Power therefore not the Truth of Wisdom Imaginem rationis humanaeque sapientiae saith St. Jerom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Theodoret so that notwithstanding the fair Shew they make they have no real Wisdom in them 2. This new way of Worship though it hath such a specious shew of Devotion and Humility yet it reflects on the Honour of Christ as Mediator and therefore the Apostle charges the introducers of it with not holding the Head If the Cerinthians did advance the Angels above Jesus Christ they were so much the more guilty but if these Judaizers did only look on them as nearer and more agreeable Mediators to us yet therein they brought a great disparagement upon him whose Office it was to be the sole Mediator between God and Men. Mankind was very excusable in comparison for finding out other Mediators before God had declared to the World that he had appointed his Son to be our only Advocate and Intercessor but for those who own his Mediatorship to make choice of others besides Him is to call in question the Wisdom of the Father or the Sufficiency Interest or Kindness of the Son For if God hath appointed him for this end and he be able to go through his work and willing to help all that address themselves to him what need to call in other Assistants yea what a Dishonour is it for him to stand by and Applications be made to them to do that Office which he was appointed alone to discharge 3. These new inventions though never so plausible are a disparagement to the Gospel as not containing sufficient or at least not the most sublime and perfect directions for Humility and Mortification For our Blessed Saviour was so far from being remarkable for these affected singularities that the freedom and easiness of his conversation was a great offence to those who understood little or nothing of Religion beyond these things The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they say Behold a Man Gluttonous and a Wine-bibber a friend of Publicans and Sinners Not that he gave way to any thing like Luxury or Intemperance who was the most exact pattern of all true and real Vertues but because they saw nothing extraordinary as to the severity of his Life in these Matters they looked on him but as one of the common sort of men making no appearance of more than usual Sanctity as to eating and drinking And when Johns Disciples who were bred up with greater austerity were really offended that Christs Disciples did not fast as they did our Saviour puts them off with a Parabolical Answer Can the Children of the Bride-chamber fast as long as the Bridegroom is with them which answer might puzzle them more as not understanding why fasting should be inconsistent with his corporal Presence yet to let them see that he did not look on Fasting as a Duty unsutable to his Religion he tells them the Days would come when his Disciples should have their times of Fasting But the Days will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken from them and then shall they fast So that it is not Occasional or Anniversary Days of Fasting which are condemned here by the Apostle as Will-worship or neglecting the Body but the imposing a new and severer course of Life upon Christians as a way of greater perfection of Mortification than what was required by Christ or his Apostles This is that which the Apostle calls being subject to Ordinances and living after the Commandments and Doctrines of Men. Theodoret observes that he doth not mean the Law by this but the unseasonable Doctrine of these Seducers and it is evident from the foregoing part of the 20. v. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the World i. e. if ye are freed from the Yoke of the Law what reason is there ye should submit to another which depends only on the Authority and invention of Men But what then Doth S. Paul make it unlawful to submit to any Orders or Rites appointed by the Church in which we live By no means For neither doth the Apostle speak of those who had lawful Authority but of Seducers nor doth he speak of things appointed meerly for Order and Decency but of such things which are supposed by the Imposers to have more of true Perfection and Sanctity in them more Humility and Mortification and consequently to be
and allow Wine and Fish for their repasts Although it is said that of late the Greeks break the strict Fast at noon but in St. Chrys. and St. Basils time they accounted it no Fast wherein they did not totally abstain till night The more Eastern Christians allow neither Fish nor Wine nor Oyl in their Lents and they keep more in the Year than the Latin Church In the Church of England which approacheth nearest of any in the World to the Primitive Church the Duty of Fasting is recommended upon its true Grounds not as though there were any peculiar Sanctity or Merit in it which are Superstitious Conceits but to keep the Body in Subjection to the Spirit It lays no snares upon the Consciences of Men it gives no Countenance to hypocritical pretences to Fasting but it sets before us the example and practice of the Primitive Church and according to the temper and Moderation then used leaves persons to judge of their own strength occasions times manner and degrees of Fasting excepting the Fast on good Friday or the true ANtepaschal Fast which some kept longer than others which Tertullian saith was universally observed by the Christian Church as a necessary Fast and had been so from the Apostles times but as to other times a greater liberty was allowed Laxus ac liber modus abstinendi Ponitur cunctis neque nos severus Terror impellit sua quemque cogit velle Potestas Yet even this Church that is so wise so moderate cannot escape the charge of Will-worship and Superstition for the Orders that are observed in it But wherein is it that we are liable to this charge Do we make the Orders of the Church any parts of our Religion Or think that God is any otherwise displeased with others violation of them than as it argues a froward restless unpeaceable Spirit But what is it then God say they hath not commanded these things therefore they are Will-worship and Superstition This is an Objection which for the honour of our Church I must remove before I proceed to what remains The true Case among us is this The Church appoints such Orders to be observed in it which have no express command in Scripture some utterly refuse them as unlawful though no where forbidden in Scripture the Question is Whether of these two sorts those who practise according to these Orders or those who utterly refuse are liable to the charge of Will-worship and Superstition To clear this we must state the notion of Will-worship and Superstition as they are here used by the Apostle and then apply it to the present Case 1. Will-worship I have shew'd is nothing but a forwardness to do something that relates to the pleasing of God and is said by the Apostle to have a shew of Wisdom and therefore can be no more evil in it self than Humility or neglecting the Body but whether it be good or evil is to be determin'd by circumstances 2. Those circumstances which make it ill are when men make those things a part of their Religion which God hath neither commanded nor forbidden and think God is pleased with their meer doing or abstaining from doing them and this is true Superstition For there are two things necessary to the Notion of it 1. That the matter about which it is conversant relate to the pleasing of God Superstition I grant hath been taken by Plutarch and others from him for a dreadful apprehension of the Deity but that is rather the foundation of Superstition than the definition of it For a Superstitious Man doth both think God to be angry without just cause and beyond reason and to be pleased again without reason If he thought God inexorable upon his Displeasure he must presently despair but because he thinks he may be easily pleased again therefore he bethinks himself in what way he may best do it and so devises several ways of his own and useth any means suggested by others though never so unreasonable in themselves in hopes to please God by them Thence Plutarch mentions such Mens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uncouth ways of Worship and he observes that at the same time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they flatter and reproach God they think unworthily of him as of one that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very easily provoked and yet that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as easily changed and that is the reason why a Superstitious fear puts men upon finding out any ways and methods to please him though never so unreasonable for they looking upon God as a peevish angry humoursome Being they have no certain Rule to judge what will please him and therefore follow their own fancy and imagination about it 2. That they be mistaken in their judgment concerning what they believe to be pleasing to God that is that they judge that to be so which really is not So Superstition is an excess or over-doing in the matter of Worship that which doth modum legitimum cultus superstare excedere saith Vossius which Etymology he thinks much better than any other Cicero saith that Religion is pius cultus Superstition timor inanis Deorum i. e. one is a reasonable the other an unreasonable Worship So A. Gellius saith it is inepta importuna Religio a foolish and troublesome Religion Festus applies it to those things which are done praeter morem Civitatis against the Custom prescribed by Law As those of the Church of Rome do to things done against the commands of the Church and so not fasting upon Saturdays and fasting upon Sundays are both Superstitious in their account but all the Trumpery of the Mass and Follies of their Worship are by no means Superstitious because required by the Church Which however helps us with a good argument to prove that the Worship of Images and Saints and Angels are required by their Church or else by their own confession they must be Superstitious But their Divines do all agree with Aquinas that men may be guilty of Superstition in the Worship of the true God i. e. when men make choice of something unfit or unreasonable to express their Worship of God And Suarez quotes Cajetan as allowing this Text to be extended to all Superstitious Worship not founded in right reason And Cajetan upon the place saith that although they have a shew of Wisdom yet not in any honour saith he i. e. they deserve no esteem being only for the satisfying of the flesh i. e. of a carnal desire as to these external observations 3. The Superstition here condemned lay in the supposing God to be pleased with the forbearance of lawful things touch not taste not handle not Which if we understand either of Meats or Marriage was a forbearance of things in themselves lawful but they supposed God would be far better pleased with their forbearance of them I do not say it is Superstition for any man to abstain from doing what he