Ministerii he hath ordained the perfect means of teaching the Church and all other means are as none at all The Cross not teaching under him teacheth not truly and being none of his means hath none of his blessing If the Cross might be a true Teacher then the standing Images of Christ might be so too which though called by the Papists Lay-mens Books do yet but make men forget God Again the Sign of the Cross looks very like a Sacrament Baptism is a Symbol of our Christian Profession so is the Cross Baptism hath a word annexed to it I baptize thee in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost So hath the Cross We sign this Child with the Sign of the Cross in token that he shall not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified Baptism points out Christ crucified so doth the Cross Baptism enters the baptized into the Church so doth the Cross We receive this Child into the Congregation of Christ's flock and sign him with the sign of the Cross As Baptism admits into the Church Catholick so the Cross admits into a particular Church Baptism dedicates the Infant unto Christ so the Cross dedicates him to the service of him that died on the Cross Can. 30. And what now is wanting to make it a Sacrament It is not vehicalum gratiae It 's very true it is not Neither can any Human Invention be such It therefore looks as like a Sacrament as any Human thing can do no such thing being capable of conveying Grace unto men In the next place the Ceremonies of our Church may be considered as terms of Communion with it That is there must be a Surplice or no preaching a Cross or no baptizing a kneeling posture or no Lord's Supper These things though they are very light to the Conformists are not so to the Nonconformists I shall therefore consider them in some particulars 1st The Ceremonies thus taken do seem to intrench upon the Kingly Office of Christ He is the one Lord and Lawgiver of his Church 'T is his Royal Prerogative to institute Sacraments This is confessed by the Papists themselves Pars 3. Q. 72. Art 1. Aquinas relating that some held their Sacrament of Confirmation was instituted in some Council and that others held it was instituted by the Apostles saith this cannot be because to institute a new Sacrament pertinet ad potestatem excellentiae appertains to the power of excellency which is in Christ alone De Sac. l. 1. c. 23. Bellarmin proves that Christ is the only Author of Sacraments It is a flower of his Crown to institute Ordinances no man may take this glory from him The Apostles the highest Officers in the Church were not Lords of it but Ministers and Stewards under Christ 1 Cor. 4.1 to do his pleasure They taught only what he commanded them Matt. 28.20 St. Paul preached 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing without Scripture Act. 26.22 He would not go beyond his Commission Tom. 2. fol. 722. Non debent Episcopi saith the Excellent Whitaker suas traditiones aut leges aut contra aut extra aut praeter Evangelium obtrudere The Bishops ought not to obtrude their Traditions or Laws either against or without or besides the Gospel That Gospel which is the Law of Christ is the Canon that must rule all their Canons Christ hath the full Royal Power the Church hath only a limited Power from him Christ may make Laws of Institution the Church can only make Laws of Execution or Disposition such as tend to the right and orderly disposing of those Ordinances which were instituted by Christ In legibus Ecclesiasticis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tantum spectatur Whit. Tom. 2.721 The Apostles did not institute any thing of Worship or Ordinances But they did take care that the Ordinances should be used in a way suitable to their dignity These things being so the only Question is Whether the Church hath any Patent or Commission from Christ to institute or impose mystical Ceremonies as terms of Communion In answer to this I take it the Church hath no such Power or Commission The Pattern of Christ and the Apostles is more to me than all the Human Wisdom in the world It is the observation of St. Austin That Chrst's Yoke being easy Aust Epist 118. he did Sacramentis numero paucissimis observatione facillimis significatione praestantissimis societatem novi populi colligare Tie together the Society of a new People with Sacraments few in number easy in observation and excellent in signification And who would depart from this simplicity I am sure the Apostles did not They delivered only that which they received of the Lord 1 Cor 11.23 De Or. Err. lib. 2. c. 5. Hoc fidei illorum er at officii saith Bullinger This was their faith and duty They did believe saith the same Author that Christ was the wisdom of God ne in mentem ipsorum venit it came not into their minds to add Ceremonies to Christ's Institutions The Primitive Christians continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and prayer Acts 2.42 There was nothing but the pure Institutions of Christ not an additional Ceremony to be seen among them Nay in Justin Martyr's time Apol. 2. we find the Lord's Supper used in pure simplicity and why should we make our additions to the Sacraments St. Cyprian contra Aquarios Epist 63. expresses himself notably touching the Lord's Supper Ab Evangelicis Praeceptis omnino recedendum non est We must not depart from the Evangelical Precepts And a little after Non nisi Christus sequendus est solus Christus audiendus est Christ only is to be followed Christ alone to be heard Again Human Ceremonies are not congruous to the pure light of the Gospel Tom. 7. fol. 727. Num Divinae Figurae sublatae sunt ut Humanae succederent saith Learned Whitaker Were the Divine Figures taken away that Human might succeed If the Divine Shadows under the Law did all vanish before the Sun the pure and Evangelical Light may Humane Vmbra's come and overcloud it Surely it cannot be It was the saying of a great Doctor once in the Church of England That in the morning of the Law the shadows were larger than the body and it will be a sign of the evening and sun-set of Religion if these shadows shall be stretcht out again and outreach the body If the Church may institute or impose two or three Ceremonies it may do more and more till men under the pressure cry out Epist 119. as St. Austin did Tolerabilior sit conditio Judaeorum The condition of the Jews would be more tolerable than that of Christians Moreover none but God alone can institute a Ceremony to signify a mystery in Religion he only hath authority over Religion he only can bind the Conscience he only can illustrate the mind he only can give a
Books Published by Edward Polhill of Burwash in Sussex Esq And Sold by Thomas Cockerill at the Three Legs over-against the Stocks-Market PRecious Faith considered in its Nature Working and Growth In 8vo. Speculum Theologiae in Chricto Or a view of some Divine Truths which are either Practically exemplified in Jesus Christ set forth in the Gospel or may be reasonably deduced from thence In 4to. Christus in Corde Or the Mystical Union between Christ and Believers consider'd in its Resemblances Bonds Seals Privileges and Marks In 8vo. A Discourse of Schism A DISCOURSE OF SCHISM By that Learned Gentleman EDWARD POLHILL Esq Late of Burwash in Sussex LONDON Printed for Thomas Cockerill at the Three Legs over-against the Stocks-Market MDCXCIV TO THE READER 'T IS not the design of this Preface to commend the Author of the ensuing Treatise his own Works do that sufficiently He was a very Learned Gentleman and a Justice of the Peace of very great esteem among all men in his own Countrey where he lived in full and constant Communion with the Church of England And therefore being no Clergy-man either of one sort or t'other he is the more likely to write impartially about Schism and being no Frequenter of any of the Dissenters Meetings he cannot reasonably be supposed to be byass'd in their favour But yet on the other hand he was far enough from entertaining any of those Prejudices against their Persons or Assemblies which it hath been the great endeavour of some to infuse into the minds of all men but especially of the Magistracy and Gentry He was zealously concerned for Truth and Serious Religion not for a Party On all occasions he shew'd himself to be one of a truly Christian that is of a Catholick Temper and was a sincere lover of all good men of what Persuasion soever He was fully convinced and so wilt thou too if thou diligently perusest and readest the following Discourse that Bigotry is the dangerous Schism the guilt whereof a man is not necessarily involved in or secured from by the bare being of this or that Party among us CHAP. I. The Church-Catholick two-fold The very mystical Body of Christ or The totum integrale made up of all the Particular Churches The Vnity of the Church a Divine thing Doth not consist in Human Rites in a Liturgy Diocesan Episcopacy or the Civil Laws of Magistrates It s true Vnity in its internal Essence and external Communion A particular Church CHristians as high motives as they have to Unity are yet divided not only by the existence of Schism but about the notion of it The Papist charges it on the Protestant one Protestant charges it on another and the Reason is because they differ in their measures of Church-Vnity Some require more to it than others the Papist will have the Unity of a Visible Head some Protestants will have an Unity of Human Rites and Modes Hence there comes a Schism about Schism The very notion divides us In this case it is worth the while to enquire into the true nature of Schism in the doing of which two things must be premised Something must be spoken of the Church and something of the Vnity of it First Something must be spoken of the Church In the Old Testament we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a word derived from Congregating in the New we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a word derived from Evocating or calling out The Jewish Church being shut up in one Nation could meet all together in one place the Christian Church being spread over the World cannot indeed meet all together in one place but they are coetus evocatus a company called out of the World to the Worship of God The Church may be considered as Catholick or Particular The Catholick Church may be taken either as the very mystical Body of Christ or as a totum integrale to all the particular Churches on Earth As the mystical Body of Christ it is invisible made up only of real Saints all of them are internally united to Christ the Head all are animated by the Holy Spirit all have the Joints and Bands of Grace all have the effectual working in their hearts This is the Church-Catholick in the Creed this is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Assembly of the first-born Hebr. 12.23 This is in Clemens Alexandrinus called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Congregation of the Elect. Here are no damnata membra as St. Austin speaks As Christ's natural Body did consist all of pure Members so this mystical Body doth consist of true Believers As in every Member of the natural Body there is an Human Spirit so in every Member of the mystical Body there is the Spirit of Christ Such is the Catholick Church as it is the mystical Body of Christ But as it is a totum integrale made up of all the particular Churches on Earth so it is as its parts are visible and made up of good and bad Some are living Members Partakers of the Spirit of Christ some are dead ones Some are in internal conjunction with Christ some are in external only Some are in the Church really and before God some are in it only apparently and before men Thus the Church is a Field which hath Wheat and Tares a Net which hath good Fish and Bad a Floor which hath Corn and Chaff In Isaac's Family there was an Esau in the Colledge of Apostles a Judas in the visible Church there are foolish Virgins as well as wise some have only the Lamps of Profession whilst others have the Oyl of Grace This may serve for the Church-Catholick Now particular Churches are but partes similares Ecclesiae Catholicae similar parts of the Catholick Church visible The Catholick Church is as the whole Tree Particular Churches are but Branches That is the main Ocean these are but Arms and Creeks of it To that as Mr. Hudson observes the Promises and Privileges primarily belong to these they belong in a secondary way That is the first receptacle of Ordinances these derive them from that In every particular Church there is as St. Cyprian speaks Plebs Pastori adunata a People joined to a Pastor for the performance of Divine Worship Here the Word is preached the Sacraments are administred 2dly Something must be spoken of the Vnity of the Church The Unity of the Church is that whereby the Church is one There are many Members but one Body many Sheep but one Fold many Stones but one Building The Apostle reckons up many Unities appertaining to the Church There is one body and one spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your calling one Lord one faith one baptism one God and father of all Here is unit as principii one God that calls the Church Vnitas termini one Heaven that is hoped for by it Vnitas mediorum one Faith one Baptism to join men to Christ and the Church Vnitas Capitis one Lord Jesus who
is the vital Head of the Church Vnitas Corporis one Body in which the Members do all adhere one to another and to the Head And unitas Spiritûs one Holy Spirit to animate and actuate the whole Body The Unity of the Church is not an Human thing but Divine The Unity is as the Church is built upon the foundations of the Apostles and Prophets Eph. 2.20 All the Joints and Bands which tie the Church together are from Christ the Head As under the Old Testament God ordained the Loops and the Taches that coupled the Curtains together to make one Tabernacle Exod. 26.6 So under the New Christ hath ordained the Bands and Ligatures that couple Believers together to make one Church Hence this Unity is stiled by St. Cyprian Epist ad Cornel. Vnitas à Domino per Apostolos tradita An Vnity delivered from the Lord Christ and by the Apostles and by St. Austin Vnitas Christi the Vnity of Christ Contra Cresc l. 2. c. 31. l. 4. c. 21. St. Jerom speaking of the Church of Christ as joined together in the unity of the Spirit hath this notable Passage Ecclesia habet urbes legis Com. in Mich. c. 1. Prophetarum Evangelii Apostoloram Non est egressa de finibus suis id est de Scripturis Sanctis The Church hath its Cities the Law the Prophets the Gospel the Apostles it goeth not out of its bounds the Holy Scriptures That only is Unity which is found there When the question was between the Catholicks and Donatists Vbi sit Ecclesia Where is the Church the Columba unica the Dove that is but one St. Austin tells them De Unit. Eccl. c. 2 3. that it was to be sought Non in verbis nostris sed in verbis Capitis Not in our words but in the words of the Head Jesus Christ the Head knew his own Body And again Sunt certe libri Dominici ibi quaeramus Ecclesiam There are the Lord's Books there let us seek the Church And again Nolo Humanis Documentis sed Divinis Oraculis Sanctam Ecclesiam demonstrari I will not have the Holy Church demonstrated by Human Documents but by Divine Oracles It was the notable Observation of Bessarion Fuit aliquando tempus quo immaculata Dei Spoasâ— Ecclesia summâ concordiâ tranquillissimâ pace intemeratâ veritate fruebatur cum simplicitatem puritatem Evangelicae Doctrinae maximi omnes faciebamus solis Sacris eloquiis contenti his inhaerentes his acquiescentes in unum ab his collecti ovile sub uno Pastore omnes agentes Crab. Conc. Florent Archbishop of Nice That then the Church had the highest concord peace and truth when it did adhere to the simplicity and purity of the Evangelical Doctrine contented with the Sacred Oracles inhereing and acquiescing in them only collected by them into one fold and living under one Pastor The only true Unity of the Church is that which is to be found in Scripture When men will have an Unity not of God's making but of their own it falls out as when a piece of new cloth is put to an old Garment there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a rent made The Humane thing that did seem to fill up the Churches Unity doth make a breach in it Victor will have one Easter-day and this little thing rents off the Eastern Churches from the Western The Unity of a visible Head in the Church is very plausible yet this is but a piece of Donatism to have the Church only in parte Papae 'T is as Gregory said against John of Constantinople Titulus in discissionem Ecclesiae a Title to rent the Church in pieces Nay the very Roman Church where it was hatched is rent by it Part would have a Council above the Pope Part would have the Pope above a Council The Councils of Constance and Basil call the Popes Schismaticks and the Popes have cast off and reprobated those Councils Thus those Human things in the Church which are set up for Unity turn to Ataxie and like the Egyptian Reed pierce and rent that hand that leans on them These things being so it appears that the Unity of the Church doth not consist in any Human thing But to instance in some particulars 1st It doth not stand in Human Rites and Observations In the first Golden Age in which as Egesippus saith the Church continued a pure Virgin there was little or nothing of Ceremony but much of Unity Christians were then of one heart and of one soul Acts 4.32 In after Ages Human Observations creeping into the Church they were observed variè pro arbitrio Euseb l. 5. cap. 23. Christians varied in the observation of Easter some kept Easter on one day some on another They varied in their observation of Lent Some fasted one day some two some more some forty They varied not only in the number of the days but in their abstinence Some eat Fowl with their Fish Socrat. Hist l. 5. c. 21. some were contented with dry bread only They varied also in many other Human Observations as may be seen in Ecclesiastical Story In all these there was no unity Soz. Hist l. 7. c. 19. yet the true Vnity was not wanting They did not put unity in such things no the Rule was Differentia rituum commendat unitatem fidei The non-unity in Rites commended the Vnity of the Faith The Christians were wont to fast Tert. contra Psych ex arbitrio non ex imperio out of choice not out of command St. Austin Epist 118. speaking of the various Customs in the Church saith that in such kind of things there was libera observatio indifferent things remained indifferent one did not impose them upon another so there was no breach of Unity When the question was whether there should be in Baptism trina or simplex mersio St. Gregory answered Conc. Tolet 4. Can. 5. In unâ Fide nihil officit diversa consuetudo In one Faith a di verse Custom hurts not In the Council of Lateran under Pope Innocent the Third Can. 9. it is ordained That where in one City or Diocess Crab. Conc. Tom. 2. there were people of divers Tongues and Rites sub unâ Fide there the Divine Offices should be performed secundum diversitates Rituum Linguarum Luther speaking of the Popish Ceremonies saith truly Sub Papâ est pompa externae unitatis sed intus non â—n si confusissima Babylon Vnder the Pope is the pomp of external Vnity but within there is nothing but a most confused Babel It is certain Church-unity doth not consist in Rites let men fancy what they will there is but one healing Rule to be found In necessariis unitas in non-necessariis libertas in utrisque charitas 2dly It doth not stand in a Liturgy or prescribed Form of Prayer The Church for some Centuries was without a Liturgy but never without Unity The Liturgies ascribed
Magd. Cent. 6. cap. 8. Evagr. l. 3. c. 30. Aulicâ Sapientiâ usus banished some of both Parties aequale praemium veritas mendacium tulêre Truth and Falsehood were alike rewarded Hence it appears that the Unity of the Church doth not stand in Humane Laws the true Unity is founded only in Scripture These things being so I come to lay down the true Unity The Church may be considered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in its internal Essence or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in its external Communion In the first consideration it hath invisible Bands to make it one in the second it hath visible ones The soul of the Church is as St. Austin speaks internal Grace the Body of it is external Profession and Communion Take the Church in its internal Essence so its Unity stands in the Holy Spirit and the Graces of it There is one body and one spirit Eph. 4.4 There are many Members in the Mystical Body of Christ but they are all but one Body and why so They are distant in place and time yet they are but one Body distinct Bodies have distinct Spirits but they have but one Holy Spirit which unites them not only to Christ the Head but one to another so they must be but one Body because they have but one Spirit to actuate them Hence St. Austin saith Non potest vivere Corpus Christi nisi de Spiritu Christi In Joh. Tract 26. The Body of Christ cannot live but by the Spirit of Christ It is the Holy Spirit that makes them one living Body Under the Spirit there are three Uniting Graces which make the Mystical Church but one they are Faith Hope Enarr in Psal 37. and Charity Hence that of St. Austin Si Fides nostra sincera sit Spes certa Charitas accensa sumus in Corpore Christi If our Faith be sincere our Hope certain our Charity kindled then are we in the Body of Christ Hence St. Bernard observes a triple Vertue in the Primitive Church De ascensi Domini Serm. 5. Magnanimity Longanimity and Vnanimity the first was from Faith the second from Hope the third from Charity Faith unites all the Members in the Mystical Body to Christ the Head and so they are one in Capite Love unites them not only to the Head but one to another and so they are one in Corpore Hope unites them to one center in Heaven and so they are one in Termino In these things stands the Unity of the Church in its internal Essence Take the Church in its External Communion so its Unity stands in the Holy Ordinances They continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers Acts 2.42 These are the golden Bands that tie the Church together As the Church mystical is made one by Graces so the Church visible is made one by Ordinances As the same Graces are all over the one so the same Ordinances are all over the other The same pure word is preached Com. in Psal 133. The Church saith St. Jerome Non in parietibus sed in dogmatum veritate consistit It doth not stand in Walls but in True Doctrines The Hereticks as the same Father goes on may have the Walls but the Church is where the Truth is The Arians boasted of their Unity Contra Auxent but as St. Hilary tells them it was but Vnit as Impiet at is an Vnity of Impiety The Unity of Truth is in the Church only there all have one Law one Charter all are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concorporated and copartners of the promise Eph. 3.6 No body of men hath such a Law or Charter as the Church hath The same Sacraments are administred These are Seals of the Churches Charter and Symbols of that Communion which we have with Christ as Head and one with another as Fellow-members In Baptism we enter into the Holy Society in the Lord's Supper we are Fellow-commoners and eat together as Members of the same Family Contra Faust Manich l. 19. cap. 11. St. Austin saith That in every Religion men are joined together aliquo signaculorum consortio by a fellowship in some Seals No Society of men hath such Seals as the Church hath The same Prayers in substance are made tho in the Primitive times there was no Common Prayer or Liturgy in the Church Ignatius Epist ad Magn. yet there was ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Common that is a Publick Prayer which in the mouth of the Minister is as it were breathed out by all the people that the Divine Blessing may come down upon the Word and Sacraments I shall here add nothing touching Ecclesiastical Discipline because the particular mode of it is not so essential to a Church as the other are To conclude Where there are lawful Pastors dispensing Holy Ordinances and a People meeting and unanimously joining in the use of them there is a True Church Hic est fons Veritatis hoc Templum Dei hoc domicilium Fidei as Lactantius speaks There is the Fountain of Truth the Temple of God the Dwelling-place of Faith These things being premised touching the Church and its Unity I come now to enquire into the Nature of Schism CHAP. II. Schism defined Seminal or Actual In the Church or from it There may be a Schism without Separation and a Separation without Schism The Characters of Schismatical Separation Voluntariness want of Charity Pride Error breach of Sacred Vnity for little or no Cause from the Catholick Church SChism is the Scissure of the Church visible a breach of the sacred Vnity of it without cause 'T is a Scissure of the Church De Unitat. Eccles a renting vestem Christi inconsutilem the seamless Coat of Christ as St. Cyprian speaks It was as St. Austin speaks signified by the breaking of the net Luke 5.6 The net at Sea brake Ibi Ecclesia in hocseculo hic in fine seculi figurata est Austin in Joh. Tract 122. propter significanda Schismata to note out the Schisms of the Church on Earth but the Net drawn to the Shore brake not John 21.11 to note out that the Saints in Heaven are in summâ pace in the highest unity No Schisms are in that blessed Region 'T is a Scissure of the Church Visible In the Church Mystical there are no Schisms It 's true the Flesh which in the Saints warreth against the Spirit is a Schismatick and makes such rents in their Souls that they are in a sort divided from themselves It is not I but sin that dwelleth in me saith Saint Paul Rom. 7.20 He distinguisheth his corrupt Self from his renewed Self But yet that Flesh cannot shall not totally finally rent them off from the Mystical Body They may fall into sins yet those Principles which tie them to the Mystical Body are not extinct the Spirit of Grace will not leave them but raise them up out of their Falls Hence St.
names of Idols that is honoris gratiâ in any way for their honour Crab. Conc. Tom. 1. The Fifth Council of Carthage Can. 15. would have all Idolatrous Reliques utterly extinguished Constantine the Great would not suffer the least Rag or Memorial of Pagan Idolatry to remain And it is very strange Euseb Vit. Constant l. 3.47 52. that such an Idold as the Cross should be retained in a Church free from Idolatry 3dly The Sign of the Cross in our own Church though it be no Idol yet is an Image it is not indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a graven Image but it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a similitude of Christ crucified Representation is the very essence of an Image and the Sign of the Cross is intended to resemble Christ crucified Aquin. Pars 3. Q. 83. Art 1. As the Sacraments are by God's Institution representative Images of Christ's Passion so is the Cross by Man's and what doth an Image do in Divine Worship The Second Commandment shuts out all Images from it nay under that notion it would shut out the very Sacraments were they not of Divine Ordination Anciently the Christians would not suffer Images to be in their Churches Ael Lamprid in vita Alexandri When the Emperor Adrian commanded Temples to be made without Images it was presently conceived hat he did prepare them for Chritians Conc. El. Can. 36. Epiph. Epist ad Joh. Hierosol The Eliberine Council would not admit that Pictures should be in Churches Epiphanius rent the Vail that hung in the Church of Anablatha because it had the Image of Christ or some Saint in it Serenus Bishop of Marsiles brake down the Images in his Church The Emperor Theodosius and Valentinian removed quodcunque Signum Salvatoris every Sign of a Saviour out of the way Thus Images have not been admitted into Churches and how then should they be brought into Ordinances which are much more sacred than Places The Image of the Cross should not appear in Divine Worship in which no other Image is to be admitted but that Aust Epist 119. cap. 2. quae ho◠est quod Deus est which is that which God is that is Jesus Christ the Image of the Invisible God 4thly The Sign of the Cross is an addition to Baptism and so utterly unwarrantable Under the Old Testament it was unlawful to add to the Ceremonial Law of God Deut. 4.2 And how should it be lawful under the New to add to the Ceremonial Law of Christ Christ was as faithful in the House of God as Moses his provision was as perfect for Rituals as that 〈◊〉 Moses was Nay the Worship under the Old Testament being more Shadowy and Ritual and that under the New more pure and simple an addition to this is less tolerable than to that because the purer the Worship is the more impure is the addition The Prophet Ezekiel speaking of the Glory of the Evangelical Church that it was the place of God's Throne and of the soles of his feet adds this That they should no more set their thresholds by God's or their posts by his Ezek. 43.7 8. they should not add their own Inventions to God's Precepts When the Corinthians joined 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their own supper to the Lord's it was unjustifiable and the Apostle expostulates about it Have ye not houses to eat and to drink in or despise ye the Church of God 1 Cor. 11.22 Are there not distinct Houses and distinct Suppers why do you join the Civil Supper to the Sacred The Apostle against such mixtures alledgeth that Institution Parker of the Crols 102. I have received of the Lord that which I delivered unto you v. 23. Man may not add to what is from God When the Armenians added sod meat to the Lord's Supper it was condemned by a General Council When the Artotyritae brought in their bread and cheese into it Epiph. Heres 49. it was abominable when they brought in their mulsum or mellitum into it Concil Altissidor Can. 8. the Church calls it aliud poculum another cup and that ad grande peccatum reatum pertinet it amounts to a great sin and guilt as being an addition to Christ's Institution It 's true the Fathers in this Council did through infirmity admit Vinum cum aquâ mixtum a mixture of Water with Wine but another Council will not admit no not of a little water mixt with the Wine and adds this reason for it Crab. Tom. 2. Aurelia 4. Can. 4. Quia Sacrilegium judicatur aliud offerri quam quod in Mandatis Sacratissimis Salvator instituit Because it is judged Sacriledge to offer any thing besides that which our Saviour instituted in his Sacred Commands When Duraeus cites many Fathers for the many Ceremonies added to Baptism the Answer of the Learned Whitaker is very excellent Whit. Tom. 1. 191 192. Meâ non interest qui◠Clemens quid Leo quid Damasus quid quisquam alius Pontifex ad Baptismi Sacramentum adjecerit Christus Ecclesiae nihil de istis Ceremoniarum nugis mandavit I am not concerned what Clemens Leo Damasus or any other Pope hath added to the Sacrament of Baptism Christ left to his Church nothing in command touching such trifling Ceremonies Sadeel Art 12. fol. 492. Sadeel against the Monks of Burdeaux speaking touching their many Ceremonies added to Baptism as an ornament to it makes this Answer Num igitur sunt prudentiores Jesu Christo qui instituit Baptismum tantâ cum simplicitate puritate quique melius novit quam omnes simul homines quae illi conveniant ornamenta Hominis licet pactionem inquit Paulus autoritate confirmatam nemo abrogat aut quid ei super addit Quae est ista arrogantia adjicere institutioni Jesu Christi Are they wiser than Jesus Christ who instituted Baptism with so great simplicity and purity and who knows much better than all men put together what Ornaments are proper for it Though it be but a man's Covenant saith St. Paul yet if it be confirmed no man disannulleth or addeth thereunto What arrogance then is it to add to the Institutions of Jesus Christ This is charged upon the Cross it is an addition to Baptism a Sign of Man 's added to the Sign of Christ 5thly The Sign of the Cross is not merely an addition to Baptism but it is a mystical Teacher and looks very like a Sacrament It is a mystical Teacher as the Sacraments teach Christ crucified by God's Ordination so doth the Cross by Man's But is not the Scripture sufficient and Christ the great Prophet And may Man invent new ways of teaching or if he do may any one look for the illuminating Spirit in such ways Christ is the one Master the one Teacher by way of excellency all other Teachers that teach truly do but teach ministerially under him Christus habet clavem excellentiae Alii tantum clavem
and so they came to separate and divide themselves from others calling the common people populum terrae the people of the earth and saying to Sinners ne attingas me touch me not The Jewish Ceremonies troubled the Galatians Gal. 1.7 Circumcision ceasing to be Divine any longer became Concision renting the Church and the Doctors that mixed it with the Gospel were as Dogs tearing asunder the unity of it When Victor urged a necessity of conformity in the observation of Easter-day Irenaeus reproves him for this tanquam pacis perturbatorem as 〈◊〉 troubler of the Churches peace and indeed there was a horrible breach between the Eastern and Western Churches about it When Images a mere Human Invention were brought into the Church what fierce Contentions were there about it The Green Emperors Leo Isaurus Constantinu◠and others opposing them in the East And on the other side the Bishops of Rome Gregory the Second Gregory the Third and others stish upholding them in the West In the Council at Constantinople they were solemnly condemned Spond Ann Anno Dom. 754. Crab. Conc. Tom. 2. and the people cried out hodie salus mundo In the Council of Nice they were advanced again even to veneration and Eusebius for speaking against them is said to be delivered over to a reprobate mind and his Books are anathematized What an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a vehement Contention was there between the Greek and Latin Churches about levened and unlevened bread in the Eucharist the Greeks calling the Latins Azymitae and the Latins the Greeks Fermentarii Ceremonies and Human Inventions in Worship however they may be intended for Unity are the occasions of Contention Hence Melancton tho he conformed to the Rites and Ceremonies in the Interim yet wished with tears that they were removed because as long as they remained there would be contention in the Church and the reason of this is evident The minds of men are not all alike or of an equal temper Some Pious and Learned Men allow of Ceremonies other Pious and Learned Men cannot receive them In such a case as this Anselm ad querelas Vaeler auni fol. 149. the urging of Uniformity is the loss of Unity Anselm enquiring whence the various Customs in the Church arose gives this Answer Nihil aliud intelligo quam humanorum sensuum diversitates I know nothing but this that men have different sentiments of things that which one man thinks very apt in the Worship of God that another thinks is not so When such a necessary thing as Unity is placed in unnecessaries it is lost but when it is placed in things like it self I mean in necessary things then it is preserved The Apostles who as well understood and as much desired Unity in the Church as any would lay no other burthen on Christians than necessary things Act. 15.28 St. Paul lays down a great many Unities One body one spirit one hope one Lord one faith one baptism one God and father of all Eph. 4.4 5 6. but there is not a word of one Ceremony Those Bishops took the right course for Unity who being met together in Council made a Canon which they called Adiaphoron Socrat. Hist lib. 5. c. 20. because they left the observation of Easter-day indifferent as men would themselves Were indifferent things left in their indifferency the Unity of the Church would be much greater than it is Thus much may suffice touching the Ceremonies only because there are two Pleas for their innocency I must consider them The one is this The Ceremonies are only for decency and order and so within that Apostolical Precept Let all things be done decently and in order 1 Cor. 14.40 I answer Were the Ceremonies within that Precept I should beg my pardon and pronounce them innocent but I take it they are not within it and to clear this I offer these things The Evangelical Sacraments which are God's own Ceremonies are in themselves and without any Human dress worthy of all reverence Nostra Sacramenta tam praeclara sunt ut etiamsi nuda nullis Sacramentalibus suffulta proponerentur omni essent veneratione digna Medina in Aquin. 1 2. Q. 108. Art 2. the Institution hath put a glory upon them Human Ceremonies which are as much below them as a Cloud is below the Sun are more apt to darken than illustrate them When Sacraments are in their pure simplicity then the splendour of the Holy Signs shines forth but when they are muffled up in Human Rites then the Divine Beauty is obscured And if Divine Ceremonies need Human to put a decorum upon them much more do Human Ceremonies need an addition of further Ceremonies for that end and so there may be Ceremonies upon Ceremonies in infinitum Our Lord Christ who knew better than all men what Decency is never instituted any such Ceremonies The Apostles who gave the Rule of Decency never used them They did administer Ordinances decently but without them Hence it appears that their Precept never extended to them for had it done so they would not have omitted them but had practised that Precept which they had given The Worship of the Apostles which was without Ceremonies was either decent or undecent for Decency and Undecency are privatively opposite and between privative opposites there is no medium of abnegation in subjecto capaci If the Apostles Worship void of all Ceremonies be decent then Decency doth not consist in Ceremonies if undecent they did not which cannot be imagined observe their own Rule of Decency and act as they taught Order and Decency in the Worship of God are things necessary not merely by a positive Law but by a natural Not only the Apostolical Precept but the very dictate of Nature is that the Service of God should be performed in an orderly and decent manner The Heathen Oracle could say That in the Worship of God men should follow morem optimum the best manner Nat. Quaest l. 7. c. 30. Seneca out of Aristotle tells us That when men have to do with the Gods they should be verecundiores compositi modest and composed in their demeanour The Light of Nature teacheth us that we should serve God in a way suitable and congruous to his Divine Majesty Thus Order and Decency are necessary but so are not Ceremonies Hence it appears that the difference between them is as great as between necessary and unnecessary Order is nothing but a right disposition of things Decency is nothing but the seemliness of Order Order and Decency require not Vide Ames Medul l. 2. c. 13. that some Holy things should be newly ordained but that those which are ordained by God should be used in a way congruous to their dignity The Ceremonies which are new Appointments appertain not to Order and Decency The institution of somewhat new is one thing and the right and seemly disposition of that which is instituted is another The other Plea is this The