own shame and therefore needs no other reply But yet that Rubrick or Admonition which gives liberty to change whole Chapters appointed * Adm. before 2 Tom. Homil. doth much more intend that men should speak sense Except 8 The eighth Exception is against those words in the thanksgiving after the proper Collect at the Communion Therefore with Angels Therefore with Angels and Archangels c. we laud and magnifie c. They say this is an uncertainty if not an untruth for the Scripture never speaks of more Archangels than one 1 Thess 4.16 That this one is Michael P. 29 30. n. 8. Jude v. 12. to wit Christ Dan. 10.21 Revel 12 7. where 't is said there was a war betwixt Michael and his Angels and the Dragon and his Angels Answ First If this Archangel be he mentioned in 1 Thess 4.16 where 't is said the Lord himself namely the Lord Jesus shall descend from Heaven therefore this is spoken of the Lord Christ with a shout with the voice of the Archangel then this Archangel cannot be Christ for he shall descend from Heaven with the shout of this Archangel Secondly How doth it appear that this Archangel is Michael mentioned in Jude verse 9. that strove with Satan about the body of Moses Surely Christ needed not to dispute then with the Devil nor to pray The Lord rebuke thee he was yet God onely and might not being as yet actually Mediator have punish'd him And 't is said ' He durst not bring against him a railing accusation Remember Brethren the Devil must not be railed at much less Gods Saints and Servants 'T is not like the language of Christ Thirdly How doth it appear that there are no more Archangels than one seeing first we reade not onely Ephes 1. of Principality and Power and Might and Dominion in heavenly places which surely implies some degrees in the Angelical Hierarchy but also chap. 6. again speaking of the evil Angels as it seems he names Principalities and Powers And in Daniel Dan. 12.1 Michael is assigned as the Prince of the Jewish People but there is also mentioned the Prince of the Kingdom of Persia Chap. 10.13 And another is described to be in his body as the Beryl his face as the appearance of lightning and his eyes as lamps of fire and his arms and feet like in colour to polished brass and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude Surely this seems to be an Arch and primary Angel And he says that Michael helped him and he calls him one of the chief Princes Angelical namely he doth not say the chief onely Verse 13. Calvin thinks it not necessary to understand Christ by Michael Calv. in Dan. 10.6 in cap. 12.1 Ezek. 1. and chap. 10. And Mr. Brightman understands by Michael Rev. 12.7 Constantine the Great Again we reade in Ezekiel of four living creatures which he expoundeth to be Cherubins a distinct Order as it seems from the ordinary Angels for this Type seems to answer to that Revel 4. of the four Beasts but they were not the ordinary sort of Angels for these are distinguished from them verse 11. And all the Angels stood round about the Throne and about the Elders and the four Beasts Again we read of Seraphims Isa 6. as an order distinct again from the general one of Angels Or if both Cherubims and Seraphims be taken for Angels in general Luk. 1.19 which seems not to agree yet we read of Gabriel Gabriel the Angel that was sent on two the greatest Embassies that ever were or shall be namely to annunciate the conception of John Baptist the messenger of the Messiah and the conception of Christ himself now surely the greatest errands are performed by the greatest persons Very reasonably therefore may we think that Gabriel was one of the very chiefest Angels Rashly therefore and without ground do the Brethren tax the Church for naming of Archangels whereof it hath so many rational probabilities and affirm their is but one whereof they have no proof Except 9 and fail in the very first of them The ninth Exception is against that prayer after the Communion For our unworthiness c. and this expression of it viz. Those things which for our unworthiness we dare not ask They say Why do we pray elsewhere for ought else at all seeing we have the worthiness of Christ and Gods promise and his command But the Brethren might know or remember that this objection was urged long since with more strength vâ—z That it savours of Popish servile fear and not of that confidence and reverend familiarity that the children of God have through Christ with their heavenly Father saith Mr. Cartwright I shall give first my own sense lib. 1. p. 136. Hook eccles pol. l. 5. §. 47. and then refer to the answer returned by that learned Respondent And first in general 1. General answer Two things there are which we are more specially to endeavour to be quallified with to prayer first deep humility and next lively faith By the one we shall with Jacob confess our selves less than the least of all Gods mercies Genes 32.10 By the other we shall with St. John 1 Joh. 5.14 15. know that we shall have the petitions that we ask of him God he resists the proud but gives grace onely to the humble and those that have their whole hope in the mediation of his Son Joh. 14. This makes returns of prayer sweet God lovely Christ pretious the heart humble the conscience peaceable when we are nothing in our selves 1 Cor. 1. but Christ is our Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification Redemption and in a word all in all Col. 3. Secondly 't is surely as lawful to acknowledge our unworthiness as our blindness but that they do not except againâ—t which is in the next clause 2. Answer in particular But in particular the prayers of the Church are so fitted that they may meet with the state and condition of all the members Now in the Church Aptness of the prayers of the Church 1 Joh. 2. there are not onely old men in grace and young men but children also as the Apostle distinguisheth Of thâ—s last sort are those who though they might further ask yet being pressed with their own unworthiness and sense of their sins they are in a manner discouraged till they reflect on the worthiness of Christ Yea the very best are subject sometimes to over much sensibleness of their unworthiness in prayer as also of the contrary of their too much goodness R. Hook Eccles pol. l. 5. § 47. Let us now see what hath been replyed to this formerly which since my writing having now read I observe amongst other considerable things as well he considered what he wrote if any other this That the very natural root of unthankfulness is threefold always namely either ignorance dissimulation
resolution to keep all communion in affection and as much as may be in Ordinances with the godly in the Parochial Congregations though of different judgement from my self 4. Of keeping my mine eye and ear open to any light or advice that shall be brought from the Word though diverse from what now I have in matter of gathering and government of the Church and Ordinances thereof Sect. 2. How he behaved himself in it Accordingly indeed I did hold fellowship and communion in Ordinances with all such particular Congregations whilst I was in this way and as a real proof thereof I did Baptise my children onely in those the Parochial Congregations St. Peters one in the place where I preach'd and another in a neighbour Town Lawford where I made also the like declaration as appears by the testimony of the then Minister of the place Mr. John Edes which I have by me under his hand So that I never blessed be God proceeded so far as Separation much less to Anabaptism But on the contrary they would say that I was ground between Separation and Presbytery as betwixt two Milstons Nay I never came fully and as we use to say cleverly off to Independency A proof whereof appears in that I refused the Pastors Office the former being deceased although desired Mr. John W. sometime of Norwich and my self after advice with some that way for a time was somewhat inclined but durst not close till thoughts ripening by experience and observation I wholly declined it as also the way it self gradatim and by little and little not continuing but two or three years as I take it for I left communion before I left the place and that I did from my first closing Dated Octob. 10 1648. above four years as appears by a Certificate of my dismission Which leads me to the last particular viz. what occasioned my awakening and recovery Sect. 3. §. 3. What excited his Return I found my expectation of the beauty of holiness in Vnity Order and more effectual edification in Faith Love Meekness Patience Temperance Peace and Mortification mainly frustrated Fractions confusion breaches doting about fruitlesse endless Questions time vainly spent in them The Pastor an honest well-meaning man despised Covetousness contempt of others and in some impurities c. growing and injustice eminent That it was fully verified which * Saltem apud se experti quà m multes malos pro pace Donati ferre cogantur impacatas illorum calumnias pace sua correctionis Extinguerent Cont. Parm. l. 3. c. 2. Austin once said of their fathers the Donatists that Malos tantos toleratis sed nullà bonâ mercede Psalm Aug. Cont. Donatist Tom. 7. in ipso ingressu Quia quod debetis pro Christo pro Donato vultis ferre For Christ his peace no sinners you 'l allow But for Donatus you will bear enow So also unless we would hear that for Independency's sake that we would not hear in the Assemblies Parochial for Unity's and for Christ's sake there was a necessity of Separation again which also came to pass Also I observed that almost all the companies of this way fell in sunder or into horrible opinions or leud practises as well as ours Besides whilst we were in our vain altercations on the Lords days after the afternoon Sermon our Families were neglected Withal others in the Parochial Assemblies were deserted both in point of Pastoral offices as also of other care whilst they were look'd upon as people of another world Moreover they were brought into a Maze not knowing which way to take who to follow nor whether they were in the way of salvation or not and so shaking the very foundations of their faith a most horrid evil Add hereunto I noted that generally they were for maintaining of their way by Arms in case they had strenth and that this contest had born a great part in the confusion of the Nation These and other the like ill fâ—uits though some there were of a more sincere spirit who for their vertues and piety I yet honor who yet had their tinctures not so warrantable made me look further into the root which I have not onely found but I think also in the sequel evidenced to be rotten for by their fruits you shall know them Now renting and tearing of themselves of the Church and Common-wealth is the fruit of thorns and thistles Matth. 7.16 illustrated not of Vines or Fig-trees as our Saviour long since forewarn'd I profess I am more confirm'd in my faith in Christ by his Sermons than by his Miracles they are so convincing Those were not in our view These the immutable truth of them we daily might did we mark it see I have often observed with wonder by what spirit he spake though little notice is taken of it when he did design some persons in the Church by whited Sepulchers The proof Matth. 23. and graves that appear not Thereby noting both their non-appearance and their dangerousness especially their swallowing faculty as Agur The Grave saith not I have enough Prov. 30. This unsatiable spirit was singularly noted in the old Separatists the Pharisees for both the name signifies so as well as expounding and their practise Matth. 9.11 by condemning our Saviour for eating with the common people The Pharisees also Luk. 16.14 Matth. 23 14. which were covetous saith the Text. And Ye devour widows houses Aug. cont Parm. l. 3. c. 2. Now Potuitne gravius divinis eloquiis accusari Avaritia quà m ut idololatriae demonstraretur aequalis ejus nominis appellaretur dicente Apostolo Et Avaritia Eph. 5.5 Col. 3.5 quae est Idolorum servitus potuitne majori poena digna judicari quà m ut inter illa crimina poneretur quibus obsessi regnum Dei non possidebunt aperiantur oculi cordis ne frustra pateant oculi corporis Could any thing be spoken more to shew the foulness of the sin of covetousness than when the Apostle calls it twice Idolatry And could any sin be more sorely punished than by exclusion from the Kingdom of Heaven Let the eyes of the heart be open lest those of the head see to no purpose And it is to be observed of our Saviour also how tartly yet fully and most aptly he directs unto the discovery of them when he saith their fruit shall be like that of thorns and thistles Matth. 7. noting the rents and divisions they should make and by that might be known Ibid. And to the same effect in the same place he saith Their cloathing should be like that of sheep but their work that of wolves which elsewhere he says is scattering and destruction Joh. 10. The same which Paul more plainly Those who cause divisions Rom. 16. contrary to the doctrine ye have learned are such as serve their own bellies Which I assure you some are well known to have even unto Epicurism
as few as may be and that we leave mens judgments free in many things by reason that the obscurity in a number of them is exceeding great I have done with the first general head the Doctrine and Articles wherein as being the foundation the more time hath been expended CHAP. IV. Of Worship and of the Directory there of the Liturgy SECT I. Of Worship THE next is Worship 2. VVorship 1. In it self wherein the thing especially to be observed is Purity as in Doctrine Truth Now the purity of worship I take it Purity of it wherein consisting is defin'd by the matter whereof it is composed the object whereunto and medium or mean by which it is directed if these be right the Worship it self is pure For the evidencing that ours is such consider we it first in it self and then in the Appendixes of it the Ceremonies 1. In it self That of the Church of England such and so our Worship in the Church of England is directed onely to the onely true God in the Unity of Essence and Trinity of Persons the Maker and Governor of all things And the Worship which we tender unto him is for matter according to his will as shall be proved Lastly it is by the onely and alone medium and mediation of God manifested in the flesh the Man Christ Jesus but of the Creatures whether the blessed Virgin although 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Mother of God or Saint or Angel we joyn none with him as is to be seen in the frequent closure of our prayers in the publick Liturgy The second Collect in the Letany Through our ONELY Mediator and Advocate Jesus Christ our Lord. Which is also proved negatively because there is in the Liturgy no prayer neither directly nor indirectly to any but God himself nor by any other but Jesus Christ 2. In the Ceremonies which destroy not the substance of worship 2. In respect of Ceremonies which are annexed to it Now Ceremonies being but the appendixes and circumstances of Worship either as ornaments or advantages to it unless they be such as at least imply either another object or person to be worshipped than God or another Mediator than Christ and so a contradiction to the worship whereon they hang How should they destroy the purity of worship Perturb and trouble it they may by their multitude or unusefulness but vitiate it they cannot Now all our Ceremonies are so few in number and so explained eâ—ther by Doctrine or Canon or other publick writings for their * Dr. Burgess of the three innocent Ceremonies See the form of private Baptism and Can. 30. with the Rubricks Mr. Ph. N. innocency and use that they seem not capable of the former evills though they had been all urged But for the matter of our worship the most weighty men of the other ways do not much except against it I am sure I have heard one of the best of them acknowledge lately That there was nothing in the Common-prayer-book for the matter of it against the word of God Now all separation is a division all division tends to dissipation But to commit this against a Church whose worship is for the matter sound and the Ceremonies not opposite thereunto because some of them have been abused formerly to superstition savours of worse then their weakness 1 Cor. 10.25 28. who refused the meat though in the shambles because it had been once consecrated unto an Idol But rather take we his advice misericorditer igitur corripiat homo quod potest Aug. contr epist Parmen lib. 3. cap. 2. quod autem non potest patienter ferat cum dilectione gemat atque lugeat donec ille desuper emendet corrigat aut usque ad messem differat erradicare zizania paleam ventilare Let a man therefore gently amend what he may and and what he cannot let him bear with patience and lament with love until God from above do reform it or correct it or defer until the harvest the rooting out of the tares and the winnowing of the chaff But in particular the Ceremonies are but four especially Bowing at the naming Jesus The Cross in Bapt. Keeling at the Communion And the Surpliss in reading Service Omitting what hath been satisfactorily discoursed on these by others as [a] Conser Hampt Court King James [b] Can. 30. The Canons of 1603. Can. 30. [c] Eccles Polit. Mr. Hooker [d] The three Innocent ceremonies Hieron in Isa 45.23 Mr. Burgess and divers more I shall for the first recite the Judgment of Antiquity represented by St. Jerome on those words of Isaiah By my self have I sworn that every knee shall bow to me c. Hoc jurat quòd Idolis derelictis omne genu ei flectat coelestium terrestrium infernorum omnis per illum juret lingua mortalium In quo perspicuè significatur populus Christianus Moris est enim ecclesiastici Christo Genu flectere Bowing at the name of Jesus Quod Judaei mentis superbiam demonstrantes omnino non faciunt This he swears That forsaking Idols every knee should bow to him of things in Heaven in the Earth and under the Earth and every tongue of mortal men swear by him in which is clearly signified the Christian people for it is the custome of the Church to BOW the KNEE to Christ Which the Jews declaring the pride of their hearts will by no means do Wherein Explained we may note two causes of refusing to bow at the naming of the Lord Jesus First Jewish unbelief and secondly The like haughtiness and pride of spirit To which we may add in respect of some I hope a needless fear of superstition Touching the next the Cross in Baptisme Although I cannot hope to satisfie those whom the Canon of the Church hath not satisfied Against which Canon Cross in Bapt. Can. 30. the late Authors of the Treatise of the necessity of Reformation have this Exception that it hath not with its reasons Pag. 60. Ed. 2. added either Scripture or Fathers Whereas it mentions both though naming none By this reason they may decline all the Articles yea and most Confessions in Europe which generally omit both as being too paedantical for a confession or the Canons of a Church Wherein also their iniquity as well as unskilfulness appeareth Who say of the Rubrick explaining the use of the ceremony of kneeling at the communion Pag. of the inserted sheet the third that the Compilers had solidly and excellently declared in what sense they intended kneeling at the Communion omitted in the Book of Q. Eliz. and yet that hath neither Scripture nor Father alledged But this pleased because it ministred quarrel against the present Common-prayer-book I might refer for more ample satisfaction to the exact diligence in this point also of that hyperaspistes of our Church in these matters Mr. Hooker Eccles Polit. li. 5. §
est facit quia tota omnes tota singulos paxit Now that holy Spirit which dwells in the Saints of which Saints the Dove that is covered with silver wings is founded by the fire of love doth that which it doth by the ministery and service not onely of those who are simply ignorant but of those who are damnably wicked For children are offered to Baptism and receiving of spiritual grace not so much by them in whose hands they are carried as by the whole society of Saints and Believers For it is truly understood to be done by all who are all desirous that it should be done and by whose holy and undivided charity the children are helped to the participation of the holy Spirit The whole Church therefore which consists of the Saints doth it because she wholly hath brought forth all and every one Thus far he And again in other places more plainly though more briefly as in that vulgar one Credunt infantes Vnde credunt quomodo credunt Aug. de verb. Apost Serm. 14. cap. 19. fide parentum Si fide parentum purgantur peccato parentum polluti sunt Corpus mortis in primis parentibus generavit eos peccatores Spiritus vita in posterioribus parentibus regeneravit eos fideles Tu das fidem non respondenti ego peccatum nihil agenti Even Infants saith he believe Whence do they believe how do they believe Why by the faith of the Parents If they be purged by the faith of the Parents they are polluted by the sin of their parents The body of death in the first parents did generate them sinners The spirit of life in the following parents hath regenerated them faithful and believers Thou givest faith to him that answereth not and I communicate sin to him that acteth not Thus St. Austin Wherein we see that the repentance and faith of one is available for another to the obtaining spiritual benefits for them viz. the faith of the parents and if they fail the faith of the Church and the faith of the Sureties who are always the deputies of one or both the other And that they do perform by them repentance and faith that is the profession of them 3. Proof from recent times I shall add now one or two witnesses of later times as I promised and close this point also Calvin with all the Consistory of Geneva in the Letter above cited makes the faith of the parents or in case they fail the faith of the Church where the child is born to be available for its obtaining the priviledge of Baptism and the spiritual benefits that come thereby Calv. ep Knox. Ann. 1559. ep 285. Promissio Ero Deus tui seminis tui non sobolem tantum cujusque fidelium in primo gradu comprehendit sed in mille generationes extenditur unde ubicunque non prorsus intercidit vel extincta fuit Christianismi professio fraudantur jure suo infantes si à communi symbolo arcentur The promise I will be thy God and the God of thy seed after thee saith he doth comprehend the seed of the faithful not in the first degree onely but to a thousand generations And therefore wheresoever the profession of the Name of Christ is not wholly fallen and extinct there children are defrauded of their right if they be driven from the common obsignation and seal of it Where we see that the repentance and faith of others besides the parents is available and the undertaking of the Sureties doth not give the right but onely for orders sake and the farther engagement of the children when they come to years is superadded thereunto as being continued from the custom first taken up with men that were grown before their Baptism Continued I say both for the more solemnity of that Ordinance Use of answers in Baptism and for the use of the thing it self both as it doth represent to the grown the obligation of their Baptism and as it is an engagement upon the Infants when they come to years I end with the practise of it in the reformed Church of Colen as it is in the Liturgy composed as was said above by Melancthon Lib. Reform Colen in Bapt. Bucer and Pistorius In the form of Baptism the title is Interrogationes ad susceptores parentes ' The Questions to the sureties and the parents that we may see the sureties promised in the name of the Infant Renunciatis igitur vestro Infantis nomine diabolo atque omnibus ejus operibus Respond Renunciamus Q. Etiam mundo concupiscentiis ejus Resp Renunciamus Q. Creditis in Deum Patrem omnipotentem Creatorem coeli terrae Resp Credimus c. Do you therefore in your own and in the INFANTS name renounce the devil and all his works Answ We renounce them Q. Also the world and the lusts of it Answ We renounce them Q. Do you believe in God the Father Almighty Maker of heaven and earth Answ We believe Where you see the word in their own and the Infants name being placed first runs through all the Answers both touching repentance expressed by renouncing and also faith expressed by believing And to clear it further in the same Liturgy in the form of Confirmation in the Questions propounded to the children to be confirmed this is one Ibid. in confirm fol. 80. p. 2. Interrogatio Ergo placet tibi ratumque habes adjutus spiritu domini in eo perseverabis quod tui susceptores nomine tuo ad sacramentum Baptisma promiserunt professi sunt cum pro te renunciarunt Satanae mundo addixerunt te Christo Ecclesiae ejus in solidam evangelii obedientiam Resp Haec rata habeo in eis juvante me domino n. Jesu Christo permanebo usque ad finem That is Question Does it therefore please thee and and dost thou account firm and good and by the help of the Spirit of the Lord wilt thou persevere in that which thy Sureties Godfathers and Godmothers did promise and profess in thy name at the Sacrament of Baptism when they did in thy stead renounce the devil and the world and did consecrate thee to Christ and his Church unto serious obedience Answ These I confirm as good and binding of me and by the help of our Lord Jesus Christ I will continue in them unto the end The doctrine therefore of that Answer in the Catechism of our Liturgy is neither new nor strange but grounded on Scripture and seconded by Antiquity and the practise of the Reformed 4. Proof from civil Contracts I might also for more plainness-sake confirm it by proportion with civil contracts Wherein the undertaking of another is available for one that cannot answer for himself As when an estate doth descend upon a child with such and such conditions without which it cannot enjoy it it being presumed that what is for its good it will consent unto By vertue of anothers