p. 68. Ps 78.60 1 Chron. 15.1.16.1 and forbids his servants to come at it And when the Prophet contrary to his command ate and drank in it he was so incensed against him that he caused a Lion to meet him and slay him Nay the Tabernacle it self though it was made by his special appointment consecrated to his special honour and had for a long time been imployed in his special service yet when it became defiled he cast it off forsook it and never made use of it more He would neither have the Ark brought back to it nor it fetch'd to the Ark but caused a new one to be made wherein it reâ—â—â—'d 〈◊〉 the building of the Temple These you 'l easily grant were emphatical intimations of his Mind and strong motives to stir up this people both to decline and abolish such abused places yet such was either their love to them or want of zeal against them that they still let them alone to the high provoking of him and insnaring of themselves who were so apt to be overcome by every temptation And thus notwithstanding the many good men that time after time they had amongst them it continued all along down to the dayes of Hezekiah who was the first that undertook their removal He being acquainted with the mind of God in this particular and indued with a Spirit of rare and princely zeal no sooner gets the Crown upon his head but he goes up to the high places and destroys them with all the instruments and incitements of Idolatry he found in them Amongst all the particulars mentioned in his reformation this is the first that he removed the high places Presently after him rises up the famous Josiah who though when he entred upon the Kingdome 2 Kings 23.7 c. he came short of him in years yet not in zeal Such was his indignation against all false and corrupt worship that he went through out all Judah and Israel and demolish'd the high places groves houses and what ever had been an occasion thereof I say Judah and Israel for though Israel at that time were a distinct Kingdom and govern'd by another power yet the Inhabitants thereof were then carried away and those who remain'd regarded not what became of the Idols that were amongst them which before they had so much doted on but gave way to this good Prince to come and do with them what he pleased and he having such liberty went to them and utterly destroy'd them The like is reported of Asa and Jehoshaphat though their zeal did not carry them so farr as to remove all such places as had been abused yet it put them upon removing all such as had been abused to Idolatry 2 Chron. 14.3.17.6 1 Kings 15.14.22.43 It s said both of the one and the other that he took away the high places Indeed in the Kings it s said they did not take away the high places but there the Holy Ghost speaks not ad idem he there speaks of other high places then he intends in the Chronicles There were two sorts of high places excelsa cultus idololatrici and excelsa cultus divini The former were consecrated to Idols and used in their worship the latter to God and used in his Now they should have taken away both these the former because they had been abused to Idolatry the people having worshipped a false god in them the latter because they both had been and still were likely to be abused to superstition the people worshipping the true God in them after a wrong manner inasmuch as they did it not in the place he had appointed and set apart for that end and purpose But they contented themselves with removing the former suffering the latter to remain which the Holy Ghost takes notice of and blames them for Thus you see what God commanded Julius Firmicus de Err. profan relig p. 68. Ed. Wouver Enseb vit Const l. 3. c. 52. Niceph. l. 8. c. 33. l. 12. c. 24 c. Socrat. l. 5. c. 15. c. Sozom. l. 2. c. 4. l. 5. c. 7. l. 7. c. 15. Ruffin l. 2. c. 23. Theodoret l. 5. c. 3. August Serm. 241. Cent. Magd. cent 4. c. 15. Zanch. vol. 2. col 406. Com. in Deut. 12. 2. Colloq Momp part 2. p. 29. Com. in 2 Reg. 10.27 Pol. Christ l. 3. p. 229. Synt. l. 10. c. 68. vol. 2. col 711. and the most pious Kings in the time of the Old Testament practiced as to the present business They suffered not the Temples Chappels Houses Groves and other places that had been abused to remain but set upon them and demolish'd them And if we come in to the times of the New Testament we shall find that such Christian Emperors Kings Princes States as have been tender of the glory of God and the beauty of Religion have taken the same course No sooner did the civil powers after our Saviours time become Christian but the Pastors of the Church addressing themselves to them and acquainting them with the danger of the reviving of Idolatry so long as the Pagan Temples remain'd they gave order that they should be demolish'd And when God was pleased some years ago to begin a reformation of Religion amongst us the Magistrates of these and other Nations did the like they fell upon the Abbies Monasteries and other places that the Papists had polluted with their Idolatry and pull'd them down to the ground And herein they did no more than what was allowed by Calvin Beza Wolphius Danaeus Polanus and the ablest Teachers of the reformed Churches Zanchy who hath writ a learned Treatise on this subject is so peremptory in it that he cries out Quis hunc zelum Domini improbare queat Who can be against this zeal of the Lord Let such places alone and there is danger they will in time be imployed to bad uses as they have been heretofore Hereof History affords too many instances Euseb vit Const l. 3. c. 52. Theod. hist l. 5. c. 20. Socrat. hist l. 3. c. 1. Zanch. vol. 2. col 709. Pet. Mart in 2 Reg. 10.27 Constantine hated Idols forbad the worship of them and destroyed divers of their Temples yet left others standing and so upon Julians coming to the Empire and allowing the Heathens the liberty of their religion they entred into them and celebrated their idolatrous mysteries in them as in times past This Theodosins taking notice of did not only forbid the worship of Idols and destroy some of their Temples but levell'd all before him and thereby buried Idolatry with the instruments of it in oblivion Though pious Magistrates do by laws forbid Idolaters the worship of their false Gods yet so long as they see their Temples stand they will be in hopes of recovering of their liberty and when they have it will enter into them and abuse them as much as ever Lavater therefore thinks it meet that all such places should be destroyed Com. in 2
them as are in their own power Hence we find that when Jacobs household gave to him the strange gods which were in their hands with the ear-rings which either had or might easily have been abus'd to Superstition and Idolatry Gen. 35.4 he took them and hid them by the Oak in Shechem And when the Jewish exorcists were convinced of their error Acts 19.19 Quisque enim pater familias est quidam minor magistratus domi suae c. Zanch. vol. 2. de Imag. col 405. v. Contz Polit. l. 2. c. 16. Erastus Conf. Thes l. 3. p. 128. Maccov Vedelius Utenbogard Grotius and the Belgick Arminians with divers amongst our selvs they brought those mischievous books which they had abused in their prophane divinations and burnt them in the fire This is a more private management of it belonging to every good man who so far as his propriety and dominion do's extend is to endeavour the removal of such defiled and offensive things The more publick management of it belongs to the Civil Magistrate who by virtue of the power wherewith God hath intrusted him is to take a view of his whole Dominions extirpate and abolish whatever is prejudicial and injurious to Gods pure worship and service Concerning the Authority of the Civil Magistrate in matters of Religion Writers discourse variously The Jesuites on the one hand give him too little Erastus and his followers on the other give him too much The former look upon him as such a terrestrial animal that they allow him no more than only a power to defend and execute the Popes determinations and impositions that is to say to be his Vassal and do what ever he will have him The latter take him to be invested with such power that they think he may devise new forms of government make new laws institute new officers appoint new ceremonies and do great matters It is not necessary here to undertake the deciding of this controversie yet for the better clearing of the matter in hand I shall in a few words intimate to you my apprehensions concerning it Estius in 4. sent dist 18. sect 1. p. 258. There is as the School-men distinguish a twofold authority the one of order the other of jurisdiction The former consists in a power to preach the Word dispence the Sacraments and belongs only to Ministers who are duely qualified for and lawfully called thereunto The latter consists in a power to govern the Church and rule all persons and things therein And this likewise is twofold spiritual and temporal the one consists in a power to apply the keys exercise Ecclesiastical censures suspend excommunicate absolve and this as well as the authority of order belongs only to Ministers In the time of the Old Testament Numb 18.7 2 Sam. 6.7 1 Sam. 13.13 2 Chron. 26.18 Heb. 5.4 the power both of order and spiritual jurisdiction pertain'd only to the Priest Vzzah might not touch the ark Saul offer burnt offerings Vzziah burn incense And as it was then so it is now No man saith the Apostle taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron Necessity indeed varies the case but in an ordinary way none may meddle therewith but only such as by a legal and fit designation are set apart for the Ministry The other consists in a power to oversee See Salmas Apparat ad lib. de Primat p. 303. ed. Lugd. 1645. regulate and dispose in a political way of all matters in the Church to the advantage thereof and this belongs to the Civil Magistrate who though he hath not any formal Church power yet he hath such a power as he is to exercise for and in the behalf of it Though he hath not any power privative or contrary to that of the Church yet he hath a power cumulative and auxiliary which he is to exert improve and lay out in the behalf of her Constantine told his Clergy Euseb vit Const l. 4. c. 24. p. 397. that God appointed them Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the things within the Church or Temple and him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the things without it Though the Magistrate have not power in sacris so as to preach the Word administer the Sacraments and dispence censures yet he hath power circa sacra so that he both may and ought to do many things in relation thereunto He is to defend the Church from the rage and violence of persecutors back divine Laws with his Civil sanction that so they may be of more authority with his people see that all Officers in the Church do their duty when there is occasion convene Synods and if there be need preside in them take care that such Constitutions be made in them as may help to maintain unity and order and prevent division and confusion see that Ministers have competent maintenance erect Schools of learning Mr. Nye of the Oath of Supremacy p. 16. Mr. Tombs his Supplement p. 3. and purge his Dominions of superstition and idolatry with all such things as have been abus'd therein that so God may be purely worshipp'd and true Religion may flourish and prosper And if it were not a despotical nomothetick arbitrary but only a subordinate diatactick auxiliary power that was aim'd at in the Oath of Supremacy as some reverend men from good testimonies prove it was not I see no reason wherefore the Centuriators Calvin or others Cent. 7. praefat Com. in Am. 7.12 In what sense the Christian Magistrate may be allowed and called the head of the Church See in Wendel System Maj. l. 1. c. 28. p. 1307. Isa 44.28.49.23 should so exclaim against it It seems to me to be no more than what the Scripture does allow and therefore I am apt to think it was misinformation that put those excellent men into such indignation However to prove here that the Magistrate both may and ought to perform all these particulars is more than the orderly prosecution of my present theme does require It is sufficient for me in this place to make good that branch of the last particular which concerns the removal of such things as have been abus'd in superstitious and idolatrous services and that I shall endeavour to do in these following particulars 1. God in Scripture gives the Magistrate such appellations and titles as shew he ought to do it He stiles him Shepherd Father and the like and that not only as to the Common-wealth over which he is but as to the Church within his Dominions Now though we must not stretch metaphors too far yet this we may safely conclude that as Shepherds Fathers and such like relations are to provide Necessaries for their flocks children and those who are under their charge and remove stumbling blocks and whatever may be hurtfull to them so Magistrates are to provide necessaries for the Church over which they are and remove such things as have been abusd in corrupt
any otherwise than the Papists answer us about other things of the like nature that we have cast off I should never I think he Conformist But I shall not offer to impose my belief on others let them read and then do as they find cause As for what some may alledge that these matters have been insisted on long enough it 's a frivolous pretence savouring of lukewarmness and carnal oscitancy How can it be imagin'd such things have been insisted on long enough when as they still remain as stumbling blocks and snares to overthrow ignorant and unstable Souls We proceed otherwise in matters of less danger and importance So long as the wound continues we apply the plaister and so long as the fire remains we cast on water And if such constant sedulity be allowable and necessary in lower matters why should it not be thought so in higher Let those who have power once remove offensive things out of the way and we have done but till then they may make account that witness will be born against them What opposition hath by good men been made against such things what influence the retaining of them hath had towards the begetting of our unhappy distractions who are to be blam'd Non negarim multos initio pio studio ad acricrem reprehensionem quorundam manifestotum abusuum impulsos fuisse c. Consult art 7. p. 56. and what course is to be taken for our cure I shall give you an account of in those sober words of Cassander a moderate and learned Papist I shall not saith he deny but many in the beginning were by a pious study moved to a sharper reprehension of manifest abuses and that the chief cause of this calamity and distraction of the Church is to be charged upon those who being puff'd up with ambition of Ecclesiastical power have proudly and disdainfully contemned and repelled those who have duly and modestly admonish'd them Wherefore I conceive there is no firm peace to be expected to the Church unless those begin who have given the occasion of the distraction that is unless those who preside in Ecclesiastical Government do remit something of their rigour and yield somewhat for the Churches peace and complying with the desires and admonitions of many pious persons correct manifest abuses according to the rule of the Divine Scriptures and the antient Church from which they have turn'd aside These words Conradus Vorstius though none of the soundest men thought so remarkeable that he hath set them down on the back side of the Title Page to his Enchiridion-Controversiarum Would those who are over us resent the maladies under which we labour but even as this Papist did we might hope our distractions and troubles were nearer to an issue However we must go on in giving our testimony and offering our requests and reasons for the removal of what offends and though the success be not answerable to our desires yet we shall have this to comfort us that we have done our duty THE CONTENTS Sect. 1. p. 1. THe Introduction Of High Places Two sorts of them Used by the Patriarchs Lawfull till the erection of the Tabernacle Sacrifice limited to the Tabernacle except some extraordinary case occurred Reason for it The abuse of the High Places The abolishing of them Of Images or Statues among the Jews Two sorts of them The unlawfulness of the latter sort with the removal thereof Of Groves Their Original One eminent above the rest Both Jews and Heathens dote on them In what sense it is said a Grove was in the Temple They are cut down Of the Brazen Serpent The occasion use and benefit of it The abuse and removal of it Nehushtan what The General Doctrine The eminency of Hezekiahs zeal in removing offensive things held forth in six particulars Sect. 2. p. 20. The Method propounded The point proved God deals with his people by way of precepts promises threatnings commendations reproofs rewards punishments to provoke them to remove abused things The concurrent judgements of Foreign Orthodox Writers for it Musculus Farell Rivet urged more particularly The Church of England for it Bishop Jewell Bishop Andrews the Book of Homilies the Preface to the Liturgy for it The Statute Law for it The Canon Law for it An argument a minori ad majus Several Officers and Orders of persons removed upon less grounds than superstition and idolatry Of Love Feasts Of the Kiss of Charity How used in Religious assemblies Of Vigils Of Sanctuaries for offenders All for their abuse removed Sect. 3. p. 44. Idolatrous persons to be punished Two sorts of them aimed at in an especial manner by Moses The Law severe against them The Chemarims who Magistrates are to distinguish betwixt some Idolaters and others What course they are to take with the Papists Whether Hezekiah executed the Law upon those who burn'd incense to the Brazen Serpent Sect. 4. p. 51. Abused Names must be abolished In what sense we may take the Names of false gods into our mouths Why God would not be called Baali Such as give abused Names to their Children Horses Doggs nay to the Officers and Ordinances of Christ censured What course we must take when we are to speak of such persons or things as have abused and scandalous Names Erasmus Politian Lipsius Castellio blamed Whether the Psalmist in that passage Kiss the son alluded to the Custom of the Heathens Dr. Sanderson advises to beware of offensive passages Aquinas does the like Bellarm. in his old age declared against the use of the word Divus Pope Sylvester altered the names of the dayes and why Sect. 5. p. 60. Abused Times must be abolished It hath been the manner of superstitious and idolatrous people to set apart certain times in the honour of their Deities So Jeroboam Belshazzar the Romans Why the Apostles abolished the Jewish Festivals Why the antient Church would not observe the Calend of January Play-dayes in the beginning of the Spring nor Easter at the usual time Mr. Hookers argument for Holy-dayes retorted Sect. 6. p. 62. Abused Places to be abolished Why God chose the form of an Ark. The Israelites strictly enjoyned to destroy all the places wherein the Canaanites had committed then abominations Why God forsook Shiloh Why he would not suffer the Jews to come to Bethel and slew the Prophet for doing it Why he cast off the Tabernacle The zeal of the good Kings of Judah in destroying abused places Two sorts of Religious High Places The zeal of Magistrates of latter times in pulling down Heathenish Temples Popish Abbies Monasteries commended Danger in suffering such places to remain but safety in removing them The doubt touching the returning of our Churches and Chappels heretofore abused by the Papists answered The case of Cathedrals and such unnecessary buildings different Beza's judgement Abused utensils such as Altars Images and other instruments of Idolatry to be laid aside Express precepts in the Word for it The practice of good men both
in former and latter times Abused rites must be abolished Grotius his opinion about the abolishing of the Mosaical Ceremonies Of washing of hands before meat Of Trin-immersion in Baptism The judgement of Pelican Calvin Beza Lyra. Sect. 7. p. 83. The removing of abused things do's in an eminent manner belong to the Civil Magistrate His power in matters of Religion Some give him too little others too much Distinctions about authority That it belongs to the Civil Magistrate to remove offensive things proved in six particulars Why the Israelites were to bring Idolaters to the gates of the City The want of a good Magistrate the occasion of Micahs Idolatry Two exceptions against the Magistrates power answer'd The judgement of divers Churches and Persons in the case What is to be done in case the Magistrate refuse or neglect to perform is Office in this particular Augustines judgement Pope Sylvesters decree censured What we are to think of Marcus Bishop of Arethusa Nicolaus Theodorus and others who without any order from the Civil Power took upon them the demolishing of abused things The judgement of Zanchy Beza Voetius Sect. 8. p. 98. How abused things must be removed shewed in six particulars The readiness of Jacobs family to part with their Ear-rings The willingness of the Jewish Exorcists to deliver up their Conjuring books The value of them Our ends in such undertakings must be right Superstitious Idolatrous things must be handled with scorn and indignation What disgraceful terms the Scripture gives Idols We must be impartial The work must be managed in a way proportionable to the sin and scandal committed We must do it throughly Why Jacob hid the Idols of his Relations under an Oak The integrity of Moses Asah Josiah Hezekiah herein Sect. 9. p. 109. When abused things must be abolished It concerns us to make haste in the business The eminent forwardness of David Hezekiah Josiah Sect. 10. p. 111. Why abused things must be laid aside shewed in six particulars They are abominable Mr. Hooker confesses that Communion with Idolaters is to be avoided The opinion of Maimonides Calvin Dr. Stillingfleet touching the reason of Gods forbidding several things to the Israelites that were used by the Canaanites The distance the antient-Christians stood at from the Heathens Maccovius peremptory against communion with Idolaters in indifferent things Aquinas his reasons to the contrary without weight Mr. Hooker and Paybody answered by Gillespy The holiness and honour of Gods worship to be maintained We must labour to prevent abuses for the future Manasses his error Constantine guilty of the like Grotius his opinion in case the abuse become customary Abused things must be removed lest they intice Images why called strange Gods Idols why called Lovers They are apt to intice What Calvin and Zanchy thought of the reliques of Popish Idolatry Sect. 11. p. 123. The Point limited and bounded Necessary things notwithstanding abuse are to be maintained Of Gods own Ordinances Of his good creatures Of meat offered to Idols Scandal must be avoided Of the profitable devices of men Of the Vessels of the Temple defiled by Nebuchadnezzar Of the Temple it self Of the Jewish water pots Of our Churches and Chappels Of things slightly abused Of things more grosly abused in case there be no danger for the future Sect. 12. p. 131. Objections made by several Authors answered 1. Ob. insisted by Mr. Hooker concerning the nature of the precepts given to the Israelites about the extirpating of Idolatry answered 2. Obj. insisted on by Saravia answered It s not sufficient that retaining the use of abused things we separate them from the abuse 3. Obj. urged by Dr. John Burgess answered Things that for the present have no bad use made of them may in time have Whether Solomon did abolish the Idols he suffered to be set up in his life time or whether Hezekiah did it or whether it were done by Josiah Salianus his judgement 4. Obj. made use of likewise by Dr. Burgess answered Preaching against the abuse of things not sufficient to prevent it 5. Obj. offered by Bishop Lindsey answered Though the abuse proceed not from the nature of the things themselves yet being abused they are to be laid aside 6. Obj. insisted on by Bellarmine and Dr. Hammond answered It does not follow from what hath been said that necessary things being abused are to be abolished 7. Obj. urged by Bishop Morton answered The Scripture does not either directly or indirectly hold forth to us a liberty of retaining abused unnecessary things 8. Obj. made use of by Dr. Burgess answered The Scripture does not afford us any approved instances of the use of abused unnecessary things 9. Obj. answered The abrogation of the Ceremonial Law does not yield us any liberty to use such things What liberty we have thereby 10. Obj. answered The abused things amongst us do offend both Papists and Protestants 11. Obj. insisted on by Bishop Andrews Dr. Burgess Dr. Prideaux answered What hath been alledged obliges us to lay aside not only the same individual numerical things that have been abused but those of the same kind Sect. 13. p. 153. The first Vse for confutation and conviction 1 Of the Papists Why the Holy Ghost calls them Gentiles Several Writers mentioned who have set down their agreement in many things of their Religion with Heathens Their Leaders encourage them therein Their practice herein against the judgement of the Antients 2. Of many amongst our selves As the Papists symbolize in many things with Heathens so we symbolize with the Papists The 2. Vse for exhortation What hath been said should engage our hearts against such things amongst us as have been abused Things abused to Idolatry abominable Upon what grounds Moses pretended to Pharaoh that they were to Sacrifice such creatures to the Lord as the Egyptians worshipped when as the Law about Sacrifices was not yet delivered We must decline the use of abused things Wherefore the Israelites would not Sacrifice to the Lord in the Land of Egypt nor the Jews in Babylon The case of Naamans bowing in the house of Rimmon discussed and he evinced to be a true Convert In what cases we may appear before an Idol shewed in 7. particulars Of Daniels abstinence The change Ephraims conversion wrought on him Tertullians judgement about keeping at a distance from Idols The hatred of modern Jews to Idols We must do our endeavour to root out abused things What things amongst us we are upon the account of their abuse to endeavour the extirpation of Of the present Liturgy What King Edw. 6. said of it King James his opinion of it What the late Assembly of Divines alledged against it A comparison betwixt it and the brazen serpent Of the sign of the Cross How Voetius and Mr. Bradshaw disputed against it Of the Surplice Zanchy thought the abuse a sufficient reason wherefore it should be laid aside Of Kneeling at the Sacrament The principal reason Voetius alledges against it Worshipping
towards the East Voetius his reason against it Of Holy-dayes The reason rendred by Bucer Rivet Capellus Wendeline Hospinian against them Sect. 14. p. 187. Considerations tending to excite good men to endeavour the abolishing of the forementioned abused things Good men zealous against the occasions of Idolatry Godly sorrow is attended with indignation and revenge Why Rabanus thought Solomon no true penitent The opinion of learned men touching his state Not to endeavour the extirpation of such things is to go against clear light and to give offence The Holy Ghost calls the Idols of Ephraim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The late Bishop Hall contradictory to himself If we do not endeavour the abolishing of such things but make use of them we shall occasion good men to separate from us and God to cast us off The godly Jews might not come near the idolatrous Israelites The divorce of the ten Tribes Uncertain what is become of them READER THou art desired to take notice that whereas the Author in pursuance of the Method propounded to himself intended the having of new Sections in p. 74 78 158. the making of them through inadvertency was neglected As for literal mistakes thy indulgence is requested These more considerable ones thou may'st thus amend Marg. P. 29. l. 17. for ch 20. r. p. 20. p. 35. for 2 Cor. r. 1 Cor. Book P. 13. l. 31. for as r. is p. 21. l. 7. for 2. r. 1. p. 38. l. 3. for 2 r. 3. p. 58. l. 16. for Sun r. Son 2 Kings 18.4 He removed the high Places and brake the Images and cut down the Groves and brake in pieces the brazen Serpent that Moses had made For unto those dayes the Children of Israel did burn Incense to it and he called it Nehushtan Sect. 1. THough God be the undoubted Lord and King of the World having imperial and supreme Dominion over all Nations and Territories whatsoever yet inregard he is a Spirit and of a nature too high and holy to be conversant in an ordinary and familiar way with such stupid impure creatures as the sons of men are he is pleased reserving a due Prerogative and constant Providence to himself to commit the outward Government of it to persons fitly qualified and lawfully called thereunto For the better management whereof he hath framed many just and wholesome Laws set down in his Word which he hath delivered into their hands strictly charging and commanding them to order all their administrations and proceedings in a way answerable to the same Though he set them on high and give them preheminence and authority over their brethren yet he lets them know they have their Commission from him are his servants and must be accountable to him and upon this ground wills them to keep close to the rule he hath given them to walk by and to lay out themselves with all integrity and diligence for him And it is the property of all such amongst those whom he thus deputes and entrusts to do it Considering what obligations of obedience and faithfulness they lye under they employ themselves their parts authority interests and all for him endeavouring by all means to please him and be serviceable to him And in order hereunto they take care that his appointments be observed that offensive things be removed that what is out of order be redressed and that Religion be set up in its greatest purity and vigour throughout their Dominions An illustrious example hereof we have in this place in King Hezekiah who no sooner comes to the Throne but he falls upon the work of Reformation with all zeal and diligence He does not only purge his Royal Palace most lamentably defiled with his Fathers impurities but he also cleanses the Nation which was in like manner over-spread therewith abolishes strange worship destroys the Instruments and Monuments of Idolatry and roots out whatever he finds contrary to the Law Having by this brief Prologue lead you to the words I shall before I come to the point I intend to insist on say somewhat by way of Explication 1. He removed the high Places The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used in Scripture to denote two sorts of high places civil and religious By the former we are to understand such places as being higher than ordinary Deut. 33.29 Isa 58.14 Hab. 3.19 and above the common level had strong and stately buildings erected on them both for defence and delight By the latter we are to understand certain Mountains and Hills that the Israelites used to perform solemn Devotions and Services upon That you may the better conceive of this you are to note that the ancient Patriachs when neither Temple Tabernacle nor Synagogue was built did by direction from God himself betake themselves to such places as these to celebrate their Sacrifices Prayers Thanksgivings Meditations and such like religious duties upon Some places they must needs have for these uses and they rather made choice of these than other both because they were nearer to Heaven to which every good man labours to get as nigh as he can and were also freer from those molestations and distractions that places which are lower and of common resort are lyable to An instance of this we have in Abram Gen. 12.8 who in obedience to Gods command having left Vr of the Chaldees the place of his Nativity and being come to the Plain of Moreh in the Land of Canaan he removes from thence into a Mountain on the East of Bethel and builds there an Altar to the Lord and calls upon his Name The like we find done by him and others in other places Gen. 22.2 9.31.54 This course God was pleased to allow his people for a season till he had made choice of one peculiar place where he would cause his Name to dwell And this is alledged as something towards excusing the peoples sacrificing in the high places in the beginning of Solomons reign 1 Kings 3.2 that till then there was no house built to the Name of the Lord. But though it excus'd in part yet not in whole and that for this cause that as soon as the Tabernacle was built God expresly forbad it What man soever saith he there be of the house of Israel Lev. 17.3 4. that killeth an Oxe or Lamb or Goat in the camp or that killeth it out of the camp and bringeth it not to the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation Blood shall be imputed to him Here he instructs the people concerning sacrifice which he limits two wayes 1. In respect of the Person that was to kill and offer it who was to be a Priest only He speaks not here of killing beasts for common food for that others might do as their necessities required But for sacrifice and that he will have none to do but the Priests And this was a very prudent limitation not only for the preserving of order but likewise for the preventing of Idolatry for
to search the Houses and Lodgings of Popish Recusants for Popish Books and Reliques and if they find any such Books and Reliques or any Altars Pixes Beads or Pictures to deface and burn them This Law hath in part been put in execution and if it had been wholly as it hath been in part the worship of God had been preserved more pure and the Protestant interest had been more safe than now it is but as Rome was not built so neither was it to be destroyed in a day and therefore we are not without hope that notwithstanding present delays God in time will perswade and excite our Governours to go on in the work so happily begun and cleanse his house from defilement 11. From the Concessions of the Papists themselves who as all know are the greatest retainers and users of abused things of any people in the world having in a manner made it their business to gather up almost whatever either Heathens Jews Turks or others have defiled Si nonnulli ex praedecessorib nostris fecerunt aliqua quae illo tempore potuerunt esse sine culpa postea vertuntur in errorem superstitionem c. Grat. dist 63. Cap. Quia sancta The Canon Law notwithstanding all the chaff that is in it tells us from Pope Stephan That if our Predecessors have done some things which at that time might be without fault and afterwards are turn'd to error and superstition we are taught by Hezekias his breaking the brazen Serpent that posterity are to destroy them without delay and with great authority VVhich passage holds forth these two things containing the substance of what I am pleading for First that things lawfully instituted being abused to error and superstition are to be destroyed and then that Hezekiahs breaking in pieces the brazen Serpent do's oblige us thereunto VVhence we see that rather than God will suffer his truth to want testimony he will extort it from the mouths of his adversaries themselves and make them bear witness to it Rather than Israel shall not be blessed he 'll make Balaam to do it Rather than the death of Christ shall not be sufficiently foreshew'd he 'll make Caiaphas to do it and rather than abused things shall want accusers to appear against them and implead them he 'll make Antichrist the very Patron thereof to do it Now if this Doctrine of the Canon Law were put in execution what work would it make in the Papacy what alteration would it make in Churches Chappels and other places Tiber it self would scarcely be a sufficient Kidron to receive all the Altars Images Crosses and other trash that would then fall into the hands of Justice 12. From that kind of reasoning which we term a Minori ad Majus it is his pleasure that such things should be abolished as have been abused in miscarriages and proceedings of a lower nature than such high matters as superstition and idolatry can reasonably be thought to be Thus his servants both in former and latter times have understood him and therefore when they have observ'd somethings to be abused though they were not stain'd with such high matters as superstition and idolatry yet they took themselves bound to lay them aside and accordingly did it as I shall shew in several instances 1. The Christian Church leaning too much on her own wisdom hath instituted and set up several Officers and orders of persons not appointed by the Word but after a time seeing the gross and insufferable abuses that attended them she thought fit to appear against them and abolish them Socrates tells Hist Eccl. l. 5. c. 19. that the Bishops from the time the Novatians sepated from the Church and refus'd to communicate with those who under the persecution of Decius had faln from the faith thought fit to appoint certain Priests to take the confessions of such as had so faln which after they had done it happened that a certain Noblewoman coming to a penitentiary Priest and confessing her post-baptismal sins amongst other things which she acknowledged her self guilty of she told him that a certain Deacon of the Church had been too familiar with her Upon notice hereof great stir was made the business was discuss'd to and fro and the Deacon thrown out of the Church But this was not all Eudaemon taking notice of the disgrace that hereby befel the Clergy and for preventing of the like for the future advised Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople to lay the penitentiary Priest aside which was accordingly done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 692. This my Author tells me he had from Eudaemons own mouth Now if the penitentiary Priest were laid aside for the fault committed by the Deacon what would have become of him had he been found guilty in his own person And if one fault be sufficient for the throwing of a person nay an office of long standing in the Church aside what are many Controv. part 1. contra Duraeum l. 5. p. 134. Furthermore Dr. Whitaker disputing with Duraeus of religions orders minds him how the selected Cardinals wrote to Paul 3d. acquainting him that the abuse of them was so great that they thought all conventual orders were to be laid aside Nay the Jesuites themselves notwithstanding all their plausible insinuations have by several Nations like a company of Vipers been thrown out from amongst them Further Discovery c. Ep. ed. p. 2. The Jansenist solliciting the States of Holland to rid their hands of them tells them that the Republique of Venice looking on them as a publick contagion banished them their territories in these imperious terms Be gone carry away nothing with you and never return And he also instances in England France nay the States themselves as having in times past exercised no less rigor towards them And the truth is so many and great are the mischiefs which they work in the world that its a wonder that all Princes and States instead of protecting and shewing them favour do not proceed against them as the known enemies of common peace and honesty Were it needful I might multiply instances of this nature but these I have here set down may serve to intimate what opinion great and wise men of different callings and perswasions have had of such kind of Officers and orders of persons and what course they have taken with them They judg'd it most convenient both for the vindicating of Justice and the preventing of miscarriages for the future to remove and lay them by 2. The Primitive Christians did for a season to the Eucharist add their Love feasts the end whereof was spiritual rejoycing with the preservation and increase of charity and friendship but in time they fell sadly to pervert and abuse them turning them into occasions of very great disorders which Paul observing amongst the Corinthians blames them for it and charges them to lay them aside 2 Cor. 11 21 22. In eating saith he every one taketh before other