are abused to Idolatry and Superstition Ezech. 16.54 we thereby harden Idolaters and superstitious Men. Now to be judicially confounded is one thing Jer. 31.19 and to be penitentially ashamed is another Ezech. 16.54 they were commanded to break down Altars Deut. 7.5 Images Groves c. So that seeing the Pope is revealed to be the great Antichrist 2 Thes 2.3 4. and Rev. 17. and at this day his Idolatry troubles the Church more than any other and our People converse with Papists more than with any other Idolaters there is more danger in retaining the Ceremonies and Relicks of Popery than of any Idolatry whatsoever Hence doth appear the necessity of Abolishing them whereby this great good would arise that our Hearts would be re-united and as we observed before we might all join together to glorifie God Let any impartial Man judge whether it were not better to part with these old Rags than continue Divisions commonly difference in Judgment makes a difference in Affections but unhappily we have some who Tooth and Nail are for such things more than for the most sundamental Truths of our Faith They make a pother and keep a noise for they do not know what and are not able to give any good grounds for only out of an implicite Faith and 't is the practise of the Church 't is by Law Established This was the very same Argument by the Jews in Corinth used against St. Paul Acts 18.13 This Fellow perswadeth Men to Worship God contrary to the Law that of Moses's which in matter of Religion and Conscience ought at that time to have been regarded more than now any meerly Humane Laws but they were in the wrong so are our Advocates for Ceremonies when they ought to know that discreetly to interpret Humane Precepts in the Court of Conscience doth belong to every one as touching his own practice and this ignorance is not only far spread amongst the Lay-men who might take pains to be informed of causes and reasons of things and not suffer themselves before that to receive impressions for or prejudices against persons and things but also 't is crept amongst some of the Clergy who adhere to such things only by Tradition and Custom though on the other side I know some of them study hardly any thing else but those points wherein they make Religion consist more than in the knowledge of our Lord Christ crucified It is Humane to sin as 't is Devilish to continue in sin but 't is a Divine thing to raise from sin the first because no single Man or any Society is infallible therefore 't is not good to press Presidents in that case for we must live and do according to Rules and not according to Examples so that it is no wonder to see Men in a wrong way but 't is of the Devil for them to persevere and go on in the same for he engageth Men deeper and deeper in the Mire so as to make it impossible for them to come off and when they are in so desperate a condition nothing but Divine Grace can bring them out which is done with opening the eyes to see how one is in a wrong way and make him willing and able to come off More Men are deceived by Satan under the Notion of Devotion and Religious Worship than with open Impiety and Atheism because as Paul saith Colos 2.23 those have indeed a shew of Wisdom in Will-worship and Humility But let Men have a care for there is a Snare in it which they except God openeth their Eyes cannot perceive for in those in whom the Gospel Truths are hid 2 Cor. 4.3 4. the God of this World hath blinded the minds At the beginning things appear small 't is a harmless Ceremony which can do no hurt some say but that one or many may in time happen to degenerate into Superstition and Idolatry The Brazen Serpent was a good thing yet we know how far the Devil did prevail upon People to commit Idolatry about it And what would not they have done about the Body of Moses if God had not been pleased to take care to prevent it with concealing it from them either burying it in an unknown place or about or after his Death transforming it from a mortal into an immortal Body 1 Thes 4.17 as those that are alive shall be caught up We know what is written about his Death Deut. 34.6 but also we read how Moses with Elias appeared unto our Saviour in the Transfiguration which I take to be true Moses as Elias was true Elias but this only by the by Thus to return to my Subject to prevent Dangers and Mischiefs the best is never to hearken to such suggestions and admit into the Worship of God nothing that can be and is abused to Superstition and Idolatry as some of our Ceremonies are by Papists if not by some of us Now these Ceremonies are unprofitable for God is not better served with then without them and we see nothing they contribute towards Order Decency or Edification which are the three things they can pretend they are profitable for The Churches that have them not want them not for without them they preserve Order Decency and Edification In matters of Worship nothing is profitable but what is of God's Appointment for God knows best what may do his Church good and he doth bless only his Ordinances and not Man's Inventions Nothing can be assigned that ever was introduced into the Worship by Man's Devices that produced a good effect Nay I will say that though for the present and after the immediate Institution of the thing there appeared some good to come out of it yet afterwards it hath produced great inconveniencies and mischiefs for if sometimes God suffereth his own Ordinances to be abused by Men much more shall Humane Devices be corrupted Being unprofitable they become unnecessary and superfluous a yoke and a burthen let Men give them what specious Names they please the question is not what things may be called but what they are in their Nature for if some of the Ceremonies in question may be called Holy because used in an Holy Action so may a Cushion used in the Holy Act of Prayer but instituted significant Ceremonies must have another kind of Holiness But to go further our Ceremonies are not only unprofitable but also hurtful and dangerous Those Thoughts and Affections that should be wholly and spiritually fixed upon God they divide and divert part whereof at least they draw upon themselves they deprive People of their Christian Liberty bring in again a Ceremonial Law by our Saviour abolished they usher in Superstition if not Idolatry and produce many an Evil besides and if to Reason we may joyn Experience we shall find they have been the cause and occasion of a World of Mischief They have disturbed the Peace of the Church given Scandal caused Divisions and Persecutions defiled Churches
Will or a Deed and knows nothing of the Contents thereof Indeed there is such a Lordly Carriage amongst some of them as doth not become Ministers of the Gospel who would not so much as say Grace at their own Table but have their Chaplains to do it nor to give a Visit to the sick to comfort the afflicted they have Worldy Businesses to mind besides that some use as Servants their Fellow-ministers despising or otherwise abusing them in the same Degree as they neglect their Flocks Ezech. 34. whereby they become liable to the Judgments of God pronounced against the Shepherds But we leave that Point to come to the Abuse of their Power in Convocation about Ecclesiastical Affairs as to the making of Canons and Constitutions which if they please may happen to be such as will endanger or bring the Nation under Bondage and wrong Men in their Free-holds Some of that kind have formerly been made and others have encroached upon thelegislative Power of the Nation They who will take the Pains to peruse the Records of that worthy Parliament in 1610 may find they took notice of such Courses as were contrary to the Authority of Parliaments condemned urging of Subscriptions above that appointed by the Statute of 13 Elizabeth only concerning Confession of the true Christian Faith and the Doctrine of the Sacraments Farther Prelates kept their Courts in their own Names silenced deprived excommunicated which is to encroach upon the Crown 's Prerogative and so thereby fall into the Penalty of Premunire by the Statute of 25 of Henry VIII except they can shew some special Warrant by Statute for so doing which they cannot because in King Edward the VIth's days they were ordered to keep their Courts in the King's Name Canonical Oaths and Subscriptions are Tyrannical Things so are their more severely punishing the breach of their Laws than of God's and to teach a necessity where Christ hath left a Liberty is an effect of Arbitrariness It cannot be denied but that several good and faithful Servants of Christ for refusing to submit to Ceremonies which God never Commanded but hath forbid 'em have through merciless and unjust Persecution been reduced to Want and Misery to pay Fines be put in Prison where some dyed good learned and laborious Ministers turned out for Nonconformity and others scandalous and unfit put in their place only because they Conformed a sign that they minded Conformity more than the main Duties of God's Service for rather than to put in Nonconformists they left Parishes unprovided wear the Surplice or Preach not Cross or Baptise not Kneel or no Sacrament for you and the Minister Administring to such by the Canon to be suspended By their 6th Canon Nonconformists are accounted to be Schismaticks Puritans and Excommunicated ipso facto without Appeal This is to make as great a difference between Protestants and between Men and Men as between Men and Beasts however let us give praise to whom it is due Bishop Grindal was commanded to suppress an exercise called Prophecying which he constantly refused to do There hath been but few Grindal's in that point for commonly they turn'd out Preaching under pretence of Praying or rather reading of Prayers We look somewhat back but certainly upon account of Nonconformity here strange things have been acted not only of old but also under some of the late Reigns and the continued succession of such hard usages have preserved the memory of them so that the smart thereof doth last to this very day and cannot easily be forgotten And though now thanks be to God Men live under the favour of an Act of Indulgence and amongst some Church-men who have more Moderation than others had yet still there are too many remaining that act by a Spirit of that kind and if it was in their power would be as virulent as formerly others were The Church was barbarously dealt with when persecuted by cruel tyrants and Strangers as by Egyptians Assyrians Caldeans but never more than when she turned to persecute her self in her own Members Heb. 11. two Instances we have one amongst the Jews when the Prophets and other good Men were put to Death then when our Saviour his Disciples and other Primitive Christians were cruelly butchered so always since when one part persecuted another then Popery out-did all that had been done before And lastly here amongst us though not so cruelly yet ill enough as contrary to greater Lights and against the Rules of Christian Meekness and Charity a sign of a bad cause which makes use of such means to promote it In the mean time the most important Concern hath been and is still neglected in some parts of the Nation At this very time I write People have hardly a Sermon once a Month no Minister in the place upon occasion to visit and comfort the Sick Livings are sometimes bestowed upon those who live many Miles off who come not near the place and a poor Reader or vicar or Curate kept who hath hardly Bread to put in his Mouth the People are deprived of the Right of Electing or Approving one fit or unfit is imposed upon them which is quite as unreasonable if not worse than if a Husband was pressed upon a Woman whether she will or not Are not Bishops concerned to look to and endeavour within their Diocess to remedy these Abuses When a Parish is worth 80 or 100 l. a year and yet cannot have a Minister to live among them In a word for I am tired to think upon this subject what shall we say of Chancellors Commissaries Officials Parators Pursuivants and so many more Blood-suckers of the Church's income of calling Ministers without express consent of the Congregations of Ministers going to Law for their places of Plurality Non-residency dumb Ministers Simony prophane Contemners of Religion Carnal proceedings in Spiritual Courts taking Money for Ordination Citations change of Penances into Money c. are not these abominable Abuses This point I shall almost conclude with the Lordly and Pompous Prelate whom we have seen usurping the sole Authority of Jurisdiction Ordination and Excommunication But now we must speak few words of his assuming wholly to himself the power of Confirmation though some good may come by it yet the thing in it that is good might be done under another Name which we would not borrow from Papists through whose hands this is passed into ours when they so superstitiously abuse and make a Sacrament of it but I will not insist upon some things I might say to the Purpose only I must make an Observation how strange it is that a Minister that hath a lawful Calling to preach the everlasting Gospel to administer the Sacraments and hath a Right to do every thing else that belongs to the Office of Ministery yet may not perform this Part of it which in Substance is to examin and Catechise Children but this is reserved for the Bishop Those are sad Times when Will and
Baptism is as decently administred without as with the Sign of the Cross and publick Prayers as decently read without a Surplice as with it but if they be added to cloth Religion 't is to accuse her of Nakedness but Christ hath made a sufficient Provision for it without such things which they ought not to maintain except they can prove God is better served with them than without Now the Apostle's Scope in the place is to charge the Corinthians in their meetings to avoid Confusion and what is unbecoming as to speak in unknown Tongues or to prophecy all together which would be very undecent as in ordinary Company to hear all talking together and breed Confusion and this is the reason Vers 33. for God is not the Author of Confusion Therefore the Church which is his House must be a House of Order he doth not give them leave to bring any new thing of their own into the Church but only to observe a Decency and not to speak in unknown Tongues whereby they would be Barbarians one to another and others would think they are mad And also in not prophecying all at once V. 11. V. 23. Vers 37. but one after another to observe an Order in performing the things he writes to them which he calls the Commandment of the Lord and no doubt this was to reform Abuses about these things crept into their Church So this Text doth not in the least favour our Ceremony-mongers and 't is no Warrant for them to usurp a Power of instituting unnecessary significant Ceremonies with such circumstantial Appertenances as I named a little before they may direct about God's Worship but not to bring Innovations into it I say Appertenances but not Parts which yet they confound though there be a Difference so a Rochet Laund Sleeves c. are Appertenaces but no parts of a Bishop a Surplice an Appertenance but no Part of a Reader Hair Appertetenance but no Part of the Body A thing which prevailes much upon some of them is this these Ceremonies say they in themselves are indifferent but being commanded by Authority they become necessary and we ought to obey them this Principle they go upon is false upon these two Accounts First The things are not indifferent Secondly They who institute and impose them may not do it as to the first that such things are not indifferent that is they may not lawfully be used or not be used I made it appear when I proved them to be unlawful and superstitious which I think to have sufficiently performed for any thing introduced into the Worship of God to signifie something in it and then the Practise thereof imposed upon People without a Warrant from the Word of God is unlawful and consequently far from being indifferent and suppose in their Nature they were not unlawful as they are yet upon the acccount of the Abuse committed about them they become sinful in their use the Rule of indifferent things and not necessary is if they be polluted with Idolatry and Superstition ought to be abolished Respons ad Versipellem It is most right and sound saith Calvin to say that the Institutions of God may not be abolished for any Abuse but Human Institutions being defiled and so proving hurtful and offensive to our Brethren are to be abstained from the Superstition against which true Worshippers of God do fight came for the most part from unknown Puddles and all are soiled with ungodly Errour which can never be removed but by utter abolishing of their Use Why then do we not simply acknowledge that which is true namely that this Remedy of abolishing their Use is Necessary for taking off Dross from the Church Disput Gen. 66. And Beza saith the Trifles which had proceeded unto manifest Superstition we have abolished as Will-Worship We also affirm that they which retain the Relicks of unprofitable Ceremonies and out of preposterous Judgment do correct rather than abolish them deserve ill of the Churches yet some there are who would have Pastors to put on Garments which if not by their first bringing in yet by their Abuses are Baal's Garments you Papists have so abused these Ceremonies that without violating of Religion we cannot retain them We see how those first Instruments of Reformation used the same Arguments against Papists as we do against our Ceremony-Mongers and Papists used the same against them as our Ceremonists do against us so that Cause is the same only there is more or less in the case and there is no Pretence to say such things are indifferent which maketh Beza say in another place how that Text of 1 Cor. 7.23 is to be understood of Superstitions which some do foolishly call indifferent things Now I come to shew how they who institute and impose such Ceremonies have no right and may not do it and so ought not to be obeyed It had been well if they had never given just Cause to question this pretended Power of theirs which is a meer Usurpation they go beyond their Commission and cannot answer it 'T is to be wished there was no ground to suspect there is in many of them too much of self-Interest In the Church of Rome their great Prelates and Cardinals though sometimes for the present they feel Inconveniencies under the exorbitant Power of Popes yet all submit to it and cry it up because none of them hath cast away Hopes of raising to that Dignity and then they will exact from others that uncontroulable Obedience and Respect which once they yielded their Superiour so may be some amongst us as being fed with Hopes at one time or other it will be their turn to have an upper hand in the Government of the Church are against their Knowledge content to stoop and submit to things which in their Judgment they do not approve because when they come to it they will use others as once they were used if so 't is a Ministery of Iniquity and I appeal to the Consciences of some of them All these Practises are subservient to such Usurpations but can never justifie them and in such a case Scripture gives both Precept and Example and with the Apostles we ought to say Acts. 5.29 and 4.19 We ought to obey God rather than Men Nay with the same we may boldly refer to the Judgment of such Rulers of Synagogues and say Whether it be right in the Sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God judge ye Let them not say that what the Apostles did and what we do say is upon a different account we know there are several sorts of Truths yea some more important than others however every Divine Truth is a Truth to be owned and maintained and every Divine Truth is of a high Concernment That which we stand for in our present Questions concerns no less than two of the three Offices of our blessed Lord and Mediator the first his Prophetical Office whether in the
Sacrament teach us the same thing Are we not with him buried by Baptism and with him raised in Newness of Life Do we not in Baptism give Christ our Names take his Livery and Badges upon us and as much as in us lies make a Vow to forsake all to follow Christ the crucified Are we not thereby admitted into his Church to fight under his Banners during the whole Course of our Life against all our Spiritual Enemies Doth the Sign of the Cross signifie any more than this The Ceremony is then a superfluous thing seeing it can signifie no more nor do more good than the Sacrament doth This Signification being an Engagement that we shall not be ashamed of the Cross must be believed must be in Faith without which it is Sin but how can there be Faith where is no Word of Precept or Promise As there is none at all but I know what there is in the Practice of this Sign of the Cross in Baptism namely an abominable Presumption and Addition to the Sacrament which is not of the Institution this implieth as if the Ordinance was imperfect and something in it wanting which must be added by Man and we have no more leave given us to add to the Sacraments than to the Word under the threatned Penalties Rev. 22.18 And though this Sign of the Cross be an ancient Custom 't is never the better for that Antiquity without Truth saith Cyprian is an old Error However the Administration of the Sacrament without it is much more ancient Wherefore when Water thorough the fault of the Pipe or of some other Cause groweth bad and corrupt we must go to the Spring Illud verum quod primum saith one that 's true which agrees with the Institution the Valentinian Hereticks first used the Cross in Baptism and gave also the Lord's Supper to Infants which must be owned to be ill because they could not examine themselves nor discern the Lord's Body and as this Custom hath been left so there was as much Reason to have left the other as others have been too when Men found cause for it 't was a Custom in Prosper's some say in Cyprian's time at the receiving of the Lord's Supper to sop the Bread into the Cup this continued for some hundred of Years and lasted as long as that of Infants receiving of the Lord's Supper but were left off not without good Reasons so might Cross in Baptism have been left with as much Reason for sopping was not worse than it sopping was an Alteration and Cross an Addition which is as bad every jot as Alteration if not of the things instituted yet of the Institution as making it insufficient or imperfect by it self alone for when Christ said do this he meaned as well do this only as do this all more is to be said for sopping which was used by Christ at the very Table of the Supper but the Sign of the Cross was never used by the Lord Jesus If crossing ought to be used in Baptism the Apostles in their Doctrine concerning it would have made some mention of it except some would think they then did not know or cared not to use the best way of signifying Christian Valour and Constancy in fighting under Christ's Banner If this Sign of the Cross or any other Ceremony in Baptism be referred to Order or Decency as it is is it not thereby blasphemously to accuse the Baptism of John and of the Apostles which was without it of Disorder and Uncomeliness Whereas the Comeliness and Dignity of the Sacraments is to be esteemed by the Word of God by the Institution of Christ by the Simplicity of the Gospel and by the Practice of the Apostles nothing is more decent and orderly than that which Christ commandeth and alloweth nothing more undecent and unseemly than that which Men invent in the Service of God and in the Celebration of the Sacraments thereby inverting and perverâ—ing the holy Ordinances of God Is it not a strange thing that though in Scripture the Cross be neither commanded nor permitted yet the Rule is Cross or Baptize not a Child shall be deprived of the Sacrament of the Seal of the Covenant if the Addition of the Cross be not with it this is as bad if not worse than Anabaptism and I think they have more to say for not baptizing Infants than these People have to deny Baptism upon such an account and no doubt that hath made several Anabaptists for some Men being in Conscience dissatisfied with that Ceremony would not have their Children baptized with it thus they had rather to keep them unbaptized but rather than they should not be at all having kept them so till they were older they inclined to have them baptized in their way I cannot tell how those that have a Commission from Christ to preach and to baptize can answer at last for refusing upon such an account to baptize for they disobey the Commission 't is most certain the Lord never said baptize with the Sign of the Cross but baptize in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost So that except Men refuse to be baptized in that Name which no body doth being a visible Member of the Church 't is an abominable Wickedness and Disobedience upon such an account to deny Baptism with a just Cause we complain against Papists for taking away the half of one Sacrament and have we not much more reason to cry out against those amongst us who having a positive Command to baptize do wilfully and unjustly deprive the Children of believing Parents of the Seales of the Covenant which God hath absolutely ordered to be administred unto them In Popery the Cross is not only an Occasion of Superstition but is also made an Idol they kneel before and as such do Worship it and where they pretend to have a piece of the Wood of the Cross they lay it up as a most holy Relick have Days appointed to come kiss and worship it upon their Knees they suppose Miracles to be done by it and have Prayers made for it ought not the Thoughts of this make any one that hates Idolatry to detest and abhor the Idol and not so much as to endure the Sight of it but not only the Cross but also the Sign of it is abused amongst them they believe the Sign of the Cross Opere operato as they call of it self and being made hath the Vertue to drive away Devils and to this same purpose they use it in Baptism in consecrating Churches baptizing of Bells making their Holy Water exercising saying Mass and in every thing else they do in Religion so that amongst them there is not one Ceremony more generally abused than this they use it also to keep off the Thunderbolt and if in a Morning when they go out they do but make the Sign of the Cross they think themselves safe enough for the rest of the Day And though amongst
Week is divided into two Parts six Days to labour which many seem not to take notice of the seventh is the Sabbath to keep it holy After this are heaped one upon another Sentences which have no Connexion with themselves nor Relation to the present Occasion the thing therein most plain is that the People ought to make Provision for the Minister and that is pressed in five Paragraphs something indeed is afterwards said for the Poor but the gathering is for fear of missing made before the Communion when without Diversion People ought wholly to be taken up with Meditation upon that high Mystery it were more proper after the Action to gather But mention is made of Offering Days a Device at first of the Popish Clergy to satisfie their Covetousness so that every Man and Woman shall pay to the Curate the due and accustomed Offerings which is a meer unhandsome Trade in the Church as if one should say there is such a Rate set upon the holy Sacrament which must be paid before you receive it for it is said there after which done that is the Money laid down and not before the Priest shall say that is shall go on this tendeth to neither Decency Order or Edification rather to Scandal If our blessed Saviour was upon Earth here now as much as as ever he would have Cause to turn out many who make Simony and Merchandise in and about the Church Matth. 2.12 Joh. 14 15 16. as he did formerly But to go on in the following Prayer a third time mention is made for the King We as much as they can be are for praying for Kings and Superiour Powers but every thing ought to have its Time and Place if you will observe Order and Decency once is enough afterwards our Thoughts ought to be taken up with higher things with the King of Kings Before the Confession in the Rubrick a Difference is made between the Minister and the Priest 't is said the Confession shall be read by one of the Ministers or the Priest himself By the Minister may be is understood the Reader or the Clark under the same Name here is another Office in the Church different from the Priest's Thus in Convents and Monasteries Papists have Fathers and Brothers Moncks and serving Fryers for these to do what the others think to be below themselves and the Drudgery Then the Dialogue between Priest and People is not very proper it might be done without Dialogue Of two Prayer just before the receiving of the Communion one is to be said or read for every thing is but reading kneeling the other standing why in a different Posture After the Prayer the Minister may rise and consecrate In the Glory be to God on high is said thrice in the same Words thou that takest away the Sins of the World c. In the Lord's Prayer such Repetitions are not to be found if it be in relation to the most holy and blessed Trinity we have other Ways to do it than with such Repetitions Last of all there is this Clause and yearly at Easter every Parishioner shall reckon with his Parson Vicar or Curate no such Distinction in Scripture or his or their Deputy or Deputies and pay to him or them all Ecclesiastical Duties a Sabbath and Easter Day very improper to give in and cast up Accounts a Day or two before or after might be fitter but this I must not insist upon to come to more material things We now must come to publick Baptism and I cannot forbear taking notice of a thing in the very Beginning It is not convenient Baptism should be administred but upon Sundays or other Holy Days Here Holy Days so called are equal with the Sabbath or Lord's Day when a Difference ought to be made between What God hath instituted and what Men have invented this strikes at the Morality of the Sabbath wherof the keeping is a Precept of the first Table so that Men may as well murder commit Adultery steal even take the Name of God in vain as to break the Sabbath Whosoever makes no Scruple to break it will make no Conscience of any thing in Religion The Questions asked of Godfathers and Godmothers with their Answers in the Child's Name are unbecoming so holy and so serious a Matter to say to forsake the Devil c. to believe and to desire to be baptized by the Mouth of those who without special Grace cannot do it for themselves a Child who can neither hear nor speak is destitute of the Use of Reason 't is a manner of jesting with and profaning that holy Sacrament Then followes the aerial Sign of the Cross on the Forehead which one may accidentally happen to make when he puts Flies out of his Face this Sign saith the Priest is made in Token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confess the Faith of Christ and this as good as the Godfathers Promise to forsake the Devil for he is positive he shall not be ashamed Something that followeth we except against namely these Children be regenerate and grasted c. which is repeated in the following Prayer We yield thee hearty Thanks that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this Infant with thy holy Spirit c. Somewhat lower I shall give my Reasons last of all 't is said the Minister shall command here is a Magisterial and I thought it had been but a Ministerial Authority that the Children be brought to the Bishop to be confirmed of him c. This makes Confirmation an Appendix to the Sacraments as if it had not perfectly been administered but something had remained to be added to it In the manner of Administration of private Baptism are some things which I observed before This private Baptism seems with Papists to argue an absolute Necessity of the Sacrament which we deny when Men have done what they can to bring the Child to Baptism and God through Sickness Death or otherwise alloweth it not then Men must submit to his holy Will other things there are which in the following Head I shall take farther notice of This Point of Confirmation is that which followeth next at the Beginning of the Rubrick is something that needs being explained for though the Words be clear the Sence is not these are the Words to the end that Confirmation may be ministred to the more edifying of such as shall receive it according to St. Paul 's Doctrine who teacheth c. This seems to intimate as if Confirmation were according to St. Paul's doctrine but no such thing as this Confirmation is to be read in his Epistles Prayer and laying on of the Hands may profitably be used upon Children but such an Act needs not to be called Confirmation which Papists make a Sacrament of and use it to the same purpose Last of all this is said he any Man shall koow for truth that it is certain by God's Word that Children being baptized have all things necessary for
hold a Communication with and in some kind own a Dependency upon the Church of Rome with using her Language nay we seem so fond of it that we use it also in Law a Bond and some other Deeds are in Latin which is a shameful Subjection as if they were our Masters whose Tongue we ought to speak When England was subject to the Roman Empire there was something to say for it but now nothing at all except we have a mind to go back to Rome all that can be pleaded for 't is an old Custom and an evil one too to be left off But much having by others been said upon the matter I shall no further enlarge upon it only as to the manner of using the Prayer-book This particular I shall add concerning the Word of God read sometimes standing and sometimes sitting But if to stand at the reading of God's Word be a more reverend Posture than to sit why do they sit when the Epistle is read and stand when the Gospel is Surely there is for this Difference not the least Shaddow in Scripture the Epistle is as much the Word of God as the Gospel but they not only make Epistle to differ from Gospel but also Gospel from Gospel for at the second Lesson they stand when some Part of a Chapter of the Gospel is read and yet they sit when a whole Chapter is read in the first Lesson what 's the meaning of all this One Part is read with more Reverence than the whole for when that very same Chapter out of which the Part is taken happeneth to be read at the first Lesson People doth sit and is a greater Respect to be shewed at the reading of the second Lesson than at the first To me this seems unaccountable But a thing there is which I must not omit taking notice of it being liable to a just Exception though not in the Common-prayer-book At the latter End of most of our old Bibles is a Form of Prayers for private Families in that for the Evening are these Expressions That all the World may know that at what time soever a Sinner doth repent of his Sins from the Bottom of his Heart thou wilt put all his Wickedness out of thy Remembrance as thou hast promised by thy holy Prophet But no Prophet saith so Ezech. 18.21 we know they ground it upon the Prophet who in God's Name declareth that a holy penitent Sinner shall live Three things are here to be observed first That turning and Repentance upon which Life is promised is not in the Power of Man but a special Gift of God The second That the turning therein mentioned is upon a legal Bottom for he saith If the wicked will turn from all his Sin that he hath committed and keep all my Statutes and do that which is lawful and right he shall surely live To keep all God's Statutes is impossible for Men however there is nothing but what the Law says do this and thou shalt live thus our Saviour doth interpet it Matth. 19.17 if thou wilt enter into Life keep the Commandments The third thing here to be observed and upon which I ground what I said is That in the Place there is no such thing as at what time soever nor nothing equivalent nor in any other Prophet for out of such a Text if there was the wicked would take Encouragement to continue in Sin to the last now Scripture presses Sinners not to delay Repentance we know some say they can repent when they will but God never said so in his Word thus though this be not in the Prayer-book yet I bring it under that Head Now after this to shew we are not singular in our Judgment concerning these Points we will back our Reasons with the Evidence of some few eminent Instruments of Reformation pious and learned Men both abroad and at home Calvin Epist and Protect Calvin is the first Forreigner in his Letter to the Lord Protector in good King Edward's time he saith thus I come to the other Head about abolishing and plucking up by the very Roots Abuses and Corruptions which the Devil in Ages passed hath brought into God's Ordinances it is evident that the Christianity or Religion of Popery is Bastardy and false wherefore if we resolve to bring the People out of that Gulf we must follow the Apostle's Example 1 Cor. 11. from whence it is generally taught that when Men would reform as they ought to do and acceptably to God they must then betake themselves to the pure Word of God for see how many Mixtures which Man's Brain hath hatched do remain so many Pollutions are there which distract Men from the right Use of those things which he hath appointed for their Salvation Wherefore while such a Sink as that is but in the Part pumpt out things cannot be said to be as they should be specially when Religion appeared rather masked than sincere and with open Face which I therefore note because I perceive many now a-days are of another Judgment as if petty Abuses were to be let alone as long as grosser matters be removed whereas contrariwise Experience it self shews what a fertile Soil and faithful Seed-plot of Lies Man's Invention is that being but thin sowen as it were with lesser Grains groweth to such an Heap as if his Measure did intend nothing else Now the Scripture is far different from this when David speaketh of Idols he professeth their Name should not go in or out at the Door of his Lips to shew extream Detestation let us remove our Foot as far as we can from the Snares of Satan for what were all those Ceremonies but so many whorish Enticements to let silly Souls into Mischief yea even Snares to catch Men in But if we talk that the People may be warned least they stumble yet notwitstanding who doth not behold Men hardned by them So little doth that Warning avail to any purpose Therefore if any such thing be left untouched it will be but the Foment and Fewel of greater Mischief and very blind set up to hinder sincere Doctrine from all Entrance as were fit In his second Epistle he exhorteth the same Protector to help Hooper who stood against those Foppish Ceremonies this is all we shall for the present make use of out of him though abundance more might be produced Beza is the next he often speaks much to our Purpose specially in the Place mentioned before now quoted in the Margent not to be repeated here in his Annotations upon these Words 1 Cor. 7.23 Ye are bought with a Price be not ye the Servants of Men He condemneth those that contrary to that Part of Scripture do press superstitious Rites upon the Consciences of Men and from Colos 2.20 he demonstrates how Man's corrupt Nature is too much inclined to loose Liberty and submit to Superstition which with Seneca we may well call insanus Error a mad Error which Superstitious Ceremonies
are Breeders of to give them their due they are the Burthens of the Church the Blemish of God's Ordinances the Scourge of good Preachers the Brood and Hopes of Popery the rejoycing of the Prophane the Grievance of the Good and the Seed of Dissention so then it is an unwarrantable Presumption to bring them in the Case can be no better illustrated than with the Parable in the Gospel where the Lord Jesus is said to be like a Man taking a far Journey Mark 13.34 who left his House and gave Authority to his Servants and to every Man his Work and commanded the Porter to watch The Church we must understand to be his House where we observe no Authority but that which is given and no Work but that which is left and over these the Porters must watch that no other Authority be intruded nor other Work be done To this belongs what St. Paul saith 2 Cor. 10.13 We will not boast of things without our Measure but according to the Measure of the Rule which God hath distributed to us It would be very strange if during the Absence of the Lord and Master of a House some of the Servants would introduce other Rules and other Works to be done than what he commanded to be observed If such Attempts be so odious and against Rule and Reason in worldly things what must it be in God's House Thus much I could not forbear taking notice of in my way now we return to our Evidences Peter Martyr comes next who though a Divinity Professor at Oxford yet was a Forreigner born he adviseth the Ministers of Poland to keep such Order in the Administration of Sacraments as differeth most from the Toys and Ceremonies of Papists and if from the Heart we hated Superstition certainly we would do our Endeavour clean to put out and deface all the Footsteps and Monuments thereof Further he saith there is somewhat more hard I confess of those Garments they call holy and which somewhat troubleth me that I wonder they are so strictly retained and he himself refuseth to wear the Surplice for he saith when I was at Oxford I would never use those white Garments in the Quire though at that time I were a Canon I had no reason for it but that wich then moved and doth still move me and perhaps may justly move you is how that is not to be done which shall confirm what my Conscience cannot allow of and those things he calleth meer Relicks of Popery The Wirtemburg Confession saith it is not lawful either to restore the old Ceremonies of the Law or to devise new ones to shadow forth the Truth already laid open or brought to light by the Gospel as in the Day-light to set up Candles to signifie the Light of the Gospel or to carry Banners or Crosses to signifie the Victory of Christ thorough his Cross 'T is added no mystical Rites which carry some Mystery or Signification in them though not otherwise impious as namely such as should be Parts of God's Doctrine or kind of Sacraments but only because such Laws as belong to Order and Decency are lawful But why any longer to stand upon some particular Evidences we have with us a whole Cloud of Witnesses for beyond Sea Zuinglius Oecolampadius Bullinger to whom some Letters from Lady Jane Grey are to be seen at Zurich Danaeus Sadeel Chemnitius Zesperus Mullerus Chamier Musculus c. besides some we named before and all I shall conclude with several Passages of that excellent Epistle a purpose and by Order from the Elector Palatine by Zanchius written to Queen Elizabeth which doth begin thus Most Gracious and most Christian Queen We have not without Grief understood that the Fire of Contention about certain Garments which we thought had been quenched long ago is now again to the incredible Offence of the Godly as it were arised from Hell and kindled afresh in your Majesties Kingdom and that the Occasion of this Fire is because your gracious Majesty being perswaded by some otherwise great Men and carried with a Zeal but certainly not according to Knowledge to retain Unity in Religion hath now more than ever before resolved yea doth command that all Bishops and Ministers of the Church shall in Divine Service put on the white and linnen Garments which the popish Priests now use in Popery to the perpetual Disgrace of your renowned Majesty which thing being so I see not how your gracious Majesty can with good Conscience propound again the Garments in Question and other things of that kind smelling as yet of popish Superstition and once banished out of the Churches to be taken on again and therefore all things are to be called back as much as may be to the Rule of God and to the Former and Apostolical and to the more pure and simple Form of Religion Finally if as the Apostle commandeth we are to abstain not only from all Evil but from all Appearance of Evil to what End I beseech you most Renowned and most Godly Queen should those things be brought in again into the Church of God by the Prince's Commandments which are contrary to the Gravity of the Apostolical Worship which smell of the popish Superstition which do not serve to the Edification of the Godly nor to Order nor for Ornament except that which is whorish which lastly can bring no Profit but on the contrary many Evils to the Church c For though they be not evil or unclean in their Nature yet because of the former and late Abuse they are not altogether free from Uncleanness certainly it cannot be denied but that at least they will give Occasions of many Evils and very grievous Superstitions now the very Occasions also of Evils are to be avoided This is to tempt God We ought most Religious Queen to have nothing to do with the Papists in matter of Religion save in those things which they have common with the Apostles Why I beseech you were some things otherwise Godly reproved and blamed in Scripture that they had not taken away Temples and Churches for Divine Service in the Mountains or high places which were built by holy Fathers before the building of the Temple Now which is the better to follow the Godly Simplicity of the Apostles or the ungodly Pomp of Papists This recalling of such popish Garments will be a greater Evil then peradventure it may be seen even to the very wise Men at the first Sight therefore to recal these stinking Garments and other Rubbish of the Popish Church into the Church of Christ at this time what is it but to give Papists an occasion and the best that may be to confirm and harden themselves and theirs in their Superstitions and also to help them therein And who knoweth not that these Garments are a Part of the Houshold Stuff of the Romish Seducer and to bring them into the Church of Christ What is it else but to provoke God to Anger and
from them on the other side to say so argues a very great Ignorance of what Popery and Presbitery are as indeed it is common amongst some of our ordinary Sort of People which like Parrets in a Cage have learned the Name they often heard repeated unto them by some of the Church's passionate Teachers who will as confidently affirm Arminianism to be the Doctrine of the Church though never so false and who sometimes have been heard to complain how the first Reformers went too far they might have spared several things and not have been so rigid to have preserved Union with the Romish Church and not made an absolute renting from it doth not a sensible Man believe that Men of such Principles will be ready when it doth not cross their Worldly Interest to meet half way with the Church of Rome but such no Reason can cure the very Springs of their Souls are corrupt the Disease is past Recovery without the immediate working of God's Spirit wherefore I shall not trouble my self with speaking to those that are such But to the unlearned that are imposed upon and that sin out of Ignorance I shall give Reasons to inform and Satisfie their Judgments no Man may with himself to be of a Church except he already be a Member of it that believeth such Fundamental Errors which a Man dying in cannot be saved and doth practise Idolatry if Scripture saith Truth Here I desire not to be mistaken as if I should say how none that is a Papist can be saved for God's Mercy is great and free and when he pleases he can reveal his Truth to some that now lie in the Ignorance and Blindness of the Errors in Judgment and Practice of that Church so the good God may do to any Jew Mahometan or of any other wrong Perswasion whatsoever as in Practice to the repenting Thief but I say that a Papist dying in the Belief of those effential Errors God not imparting the Light of the Truth unto his Mind and the Love of it into his Heart such an one if God's Word speaks Truth shall not be saved Why so Because the Church of Rome hath instituted several Ways of Salvation when Scripture speaketh but of one surely all but that must be wrong and false so Christian Religion owns but one only Saviour namely the Lord Jesus Christ Acts. 4.12 Neither is there Savation in any other For there is none other Name under Heaven given amongst Men whereby we must be saved and as there is a Saviour and but one Saviour so there is a Mediator and but one Mediator there is one God and one Mediator mark as there is but one God so there is but one Mediator for in the Original the Word to express one God is the same to signifie one Mediator the Man Jesus Christ Now any one though but little versed with the Doctrines of the Popish Religion knows that they have other Mediators to trust to to intercede for them whom they worship and pray to as all their Saints specially the blessed Virgin and these in a high Degree as her Litany doth fully evidence they attribute her a Power of commanding her Son the Lord Jesus Now as to their other Ways of Salvation they are many and by Vertue whereof they pretend to be justified before God as are good Works Indulgencies of Popes See seasonable Discourse about Religion in 1689. Treasures of the Church Merits of Saints for the Favour of one Saint or other whose Protection they put themselves under they do much trust to and depend upon 'T is true they do not exclude the Merits of Christ but they come in only in part and as Sharers to what purpose this Heb. 7.25 Seeing Christ is able to save them to the utter most that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them he alone hath satisfied God's Justice and pacified his Wrath I have trodden the Winepress alone Isa 63.3 and of the People there was none with me saith he by the Mouth of his prophet neither Archangel or Angel or any Creature in Heaven or in Earth being joyned with him in that Work and can we think that after he alone hath endured the Torments of making Atonement for our Sins he would leave with the Creatures the Honour to have it applied throrough their Intercession Heb. 12.2 Now he is the Author and Finisher of our Faith take notice of both Author and Finisher of our Salvation and of all things belonging thereunto which is more clearly explained in that other Place he became the Author of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him and he is also called the Captain of our Salvation Chap 2.10 Again I say they which for Salvation depend upon any other Sacrifice than that which Christ made of himself upon the Cross may not upon any good Grounds hope for Salvation because no Promise for it in the Word Scripture makes mention of none other but of that only We shall be content with quoting some few Places all out of one Book of Scripture where the Point of the Lord Christ's Priesthood is of a set purpose and fully treated of and therein the pretended and abominable Sacrifice of the Mass is condemned which Point alone if there was none other is a sufficient Cause for true Christians to break off Communion with that Church Heb. 9.25 26 28. 't is in the Epistle to the Hebrews Nor yet that he should offer himself often speaking of the Lord Jesus for then must he often have suffered since the Foundation of the World Hence we see how Christ was not often to offer himself The Reason is because he was not often to suffer wherefore they that would have him often offered would have him also often to suffer for whether he offereth himself or be offered by a Priest still a Sufferer he must be Now to shew how often this was to be 't is expressed and fixed v. 28. so Christ was once offered to bear the Sins of many once and no more and that 's passed too Christ was once offered and it must be of a high Concernment for us to know it ought to have been but once for Chap. 10. 't is repeated twice in v. 10. We are sanctified thorough the Offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all and v. 12. But this Man Jesus after he had offered one Sacrifice for Sins for ever but one Sacrifice and that for ever that is never to be reiterated any more and v. 14. the Reason is given why there ought to be no more because there is no Necessity for it for by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified But why should I trouble my self any longer to insist upon these essential and abominable Tenets and Practices of the Church of Rome which is full of Errors in Doctrine and of Idolatry and Superstition in Worship I hope no true Son of the Church can have the Face to deny the Church of Rome to be guilty of Idolatry for they yield a religious Worship to the Creature as to the Pope whom after his Election Cardinals do place upon the Altar and there adore him for that 's the Word to signifie the Homage which at that time they give him then to the Virgin to Saints to Images and to their Wafer-God whereof they have Millions amongst them Now I say no more only neither Presbyterians nor Independents believe or do so that is that there is any other Mediator than the Lord Jesus that there are other Ways of Salvation than by the only Sacrifice he once made of himself upon the Cross neither do they practise any Idolatry as the Church of Rome doth and we know for certain that no Idolaters shall inherit the Kingdom of God I hope these few things of many more I might have said will satisfie any impartial Reader not blinded with Prejudice or with a violent Passion As for those that had rather to be Papists than Presbyterians let them now with their Mass in their Mouth their other Saviour and Saints upon their Backs with their Superstition and Idolatry about their Girdle go home with Shame and hide themselves or rather amongst the Church of Rome where they would be in their proper Place and not amongst us for we can spare them well enough FINIS