joyn not with these that use it or with the Minister who wears a Surplice kneel not at the Receiving of the Sacrament do not stand up at the rehearsal of the Creed bring not your Children to receive the sign of the Cross in Baptism all these they teach for Doctrines asserting that they are actions which God hath forbidden and therefore may not lawfully be used in his Worship or by them be submitted to since therefore God hath not forbidden any of these things and yet they teach he hath forbidden them they plainly must be guilty of adding to his Word and teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men which they who do declare these things to be indifferent and no where commanded in Gods Word cannot be guilty of CHAP. III. The CONTENTS Answering the Objections of Dissenters from reason grounded upon Scripture as Obj 1. God would have for the Tabernacle and the Temple an exact pattern how he would have all things done and that in writing and therefore Christ being faithful in his House as Moses was must have done as much in Scripture towards the building of his Spiritual House Answ 1. This Argument holds as well in Civil Matters as in Sacred and by arguing from such similitudes many false things may be concluded Answ 2. That it is falsly supposed that Moses was so full in his Institutions that nothing afterwards was to be added to them or ordained by the Rulers of the Church for the better Observation of them 3 'T is certain Christ hath not done what this Objection saith his faithfulness obliged him to do 4ly There is a manifest disparity betwixt the Christian and the Jewish State and thence good reason may be given why thô all things were determined then it should not be so now 5ly The fidelity of Moses consisted in this that he concealed nothing of that which God commanded and sutably the fidelity of Christ in this that he declared to us the whole Will of God § 1. Obj. 2. The Scripture is a Rule of Ceremonies for it prescribeth Ceremonies respecting Baptism and the Lords Supper if therefore it prescribe not all it must be an imperfect Rule Answ 1. The absurdity of this Argument is shewn by instances of a like Nature 2 The Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the perfection of the H. Scriptures is this viz. that it doth perfectly contain all that is necessary to believed or done in Order to Salvation Thô not all Ceremonies in particular of Decency and Order That the Scripture is a Rule of all Ceremonies that are good works antecedently to the Command of man 2. That it is sufficiently perfect in reference to uncommanded Ceremonies by giving general Directions to Superiors in the imposing of them And 2ly By Commanding Obedience to their impositions in all lawful matters The Tenet of some Non-Conformists that no Church-Governors ought to ordain or introduce into the Service of God any other Rites or Observations than such as God hath in his Word commanded or Christ and his Apostles by their Examples which they esteem as Precepts hath approved and that if they enjoyn such things we must not yield Obedience to them but must reject them as humane Inventions Superstition and Will-worship The pernicious Consequence of this Tenet 1. It casts a reproach upon Religion and gives just cause to Magistrates to scruple the Admission of the Christian Faith 2. It makes it necessary to disobey all Civil Laws concerning Charity and Justice which are not contained in Scripture 3ly This Opinion will force men to be troublesome in all the Churches of the World 4. It gives a great Advantage to Popery Mr. Baxters solid Confutation of this Opinion by 8 Arguments 5ly They who assert this Tenet do many things in Contradiction to it § 2. CHAP. III. HAving thus dispatched the Scriptures produced in this cause I proceed to consider the Objections of Dissenters from reason grounded upon Scripture and Obj. 1. It is objected That there was nothing appertaining in the least to the Worship of God but was fully set down even to the pins of the Tabernacle in the Law of Moses when Gods Material House was to be built he gave to Moses for the Tabernacle and to David for the Temple a Pattern according to which he would have every thing made or done And of this Pattern which God gave to David for the Temple it is expresly said God gave it him in Writing 1 Chron. 28.19 Nothing then might be done by Moses or by Solomon tho they were two of the wisest Men that ever lived about the Tabernacle or Temple or about the whole Service of God performed in them but according to that Pattern Exod. 25.9 40 39 42 40 16. and this charge the Lord repeats to Moses four times to shew the great Importance of it and the Author to the Hebrews Notes that it was said unto him Hebr. 8.5 see that thou make all things according unto the Pattern that was shewed thee in the Mount Hebr 3.6 Since therefore Christ was faithfull in his House as Moses was he must say they in building his Spiritual House have given us a Pattern according to which he would have all his works done and that pattern must be contained in the H. Scriptures Answ 1 Of this almost all the Arguments produced by Dissenters on this Subject it is observable that they hold as much against all Laws concerning Civil matters as concerning sacred For instance Moses as he prescribed those Laws whereby the Jewish Nation was to Act in sacred matters so did he from Gods mouth prescribe them a Judicial Law a Law for Civil Government and he moreover saith of that as well as of those Laws which did concern Gods Worship you shall observe to do as the Lord your God hath Commanded you you shall not turn aside to the right hand or the left If then the Argument here holds from the fidelity of Moses to that of Christ or from Gods care of his Churches Service under the Old Testament to his care of it under the New Christ must have given us a form of Civil Government as well as Sacred a Statute Law by which our Courts of Justice must be regulated and to which 't is not in the Power of King and Parliament to add on Statute or else Christ must be thought less faithful in his House then Moses was and God less carefull of the Christian than the Jewish Church And indeed Arguments of this Nature taken from Similitudes may be used to conclude things manifestly false as V. G. God is not less kind to his Ministers under the New Testament than under the Old and therefore as in the Law of Moses we are told punctually what they should receive from the People so must we be told also under the New Testament under the Law there was on Earth an High Priest over the Jews therefore we must have an universal Bishop over the Christians Moses
the Law Matt. 23.23 viz. Judgment and Mercy Mark 12.33 That to love God with all our hearts and our Neighbour as our selves is more than all Burnt-offerings and Sacrifices That to pray hear read the Word receive the Sacrament to fast are but the means which God hath in his Word ordained for the encrease of Justice Equity Mercy Love Peace Humility and Temperance and such like Christian Graces and therefore these must be the things in which God is concerned mostly that we should yield obedience That when the Scripture reckoneth the Graces of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 it tells us they are Love Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Righteousness and Temperance not prayer fasting hearing receiving of the Sacrament c. And lastly 't is observable that we are call'd to imitate our heavenly Father in acts of Love and Mercy our Lord and Saviour in Meekness and Humility Bowels of Mercy Compassion and Self-denyal but not in prayer and fasting and in such like duties Since therefore God is more concerned for matters of this Nature than for his outward worship his Word must be more perfect in prescribing of these duties than any circumstances of his worship if then it be unlawful for us to submit to any Ceremonies commanded by man which respect his worship because Gods Word must be a perfect Rule not only of all parts but of all modes of Worship it must be more unlawful to submit to any humane constitutions touching Equity and Justice Mercy and Compassion Love Charity and Peace because Gods Word must be supposed in these more weighty and substantial matters to be a Rule more perfect And therefore all the Laws and Statutes respecting matters of this Nature which cannot be collected from the Words of Scripture must by this doctrine be cashiered as vain Inventions and Christians must stand obliged to refuse obedience to them For instance I am commanded to worship God in publick but whether I must do it in a Church or in the Field in black or white or any other garb by stinted Words or by Expressions of my own immediate Invention in this or that or a 3d posture is not expressed in Holy Scripture If therefore in these cases I must not yield obedience to any power that will command me to worship God in white to pray in stinted Words to do it kneeling or the like because that Scripture which is a Rule of Worship hath not determined of these things must I not do the like in other cases of an higher Nature and because Scripture hath commanded that I should be charitable and give Alms but hath not said what portion I shall give nor when nor in what place or to what persons nor in what manner whether by my self or by the Overseers of the Poor am I not bound as much to shew my disobedience to those Laws which rate me to the Poor and which give power to Officers to strein on my refusal to pay that rate If I must not joyn with an Assembly that doth use a stinted Form of Words that riseth up at the rehearsal of the Creed or with a Pastor that doth officiate in white because these things are not commanded in the perfect Rule of Worship how dare I to commence a sute of Law to arrest a person for a debt or to indite him for a trespass without Scripture warrant these things being no where commanded in that perfect Rule of Equity and Justice The Scripture having said There is utterly a fault among you that you go to Law one with another 1 Cor. 6.7 Luk. 6.35 Matt. 5.40 lend hoping for nothing again if any man take away thy Cloak let him have thy Coat also but never said If any man officiate in white or by a Form of Words do not joyn with him is it not matter of just admiration that they who never scruple to act contrary unto the letter of the Scripture in the former cases should be so very scrupulous in things no where forbidden in the Word 3ly This dangerous opinion will force men to be troublesome in all the Churches of the World and to refuse communion even with those Assemblies they are joyned with nay had they lived in the Jewish Church or any other Age of Christendom they must have been continual Separatists For where I pray you could they have found a Precept for all the Jewish Practises and Observations which I have mentioned in the foregoing Arguments If they had lived in the next Age to the Apostles with Polycarp and Ignatius who did converse with the Apostles where would the Scripture have afforded any warrant for observation of the Feast of Easter which both the Churches of the East and West observed in the days of Polycarp L. 5. c. 24. as is recorded by Eusebius or any Precept for bowing to the East Resp ad quest 118. which Pseudo-Justin mentions as a thing practised in his days or for the Observation of the days on which their Glorious Martyrs died Apud Euseb l. 4. c. 15. which yet the Church of Smyrna mentions as a thing practised by the Christians not long after the death of the Apostles or for the Water mixed with the Sacramental Wine of which both Justin and St. Cyprian speak Apol. 2. Cypr. Ep. 63. Just M. ibid. or for the portions of the Sacramental Bread sent to the Sick and absent to signify they were partakers of the same Sacrifice and belonged to the same Altar or for their standing in their publick worship from Easter unto Whitsunday Resp ad quest â—15 Can. 19. and every Lords-day to testify their belief of our Lords Resurrection which yet by the Great Nicene Council was required to be observed by all Christian People and which they did accordingly observe Tertullian gives us a Catalogue of many observations which the Church used in his days and which she vindicated not from the Scriptures De Coron Milit. c. 3 4. but from the Patronage of Custom and Tradition I will begin saith he with Baptism where coming to the Water we testify before the President or Bishop that we renounce the Devil his Pomps and his Angels then are we thrice dipt answering something more than Christ commanded in his Gospel The Sacrament of the Eucharist which our Lord instituted after Supper we partake of in our Meetings before the day arise we think it wickedness to fast or to pray knâ—eling on the Lords day we kneel not from Easter to Whitsunday whensoever we go forth or come in or whatsoever we are conversant about we sign our Foreheads with the sign of the Cross and if you do require a Law of Scripture for these Observations you will find none Tradition will be alledged as the Author and custom the Confirmer of them For these are observations which we defend not from Scripture but from the title of Tradition and the Patronage of Custom This was the Practice of the first Ages of the Church
used by the Church from the 3d. Century at least unto this present Age. And thence to shew that our Dissenters do by condemning these things in the Church of England in effect condemn the Church of Christ throughout all Ages and all Places Def. of the principles of love p. 55. for as Mr. Baxter well observes they who condemn our Church for reasons common to all the Ages of the Church must virtually condemn all the fore-going Ages of the Churches But because Laymen are ignorant of what was practised by Antiquity and have been taught that Anti-christ began to work in the Apostles days and therefore have but little Reverence for Arguments of this Nature I shall endeavour to convince them of the lawfulness of holding Communion with us in these Ordinances by the Example of our Blessed Lord and Saviour who in like cases did yield Obedience and Submit to the Prescriptions of the Rulers of the Jewish Church And 2ly I shall endeavour to return a full and a perspicuous Answer to all the Arguments they urge from Scripture or from Reason to prove that 't is unlawful to submit unto the things required by the Church of England in order to Communion with her Beginning first with those Arguments which do suppose the things required by the Church of England as the Conditions of Lay Communion to be sinful in themselves or things forbidden by the Word of God And 2ly Proceeding to the Consideration of those Arguments which do allow the things imposed to be lawful in themselves but yet suppose it is unlawful for them to submit unto them 1. Because the Imposition of them is a Violation of their Christian Liberty 2ly Because by their Submission to them as they imagine they shall be indirectly guilty of the sin of the Imposers 3ly Because they have been abused to Idolatry and Superstition and therefore are become unlawful to be used And 4ly Because by using of them they may scandalize the Weak which God having forbidden no Precept of the Magistrate can oblige them to do § 2 And 1. The Practice and Example of our Lord is such a President as our Dissentors cannot reasonably except against nor can they justify their own Refusal to be Followers of Christ or to submit unto such Constitutions made by the Rulers of the Church of Christ as our Dear Lord submitted to being appointed by the Rulers of the Jewish Church or to hold Communion with such a Church as he became a Member of Now 1. Our Blessed Saviour was a Member of the Jewish National Church and of the Synagogue at Nazareth the Confirmation of this Assertion I shall deliver in the Words of Doctor Leightfoot who speaks thus Harm part 3. p. 124. What did Christ all the while he liv'd at Nazareth a private Man Did he never go to the Synagogue upon Sabbath and Holy Days and Synagogue-days Whilst others went to the Congregation and to the publick Service did he stay at home did he not appear before the Lord at the appointed Seasons in the place which he had chosen We are assured he did so for his Parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover and when he was twelve years old they went up to Jerusalem after the Custom of the Feast and the Child went with them 2. Luke 41 42 43. That he went up unto the Feast of Tabernacles we are informed Joh. 7 10. And being circumcised he became a Debtor to do the whole Law Gal. 5 3. being made under the Law Gal. 4.4 he was obliged to the Performance of those things which were enjoyned by it Now the great Business of these Feasts was to offer Sacrifice to rejoyce in the Assembly of Gods People to put up Prayers and Praises for all the Blessings they did then commemorate at these times all Israel met together Lam. 2 22. they heard the Reading of the Law Deut. 31 9 10. and they sang Praises to God Isai 30 29. Ye shall have a Song as in the Night when a Holy Solemnity is kept If then our Saviour did observe these Feasts if he did celebrate the Passover then certainly he did communicate with the Jewish Church for these Appearances were Ordinances and Symbols also of Communion § 3 2ly That Christ himself neglected not the times of publick Prayer that he declared it not unlawful nor did prohibit his Disciples to attend upon them is evident from this that he still owned the Temple as his Fathers House Joh. 2 16. the House of Prayer that his Disciples after his Resurrection continued daily in the Temple and went up to it at the hours of Prayer Act. 3 1. And they esteemed it a very commendable Action of the Widow Anna to serve God there continually with Prayer and Fasting Luke 2.37 Whence we may certainly conclude that Christ himself did not refuse nor did advise his own Disciples to refuse Communion with the Jewish Church in common Prayer but did approve Communion with them in that publick Service Now since the Jews themselves observed no time for Prayer no number of Prayers seeing no dayly Forms of Prayer were appointed by the Law of Moses Therefore saith Dr. Leightfoot Harm part 3. p. 217. the Sanhedrin in several Generations made Canons and Constitutions to decide and determin upon all these particulars as their own Reason and Emergences did lead them and give occasion as in one Generation they prescribed such and such times for Morning and Evening Prayer in process of time they found these times allotted to be too strait therefore the Sanhedrin of another Generation did give Enlargement as they thought good and so concerning the number of Prayers to be said dayly one Sanhedrin appointed so many but time and experience found afterwards that these did not answer such and such occasions as it seems was not observed when they were first appointed therefore the Sanhedrin of another Generation thought good to add more and more still as occasions unobserved before did emerge and so the number of their dayly Prayers grew at last to be eighteen To all which Additions to the Law of Moses our Lord and his Disciples did submit attending the publick Service of the Temple and the Synagogues where they were used And § 4 3ly That he was particularly a Member of the Synagogue at Nazareth is proved from that Passage of St. Luke Luke 4 16. who tells us that he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up and as his Custom was he went into their Synagogue on the Sabbath-day and stood up for to read for Illustration of which place observe that there were Seven Readers appointed in their Synagogues who Leightf Harm part 3 p. 125. when the Angel of the Church or Minister of the Congregation call'd them out did read Now that our Saviour was a Member of this Congregation may be argued thus ibid. p. 124. You find not in the whole Gospel tho Christ preached in
of by any but Dissenters 2ly If this be true I know not any thing more forbidden by this Commandment than this Book of Dr. Ames so full of Phantasies of his own devising that nothing can be more all which undoubtedly were intended by him for some religious use Nay this very Interpretation is forbidden here it being certainly a Phantasy of the Mind without all ground from the Commandment Nay all our pious Books our conceived Prayers our Method in composing Sermons and an hundred things of like Nature will be here prohibited The Argument whereby the Dr. Labors to confirm this fond intepretation is p. 297. that the Word likeness used in the second Commandment is General and comprehendeth under it all religious similitudes because they are Homogeneal to Images they are expresly forbidden Answ The Foundation of this Argument is a plain falshood for the Word Likeness is not General but by the Text is plainly limited to Images or Likenesses of Male or Female Deut 4.16 17 18. The Likeness of any Beast that is on the Earth The Likeness of any winged Fowl that flyeth in the Air The Likeness of any thing that creepeth on the Ground The Likeness of any Fish that is in the Waters The Likeness which may be seen is that which is forbidden v. 15. 'T is the Likeness of any thing in Heaven above or in the Earth beneath or in the Waters under the Earth Exod. 20.4 Dr. Ames goes on to Argue from the Affirmative part of the second Commandment thus p. 299. This Commandment enjoyns Obedience to all the Worship appointed by God all which was significative for it served to the Example and Shadow of Heavenly things Heb. 8.5 Heb. 10.1 The Law having a Shadow of things to come Therefore it forbiddeth any significative Ceremonies to be brought into the Worship of God devised by man Answ to omit the Illogicalness of this Argument and the many terms in the conclusion which are not vertually contained in the premisses which every fresh Man may perceive I Answ 1. That it is falsly or at least precariously affirmed that this Commandment enjoyns Obedience to all the Worship appointed by God It is the first Commandment which commands us to have God for our God that is to give him all the Internal Acts of Devotion and the External Acts of Piety which are proper to God and are in Scripture signified by loving God with all our Hearts by fearing worshipping and serving him The second Commandment doth limit the manner of exercising and expressing our Devotion to the true Object of it interdicting that mode which in the Practice of Antient times had so generally prevailed of representing the Deities they apprehended to be such in some corporeal shape thereto yielding such expressions of respect as they conceived suitable and acceptable to such Deities The Affirmative part of this Precept seems therefore to be chiefly this Thou shalt give outward Religious Worship by bowing humbling of thy Body or falling down to me so that our kneeling at the Sacrament or bowing to the Lord Jesus when we hear his Sacred Name which minds us of the great Blessings which he hath procured for us and of the Honour due unto him for them our bowing of the body to him when we go into the place of Worship is only doing what in the General is here commanded which if Dissenters well considered they would see the vanity of their Exceptions against those laudable Practices of the Church of England Farther the positive part of this Precept may imply that in our Devotions and Religious Services of God we should raise our mind above gross Sense and Phancy that we should entertain high and worthy conceptions of God that we should apprehend him incomparably Superiour to all things which we see and know in a word that we should worship him in Spirit and in Truth not as the Samaritans in the Image of a Dove who therefore are said to worship they knew not what nor as the Jews by Types and Shadows of good things to come and such like Carnal Ordinances In these two things seem fully to be comprised the special positive Duty of this Commandment Answ 2. When Dr. Ames adds that all the worship appointed by God is here commanded and that it was all significative and proveth this from Hebr. 8.5 Hebr. 10.1 Which manifestly speak only of Shadows of things to come it clearly follows from his Argument that all Worship of God is now abolished and become unlawful for all the Worship spoken of Hebr. 8.5 Hebr. 10.1 is clearly abolished and rendred unlawful to us by the appearance of the substance of which they were Types and Shadows 3ly 'T is certain that we owe Obedience to all the parts of Worship appointed by God significative or not significative but how doth it hence follow that significative Ceremonies which are declared to be no parts of Gods Worship but only accidental Circumstances may not be required by men any more than it will follow that because God hath commanded Obedience to all the Honour due to my Natural Spiritual and Civil Parents and hath commanded all the Love I owe unto my Brother that therefore I may use no expression of honour to my Parents or love unto my Christian Brother which he hath not commanded Thus have I answered all that is considerable in Dr. Ames on this Head and all that the Dissenters urge from the Old Testament against Submission to the Ceremonies appointed to be used in the Church of England § 4 From this Example of our Lord and his Apostles it doth also clearly follow Coroll 2. that those Texts of Scripture which our Dissenters urge from the New Testament and all those reasons which they plead from the fulness of Scripture the Office and the Faithfulness of Christ in the discharge of that his Office can never prove that 't is a thing unlawful to submit unto or use the Ceremonies appointed by our Church seeing our Saviour and his Disciples whose Practice certainly agreed with their Precepts and who did nothing repugnant to the fulness of the Scripture c. submitted to the use of Ceremonies of a like nature to them when by the Rulers of the Jewish Church they were imposed and they found it best conducing to the promotion of the Gospel to submit unto them Nevertheless I also shall proceed to answer all that they have produced hitherto with any shew of reason from the N. Testament Obj. 4 To this effect then it is objected That Christ himself condemned and rejected the washings of the Scribes and Pharisees altho they were but decent Ceremonies imposed by the Elders of the Jewish Church and not forbidden by the Law of Moses And he not only doth refuse to conform to them but also justifyes his own Disciples in their Nonconformity doth pronounce of all such things that being plants which his Heavenly Father had not planted Matt. 15.13 they should be
another thing Yea every man will be apt to think he findeth that there which his own corrupt mind brings thither It will bring confusion into Families as well as Churches whilst every Child and Servant will by this principle be tempted to reject the Instructions of his Master or Father who would teach him a Catechisin or form of Prayer for which the Scripture affords him no particular direction 6ly And hereby all possibility of Union among Christians must perish till this opinion perish for if we must unite only in that which Scripture doth particularly direct us to we must not unite at all If we must all in singing Psalms agree in no Metre or tune in the Church but one that Scripture hath prescribed us we must not sing at all If we must pray in publick only in Words prescribed by Scripture to be used in publick we must not pray at all in publick If we must receive the Sacrament only when it is consecrated in Words prescribed by Scripture we must not receive at all 7ly Hereby Christian love will be quenched when every man must account his Brother a Transgressor against the perfect Rule of Scripture that cannot shew a Text of Scripture for the hour the place of worship the bells the hour-glasses the pulpit the utensils which are used in the Service of God Hereby those pious Men Calvin Cartwright Sibs Perkins Hildersham who used a form of Prayer yea almost all the Christians in the World must be condemned 8ly This Doctrine will rack and perplex the Conscience of all Christians by forcing them to think that they are guilty of sin by every Tune Metre Word Gesture Time Place or any other Circumstance of worship which they use without a Scripture warrant On this account some dare not pray in their Families some dare not think what they shall pray some dare not teach their Children to pray some dare not hear a studyed Sermon or read a printed Book To conclude this Tenet will affright poor people from Scripture and Religion and make us our doctrine and worship ridiculous in the sight of all the World Lastly I add that they who do assert this Tenet do many things repugnant to it As v. g. They introduce Lay Elders unordained of whom there is no mention in the Scriptures or in the Church of the first Ages They sing in stinted Metre Hymns of their own devising for which no Precept or Example can be produced from the Book of God Besides where hath our Lord or his Apostles enjoyned a Direrectory for publick worship and that which they imposed what Authority could it pretend to but that of man They when they take an Oath do not refuse to lay their hands upon and kiss the Holy Scriptures Now all agree that Oaths are solemn Acts of Divine Worship for they are Invocations of God and thereby we acknowledge his Omniscience and that he knows the uprightness of our intentions and that his Justice will avenge it self on the false Swearer and that his Power is able to inflict upon him the severest Judgments and that he by his promise stands bound to help and to reward all those who do believe and act according to the Holy Scriptures Here therefore is an outward Ceremony of Humane Institution joyned with many acts of religious worship Again when they enjoyned the solemn League and Covenant they ordered that the whole Congregation should take it 1. uncovered 2 standing 3. with their right hand lift up and bare Now let any man of reason say if it be unlawful to submit to our three Ceremonies of kneeling crossing and wearing a white Garment in Gods Service why it is less unlawful to use three other Ceremonies in that more solemn act of worship viz. the taking of an Oath or if men may appoint these Ceremonies to be used in taking of an Oath what hinders but in other acts of worship they may do the like CHAP. IV. The CONTENTS Obj. 3. It is unlawful to add unto the parts of Gods worship but to add our Ceremonies to Gods worship is to add to the parts of Gods worship which they endeavour to prove by 12 Arguments To this Argument we answer 1. By shewing what outward worship in the general is viz. The Acknowledgment of some Excellency in the Person worshipped by actions proper to express our Sense or Apprehension of that Excellency Whence 't is concluded that our Ceremonies can be no parts of worship because not in themselves or by their imposition intended to express our Sense of any Divine Excellency The Arguments to the contrary are briefly but fully answered § 1. Obj. 4. To impose our Ceremonies without license from Christ is to invade his Kingly Office he being the sole Law-giver to his Church and derogate from his Prophetick Office which is the only Teacher of his Church and the Appointer of all means whereby we should be taught Answ 1. That it falsly is supposed that the Rulers of our Church have ordained any Ceremonies to teach Spiritual Duties by their Mystical Signification or to be Authentick means of Spiritual Teaching 2 That it can be no derogation from Christs Prophetick or his Kingly Office to stir up our minds by things apt to stir them up to the performance of their duty or to express and signify our duty by things apt to express and signify it 3ly That it is not true that Christ in Scripture hath set down all things by which we may be admonished of our duty 4. That this Argument concludes with equal strength against the imposition of all Ceremonies even time and place 5ly That the Injunction made by Rulers for Decency and Order if they do truly answer these ends are made by virtual Commission from Christ and therefore can be no Entrenchment on his Legislative Power Mr. Baxters Objection answered § 22. CHAP. IV. § 1 IT is not lawful to add unto the parts of Gods worship Obj. 3 but to add our Ceremonies to Gods worship is to add to the parts of Gods worship Repl. to Dr. Ham. p. 85. therefore it is not lawful to add our Ceremonies to Gods worship The Minor is proved by Mr. Jeans thus Because our Ceremonies are external worship and therefore parts of Gods worship That our Ceremonies are external worship he proves by these Arguments Arg. 1 1. Those external Ceremonies whose proper use is the honouring of God are external worship but our Ceremonies are such Ergo. Arg. 2 2. All external Ceremonies in their Nature formally elicited from Religion are external worship but our Ceremonies are such Ergo. Or thus All meer and immediate actions of Religion are parts of Divine worship but our Ceremonies are meer and immediate acts of Religion Another argues in the like manner thus Arg. 3 1. As the means that God hath appointed to teach obedience be acts of Divine Service so the means that man deviseth for that end and purpose must needs be worship also Arg. 4 2. Those signs
which must therefore be unlawful according to this Argument because prescribed by no Apostle in the Holy Scriptures This is a business which if it were necessary would be equally necessary to all Ages Ob. 2. Ibid. and parts of the Catholick Church and therefore it cannot be necessary but it must be the matter of an universal law now God hath made no such law in Scripture and so Scripture sufficiency as the Catholick Rule of faith and universal obedience is utterly overthrown Answer The Answers given to the first objection do also manifestly shew the vanity of this for may it not as well be said of the Festivities of the Apostles and first Martyrs of the Church as of the feast of Christmas the Ascension of our Lord c. That If they are necessary to be observed they must be necessary to all Ages that God in Scripture hath made no law concerning them c. May it not as well be said that if Publick Assemblies are necessary to be set apart now that if any unprescribed forms of Prayer are necessary to be used now or any words in Scripture not prescribed in consecration or celebration of the Sacraments that if standing on the Lords day in time of Prayer if Stationary days if the Penitential Discipline observed in the Primitive Church were necessary in any Age or part of the Church they must be necessary in all Ages and parts of the Catholick Church and that God hath in Scripture made no laws concerning them and so Scripture sufficiency is and was by the observation of them overthrown 2ly Tho we do judge the observation of these Festivals expedient yet we by no means hold it necessary not by necessity of precept for we pretend not to any precept of this kind not as a necessary means for we acknowledge God may be duly praised and Worshipped and magnified for the mercies we then celebrate on other days and therefore we confess that * Non putandum Ecclesiam Christianam aliquancessitate astringi ad obser vationem immotam festorum dierum sed statuendum dies hosee humanâ authoritateconstitutos eddem posse tolli mutari c. Dav. in Coloss 2. v. 16. if the Church thinks fit she may leave all men to their liberty in the observing or not observing of these days only we add that sure the General Rule of doing all things for edification will warrant her appointment of them for the forementioned ends as well as the appointment of a Lecture-day or of a Sermon before the Assizes God himself hath appointed a day for the same purposes as these are pretended for Ob. 3. Ibid. for the Lords day is to commemorate the Resurrection as the great triumphant act of the Redeemer implying all the Rest of his works so that tho it be principally for the resurrection above any single work of Christ yet also for all the work of Redemption and the whole is on that day to be commemorated with Holy joy and praise now when God himself hath set apart one day in every week to commemorate the whole work of Redemption it seems an accusing of his Institutions of insufficiency to come after him to mend them and say we must have an Anniversary day for this or that part of the work Answer 1. That God did institute the Lords day for the particular Commemoration of the whole work of the Redemption is Gratis dictum what Scripture or what declaration of Any Father of the Church saith so 2ly This Argument makes it unlawful to set up a lecture upon any day but the Lords day for that day being appointed for publick reading and hearing of Gods Holy word for men to set up another day for that end is to accuse his institutions of insufficiency 3ly This Argument condemns the universal Church of Christ from the Apostles days for they did then observe the feast of Easter and so tho God had set apart a weekly Commemoration of the resurrection of our Lord they did come after him and observe an Anniversary day for the same thing and so according to this way of Arguing did more apparently accuse his institutions of insufficiency 4ly This objection seems to accuse the wisdom of Gods own institutions for tho the Jewish Sabbath was instituted with a peculiar respect to their deliverance out of Aegypt Deut. 5.15 yet for that mercy which was far inferior to those which Christians do enjoy by our Lords Birth his Death his Resurrection and Ascension he required other solemnities to be observed yearly viz. The great feast of the Passover why therefore may not the wisdom of the Church in imitation of this pattern besides the Lords day weekly set apart for celebrating the work of our Redemption require other solemnities to be observed yearly for a peculiar Commemoration of the most Signal parts of that Redemption Obj. 4 The fourth Commandment being one of the Decalogue seems to be of so High a nature that man must not presume to make the like Ibid. but it seems a doing the same or of like nature to what God hath done in the fourth Commandment if any man will make a necessary stated Holy day to the universal Church Answer 1. Who goes about to make a Necessary stated Holy day to the Universal Church sure none besides the Church of Rome pretendeth to give laws unto her But what the Universal Church hath thought fit to observe I hope our Church may prudently comply with and call upon her Children so to do 2ly Is not this done as much by the stated Festivals which you allow of as by those you do condemn was it not done as much by appointing the feast of Purim to be observed yearly and by ordaining that these days should be remembred and kept throughout every Generation Esth 9.27 28. every Family every Province and every City and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews nor the memorial of them perish from their seed was it not done as much by the whole Congregation of Israel when they ordained that the days of the Dedication of the Altar should be observed from year to year by the space of eight days And yet neither our Lord 1 Macc. 4.59 nor any of the Prophets charged them with violation of the 4th Commandment on that account or with presuming to do the like to that which God had done in the institution of it Object 5 Where there is no law sure we are there is no transgression but there is no law of God Commanding Christmas or other Holy-days therefore there is no trangression in not keeping them But then it is not sure that there is no transgression in keeping them therefore the surer side is to be taken Answer 1. That this Argument plainly destroys his former grant of the expedience of observing and enjoyning other Holy-days for which no law of God commanding them can be produced 2ly That this Argument may be retorted thus
may redound unto us from the Observation of these Festivals unto the ends for which they are appointed by the Church now she appointeth them to be employed in hearing of God's Word read and taught in publick Prayers Can. 13. Injunct Q Eliz. 1559. N. 20. in acknowledging our offences to God and amendment of the same in being reconciled to our Neighbours where there hath been displeasure in oft receiving the Communion in visiting the Poor and Sick and using all sober and Godly conversation Which Christian fruits of Piety were they more plentifully brought forth they would sufficiently recommend those times and seasons which gave occasion to them And surely the benefit of such Holy Exercises is so great that the use of particular times appointed for that purpose ought not to be rejected though some men do abuse them to far other ends And if Dissenters have thought fit to appoint weekly Lectures for some of these good ends Why may not our Church Governours appoint these Anniversaries for the promotion of them all Especially if we consider that they are so exceeding profitable unto the weaker sort of Christians who are instructed by them in many Articles of Christian Faith and caused to reflect on many signal Mercies which they might entirely forget did not these Days return to strengthen and rub up their Memories The common sort of those who seem to be Believers want these Remembrances saith Origen Contra Celsum l. 8. p. 393. That such things may not slip out of their Minds and so these Festivals must needs be useful to them for this end And since the Wisdom of the Church prescribeth Daies to be observed for the Commemoration of the chief things that either were performed by or hapned to our Saviour if the plain Man saith Bishop Hall would but ply well his Almanack that alone would teach him so much Gospel as to shew him the History of his Saviour Remains Serm. on 1 Joh. 15. for there upon the Feast of the Annuntiation might he see his Saviours conception declared by an Angel upon the Feast of 〈◊〉 Nativity he might understand that he was boâ—â— of the Virgin Mary and at last after infinâ—â— and beneficial Miracles he would see him câ—â—â—cified on Good Friday rising from the dead 〈◊〉 Easter and ascending to Heaven on Holy Thuâ—â—day and might be well instructed in these thiâ—â—â— by coming to the Church which hath excellenâ—â—â— fitted these Solemnities with Services which 〈◊〉 explain their meaning and the use we are to mâ—â—â— of them If then we are to follow after the thiâ—â— whereby we may edifie one another Rom. 14.19 we must â—â—â—tinue the Observation of these Festivals 3ly That 't is expedient to observe these 〈◊〉 is evident from the continued custom of the wâ—â—â—â— Church of Christ it being laudable and deâ—â—â—â— to observe the Customs of the whole Church 〈◊〉 Christ and to conform to her Example 〈◊〉 in things no where forbidden by the Word of 〈◊〉 and being reasonable to judge she had good 〈◊〉 to do what was so universally performed whoâ—â— St. 1 Cor. 14.33 11.16 Paul doth admonish his Corinthians to do as 〈◊〉 all Churches of the Saints was done and doth pronounce him a Contentious Person who 〈◊〉 thwart her customs Now all these Festivals of Christ's Nativity his Passion Resurrection cension and of the Advent of the Holy Ghost are by * Illa autem quae non scripta sed tradita custodimus quae quidem toto terrarum orbe observantur dantur intelligi vel ab ipsis Apostolis vel plenariis conciliis 〈…〉 atque statuta retineri slucti quod Domini passio Resurrectio 〈…〉 in Caelum adventus de Caelo Spiritsis Sancti anniversaria soleâ—â—â—â—e celbrantur st quid aliud cale occurrerit quod servatur ab universa quacunque se diffundit Ecclesia Epist 1.18 Cap. 1. vid. Epist 119. Cap. 1. St. Austin reckoned among those things which were observed ab universa quacunque se diffundit Ecclesia by the whole Universal Church and which he therefore doth conjecture that the Observation of them derived it self from the Apostles or the Decrees of General Councils Since therefore it is evident unto all learned men that all the Holy-days prescribed by the Church of England from the Fourth Century at least were universally observed by the Church of Christ it must be fit and laudable to conform to her Example by observing of them as she did Now to return an answer to the Objections of Mr. Disp 5. of Cer. cap. 2. §. 46. Baxter against the Holy-days foremention'd of which the First is Object 1 Object 1. § 14 That the occasion of these Holy-days was existent in the Apostles days if therefore God would have had such days observed he could as easily and fitly have done it by his Apostles in Scripture as he did other the like things Answer 1. This Argument confutes his former grant that the Festivals of the Holy Martyrs and Apostles might lawfully be observed For of the Protomartyr St. Stephen and of James the Brother of John Kill'd by the Sword Act. 12.2 the Scripture maketh mention and yet saith nothing of the observation of their Festivals nor doth the Beloved Disciple tho He survived the rest of Christs Apostles mention in his Epistles or his Revelations any thing touching the observation of them which notwithstanding Mr. Baxter and which is more considerable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 the Universal Church of God even from the second Century approved of observing Martyrum Natalitia the Birth days of the Martyrs that is the days when they were crowned with Martyrdom with Great Solemnity witness the * Epistle of the Church of Smyrna touching the Martyrdom of Polycarp 2ly By this Argument no places may be set apart for Celebration of Gods publick Worship no Churches and no Tabernacles may be erected for that end no time appointed for that Worship No Synods may convene no Presbyterian Classes may assemble to determine any matter or make any Rules for the due Government of Christians no forms of Prayer excepting the Lords Prayer may be used in Publck no words in Celebration of the Lords Supper or the Sacrament of Baptism to omit many other things of a like nature but what by the Apostles were prescribed in Scripture for if God would have had such things done the occasion of them was existent in the Apostles days and he could as easily and fitly by his Apostles have given command concerning them as touching other the like things 3ly This Argument condemneth the Decrees of the great Nicene Council for praying standing on the Lords day the occasion of it being as old as our Lords Resurrection and it condemneth the whole Church of Christ in the exercise of her Discipline concerning Penitents her Stationary days and almost all her other rites the occasions of which were as well existent in the Apostles days as in succeeding Ages and