as to oblige all after-times to any particular form of Rituals is certain And also that they gave only general Directions but left it to the Power and Prudence of Church-Rulers to determine of Particulars as the various Conditions of People Time and Place should respectively require This is evident from hence that the Apostles instituted several things in the Primitive Churches which were in after-times to be used or disused as Church-Rulers should think fit For instance the Agapae or Love-feasts the holy Kiss the order of Deaconnesses and several other things which are now utterly disused and laid aside tho of Apostolical Institution Nor doth any man scruple the Disuse or Abrogation of them which is a palpable evidence that the Apostles never designed a certain form of Rituals to all after-ages but left it to the Prudence and Power of Church-Rulers to appoint as they see fit And thus Mr. Calvin himself Calv. Inst l. 4. c. 10.30 In externa disciplina Ceremoniis non voluit Christus c. Christ would not prescribe singularly and specially concerning external Discipline and Ceremonies because he foresaw these things were to depend on the occasions and opportunities of times and ought to be accommodated to the Edification of the Church according to the different disposition and custom of Times and Countries He adds Page 10. I think it will be very difficult for any man to make it appear that for some hundreds of years after the Apostles the Orthodox Christian Church did ever require any more then common Christianity as a term or condition of Church Communion or that any Ceremony was for so long a time imposed on the Church The Orthodox Christian Church did require it as the term or condition of Church-Communion That the lapsed Penitents should perform the five several Stages of Penance in such Posture and Gesture as the Church imposed and no other wherefore one sort of Penitents were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the Prostrate because they were to perform their Penance in the Gesture of Prostration and no other They wore certain Marks of Penance about them with several other Ceremonies that I could name which were imposed on them as terms of Church-Communion Ignatius Bishop of Antioch and Martyr who lived in the Apostles times Socr. Hist l. 6. c. 8. is reported by Socrates to have heard in a Vision the Angels celebrating the Praises of God in Alternate Hymns and in Imitation thereof appointed the ceremonious way of Antiphones or responsal Hymns in the Church of Antioch which was immediately appointed in or imposed on most Christian Churches in the World The Ceremony or Order of reading the two Lessons after the Psalms is mentioned in the Apostolick Canons Ap. Can. lib. 2. can 57. as a thing decreed or appointed injoined or imposed which Cassianus mentions as the Ancient custom of all the Egyptian Churches Cassian l. 2. c. 4. which he saies was not taught by men but by the Ministry of Angels from Heaven Epipha adv Aerians Epiphanius calls the Aerians the most Brainsick Hereticks that ever were for holding that Bishops and Presbyters were all one and that they were not bound to keep Lent and the Holy week as the Laws of the Holy Church required Sozomen speaks of standing up at the Gospel History lib. 7. c. 19. as a thing very anciently and universally imposed He saies it was a new Fashion in Alexandria that the Bishop did not rise up when the Gospel was read and that he never heard of the like elsewhere And the Council of Toleta ordained Con. 11. c. 3. That all Governours of Churches and their People should observe the same Rites and Order of Service which they knew to be appointed in the Metropolitan See In the early days of Tertullian who lived near the Apostles times there was distinction of Garments bowing to'ard the East and innumerable other Ceremonies and among the rest there 's no question to be made of what Mr. Bolde has such a spight at the Cross at Baptism since the Church saies Canon 30. that it was used in the Primitive and Apostolical Churches with one consent All which Ceremonies Tertullian calls * Harum aliarum ejusmodi Disciplinarum si legem expostules Scripturarum invenies nullam sed traditio est auctrix consuetudo conservatrix fides observatrix Disciplines which implies that they were imposed yet there was then no such thing as scrupling of Ceremonies but obedience active and passive even to Pagan Governours and conformity to Christian Church-Orders was a Characteristical mark of primitive Christianity Whatever the Pleaders name be to shew that his Temper is daring he tells us p. 11 12. He dares affirm That if the Rights and Ceremonies now in use in the Church of England should be alter'd some changed and some wholly laid aside by the same Authority that did at first injoin them the Church of England would still be as impregnable a Bulwark against Popery as now she is and I am fully satisfied saies he there is no man will deny this unless he be either a real Papist or an ignorant superstitious Fool. The King Parliaments and Convocations have denyed it and I am fully satisfied they must and will deny it on these accounts following 1. On the account of the great danger that universal Observation and Experience have found to be in such Innovation as he pleads for in altering the Constitutions of a Church that have heen composed and setled by wise men and Christian Martyrs reverenced and admired by others incorporated into the Laws of the Land rivetted by Custom and long Prescription for the sake of such novel Notions and inconsistent Alterations as no dissenting Party could ever yet agree in and such as is inseparably twisted with seditious and penicious Alterations in the State It being much more true of England what Optatus said of Milevis Res publica non est in ecclesia sed ecclesia in republica and therefore that the Church being contained in a Civil Society must conform its self in externals to that which contains it for Safety and Preservation Which made King Charles the first call such Alteration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 11. The old leaven of Innovation under the mask of Reformation which in his two last Predecessors days heaved at and threatned both Prince and Parliaments They first desired Alteration of him and then obtruded it on him with the point of their Swords with such a trusting to their Moderation which he there calls abandoning his own Discretion and shews throughout that they who began with nothing else but such desires of Moderation and Alteration as Mr. Bolde Pleads for ceased in nothing else but utter Subversion and Dissolution And Arch-Bishop Bramhall whom Mr. Baxter truly calls Lett. to Mr. Militier that clear-headed Metropolitan teaches That it is a rule in prudence not to alter no not an ill custom when
of that decency the care and observation whereof is commended to us in those words let all things be done decently and in order but humane so far as they are appropriated by men to some circumstance of Person Time or Place Mr. Bolde proceeds next to play the Emperick in prescribing to the body-politick Church and State The disease is falling out and quarrelling about old Rights and Ceremonies p. 8. passim and he has no remedy for this but the Churches yeilding to its Enemies in altering some and wholly laying aside other of her Ceremonies p. 11. That abatements might be made to Dissenters p. 12. who are to be Proselyted by the Churches condescending and yielding p. 19. And the like throughout his Book like a Vein through his Body and thus he prescribes to Parliaments in chief p. 25. Can any thing be more Baxterious than such arrogant prescribing to Princes and Parliaments Or is not this as if he had said that the makers of the Law must concede to the Subjects of the Law that Laws and Law-makers both must conform to Nonconformity that Parliaments and Synods those most august and venerable Assemblies in the World must stoop to Scepticks and Innovators Authority and Antiquity to Novelty and Bigotry Primitive practice to innovating humour and Majesty its self to peevish and turbulent and endless Scrupulosity And all this saies Mr. Bolde to satisfie some that are unsatisfied i.e. as some love to speak unsatisfied in Conscience profanely calling by that sacred Name of Conscience what men of greatest Learning strictest Piety and Holiness and most comfortable Consciences have called sturdiness of Opinion in some weakness and unsetledness of Judgment in others and indeed a meer fear of doing what God commands for fear of Sin But pursuant to his Plea for the Churches yielding to its Enemies in the Alteration and Abolition of Church-Ceremonies He tells this dull Story from Beza that was a sworn Enemy to Episcopacy A Noble-man having finish'd the building of his house suffer'd a great Stone to lie before the house which he had no occasion for the People stumbling at it in the dark complained the Noble man would not suffer the Stone to be took away but order'd a Lanthorn to be hung out over it this not securing the People from the inconveniences of it the Noble-man was at last intreated to remove the Stone and Lanthern both But whether he did remove them or no that Mr. Bolde keeps to himself Without any remark on the impertinence of this dull Story Serious and compassionate Enquiry p. 10. I shall be so civil to Mr. Bolde as to return it from a more considerable Author than Beza thus Apelles to deride the conceited folly of the Age exposes to publick view a Master-piece of his Work and as it usually happens by the encouragement of the Proverb Facile est inventis adhere every body pretends to skill in reforming scarce any passed by but passed their Verdict on the Picture all generally commend it yet to give some instance of their skill every one finds some fault or other one would have had more shade another less one commends the Eye but blames the Lip c. The cunning Artist observes all but says nothing and still as any Passenger gave his Verdict he alters the Picture accordingly the result was this by its Alteration and Reformation it became such Abomination of Deformation such a horrid monstrous Piece that the very Reformers themselves wonder'd at its Ugliness Apelles to right himself produces another piece of the same Art and Beauty which he had hitherto kept up by him and so had escaped their censure with this he upbraids them thus Hanc ego faci istam populus This I made the t'other is a Devil of your own making Now not to be so abrupt as Mr. Bolde was as to run from my Story without any Application Christian Religion was by Wise and Holy men our Reformers divested of those meretricious and gaudy Accoutrements that the Papists had drest her up with and habited her according to primitive simplicity but this tho amiable of it self would not please every Body every Sect or Party would have something alter'd which if it were allowed the Opinions of men are so contrary to one another as well as to truth the true lineaments of Christianity would be lost and so our Religion have the same fate that the poor Picture of Apelles had But in pleading for Alteration of some Ceremonies and laying others wholly aside Mr. Bolde proceeds to seven Arguments 1. The first is this It is unquestionably certain that the closer any Church doth keep or the nearer she approaches to the first Churches in their simplicity and freedom from humane inventions the more justifiable she will be and so on 1. The Ceremonies we retain are so few that if compared with the vast numbers used in the Church of Rome or in the Orthodox Christian Churches in St. Augustine's time they will appear to be vix quod Thebarum portae next to none in the comparison 2. Those few Ceremonies we do retain are according to the Practice and Simplicity of the first Churches The 30th Canon saies we depart from the Churches of Italy France Spain and the like Churches in those points only wherein they are fallen from themselves in their ancient Integrity and from the Apostolical Churches which were their first Founders Thus the Church of England declares concerning Church Ceremonies in general and of the Cross at Baptism in particular it says we therein follow the primitive Apostolic Churches And 3. It is on no account more then agreement with the Primitive Churches that we retain the use of our few Ceremonies and refuse to yield to Dissenters in altering some and abolishing others and therefore according to the Pleaders own Hypothesis our Church is most justifiable in so doing 2. His Second Argument is this That teaching that humane authority has an unlimited power to impose any thing on the Church which is not expresly forbid in Scripture may be of dangerous consequence The word unlimited is here impertinently foisted in for if humane authority has power to impose on the Church what the Scripture doth not forbid it must in that case have an unlimited power because nothing can limit it but the Scripture If you take his assertion without the word Vnlimited then it is that which Dr. Sanderson called the very mystery of Puritanism Serm. Preface and that which the very Protestant Reconciler doth contradict and confute P. 187. and which is not only the very characteristick doctrine of the Dissenters but their chief fundamental the very ground and foundation of their out-cries against ceremonies as uncommanded rites humane inventions Superstitions c. And whereas he says this may be of dangerous consequence it 's certain that the contrary is so to teach that humane authority has not this power of imposing on the Church things not forbid in Scripture but to
demand a Scripture prohibition or precept for every thing that humane authority imposeth on the Church is of most dangerous consequence as Mr. Baxter has soundly proved and shewed wherein by an induction of about Twenty particulars Defence of the Principles of Love p. 97 98 99 100 101. c. I shall no more than name but some of them 1. It draws men into the dangerous guilt of adding to the word of God under pretence of defending its perfection He shews how 2. It sorely prepares men for infidelity He shews how 3. It alters the very definition of the Scripture and makes it quite another thing c. 4. It tends to cast all-rational worship out of the Church c 5. It will bring in all confusion instead of pure reasonable worship c. 6. It will fright poor People from Scripture and Religion and make us our Doctrine and Worship ridiculous in the sight of all the world as he shews at large 7. All possibility of Union among Christians and Churches must perish if this error prevail and be practised c. 8. It will have a confounding influence into all the affairs and business of our lives These and as many more Mr. Baxter doth not barely name as I have done but foundly proves to be the consequence of making Scripture a particular rule of circumstantials in worship or teaching that humane authority has not power of imposing on the Church things not forbid in Scripture To all which I add That Sedition and Rebellion is not so apt to arise from any one Presbyterian Tenet whatsoever as from this for when men deny humane authority the power of imposing Church-ceremonies for want of Scripture-precept or prohibition they do on the same account call those ceremonies Humane devices uncommanded Rites Popish and Superstitious c. and therefore mark the consequence to be reformed and if the Magistrate will not reform it the people must and on this very principle have commenced the most barbarous and unnatural wars in England Scotland and other places And therefore 't is very disingenuous in Mr. Bolde not only to assert and vindicate this fundamental and most distinguishing principle of Dissenters but to accuse its contrary a most undoubted truth of Dangerous consequences when 't is so apparent that the dangerous consequences are all on the other side He proceeds on this head thus P. â—2 It is not demonstrably certain that humane authority has power any further than to punish and restrain indecencies and disorders in the Church Not to say whether this be not that speaking against the Kings Sovereign Authority in causes Ecclesiastical which the 27th Can. censures 1. It is demonstrably certain that humane authority had power to appoint Church-ceremonies and to determine the circumstantials in Religion David alter'd some things and instituted others even in the Temple-Service upon no other authority than humane Hezekiah on the same authority and no other broke the Brazen Serpent to pieces though it was a symbolical ceremony of Gods own institution He appointed the Levites to kill the Passover which by Gods appointment was to have been performed by the people themselves He preferr'd the Levites to assist the Priests in killing the other Sacrifices which they were never before admitted to So that it is demonstrably certain That humane authority had once a power to determine the circumstantials of Religion Nor can Mr. Bolde tell when or how they came to be divested of it But on the contrary when Christ said His Kingdom was not of this world he plainly intimated that he never intended to divest Governours of the authority they were possessed of 2. It 's demonstrably certain that the Scriptures do no where restrain the power of humane authority to punishing of disorders or indecencies in the Church when the Scripture commands obey every ordinance of man it supposeth in man or humane authority a power of making ordinances Church-ordinances not excepted and ubi lex non distinguit non est distinguendum It has been all along the practise of humane authority in all the reformed Churches to institute Church-discipline and to impose it upon the people and lex currit cum praxi Thus Calvin himself writes to Farellus Ep. 87. To prevent the desultory levity of those who affect novelty it always prevailed in the Church which was decreed in ancient Councils That those who would not be subject to the laws of common discipline should be dismissed from their function And Beza on the life of Calvin that subscription to their Church-discipline was enjoined not only Ministers but people 4. That every Church National has power to institute or appoint its Church-ceremonies was one principal argument that our Protestant Reformers made use of against the Papists in altering our Religion from Popish to Protestant 3. Mr. Bolde's 3d Argument runs thus The things we contend about are of such a nature they cannot bear so much weight as some lay upon them c. 1. How much the less the matters are we contend about so much the more is the sin and shame of contentious disobedience and inconformity to them 2. The more fit they are to be made a sacrifice to peace especially when in obedience to that great Gospel-precept of obedience to every humane ordinance 1 Pet. 2.13 And since Mahomet must to the Mountain or the Mountain to Mahomet as he speaks for shame let not Governours stoop to Subjects antiquity to Novelty and publick Authority the highest on earth to private fancy the most humoursome and peevish Since these things are not says the Pleader matter of such moment P. 24. as moderate men should lay out much of their zeal about He proceeds to shew how much mischief men laying out too much zeal and too much stress upon these things has occasioned he gives not so much as one instance of the mischief but instead of all instances he cites Mr. Burgess in his Sermon before King James for this Story The Roman Emperour Augustus in going to dine with a Senator of Rome saw some company dragging a man after them that made a horrid out-cry The Emperour demanding the Reason it was answered their Master had condemned him to the Fish-ponds for breaking a Glass of great value The Emperour stopp'd the Execution and when he came to the Senators house in expostulating the case with him he asked him whether he had Glasses worth a mans life That I have says the Senator Glasses that I value at the price of a Province Let 's see them says the Emperor the Senator brought them The Emperour broke them with these words Better all these perish than one man My Author says he left it to his Majesty to apply and so do I to the Reader And the Reader applies it thus The Glasses are Church-ceremonies the Senator is the Imposer of them the Emperour is the Opposer of them the breaking of the Glasses is the abolishing of the Ceremonies rather than one man