Gods of worships not accidentall And secondly that these our Ceremonies are esteemed imposed and obserued by the intention and doctrine of the Church of England for things of such nature For this I constantly auerre and resolutely holde that if they can be proued matter of this nature that they are doubtlesse to bee refused of all in a case of confession vnto the losse of Ministery and of life it selfe Howbeit of this I can by no meanes be perswaded as yet and I will giue my Brethren the reasons thereof namely because the Church of England doth not so esteeme them impose them or obserue them for parts of Gods worship But here it wil be first asked what I mean by the Church of England To which I answere that as the Church is considered two wayes first for the Congregation of the faithfull scattered here and there or for the whole societie of English men compact in one entire body visibly professing the religion of Christ distinguished from the bodies of Scotland France Germany other Countreys So by the Church of England in either acception ceremonies are not esteemed imposed or vsed as parts of Gods worships Of the Church in the former sence I know my Brethren make no question the latter I will iustifie For the doctrine and practise of the Church of England I take to be that which by coÌ„mon consent of the whole State King Nobles Bishops Iudges Commons in Parliament is taught and commanded Whatsoeuer commeth hence cometh from the compleate bodie of the Church of England and is to bee ascribed to it as to the visible Church Now the doctrine of this Church of England is included in the Bookes established by this power which are the booke of Articles and the booke of Common prayer Now for the doctrine of our Church in this point the booke of Articles expresly teacheth first that it is not lawfull for the Church to ordaine any thing that is contrary to Gods word Act. 20. Secondly that the Church ought not to enforce any thing to be beleeued besides the holy Scriptures for necessitie of saluation Act. 20. Thirdly that nothing of traditions and Ceremonies be ordained against Gods word Act. 34. Fourthly that euery particular or Nationall Church hath authoritie to ordaine change and abolish Ceremonies or Rites of the Church ordained onely by mans authoritie so that all things bee done to edifying Act. 34. So likewise the Preface of the common prayer booke tit of Ceremonies enacted by Act of Parliament that is by the authoritie of the visible Church of England this doctrine of Ceremonies is set downe We thinke it conuenient that euery country should vse such Ceremonies as they shall thinke fit to the setting forth of Gods honour and glory and to the reducing of the people to a most peafect and godly liuing without error or superstition and that they should put away other things which they perceiue to bee most abused as in mens ordinances it often chanceth diuersly in diuers countreys And thus wee see the doctrine of our Church doth not esteeme any Ceremonies as parts of Gods worships but doth disclaime it vtterly And for the application of their doctrine to our Ceremonies that wee may see what maner of Ceremonies and of what nature the Church of England doth propose to be practised and with what affection such as practise them should performe it the said Preface to the Booke of Common prayer saith of the Ceremonies prescribed in that Booke That they are retained for a discipline and order which vpon iust causes may bee altered and changed and therfore not to be esteemed equall to Gods Law Now according to this doctrine and application thereof by our Church all doctrines and practise of intention and action should bee conformed to this they should be referred If there bee any contrary direction or doctrine taught published or inioyned by any one person or many together or in diuers places it is nothing to the point For they who preach esteeme practiâ—e and impose any Ceremonies otherwise by any conceit word or acte then according to the afore mentioned direction they doe it contrary to the iudgement of the Church of England and it is to bee esteemed as the iudgement and practise of priuate persons violating the doctrine and lawes of this Church for the which they shall answere vnto God and are liable to the censure of authoritie Whatsoeuer Ceremonie therefore of our Church is either imposed or the omission censured by any persons or by any Minister practised or obserued by superstitious or ignorant people as a part of Gods worship is onely accidentall adherent and not inherent to our Church neither ought it to bee laide vnto the charge of our Church Neither doe any of the Diuines Abridg. fol. 38. 39. mentioned in the depriued Ministers reasons nor can any Diuinity iustifie or say that the questioned Ceremonies are imposed by the Church as parts of Gods worships for this cause or will perswade men to suffer themselues to be depriued for refusing to coÌ„forme vnto them For here is no such case of confession to which we are inforced seeing we may all freely and ought as in obedience to the Church confesse the doctrine thereof agreeing to Gods Word and conforme vnto the Ceremonies according to the doctrine namely as to things which are no worships of God nor needfull to saluation And as for them that hold teach or conforme vnto them as to the parts of Gods worships they are to be esteemed as malefactors condemned by the Church which can no more preiudice the doctrine of the Church then the practise of theeues rebels and murtherers can preiudice the good lawes of our Common-wealth that are made against them and it were no lesse strange to blemish our Church with the iudgement or practise of the one then to brand the Common-wealth with the practise of the other Now where my Brethren say that the Apostles neither obserued nor imposed the Ceremonies of the Iewes as parts of Gods worship I referre them to my answere in the former member touching the seruice of God and do adde that if they vsed them not as parts of Gods worship taken strictè yet they did vse them inioyne theÌ„ as parts of his worship taken latè or in a larger sence seeing God may be said to be worshipped by that he is serued and he is serued by duties done according to his will and they conformed inioyned coÌ„formity to those ceremonies that they might do duties according to his will viz. the winning of the Iewes the freedome of their teaching and the like But now whereas it is demanded further by my Brethren what it is vnto the purpose I alledge that the Iewes esteemed imposed obserued them as necessary to saluation Acts 15. 1. 5. and the rest I answere first that I might make those Ceremonies analogicall with ours that as our Ceremonies were and are holden as parts of Gods worship and needfull to
fol. 445. Obiect These Ceremonies bee offensiue and scandalous to the godly who are grieued and burdened with them to the Papists who reioyce in our practise and are confirmed in their damnable will worships to the weake who stagger and can by no meanes bee perswaded of the lawfulnesse of them and many haue occasion hereby to separate and in a word generally to all sorts Answ Caluin 1. Touching holy-dayes and other Ceremonies It is a very hard condition to the godly brethren to subiect themselues to those things which they vnderstand to be neither right nor profitable For my part I doe iudge that many defects are to be tolerated and borne with wheras they cannot bee amended wherefore I doe not thinke that any of the brethren should for this cause proceede so farre as to separate and depart from the Church whereof he is a member if so bee the greater part of the Church be of a contrary iudgement because in such cases it seemes to mee sufficient if that which wee knowe to be right bee of vs laboured vnto Obiect That which is thrust vpon vs doth bring with it scandall and also drawes along an euill taile namely sundry euill effects Answ Notwithstanding this because these Ceremomonies are not repugnant to the Word of God they may be yeelded to especially where the greater number doth ouersway and whenas there is no meanes for him that is only a member of the body to proceede further Epist. 379 fol. 658. 2. I vnderstood some difficultie cast in your way about certaine Ceremonies which those your Hostes and entertainers would haue you to vse Surely I see nothing more expedient then to vse most few Ceremonies in the Christian Church For it is sufficiently euident by experience it selfe how easie a matter it is by occasion of them to slide into superstition howbeit the matter is otherwise when authoritie resteth not in vs of admitting or refusing what seemeth to vs meete And those Ceremonies are not matters of that qualitie on occasion whereof we should voluntarily suspend or separate our selues from the Supper of the Lord and as much as in vs lieth wee must procure that which is manifest to bee the best But if wee may not obtaine what wee desire feramus illos defectus let vs beare with those defects and not approue of them so as there be therein no impietie or other thing repugnant to Gods Word As for example If any shew or kinde of Idolatry were therein we ought to withstand it euen to the death But where the doctrine it selfe is sound and pure and the Ceremonies be vsed to a ciuill kinde of honestie and decencie they are by vs to bee passed by in silence rather then by occasion of them wee should proceed to contentions and more grieuous tumults Epist. 303. fol. 497. 3. This must bee euer remembred that by whatsoeuer scandals Satan and the world doe labour to draw vs away from the commaundements of God or to hinder vs from following that which he prescribeth we must notwithstanding this stoutly proceede Iust. 3. 19. 13. P. Martyr 1. We confesse wee must yeeld something to the weake but yet with Paul wee must not suffer this to be done but onely in things indifferent But that which is in it selfe euill and forbidden of God wee aduise that it bee not done for any mans sake For the rule remaineth vnremoueable which granteth to no man to commit euill that good may come thereof yea and neither may wee alway yeelde vnto the weake in things indifferent but onely so farre foorth vntill they bee taught better and more perfectly But when they vnderstand the matter and yet notwithstanding this doe sticke their weakenesse must not be nourished in them Besides so much may not be yeelded to the weake as that wee should harme others and many mo of the members of Christ by our example Loc. com clas 2. cap. 4. § 32. fol. 201. 2. In that you write that very many will bee offended with your wearing the Episcopall garments and holy garments as they call them I doe easily beleeue it but you shall auoide the fault of scandall if ye declare in your Sermons that those garments also are displeasing vnto you withall do with all care endeuour that they may at last bee abolished Epist Amic in Angliam fol. 1128. 3. If occasion of erring be giuen to the weake hereby let them bee admonished that they perswade themselues these things to bee indifferent Let them bee taught by Sermons that Gods worship is not placed in those things Loc. fol. 1089. Epist. Hoopero 4 To this Obiection that the eies of the beholders will be turned aside from thinking on serious matters Hee answereth This it may be wilnot be iudged to be true of al beholders For first it may be answered that will not come to passe if without cost these garments be vsed simply as they haue bin hitherto for the vse and profit of them do take away admiration Againe perhaps it may be answered that it is probable that the people being moued with admiration may thinke of attentiuely the things that be more serious for which cause the Sacramentall signes seeme to haue beene imposed that from the very sight and sense they may be drawne to thinke of diuine things ibid. Bucer 1 Holdeth that the faithfull preachers of Gods Word may then vse the Surplesse if they ioyne withall the cleere preaching of Christ our Sauiour and with all the detection and detestation of whole Antichrist as well of the Roman as of any other that they by the vse of these garments meane not to establish any of Antichrists wicked lies which be thrust vpon the people That the Priests are in themselues no whit holier or more effectuall to appease God then other Christians are That they doe not set Christ before his Father in the Communion neither apply his merit by their deed and will to any man morethen any man doth receiue by faith out of the words of the Sarcrament That Aaronicall Rites are not to be recalled That by the wearing of these garments they onely giue obedience to those gouernours within the compasse of whose authoritie God will haue the determination of externall Rites consentientes tamen Verbo Dei though yet agreeing to Gods Word And that heereby they flee from the offence of troubling the common order and the publike consent as also that heereby they doe witnesse to godly persons that euery creature of God is good euen by the way of signification and therefore that all Christians truely beleeuing may well and godly vse these things howsoeuer impiously others haue abused them Script Anglic. Cranmero fol. 682. 2 To this that in England many vse Vestures with manifest superstition and that they doe nourish and confirme in the people superstition euen so it may be answered very many abuse all this whole Sacrament as also Baptisme and all other Ceremonies Epist. Ioan. Alasco Zanchius In things indifferent something is to
CASSANDER ANGLICANVS Shewing THE NECESSITY OF CONFORMITIE TO THE PRESCRIBED CEREMONIES OF OVR CHVRCH In Case of Depriuation By IOHN SPRINT Minister of Thornbury in Glocester-Shire sometimes of Christ Church in Oxon. MATTH 12. 7. I will haue mercie and not sacrifice LONDON Imprinted by IOHN BILL ANNO M. DC XVIII TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL Mr. DOCTOR GOODWIN Deane and to the Canons of the Colledge of CHRIST-CHVRCH in Oxon. FOr dedication of this booke to you R. w. I had direction frō the Riuers who Eccles 1. 7. empt themselues into the Seas from whence they came To you by whose Reuerend praedecessors I was in common consent chosen scholler into Christ-Church by whom that small modell of Learning which I haue if I haue any thing in mee which may be called Learning was deriued to me and by whom I was of free donation without bribe or sute first placed in my pastorall charge Then you I haue no greater patrones for you I haue no greater gift And this I offer to your view your censure your memoriall God euer graunt you so to blesse the Colledge of Christ-church by your free elections and elocations that the Church of Christ may euer blesse God for you and your selues may feele the comfort of your well-doing in this life and find the fruit thereof in the life to come London 27 of April M. DC XVIII Who am euer at your seruice in CHRIST IO. SPRINT TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Mr. SAMVEL BVRTON Archdeacon of the Diocesse of Gloucester SIR AS it pleased you to appoint mee a certaine time to giue answere of my purpose or refusal of Conformitie So I haue at last resolued to offer it vnto you in these my Letters Confessing ingenuously for some respects seeming weighty to my poore iudgement my vnwillingnesse thereto if by any meanes I might auoide it Howbeit seeing I see the sway of Authoritie ouer-ruling and inforcing thereunto partly in obedience to it and partly for other more important reasons swaying my Conscience I giue you to vnderstand that I am resolued to Conforme To the which resolution I confesse I was the rather drawen by the mixture of your discreete proceedings yet not so much driuen thereunto by your publike authoritie as drawen by your priuate lenitie and kindnesse and vndeserued respect vnto my meannesse I being well acquainted with the common condition of mans will which may be induced when it cannot be inforced And I trust with equall good conscience and successe to proceede and continue in seruice vnto God and to his Church in this my Conformitie as before I did in not Conforming And I heartily wish that in the like case all others did the like This I can say that my indeauours haue not beene wanting to perswade others wherein I haue preuailed with not a few And I am perswaded that if my reasons of this point might see the light authoritie giuing way thereunto it would more preuaile to induce men of contrarie iudgement then many other bookes penned to that purpose Not for any worth of Art or reading that is in them more then others my selfe being the meanest of many thousands for a matter of this nature But partly in respect of the qualitie of the penner which haue beene I confesse a Non-conformitan and partly because of the conclusion prooued which inforceth the imputation of a sinne vpon the sufferers of silencing for not conforming a matter which of all things the Ministers of this kinde will least indure And partly also for the sufficiency of the Truth presented in those reasons Now if any shall thinke the booke vnfit to bee published because it reacheth not home to prooue the conueniency or necessitie of the Ceremonies themselues they may bee pleased to consider that this position of mine being onely proposed by way of presupposall concludeth nothing to crosse that I haue endeauoured to prooue this others whose knowledge and dexteritie is greater haue libertie to prooue further if they please But this I may more then probably affirme that the very most of not conforming Ministers will hearken vnto this when I am assured they will not vnto that My reasons I offer to your Learned view and correction of authoritie If any thing bee found in them hindering the passage thereof I wish it bee censured with a Deleatur For that my intention is not rashly to thrust out any thing offensiue to authoritie but that which may bee to the profit of the Church Which I humbly desire of God in this and al other mine indeauours for his owne names sake To whose sauing grace in Christ I commend you with many thankes for your many vndeserued fauours This 21. of October 1617. Thornebury By yours humbly at command in Christ IO. SPRINT TO THE READER EVery part of Trueth is precious euen the least as the least graine of muske is sweete Because it is the Trueth Because Gods Truth and because small errors intertained against small Trueths haue often euill sometimes pernicious effects Which last appeareth in the controuersie of our Ceremonies the sparkles of which difference haue growen vnto great flames in this our Church Where the fault is as God knoweth so the day will try and God will one day iudge But difference of apprehensions hath brought foorth difference of iudgements and difference of iudgements hath brought forth difference of practise and disagreement in affection The difference of practise hath mooued Authority to silence and suppresse refusers of Conformitie The disagreement in affection hath mooued the Ministers depriued to speake euil of persons in authority and of Conformers Whereby in the euent the course of the Gospell is interrupted and of Popery enlarged the friends of Sion are grieued the enemies reioyced the Deuill gratified and God not pleased The Church is rent with Schisme the Trueth scandalized by dissention the Ministers vndone by losse of liuing and the vnitie of brethren liuing in the same house professing the same Faith and reioycing in the same Hope is pulled in pieces And this like to continue God knowes how long but all men know the longer the worse For which cause I haue vndertaken this seruice to Gods Church to vnfold the state of this question which as yet hath not been so directly and distinctly handled in my opinion as it might by any that I know The Ministers haue heretofore laboured to proue the Ceremonies euill to be vsed and fit to be abolished but they neuer went about to prooue whether in case of Depriuation they ought to haue conformed which is the question directly concerning their case This is performed in this tractate and resolued by reason drawen from God and man from Scripture and Authority of all sorts which thou good Reader mayest perceiue if thy desire allure thee or thy patience will giue thee leaue to reade The occasion of my penning it was this At The occasion of penning this Treatise first being of aduersary iudgement to the Ceremonies I laboured as men doe
that are sicke of preiudice to gather all I could against them and abstained from the practise of them as from things simply euill But after hauing been indicted at a quarter Sessions for refusing to conforme by some of my Parish for my fidelity in opposing their disordered life I was occasioned to looke more neerely into the state of this question whether I might vse them with my peace in any case or not namely of necessity Depriuation I asked of my selfe two things whether I would rather suffer death then vse them in a Church professing the foundation and vrging them as things indifferent not pressing them as binding Conscience in themselues or as needfull to saluation And whether the execution of my Ministery which was pressed on my Conscience with a woe if I neglected it should not be as deare vnto me as my life Which questions when they put mee to a stand and that I could not well resolue vnto my selfe for the ill conceit I had against the Ceremonies I beganne to search into the iudgement of our best latter writers and the practise of reformed Churches from whence I went vnto antiquitie of primitiue and purer times where with one consent and harmonie of iudgement I found them for the practise of farre more and more offensiue Ceremonies then ours may bee supposed and chiefely in this case This was a ground to stay my iudgement and build my resolution From which when once I found it in con-conscience I could not in modestie I durst not depart in haste For with what shew or conscience should any man turne his backe in dislike or his face in opposition to the iudgement and practise of all Churches of Christ since the Apostles And from all those worthy Lights those Spirituall persons the Teachers of the Churches the champions of the Trueth the Masters of Religion by whom and by whom onely God had in all ages propagated his Gospell conuerted soules confirmed Veritie confuted Heresies and Errors builded Christes Church discouered and ouerthrowne the Church of Antichrist Chiefly seeing it is the iudgement not of one or two nor of some against some other but euen of All not One excepted which is of note or classicall authority And none against this iudgement excepting conuicted and condemned Hereticks and Schismaticks such as Donatists Anabaptists and our latter Brownists From thence I looked into the reasons mouing them vnto this iudgement that practise which in this Tractate are set downe So that here is no nouelty broached or fancy of mine owne proposed to thy view Christian reader but Antiquity and Vniuersality not Papall but Euangelicall according to the Scripture not of Carnall but Spirituall persons which may bee to thy Conscience as an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The causes of publishing are principally three respecting Causes of publishing the trueth the Ministers my brethren and my selfe The publication of this booke concerneth the trueth in two respects First because it is a questioned trueth which may not bee concealed without iniury to God and to his Church and it is a sin of no light nature to withhold the trueth in vnrighteousnesse Rom. 1. 18. next it is a profitable trueth which may occasion some Ministers to enter which dare not for conformitie and others to returne which are depriued for not conforming to the Ceremonies both tending to the benefit and edification of Gods Church For what greater profit may there be then that which is opposed to the greatest mischiefe For as it pleaseth God to saue them that beleeue 1 Cor. 1. 21. prou 29. 18. by preaching so where no vision is the people perish Secondly it respecteth the ministers of two sorts First such as are depriued on whom these reasons doe inforce a sinne for not conforming in the case of depriuation and it is very scandalous for Ministers professing sinceritie of Christ his Gospel to haue begunne and to continue in a wrong course neither can they approoue their conscience before God or man to beginne and to remaine in error and not amend when they see a better way Then it concerneth the Ministers that haue conformed in this case both because it serueth to cleere the innocencie of sundry godly teachers that haue conformed to preuent their depriuation which are hardly thought of and traduced as backsliders and betrayers of Gods cause And if this trueth were knowen they would not haue condemned innocents As also because it is meete that the hearts of such as haue conformed of feare and are wounded with griefe should bee relieued this trueth seruing to quiet their afflicted conscience which must not bee neglected Lastly it respecteth my selfe and that two wayes First because by suppressing of this veritie I should wrap my selfe in the guilte of a two fold sin namely vnthankfulnesse to God vnrighteousnesse to man For why hath God opened my eyes to see this truth but to that end I should reueale it vnto others And it were vnrighteousnesse and hatred to my Leu. 19. 17. brethren to suffer them to sin and not to shew them of it to see them to wander and not to point vnto the right way Lastly it were iniquitie to my selfe to suffer my Ministerie to be euill spoken of for practising the trueth there being scandall taken farre and neere at the alteration of my iudgement and profession of my purpose to conforme rather then to suffer depriuation which I may lawfully and must also of some necessitie preuent To this I adde the respect I haue vnto our Schismatickes the Brownists whose errors are hereby discouered and their false conclusions ouerthrowne Obiections answered But it will bee said I am in error If so it shall the easier be confuted And when any man hath shewed it to be error hee may the more safely call it so And I shall bee the rather induced to confesse it so to be It will be well and more agreeing to the comfort of mens consciences and more fitted to the rekconing they must giue to bee aduised before they so conclude it Howbeit if I erre it is with such company with whom in some case I had rather erre as one speaketh then thinke or know the trueth with some other Neither can I bee perswaded neither will any man proue easily that all true Churches of Christ of all ages agreeing in a pointe haue agreed in an error But thus good men receaue disgrace that stand against the Ceremonies To this I say that no man can no good man will esteeme the trueth to bee his owne disgrace It is a grace by seeing error to acknowledge it It is an honour vnto God to disgrace our selues by gracing and embracing of his trueth Can any man preferre his credit to Gods dishonour and redeeme it with the shipwracke of the trueth O but I lay a sinne vnto the charge of all the Ministers depriued And to this I say they lay a sinne vpon their brethren not inferiour to themselues that haue
seeing by the way these are the chiefest and maine arguments which the depriued Ministers haue brought against the Ceremonies to proue them simply and in their nature euil let it be cōsidered by the iudicial godly Reader whether they might not vpon these grounds except against the Apostles prescription and refuse the practise of those Iewish Ceremonies euen with the losse of ministry interruption of the Church as well as to suffer depriuatiō for refusing of the Ceremonies prescribed in the Church of England But from this point I argue thus Whatsoeuer Ceremonies are of humane inuention of no necessary vse abused to superstition of misticall and spirituall signification esteemed imposed and obserued as parts of Gods worship swaruing from the generall rules of Gods word not profitable for edification order or decencie of fensiue many wayes to the godly weake and wicked infringing Christian libertie strictly inioyned as necessary such Ceremonies by the doctrine of the Ministers refusing conformitie are simply and in nature euill and could not be practised by any persons no not the Apostles themselues and that through the direction of the holy Ghost without sinne But the Iewish Ceremonies prescribed and practised by the Apostles through direction of the holy Ghost were of this nature and qualitie in euery one of the points aboue named Therefore by the doctrine of the Ministers refusing conformitie in the case of depriuation the Iewish Ceremonies prescribed and practised by the Apostles through direction of the holy Ghost were simply and in nature euill and could not by them be practised without sinne Or thus Whatsoeuer doctrine and practise tendeth to accuse and condemne the inspired Apostles in their inspired practise and doctrine of teaching the practise and of practising Ceremonies in sundry maine respects as vnlawfull as ours are pretended to bee tendeth to accuse and condemne the Apostles in their inspired practise and doctrine for teaching and for practising things simply euill But this doeth the doctrine and practise of suffering depriuation for refusing to conforme to our prescribed Ceremonies Therefore the doctrine and practise of suffering depriuation for refusing to conforme to our Ceremonies doeth directly tend to accuse the inspired Apostles in their inspired practise for teaching and practising things simply euill Whereupon I thus conclude Whatsoeuer doctrine or practise doeth directly tend to accuse and condemne the inspired Apostles for practising teaching and prescribing things simply euill such doctrine and practise is erronious and sinnefull So doeth the practise and the doctrine of suffering depriuation for refusing to conforme vpon the grounds alleadged as hath beene prooued Therefore the doctrine and practise of suffering depriuation for refusing to conforme vnto our Ceremonies is erronious and sinnefull To this that hath beene here alleadged there are certaine obiections made by certaine godly graue and learned depriued Ministers which here I thinke fit to make answere vnto Obiection The Apostles might doe many things which wee may not doe in respect of their immediate authoritie from God Those cases were decreed by the holy Ghost ours not so they did it by the direction of the spirit there is no proportion betweene their case and ours they guided by the spirit we not so The Apostles could not erre we subiect to error It is no good consequent to say they vsed such and such things therefore we may they had warrant for what they did the holy Ghost gaue them warrant Answere First it is to bee noted that they who thus obiect against this reason must needes relinquish the excuses and accusation of the Apostles which others make for vsing the Iewish Ceremomnies vnlawfully For the one affirming their practise to be vnlawfull the other granting it to bee done by direction of the spirit doe mistically ouerthrow one another so that both cannot stand as true This being obserued I answere First if the Apostles were immediatly from God authorized and did those things by direction of the holy Ghost as vndoubtedly they did wee may be the bolder to immitate them in their practise and in their doctrine and in so doing wee shall not erre For in so doing wee may say wee doe no more about matters of Ceremonies then the Apostles haue done before vs. It is a point wee wish the Church of Rome could say Secondly though wee may not immitate the Apostles in things peculiar to their office persons and times yet we may follow them and are bound in conscience so to doe in matters of common equitie and generall reason For as the Apostles had warrant from the holy Ghost so wee haue warrant from the example of the Apostles and from the reasons for which the holy Ghost mooued them to do those things For the holy Ghost being euer the same teacheth and ruleth the Church by one and the same reason reuealed in his word as well now as then Now the Apostles in this case did vrge the practise of these Ceremonies not from their immediate authoritie from God nor from inspiration onely of the holy Ghost but by reasons and rules of common and perpetuall equitie namely expediencie It seemed good to the holy Ghost and vs Acts 15. 28. and necessitie these necessary things Acts 15. 28. also to winne more 1. Cor. 9. 19 20 21 22. to further and propagate the Gospel 1. Cor. 9. 23. By the which rules the holy Ghost doeth teach the Church in the like cases of the Church to follow the like example by the same generall rules namely to practise the same Ceremonies in the like case or other Ceremonies of like nature in other cases no lesse then he doeth teach the Church to pray and singin a language vnderstood from the generall rule of edification Let all things in the Church be done to edification 1. Cor. 14. 12 26. And for Prophets to speake one after another not many at once and for women to hold their peace in the Church to auoyd confusion from the generall rule of order and honesty Let all things bee done honestly and by order in the Church 1. Cor. 14. 27 30 31 34 35 40. Which may the rather appeare because they be all cases of one nature namely of order and Ceremonie in the Church and worship of God which I thinke a sufficient answere to this obiection Obiection There is a great difference betweene the Ceremonies of the Church of England and those prescribed by the Apostles Master Parker of the Crosse part 2. sect 13. fol. 69. and at first ordained of God and must haue honourable buriall for that our Ceremonies are farre worse in many respects and circumstances As being Antichristian more scandalous more hurtfull more dangerous more strictly inioyned then sometimes Gods commandements these the inuentions of men yea of Antichrist c. stubble and straw or rather straw when they are at the best Answere I know and grant there is a great difference in many circumstances betweene the Iewish Ceremonies and the Ceremonies of this our Church but
grace and backe sliding of many most forward professors of religion what increase of Popery and all prophanenesse in euery corner of the Land and euen in sundry of the places where the depriued Ministers were placed haue ensued this their suffering of themselues to be thus put besides their Ministrie And being thus depriued what good haue they done vnto the Church Or what good vse haue they imployed their talent in more then to some few priuate families wherein some of them haue beene exercised Verily in sundry others especially the younger and more vnstaied sort especially of them which draw neere the brincke of Brownisme it hath falne out that after the losse and leauing their Ministrie small other fruite hath happened in them then to make the Churches rent the wider to speake euill and scoffe at persons in authoritie which had more neede to haue beene prayed for in these dangerous times to breede distraction in the hearts of the people to vilifie their Godly breathren which haue submitted themselues to conformitie to swell in scorne and pride against them and to prepare the mindes of vnstable persons of tender consciences and shallow knowledge to schisme and seperation and in the meane time to neglect the maine dueties of true Godlinesse as meekenes mercie tender heartednes patience visiting the sicke comforting the feeble minded instructing the ignorant chatechising children perswading of Papists to the trueth reproouing raigning sinnes in wisedome loue and meekenesse conference of godlines to edification prouoking to loue to good workes painefull labouring in some honest trade of life to preuent the eating of the bread of idlenesse which I write not in reproach but in sobernesse and tender hearted greife declaring that which I haue seene not in a few And further to this end it may be profitably noted what degrees of grace doe appeare in such as are violently carried this way surely it is commonly seene that the more eager people are against the Ceremonies and for reformed discipline their zeale is so exercised and their affections carried to things without them as that they finde small leasure to looke into Gods kingdome within them their tongues pennes practise are carried this way together with their hearts so that they commonly neglect mercy iudgement fidelitie and loue of God mortification of sinne moderation of affections holy guidance of the tongue fruites of loue and conscience in their walking before men and are brought at last so neere vnto their practise who were taxed by our Sauiour that they can hardly escape their reproofe viz. To straine at a Gnat and swallow a Cammell Let the Brownists and such as draw neere vnto them witnesse for themselues both in their owne practise and report of faithfull witnesses and in the dismall proceedings of such fierie spirits whom Arianisme Familisme Anabaptisme Libertisme or plaine prophanenesse haue swallowed and vndone at last For it is a true maxime in Theologie That when men bestowe more zeale vpon circumstantialls or ceremonialls matter right or wrong one way or another for them or against them then they doe vpon substantialls they are vndoubtedly setled in the high way to hypocrisie Lastly this poynt will the rather appeare by the enumeration of sundrie inconueniences which are by some alleadged to arise from the prescribed Ceremonies and comparing of those euills with the euill or inconueniences which would arise from the generall doctrine and practise of suffering Depriuation by refusing to conforme Obiect The prescribed Ceremonies doe blemish the worships of God viz. the Word the Sacraments and the pure administration of them Answ But Depriuation of all preaching Ministers ouerthroweth them quite Vtrum horum Obiect The continuing in the practise of these Ceremonies will be occasion of future superstition Answ They will much more so doe when all preaching is taken away which should teach the people the true nature of them Obiect It is most expedient to reduce the Church from humane mixtures burdens to Apostolicall simplicitie and purity Answ But if it be not in the power of priuate persons shall we all giue ouer and let all alone the whole Church fall downe on the ground because we cannot doe all the good that we would Obiect The Ceremonies prescribed doe hinder the true knowledge of Christ and sincere worships of God and the maine duetie of godlinesse the mindes of ignorant people being led aside by these so that they put religion and Gods worship in them Answ How much more will the knowledge of Christ be obscured the sincere worship of God and duties of pietie bee neglected and these Ceremonies turned into will worship if the generall preaching of the Word which is our direction should be interrupted Obiect These Ceremonies are vailes and shadowes to couer Antichrist and the mysterie of iniquitie from the eyes of the people that they cannot so well discerne detest and flee from Popery as is enioyned by Gods expresse Commandement Answ Generall depriuation of Preachers is the high way not so much to hide as to bring in Antichrist againe with all his abhominations Obiect The Ceremonies doe disgrace our Church and hinder the growth thereof Answ Generall suffering of depriuation kills the Church and ouerthroweth not the growth and grace but the life and being thereof Obiect The continuing of Ceremonies doeth take away all hope of future reformation Answ The discontinuing of Preaching doeth take away the hope of the continuing of the Gospell yea the ordinarie meanes of the hope of our saluation Obiect The Ceremonies doe take from many good christians a great part of the comfort of their consciences in the seruice of God Answ Suffring depriuation taketh away the ordinary meanes of saluation and bringeth a greater discomfort in the place Obiect The Papists other enemies of godlines religion wil reioyce greatly to seevs conforme and draw neere to them Answ But will they not more reioyce to see you depriued and being emptied of Preachers will they not thinke the places fitter for their Masse-priests Obiect The Papists by those Ceremonies are shrouded are confirmed by them in superstition are occasioned by them to commit superstition they kindle in them an hope of letting Popery in againe Answ All these things are tenne times more effected by generall depriuation of the Word Obiect Very many godly mindes are vexed and grieued in their consciences at the Ceremonies in the Church much more if their Pastors doe conforme Answ But will they not be much more troubled and grieued to be vtterly depriued of them Obiect It wil be very inconuenient for the Minister to conforme in many respects Answ And in many more it will bee inconuenient for him to suffer depriuation to loose the comfort of his labour to bid farewell to his deere neighbours and hearers to bee turned with his wife and children from his house and meanes of liuing into silence contempt and beggery Thus is this second point confirmed viz. that the duty of preaching the Word is a greater
a feeble Primacy the Pope had in those times besides his possibilities and actuality of erring euen in Catheà ra being so countermaunded reprooued and disobeyed by such incomparable Churches and teachers Secondly how dangerously the Papists put the iumpe of all their sempiternall expectations vppon the credit euen of the greatest clerkes which so vntruely falsly and corruptly relate the recordes of antiquity Next for the effect and abuse of these things in the people wee may easily see that if the fountaines bee troubled the streames cannot bee cleere as may appeare by that which followeth Many things commaunded in the holy Scriptures and of very holsome and good vse were lesse respected and cared for then many light matters whereof they ouerbouldly presumed August Epist 119. cap. 19. Many of them neglected and swallowed great things placing opinion of religion and shewing great diligence in following or practising such things as had in them small profit Hieronymus in Mattheum cap. 23. Many of them were obserued to bee troublesome to others by being caried on with a contentious obstinacy others by a superstitious timorousnesse about such trifles as neither were comfirmed by authority of the holy Scripture nor by the custome of the Church in generall neither serued for any profit to the amendment of life and manners August Epist 118. cap. 3. As for example they were very superstitious and precise in bearing about certaine little peeces of the Gospels and of the wood of the crosse istiusmodi rebus and in the like things and vsque bodié factitant doing it euen to that day hauing the zeale of God but not according to knowledge straining at a gnat and swallowing a Cammell Hieron in Matt. cap. 23. They were maruelous precise in their fastings for on their fasting dayes they would eate no oile nor bread but figges pepper nutts dates flower hony pistachia all herbes and fruits growing in the garden delicias and other delicates they would not drinke water but they would haue instead thereof sorbitiunculas delicatas delicate suppings and the Iuice of herbes pressed out and that not in a cup but in the shell of a Sea-fish they sought famam abstinentiae in delitijs commendation of their abstinence by vsing delicates Hierom. calleth these things ineptiae superstitiones Ieiunium superstitiosum in Epist ad Neapot They censured such as dined on the Sabbath soberly and did not fast as the manner of some places was that namely they were in the flesh and could not please God that they were wicked persons belly mongers and that they sauoured of the flesh and of death and their voice was this recedant a me iniqui viam eorum esse nolo and they separated from them Aug. Epist 86. ad Casulanum They would not serue God in a temple once abused to Idolatry neither eate any herbes growing in the garden nor drinke any water running from the fountaine of an Idoll-temple Idem Epist 154. Publicol They would more sharpely reprooue a man qui per octauas suas terram nudo pede tetigerit Who during the time of their octaues should touch the ground with his bare feete then a man which was with wine starke drunke Idem Epist 119. cap. 19. Some of them did absteine from eating flesh with such a mind as that they iudged those persons vncleane which did eat thereof This Augustine writeth out of the report of Ianuar. Epist 119. cap. 20. and giueth his censure thereof that namely apertissimé contra fidem sanamque doctrinam est In a word many of them out of their owne fancies or from the custome of other places did cause such litigious questions about these matters vngrounded in the Scripture and vnprofitable in their nature that they thought nothing right which they did not themselues August Epist 118. cap. 3. And thus in part we see a small glimse of the state of the Primatiue Church of Christ which we commonly account and is heere extended from the daies of the Apostles vntil the time of S. Augustine or there about For afterwards the same which then was clouded declined vnto darke night and we will descend no lower knowing that iust exception might be taken at it in this argument Now in the next place we will giue a taste of the doctrine and practise of the Fathers and the faithfull in the middest of these corruptions that we may see how the doctrine of suffering depriuation for inconuenient ceremonies farre more for number and worse for qualitie then ours are pretended hath by them beene proposed and practised Touching their doctrine of this point thus they taught That the Apostles driftin their writings was not to set downe Canons and Decrees concerning Feasts and Holidaies or such like Ceremonies of the Church but to set downe a president of pietie good life and godly conuersation Socrat. 5. 22. Seeing there is no man able to shew any president or record in writing of fasting daies or the like traditions it is euident that the Apostles did leaue free choice and libertie to euery Church at the discretion thereof without feare compulsion and constraint to vse that which seemeth good and commendable for it selfe ibid. the like doth Augustine Epist 86. speake of fasting They obserued three sorts of Traditions or Ceremonies in the Churches of their times First such as Christ left to his Church expresly set downe in the Canonicall Scriptures which Augustine calleth an easie yoke and light burthen very few for the number very easie for the obseruation very excellent for signification he mentioneth onely baptisme and the Lords Supper whereby hee hath knit together the society noui Populi of the new Church Secondly such Traditions or Ceremonies in the Churches of their times as are not written but deliuered and are obserued throughout the whole world supposed to proceed from the Apostles or from the prescription of generall Councells whose authority was wholesome quoth he to be esteemed of such as the dayes obserued yeerely to the memoriall of Christ his passion resurrection asension and descension of the holy Ghost commonly called Pentecost or Whitsontide Thirdly such as in diuers parts and places of the world are obserued diuersly as for example that some doe fast on the Sabboth others doe not so some doe daily receiue the Communion other receiue it on certaine dayes In some places it is celebrated on all dayes without exception other where onely on Saturne dayes and on the Lords day Et si quid aliud huiusmodi animaduerti potest totum hoc genus rerum liberas habet obseruationes August Epist 118. cap. 1. 2. Ianuar. That there ought of necessity one faith to be spread ouer the whole Church as the soule within the members albeit this vnitie of faith be celebrated and solemnized with diuers obseruations by which diuersity that which is true in the substance of faith nullo modo impeditur is no way hindred because all the beautie of the Kings daughter is within but the outward Ceremonies
which are diuersly obserued are as vpon her garment August Epist 86. That the difference and variety of fastings or of dayes obserued in diuers Churches or Ceremonies of like nature doth not interrupt or impaire but commend the vnity and consonance of faith so saith Irenaeus Euseb 5. 24. the like is in Distinct 12. cap. 3. scit Sancta That if their be any matter of this quality which is contrary to the grounded obseruation of Christ and his Apostles It must be reduced to the doctrine practise of Christ and his Apostles againe though their predecessours of simplicitie or ignorance had erred which by Gods mercy might be pardoned to them in which case men ought not to obserue what any man before them did thinke fit to be done but what Iesus Christ who is farre before all did performe himselfe Cypr. Epist 3. lib. 2. Legantur plura That Ceremonies and Traditions such as fasting on a certaine day as on the Lords day after that they haue beene vsurped and abused by detestable and damnable Heretikes as that was by the Maniches ought not to be obserued but disused for the scandall thereof Aug. Ep. 86. Casul That all such Ceremonies and Traditions which are not contained in the holy Scriptures neither established by general Councels neither vniuersally obserued in the Church but are varied innumerable waies in diuers Churches which either for number did ouerload the Church with a seruile burthen or for whose continuance there could not be giuen a sound reason albeit it doe not appeare that they be contra fidem yet vbi facultas tribuitur sine vlla dubitatione resecanda existimo They ought without staggaring to bee cut off when conueniently they may saith Augustine Epist 119. cap. 19. Ianuario That these cautions in establishing of Ceremonies being obserued such Ecclesiasticall Traditions as do no hurt vnto the faith are so to be obserued as they are deliuered of the auncients neither ought the opposite custome of some ouerthrow or preiudice the custome of other dist 12. cap. 4. Illud out of Hier. Epist 28. ad Lucinum In the which Epistle hee concludeth also thus Vnaquaeque prouincia abundet in sensu suo Touching Ceremonies let euery Countrey abound in their owne sence presupposing their former caution that therein they impaire not the faith That whatsoeuer is inioyned in any Church which is Neque contra fidem neque contra bonos more 's neyther opposite against faith neyther yet good manners is to beholden as indifferent and to be kept according to their custome with whom wee liue August Epist 118. cap. 2. Ianuar. That in matters whereof the Scripture hath determined no certainty the custome of Gods people is to be followed August Epist. 86. That there is no rule or discipline better or more fit for a graue and prudent Christian then to doe after that manner as he seeth to be performed in that church to the which it falleth out that he shal come Aug. Epist. 118. This is to be vnderstood of such Ceremonies as before he saith are not contrary to faith nor manners for of such hee expresly speaketh and then also he presupposeth a true Church That into whatsoeuer Church a man shal come he ought to obserue the customes or Ceremonies which hee findeth there to be in vse if he will not giue scandall to others neither receiue scandall from other This was the counsell of Ambrose to Augustine on the behalfe of his mother Monica Ego verò saith Augustine de hâc sententia etiam atque etiam cogitans ita semper habui tanquam eam caelesti oraculo susceperim Epist 118. cap. 3. That vpon occasion of refusall of these matters Cauendum est ne tempestate contentionis serenitas charitatis obnubiletur August Epist 86. The law of charity must moderate this controuersie That if disputation bee once admitted on the one side from the diuers custome of some Churches to condemne others in these Ceremonies there will arise interminata luctatio a boundlesse strugling or contention which with toile of ianling will produce no conclusions of any certaine truth Agust Epist 86. That if on the other side men do labour to ground their particular Ceremonies on the authoritie of the Apostles thence also commeth interminabilis contentio generans lites non finiens quaestiones an in determinable contention breeding strife without deciding of the question Idem ibid. That it was most euidently opposite to faith and to sound doctrine for Christians about the vsing or not vsing of these things to censure one another in respect of their standing in true grace by iudging one another to be vncleane August Epist 119. cap. 20. Thus of their doctrine Now of their practise ALthough the teachers of diuers Churches did vary very much in the iudgement practise of diuers Ceremonies as for example in the obseruation of fasting some fasting one day some two some more some fortie as Euseb 5. 24. as also in the celebration of the daies as of the daie of Easter some obseruing it on the Lords day as the Westerne Churches did some keeping it on the foureteenth of the moneth both sides deriuing their practise from the Apostles Socrat. 5. 22. yet for all this difference they were at vnitie one with another thus writeth Irenaeus to Victor Eusebius 5. 24. they were not at discord one with another neither fell they out Socrat. 5. 22. they varied not among themselues about these trifling matters Euseb 5. 24. they perswaded not one another vpon either side to practise other then they did Euseb 5. 24. they vsed not a word of discord about this matter ibid. they did not euer excommunicate one another for this difference Euseb 5. 24. they did communicate on with another for all this difference Socrat. 5. 22. they parted when they met one from another in peace Euseb 5. 24. they neuer deuided the Communion of the Church neither brake they asunder the bonds of amitie Socrat. 5. 22. nor depart from their mutuall Communion Sozom. 7. 19. but all of them in their variety held fast the bond of loue and vnitie Euseb 5. 24. and the reason is well added and expressed by Sozom. 7. 19. for they held it quoth he a friuolous thing and that deseruerdly for those to be mutually separated from the benefit of eithers Communion Qui in praecipuis religionis capitibus consentirent which agreed in the chiefe and fundamentall points of religion For neither saith he shall you finde the same traditions in all Churches alike in euery point albeit they agree among themselues and to proue this hee fetteth downe a multitude of differences of diuers Churches both of discipline and Ceremonies They sharpely reproued such Euseb 5. 24. and bitterly inueighed against them Socrat. 5. 22. as troubled the Church by attempting to compell other Churches from their owne auncient custome to their practise and for threatning them with excommunication for not obeying their admonition as before we noted They regarded not
standeth in doctrines and in the true preaching of the Gospell and in the rites expresly deliuered by Christ Harm Confess § 10. folio 8. Heluet. poster That it is a generall rule that men must not contend about indifferent things that the vnitie of the Churches should be thereby broken Zanch. de redempt c. 19. in 4 praecept fol. 696. Neither the peace thereof troubled Zepper de sacram cap. 13. fol. 314. That if different rites bee found in diuers Churches no man may thereby thinke that they are at dissention Harm confess § 17. fol. 20. Heluet. Posterioris so that they agree in the summe of doctrine Beza Epist 1. fol. 7. That the diuersitie of rites is no sufficient cause why we should separate from any Church seeing the Church hath alwaies varied in rites according to the diuersitie of places and of times Aretius loc 57. fol. 177. He citeth Augustine and approueth Irenaeus his reprouing of Victor Bulling Deca 5. serm 2. fol. 360. 361. That it is not lawfull for any man vllâ de causâ for any cause to make separation from the Church of Christ that is as much to say as in which at least sound and sincere doctrine is retained in the which standeth incolumitas pietatis the safetie of piety where the vse of the Sacraments ordained of God is preserued and they are Schismatikes that separate and that therein they do sinne Beza Epist 24. fol. 148. No not although there be sundry errours and corruptions in doctrine manners externall policy ceremonies Morneus de Eccles lib. 2. fol. 32. Zanch. confess cap. 24. § 10. fol. 207. Idem in Philipians 1. 25. 26. fol. 45. 46. Danaeus Isagog part 3. cap. 13. fol. 148. Bucan loc 41. Qu. 22 fol. 505. qu. 25. ibid. That contentions and strifes about things indifferent as rites and ceremonies are such as before are mentioned in particular to haue beene in the Primitiue Churches must not be raised in the Church Polanus symphon cathol cap. 49. thes 4. fol. 1234. cap. 47. thes 1. fol. 1212. cap. 48. thes 2. fol. 1227. Idem syntag lib. 9. cap. 29. fol. 4078. Zanch. de redemp cap. 19. fol. 696. That if there bee found any not pernitious dissimilitude of rites and ceremonies no man ought to be offended or to take scandall thereby or for this cause to reproach or to harme others or to bee the authour of Schisme or faction seeing the forme of Ecclesiasticall constitution was neuer heretofore one and the same neither yet is to this day Har. confess § 17. fol. 215. Heluet. poster That those persons doe grieuously sinne who for indifferent Ceremonies for the Churches edification do trouble the Churches or condemne other Princes Magistrates and Churches for that it is opposite both to pietie and charitie Zanch. de redemp cap. 19. fol. 697. That where there is a certaine forme of Ceremonies for the Churches edification ordained and receiued there vnitie in those Ceremonies must be retained of euery one and the Ecclesiasticall order must not be troubled or interrupted according to that of the Apostle 1. Cor. 1440. Zanch. confess cap. 24. § 15. fol. 211. That in Ceremonies of indifferent nature such as fasting c. euery faithfull person to auoid the giuing of offence is to follow the custome of the Church wherein hee is or to which hee commeth Polan symphon cathol cap. 47. thes 7. fol. 1226. That because wee are men and doe liue amongst men in the Church it is not meete that in humaine manners rites and traditions wee should bee found froward Let diuine things bee obserued as diuine and humane as humane so long as with a free and pure conscience they may bee kept Musculus Loc. part 2. de tradit § 6. fol. 31. That if any person wrangle and will bee more wise then he ought against a common established order let him looke how hee can giue a reason of his frowardnesse to God howbeit the saying of Paul should satisfie vs 1. Cor. 11. 16. wee haue no such custome neither the Churches of God Caluin instit 4. 10. 31. That things otherwise in themselues indifferent doe after a sort change or alter their nature when they are either commanded or forbidden by any lawfull authoritie Beza Epist. 24. fol. 143. That albeit Christian libertie hath taken away the yoke of the Law Ceremoniall and in steed thereof it is not lawfull for any mortall creature to lay or impose any other yoke yet the too licentious vse of things indifferent is by Gods word restrained both in generall by the law of charitie whereby wee are commanded to doe nothing which may scandalize our neighbour or omit any thing which may edifie him so farre as in our calling wee may as also in speciall by the politicke or Ecclesiasticall constitution so farre as the Churches gouerners vnder God doe iudge it profitable to the Commonwealth or Church and thereupon frameth a law Beza Epist 24. fol. 143. That such constitutions doe binde the conscience in as much as no man sciens prudens rebellandi animo witting and knowing with a minde of disobeying or in case of scandall may without sinne doe that which is so forbidden or omit that which is so commanded Beza Epist 24. fol. 143. Caluin institu 4. 10. 31. Harm confess § 17. fol. 230. 231. Sweu ibid. fol. 218. 224. Augustan And whereas it might bee here obiected that these writers doe speake of Ceremonies rightly established thus much they farther teach in generall That the Word and Sacraments are not administred rightly and exactly secundum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as altogether agreeing with the prescript of the Lord no not in all the world yet albeit they be not administred according to that exact rule and by reason of our frailtie cannot bee sodainely reformed yet may they bee so performed that they may be pleasing vnto God and healthfull to the Church yet so as the defect should bee lamented and acknowledged which point if it bee not granted there will bee no pure or true Church in all the world Vrsinus catech part 2. ad quaes 84. fol. 620. That albeit many euill things do goe along and be done yet these things are done by such as hinder reformation and by the disobedient not by such as wish and sue for amendment For blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Matth. 5. 6. that is which doe desire good things to be done in the Church which if they be not done it is not their fault they may in that case retaine a good conscience Vrsinus ibid. fol. 618. That euery Ceremonie or tradition haue some certaine causes for which and some certaine end to which they be ordained and therefore euery Ceremonie must bee so obserued of the faithfull that the obseruation thereof may answere to the reasons and may bee aimed to the fulfilling of the end And seeing there is a diuerse reason of traditions some seruing to faith some to pietie some to
Aharonicall garments but onely in obedience to the King his Maiestie and those with whom God hath left authoritie to determine of externall Rites of the Church yet according to Gods word and further that they doe it to auoid the scandall of troubling the publike order and agreement and last of all testifying to godly men that euery creature of God is good and therefore all Christians may vse such things godly howsoeuer others haue impiously abused them Idem ibid. in Epistol ad Cranmer fol. 682. Againe I can by no meanes affirme these garments by Antichrists abuse to bee so defiled that they are not to bee permitted to any Church notwithstanding that that Church knoweth and worshippeth Christ and withall knoweth and practiseth the Christian libertie of all things Neither doe I see any Scripture whereby I may defend this condemnation of the good creature of God Ibid. in Respons ad liter as Hooperi de re vestiariaÌ„ fol. 707. To make it impium perse an euill thing in nature for a man to vse these garments in Gods seruice in any respect I see no Scripture to permit or affirme so much ibid. fol. 709. § Againe I verely as I haue confessed vnto you and declared to our Countreymen had rather that no kind of vesture which the Papists vsed were reteined amongst vs for the more full detestation of the Antichristian Priesthood for plainer aduouching of Christian libertie for the auoyding of dangerous contention among the Brethren Yet I cannot be brought by any Scriptures as farre as to see hitherto to denie that the true Ministers of Christ his Church may vse without superstition and to a certaine edification of faith in Christ any of those vestures which the Antichristians abused Idem in Epist Io. Alasco at the ende of the examination a booke so named and written in answere of a booke called the vnfolding of the Popes attire Againe I know very many Ministers of Christ most godly men who haue vsed godly these vestures and at this day doe vse them So that I dare not for this cause ascribe vnto them any fault at all much lesse so hainous a fault as communicating with Antichrist For the which fault wee may vtterly refuse to communicate with them in Christ Ibid. Peter Martyr Seeing these garments are things in different and in themselues good they neither make any man godly nor wicked yet as you also thinke I iudge it rather expedient that these garments and other things of that kind be remooued when conueniently they may that matters of the Church may much more simply bee perfourmed Loc. com ad finem inter Epist. Amico fol. 1085. Againe the reasons by you Bishop Hooper alleadged perswade me not to holde the vse of these garments to bee pernitious or in their nature contrary to the word of God which I suppose to be altogether indifferent being not ignorant of this that things indifferent may sometimes be vsed and sometimes should bee remooued Ibid. Hoopero fol. 1086. Againe albeit I doe but slenderly approue these of garments yet I perceiue somtimes that some indifferent things albeit troublesome and burde some yet must needs bee borne with thus farre foorth as wee cannot doe otherwise lest if it be contended more bitterly then it ought to be it prooue to be an hinderance vnto the Gospel and by our vehement contention we teach those things to be impious which in their nature are indifferent Ibidem Againe surely to mee it should bee farre more pleasing as I haue often testified that wee might onely doe those things which Christ himselfe practised and deliuered to his Apostles Howbeit if some indifferent things be added such as the Surplesse I would not haue men too eagerly to contend about this matter especially when we see those by whom the light of the Gospel is much furthered in England and may yet more bee furthered to oppose themselueâ— to vs heerein Ibid. fol. 1085. Againe First I exhort that you withdraw not your selfe from your calling to the Bishopricke which is offered you in regard of the wonderfull penury of able Ministers Whence this mischieâ—e will come that if you that are the pillars of the Church pull backe and refuse to execute the Ecclesiasticall affaires both the Churches will bee distitute of faithfull Pastours and you shall giue toome to Wolues and Antichrists after Concerning the square Cappe and externall Apparrell of Bishops I suppose that it ought not much to bee disputed of seeing it is free from superstition and may haue a ciuill reason especially in this Kingdome of England Touching the holy Garments as they call them I wonder that they bee so strictly retained For I wish that all things in Gods worship may be perfourmed with greatest simplicitie Howbeit when I thinke with my selfe that if reconcilement in points of doctrine might be made betweene the Saxon Churches and ours there would be no separation for such garments as these For albeit wee like them not a whit yet wee would beare with their vse among them and gratulate our selues that wee haue abolishâ—d them Wherefore you may lawfully vse these garments either in preaching or in administring the Lords Supper yet so as you proceed to speake and teach against the inconuenience in the vse of them Idem ibid. fol. 1127. amico in Angliam Caluin of Bishop Hooper As I commend his constancy in refusing vnction and annealing so I had rather that hee had not so exceedingly contended de pileo veste linea about the square Cap and Surplesse Epist 120. fol. 217. Againe to Melancth To that you say the Magdeburg Ministers doe moue brawles about a linnen garment onely I see not whereto such brawles of theirs did appertaine or tend a little before It may be some will vrge some things as in contentions it came to passe will odiously ventilate some ceremonies wherein there is not so much euill as they pretend Epist. 17. fol. 213. Also although at first Caluin being demanded his iudgement de rebus adiaphoris of things indifferent in the Saxon Churches such as Surplesse c. did freely manifest his iudgement and admonish Melancthon whom some accused as to soft and too remisse for hee perswaded to conformitie rather then to suffer depriuation vt superius yet saith Beza they accused him immerito quidem very vndeseruedly as afterwards Caluin knew more thorowly For then it was not known with what intention that euill spirit and whole troope of Flaccians which perswaded rather to be depriued then conforme which after occasioned so many tumults and now saith Beza at this time doth hinder the worke of God against the Papists with that impudency and fury as if he had beene hired with large summes vnto it by the Pope of Rome Beza in vit Caluin anno 1540. Beza But if any man demand whether nothing at all of those things which are indifferent in themselues may bee retained at least for the sake of the weake and whether I thinke the ministry rather
357. 358. de politia Eccles l. 1. c. 10. fol. 57. 58. Gowlartius The ancient or Primitiue Christians did vse the figure of the Crosse without superstition because the doctrine of the merits of Christ preserued them from error which afterward crept in Annotat. in Cyprian lib. ad Demetr cap. 19. he calleth it a thing indifferent Annot. Cyprian Epist. 56. Master Perkins sheweth that the transient crosse that is the signe of the crosse made with the finger in the ayre was in common vse with the Primitiue and purer Church and was vsed as a simple rite as a signe of the externall profession of their faith and confidence in the Crosse that is the death of Christ and as a certaine monitory whereby they stirred vp their faith and that it was not adored or superstitiously vsed as among the Papists Problem tit signum crucis Sect. 1. 2. 3. fol. 83. 84. Touching kneeling in receiuing the Communion CHurches reformed Bohem Geneua The Bohemian confession touching the manner of their receiuing the Communion saith thus The faithfull members of our Church doe most vsually receiue this Sacrament in genua procumbentes kneeling on their knees with thankesgiuing ioyfulnesse and singing Psalmes Harm confess § 14. Bohem fol. 120. Low-country Churches In the administration of the Lords Supper let euery Church impose or vse such Ceremonies as they shall iudge to bee most expedient so they looke that the Ceremonies taken out of Gods word be not rashly changed and superstitions bee diminished Ex actis Synodalibus general inferior Germ. Middleburg anno 1581. Can. 45. apud Sculting Anachrys Hierarch lib. 9. Caluin being questioned of one whether hee might receiue the Supper of the Lord from the Lutheran teachers in whose Churches kneeling is vsed as appeareth before in the Bohem confes as also appeareth in admonitiō of T. C. fol. 84. In his answere to this question makes no difficulty in respect of kneeling but of their erroneous doctrine of consubstantiation and therefore insinuateth it vnlawfull to receiue nisi clara ingenua praecedat sanae doctrinae confessio In which case he alloweth the receiuing thereof notwithstanding their kneeling Epist 292. fol. 479. Bucer If you admit not this I doe not see how you can graunt any Church that it may celebrate the Lords Supper in the Morning and in an open Church consecrate to the Lord that the Sacraments may be distributed to men kneeling or standing yea to women as well as to men For we haue receiued of these things neither couenant of the Lord nor any example yea rather the Lord gaue a contrary example in these things in Epist ad Ioh. Alasco P. Martyr Neither doe I iudge that we ought immoderately to contend that rites and Ceremonies be the same and euery where obserued after the same manner But this must be looked vnto that they bee not repugnant to Gods word yea they ought to be squared vnto that as much as possible may be and to our vttermost indeuour edification and decent order should bee furthered which conditions if they be obserued it is nothing materiall whether we receiue the Lords Supper standing sitting or kneeleng so as the institution of Christ bee kept and occasion of superstition cut off Neither is it much to be respected while the Church receiueth the elements whether some place of holy Scripture be rehearsed openly or whether Psalmes and thankesgiuing be sung of the people Loc. com class 2. cap. 4. § 39. fol. 203. Againe concerning adoration how it may be vsed in receiuing the Sacraments I will say something namely in a cleere case For if ones minde bee applyed not to the elements but to the things signified adoration may lawfully bee interposed Therefore when the Sacraments are receiued the promises as perteining thereto if we adore the Lord by kneeling we doe not thereby testifie the reall and corporall presence of Christ in the Sacrament Idem in defen ad Gardiner de Eucharist part 1. ob 1. fol. 5. Beza Kneeling at Communion while the elements are receaued hath indeede a shew of Godly and Christian reuerence and therefore might heretofore be vsed cum fructu with some benefit yet because from this originall that same detestable bread worship did first arise and sticketh as yet in the mindes of many it seemeth worthily remoued in the Churches where they vse other gesture yet againe seeing this Ceremonie is not per se idololatrica idolatrous of it selfe wee iudge of it as wee did of the Surplesse and other foregoing Ceremonies Epist 12. fol. 100. namely that it is not of that moment as that for the refusall thereof the Ministers should leaue their Ministery or the people the Sacrament Ibid. fol. 98. in another place Epist 8. fol. 77. albeit hee hold it inconuenient yet he confesseth that it is not per se impium in it selfe impious Vrsinus To a question whether among them that defend Consubstantiation a man might lawfully receaue the Lords Supper he answereth thus seeing in those Churches the same foundation of saluation and the same Christ is taught as is in ours albeit some defects and blemishes doe sticke vpon their Sacraments and seeing the authoritie and vse of the Sacraments as also of the whole Ministrie dependeth not on the persons of the Ministers neither can their false opinions or sinnes hurt and preiudicate such as rightly doe vse Christs institution a man rightly informed may holily communicate with them on these conditions 1. If hee haue no more pure Ministrie in the place or about the place of his aboade or be driuen from the vse thereof against his will as now in these partes the communicating in the purer Churches is for bidden to the orthodoxe vnder paine of proscription 2. If he receaue not the Communion with them as a badge of approuing their error and disliking of the true doctrine as it is vsed saith he in the quarters of our neighbourhood 3. If before he come he make confession plainely and ingenuously without darkenesse and doubtfulnesse vnto the Ministers and know whether they will receiue him with this confession and acknowledge him as a member of the Church yeelding confession of the trueth to others also but professe it before all requiring of him a reason of his faith either in publike or in priuate If the Minister refuse him on these conditions let him abstaine if he admit him and there be obiected to him and layed before him his practise vitiosae Ceremoniae corrupt Cemonies false opinions scornings of the trueth by the aduersaries as if hee should be infected with some superstition thereby and that hee giueth scandall hereby to the weake which may suspect that he approueth their opinions and so may be confirmed also in these things It is answered thus that this is scandall taken not giuen if he who endureth this seruitude inioying in the meane while his Christian liberty doeth not omit the confession of the trueth vnto the Ministers and others and with all doe openly
we haue expounded namely of Ceremonies significatiue ordained by the Church not superstitiously but purely vsed This argument also hath Zanch. de redempt cap. 16. fol. 445. a. There is a great question saith hee in these our dayes about Ministeriall garments surely we read not that Christ and his Apostles did appoint any thing of this matter neither that they changed their garments either when they baptised or when they administerd the Lords Supper but neither did they forbid that men might not take other garments Wherefore it is liberum perse a matter free in it selfe to vse or not to vse other garments in the administration of the Sacraments Because if true Christians hauing the pure doctrine of Christ discipline in their Churches should enioine some speciall garment though abused by the Papists for the commendation of the Ministery to the simple people there is no Scripture forbidding a man to leaue such Christians to their iudgement But there are sundry Scriptures clearely teaching a man why he should leaue them to this their practise as Rom. 14. 1. Cor. 8. and 9. and many other places namely wheresoeuer we are taught of the libertie and good vse of the creatures not of meates onely but of all creatures else Hee giueth instance of a white garment vsed on the Baptized or Communicants of the Lords Supper Bucer Script Anglican fol. 708. Hoopero Because they which defend these things may pretend some honest and iust signification not strange from the Scriptures As touching the Surplesse the Ministers of the Church are Angels Mal. 3. 1. and the Angels alwayes for the most part appeared as apparelled in White garments Pet. Martyr loc fol. 1085. Hoopero Bucer will haue them signifie Caelestē puritatem candorē omniumque virtutū ornatū heauenly puritie and sinceritie and the ornament of all vertues Script Angl. fol. 682. so also fol. 707. 709. Againe What should let but that the Churches may vse this white Vesture or more Vestures to monish vs precisely of that diuine benefit of the light and dignitie of the heauenly doctrine which he giueth vs by the holy Ministery and by the which the Ministers themselues may bee the more mindful of their office c. Bucer in his Epistle to Io. Alasco at the end of the examination This reason also hath Zanch. Albeit a garment be a free thing saith he and numbred vp among matters indifferent yet for signification a linnen garment were more decent then a woollen for a Minister to vse in administring the Sacramēts for that it is the Impresse or type of innocencie and holinesse Hence in the Apocalyps white garments are giuen to the Saints Zanch. de redempt cap. 16. fol. 445. a. Because these Ceremonies are ancient and haue some good vse it was an old custome in the Church that such as administred the Sacraments should weare a white linen garment Zanch. ibid. ex Hieron cont Pelag. li. 1. The signe of the Crosse is vetustissima very ancient Beza Epi. 8. fol. 75. There was therfore some vse therof thogh since it hath bin horribly abused and there be small profit thereof Bez. Ep. 12. fol. 99. Kneeling at the Communiō hath a shew indeed of godly Christian reuerence and therefore might heretofore haue been vsed cum fructu with some profit ibid. fol. 100. Because if we proceed to disswade from these indifferent things as from pernicious and euill things we shall thereby condemne very many Churches not disagreeing from the Gospel and shall taxe too bitterly innumerable Churches which haue euer and are of old celebrated as most commendable and approued P. Mart. loc fol. 1086. Hoopero If agreemēt in doctrine might be procured between the Saxon or Lutheran Churches and ours there would be no separation made for Surplesses or Ceremonies of the like nature ib fol. 1127. Bucer hath also this reason If there be no liberty granted to the Churches of ordeining Ceremonies about the Lords Supper whereof they haue not the expresse commandement of Christ By this meanes will all Churches be condemned impiae audaciae of impious boldnesse For all Churches doe obserue in the Supper of the Lord such a time place and habit or site of body and besides doe admit womē to the Cōmunion of all which things they haue not onely no commandement of the Lord but they haue also his contrary example For our Lord did celebrate his Supper at night not in the morning in a priuate house not in a publike leaning with his Apostles and after the receiuing of the Pascall lambe notwithstanding Also hee admitted not the women among whom he had sundry his most holy Disciples Bucer Scrip. Anglic. fol. 807. 809. To this reason Pet. Martyr moueth an obiection The Church authority present or past ought not to be of that force that the truth of Gods Word be thereby wronged which albeit the world do fall about our eares in peeces ought to be kept inviolable It is true sed propter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but for things indifrent I am resolute that by no meanes we may admit that either Churches should be condemned or that wee should lesse reuerently or honestly speake of them Ibid. fol. 1086. Because we must take heed lest these things which be of lesse importance through our contention may be the meanes or occasions that those things which should be esteemed of greater force and valew either cannot at all be brought vnto the Church or if they be once brought in they cannot be established with continuance Peter Martyr ibid. 1086. Because we must take heed of Satans accustomed sleights whereby he leadeth vs away from the care of necessary things to the immoderate carefulnesse of those things which may well be let passe and from searching out of the true doctrine of Christ to induce vs to those things wherein few can consent alike and finally by the which he kindleth in diuers men a zeale to purge those things which are without vs thereby to neglect our inward deformities Bucer Epist. ad Ioan. Alasco After at the ende of that Epistle This coulorable craft of Satan must be taken heed of by which often he effecteth this that wee reckon those things sinnes which are no sins and those that bee sinnes indeede wee seeme not to regard them in our selues or else against those sinnes which our consciences define to bee sinnes indeede we vse no such seuerity as we ought Because we should in this Realme take most godly heedfulnesse that wee further not vnawares the Diuels intents who throweth in among vs sundry questions and controuersies least wee should take in hand to handle the question of setting forward the doctrine of the Gospel and restoring of discipline and thereby to remoue all drones from Ecclesiasticall Ministeries Bucer in Ep. Io. Alascco Because things in themselues otherwise indifferent doe after a sort change or alter their nature when as by any command of lawfull authority they be either commanded or forbidden because they may not
be yeelded to the weaker and that for a time namely vntill they be taught the truth For if after that the truth is sufficiently and cleerely laide abroad vnto them so as being conuicted they haue nothing more what they may obiect and yet will notwithstanding sticke in doubt sure their infirmity is not to be nourished by their dissembling with them or winking at them For this is rather strong obstinacy then weakenesse Deredemp cap. 17. fol. 493. Beza in a case of depriuation aduiseth to conforme yet before they conforme hee thus counselleth them That both the Pastor and the flocke sinne not against their conscience presupposing the puritie of doctrine to be left entire We perswade the Pastors that after they haue freed their conscience both before the Kings Maiestie and the Bishops by a modest as it becommeth Christians to be free from all tumult and sedition and yet weighty protestation according as the greatnesse of the case requires they then doe openly presse vnto their flockes those things which doe tend to take away the offence arising from conformity and doe withall discreetly and peaceably giue diligent indeauour for the amendment of these abuses as the Lord shall offer occasion and so to conforme Epist 12. fol. 99. Cartwright The offence in occasioning the weake to fall and the wicked to be confirmed in their wickednesse is one of the fowlest spots cast vpon the Surplesse But when it is laid in the scales with the preaching of the word of God which is so necessary for him that is called thereunto that a woe hangeth on his head if hee doe not preach it it is of lesse importance then for the refusall of it wee should let goe so necessary a duety As for that which is vttered against the offence it is as the rest of this disputation to shew how inconueniently such things are established not that they may not in any respect be borne with In the vse of those indifferent things and abstaining from them wee are so straitly bound to haue regard vnto the weake brother as no Magistrate is able to loose the knot of that bond But where offences cannot otherwise be redeemed then by leauing that vndone which the Lord himselfe hath not left free vnto vs but cast a yoke of necessary seruice vpon vs there the case is otherwise For if the Prince vpon declaration of the inconuenience of such Ceremonies and humble suite for the release of them will nothing loose of the coard of this seruitude for my part I see no better way then with admonition of them thereunto to keepe on the course of feeding the flocke committed vnto him This is in few words my simple iudgement of the matter of this apparell and such like ceremonies In the rest of his second reply fol. 262. 263. Sarauia To the obiection that the Papists will be confirmed in their most damnable will-worships by the vse of these ceremonies 1. This is denied for two causes First for the publique contrary doctrine which challengeth and reproueth those which professe the vse of these ceremonies for superstition Secondly for the Publique authority which as is knowen to all doth forbid the Subiects of eating of flesh and commandeth other things not for that end which the Pope intendeth For there is great difference betweene those things which are performed by way of obedience to publicke authority and those things which are superstitiously assumed to be done by priuate councell There was a controuersie among the Primitiue Christians about the obseruation of legall ceremonies Some thought that euery kinde of foode was sanctified others beleeued the contrary They which thought rightly might eate of strangled meate and of blood and it was superstition for them to abstaine of conscience Neither could any man make a Law vnto himselfe of abstaining from strangled meate and blood more then from swines flesh But after that it was vpon good aduice established by the authority of the Church not to confirme any man in a false opinion that such as were conuerted from Paganisme vnto the faith of Christ should abstaine from strangled meate and blood that which to doe on a mans priuate councell had been a sinne was made to be godly by the authority of the Churches constitution Defens de diuers grad ministr cap. 25. fol. 580. 581. 2. Touching the scandall of the weake by the vse of these ceremonies which is obiected it cannot take place against a publicke law to the which priuate persons ought not to preferre their iudgement but subiect it according to the publicke doctrine and profession as well of the Magistrates as of the chiefe gouernors of the Church Ib. f. 851. 3. Touching the Papists scandall Small regard is to be had of them in this Kingdome their error can admit of no excuse after so many yeeres preaching of the Gospell Paganisme being abolished and the Idoles with their worship being cast out the Idolothytes or things offred Idoles did cease Euen so the Pope being cast out and renounced there ceaseth whatsoeuer he brought in and polluted in asmuch as those things which are done this day with vs at the Princes command or for obedience sake vnto our Lawes whereas withall sound and Christian doctrine flourisheth of the grace of God and mans merits such Ceremonies and actions cannot bee compared neither with the eating of a thing offred to Idoles neither with Popish will-worship c. Ibid. fol. 582. Obiect Bishop Hooper By the strict pressing and obedience to these Ceremonies Christian libertie will bee infringed and broken Peter Martyr The endangering of our Christian libertie will bee preuented if such Ceremonies as bee restored bee not so respected as if they were necessary to obtaine saluation and againe if wee doe so beare with such matters as these are that when they seeme to bee lesse profitable they may bee remoued Loc. fol. 1087. Hoopero Beza Albeit the Christian liberty hath taken away the yoke of the Ceremonial law and insteed therof it is not lawful for any mortal man to put another yoke yet the too promiscuous vse of things indifferent is lawfully restrained both in generall and in speciall In generall it is restrained by the law of charitie which is vniuersall that is respecting all persons and things and carefully bewaring that nothing otherwise indifferent and lawfull be done whereby ones neighbour be destroyed and that nothing be omitted whereby he may be edified But here two cautions must be presupposed one that whatsoeuer may and ought to bee done or omitted ought alway to bee iudged by the word of God the other that euery man haue a respect vnto his calling thus are we to vnderstand that of the Apostle I am made all things to all men In speciall if the vse of things indifferent be restrained by a constitution whether politicke or Ecclesiasticall For albeit God onely bindeth the conscience porperly yet so farre forth as either the Magistrate which is the Minister of God doeth iudge it to bee
would euer practise or command those things after that they were growne so bad after that hee had seene iust cause to inueigh against them and condemne them in that manner To this purpose also the Apostles resolution in not suffering Titus to be circumcised when hee saw what an abuse that Ceremonie was growen vnto and how dangerous an effect was like to follow it if hee had yeelded vnto it maketh very strongly notwithstanding any thing that hee would seeme to say to the contrary in his answere to the sixt obiction as shall further appeare in the discussing of the fourth point that hath bene obserued in the confirmation of this his assumption 3. If it were granted that the Ceremonies which the Apostles vsed and appointed had bin notoriously knowen to haue beene subiect to so great abuse of some and to haue had in them so euill effects euen before or at that time and in those places also where the Apostles inioyned them yet could not this haue proued them euery way as inconuenient and euill as ours are For ours are said and sufficiently proued also as they suppose who haue suffered depriuation or suspension for this cause to bee euill not onely because they haue beene grossely abused and very euill effects haue followed the vse of them for so much may be said also of some of Gods owne ordinances but for that they neuer were good nor can euer serue to any good vse Those as they were at the first the ordinances of God so they are here said by Maister Spr. to haue beene still inioyned to certaine Churches by the Apostles which if it be so then could no abuse that obstinate Iewes or other wicked men had put them vnto make the vse of them either vnlawfull or inconuenient vnto the faithfull that by Apostolicall that is diuine authoritie were required to vse them And here fitly commeth to bee examined whether that bee true which is affirmed by him in his second reason which he brings for the proofe of this point viz. that nothing in substance is obiected against our Ceremonies which might not haue been said aswell against those which the Apostles and Churches of their times did vse In handling of this point as he hath left out much of the force and substance of euery argument which in the Abridgement the booke which himselfe quoteth are set downe against our Ceremonies so hath hee affirmed much more against them which the Apostles then vsed then he is able to iustifie and make good The trueth is that though euery one of those foure arguments doth strike to the heart the ceremonies of our Church yet is there neuer a one of them that doth giue the least touch vnto those which the Apostles and Churches then did vse For first Ours are humane inuentions notoriously knowen to haue been of olde and still to bee abused to idolatry and superstition by the Papists and yet of no necessary vse in the Church Theirs as they were at first by diuine institution so were they not at that time when they vsed them notoriously knowen to haue been abused either to idolatrie or to the confirmation of false and pernicious doctrine and were at that time of necessary vse and though they had been neuer so much abused and had beene also in any other of no necessary vse yet because they were vsed by warrant of Apostolicall and diuine authoritie this first argument toucheth them not at all hee doth indeede denie all this and quoteth Scripture to proue that they were humane inuentions of no necessary vse and abused to superstition But it hath beene already shewed that all these Scriptures are misunderstood and applied by him no more shal need to be said for the conuincing of him in this point when that himselfe cleerely and strongly contradicting himselfe hath both elsewhere in this argument and euen in this very place affirmed For were they humane inuentions which himselfe here sayth were practised and taught by direction of the holy Ghost were they of no necessary vse which he in the proofe of his first proposition of his first argument Num. 8. affirmes to haue bin commanded by the Apostles as matters good and necessary in that case and brings for proofe thereof Act. 15. 28. 2. Ours are humane Ceremonies appropriated to Gods seruice and ordained to teach spirituall duties by their mysticall signification Theirs as they were not appropriated to Gods seruice so neither were they vsed or appointed by the Apostles to bee vsed for mysticall signification or if they had yet seeing as hath before beene shewed they were not humane Ceremonies this argument doth not concerne them It is true indeed that they were in their first institution significatiue and mysticall and thus much the places quoted by him here viz. Col. 2. 16. 17 Heb. 8. 5. 9. 8 23 10. 1. do proue But that either the Apostles vsed them or ordained them that they might teach some spirituall dutie by their mysticall signification that hee hath not so much as indeauoured to proue And surely if Paul did vse circumcision as a Sacrament Acts 16. 3. then by the force of Master Spr. argument heere which maintaineth it lawfull for vs to doe now what the Apostles or Churches in their time did it may be concluded that it is lawfull for vs to vse in Gods seruice other Sacraments then those which God hath ordained 3. Ours being but humane Ceremonies are esteemed imposed and obserued as parts of Gods worship Theirs cannot be proued to be obserued by them much lesse imposed vpon them as parts of Gods worship and if they had yet because they were not humane Ceremonies this argument maketh nothing against them For what is this to the purpose that heere hee takes vpon him to prooue That the Iewes esteemed imposed and obserued them as necessarie to saluation Acts 15. 1. 5 That the zealous Iewes were violently offended with Paul for teaching that Christians ought not to circumcise their children and to liue after the legall customes Acts 21. 27 That the Apostles ordained them as good and necessary Act. 15. 28. 29 That the Apostle conformed himselfe vnto them for their sakes and in their presence that esteemed them as worships of God Acts 15. 1. 5. 16. 3. 21. 26 Seeing the question betweene vs is not heere whether the Iewes obserued and imposed Ceremonies as bad as ours but whether the Apostles or any Church by their appointment did so Did the Apostles or any of them whose conformity of Ceremonies is now in question betweene vs vse any Ceremony as imposed by those Iewes he speaketh of here And what though the Apostles called those things that by their decree was inioyned good and necessary will it follow from thence that they imposed them as parts of Gods worship or can nothing be good and necessary but that which is a part of Gods worship Though the superstitious estimation the people among whō they are vsed haue of them be
obiected by the ministers in the abridgement that iustly and materially against our ceremonies Yet doth not the maine forces of this third argument lye in that but in this rather that though they be but humane Ceremonies yet they that inioyne them doe esteeme and impose them as partes of the worshippe of God which puts a manifest difference betweene them and the Ceremonies that were vsed by the Apostles or any Church by their appointment 4 In the imposing and vsing of ours those rules that are prescribed in the Word for matters of direction in the Church concerning Ceremonies are not kept For they are no way needfull or profitable for the edification of the Church but are knowne to cause offence euery where and hinderance vnto edification and are obserued only for the will and pleasure of them that doe inioyne them Theirs though they were vsed and appointed by them who had more farre absolute authority and might lawfully haue commanded in the Church of God specially doing that they did by the inspiration of the holy Ghost yet were they also squared directed by the rules of the holy Scripture and were no way offensiue but tended greatly to the edification of Gods people And how often hath Master Spr. affirmed in the prosecuting of this argument that they were profitable and necessary and alleadged for proofe thereof Acts 15. 28. 29. though heere as forgetting himselfe hee doe deny it Yea this very Section heere wherein hee takes vpon him to prooue they were not needfull or profitable they serued rather to destroy then to edifie the Church he concludes with this clause Yet their vse and yeelding serued to edifie by making way to the Churches peace and furtherrnce of the Gospel And this vaine of contradicting himselfe he taketh such pleasure in as he continueth it to the end of his discourse wherein he laboreth to proue that the fourth argument against the Ceremonies in the abridgement maketh as strongly against the Apostles as against our Church They were not profitable for order saith he in the beginning of that Section and in the conclusion of it affirmes yet it was order to vse and practise them in that case And in the beginning of the next Section hauing said they were not profitable for decency for what was more vndecent then for a Christian to vse idle vnfruitfull needlesse and beggarly rudiments by and by he addes yet did this indecency vphold an higher decency Which last phrase of speech besides the contradiction is very hard to be vnderstood for how can indecency support decency or in what sense can the establishment of the faith and the dayly increase of the number of the Churches bee termed a higher decency or how could the indecency of these Ceremonies establish the faith and increase the Churches After this in going about to shew that they were offensiue many wayes in the fift Section hee saith that in the euent they did serue indeede as meanes to infringe the Christian liberty and immediately after yet the vse and practise of these things by the direction of the Apostles did procure the liberty of the Gospell So that if M. Spr. himselfe be to be beelieu'd euery indifferent and vnderstanding man will easily discerne that the 4. Argument which the Ministers haue vsed against our ceremonies in the abridgement doth not any way concerne those which the Apostles did vse And surely it would be altogether needlesse to insist longer vpō this part of this his Discourse but that there is one thing affirmed by him which may not be passed ouer For noting this to be the 4. way whereby those ceremonies were offensiue that the Apostles themselues were offended in imposing that they did hee addeth that they taught against the things which they inioyned that namely they ought not to be vsed by the Iewes or Gentiles It is strange any learned or Godly man should so farre forget himselfe as to charge the holy Apostles to haue inoyned the faithfull to vse those things which themselues did teach ought not to be vsed either by Iewes or Gentiles specially when the text expresly saith that what they inioyned they inioyned by the direction of the Holy Ghost The place he citeth to proue this that he saith viz. Act. 21. 21. doth not affirme that Paul had taught so indeed but that the Iewes had been so informed of him and by Iames his words vers 24. it appeares also that information was false And if this which he speaketh of the Apostles preaching this against that which they did so decree were to be belieued which God forbid what had hee gained by it surely that there could be no force in this example or decree to bind vs in conscience to vse those things which they in their doctrine did teach ought not to be vsed by any Christian And so this his first Argument wherein he hath laboured so much and with so great confidence is by himselfe vtterly ouerthrowen The third maine point in cōfirmation of the assumption of his first Argument is this That the Apostles by diuine inspiration and commandement from God required the Churches to vse so many Ceremonies and such as were as inconuenient and euill as ours are supposed to bee That whatsoeuer the Apostles did inioyne the Churches they did it by diuine inspiration commandement from God is so vndoubted a truth as he needed not at all to haue troubled himselfe in the confirmation of it it being so hard to find any scholler that would so much gainsay or call this in question as hee himselfe hath sometimes done in this Treatise All the question in this point is Whether euer the Apostles did inioyne vnto whole Churches so many Ceremonies as ours are and those also as inconuenient and euill as ours are This he goeth about to prooue after this manner They caused others to practise ceremonies for Paul circumcised Timothie Act. 16. 3. and tooke the men and was purified with them Act. 21. 26. They aduised one another to practise ceremonies for Iames and the Elders perswaded Paul thus to conforme Acts. 21. 23. 24. They inioyned or commanded the practise of Ceremonies for thus did the Councill at Ierusalem Act. 15. 28. 29. This constitution is called the decrees that were ordained by the Apostles and Elders Act. 16. 4. and the determination of the Apostles Act. 21. 25. and this commaundement they gaue to whole Churches of diuers and farre distant countreys and Nations namely to the Gentiles in Antiochia Siria and Cilicia Act. 15. 23. and afterwards he addes that the Ceremonies that they did thus cause others to practise aduise one another to practise inioyne whole Churches to practise were as inconuenient and euill as ours both for number nature and euill effects For answere vnto all this First it were sufficient to say That he hath not performed that which he hath vndertaken because hee prooues not that the Apostles inioyned so many Ceremonies as wee haue in our Church or that
any one of those Ceremonies which hee saith they did inioyne were as inconuenient and euill as ours are And for this point hee is to be referred to that which hath beene answered vnto the two former partes of his Assumption 2. Though he had proued that they did inioyne vnto some one or some few persons such Ceremonies as were both for number and for nature as bad as ours yet vnlesse hee had shewed that they had inioyned them vnto whole Churches hee hath not concluded that which he tooke in hand And therefore that which hee brings of Pauls circumcising of Timothy or Iames perswading Paul to purifie himselfe is nothing to the purpose 3. Hee hath not proued nor euer will bee able to doe that the Apostles did ioyne the practise of any one of those Ceremonies to any one Church or to any one person eitheir by inspiration of the Holy Ghost For as for circumcision of Timothy though it be true that Paul did it did it well yet it would be a harsh speach and vniustifieable to say that he compelled or inioyned or commanded Timothy to be circumcised And for that which Iames and the Elders said to Paul concerning his purifying besides that it cannot hastily bee called a commandement or iniunction because no Church or Apostle had so much authority ouer Paul as to command him any thing 2. Cor. 11. 5. Gal. 2. 6. 9. Maister Spr. knoweth well that some are ‖ Magdaburg Centurion 1. lib. 2. p. 603. Gualt in act 21. hom 139. Zanch. de red p. 491. b. great Diuines who haue plainely affirmed that Iames and the Elders did ill in pressing Paul so farre in this matter †Caluin in act 21. 22. 23. others stand in doubt whether they did well in it or no sure it is hee can neuer soundly proue either out of this or any other place of Scripture that they did it by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost or commandement of God The place which hee puts most confidence in for the proofe of this third point is Acts 15. for there we read indeed of a decree sent by the Apostles vnto sundry Churches and that decree was made by the inspiration or direction of the Holy Ghost But to this place it may bee answered that things mentioned in this decree were so farre from being so many Ceremonies or so bad as ours are which hee must still bee put in minde that hee should haue proued that in very deed they were no Ceremonies at all neither euer came into the minde or purpose of the Apostles when they made that decree to inioyne the vse of any Ceremonies to the Churches For to omit this that the meere abstaining and forbearing the vse of many things can with no good shew of reason bee called the vse or practise of a Ceremonie though the abstinence from bloud strangled were once a ceremoniall dutie while the law was in force yet it was now inioyned by the Apostles to the Gentiles not as a ceremoniall but as a morall dutie that they should absteine from their libertiy in the vse of these indifferent things when they saw the vse of them would offend their weake brother And surely seeing the reason and end of this abstinence was not any such misticall signification as it had vnder the law but onely to auoide the offence of the Iew it could no more bee called a Iewish Ceremony then if either out of a naturall loathing of those meates or respect had to their health or some such like consideration they had forborne the same Neither let Mr. Spr. thinke it strange that the same thing which being cōmanded in the law was a Ceremonie should now being commanded by the Apostles alter the nature and become no Ceremonie Let him consult with the best Diuines and Interpreters of the Scripture and he shall finde that though circumcision was a Sacrament vnder the Law yet Timothy his circumcision Caluin in Act. 16. 3. was no Sacrament and that all the Ceremonies of the law were so abrogated by the death of Christ as that though some vse of them did remaine for a time yet they did no longer belong to the worship of God nor were figures of spirituall things nor were obserued in conscience of obedience to the ceremoniall law In which things consisteth the very life and essence of a Iewish Ceremonie and without which nothing can in good propriety of speach bee called a Ceremonie But what neede any more bee said of this matter when the Apostles themselues speaking of this decree affirme that they that said the Gentiles ought to keepe the law did in saying so seeke to subuert their soules that they had written and concluded that the beleeuing Gentiles should obserue no such thing as vowing shauing of the head purifying c. saue only that they keepe themselues from things offered to idols and from blood and from strangled and from fornication By which wordes also they doe plainely intimate that this abstinence which they inioyne in this decree was no such thing but of another kinde and nature as vowing purifying shauing of the head offering c. and consequently was not inioyned by them as any Ceremony of Moses Law The fourth and last point in the confirmation of his assumption is this that the Apostles and Churches were moued thus to enioyne and practise such Ceremonies so many so inconuenient and euill vpon reasons of no greater weight then the auoiding of depriuation is with vs. This hee prooueth by specifying the causes and reasons that moued the Apostles to practise and enioyne those Ceremonies which hee sayth were these three First for the beleeuing Iewes that they might not bee offended nor occasioned to turne backe to Iudaisme Acts 16. 1 3. and 21. 20 21 24. Secondly for the vnbeleeuing Iewes that they might be wonne to the Gospel and saued 1 Cor. 9. 20 22. and 10. 32 33. Thirdly to auoyd the persecution of the malicious Iewes and so to redeeme the libertie of the ministerie which otherwise was like to be indangered Act. 21. 22 27 28 30 31 32. For answere vnto all this it may be said that if the Apostles had practised inioyned such as are euill Ceremonies as ours are they had farre greater reason so to doe then the auoiding of depriuation is with vs. For first as their ministery was of more great excellencie then ours whether we respect the extraordinary gifts wherewith they were indued or the wonderfull power of God which did accompany them and giue successe and fruit to their labours so the redeeming of the liberty of their ministery if that were any cause as he here supposeth it was was and ought to haue been of much more weight to moue them to doe as they did then the continuance of vs in our ministery can be to perswade vs to the vse of our Ceremonies What one Minister of the Gospel is there that dare to bee so presumptuous as to say that his preaching and
ministery can bee of that necessity and vse for the glory of God and good of his Church as was the ministery of any Apostle The worke whereunto the Lord hath called and separated the Apostles viz. the planting of the Church and preaching of the Gospel to all nations was such as could not haue beene performed by any other but the Apostles alone But in the depriuation of our Ministers that refuse conformitie there is no such danger and of their preaching there can bee no such necessitie imagined though they preach not the Gospel is preached stil and that soundly and fruitfully And how then can Master Spr. say that the auoiding of depriuation with vs is a reason either superior or aequiualent vnto that which mooued the Apostles to doe as they did if hee had said there is great similitude and analogie betweene these two cases he had spoken probably but to maintaine a paritie betweene them he hath no colour of reason at all 2. The Apostles in vsing and inioyning those Ceremonies might bee well assured that they should greatly further the successe of the Gospel thereby the beleeuing Iewes would bee preserued from Apostasie the vnbeleeuing many of them would be gained and that they should not onely obtaine libertie and freedome for their Ministerie by this meanes among the Iewes but that the very vsing of these things would edifie them Now our Ministers haue no reason that is either Superior or aequiualent vnto this to perswade them to the vse of our Ceremonies for they cannot be assured that the vsing of our Ceremonies would doe any good at all no they are well assured by many reasons long experience that they would doe much hurt euery way both vnto the belieuer and to him that is not yet called to the faith And should not he thinke you haue great cause to brag of this bargaine who after that he had purchased the liberty of his ministry by yeelding vnto conformity should finde euer after a wofull experience that he hath done much more hurt by his conformity then good by his ministry 3. The Apostles in vsing inioyning those Ceremonies if they had enioyned any and the Churches also in obseruing them by their appointment if any such thing had bin were well assured in their consciences they did that which was not onely lawfull but necessary for them to doe and that they had sinned if they had not done so for they had diuine authority to warrant command to do as they did Will Master Spr. say that the auoiding of depriuation with vs is a reason either superiour or equiuolent vnto this our Ministers can discerne no such warrant for the vse of our ceremonies but are fully assured they haue this commandement expresly to the contrary And will any man perswade them that for the auoiding of depriuation or a far greater penalty though indeede that be very great they may do a thing which they are assured is euil in the sight of the Lord. For a conclusion to this answere vnto his first maine argument it shall not be amisse to set downe and repeat sundry materiall differences betweene the case of the Apostles and Churches in their times and ours now 1. They vsed such Ceremonies only as both at the first were diuine ordinances and the vse whereof was warranted vnto them by diuine authority We are required to vse such as are inuentions not humane onely but Antichristian 2. They vsed them in this perswasion of their conscience that they might in that case and ought to be vsed neither did they euer inioyne them to any that held them vnlawfull ours are imposed vpon such as are perswaded in their conscience they cannot vse them without sinne 3. They vsed them but once or twice vpon extraordinary occasion we are required to vse ours constantly and continually in the ordinary exercise of our ministery 4. They neuer vsed them but when they saw euidently that the vse of them would preuent scandall and tend vnto edification we are required to vse ours though we see euidently the vse of them would hinder edification and giue offence many waies ¶ A Reply to the Answere of my first Reason for Conformitie in case of Depriuation LEst the answeres of my reasons should hold me void of charity which is not suspitious or to be carried on with euill surmising I will omit that sending an answere to me which am the second person from them they giue answere as to a third Neither will I insist vpon the Ironies which may seeme too palpable among godly minds needed not especially in disquisition of a truth of so great consequence Onely I put my brethren and my selfe in minde for our better prosecuting of this question that piety is meeke and gentle equalling her selfe to the lower sort it scorneth not such as are differing from it in iudgement it is not prouoked to anger but in euidence and demonstration of the truth approueth her selfe to euery mans conscience in the sight of God Now as there is none end of making many bookes so Gods wisedome should instruct vs by contention not to leingthen controuersies for which cause I haue purposed to be short in reply Touching the Preface or generall answere made before the Answere to particulars it might as I suppose haue been well spared as being to small purpose and quite besides the point in question For 1. The Answerers could not be ignorant and my Conclusion drift in handling matter manner whole course of prosecuting in euery Argument doe plainely stretch no farther then to enforce Conformity in case of Depriuation Therfore this caution is but a voluntary and studious wandring from the question Neither doe these arguments labour to make the world beleeue that all depriued Ministers haue sinned in suffring Depriuation but so many onely as for not conforming haue suffred depriuation Therefore this speech of theirs is either an vntrue surmise or a scornefull Ironie 2. Though the Answerers should bee ignorant that any Minister should suffer Depriuation for onely refusing to conforme yet all the faithfull Ministers of these our parts doe know the contrary of sundry my selfe doe know it of my selfe and others And who can be ignorant that diuers Ministers haue been depriued only for not conforming by inditements at Assise and Sessions as well as by the Bishops and doe perpetually stand liable to that censure and is a cause ouer-ruled as appeareth in the Lo. Cookes reports Againe it is well knowen that for these later 5. or 6. yeeres subscription hath not been vrged to Incumbents or setled Ministers but meere conformity And Bishops haue acknowledged being put in minde by men of learning in the Lawes that they could not vrge Subscription either by vertue of the Statute or the booke of Canons to such as were already placed and setled in their charges It was therefore vnaduisedly and vntruely affirmed to say no more that M. Sprint surely bestowed his time very ill and spent a
saluation by the Papists so were those practised by the Apostles esteemed by the Iewes yet the Apostles vsed them in case of necessity and so may wee these in the like case Secondly Abridg. fol. 38. I euer held it as an argument vrged by the depriued Ministers to perswade to the disuse of our Ceremonies that being in themselues needlesse a man hauing no necessity to vse them there is occasioned the stumbling of the weak by them the Papists and ignorant peoples abuse and opinion of Gods worship In which respect the practise of the Iewish Ceremonies might apparantly be taxed had it not beene in a case of superiour reason For the practise of them was in that case good necessary notwithstanding whatsoeuer abuse or offence might haue bin taken thereat so that they were done first voluntarily and not pressed on there conscience as Gods worships secondly on iust occasion as to redeeme the preaching of the Gospell and to win soules to Christ The fourth and last kinde of difference alleadged by my Brethren betweene our Ceremonies and the ceremonies of Apostolicall practise and iniunction of the rules prescribed in the word for the direction of the Church in the matters of ceremony which are not kept in the imposing and vsing of our Ceremonies as my Brethren say but were in those others by the Apostles First they say they are no way needefull which may be vnderstood either in respect of inioyning by our Gouernours or of practising by our Ministers In the inioyning of them againe we may consider the inioyning of them in their first plantation or for the present The inioyning of them in the first plantation in King Edwards dayes of what necessity it was it might easily be collected if we either consider the nature of coacted Churches gathered and reformed by authority of Princes where the most are worst and of how great difficulty it is to reforme all disorders at the first in comparison of Churches gathered by voluntary coition where all being willingly assembled will also willingly vnite their thoughts and proceedings to the best and this is one maine reason of the different degrees of reformation of different Churches This Church of England therefore being a coacted Church it is easie to imagine of what difficulty it was to reforme all things at the first where the most part of the Priuy Counsel of the Nobility Bishops Iudges Gentry people were open or close Papists where few or none of any countenance stood for religion at the first but the Protector and Cranmer Wherefore howsoeuer those worthy persons were sollicited and stirred vp by Caluins letters howsoeuer they laboured at the first and did what in them lay desiring to doe more as appeareth in the Preface of the common prayer Booke in the Rule before Commination howsoeuer they refined the booke of Common prayer in an 5. 6. Edwardi yet necessity compelled them there to stay The generall reasons whereof are excellently obserued and set downe by Zepperus which elsewhere I haue cited in my reasons Now if we looke to the present iniunction of our Ceremonies it is not for me to contest with authority or to call her to account for her proceedings she pretendeth necessity of enioyning them that omnis mutatio est periculosa plena scandalis and therefore also must be obserued for the only will and pleasure of such as inioyne them Now if authority on these or other like grounds will haue the Ceremonies practised or else will proceede to Depriuation there is heere an ineuitable necessity of conforming in the Ministers in which respect Conformity is simply needefull In this sense also though the ceremonies themselues be supposed to be smally profitable yet conformity to them in this case of necessity is most profitable for the edification of the Church though it bee denied by my Brethren And howsoeuer it may be granted that offence and hinderance to edification doe arise from these our Ceremonies yet it is certaine that there is no shew of comparison betweene the offence and hinderance of the peoples edification arising from the practise of the Ceremonies and the suffring of Depriuation for not conforming by euery Minister which my Brethren in their argument doe teach Now for the Iewish ceremonies to omit my Brethrens repetition of Appstolicall authority as being dealt withall before they say they were squared and directed by the rules of the holy scripture But to vnderstand this better we must needs distinguish betweene the different respects wherein wee may consider them first in their nature and then in their practise and then againe as it was needlesse or constrained or occasioned by iust reason of necessity for the furtherance of the word and good of the Church In their nature they were fruitlesse vnprofitable empty burdensome and most indecent Also in their needlesse vse they were not needfull or profitable they serued rather to destroy then edifie They were not profitable for order or decency they tended to infringe the Christian liberty and they were so farre from hauing no offence in them that they were aboue measure scandolous all which I haue so proued to my Brethren in my first and second reasons of this my first argument that though they deny and wonder yet they meddle not with any proofe thereof knowing that the very citation of the place would confute them But in their constrained vse or vse occasioned by reasons of necessity forealleadged that conformity to these Ceremonies was profitable necessary seruing to edifie by making way vnto the Churches peace and preaching of the Gospel it was ordered to vse them and this vse of the practise of indecent Ceremonies in nature did vphold one higher decency euen the decency of Apostolicall preaching conuerting soules planting of Churches and vnitie of brethren and thus that paradoxe or riddle is absolued which my brethren thought impossible to bee belieued that an indecency supported decency which if they had called to their remembrance they might haue seene how this fourth argument of the abridgement against our Ceremonies doeth very fitly square to those which the Apostles vsed Yet one thing remameth to bee considered which so much offendeth my brethren that they scarce hold it possible for a godly or learned man to hold namely to charge the holy Apostles first that they were offended in imposing that they did and secondly that they taught against the things which they iniòyed that namely they ought not to bee vsed by the Iewes or Gentiles But to the first I say that if it were necessitie that moued the Apostles to inioyne abstinence from bloud and strangled which were legall Ceremonies for they are called necessary things fol. 15. 28. yea without that necessitie they would not haue inioyned them if without necessitie vrging they would not haue inioyned them yea they must needes bee vnwilling and loth to doe that which without necessitie they would not doe If they were loth to doe it then they must needes