Ceremonies Protestants answer As if the inspiration of God did not make God the author of the fact as well as the command expressed in his word Otherwise it were lawful for the Papists to conclude by the same reason that they have authority to institute new Sacrifices and Sacraments Bellarmine replies and saith That the Congregation made a new Feast Esth 9. 1. Mac. 4. Protestants answer That the first was political the second was to be disallowed Bellarmine saith the Apostles instituted a new Ceremony Act. 15. Protestants answer That there was no new ceremony instituted but a respect to scandal in tollerating an old ceremony Bellarmine saith the Church may institute some things and ceremonies are not repugnant to the Gospel neither hath the Lord forbidden that we should add no ceremonies for the more commodious and profitable administration of the Sacraments Protestants answer 1. The Church cannot appoint any new thing by her own authority 2 Carnal ceremonies void of the Spirit as all humane ceremonies are are repugnant Hildersham proves from Job 4. 23. that humane Ceremonies are forbidden in the Gospel in loc Bishop Andrews in Command 2. p. 263 or 255. Dr. Reynolds Conference with Hart c. 8. d. 4. p. 565. John Launder Thomas Iveson John Denly Martyrs professed that they believed that the Ceremonies used here in Q. Maries days were naught vain superfluous superstitious which they sealed with their blood Fox his Book of Martyrs p. 1593 1594 1595 1598. to the perfection of the New Testament 3. Humane ceremonies can make â—o more to the commodious and profitable administration of Christs Sacraments as they were administred by Christ and his Apostles than the decrees of faith made by men do make more commodiously to illustrate the faith revealed by Christ What shall we think that certain new men have a better insight and know better what ceremonies are to be used in Baptism than the holy Apostles and Christ himself So of the Supper too Bellarmine saith That ceremonies iustituted by the Church cannot be omitted without sin yea not without scandal Protestants answer There cannot be instituted Religious ceremonies by the Church without sin and therefore they may be omitted without sin and ought to be omitted 4. That we cannot fully and perfectly perform all that the Law of God requireth for Christ saith plainly That when we have done all we can do we are unprofitable servants Which shews that we cannot perfectly keep the Law for if we could we should be profitable servants getting thereby much glory to God and everlasting life to our selves Do this and thou shalt live And the Homily of the Death of Christ T. 2. part 2. p â—82 saith Our acts and deeds be full of imperfectness and infirmity and therefore nothing worthy of themselves to stir God to any favour much less to challenge that glory that is due to Christs acts and merits And again in the same Page it saith thus of Adam after his fall He could not keep the Law neither if Adam and his posterity had been able to satisfie and fulfill the Law perfectly in loving God above all things and their neighbours as themselves then should they have easily quenched the Lords wrath and escaped the horrible sentence of eternal death For 't is written Do this and thou shalt live that is fulfil my Commandments keep thy self upright and perfect in them according to my will then thou shalt live and not die But such was the frailty of mankind after his fall such was his weakness that he could not walk uprightly in Gods Commandments though he would never so fain but daily and hourly fell from his bounden duty offending the Lord his God divers ways to the great increase of his condemnation all are gone astray Our frailty is such that we can never of our selves fulfil the Law according to that the Law requireth And our 15th Article of Doctrine saith thus That all we the rest that is besides Christ although baptized and born again in Christ yet offend in many things and if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Yea the Popes Doctrine viz. That meer men since Adams fall can in this life perfectly fulfil Gods whole Moral Law is not only contrary to Sacred Scripture the Doctrine of the Church of England in her Homilieâ— and Articles but also her Book of Common Prayers As to the Lords-Prayer wherein Christ taught his holy Apostles and all Gods children to say every day Forgive us our trespasses To our commoâ— general Confession We have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts We have offended against thy holy Laws We have left undone those things we ought to have done and we have done those things we ought not to have done And 't is contrary to the prayer after every Commandment for pardon of sin committed against it Lord have mercy upon us Yea the Litany might be brought against Papists in this point And Prov. 7. 20. Rom. 7. 15. 17 18 20 23 24 1 Joh. 1. 8 9 10. and contrary also to the Doctrine of the Reformed Churches to be seen in the Harmony of Confession Sect. 4. and the 43 Article of Religion of the Church of Ireland and the fourth Article of the 16th Chapter of the Confession of Faith of Scotland Yea the gates of Hell I believe will never be able to overthrow that Faith in that Confession made by that Assembly Heâ—â— what Shelford Serm. p. 121 127 136 139 147. and White Bishop of Eli on the Sabbath p. 157. say for mans ability to fulfil the Law against the Doctrine of the Church of England and what Shelford saith for works of Supererogation Serm. p. 184. may be seen in Laudensium Autocatacrisis p 70 71. And what Bishop Forbes saith in his Book de Justificatione may be seen in the Supplement thereunto p. 300. And what Dr. Patrick saith may be seen in his Parable of the Pilgrim p. 324. who there saith thus 'T is true we are not tyed to that which we cannot do but yet the flesh will sometimes juggle and complain of impotence when there is nothing hinders it but sloth This is Bellarmines argument de observatione Legis c. 7. si praecepta c. if the precepts are impossible then they oblige none To this argument Dr. Ames gives this answer Dr. Ames his Bellar. Enervatus T. 3. c. 7. p. 191. 1. That this argument doth not prove that the Law is more possible to be kepâ— by believers than by unbelievers by the just than by the unjust 2. That the obligation to keep the Law is not taken away by the impossibility that flows from our fault To which I shall say but thus that the words imply as they may well be taken one or both of these errors 1. That men now are not bound to keep the Moral Law of God Or 2. That 't
of jusâ—â— fication or to commit the sin unâ—â— death or against the Holy Ghost oâ—â— to be altogether forsaken of him and throw themselves headlong into everlasting destruction c. 7. For first 〈◊〉 all in these slips he preserveth 〈◊〉 them that his immortal seed bâ— which they were once born again that it die not nor be lost by them afterward by his Word and Spirit he effectually and certainly reneweth them again unto repentance so that they do heartily and according unto God grieve for their sins committed and with a contrite heart by faith in the blood of the Mediator craving forgiveness of them obtain it recover the apprehension of the favour of God reconciled unto them adore his mercies and faithfulness and from thenceforward more carefully work out their salvation with fear and trembling Canon 8. So not by their own merits or strength but by Gods free mercy they obtain thus much That they neither totally fall from faith and grace nor continue to the end in their falls and perish which in regard of themselves not only full easily might but doubtless would come to pass yet in respect of God it cannot so fall out since neither his counsel can be changed nor his promise fail nor the calling according to his purpose be revoked nor Christs merit intercession and custody be made of none effect nor the sealing of the holy Spirit be frustrated or defaced 4. That they that are predestinated unto everlasting life be or shall be effectually called according to Gods purpose by his Spirit working in due season they through grace obey the calling they be justified freely they be made Sons of God by adoption and they be made like the Image of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ they walk religiously in good works and at length by Gods mercy they attain to everlasting felicity Which Doctrine is not only contrary to that false Doctrine of the Papists and Arminians before renounced but 't is also agreeable to the Doctrine taught by St. Paul Rom. 8. 30. Whom he did predestinate them he also called Rom. 8. 15 16 17. Gal. 4. 6 7. and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified and therefore they cannot fall away from saving grace totally and finally and be damned 5. That 't is of the meer will or purpose or good pleasure of God that some men are in Christ Jesus elected and not others unto salvation for here you see this Election is called Gods purpose and his counsel to deliver from damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation Which is not only contrary to that erroneous Doctrine of the Papists before confuted and renounced viz. That God did elect men unto salvation for their foreseen faith good works and perseverance that would be in them but 〈◊〉 also consonant to canonical Scripture Rom. 9. 11 15. Luke 12. 〈◊〉 Ephes 1. 5. 2 Tim. 1. 9. Agreeable to this is the second Articlâ—â— Lambeth The moving or efficient cause of Predestination unto life 〈◊〉 the foresight of faith or of perseverance or of good works or of 〈◊〉 thing that is in the person predestinated but only the good will and 〈◊〉 sure of God Agreeable to which is also the 14 Article of Religâ—â— of the Church of Ireland drawn up by A. B. Vsher as Dr. Hâ—â— tells us to which King James gave his consent and approbatioâ— Heylins Cypr. Anglicus l. 4. p. 271. 6. That the godly consideration of Predestination and our electioâ—â— Christ is full of sweet pleasant and unspeakable comfort to godly perâ—â— confirms our faith and fervently kindles our love to God But the Doctrine of the Papists who hold that true believers in Christ may totally and finally fall away from all the acts and habits of savâ—â— grace and become damned reprobates is full of bitter unplâ—â— and unspeakahle sorrow and vexation even to godly persons 〈◊〉 doth not confirm and establish their faith of eternal salvation 〈◊〉 be enjoyed through Christ but rather fill their souls with doâ—â— of their salvation and fears of their damnation and doth 〈◊〉 fervently kindle but rather quench the fire of their love to God 〈◊〉 they shall be taught that Gods love to them dependeth not upon 〈◊〉 self but upon their uncertain love to him from which they say 〈◊〉 may totally and finally fall away and be therefore eternally damned 〈◊〉 any Doctrine that ever was preached or printed did binder Piety 〈◊〉 true Christianity and comfortable walking with God this of the Paâ—â— falling away totally and finally from saving-grace is one and 〈◊〉 well be put among the chief causes of the decay of Piety amongst 〈◊〉 and put into that golden book so intituled and its contrary put 〈◊〉 of it Further I might draw an argument or two more from what 〈◊〉 Church of England saith in her old book of Common Prayers whiâ—â— she offers to Almighty God as in the Collect for St. Simon and Jâ—â— Apostles she saith this Almighty God which hast builded thy 〈◊〉 gregation upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesâ—s Câ—â— himself being the head corner-stone And the next Collect for All-Sâ—â— day where she saith this Almighty God which hast knit togethâ—â— thy elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of thy 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ our Lord from which this argument might be frame They that are built upon the sure foundation or rock Jesus Christ and are inseparably knit together in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of Jesus Christ cannot totally and finally fall away from Christ and his Church and be damned but according to the Church of England Gods elect truly regenerated persons are so built and so united Ergo they cannot totally and finally fall away from Christ and his Church and consequently not from saving-grace by which they are so built and knit together the major is undeniable and clear by Matth. 7. 24 25. Therefoye saith Christ whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock and the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon the house and it fell not for it was founded upon a rock Upon which place * Pareus in locum Veram fidem super petra aedificatam nunquam deficere sed semper conjunctam esse cum perseverentia Pareus hath this note That a true faith built upon the rock doth never fail but is always joyned with perseverance and Mat. 16. 18. I say unto thee Thou art Peter and upon this rock that is which thou hast confessed will I build my Church and the gates of Hell that is all the power and policy of the Devil and his instruments shall not prevail against it the Minor is the Doctrine of our Church in the two Collects before alledged and Gods elect regenerate true members of
of Godfry Goodman Bishop of Gloucester was accused of it in Court and Convocation and declared and professed it by his last Will and Testament as Dr. Heylin shews in his Cypr. Angl. l. 4. p. 416. 'T is said of Dr. Theodore Price Bishop of that though he lived like an Atheist yet he died like a Papist Prin ' s Epistle to K. Châ—r I before his Quench-coal p. 42. England be so absolutely directly and cordially Papists that it is all that 1500 l. per Ann can do to keep them from confessing it This and much more may be seen in Dr. Heylin's Cypr. Angl. l. 4. p 392 408. Doth not A. B. Laud p. 36. of his commended Relation of his Conference with Fisher say thus The Church of Rome and Protestants set not up a different Religion And doth not Dean Potter iâ— Charity mistaken p 62 say thus That the most necessary and fundamental Truths which constitute a Church are on both sides unquestioned by fundamental points of faith we understand these prime and capital Doctrines of Religion which * But what are those a Bishop and a people or a Pope and the multitude of Professors of Christianity as Bishop Sparrow intimates in his Rationale upon the Common-prayer Book p. 89. Bishops Curates and people committed to their charge make up a Church make up the holy Catholick Church But did not the Church of England before A. B. Laud altered the Prayer for the Fifth of November say That Papists Religion is Rebellion and A. B. Laud held that Bishops are essential to the being of a Church as Heylin shews in his Cypr. Anglic. l. 1. p. 54. l. 4. p. 400 401. their faith is faction Which cannot be said of Protestants Religion or Faith truly without great slander though Dr. Heylin as they say most wickedly standers all the first restorers of the Reformed Religion with it Doth not the Church of Rome hold such points of faith as do destroy the foundation and those not only questioned but denied by real Protestants Doth not the Church of Rome hold this Doctrine as a point of faith for denying or not believing of which they have put many thousands of Protestants to death viz. That the body and blood together with the soul of the Lord Jesus Christ is truly really and substantially in the Sacrament of the Eucharist and that there is made a turning of the whole substance of the bread into his body and of the whole substance of the wine into his blood which turning the Catholick Church as they falsly call themselves doth call Transubstantiation If this be denied see the 18th Article of their Religion set down in the 14th Article of this Book And doth not our Vide Bull Pii 4 bound up with the Council of Trent super forma juramenti professionis sidei Church of England hold the truth in this point against the Church of Rome that this their Doctrine is false and doth destroy the humane Nature of Christ and consequently destroy all the Articles of our Creed which concern Jesus Christs humane nature and consequently our Salvation And is not this a fundamental point of faith that true believers persons are justified before God by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them and applied by faith alone Is it not the main drift of the Apostle to prove and settle the Romans and Galatians in this truth That believers persons are not justified before God by their own good works even of that Law of which câ—meth the knowledge of sin Rom. 3. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledg of sin Yea doth not the Apostle say that if he shall teach justification of our persons before God by our own good works he should frustrate the grace of God that is overthrow the Gosâ—el of Jesus Christ for if righteousness come by the Law then Christ is dead in vain Gal. 2. 21. And could these great Grandees who imposed and took subscription to the Book of Homilies upon and from others be ignorant of what the Church of England holds therein especially this Whosoever denieth this Doctrine THAT FAITH ALONE JUSTIFIETH is not to be accounted a Christian man nor a setter forth of Gods glory but for an adversary to Christ and his Gospel and for a setter forth of mans vain glory that 't were the greatest arrogance and presumption of man that Antichrist could set up against God to affirm that a man might by his own works take away and purge his own sin and justifie himself Homily of Salvation of Mankind p. 16 17. Now because some of our English conforming Divines have by their Preachings and Writings said that most of these ensuing false Doctrines I Heylin in his Introduction to his Cypr. Angl. p. 36. S. 36. have renounced all which the Church of Rome holdeth and maintaineth are the Doctrines of the Church of England and thereby induced many persons to believe and allow them I have to prevent the growing mischief of this grand deceit and to vindicate the Church of England from these calumnies and to inform the ignorant and inconsiderate that have subscribed assented and consented to the Articles of Religion and Homilies of the Church of England but never throughly read and considered them spent as much of my time with my pen as could be spared from my fork and rake this Harvest whiles many great Conformists to the Ceremonies and Government enjoy their Plurality of Benefices besides their great dignities but labour not in the Word and Doctrine much less preach or write against these gross Popish Doctrines but rather preach or print them to the great dishonour of God especially of Jesus Christ the increase of Popery and Atheism and the great grief of those godly Christians that are Protestants indeed and in truth as well as in profession Antichrist professeth the Creed as well as these men yet by his superinduced Doctrines and practices he overtbrows it So these men of long Name may profess subscribe and assent to the Doctrine of the Church of England and yet by superinduced Doctrines contradict and destroy it for they give not an internal assent to it as was observed before out of Mr. Fowler ' s Free Discourse p. 305. And whether those men do not play the Hypocrites lâ—t the world judg The Pope of Rome in divâ—ding Rome unto 25 Priests the fatal squarâ—-root of the number of the Beast 666 laid the foundation of his Iâ—olatrous and tyrannous Kingdom long before his Supremacy was perfected yea claimed He arose out of the earth as grass by little and little insensibly so possibly may a Pontifex Maximus with such a number of such Priests in time â—o elsewhere especially if rulers and ruled are willing to be ridden by them Of all Beasts tâ—e two horned Beast is the most dangerous to be ridden by next that which is most like him as
is cultus religiosus of which incurvation in such circumstances is assuredly one kind I mean exhibited to either an invisible power or to its visible representation in an Image And consent of Nations Dr. More Mystery of Iniquity c. 11. p. 36. hath made it an appropriate sign of religious worshipâ— especially in a Temple Yea c. 5. p. 14. of the same learned Book he saith thus To do religious worship to the picture or image of any creature of any Person of the holy Trâ—nity or of all three or particularly to the image of Christ though this religious worship is intended to pass through the representation to God himself Father Son or Holy Ghost is notwithstanding Idolatry according to the second instance where worshipping the true God by an image is proved to be Idolatry and every thing that is not God that hath religious worship given to it thereby becomes an Idol And c. 14. p. 46. of the same Book he saith That an Idol and Images in religious worship are all one one is a Latin and the other is a Greek word they both signifie the likeness of some thing and the worshipping of the true God by an Idol is Idolatry And p. 50. of the same Book he saith That whatsoever is interposed betwixt God and us by way of God in our worshipping is not an help but an hinderance to the perfection of that worship You may read much more to this purpose in that useful and learned Book but I forbear Now apply this to your Altars and corporal bowing to them upon your religious accounts of divine excellency and then I believe you will be forced either to acquit the Papists yea the Jews of Idolatry in worshipping the true God by Images or representations or else you must condemn your selves of Idolatry and will I hope renounce it But lest this should not suffice consider what other of our learned Divines say To worship God in at or before an image purposely is Idolatry and superstition and God so worshipped is made an Idol which is forbidden Deut. 4. 15 16 17 18 19. So Perkins in his Cases of Conscience l. 2. c. 11. S. 2. p. 206. A. B. Vsher upon the second Commandment saith 1. That such are Sum of Christ Religion p. 229. 230. guilty of Idolatry as worship those things that are not God 2. Such as countenance them or do any thing to the furtherance of Idolatry and that outward religious adoration of those things that are not God is forbidden in the second Commandment and that this worship be denied to every thing that is not God as the Sun and Moon Angels Saints Reliques Images and such trash as Rome alloweth Deut. 4. 17 19. Col. 2. 18. Revel 19. 10. 22. 8 9. Act. 10. 25 26. That Idem ibidem p. 232. we must not give the least token of reverence either in body or soul unto any religious Images Psal 97. 7. Hab. 2. 18. Isa 44. 15. Exod. 32. 4. for that is a further degree of Idotry as to shrine clothe or cover them with precious things to light candles before them to kneel and creep to them or to use any gestures of religious adoration unto them 1 King 19. 18. wherein although the gross Idolatry of Popery be taken away from amongst us yet the corruption cleaveth still to the hearts of many as may be seen in them that make courtesie to the Chancel where the high Altar stood and give the right hand unto standing Crosses and Crucifixes c. Now upon this account do our learned Divines condemn the Papists as guilty of Idolaty for their worshipping as they say Bishop Andrews upon 2 d. Comm. p. 279. the true God before or in or by Images or Crucifixes as some amongst us do before in or by or through their Altars And indeed I think they are as much Idolaters as the Heathens were who as the Ancients say and prove out of the Heathen Authors that they intended not the worship of their Images of Jupiter * Bishop Andrews ubi supra A. B. Usher upon 2 d. Comm. in Sum of Christ Religion p. 232. Mars but those Deities as they called them whom they represented as the Papists pretend they worship not the Image but the thing represented by it 8. That is an abuse of Gods Ordinance to use any thing that God hath commanded for his Worship otherwise than he himself hath appointed forbidden in the second Commandment as to hang pieces of St. John ' s Gospel about mens necks c. 1 Chron. 15. 13. 2 King 18. 4. 2 Sam. 6. 3 7 8. So saith reverend A. B. Usher Now though it be Sum of Christ Relig. p. 226. granted that God hath appointed the Communion-table as an help or mean for the decent comely and orderly celebration of the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper viz. To be consecrated and set thereon to shew forth the Lords death till he come 1 Cor. 11 24 25. yet he hath not appointed it to be used in his worship as a mean motive or memorative object to mind men of and move them to adoring him or worshipping God before towards in or by it Good King Hezekiah's breaking the Brazen Serpent set up by Moses at Gods command when 't was abused to Idolatry is a good president for good Magistrates to destroy Altars and restore Communion-tables when set up altarwise against the East-wall of the Chancel and abused to Idolatry to their ancient place the body of the Church and forbid their subjects purposely and upon any religious accounts whatsoever to bow or adore or do bodily reverence to or towards them 9. If to bow corporally versus altare or worship God towards the Communion-table purposely and upon religious accounts it being will-worship be not flat Idolatry yet 't is a manifest appearance of Popish Idolatry which should be carefully avoided 1 Thes 5. 22. Abstain from all appearance of evil Upon which place Bishop * Exposition in locum Jewel saith thus Be not Idolaters leave off to do any thing that may bring you into suspition of Idolatry give not that honour unto any creature which is proper unto God Have no fellowship with their works bear no appearance of liking their evil Abstain from appearance of evil in word and deed it 's an appearance of evil needlesly to use Idolaters words as Priest Altar Sacrifice as they do it 's a greater appearance of evil and the more to be avoided to set our Communion-tables altarwise it 's a preparation to make them Altars and to bowing to them and it 's the greatest appearance of evil and the more to be abstained from when any Crucifix or Image is set upon the altar or on the wall or glass window over or near it as was in times of professed Popery and in some places in A. B. Laud's time directly contrary to the drift of the Homily against the peril of Idolatry and Queen Elizabeths Injunctions so much
the womb is evident by sacred Scripture how this came unto us we should not be curious to inquire but rather industrious in Gods way to amend it yet the learned do say that God not as a Creator but as a Judg made the Souls of men in the seed without that Original righteousness which Adam had as a punishment of the first sin of ours in Adam in whom we were who by his fin rendred us his posterity who sinned in him worthy to be deprived of Original righteousness and then from this privation follows corruption or an inclination to actual unrighteousness and this is voluntary by mans own private will ART X. That meer men in this life since Rhem. Test an 2 Cor. 8. 14. Pet. a Soto assert Cathol de lege Doctor Hammond's Tract of Will-worship Sec. 16. 19. saith That when a man shall out of a pious affection do any thing else beside what God hath commanded by any particular precept this action of his is to be accounted so much the more commendable and acceptable to God which Mr. D. Cawdry hath answered p. 71 72. of Will-worship Adam ' s fall can perfectly fulfill Gods whole Moral Law and also voluntarily do works besides and above Gods Commandments which they call works of Supererogation which are greater and holier than the works of the Moral Law and do merit remission of sins and eternal life not only for themselves but also for others THis I renounce 1. Because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England in all its parts As Article 14th which saith thus Voluntary works besides over and above Gods Commandments which they call works of Supererogation cannot be taught without arrogancy and impiety For by them men do declare that they do not only render unto God as much as they are bound to do but that they do more for his sake than of bounden duty is required whereâ—â— Christ saith plainly When ye have done all those things which are commanded you say ye are unprofitable servants In which Article we have these four things held forth unto us 1. That works of Supererogation are voluntary works besides over and above Gods Commandments and so vice versa voluntary works besides over and above Gods Commandments are works of Supererogation Of which kind are Popish vows of voluntary poverty regular obedience perpetual continency Feasts Fasts Ceremonies Pilgrimages and such like Will-worships made by them but not commanded by God in his Word 2. That works of Supererogation or voluntary works besides over and above Gods commands cannot be taught without arrogancy Which works besides and above that which God hath commanded and imposed are called sometimes Ordinances of the world Col. 2. 20. Voluntary Religion Col. 2. 23. Doctrines of Devils 1 Tim. 4. 1. forbidden in the Word of God where we are commanded 1. To walk not after the laws of men but according to the statutes of God Josh 1. 7 8. Be strong and very courageous that thou mayest observe to do according to all the Law which Moses my servant commandeâ— thee turn not from it to the right hand or to the left that thou mayest prosper whither soever thou goest This Book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein For then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good success Till this be done Rulers must not look to prosper in their Government at home and undertakings against their enemies abroad 2. To hear Christ Mark 8. 7. who teacheth Christians their duty setting before them as their rule and direction the law and word of God Mat. 5. 17 18. 19 20. and more than that he doth not urge and against mans needless injunctions Mark 7. 7. They worship 〈◊〉 in vain saith Christ teaching for Doctrines the commandments of meâ— And teaching them to observe all things which I have commanded you Mat. 28. 20. And Christs sheep hear his voice but not the voice of strangers Joh. 10. 3 5. The works of Supererogation are more rightly called the Festus Hommiâ—â— Disp 19. c. 6. Opera supererogationis rectius opera superarrogantiae appellantur works of superarrogance saith a learned man 3. That Voluntary works or works of Supererogation besides or above the Commandments of God are the subversion of godliness and true religion and cannot be taught without impiety The reason is rendred in the body of the Articles And 't is so saith Mr. Thomas Rogers in his Explications and Confirmations of the 39 Articles upon the 14th Article 1. Because Gods Law is thereby broken that mens may be kept Mark 7. 7 8. 2. The holy Scriptures must be contemned as not sufficient enough to bring men to the knowledg of Salvation which St. Paul saith 〈◊〉 able to instruct in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto every good work 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. 3. God who is only wise 1 Tim. 1. 17. is made unwise in not prescribing so necessary works To which I add 4. That true Godliness is the right worshipping of God as he hath apâ—â—â—ted in the Canonical Scriptures as all know that know the meaning of the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth piety or godliness 〈◊〉 Voluntary works or works of Supererogation advance a worship 〈◊〉 mens devising directly against the scope and end of the second Commandment wherein God hath commanded men to worship him 〈◊〉 â—e hath prescribed and forbidden Will-worship as all our Learned and â—â—thodox Divines expound that Commandment 5. They that do worship God by such ways and means as he hath â—â—t prescribed in his Word do not love but hate God as both A. B. â—â—her and bishop Babington declare in their Expositions upon that Commandment and they worship a God of their own devising as not only Mr. Perkins but also Peter Marâ—r * Loc. com clas 2 ae c. 4. p. 196. Nullus verus Deus est qui rebus iis coli vellit unde super est dum impii tales ritus suis sacris adhibent ut non verum Deum adorent sed illum quem iis rebus delectari finxerunt Et cum is in rerum natura nullus â—extet animorum suorum idolum colunt idâ— câ—rco jure possint dici idololatrae Perkins Cases of Conscienc l. 2. c. 11. Sec. 2. q. 1. p. 206. do plainly demonstrate Nullus â—erus Deus c. That is not a true God that would be worshipped by these things that is such things as the true God had not commanded or warranted in his Word of which he spake before â—â—ence it remaineth that wicked men while they add such rites as he was speaking of before to Gods sacred things 〈◊〉 ordinances that they do not adore the true God but him whom they seign to be â—elighted with such things and seeing there is no such
are willing to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord which necessarily implies that they did believe that as soon as ever their souls were gone out of their earthly homes they should be present with the Lord in heaven for of that they say we are confident And. 10. Of this opinion and belief was St. Pauls as you may see in Phil. 1. 21 23. For to me to live is Christ and to die is * Mori lucrum quaesi dicat mors est lucrum heatitudinis mortem ergo non timeo quia si occidar moriar vitam aeternam lucrabor inevolabo praesensque sistar ac fruar Christo So Chrisostom Anselm Theophilact Oecumenius Thomas Aquinas in locum gain How could his death begain to him if he must not go immediately to Heaven but to Purgatory there first to suffer hellish punishments for his sins Yet if I live in the flesh this is the fruit of my labour yet what I shall chuse I wot not for I am in a strait between two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Here you see the Apostle Paul desired to depart out of the Tabernacle of his body and why that he might be with Christ he believed that as soon as his soul was departed out of his body she would presently be and remain with Christ but where not in the Popes Purgatory for there Christ was not but in heaven there he believed he was whom the heavens must receive till the restitution of all things Act. 3. 19. He believed that his soul would presently be with Christ in Heaven and therefore he saith that death temporal would be better for him than temporal life Certainly had St. Paul believed that after his soul had ended her work in his body here she should be carried into the Popes Purgatory and there be punished for his sins for a time it may be till the day of judgment he would have easily resolved himself that it had been better for him as well as for the Philippians to abide in the flesh and not to die I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ is as if he had said thus I am now bound q. d. Jam alligatus sum corpori si hoc vinculo solvar ero cum Christo illique astringar Cor. a lapide in locum to my body but if I were loosed from this bond I should be with Christ and bound to him saith Cor. a lapide Hence note saith he that souls altogether pure do presently when they leave the body not sleep but are with Christ in heaven and eternal life and therefore the Apostle desired to be dissolved and dye that he might be with Christ but if he ought to expect after death the day of judgment that then at length he might enjoy Christ he had in vain desired to be dissolved rather than live because then after his dissolution and death he should be absent from Christ as much as if he had remained in this life much more he there speaks out of Chrysostome Theophilact Oecumenius and Cyprian to the same purpose 'T is observable that he saith that souls that are altogether pure pass presently out of their bodies into Heaven and this he saith is the opinion of Turrian and of Suarezius and that St. John Apoc. 14. 13. speaks of souls perfectly just Now this I say is their shift to put off all our Protestant Divines have alledged from sacred Scripture against their Purgatory for they hold that those that are cast into Purgatory are not perfectly purged but must be purged perfectly by suffering temporal punishment and thereby making penal satisfaction to the justice of God of the fondness of which hereafter but I 'le close with them and assume Position 2. That the souls of those persons that are justified by faith is Christ's blood are perfectly purged from their sins if not immediately before yet at the moment of their death and that therefore by their own concessions and affirmations they go not into the Popes Purgatory but to Heaven as I have proved before and for the clearing of this know that not only their Angelical Doctor as Papists call Thoâ—â— Aquinas but our own Divines hold that there are three effects of sin 1. Reatus the guilt 2. Macula the spot or stain 3. Paâ—â— the punishment of it Now 1. The guilt worthiness or desert of sin which obligeth the sinner to the sustaining of just punishment for his sin is washed away in our justification by the perfect satisfaction and merits of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as the Church of England abundantly testifieth in her books of Articles Homilies and common-Common-Prayer and the Canonical Scriptures plainly declare as in John 1. 29. Beâ—â— the lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world 1 John 1. 7. 〈◊〉 the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 John 2. 12. If 〈◊〉 man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation that is the propitiator for our sins who doâ—â— make atonement expiate satisfie and purge away the guilt of oâ—â— sins and make peace and pacifie his wrath and make him propitiâ—â— merciful favourable and good unto us and 1 Tim. 2. 6. He gâ—â— himself a ransome for all Himself God-man a ransome for all Hâ—â— 9. 14 15. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God and lest the adversary shoâ—â— say that he did not perfectly purge away all sin read Heb. 10. 〈◊〉 and by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified 〈◊〉 Apoc. 1. 5. 't is said of Christ that he washed us in his own blood 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 3. 11. Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God And upon this account doth the Apostle declare and infer Therefore there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus God in our justification imputeth * 2 Cor. 5. 19. not our sins unto us and consequently not our guilt but he imputeth the righteousness of our Saviour Jesus Christ unto us and doth repute us just as though we had no sin and consequently no guilt upon us but Papists do acknowledg by Christ Jesus a freedom from sin according to the guilt of sin but they deny it according to the punishment of which hereafter 2. Macula the spot stain or filth of sin which deprives the soul of its spiritual beauty which it should have and is made vile Mat. 15. 11. Apoc. 21. 11. is taken away by sanctification 1 Cor. 3. 11. But ye are washed but ye are sanctified Eph. 5. 26 27 That he might sanctisie and cleanse it i. e. His Church with the
second Lessons in the Common-prayer Book Answ To this I must leave the Bishops to answer or confess the error and amend it For I profess I know not how to answer for them if I What I can do I have done in the Appendix but I fear that will not satisfie all could I would Papists will notwithstanding Dr. Cozens his Allegations prove from our own sayings that they are Canonical Scripture because they are by us called the Old Testament and so are appointed to be read I pray read my Appendix intended for another use An APPENDIX concerning Apocryphal Scriptures appointed to be read in Churches and Chappels c. Quest 1. BEcause you are so full of your Questions I ask you Whether the Apocryphal Scriptures appointed in the Kalender in the common-prayer-Common-Prayer-Book to be read the first Lessions at Morning and evening-Evening-Prayer be part of the Old Testament The reason of asking this Question is this because 't is said in the Order how the rest of the holy Scripture is appointed to be read the Old Testament is appointed to be read for the first Lessons at Morning and Evening-Prayeâ— And in the following part of that Order 't is said thus And to know what Lessons shall be read every day look for the day of the Month in the Kalender following and there ye shall find the Chapters that sâ—all be read for the Lessons both at Morning and Evening-Prayer Now in the Kalender to pass by the many Chapters that are culled out of the Apocryphal Books of Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus and appointed to be read upon Holy-days throughout the year though there be many good sayings in them yet they have some * Wisd 19. appointed to be read upon Mathias day how properly let the world judg And Popish Expositors will no doubt make good Divinity and sense of it which would not please you if a Nonconformist should essay to make Episc Prideaux sascic controv c. 1. q 2. p. 14. failings and some that do not tend to edisication and such as you would exclaim against if you should find them or the like in Mr. W. B's or Mr. Tâ—â—'s or in any Nonconformists Sermons or Writings and yet you have given your assent and consent unto them and have promised to read them upon the days appointed all the Chapters in Tobit except the fifth Chapter and of Judith many of Ecclesiasticus Baruch Bell and the Dragon the History of Susanna in which are many false and â—angerous things appointed to be read Now if they are not part of the Old Testament why do you say they are such and give your assent and consent that they shall be read in all Churches and Chappels and promise that you will read them in yours contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England to which you have I suppose subscribed too and contrary to the Doctrine of the Protestant Churches seeing none but Papists hold them to be parts of the Old Testament I pray Sir give such an answer as may help us to satisfie our people whom you would have us to perswade to comply with you in your publick service and answer the subtile Papists who will be ready to alledg your publick Order and Kalender and other things as that concerning the Service-Book Par. 1 2 3. and that direction which follows line the last to prove that they are Canonical Scripture because parts of the Old Testament as you plainly say in the said order and direction and Kalender And I foresee that 't will be but in vain to say that our Church in her Articles holds no such thing but rather the contrary For besides that they imply a contradiction the appearance of which you are ready to carp at and exclaim against in Nonconformists they will say that that Order and Kalender was made since the XXXIX Articles of the Church of England and the last Law they 'l say either virtually repeals or at least expounds the former You are as you say a Rational Divine pray give a solid and sufficient reason of this thing of which we need not be ashamed that may stop the mouths of our dissenting Protestant friends and opposing Popish enemies If you cannot do it I hope you will ingenuously confess your error and use your best and utmost reason interest and endeavour with all sort of men to reform it Q. 2. Whether you do indeed think that those Books or Chapters or Histories call them which you will do indeed and in truth directly tend to the edification of the Church as you say common- * Of Ceremonies in Preface to the Book of common-Common-Prayers that all things that are done in the Church ought to do as the Apostle teacheth 1 Corintâ— 14. 26. The reason of this Query is because there are erroneous frivolous and dangerous things appointed to be read in Churches and Chappels to the people in some of those Chapters which do not tend to their edification but rather to their destruction and others too As for example in Tob. 4. 10. which is appointed to be read September the 30th 't is said thus That alms do deliver from death and suffereth not to come into darkness And Tob. 12. 9. which is appointed to be read the third of October 't is said thus That alms doth deliver from death and shall purge * Which is contrary to Homily of Salvation pag. 16 17. which saith that that were the greatest arrogance and presumption that Antichrist could set up against God to affirm that a man might by his own works take away and purge his own sin and justifie himself from all sin Which may induce many especially ignorant people to swallow the Doctrine of Popish Merits without a grain of salt and deny or undervalue the inestimable merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ contrary to 1 Joh. 1. 9. Who cleanseth us from all unrighteousness And 1 Pet. 1. 18. Forasmuch as we know that ye are not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold and therefore not with alms from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers but with the precious blood of Christ And Tit. 2. 14. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works And also contrary to Heb. 9. 14 15 22 26 28. I know that this place of Tobit is alledged in the Homily of Almesdeeds Tom. 2. p. 159 160 161. where it saith thus The same Lesson doth the Holy Ghost also teach in sundry places of the Scripture quoting Tob. 4. in the Margent saying mercifulness and almes-giving purgeth from all sins and delivereth from death and suffereth not the soul to come into darkness Now to this the Ch. of England there answereth That Almesdeeds purge not from sin as the the original cause of our acceptance before God or that for the dignity or worthiness thereof our sins are washed away and we purged and cleansed of all
peace said she to her husband And that frivolous story of his Dog following after them with which some have made vain sport and others may again in Tob. 11. 4. appointed to be read at Morning-prayer October the third I come to Tob. 12 12. appointed to be read at Evening-prayer October the third where this is appointed to be read of the Angel Raphael Now therefore when thou didst pray and Sarah thy daughter-in-law I did bring the remembrance of your prayers before the holy one and when thou didst bury the dead I was with thee likewise And vers 15. 't is appointed to be read thus I am Raphael one of the seven holy Angels which present the prayers of the Saints and which go in and out before the glory of the holy one Which words imply two gross errors 1. That there are but seven holy Angels that wait upon God and go in and out before him which is contrary to the Canonical Scriptures which say that thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times 〈◊〉 Cornel à Lapidâ— Junius Diodate Willet in locum thousand stood before him Dan. 7. 10. which is generally by Papists as well as Protestants understood of holy Angels See also Heb. 12. 22. Apoc. 5 1â— See also A. B. Vsher his Sum of Christian Religion p. 118. where 〈◊〉 saith that all the Angels do wait upon the Lord their God in heaven to exâ—cute his will 2. That those seven Angels are Gods remembrancers 〈◊〉 mind him of the prayers of his Saints and presenters of their prayers beâ—â— him A kind of Heavenly Courtiers or Officers that do present to as remember God of the good works prayers and alms c. of 〈◊〉 holy ones as if God did not regard or remember their prayers 〈◊〉 services without these seven Angels mediations intercession Which office saith learned Jâ—â— Jun. in Tob. 12. 12. the Scripture doth no where give to created Aâ—gâ—â— but maintain to belong only to Christ and which â—lâ—â— if there were nothing else is enough to prove the 〈◊〉 Upon the 15 ver bulousness and impurity of the Book and to rejeâ—â— as evil and unfit to be read in publick yea to be bound up with the Sacred Word of God And learned A. B. Vsher where before reckons up all the offices of the Sum of Christian Religion pag. 118. good Angels to the souls and bodies of good men but mentioneth not their presenting of the Saints prayers before God nor remembering God of them And 't is a Doctrine and place of Scripture as you call it that makes much for the Which is a good argument there is no such thing Bishop Prideaux Fascic cont c. 4. S. 2. q. 1. p. 169. Article 7th Papists Idolatrous invocating of Angels And 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England and of other Reformed Churches and of the Canonical Scriptures which say That Jesus Christ the second Person in the Sacred Trinity the Angel of the Covenant as he is called Mal. 3. 1. is the only person that doth present the prayers of the Saints to God and that he is our only Mediator of Redemption and Intercession as may be fully proved by Rom. 8. 34. 1. Tim. 2. 5. Heb. 7. 25. 1 Joh. 2. 12. Revel 8. 3 4. And the last Collect in the Lâ—tany and the Collect for St. Stephens day which prayers say That Christ is our only Mediator and Advocate And by the Homily of Prayer Tom. 2. Part 2. p. 115. and Part 3. p. 118. where 't is said thus In the word of God the Holy Ghost doth plainly teach us that Christ is our only Mediator and Intercessor with God and that we must not run or seek to another See also A. B. Vsher's Sum of Christian Religion p. 166 and p. 176. where he sheweth That one part of Christs Intercession for us doth consist in his presenting our prayers unto God and making them acceptable in his sight And 't is contrary to Psal 8. 4. Psal 111. 5. Psal 112. 6. Levit. 26. 42. Luk. 12. 6 7. and many other places of Sacred Scripture where 't is said That God is mindful of his people and of his Covenant made with them Yea that he doth hear what his people say and take special notice of what they do yea and record what they say and do Read Mal. 3. 16. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkned and heard it and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name If God take notice of and record what his people say one to another then without doubt he takes notice of and remembreth the prayers which they make unto himself and therefore he needs no such remembrancing Angels as this feigned Raphael speaks of to put him in mind of his Saints prayers And he hath appointed Jesus Christ to present the prayers of and make Intercession for his people Joh. 6. 27. Him hath the Father sealed and appointed Heb. 3. 12. to the office of a Redeemer and of making satisfaction for the sins of his people and Intercession for them as Bishop Reynolds very learnedly sheweth upon Psal 110. pag. 383 384. 387 388 c. And Christ hath undertaken the work of our Redemption and making Intercession for his people He was not only made a surety to us of a bâ—tter Covenant Heb. 7. 22. but he also is said to come to do the office of a surety Lo I come to do thy will O God Heb. 10. 5 7 9. God fitted him and prepared him for the work of our Redemption v. 5. and Christ voluntarily undertook it Then said I Lo I come in the volume of thy Book it is written of me to do thy will O God v. 7 9. Hence doth he call himself the good shepherd that doth lay down his life for his sheep Joh. 10. 11 15. which Doctrine is saith the Reverend Bishop the rock and foundation of all the Churches comfort and therefore the Doctrine held forth in the foresaid feigned story of Tobit is the more pernicious and abominable being so destructive of our Lord and Saviours right and of all good Christians sure and solid comfort and those men that refuse to give their unfeigned assent and consent thereunto and to its use and publick reading are the more excusable not to say commendable for denying themselves so far as they have done rather than do that or consent to the doing of that which is as you see so much conducing to Popish Doctrine and practise and contrary to Gods sacred and precious truth the honour and interest of Jesus Christ and the comfort and welfare of all good Christians In the Months of September and October all the Book of Judith is appointed to be read in publick in Churches and Chappels Where to pass by many of the falsities that Orthodox learned Divines both ancient and modern do find in
Reverend Bishop Jewel in his Defence of his Apology c. 3. divis 10. tells us That the old Council at Carthage commanded that nothing should be read in Christs congregation but the Canonical Def. of Apol. p. 571. Scriptures Which words saith he are to be found in the Council of Vide Homil. for Rogation-week Part 3. p. 230. Hippo which is the abridgment of the third Council of Carthage in these words Scripturae Canonicae in ecclesia legendae quae sunt praeter quaâ— alia non legantur that is the Scriptures Canonical which are to be read in the Church and besides which nothing may be read Et non oportet libros qui sunt extra canonem legere nisi solos canonicos veteris novi Testamenti That is we may not read any Books that be without the Canon but only the Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament There ye may find the Decrees of two of the Kings of France Lewis and Charles In Templis tantum canonici libri id est sacrae literae legantur That is Let there be read in the Churches only the Canonical Books that is to say the holy Scriptures and many other good sayings and testimonies to the same purpose And Harding's shift or addition to or exposition of the Decree of Carthage viz. That nothing be read in the Church but the Canonical Scripture sub nomine divinarum Scripturarum under the name of the Dâ—vine Scriptures will not help our Bishops for they have appointed those Apocryphal Scriptures which they have appointed in the Calendar to be read as parts of the Old Testament for they say expresly in their * See the order in the Book of common-Common-Prayer for reading the first and second Lessons 'T is probable that by this order our Bishops have deceived our Parliaments who believing them searched not and knew not that Apocryphals were to be read as Canonical Scripture order for reading the Lessons That they have appointed the Old Testament to be read for the first Lessons and the New Testament for the second Lessons throughout the year And in their Calendar to which they specially direct us for the finding of those Lessons they appoint as was said before and is there to be seen above 120 Chapers of Apocryphal Books to be read in our Churches and Chappels for the first Lessons many of which as I have manifested are contrary in many things to the pure word of God Obj. But Bishop Prideaux in answer to the Papists who say that the Apocryphals are called by the Fathers Scripture and Canonical saith with the Fathers there is a twofold Canon 1. Morum of manners 2. Fidei of faith these saith he are sometimes called Canonical in the first sense not in the second Answ To which I answer thus 1. That the Fathers were but meer men and not infallibly guided by the holy and unerring spirit of God 2. That they had their errors and did contradict themselves 3. That Mr. Hildersham though he speak well of the Fathers whom you say was a Conformist proves by three good reasons That our learned Divines in these days may know more and have better judgment in Religion than the Fathers had as 1. They are born and bred in the knowledg and profession of the truth and have known from their childhood the holy Scriptures which are able to make them wise unto salvation as the Apostle speaketh of Timothy 2 Tim. 3. 15. Whereas most of the Fathers were bred and had lived long in Gentilism and beresie before they came to the knowledg of the truth 2. They enjoy the benefit both of all the Fathers own labours and of the writings of many other learned men also which the Fathers themselves could not do A Dwarf may see farther upon a Giants shoulder than the Giant 3. They have the help both of far better Translations of the Scripture than the Fathers could have and of the knowledg of the Tongues also which the chief of the Fathers are well known to have been wanting in 4. The Bishop saith nothing to that that they are called Scripture 5. That there are many erroreous Doctrines contrary to the Canonical Scriptures in those Books and some in those appointed to be read as I have shewed before which may do much mischief to the true Church of Christ and teach false Doctrine instead of good manners 6. That they are not a good Canon for manners as I have shewed in Tobit's wife her passionate bidding her husband who gave her good counsel to hold his peace and immoderate bewailing her Son who was well Tob. 10. 6 7. to which may be added Raguels swearing that Tobius should stay with him fourteen days and in teaching Tobias to conjure or spell away the Devil Tob. 6. 16 17. which Tobias practised Tob. 8. 2 3. and in the Angel Raphaels lying in saying that he was Azarias the son of Ananias the great and of Tobits brethren Tob. 5. 12. and in saying that he was one of the seven Angels that did bring to remembrance Tobias and Sarahs prayers and that did present the prayers of the Saints before the holy one Tob. 12. 12 15. And in Judiths lying hypocritical dissembling and swearing to compass her treacherous and bloody design and praying to God for to bless her deceit and commending the wicked and cruel fact of Simeon which God by Jacob condemned Judith 9. 2 3 4 10 13. Judith 10. 12 13. and Judith 11. Judith 12. which may and no doubt will teach evil men and women more evil than good manners and this too not so much accidentally as by themselves and their own nature 7. The Canonical Scriptures are a sufficient Canon for Doctrine of faith and * Homily for Rogation week Part 3d p. 230. And no where can we more certainly search for the knowledg of this will of God by the which we must direct all our works and deeds but in the holy Scriptures manners and therefore there is no need of reading these Books to teach men good manners 8. If the Popish Legends are not to be read in publick because full of lyes and fictions then by the same reason should not Tobit Judith the History of Bell and the Dragon be read which are full of such things Obj. But Bishop Prideaux saith That the Apocryphal Books are read for their conformity for the most part with the Canonical as ancient and sacred Homilies to inform and teach good manners not to confirm Doctrine Fasc cont c. 1. q 2. p. 16. loc 4. Sec. 3. q 6. p. 237. Answ To this I answer as before 1. That the word of God is a perfect and perspicuous rule for Doctrine of faith and good manners 2. That there are many things in those Books inconformable to the Canonical Scriptures both for Doctrine and manners as the Bishops answer maximâ ex parte implies and as I have plainly shewed and therefore they are not sacred
Tollet it is to be generally observed that there is a tacit Invocation of the Devil when a man attempts to do any thing by that which neither of it self nor by Divine power produceth such effects And Filliucius * Tract 24. c. 7. n. 170. p. 82. declaring the several ways whereby a Magical operation may be discerned most of which are applicable to their Sacramentals gives this as the reason of them all Because when the effect cannot be expected from the power of such causes since they have it not of themselves neither from God who hath not instituted them it follows that it must be expected from the Devil who is therein tacitly invocated They take it for evident that the efficacy of such things is not from God if he did not institute them not from God saith Filliucius seeing he is not the institutor So Silvester will have the Magical signs referred to Diabolical compact because having no such power of themselves they are not of Divine institution plainly signifying that if their Sacramentals were not instituted of God they could be no better than what he refers to the Devil Now what evidence is there that their Sacramentals are of Divine institution and appointed by God for such purposes Now if any indifferent man should apply that which declares that those learned Papists have written of above to two of those Ceremonies which they use and we have retained as much abused and such virtue ascribed to them not only by them but by †Bishop Mountague in Orig. p. 82. saith the sign of the Cross hath power to work Miracles to make the Devil to flie and that 't is a sword and buckler and the chief armor of the soul against all spiritual enemies many in our Church also viz. the Surplice and the sign of the Cross in Baptism I know not well how to free them that attribute such supernatural virtue to them and so use them from the same offence that is charged upon them in their use of their Sacramentals for they are retained and enjoined as a Vide of Ceremonies why some be retained before the Book of common-Common-prayers means apt to stir up the dull mind of man to the remembrance of his duty to God by some notable and special signification whereby he might be edified The Surplice is retained either to stir up the dull mind of the b Dr. John Burges of the lawfulness of Kneeling c. 17. p. 52. saith the Surplice signifieth the pureness that ought to be in the Minister of God So do the Episcopal Commissioners in answer to Presbyterians p. 108 109. Minister that wears it to innocency and holiness as if he alone needed such excitation or were alone of a dull mind in the congregation or to stir up the dull minds of the people to reverence the Surpliced Minister as more holy and innocent than others And the pleaders for it say 't was retained to signifie and teach Pastoral holiness And so 't is made a new Sacrament and a new word forbidden saith Archbishop c Sum of Christian Relig. p. 222. Bishop Morton saith that the Cross is a sign of constant profession of Christanity Pat. def c. 1. S. 6. Vsher in the second Commandment and the sign of the Cross in Baptism though most grosly abused by Superstitious and Idolatrous Papists is retained to signifie and teach constancy in the true Faith of Jesus Christ and is by Mr. Hooker called as a Sacrament à quasi Sacrament and by another a semi-Sacrament Yea Mr. Hooker d Eccles Pol. l. 5. p. 353. calls it a mean where nature doth earnestly import aid and that ready assistance than which there can be no help more e What more forcible than the Sacrament of Baptism and the Word of God preached and applied c. forcible serving only to relieve memory and to bring to our cogitation that which should most make ashamed of sin Yea doth he not say plainly that the sign of the Cross as we use it is in some sort a mean to the work of preservation from reproach surely the mind which as yet hath not hardned it self is sin is seldom provoked thereunto in any gross and grievous manner but natures secret suggestion objected against it ignominy as a bar Which conceit being entred into that palace of mans fancy the gates whereof 'T is observable that Hooker pleads for the sign of the Cross as Papists do for their Crucifixes to put men in mind of Christs Passion and their duty to him for it Of which Crucifixes are as effectual as the sign of the Cross and so he cunningly overthrows the Doctrine of the Church of England in her Homily against the peril of Idolatry and secretly bring in Idolatry by our Ceremonies Eccles Pol. l. 5. Sec. 65. p. 343. have imprinted in them that holy sign which bringeth forthwith to mind whatsoever Christ hath wrought and we vowed against sin it cometh hereby to pass that Christian men never want a MOST EFFECTUAL THOUGH SILENT TEACHER TO AVOID WHATSOEVER MAY DESERVEDLY PROCURE SHAME So that in things which we should be ashamed of we are by the Cross admonished faithfully of our duty at the very moment when admonition doth most need Thus Hooker By which 't is clear that he ascribes a very great virtue to the sign of the Cross and that equal to if not greater than is in the Sacrament of Baptism or the Word of God preached c. For he saith 'T is a mean most ready and a most forcible help to work preservation from sin and reproach which bringeth forthwith to mind whatsoever Christ hath wrought and we have vowed against sin and a most effectual teacher which doth most faithfully admonish us of our duty c. Now this †Yea 't is said virtually that they have a power in them to reduce men to a perfect and godly living without error or superstition See ubi supra of Ceremonies in the end virtue to do these things they have not either naturally in themselves or by Divine institution They were never intended by nature or the God of nature for such purposes and God hath no where promised to give such virtue and efficacy to these humane Ceremonies and men have not power to give them such great virtue as is ascribed to them by the pleaders for them and therefore I dare not undertake to clear them from the charge and judgment that is above given against those other forementioned Sacramentals by those learned Papists Learned Festus †Disp Theol. adversus Pontificios 37. Thes 6. p. 266. Hommius saith thus of the sign of the Cross That 't is Magical and superstitious to attribute to the sign of the Cross made by the hand or finger in the air or any other thing a supernatural and divine efficacy of sanctifying us or our things of avoiding Devils and of curing Diseases and that it ought to be abrogated for this