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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66579	The vanity of humane inventions held forth in a brief exercitation upon the controverted ceremonies, managed in certain queries : first drawn up for the satisfaction of some private friends, and now made publick for the good of others.	Wilson, Joseph, d. 1678.; Willson, John, d. ca. 1672.	1666 (1666)	Wing W2928; ESTC R2749	85,695	142

from infinite Goodness that he neglects her and provides not for her matters of Decency and Order as he should do Whether doth she not as much as say 1 Tim. 5.8 that though the very Infidel provides conveniencies for his family yet God provides not for his And if this be not an high affronting of him what is Mat. 15.3 If the Scribes and Pharisees did so far offend in those darker times by urging of that innocent and decent Rite the washing of hands before meat for so it was in it self how do those offend that in these Sunshine dayes of the Gospel do urge things of a far worse nature to the great hindrance of Religion and disturbance of the Peace of the Faithful Qu. 7. Whether since the Church may not institute Ceremonies without Warrant from God is it not very dangerous aswel as presumptuous for her to do it The Scripture is plain that it is God doth therein not only forbid us to do less than he hath required but more Deut. 4.2 As he forbids us to diminish from the Word that he commands us so he forbids us to add to it As he forbids us to fall short in our righteousness by doing less than he hath commanded so he forbids us to exceed in it by doing more than he hath commanded And he doth not only forbid us to do it but by severe and dreadful denunciations labours to deter us from it Ecc. 7.16 Be not righteous overmuch saith he neither make they self over-wise why shouldest thou destroy thy self And Paul anathematizeth that Man or Angel that shall preach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above what he had preached Though we saith he or an Angel from Heaven Gal. 1.8 9 preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed As we said before so say I now again if any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received let him be accursed And John closeth up the Bible with a passage of the like nature Rev. 22.18 I testisie saith he unto every man that heareth the words of the Prophecy of this Book if any man shall add unto these things God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this Book As we count that which is above or besides a man's will to be contrary to it so God counts every thing that men teach observe and do in his Church that is above or beside his Word to be no other than contrary to it Hen. 2d the Emperour was wont to say Ne quid nimis over-doing is under-doing and indeed so God esteems of it and reputes it He takes himself to be as much disobeyed and dishonoured when he seeth men do more than he hath commanded as when they do lesse Nay we do not find that the flames of his wrath have broken forth with greater fury upon any than Innovators or those that have brought into his House and Worship such things as he did not appoint How memorably was his hand upon Nadab and Abihu The relation saith they took either of them his Censer and put fire therein Lev. 10.1 2. and Incense thereon and offered strange fire before the Lord which he commanded them not and there went out fire from before the Lord and devoured them and they dyed before the Lord. Here we have two things considerable their sin and their punishment Their sin consisted in this that in their sacrificing they used such fire as God had not commanded God left not the choice of fire any more than other things to them but appointed it himself and they should have kept to his appointment but they declined from it left it and so sinned In Religious matters and especially in the Worship of God it 's not only sinfull to go contra Statutum but to go supra Statutum Vid Am's Bell. Ener t. 1. p. 9. Or to speak home in the case in Resigious matters acting supra Statutum is all one with acting contra Statutum Therein God 's not requiring is equivalent to forbidding and doing more than he commandeth to do doing contrary to it Then as we have their sin so we have their punishment and that is very remarkable there went out a fire from the Lord and devoured them and they dyed before the Lord. Though they were the sons of Aaron and men of renown yet God was so provoked with this offence that he slew them before him and that both suddenly and dreadfully Suddenly for he gave them not so much as the least time of repentance but destroyed them immediatly even as they stood before the Astar Dreadfully for he did it by fire the most furious and terrible of all the elements Formerly it came in mercy now in judgment Formerly it devoured the Sacrifices now the Sacrificers We see then when men bring their own Inventions into the Worship of God they are so far from having the Sacrifices they offer accepted that they do no less than expose themselves to the danger of becoming a Sacrifice to Justice A further instance we have in the Temple at Jerusalem in the dayes of the New Testament When our Saviour had by his Death abolished the Ceremonial Law and appointed it to be laid aside and the Jews would notwithstanding keep it up God was so incensed against them that he takes that stately Temple sets it on a flame and burns it to ashes thereby accomplishing his own Sons Prophecy Luk. 21.6 As for these things which ye behold the dayes will come in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down For men either to set up Inventions of their own or to keep up any Ordinances of God longer than the time for which they were designed Vit. Fab. p. 179. graecol is provoking and dangerous Plutarch tells of Manlius Torquatus that though his Son fought valiantly yet because he exceeded his Commission he struck off his head In like manner those who in the Worship and Service of God exceed his Commands may upon good grounds fear the breaking forth of his wrath upon them as the just recompense of their presumption God hath appointed his Word for the Rule of our service and he will not have us turn either to the right hand or to the left either to do more or to do less than it commands but to keep to it without any deflection whatsoever Qu. 8. Whether is it likely that God would utterly abolish and remove such Ceremonies as were of his own Institution to make way for such as are of men Comment in Joh. 4.23 This Bucer urges against the Papists If God saith he approve not of those Ceremonies which the Patriarchs long ago being taught by his Spirit observed in their Temples on Mount Garizim or else-where nor of those which afterwards he delivered by Moses how much less will he approve of those which men have since invented without

it was not his pleasure that they should be made use of at least that they should be made so necessary as they are And if it were not his pleasure that they should be so let those who stand so much for them and urge them under such severe penalties see how they will justifie it Qu. 4. Whether though God hath not instituted any Ceremonies for these dayes of the New Testament himself save those few above-mentioned hath he yet impowred the Church to do it It do's undoubtedly belong to God to prescribe things belonging to Religion and he all along hath done it either immediately by himself or mediately by those whom he authorized and enabled by special inspirations and abilities to do it Now since Ceremonies are things belonging to Religion and he hath no where appointed them himself Whether can it be made to appear from any authentick and sufficient evidence that he hath impowred the Church or any Person or Persons whatsoever to do it Our Adversaries in the twentieth Article tell us that the Church hath Power to decree Rites and Ceremonies But 1. We would gladly know how they came by that Clause in the Article We find it not in the Articles of Edward the sixth nor in that of Queen Elizabeth confirmed by Act of Parliament nor in those of Ireland though taken verbatim out of the English and therefore suspect they have not played us fair play They have served us so many feats of Legerdemain in matters of this nature some whereof you may find mentioned in the Author quoted in the Margent that they must not take it ill Mr. Pryn Apol. Sect. 1. p. 3. if we have a jealous eye over them But 2. Admit this clause in the Article were genuine yet we would know how the Church came by this power of decreeing Rites and Ceremonies Hath God any where in Scripture committed such a power to her Can they lead us to any Command or Grant therein whereby they may with any colour or shew of reason conceive her invested with such a power What Charter as a learned friend of their own saith hath Christ given the Church to bind men up to more than himself hath done Mr. Stillingf Iren pref p. 8. Till they have shewed us somewhat in Scripture to that purpose which we believe they will never do they must give us leave to take it for granted that she hath no such Power committed to her Indeed the Contents of Psalm 149. make a shew as if the Holy Ghost in that Scripture exhorted us to praise God for that power which he hath given the Church to rule the Consciences of men But there is no mention at all of the Consciences of men in it And that any Society whether Ecclesiastical or Civil should have power over the Consciences of men is a point so in jurious to the Prerogative of Christ every way so absurd that I hope those whom we now deal with will not dare to own it therefore I shal say no more of this The place they most trust in and which upon all occasions they retire to as their Sanctuary is that of Paul 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done decently and in order This is the only place that the Church of England in the Discourse prefixed to the Book of Common-Prayer concerning Ceremonies insists on And are not our Adversaries and their Ceremonies in a desperate condition when this is all they have to shew out of the Word of God for them Ceremonies are external Rites and Figures which by reason of some Analogie or similitude are instituted to shadow forth some divine mystical Truths which Nature never appointed them to do And what are Decency and Order to these May not we as well as the Primitive Reformed Churches do all things Decently and in Order without these Ames Fresh Suit part 2. p. 80. Hear what a man of great judgement in these as well as in other Controversies writes on this passage Those saith he that are devoted to the Ceremonies may shufflle up and down first to Order and when they are beaten thence to Decency and from thence when they can defend that no longer to Edification as the Rejoynder doth But all will not help Let them pitch or insist upon one of these grounds without starting I will pawn my head their Anchor will come home to them again as finding no fast ground either in Order or Decency or Edification for double significant Ceremonies such as ours to ride at Thus he And whosoever will lay aside partiality and prejudice and read the place with an indifferent mind shall find that the Apostle as Expositors both ancient and modern shew aims not at Ceremonies either Jewish or Christian but meer circumstances of order necessary in genere which humane Ceremonies are not He speaks not at all of devising or framing any new matters but of the prudent determining and ordering of such as were already made and at the Corinthians free choice so that they might either take them or refuse them as they should judge most fit in order to the edifying decent and orderly carrying-on of the Work of Christ As for instance he will have the Prophets to speak in a known tongue one by one submitting themselves to the judgement of others The women he will have to keep silence c. And what is this for the authorizing of any to institute a company of mystical significant rites good for nothing as experience hath abundantly proved but to trouble the Church and beget strife amongst Brethren nothing at all T. 3. de Bapt. l. 1. c. 24. p. 131. And therefore Bellarmine having mentioned the sign of the Cross and some other matters used by us in Baptism challengeth our Writers to prove any of them either from Testimonies or Examples of holy Scripture What the Ceremonies under debate are for decency and order shall appear in due place Qu. 5. Whether since God hath no where impowred the Church to institute Ceremonies she may take upon her to do it without Warrant from him If we may measure her power in these dayes by what it was in former she may not Hear what God saith to the Jewish Church Ye shall observe saith he to do as the Lord your God hath commanded you Deut. 5.32 you shall not turn aside to the right-hand or to the left Again What thing soever I command you Deut. 12.32 observe to do it thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it Mark he doth not only forbid them to add to his Commandment but to that which he commanded which is so plain and full that one would think it should make those who believe the Scriptures cautious how they introduce any thing of their own into the Worship of God But leaving precepts I shall offer you some particular instances which may serve to clear this matter Abel Noah and other ancient Patriarchs offered external Sacrifices unto God but

the Disciples what did it produce but parties and complaints And when the false Apostles afterwards urged Circumcision Act. 15.2 what was the issue of it but strife and contention And when Victor in succeeding Ages would have all to celebrate Easter at the same time Euselius Eccl. hist l. 5. c. 25. gr Sleidan Com. l. 20 p. 369. what did it lesse than set all Christendom on a flame And when Charles the 5th published the Interim it did not only make the contention hotter betwixt the Papists and the Protestants but also amongst the Protestants themselves setting every mans sword against his fellow And when Augustine the Monck would reduce the Bishops of Brittain to the Western mode Sir Hen. Spelman Counc ●● p. 111. what came of it but the Martyrdom of eleven hundred pious and painful Moncks at Bangor who withstood him in his impositions And so he as a learned Author descants upon him who was termed Gregorii Vicarius became Gregis Sicarius and he who was sent to be Ecclesiae futurae Anglicanae Conversor Mr. Wheelock not in Bedam p. 115. proved to be Praesentis Brittanicae Eversor And what work the urging of the Ceremonies of latter times hath made amongst us all Europe is witness How many Persons Families Congregations hath it ruin'd and undone what a world of Variance hath it made amongst Brethren who afore-time lived in peace and love together that now can scarce endure the company or sight of each other How hath it filled the hearts of men with jealousies the Presses with Controversies and the Pulpits with Invectives Tom. 3 de Ess Sac. l. 2. c. 31. p. 92. Bellarmine useth this as an argument to prove that the Ceremonies are not of free observation that they have successively begat most grievous dissentions Now were it not a thousand times better that such fooleries as these unworthy of the defence or approbation of any wise men were for ever banished from amongst us and never while the World stands heard of more than that they should make such uncomfortable discords in the Church of Christ Vit. Pub● p. 103. Plutarch tells of Valerius the Consul that when he had built a sumptuous and stately House and the People were displeased with it he without any more ado gets a company of workmen together and causeth them to pull it down and raze it to the very ground And did an Heathen do this and yet will Christian Bishops that wear long white Robes to proclaim their innocency holiness keep up a company of beggarly Ceremonies when they see them offend their Brethren and beget such sad and unhappy differences where-ever they are imposed T. 6. cont Faust Manith l. 20. c. 23 fol. 81. Would they follow August whom they use to speak of under the titles both of Saint and Bishop they might learn better Those things saith he which are not necessary though in some sort good are yet oft to be taken away or altogether removed for the evils that do thence arise And are the Ceremonies any more than not necessary that is indifferent or to go to the utmost are they any more than in some sort good And do not many and great evils arise from them Why then according to the doctrine of this judicious Father are they not taken away and abrogated Acts 19.19 It were sure better to bring them forth and as the Exorcists serv'd their Conjuring Books make one common flame of them rather than they should make so many combustions and flames in such peaceable and flourishing Kingdoms Qu. 13. Whether if the Ceremonies are but things indifferent and ought to be used as such they ought not to prefer the preaching of the Word the Power of God to mans Salvation before them If so then whether do you think they do well in ejecting and silencing their Brethren and not suffering them to fulfill their Ministry because they refuse to close with them Is it not a sad thing to see multitudes of Church doors shut up the people scattered like Sheep without a Shepherd and perishing for lack of knowledge and all for the sake of two or three things accounted indifferent that may either be used or not used done or not done Is it not a sad thing that these men who look upon themselves as the only sound Christians and pretend so much respect to Christ and his Interest should rather choose to see his Work stand still his Kingdom decrease and thousands of souls go to Hell than wave the urging of a few frivolous Ceremonies that perish with the using Morals should not give place to Ceremonials but Ceremonials to Morals They should not throw out the Word to bring in the Ceremonies but rather throw out the Ceremonies to keep in the Word And if our Saviour thought the Scribes and Pharisees worthy of a Wo for paying tithe of Mint and Anise Mat 23 23. and Cum̄in and omitting the weightier matters of the Law such as Judgment Mercy and Faith what will he think those worthy of that prefer a company of meer baubles unworthy of any thing but disdain from grave and sober Christians before the preaching of the Word and in it not only Judgment Mercy and Faith but all graces and duties whatsoever It may be they will say they have a Law that things shall be so ordered Admit they have had not they an hand in procuring nay in making it Or if they had not which yet surely no body is so ignorant as not to know may not they if they please obtain the reversing of it or if they cannot yet should they not forbear the observing of it when it comes in competition with a Law of an higher nature 2 Sam. 21.6 David and those that were with him had a Law against the eating of the Shew-bread yet when it came in competition with the preservation of life they adventured to act against it and were blameless Our Saviour also had a Law for the strict observation of the Sabbath day Mat. 12.3 yet when it came in competition with greater such as those that concerned the propagation of the Gospel and the necessary refreshment of his Disciples who had attended him from place to place to the neglect of their bodily sustenance he urgeth it not but justifies them in the non-observance of it Nay he did not only make that Law to give place to the preaching of the Gospel and the necessary refreshment of his Disciples Luk. 14.5 but the helping of an Ox or an Ass out of the ditch Now did he thus make a Divine Law to give place to the necessities of a few of his Servants bodies nay to the necessities of an Ox or an Ass and should not our Adversaries then that argue from his fasting of fourty dayes for the observation of Lent make a human Law give way to the necessities of thousands of souls Mr. Sprint labours from such places as these to prove