profitably used Bucer epist ad Joan. Alasc saith Sacraments may be distributed to men kneeling or standing and as well in the Church and in the morning and to women as well as men though our Lord celebrated it in a chamber in the evening and to men onely The substance remaining entire such circumstances may be changed Peter Martyr Loc. com class 2. loc 4. pag. 232. edit Londin 1576. teacheth that kings as kings should have care that sound doctrine and decent ceremonies be maintained and addeth Nihil interest si coenae Dominicae sacramentum stantes aut sedentes aut genibus flexis percipiamus modò institutum Domini conservetur occasio superstitionis praecidatur And In defens ad Gardiner de Eucharist part 1. object 1. fol. 5. he saith If ones minde be applied not to the elements but to the thing signified adoration may lawfully be interposed c. Vrsinus agreeth with Martyr as he professeth Exercitat part 2. fol. 835. ad fol. 840. Zanchius Tom. 4. lib. 1. cap. 17. Thes 10. de idololatria pag. 531. Thes decimâ Vt piè facit qui honore aliquo reverentiâ afficit sacramenta sic idololatriam admittit qui ea adorat colit The first part that some honour and reverence is due to the sacraments he proveth 1. by Saint Pauls words Worthily not discerning the Lords body 1. Cor. 11.29 from common and ordinary meat and drink there ought to be worthinesse principally in the minde and reverence in the outward gesture of the body and 2. by the common consent and custome of all men who come bareheaded c. and 3. by example of mens reverence to the word of God preached and read which though it be not worshipped yet is to be handled and heard reverently as the word of God and not of men The second part That adoration and worship is not to be given to the bread and wine because they be still creatures and therefore may not have that honour which is onely due to the Creatour which he explicateth that invocation and prayer for pardon of our sinnes may not be made to them for that is a worship proper to God Such kinde of worship to the bread and wine as if they were Christ himself in their elevations and circumgestations Zanchius condemneth as idolatrie and so do we Zepperus de sacramentis cap. 13. fol. 321 322. Sprint 146. teacheth that we are not bound in the new Testament to the circumstances of the time place site or position of body such as Christ used when he first ordained the Sacrament but may enjoy our Christian liberty in altering them Again Polit. Eccles lib. 1. cap. 11. fol. 76. he saith These circumstances may by our Christian liberty be differently appointed and observed The Low-countrey Churches thus 141. In the administration of the Lords supper let every Church impose or use such Ceremonies as they shall judge most expedient c. Ex Actis Synodalibus general inferior Germ. Middleburg anno 1581. Can. 45. Sculting Anachrys Hierarch lib. 9. The Bohemians receive this Sacrament In genua procumbentes kneeling on their knees Harm confess § 14. Bohem. fol. 120. Saravia contra Bezam defens cap. 25. fol. 582 147. 583. and Luther in Gen. 47. allow this ceremony of kneeling CHAP. VII Our Ceremonies are commendable for their ancient and profitable use OUr Ceremonies now questioned are ancient and of good use Sprint pag. 170. as that in ministring the Sacraments the ministers should weare a white linen garment Zanchius de Redempt cap. 16. fol. 445. who citeth S. Hierom contra Pelag. lib. 1. See before chap. 6. See also our 30 Canon that in baptisme they should signe the baptized with the signe of the Crosse Beza epist 8. fol. 75. which signing Beza saith is vetustissima and so for kneeling at the Communion that it hath a shew of godlinesse and Christian reverence and was used cum fructu Beza epist 8. fol. 100. The rites and ceremonies of Rome were not all of one suit Burges 418. Those of her virginitie had some use though after her fornication prostituted to abuse others were originally begotten of her body polluted and so some are in themselves and in the simplest use of them unlawfull as the images of the Godhead half-communions c. others such as in themselves were sometimes lawfully used as of indifferent nature and such are ours now in question as Beza confesseth epist 8. Where Sinne and Ceremonie are inseparably woven together we must separate from both even from the ceremonie for the sinnes sake and break the vessel that cannot be cleansed but in accessary pollution separable cleanse away the pollution and preserve the vessel So the ancient ceremonies which were pure among the Fathers but by tract of time gathered pollution among the Papists may yet by washing and cleansing be restored to their ancient sweetnesse and used without sinne The ancient Fathers and Churches had alwayes some universall ceremonies Dr. Burges pag. 102. seq which were not appointed in Scripture as the feasts of Christs Nativitie Resurrection Ascension Pentecost c. Zanchius Tract de Sacra scriptura pag. 279. And these customes were universall through the whole Church though there was for a time some difference in the time yet none in the fitnesse of the things and these have continued to this day if some pollution have bespotted them shall we not cleanse it away and frame our selves to the ancient custome Is the custome of the whole Church despicable of which S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 11.16 We have no such custome neither the Churches of God And again Came the Gospell from you or came it to you alone Who is he that dares thus to censure the universall militant Church Augustine epist 118. saith Insolentissimae insaniae est existimare non rectè fieri quod ab universa Ecclesia fit and he saith ibidem that universall observations not being written in Scripture must be understood to be commanded and ordained by generall Councels or else to come from the Apostles Surely we hold it an honour to our Church Burges 458. that we are come as neare the Primitive Church as we well could So saith Bishop Jewel Defence of the Apology pag. 27 28. And in the Preface before our book of Common prayer is this Profession You here have an order for prayer as touching the reading of the holy Scriptures much agreeable to the minde and purpose of the old Fathers And of Ceremonies ibid. If some be offended for that some of the old Ceremonies are retained still if they consider that without some Ceremonies it is not possible to keep any order or quiet discipline in the Church they shall easily perceive just cause to reform their judgement and if they think much that any of the old remain and would rather have all devised new then such men granting some Ceremonies convenient to be had surely where the old may be well
for baptisme to the true God as bells rung to the service of idols and temples dedicated to them may be rung and used to the true Gods service and so have been used in the Primitive Church and in later times in England France and all the Christian world over and may well be done without scruple of Conscience Calvinaepist 23 24. Aug. ibid. Josh 6.19 24 saith Calvin And this S. Augustine confirmeth by Joshua his preserving the silver gold and vessels of brasse and iron usefull for Gods service to be kept in Gods treasury when all other things in the taking of Jericho were accursed and destroyed Judges 6.25 26. and by Gideons sacrificing a bullock unto God and burning it with the wood of the grove dedicated to Baal by Gods own appointment Thus we have the judgement of the apostles delivered by Saint Paul and the judgement of the ancient fathers delivered by Saint Augustine of this point Now for the judgement of later Divines of reformed Churches we may well wonder that the Non-conformists alledge Calvine Martyr Grynaeus Wolfius Burges pag. 619. Vrsinus Machabaeus Zanchius Simlerus Zepperus our book of Homilies Doctour Fulk and others for their opinion Surely they mistake them for in plain places of their writings they say the plain contrary Calvine on Deut. serm 32 pag. 310 saith We make no conscience now of turning the temples which were Idol-houses unto the service of God which the Jews ought not to do And serm 57. on Deut. fol. 344 This law forbidding the handling of gold and silver served but for a time for God trained up that people like little babies And Mr. Parker yeelds that Calvine is of a contrarie judgement to them Martyr loc com class 2. cap. 12. pag. 349. Parker on the Crosse part 1. pag. 36. Peter Martyr saith that Princes and common-wealths may now lawfully convert to publick use the gold silver c. of idols which the Jews might by no means reserve Burges päg 1087. because it was forbidden to the Jews The same Martyr epist ad Hooper pag. 1087. saith We must take heed that we presse not the Church with too much servitude as to think we may use nothing that hath been Popish The ancient fathers took the temples of idols See our 30 Canon and converted them into holy houses of God and the revenues which the Gentiles had consecrated to their gods and to the Vestal virgins they turned to maintain the ministery yea the very verses of Poets serving the muses idols comedies theaters and to pacifie their gods Ecclesiasticall writers the holy Fathers use and apply so farre as they finde them fit good and true to Gods worship directed by Saint Paul who disdained not to cite Menander Aratus Epimenides their words or verses Furthermore who knows not that wine was consecrated to Bacchus bread to Ceres water to Neptune olives to Minerva letters to Mercury songs to the Muses or to Apollo to idols or Devils all which we doubt not to apply as well to sacred as to civill uses Thus P. Martyr Zanchius also plainly denies these laws now to binde as then they did Zanch. de Redempt lib. 1. pag. 648. which also may be shewed in the rest of the Authours alledged saith Dr. Burges pag. 619. For other things abused See Burges pag. 591. Shall we not bowe the knee to God as 2. Chron. 6.13 Ezra 9.5 Acts 20.36 because bowing was abused to Baal 1. Kings 19.18 nor the body and head to the ground as Joshua 7.6 2. Chron. 7.3 because many did so to idols Isai 2.8 9. nor lift up our eyes in token of expectation as Psalme 123. 1. Mark 6.41 John 11.41 and 17.1 because some did so to idols Ezekiel 18.6 nor stretch out our hands to God in prayer as 2. Chron. 6.13 Psalme 63.4 1. Tim. 2.8 because some did so to strange gods Psalme 44.20 The example of Hezekiahs abolishing the brazen serpent is also urged for the abolishing of Ceremonies formerly abused But I answer The example of Hezekiah teacheth Princes to use their libertie as he did his The Church may be purged of things idolatrously used two wayes one by abolishing them the other by taking away the abuse onely The first way he used by taking utterly away the brazen serpent the other he used in sparing Solomons chappels built for Ashtoreth Chemosh and Milcom heathen gods 1. Kings 11.7 for they stood still till Josiahs time 2. King 23.13 yet God gave Hezekiah this testimonie 2. Kings 18.6 Hezekiah clave to the Lord and departed not from following him but kept his commandments which the Lord commanded Moses But howsoever many excellent Divines exhort Princes to imitate the zeal of Hezekiah and Josiah yet they say not that private Christians may do it without authoritie CHAP. V. As our Ceremonies are imposed by our Princes and used by us they differ much from the Papists THere is great difference betwixt the Papists Ceremonies and ours even in things of the same substance Suarez in Thom. tom 3. q. 65. sect 2. Burges 583 584. Their Suarez shews us that Ceremonies are so farre Ceremonies as they are to be observed in the use of some sacred action of which they are not the substance And after These Ceremonies differ among themselves vel ritu vel fine in their use or end meaning that where the rite or thing used is the same in it self yet in a different use or to another end it is not the same but another Ceremonie And thus Bowing the knee in the masse-time is a different Ceremonie from bowing to the altar or to the crucifix or to the host or to the chalice and so our Crosse upon Baptisme is a different Ceremonie from theirs applyed to other uses Burges ibid. 443. When bowing the knee was used in the service of Baal it was a Ceremonie of idolatry but when it was used to God it was no monument of idolatry It is no monument which doth not monere nor is instituted or fixed to that end As a Tombe without an inscription is not a monument but a grave The inscription applying it to the memory and mention of the party there intombed makes it a monument and applyed to anothers name there latelier buried quite alters the nature of it and makes it a new monument So also no metall is moneta money but in respect of the Governours stamp upon it alter the stamp and stamp the Spanish pieces with the English arms and then it is not Spanish money but English though the metall and substance be still the same By the like reason bowing to Baal is no monument of religious bowing to God nor after that bowing to God any monument of the idolatrous use of bowing to Baal likewise the use of the Crosse with us is no monument of the Popish abuse no more then the Popish abuse was a monument of the lawfull use of it in the Primitive Church Present intention and professed use
A SERMON NECESSARIE FOR THESE TIMES Shewing the nature of Conscience with the corruptions thereof and the repairs or means to inform it with right knowledge and stirre it up to upright practise and how to get and keep a good Conscience To which is adjoyned a necessarie brief and pithy treatise of the Ceremonies of the Church of England By ANTHONY CADE Batch of Divinitie 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this the testimonie of our Conscience that in simplicitie and godly sinceritie not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world c. Printed by the Printers to the Vniversitie of Cambridge And are to be sold by John Sweeting near Popes head alley in Corn-hill 1639. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD JOHN LORD BISHOP OF LINCOLN MY VERY good Lord and Patron RIght Reverend Father in God I have often with great comfort related among my friends what I observed about five yeares agone at my being at Buckden an ancient house belonging to the Bishoprick of Lincoln how bare naked and ruinous I had seen it in former times and now worthily repaired and adorned by your Lordship The cloisters fairly pargetted and beautified with comely coportments and inscriptions of wise counsels and sentences the windows enriched with costly pictures of Prophets Apostles and holy Fathers and beyond all the Chappell for Gods immediate service most beautifully furnished with new Seats Windows Altar Bibles and other sacred books costly covered clasped and embossed with silver and gilt with gold with Bason Candlesticks and other vessels all of bright shining silver and with stately Organs curiously coloured gilded and enameled no cost spared to set forth the dignity of that house dedicated to Gods worship And the whole service of God therein performed with all possible reverence and devout behaviour of your own person and all the assembly and with the organs of sweet ravishing angelicall voices and faces of young men lifting up with heavenly raptures all the hearers and beholders hearts to heaven and enforcing me to think and meditate When such things are found on earth in the Church Militant Oh what unconceivable joyes shall we finde in heaven in the Church Triumphant We have great cause to glorifie God for your Fatherhoods excellent care and cost in this and many * At Lincoln Westminster Cambridge Oxford c. Where this Bishop hath built chappels libraries c. or garnished and furnished them with excellent books and maintenance for Scholars other places where as I heare you have done the like As also now more lately for our most excellent worthy-minded Archbishops Grace who prosecuting his own and some other Bishops preparations hath now notably begun and happily gone forwards with the repairing of that most honourable ancient monument of Christendome S. Pauls Church in London to the comfort of all good hearts and glory of our nation and also to work an unity of faith and uniformity of practise in the service of God and by all possible means to winne all adversaries thereunto which would be an incomparable joy to all true Christian hearts But to return again to Buckden to my observations there and to my present purpose I did also ordinarily speak among my friends of the government of your great house with all subjection and gravity and of your hospitalitie such as S. 1. Tim. 3.2 Paul prescribes to Bishops entertaining your numerous guests with bountifull provision and feasting them with variety and plenty of all good things but with exemplary sobriety in your own person and with wise learned and religious discourse as wholesome for their souls as your meats for their bodies But this I passe over now slightly as beside my present purpose for my purpose was onely to shew how by the former sight of your house and Chappel and the manner of Gods service therein I well understood your Fatherhoods religious minde and intentions but much better by your private words to my self afterwards viz. That your desire was to have the Consciences of all people preachers and others in your Diocesse rightly informed and soundly convicted of the lawfulnesse and perswaded to the practise of the established service of God with the Rites and Ceremonies of our happily reformed Church and that your self would leade them the way and give them a fair * S. August epist 86. in fine Si consilio meo acquiescis Episcopo tuo noli resistere quod facit ipse sine ullo scrupulo sectare In using Rites and Ceremonies example This gladded my heart more then the rest So that not long after being appointed by your Lordship to preach at a Visitation at Leicester I addressed my self to improve my best service to God and his Church to our gracious Soveraigne Gods immediate deputy to your Lordship the generall spirituall Father of these parts and to our Countrey both ministers and people for the better setling of their Consciences in these and other necessary points My sermon presently upon the hearing procured me thanks from many even from the contrary-minded formerly and many desired copies or the publication as did also some of your own officers which I also promised And shortly after having made my copie ready with some additions which time would not give me leave to utter and with a brief Appendix at the end fitter for young preachers to reade at home then for people to heare from the pulpit I gave it to a friend to procure the printing but my friend unfriendly kept it in his own or his friends hands so long that till neare the end of this last yeare I could not get my copie again At last having recovered it and communicated it to some other learned judicious friends they again importuned me for the publication as a thing that undoubtedly would do much good to many unsetled souls To which now I have condescended My good Lord I beseech you and all my Readers to beare with my long preface I thought it necessary to let the world know the two occasions one of my preaching the other of the late publishing of this sermon Now such as it is I send and dedicate it to your Fatherhood whose it is by the first appointment and all the service it can do and so is the Authour thereof Your Lordships in all humble service and observance to be commanded ANTHONY CADE ROM 2.15 Which Gentiles shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their Conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts the mean while or between themselves accusing or else excusing one another SAint Paul to move all men to seek salvation by faith in Jesus Christ which he propounds chap. 1. vers 16. and prosecutes chap. 3. vers 21. shews in these first chapters that all men are in themselves inexcusable sinners The Jews sinning against the law written in their Books the Gentiles against the law written in their Hearts This sentence convicts the Gentiles but by an argument
life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindenesse of their heart 19. Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousnesse to work all uncleannesse with greedinesse In regard of these benefits and dangers Vse 4 it behoveth us to have a double care First to keep our Law-book pure and perfect lest it misleade us to sinne in stead of righteousnesse Secondly to reade it and follow it diligently lest it cease to be our guide and become our accuser The first man Adam before his fall Ad bonum nil impediebat ad malum nil impellebat Magister lib. 2. dist 25. had it pure and perfect abilitie to know his dutie fully and to perform it throughly But upon his fall he lost his perfection that is the excellencie of the image of God both in Knowledge Coloss 3.10 and Righteousnesse and true Holinesse Ephes 4.24 And in this his depraved image he begat his children Gen. 5.3 In whom though the life of Conscience was left and light enough for performance of outward morall civill and some religious duties for preservation of humane societie and common life yet no sufficient light to attain to the knowledge of the mysteries of saving religion as the Trinitie of the Persons in the Unitie of the Godhead the manner of our redemption by the incarnation and passion of the second person in Trinitie the pardon of our sinnes by his merit our regeneration by his Spirit our resurrection to life eternall and other points The naturall man conceiveth or perceiveth them not he thinketh them foolishnesse they are onely spiritually discerned 1. Cor. 2.14 As the naturall Conscience was short in these things so it was much corrupted in other things The Gentiles a Rom. 1.18 held the truth in unrighteousnesse b Vers 21. became vain in their imaginations their foolish heart was darkened the c 22. professours of wisdome became fools They d 24. dishonoured their own bodies with lusts and uncleannesse In the foure last verses of the first chapter to the Romanes Saint Paul exhibites a long Catalogue of their foul overflowing sinnes which they not onely practised but took pleasure also in the practisers thereof For remedie of which evils Remedies by wise men the Philosophers and wife men of the Heathen have written many books labouring to revive renew and enforce the laws of nature with reasonable deductions therefrom Tully in his books of Offices or Duties layes this for his ground Naturam si sequamur ducem nunquam aberrabimus If we follow the guidance of Nature we shall never stray from our duties and others tell us Conscientia est liber ad quem emendandum omnes scripti sunt libri Conscience is a book for amending whereof all books are written so farre as concern mens actions These men have taken great pains herein husbanding and improving the light of naturall reason to the highest pitch to their own great honour and the worlds great good As also good Princes have And good Princes by the aid of these wise men published and established many worthy laws for their own honour and service and for the common good and happinesse of their subjects But our most gracious God Divine and supernaturall remedies by the Scriptures as he is infinitely above all in providence wisdome and goodnesse so he hath declared his farre more excellent Will and Laws to his people for his own honour and their happinesse inspiring some choice men in the Old and New Testament with divine Revelations and testifying their Mission Commission and Doctrine to be immediately from him by divine miracles as seals unpossible to be counterfeited by any wit or power of men appointing them to deliver by word to the present and by writing to the future ages his holy Laws for the manner of his service the guiding of their lives and the attaining of felicitie And these are the sacred books of the Scriptures And Ministerie And he hath added yet another provident ordinance The sacred Ministerie men separated from other affairs and consecrated to Gods publick service and the peoples edification directing their preaching to these two speciall ends The one to open the meaning of these holy Books and teach the people to understand and imprint these Laws in their Conscience The other continually to work upon their affections to excite and stirre them up often to reade them and carefully to practise them And this is the excellencie of Christian Religion above all Philosophie and humane laws or learning which could never perfect the Conscience nor purifie the heart nor stirre up the affections with such holy doctrines rules or principles nor cause such a constant and universall practise of all kindes of vertue and goodnesse nor procure such blessings temporall and eternall upon persons and nations as these holy Books and the continuall urgent preaching of them doth perform But be the remedies never so good yet if they be not employed applied and continually renewed Satan and Sinne are so busie to assail so potent to prevail and we so impotent to resist so willing to yeeld that corruptions will easily creep into our lives and Consciences As we may observe 1. Causes corrupting the Conscience By the vehemency and disorderlinesse of our corrupt affections lusts or passions whether love hatred covetousnesse ambition pride fleshly lusts or any other blinding and carrying many away into sinfull courses thinking in those passions evil to be good 2. By Custome in sinne For Consuetudo peccandi tollit sensum peccati what many do is thought lawfull for all Thus stealing of garments was lawfull with the Lacedemonians many wives at once with the Turks deadly fewd and stealing one side from another among our borderers they thought it stood well with Religion Sir Thomas More Lord Chancellour of England in king Henry the 8 his time writeth The borderers would heare masse before they went to steal and pray God so to blesse them that they might do harm and take none Amongst us of late drunkennesse pride and such like vices are thought lawfull because usuall and practised without check of Conscience These blot blurre or fill up the deep graven letters of our Law-book with dirt or bring us asleep in sinne that we cannot easily spie or reade them 3. By interlinings of false precepts or principles of false teachers as to this precept Love thy neighbour the Pharisees added And hate thine enemy which interlining Christ put out again and restored the text to his old integrity Matth. 5.43 as he did other doctrines of men Matth. 15. and 23. 4. By mistaking errour for true religion as our Saviour said to his Apostles John 16.2 They that kill you will think they do God service Saint Paul once thought that he was bound in Conscience to persecute Christians Acts 26.9 Phil 3.6 he did it of zeal Acts 13.50 and so the devout and honourable women and
chief men persecuted Paul and Barnabas and cast them out of their coasts moved by erroneous devotion By the like errour they that call themselves Romane Catholicks deceived by Jesuiticall doctrine persecute the true Catholicks that constantly hold all necessary saving doctrine grounded on the holy Scriptures Articles of 1562. art 6. and universally received in the Primitive Church as the Protestants do and refuse onely the corrupt novell doctrines brought in by later Popes Art 22. Art 37. and submission to their government these they persecute and seek by all means even by treasons insurrections and murders of Princes and massacres of people utterly to root out and think such courses not onely lawfull but meritorious and that they are bound in conscience to practise them especially upon their Popes excommunications A conceit and doctrine strange and monstrous never heard of in the Church of God of a thousand yeares after Christian religions first planting and untill Satan was * Revel 20.2 3 7 8. Greg. 7. formerly called Hildebrand by many Helbrand as one that brought this wilde-fire from hell into the Church for from heaven it could not come James 3.13 a wisdome earthly sensuall devilish aedificat ad Gehennam This Gregory was the first Pope that deposed any Princes c. as saith old Frisingensis late Onuphrius See Cades Justification of our Church pag. 42 43. pag. 46 seq lib. 2. pag. 64. seq loosed and permitted to deceive the nations Then Pope Gregory the seventh began first to depose Princes embroyling the Christian world with unchristian warres kindling that fire which hath been kept burning by many succeeding Popes and is still kept alive blown continually with the breath of Jesuites and other the Popes Incendiaries But the weapons of the first best Christians even against persecuting tyrants were patience and prayers not treasons murders rebellions We reade in Scriptures of wicked Princes reproved by the Prophets but neither deprived of their state nor subjects animated to rebell nor forreiners to invade And if any Christian Prince were excommunicated that made him not in worse state then a Heathen with losse of his goods government or life but * Matt. 18.17 sicut Ethnicus sequestred from the blessing of the Church and Sacraments onely The ancient Churches censures never proceeded further But howsoever that late unchristian doctrine is still maintained in the books of a great number of the Popes flatterers that are maintained by him in wealth and dignitie yet a great number also even of the learnedest Divines of the Church of Rome hold the contrary For this point reade the B. of Rochester de potest Papae cap. 8. who citeth many authours B. Whites reply to Fishers ansvver pag. 572. and write books in confutation thereof confessing plainly that the Pope by vertue of his office hath not any power or authoritie to depose Princes or dispose of their Crowns or lives for any cause crime or good whatsoever Whereupon most of our English Romane Catholicks have contrary to the Popes briefs Cardinall Bellarmines letters and other Romish Rabbines perswasions taken the oath of allegiance and thereby insinuate a reall confession in this main point that the Pope Cardinals Conclave Counsellers and greatest Doctours of that Church may erre and leade them into damnable sinne and therein may and ought to be disobeyed And since the infallibility of that Pope and Church hath been the greatest if not the onely ground of holding them in many errours without searching into them that ground being now acknowledged to be unsound there is great hope of their coming to us in other points of difference as they have done in some already if we be not averse and hinder it by our dissensions at home Oh that we could recover that blessed unity of doctrine and good life of that one holy primitive ancient Catholick Church Yet observe another malice and policy of Satan Some Protestants too nice Conscience against Church-ceremonies if he cannot make us swallow these Camels he will endeavour to make us strain at Gnats and in hatred of the Papists large Conscience and grosse sinnes to make our Conscience too strait and stick at things indifferent as Caps Surplesse kneeling at Communions Crossing the childe after he is baptized and such like rites or ceremonies Our people by the blessing of God hold the substance of saving religion entirely we do not teare and wound Christs body we onely strive about his garments My desire is to take up this strife and to keep that seamlesse coat unrent because I see our adversaries passing over their own great ones make themselves sport at our petty dissensions To stop their mouthes therefore and satisfie our otherwise good Christian brethren whose Consciences are afraid to receive these Ceremonies give me leave to impart unto you my meditations touching this point which I shall do the plainliest and briefliest by answering a few questions Quest 1. Doth erring Conscience binde Answer It doth binde so that he that doth against it sinneth Because whatsoever the Conscience dictates it dictates sub ratione voluntatis Dei as it informs us of Gods will and so it hath in it self the force of the Divine will and is in stead of God unto us as Gods Lieger Ambassadour to shew us our dutie and call upon us to do it therefore as long as we understand acknowledge it to be so it bindes us unto obedience as unto God To do therefore that which thy Conscience saith is unlawfull or while thou doubtest it is unlawfull is to incurre damnation Rom. 14.23 He that doubteth is damned if he do it because he doth it not of faith for whatsoever is not of faith is sinne Though it be clean in it self yet to thee it is unclean if thou thinkest it so as Saint Paul saith there See Ames de conscien lib. 1. cap. 3. n. 13. cap. 4. n. 6. Rob. Sandersons ser upon Rom. 3.8 Cicero Offic. lib. 1. Bene praecipiunt qui vetant quicquam agere quod dubites aequum sit an iniquum aequit as lucet ipsa per se dubitatio cogitationem significat injuriae vers 14. He that doth against his Conscience doth against the will of God quamvis non materialiter verè tamen formaliter interpretativè though not in matter and truely yet in form and by interpretation because he doth that which he thinks is against Gods will And this is reduced to the lack of the fear of God to venture to do that which thou judgest God hath forbidden and so hath written in thy Conscience which must be Gods witnesse with thee or against thee and whereby thou must be judged Quest 2. May a Christian Prince urge his subjects to observe such ceremonies in Gods service as he knows to be lawfull though some subjects think them unlawfull or doubt of their lawfulnesse I must answer this question by first laying some grounds thereof in a few
Propositions 1. See Calv. Inst lib. 4. cap. 10. Sect. 14. 30. D. Burges Answer pag. 81. seq It is absolutely necessarie that in performing the outward works of Religion some outward rites and ceremonies be observed For people cannot meet together Gods service cannot be performed Religion it self whether true or false cannot possibly subsist or continue without times places orders customes words and actions prescribed and observed as Saint Augustine urgeth Tom. 6. Contra Faustum lib. 19. cap. 11. seq 2. See D. Burges Ansvv pag. 8. seq pag. 75. seq The same ceremonies in particular are not prescribed in Scripture for all Churches The substance of Religion must be the same in all places ceremonies may varie as S. Augustine and S. Ambrose joyntly teach Aug. epist 118. For one manner of discipline may fit a free citie another a large kingdome one in peace another in persecution one under heathen kings another under Christian one in a Church newly planted another in the setled State Our Saviour instituted the Communion in a chamber and after supper we in our setled Church celebrate it in Temples and in the morning Luke 24.30 31 33 35. Act. 2.46 1. Cor. 11.21 22. 1. Cor. 11.19 for Christs Apostles and the faithfull in their time celebrated it in private houses and any time of day In the spring of the Church the feasts of love were of good use which S. Paul in short time found fit to be abrogated See my Justif or Counter-charm pag. 209 210 211. Threefold dippings in Baptisme standing not kneeling at prayers betwixt Easter and Whitsuntide and many other things used by the Ancients are now generally left off So that 3. Particular Churches are left to their own wisdome to choose such ceremonies as may best fit them 1. Cor. 14.40 vers 26. Calv. Inst lib. 4. cap. 10. sect 30. D. Burges pag. 75. seq observing S. Pauls generall Canons Let all things be done decently and in order and Let all things be done unto edifying Since beside the internall substance of religion some outward things must of necessitie be done in the publick assemblies of the Church which we call ceremonies how those must be done and to what end S. Paul here prescribeth the manner orderly without confusion decently or comely for reverence the end for edification to stirre up the assemblies mindes the better to consider of the holy mysteries and embrace the inward vertues One of the notes which Gregorius de Valentia makes of the Church is That it is the most orderly societie in the world Many mislike our Church-rites because no where commanded in Scripture I answer No more are those which they like Is the Cap and Surplesse no where commanded no more is the nightcap nor black cloke or gown Is kneeling no where commanded at Communions no more is sitting nor standing and so of the rest But where are any of these forbidden in Scripture If neither commanded nor forbidden and yet some decent ornaments and gestures commanded in generall then the particulars are left to the wisdome of the Church to choose either this or that Hereupon we finde that 4 In severall particular Churches the rites have been severall and different and not censurable by other Churches Because the severall Churches made choice of such orders as in their own judgement agreed best with S. Pauls canons of Order Decencie and Edification in their times and countreys The Queen an embleme of the Church was not onely glorious within Psal 45. by holy and heavenly doctrine but without also standing in a vesture of gold wrought about with divers colours that is divers comely orders and ceremonies as S. Augustine interprets them Epist 86. towards the end Now the judgement of some particulars may not prejudice or censure others because the opinions and reasons of men are often different upon one and the same point and each one abounds in his own sense as for the gesture in receiving the holy Communion some condemne kneeling as Popish and superstitious others condemne standing as Jewish and irreligious others condemne sitting as an irreverent and unmannerly gesture to receive so heavenly a blessing But the determination of this point I will shew you in the words of two ancient grave learned Fathers Aug. epist. 86. in fine epist 118. paulo post initium Saint Augustine and Saint Ambrose Saint Augustine in his 86 epistle and again in the 118 epistle writes how his mother Monica being with him at Millain was much troubled in minde because there they fasted not on saturdayes as in her countrey they did and that to satisfie her the better he asked Saint Ambrose his advice who answered I can give you no better advice then to do as I do When I am at Rome I fast on saturdayes when here at home I fast not Sic etiam tu ad quam fortè Ecclesiam veneris ejus morem serva si cuiquam non vis esse scandalo nec quenquam tibi Do you so also to what Church soever you come observe the custome thereof if you will not offend any nor have any offend you This satisfied his mother and himself often repeating it in his books counted it as an Oracle come from heaven Here we see even in cities of the same countrey of Italy there were severall customes and ceremonies and Millain was no more bound to the orders of Rome then Rome to those of Millain which I wish all good men to consider well and to rest satisfied in these things with the judgement of these two great lights of the Church Ambrose and Augustine and all good women with Monica not to be of those mens mindes Aug. ibid. Qui nisi quod ipsi faciunt nihil rectum existimant that think nothing right but what themselves do Saint Augustine saith there determinately Epist. 118. Greg. Epist lib. 1. cap. 41. In una fide nihil officit sanctae Ecclesiae consuetudo diversa Totum hoc genus rerum liberas habet observationes Nec disciplina ulla est in his melior gravi prudentique Christiano quà m ut eo modo agat quo agere viderit Ecclesiam ad quamcunque fortè devenerit The observation of all the sorts of these things is free and at liberty neither can there be any better rule for a grave and wise Christian then to do as he seeth that Church do to which he chanceth to come And he concludes his 86. epistle thus Si consilio meo libenter acquiescis Episcopotuo in hac re noli resistere quod facit ipse sine ullo scrupulo vel disceptatione sectare If you be willing to rest upon my counsel do not resist your Bishop in this matter but what he doth follow you without scruple or arguing 5. In Nationall Churches or whole Christian Kingdomes who shall be judge to set down and impose what is decent orderly and fittest for edification
Ecclesiasticall histories to shew the rites and ceremonies beside the doctrine of the ancient Primitive Church in the best and purest times You may heare with much profit and comfort all Preachers even the youngest in their freshest wits memory and strength for points of salvation taught in the holy Scriptures within their reading and compasse of studie but for rites and ceremonies trust onely the graver and well-read Divines which have searched Antiquity that our Church-rites may come as neare the purest and ancientest Church as may be without any affectation of noveltie Hitherto I have spoken of the first part of my text The law-Law-book of Conscience with the properties causes uses manifold depravations and necessary reparations thereof Now I proceed to the second part The Chronicle of Conscience II. PART Their Conscience also bearing witnesse AS formerly witnesse to the truth and equity of the Law-book and thereby exciting us to the work thereof so now a witnesse to God and to our hearts whether we perform the Law or not For Doctrine Conscience preserves a memoriall of all a mans actions It is not a dead but a living book annexed to the soul and as it hath in one part the rules to guide our life so it writes in another part the course of our life and is as I said before Gods Lieger Ambassadour both to put man in minde of his duty and also to observe what he doth and whether a man look on his Law-book or not whether he minde his duty or not Conscience sits silent and close in a corner of his heart like a Register in his office continually noting and writing the mans courses plots devices with all their materiall circumstances how they swerve or agree with the instructions set down in the Law-book without any partiality as Gods true and faithfull witnesse and this is Saint Chrysostomes Codex Chrysostom on Psal 50. homil 2. in quo quotidiana peccata conscribuntur A book wherein our dayly sinnes are written The Conscience is an individuall or unseparable companion of a mans soul it walks though invisibly in the same gardens with him sits at the same table lies in the same bed Many men are unmarried but none lives single they may walk speak and think without other companions but never without their Conscience that is still partaker of all their counsels that not onely heares and sees but writes down and records as in a Chronicle all things done said or thought By this Chronicle of our lives we may finde written whether we minded it or no while it was in writing undeniable records testifying whether we did this or that or whether we did it not as in sinne David willingly forgot hid and covered his grievous sinnes 2. Sam. 12.13 thinking they should never come to light but after nine moneths Nathan opened his Conscience and compelled him to confesse it So it was with Judas Matt. 27.3 4. So the Conscience of Josephs brethren was not minded by them Gen. 42.21 22. till their affliction in Egypt made them look into it and then they saw their crueltie to their brother written in large letters and convicting them of sinne So of our innocency 1. Sam. 24.11 Davids Conscience shewed him he had not conspired against Saul Samuel could boldly say 1. Sam. 12.3 Whose ex have I taken or whose asse have I taken whom have I defrauded whom have I oppressed or of whose hand have I received any bribe Moses could say of Korah Dathan Abiram and their companies Num. 16.15 I have not taken an asse from them neither have I hurt any of them Let no man sinne then Vse 1 in hope to be hid for lack of witnesses He may blinde the world but neither God nor his own Conscience he carries mille testes a thousand witnesses in his own bosome or one as strong as a thousand which will testifie his own secretest sinnes to his own sorrow and shame when God cites it While traitours think their practises remain covered and unknown they are somewhat hearty to denie but when their own letters or other accusers privy to their facts are produced against them into the open light 1. Sam. 25.37 then their hearts like Nabals die within them Or as a murderer having left two men for dead and being afterward apprehended for suspicion and stoutly denying all now when he sees one of them brought in alive able to see him and to speak then he cries out Alas art thou alive then I am undone so a wicked man would deny all but when God brings forth his living Conscience to accuse him then he is stricken dumbe and findes he is undone I reade of a Philosopher that hearing his creditour was dead kept the money which he had borrowed without witnesses a night or two but after some strugling with his Conscience he carried it to his Executour saying Mihi vivit qui aliis mortuus est He is alive to me though he be dead to others Oh offend not thy Conscience which alwayes watcheth thee and writes up thine own sinne and shame against thee Turpe quid ausurus te sine teste time O Ahab 1. Kings 21. how cunningly and closely contrivest and conveyest thou thy mischievous practises against a poore innocent Will not a palace a kingdome content thee where thou maist live in love in honour in wealth and pleasure but thou must have Naboths vineyard too and to get it rush headlong into such damnable courses as to counterfeit a Religious fast making a shew of Devotion a cloke to cover an odious sinne which is the height of impietie and to suborn false witnesses to accuse an innocent corrupt the Judges under colour of law to condemn him to take away his livelyhood and withall his good name and the pitie and compassion of his neighbours and beholders which is the height of Tyrannie yea worse if any thing can be worse then stoning him to death and depriving himself and his children of inheritance and life And doth not thy Conscience check thee for all this Surely Conscience had written it up but he minded it not for joy of his fine contrived excheat till coming from taking possession he met the Prophet Elias to whom he said Hast thou found me 1. Kings 21.20 O mine enemie Why his enemie Oh his Conscience now accused him of his wickednesse which had made both God and good men his enemies and now at last he found in stead of magnifying his house and establishing his posteritie what an evil covetousnesse he had coveted to his own house what a vengeance he brought upon himself and his posteritie Oh Absalom how well mightest thou flourish if the favour of a King the love of a kingdome the beauty of thy person wealth honour and pleasure with any moderation would content thee But thou art sick of the Father and ambition carries thee headlong into treasonable courses and untimely death Thou colourest thy foul practises
with fair pretences hiding thy intents from the abused people while thine own end is hid from thy self God sees all thy Conscience writes all while thou needlesly and heedlesly runnest a full careere to thine own destruction And thou David See 2. Sam. 12. and the chapters following from the shepherds staffe raised to the Kings sceptre and now setled in thy kingdome in great wealth peace honour and prosperitie wilt thou now forget thy self so farre that thine own hundred sheep will not satisfie thee but thou must take thy neighbours onely ew that lies in his bosome wilt thou commit so foul an act and yet a fouler to murder the right innocent owner and to do it the closelier wilt thou betray the Lords guiltlesse army into the enemies hand and cause his name to be blasphemed among the heathen and wilt thou hereby draw plagues upon thee and thine and cut off thy prosperitie when thou needest not and doth thy Conscience all this while sleep and will never awake No no thy Conscience is writing all the while a chronicle of all thy doings and after nine moneths when the childe is born Nathan will open thy book and make thee reade thine own sinne which will cost thee many teares and much heart-grief and many afflictions from thine own subjects from thine own children all thy life long after For our innocencie and good works Vse 2 we need not hunt for eye-witnesses to cleare and to cheere us Hic murus aheneus esto Nil conscire sibi nullâ pallescere culpâ Horat. Integer vitae scelerÃsque purus non eget Mauri jaculis nec arcu c. Idem Conscience alone giveth sufficient comfortable testimony A cleare Conscience is a brazen wall to keep off all the darts of sinne or shame which ill tongues can throw against us He that is of sound life and free from ill-doing hath his heaven within him and may say with S. Paul 2. Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicitie and godly sinceritie not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you-wards In midst of slanders and uncharitable surmises of malicious men comfort thy self with the witnesse of thy sinceritie and innocencie as S. Paul did there and Acts 23.1 Men and brethren I have lived in all good Conscience before God unto this day And Acts 24.16 Herein I do exercise my self to have alwayes a Conscience void of offence towards God and towards men and neare his death 2. Tim. 4.6 Now said he I am ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousnesse c. Our Conscience also will witnesse Vse 3 whether in doing good works we serve God or our selves that is whether we do the works of our vocation with true sinceritie and simplicitie of heart and observing all due circumstances referring all to the true ends Gods glory chiefly and secondly our own salvation comfort and profit and the good of others without hurt or wrong to any which if we do our Conscience will assure us 2. Cor. 5.5 Rom. 8.14 15 16. Eph. 1.13 14 2. Cor. 1.22 we are guided by Gods Spirit are in Gods favour have received the earnest of our inheritance the Spirit of adoption although we feel still imperfections in our selves as S. Paul did Rom. 7.21 c. or whether we do our good works in hypocrisie and for our own by-ends which may be profitable to others but neither please God nor our own Conscience soundly as they ought to do Thus to apply it onely to our present meeting Preachers may finde it written in their Conscience See Gabr. Powels consideration of the ministers supplication to the Parliament 1606. pag. 11 12. whether their preaching hath been directed to Gods true service for his glory and the right information and falvation of his people or whether to their own praise to shew their learning eloquence and wit or to please and humour their patrons friends and people for maintenance and preferment I wish we all could say with S. Paul Acts 20.26 I take you all to record this day that I am pure from the bloud of all men and have taught you all the counsell of God and Acts 24.16 and 2. Cor. 1.12 Our Visitours and their inferiour officers may finde written in their Consciences whether they make such a meeting as this Morum or Nummorum visitatio D. Boys in a visitation Sermon visiting to do good to the Church or to themselves Sure I am these offices and meetings were ordained for good and the execution thereof doth much good in our Church to see that ministers do their duties preach true and profitable doctrine and that diligently live honest and unoffensive lives and be examples of all goodnesse to their flocks to see whether Church-buildings furniture books vestments and especially people be in good order They that do all these good offices deserve good recompense for their pains and care their persons and offices are venerable honourable and exceeding profitable to the Church But the good performance of the best Visitours may be much hindered by corrupt or negligent under-officers Church-wardens Side-men Apparitours which are the eyes of the Visitours I wish them to reade seriously in their Conscience whether they serve God or Mammon or God for Mammon whether they betray not the trust committed to them making the Visitours look through false glasses D. Boys ibid. or spectacles to see Omnia bene in billis when there is rather Omnia malè in villis and their feeling is better then their seeing and so no good reformation follows because no good information went before I can go no further but onely advise men to look to their Consciences lest they become partiall causes of the continuance of any evil in the Church and thereby derive much of the guilt and punishment upon themselves whereas by conscionable execution of their office and trust they may procure much good to the Church settle true peace in their Conscience and derive upon themselves many blessings from God with love and praise from men But I must hasten to the third part of my Text and hasten through it III. PART Their thoughts accusing or excusing THeir discursive thoughts by comparing these two books together the one containing Facta the other Regulam factorum the Law of God and the Chronicle of our lives either accuse and condemne for their disagreement or excuse and acquit for their agreement The first book makes the Proposition or Major of a Practicall Syllogisme Thus thou must do The second book makes the Assumption or Minor Thus thou hast done The Conscience with the discoursing thoughts out of those Premises draws the Conclusion Ergò thou hast done evil or
Ceremonies to be approved by the reasons and testimonies of other learned reverend and pious men it would do much good to many more I have taken the pains to adde such an Appendix Wherein I might have alledged reasons out of many other worthy Authours Archbish Whitgifts books against Mr. Cartwright Dr. Bridges Mr. Richard Hooker Dr. Covel Dr. Spark Dr. Gardiner Dr. Powell Dr. Collins Mr. Francis Mason Mr. Ambrose Fisher and others But because I write specially to such younger and poorer ministers as either are not able or willing to purchase many costly books of this subject or not at leisure to reade them I have thought best to referre such Readers if they be not satisfied with my short Abstract specially to three of the last who have read and weighed all which the former Authours have written with the replies and answers to wit our Reverend Bishop Mortons Defence printed anno 1618. Dr. Burges his answer to the replie of a namelesse Authour who laboured to confute or elude B. Mortons Defence printed anno 1631. and Mr. John Sprint his Cassander Anglicus printed anno 1618. These and I hope the least shortest or lowest prized of these will satisfie any reasonable Reader if he turn in them to the larger handling of the points by my allegations Their reasons are occasionally dispersed through their whole books but I have here collected and referred them to certain heads or chapters for the Readers better ease in finding them and judgement in weighing them often contracting their larger discourses into fewer words where they may be abbreviated and onely using their words at length where they are more necessary and urgent then shorter could be These few short chapters I hope will passe and be read where greater volumes will not And this I have done simply and plainly without respect of gaining any credit or applause of learning to my self but onely of their love and out of an earnest desire to draw them with a good Conscience willingly and cheerfully to do that which otherwise of necessitie they must do ¶ A table of the Chapters and Contents of this APPENDIX CHAP. I. OVr Ceremonies are Adjuncts not Parts of Gods proper worship and alterable Set forms of prayers are of Divine institution CHAP. II. Our book of publick prayers and Ceremonies made known to the famousest forrein Divines were approved by them all CHAP. III. Answering the objection of Significancie CHAP. IIII. Answering the objections drawn from the old Testament and of things formerly abused by the Jews and Heathens CHAP. V. Answering the objection of Ceremonies abused formerly by Papists CHAP. VI. Three particulars the Surplesse Crosse in baptisme and Kneeling at Communions cleared CHAP. VII Our Ceremonies commended for their ancient and profitable use CHAP. VIII Imposed by lawfull authoritie they may not be omitted without sinne CHAP. I. Our Ceremonies are injoyned as Adjuncts not Parts of Gods proper worship and therefore alterable Set forms of prayers are of Divine institution and alwayes used in Gods Church IT is the constant doctrine of all Divines and Churches both Ancient and Modern that God hath sufficiently comprehended and perspicuously delivered the whole substance of his own proper worship and things necessary to mans salvation in the holy Scriptures and that these things must evermore be the same in all Churches and unalterable But the circumstances and ceremonies of his publick worship as of place time ornaments gestures c. for the more reverent and devout performance thereof he hath left to the wisdome of every particular or nationall Church to make choice of so that all things be done according to that generall rule the Canon of Canons delivered by S. Paul 1. Cor. 14.40 26. Let all things be done decently orderly and to edification These things the Lord left to the libertie of every Church partly because they are not of the substance of his worship or of mens salvation but adjuncts onely and partly because one form thereof cannot fit every countrey or age but must be varied and applied to severall nations and times as shall be found most convenient Thus teacheth Saint Hierom epist 28. ad Lucinum concluding thus Vnaquaeque provincia abundet in suo sensu And thus Saint Ambrose and Saint Augustine who is accounted The mouth of the Fathers epist 86 118 119. alibi passim Totum hoc genus say they liberas habet observationes And thus that old common saying Dissonantia jejunii non tollit consonantiam fidei And thus Zanchius the great reformed Schoolman tomo 8. Loco 16. De traditionibus Ecclesiasticis pag. 821 c. And thus all other late Divines as will appeare full enough in our chapters following And thus our Church professeth in our book of articles Anno 1562. Artic. 34. Every particular or nationall Church hath authoritie to ordain change and abolish ceremonies or rites of the Church ordained onely by mans authority so that all things be done to edifying And in the preface before the book of common Prayer confirmed by act of Parliament touching ceremonies we have these words We think it convenient that every countrey should use such ceremonies as they shall think fit to the setting forth of Gods honour and glory and to the reducing of the people to a most perfect and godly living without errour or superstition and that they should put away other things which they perceive to be most abused as in mens ordinances it often chanceth diversly in divers countreys And these words also These Ceremonies are retained for a discipline and order which upon just causes may be altered and changed and therefore are not to be esteemed equall with Gods law See here how vain and ignorant their doubt is that think our Ceremonies are imposed as parts of Gods proper worship And whereas some mislike that any set form of prayers should be imposed in the publick service of God I wish them to consider better that God himself not onely allowed but imposed such and his best servants used such Numb 6.23 On this wise saith the Lord shall ye blesse the children of Israel saying c. the three verses following set down the very words to be said and Num. 10.35 36. there is the set prayer which Moses must pronounce when the Ark was to go forwards All the Psalmes are prayers or praises of God in set forms and words answering the length and number of musick notes and when it was to rest And Deut. 26.3 the set form of words to be said at the offering of the first fruits and vers 5. and 13. And Psalme 92. was made properly for the Sabbath day and Psalme 22. for every morning and Psalme 102 for times of affliction This appeareth by the titles of these Psalmes The like is 2. Chron. 29.30 And we finde Rom. 1.7 1. Cor. 1.3 2. Cor. 1.2 Galat. 1.3 Ephes 1.2 Saint Paul used the same set form of words or prayers without variation And our Saviour Christ himself Matth.
26.39 42 44. prayed three severall times saying the same words and Saint Mark hath the like Mark 14.39 Beside the Lords prayer which our Saviour himself prescribed to his Apostles Luke 11.2 When ye pray say Our Father c. which prayer they used in the administration of our Lords supper as Saint Hierom witnesseth lib. 3. contra Pelagianos and Gregor lib. 7. epist. 63. And it was used generally in all Liturgies or publick prayers as is manifest by S. Augustine epist 59. by Saint Hierom and Gregory in the places above cited and Saint Ambrose lib. 5. de Sacr. cap. 4. and Saint Cyrill Catech. 5. myst If any object that prayers should be varied according to the varietie of occasions let him consider that these formerly mentioned were so so are ours in our Common prayer book There are generall prayers for generall particular for particular occasions as for rain fair weather in time of dearth famine warres plagues or sicknesse Baptismes communions marriages visitations of the sick burials of the dead c. and thanksgivings varied upon various occasions for these and the like cases In all which I cannot imagine what any godly sober-minded man can finde to stumble at And if any man think them too short let him remember that Christ condemned too much speaking like the Heathens Matth. 6.7 8. adding this reason For God knoweth our needs before we ask and long prayers are as well notes of hypocrisie as of true Christianitie Matth. 23.14 CHAP. II. Our publick prayers and Ceremonies being made known to the famousest forrein Divines were approved by them all THe Ceremonies of our Church and our book of publick prayer were made known to the most famous and best Divines of other reformed Churches then living by books thereof translated into the Latine tongue and by many letters and much conference betwixt them and our Divines and by many of them much commended by all approved to be lawfull one onely excepted Doctor Burges having searched the writings of them all concludeth that not any one can be produced except Wigandus alone that held our Ceremonies simply unlawfull Burges pag. 560 561. Even Mr. Cartwright himself our English standard-bearer to Non-conformists after his long opposition and much writing at length complaineth that he was misunderstood and wronged as if he held the unlawfulnesse whereas he held onely the inconvenience of our Ceremonies lib. 3. pag. 241. And the same man having written sharply in his first book against the Surplesse yet upon more mature consideration became more moderate in his third book and pag. 75. called it a simple inconvenience and a thing in its own nature indifferent and that it ought to be worn rather then the ministerie forsaken lib. 3. pag. 262. Hooker Eccl. polit pag. 243. And what is said by him others of the Surplesse which was most stuck at by many English is to be understood much rather of the rest of the Ceremonies and so was intended by those authours to wit that they are in their own nature indifferent and not unlawfull And this will appeare more fully in the whole discourse following Mean season heare the testimonie of Alexander Alesius a worthy Scot of great account and note he much commends our book of Common prayer and the ordering of our Church according thereunto and calleth it Praeclarissimum divinum factum and saith The vertue and piety of the English herein would rejoyce many hearts and help their endeavours to do the like and grieve the enemies of the truth for the good successe and progresse thereof and he complaineth that any contentious mindes should move any to mislike it and as if they onely were wise stirre up unnecessary questions and disputations neglecting the knowledge of necessary things And he addes That the contention of brethren about this book comes from the Devil who failing one way seeks another way to do mischief to the Church And finally he saith This book is profitable of it self and the reading thereof will do good to many and at this time it seemeth to be offered unto us from heaven Proëm before his translation of the Common prayer book in script Anglican Bucer fol. 373 375. Sprint 124 125. CHAP. III. Our Ceremonies are not to be condemned but commended for their Significancy CEremonies should be significative of morall vertues so they be not counted operative as Sacraments ordained by God of spirituall graces conferred by them as Bishop Morton well distinguisheth Defence cap. 3. sect 4. Many of the Romish Ceremonies are not onely significative but thought also to be operative as Exorcismes Holy-water Crossings Spittle Exsufflation c. to drive away the Devil and to work supernaturall effects These we condemne for none can ordain such operative Ceremonies but God onely that can give the supernaturall effects For Sacraments have a double signification Bish Mort. ibid. sect 5. one ad modum signi another ad modum sigilli and therefore are both significant and signant by conjoyning whereof they are Operative and Exhibitive by Gods ordinance and promise performing also that which they signifie and seal as Bellarmine also teacheth libro 1. de sacram in genere cap. 11. § 4. 5. definit And therefore no man or Angell can institute a Sacrament but God onely as Bellarmine confesseth De Matrimonio lib. 1. cap. 2. § Posteriore modo agreeing herein with Melancthon Calvin Chemnitius by him there alledged But our Ceremonies signifie onely morall duties giving us occasion to think and meditate of them but neither seal nor exhibite them If when I put on my ministeriall ornaments I am presently put in minde of my dutie since God by the Church hath distinguished me from my flock to be their minister that is to be their mouth unto God in offering to him their prayers confessions deprecations and thanksgivings and to be Gods Embassadour and mouth unto them to shew them his will to proclaim his gracious pardon for their sinnes upon their faith and repentance and this stirres me up to perform that great office with the greatest care wisdome faithfulnesse and reverence that I can Is there any hurt in this And if the people seeing me come in such ornaments into my place do presently consider This man though of a Acts 14.15 like infirmities with us yet is the messenger of the God of heaven and by office is more then an ordinary man b Rom. 1.1 Acts 13.2 separated from all worldly businesse to a more excellent work to be Gods c 2. Cor. 5.20 Embassadour sent unto us d Acts 26.18 to open our eyes to turn us from darknesse unto light and from the power of Satan unto God c. To him hath our Blessed Saviour committed the ministerie of reconciliation e 2. Cor. 5.18 19. to reconcile us sinfull creatures to God our glorious Creatour Him we ought to heare as f Luk. 10.16 God himself and reverence him not so much for his personall
through a glasse darkly and know but in part and neither they nor you must think too highly of them but soberly according as God hath given to every man his different measure Rom. 12.3 6. 2. We must know also that the Scriptures which teach us not to offend our brethren as 1. Cor. 8.9 12 13. and 10.28 and Rom. 14.15 16 21. do speak of things in our own power to do or not to do and not of things commanded by the Magistrate whom we must obey both for fear of punishment and also for Conscience sake Rom. 13.4 5. And thus Dr. Saravia resolves Scandall of the weak cannot take place against a publick law to which subjects must submit Saravia Defens divers grad ministr cap. 25. fol. 581. If it be a fault it is certainly a lesser fault to offend some ignorant people then to offend the governours for that is onely against Charitie this against Charitie and Dutie or Justice an exemplary disobedience tending to the dissolution of government 3. When we perform obedience to magistracie commanding things in their own nature indifferent no man ought to take offence at us if he do the sinne is his and not ours It is Scandalum acceptum non datum and he must be better taught See for this two notable discourses of Ceremonies or traditions and scandall in Zanchius tomo 8. pag. 814. seq edit Samoneti 1605. This necessity of subjection our judicious exiles and martyrs in Queen Maries time did very well know practise and perswade testifying thereby also their good opinion of our Church service and ceremonies Cranmer protested if the Queen would give him leave that he with Peter Martyr and foure or five others would prove our Common prayers Sacraments and Ceremonies lately set forth by King Edward 6. to be more pure and according to Gods word then any that had been in England these thousand yeares before Acts and Mon. fol. 1465. Bishop Ridley and Grindall judged that nothing could be disproved in them by the word of God Acts and Mon. Dr. Taylor said no Christian conscience could be offended with any thing therein Acts and Mon. fol. 1521. At Frankford when some exiles disliked them other most reverend persons stood strongly for them as Thomas Leaver John Jewel John Mullins John Parkhurst Laurence Humfrey James Pilkington Alexander Nowell James Haddon Edwin Sands Edmund Grindall c. all worthy men Bishops Deans Doctours or Martyrs afterwards sealing the truth they held with danger exile and losse of their lives See the discourse of the troubles at Frankford fol. 16.23 19. Their diversity of opinions caused them also to seek the judgements of other Churches and teachers as Calvine Beza Bullinger fol. 25 199. Also Robert Horn Thomas Leaver John Mullins Thomas Bentham William Cole John Parkhurst Laurence Humfrey c. were fully determined to use no other order or ceremonies then those aforesaid of King Edward Discours fol. 16 223. And James Haddon Edwin Sands Edmund Grindall Christopher Goodman confidently brought the same rites into the English Church there fol. 22 23. They also at Frankford wrote unto the like Exiles at Zurick perswading them to stand to the death for defence of the same Ceremonies and Mr. Fox was one of the 17. that subscribed to the letter Adde unto these those other worthies that in more peaceable times stuck at our Ceremonies for a time yet in time upon better consideration conformed themselves and used them Bishop Hooper preached and wrote earnestly against them chiefly against Episcopall garments and Surplesses and was imprisoned for it for a season but his reasons were answered and himself perswaded by Bucer Martyr and Calvine to conform so that afterwards he did weare the ornaments and preached before the King in the Bishops robes Calvin epist. 120. fol. 217. Bucer Script Anglican fol. 705. de re vestiar Hooper Pet. Mart. loc com ad finem inter epistolas fol. 1085. Mr. Greenham protested he would observe them if they were enjoyned him Mr. Dearing used them Bishop Jewel Dr. Whitakers Dr. Fulk conformed so did Dr. Humfrey after long standing out as also Dr. Raynolds Dr. Spark Dr. Chaloner Dr. Ayry Dr. Chaderton Mr. Knewstubs and very studiously perswaded others to do the like as did also Mr. Sprint and Dr. Burges having throughly examined all the reasons pro contra and many other godly learned men too long here to be reckoned And if any refuse them still because they think it a disgrace to their persons or ministery to alter their mindes and courses having never yet used them but rather spoken and preached against them I wish them to consider well and follow the examples of these aforenamed worthy men But if these worthies of later times be not sufficient let us set before our eyes that ancient glorious light of Gods Church Saint Augustine who in his age wrote and published to the world two books of Retractations wherein he acknowledged and corrected the errours which he had committed in his former books These books shewed that he religiously preferred Gods honour and the Churches good before his own credit and that he laboured both by good report and ill report to bring men to the truth and sought with Saint Paul 1. Cor. 10.33 not his own profit but the profit of many that they might be saved which turned to the great commendation of his ingenuitie and sinceritie And it may teach all men to acknowledge with him that since the Apostles times the knowledge of Gods ministers comes not unto them by sudden revelation or infusion from God immediately or all at once but by succession and degrees by labour study search conference and contention with the erroneous By which means Saint Augustine profited in knowledge more and more to his lives end as Saint Peter exhorteth all men to do in his last words of his last chapter of his last epistle And therefore to professe our profiting in knowledge ought to be no shame unto us and to confesse our slips or errours even publickly to reduce men to the knowledge of some necessary truth shews our charitie to them our piety to God and the sinceritie of our own hearts Lastly that I may speak generally to all countrey ministers and other subjects but chiefly to the younger ruder sort I say We inferiour people may well think our Princes have reasons to do what they do though we comprehend them not For we live as it were in low valleys and plains and see not far about us but Princes sit as on tops of hills and see both into former ages what was done then and into forrein countreys what is done now how all things are and have been carried with the reasons circumstances and events of all assisted also with the advice and judgement of the gravest wisest learnedest Divines and other choisest counsellours of greatest experience by whose grave counsels with due respect to former ages and the present state of neighbour nations they set down orders fittest for their times and countreys which we countrey people should not rashly censure but willingly submit unto thinking humbly of our selves and reverently of their wisdomes Farre be from us that ridiculous fable recited by Plutarch in the life of Agis and Cleomenes of the serpents tail that would needs leade the body another while as if the head had already led it too long but the tail wanting eyes and brains led the head and body into dangerous places and mangled them all to pieces or that censure of Tully in his book De senectute To the question Cedo quî vestram Rempub. tantam amisistis tam citó The answer was Proveniebant Oratores novi stulti adolescentuli We should think also seriously of that Medicall and Politicall rule Omnis mutatio periculosa which S. Augustine applies to Church ceremonies Where lawfull customes are setled saith he though some other more profitable perchance might be found out yet Ipsa mutatio consuetudinis etiam quae adjuvat utilitate novitate perturbat The very change of setled customes though it help with some commodity yet will it do hurt with the novitie Which occasioned the Locrines custome that whosoever would bring in a new law amongst them should come and declare it to the assembly with a halter about his neck that if it were not approved good for the Common-wealth he might presently be hanged for his desire of innovation To which purpose our late gracious Soveraigne King James in his proclamation prefixed before the book of Common prayer hath these words Neither are we ignorant of the inconveniences that do arise in government by admitting innovation in things once setled by mature deliberation and how necessary it is to use constancy in upholding the publick determinations of states for such is the unquietnesse and unstedfastnesse of some dispositions affecting every yeare new forms of things as if they should be followed in their unconstancie would make all actions of States ridiculous and contemptible whereas the stedfast maintaining of things by good advice established is the weal of all Common-wealths FINIS