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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A42880	Panta dokimazete a sermon treating of the tryall of all things by the Holy Scriptures, the confest rule of faith and practice : shewing the deplorable abuse of that rule, with an attempt touching the examen of ceremonies / delivered in St. Paul's Cathedral November 8, being the xxi Sunday after Trinity, by J.G.	Goad, J. (John), 1616-1689.	1664 (1664)	Wing G902; ESTC R535	23,350	40

this day tell us what is the iniquity of Perjury and Parricide Sacriledge and Fraud the iniquity of unhallowing holy Rites and Times by servile Work or by impure Addresses Hence the Apostle tells us that all the works of the flesh are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manifest Gal. v. to the rational Conscience 'T is true it must be enlightned by faith to know Idolatry Witchcraft or Heresie at least to be works of darkness but for the rest they are all manifest to meer Reason Adultery Fornication Strife Sedition Hatred Envyings Murthers Drunkenness and such like Adde that great known place Rom. ii 14 15. The Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the Law and Having not the Law they are a Law unto themselves Having not the Books of Moses they are a Moses to themselves because many of them made conscience of these sinful works of the flesh now reckoned up To speak plain then This Law of Nature is a Rule no prejudice to Scripture For if it shall be asked Whether it be sin to transgress it who sees not that the answer must be yea that all unnatural men are impious which is a perfect demonstration that this Law is a Rule because as we may sin against the Scripture so we may sin against it Nay who knows not that it is an aggravation of sin the more grossely and palpably it affronts this innate light such as the unnatural lusts Rom. 1. the unnatural burning of their children to that cursed Idol Moloch and the like Upon which it is evident that the Word of God cannot according to Gods intent be universally opposed to this Law because this is also Gods Gods own Law written in the Table of our hearts as the other if yet it be the other was in Tables of Stone I may well say if yet it be the other For all Divines that I know confess that the Ten Commandments for the Moral part are all one with the Primaeval Law of Nature Now there is no opposing of God to God Redemption to Creation Grace to Nature the one is more excellent then the other but they are at no hand opposite one does not overthrow the other Here if it be asked Whether all Principles and Conclusions rational are compris'd in Scripture a material Quere toward the understanding of our Texts business the answer for the conclusions must be Negative The Scriptures do charge many of them upon us with this dreadful caution Ego Dominus Thou shalt not curse the Deaf I am the Lord or put a stumbling-block before the Blind I am the Lord yet the conclusions drawn from Natural light are Infinite as Christs Miracles which Saint John saith the Scriptures could not hold Be judge your selves when every true and wholesome Lesson in Practick Philosophy yea all the grave and righteous Laws of Policies and Nations are nought else but deductions from the Law of Nature and who can undertake to find then distinctly in the holy Scriptures distinctly I say for in the general 't is true they may be found especially above other places in that famous Text of Saint Paul to his Philippians chap. iv 8. where he conjures them to whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are grave whatsoever things are pure just lovely and of good report if there be any vertue or peace to think on them But distinctly and expresly to sind every wholsome Law of this Land in the Law or Gospel I appeal to the knowing in the Law if they will say it it is enough that they are not contrary and 't is a sign there is God in them because not contrary to Scripture according to our principle above And It is pity but Christians should understand these things as long as they are the words of Truth and Soberness The holy Scripture is careful to teach us to do our duties to God to pray to hope on him but it is not always sollicitous to teach us in what common sense can sufficiently tutour us I instance in one of many viz. Consulting the Physician or using any good means toward our recovery The Son of Sirach indeed minds us of it but he is Apocryphal and the Canonical in the case of Asa seems to condemn it and so for the use of all natural means in general 'T is ridiculous to press me for a Text of Scripture if Right Reason and Humanity sufficiently instructs us For Reason is a Talent also of which God will take his account Hence the Libertines must learn their no Plea for Fornication and Drunkenness and Gluttony and Revelling and self-Murthers nor Pride and Haughtiness although possibly they are not exprest in the Decalogue Nor must men venture in the Topick of Matrimony on Poligamy Marriage of Kin Matches precipitate or unequal or hasty second Matching within the dayes of mourning for the first although they fancy no Text that condemns them The like may be said for Sacriledge which sure many think no Text forbids the Christian breaking open of Graves c. yea all immodest offensive Cynical behaviour to civil Company remembring that they are condemned in the general Charity behaveth not it self unseemly 1 Cor. xiii and Provide things honest in the sight of all men Rom. xii 17. And if in the special they are not found let them take notice that Saint Paul hath an Et caetera for them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and such like a place to be studied by all consciencious persons Gal. v. 21. All that the Light of Nature teaches must be supposed and granted beforehand by him that means to read the Scriptures What saith the Apostle in the case of Ruffian hair Doth not even nature it self teach you saith he 1 Cor. xi 14. q.d. Suppose the Scripture be silent doth not that sufficiently teach us Let Interpreters be consulted on those words with those of Rom. xiv ult Whatsoever is not of faith is sin and the more knowing will be satisfied To put all out of doubt when our Saviour was accused of breaking a Text does he not retreat to sound Reason thereby shewing us that Scripture must seldome or never excepting in the mysterious parts as we said above be constrain'd against it I have heal'd one on the Sabbath day 't is true and you condemn me but without reason so Which of you having an Oxe or an Ass fallen into a pit will not straightway help it out on the Sabbath day S. Luke xiv 5. and again Is it lawful to do good or to do evil And I desire that our Saviour may be observed whether when he saith He came not to destroy the Law he doth not mean the Moral and Natural Law also I am sure that place of Hosea I will have mercy and not sacrifice Whatever Hosea meant he applyes it to mercy to ones self in the case of the shew-bread S. Mat. xii 7. Secondly I desire it be observed whether our Saviour throwes not the name of Hypocrite on those pretences mainly which may

he that bids us not believe every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God or no 1 John iv 1 Now how must that be done even by the Articles of our Creed by the Rules of the Catholick Faith say the Contents of that Chapter You shall hear him Hereby know ye the Spirit of God That 's good How Every Spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God vers 2. and every Spirit that confesseth not is not of God He gives his Criterium from an Article of the Creed against the Hereticks of that Time which oppugned it for so the words following import This is that Spirit of Antichrist vers 3. that even now already is in the World He doth not 't is true give One Catholick Rule to try all Heresies by for how many Hereticks were there that were so cunning afterward as to confess the Incarnation as Saint Austin observes on that place but he giveth one pro tempore sufficient at that time and from the Creed he fetcheth it But the holy Apostle Peter speaks of all the Creed For when he had seasonably admonish'd us that some do abuse and wrest the holy Scriptures he gives us an account who they are viz. the unlearned and the unstable which can be none else but those that have not sufficiently learned and are not strongly confirmed in the fundamental Lessons of Christianity 2 Pet. iii. 16 The Scripture then is the un-erring Rule of Faith but so that its interpretation must have regard to the Rule and symbole of our Faith the reasons are the same as before because they sweetly agree the one is contai'nd in the other the one is suppos'd by the other as we said of the Law of Nature They are mutual helps one to the other The Scriptures were given that our Faith might not be interlop'd and the Creed was given that the Scripture might not be wrested Neither can be spared by the faithful So here 's no clashing the Decalogue is the Rule but not to shut out the Pentateuch The five Books of Moses are the Rule but not to exclude the Ten Commandments Nothing must exclude its own Quintessence And is not this necessary No question God saw it very necessary and the advantages are undeniably these First The Creed is one compact abridgement of fundamentals which in the Scripture lie as in the Myne here and there respersed Secondly It is plain and easie but the Scriptures have many things hard to be understood So said Saint Peter when yet the Book of the Revelation was not written Hence the old Hereticks few or none denied the Scriptures but the Creed many disowned After all this are we not nearer to Vnity now Yes For if this Rule were believed to be a Rule and Form preserved to us from the beginning we should none of us dream of new Lights and stand amazed at every puffe of doctrine from this or that or the other illuminate We should not reckon salvation by any Name but Jesus nor by that neither unless rightly understood We should not divide Christ into Parishes piece-meal making so many Catechisms as Congregations and Christianities as Pulpits We should none of us dare to scruple the very Godhead of our Blessed Lord and the Worlds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 founded in it we should not out-face the Church of God in her main mysterie whereby she is distinguished from the Jewish Synagogue or the Turkish Mosque We should not dare to contract this great salvation and deny the universality of Christs merits We shall not abuse the grace of God either to presume on a profane or to be secure in an indifferent life We should regard and respect the known wayes of Christ Baptism c. not dreaming of an invisible Spirit to twitch us to Heaven by the hair of the head There is none of us would make it an Article much less place all our saving Faith in an infallible absolute assurance of our well-doing We should rather tremble at the brightness of Him that is to come judge Quick and Dead and tremble again at our sacrilegious breaches of our Vow in Baptism and our indevout repentances therefore We should not imagine no necessity of holiness toward eternal remission of sins we should not be afraid of good Works Thing nor Name We should talk less of the Spirit and live more by it We should look upon Christianity as a kind of pure Angelical life the exertion of the Spirit of God received in Baptism We should believe a Church be such men in understanding as to know our Mother and so natural as to reverence her We should not make such a vast Hiatns in Church-History as to reckon none from the Apostles to our dayes for if we reckon any we could not place Reformation in a wilful departure from it in every thing where humour prompts us to do that easie thing of wresting Scripture And to see that I would be impartial neither should we out of a pretended esteem of this Apostolick Form content our selves with a scanty measure of the knowledge of Christ Seeing there is Duty and Knowledge and to believe in Christ rightly understood is a World of both And thus much for proving of matters of Faith Now for Ceremony and Order the endless Dispute in this Island How shall we prove this what Rule have we for these Here as no where else do I look that my authority should be acoepted How can it when the Churches is denied a very demonstration from so private a person shall not pass Yet I deem these things cannot be banished out of the Church My reason is all Beauty lies in Order all Decency in Ceremony With Order there is Beauty even in the Furrowes of the Field and without it there is none in the Beds of a Garden Irrational is the despoiling of Order hence such care taken least the Swine break into the Garden God by the very Creation is a God of Order Gen. i. And behold all was very good altogether as well as each particular Besides his Title of Lord of Hosts shews as much Every one that knows what belongs to an Army knows without Order 't is nothing Yea and Nature her self is not without her Ceremonies the Leaves of the Trees and the Flowers of the Field Solomon in all his Ceremony could not out-strip them and so decent are these that without them the Trees look bald and the Earth withers into desert So in Animals the House-Cock hath his Spur and Crest the Ensigns of Chivalry the rest of the Birds have their Habits and Liveries the Turkies neck is fac'd with Scarlet and the Lapwing hath his Cap of Maintenance Yet nearer The hair of our Face and Beard is but a Ceremony viz. a mark of distinction and decency and these instances that I have given are so much to the purpose that 't is known they have the Fate of Ceremonies to wit to be thought superfluous as the

Custome the decent rational custome of the Church of God ver 16. Nay but what is the Rule The Apostle answers We know not how he will please you Tradition Apostolick ver 2. Which places if again consulted you shall find that he speaks of such Natural Light as it is shame not to obey Such Customes which have enough in them to silence the Contentious and such Traditions as he praises them for observing and exhorts them to hold fast and so I am upon my Text this third time Prove all things hold fast that which is good And this the Presbyterians abroad with open face acknowledge that much is to be attributed to the Antient Customes of the Church that it is no Derogation to the Perfection of Scriptures imployed in the determination of Greater Articles to leave the less to the Publique Wisedome of the Church but 't is not the Interest of ours at home that these things should be taken notice of Yet let Chamiers 9th Book de Canone be consulted particularly cap. 1. p. 20. where he saith Et sanè illum oportet esse oris impudentissimi qui eam Traditionem Consuetudinem Ecclesiae contemnat Nos verò illum parum abest quin sacrilegum appellemus quidem non tantum in Rebus levioribus the Ceremonies c. sed grauioribus c. Et ix cap. xviii sect 52. Resp per observantias nulla dogmata intelligi sed duntaxat varios ritus quorum exempla quaedam subnectit speaking of Origen Genu flexionem conversionem ad Orientem Ritus sumendae Eucharistiae c. Atqui illa omnia Catholici the Protestants libere permittunt Traditioni But once more for I appeal to the whole Book he hath these words Hinc autem non sequitur Scripturas esse imperfectas nisi prius demonstrentur dogmata Fidei ab Apostolis instituta esse quae omninò scripta non sunt ix 20 32. For as to the Rites he saies It is not denied quandam ab Apostolis potuisse constitui quae quia non essent de essentia naturafidei minùs curavint scriptis referre ix 19 20. Pray let it be ponder'd The same reason give we Scripture is not their Rule because it is above them Secondly Because they are of a mutable condition where the first constituent Reason of the practise proves to be such otherwise not There are some Traditions immutable which 't is not in the power of the Church to change as the institution of the Lords Day fixed on the first day of the Week and yet they bely Calvin if he would not have changed it to Thursday but that Reason of our Lords Resurrection hath determined it to that day of the Week as the Sabbath by another was determined to the Jew Here it is to be noted when we say Custome or Tradition we do not mean an Arbitrary usage of the Church as the Gentry put on their Garments and the Ladies their Fancies meerly for variety but there is discernible with it something more of moment either the Light of Nature as in all Humble Postures Institution of Festivals many times Gods and Christs own Wisdome and Spirit in all of them Reason sufficient to constitute them For why the Apostles Love-Feast Why the Veil S. Jude xii 1 Cor. xi 10 2 Cor. xiii 13 Why the Holy Kiss Why the Love-Feast because it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love the Reason is in the Name Why the Kiss the Reason is in the appellation a Holy Kiss a Kiss of Charity Why the Vail because of Modesty and Reservedness in the Virgin in the presence of God and his holy Angels Thou shalt not adde thereto 1 Cor. xi nor diminish therefrom establisheth Gods authority but it doth not overthrow his Churches Moses his Chair and the Sanedrim were put up by God to make Canons of Church and State in points not decidible by the Text. The Church of God always knew it her Innocent Right to ordain a Ceremony on a just Reason before Moses was born Gen. xxxii 32 witness the abstaining from the sinew in memory of Jacobs wrestling so do the Jews ever since observe solemn Fasts for Miriams Leprosie Moses his breaking of the Tables and the Death of the sons of Aaron as the learned Vsher hath noted them and more for us in his Ages of the World Many that are used to this day come from Gods own wisdome under the Law-Dispensation and therefore adopted by the Church under the Gospel the Spirit of Christ so thought it good who is thereby throughly witnessed to the Jew to be their Messias promised by the God of their Fathers in this that bating the meer shadows and servile work in whose room he hath put substantial and more glorious services in founding his Church he hath retained all that was fit and solemn and decent such as are the distinction of the Courts of the Lords House the Orders of Priest and Levite their hours of Prayer their attendances by night in the Temple secubations in times of Humiliation the Baptism of the Infant about the eighth day the giving of the Name at Baptism and the Godfathers at they used at Circumcision the seclusion of the Woman after Child-bearing for a Moneths space the Reading the Law in their Synagogues their singing the Hebrew Amen and Alleluja the Dominical day for the Sabbath nay our very Sacraments themselves advanced from the Jews who had their Baptism and Cup Eucharistical and many others in which God God I say is visibly evident I should surfet you if I should lead you as I thought to have done through every particular but at present it cannot be Only thus far have I attempted to bring all good Christians to Truth and Vnity Let no man do me that wrong past repair to think that I have in any of this an evil eye toward the holy Scripture whatsoever is said I wish un-said that is not proved thereby If for matters of Faith and practical conscience the holy Scriptures suppose the Creed and Light of Nature it cannot exclude them If for matters of Ceremony the Scripture undertaketh not but commendeth to us other subordinate authority let those places be expunged or else we dare not say but what we have said If we be judged by Scriptures let us be judged by Scriptures and he that maketh conscience of one clause must make conscience of all uniformly or else he had better never seen it Would men but consider this That the holy Scripture is the Rule I have not insisted on because I took it for granted and I should have been tedious in asserting what every body knows It is a Rule and such a Rule that he that loves his salvation must diligently attend it see how many Precepts are in it Think not of x or xx but of x times xx And as many as there are I never counted my self to understand any thing till I perfectly believed that every one of them were my Rule in order to salvation so that men of unwary conversations such as I am cannot read them without a sigh and shaking of the head as S. Austin uses to say Yerret me this and that Precept frights me when I know how far I come short All that I have laboured for is that the Scripture may not be wrested that we may not lose the fruit of it by abusing it Hereby will I nill I owning it to be a Rule if it be but in this that it is liable to be wrested But let no man strange that Scripture may be abused as profane and audacious as the Practise is though I fear not commonly thought so even by those that seem to cry it up How do we take it when some cry up Liberty to bring in Confusion Do they not abuse Liberty thereby The seditious Party do so What think you of those that magnifie grace in flat opposition to all duty Do they not abuse it the Autinomian does so Nay if one shall cry up Jesus Christ himself can Christ be extolled too much yea but if he should be set up in opposition to his Father I have seen a Cursed Paper do so Nothing is done right but what is stated according to its due limits of explication This is the sourse of all our misery And now this objection is out of the way how shall I bespeak you to return to the unity of that Church to which if you had once proved all things by Scripture Rules you must at last retire the worst that you can gain is the character of an understanding and peaceable person a wise man and a meek one Why must a Ceremony fright you What deformed Multiplying-Glass do you see that in which of it self is rational innocent and solemn Do we place the substance of Religion in them Nay we say indeed there is no outward profession without them no real body but what will cast its shadow Which of us would not have censur'd Mary Magdalen of superstition to have wiped Christs feet with her hair and have pitied the ignorance of those men that threw their Garments under our Saviours Asses feet How many counted our Saviour himself a breaker of the Sabbath because they consulted not right reason and how many a Blasphemer because they knew not his authority Our Lord was not stanch enough for those that called him wine-bibber and the holy Baptist for his fasting and prayer had a Devil Have we no need of proving all things and take in all the lights and helps that God vouchsafes us Let not Reason Creed Scripture Christ all be against us for in the end they will be too hard for us FINIS