and Superstitions out of natural propensity in many to Superstition Of old Easter brought in a superstitious Lent to attend upon 't made Baptism wait for their Moon and conformed our Lord's Supper to the Jewish Passover with unleavened Bread so amongst us are superstitiously retained Popish Rites which hereafter I shall speak of in particular by God's Grace Would to God we would here follow good advice and not give way to a prejudice against advisers as in the beginning of Reformation it was done in Suitzerland when Anabaptists there opposed humane Ceremonies as unlawful by publick Authority and common Consent they were abolished and Thanks given them for the Advice because the thing was reasonable by those who in other things were their Adversaries so ours ought to be removed because they train up the People of God in subjecting themselves in the Worship of God uuto the pleasure of Men they make way for gross Superstitions as Images c. and they challenge to themselves that which is proper to God's Ordinances which doth offend many in and out of the Church and encourage Popery yet for these Ceremonies they stand as stiffly as Demetrius and his Ephesians did for their Diana and do not care how they disturb the Peace not only of one City but of the whole World besides right or wrong they defend them and make a point of Honour of it more than to seek after to find and own the Truth when found though they would say 't is our Opposition to these Ceremonies that is the Cause of the Mischief arising therefrom but that is no more the cause of it than the messages of Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh were the Causes of his Cruelty against the Children of Israel The Ceremonies are unjust and unlawful as by the Grace of God we shall make it appear imposing of them is that which breaks the Peace of the Church which consisteth in avoiding to give Scandal Lay aside such Humane Ceremonies which are the ground of Disputes and you take away the Cause of Offence which to give is a kind of Murther for St. Paul calls this Rom. 14.15 to destroy This is to prefer Division before Peace and thereby also to give Popery an inlet upon us and hindereth us from being like-minded one towards another Chap. 15 5 6. and from glorifying God with one mind and one mouth which is no small sin And I wish there be not too much of self worldly end in the case namely to keep out of the Church those who by means of their laborious and fruitful Preaching might have many followers and do Souls more good than others and so exclude them from Church Benefices and Preferments which they are willing to appropriate wholly to themselves Indeed it looks too much that way Ceremonies introduced into God's Worship are a palpable breach of the Second Commandment wherein Will-worship is expresly forbidden as all external Idolatry all Rites and Ceremonies of Man's devising in God's Worship Now the Ceremonies in question are Will-worship and not the least step for them in Scripture yet to make them lawful they must be warranted by the Word which not being they must own that whatsoever is besides the Word is against the Word Now those in question are significant and teaching Ceremonies of Man's invention stated in God's Worship and an addition expresly against the Rule of the Word and I think the dreadful threatnings against those that do so as expressed Rev. 22.18 should make any Man's Ears to tingle and his Heart to tremble Then they are Man's Inventions and have been and are Popish Idols whereby they make a Conformity between us and Idolaters in God's Worship and are Occasions and Appearances of Evil In a word they are the strange fire and garments spotted with the flesh Why then should we not with Ephraim say What have I to do any more with Idols Hos 14.8 God hath taught us as formerly he did his People Isa 30.20 to defile the covering of Images to cast them away as a menstruous Cloth and say unto it get thee hence Now whatsoever is brought in without God's Appointment is an Idol of Jealousie in his sight Civil Governours may according to the Constitution of their Government make new Laws but in God's Worship it may not be so 't is not under their Jurisdiction only they are to see God's Laws put in Execution All their Humane Inventions are as many Snares to destroy to adulterate the Worship of the Lord and to strip him of his Right who is the only Law-giver And the Tyranny of those that impose such things exceedeth the Laws of other Tyrants because they Tyranise over the Conscience Besides that this is contrary to the sufficiency and perfection of Scriptures and maketh Christians Condition worse and less tolerable than that of the Jews for their Ceremonies were imposed of God and there was but a certain number of them but as to ours though they be not many yet 't is in their power to bring in what they please Theirs were God's Ordinances ours are the Traditions of Men and yet theirs are abolished So that in such things from the power of God we pass under that of Men and thereby become their Servants which ought not to be for we are Christ's Servants by purchase and that very reason Paul giveth Ye are bought with a price 1 Cor. 7.23 be ye not the Servants of Men. If those Rites did cease by which God himself did instruct the World as we said before it is an imprudent part to press others in their place in the purer times they appointed no Ceremonies but were content with that pure and simple Form that God had commanded One in his Work called Verbum abbreviatum Petrus parisiensis doth relate how one Arnulphus in a Council of Lateran where they were about to make new Ceremonies said to them ye ought rather to take away the old ones which are a burthen to Christians Now they must not say ours are but few and theirs were many for though not in the same degree yet few are a burthen as well as many and in the beginning of our Reformation in his Censure of the English Liturgy Page 458. Bucer saith It is fit that in all outward things and actions of God's Worship as in Ministerial Garments we should accommodate our selves to the simplicity of Christ's Appointment and Apostles Practice and we should saith he witness to all Men that we have no Communion with the Relicks of the Romish Antichrist But our Teachers should teach and we should hear only that which Christ hath commanded Matth. 10. and John 10. Quaeritis quomodo Vincuntur pagani saith Austin Ye ask how Pagans may be overcome deserite eorum ritus the way is to leave off their Ceremonies and that same consideration made Tertullian so steddy that he would not endure Bays and Ivy at the Doors of Christians whom he forbideth to use any of
us to let the World know we are no such Men acted by meer Fancy and Turbulent as misrepresented and to give our Reasons why we cannot consent and conform May the Lord out of his infinite wisdom and mercy be pleased in his due time to unite us in judgment and affection for the truth Now something also must be added as to the subject matter of the following Papers We have Cause to thank God that since our late happy Revolution the Yoke of Persecution is broke off from our Neck and we now enjoy the Liberty of meeting pulickly to serve God and are secured by an Act of Parliament which I pray God may last for ever except it were taken off upon a better account namely to unite us all voluntarily to joyn together in the Worship of God Wherefore many things as are said in this Paper must be understood according as things were when the Laws were strict and severely put in Execution against us and not since the Time of Indulgence but in relation to Laws it ought to be taken notice of how the Penal Laws which at first were intended only against Popish Recusants were thorough the Malice and Craftiness of some Men willing to keep up Divisions fully turned against us as we may believe contrary to the Intention of the Makers thereof I desire what I say in this short Treatise may be so interpreted as arising as indeed it doth out of a Principle of Vnion and Peace grounded upon Truth for without it they can never stand long nor be acceptable to God Now I desire those who are concerned in these matters to consider the Necessity of this Vnion by the Greatness of the Danger which the Want of it doth constantly expose us to from our common Enemy doth not former and latter Experience convince us of this Truth And were we not very lately like to have been all swallowed up by Papists when not thinking themselves strong enough at home they combined with forreign Powers to bring it about They have too well learned the Maxim divide impera and therefore all our Divisions were ever fomented by them striving to set us together by the Ears with one Party to ruin another and at last to destroy us both so that besides the Glory of God if there was no other Reason but Self-preservation we ought to be convinced of the Necessity of labouring to come to a Reconciliation and doth not Experience sufficiently teach us how these Matters ever have been the Occasion of Differences in Church and State Out of what hath been said I lay this for a Foundation that it is our common Interest and for the Preservation of us all there is a Necessity to agree and unite Now it is undeniably true that these Matters have been the Causes of our Divisions the partition Wall which hath kept us asunder and that this maintains still the Papist Interest amongst us which would presently fall down if that Door was shut upon them As to the Doctrinal Part of the 39 Articles we are all agreed and as to Church Government in the general we unite thus far that there ought to be a Discipline with a Ministery by way of Office and that none ought to take care of Souls and administer God's Ordinances but these who have a lawful Call to it we agree or ought to agree how the Word of God and Apostolical Practice therein contained must be the Rule of Doctrine and Worship when afterward we come to differ why should we not be judged by that Law which is the Word of an infallible God preferrably to the Judgment of any Man or of all Men together who are all subject to Error And why upon this Difference should the strongest go about cutting the Throat of the weakest as good as to say I cannot perswade you but will force you a good Cause as we say to Papists must never be promoted by such evil means for it cannot be denied but a great deal of Violence hath been therein used against Dissenters Men who cannot agree amongst themselves must about a Judge Now Infallibility and Impartiality the two necessary Qualifications for a just Judge are not to be had but in the Word of God which is not wanting in giving us Directions for the Well-being as for the Being of the Church or else it were imperfect All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect Where Perfection is nothing is wanting to make us wife unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. We say it is against our Conscience to do the things they would have us to do they cannot say it is against theirs to leave them I do not speak to one single Person who for his Excuse will pretend they are commanded him but I speak to the Law Makers Now is there not more Reason for you to leave them off which doth not wound your Conscience than for us to do them and thereby offend ours Why do you impose such Necessity such Oaths such Subscriptions as you do which are or become meer Snares contrary to St. Paul's Rule This I speak for your own Profit not that I may cast a Snare upon you 1 Cor. 7.35 which Dr. Whitaker calls Aureus locus libertatis vindex a golden Text Asserter of Liberty The Question is about Ceremonies religious in their Nature Vse and Signification which we say ought not to be brought into the Worship of God without a Warrant from the Word the Rule of it and I doubt what Beza and Bald win do express is too true it is not to be doubted but that most of the antient Bishops were somewhat too busie in devising Rites but unhappy was their Counsel I suppose they had been instituted for a good End yet being abused they are taken away for a better Dr. Fulk speaks much in few Words Rejoynder to Martial Art 1. The Gates of Hell saith he assaulted the Church in idle Ceremonies the Fathers in them declined from the Simplicity of the Gospel Bellarmin de eff sacr l. 2. c. 32. can condemn vain and unprofitable Ceremonies Lyra another Papist saith the Memory of Idolatry is totally to be wiped out and the Jesuit Coster Enchir. chap. 8. confesseth that if the Substance of Bread remain in the Sacrament then their Idolatry is more intolerable than the Egyptians was in worshipping of an Ox or a Crocodile they agree as to the Point but when we justly come to apply it then they will not hear of it they will assert a Transubstantiation before they will own an Idolatry worse than that of the Egyptians or that their Ceremonies are vain unprofitable and Idolatrous and yet we are satisfied they are so though some of our Church would qualifie things and say they are not so idolatrous as the Heathenists and all this to what purpose Only to make ours which we have from
are abused to Idolatry and Superstition Ezech. 16.54 we thereby harden Idolaters and superstitious Men. Now to be judicially confounded is one thing Jer. 31.19 and to be penitentially ashamed is another Ezech. 16.54 they were commanded to break down Altars Deut. 7.5 Images Groves c. So that seeing the Pope is revealed to be the great Antichrist 2 Thes 2.3 4. and Rev. 17. and at this day his Idolatry troubles the Church more than any other and our People converse with Papists more than with any other Idolaters there is more danger in retaining the Ceremonies and Relicks of Popery than of any Idolatry whatsoever Hence doth appear the necessity of Abolishing them whereby this great good would arise that our Hearts would be re-united and as we observed before we might all join together to glorifie God Let any impartial Man judge whether it were not better to part with these old Rags than continue Divisions commonly difference in Judgment makes a difference in Affections but unhappily we have some who Tooth and Nail are for such things more than for the most sundamental Truths of our Faith They make a pother and keep a noise for they do not know what and are not able to give any good grounds for only out of an implicite Faith and 't is the practise of the Church 't is by Law Established This was the very same Argument by the Jews in Corinth used against St. Paul Acts 18.13 This Fellow perswadeth Men to Worship God contrary to the Law that of Moses's which in matter of Religion and Conscience ought at that time to have been regarded more than now any meerly Humane Laws but they were in the wrong so are our Advocates for Ceremonies when they ought to know that discreetly to interpret Humane Precepts in the Court of Conscience doth belong to every one as touching his own practice and this ignorance is not only far spread amongst the Lay-men who might take pains to be informed of causes and reasons of things and not suffer themselves before that to receive impressions for or prejudices against persons and things but also 't is crept amongst some of the Clergy who adhere to such things only by Tradition and Custom though on the other side I know some of them study hardly any thing else but those points wherein they make Religion consist more than in the knowledge of our Lord Christ crucified It is Humane to sin as 't is Devilish to continue in sin but 't is a Divine thing to raise from sin the first because no single Man or any Society is infallible therefore 't is not good to press Presidents in that case for we must live and do according to Rules and not according to Examples so that it is no wonder to see Men in a wrong way but 't is of the Devil for them to persevere and go on in the same for he engageth Men deeper and deeper in the Mire so as to make it impossible for them to come off and when they are in so desperate a condition nothing but Divine Grace can bring them out which is done with opening the eyes to see how one is in a wrong way and make him willing and able to come off More Men are deceived by Satan under the Notion of Devotion and Religious Worship than with open Impiety and Atheism because as Paul saith Colos 2.23 those have indeed a shew of Wisdom in Will-worship and Humility But let Men have a care for there is a Snare in it which they except God openeth their Eyes cannot perceive for in those in whom the Gospel Truths are hid 2 Cor. 4.3 4. the God of this World hath blinded the minds At the beginning things appear small 't is a harmless Ceremony which can do no hurt some say but that one or many may in time happen to degenerate into Superstition and Idolatry The Brazen Serpent was a good thing yet we know how far the Devil did prevail upon People to commit Idolatry about it And what would not they have done about the Body of Moses if God had not been pleased to take care to prevent it with concealing it from them either burying it in an unknown place or about or after his Death transforming it from a mortal into an immortal Body 1 Thes 4.17 as those that are alive shall be caught up We know what is written about his Death Deut. 34.6 but also we read how Moses with Elias appeared unto our Saviour in the Transfiguration which I take to be true Moses as Elias was true Elias but this only by the by Thus to return to my Subject to prevent Dangers and Mischiefs the best is never to hearken to such suggestions and admit into the Worship of God nothing that can be and is abused to Superstition and Idolatry as some of our Ceremonies are by Papists if not by some of us Now these Ceremonies are unprofitable for God is not better served with then without them and we see nothing they contribute towards Order Decency or Edification which are the three things they can pretend they are profitable for The Churches that have them not want them not for without them they preserve Order Decency and Edification In matters of Worship nothing is profitable but what is of God's Appointment for God knows best what may do his Church good and he doth bless only his Ordinances and not Man's Inventions Nothing can be assigned that ever was introduced into the Worship by Man's Devices that produced a good effect Nay I will say that though for the present and after the immediate Institution of the thing there appeared some good to come out of it yet afterwards it hath produced great inconveniencies and mischiefs for if sometimes God suffereth his own Ordinances to be abused by Men much more shall Humane Devices be corrupted Being unprofitable they become unnecessary and superfluous a yoke and a burthen let Men give them what specious Names they please the question is not what things may be called but what they are in their Nature for if some of the Ceremonies in question may be called Holy because used in an Holy Action so may a Cushion used in the Holy Act of Prayer but instituted significant Ceremonies must have another kind of Holiness But to go further our Ceremonies are not only unprofitable but also hurtful and dangerous Those Thoughts and Affections that should be wholly and spiritually fixed upon God they divide and divert part whereof at least they draw upon themselves they deprive People of their Christian Liberty bring in again a Ceremonial Law by our Saviour abolished they usher in Superstition if not Idolatry and produce many an Evil besides and if to Reason we may joyn Experience we shall find they have been the cause and occasion of a World of Mischief They have disturbed the Peace of the Church given Scandal caused Divisions and Persecutions defiled Churches
and Years I am afraid of you least I have bestowed upon you Labour in vain No doubt the Colossians were doting upon the other Branch eating or not eating which Rudiments of the World Colos 2.20 21. if they were dead with Christ they ought to have been freed from and not subject to Ordinances touch not taste not handle not But a Circumstance which much altereth the Case and takes away the Indifferency is when the Use of such things gives an Offence and becometh a Scandal to weak Brethren this Consideration makes Paul so positive with the Corinthians 1 Cor. 8.9 12 13. but take heed lest by any means this Liberty of yours become a Stumbling Block to those that are weak Whether this eating keeping a Day or using any such Ceremony which some account indifferent is to be minded I say 't is not so small a matter as ye think for when ye sin so against the Brethren and wound their weak Conscience ye sin against Christ wherefore if Meat or the Use of any Ceremony make my Brother to offend I will eat no Flesh nor use such Ceremony whilest the World standeth lest I make my Brother to offend here is Charity here is Christianity for that not only giveth an Offence to the weak Brother but also it sometimes ensnares him to do that which he doth not approve whereby he is destroyed Rom. 14.5 22 23. for if a Man be not fully perswaded in his own Mind but condemneth himself in that thing which he alloweth and doubteth he is damned if he doth it because he doth it not of Faith for whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin Tit. 1. For to the unbelieving nothing is pure and to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean and unlawful to him it is unclean and unlawful The great Care we ought to take is Rom. 14.14 that no Man put a Stumbling Block or an Occasion to fall in his Brother's way V. 13 15.19 but rather follow after the things which make for Peace and therewith one may edifie another Now if thy Brother be grieved with thy Meat with thy Ceremonies thou walkest not charitably much more if thou enticest or as much as in thee lies compellest him to it nay persecutest him for it I call Persecution to deprive to fine and to put in Prison for not doing such things as his Conscience alloweth him not to do this as much as in one lies is to destroy him for whom Christ died which in this Place the Apostle declareth so much against and if a Man will not because in Conscience he cannot do such and such things then presently a rash Censure is passed upon him he is a precise Man a stubborn and refractory Spirit why should not he do as so many others As preach with a Surplice and use the Ceremonies of the Church As good a Way of arguing as if one would say why should not he go to Hell as so many others do Let such hear what St. Paul saith here but why doest thou judge thy Brother or why doest thou set at nought thy Brother V. 4.10 And who art thou that judgest another Man's Servant to his own Master he standeth or falleth 'T is time to give over such rash Judgments V. 13. V. 17. let us not therefore judge one another any more for the Kingdom of God is not Meat and Drink or Ceremony that Men should so strictly press it upon others as if the Life and Power of Religion consisted in such things but 't is Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost therefore do not destroy him with thy Ceremonies for whom Christ died V. 21. for it is good neither to eat Flesh nor to drink Wine which yet may be necessary for Man's Health nor to do any thing whereby thy Brother stumbleth or is offended or is made weak And yet those things which the Church accounteth to be indifferent and we unlawful are pressed and imposed upon as if they were most necessary in as much as the thing relateth to my self must another Man's Conscience or my own be a Judge in the Case In our Churches and Worship we have nothing amongst us which our Adversaries may be offended at or take Exception against The Cause of Division the Idol of Jealousie is amongst them let it be put away and then we will be all one but if they prefer those Human Inventions before our Union with them if they have rather to keep us out than to part with their Ceremonies wherewith we cannot stand in the same Bottom they say they can be without their Ceremonies and we say we cannot be with them after that let God and impartial Men judge where the Fault lies who they or we do hinder a necessary Union and Reconciliation which would prove so sweet and so comfortable to many and many Thousands of Souls to the greater Glory of God strengthening of the Protestant Interest and weakening the Enemies thereof both abroad and at home The Contrary of these doth but foment Jealoufies and Partialities keep up Divisions encourage and give Advantage to our common Enemy and if for Peace sake we should grant them what they say of us namely that it is Weakness in us that we cannot come up to them which we in Conscience cannot do though they in Conscience may do what we desire of them then let them know Rom. 15.1 2. how they that are strong ought to bear the Infirmities of the weak and not to please themselves but let every one please his Neighbour for his Good to Edification Now when the Contrives of former Mischief against Religion are removed from the Throne and round about it we have a happy Opportunity of promoting and settling a desirabale and longed for Union which we heartily desire to the end that all Prejudices being removed we may become but one Flock under the great Shepherd of our Souls the Lord Jesus but if this blessed Union be neglected by those in whose Power under God it is to promote it then let those Men know they shall be accountable to God for the Loss of it and guilty of the evil Consequences that may happen to follow thereupon The Worst in some of those Men is that when they want Proofs they revile and abound in abusive Language to my great Grief we find it in those that seem to be or to have been most moderate among them such is the Author of those Conferences we had elsewhere Occasion to mention though otherwise a Person of Worth and Learning who under the Name of a Fanatick Chaplain introduces one as the most nonsensical Fellow in the World but he like the Philistines was sure not to set a right Edge to the Weapons of the Children of Israel The Fanatick Chaplain's Arguments must be laid down flat upon their Back Indeed it had been well for him to have said whom he meaneth by Fanatick and Fanatick Chaplains though in the Book