the use in the ancient Church Hieron ep ad Luâ—n Aug. ep ad Casulanum to keep the memory of the passion Where doe you reade in the word of God that you ought to receive the Communion fasting yet that was the universal custom of all the Church in Saint Augustines time Epist 118. ad Ianuar. to preserve the honour of the blessed Sacrament To be short if you think the letter of the word be so requisite to every custome you were best to survey the writings of the Apostles and see what order you can find for standing holydayes what speciall warrant for set fasts upon certaine dayes what expresse charge to keep the first day of the week for the Christian Sabbath Vid Dr. Field li. â— ca. 20. Episc Elienâ—â—â— tract de Sab. pap 98. what expresse immediate warrant to christen or baptize a young Infant I doubt you will find no more but a generall warrant for any of these though they have been constantly observed in all ages and if every of these have been held by custome being onely grounded upon the generall warrant of the Scriptures and deduced from thence by good consequence without any speciall intimation why should we be tyed to a speciall order for the ruling and disposing of every ceremony If the speciall warrant of the Word be so necessary you were best to blame the Apostles of Christ The Apostles never composed any set forme of outward rite Instit li. 4. â—a 10. sect 30. because they forgot to entreat of particular rites and if a generall warrant be not sufficient you were best to blame the Churches of God because they took too much upon them For the Apostles first you cannot blame them for Calvin himselfe can tell you that they had no commission from the Lord to set downe a forme of outward discipline inasmuch as he foresaw how that depended upon the state of the times neither could he judge any one forme to be agreeable to all people He knew well enough that the Church was subject to waxes and wanes to fulls and changes and vicissitudes and therefore as a rare and cunning workman can hardly make a garment for the moone as Plutarch notes that should equally fit her at all seasons as well in the new as in the full no more could the Apostles judge any one form of unchangeable custome to be agreeable to all times and the various conditions of all people All particulars in this kind depend upon the authority of the Church But then perhaps you will blame the Church because she presumes to run of her selfe without a speciall commission for every custome No surely but where the Word of God is dumbe and silent there the voice of the Church must be attended In this case the very silence of the word gives consent that the cause belongs to another court and seeing the word is silent concerning ceremonies and speaks nothing of them in explicite termes where may we looke for a certaine direction and resolution in that case but from the power of the Church and from the authority of her pastors Ep. ad Casulanum In quibu◠〈◊〉 certi statuit script mâ—s populi Dei instituta majorum pro lege temenda sunt Saint Augustine being asked his opinion concerning a custome used in his time takes occasion to answer in briefe not onely for that but for all others of the same stamp that where the Word of God determines no certainty there the custome of the Church and the constitutions of her Pastors are to be taken for a law That this was the generall judgement of all the Churches in all ages if any man doubt let him reade the Canons of the Councels Beza lib. conf fidei Chri. ca. 5. for why should the Councels be called together to order the government of the Church and to settle the forme of outward discipline but that they held it a maxime in all ages that the Church had power of things indifferent There is no Divine of our owne side of any note that stick at this power Beza conf fidei Gualt praefat in 2. Cor. Zuin. li. de bapt Chem. loc com tit tradit Mar. in 1 Cor. 1. Calv. com in loc so it goe no further for besides the judgement of Beza Bucer Zuinglius Chemnitius Peter Martyr and generally all the Worthies of these latter times that freely allow it with one consent you shall take the opinion of Calvin one for all who sets it down for a certaine rule upon the light he drew from this present Cap. that every Church of what place soever may safely compose such a forme of discipline as may be most agreeable to it selfe because the Lord therein hath prescribed no certainty The truth is the Apostle himselfe is so cleare in this that no man can make any further doubt for when he seeks to suppresse an upstart custome by a non habemus talem and grounds himselfe upon this reason because they nor the Churches had none such what doth he but inferre by way of consequence that the practice of the Church and determination of her Pastors is warrant enough for any ceremony It makes me wonder the more and who doth not wonder at the froward humour of some peevish Novelists that think all the practice of the Church in things indifferent to be nothing else but usurpation and all her decent and reverend customes that serve for the furtherance of GODs service to bee nothing else but a meere wil-worship Their spight is so great against the present government because it crosses their selfe-will'd humours that they will scarce allow that power to the Church in the meanest things that every Church-warden and meane Artificer would soon challenge if they might be left to their owne liberty Belike the Seers of the Lord are become blind that they cannot discerne the meanest things or else the stewards of the Lord are become unfaithfull that they may not be trusted with the poorest ceremony But well fare the good and courteous Samaritan he was not halfe so strait to the good Inkeeper when he gave him the care of the wounded traveller in the Gospell so willing was he to enlarge his favour that beside the two pence hee left to discharge the reckoning hee gave him leave to spend more and to runne upon the score till his next returne Vid. Aug. de quaest Euang. li. 2. quaest 59. Ambro. Origen in Luc. Maca. Cyrill alios in Cat. Gâ—aeâ— patrum in Luc. No doubt a large allowance given to a stranger but if we be the wounded travellers as indeed we are that unhappily miscarried in Adams sinne and if the two pence he left us to discharge the reckoning may seeme to allude as most expound it to the two Tables of the Testament I wonder what course we may take to spend the overplus that he may allow it at his comming In necessary expences for food or physick
and subordination to one head that you shall seldome heare of any contention among them that ever breakes out into open flames A happy Church they must needs have if things be answerable to their vaunts but if it doe not appeare upon just triall out of the best Records of their owne Church Dr. Halls disswasive from Popery that they have contentions as well as wee as great as ours as loud as ours I shall be ready to subscribe to the Church of Rome and returne againe to her communion Did you never heare of any difference betwixt the Thomists and the Scotists In the Church of Rome of any jarres betweene the Seculars and the Iesuits of any quarrells among the Cardinalls themselves in the sacred conclave what Church what State in the whole world that is not conscious of their dissentions and if all these be not proof enough that their peace comes short of ours their dissention is more then ours let us appeale to Bellarmine himselfe the chiefe Advocate of the Romane cause who reckons us more then 200 opinions diversly maintained pro and con among the Doctors of their Church A goodly unity I durst to warrant you that shines in the midst of so many quarrells and a goodly Church by the same reason that must be knowne by this jarring unity if they have no better badge and livery of their Church then such a counterfeit pretended unity we shall never have cause I dare say either to be fond of their church or to be jealous of our own And yet t is a wonder to see with what a face of brasse and impudence the Romanists of these times are wont to upbraid us with the quarrells of our Church as if Rome had engrossed all the unity Your Church say they Pacianus citat à Bellar Christianus inquit est mihi nomen Cat â—olicus cegnomen Ierom. cont Lucifer prope fiâ—em what is it but a beast of many heads patched up with divers and sundry factions while one adheres to Luther another to Calvin a third to Zuinglius another to Arminius as if we delighted more to be called from names of men then to be called Christians from the name of Christ or Catholiques from the faith professed by them For our parts be it knowne to all the world we hate to be called from the name of any man be he what he will yea though it be the name of Peter and Paul we are free enough from those contentions which S. Paul imputes to this Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 1.11 12 13. and though they impute unto us any other differences which have been alwaies incident to the purest Churches they must not think to shake our faith by such poore and slender exprobrations We know that these were the common darts which both the Heathens of old and the Turks of latter times were wont to cast against the Christian faith Chrysost in Act. Aphom 33. et in â—od Gal. Cypr de unitate â—â—cles Celsus apud Origen lib. cont Celsum Cortugal orat habit Rhod. and if they can find no other arguments to confute us but what they are faine to borrow from Turks and Heathens and such as equally concern both them and us they will make us think they are hardly driven Let them free themselves from their own contentions and then they may the better object ours in the meane while as long as we see no other remedy we will set us down by the Church of Corinth and patiently beare both her lot and ours We can hardly look to be in better state then the Apostolique Churches and if they were faine to suffer contention why should we grudge to bear the like our case can hardly be worse then theirs for they had contentions in this ver schismes in the 18. ver heresies in the 19. ver and therefore if all these should fall to our lott which God of his mercy turne away from us yet we have learned of the blessed Apostle not to think strange of any such tryall as if some new thing were fallen upon us but patiently to share in that common calamity that equally belongs to all the Churches When all is done the Church of Corinth shall be our apologie we suffer no more then she hath done and seeing we are joyned with her in the same cause let us make enquirie a little further and perhaps we shall match her somewhat nearer in the speciall ground and reason of contention Though every Church hath some contention Contention against a ceremony yet every Church hath not the same There is a talis for contention as well as for custome for one is like the Palmer-worme that eates nothing but the leaves another like the Caterpillar that destroys the fruit and another like the Canker that devoures the body of religion Some quarrels are but light and gentle waves that dally and play with the ship of Christ others are proud and lofty surges that crack the cordage of the ship 1 Leveâ— undae 2 Majora volumina 3 Ignei globi and some are fiery balls that ascend to heaven and threaten the safety of the Church Of all the quarrells that ever were moved in the Church you will think that this in my text was one of the least Nothing was opposed for for ought we find but a bare ceremony and the outward gesture in praying or prophesying was the onely cause of this sharp contention Vid. ver 2. 3. A poore occasion to make a difference when they were agreed upon the substance yet considering withall what mischiefe may grow upon the Church by the least quarrell once begun the Apostle thinks it meet to bestir himselfe and to quench the fire of contention that it may not break out into greater flames Our wise Apostle was not to learne that a ceremony of it selfe was of little reckoning but when a ceremony is enjoyned by lawfull authority Quod minimum est minimuÌ„ est sed in minimo te fideleÌ„ essemagnum est Aug. de doct Chri. lib. 4. he knew well enough that obedience or disobedience in a small matter was not to be counted a small matter There is the same reason of obedience or disobedience whether in smaller or in greater matters for t is not the thing commanded that binds the conscience but the power from whence the commandement comes be the thing commanded never so great it commends the obedience never the more be the thing commanded never so small it cannot excuse the disobedience Christ commends the good servant because he was faithfull in the least things Mat. 25.25 to teach us that faithfulnesse or unfaithfulnesse in the least things cannot be counted the least thing well may the least things aggravate the unfaithfulnesse but I am sure of that they cannot excuse it and therefore as the Lord himselfe doth often punish the least unfaithfulnesse Gen. 3.16 17. Num. 15.32 whether in eating an apple or gathering of
sticks when t is forbidden with greater punishments then fouler sins because it proceeds from meere wilfulnesse so the Apostles of Christ and their lawfull successors may safely punish the least contention against a ceremony when they see it proceeds from meere stubbornnesse as well as some greater and fouler sins that spring from weaknesse and infirmity More danger there is in this poore contention then the common sort of men doe commonly think The danger of such a coÌ„ntention Pro. 18.19 not onely because it kindles a fire among brethren of the sam faith and the same religion whose aemulous vyings and mutuall contestations among themselves cannot chuse but aggravate and increase the flame but also because t is commonly grounded upon I know not what pretence of misguided conscience that makes the quarrell the more presumptuous Other sinnes whether of adultery theft or drunkennesse dare not appeare in open light and if they doe you shall find them ready to plead guilty but the sinne of schisme that spurns men on against the orders of the Church is so bold and sawcy of its owne nature Cypr. lib. 3. ep 9. Haec sunt initia haereticorum ut sibi placeaÌ„t et PraeposituÌ„ superbo tumore contemnant Psa 55. ver 12. 13. that it ever stands upon justification and being vainly past up with selfe-conceit it dares out-face all authority Other sinnes fight against the Church not directly but by way of consequence but this fights against her with downright blows and therefore as the Prophet David in a figure of Christ complains more grievously of the plots of his nearest friends then of all the treacheries of known foes so the Church of Christ his onely Spouse hath more cause to complaine of the civill uncivill wars of her own children then of all the oppositions of forraigne enemies that seek to bring her into bondage T is a maxime agreed upon by weeping crosse that contention goes before destruction there 's no State nor Kingdome of the world but have made it true by their owne experience and if the Church of God be divided against her selfe by sundry factions and her children like a rowted disordered Army begin to fall upon their own fellows what priviledge have we more then others against the generall sentence of our Saviour A Kingdome divided against it selfe cannot stand Mat. 12.25 Optatus said of the factions of the Donatists that were not much unlike to these contentions that betwixtour yea Inter licet nostrum non licet vestram nutaÌ„t remigaÌ„t â—nime Christianorum Optat. cont Parmen and your nay the cause of Religion lyes a bleeding and have not we brought it to the same passe by our domesticke quarrells among our selves that betwixt the conformity of some and the inconformity of other some many a Christian soule stands unresolved and meanes to continue a meere neutrall As long as the languages are confounded the building of the Church can never goe forward as long as the ship is tost with waves many are afraid to come a shipboard some that are without are loth to come in and some that are within are loath to continue so the poore Church being suspected and forsaken on both sides is faine to complaine with the Prophet Ieremie Woe is mee that ever I was made the cause of contention We cannot chuse but see unlesse wee wilfully shut our eyes Auximus PhilippuÌ„ nos ipsi Athenienses how much our adversaries are enriched by these contentions how many good professors upon these grounds have leapt aside into the tents of Popery how many quier and peaceable congregations have beene torne and distracted into sundry factions how many zealous and painfull labourers onely for the cause of their bare conformity are growne suspected to their owne flockes and which is most to be lamented many a faithfull and learned Prelate that should be counted worthy of double honour is traduced as a favourer of Popish tyranny because he labours and strives as S. Paul does here to beate downe these fond and trifling quarrells Oh the day that ever religion should be guilty of so much irreligion Tanium religio potiat suadere malerum Oh that the Church should suffer martyrdome in a heape of vaine unnecessary quarrells Have we not quarrells enough against the Church of Rome for her Purgatory Cumque superba soret Babylon spolianda trophaeis c. Luc initio and Transubstantiation and prayer for the dead and invocation of Saints and adoration of Images and pretended infallibility and many other points of the same alloy but we must sheath our swords in our owne bowels and wilfully invite our owne destruction O yee sonnes of men how long will you love vanity how long will you dote upon your owne misery Are wee all agreed about the garment and shall we differ about the trimming are wee agreed about the freehold and shall wee quarrell about the bounds Away with those unkinde Certatum est totis c. in commune nefas Philip. 2. unhappy contentions that procure the losse and shame of both sides If there be any joy if any love if any compassion either to your selves or to the Church or to the cause of reformation fulfill my joy and the joy of our Apostle and the joy of the Church and the joy of Christ Jesus and with it the joy of your owne soules that wee may heare no more of these fond contentions T is a shame to be seene in any quarrell against a ceremony CoÌ„tentioÌ„ against the bareing of the bead in praying and prophecying yet some ceremonies there are among the rest so nearely concerning the honour of God that a wilfull and stubborne opposition cannot choose but aggravate and increase the fault If ever contention against a ceremony could threaten to bring us within danger of sin I doubt this quarrell in my Text will trench hard upon it because it trenches so neare upon Apostolique power The very Apostles of Christ had a hand themselves in this holy custome for among some other orders composed by them for the furtherance and decoration of Gods service they ordained this rule for all the Churches Ver. 2. 3. that the men when they came to prayer or prophecie should uncover their heads and the women should veyle or cover their heads as oft as they appear'd in the congregation Theophilact Pet. Mart. aliiin loc Gualt in loc probat hunc Ethnicorum suisse moreÌ„ idque ex Plutarch Virgilio Jdem Chrysost graecoruÌ„ fuisse institutum certum est hunc mo rem hodie apud â—urcas invaluisse That this injunction was in force in the Apostles time for ought I find no man denies yea some there be that give the reason of that Canon that the late converted Christians might not fashion themselves to the customes of the Heathens where the men were wont to sacrifice with their heads covered and the women with their heads bare