Def. translateth an addition of corruption is forbidden This I hope is another manner of symbolizing with Bellar. then that vvhich the Def. formerly objected to Non-conformists SECT IIII. HEre are two testimonies brought to confute the Non-conf his interpretation of Scripture wherby he would infer that all kinde of will-worship is unlawfull For that is here the question and nothing else The first Witnesse is Danaeus where the consequence lyeth thus if Danaeus in one place doth apply these Scriptures to grosser will-worship then our is then he doth not allow that they condemne all kind of wil-worship but the first is true ergo is not this a faire kinde of reasoning just as the Papist Gregorius de Valentia reasoneth abominable idolatry is condemned 1 Pet. 4. 3 therfore not all idolatry The other Witnesse is Zanchius in Col. 2 23 where beside that the like consequence is made as before I would desire any indifferent man to consider these vvords of Zanchie found in that verie place One kind of wil-worship is if any new worship wherby God is worshipped be invented and brought into the Church For God will onely be worshipped and onely with that worship which he himselfe hath appointed Deut. 6 Mat. 15 also those in 1 Thes. 1 9. By an idol in generall is meant whatsoever in Religion is brought in without the word of God He that looketh upon these words of Zanchie will scarce tell what to think of this Def his audacious alledging of this Author and the vaine triuÌ„ph which he groundeth upon him He thought it seemeth that few or none would ever take the paines to examine what he said In the fift Section there is nothing on either side but a dumb shew It shall passe for me therfore in silence SECT VI. HEere come the judgment of Protestants to be examined concerning this question Whether all parts of Divine worship invented by man be not to be condemned Where first the Defendant bringeth forth his wedge again distinguishing betwixt essentiall and accidentall worship as before but in other phrases for now he telleth us that essentiall worship is that wherein iâ— placed 〈◊〉 opinion of Justice sanctitie efficacie or divine necessitie and accidentall is any riâ—e which serveth for the more consonant and convenient discharge of that essentiall worship But these are but words For 1. worship doth not varie according to mens opinion but consisteth in the nature of the action it selfe Otherwise a man may goe to Masse conceiving a privat opinion to himselfe that he doth it not for justice sanctity efficacie or divine necessity but for some other cause Or at the least a convocation house may appoint us the grossest of all the ceremonies in Poperie and set another opinion upon it 2. Sanctitie cannot be separated vvholly from such ceremonies vvhich are proper unto religion i. appropriated unto religious persons actions and purposes onely in the solemne vvorship of God For they must either be holy or civill or prophane But civill they are not for then the bare omission of them vvould argue rudenesse and incivilitie nor prophane I hope in the Def. opinion therefore they must needs be holy 3. There is no judicious Divine that useth to call circumstances of meere order and decencie worship Where did the Def. ever read that a pulpit or a table or a faire cloath c. was pronounced or stiled vvorship Come vve therefore to the examination of witnesses in particular Calvins words are Instit. l. c. 10. sect 8. all humane constitutions in which the worship of God is placed are ungodly The Def. sayth that 1. Calvin meaneth not by worship circumstances of order Which is most true neither was any reader so sottish as ever tooke that to be his meaning For vvhat sence could there be in these words all humane constitutions in which the circumstances of order are placed 2. He telleth us that he meaneth the inward vertue of worship which consisteth in an opinion of holinesse and justice Where first I will not urge or grate upon the ill sound which these words have the inward vertue of worship consisteth in an opinion 2. How can an inward vertue be placed in an outward ceremonie 3. The proper nature of worship is not in holinesse and justice but in the honouring of God and all externall ceremonies vvhose proper use is the honouring of God are externall vvorship as all diuinitie sheweth This is therefore but an idle unlearned evasion to talk of holinesse and justice in opinion vvhen the question is of vvorship Calvin never thought of such toyes He amplifieth indeed his accusation against the Papists by such circumstances as those are according as the Def. sheweth but what Logick can thence conclude that nothing else is conteined in the generall rule Calvin himselfe professeth the contrary as directly as if he had undertaken to confute this defender of ceremonies For these are his words Epist. 259. Si probe penitus inspicitur quid homines tantopere solicitet ad fabricandas ceremonias reperiemus ex hoc fonte omnes fluxisse quia quisque novum Dei cultum fingere ausus fueritâ— atqui fictitios omnes cultus non modo repudiat Deus sed etiam severe abominatur i. The originall of all ceremonies was that men would needs forge new worships of God whereas God doth not onely refuse such worships but also abhorreth them For Chemnitius the Defendant telleth us that hee condemneth onely a ceremony which is among the Papists made necessarie But he should shew two things if hee would answer soundly 1 that Chemnitius doth distinguish as he doth of will worship as some were lawfull and some onely unlawfull 2. hee should shew us at the least that there is some vvorship which is not necessarie for otherwise Câ—emnitius in condemning will-worship that is imposed as necessarie doth condemne all wil-worship Now we in our simple divinitie for so it will be accounted conceiue thus All worship of God is that honour dutie and reverence vvhich the reasonable creature doth owe to the creator and therfore cannot understand how such aâ—dutie is not necessary to be performed or how there can be a vvorship which being part of this tribute may rest in mans choyce vvhether it shall be paid or no. Perhaps this necessitie pertaineth onely to the vvorship commanded by God but in that vvhich man diviseth of himselfe there is more libertie there being no reason that voluntary service should be constreined If this be the cause then the vvorship appointed by man is no part of his love towards God nor any testification of it For if it vvere surely it should be necessarie seeing it is necessary to loue God vvith all our hearts vvith all our soules and vvith all our strength The third vvitnesse is P. Martyr loc com 770. vvhere he sayth concerning things in their own nature indifferent that speciall care must be had lest any such thing be thought to make towards the worship of God because divine
to creep into their place The sacraments sayth he doe signifie grace conferred and morall signes doe signifie a dutie of man in some morall vertue But the Scripture teacheth us that the Sacraments doe also signifie the dutie of man towards God For by the sacraments the whole covenant is signed and sealed betwixt God and man so that not onely Gods conferring of grace but mans dutie through grace is there professed and represented This the name Sacrament as it signifieth an oath or obligation doth import by Bellarmines owne confession de sacram l. 1. c. 8. This the name â—ucharist doth also shew in the Lords Supper notifying that thankfulnesse we owe unto God This the words of institution doe plainly testifie in the Lords Supper Doe this in remembrance of me And I think the Def. vvhen he considereth the matter well will not dare to deny but that sanctitie which he sayth is signified by the Surplice is signified in Baptisme and constancie also which hee ascribeth to the crosse If he doe he may be easily confuted by those places where the scripture speaketh of it especially Rom. 6. throughout the chapter 2 Against that morall signification attributed unto humane inventions I propound this argument in the words of a â—overend man whom for some reason I will not name To be a teacher of my understanding and an exciter of my devotion are such effects at require vertue inherent or assistent to those things which should be causes of themâ— but no signe of mans devising hath any such vertue in it or with it for then it must come from that word put forth in the creation and sâ— things naturall should haue a force communicated to them of teaching supernaturall or else by Gods after-institution such we read not any but of Baptisme and the Lords supper onely or by the Churches impetration But this cannot be for prayer obtaineth those effects of things to which they serue by Gods creation and institution but not any creating or new conception of things to supernaturall uses For then the Church might ask that this or that creature might be made a sacrament unto her in which case she should pray without all warrant from Gods will 3 If humane inventions be such morall admonishers in spirituall duties the consciences of men without doubt are bound to subject themselves unto their admonitions and then unto them from whom they doe admonish or by whom they are made admonishers i. to mortal men such as our convocation consists on Is not this good divinitie 4 Whatsoever is ordained in the Church as a teaching signe that ought often to bee interpreted unto the people in Sermons for that is the teaching which must cleare and perfect all teaching of signes and should not they preach fairly in the name and words of Christ that should expound unto the people the signification of a surplice and a crosse Would not this also be much for the edification of the people that sometime they must heare of the morall good vvhich the ceremonies teach and sometime be admonished of the right meaning of our convocation house in the appointing of these ceremonies left they turne them to morall evill in superstition and at other times they must be instructed how to defend these ceremonies against the opposers of them lest otherwise they use them without faith Surely all the Sermons which many Parishes heare would â—caree be sufficient for this doctrine of Ceremonies 5 I dare appeale to the eonfciences of the best conforming Christians whether ever they found themselves truely stirred up to holinesse by the Surplice or to constancie by the Crosse one thing I am sure of that in some one congregation where these ceremonies haue not appeared for 20 or 30 yeares together there hath been more holinesse and constancie of faith then in many Cathedrall Churches where they were never omitted This poynt being cleared there need no great answer be given to the cavill of making signification the chiefe poynt of a sacrament For if the Def. meant to deale plainly vvhy doth he change the vvords that he may find some colour for his accusation The Abridgement sayth onely that it is a chiefe part he accuseth them for saying it is the chiefe part betwixt vvhich two phrases he knoweth how great roome there is for a wedge 2. To proue that signification is one chiefe part the Abridgement alleageth Gen. 17. 11. Exod. 12. 13. Luk. 22. 19. why is no answer given to these places if the assertion bee false 3 The Def. himselfe in his distinction which he bringeth here concerning a sacrament doth allow one chiefe part of a sacraments nature to be signification ad modum signi Beâ—â—armine therefore hath as good a friend of him as of the Abridgement But sayth he arguing herein against himselfe if signification bee a principall part of a sacrament then all the morall signes used in the Leâ—iticall worship should be properly deemed sacraments Why so because things take their denomination from the principall parts True but 1. as hath been observed there is difference betwixt a principall and the principall 2. Every thing that hath denomination from a principall part hath not properly the same name vvith it A man may in some sense be called spirituall because his principall part is a spirit yet he may not be properly deemed a spirit 3. all those ceremonies which had signification in the Leviticall law haue this denomination from sacraments that they are properly called Sacramentall 1. participating something of the nature of sacraments though they be not sacraments properly so called SECT VI. A Second objection from reason is here brought inâ— viz. that if ceremonies which God himselfe hath ordained to teach his Church by then morall signification may not now be used much lesse may any of those which man hath devised But vvhy doth the Def. passe by all the allegations vvhich belong to this reason in the Abridgement p. 33. 34. they cite to this purpose first the Councel of Nice Austine Martyr Bullinger Lavater Hospinian Piscator Cooper Westphalâ—s c. And then after Calvin Bullinger Hospinian Arcularius Virel Bison Reynolds Willet c. And againe Calvin Bullinger Chemnitius Danaeus Hospinian Arcularius our book of Homilies Humphrey Reynolds Willet c. Are all these worth no answer at least they shew that this is no new reason divised by the Nonconformists but the common tenent of Protestants and the ground whereby they confute the superstition of Papists Yet let us heare his answer to the reason as it is nakedly in it selfe considered remembring alwayes that he can say nothing but that which the Papists may as well say for many of their ceremonies against this argument pressed vpon them by our Divines His first answer is that the use of some Iewish rite without any Iewish opinion is not damnable instancing in circumcision and Easter Where 1. he should haue told us how a Iewish rite can bee used without some part of a
as before I sayd for that and other causes But altars in the same place he condemneth which yet are retained in our Cathedrall Churches and I hope the crosse being an Idoll it selfe had as immediat commuâ—ion with Idolatry as Zepper or any reasonable Iudge would require for the cashiering of it As for Peter Martyr howsoever in one epistle to Hooper he setteth as good a colour upon the reliques of Idolatry as he could because he thought by a little yeelding of Hooper and such men the superstitions themselues might quickly be removed yet in another Epistle p. 1125. he giveth this peremptorie sentence Profecto si ex animo superstitiones edissemus vel ipsa eorum vestigia omnibus modis curaremus extirpanda 1. If wee hated superstition from the heart wee would abolish all the reliques of it To the same purpose he speaketh p. 1127. vvhere he sheweth that his conscience would never suffer him to weare the Surplice when he vvas Canon of Christ church in Oxford If this vvere not his reason hee had some other very much a kin to this Neither will the Defendant say hastily I hope that either Peter Martyr or Hooper were disorderderly exorbitant men in those times fit to be displaced that more discreet conformists might come in their places as now he pronounceth of those that refuse to conforme SECT XXX WHen all faile a contradiction must be found betwixt our conclusions and our confessions and practises but I assure my selfe there is not any reader so simple but if hee look over this section will presently see that he hath not brought one example of any humane ceremonie not necessarie notoriously known to haue been abused unto Idolatry that is allowed by us Why then should I spend ink and paper in labouring to unâ—wine such ropes of sand Onely I would ask the Defendant certaine questions 1. If a Temple a Bell or a Table-cloth haue such idolatry put uppon them by the Papists as the crosse hath 2 If his own heart do not tell him that there is a civill use of such things which cannot be imagined of the crosse 3 What superstition there was in the meere significations given by Durandus unto Bells and Bell-ropes vvhich is not to be found in the Crosse and Surplice 4 Whether the Pagan use of Bay-leaues vvhich was aboue a thousand yeares past doth cast such a reflection upon our civill use of bay-leaues as the Popish superstition doth upon our ceremonies 5 What sence he had to find fault with us for not altering the situation of Churches 6 If it be all one to call a ship by the name of Castor and Pollux as Paul doth Act. 28. 11. and to use a religious ceremonie in Gods worship vvhich is taken from these Idolls 7 If it be one thing to change copes into cushions and to use a Masse vestiment in Gods worship 8 If it be not a kind of slander to say that the Church of Geneva imposeth a round wafer cake like the Papists to be used in the Lords Supper when as onely unleavened bread is used because custome in that part more prevailed then the grave advice of Calvin Farel Viret and the other excellent pastors And if it bee not a wide leap to bring in the practise of Geneva for an instance of the Non-conformists practise in England By that time these questions be truely answered the Defendant vvill haue but a small harvest out of our confessions and practises CHAP. V. SECT I. ad X. THE Authours of the Abridgement framed a strong Argument against our ceremonies from the rules of ceremonies prescribed in the Word p. 43 c. with this Argument vvhen the Defendant vvas not able to grappell as it stood in the parts combined he thought good to sever some parcels of it and try vvhat he could say to them apart Thus out of this one Argument he hath taken that which he calleth our first and out of the same he hath made up this fift and yet hee hath quite left out a great part of the sinewes wherewith that one reason is knit together in the Abridgement The argument is taken from the scandall or offence vvhich the imposing and using of these ceremonies do bring unto divers sortâ— of men The Defendant heere maketh great flourishing in nine whole Sections defining dividing and subdividing a scandall as if he would make all cleare before him but at the end of all this preparation he maketh no application of these Rules unto the matter in hand at all but onely telleth his Reader p. 154 That these divisions and subdivisions will expedite all difficulties so that out of them he may collect the true and false sense of Scriptures alledged It vvere sufficient therefore either to deny this power to be in his divisions or else to set down as many other subdivisions of scandall vvhich vvere easie to doe and then tell him that these vvill expedite the controversie and that from them hee may collect the errours of his answer But I will notwithstanding briefly shew my opinion concerning some of these dictates The definition vvhich he onely alloweth of as accurate is that a scandall is a wilfull offence against Christians in provoking of them unto any damnable errour or sinne by any sensible externall meanes Sect. 1. Wherein notwithstanding many faults may be found For 1 every scandall is not wilfull except the word be taken more largely then use of speech will allow 2 Every scandall is not against Christians 3 A scandall is not onely by provoking to sinne but also in hindring from good 4 what doth he meane to put in the word damnable the occasioning of any sin sufficeth to make up a scandall Among his subdivisions the first thing I except against is section 5 vvhere he distinguisheth so betwixt persons and causes either determined or undetermined that in matters determined by the Church as he teacheth obedience is to be given without respect of scandall and onely in matters undetermined there is a charitable consideration to be had of other mens consciences This is a new and a tickle point of Divinity touching the tenderest part of our spirits even our consciences and other mens also It ought therefore either not to haue been propounded or else to be well confirmed either with testimonies or vvith reasons drawn out of Scripture But alas the Def. thrusteth it upon us without any such vvarrant The peace of the Church saith he is to be preferred before the grievance i. e. scandall of any sort of men As if the peace of the Church did not more consist in avoyding of scandals then in observing of humane ceremonies it is not the peace of God which is broken by a charitable care of avoyding offences but by rushing into them A scandall in the nature of it is spirituall murder Now suppose a Superiour should command a thing in it selfe indifferent whereupon murder vvere like to follow as to runne a horse or a cart in a certain way at
make humane significant ceremonies in Gods worship agree with Christian liberty As for superstition vvhich the Defendant doth now the second time most ridiculously object I haue answered in the beginning of this Confutation Now onely I note 1 how loosely he describeth that superstition vvhich he calleth affirmative as if no man could use any thing superstitiously except he did hold that without it the faith of Christianity or the true worship of God could not possible consist Never was there such a description given by any man that considered what he said 2 Hovv manfully he concludeth our negatiue superstition upon this ground that Christ hath left these ceremonies free which is the maine question betwixt him and us 3 How he mis-reporteth our opinion in saving absolutely that weâ— hold a Surplice to haue unholinesse and pollution in it wheras we hold that it is onely made more unfit for Gods service then it was before through idolatrous abuse but yet unto other usâ—s it may be applyed 4 That in stead of Scripture he bringeth forth the universall practise of men in the Church vvhich yet hath been formerlyly also refuted 5 That he can finde no Divine that calleth opposing of ceremonies superstition but onely M. Calvin in one place speaking rhetorically as he useth to doe and not intending any definition or distribution of that vice 6 How he corrupteth P. Martyrs words to haue some colour for a new accusation P. Martyr taking there upon him the person of an adversarie unto Hoopers opinion with whom notwithstanding afterward he consented and recalled the counsell which then he gaue as appeareth p. 1125 saith that if we should refuse all things that the Papists used vve should bring the Church into servitude which assertion is most true because the Papists abused many necessarie things even Christs own Ordinances the observing of which is liberty Now the Def. would haue that precisely uâ—derstood and that in the rigour of every word concerning the Surplice I haue here subioyned apart an Epistle of Zanchius who otherwaies was somewhat favourable to Bishops wherein the Reader may see his iudgement concerning superstitious garments To the most renowmed Queene Elizabeth Defendresse of the Christian Religion and most mighty Queen of England France and Ireland H. Zanchius sendeth greeting MOST gracious and most Christian Queene we haue not without great griefe understood that the fire of contention about certaine garments which we thought had been quenched long agone is new againe to the incredible offence of the godly as it were raised from hell and kindled a fresh in your Majesties Kingdome and that the occasion of this fire is because your most gracious maiestie being perswaded by some otherwise great men and carried with a zeal but certainly not according to knowledge to retaine unitie in religion hath now more then ever before resolved and dâ—câ—eed yea doth will and command that all Bishops and Mâ—nisters of the Churches shal in divine service put on the white and linnen garments which the Popish Priests use now in Poperie yea that it is to be feared least this fire be so kindled and cast its flame so farre and wide that all the Churches of that most large and mightie kingdome to the perpetuall disgrace of your most renowned Maiestie be set on a flaming fire seeing the most part of the Bishops men greatly renowned for all kinde of learning and godlines had rather leaue their office and place in the Church then against their owne conscience admit of such garments or at the least signes of Idolaâ—rie and Popish superstititon and so defile themselues with them and giue of fence to the weak by their example Now what other thing will this be then by retaining of these garments to destroy the whole body of the Churchâ— For without doubt that is Satans intent by casting a seed of dissentions amongst the Bishops And that hee aimed at in the infancie of the Church by stirring vp discord between the East and West Churches about the Passover and other ceremonies of that kind Therfore Ireneus Bishop of Lions had just cause in his Epistle sent out of France to Rome sharply to reproue Victor the Pope of Rome because he out of a kind of zeale but not according to knowledge was minded to excommunicate all the churches of Asia because they celebrated not the Passover just at the same time as they at Rome did For this was nothing but by an unseasonable desire to retaine the same ceremonies in all churches to rent and teare a peeces the vnitie of the Churches I therefore so soone as I heard that so great a ruine hanged over the Church of Christ in that kingdome presently in respect of that dutie which I owe to the Church of Christ to your gracious Maiestie and to that whole kingdom intended to write thither and to try by my uttermost endevor whether so great a mischiefe might possibly be withstood some that fear Christ and wish wel to your Maiestie exhorting me to the performance of this dutie But when I had scarcely begun to think of this course behold our most illustrious Prince commanded 〈◊〉 to do it which command of his did not onely spurre me one who of mine owe accord was alreadie running but laid a necessitie of writing upon me Wherefore this my boldnesse will seeme the lesse strange unto your gracious Maiestie seeing my writing proceedeth not so much from mine owne will and counsell of friends as from the commandement of my most Noble Prince who is one of your gracious Maiesties speciall friends Now I thought I should doe a matter verie worth the paines taking if first I should humbly admonish your most famous Maiestie what your dutie is in this cause and secondlie if as your humble suppliant I should beseech you for our Lord Iesus Christs sake to performe the same I beseech your gracious Maiestie to take this my writing in good part for it proceedeth from a Christian loue toward the Church and from an especiall reverend respect that I beare to your most gracious Maiestie The Lord knoweth all things Now to the matter in hand Whereas the Apostle writing to Timothie commandeth that praiers be made for Kings and all other that be in authoritie and saith that the end wherefore they bee ordained is that wee may lead a peaceable and quiet life in all that is perfect godlinesse and honestie he teacheth plainlie enough what is the dutie of godlie Kings and Princes namelie that they take care and bring to passe that first and aboue all things true religion and the true worship of God where it is banished bee restored and being restored bee kept pure all things which smell of impietie being farre removed Secondlie that men may liue honestlie and holilie all kinds of vncleannesses beeing abandoned Lastlie that publicke peace and holie friendship bee maintained among the subiects all occasions of contentious being as much as possiblie may be taken out of the way As the