a method of salvation for poor sinners as God hath in love to their souls contrived in his own Son made of a woman O the depth of the Riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! Thus I have endeavoured to display matter of Wonder and thankful Admiration Beloved these are things which the very glorious Angels desire to look and pry into * 1 Pet. 1. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angelical Speculations And I dare say that it will be a great part of the work of Angels and Saints in glory to celebrate those Mirabilia Dei and Evangelical wonders with praises to all eternity Vse 2 2. Here is ground of Reprehension Was the Son of God in the fulness of the time made of a woman This may serve sharply to reprove two sorts of persons 1. The Jew 2. The Judaizing Christian 1. The Jew Although it is palpably manifest and clear as the light from the infallible Oracle of Gospel the visible accomplishment of Prophetical Predictions c. That the Son of God is already long ago come in the flesh that the Messias the promised Seed of the woman is come yet Jewes poor wretches will not believe it To this day do they continue in obstinate incredulity and a vain expectation of the Messias their King and so alas alas through a vain expectation of the Saviour they miss of a Saviour That which my soul most pities them for is That during these sixteen hundred yeers darkness and desertion hundreds of thousands of them yea for ought I know as many hundred thousands as there are centuries of yeers have dyed irrecoverably in their sins But just is God in all his wayes And if God in mercy to their souls hasten not their Conversion and the re-ingrafting of those * Native Branches into the common Root Rom. 11. 21. 24. Christ how many thousands more may yet perish the Lord knows For oh Lord they dye daylie Ah! Thus it fares with them who once were God's peculiar people his Portion the dearly Beloved of his soul Poor Nation Whose sweet sap and juyce Our Cyens have purloyn'd and left you dry Whose streams we got by the Apostles sluce And use in Baptisme while ye pine and dye Who by not keeping once became a Debter And now by keeping lose the Letter O that my prayers mine alas O that some Angel might a Trumpet sound At which the Church falling upon her face Should cry so loud until the Trump were drown'd And by that cry of her dear Lord obtain That your sweet sap might come again The Metrical Apostrophe of a * Mr. George Herbert of Cambridge in his Sacred Poems holy Poet to that Nation It is observable of that people that by adhering to the Law they lose the Gospel by cleaving to Moses the Typical Messias they miss of the Messias the true Moses Were I able by my voice to reach the land of Jewry or the dispersed Jewes where-ever they are scattered as forlorn Vagabonds to day I would a little expostulate with them Oh obstinate and incredulous Jewes Are ye in Covenant with perdition Are ye resolved to perish in Vnbelief But will ye not admit of Gospel which presents us with this great Evangelical truth viz. That in the fulness of the time God sent forth his Son made of a woman the only true Messiah What Are ye in league with Moses In love with servitude and bondage The Prophesies concerning the Messias are fulfilled yea as I have shewed above the Messias his own Prophesies and Personal Predictions are fulfilled O that ye would learn the belief of the Truth from the very Prophesied Ruines of your Temple City Lawes whole State Policy and Commonwealth Ah! poor Jew The Lord convince you that there is no possibility of Life for you but in him who dyed by you Ye cannot be saved but through him whom by wicked hands ye have crucified and slain The only possible way and method of salvation is that very blood which you are guilty of and hath these sixteen hundred yeers layn upon your heads through your crucifying of the Lord of glory and that direful Imprecation His blood be upon us and our children wherein the Curse of that execrable sin of blood-shed is entailed upon your Posterity And O how sad is it when Persons are guilty of that very blood which alone is effectual for the pardon of guilt for peace with God! for the salvation of precious souls c. 2. The Judaizing Christian By Judaizing Christians I understand those that contend for Ceremonies in point of Worship in a professed Christian Church For a Ceremonial kinde of Worship being peculiar to the Jewish Church as wholly Typical it followeth by necessary Consequence That an Introduction of Ceremonies in point of Worship into the Christ an Church is a Reduction of Judaisme Now such are lyable to a just Reproof from hence namely That the Son of God was in the fulness of the time made of a woman Where Adulterate Rome with her Jewish-Popish Trumpery falls shrewdly under the lash only what pity is it that so strong a weapon is in so weak a hand For the Jewish Rites and Ceremonies being but Shaddows and Typical Adumbrations of the promised Messias must needs be abrogated now since the Messias the Body and Substance prefigured by them is come When the Body is come the Shaddow evanisheth Types cease in the Anti-type So that to retain Jewish Ceremonies in the Christian Church were Antichristian Judaisme for that were virtually to deny that the Son of God is come in the flesh I lay down no other as to the sense then what a great D. Downam in his Treatise of Christian Liberty * Doctor of the Formalists hath asserted before me The Ceremonial Rites saith he they are his own words because they were principally ordained to prefigure Christ are so abolished that it is not lawful for Christians to observe them for that were to deny that Christ is come I confess I am of his judgement and he cites S. Augustine * Contra Faustum Manich. lib. 19. cap. 18. Ea non observant Christiani per quae Christus promittebatur nec adhuc promittuntur quia jam impleta sunt Christians observe not those things by which Christ was promised neither are they as yet promised because they are already fulfilled For my own part it's true I am less then the least of ten thousand and therefore no wonder that men in this Learned Age over-look me as little objects which escape the sense however it is a conclusion with me that Ceremonies in point of Worship are altogether unlawful in Gospel-times since Christ who was typified by them is come for when the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman as blessed be God we read preach hear and believe to day I do not now plead either Conscience or Covenant that forbidden Argument But My ground is Scripture-Evidence For Was not
Man that I am What will become of me Where shall I dwell for ever Who shall be my companions to all eternity Damned Spirits or the Spirits of just men made perfect Such terrors and fears are as it were a Preface and Introduction to hell Now Redeemed ones are free from those Legal terrors and in stead of a Spirit of bondage they are possessed of the Spirit of Adoption whereby they cry Abba Father And this is that which breeds comfort in life and confidence at death in the children of God 7. The seventh is Exemption from the Ceremonial and Judicial Lawes of Moses That Unsupportable Yoke which neither the modern Jews nor their fathers were able to bear Acts 15. 10. This freedom and Immunity are we in a more especial manner to understand by Redemption in the Text. The Jewish Church like an Heir during his minority was subject to a Pedagogie viz. the Ceremonial and Judicial Laws of Moses in which respect the state of the Jewes seemed to be a servile-state but when the fulness of the time was come even the time of the Churches maturity and riper age God sent forth his Son made of a woman to redeem his Church from that bondage and servitude There were three Laws committed to the Jewes viz. The 1. Moral 2. Ceremonial 3. Judicial The Moral Law was ordained to be a standing and Unalterable Rule of Life and Obedience both to the Jewish and Christian Church The Ceremonial and Judicial Lawes were Appendices of the Moral Law The Ceremonial of the first Table determining the particulars of that Worship which was peculiar to the Church of the Jewes The Judicial of the second Table determining the particulars of that Policy which was peculiar to the Common-wealth of the Jewes So that the Ceremonial contained the Ecclesiastical Lawes of that Church and did respect God The Judicial the Civil Lawes of that Commonwealth and did respect their Neighbour Now Christ did in the fulness of the time redeem his Church both from the Ceremonial and Judicial Laws as a * Gal. 5. 1. yoke of bondage imposed not upon the necks but even upon the Consciences of the Jewes binding them to a strict and accurate observation of the same As touching the Judicial and Civil Law What things soever contained therein were communis juris of common Equity and had a foundation in the Law of Nature and might be enforced by the Law Moral are still Obligatory to Christians But what was peculiar to the constitution of the Judaical Policy and are not enforceable by any common Right but were the particular positive Laws of the Jewes do not more binde Christians then any other Municipal Law For Christ destroying the Jewish Commonwealth their Temple and City according to the Prophesie of Daniel chap. 9. v. 26 27. did withall abrogate and destroy the whole Jewish Policy and Lawes And thus it is said The Priesthood namely of Aaron being changed there is made of necessity a change also of the Law namely of Moses Heb. 7. 12. As touching the Ceremonial and Ecclesiastical Law That together with the Judicial Law might be condered in a fourfold respect as is evident from Scripture viz. as 1. A Badge of distinction between the Jewes and all other Nations Gen. 17. 13 14. 2. A Ratified signe of Guilt Col. 2. 14. 3. A Typical Adumbration of Christ and his Benefits Heb. 9. 9 10. 4. A Tutor and Schoolmaster to the Infant-Church Gal. 4. 1 2 3. Now The Christian Church is freed from the Ceremonial as from the Judicial Law in all these respects For 1. Christ hath broken down the middle-wall of partition between Jewes and Gentiles c. Eph. 2. 14 15. 2. Christ hath abolished and taken out of the way the hand-writing of Ordinances which was against us c. Col. 2. 14. 3. Christ the Typified Body of Levitical shaddows and Adumbrations Col. 2. 17. is come 4. When the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman c. to redeem them that were under the Law his Church from a Mosaical Pedagogie and Elements Gal. 4. 4 5. Then 1. The Ceremonies are not things Indifferent in the Christian Church They were abrogated by the Son of God whose designe in coming in the flesh was to redeem his Church from that Legal Yoke so that to obtrude them upon the gospel-Gospel-Church were to frustrate Christians of one great End of the Incarnation and to infringe their Christian Liberty O! How sad is it when men pursue Iniquities for Indifferencies Ergo c. * Do Cas Cons lib. 4. cap. 11. Cas 3. Baldwin in his Cases of Conscience hath a passage which I cannot omit Charles the fifth caused a wretched book called INTERIM to be published wherein yeilding to the Cross Surplice Holy-dayes and other Ceremonies was enjoyned conformity thereunto being much urged by some furious Zelots who pleaded the Emperours Commandment in a thing Indifferent the non-conforming Protestants replyed That the Question was not about a thing Indifferent c. The same Reply might we make to those that urge the Ceremonies as Indifferent things How can those be said to be things Indifferent which Christ hath abolished From which he hath Redeemed his Church 2. How impudent is the Church of Rome in burthening Christians with a yoke which neither they nor their fathers were ever able to bear namely a heap of superfluous yea ridiculous yea impious and Antichristian Ceremonies But Sunt pompae istae omnes Ceremoniae Papisticae nihil aliud quam furi meretricii ad hoc excogitati ut homines ad spiritualem scortationem alliciantur Zanchy ad Regin Elizab. Epistol lib. 1. pag. 112. this is like her Though they are a burthen to the better sort of Christians yet they are a part of her Whorish paint whereby she endeavours to allure Christians to partake of the cup of her Fornications 3. The Ceremonies of the Jewish imposed upon the Christian Church were an Antichristian yoke What insolent Tyrannie is it then in the Romish Church to obtrude old Rotten Ceremonies together with a monstrous heap of her own cursed hatching upon Christians I pray God professed Protestants take not pattern by her its sufficient proof that she is Antichristian and that THE MYSTERIE OF INIQUITY is at 2 Thess 2. 7. work there By reason of such execrable Tyrannie the case of Christians I speak it with much regret is abundantly more sad and their condition more servile then was that of the Jewes O what pity is that Observe 1. The Ceremonies were imposed upon the Jewish by God himself They are imposed upon the Christian Church by Men like our selves There the Jews were the servants of God Here Christians are made * 1 Cor. 7. 23. the servants of Men. Nay 2. The Jewish was an infant-Infant-Church the Christian is a ripe and Adult-Church The Jewish-Church was like an Heir under Age and more servile The Christian-Church is like an
Heir come at Age and a Redeemed Son so that Ceremonies are more intollerable in the Christian Church O how derogatory are they to the Ripe and Mature age of the Church Num puerescit Ecclesia Shall the Church alwayes be a childe Away then with Pedagogical and childish Ceremonies For my part I think that the Riper and more Mature the Church is the more impertinent to say no more are Ceremonies and therefore the sixteen hundred yeers the Age of the Christian Church considered the Ceremonies are infinitely more impertinent and slavish I say no more now then they were in the time of her Infancy yea then they were in the fifth yea then they were in the tenth Century sic deinceps Ergo c. Further 3. The Ceremonies were abolished by Him of whom they were appointed namely by Christ the * Col. 1. 18. Head of the Church In the Christian Church they are appointed to them for whom they were abolished namely by some Members rather * The Pope is so far from being the Head that I had rather call him a Monster in then a Member of the Church Monsters of the Church But 4. What more horrid Sacriledge then to rob Christians of that Liberty and Freedome which the Lord Christ hath procured and purchased for them with the meritoricus price of his dearest blood Now such is their Exemption from the servile yoke of Rites and Ceremonies in the Worship of God under the Gospel Ergo c. Ah! Rome Rome The Lord rebuke thee * Quamvis enim neque hoc inveniri possit quomodo contra fidem sint ipsam tamen Religionem quam Dei miserecordia liberam esse voluit servilibus oneribus premunt ut tolerabilior sit conditio Judaeorum qui etiamsi tempus libertatis non agnoverunt legalibus tamen sarcinis non Humanis praesumptionibus subjiciuntur Aug. ad Januar. de Ritibus Eccles Epist 119. cap. 19. Vid. Aug. ad Januar. de Variis Consuetud Region Epist 118. cap. 2. S. Augustine complained grievously of Ceremonies wherewith the Church was burthened in his time O how much more may we complain of the same in our time Although saith he they were not things contrary to the Analogie of Faith yet Religion which God in mercy and pity to his Church would have to be free is burthened thereby as with a slavish yoke insomuch that the servile condition of the Jewes was more tollerable then that of Christians because they were subject to LEGAL and Divine Impositions not to HUMAN Presumptions Thus S. Augustine complained that in his dayes the Christian Church was more plagued and burthened with rotten Ceremonies then was the Jewish Church in her time I pray God We have not cause to complain that the Church is burthened with a heavier yoke in our dayes then she was in S. Augustines time Where then were our Christian pre-eminence to the Jewes Mens fiercelyzealous contentions for a numerous heap of Jewish-Popish Ceremonies and Innovations in the Worship of God are sad sad Prognosticks thereof Give me leave to add That the Retention and pursuance of such things in the Christian Church would prove 1. A Load and burthen to Religion and then might it not justly be feared that Religion it self would become burthensome O let Men take heed lest by burthening Religion as S. Augustine phraseth it they make Religion become a burthen 2. A Bar to the Jewes conversion I much wonder with what confidence we could Wooe or Court the Jew to our Religion as long as we press or retain a Legal yoke of Ceremonies in the Worship of God which in the respects aforesaid is more intollerable then was that which neither the later Jews nor their fathers were able to bear we should urge them but with mean success to cast off a Divine and to submit their necks to a Human yoke Sure the Jew might hope for Exemption from the hand-writing of Ordinances and burthensome observance of Legal Types and Shaddows by the Messiah when come But alas their hopes would receive little life or strength from the Gospel-Church Nay Is not their Vnbelief and Incredulity touching the Messiah strengthened and confirmed from the retention of those very things in the Christian-Church whereby he was typed and presigured Is it not probable that this might prove an Obstruction to their conversion For ought I know had not adulterate Rome been in the way JERUSALEM had borrowed as much from LONDON long ere now as ROME hath from JERUSALEM in point of Divine Worship What And are Ceremonies still a * Eph. 2. 14. middle wall of Partition between Jews and Gentiles 3. A Hinderance and Impediment to the Churches gradual Excellencies growth and propagation The Riper and more mature the Church is she should be for Knowledge more Eminent for Doctrine more Powerful for Discipline more Regular for Worship more Pure c. In conclusion Ceremonies may not be retained 1. As a Wall of Partition between Jews and Gentiles Nor 2. As a signe of sin-guiltiness Nor 3. As Typical and Figurative Nor 4. As Rudimental or Pedagogical For that were to Judaize Nor 5. As things Sacred and Holy Nor 6. As matter of Worship Nor 7. As matters of Necessity and Obligatory to Conscience Nor 8. As things of a Spiritual Efficacy Nor 9. As matters of Merit Nor 10. As matters of Perfection Nor 11. As things of a Teaching Quality The Church of Rome is like to be well taught but do they not in point of Vse tend more to destruction then to instruction Well That were to Romanize Nor 12. When Scandal doth from thence accrue to tender Consciences Nor 13. When they are abused to Idolatry or Superstition If these respects be excluded from the Ceremonies a very little matter would make me caeteris paribus turn Proselyte I am for Ornamenta but not for Onera in the Church They miserably err in my minde who interpret the Churches Burthen to be the Churches Beauty Thus I have dispatched the seventh step of Christian Liberty 8. The eighth which is consequentially dependant thereon is Exemption from all Bond of Conscience in respect of things Indifferent these are things neither commanded nor forbidden in the Eternal Law of God This is in a more especial manner called Liberty of Conscience and it hath a two-fold reference namely 1. To the Creatures of God 2. To Humane Ordinances in things Indifferent 1. As touching the Creatures Christians are freed from scrupulosity of Conscience in respect of them and from the Legal observance of the difference of meats clean and unclean made by the Ceremonial Law that being taken away under the Gospel Hence said Christ Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man Matth. 15. 11. And the Apostle Paul after him I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean or common * of it self Rom. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 14. Now Every creature of God is good and nothing to
ΘΕΑÎΘΡΩΠΟΣ OR THE Great Mysterie OF GODLINES Opened By way of Antidote against The Great Mysterie of Iniquity now a work in the Romish Church In a Sound and Seasonable Treatise WHEREIN 1. The INCARNATION of the Son of God and Evangelicall Love Wisdome Humility c. expressed in that Contrivance is fully explicated and displayed 2. CEREMONIES in Poynt of Divine Worship are concluded to be by Christ the true Messiah abrogated and examined whether they are not since Christ jewish-anti-Jewish-Anti-Christian where the Jew and Judaizing Christian are deservedly taxed 3. CHRISTIAN LIBERTY with its VIII Steps and V Boundaries is modestly and briefly asserted And Many other Matters of Consequence and Moment are imparted But now PUBLISHED For VINDICATION of the Truth and its Assertor By Thomas Douglas M. A. Minister of the Gospel at Olaves-Silverstreet in LONDON The LAW was given by MOSES but GRACE and TRVTH came by JESVS CHRIST John 1. 17. Praesente Veritate Typus Vmbra cessavit Origen in Jes Nave cap. 13. hom 17. LONDON Printed for H. C. in Popes-head Alley and T. P. against the great Conduit at the lower end of Cheapside Ann. Dom. 1661. An Epistle PREMONITORY To the JUDICIOUS And Impartial Reader Worthy Reader BE pleased to know that I once intended an Epistle Reprehensory to the Romish Church the Whorish Mother of THE MYSTERIE of INIQVITY for there it was Born though her Pharisaical Emissaries would compass Sea and Land that it might be else-where Nursed but upon more mature thoughts I concluded to be at the expence of no more then this Epistle Premonitory whose Scope and Errand is to acquaint the World with the Occasion of this my first appearance in Print I am now by Personal Experience schooled in the Truth of that Veritas odium parit Never was there an Age wherein TRVTH had more Daughters and fewer Sisters But the misery is the Brood is ILLEGITIMATE and HETEROGENEAL I was about two moneths ago brought to Pulpit of some honest Truths suitable to the Text as that was to the Occasion which were CONCEIVED I hope by a DIVINE though now necessitated to a Printed Sheet by a MALIGNANT Influence And though the Lord knows my Discourse was all along levelled and commensurated as neer as I could by the Necessary Lawes of 1. Piety in respect of my God 2. Loyalty in respect of my King and 3. Charity in respect of my Neighbour Yet have innocent I been since in such a O how sad is it when what is said for Antidoting of Superstition is presently construed to be at least Sedition horrid manner by some whom God forgive censured condemned calumniated and mis-represented what their ground was let the Impartial judge as that fearing lest Silence might be Interpreted Guilt a pleasing Gloss in such a case to Malice I concluded it was needful to Publish to the world what I delivered with divers other things Innocency and Ingenuity those Bosome-Solicitors prompting me on for VINDICATION Hic murus Aheneus esto c. Thus What the Reason and End of the Publication is I have shewed That the work is performed no better let it be imputed to Mine and not to the Weakness of my Cause for that is not Guilty neither let Men make use of Mine as Premisses to Infer other Mens Weaknesses Alas I am less then the least of ten thousand No marvel the Birth be condemned as Abortive since the Parent is one born out of due time I confess the Subject had better become both Age and Ability but though the want of both especially of the latter did encline me to stand for a Mute yet the Case was so urgent that it pressed hard for a Consonant What Censures soever I shall undergo even while I endeavour to suppress or prevent Censures I am resolved through Grace to be Passive under them Only my Suit is to thee Worthy Reader that thou wouldest 1. Forbear to Tax me further till thou hast read me through and then I hope thou wilt not Tax thy Forbearance And 2. Pray for him who is Thy Servant in and for Christ T. D. Praemonitiuncula LIbenter velim Eruditioribus innotescat passim in hoc opusculo Graecum Accentum perperam collocari quod partim Typographo vitio vertendum est partim mihi ipsi utpote qui a teneris usque Vocalis Valorcm magis quam Accentum respicere memet assuefecerim quae Legenti maximopere praemonenda esse duxi ut illius facilior evadat censura cui si nihilominus steterit MOMVM agere per me quidem licebit Gal. 4. 4 5. But when the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law To redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of sons THe Apostle's designe in the Context is to demonstrate the Christian Churches Exemption and Redemption from Legal Rites and Ceremonies and her emancipation from a servile state by the Son of God Incarnate the true Messias This he illustrates by a plain and familiar Simile taken from the Civil Law the sum is this As the Heir while he is under age and in his minority is subject to Tutors Governours and Guardians from which he is freed when he comes at age being then sui juris at his own disposal even so the Church under her Legal Constitution and Minority was subject to the Mosaical Pedagogie and Ceremonial Shaddows Pigures c. as to a Schoolmaster and Rudiments suited to her Infant-State but when the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law So that the Church in her mature and adult age and under her Christian and Evangelical Constitution is by Christ God-man the prefigured Body and Substance of Levitical shaddows exempted from the servile yoke of Jewish Rites and Ceremonies The words then are Demonstrative and in them there be two general parts viz. 1. Christ's Person 2. Christ's Portion 1. The Person of Christ considered as our Mediator lyeth in these words But when the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law Where there be two great things observable viz. 1. The Incarnation of the Son of God 2. The Legal Qualification of his Person 1. The former in these words But when the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman 2. The latter in these words made under the Law whereby is intimated Christ's humble but * Notat Non Obligationem sed usum Anselm voluntary subjection to the Law which was threefold 1. The first was his submission to the Civil or Judicial Law the Jewish Policy in that he condescended to derive his humane Body and Being from the Jewes for the Jewes were the Fathers of whom as concerning the Flesh Christ came Rom. 9. 5. Christ was a Native Jew and therefore subject to the
not that shaddows cease and evanish when the Body is come But It is objected That Jewish Festivities only are abolished because those were Typical but Christian Festivities are warrantable c. Answ It is well observed by * Hospin Do Fest Christ cap. 2. Hospinian That Christianorum festa ab hominibus tantum Judaeorum vero a Deo fuerunt instituta Christian Festivals were ordained by Men only but the Judaical by God himself Now if those of God's own Institution which he ordained for his own honour be abolished by Himself 1. How presumptuous is the Papist which dares to press the observation of feasts of their own devising and that for the honour of Men like themselves Nay 2. It seems not a little strange to me That when God hath abolished what he himself did institute Men should presume to re-institute the same God is willing that Festivals should evanish as meer shaddows and is Man unwilling But The Papist loves to supererogate It is replyed They do not observe their Festivities after the manner that the Jewes did to whom they were Pedagogical and meer Figures Answ It is remarkable that the Apostle doth sharply check the Galatians for observing of dayes and moneths and times and yeers Gal. 4. 10. Now who doth doubt but that the Galatians before whose eyes Jesus Christ was Gal 3. 1. See Cartwright against the Rhemist on Gal. 4. 10. evidently set forth did believe that the Son of God was come in the flesh So that we cannot imagine them to have observed those dayes moneths yeers the Anniversary Solemnities and other Festival Times as Figures and Adumbrations of Christ to come but rather as Memorials and Commemorative signes that he was already come and yet behold here they are taxed as culpable Ergo c. 3. As touching Organical Musick in the Worship of God That was also Pedagogical and Figurative and therefore peculiar to the Jewish Church What ground is there then for the retention of it in the Christian and Gospel-Church Since as is granted even by those that are sticklers for it all Types and Figures are abolished Two things are incumbent upon me here viz. 1. To evidence that Organs in the Worship of God were Types 2. To instance in the Anti-type or the thing particularly typified thereby As touching the former That Organs in the Worship of God in the Old Testament times were Types Figures and meerly Jewish may appear from the impregnable testimonies of Classical Authors whom I have consulted in the thing 1. Justin Martyr that ancient Father who lived in Justin Martyr Quaest 107. the second Age and Century of the Christian Church saith That the Primitive Christian Church did explode that Pedagogical Custome of Organical Musick in the worship of God as rather beseeming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Children and the Infant-State of the Church then the Gospel-Church and retained Vocal singing 2. * Chrysostome who lived about two hundred yeers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in Psal 150. after him saith That Organs in Divine worship were permitted to the Jewes because of their weakness and he makes a moral Application of it to us under the Gospel As saith he the Jewes praised God with all Instruments of Musick so Christians are commanded to praise him with all the members of their Bodies Eyes Ears Tongue Hands c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are his own words on Psal 150. then Man himself becomes as it were a manifold Harp to God 3. Isidorus Peleusiotus his Disciple asserts the very * Isidor Pelous lib. 1. Epist 457. lib. 2. Epist 176. same thing and puts the Jewish Musick in Divine worship into the same rank with the Jewish Sacrifices which who can deny to have been Typical Since saith he the Lord permitted to the Jews their bloody Sacrifices because of the Infancy and Puerile state of that Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why shouldest thou wonder that he permitted to them also the Harp and Psaltery 4. S. * Nemo se convertat ad Organa Theatrica quod ei jubetur in se habet sicut alibi dicitur In me Deus vota tua c. Aug. in Psal 32. Conc. 1. Augustines testimony is very remarkable Let no man saith he betake himself to Theatrical Organs to wit in the worship of God thou hast within thy self O man what God requireth of thee according to that which else-where is said Thy vows are upon me O God I will render praises unto thee Psal 56. 12. But further 5. * Aquin. 2. 2 de Quaest 91. Art 2. Aquinas asserts the very same thing Instrumenta Musica sicut Citharas Psalteria non assumit Ecclesia in Divinas laudes ne videatur Judaizare The Christian Church makes not use of Musical Instruments as the Harp or Psaltery in the celebration of Divine praises lest she should seem to Judaize And again saith he In veteri Testamento usus erat talium instrumentorum tum quia populus erat magis durus carnalis c. Tum quia hujusmodi instrumenta corporalia aliquid figurabant The Old Testament Church made use of such Musical Instruments both because she was more obdured and carnal c. and also because those Instruments did typifie and prefigure somwhat Mark that Hence Cardinal Cajetan commenting upon that Article observes That the Church did not use Organical Musick in the dayes of Aquinas * Hospinian after that he hath cited divers Authors Hosp de Templis de Orig. Organ and noted many things concerning the first use and introduction of an Organ into the Christian Church hath these words Colligimus ex his Organorum hujusmodi usum veteri Apostolicae Ecclesiae prorsus incognitum seroque inventum receptum fuisse We gather saith he from those that the use of Organs was altogether unknown to the Ancient Apostolick Church and that they are but lately invented and received into the Church and he brings in Cardinal Cajetan confessing the same thing and withal adding That for confirmation thereof the Romish Church useth no Organs before the Pope and * Suarez Tom. 2. de Viâ—t Stat. Relig. lib. 4. cap. 8. num 5. Suarez that Jesuitical Champion gives the reason of it Musical Instruments are not used in the Pope's Chappel because saith he the use of them non tani gravis judicatur is not judged to savour of gravity enough Ah! That British Cathedrals should come short of Popish Chappels in point of gravity The same Suarez speaks of a Pope that did by Edict * Suarez ib. viz. Tom. 2. de Verit. Stat. Rel. lib. 4. cap. 8. num 1. so bid Organical Musick in the Worship of God and he brings in Navarrus affirming the unlawfulness of using Organs at Mass or other Divine service by vertue of that Prohibition * Baron Anal. Eccles ann Christ 60. pag. 578. Caesar Baronius that great Popish Annalist affirms the same thing that Hospinian upon the matter
his Head His Priestly Office by the Plate of pure Gold whereon was engraven Holiness to the Lord and the Ephod and Brest-plate whereon were engraven the Names of the twelve Tribes His Prophetical Office by the Vrim and Thummim in the Brest-plate from which he answered as from an Oracle as also by the Bells and Pomegranates the one typing the sound of his Doctrine the other the sweet savour of his Life As for the four extraordinary Garments which the High Priest wore only once a year to wit when he entered into the Holy of Holies upon the Propitiation day which were for colour white and therefore called Vestimenta alba 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 white Garments and for number four viz. 1. The linnen Breeches 2. The linnen Coat 3. The linnen Girdle 4. The linnen Mitre Lev. 16. 4. These give me leave to say it were not so much signes of Aarons as Levitical Shaddows and Types of the Lord Christ that immaculate Lambe of God the Holy and Just One his Purity and Innocency the holiness of his Person and the Inculpableness of his Life He was our holy harmless and undefiled High Priest Heb. 7. 26. Amandus Polanus indeed saith that S. Paul in describing and prescribing the Christians Panoplia and compleat Armour Ephes 6. doth allude to the Sacerdotal Vestments under the Law viz. the Mitre Brest-plate Girdle c. But if the Christian Clergy-Men ground the Mystical significancy of Vestments upon this I know no reason why the Laity and every Private Christian may not challenge as good a right to the use of Mitre Girdle Surplice c. as they since it is incumbent upon every Christian to put on the whole armour of God c. From what hath been said it may appear that the Priestly Vestments under the Law were Levitical shaddows and Typical and yet those under the Gospel are said to be Symbolical only and Mystically significant then the same Ceremonies are both Typical and Symbolical Now if they were Typical why are they not abolished If they were Symbolical according to our Bishops else why are they retained in the Gospel-Church and yet Typical according to Polanus and as it is evident then t is needful that they study another distinction then that of Typical and Symbolical Ceremonies saying that Typical Ceremonies are all abolished but Symbolical Ceremonies may be retained in the Gospel-Church In conclusion I desire to be resolved what is the Mystical signification of a Mitre in a Christian Bishop Not Dominion I 1 Pet. 5. 3. hope over God's heritage O! Leave that to the Antichristian Bishop of Rome who is taught of his Father the John 8. 44. Devil to usurp power over God's Inheritance and to Lord it as much as he can over Consciences yea over Crowns too but surely it was not so from the beginning that the Crown should be subject to the Mitre Now The High Priest's Mitre was as I have shewed above a Type of Christ's Regal Authority and Kingly Office This is my second answer to that distinction of Typical and Symbolical Ceremonies more I might say but I forbear Only give me leave to add That a Ceremonial Worship is abolished not only Christi CORPORE but even Christi ORE not only by the Body but even by the Doctrine of Christ and his Personal teaching in the dayes of his flesh The hour cometh said he to the woman of Samaria and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth John 4. 23. By worshipping the Father in spirit and in truth we are to understand a Now and Evangelical manner of Worship Here then is principally intimated Not 1. The Indispensable Need of the Concurrence of God's Spirit with a soul in Divine Worship Nor 2. Sincerity or the Absolute necessity of joyning the Inner with the Outward Man the Soul with the Body in Divine Worship for did not the Religious and Devout Jewes yea and for ought I know many Samaritans worship God thus viz. by the special assistance of God's Spirit and by a sincere joyning of the Soul with the Body in his Worship before it were an uncharitable part for me or others to think otherwise Now Christ doth here mean some New manner of Worship by worshipping the Father in spirit and in truth Woman saith he believe me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father v. 21. But c. v. 23. That then which is chiefly intended here is 3. The Utter Abrogation of the Old Carnal and Ceremonial Worship as a thing meerly Typical worshipping in Spirit being opposed thereunto as Carnal worshipping in truth being opposed thereunto as Typical and the substitution of a New and Evangelical Worship free from Jewish Ceremonies It is probable that the Ceremonians will say Though we make use of Ceremonies in Divine Worship yet ours is not a Ceremonial worship for we place not worship in the Ceremonies Answ 1. Holiness is placed in the Ceremonies Ergo Worship * lib. 5 s 69. Hooker in his Ecclesiastical Policy saith expresly that some dayes ought to be with men more holy then others Contrary to * de Fest Christ cap. 2. Hospinian who affirmeth that one day is not holier then another in it self else saith he the Heathens are not to be blamed who attributing events to inevitable fate distinguish of lucky and unlucky dayes But what shall I say Are not mens adulterate practises shrewd symptomes thereof as Their Incurvations and cringings before an Altar of stone a nice and superstitious regard to a table of wood which they enclose as if it were a second Holy of Holies their devout respect to a material structure and fabrick which yet possibly in the dayes of old was a Receptacle of Idolatry yea and devoted thereunto their declared singularity not to say sanctity of Vestments Procul O procul este prophani and such like Are not these I say shrewd symptomes of the truth of what I say But 2. Ceremonies are pursued as things necessary to Divine Worship Ergo c. Possibly they will not say that Ceremonies are Essential parts of the Worship of God though as I shall presently shew some have even gone this length yet I appeal to themselves whether they ground not a Necessity yea an indispensable one at least on the Mystical significancy or pretended teaching vertue They are resolved to teach if not Ore yet more Ah! dumb Teachers or pleaded order and decency of Ceremonies though it were an easie matter to disprove as the necessity so the expediency yea the pretended lawfulness and indifferency of them Now Quaecunque observatio quaesi necessaria commendatur continuo censetur ad cultum Dei pertinere saith * De vera Eccles resorm p. 367. Calvin Nay 3. * Dr. Burgess of the Lawfulness of kneeling c. cap. 3. See D. Burgess cap. 15. p 41 42. A great Formalist saith That