in the regeneration referred to the Son of man sitting on the Throne of his glory which was immediately after the descent of the holy Ghost a time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by way of eminence call'd the Regeneration because then were the gifts of ministration and sanctification more abundantly poured forth then ever they had been before the immediate end whereof was Regeneration or Renovation Then did every Apostle besides his general commission take upon him his particular Episcopacy where he sate and judged that is governed the Church signified here by the twelve Tribes of Israel under which notion the Jewish Church had been comprehended And if it were understood of their being assessors to Christ in the last judgement surely then I might use the argument of St. Paul which concludes a fortiori 1 Cor. 6. 3. Know ye not that we shall judge the Angels how much more things that pertain to this life where under the pronoun We he includes himself and all the Apostles In whose absence he would have them rather end all differences which at any time might happen by compromise then appeal to Heathenish tribunals from whence they were like to reap nothing but scandal to Religion and injustice to themselves by reason of the corruption of the Courts according to that of the Epigrammatist ad Sextum Et Judex petit petit Patronus Solvas censeo Sexte Creditori The Judge does ask a bribe thy Advocate a fee Pay then thy Creditour better pay one then three And so having done with Bishops come we now to Churches Sect. 7. IT is very true that where two or three are gathered together in the name of Christ there is he in the midst of them which was a singular consolation to the Disciples of Christ that though they were driven to corners and deserts and were fain to wander in desolate places being hated by all men for Christs sake yet how does this forbid publick meetings and at publick places when time and opportunity presents it self The people of God may pray in Cryptis caves in time of persecution therefore they must do so in time of freedom when all the world is become Christians is there any Logick in this no no more then would be in this kind of argument For the present necessity it is not good for a man to touch a woman Therefore when the necessity is over no man may marry This follows not but the clear contrary rather And to make further proof hereof by Scripture of the New Testament it is obvious to our observation that the people of God had not only their Synedria's and National Conventions but other houses of prayer erected and called Synagogues who being converted to the faith by the preaching of the Apostles the Synagogues were made particular Churches for Gal. 1. 13. Saint Paul testifies of himself that he persecuted the Church of God Now where was this Church of God it was in Synagogues Act. 22. 19. I imprisoned saies he and beat in every Synagogue them that believed on thee from whence I observe two things 1. That the example of Christians here does teach us that its lawfull to serve God in Temples made with hands though he be not nor ever was confined to them 2. That it is as lawfull that this be done though in places abused to false doctrine and superstition as these Synagogues yea their places of National convention were and that by Pharisees Sadduces and other Sects yea generally by all the Jews before their conversion to the faith And what is testified here of Jewish Synedria's and Synagogues is true of Heathen temples namely that it is lawfull to dedicate them to Gods worship Act. 17. when St. Paul sound at Athens an altar dedicated to the unknown God he went not about to preach down their altar but to preach up Jesus and the resurrection upon it least he should seem to be a serter forth of strange Gods as indeed he did to some nevertheless Nay a third thing may be hence observed namely that as these Synagogues were subordinate to the Synedria's or National Assemblies it follows that divers parochials may be subordinate to the Synedrium of the Cathedral and the Cathedral to a Provincial or National Convention And thus much for the lawfulness of Churches Now for the convenience of them They are convenient 1. for their capacity the Cathedrals being large enough to contain the Bishop with the Dean and Chapter the standing Synede of the Diocess besides the confluence of the whole City and Diocess upon all occasions The parochial Churches are lesser yet of capacity enough to contain a parish 2. they are convenient for their situation 1. in respect of the Diocess if Cathedrals they being in some eminent place thereof 2. in respect of the parish if parochials they being as near as may be to the middle thereof 3. in respect of the whole world in as much as they look towards the East which the ancient Christians turned to in their adoration as is testified by Tertullian in Apologet. c. 16. and by Dionysius the Areop in coelest Hierarchia c. 11. quite contrary to the Temple of Hierusalem whose Holy of Holies or upper end was Westward Indeed the Church built by Cardinal Richelieu at Richelieu a town of his own building too hath its Choir Westward and its entrance in at the East end thereof which was so appointed by him I suppose least otherwise it might spoil the fashion of his town a respect being had unto the model according to which it was to be built and not out of an opinion of the indifferency of situation for albeit he were contented to turn his face sometimes Westward in his adoration when living yet being dead he looks Eastward in the Chappel of his own building in the Colledge of Sorbon where he lyes buried What was done by the said Church at Richelieu was intended by that in Covent-Garden but it was not permitted to be consecrated till the said design was altered which was done Bonis avibus too for Covent-garden continnes a flourishing part of London suburbs whereas Richelieu hath nothing in it of the aim of the said Founder which was to make it a University for the study and teaching of Philosophy in the French tongue but is like a proud woman that hangs all upon her back at once for so is this empty of Students and riches having nothing left to commend it besides the superbe name set out with gay and uniform buildings as if every house there were as a Rejection of the Cardinals magnifick Palace that stands by and would in time grow emulous of their mother tree out of whose root they sprang But to return 4 Our Churches are convenient for situation in respect of their parts within themselves having an upper end and a lower this for the font to initiate and give first entrance into the Church by Baptism that for the holy Table which is for a spiritual repast to
THE Dew of Hermon Which fell upon the Hill of SION OR AN ANSWER To a Book entituled Sions groans for her distressed c. offered to the Kings Majesty Parliament and people Wherein is pretended to be proved by Scripture Reason and Authority of fifteen Ancients That equal protection under different perswasions is the undoubted right of Christian Liberty BUT Hereby confuted wherein the power and proceedings of the Kings Majesty and the Church are vindicated 2. Per. 1. 1 2 3. But there were false Prophets among the people as there shall be false Teachers among you by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of Jude 8. These filthy dreamers defile the flesh despise dominion and speak evil of dignities Jude 16. These are murmurers complainers Jude 19. These be they who separate themselves sensual having not the Spirit LONDON Printed for H. Robinson and are to be sold at the Sign of the Three Pigeons in Sr. Paul's Church-yard 1663. Imprimatur Geo. Stradling S. T. P. Rev. in Christo Pat. D. Gilb. Epise Lond. a Sac. domest Ex Aed Sab. 12. Feb. 1662. FOR Colonel R. ATKINS One of the Deputy Lieutenants of the County of GLOUCESTER SIR I Have perused the Pamphlet you left at my Lodging and according to your desire grounded upon the consideration of the advantages which seditious persons suck in things of this nature from the silence of the Orthodox given you my sense of it Which task if it prove satisfactory to any and particularly to render that Friend of yours and of your most accomplisht Lady's steddy who is yet balancing in her resolutions I shall put upon the account of favours done to SIR Your humble Servant H. S. THE CONTENTS Sect. 1. THe events of these times the same with those after the passion of Christ only those were meerly eventual these consequential Three Churches in three persons of one house The Golden Rule of our Saviour wrested by our Adversaries Fears and jealousies like those that caused the war causeless Sect. 2. Their Epistle dated the eighth day of the third moneth The vanity of such date evidenced in answer to three queries 1. What the moneths in Scripture were 2. By what names they were called 3. When they began And herein 1. What was the first moneth 2. When was the first day of that moneth What the Rabbies amongst these men understand by the first month Their affectation of singularity Sect. 3. How cheap the shedding of mens bloud was to them which now they would have prevented towards themselves They would have none but arbitrary government Of all they dislike Kingly most What is meant by the Harlot in the Apocalypse which they would have understood of the Pope only Simon Magus the Deceiver Those that work in his vertue and power Antichrists The Harlot like a Bird of prey The men of this generation compared to the Cast of Sacres that made the Eagle their quarry The Pope and they meet in the Antipodes The History of Stork Stubner and Muntzer Ring-leaders of the Fanaticks Their practises to deceive That they are Antichristian Their sacriledge and their pretext for it Sect. 4. The use of Musick in Churches Commanded in Scriture in every thing that tends to edification Musical Instruments whether wind or stringed and Chromatick Musick allowable not typical Those that are against the use of it under the New Testament would have it to be they know not what themselves And if any thing it is what we hold it to be Sect. 5. Vestments distinctions of persons serving and of services under the Gospel allowed by the Law of Moses and of Nature No Vestments but Vices reprehended in the Heathen in the New Testament The Druides sacrificed not only in white but under Oaks which by them were had in veneration and which the men of this generation seem to allow of in as much as upon all their Crowns and Scepters which they wore and bore they placed the Acorn instead of the Crosse a figure which the Devil cannot abide Of happy presage to us They confute themselves by condemning of us And in justifying themselves they justifie us a fortiori Nothing but order and decency in our Ceremonies Sect. 6. Bishops Timothy and Titus were Bishops so were the Angels of the seven Churches in the Apocalypse in the judgement of old Doctor Reynolds Doctor Usher and Grotius How the Bishops resemble the high Priests And the whole frame of Church-Government answers to the like order and distinction under the Old Testament A Scheme thereof drawn by Bishop Andrews The Ministers of the New Testament do succeed to Priests and Levites as the Lords day does to the Sahbath The Lords Prayer contains not only ancient forms in use among the Jews but also the very design of the Sacrifices under the Law The comparison made The Lords Prayer the first Liturgy The Jurisdiction of the Bishops proved 1. as to their power 2. as to the distribution of their power and both out of the New Testament Their right of sitting in Parliament asserted Sect. 7. Of Churches The lawfulnesse of them proved from the example of primitive Christians in the New Testament 2. Their conveniency proved 1. In respect of their capacity for the Diocesse and Parishes 2. In respect of their scituation in relation to the Diocesse and Parishes 3. In respect of their scituation of East and West Christians anciently adored towards the East Of the Church at Richlieu in France whose Altar stands at the West-end Of Covent-garden Church in London 4. Convenient for the scituation of parts within themselves They are Naves inversae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in them what Some built with a single Crosse some with a double and why The mark in Ezekiel 9. 4. was the Crosse and that proved not only from the figure of the Letter Tau which was anciently a Crosse but also that in all probability it must be so though it be set a mark or mark a mark and no more in our Translation The necessity of Churches proved No stumbling-block to the Jews or Gentiles Sect. 8. How they slander the good Laws of the Kindome The same thing they impute to us is applicable to themselves The Harlot in the Apocalypse why so called The integral parts of Antichrist Their fury and hypocrisy parallel'd by those in France English Scottizing c. Rebellion under pretence of Religion unwarrantable Sect. 9. Of Magistrates Their power is of God and how Religion the foundation of all Government proved by several arguments Answer to their arguments of receiving the Alcoran and becoming Papists in some cases A threefold book put into Magistrates hands An errour in Government which is accidental makes not void his power Their second argument answered their third argument answered their fourth answered their fifth answered What power the Church hath to decree Rites and Ceremonies Their argument taken from the ceasing of the Cross of Christ answered Their argument from the example of Gallio
the Gnosticks he sate in the Temple of God called God by the Emperour Claudius who caused a Statue to be erected by liber between the two Bridges with this Inscription Simont Deo sancto to Simon the holy God and he had all rites of divine worship performed to him by the Samaritans Yea those that hold the Popes only to be Antichrist are driven to say That they are so as far only as they work by signs and lying wonders in the vertue and power of Simon Magus and if they will have a dominion and rule joyned to it then it must be so far forth as they in their actings resemble that Dominatio Romana or Roman Rule and Domination And this is called Harlot a female for Dominatio vertus and potentia are Feminines And it is observable that the Caliphs or Saracenical Popes who vested themselves in all power spiritual and temporal are of the Feminine Gender Whose power as are and were most of the Eastern Governments was Tyrannical set up by Mahomet who compiled his divellish doctrine beginning his Empire about the same time that Boniface the third assumed his Antichristian Title beginning his Empire there being but eleven years between them Tyrannical Government and Governours are as Birds of prey amongst which sort of Birds the female is ever the largest boldest and most morose Insomuch that a cast of Sacres once set upon an Eagle and having buffetted and wearied him a good made him descend to the earth by the force of their blows The Faulconer proud hereof bragged of it before Him of the Ottomans who took Constantinople who caused their necks to be wrung off for enterprizing upon their King Which may very fitly be applyed to the men of this Generation who may justly be called Sacres Quasi quodvis Sacrum aucupantes imo Sacram Majestatem debellantes who not contented to prey upon the persons and estates of other of their fellow Subjects seize upon Majesty it self accounting themselves the only Sacri Saints which ought to possess the Earth upon the account of Grace as the Pope and his party does in ordine ad spiritualia both of them fitly resembling the madness of Thrasilaus or as some say Thrasimene the Athenian who made account that all the ships which came into the Haven were his own and would be very angry with those that went about to reclaim him from so sweet an errour These are like Mariners that sail from the same Port contrary wayes in the world to make Proselytes but meet together in the Antipodes The Popes pretend to Sanctitas when in many things it is mera fatuitas as his Holinesse was sometimes stiled by the Emperour in Goldastus so the men of this generation pretend to Holinesse when as the Devil sends them strong delusions to believe a lye and 't were happy for some of them did they all but believe it who are as like their fathers Stork Stubner and Muntzer as one egg is like another This Nicholas Stork and Mark Stubner born in Germany did like Simon Magus endeavour by divers artifices to gain upon the unwary multitude This by learning and a certain acumen in expounding of Scriptures the other ignorant of letters by popular eloquence Enthusiasms and fame of secret conference with God Both these with their great pomp and cunning no man knows what became of Neverthelesse the third of them viz. Muntzer failed not to make the highest improvement of the fruit of this new Gospel imprinted in the minds of the people by Stubner and Stork The Fanaticks took occasion of dividing themselves into parts and of renting the Church from Luther's book of Christian Liberty first set forth in 1520. Wherein they reading that a Christian man was Lord of all things and subject to no man these words were wrested to a wrong sense by men impatient of their own and others quiet and thereupon first in private and obscure Cottages next in open and eminent places the cruel government of Kings their pillaging of their Subjects was objected in the presence of the People Liberty acquired to all under the Kingdom of Jesus Christ was boasted of complaints were made not onely of the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome but of smaller matters tolerated by the first reformers of the Church And by this means the two pillars of publick order were weakened viz. the dignity of the Magistracy and the reverence and respect of the ministry and the authority of both Hereupon thoughts were had and endeavours used for the setting up of a New and more perfect Church governed by a new kinde of Policy and of initiating it's Disciples by a new Baptism And least that the respect had to their former Baptism should hinder it they declaimed against Infant-Baptism as vain and unlawful as being given to such as were not capable pretending that this Sacrament was not to be administred to any but men of full age and such as were at their own disposal And that this upstart Church might take the deeper root these new Doctors pretended a practice of godlinesse in themselves and endeavoured to inculcate the same into others I sence the ordinary themes of their private and publick meetings were that sin was to be had in detestation the flesh to be kept under and the Spirit stirred up duties of charity to be practised the Crosse of our Lord to be born fastings were often to be held mean garments and moderate diet to be used the dresse of the whole body to be composed rather unto neglect then elegancy and that few words were to be used It is a wonder to see how far by this juggling the common enemy of mankinde transforming himself into an angel of light promoted his own kingdom and how obnoxious these new Gospellers rendred even good men by this feigned scheme and form of godlinesse These new Doctors viz. Muntzer and his companions little moved by the exhortations or invectives of Luther or the threatnings of the civil Magistrate tumult the more for them complaining that Luther and others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 savoured of nought but carnal things saying that they had onely broken off some boughs of Antichristianism leaving the tree and root entire which as it ought they would have to be cut up And when they found no shelter for their errours in the word of God they fly to new arts of defending themselves and their errours they brag of Enthusiasms and secret inspirations inculcating into the people that man was to live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God and that therefore we are not to search after wisdome in books onely and writings but that we should give diligence according to the prescript of the Apostle that all prophecy Hence every Fishmonger almost brag'd of the spirit feigned revelations invented Enthusiasms after the example of Stork and Muntzer opened the pulpits to Coblers and Cummin sellers and whatsoever the spirit of errour dictated to any of them they obtruded upon
others for the word of God though besides or against the written Word A wide gap being thus opened to Enthusiasms any opinions were obtruded upon the ignorant and itching-ear'd people as namely that no Oaths were obligatory under the Gospel they every where preached sedition and the seditious became armed against their Princes insomuch that the most flourishing Provinces were hereby destroyed and died in bloud Muntzer he must be their Gideon who bore this inscription in his Banners namely Thomas Muntzer and the sword of Gideon These things and many more may be read in Spanhemius de Origine progressu sectis nominibus dogmatibus Anabaptistarum and in the Commentaries of Sleiden It does almost superare Annalium fidem for a man would scarce believe what outrages have been committed in Westphalia by John of Leyden Matthew and Knipperdoling whereof this lest was so hardened in his wickednesse that he endured three pinches of a red hot pair of tongs before he implored the mercy of God which amongst other things whereof some are formerly related are recorded by the said Sleiden in the fifth and tenth book of his Commentaries from whence this Story was of purpose translated into English anno 1642. as a warning piece to England especially for London against those things which by woful experience we have found to have come to passe and whether they would have proceeded had not God in mercy turned the stream might easily be foreseen If this be not the spirit of Antichrist that pretends to be so much for Christ and yet so much against him as the very word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implies I know not what is If this be the very poison in a cup of gold whereof these men speak what is If this be not to make men drunk with the wine of Abomination which they talk of what is If they will have it to be understood without a figure of a material cup of gold even his is as truly verified of the men of this generation as of any inasmuch as this is called a cup of Abomination in reference to some Abomination committed in with or upon some cups of gold and particularly that of Belshazzar's impious feast Dan. 5. when the golden vessels which were taken out of the Temple of the house of God which was at Hierusalem were brought and the King and his Princes his wives and his concubines drank in them And have not the men of this generation done as much in spoiling Churches of their ornaments of their Chalices of their Treasures and they their wives and concubines have drunk in them to their own Gods viz. their covetousnesse their ambition and carnal pleasures deriding their consecration as superstitious and consequently accounting that God a Devil to whom they were set apart The onely pretence they have for this their sacriledge is That Musick Vestments Bishops Cer emonies and Churches have not any footsttp in the New Testament whereby they discover themselves to be the most rigid sort of the Anabaptists As do these men so did the Severians and Cerdonians as St. Austin de Haeresibus ad quod vult Deum testifies I must therefore encounter them within Lists of their own setting I mean the new Testament or not at all Sect. 4. FIrst then for Musick Where do they find it forbidden in the new Testament Nay are we not exhorted to sing in the new Testament viz. James 5. 13. Did not the Disciples of Christ sing an Hymn or Psalm after the receiving of the Sacrament Mat. 26. 30 and Mark 14. 26. Does not St. Paul exhort his Ephesians to speak unto themselves in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs singing and making melody in their hearts unto God Ephes 5. 19. And does not the same Apostle advise his Colossions to teach and admonish one another in Psalms and Hymns c. Colos 3. 16. And whether these Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs be different as Grotius notes or the same things as others contend they cannot be sung without musick and this speaking teaching and admonition which are the subjects of these Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs are an evidence that we may nay if the Apostles exhortation be of any force with us we must sing out all things that tend to edification at times convenient The whole Book of the Psalms is a confutation of the Adversaries to this truth in as much as it being the very pith and marrow of the whole Bible contains doctrine admonition blessing cursing prophecying history prayer holy enquiries all wayes of edification and consolation yet these were not only appointed to be sung but were adapted to Organs Virginals Viols and other sorts of Artificial Instruments both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stringed and wind Psal 4. and Psal 5. in titulis But to improve their Objection for them Where do we find Organs and Chromatick Musick to be any more then types and shadows of things to come Whereunto I answer That it cannot be proved by any man that Organs and Chromatick Musick are any more types and shadows of things to come under the Gospel then other vocal Musick is or give not grant that they had been ceremonial they may nevertheless now be used in another acceptation viz. as helps of lifting up of our hearts unto God the better fitting them for hearing and divine meditation Neither did God sayes Calvin upon the 150. Psalm without cause heretofore under the Law require the multiplicity of Musick that he might draw the minds of his people from vain and wicked delights whereunto men are too much addicted to a holy and advantageous gladness and yet all this was too little which gave occasion to the Prophet Amos 6. 5. to say Woe be unto those that sing to the sound of the viol and invent instruments of musick like David Not that David was the first inventor of those Instruments for it was Jubal the son of Lamech Gen. 4. but that they studied all incitements to luxury defending their fault by the example of David as if David had used Musical Instruments as provocations to luxury and not as incitements to piety Who then can deny that it is lawful for us to use the same sorts of Musick since the use thereof is directed to the same ends and those not typical but moral Under the Law there was a double use of killing of Beasts the one as a sacrifice the other as a sustenance the taking of it away as a sacrifice does not abolish the use thereof as a sustenance The like may be said of any Musick giving not granting it to have been ceremonial and typical that though it might be then typical of things to come yet the use of it at present is tropical h. e. for the rectifying of disorders and for the raising up of our hearts to a holy and heavenly exultation and drawing our minds from prophane and idle songs in use at meretricious meetings Those that deny the use
of musical Instruments under the New Testament will have them nevertheless to be types of praises by which nice distinction they are driven to confess that they are something that is not ceremonial Their deceit they would have lye under the ambiguity of the word Type For 1. it is taken for a material print or impression made by nails or otherwise as John 20. 21. and such types they cannot be 2. For the sum of an Epistle or the like as Act. 23. 25. and such they cannot be 3. For a shadow or adumbration of a thing or person to come and this by their own confession or rather affirmation they are not for this were to make them ceremonies which they will have to be contradistinguished from types 4. For a form of doctrine Rom. 6. but Organs c. and Voices are not forms of doctrine 5. For an Image or Statue Acts. 7. 43. and this they cannot be neither these being the work of Painters and Engravers 6. For examples to be feared 1 Cor. 10. 6. but these they cannot be there being no judgement in all the Scripture inflicted upon any that used singing or musical Instruments no nor threatned against them unless such as abused them to luxury 7. For a samplar to be followed Phil. 3. 17. and as it were a copy given to be taken out by others And such Types they are being proposed to us to be imitated under the Gospel and no other as has been proved by us and confessed by themselves Sect. 5. AS for Vestments the same may be said of these as of Musick That though under the Law they were typical of things to come under the Gospel yet under the New Testiment they are not so but meer distinctions of persons serving and of services to be performed which we learn not from the Law of Moses alone but from that of Nature too The Sacrificers among the Heathen had their Infulaes h. e. Sacerdotates vittas The Druides performed no sacred services without the leaves of Oak and not only the Germans but the Greeks adorned their Altars with green leaves of Oak In the Rites performed to Ceres they were crowned with Oak in those to Apollo with Bayes in those to Hercules with Poplar in those to Bacchus with Myrtle The Victims and Vessels were likewise crowned Sched de Diâ— Germ. c. 1 In all which was a decency intended agreeable to the work they were about It is very obvious how full the New Testiment is of declamations against the abominable practices of the Heathen yet let these men tell me where in all the Epistles of the Apostles these or the like Ceremonies were reprehended I know some would have me say as Pliny does namely that the Druides sacrificed in white garments that they might thence infer our Surplices to be a Ceremony derived from Heathens and abused to superstition And was not the Oak abused by the Druides to superstition being had in so great veneration among them And yet our late Reformers gave order which was universally observed accordingly for the Acorn the fruit of the Oak to be set upon the top of their Maces and Crowns and that instead of the Cross which had never been abused by the Heathen who had it in detestation as a figure most unlike that which is best pleasing to him they worshipped h. e. the Devil Which thing so done by them was nevertheless of happy presage to us viz. That the tree which bore such fruit should like that in the Plains of Mamre serve for the shelter of our earthly Angel King Charles from the heat and fury of Rebellion which was then in the very Noon until the Cross reassumed its place again upon the top of his Crown So unlucky are contentious spirits many times that they confute themselves by going about to condemn others Oh but these men accounting themselves the only Saints and Servants of the most high God any thing they wear or do must be sanctified to them For to the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure And if so then they must prove that our Church consisteth of unbelievers that it teaches and practises the uncleanness and other abominations of the Heathen so often noted by the Apostles yea our very worship of God to be unclean and abominable before they can conclude our Ceremonies to be unclean and unlawful But whilest we maintain the worship of the true God and give up our selves to be ordered by his Laws we are pure and consequently to us all things are pure Tit. 1. 15. a thing which cannot be said of them whilest they would have any error in doctrine or worship yea blasphemy it self to passe unpunished which is the whole drift of this their Sions groans Wherefore desinant maledicere malefacta ne noscant sua Let them look into themselves and their own practises and they will find little reason to think themselves in Heaven much less to pull up the ladder after them as if none were worthy to follow St. Paul pleads not for this decency only but for order two 1 Cor. 14. which doubtless was used also among these Sacrificers And therefore as well for the expediency of the thing in it self as the avoiding of the imputation of rudeness and confusion wherewith the Grecians here were apt to load them the Apostle concludes the Chapter with this Canon Let all things be done decently and in order since therefore they can prove nothing but decency order and usefulness in such ceremonies as we use what they say against them must go for nothing and prevail as little with us as a Rationale would with them Which should I produce whereby to give an account of particularities it would not make me justly liable to the dicterium of Beza in his Epistle to the Prince of Conde put before his Translation of the New Testament cast upon those who as he saies collabentibus adium fundamentis de instaurando fastigio laborarunt Sect. 6. AS for Bishops there are some we read of in the Scripture who had the appellation to be called Bishops but were not distinguished into a superiour order above others Others were both called so and distinguished into an order superiour unto others and these are the Bishops here meant by us Such were Timothy and Titus as we learn from the several Epistles written unto them by St. Paul Such were the seven Angels of the seven Churches of Asia in the Revelation in the judgement of Dr. Reynolds in his conference with Hart in the end of the third and the beginning of the fifth Division and in the judgement of the Archbishop of Armagh of the Original of Bishops and Metropolitans both printed together Those who by these Angels would have the Churches to be meant do manifestly contradict the Scripture For saies Christ there the Gandlesticks are the Churches and the stars are the seven Angels of the Churches I wonder therefore saies Grotins what
adulte persons of years the middle for the Gatechumeni to stand between 5. in respect of the fabrick of the whole they being like naves inversae ships whose Keel is towards heaven They have also ales or wings in many places which are nothing else but continuations of Vestries built in resemblance to Cabins in Ships and were therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h. e. not as a pyxis to keep the Host in as the Pontificians contend for but because they were as Cabins for the Masters of the ships to lodge in derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thalamus and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bear as Bishop Morton learnedly observes against them Some Cathedrals are built with a single Cross representing that whereon our Saviour was crucified for since Constantine's IN HOC VINCES Churches have not only been so built in some places but the sails of ships have ever been furled up in manner of a Crucifix some are built with a double Crosse the uppermost representing that whereon the title was written viz. INRI They had no way more suitable of enlarging such fabricks where beauty or necessity required it I might justifie the building of Churches in such figures as are most proper from that place of Ezekiel 9. 4. Go through the midst of the City through the midst of Hierusalem and set a mark upon the foreheads of them that sigh c. and vers 6. it is said slay utterly old and young both maid and little children and women but come not neer any man upon whom is the mark and begin at my Sanctuary This mark in the original is Tau and so translated in the Interl Bibles and the vulgar Latine by those that were no boys as some would make them or something less for skill in Hebrew Grammar Now this letter Tau the last in the Hebrew Alphabet was written in the old Samaritan character like a crosse as is witnessed by St. Hierome upon the place and that it was so upon the ancient coines they do not deny and it is so both in the Alphabet of coines and in the Alphabet of Azarius exhibited by Vilalpandus upon Ezekiel all that they can say is that those coines are mala mex and a kind of counterfeit things 't is true that 1000. counterfeits of Jewish coines and of Romans together c. too have been made which many do buy and furnish their closets withall all which may be called mala merx But what is this to the genuine pieces from whence these counterfeits were taken I must therefore send them to find better arguments to prove their pretensions then yet they have brought to light mean while rest in this opinion viz. that in case we build any consecrated Temple or make any holy sign as that in Baptism is the fittest figure is that of the Crosse This letter Tau is the first letter of Torab h. e. the Law whereby God would save the observers of his Laws from the common destruction which is a figure of those that shall be freed from the condemnation of the world being first marked by Christ our high Priest signified thereby a man clothed in linnen with a Writers Inkhorn by his side v. 2. 't is true that in our translation it is only set a mark or as it is in the margin mark a mark but why may not this mark be a crosse rather then any other having these significations in it neither can any other I am sure no better be given to it nor yet more natural For 1. It is a figure that is primo cognitum of all other as consisting of the concourse of lines at right angles which are the common measure of themselves and all other angles whatsoever and let the Crosse be made never so irregularly yet if the lines be streight it will have four angles equal to four right ones Secondly contumous quantity being divisibilis in semper divisibiliora this cannot be done but in partes equales these equal parts cannot be set out so well as by a Crosse whether it be in plana or in cubo sc in a plain superficies or a cubical body unto the first of which all superficies unto the latter all solids are to be reduced in measuration as for example in oblong superficies between the unequal sides I find a mean proportional this is the side of a square equal to the superficies given again in a triangular between the perpendicular and the half base I find a mean proportional this is the side of a square equal to the triangle given The same rule serves for a rhomboides Thirdly 't is no marvel that Tau should be originally a Crosse when so many letters in the Hebrew Alphabet I speak not of those that follow the caprice of Scribes or founders of lies have their genesis from the parts of a Crosse viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 other letters there be as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which seems to be as so many chips cut off it by the glance of the tool that hewed them and of these letters all others seem to be compounded as is obvious to our observation other reasons might be given for the natural apprehension of the Crosse but these shall suffice here to infer the probability of that mark to be the sign of the Crosse and the fitness of building of Churches after the manner of a Crosse Which if they would have demolished because built after the manner of a Crosse they must pull down many Towns in England which seem of design to be built after the manner of a Crosse especially Glocester whose figure stands thus a The Ailes gate b the North gate c the South gate d the West gate e the Colledge St. Maries parish Church f the Castle g the middle row The East West and South streets make up a compleat Crosse the middle row g the Crucifix upon it the Colledge c. e our Saviours mother and other Saints lamenting his condition or rather their own the Castle f the souldiers that brought to execution and derided him And that these were the glory of this Nation has been in effect confessed in the Pulpit by one of the eminentest Independents in the Nation when he prayed God to preserve the Universities the only remaining glory as he said of our Nation the Cathedrals being then taken away But what figure soever the Churches had been built in they would have found matter of exception against them Had they been round as those of the Huguenots are then they had been circles to conjure by a figure best pleasing to the Devil as being most contrary to a Crosse A Crosse then would have pleased them which now they abhor as a matter of high superstition but as the case stands they seem to be pleased with Churches of the same figure as their Religion resembles h. e. a meere Parabola I come now from the conveniency to the necessity of these Churches in