teach and presse vnto their flocks such doctrine as may serue to take away offences arising by the vse of these Ceremonies Beza Epist 12. fol. 99. Because if wee preach and teach indifferent things to bee impious we shall so alienate mens mindes from vs that they will no longer endure to bee attentiue and patient hearers of sound doctrine and of necessary instructions P. Martyr ib. fol. 1086. Hoopero Because it is farre better to contend about greater matters in which the euidence of trueth may conuince the Papists and other our aduersaries then to wrangle or braule about a Surplesse or the like thing where wise men cry out vpon vs that with peeuish way wardnesse and obstinacy we crosse our gouerners and nourish dissentions Melancth concil part 2. fol. 91. Because the sinew and principall members of Antichrist should first of all bee studiously oppugned such as an vnlearned Ministry slackned discipline c. The which things if all of vs on either side did vniformely with vnited force and indeuours set vpon the abuses of Surplesses and of all other inconuenient things would easily be abolished and all the markes and shadowes of Antichrist would vanish Elsevaine will bee the labour of driuing or expelling Antichrists reliques and shadowes from the Church Bucer script Anglican Hoopro fol. 706. For if we did suffer the Gospel first of all to be spread abroad to take deepe rooting perhaps men would better and more easily bee perswaded that they might remooue these externall inconuenient shewes and Ceremonies like as a sicke man lusting after some small trifling meates which after hee is well againe doeth voluntarily renounce as vnfit Wherefore let England bee first diligently instructed and confirmed in the chiefe and most necessary perils of Religion and so afterwards in my iudgement the Church shall not much be offended to haue these things somewhat superfluous to be remooued P. Martyr loc fol. 1086. Hoopero Because if some things in their nature indifferent be imposed it is not meete too egerly to contend about such matters especially when as we see those Magistrates by whom the light of the Gospel is much furthered in England and by whose authority it may much more be furthered to oppose themselues against vs. Peter Martyr ibid. fol. 1085. Hoopero Because whereas the Ministers are willing to reforme abuses the Magistrate is peremptory and resolute not to reforme for some reasons of policy the Minister in that case is not to leaue his ministery or to trouble the Church intempestiuis clamoribus or to contest or contend with the magistrate The reason is because this course tendeth to the ouerthrow of the Church and is opposite to that charity which he oweth vnto Christ to his church out of which ground and rule he ought to preach and to hold on in the course of his ministery Hee ought indeede to teach publikely and priuately as the matter requireth what is to be done but this he must performe without sedition and troubling of the Church but peaceably and discreetly Charity will informe the Pastor if he loue the Church indeede how hee ought in these cases to behaue himselfe Zanch. in Philip. 1. fol. 45. Looke also Musculus loc part 2. de tradit § 6. fol. 31. Because the Apostles in this case being guided by the rule of loue did at the instant request of the Iewes inioyne the Brethren and the Churches which were gathered out of Gentilisme to abstaine from strangled meate and bloud and chose rather to burthen them for a season with the obseruation of these things which sauoured of Iewish superstition Also by the same rule of loue was Paul led whenas he came into the Temple with those foure Iewes which had a vow vpon them and purified himselfe with them Yet these Rites of those times were Stipulae cum fundamento Christo non cōgruentes Stubble not agreeing with Christ the foundation But the edification of the Church required this thing Wherefore many things are to be tolerated by the Ministers that the peace of Churches be not rent and that Schismes may bee auoyded so that they bee not such things or doctrines which doe fight with the foundation and doe heaue at it Zanch. ibid. Because if Pastors cannot reforme all things which need amendment according to their desire they must not therefore cast away their Ministry or trouble the whole Church with an vnvsuall asperity The reason Because all godly ground and forme of Ecclesiasticall discipline ought euer to haue respect and haue reference to the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace which the Apostle commanded to bee kept by seruing one another and which rule not being kept the medicine of discipline groweth to be superfluous and pernicious It is confessed that Pastors ought with their vttermost endeuours to labour that there remaine no corruption in the Church but they must vse that wisdome which our Sauiour prescribeth lest by plucking vp the tares they hurt the good corne Wherefore the precept of the Apostle of separating the euill or of mending corruption must by no meanes be neglected cum sine periculo violandae pacis fieri potest when it may bee done without the danger of violation of the Churches peace for else hee would not haue it done Caluin instit 4. 12. § 11. 13. Because the charge of preaching the word of God is an absolute commandement of the Lord and it is so necessary for him that is called thereunto that a woe hangeth on his head if he doe not preach it It ought not to be laid aside for a simple incōuenience or vncomlinesse of a thing which in its owne nature is indifferent such as the Surplesse is whereof he speaketh or the like Ceremonies Master Cartwright in the rest of the 2. reply fol. 262. 263. Because when two commandements of the morall Law are opposite in respect of vs so as we cannot doe them both at the same time then the lesser commandement as auoyding inconuenient Ceremonies giues place to the greater such as preaching of the Word and doeth not binde for that instant Master Perkins in his Treatise of conscience cap. 2. fol. 14. 15. Because it is euident that Iesus Christ our Lord did onely prescribe the substance of the Ministry both of the Word and Sacraments in his owne words and all other things which appertaine to the decent and profitable administration of his mysteries he hath left and admitted to be ordered by his Church Hence wee celebrate the Lords Supper neither in the euening neither in a priuate house neither leaning neither yet with men onely Now who would condemne the Church if by a pure and holy consent of the members thereof it should bee the custome that euery communicant as in the Primitiue Church the new baptised did should weare a white garment Bucer Script Anglican fol. 708. Hoopero so also hee argueth in his Epistle to Io. Alasco Christ no where hath forbidden such a vse of them as
standeth in doctrines and in the true preaching of the Gospell and in the rites expresly deliuered by Christ Harm Confess § 10. folio 8. Heluet. poster That it is a generall rule that men must not contend about indifferent things that the vnitie of the Churches should be thereby broken Zanch. de redempt c. 19. in 4 praecept fol. 696. Neither the peace thereof troubled Zepper de sacram cap. 13. fol. 314. That if different rites bee found in diuers Churches no man may thereby thinke that they are at dissention Harm confess § 17. fol. 20. Heluet. Posterioris so that they agree in the summe of doctrine Beza Epist 1. fol. 7. That the diuersitie of rites is no sufficient cause why we should separate from any Church seeing the Church hath alwaies varied in rites according to the diuersitie of places and of times Aretius loc 57. fol. 177. He citeth Augustine and approueth Irenaeus his reprouing of Victor Bulling Deca 5. serm 2. fol. 360. 361. That it is not lawfull for any man vllâ de causâ for any cause to make separation from the Church of Christ that is as much to say as in which at least sound and sincere doctrine is retained in the which standeth incolumitas pietatis the safetie of piety where the vse of the Sacraments ordained of God is preserued and they are Schismatikes that separate and that therein they do sinne Beza Epist 24. fol. 148. No not although there be sundry errours and corruptions in doctrine manners externall policy ceremonies Morneus de Eccles lib. 2. fol. 32. Zanch. confess cap. 24. § 10. fol. 207. Idem in Philipians 1. 25. 26. fol. 45. 46. Danaeus Isagog part 3. cap. 13. fol. 148. Bucan loc 41. Qu. 22 fol. 505. qu. 25. ibid. That contentions and strifes about things indifferent as rites and ceremonies are such as before are mentioned in particular to haue beene in the Primitiue Churches must not be raised in the Church Polanus symphon cathol cap. 49. thes 4. fol. 1234. cap. 47. thes 1. fol. 1212. cap. 48. thes 2. fol. 1227. Idem syntag lib. 9. cap. 29. fol. 4078. Zanch. de redemp cap. 19. fol. 696. That if there bee found any not pernitious dissimilitude of rites and ceremonies no man ought to be offended or to take scandall thereby or for this cause to reproach or to harme others or to bee the authour of Schisme or faction seeing the forme of Ecclesiasticall constitution was neuer heretofore one and the same neither yet is to this day Har. confess § 17. fol. 215. Heluet. poster That those persons doe grieuously sinne who for indifferent Ceremonies for the Churches edification do trouble the Churches or condemne other Princes Magistrates and Churches for that it is opposite both to pietie and charitie Zanch. de redemp cap. 19. fol. 697. That where there is a certaine forme of Ceremonies for the Churches edification ordained and receiued there vnitie in those Ceremonies must be retained of euery one and the Ecclesiasticall order must not be troubled or interrupted according to that of the Apostle 1. Cor. 1440. Zanch. confess cap. 24. § 15. fol. 211. That in Ceremonies of indifferent nature such as fasting c. euery faithfull person to auoid the giuing of offence is to follow the custome of the Church wherein hee is or to which hee commeth Polan symphon cathol cap. 47. thes 7. fol. 1226. That because wee are men and doe liue amongst men in the Church it is not meete that in humaine manners rites and traditions wee should bee found froward Let diuine things bee obserued as diuine and humane as humane so long as with a free and pure conscience they may bee kept Musculus Loc. part 2. de tradit § 6. fol. 31. That if any person wrangle and will bee more wise then he ought against a common established order let him looke how hee can giue a reason of his frowardnesse to God howbeit the saying of Paul should satisfie vs 1. Cor. 11. 16. wee haue no such custome neither the Churches of God Caluin instit 4. 10. 31. That things otherwise in themselues indifferent doe after a sort change or alter their nature when they are either commanded or forbidden by any lawfull authoritie Beza Epist. 24. fol. 143. That albeit Christian libertie hath taken away the yoke of the Law Ceremoniall and in steed thereof it is not lawfull for any mortall creature to lay or impose any other yoke yet the too licentious vse of things indifferent is by Gods word restrained both in generall by the law of charitie whereby wee are commanded to doe nothing which may scandalize our neighbour or omit any thing which may edifie him so farre as in our calling wee may as also in speciall by the politicke or Ecclesiasticall constitution so farre as the Churches gouerners vnder God doe iudge it profitable to the Commonwealth or Church and thereupon frameth a law Beza Epist 24. fol. 143. That such constitutions doe binde the conscience in as much as no man sciens prudens rebellandi animo witting and knowing with a minde of disobeying or in case of scandall may without sinne doe that which is so forbidden or omit that which is so commanded Beza Epist 24. fol. 143. Caluin institu 4. 10. 31. Harm confess § 17. fol. 230. 231. Sweu ibid. fol. 218. 224. Augustan And whereas it might bee here obiected that these writers doe speake of Ceremonies rightly established thus much they farther teach in generall That the Word and Sacraments are not administred rightly and exactly secundum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as altogether agreeing with the prescript of the Lord no not in all the world yet albeit they be not administred according to that exact rule and by reason of our frailtie cannot bee sodainely reformed yet may they bee so performed that they may be pleasing vnto God and healthfull to the Church yet so as the defect should bee lamented and acknowledged which point if it bee not granted there will bee no pure or true Church in all the world Vrsinus catech part 2. ad quaes 84. fol. 620. That albeit many euill things do goe along and be done yet these things are done by such as hinder reformation and by the disobedient not by such as wish and sue for amendment For blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Matth. 5. 6. that is which doe desire good things to be done in the Church which if they be not done it is not their fault they may in that case retaine a good conscience Vrsinus ibid. fol. 618. That euery Ceremonie or tradition haue some certaine causes for which and some certaine end to which they be ordained and therefore euery Ceremonie must bee so obserued of the faithfull that the obseruation thereof may answere to the reasons and may bee aimed to the fulfilling of the end And seeing there is a diuerse reason of traditions some seruing to faith some to pietie some to
that are sicke of preiudice to gather all I could against them and abstained from the practise of them as from things simply euill But after hauing been indicted at a quarter Sessions for refusing to conforme by some of my Parish for my fidelity in opposing their disordered life I was occasioned to looke more neerely into the state of this question whether I might vse them with my peace in any case or not namely of necessity Depriuation I asked of my selfe two things whether I would rather suffer death then vse them in a Church professing the foundation and vrging them as things indifferent not pressing them as binding Conscience in themselues or as needfull to saluation And whether the execution of my Ministery which was pressed on my Conscience with a woe if I neglected it should not be as deare vnto me as my life Which questions when they put mee to a stand and that I could not well resolue vnto my selfe for the ill conceit I had against the Ceremonies I beganne to search into the iudgement of our best latter writers and the practise of reformed Churches from whence I went vnto antiquitie of primitiue and purer times where with one consent and harmonie of iudgement I found them for the practise of farre more and more offensiue Ceremonies then ours may bee supposed and chiefely in this case This was a ground to stay my iudgement and build my resolution From which when once I found it in con-conscience I could not in modestie I durst not depart in haste For with what shew or conscience should any man turne his backe in dislike or his face in opposition to the iudgement and practise of all Churches of Christ since the Apostles And from all those worthy Lights those Spirituall persons the Teachers of the Churches the champions of the Trueth the Masters of Religion by whom and by whom onely God had in all ages propagated his Gospell conuerted soules confirmed Veritie confuted Heresies and Errors builded Christes Church discouered and ouerthrowne the Church of Antichrist Chiefly seeing it is the iudgement not of one or two nor of some against some other but euen of All not One excepted which is of note or classicall authority And none against this iudgement excepting conuicted and condemned Hereticks and Schismaticks such as Donatists Anabaptists and our latter Brownists From thence I looked into the reasons mouing them vnto this iudgement that practise which in this Tractate are set downe So that here is no nouelty broached or fancy of mine owne proposed to thy view Christian reader but Antiquity and Vniuersality not Papall but Euangelicall according to the Scripture not of Carnall but Spirituall persons which may bee to thy Conscience as an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The causes of publishing are principally three respecting Causes of publishing the trueth the Ministers my brethren and my selfe The publication of this booke concerneth the trueth in two respects First because it is a questioned trueth which may not bee concealed without iniury to God and to his Church and it is a sin of no light nature to withhold the trueth in vnrighteousnesse Rom. 1. 18. next it is a profitable trueth which may occasion some Ministers to enter which dare not for conformitie and others to returne which are depriued for not conforming to the Ceremonies both tending to the benefit and edification of Gods Church For what greater profit may there be then that which is opposed to the greatest mischiefe For as it pleaseth God to saue them that beleeue 1 Cor. 1. 21. prou 29. 18. by preaching so where no vision is the people perish Secondly it respecteth the ministers of two sorts First such as are depriued on whom these reasons doe inforce a sinne for not conforming in the case of depriuation and it is very scandalous for Ministers professing sinceritie of Christ his Gospel to haue begunne and to continue in a wrong course neither can they approoue their conscience before God or man to beginne and to remaine in error and not amend when they see a better way Then it concerneth the Ministers that haue conformed in this case both because it serueth to cleere the innocencie of sundry godly teachers that haue conformed to preuent their depriuation which are hardly thought of and traduced as backsliders and betrayers of Gods cause And if this trueth were knowen they would not haue condemned innocents As also because it is meete that the hearts of such as haue conformed of feare and are wounded with griefe should bee relieued this trueth seruing to quiet their afflicted conscience which must not bee neglected Lastly it respecteth my selfe and that two wayes First because by suppressing of this veritie I should wrap my selfe in the guilte of a two fold sin namely vnthankfulnesse to God vnrighteousnesse to man For why hath God opened my eyes to see this truth but to that end I should reueale it vnto others And it were vnrighteousnesse and hatred to my Leu. 19. 17. brethren to suffer them to sin and not to shew them of it to see them to wander and not to point vnto the right way Lastly it were iniquitie to my selfe to suffer my Ministerie to be euill spoken of for practising the trueth there being scandall taken farre and neere at the alteration of my iudgement and profession of my purpose to conforme rather then to suffer depriuation which I may lawfully and must also of some necessitie preuent To this I adde the respect I haue vnto our Schismatickes the Brownists whose errors are hereby discouered and their false conclusions ouerthrowne Obiections answered But it will bee said I am in error If so it shall the easier be confuted And when any man hath shewed it to be error hee may the more safely call it so And I shall bee the rather induced to confesse it so to be It will be well and more agreeing to the comfort of mens consciences and more fitted to the rekconing they must giue to bee aduised before they so conclude it Howbeit if I erre it is with such company with whom in some case I had rather erre as one speaketh then thinke or know the trueth with some other Neither can I bee perswaded neither will any man proue easily that all true Churches of Christ of all ages agreeing in a pointe haue agreed in an error But thus good men receaue disgrace that stand against the Ceremonies To this I say that no man can no good man will esteeme the trueth to bee his owne disgrace It is a grace by seeing error to acknowledge it It is an honour vnto God to disgrace our selues by gracing and embracing of his trueth Can any man preferre his credit to Gods dishonour and redeeme it with the shipwracke of the trueth O but I lay a sinne vnto the charge of all the Ministers depriued And to this I say they lay a sinne vpon their brethren not inferiour to themselues that haue
there are to be discussed The first whether a man may with a good conscience suffer himselfe to bee depriued or suspended of his Ministry for not conforming to the Ceremonies prescribed and established in the present Church of England Such as the Surplesse Crosse in Baptisme Kneeling at Communion Ring in Marriage and the like The second whether a man ought not rather of conscience to conforme to all the Ceremonies prescribed in the Church of England then to suffer himselfe to be depriued of his Ministry Answ 1 These questions depend the one vpon the other so that the answere of the one giueth answer to the other Therefore the former question I answer negatiuely That namely A man cannot as I suppose with a good conscience suffer himselfe to bee depriued of his Ministry for not conforming to the Ceremonies To the latter question I say that a man is bound in conscience rather to conforme to all the Ceremonies of the Church of England then suffer his Ministry to be suspended or depriued The reason of which answers stands in this Because he shall sin against God in not conforming and in suffering himselfe for that cause to be depriued of his Ministration in the Church That he shall sinne in so doing will appeare by these two reasons Reason 1 First that the practise of suffering depriuation for not conforming to the ceremonies of this our Church and the doctrine thereof is directly against the Word of God This also is proued by two points Because it is against the doctrine and practise of the holy Apostles of Christ Because it is against the grounds of Gods Word and they are two One ground is this where two duties doe meet a greater and a lesse whereof both cannot bee done at the same time the lesser dutie must yeeld vnto the greater But this doctrine of suffering depriuation for not conforming teacheth and the practise thereof causeth to neglect a greater duty for the performing of a lesser Therefore it seemeth to bee an errour in doctrine and a sin in practise A second ground is this All things must bee done in loue 1. Cor. 6. 14. But this doctrine and practise is against the royall Lawe of loue and therefore seemeth to bee vnlawfull Reason 2 The second maine reason is this For that the doctrine and practise of suffering depriuation for not conforming to the Ceremonies of our Church or the like tendeth to condemne all true Churches all faithfull and sound teachers all sincere Christians of all times and places since the time of the Apostles of Christ which haue taught and practised otherwise These things being directly and plainely proued it will I doubt not appeare that to suffer depriuation or suspension for refusing to conforme to the Ceremonies prescribed is a sinne Whereupon will follow these conclusions That seeing those Ministers haue sinned at least a sinne of ignorance who haue suffered depriuation for refusing to conforme to the Ceremonies prescribed they ought of conscience to offer conformitie to the Ceremonies that they may returne to their Ministry againe That such as not conforming to the Ceremonies doe remaine in their places vndepriued are bound in conscience to conforme vnto the Ceremonies rather then to suffer themselues to be depriued or suspended That such as are profitably or probably fitted with gifts vnto the Ministry and doe withall desire to enter into that calling are also tied in conscience before God to promise and practise conformity to the Ceremonies prescribed rather then refusing so to doe to bee kept out of the Ministery That such Christians as doe make conscience of the Ceremonies as kneeling at the Communion admitting their children to be baptised with the Crosse hearing of publike prayer or preaching in a Surplesse are of conscience to admit of these things and to practise them rather then to absent themselues or to be depriued of the worships of God and that otherwise they shall sinne against God It remaineth therefore that the former reasons be proued which by Gods helpe I will performe in order Arg. 1 Reason 1 The doctrine and practise of suffering depriuation and losse of Ministry is directly against the Word of GOD which no man will deny to be sinfull and erronious This assertion is confirmed by the probation of two farther points Because such doctrine and practise is contrary to the doctrine and practise of the Apostles of Christ Because it is against the grounds of Gods Word Concerning the first point namely that the doctrine and practise of suffering depriuation especially vpon the reasons vrged against our Ceremonies is contrary to the doctrine of the holy and inspired Apostles and so by consequence is an errour and sin I proue it by two reasons Because 1 the holy Apostles with the whole Church at Ierusalem 2 by inspiration of the holy Ghost and commandement of God 3 did practise themselues 4 and caused others to practise 5 yea aduised one another 6 and inioyned or commanded 7 whole Churches the practise of 8 as euill and inconuenient Ceremonies 9 in sundry maine respects as in their iudgement ours are namely in number 10 nature 11 vse 12 and euill effects and 13 that for reasons equiuolent or inferiour to the auoyding of depriuation This proposition I thus proue in the seuerall members 1. The holy Apostles and whole Church at Ierusalem namely Peter Acts 15. 7. Iames Acts 15. 13. 21. 18. 21. 24. 25. Paul Acts 15. 2. 22. 18. 18. 21. 26. 1. Cor. 9. 10. Barnabas Acts 15. 2. 22. Iudas Sylas which were Prophets Acts 15. 22. 23. The Apostles all the Elders and whole Church Acts 15. 4. 6. 23. and 21. 18. 25. 2. By inspiration of the holy Ghost and commaundement of God as appeareth Acts 15. 28. It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to vs. Also Iames and the Elders Acts 21. 18. that determined before one practise of conformity to Iewish Ceremonies Acts 21. 25. By inspiration of the holy Ghost Acts 15. 13. 28. did afterwards perswade Paul to another practise of conformity to Iewish Rites Acts 21. 23. 24. And the things written and determined by the Apostles euen concerning matters of order in the Church are the commandements of God 1. Cor. 14. 37. 3. Did practise themselues For Paul shaued himselfe and made a vow Act. 18. 18. Paul purified himselfe contributed and entred into the Temple declared the accomplishment of the dayes of the purification vntill that an offering should bee offered for euery one of them Acts 21. 24. 26. Paul vnto the Iew became as a Iew to the men vnder the Law as though he had been vnder the Law 1. Cor. 9. 20. 4. And caused others to practise For Paul circumcised Timothy Acts 16. 3. Paul took the men and was purified with them Acts 21. 24. 5. Aduised one another For Iames and the Elders perswaded Paul thus to conforme Doe this that we say vnto thee take them the votaries purifie thy selfe with them contribute with
seeing by the way these are the chiefest and maine arguments which the depriued Ministers haue brought against the Ceremonies to proue them simply and in their nature euil let it be cōsidered by the iudicial godly Reader whether they might not vpon these grounds except against the Apostles prescription and refuse the practise of those Iewish Ceremonies euen with the losse of ministry interruption of the Church as well as to suffer depriuatiō for refusing of the Ceremonies prescribed in the Church of England But from this point I argue thus Whatsoeuer Ceremonies are of humane inuention of no necessary vse abused to superstition of misticall and spirituall signification esteemed imposed and obserued as parts of Gods worship swaruing from the generall rules of Gods word not profitable for edification order or decencie of fensiue many wayes to the godly weake and wicked infringing Christian libertie strictly inioyned as necessary such Ceremonies by the doctrine of the Ministers refusing conformitie are simply and in nature euill and could not be practised by any persons no not the Apostles themselues and that through the direction of the holy Ghost without sinne But the Iewish Ceremonies prescribed and practised by the Apostles through direction of the holy Ghost were of this nature and qualitie in euery one of the points aboue named Therefore by the doctrine of the Ministers refusing conformitie in the case of depriuation the Iewish Ceremonies prescribed and practised by the Apostles through direction of the holy Ghost were simply and in nature euill and could not by them be practised without sinne Or thus Whatsoeuer doctrine and practise tendeth to accuse and condemne the inspired Apostles in their inspired practise and doctrine of teaching the practise and of practising Ceremonies in sundry maine respects as vnlawfull as ours are pretended to bee tendeth to accuse and condemne the Apostles in their inspired practise and doctrine for teaching and for practising things simply euill But this doeth the doctrine and practise of suffering depriuation for refusing to conforme to our prescribed Ceremonies Therefore the doctrine and practise of suffering depriuation for refusing to conforme to our Ceremonies doeth directly tend to accuse the inspired Apostles in their inspired practise for teaching and practising things simply euill Whereupon I thus conclude Whatsoeuer doctrine or practise doeth directly tend to accuse and condemne the inspired Apostles for practising teaching and prescribing things simply euill such doctrine and practise is erronious and sinnefull So doeth the practise and the doctrine of suffering depriuation for refusing to conforme vpon the grounds alleadged as hath beene prooued Therefore the doctrine and practise of suffering depriuation for refusing to conforme vnto our Ceremonies is erronious and sinnefull To this that hath beene here alleadged there are certaine obiections made by certaine godly graue and learned depriued Ministers which here I thinke fit to make answere vnto Obiection The Apostles might doe many things which wee may not doe in respect of their immediate authoritie from God Those cases were decreed by the holy Ghost ours not so they did it by the direction of the spirit there is no proportion betweene their case and ours they guided by the spirit we not so The Apostles could not erre we subiect to error It is no good consequent to say they vsed such and such things therefore we may they had warrant for what they did the holy Ghost gaue them warrant Answere First it is to bee noted that they who thus obiect against this reason must needes relinquish the excuses and accusation of the Apostles which others make for vsing the Iewish Ceremomnies vnlawfully For the one affirming their practise to be vnlawfull the other granting it to bee done by direction of the spirit doe mistically ouerthrow one another so that both cannot stand as true This being obserued I answere First if the Apostles were immediatly from God authorized and did those things by direction of the holy Ghost as vndoubtedly they did wee may be the bolder to immitate them in their practise and in their doctrine and in so doing wee shall not erre For in so doing wee may say wee doe no more about matters of Ceremonies then the Apostles haue done before vs. It is a point wee wish the Church of Rome could say Secondly though wee may not immitate the Apostles in things peculiar to their office persons and times yet we may follow them and are bound in conscience so to doe in matters of common equitie and generall reason For as the Apostles had warrant from the holy Ghost so wee haue warrant from the example of the Apostles and from the reasons for which the holy Ghost mooued them to do those things For the holy Ghost being euer the same teacheth and ruleth the Church by one and the same reason reuealed in his word as well now as then Now the Apostles in this case did vrge the practise of these Ceremonies not from their immediate authoritie from God nor from inspiration onely of the holy Ghost but by reasons and rules of common and perpetuall equitie namely expediencie It seemed good to the holy Ghost and vs Acts 15. 28. and necessitie these necessary things Acts 15. 28. also to winne more 1. Cor. 9. 19 20 21 22. to further and propagate the Gospel 1. Cor. 9. 23. By the which rules the holy Ghost doeth teach the Church in the like cases of the Church to follow the like example by the same generall rules namely to practise the same Ceremonies in the like case or other Ceremonies of like nature in other cases no lesse then he doeth teach the Church to pray and singin a language vnderstood from the generall rule of edification Let all things in the Church be done to edification 1. Cor. 14. 12 26. And for Prophets to speake one after another not many at once and for women to hold their peace in the Church to auoyd confusion from the generall rule of order and honesty Let all things bee done honestly and by order in the Church 1. Cor. 14. 27 30 31 34 35 40. Which may the rather appeare because they be all cases of one nature namely of order and Ceremonie in the Church and worship of God which I thinke a sufficient answere to this obiection Obiection There is a great difference betweene the Ceremonies of the Church of England and those prescribed by the Apostles Master Parker of the Crosse part 2. sect 13. fol. 69. and at first ordained of God and must haue honourable buriall for that our Ceremonies are farre worse in many respects and circumstances As being Antichristian more scandalous more hurtfull more dangerous more strictly inioyned then sometimes Gods commandements these the inuentions of men yea of Antichrist c. stubble and straw or rather straw when they are at the best Answere I know and grant there is a great difference in many circumstances betweene the Iewish Ceremonies and the Ceremonies of this our Church but
Apoâ—tles at Ierusalem to circumcise Titus * Aretius in act 16. 3. fol. 75. Gualter in act 16. hom 106. fol. 149. Beza annotat in Gal. 2. 5. Because they were vrged as necessary to saluation Acts 15. 15. Because by them false brethren laboured to bring their Christian libertie into bondage Gal. 2. 3. 4. Because by that practise in that sense he should teach iustification by workes Gal. 2. 14. 15. 16. This case sorteth therefore to the Papists who teach that God is worshipped by them That a man is iustified by practising of them That a man is bound in conscience to vse them as hee is the precepts of God al which false doctrines are in so many words disclaimed both by oath doctrine and confession of the Church in the booke of the Articles of religion as also in Artic. 11. 20. 34. the preface to the booke of common Prayer where the superstitious vse of these Ceremonies is disclaimed as also the opinion of Gods worship by them and the reasons set downe of prescribing these namely the quiet and decent order in the Church And that the conueniency or agreement of our case with the Apostles conforming not with the Apostles refusing the Iewish Ceremonies may the better appeare I haue added these paralells which I desire may be considered The Apostles and the Church of Ierusalem The Church of England To auoid offence of weak and obstinate Iewes and to winne them To auoid offence of weak and obstinate Papists and to winne them Prescribed and inioyned Ceremonies abused superstitiously Prescribe and enioyne Ceremonies abused superstitiously Holden as the worships of God and needfull to saluation Holden as the worships of God and needefull to saluation By the vnbeleeuing and weake Iewes By the superstitious Papists popishly affected But not by the Apostles nor faithfull Christian But not by any sincere Protestant teachers or people The members therefore of eyther Church may and ought equally to conforme to either Ceremonies in a case of necessitie and of superiour reason Againe The Apostles The depriued Ministers In a case of superiour reason as to further the Gospel to preuent the hindering of their preaching In a case of superior reason as to further the Gospell to preuent their depriuation and suspension Conformed to Ceremonies many wayes inconuenient abused superstitiously and holden necessary by the Iewes Ought to conforme to ceremonies though many waies inconuenient in their opinioÌ„ abused to superstitioÌ„ holden necessary by the Papists Imposed by weakenesse and violence of the Iewes Imposed and vrged as they construe it by weak Christians authority threatning depriuation Obiect Others perceiuing more force in this argument then some haue done to presse them to the practise of our Ceremonies in the case of depriuation and yet remaining peremptory in their former iudgement doe answere it another way thus Answ That Saint Paul did euill in vowing shauing himselfe contributing offering sacrifice circumcising Timothy because they were Ceremonies of practise But the Apostles constitution Acts 15. 28 was onely of Ceremonies of omission of like nature with our abstaining from flesh on fasting daies not of the Crosse or Surplesse They who thus reply haue had I confesse a light of this their answer from some * Hier. apud August Epist 19. Hierom. Ep. 89. Gualt in act 23. hoÌ„ 138. fol. 248. Bullin in act 21. M. Parker of the Crosse part 2. sect 14 fol. 70. learned men which vsually haue their differences from others according to the reasons mouing them who thus did censure Saint Paul in these actions Yet Gaulter and Bulling doe onely doubt of the place Acts 21. not of the rest but to this I say We may probably see how these repliers if they had liued in these dayes would haue behaued themselues towards the holy Apostle at least they would haue reprooued him and condemned him for committing a sinne and would by all meanes haue disliked his doings yea they would haue cast off a thousand weake beleeuing and obstinate Iewes and suffered depriuation of a thousand ministries rather then to conforme to that which the inspired Apostle Paul did submit himselfe vnto But withall we may consider whether authoritie in practise were rather to bee esteemed theirs or Saint Pauls And indeed it is a miserable shift when no better answer can be framed to accuse the inspired Apostles in their doings because their practise will not stand with the reasons which themselues haue framed or vndertaken to maintaine the suffering of depriuation for refusing to conforme A very feeble answer as I suppose which will not stand but by heauing at the pillars of the Church of Christ Though they accuse the Apostles for this conformity yet the Scriptures doe not so and it may seeme to much boldnesse to speake especially in so dangerous a case of laying sin vnto the charge of such and so great persons where the Holy Ghost is silent But this practise of S. Paul may be easily and strongly iustified 1. Because he was aduised to this practise by Saint Iames and the Church of Ierusalem Acts 21. 18 20 21 23 24. Which persons inioyning other Iewish Ceremonies in the like case were directed and inspired by the holy Ghost in so doing Acts 25. 28 29. 2. Because the Holy Ghost seemeth to iustifie the reason of Paul in circumcising Timothy not onely in not condemning him in his practises but in approuing of his reason in so doing Acts 16. 3. Paul circumcised him because of the Iewes of those quarters For saith the holy Ghost in the text they knew all that his Father was a Grecian 3. Because Paul iustifieth this practise of his in those Scriptures of his Epistles wherein vndoubtedly he did not erre as the 1. Cor. 9. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. and 10. 13. and giueth a maine reason thereof because by his practise hee would winne the more vnto the liking of the Gospel and be a meanes of their saluation 4 Because it cannot bee immagined that Paul was ignorant if it were a sinne for hee was at the Synod at Ierusalem Chap. 15. where circumcision other Ceremonies were denied in other cases and if he knew it to bee a sinne it were strange hee should so many times fall into a relapse Acts 16. 18. and 21. and obserue the Iewish Sabboth so continually Acts 17. 8. and 18. 4. and 13. 14. 44. 5 Aretius giueth another reason to iustifie this fact of Paul * Aretius in cap. act 21. fol. 95. Antiocheia ecclesia bona parte constabat ex gentibus itaque maior pars non erat offendenda in gratiam paucorum Hic vero Ierosolymis maior pars imo omnes Iudaei sunt quos Paulus debuit considerare And of his iudgement are the best interpreters namely Augustine Caluin Beza Aretius Piscator Gualter Zanchius Iunius Bucanus who with one consent doe hold these things indifferent which indifferent things should serue for the edification of the Church Touching the Apostles constituion
2. 3. 4. Fourthly Iesus Christ preferring the healing of the sicke a greater duety before the strict keeping the Ceremoniall rest a lesser duty and commanding a kind of seruile labour viz. the carying home of a bed in some case vnlawfull Io. 5. 8. 9. proueth it not onely by a peculiar reason proper vnto himselfe that hee is Lord of the Sabbath and therefore might ouerrule in this case Mat. 12. 8. But euen by reasons of Common equity namely First because it is lawfull by not strictly keeping ceremoniall rest to doe morrally well on the Sabbath day omitting sacrifice to doe mercy Mat. 11. 12. Secondly because the end is superior to the meanes for the Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath Mar. 2. 27. 4 Fourthly because it is contrary to the inspired examples in the Scripture which are of common equity and reason and to the practise of the faithfull Saints of God namely besides the forenamed examples of the Priests of the Apostles of Dauid of our Sauiour first of Salomon who in a case of necessity did offer vpon another Altar then the Altar appointed for the worship of God because it was not able to receiue the offrings 2. Chro. 7. 7. but was to little for that end 1. King 8. 64. Whereas they were to offer sacrifice and to burne incense vpon one onely Altar in the Temple 2. King 23. 12. It being a Type of Christ the only sacrifice and mediator Heb. 13. 10. 2. of Hezekias who to set forward the mayne and substantiall worships of God did admit of many to the Passeouer albeit they were not ceremonially sanctified but legally vncleane and did not receiue the same as it was written in the Law nor according to the purification of the Sanctuary yet with a true heart seeking the Lord they were accepted namely in a case of superiour reason 2. Chron. 30. 17. 18. 19. 20. Thirdly of Paul who to saue his life a greater duety did with his owne hands cast away into the Sea the good creatures of God which otherwise should haue beene preserued and so for that cause neglected a lesser duety Act. 27. 30. Fourthly of the inspired Apostles of Christ who as before is noted did practise on themselues Act. 21. 26. and vpon others Acts 16. 3. and did aduise Act. 21. 23. 24. yea ordaine inioyne and command the practise of Iewish ceremonies as circumcision shauing purifying abstayning from blood and strangled meate and that as a duty good and necessary Act. 15. 28. which to auoide and not to vse was a duety required of God which to vse and practise in other cases was reprooued by the holy Ghost Acts 15. 10. and 21. 21. Gal. 4. 9. 10. 11. and 2. 12. 13. 14 and 5. 2. 3. 4. Colo. 2. 20. 21. 22. 23. and were needlesse shadowes Col. 2. 20. Ordinances of the world Col. 2. 20. Commandements of men turning from the trueth Col. 2. 12. Titus 1. 14. Impotent and beggarly rudiments Gal. 4. 9. 10. And of sundry perillous and perniciouse effects yet this they did admit albeit the violation of a duety to doe a greater duety of superior reason namely to procure the vnity of brethren Act. 15. 2. 4. 6. 7. 24. The wyninng of strangers to the faith 1. Cor. 9. 19 20. And to propagate the Gospell 1. Cor. 9. 23. To preuent the scandall of weake beleeuers Act. 16. 3. and 21. 20. And the danger of interruption or depriuation of the Ministery by the violent Iewes persecution Act. 21. 12. 24. 27. 28. Thus is the first point confirmed to the which doctrine sundrie godly learned men euen so many as I haue reade of this point doe also consent both in the same words and proofes viz. * vid. Caluin in Mat. 12. 1. 3 fol. 260. Vrsin cat part 3. fol. 707. immediat ante praecept 1. impress Cantabridg anno 1585. Piscator in Mat 12. 1. 2. 3. in analisi fol. 190. in obseruat ad eundem locum fol. 205. 106. 107 Idem in obseruat in Mat. 9. 13. fol. 156. Idem in obser ad Mat. 15. 3. 4. 5. 6. fol. 243. Polan syntagm Theolog. lib. 9 c. 29 fol. 4077. 4078. Martyn in summula verbi dei cap. 2. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. fol. 47. 48. de-calogo Mr. Perkins vol. 1. of his workes treatise of conscience Cap. 2. fol. 520. Yet to this poynt or proposition howsoeuer firme it bee in it selfe as hath appeared and is approoued by the best diuines yet some obiections haue beene layd against it which I will heere set downe Ob. Where it is sayd in the former proposition when two dueties doe meete at one time it is obiected that they cannot bee dueties both at once For if they were both dueties they would both bind and so a man must needes commit a sinne seeing hee is straitned betweene two dueties and must omit the one this therefore is not well proposed Ans The mentioning of these two duties meeting together at one time in our practise doeth not intend that they doe both of them bynd the conscience at the same instant but they are called dueties as they are considered apart being both workes are commanded of God in two seuerall commandements Which two workes being dueties considered apart doe sometimes offer themselues to our practise at one instant As to heare a Sermon at the Church on the Sabboth and to tend a sicke person ready to die at home at the sametime both are duties being cōsidred apart but meeting together and offering themselues to our practise at one time there is indeede but one duety because both cannot be performed in one instant In which case the greater worke is the duety the lesser bindes not for that present In like case for a minister to refuse inconuenient ceremonies albeit it be a duty being cōsidered apart from the duty of preaching the word yet when it meeteth with the duty of preaching so as preaching the word will not stand with refusing inconuenient ceremonies this refusing of ceremonies bindeth not the cōscience but leaueth to be a duty There are not two duties at that instant but only one which is to preach the word of God In which case the refusing of inconuenient Ceremonies is no duety neither is their practise a sinne yea the practise of them is a duety if otherwise they cannot preach the Word this obiection therefore needeth not Obiection The doctrine included in that point or proposition is not true because there may be a greater duetie neglected for the performance of a lesser which may then be done when the performance of the lesser keepeth him frō sin as for example A Preacher enioyned to preach naked ought to neglect preaching Besides it is contrary to the rule of the Apostle Rom. 3. 8. The least euil must not be done that the greatest good may be performed For when I cannot doe it without sinne it is no duety and therefore you should propose the matter thus It is necessary to performe
that it is wel concluded neither verely would I nor any other that I know of sound iudgement hold otherwise But that it may appeare how little to the purpose it is alleadged I say 1 If they will apply this to our Church in respect of our ceremonies prescribed then may they conclude against the Apostles for prescribing Iewish ceremonies notwithstanding the end and accomplishment of them all by the death and consummatum est of Christ 2 The Primitiue auncient and latter reformed Churches are all of them deficient this way either in disipline or ceremonies they are faulty and doe faile more or lesse yet they will not accuse them for denying Christ to be their teacher and Prophet 3. They onely deny Christ to be their Prophet and teacher who doe preach another Gospell to the Church Gal. 1. 6. 7. which teach any thing besides Gal. 1. 8. 9. Ro. 16. 17. otherwise 1. Tim. 6. 3. Contrary to the word of God Tit. 1. 9. diuers and strange doctrines Heb. 13. 9. Heresies Tit. 3. 10. which will not heare him in all things whatsoeuer hee shall say Act. 3. 22. Mat. 28. 20. Ioh. 3. 36. 10. 5. All which our Church with all other reformed Churches doe vtterly disclaime and are free from and namely in prescribing and vsing of these ceremonies or the like as appeareth by considering First the matter which is taught which is of two sorts some things are fundamentall and of greater moment some things circumstantiall and of lesser againe some things are specially commaunded others included vnder generall rules and are left free to euery Church to bee determined as shall best serue for the edification thereof sometimes after one manner and at other times after some other where we are to obserue that our Church as other reformed Churches doe teach nothing fundamentall which is not expresly taught in the Word neither doth it teach any thing contrary to that which is expresly commanded by Christ in his Word onely it varieth the circumstantialls or ceremonialls according to the liberty left vnto all Churches and practised by all Churches which the gouernours doe suppose best to further or edifie the substantialls Secondly consider we the manner of our Churches proposing of these things The fundamentall points and speciall precepts of Christ shee proposeth as binding the conscience vnder paine of condemnation to euery wilfull and impenitent transgressour The circumstantialls or ceremonialls determined by her out of the generall rules of the Word she proposeth and inioyneth as free not binding the conscience in themselues as variable not perpetuall as accidentall not as necessary In which case our Church cannot bee saide to deny Christ for her onely teacher and Prophet but rather to confesse him seeing shee teacheth nothing but that Christ hath commanded In which respect hee is with our Church by promise ad finem saeculi Matthew 28. 19. 20. and hee that heareth the teachers thereof thus teaching heareth Christ Luke 10. 16. Ioh. 13. 20. And thus the first point is confirmed The second followeth Point 2. to be spoken of which is this That the doctrine and practise of suffering depriuation for refusing to conforme to the prescribed Ceremonies doth tend to condemne all Churches and godly teachers Primitiue and latter of teaching false doctrine of practising a maintained sin Which point is thus made euident Because such Ministers as haue suffered depriuation for refusing to conforme or doe hazard their ministery for the same doe account and conclude it to bee a sin simply to conforme vnto the Ceremonies proposed in the present Church of England or the like and that all that doe conforme in any case vnto them shall therein commit a sinne against God and further that whosoeuer teacheth the contrary they stand out to confute them and conuince them of an errour But all true Churches of Christ and all true Orthodoxall Teachers both auncient and latter of all times and places without exception of any one haue vniformely and constantly taught this conclusion That it is a truth and no errour to teach a dutie and no sinne to practise the prescribed Ceremonies of the present Church of England or the like rather then to violate and breake the peace of the Church or that a Minister should suffer depriuation and so the preaching of the Gospell should bee interrupted or that a Minister or any other Christian should separate themselues or suffer themselues to bee separated from the publike worships of God in a true Church Wherefore it must needes follow that they who iustifie the former must needs condemne the latter Now that it may appeare that all Orthodoxall Churches and Teachers of all ages and places since the time of the Apostles of Christ are of this iudgement and practise and not of the other I will first begin with the Primitiue Churches before the Reuelation and raigne of Antichrist and next in order of the latter reformed Churches since the restauration of the Gospell and declination of Antichrist Concerning the Primitiue Churches and their teachers I will obserue two points First the state of the Churches of those times concerning Ceremonies and secondly the iudgement and practise of the Fathers and the faithfull in that estate Point 1 And touching the former point wee must not bee ignorant that euen in the dayes of the Apostles the mysterie of iniquitie did beginne to worke as themselues obserued 2. Thessalonians 2. 7. For euen then there were many Antichrists 1. Iohn 2. 18. And after the Apostles departure the seruants and workemen of Christ his fielde that is the Ministers of Christ his Church did fall a sleepe that is they were not vigilant and watchfull but grew carelesse and remisse in teaching and propagating the truth of Gods Word to confute errours and to resist and keepe out corruptions attempted to bee brought in by Heretickes and Sectaries and while they thus slept the Diuell sowed his tares Matthew 13. 25. a president whereof wee haue Apocalips 2. and 3. Where the Angels or Teachers of the Churches are reproued in this respect of which kinde of tares that the Diuell sowed the Ceremonies of the Church were not the fewest nor the least hurtfull And they farre exceeded our Ceremonies if wee should esteeme or proue them much worse then they are and namely in three respects First in respect of their multitude varietie and difference Secondly in regard of their nature kinde and qualitie Lastly in respect of their effects and abuse arising from them 1 Their multitude variety and difference did begin very high and neere the times of the Apostles For the difference of the celebration of Easter if the Ecclesiasticall Records bee true began before or about the time of Policarp Bishop of Smyrna and disciple of Saint Iohn and Anicetus Bishop of Rome Euzeb 5. 24. Socrat. 5. 22. and who readeth the antiquitie with any obseruation that shall not perceiue in the vndoubted writings of the most auncient Fathers both of the
Chrisostome Homil. 83. in Mat. Hieron lib. 1. contra Pelag. doe make mention of a white garment which the Ministers in those dayes vsed without superstition in token and admonishment of leading an honest life De politia Eccles lib. 1. cap. 12. fol. 19. M. Cartwright Touching the point whether a Minister should weare it although it be inconuenient the trueth is that I dare not bee authour to any to forsake his Pastorall charge for the inconuenience thereof Considering that this charge being an absolute commaundement of the Lord ought not to bee layd aside for a simple inconuenience or vncomelinesse of a thing which in the owne nature is indifferent After if the Prince vpon the declaration of the inconuenience of such Ceremonies and humble sute for release of them will nothing loose of the cord of this seruitude for my part I see no better way then with admonition of the weake that they bee not offended and prayer vnto God to strengthen them thereunto to keepe on the course of feeding the flocke committed to them in the end of his second Replie fol. 262 263. Touching the signe of the Crosse BVcer This signe of the Crosse both in respect that it is of most ancient vse in the Church as also that it is admodum simplex praesentis admonitionis crucis Christi A Ceremonie Signe of the Crosse neither indecent nor vnprofitable of much simplicitie and of present admonition of the Crosse of Christ I doe hold it nec indecens nec inutile neither indeecnt nor vnprofitable With this condition that in the vse thereof it bee purely vnderstoode and Religiously receiued without the addition of any superstition or bondage of the element or common custome In Script Anglican Censur cap. 12. fol. 479. Beza Seeing these things the signe of the Crosse Not Idolatrous in it selfe other things are not perse Idololatrica Idolatrous in their owne nature we thinke of these things as wee did of the Ceremonies going before fol. 100. and what was that Not of that moment to suffer depriuation namely fol. 98. that it seemeth not a matter of that moment that for it Pastors should leaue rather their charge then vse this signe or that the Flockes should let alone the publike foode of their soules then heare their Pastors vsing this signe Againe Touching the Crosse what shall I say admit there was a time wherin there was some vse of this Signe in opposition to the cotemners of Christ crucified Admit also that it was willingly and of long time vsed by Christians for the externall profession of the true Religion After Yet I know that some renouncing the adoration of the Crosse retaine the vse of this Signe vtantur igitur ipsi sicuti par est sualibertate let them therefore vse their libertie as is meet wee in the French Churches for sundry necessary causes may not tolerate it Beza contra Baldwin Heming Some are offended with our Ceremonies in the Denmarke Churches and crie out that they are popish they say we haue Sacerdotes Priests Altars Surplesses Cādles Images Exorcismes signationes Crucis signings with the signe of the crosse plane Papistico more meerly after the Popish fashion To those men I answere the true Church is distinguished from the false by doctrine and worship and not by Ceremonies Quae per se adiaphora sunt which are Of it selfe indifferent in themselues indifferent Neither doe we iudge indifferent Ceremonies to be of that moment as that Schismes should bee mooued for them in the Church Let the sinceritie of doctrine bee retained let other matters ceremoniall and circumstantiall serue partly for the peace and quiet of the Church and partly to the infirmitie of men Syntag. ad 4. legem Decalogi § 33 34. fol. 365. Also in commentar super 1. cap. Ioan. hee sayth Minime improbo signum Crucis Zanch Other sort of Traditions there are not necessarily to be retained in the Church albeit very ancient and mentioned of the Primitiue Fathers As that a Christian ought to arme his forehead with the signe of the Crosse as also to fast on Fridayes and Saturndayes For albeit they may bee vsed si absque superstitione exerceantur if their vse It may be vsed bee without superstition yet they binde not the conscience Compend Relig. loc 16. De tradit Ecclesiast fol. 654. Againe If we diligently consider the things which are reported of the signe of the Crosse wee shall finde that many things were fabulous other matters fained of the Diuel other vses thereof true but not to the confirmation of superstions others also of that quality which in those Primitiue times indeede when as they were not as yet turned into superstition Tolerari potuerunt verò fuerunt laude In some case tolerable digna might bee tolerated nay they were worthy of commendation yet from which vses of this signe for the present wee must wholly abstaine for the danger of superstition Other vses in a word there were of this signe Quae tolerari etiam nunc possunt cum nihil in tali crucis vsu insit periculi which may be tolerated euen now in the Church seeing in such vse of the crosse there is no peril Deredempt l. 1. cap. 15. fol. 367. After he sheweth that the Primitiue had the signe of the Crosse in the forehead to testifie that they were not ashamed of the Crucifix which was causa praecipua eaque non improbanda The chiefe cause mouing them to vse it and that not to be disliked Ibid. Polanus The signe of the Crosse might haue beene vsed of the holy Fathers without sinne so farre forth as it was a free and open testimony of the confident confession of Christians concerning Christ crucified albeit he acknowledgeth that it was with good right abolished out of many reformed Churches because it was Idolatrously abused by the Papists and that all true worshippers might know that God is to bee serued by them in spirit and truth In Ezech cap. 9. v. 4. fol. 258. Zepperus acknowledgeth the practise of the signe of the Crosse to haue been an vsuall and ancient custome of Christians in the Primitiue Church and maketh apology and good construction of the holy Fathers vse thereof namely that they vsed it not superstitiously as the Papists do but to testifie their trust and confidence in the crosse that is in the passion and death of Christ as the Iewes in Egypt did which signed the doore post of their houses not as if the blood of the Lambe had any power to preserue them from the destroyer but because it was a type of the blood and Crosse of Christ though otherwise he dislike the vse thereof in Baptisme because not commanded of God but hath been abused by the Papists to Idolatry yet hereby he sheweth as also do the rest of our classicall Writers that the vse of this signe is not a thing simply and in nature euill de Sacrament cap. 16. fol.
Syntag. Tom. 2. lib. 9. cap. 35. fol. 4148. The Churches of the Low-countries make this Canon for themselues as holidayes shall bee abolished excepting the Lords day and the dayes of Christs Natiuity and Ascension howbeit if more festiuals be to be kept by the Magistrates command the Ministers must be admonished that they labour by preaching to turne the peoples idlenesse on those dayes into godly businesse or excercise Ex actis Synod inferior German Middleburgi anno 1581. canon 50. apud Schulbrig Anacrysi Fulk That other dayes also besides the Lords day may bee kept by the Churches ordinance for the assembly of Christians to the exercise of religion wee acknowledge But that any are simply necessary more then be of the Holy Ghosts appointing in the Scriptures we deny In Rhem. Test. ad Gal. 4. 10. § 5. fol. 603. Againe that any contention should arise for keeping or not keeping of the such feastes it is a fault in our time but yet such a fault as was very ancient as appeareth by the contentions of Victor and the Bishops of the East for the celebration of Easter and pursued with more bitternesse by Victor Bishop of Rome then by any of our time For he presumed to excommunicate as heretickes all such as would not keepe Easter after his manner Euseb 5. 25. wee acknowledge it was a very auncient custome of the Church to celebrate the memory of Martyrs as the Church of Smyrna doeth write in their Epistle Euseb 4. 12. For the remembrance of them that haue fought before vs and for the excercise and preparation of them that shall fight hereafter But your Popish manner of celebration is nothing like either in the forme or in the end for you keepe your holy-dayes as the Iewes did the feast of the Calfe wherefore it is written The people sate downe to eate and drinke and rose up againe to play In your Churches you solemnize them with idolatros worshipping of the creatures and their images out of the Churches with banquetting reuelling and idlenesse so that the people by your festiuities of Martyrs are not taught what true Martyrdome is nor prepared to suffer for Christ but rather to become Epicures whose belly is their God who glory in their shame c. In abrogating and retaining of feasts our Church hath vsed that libertie which Christians haue in obseruation of dayes To conclude we learne by many testimonies of the ancient Fathers how Christian solemnities may be kept that they bee not Iewish or Heathenish obseruations as when they are free from superstition idolatrie or opinion of holinesse in the times and when they be kept as things indifferent wherin the Church may vse her liberty to appoint or abrogate what is best for edification not to be seruilely bound to keepe thē of necessity as you the Papists defend that they are Fulk Rhemi Gal. 4. 10. § 5. fol. 603. 604. Also we shew the Christian liberty in respecting all dayes alike that are not discerned by the commandement of God As for the doung of your festiuities we condemne as open idolatry by manifest texts of scripture forbidding Gods honour to be giuen to creatures yet the dayes appointed by the Church for excercise of religion wee obserue and that without superstition Idem in Rom. 14. 5. § 2. fol. 480. Looke also Reu. 1. 10. Perkins He reproueth the Papists for dedicating many of their Holy-dayes to the honour of Saints and Angels whereas the dedication of ordinary and set dayes is a part of religious worship hee sheweth that it is the priuiledge of God to appoint an ordinary day of rest and to sanctifie it to his owne honour After Indeede the Church of England obserueth Holy-dayes but the Popish superstition is cut off For first we are bound in conscience to the obseruation of these dayes secondly neither doe we place holines in them thirdly but we keep them only for orders sake that men may come to the Church to heare Gods word fourthly and though we retaine the names of Saints dayes yet we giue no worship to Saints but to God alone fiftly and such dayes as contained nothing in them but superstition as the Conception and Assumption of the Virgin Mary we haue cut off Thus doth the Church obserue dayes with vs and no otherwise Indeed the ignorant multitude among vs faile greatly in obseruing of dayes For they greatly solemnize the time of the Birth of Christ and then they keepe few or no Markets But the Lords day is not accordingly respected and men will not be disswaded from following on that day On the Gal. cap. 4. 10. fol. 316. Touching sundry other Ceremonies some vsed in our Church others of much like nature vsed in other reformed Churches THe other Ceremonies which are vsed in our Church are thus by our classicall writers that haue written of them partly defended and excused The Ring in marriage with the words annexed In the name of the Father the Sonne and she holy Ghost This albeit some learned men condemne as the outward signe of a Popish Sacrament yet Bucer calls it admodum commodus ritus a very fit Ceremonie with this condition if it bee expounded to the people what all this may signifie which there he setteth downe Bucer Script Anglican in censura cap. 20 fol. 488. The Purification of women deliuered of childe now called more appositely The thankesgiuing for women deliuered some condemne it as Iewish yet Bucer giueth this censure and excuse for it Haec omnia Scripturis congruunt This Ceremonie is agreeable to the Scriptures with that which in the Common prayer booke is expressed He excepteth the offering of a white garment which is since abolished Bucer ibid. cap. 24. fol. 490. Priuate Communion to be giuen to the sicke Bullinger granteth that good men might admit of a priuate Communion to bee giuen to the sicke euen in these our dayes for a time to these which haue not as yet vnderstood the full vse of the Lords Supper yet hee would not haue this libertie graunted vnto all neither they that receiue it to hold it as viaticum a necessarie supplie to helpe them in the way to heauen Decad. 5. Serm. 9. fol. 498. a. Caluin alloweth it if there be some company of the kinred friends and neighbours of the sicke that the distribution thereof may bee performed according to the institution of Christ and withall if the action of this communicating be explained to the receiuers neither any different matter done from the common practise of the Church yet he would not haue this vsed commonly He holdeth it valdè periculosum huc illuc promiscuè deferre very dangerous for superstition and ambition or vaine ostentation to haue the Sacrament carried hither thither Epist. 360. fol. 625. Bucer holdeth it in our Church Scripturis satis consentanea sufficiently agreeable to the holy Scriptures for the consolation of troubled consciences if it bee receiued as the Lord appointeth Censura cap. 22. fol. 489. The
without all exception to the which it is not lawfull to adde or to detract any thing howbeit touching Ceremonies my iudgement is otherwise For first it is certaine that euen the Apostles themselues could not determinately set downe what they iudged to bee expedient for the Churches in their first beginning and therefore necessarily they proceeded by little and little as the institution of Deacons doeth make euident in as much as they suffered for a season many Iewish Ceremonies as appeareth in the story of their acts againe to whom can it bâ—e doubtfull that the Apostles had exceeding regard vnto their times places and persons in externall rites In as much as it is not profitable that the same rites were obserued euery where as appeareth in that excellent Epistle of Irenaeus to Victor besides necessity it selfe abolished certaine of their ordinances as their common feasts of loue Wherefore whatsoeuer was performed by the Apostles in rites and Ceremonies I doe not iudge that presently neither yet without some exception to bee followed as a rule And indeede I wonder not that those ancient Fathers hauing respect vnto their owne times did take away some things some things adde and some what alter Onely herein with their good leaue bee it spoken they seeme to mee to haue often failed that they neither held any measure in their rites neither had that due regard to Christian simplicitie and puritie as was meete Epist. 8. fol. 70. 71. 2. Bucer If there be no liberty granted to the Churches of ordaining Ceremonies about the Lords Supper whereof they haue not the expresse commandement of Christ by this meanes will all Churches be condemned impiae audaciae of most impious boldnesse For all Churches doe obserue in the Supper of the Lord such a time place and habit or site of body and besides doe admit women to the Communion of all which things they haue not onely no commandement but they haue also his contrary example for our Lord did celebrate his Supper at night not in the morning in a priuate house not in a publike leaning on his side and after the receiuing of the Paschall lambe not standing also hee admitted not the women sundry of whom hee had for his most holy disciples Bucer Script Anglican fol. 708. 789. 3. Caluin Forasmuch as our Lord hath both faithfully comprehended cleerely declared in the holy Scriptures the whole summe of true righteousnesse and all the partes of his worship and whatsoeuer was needefull to saluation therefore in his solus magister audiendus est in these things the Master Christ is onely to bee hearkened vnto Howbeit because he would not particularly prescribe what wee ought to follow or practise in externâ disciplinâ ceremonijs in externall discipline and ceremonies For that hee foresaw that these things did depend vpon the condition of the times neither did he iudge one forme to be agreeing to all ages Therefore here wee are to haue recourse vnto the generall rules which he hath left and giuen that whatsoeuer the necessitie of the Church for matter of order and decencie shall require may bee determined by these rules Instit 4. 10. 30. 4. Zanchius If any thing bee altered or added which is not commanded of God being not essentiall but accidentall and not as necessary but as indifferent appertaining to decencie or to order or to edification wee cannot hence conclude that any thing is altered of the appointed worship or that there is another worship erected As for example Christ performed his Supper at night The Apostles were wont to performe it also in the morning and the Church followed afterwards this time Should a man hereupon say that any thing is derogated from the Supper of the Lord surely no because Christ commanded not the same to be celebrated in the night as himselfe obserued it but onely hoc facite that we should doe that for the matter or substance which he did but not at that time wherin he did it Also to that the Primitiue Church as appeareth in Iustinus Martyr did mingle Water with the Wine in the Lords Supper it is not a sufficient ground to say they altered or changed the institution of the Lords Supper and that for two reasons One because it may be that the Wine which Christ Iesus gaue to his Disciples was mingled with water seeing the Apostles doe not report the contrary and it is probable that the Primitiue Church might receiue this from the Apostles Another reason is because the Primitiue church did not adde water as a matter altogether necessary and so as appertaining to the substance of the Lords Supper but only to signifie a mystery but if any did commend it as necessary they did vndoubtedly depraue the Lords Supper But they much more who vsed onely water in the Lords Supper as the Aquarij did against whom Cyprian did write for it is euident that Christ our Sauiour vsed wine and commaunded that wee also should do the like To this adde in that the ancient Bishops in the celebration of the Lords Supper did put on another garment then that they vsually did weare appertaineth nothing to the alteration of the Lords Supper For Christ commanded not that wee should celebrate his Supper with our vsuall garments as hee did but onely that wee should doe that which he did himselfe The like may bee affirmed of sundry other things as well in Baptisme as in the Supper of the Lord. The summe of all is this Such things as are added but yet as matters indifferent for order for decency and to edification such matters do not change the substance of the Sacraments and therefore alter not the worship But such things as are taken from the institution of Christ or els are added as necessary and appertaining to the substance those things do corrupt the institution of the Lord and so doe establish another kind of worship To this kind of addition appertain the places of forbidding to adde to Gods word Deut. 4. 1 2. Note that which hee there saith Yee shall not adde to the Word which I commaund you The Word of the Lord is necessary it tyeth the conscience and deliuereth the substance of the Worship and hath nothing adiaphorall or indifferent therein wherefore to adde vnto the Word is to ordaine or appoint in Gods worship some thing as necessary and as appertaining to the essence or worship of God and which doth so binde mens consciences euen as the Word of God it selfe wherefore he addeth not vnto the Word of God which by the consent of the Church ordaineth any thing not as necessary but as indifferent and free for order onely or for decencie and vnto edification not binding the conscience of any by such an ordinance Zanch. de redempt cap. 19. fol. 447. Obiect Bishop Hooper Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14. 23. Answ P. Martyr This I acknowledge with you to be most true hobeit that we may haue a quiet conscience in our
be yeelded to the weaker and that for a time namely vntill they be taught the truth For if after that the truth is sufficiently and cleerely laide abroad vnto them so as being conuicted they haue nothing more what they may obiect and yet will notwithstanding sticke in doubt sure their infirmity is not to be nourished by their dissembling with them or winking at them For this is rather strong obstinacy then weakenesse Deredemp cap. 17. fol. 493. Beza in a case of depriuation aduiseth to conforme yet before they conforme hee thus counselleth them That both the Pastor and the flocke sinne not against their conscience presupposing the puritie of doctrine to be left entire We perswade the Pastors that after they haue freed their conscience both before the Kings Maiestie and the Bishops by a modest as it becommeth Christians to be free from all tumult and sedition and yet weighty protestation according as the greatnesse of the case requires they then doe openly presse vnto their flockes those things which doe tend to take away the offence arising from conformity and doe withall discreetly and peaceably giue diligent indeauour for the amendment of these abuses as the Lord shall offer occasion and so to conforme Epist 12. fol. 99. Cartwright The offence in occasioning the weake to fall and the wicked to be confirmed in their wickednesse is one of the fowlest spots cast vpon the Surplesse But when it is laid in the scales with the preaching of the word of God which is so necessary for him that is called thereunto that a woe hangeth on his head if hee doe not preach it it is of lesse importance then for the refusall of it wee should let goe so necessary a duety As for that which is vttered against the offence it is as the rest of this disputation to shew how inconueniently such things are established not that they may not in any respect be borne with In the vse of those indifferent things and abstaining from them wee are so straitly bound to haue regard vnto the weake brother as no Magistrate is able to loose the knot of that bond But where offences cannot otherwise be redeemed then by leauing that vndone which the Lord himselfe hath not left free vnto vs but cast a yoke of necessary seruice vpon vs there the case is otherwise For if the Prince vpon declaration of the inconuenience of such Ceremonies and humble suite for the release of them will nothing loose of the coard of this seruitude for my part I see no better way then with admonition of them thereunto to keepe on the course of feeding the flocke committed vnto him This is in few words my simple iudgement of the matter of this apparell and such like ceremonies In the rest of his second reply fol. 262. 263. Sarauia To the obiection that the Papists will be confirmed in their most damnable will-worships by the vse of these ceremonies 1. This is denied for two causes First for the publique contrary doctrine which challengeth and reproueth those which professe the vse of these ceremonies for superstition Secondly for the Publique authority which as is knowen to all doth forbid the Subiects of eating of flesh and commandeth other things not for that end which the Pope intendeth For there is great difference betweene those things which are performed by way of obedience to publicke authority and those things which are superstitiously assumed to be done by priuate councell There was a controuersie among the Primitiue Christians about the obseruation of legall ceremonies Some thought that euery kinde of foode was sanctified others beleeued the contrary They which thought rightly might eate of strangled meate and of blood and it was superstition for them to abstaine of conscience Neither could any man make a Law vnto himselfe of abstaining from strangled meate and blood more then from swines flesh But after that it was vpon good aduice established by the authority of the Church not to confirme any man in a false opinion that such as were conuerted from Paganisme vnto the faith of Christ should abstaine from strangled meate and blood that which to doe on a mans priuate councell had been a sinne was made to be godly by the authority of the Churches constitution Defens de diuers grad ministr cap. 25. fol. 580. 581. 2. Touching the scandall of the weake by the vse of these ceremonies which is obiected it cannot take place against a publicke law to the which priuate persons ought not to preferre their iudgement but subiect it according to the publicke doctrine and profession as well of the Magistrates as of the chiefe gouernors of the Church Ib. f. 851. 3. Touching the Papists scandall Small regard is to be had of them in this Kingdome their error can admit of no excuse after so many yeeres preaching of the Gospell Paganisme being abolished and the Idoles with their worship being cast out the Idolothytes or things offred Idoles did cease Euen so the Pope being cast out and renounced there ceaseth whatsoeuer he brought in and polluted in asmuch as those things which are done this day with vs at the Princes command or for obedience sake vnto our Lawes whereas withall sound and Christian doctrine flourisheth of the grace of God and mans merits such Ceremonies and actions cannot bee compared neither with the eating of a thing offred to Idoles neither with Popish will-worship c. Ibid. fol. 582. Obiect Bishop Hooper By the strict pressing and obedience to these Ceremonies Christian libertie will bee infringed and broken Peter Martyr The endangering of our Christian libertie will bee preuented if such Ceremonies as bee restored bee not so respected as if they were necessary to obtaine saluation and againe if wee doe so beare with such matters as these are that when they seeme to bee lesse profitable they may bee remoued Loc. fol. 1087. Hoopero Beza Albeit the Christian liberty hath taken away the yoke of the Ceremonial law and insteed therof it is not lawful for any mortal man to put another yoke yet the too promiscuous vse of things indifferent is lawfully restrained both in generall and in speciall In generall it is restrained by the law of charitie which is vniuersall that is respecting all persons and things and carefully bewaring that nothing otherwise indifferent and lawfull be done whereby ones neighbour be destroyed and that nothing be omitted whereby he may be edified But here two cautions must be presupposed one that whatsoeuer may and ought to bee done or omitted ought alway to bee iudged by the word of God the other that euery man haue a respect vnto his calling thus are we to vnderstand that of the Apostle I am made all things to all men In speciall if the vse of things indifferent be restrained by a constitution whether politicke or Ecclesiasticall For albeit God onely bindeth the conscience porperly yet so farre forth as either the Magistrate which is the Minister of God doeth iudge it to bee
of the Primitiue Fathers they were also holden operatiue not by the sounder Fathers themselues as Zepperus Perkins and others doe alleadge for them but by others which did so accidentally as the signe of the Crosse was not holden operatiue by the Orthodoxall Fathers of it selfe opere operato but they held their faith operatiue which was exercised in them when they exercised that signe Onely Tertullian is cited to holde that signe operatiue but hee is noted thereby as by many other his singularities to haue beene a Montanist who thus vsed the signe other Ceremonies as operatiue in themselues and in like sort our prescribed Ceremonies are holden operatiue in themselues opere operato by the Papist but not by vs Therefore neither doth this part of the obiection concerne our Church or this my argument who vtterly and professedly disclaime these things 4. For the Popish Ceremonies alleadged such as shauen Crowne holy Water Creame Spittle Salt c. they are not mentioned in this my argument and there may bee other waighty causes alleadged wherefore wee may except against them iustly The Lutherans vse some of them and we all account of them as of true Churches And it is not possible for the true Church to put operation in them or opinion of necessitie or Gods worship or merit in the deed doing for that this tendeth to ouerthrow the foundation and so to nullifie the Church But excluding these grosse apprehensions of those Ceremonies it might proue a matter very questionable whether in case of necessity as of depriuation of ministery and ouerthrow of the Church they ought not to be vsed euen by this my argument Howbeit till question bee made and iustly mooued vpon these points we will omit further disputation because it is a matter meerely needlesse and vnprofitable And so much of this matter Deo soli sit Gloria ¶ A Briefe and plaine Answere to Master SPRINTS discourse concerning the necessity of conformity in the case of Depriuation BEfore particular answere be made to Master Sprints seuerall arguments one thing is necessary to be premised that maketh much against the whole scope and drift of his Treatise viz. That the cause why so many godly and worthy Ministers haue beene heretofore and are daily depriued or suspended or why so many able men that haue desired to enter into the ministry haue beene kept backe is not this onely that they haue refused to conforme but that many haue beene and are daily depriued and suspended onely for refusing to subscribe according to the Canon yea many that at the time of their conuention haue not so much as beene charged with non-conformity and of whom by reason they were Lecturers only or for that there were some other that did vse conformity in their churches the vse of the ceremonies was not at all or little required haue beene depriued or suspended for this cause only because they durst not subscribe And who knoweth not that by the 36. Canon no man may be either receiued into the ministry or suffered to preachor catechise except he shal first willingly ex animo subscribe to the 3. articles there mentioned to all things conteined in thē Yea admit that a man were contented both to conforme subscribe also yet if he shall but at any time affirme as it is euident many conformers subscribers also wil not stick sometime to do That the Booke of common Prayer containeth something in it that is repugnant to the Scriptures or that some of the 39. Articles are in any part superstitious and erronious or such as he may not with a good conscience subscribe vnto he is to be excommunicated ipso facto which must needes imply suspension from his ministry and not to be restored till he haue publikely reuoked such his wicked errour So that though all Master Sprints arguments shal proue good vnanswerable whereby he goeth about to iustifie the vse of the Ceremonies in this case yet will he neuer be able to conuince a great number of them that haue either beene kept out or put out of the ministry of so foule a sinne as hee would make the world beleeue they stand guilty of vnlesse he can also iustifie the subscription which he seemeth altogether vnwilling to doe and can proue it vnlawfull for a godly minister to say that there is something in the Booke of common Praier repugnant to the Scriptures or that some of the 39. Articles are in some part superstitious and erronious and such as he may not with a good conscience subscribe vnto And if those conclusions which he setteth downe in the first page of his Treatise and which he saith will follow vpon the proofe of this point That to suffer depriuation or suspension for refusing to conforme is a sinne be the very marke he aymed at in his whole Treatise and the only fruit he expecteth of all these paines he hath taken as indeede they seeme to be then hath hee surely bestowed his time very ill and spent a great deale of labour to no purpose at all From hence it will follow saith he first That seeing those Ministers haue sinned that haue suffered depriuation so refusing to conforme they ought of conscience to offer conformity that they may returne to their ministry 2. That such as not conforming doe remaine in their places are bound in conscience to conforme rather then to suffer depriuation 3. That such as are profitably or probably fitted to the Ministry and desire that calling are tied in conscience before God to promise and practise conformity rather then for refusing it to bee kept out of the Ministry And where be those Ministers to be found in England that haue suffered depriuation for no other cause but for that they haue refused to conforme or that being depriued might haue had assurance to inioy againe and continue in the vse of their Ministry if they would offer conformity Or what Prelate hath he knowen being to admit any into the Ministry hath beene wont to require of him a promise of Conformity and to allow him thereupon though he did refuse to subscribe It is not to bee doubted indeede but that the onely cause that hath been pretended for the depriuation and suspension of some hath bene their refusing to conforme and that liberty hath bene offred vnto others vpon this condition onely if they would conforme But that this hath beene the onely cause why any haue suffred Depriuation or Suspension will hardly bee prooued by Master Spr. or any other man If then he knew it not before let him now vnderstand That the true cause why so many able and faithful Ministers haue suffred themselues to be depriu'd and suspended rather then they would conforme to the Ceremonies prescribed hath been partly but not only this that they haue iudged the ceremonies vnlawfull and partly that they knew though they should haue yeelded to the vse of them they could by no meanes haue bin assured that the bearing
of this heauy yoke would haue kept them in their Ministry vnlesse they could be content also to subscribe to the Booke of common prayer and those 39. Articles according to the Canon or at least forbeare to speake either publickly or priuately against any thing contained in them This being so M. Spr. should either first haue made it plaine that the only or at least chiefe cause why the Ministers haue been depriued vsually or suspended in England hath been their refusing to conforme or else hee should haue made this the state of his question Whether the suffring Depriuation rather then a man will conforme to the ceremonies in this case when besides conformity vpon the same penalty subscribing to the Booke of Common prayer and the 39. Articles or at least forbearing to speake against any thing contained in them is required be a sinne And this shall suffice to bee premised for a generall answere to his whole treatise Now the arguments whereby he laboureth to proue the lawfulnesse and necessitie of Conformity in the case of Depriuation are to be examined particularly His first maine argument is this The doctrine and practise of suffring depriuation specially vpon the reasons vrged against our ceremonies is contrary to the doctrine and practise of the Apostles The antecedent of this Argument for the consequent is strong and good hee laboureth to prooue first in this manner To refuse to do that which the Apostles with the whole Church at Ierusalem did by Diuine inspiration and commaundement doe themselues and both aduise and commaund others to doe is a sinne But to refuse conformity in the case of depriuation is to refuse to doe that which the Apostles and whole Church at Ierusalem did themselues and both aduised and commanded others to doe for they practised themselues and commanded others euen whole Churches to practise ceremonies as inconuenient and euill for number nature vse and euill effects as ours are supposed to be and that for reasons equiualent or inferiour to the auoyding of Depriuation Ergo to refuse to conforme in the case of depriuation is a sinne The proposition of this argument he neuer goeth about to proue which yet is most false and vnsound for the Apostles and whole Church a Ierusalem might by diuine inspiration and some speciall commandement of God both themselues vse and inioyne others to vse some Ceremonies in themselues as euill and inconuenient as ours yet it may be vnlawfull for a Minister now to vse ours except he did it by the same in spiration and had the like commandement from God as they had Abraham to manifest his faith was commanded by diuine vision to kil his sonne and if he had done it hee had in so doing done an excellent worke will this make it lawfull for all other belieuers for the manifestation of their faith to doe the like when they haue not the like speciall commandement from God to doe it The contrary would bee much better concluded by this argument viz. that the Apostles doctrine and practise doeth not so warrant a Minister now to conforme to such like Ceremonies because they that command them to doe so doe it not by diuine inspiration or commandement as the Apostles did That which he alleadgeth afterward for the confirmation of this proposition in his answere to the first obiect pag. makes it neuer a whit the stronger For first the answere he giues doeth but beginne the question and is the very same with the proposition it selfe whereof it should haue beene a proofe If the Apostles authoritie saith he were immediate from God and that they did was done by the direction of the Holy Ghost wee may bee the boulder to imitate them Secondly his second answere that though we may not imitate the Apostles in things peculiar to the office persons and times yet wee may in matter of common equitie and generall reason Insteed of confirming he doth directly ouerthrow his owne proposition for hee grants here that it is no sufficient warrant for vs to doe any thing for that the Apostles did so because they did many things by diuine direction that were peculiar to their office persons and time Thirdly he doeth expressely in this his second answere affirme that the Apostles did vrge the practise of these Ceremonies not from the immediate authoritie of God nor from the inspiration onely of the Holy Ghost but by reasons and rules of common equitie and perpetuall Wherein besides that he forgets what he had vrged before in the proofe of his assumption and expressely contradicts the text which affirmes that all the things they did write euen concerning matters of order in the Church were the commandements of the Lord 1. Cor. 14. 37. and that when they decreed these things in question they sayd it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and vs Act. 15. 28. hee hath also weakned his owne proposition here and made it of no strength at all For if the Apostles had vsed or inioyned these things and not done it by diuine inspiration and immediate authority from God whatforce could there bee in their example or commandement to bind our conscience The Apostles we know were men and subiect to error as other men in all cases wherein they were not immediately directed by the spirit of God And if the reason why we are to conforme be not this because the Apostles did so or because they did so by immediate direction from God but because they did that which the rules of common and perpetuall equitie and generall reason did require then an argument drawne from the doctrine of the Scribes and Pharises as well as of the holy Apostles might haue serued the turne For we are bound to follow them also where they do or teach that which the rules of common and perpetuall equitie and generall reason doe require But let the reasons be examined whereby he is moued to iudge that the Apostles did vse and inioyne these Ceremonies not by immediate authority from God nor from inspiration onely of the Holy Ghost but by reasons and rules of common and perpetuall equitie They vsed enioyned these things saith he for expediencie and necessitie to win the more to Christ and to further propagate the Gospel which though it be granted to be true yet shall we be as farre to seeke as we were before for still the question will be whether there be the same reasons now to moue vs to the vse of our Ceremonies as mooued the Apostles then to vse those There might be such speciall causes as made it expedient and necessary for them to vse and inioyne such Ceremonies then as neuer did fall out before nor shall doe againe while the world doth stand It is indeed a rule of common and perpetual equity that things expedient and necessary that may make for the winning of more to Christ and furtherance of the Gospel be done but that may be expedient and necessary vnto these ends for some persons at sometimes
obiected by the ministers in the abridgement that iustly and materially against our ceremonies Yet doth not the maine forces of this third argument lye in that but in this rather that though they be but humane Ceremonies yet they that inioyne them doe esteeme and impose them as partes of the worshippe of God which puts a manifest difference betweene them and the Ceremonies that were vsed by the Apostles or any Church by their appointment 4 In the imposing and vsing of ours those rules that are prescribed in the Word for matters of direction in the Church concerning Ceremonies are not kept For they are no way needfull or profitable for the edification of the Church but are knowne to cause offence euery where and hinderance vnto edification and are obserued only for the will and pleasure of them that doe inioyne them Theirs though they were vsed and appointed by them who had more farre absolute authority and might lawfully haue commanded in the Church of God specially doing that they did by the inspiration of the holy Ghost yet were they also squared directed by the rules of the holy Scripture and were no way offensiue but tended greatly to the edification of Gods people And how often hath Master Spr. affirmed in the prosecuting of this argument that they were profitable and necessary and alleadged for proofe thereof Acts 15. 28. 29. though heere as forgetting himselfe hee doe deny it Yea this very Section heere wherein hee takes vpon him to prooue they were not needfull or profitable they serued rather to destroy then to edifie the Church he concludes with this clause Yet their vse and yeelding serued to edifie by making way to the Churches peace and furtherrnce of the Gospel And this vaine of contradicting himselfe he taketh such pleasure in as he continueth it to the end of his discourse wherein he laboreth to proue that the fourth argument against the Ceremonies in the abridgement maketh as strongly against the Apostles as against our Church They were not profitable for order saith he in the beginning of that Section and in the conclusion of it affirmes yet it was order to vse and practise them in that case And in the beginning of the next Section hauing said they were not profitable for decency for what was more vndecent then for a Christian to vse idle vnfruitfull needlesse and beggarly rudiments by and by he addes yet did this indecency vphold an higher decency Which last phrase of speech besides the contradiction is very hard to be vnderstood for how can indecency support decency or in what sense can the establishment of the faith and the dayly increase of the number of the Churches bee termed a higher decency or how could the indecency of these Ceremonies establish the faith and increase the Churches After this in going about to shew that they were offensiue many wayes in the fift Section hee saith that in the euent they did serue indeede as meanes to infringe the Christian liberty and immediately after yet the vse and practise of these things by the direction of the Apostles did procure the liberty of the Gospell So that if M. Spr. himselfe be to be beelieu'd euery indifferent and vnderstanding man will easily discerne that the 4. Argument which the Ministers haue vsed against our ceremonies in the abridgement doth not any way concerne those which the Apostles did vse And surely it would be altogether needlesse to insist longer vpō this part of this his Discourse but that there is one thing affirmed by him which may not be passed ouer For noting this to be the 4. way whereby those ceremonies were offensiue that the Apostles themselues were offended in imposing that they did hee addeth that they taught against the things which they inioyned that namely they ought not to be vsed by the Iewes or Gentiles It is strange any learned or Godly man should so farre forget himselfe as to charge the holy Apostles to haue inoyned the faithfull to vse those things which themselues did teach ought not to be vsed either by Iewes or Gentiles specially when the text expresly saith that what they inioyned they inioyned by the direction of the Holy Ghost The place he citeth to proue this that he saith viz. Act. 21. 21. doth not affirme that Paul had taught so indeed but that the Iewes had been so informed of him and by Iames his words vers 24. it appeares also that information was false And if this which he speaketh of the Apostles preaching this against that which they did so decree were to be belieued which God forbid what had hee gained by it surely that there could be no force in this example or decree to bind vs in conscience to vse those things which they in their doctrine did teach ought not to be vsed by any Christian And so this his first Argument wherein he hath laboured so much and with so great confidence is by himselfe vtterly ouerthrowen The third maine point in cōfirmation of the assumption of his first Argument is this That the Apostles by diuine inspiration and commandement from God required the Churches to vse so many Ceremonies and such as were as inconuenient and euill as ours are supposed to bee That whatsoeuer the Apostles did inioyne the Churches they did it by diuine inspiration commandement from God is so vndoubted a truth as he needed not at all to haue troubled himselfe in the confirmation of it it being so hard to find any scholler that would so much gainsay or call this in question as hee himselfe hath sometimes done in this Treatise All the question in this point is Whether euer the Apostles did inioyne vnto whole Churches so many Ceremonies as ours are and those also as inconuenient and euill as ours are This he goeth about to prooue after this manner They caused others to practise ceremonies for Paul circumcised Timothie Act. 16. 3. and tooke the men and was purified with them Act. 21. 26. They aduised one another to practise ceremonies for Iames and the Elders perswaded Paul thus to conforme Acts. 21. 23. 24. They inioyned or commanded the practise of Ceremonies for thus did the Councill at Ierusalem Act. 15. 28. 29. This constitution is called the decrees that were ordained by the Apostles and Elders Act. 16. 4. and the determination of the Apostles Act. 21. 25. and this commaundement they gaue to whole Churches of diuers and farre distant countreys and Nations namely to the Gentiles in Antiochia Siria and Cilicia Act. 15. 23. and afterwards he addes that the Ceremonies that they did thus cause others to practise aduise one another to practise inioyne whole Churches to practise were as inconuenient and euill as ours both for number nature and euill effects For answere vnto all this First it were sufficient to say That he hath not performed that which he hath vndertaken because hee prooues not that the Apostles inioyned so many Ceremonies as wee haue in our Church or that
807. moueth a question de veste linea of the Surplesse Si in aliqua Ecclesia Euangelica prorsus non possit omitti vsus vestis lineae seu superpelliceae absque metu Schismatis aut subreptionis haereticorum quid tum faciendum Hee answereth Praestat tum vti veste linea tanquam re adiaphorâ quà m obstinata eius reiectione excitare Schisma inter rumpere cursum veritatis doctrinae praebere occasionem haereticis occupandi Ecclesiam And of this his iudgement he giueth instance in the Apostles practise thus Exemplum est in Paulo qui circumcidit Timotheum propter Iudaeos sciebant enim omnes Patrem eius Graecum esse Act. 16. 3. Now to the answer of my first reason Which first reason of mine when my Brethren went about to answere if they would needes vnstrip out of his owne coat which I had framed and draw into a Syllogisme of their owne yet ought they not to make an argument or new reason of their owne and so to fight without an aduersary But their duetie was as they wel know faithfully to haue taken all the substance of that I set downe in the whole reason and that especially included in my Syllogisme which they haue not done pietie and sinceritie and faithfull dealing should goe together and thus they should haue laid it downe To refuse to practise such Ceremonies which the Apostles by direction of the holy Ghost and vpon reasons of common and perpetuall equity did practise themselues and caused others to practise yea aduised and enioyned as matters good and necessary to be done on others especially in a like case in sundry maine and materiall respects is a sin But to refuse conformitie with our Ceremonies in the case of depriuation is to refuse to practise such Ceremonies which the Apostles by direction of the holy Ghost and vpon reasons of common and perpetuall equitie did practise themselues and caused others to prctise yea aduised and inioyned as matters good and necessary to bee done on others and that in like case in diuers maine and material respects Ergo To refuse to conforme in the case of depriuation is a sinne The Proposition of this argument thus proposed is sufficiently confirmed in that which is included in the second member of mine answere to the first obiectiō in these words though we may not imitate the Apostles in things peculiar to their office persons and times yet we may follollow them and are bound in conscience so to doe in matter of common equitie and generall reason for as the Apostles had warrant from the holy Ghost so haue we warrant from the Apostles examples and from the reasons for which the holy Ghost moued them to doe these things Thus if my Brethren had proposed mine argument they needed not to haue spent so many words nor sounded such a triumph before the victory viz. 1. That the proposition is false and vnsound 2. That I neuer go about to proue it which assertion of theirs they streight confute themselues by setting down my proofes of the proposition 3. That I forgot my selfe what I had vrged before 4. That I weaken my proposition and make it of no strength But let vs see what materiall shew of exceptions they bring against the proposition of mine argument Whereas I said that the Apostles did vse and inioyne the Iewish Ceremonies not onely by immediat authority from God but by reasons also and rules of common and perpetuall equity and further did giue instance of the rule of expediency and necessity out of Act. 15. 28. The answere is that though it be granted to be true yet shall they be as farre to seeke as before they were For still the question will be whether there be the same reasons now to moue vs to the vse of our Ceremonies as moued the Apostles then because they suppose there might be some speciall causes might make those Ceremonies necessary which neuer fell out before nor shall doe so againe And to this I say that there needed no such further seeking as before and the questions demanded touching common reasons with the Apostles were set downe in the selfe same place where they read the other in the words immediately following which reasons are these namely 1. To winne the more 1. Cor. 9. 19. 20. 21. 22. Now all men know that this reason should moue euery godly minister in his place and according to his parts and calling to labour the winning of soules no lesse then it did moue the Apostles for all are required to be faithfull 2. Cor. 4. 1. 2. all are alike commanded of God in the Prou. all alike are to receiue reward Dan. 12. 3. 2. To further and propagate the Gospell 1. Cor. 9. 23. which also is a common care appertaing to vs now as to the Apostles then For the commandement giuen to the the Apostles doth stretch in respect of place to all Nations Matth. 28. 19. Luk. 24 47. and in regard of time to the end of the world Mat. 28. 19. 20. Reu. 14. 6. 7. Wherefore the following might be or supposall of causes might haue well beene spared vnlesse they had been named For my Brethren doe well know that A posse ad esse non val et argumentatio Howbeit they confesse at last that the two forenamed reasons be matters of common and perpetuall equity what need then was there to seeke for that they had or question that they grant at last and yet againe they ouerwhelme them with a new supply of vnwarranted supposalls that something may be expedient for some persons and times as are not for other without a speciall calling from God But heere againe the former rule cuts them off from arguing from a naked and vnproued supposal And indeede it is but petitio principij an encroaching on the point in question Besides it is a very feeble answere that is onely affirmed without proofe so might a man argue against the practise of euery part of discipline practised by the Apostles which may be said to be proper to their function time and place Therefore it followeth by this kinde of argumentation their practise may seeme to giue vs no stronger warrant then the practise of those Ceremonies in the case of necessity vnlesse we were inspired and had immediate authority from God The like might be argued from other sundry matters 2. To the exception of the next member or allegation that namely the holy Ghost teacheth ruleth the Church by the same reason reuealed in his Word as well now as then and therefore the reasons warranting the Apostles to conforme to the Iewish ceremonies may moue vs to conforme to these in the like case It seemeth to me a palpable cauill and it may seeme probable to others that my Brethren would heere studiously not vnderstand my meaning For what need was there for me as they could possibly suppose to proue a duty of common equity by an extraordinary case or by a sentence of extraordinary
pressing it * Thus do all our godly learned men hold Paraeus in Gal. 2. f. 81. 82. Paulus Titum â—â—â—cumcisione defendendo recte fecit quia falsâ—â—â—â—nionem circumcisionis necessariae ad salutem staâ—â—lire non debuit Aretius in Act. 16. 3. f. 75. Titum noluit circumcidere quia videbat hoc peti tanquam ad salutem necessarium Idem ad Gal. 2 f. 224. circumcisionem Galatis obtruserunt vt ad salutem necessarium post obserua hîc quando sint 〈…〉 adiaphora túm scil cùm necessitas illis aniâ—â—ctitur habet enim meritum aliquod in causa salutis Gualt in Act. hom 106. f. 199 Propter hoâ— Titum circumcidere noluit eo quod illos libertati fidelium astutè insidiari videret Gal. 2. lege reg vniuersalem eo loci Idem in Gal. 2 Hom. 11 f. 32. quando Timotheum circumcidit nulla erat eo loci de circumcisione controuersia In Titi autem causus de circumcisione controuertebatur erant qui hanc ad salutem dixerint esse necessariam Piscator in Gal. 2. obseru ad v. 3. 4. 5. Titum circumcidere noluit propter Iudaeos pertinaces 〈◊〉 exemplo isto abuterenter ad iactandum consensum Pauli de suo dogmate quasi sâ—â—l circumcisio ad huc in N. T sit necessaria ad salutem Calum Titum circumcidere non poterat quia puram Euangelij doctrinam proderet in Act. 16. 3. fol. 271. a. Perkins in Gal. 2. tom 1. fol 218 b. as if he should say For my part I was ready to circumcise Titus if there had beene a meete occasion False brethren would haue imposed a necessitie vpon vs Then I and Titus refused After learne that a thing indifferent when it is made necessary to saluation as circumcision was is not to bee vsed This conclusion serues to ouerthrow the Popish religion c. Looke Beza and Roll. on this place ex necessitate salutis as Acts 15. 1 5. or as a worke iustificatory Galat 5. 2 3. whereby Paul notes that circumcision would haue beene a bondage as they did Act. 15. 10. Whereupon I conclude that Paul euen after the reproofes of the Epistle to Galat. 2. and 4. and Tit. 1. would haue beene no lesse ready to haue circumcised Titus in a like case with Timothy then hee was to circumcise Timothy after the decree of the councell of Ierusalem as Master Perkins noteth on Galathians 2. and so I say touching our Ceremonies though in our Church to redeeme the ministry and libertie of the Gospell a man were bound to conforme to the prescribed Ceremonies yet if wee were called to a case of confession if the Ceremony were vrged as needfull to saluation if our conscience were compelled to vse them if iustification were taught in their vse I holde plainely that a man should lose goods liberty life ministry then to conforme vnto them wherefore there is no such absurdity as my Brethren presuppose in affirming that which is with so good euidence approued and that which I alleadged in my answere to the sixt obiection though my brethren promised to answere it but did not standeth firme 3. The third member fearing least it might be proued which in the former member is denied putteth case that if such abuse or euill effects of such Ceremonies vsed by the Apostles had beene knowne before or when they vsed them yet would not this proue them euery way as inconuenient and euill as ours where my brethren forget that they goe on in peruerting my words For I said not that I would proue them euery way simply as inconuenient as our Ceremonies but added expressely in sundry maine respects Let it be supposed that those Ceremonies were sometimes Gods ordinances inioyned to Churches by the Apostles that these our Ceremonies were neuer good nor in themselues may serue to any good vse what serueth this to ouerthrow my conclusion which is this that the Iewish Cermonies were as inconuenient and euill as our Ceremonies then in conforming to the like case we shall doe well and if wee doe euill in conforming to the Ceremonies to preuent depriuation then did the Apostles and other persons euill in a much like case to conforme to Ceremonies as euill and inconuenient as ours are deemed in many maine respects And here my brethren thinke fit to examine the contents of my second reason which is brought for the proofe of this point Which is this as they affirme for mee that nothing in substance is obiected against our Ceremonies which might not haue beene said as well against those which the Apostles and the Churches in their times did vse Here againe I call vpon my brethren for fidelitie for I proposed my second reason thus That the same obiections in substance and for the most part which are brought forth against our Ceremonies to proue them simply and in nature sinne may be obiected and applied to the doctrine and practise of the Apostles The differences are these first I propose the reason affirmatiuely they negatiuely Wherewith they giue themselues more aduantage to confute and mee lesse to defend as all men knowe Secondly they say that nothing in substance is obiected leauing out that which I added and for the most part Thirdly they adde which might not haue been said as well which words I haue not but they haue added for their owne aduantage Which alteration if my Brethren had not made they needed not accuse me that I left out much of the force and substance of their arguments For I well know that in some things agreement in both cases would not stand and yet my reason would haue iustified it selfe But I must goe along to see how well my Brethren proue the point they affirme namely that the arguments made by them doe ouerthrow our Ceremonies and yet neuer a one doe giue the least touch to those which the Apostles and the Churches vsed and to this purpose they runne ouer foure members or orders of differences betweene the Ceremonies of our Church and those practised by the Apostles The first sort of difference affirmeth that our Ceremonies are first humane inuentions secondly notoriously knowen to be abused to superstition false doctrine thirdly and of no necessary vse in the Church all which suppose I grant let my Brethren tell me plainely whether these exceptions might not haue beene vrged by the Pastors of the Gentiles touching the iniunction made at Ierusalem as abstinence from blood and strangled and touching the practise of Circumcision shauing vowing offering and obseruation of the Iewish Sabboth by Paul and the Apostles That namely these Ceremonies are simply vnlawfull and in nature euill First because Iesus Christ heing come which was the body of whose comming they were shadowes and therefore in their nature rudiments of great pouertie and weakenesse impotent and beggerly rudiments and in themselues considered of no vse or profit and therefore leauing to be Gods commandements for God commanded them as ceremonies in the time