a feeble Primacy the Pope had in those times besides his possibilities and actuality of erring euen in Catheà ra being so countermaunded reprooued and disobeyed by such incomparable Churches and teachers Secondly how dangerously the Papists put the iumpe of all their sempiternall expectations vppon the credit euen of the greatest clerkes which so vntruely falsly and corruptly relate the recordes of antiquity Next for the effect and abuse of these things in the people wee may easily see that if the fountaines bee troubled the streames cannot bee cleere as may appeare by that which followeth Many things commaunded in the holy Scriptures and of very holsome and good vse were lesse respected and cared for then many light matters whereof they ouerbouldly presumed August Epist 119. cap. 19. Many of them neglected and swallowed great things placing opinion of religion and shewing great diligence in following or practising such things as had in them small profit Hieronymus in Mattheum cap. 23. Many of them were obserued to bee troublesome to others by being caried on with a contentious obstinacy others by a superstitious timorousnesse about such trifles as neither were comfirmed by authority of the holy Scripture nor by the custome of the Church in generall neither serued for any profit to the amendment of life and manners August Epist 118. cap. 3. As for example they were very superstitious and precise in bearing about certaine little peeces of the Gospels and of the wood of the crosse istiusmodi rebus and in the like things and vsque bodié factitant doing it euen to that day hauing the zeale of God but not according to knowledge straining at a gnat and swallowing a Cammell Hieron in Matt. cap. 23. They were maruelous precise in their fastings for on their fasting dayes they would eate no oile nor bread but figges pepper nutts dates flower hony pistachia all herbes and fruits growing in the garden delicias and other delicates they would not drinke water but they would haue instead thereof sorbitiunculas delicatas delicate suppings and the Iuice of herbes pressed out and that not in a cup but in the shell of a Sea-fish they sought famam abstinentiae in delitijs commendation of their abstinence by vsing delicates Hierom. calleth these things ineptiae superstitiones Ieiunium superstitiosum in Epist ad Neapot They censured such as dined on the Sabbath soberly and did not fast as the manner of some places was that namely they were in the flesh and could not please God that they were wicked persons belly mongers and that they sauoured of the flesh and of death and their voice was this recedant a me iniqui viam eorum esse nolo and they separated from them Aug. Epist 86. ad Casulanum They would not serue God in a temple once abused to Idolatry neither eate any herbes growing in the garden nor drinke any water running from the fountaine of an Idoll-temple Idem Epist 154. Publicol They would more sharpely reprooue a man qui per octauas suas terram nudo pede tetigerit Who during the time of their octaues should touch the ground with his bare feete then a man which was with wine starke drunke Idem Epist 119. cap. 19. Some of them did absteine from eating flesh with such a mind as that they iudged those persons vncleane which did eat thereof This Augustine writeth out of the report of Ianuar. Epist 119. cap. 20. and giueth his censure thereof that namely apertissimé contra fidem sanamque doctrinam est In a word many of them out of their owne fancies or from the custome of other places did cause such litigious questions about these matters vngrounded in the Scripture and vnprofitable in their nature that they thought nothing right which they did not themselues August Epist 118. cap. 3. And thus in part we see a small glimse of the state of the Primatiue Church of Christ which we commonly account and is heere extended from the daies of the Apostles vntil the time of S. Augustine or there about For afterwards the same which then was clouded declined vnto darke night and we will descend no lower knowing that iust exception might be taken at it in this argument Now in the next place we will giue a taste of the doctrine and practise of the Fathers and the faithfull in the middest of these corruptions that we may see how the doctrine of suffering depriuation for inconuenient ceremonies farre more for number and worse for qualitie then ours are pretended hath by them beene proposed and practised Touching their doctrine of this point thus they taught That the Apostles driftin their writings was not to set downe Canons and Decrees concerning Feasts and Holidaies or such like Ceremonies of the Church but to set downe a president of pietie good life and godly conuersation Socrat. 5. 22. Seeing there is no man able to shew any president or record in writing of fasting daies or the like traditions it is euident that the Apostles did leaue free choice and libertie to euery Church at the discretion thereof without feare compulsion and constraint to vse that which seemeth good and commendable for it selfe ibid. the like doth Augustine Epist 86. speake of fasting They obserued three sorts of Traditions or Ceremonies in the Churches of their times First such as Christ left to his Church expresly set downe in the Canonicall Scriptures which Augustine calleth an easie yoke and light burthen very few for the number very easie for the obseruation very excellent for signification he mentioneth onely baptisme and the Lords Supper whereby hee hath knit together the society noui Populi of the new Church Secondly such Traditions or Ceremonies in the Churches of their times as are not written but deliuered and are obserued throughout the whole world supposed to proceed from the Apostles or from the prescription of generall Councells whose authority was wholesome quoth he to be esteemed of such as the dayes obserued yeerely to the memoriall of Christ his passion resurrection asension and descension of the holy Ghost commonly called Pentecost or Whitsontide Thirdly such as in diuers parts and places of the world are obserued diuersly as for example that some doe fast on the Sabboth others doe not so some doe daily receiue the Communion other receiue it on certaine dayes In some places it is celebrated on all dayes without exception other where onely on Saturne dayes and on the Lords day Et si quid aliud huiusmodi animaduerti potest totum hoc genus rerum liberas habet obseruationes August Epist 118. cap. 1. 2. Ianuar. That there ought of necessity one faith to be spread ouer the whole Church as the soule within the members albeit this vnitie of faith be celebrated and solemnized with diuers obseruations by which diuersity that which is true in the substance of faith nullo modo impeditur is no way hindred because all the beautie of the Kings daughter is within but the outward Ceremonies
Greeke and Latine Churches the euidence hereof as namely in Clemens Alexand. Tertull. Cyprian Basill Ambrose Hierom Augustine and others And for the latitude of this varietie it stretched very farre euen ouer the whole face of the Christian world Iraeneus in Euseb 5. 24. and Firmilianus in Cyprian Epist 75. doe shew the great difference and varietie of ceremonies betweene the Churches of Ierusalem and Rome that is of the Easterne and Westerne parts of the world and of the seuerall Prouinces among themselues And Augustine to Casulan Epist. 86. and to Ianuar. Epist 118. 119. declareth the difference of customes and rites in the Citie of Rome and Millaine and in multitude of other places of his dayes Quae diuer sorum locorum diuersis moribus saith hee innumerabiliter variantur Epist. 119. cap. 19. in as much as for the varietie thereof Socra 5. 22. affirmeth that a man could scarce finde two Churches retaining and following one order in both places and for the multitude thereof hee saith that to set downe in writing the diuers and innumerable ceremonies and customes dispersed throughout Cities and Countries would proue a very tedious piece of worke and hardly nay impossible to bee performed A taste whereof in both hee giueth largely in that place together with his censure The like doe Sozomen 7. 19. who mentioneth other diuersities The reasons of which varietie and number if wee would giue we must distinguish of their qualitie for if they were conuenient ceremonies rightly deduced out of the generall grounds of Gods Word their varietie and difference proceeded from the lawfull libertie which God hath left vnto all Churches to order and appoint fit ceremonies for themselues as they see to be most apt to further their owne edification if they were more studiously commended by them then was meet it was as Sadeele saith vt viam Schismaticis obstruerent De verb. Dei script cap. 5. fol. 32. Or if otherwise they were inconuenient friuolous and needelesse and as many of them proued to be euident occasion of following superstition contention The cause of them in generall is alleadged by Martyr Loc. com class 2. cap. 5. § 17. to bee this that the diuell did presently begin to sow his tares vpon the good seede which was sowed by Christ and his Apostles the particular reasons wherof shall be shewed in that which followeth 2 Touching the kinde and qualitie of the Ceremonies and traditions vsed by the Primatiue Churches if we would examine the particulars wee should finde them to haue beene farre more scandalous and hurtfull then ours can bee imagined to bee not onely in their abuse which I will note in the next member but also in their nature which to mention onely is to make euident as for examples sake I will giue instance of some part Touching Baptisme they vsed THe annointing of the Baptized Tertul. contra Marcion lib. 1. Distinc. 11. cap. 5. de consecr Dist. 4. cap. 87. 90. This Ceremonie signified vnto them that they were Christians and Champions fighting and contending for God Tertul. and was commended as Apostolicall Basil de spir sancto cap. 27. The putting of milke and hony into the mouthes of the Baptised commended as proceeding from the Apostles Tertul. contra Marcion de coron milit In some places also wine and milke without hony Hierom. contra Lucifer The arraying of the Baptized in a white garment Tertul. ibid. de consecratione dist 4. canon 91. 92. in token that they did put on innocency and puritie ibid. out of Ambrose and Rabanus The crossing of the childe in Baptisme Tertul. de resurrect carnis Caro signatur vt anima muniatur August tract 118. in Ioan. serm 55. saith that they vsed it in euery Sacrament and that else Baptisme was not performed after the rites and manner vnlesse the signe of the Crosse were made in the childes forehead To dippe the childe three times in token of the Trinity Basil de spir sancto cap. 27. Sozomen 6. 26. commended also as Apostolicall by Basil Turtul in other places they vsed to dippe the childes head onely and that three times Hierom. contra Lucifer cap. 4. and that in token and remembrance both of the Trinity as also of Christ his three dayes death and buriall in the graue as also of his resurrection which was performed the third day Tertul. ibid. de consecra dist 4. can 78. 80. 81. out of Augustine Hierom Gregorie in other places they dipped the childe but once onely Cyp. to signifie the vnity of Gods essence de consecr Dist 4. can 82. To Baptise only once in the yeere and that in the Easter holidayes Socra lib. 5. cap. 22. also three times in the yeere viz. on the dayes of Christs Natiuity Easter Whitsontide Zopper polit eccle lib. 1. cap. 12. fol. 76. They deferred the baptising of their conuerts two yeres after their conuersion to the faith Caranza summa concil in Elibert concil can 42. To absteine a weeke after Baptisme from washing Tertul. cont Mar. lib. 1. To renounce openly the Diuell and his Angels and to giue the Ministers the right hand Tertul. de coron milit commended by him as Apostolicall De consecrat dist 4. can 95. also Decre part 1. dist 11. cap. 5. ex Basil commended as Apostolicall To blesse the font with oyle ibid. Dist 11. cap. 5. ex Basil commended also by him as Apostolicall Touching the Lords Supper THey were accustomed to signe the elements with the signe of the Crosse for so was euery Sacrament signed August tract 118. in Ioan. Serm. 55. To mingle water with wine Cypr. l. 2. Epist 3. 63. and he calleth this Dominica traditio They also vsed onely water in steede of wine which persons so celebrating the Eucharist are in the fore alleadged place by Cypr. called Aquarij To giue the Eucharist to infants Cypr. serm de Lapsis To receiue the Lords supper euery day August Epist 118. cap. 2. thus it was receiued in Rome and in Spaine Hierom. Epist. ad Licin 28. in other places onely on the Lords day Socra 5. 22. In other places on Saturne day and the Lords day August Epist 118. cap. 2. To receiue the Lords supper in some places in the morning and that fasting but in other places after supper and that being well fed Socrates 5. 22. Cyprian lib. 2. Epist 3. Augustine Epist 119. cap. 6. commendeth the receiuing of the Lords supper fasting to be a tradition Apostolicall and that it was obserued in all the world They sent the Eucharist to other Churches for a token of their consent in the faith and of their loue to one another Eusebius 5. 24. They reserued part of the bread of the Eucharist and sent it to such as were absent Iustin Martyr The people caried the bread of the Eucharist home and kept it in a little boxe Cypr. de Lapsis Tertul. lib. 2. ad vxorem in other places they burned that which was left Origen in Leu. 7. Hesych in Leu.
which are diuersly obserued are as vpon her garment August Epist 86. That the difference and variety of fastings or of dayes obserued in diuers Churches or Ceremonies of like nature doth not interrupt or impaire but commend the vnity and consonance of faith so saith Irenaeus Euseb 5. 24. the like is in Distinct 12. cap. 3. scit Sancta That if their be any matter of this quality which is contrary to the grounded obseruation of Christ and his Apostles It must be reduced to the doctrine practise of Christ and his Apostles againe though their predecessours of simplicitie or ignorance had erred which by Gods mercy might be pardoned to them in which case men ought not to obserue what any man before them did thinke fit to be done but what Iesus Christ who is farre before all did performe himselfe Cypr. Epist 3. lib. 2. Legantur plura That Ceremonies and Traditions such as fasting on a certaine day as on the Lords day after that they haue beene vsurped and abused by detestable and damnable Heretikes as that was by the Maniches ought not to be obserued but disused for the scandall thereof Aug. Ep. 86. Casul That all such Ceremonies and Traditions which are not contained in the holy Scriptures neither established by general Councels neither vniuersally obserued in the Church but are varied innumerable waies in diuers Churches which either for number did ouerload the Church with a seruile burthen or for whose continuance there could not be giuen a sound reason albeit it doe not appeare that they be contra fidem yet vbi facultas tribuitur sine vlla dubitatione resecanda existimo They ought without staggaring to bee cut off when conueniently they may saith Augustine Epist 119. cap. 19. Ianuario That these cautions in establishing of Ceremonies being obserued such Ecclesiasticall Traditions as do no hurt vnto the faith are so to be obserued as they are deliuered of the auncients neither ought the opposite custome of some ouerthrow or preiudice the custome of other dist 12. cap. 4. Illud out of Hier. Epist 28. ad Lucinum In the which Epistle hee concludeth also thus Vnaquaeque prouincia abundet in sensu suo Touching Ceremonies let euery Countrey abound in their owne sence presupposing their former caution that therein they impaire not the faith That whatsoeuer is inioyned in any Church which is Neque contra fidem neque contra bonos more 's neyther opposite against faith neyther yet good manners is to beholden as indifferent and to be kept according to their custome with whom wee liue August Epist 118. cap. 2. Ianuar. That in matters whereof the Scripture hath determined no certainty the custome of Gods people is to be followed August Epist. 86. That there is no rule or discipline better or more fit for a graue and prudent Christian then to doe after that manner as he seeth to be performed in that church to the which it falleth out that he shal come Aug. Epist. 118. This is to be vnderstood of such Ceremonies as before he saith are not contrary to faith nor manners for of such hee expresly speaketh and then also he presupposeth a true Church That into whatsoeuer Church a man shal come he ought to obserue the customes or Ceremonies which hee findeth there to be in vse if he will not giue scandall to others neither receiue scandall from other This was the counsell of Ambrose to Augustine on the behalfe of his mother Monica Ego verò saith Augustine de hâc sententia etiam atque etiam cogitans ita semper habui tanquam eam caelesti oraculo susceperim Epist 118. cap. 3. That vpon occasion of refusall of these matters Cauendum est ne tempestate contentionis serenitas charitatis obnubiletur August Epist 86. The law of charity must moderate this controuersie That if disputation bee once admitted on the one side from the diuers custome of some Churches to condemne others in these Ceremonies there will arise interminata luctatio a boundlesse strugling or contention which with toile of ianling will produce no conclusions of any certaine truth Agust Epist 86. That if on the other side men do labour to ground their particular Ceremonies on the authoritie of the Apostles thence also commeth interminabilis contentio generans lites non finiens quaestiones an in determinable contention breeding strife without deciding of the question Idem ibid. That it was most euidently opposite to faith and to sound doctrine for Christians about the vsing or not vsing of these things to censure one another in respect of their standing in true grace by iudging one another to be vncleane August Epist 119. cap. 20. Thus of their doctrine Now of their practise ALthough the teachers of diuers Churches did vary very much in the iudgement practise of diuers Ceremonies as for example in the obseruation of fasting some fasting one day some two some more some fortie as Euseb 5. 24. as also in the celebration of the daies as of the daie of Easter some obseruing it on the Lords day as the Westerne Churches did some keeping it on the foureteenth of the moneth both sides deriuing their practise from the Apostles Socrat. 5. 22. yet for all this difference they were at vnitie one with another thus writeth Irenaeus to Victor Eusebius 5. 24. they were not at discord one with another neither fell they out Socrat. 5. 22. they varied not among themselues about these trifling matters Euseb 5. 24. they perswaded not one another vpon either side to practise other then they did Euseb 5. 24. they vsed not a word of discord about this matter ibid. they did not euer excommunicate one another for this difference Euseb 5. 24. they did communicate on with another for all this difference Socrat. 5. 22. they parted when they met one from another in peace Euseb 5. 24. they neuer deuided the Communion of the Church neither brake they asunder the bonds of amitie Socrat. 5. 22. nor depart from their mutuall Communion Sozom. 7. 19. but all of them in their variety held fast the bond of loue and vnitie Euseb 5. 24. and the reason is well added and expressed by Sozom. 7. 19. for they held it quoth he a friuolous thing and that deseruerdly for those to be mutually separated from the benefit of eithers Communion Qui in praecipuis religionis capitibus consentirent which agreed in the chiefe and fundamentall points of religion For neither saith he shall you finde the same traditions in all Churches alike in euery point albeit they agree among themselues and to proue this hee fetteth downe a multitude of differences of diuers Churches both of discipline and Ceremonies They sharpely reproued such Euseb 5. 24. and bitterly inueighed against them Socrat. 5. 22. as troubled the Church by attempting to compell other Churches from their owne auncient custome to their practise and for threatning them with excommunication for not obeying their admonition as before we noted They regarded not