of this Raillery it did chance to be laid to his charge that their Disciplinarian way did smell of Donatism and Anabaptism and was a kind of Papism Now what defence does he make If amongst the filth of their Heresies viz. the Papists Donatists and Anabaptists there may be found any good thing as it were a grain of good Corn in a great deal of Darnel that we willingly receive not as theirs but as the Jews did the Holy Ark from the Philistins whereof they were unjust Owners Yea it may come to pass that the Synagogue of Satan may at some time have some one thing with more convenience than the Catholick Church of Christ Our Liturgy is indeed taken from them but as gold is purg'd from dross And there are divers things wherein we agree with them because it is no crime to agree with them there where they do not disagree with the word of God And because it is not hard to believe that running into a contrary extream that an Aversation from what is Innocent among them does harden them in their Errors as much yea a great deal more than a retaining some Customs which may honestly be retain'd If we do not symbolize with them in the superstition of their Rites there is no reason we should be charg'd with superstition because we do not run a madding from them as far as we are able into another extream This is that I had to say to the second general Proposition which hath exceeded the proportion of the other because it was my chief design The Doctrines upon which the Conformity of the Church of England is established are not superstitious Opinions 3. The Opinions that are superstitious Sect. 19. such as are divers which obtain in the Church of Rome and elsewhere are rejected by the Church of England There are many differences between us and the Church of Rome and they are not all reducible to this Topick of superstition There are Doctrines among them of other denominations because they serve some secular Interest of profit or pleasure or honour so is it easy to evince that the Doctrine of Purgatory and Celibacy of Priests and others are Doctrines of men who reckon gain their Godliness The Doctrine of Indulgences and Dispensations c. does not only design profit but together with other loose Doctrines of Morality makes a very easie way to Heaven and so is sensual and pleasurable And the Supremacy of the Pope and exemption of Ecclesiasticks from secular Jurisdiction is a Doctrine of Mundane greatness and unsufferable Ambition There may be a mixture of superstition in all or any of these according as mens apprehensions are concerning them But there are other matters wherein I give account of their superstition Bishop Morton hath comprehended this in three generals wherein he does at the same time vindicate the Church of England and condemn that of Rome Our Church in her Service-Book does Presentment of a Schismatick p. 14. make known to all the World that she does detest the superstition of the Romish Ceremonies by condemning their superstitious Opinions First In making them necessary parts of Gods Worship Secondly In ascribing an efficacious sanctity to them Thirdly By arrogating a meritorious condignity from them to themselves I need not restrain my discourse to Ceremonies only be it in Ceremony or be it in substance If I make it appear that they esteem that a necessary part of Gods worship which ought not to be so esteem'd and so for the other two I shall conclude right when I charge them with superstition An Enumeration of particulars will be the best evidence in this matter I therefore give Instances to show that for these several reasons the Church of Rome is guided by superstitious Opinions to superstitious practices by which it will also appear that the Church of England does renounce those practices at least if for other reasons some of them be retain'd yet the Opinion which is the original of their practice is disowned by us 1. That opinion is superstitious whereby men judge and esteem any usages in Religion necessary when they are not so or more necessary than indeed they are When men advance any thing in the worship of God beyond its nature judging that to be holy and to have a relation to God which hath none or to have a nearer relation than in truth it hath Pius IV. in a Creed which he impos'd Oruphrius in Vit. Pii 4. p. mihi 384. furnishes us with sufficient Instances When he had by his Diploma allow'd and confirm'd all that was done at the Council of Trent he proceeded to direct in what manner Bishops should be made Then it follows Hanc Fidei formulam quam Episcopi designati profiterentur instituit He appointed a certain Creed which all that were to be made Bishops should make profession of In the Conclusion of which Creed are these words Hanc veram Catholicam fidem extra quam nemo salvus esse potest sponte profiteor c. This true Catholick Faith out of which no man can be saved I willingly profess Now among the Credenda which he reckons and obliges others to reckon necessary to Salvation are such as these That there are seven Sacraments of the New-Testament properly so called instituted by Jesus Christ The propitiatory Sacrifice of the Mass Transubstantiation Purgatory Invocation of Saints worshipping Reliques and Images and lest enough should not be crowded into that Creed it is added Caetera item omnia à sacrosanctâ Tridentinâ Synodo tradita definita declarata indubitanter recipio atque profiteor All that was determin'd at the Council of Trent is to be receiv'd without scruple This is the Faith without which they say no man can be saved How these Opinions are rejected by our Church is too plain to need proof It rest to say however otherwise faulty and dangerous they are this makes them superstitious that they are made necessary whereas indeed they are false I mean not every thing established by that Council of Trent but the Articles before-named and divers other like things decreed in that Council If the Intendment of this Essay were principally against the Church of Rome it would the less be an excursion if the things now mention'd were severally consider'd and their repugnancy to Scripture shown but being design'd rather for the Vindication of the Church of England and that for the sake of those who agree with us in rejecting these Doctrines I am not willing to engage in all these Controversies I think it sufficient to add another instance under this Head and so convict them together of superstition The Council of Trent does advance Histor Concil Trident. Sess 4. Unwritten Traditions to an Authority equal with the word of God When the question is mov'd what are these Unwritten Traditions their Authors distinguish between such as are Divine Apostolical and Ecclesiastical Those which they call Divine are in the Account of
Sacraments The Presbyterians require sitting at the Lords Supper because significant Their pretence of the Example of Christ not sufficient Because p. 93 SECT XIV First That Example does no more oblige in this than in other Circumstances of Time and place unless in the significancy of it which then is as much superstitious as our kneeling For secondly They have not Example for the same manner of sitting Thirdly Not certain whether they have Example for any manner of sitting at all p. 100 SECT XV. They use another significant Ceremony in the Covenant and consent they require of people whereby they should own their Minister Worcestershire Agreement gives account of it Distinction between Discipline and Worship will not help them p. 108 SECT XVI Upon these Grounds the Church of England not superstitious unless the number of Ceremonies be too great Which hath been complain'd of without Cause and some of them acknowledge in our favour A Digression about the number of Ceremonies Or unless our Rites be requir'd as somewhat more than Indifferent In which the Prefaces to our Liturgy vindicate us p. 112 SECT XVII Two Objections 1. Ceremonies impos'd as Indifferent are not so So they were once believ'd But now some N. C ts think not so of them Answer Where no Law no Transgression Not forbid in the second Command nor elsewhere The Surplice and Kneeling and the Cross particularly consider'd p. 123 SECT XVIII 2 Obj. Though in Nature Indifferent yet some Accidents may render it sinful to impose or practise them They are thought by Bagshaw to be laid as snares for tender Consciences If so it would be Tyranny rather than superstition But it blasphemes Dignities so to think The Accidents consider'd Because they are offensive because they come from Papists The law of not giving offence does not disoblige the subject from obedience in things in themselves lawful Nor does it disable the Magistrate from making laws in things Indifferent The abuse of Popery signified nothing to T. C. in his own case The second General Proposition concluded p. 132 SECT XIX Third Proposition The Opinions that are superstitious are rejected by the Church of England Divers Objections against Popery besides superstition but that now to be consider'd They are superstitious First in making their Ceremonies necessary parts of Gods worship Pius IV. Creed impos'd upon all Bishops makes all the Doctrines of Trent necessary to salvation They equal Traditions to the written word and so introduce false Doctrines They teach for Doctrines the Commands of men and so are superstitious p. 144 SECT XX. Secondly They ascribe an efficacious sanctity to their Ceremonies They worship the Cross with Latra and affirm that it scares away the Devil drives away diseases and sanctifies the things on which it is made This is superstition to expect effects as by divine Institution which we have no warrant to expect Estius endeavours to salve the matter but not to satisfaction They teach that the Sacraments confer Grace Ex opere Operato and that is superstitious Bellarmines distinction between opus operatum and operantis to their prejudice p. 154 SECT XXI Thirdly Their Doctrine of Merit is superstitious Bellarmine ascribes Merit and satisfaction to good Works His famous acknowledgment to the contrary We own a necessity of good works but exclude Merit Whatever else is any where done upon a Religious account farther than Religion ought to be concern'd is superstitious The Church of England not guilty in any of these Cases p. 163 SECT XXII The Fourth Proposition There are superstitious Omissions of which men may be guilty when they seem greatly to abhor superstition A Negative Superstition A superstitious fearfulness of which Lord Bacon and St. Austin complain Such was that of the Jews who would not defend themselves on the Sabbath day Of the Souldiers in Sfetigrade The N. C ts have reason to examine whether their Abstinence be not such To abstain from that which is lawful as believing it Unlawful this undue opinion of Religious Matters is superstitious The Conclusion p. 171 ERRATA PAge 95. line 9. for where insignificant read wherein significant p. 149. l. 13. for rest r. rests the lesser faults are left to the ingenuity of the Reader to correct or pardon THere is lately published the seventh Edition of a Body of Divinity c. By the most Reverend Father in God James Usher late Arch-Bishop of Armagh to which is added his Life containing many remarkable passages never before Extant Sold by Jonathan Robinson at the Golden-Lyon in St. Paul's Church-Yard A DISCOURSE OF Superstition With respect to the PRESENT TIMES c. THE prejudices and disaffections Sect. 1. which have alienated so many from the Communion of the Church of England owe themselves to no Original more than to an Opinion taken up that some Usages in our Church are Superstitious An Opinion strongly concluded but upon weak grounds and by a Process very illogical For when the Adversaries of our Order and Peace have amply represented how jealous God is of his Honour how severely he hath threatned the breaches of the second Commandment and how sorely he hath punished the Idolatry of the Jews in the application of these things to our Times Superstition and Idolatry are frequently join'd as equally forbidden in that Commandment and without more proof the Church of England is supposed guilty of Superstition and good people are exhorted to come out of her upon pain of partaking of those Plagues which Idolaters have reason to fear From the times of Queen Elizabeth down to our days Superstition hath been laid to our Charge Mr Hooker acknowledges and resents it Ecclesiastic Pol. Book 5. §. 4. So it is judged our Prayers our Sacraments our Fasts our times and places of publick meeting together for the Worship and Service of God our Marriages our Burials our Functions Elections and Ordinations Ecclesiastical almost whatsoever we do in the exercise of our Religion according to Laws for that purpose established all things are some way or other thought faulty all things stained with Superstition One of the Treatises that were sent abroad as it were to give new light to a new World 1660. under the name of Mr William Bradshaw is about things Indifferent where he thus speaks in the Marginal Notes Notes on the fifth Chapt. of things Indifferent The Doctors of Oxford ask what hurt can a wise Man see in a square Cap and a Surplice Indeed there is no outward hurt or evil in it but it must be considered whether there be not any inward hurt therein for if it can be proved that by them the Souls of many are poisoned with superstitious conceits then it is apparent that they have inward hurt in them This is but a supposition but it follows dogmatically The Ceremonies Ibid. Notes on Chap. 8. in Controversy have been and are the special means and occasion of the Schism of many Hundred Brownists of much Superstition in many
Azorius such as these Purgatory Azor. Institut Moral Part. 1. lib. 8. Cap. 4. Transubstantiation Invocation of Saints worshipping Images Communion in one kind enough for Laicks c. Whereas the question may be again ask'd how shall we know that these are Divine Traditions after some other Rules Bellarmine wholly rests it upon the Bellarm. De Verbo Dei non scripto Cap. 9. Testimony of the Romish Church Ex Testimonio hujus solius Ecclesiae sumi potest Certum Argumentum ad probandum Apostolicas Traditiones From the Testimony of the alone Church of Rome may a man have a certain Argument to prove Apostolical Traditions Which rule I suppose he intends for the assuring us of Divine Traditions too for so he had before join'd them Asserimus in scripturis Id. ibid. Cap. 3. non contineri Totam Doctrinam necessariam sive de fide sive de moribus proinde praeter verbum Dei scriptum requiri etiam verbum Dei non scriptum i. e. Divinas Apostolicas Traditiones We assert that the scripture does not contain all necessary Doctrine whether about Faith or manners there is therefore moreover requir'd Divine and Apostolical Tradition From these premises I argue to the superstition of the Church of Rome Because they practise in their Sacraments and elsewhere upon superstitiâ—us opinions The Devotion of the Jews Isai 29. is thus challeng'd Their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men The Messages which God Almighty sent them by his Prophets were not the Rule of their worship but the Traditions of men were instead of the word of God And this was their Indebitus cultus their superstition This Text the Septuagint translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In vain do they worship me Matth. 15. teaching the commands of men and Doctrins St. Matthew hath alter'd the site of one word and there we read in application to the Pharisees In vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commands of men The case to which this quotation is there applyed is their making the Fifth Commandment of none effect by their Tradition That which God had made necessary by his Command Honour thy Father and Mother with that they dispens'd That which God had not made necessary by any express Declaration of his pleasure that was made necessary by their Tradition And this was their superstition To which the case of the Church of Rome is but too parallel They make the second Command of none effect by their Tradition of worshipping Images In other things they make that necessary which the written word of God hath not made so Some of which Traditions if they be not directly contrary to the word of God yet because they are arrogantly equalled and commanded to be received Pari pietatis affectu reverentiâ the practices that flow from these Doctrines cannot be excus'd from superstition as we now use the word and as they as well as we define the thing for an excess in Religion whereby men worship God after such a manner as they ought not 2. The second Account of their Sect. 20. superstition is that they ascribe an Efficacious sanctity to their Ceremonies Here also Instances will make it plain both that they are thus chargeable and that the Church of England does reject these Opinions The Doctrine of Rome is that the Cross is to be worshipped with the highest kind of worship Crux Christi in Aquin. tertia Pars qu. 25. Artic. 4. quâ Christus Crucifixus est tum propter repraesentationem tum propter membrorum Christi contactum Latriâ adoranda est Crucis vero Effigies in aliâ quââ—is materiâ priori tantum ratione Latriâ adoranda est The Cross whereon Christ was Crucified is to be worshipped with Latriâ both because of its representation and because of its touching the Body of Christ But the sign of the Cross elsewhere is to be worshipped only for the former reason which last words were well put in for it would be a wonder indeed if the sign of the Cross made at Rome should deserve worship propter Contactum This we contend is superstitious because the Opinions they have of the Cross are such For they ascribe such Effects to the Cross which neither the word of God ascribes to it nor any mans reason without the help of feigned Miracles or Traditions before accounted for would expect from it Take it in Bellarmin's words 1º Tres sunt Effectus Crucis Bell. de Imagin Sanctorum lib. 2. Cap. 30. mirabiles Terret fugat Daemones 2º pellit morbos omnia mala 3º Sanctificat ea quibus imprimitur There are Three wonderful effects of the Cross First It frights and seares away the Devil Secondly It drives away Diseases and all Evils Thirdly It sanctifies those things upon which it is made The first of these effects he ascribes to it for Three Causes Ex apprehensione Daemonis Ibâ—â— ex Devotione hominis ex Instituto Dei From the apprehension of the Devil from the Devotion of man from the Institution of God So that they suppose the appointment of God hath empowr'd the Cross to scare the Devil The power of sanctifying that upon which the sign of the Cross is made he makes parallel with the power which he supposes in Reliques Sanctificantur Ibid. aliquo modo ii qui tangunt Reliquias which he hath the confidence to assert upon the Authority of the Fathers Our 30th Canon as hath been said rejects these superstitions and errors Which superstition we therefore lay to their charge because they ascribe an effect to a certain Cause without a sufficient warrant That the sign of the Cross hath not naturally in it self any power of sanctifying or curing Bellarmine can't but acknowledge Signum Crucis operatur mirabilia non ex Id. ibid. virtute suâ naturali quam habet ut figura quaedam sed ut signum divinitus Institutum The sign of the Cross works wonders not as a certain figure by any natural virtue but as a sign appointed of God Here is then superstition to esteem the sign of the Cross more holy than indeed it is to believe it to have such a relation to God which it can't be prov'd to have to ascribe to it a virtue which no syllable in the H. Scripture declares to us And who hath known the mind of God any farther than he hath been pleas'd to reveal it to us Estius makes a little attempt to deliver Estius in sentent Tom. 3. Distinc 37. Sec. 8. such like Ceremonies as this is from superstition Si debito decentique modo exspectetur effectus aliquis à Deo etiamsi naturali virtute haberi non potest nulla est superstitio If the effect be expected in a due and decent manner though the cause cannot by any natural virtue produce it it is no superstition So he says the Church does consecrate Salt and Holy-Water c. because
IMPRIMATUR Hic Liber cui Titulus A Discourse of Superstition c. May 11. 1678. Guill Sill R. P. D. Henr. Episc Lond. à sacris Domesticis A DISCOURSE OF Superstition With respect to the PRESENT TIMES WHEREIN The Church of ENGLAND is Vindicated from the Imputation and the Charge retorted not only on the Papists but also on men of other Perswasions By William Shelton Rector of St James Colchester LONDON Printed by J. M. for Jonathan Robinson at the Golden Lyon in St Paul's Church-Yard MDCLXXVIII To the RIGHT REVEREND FATHER in GOD AND RIGHT HONOURABLE HENRY LORD BISHOP OF LONDON One of His Majesties most Honourable Privy-Council c. May it please your Lordship THere is none to whom I owe account of my self and Studies more than to your Lordship as my Diocesan None to whom I more readily submit this Essay which endeavours to do Right to the Church of England whose Honour and Security is so great a part of your Lordships care as to challenge the acknowledgment of all Pens The Moderation of our Church which ought to be esteem'd her Glory in receding no farther from the Church of Rome than she has receded from Primitive Christianity is objected as a Crime by the eager men of the separation Our First Reformers were Wise men and Thanks be to God so are their Successors too Their Wisdom in the first compiling and late Review of our Liturgy has directed them to keep the mean between the Two Extreams of too much stiffness in refusing and too much easiness in admitting variations So by the good Providence of God have we been deliver'd from the superstitions of the Romish Church and so have we been preserved from a superstitious avoiding superstition As the Kingdom of England is famous for being the Balance of Europe so is the Church of England for being by a regular Reformation well fix'd in a due distance between the superstitious additions of the Church of Rome where Supremacy Infallibility and the Inquisition compel men to swallow Camels and the superstitious Abstinences of those who strain at Gnats and either will not Understand the notion of a thing Indifferent or will not rightly infer from it To evince this is the Design of the following Tract which in all humility I offer to your Lordships Patronage being thereto embolden'd by the Experience I have had of your Lordships Candor and Favour which by how much the less I have merited I ought the more to acknowledge God Almighty preserve your Lordship to a long Presidency in this Church and bless the joint labours and cares of the Right Reverend my Lords the Bishops to such an happy Repair of our Breaches that neither the Wild-Boar nor the Foxes may spoil our Vineyard to be such a defence upon the Glory of this Church that neither the Romanist nor Separatist may stain or darken it So prayeth Your Lordships in all Humility and Obedience W. SHELTON THE CONTENTS SECTION I. THE Occasion of this Discourse The Church of England charg'd with Superstition In the times of Queen Elizabeth King James The reproach restrain'd by a Canon to no purpose The Jealousy encreas'd in the beginning of Charles I. and in the time of the Covenant The design of this Discourse Pag. 1 SECT II. The use of the word first inquir'd into Then the nature of the thing How Greek Authours use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Smith's select Discourse Plutarch Max. Tyrius Antoninus Dr Hammond's Tract of Superstition consider'd What Latin Authors mean by Superstitio Tully opposes it to Religion Lactantius not agreeing with him in the reason of the word p. 11 SECT III. Other Etymologies Superstitio quasi super statutum Lucretius huffs at all Religion as super stans Nigidius Figulus account of the word Seneca Tacitus Suetonius Pliny take it in a bad sense so Festus and St. Paul St Austin differs not who comprehends many particulars under this General according to whom many superstitious observations obtain still in the World Three Definitions of superstition out of Aquinas Zanchy Ames to the same purpose Religion True Worship Superstition false worship p. 18 SECT IV. The Nature of the thing consider'd in several Propositions First Superstition is first in the Opinion then in the practice To which agree Morton Hooker Falkener The same practice superstitious or not as the Opinion is by which it is guided This the Foundation of what follows p. 28 SECT V. Second Propos The Doctrines upon which the Conformity of the Church of England is established are not superstitious Opinions Those Doctrines are as follows First All Circumstances relating to the worship of God are not particularly determin'd in H. Scripture T. C. gainsays but it is manifestly true Our Adversaries acknowledge and build upon it p. 34 SECT VI. Secondly Some things notwithstanding Scripture determinations do still remain Indifferent in their nature This denied by Bradshaw and Brook Bradshaw chang'd his mind but his followers propagate his first Opinion A gross mistake A Thing Indifferent not a mean between Good and evil but between Commanded and forbidden p. 40 SECT VII Brooks notion Optimum est eligendum not always true In divers cases no Best Many dishes at a feast Many Inns in a Town Many Shops in a City He that stays till he know which is Best will in many cases never determine because he hath nothing to determine him but his own choice The Ceremonies of our Religion not altogether so Indifferent but in specie neither Commanded nor forbidden p. 45 SECT VIII Thirdly The Church may make Determinations in things Indifferent Scrupled by Brooke whose Discourse of Episcopacy is again examin'd The weakness and Unworthiness of it detected Denied also by others Modest Discourse c. and Bagshaw but upon insufficient grounds p. 55 SECT IX This acknowledged by the Presbyterians in their Directory Confession of Faith Other Authors that have written since Acknowledged also by the Independents in their Confession of Faith 1658. p. 66 SECT X. Fourthly Where the Governours of the Church have power to determine they ought to be obey'd Zanchy and Calvin on our side When Zanchy would not have these things impos'd yet he would have them yielded to if impos'd rather than any man should quit his Ministry p. 71 SECT XI Calvin of the same mind Much for a stated Liturgy and Ceremonies which though he would have few yet those he finds fault with do not now obtain in our Church What he did not like he would have born with As the Surplice in Bishop Hoopers case and Unleaven'd Bread at Geneva p. 80 SECT XII Besides these M. Durell cites about 40. Foreigners all of the same Judgment As were also our Countreymen T. C. Humfrey Rainolds Knewstubs others And of late Mr Baxter These Testimonies concluded with St. Ambrose and St. Austin's determination p. 87 SECT XIII Fifthly It is lawful for the Church to appoint significant Ceremonies This denied by N. C ts How they differ from
of Religion so is Superstition an extream on the other hand an Excessive Religiousness when men go beyond their bounds in Divine Worship so that all false worship goes under the name of Superstition A man may be righteous over-much and over-much wise so may he also be not too holy or too good yet too religious when he exceeds and practises in matters of Religion upon Opinions false and unworthy of God This hath been the use of the word in approved Authors of divers Ages It hath sometimes been determined to particular practices as Magick and Enchantments but upon a general reason because these are undue mixtures in Religion for so both in Heathen and Christian Authors this difference is commonly assigned between them Religio est Ubi prius veri Cultus superstitio falsi as Lactantius hath it When we worship God aright that is Religion when by any undue additions we corrupt Religion in all those things we are superstitious 2. The Enquiry into the Nature Sect. 4. of the thing still remains Whereby does it appear whether the worship we here or others elsewhere perform to God be regular and Religious or excessive undue and so superstitious The Resolution I give to this question I form into these Propositions 1. Superstition is first in the Opinion and thence influences upon the practice 2. The Doctrines upon which the Conformity of the Church of England is established are not superstitious Opinions 3. The Opinions that are indeed superstitious such as are divers that obtain in the Papacy and elsewhere are rejected by the Church of England 4. There are superstitious Omissions of which men may be guilty and that then when they seem to have a great Zeal against Superstition 1. Superstition is first in the Opinion before it can have any influence upon the practice Practices are unlawful when they transgress the Commands by which they are obliged but superstitiously unlawful they cannot be unless they proceed from such Opinions Hence it comes to pass that the same practices are sometimes superstitious and sometimes not according as mens Opinions are by which they are perswaded to them So is the difference between the Ch. of England and of Rome in the use of the Cross in kneeling in the act of receiving c. as will afterwards appear I am not alone in thus stating the Notion of Superstition A superstitious act is that Bishop Durham Morton Sermon on 1 Cor. 11. 16. which is founded upon a superstitious Opinion It was not meerly the Pharisees often washing but their Opinion of some especial purgation thereby which Christ reprehended in them Nor was it the having an Altar for which St. Paul reproved the Athenians when he called them superstitious but the opinion of honouring a God thereby they knew not whom To a like purpose Mr Hooker Superstition is when things are abhorred Eccles Polity Book 5. §. 3. or observed with a zealous or fearful but erroneous relation to God And in words just before Superstition is always join'd with a wrong opinion touching things divine Conformably to both these says a late learned Author All Superstitious Falkener Libert Ecclesiast B. 1. Chap. 5. Sect. 2. §. 7. or other sinful honour of the Elements must be founded in embracing those false apprehensions and corrupt Doctrines which our Church rejects 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 refers to the inward sense and apprehension of our minds or if it must be distinguished between the thoughts of the mind and the passions of the Soul it is evident that fear arises from such opinions and apprehensions as administer to it Yea though superstition be as hath been said an excess of Religion and though this excess may discover it self in the practices of men yet the reason and that which occasions this excess is in the Opinion False Notions and apprehensions of God tempt men to try by undue ways to please him Men have a conceit that such services are more grateful to him than they are Or there is a superstitious observation of some Accidents as Prognosticks of Events because of an Opinion taken up that God Almighty does by such signs declare his pleasure or displeasure In all these Cases the First Seat of Superstition is in the Opinion and from thence it is derived into practice for did these false Opinions which thus mislead men cease by a better information of the understanding the practices and observances that depend on them would also cease or if they were continued they would be hypocritical or vain or any thing rather than superstitious For Example It is superstitious say we to worship an Image or to pray a Soul out of Purgatory c. because they are false and superstitious Opinions that induce men so to do If it may be supposed that men who opine right who do not in their judgment yield more to an Image than they ought and who do not in truth believe Purgatory may yet perform the same Ceremonies and make the same prayers I ask then for what reason are these things done If not for this reason because men are of opinion that the Image deserves it that the dead may be profited by their Devotions then is it a vain and ridiculous piece of Pageantry Or if some politick reason and secular Interest tempt men these ways what they do may be excused from Superstition because it is not intended for the honour of God and so is not performed as a part of his Worship but it is otherwise faulty because by pretences of Religion they advance their Interest and gain becomes their Godliness If in truth there be any Religious intendments in these performances then this is that which plainly renders them superstitious because they Originally proceed from superstitious Opinions This I have first said because upon this depends the Vindication I design of the Usages of the Church of England For if what is done in Divine Worship be not otherwise superstitious but as it proceeds from and is directed by superstitious Opinions then if it can be evinc'd that we are not guided by any such Opinions it will follow that our Rites and Ceremonies are void of superstition And this I trust to make appear in what next follows 2. The Doctrines upon which the Sect. 5. Conformity of the Church of England is established are not superstitious Opinions Of which matter I give this Account which I shall take to be sufficient till by an Enumeration of some other particulars of which I am not aware it be made appear that there are some other Doctrines that may be suspected of superstition which the Church of England in justification of her Conformity is obliged to maintain 1. All Circumstances relating to the Worship and service of God are not particularly determined in the word of God 2. Therefore notwithstanding the Determinations of the Holy Scripture some things do remain Indifferent in their own Natures 3. The Governours of the Church have power to
people are not satisfied If in truth it shall be believed that the number of Ceremonies enjoin'd is so great that the means disserve the end that what is ordain'd as an help to Piety and Devotion does rather hinder it these persons so dissatisfied about the number are in the same case with those who are dissatisfied about the nature of an Injunction If they scruple without cause and are not duly inform'd their scruples do not render the Injunction unlawful in it self Nevertheless the Doctrine of our Church does not encourage them to act against their Consciences they must peaceably suffer where they cannot act No doubt but it is possible Church-Governours who among us do not pretend to Infallibility may in some things be mistaken Yet such things as these must be left to their determination For is it not so elsewhere There may be too many Ale-Houses in a Town and it may be difficult to determine exactly how many are sufficient and where the number will exceed but is it therefore unlawful for the Justices to licence any There may be in a Countrey or Town Parishes too many for the Maintenance or too few for the people and it may be difficult for Authority to know exactly how many are needful and convenient Shall there be therefore no division made into several for fear lest there should be too many or too few What if there be the same difficulty in adjusting the true number of Ceremonies yet in as much as it is necessary there should be some because else Religion in the substance would suffer and decay therefore is it also lawful for our Governours to make a determination in this matter The Determination of which number must proceed upon the same Rules of Decency Order and Edification which give a law to the kind and nature of Ceremonies And in this General may men rest satisfied till the number shall grow doubtful Then it will concern private persons to take heed as to their own practice that the Ceremony do not devour the substance But because at present there is no reasonable Cause to fear because the Ceremonies that are now requir'd are so few that no man may without peevishness quarrel at their number if they be Innocent in their nature and use therefore I return from this digression to consider that in the next place 2. The Rites and Ceremonies of our Church are not required as things in their nature necessary but Indifferent The use of the Cross at Baptism is Canon 30. thus accounted for as being purg'd from all Popish superstition and error and reduc'd in the Church of England to the primary Institution of it upon those true Rules of Doctrine concerning things Indifferent which are consonant to the word of God and the Judgment of all Antient Fathers c. And upon the same Rules of Doctrine are our other Ceremonies established For so the Preface to the Liturgy expresses it The Ceremonies that remain are retain'd for a Godly Discipline and Order which upon just causes may be alter'd and chang'd and therefore are not to be esteem'd equal with Gods Law And the Preface that was made upon the last establishment says The particular forms of Divine Worship and the Rites and Ceremonies appointed to be us'd therein are things in their own Nature Indifferent and alterable and so acknowledged Words too plain to need a Comment and lyable to no Objection that I can foresee unless one of these two things shall be replyed both upon them and all that hath hitherto been said in this matter First That some things are requir'd under the Notion of things Indifferent which are not so Secondly Be it granted that some Indifferent things may be impos'd yet it does not follow that all may or that the things in controversy may We say the things they scruple Sect. 17. are requir'd but as things Indifferent as indeed they are They are not all satisfied to think so of them The time was when T. C. did oppose our Ceremonies not as unlawful but as inconvenient as hath been already said And Mr Ash in the Epistle to his Funeral Sermon on Mr Gataker when he had named Cartwright and Hildersham and Dod c. he says of them though these men dislik'd the use of superstitious Ceremonies yet they oppos'd their Tenents and practice who separated from the Church of England condemning it and the Ministry of it as Antichristian The separation is it seems now advanc'd for there are men that reckon there is more superstition among us than was believ'd formerly and therefore separate farther from us It is denied Modest Disc of Ceremon p. 8. now that these are things of Indifferency to be us'd as is requir'd in the service of God And whereas it is supposed that we say that the Imposition of Rulers makes Indifferent things cease to be Indifferent they answer They are not Indifferent in the Judgment Petition for Peace p. 12. of Dissenters though they be so in ours Exercit. about an Opining Cansci p. 80. They think they have probable Arguments to judge it unlawful to Minister in a Surplice to sign with the sign of the Cross in Baptism and to kneel in the Act of receiving the Lords Supper Yea these things are so far from being Indifferent that they are thought so Unlawful as that because of them people separate from our Churches For whatever reasons may perswade their Guides not to conform yet the people separate from us that they may not partake with our Ceremonies or for a worse reason I could not altogether omit so necessary a part of my Discourse but because it hath been so often said I pass it in fewer words Where no Law Rom. 4. is there is no Transgression That which is not forbid is not Unlawful Are these Rites and Ceremonies forbid in the word of God By what Text perhaps by the second Commandment or by those words of St. Matth. Teaching for Doctrine the Commandments of men Ch. 15. or by the Text of Will-Worship 2 Colos or because we may not add to nor diminish from the word of God Deuteron 4. Now because the Surplice and Cross and Kneeling are not named in these Texts as was upon occasion said before therefore Consequences must be drawn from them and labour'd so long till the Conclusion must hold as firm as confidence can make it Because the second Command forbids making and worshiping graven Images therefore all devices and Inventions of mans brain must have no place in Divine Worship Ergo what Ergo rend the Surplice c. As if the Bason at the Desk were not as much the device of man as the Font and the Directory were not as obnoxious as the Rubrick If our Church did equal her commands to the word of God then were she guilty of adding to the word and establishing the Commands of men in the room of the Doctrines of God If any accidents may bring our Rites within the
qualiscunque ratiocinatio cogitantis qut quia in vuâ patriâ sic ipse consuevit aut quia ibi vidit ubi peregrinationem suam quò remotiorem à suis eò doctiorem factam putant tam litigiosas excitant quaestiones ut nisi quod ipsi faciunt nihil rectum existimant Words which by a little alteration and paraphrase are but too accommodate to the case of our present Dissenters To the grief of my Soul I have often observ'd how weak and scrupulous minds have been miserably perplex'd in matters of Religion by the contentious obstinacy and superstitious fearfulness of some who seem to be very Godly men Differences arise in matters Indifferent and alterable in their own natures such as the H. Scripture hath not any where particularly determin'd nor hath any tradition of the Universal Church fix'd them in one certain course nor can it be said that for the bettering the lives of men it must be thus and may not be so yet there are Jealousies and scruples in their minds it may be they remember it otherwise in their times and where they have lived It may be they have been as far as Scotland Amsterdam or Geneva and have a greater opinion of what is done abroad For one reason or other they are litigious and troublesome and think nothing well done but what they do themselves From this scrupulosity are men apt to call any thing into question and for fear lest they should err on one hand and run into superstition and Popery they run as far on the other and their Omissions are as superstitious as they fear'd their practice would have been Such was the case of the Jews 1 Machab. 2. when they were assaulted by their Enemies on the Sabbath day rather than violate the Sabbath by defending themselves they tamely suffer'd themselves to be destroyed The law of self-preservation could not perswade them to any resistance and if Mattathias had not been wiser than the rest they might all have perished Such also was the superstition of the Knol Turk History Souldiers in Sfetigrade when Amurath besieg'd it An. 1449. A Traytor in the City had cast a dead dog into the only Well which supplyed the City with Water which when it was espied in the Morning by the Souldiers no Importunity could perswade them to drink of that Water which they reputed Unclean by a dogs Carcass so was the Governour compell'd to surrender the City And such surely was the conceit of that zealous man some while since among our selves who cut out of his Bible the Contents of the Chapters and so would cut out the word of God it self that was on the other side of the page rather than suffer any Humane mixture with the pure word of God Whether the case of our N. C ts be not somewhat parallel is now to be consider'd They suspect superstition in the use of the Surplice and Cross c. and therefore Religiously abstain from them but what if this Abstinence also should be superstitious If the Rites and Ceremonies of our Church be as they imagine it must be either because we judge that lawful which is Unlawful or that necessary which is but Indifferent or because these Ceremonies though granted in their own nature Indifferent yet by reason of some Accident that attends them may not be impos'd and may not be submitted to if impos'd All which things have already had their Consideration after all which I have not doubted to conclude that our Rites may be us'd without superstition But now I move a doubt on the other side to which if they cannot give a better Answer than I am aware of they can't excuse themselves from superstition For what other reasons Conformity may be refus'd I now enquire not If any refuse it because they cannot wear a Surplice or use the Cross and if any private persons neglect the Sacrament of the Lords Supper because they cannot kneel as is commanded I desire to know for what reasons they are not free to join with us in these Usages Either they think them lawful or Unlawful If lawful such as may be submitted to and yet for some politick respects they will not submit this Abstinence of theirs may be free from superstition but some other way it will be as Unaccountable For he who without violating his Conscience can conform but will not let him if he can excuse his disobedience to the Powers which God hath set over him let him if he can deliver himself from the Character of a contentious man If without fraud or guile there be a man who does not act because he dare not who is perswaded in his Conscience he should sin against God and do that which is Unlawful if he should wear a Surplice c. This is the man whom I charge with superstition because he judges that Unlawful which is Indifferent because he proceeds upon a mistake of the nature of things because a false opinion betrays him to this abstinence He declares hereby that he hath a wrong Notion and apprehension of God when he thinks him displeas'd by such an Action against which the Scripture hath not declar'd his displeasure As men may teach for Doctrines the positive Commands of men so may they also teach for Doctrines the prohibitions of men and this is adding to the word of God And in this does Ames condition take place In illâ Abstinentiâ Medul Theol. prius Honor aliquis singularis Deo intenditur They conceit they Honour God by abstaining from that which is no where forbidden It is no where said neither in express words nor in any equivalent phrase That it is the will of God no man should wear a white Garment when he Ministers in Divine Offices that no man should kneel when he receives the Sacrament c. Wherefore what God hath cleansed why should we call Common Where is the man that hath Authority to pronounce that Unclean which God hath not so pronounc'd The necessary use of these things when they are commanded does not take away the Indifferency of their nature and this delivers us from superstition But to abstain from them as Unlawful in their nature does directly contradict the opinion of their Indifferency and leaves the men who so abstain under the guilt and bond of superstition So may men find that at a Conventicle which they are afraid to meet at Church Superstition lodges in the minds of men and they who are inclin'd to it may discover it when they sit still as well as when they move Touch not tast not handle not are not greater Indications of a superstitious abstinence than are wear not kneel not Cross not when the Doctrine of these Ceremonies is known to be Innocent and allowable Wherefore they who are indeed afraid of superstition who are afraid of mixing their own Inventions with the worship of God and doing that which is not requir'd at their hands are concern'd rightly to inform themselves in what they are commanded to do And when they find that the H. Scripture hath no where forbid the use of the Surplice upon those Terms upon which it is enjoin'd only the liberty which they themselves had power to determine is by the Magistrate determin'd for them not lightly or wantonly but for grave and weighty reasons Let them not fear they shall transgress where there is no law Let them not fear superstition in those practices to which they are induc'd by Opinions not superstitious But on the other side let the fear be lest they make the way to Heaven straiter than our Saviour hath made it Lest they scruple and condemn that which does not appear unlawful Lest they split upon Scylla while they shun Charybdis Lest they run into superstition while they desired to avoid it and lest an Innocent Ceremony scare them to an Unjustifyable Separation FINIS