our Craft is in danger to be set at naught but also that the Temple of the Great Goddess Diana should be despised and her Magnificence should be destroyed whom all Asia and the World Worshippeth So that this was in a matter of Worship also But further since that the Nations have been brought over from the Worship of Dumb Idols unto the true living and only God the Creator of Heaven and Earth and of all things therein yet still there hath been all along no small stir about the way and manner of the worship of this true God The main Controversie Question and Doubt therein hath been chiefly as to this Point whither God is to be served and worshipped according to the Pattern shewed to us in the Gospel as Moses was Admonished of God for saith he see that thou do all things according to the Partern shewed to thee in the Mount And now in these last days under the Dispensation of the Son of God All the Rudiments of the World with all the Jewish Ordinances and Observances Which all are to Perish with the using the Commandments and Doctrines of Men Col. 2.22 They having been all abolished and done away ever since that Jesus Christ the High Priest of our Profession said that it was finished on the Cross which is so as to all that dispensation and way of Worship But now the hour being come wherein People are not to Worship at Jerusalem nor yet at yonder Mountain But the hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the father in Spirit and in Truth for the father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth John 4.23 24. From this place again it is evident and manifest that all things now in the Worship of God and of his Son Jesus Christ ought to be done according to the Pattern shewed to us in the Gospel For that is Spiritual and True yea Spirit and Truth it self So that the stir which hath been all along in the Christian Churches about the way and manner of the worship of God hath been as to this Question whither God ought only to be worshipped according to the Pattern shewed to us in the Gospel or whither he is to be worshipped by the meer Ordinances and Inventions of Men or whither they also should be brought in and intermingled therewith As to which they that contend earnestly for the faith wherein also is the worship of God included which was once delivered unto the Saints do also contend earnestly that God ought to be worshipped only the first way and they are for having every Plant in his worship which our Heavenly father hath not Planted to be Rooted up But as for the others again who have sought and found out many Inventions in the worship of God after the Commandments and Doctrines of Men they are for keeping unto them still thinking within themselves and alledging to one another as Demetrius did to his fellow Crafts-men Ye know that by this Craft we have our wealth And so it is By these Liturgies Rites Ceremonies Traditions and Institutions of our own we have our Church Preferments and Livelihood And if we should once yield or consent unto them who go about to perswade and turn away the People That as Paul said they be no Gods which are made with hands So that is not the worship of the true God which is the Circumcision made with hands That is not the worship of the true God for he is not pleased therewith nor will accept of it which is made and devised by Man However this Foundation and Truth stands firm it being an Eternal Maxim fixed in the Heavens Notwithstanding Men through Corrupt Interest would gainsay or distinguish against it But if this truth were once Universally received into the minds of Men as indeed it ought to be so as for them to obey it and do accordingly what would be the Consequence of all It follows So that not only this our Craft is in danger to be set at naught We should not only be in danger to lose our Tythes and Church Revenues and our Cathedral service would be despised and the Magnificence and outward shew and Pomp of our worship would be destroyed Which the Rich and Chief of the People are most of all for Such being the Vanity of their minds as to falsely think that God is altogether such an one as themselves Psal 50.21 So that because they like nothing but what is costly and makes a Goodly outward shew thereupon they wrongly imagine as if God was not pleased with any worship but what did make an outward shew As to which it is thus Written The Kings Daughter whereby Mystically and Spiritually is signified the Church of God is all Glorious within Psal 45.13 The Kingdom of God cometh not with Observation in the Margent there it is with outward shew Neither shall they say Lo here or Lo there for behold the Kingdom of God is within you Luke 17.21 The true worship of God doth not stand nor consist in Divers washings or sprinklings or in Carnal Ordinances imposed on the worshippers until the Time of Reformation which words do imply that they should be utterly laid aside now the Time of Reformation is fully come under the Gospel nor yet doth the true worship of God stand or consist so much in Divers Bowings and Cringings or Gestures but it is an inward thing for what is Spiritual or in Spirit is inward But they being vainly puffed up in their fleshy mind Colos 2.18 Would have Gospel worship which is altogether an Inward and Spiritual thing to be so modelled and framed as to make a fair shew in the flesh and they have got their Worldly Interest and Livelihood to be interwoven and mixed therewith This is the very reason why the Errour and Corruption of the Papacy hath been and continued so long even unto this Day and the end thereof is not as yet The Priests and Clergy Men thereof who may be stiled the Corrupters of all what was before true and undefiled Religion have got into their hands and possessions such and such Revenues and Riches and Tythes and yearly Estate called St. Peters Patrimony and the Patrimony of the Church and they well knowing the conveniency thereof and they being in no wise willing to part with them this makes them to stickle might and main for their own Errours and Corruptions And these Leaders of the People cause them to err as so many Thousands blindly and miserably do in what is called a great Part of the Christian World The like Errour and Corruption altho it be in a much less degree and measure remains as yet even in the reformed Church of England For if it were once modelled according to the Pure Word of God or if all things therein were done according to the Pattern shewed to us in the Gospel It should be yet further
The Cause and Cure of Divisions OR The way and means for all Christâ—â—â—â—… However they are Distinguished 〈◊〉 Named to come to Unity Demonstrated and Pointed out from the Scriptures of Truth By RICHARD STAFFORD a Scribe Instructed therein THE Necessity and Obligation of all that call themselves Christians unto Unity may be understood from what is Written Endeavouring to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace But observe here how the Apostle enforces the Exhortation There is one Body and one Spirit even as ye are called in one Hope of your Calling one Lord one Faith â—â—e Baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Ephes 4.3 4 5 6. There cannot be greater Arguments and Motives then these here mentioned why that all Christians should keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace because that the Apostle here saith There is one Body and one Spirit And like as one outward Sun doth enlighten maâ—y Millions of Inhabitants of this Earth Even so one and the self same Spirit of God and of Christ doth actuate all the Children and Servants of God in all their several Generations and the Places of their Respective Habitations Even so it is meet and right and follows of necessary Consequence that they should be one in Love Heart and Affection for so much doth Unity signify and also where they live near one another they should do as the first Christians did that is to say Meet and be all with one accord in one Place and all they that believed were together and they continued daily with one accord in the Temple Acts 2.1 44 46. For the Worship of that Great and one God Hear O Israel and so hear this all ye that are in Deed and in Truth his Servants The Lord is one God Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all So that of the same right Consequence again If one God is in you all then also ye should be one as ye serve and worship and have Relation unto that one God who is in you all And so likewise it would be if as there is one faith so they did all keep and adhere only unto that one Rule of Faith and Worship and Manners which God hath given unto us all in the Holy Scriptures And if they had all the alike knowledge and more especially if they were Universally Obedient and Conformable unto it as the first Christians were For that Book of the Lord is but one Truth also and in all things consistent and agreeable with it self But in the Parable unto which the Kingdom of Heaven is likened by that Great Oracle of Truth the Lord Jesus Christ The Servants of the Housholder came and said unto him Sir Didst thou not sow good Seed in thy Field From whence then hath it tares He said unto them an Enemy hath done this Mat. 13.27 28. Even so the Good Man of the House for so he is called in Mat. 20.11 The Great Lord and Creatour and Governour of this Great House of the World He did first of all and from the beginning make and constitute one Church and that they should be one fold even under one Shepherd the Lord Jesus Christ And also he did Sowe Good Seed in that Field as to preserve and continue that Unity which he had begun and established among them as so it doth abundantly appear by that Law and Precepts he hath given us By this shall all Men know that ye are my Disciples if ye Love one another But from whence then haâ—â— it tares He saith unto them an Enemy hath done this So here it may be â—urmised and asked from whence came these Divisions and that Biting and Devouring one another amongst those who call themselves Members of the Christian Visible Church for the Divisions whereof all one as of Reuben who herein was unstable as water and tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine There was great thought and searchings of Heart Why An Enemy hath done all this even the Spirit which worketh in the Children of Disobedience They do disobey some part or other of the written word and thereupon arise Divisions and strife and every Evil work As the Apostle James asks the Question From whence come Wars and Fightings among you Come they not hence even of your Lusts that War in your Members Even so in like manner it may be asked from whence come that Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath and Strife all which are the works of the flesh and they exclude from the Kingdom of God Gal. 5.20 21. And Divisions which are now amongst those who call themselves of the outward visible Christian Church Come they not hence even of your Lusts which signifies an Inordinate Coveting or Sinful Transgression that are in their Souls Come they not hence even from the Spirit of Disobedience which works in the children thereof They do proceed from some kind of Disobedience or other Like Diotrephes who Loved the Preheminence or some sinful and indirect thing or other do lead them aside Or as the wise Man saith Lo this have I found that God made Man upright but he hath sought out many Inventions Even so he did make Man to Worship himself and in the beginning he did ordain and constitute this Worship to be in Spirit and in Truth For God is a Spirit and they that Worship him must Worship him in Spirit and in Truth And in order to this He hath given a Rule and Direction for his worship in his word which is very pure and true or truth it self But Alas Herein Man hath found out many Inventions In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds and their Post by my Posts Ezek. 43.8 He hath intermingled and added many things into the Worship of God which God never Commanded nor came they into his mind as himself saith by his Prophet Jeremiah As to which Jesus Christ the Son of God and consequently he best knows his mind and will who is also the High Priest of our Profession and much greater in the House or Church of God then Moses For this Man was therein as a Servant but Christ as a Son This same Jesus Christ saith In vain do they Worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men Mat. 15.9 And a little after he saith which relates also unto the same subject matter Every Plant which my heavenly father hath not Planted shall be Rooted up ver 13. So that both God and his Son Jesus Christ do express a reproof and dislike of these things What things That any thing should be offered up unto him in Worship or Sacrifice or as a Type of Worship Which he Commanded not nor entered into his mind and which he never required at their hands And that they should either teach for Doctrines or use for Worship the Commandments of Men as to which every Plant that my Heavenly Father hath not
Reformed even from those Rites and Ceremonies and Carnal Ordinances and Impositions of Men. But since that there is such a Maintenance and Livelihood set out by a National Law to the Clergy-Men thereof for using and keeping those Rites and Ceremonies and Carnal Ordinances and Humane Impositions As they have been kept and retained hitherto for this reason so in all Likelihood and Probability they will be kept and retained yet longer any Law or Ordinance of God to the contrary Notwithstanding Altho herein also our first Reformers from out of Popery seemed to have used the like method as the Apostles and first Christians did in reforming from Judaism For as they did retain for some time a few Jewish Ceremonies that they might hereby the sooner gain and bring over the Jews as Paul for this fame reason did Circumcise Timothy All which Jewish Ceremonies the Christian Church did by degrees and at length utterly lay aside when there was no Hopes or Likelihood further to Convert the Jews unto the saith So our first Reformers from Popery did retain some Popish Ceremonies and a great Part of the Liturgy which was the same in the Mass Book but such as had nothing of the Leaven or Errour of Popery therein As the Cross in Baptism wearing the Surplice Bowing towards the Altar and such like If hereby they might sooner bring over the Papists unto their Communion and accordingly many were and almost all of them did come to their Parish Church until they were forbid to do so by a Bell of the Pope But since that long process of time it being above an Hundred and Fifty years since the Reformation these is no great Likelihood further of bringing them over by this way and kind of Condescention It is therefore now high time if they would do as the Apostles and Primitive Church did whilst it was Pure and Uncorrupted so that now they should lay aside even those Popish Rites and Ceremonies and Carnal Ordinances and whatever is meerly an Invention Doctrine or Commandment of Men that all things may be done exactly according to the Pattern shewed unto us in the Gospel This I do again teach and affirm constantly And indeed it is written For the day of the Lord of Hosts shall be upon every one that is Proud and Lofty and upon every one that is lifted up and he shall be brought low And the Idols he shall utterly Abolish Isa 2.12 18. Now whatsoever is meerly of Mans making and devising in the Worship of God that is an Idol So that by true and necessary consequence whatever is meerly and only of Mans making and devising in the Worship of God that same should yea at length it shall be utterly Abolished and done away And as it is elsewhere written Many also of them which used curious Arts brought their Books together and burned them before all Men and they counted the Price of them and found it fifty thousand Pieces of Silver So mightily grew the Word of God and Prevailed Acts 19.19 20. So the time will come that many of those which used humane Inventions in the Worship of God altho they had their outward Worldly Livelihood and Preferments by them will cast them away to the Moles and the Bats which being blind Creatures so these were fit only for Blind and Ignorant Worshippers and they will be apt to burn the Books in which those Inventions of Men were that they should not be produced and brought forth as a Witness and Evidence against them in the day of the Lords Judgment and Indignation For fear of the Lord and for the Glory of His Majesty when he ariseth to shake terribly the Earth Isa 2.21 And so they would do now if the Word of God did grow mightily and prevail in their Hearts more then the God of this World or the Spirit which ruleth in the Children of Disobedience For altho those who used Curious Arts did get their outward Livelihood by them like as Astrologers and Stage Players do at this day Yet when they once come to wisely and throughly consider Shall I only to get a little outward Worldly Livelihood for a short time or for a moment for what is our Life but a Vapour which passeth away thereby lose that Blessing which the Lord our Creatour hath Commanded for such as are his Obedient Children who keep and do according to his Laws even Life for evermore Even so the Priests of the Worldly sanctuary and of that Tabernacle which Man hath Pitched and not the Lord I mean all those aforenamed might thus reason and consider throughly within themselves Shall I and so another may say Shall I altho I have my outward Livelihood and Preferment by such a way of Worship which is made up of the Inventions or Intermixtures of Men thereby provoke the Lord to Jealousie and Indignation so that he will not accept of my Worship and then it will not become unto me a Worship to the saving of my Soul so that in short I shall lose Life Eternal only to get a short Temporal Livelihood in this World God forbid far be it from me this wisdom can never be justified of her Children for indeed it is the greatest Folly Accordingly to what Christ Jesus the wisdom of the Father herein spake What shall it profit a Man if he should Gain the whole World and lose his Soul And what shall he give in exchange for his Soul And thereupon each one should smite upon his thigh and frame a right conclusion that I would not commit Sin nor Practise Errour to get the greatest Bishoprick or Arch-Bishoprick or even so much Revenues as the Pope himself hath For even he hath not the Thousandth Part of the Revenues of the whole Earth and if one had that yet it could not be a sufficient Compensation for the loss of our Soul And then by consequence I for my Part and so another should say till the same mind was in them as was in Luther and the other Godly Reformers I will not consent with nor yet bear a Part in that false and erroneous Worship altho any Ecclesiastical Dignity or Preferment might be bestowed on me for the same If our Priests also were so Obedient to the faith and zealous for the Truth of his Worship so that this mind were once in the Bishops and Clergy of the Romish or of our National Church which is much better then that altho she is not clean come out from all the Dregs and Defilements of Popery then indeed some good thing might be expected for the Church of God and for the Unity thereof May it not at this day be truly said unto the Church of England what John was Commanded Unto the Church of Thyatira write these things saith the Son of God who hath his Eyes like unto a flame of fire and his feet are like fine Brass I know thy Works and Charity and Service and Faith and thy Patience and thy Works and the last