6. §. 16. Hence do we argue That the Presence of wicked and ungodly Men should not deter us from joyning with the Church in the Participation of the Holy Sacrament because Christ did not scruple as many Passovers as he participated of to eat with Judas him he admitted to the Holy Sacrament as being by Profession one of his true Disciples and one who had done nothing openly which contradicted that Profession altho Christ knew that he was a covetous Wretch into whom Satan had already entred and who would certainly betray him Hence also we infer Inf. 7. §. 17. That we stand not obliged to refuse Communion with other Churches in their Sacraments and other publick Offices because of some additions to the Institution which are imposed for the sake of Order Uniformity or Decency but are declared to be no parts or necessary appendants to the Institution You see how many things the Jews had added to the Passover the Wine because it was a Feast of Joy the Benediction of the Cup before they drank it the Breaking the unleavened Cake the Hymn and yet our Saviour did not scruple to observe these things And you may see in Dr. Leightfoots Service of the Temple how many Ceremonies they had added to the observance of the other Festivals at which our Lord and his Disciples were still present And therefore on the same account we need not scruple that antient Ceremony of Crossing which we use in Baptism seeing our Church declares that she doth not intend it as any part of Baptism or any necessary appendant of it on which account she doth command us to omit it in our private Baptisms but only as a convenient Ceremony to testify unto the Congregation that the baptized Person hath Relation to the Society of Christians and stands obliged to maintain the Christian Faith As therefore when the Children of Reuben and Gad had built themselves an Altar their Brethren were troubled at it but when they understood it was not built for Sacrifice or in Rebellion but to entitle themselves and their Posterity to a Share in Gods publick and solemn Worship Josh 22.16 30 31. And to an Interest in his Tabernacle and Altar they were well pleased and declared their hearty Satisfaction so would our Brethren consider that the Cross in Baptism is enjoyned not as a part or necessary appendant of that Ordinance but only to be Ed a Testimony to the Congregation that the baptized Person had an Interest in the Society of Christians and was obliged to maintain and own the Christian Faith they would have equal reason to be well pleased and to declare their Satisfaction in the Matter Hence it is evident that our Dissenters have no just cause to fear Inf. 8. §. 18. or plead for the Refusal of Submission to the Constitutions of our Church and of Communion with us that by Communicating they should approve of the imposing of these things and should partake with them in that supposed sin or countenance them in the imposing of those Grievous Burthens as they do esteem them for our Dear Lord you see submitted to the Constitutions of the Jewish Church and enjoyned others so to do and yet I hope they will not say that he approved or countenanced their heavy Burthens or partook with them in their sins were then the Impositions of the Church of England such as they imagine them to be they could have no just cause to fear that their Submission to them would derive this guilt upon them CHAP. II. The CONTENTS Corol. 1. That the Scriptures of the Old Testament cannot prohibite this Submission The Objections answered Obj. 1. Thou shalt not add unto the Word that I command you Deut. 4 2. Deut. 12 32. Answ 1. That these Words do as much prove that our Superiours may make no Laws about civil as about Sacred Matters 2ly That the Dissenters are as much condemned by them as the Church of England because they also do use many uncommanded Ceremonies 3ly The Jews themselves never conceived that by these Precepts they were restrained from Instituting upon occasion sacred rites as is proved by many Instances 4ly To add unto the Word of God is only to avouch such things as the Commandment or Word of God which he hath not commanded 5ly Hence it follows that the Dissenters do transgress this Precept § 1. Obj. the 2d That God in Scripture declares that he abhorrs that way of Worship which he hath not commanded Answ 1. That this Objection is impertinent as only proving what we deny not 2ly That it condemneth the Dissenters 3ly Not to command is in the places cited to forbid § 2. Obj. 3d. That the 2d Commandment forbids the likeness of any thing to be made for religious use and-so forbids the use of significant Ceremonies of mens devising Answ The 2d Commandment only forbids the making any Likeness to be the Object of religious Worship or Veneration § 3. A 2d Corol. From the Example of our Lord and his Apostles § 4. Obj. 4th From Christs Rejecting the Traditions of the Scribes and Pharisees Answ 1. That our Saviour only rejecteth such Traditions as were taught for Doctrines or held equal to the written Word of God Particularly their holding these Washings to be necessary to avoid that Defilement which would render them displeasing or unacceptable unto God 3ly This Text rather condemns them who hold that indifferent Ceremonies may not be submitted to in obedience to Superiours as teaching for Doctrins the Commandments of Men § 4. CHAP. II. FRom what hath been discoursed it clearly follows that all those Texts of Scripture Corol. and all those Reasons which Dissenters offer from the Old Testament to prove it is a thing unlawful to use or to submit unto the Ceremonies appointed by our Church and that they are forbidden by those Texts to use them must be meer fallacies and sophisms seeing our Saviour who doubtless was acquainted with the true Sense and Import of them did submit unto the use of Ceremonies of a like Nature to them when by the Rulers of the Jewish Church they were imposed and prescribed And tho this instance is a sufficient Answer to all that is or can be urged from the Old Testament against Submission to the Ceremonies imposed by the Church of England yet for the farther Satisfaction of our Dissenting Brethren I shall particularly answer all that they have hitherto produced with any shew of Reason to this purpose Which was the second head proposed to be spoken to And § 1 1. It is objected by them That God in Scripture hath commanded that nothing should be added to what he had enjoyned in his Worship to this effect they cite these Words Deut. 4.2 Ye shall not add unto the Word which I command you neither shall you diminish from it that you may keep the Commandments of your God which I command you And Deut. 12 32. What thing soever I command you observe to
I shall first lay down plainly the Assertion or Doctrine of the Church of England in reference to the Perfection of the Holy Scriptures and from it give a direct Answer to this Objection 2ly I shall lay down the contrary Tenet of some Non-Conformists which is here asserted in this Argugument 3ly I shall endeavor to shew the Dangerousness of this Opinion and the Swarms of evil consequences which do naturally follow from it And 4ly That they who hold it did do many things repugnant to it And 5ly That it doth necessarily make the Holy Scripture an imperfect Rule 1. Then when we assert that Scripture is a perfect Rule we mean it thus that it doth perfectly contain all that is necessary to be believed or done in Order to our acceptance with God here or to our happiness with him hereafter not that it doth particularly prescribe what ever Circumstance of Order Decency or Convenience may be observed in the Service of God And this doth seem to me to be the true Distinction in this matter betwixt the Protestant of the Church of England and the Rigid Puritan that the Protestant of the Church of England asserts the Holy Scripture to be a full and perfect Rule of all the Articles of Christian Faith and Christian Piety but notwithstanding he maintains that Holy Scripture hath left it in the Power of the Church Governors Sacred and Civil to appoint such Rites and Ceremonies to be used in the Service of God as they shall judge convenient and conducing to the ends of Unity and Order Peace and Love Decency Uniformity and the Edification of the Church And that by virtue of these General Rules Follow after the things Rom. 14.19 Phil. 3.16 1 Cor. 14.40 which make for Peace and whereby we may edify one another Let us walk by the same Rule let us mind the same thing Let all things be done decently and in order Let all be done to Edification and to the Glory of God Give no offence to Jew or Gentile or to the Church of God c. They in the General are authorised to appoint such Rites and Ceremonies as they judge most conducing to these ends and that all Christian people who live under their Care and Jurisdiction are bound to yield obedience to them in matters of this Nature by vertue of those Seriptures which command them to obey those that Rule over them and to submit to them Hebr. 13.17 â— Pet. 5.5 Rom. 13.1 1 Pet. 2.13 To be subject to their Elders and to the higher Powers and to every Ordinance of man for the Lords Sake I say their Tenet is that by vertue of these Scriptures they are bound to yield obedience to them in all lawful things that is in all those things which God hath not forbidden in his Word for where there is no Law of God forbidding there can be no transgression and therefore to refuse obedience to our Superiors Civil or Sacred in those matters is to refuse obedience in things lawful and therefore to offend against the Precepts which call upon us to be subject and obedient to them So that we do assert in Answer unto this Objection 1. That the Scripture is a perfect Rule of all Ceremonies that are good Works antecedently to the Command of man so that in Scripture some express for them may be found but that it is not such a Rule of indifferent Ceremonies 2ly That 't is as perfect a Rule as it needs to be in reference to Ceremonies uncommanded in particular 1 By giving us the general Rules which should direct Superiours in the imposing of these things indifrent but not in a particular Prescription of them as this Objection doth suppose it being a plain contradiction that any thing should be to us indifferent and yet prescribed to us in the Word of God Dissenters therefore must deny that there is any circumstance of Worship be it Time Place Gesture or the Words in which it is to be performed left indifferent or that being so that circumstance must not be used in Gods Worship or else they must confess the weakness of the Argument produced And 2ly Because it doth command us to obey Superiors Civil and Sacred in all lawful matters and so instructs us to submit to what is not forbidden by Gods Word when by Superiors it is commanded This is our Tenet and this is a direct and a sufficient answer to this Argument But on the other hand the Tenet of some Nonconformists owned by this Argument is this That no Church Governors ought to ordain or introduce into the Service of God any other Rites or Observations than such as God hath in his Word commanded or Christ and his Apostles by their Examples which they esteem as Precepts hath approved and that if they enjoyn such things we must not yield obedience to them but must reject them as humane inventions superstition and will worship This is that Doctrine in which the Mystery of Puritanism doth consist and the pernicious consequences of it are so many that any person who doth weigh them seriously will if he be indeed a Lover of Christianity abhor and heartily renounce that Doctrine whence they so naturally flow And 1. This Doctrine casts a reproach upon Religion it gives just cause to Magistrates to scruple the admission of the Christian Faith and to the Atheist and the Polititian to represent it as the great instrument of sedition and disobedience For this opinion obliges men to thwart the Magistrate in all indifferent matters which he commands with a respect unto Gods Worship If he commands them to come to Church on the Lords-day at such a time in such a place they must stand bound in conscience by this Rule to refuse to do so because in Scripture God hath not determined how oft what hour or where they should assemble if he commands them to be uncovered in the House of God to stand or kneel whilst they are praying to sit whilst hearing or the like they must not do it because God hath not told them in his Word that they should be uncovered in his presence that they should kneel or stand whilst they do pray or sit when they do hear Now what a Scandal what a base impeachment is it to our peaceable Religion to say that it obligeth us to disobey Authority in matters God hath left us all to do or not to do at pleasure only because he doth command us so to do them as we might have performed them had he not commanded us and that nothing doth so much engage us to be refractory to the higher Powers as that perfect Law of Liberty which Christ hath left us 2ly Upon the same account it must be sinful to obey those Civil Laws which do concern those Laws of Justice Charity and Mercy towards our Christian Brother which cannot clearly be collected from the written Word For it is plain from Scripture that these are the more weighty matters of
many other things of a like Nature which he most truly saith are all left to humane Determination ibid. §. 27.28 and to humane Prudence And yet according to his Argument seing no reason can be given why the Determination of most of them would not be equally useful in all Ages and all Churches they must be the matter of an Universal Law if of any and so of an Universal Law-giver and so cannot be left to humane Prudence or Determination Again when the same Person Argues against the Imposition of our Ceremonies thus Disp 5. Chap. 4. §. 3. If these things are needful now why not throughout all Ages and all Churches if therefore Christ did neither by himself nor his Apostles institute and impose these Rites then either the imposing of them is needless and consequently noxious or else you must say that Christ hath omitted a needful part of his Law which implyes that he was either ignorant what to do or neglective of his Affairs This Argument again condemns all the Churches of Christ throughout all Ages since the Apostles times who have always used some Ceremonies which neither Christ nor his Apostles thought fit to institute And 2ly It also renders it unlawful for humane Prudence to determine any of those things which saith he Christ and his Apostles have left undetermined they being mostly such as are or may be equally useful in all Ages of the Church and such of which it may be said whensoever they are determined by humane Prudence if they are needful now why not always c. CHAP. V. The CONTENTS Obj. 5. Those Ceremonies which God himself appointed to teach his Church by their signification may not now be used much less may those which man hath devised § 1. Answ 1. That as St. Paul submitted to some Jewish Rites unlawfully required by the Jewish Christians that he might gain the Jew and Minister to their Salvation so may the Christian submit to Ceremonies unfitly imposed by Superiors for like good ends Answ the 2d This Argument offers nothing against signs Natural and Customary such as are kneeling at the Sacrament the Cross in Baptism standing up at the Creed But only against signs arbitrary from the imposing of which the Excellent Bishop Taylor doth excuse our Church § 2. Obj. 6. The use of the Ceremonies is superstitious and therefore cannot be submitted to Answ By stating the true Notion of Superstition and shewing 1. That Superstition is a species of false Worship and therefore where no Worship is exhibited by the act done or intended by the Doer or Imposer of it as in the case of our Ceremonies there can be no Superstition in that Act. 2ly That Superstitious Worship undue as to the manner of it can only be performed by offering that as acceptable and pleasing to God or as an Exercise of Religion or an Acknowledgment of some of Gods Perfections which is not so 3ly All Superstition consisting Fundamentally in this mistake and formally in the ensuing Practice It follows that the Forbearance of an Act upon the like mistake viz. That we conceive it well-pleasing to God and tending to his Honor to forbear it when indeed it is not so is Superstition § 3. Hence our Dissenters must be Superstitious provided that the Rites that they refuse Submission to be lawful in themselves 1. Because they do and must esteem this their refusal as an Act of special Honour done to God 2ly Because they must esteem themselves by this forbearance Preservers of Gods Worship pure and spiritual 3ly Because they must esteem themselves under a necessity of displeasing God by joyning in Communion with us § 4. § 5. What is the true Import of Edification § 6. Obj. 7. We must not submit to the Institution or Introduction of New Sacraments And therefore not to the Institution of the Ceremonies of the Church of England they having the Nature of Sacraments § 7. Answ 1. That the Ceremonies of the Church of England are not appointed to be signs of Spiritual Grace or to confirm Grace to us 2ly That the designing of these Ceremonies to express signify or bring into our minds Spiritual Duties cannot make them Sacraments With reasons why the Representation of some Spiritual Duty by a mystical Rite cannot as properly pertain to the Nature of a Sacrament as the sealing some Spiritual Promise doth § 8. Many things required in Sacraments which are all wanting in our Ceremonies § 9. Mr. Baxters Arguments to prove the Cross as used in our Church a Sacrament are answered § 10. CHAP. V. BUt say Dissenters Obj. 5 If those Ceremonies which God himself ordained to teach his Church by their signification may not now be used § 1 much less may those which man hath devised now God hath abrogated his own not only those that were appointed to prefigure Christ but such also as served by their signification to teach moral duties and so as now without great sin none of them can be continued in the Church no not for signification and therefore to bring in others of like Nature is to Judaize To confirm this Argument they add that if men may impose such Ceremonies because of their significancy they may reduce into the Church of Christ all the whole Mass of Jewish Ceremonies as v. g. 1. Those of moral signification as the not eating of Blood to teach us to avoid cruelty towards the life of man and beast the not eating of unclean beasts to denote our abhorrence of the impurities and immoralities which by that abstinence the Jews were taught to refrain from the not touching any thing unclean to mind us of avoiding all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit to omit infinite instances of like Nature 2ly By the like reason many Jewish Rites which were Types and Shadows of things to come may be reduced into the Church upon other accounts as v. g. Circumcision to mind us of the Circumcision of the Heart the Paschal Lamb to signify our Gratitude for passing from Darkness unto Light or from our Spiritual Thraldom unto sin into the Liberty of the Sons of God all Sacrifices of Thanksgiving and all whereby they owned God to be the Author of Life and Death and all their temporal Mercies and did Acknowledge that they deserved to die for sin and all the Jewish Garments importing Spiritual Duties to be performed by their Priests with many things of a like Nature And indeed saith Bishop Taylor If the Church might add things Duct Dub. l. 3. c. 4. R. 20. § 7. or rituals of Signification then the Walls might be covered with the Figures of Doves Sheep Lambs Serpents Birds and the Communion Table with Wine Herbs Tapers Pidgeons Raisins Hony Milk and Lambs and whatsoever else the wit of man can invent But the manner of teaching these truths by Symbolical things actions is too low too suspicious too dangerous to be mingled with Divine Lyturgies Christ may as he please consign his own good things
lawfully submit to the institution § 7 or introduction of New Sacraments into the Church of God or use them being introduced without Divine Institution For a Sacrament according to the Catechism of the Church of England being an outward visible sign of inward Spiritual grace and both a means thereof and a pledg to assure us of it he only can have power to appoint a Sacramental sign who has right to promise and power to Minister that grace and therefore he alone who is the God of all grace can institute a Sacrament now that our Ceremonies some at least of them are Sacraments they endeavour to prove by these Arguments 1. All Mystical Bodily rites and signs of Spiritual grace administred to the Church of God in his Solemn Service to confirm grace and that by him who represents the Person of Christ are Sacraments but such are the greatest part of our Ceremonies for they being Administred to Edifie the Soul and Conscience must be Administred to confirm grace the Sacrament of the Lords Supper being for this cause alone a Sacrament because it is a Mystical Rite whereby the Soul Spiritually feedeth upon Christ i. e. is Edified in Christ these being Mystical Rites whereby the Soul is Edified must be also Sacraments 2ly No reason say they can be given why the representation of some Spiritual Duty by a Mystical Rite should not as properly pertain to the Nature of a Sacrament as the shadowing or Sealing some Spiritual promise and it seems altogether as lawful for Man to devise signs for the confirmations of his Faith as to admonish of and teach his Duty for what difference is there between an addition to the means of instruction appointed by God and to the means of our assurance prescribed by him the Commandments and Promises being so knit together that we cannot perform our Duty without assurance of some benefit by it from God Moreover to be a teacher of the understanding and exciter of devotion requireth power supernatural no less than to be a confirmer of the heart and he who hath Authority to ordain means effectual for any of these ends can bless them all and Man hath as much power to Seal what he cannot bestow as to teach by his own sign that which he cannot bless to that end Answ 1 1. It must be granted that it is not in the power of the Church to introduce new Sacraments truly and properly so called but then unto the Arguments produced to prove our Ceremonies to have the Nature of true Sacraments I Reply 1. That I know not any Ceremonies which by the Church of England are appointed to be signs of Spiritual grace or to confirm grace to us for it is one thing to appoint or use such Rites as in themselves are apt to signifie or mind us of Spiritual things or bring such things to our remembrance which the Church confessedly doth and it is another thing to appoint such Rites to be used to that end which the Church doth not by the bare using of the thing appointed we comply with the institution in the first sense but only by using of these Rites to such an end do we comply with it in the Second now where doth the Church of England require us to use her Ceremonies to such ends Where doth she say you shall wear a Surplice to put you in mind of that purity of Conversation which is required by the Ministers of Christ you shall Kneel to signifie or mind you of that Reverence you owe to God you shall receive the sign of the Cross to put you in mind of your Duty to confess and own a Crucified Saviour no sure that Ceremony is used to Persons not capable of being put in mind of any Duty only in token to the Congregation that they are listed amongst them who are engaged so to confess What enquiry doth the Church of England make whether any of her Members have used her Ceremonies to these ends or not When did she ever quarrel with or punish any for neglecting to use them to these ends Wherefore the whole foundation of this Argument is in my judgment false and rather grounded upon some fanciful expressions of some Writers of the Church of England than upon any of her own institutions and decrees she having no where said that she administers any of the forementioned Rites to confirm grace or doth appoint them to be signs of grace but only that she doth appoint them as being apt and proper in themselves to put good thoughts into us or to express our Reverence as beating on the Breast or sighing is apt to signifie or to express our Godly sorrow and looking up to Heaven to mind us of the wisdom and the power of the great Creator and of that Majesty who dwelleth there Answer 2 2ly If the design of these Ceremonies to signifie express or bring into my mind Spiritual things would make them Sacraments Then 1. the kiss of Charity and the love Feasts used and approved in the Apostles time and all the Ancient Ceremonies of the Church designed to signifie or represent Spiritual things must also be esteemed Sacraments they being all designed to Edifie the Soul and consequently the whole Church of Christ from the beginning to this present day must justly be obnoxious to this Sacrilegious guilt of adding to the Sacraments of Christ 2ly Then must all visible Creatures become Sacraments they being all designed by God to Edifie us by instructing us in and minding us of the Almighty power and Majesty of God Then 3ly Every Crucifix and Picture relating to Spiritual things every piece of Tapestry or Turky-work which contains any piece of sacred History whereby we may be Edified Every good Ballad Pious Book and Frontispiece set before it and even that Pack of Cards which lately was contrived to mind us of the Popish Plot must be a Sacrament If as the first Objection saith all Rites and Signs whereby the Soul is Edified or which have been designed to that end are Sacraments then all the Moral signs of the whole Jewish Law must be reputed Sacraments The Tabernacle the Altar the Sacrifices the Golden Candlestick the Lamp and Snuffers the Priests Garments the Phylacteries and Fringes which God Commanded them to wear for a Memorial the clean Beasts appointed to be Eaten and Offered and the unclean to be abstained from must all be Sacraments according to this Rule they being Rites appointed to signifie Spiritual things or Duties and so to Edifie the Soul and Conscience yea every good word we speak every instruction we deliver to our Child or Friend or our Parishioners every Publick Prayer must be a Sacrament for words are signs and these are words and therefore signs designed to Edifie the Soul Lastly If every thing designed to teach the understanding or to excite devotion only as objects and as occasions which the mind of Man may use or may reflect on to that end must be a Sacrament then every
THE Protestant Reconciler PART II. Earnestly perswading the DISSENTING LAITY To joyn in FULL COMMUNION WITH THE Church of England And Answering all the Objections of the Non-Conformists against the Lawfulness of their Submission unto the Rites and Constitutions of that CHURCH By a Well-wisher to the Churches Peace and a Lamenter of Her Sad Divisions Anglicanam Ego Ecclesiam exoticis pravis superflitiosis cultibus erroribusque aut impiis aut periculosis egregiè ex scripturarum coelestium norma purgatam tot támque illustribus Martyriis probatam pietate in Deum in homines Charitate laudatissimisque bonorum operum exemplis abundantem laetissimo doctissimorum ac sapientissimorâ—m virorum preventu jam à Reformationis principio ad hodierna usque tempora florentem equidem es quo debui loco habui hactenus ac dum vivam habebo ejus nomen honos laudes semper apud me manebunt Dallaeus de cultibus Religiosis Latinorum part 2. l. 2. cap. 1. p. 97 98. LONDON Printed for Awnsham Churchil at the Black-Swan near Amen-Corner 1683. THE PREFACE TO THE Dissenting Laity The Contents of the PREFACE Six Arguments from the Book called the Protestant Reconciler to perswade the Dissenting Laity to submit to the conditions of Communion required of them by the Church of England viz. 1. That they stand bound to do what lawfully they may in order to it and that nothing unlawful is required of them § 1.2 Because they are to do to their Superiors as in like case they would be dealt with § 2.3 From the liberty they take of changing a Ceremony of Christ's own institution § 3.4 Because the mischiefs which will follow on their refusal to submit are greater than those which will ensue on their Conformity § 4.5 From the example of St. Paul § 5.6 From the pernicious nature of Schism § 6. Other Arguments produced 1. From that of the Apostle If any man will be contentious we have no such custom 1 Cor. 11.16 § 7. 2. From his command to give no offence to the Church of God § 8.3 Because God is not the Author of Confusion but of Peace § 9.4 Because he requires the believing Wife not to desert her unbelieving Husband vice versâ because God hath called us to Peace § 10.5 Because were all things left indifferent the Minister must impose in some cases § 11.6 From the power committed to Church Governours and the necessity of submission to it § 12.7 From the sad result of their refusing this submission § 13. Two propositions conducing to this end 1. That no prejudices or scruples of Dissenters can excuse them from the guilt of Schism in separating from us till they have done all that lawfully they can for the removal of them § 14.2 That their imagination that the Magistrate exceeds or else unduly doth exert his power in commanding any thing will not warrant their refusal of Obedience to it § 15. Requests to them who cannot fully comply with us viz. 1. To comply so far as they declare either by words or actions that they lawfully may do it § 16.2 To refrain from censuring reproaching or speaking evil of their Governours in Church or State § 17.3 To abstain carefully from all Rebellious Principles and Practices and to confess ingenuously and heartily renounce what hath been done by men of their perswasions in that kind § 18. Brethren MY hearts desire and prayer to God in your behalf is this That you may fully be united to the Communion of the Church of England And in pursuance of this passionate desire I have composed the following Treatise containing a full Answer to all the scruples obstructing your Communion with us which I could meet with in the writings of our Dissenting Brethren And let me O my Friends entreat you by the love of God and your own souls of the Church of Christ which is his body and of her union peace edification by your concern for Christian Religion in the general and for the Protestant Religion in particular which I hope is very great by all the motives which Christianity affords to love peace unity by all the blessings it doth promise to the promoters and all the dreadful evils it doth threaten to the disturbers of them by the sad experience you have had already of the most fatal consequences of our Divisions and by your present fears of a more dreadful issue of them lastly by all that you are like to suffer in your souls and bodies by refractory persisting in your Separation let me I say beseech you on my bended knees by all these weighty motives to lay to heart what I have offered in this Book and in this Preface shall farther offer to engage you to conform and seriously to consider of it and act according to the convictions it may minister unto you as you will Answer your neglect to do so at the great and terrible day of the Lord. Now the considerations I would humbly offer to you are either 1. Such as are proper to induce you to the desired Conformity or 2. Such as may tend to keep you peaceable and conscientious though you do not Conform and may preserve you from doing any thing which may reflect on your Religion towards God or Loyalty towards your Soveraign § 1 1. Then to move you to the desired Conformity be pleased seriously to consider what hath been offered in a late Book stiled The Protestant Reconciler to that end In which Book as the Author pleads warmly for an indulgence or mitigation of some lesser things which do obstruct your full Communion with us which nothing but a due sense of the great danger and unsafe condition of your present state could have induced him to do and nothing but his fervent love to souls and his sincere desire of their Salvation can excuse so hath he many passages which seem most strongly to conclude for your desired submission to the injunctions of Superiors For First P. 34 35. He lays down this position That you stand bound in Conscience to do whatsoever lawfully you may for the prevention and removal of our Schisms and the occasions of them and for the healing our Divisions Which is a proposition evident in it self and there confirmed from plain Scripture testimony and the concern we ought to have for Christian Faith the Protestant Religion the welfare of the Nation and for the peace the order the edification of the Church Secondly He adds That nothing can be unlawful which is not by God forbidden 1 John 3.4 sin being the transgression of a Law and the Apostle having told us Rom. 4.15 P. 198. that where there is no Law there is no transgression whence he infers That Dissenters cannot satisfie their Consciences in their refusal to obey the commands of their Superiors unless they can shew some plain precept which renders that unlawful to be done by them which is commanded by Superiors And seeing God in Scripture hath enjoined
and lowliness of mind such calm and deliberate long suffering and forbearance of one another in love with such due esteem of those whom thou hast set over us to watch for our Souls as may turn the hearts of the Fathers to the Children and the hearts of the Children to the Fathers that so we may become a ready People prepared to live in Peace and the God of Peace may be with us Amen Advertisement THrough the neglect of the Bookseller and Printer this Book hath been detained otherwise it might have come out six Months sooner CHAP. I. The CONTENTS The Design of this Treatise is to perswade our dissenting Laity that they ought to maintain Communion with the Church of England 1. Because she requires nothing in her publick Worship which is unlawful to be done 2ly Because they cannot condemn her Communion without condemning the practice of the Vniversal Church of Christ § 1. 3ly Because they cannot do it without contradicting the Practice and Example of our Lord who was a Member of the Jewish National Church § 2. 2ly Observed the times of publick Prayer § 3. 3ly Was a Member of the Synagogue at Nazareth § 4. 4ly Observed the Customs which by the Jewish Canons were prescribed to be observed by those who entred into the Temple § 5. 5ly Complyed with the Rules prescribed by the Jewish Doctors to be observed by the Readers Preachers in their Synagogue § 6. 6ly Observed the Customs in which the Jewish Doctors varied from or added to the observation of the Passover § 7. 8ly Admitted Judas both to the Passover and to the Celebration of the Sacrament and so declared that Communion with the Professors of Religion was not to be refused for their want of inward Piety § 8. 9ly Paid Tribute when it was not due and thereby taught us to submit unto those things which were required by Superiours without sufficient grounds in Case of Scandals § 9. 10ly Our Lords Commands were suitable to his Practice For first he commanded the Leper to shew himself to the Priest thô both the Priest-hood was degenerated and many idle things required of him who was to be pronounced clean 2ly He commands even his own Disciples to obey the Scribes and Pharisees because they sate in Moses Chair § 10. Corollaries 1. That corruptions allowed taught and practised in a Church are no sufficient grounds of separation from the Communion of that Church provided that the Members of it be not required as a condition of Communion with them to do teach practise them or to profess that they are not corruptions § 11. 2ly That great Corruptions in the lives of our Church-Pastors will not warrant our Separation from Communion with them or our Refusal to attend upon their Teaching provided we be not enjoyned to allow of or to comply with them in their Sins § 12. 3ly That it is lawful to comply which such Churches as enjoyn some significant Ceremonies not mentioned in the Word of God and for the sake of Peace Order Vnity and the avoiding of Scandal to submit unto them when by Authority they are enjoyned § 13. 4ly That it is not unlawful to use a publick Form of Prayer and that the using of such Forms can be no sinful stinting of the Spirit § 14. 5ly That we stand not obliged in all Punctilios of time and place and gesture to follow the Example of the first Institution of the Holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper § 15. 6ly That the presence of wicked men should not deter us from joyning with the Church in the Participation of the Holy Sacrament § 16. 7ly That we stand not obliged to refuse Communion with other Churches in their Sacraments and other publick Offices because of some additions to the Institution § 17. 7ly That our Dissenters have no just cause to fear or plead for that Refusal of Submission to the Constitutions of our Church and of Communion with us that by Communicating municating they should approve of the imposing of these things and should partake with them in that supposed Sin or countenance them in the imposing things which they do look upon as Grievous Burthens § 18. CHAP. I. § 1 MY Design in this Discourse is with all the Strength of Reason I can offer to perswade our Dissenting Laity that lawfully they may and therefore that they ought to hold Communion with the Church of England in all her constant and solemn parts of publick Worship To prove that lawfully they may I might Insist on many Topicks As 1. That which doth throw the Burthen of proving the unlawfulness of holding Communion with us in the forementioned Worship upon them and of this Nature is the following Argument Viz. It is lawful to hold Communion with the Church in all her constant and solemn parts of Publick Worship which in those parts of Publick Worship requires nothing which is unlawful to be done by those who shall communicate with her in them but the Church of England in all her constant and solemn parts of Publick Worship requires nothing to be done which is unlawful to be done by those who shall communicate with her in them Ergo 't is lawful to communicate with the Church of England in all her constant and solemn parts of Publick Worship Where by the constant and solemn parts of Publick Worship I understand those parts of Publick Worship which she requires all Laymen to joyn with her in under the penalty of being lyable to be presented and to be subject to her censures if they do refuse them that in these parts of Solemn Worship nothing unlawful is required of them I shall endeavour to make good by Answering the Objections which they make against them But I might do it more briefly by calling on them to instance in any thing unlawful to be done which is required in any constant and solemn part of Publick Worship upon which they are by the Constitutions of the Church obliged to attend under the penalty of being subject to her Censures for their Neglect or their Refusal so to do 2ly I might thus argue with them That which the Church of Christ hath in all Ages since the Apostles required of her subjects cannot be reasonably conceived unlawful to be done for otherwise we must condemn the universal Church of Christ through all Ages since the time of the Apostles but the Church of Christ throughout all Ages hath required of her Subjects conditions of Communion like unto those required by the Church of England And therefore these conditions of Communion cannot be reasonably deemed unlawful to be done In Confirmation of this Argument it would be very easy to instance in multitudes of Ceremonies required of and used by the members of the Universal Church throughout all Ages consequent to that of the Apostles as lyable to the exceptions of Dissenters as are any Ceremonies imposed by the Church of England and also to evince that Liturgies or Forms of Prayer were always
do it thou shalt not add thereto or diminish from it Hence they infer that no humane Ceremonies or Circumstances of mens devising must be added to what God hath commanded in his Gospel Worship Answ 1 To this I answer That these Words do as much concern Laws made concerning civil and judicial as concerning Sacred Matters and do as much prove that our Superiours may add no Laws to the Laws made by God concerning Civil Matters as that they may make no Laws for Regulation of or ordering any Circumstances of Religious Worship that is they are as good Objections against our Statute-Book as against our Lyturgy The reason is because these words are neither in the 4th nor the 12th Chapter restrained to Acts of Divine Worship but are expresly spoken of all the Statutes and Judgments which the Lord had taught them v. 1. of whatsoever thing God had commanded Deut. 12.32 Answ 2 2ly If by these Precepts the Ceremonies used in the Church of England are condemned then also must the Dissenters from the Church of England be condemned by them for they do many things and they use many Ceremonies in Religious Worship which are no where commanded they sing in stinted Meeter for which they have no Precept or Example in the Word of God they have a Directory for publick Worship containing many precepts or directions no where prescribed in that Word they when they take an Oath do not refuse to lay their hands upon and kiss the Book now all agree that Oaths are Solemn Acts of Divine Worship and know that God no where Commanded these Ceremonial additions to it Moreover when they imposed the Solemn league and Covenant they ordered that it should be taken by the whole Congregation 1st uncovered 2ly standing Ordin of the 2 of Febr. 1643. and 3ly with their right hand lift up and bare now if they notwithstanding the Texts in the objection mentioned might add three uncommanded Ceremonies unto the taking of an Oath which is a Solemn Act of Divine Worship what hinders but that Superiors may do the like in other parts of Divine Worship Answer 3 3ly The Jews themselves never conceived that by these precepts they were restrained from instituting upon occasion sacred Rites or doing many things which circumstantially belonged to Gods Worship for which they had no special Warrant from the Word of God and if we do offend against these Rules by using our Ceremonies in Gods Service even the best and wisest of the Jews did equally offend For what command had Solomon to keep a Feast of Seven days for Dedication of the Temple 1 Kings 8.65 what Command had he for hallowing the middle part of the Court that was before the House of the Lord to offer Burnt offerings Meat offerings and Peace offerings there v. 64. Dr. Ames indeed sayeth that Solomon did this by Divine Authority Fresh suit §. 17 c. p 33◠and instinct of the Holy Ghost to which vain imagination I return the Answer of Agar add thou not unto his Words lest thou be found a liar Prov. 30.6 The Holy Ghost hath in two places given us a full relation of what King Solomon did but not one tittle of any instinct of the Holy Ghost commanding him to do it how then came Dr. Ames to know what no where is revealed and what cannot be known by any Man without a Revelation Is it not wonderful that Men who will believe nothing without express Scripture proof and who so stiffly do contend for the negative Argument from Scripture should themselves thus add to Scriptures 2ly What Warrant had good Hezekiah for continuing a Feast of Unleavened Bread Seven days longer than the time appointed by the Law 2 Chron. 30.23 To this instance Dr. Ames Answers that these Seven other days were not Holy days at all of Institution properly so called but an occasional continuation of free will offerings for that time Fr. Suit p. 317. which might be offered any day of the year without new Holy days To this I Answer 1st That were this so it cannot be denyed but that their observation of other Seven days beside these which were appointed by the Law of Moses was as much adding to the Law of Moses as the imposing of our Ceremonies can be accounted adding to the Law of Christ. 2ly When in the Text we read that they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread with greatgladness v. 21 and v. 23. that the whole Assembly took Council and kept other Seven days with gladness what reason can any person have to think that the last Seven days should not be Festival or Holy days as well as the first Seven and if they might take Council to keep those other Seven days why might they not have instituted the keeping of them when they didobserve them And 3ly What reason hath Dr. Ames to affirm that they then only offered Freewill offerings rather than such which were accustomed to be offered at the Feast of Unleavened Bread and had been offered in the first Seven days of the Solemnity The descant of other Commentators on the place is this viz. that this was done not to change the ordinance of the Passeover but partly to redeem their defect in not observing it for so many years and partly to detain the People of Israel the longer at Jerusalem that by the Preaching of the Word they might be the better informed and confirmed in the true Religion whence the inference is plainly this that upon such occasions and for such good ends it is commendable to do more than is required provided nothing be done against what is required 3ly Est 9.20 21 22. What Law had Mordecai and Esther for enjoyning the yearly observation of the Feast of Purim to stablish this among them that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and the fifteenth day of the same yearly as the days wherein the Jews rested from their Enemies and the month which was turned to them from sorrow to joy and from mourning into a good day that they should make them days of Feasting and joy and of sending portions one to another and gifts to the poor Dr. Ames saith here again that if any significant ceremony was here instituted it was by divine direction p. 317. tho neither Scripture nor Josephus mention one tittle of the matter and adds from Dr. Whitaker that forasmuch as this Feast stands approved in Scripture there is no doubt but it was done by Divine Authority tho we read nothing of it in the Scripture Which by the leave of that good Man is a plain begging of the Question 2ly He adds that if Josephus may be believed Joseph Antiq. Jud. l. XI c. 6. p. 382. the Heathen King Artaxerxes was the institutor of that Feast and if so I hope Christian Kings may do as much but this is a vile mistake for in the place cited by him it is expresly said that Mordecai appointed it
of by any but Dissenters 2ly If this be true I know not any thing more forbidden by this Commandment than this Book of Dr. Ames so full of Phantasies of his own devising that nothing can be more all which undoubtedly were intended by him for some religious use Nay this very Interpretation is forbidden here it being certainly a Phantasy of the Mind without all ground from the Commandment Nay all our pious Books our conceived Prayers our Method in composing Sermons and an hundred things of like Nature will be here prohibited The Argument whereby the Dr. Labors to confirm this fond intepretation is p. 297. that the Word likeness used in the second Commandment is General and comprehendeth under it all religious similitudes because they are Homogeneal to Images they are expresly forbidden Answ The Foundation of this Argument is a plain falshood for the Word Likeness is not General but by the Text is plainly limited to Images or Likenesses of Male or Female Deut 4.16 17 18. The Likeness of any Beast that is on the Earth The Likeness of any winged Fowl that flyeth in the Air The Likeness of any thing that creepeth on the Ground The Likeness of any Fish that is in the Waters The Likeness which may be seen is that which is forbidden v. 15. 'T is the Likeness of any thing in Heaven above or in the Earth beneath or in the Waters under the Earth Exod. 20.4 Dr. Ames goes on to Argue from the Affirmative part of the second Commandment thus p. 299. This Commandment enjoyns Obedience to all the Worship appointed by God all which was significative for it served to the Example and Shadow of Heavenly things Heb. 8.5 Heb. 10.1 The Law having a Shadow of things to come Therefore it forbiddeth any significative Ceremonies to be brought into the Worship of God devised by man Answ to omit the Illogicalness of this Argument and the many terms in the conclusion which are not vertually contained in the premisses which every fresh Man may perceive I Answ 1. That it is falsly or at least precariously affirmed that this Commandment enjoyns Obedience to all the Worship appointed by God It is the first Commandment which commands us to have God for our God that is to give him all the Internal Acts of Devotion and the External Acts of Piety which are proper to God and are in Scripture signified by loving God with all our Hearts by fearing worshipping and serving him The second Commandment doth limit the manner of exercising and expressing our Devotion to the true Object of it interdicting that mode which in the Practice of Antient times had so generally prevailed of representing the Deities they apprehended to be such in some corporeal shape thereto yielding such expressions of respect as they conceived suitable and acceptable to such Deities The Affirmative part of this Precept seems therefore to be chiefly this Thou shalt give outward Religious Worship by bowing humbling of thy Body or falling down to me so that our kneeling at the Sacrament or bowing to the Lord Jesus when we hear his Sacred Name which minds us of the great Blessings which he hath procured for us and of the Honour due unto him for them our bowing of the body to him when we go into the place of Worship is only doing what in the General is here commanded which if Dissenters well considered they would see the vanity of their Exceptions against those laudable Practices of the Church of England Farther the positive part of this Precept may imply that in our Devotions and Religious Services of God we should raise our mind above gross Sense and Phancy that we should entertain high and worthy conceptions of God that we should apprehend him incomparably Superiour to all things which we see and know in a word that we should worship him in Spirit and in Truth not as the Samaritans in the Image of a Dove who therefore are said to worship they knew not what nor as the Jews by Types and Shadows of good things to come and such like Carnal Ordinances In these two things seem fully to be comprised the special positive Duty of this Commandment Answ 2. When Dr. Ames adds that all the worship appointed by God is here commanded and that it was all significative and proveth this from Hebr. 8.5 Hebr. 10.1 Which manifestly speak only of Shadows of things to come it clearly follows from his Argument that all Worship of God is now abolished and become unlawful for all the Worship spoken of Hebr. 8.5 Hebr. 10.1 is clearly abolished and rendred unlawful to us by the appearance of the substance of which they were Types and Shadows 3ly 'T is certain that we owe Obedience to all the parts of Worship appointed by God significative or not significative but how doth it hence follow that significative Ceremonies which are declared to be no parts of Gods Worship but only accidental Circumstances may not be required by men any more than it will follow that because God hath commanded Obedience to all the Honour due to my Natural Spiritual and Civil Parents and hath commanded all the Love I owe unto my Brother that therefore I may use no expression of honour to my Parents or love unto my Christian Brother which he hath not commanded Thus have I answered all that is considerable in Dr. Ames on this Head and all that the Dissenters urge from the Old Testament against Submission to the Ceremonies appointed to be used in the Church of England § 4 From this Example of our Lord and his Apostles it doth also clearly follow Coroll 2. that those Texts of Scripture which our Dissenters urge from the New Testament and all those reasons which they plead from the fulness of Scripture the Office and the Faithfulness of Christ in the discharge of that his Office can never prove that 't is a thing unlawful to submit unto or use the Ceremonies appointed by our Church seeing our Saviour and his Disciples whose Practice certainly agreed with their Precepts and who did nothing repugnant to the fulness of the Scripture c. submitted to the use of Ceremonies of a like nature to them when by the Rulers of the Jewish Church they were imposed and they found it best conducing to the promotion of the Gospel to submit unto them Nevertheless I also shall proceed to answer all that they have produced hitherto with any shew of reason from the N. Testament Obj. 4 To this effect then it is objected That Christ himself condemned and rejected the washings of the Scribes and Pharisees altho they were but decent Ceremonies imposed by the Elders of the Jewish Church and not forbidden by the Law of Moses And he not only doth refuse to conform to them but also justifyes his own Disciples in their Nonconformity doth pronounce of all such things that being plants which his Heavenly Father had not planted Matt. 15.13 they should be
joyn not with these that use it or with the Minister who wears a Surplice kneel not at the Receiving of the Sacrament do not stand up at the rehearsal of the Creed bring not your Children to receive the sign of the Cross in Baptism all these they teach for Doctrines asserting that they are actions which God hath forbidden and therefore may not lawfully be used in his Worship or by them be submitted to since therefore God hath not forbidden any of these things and yet they teach he hath forbidden them they plainly must be guilty of adding to his Word and teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men which they who do declare these things to be indifferent and no where commanded in Gods Word cannot be guilty of CHAP. III. The CONTENTS Answering the Objections of Dissenters from reason grounded upon Scripture as Obj 1. God would have for the Tabernacle and the Temple an exact pattern how he would have all things done and that in writing and therefore Christ being faithful in his House as Moses was must have done as much in Scripture towards the building of his Spiritual House Answ 1. This Argument holds as well in Civil Matters as in Sacred and by arguing from such similitudes many false things may be concluded Answ 2. That it is falsly supposed that Moses was so full in his Institutions that nothing afterwards was to be added to them or ordained by the Rulers of the Church for the better Observation of them 3 'T is certain Christ hath not done what this Objection saith his faithfulness obliged him to do 4ly There is a manifest disparity betwixt the Christian and the Jewish State and thence good reason may be given why thô all things were determined then it should not be so now 5ly The fidelity of Moses consisted in this that he concealed nothing of that which God commanded and sutably the fidelity of Christ in this that he declared to us the whole Will of God § 1. Obj. 2. The Scripture is a Rule of Ceremonies for it prescribeth Ceremonies respecting Baptism and the Lords Supper if therefore it prescribe not all it must be an imperfect Rule Answ 1. The absurdity of this Argument is shewn by instances of a like Nature 2 The Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the perfection of the H. Scriptures is this viz. that it doth perfectly contain all that is necessary to believed or done in Order to Salvation Thô not all Ceremonies in particular of Decency and Order That the Scripture is a Rule of all Ceremonies that are good works antecedently to the Command of man 2. That it is sufficiently perfect in reference to uncommanded Ceremonies by giving general Directions to Superiors in the imposing of them And 2ly By Commanding Obedience to their impositions in all lawful matters The Tenet of some Non-Conformists that no Church-Governors ought to ordain or introduce into the Service of God any other Rites or Observations than such as God hath in his Word commanded or Christ and his Apostles by their Examples which they esteem as Precepts hath approved and that if they enjoyn such things we must not yield Obedience to them but must reject them as humane Inventions Superstition and Will-worship The pernicious Consequence of this Tenet 1. It casts a reproach upon Religion and gives just cause to Magistrates to scruple the Admission of the Christian Faith 2. It makes it necessary to disobey all Civil Laws concerning Charity and Justice which are not contained in Scripture 3ly This Opinion will force men to be troublesome in all the Churches of the World 4. It gives a great Advantage to Popery Mr. Baxters solid Confutation of this Opinion by 8 Arguments 5ly They who assert this Tenet do many things in Contradiction to it § 2. CHAP. III. HAving thus dispatched the Scriptures produced in this cause I proceed to consider the Objections of Dissenters from reason grounded upon Scripture and Obj. 1. It is objected That there was nothing appertaining in the least to the Worship of God but was fully set down even to the pins of the Tabernacle in the Law of Moses when Gods Material House was to be built he gave to Moses for the Tabernacle and to David for the Temple a Pattern according to which he would have every thing made or done And of this Pattern which God gave to David for the Temple it is expresly said God gave it him in Writing 1 Chron. 28.19 Nothing then might be done by Moses or by Solomon tho they were two of the wisest Men that ever lived about the Tabernacle or Temple or about the whole Service of God performed in them but according to that Pattern Exod. 25.9 40 39 42 40 16. and this charge the Lord repeats to Moses four times to shew the great Importance of it and the Author to the Hebrews Notes that it was said unto him Hebr. 8.5 see that thou make all things according unto the Pattern that was shewed thee in the Mount Hebr 3.6 Since therefore Christ was faithfull in his House as Moses was he must say they in building his Spiritual House have given us a Pattern according to which he would have all his works done and that pattern must be contained in the H. Scriptures Answ 1 Of this almost all the Arguments produced by Dissenters on this Subject it is observable that they hold as much against all Laws concerning Civil matters as concerning sacred For instance Moses as he prescribed those Laws whereby the Jewish Nation was to Act in sacred matters so did he from Gods mouth prescribe them a Judicial Law a Law for Civil Government and he moreover saith of that as well as of those Laws which did concern Gods Worship you shall observe to do as the Lord your God hath Commanded you you shall not turn aside to the right hand or the left If then the Argument here holds from the fidelity of Moses to that of Christ or from Gods care of his Churches Service under the Old Testament to his care of it under the New Christ must have given us a form of Civil Government as well as Sacred a Statute Law by which our Courts of Justice must be regulated and to which 't is not in the Power of King and Parliament to add on Statute or else Christ must be thought less faithful in his House then Moses was and God less carefull of the Christian than the Jewish Church And indeed Arguments of this Nature taken from Similitudes may be used to conclude things manifestly false as V. G. God is not less kind to his Ministers under the New Testament than under the Old and therefore as in the Law of Moses we are told punctually what they should receive from the People so must we be told also under the New Testament under the Law there was on Earth an High Priest over the Jews therefore we must have an universal Bishop over the Christians Moses
of any excellency in or Attribute of God but partly for distinction partly for decency and uniformity and partly for their Antiquity and lastly as being apt to put us in mind of our duty they cannot be supposed by commanding of them to these ends to make them parts of Worship 5ly External and Bodily Worship is either Substantial or Circumstantial and Ceremonial the Substantial parts of Gods outward Worship are vocal Prayer Praises hearing of the Word not as the word of Man but of God receiving of the Sacraments as they import an entering into Covenant with God and an Eucharistical Oblation of our Souls and Bodies to him Those Bodily Acts which be performed by us in pursuance of these substantial parts of Worship and whereby we do signifie either our Reverence of that God in whose presence we are or with whom we have to do as standing uncovering the head kneeling at Prayer bowing of our Body at our entrance into the place of Gods Worship prostration lifting up our Hands or Eyes to Heaven or whereby we do make profession of our Faith in God as standing up at the Creed to profession of our Faith in a Crucified Saviour on which account the Ancients used the sign of the Cross or lastly whereby we enter into Covenant with God according to his institution as by receiving of the Sacramental signs All these are Ceremonial or Circumstantial parts of Worship 6ly These Ceremonial parts of Worship are in the general commanded by God and they are natural signs of Reverence required by the second Commandment for that forbidding all outward Religious Worship to be given to that which is not God and that because it is that Worship which is due to God the affirmative part of that precept must be supposed to be this Thou shalt give unto me that outward Worship when therefore our Church Commands her subjects to Kneel at their receiving of the Sacrament with Prayer and doth exhort but not Command them to Worship God when they do enter into the place of Worship or bow unto the blessed Jesus who is God blessed for evermore when they are by his Name put in Remembrance of that great Salvation which he hath wrought for us she only doth appoint that to be done at such a time which God hath in the general Commanded to be done and so doth institute no uncommanded part of Worship 7ly When any thing is by God Commanded to be done in his own Worship which doth not primarily directly and immediately tend to express or signifie our sense or apprehension of his excellency or his Attributes the doing of it in its own Nature is no part of Worship but only the doing of it in Obedience to the Command of God for all obedience is an acknowledgment of Gods Sovereign Power and the subjection which we owe unto it Thus v. g. to receive the person that is to be Baptized to give the Bread and Wine to the Communicants are no parts of outward Worship because they are not directly and immediately designed to express any excellence of God but only done in order to the Baptising of the person to be received into the Church or the convenience of the Communicants receiving Sitting at the receiving of the Sacrament can be no part of Worship in those Churches which retain the gesture because it is retained only as a most fitting Table gesture and all those things which God enjoyned to be done in his own Temple the use of the Snuffers and the Tongs the cleansing of the Candlesticks the lighting up of the Candles the bringing in of the Wood for the Burnt offerings with infinite things of a like Nature could be no parts of Worship otherwise than as they were performed directly in obedience to a Divine Command Now hence 't is easie to return an Answer to the forementioned objections For 1st Hence it appears that the proper use of those Ceremonies of the Church of England which are not Natural or Instituted parts of Worship is not the Honouring of God by the acknowledgment of any of his excellencies which is sufficient refutation of the first Argument 2ly Hence it appears that they are not meer and immediate Acts of Religion or formally elicited from Religion as the second Argument supposes 3ly Hence it is evident that all the means that God hath appointed to teach Obedience are not Acts of Divine Worship as Preaching Reading of the Word pious Discourse good Advice and good Example which is sufficient Answer to the third Argument which also falsly doth suggest that our Ceremonies are devised to that end 4ly Hence it appears that it is no part of Gods Worship to teach his Worship teaching being an Action directed not immediately to God but Men nor are our Ceremonies devised to be means of Spiritual instruction by their Mystical signification nor are such signs necessarily essential parts of Worship unless afflictions which are signs of Gods displeasure designed to be means of Spiritual instruction be also parts of Divine Worship as the fourth Argument supposeth 5ly Hence it is manifest that the teaching and reading of the Scriptures for edification of the Church is no part of Gods Worship for the reason mentioned before on which false supposition doth the fifth Argument proceed 6ly Nor are all Actions whereby Spiritual duties are taught in Gods Solemn Worship Acts whereby God is Worshipped as is suggested in the sixth Argument 7ly Nor was the use of Jewish Ceremonies in the Solemn Worship of God any part of his true and immediate Worship unless they were such Jewish Ceremonies as did express or signifie some Divine Excellency or the acknowledgment thereof in those that used them as the seventh Argument suggest but doth not prove 8ly Nor are our uncommanded Ceremonies performed directly to God as is supposed Argument the eighth 9ly Nor are all special things done in the Service of God parts of his Worship as is asserted Argument the ninth 10ly Nor must all special Actions done in the Service of God bring special Honour to him viz. by the signification of any of his excellencies not the snuffing of the Candles not the bringing of the Wood to the Temple as the tenth Argument supposeth such Actions are indeed performed in order to those things which do bring Honour to God even as submission to the Ceremonies prescribed by the Church is done in order to the free Preaching of the Word and to the demonstration of our Obedience to Superiors and to the preservation of the Churches Peace by which things God is highly Honoured 11ly All Civil Ceremonies or all the Circumstances of them are not parts of Civil Worship not the taking of the Cup by the Cup-bearer but the Kneeling with it not the filling out of the Wine but the tendring it in that humble posture In a word only those Ceremonies whereby we do express our sense of some excellency in our Civil Superiors or which by Nature or by Custom signifie some excellency in
with respect unto the manner And therefore it is well observed by Dr. Stillingfleet That many Superstitions condemned in Scripture chiefly consist in the forbearance of things lawful Serm. of Superst p. 37. on supposition that the forbearance of them was well pleasing to God The Superstition condemned Coloss 2.22 lay in supposing God to be pleased with their Forbearance of things lawful with their not touching tasting handling them and therefore was a negative Superstition And so it was in the dispute between Christ and the Pharisees about healing on the Sabbath day they thought it unlawful and therefore did abstain Christ thought it lawful to do good on the Sabbath day and therefore did it here was no positive observance on the Pharisees part yet here was Superstition in them and therefore the true Notion of Superstition doth extend to the Forbearance of things in themselves lawful as displeasing to God § 4 Now to apply these things that the Forbearance of the Ceremonies required by the Church of England on supposition that they are lawful in themselves and yet are by Dissenters abstained from as unlawful must be superstitious will be exceeding evident 1. Because they do and must according to their Principles esteem this their refusal to submit unto them when imposed as an act of special honor to God it being a declaration of their minds that they think God dishonoured by such acts and therefore dare not comply with them it can be only fear of sinning against God which can engage them with the hazard of their Estates and Ease c. thus to refuse obedience to the Commands of their Superiours They then must look on this refusal as a product of the fear of God and as an act of true obedience to him in opposition to the unjust Commands of men or an obeying God more than man and consequently they must esteem themselves more holy acceptable and well pleasing to God on the account of this Forbearance than Conformists are 2ly Because they do and must esteem Gods Worship corrupted by the use of these our Rites as to the Purity and the Spirituality of it and so they do esteem themselves by this Forbearance Preservers of his Worship pure and spiritual and free from that Idolatry and Superstition with which they charge it upon these accounts 3ly Because they do and must according to their principles rather refuse to joyn in the external Communion of our Church and rather bound to set up separate Communions than to comply with these our Rites now surely nothing but a necessity of displeasing God by joyning in Communion with us can warrant their refusal of it nothing but a necessity by God imposed on them of setting up such separate Communions in Order to the acceptable Worship of God can justify their Separation if therefore they mistake in Judging that such necessity is laid upon them as they must do if it be lawful to submit unto these Rites and hold Communion with us notwithstanding the necessity which lyes upon them to submit unto them they must be superstitious in that Practice which follows from this grand mistake § 5 In answer to the Close of this Objection it is said That these things edify by their Signification and therefore must be good and profitable and so not like unto vain Words and Actions To this it is replyed by Dissenters that many things of a like Nature when they are used by devout and thinking men may edify by their Signification and yet the imposition of them upon that account would scarce exempt them from the appearance of vanity As v. g. Should a Church Governor command his Subjects to appear in Armor in the Church to signify their Spiritual Warfare or to put on an Helmet to signify that they would manfully fight under Christs Banner or to drink Milk in token of their desire to feed on the sincere Milk of the Word or to use Vinegar and Gall in token of their Resolution to undergo the greatest Hardships for the Sake of Christ or to put on a pair of Spectacles to signify we are dim sighted in the things of Christ tho the Signification of these things might tend to edify the things required could hardly be excused from vanity 2ly They add that Edification in the Scripture Sense is quite another thing from this obscure way of teaching by Signification To edify our Brother in the Scripture Sense is to build him up and to confirm him and help him forward in the Christian Faith 1 Tim. 1.4 Jud. 20. The things by which the Church is said to receive Edification are of a better Nature viz. Walking in the Fear of God and in the Comfort of the Holy Ghost Act. 9 31. The Preaching of the Word 1 Cor. 14.3 4 5. Christian admonition and discourse Administring Grace unto the Hearer Eph. 4.29 The Graces of the Holy Spirit descending on Christs Members Eph. 4.16 Of the Edification of any indifferent and humane Ceremony the Scripture speaketh not one Word We are then said in Scripture to edify our Brother when we forbear indifferent and unnecessary things which through his weakness do cooperate towards his ruine Rom. 14.19 20. We do it by our Charity towards him in these things for Charity edifyeth 1 Cor. 8.1 By our Promotion of unity and so by the removal of such unnecessary things as do obstruct it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Edifie your selves into one 1 Thes 5.11 Answ But were this granted that some one or more of our Ceremonies seemed to you unprofitable and unserviceable to the use of Edifying what is that to you who only are concerned to know whether what your Superiors Command may lawfully be done by you and who Transgress your bounds when you presume to judge whether the things imposed be in their own Natures profitable edifying or convenient to be imposed for if they be as you conceive the fault supposed in the imposing of them is not yours but theirs whereas the fault in not submitting to them if lawful will most certainly be yours 2ly Whatsoever they are in themselves yet your submission to them in obedience to the lawful Commands of your Superiors for preservation of the Churches Peace for the prevention of Schism and all its dreadful consequents for the obtaining freedom to joyn in the Communion of the Church will doubtless highly tend to your Edification and your Profit as being a Submission to them for such Pious Christian ends as Christianity most stirictly doth oblige us to aim at and pursue and which are in themselves sufficient to sanctifie an action otherwise unprofitable and render it a Christian Duty Lastly to Kneel at the receiving of the Sacrament to express our Reverence and Humility to sign a Child with the Cross in token to the Congregation that he is listed among Christs Members or wear a Surplice for decency or distinction cannot be proved to be vain by any of the Instances forementioned Obj. 7 We cannot say Dissenters
Sacraments unnecessary and no more operative than is a Meditation on the things they represent whereas indeed they seal grace they have a promise of grace annexed to them and they confer it Physically on the due receiver § 59 And then saith he for relative grace it is plain that by the sign of the Cross as well as by Baptism we are entred into a state of Christianity and so it is an investing Sacramental sign it listeth us under the Banner of Christ Crucified And that is the very essential Nature of the Sacrament of Baptism it self Answ It is not true that the Cross used by the Church of England is an investing sign or that we by the Cross are entred into a state of Christianity it being only a declarative sign to others that we have been entred by Baptism § 60 61. If saith he you judge it essential to a Sacrament to be an engaging sign in the very Covenant of grace it self the Cross is instituted to this end it is to engage our selves to a Crucified Christ as our Captain and Saviour by his Cross and to bind our selves to the Duty of Souldiers or Christians to our lives end and consequently to teach us to expect the privileges of faithful Servants and Souldiers from a Crucified Christ all this he gathers from these words of the Common-Prayer we sign this Child with the sign of the Cross in token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confess the Faith of Christ Crucified c. But these words rightly Interpreted give him no Colour for any of his inferences the token there spoken of relating not to the Child who is uncapable of taking notice of it but to the Congregation into which he is received so that it is as much as if it were said we receive this Child into the Congregation present in token to them that he is now by Baptism become one of them who are Members of the Crucified Jesus and so hereafter shall not be ashamed to confess that Faith this will be evident from the subscription made by Dr. Burges in these words where the Book saith Defence of Dr. Morton p. 24 25. And do sign him with the sign of the Cross in token c. I understand the Book not to mean that the figure of the Cross hath any virtue in it to effect or further this Duty but only to intimate and express by that Ceremony by which the Ancients did avow their profession of Christ Crucified what the Congregation hopeth and expecteth hereafter from that Infant viz. that he shall not be ashamed to profess the Faith of Christ Crucified into which he was even now Baptized And therefore also when the 30th Canon saith that the Infant is by that sign Dedicated unto the Service of Christ I understand that Dedication to import not a real consecration of the Child which was done in Baptism it self but only a Ceremonial declaration of that Dedication like as the Priest is said to make clean the Leper whose being clean he only declared These Interpretations King James accepted p. 26. and my Lords Grace of Canterbury affirmed them to be the true sense and intention of the Church of England And again p. 477 478. The Child saith he must first be Baptized and upon that Baptism be acknowledged by the Minister speaking then in the Name of the whole Congregation in the Plural Number we receive this Child c. to be now made a visible Member of the Church of Christ by Baptism before he may use this Ceremony of the Cross And when he doth use it he is bound at that instant to profess and tell why it is done namely in token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed c. that is not be ashamed of that Covenant whereinto he is by Baptism now entred So as no Man can say that this is done to add either vertue to the Sacrament or capacity of grace to the Child but only for intimation to the whole Congregation for their instruction what it is to which Baptism once received binds all Christians that come to age convenient which Ceremony the Church of England thought good to retain because it had such an use in the purer times If any Man doth yet stumble as I confess my self to have done at those words of the 30th Canon that by this Lawful Ceremony and Honourable Badg this Child is Dedicated to the Service of Christ I pray such a one to know and I have good warrant to assure him that the word Dedicated doth here import no more than declared by that Ceremony to be dedicated like as the Priest is said to have cleansed the Leper whom he only declared to be clean Levit. Disp the 5. of Cer. chap. 3. ◠18 16. 14.11 Now to this end saith Mr. Baxter and on these terms was the sign of the Cross used heretofore by Christians and therefore I durst not have reproved any of the Ancient Christians that used the sign of the Cross meerly as a professing signal action to shew to the Heathen and Jews about them that they believed in a Crucified Christ and were not ashamed of his Cross The occasional indifferent use of this when it is meerly to this end I durst not have condemned CHAP. VI. The CONTENTS The Arguments against the Rites established by the Church of England by which Dissenters do endeavour to shew that tho they may be lawful in themselves yet are they not to be submitted to by reason of some Circumstances which attend them are reduced to their respective Heads viz. 1. The supposed Violation of Christian Liberty 2ly The abuse of them by others to Superstition and Idolatry 3ly The appearance of Evil that is in them 4ly The Scandal which they minister to the Weak And lastly That by submitting to them they should partake of the supposed sin of the Imposer § 1. Objection the 1st They violate our Christian Liberty because they render us subject to Ordinances which is the thing forbidden 2 Coloss 20. 2ly The Servants of men which is forbidden 1 Cor. 7.23 3ly Because they bind the Conscience And 4ly Because they are urged on those who in their Consciences condemn them § 2. In answer to this Objection it is asserted that the determination of any thing indifferent by our Superiors provided they do not impose it as a thing necessary in its own Nature or as a part of our Religious Worship can no ways violate our Christian Liberty And that 1. Because Scripture layes Restraints upon our Liberty in matters of this Nature 2ly Then all our Vows and Promises respecting things indifferent relating to the Service of God would violate our Christian Liberty 3ly Because what we may do tho no Injunction of the Magistrate required it cannot be sin when done because he doth require it 4ly Then should the Magistrate forbid the doing of the things enjoyned we must not leave undone what he forbids 5ly Then is it in the Power of
here not to touch the unclean thing is only to purge our selves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit as is evident from the context of the words for the Apostle having mentioned the promises God had made to those who did separate themselves and touch not the unclean thing viz. that God would receive them and be a Father to them he infers wherefore beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit chap. 7.1 So that this Text cannot concern our Ceremonies unless it be asserted that whilst we use them we cannot cleanse our selves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit And 4ly The unclean thing here spoken of is plainly the Idolatry of the Heathens as that expression intimates what conjunction hath the Christian who is the Temple of God with Idols to touch this unclean thing is to Communicate with them in their Idolatry by eating of their Idol Feasts in the Temple of their Idols which is saith the Apostle to have Communion with Devils 1 Cor. 10.20 to partake of the Table of Devils v. 21. let us not therefore saith he who have taken upon us the Yoke of Christianity be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drawing in a contrary Yoke with the unfaithful for that the Apostle cannot by the unclean thing mean Marriage with an Infidel is evident because he saith the unbelieving Husband is sanctified to the beliving Wife 1 Cor. 7.14 if then these Ceremonies which we use cannot be proved to be Idols they must be unconcerned in this prohibition To the Argument from the Apostle Judes exhortation to hate the Garments spotted with the Flesh Defence of Dr. Morton p. 437. it is well Answered by Dr. Burges That as a Garment spotted with the Flesh of the unclean was no longer to be hated than till it was washed and being washed might again be used so is it with Ceremonies of indifferent nature which have been defiled 2ly To hate or flie the Garments spotted with the Flesh is only to hate every thing that doth defile tho in the least degree for so the Leprous and Unclean Garments did Hate saith the Reverend Dr. Hammond all the beginnings and the least degrees of impurity and uncleanness when therefore it can be proved that there is any degree of impurity or uncleanness in the use of our Ceremonies then only may this Text be urged against them And 3ly The refusal to Submit unto them tending to Disobedience and Schism and all the dreadful consequences which do follow from them may seem more likely to be forbidden by this Text than our Submission to them in Obedience to Authority Again whereas it is Objected That Christ reproved the Church of Pergamus and Thyatira for suffering Men to teach her Children to eat things Sacrificed to Idols Rev. 2.14 20. I Answer 1. That St. Paul hath taught us that it was not necessary in it self to eat Flesh offered to Idols for the Earth saith he is the Lords and the fulness thereof 1 Cor. 10.28 and so we may sufficiently be fed by other meat and yet he tells us that this meat may lawfully be eaten by the Christian that it is clean to the clean Tit. 1.15 and that 't is only through weakness that it can defile the Conscience and only is unclean to him that thinketh it to be so Rom. 14.14 and he gives free commission to all Men to eat it asking no question for Conscience sake 1 Cor. 10.27 and bids us as it were in flat contradiction to this Objection not to enquire or be follicitous whether the meat we eat have been by others so abused to Idolatry and if the offering of Flesh to an Idol doth not debar our freedom of using it to the sustaining of our Bodies why should the Superstitious use of a Ceremony make it unlawful to be used by others without that Superstition the eating therefore of things Sacrificed to Idols and teaching others so to do which was the thing condemned in those Churches by our Lord was only eating of them in the Idol Temples and at the Feasts of Idols so as to be partakers of the Table of Devils or to commit Idolatry by the participation of them which is so evident from the Context that he who runs may read it For 1. They are there also said to teach their Children to commit Fornication and to eat things offered to Idols Revel 2.14 20. Now all Men know that Fornication in the spiritual sense imports Idolatry 2ly They of the Church of Pergamus who taught her Children to eat things Sacrificed to Idols are said to hold the Doctrine of Balaam who taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the Children of Israel that is to Sacrifice to their Gods to eat and to bow down unto them or to entice them by the Daughters of Moab to this sin Numb 25.1 2 3. Lastly The Woman who seduced the Church of Thyatira to commit Fornication and to eat things Sacrificed to Idols is called Jezabel a Woman famous for her promotion of Idolatry Proceed we now to Answer the examples propounded in the Objection And § 8 1. Gen. 35.4 To that of Jacob who caused his Family to give unto him the Ear-rings which were in their Ears I Answer 1. That these Ear-rings were say some Interpreters the Ear-rings which adorned their Gods and so were parts of their strange Gods they were say others Ear-rings in which were graven the effigies of their Gods after the manner of the Gentiles and so they were plain Idols which ought to be abolished they were say others dedicated to some Numen according to the manner of the Syrians and the Phaenicians and so were actual instruments of Idolatry Now what doth this concern the Ceremonies of the Church of England which as she useth them are neither Idols nor instruments of Idolatry 2. Dan. 1.8 To the example of Daniel who would not defile himself with the portion of the Kings Meat nor with the Wine which he drank I Answer that it is on many accounts impertinent 1. Because according to the judgment of Mr. Calvin the pollution spoken of was not a Ceremonial pollution arising from the Idolatrous use of the meats but only Moral and occasional by their being Bates and Allurements to draw him to an irreligious forgetfulness of the service of God 2ly If the pollution was Ceremonial it might arise from a mixture of Meats forbidden by the Jewish Law with others lawful to be eaten and which if he refused he would not have eaten the full portion allowed by the King 3ly Esth 3.2 To the example of Mordecai refusing to bow to Haman 1. If he himself may be believed he did not refuse what he conceived lawful in it self because it was by others abused to Idolatry but because the Worship which by Haman was required was in it self Idolatrous as being Worship proper to the God of Heaven For thus he speaks Thou knowest Lord that it was neither out of Pride nor
against the Feasts of Christmas Easter the Ascension c. Answered § 14. The Objection from Gal. 4.9 10. Coloss 2.16 Answered § 15. CHAP. IX HAving thus Answered all the considerable Objections of Dissenters which they plead in general against Submission to the Ceremonies appointed by the Church of England to be used in her Solemnities I proceed to a particular consideration of those Ceremonies of which I have not had a fit occasion to discourse in the foregoing Chapters And they are those viz. Kneeling at the Receiving of the Sacrament The Bishops imposition of hands at confirmation and standing up at the Creed and at the reading of the Gospel at the saying Gloria patri Kneeling at Prayer c. And § 1 1. Concerning Kneeling at the Sacrament I say 1. That since some posture is then necessary and none by God determined it cannot reasonably be doubted but that the Church hath power to determine in this matter as she conceives most proper and convenient 2ly I know no posture more convenient than that of Kneeling it being a very fit expression of our humility and of the sense of our unworthiness of the great blessings there received And 2ly A posture fit for Prayer which we do use at the Receiving of the Sacrament 3ly I add That if it be lawful to receive in such a humble posture then must it be unlawful to refuse Communion with our Church in the participation of this Ordinance because she doth require us to use this posture in receiving For on this supposition we must refuse to hold communion with her in a lawful matter and so must separate from her communion in this Ordinance without cause which is the sin of Schism Now that it is lawful to receive Kneeling will appear by answering the Arguments produced by Dissenters against this posture And 1. It is objected That Kneeling at the Sacrament is contrary to the Practice and Example of Christ and his Apostles for they received sitting Answ 1 It is confessed that the Greek words by which the posture of our Lord and his Disciples at their Receiving is expressed are translated so as to seem to countenance their opinion who hold the sitting posture to be most agreeable to the Example of our Lord and his Disciples but yet 't is certain from the Original that Christ and his Disciples did neither sit nor Kneel but did lye down on Couches at the Receiving of this Ordinance for 't was administred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they lying down Mark 14.18 of Christ himself 't is said that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he lay down with the twelve Matt. 26.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he fell down with them Luk. 22.14 If therefore this Objection be of any force it unavoidably will prove that we must neither sit nor stand nor Kneel but must lye down at the Receiving of this Sacrament and so our Lords Example will be as strong against sitting which is the posture our Dissenters use as against kneeling which is the posture they reject Answ 2 2ly I Answer that in such things as these which accidentally were done by Christ and his Apostles and had no real goodness in them we cannot be obliged to imitate them This men do generally acknowledge in things of a like nature to this gesture for they conceive that we are not obliged to receive this Sacrament in a like place viz an upper Room or Inn nor at the same time after the passover or after supper nor in the same habit in Sandals or a seemless coat why therefore should they think it necessary to be received in a like Gesture that being not commanded any more than is the time or place or habit Moreover St Paul when he informeth his Corinthians what he received from the Lord to be delivered to them touching this holy Sacrament 1 Cor. 11.23 maketh no mention of this Gesture and thereby doth assure us that it was not necessary to be observed And Bishop Jewel noteth well Repl. to Hard Artic. 2. that our Lord said do this but said not do it after supper do it sitting do it with twelve Disciples nor did the Apostles so understand him Answ 3 The Gesture in which the Passover even by Gods Command was celebrated at the first was altered by the Jewish Church for in the first Passover they were Commanded to eat it with their loins Girt their shoes on their feet Ex. 12.11 and their staves in their hands as men standing ready and in hast to be gone but being entred into their rest the land of Canaan they changed this posture into lying down and yet our Saviour and his Apostles did not scruple to conform unto it how much less should we scruple the varying from an uncommanded Gesture used occasionally and not of choice by our Dear Lord. 2ly It is objected that Kneeling at the Sacrament maketh us Guilty of Idolatry by worshipping God before or by or with Relation to a Creature For the Elements say they are the motive of your kneeling for if they were not there you would not kneel Answ It is to be lamented that such false Groundless and frivolous suggestions as these are should keep men from Communion with their Brethren in this Holy Ordinance for 1. The matter of fact is in this Argument Extreamly false it being not the Sight of the Elements which doth induce us then to Kneel But we receive them Kneeling saith our Lyturgy Rubr. after the Commun for a signification of our humble acknowledgment of the benefits of Christ there tendred and because Kneeling is a proper posture to tender our devotion in The Elements do only bring these things to our remembrance they do it to our eyes as the words used in a Sermon Prayer Book or by the Minister do bring them to remembrance by our hearing if then it be Idolatry to worship God when these things by the Symbols are brought to our remembrance it must be so to worship God when we do hear a Sermon Prayer or a discourse concerning them 2ly If this be Idolatry then our Dissenters must be Gross Idolaters for Surely inward worship unduly tendred is as Gross Idolatry as outward worship by which it is express'd now do not they when they behold the bread broken and the wine poured out put forth an act of inward worship viz. an act of praise thanksgiving love affiance do they not do this before a creature as much as we are not the Elements seen by them the motive of their doing so as much as of our Kneeling If then we are Idolaters for Kneeling to God before them why must not they be equally Idolaters by tendring all this inward worship to him before and on occasion of the same Elements 3ly Were this Idolatry the Jews must be Idolaters by worshipping the Lord before the Ark or Mercy Seat before the Temple at Jerusalem and before the Tabernacle for by so doing they worshipped God before a creature and would not
used by the Church from the 3d. Century at least unto this present Age. And thence to shew that our Dissenters do by condemning these things in the Church of England in effect condemn the Church of Christ throughout all Ages and all Places Def. of the principles of love p. 55. for as Mr. Baxter well observes they who condemn our Church for reasons common to all the Ages of the Church must virtually condemn all the fore-going Ages of the Churches But because Laymen are ignorant of what was practised by Antiquity and have been taught that Anti-christ began to work in the Apostles days and therefore have but little Reverence for Arguments of this Nature I shall endeavour to convince them of the lawfulness of holding Communion with us in these Ordinances by the Example of our Blessed Lord and Saviour who in like cases did yield Obedience and Submit to the Prescriptions of the Rulers of the Jewish Church And 2ly I shall endeavour to return a full and a perspicuous Answer to all the Arguments they urge from Scripture or from Reason to prove that 't is unlawful to submit unto the things required by the Church of England in order to Communion with her Beginning first with those Arguments which do suppose the things required by the Church of England as the Conditions of Lay Communion to be sinful in themselves or things forbidden by the Word of God And 2ly Proceeding to the Consideration of those Arguments which do allow the things imposed to be lawful in themselves but yet suppose it is unlawful for them to submit unto them 1. Because the Imposition of them is a Violation of their Christian Liberty 2ly Because by their Submission to them as they imagine they shall be indirectly guilty of the sin of the Imposers 3ly Because they have been abused to Idolatry and Superstition and therefore are become unlawful to be used And 4ly Because by using of them they may scandalize the Weak which God having forbidden no Precept of the Magistrate can oblige them to do § 2 And 1. The Practice and Example of our Lord is such a President as our Dissentors cannot reasonably except against nor can they justify their own Refusal to be Followers of Christ or to submit unto such Constitutions made by the Rulers of the Church of Christ as our Dear Lord submitted to being appointed by the Rulers of the Jewish Church or to hold Communion with such a Church as he became a Member of Now 1. Our Blessed Saviour was a Member of the Jewish National Church and of the Synagogue at Nazareth the Confirmation of this Assertion I shall deliver in the Words of Doctor Leightfoot who speaks thus Harm part 3. p. 124. What did Christ all the while he liv'd at Nazareth a private Man Did he never go to the Synagogue upon Sabbath and Holy Days and Synagogue-days Whilst others went to the Congregation and to the publick Service did he stay at home did he not appear before the Lord at the appointed Seasons in the place which he had chosen We are assured he did so for his Parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover and when he was twelve years old they went up to Jerusalem after the Custom of the Feast and the Child went with them 2. Luke 41 42 43. That he went up unto the Feast of Tabernacles we are informed Joh. 7 10. And being circumcised he became a Debtor to do the whole Law Gal. 5 3. being made under the Law Gal. 4.4 he was obliged to the Performance of those things which were enjoyned by it Now the great Business of these Feasts was to offer Sacrifice to rejoyce in the Assembly of Gods People to put up Prayers and Praises for all the Blessings they did then commemorate at these times all Israel met together Lam. 2 22. they heard the Reading of the Law Deut. 31 9 10. and they sang Praises to God Isai 30 29. Ye shall have a Song as in the Night when a Holy Solemnity is kept If then our Saviour did observe these Feasts if he did celebrate the Passover then certainly he did communicate with the Jewish Church for these Appearances were Ordinances and Symbols also of Communion § 3 2ly That Christ himself neglected not the times of publick Prayer that he declared it not unlawful nor did prohibit his Disciples to attend upon them is evident from this that he still owned the Temple as his Fathers House Joh. 2 16. the House of Prayer that his Disciples after his Resurrection continued daily in the Temple and went up to it at the hours of Prayer Act. 3 1. And they esteemed it a very commendable Action of the Widow Anna to serve God there continually with Prayer and Fasting Luke 2.37 Whence we may certainly conclude that Christ himself did not refuse nor did advise his own Disciples to refuse Communion with the Jewish Church in common Prayer but did approve Communion with them in that publick Service Now since the Jews themselves observed no time for Prayer no number of Prayers seeing no dayly Forms of Prayer were appointed by the Law of Moses Therefore saith Dr. Leightfoot Harm part 3. p. 217. the Sanhedrin in several Generations made Canons and Constitutions to decide and determin upon all these particulars as their own Reason and Emergences did lead them and give occasion as in one Generation they prescribed such and such times for Morning and Evening Prayer in process of time they found these times allotted to be too strait therefore the Sanhedrin of another Generation did give Enlargement as they thought good and so concerning the number of Prayers to be said dayly one Sanhedrin appointed so many but time and experience found afterwards that these did not answer such and such occasions as it seems was not observed when they were first appointed therefore the Sanhedrin of another Generation thought good to add more and more still as occasions unobserved before did emerge and so the number of their dayly Prayers grew at last to be eighteen To all which Additions to the Law of Moses our Lord and his Disciples did submit attending the publick Service of the Temple and the Synagogues where they were used And § 4 3ly That he was particularly a Member of the Synagogue at Nazareth is proved from that Passage of St. Luke Luke 4 16. who tells us that he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up and as his Custom was he went into their Synagogue on the Sabbath-day and stood up for to read for Illustration of which place observe that there were Seven Readers appointed in their Synagogues who Leightf Harm part 3 p. 125. when the Angel of the Church or Minister of the Congregation call'd them out did read Now that our Saviour was a Member of this Congregation may be argued thus ibid. p. 124. You find not in the whole Gospel tho Christ preached in