the accomplishment of the daies of purification untill that an offering should be offered for every one of them and this for almost seven dayes Acts 21.26 27. with the foregoing verses § 15. So 1 Cor. 9.19 20. For though I be free from all men yet have I made my self servant unto all that I might gain the more And unto the Iews I became as a Iew that I might gain the Iews to them that are under the Law as under the Law that I might gain them that are under the Law To them that are without Law as without Law being not without Law to God but under the Law to Christ that I might gain them that are without Law To the weak I became as weak that I might gain the weak I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some and this I do for the Gospels sake c. Study this example § 16. Read also Rom. 14. and 15. Chapters how much condescension the Apostle requireth even among equals about meats and dayes And 1 Cor. 8.13 the Apostle would tie up himself from eating any flâ—sh while the world standeth rather then make a weak brother to offend Many other passages of Scripture require a condescension in things of this indifferent nature and shew that the Kingdom of God doth not consist in them § 17. And Matthew 12.1 2 to 9. you find that hunger justified the Disciples of Christ for plucking and rubbing the ears of Corn on the Sabbath dayes And hunger justified David and those that were with him for entring into the house of God and eating the Shew-bread which was not lawfull for him to eat nor for them which were with him but only for the Priests And the Priests in the Temple were blameless for prophaning the Sabbath day Now if things before accidentally evil may by this much Necessity become lawful and a duty then may the commands of Magistrates or Pastors and the Unity of the Church and the avoiding of contention and offence and other evils be also sufficient to warrant us in obeying even in inconvenient Circumstantials of the worship of God that otherwise could not be justified § 18. Reas. 12. Lastly consider how much God hath expressed himself in his word to be pleased in the Obedience of believers Not only in their Obedience to Christ immediately but also to him in his officers 1 Sam. 15.22 Behold to obey is better then Sacrifice c. Col. 3.20 22. Children obey your Parents in all things that is all lawfull things for this is well-pleasing to the Lord Servants Obey in all things your Masters according to the flesh c. And Obedience to Pastors is as much commanded 1 Thes. 5.12 13. We beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and esteem them very highly c. Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account c. So Verse 7. 24. 1 Tim. 5.17 c. § 19. As the General Commission to a Parent or Master or Magistrate to Govern their inferiour relations doth authorize them to many particular acts belonging to their office that were never named in their commission so your general command to obey them obligeth you to obey them in the said particulars And so it is also betwixt the Pastors and the flock in matters belonging to the Office of a Pastor § 20. If a Child shall ask a Parent Where doth Gods word allow you to command me to Learn this Catechism or read this Divines writings or repeat this Sermon or write it c. doth not the question deserve to be answered with the rod The General Commission for parents to Govern their children is sufficient so if a Schoolmaster command his Schollers to come to such a place to School and to take their places in such an Order and to learn such books and do such exercises c. the General Commission that he hath to teach and Govern them will allow him to do all this Though it will not allow him to set his Schollers to any Artifice or Manual Operation alien-to his profession So if a Minister determine of the variable Circumstances of worship as what place the people shall come to and at what time to be Catechized examined instructed c. what Translation or Version of Psalms to use what Utensils to make use of about Gods service or such likâ— he is warranted for this by his General Commission And if he miss it in the manner by choosing inconvenient circumstances or by unnecessary determination of points that should rather be left undetermined to liberty though this be his own sin it will not excuse the people from obedience unless the error of his directions be so great as would frustrate the Ordinance it self or do more harm then our disobedience would do which in Circumstantials is rarely found § 21. And thus I have finished this discourse of Ceremonies a Subject that may seem unseasonable at such a time when we are disburdened of Ceremonies But the offence and vehement accusations of the Ceremonious hath made it seem necessary to me while they accuse Dissenters of schism and obstinacy and reproach them as Puritans and seem ready to act their second part in casting out those that be not of their mind if it were in their power when yet they call the Ceremonies but things indifferent and Preachers and Gods Ordinances are not Indifferent things to us FINITVR Iuly 9. 1658. Satisfaction to certain CALVMNIATORS I Am informed from London and several parts of the Land that some of my Books having lately been sold at excessive rates by the Booksellers it is somewhat commonly reported that it is caused by my excessive gain which say they is at least three or four hundred pounds a year I thank the Lord that doth not only employ me in his service but also vouchsafe me the honor and benefit of being evil-spoken of for doing him the best service that I can Mat. 5.11 12. 1 Pet. 4.13 14 15 16. Blessed Augustine was put to vindicate himself by an oath from the infamy of a covetous design which was raised by one godly woman upon a disorderly action oâ— other men and to that end he wrote his 225. Epistle I find no call to use his oath but yet I judge it my duty to imitate him in patience and in rescuing the slanderers from their sin that they abuse not their souls by uncharitable surmises nor their tongues by false reports To which end I give them this true information The two first Books I printed I left to the Booksellers Will for all the rest I agreed with them for the fifteenth Book to give to some few of my friends hearing that some others agreed for the tenth Sometime my fifteenth Book coming not to an hundred and sometime but to few more when of Practical
Certainly if subject Presbyters were not till after Scripture times nor any settled Worshipping Church without a Presbyter unless the people preached and administred the Sacraments then there could be no Worshipping Church that had not their own proper Governour nor any such Governour fixed that had more Churches then one Reason 4. The contrary opinion feigneth the Apostles to have allotted to each Bishop a space of ground for his Diocess and to have measured Churches by such spaces and not by the number of souls But this is unproved absurd 1. Unproved For there is no place in Scripture that giveth the Bishop charge of all that space of ground or of all the Christians that shall be in that space during his time Indeed they placed a Bishop in each City when there was but a Church in each City But they never said there shall be but one Church in a City or but one Bishop in a City much less in all the Country region 2. And its absurd For it s the number of souls that a Church must be measured by and not a space of ground so they do but co-habite For if in the same space of Ground there should be twenty or an hundred times as many Christians it would make the number so great as would be uncapable of personal communion and of obtaining Church Ends. If a Schoolmaster have a School in the chief City or Town of this County and there come as many from many miles compass as one School can hold and there be no more there so long all that space may belong to his School not for the space sake but the number of Schollars For if there be afterward an hundred times as many in that space to be taught they must set up more Schools and it were no wise part in the old Schoolmaster to maintain that all that Country pertaineâ—h to his School because that it was so when there were fewer So that to measure our the matter of Churches by space of ground and not by number of souls is plainly against the Reason of the Relation Reason 5. The opposed opinion doth imply that God more regardeth Cities then Country Villages or that Churches are to be measured according to the number and greatness of Cities rather then according to the number of souls For they suppose that every City should have a Bishop if there be but twenty or fourty or an hundred Christians in it but if there be five hundâ—ed Country Parishes that have some of them many thousand souls in them these shall have no Bishops of their own but be all ruled by the Bishop of the City Now how unreasonable this is methinks should not be hard to discern For 1. What is a City to God any more then a Village that for it he should make so partial an institution Doth he regard Rome any more then Eugubium or Alexandria more then Tanis for their worldly splendor or priviledges No doubtless it is for the multitude of inhabitants And if so its manifest that an equal number of inhabitants elsewhere should have the same kind of Government 2. Is it probable that God would have twenty thousand or an hundred thousand people in a Diocess and in some a Million to have but one Church-Ruler and yet would have every small congregation in a City to have one though there be none else under him What proportion is there in this way of Government that an hundred or fifty men shall have as many Governours as a Million as if ten thousand or an hundred thousand Schollars ouâ— of a City shall have no more Rulers then an hundred in a 〈◊〉 and all because one part are in a City and the other not Or a Physitian shall have but an hundred Patients to look to in a City and if there be a Million in that City and Country he shall also upon pain of Gods everlasting wrath undertake the care of them all Let them that strive for such a charge look to it I profess I admire at them what they think 1. Of the needs of men souls 2. Of the terrours of Gods wrath 3. And of their own sufficiency for such a work Were it my case if I know my own heâ—rt at all I should fear that this were but to strive to damn thousands and to be damned with them by undertaking on that penalty to be their Physitian under Christ when I am sure I cannot look to the hundreth man of them and I had rather strive to be a gally-slave to the Turks or to be preferred to rid Chaâ—els or the basest office all my dayes Reason 6. According to the opposâ—d opinion it is in the power of a King to make Bishops to be either Congregational or Diocesan to make a Bishâ—p to haâ—e a Million of souls or a whole Nation in charge or to have but aâ— few For if a King will but dissolve the Priviledge and title and make that no City whâ—ch was a City though he diminish not the number of souls and if he will do thus by all the Cities save one in his dominion then must there be but one Bishop in his dominion And if he will but make every countrey Town that hath four or five hundred or a thousand inhabitants to be incorporate and honour it with the title and priviledges of a City thâ—n shall they have a Bishop Moreover thus every Prince may de jure banish Episcopacy out of his Dominions without diminishing the number of Christians if he do but defranchise the Cities and be of the mind as I have heard some men have been that Cities are against the Princes interest by strengthening the people and advantaging them to rebellions Also if there be any Indian Nations so barbarous as to have no Cities though they were converted yet must they have no Bishops Also it would be in the Princes power de jure to depose any of those Bishops that the Apâ—stles or their Successors are supposed to set up For the Râ—man Emperour might have proclaimed Antioch Alexandria or any of the rest to be no Cities and then they must have no longer have had any Bishops And what Bishâ—ps shall Antioch have at this day Now how absurd all this is I need not manifest that whole Contreâ—eâ— shâ—ll have no Government for want of 〈◊〉 that Kings shall so alter Church Officers at their pleâ—sure â—hen they intend it not meerly by altering the Civil Priviledgâ—s of their people that a King may make one Diocess to become an hundred and an hundred become one by such means And yet all this doth undenâ—ably follow if the Law be that every City and only every City shall be a Bishops Sea where there are Christians to be governed Reason 7. There is no sufficient Reason given why subject Pâ—â—sâ—byters should not have been set up in the Scripture times as well as after if it had been the Apostles intent that such should be instituted The Necessity pretended was
themselves in Execution But he leads them the way by Teaching them their duty and provoking them to it and directing them in the execution and oft-times offering himself or another to be their Teacher and Leading them in the Execution So that it belongeth to his office to gather a Church or a member to a Church Sect. 18. 11. Hence is the doubt resolved Whether the Pastor or Church be first in order of time or Nature I answer The Minister as a Minister to Convert and Baptize and gather Churches is before a Church gathered in order of Nature and of time But the Pastor of that particalar Church as such and the Church it self whose Pastor he is are as other Relations together and at once as Father and Son Husband and Wife c. As nature first makes the Nobler parts as the Heart and Brain and Liver and then by them as instruments formeth the rest And as the Philosopher or Schoolmaster openeth his School and takes in Schollars and as the Captain hath first his Commission to gather Soldiers But when the Bodies are formed then when the Captain or Schoolmaster dieth another is chosen in his stead So is it in this case of Pastors Sect. 19. 12. Hence also is the great controversie easily determined Whether a particular Church or the universal be first in order and be the Ecclesia Prima To which I answer 1. The Question is not de ordine dignitatis nor which is finally the Ministers chief End For so it is past controversie that the Universal Church is first 2. As to order of existence the universal Church is considered either as consisting of Christians as Christians converted and Baptized or further as consisting of Regular Ordered Assemblies or particular Churches For all Christianâ— are not members of particular Churches and they that are are yet considerable distinctly as meer Christians and as Church-members of particular Churches And so its clear that men are Christians in order of Nature and frequently of time before they are member of particular Churches and therefore in thâ—s reâ—pect the universal Church that is in its essence is before a particular Church But yet there must be One particular Church before there can be many And the Individual Churches are before the Association or Connection of these individuals And therefore though in its essence and the existence of that essence the universal Church be before a particular Church that is men are Christians before they are particular Church-members yet in its Order and the existence of that Order it cannot be said so nor yet can it fitly be said that thus the Particular is before the universall For the first particular Church and the universal Church were all one when the Gospel extended as yet no further And it was simul semel an ordered universal and particular Church but yet not quâ— universal But now all the Vniversal Church is not Ordered at all into particular Churches and therefore all the Church universal cannot be brought thus into the Question But for all those parts of the universal Church that are thus Congregate which should be all that have opportunity they are considerable either as distinct Congregations independent and so they are all in order of nature together supposing them existent Or else as Connexed and Assoâ—iated foâ— Communion of Churches or otherwise related to each other And thus many Churches are after the Individuals â—he single Church is the Ecclesia prima as to all Church forms of Order and Associations are but Ecclesiae ortae arising from a combination oâ— relation or Communion of many of these Sect. 20. The fourth part of the Ministerial work is about particular Churches Congregate as we are Pastors of them And in this they subserve Christ in all the parts of his office 1. Under his Prophetical office they are to Teach the Churches to observe all things whatsoever he hath commanded them deliver open to them that Holy doctrine which they have received from the Apostles that sealed it by Miracles and delivered it to the Church And as in Christs name to perswade and exhort men to duty opening to them the benefit and the danger of neglect 2. Under Christs Priestly office they are to stand between God and the People and to enquire of God for them and speak to God on their behalf and in their name and to receive their Publick Oblations to God and to offer up the sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving on their behalf and to celebrate the Commemoration of the sacrifice of Christ upon the Cross and in his name to deliever his Body and Blood and Sealed Covenant and benefits to the Church 3. Under his Kingly office a Paternal Kingdom they are to Proclaim his Laws and Command obedience in his Name and to Rule or Govern all the flock as Overseers of it and to reprove admonish censure and cast out the obstinately impenitent and confirm the weak and approve of Professions and Confessions of Penitents and to Absolve them by delivering them pardon of their sin in the name of Christ. Sect. 21. 14. This work must be done for the ends mentioned in the Definition To his own Safety Comfort and Reward it is necessary that those Ends be sincerely intended For the comfort and Satisfaction of the Church and the validity of the Ordinances Sacraments especially to their spiritual benefit it is necessary that these ends be professed to be intended by him and that they be really intended by themselves Sect. 22. 15. By this the Popish case may be resolved Whether the Intention of the Priest be necessary to the Validity and success of Sacraments The reality of the Priests Intention is not necessary to the Validity of them to the people For then no ordinance performed by an hypocrite were Valid nor could any man know when they are Valid and when not But that they may be such administrations as he may comfortably answer for to God his sincere Intention is Necessary And that they be such as the People are bound to submit to it is necessary that he profess a sincere Intention For if he purposely Baptize a man ludicrously in professed jest or scorn or not with a seeming intent of true Baptizing it is to be taken as a Nullity and the thing to be done again And that the ordinances may be blessed and effectual to the Receiver upon Promise from God it is necessary that the Receiver have a true intent of receiving them to the ends that God hath appointed them Thus and no further is Intention necessary to the validity of the Ordinance and to the success The particular ends I shall not further speak of as having been longer already then I intended on the Definition Sect. 23. But the principal thing that I would desire you to observe in order to the decision of our controversie hence is that the Ministry is first considerable as a Work and Service and that the Power is but
common to other Churches was never denyed by any author Words may not break square where the things are agreed If the name of a Bishop displease let them call this man a Moderator a President a Superintendent an Overseer Only for the fixedness or change of this person let the ancient and universall practice of Gods Church be thought worthy to oversway And if in this one point N. B. wherein the distance it so narrow we could condescend to each other all other circumstances and appendances of varying practices or 〈◊〉 might without any difficulty be accorded But if there must be a difference of judgement in these matters of outward Policy why should not our hearts be still one why should such a diversity be of Power to endanger the dissolving of the bond of brotherhood May we have the grace but to follow the truth in Love we shall in these several tracts overtake her happily in the end and findâ— her embracing of Peace and crowning us with blessedness So far Bishop Hall so that you see that only the fixing of the Moderator or President will satisfie such as he and so with him and such as he for my part I am fully agreed already § 4. And here by the way because there are so many Episcopal separatists of late that hazzard the souls of their partial followers and because the right habituating of the mind with Peace is an excellent help to a sound understanding and the escaping the errors and hainous sins that Faction engageth too many in I therefore make it my request to all that read these lines but soberly to read over that one Book of Bishop Halls called the Peace-maker once or twice which if I could procure I think I should do much to the Peace of these Churches and to the good of many endangered souls that by passionate and factious leaders are misguided § 5. The same Reverend man in his Humble Remonstrance hath these words Pag. 29 30 31. The second is intended to raise envy against us as the uncharitable censurers and condemners of those Reformed Churches abroad which differ from our Government wherein we do justly complain of a slanderous aspersion cast upon us We love and honour those Sister Churches as the dear spouse of Christ we bless God for them and we do heartily wish unto them that happiness in the Partnership of our adminâ—stration which I doubt not but they do no less heartily wish unto themselves Good words you will perhaps say but what is all this fair complement if our act condemn them For if Episcopacy stand by Divine right what becomes of these Churches that want it Maâ—ice and ignorance are met together in this unjust aggravatiâ—n 1. Our position is only affirmative implying the justifiableness and holiness of an Episcopal calling without any further implication Next when we speak of Divine right we mean not an express Law of God requiring it upon the absolute Necessity of the Being of a Church what hinderances soever may interpose but a Divine institution warranting it where it is and â—equiring it where it may be had Every Church therefore which is capable of this form of Government both may and ought to affâ—ct it but those particular Churches to whom this power and faculty is denyed lose nothing of the true essence of a Church though they miss some thing of their glory and perefection And page 32. Our form of Government differs little from their own save in the perpetuity of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moderatorship and the exclusion of that Lay-Presbyterie which never till this age had footing in the Christian Church And Page 41 42. Alas my Brethren while we do fully agree in all these and all other Doctrinal and Practical points of Religion why will you be so uncharitable as by these frivolous and causeless Divisions to â—end the seamless coat of Christ It it a Title or a Retinue or a Ceremony a Garment or a Colour or an Organ Pipe that can make us a different Church whiles we preach and profess the same saving truth whiles we desire as you profess to do to walk conscionably with our God according to that one Rule of the Royall Law of our Maker whiles we oppose one and the same common enemy whiles we unfeignedly endeavour to hold the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of Peace For us we make no difference at all in the right and interest of the Church betwixt Clergy and Laity betwixt the Clergy and Laity of one part and of another we are all your true Brethren we are one with you both in heart and brain and hope to meet you in the same heaven but if ye will needs be otherwise minded we can but bewail the Churches misery and your sin You hear how this good Bishop was far from a separation § 6. How contrary to this is the foresaid writing of Dr. Hide which I instance in because it is come new to my hand who stigmatizeth the front of his book with the brand of separation and that of one of the most rigid and unreasonable kinds Thus he begins When Conscientious Ministers cannot associate in the Church and Conscientious Christians cannot go to Church and Customary Christians go thither either to little purpose because to no true worship or to great shame because to no true Ministers t is fit the Church should come to private houses Doth he not begin very wisely and charitably What could the most Schismatical Papist say more What! no true worship no true Ministers and but Customary Christians that come thither Yes and that 's not all he pursues it with an exprobration that we are faln from our Religion p. 4. and yet that 's not all he adds Here seems yet to be a very bad certainty of their Religion and how can there be a better Certainty of their salvation unless that we may gratifie their singularity more then our own veracity we will say There may be a company of good Christians out of the Communion of Saints or a Communion of Saints out of Christs Catholike Church Should we laugh or weep at such a man as this What! no communion of Saints but with the separating party of the Prelates Unhappy we that live in England and can meet with so small a number of these Saints Is the Catholike Church confined to this party and Salvation to this Chunch Transcendent Papal arrogancy It s well that these Prelates are not the only Key-keepers of heaven for we see how we should then be used I must tell this Dr. and all of his mind that it is an easier way to Heaven then we dare hope to come thither by to joyn our selves to their separating Communion of Saints and live as the most that we are acquainted with that are of that Saint-like Communion He had been better have talked at these rates to men of another Age or Nation then to us that see the lives of their adherents We never
would not obey except some greater evil were like to follow my not obeying at that particular season then the frustrating of the duty it self would come to As for example If a Governour make a new Sacrament I will not obey because his command is null and the thing simply evil If he miscommand a Circumstance of Time or Place or Gesture I will consider the consequents If he command the solemn Assemblies to be held a mile or two or three from the people I will obey him if it be but as far as I can go without frustrating the work it self But if he command us all to go ten miles or twenty miles to worship I would obey for some time to avoid a greater evil but ordinarily I would no more obey then if if he forbad all Christian assemblies for it comes all to one So if he command the Assemblies to be at break of day or after sun setting I would obey But if he command that we Assemble only at midnight what should I do then The thing is not simply unlawfull He doth but misdo his own work And therefore for some times I would obey if it were necessary to avoid a greater evil But if he make it the ordinary case I would not obey because it destroyeth the worship it self in a manner as if he simply forbad it and this he hath no power to do An inconvenient gesture I would use in obedience and to avoid a greater evill But I would not obey him that would command me to stand â—n my head alwaies in hearing An unhansome vesture I would use in obedience to a lawfull Governour and to avoid a greater evil But not so ridiculous a vesture as would set all the people on laughing so as to frustrate the work that we assemble for § 69. In all such cases where Governors act not as usurpers in a matter that they have no authority in but only misdo their own work it much concerneth the subjects to foresee what 's like to be the Consequents of their obeying or disobeying and accordingly to do that which tendeth most to the Ends of the work still holding to this Rule that we must obey in all things lawfull § 70. And when we do obey in a case of miscommanding it is not a doing evil that good may come of it as some do misconceive But it is only a submitting to that which is ill commanded but not evil in him that doth submit It is the determiner that is the cause of the inconvenience and not the obeyer Nor is it inconvenient for me to obey though it be worse perhaps to him that commandeth While he sinneth in commanding he may make it my Duty to obey CHAP. III. Prop. 2. In such unlawfull impositions as aforementioned it is an aggravation of the sin if Governors pretend that their Ceremonies are Divine § 1. I shall be brief in the rest having been so long on the former The reason of this Proposition is clear because 1. As is aforesaid such pretenders do falsly accuse the Lord and corrupt his word and add to it their own inventions contrary to those severe prohibitions Deut. 12.32 Rev. 22.18 § 2. 2. Because it shews that man to be a false Prophet or false teacher that will say Thus saith the Lord when God hath not spoken it and that will take the name of God in vain affixing it to a lye And as many judgements are threatned to such so people are commanded not to hear them § 3. 3. It tendeth to the destruction of all Divine faith and obedience while the fixions of men are pretended to be doctrines or Laws of God it tendeth to confound things Divine and Humane and so to bring the people to a loss that they shall not know what is the will of God and what the will of men § 4. Let men therefore take heed how they affirm their Ceremonies to be Divine as the Papists do that feign them to be of Apostolical Tradition Some presume to tell the world that it is God by Apostolical Tradition that hath instituted Christmas day or other such Holy daies besides the Lords day or that hath instituted the Cross in Baptism or the fast of Lent yea and some of their common prayers abundance of humane inventions are thus audaciously fathered on God which is enough to make people the more cautelous in receiving them and I am sure makes it a more hainous sin in the imposers We justly take it to be an odious thing of Hereticks and Papists to affix the names of Clemens Dionysius Ambrose Austin and other holy ancient writers to their forgeries and corrupt writings And how much greater is their sin that dare affix the name of God himself to their Ceremonious inventions or traditions § 5. Such persons forsake the doctrine of the common prayer-book where the Ceremonies are confessed to be humane inventions The foresaid Preface of Ceremonies c. begins thus Of such Ceremonies as be used in the Church and have had their beginning by the Institution of man some at the first were of Godly intent and purpose devised and yet at length turned to vanity and surperstition some entred into the Church by indiscreet devotion and such a Zeal as was without knowledge and because they were winked at in the beginning they grew daily to more and more abuses which not only for their unprofitableness but also because they have much blinded the people and obscured the Glory of God are worthy to be cut away and clean rejected Other there be which although they have been devised by man yet it is thought good to reserve them still so that you see here is no pretence to a Divine institution or Apostolical Tradition but all is the devices of man § 6. And after it is there said that the Ceremonies which remain are retained for a Discipline and order which upon just causes may be altered and changed and therefore are not to be esteemed equal with Gods Laws And I hope the justness of the cause by this time is apparent CHAP. IV. Prop. 3. 4. If things unlawfull are commanded as indifferent or things indifferent as Necessary they are sinfully imposed and the more because of such pretenses § 1. THE calling things Indifferent that are unlawfull will not make them Indifferent If men will invent and introduce new Sacraments and when they have done say we intend them not for Sacraments or necessary things but as indifferent accidents of other Duties this will not make them things indifferent For it is not the altering of a name that maketh it another thing § 2. If things Indifferent be imposed as Necessary they become a sin to the Imposer and oft-times to the Practiser For 1. It is a falsification when the thing is pretended to be Necessary that is not And untruths in Laws are far from being commendable 2. It tends to deceive mens understandings to esteem things Necessary that are not 3. It tends to draw
souls are said to be the greater and remoter ends â—nd the glory of God the ultimate end If then I have good assurance that I cannot use such or such a ceremony but it will prove the subversion of Order or Edification though it should be by accident through the infirmity of men I know no reason I have to use them when such a mischief would follow unless they can shew me some greater good that also will follow which may recompence it § 3. Therefore the commanding of unnecessary ceremonies on such Penalty as was done in England and Scotland to the silencing of the Preacâ—â—rs and dissipating of the flocks and casting out that worship or hindring that Edification that was pretended to be their end was preposterous both in the commanders and obeyers and proved not convenient means to the ends pretended § 4. If I be enjoyned by the Magistrates whom I mention as of more undoubted authority then our Bishops to read such and such chapters and preach on such and such texts through the year I am in reason to interpret their commands with this exception when it doth not apparently cross the main end So that if in my course I should be commanded to read and preach of an aliene subject when my hearers are running into schism sedition heresie c. I will suppose that if the Magistrate were present he would allow me to read or preach according to the matter of present necessity And if I were commanded to read the Common prayer in a Surplice and other formalities I hope if the Church were all in an uproar and the stools flying about my ears as the women at Edinburgh used the Bishop I might think it would not tend in that Congregation to order or Edification to use such Ceremonies Were they things of Gods institution they would not edifie the people till they were prepared to receive them and therefore that preparation should go first § 5. Indeed it is the Pastors office to be the guide of his flock in the worship of God and therefore to judge pro re nata what subject to speak on to them and what circumstances to choose that may be most suitable to time and place and persons to promote his ends even the good of souls And therefore no Magistrates should take the work or power of Pastors from them though they may oversee them in the use of it CHAP. XII Prop. 12. It may be very sinfull to command some ceremonies when yet it may be the subjects Duty to use them when they are commanded § 1. I Add this Proposition as necessary both for Rulers and for Subjects For Rulers that they may not think that all may be lawfully Commanded which may be lawfully done when it is commanded And for subjects lest they think that all things are unlawfull to be done which are sinfully commanded § 2. Some Governors think that the Sermons and Arguments that charge the people with sin for disobeying them do all justifie them for making the Laws which others should obey And all the words that are spent in aggravating the sin of the disobedient they think are spoken in justification of their commands And on the contrary many people think that all that is said against the laws or penalties is said in justification of their disobedience And they are so lamentably weak that they cannot discern how that can lawfully be obeyed that is sinfully commanded when yet the case is very plain § 3. If a thing be simply unlawfull as being forbidden by God himself there no command of man can make it lawfull But if it be but inconvenient or evil only by some accident or circumstance it is possible for the commands of Governors to take off the accidental evil and make it become a duty For example It is not lawfull for me to travail one mile in vain nor is it lawfull for a Prince to command me to travail a mile in vain And yet if he send me such a command to appear before him at such a place yea though it be many miles it may become my duty to obey him Otherwise subjects should not be bound to appear before any judicature till they were satisfied of the cause which is absurd I a Prince command his officers to execute some unjust sentences if they know it not at least it may be no sin of theirs in many cases though it be his Every war that is unlawfully undertaken by the Prince is not unlawfull in all his Souldiers Some of them that have not opportâ—nity to know the evil of his undertaking may be bound to obey the case of others I determine not § 4. So if a Pastor call the Assembly at an inconvenient hour or to an inconvenient place though it be his sin to do so yet is it their Duty to obey If in the manner of Prayer he tolerably miscarry they may not therefore refuse to join with him If of two Translations of Scripture or two versions of the Psalms he use the worser so it be tolerable they must obey § 5. Yet if the miscarriage be so great in the ordering even of these circumstances or in the Manner of Duties as shall overthrow the Duty it self and be inconsistent with the ends or bring greater evils upon the Church then our refusing to obey the Pastors in those cases can do then as I have before shewed we are not bound to follow him in such a case But otherwise we are § 6. The Reasons of this are obvious and clear Even because it is the office of the Governours to determine of such Circumstances It is the Pastors office to guide and oveâ—see the flock And so the determining of Time and Place of woâ—ship that 's undetermined belongeth to his office and the choice of the subject on which he shall preach the leading them in prayer and praise and choice of versions translations and other ordinary helps in his work And therefore when he determineth these he is but in his own way and doth but his own work and therefore he is therein the judge if the case be controvertible If none shall obey a Magistrate or Pastor in the works of their own office as long as they think he did them not the best way all Government then would be presently overthrown and obedience denyed We are sure that God hath commanded us to obey thâ—m that are over us in the Lord 1 Thes. 5.12 Heb. 13.7 17 c. And therefore a Certain duty may not be foâ—born upon uncertain conjectures or upon every miscarriage in them that we owe it to This would unchurch aâ—l Churches as they are Political Societies For if Pastors be taken down and the work of Pastors the Church is taken down And if Government and obedience be taken down then Pastors and their work is taken down Which will be the fruit of this disorder § 7. And the things in which the Pastor is now supposed to err are not of themselves unlawfull
9. As for them that cry out of Confusion and Sacriledge and irreligiousness and I know not what if Ceremonies be not constantly used and all forced to them but be used with an indifferency the distempers of their own souls contracted by such Customs is a sufficient argument to move a sober considerate man to desire that the Church may be delivered from such endangering customs They do but tell us that custom hath made cerâ—monies become their very Religion And what a kind of Religion is that CHAP. XIV Reasons against the Imposing of our late Controverted Mysticall Ceremonies as Crossing Surplice c. § 1. HOW far Ceremonies are lawfull or unlawfull to the users I have shewed sufficiently already and therefore may omit the fourteenth Proposition as discussed before But so eager are the minds of men to be exalting themselves over the whole world and puting yoaks on their Brethrens necks even in the matters of God and setting up their own wills to be the Idols and Law-givers to all others that I take it for the principal part of my task to give in my Reasons against this distemper and to try if it be possible to take men off from Imposing or desiring the Imposition of unnecessary things I durst not desire the Imposing of our Mysticall Ceremonies but had rather they were abolished or left indifferent for these followings Reasons § 2. Reas. 1. To impose 〈◊〉 symbolical Rites upon the Church which Christ hath not imposed doth seem to me to be an usurpation of his Soveraign power It belongeth to him to be the Law-giver of his Church No man hath Power to make him a new worship Officers are but to see his Laws executed and to determine only of such circumstances as are needfull for the well executing them To make new Symbols or instituted signs to teach and excite Devotion is to make new humane Ordinances whereas it belongs to us only to use well such as he hath made and to make no Laws but such as are thus needfull for the executing of his Laws But of all this I have more largely spoken already § 3. Reas. 2. The imposing of these Mystical Rites doth seem to accuse Christ of ignorance or negligence in that he hath not himself imposed them when he hath taken upon him that Royall office to which such Legislation doth belong If Christ would have such Rites imposed on the Churches he could better have done it himself then have left it to man For 1. These being not mutable circumstances but the matter of standing Laws are equaâ—ly necessary or unnecessary to this age of the Church as to that in which Christ lived upon earth and to those Countreys in which he conversed as to these If Images Crossing significant garments c. be needfull to be imposed in England why not in Iudaea Galatia Cappadocia 〈◊〉 c. And if they are needfull now why not then No man can give a rational cause of difference as to this necessity If therefore Christ did neither by himself nor by his Apostles who formed the first Churches and delivered us his mind by the Spirit 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 needfull part of his Law and worship which implies that he was either ignorant what to do or careless and neglective of his own affairs which are not to be imagined Moses left nothing out of the Law that he delivered that was to be the standing matter of the Law nor omitted he any thing that God required in the instituting of the Legal worship But Christ was faithfull to him that appointed him as Moses was in all his house Heb. 3.2.3 therefore certainly Christ hath omitted nothing that was to be a standing Gospel Law and Worship nor done his work imperfectly § 4. Reas. 3. And as this Imposition of Mystical Rites doth imply an accusation of Christ so doâ—h it imply an accusation of his Laws and of the holy Scriptures as if they were insufficient For if it belong to Scripture sufficiency to be the full revelation of the will of God concernng Ordinances of worship and duties of universal or stated Necessity then must we not imagine that any such are left out If Scripture be Gods Law it is a perfect law And if it belong to it as a Law to impose one stated Symbol Ordinance or matter of worship then so it doth to impose the rest of the same nature that are fit to be imposed If we will do more of the same that Scripture was given for to do we accuse it while we seem to amend it § 5. Reas. 4. And by this means we shall be brought to a loss for the Rule of our Religion For if once we leave the holy Scriptures we shall not know where to fix If God have not instituted all the Ordinances of Worship such as Sacramental or Mystical Rites c. that are meet to be statedly Imposed on the Churches then we are uncertain who is to be the institutor of them The Pope will claim it and General Councils will claim it and Provincial Councils and particular Bishops will claim it and Princes will claim it and we shall be at a loss for our Religion § 6. Reas. 5. But whoever it be that will be the master of our Religion they will certainly be men and so it will become a humane thing Whereas Divine worship supposeth a Divine institution and it is an act of obedience to God and therefore supposeth a Law of God For without a Divine Law there cannot be obedience to God § 7. Reas. 6. These impositions seem to be plain violations of those prohibitions of God in which we are forbidden to add to his worship or diminish from it As Deut. 12.32 What thing soever I command you observe to do it thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it Object But we add nothing to the Word of God though we impose such Mystical Rites as he imposeth not Answ. The text doth not say Thou shalt not add to my Command but Thou shalt not add to the thing that I command thee It is the Work Worship or Ordinances that you are forbidden to add to or diminish from and not the Word or Law it self only § 8. Reas. 7. It seemeth to be a very great height of Pride that is manifested in these impositions 1. When men dare think themselves wise enough to amend the work of Christ and his Apostles and wise enough to amend the holy Scriptures is not this exceeding Pride How can man more arrogantly lift up himself then by pretending himself to be wiser then his Maker and Redeemer Is it not bad enough to equalize your selves with him unless you exalt your selves above him If you do not so what mean you by coming after him to correct his Laws or mend his work and make better laws and ordinances for his Church then he