Argument and shewing that their disobedience to the Commands of their Superiors in Lawful things more likely renders them partakers of the sin of others 2ly That our Submission to Superiors in these matters cannot render us partakers of their supposed sin § 1. This farther proved from the consideration of all the ways which render us partakers of the sins of others directly or indirectly Directly 1. By actually consenting to willing or approving the sin of others 2ly By commanding the doing of it 3ly By perswading encouraging warranting or alluring others to the performance of sin by applauding the action or rejoycing in the doing of it 4ly By teaching false Doctrins which do encourage others to sin § 2. Indirectly 1. When we do that which is a culpable occasion of their sin As 1. By neglecting of that Duty or by committing of that Evil action which doth directly give occasion to the sin of others 2ly When by our ill example we minister occasion to their sin 3ly When we do use our Liberty in things indifferent to the offence or sin of our weak Brother § 3. That our submission to things Lawful in themselves commanded by Superiors can neither directly nor indirectly involve us in guilt § 4. Jnst 2. By partaking with you in the Holy Sacrament who do not separate the Precious from the Vile we should approve of your neglect of discipline and by partaking with them become partakers in their sins Answered § 5. CHAP. VII § 1 IN the last place it is objected that their Submission to the imposed Rites will render them purtakers of the sin of others and therfore ought not to be done This they endeavour to make good upon a double ground And 1. We dare not joyn with you say they in Publick Worship or the participation of the Holy Sacraments Because some things are by Superiors required of all those who are permitted to joyn with you in those Ordinances which tho they are not evil in themselves yet ought they not to be required as the conditions of Communion they being things unnecessary now should we say they yield obedience to them in these things we should countenance them in their imposing these unnecessary burthens upon others and harden them in that which we suppose to be their sin and should encourage their persistance in it and so should be partakers in that Guilt Moreover the Rigid imposition of these things say they tends to divide the Church to make men Schismaticks and so it ministers to the destruction of poor Souls we dare not therefore submit unto the practise of them lest by so doing we approve of those Unchristian practices To this pretence I Answer 1. By Retorting of the Argument for the refusal of obedience to Superiors in Lawful matters hath the like and more pernitious consequences and therefore they at least have equal cause to yield obedience to such constitutions of Superiors on this account lest by refusing that obedience they approve the more Unchristian practises of those who rend the Church desert Communion with her Schismatically separate themselves disturb the Unity the Peace the Charity and the Edification of her Members and cast a vile reproach upon Christianity by representing it as that which doth forbid obedience to Superiors in Lawful matters and harden others in these sins all which is manifestly done by their refusal to obey the Constitutions of Superiors in Lawful matters 2. Did our Submission to any thing which our Superiors should not command make us partakers of their sin then every Burthensome and Grievous Act of Parliament which after it is made tends more unto the prejudice then to the good of the Community not only Lawfully might but must be disobeyed for Conscience sake lest by submitting to it we should encourage our Superiors to impose Grievous burthens on the Subject so that this scruple will lead to Faction in the State as well as to Sedition in the Church And 2ly If this were so that by submitting to any thing Commanded by Superiors which we do not approve of or they should not impose we become Guilty of the Sin of the Imposers then must our Lord and his Apostles be Guilty of like sin for they did ordinarily joyn with the People of the Jews in their Publick Service on the Sabbath day and at their other Festivals as I have shewed already altho they who then sat in Moses chair imposed more Rites and Ceremonies to be observed in those parts of Publick Worship then are imposed in our Church 3ly Then also must St. Paul be Guilty of approving those who did impose the Jewish Ceremonies as necessary to be observed by the Jew converted to Christianity because for peace sake he himself submittedto them and to the Jew became as a Jew that he might gain the Jew He also must himself approve and advise others to approve the judgment and the practice of those Jews who thought the Meats forbidden by the Law of Moses unlawful to be eaten the days appointed by that Law still necessary to be observed because he did himself and he advised others to comply with them in their weakness or to abstain from eating of those meats when that would minister occasion of Offence to their weak Brethren and so according to the Grounds of this objection he himself encouraged and hard'ned other persons in their sin and he advised others so to do But § 2 3ly To give more ample satisfaction to this scruple I shall consider all the ways whereby we become guilty of the sin of others and then apply them to the case in hand We therefore may become partakers of the sin of others either directly when we do actually consent unto will or approve the evil action which is done by others or indirectly when tho we do not actually consent unto the sin of others yet do we that which is a culpable occasion of it 1. Directly when we do actually consent unto will or approve the sin of others Now this is done two ways 1. Antecedently to the Evil action as when 't is done by our command direction or perswasion or consequently when tho we had no hand in doing of it yet we do afterwards censent unto approve or do rejoyce in any Evil done by others 2ly Directly we partake with others in their sin and Antecedently are guilty of it when having power over them we do command the doing of it for this Command is a plain evidence that we do will the Evil action and desire that it may be done Thus Absalom slew Amnon because he commanded his servants saying when I say unto you smite Amnon then kill him fear not have not I Commanded you 2 Sam. 13.30.28 thus David numbred the People 2 Sam. 24.10 by commanding Joab so to do v. 4. He kill'd Uriah the Hittite with the Sword 2 Sam. 12.9 because at the command of David he was put into the front of the Battel that he died 3ly We are directly partakers
the Sadduces were also Members of the Sanhedrin and were then numerous and powerful in that Assembly as we may find Act. 4.1.5.17 and so there is no Reason to conceive the Scribes and Pharisees should signify that whole Assembly 2ly Throughout the whole N. Testament where ever this great Assembly is spoken of the Chief Priests Elders and Rulers are reckoned as a part thereof as you may see Matt. 2.4 16.21 21.23 26.47 59. 27.1 12 20 41. Mark 11.18 Luke 24 20. Joh. 7.32 45. Act. 4.5 6 23.5.17 24. here therefore being not one word of Chief Priest Elders or Rulers of the Jews it cannot rationally be conceived that Christ here speaks of the great Sanhedrin Wherefore the Scribes and Pharisees must signify the Doctors or Publick Teachers and Expounders of the Law of Moses to the people Accordingly we in the following Verses find that they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Guides v. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Teachers v. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leaders v. 16 24. are said to have the Key of the Kingdom of Heaven and to shut it up against Men v. 13. Luke 11 52. to bind heavy Burthens on others by their Teaching v. 4 and misinterpret the Law of Moses v. 16 22. Lastly we find them sitting in the Temple to resolve Questions of the Law Luke 2.46 Their sitting therefore in the Chair of Moses must import their Teaching and Expounding of his Law 3ly Observe the thing commanded viz. to observe and do all that they did command together with the reason of it viz. because they were the Authorised Teachers and Expounders of the Law of Moses they sit in Moses Chair 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore whatever they command observe and do Where the Words all things are not to be restrained to such things only as were contained clearly in the Law of Moses and taught the people from the clear Letter of that Law for this ascribes to them no more Authority then any other private Jew might challenge who sate not in the Chair of Moses since what they clearly proved from this Law was to be done by all that owned the Jewish Faith moreover there were many things which by the Law were not sufficiently determined as v. g. the length of a sabbath-Sabbath-days journey the tything of their pot herbs c. and yet these things were fit to be determined that the people might be at some certainty concerning them and therefore in such cases our Lord may rationally be supposed to command obedience to their Constitutions And 3ly from the fourth verse we may learn that even when their heavy Burthens and Grievous to be born were bound upon inferiors they were obliged if they were not sinful to submit unto them for they being in the number of the things commanded by them what could exempt inferiors from doing and observing them according to our Lords Command if they were lawful to be done Wherefore in cases of like Nature all Christian people ought to observe and do what is commanded and established by Ecclesiastical Superiors to whom the Office of Teaching and Interpreting the Laws of Christ is legally committed tho their Commands prove sometimes heavy Burthens and Grievous to be born provided that they be not sinful that is forbidden by that Law which they are Authorised to expound and teach And thus I have produced the Practice and Injunctions of our Lord. Now to apply them to my purpose hence I infer § 11 That corruptions allowed taught Iâ—â— 1. and practised in a Church if 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 prosess that they are not corruptions Our Saviour and his Disciples acted as Members of the Jewish Church albeit great and manifold corruptions were allowed taught and practised by the Ruling Members of it as v. g. they had made false imperfect and corrupt Glosses on the Law Matt. 5. had made false Rules touching the observation of the Sabbath and such as were repugnant to that Precept or Declaration of the God of Heaven I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice they taught false Doctrines about Oaths Matt. 5.23.16.22 which made them who did practise according to their teaching Guilty of evil speaking and false swearing They transgressed Matt. 15.3 6. and made the Commandments of God of none effect by their Tradition They laid aside the Commandments of God for their Traditions Mark 7.8 they worship'd God in vain teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men Ibid. v. 9. and many things of a like Nature they held They by their Merchandise had made Gods House of Prayer a Den of Thieves Matt. 21 13. And lastly among them their Rulers and Church Officers were Sadduces Matt. 16.11 and upon these accounts Christ cautioned his Disciples against the Doctrine of the Sadduces and Pharisees advised the people to beware of the Scribes and Pharisees Mark 13.35 and to take good heed what they heard But then both he and his Disciples met with these Scribes Pharisees and Sadduces in the same Temple joyned in the same Prayers unless our Saviour was daily in the Temple but never went to publick Prayers and in the same Solemnities not separating themselves or setting up any more pure Communion nor calling the multitude to separate from the Assemblies of these Men or to come out from among them and to renounce Communion with them on the account of their erroneous Doctrines those Grievous Burthens which they did impose those many Rites and Ceremonies which they had added to the Law of Moses But on the contrary he carefully commands the Leper to repair unto them and consequently to submit unto the Ceremonies concerning his Purification which they had added to the Law in that particular and chargeth both the multitude and his own Disciples to submit to all their lawful Constitutions and Injunctions Moreover Christ was a Member of the Synagogue at Nazareth Matt. 13.56 58 Luke 4.29 as we have shewed already and yet what kind of men they were we may learn from their stupendious Infidelity their Proneness to take Offence at Christ and their attempt to cast him down a Precipice I see not what in the World Harm part 3. p. 123.124 saith Dr. Leightfoot our Separatists who withdraw from the publick Worship in our Congregations can say to these Examples For was not their publick Worship in the Temple and in their Synagogues as corrupt as ours is pretended to be in our Congregations was not the people of Nazareth as corrupt a people as most Congregations now are and yet saith he in all the Scripture we find not that either any that were Holy indeed or any that took upon them to be Holy no nor he that was Holiness it self did separate or withdraw from the Service of the Congregation tho 't is apparent that they
p. 316. 3ly He adds that this was a political precept and instituted no new Religious thing besides a circumstance of time Answer Then must our Christian Festivals be so esteemed and therefore ought not to be scrupled or represented as Unlawful 2ly Was it not an addition to these Words of Moses These are the Feasts of the Lord even the Holy Convocations which ye shall proclaim in their seasons Lev. 23.4 3ly can any Man of reason think that a Command to Feast and to Reioyce give Gifts unto the Poor and to send portions one to another is only an institution of a circumstance of time and that these were not ceremonies truly significant of their internal joy and their thanksgiving to the Author of this great deliverance 4ly What Order or Command from God had Judas and his Brethren 1 Maccab. 4.59 with the whole Congregation of Israel to ordain that the days of the Dedication of the Altar should be kept in their season from year to year for the space of Eight days from the Twenty fifth day of the Month Chisleu with Mirth and Gladness And yet Josephus not only tells us that they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Or make a Law that farther Generations should observe this Feast but also call'd it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or light because such happiness shone forth upon them on that day Leight Temple Service p. 188. and their own Rituals inform us that they did light up Candles in all their Houses in signification of the same And notwithstanding all these things our Saviour did not scruple to be present at this very Feast Joh. 10.22 Now to this instance Dr. Ames Answers as before that they as Prophets were led by extraordinary and singular Revelation not to be exemplary therein to us p. 433. not considering that Prophesie had ceased long before and that neither Josephus nor the Book of Macchabees make any mention of this matter 2ly He Answers that it hath always been a Question Ibid. what Feast of Dedication this was Whether that which was appointed by Solomon or in the time of Ezra or that which was appointed by the Macchabees Answer That it was that which by the Macchabees was instituted is evident beyond exception 1. From the time when it was Celebrated for the Text tells us that it was then Winter now the Feast of Dedication instituted by the Macchabees was observed on the Twenty fifth day of the Month Chisleu or December whereas that of Solomon was observed in Autumn in the Month Ethanim that of Ezra in the Spring on the Month Adar 2. Esdr 6.15 We do not find in Scripture or the Jewish Records that there was any Annual Feast appointed to Celebrate the first or second Dedication of the Temple but for the Celebration of this third Dedication of it by the Macchabees we find express Command that it should still be kept from year to year 3 He Answers that we only read that Christ walked in Solomons Porch at this Feast p. 320. which he might do without observing or appoving of this Feast Reply 1. Christ knew this was the time when others did present themselves in that place to observe this Feast since then he also was present in the Temple at this time he did at least according to our Adversaries give them occasion to think he owned that Feast and had Christ then come thither only to Preach he did more then Dissentors will do who dare not Preach on Holy days to the People lest they should seem to countenance the observation of those days 3ly Our Lord did not reprove them at that time for the observing of this Feast whereas had it been vain Worship and teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men or had it been a violation of the Law of Moses he who was Zealous for his Fathers House and did so round the Pharisees for these things in this case would not have neglected so to do 4ly He Answers That after Christ had whipt the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple they came in again and continued their Merchandise there and yet in the mean space our Saviour was often in the Temple without allowance of that their Practise Repl. 1. It doth not appear that Christ was present afterwards when they used this trade for it was chiefly if not only used at the Passover that they who came up to that Feast might be provided of Cattle without bringing them from home now our Saviours zeal against this Prophanation of the Temple was shewed at that time John 2.13 Matt. leightf in v. 5. 21.1 for he came to Jerusalem that very day that the Paschal Lamb was to be taken up 2ly Christ might come into the Temple and not come into that separated place called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which this Merchandise was kept Leighef ibid. this being done in the Court of the Gentiles 3ly Christ having once declared himself against this action at the beginning of his Office his coming afterwards into the Temple where these things were done could not be deemed an allowance of them Lastly Our Saviour expressed this Zeal again at the close of his Office Matt. 21.1 5ly The Altar of Witness built without Command by the two Tribes and half when they went over Jordan to their own Possessions Josh 22.16 31. as a monumental profession of the true God and of his Service was approved of To this instance Dr. p. 327. Ames Replies that he finds it not evident in the Text that it was approved by the High Priest Princes and all the Congregation of Israel Repl. It is expresly said v. 30. that when Phinehas the Priest and the Princes of the Congregation and heads of the thousands of Israel which were with him heard the Words that the Children of Reuben and Gad and of Manasseh had spoken it pleased them or as the Hebrew hath it it was good in their Eyes and v. 31. they say This day we perceive that the Lord is amongst us because ye have not committed this trespass against the Lord and he that cannot perceive in these expressions an allowance of this fact cannot see Wood for Trees 2ly We do not find that God who did continually quarrel with the Jews for Sacrificing in the High Places did ever shew the least dislike of this Altar or Command the pulling of it down which is sufficient evidence that God himself allowed of it 2ly The Doctor adds that this Altar was not in state or use Religious as the Cross is Repl. p. 322. As the Cross is used to testifie to the Church that the person signed with it belongs to the Congregation of the Faithful so was this Altar built to be a Witness that they belonged to the Congregation of Israel and had a portion in the God of Israel v. 27 28. If then the Cross be in state and use Religious upon that account this Altar must be so
the Firing of London the Thirtieth of January a Day of Humiliation for the Execrable Murder of our R. Martyr Charles the First And that none can have just cause to doubt if they consider Est 9.28 1 Macch. 4.59 Zech. 7.5 that the Feasts of Purim and of Dedication were lawfully appointed by the Jews for an Ordinance for ever and that they had their stated Fasts of the Fifth and the Seventh Month to humble themselves at the remembrance of the Judgments God then brought upon them 3. He adds that the Great Blessings of an Apostolick Ministry and of the stability of the Martyrs in their Sufferings for Christ being so rare and notable a Mercy to the Church I confess I know no reason why the Churches of all succeeding Ages may not keep an Anniversary Day of Thanksgiving to God for Peter or Paul or Stephen as well as for the Powder-Plot deliverance I know not where God hath forbidden it directly or indirectly if his instituting the Lord's-day were a virtual Prohibition for Man to separate any more or if the Prohibition of adding to God's Word were against it they would be against other Days of Humiliation or Thanksgiving especially Anniversary Days which we confess they are not if the Reason be Scandal lest men should have the Honour instead of God I answer 1. An honour is due to Apostles and Martyrs in their places in due subordination to God 2ly Where the Case of Scandal is notorious it may become by that accident unlawful Const Can. An. 1640. Can. 7. and yet not be so in other times and places 3ly Our Church expresly hath declared that she gives Religious Worship unto God alone and doth observe these Daies to God and in them celebrate his Praises for his Apostles and for the assistance of his Grace and Spirit vouchsafed to them and the Great things done through that assistance by them for the good of men and so can Minister no Ground for such a Scandal 4ly p. 150. He saith that in the lawful Observation of Days it is most orderly to do as the Churches do which we live among and are to join with Especially if they do only that which hath been done by all the Churches of Christ about Twelve hundred years and upward as we do in the Observation of all our publick Festivals or that which hath been done from the beginning as in the Observation of the Easter Festival 5ly p. 151. He saith That it is long ago decided by the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.15 That we must not be contentious contemptuous nor censorious against one another about things of no Greater Moment than the Jewish Days were though some observed them without just cause because the Kingdom of God consisteth not in Meats and Drinks and Days but in Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost and he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men we must follow therefore after the things which make for Peace and wherewith one may edify another which by submitting to the Constitutions of our Church concerning Festivals Dissenters certainly would do if they are capable of Edification by hearing and joining in Good Prayers and Praises by reading of the Word by hearing of good Sermons and by commemoration of the Mercies we then celebrate § 13 And whereas Mr. Baxter adds that the Controversy whether it be lawful to keep Days as Holy in celebrating the Memorial of Christ's Nativity Circumcision Ascension c. p. 151 152. Disp 5. of Cer. Cap. 2. § 46. is the hardest part of this Question which he is not sufficient to determine I shall first lay down some few Arguments to justifie the Observation of these and other Holy-days prescribed by the Church of England And consider the Scruples he and others have against them And 1. I argue for the expedience of these Holy-days from the consideration of the end for which they have been instituted by the Wisdom of the Church for those things saith St. Austin are celebrated by the Churches Anniversaries which were very excelelnt when done Contra Faustum ManichauÌ„ Lib. 32. Cap. 12. and by their excellency have signalized certain Days that so the celebration of the Festival may preserve the whole some remembrance of them in our Hearts Now even Reason teacheth that the Day on which these things were done tends to excite the mind to more intent consideration of and so to effectual remembrance of the Mercies which we have received upon that Day Whence God himself requires his People to Remember that day in which they came out from Egypt out of the Land of Bondage Exod. 13.3 And of that very Night he saith It is a Night to be much observed unto the Lord for bringing them out of Egypt this is that Night to be observed of all the Children of Israel in their Generations Exod. 12.42 Now if for the Remembrance of that Mercy God did not only order his People Israel to be continually meditating and discoursing of it Exod. 12.26 13 14. but also to observe the very Day for a Memorial Exod. 12.14 if he appointed the Feast of Pentecost to be observed in Memory of the Law then given from Mount Sinai to them the Feast of Tabernacles in remembrance of their sustentation Forty years in the Wilderness why may not Christians though obliged daily to have these things in their remembrance observean Annual Festivity for the more full Commemoration of the Mercies they enjoy by virtue of our Lord's Nativity Ascension c. Again these Feasts have been instituted and observed by the Wisdom of the Church to give thanks to God for the benefits vouchsafed to us at those times and by such Persons now publick benefits are publickly to be acknowledged and celebrated with publick thanks which cannot better be performed than by prescribing stated Days for publickly Assembling to these ends And as St. Paul declares that the great liberality of the Corinthians would Glorifie God by causing many thanksgivings to him for that Grace 2 Cor. 9.12 so wil the Institution of such Festivals tend to his Glory by causing many thanksgivings for the Grace vouchsafed to us upon these Days both to us and to those Martyrs and Apostles whose Memories we celebrate Moreover no Man can deny buâ— the benefits flowing from the great actions of ouâ— Saviour and the advantages accruing to us froâ— the Apostles and Evangelists by their faithful preaching the Gospel of Christ and giving testimony by their Sufferings to the Truth of the samâ— Doctrine is to us more valuable and advantageous than any temporal benefit whatsoever If then 〈◊〉 be esteemed highly convenient to celebrate oâ—â— deliverance from the Gun-powder-Plot thâ— happy Restoration of our Prince our Laws anâ— Liberties with constant Anniversaries have wâ— not equal reason to celebrate the Memory oâ— those great Spiritual Mercies by like Anniversaries 2ly This may be further argued from thâ— utility and benefit which
which must therefore be unlawful according to this Argument because prescribed by no Apostle in the Holy Scriptures This is a business which if it were necessary would be equally necessary to all Ages Ob. 2. Ibid. and parts of the Catholick Church and therefore it cannot be necessary but it must be the matter of an universal law now God hath made no such law in Scripture and so Scripture sufficiency as the Catholick Rule of faith and universal obedience is utterly overthrown Answer The Answers given to the first objection do also manifestly shew the vanity of this for may it not as well be said of the Festivities of the Apostles and first Martyrs of the Church as of the feast of Christmas the Ascension of our Lord c. That If they are necessary to be observed they must be necessary to all Ages that God in Scripture hath made no law concerning them c. May it not as well be said that if Publick Assemblies are necessary to be set apart now that if any unprescribed forms of Prayer are necessary to be used now or any words in Scripture not prescribed in consecration or celebration of the Sacraments that if standing on the Lords day in time of Prayer if Stationary days if the Penitential Discipline observed in the Primitive Church were necessary in any Age or part of the Church they must be necessary in all Ages and parts of the Catholick Church and that God hath in Scripture made no laws concerning them and so Scripture sufficiency is and was by the observation of them overthrown 2ly Tho we do judge the observation of these Festivals expedient yet we by no means hold it necessary not by necessity of precept for we pretend not to any precept of this kind not as a necessary means for we acknowledge God may be duly praised and Worshipped and magnified for the mercies we then celebrate on other days and therefore we confess that * Non putandum Ecclesiam Christianam aliquancessitate astringi ad obser vationem immotam festorum dierum sed statuendum dies hosee humanâ authoritateconstitutos eddem posse tolli mutari c. Dav. in Coloss 2. v. 16. if the Church thinks fit she may leave all men to their liberty in the observing or not observing of these days only we add that sure the General Rule of doing all things for edification will warrant her appointment of them for the forementioned ends as well as the appointment of a lecture-Lecture-day or of a Sermon before the Assizes God himself hath appointed a day for the same purposes as these are pretended for Ob. 3. Ibid. for the Lords day is to commemorate the Resurrection as the great triumphant act of the Redeemer implying all the Rest of his works so that tho it be principally for the resurrection above any single work of Christ yet also for all the work of Redemption and the whole is on that day to be commemorated with Holy joy and praise now when God himself hath set apart one day in every week to commemorate the whole work of Redemption it seems an accusing of his Institutions of insufficiency to come after him to mend them and say we must have an Anniversary day for this or that part of the work Answer 1. That God did institute the Lords day for the particular Commemoration of the whole work of the Redemption is Gratis dictum what Scripture or what declaration of Any Father of the Church saith so 2ly This Argument makes it unlawful to set up a lecture upon any day but the Lords day for that day being appointed for publick reading and hearing of Gods Holy word for men to set up another day for that end is to accuse his institutions of insufficiency 3ly This Argument condemns the universal Church of Christ from the Apostles days for they did then observe the feast of Easter and so tho God had set apart a weekly Commemoration of the resurrection of our Lord they did come after him and observe an Anniversary day for the same thing and so according to this way of Arguing did more apparently accuse his institutions of insufficiency 4ly This objection seems to accuse the wisdom of Gods own institutions for tho the Jewish Sabbath was instituted with a peculiar respect to their deliverance out of Aegypt Deut. 5.15 yet for that mercy which was far inferior to those which Christians do enjoy by our Lords Birth his Death his Resurrection and Ascension he required other solemnities to be observed yearly viz. The great feast of the Passover why therefore may not the wisdom of the Church in imitation of this pattern besides the Lords day weekly set apart for celebrating the work of our Redemption require other solemnities to be observed yearly for a peculiar Commemoration of the most Signal parts of that Redemption Obj. 4 The fourth Commandment being one of the Decalogue seems to be of so High a nature that man must not presume to make the like Ibid. but it seems a doing the same or of like nature to what God hath done in the fourth Commandment if any man will make a necessary stated Holy day to the universal Church Answer 1. Who goes about to make a Necessary stated Holy day to the Universal Church sure none besides the Church of Rome pretendeth to give laws unto her But what the Universal Church hath thought fit to observe I hope our Church may prudently comply with and call upon her Children so to do 2ly Is not this done as much by the stated Festivals which you allow of as by those you do condemn was it not done as much by appointing the feast of Purim to be observed yearly and by ordaining that these days should be remembred and kept throughout every Generation Esth 9.27 28. every Family every Province and every City and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews nor the memorial of them perish from their seed was it not done as much by the whole Congregation of Israel when they ordained that the days of the Dedication of the Altar should be observed from year to year by the space of eight days And yet neither our Lord 1 Macc. 4.59 nor any of the Prophets charged them with violation of the 4th Commandment on that account or with presuming to do the like to that which God had done in the institution of it Object 5 Where there is no law sure we are there is no transgression but there is no law of God Commanding Christmas or other Holy-days therefore there is no trangression in not keeping them But then it is not sure that there is no transgression in keeping them therefore the surer side is to be taken Answer 1. That this Argument plainly destroys his former grant of the expedience of observing and enjoyning other Holy-days for which no law of God commanding them can be produced 2ly That this Argument may be retorted thus
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
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-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
four days before as Dr. Leightfoot doth conjecture Now albeit there is no evidence in the Text that this Command was only to be observed at the First Passover yet doth our Lord comply with the then currant Custom preparing not the Paschal-Lamb until the 14th day for as St. Luke expresly saith when the days of unleavened Bread were come Christ sent Peter and John Luk. 22 7.8 saying Go and prepare us the Passover 2ly Whereas the Institution plainly saith Thus shall you eat it with your Loins girded Exod. 12 11. your Shoes on your Feet and your Staff in your Hand and ye shall eat it in haste the Hebrew Doctors teach that this manner of eating was peculiar to the first Passover in Aegypt Ainsw in locum nor were the Generations following bound to these Rites when they were come to their Rest in Canaan And they appointed in lieu of it that they should sit or rather lye down leaning on their left Elbow in sign of their Rest and Security They used this leaning posture as Free-men do in Memorial of their Freedom Leightf Temp. Serv. p. 143. 144. and R. Levi said because it is the manner of Servants to eat standing therefore now they eat sitting and leaning to shew that they were got out of Servitude into Freedom And again In every Generation a man is bound to behave himself at the Passover as if he himself had been delivered out of the Bondage of Aegypt and therefore at meat that night a man is bound to eat and to drink and to sit in a posture of Freedom accordingly they laid their legs under them sitting upon them and their feet lying out behind removing and acquitting their legs and feet as far as possible from the least shew of standing to attend or readiness to go upon any ones Employment which might carry the least colour of Servitude or contrariety to Freedom with it and yet to this significant Ceremony added unto the Institution and imposed as necessary our Lord and his Disciples did submit ibid. p. 142. For 1. saith Ainsworth They stood not girded with Staves in their Hands but sat or rather lay down leaning one on anothers Breast as was then the Jewish manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For he lay down with the Twelve saith Matthew Matt. 26 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 22.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 14 18. he fell down upon his legs and the Twelve with him saith St. Luke they lay along and did eat saith Mark so punctually do they all relate our Lords complyance with this Ceremony Moreover 2ly our Lord complyed with those additions which they had made unto this Sacrament And 1. they used saith Ainsworth a thick Sawce Exod. 12 8. like to Mustard which they called Charoseth in Memory of that thick Clay they made in Aegypt for their Bricks and this is thought by some to be that in which Christ dipped the sop he gave to Judas And when our Saviour said that one of them who dipped with him in the dish should betray him he spake of the unleavened Bread and bitter Herbs which they dipt in the thick Sawce ibid. p. 150. p. 146. called Charoseth saith Dr. Leightfoot 2. Together with the Paschal-Lamb they used to drink Wine every one both Men and Women saith their tradition is bound to drink that night four cups of Wine without fail and this they did because it was a Feast of Joy at which times it was usual to drink Wine Numb 15.5 and because they were then commanded to rejoyce before the Lord Deut. 16 11 14. Now albeit we find not in the Institution any Command for drinking Wine at the Passover yet did our Lord comply with this addition to the Institution as is apparent from his saying before the Institution of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper I will no more drink of the fruit of the Vine c. Luk. 22 18. Moreover of these four cups the third especially was called the Cup of Blessing because the Officiator gave thanks over it and then gave it to be drunk among them accordingly our Saviour took the Cup that is saith Leightfoot this Cup of Blessing and having given thanks he said Take it and divide it among you Luk. 22 17. And tho this drinking Wine and the Breaking of the unleavened Cake which was another Ceremony they used at this time were both of them things not commanded yet did our Lord translate these things into a Gospel Sacrament and thereby shew his Approbation of them as things at least in their own Natures innocent Leightf Temp. serv p. 150. Matt. 26.30 And as it was the Custom of the Jews to close this Supper with a Hymn or Hallel so did our Blessed Lord and his Disciples In a word that he complyed with the Customs then usual in Celebration of this Sacrament may very probably be argued from this consideration that he did eat it with his Parents who doubtless did observe the Jewish Customs in preparing and partaking of it and that he spoke to his Disciples to prepare the Passover for Scripture doth inform us that even after the Resurrection of our Lord they still continued zealous for the Customs and the Traditions of their Nation and would not vary from them without his special Order § 8 7ly Whereas our Saviour did eat the Passover with his Disciples and one of them was a Devil it seems to follow that he would not refuse Communion with those who did profess Religion by reason of their want of inward Piety It well deserves to be observed that Satan entred into Judas before the Passover for so the Scripture doth inform us saying Luc. 22 3. Then entred Satan into Judas and he consulted with the Chief Priests and Scribes and after that it follows v. 7. Then were the days of unleavened Bread Moreover St. John assures us that the Supper mentioned John 13th Joh. 13 1. in which the Devil entred into Judas was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the Paschal Feast and when at his Departure our Saviour said unto him what thou doest do quickly his Disciples thought that he had said unto him make preparations for the Feast v. 29. which is a certain evidence that then the Feast was not begun much less concluded Moreover our Saviour did admit this Judas to the participation of the Holy Sacrament this is apparent from Luke 22. v. 20 21. for when our Lord had said taking the Sacramental Cup This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood immediately he adds Behold the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the Table since therefore Judas was the person by whom he was betrayed the Hand of Judas must be with him on the Table when he delivered that Cup of which he also said Drink ye all of this St. Matthew also doth inform us Matt. 26 20. that when the Evening was come Christ sat down with the
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
3ly p. 324. The Doctor adds that it doth not appear out of the Text that there was intended any use of this Altar for the present Age that then lived and that the contrary may be gathered out of the 24th and 25th verses Which as it no way doth invalidate the Force of this Example so is it very false the Text expresly declaring that the two Tribes made it to be a Witness betwixt them and those to whom they then spake as well as to the Generations after them v. 28. Lastly the wearing Sackcloth and Ashes in token of humiliation Zech. 13.4 Zech. 7.5 the Prophets rough Garment the Fast of the 5th month because the Temple was destroyed then and of the 7th month because then Gedaliah and many of the Jews with him were slain these things had no Appointment that we can find from God and yet were never scrupled by the Jews or condemned by God or by his Holy Prophets Moreover we find not in the Law of Moses any Direction that a white Garment or Linnen Ephod should be made for any but the Priests or used by any others in Gods Worship and that we find David dancing before the Lord in a Linnen Ephod 2 Sam. 6.14 and the Levites who carried the Ark clad in linnen Roves or in white Linnen 2 Chron. 5.12 Wherefore to answer positively to the Texts alledged Answ 4 4ly To add unto the Word or the Command of God is not to use such Rites and Ceremonies as no where are commanded or forbidden in the Word when by Superiours to whom obedience is due in lawful matters they are at any time prescribed but it is to avouch such things as the Command and Word of God which he had not commanded as the False Prophets did This will be evident 1. If we consider what it is to diminish from the Word now that undoubtedly is to neglect to do what God had in his Word commanded under pretence that he doth not require it We In locum say the Assemblies Annotations diminish from the Word by denying any part of it to be of Divine Authority or concealing any part of it either for Words or Meaning or by partial Belief of it or Obedience to it And therefore by the Rule of Contraries to add unto it must be to vouch that to be of Divine Authority which is but humane or to believe and yield obedience to that as the Will of God which he hath not enjoyned 2ly This will be farther evident if we compare these Passages with others of the like Nature in the Scripture as v. g. Add thou not to his Words saith Augur Prov. 30.6 lest thou be found a Lyar i. e. lest falsly pretending to deliver his Word when thou speakest only thy own Inventions thou beest found guilty of a Lye whereas had men been guilty of adding to his Words by the Injunction of things acknowledged to be indifferent in their own Nature the Words should rather have run thus Add thou not to his Words lest thou be found superstitious And Rev. 22 18. to add unto these things is v. 19. to add unto the Words of the Book of that Prophecy Obj. And whereas Mr. Disp 5. of Cer. chap. 4. §. 7. Baxter saith That the Text doth not say Thou shalt not add to my Command but Thou shalt not add to the thing that I command thee and thence infers that it is the Work Worship or Ordinances that we are forbidden to add to or to diminish from and not the Word or Law is self only Answ 1. This is a great mistake for the Text plainly saith Thou shalt not add unto the Word that I command Deut. 4.2 What I command thou shalt observe to do thou shalt not add unto it Deut. 12.32 2ly From what is now discoursed 't is evident that we do not add to the Worship or the Ordinances of God by appointing Ceremonies declared to be no parts of his Worship or of his Ordinances but only by asserting and proposing such things as his Ordinances and parts of his Worship which indeed are not so Answ 5 5ly Hence it doth clearly follow that they who do assert that God forbids kneeling at the Sacrament hearing Common Prayer bringing our Children to be signed with the Cross or joyning in that Service which is performed by one that wears a Supplice c. If they can shew no Word of God which doth forbid these things are themselves guilty of adding to the Word of God Obj. 2 2ly A second plea of our Dissentors from the Old Testament § 2 is this That God in Scripture declares that he abominates that way of Worship which he hath not commanded and tho the thing performed in its own Nature was abominable God takes no notice of that but chiefly reprehends it because not commanded To this effect they cite Lev. 10.1 where Nadab and Abihu are condemned and punished for offering strange Fire which the Lord commanded them not Deut. 17.3 If there be found among you Manor Woman that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God in transgressing his Covenant and hath gone and served other Gods and worshipped them either the Sun or Moon or any of the Host of Heaven which I have not commanded Thou shalt stone them with stones till they dye Jer. 7.31 They have built the High-Places of Tophet to burn their Sons and their Daughters in the Fire which I commanded them not neither came it into my Heart Jer. 19.5 They have built the High-Places of Baal to burn their Sons with Fire for Burnt-offerings to Baal which I commanded not nor spake it neither came it into my Mind Now to this weak Objection I answer Answ 1 1. That these Texts are all impertinently alledged because they only prove that God will not be worshipped with any thing which he hath not commanded which we do not deny but they do not prove that we may not use any Garment Posture or Ceremony uncommanded in the Service of God provided we declare that we do not esteem these things as parts of Divine Worship Answ 2 2ly These Texts expounded so as to forbid the use of any Ceremony in Publick Worship which God hath not particularly enjoyned will condemn our Dissentors as well as us and even render it impossible to perform any publick Service to God it will condemn our way of Preaching for where hath God commanded us to take a Text and Gloss upon it or the Congregation to sing the Psalms of David in Metre where hath he enjoyned us to meet at ten of the Clock in the morning or two in the afternoon for Publick Worship on the Lords Days to pray without a Lyturgy or Form of Prayer to pray before Sermon to preach an hour or in a pulpit c. All these things therefore and many more of the like Nature by this wild exposition of these Texts must be abmination to the Lord. Answ 3 3ly This Hebrew
Phrase That I commanded them not is only used in Scripture concerning things which he forbad or did command his people not to do and upon that account by good Interpreters is styled a Litotes that is a Figure which in Words diminisheth the thing intended as when a prohibition is intended by saying such a thing is not commanded This will appear from a perusal of the places cited For 1. The strange Fire which Nadab and Abihu offered was forbidden Fire 't was Fire not taken from the Altar to put into their Censers and burn Incense with Vid. Ainsw in locum whereas God had commanded that Fire should be always burning on the Altar to that very End And if God had no where commanded whence they should take their Fire to burn Incense and offer Sacrifice withal and yet would not allow them to use that Fire which he had not commanded it was not possible that they should offer to him any Incense or Burnt-Offering which was not an abomination to him As for their Offering their Sons and Daughters unto Baal or Moloch God most expresly did forbid it saying Lev. 18.21 Thou shalt not let any of thy Seed pass through the Fire to Moloch that this was the abomination which he hated Deut. 12.31 18 10 12. and that the Person guilty of it should be stoned with stones because he had defiled his Sanctuary and profaned his Holy Name Levit. 20.2 3. The Worship of other Gods or of the Sun and Moon and Stars which God is said not to have commanded is most expresly said to be transgressing of his Covenant Deut. 17.2 3. And therefore it was doing that which he forbid so that the import of these Texts seems only to be this that we must not perform in publick Worship or elsewhere that which God hath forbidden or hath enjoyned us not to do Question But why then is a thing so highly criminal expressed in these mild Words Which I commanded them not Answ The certain reason of this Phrase I cannot promise only I conjecture thus that whereas God had imparted to all the Heathen Nations the Sun Moon Stars and all the Host of Heaven that is had left them to the Worship of them Deut. 4 19. winking at them in the times of ignorance he had taken the Jews to be a people of inheritance to himself v. 20. and therefore saith unto them I am the Lord your God you shall have no other Gods but me wherefore for them to worship any of those Gods which he had not commanded or imparted to them was virtually to renounce the true God and to transgress his Covenant Deut. 29.25 26. and hence is that expression in the Book of Deuteronomy they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord God of their Fathers which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the Lord of Aegypt for they went and served other Gods and worshipped them Gods which he had not given or imparted to them § 6 Add to this that Ingenious Answer which Mr. Eccles pol. l. 2. Hooker hath returned to this Objection viz. That because the Works of God are perfect and lack nothing for the performance of the thing to which they tend it followeth that the End being known to which God directeth his Speech the Negative Argument is always strong and forcible concerning those things that are apparently requisite to the same End As v.g. The purpose of God was to teach his people both to whom they should offer Sacrifice and what Sacrifice was to be offered to burn their Sons in Fire to Baal or Moloch he did not command them he spake no such thing neither came it into his Mind therefore this they ought not to have done For when the Lord had once set down a precise Form of executing that in which we are to serve him the Fault appeareth greater to do that which we are not than not to do that which we are commanded in this we seem to charge the Law of God with Hardness only in that with foolishness in this we shew our selves weak and unapt to be Doers of his Will in that we take upon us to be Controulers of his Wisdom in this we fail to perform the thing which God sees Meet Convenient and Good in that we presume to see what is Meet and Convenient better than God himself in those actions therefore the whole Frame whereof God hath on purpose set down to be observed we may not otherwise do than exactly as he hath prescribed Thus I suppose the Force of this Objection is sufficiently assoiled Obj. 3 Moreover it is objected by Dr. Ames and others § 3 p. 298.299 that the second Commandment forbiddeth to make unto our selves the Likeness of any thing whatsoever for religious use and therefore forbids us to use significant Ceremonies of mans devising Answ 1 The Major of this Argument is false for the second Commandment doth only forbid us to make any Likeness there mentioned to be the Object of our Religious Worship by bowing down unto or worshipping it the import of it being plainly this Thou shalt not make any Resemblance c. by Picture Sculpture or Fusion in Order to religious adoration and yielding to them any such signification of respect which the Custom or Consent of men hath appropriated to Religion as bowing falling down lying prostrate before them or the like That this is the true intent of this Precept is plain by the ground of this prohibition delivered by Moses in these Words Take ye therefore good heed to your selves for you saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake to you in Horeb Lest you corrupt and make you a graven Image Deut. 4.15 16. the similitude of any Figure the Likeness of Male or Female c. 2ly This is apparent from the reason of the prohibition I am a Jealous God that is a God very tender of my Honour and of my Right who will by no means suffer any Mate or Competitor in respect to that outward Worship which properly belongs to me I am the Lord that is my Name Esa 42.8 my Glory will I not give to another neither my Praise to graven Images For who can without blushing say that God is robbed of the outward Worship due unto him by our kneeling at the Sacrament our using the surplice or making the sign of the Cross upon a Childs Forehead whereas he himself tells us that he is robbed of his Praise and Glory by giving of Religious Worship unto graven Images it being only due unto that God to whom every Knee shall bow But saith Dr. Ames p. 302. The very Phantasies or Images of the mind not prescribed by God are by most Interpreters held as well forbidden as outward Real Images Answ if so the most are not always the best Interpreters there being nothing more absurd and foolish than this Interpretation never thought of by any of the Ancients or approved
Month or only at Easter and Penticost as was the ancient Custom of the Church of God Whether Baptism should be Administred by Dipping or by Sprinkling only whether by Dipping thrice as was the Custom of some Churches or only once as other Churches did whether only Men or Women only or both indifferently were to assist at the Baptizing of Adult persons He hath said do this in remembrance of me but hath not told us on what days the Lords Supper shall be Administred or how oft whether it should be received every day or every Sunday as in the Primitive Church the Custom was or every Month as in Cathedrals it is or thrice a year as is required by the Rubrick He hath not told us in plain words whether consecration of the Elements to be received be necessary and what words must be used in Consecration nor hath he told us who alone may Consecrate whether a Deacon or a Priest only or who alone shall be admitted to the Sacrament whether all visible Professors or sincere Believers only whether they must be first examined by Church Officers or only should examin their own Consciences He hath not told us whether the Bread to be received shall be of Wheat or of some other Grain whether one great Loaf or more Whether the Wine shall be mixt with Water or not or whether it shall be Claret Muskadine or any other sort of Wine whether we shall receive after Supper as Christ and his Apostles did or in the Morning as the Christians under persecution did whether we should receive it Full or Fasting Sitting Leaning Standing or Kneeling whether we should receive at a Communion Table or in our Seats and whether that Table shall be of Wood or Stone whether it shall be Round Long or Square whether it shall stand in the East or West end or in the Middle of the Church whether it shall have Rails or no Rails All or many of these things to omit many other Circumstances respecting Ordination and Church Discipline are left by Christ and his Apostles undetermined and if this Argues in him a defect of care and providence or of fidelity towards his Church as this objection doth Blasphemously suppose what remains but that our Blessed Saviour should be charged with these neglects it being certain from experience that he hath left us no particular injunctions for the determination of these matters And if he must be deemed less faithful in his House than Moses was because he is not so particular in the prescribing of such Rites I know not how we can excuse him from that guilt so Blasphemous is the result of this Objection And lastly seeing these Acts of Worship cannot be performed without some of these Circumstances which are thus left undetermined if the determination of them by Superiours be a sufficient cause for our Refusal to be present at or to joyn with them in these Ordinances we must have cause sufficient to renounce all Publick Worship Answ 4 4ly We say there is a manifest disparity betwixt the Gospel and the Jews state and that good reason may be given why tho all punctilio's were determined then it should not be so now For the People of the Jews lived all under one Civil Government whereas we Christians live under different forms of Government and are dispersed throughout divers Nations using divers Customs and therefore could not if at all conveniently practise such an uniformity of Ceremonies as we must have done if Christ had determined every Circumstance of his Worship as Moses did v. g. dipping in Baptism might be subject to little inconvenience in hot Countries but if this should have been enjoyned under the frozen Zone it might have hazarded the life of the Baptized person The Custom of some Countries doth make that decent and a sign of Reverence and therefore fit to be imposed or observed in those Countries which is in other Countries where no such Customs do obtain neither decent nor a sign of Reverence and so unfit to be required in those Countries See many other disparities in the Irenicum of Dr. Stillingfleet Answ 5 Lastly The fidelity of Moses here spoken of is only this that he did faithfully declare unto the Jews what God had spoken to him concealing nothing of what God had commanded from them he was faithful saith the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a Testimony of what was to be spoken Hebr. 3.5 And therefore the fidelity of Christ compared with it must not consist in prescribing Ceremonies but in declaring the whole Will of God discovered to him which that he punctually performed he himself assures us saying The Word which I speak is not mine Joh. 14.10 Joh. 12.49 50. but his that sent me I speak not of my self but the Father which sent me he gave me a Commandment what I should say As the Father hath said to me so I speak Obj. 2 The Scripture is a Rule of even Ceremonies in Gods Worship for it gives prescriptions and directions in the New Testament concerning the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper Now if it doth not prescribe all Ceremonies requisite and convenient then it is only a partial and imperfect Rule of Cemonies in Gods Worship whereas we cannot but hold it to be a perfect adequate and total Rule of Ceremonial as well as Moral Worship for it is able to perfect the man of God and throughly to furnish him unto all good works Reply to Dr. Hammond p. 85 Answ 1. and so unto all Ceremonies that are good works So M. Jeans Answ To shew the Absurdity of this Argument take these few Instances of a like Nature The Scripture is a Rule of Justice and of Charity betwixt Man and Man and of Temperance towards our selves for it gives prescriptions and directions in the New Testament concerning all those Matters Now if it doth not prescribe all that is requisite and convenient to be prescribed in respect unto them then it is only a partial and imperfect Rule of Justice Charity and Temperance whereas we cannot but hold it to be a total adequate and perfect Rule of all particulars respecting Justice Charity and Temperance For it is able to perfect the man of God throughly furnish him to all good Works and so to all particular Acts of Justice that are good Works and so all Humane Laws concerning any Act of Justice Charity or Temperance which are not meerly penal but directive must be a Derogation from the Sufficiency of Scripture as well as the prescribing of a Ceremony Answ 2 2ly According to this Argument the Scripture must have prescribed both Time and Place and all the things which I have mentioned in Answer to the last Objection or else no Time or Place or any of those things which are left undetermined by it can be requisite or convenient to be used in the Worship of God So monstrously absurd is this way of Arguing In farther Confutation of this Argument
the Law Matt. 23.23 viz. Judgment and Mercy Mark 12.33 That to love God with all our hearts and our Neighbour as our selves is more than all Burnt-offerings and Sacrifices That to pray hear read the Word receive the Sacrament to fast are but the means which God hath in his Word ordained for the encrease of Justice Equity Mercy Love Peace Humility and Temperance and such like Christian Graces and therefore these must be the things in which God is concerned mostly that we should yield obedience That when the Scripture reckoneth the Graces of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 it tells us they are Love Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Righteousness and Temperance not prayer fasting hearing receiving of the Sacrament c. And lastly 't is observable that we are call'd to imitate our heavenly Father in acts of Love and Mercy our Lord and Saviour in Meekness and Humility Bowels of Mercy Compassion and Self-denyal but not in prayer and fasting and in such like duties Since therefore God is more concerned for matters of this Nature than for his outward worship his Word must be more perfect in prescribing of these duties than any circumstances of his worship if then it be unlawful for us to submit to any Ceremonies commanded by man which respect his worship because Gods Word must be a perfect Rule not only of all parts but of all modes of Worship it must be more unlawful to submit to any humane constitutions touching Equity and Justice Mercy and Compassion Love Charity and Peace because Gods Word must be supposed in these more weighty and substantial matters to be a Rule more perfect And therefore all the Laws and Statutes respecting matters of this Nature which cannot be collected from the Words of Scripture must by this doctrine be cashiered as vain Inventions and Christians must stand obliged to refuse obedience to them For instance I am commanded to worship God in publick but whether I must do it in a Church or in the Field in black or white or any other garb by stinted Words or by Expressions of my own immediate Invention in this or that or a 3d posture is not expressed in Holy Scripture If therefore in these cases I must not yield obedience to any power that will command me to worship God in white to pray in stinted Words to do it kneeling or the like because that Scripture which is a Rule of Worship hath not determined of these things must I not do the like in other cases of an higher Nature and because Scripture hath commanded that I should be charitable and give Alms but hath not said what portion I shall give nor when nor in what place or to what persons nor in what manner whether by my self or by the Overseers of the Poor am I not bound as much to shew my disobedience to those Laws which rate me to the Poor and which give power to Officers to strein on my refusal to pay that rate If I must not joyn with an Assembly that doth use a stinted Form of Words that riseth up at the rehearsal of the Creed or with a Pastor that doth officiate in white because these things are not commanded in the perfect Rule of Worship how dare I to commence a sute of Law to arrest a person for a debt or to indite him for a trespass without Scripture warrant these things being no where commanded in that perfect Rule of Equity and Justice The Scripture having said There is utterly a fault among you that you go to Law one with another 1 Cor. 6.7 Luk. 6.35 Matt. 5.40 lend hoping for nothing again if any man take away thy Cloak let him have thy Coat also but never said If any man officiate in white or by a Form of Words do not joyn with him is it not matter of just admiration that they who never scruple to act contrary unto the letter of the Scripture in the former cases should be so very scrupulous in things no where forbidden in the Word 3ly This dangerous opinion will force men to be troublesome in all the Churches of the World and to refuse communion even with those Assemblies they are joyned with nay had they lived in the Jewish Church or any other Age of Christendom they must have been continual Separatists For where I pray you could they have found a Precept for all the Jewish Practises and Observations which I have mentioned in the foregoing Arguments If they had lived in the next Age to the Apostles with Polycarp and Ignatius who did converse with the Apostles where would the Scripture have afforded any warrant for observation of the Feast of Easter which both the Churches of the East and West observed in the days of Polycarp L. 5. c. 24. as is recorded by Eusebius or any Precept for bowing to the East Resp ad quest 118. which Pseudo-Justin mentions as a thing practised in his days or for the Observation of the days on which their Glorious Martyrs died Apud Euseb l. 4. c. 15. which yet the Church of Smyrna mentions as a thing practised by the Christians not long after the death of the Apostles or for the Water mixed with the Sacramental Wine of which both Justin and St. Cyprian speak Apol. 2. Cypr. Ep. 63. Just M. ibid. or for the portions of the Sacramental Bread sent to the Sick and absent to signify they were partakers of the same Sacrifice and belonged to the same Altar or for their standing in their publick worship from Easter unto Whitsunday Resp ad quest â—15 Can. 19. and every Lords-day to testify their belief of our Lords Resurrection which yet by the Great Nicene Council was required to be observed by all Christian People and which they did accordingly observe Tertullian gives us a Catalogue of many observations which the Church used in his days and which she vindicated not from the Scriptures De Coron Milit. c. 3 4. but from the Patronage of Custom and Tradition I will begin saith he with Baptism where coming to the Water we testify before the President or Bishop that we renounce the Devil his Pomps and his Angels then are we thrice dipt answering something more than Christ commanded in his Gospel The Sacrament of the Eucharist which our Lord instituted after Supper we partake of in our Meetings before the day arise we think it wickedness to fast or to pray knâ—eling on the Lords day we kneel not from Easter to Whitsunday whensoever we go forth or come in or whatsoever we are conversant about we sign our Foreheads with the sign of the Cross and if you do require a Law of Scripture for these Observations you will find none Tradition will be alledged as the Author and custom the Confirmer of them For these are observations which we defend not from Scripture but from the title of Tradition and the Patronage of Custom This was the Practice of the first Ages of the Church
bore towards their Christian Brethren And such is kneeling and prostration in prayer embracing and shaking of hands Such saith the Apostle was that covering of the Womans Head in time of Publick Prayer even that which Nature taught 1 Cor. 11.14 15. Such are the Festivals of the Church viz. Expressions of our Praises for the Mercies then received And the standing from Easter to Whitsunday and on the Lords day used in the ancient Church was not to teach by way of signification any duty but to express and testify their Belief of our Lords Resurrection and for this end we also stand up at the Creed now that such signs may lawfully be used and required I know no cause of doubting from any thing which this Objection offers they being not instructive in but only expressive of our Faith and Duty and under this head may be comprised kneeling at the Sacrament as an Expression of our inward Reverence and signing with the Cross as an Expression of our Faith in and owning of the crucifyed Jesus Signs Arbitrary are such as neither of themselves nor yet by any antecedent Custom do signify distincty and determinately to others that which they are instituted or imposed to teach or signify such are the Elements of Bread and Wine for the breaking of Bread doth no more naturally signify the breaking of Christs Body on the Cross than the breaking of any other thing would do and such are all the moral significations of the Rites appointed by the Jewish Law concerning clean Beasts for Sacrifice and unclean forbidden to be sacrificed or eaten and such is the wearing of a Surplice to teach or signify purity it being naturally or by any antecedent Custom no more proper determinately to teach or signify to the Beholder or our selves this Grace than the putting of it on upon black Garments to signify Hypocrisy and a Pharisaical Temper and that we are like Scpulchres white without but black within Against the fitness of the Imposition therefore of such arbitrary signs to teach those duties which are more plainly and determinately taught already in the Word of God I fear this Argument too strongly doth conclude But then the Excellent Bishop Taylor doth sufficiently excuse our Church from this supposed guilt by saying that There is reason to celebrate and honour the Wisdom and Prudence of the the Church of England Ibid. §. 8. p. 327 which hath in all her Offices retained but one Ceremony that is not of Divine Ordinance or Apostolical Practice that is the Cross in Baptism Which tho it be a significant Ceremony and of no other use yet as it is a complyance with the Practice of all ancient Churches so is it very innocent in it self and being one and alone is in no regard troublesome or afflictive to those that understand her Power and her Liberty and Reason I said she hath one only Ceremony of her own appointment for the Ring in Marriage is the Symbol of Civil nor a religious Contract it is a Pledge and Custom of the Nation not of the Religion and those other Circumstances of her Worship are but determinations of time and place and manner of a duty They serve to other purposes besides signification they were not made for that but for Order and Decency for which there is an Apostolical Precept and a Natural Reason and an Evident Necessity or a great Convenience Now if besides these uses they can be construed to any good signification or instruction that is so far from being a prejudice to them that it is their Advantage their Principal End being different and warranted and not destroyed by their superinduced and accidental use sect 3 The use of the Ceremonies is superstitious Oâ—â— 6. and therefore we say they cannot submit unto the Practice of them without sin That the use of the Ceremonies in Religious Worship is superstitious they prove by Arguments already answered viz. That it is super statutum or more than God hath in his Word required and that they are imposed as parts of Worship Moreover these things say they cannot be used without Superstition in the Service of God which have no necessary or profitable use in his Service for as vain Thoughts and Words are forbidden in the Holy Scripture so is it not to be doubted but that vain actions are forbidden especially in the Worship of God Answ 1 To give a Satisfactory Answer unto this Objection it will be only necessary to state the Notion or true import of Superstition that by applying it to our own Practice and to the Practice of Dissenters we may judge who are most guilty of this vice 1. Therefore Superstition being a species of false Worship whereby we do exhibit Worship to an Object to which it is not due or to that Object which deserveth Worship in an undue manner it follows plainly that where no Worship is exhibited by the act done or intended by the Doer or Imposer of the act there can be no Superstition in the Exercise of such an act there may be Vanity and an abuse of Power in the imposing rites unprofitable and unnecessary but there can be no Superstition or Will Worship where there is neither any act of Worship nor any Will to worship God by the Performance of these Rites nor designation of them unto such an end 2ly 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 and honor to God or an Acknowledgment of some of his perfections which is not acceptable or well pleasing to him which rendreth him no honor and doth not tend to the Acknowledgment of any of his Attributes or perfections for by performing that which indeed is pleasing and acceptable to God or which doth render honor to him we cannot be superstitious hence it must follow that when men make those things a part of their Religion which God hath not commanded or forbidden and think God is pleased with their meer doing or abstaining from doing them they in so doing must be superstitious Two things are therefore necessary to compleat this species of false Worship viz. 1. That the matter about which it is conversant relate to the doing some supposed Religious Act that is some Act of Service acceptable and well pleasing to God and which directly tends unto his honor 2ly That he who doth it do really mistake in judging such an action to be indeed Religious and tending to his honor and therefore acceptable to him 3ly All Superstition consisting fundamentally in this mistake and formally in the ensuing practice thereupon it must with equal reason be concluded 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 because by that Forbearance we equally design to please and honor God and do it as unduly
Apostle speaks not there of Rites or Constitutions required by Authority and owned as things indifferent in their own Nature but of Doctrins Dogma's and Commands of Jews and of Philosophers and false Apostles who could have no Authority to require from them submission to these Doctrines and Commands but on supposal of the goodness and excellency of the things Commanded He therefore speaketh of such things as the Colossians could not be Subject to on any grounds but such as in themselves were Superstitious and were reproachful to the Gospel and to Christ the Author of it as representing him deficient in wisdom by his neglecting to Command things so exceeding good and excellent 2ly The things here mentioned are manifestly things which in the judgment of these Dogmatisers were things by which God would be better Worshipped and his Religion be advanced or the Professors of it would be rendred more Perfect and Sublime and for neglect of which they were to be Condemned tho no Authority of Man did interpose for their injunction as will be evident 1. From this consideration that they were things for the neglect of which the false Apostles did condemn the Christian as is insinuated in these words let no Man judg censure or condemn you in meats or in drinks v. 16. yea they were things for want of which Christianity it self was represented as imperfect and inferior in Wisdom to the Promoters of these institutions whence the Apostle in opposition to these false Apostles declares that in Christ were hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledg v. 3. and adds that this I say lest any Man should belie you with inticing words v. 4. Hence he exhorts them to beware lest any Man spoil them through Philosophy and vain Deceit v. 8 9. after the Traditions of Men after the Rudiments of the World and not after Christ and gives this reason of his caution that in him did all fulness dwell and that we were compleat in him v. 23 2ly Because these things are stiled Will-Worship they therefore who did introduce them must look upon them as things conducing to the more acceptable service of God or the advancement of his Worship 3ly Because they who performed them did it out of pretence of that Humility Mortification and Austerity which they conceived highly acceptable and well pleasing to God v. 23. wherefore the Church which doth acknowledg that the things enjoyned by her in their own Nature are indifferent and such as in themselves do not conduce to make our service more acceptable and well pleasing to God can be no ways concerned in this prohibition Obj. 2 All things and Rites which have been notoriously abused to Idolatry § 5 and Superstition if they be not such as either God or Nature hath made to be of necessary use should be utterly abolished and purged away from Divine Worship so as not to be used by us as sacred things or Rites pertaining to the same but the Cross Surplice Kneeling in the act of receiving are such Rites as have been thus abused and therefore being not of necessary use they ought say they to be abolished The Major they prove 1. From many Texts of Scripture which enjoyn'd the Israelites not to do after the works of the Canaanites Exod. 23.24 or of the Aegyptians or to walk in their Ordinances Levit. 18.3 not to do so unto the Lord their God as they did Deut. 12.4 and in particular not to Name their Gods Exod. 23.13 not to use the Name of Baal because it had been given to Idols Hos 2.16 but to destroy their Altars break their Images and cut down their Groves Exod. 34.13 to burn the Graven Images of their Gods with fire and not to take unto themselves the Silver and Gold that is upon them Deut. 7.15 to defile the covering that is upon their Graven Images of Silver and the ornaments of their molten Images of Gold to cast them away as menstruous Cloths and say unto them get ye hence Isa 30.22 and also from those places which Command them not to round the corners of their Heads nor mar the corners of their Beards not to make any cuttings in their Flesh for the dead nor Print any marks upon their Bodies Levit. 19.27 28. to which they add those Texts of the New Testament which require us not to touch the unclean thing 2 Cor. 6.17 but to hate the Garments spotted with the Flesh Jude 23. 2ly Rov 2.14 20. Because the Churches of Pergamus and Thyatira are by Christ reproved for suffering Men to teach their Children to eat things offered unto Idols which in themselves were not unlawful to be eaten but only did become unlawful because they were abused to Idolatry And 3ly From examples of good Men in Scripture who abstain'd from things in themselves lawful upon this account v. g. the example of Jacob who abolished the Ear-rings of his Family as being Ensigns of Superstition Gen. 35.4 of Hezekiah who brake in pieces the Brazen Serpent being abused to Idolatry of Mordecai who would not bow to Haman Esth 3.2 of Daniel who would not eat of the Kings meat which was converted to an Idolatrous use lest he should be defiled Dan. 1.8 Now that our Ceremonies have been notoriously abused to Idolatry they prove because they have been consecrated to the service of Idols and commonly imployed in Idolatrous Worship by the Papists To this Objection I Answer Answ 1 That these Commands of the Old Testament were given only to the Jewish Nation where no Natural Analogy § 6 or Moral reason can be shewed for their perpetual obligation I know not why they should be binding to the Christian any more than other Laws of the like Nature which do not now oblige by the confession of our Adversaries as v. g. they were to kindle no fire on the Sabbath day Exod. 35.3 but must we therefore kindle none on the Lords day they were forbid to take Usury of their Brethren and yet Dissenters do not Scruple the taking usury one of the other They were to destroy the places wherein the Inhabitants of Canaan served their Gods Deut. 12.2 and yet Dissenters did not Scruple to use the Churches which the Papists had abused to Idolatrous Worship They were to make no Covenants with the Idolaters of Canaan Exod. 23.32.34.12 Deut. 7.2 may therefore Protestant Princes make no Leagues with Papists They were utterly to destroy them Deut 7.2 and that lest they should teach them to do after their abominations Deut. 20.16 18. not to have mercy on them ibid. may we therefore without mercy destroy all Papists out of our Dominions lest they should teach us to do after their abominations or might they when they had the power in their hands deal so unmercifully with us whom they deem guilty also of Idolatry and an abominable Worship Lastly They were obliged to kill the Person who inticed them to Idolatry Deut. 13.9 and utterly to destroy all who did Sacrifice to any
may redound unto us from the Observation of these Festivals unto the ends for which they are appointed by the Church now she appointeth them to be employed in hearing of God's Word read and taught in publick Prayers Can. 13. Injunct Q Eliz. 1559. N. 20. in acknowledging our offences to God and amendment of the same in being reconciled to our Neighbours where there hath been displeasure in oft receiving the Communion in visiting the Poor and Sick and using all sober and Godly conversation Which Christian fruits of Piety were they more plentifully brought forth they would sufficiently recommend those times and seasons which gave occasion to them And surely the benefit of such Holy Exercises is so great that the use of particular times appointed for that purpose ought not to be rejected though some men do abuse them to far other ends And if Dissenters have thought fit to appoint weekly Lectures for some of these good ends Why may not our Church Governours appoint these Anniversaries for the promotion of them all Especially if we consider that they are so exceeding profitable unto the weaker sort of Christians who are instructed by them in many Articles of Christian Faith and caused to reflect on many signal Mercies which they might entirely forget did not these Days return to strengthen and rub up their Memories The common sort of those who seem to be Believers want these Remembrances saith Origen Contra Celsum l. 8. p. 393. That such things may not slip out of their Minds and so these Festivals must needs be useful to them for this end And since the Wisdom of the Church prescribeth Daies to be observed for the Commemoration of the chief things that either were performed by or hapned to our Saviour if the plain Man saith Bishop Hall would but ply well his Almanack that alone would teach him so much Gospel as to shew him the History of his Saviour Remains Serm. on 1 Joh. 15. for there upon the Feast of the Annuntiation might he see his Saviours conception declared by an Angel upon the Feast of 〈◊〉 Nativity he might understand that he was boâ—â— of the Virgin Mary and at last after infinâ—â— and beneficial Miracles he would see him câ—â—â—cified on Good Friday rising from the dead 〈◊〉 Easter and ascending to Heaven on Holy Thuâ—â—day and might be well instructed in these thiâ—â—â— by coming to the Church which hath excellenâ—â—â— fitted these Solemnities with Services which 〈◊〉 explain their meaning and the use we are to mâ—â—â— of them If then we are to follow after the thiâ—â— whereby we may edifie one another Rom. 14.19 we must â—â—â—tinue the Observation of these Festivals 3ly That 't is expedient to observe these 〈◊〉 is evident from the continued custom of the wâ—â—â—â— Church of Christ it being laudable and deâ—â—â—â— to observe the Customs of the whole Church 〈◊〉 Christ and to conform to her Example 〈◊〉 in things no where forbidden by the Word of 〈◊〉 and being reasonable to judge she had good 〈◊〉 to do what was so universally performed whoâ—â— St. 1 Cor. 14.33 11.16 Paul doth admonish his Corinthians to do as 〈◊〉 all Churches of the Saints was done and doth pronounce him a Contentious Person who 〈◊〉 thwart her customs Now all these Festivals of Christ's Nativity his Passion Resurrection cension and of the Advent of the Holy Ghost are by * Illa autem quae non scripta sed tradita custodimus quae quidem toto terrarum orbe observantur dantur intelligi vel ab ipsis Apostolis vel plenariis conciliis 〈…〉 atque statuta retineri slucti quod Domini passio Resurrectio 〈…〉 in Caelum adventus de Caelo Spiritsis Sancti anniversaria soleâ—â—â—â—e celbrantur st quid aliud cale occurrerit quod servatur ab universa quacunque se diffundit Ecclesia Epist 1.18 Cap. 1. vid. Epist 119. Cap. 1. St. Austin reckoned among those things which were observed ab universa quacunque se diffundit Ecclesia by the whole Universal Church and which he therefore doth conjecture that the Observation of them derived it self from the Apostles or the Decrees of General Councils Since therefore it is evident unto all learned men that all the Holy-days prescribed by the Church of England from the Fourth Century at least were universally observed by the Church of Christ it must be fit and laudable to conform to her Example by observing of them as she did Now to return an answer to the Objections of Mr. Disp 5. of Cer. cap. 2. §. 46. Baxter against the Holy-days foremention'd of which the First is Object 1 Object 1. § 14 That the occasion of these Holy-days was existent in the Apostles days if therefore God would have had such days observed he could as easily and fitly have done it by his Apostles in Scripture as he did other the like things Answer 1. This Argument confutes his former grant that the Festivals of the Holy Martyrs and Apostles might lawfully be observed For of the Protomartyr St. Stephen and of James the Brother of John Kill'd by the Sword Act. 12.2 the Scripture maketh mention and yet saith nothing of the observation of their Festivals nor doth the Beloved Disciple tho He survived the rest of Christs Apostles mention in his Epistles or his Revelations any thing touching the observation of them which notwithstanding Mr. Baxter and which is more considerable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 the Universal Church of God even from the second Century approved of observing Martyrum Natalitia the Birth days of the Martyrs that is the days when they were crowned with Martyrdom with Great Solemnity witness the * Epistle of the Church of Smyrna touching the Martyrdom of Polycarp 2ly By this Argument no places may be set apart for Celebration of Gods publick Worship no Churches and no Tabernacles may be erected for that end no time appointed for that Worship No Synods may convene no Presbyterian Classes may assemble to determine any matter or make any Rules for the due Government of Christians no forms of Prayer excepting the Lords Prayer may be used in Publck no words in Celebration of the Lords Supper or the Sacrament of Baptism to omit many other things of a like nature but what by the Apostles were prescribed in Scripture for if God would have had such things done the occasion of them was existent in the Apostles days and he could as easily and fitly by his Apostles have given command concerning them as touching other the like things 3ly This Argument condemneth the Decrees of the great Nicene Council for praying standing on the Lords day the occasion of it being as old as our Lords Resurrection and it condemneth the whole Church of Christ in the exercise of her Discipline concerning Penitents her Stationary days and almost all her other rites the occasions of which were as well existent in the Apostles days as in succeeding Ages and
of the Holy Ghost and therefore their Apologies were of Divine Authority and many of them are to this day received as parts of Scripture or the Word of God but will any man in his wits admit or urge this consequence our Lord promised to assist his Apostles when arraigned before Heathen Judges for his sake by miraculous inspiration therefore in every ordinary case of Prayer he will assist all the faithful by the same inspiration or will these very Persons arrogate thus much to themselves or their own Prayers that they proceed from the same special and divine assistance Object 3 God say they hath promised his good Spirit to help our infirmities Rom. 8.26 27. when we know not how to Pray as we ought and therefore by tying of our selves to a prescribed Form we prejudice the assistance of this Holy Spirit and do not suffer him to help our infirmities by teaching us to Pray when we our selves do not know how to do it Answ 1 The Spirit is here said to help our infirmities by making intercession for us with sighs and groans unutterable and therefore cannot be a spirit of utterance yea it is farther intimated v. 27. that he alone who is the searcher of the heart doth understand the meaning of the spirit the Person therefore whom he thus assists is one who doth not understand his meaning and therefore neither can nor should thus Pray in publick where he is obliged to Pray not only with the spirit 1 Cor. 14.15 but with the understanding also this therefore certainly can be no promise or example of the assistance of the Spirit in pouring forth extemporary Prayers in publick 2ly The assistance of the Spirit promised here is only in the time of great temptations and afflictions and when we know not what to Pray for and therefore can with no shew of reason be extended to the continual assistance of the Spirit at all times 3ly Chap. 5. §. 6. from p. 218. to 230. That excellent Person who hath writ with great accuracy of Judgment touching the operations of the Holy Ghost hath made it evident beyond all possible exception that this Text makes nothing for the pretence of uttering the suggestions of the Spirit in extemporary Prayer but that if by the intercession of the Spirit we understand his interceding for us in the proper sense the import of the Words is this viz. The Gospel of Christ affords us this relief against impatience under afflictions that whereas we know not whether afflictions or deliverance and ease be best for us at present and consequently as to these respects know not what to pray for in particular the Spirit of Christ intercedes for us with unuttered groans i. e. earnestly and powerfully for by an inexpressible desire we commonly understand one that is vehement and God who searcheth our hearts and understands that we do sometimes desire such things as tend not to our advantage knoweth also what the Spirit intercedeth for and that he requests in our behalf better things for us than we do our selves for we are ever ready to desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such things as seem best to man but he asks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what God knows to be best for us But if the Holy Ghost is only said to intercede for us by enabling us to do so then will the words admit this Paraphrase Whereas when we pray for deliverance from afflictions we know not whether it be best for us to have our desires granted the Holy Spirit enclines us to an entire submission of our selves to the Divine Will and together with our most earnest prayers of that kind there is all along mingled that secret and more vehement desire of what God seeth best for us which is a Grace of the Holy Spirit whereby the forwardness of our appetites after the ease and comforts of this World is corrected and governed Now though this earnest request be not uttered the particular matter of it being not yet known since we are ignorant what will be most profitable for us yet he that searcheth the heart understands it perfectly and knows that we vehemently desire not so much that deliverance or worldly advantage which is the matter of our uttered groans and prayers as that good which the Spirit moveth us to pray for and which we cannot particularly utter that namely which God seeth best for us This indeed is a desire of the heart which proceeds from a Divine cause and God is so pleased with it that he will not fail to grant it so that if afflictions continue we know they shall work together for good and thus the Holy Spirit relieveth us under our infirmities and distresses by bringing all our worldly appetites under submission to the pleasure of Divine Wisdom and Goodness Object 4 Moreover it is objected that we are required to use the Gifts vouchsafed to us 1 Pet. 4.10 not to neglect our Gifts 1 Tim. 4.14 Rom. 12.6 Having Gifts different vouchsafed to us according to the different Grace of God to imploy them for the publick good Having therefore say Dissenters such a Gift of prayer we are engaged to imploy it in the publick Worship for the benefit of others and therefore cannot submit unto those Forms which lay upon us a necessity of neglecting this our Gift Answ 1 That though these places are produced in favour of the supposed gift of prayer yet do they speak of no such thing but all of them touching the gift of publick teaching of the Word of God Thus v. g. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Gift of Timothy is say Interpreters munus publicè docendi the gift of publick teaching and this doth the connexion of the words most fairly plead for viz. V. 13. give attendance to reading exhortation and doctrine neglect not the gift c. The Speaker in St. Peter is say the Commentators on that place the instructor and teacher of the People is qui praedicat verbum Dei in Ecclesia he that preacheth the word of God in the Church The gifts in the 12th of the Romans are prophesying teaching V. 6. exhortation since then Dissenters think not themselves obliged to perform these things ex tempore by vertue of these precepts but chuse to do them in a Form of words why should they think themselves obliged to pray ex tempore by vertue of these words for that prophesying preaching and exhortation are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or spiritual gifts these Texts inform us more plainly than any other do that prayer is so quis tum discrevit who therefore made the difference that the one should be performed ex tempore the other not Answ 2 All these Texts seem to speak not of such ordinary gifts as are invention and elocution but of the extraordinary gifts vouchsafed then unto the Church for in all the forecited places the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth most properly import such gifts
was sung over at the Passover from Ps 113. to Psal 118. inclusivè and yet it cannot reasonably be thought that all the Jews could truly say all that those Psalms contained Could they all say I love the Lord because he hath heard my prayer because he hath enclined his ear unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live v. 1 2. return unto thy rest O my soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Psal 116.7 I will pay my vows unto the Lord v. 14. O Lord truly I am thy Servant vers 16. Could they all truly joyn in those expressions of the 118 Psalm I called upon the Lord in distress the Lord answered me and set me in a large place vers 5. The Lord is on my side I will not fear what man can do unto me vers 6. The Lord is my strength my song and is become my salvavation vers 14. I will praise thee for thou hast heard me and art become my salvation vers 21. Thou art my God and I will praise thee thou art my God I will exalt thee vers 28. If all these expressions would not suit with many of the Jews who were all bound to celebrate the Passover Leight Temp. serv p. 139. Buxt exercit de coen Dom. §. 84. and so to join in singing of this Hymn which by their Constitutions was not to be omitted if lastly Christ himself with Judas sung this Hymn as most Interpreters conceive then doubtless may such Hymns and Prayers be offer'd in a mixt Assembly which do not properly agree to all who meet in that Assembly Moreover the 92 Psalm was the Psalm used in the solemn Service of the Jews upon the Sabbath Day as by the Title we may learn and yet perhaps all of them could not truly say the Lord is my rock vers 15. nor with good ground cry out My horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an Vnicorn I shall be anointed with fresh Oyl Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine Enemies c. vers 10 11. The 94 Psalm was sung saith Dr. Lightfoot every Wednesday Temp. serv p. 59. and yet it may be doubted whether all the Stationary men and all that came unto the Temple Service could say When I said my foot slippeth thy mercy O Lord held me up In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul vers 18 19. much less The Lord is my defence and my God is the rock of my refuge vers 22. And therefore this can be no good exception against the Service of our Church that every passage in it will not suit with the condition of all that hear it or join in it Object 3 It is objected That some petitions in the Common Prayer seem to be without any promise in the word § 6 Dr. Chambers upon which to bottom them That they may be put up in Faith as when we are directed to pray that God would give unto all Nations Vnity Peace and Concord for the word gives us no hope of any such state in the world but teacheth us to expect the contrary Gen. 3.15 Matt. 24.7 And when in the Collect on Good-Friday we are directed to pray that God would have mercy on all Jews Turks Infidels and Hereticks and take from them all ignorances hardness of heart and contempt of his word and so fetch them home to his flock that they may be saved among the remnant of true Israelites Whereas the word say they gives us no hope of any such universal conversion to be obtained from the Lord but assures us of multitudes of obstinate Jews Turks Infidels and Hereticks among whom are such as sin against the Holy Ghost Matt. 12.32 that they shall never be brought unto the fold of Christ and be saved among the remnant of true Israelites but that the Lord will be glorified in their justly deserved destruction as may be seen Rom. 9.27 2 Thess 2.10 11 12. Rev. 13.16 compared with Revel 14.9 10. Such also say they is that petition that the Lord would have mercy upon all men there being no promise in the word on which to found such a Petition That the Lord would have mercy upon all men to Salvation And since the Lord hath plainly declared in his word That he will leave multitudes of the world to perish in their own ways and wickedness to the glory of his justice we see not say they how any except the Origenists can pray either in Faith or Hope that the Lord would have mercy upon all men when they know assuredly from his own mouth that he will not have mercy upon all men but will make some the vessels of his wrath We know from Scripture that he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and the rest he hardneth Rom. 9.15 18. by giving them up to their own hearts lusts and leaving them to walk in their own Counsels Psalm 81.2 Rom. 1.24 The Prophet David in Faith and Charity no doubt made his Prayer in direct contradiction to this general Prayer of our Liturgy Psal 59.4 And therefore we can look on this no otherwise than as a groundless Petition which hath some shadow of Charity but no substance of Faith or Hope in it without which Prayer is weak and worthless before God Jam. 1.6 Now to the first instance in this Objection I Answer Answ 1 That this is an Objection against the general Petition of the whole Church of God for the Liturgy of St. James runs thus See Dr. Combers Compan p. 126 127 128. we beg of thee ut totus mundus pace fruatur That the whole world may have Peace and Concord The Liturgy of St Chrysostom and Basil thus We pray unto thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Peace and Vnity of the whole world Secondly It is prophesied of our Lord Jesus That he should rule among the Nations and cause them to beat their Swords into Plow-shares and their Spears into Pruning-hooks so that Nation should not rise up against Nation neither should they learn War any more Isa 2.4 But shall sit every man under his own Vine and under his own Fig-tree and none should make them afraid for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Mich. 4.3 4. For the accomplishment of which predictions surely we may pray in Faith because the mouth of him that cannot lye hath spoken them Again the Lord hath promised that none shall hurt in all his Holy Mountain and that because the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the Earth as the Waters cover the Sea Isa 11.9.65.25 Hab. 2.14 and therefore we may pray that this may be accomplished in all Christian Nations 1 Tim. 2.1 Thirdly Christianity was to be planted in all the Nations of the world by promise and being planted so all Christians are obliged by precept to pray for Kings and all that are in Authority that under them they might live peaceable and quiet lives
every Synagogue where he came that he read in any of them but in this and altho strangers were permitted sometimes to preach in Synagogues yet none did publickly read there but he that was a Member of it we find not any Instance to the contrary in all the Jewish Records saith the Learned Leightfoot who was a diligent Peruser of them Moreover the next Verse tells us that there was delivered to him the Book of Esaias as was the manner of the Master of the Synagogue to do unto the Reader which is a farther Argument to shew he was a Member of the Synagogue Ibid. p. 28. for had Christ gone about to read beside or contrary to the common Custom of the place it cannot reasonably be conceived that the Minister of the Congregation would so far have complyed with him to give him the Book that he might read irregularly or besides the Custom and lastly had Christ intended only to rehearse the Passage of Esaiah to be the Ground of his Discourse there was no need of giving to him any Book but only because he was the Reader of the second Lesson that Day in the forementioned Congregation And § 5 4ly Seeing Christ entred into the Temple both as a private Man Joh. 18 20. and as a Publick Minister since he was dayly teaching in the Temple as he himself informs us it must hence follow that he observed the Customs which by the Jewish Canons were prescribed and in obedience to those Prescriptions were observed by all who did resort unto the Temple Now as the Rulers of our Church by vertue of that Precept of doing all things decently and in order do impose their Ceremonies as thinking they conduce to the more decent and orderly performance of Gods Service so did the Rulers of the Jewish Church by virtue of that Precept Thou shalt reverence my Sanctuary make diverse Canons and Constitutions which they supposed to conduce unto the greater Reverence of God or of that Temple where he dwelt as v. g. That no man should go into the Temple with a Staff Vide Leightf Temp. Serv. p. 115. it being thought unfit that Instruments of striking should be brought into the place of Peace on which account saith Doctor Leightfoot our Saviour drove not out the Merchandizers and Money-changers with a Staff Joh. 2 15. but with a Scourge of small Cords 2. p. 116. That none should come into the Temple with his Shoes on that being Holy Ground and putting off the Shoes being with them a sign of Reverence like to our putting off the Hat 3ly ibid. That none who came to worship there should use a Scrip or bag purse or come with Money tyed up in a purse or come into the Temple till they had wiped the dust off from their Feet to teach them to shake off all Worldly Thoughts and all Incumbrances when they came to worship 4ly p. 118. 119. That none must spit in the Temple nor use an irreverent Gesture there but go gravely to the place where they were to stand and there continue not sitting leaning lying but standing only because that was a Praying Posture Now had not Christ submitted to these Customs we cannot rationally think he would have found so free an entrance into the Temple as he did and they would have been ready to retort upon him when he censured their Irreverence toward this House of Prayer that he also by his neglect of these Particulars was guilty of as great Irreverence had he not put off his Shee s as even Kings were wont to do when they came thither for to Worship they would have made this an exception against him that he refused to do what even Kings and Priests and Prophets did for that this very Ceremony was used in our Saviours time we learn from that of the Poet Exercent ubi festa mero pede Sabbatha Reges and from that appellation given to their Sacred Service that they were Nudipedalia Sacra or Barefooted Solemnities And it deserves to be observed that Christ not only did not charge the Rulers of the Jewish Church with Superstition in these Matters but he himself in Reverence to that Place of Worship would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the Temple Mark 11.16 § 6 5ly Seeing Christ was a Reader in their Synagogue and oftentimes a Preacher too it may deserve to be considered that he did readily comply with the Rules prescribed by the Sanhedrin or those who sate in Moses Chair to be observed by those who should perform the foresaid Offices Leightf Harm part 3. p. 125. as v. g. the Reader by their Canons is bound to stand in Honour of the Law Accordingly the Scripture doth expresly say that as his Custom was Luke 4 16. Christ went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath-day and stood up for to read ibid. p. 138. It also was the Custom of the Teacher to sit down when he instructed others and sutably the Scripture saith that our Saviour closed the Book and sate down v. 20. Yea throughout all the Gospel we never find that he taught the people standing but on the contrary that he continually used the sitting posture as v. g. in his Sermon on the Mount seeing the multitude he went up into a Mountain and when he was set Matt. 5 1.2 he opened his Mouth and taught them when he taught them out of a Ship Matt. 13 2. he sate and spake to them in Parables saith Matthew he sate in the Sea and taught them saith St. Mark Mark 4 1. he sate down and taught the people out of the Ship saith Luke Luk. 5 1. Joh. 8 2. when all the People came unto him in the Temple he sate down and taught them this was his constant Custom in that place as he takes care to let us know saying I sate dayly with you teaching in the Temple Matt. 26 55. so far was Christ from scrupling the observation of this Custom and Institution of the Rulers of the Jewish Church § 7 6ly Our Lord thrice celebrated the Paschal Feast with his Disciples besides his constant Celebration of it with his Parents whilst he continued with them and in this Celebration of it it may deserve to be considered 1. That our Lord did not observe the Passover in all its Circumstances according to the Primitive Institution of the Law of Moses For 1. Exod. 12 3.6 Whereas the Institution expresly doth require that every man should take up the Paschal-Lamb on the 10th day and keep it up till the 14th day of the same month the Jewish Doctors taught that this was not required of the future Generations after Leightf Temp. Serv. p. 127. nor was it done but at the Passover in Aegypt only at least it was not done by the Masters of Families but by the Priests in our Saviours time who provided Lambs for the people taking them up in the Market