to forsake all other how learned and reverent how wise and ancient how holy and universall soeuer and in our conformitie in all matters of religious use especially in the publicke worship of his name which being the marriage bed of necessitie is carefullie to bee kept holy and undefiled cleaue onely unto him so long as wee both shall liue being tied to him not onelie by our creation with the great bonds of loyall subiection and cheerefull obedience of loving and naturall children but in our redemption with that indissoluble loue and most loyall affection of a deere and faithfull wife Seeing then our nature is thus inseperablie united unto the God-head in the incarnation of our Lord how deere any true member of his mysticall body in the religious actions of his divine service conforme to the devices of strange lovers and such are all whatsoever they be as require any other ceremonies callings or gestures then Christ Iesus the Lord is author of Doth not everie wife if she desire to be found faithfull â—are how shee may bleasâ— her husband Hearken therefore O daughter and consider yea incline thine eare and giue diligent attention for thou shalt haue many dissembling lovers who will perswade thee to the contrarie but thou must forget thine owne people and thy fathers house and not regard the customes and traditions of nature the devices of reason or the innovations of wit and sence though never so graue and learned but in the obedience of faith conforme onely to the holy and wise ordinances of thy Lord yea in all religious actions giue this honour and worship one lie to him let all thy garments ceremonies or callings smell of Myrrh Aloes and Cassia out of the Ivory Pallaces his owne holy and glorious ordinances which make the heart of the godly to reioyce and not stinke of novelties and incertainties out of the high places of mens precepts or devices which make heavy the soule of the righteous so shall the king haue pleasure in thy beautie or in that worship which thou givest unto him when it is pure and sincere not painted or sophisticated with the Italian pensill whooriâ—h or carnall inventions for he is thy Lord God and therefore thus Reverence thou him even performe every ceremonie and gesture of religious use in his publicke worship according to his owne commandement and no otherwise for else thou deniest Reverence unto him and givest it to those whom thou doest conforme unto Remember how he washed thee from Popish Antichristian that whoorish Idolatry and clothed thee with broidred work even the pure doctrine of iustification by faith working by loue and manie other divine truthes and sanctifying graces doe not trust now in thine owne beautie or excellencie of gifts and so play the harlot presuming of thy renowne because thou art famous over the Christian world for thy wisedome and learning and other worthy endowments â—owr not out thy fornications on every one that passeth by and makes loue unto thee let no carnall respect ever kindle thy desire to such abhominable courses Deck not thy high places or Cathedrals with divers colours bring not into Gods holy worship those sweet delights of the sences which are no better then the alluring baits of an harlot the like things shall not come neither hath any sincere Church euer conformed to such abhominations Bee not I say so presumptuous as to abuse those siluer gifts and golden Iewells which the Lord hath conferred vpon thee to purge his worship and to preserue his service pure and sincere from all kinde of mixture of any carnall devices to defend the indifferencie or lawfulnes of whoredome or humane inventions therein offer them not thy brodered garmeÌ„ts neither set the oyle perfume of the Lord. Those divine truths which then teachest purely before them Thou thinkest in the pride of thy heart that these will be sweete and sauorie vnto them and so by an enforced subscription causest those sonnes whom thou hast borne vnto God to sacrifice their studies how to giue best content to these strangers by mingling their abominations Gods holy ordinances indifferently together is this they whoredome a small matter Oh turn thee from all these most grievous and carnall inuentions and remember the daies of thy youth when thou wast naked and polluted in thy bloud how weake is thy heart saith the Lord God seeing thou doest all these things which are the workes of a presumptuous whoore or a Lordly lawlesse and over-ruling woman Yet for all this it is schisme to denie that thou art a true Church yea there is no doubt but when thy Harlots and Bawdes with their carnall and fleshlie devises haue borne the punishment of their wickednesse and abhomination the Lord will remember his couenant made with thee in the dayes of thy youth and will confirme unto thee an everlasting covenant then thou shalt remember thy wayes and be ashamed Oh our reverend and most deere mother is it not the glorie of the man to haue his wife humble obedient why wilt thou then thus presse us even upon thy blessing as wee would not incurre thy displeasure and curse to Conforme to ceremonies callings or gestures which beare no Image or resemblance of the most holy ordinances of our heavenly father but the direct similitude or likenesse of that Character or marke of the Beast oh forget not thou faire one the most amiable loue of that sonne of his loue that we are the true or legitimate fruit of thy wombe is it possible for thee to be unmindfull of this can we ever forget those sweet instructions and most heavenly consolations which wee sucked out of thy beautifull breasts O thou sister and spowse of that holy one call to minde what excellent graces hee so enamiled thee withall that hee cannot but loue and delight in thee unlesse hee should hate himselfe are all the gardens of the East or living fountaints of the west or sweet fruits of Camphir spikenard Calamus and Cynamon with all the trees of Incencer mirrâ—rand Aloes yea all the chiefe spices in the whole world possibly able to shadow out that high excellencie and most soveraine dignitie where with out of his owne verie prerogative hee hath truely and Really endowed thee why then by thy conformitie to these humane devices wilt thou shut the dore against thy wel beloved and not suffer him to enter into his gardeÌ„ to eate his pleasant fruit but offers him grapes w ch thou hast gathered of these thornie Inventions figs which these thistly traditions haue brought forth was it not thine own instruction from our Creadle that we must put of the old man with all his works and put on the new even bee made conformable to the will or word of God in all things both in our tender years and stronger age and oldest dayes and must wee now learne another lesson or manner of
CERTAIN REASONS OF A PRIVATE CHRISTIAN AGAINST CONformitie to kneeling in the very act of receiving the Lords Supper By Tho Dighton Gent. GAL. 6. 9. Let us not be weary of wel-doing for in due season we shall reape if we faint not Anno 1618. TO AL PRIVATE CHRISTIANS VNfaignedly desiring to serue the Lord Christ and preparing themselues gird up the loines of their mind wait for his appearing grace and peace be multiplied for euer BRETHREN hearing what paines and labour many of your reverend and learned Pastors who sometimes were otherwise minded doe lately vndertake in many places by their publick teaching and example by their priuate conference and all other meanes possible to perswade to conformitie I am bold lest they should reioyce in your flesh to present this my poore mite vnto your godly consideration as casting it into our Lords Treasurie most humbly beseeching those that are rich in grace and haue siluer gold and precious stones conferred vpon them to offer them freely and seasonably for the seruice of his Sanctuary euen to build vp the decayed places of the gates barres and walles of the most holy Citty Alwayes prouided that nothing be done confusedly or at a very venture vpon the warrant of no ill meaning or a supposed liberty as if it had been sufficient to bring wood and timber stone and morter and all other needfull prouision in all abundance of any kinde or fashion length bredth thicknesse or temper even as the most learned and wise of those times thought meet and not to haue every thing fitted and prepared by the Lords owne direction so as there may need neither axe nor hammer nor any toole of Iron to be heard to reform and amend the same but if any thing be not well to put to or take from as occasion shall require No no all Gods outward worship and publicke or divine seruice must in every part and ceremony or gesture thereof bee so pure and free from all kinde of mixture of any humane invention as all things of the very least moment whatsoever being directly ordered according to the patterne shewed in the Mount of Gods holy word every beleeuing heart may reioyce at the most comely order and holy beauty of Gods own Ordinances and adiudge it high presumption to tender any innovation by farre-fetcht devices and novelties or some old Tradition or worme-eaten Ceremony full of incertainty to the direct disabling of the all-sufficient truth and offence of tender consciences In all humilitie therefore labour to be able to giue good and sound reasons why you dare not conforme to the questioned gesture and ceremonies nor to any thing else which is not within the compasse of the most vn-erring patterne the holy word of the all-commanding God and bee sure to build your refusall safely upon the rocke and not upon the sand vpon the commandement of Christ and not upon your owne humours or any mens iudgement and practise be they never so learned zealous and holy yea in whatsoever you haue not Gods word for your warrant Thus saith the Lord thus did our Lord or the Lord never tequired this at our hands therein submit your selues lovingly and peaceably yea most readily to them that are over you in the Lord. And in any case nourish not that most pestilent humour of that man of Sinne a delight in opposition to superioritie but in all humility in matters that are but meerely grounded on opinion and not on the Scriptures thinke better of other mens iudgements then your owne for God giues no saving grace but to the humble to the humble in deed not to the humble in shew Get this vertue therefore my brethren for then the yooke of Christ which now you are to draw in will be most easie and without griefe and his burden part whereof you are presently to beare light and full of comfort yea though you be made the gazing-stockes of the world and be hated and scorned of all men as the very off-scouring of the earth for bearing witnesse to this part of the truth yet shall you by humility bee inabled with much cheerefulnesse and spirituall consolations to endure all things and to suffer all things yea consider I pray you that the very true and most direct way to reigne with Christ hereafter is of necessitie to suffer for him in this evill world and to suffer for any part of the truth in Gods worship is to suffer for Christ Beleeue it therefore as verily as you doe any other thing that God hath purposely predestinated you to these particular trials euen in every circumstance and instrument thereof Seeing then you must drink of this Cup pray heartily that his name may be glorified and then what matters it though wee be despised disgraced scorned and derided so long as our Lord and master may haue honour thereby Will not every true hearted subiect suffer and endure any paines trauell or losse of goods and life for his King and Soueraignes sake yea and that most cheerefully with a manly and valiant courage And shall not we much more doe the like for the King of Kings who hath done and suffered a hundred thousand of millions more for vs he lost not an eye a hand or a foot for vs but was content to giue his whole body and soule also yea he spared not his whole person for vs and that also when we were his enemies he suffered disgrace not onely before the Princes but all manner of contempt by the vilest and of torment by the cruellest yea and the most grievous paines that the fierce wrath of God in all extremity of his iustice could possibly inflict upon his soule and body Doe you think he hath forgotten these things No my deere brethren in that hee suffered and was tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted yea assure your selues he puts euery one of your teares into his own bottle obserues every hidden device and close practise of your adversaries keepes a Register not to be corrupted of every word presentment information or certificate that is made signed put up exhibited or uttered against you and sets downe also every disgrace and contempt that is cast vpon you and keeps a iust reckoning of every penny for fees that is exhausted from you for exactions excommunications absolutions and of whatsoeuer other open or under-hand proceedings practised against you and will assuredly call to iudgement both you and all your aduersaries and backe or hollow friends euery one to giue a particular and most strict account of all these things and to them that haue done well herein hee will giue everlasting life and glory but they that haue done ill and unconscionably rather serving the time then the Lord shall certainly goe into eternall fire Gird vp therefore the loynes of your minde and feare not them that haue onely power to imprison your bodies and take away your goods or liues let neither their perswasions
nor threatnings cause you to conforme to errour of which nature is every thing not warranted by the word of truth but feare him who when hee hath done as much as they possibly can is able also to cast body and soule into hell fire Christ saith vnto vs all Him feare even feare to do any thing in his worship seruice but what you haue good warant for under his hand and seale in the sacred Scriptures that he will not be offended at it but acceptably receiue it at your hands and so blesse the use thereof unto your soules For else at the very best that can bee sayd for it is not this directly to tempt the Lord and to dare him to his face when in his publick worship wee dare doe some things of speciall note which hee most carefully obserues and that before his face and most assured presence yet onely upon the Canons or perswasions of sinfull men not consulting with the word whether God will be pleased or offended therewith or no There is difference I confesse betwixt that which the Lord hath expresly forbidden and that which he hath not directly nor by any good consequent commanded but yet it is onely secundum magis minus to conform to the latter is to do wickedly but to subscribe to the other is to become abhominable Therefore in such cases of extremity the chusing of the lesse sinne may very well argue a most wise and carnall discretion but not any honest heart or sincere affection You know brethren that in the begining the Lord put an everlasting enmitie betwixt the seed of the Woman and the seed of the Serpent distinguished afterwards into the Citty or Kingdom of God where himselfe is pleased to dwell as supreame Lord and King peramount ruling governing his people especially in his owne service by his owne Spirit according to his owne Lawes in his owne Word and into the Synagogue of Sathan where he also sits upon a Royall throne indeed not in his owne likenesse but most exactly trickt vp and transformed into the similitude of an Angel of light teaching by his seruants many things commendable by the light of nature yea and commanding with great authority of all possible learning reason discretion wisedome and Philosophicall vnderstanding garnished with the pretious ornaments of most admirable Oratory many diuine and excellent truths of the word but enterlacing ever and anon some doctrines of darknesse yet very covertly alwayes in outward shew for holy ends and godly purposes and never vndertaken but upon most graue and good advice yea very learned sound and divine deliberation renouncing the Divell forsooth most directly and professedly out upon him naughty meat what did ever any body meane to bestow the sealding and plucking of him the very savour or sent of him is death irrecoverable but retaining the broth wherein he was sodden or the principall brewisse or some speciall part thereof oh it is very good and most wholesome diet indeed the holy father his benedicite light upon them that saved it for else all the fat had been in the fire yea I tell you this with good houshold bread is even Angels food full glad would they be the proudest of them to lick their lips after the leavings of it though indeed every common understanding cannot diue into the deepe mystery thereof Separating from and quite banishing for euer and a day the grosser doctrines of Popery the reall presence praying to the Saints departed the supremacy of the Apostolike Sea and such like fie for shame that any body should so much as once name them seeing without all question they are most damnable and came verily from hell but yet retaining diuers gestures and ceremonies thereto appropriated and thereby first begotten oh here be many rare bits and sweet morsels euen admirable and most excellent uses of such as the Holy Ghost could never for his life foresee or thinke of and therefore indeed it never came into the minde of the Lord to require them euen because he did not prouidently enough consider what decency and comelinesse what vnity and much other vndiscerned goodnesse their generall conformity would instantly produce For seeing the Diuels to deceiue the world with greater ease and to be more free from suspition will put upon them the likenesse of Gods holy Angels why should not these againe to bee revenged on their enemies transforme themselues into the likenesse of Diuels by conforming to some of their ceremonies that so more powerfully they might draw the seruants of Sathan vnto God What if the damned crue were guld a little and some other fooles made faine a while yet were not this an admirable peece of seruice and do they not deserue all the packe of them to be hangd up yea by the very heeles that will not subscribe to the lawfulnesse hereof All which premisses being most grauely pondered and carefully considered certaine nice and nimble wits of a very deepe diuing reach and most high soaring humour are lately risen vp and now growen full ripe who haue vndertaken not to dispatch all the labours of Hercules in one houre nor by their sweet melody to make the wilde beasts the sea hideous monsters the fell fowles of heaven and all the huge mountaines of the earth in one instant to bee silent and at a trice to conforme to their measures of most indifferent mildnesse but with great facilitie though it be a very strange wonder I tell you yet do not thinke it incredible to reconcile euen these two so contrary seeds and by divine appointment directly opposite Citties O what a blessing are these peace-makers worthy to haue for the speedier and more safe accomplishment whereof they haue most wisely provided and discouered to all our horizon the full perfection of their so learned sufficiency for they haue most strongly builded and highly erected euen in the very aire a very great yea without all question the goodliest castle that euer mortall eye beheld called Saint Neuter-hall or as the base vulgar speak Newt-hall which is furnished with all store of every kinde of warlicke munition either for offence or defence so that by the place it is inaccessable and by the power of it utterly impregnable all their aduersaries may cast their caps at it the constituted Regent hereof is a most sage and honourable graue person Lorded out of their owne loynes one Grando Magnifico Cavileiro Segnioro Indifferento whose colours vnder the conduct of two great commanders they haue made full not a man missing I warrant you with most able followers of an invincible temper and indefatigable constitution neither hot nor cold neither flesh nor spirit but indifferently disposed I do not say for God or the Divell but as times and occasions do best serue for their purposes Now this is the man and these bee his forces and arguments my brethren that make strongest head against you hee perhaps will faigne hypocritically that hee is at vtter defiance