Ministry amongst them as at this Day 't is amongst most forreign reformed Churches But all this doth tend to unchurch all Protestant Churches beyond Seas that want Bishops because for want of a right Ordination they must have no Ministry thus their Ministers must be Intruders seeing they preach and administer Sacraments without a lawful Calling So the Marriages they bless are but Concubinages the Children they christen are not lawfully baptized and to shew by Experience this is the Opinion of some here have we not from time to time specially of late invited and exhorted several Outlandish Ministers to be as actually they have been reordained and so we set our Hands to what Papists said of them they were no Churches a thing as uncharitable as unpolitick for this hath been their only Way to get leave here to preach the Gospel and if a Popish Priest should turn Protestant here we would not so much as desire him to be reordained whereby we plainly own Popish Ordination to be good but that amongst Reformed Churches not so This is not the only Abuse we have in these Matters if Ordination and Jurisdiction be together and conferred by the same Act why then are they separated in the same Subject We have seen lately a valid Ordination deprived of the Power of Jurisdiction in the Case of the Bishop of London which at other times hath also been the Case of others 'T is known how the King as Head or Governour of this Church and excepted Infallibility a Shaddow of a Pope doth suspend or command Bishops and others to be suspended ab Officio or a Beneficio and sometimes of both for in many of these things we are so fond of the Beast as to make use of his Language as if the English Tongue was so barren as to want Words to express such things Whilest we disown Reformed Churches to be true Churches on the contrary the Church which is become a Synagogue of Satan and for all her abominable Errors in Doctrine and Practice we must own to be a true Church with saying she holds all essential Points of Faith whence they take this Advantage that then she may not and must not be charged with Idolatry which is an Errour not only in Practice but also in Judgment for we believe that as there is one God and but one God so he alone ought to be served with a religious Worship exclusively to every Creature and 't is sad to see how to defend that Diana Hierarchy and to shew how the Communion of Rome had Right to convey to our Bishops a valid Ordination and a Power of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction we must whether or not she be so make her a true Church or else she could not have conveyed it but Papists do press on either they have not all essential Points of Faith which our Church-men grant they have or else they must be cleared of the Charge of Idolatry I say it again 't is sad to see them reduced to Shifts as first to say by that is meaned no more than that Rome owneth all the antient Creeds when those Creeds are but a short Epitome of the Articles of our Faith for several other things are implied therein but expressed in several Parts of Scripture out of which those Creeds were compiled and though they may be reduced under some of the Heads of these Creeds yet they want Enlargement Thus we see in the Time of Arrius when he had published his abominable Heresie what Enlargements upon the Apostolical Creed were made by the Council of Nice in their Creed and that of Athanasius so though no new Creeds were compiled when Nestorius Eutiches and such Arch-hereticks spread their Poison the Councils assembled against them made Canons and Enlargements upon the true Christian Faith concerning those Points And as this sheweth how the few short Articles of our Faith contain more than they express in relation to the Person of Christ the like may be said in Matters of his Grace which were so fully and clearly enlarged upon by Austin Prosper Fulgentius and other Orthodox Divines who did write against Pelagians and Semipelagians See farther what another Shift we make to come off with saying that the Commandments are no Articles of Faith I well know the Distinction between things to be done and things to be believed so as to say that to honour my Father and my Mother is not an Article of Faith though it be a Rule of my Obedience But that doth not hinder but that one and the same thing may be a Commandment and an Article of my Faith and we ought not to attempt to teach God how to speak in his holy Word None may deny but that to have no other God before the Lord is a Commandment and that not to bow down before the Likeness of any thing in Heaven or in Earth or in the Waters is a Commandment but also none must deny that we ought to believe there is one God alone to be worshipped and adored which is the first Article of our Faith when alas all these narrow Steps might easily be avoided with laying by the Design of holding a Succession of Ordination and owning the Truth in that the Church of Rome is no Church as wanting Purity and Truth of Doctrine and right Administration of the Sacraments according to the Institution and striking at the very Fundamentals of our Faith We may justly call it as our Lord calleth the Synagogue of Satan Rev. 2.9 Some who called themselves Jews or the true Church though that Name did not in the least belong to them So let our Friends to Popery speak of it all the good they can as all the Evil against Presbyterians the one shall never be a jot the better nor the other the worse for their talking against the Unreasonableness and Injustice of such Proceedings We appeal to some of the true Sons of the Church as none can deny Mr. Thomas Rogers to have been in his Analysis of the 39 Articles which he asserted to be the true Doctrine of the English Church and dedicateth it to the then Archbishop of Canterbury he doth not as some others slight forreign Churches but brings in their several Confessions of Faith to shew how they agree and concur with him in his Assertions in several Places he gives them their due Title of Reformed Churches and is not ashamed to quote the Augustan Saxon Bohemian Swevick Helvetick Basil Gallick Belgick Wittemb c. Confessions to shew the Harmony and Consent of all Protestant Reformed Churches against that of Rome Now those Churches are known to agree with Presbyterians not only in Doctrine but also about Church Government Worship and Discipline yet none of them is so unjust imprudent and uncharitable as to say they had rather to be Papists than Presbyterians and Dissenters Mr. Rogers calls the forreign Churches our Godly Brethren in forreign Countreys pag. 103. and the Romish Church the Antichristian Synagogue of Rome pag. 127.
are abused to Idolatry and Superstition Ezech. 16.54 we thereby harden Idolaters and superstitious Men. Now to be judicially confounded is one thing Jer. 31.19 and to be penitentially ashamed is another Ezech. 16.54 they were commanded to break down Altars Deut. 7.5 Images Groves c. So that seeing the Pope is revealed to be the great Antichrist 2 Thes 2.3 4. and Rev. 17. and at this day his Idolatry troubles the Church more than any other and our People converse with Papists more than with any other Idolaters there is more danger in retaining the Ceremonies and Relicks of Popery than of any Idolatry whatsoever Hence doth appear the necessity of Abolishing them whereby this great good would arise that our Hearts would be re-united and as we observed before we might all join together to glorifie God Let any impartial Man judge whether it were not better to part with these old Rags than continue Divisions commonly difference in Judgment makes a difference in Affections but unhappily we have some who Tooth and Nail are for such things more than for the most sundamental Truths of our Faith They make a pother and keep a noise for they do not know what and are not able to give any good grounds for only out of an implicite Faith and 't is the practise of the Church 't is by Law Established This was the very same Argument by the Jews in Corinth used against St. Paul Acts 18.13 This Fellow perswadeth Men to Worship God contrary to the Law that of Moses's which in matter of Religion and Conscience ought at that time to have been regarded more than now any meerly Humane Laws but they were in the wrong so are our Advocates for Ceremonies when they ought to know that discreetly to interpret Humane Precepts in the Court of Conscience doth belong to every one as touching his own practice and this ignorance is not only far spread amongst the Lay-men who might take pains to be informed of causes and reasons of things and not suffer themselves before that to receive impressions for or prejudices against persons and things but also 't is crept amongst some of the Clergy who adhere to such things only by Tradition and Custom though on the other side I know some of them study hardly any thing else but those points wherein they make Religion consist more than in the knowledge of our Lord Christ crucified It is Humane to sin as 't is Devilish to continue in sin but 't is a Divine thing to raise from sin the first because no single Man or any Society is infallible therefore 't is not good to press Presidents in that case for we must live and do according to Rules and not according to Examples so that it is no wonder to see Men in a wrong way but 't is of the Devil for them to persevere and go on in the same for he engageth Men deeper and deeper in the Mire so as to make it impossible for them to come off and when they are in so desperate a condition nothing but Divine Grace can bring them out which is done with opening the eyes to see how one is in a wrong way and make him willing and able to come off More Men are deceived by Satan under the Notion of Devotion and Religious Worship than with open Impiety and Atheism because as Paul saith Colos 2.23 those have indeed a shew of Wisdom in Will-worship and Humility But let Men have a care for there is a Snare in it which they except God openeth their Eyes cannot perceive for in those in whom the Gospel Truths are hid 2 Cor. 4.3 4. the God of this World hath blinded the minds At the beginning things appear small 't is a harmless Ceremony which can do no hurt some say but that one or many may in time happen to degenerate into Superstition and Idolatry The Brazen Serpent was a good thing yet we know how far the Devil did prevail upon People to commit Idolatry about it And what would not they have done about the Body of Moses if God had not been pleased to take care to prevent it with concealing it from them either burying it in an unknown place or about or after his Death transforming it from a mortal into an immortal Body 1 Thes 4.17 as those that are alive shall be caught up We know what is written about his Death Deut. 34.6 but also we read how Moses with Elias appeared unto our Saviour in the Transfiguration which I take to be true Moses as Elias was true Elias but this only by the by Thus to return to my Subject to prevent Dangers and Mischiefs the best is never to hearken to such suggestions and admit into the Worship of God nothing that can be and is abused to Superstition and Idolatry as some of our Ceremonies are by Papists if not by some of us Now these Ceremonies are unprofitable for God is not better served with then without them and we see nothing they contribute towards Order Decency or Edification which are the three things they can pretend they are profitable for The Churches that have them not want them not for without them they preserve Order Decency and Edification In matters of Worship nothing is profitable but what is of God's Appointment for God knows best what may do his Church good and he doth bless only his Ordinances and not Man's Inventions Nothing can be assigned that ever was introduced into the Worship by Man's Devices that produced a good effect Nay I will say that though for the present and after the immediate Institution of the thing there appeared some good to come out of it yet afterwards it hath produced great inconveniencies and mischiefs for if sometimes God suffereth his own Ordinances to be abused by Men much more shall Humane Devices be corrupted Being unprofitable they become unnecessary and superfluous a yoke and a burthen let Men give them what specious Names they please the question is not what things may be called but what they are in their Nature for if some of the Ceremonies in question may be called Holy because used in an Holy Action so may a Cushion used in the Holy Act of Prayer but instituted significant Ceremonies must have another kind of Holiness But to go further our Ceremonies are not only unprofitable but also hurtful and dangerous Those Thoughts and Affections that should be wholly and spiritually fixed upon God they divide and divert part whereof at least they draw upon themselves they deprive People of their Christian Liberty bring in again a Ceremonial Law by our Saviour abolished they usher in Superstition if not Idolatry and produce many an Evil besides and if to Reason we may joyn Experience we shall find they have been the cause and occasion of a World of Mischief They have disturbed the Peace of the Church given Scandal caused Divisions and Persecutions defiled Churches
Church we may hear any other Voice but his which is revealed in his Word Then his Kingly Office whether we may receive and obey any other Laws Institutions and Ordinances but what he hath himself appointed We own no other Law but what is in and derived from his holy Word Gal. 6.16 and let Peace be upon those that walk according to this Rule and to the Israel of God The Determinations of the most famous Councils are to be followed only as much as they agree with it and the Rulers of our Church have no more Power than they had We allow of none such Maxims of theirs as these how in the things in question the Precept of a Superiour doth bind more than the Conscience of the Inferiour can but we say particular men are allowed to examine the Orders of their Superiours as much as therein their Consciences are concerned and chuse whether or not they are to obey for we are not to admit of an implicit Faith and blind Obedience Neither is it true that the Subject having the Command of King or Bishop for his Warrant ought not to examine but only to perform what he is commanded a fair way indeed for Men to ride upon the Consciences of others at pleasure Upon Colos 2.13 Bishop Davenant teaches us a better Doctrine when in Opposition to Jesuitical Blind Obedience he she weth how Subjects may and ought to judge with the Judgment of Discretion the Decrees of their Superiors so far as in particular they are concerned These Matters about Ceremonies were under Debate not only here but also in other Parts of Europe in the Beginning and Progress of Reformation Junius who died a Divinity Professor at Leyden saith If any Man either by Civil or Ecclesiastical Authority will add things not necessary nor agreeable to Order we would not pertinaciously contend with him but desire only that he would seriously consider of three things first by what Authority or Example he is led to think that the holy Church of God and the Simplicity of the Mysteries of Christ whose Voice only is heard by his Sheep must be clothed with Human Traditions which Christ doth reject Secondly To what end he judgeth that those things should be added unto those that are Divine for if the End be Conformity with others it were more Equity that other Churches should conform to those which come nearest to the Word of God as Cyprian's Counsel is than that these should conform to the others if the End be Comeliness what is more comely than the Simplicity of Christ What is more simple than that Comeliness If there be no other Reason besides Will then that of Tertullian is to be thought of the Will of God is the chief Necessity and the Church of God is not tied unto Man's Wisdom in divine things The third thing to be thought on is what Event hath always followed upon human Traditions as a long Experience doth shew And as Polanus another Author well known Syntag. lib. 9. cap. 3 6 8. saith Superstition stands in chusing Worship to God or when one exceedeth Measure therein True Religion worshipeth the true God in a manner prescribed by the Word false that is Superstition worships God otherwise than he willeth or enjoyneth and elsewhere whatsoever pertaineth to God's Worship must by him be required Lib. 9. cap. 28. in another place he adds it is a foolish ill Zeal of the Popish Clergy to use such Player-like Apparel in Divine Service and thereby to be distinguished from Lay-men that Difference and Variety under the Old Testament was Typical but the Substance being come what mean they to require Types any more And if upon this matter we will hear few Words more of Calvin to Cassander Opusc pag. 355. he taught that the Ceremonies ordained by Christ are intirely and uncorruptly to be kept and nothing must be added to their Institution as if thy were lame or imperfect which indeed is somewhat but not all because by an indirect Shift he would let into the Church all other Rites but this half Truth is overturned when he believes a Right given to the Apostles and Successors to institute such Ceremonies in the Administration of the Sacraments which may be for Ornament therefore he which before confessed nothing should be added doth now not only admit such By-Ceremonies but also commends them yet will he help himself with a subtle Shift namely Additions must be allowed if the Sacrament be not held lame and imperfect therefore with what Mixtures you will Sacraments may be wholly changed and yet all be well provided you charge not Christ to his Teeth that any of his Institutions go lame and halting These Witnesses I bring in not only to shew their rational way of arguing upon this Subject but also to let Men see how there were those beyond Seas who stood in Opposition to Human Inventions in God's Worship and consequently it was not a Spirit of Refractoriousness as they call it that made here several learned and pious Men speak and write against them from the Beginning The Truth is the most wise God needeth none of our Help to find out means to excite Faith nor would the meanest Mechanick in his Profession endure but would himself take his own way and not be put out of it See then how bold are these Men who will prescribe to God means how to help forward our Salvation and that Decency which they would make a stalking Horse of is as Pareus saith opposed to Vanity Upon 1 Cor. 14. Spots and Riot it stands not in Hoods Caps or Vizards of fond Ceremonies Thus our Reasons we back with the Authority of some famous Men and shall do it farther to shew we are not singular in our Opinion they and we do all draw out of the same Spring the Word of God But I now conclude this Point with those notable Words of Calvin It is Devillish Blasphemy to say that God hath taught Men all that it behoveth them to do In Deuter. Serm. 85. Common by-word here hath place thou art the Devil's Servant for thou hast done more than was commanded thee Of Cross in Baptism HAving thus briefly spoken of Ceremonies in general for I intend as much as I can to contract my Discourse I must now speak of them in particular We shall begin with the Cross whereof the aerial Sign is used in Baptism this is one of their significant Ceremonies a Help to Devotion as they say which signifieth unto us that we should not be ashamed of Christ crucified I would know whether and where Christ the only Authentick Appointer of means appropriated to God's Service teacheth this Doctrine 'T is not enough for me to say 't is the Doctrine and Practise of the Church I must be satisfied how the Head and only Lawgiver of the Church hath commanded it with them 't is also a sign of Constancy but to what purpose is this Doth not the
Pleasure have justled out Right and Reason and when selling and buying and such like evil Practises turn the House of God into a Den of Thieves But this Point I shall conclude with an excellent Letter sent to the Bishops by Dr. Humphrey President in Magdalen College in Oxford and Reader of Divinity Lecture there It is thus Your Lordship's Letters directed unto us by our Vice-chancelour although written in general Words yet hath so hearted our Adversaries that now we are no more accounted Brethren and Friends but Enemies And seeing the old Mass Attires be so straighly commanded the Mass it self is shortly look'd for a Sword is now put into the Enemies Hands of those that under Queen Mary have drawn it for Popery and under Pretence of good Order are ready without Cause to bewreck their Popish Anger upon us who in this will use Extremity in other Laws of more Importance Partiality I would my Lords have wished rather privy Admonition than open Expulsion yet I had rather receive Wounds of my Brother than Kisses of mine Enemy If we had privily in a convenient Day resigned then neither should the Punisher have been noted of Cruelty nor the Offender of Temerity neither should Papists in their seditious Book have accused Protestants of Contention Religion requireth naked Christ to be preached professed glorified that graviora legis the most weighty things by the most faihful Ministery of feeding Pastours should be furthered and after that Orders tending to Edification and not to Destruction advanced and finally the Spouse's Friends should by all means be cherished favoured and defended and not by Counterseit and false Intruders condemned over-born and defaced But alas A Man qualified with inward Gifts for lack of outward how is he punished And a Man only outwardly conformable inwardly quite unfurnish'd is let alone yea exalted the painful Preacher for his Labour is beaten the unpreaching Prelate offending in the greater is shot-free the learned Man without his Cap is afflicted the capped Man without Learning is not touched is not this directly to break God's Law Is not this the Pharisees Woe Is not this to wash the Outside of the Cup and leave the inward Part uncleansed Is not this to prefer Mint and Anise to Faith Judgment and Mercy Man's Tradition before the Ordinance of God Is not this in the School of Christ and in the Method of the Gospel a plain Disorder Hath not this preposterous Order a Woe That the Catechism should be read as the Word of God it is the Order of the Church to preach it a necessary Point of a Priest to make quarterly Sermons is Law to see poor Men of the poor Men's Box reliev'd Vagabonds punish'd Parishes communicate Rood Lofts pulled down Monuments of Superstition defaced Service done and heard is Scripture is Statute That the Oath to the Queen's Majesty should be offered and taken is required as well by Ordinance of God as of Man These are plain Matters necessary Christian and profitable to wear a Surplice a Coap or a cornered Cap is as you take it an accidental thing a Devise only of Man and as we say a Doubt or Question in Divinity seeing then all these substantial Points are in all Places of this Realm almost neglected the Offenders little or nothing rebuked and seeing the Transgressors have no Colour of Conscience it is Sin and Shame to proceed against us first having also reasonable Defence of our Doings Charity my Lords would first have taught us Equity would first have spared us Brotherliness would have warned us Pity would have pardoned us if we had been found Trespassers God is my Witness who is the Beholder of a I Faith I think of your Lordships honourably esteeming you as Brethren reverencing you as Lords and Masters Alas Why have you not some good Opinion of us Why do you trust known Adversaries and mistrust your Brethren We confess one Faith of Jesus we preach one Doctrine we acknowledge one Ruler upon Earth in all things saving in this we are of your Judgment shall we be used thus for a Surplice Shall Brethren persecute Brethren for a forked Cap devised singularly of him that is our Enemy Now shall we fight for the Popish Coat his Head and Body being banished Shall the Controversy so fall out in Conclusion that for lack of this necessity Furniture as it is affirmed Labourers shall lack Wages and Churches preaching shall we not teach shall we not exercise our Talents as God hath commanded us because we will not wear that which our Enemies have desired and that by the Appointment of Friends O that ever I saw this Day that our Adversaries should laugh to see Brethren fall together by the Ears O that Ephraim should thus eat up Manasseh and Manasseh Ephraim My Lords before this takes place consider the Cause of the Church the Triumphs of Antichrist the Laughter of Satan the Sorrow and Sighs of a Number the Misery and Sequel of the Tragedy I writ with Zeal without Proof of my Matter at this present time but not without Knowledge of it nor without Grief of Mind God move your Spirit at this present to fight against Carnem Circumcisionem imo Concisionem against Literam Legem which principally is now regarded and rewarded Speak I humbly beseech you to the Queen's Majesty to the Chancellour and to Mr. Secretary and the rest that these Proceedings may sleep that England may understand your zealous Mind towards the Worship of God your Love towards the poor Well-willers your Hatred towards the professed Enemies your Unity in true conformity the other neither be needful now neither exacted in any good Age so shall the little Flock be bound to you so shall the great Shepherd be good to you There appears in this Letter a Sence of Piety Modesty and Christian Resolution not to halt between two but to suffer rather than to sin according to our Saviour's Rule we cannot serve God and Mammon When one is convinced of a Truth he ought to adhere to it Yet one Dr Burgess who hath written for that Cause would make us believe our blessed Saviour was a Trimmer when in his Rejoynder he saith our Saviour walked a middle Path between the Excess of the Pharisees and the Preciseness of the Sadducees observing many significant Ceremonies in Religion The instituted Ceremonies under the Law he fulfilled but as to their Traditions the Evangelists declare how smartly he reproproved them for certainly such Expressions to speak of them as moderately as may be shew a great Want of Reverence for our blessed Saviour but thatStyle is no Stranger with some of them witness what Dr. Morton saith in his Defence In Hezekiah's Time saith he the Idolatry about the Serpent could not be cured but by abolishing the Serpent but in our most truly Reformed Church which doth most lively express the Face and full Body of her primitive Mother Church this Disease would be found curable without any such Extremity
the Complement of some of our Bishops how he was the wisest and most learned King since Solomon's Time which Learning and Wisdom whatsoever he after God owed to Buchanan whose Principles he soon forgot here and his Friend's Kindness there upon ascending on the Throne he became another Man a Puritan that is one according to the Principles of the Church of Scotland was odious to him In a publick Declaration he allowed Sports upon the Lord's Day which afterwards was revived and confirmed by his Son and that made Scotch men say they had sent up a good King but thorough Flattery he had been spoiled and he himself could not forbear to say how glad he was to be here amongst the Clergy that gave him a great Respect when in Scotland every Minister was allowed freely to speak to him and may be sometimes allowed to tell him things which he did not like Here we had Hooker afterwards Bishop of Glocester who opposed Cap Rochet and Surplice and stood much against such things which Opposition of his made a great Noise in those Days so I shall not stand upon it but come to Latimer in his third Sermon before King Edward he said that the Lutherans in Germany made a Mengle Mangle Hotch Potch of Popery with true Religion meaning their Ceremonies Bishop Jewel approved of Tertullian's Judgment against Garlands because they were worn by Heathens and upon his Death-bed he declared he would not grieve any of his Brethren who were of contrary Opinion concerning Ceremonies for at that time several did so Pag. 412. and Dr. Fulk in his Repeal of Heskin's Parliament saith Jewel had no Pleasure to minister in Coapes for though he was a Bishop he might condemn some superstitious Ceremonies in in England as Cardinal Cajetan condemned many superstitious Ceremonies in the Church of Rome for when he died he said he would not be buried in a Church as we have it in his Life prefixed before his Commentaries upon Joh and the same Bishop in his Epistle to Queen Elizabeth before the Defence of his Apology he prays to God that she may live to abolish all Groves and high Places in England He was no great Approver of such things Bishop Pilkinton said it is our Fault generally that we differ no more from Papists in all our Ministry and Dr. Bilson alloweth and approveth those that cannot by any means digest one Dram of Popish Ceremonies As for Dr. Fulk he declareth that he which saith our Form of Service is not sufficiently differing from the Papists sheweth his Zeal in Detestation of Idolatry and in another place we abhor whatsoever hath but a Shew of Popery and in his Rejoynde to Martial he saith that the Ceremony of the Cross once taken up with good intent being grown into so horrible Abuses is justly refused of us and 't is reported of him that rather than he would wear a Surplice he with his Pupils went out of St. John's College in Cambridge and hired in Town Chambers for them and himself Mr. Perkins in his Explication of the Decalogue specially upon the second Commandment in his golden Chain in his Treatise of Idolatry is positive how all Worship all things obtruded under the Name of Worship without any Exception if they be not commanded of God are unlawful and superstitious Worship some other Churchmen there are whom we omit to speak of and amongst them there are of another sort who though they be for the generality yet they are against some particular Ceremonies as Dr. Whitgift against significant Ceremonies I omit the Testimonies of those who all along from the Beginning declared against Ceremonies because being Parties they ought not to be of either side Evidences or judges Now to draw towards a Conclusion of the whole we are loth to own the Reformation of other Churches to be as good as ours so we will stand meerly upon our own Ground and may not we upon the Occasion say with Solomon Ecces 4.10 woe be to him that is alone we make a Difficulty to own or joyn a thing as unpolitick as uncharitable with Reformed Churches beyond Sea as those that once were in France are now in Switzerland Geneva Holland the Palatinate Hessen Bremen and other Parts of Germany who agree amongst themselves and others in Bohemia Hungary Poland c. and with the Vaudois that Mother Church whence the Gospel passed into most Parts of Europe and such a Church as was never stained with Popish Abominations which no other Protestant or Reformed Church can say and so in no Necessity of Reformation hence some Popish Authors as Seissel Archbishop of Turin and others do write they were always Hereticks for by Authentick Writings of above 800 Yerrs ago it appears they as to Doctrine Worship and Church Government held the same thing as now do which is the same as in Holland and other Churches I mentioned but just now and we must believe they had and have the Spirit of God as well as we And 't is to be observed they had some different Instuments in the Work of Reformation though they corresponded and advised one with another so all these embraced one and the same Way of Reformation and we differ from them As to the other Way of Reformation according to the Lutherans we cannot commend it as the best neither do we in Doctrine joyn with them in every thing as Vbibuity Consubstantiation c. and in Ceremonies they retain more than we own though to say the Truth the Reformation in Luther's Time was purer than after some modern Lutherans having defaced that which was done at first As for Ceremonies Luther was against but kept some which in time he intended to have removed by Authority of Magistrates as Crucifixes Images but because Carolostadius stirring up the People threw them down without Delay that vexed him and stopped his Resolution his Reason was to stop the Mouths of Slanderers who accused Protestants of Tumults and Sedition yet in some places amongst them they have them not In all such things the Glory of God more than our Passions is to be minded which is not when under the Notion of Uniformity Unity it self is ruined and when Tooth and Nail men stand for such Ceremonies as ours as much as for the Fundamental Points in Religion which argues neither Prudence nor Charity rather a Spirit of wilfulness and contradiction you shall have and do because you will not Why do we say that amongst Papists it is held a greater Wickedness to omit Auricular Confession than to live impiously to eat Flesh in Fasting Days than to live in Fornication to work on Saints Holy Days than to act Mischief their Practice shews us the cause for they punish more severely the Breach of their Ordinances than of God's Laws if we do the like about our ceremonies if we refuse to admit or do deprive a Godly Learned Man and Laborious Minister meerly because he cannot conform and if we take in any
scandalous and ignorant Drone because he conformeth as it too often happeneth if Drunkards Swearers Fornicators Sabbath-breakers be let alone if a Man for not coming to the Offering or refusing to pay his Groat be fined or excommunicated and then the Writ de excommunicato capiendo be issued out yet in the mean time one who lives in open and notorious Drunkenness Whoredom and Adultery be winked at do we not prefer our Tradition before the Commandment For Abuses in things of this Nature I shall bring an Evidence without Exception a darling Son of the Church Dr. Andrews in a Sermon of his before he was a Bishop preached to the Convocation Truth forceth these Words out of him The Church Censures now a days do only touch the Purse Evil doers when they have paid their Fees return Scotfree if no Money then have at the Offenders with the Episcopal Sword presently at one Blow they are cut off from the Church and delivered over unto Satan proclaimed Publicans Heathens Anathema for the most ridiculous things and against every good Man these brutish Thunderbolts do fly up and down and only to be feared of the Purse so let become what it will of God's Law Man's shall be executed though contrary to Right and Reason Yet I think Man ought to consider that the Church is a Society in order to Salvation rather than to buying and selling or Depredation 'T is an imperfect Body except Christ the Head be comprehended and his Right of Ruling and making Laws asserted By these Laws he hath left us a Freedom from the Yoke of Ceremonies for the Body as for the Soul not only an inward Liberty of Mind and Conscience but an external Freedom of Body and outward Man from such Rites in Worship as have not his Stamp such are our Popish ones that are evil from the Beginning and most taken out of the Mass-book and the Ceremonial All this he saith according to Truth only we must add how those Popish Dregs we do retain are of the same Nature with those we left off and were by him condemned In every thing we perform about Religion it is our Duty to obey Ordinances and use the means which God hath appointed God indeed can work without but we have no warrant to think he will In this case we are sure to be tied by a Commandment and encouraged by a Promise if we go the contrary way it will be with us as with the People of Israel about Manna they were told upon the Sabbath there would be none they would not believe but try they went and found none Exod. 16.16 27. V. 19 20. They were charged upon Week-days to leave none till the Morning but they would do it but it bred Worms and stank So it will befal any one that goes out of God's Way and follow their own they shall find no Instruction no Wisdom no Comfort or if there be any it will stink be of no Use and come to-nothing let us take notice of what the Prophet saith Isa 1.16 Put away the Evil of your doings He doth not enjoyn to take away the Works but the Evil of them as if he had said sacrifice still according to the prescribed Rules chuse a Sacrifice without Blemish for the matter offer it according to the Rites I appointed as to the manner but bring also a reformed Life an humble Heart a Submission to and Conformity to my Ordinance and bring nothing of your own but Obedience from the Heart wherein hitherto ye failed It is a Sin not to do well and to do ill Ignorance excuseth though not from the whole yet from the measure of Punishment but in those who sin against Knowledge namely that God hath not commanded but rather forbidden such things 't is a double Sin and with a Witness many Stripes for the Servant who knows the Master's Will and doth it not and I think we may truly say no Nation was ever more severely punished than the Jewish because they sinned against greater Lights 't is not enough to know the Truth but also we must obey it This whole Discourse I can no better conclude than with some few Observations upon the 14th Chapter of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans I wish it to be read more than it is and what is therein contained better observed for it doth justly fit and reach our Case the whole being reduced to the great Rule of Charity great I may call it Rom. 13.10 for it is the fulfilling of the Law Charity now a-days is much talked of but little practised we are all agreed about the Speculation and Theory but the whole Difficulty lies in coming to the practicable Part thereof Which that it may be well ought to be universal in every thing we do according to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 16.14 Gal. 4.9 Let all your things be done with Charity however it will never do if Men stand upon Punctilios and Niceties and say tell us which hath been told a thousand times what ye would have and in case we think fit to grant you some of the things you desire will you joyn with us as to the rest This is pertinaciously to defend a barren and unprofitable Ground and this kind of Capitulations do not become the truly noble Spirit of Christian Religion ye keep the Doors shut upon us do but level all the Rubbish of out-Works those Humane Buildings to make way for us to come into the Body of the Church which whether we come or not 't is your Duty to do and that once being over you have done your Part and if after it we do not come in you may lay the Blame at our Door but not only you keep Men from Church but also stop all approaching to it you shut them out of the Places that are accounted the Springs of Learning as Vniversities to hinder them from qualifying themselves for publick Service in the Church you will not allow them Wells to drink Waters out of their own but of your own not so much as allow them to draw together with you but upon such hard Terms and Conditions as are unjust and they cannot accept of Thus all Schools Universities Places Preferments Offices whether ecclesiastical or civil ye do wholly monopolise to your selves Well this by the by but to come to St. Paul he exhorteth not to despise or condemn one another for things indifferent he instanceth it in two things that may serve for all of the same Nature namely eating or not eating some kinds of Meats keeping or not keeping some certain Days which were the Dispute of the Times and though they may be indifferent of themselves yet by the Access of some Circumstances become unlawful as may be when Men stand too much and lay too great a Stress thereupon which makes the Apostle call it weak and beggerly Elements Gal. 4 9 10 11 and condemn it when he saith Ye observe Days and Months and Times
to kindle his Fury against us And though the Epistle deserves wholly to be transcribed yet not to be too tedious I shall shorten it He calls those Garments unknown to the Christian World in the Times of the Apostles and of the Apostolical Men Garments of Godless Priests and Slaves of Antichrist So assuredly by the arguing of things indifferent to trouble the Peace of Churches and to cause Strife between good Men and bad yea between good Men themselves is so wicked that it can by no means be defended If your gracious Majesty desireth as you would to seem Apostolical then in this matter imitate the Apostles Neither lay and impose this Yoke upon the Neck of Christ's Disciples your self nor suffer others to do it For all Men know that most part of all the Churches that are fallen from the Bishop of Rome for the Gospel's Sake not only have left off but also abhor those Garments 'T is in vain to hope in so doing to bring in Papists over to us who can never amend their Doctrines nor part with their abominable Superstitions and Idolatries then saith he this woundeth the Consciences of private Believers a tender Conscience that feareth God is a most precious thing and acceptable to him for if these things be imposed as necessary we do ungodlily because we make those things to be necessary which Christ would have to be free if indifferent they ought to be left free These are the same Arguments we use but here we leave off thinking we have done enough to shew the Sence of that Learned and Famous Divine upon so solemn an Occasion But this Letter nor other weighty Reasons could not prevail for any thing they were resolved upon another way the Queen was young when she came to the Throne and they that were about her and coming upon the Stage were willing to retain Part of that Pomp and as much as they could of that Power which popish Predecessors in their places had enjoyed Self denial and a perfect Zeal for the Glory of God did not wholly govern in the Spirits of some Men wherefore in that Convocation in 1571 when the Cranmers Hoopers Latimers c. were gone instead of following The Reformation began in King Edward's Days they made those Alterations which we all know But I need not to insist upon these Evidences of particular though eminent Men seeing we have for us that of whole Churches I mean that the Generality of Reformed Churches doth about the Matters now in Hand joyn and agree with us so that we are not fingular in our Opinion but well grounded therein For first we affirm that Christ hath instituted a Discipline according to which and no other his Church ought to be governed The French Reformed Churches say the Order which Christ hath by his Authority setled in his Church ought inviolably to be kept Confes Gallic Articl 25. and somewhat lower they add we believe the true Church must be governned according to the Rule and Order setled by the Lord. Art 29. And this is the Perswasion of the Church in the low Countries how the Church ought to be governed according to the Spiritual Policy which God hath taught in his Word Conf. Belgica Art 30. which containeth three things First There is a Government already settled secondly That Government is set down in Scripture thirdly The Church ought to be governed according to that exclusively to any other seeing a Divine Institution doth exclude Humane Inventions To this also agree the Churches of Switzerland for say they Discipline is administred according to the Order which the Lord hath given in his Word Helv. Conf. cap. 18. quemadmodum suo verbo praescripsit dominus Docemus Gubern c. And a little lower the Church-Government given us by the Apostles is sufficient to keep it in good Order And the Church of Scotland in her Confession of Faith published in the beginning of Reformation giveth for a Mark of the true Church the Administration of Church Discipline such as God hath prescribed in his Word Conf. Scot. Art 18. This overthroweth the prelatical Opinion that 't is left to the Prudence of the Governors of the Church to establish what Government they shall think fit Secondly We say all Ministers of Christ have the same Authority and by the Commission none is to have more Power than another and are not these the positive Words of a Confession of Faith we believe all true Pastors to have one and the same equal Power among them Gal. Conf. Art 30. Let this be taken notice of how 't is an Article not only of their Discipline but also of their Faith we believe the low-Dutch Churches speak to the same purpose Conf. Belg. Art 31. whatsoever Place God's Ministers are in they have the same Power and unequal Authority Helv. Conf. cap. 18. So do those of Switzerland all Ministers of Christ have received the same Power and Office Observe how as there is but one and the same Power so there is but one and the same Office whereby are condemned Primacy and the Episcopal Distinction which they explain elsewhere Apostolis suuis principatum Christus Severis sine prohibuit c. Christ hath most strictly forbidden his Apostles Primacy in the Church who then can but perceive that those who oppose this plain Truth and do bring in a different Government and as it may be taken Diversity of Government into the Church ought to be taken for those of whom Christ's Apostles have foretold 2 Pet. 2. and Paul Acts 20.29 2 Cor. 11. 2 Thess 2. and in several other Places It is also the third and chief Advice of that religious Prince Conf. Palat. at the latter end the Palsgrave in his Confession of Faith to his Children and Successors to take heed of those who acted by meer Ambition as 't is practised in Popery dostrive for a Command over the Consciences of Magistrates and Subjects and to erect for themselves some new Primacy of a large Extent And to shew that Union Equality and Affection which ought to be between Ministers The antient Church of the Waldenses saith Discip of the Vaud Chap. 2. about the middle speaking of Pastors He that is ordained last ought to do nothing without the Leave of him that was ordained first and he that was first must do nothing without the Leave of him that was chosen last Now all this doth ruine the superiority settled by Bishops We say in the third place that no Humane Invention ought to be introduced into God's Worship and that Men must not impose upon Consciences the Yoke of Ceremonies and the Reformed Conf. Gal. Art 24. reject Ceremonies partly because they are Humane Inventions and a Yoke which Humane Authority imposeth upon Consciences Indeed Divine Worship ought to be practised according to the Purity and Simplicity of the Gospel which Mind the Vaudois are of Compend Conf. Art 1. Divine Worship
ought to be performed only in Spirit and in Truth for God is Spirit John 4. So that the Use of those Ceremonies ought to be abolished Belg Conf. Art 25. Also the Churches of the united Provinces do believe that amongst Christians all Ceremonies must be abrogated Now he that saith all excludeth nothing and to shew what kind of Ceremonies those are elsewhere they explain it we do reject all manner of Humane Inventions brought into the Service of God Art 32. And 't is an unexcusable Presumption to introduce into the Service of God that which he hath not prescribed The Believers of part of Switzerland express thus much saying no Man may command that which Christ hath not commanded Conf. Basil Art 19. among other things therein is mention made of Days dedicated unto Saints but in another Place they declare more at large when having said how the Church of Christ doth what she can to preserve Peace and Union 't is added therefore she hath no Communication with Sects and receiveth not any Rules given to settle a Distinction of Meats Cloths Days and Ceremonies Herein with us do also agree the four imperial Cities in their Confession of Faith presented to the Emperor Charles the Vth. where after they have condemned the Impositions of Fast Days at certain times as Lent and on Fridays specially that called good-Friday and having quoted some Places out of Ireneus and of Apollonius against Montanus who was the first Imposer of Fasts and of Chrysostome Neque enim apud nos leve momentum habet c. they speak thus for as we ought we had a special Regard to what St. Paul saith to the Coloss Chap. 2. Let no Man judge you in Meat or in Drink or in respect of an holy Day And in another Place having spoken about Abuses under Pretences of Divine Worship introduced into the Church 't is added Many things are admitted subservient unto Superstition more than to Piety This overthrows the Ceremonies of our Prelates If after all this we have a Desire and Curiosity to know the Mind of the most remote Churches from us and which are settled in Poland Russia Lithuania c. We shall find though some follow the Confession of Ausburg others that of Bohemia and others that of the Evangelical Cantons Postnaniensi Conventu art 10. Disciplina ecclesias secundum Dei verbum ab omnibus approbatur Ex lib. Bucer cui titulus scripta duo adversaria latol p ag 159. they unanimously tell us that Church Discipline which is according to the Word of God is approved by all Who then can hinder ut hence to conclude that all approve to have that Church-government settled which is grounded upon God's Word And indeed they have that Company of Men that excel in Prudence and Gravity of Spirit whom Bucer speaks of whose Office is to warn and correct those that commit Faults and to compose Differences c. those Elders saith he Ambrose hath written of they are those that help in the Administration of Church-government to the great easing of the Minister whereof the Benefit is great in those Churches that have them though they be derived from Scripture yet are wholly despised and rejected by the prelatical Party A general Synod held in Poland since the Agreement at Sandomir Uladislaw Synodus art 12. Syn. postnan art 8. Syn. Xansens cap. 2. speaks of two Kinds of Elders Spiritual and Secular Another famous enough makes mention of them and a third not only declareth how they ought to be chosen but also what their Office is 'T is then past all Question that they have ruling Elders Moreover we must admire at the Charity and Prudence of those Churches much different from what we have seen here practised at home for though Part of them that are united by the Agreement they made at Sandomir be of the Confession of Ausburg and do retain some Ceremonies yet they impose them not neither do they constrain People to submit thereunto for say they Petricoviens Synod art 4. qua quidem propter externos ritus homines pios ferire neque domini est voluntas neque purioris ecclesiae mos c. if they were imposed some Opposition might happen and then it would be necessary to make use of the Discipline but 't is neither the Will of God nor the Practice of the more primitive Christian Church to punish pious Men for outward Ceremonies therefore Ceremonies we leave to Christian Liberty Hence we see how they wisely avoid the Occasions of Severity and Dispute Though among those Churches there be Overseers and Superintendents whence our Prelates would prove a Conformity with their Episcopacy we shall find a vast Difference between both not only as to the Election which is made by the Ministers but also in relation to the Authority which is subordinate and inferiour to that of the Synoct Xansens Syn. cap. 1. Art 10. see from art 1. to the 10th and as to the Time assigned for it which is from one Synod to another and according to the Pleasure of the Synod he shall be confirmed or else another shall be chosen if the Synod think fit And if it will appear those Overseers have a different Employment from that of our Bishops if one will take the Pains to read the Articles of that Synod from first to tenth inclusively and that for them it is an Addition of Care and Pain more than of any Worldly Honour or Gain In a Word they are such as Chair-men Prolocutors and Moderators in Synodal Assemblies except that the Work of these doth cease at the breaking up of the Synods but the Labour of those doth continue This we might strengthen with other Testimonies of the Confessions of Faith and Articles of the Ecclesiastical Government of other Churches But forbear for we think we said enough to our present purpose Now to come to the Judgment of some of our home good and learned Men about these things Written in 1566. we shall begin with a Letter of the general Assembly of Scotland to the Bishops of England for though they be of a different Kingdom yet they make part of the same Land If Surplice say they corner Cap and Tippet have been Badges dies of Idolaters in the very Act of Idolatry what have the Preachers of christian Liberty and the open Rebukers of Superstition to do with the Dregs of the Romish Beast And in their Confession of Faith are these Words We detest all Ceremonies and false Doctrines of the Romish Antichrist added to the Ministration of the true Sacraments we detest all his vain Allegories Rites Signs and Traditions brought into the Church without and against the Word of God King James when he was yet in Scotland could tell them they had the purest and best Reformed Church in the World even beyond that of Geneva which said he keepeth some Days yet when he had been here a while being well pleased with