vniuersall doctrine of all sound Teachers of all times and places as appeareth else where in the following arguments yea it condemneth the very inspired Apostles of Iesus Christ and the Churches of their planting which for performance of greater duties did conforme themselues perswade others to conforme and commanded the same to others as a duty good and necessary All which inconueniences by conformity euen vnto inconuenient Ceremonies in the case of depriuation would bee wholy auoyded which by not conforming are needlessely maintained strengthened and vpholden It followeth therefore that the doctrine and practise of suffering depriuation for refusing Ceremonies though in some respect inconuenient is opposite vnto the law of loue and so by consequence and error and a sinne * Touching the doctrine of this point and application thereof vnto the practise of like Ceremonies to ours in a like case looke Gual in act 16. 3. hom 106. fol. 199. Pâ—sc in act 15. 28. Idem in act 21. 20. Idem in act 16. 3 Calu. in act 15. 28. fol. 265. Idem in act â—8 18. Aret. in act 15. 28. fol. 72. Idem in act 16. 3. fol. 75. Beza annot in act 15. 29. in act 16. 4. 21. 20. 18. 18. Reason 2 Thus much of the first maine reason prouing that the doctrine and practise of suffering depriuation for refusing to conforme to the prescribed Ceremonies is contrary to Gods word and therefore an error and a sinne Argu. 4 Now the second maine reason standeth in this because the doctrine and practise of suffering depriuation for refusing to conforme to the Ceremonies prescribed in the present Church of England or the like tendeth directly to condemne all true Churches of Christ Primitiue and latter and all sound teachers and sincere Christians of all times and places since the time of the Apostles which appeareth to bee an errour in doctrine and a sinne in practise For the further manifestation of this reason there must be proued these two points That to condemne all true Churches and sound Teachers of all times and places primitiue and latter for teaching error in any doctrine or maintaining or committing maintained sinne in practise is a sinne and error That this Doctrine and practise of suffring depriuation for refusing to conforme to the prescribed Ceremonies in our present Church of England or to the like doth condemne all true Churches and sincere Teachers of all times and places since the times of the Apostles Which points being prooued the conclusion will ineuitably follow that to suffer depriuation for refusing to conforme is a sinne and an error to be taught and practised Touching the former point That namely to condemne 1. Point all true Churches and sound teachers for teaching and maintaining false doctrine and sinne is both an error and a sinne First I say it is an error Because in condemning their doctrine for false doctrine euen in this point they condemned the inspired doctrine of the holy Apostles for false doctrine as before appeareth which must needes bee an error and a sinne of no light degree Because it condemneth their doctrine practise which are followers of the Apostles in their inspired doctrine and practise and which walke so as they haue them for an example which rule of doctrine and practise being commended as true and commanded as iust Phil. 3. 17. and 4. 9. the contrary thereto must needes be an error Because the true Catholike Church indefinitely taken for the company of the faithfull in all ages being as they are euer built on the foundations of the Prophets and Apostles and Christ the corner stone Eph. 2. 20. is the pillar and ground of trueth 1. Tim. 3. 15. but whatsoeuer is against the ground of trueth must needes be an error Because the true Church of all ages being defined truely ly to bee the congregation of the faithfull consisteth of a company of spirituall persons not of carnall blinde or prophaine persons or hereticall Idolatours and tiranious Popes or Prelates as the Papistes Now the spirituall man discerneth all things 1. Corinth 2. 15. euen the deepe things of God vers 10. by the spirit which God hath giuen him ver 12. how much more is the whole company of all the spirituall able to performe the same wherefore the contrary to their doctrine must needs be an error Because it condemneth the whole streame of the faithfull teachers and Churches of all ages of an hainous and damnable crime namely the breaking the lesser commandements of God and the teaching of men so to doe whereby they exclude them by necessary consequence out of heauen Matthew 5. 19. which must needes bee a grosse error and no small sinne Because no scripture is of priuate interpretation 2. Peter 1. 20. either of priuate spirits of carnall persons though they be many as the interpretations of the Romish Popes and Doctors or of other heretickes failing in the foundation or of a few Godly and well affected Persons against the Ocean and world of the faithfull but the iudgements of the English depriued Ministers being against the whole true Church of Christ is but as a litle streame vnto the Ocean or a small field vnto the world their opinion therefore against the whole Church is of priuate interpretation and an error Because it is against the rules of Gods word and meanes appointed of God for the finding out of the trueth euen in such like cases as this for a few Ministers and other persons be they otherwise neuer so faithfull to be opposite in iudgement to the whole Church 1 One meanes is for learners to obey their teachers Hebrew 13. 17. especially teaching secundum legem according to the law Deut. 18. 11. but the Fathers and Godly learned Doctors since them being the Ministers of the Church of Christ in all ages are the Teachers of all others specially if they teach secundum legem which must be hearkened vnto and obeyed and whosoeuer doth not hearken to them so teaching erreth 2 An other meanes and ordinance of God is this that two or three Prophets speaking the rest must iudge of that they speake and that the spirit of the Prophets must bee subiect to the Prophets 1. Cor. 14. 29. 32. When therefore a few English Ministers doe speake in the Church the will of God is this that the whole Church of all ages and places should iudge but for the whole Catholike Church of all ages and places to speake and a few Ministers of one only Prouince and of one time to iudge and censure them is the mother of confusion and an enemie to peace as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 14. 32. 33. and contrary to this rule and ordinance of God and therefore the way to error 3 An other meanes of Gods appointment euen in the like case with this that in matters of difference not onely about fundamentall points but also in matters of Ceremonies when the peace of the Church is broken about them the vnitie of brethren
that are sicke of preiudice to gather all I could against them and abstained from the practise of them as from things simply euill But after hauing been indicted at a quarter Sessions for refusing to conforme by some of my Parish for my fidelity in opposing their disordered life I was occasioned to looke more neerely into the state of this question whether I might vse them with my peace in any case or not namely of necessity Depriuation I asked of my selfe two things whether I would rather suffer death then vse them in a Church professing the foundation and vrging them as things indifferent not pressing them as binding Conscience in themselues or as needfull to saluation And whether the execution of my Ministery which was pressed on my Conscience with a woe if I neglected it should not be as deare vnto me as my life Which questions when they put mee to a stand and that I could not well resolue vnto my selfe for the ill conceit I had against the Ceremonies I beganne to search into the iudgement of our best latter writers and the practise of reformed Churches from whence I went vnto antiquitie of primitiue and purer times where with one consent and harmonie of iudgement I found them for the practise of farre more and more offensiue Ceremonies then ours may bee supposed and chiefely in this case This was a ground to stay my iudgement and build my resolution From which when once I found it in con-conscience I could not in modestie I durst not depart in haste For with what shew or conscience should any man turne his backe in dislike or his face in opposition to the iudgement and practise of all Churches of Christ since the Apostles And from all those worthy Lights those Spirituall persons the Teachers of the Churches the champions of the Trueth the Masters of Religion by whom and by whom onely God had in all ages propagated his Gospell conuerted soules confirmed Veritie confuted Heresies and Errors builded Christes Church discouered and ouerthrowne the Church of Antichrist Chiefly seeing it is the iudgement not of one or two nor of some against some other but euen of All not One excepted which is of note or classicall authority And none against this iudgement excepting conuicted and condemned Hereticks and Schismaticks such as Donatists Anabaptists and our latter Brownists From thence I looked into the reasons mouing them vnto this iudgement that practise which in this Tractate are set downe So that here is no nouelty broached or fancy of mine owne proposed to thy view Christian reader but Antiquity and Vniuersality not Papall but Euangelicall according to the Scripture not of Carnall but Spirituall persons which may bee to thy Conscience as an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The causes of publishing are principally three respecting Causes of publishing the trueth the Ministers my brethren and my selfe The publication of this booke concerneth the trueth in two respects First because it is a questioned trueth which may not bee concealed without iniury to God and to his Church and it is a sin of no light nature to withhold the trueth in vnrighteousnesse Rom. 1. 18. next it is a profitable trueth which may occasion some Ministers to enter which dare not for conformitie and others to returne which are depriued for not conforming to the Ceremonies both tending to the benefit and edification of Gods Church For what greater profit may there be then that which is opposed to the greatest mischiefe For as it pleaseth God to saue them that beleeue 1 Cor. 1. 21. prou 29. 18. by preaching so where no vision is the people perish Secondly it respecteth the ministers of two sorts First such as are depriued on whom these reasons doe inforce a sinne for not conforming in the case of depriuation and it is very scandalous for Ministers professing sinceritie of Christ his Gospel to haue begunne and to continue in a wrong course neither can they approoue their conscience before God or man to beginne and to remaine in error and not amend when they see a better way Then it concerneth the Ministers that haue conformed in this case both because it serueth to cleere the innocencie of sundry godly teachers that haue conformed to preuent their depriuation which are hardly thought of and traduced as backsliders and betrayers of Gods cause And if this trueth were knowen they would not haue condemned innocents As also because it is meete that the hearts of such as haue conformed of feare and are wounded with griefe should bee relieued this trueth seruing to quiet their afflicted conscience which must not bee neglected Lastly it respecteth my selfe and that two wayes First because by suppressing of this veritie I should wrap my selfe in the guilte of a two fold sin namely vnthankfulnesse to God vnrighteousnesse to man For why hath God opened my eyes to see this truth but to that end I should reueale it vnto others And it were vnrighteousnesse and hatred to my Leu. 19. 17. brethren to suffer them to sin and not to shew them of it to see them to wander and not to point vnto the right way Lastly it were iniquitie to my selfe to suffer my Ministerie to be euill spoken of for practising the trueth there being scandall taken farre and neere at the alteration of my iudgement and profession of my purpose to conforme rather then to suffer depriuation which I may lawfully and must also of some necessitie preuent To this I adde the respect I haue vnto our Schismatickes the Brownists whose errors are hereby discouered and their false conclusions ouerthrowne Obiections answered But it will bee said I am in error If so it shall the easier be confuted And when any man hath shewed it to be error hee may the more safely call it so And I shall bee the rather induced to confesse it so to be It will be well and more agreeing to the comfort of mens consciences and more fitted to the rekconing they must giue to bee aduised before they so conclude it Howbeit if I erre it is with such company with whom in some case I had rather erre as one speaketh then thinke or know the trueth with some other Neither can I bee perswaded neither will any man proue easily that all true Churches of Christ of all ages agreeing in a pointe haue agreed in an error But thus good men receaue disgrace that stand against the Ceremonies To this I say that no man can no good man will esteeme the trueth to bee his owne disgrace It is a grace by seeing error to acknowledge it It is an honour vnto God to disgrace our selues by gracing and embracing of his trueth Can any man preferre his credit to Gods dishonour and redeeme it with the shipwracke of the trueth O but I lay a sinne vnto the charge of all the Ministers depriued And to this I say they lay a sinne vpon their brethren not inferiour to themselues that haue
that it is wel concluded neither verely would I nor any other that I know of sound iudgement hold otherwise But that it may appeare how little to the purpose it is alleadged I say 1 If they will apply this to our Church in respect of our ceremonies prescribed then may they conclude against the Apostles for prescribing Iewish ceremonies notwithstanding the end and accomplishment of them all by the death and consummatum est of Christ 2 The Primitiue auncient and latter reformed Churches are all of them deficient this way either in disipline or ceremonies they are faulty and doe faile more or lesse yet they will not accuse them for denying Christ to be their teacher and Prophet 3. They onely deny Christ to be their Prophet and teacher who doe preach another Gospell to the Church Gal. 1. 6. 7. which teach any thing besides Gal. 1. 8. 9. Ro. 16. 17. otherwise 1. Tim. 6. 3. Contrary to the word of God Tit. 1. 9. diuers and strange doctrines Heb. 13. 9. Heresies Tit. 3. 10. which will not heare him in all things whatsoeuer hee shall say Act. 3. 22. Mat. 28. 20. Ioh. 3. 36. 10. 5. All which our Church with all other reformed Churches doe vtterly disclaime and are free from and namely in prescribing and vsing of these ceremonies or the like as appeareth by considering First the matter which is taught which is of two sorts some things are fundamentall and of greater moment some things circumstantiall and of lesser againe some things are specially commaunded others included vnder generall rules and are left free to euery Church to bee determined as shall best serue for the edification thereof sometimes after one manner and at other times after some other where we are to obserue that our Church as other reformed Churches doe teach nothing fundamentall which is not expresly taught in the Word neither doth it teach any thing contrary to that which is expresly commanded by Christ in his Word onely it varieth the circumstantialls or ceremonialls according to the liberty left vnto all Churches and practised by all Churches which the gouernours doe suppose best to further or edifie the substantialls Secondly consider we the manner of our Churches proposing of these things The fundamentall points and speciall precepts of Christ shee proposeth as binding the conscience vnder paine of condemnation to euery wilfull and impenitent transgressour The circumstantialls or ceremonialls determined by her out of the generall rules of the Word she proposeth and inioyneth as free not binding the conscience in themselues as variable not perpetuall as accidentall not as necessary In which case our Church cannot bee saide to deny Christ for her onely teacher and Prophet but rather to confesse him seeing shee teacheth nothing but that Christ hath commanded In which respect hee is with our Church by promise ad finem saeculi Matthew 28. 19. 20. and hee that heareth the teachers thereof thus teaching heareth Christ Luke 10. 16. Ioh. 13. 20. And thus the first point is confirmed The second followeth Point 2. to be spoken of which is this That the doctrine and practise of suffering depriuation for refusing to conforme to the prescribed Ceremonies doth tend to condemne all Churches and godly teachers Primitiue and latter of teaching false doctrine of practising a maintained sin Which point is thus made euident Because such Ministers as haue suffered depriuation for refusing to conforme or doe hazard their ministery for the same doe account and conclude it to bee a sin simply to conforme vnto the Ceremonies proposed in the present Church of England or the like and that all that doe conforme in any case vnto them shall therein commit a sinne against God and further that whosoeuer teacheth the contrary they stand out to confute them and conuince them of an errour But all true Churches of Christ and all true Orthodoxall Teachers both auncient and latter of all times and places without exception of any one haue vniformely and constantly taught this conclusion That it is a truth and no errour to teach a dutie and no sinne to practise the prescribed Ceremonies of the present Church of England or the like rather then to violate and breake the peace of the Church or that a Minister should suffer depriuation and so the preaching of the Gospell should bee interrupted or that a Minister or any other Christian should separate themselues or suffer themselues to bee separated from the publike worships of God in a true Church Wherefore it must needes follow that they who iustifie the former must needs condemne the latter Now that it may appeare that all Orthodoxall Churches and Teachers of all ages and places since the time of the Apostles of Christ are of this iudgement and practise and not of the other I will first begin with the Primitiue Churches before the Reuelation and raigne of Antichrist and next in order of the latter reformed Churches since the restauration of the Gospell and declination of Antichrist Concerning the Primitiue Churches and their teachers I will obserue two points First the state of the Churches of those times concerning Ceremonies and secondly the iudgement and practise of the Fathers and the faithfull in that estate Point 1 And touching the former point wee must not bee ignorant that euen in the dayes of the Apostles the mysterie of iniquitie did beginne to worke as themselues obserued 2. Thessalonians 2. 7. For euen then there were many Antichrists 1. Iohn 2. 18. And after the Apostles departure the seruants and workemen of Christ his fielde that is the Ministers of Christ his Church did fall a sleepe that is they were not vigilant and watchfull but grew carelesse and remisse in teaching and propagating the truth of Gods Word to confute errours and to resist and keepe out corruptions attempted to bee brought in by Heretickes and Sectaries and while they thus slept the Diuell sowed his tares Matthew 13. 25. a president whereof wee haue Apocalips 2. and 3. Where the Angels or Teachers of the Churches are reproued in this respect of which kinde of tares that the Diuell sowed the Ceremonies of the Church were not the fewest nor the least hurtfull And they farre exceeded our Ceremonies if wee should esteeme or proue them much worse then they are and namely in three respects First in respect of their multitude varietie and difference Secondly in regard of their nature kinde and qualitie Lastly in respect of their effects and abuse arising from them 1 Their multitude variety and difference did begin very high and neere the times of the Apostles For the difference of the celebration of Easter if the Ecclesiasticall Records bee true began before or about the time of Policarp Bishop of Smyrna and disciple of Saint Iohn and Anicetus Bishop of Rome Euzeb 5. 24. Socrat. 5. 22. and who readeth the antiquitie with any obseruation that shall not perceiue in the vndoubted writings of the most auncient Fathers both of the
much as is possible to Apostolicall simplicity ‖ Non damnamus veteres illos qui morem hunc seruârunt habuerunt enim graues pro ratione illorum temporum causas Chemnit Exam part 2. fol. 102. As neither doe I vtterly condemne their practise of these things as knowing that there may bee iust and many occasions for Churches to retaine inconuenient ceremonies and that by the examples of the very Apostles yet here wee may see how farre more iustifiable our Churches estate is which to speake the truth hath fewer and those more conuenient and decent ceremonies then many other reformed Churches whose ceremonies are more lyable to exception then ours whether we respect the number or the nature or the euill effect of the said ceremonies Now it followeth that we consider of the iudgement and practise of the most excellent teachers and classicall writers of our reformed Churches who excelling in the greatest measure of knowledge sanctification power blessing were made the marueilous and mighty instruments of God in this latter age to propagate the euerlasting Gospell to the Church and to reueale and ruinat the kingdome of Antichrist First of their iudgement touching ceremonies in generall appeareth to be this that followeth First touching the Fathers albeit they doe testifie their dislike of the want of heedfullnesse with abundance of curiosity aemulation and of Zeale with some Lacke of knowledge for their iniunction strict defending and multiplying of ceremonies in sundry of the Fathers as may further appeare Caluin Instit lib. 4. cap 10. sect 18. Beza confess de eccles cap. 5. § 20. fol. 129. Idem Epist. 8. fol. 71. 72. 73. P. Martyr Loc. class 2. cap. 5. § 20. Zanch. de redempt lib. 1. cap. 5. fol. 366. b c ‖ yet they all generally approue of the fore alleadged doctrine and practise of the Fathers concerning the ceremonies namely They iustify Irenaeus for reproouing Victor and condemne Victor for censuring other Churches for the difference in such trifles Also they commend the saying of Irenaeus That the difference of fasting doeth not dissolue the consent of faith Caluin inst 4. 7. 7. Idem Epistola 118. fol. 215. Zanch. confess cap. 24. § 10. fol. 207. Idem compend Loc. 16. fol. 654. Harm confess § 16. fol. 176. Heluet. Poster Beza Epist 8. fol. 71. calleth the message of Irenaeus to Victor insignis Epistola Looke also Polanus Symphonia Cathol cap. 47. fol. 1212. Zepper Polit Eccles lib. 1. cap. 11. fol. 74. Idem de Sacrament cap. 13. fol. 329. Paraeus in Rom. 14. Dub. 4. fol. 1203. They commend the iudgement and saying of Socrates That the Apostles left no ordinance of Ceremonies in writing That these things were left by them free for euery Church That no Religion doeth obserue the same Rites That they who agree in the faith doe differ in their Rites among themselues Harm confess § 16. Heluet. Poster fol. 176. ibid. Augustan fol. 187. 191 Where they alleadge the saying of Socrates out of Tripartit Hist 9. 38. Harm confess § 17. Heluet. Poster fol. 211. Zanch. Compend Loc. 16. fol. 654. Zepper Polit. Eccles lib. 1. cap. 11. fol. 74. They commend the practise of Polycarp with Anicetus Pius Higinnus Telesphorus and Xist who as Grinaeus noteth in his note on Eusebius 5. 23. Propter adiaphora non mouebant certamina They commend the doctrine of Ceremonies contained in Augustine and of Ambrose alleaged by him Epist 86. 118. 119. before alleadged Harm confess § 16. fol. 187. 189. August Caluin Instit 4. 10. § 13. 14. 19. Peter Martyr Loc. Class 2. cap. 4. § 39. fol. 203. and Class 4. c. 4. § 4. fol. 7. Sadeel de verbo Dei Scripto cap. 5. fol. 32. Regula 4. Ibid. fol. 34. Obi. 9. Aretius Problem cap. 83. de adiaph fol. 267. Paraeus in Rom. 14. Dub. 4. fol. 1203. Quibus de rebus in genere vehementer probamus atque amplectimur vtramque Epistolam Augustini ad Ianuar. saith Zanchius confess cap. 24. § 15. fol. 2â—1 and cap. 25. § 30. fol. 251. yea they doe specially commend the practise of that councill which was giuen by Ambrose to Aug. Namely that all men ought to fashion themselues for ceremonies according to the custome of the church wherof they are or whereto they come So as those ceremonies be not against faith or good manners Zanch de operibus redempt cap. 10. fol. 188. 6. cap. 19. fol. 696. item Danaeus Isag part 3. lib. 4 cap. 18. fol. 410. They allow of the doctrine of Hierom ad Lucin. Epist. That the constitutions of euery Church are to be kept and obserued which doe not hurt vnto the faith Sadeel de verbo Dei Script cap. 5. Regula 4. fol. 32. Zanch. comp end Loc. 16. fol. 655. Polanus Symphon Catholike cap. 49. Thess 4. fol. 1239. and of this saying also of his in place In his rebus abundet quaeuis in sensu suo P. Martyr Loc. Clas 4. cap. 4. § 4. fol. 711. They doe partly excuse and partly commend and allow the ceremonies vsed by the Fathers and mentioned in Tertullian Zanch. in Eph. 5. fol. 448. They giue a probable and a commendable reason of the Fathers Studious commending of traditions Ecclesiasticall rites vt vias omnes schismaticis obstruerent Sadeel de verbi Dei Script cap. 5. fol. 32. They commend the saying of Pope Leo 9. Nicholas the first that the rites and customes which are diuersified according to the circumstances of the place and time doe neither hurt the vnity of the Church neither the Saluation of beleeuers Harm confess § 16. fol. 191. August § 17. fol. 215. Bohem. taken out of Decret part 1. Dist. 12. cap. 3. scit sancta They perswade and enforce the doctrine of Augustine against the Donatists cont Parmen 2. 1. and 3. 1. 2. that if priuat persoÌ„s do perceiue the corruptions of the Church to be but slackly reformed they must not therefore presently depart from the church or if the pastors themselues cannot reforme all abuses and corruptions as they would themselues they must not therefore cast off their Ministery or inusitatâ asperitate with extraordinary harshnes and eagernes trouble the whole Church because the life of Church discipline stands in this to retaine the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace and therefore out of Cyprian they doe exhort Miserecorditer igitur corripiat homo quod potest quod autem non potest patienter ferat cum dilectione gemat atque lugeat Caluin inst 4. 12. 11. Next let vs see their owne vniforme and intire doctrine and iudgement of those things thus they teach That all Churches should labor as much as possible may be to Apostolicall simplicitie and paucitie of Ceremonies which they iudge the safest purest and the best Pet. Martyr loc com inter Epist fol. 1086. Hoopero fol. 1125. amic in Angl. Beza confess de Eccle. cap. 5. § 20. fol. 129. Zanch. confess cap. 25. § 30. fol.
In Ep. dedicat de Christo seruatore contra Socinum Nihil noui attuli sed antiquam receptam doctrinam quam hoc saeculo Martinus Chemnitius Iohannes Caluinus Petrus Martyr Zacharias Vrsinus multi alij Sancti Viri ex Dei verbo clarè solide docuerunt defendi tutatus sum Idem ibid. Subijcio hunc librum iudicio sanctae orthodoxae Ecclesiae quae Augustanam Helueticam Gallicam Brittanicam Belgicam confessiones sequitur Hanc enim esse veram Ecclesiam de his dogmatis quae in hoc libro tractantur rectè sentire credo cum hác me concordiam colere profiteor To these authorities there are some things excepted which heere I will setdowne And Obiect Frist that there is not that consent in these authorities no harmony nor agreement neither in iudgement nor in practise Not in iudgement for they disagree among themselues some commend the Ceremonies others discommend them esteeming them vnprofitable inexpedient hurtfull Not in practise for the first 200. yeeres their vniforme practise was answerable to the simplicity of the ordinance of Christ and his Apostles in the parts of Gods publike worships which will appeare if ye cite the vndoubted writings of the pure Fathers and not their Apocryphals or Bastard and supposed writings Answ 1 This obiection is quite besides the question and is nothing to the point in hand and therefore might haue well beene spared The question here is not whether the Churches and Writers agree or disagree in their iudgement practise of such Ceremonies as ours are but whether in a case of depriuation a man ought to conforme to Ceremonies as euill inconuenient as ours are pretended to be rather then suffer depriuation The answer by me is affirmatiue which conclusion all the forealleaged Authors as well one as other doe vniformely hold consent and agree vpon and of this there is an vndoubted harmony For their differences let them be vrged when question is concerning any point wherein they differ To giue instance hereof suppose a question betweene Timothy and Titus whether it were fit that the Apostles should visit the Church which they had by preaching conuerted to the faith and to finde out the truth heereof they will referre themselues to the iudgement of Paul and Barnabas who conuerted them vnto the truth Timothy saith that they should doe well to visit them and alleadgeth that Paul and Barnabas did consent in that iudgement and practise as appeareth Acts 15. 26. Titus denieth it and saith there was no consent nor agreement in their iudgement nor practise For Barnabas counselled to take Iohn called Marke with him but Paul thought it not meet Heere may Timothy reply that the question betweene vs is not about the taking a long of Marke wherein they disagreed but about the visiting of the Churches wherein they were both of one minde Touching their practise of 200. yeeres that it was answerable to the simplicity of the ordinance of Christ and his Apostles I grant that it was much more pure for that space then it was euer after for as the time ran on so purity vanished and superstition grew on as in a praecipitium and desperate downefall Howbeit the mystery of iniquity began to worke euen in the Apostles times The Diuell in those dayes began to sowe his tares as the watchmen began to sleepe both of false doctrine and corrupt Ceremonies the controuersie which troubled all the Christian world was within one hundred yeeres And Anacletus Euaristus Telesphorus Anicetus Victor as also Polycarp Irenaeus which note the controuersie about Easter and others were within the 200. yeeres So were the Hereticks Valentinus Montanus Chiliastae and others who brought innumerable ceremonies Clemens Alexandrinus and Tertullian within the 210. yeere did stirre in their writing Origen about the 216. yere Cyprian about the 240. yeere In whose vndoubted and not bastard writings may be seene and hath beene alleadged the diuersity and multitude of Ceremonies which were then in vse and much more might be said touching the confirmation of this point namely that such ceremonies as were then in vse as inconuenient in vse and nature as ours were practised by them and the doctrine of suffering Depriuation for refusing to conforme vnto such Ceremonies as ours was not by any of them taught but by all of them confuted partly by their doctrine and partly by their practise Obiect These Churches and writers were strangers to our cause nor so well acquainted with the state of our Church and therefore could not so well iudge of our case Answ The persons whose iudgements are alleadged were either strangers to our Church or acquainted with the state thereof The strangers thereto were the Fathers of the Primitiue Church and the Lutheran authors Both which because they were the practisers of more and worse Ceremonies then ours can bee imagined to bee it is nothing to the point whether they were ignorant of our Church or not For they that for the Churches peace did practise and perswade the practise of Ceremonies more in number and worse for quality would much more practise and perswade the lesser and the fewer in the same case as all men know For the rest which were acquainted with the state of our Church they were either forreiners or members of our Church The forreiners were some of them inform'd of our Churches estate by such as were not partiall in the relation thereof Such as Caluin who had our Leturgy translated and sent him to peruse Beza Bullinger Gualter Zanchius Vrsinus Polanus c. Others were such as dwelling in our Church were eye-witnesses themselues of the state thereof such as Bucer in Cambridge For whose censure the common praier Booke was translated into Latine P. Martyr in Oxon. The members of our Church were no lesse worthy then the Forreiners and could not be ignorant of the state of this Church such as the Martyrs Cranmer Ridley F. and Hooper who at last conformed Exiles as Foxe Iewell Nowell Parkhust Sanders Grindall Humphry c. And the latter teachers as Deering Fulke Perkins and especially Master Cartwright who with most exact diligence did sift euery thing to the vtmost of his power that might cary any shew of the warrant of an opposition Obiect These persons which had notice of our state considered not of our grounds of Scripture and of the arguments which we alleadge they professed that they saw but if they saw our reasons and so vrged as we vrge them they would doubtlesse haue bene of other iudgement Answ They considered of all the maine reasons which are now vrged as appeareth before in the Answeres of Master Bucer and P. Martyr to the seuerall obiections of B b. Hooper Besides the members of our Church were wel acquainted with the reasons vrged against them especially the later Obiect Some of the Authors which perswade to vse the Ceremonies doe giue such allegations as ouerthrow their owne grounds and thereby we are more confirmed
would euer practise or command those things after that they were growne so bad after that hee had seene iust cause to inueigh against them and condemne them in that manner To this purpose also the Apostles resolution in not suffering Titus to be circumcised when hee saw what an abuse that Ceremonie was growen vnto and how dangerous an effect was like to follow it if hee had yeelded vnto it maketh very strongly notwithstanding any thing that hee would seeme to say to the contrary in his answere to the sixt obiction as shall further appeare in the discussing of the fourth point that hath bene obserued in the confirmation of this his assumption 3. If it were granted that the Ceremonies which the Apostles vsed and appointed had bin notoriously knowen to haue beene subiect to so great abuse of some and to haue had in them so euill effects euen before or at that time and in those places also where the Apostles inioyned them yet could not this haue proued them euery way as inconuenient and euill as ours are For ours are said and sufficiently proued also as they suppose who haue suffered depriuation or suspension for this cause to bee euill not onely because they haue beene grossely abused and very euill effects haue followed the vse of them for so much may be said also of some of Gods owne ordinances but for that they neuer were good nor can euer serue to any good vse Those as they were at the first the ordinances of God so they are here said by Maister Spr. to haue beene still inioyned to certaine Churches by the Apostles which if it be so then could no abuse that obstinate Iewes or other wicked men had put them vnto make the vse of them either vnlawfull or inconuenient vnto the faithfull that by Apostolicall that is diuine authoritie were required to vse them And here fitly commeth to bee examined whether that bee true which is affirmed by him in his second reason which he brings for the proofe of this point viz. that nothing in substance is obiected against our Ceremonies which might not haue been said aswell against those which the Apostles and Churches of their times did vse In handling of this point as he hath left out much of the force and substance of euery argument which in the Abridgement the booke which himselfe quoteth are set downe against our Ceremonies so hath hee affirmed much more against them which the Apostles then vsed then he is able to iustifie and make good The trueth is that though euery one of those foure arguments doth strike to the heart the ceremonies of our Church yet is there neuer a one of them that doth giue the least touch vnto those which the Apostles and Churches then did vse For first Ours are humane inuentions notoriously knowen to haue been of olde and still to bee abused to idolatry and superstition by the Papists and yet of no necessary vse in the Church Theirs as they were at first by diuine institution so were they not at that time when they vsed them notoriously knowen to haue been abused either to idolatrie or to the confirmation of false and pernicious doctrine and were at that time of necessary vse and though they had been neuer so much abused and had beene also in any other of no necessary vse yet because they were vsed by warrant of Apostolicall and diuine authoritie this first argument toucheth them not at all hee doth indeede denie all this and quoteth Scripture to proue that they were humane inuentions of no necessary vse and abused to superstition But it hath beene already shewed that all these Scriptures are misunderstood and applied by him no more shal need to be said for the conuincing of him in this point when that himselfe cleerely and strongly contradicting himselfe hath both elsewhere in this argument and euen in this very place affirmed For were they humane inuentions which himselfe here sayth were practised and taught by direction of the holy Ghost were they of no necessary vse which he in the proofe of his first proposition of his first argument Num. 8. affirmes to haue bin commanded by the Apostles as matters good and necessary in that case and brings for proofe thereof Act. 15. 28. 2. Ours are humane Ceremonies appropriated to Gods seruice and ordained to teach spirituall duties by their mysticall signification Theirs as they were not appropriated to Gods seruice so neither were they vsed or appointed by the Apostles to bee vsed for mysticall signification or if they had yet seeing as hath before beene shewed they were not humane Ceremonies this argument doth not concerne them It is true indeed that they were in their first institution significatiue and mysticall and thus much the places quoted by him here viz. Col. 2. 16. 17 Heb. 8. 5. 9. 8 23 10. 1. do proue But that either the Apostles vsed them or ordained them that they might teach some spirituall dutie by their mysticall signification that hee hath not so much as indeauoured to proue And surely if Paul did vse circumcision as a Sacrament Acts 16. 3. then by the force of Master Spr. argument heere which maintaineth it lawfull for vs to doe now what the Apostles or Churches in their time did it may be concluded that it is lawfull for vs to vse in Gods seruice other Sacraments then those which God hath ordained 3. Ours being but humane Ceremonies are esteemed imposed and obserued as parts of Gods worship Theirs cannot be proued to be obserued by them much lesse imposed vpon them as parts of Gods worship and if they had yet because they were not humane Ceremonies this argument maketh nothing against them For what is this to the purpose that heere hee takes vpon him to prooue That the Iewes esteemed imposed and obserued them as necessarie to saluation Acts 15. 1. 5 That the zealous Iewes were violently offended with Paul for teaching that Christians ought not to circumcise their children and to liue after the legall customes Acts 21. 27 That the Apostles ordained them as good and necessary Act. 15. 28. 29 That the Apostle conformed himselfe vnto them for their sakes and in their presence that esteemed them as worships of God Acts 15. 1. 5. 16. 3. 21. 26 Seeing the question betweene vs is not heere whether the Iewes obserued and imposed Ceremonies as bad as ours but whether the Apostles or any Church by their appointment did so Did the Apostles or any of them whose conformity of Ceremonies is now in question betweene vs vse any Ceremony as imposed by those Iewes he speaketh of here And what though the Apostles called those things that by their decree was inioyned good and necessary will it follow from thence that they imposed them as parts of Gods worship or can nothing be good and necessary but that which is a part of Gods worship Though the superstitious estimation the people among whō they are vsed haue of them be
obiected by the ministers in the abridgement that iustly and materially against our ceremonies Yet doth not the maine forces of this third argument lye in that but in this rather that though they be but humane Ceremonies yet they that inioyne them doe esteeme and impose them as partes of the worshippe of God which puts a manifest difference betweene them and the Ceremonies that were vsed by the Apostles or any Church by their appointment 4 In the imposing and vsing of ours those rules that are prescribed in the Word for matters of direction in the Church concerning Ceremonies are not kept For they are no way needfull or profitable for the edification of the Church but are knowne to cause offence euery where and hinderance vnto edification and are obserued only for the will and pleasure of them that doe inioyne them Theirs though they were vsed and appointed by them who had more farre absolute authority and might lawfully haue commanded in the Church of God specially doing that they did by the inspiration of the holy Ghost yet were they also squared directed by the rules of the holy Scripture and were no way offensiue but tended greatly to the edification of Gods people And how often hath Master Spr. affirmed in the prosecuting of this argument that they were profitable and necessary and alleadged for proofe thereof Acts 15. 28. 29. though heere as forgetting himselfe hee doe deny it Yea this very Section heere wherein hee takes vpon him to prooue they were not needfull or profitable they serued rather to destroy then to edifie the Church he concludes with this clause Yet their vse and yeelding serued to edifie by making way to the Churches peace and furtherrnce of the Gospel And this vaine of contradicting himselfe he taketh such pleasure in as he continueth it to the end of his discourse wherein he laboreth to proue that the fourth argument against the Ceremonies in the abridgement maketh as strongly against the Apostles as against our Church They were not profitable for order saith he in the beginning of that Section and in the conclusion of it affirmes yet it was order to vse and practise them in that case And in the beginning of the next Section hauing said they were not profitable for decency for what was more vndecent then for a Christian to vse idle vnfruitfull needlesse and beggarly rudiments by and by he addes yet did this indecency vphold an higher decency Which last phrase of speech besides the contradiction is very hard to be vnderstood for how can indecency support decency or in what sense can the establishment of the faith and the dayly increase of the number of the Churches bee termed a higher decency or how could the indecency of these Ceremonies establish the faith and increase the Churches After this in going about to shew that they were offensiue many wayes in the fift Section hee saith that in the euent they did serue indeede as meanes to infringe the Christian liberty and immediately after yet the vse and practise of these things by the direction of the Apostles did procure the liberty of the Gospell So that if M. Spr. himselfe be to be beelieu'd euery indifferent and vnderstanding man will easily discerne that the 4. Argument which the Ministers haue vsed against our ceremonies in the abridgement doth not any way concerne those which the Apostles did vse And surely it would be altogether needlesse to insist longer vpō this part of this his Discourse but that there is one thing affirmed by him which may not be passed ouer For noting this to be the 4. way whereby those ceremonies were offensiue that the Apostles themselues were offended in imposing that they did hee addeth that they taught against the things which they inioyned that namely they ought not to be vsed by the Iewes or Gentiles It is strange any learned or Godly man should so farre forget himselfe as to charge the holy Apostles to haue inoyned the faithfull to vse those things which themselues did teach ought not to be vsed either by Iewes or Gentiles specially when the text expresly saith that what they inioyned they inioyned by the direction of the Holy Ghost The place he citeth to proue this that he saith viz. Act. 21. 21. doth not affirme that Paul had taught so indeed but that the Iewes had been so informed of him and by Iames his words vers 24. it appeares also that information was false And if this which he speaketh of the Apostles preaching this against that which they did so decree were to be belieued which God forbid what had hee gained by it surely that there could be no force in this example or decree to bind vs in conscience to vse those things which they in their doctrine did teach ought not to be vsed by any Christian And so this his first Argument wherein he hath laboured so much and with so great confidence is by himselfe vtterly ouerthrowen The third maine point in cōfirmation of the assumption of his first Argument is this That the Apostles by diuine inspiration and commandement from God required the Churches to vse so many Ceremonies and such as were as inconuenient and euill as ours are supposed to bee That whatsoeuer the Apostles did inioyne the Churches they did it by diuine inspiration commandement from God is so vndoubted a truth as he needed not at all to haue troubled himselfe in the confirmation of it it being so hard to find any scholler that would so much gainsay or call this in question as hee himselfe hath sometimes done in this Treatise All the question in this point is Whether euer the Apostles did inioyne vnto whole Churches so many Ceremonies as ours are and those also as inconuenient and euill as ours are This he goeth about to prooue after this manner They caused others to practise ceremonies for Paul circumcised Timothie Act. 16. 3. and tooke the men and was purified with them Act. 21. 26. They aduised one another to practise ceremonies for Iames and the Elders perswaded Paul thus to conforme Acts. 21. 23. 24. They inioyned or commanded the practise of Ceremonies for thus did the Councill at Ierusalem Act. 15. 28. 29. This constitution is called the decrees that were ordained by the Apostles and Elders Act. 16. 4. and the determination of the Apostles Act. 21. 25. and this commaundement they gaue to whole Churches of diuers and farre distant countreys and Nations namely to the Gentiles in Antiochia Siria and Cilicia Act. 15. 23. and afterwards he addes that the Ceremonies that they did thus cause others to practise aduise one another to practise inioyne whole Churches to practise were as inconuenient and euill as ours both for number nature and euill effects For answere vnto all this First it were sufficient to say That he hath not performed that which he hath vndertaken because hee prooues not that the Apostles inioyned so many Ceremonies as wee haue in our Church or that
contrary iudgement to that for which they alledge him and saith that it is recepta illius loci interpretatio vntill they come vnto the place which my Brethren say I put most confidence in which they finde to bee Acts 15. Which place it selfe vnlesse they had gone about directly to confute they could haue said nothing to the purpose For what is it to the point when I speake of inioyning and doe bring a place to proue it for them to insist vpon the number but according to the old saying Ego de allijs tu de caepis which might bee referred to the Dialogue of Erasmuus de absurdis As for the ensuing repetion of the things which before they alleadged in the same words almost that the things enioyned in Act. 15. were not Ceremonies that they were imposed not as ceremoniall but as morall dueties that Timothy his circumcision was not a Sacrament and the rest they are by me sufficiently replyed vnto before The fourth and last member of my assumption is of reasons of suffering depriuation where my Brethren in their answere beginne againe with misreporting of my wordes For my reason saith not that the Apostles and Churches were moued to inioyne and practise Ceremonies for reasons of no greater weight but for reasons partly equiuolent and partly inferiour to the auoiding of depriuation And I am sorry that in so little compasse of two or three sheets of paper my Brethren should so many times ouerslip themselues which if in this part of their answere they had not done it had beene to small purpose to bring in so large a proofe of that in the first Section heereof which no man denieth that the Apostles office is of greater dignitie or excellency then the office of an inferiour Minister For in that I said partly equiuolent I left roome enough for any man to vnderstand that the reasons were not altogether equiuolent and yet this very point being caeteris paribus vnderstood as the office of a Minister is the ordinance of God as well as the office of an Apostle so the one in these dayes is no lesse necessary for the saluation of the faithfull man now then the other then and a Minister in these dayes ought no lesse to bee carefull of the losse of his Ministery or interruption of the Gospell then the Apostles then and therefore I see not but the same reasons and practise they vsed then to that end we should also now vse for the profit of Gods Church Next in the second place there is one thing by the way that I cannot be perswaded of that my Brethren say that the very vsing of the Iewish ceremonies then would edifie whereas they should rather say that the effect of such vse did edifie onely For that the bare vse of them being in it selfe considered might in many respects be scandalous and did minister occasion to the corrupt Iewes of stumbling as I haue prooued But it is much that my Brethren should affirme that conformity to our Ceremonies to preuent Depriuation should not doe any good at all and further that a Minister should doe much more hurt by his conformity then good by his Ministry As if the liberty of preaching the word were so great good by the Apostles practise to the Church and with vs by Gods blessing on his owne ordinance it were no good at all Or as if the practise of the ceremonies would nullifie or confound the blessing of Gods ordinance of preaching and then how can the preaching of Conformitans bee blessed of God Or as if the vse of our Ceremonies would destroy more soules then preaching could conuert or establish in the faith Or last of all as if the vse of the ceremonies were more apt and forcible to peruert a man to his destruction then preaching to conuert him to saluation Which supposals as they are most vntrue and my Brethren I know will not denie so if they graunt them to be false a Minister conforming to redeeme the free passage of his preaching shall haue a better bargaine out of question by his practise then my Brethren heere doe vndertake to driue on his behalfe Now touching the last point if my Brethren will haue me grant that the Apostles were well assured in their consciences they did that which was not onely lawfull but needfull for them to doe Then still I must needs conclude that so long as we doe performe the like practise with them in the like case and on the like reasons as it doeth yet appeare wee may very well haue assurance sufficient for it in our hearts And so in degree according to our modell we may be said to haue an equiualent reason for the auoyding of our Depriuation As for that full assurance which my brethren say they enioy namely that they haue Gods expresse commandement to the contrary and that they should doe euill in the sight of the Lord to conforme vnto our Ceremonies euen to auoid de priuation It seemeth to me a speach neither Theologicall nor safe I say not Theologicall for that Theologie is assurance of matters fundamentall which in their nature are onely euident and vnquestionable among the faithfull which this is not And I say againe not safe because as wee are expressely charged not to call good euill so if our Ceremonies should in their nature proue indifferent wee should feare to call them simply and in nature euill both because it is vntrue and the consequences are pernicious which come from thence And if it bee good and needfull in a case of depriuation to conforme vnto our Ceremonies as all good iudgements and godly learned teachers and Churches haue taught till now our brethren are become assured otherwise Me thinks this plerophoricall confidence of my brethren should not bee so safe for them but rather to set a side all ancient preiudice to hearken carefully to that which is disputed and concluded by the chiefest lights and iudgements that euer the Church of Christ since the time of the Apostles obtained of God to iudge charitably of their differing brethren and modestly of themselues and to iudge nothing before the time till the Lord come who will lighten things that are hid in darkenesse And if they will not yeeld vnto this trueth yet to leaue it as a matter of disputall nature till the day doe try and the fire consume the stubble of the errors of Gods faithfull seruants FINIS AN ADMONITION TOVCHING THE FAVLTS escaped in Printing THOV maist vnderstand good Christian Reader that this treatise was put in presse before I had knowledge thereof and I had not perused the copy that was written Whereupon there is great neede of thy patience in respect of the many slippes escaped in Printing and other alterations thereof yet without the Printers fault or mine The chiefe whereof I haue heere corrected Let no man take offence at my consent for the publication thereof because I rest perswaded of the truth therein contained and I bring
them that they may shaue their heads Acts 21. 23. 24. 6. Enioyned or commanded the practise of Ceremonies For thus did the councell of Ierusalem They laide on them those necessary things from which you shall doe well to keepe your selues Acts 15. 28. 29. This constitution was called the Apostles and Elders Decrees ordained by them Acts 16. 4. Iames and the Elders say Wee haue determined and written that they obserue no such things but that they abstaine from bloud strangled c. Acts 21. 25. 7. To whole Churches of diuers and farre distant Countries and Nations namely to the Gentiles in Antiochia Syria Cilicia Acts 15. 23. 8. As matters good and necessary in that case For it is sayde it seemed good to the holy Ghost These necessary things Acts 5. 28. From which if you keepe your selues you shall do well vers 29. 9. And yet as euill and inconuenient in sundry maine respects as they can imagine ours namely in number for they were diuers namely circumcision Acts 16. 3. Shauing the head Acts 18. 18. 21. 24. Purifying Acts 21. 24. 26. Vowing Acts 18. 18. 21. 23. Contributing Acts 21. 24. Offering sacrifices for the persons purified Acts 21. 23. Obseruation of the Iewish Sabbaoth Acts 13. 14. 42. 18. 4. 17. 2. Abstaining from bloud Acts 15. 29. Abstaining from strangled Acts 15. 29 10. And in nature for they are called by the holy Ghost Needlesse shadowes Col. 2. 20. Yokes not to bee borne Acts 15. 10. Burthens Acts 15. 28. Traditions burdening Col. 2. 20. Ordinances of the world Col. 2. 20. Commandements and doctrines of men Col. 2. 22. Turning from the truth Tit. 1. 14 Voluntary religion or will worships shewes of religion Col. 2. 23. Impotent and beggarly rudiments Gal. 4. 9. 10. And for the further confirmation of this member looke the proofe of the next immediate reason proouing this first point 11. In vse First for that they were most strictly pressed on the consciences of weake Christians by Iewish and contentious Brethren for they were vrged ex necessitate salutis Except ye bee circumcised after Moses maner yee cannot bee saued Acts 15. 15. They would haue brought their consciences in bondage by them and yoaked them Galat. 5. 1. 3. Acts 15. 10. They would haue condemned them for the not vsing them Col. 3. 16. Secondly they were more dangerously accounted necessary euen to saluation Acts 15. 1. Thirdly they were perniciously abused for confirmation of most false hereticall and impious doctrines as much as euer our Ceremonies could bee or were by the Papists as namely that men are iustified by the workes of the Law Gal. 2. 14-15-16 and 5. 4. That euery Christian is bound strickly on his saluation to keepe the whole Law Gal. 5. 3. That there is no hope of saluation without the vse of them Acts 15. 1. That Christ the body was not yet come by continuing the shadow Col. 2. 16. 17. That they are to be condemned who vse them not Col. 2. 16. That the Kingdome of God standeth in them Rom. 14. 17. Yea from Pauls preaching and practise it might bee argued by some that a man may on occasion practise that which practise he teacheth euery where against Acts 21. 21. 23. 26. Fourthly for the latitude and compasse of their spreading it was both amongst them neere and far from them euery where Namely at Ierusalem Acts 21. 17. 20. 21. Rome Rom. 14. 2. 5. 17. Antioch Acts 15. 23. Syria Acts 15. 23. Cilicia Acts 15. 23 Collossus Col. 2. 16. 17. 20. 21. Creete Tit. 11. 14. Derbe Lystra and Iconium and those quarters Acts 16. 1. 2. 3. 12. And euill effects For the vse and continuance of them were the occasions of many pernicious effects to such as abused them which appeareth in this First they bondaged their Christian libertie Gal. 4. 9. 5. 1. 3. Secondly they made Christ to profit them nothing Gal. 5. 2. Thirdly they made them to fall away from grace Gal. 5. 4 Fourthly they caused them to turne away from the truth Tit. 1. 14. Galat. 2. 5. Fifthly they hindered them from obeying the truth Galat. 5. 7. Sixtly they were occasion of condemnation to them as pressed them as necessarie Gal. 5. 10. Seuenthly they leauenned the whole lumpe with sowernesse Galat. 5. 9. Eightly it occasioned Paul to feare least hee had bestowed his labour in vaine among his hearers Gal. 4. 10. 11. Ninthly it occasioned Paul to wish them cut off which did disquiet the Church by them Gal. 5. 12. Tenthly they were occasion of Peters dissimulation and Pauls iust reprouing of him and were meanes to bring Barnabas a man full of the holy Ghost Acts 11. 24. and other Gentiles into their dissimulation and to cause them not to goe the right way to the truth of the Gospell Gal. 2. 11. 12. 14. Eleuenthly they were fit meanes to put them besides their adoption and inheritance in heauen Gal. 5. 10. 20. 21. 22. Lastly they made as much stirre strife and contention among Brethren in the Church yea much more then our Ceremonies haue done if either wee respect the violence and bitternesse thereof or the latitude and wide spreading of it in so many and farre distant Countries and Churches Galat. 5. 10. 12. troubling and disquieting the Church Act. 15. 24. 13. And for reasons equiuolent partly and partly inferiour to the auoiding of depriuation For it appeareth that the Apostles vsed and inioyned the practise of these Iewish inconuenient Ceremonies for these causes First for the beleeuing Iewes to keepe them from offence being as yet zealous of the Law and not rightly instructed in the truth of the abrogation of the Legall Ceremonies by Christ that they might not be occasioned to be drawne backe to Iudaisme Acts 21. 20. 21. 24. For this cause hee circumcised Timothy because of the Iewes Acts 16. 1. 3. Secondly for the vnbeleeuing Iewes and that for two reasons One reason was to winne them to the Gospell 1. Cor. 9. 20. 21. 22. and to further their saluation 1. Cor. 10. 32. 33. Another reason was to auoid the persecution of the froward and malicious Iewes as also to redeeme the liberty of his Ministry and of the Gospell which otherwise was like to be endangered as fell out in the euent Acts 21. 22. 27. 28. 30. 31. 32. Thirdly for necessitie for in that case they were necessary things Act. 15. 28. and expedient for it seemed good to the holy Ghost in the practise of them in that case they did wel Act. 15. 28. 29. namely to appease their bitter dissentions and vehement disputations in the Church Acts 15. 2. 5. And to quiet the trouble and cumber of their mindes as if one should say for the peace of the Church Acts 15. 24. That thus the Churches might be established in the faith and increase in number dayly Acts 16. 4 5. As doubtlesse by Gods blessing ours would also doe if either the Ceremonies might safely be remoued from
forbides sinne which by no circumstance can be amended but are formally euill and in nature and opposite to the puritie and immutability of Gods nature as in these Haue none other gods Commit not Idolatry Take not Gods name in vaine There is no time or occasion or duety superior wherein a man may violate the precepts they are sempiternally and irreuocably inuiolable without exception Duties also of the second table as resist not the Magistrate Rom. 13. 2. despise not thy parents Prou. 23. 22. commit not murther commit not adulterie steale not beare not false witnesse couet not neither may these duties in any case bee or for any superior reason violated neither haue they beene heretofore broken but onely in a case of exception and that is of Gods speciall command For in this case the common rule holdeth That a particular command of God vnto one person or more ouer rules a generall In which case the substantiall negatiues of the second table doe yeeld to the substantiall affirmatiues of the first as being all subordinate to the loue of God As the particular command of God to Abraham to kill and offer his sonne Isaack Gen. 22. 10. 12. ouerrules the generall command of God Thou shalt doe no murther and in Abraham it was no murther notwithstanding that command which else had beene The particular command of God to Iehu if not Ieroboam 1. Kin. 11. 35 37 38 and 12. 24. to smite the house of Ahab his master the Queene and the blood royall 2. Kin. 9. 6 7 9 10 10 15 16 17 30. which else had beene vtterly vnlawfull for him to doe So Gods particular command vnto the Israelites to borrow that of the Egyptians which they neuer paid and so spoyling them Ex. 3. 22 and 11. 2. and 12. 35. ouerswayd the general command Thou shalt not steale which else had bin theft in them Also the particular command of God vnto the Prophet Ezechiel not to mourne for his dead and most deere wife Eze. 24. 15 16 17 18. which else had beene argued want of naturall affection I will not giue instance of Gods particular command to Hosea cap. 1. 2. to marry a wife of fornications because the place is otherwise interpreted by the best iudgements as Zanchius Drusius Iunius Paraeus item Eman. Sad. in hunc locum though others vnderstand it otherwise that is litterally The like is of the Lord particular command of smiting the Prophet 1. King 20. 35 36 37. In which case it was no sinne to smite and wound the innocent Prophet and it was a good worke of obedience to smite him which without the particular command of God had beene a sinne Secondly this rule holdes excepting in a case of simple necessitie In which respect it was lawfull for Paul to cast the wheate into the Sea though otherwise it were not good to doe it Mat. 15. 26. and for Dauid to spare Ioab the murtherer in a case of necessity because he was too hard for him also Moses command for permission of diuorce is heereby iustified for the hardnesse of the Iewes hearts a case of necessitie Also the Apostles prescribing and practising the Iewish Ceremonies was vnlawfull but in a case of necessitie of like nature is Dauids eating the Shew-bread the Apostles rubbing of the eares of Corne vnder this kinde commeth the lawfull vse of all indifferent scandalous things ouerruled by necessitie and so is the conformity vnto the Ceremonies prescribed made lawfull for all the negatiue prohibitions whether one or other in this case of necessitie Thirdly this rule holdeth also in matters circumstantiall and ceremoniall excepting when a superior duety meetes with them to ouerrule them of this kind is the case of Dauids eathing Shew-bread and the Apostles practising and prescribing Iewish Ceremonies for the Churches peace and furtherance of the Gospel which hade not else beene lawfull to haue done and here is also an image of our case Here it is demanded whether an affimatiue substantiall of the first table meeting with a negatiue circumstantiall of the first table the former doeth ouerrule the latter I answere yea For such were the former cases of Dauids eating the Shew-bread of the Apostles practise of Mosaicall Ceremonies and the like By this also we haue an answere against the objection That we may lawfully omit good to doe some superior duety or to omit good for a time to preuent a mischiefe of sinne or harme to others or our selues as to conceale a trueth to saue ones life or to omit preaching to quench an house on fire But we may not commit an euill to purchase or procure any good Which obiection is both vntrue for Dauids eating Shew-bread the Apostles practising of Iewish scandalous and hurtful Ceremonies and the like instances before rehearsed were matters of commission not of omission and besides this obiection is incident into the former For omission is of duties affirmatiue and commission is against duties negatiue Obiect These Ceremonies are against the second Commandement which forbiddeth humane inuentions in Gods worship significatiue Ceremonies abused to superstition by Idolators and apt to be abused by vs also which commandeth vs all possible purity and simplicity in the worships of God Ergo our Ceremonies are vnlawfull simply and in nature euill as being idolatrous and may not be practised Answ This obiection is not wel vrged by any as yet that I know because it is vrged confusedly and distinguisheth not of the parts of this commandement neither declareth the degrees of the duties commanded or of the sinne committed against this command that so the reason might bee euident why and how farre these Ceremonies are against the second Commandement But I answere though a man should admit the antecedent that these Ceremonies in these respects are against the second commandement yet it followeth not therefore wee may not vse them to preuent depriuation or to redeeme the libertie of the Gospell and the reason is that as the reason of the refusing of such Ceremonies as ours are be commanded so also is the preaching of the Word commaunded in the second Commandement the former as a circumstantiall duety to which all Ceremonies are as a lesser worke to a greater The lesser may not commaund or ouerrule a greater if it bee sayde these Ceremonies are Species idoloatriae kindes or degrees of idolatry I answere that admit it were so yet it is such aspecies as the wearing of some apparrell a little too fine yet not being euill in it selfe or the smile of the wife of another man a little too familiar without euill intention may bee aspecies or gradus of adultery that is of the least degree thereof quatenus it may be an occasion and accidentall meanes of scandall in some and vncleanenessein others which is farre from making a diuorce or so much as sturring indignation in the husband But if we would make a paralell and equall cause betweene that case and ours it must be thus namely in a case
so farre foorth onely as they agree and consent 4 They alleadge the vngrounded opinions of some priuate fathers we their trueth so farreforth as they agree to Gods word and examples of the Prophets of Christ and his Apostles 5 They insist vpon Fathers further from the Apostles from Apostolicall and Primitiue purity wee most of all insist on those who were most neere to the Apostles as being most pure and free from Antichristian contagion 6 They are only for the former Fathers we bring the consent of all our later worthy Fathers and teachers of the most reformed and purest Churches of the world Obiect This were to giue and to ascribe as much to man as to God to make them the grounds and iudges of our faith or practise yea it is so farre from being a sinne to sway from all iudgements that it is a sinne to iudge that all iudgements should bee the rule of our consciences Answ This obiection is both vnfit and vntrue It is vnfit because the argument concludeth not that they are or that we should make them the grounds and iudges of our faith and practise But that it is an errour and a sinne to condemne the whole Church of Christ for teaching errour and for practising and maintaining sinne Next it is an vntruth to call the whole company of Saints and spirituall persons Man opposed vnto God Which appeareth further by considering the aequiuocation of the word Man For man is taken either for meere man i a carnall man or to the poynt a company of carnall men prophane ignorant and erronious which cannot know nor perceiue the things of God because they are spiritually discerned 1. Cor. 2 14. and so it is true if the case were thus that wee should put the iudgement of this thing to a company of carnall persons for in this case it is sayde that all men are lyers Rom. 3. 4. But there is also the spirituall man which hath vnderstanding to iudge what other men do say 1. Cor. 10. 15. and discerneth all things euen the deepe things of God Psal 25. 14. 9. 1. Cor. 2. 15. 10. 12. Dan. 12. 10. Iohn 7. 17. 1. Iohn 2. 27. The consent in iudgement of which company is not to be termed a company of men opposed against God But such as being built one the foundation of the Prophets Apostles and Christ the corner stone Eph. 2. 20. are also called by holy the Ghost in this respect the pillar and ground of trueth 1. Tim. 3. 15. Obiect A priuate man may see a truth which a great many Godly men may not discerne Answ Though a priuate man may see more into some trueth and explicate or confirme it better than many other yet it were absurd to say that one man might see more then all the faithfull all godly learned Teachers all true Churches that euer were in the world for the rule is good which Lyrinensis giueth Nouè non noua The Papists take the Church for onely persons in office as Pope Cardinall Bishops and Abbots and other Doctors gathered in a Councill and it was well maintained by Gerson that a priuate man by the light of Gods word may see more then they all And the reeson is plaine First because those persons haue many wayes prooued themselues to be carnall and prophane and not able to discerne the things of God which are spiritually to be discerned And againe because they iudge not as it was inioined to the Priest in the law Secundum legem Deut. 17. 11. and so there can be no light in them Esa 8. 20. But the case in question is quite opposite to this in either part and therefore this obiection toucheth not the point Obiect The whole Church of God may erre in some circumstantiall matters All visible Churches may erre in matters not fundamentall The consent of Churches and of the faithfull teachers according to Gods word a rule of fundamental truths that is of al such truths as may quiet a mans conscience it is not so in matters of circumstance Answ 1 Wee hold rightly against the Papists that all particular Churches may erre whereupon wee assume and inferre But the Roman Church is a particular Church Therefore it may erre But that the Catholique Church taken in the sence that our part doe explicate it i for the company of the faithfull in all ages it was neuer holden by any sound diuine But the cleane contrary 2 Though the iudgement of all true Churches in matters fundamentall be infallible because without fundamentalls they could not be Churches and againe albeit all particular Churches may erre in matters circumstantiall and ceremoniall yet it is an hard speach to say that the generall or Catholique Churches or company of the faithfull in all ages haue generally consented in an error neither can there possibly on instance be shewed of such a point no not of a circumstantiall point 3 The depriued Ministers hold it a sinne in nature to practise the ceremonies prescribed in our Church or the like but sinne in nature is a thing substantiall in the practise whereof a mans conscience cannot bee quieted and therefore if the iudgements of all Churches bee brought against them either they must confesse their doctrine in this point to be an error or else that the whole general Church since Christ haue erred fundamentally which is not farre from haeresy and blasphemy and I earnestly do pray them to consider of this poynt Obiect Churches and fathers haue exceedingly differed among themselues in all times heere should wee make their iudgement and consent to bee a rule of our doctrine and practise Answ This is soone answered because I speake not of their differences or of the things wherein they are deuided but only of such things wherein they all consent and agree as namely they all agree that the Christian Sabbath must bee sanctified and that from the ground and in memoriall of Christ his resurrection for they agree that al the bookes of Scripture are the word of God and in the point in question they agree that Churches may vary in their ceremonies and discipline and yet retaine their peace one with another And that ceremonies as inconuenient as our ceremonies are supposed to be in some respect fit to be abolished yet may they be retained and ought to be practised to preuent the diuision of brethren disquiet of the Church hinderance of the Gospel and there are few points wherein they agree more constantly then in this Obiect We are commanded to call no man our teacher vpon earth because one is our Doctor and teacher euen Christ Mat. 23. 8. 10. there is one law giuer Iam. 4. 12. Answ This obiection is much vrged by Brownists as some of the others are But what will they conclude from hence surely if any such thing it must be this Therefore we may not make the iudgement of the Fathers or whatsoeuer men in earth a rule of our conscience And indeed I say
8. They gaue the Eucharist vnto the sicke if they required it euen when they were speachlesse Euseb 6. 43. Decret caus 26. quaest 6. 7. 8. 10. They gaue the Eucharist vnto the Baptised immediately after Baptisme Crys Epi. 1. ad Innoc. Touching Prayer THese were their Ceremonies to stand in prayer and not to kneele and all the Dominicall or Lordes dayes Basil de Spiritu sancto cap. 27. Tertullianus de resurrectione carnis Hieron cont Lucif cap. 4. This Ceremony was done in token or signification of their resurrection and further to teach them that on the day of Christ his resurrection they ought to seeke heauenly things Basil ibidem August Epist 119. de consecrat dist 3. cap. 10. quoniam out of the Nicene Councell where it was decreed This was commended to bee an Apostolicall tradition Tertull. cont Marci de coron mil. To stand in prayer and not to kneele on all dayes betweene Easter and Whitsontide commended also as Apostolicall Basil Tertul. Hieron ibid. To pray towards the East and that for this cause and signification because we seeke to Paradise our old and auncient countrie and is commended and Apostolicall Basil ibid. To pray in some places by candle light Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 22. in the day time Hier. con vigil They did also weare a linnen garment or Surplesse in the worships of God Crys hom 83. in Mat. Hier. lib. 1. contra Pelag. and of this iudgement is Zanch. de redemp cap. 16. lib. 1. fol. 444. a. and citeth Hier. P. Martyr Loc. Epist. Hoopero fol. 1087. citeth Chrisostom and Cyprians examples out of Pontius Diacon and Saint Iohns Petalus out of Ecclesiastical Historie to prooue that the originall of the Surplesse was not of Antichrist Bulling and Gual in an Epistle doe cite Theodoret. hist. 2. 27. Socra 6. 22. Iohn the Euangelist his example out of Euzebius Pontius Diacon of Cyprian and Chrisostom It is cited by A. B B. C. Whitgift defence fol. 2618. Polanus citeth Hieron comment in Esec cap. 44. fol. 807. Zepperus citeth Chrysostome and Hieron shewing that they vsed them for a signe and admonition of honest and pure life de Polit. Eccl. lib. 1. cap. 12. the like doth Zanch. vt sup Touching dayes TO celebrate the dayes of Christs Natiuitie Passion Resurrection Ascension to heauen and descension of the Spirit or Pentecostin the remembrance of these things this was obserued in all the world August Epist 118. cap 2. Origen cont Celsum lib. 8. concil Agatheus can 14. 39. also the feast of the natiuitie of Iohn the Baptist ibid. can 14. To keepe Saturne day holiday and frequent the Ecclesiasticall assembly as on the Lords day Sozomen 7. 19. 6. 41. Socrat. 6. 8. To keepe the Fryday holiday vsing thereon the Ecclesiasticall assemblies in remembrance of Christ his passion as they did obserue the Lords day in remembrance of his resurrection this was commanded by Constantinus Magnus Sozomen 1. 8. Hist. tripartit 1. To celebrate Easter day on the foureteenth of Aprill in halfe the world namely in the Easterne part but on the Lords day in the Westerne part this was commended on either part to come from the Apostles which yet could not both bee true but the trueth is saith Socrates that the Apostles left no Lawes concerning dayes but left them as a matter free lib. 5. cap. 22. Touching fasting TO fast on Thursdayes all the yeere in remembrance of Christ his assention and on Fridayes in remembrance of Christ his Passion this was commended as an Apostolicall tradition Epiphanius cont haer in Epilogo To fast on Saturnedayes in some places in other places not Augustinus Epist. 118. cap. 2. Hieronymus ad Licin Epist To fast euery Lords day so they did at Rome Socrates ibid. this Augustine reprooueth in his dayes as an euill and scandalous thing in the Roman custome because it was vsed by the Maniches and enioyned to their followers in other places they would by no meanes fast on the Lords day Augustinus ibidem Hieronymus ad Lucif Tertull. de coron mil. To fast the time of Lent before Easter by some three weekes by some sixe weekes and by some seuen weekes Socrates 5. 22. Dist 4. cap. 5. This was commended also as an Apostolicall tradition by Ambrosius Hieronimus ad Marcell And by Epiphanius Haeres 75. 80. who sheweth that the Apostles inioyned that all men should eate in Lent nothing but Bread Salt and Water howbeit this is denied by Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 22. by affirming that namely the Apostles neither made nor left any lawes for fasting but left it also as a matter free the like doeth August Epist. 86. To fast from kindes of meate some from euery kinde of liuing creatures some eating onely fish and fowles of the ayre some not egges nuttes apples nor any kinde of fruit some onely dry bread some not so much as that Socrat. 5. 22. some onely bread salt and water Epiphan Haer. 75. Touching sundry other Ceremonies TO signe ones selfe with the signe of the Crosse ad omnem progressum at euery going abroad and comming home at putting on of apparrell putting on of shooes washing sitting lying downe c. Tertull. de coron mil. Dist 11. cap. 5. eccl ex Basilio commended to bee Apostolicall To make an offering yeerely for a mans birth day Tertullian cont Marcion lib. 1. de coron mil. commended as Apostolicall yet afterward abolished for Gentilisme To wash ones feete at a certaine season Aug. Epi. 119. cap. 18. The Temples were erected to stand East and West the Altars of the Church stood Eastward and some toward the West Socrat. 5. 22. III. Lastly concerning the effects of these Ceremonies and abuse of them It is also manifest that they farre exceeded our Ceremonies prescribed in their euill effect and were much more abused First in the Fathers themselues and next also in the people Touching the Fathers and Bishops of the Church some being simple and of small capacitie and shallow iudgement as Eusebius saith receiued traditions without any searching of writings as out of bare report Such one was Papias the hearer of S. Iohn and companion of Policarp who in this simplicity broached fabulous doctrine of the Chiliast error by whom Irenaeus others which were of the like opinion were deceiued namely by pretending and reuerencing of his antiquity Euseb 3. 35. such were Tertullian and Lactantius Some were indued as Caluin instit 4. 10. 18. and P. Martir noteth Loc. com class 2. cap. 5. § 20. Zanch. de redempt lib. 1. cap. 15. fol. 366. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quadam with a certaine false and erronious zeale by being desirous to imitate the Iewish Ceremonies which they doe both confirme and iustifie out of Aug. cap. 20. de catechizand rudib and Caluin noteth that many of those Fathers were non satis considerati nimis curiosi ac cupid iquorum vt quisque posterior erat ita stulta aemulatione cum suis decessoribus certauit ne
that so great lights bring so weake grounds For example The Fathers did with one consent teach a refusall of all Ceremonies which were contra fidem bonos more 's and therefore seeing our Ceremonies are contra fidem bonos more 's it followeth that the doctrine and practise of refusing our Ceremonies agreeth with the doctrine of the Fathers as for their practise if it were contrary to their doctrine in that part it was their ignorance we must leaue their practise and follow their doctrine Mat. 23. 2. Answ 1 Neither doeth this obiection touch the question which is whether all Churches and faithfull teachers doe vniformely teach conformitie to such Ceremonies as ours in case of depriuation yet I answere that these allegations of theirs must bee produced and better sifted before it will bee granted that they ouerthrow themselues with their owne grounds which when it is performed I will further answere if I can It is petitio principij or a begging of the question to conclude without any further proofe that our Ceremonies are contra fidem bonos more 's and I thinke verely that our brethren themselues which doe thus obiect will not say that they are fundamentall or ouerthrowing Christ which they should doe if they were contra fidem bonos more 's Let this be soundly proued and then I will yeeld the whole cause but then with all it must bee concluded that no Church can bee a Church which retaineth fundamentall errors No conformer to them without repentance can be saued the practise of the Ceremonies ouerthrow faith a good conscience and let it be considered how farre this will stretch euen to the Apostles and all Churches and faithfull teachers since the time of Christ Obiect Many of the things alleadged touch not our cause they might haue beene spared Answ Though some things concerne not the peculiar cause of the Ministers depriued yet all which I haue alleadged do touch the question proposed which euery intelligent disputant is to follow and intend neither is there any thing that I know proposed which may not serue as a true medius terminus or pregnant argument tending directly to proue this conclusion that all true Churches teachers since the Apostles did teach practise conformitie rather then they would suffer depriuation or seperation from the Church But if any among so many things as are alleadged bee impertinent let it bee shewed and put out with my good liking there is enough besides which is without all controuersie to the purpose Obiect The times are different there may bee a matter fundamentall now which was not then in respect of the most cleere manifestation of the trueth thereof now which was not then Therefore their iudgement though pure is no rule for vs to follow now It is no true arguing They thus iudged therefore we must thus iudge of these Ceremonies as for example It was a trueth that Christ should be borne at Bethleem and of the Virgin Mary this trueth being fundamentall now was not so before Christ was borne and manifested Cornelius was a faithfull man before hee belieued in Christ the sonne of the Virgin Mary yet hee had the faith of the Messias in generall sufficient to his saluation but after it was reuealed by the Apostles to him euen this was also fundamentall Answ This obiection containeth a trueth but it faileth in the application therof vnto the case in question For there must bee proued these two points that this obiection may bee firme First that the vse of these Ceremones is growne to be a matter fundamentall which sometimes it was not and the sound reasons thereof must be alleadged which as yet they are not it is not knowen as yet by any light that euer I preceaued or heard of how these Ceremonies here questioned should be rather fundamentall now then before when by the same reasons they were opposed as they are now Secondly that the refusall of the Ceremonies questioned bee a matter of that waight and nature with the instance brought of belieuing in Christ the sonne of the Virgin Mary betweene which I confesse there seemeth to me to be so great and so reall a difference as that I suppose it to be brought in quite besides the point When these two points bee solued I will answere as occasion is offered further Obiect You haue omitted some things in this your argument or reason whereunto wee must also conforme Besides conformitie is not sufficient wee shall be required to subscribe and further these our ceremonies are nowe farre more strictly enioyned and imposed then euer before Answ The question is of what in this case we may lawfully conforme vnto if there be any thing besides which may be proued simply vnlawful euen in this case of depriuatiō to conforme vnto let it be soundly discouered wisely and zealously eschewed and a reformation humbly laboured vnto by authoritie or prayed for to God In the meane time let vs consider whether in this case our consciences be not tied to conforme to redeeme the libertie of the Ministerie Touching the vrging or pressing of these Ceremonies it is true they haue been imposed with some vehemencie yet they are not imposed nor pretended so to bee vpon the conscience as the worships of God or needfull to saluation but they are taught as variable and free things and in their nature indifferent but as they are commanded by authoritie and so imposed Obiect The force of your argument lieth in this that rather then we should suffer depriuation we should receiue and vse Ceremonies as inconuenient hurtfull and scandalous as were the Iewish Ceremonies and those which the fathers imbraced but the Iewish Ceremonies were holden necessary to saluation Act. 15. 1 3. and the Ceremonies of the Fathers were holden operatiue your argument ergo concludeth a necessitie of receiuing Ceremonies though euen holden necessary and operatiue rather then to suffer depriuation for refusing such Thus may wee also dispute for all other Popish Ceremonies as for the shauen Crowne Exorcisme White garment in Baptisme Soot Spittle Creame holy Water Answ 1. My argument concludeth onely for conforming to the Ceremonies which are prescribed in the case of depriuation and for none other from an argument drawen from the consent of all true Churches and faithfull teachers of all ages and places which did rather conforme to more and worse then ours are pretended to bee argumento à maiori ad minus ducto which holdeth strongly for conforming to our Ceremonies which are farre more tolerable and lesse inconuenient and burdensome then theirs Neither can my argument bee farther drawen or racked then I vrge it 2. Touching the Iewish Ceremonies they were holden necessary to saluation by refractary Iewes not by the Apostles and the godly well grounded Christians So our Ceremonies are holden by the Papists but not by vs therefore that instance concerneth vs no more thē the Apostles and the faithfull of those times 3. Touching the Ceremonies
297. Rhem. in Rom. 8. 38. what is the difference betweene their answere and the answere of my Brethren being both alike pressed without reason or rather contrary to sound reason 6. Because all godly learned iudgements before my Brethren haue iudged as I iudge hereof Therefore their answere is against all godly learned iudgements with whom if I erre not obstinately as seeing no better reason I shall retaine my peace The Scriptures that I quote to prooue the Iewish ceremonies practised by the Apostles to haue been in themselues of no necessary vse humane inuentions and abused to superstition my Brethren disalow and say that they are mis-vnderstood and mis-applied by mee as they haue shewed the trueth whereof appeareth in my Answere to that shew of theirs And they say further that I contradict my selfe cleerely and strongly and therewith they conuince mee But why Because I distinguish of their different titles nature and vse in different respectes namely that in some respects I said that they were called commaundements of men and ordinances of the world impotent and beggerly rudiments shadowes of things already come and therefore fit to be abolished as being of no necessary vse but very hurtfull and offensiue in sundry maine respects and because the Apostles taught against their not necessary vse and yet in other respects were practised and taught by the direction of the Holy Ghost as matters good and necessary Act. 15. 28. then both which members of affirmation what can be more cleere vnlesse my Brethren will say which I am assured they will abhorre to say that the Holy Ghost doth contradict himselfe in the Apostles for that I herein say no more then I am taught to say by the Holy Ghost in the holy Scriptures by all classicall writers The second sort of difference which my Brethren make betweene our ceremonies and the Ceremonies of the Apostles practise sheweth that our Ceremonies being humane ceremonies are first appropriated to Gods seruice Secondly ordaind to teach spirituall dueties by their mysticall significations which theirs were not To the first of which I say First That some of the ceremonies practised by the Apostles albeit they were not appropriated to Gods seruice that is his immediate worships yet they might seemes to be appropriated thereunto such as circumcising offring vowing For what were these things being performed as God required but the immediat seruices of God or else as shewes thereof If hee did them as shewes onely of Gods seruices and not as seruices there might seeme to bee a taking of Gods Name in vaine or if he did by them serue God when they were out of vse and left to be commanded of God there might seeme to be some fault in Pauls action Well then how shall wee cleare Saint Paul of one or other errour Verily not as my Brethren would doe who would say that hee did it by meere diuine authority and nothing else as if God should for a time command these Ceremonies a new vnto the practisers thereof But my answere is this that if Saint Paul and the Apostles did not appropriate the practise of Gods seruice one way that is to his immediate woorship yet did they appropriate the practise of them vnto the seruice of God another way that is for the libertie of the Gospel the appeasing of fraternall discord the winning of the more the compassing of which in the performance of these Ceremonies were the true seruices of God Wherefore euen the Ceremonies of the Apostles practise were appropriate to the seruice of God But these were not humane inuentions but I haue shewed that they left in themselues to be Gods commandements and should not haue beene practised without necessitie that is of doing seruice to God in these fore-named endes And touching signification some man might thus argue that either the Iewish Ceremonies practised by the Apostles had a signification in their intention or none at all If none then they might seeme needlesse and vnprofitable and so the Apostles might seeme to be the practisers of idle actions which say I is most true were it not by their practise to wine the more and to furder the Gospel which made them actions very fruitfull and to good purpose But if they had signification in their intentions then this signification was either true or false not any false as of Christ to come which was their old and decaied signification Col. 2. vnlesse they might haue still a kinde of lawfull and yet vntrue signification of Christ to come in their mindes which expecting the Messias with an vpright heart belieued not as yet in the Messias come therefore they must haue some true signification if any at all imposed on them but this we read not therefore we cannot affirme as I suppose that they had any signification at all Wherefore I maruell my brethren would giue instance of the vse of other Sacraments such a trifle to play withall as knowing that in the Apostles it might imply an absurditie in vs an euident impietie But it will bee demanded I know that if I grant the Ceremonies of the Apostles practise to bee void of signification in their intention what then is this vnto our Ceremonies which are ordained to teach spirituall duties by their misticall signification But my brethren should remember that the question here is not of the lawfulnesse of imposing signification on Ceremonies not of Gods ordaining but of the lawfulnesse of the vse of Ceremonies in a case of necessitie on which signification signification is imposed by others And thus these Ceremonies will accord to the point in question For seeing those Ceremonies had a signification of the superstitious and not well informed Iewes before whom they were vsed by the Apostles and for whose sakes some of them were inioyned to the Gentiles the question is whether an Apostle in a case of superior reason as to redeeme Ministerie might conforme vnto them or to the like in the like case lawfully notwithstanding that ineuitable scandall that hee should occasion vnto the beholders namely to apprehend by them I say not a true signification in which respect our significatiue Ceremonie of the Crosse seemeth more tolerable but a false namely to signifie to them Christ to come which was already come And if he might lawfully doe this as it is euident he might then let my brethren tell me wherefore a Minister of the Gospel now may not lawfully vse such a Ceremonie which being no commandement of God is by others ordained and imposed to teach spirituall things by their mysticall signification and not intentionally or approuedly in the minde of the vser As for that which is included in the third difference I must needes confesse it hath more waight then any thing I know alleadged against our Ceremonies if my brethren can soundly proue that namely our Ceremonies are esteemed imposed and obserued as parts of Gods worships whereby first of all I doubt not but my brethren doe meane essentiall parts of