Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	spiritual_a	worship_n	worship_v	1,653	5	9.0507	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80635	Some treasure fetched out of rubbish: or, Three short but seasonable treatises (found in an heap of scattered papers), which Providence hath reserved for their service who desire to be instructed, from the Word of God, concerning the imposition and use of significant ceremonies in the worship of God. viz. I. A discourse upon 1 Cor. 14.40. Let all things be done decently and in order. Tending to search out the truth in this question, viz. Whether it be lawful for church-governours to command indifferent decent things in the administration of God's worship? II. An enquiry, whether the church may not, in the celebration of the Sacrament, use other rites significative than those expressed in the Scripture, or add to them of her own authority? III. Three arguments, syllogistically propounded and prosecuted against the surplice: the Cross in Baptism: and kneeling in the act of receiving the Lord's Supper.	Cotton, John, 1584-1652.; Nichols, Robert, Mr.	1660 (1660)	Wing C6459; Thomason E1046_2; ESTC R208022	73,042	79

once admitted into the Worship of God did multiply and increase till they had obscured if not clean covered and abolished the simplicity and glory of God's Ordinances as bad weeds overgrow the Corn and secretly stollen the heart away from all due reverence and respect to the word of Life and seals of our Salvation For as a man is blind carnall impotent and yet a Lover of his own devices So are the signs devised by him dark vailing the brightness of the Gospel carnall not spirituall dead without Power and yet better affected more delighted in than the Sacraments themselves No sooner was the sign of the Cross added unto Baptism and made a sign like to the Lord's but it presently became greater than the Water which was Christ's sign and that in the Eyes of them who so advanced it Moreover admit Reason for an Umpire in this matter and Images cannot be kept out of the Church for no means is more profitable to inform the mind confirm the memory and move the affection than is the sight of a Picture artificially made cut or carved if a man may believe himself or give credit to his immagination If the Will of God be not unto us instead of all reasons we shall be hardly drawn to dislike that manner of teaching or worshipping A man that is enlightned with the knowledge of God's Will and the mystery of Salvation may lawfully in his meditations make use of diverse Creatures or things that are apt and fit to represent Spirituall things unto him but he must not take upon him to determine them to be used as signs for such an end and purpose for having no promise of God to come by that course he can expect no blessing from God in that practice but the contrary Seeing therefore man is himself ignorant and unwise neither able to receive the things of the Spirit nor discern that which pertaineth to the Kingdom of Christ nor yet being enlightned with the knowledge of the Truth according to godlinesse to devise any fit or acceptable means whereby God should be worshipped or his People taught in the wayes of holiness It followeth That in the worship of God signs not approved of him in his Word cannot be instituted or used in Faith and consequently are to be held unlawfull 5. Christ Jesus the great Doctor of his Church Mat. 23.8 10. Joh. 4.25 Acts 1.3 being called of his heavenly Father to teach to us perfectly and at once the whole Counsell of God and the things that did pertain to the Kingdom of God to the end of the World was faithfull in all his House as was Moses and made known unto his Disciples whatsoever he received of his Father Heb. 3.2 5. But Moses prescribed the form of God's worship in every particular Ceremony significant and brought in none Joh. 15.15 no not one into the Church which the Lord himself did not institute giving charge to the Church of the Jews That the● should neither add thereto Exod. 25.9 38 39 40 27 19 39 42 43. Deut. 12 32. nor take ought therefrom Therefore our Saviour Christ also taught his Disciples what Ceremonies significant ought to be used in the Church of God to whose Ordinance nothing must be added from whose Institution nothing ought to be diminished The old Testament was indeed delivered unto one People only of the World The Commission of the Gospel was Go teach all Nations But the liberty of Instituting Rites significant was no greater to the Christian Church Vis Jun. Animad in Bell. lib. 4. de pont Cap. 17. than to the Church of the Jews They had a prescription of particular Ceremonies most fitly agreeing to the polity of their Church and Common-wealth and dispensation of those times So hath the Christian Church also to which we are as precisely bound as ever was the Church of the Jews to the Ordinances appointed for that time and state as hath been shewed before in Circumstantiall matters concerning Time Place and Order of divine Service And several Christian Churches have liberty according to the generall Rules of Scripture to constitute what is most agreeable to the condition of the Country and doth best tend to Edification And in these things the Jews had Authority no less than the others In Ceremonies and Rites significant annexed to the Worship of God the Jews were tyed to the written Law of Moses and the Prophets nor may any thing be attempted lawfully by the Christian Church in things of this Nature more than was or ought to have been by them Though men be as different almost in Nature as in Nations and Languages yet must they of necessity submit themselves to the use of Baptism and the Lord's Supper which two Ceremonies onely are commanded by Divine precept and are to be received of all Christians that in truth and soundness professe the Gospel And seeing Christ Instituted no signs but these the Apostles commended no other to the severall Churches planted and dressed by them What necessity is there that difference of People to which the Gospel is now preached should inferr a liberty of inventing new Signs or Rites never seen or allowed of Christ Those that God prescribed for the Jews were fit for that Time and for that People none else might be devised those that Christ hath ordained for all Churches are sufficient most fit for them what shall be brought in besides and annexed to them doth want both his Approbation and Blessing As Moses was faithfull in the House of God as a Servant both in thing re●ll and rituall as some distinguish So was Christ also as a Son Neither did his faithfulness stand in removing the Law of Jewish Ceremonies and disburdening all Christians from the use of them but in prescribing Laws and Ordinances whereby the Church is to be ordered and instructed untill his second coming and that as particularly and expresly as Moses had done unto the Israelites To stand upon comparison betwixt Moses and Christ in perfection or reall faithfulness as some call it is not to this purpose for his perfection is one thing his faithfulnesse another and whom He did exceed in perfectnesse He did every way equalize in faithfulnesse in the House of God He did not onely teach a more excellent Doctrine than Moses but more full and perfect He did not onely antiquate what Ceremonies were to be shadows of good things to come and figures of man's Redemption by his Sacrifice upon the Crosse but he ordained also with what visible Signs and Tokens his Church should be nourtured and assured of his love and favour● As he died to bring Life to mankind raised up himself from Death ascended entred within the Vail and hath taken possession of the heavenly Mansion for us So did he give direction to his Apostles and in them to all Churches by what Statutes and Laws his People should be Governed by what Signs and Ceremonies they should be taught and confirmed

is to shew what lawful and holy Worship is Esay 29.13 Matth. 15.9 not what worship in general For many things are worship which God never required That Worship is true which God commandeth that false which man deviseth that sincere that proceedeth from an honest heart a good conscience Psal 78.34 35. and faith unfained that hypocritical which cometh from an halting divided double heart or is performed by the outward man alone But truth and sincerity being speciall adjuncts of worship appointed and commanded of God cannot come within the definition of worship in general And as the means that God hath appointed to seal his promises or teach obedience be acts of divine service So the means that man shall devise or invent of himself for that end and purpose must needs be worship also If God be worshipped when obedience is taught by the preaching of the Gospel or his promises sealed by the use of the Sacraments When the same duty is taught by visible signs or the promise confirmed by new devised seals he is worshipped and honoured for every action whereby God is worshipped is worship and every work whereby obedience is taught is obedience or service From hence it appears that the definition of essential worship to be That which is necessarily required to God's service so as that the contrariety thereof must needs displease him is too short as that which agreeth not to all worship but only to that which is true and ordained of God For we know many Traditions Customs and Ceremonial observations are obtruded upon the Churches as worship the contrary whereof would please and not displease God Were not the precepts of men reprehended by the Prophet Esay the Pharisaical washings taxed by Christ Esay 29.13 Matth. 15.9 Mar. 7.7 Col. 2.23 and other Ceremonial observations condemned by the Apostle Paul as matters of worship though false and erroneous How could there be any will-worship if all worship were necessarily required of God Neither are those Ceremonies only to be reputed essential parts of worship that be urged with opinion of Sanctity Necessity Efficacy whether true or false but those signs also that are devised to be means of spiritual instruction by their notable and mystical signification It being a part and means of his worship to teach his worship To place the worship of God in Faith Hope and Love only and not in external Rites and Ceremonies is contrary to Truth and Reason For then the Ceremonies of the Law the Sacraments of the New Testament must be reputed no parts of Gods essential worship which is most absurd Calv. Inst l. 4. c. 10. Sect. 9.12 The Papists are accused by the Learned of our side to place the Worship of God in their vain Traditions and Observations What worship do they in end only accessary and accidental as some call it No but essentiall and substantial and yet they speak of Rites and Ceremonies which by the Canons and Constitutions of that Synagogue are not mainained to be of absolute necessity to salvation as they plainly profess and our Divines acknowledg Whereby it is not hard to gather what is meant by essential or substantial worship that it stands not only in internal duties but also in external Rite and Ceremonies which are acknowledged to be of no absolute necessity Now the better to conceive what warrant every part of Gods service must have from the Scripture three things are to be distinguished in it The first is the essential worship it self whether concerning mans duty or the means of his Instruction The second the natural Ceremonies or voluntary compositions or gestures of the body as are with moderate deliberation used to shadow forth the hidden motions affections and dispositions of the mind that are begotten by the consideration of Gods excellent Greamess Majesty Goodness Love c. The third is the circumstances and order of performance which is by some called accidental or accessary worship such as concern time place person and manner of performance all which are required in the celebration of Gods worship Thus Divines make a difference and that necessarily betwixt the substance of worship and the things annexed to it as necessary circumstances And as we must distinguish the substantial means of worship from the external testifications of inward devotion by natural Ceremonies so must they be distinguished from bare and naked circumstances of time place and manner of celebrating divine Mysteries for circumstances are meetly accessaries to worship no parts thereof if we speak properly according to the ordinary acceptation of the word 1 King 19.18 Hos 13.2 Ezek. 18. 6. in Classical Authors But the gestures of the body made and purposely framed to shadow forth the hidden affection of the Soul are external acts of adoration and worship The true worshippers of God are distinguished from Idolaters by this that they had not bowed the knee to Baal Kissing bowing to an Image is condemned as a service of the Idol and the whole worship of God is oft-times signified by the terms of kissing Psal 2.12 Esay 45.23 Phil. 2.9 10. Ephes 3.24 Joh. 4.20 21. 1 Reg. 8.54 Ezr 9.5 Deut. 4.19 Psal 95.5 Matth. 17.4 Matth. 2.1 11. bowing kneeling adoring falling down before him In the old Testament the worship of God is noted by this word Carah which signifieth the bending of the knees or hams Kadad which signifieth to bow or nod the head Sagad almost of the same signification Schaphel Schachah and Shacack which signify to bow the whole body and sometimes to fall flat upon the ground In the New Testament Gods Worship is noted by these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to bow the knee and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to worship by kissing and casting down himself at the knees of another What that to adore is to give honour with the gesture of the body aswell as with the mind or words Priscianus and Nonnius derive the word Adoratio of Ador which signifieth fine flower or corn whereof fine Cakes were made which the Romans used in their Sacrifices Valla derive it of oro but yet he saith Adorare nihilominus sine ore sieri not sine flexu genuum ac gestu corporis It implyeth in it three acts first An apprehension of the excellency of that which is adored Secondly An act of the Will desiring to do something to testify our acknowledgment of this greatness and our subjection and inferiority Thirdly An outward act expressing the same The two former are internal the last is outward bringing that to light that was hid in the heart but the Hebrew Greek and Latine words signifying adoration do note an external humiliation and either a prostration of the whole body or of some part viz. the head or the bending of the knee or kissing of the hands to shadow forth and express the internal affection of the heart which is the Soul and life of external worship But if it be

parte diei festi c. The Church of France and the Low-Countries Sect. 17. ad Confess Sax. Obs 1. Tom. 4. de 〈◊〉 Bapt. lib. 5. 〈◊〉 cap. 16. sect 27. Annot. maj in Jo. 4.23 in their observations upon the Confession of the Church of Saxony write thus Ac perinde ne mysticos quidem ullos alioqui non impios ut qui c. Sed in hoc capite saith Cham. speaking of Popish Rites in Baptism merito damnamus qui ea addiderunt quibus mysteria affinxerint prop●iasque significationes et quidem eorum affectuun● qui pertinent ad aquam Baptismi c. The Judgment of Bezd is well known and more than once uttered by himself Sacramentis saith he pront divinitus sunt ab unico nostro legistatore ordinata quicquam vel detrahere ac multo magis novas figuras vel umbras ullas in Ecclesiam invehere ●efariam esse audaciam ex verbo Dei omnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tam expresse damnantis et ignem externum olim altari suo inferre prohibentis affirmanus Haec nostra est de Spirituali cultu divino sententia his Christi verbis consenta●●a nisi forte sublatas licet divinitus institutas Mosaicas figuras et umbras arbitramur ut alia ab hominibus illarum loco substituerentur De cult Sacr. l. 3. c. 7. n. 12 13. Junius assenteth unto the former Quod si ad usum instituere non potest quisquam profecto neque ad significatiorem homo legitime potest adhibere nisi humano et irrogante instituto ne in privato quidem quanto minus in Ecclesia Dei et publica administratione ipsius Danaeus is of the same mind Cont. Bell. de cult Sac. l. 3. cap. 7. It is Blasphemy to think that any outward thing may be made a Sign in the Church unless it be expresly ordained in the Word and commanded by God himself to be used unto that end Eccles l. 3. cap. 5. Junius again professeth his Judgment in this matter Res autem alias ac non necessarias neque ordini convenientes si volet quisquam instituere eum non pervicaciter velimus oppugnare sed tria tamen cum animo suo expendat cupimus Primum qua authoritate exemplove adductus sanctam Dei Ecclesiam et simplicitatem mysteriorum Christi Cujus solius vocem agnoscunt et sequuntur oves quia solum audiri mandavit pater Jo. 10.27 circumvestiendam esse puter humanis traditionibus quas repudiat Christus Secundum quem ad finem res suas adsui divinis judicet oportere nan● si ut cum alii● conformetur aequius foret alias Ecclesias tis conformari quae verbum Dei accedum proxime ex consilio Cypriani quam has se illis adjungere si ut h●nestiora sint omnia quid simplicitate Christi honestius quid honestate simplicius si voluntatem Esto sane at illud Tertulliani cogitandum Voluntatem Dei esse necessitatem summam nec Dei Ecclesiam in divinis rebus voluntatibus humanis obligari Tertium quis tandem eventus ex humanis traditionibus consequatur ut diuturna oste●dit experientia Of the Surplice Attire or vestiments may be distinguished into sour sorts THere is a fourfold distinction of Attire 1. Natural 2. Civil 3. Ecclesiastical by Divine institution 4. Ecclesiastical by humane ap●ointment The Natural is such by which the difference of Sexes of Ma●e and Female is professed Calv. harm in lib. Mos expos 7. Precept and others Dr. Reynolds of the overthrow of Stage-playes pag. 10. this is Moral and perpetuall Deut. 22.5 The Civil is when for ease speedier dispatch of some civil business ornament or politick differencing of degree in Office Age Trade c. diversity of habit is used and this is Arbitrary and lawfull so that the rules of modesty be observed Whitgift def of answ to adm●●i● tract 7. cap. 3. divis 1. pag. 264. Hooker Ecclesiast P●li● lib. 5. S. 78. pag. 424. Those are Ecclesiastical by Divine Institution which the Lord and Law-giver of his Church ordained to be used by Priests and Levites in the solemn worship of God Exod. 28 12.29 30 40 41 43. and in the place of Ceremonies these vestiments continued necessary in use untill the abolition of the Levitical Rites and then determined Such are Ecclesiasticall by humane institution as man of his own head hath appropriated to Religious worship or solemn Ecclesiastical use Of this sort and kind I take the Surplice to be and therefore do make question of the lawfulness thereof My argument against it I dispose in this form All Vestments appropriated to the solemn Worship of God and appointed for signification of spiritual Duties by the Will of Man without Warrant out of the Word of God are unlawful But the Surplice is a Vestment appropriated to the solemn Worship of God and appointed for the signification of spiritual Duties by the Will of Man without Warrant out of the Word of God Therefore it is unlawful Propos preved by six Reasons The truth of the Proposition may be cleared by these Reasons following 1. All such Vestments as the Proposition speaketh of are an external form of Worship both because that in their common nature or kind they agree with the Levitical Vestments which I suppose will not be denyed to have been parts of their external Worship as well as other Rites among them Homil. against perill of Idolatry part 3. fol. 55. saith All outward Jewish Rites wherewith God was honoured in the Temple were Cultus For what good definition can be given of Worship which may not be predicated and affirmed of those Rites To be instituted of God or of Man doth not vary the common nature of Worship but distinguish it into true and false in which Adjuncts the common nature of Worship doth not consist Also would not ●arments of mystical signification appropriated to solemn Worship be Jewish in special not in common nature onely if the Mo●● High should Authorize them And if they be Worship and devised by Man then they are Will-worship which God condemneth 2. If this Major be not true what should hinder but that man may bring many of the Ceremonies of the Law of Moses into the Church of the new Testament for if one Jewish Rite may be brought in why not any It need not be doubted but that Vestments meerly Ecclesiastical and Mystical are Jewish though not in number or perhaps in some other petty differences yet in kind and are they not then the same Luke 14.18 Eph. 6.9 Dr. Raynolds Confer with Hart. cap. 8. divis 4. pag. 494 495. 3. Either Vestments meerly Ecclesiasticall and Mystical instituted by Man Exod. 25.9 39 40 42 43 27 19. 1 Chro. 28.12 2 Chro. 29.5 are unlawful or else it had been lawful for the Jewish Church to have devised to themselves and used those Priestly Robes that were in use among them though God

SOME TREASURE Fetched out of RUBBISH OR Three short but seasonable Treatises found in an heap of scattered Papers which Providence hath reserved for their Service who desire to be instructed from the Word of God concerning the Imposition and Use of Significant Ceremonies in the Worship of God viz. I. A Discourse upon 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done decently and in Order Tending to search out the Truth in this Question viz. Whether it be lawful for Church-Governours to command indifferent decent things in the Administration of God's Worship II. An Enquiry Whether the Church may not in the Celebration of the Sacrament use other Rites significative than those expressed in the Scripture or add to them of her own Authority III. Three Arguments Syllogistically propounded and prosecuted against the Surplice The Cross in Baptism And Kneeling in the Act of receiving the Lord's Supper Every Word of God is pure Add not thou unto his Word lest he reprove thee and thou be found a Liar Prov. 30.5 6. Prove all things hold fast that which is good Abstain from all appearance of evill 1 Thes 5.21 22. Let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind For whatsoever is not of Faith is sin Rom. 14.5 23. LONDON Printed in the Year 1660. To the Reader THese ensuing Treatises were found laid by the Walls and covered with dust in the study of an old Non-Conformist there being diverse Copies of each under several unknown hands And as Armour Treasure and other things usefull hidden in the time of our late Wars have since been brought forth for profitable Imployment The like is hoped of these Papers which have so long been kept in darkness if seriously perused by men of sober minds The fileings of Gold are precious and the Charge of Christ is considerable Joh. 6.12 Gather up the Fragments that are left that nothing be lost Which Speech of his may both warrant and encourage the collecting publishing of the precious divine Truths penned by Gods faithful Embassadours for the edification of his Church Mr. John Cotton that faithful Servant of Christ famous in both Englands was the known Author of the first Discourse and as it s verily believed of the second also Mr. Robert Nichols studiously composed the third who was a man though less known yet deservedly famous for his great Abilities and profitable Ministry in Cheshire for many years where his memory is still very precious When Reverend Dr. Morton was Bishop of Chester h● required in writing of those Ministers in his Diocess who did not conform to the Ceremonies the Reasons of this their refusal Thereupon these three Arguments were by Mr. Nichols presented unto him attested by his own hand and afterwards defended in dispute with that learned Bishop before many Witnesses The Bishop being hereby convinced of the good mans Ability and Ingenuity was his friend to his dying day The publishing of these Papers is for the preventing of the imposition and practice of sapless superstitions Ceremonies which good end now designed may hopefully be effected if the Lord will give men herein concerned to study these Controversies with unbyassed hearts It is notorious that the pressing of these Ceremonies in former time occasioned woful Divisions in the Church of Christ with much affliction unto men famous both for their parts and piety in their Generations and men of truly tender Consciences and unblamable Conversation And it is much to be questioned whether ever any reall spirituall advantage come to Christian Soul by the pressing or by the observing of them If the Lord would grant that Issue unto this Publication which is sincerely intended and heartily prayed for many thanks would be given unto his Majesty through Jesus Christ with comfort unto them that love Truth and Peace A DISCOURSE UPON 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done decently and in Order Tending to search out the Truth in this QUESTION viz. Whether it be lawful for Church Governors to command indifferent decent things in the Administration of God's Worship ALL which that place holdeth forth touching this Point may be summed up for ought I can discern in these particulars 1. That the whole Church and every Member thereof are to perform all the Duties of God's Worship in a decent and orderly manner 2. What the Church and Members thereof are to do in this kind that the Church-Governours may and ought to see it to be done 3. It being the duty of Church-Governours to see that all things be done decently and orderly in the Congregation It is therefore their part in eminent measure to be able to discern and judge what is decent and undecent orderly or disorderly When I say it is their part I mean it is their duty their Place and Authority requireth it Not that they alwayes have a Power or Spirit of discerning to judge aright in this case For it seemeth the High-Priests and Prophets yea and David himself all of them thought it decent to bring back the Ark of God upon a new Cart which afterwards David himself saw and confessed it was not done after due order 1 Chron. 15.13 From whence it appeareth since they also are subject to errours in this kind that it will not be safe for them to judge and declare the decency of things by no better Rule than their own Will and Pleasure but by such Rules as the Holy Ghost directs us unto in this case which are Scripture Nature Civil Custom yea and I willingly admit the lawful Custom of the Church or Congregation in which a man liveth for to judge of decency by all these Rules we have Warrant in Scripture 1 Cor. 11.14 16. 14.33 And indeed they who are to approve themselves in all their proceedings as Paul did and all Church-Ministers ought to do to every Man's Conscience in the sight of God It is not for them to give the ground of their proceedings only from their own Will and Pleasure but from such Rules as every good Conscience may see approvable 4. This place in hand holdeth forth also this further Truth That what things the Church seeth by the former Rules to be indifferent and decent or which Church-Governours shall declare so to be those things may lawfully be done For the further clearing hereof and the better discerning of the Power of Church-Governours in these matters It may be observed that of decent things lawful to be done in God's Church some things are 1. Indifferent and decent As to preach in a Gown or Cloak whereof the one is no more necessary or expedient than the other 2. Expedient and decent As to abide in single life or to enter into Marriage of which though Marriage in time of Persecution be indifferent yet single life is much more expedient to prevent trouble in the Flesh 3. Necessary and decent either alwayes as a Woman to keep silence in the Church or at least Hic nunc so as the neglect thereof would be uncomely to the