and he addeth Austin would have us to be content with those very few Ceremonies which are contained in the Canonical Scriptures Another saith Dr. Fulk in his Rejoinder to mart The Gates of Hell in idle Ceremonies did assault the Church the Fathers in them declined from the Simplicity of the Gospel Again Every idle Ceremony that prevailed had the Prelates of the Church either for Authors or Approvers Christ committed his Church to them to be fed with his Word and not with dumb Signs and dead Images which things he hath forbidden The Prelates of our Church have continued in the same Temper as those he speaks of out of what hath been said it appears how the Church hath no Authority to institute such Ceremonies as have no warrant in the word of God such are ours But they are not content to assume and usurp that Power to themselves but also to impose such Constitutions of theirs upon the Church and God's People thus arrogating to themselves a legislative and executive Authority but we are perswaded they may do no such things nor Men in Conscience obey and practise them yet 't is a strange Opinion of theirs as if observing or not these Ceremonies could make Men good or evil honest or dishonest they who would require and six our Practice of such Constitutions must first as much as in them lies fix our Judgments which all the Convocations can never do so as to settle other Peoples Judgment concerning things lawful or unlawful according to the Notions they themselves have of them or else to impose it whether one will or not is no less than Tyranny All Casuists amongst Papists do hold it for a Wrong done to Monks Fryars Seculars and Regulars of any Order if their Priors Abbots Generals or other Superiors should impose upon them the Observance of any thing besides the Vow they have made to observe the Rules and Rites instituted by their Founder and we Christians are we not as much by our Vow tied unto the Lord Jesus as they are or can be to Francis Dominick Benedictus Bruno c. Or are we more subject to our Prelates than they to their Superiours by Vow of Obedience Christ hath purchased his Church a Christian Liberty which she ought not to be deprived of and 't is a presumptuous Attempt in any Man or Society of men to go about it and to institute any Religious Ceremonies to be used in God's Worship 't is unlawful for men to add unto God's Institution in Worship and to say this is true as to the doctrinal not as to the ritual Part is as good as to say Man may not add unto God's Institutions any of God's Institutions but mans only which is a Piece of Nonsence And as the Church hath no Authority to add to Divine Institutions or to make new ones upon a religious Account so it may not by its Institution make a thing good or bad true or false only it may declare it so to be according to the Rule of God's Word except we would give it the same Power which some Doctors of the Church of Rome give the Pope namely to alter the Nature of things as to make that to be Sin which is not Sin and that not to be Sin which is Sin I hope we do not entail Infallibility upon our Church nor stretch her Power so as to transubstantiate things a Prayer made in the House of Lords or Commons doth not cease from being a religious Duty to become a civil one Such an Application doth not alter the Nature of it To prove the Churches Authority to institute their unnecessary Ceremonies which we deny after they have screwed up their Wits with Endeavours to prove it out of Scripture of the New Testament they can find but one place which they stretch as far as they can and under the Notion of Decency and Order they think they may bring into the Church what they please not only all Papists but also all Jewish and Heathenish Ceremonies if the Convocation and Rulers of the Church think them to be decent and for Order The Place is let all things be done decently and in order 1 Cor. 14.40 Elsewhere the Objection I answered but thus much I shall add for all their going about to inlarge the Commission there is a Restriction to be admitted V. 26. Let all things be done to edifying That which is granted is to have things done decently and in order for Edification Edification is the end Decency and Order the means or as we may call it a decent Order tending to Edification thus an holy Sacrament must be decently and orderly or in a decent order administred This Decency and Order relate to Place Time Manner Persons Number as how many Psalms sung Sermons preached Chapters read and the like Circumstances the Apostle leaves no more to the Churches Liberty than to order God's Ordinances to be performed in a decent manner Any Constitution beyond ordering that which before was enjoyned is properly a Law now Christ is the only Lawgiver of his Church which receiveth no other Laws but his and any Laws added to God's Laws are contrary to them which are really perfect in themselves in their Reason and Manner and those of the Church are but Directions for better observing of Divine Laws according to the Diversity of Times Places and Persons which are occasional Circumstances and no new things in God's Worship The Churches Authority as I already observed is but Ministerial to see those things observed which Christ hath appointed not to institute any new things Decency is when God's Worship is performed with those convenient Circumstances of Gesture and such as I already named agreeing not only with God's Service but also with any grave Assembly In this place Order is strictly taken in Opposition to Confusion so is Decency opposed to the Vice of Undecency hence it follows that Order doth require nothing but what is necessary to avoid Confusion and Decency to hinder Undecency Our Ceremonists must give me leave to make them take notice how they are guilty of the Breach of two things contained in that Chapter the first of Confusion for to speak all together aloud as they do in the use of the Common-Prayer-Book makes a confuse Noise and brings in a Confusion thus they interrupt one anothers Devotion Vers 28. The Apostle forbiddeth to speak all at once Cannot they follow the Minister when he reads Vers 34. and according to the Apostle's Order speak every one to himself and to God Another Breach they are guilty of is directly against Women keeping silence and not speaking in Churches yet commonly they speak the loudest So then if they will answer the Apostles end they must act to edifying which through Persecution they have not taken the Way to do he tells them the right Way Charity wherein they have been so wanting Cor. 8.1 edifyeth Our Ceremonies contribute nothing towards Order and Decency
instead of adorning them as pretended broken Unity under the Notion of settling Uniformity All which mischiefs might easily be prevented if they would be prevailed to lay them aside They are inconvenient conveniency is esteemed when a thing after the consideration of all circumstances is found at least to bring with it more Good than Evil but our Ceremonies by Experience have brought more Evil than Good They can do hurt saith Beza but no good God knows saith Foxe they be the cause of much blindness and strife amongst Men they have been and still are notoriously abused unto Superstition The sum of the second Commandment is that in the Worship of God or Ceremonies thereabouts we are to devise nothing of our own head or borrow any thing of Heathenish or Idolatrous Rites our Ceremonies have an aptness to provoke to Superstition and Idolatry in Popish Countreys the Cross is an Idol Now as God hath forbidden to sowe the Field with mingled Seed Levit. 19.19 so in the Church there ought to be no mixture of Humane Inventions with God's Institutions Ceremonies borrowed from Idolaters such are Papists are vicious and superstitious Worship therefore not to be borrowed of them The Jews by God's Command Levit. 18.3 were not to live according to the Laws and Examples of other Nations The words of Pelicanus upon the place are remarkable God saith he by this one Law would have them cast away and abhor whatsoever in Worship had pleased the Gentiles much more care ought Christians to have of this who being taught to Worship God in Spirit and in Truth ought first and last to have abhorred the idle unreasonable and deceitful Forms and Rites of Idolaters which if the ancient Bishops had well considered the Church had never been pestered with so many prophane Rites and base Ceremonies by which it came to pass that some Christians differ little from Gentiles save in the Names of their Idols This is home and to the purpose this was commanded for detestation of Idolatry because Idolaters did so the Israelites may not do so In Ceremonies we must strictly hold to the Word of God least we transgress either in number or in form And the like Command is given in two several places of the New Testament 2 Cor. 6 14. Rev. 18.4 to shew we are bound to the same under the Gospel as they were under the Law nay God therein looks narrowly into the things that seems the least only that they should not be like the Heathens Ye shall not round the Corners of your Head Levit. 19.27 neither shalt thou mar the Corners of thy Beard We are commanded to keep our selves from Idols 1 John 5.21 and from Idolatry and Appearances of it or to have any thing to do with what hath been or is abused to Idolatry Such as I said before are our Ceremonies and so because unprofitable unnecessary dangerous hurtful and inconvenient ought to be abolished But this is not all they are unlawful because Will-Worship which is so expresly forbidden in the Word of God Deut. 4.2 which we must never add to nor diminish from God commanded Moses Heb. 8.5 See that thou make all things according to the Pattern shewed to thee in the Mount The true Worship is that appointed by God and the false is that not appointed by God for there is but two kinds of Worship First True and Good Secondly False and Evil That is the same which he hath commanded This is that which he hath not commanded and certainly Man's Inventions he hath not commanded but forbidden Tertullian saith That is forbidden which is not permitted That is we must account that not to be permitted by the Word against which any reasons out of the Word may be given though there be no particular Word against it Though there were free-will Offerings whence they would set up Will-Worship yet they were to be of such things as were manifestly known to be prescribed by God's revealed Will and so not the Offering but the undertaking of it at such a time or in such a measure was left unto the free Choice of Men according to occasion 'T is no Will-Worship to pray thrice or seven times a day to Preach once twice or thrice on Sabbath-day to Pray and Preach are necessary Duties but how often that comes under the necessary Circumstances of God's Worship as to Time and Place Prayer is expressly allowed by God's Word and the determination of it as to this or that time is to be ruled by Reason and these are the things which fall under that 1 Cor. 14. Such things are allowed as accessary parts of outward Worship but not such as Cross or Surplice Now all Humane Ceremonies imposed and observed as parts of God's Worship are unlawful and this is the true question We must Ceremonise saith Pelicanus only according to God's Word and Vrsin all feigned Worship is forbidden all Worship which is not of God but is set up by Men when Worship or Honour is feigned to be done to the true God in some work which he hath not enjoyned And Zanchi saith We may not Worship God with any other Worship though it be in the kind of External and Ceremonial than that which he hath required in the Holy Scripture to be worshipped by us These Ceremonies are Superstitious and this makes them also unlawful Now saith Vrsin Superstition is that which addeth Humane Inventions to Divine Precept 'T is a Will-Worship which is more than is appointed by the Law of God On Acts 17.4 saith Dr. Fulk And Perkins saith On the second Command Superstition is Worship of God without his Commandment they cannot wipe off the imputation of Superstition seeing they judge them necessary in their use though indifferent in their nature Thus a Minister may not read without a Surplice nor Baptise without the Sign of the Cross but their Superstition appeareth the more in that they make them to be significant Ceremonies which we shall have farther occasion to speak of They divide their Ceremonies into single and double and threefold the former are those whose use is only for Decency and Order the others serve also for Edification by some profitable signification but if all circumstances belonging to Time Place Persons Instruments of sacred Actions be sacred significant Ceremonies then not only the Clock but the leaden Weights of it not only the Ground which they do stand upon but also the Rushes by occasion strewed upon it the Besom the Minister's Black Cap or Perriwig his Beard c. shall be holy significant dumb and speaking Ceremonies dumb because unprofitable speaking idly in such a place When an Image of the blessed Virgin spake to Bernard in the Church Good morrow Bernard good morrow he answered O Madam you forget your Sex it is not lawful for a Woman to speak in the Church Just so should be silenced our idle significant Ceremonies the more because the Gospel is the
be the better for it or else they would not do it nay they think it to be no Church till it be done for till then there is in it no preaching at least no administring of Sacraments yet both they administer in private Houses Other things there are as churching of Women after the Jewish Way of Purification as we keep a Day about it for the blessed Virgin which God never required at our Hands nor she ever desired but all is our Fancy after the Pattern of Popery there are also the private Communion private Baptism Burial of the Dead at Sea there was also a Form about healing or touching for the King 's Evil a Popish Foppery too but now quite out all which we omit speaking to having things enough besides to discourse upon so we must proceed to a second general Head namely the Discipline of the Church Of Church-Government THUS having spoken of Ceremonies we must now say something of the Government of the Church which is much after that of Rome Triplicat art whitak cap. 9. Hierarch Anachrys lib. 2. pag. 45. in the manner of Hierarcy by Archbishops Bishops Archdeacons Deans and Chapters then Chancellours Commissaries Officials c. These have been the Steps for Popes to ascend upon that Throne of Iniquity which they now sit upon these are of Man's Invention whether or not the Design was good I shall not dispute but certainly it hath proved fatal Staplet and Scalting Two of the great Champions of Rome both highly commend and in it do much approve of our Constitution and Practice Those Offices in the Church which are of God's Institution we have them named in Scripture Eph. 4.11 and 1 Cor. 12.28 God gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastours and Teachers The Apostles were universal Preachers of the Gospel immediately called by Christ who wrought Miracles and were infallible in Doctrine The Prophets did interpret and expound Scriptures by a Divine Light having the Gift of Tongues and of things to come The Evangelists were the Writers of the History of the Gospel inspired of God or else Preachers of the Gospel called by the Apostles and attended on them in their Journeys Pastors also called Bishops that is Overseers were Ministers settled in certain Churches to teach and govern them The Doctors or Teachers were Successors of Prophets whose Office it was to explain Scriptures and vindicate them from the Errours of Hereticks The Apostles instituted Elders or Presbyters for that 's the true Signification of the Word who also are called Bishops though not always some being only to rule the Church others also to preach Men chosen by the Church endued with Gifts and Authority above others who with the Pastors took care of the publick Doctrine administred Ecclesiastical Discipline and in the Churches Name were taken up with the Vocation of Ministers Acts 6. There were also Deacons to take care of the poor to visit the sick to maintain Hospitality and sometimes to preach the Word These are all the Offices in the Church we have in the Word of God for all are reduced under these Heads No Lord Pastour and Ministerial Pastour no Bishop of Bishop or Arch-bishop that is Prince Bishop no Deacon of Deacon or Archdeacon This is contrary to the Rule of Christ so expresly forbidding his Disciples to affect any thing of Dominion or Superiority of one over another and indeed those Offices named in that to the Ephesians are sufficient for the Church as 't is said in the 12th Verse for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ All besides this is of a Humane Superstructure Rectors Curates Vicars c. are Names Things and Limbs of the Roman Church most of the hyerarchical Officers are not for these good Ends. Now Bishops which answer to Watchmen Pastors Ezech. 23.27 and Elders in God's Word are but for one and the same Office We see it clearly out of that place of Scripture where 't is written how St. Paul sent for the Elders of the Church of Ephesus to come to him to Miletus in the Charge he giveth them he saith Act. 20.17 82. Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the Flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God In this Text we have the three Names given to the same Persons those he sent for and speaks to are called Elders God made them Overseers v. 17. for that 's the Sgnification of the Word in the Original and what in other places of Scripture is translated Bishops is here rendered by the Word Overseers though in the Greek the Word be the very same and amongst the Translators was debated whether or not in this Place it should be Englished by the Word Bishop but upon Consideration that it might prejudice the Difference they make between Bishop and Pastor or Elder they made use of the Word Overseer which could not be taken notice of by those that understand no Greek this by the by then these Elders of the Church of Ephesus the Holy Ghost had made Bishops them he charged to seed the Church and do the Office of Pastors so that in the 28th Verse Pastors and Bishops are but one and the same and here by the way I shall make this general Observation how in the Exposition of a Text three things are chiefly to be taken notice of first The true Signification of the Word in the Original secondly The Scope of the Author in the Place Thirdly The Analogy of Faith and Relation to other Places of Scripture The first I have spoken of the second here is a Charge of St. Paul for those Elders to perform their Duty of overseeing and feeding their Flock 1 Pet. 5.1 2. which St. Peter asserts also to be the Duty of Elders whereof he owns himself to be one The third is the Analogy of this Place with others as that which Paul writes to Titus For this cause I lest thee in Greet that thou shouldest ordain Elders in every City Tit. 1.5 6 7. If any be blameless c. for a Bishop must be blameless In the 5 Verse he calls Elders and in the 7. Bishops the same Persons This is the divine Bishop of a divine Institution for as to the Diocesian Bishop 't is but an Humane and Prudential Institution and there is no such thing known in Scripture as it appears out of that Place to the Philippians St. Paul directs the Epistle to all the Saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi Chap. 1.1 with the Bishops and Deacons out of which Place after Jerome we may say that Philippi is one Town in Macedonia and as now Bishops are reckoned there is but one not many of one Town or City but here are Bishops of the plural Number of Philippi therefore the Pastors and Elders of the Place are meaned which also