Dispute Against the English-Popish Ceremonies, Prologue – Order
A Dispute against The English-Popish Ceremonies, OBTRVDED VponUpon the CHVRCH of SCOTLAND, Consisting of foure Partes.
THE PROLOGVE.
HOW good reason those Wisemen had for them, who did not allowe of the English-Popish Ceremonies, at the first introducing of these novations into the Church of Scotland, foreseeing the bad effects and dangerous evils which might ensue thereupon; and how greatly the other sort were mistaken, who did then yeeld to the same, apprehending no danger in them; it is this day too too apparent to us, whose thoughts concerning the event of this course, can not beholden in suspense betwixt the apprehensions of feare, and exspectations of hope, because dolefull experience hath made us feele, that which the wiser sort before did feare. Since then this Church which was once a praise in the earth, is now brought to a most deplorable and dayly increassing desolation by the meanes of these Ceremonies, which have been both the sparkles to kindle, & the bellowes to blow up the consuming fire of intestine dissentions among us; it concerneth all her children, not only to cry out Ah, and Alas! and to aIs. 16. 9.bewaile with the weeping of Iazer, but also to bethink themselves most seriously, how to sucoour their deare (though distressed) Mother in such a calamitous case. Our best indeavours which we are to employ for this end, next unto bPsal. 122. 6.praying earnestly for the peace of Ierusalem, are these, 1. cPhil. 3. 16.So farre as we have attained to walke by the same rule, to mind the same thing, and to labour as much as is possible that the course of the Gospell, the Doctrine of godlinesse, the practise of piety lye not behinde, because of our differing one from another about the Ceremonies, lest otherwise foreign grow to be foreign. 2. In such things whereabout we agree not, to make diligent search and enquiry for the Trueth. For to have our Iudgements in our heels, and so blindly to followe every opinion which is broached, and squarely to conforme unto every custome which is set afoot, becommeth not men who are endued with reason for discerning of things beseeming from things not beseeming; farre lesse Christians, dHeb. 5. 14.who should have their sences exercised to discerne both good and evill, and who have received a commandement e1. Thess. 5. 21.to prove all things, before they hold fast any thing; and least of all doth it become us who live in these most dangerous dayes, wherein error & defection so much abound. 3. When we have attained to the aknowledging of the Trueth, then to give a Testimony unto the same, according to our vocation, contending for the Trueth of God against the errors of men, for the purity, of Christ against the corruptions of Antichrist. For to understand the Trueth, and yet not contend for it, argueth Cowardlinesse, not Courage; Fainting, not Fervour; Lukewarmenesse, not Love; Weaknesse, not Valour. Wherefore since we can not impetrate from the troublers of our Israēl that true peace which derogateth not from the Trueth, we may not, we dare not leave off to debate with them. Among the Lawes of Solon, fPlut. in vita. Solon.there was one which pronounced him defamed and unhonest who in a civill uproare among the Citizens sitteth still a looker on and a Newter: much more deserve they to be so accounted of, who shunne to meddle with any controversy which disquieteth the Church, whereas they should labour to winne the Adversaries of the Trueth, and if they proove obstinate, to defend and propugne the Trueth against them. In things of this life (as gin Epist. ad protect. Angl.Calvine noteth) we may remit so much of the right, as the love of peace requireth, but as for the regiment of the Church which is spirituall, and wherein every thing ought to be ordered according to the Word of God, it is not in the power of any mortall man, quidquam hic aliis dare, aut in illorum gratiam def…ectere. These considerations have induced me to bestowe some time, and to take some paines in the study of the Controversies which are agitated in this Church about the Ceremonies, and (after due examination and discussion of the writings of such as have played the Proctors for them) to compile this ensuing Dispute against them, both for exonering my self, and for provocking of others to contend yet more hIs. 6. 21.for the Truth, and for Zions sake not to hold their peace, nor be at rest, untill the amiable light of long wished for peace, breake forth out of all these confusions: which, O Prince of Peace, hasten, who (i) Is. 26. 12.wilt ordaine peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.
THE ORDER.
BEcause Polemicke and Eristicke discourses must followe the Adversaries at the heeles, withersoever they goe, finding them out in all the lurking places of their elaborate subterfugies, and conflicting with them wheresoever they pitch, untill not only all their blowes be awarded, but themselves also all derouted: Therefore perceiving the informality of the Formalists to be such, that some times they plead for the controverted Ceremonies as necessary, some times as expedient, sometimes as lawfull, and sometimes as indifferent; I resolve to followe the trace, and to evince by force of reason that there is none of all those respects to Iustifie either the urging or the using of them. And albeit kpref. libror. de rep. Eccl.the Archbishop of Spalato commeth forth like an Olympicke Champion; stoutly brandishing and bravading, and making his account, that no Antagonist can match him except a Prelate: Albeit likewise the lProc. in Perth Assemb. part. 3. pag. 55.Bishop of Edinbrugh would have us to thinke that we are not well advised to enter into combate with such Achillean strength as they have on their side: Yet must our Opposites know, that we have more daring minds, then to be dashed with the vaine flourish of their great words. Wherefore in all these foure wayes wherein I am to draw the line of my Dispute, I will not shunne to encounter and handle strokes with the most valjant Champions of that faction, knowing, that—Trophaeum ferre me à forti viro, pulchrum est: Sin autem & vincar, vinci à tali nullum est probrum. But what? shall I speake doubtfully of the victory, or feare the foyle? Nay, I consider that there is none of them so strong as he was who m2 Cor: 13. 8.said, we can doe nothing against the Trueth, but for the Trueth, I will therefore boldly adventure to combate with them, even where they seeme to be strongest, and to discusse their best Arguments, Allegations, Answeres, Assertions, and Distinctons. And my Dispute shall consist of foure parts, according to those foure pretences which are given out for the Ceremonies: which beeing so different one from another, must be seaverally examined. The lawfullnesse of a thing, is, in that it may be done: the indifferency of it in that it may either be done or left undone: the expediency of it, in that it is done profitably: and the necessity of it, in that it may not be left undon. I will beginne with the last respect first, as that which is the weightiest.