Dispute Against the English-Popish Ceremonies, Title page – Dedication
A DISPVTE AGAINST THE ENGLISH-POPISH CEREMONIES, O…RVDED VPONUPON THE CHVRCH OF SCOTLAND. WHEREIN Not only our owne …RG…MEMTS against the same are strongly … … likewise the ANSVVERES and DEFENC… of our Opposites, SVCH AS HOOKER, MORTOVNE, BVRGES, SPRINT, PAYBODY, ANDREWES, SARAVIA, TILEN, SPOTSWOOD, LINDSEY, FORBESSE, &c. particularly confuted.
JEREM. Chap. 9. vers. 12. 13. 14.
VERS. 12. Who is the wise man that hee may understand this, and who is hee to whom the mouth of the LORD hath spoken, that hee may declare it, for what the Land perisheth. 13. And the LORD saith; Because they have forsaken my Law, which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voyce, neither walked therein. 14. But have walked after the Imagination of their owne heart, and after Idolls.
Printed in the yeare of our Lord 1637.
TO ALL AND EVERY ONE IN THE REFORMED CHVRCHES OF SCOTLAND, ENGLAND, AND IRELAND, vvho love the LORD IESVS, and meane to adhere unto the Reformation of Religion: Grace, Mercy, and Peace, from GOD our Father, and from the Lord. IESVS CHRIST.
AS Sathans malice, and mans wickednesse, cease not to molest the thrice happy estate of the Church of CHRIST, so hath the eternall councell of the only wise GOD, predetermined the comming of Offences, Persecutions, Heresies, Schismes, and Divisions, that Professors may be proved before a1. Cor. 11. 19.they be as approved, & made manifest. And hence, bMath. 18. 17.it must needs be that offences come: neither hath the Church ever enjoyed both purity and peace any long time togither. But whiles the Church of God thus disquieted, as well with dangerous alterations, as with dolefull altercations, is presented in the Theatre of this World, and crieth out to beholders, cLament, 1. 12.Have yee no regard, all yee that passe by? A pitty it is to see the crooked and sinistrous courses of the greattest part, every man moving his period within the enormous confines of his owne exorbitant desires. The Atheisticall Nullifidian, nothing regardeth the assoyling of Ecclesiasticall controversies: he is of dAct. 18. 17.Gallio's humour, and cares for none of those things. The sensuall Epicurean and riotous Russian, (goe Church matters as they will) eates and drinkes, and takes him pleasure. The Cynicall Critick spe…eth out bitter aspersions, gybeth, and justleth at every thing that can be said or done in the cause of Religion. The Scenicall Iester playeth fast and loose, and can utter anything in sport, but nothing in earnest. The a varitious worldling hath no tune but Give, Give, and no antheme pleaseth him but Have, Have. The aspyring Diotrephes puffeth downe every course which can not puffe up. The lofly Favourite taketh the patterne of his religion from the Court …chnographie, and if the Court swimme, he cares not though the Church sinke. The subdolous Machiavellian accounteth the shew of religion profitable, but the substance of it troublesome: he studieth not the Oracles of God, but the Principles of Satanicall guile, which he learneth so well, that he may goe to the Divell to be Bishopped. The turne-coa… Temporizer wagges with every winde, and (like Diogenes turning about the mouth of his voluble hoggeshead, after the course of the sunne,) wheresoever the bright beames of corruscant Authority doe shine and cherish, thither followeth and flitteth he. The gnathonick Parasite sweareth to all that this benefactor holdeth. The mercenary Pensioner will bowe before he breake. He, who only studieth to have the praise of some witty invention can not stricke upon another anwile. The silly Idiote, (with e2. Sam. 15. 11.Absolons two hundreth) goeth in the simplicity of his heart, after his perverse leaders. The lapped Nicodemite, holdes it enough to yeeld some secret assent to the trueth, though neither his profession nor his practise testify so much. He, whose minde is possessed with praejudicate opinions against the truth, when convincing light is holden forth to him, looketh asquint, and therefore goeth aw…y. The Pragmaticall A diaphorist with his spanne-broad faith, and elve-broad conscience, doth no small harme: the poore pandect of his plagiary profession, in matters of faith, reckoneth litle for all, and in matters of practise all for litle. Shortly, if an expurgatory Index were compiled of those, and all other sortes of men, who either through their carelesse and newtrall on looking, make no help to the troubled and disquieted Church of Christ, or through their nocent accession, and overthwart intermedling, worke out her greater harme! alas. How few feeling members were there to be found behind, who truly lay to heart her estate and condition? Neverthelesse in the worst times, either of raging persecution, or prevailing defection, as God Almighty hath ever hitherto, so both now and to the end he will reserve to himself a remnant according to the election of Grace, who cleave to his blessed Trueth, & to the purity of his holy worship, and are grieved for the affliction of Ioseph, as beeing themselves also in the body. In confidence whereof, I take Boldnesse to stirre you up at this time, by putting you in remembrance. If you would be rightly informed of the present estate of the reformed Churches, you must not acquiesce, in the parge ting verdict of those who are wealthy and well at ease, and mounted aloft upon the uncogged wheeles of prosperous fortune (as they call it.) Those whom the love of the world hath not inhaunced to the serving of the time, can give you the soundest Iudgment. It is fBo…in. m…h. hist. cap. 4. p 47.noted of Dionysius Halicarnasseus (who was never advanced to magistracie in the Romane Republike,) that he hath written farre more truly of the Romans, then Fabius, Salustius, or Cato, who flourished among them with riches and honours.
After that it pleased God, by the light of his glorious Gospell to dispell the more then Cimmerian darknesse of Antichristianisme, and by the antidote of Reformation, to avoide the poyson of Poperie; for as much as in England and Ireland, every noysome weed which Gods hand had never planted, was not pulled up, therefore we now see the faces of those Churches overgrowne with the repullulating twigges and sprigges of Popish superstition. gRep. to the answ. p. 269.Mr. Sprint aknowledgeth the Reformation of England to have beene defective, and saith, It is easie to imagine of what difficulty it was, to reforme all things at the first, where the most part of the privy Councell, of the Nobility, Bishops, Iudges, Gentry, and People, were open or close Papists: where few or none of any countenance stood for Religion at the first, but the Protector and Cranmer. The Church of Scotland was blessed with a more glorious and perfect Reformation, then any of our nighbour Churches. The Doctrine, Discipline, Regiment, and Policie established here by Ecclesiasticall and Civill Lawes, and sworne and subscribed unto by the Kings Majesty, the severall Presbetries, and Parish Churches of the Land; as it had the applause of forraine Divines, so was it in all points agreeable unto the Word; neither could the most rigid Aristarchus of these times, challenge any irregularity in the same. But now alas, even this Church, which was once so great a praise in the earth, is deeply corrupted, and hath hExod. 32. 8.turned aside quickely out of the way. So that this is the Lords controversie against Scotland: iIerem. 2. 21.I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: How then art thou turned into the degenerat plant of a strange vine unto mee?
It is not this day feared but felt, that the rotten dregges of Poperie, which were never purged away from England and Ireland, and having once beene spewed out with detestation, are licked up againe in Scotland; prove to be the unhappy occasions of a woefull recidivation. Neither is there need of Lyncean eyes, for if we be not poreblind, it can not be hid from us, what dolefull and disasterous mutation (to be bewailed with teares of blood) hath happened to the Church and Spouse of Christ in these Dominions? Her comely countenance is miscoloured with the farding lustre of the mother of Harlotes. Her shamefaste forehead hath received the marke of the Beast. Her lovely-lockes are frizled with the crisping pins of Antichristian fashions. Her chaste Eares are made to listen to the friends of the great Whoore, who bring the bewitching Doctrine of enchaunting Traditions. Her doves Eyes looke pleasantly upon the well attired Harlot. Her sweet Voice is mumming and muttering some missall and magicall Liturgies. Her faire Necke beareth the halter-like tokens of her former captivity, even a burden some chaine of superfluous and superstitious Ceremonies. Her undefiled Garments are stained with the meretricious braverie of Babylonish ornaments, and with the symbolizing badges of conformity with Rome. Her harmelesse Hands reach bricke and mortare to the building of Babel. Her beautifull Feet with shooes, are all besmeared, whiles they returne apace in the way of Egypt, and wade the ingruent brookes of Popery. Oh transformed Virgine! whether is thy beauty gon from thee? Oh forlorne Princes Daughter! how art thou not ashamed to looke thy Lord in the face? Oh thou best beloved among Women what hast thou to doe with the inveagling appurtenances and abilement of Babylon the Whoore?—But among such things as have beene the accursed meanes of the Churches desolation, those which peradventure might seeme to some of you to have least harme or evill in them, are the Ceremonies of kneeling in the act of receiving the Lords Supper, Crosse in Baptisme, Bishopping, Holy-dayes, &c. which are pressed under the name of things indifferent. Yet if you survey the sundry inconveniences and grievous consequences of the same, you will thinke farre otherwise. The vame shewes and shaddowes of these Ceremonies have …id and obscured the substance of Religion. The true life of godlinesse is smoared downe and suppressed by the burthen of these human inventions. For their sakes, many, who are both faithfull Servants to Christ, and loyall Subjects to the King, are evill spoken of, mocked, reproached, menaced, molested. For their sakes, Christian brethren are offended, and the weake are greatly scandalized. For their sakes, the most powerfull & painfull Ministers in the Land, are either thrust out, or threatned to be thrust out from their callings. For their sakes, the best qualified and most hopefull Exspectants are debarred from entering into the Ministery. For their sakes, the Seminaries of Learning are so corrupted, that few or no good plants▪ can come forth from thence. For their sakes, many are admitted into the sacred Ministery, who are either Pop shand Arminianized, who minister to the flocke poyson in stead of food; or silly ignorants, who can dispense no whollesome food to the hungry; or else vitious in their lives, who draw many with them into the dangerous p…ecipies of Soule-perd…ion; or lastly, …o …rthly minded, that they savour only the things of this earth, not the things of the Spirit of God, who feed them selves, but not the flock, & to whom the great Sheepheard of the Sheepe will say. kEzech. 34. 4.The deseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sicke, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought againe that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost. Simple ones, who have some taste and relish of Popish superstition, (for many such there be in the Land) doe sucke from the intoxicate dugs of Conformity, the foster-milke which makes them grow in Error. And who can be ignorant, what a large spread, Poperie, Arminianisme, and reconciliation with Rome, have taken among the Arch-urgers of the Ceremonies? What marvell, that Papists clap their hands? for they see the day comming which they wish for. W…e to thee O Land, which beares professed Papists and avouched A heists, but can not beare them who desire to l1. Thess. 5. 22.abstaine from all appearance of evill: For mIsa. 59. 14. 15.…ruth and equity are fallen in thee, and he that departeth from evill maketh himself a prey.
These are the best wares which the bigge hulke of Conformity, favoured with the prosperous gale of mighty Auctority, hath imported amongst us. And whiles our Opposites so quiverly goe about to spread the bad wares of these encombring inconveniences, is it time for us luskishiy to …it still, and to be silent? nIer. 6. 4.Woe unto us, for the day goeth away, for the shaddowes of the evening are stretched out.
Moreover, besides the prevailing inconveniency of the controverted Ceremonies, the unlawfulnesse of them is also plainly evinced in this ensuing Dispute, by such convincing Arguments, as beeing duely pondered in the equall ballance of an attentive mind, shall by Gods grace afforde satisfaction to so many as purpose to buy the Trueth, and not to sell it. Wherefore referring to the Dispute the points themselves which are questioned, I am in this place to beseech you all by the mercies of God, that remembring the word of the Lord; o1. Sam. 2. 30.Them that honour me I will honour, and they that … me shall be lightly esteemed: remembring also the pIudg. 5. 23.curse and condemnation of Meroz, which came not to help the Lord against the mighty: qNeh. 3. 5.of the nobles of Tekoa, who put not their necks to the worke o… the Lord: and shortly, of all such as rIer. 9 3.have no courage for the Truteh, but sPhil. 2. 21.seeke their owne things, not the things which are Iesus Christs: and finally, taking to heart how the Lord Iesus, when he commeth in the Glory of his Father with his holy Angels, tMark. 8. 38.will be ashamed of every one who hath beene ashamed of him and his words, in the midst of a sinfull and crooked generation; you would with a holy zeale & invincible courage, against all contrary error, superstition, and abuse whatsoever, set your selves both to speake and doe, and likewise (having a calling) to suffer for the True…h of Christ, and for the purity of his worship, wPhil. 1. 28. 1. Pet. 3. …4.beeing in nothing terrified by your Adversaries. Which that ye may the better perform, I commend to your thoughts these wholesome Admonirions which follow.
I. When you see so much diversity both of opinion and practise in things pertaining to Religion, the rather you ought to give all diligence, I.xPhil. 1. …for trying the things which are different. If you Iudge us before you heare us, then yIo. 7. 51. Act. 5. 16.doe you contrary to the very Law of Nature and Nations. Neither will it help you at your reckoning, to say, we believed our spirituall Guides, our Prelates and Preachers whom God had set over us. Nay: What if your Guides be blind? Then they doe not only fall in the ditch themselves, but zMath. 15. 14.you with them. aIo. 5. 33. 34. 39.Our Master would not have the Iewes to rest upon the Testimony of Iohn Baptist himselfe, but would have them to search the Scriptures: by which touch-stone bAct. 17. 11.the Bereans tryed the Apostles owne Doctrine, and are commended for so doing. But as we wish you not to condemne our cause, without examining the same by the Word, so neither doe we desire you blindly to follow us in adhereing unto it. For what if your seeing Guides be taken from you? How then shall you see to keep out of the ditch? We would neither have you to fight for us, nor against us, like the blind swordeplayers Andabatae, a people who were said to fight with their eyes closed. c2. Tim. 2. 7.Consider therefore what we say, and the Lord give you understanding in all things.
II. Since the God of Heaven is the greatest King, who is to rule and raigne over you by his Word, which he hath published to II.the world, and tunc vere, &c. Then is God truly said to raigne in us when no wordly thing is harboured and haunted in our soules, saith dE…arr. in Luc. 17.Theophylactus: since al…o eRom. 8. 7.the wisedome of the flesh is enimi…y against God, f1. Cor. 1. 20.who hath made foolish the wisedome of this world: Therefore never shall you rightly deprehend the truth of God, not submit your selves to be guided by the same, unlesse laying aside all the high soaring fancies and presumptuous conceits of naturall and worldly wisdome, you come in a unfained humility and babe-like simplicity, to be edifyed by the Word of righteousnesse. And farre lesse shall you ever take up your crosse and follow Christ, (as you are required,) gMath. 16. 24.except first of all you labour & learne to deni… your selves, that is, to make no reckoning what come of your selves and of all that you have in the world, so that God have glory, and your selves a good conscience, in your doings or sufferings.
III. If you would not be drawen away after the error of the wicked, III.neither fall from your owne stedfastnesse, h2. Pet. 3. 18.the Apostle Peter teacheth you, that ye must grow both in Grace and in Knowledge. For if either your minds be darkened through want of Knowledge, or your affections frozen through want of the love of God, then are you naked and not guarded against the tentations of the time. Wherefore, as the perverters of the Truth and simplicity of Religion, doe dayly multiply errors, so must you (shunning those shelfes and quicke-sands of deceiving errors, which witty, make-bates designe for you,) labour dayly for increase of Knowledge. And as they to their errors in opinion doe adde the overplus of a licentious practise and lewd conversation, so must you (having so much the more adoe to flee from their impietie) labour still for a greater measure of the lively worke of sanctifying Grace. In which respects ide …ivit. Dei. lib. 18. cap. 51.Augustine saith well, that the Adversaries of the Trueth doe this good to the true members of the Church, that the fall of those makes these to take better hold upon God.
IV. Be not deceived, to thinke that they who so eagerly presse IV.this course of Conformity, have any such end as Gods glory, or the good of his Church and profit of Religion. When a violent urger of the Ceremonies pretendeth religious respects for his proceedings, It may be well answered in klib. contra constant. AugustumHilaries words; Subrepis nomine blandienti, occidis specie religionis: thou privily creeps in with an entising title, thou kills with the pretense of religion. For, 1. It is most evidently true of these Ceremonies, which lSynops. Papism. contr. 13. q. 7. pag. 593.our Divines say of the gestures and Rites used in the Masse: They are all frivolous and hypocritical, stealing away true dovotion from the heart, and making men to rest in the outward gestures of the body. There is more sound religion among them who refuse, then among them who receive the same, even our enemies themselves beeing Iudges. The reason whereof let me give in the words of mDavenant. in Col. 2. 8. p. 186.one of our Opposites: Supervacua haec occupatio circa traditiones humanas, gignit semper ignorantiam & contemptum praeceptorum divinorum. This needlesse businesse about humaine traditions, doth ever beget the ignorance and contempt of divine commandements. 2. Where read we that the servants of God have at any time sought to advance Religion, by such hideous courses of sterne violence, as are intended and assayed against us by those who presse the Ceremonies upon us? The girking and gnibling of their unformall huggermugger, commeth nearer to Sycophaucy then to Sincerity, and is sibber to appeaching Hostility, then fraternall Charity. For just so they deale with us, as the Arrians did with the Catholikes of old. nOsiand. hist. Ecclescent. 4. in Epist. dedic.Sin…ros, &c. The sincere teachers of the Churches they delated and accused before Magistrates, as if they alone did continually perturbe the Churches peace and tranquillity, and did only labour that the divided Churches might never againe piously grow togither: and by this calumny they persuaded politick and civill men (who did not well enough understand thu busines) that the godly teachers of the Churches should be cast forth into exile, and the Arrian wolfes should be sent into the sheepfolds of Christ. Now, forasmuch as God hath said, oIs. 9. 11.they shall not burt nor destroy in all my holy montaine, And will not have his flocke to be ruled pEzech. 34. 4.with force and with cruelty: Nec potest (saith qlib. 5. cap. 20.Lactantius) aut veritas cum vi, aut Iustitia cum crudelitate conjungi: Neither can either trueth be conjoyned with violence, or righteousnesse with cruelty: Therefore, if our Opposites would make it evident, that they are in very deed ledde by religious aimes, let them refile from their violent proceedings, and deale with us in the spirit of meeknesse, shewing us from Gods Word and good reason, the equity of their cause, & iniquity of ours. Wherein we require no other thing of them, then that which (r) Lactantius required of the Adversaries of his profession, even that they would debate the matter verbis potius quam verberibus: by words rather then by whippes. Distringant aciem ingeniorem suorum: si ratio eorum vera est, asseratur: parati sumus audire, si doceant. Let them draw out the sharpenesse of their ingines: If their reason be true let it be averred: we are ready to heare, if they teach us. 3. If their aimes were truly for the advancement of Religion, how comes it to passe, that whiles they make so much adoe, and move every stone against us for our modest refusing of obedience to certaine ordinances of men, which in our consciences we are perswaded to be unlawfull, they manumisse & set free the Simony, Lying, Swearing, prophanation of the Sabbath, Drunkennesse, Who ordome, with other grosse and scandalous vices, of some of their owne side, by which Gods owne Commandements are most fearfully violated? This just recrimination we may well use for our owne most lawfull defence. Neither doe we hereby intend any mans shame (God knowes) but his reformation rather. We wish from our hearts we had no reason to challenge our Opposites of that superstition taxed in the Pharisees, quod argnebant, &c. that they accused the Disciples of litle things, and themselves were guilty in great things; saith senarrat. in Math. 15.Nicolaus Gorranus.
V. Doe not account Ceremonies to be matters of so small importance, V.that we need not stand much upon them, for as tEccl. pol. lib. 5. s. 65.Hooker observeth, a Ceremony, through custome worketh very much with people. wpraef. of the answ. pag. 14.Dr. Burgesse alledgeth for his writing about Ceremonies, that the matter is important, for the consequence of it. xPopish praefud c. 10.Camero thinketh so much of Ceremonies, that he holdeth our simplicity to notifie, that we have the true Religion, and that the Religion of Papists is superstitious, because of their Ceremonies. To say the truth, a Church is in so farre true or hypocriticall, as it mixeth or not mixeth humane inventions with Gods holy worship. And hence, yCent. 2. cap. 2. col. 109.the Magdeburgians professe, that they write of the Ceremonies, for making a difference betwixt a true and a hypocriticall Church. Vera enim Ecclesia, &c. For a true Church as it retaines pure Doctrine, so also it keeps simplicity of Ceremonies, &c. but a hypocriticall Church, as it departs from pure Doctrine, so for the most part, it changeth and augmenteth the Ceremonies instituted of God, and multiplieth its owne Traditions, &c. And as touching our controverted Ceremonies in particular, if you consider what we have written against them, you shall easily perceive that they are matters of no small, but very great consequence. Howbeit these be but the beginnings of evills, and there is a worse galamafrie gobbet-wise prepared. It hath beene zCron. Turcic. Tom. 3. l. 4. p. 63.observed of the warring Turkes that often they used this notable deceit, to send a lying rumour and a vaine tumult of warre to one place, but in the meane while to addresse their true forces to another place, that so they might surprize those who have beene unwarrily ledde by pernicious credulity. So have we manifest (alas too too manifest) reasons, to make us conceive, that whiles the chief urgers of the course of Conformity, are skirmishing with us about the triffeling Ceremonies (as some men count them,) they are but labouring to hold our thoughts so bent and intent upon those smaller quarrells, that we may forget to distinguish betwixt evills immanent and evills imminent, and that we be not too much awake to espie their secre…t slight in compassing further aimes.
VI. Neither let the pretence of Peace and Vnity coole your fervour, or make you spare to oppose your selves unto those idle and idolized Ceremonies, against which we dispute. For whiles our Opposites make a vaine shew and pretence of Peace, they doe like the aAugust. de civ. Dei. lib. 3. c. 25.Romans, who built the Temple of Concord just in the place where the seditious outrages of the two Gracchi Tiberius and Cajus had beene acted: bib. c. 26.which Temple, in the subsequent times, did not restraine, but by the contrary, give further scope unto more bloudie seditions. So that they should have built Discord a Temple in that place rather then Concord, as Augustine pleasantly tickleth them. Doe our Opposites thinke that the bane of Peace, is never in yeelding to the course of the time, but ever in refuising to yeeld? or will they not rather aknowledge, that as a man cOvid. Metam. lib. 15.is said to be made drunke by drinking the water of Lyncestus a river of Macedonia, no lesse then if he had filled himself with the strongest wine, so one may be inebriat with a contentious humour, in standing stifly for yeelding, as well as in standing stedfastly for refuising? Peace is violated by the Oppugners of the Trueth, but established by the Professors of the same. For (as was rightly said dapud Binium Tom. 4. Concil. part. 1. pag. 630.by Georgius Scholarius in the Councell of Florence) the Churches Peace can neither stay among men, the trueth beeing unknowen; neither can it but needs returne, the trueth beeing knowen. Nec veritate ignorata manere inter homines potest, nec illa agnita necessario non redire. We must therefore be mortaised togither, not by the subscudines of Error, but by the bands of Trueth and unity of Faith. And we goe the true way to regaine Peace, whiles we sue for the removall of those Popish Ceremonies, which have both occasioned and nourished the Discord: We only refuse that Peace (falsely so called) which will not permit us to brooke Purity: and that because (as eNo peace with Rome sect. 2.Ioseph Hall noteth) fIames. 3. 17.S. Iames describeth the wisdome which is from above, to be first pure, then peaceable. Whence it commeth that g2 Cor. 6. 15. 16.there can be no concord betwixt Christ and Antichrist, nor any communion betwixt the Temple of God and Idolls. Atque ut Caelum, &c. And though Heaven and Earth should happen to be mingled togither, yet the sincere worship of God and his sacred Trueth, wherein eternall Salvation is laid up for us, should irorthily be unto us of more estimation then a hundreth worlds, saith hlib. Epist. col. 298.Calvine. iMedit. in Apoc. 2. & 3.Iohn Foxe judgeth it better, to contend against those who preferre their owne Traditions to the Commandements of God, then to be at peace with them. True it is,—Pax optima rerum, Quas homini novisse datum est.—Yet I trust, we may use the words of that great Adiap…orist kde offic. pii viri.Georgius Cassander. Ea demum vera, &c. That alone (saith he) is true and solid Christian Peace, which is conjoyned with the glory of God, and the obedience of his will, and is sejoyned from all depravation of the Heavenly Doctrine and divine worship.
VII. Beware also you be not deceived with the pretence of the VII.Churches consent, and of uniformity as well with the auncient Church, as with the now-reformed Churches, in the formes and customes of both. For, 1. our Opposites can not shew that the signe of the Crosse was received and used in the Church before Tertullian, except they alleadge either the Montanists or the Valentinian Heretickes for it. Neither yet can they shew, that apparrell proper for Divine Service, and distinguished from the common, is more auncient then the dayes of Pope Caelestinus. Nor lastly, that kneeling in the act of receiving the Communion was ever used before the time of Pope Honorius the 3. They can not prove any one of the controverted Ceremonies to have beene in the Church the first two hundreth years after Christ, except the feast of Easter (which yet can neither be proven to have beene observed in the Apostels owne age, nor yet to have beene established in the after age by any Law, but only to have crept in by a certaine privat custome) and for some of them they can not find any cleare Testimony for a long time thereafter: Now, in the 3. Centurie, lOsiand. hist. eccl. Cent. 3. lib. 3. cap. 11.Histeriographers observe, that Paulatim Ceremoniae auctae sunt, hominum superstitiosorum opinionibus: Vnde in Baptismo unctionem Olei, Crucis Signaculum, & Osculum addiderunt. Ceremonies were by litle and litle augmented, by the opinions of superstitious men: whence it was that they added the unction of Oyle, the signe of the Crosse, and a Kisse in Baptisme. And in the Fourth Centurie mMagd. Cent. 4. cap. 6. col. 440.they say, Subinde magis magisque, Traditiones humanae cumulatae sunt. Forth with humane Traditions were more and more augmented. And so from that time forward, vaine and idle Ceremonies were still added to the worship of God, till the same was under Poperie wholy corrupted with superstitious Rites. Yea and nCassand. Anglic. pag. 104.Mr. Sprint hath told us even of the first two hundereth years after Christ, that the Divell in those dayes beganne to sow his tares (as the watchmen beganne to sleep) both of false Doctrine and corrupt Ceremonies. And now, though some of the controverted Ceremonies have beene kept and reserved in many (not all) the reformed Churches, yet they are not therefore to be the better liked of. For the reason of the reservation, was, because some reverend Divines who dealt and laboured in the reformation of those Churches, perceaving the occurring lets and oppositions which were caused by most dangerous Shismes and Seditions, and by the raging of bloudy warres, scarcely exspected to effectuat so much as the purging of the Church from fundamentall errors and grosse Idolatry: which wrought them to be content, that lesser abuses in Discipline and Church policie should be then tollerated, because they saw not how to overtake them all at that time. In the meane while they were so farre from desiring any of the Churches to retaine these Popish Ceremonies, which might have convenient occasion of ejecting them, (farre lesse to recall them beeing once ejected,) that they testifyed plainly their dislike of the same, and wished, that those Churches wherein they lived, might have some blessed opportunity to be rid of all such rotten Relicks, riven Ragges, and rotten Remainders of Poperie. All which, since they were once purged away from the Church of Scotland, and cast forth as things accursed into the Iakes of eternall detestation, how vile and abominable may we now call the resuming of them? Or what a piacular prevarication is it, to borrow from any other Church which was lesse reformed, a patterne of policie for this Church which was more reformed. But, 2. though there could be more alledged for the Ceremonies, then truly there can be, either from the customes of the Auncient, or Reformed Churches, yet doe our oCassand. Ang. p. 83. 85. 93. 110.Opposites themselves professe, that they will not Iustify all the Ceremonies either of the Auncient or Reformed Churches. And inded who dare take this for a sure rule, that we ought to follow every auncient and universaly receaved custome? For as Casaubone pExerc. 14 cap. 11.sheweth, though the Churches consent ought not to be contemned, yet we are not alwayes to hold it for a Law or a right rule. And doe not our qMarlor. in Rom. 15. 22.Divines teach, that nihil faciendum est ad aliorum exemplum, sed juxta Verbum, Nothing is to be done according to the example of others, but according to the Word Vt autem, &c. As the multitude of them who erre (saith rHist. eccl. Cent. 4. l. 3. cap 38. pag. 3…2.Osiander,) so long prescription of time purchaseth no patrociny to error.
VIII. Moreover, because the foredecke and hindecke of all our VIII.Opposites probations, doe resolve and rest finally into the Auctority of a Law, and Auctority they use as a sharpe knife to cut every Gordian knot which they can not unloose, and as a dreadfull pale to sound so loud in all ears, that reason can not be heard: therefore we certiorat you with slib. Epist. col. 446.Calvine, that Si acquievistis imperio, pessimo laqueo vos induistis. If you have acquiesced in Auctority, you have wrapped your selves in a very evill snare. As touching any ordinance of the Church, we say with tde auth. Scrip. lib. 1. pag. 129.Whittakers, Obediendum Ecclesiae est, sed jubenti ac docenti recta. We are to obey the Church, but commmanding and teaching right things. Surely, if we have not proven the controverted Ceremonies, to be such things as are not right to be done, we shall straight obey all the Ceremoniall Lawes made thereanent. And as for the Civill Magistrates parte, is it not holden, (w) that he may not injoyne us to doe that, whereof we have not good ground to doo it of faith? And that, although all thy externall condition is in (u) Taylor upon Tit. 3. 1. pag. 552.the power of the Magistrate, yet internall things, as the keeping of faith and obedience and a good conscience, are not in his power. For xRom. 14. 12.every one of us shall give account of himself to God. But untill you heare more in the Dispute of the power which either the Church or the Magistrate hath to enact Lawes anent things belonging to the worship of God, and of the binding power of the same, let me adde here touching humane Lawes in generall, that where we have no other reason, to warrand unto us, the doing of that which a humane Law prescribeth, beside the bare will and auctority of the Law-maker, in this case a humane Law can not bind us to obedience. y1a 2a. q. 95. art. 3.Aquinas holdeth with Isidore, that a humane Law (among other conditions of it) must both be necessary for removing of some evill, and likewise profitable for guiding us to some good. zCas Consc. lib. 3 cap. 3. num. 60.Gregorius Sayrus following them herein, saith, debet lex homines a malo retrahere, & ideo dicitur necessaria: debet etiam promovere in bonum, & ideo dicitur utilis. A Law ought to draw back men from evill, and therefore is called necessary: it ought also te promove them unto good, and therefore is called profitable. Humane Lawes (in aEccl. pol. l. 1. sect. 10.Mr. Hookers judgment) must teach what is good, and be made for the benefite of men. bNatal. Comit. mythol. lib. 2. cap. 7.Demosthenes describeth a Law, to be such a thing cui convenit omnibus parere, which it is convenient for every one to obey. cpr…lect. tom. 1. pag. 367.Camero not only alloweth us to seeke a reason of the Churches Lawes (non enim (saith he) verae Ecclesiae libet leges ferre quarum non reddat rationem. It pleaseth not the true Church to make and publish Lawes whereof shee giveth not a reason:) but dibid. pag. 372.he will likewise have us, in such things as concerne the glory and honour of God, not to obey the Lawes of any Magistrate, blindly and without a reason. There was one saith eSerm on Ioh. 16. 7.the Bishop of Winchester, that would have his will stand for reason. And was there none such among the people of God? Yes: we find 1. Sam. 2. one of whom it was said, Thus it must be, for Hophni will not have it so, but thus. His reason is, for he will not. And God graunt none such be found among Christians. From Scripture we learne that fRom. 13. 4.neither hath the Magistrate any power, but for our good only, gEphes 4. 12.nor yet hath the Church any power, but for our edification only. Law-makers therefore may not injoyne quod-libet, that which liketh them, nay nor allwayes quod licet, that which is in it self lawfull, but only quod expedit, that which is expedient and good for edifying. And to them we may well say with hapolog. cap. 4.Tertullian, Iniquam exercetis dominationem si ideo negatis licere, quia vultis, non quia debuit non licere. You exercise unjust dominion, if therefore you denie any thing to be free, because you will so, not because it ought not to be free. Besides all this, there is nothing which any way pertaineth to the worship of God left to the determination of humane Lawes, beside the mere circumstances, which neither have any holinesse in them, forasmuch as they have no other use and praise in Sacred, then they have in Civill things; nor yet were particularly determinable in Scripture, because they are infinite. But sacred significant Ceremonies such as Crosse, Kneeling, Surplice, Holy dayes, Bishopping, &c. which have no use and praise except in Religion only, and which also were most easily determinable (yet not determined) within those bounds which the wisedome of God did set to his written Worde, are such things as God never left to the determination of any humane Law. Neither have men any power to burthen us with those or such like ordinances: For iRevel. 2. 24. 25.saith not our Lord himselfe to the Churches, I will put upon you none other burden: but that which ye have allready hold fast till I come. Wherefore pro hac, &c. kConrad. Pfeilen clav. theol. art. 9. pag. 373.For this liberty we ought stoutly to fight against false Teachers. Finally, it is to be noted. that though in some things we may and doe commendably refuse obedience to the Lawes of those whom God hath set over us, yet are we ever obliged (and accordingly intend) still to subject our selves unto them. For to be subject, doth signify (as lcomm. in Ephes. 5. de subject.Zanchius sheweth) to be placed under, to be subordinat, and so to give honour and reverence to him who is above, which may well stand without obedience to every one of his Lawes. Yea and mof the Church lib. 4. cap. 34.Dr. Field also tells us, that subjection is generally and absolutely required, where obedience is not.
IX. Forasmuch as some ignorant ones are of opinion, that when IX.they practise the Ceremonies neither perceiving any unlawfulnesse in them, (but by the contrary beeing perswaded in their consciences of the Lawfullnesse of the same) nor yet having any evill meaning (but intending Gods glory and the peace of the Church) therefore they practise them with a good conscience. Be not ye also deceived, but rather advert unto this, that a peaceable conscience allowing that which a man doth, is not ever a good conscience, but often times an Erring, Bolde, Presuming, Secure, yea perhaps a Seared conscience. A good Conscience, the testimony whereof giveth a man true peace in his doings, is, and is only such a one, as is rightly informed out of the Word of God. Neither doth a good meaning excuse any evill action, or else they who killed the Apostles were to be excused, because in so doing mIo. 16. 2.they thought they did God good service. It is the observation even of nAquin. 2…. 2…. q. 43. art. 1. Stella in Luc. 17. 1.Papists, that men may commit many a soule-ruinating scandall, though they intend no such thing as the ruine of soules.
X. If once you yeeld to these English Ceremonies, think not that thereaf…er you can keep yourselves backe from any greater X.evills or grosser corruptions which they draw after them. For as it is just with God oThess. 2. 10. 11.to give such men over to strong delusions, as have not receaved the love of the Trueth, nor taken pleasure in the sincerity of his worship: so there is not a more deceitfull and dangerous tentation then in yeelding to the beginnings of evill. He that is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much pLuc. 16. 10.sai…h he who could not lye. When Vrijah the Priest had once pleased King Ahaz, in making an Altar like unto that of Damascus, he was afterward ledde on to please (q) 2. King. 16 10. to the 16.him in a greatter matter, even in forsaking the Altar of the Lord, and in offering all the Sacrifices upon the Altar of Damascus. All your winning or losing of a good conscience, is in your first buying: for such is the deceitfullnesse of sinne, and the cunning convoyance of that old Serpent, that if his head be once entering in, his whole body will easily follow after, and if he make you handsomely to swallow gnats at first, he will make you swallow Camells ere all be done. O happy they, rPsal. 137. 9.who dash the litle ones of Babylon against the stones!
XI. Doe not reckon it enough to beare within the inclosure of XI.your secret thoughts, a certaine dislike of the Ceremonies and other abuses now set afoot, except both by profession and action you evidence the same, and so shew your faith by your fact. We are constrained to say to some among you, with Elijah, (How long halt ye (s) 1. King. 18. ….between two opinions? and to call unto you with Moses, tExod. 32. 26.Who is on the Lords side? Who? (w) Be not deceived: God is not mocked. And xMath. 6. 24.No man can serve two masters. Howsoever yMark. 9. 40.he that is not against (u) Gal. 6. 7.us, protanto, is with us, that is, in so farre, as he is not against us, in as farre he so obligeth himself unto us that he can not lightly speake evill of our cause, and zPhil. 1. 18.we therein rejoyce, & will rejoyce; yet simpliciter, aMath. 12. 30.he that is not with us is against us, that is, he who by Profession and Practise sheweth not himself to be on our side, is accounted before God to be our enemy.
XII. Think not the wounds which the Church hath received by the meanes of these nocent Ceremonies to be so deadly and desperate, XII.as if there were no balme in Gilead. Neither suffer your minds so farre to miscarry, as to thinke that ye wish well to the Church and are heartily sorry that matters frame with her as they doe, whiles in the meane time you assay no meanes, you take no paines and travell for her help. bEsther 4.When King Ahasswerus had given forth a decree for the utter extirpation of the Iewes, Mordecay feared not to tell Esther that if shee should then hold her peace, enlargement and deliverance should arise unto the Iewes from another place, but shee and her fathers house should be destroyed. Whereupon shee, after three dayes humiliation and Prayer to God, put her very life in hazard by going in to supplicat the King, which was not according to the Law. But now (alas) there are too many Professours who detract themselves from undergoing lesser hazards for the Churches liberty, yea, from using those very defences which are according to the Lawes of the Kingdome. Yet most certaine it is, that without giving diligence in the use of the meanes, you shall neither convince your Adversaries, nor yet exoner your owne consciences, nor lastly have such comfort in the day of your suffering as otherwise you should. I know that principally and above all we are cHeb. 5. 7.to offer up to God, Prayers and Supplications with strong crying and teares, which are the weapons of our spirituall warrefare: but as this ought to be done, so the atchieving of other secundary meanes, ought not to be left undone.
If you misregard these things whereof in the name of God I have admonished you, and draw back your helping hands from the reproached and afflicted cause of Christ, for which we plead, then doe not put evill farre from you, for wrath is determined against you. And as for you, my deare brethren, and Country men of Scotland, as dSpeed. Hist. of Brit. book 6. chap. 9. s. 9.it is long, since first Christianity was preached and professed in this Land: as also it was blessed with a most glorious and much renounned Reformation: and further, as the Gospell hath beene longer continued in purity and peace with us then with any Church in Europe: Moreover, as the Church of Scotland hath treacherously broken her bonds of oath and subscription, wherewith other Churches about us were not so tied: and finally, as Almighty God, though he hath almost consumed other Churches by his dreadfull Iudgments, yet hath shewed farre greater longsuffering-kindnesse toward us, to reclaime us to repentance, though (notwithstanding of all this,) we goe on in a most dolefull security, induration, blindnesse, and backsliding. So now in the most ordinary course of Gods Iustice, we are certainly to exspect, that after so many mercies, so great longsuffering, and such a long day of grace, all despised, hee is to send upon us such Iudgements as should not be believed though they were tolde. O Scotland! understand and turne againe, or else as GOD lives, most terrible Iudgements are abiding thee.
But if you lay these things to heart, if you be humbled before God for the provocation of your defection, and turne back from the same, if with all your hearts, and according to all your power, you bestow your best endeavours for making help to the wounded Church of Christ, and for vindicating the cause of pure Religion, yea though it were w…th the losse of all that you have in the world eLactant. lib. 5. c. 20.(augetur enim Religio Dei, quo magis premitur, Gods true Religion is enlarged, the more it is pressed downe;) then shall you not only escape the evills which shall come upon this generation, but likewise, be recompensed a hundreth folde with the sweet consolations of Gods Spirit here, and with the immortall Crowne of never fading glory hence. Now, our Lord Iesus Christ himself, and God even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation, and good hope through grace, stablish you and keep you from evill, that ye may be presented before his Throne. The Grace of our Lord IESUS CHRIST be with you all.
AMEN.