A Christian Plea, Treatise 3 · Chapter 21 – Chapter 22
CHAPT. XXI. Touching the remnants and monuments of Idolatrie or ſuperſtition.
VVHether it be not*Deut. 7, 5, 6, 25, 26. & 12.1, 2, 3, 4, 30, 31. and 14, 1, 2. vvith 17, 18, 19, 20. Gen. 35, 1 — 4. Judg. 2, 3. 2 King, 10, 26 — 29. and 18, 4. and 23, 12 — 15. 2 Chron. 17, 6. and 30, 14. and 31, 1. & 34 chap. vvith 33, 17. and Lev. 17, 3, 4. and 14, 33 — 45. Eſa. 27, 9. Rev. 17, 16. compared vvith the dutie of the Magiſtrate, to take away and demolish all remnants and monuments of Idolatrie and ſuperſtition, Images, Altars, Temples, garments, and the like, with all maner of falſe vvorship whatſoever. And where this is not fully done, whether†Exod. 20, 4, 5, 6. and 23, 13. Ioſh. 23, 7. 1 King. 18, 32. Eſa. 17, 7, 8. and 30, 22. Dan. 1, 8. Iude, ver. 23. vvith Lev. 13, 47, 51. and 14, 46, 47, vvith ver. 33, 45. Hoſ. 2, 16. and 4, 17. and 8, 11, 14. Ioel. 3, 5. Act. 17, 13. and 19, 26, 27. 1 Cor. 8, 10, and 10, 14 — 18 — 21. 2 Cor. 6, 16, 17. Pſal. 16, 4. Rev. 2, 14, 20. and 3, 4. and 18, 4, 11, 12. &c. it be lawfull for the reformed Churches and ſyncere worshippers of God, to reteine and uſe ſuch idolatrous monuments, or remnants of ſuperſtition, in the divine ſervice and worship of God.
1. Seing the ſecond commandement forbiddeth not onelyonly the Images themſelues in the ſervice of God, but all their appurtenances: as their maner of worship, altars, prieſts, chappels, Temples, ſacrifices, veſtments, feaſt dayes, &c. Exod. 20.4.5.6. and 23.13. vvith Deu. 12.2.3.30.32. and 17.18.19.20. 1 King. 12.28 — 33. and 2 King. 10.26.27.28. and 16.10— 16. and 18 4. & 23.12 — 15. 2 Chron. 17.6. Eſa. 17.7.8. and 27.9. and 30.22. Hoſ. 2.16.17. Act. 1….23. and 19.26.27. Jude, ver. 23. vvith Lev. 13.47.51.52. 2 Cor. 6.16.17.
2. And in Iſrael it ſufficed not to remoue the Images and Altars alone, but they were alſo bound to abandon the Idol houſes, & not to uſe them at all for ſacrifice to the Lord: in ſtead of vvhichwhich ſacrifices, we hauehave now the Lords ſupper: as hath upon other occaſion ben noted here before. 1 Cor. 10.16.17.18. Deu. 12.2.3.4.5.6.7.13.14. and 16.2.5.6. 2 King. 15.35. 2 Chron. 33, 17. vvith Exod. 20, 4.5.6.
3. The reformed Churches alſo now blame the Lutherans for reteyning Images and Altars ſtill in their Temples, vvhenas they reteyne the Idoll temples themſelues. In which reſpect they should be the more carefull hereabout.
Or if the caſe be ſuch that ſome of theſe things be rejected (as the Images, Altars, veſtments, &c.) and ſome reteyned (as the Temples, & chappels, &c.) and ſome churches (being otherwiſe wel freed from Antichriſts corruptions) cannot be perſwaded but that theſe are lawfull, or at leaſt tolerable to be kept ſtill: vvhether then the miniſters or members of ſuch churches, diſallowing them, may therefore leaue thoſe churches in this behalf, after they hauehave uſed all good meanes of perſwaſion and dealing thereabout. Or whether they, and other churches alſo that doe not approue or uſe them, should now rather (with proteſtation or other like ſignification of their mynd) beare vvith them, and be borne with alſo, in theſe and the like differences; vvayting till it pleaſe God to reveale or vvork further, as he ſeeth to be beſt; and ſtill endevouring to growe up in the truth, and to nourish mutuall louelove and peace one vvith another; & (vvhat they can) to hauehave communion in the things, vvhereof both are perſvvaded, or vvherein they shall not themſelues perſonally offend, and pertake with other mens ſinnes. For vvhichwhich ſee alſo the Scriptures aforeſaid, and compare vvith them, Pſal. 122.6 — 9. Prov. 23, 23. Eccleſ. 7, 16, 17, 18. Mar. 9.38.39.40.50. Act. 21.18 — 26. 1 Cor. 4.6.7. and 9.19 — 23. and 11.16. 2 Cor. 13.8. Epheſ. 4.1 — 13. Phil. 2.1 — 4. and 3.15.16. 1 Tim. 5.22. 2 Tim. 2.13. Rev. 2. and 3 chap.
And this the more to be thought upon, ſeeing that novv there is not any one place holy, and peculiarly conſecrate to the miniſtration of the Lords ſupper, as there was of old for ſacrifice onelyonly at Ieruſalem.
2. So as now therefore a place being a generall circumſtance that perteyneth to all actions, it hath in this caſe (as clothes alſo hauehave) a civill uſe, commodious and neceſſarie for people to meet in together, and to be kept from injurie and unſeaſonablenes of the vveather, &c.
3. And ſundry things and perſons there are, which being not taken avvay by the Magiſtrates (as they ought to be) men may hauehave a good & lawfull uſe of them, ſo long as they are ſuffered to remayn. Deu. 13.12 — 18. Mat. 5, 32. 1 Cor. 5, 1, 2, 13. vvith 2 Cor. 2, 6, 7, 8.
Here therefore may for the premiſſes be conſidered that Corollarie, which M. Gomarus hath at the end of his diſputation, touching the civill Magiſtrate: vvhere he commeth thus farre, that he ſaith, the godly magiſtrate ought not, neyther can with good conſcience permit to the Papiſts that liue in his dominion and are ſubject unto him, to hauehave the uſe of the Temples for exerciſe of their idolatrous vvorſhip, and preaching of hereticall doctrine: but rather if they hauehave any they are eyther to be demoliſhed and overthrovven together vvith all Idols and falſe worſhip, or at leaſt they are to ſee them purged, and all ſuperſtitions to be removed and taken avvay. Compend. Theolog. theſibus in Academ. Lougduno Bat. concinnatum Diſput. 63.
CHAPTER XXII. Of the ſolemnization of Mariage.
VVHether the having & uſing of a ſet Leitourgie preſcribed to the Miniſters for the celebration of mariage, as for other dueties of their calling, may not argue, that it is counted as a part of their miniſterie and eccleſiaſticall function: whereas it is a civill thing, in the nature thereof: and accordingly to be uſed with thankeſgiving: being ſanctified by the vvord of God and prayer: as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh in another caſe of meates; (vvhichwhich in another reſpect alſo he ſpeaketh off, together vvith mariage) 1 Tim. 4.4.5. And vvhether the ſolemnization of mariage should not therefore be done, by the Fathers or Tutors of the parties maried; or by the civill Magiſtrate; rather then by the Miniſters, as a part of their eccleſiaſticall adminiſtration. Gen. 2, 22.23.24. and 29.21.22. Ruth 4, 1 — 13. 1 Cor. 7, 2. Heb. 13, 4. with 2 Tim. 3, 16, 17.
1. Becauſe we find not in the Scriptures, that it is a part of the eccleſiaſticall adminiſtration, layd upon the Miniſters by the vvord of God, as a peculiar dutie of their Miniſterie. Or if it were, then should the parents and Magiſtrates offend, taking upon them to doe a ſpeciall vvork of the Miniſterie, vvhenſoever they should joyne any together in the band of mariage. The contrarie whereof may appeare, by the foreſaid places of Scripture, and other the like.
2. And it appeareth, that of old it might be done by the Fathers, Tutors, or civill Magiſtrates: Gen. 29, 21, 22. and, 41, 45. Ruth 4, 1 — 13. with Heb. 13, 4. And there is no Law giuen ſince to the contrarie.
3. Moreover, Mariage is honourable among all: and the bed undefiled. And the very nature and inſtitution of Mariage is ſuch, as it apperteyneth unto all, and not onelyonly to the members of the church: but unto al others, of whatſoever religion or cōdition they be, euen to the Turkes and Pagans, &c. Heb. 13.4. 1 Cor. 7.2.12.13. Luke 9.60. Gen. 39.1.9. &c.
4. Els, vvhere there were not the Miniſters and Churches of Chriſt, there could not be had any lawful mariages: as among the Heathens, &c. The contrarie whereof may be ſeen, Heb. 13, 4. compared vvith Gen. 39.1.9. Eſter 1.9.17.20. Mat. 27.19.
5. And the Papiſts, who think that Matrimonie is a Sacrament, are the more confirmed in their errour: vvhiles they ſee that the ſolemnization thereof is by the Proteſtants annexed to the Miniſterie of the vvord, and required to be done of the Miniſters, in the churches meetings, by a preſcribed Leitourgie, as if it were a part or peculiar duety of their eccleſiaſticall miniſtration.
But if that it be not ſo required, as a peculiar duty of the Miniſterie, thē on the other hand conſider, vvhether it may not alſo be ſolemnized by the Miniſters, aſvvell as by others, and a bleſſing by them be pronounced upon the maried perſons: ſo as it be not impoſed upon them, as of neceſſitie, nor obſerved vvith ſuperſtition.