Against Symbolizing with Antichrist in Ceremonies, Part · Chapter 2 · Section 8

Against Symbolizing with Antichrist in Ceremonies · Part · Chapter 2 · Section 8

p. 71#Sect. 8. The Oppoſites that affirme their Ceremonies to come from the primitiue Church immediatlie, and not from poperie, are confused.

THe ſeconde ſide of our Oppoſites, will not deny but that it is a thing vnſeemly for the Church (the ſpouſe of Chriſt) to attire hir ſelfe with the caſt apparell of the harlot of Rome, therefore they turne to an other angle, and ſtoutly deny that theſe ceremonies come from thence Dic colorem? why the parties from whom we receiue them (immediatly) are the Fathers of the moderne Church; the parties from whom we receiue them mediatly, are the fathers of the primatiue Church. Concerning the former, Our reuerend Fathers impoſe theſe rites, and from their hands we take them. But they, from whom? why (thinke ye) they intend any imitation of the papiſtes? no, they impoſe them out of policie (as rites of order) for the Churches good. Firſt, this anſwer of a good intend is meerly cauillous. any ſinner may vſe it and neuer be caſt, vnleſſe he confeſſe againſt himſelfe. And the papiſt himſelfe doth vſe it, who pleadeth the very ſame intention that we do, to wit, that he doth vſe his franckencenſe, not as it is Iewiſh, but asaaThom. Aquin. p. 3. q. 83. ar. 5. commaunded by the Church; and his holy water, not as it is a rite of the heathen, but as anbbDurant. de rit. lib. 1. ca. 2…. ſect. 6.7. ordinance of the Churches. Secondly, There hauehave ben (and are) many vnlawfull imitations which want intention to follow and imitate vnlawfully thorough the ſame carnall wiſedom; which when it ſeeth an example of it ſelfe in aliens, it begetteth in mens hartes an Image thereof. For example, The Iubile of the Iewes and the ſight therof, hath begotten a liuely Image of it ſelfe in the popiſh Iubile. p. 72Howbeit without intention, ſith theyccClement. 8 Bulla. Iubile. deny this Iubile is drawen or borrowed of the Iewes, as peremptorily as we deny that theſe ceremonies controuerſed are borrowed from the Papiſts. And the conſecrating of Mars his ſword among the heathens, with the reſt of their Gods reliques, hathddTho. Moreſcin. in verb. enſis martis. begotten in Rome (howbeit perchaunce without any intent to imitate a reuerencing of Ioſephes breeches; Thomas his ſhooes; Martins bootes; Georges ſword: and all other reliques of their Sainctes. The Pagan gods painted the beaſtes which they did louelove, and the ſight thereof: aseeAlexand. ab Alexandro. lib. 3. cap. 12. Iſis ſtanding in her Temple with her Gooſe, Venus with her Doue, Apollo ffIdem. li. 4. cap. 12.Smynthius with his Mouſe, Minerua with her Dragon; and the Garlands and bunches of grapes wherewith Bacchus was painted, hathggHoſpin. de imag. ca. 9. fol. 43. begotten (though perchaunce without intent of imitation) the like reuerence in Rome to the beaſts of their ſaincts, ſo that in their Churches Wendòline is ſet forth with ſheepe. Antonie with a Pigge, Martine with his Geeſe, Euſtachius with his Dogges and Deere, Gertrude with her Mice, George with his Horſe and Dragon, and Vrban is painted (ſucceſſor of Bacchus) with his wine-pots and with his grapes. Thirdly, our Church may eaſily be euicted of an intention to imitate the Papiſts, if not explicit, yet implicit by the open markes therof which droppe downe in our wayes. The firſt of theſe is emulation. For can we denie we vſe the Croſſe to the end: we may not ſeeme to lacke any good and auncient ceremonies which are in Rome? nowe this ſufficeth to euict an intended borrowing of them, as doth appeare by theſe examples.hhSozomen. lib. 5. ca. 15 Iulian is ſaid to borrow from the Chriſtians when hee did like vntounto them: to wit, adorne his Idols Temples, Secundum Chriſtianorum traditionem, and appointed all rites of credit, ex aequo reſpondentes, leaſt his Religion ſhould ſeeme to lacke any good order, which the Chriſtian religion had. And the heretiques are ſaid to borrow from the Chriſtians when in like manner, ad imitationem Eccleſiae, Pſalmos llDurant de rit. lib. 3. cap. 13. ſect. 9.componebant & canebant, not to ſeeme leſſe deuout then they. The Pope is ſayd to borrow from the Emperour in like ſort a ceremony of ſtate, When hee dight himſelfe a triple crowne, not to ſeeme inferior to him. For he did it tommTho. Moreſcin. in verb. coron vi… that triple crowne which the Emperour had. The firſt of ſiluer at Aquiſgrane. The ſecond of Iron, at Millane. The third of gold which he receiued at Rome, as may partly appeare by this. We neuer reade of the PopesnnPlatina. in Paſchal. 2. Tiara, till after the broyles of Gregorie the ſeuenth, which was one of the firſt that openly did ſet vp himſelfe aboue his Maiſter. To come neere home: Chryſoſtome is ſaid to borrow from the Arrians, their ſinging Pſalmes in the ſtreetes as they went to Church, ſingulari pietatis ſpecie, when leaſt the people ſhould be carried away with this hypocriticall ſhew of pieti, he did ſimilia ooSocrat. li. 6. cap. 8. Sozomen. lib. 8. ca. 8.inſtituere. Additis ardentibus facibus & argenteis quibuſdam crucibus. The ſecond marke of intent to borrow, is conformitie with Papiſts to winne them, euen as Paul indented an imitation of Iewiſh rites when he ſhaued his head at Cenchrea, and in ceremonies that were indifferent, He became all things to all men, to the intent hee might ſaue ſome. So the Chriſtians intended, (and thatppCalſh. art. 6. fol. 128 & art. 1. fol 25. faultely as we cenſure it) to imitate one of the heatheniſh rites, when inſteed of SerapisqqRuffin. li. 2 cap. 29. Sozomen. li. 7. ca. 15. T. they ſet vp a Croſſe to winne them. How can we denie we borrow from Rome, when we profeſſe and beare before vsus, we take their Surplice and their Croſſe into our Churches to winne them the ſooner, and to giuegive contentment to them? For this is not onelyonly the common plea for the ceremonies nowrrExamin. of the declarat of the Miniſters of Lond. adayes, but euen at firſt, when as Maiſter Hooker ssSee. Parſons conuerſ. of Engl. pa. 2. ca p 12. ſect. 21.and Maiſter Rogers miſliked the likeneſſe of our ſeruice with the Maſſe-booke. It was (I ſay) euen then pleaded that this conformitie was needfull to fit and pleaſe the Papiſts. The third marke of intent, is commutation. For as goods found in a mans houſe induſtriouſly chaunged into his owne marke, is euident ſufficient he purpoſely ſtole them, ſo our carefull changing of the Croſſe into our owne liuery euicteth plainely that wee hauehave taken it from the Papiſtes. p. 73For we are heerby in the caſe of the papiſtes, whoſe proceſſions arettPolydor. Virgil de inuentor. rerum li. 6. cap. 10. confeſſed to be borrowed from the heathens, in that they hauehave changed them into Chriſtian Letanies, the heatheniſh banner which was the Labarum or theuuApulei. Maetamor. phoſ li. 11. Caducius Mercurij being chopt into a Croſſe. Did not the popiſhe Biſhops borrowe theirwwTho. Moreſcin. in verb poderis. Poderis from heathen prieſtes, when they changed it from woollen to ſilke? Did not Pope Eutichianus take a ceremony from the heathens, when condeſcending to the infirmitie of men conuerted from their Gentiliſme he aboliſhedxxSzegedin, in ſpecul. pontifi. Polydor. li. 6. cap. vlt. not their feaſtes in the church, but altered and changed them into refreſhings for the poore. Did not the Archbiſhop of Turone intende an imitation when he was inſtant to hauehave the ſacrifices and the feaſtes of the 11 laſt daies ofyyTho. Moreſcin in verb. pt… …es. February changed in feſtum aepularum beati Petri ad tollendum abuſum et popull ſuper ſtitionem male inſtituti in Chriſtianiſmo, vt qui adhuc faperet ſuum ethniciſmum? Seing in all theſe changes our writers do accuſe the papiſtes for an vnlawfull imitation, how can we be excuſed our ſelues who hauehave changed our Croſſe and Surplice from their Idolatrous Croſſe and Surplice in manner like vntounto the ſame end? The fourth marke is ſubſtitution. For as the brother in Moſes lawe intended a continuance of the name of the dead whē he ſubſtituted in his place an other to beare it, ſo it will be interpreted we intend to continue the name of the popiſhe Croſſe and Surplice in caſe they were dead (which were to be wiſhed) in that we raiſe other Croſſes and other Surplices to bee (as it were) their heires. By which meanes it will come to paſſe, that their names wil neuer out in the gates of the people. Surceaſe we then this ſubſtitution, or ceaſe we to charg the papiſtes for the like: as their ſubſtituting ofzzIoh. Reynold. de Idololat. lib. 1. ca. 2. ſect. 5. Mary in the place of Venus, and their ſubſtituting of other ſainctes to fill vp the roome of heathen Gods and Goddeſſes. for example: their Theodulus is the Chriſtian Aeolus. Their Agata the Chriſtian Veſta. their Nicholas & Chriſtopher the Caſtor et Pollux of the Chriſtians, their Vrban the new Bacchus. their Katherine, a late Minerua: ſayaaBulling. de origin. error. li. 1. cap. 34. our writers, becauſe they are ſought to, as hauing power ouer windes, ouer fire, ouer fea-tempeſtes, ouer wine and drinking meetings, and ouer learning: euen as the heathen ſought to the former out of an opinion they had the gouernment of the ſame things. But do we ſeeke to Croſſe and Surplice? In profeſſion we doe not, in practiſe there be too many that do, who are incoraged by our ſubſtitutiō of croſſe and Surplice in holy vſe, for whoſe ſakes we ſhould avoyd euen all ſhew, although but in parte, of their abhominable ſubſtitution. And our ſubſtitution is it not in a manner the very ſame which we miſlike in others? as when in the roome of the pagan feaſtes, which they made for their dead, the ChriſtiansbbAuguſt. confeſſ. lib. 6. cap. 2. ſubſtituted feaſtes that were like at the Martyrs memorials, as when Gregorie, ccGregor. Nyſſen. in vlt. eins.Thaumatourgus permiſit memorias Martyrum ne vulgus imperitum propter voluptates in errore ſimulacrorum permanerent, as when feaſtes were ſubſtituted to Peter, ddTheodor. de euang. veritat. cognit. li. 8Paule, Thomas, Sergius in Roome of the auncient heateniſh ſolemnities? as wheneeIoh. Criſpin. Chronolog in valent. Sixtus ſubſtituted the feaſt of Saint Peter ad vincula in place of Auguſtus feaſte, the firſt of Auguſte: for his victorie againſt Antonius & Cleopatra? as when Boniface the fourth turned the pagan Pantheon at Rome which was dedicated to all their Gods, to the Church of all Saincts, whoſe feaſte was in Maye at firſt, the ſame time that the heatheniſh feaſte was kept, wee worthely, condemne all theſe ſubſtitutions,ffIoh. Funccius. Carol. Sigon. becauſe they [ggIoh. Criſpin. in Phoca. Change] not [chaſe] awaye the old ſuperſtition, euen as our Croſſe and Surplice do not. Farre betterhhDecret. p. 2. canſ. 26. q. 7. cap. 14. Zacharie when he ſawe ſome celebrate the Kalends of Ianuarie and to feaſte and daunce Paganorum more; illico omnia haec amputauimus (ſaith he) becauſe that paganiſine (and ſo papiſme) will repullulare, vnleſſe all the cuſtomes of it be hewne downe at the roote. The fift marke and laſt of all; of an intended receauing from papiſtes is retention of ſome likenes in name, in vſe,llIoh Bohem Auban. de gent. morib… lib. 1. cap. 5. in office. Euen the papiſt himſelf wil confeſſe an imitatiō where there is a likenes, as becauſe there are like rites in Rome to them in Aegipt, therfore one ſaith, plera que , &c. p. 74many things tranſlated from the Aegyptians which hauehave crept into our religion: as the linnen garments, the turnings and windings at the Altar: the pompe of ſacrificing, the ſoundes of Muſique: with many like.mmIoh. Reynold. de Idololat. li. 1. cap. 6. ſect. 5. Our writers take part with Vigilantius againſt Hierome: therein they take part with vsus. For what was his quarrell but this, that in the reliques of Martyrs, Chriſtians came prope ritum gentilium: as all the quarrell which wee hauehave now againſt the rites that are controuerſed, is this, becauſe they come prope ritum Antichriſti, to neare the rites of Antichriſt. The Image of Ambroſe & Sebaſtian at Millaine wee ſay are heatheniſh imitations. Wherefore? becauſe the latter is notnnBulling. de origin. error. li. 1. cap. 34. multum abſimilis, to Homers Apollo caſting his deadly arrowes into the campe of the Gretians, the former ſet forth with Miter, Staffe, and Whippe isooIbid. cap. 33. haud abſimilis to Iupiter ſtator. Papiſtes reuelling at Chriſtmaſſe, is acknowledged to bee heatheniſh.ppBlond. de Rom. triumphant. lib. 2. Wherefore? Quia ſimilia à noſtris comittuntur, to thoſe ſportes which Pagans made about the fourteenth of the Calende of Ianuarie. The Parentalia which the Papiſtes performe to the dead, areqqIdem. in cod. lib. confeſſed to come from Pagans. Wherefore? becauſe Non diſsimiliter à noſtris fit. The Oſcilla which Papiſtes offer with other Imagunculae of their members cured and healed, yea of their ſheepe and horſes recouered, are profeſſed to bee an imitation, non Religionis modo, verum ſuperſtitionis etiam, of the Pagans. Wherefore? becauſe they arerrPolydor. Virgil. de inuentor. rerum. li. 5. cap. 1. Conſimilia like to thoſe expiations which the Pagans were wont to offer for their liues and for their healthes in the Chappell of Dis their God. The herſes couered with a blacke cloth, and with a white Croſſe are ſaid to be borrowed from the Pagans. Wherefore? becauſe Simile ssTho. Moreſcin. in verb. lectiſtern.Quid is heere committed to the Lectiſterina of the Pagans. Laſt of all, the Amulets & faſcinations of the Pagans are ſaid to be imitated by thettIdem. in verb. Amulate. Papiſtes, when by the Croſſe and a peece of Scripture written, they goe about to effect ſtrange things. In all theſe enſamples it is a borrowing, when the rites come neare, when they are not vnlike; when they are done according to ſome like manner; and are vſed but in like faſhion. And no maruaile, ſith he that retaineth but a rite that is like, ſinneth againſt the inhibition of this Commaundement, which to cut of from all borrowing of heretiques, condemneth all likenes with them. What (then) ſhall we ſay to a ſame-nes, in name, in office, in time and place, and other mo circumſtances? we takeuuD. Fulke in anſw. to Rhem. in apoc. 1. ver. 10. aduantage againſt the Papiſt, becauſe their feriae retaine the name of heatheniſh feaſtes: and it is thought there is a ſtrong ſymbolizing betweene Rome Paganiſh, and Rome Chriſtian in the ſportes of theirwwBlond. de Rom. triumphant. lib. 2. Carniſpriuium becauſe ſome fooſteppe do remaine of old name, time, place: and that à principio mutationis facta, à gentilium ſuperſtitione adritus Chriſtianos. Let then the Croſſe and the reſt of the ceremonies wipe their mouthes and ſay they are not borrowed, ſith all the printes of retention are marked in them not onelyonly for [likenes] but alſo for [ſame-nes.] The ſame name, the ſame time, the ſame place religious: yea and in ſome ſort the ſame office alſo. When we are forbidden to put an Aſſe and an Oxe vnderunder one yoke, we are forbidden to put men of diuerſe profeſſions into one office (ſaith thexxDecret. p. 2. cauſ. 16. qu. 7. cap. 22. Canon of the Law.) Are not our profeſſions not onelyonly diuerſe but alſo contrary? Alas (then) what doth any popiſh rite in our ſeruice, eſpecially medling with the office of the Sacrament it ſelfe?