Against Symbolizing with Antichrist in Ceremonies, Part · Chapter 3 · Section 16

Against Symbolizing with Antichrist in Ceremonies · Part · Chapter 3 · Section 16

p. 155#Sect. 16. That the Croſſe evacuateth and polluteth louelove and zeale, both for matter, and meaſure.

A Third affection of the heart doth this ſigne ſeaſon with the leauen of hipocriſie, and that is louelove and zeale. whoſe vacuitie is thus deſcribed:aaBucer. in cenſur. c. 10. pag. 478. The white p. 156Garment is not far to be vſed at baptiſme, becauſe it is hipocriſie to multiplie louelove ſignes where louelove it ſelfe is not ſuperabondant. As for others to kiſſe ſo often as doth the mother, it is hipocriſie becauſe their louelove is not ſo tēder. In regard wherof our Forefathers at the firſt might better multiplie ſignes of louelove in this Sacrament, then we may nowe. Flagrabant enim ſumma De… obſervantia & gratitudine adverſus eius beneſicia, & p…p…lus ad bapi…ſmum magna religione advenerat. Whereas now thorough the coldnes of theſe our dayes, iſta ſigna hodie ſingula apud minime pauces magis retinendae & augendae ſuperſtitioni & ludis, quam pietati ſerviunt & religioni. Who is then deſirous of the Croſſe to be added to the water for a ſigne to expreſſe his louelove to Chriſt Ieſus crucified? For he muſt confeſſe his louelove & zeale doeth ſo burne and abound in him, that the one ſigne of the water doth not ſuffice to expreſſe the ſame. Which, if any wil ſay of him ſelf, I would gladly ſee with what face he looketh▪ For mine own part I could thus reſemble him:bbCarionis & Pencer. Chronis. lib. 5. in Adolph… Naſſ…nienſ. pa. 849. Margret Coūteſſe of Turinge being loth to depart from her children, and conſtrayned to flye at midnight to ſaue her life, ſitteth by the bedſide of Fredericus her eldeſt ſonn, embracing him, kiſſing him, bedewing his face & breſt with her teares, and when the companions of her flight pulled her away for haſtening departure, out of a ſtraūg motherly paſſion, ſhe biteth his cheek in kiſſing of him, ſo that he was ſurnamend admorſus euer after. The like is done nowe by them in Baptiſme, who not contented to expreſſe their louelove to Chriſt by the ordinarie ſigne of the water, muſt needes kiſſe him with a ſecōd ſigne, the ſigne of the croſſe, which fayeth ſo illfavoredly, as that in kiſſing him they bite him ſo deepely in his members, that if not in their names, yet in their goods, wines and children, they beare the marke all their liues after. OneccPliniu… natural hiſto. lib. 7. ca. …. apple in an eye is wholeſome, when two in women do hurt and bewitch: ſo the one ſigne of the water in baptiſme which God hath ordained, is alwayes comfortable, when the ſigne of the Croſſe (vnnaturally doubling what God would hauehave ſingle) doeth vnderunder the maske of counterfeit zeale, who can expreſſe what hurt: as to the ſoule which it bewitcheth, ſo to the body whiche it blaſteth, and goods which it waſteth without all pittie. The bewitching is with a louelove-drench towardes Antichriſt, to the quenching of zeale: the manifeſt ſignes whereof are theſe. Firſt, ZealeddB…cer. in Mat. 1….Matt 1 nihil penitùs ferre poteſt Antichriſti, no not the name of any thing that belongeth vntounto him and is defiled by his polluted members. When Nebuchadnezzer is zealous for Bell, doeth he not aboliſh the very names that ſavour of pietie towards the holy God of Iſraell? WheneeCarol. Sigon. d… reg. Ital. Conſtantine the Pope hath a zeale againſt Philippicus, doeth he not abandon his name it ſelf? and that from common coyne and all, not onelyonly from the diptich? When God is ielous againſt Hatt… the Archbiſhop of Meniz, doeth he not ſende rattes as to conſume his body from the face of the earth, ſo to gnaweffGenebrard in Cronolog. Ann. Chri. 970. out his name it ſelfe out of all papers, parchementes walles? to witt, this is the louelove that hath fierie coles and vehement flames, this is the ielouſie that will not abide the ſight of raunſome; this the zeale that is ſtronge to the death, and cruell to the graue: which if we beare to our heauenly husband in any good meaſure, we will entertaine no pollicie to ſpare to raunſome. I ſay not the Idol of the croſſe it ſelf, but the ſound of his name ſo much from death, & from the pitt of full deſtruction. Secondly,ggBucer. in Cenſur. c. …. p. 460 Omnia quae ſunt Antichr. Romoni habentur abhomination…, ſaltem quo ad externam ſpeciem attinet. It is a ſigne thē that the ceremonies cōtroverſed, hauehave crazed our zeale in that we ſticke not at the ſhew and appearāce of popery that is in them. God ſo deteſteth al ſhew of idolatry euē in the eyes of papiſts themſelues, as that theyhhVaſq. de ad…rat. li 1. diſput. 5. cap. 2. think God forbad images to the people of Iſrael, to avoyde all ſhew of Canaans jmages. Wherfore choſe God the forme of an Arke for a teſtimony of his preſence, but to be in ſhewllIdem. lib. … diſp. 4. c. 4. cōtrary to Idolaters, for there was never any people that ever did abuſe this forme? Wherfore doth God forbid to ſet vp ſtones & monumentes in Iſrael, but to avoyd all ſhew of likenes with Idolaters? p. 157mmIdem lib. 2. diſput. 4. cap 3.per titulos. n. intelligit ſtatuas quas Gētiles in ſui memoriam poſteris relinquebant, vt docent Iſichius & Rodolphus Flauiacenſis in eum locum. nnCaeſar. Baron. Annal. in anno 10….The primitiue church could not endure that any ſhould looke towards Ieruſalē in time of prayer, to avoyd all ſhew of Iudaiſme. Although to continue faſting vntill midnight to heare the worde, be lawfull enough vponupon a Sunday, as the example of Paule doeth ſhewe, yet becauſe the Manichees appoint that day for faſting, Auguſtin thinketh it to be vnlawfull, for that ſhewe that it beareth towards them, and thence forbiddeth it,ooAuguſtin. Epiſtol. 86 ad Caſula. Ne maius malum incurratur in ſcandalo quam bonum percipiatur ex verbo. It is lawfull enough to ſinge ſongesppConcil. Toletan. 4 Can. 10. of Halleluiah and of ioye in the Calendes of Ianuarie, yet becauſe the Heathens then ſolemnize the feaſtes of their chiefeſt mirthe, therefore propter errorem Gentilitatis, and to avoyde all [ſhewe] towardes them, the Chriſtians keepe no feaſte of mirth throughout that ſeaſon. Doeth not the equitie heereof ſhine in the heartes ofqqCaeſar. Baron. Annal. 184. papiſtes them ſelues, who condemne Chriſtians for madnes and lightnes, who perſonati agere conſueſcunt, the like playes in the beginning of the Spring which the Heathen were wonte to performe about the ſame tyme to the Mother of their Gods? When diverſe abſtayned from the trimming and garniſhing of their houſes, and from the dreſſing of their victualles vppon the Lords day, they were forbidden this ſhewe of Iudaiſme in theſe wordes:rrConcil. Aurelian. 3. Can. 27. Quia ad Iudaicam magis quam ad Chriſtianam obſervantiam hoc pertinere probatur. The conſideration hereof may make vsus aſhamed to count our ſelues zealous, who forbeare not ſhewe of likenes with the papiſtes, no not in the cheefeſt ceremonies. Thirdly, Zeale cannot endure any conformitie with aliens, no not in civill guiſes: as the primitiue church doeth ſhew, of which one truly giueth this teſtimonie,ssMagdebur. Centur. 3. cap. 6. column▪ 141. hoc vnum egregie maxime inter caetera Chriſtianos caviſſe videas, ne quid Ethnicorum moribus, & conſuetudinibus commune haberent. A Chriſtian would not bee ſeene in a Theater, wherefore? becauſe this placettTertul. in lib. de ſpectacul. ad idololatriam pertinere videbatur. A Chriſtian man and woman muſt not waſhe together in one bath, wherefore? haec est ^u .n. apud gentiles prima repraehenſio. A Chriſtian muſt not celebrate a birth day, wherefore?vvDecret. pag. 1. diſ. tin. …1. c. 28 becauſe it is a rite & a cuſtomewwOrig in Levit. homil. 8. Ethnicorum & peccatorum. It is of private vſe, of which Tertullian ſpeaketh thus:xxTertul lib de coron. mili…. Ego mihi gallum gallinacium macto & ſi me odor alicuius loci offendit arabiae aliquid incendo, ſed non eodem ritu & habitu, & apparatu quo agitur apud Idola. The Chriſtians were thought to be enimies to the Emperour, becauſe they doe not ſet lights and bay bowes at their dores as others doe. yet for all this,yyCaeſar. Barō. Anal in ann. 200 Nefas ſibi eſſe putant becauſe the temples of the Idolls and the dores of Idolaters were wont to be thus adorned. Fourthly, If zeale cannot endure any civill faſhion of Idolaters, then their religious rites, much leſſe ſuch as the Croſſe and Surplice are. Tertullian will hauehave no lightes in worſhipping God, becauſe it was [zzTertul. de Idololatr. mos haereticorum]. The Tolletan Council will hauehave no ſuch ſhaving as doth leaue long haire below,aaConcil. Tolet. 4. cap. 40. quoniam ritus haereticorum eſt. The Chriſtians may not obſervationes agere Calendarum, neque lauro aut viriditate arborum cingere domos; wherfore? becauſebbDecret. pag. 2. cauſ. 26. queſt. cap. 13 omnis haec obſervatio paganiſmieſt. The readers muſt notccConcil. Bracarenſ. 1. Can. 29 demittere granos or gradus gentili ritu. The feaſtes of the Martyrs birth-dayes are miſliketh wherefore?ddConcil. Aphric. temp. bonifac. 1. Can. 27. Quia a Gentili errore attracta. The old dauncingeseeAuguſt. de Tempore. Sermon. 215. ante baſilicas ſanctorum are vnlawfull. wherefore? quia haec conſuetudo ex paganorum obſervatione remanſit. TheffSynod. in Trullo. Can. 82. 2 Cor. 6.142 Cor 6:14 Councill will hauehave no lambe to repreſent Chriſt. wherefore? becauſe it commeth to neare the Iewes. Fiftly, Zeale can not endure any countenance towards the perſons of Idolaters or of heretiques. For when Paule forbadde fellowſhip with Idolaters vponupon this reaſon: What communion hath light with darknes, Chriſt with Belial, he taught there ought to be as great difference betweene the profeſſors as there is betweene theggRolloc. in Daniel. profeſſions. Nowe in this duetie, howe many wayes do the ceremonies cauſe vsus to fayle? Ne dixeris aue (ſayeth the texte) but when there is an imitation of their wayes, then [aue] is giuen not only to the perſon, but alſo to the ſuperſtition, p. 158hhTertul. de coron. militFor either oderis ea, quorum authores odiſſe non poteris; llHieron. ad Nepoti.aut ſi aurum Iudaeorum placet, placeat & Iudai. It is the wiſhe of zeale,mmTertul. de ſpectacul. vtinam ne in ſaculo (quidem) vna cum illis moraremur. but becauſe this may bee wiſhed, but not obtained, therefore it is wary to make ſuch a ſeparation, that though we bennIdem in li. de coron. milit. Compoſſeſſores mundi, yet [non erroris] by partaking with them [in ſaculo] onelyonlyooIdem. in lib de ſpectacul. quod Dei eſt, non in ſaecularibus quae ſunt Diaboli: Againſt this ſeparation there be who offende by too much leaning to the errors of the papiſtes while they are in their companie, whom they admoniſh not, neither reproue, much leſſe leaue or forſake after once or twice admonition, as the Apoſtle doeth commaund. Theſe the Canon doeth excommunicate, becauſe it is a thing intollerable vt vaſa miſericordiae vaſis irae miſceantur, and becauſeppDecret pa. 2. cauſ. 24. qu 3. cap. 34. ſuperfluo extra eccleſiam poſitis reſiſtimus ſi ab his qui intus ſunt in ijs quos decipimus, vulneramur. Againe, when men for bribes favour papiſtes, ſpare them, ſhifte them from puniſhment, or giuegive them countenance, & who are ſeparated from the body of Chriſt: becauſe [contra fidem Chriſti qqConcil. Tolet. 4. Can 73.agit qui Chriſti inimicis patronus efficitur.] The papiſtes ſhould not be ſuffered to mixe them ſelues in cōmon companie with the weake proteſtantes,rrDecret p. 2 cauſ. 28. q. 1. cap 12. ſaepè malorum conſortia bonos corrum punt, quanto magis pronos ad mala: neitherssIbid c. 13.14 ſhould a proteſtant be ſuffered to feaſt with a papiſt, or dwel with him, or receiue phyſicke from him, with the like. And whereas the Church of old kept hir ſelfe in the meane betwenettCaeſar Baron. annal. in an. 255. foeliciſsimus that would receiue into the church thoſe that were fallen, though they made no confeſſion nor ſhewed any ſignes of repentance, and Novatus who would not receyue them into the church at all: we, though we deale with the moſt polluted heretiques that euer were, yet receiue thē into our church when ſo euer they will them ſelues, without ſit triall of vnfayned converſion, whereby we arme them to more hurt by their ſecret diſſimulation, then when they were our open enimies and without our churches pale. Againſt this there goeth a Canon euen of an Idolatrous Councill it ſelfe:uuConcil. Nicen. 2. can. 8. Quoniam Hebraeorum. &c. becauſe certaine Iewes fayning them ſelues to be Chriſtians, do privily and in ſecret denie Chriſt: keepe Sabbothes and obſerue many other Iewiſh rites, we decree, that they be not receyued to the Communion nor to Prayer, no nor ſuffered to enter into the Church it ſelfe. Sixtly, Zeale cannot endure any reliques of Idolatrie, ſuch as Croſſe and Surplice are. where I would there could be obſerved amongſt vsus what a very popiſh Council it ſelfe decreeth, Iewes muſt not retinere priores ri…us reliquias: this iswwConcil. Laceran. ſub Innocen. 3. c. 70 Christiana religionis decorem mixtione confundere, and to put on a garment of Lynſey-woolſey, ſtatuimus vt tales per Praelatos Eccleſiae ab obſervantia veteris ritus omnimode compeſcantur. How doe we ſuppreſſe in papiſtes or any other popiſh old rites, who giuegive them countenance in vſe religious? Seaventhly, Zeale cannot abide any confuſion with Aliens, but in all religions hath euer deſired a manifeſt and open diſtinction from them:xxIrenae. li 1. cap. 25. Ireneus telleth vsus, the Carpocratians being zealous to their religion, did dextere auris poſteriorem partem perforare, vt eo ſigno ab alijs ſecerni atque dignoſci poſsint. This was ſuperſtitious: not ſo ſuperſtitious was the ſcutum which the old Waldenſes bore in ſotulari and in Sabbate, whence they were called [yyConrat. Lutzenbu. in Catalo Hae…eticor. inſabbatati] to make a difference and diſtinction. As for the firſt louelove of Englande, it was admirable heerein▪ MaiſterzzAct. and Monum in hu…o. …orū Rogers, out Proto Martyr refuſinge the Cappe vnleſſe there were a Challice ſett on the Maſſe-prieſtes ſleeue, that ſo there might be a difference betweene them. And M^• Philpot chooſing to looſe his place in the cōvocation houſe rather thē to enter thither with capp and tippet. we muſt bidd this zeale farewell all while we confound our ſelues with papiſtes, euen in the cheefeſt badges. And thus we ſee howe the preſent Adiaphoriſme ſlayeth Zeale in eueryevery matter wherein it vſeth to ſhewe it ſelfe. Nowe what for the meaſure whereby it is wont to be ſtronge as death, cruell as the grave, having ſierie coles, and a vehement flame, which much water cannot quenche? Mee thinkes all whyle we ſymboziſe with Antichriſt, wee are p. 159but as Luke-warme water, as a Cake halfe baked; Apoe. 3.16. Hoſ. 7.8.Hos 7:8or as a beta aaHieron. Comment. in If lib 14 cap. 51.ſemicocta in Hierome. By whom will wee bee tryed? If by the papiſtes, wee are caſte. TheybbIohn Dowley. plainely profeſſe, that the more our Church doeth deſpiſe the Croſſe, the more their Church doth reuerence and honor it. we then, if wee had their meaſure of zeale would we not the more diſgrace it, by how much they honour it Idolatrouſly? ſure wee would, if one of our writers had his wiſhe whoſe wordes are theſe:ccPet. Martyr. epiſ…o. Amic…uid. in Angl. vtinam hoſtium noſtrorrum. &c. I would wee could learne a little more zeale by the perverle zeale of our adverſaries, they carefully avoyd all things whatſoeuer ſauour in any ſort of our religion: and ſwerue of purpoſe as farre as they can, from the ſimple worſhip of Chriſte, and from the moſt auncient rites of the Apoſtles. why then doe not we take care (on the other ſide) to flye as farre as poſſibly wee can, from their pernitious cuſtomes, and follow the ſimplicitie of the Apoſtles, not only in doctrine, but alſo in the adminiſtration of our Sacraments? Tertullian counteth it a coldnes in zeale (not to bee excuſed) when Chriſtians flye not as farre from the ceremonies of aliens, as they doe from the ceremonies of the Chriſtians:ddTertul in lib. de Idololat. Melior fides nationumin ſuam ſectam, quae nullam Chriſtianorum ſolemnitatem ſibi vendicat, timerent. n. ne Chriſtiani viderentur, nos ne Ethnici pronuntiemur non veremur. To this there appertained the old Canon which forbad a Chriſtian to feaſt with a Iewe: Quia eeConſil. Meldenſ. cap. 73.ſic incipiunt Catholici eſſe inferiores quam Iudai. ſi nos illis quae ab ijs apponuntur vtamur, illi vero à nobis oblata, contemnunt. To this alſo there belonges the zeale of the Councell of Nice, who would retayne none of the ceremonies of the Iewes vponupon this reaſon:ffNiceph. Calift lib. …. cap. …. Omnium abſurdiſsimum est, illos gloriando iactare ſine illo. rum obſeruationibus, Chriſti institutis obſeruādis nos ſufficere non poſſe. It is a great ſinne to be leſſe carefull not to ſeeme Heathens, then Heathens are not to ſeeme Chriſtians, wee in retayning of popiſhe ceremonies, when papiſtes will retayne none of ours, are apparantly leſſe carefull to avoyd an approbation of their rites, then they are to eſchew all good liking towards ours. It is a ſinne to make religion inferior to hereſie, by receauing what is theirs, when they comtemne that which is ours: we in this caſe make our religion inferior to popery, by retayning ſome of their rites, when they abhorr all ours. It is a ſinne (laſt of all) to cauſe heretikes to boaſt, that we are not able to ſerue our God, without their ceremonies. Our retaining of Croſſe and Surplice, hath cauſed the Sonnes and Daughters of the Philiſtines thus to boaſt, witnesggHard. anſwer to the Apolog. in praefat. Harding by name, craking the very wordes themſelues of this boaſting. Thus if we compare our ſelues with papiſtes, we come ſhort in zeale. Compare we our ſelues with the reformed Churhches of Chriſte, and wee are ſhamed yet worſe. what Croſſe, what Surplice, what one dramehhD. Bilſon cont. apolo pa. 1. p. 31. of popiſhe ceremonies is founde in them. condemne we theſe, or contemne wee their prouidence, and looke wee to heare that of the Apoſtle. Are you of England the mother Church? Came not the word firſt from theſe vntounto you, and is not your Church a near Daughter of theſe? When Conſtantine would deſide the queſtion, 1 Cor. 14.361 Cor 14:36what courſe did he followe, but that which Maior Eccleſiarum numerus did chalke forth to him? Heerevpon we muſt be diverſe from the Iewes in the obſeruing of the paſſouer, becauſe this courſellEuſeb. de vir. Conſtant. lib. 3. c. 18. ſeruant omnes Eccleſiae, quae orbis partes vel verſus Occidentem, vel verſus Meridiem, vel verſus ſeptentrionem, ſitas incolunt. Againe, vponupon what reaſon doth a Councell eſtabliſhe a rite, but vponupon this,mmConſil. Tollet. 4. Can. …. Quia haec obſeruatio per multarum loca terrarum in Eccleſijs commendatur? When home-cuſtome was obiected to Tertullian for the caſting off of the vayle, hee oppoſeth the cuſtome of other Churches which did retaine it: huic nnTertul in lib. de veland. virgin.conſuetudini alia opponitur (ſaith he) per Greciam n…plures Eccleſiae, vergines ſuas abſcondunt. ex duabus igitur conſuetudinibus ca eſt eligenda, quae virgines includit. Hitherto (then) euen from the beginning the generall example of the Churches hath bene much made of, which now is caſt behinde the backe. what though all other Churches abandon the croſſe, aboliſh the Surplice, (ſay our p. 160Oppoſites) this is nothing vntounto vsus? to wit, wiſdome muſt liue and dye with vsus. with vsus I ſay alone. But this may ſuffice to ſhewe how the Croſſe evacuateth zeale, and polluteth it, both for matter and meaſure.