Against Symbolizing with Antichrist in Ceremonies, Part 2 · Chapter 9

Against Symbolizing with Antichrist in Ceremonies · Part 2 · Chapter 9

p. 110The Slaunder of the Croſſe. Chap. 9.

OVr ninth indictment againſt the ceremonies is the ſhame & defamation, which they throwe vponupon our church & vponupon ſundrie members of it, againſt the ninth cōmaundment. Firſt, they defame our church before the papiſt, whoſe badges they are. For ſeeing they make vsus like the ſpirituall Egipt Rome, Apoc. 11.8.Rev 11:8as the foreskin vncircumcized, Ioſu… 5.9.Josh 5:9likened the Iſraelites to the earthlie, they muſt needes proue to be a ſhame of Rome to vsus, as that was A ſhame of Aegipt to them: in regard whereof, wee muſt humbly beſeech our Ioſuahs to take them from vsus.aaIoh. Druſius in Prov…rb. Bo…. Sirae. Qui honorat contemnentes ſe, ſimilis eſt A ſino, ſaith the prouerbe of the Iewes, how baſe (then) doe the Ceremonies make vsus, honouring the papiſt, by wearing his cognizance when he ſcorneth to communicat with vsus, in the leaſt of all our rites and Ceremonies? Secondly, theſe Ceremonies doe diſgrace vsus, before our brethren of the reformed churches. Is it not much, not to be able to hold vp the face before a brother? But now the Croſſe diſableth vsus, to hold vp our croſſed foreheades, before our brethren of other churches, who write it amongſt the markes of the beaſt.aaSam. 1.22 Looke (then) with what ſhame the Armenian armie looked on their brethren, when they came home with faces marked with the enemiesbbMagdeburg. centur. 7. col. 92. inke, and with no leſſe doe we looke on them, becauſe it is with the enimies croſſe that we are blatched. Nemo eſt ſignandus in fronte (ſaith theccCod. l. 9. …it. 47. c. 17 civill Lawe) quia non debet facies hominis ad ſimilitudinem Dei formata fadari. we call for the equitie of this Law. Be it that the croſſe in intent be the ſigne of our Emperor: the forehead of a chriſtian man muſt not bee in baptiſme defiled with any ſigne deviſed by man. but (alas) he is the ſigne of Antichriſt our Emperours enimie, which none will deny but that it defileth, and that with the deepeſt ſtayne. From this diſhonouring of our church before our friends and enimies, come we to the defamation wherewith the Ceremonies ſtaine the principall members of it: making the very auncient vile. Mal. ….3.For hath not God (true of his threat) caſt this dounge into the faces of the reuerent Fathers themſelues of this Church, that abroad amongſt them that dare to iudg, they are held little better then Adiaphoriſtes, and the perſecutors of their brethren? Now the time was, whendd…lmar. har borough of faithful ſubiect…. one that after became a Biſhop ioyned Adiaphoriſtes and Sattaniſtes together. the more is it to bee wiſhed that eueryevery good and godly Biſhop would be carefull, to avoide that imputation of Adiaphoriſme which the ſimilitude (if not identitie) of theſe Ceremonies, pſeudoadiaphoricall will otherwiſe (at leaſt in ſhew) ſtill caſt vponupon them. But whether the ceremonies beſprincle our reuerend Fathers or no, ſure it is they ploūg the preachers ouer head and eares: who what hauehave they not heard for their ſakes euen from them who were more bound to couer our faultes with their rotchets, theneeTh…dor. hiſtor. l. 1. …. 11. Constantine was to couer the adulterie of a Miniſter with his people. Sacerdotum exorbitationes vulgo innoteſſere non oportet (ſaid he) the reaſon is giuen by a generall p. 111Councell,ffChalcedonenſ. act. 3. p. 117. delicta ſacerdotū communis eſt turpitudo. Now we hauehave againſt this rule without all cauſe bene termedggAnſw to the petir. of the M. by the Vice Chaunt. and the doct. 10 pretat. Puritans and Donatiſtes: bene pinioned with Barrowiſtes, yea Anabaptiſtes: yea Familiſtes: bene accuſed of ſingularitie in our ſelaes, of ſchiſme in the church, of ſedition in the common wealth. The Lord rebuke thee Satan: yea, the God of heauen rebuke thee in theſe lewde ſlaundes. For, are we puritans (firſt of all?) No more then the Waldenſes were, our predeceſſors in the fayth: who yet were termedhhLambert. Dane. hereſ. 38. p. 96. Cathari of old: and are now ſurnamed puritans by the papiſtes. No more neither then Maiſter Rogers the proto Martyr, or Biſhop Hooper that glorious Martyr were: who yet to this day aremmParſons in his converſ. of Engl. renouned for the puritans of their times. Howbeit, it was after the ſect of the Nouatians that they werd eſteemed puritans: we after the ſecte,llGenebrar. lib. 4 in An. 1100. of the Anabaptiſtes which are farre worſe. And according to that ougly deſcription of a puritan in the Quodlibets; one monſter of which ſhape where will the author be able to finde out of the Vtopia of his owne brayne? And they were termed puritans by their en imies, we by our brethren and our friendes; whom God for giuegive, for what hauehave they donne? Firſt, whereas this odious name was firſt brought vp by thennSaunders de monarc. Eccleſ. lib. 5. c. 4 Genebrar. Chronolog. lib. 4. An. 1…60. papiſtes, of purpoſe to make our religion odious, as if it were the vomit of thoſe dogges to ſpitt it malitiouſly into our faces: who as little hauehave deſerued it as themſelues. Secondly whereas our writers, to cleare our religion from the infamie of diuiſion, which the papiſtes doe obiect, averre and avouch, there is noooD. Whitak in praefat. ag. W. Reynold. Matth. Sutcliu. in anſw. to the humb. moti. for tollerat. ſect of puritans in the land, and proue thisppIoh. Reynold. de Idololat. in epiſt. ad Anglic-Seminar. ſect. 5. nick name doth but fill vp the old reproach of the chriſtians termed Nazareni, Phyſici, Homouſiani, Euſtachiani, Machariani, with the like: theſe ſpare not to giuegive them the lye iuſtifying the vntrue ſlaunder of the Ieſuites and the papiſtes: and little careing though it be our religion it ſelfe, that is thus wounded thorough our ſydes. Thirdly, where as the papiſts count all to beqqConcertatio. Eccleſ. Catholic. in Anglia. concra-Caluino papiſtas. & puritanos. Caluino papiſtae, that is halfe papiſtes that are not puritans: and dayly invite them to an aſſociation with them againſt the puritans: inrrHumble. mot. for tollerat. Cant. 5.7.Song 5:7 conſideration they can neuer hold out againſt them with out theire helpe, or ſtand in argument but vponupon their groundes and principles, theſe are contented in giuing way to this nicke-name of puritans againſt vsus: to giuegive way alſo to that other name or rather ſhame of Caluino-papiſtes or proteſtant papiſts againſt them ſelues. Fourthly whereas this nicke name of puritans ſerueth for a colour in eperie papiſtes & Atheiſtes mouth to rayle at religion and all honeſty vnderunder neathe the name of puritaniſme, whereby it is come to paſſe that zeale hath her vayle of holynes taken from her, and walketh at this day diſguiſed (as it were) in an harlots habit, theſe notwithſtanding keepe this vile name on foot, as if it were a ſmall thing with them to ſee pietie, zeale, religion trodd vnderunder foote. Fiftly, whereas for the better nouriſhing of concord, it was thought fit in the beginingssAdmonit. added to the booke of iniunce of Elizabethes raigne that none ſhould vſe the odious name of papiſt and proteſtant, but that eueryevery man ſhould be acknowledged to be a good ſubiect that did acknowledg her highnes Supremacie: they who vphold theſe names of proteſtants and puritans (names ſauouring of debate and diviſion more pernitious then the former) conſidering we acknowledge his Maieſties Supremacy as for forth as themſelues, they are to be held by the affore ſaid admointion, for diſturbers of publique peace. Sixtly as the Hugonotes were transformed in France by the fryars who made the people beleeue they were monſtres with aſſes eares and ſwines faces with the like, ſo are we transformed from our ſelues before theſe who knowe vsus not, when we are deſcribed as puritans, a ſect moſt vile and monſtrous. TheyttEuſeb. lib. 6 cap. 35. affected the name of puritans out of an opinion that they were pure. They called themſeluesuuHieron. in Hoſ. c. 14.Hos 14 catharous ideſt mundos cùm ſint omniū immundiſsimi. Cathari ſunt (ſayth Auguſtine) qui ſeipſos iſto nomine quaſi propter munditiem p. 112wwAuguſt. hercſ. 38.ſuperbiſsimè, atque odioſiſsimè nominant. Decipiebant ſeipſos cathari haeretici, (ſaithxxTholoſſan li. 13. de republ. c. 1. another) qui haberi volebant alijs ſanctiores, deſpicientes alios: quique propter munditiem, catharos ſe nominabant: gloriantes de ſuis meritis. In regard hereof we turne our ſelues firſt to the papiſt (the firſt deviſer of this name) giving him to vnderſtand, that he is (indeed) the right puritane him ſelf, in that he holdeth his church to be pure,yyDecret. p. 1 diſtinct. 21 c. 3. non habens maculam, neque rugam, nec aliquid huiuſmodi: and thinketh he canzzBellarmin. l. 4. de Eccleſ. milit. perfectly keepe the lawe and beaaBellaromin. de iuſtificat li. 4. ca. 10. &c. pure from ſinning againſt it: and truſteth (laſtly) in his merites Next we turne our ſelues vntounto our Oppoſites: whom we put in minde, to followe the ſteppes of thoſe who are famous in the Goſpel: who turne thisbbTho. Morton apolog p. a. l. 1. c. 29. nicke-name of puritanes vponupon the papiſtes who deſerue it. But if any beſo malitious as to turne it vponupon vsus, we wiſhe him to appeaſe his malice, to conſider with him ſelfe and duly meditate both what an odious name it is that he doth giuegive vsus, & what an odious malice it is for any to giuegive it, to them (eſpecially) who leaſt deſerue it. To be a puritane is to be a newe Phariſie inccRibera in Hebreos. c. 6. Num. 11.Num 11 Nazianzenes iudgement. To be one of the puritanes, is to be one of the heretiques calledddTho. Morron apolo. p. 1. li. 2. cap. 20. Eſſei, who were ſo called quaſi foreign id eſt ſancti. Yea, it is to be one of the Anabaptiſtes, who thinke they liue an holy, perfect, and Apoſtolicall life. None buteeAuguſt. de hereſ. c. 46. Manichees will call them ſelues puritanes. who hauehave affected this name of puritie, ſince the dayes of Novatus, ſaue only they? And will any man hauehave the conſcience to call vsus Phariſies, Eſſes, Manichees? if they wil, we muſt not think much to be as our Maiſter was, howbeit, we conteſt in the meane ſeaſon the God of heaven, even the good God of heauen knoweth, and all Iſraell knoweth, yea our very adverſaries I am perſwaded, and our accuſers, euen they them ſelues, they knowe the contrarie. In the third place, we beſeech our Governours, to renewe amongſt vsus, Gen. 1.19.Gen 1:19if not the ſtate of innocencie when every name was according to nature, yet the eſtate of that happy government which doth provide that the name of every man be anſwerable to his deſert: Iſai 32.5. Iſai 33.15.Isa 32:5Isa 33:15ſo that neque flagitioſo amplius induatur nomen ingenui, neque tenax dicatur liberalis. which then will be done, when informations of things manifeſt be iudged by knowledge, and not by the hearing of the eare: and ſuggeſtions of things ſecret by thoſe our demeanours which are manifeſt: according to the auncient rule,ffTertul. Apologer. c. 3. iustius eſt occulta de manifeſtis preiudicare, quam manifeſta de occultis praedamnare. In the fourth place, we beſeech our brethren, who are oppoſed againſt vsus puritanes, as Calvino-papiſtes or halfe papiſtes, and who are dayly called vponupon to aſſociate with the papiſtes them ſelues againſt vsus, that they would bethink them ſelues whether ſome thing hath not ben done by them which is not well, ſeeing they pleaſe the papiſtes ſo well in this their Oppoſition to vsus, even asggHiper. de ſacr. ſtud. p. 106. Photion was wont alwayes to be ielouſe of him ſelfe when he ſawe he had pleaſed the people: and Antiſtines ever ſuſpected ne quid imprudens mali feciſſet quando placuiſſet malis. Placui noverca? ſaith Hippolitus. What hauehave ye pleaſed Rome (my brethren) the ſtep-mother of all pietie? Et haec ſponſi iniuria eſt expectare placituram. this cannot be done without iniurie to your huſband Ieſus Chriſt, that his corrivall ſhould looke for louelove or liking from you. Pereat. hhCaeſar. Baron. Annal. in an. 304.corpus (ſaid this holy Martyr Agnes) quod amari poteſt occulis quibus nolo. Away with theſe cercmonies (ſay you) which are beloued of their hartes which we would not ſhould louelove them. Laſt of all, of our brethren in Chriſt, which are of the Laytie, we hartily craue, that now at the laſt they would take knowledge of our innocencie, and wiſely conſider whether papiſtes be ſo vnwiſe, as either to louelove them beſt who doe helpe them leaſt, or to hate vsus moſt who do them leaſt hurt, If you can evict vsus of puritaniſme, ſpare vsus not: if you cannot, then remember what the auncient Chriſtians pleaded,llTertul in Apologet. ca. 7. in Ibid. c. 8 aut eruite ſi creditis, aut nolite credere qui non cruiſtis. Shall it ſuffice, that by this name you oftē heare vsus inveighed againſt: anſwer you your ſelues, m famae nemo credit niſi inconſideratus: quia ſa piens non credit p. 113incerto. What that the contumelie of a nicke name is amongeſt all other reports, the moſt vnworthie to be beleeued, euen as the ſame our Fathers conteſted,nnIbid. c. 3. nomen expugnatur, vox ſola predamnat: quia nominamur, non quta reuincimur. But if other nicke-names were worthie of ſome credit, yet not this which vſeth to reporte well of vsus euen while it doeth ſlaunder vsus: for thus runneth the common ſaying, he were an honeſt man, it he were not a puritane. as once the nickname of the Chriſtians ſpake, Bonus vir Caius Saius, ſed malus tantum quod Christianus: tanti non eſt bonum eſſe quanti est odium Chriſtianorum.

#Sect. 2. Seekers of Reformation, neither Donatiſtes, nor Anabaptiſtes, with neither of whom they hauehave any thing to doe.

THE ſeconde ſlaunder of the ceremonies accuſeth vsus for Donatiſtes, Sect. 2.whom the Anabaptiſtes revive. with either of whom what hauehave we to doe? For beſides that we make no ſeperation, as they did then, & theſe do nowe, we are as farre both from their iudgement and from their practize as our accuſers. This (then) is the ſame ſlaunder, that the ceremoniſtes ofaaDauid Chytre. in praefect. Chroni…. Boheme rayſed againſt their ſincere & faith full brethren that would not conforme▪ for euen ſo they brought vponupon them, that they were Donariſtes▪ whereof they eaſilie cleared them ſelues, as ſoone as they came to hearing. Nowe the firſt poſition of the Donatiſtes was, That the Church is pure without ſpott and without wrinckle in this life: and whereas Chriſtian Churches tollerated infamous men, advaunced alſo one Caecilian accuſed of relapſe, they helde it their duetie to ſeperate from them, as being no true churches.

I ſee here a perfect image of the Browniſtes and of the Anabaptiſtes, but not ſo much as any liniament of any Engliſh Proteſtant Preacher that is deſirous of reformation. And in our vnderſtanding, our accuſers drawe more neare to this errour then we doe. For whereas Doctor Whitguift accuſeth Maiſter Cartwright for an Anabaptiſt, in that he helde the Church might be perfect for the outward cōſtitution of Diſcipline in poyntes eſſentiall, me thinkes he taketh them by the noſe who holde that the Church of Englande is ſo pure, ſo perfect, as that nothing, nothing at all needes to be reformed in it. Secondly, The Donatiſtes held, the Magiſtrate might not compell to Godlynes, nor puniſhe hereticques: and becauſe they were puniſhed themſelues by the Lawe of Arcadius and Theodoſius, therefore they barked at the Magiſtrate, (the holy ordinance of the Lorde) tanquam ſemper Eccleſiae Lupi, & peſtes Magiſtratus eſſent. Of this we are guiltie (as Chriſt was guiltie of denying Caeſars tribute: it being a meerebbBexa a… Saravia…. calumniation to affirme, that we doe Principi omnia adimere, becauſe we doe not omnia tribuere, to witt that vnlimited and Pope-like power which doeth not binde him to the rules which God in his holy worde preſcribeth in the ordering of the ceremonies of the Church. What, muſt Bellarmine nowe at laſt be iuſtified,ccBellarmin. de notis eccleſ. l. 4 c. 7 iam re ipſa Calvinistis in Anglia mulier quaedam ſummum Pontificem agit? or that ſpeach of Conſtantius, ddAthanaſ. ad vitam ſolitar. de gent.At quod ego volo, pro Canone ſit, ita me loquentem Syriae Epiſcopi ſuſtinent. Aut ergo obtemperate aut exules eſtote. Which oureeD. Bilſon cont. Apol. p. Oppoſites themſelues condemne. Shall we ſuppe vpp the errour which Hart ffIoh Reynold. confer ca. vn. p. 589.him ſelfe retracted, or returne to Gardeners vomitt,ggIoh. Caluin in Amoi c. 7. poteſtas eſt penes Regem vt ſtatuat pro ſuo arbitrio quidquid voluerit. whom King Henrie the eight him ſelfe reprooved and checked for his flatterie? Shall we make our religion parliamentarie (as thellD. Hill. quartron of Reaſons. papiſtes obiecte? Or ſubſcribe to that flaunder,mmAllen. in Apolog. of Engl. Catholiq. cap. 4. ſect. 6. Abſolute power is aſſcribed to the p. 114hhPolus Cardinal. de vnitat eccleſ. l. 4.duplicate page p. 115duplicate page p. 114Parliament, ſo that nothing there determined muſt be counted error or ſchiſme, what order, decree, ſentence, conſtitution, or lawe ſoever be to the contrarie, holy Scriptures them ſelves not excepted? If we be blamed for not giving this power to the King, then blame thennAmbroſ. epiſt. 33. ad foror Athanaſ. vb. ſup. Hilar. cont. Conſtant. defunct Gregor. lib. 9. epiſt. 41. Fathers, and all our lāteooNowell. in reproofe of Dorman Ioh. Reynold. confer. c. 10. P. Iun. cōtroverſ. 3. lib. 4. c. 16.17 Writers, one of whom becauſe he is both learned and revered, I cannot omitt; over the Word and Sacramentes (ppD Bilſ. cont. Apolo. p. 2.235 ſaith he) we graunt Princes no power. Againe,qqIbid. pag. 237. Princes hauehave no imperiall right over divine things, to alter and abrogate what they think good: which is lawfull for neither men nor Angells. Againe,rrIbid pag. 298. Dominion, power and maieſtie belonge as right to God alone, and are by him imparted to Princes to the end they ſhould raigne vnderunder him not over him: commaund for him not againſt him: be honoured and obeyed after him not before him. Donatiſtes then we cannot be for denying the abſolute power of the Prince in matters of Gods ſervice: or for tying him to the holy Worde of God without the companie of the Godly. But nowe this abſolute power excepted, who giveth anie thing to the Magiſtrate which we doe not? The admonition of the iniunctions acknowledgeth him for a good ſubiect that will acknowledge the Princes Supremacie, which we moſt willing lie both acknowledge and performe, according to the ſtatutessStatut. 1. Eliza. ca. 11 & 13. c 12 made in that behalfe. as alſo we giuegive to the King the authoritie which the booke ofttArticl. ann 1562. articles doth. we ſay withuuAuguſt. epiſt 166. Auguſtine, It is Chriſt him ſelf that commaundeth in Princes when they commaund that which is good: when otherwiſe, we agree withwwGregor. l. 9. epiſt. 41 Gregorie, & beare it with ſilēce, ſo long as we may without ſinne on our partes. and laſt of all, in matters indifferent, we ſubmit both our bodyes and goods vntounto him, and all ſaue our conſciences, which is all, that ſome of ourxxMat Sutcliu de Pontific. li 4. ca. 6 pa. 338. Oppoſites them ſelues require. But we hold that Princes muſt licke the duſt of the churches feet, and be ſubiect to our Conſiſtories. This latter clauſe, as it is not found in our writings, ſo is it farre from our hartes. The former is taken out of Iſaiah, and that we affirme in ouryyD Bilſ vb. ſup. pag. 2. pag 224. & pag. 3. pag. 64. Pſal. 7. title. Pſal. 52.Ps 7Ps 52 adverſaries ſenſe: of a ſpirituall not temporall ſubmiſſion: voluntarie not coacted: of ſoule not of body: to the miniſterie not to the Miniſter. or if our accuſers them ſelues can frame any other interpretation more commodious, we will ſubſcribe to it. Not ſo, for we hold the Elderſhippe hath power to depoſe a Prince. In deed I heare that ſome Shimeis hauehave ſo given forth to incenſe the power againſt vsus: for whoſe curſe (alſo) we truſt the Lord will bleſſe vsus the ſooner, and looke downe on our affliction: Neuer was a church more impudent, a Doeg more virulent, never an Onager that euer had an hart of more lead, a mouth of more iron, a forehead of more braſſe thē they that ſo ſpeake. who if they ſhould be put to their proofes, muſt make that ſluttiſhe ſhift againe which one of theirzzD. Couſins anſw. to the Abſtract. p. 28 fellowes was once driuen to, when to proue the Puritans held, the people may reſiſt the Prince that hindreth the preſbyterie, hee was faine to cite Franciſcus Iunius in ſteed of Stephanus Iunius. or if they cite any man truly of any forraine part whatſoeuer, wee proteſt againſt him truly, Wee knowe him not. And as for our ſelues, name one amongſt vsus, that doth clayme more power ouer Princes, then that which the Biſhops themſelues doe clayme and challeng to themſelues. whoſe wordes are theſe:aaD. Biſ. v… ſup. pag 301.342. Princes touching the regiment of their owne perſons & liues owe the very ſame reuerence and obedience to the Word & Sacraments that eueryevery priuat man doth. And if any Prince would bee Baptized, or approach to the Lords Table, with manifeſt ſhewe of vnbeliefe, or irrepentance, the Miniſter is bounde freely to ſpeake: and rather to lay downe his life at the Princes feete, then to admit him. And they makebbIdem. pa. 3. pag. 65. good the wordes of Nazianzen to the Emperour, The Law of Chriſt hath committed you to my power and to my pulpit, for wee rule alſo: and that with the more excellent & perfect gouernment, you are a ſheepe of my fold, & a weanling p. 115of the great ſhepheard. when they iuſtifie the fact of Ambroſe excommunicating Theodoſius out of the c Homilie, and driue vsus to ſubſcribe vntounto it, they ſubiect the K. more then we ſubiect him. that which they doe in other matters alſo. what meaneth els theddSee Potit. to her Maieſtie, p … … licence which the Prince muſt hauehave in ſome caſes vnderunder the Arch BB. hand and ſeale? what meaneth els their tying of him to theeeD. Bilſon vb ſup p. 2 p 33…. Canons of the church, as well as to the word of God? what meaneth els the newe tenent, That Biſhoplike autho. over their brethrē, is not from the Prince or at his pleaſure, as heretofore it hath benffIewell taught, but euen iure divino, which Q. Elizabeth would neuer endure? Laſt of all, what meaneth elſe the newe poſition, that the Prince hath noggAdmonit. ag. Mar… in Marprel at p. 252. power to diſpoſe of the temporalities of the church, by alienating them to an vſe profitable. which croſſeth quite the auncient divinitie of Saint Ambroſe, Si agros Eccleſiae deſiderat Imperator, poteſtatem habet vendicandorum: hhAmb…oſ. cont Aurentiumtollat eos ſi libitum eſt. Imperatori non dono, ſed non nogo: which wordes thellDecret. p. 1 cauſ. 11 q. 1 c 17. Canon it ſelfe accepteth. and the latter divinitie of Ihon Wiclife, mmVValſingam hiſt. in Rich. 2.Licet Regibus auferre temporalia viris Eccleſiasticis ipſis abutentibus habitualiter. yea and the policie of the EmperournnCatalog. teſti. verit. in Freder 2 Frederic alſo, auferamus illis nocentes Divitias, hoc enim facere, eſt opus charitatis. Thirdly, the Donatiſtes ſeperated from their communion, all that were not of their opinion, euen in the leaſt poyntes. TheooAuguſtin. haereſ 6 9. Lambert. Dane. …bid. Circumcellians alſo amongſt them thought it good ſervice done to God, to offer all violence to all that were not on their ſide in the fieldes, in the high wayes, and in every other place where ſoeuer they met them. Here let a man lay his hande vponupon his heart, & aske of him ſelfe who are they who in theſe dayes deprive, impriſon, excommunicate, euen their fellowe-labourers them ſelues in the Goſpell, when they will not in euerie trifle condeſcende to their opinion, and he will eaſilie ſee and perceaue, that Donatiſme dwelleth not on our ſide of the ſtreete. If not Donatiſme, then not Anabaptiſtrie, and Browniſme neither. What we thinke of the ſubiectes dutie (ſayeth Maiſter Beza) to the Magiſtrate, you ſhall farre more certainly learne by our doctrine, then by their ſlaunders, which are not aſhamed to ioyne vsus with the franticke Anabaptiſtes, ſubverting the Magiſtrates authoritie. The very ſame ſaye we nowe in the verie ſame cauſe. for M^r Beza is one of vsus. ſo that when ourppD. Bilſ vb. ſub. p. 3. p. 268. Oppoſites iuſtifie theſe wordes of his for true and righteous, therein they cleare vsus together with him from this moſt odious imputation. As for thoſe of the ſeperation, who hauehave confuted them more then we? or who hauehave written more againſt them? Some things of trueth they holde, with which we thinke it no more ſinne for vsus nowe to agree, then Cyprian once to agree with Novatianus, in that which he eſteemed right.qqCypri. Quid eſt quia hoc facit Novatianus vt nos non putemus faciendum? Auguſtine thought it no ſinne in ſome things to be nearer to the Pagans then the Manichees were, who thought they had gotten a great advantage againſt him, as our Oppoſites nowe thinke they hauehave great advantage on vsus in that we are nearer to the Browniſtes then them ſelues. Heare our Apologie our of him,rrAuguſtin. cont Fauſt Manich. li. 20. c. 10. Si propterea vos putatis. &c. If you thinke yourſelues to hauehave the truth, becauſe you are farther of from the errour of the Paganes, vsus to be in errour becauſe we are more diſtant from you then from the Paganes, then let a dead man be ſaide to be whole, becauſe nowe he is not ſicke: and lett a whole man be therefore reprehended, becauſe hee commeth nearer to the ſicke, then the dead man doeth. Or if the moſt part of the Pagans muſt bee reckoned not as ſicke men but as dead men, then lett the aſhes in the graue be prayſed becauſe nowe they hauehave not the forme of a carcaſe: and let the members of the living be blamed, becauſe for the forme which they retayne they are more like vntounto a carcaſe then are the aſhes which hauehave not his forme & ſhape. Howbeit wear not ignorant, that the Browniſts & we are iumbled together, and reported to be one in their errors themſelues: ſo that al their exceſſes whatſoeuer, are imputed vntounto vsus. p. 114duplicate page p. 115duplicate page p. 116Let not any man thinke this ſtraunge; let every man rather herein acknowledge the old cunning and the ſubtiltie of the ſerpent. So whatſoeuer ſturre or ſedition was moued by the vnbeleeuing Iewes, it was imputed to the Iewes that were ^s Chriſtians, who were thought to be all one with them. So the impuritie of thettCaeſar Baron. Anal. in An. 201 Gnoſtickes was drawne to the defamatiō of all other chriſtians, no difference being made betweene them. So whereas the Aegyptians wereuuIdem ex Vopiſco. An. 283. viri ventoſi. furibundi, iactantes, vani, liberi, novarum rerum cuptentes, the Chriſtians and all, that are there dwelling, are thought to be the very ſame. euen as the narratiō addeth, Chriſtiani ſunt & Samaritae & quibus preſentia ſemper tempora cum enormi libertate diſpliciunt. Out of theſe laſt wordes, it is eaſie for any to ſee, that our reproach is not an vpſtart, or an yeſterdayes byrth, which giveth forth that all is an humour in vsus, which will neuer be contented with the ſtate of preſent things, or be ſubiect to order of Lawes, we are ſo wayward, ſo given to contradiction, men of ſo vnquiet a ſpirit, ſo malcontented, ſo contemptuous alſo againſt authoritie, and deſirous to liue at libertie: whereof if the Aegyptians be guilty, therefore muſt we Chriſtians alſo? Laſt of all, I may well compare ſome of vnbridled ſpirit, to the Flaccians, whoſe intemperate furie madewwAmand. Polan in Dan. ca. 9. Erneſtus to deale the more hardly with the Proteſtantes, out of a feare they were all of the ſame ſpirit, and would in the ende procure like miſchiefe.

#Sect. 3. Defence of the Miniſters againſt the imputation of ſchiſme, ſhewing what ſchiſme is.

THE third ſlaunder of the ceremonies, putteth in a bill of ſchiſme againſt vsus: to which we anſwer. Firſt, this ſlaunder is directly againſt the admonition added to the iniunctions, which forbiddeth to call any man a ſchiſmatique that acknowledgeth the Supremacie of the Prince, and liveth vnderneath the obedience of it, as all the world knoweth we doe. Secondly; there is no ſchiſme properly where there is no ſeperation, Schiſmaticus facit communionis dirupta ſocietas (ſaithaaAuguſtin. queſtionū Evangel. ſecund. Mat. q. 11 Auguſtine) Schiſma ab Eccleſia ſeperat, bbHieron. in epiſt. ad Tit. c. 3.Titus 3ſaieth Hierome. Schiſmatici ſunt (ſaithccAuguſt. de vera relig. ca. 5. Auguſtine againe) ijſdem vtentes Sacramentis, ac diſſentientes opinionibus & ſeor ſim celebrantes conventus. Schiſmaticus eſt qui à communione ſeipſum ſuſpendit, & collectam facit, & altare constituit ſaith theddDecrer. p. 2. cauſ. 23. q. 5. ca 42. Councell of Chalcedon. Cyprian helde rebaptization an opinion more erronious then is any to vsus imputed, yet never was he counted an heretique or a ſchiſmatique. Wherefore? becauſe he then as we now (if error be with vsus)eeAuguſt. epi. 48. Idē de baptiſ. con. Donatiſt. l. 1. c. 28. nauum illum candidiſsimi pectoris cooperuit vbere charitatis & ſe ab Eccleſiae vnitate nunquam ſeperavit. But you want this louelove will our Oppoſites ſay, therefore ye are ſchiſmatiques, although in regard of outward communion you make no vtter ſeparation. There is the churches vnitie, which who ſo breaketh, he is a ſchiſmatique. and there is the Churches peace, this who ſo breaketh, he is properly ſeditious. a ſchiſmatique ſometimes he is called, but thorough improper and larger ſenſe. In which S^t Auguſtine ſpeaketh when he maketh a difference betweene thoſe that ſeparate & thoſe that remayning in the vnitie of the church,ffGratian. decret. p. 2 cauſ. 24. q. 3. c. 8. inter ſe diſſentiunt, pro vt Corinthij faciebant: ad quos Paulus ſcribens epiſtola prima, carnales eos vocat, quia dicerent ego ſum Pauli, ego vero Apollo. which is ſchiſina longe diverſa ab illo de quo referi Apoſtolus Iuda qui ſegregant ſemetipſes, animales, ſpiritum non habentes. Of this ſchiſme, I would our Oppoſites were as well able to cleare them ſelues, as we are able. who runne within that cenſure of Auguſtine, ggAndreas Hiper. de ſacr. ſtud. non deſerend. p. 76Quicunque invident bonis vt quarant occaſiones excludendi eos, aut degradandi, vel crimina ſua ſic defendere parati ſunt, ſi abiecta vel prodita fuerint vt etiam cōventiculorum ſegregationes vel eccleſiae perturbationes cogitent excitare, iam ſchiſmatici ſunt, & ab vnitate corde diſciſsi etiam ſi non inventis occaſionibus, aut occultatis p. 117factis ſuis ſacamento Eccleſiae corporali converſatione ſocientur. Beſides this abuſe of their authoritie, their authoritie it ſelfe is ſuch, as wil divide & rent the church, as is to be ſeene with eyes this day.hhRolloc. in Epheſ 4. ver. 11.Eph 4:11 Dicunt Epiſcopū praesbyterio praefectum, removēdi fchiſmatis cauſa, ſed (vt de contraria experientia nihil dicam) quid ad hoc reſpondet Gregorius Nazianzenus in oratione ad Maximū: Vtinam (inquit) nulla eſſer Throni prerogatina nunc autem dextrum hoc latus, & ſiniſtrum, & medium, ſuperior & inferior ſedes, & illa praeeundi, vel eodem gradu incedendi, invecta conſuetudo; nos in multas partes confregerunt. Pardon me if I relate the wordes of another in ſome things againſt vsus, though I doe not apply them,llAlexand. Aleſ in pr… em. leiturg. Anglic. videat aliquis eosqui paſtores gregis, & Epiſcopi populi eſſe debebant, vbi ſtudium doctrinae apud eos? vbi legum, vel pietatis verae, vel propriorum potius, & ipſorum cuſtodia? & quid iam inter horum, & tyrannica veterū imſperia distant? an minus ardent regni cupiditate? aut remiſsins expetunt ſplendorem divitiarum? aut clementius dominantur? As I ſaid before, I would not apply this, ſo is it not needfull to be applyed. Suppoſe the inclemencie of the preſent Biſhops that be over vsus, be different from that which was of old, diſtract the Church it doeth: and we hauehave read,mmEnnodiu… lib defenſ. Simach. non intereſt quibus itineribus ad mundi Principem currat, qui à ſancta vntiate diſcordat. and the courſes they runne, breed much ſighing in the church, and pingues hoſtias litat diabolo qui contriſtat eccleſiam. and they keep in the very make-bates of the church, which Sathan in theſe dayes hath rayſed to looſe the coniunction of it. and nimis armatus eſt qui illa quae adverſarius concordiae, ministrat, tela contemnit.

#Sect. 4. Defence of the Miniſters againſt the imputation of ſedition and faction.

THE fourth ſlaunder of the ceremonies araygneth vsus for ſedition and faction, and that well neare with Hamans wordes, There is a people ſcattered over the Provinces, that are diverſe from others. they keepe not the Kings lawes: Heſter 3.8Esth 3:8it is not for the kings profitt to ſuffer them. Firſt we breake no lawfull lawe: we receaue the Communion booke in what we may; and in omitting of the ceremonies, we doe in equitie keepe the lawe, becauſe of the ende which is to edifie. Secondly, ſuppoſe the Lawe hath no actiue obedience from vsus, as longe as it hath our paſſiue we performe ſubiection, as one of ouraaD Bilſon cont. Apolog. p. 2. p. 349. Reverend Biſhopps writeth, Suffering is as ſure a ſigne of ſubiection as obeying. ſo another,bbMat. Sutcli de Pontiſic. l. 4 c. 6. p. 338. ſubiecteth bodyes and goods onelyonly in thinges indifferent, which in all patience we laye downe at our Princes feet. Conſcientia non eſt ſubditae cuipiam legi, niſi quatenus ex lege divina praecipit: bona autem & corpora quatenus praeter legem Dei quae ad decorem & ordinem in Eccleſia ab ea legittime praecipiuntur. Thirdly, if we ſhewe our ſelues no ſubiectes for breaking the ceremonies, then our accuſers much more who breake more profitable Canons then theſe: as the canon ofccThe rubri. next the cō ſien…at Inſtruct art. 44. Catechizing their Pariſhes. TheddCa…on Epiſcopal. p. 14. 16. Canon of examining all men of all ſortes. TheeeRubric. before the cō munion. Iniunct. art. 21. Canon that debarreth from the Communion all notorious offenders. TheffIniunct. art 20. Canon that commaundeth to keepe holy the Sabbothes, by viſiting the ſicke, and reconciling of enimies at leaſure tymes. TheggCanon Epiſcopal. p. 19. Canon that preſcribeth admoniſhing of Pariſhioners privatly, both by the Miniſters and by the Church-wardens. ThehhIniunct. artic. 11. Canon that allotteth to the poore the 40^th part of Nonreſidentes livings. ThellIbidem artic. 12. Canon that ſeperateth foure pound yearely out of every living that is worth an hundred pound, for the maintenance of a poore ſcholler at one of the Vniverſities. ThemmIbid. art. 3.4. Canon that requireth twelue Sermons everie yeare in every Pariſh church of England, Wales, and Irlande. ThennCanon Epiſcopal. p. 5. Canon that forbiddeth the graunting of advouſions. TheooCanon. Epiſcopal. p. 25. Canon that ſaith, Pluralities and Nonreſidences are res in ſe foeda, in vulgus p. 118odioſa, & Eccleſiae Dei pernitioſa. theppIniunct. art. 34.35. Canon that enioyneth, that all ſuperſtitious pictures and payntinges in walles or glaſſe-windowes ſhould be aboliſhed out of Churches and houſes. In all theſe things, good and profitable and well commaunded ſeeing our accuſers fayle of performance, who yet holde them ſelues good ſubiectes, they are voyde of all reaſon to ſound ſo loude the blaſt of faction and diſobedience againſt vsus, who ſwerue in a fewe tryfles onelyonly not needfull not profitable: and (as we take it) not well commaunded. Fourthly, we appeale to the common carryage of our liues, to the loyaltie of the pariſhes in which we labour to the effectes of our miniſterie, to which the Apoſtle Paule appealed: yea our very Lord him ſelfe when they were burthened with this ſlaunder, a ſlaunder that hath purſued the profeſſors of the truth from time to time without any ceaſing. Athanaſius called in his time propugnaculum veritatis, could not enioy his innocencie long in Constantius his court, by reaſon he had informers againſt him, that he was a qqSocra. l. 1 c. 13. Soxom l. 6. c. 5. Niceph. l. 9. c. 29.peſtilent man, a ſower of diſcord betweene Conſtance and the Emperour his brother. one that troubleth the Church: yea ſet whole Aegypt & whole Lybbi in a combuſtion. But our Soveraigne (whom the Lord preſerue) is not a Constantius to beleeue any thing that is vntrue: no, we compare him with Conſtantinus, who the better he was, the more readie to thinke well of their informations who were in place to be beleeued, till Athanaſius loſt his fauour and his credit euen with him alſo.rrEpiphan. hereſ 68. habebat enim divinum zelum beatus ille, non tamen novit quod ſycophantae eſſent propter aemulationem, &c. euenssTheodoret hiſtor. l. 2. c. 11. he that burned the libelles which were offerred againſt Biſhopps, yet burned not the libell which was preſented againſt Athanaſius to him, becauſe they were Biſhopps that preſented it, whom he truſted prepoſterouſly. And by ſuch wasttD. Bilſon cont. Apolog. p. 2. p. 220. Chryſoſtome alſo defamed before Arcadius, and that in ſuch ſorte that whoſoeuer petitioned for him, was reproched as a troubler of the Empire: and the more that he was ſued for, the further was he ſent in exile, and newe edictes were ſent forth againſt all thoſe that tooke part with him, or bore him fauour. For the preventing of a like miſchiefe now, let it be conſidered what Iulian him ſelfe ſaid once, Quis erit innocens ſi accuſaſſe ſufficiat? For there will be accuſers alwayes, as long as the Maxime liveth which one gaue once in Alexanders Court, fortiter calumniare. nam etſi vnlnus curetur, cicatrix tamen remanebit. Be there no moe captaines (think ye) to lay to the charge of Paule that he is the Aegyptian? thinke not, why ſhould theſe reportes be given of vsus vnleſſe they were true? for there was no reaſon in the world, why Paule ſhould be thought to be the Aegyptian: Act. 2.38.Acts 2:38it muſt be conſidered, invidia loquitur non quod eſt, ſed quod ſubest, as Seneca telleth vsus. As (therefore) we deſired before, ſo doe we ſtill, let our Carriage be remembred: of which we may ſay (as ſaid the olde Chriſtians once, we are defamed concerning the Emperours Maieſtie, but never yet Albinians, Nigrians, nor Caſsians, Albinus Niger, and ““Tertullian ad Scapul.Caſsius being rebelles in thoſe times) could be found to be chriſtians. Thus much to this ſlaunder in groſſe. Now to the particuler braunches of it. The firſt of which is obſtinacie. wherein we hauehave the olde Chriſtians for our fellowes, who becauſe they would not yeeld to the willes of their ſuperiours in matters of Religion, had this proverbe paſſed vponupon them,uuCaeſar Baron. Annal nihil obstinatius Chriſtiano. we hauehave Chryſoſtome partaking with vsus in this ſlaunder aboue all others. Severianus then ſaying of him as our accuſers ſpeake of vsus,wwTripartit. hiſtor. l. 10 c. 13. Et ſi nullo alio vituperandus Iohannes eſt, eius tamen ſuperbiae crimen eſt ad damnationem ſufficiens. Now one maketh an apologie for him which cleareth vsus,xxSuidas in Chryſoſt. We muſt not thinke that he who refuſeth to flatter, is by an by proud: nor on the other ſide, that he who yeeldeth out of a baſe and flattering ſpirit, is by and by moderate. but that he is moderate rather who keepeth him ſelfe within a fit and a free courſe. For it beſeemeth to be magnanimus, and yet not proud: manly, and yet not raſh: milde, and yet not baſely, ſervile: free (laſtly) and not a p. 119ſlaue. The ſecond ſlaunder is that we are ſinguler. But wherfore ſinguler? others conforme but wee wil not. ſo the Proconſull ſaid once to Pionius yyCaeſar Baion. Annal ann. 254.caeteri immolarunt. to whom he anſwered for all that: ego Proconſul non immolo. But they are the whole church that hauehave cōformed beſides your ſelues? and all the Biſhops of Aſia ſubſcribed when time was againſt the councel of Chalcedon vponupon the letters of the Emperour who would hauehave them ſo to doe: who yet afterward came and acknowledgedzzEvagr. hiſtor. l. 3. c. 9 nos, non noſtra voluntate, ſed neceſsitate adducti ſubſcripſimus: non animo ſed verbis duntaxat conſenſimus. what if the whole world did conforme againſt vsus? we might anſwere (notwithſtanding) with Liberius, hoc orbis terrarum comprobanit (ſaid the Emperour to him) quota tu pars es orbis terrarum, qui pacem orbis diſſolnis? He replyed,aaTheodor. hiſtor. lib. 3. cap. 16. non diminuitur ſolitudine mea verbum fidei: ſicolim tres pueri tantum in venti ſunt, qui regis edicto non parerent. Howbeit (the Lord be bleſſed) wee may turne the ſcaffold & aſke of our Oppoſites, howe great a part they be of the church, who in theſe ceremonies controverſed, ſeperat themſelues from the reſt that are called in the world? As Baſil once touching ſinging, that may wee ſay nowe,bbBaſil epiſt 66. ad cleric. Eccleſ. Neocaeſari. ad id vero quo accuſamur, & qua re potiſsimum ſimpliciores perterraefaciunt, qui nos traducunt, hoc habeo quod dicam: the courſe I take omnibus Eccleſijs Dei concors est & conſona. Tertullian thinketh it no ſmall argument, that hee hath on his ſide the agrement of the churches:ccTertul. in lib de preſcrip. adverſ. hereſ. ecquid veriſimile eſt vt tot ac tantae Eecleſiae errarint. nullus inter multos eventus vnus, exitus variaſſe debuerat ordinem doctrinae Eccleſiarum caeterum quod apud multos vnum invenitur non eſt erratum: I graunt hee ſpeaketh of vnitie in doctrine, but the argument holdeth more ſtrongly in the ceremonies, becauſe the conveniencie of them varying according to circumſtances of time and place, it is (indeed) admirable that ſo many churches ſhould leaue and aboliſhe them, without finding any one inconvenience ariſing from their abolition. But what if our church hauehave more learned men within it, then all the reſt of the churches hauehave. It becommeth me to ſay no more, but I would it had. In the meane ſeaſon the men of Hamborough put this anſwere in my mouth,ddHamburg epiſt. ad Philip. Melancthen. ipſe ſibi habeat ſuae eruditionis laudem Iſlebius, relinquat nobis ſimplicitatem noſtrae innocentiae, & vt ſequamur ſacrae ſcripture & Orthodoxae Eccleſiae iudicium, quae Adiaphora libera pronuntiat, quae bis vult Eccleſiam aedificari non deſtrui, ſcandalis mederi non ea ſuſcitari, ſuperſtitionem & corruptelas & impietates Eccleſia excludi non introduci. The third ſlaunder bewrayeth it own venime: For when it giueth forth, the puritans are worſe then papiſtes, & more daungerous to be tollerated in a common wealth then they, what faith it elſe but that Chriſt Ieſus is worſe then Barrabas, and more daungerous to the ſtate. why ſpeaketh it not out, like theeeW. Giffoe, in Caluino Turciſin. Frogges of the Dragons mouth, the Proteſtants are worſe them Turkes? for theſe falſe puritanes are true proteſtants, and they that be but as bad as papiſtes be in ſome ſort as bad as Turkes, or elſeffMath. Sutcli. in Turk papiſm. our writers erre Howbeit we ſee herein wee are not better then our Fathers: ſo the Chriſtians were countedggCaeſar Baron. Annal ann 100. omnium ſceleſtiſsimi. quam obrem ſumma pietas, ſumma que viſa eſt eſſe religio, hos vrgere vexare, ac penitus profligare. they were counted alſo ſo daungerous to the ſtate, as that their very meetings together were forbidden vponupon moſt ſeuere puniſhment. All thehhIdem. anno. 170. publique evils alſo were thrown on then backes; it was neuer well ſince they began, it neuer will bee well vntill they bee rooted out. So the Arrian Biſhops perſwaded Valens that the Orthodox Chriſtlans were worſe then pagans: whereupon hellTheodor. hiſtor. lib. 5. cap. 20. cum cunctis alijs quam delegiſſent religionem eiuſque cultum permiſſerit cum ſolis propug natoribus dogmatum Apoſtolicorum, bellare nunquam ceſſauit. So now in Rome the Iewes are counted beter then Proteſtants: ſo that the Iewes hauehave tolleration when true Chriſtians are put to the fire. So inmmIo. Bodin de republ. Genebrard Chron. anno. 1560. Frankford the (exiled Caluiniſtes (are worſte of all others, Papiſtes, Lutherans, deſerue to be tollerated, they muſt be thruſt out. But the fitteſt for our turne is the diuiſion of Boheme. the Huſsites there that were conformed Pontificijs in p. 120ſuis ritibus eſteemed better of the papiſts then of their ſincere brethrē called the Waldenſes & Picardi in deſpite: for theſe becauſe they were ab vtriſque ſeiuncti in their ceremonies and their rites, Dauid Chytre. in praelect. Chronit.therefore they were helde velut n Catharmata & peripſemata. here may men ſee (as in a glaſſe) the true picture of a falſe puritane: againſt whom not Ephraim onelyonly but Iudah alſo bande them ſelues without all cauſe or merite.

#Sect. 5. Seekers of Reformation no Newfangeliſtes, no haters of Antiquitie, nor delighters in Noveltie. &c.

THE fift ſlaunder of the ceremonies is, that we are Newfangliſtes, hating antiquitie and delighting in noveltie: and through a certaine giddines of head, ſeeking after innovations. Firſt let the fountaine of this ſlaunder be conſidered, for it ſloweth both from papiſme and from Adiaphoriſme alſo. among the papiſtes we hauehaveaaConcil. Tridentin. feſsion. 7. can. 13. cōdemned by the Councell of Trent, all thoſe that ſhall thinke any auncient rite of any Sacrament may be omitted without damnable ſinne. And as for the Sacrament of Baptiſme in particular, they are novatores, that is newfangliſtes (inbbBellar. de baptiſm. c. 24. Bellarmines iudgement) that ſhall now thruſt out any rite, that hath been aunciently vſed therein. This he cryeth with open mouth againſt all the proteſtant churches for daſhing our the Oyle and Spitle with the reſt.ccMart. Art. 5. ſee Calfh Ibid tol. 119. Martial more particularly reveleth at vsus about the croſſe: which in caſe it be diſvſed, all antiquitie is diſauthorized in his iudgement. Among the AdiaphoriſtesddHarman. Hamelmā. de tradit. apendic. ad p. 1. col. 499. Caſſander conteſteth all Antiquitie is defaced, f the Fonts conſecration, with the oyle and with the croſſe be left. why will our brethren take a ſhafte out of the quiuer of theſe men, to throwe it at their fellowes, which cānot hurt but by the venime wherewith the enimie him ſelfe hath dreſſed it? For the ground of theſe our accuſers muſt be the ſame with Bellarmines, as longe as the new-fangliſtes cannot prove our baptiſme rites to beeeBellamin. quoſup. contra ſacras literas, it ſhall ſuffice ſi adferamus teſtimonia antiquitatis. Secondly, we plead it is neither levitie nor noveltie, nor contempt of antiquitie for which we diſvſe & forbeare the ceremonies, but we hauehave other cauſes iuſtifiable, which induce vsus to that we doe: in which maner to leaue antiquitie, it was never deemed vnlawfull. For example: The adminiſtring of the Communion to infantes, is now diſvſed: a rite as auncient as Cyprtans ffCypri. de lapſ.time: and a rite that didggAnſegiſ de legib Fran cor lib. 1. c. 155. continue in the church aboue 600. yeares. The cuſtome of not faſting betweene Eaſter and Whitſontyde, is diſvſed althoughhhAuguſt. epiſt. 86. ad Caſulan. auncient: that which alſo we may ſay ofllIuſt Mart. q 155. Ba…l. de ſpirit. ſanct. not keeling in prayer betweene theſe two feaſtes enacted in the 20. Canon of the Councell of Nice. and after growing to bemmCaſſand. in defenſ. libel. de offic. pii viri. firmata obſervatio, divina Eccleſiarum conſuetudine. It is Caſſander the Adiaphoriſt that teſtifieth this: who alſo affirmeth of the Saterſdayes faſt, religio ſiſsime celebrabatur: adding moreover of theſe ceremonies, ne veſtigium quidem ſupereſt, quia non tanti momenti putabantur vt earum obſervatio retinenda putaretur. Come wee to Tertull. ceremonies: amongſt which the croſſe aroſe the trin-immerſion, the hony & the milke of Baptiſme, the abſtinence from waſhing for a wecke after baptiſme, the receaving of the L▪ Supper in time of meat: oblarions on byrth dayes, with the like. of all which, thus one of our writers,nnD. Whitak cont. Bellarmin. controue…ſ. 1. q 6. c. 12. p. 450. reſpondeo: omnes has traditionet quas Tertullianus laudat & pro quibus tam acriter pugnat, abrogatas iam eſſe à Papiſtis ipſis ſi vnum ſignum crucis excipias. An otherooThom. Morton. Apolog. p. 2. l. 1. cap. 43. of our writers glorieth to proue out of the papiſtes them ſelues the aboliſhing of theſe rites: one of whom affirmeth, that the trin-immerſiō in baptiſme, was enacted by a Canon of the Apoſtles them ſelues, yet that iam diu per contrariam conſuetudinem abolita eſt. An other nor faſting on the Sab. that ſince the Manichees began to faſt vponupon that day, it is not onelyonly become lawfull, but alſo neceſſarie, atque etiam hodie ex praeccepto rectè ieiunamus Sabbato. p. 121anotherppMaldona… comment. in Iohan. cap. 6. thus of another auncient rite and ceremonie nowe left of. miſſam ego faciam. &c. I omit the opinion of Auguſtine and Innocentius the firſt, that the Euchariſt is neceſſarie to infantes, which continued in the Church about 600. yeres hath nowe ben left by the cuſtome of many ages, not only as not neceſſatie but alſo as not decent▪ the night Vigills (ſaith another) which Tertull. and Hierome, and other of the Fathers praiſe ſo muchqqLedeſima. l. de divin. quavis lingua nō legend. c. 19 in deſuetudinem abiere, & afterwards in the Councel of Eliberis, it was decreed, ne foeminae ad eas ſe conferant: the ſame affirmeth that the Euchariſt was wont to be giuen into mens hands, at modò eius vſum non imitamur. If theſe churches of poperie & of the Adiaphoriſme hauehave left all theſe ancient rites, the ſigne of the croſſe only excepted without newfanglednes, then why are we newfangled now for omitting the croſſe it ſelfe, ſeeing it is confeſſed to be a ceremonie non tanti momenti: and ſeeing ourrrD. Fulk reioyn… ag. Mart. art. 4 p. 163. Writers thus reaſon againſt it, why ſhould not croſſing be lefte as well which hath no better ground, and hath been worſe abuſed? And againe,ssIbid. art. 52 p 177. ſeeing none worſe abuſed then the croſſe, the croſſe muſt be abrogated as well as they: The oblations of Martyrs memorialles were forbidden by Ambroſe, ttLuddovie. Vives in Auguſt do civit. Dei. l. 8 c. 27.quia quaſi parentalia ſuper ſtitioni gentilium eſſent ſimilima. and the meliores Chriſtiani, inuuAuguſt. l. retractat. c. 11. Auguſtines time, did of themſelues omitt them, till at the laſt it was ſaide of them, in pleriſque mortalium nulla talis est conſuetudo. What more like to the cuſtome of croſſing then this tradition? for it is auncient: and the Croſſe is tam ſimilis papiſtis, as that was to the Heathen; and in pleriſque Eccleſijs nulla eſt crucis ſignandi conſuetudo.

wwAmbroſ. l. 3. de Sacramen. c. ….Ambroſe ſtriveth much for the rite and ceremnie of waſhing the feet in baptiſme, againſt them who would hauehave turned it out of baptiſme to civill vſe only, to witt, to the waſhing of ſtraungers feete. the ſucceſſion of whom prevayled ſo, both againſt him, and againſt antiquitie, thatxxAuguſt epiſt. 119. Auguſtine was able to ſay of them, becauſe it ſeemed quaſi obſervatio baptiſmi, quidam cam de conſuetudine auferre, non dubitarunt. EueryEvery thing heere ſpeaketh for▪ vsus, what if we doubt not to auferre the Croſſe from Baptiſme? it ſeemeth quaſi pars baptiſmi: Away with him (then) into civill vſe, if into any vſe at all. Indeed, in that we abide the croſſe for his antiquitie in Banners, Coynes, Princes Balles, and Noble mens armes, and everie where elſe where he is vſed without ſuperſtition, which is all the vſe that our writers require,yyD. Fulkes anſwar to Rhem. in Mat. 24. verſ. 30.Matt 24:30 therein we ſhewe our louelove and reverence to antiquitie: and that we doe omit it in Baptiſme for ſome other cauſe then for newfanglednes, even as the reſt of our carriage teſtifieth. Poperie hath defiled doles at burialles, yet becauſe the cuſtome is auncient to hauehave oblationszzOrigen. in Iob l. 3. Ephreem. de poenitent. c. 2 Auguſt confeſs. l. 6. c. 2. at the funeralls, and memorialls of the dead, and the vſe is civill not religious, therefore (you ſee) we ſuffer it. Poperie hath likewiſe defiled Lent, yet becauſe the auncients had a certayne faſt before the commemoration of the paſſion of the Lord, and the vſe thereof is alſo civill not religious, therefore we tollerate it. Laſt of all, it isbbMath Beroald chronolog. l. 4. c. 2. evicted by ſcripture & reaſon that the Nativitie of our Lord was about the poynt of Aequinoctium Autumnale, ſo that we cannot approue the communiō booke, which willeth vsus to acknowledge it to hauehave fallen out as on December 25. Nevereheleſſe becauſe this obſervation is auncient, and the vſe of it is mixtly civill, although we ſubſcribe not to it, yet we beare with it. Seeing (then) we reverence Antiquitie euen in cuſtomes defiled by poperie to the vttermoſt bound and limit of a good conſcience, what reaſon hauehave any to condemne vsus for contemners of the ſame or one or two ceremonies, that are ſaide to be of light moment? But it is made hey nous in Eunomius, that he brake a rite of baptiſme the Trin-immerſion, euen for this,ccZorom. l. 6. c. 26. becauſe it was in vſe downeward frō the Apoſtles. true, and he deſerved to be cōdēned who did this out of a pride & ſingularitie to the corrupting of the doctrine it ſelf of baptiſme, there immediatly euſuing out of it an opinion that it was ſufficiēt to baptize into the death of Ieſus Ch. wheras the Toletan ddToletan. Concil▪ 4. c. 5.councell p. 122did abrogate this rite and ceremonie: andeeGregor. epiſt. 11. ad Leand…. Gregorie perſwaded the omiſſion of it, without any violating of antiquitie, becauſe they did it vponupon iuſt cauſe, to ſeperat the church frō the cuſtome of heretiques, who vſed it amiſſe; for which we now omit the croſſe. In Africa menffZago. Zabo in Confeſſion. Aethiop. aedit. 15.34 baptize themſelues everie Epiphanie, not for any worſhip of God, but for an imitation of Chriſt only, which is far to be preferred before the imitation of any of the auncient Fathers. Now would our accuſers if they liued in that church, thinke it newfanglednes and noveltie for them to forbeare this ancient rite? And whereas the communion is given to infantes both inggDauid. Chythre. in praelection. Chronic. Bohemia and inhhPaul. Odorbor. de relig. Ruſſo rum. Ruſsia, are the ſincere forte of the Huſsites called Waldenſes to be condemned for newfanglednes and innovation, becauſe they will not conforme them ſelves to this ceremonie old and ancient, like the croſſe?

#Sect. 6. Aiuſt excuſe both in regarde of the matter and manner of the Croſſe.

AS we are able to iuſtifie ourſelves for the maner whereby we ſwerue frō Antiquitie in the ceremonies controverſed, ſo alſo for the matter it ſelf in which we leaue it. Firſt we plead with Arnobius, aaAmob. cont. gent. lib. 1.quaſi verò errorū non antiquitas pleniſsima mater ſit? which we hauehave bybbR. Brottus in prefat. tranſlation Simeon. Metaphor. one applied againſt the antiquitie of the croſſe by name. Tell me not here whatccAuguſt. ad Ianuar. Auguſtine hath, Antiquns mos populi Dei pro lege habē dus est. his meaning is not we muſt follow the Fathers ad vltimū iota, as the gloſſe of the canō law cōmandeth. The canonddDecret. pag. 1. diſtine. 9. c. 3 it ſelf out of Auguſt. himſelf cōdemneth ſuch ſlaviſh ſcrupuloſitie, as wel it may: ſith every one of the ancient Fathers had his errors, as not only our owneeePhilip. Mome. de Euchariſt. in prefat. writers, but alſo theffCanus de loc. The ol. lib. 7. cap. 3 & li. 11. ca …. Villa. Vincent. de ration. ſtu. Theolog li 4 c. 6. obſeruat. 2. papiſtes them ſelves confeſſe. In regard whereof we hauehave this libertie from the mouth euen of one of the ſlaues of Antichrist, non ggClaud. Eſpeuſ. de adorat. lib. 2. cap. 8.andiendi ſunt qui circa Dei & ſacramentorum cultum omnia reduci volunt ad vesuſtum morem. non. n. ſemper melius quod antiquius. As for this matter of the croſſe, who can excuſe the neceſſitie, the vertue, the effectiue power w^ch they put in it as hath ben already ſhewed. vnleſſe he doe it perverſo fauore, whichhhAuguſt. in Ioham. tractat. 66. Auguſtine condemneth in the excuſing of a Peter himſelfe. or excogitato aliquo cō mento, or ſenſum commodum affingendo, which is the tricke that we ourllIo. Reynolde Idolotat lib. 2. cap. 2. ſect. 10. ſelues condemne in papiſtes. And ſeeing it was a ſheepiſh kinde of following the Fathers, that hath brought the croſſe downe hitherto (an example whereof is to be ſeene inmmAlcain. in Iohan. lib. 7. ca. 19 Alcuinus, who is not aſhamed when he writeth of it, to write verbatim out of Auguſtine) the more it is to be mervayled, that for the continuing of it ſtill, our Oppoſites will ſo cleaue to the Fathers, as to reiect all new writers, whom ſome of the papiſtes them ſeluesnnAndrad. defenſ. fid. Triden. l. 2 confeſſe to hauehave receaued more light & knowledge, then euer the Fathers ſawe of old. Secondly, we are leſſe tyed to the Fathers in ceremonies then in doctrine, and to their practize leſſe then to their iudgement. Whereas then a papiſt conteſteth,ooRoffenſ. in proem. confutat. Luther. conteſtatos eſſe volo, me prorſus nullius quantumvis ſancti Patris, authoritate cogi velle, niſi quatenus iudicio divinae ſcripturae fuerit probatus. What follie were it now for vsus to followe them ſtrictly in their practize, which leſſe bindeth then their ſayth, as one of them ſaith,ppAuguſt. li. 2 cont. epi. Gaudent. 2 Non debemus imitari ſemper & probare quidquid probati homines vrgent, ſed iudicium ſcripturarū adhibere, an illae probent ca facta. TheqqTertul. li. …. ad vxor. Durant. li. 1. ca. 16. ſect. 10. Fathers vſed to take the bread of the Sacrament and wrappe it vp and carie it home, and eate it in private: which werrBucer. in Cenſur. miſlike. The Fathers vſedssEuſeb. de vit. Conſtantin. li 4. ca. 66. tapers in funerals, &ttOrigen. in Iob. li. 1. Euſeb hiſtor. li. 7. ca. 16. Hieron. invit. Pauli. Eremit. clothed the bodies that were dead with coſtly attyre, and many other ſolemnities of burial: which not only we cōdemne, but alſo ouruuAeneas. Silu. de orig. Bohem. ca. 35. Fathers that ſaw but the dawning (as it were) of the goſpel. The Fathers vſedwwDucant. de rit. lib. 2. cap. 43. ſect. 6. anniverſary ſolemnities for the dead, & anniverſarie xxTertul. de coron. milit.oblations for thē alſo: which p. 123hadyyIdem de Monora Epipha he reſ. 23. Am … of de mort Saryr & obit. Va lētia. Chry in Act honul. 21. & in 1. Cor. homil. 41. prayers adioyned for the refrigerium of their ſoules, which wezzBu…or in cenfur. c. 9. p. 467. condemne. Thirdly, the ſoule & the life of every practize being the cauſe for which the Fathers vſed it, this cauſe ceaſing, the practiſe it ſelf muſt ceaſe, though neuer ſo auncient. which of our writers laugheth not at papiſtes foraaD. Fulke reioynd. art 7. p. 189 retayning divers ceremonies for their antiquitie, now that their auncient vſe is ended? and forbbChemnit. exam. p. 2. p. 38. keeping vmbram veterum rituum etiamſi nullam habeant veram obſervationis cauſam? as well they may, becauſe abſurdum eſt (ſaith the lawe) ipſa origine rei ſublata eius imaginem relinqui. For example, were it not abſurd nowe to ſuffer eueryevery man to receiue the communion at home in private without a miniſter, becauſe theddDuran de rit l. 1. c. 16 ſect. 11. Fathers of old time vſed it. for the ſame reaſon is not in place. we may nowe come to the church which they could not, who were compelled to liue in the woodes where was no miniſter? were it not abſurd now and ſmelling of Anabaptiſme to ſell all for ſuch a communion, as was in the Apoſtles time, for we hauehave not the like cauſe nowe to travell abroad into the world for the ſpreading of the Goſpell? we read ineeBeda. hiſt. gent Angl. l 4 c 3. Beda, ccCod lib 7 tit. 6. leg. 1.that ſome miniſters would not ride but goe on foote like the Apoſtles. was this wiſdome in them thinke ye? was not the Archb. wiſer then they who conſtrained thē to break of ſuch imitation of antiquitie? were it not abſurd nowe and ſavoring of Paganiſme, to hauehaveffPlin. Secſid in epiſt 98 tapers and lightes in divine ſervice, ſuch as were vſed in the g ancient church, for we hauehave not the like neceſſitie to aſſemble in the darknes of the night or in the morning as they had then? were it not abſurd now and ſavouring of poperie to hauehave Eremites, after the example of Paulus Thaebeus and others auncient, for we are not driven forth by perſecution into ſolitarie and deſert places as they were then.ggOtho. Friſingenſ. l. 4 c. 3. Paulus Thaebeus, Decij fugiens perſecutionem vixit in deſerto, neceſsitatem vertens in volūtatem. andhhSozom l. 1 c. 13. memorant alij perſecutionum procellas homines ad hoc vitae genus ſuſcipiendum impuliſſe. what thatllHermā Hamelman. de tradit. appendic. ad p. …rim. col. 498. Caſſander him ſelf (that Adiaphoriſt) thinketh it vnfit that any ceremo. ſhould continue, vnles he hauehave rationē & cauſam perpetuā. of which, how many is he able to name. For quis neſcit temporū momenta & inclinationes multa monere, quaedā ſubijcene, nonnulla etiam extorquere, as nowe in the caſe of the croſſe is to be ſeene? For origine eius ſublata (which was to profeſſe againſt the heathens with whō we liue not) & a cauſe contrarie to the origen of it being come in place, to wit a contrarie diſeaſe in papiſtes who too much honour it, (amiddeſt whom we converſe) this chaung of time & cauſes of vſe chaūged by the time doth not only monere or ſubijcere, but alſo euē extorquere, we ſhould away with it. Fourthly, though a practize be neuer ſo ancient, it muſt be aboliſhed when it groweth to abuſe, euen as Pope Stephen him ſelf ordayneth, Si nnDecret p. 1. diſtinct. 63. c. 28.nonnulli ex praedeceſſoribus aut maioribus noſtris fecerunt aliqua, quae vllo tempore potuerunt eſſe ſine culpa, & poſtea vertuntur in errorem & ſuperstitionem ſine tarditate aliqua, & cum magna authoritate, à poſteris deſtruantur. Bellarmine in theſe wordes ſheweth the practize of this Canon,ooBellar. de eccleſ. Triumphant. c. vit. Quoniam occaſione nocturnarum vigiliarum, abuſus irrepere caeperat, placuit Fccleſiae nocturnos conventus & vigilias (propriè dictas) intermittere: ac ſolum in ijſdem diebus celebrare ieiunia.

OurppIoh. Reynold. de idololat l. 1 c. 9. ſect. 12 Writers ſay, the papiſtes here leaue the Fathers and cleaue to Vigilantius, who required the aboliſhing of theſe Vigills. So that wee require but that their meaſure be meat to vsus, when in the roome of Vigilantius, we deſire that our Oppoſites would leaue the Fathers in the vſe of theſe rites and ceremonies controverſed, or at the leaſt not throw them on vsus, being more groſly then a Vigill abuſed, vponupon a vizardlike pretence of their antiquitie. Knowe we not, that this was theqqSozom. l. 5. c. 16. tricke of Iulian, when he removed the croſſe from the Labarum, thereby to deface Chriſtianitie it ſelfe? for he pleaded the former labarum was auncient: the Croſſe but an vpſtart. the Pagan fayth auncient, the chriſtian Religion but newly borne: in this manner abutens veteribus inſtitutis ad ſuam libidinem? p. 124We know there is no intent in our Reverend Fathers to reduce poperie by the reducing of the croſſe to her antiquitie; but this is their fault that they conſider not what one of our Writers doth adviſe, ^r As Eliſha to heale the ſtreames went to the fountayne and healed that firſt: So to reforme an abuſe, we muſt ſtoppe the very fountayne from whēce it floweth. which how can we doe in theſe ceremonies controverſed, vnleſſe we both remoue their vſe, and alſo diſclayme that antiquitie, whereby it is graced prepoſterouſly? Fiftly, It is a ruled caſe by the doctrine which nowe is publiſhed by the authoritie of our church, thatssTho. Morton. Apol. p. 2. l. 1. ca. 42. Traditiones rituales quae ad ordinem & ritus cultus divini pertinent, are to be receaued vponupon this condition only, modo ne veritati, pietati, ſimplicitati, & libertati Chriſtianae, adverſentur. againſt all which, that the Croſſe and Surplice fight, it hath beene ſhewed elſewhere. And ſuch is our firſt exception, Antiquitie is not of ſuch authoritie, as to evicte vsus of newfanglenes, the manner and matter being conſidered of our ſwerving from the ſame.

#Sect. 7. The ſecond exception proveth that the Croſſe is neither truelie, nor ſoundlie auncient.

OVR ſecond exception denyeth that the croſſe is auncient with true, ſound, ſufficient antiquitie. Firſt the antiquitie of it is a preſcription without true title, which if it hold not againſt a King here below on the earth, according to the cōmon axiome, nullum tempus occurrit Regi, much leſſe holdeth it againſt the heauenly K. of kings, who is moſt auncient? This is that which Arnobius once replyed, when the heathens obiected to him the antiquitie of their religion & the latenes of his fayth ſpreadaaArnob. cont gent. l. 2. prop. finem. religionis authoritas (ſaith he) non eſt tempore aestimanda, ſed numine. Deus omnipotens non eſt res novella. non quod ſequimur nouum est; ſed nos ſero addidiſcimus quidnam ſequi oporteat. The reſt of the Fathers are of the ſame iudgement, which one of ourbbD. Bilſon againſt the Apol. p. 4. p. 392. Reverend Fathers thus rehearſeth: In caſes of Religion (ſpeaking againſt an auncient cuſtome, to wit ſaying of ſervice in Latine) we muſt reſpect not what men hauehave, but what they ſhould hauehave bene vſed too. Cyprian ſaieth well: Conſuetudo ſine veritate vetuſtas erroris eſt. And Tertullian, Quodcumque adverſus veritatem ſapit, hoc erit haereſis etiam vetus conſu…tudo. And the Councell of Carthage (laſt of all) The Lord ſaith in the Goſpell, I am truth, he doth not ſay, I am cuſtome. We are to follow the word of God (ſaith M^r ccBucer. in Cenſur. c. 10.11.13.Bucer) which is moſt aūcient. this who ſo hath, he hath antiquitie on his ſide (ſaith DddD. Bilſon ag Apolog Bilſon.) We care not (ſayeth M^r eeBullonger. Decad 5. ſerino. 9. p. 462.461.Bullinger) how auncient the additions of the Sacrament are, ſi inſtituentis authoritas, doctrina & ſanctitas, ſi vetuſtas valere debet vicimus nos qui Chriſtum pro nobis habemus cum electiſsimo Apostolorum Choro. Herevpon he entreth into a large proof that the Apoſtles and the primitiue Church that followed them, added not ſo much as one rite in the adminiſtration of any Sacrament, beſides thoſe that are mentioned in Matthew, Marke and Luke. Yea he proveth, that neither they nor any other may multiplie or increaſe the rites, which the Sonne of God hath ordayned ſufficiently or perfectly, ſeeing euen in Moſes tyme it ſelfe the Paſſeover was ſimplie adminiſtred as Moyſes left it: and the duetie of Sacrifizing was ſimplie to be performed according to the rites of Moyſes & no other: to which appertayne the iudgements of God vponupon Nadab and Abihu, and vponupon Vzziah, whē either a Sacrament of Gods was handled otherwiſe then preciſely according to the ſtrict rites of Gods commaund, or a newe ceremony brought into his worſhippe which he commaunded not. For aſmuch (then) as the Lorde ordayned not either Croſſe or Surplice, it is only a mediat Antiquitie which they hauehave: for which who ſo ſaith they are olde, he followeth11Ier. 44.17Jer 44:17 Idolaters,22Ioh. 4.20.John 4:20 Samaritans,33Mat. 5.21Matt 5:21 Phariſies, and that againſt the Fathers them ſelues, on whom he relyeth: whoſe doctrine p. 125is this,ffCypri. epi ſtolar. li. 2. epiſt. 3. Non eſt attendendum quid aliquis ante nos faciēdum putaverit, ſed quid quiante omnes est Chriſtus fecerit, & faciendum praeceperit. Our Oppoſites perceaving thus much, ſtriue aſmuch as in them lyeth, to drawe the antiquitie of the croſſe immediatly from Chriſt him ſelfe, or at the leaſt from his Apoſtles. Firſt, ſay they, it cannot be proved but that the Apoſtles them ſelues did vſe it, or that at the leaſt it hath bene vſed euen from their dayes. which kinde of reaſoning, is it not ſhamefull? for ponenti non inficienti incumbit onus probandi. we denie it to be ſo auncient. they put vsus to proove it. abſurd:ggDocret. p. 2. cauſ. 6. q 5. c. 2. cùm per rerum naturam factum negantis probatio nulla ſit. I appeale to them ſelues. A papiſt obiecteth, can ye proue the primitiue church had no images? iuſt as now they obiect to vsus, howe can ye proue that the primitiue church had no croſſes? what thē they anſwer to this obiection, that ſerveth vsus now,hhD. Bilſon ag. Apolog p. 4. p 351 doth your diſcretiō ſerue you to put vsus to preoue the negatiue? you cannot prooue they had, & that is cauſe ſufficient for vsus to avouche they had not. Againe: the profe llIbid. p 346muſt be yours ſince the facte is yours. Againe ſpeaking of a matter of antiquitie,mmIbid p. 1 p. 56. preſume you no more then you can proove. Laſt of all, when the papiſt reaſoneth after this manner, ſure the Apoſtles had ſome preciſe forme of ſeruice, though we know it not, the reply is to thē (which may be in our caſe replyed) nnbid. p. 4. p 409.ſince you knowe it not, why make you it your ancre hold, ſeeing what the Apoſtles did obſerue, none would hauehave dared, but hauehave obſerved it after their example. Another reaſon there is vſed to proue the antiquitie of the croſſe to be immediate, Did not Chriſt vſe it for an inſtrument of his death, why doe we call it his croſſe in caſe it be not his? To which D,ooD Fulke ag. Saund. of Imag c. 12. p. 652. Fulke thus anſwereth: Chriſt did not chooſe the croſſe but the Iewes and his Iudge, they appointed it to him. If any meane of his eternall counſell, ſo he choſe Iudas and Caiaphas to be the inſtrumentes of his death, as well as the croſſe, who gaine no credit by this chooſing. and if the croſſe be the inſtrument of mans redemption, becauſe the inſtrument of his death, then ſay the Axes and Gallouſe and Gibbettes are the holy inſtrumentes of the Martyrs felicitie. Whereas alſo it is obiected, that we our ſelues doe call it his croſſe, to witt, Chriſtes: men muſt know we doe it in the ſame ſenſe whereby we call Iudas his traytor, the Iewes his enimies, the ſouldiers his executioners, and not otherwiſe his.

A third reaſon for the antiquitie of the croſſe immediat, may chaūce to renew the popiſhppAlbert: Magn. cum reliquis lā ſenius concord. Evāg. c. vlt Rhem annorat in Luc. 24. ſect. 5 &c.Luke 24 aſſertion, That Chriſt did croſſe his Diſciples at his aſcending: the bread of his ſacrament at his laſt ſupper: the litle children which he tooke into his armes when he did bleſſe them. That he bleſſed the bread with the croſſe,qqAmalar. de eccleſiaſt offic. l. 3. c. 24 Amalarius doubteth: & arrW. Alanus de Sacram. in gen. l. 1. art. 2. grand Papiſt him ſelfe denyeth, not without reaſon. How is it likely (ſaith he) that Chriſt ſhould croſſe when he bleſſed, ſeeing the ſigne of the croſſe was execrable, and euer had bene before his tyme throughout all ages? ſo that I need not cite ourssD. Fulk agai. Rhem. on Luk 24 ſect 5. D. Bilſ. ag. Apolog. p. 4 p. 466.468.Luke 24 owne writers in this behalfe. A fourth reaſon to proue the ſigne of the croſſe immediate is drawne from the Apoſtles phraſe which comprizeth in the croſſe all the ſumme of our redemption, by the merites of Chriſtes death. Better doe ourttD. Willet. controver. 9. q 5. ar. 3 writers prooue from this phraſe, that the ſigne of the croſſe is not mentioned in the ſcripture, becauſe all the croſſes that are mentioned there, are either the efficacie of Chriſtes death. 1. Cor. 1.17. or the preaching of Chriſtes death, Philip. 3.18. or the affliction that doeth follow the preaching and the profeſſing of it, Galat. 6.14. But the vſe of the croſſes ſigne was taken vp by reaſon of this phraſe and ſpeaking. But this is not to diſpute but to divine, and that abſurdlie. For it is as if I ſhould ſay, that Images tooke their riſing from thoſe ſimilitudes whichuuHoſpin. de re templar. c. de imag. fol 46. Athanaſiut and Baſil, and the reſt of the Fathers drew frō Images in their ſermons. A fift reaſon which is brought to prooue the antiquitie of the Croſſe immediate, is, that the Fathers who are them ſelues auncient, doe giuegive it the title of an auncient tradition: yea, they terme itwwDurant. de rit l. 2. c. 45. Apoſtolicall. The auncienteſt Father that is ſaid to doe this isxxRhem. in Luke 24. ſect. 5.Luke 24 Tertullian, who reckoneth it vp for a tradition (indeed). p. 126howbeit not for an auncient tradition: that is a ſixt finger of thexxRhem. in Luk 24. ſect. 5.Luke 24 Ieſuites: No, he reckoneth it vp for a tradition ſo new, rawe and as yet vnſettled, as that he is fayne to make a long exhortation to the Church, that they would ſettle it by their receauing it: and conforme it by the continuance of their practize. And we may perceaue by him how it grewe to be Apoſtolicall, to witt, as did the hony, the oyle, the milke in baptiſme, not becauſe it came frō the Apoſtles, but asyyTertul. de coron. milit mos habiturus qandoque Apostoli authoritatem, to wit, through long cuſtome ex inter praetatione rationis, not otherwiſe. Thus goeth the text in the Baſil editiō, Anno 1528. whereof I thought good to advertize the reader, leaſt he ſhould be aſtoniſhed at the edition of Pamelius or any other from which theſe wordes are gelded. Baſil is an other Father that is alleadged to prooue the croſſe to be Apoſtolicall. but his treatiſe of traditions I take to be counterfeit: and ſince inſerted. one reaſon is, S^t Ambroſe tranſlateth this booke of Baſil de ſpiritu ſancto (whether ex bonis Graecis faciens latina non bona, or no, as S^t Hierome ſeemeth to cēſure him, I will not iudg) and leaueth it out. But beit he calleth the croſſe Apoſtolicall, knowe we not that tempera Apoſtolorum (inzzIſidor. de concil prae fix. tom. 1. Concilior. Iſidors account) laſt downe to the Nicene Councell? ſo that they who were preſent at it might very wel be called Apoſtles in that ſpeach of Damaſſus, aaDamaſſ. op. 5.haec ſola fides, quae Nicea Apoſtolorum authoritate fundata est, perpetua eſt firmitate ſervanda. Caeſar Baronius mannureth much vponupon this, that Scithianus and Terebinthus are ſaid to liue temporibus Apoſtolorū, who liued in Aurelians time towards 300. yeares after Chriſt. But the good man conſidered not, thatbbEpiphan. here…. 66. Epiphanius ſpake according to the auncient phraſe, which termed the 300. yeares after Chriſt euen Apoſtolicall. Againe, diverſe traditions are termed Apoſtolicall which roſe long after, becauſe they ſeemed grounded vponupon the Apoſtles, and to be drawne from their practize and example. In whiche ſenſe ſpeaketh Hierome, ccHieron. epi. ad Lucvnaquaeque provincia, precepta maiorum, leges Apoſtolicas arbitratur. So theddCyril in Ioh. ll. 12 c. 64. threefold demaund in Baptiſme, and the threefold confeſſion of the baptized is ſaid to be Apoſtolicall, becauſe it roſe vp long after out of an imitation of Chriſts threefold demaund and Peters threefold anſwer. So Lent is held by the Fathers to beeeAmbroſ. ſerin 25. conſecrate by Chriſt him ſelfe. and to proceed fromffTheophil. Alexandri. epiſt. 1. evangelicall conſtitution when it is certayne (nevertheleſſe) that faſting was equall and alike at all tymes in the primitiue church,ggCaſſian. collat. 21. c 30. per totum annum. and that the Lenten faſt was enioyned, becauſe the devotion of men in faſting began to waxe colde. So Monachiſme is called Apoſtolicall, yea more auncient, becauſe when afterwarde it aroſe it was fathered vponuponhhHierom. ad Paulinā epiſt. 13. Eliſha and Elias, andllChryſo on Mark homil. 1. Iohn Baptiſt, and on themmCaſsian. collat. 18. c. 5. Apoſtles. whereas notwithſtanding it is moſt true, that Chryſoſtome doth affirme elſewhere, innnChryſoſt in epiſt. ad Hebre. homil. …5. Paules tyme there was not ſo much as any veſtigium Monachorum. This cōſidered it maketh not much though the croſſe be termed Apoſtolicall by ſomeppBaſil. de ſpirit ſanct c. 27. counterfeit, or by ſomeqqDurant. de rit l. 2. c. 45 papiſt: whom let no proteſtant follow becauſe all the grounds which the Fathers hauehave for it, are only theſe. Iacobs bleſſing with hisrrvid Pereri um in illum loc. handes a croſſe: thessCyprian. fid adverſ. Iudeos cap. 16. ſtone that wounded Goliah in the forehead: and the rodde of Moyſes vppon mount Syna, wherewith Amalet was overcome: thettLactant. li. 4 cap. 26.27. Chryſoſt. homil. in Marth. homil. 88. Paſcall bloud ſprincled on the poſt: theuuAuguſtin. two ſtickes of the widowe of Sarepta: the woode ofwwAmbroſ. Marah making water ſweet. And to make an ende, the ſigne of the forehead in Ezech. and in Iohns revelatiō. Behold by what ſtring the croſſe holdeth his antiquitie? which he that will ſtrengthen can finde no other inſtances then theſe, though he turne againe and againe over all the Fathers. Howbeit hauehave I ſaid then theſe? I am deceaved. there be ſome other which are alleaged beſides theſe. It is beleeued that the Church of SaintxxGagvin. lib. 3. Chronic. Saxon. li. 1. cap. 32. Dioniſe neare Paris, was hallowed by Chriſt him ſelf. which if it be true, he made the ſigne of the croſſe out of queſtion. for without it no p. 127church can be hallowed. It is a traditiō alſo, that when the ſtarte of the wiſe men was ſcene firſt to ſhine in monte Victoriano, it had the forme of a litle child in it,yyChryſoſt in op…r. imperfect. in Matt. 2. homil. 2.Matt 2 & ſuper ſe ſimilitudinem crucis. He that ſeeth ſuch antiquities for the ſigne of the croſſe and will yet refuſe to conforme and ſubſcribe, is he not worthie to ſtande without dore and to ſit without his benefice? OurzzW. Perk. Problem. Writers cannot endure thoſe rites and ceremonies which are Apoſtolicall no otherwiſe then the new portch is Salomons portch which Herode late erected, that are oldaaTh. Morton Apolo. p. 1. l. 1. ca. 52. no otherwiſe then the Gibionitiſh bread, and ſhoes and clothes were old. What reaſon (then) to endure the croſſe which is no otherwiſe apoſtolicall then the Temples portch was Salomons, or the ſhoe of the Gibeonite auncient? Lighting hereon, it cōmeth to my minde to aske vponupon ſuppoſall that the croſſe were truly auncient, what muſt we preferre a paire of old ſhoes for their antiquitie before a newe payre which are fitter for the foote? But now, we may ſay by the ſigne of the croſſe as is affirmed of the Wenſdayes and Saterdayes faſt,bbApoſt canon 68. ordayned by the Canō of the Apoſtles, it is not Apoſtolicall, and ſo by conſequent not truely auncient,ccEpiphan. haereſ. 75. niſi nomine tenus only. and ſuch is our firſt exception againſt the antiquitie of the croſſe, for that it is not immediate.

#Sect. 8. The ſecond Exception againſt the Antiquitie of the Croſſe.

THE ſecond exception is againſt the mediat time, wherin it was borne, Sect. 8.bred vp, and brought to perfect ſtature, which is thus drawne forth by writers. In the tyme ofaaTertul. de reſurrect. Carn. Tertullian the ſigne tranſeunt began to be vſed in Baptiſme ſomewhat after the yeare 200. ourbbHomil. ag peril. of Idolat. pa. 2 homilie ſetteth downe 260. Into the Sacrament of the Lords Supper it entred after the yeare 300. firſt vt ſignaret ccAuguſt. in Iohan. tract 118.Chriſti bona. after, vt ipſa elementa conſecraret, which ſomeddAmalar. de Eccleſiaſt. offic. li. 3. ca. 24. aſſcribe to Auguſtine. And at the firſt, it was but a ſimple rite, till after the yeare 1000. then it began to be vſed in odde numbers by theeeMicrolog. cap. 14. appointement of Gregorie 7. according to his circle rule numero Deus impari gaudet. whom the Councell of Trent doth croſſe. For wheras heffIbid. c. 17. abroged the croſſing twice with the hoſte neare the Challice, theggConſil. Trident. rit Celebrand miſſam. Councell doth reſtore it againe, as it was vſed before his time, as Amalarius telleth vsus. As for the croſſe permanēt or compoſed, though ſome by gueſſe referre it to the dayes of Tertullian, others with more probabilitie to Cōstantines time, yet for certaine it was not knowne before the yearehhPerk. problem. in ſign. Cruc. 400. The firſte that was ſett vp in Englande was erected by KingllBeda hiſto gent. Anglor. Oſwald in the place where he fought with Cadwalla, about the yeare 635. And this croſſe wanted an Image by the ſpace of many yeeres, it being about the yeare of the Lord 710. that themmSynod. in Trull…. cap. 82. Councell of Conſtantinople chaunged the Agnus, becauſe it came too neare the Iewes into a croſſe, with the image of a man vponupon it: which now we call a Crucifixe. Having calculated the croſſes age, heare nowe the exceptions we make againſt it. Paulus Iovius ſurmized that the latter ende of the age 1400. and the beginning of the age 1500 was a tyme fatal by the ſtarres for the alteration of religion. wherevpon it fell out that about the yeare 1499. Iſmael ſurnamed Sophus brought in the way of Haly whereby the Perſians are nowe directed. putting downe Hanmars interpretatiō. and about the yeare 1497. the West-Indies were diſcovered by Americus Veſpitius, and taught a new religion. and about the yeare 1515. Marthin Luther aroſe, Genebrard.and began to reforme the Church from Poperie: Chaunge fate of ſtarres into the providence of the Lord, and I thinke in like manner, the end of the age 200. and the beginning of the age 300. to be fatall for the heaping vp of ceremonies, to the heaving out of the doctrine, which came to paſſe at laſt. For the Church ceaſed to be a chaſt virgin immediatlie after the deathnnEuſeb. hiſtor. lib. 3. cap. 29. of the Apoſtles: even as of old p. 128ſhee ceaſed to be chaſte immediatly after the death of the Elders who ſawe her deliuerance out of Aegypt. Iudg. 2.Judg 2They who ſucceeded the Apoſtles (ſaithooNicephor. i. 4. c. 1. one) came greatly ſhort of them: according to the beaten proverbe, pauci filij, ppClemens Alexand l. ſtromat. in initio.patribus ſimiles. Papias was one of Iohns hearers, yet the error of the Chiliaſtes ſprang from him. He gaue cauſe of error (ſaith the ſtorie) to many Eccleſiaſticall men,qqEuſeb. hiſtor. l. 4. c. 36. quia ad eius antiquitatem reſpexerunt. If it be not ſafe to beleeue an Apoſtles hearer for his antiquitie, then much leſſe the croſſes Fathers, who drewe neare torrHieron. Hieromes time, when the church drewe neare to her lees, and when thessAugu. epi. burthenſomnes of the ceremonies made the eſtate of the Chriſtians worſe then that of the Iewes. I am told thatttHerman. Hamelman. de tradit. col. 460.461.50. Bugenholgius vponupon Ionas collecteth the hiſtorie of the ceremonies, ſhewing how they corrupted the church of God by litle & litle, even from the Apoſtles dayes, & that in the age of the croſſes riſing cōmon corruption was growne to ſome height. To him accordeth one atuuCalfh. art. 4. fol. 96. home, I knowe right well, that within the 200. yeeres after Chriſt, there were crept into the church many idle ceremonies, and the ſimplicitie of Chriſtes ordinance was refuſed. Each man as hee had eyther credit or authoritie, preſumed of him ſelfe to adde ſomewhat to Ch. his inſtitution: and the fleſh delighting in her owne deviſes, deliuered the ſame with as ſtrait a charge, as if Chriſt him ſelf had taken order for it. But ſee we ſome perticulars. There began in this mixtage aboue mentioned, thewwAuthor l. de duplic. Mattyr. Ap. Cypri. Rabban. l. 1. c. 27. Dioniſ. Eccleſiaſtic. Hierar. c. 2 exufflation of the baptized, looking towards the Weſt into the Divells face. There began in this age thexxCypri. epiſt. 7. Ambroſ. de Sacrā l. 1. c. 5. conſecration of the Font with oyle and croſſe. There began in this age, theyyCypri. epi. Author. de vnction. Chriſmat. ap. eund. oyle in baptiſme, without the which none was thought to be well baptized. There began in this age the reſerving of the bread in the Sacrament, & the eating of it at home in private. There began here about theaaCypri. in epiſt. ad Quintin. exorciſme. thebbTertul. de coron. milit offering and praying for the dead.zzTertul. ad vxor. l. 2. ccIdem cont. Pſychic.Faſting on certayne dayes, with opinion of neceſſitie and ſatisfaction. The BiſhoppesddEuſeb. hiſt l 7. c. 17. throne, through the pride of Samoſatenus. and the ſeedes ofeeOtho Frifingenſ. l. 4 c 5. Monkerie through the example of Paulus Thaebeus: Anthony following proved (they ſay) the firſt Maiſter that gaue rules for that kinde of life. So (then) amongeſt what weedes the croſſe grew vp, and in what a dounged ſoyle of many other ſuperſtitions: ſo ſhall we admire the leſſe to ſee him inffRabban. de inſtitut. cleric c. 27 Rabbanus dayes waited vponupon with ſalt, ſpittle, tapers, and divers ſuch like, of which the ſurplice it ſelf is one. Of this one writeth how it was lately brought in by the Pope, primis temporibus (ggWalafrid. Strab. de reb. eccleſiaſtic. c. 24. ſaith he) communi veſtimento induti miſſas agebant ſicut & hactenus: quidem Orientalium facere perhibentur. Stephanus. a. conſtituit Sacerdotes & Levitas veſtibus ſanctis in vſu quotidiano non vti, niſi in Eccleſia tātum. Statutum eſt in Eccleſia Bracarenſi, ne Sacerdos ſine orario celebret miſſam. addiderunt in veſtibus ſacris alij alia, vel ad imitationem eorum quibus veteres vtebantur Sacerdotes, vel ad myſticae ſignificationis expreſsionem.

#Sect. 9. The third Exception againſt the Antiquitie of the Croſſe.

THE third exception which we hauehave againſt the antiquitie of the Croſſe, bendeth againſt the perſons of them who either begott it or bred it, or preferred it in the church. Ptolomie is ſaid to hauehave killed the workemen of the image of Diana, or ſecretly to hauehave made them away, that ſo the image might be eſteemed foreign an image that came downe from Iupiter. In like maner, the authours of the croſſe and the firſt deviſers of it, hauehave ben concealed as much as might be, that ſo it ſelfe might ſeeme to come from Chriſt. Drawe we them out of their corners wherein they lye hidde, will they be founde ſuch as Vincentius Lyrinenſis doth preſcribe, when he giveth the church this rule, we must only depend vponupon thoſe Fathers which are knowme to hauehave continued evermore both in the fayth and in the communion p. 121of the Catholique Church. Now the Fathers of the croſſe cannot abide this tryall. For the begetters of this ſigne were the Valentinian heretiques, whoaaEpiphan. herel. wreſted the ſame ſcriptures to it, and gaue it the ſame effectiue power the papiſtes do nowe, as theſe wordes doe witneſſe,bbIrenae l. 1. c. 1. Ventilabrum illud, Chriſti Crucem interpretatur eſſe, quae ſcilicet conſumit materialia omnia quemadmodum paleas ignis: immundat autem eos qui ſalvantur ſicut ventilabrum triticum. Let nowe the patrones of the croſſe goe, and boaſt of the antiquitie of it: who if they be not papiſtes, muſt needes be aſhamed to ſee their antiquitie aſcribe ſuch a power vntounto it, as they muſt condemne, wreſt thoſe Scriptures for it which they muſt confute, and ſend it out of ſuch a wombe, as the memorie whereof they muſt abhorre. And in caſe they can harden their foreheades to all this, good leaue hauehave they, to confront their owne Fathers in the fayth, who boldlyccD. Fulke ag Briſto. motiuc. 46 p. 124. ſay and affirme, that the Divell did in Valentinus as well ſowe the ſeedes of Idolatrie to the Croſſe, as he ſowed in Carpocrates the ſeede of idolatrie to images. In the iugling of Marcus, making the wine to ſhewe like bloud, the ſeede of Tranſubſtantiation. and in Tacianus (laſt of all) the ſeede of popiſhe ſingle life, and of their ſuperſtitious abſtayning from fleſhe. But whether this be ſo or no, ſure enough it is, that this heretique was the firſte that vſed this ſigne, or made anyddIdem cont Rhem. Luk 24. ſect. 5.Luke 24 account thereof. becauſe wee heare no newes at all of it, vntill we come to him and his ſecte, in any auncient or authenticall Writer, even as oureeD. Willet. de cruc ar. 3 D Fulke ag. Saund. of imag. c. 13. p. 625. and in reioynd. ag. Mart. art. 1 137. art. 4.161 art. 5 177. Writers tell vsus.

Secondly, as Valentinus begatt the Croſſe, ſo was it Montanus that firſte gaue it credit, among Chriſtians, not onelyonly for common vſe, but alſo for religious in the Church, as all ourffMagdebu. centur. 3. c 10. in Tertul Herm… Hamelmā. de tradit in apēd ad p. 1. Ioh. Dearing in epi. ad Heb lect. 2. Ioh. Criſpin. chronolo. in Sever. Imper. W. Whitaker. controver. 1. q 6. c. 12 Chemnit. exam. p. 2. fol 84. D. Fulke reioyd. art. 1. p. 138. Mat. Surel. de …eremo. miſſae c 8. W. Perk. problem. in ſign cin. Abra. Sculter. in Medul. Athanaſ. cap. 1. Writers doe accorde. The chiefe inſtrument vnderunder Montanus who was it but Tertullian? A man ſo infamous after his fall, as that although Agrippinus ſucked firſt his errour of rebaptization from him, yet he was aſhamed to be knowne of ſo much, becauſe an enimie demonſtraſſe tantum eius primum ſententiae Tertullianum fuiſſe aſſentorem, ggCaeſar Baron. Annal. Anno 217.viciſſe adverſarios videri propemodum potuiſſet. Nowe, is it not Tertullian, in whom wee firſte heare of the Baptiſme Croſſe? Is it not Tertullian that is the firſte gracer of it? For men confeſſe themſelves aſhamed of all the reſt. If we muſt be aſhamed of Tertullian too (as Baronius ſayeth we muſt) alas (then) whether ſhall we cauſe our ſhame to goe? Nos ab alienis demonſtrationes fidei non recipimus might one ſaye once; whereas wehhD. Willet. vb ſup. receaue a badge of our fayth (for ſuch is the croſſe) from the blackeſt, and groſſeſt heretiques ſome of them that euer were. we fayne would avoyde Valentinus: we faine would avoyde Montanus, but theſe muſt be our Fathers in the matter of the Croſſe, vnleſſe we would ſay, that the Goſpell of Nichodemus is our catechiſme: which maketh mētion indeed of a croſſes ſigne that Chriſt ſhould make vponupon Abraham in hell; yea vponupon hell gates themſelues to ſet them open. And I am not ignorant that ſome of our writers referre the origen of the croſſe evē to this fountayne. Thirdly, as Valentinus did beget the croſſe, Montanus chriſtened it, ſo they were the vulgar people that bread it vp. For this let one of ourmmIoh. Reynol. cōfer. c. 8. diviſ. 4 p. 504. writers be read, by whom (as alſo by the texte ofnnTertul. de coron. milit. Tertullian) this will appeare.llChem…it. in exam. in Decret. 4. de tradit. p. 90. Herman Hamelman. p. 1 de tradit. l. 1. col. 259 Tertullian having mētioned the croſſe and other rites & ceremonies (as one eger to get paſſage for them, and continuance in the Church) groweth to an exhortation to vſe them ſtill: the ende of which he bewrayeth, as thoroughout the whole tracte of his ſpeach, ſo by the vpſhott moſt of all. For when he reaſoneth that every faithfull man, hath power to bringe in a rite ſi ſaluti proficiat, diſciplinae conducat, & that the people muſt receaue every ſuch rite à quocunque traditore cenſ…tur, he ſheweth playnely enough his intent was to gett credit to his M^r Montanus, that ſo his rites might be receaveth with the more honor and eſtimation. But when he cōmeth to this, mos iſte habiturus quandoque Apoſtoli authoritatem, nowe he bewrayeth too playnlie both that the croſſe and the reſtof theſe rites were not as yet ſetled. p. 122and alſo that the cuſtome of the people was to be meane to ſetle them. As thē we count the riſing of images baſe, becauſe theyooEuſeb. hiſtor. l. 7. c. 28. came frō a privat cuſtome of ſome men, who kept them in their houſes: the riſing of prayer to ſaincts baſe becauſe it grewppW. Perk. proble Interceſ. p. 90 ex conſuetudine vulgi & ex privata quorundā devotione, which alſo grew out of an opinion that they were preſent at their toumbes, and whereſoeuer they would thēſelves, whichqqHieron. cont. Vigilant c. 2. Hierome backed: and the riſing of ſhaving baſe, becauſe whē people ware longrrPerk. prob. tit. de res ſacrae miſſae hayre & the prieſtes ſhaved firſt for example of modeſty, this grew at laſt from a cuſtome to assIſidor. de offic eccleſiaſt. l. 2. c. 4. Amalar. de offic. l. 3. c 5. ſignificatiō, & after that to a ſuperſtitious ceremonie, ſo muſt the riſing of the croſſe be held baſe, becauſe frō a privat memoriall ſuch as the image of Ch. was: & from an opinion that Ch. is preſent at this ſigne (an opiniō like to that of ſoules preſence at their toumbes) he grew like the ſhaving frō a cuſtome to a ceremonie not only ſignificant, but alſo ſuperſtitious. ThettMart. in reply. art 1. papiſt him ſelf diſdayneth a ceremonie which is begotten by a provinciall Councell only: eſpecially a ceremonie which groweth by a privat cuſtome,uuBellar. de pontific l. 4. c 18. till paulatim vim obtineat legis: and awwHerman Hamelmā. de tradit. apend ad p. 1. col. 455. Lutheran a chimicall baptiſme growing from a vulgar cuſtome that was corrupt. I aſcend to the Fathers themſelves: one of whō imputeth this to the Lēten faſt, that at the firſt it wasxxEuſeb hiſtor l. 5. c. 26. foreign another imputeth this to the lightes of divine ſervice, becauſe they aroſeyyHyeron. cont. Vigilant. c 3. à quibuſdam imperitis, qui zelum habebant, ſed non ſecundum ſcientiā. anotherzzAuguſt. epi ad Ianu … 19 c. 19. excepteth againſt all rites in general, whoſe Origen is not illuſtrious but they are doubtful for what cauſe they are brought vp. another excepteth againſt rites of vulgar beginning (how agreably to him ſelf I ſpeak not) as that he ſpareth not theſe wordes,aaTertul. de veland. virgin. veritati nemo praeſcribere poteſt, conſuetudo praeſertim quae initium ab alique ignorantia ſortita, in vſum per ſucceſsionē corroboratur, & ita ad verſus veritatem vindicatur. To come home to the croſſe it ſelf, whereas Martial alleadgeth that divers holy men & women, got divers litle pieces of the croſſe incloſed them in gold & ſilver, hanged them about their neckes (as Helena, bbMart. de cruc art. 6Paulinus, Gregorie) we here replie that a common & vulgar cuſtome is not to be cared for. I doubt not (ſaithccCalfh. art. 6 fol. 125 one of our writers) but theſe had a zeale of their owne, & that they thought to ſerue God, yet ſerving their fancy firſt they did offend againſt the Ma. of God, & were occaſion of fall to many that came after them. Fourthly, after Valentinus had begotten the croſſe Montanus backed it, the people bread it vp, it was preferred by the Fathers (indeed) howbeit ill, as it vſually cometh to paſſe in things receaved from vulgar cuſtome as is to be ſeene in Images: the privat cuſtome of which acceptam eccleſia Dei magis magiſ que adauxit: non modo effigies & ſtatuas, verum etiam baculos, & veſtes, & lectos ſanctorum virorum conſervans ad illorum memoriam ſem piternam. As for their advancing of it, cōſider firſt the roote thereof, for it was either anddD. Fulke ag. Saund. of imag. c. 23. reioyn. to Mart. art. 1. emulation of the foreſaid heretiques that firſt deviſed it, or a contention againſt the heathen that did deſpiſe it: or an imitationeeLactan. de vera ſapient. c. 16. Auguſt. de catechizan. rud. & de verb. Apo. ſerm. 8. of the Iewes in their poſtes marked with the paſcall bloud, who were thought to figure it: or a miſtaking of Ezechtels ſigne which was thought to foreſhew it: or laſt of all, a certaine kind of a magical ſuperſtition to hauehave in it an effectuall““Hoſpin. de re temp. tit. de cru. foreign againſt the Divell, & againſt all evil, with other like humors (any one of which, let any who cā) make lawful. Next conſider the toppe of that height to which they advanced him, of which one of our writers thus: the FathersffD. Fulk reioynd. ag Mart. art. 1. p 137. cānot be iuſtified in their ſpeaches of the croſſe, & of theggIbi. p. 139 croſſe they ſpeak more thē they themſelves can iuſtifie. Chyſostom hath his hand deepeſt in this exceſſe. Him nothing can excuſe, ſaving anhhBeza epi. Hyperbole only: to wit, ſuch anllD. Fulke ibid p. 132. Hyperbole as we muſt vnderſtand in this like ſpreach of his, I had rather hauehave a piece of S^t Paules chaine, quam ſi quis me coelo condonet omni. What a ſpeach is this of Ambroſe in epiſtola ad Rom. cap. 8. ſignatos cruce in morte ſecunda Diabolus tenere non audet. which ſome takemmHerman Hamel. de tradit p. 3. l. 3 col. 302 heynouſly. as alſo othersnnMagdebu. Centur. 4. c. 4. tit de tradit. col. 302. cenſure p. 131Prudentius and Ephreem as overlaviſhing in their ſpeeches about the croſſe. To omit particulars, all ourooD. Whita. controuer. 1 q. 6. pag. 443. D. Fulke reioynd. pa. 145.146. writers cenſure all the Fathers for the power which they aſcribe vntounto the croſſe againſt the Devill: for which theyppPerk. problem. tit. ſign. cruc. ſend vsus to theſe quotations Tertullian de reſurrect. car. Lactant. de vera relig. l 4. c. 27. Cyril. Catecheſ. 13. Origen. contra Celſ. l. 3. Nazianz. ad Nemeſ. Theodoret. in Petro & Thalaſio. Euſeb. li. 8. cap. 7. Sulpit. epiſt. ad Euſeb. Preſbyter. Gregor. Dialog. l. 1. c. 1. Victor. de perſecut. Vandal. li. 2. Paulin. l. 2. de vit ſanct. Martin. to which may be added that quotation out of Auguſtine whichqqBellarmin. Bellar. Suarez, & the reſt of the Ieſuites do alleadg to prove that this power of the croſſe is in the iudgement of the Fathers even ex opere operato. But what ſay we to this, that according to Vincentius rule, this rite of croſſing was vniverſall? Why to omit that this reaſon is popiſh which they in like mannerrrDurant. de rit. li. 1. c. 4 ſect. 8. vrge for images, vniverſally obſerved, we can giuegive inſtāce in other things which we our ſelues doe now cōdemne though when time was they were with an vniformitie vniverſall throughout the whole church kept. The exorciſme of baptiſme hath this teſtimonie, that the churchssAuguſt de Eccleſiaſt. dogmat. 3… vniformiter in vniverſo mundo kept it. So that an adverſarie was thus preſtttAuguſt. de nupt. & cō cupiſcent. l 2. c 18. accuſat eccleſiā toto orbe diffuſam in qua vbique omnes baptizandi infantuli nō ob aliud exufflantur niſi vt ab ijs princeps munds mittatur foras. Hence thus a papiſt againſt vsus all:uuDurant de rit. l. 1. c. 19 ſect. 23. hinc inſignis. &c. here the notable impudencie of the Calviniſtes is detected: who deride the cuſtome of exorcizing and exufflation, kept and continued from the Apoſtles them ſelues downe to this times in the whole world with one voyce, and with one accorde of minde and iudgment: imitating Iulian (that impure Apoſtata) who as Gregorie Nazian. orat. 4 witneſſeth, ſufflationes ſymbolicas in baptiſmo, in calumniam & riſum trahebat. The thrice dipping in baptiſme was alſo in ancienter times, thē the ſigne of the croſſe canwwZozom. l. 6. c. 26. Hierom. adverſ Luciferian. v. reach to, vniverſally kept, which yet was after left of andxxConcil. Toletan. 4 c 5. Greg. epiſt. 41. aboliſhed, whē it grew to abuſe by heretiques.yyCont. Vigilant. Hierome ſaith, per totas Orientis eccleſias, quando Evā gelium legendum eſt, accenduntur luminaria ſole rutilante. Auguſtine hath theſe words, hoc à Patribus traditum, zzAuguſt. de verb. Apoſtolor. 23.vniverſa obſervat eccleſia, vt pro ijs qui defuncti ſunt, cum ad ipſum ſacrificium ſuo loco commemoratur, oretur. Ambroſe aaTom. 1. exhortat. ad virgin.ſpeaketh thus: Venit Paſchae dies quo toto orbe velantur virgines. who knoweth not that the oyle was vniverſall, as well as the croſſe? yea, the ſalt and the ſpitle when once they entred, and the miniſtring of the communion to infants, with divers rites and cuſtomes.

#Sect. 10. The 4. Exception againſt the Antiquitie of the Croſſe, proving the croſſe now vſed, not to be that the Fathers vſed.

THE fourth exception which we make againſt the antiquitie of the croſſe, bendeth againſt the croſſe it ſelf of late tymes vſed, becauſe it is not the ſame which the auncient Fathers vſed. Baronius ſpeaking of the Amulets aunciently vſed, approveth them only on this condition,aaCaeſar Baron. annal. anno 232. ſancta pia que maiorum haec fuit conſuetudo, niſi aliqua accedente ſuperſtitione labifactetur. bbAntonin. p. 4. tit. 11. c. 8. ſect. 2.Aquinas condemneth the anoynting of a Prieſt in time of neceſſitie, though aunciently vſed as a corruptela rather then conſuetudo. This our exception then is ſtrong, even in the iudgement of papiſtes them ſelues as longe as we are able to proove that the ſigne of the croſſe, as very an Amulet as was the booke of the Goſpell which Caecilia bore in her booſome: and the peeces of the Goſpell which women hanged about their neckes inccChryſoſt. in Mat. homil. 73. Chryſoſtomes dayes: hath degenerated to more ſuperſtition then at the firſt was in it: and from the cuſtome of the auncient Fathers hath growne to be a meere corruption. It is ſtronge alſo euen in the iudgement of our ſelues. We laugh at the papiſt, when he maketh his Introit ancient by theddDurant. de rit. l. 2. c. 11. ſect. 1. ſinging of the auncient church before their aſſemblies: for as much as it is nothing the ſame: p. 132they ſinging a Pſalme of Davids only,eeBeat. Rhenan. in Tertul. de coron mili. … dum conveniebant Chriſtiani in templum, after the maner of ſome reformed churches now. We laugh at them alſo whē they prove their Dedication of churches by the ancientffDurant. l. 1 ca. 24. conſecrating of them in Conſtantines time becauſe it is nothing like, they dedicating only with the wordggEuſeb. hiſtor. l. 10. ca. 4. and with prayer, as the reformed churches do. We laugh at them in like maner, whē they make their elevation ancient (whereby the prieſt lifteth the bread, and the bread only over his head) by thehhHarding anſwer to Iewel. art. 11. ancient ſhewing of the bread & of the cuppe, becauſe it is nothing like, the auncient ſhewing beingllIuel. in reſpon ibid. only to procure reverēce in comming to the communion, not to procure adoration to the element: for which cauſe whē the bread was a ſhewing, ther was cryed ſancta ſanctis, in which maner and to which ende ſome churches reformedmmAlexand. Aleſ. in pro em. leiturg Anglican. retayne it ſtill. We laugh at them when they prove their pax by the auncient kiſſe of the primitiue church, becauſe it was only a mutuall kiſſe for a ſigne of mutuall louelove, euen asnnDurant. de rit. l. 2. c. 54. ſect. vlt. ſome of them ſelues cōfeſſe, and ſome of ourooIewel art. 3. diviſ. 2. Divines hauehave proved. Laſt of all, we laugh at them whenppDurant. de rit. l. 2. c. 38. ſect. 6. they goe about to prove their round wafers by the round oblations of bread in the old church called Coronae, becauſe they are nothing the ſame, they being the loaues which were offered by the people for the poore, & for the ſacramentall element which then was an whole and a roundqqIewel. art. 11. P. Morne. de Euchariſt. great loafe, ſuch as the reformed churches doe vſe at this day. In all theſe we hauehave ſevered our ſelues from the popiſh corruptelae, falſely hiding & cloaking them ſelves vnderunder the name of auncient cuſtomes. What is the reaſon we cannot doe the like in the croſſe? Is it becauſe it is a matter of litle moment? But Harding him ſelfe confeſſeth the elevation to be a ſmall matter, which will not confeſſe ſo of the croſſe, as no man elſe can, becauſe it is an Idoll of it ſelfe not only a provoker to Idolatrie as their elevation is. Is it becauſe it is more neceſſarie then Pax or Wafer? The practize of our Church hath acknowledged the wafer to be more needfull in the ſupper, & now acknowledgeth the pax to be as needleſſe. Howbeit our croſſe it ſelf is degenerated from auncient vſe, and is not now the ſame at this preſent which it was to the Fathers. For the firſt vſe of it amongſt the Fathers was a common croſſing ad omnem exitum & aditum, which ſeeing we hauehave aboliſhed, we hauehave aboliſhed the firſt and the chiefeſt vſe to which the Fathers turned it. An other chiefe vſe of the Fathers croſſe, we will likewiſe confeſſe to be vnſeaſonable, which was to profeſſe againſt the pagans. Now condemne we the chiefeſt vſes of the Fathers, and retaine the very worſt vnderunder pretence of their antiquitie, this is ſtraunge doe we our ſelues aboliſh the croſſe in the tollerableſt vſes without newfanglednes, & cannot our brethren omit it in the worſt, but they muſt be newfangliſtes? this is hard. Howbeit, is the vſe of it in baptiſme it ſelfe the ſame with the Fathers vſe? No, we are aſhamed even of that alſo, and hauehave (therefore) coyned a new vſe of our owne, which yet is litle better then theirs whereof we are aſhamed. I ſpeak of the firſt Fathers of the croſſe who vſed it in baptiſme, not to dedicate the child to God as we doe nowe that office they aſſigned to the Oyle,rrTertull. de reſurrect. carnis. Caro vngitur, vt anima conſecretur▪ but to arme the ſoule with ſpirituall defence, Cara ſignatur vt anima muniatur. Nowe what ſhuffling call you this, to retayne the vſe of that Oyle which we hauehave baniſhed, & to baniſh the vſe of the croſſe which we hauehave retayned. Or what partialitie to take the croſſes deformitie from him to make him gratious, to take the Oyles beautie from him to make him odious? or laſtly, what chopping that the croſſe ſhould be braved with the Oyles vſe, the oyle be branded, whoſe vſe was more tollerable then the croſſes among the Fathers? Such is our ſeconde mayne exception againſt the ſlaunder of newfanglednes, the antiquitie of the ſigne of the croſſe from which we ſwerue, it is no true and ſounde antiquitie.

p. 133#Sect. 11. The third Apologie againſt the ſlaunder of Newfanglednes in denyall of the Croſſe.

OVR third apologie againſt the ſlaunder of Newfanglednes, is this, That though antiquitie did binde, Sect. 11.and the antiquitie of the croſſe were without all theſe exceptions, yet were we not to be branded with this infamie, becauſe a good part of antiquitie ſtādeth on our ſide. This a writer of ours affirmeth,aaD Fulk. cont Rhem Luk. 14. ſect. 5.Luke 14 Neither was the ſigne of the Croſſe in any eſtimation with the Apoſtles, nor with the faithfull in their time. To which we adde the primitiue church that next ſucceeded knewe the ſigne of the croſſe as litle as we our ſelues would hauehave it knowne. Now hauehave not they the beſt part of antiquitie, whoſe part is in theſe times? and that by the confeſſion of our Oppoſites? who to diſparage the antiquitie of all imagerie, It is too yonge (bbD. Bilſ. cont Apolog. p. 4. p. 315. ſay they) to be Catholike, that began but of late: you muſt goe nearer Chriſt & his Apoſtles, if you will hauehave it Catholique or auncient. The nearer (then) that our antiquitie draweth to the time of Chriſt and to the Apoſtles, ſo much the ſtronger, ſounder, better, now it ſhalbe evidently prooved to be as neare as may be. For what Nichodemus, what Ioſephe (firſt)? 1. Sam. 21.91 Sam 21:9Sith David layde Goliahes ſword behinde the Arke, that was but an inſtrument of a bodily victorie: theſe, would they not hauehave layde vp the croſſe, or preſerved it at the leaſt, if they had thought it (I ſay not ſuch a ſoueraigne thing as the papiſtes make of it) but ſuch a true inſtrument or fit monument of Chriſt his ſpirituall victorie as it is helde by ſome at home? They tooke downe the body, what the croſſe? theyccDoct. Willet. de cruc. art. threwe it away: at the leaſt they regarded it not: ſo that the L.ddAct and mon. in hiſtor. eiue. Cobham, who after ſuffered about the croſſe, yeeldeth it ſeemeth more to his commiſſioners then he needed, when he tolde them he would lay vp decently wrapped the true croſſe whereon Chriſt dyed in caſe he had him. And was not the hande of the Lord in this worke, burying the true croſſe it ſelf, as once he buried Moſes body in an vnknowne place, to prevent Idolatrie, or to make it the more inexcuſable when in time it ſhould breake forth as ſince it hath done? Oh but he gaueeeBellarmin. de imag c. 27. argument. 3. Helena power to finde it as ſoone as it could be had in honour, which was when paganiſme was aboliſhed: ſo that he buryed it in the meane ſeaſon (indeed) to ſaue it from their contempt. See the facilitie of theſe men. Doth the croſſe want honour by the ſpace of 300. yeares? It was to reſerue him ſelf to the honour of the Chriſtians of thoſe tymes only. And although the chriſtians of the former ages were farre more zealous, that was nothing, they would hauehave honoured him, but the croſſe would not be honored by them. What did he ſcorne them? No it was not his pleaſure. So whenffAct. and mon in H. 8. p. 848. Franciſcus San Romanus refuſed to honour a certayne croſſe that ſtood in the way as he was going to the fire, there was preſently a ſhout given among the people, O the miraculous vertue, power, and the wiſedome of the Croſſe, that will not be honoured by an heretique: but whoſe will and pleaſure is to be honoured by Catholiques only. Howbeit, as touching the invention of the croſſe, by Helene, it is a true counterfet: as appeareth not only by many ſounde reaſons which ourggMagdebur genſ. cētur. 4. c. 13. col. 1438. Calſh ag. Mart art. 8 fol. 152. D. Willet. de cruc. art. 1. Iohn Reynold. writers doe alleadge, but alſo by the open confeſſion of the canon it ſelfe,hhGelaſ. decret. de Apochriph. Mat. 24.14.Matt 24:14 ſcripturae de inventione Crucis Dominicae, novellae quaedam relationes ſunt, & alia de inventione capitis Iohannis Baptiſtae. But to proceed. It is writtē of the Weſt Indies, that there was no footeſteppe of religion found amongſt them becauſe no croſſe, no Temple &c. whēce may be concluded, that the firſt times preached the Goſpel to the nations without the vſe of any croſſing. For I make no queſtiō but the goſpell was preached vntounto them in caſe they were a people. Here at home the goſpll was preached even from the beginning (as many vndoubted evidences ſhew) whereas yet there were no croſſes in this lande, vntill Augustine the Monke brought ouer his ſilver croſſe, which wasllBeda hiſto. de gent Anglor. li. 1. cap 1 …. D Fulk reioynd. art. 5 p. 177▪ carried before him at his entrance togither p. 134with an image which was painted in a table. From Iewes & Gentiles that had the goſpell planted amongſt them without all croſſes, come we to their next ſucceſſors who profeſſed it without all croſſes likewiſe. As for Martialis Abdias Iuſtini quaeſtiones, whō Martiall muſtereth in this quarell for the ſigne of the croſſe together, they are Apocriphall ſaith M^r Calfhill and not to be cared for, as M^r Beza with the reſt of our writers tell vsus. Martialis is found counterfeit by Euſebius, Hieronimus, Genadius, who in their regiſters which of purpoſe they wrote of Eccleſiaſticall writers, make at all nommCalfh. art. 1. p. 27 mention of him. Abdias is branded by annPaulus 4. ap. Sixtum Senenſ. bibliothe. l. 2 Bellarm. de. Eccleſ. triumphan. l. 1. c. …0 Io. Molan de ſid heret. ſervand. l. 1 c. 6. Pope & by papiſtes themſelves: and ſoooSixt. Senēſ. bibliothec. in prefat. are the queſtions that are aſcribed to Iuſtinus Martyr, which cānot be his, becauſe Origen is cited in them who liued long after thē. they ſavour ſomething of Theodoret, but I wil not preſume to interpoſe my iudgment. Now theſe diſcarded, it will be found true what one of our Writers hath,ppD. Fulkre ioynd. ag. Mart. art. 5. fol. 177 As touching the credit of the old writers, who had all their errours, I like well the counſell of Vincentius Lyrinenſis, that we ſhould ſtill hauehave recourſe for triall to the moſt auncient, in which we muſt needes account the writings of the Apoſtles, both of moſt antiquitie and of greateſt authoritie. Wherefore ſeeing the maner of bleſſing with the croſſe is not found either in the writings of the Apoſtles, or in the moſt auncient Fathers. Iuſtinus and Clemens Alexandrinus: by Vancentius counſell, we may iuſtlie account for a corrupt cuſtome crept into the church, either by emulation of heretiques, or in contention againſt the pagans. But doeth not Iuſtinus Martyr make mention of the croſſe: of the croſſe wheron Chriſt dyed he maketh mention, of the ſigne of the croſſe we hauehave no mention in him at all, nor in any other: till we come downe to the tymes of Valentinus, when it began to be vſed by heretiques, and vntounto Tertullians age when orthodox Chriſtians firſt receaued it. Well then you will graunt that here your antiquitie endeth, ſome fourteene hundred yeares agoe? No, that we will not neither.qqMinut. Foelix in Octavio. 1 Theſ. 3.81 Thess 3:8 Minutius Foelix lived long ſince, who hath theſe wordes, Cruces nec colimus nec optamus. which if our Governours would now ſpeake and performe accordingly, we would catch their wordes from their mouthes as greedily as euer Benhadads ſervantes did the wordes of Ahab: and vponupon their performance we ſhould be as glad as Benhadad him ſelfe, becauſe if the croſſe were not cared for by them, we ſhould liue, wheras nowe our life can ſcarce be termed a being aliue. The Emperour Theodoſius is on our ſide: who made a lawe to voyde allrrP. Crinit. de honeſt. diſcipli…. li 9 c. 9. croſſes, which the papiſtes elude in vayne, when they reſtrayne him to croſſes only on the grounde: elſe are all ourssD. Fulk ag Saund. of imag. c. 13 pa. 660. Morn. confer. of Font Bleau. Zanch. de imag. Iew. aga. Harding &c. writers vayne: yea, the doctrinettHomil. ag. peril of idolat. p. 2. of our Church it ſelfe which is confirmed by act of Parliament, is not only vayne but falſe, which taketh vponupon it to refute this cavill.uuBaſil. in pſal. 45. Baſil inveigheth againſt the vanitie of charecters, & what is the croſſe better? In the dayes of the Author of the Queſtions wwAthanal. ad Antioch Q 16.ad Antiochum, they vſed to diſſolve the croſſe when they were ſuſpected to honor it. let vsus but diſſolve theſe two croſſe lines nowe that the papiſtes doe adore it, and we by our vſe grace this idoll adored by them, & we are releeved. If he ſay all the Fathers approved croſſing, I aunſwer of them, as D.xxD. Fulk in reioynd. Fulke of Cyprian once about anoyling, if they will doe againſt them ſelues, their owne reaſons, groundes and rules (which we hauehave with vsus throughout this treatiſe) what can I helpe it?yyHomil. ag perill of idolat. p. 2 Serenus Biſhopp of Marciles, (is approved by our Church) who putteth downe all images and all croſſes out of the church. So are the Emperours of the Eaſt, who were againſt the having of all images in the Church. So is Claudius of Taurinum who pulled down the very images & the croſſes that were eſtabliſhed by law, by which they were not honoured but ſerved for memorialls only and for decencie, as now our croſſe is ſaid to be vſed. In the age …100. the profeſſours of the trueth (then termed deſpitefullyzzPet Cluni acenſ epiſt 1. & 2. Petrobruſiani) burned all the croſſes that they could come by. TheaaBellarmin. de imag. c. 26. Waldenſes who ſucceeded them, abhorred croſſes. Iohn Wicklife who followed p. 127thē, allowed only abbTho. Waldem …om. 3. …it …0. croſſe ſpirituall.ccAct & mo. p. 735: George Browne a diſciple of his, thinketh it as vnfitt to make a croſſe a memoriall of Chriſt, as for a childe to make much of the halter or of the gallouſe, wherewith his father was hanged There was at the Bowe in London in the very roome where ſome of the Martyrs were wont to be examined in the dayes of Q. Marie (as I hauehave receaved from them who know it) an ancient picture in a glaſſe windowe, well neare worne out, and ſo not obſerved by the examiners, ſet vp by all likelyhood by ſome of the ſchollers of Wicklife, the paynting was this; A tree halfe withered: two Angells labouring at the feet to throwe him downe. the one with a ſpade, the other with an axe or ſyth: at the toppe hunge paxes, croſſes, holy-water, ſprincles. &c. From this tyme downeward there hauehave not wanted famous witneſſes againſt the croſſe which hauehave been mentionedddCap 6. ſect. 1. elſwhere. Our late Writers be ours likewiſe: and all the Churches well reformed. We are charged with a Corinthian fantaſying of mens perſons, and to be carried away with an over great reverence towardes men: which is in deed the fault of our adverſaries, who ſuffer them ſelues to be overſwayed by the preſent learning, credit, power, and authoritie of the L Biſhopps and their adherentes So was it objected not long ſince to the CounteeeIoh Criſp…. ſupplement in Marcell. 2. Palatine, that his revence towardes Maiſter Calvine, carryed him away: whereas (indeed) it was their pretenced reverence towards Maiſter Luther that carried them. wherevpon he proteſted that though the trueth were ſcandalized vnderunder M^r Calvines name, yet notwithſtanding he would imbrace it: not beleeving in S^te Martine, nor in S^te Iames, (he meant Martine Luther and Iacobus And…eas, whom the vbiquitaries ſervily followed) but in Chriſt Ieſus onelyonly. I truſt we ſhall hauehave leaue giuen vsus (being vnable to adviſe our ſelues) to ſeeke to the adviſe of thoſe, whom God hath honoured with his ſpeciall giftes, and rayſed vp to hold forth light to others. Now amongſt theſe, as no ſword fitter for David, thē that which had ſlaine Goliah, ſo no writings to theirs, who hauehave fought againſt the Antichriſt, and hauehave ſlayne him lived not theſe before the cōtroverſie grewe ſo hoot? Follow we (then) that goodffCario …e… ces …hroni. p 336. Theodoſius, who maketh tryall by thoſe Fathers, who were no parties in the ſtrife, but liued before the ſtuire began. If hauing theſe we cannot be heard, what ſhould we ſay elſe, but that we are vſed as Paulus Vergerius was at the Councell of Trent: being called into queſtion for calling into queſtion the Legendes of Saint George and Chriſtopher, he is able to cite Catholique Doctors on his ſide: yea Paule the third Pope him ſelfe, who commaunded that theſe Legendes ſhould be ſtrooke out, as falſe and forged. Marcellus Cervinus cannot denie it. What then? For all this his iudgement is he muſt not be held for a good man that will preach any thing that cōmeth neare to Lutherans. So are we dealt withall by ſome: No matter though we can cite our owne Writers and other Churches that are reformed, it is become a ruled caſe, nothing is good in any Writer or in any Church, that ſeemeth to make for puritanes: neither can any man be honeſt, or a good ſubiect, that doeth but looke towards them in their deſires of reformation. and herevpon we are thruſt out from the Miniſterie as he was from the Councell. What ſhould we ſay? but as the ſonne of Barachias, The Lord looke downe, beholde, and iudge. and ſo farre of the ſinne of the Ceremonies againſt this ninth commaundement.

S. D. G.