Against Symbolizing with Antichrist in Ceremonies, Part · Chapter 1 · Section 19
#Sect. 19. The Oppoſites firſt difference, why our Croſſe not the ſame with the Papists ſz. becauſe not the ſame Numero.
WE hauehave performed our firſt taſke and hauehave proued the old peeces of the Croſſe to be too great, to admit a chaunge ſufficient. Take we now the ſecond in hand, where wee ſhall find his three new patches to bee to little to endure it. The firſt difference (forſooth) in our new Croſſe is [Numerall.] It cannot be ſaid to be the ſame with theirs (ſay ſome) becauſe it is not the ſame in number. In which ſort, if Papiſts may reaſon, they will eaſily prooue againſt vsus that none of their rites are Iewiſh or Paganiſh. And if we may be ſuffered to vſe like reaſoning, wee are able to make cleare, that the antiquitie that is alleadged for the Croſſe, is quite impertinent, our Croſſe not being the Fathers Croſſe, becauſe Numero not the ſame. Our high Court of Parliament hath eſtabliſhed no leſſe then [three] Homilies againſt the vſe of all Images in the Church. What? ſpeake they onelyonly againſt thoſe Images which were [Numero] the ſame, that Papiſts had abuſed? ſpeake they not againſt all Images like to theirs, although in number not the ſame?
aDecrer. p. 3. de onſecrat. diſtinct. 5. cap. 10.Steuen the fift, Pope of that name, conſecrated to Idolatrous ſeruice no numerall Croſſe, but the ſigne of the Croſſe in generall. If (then) the ſheafe of the firſt fruits conſecrated all the reſt of the harueſt, the conſecration of the ſigne of the Croſſe in generall hath much more hallowed to vſe Idolatrous (and ſo defiled) all numerall Croſſes. All the meates that were brought to the table of Nebuchad-nezzar, were not offered to Bell, onelyonlybAmand. Polan. Franciſ. Iun. in Dan. 1.8. one diſh was ſet on his Altar for the reſt, and this hallowed all the reſt. Would Danieli eate vponupon our excuſe, this meate [Numero] is not the ſame, which Bell hath defiled? But when the weake of the Primatiue Church did eatcAuguſt. de morib. Manicheorum. li. 2. ca. 14. herbes for feare they ſhould among other peeces of fleſh light vponupon ſome which had [Numero] bene ſacrificed, they ſhewe that ſcrupuloſitie it ſelfe ſtucke onelyonly at that, which was abuſed indiuitually, and when the Chriſtians (on the other ſide) that were at Antioch, ate of the meat that Iulian had dedicated to his Idols in the ſhambles they ſhewe that a generall conſecration doth not defile particulars. As for the the firſt, the weake of the Chriſtians that ſtucke at meate Idolothious, would hauehave ſtucke much more at the holy vſe of the Idoll, and at his habit in Gods worſhip, which now is the blot that ſtaineth Croſſe and Surplice. The latter inſtance putteth this diſtinction quite out of faſhion For did they not at Antioch eate euen of that meate which euen Numero had bene conſecrat at the ſhambles? Its killeth not (then) whether it be [Numero] the ſame or no, that hath bene conſecrat, but the manner of conſecrating and of eating is here the point which is all in all. Hath the Idolater conſecrated ſpecially with ſtate in Idolatrous ſeruice, and doth the Chriſtian vſe the thing ſo conſecrat in Gods holy ſeruice? Then caeteris paribus, the thing is vncleane. Hath the Idolater conſecrated generally onelyonly at thedAuguſt. epiſt. 154. fountaine or at the ſhambles without beſtowing anyeLambert. Danae. in Auguſt. de haereſ. ſpeciall ſtate religious in the worſhip of the Idols temple, and doth the Chriſtian vſe the ſame in ciuill vſe? then may it bee vſed as it was at Antioch, howbeit with ſomefTheodoret. hiſtor. li. 3. ca. 15. ſighing; that which I thus apply to our purpoſe. Though Antioch meate was without ſtate, our Croſſe and Surplice in ſtate of Idolatrous ſeruice, though that was fetcht from the ſhambes, our Croſſe ſent vsus out of the Temple of the Idoll though that was neceſſary our Croſſe needleſſe; though that was a creature of Gods in one ciuill vſe, our Croſſe a meere inuention of man, out of one element in vſe religious: yet Chriſtians partaked of that lugentes & gementes, being thereto by neede conſtraind. Whereas our Oppoſites euen ridentes & deridentes inforce a neceſſitie of a Croſſe needleſſe, to the generall [gemitus] and to the luctus of Chriſtian Churches.