Against Symbolizing with Antichrist in Ceremonies, Part · Chapter 1 · Section 21
#Sect. 21. The Oppoſites third difference of our Croſſe and theirs, is in the meaning, end and vſe.
THe third and laſt difference alleadged for our Croſſe, to make it diuerſe from the popiſh, may in this ſenſe be termed [formall] in that it is drawne from a diuerſe manner, in our meaning, end, and vſe. Firſt, this iuſtifieth both the Lutheran in his Images, and the Adiaphoriſt in all his mixtures, and meaſhings with poperie;aAuguſtan. conſulta. Mait. 15. 1548. c. de ceremon. both of them proteſting the rites they retaine, are not popiſhly vſed by them, but [ad ornatum] only, and ad decorem, and ad adificationem. Yea, this iuſtifieth the Papiſt (alſo) in all his Iewiſh, and heatheniſh ceremonies. Who, why ſhould he not plead as well as we, I vſe them not as Pagans vſe them? Charles the great condemneth the Baptizing of Bels (to wit) thebDurant. de rit. li. 1. cap 22. ſect. 6. ſuperſtitious manner of Baptizing (ſaith Vitus Amerbachius) not the Baptizing it ſelfe. The Councell of Eliberis condemned lights at funerals (that is ſay the Papiſts) the manner of themcIdem. cap. 23. ſect. 14 ex ſuperſtitione gentilium, not the lights themſelues. Our tapers (alſo) which burne on our Altars, are diuerſe from thoſe of the heathens (ſay they) Wherefore? becauſe Chriſtiani, dIdem. li. 1. c. 8. ſect. 5.non eadem mente, co que fine, lumina offerunt. The Chriſtians offer lights not with the ſame minde, not with the ſame end that Pagans doe. Againe, the Prieſts of the heathen vſed the ſtole, yet their ſtole is not heatheniſh, becauſe the heathen did not vſe it,eDurant. lib. 2. ca. 9. ſect. 12. eadem ratione, qua nunc Chriſtiani. Secondly, the generall plea of this excuſe muſt needs be this, the Papiſts Croſſe to an ill end, we to a good. Which, is it good in an euill adultreſſe, ſuch as the Croſſe is proued to be? then excuſefAuguſt. de ſermon. domin. in monte. li. 1. p. 1123. Auguſtine too, excuſing adultery, when it is committed to a good end, as to ſaue an husbands life. Thirdly, we hauehave Scriptures againſt this excuſe, and we hauehave the Fathers againſt it. Peter, vſed he not the Iewiſh ritesgIoh. Reynold. confer. cap. 8. diuiſ. 4. diuerſa mente, and yet is not excuſed? If we vſe the Croſſe for edification, and not as the Papiſts vſe it, ſo he vſed the Iewiſh meates for edification, and put no merit or neceſſitie in them, as they of the Conciſion did. Auguſtine ſpeaking of him, It is vnlawfull (ſaith he) to retaine any of the Iewes ceremonies (and Popiſh ceremonies, are worſe then theirs)hAuguſt. epiſt. 19. pag. 77. Quolibet affectu, & quouis animo id fiat; how diuerſe ſo euer our mind and meaning be. Fourthly, I appeale to our owne writers, whereaslExtrauagant. de ſacra vnerion. cap. vnjco. Innocentius pleadeth, their oyle is not Iewiſh, becauſe it ſignifieth diuerſlie, they refute him, becauſe a diuerſemIoh. Reynold. confer. with Hart. cap. 8. diuiſ. 4. manner maketh no lawfull diuerſitie, and becauſe it is not lawfull to borrow form Iewes, (therefore not from Papiſts) andnPet. Martyr in 1. Reg. 19. addere nouam ſignificationem. Martiall maketh a difference betweene the heathens incenſe and theirs, becauſe they vſe it better.oD. Fulke. reioynd. art. 7. pag. 187. Doctor Fulke diſdaineth the difference, and ſcorneth to anſwere it, it is ſo fooliſh. Bonner holdeth their Images diuerſe from the Pagan Images, becauſe vſed by them to better ende;pAct. & monu. in hiſtor eius. Hoſ. 6.11. Maiſter Hawkes careth not for the diuerſe vſe, as long as both layd together, hauehave eyes and ſee not, eares and heare not, and ſo agree in common properties the one with the other, he counteth them all one. Finally, this change of a popiſh rite, vponupon pretence of a diuerſe vſe, is but a tranſplantation only, which out of the ScripturesqPhilip. Morn. de Euchariſt. lib. 2. ca. 1. Guil. Perk. in problem. praeparat. 3 all our writers doe condemne; affirming that it is our dutie, to grubbe them cleane out of the Church. Fiftly (and laſt of all) I appeale to our owne practiſe, whereas ſome Churches retaine therAlexand. Aleſi. in proaem. liturg. angli. eleuation ſtill, not for adoration like the Papiſts, but for oſtenſion to the people, as if this difference of diuerſe manner, bore no meate in mouth, we hauehave aboliſhed it. Where as ſometBullinger. de orig. error. l. 2. c. 6 allow of a ſtone Altar ſo it be erected for a Sacrament, not for a Sacrifice, as if this diuerſitie of vſe and end were inſufficient, we hauehave remoued them like touZepper de polit. eccleſ. lib. cap. other reformed Churches. Whereas Lutherans retaine Images in the Church for vſe hiſtoricall as if this diuerſe end were nothing, we hauehave turned themwHomil. ag. peril of Idolat. p. 1 & 3. headlong out of our Churches. We might vſe in diuerſe manner the popiſh Croſſes of the ſupper, as well as their Croſſe in Baptiſme; them wee caſhire vnderunder this generall and peremptorie doome,xBucet. in cenſur. ca. 5 papiſticorum geſtuum licentia, prorſus tollenda. And is not the Croſſe in Baptiſme a popiſh geſture, as wel as that of the Lords Supper?