Against Symbolizing with Antichrist in Ceremonies, Part · Chapter 1 · Section 8 – Section 9
#Sect. 8. Two ſeuerall ſinnes committed in retaining the Croſſe: The firſt reſeruing it as a ſpeciall and ſcandalous Monument of Idolatrie paſt: with ſixe reaſons againſt the retaining of it.
VVE hauehave vewed the ſigne of the Croſſe in his Idolothiſme conſidered in generall; now to the end wee may proceede, deſcende we downe to the ſeuerall ſinnes thereof, which are two. The firſt, in that hee is a monument of Idolatrie paſt. The ſecond, in that he is an inticement to Idolatry for time to come. Concerning the former, what is Monumentum? but that which mouet mentem (ſaythaAuguſt. d… cura pro mort. Auguſtine?) but now the Croſſe cannot but admoniſh the mind of poperie, & that to thinke the better of it, as long as they ſee it, beingbIac. Ledeſima Catechiſ. in initio. the principall badge of poperie; enthroned and ſitting in a Sacrament amongſt vsus, where ought to be ſeene no ſigne but ſuch as men ſhould tremble at.3Deut. 21.23. Moſes croſſe muſt be pulled downe becauſe nocFranciſc. Iun. in Analy… ibid. (monument) of any heynous crime committed muſt be ſeene amiddſt the holy people of God. Is the Croſſe a Monument of what he hath revenged and puniſhed but none of that which he hath ſerved and honored? It is too good adDecret. par. 2. cauſ. 13. qu. 3. Monument for a wicked man to hauehave his body buried in the Church-yarde, or his name mentioned in the Church-ſervice among the names of holy men. And is it not then too good a Monument for the Croſſe to be reuiued at the Fonte, and there be mentioned honorably, togither with the ſigne of the water, the ſigne of the couenant? What that theſe ceremonies of Croſſe and Surplice are expreſly termed reliques of poperie (as they are left behinde in our church) by the beſt of oureIoh. Caluin. epiſt. to Francford. Pet. Martyr in…piſt. Amic cuid. in Angl. writers. In regard heereof, ſay wee to them as we are prompted,4Iſa. 30.22 get ye hence, for ye are menſtruous. Yea as our ownefHomil. ag. peril of Idolat. Iniunct. art. 343. Lawes enioyne, and leaders direct. roote we out throughly all the monuments of popiſh Idolatrie, euen to thegIohan Wolph. in 2. Reg 18. leaſt relique; euen to thehPe…. Martyr amic. cuidam in Angl. leaſt leavem; euen to the leaſtlGualt. in Luk. 5. ver. vlt. quiſquilliae. euen to the leaſtmPet Martyr in epiſt. alia amico cuidam in Angl. foot ſteppe; which if it bee done, all the friendes in the world are not able to ſaue the croſſe, it being ſo grande a monument of poperie, as that the papiſt isnHumble mo…. for tollerat. tickled at the very heart to ſee it entertained amongſt vsus. What then letteth that wee ſhould not renewe the ancient requeſtoConcil. Cartha 3.5 can. 15. Placuit ab Imperatoribus glorioſiſsimis peti vt reliquiae Idololatriae in quibuſcunque locis omnimodò deleantur. Seeing all the reaſons are lyable againſt theſe Reliques controverſed, which moued Aurelius with his Collegues to ſue for the razeing of thoſe remainders of Idolatrie which in their times were left. Firſt, the Croſſe is a Iewell of the harlot; while we keepe it we repent not of former adulterie as we ought. Secondly, it is a Trophee of Antichriſtes conqueſt; while it ſtandeth Chriſt is diſhonored and put to ſhame. Thirdly, it is a ſigne of commoderation with Gods enemies; while we beare it we forbeare to confeſſe againſt them as we are commaunded Thou ſhalt deſtroye all ſignes and monumentes of their religion, becauſe thou art an 5Deut. 7.5.6holy people to the Lord. Fourtly, It is a ſtumbling blocke to the popiſhly minded, while it continueth, ſome regard ſeemeth to be had of their ſervice and of their ceremonies. Fiftly, It is a6Iudg. 2.3. ſnare like to one of Canaans monuments. while it ſurviueth, occaſion is giuen to abuſe, yea to worſhip it. Sixtly, It is a7Iſa. 44 10 vanitie, euen as eueryevery Idoll is, which can no way be profitable. More then theſe ſixe reaſons, the beſt of ourpGui. Perk. de Idololat. p. 109. writers cannot alleadge againſt any monument of Idolatrie, which being all of them found in theſe reliques controuerſed, it is apparant that the ielouſie of the Lord is prouoked to ſee them: and that it ſtandeth not with the holines of our Church to keepe them, whoſe duty is to8Iſa. 30.22 pollute the ornament; to hate the imployment of9Ind. 23. eueryevery Idoll, and to account his gold1Deu. 7.26 execrable, his meat2Apoc. 2.20. abhominable, his name it ſelfe3Pſal. 16.4. deteſtable: yea a name to bee4Exod. 23.13. rooted out from vnderunder heauen. This dutie we ſee practiſed from time to time.5Gen. 35.2 Iacob not only burning the bodies of his Idols, but aboliſhing their earings too. Elias abhorring an61. Reg. 18 32. Altar of Baals, as well as Baal himſelfe. Iehu not onelyonly defacing Baals Image, but his72. Reg. 10 22. Temple and Veſtrie alſo. Daniel deteſting the meat8Dan. 1.8. of Bell as well as Bell himſelfe. And Ioſuah (laſtly) razing forth whatſoeuer monument he could find of9Ioſu 23.7 Canaans Idolatry. The faithful in Iacob when they reforme and purge the Church to take away the ſinne thereof, make all the ſtones of the Altars as Chalke ſtones broken in peeces, that the1Iſa. 27.9. groues and Images may not ſtand vp. That which is left of firſt louelove in the decaied church of Epheſus hateth all2Apoc 2.6. Nicolaitan participation in the appurtenances of Idolatrie. Thus Auguſtine, the Chriſtian ſoule that is truely thankfull for her conuerſion from Idolatry,qAuguſt. in Mat. ſerm. 6 non vult in terra ſua aliquid eſſe in contumeliam Dei, ſpeaking of the monuments of former Idolatrie which is repented of. To this agreeth that ofrChryſo. in 1. cor. 10 Chriſoſtom, with what face canſt thou giuegive thankes for thy conuerſion from Idolatrie with that mouth which thou defileſt with the leauings of the Idoll?
#Sect. 9. The ſecond ſinne committed in retaining the Croſſe, is the danger of Idolatrie in it for time to come.
THe ſecond hurt of the Croſſes Idolothiſine is the daunger that is in it for the time that is to come. For the reliques of Idolatry, ſayth Auguſtine, sAuguſt.etiam ſopitae ſolunt recale ſcere. What then will theſe reliques do of Croſſe and Surplice? which as ſparcles flie about and are not onelyonly not quenched, but alſo not couered ſo much as with embers? And the common ſort of men are entangled with ſuperſtition oftentimes euen in the middeſt of ReligiontAuguſt demoribus eccleſ. lib. … cap. 34. thoroughly purged, What hope then they can be pure, when vnpurged reliques lye in their way, as ſtumbling blockes and ſnares vntounto them? Seeing thenuConcil. Chalced. act 3. principalis prudentiae eſt, omne malum initio opprimere, & ſerpentem morbum legum medicinareſecare, Yea a dutie,wPelag. 2. epiſt. ad vniuerſ. epiſcop. Italiae. ante prouidere remedia quam morbus increſcat, in conſideration thatxConcil. tom. 1. pa. 760. ſera ſunt remedia quae adactis iam vulneribus opponuntur. The Croſſe and Surplice ſhould be ſo farre from the open honour they hauehave in the worſhip of God amongſt vsus, as that indeed they ſhould be forbidden to be in ſight at all. What doeſt thou in the way towards Aegypt, to drinke the dirtie waters of Geon (ſaythyHierom. comment. in Abbac. lib. 1. ca. 2. Hierome?) meaning that the very way muſt be ſtopt which leadeth backe to the Aegypt ſpirituall; & eueryevery pleaſant fountaine, barred & kept from the people that may enlure to returne. The ſame Hierome zIdem in Iſa. lib. 17. cap. 63.proueth by Gods ſtopping of the Iſraelites way with thornes, leaſt they ſhould returne to their former louers; that there is need of a ſtrong fence from all occaſions, that may reduce vntounto Idolatrie. The very Papiſts themſelues accord hereto when they affirme, that to keepe the people of Iſrael from Idolatrie, God forbad there ſhould bee anyaVazq de adorat. li. 2 diſputat. 4. cap. 2. Image at all amongſt them; andbSixt. Senenſ. Bibliothe. annot. 247 iuſtifie the Councell of Eliberis, in forbidding eueryevery Image for a remedie to preuent Idolatry. To come to our owne Church we muſt hauehave a carecHomil. agperil of idolat. par. 3 (ſayth it) not onelyonly for our ſelues, and for our owne times, but alſo for other Churches abroade; and for our poſteritie, for whoſe ſake, we muſt away with all Images, that may be abuſed, after the enſample ofdIbid. pa. 2. Epiphanius: much more with them which hauehave beeneeIbid. pa. 1. abuſed alreadie, in conſideration that Idolatry will come of them, which is anfIbib. pa. 3. inſeparable accident to them. All theſe premiſſes being conſidered, can any doubt, but the ſigne of the Croſſe ſinneth through Idolatry againſt Gods firſt commandement? What our owne Law? pronouncing that in the Church angIbid pa. 1. pag. 4, 5. Idoll which hath beene, is, or is likely to be worſhipped? HaueHave we not here an Act of Parliament, backing all that hath beene written hitherto? If any ſay, the Homilies meaning, is of Images that are materiall, a double reioynder is ready at hand. Firſt, The Croſſe cannot be kept in, but by this generall poſition, that Images and all may be had in the Church, ad vſum hiſtoricum, a point which our oppoſites ſtoutly maintaine, but the Holie refuteth ſtrongly. Secondly, The Homilie is grounded vponupon theſe generall tenentshIbid. pa. …. pag. 27.28 eueryevery ſimilitude of eueryevery thing, eueryeverylIbid. pa. 1… pa. 32. likenes of any thing at all, euen all kindes mIbid. p. 3…of ſimilitudes are vnlawfull in the Church which hauehave beene, are, or be likelie to be worſhipped, which take more holde of the ſigne of the Croſſe, then of many other Images that be materiall. To conclude therefore, the ſigne of the Croſſe and Surplice are Idols, Idolothites, Monuments of Idolatrie, and Incentiues to the ſame, therefore they muſt packe (cum pannis) out of Gods holy worſhip.