Against Symbolizing with Antichrist in Ceremonies, Part · Chapter 2 · Section 10 [i.e. 9]
#Sect. 10. The ſecond defence of the Croſſe confuted: that is, we receiue it not as ſuperſtitiouſlie abuſed by the papiſtes, but as firſt vſed by the Fathers.
WE hauehave done with the firſt pretence, that we receiue the Croſſe from the Fathers of our owne Church, and not from the Papiſts, and hauehave vndone it. The ſecond followeth: We receyue them not from the Papiſtes but from the Fathers of the primitiue Church; which doeth tota pellucere euen of it ſelfe. Firſt, The Fathers can be no vizard for a rite whereof the Pagans, Iewes, or heretiques were the fathers and firſt begetters. It was the fault of oneaTertul. de reſurrect. carn. Alexander, that he ſange the Pſalmes of Valentinus: It is ours nowe that we vſe his Croſſe. I call it his, becauſe he was the q firſt that vſed this figure.bD Fulke ag. Szund. of imag. cap. 134. the verycIdem in Luk. 24. ſect vlt. firſt that made account of it, as appeareth bydIrenae li. 1. cap. 1. Irenaeus, who after the ſcriptures which this heretique wreſted to the Croſſes commendation, addeth this: theſe ſcriptures hee applied à ſe male inventis. But this is ſpoken of one of aeones which he termeth Crux, I know it well. but pleaſeth it our Oppoſites to know aſwell wherfore he termed him Crux? to wit as he termed this aeon oros to ſhew a ſeparating power in him becauſe it is the nature of a bound to ſeparate. ſo in like manner he termed him Crux, to ſhewe a purging power in him, becauſe he held the Croſſe a purger of mans ſinne, like the fanne in Mathew, which purgeth the Wheat in the Lords flower from chaffe ſpirituall. And that he was drawne into this opiniō by the ſame meanes that papiſtes are drawne, by a ſuppoſed dedicating of it in the bloud of Chriſt, it may in parte appeare by that which he ſaieth elſwhere, to witt, that his aeon was without a [figure] vntill Chriſt by his death vponupon the Croſſe, did giuegive him one. Let this bee marked, for it is knowen that Valentinus did vſe [eSixt. Senenſ. Bibliochec. lib. 3. pag. 146. Figures] by them to expreſſe all the doctrine of his aeones: and it appeareth by the text of Irenaeus that he did vſe the [Figure] of the Croſſe to expreſſe this one of them: and till nowe wee neuer read of any that vſed the figure of the Croſſe before him, or made any account therof. therefore he it is (euen Valentinus) for ought we knowe, that firſt brought it into requeſt and reckoning. And who (then) will ſuffer vsus to ſay we borrowe it from the Fathers and not from him? The Greeke Church ſaye, they imitate the Apoſtles in their abſtinence from their bloud and ſtrangled. No, (ſay thefStaniſlau…. Socolon. in Cenſur. Oriental. Eccleſ. cap. 21. very papiſts them ſelues) they are the Iewes yee imitate. ThegDurant. lib. 2. cap. 10. ſect. 2. Papiſtes ſay, they imitate the Fathers in their proceſſions. No (ſayhIoh. Reynold. in confer. pa. 495. we) they are the Gretians whom yee imitate, in their carrying about their Idolls. The ſame would father their life Monaſticall vponupon the Fathers, Paulus Thaebeus, Antonius, Baſill, Auguſtine, and Hierome. lGuil. Perk. problem. tit. de monach.but we holde they borrowe it from the heretiques Eſſaei, becauſe they were the firſtmEuſeb. de praeparat. Euangelic. lib. 8. & hiſtor. li. 2. cap. 27. that vſed it. So when theynDurant. de rit. lib. 1. cap. 8. would deriue their lightes from the Fathers, we will notoIoh. Reynold. de Idololat. lib. 2. cap. 3 ſect. 13.67. ſuffer them, but ſtande out that they borrowed them from the Pagans, who firſt deviſed them for their Gods. See we not (then) that to ſay wee followe the Fathers in the Croſſe, (Valentinus the heretique, being the firſt deviſer of it) we are forced to flie like Eutropius, to the verie ſame ſanctuarie, which we hauehave denied, and ſhut vp to others? Secondly, The Fathers can be no vizard for a ceremonie which hauehave bene abuſed ſince. What then? Poperie hauing abuſed the Croſſe, and the Croſſe being none of Gods ordinances, (which abuſe can not defile) it is nowe the Popiſh Croſſe and not the Fathers: ſo is it from papiſtes that we borrowe it and not from them. Doeth not adulterie make the member of Chriſt, the member of an harlot? Therefore though the Croſſe were a member of the Fathers before, yet nowe it is a member of the harlot of Rome: ſeeing ſince their dayes he hath bene founde coupled with her in ſpirituall fornication. And when a righteous man falleth, all his righteouſnes is forgotten, and in the ſinne that he hath committed, in that he dyeth. What (then) though the Croſſe in the dayes of the Fathers did ſome good deedes, they are nowe to bee forgotten, and in the Idolatrie whiche hee hath committed, hee is to dye. Doth not eueryevery ceremonie vnite a man to the religion to which it belongeth much more (then) is the Croſſe vnited to Antichriſt, whom he ſerueth, 1. Cor. 10… 17.18.whereby he forfeiteth all the communion which earſt he had, or ſince might hauehave with Chriſtians? As for the Lord hee will ſuffer naught come neare him, but that which ſtandeth in firſt puritie: as it muſt be a Virgin which his Prieſts muſt marry; and a beaſt that neuer bore yoke, which his prieſt muſt offer. So that I maruaile men can imagine he can endure a Croſſe or Surplice in his houſe which hauehave bebe defloured by the man of ſinne; and which hauehave drawne in the yoke of Antichriſt? Howbeit, I maruaile more, men are not afraid to backe ſuch defiled ceremonies euen with meare mockage. For what is it leſſe to ſay, We vſe the Croſſe, not as abuſed by the Papiſts, but as firſt vſed by the Fathers. This were as if the Greeke Church ſhould elude the abrogation of the Iewiſh ceremonies with this cavill: Gen. 9.we abſtaine from bloud, and ſtrangled not as it is a Leuitical ordinance, but as Noah and the Fathers abſtayned from it before that Law was giuen. This were as if one ſhould hauehave eluded the inhibition of a groue with this cavill: Deut. 16.21.I ſett vp a groue not to imitate late Idolaters, Ezech. 48.but ſuch a groue doe I ſet vp as Abraham and Iſaack vſed, and the reſt of the auncient Fathers. This were (alſo) as if one ſhould elude the abdication of a prieſt falling into Idolatrie (the equitie wherofrCypr. lib. 1 epiſt. 7. li. 2. epiſt. 1 Cyprian continueth ſtill, who barreth ſuch as hauehave ſacrificed vntounto Idolls for euer, from the prieſtly function,) with this cauill: I admit him to be a Miniſter, not as now of late he hath bene defiled, but as at the firſt he was holy to the Lord thorough the oyle of conſecration that was vponupon him. This were as if one ſhould hauehave eluded the Lawe that aboliſheth all the monuments of Idolatry with thissIoh. Reynold. conferenc. ca. 8 diuiſ. 4. p. 5 10. Gen. 37.3. 2. Sam. 13.18. cauill: I vſe not the brazen ſerpent as lately it hath bene abuſed, but I reſtore him to the vſe, for which Moſes firſt reſerued him. This were, as if a wiſe man now ſhould weare a partie coloured coate (not as it is a fooles coate, but as it was the Fathers coate be Chriſtes comming) as if a ſeruant ſhould be coucred before his Maiſter, not as couering is a late ſigne of preheminence, but astPlutarch. in problem Roman. Chem. exam. p. 1. de tradict. Gen. 7. of old it was a ſigne of ſubiection, and take the right hand of him, becauſeuAnton. Nebriſſenſin annot. in 52▪ lib. ſcript▪ loc. of old that was the inferious place. Suppoſe one ſhould preach at Pauls Croſſe, that the Biſhops are [Tyranni] to their brethren, Fures to the Church, Sophiſtae to the Truth: would they accept this excuſe of their owne. I vſe theſe wordes, as of old they ſignified a ruler, a ſeruant, a ſtudent of wiſedome? No, no more then Steuen xAct. & Monu. pa. 1227.Gardiner would admit it, becauſe all men know that words and actions muſt be interpreted, vſed, receiued, according to their moderne vſe, and not as they hauehave bene of old.