Against Symbolizing with Antichrist in Ceremonies, Part · Chapter 3
The hipocriſie of the Croſſe. Cap. 3.
VAnitie is all one with priuation: Rom. 8.20.21.as the vanitie of the creatures with Paule is the priuation of their libertie from corruption. Now in priuation, ſinne ſo conſiſteth as that the habits of ſinne which are Nullam habent rationē mali niſi ratione priuationis iuſtitia debitae, as theaCaiet. in Primam. 2. queſt. 18. art. 9. ſchole deuines determine. Hence11. King 17 15. the Idols ſinne is vanitie againſt the firſt commaundement, & a wrong worſhip a worſhiping2Iſay. 29.13 in vaine, againſt the ſecond, and all hipocriſie and miſcarriage in every name and worſhip of Gods, a taking of his name in vaine, as this3Exo. 20.7 third precept ſpeaketh. For this cauſe it wil not be in vaine, to ſhewe that the ſigne of the Croſſe is vaine a thing moſt eaſie to bee done. Firſt, there is a vanitie of ſuperfluitie in it, in that it is abD. Fulk. reioyn. art. 4. pag. 164 & 166. needleſſe ceremonie; in that we are as wellcCalfh cōt. matt. art. 1. fol. 30. with out it, as with it: and it is a ceremonie that isdD. Fulk. reioyn art. 1. pag. 143 ſuperfluous altogether. Chriſtes perſon being conſidered (ſaitheAndrew. willet. de Bapt. cap. 8 one) It was fit, the Croſſe, Salt, Spittell &c ſhould hauehave bene vſed in his Baptiſme, if God had ſeene they were needfull for his Church. Now when Chriſt ſendeth for any thing, his argument is:4Marc. 11.3 for the Lord hath need of it. And when he receaueth any thing he will not ſuffer this blott to reſt on it. What 5Math. 26.8.10.11.need? But he will wipe this ſuſpition of a needleſſnes away, and ſo will proue it needfull. This example our ſuperiors cannot followe, vnleſſe before they vrge the Croſſe, they proue vntounto vsus that the Sacrament hath need of it; and that it is not vaine and needleſſe which this precept doth condemne. Doth not the Lawe diſcarg from a vowe, that which hath a ſuperfluous,6Leuit. 22.…2. member, and from a ſacrifice that which hath a ſuperfluous wenne? Why vowe wee then a Croſſe in Baptiſme? why by the Croſſe vowe wee our children vntounto God? a member ſuperfluous, as vſed in popery, & by the people, a wenne ſuperfluous ſticking in the vpper ſkinne, though vſed according to the ſkill of our one Church. Nay (to ſearch this point to the quicke) the ſuperfluitie of this ſigne maketh (indeed) our ſinne to be admirable, in that we hauehave the water alreadie (a better ſigne ordained to our hands) euen as it is a thing much to bee merviled, and not to be beleeued byfBellarm. de Imag. c. 13 Bellarmine, that the Iewes ſhould deſire a calfe for a ſigne of Gods preſence, hauing the cloud and the piller which did reſemble it better before. What increaſeth the ſinne of the Iewes when they deſire ſuperfluous fleſhe, the ſinne of the adulterer, and couetous perſon how is it augmented, but by this there is no need, the Iewes hauing7Num. 11.5 Manna a better meate already to their hands provided? The8Pro. 6.30.31. 2. Sam. 12.8. adulterer being bleſſed with a wife of his own already, and the couetous man with food and91. Tim. 6. rayment aſmuch as is needfull for him. This alſo made the ſinne of Euae fDecret. pa. 2. cauſ. 33. queſt. 3. c. 1haynous, that hauing ſo many bleſſed frutes, ſhe luſted after that needleſſe frute which was forbidden notwithſtanding, which now is ourgA french. diſcourſe of the honor of the Croſſe. part. 1. ſinne, who tempt God and fall a luſting after a ſuperfluous Croſſe, a meat Idolothious, an harlot ſpiritual, a Iewell of Anthichriſt, a frute forbidden not being contented with the water an heauenly Manna, a chaſt ceremonie, a Iewell lefte for a pledge by Chriſt, and a frute of his, whereby he feedeth vsus till he himſelfe doe come in place, the true tree of eternall life, which ſtandeth in the middeſt of the paradiſe of God. Laſt of all, we condemne the papiſtes in their Agnus Deies and other conſecrate ſignes of theirs euenhIoh. Reyn. de Idolola.lib. 2. cap. 3 …ct. 6. for this, that Baptiſme and the Lords Supper, not only ſuffice, but alſo excell: which, with what face can we doe any longer, as long as we keepe the ſigne of the Croſſe, to ſignifie Chriſt Ieſus to vsus, a ſuperfluitie as badde as they, if not farre worſe.