Against Symbolizing with Antichrist in Ceremonies, Part · Chapter 3 · Section 17
#Sect. 17. The hypocriſie of the Croſſe in prayer, is proued in reſpect it is thought to be operatine, ſanctificatiue, and helpfull therto.
VVE hauehave diſcouered (as wee are able) the hipocriſies of the Croſſe, as they ſhewe themſelues in generall ſort, ouer all the powers of mans ſoule: now ſee we ſome ſpeciall obiectes, wherein they budde and bloſſom forth. particularly ſuch as is prayer firſt, and then our common converſation, concerning the former: The auncient crowne, of the Croſſes commendation, was wont to be this; that it ſerued as a ſtone of Horeb to helpe to hold vp the handes in prayer, of which prayer it was aaPerek. problem. pag. 84. geſture; but the hypocriſies of it now, hath laid this honour in the duſte. The firſt of them is, that it is no longer an indifferent geſture in prayer, but an neceſſarie, holy, yea an operatiue one: a geſture, that prayeth not for holines only, but alſobMart. of the Croſſe art. 5. conferreth it. which ourcD. Fulk. reioy. art. 5 pag. 174. writers eſteeme no leſſe then groſſe hypocriſie. Secondly, the Croſſe is not now annext to prayer, as a circumſtance of it, but hee is beſides the word, and beſides prayer, ſcored vp for a thirddRhem. in 1. Tim. 4. ſect. ſanctifier by himſelfe. the Engliſh whereof may bee pickt out of Bellarmine, who teacheth that beſides mentall and vocall prayer, the Croſſe is a Nutuall prayer by him ſelfe.eBellarmi. de effect. Sacramen. cap. 3…. De inde vim habet (ſaith he) &c. this ſigne hath virtue, by the deuotion of the perſon who ſigneth himſelfe, after the ſame manner, that vocall prayer hath virtue; for the ſigne of the croſſe is a certaine inuocation vponupon the merits of Chriſt expreſt by ſigne, loquimur. n. ore, corde, & Nutubus. No mervell if this doctrine ſeeme harſhe vntounto ourfD. Fulk. reioy. art. 5 writers: for neither hath this ſigne warrant from the word to be a prayer: wherof one thus:gAndre. Willet. controue. 9 queſt. 7. pag. 5. they hauehave no worde of God for their warrant, neither doe they vſe a prayer of faith but a ſuperſtitious kinde of croſsing▪ neither can there be found that reuerence in it, which a warrantable prayer hath. There is a cuſtome to knole a bell, at the hearing wherof, the papiſtes fall downe on their knees to prayer, may a proteſtant fall downe on his knees at theſe knoles, and ſay good prayers when papiſtes ſay bad? our writershHoſpi. de orig. Campana. go. 84 ſay no: and they aledge amongſt other reaſons, that here wanteth reuerence and preparation, for one is a dauncing, another is a drinking; another a working, another a walking: when ſodenly they are all downe on their knees, as if ſome plannet (as they ſay) had ſtrooken them. Is it not as great a ſhew of conformitie with papiſtes to vſe a Croſſe, for a geſture of prayer, as they doe, as it is to fall downe on our knees, at the knole of a bell? and leape we not, as ſodenly without preparation vntounto prayer, in the one as in the other? And the ſigne of the Croſſe is guiltie of hypocriſie, for want of deuotion, in time of the action, whether outward or inward, both of which muſtlDamaſee. de ſid. lib. 4 cap. 13. Maſ. 1.8. kindle prayer, to make it incenſe that may aſcende. I ſpeake with the words of Malachie, offer it to thy Prince, will he receane thy face, or take it acceptable at thine handes? if hauing a petitiō to him, thou ſhouldeſt nothing but nodde and becke, which was the proude and ſcornfull geſture, which Nazianzen obſerued in Iulian, nutus, renutus, abſque ſermone? Now we knowe iudignum mDiſtinct. 49. c. ſacer.est dare Deo, quod dedignaretur homo. One of the Fathers. well, if we make petition but to ſome earthlie king (ſaith he)nCaſſian. …ollat. …3. cap. 7. totam in cum & mentis & corporis aciem defigimus, & de nutu eius trepida expectatione pendemus, non mediocriter formidantes, ne quod forte incongruum verbum audientis, miſcricordiam avertat. And ſhall wee (then) hold it ſufficient reuerence towards the Lord, to giuegive him a nutus of our own only, in ſteed of that fearfull dependance on his Nutus, which we yeld to one of his creatures? The ſame Father goeth forward: when we are but before an earthly Iudge, we compoſe our ſelues to all humilitie, and to all carefulnes, againſt eueryevery Tuſsis ſcreatus, oſcitantia, eructatio, whereas this nutuall prayer of the Croſſe, what is it elſe, but an eructation of the minde, per oſsitantiam, whichoPet. Martyr. in 1. Sam. 1. wee worthely taxe? and that euagation of the ſoule, which is notpBaſi. ſe…m. de aman. Deum. ex fragilitate or negligentia, but as it ſeemeth ex propoſito, which veryqTho Aquin pag 3 queſt. 83. art 13 papiſtes themſelues condemne. But are there notrDurand. de ri. lib. 3 c. 14. ſect 9 Rom. 8. Exo. 14.15. orationes i…culatorie? amongſt theſe what hindreth, but that the prayer of the Croſſe may be one? Becauſe this kinde and ſort of prayer, being the moſt feruent in the time of greateſt need, and out of the depth of moſt heavie temptations, is leſſe nutuall then any prayer; for either the grones and the ſighes of it cannot bee expreſt at all, or if they bee vttered, it is not an [nutus] that beareth them vp, but ſome ſcalding (though briefe) out-crie, as we ſee in our Lord: who although in the dayes of his fleſh, ſpent whole nightes in prayer, yetsGault. in Lu…. … i. homil. 106 poſtea cum mortis hora inſtaret, quo propius ea acceſcit, eo preces breuiores, ad patrem quaſi eiaculatus eſt. So (then) the nutuall prayer of the Croſſe wanteth inward deuotion. What now of the outward? why that we finde diſcribeth thus:tSalutan. de prou…ent. lib 7 Corpora humi ſternimus, mixtis cum fletu gandij…, ſupplicamus. uAmbroſ. Hexamer. lib. 6. cap. 9Flexibile genu quo prae caeteris domini mitigatur offenſa, ira mulcetur, gratia promouetur, wAuguſt. lib de cura. pro mort. agend. ca 5Orantes de membris ſui corporis faciunt quod ſupplicantibus congruit, cum genua figunt, cum extendunt marius, vel etiam proſtern…ntur ſolo, per quae, cor dis affectus; qui vt fierent iſta, praeceſsit, quia facta ſunt creſ…it. xHieron li. 2. commen. cap. 3. a… epheſ.Deū genu po ſito ſuppliciter adoramus, & fixo in terrā poplite, magis quod ab eo petimus impetramus. This laſt Father commendethyHieron de viris. …lnitrib. in Iacob. Iames ſurnamed Iuſtus, for a man, andzIdem. epiſt …5. ad Marcel. Aſella for a woeman, that they hardened their knees in praying like a Cammells houſe. Theſe ſignes are not alwayes neceſſarie (you will ſay.) No, but the reuerence which they ſignifie, is euer needfull. As wee ſee in them who ſtand in the preſence of the Lorde, for the GreekeaIoh. Piſe…. in Luk. 19.8.18.11.… word ſignified a ſettelling and compoſing of their bodies to al reuerence. ſtanding ſeemeth the leaſt ſigne of outwardreuerence, yet it bringeth with it al the members of the body: not ſo the Croſſe, whiche bringeth the worſt parte of the body like him that bringeth the worſt of his flocke, for what is the ſigne of the Croſſe, (ſaithbCalfh. … 1. fol. 29. one) but the breaking of a litle ayer, with one of our thumbes? Laſt, of all whereas when our prayer is done, wee arecCaſſian vb. ſupra. grauiſsime crimine ad ſtricti, ſi ſubito à conſpectu Dei, qua ſi ab oculis non videntis, nec andientis, cogitationis improbae vanitatem ſecuti abceſſerimus. We ought to vſe no geſture of ours at our leauing of his preſence, but that which may ſerue for ſuch a ſtaye asdMuſcul. 1 Pſal 39. verſe. 5. Selah is, to retayne meditation. Whereas the Croſſe diſpatcheth a waye this meditation with a quicke finger, and is founde worſe then theeDuran. de rit. lib. 2. c. 17. ſect. 5. ſectile, or the pupillum amen, which the Rahbines and the papiſtes them ſelues condemne. For theſe cauſes, as thefCatalog. ceſt. verita. in Walden. Waldenſes ſtoode out againſt the Creed to be vſed for a prayer which was none, ſo ſtand we out now againſt the Croſſe, vſed for a prayer when it is none: or if it be any, a prayer vnreuerent. Suppoſe a man ſhould lifte vp a ſhoeſole for a prayer Nutu. I aſke becauſegAct. & monu. pa. 95…. Robert Couper (a Confeſſor) affirmed once, that bleſſing with the ſigne of the Croſſe, was no whit better, then bleſſing with an olde ſhoe ſole. The third hypocriſie of the Croſſe maketh it not only a prayer but alſo an operatiue prayer, that helpeth our vocall & mental prayer, as if it were not ſo powerfull without it as when it hath the helpe of a Croſſe which is the ayme of theſe words.hMart in reply. art. 4 It is euident that as ſoone as paayer is duelie made and the ſigne of the Croſſe made, the holy ghoſt according to the promiſe of Chriſt, commeth downe & ſanctifieth, and the Deuill is driuen away. This hypocriſie howe can it not breed a diſguſt of this ſigne amongſt vsus? For it turneth the ſighes & grones of the holy Ghoſt in prayer to a bringing of him downe at thelD. Fulk. reioyn. art. 4 pag. 163.164. wagging of a finger: and tyed themD. Willet. de Bapt…ſ. que…t. 8. holy ghoſt himſelf to a dounghill croſſe that will not in this maner be tyed either to1Act 7. Temple, or to2Gal. 6. Circumcizion, or to3Mar. 3. Baptiſme it ſelfe, or to any other of his own ſignes. Whē in a plague at Rome ſome dyed with ſneeſing, ſome with gaping, there was a cuſtome taken vp when any ſneeſed, to pray God helpe, when any gaped to make a CroſſenCarol. Sigon. de reg. It…l. in anno 590. praeſidium querentes in this ſigne vntounto thēſelues. We may ſee here a picture and Image of the vulgar ſort of people in this land, vſing the Croſſe as they vſe prayer, and flying to the helpe of the Croſſe as they ſeeke for helpe by prayer, for the curing of which diſeaſe why abandon we not the Croſſe as we hauehave done other things that in like ſort hauehave bene annexed to prayer?oAuguſt. de ſymbol. ad Catech. Whereas the ſymbolum (that is) the creede and the Crucis vexillum were wont to bee ioyned for fellow-helpers together with prayer againſt the Deuill, diſlike we not this vnequall kinde of yoking? whereas Sanctus pGregor. Turonenſ. de vit. patrum, ca, 6.Gallus, andqNitephor. lib. 5. c. 22. Sanctus Martianus ioyne with prayer the booke of the Goſpell which they take in their hand when they goe forth to repreſſe the fury and the flame of fire. whereas it hath bene a common cuſtome in common diſtreſſes to carry about Images and Reliques which men hauehave added vntounto prayer to helpe the ſame: in which manner the Image of Rochus & therGregor. T…tonenſ. in lib. de glot. confe. cap. 79. Pall of Remigius is carried about vponupon a Croſſe in time of a plague: and the Tunica sIdem. lib. 3 hiſtor c. 29Vincentij ad Auguſta when once it was beleguerd… wee diſclaime and diſunite this combination: the bels are ioyned by papiſtes to prayer as helpers of it, as the trompets in Moſes Lawe ſtirred vp God to merciemercy, ſo doe the bels now (ſaytDurant. de rit. lib. 1. c. 22. ſect. 4. they) which hauehave alſo power againſt the Deuill. witnes this▪ The Deuils before day ran away from certaine weomen whom they had ledd and moleſted the night before as ſoone as they heard the morning bell ſound. uIoh. Reynold. de Idololat. li. …. c. 6. ſect 7The beades alſo are ioyned to prayer as helpers of it. we that hauehave freed prayer from the creed; from the booke of the Goſpel; from the Images, palles, coates, and reliques of ſainctes from the beades and bels of papiſtes, how are we bewitched that we cannot leaue the Croſſe, in which each part, of their hypocriſie and ſuperſtition ouerfloweth? It will be replyed, that this abuſe implyeth not the Croſſes ruine, but a reſtoring to prime vſe. Firſt the prime vſe of the Croſſe in prayer was not ſo good,vMagdebu. Centur. 3. cap. 6. tit. de mor. Chriſti. ſith it did adiure and u charme, and that the very beaſtes themſelues. for thus Tertullian: Nobis wTertull. in lib▪ de ſcorpiac.fides prae ſidium ſignandi ſtatim & adiurandi & vngendi beſtiae calcem. And the Croſſe at the firſt did bleſſe and ſanctifie things voyde of life asxBeat. Rhenan. in Tertull. de Coron. milit. beddes andyOrig. lib. 3. in Iob. meates: which while thezCatalog. teſt. verita. in W…lden. Waldenſes prepoſterouſly followed, they retayned the ſigne of the Croſſe in the bleſſing of their meates. which though we miſlike, yet the reſtoring of the croſſe his auncient vſe will beare them out as well as vsus, who muſt hauehave this ſigne in Baptiſme. Secondly, to praye ſtanding between Eaſter and Whitſontide in memoriall of Chriſt his glorifying, is a geſture of prayer as auncient as the ſigne of the Croſſe, as alſo to praye towards the Eaſte which we muſt reſtore againe to auncient vſe if this axiome on which we ſtand, hauehave ſtrength & force, euen as one of our writers well:aD. Fulk. reioynnd. art. 5. pag. 177. ſeeing none of theſe ceremonies hauehave bene worſe abuſed, then this cuſtome of Croſsing, this ought to bee abrogated of every Church as well as thoſe. Thirdly, there is a4Mat. 6.7. commaundement we muſt not be like the heathen in our prayers. wherupon onebGual…. in Luk. 11. pag. 106. Communis ſenſus admonet Chriſtian…s ab omnibus ethnicorum atque infidelium ritibus aut ceremonijs abſtinere debere. Take we a ſtandling from the firſt Churches, whereas Idolaters vſe certaine ceremonies in their praying, as a waſhing of the hands before a putting off of the cloake in the action it ſelfe and a formall ſitting after, there was a ſpeciallcTertull. lib. de …ratione. prouiſo taken that no Chriſtian ſhould vſe the like in time of his prayer. It is very needfull wee ſhould eſchewe the Croſſe and Surplice at prayer-time with as great care, if it bee but for the ſhewe which giueth countenance to popiſhe hypocriſie in the ſimple of the lande. Theſe vſe the Croſſe as papiſtes doe. they thinke it is a prayer. they thinke it helpeth prayer. they thinke it make holy. they thinke it driueth away the Diuill. which whoſoeuer will not acknowledge, I muſt ſay of him as Mr dD. Fulk. reioynd. pag. 17….Fulke of Martiall once: whereas Martiall will acknowledg no abuſe in this ſigne, what elſe ſhould we ſay but whoſe blind as he that will not ſee?