Showing the Necessity of Conformity — John Sprint

Showing the Necessity of Conformity · John Sprint

THE NECESSITIE OF CONFORMITIE IN THE CASE OF DEPRIVATION.

IT is neceſſary for a Miniſter to Concluſion.conforme to the Ceremonies preſcribed in the Church of England, rather then to ſuffer Depriuation.

Quest. 1 Two queſtions touching this concluſion there are to be diſcuſſed. The firſt, whether a man may with a good conſcience ſuffer himſelfe to bee depriued or ſuſpended of his Miniſtry, for not conforming to the Ceremonies preſcribed and eſtabliſhed in the preſent Church of England: Such as the Surpleſſe, Croſſe in Baptiſme, Kneeling at Communion, Ring in Marriage, and the like?

The ſecond, whether a man ought not rather of conſcience to conforme to all the Ceremonies preſcribed in the Church of England, then to ſuffer himſelfe to be depriued of his Miniſtry?

Anſw. 1 Theſe queſtions depend the one vponupon the other, ſo that the anſwere of the one giueth anſwer to the other: Therefore the former queſtion I anſwer negatiuely: That namely, A man cannot (as I ſuppoſe) with a good conſcience ſuffer himſelfe to bee depriued of his Miniſtry, for not conforming to the Ceremonies.

To the latter queſtion I ſay, that a man is bound in conſcience rather to conforme to all the Ceremonies of the Church of England, then ſuffer his Miniſtry to be ſuſpended or depriued.

The reaſon of which anſwers ſtands in this, Becauſe he ſhall ſin againſt God in not conforming, and in ſuffering himſelfe for that cauſe to be depriued of his Miniſtration in the Church. That he ſhall ſinne in ſo doing will appeare by theſe two reaſons.

Reaſon 1 Firſt, that the practiſe of ſuffering depriuation for not conforming to the ceremonies of this our Church, and the doctrine thereof is directly againſt the Word of God. This alſo is proued by two points.

Becauſe it is againſt the doctrine and practiſe of the holy Apoſtles of Chriſt.

Becauſe it is againſt the grounds of Gods Word: and they are two.

One ground is this: where two duties doe meet, a greater and a leſſe, whereof both cannot bee done at the ſame time, the leſſer dutie muſt yeeld vntounto the greater: But this doctrine of ſuffering depriuation for not conforming teacheth, and the practiſe thereof cauſeth to neglect a greater duty for the performing of a leſſer: Therefore it ſeemeth to bee an errour in doctrine, and a ſin in practiſe.

A ſecond ground is this; All things muſt bee done in louelove, 1. Cor. 6. 14. But this doctrine and practiſe is againſt the royall Lawe of louelove: and therefore ſeemeth to bee vnlawfull.

Reaſon 2 The ſecond maine reaſon is this: For that the doctrine and practiſe of ſuffering depriuation, for not conforming to the Ceremonies of our Church, or the like, tendeth to condemne all true Churches, all faithfull and ſound teachers, all ſincere Chriſtians of all times and places, ſince the time of the Apoſtles of Chriſt, which hauehave taught and practiſed otherwiſe.

Theſe things being directly and plainely proued, it will (I doubt not) appeare that to ſuffer depriuation or ſuſpenſion, for refuſing to conforme to the Ceremonies preſcribed, is a ſinne: Whereupon will follow theſe concluſions.

That ſeeing thoſe Miniſters hauehave ſinned, at leaſt a ſinne of ignorance, who hauehave ſuffered depriuation for refuſing to conforme to the Ceremonies preſcribed, they ought of conſcience to offer conformitie to the Ceremonies, that they may returne to their Miniſtry againe.

That ſuch as not conforming to the Ceremonies, doe remaine in their places vndepriued, are bound in conſcience to conforme vntounto the Ceremonies, rather then to ſuffer themſelues to be depriued or ſuſpended.

That ſuch as are profitably, or probably fitted with gifts vntounto the Miniſtry, and doe withall deſire to enter into that calling, are alſo tied in conſcience before God to promiſe and practiſe conformity to the Ceremonies preſcribed, rather then refuſing ſo to doe, to bee kept out of the Miniſtery.

That ſuch Chriſtians as doe make conſcience of the Ceremonies, as kneeling at the Communion, admitting their children to be baptiſed with the Croſſe, hearing of publike prayer, or preaching in a Surpleſſe, are of conſcience to admit of theſe things, and to practiſe them, rather then to abſent themſelues, or to be depriued of the worſhips of God, and that otherwiſe they ſhall ſinne againſt God. It remaineth therefore that the former reaſons be proued, which by Gods helpe I will performe in order.

Arg. 1 Reaſon 1 The doctrine and practiſe of ſuffering depriuation, and loſſe of Miniſtry is directly againſt the Word of GOD, which no man will deny to be ſinfull and erronious. This aſſertion is confirmed by the probation of two farther points.

Becauſe ſuch doctrine and practiſe is contrary to the doctrine and practiſe of the Apoſtles of Chriſt.

Becauſe it is againſt the grounds of Gods Word.

Concerning the firſt point, namely, that the doctrine and practiſe of ſuffering depriuation, eſpecially vponupon the reaſons vrged againſt our Ceremonies, is contrary to the doctrine of the holy and inſpired Apoſtles, and ſo by conſequence is an errour and ſin: I proue it by two reaſons.

Becauſe⁽¹⁾ the holy Apoſtles, with the whole Church at Ieruſalem⁽²⁾ by inſpiration of the holy Ghoſt and commandement of God⁽³⁾ did practiſe themſelues,⁽⁴⁾ and cauſed others to practiſe,⁽⁵⁾ yea aduiſed one another,⁽⁶⁾ and inioyned or commanded⁽⁷⁾ whole Churches the practiſe of⁽⁸⁾ as euill and inconuenient Ceremonies⁽⁹⁾ in ſundry & maine reſpects, as in their iudgement ours are, namely in number,⁽¹⁰⁾ nature,⁽¹¹⁾ vſe,⁽¹²⁾ and euill effects, and⁽¹³⁾ that for reaſons equiuolent or inferiour to the auoyding of depriuation. This propoſition I thus proue in the ſeuerall members. 1. The holy Apoſtles and whole Church at Ieruſalem] namely Peter, Acts 15. 7. Iames, Acts 15. 13. & 21. 18. 21. 24. 25. Paul, Acts 15. 2. 22. & 18. 18. & 21. 26. 1. Cor. 9. 10. Barnabas, Acts 15. 2. 22. Iudas, Sylas, which were Prophets, Acts 15. 22. 23. The Apoſtles, all the Elders, and whole Church, Acts 15. 4. 6. 23. and 21. 18. 25. 2. By inſpiration of the holy Ghoſt, and commaundement of God] as appeareth, Acts 15. 28. It ſeemed good to the holy Ghoſt and to vsus. Alſo Iames and the Elders, Acts 21. 18. that determined before one practiſe of conformity to Iewiſh Ceremonies, Acts 21. 25. By inſpiration of the holy Ghoſt, Acts 15. 13. 28. did afterwards perſwade Paul to another practiſe of conformity to Iewiſh Rites, Acts 21. 23. 24. And the things written and determined by the Apoſtles, euen concerning matters of order in the Church, are the commandements of God: 1. Cor. 14. 37. 3. Did practiſe themſelues:] For Paul ſhaued himſelfe, and made a vow, Act. 18. 18. Paul purified himſelfe, contributed, and entred into the Temple, & declared the accompliſhment of the dayes of the purification, vntill that an offering ſhould bee offered for eueryevery one of them. Acts 21. 24. 26. Paul vntounto the Iew became as a Iew, to the men vnderunder the Law, as though he had been vnderunder the Law, 1. Cor. 9. 20. 4. And cauſed others to practiſe:] For Paul circumciſed Timothy: Acts 16. 3. Paul took the men, and was purified with them, Acts 21. 24. 5. Aduiſed one another:] For Iames and the Elders perſwaded Paul thus to conforme: Doe this that we ſay vntounto thee, take them (the votaries) purifie thy ſelfe with them, contribute with them, that they may ſhaue their heads, Acts 21. 23. 24. 6. Enioyned or commanded the practiſe of Ceremonies:] For thus did the councell of Ieruſalem, They laide on them thoſe neceſſary things, from which you ſhall doe well to keepe your ſelues, Acts 15. 28. 29. This conſtitution was called the Apoſtles and Elders Decrees ordained by them: Acts 16. 4. Iames and the Elders ſay, Wee hauehave determined and written that they obſerue no ſuch things, but that they abſtaine from bloud ſtrangled, &c. Acts 21. 25. 7. To whole Churches] of diuers and farre diſtant Countries and Nations, namely to the Gentiles in Antiochia, Syria, Cilicia: Acts 15. 23. 8. As matters good and neceſſary in that caſe:] For it is ſayde, it ſeemed good to the holy Ghoſt. Theſe neceſſary things, Acts 5. 28. From which if you keepe your ſelues you ſhall do well, verſ. 29. 9. And yet as euill and inconuenient in ſundry maine reſpects as they can imagine ours, namely in number] for they were diuers, namely circumciſion, Acts 16. 3. Shauing the head, Acts 18. 18. & 21. 24. Purifying, Acts 21. 24. 26. Vowing, Acts 18. 18. & 21. 23. Contributing, Acts 21. 24. Offering ſacrifices for the perſons purified, Acts 21. 23. Obſeruation of the Iewiſh Sabbaoth, Acts 13. 14. 42. & 18. 4. & 17. 2. Abſtaining from bloud, Acts 15. 29. Abſtaining from ſtrangled, Acts 15. 29 10. And in nature] for they are called by the holy Ghoſt, Needleſſe ſhadowes, Col. 2. 20. Yokes not to bee borne, Acts 15. 10. Burthens, Acts 15. 28. Traditions burdening. Col. 2. 20. Ordinances of the world, Col. 2. 20. Commandements and doctrines of men, Col. 2. 22. Turning from the truth, Tit. 1. 14, Voluntary religion or will worſhips, ſhewes of religion, Col. 2. 23. Impotent and beggarly rudiments, Gal. 4. 9. 10. And for the further confirmation of this member, looke the proofe of the next immediate reaſon proouing this firſt point. 11. In vſe] Firſt, for that they were moſt ſtrictly preſſed on the conſciences of weake Chriſtians by Iewiſh and contentious Brethren: for they were vrged ex neceſsitate ſalutis: Except ye bee circumciſed after Moſes maner yee cannot bee ſaued, Acts 15. 15. They would hauehave brought their conſciences in bondage by them and yoaked them, Galat. 5. 1. 3. Acts 15. 10. They would hauehave condemned them for the not vſing them, Col. 3. 16. Secondly, they were more dangerouſly accounted neceſſary euen to ſaluation, Acts 15. 1. Thirdly, they were perniciouſly abuſed for confirmation of moſt falſe, hereticall, and impious doctrines, as much as euer our Ceremonies could bee, or were by the Papiſts; as namely, that men are iuſtified by the workes of the Law, Gal. 2. 14-15-16 and 5. 4. That eueryevery Chriſtian is bound ſtrickly on his ſaluation to keepe the whole Law, Gal. 5. 3. That there is no hope of ſaluation without the vſe of them, Acts 15. 1. That Chriſt the body was not yet come by continuing the ſhadow, Col. 2. 16. 17. That they are to be condemned who vſe them not, Col. 2. 16. That the Kingdome of God ſtandeth in them, Rom. 14. 17. Yea from Pauls preaching and practiſe it might bee argued by ſome, that a man may on occaſion practiſe that, which practiſe he teacheth eueryevery where againſt, Acts 21. 21. 23. 26. Fourthly, for the latitude and compaſſe of their ſpreading, it was both amongſt them, neere and far from them eueryevery where: Namely at Ieruſalem, Acts 21. 17. 20. 21. Rome, Rom. 14. 2. 5. 17. Antioch, Acts 15. 23. Syria, Acts 15. 23. Cilicia, Acts 15. 23 Colloſſus, Col. 2. 16. 17. 20. 21. Creete, Tit. 11. 14. Derbe, Lyſtra, and Iconium, and thoſe quarters, Acts 16. 1. 2. 3. 12. And euill effects,] For the vſe and continuance of them were the occaſions of many pernicious effects to ſuch as abuſed them, which appeareth in this. Firſt, they bondaged their Chriſtian libertie, Gal. 4. 9. & 5. 1. 3. Secondly, they made Chriſt to profit them nothing, Gal. 5. 2. Thirdly, they made them to fall away from grace, Gal. 5. 4 Fourthly, they cauſed them to turne away from the truth, Tit. 1. 14. Galat. 2. 5. Fifthly, they hindered them from obeying the truth, Galat. 5. 7. Sixtly, they were occaſion of condemnation to them as preſſed them as neceſſarie Gal. 5. 10. Seuenthly, they leauenned the whole lumpe with ſowerneſſe, Galat. 5. 9. Eightly, it occaſioned Paul to feare leaſt hee had beſtowed his labour in vaine among his hearers Gal. 4. 10. 11. Ninthly, it occaſioned Paul to wiſh them cut off which did diſquiet the Church by them, Gal. 5. 12. Tenthly, they were occaſion of Peters diſſimulation, and Pauls iuſt reprouing of him, and were meanes to bring Barnabas, a man full of the holy Ghoſt, Acts 11. 24. and other Gentiles into their diſſimulation, and to cauſe them not to goe the right way to the truth of the Goſpell, Gal. 2. 11. 12. 14. Eleuenthly, they were fit meanes to put them beſides their adoption and inheritance in heauen, Gal. 5. 10. 20. 21. 22. Laſtly▪ they made as much ſtirre, ſtrife, and contention among Brethren in the Church, yea much more then our Ceremonies hauehave done, if either wee reſpect the violence and bitterneſſe thereof, or the latitude and wide ſpreading of it in ſo many and farre diſtant Countries and Churches, Galat. 5. 10. 12. troubling and diſquieting the Church. Act. 15. 24. 13. And for reaſons equiuolent partly, and partly inferiour to the auoiding of depriuation:] For it appeareth that the Apoſtles vſed and inioyned the practiſe of theſe Iewiſh inconuenient Ceremonies for theſe cauſes. Firſt, for the beleeuing Iewes, to keepe them from offence, being as yet zealous of the Law, and not rightly inſtructed in the truth of the abrogation of the Legall Ceremonies by Chriſt, that they might not be occaſioned to be drawne backe to Iudaiſme, Acts 21. 20. 21. 24. For this cauſe hee circumciſed Timothy, becauſe of the Iewes, Acts 16. 1. 3. Secondly, for the vnbeleeuing Iewes, and that for two reaſons. One reaſon was to winne them to the Goſpell, 1. Cor. 9. 20. 21. 22. and to further their ſaluation, 1. Cor. 10. 32. 33. Another reaſon was to auoid the perſecution of the froward and malicious Iewes, as alſo to redeeme the liberty of his Miniſtry, and of the Goſpell, which otherwiſe was like to be endangered, as fell out in the euent, Acts 21. 22. 27. 28. 30. 31. 32. Thirdly for neceſſitie, (for in that caſe they were neceſſary things, Act. 15. 28.) and expedient (for it ſeemed good to the holy Ghoſt, & in the practiſe of them in that caſe they did wel, Act. 15. 28. 29.) namely, to appeaſe their bitter diſſentions and vehement diſputations in the Church, Acts 15. 2. 5. And to quiet the trouble and cumber of their mindes: as if one ſhould ſay for the peace of the Church, Acts 15. 24. That thus the Churches might be eſtabliſhed in the faith, and increaſe in number dayly, Acts 16. 4 5. As doubtleſſe by Gods bleſſing ours would alſo doe, if either the Ceremonies might ſafely be remoued from the ſcandall of Papiſts, or if they were conformed vntounto by our depriued Brethren, till libertie of Ceremonies were granted by the Magiſtrate.

Out of this reaſon thus I argue;

If the Apoſtles by direction of the holy Ghoſt, and vponupon reaſons of common and perpetuall equitie did practiſe themſelues, and cauſed others to practiſe, yea aduiſed and inioyned (as matters good and neceſſary to be done) Ceremonies as inconuenient and euill in many maine and materiall reſpects, as the Ceremonies inioyned and preſcribed in our Church are ſuppoſed to be; then it followeth;

That to ſuffer depriuation for refuſing to conforme to the ceremonies of our Church, is contrary to the doctrine and practiſe of the Apoſtles:

But the former is true as hath beene prooued:

Therefore the latter followeth alſo.

So much of the firſt reaſon, prouing that the doctrine & practiſe of ſuffering depriuation for refuſing to conform to our preſcribed Ceremonies, is contrary to the doctrine and practiſe of the Apoſtles, & ſo ſeemeth to be an error & a ſin.

The ſecond reaſon proouing this point is this: Becauſe the ſame obiections in ſubſtance, and for the moſt part which are brought forth againſt our Ceremonies, to proue them ſimply and in nature ſin, may be obiected and applied to the practiſe and doctrine of the Apoſtles, which was performed by direction of the holy Ghoſt, for thoſe Iewiſh Ceremonies were *Abridgement Lincoln. fol. 17.1. Humane inuentions:] for they left to be the commandements of God, and are called the traditions, commandements and doctrines of men, Col. 2. 22. 21. 16. 17. Titus 1. 14. *Ibid.2. Of no neceſſary vſe] ſeeing Chriſt was come which was the body, and they the ſhadow of things to come, Coloſſ, 2. 16. 17. Heb. 10. 1. And Paul taught eueryevery where that the Iewiſh Ceremonies muſt bee left, Acts 21. 22. *Ibid.3. Abuſed to ſuperſtition:] for they were abuſed to the confirmation of moſt falſe and pernicious doctrine, iuſtification by workes, Gal. 2. 3. 4. 12. 14. 15. 16. No ſaluation without them, Acts 15. 1. vt ſup. *Abrid. Lincol. fol. 31.4. Ceremonies ſignificatiue, or of myſtical ſignification:] Yea ſacramentall Ceremonies indeed, and added to baptized perſons,] For circumciſion was a Sacrament, and all the Ceremonies of the Law were ſhadowes of things to come, Col. 2. 16. 17. Heb. 10. 1. Patternes, ſhadowes, ſimilitudes of heauenly things, Heb. 8. 5. and 9. 23. The holy Ghoſt ſignified by them, Heb. 9. 8. And the ſignification of them, were inſeparable to the Iewes that beleeued not, as alſo to the weake beleeuing Iewes, who were not inſtructed throughly. *Abrid. Lincol. fol. 37.5. Eſteemed, impoſed and obſerued as parts of Gods worſhip:] So they were by the Iewes eſteemed, impoſed, and obſerued as neceſſary, Acts 15. 5. to ſaluation, Acts 15. 1. For which cauſe the zealous Iewes were violently offended with Paul, for teaching that Chriſtians ought not to circumciſe their children, nor to liue after the legall cuſtomes, Acts 21. 21. 27. Yea, this argument might ſeeme to be preſſed on the Apoſtles, who enioyned thoſe burdenſome Ceremonies as good and neceſſarie, Acts 15. 28. 29. and conformed vntounto them for their ſake, and in the preſence of ſuch as did eſteeme and hold them as worſhips of God, Acts 15, 1. 5. & 16. 3. & 21. 26. *44. 48. fol.6. Swaruing from the generall rules and directions of the word for determining of Ceremonies,] not needfull or profitable to edification:] For how could Iewiſh ceremonies, which were antiquated, and either had no ſignification, being ſhadowes of things already come, or a falſe one, edifie the Church: nay, the euill doctrines which they eſtabliſhed, and euill effects which they produced, ſerued rather to deſtroy, then to edifie the Church, yet their vſe and yeelding ſerued to edifie by making way to the Churches peace, and furtherance of the Goſpel. *44. 48. fol.7 Not profitable for order:] For it had been moſt orderly to hauehave ſerued God by Legall Ceremonies vnderunder the Law, and Euangelical vnderunder the Goſpel. It might ſeeme diſorder to bring backe the Legall Ceremonies which were aboliſhed, and to ioyne them with Gods worſhips in the Goſpell: yet it was order to vſe and practiſe them in that caſe, becauſe it preuented the maine diſorder and confuſion that elſe might hauehave inſued, namely diſcord of beleeuing Brethren, and ſuppreſſing of the Goſpel. *44. 48. fol.8 Not profitable for decency:] For what was more indecent, then for a Chriſtian to vſe idle, vnfruitfull, needleſſe and beggarly rudiments? For a Chriſtian to bee ſhaued, circumciſed, offer ſacrifice, yet did this indecency vphold a higher decency, which was the eſtabliſhment of faith, dayly increaſe of the number of Churches, Acts 16. 4. Which conformitie in our Ceremonies in the caſe of depriuation would alſo do. *45. 49. fol.9. Offenſiue many waies:] For firſt they might offend and grieue the beleeuing Gentiles, which neuer vſed them, and knew by the Apoſtles doctrine that they were to bee aboliſhed, Acts 21. 21. Galat. 2. 3, 9, 12, 15. Secondly, they did ſo ſcandalize, and were ſuch ſtumbling blockes to the beleeuing and weake Iewes, that they contended about them, as needfull to ſaluation, Acts 15. 15. And were violent againſt Paul in the defence of them, Acts 21. 21, 22, 27, 28. And ready to forſake the Chriſtian faith about them, as perhaps ſome did. Thirdly, the hardned and vnbeleeuing Iewes might bee more hardened from Chriſtianitie, and ſay, The Chriſtian religion borroweth our Ceremonies, they decline and come backe to vsus. Fourthly, the Apoſtles and the Church of God they were offended, both in the violence of preſſing the neceſſitie of theſe things by the Iewes, Acts 15. 24. As alſo in impoſing that they did: For they were loath to lay any burthen, and the burthen that they layed was neceſſary for the ſtate of the Church, Acts 15. 28. Beſides they taught againſt the things they inioyned, that namely they ought not to bee vſed by Iewes and Gentiles, Acts 21. 21. Fiftly, to this we might adde, that they might tend, & in the euent did ſerue indeede, as meanes to infringe the Chriſtian libertie:] For they were burdens, yokes, bondages, and oppoſite (as they were preſſed by the Iewes) to the Chriſtian libertie: Act. 15. 10, 28. Gal. 4. 9. 10. and 5. 1. yet the vſe and practiſe of theſe things, by the direction of the Apoſtles, did procure the libertie of the Goſpel, and the preaching thereof; like as conformitie to our Ceremonies would doe to preuent or recouer the loſſe of their Miniſtery. To this adde againe, that thoſe Ceremonies were very ſtrictly inioined] by the Iewes as neceſſary to ſaluation: Act. 15. 1, 5. As ours are now; By the Apoſtles, as neceſſary for the peace of the Church, and freedome of the Goſpel, Act. 15. 24, 28. and 21. 21, 27. In which reſpects the practiſe and conformitie to our Ceremonies may ſeeme neceſſary at this time for the appeaſing of fraternall diſcord, and furtherance of the Goſpel. And ſeeing by the way theſe are the chiefeſt and maine arguments, which the depriued Miniſters hauehave brought againſt the Ceremonies to proue them ſimply, and in their nature euil: let it be cōſidered by the iudicial & godly Reader, whether they might not vponupon theſe grounds except againſt the Apoſtles preſcription, and refuſe the practiſe of thoſe Iewiſh Ceremonies, euen with the loſſe of miniſtry & interruption of the Church, as well as to ſuffer depriuatiō for refuſing of the Ceremonies preſcribed in the Church of England.

But from this point I argue thus;

Whatſoeuer Ceremonies are of humane inuention, of no neceſſary vſe, abuſed to ſuperſtition, of miſticall and ſpirituall ſignification; eſteemed, impoſed and obſerued, as parts of Gods worſhip, ſwaruing from the generall rules of Gods word, not profitable for edification, order, or decencie, of fenſiue many wayes to the godly, weake and wicked; infringing Chriſtian libertie, ſtrictly inioyned as neceſſary: ſuch Ceremonies by the doctrine of the Miniſters refuſing conformitie, are ſimply and in nature euill, and could not be practiſed by any perſons, no not the Apoſtles themſelues, and that through the direction of the holy Ghoſt without ſinne.

But the Iewiſh Ceremonies preſcribed and practiſed, by the Apoſtles through direction of the holy Ghoſt, were of this nature and qualitie, in eueryevery one of the points aboue named.

Therefore by the doctrine of the Miniſters refuſing conformitie, in the caſe of depriuation, the Iewiſh Ceremonies preſcribed and practiſed, by the Apoſtles through direction of the holy Ghoſt, were ſimply and in nature euill, and could not by them be practiſed without ſinne. Or thus;

Whatſoeuer doctrine and practiſe, tendeth to accuſe and condemne the inſpired Apoſtles, in their inſpired practiſe and doctrine, of teaching the practiſe, and of practiſing Ceremonies, in ſundry maine reſpects, as vnlawfull as ours are pretended to bee, tendeth to accuſe and condemne the Apoſtles, in their inſpired practiſe and doctrine, for teaching and for practiſing things ſimply euill.

But this doeth the doctrine and practiſe, of ſuffering depriuation, for refuſing to conforme to our preſcribed Ceremonies.

Therefore the doctrine and practiſe of ſuffering depriuation, for refuſing to conforme to our Ceremonies, doeth directly tend to accuſe the inſpired Apoſtles, in their inſpired practiſe for teaching, and practiſing things ſimply euill. Whereupon I thus conclude;

Whatſoeuer doctrine or practiſe, doeth directly tend to accuſe and condemne, the inſpired Apoſtles for practiſing, teaching, and preſcribing things ſimply euill, ſuch doctrine and practiſe is erronious and ſinnefull:

So doeth the practiſe and the doctrine, of ſuffering depriuation, for refuſing to conforme vponupon the grounds alleadged, as hath beene prooued:

Therefore the doctrine and practiſe, of ſuffering depriuation, for refuſing to conforme vntounto our Ceremonies, is erronious and ſinnefull.

To this that hath beene here alleadged, there are certaine obiections made by certaine godly, graue, and learned depriued Miniſters, which here I thinke fit to make anſwere vntounto.

Obiection. The Apoſtles might doe many things, which wee may not doe, in reſpect of their immediate authoritie from God. Thoſe caſes were decreed by the holy Ghoſt, ours not ſo, they did it by the direction of the ſpirit: there is no proportion betweene their caſe and ours: they guided by the ſpirit, we not ſo. The Apoſtles could not erre, we ſubiect to error. It is no good conſequent to ſay, they vſed ſuch and ſuch things, therefore we may: they had warrant for what they did, the holy Ghoſt gaue them warrant.

Anſwere. Firſt it is to bee noted, that they who thus obiect againſt this reaſon, muſt needes relinquiſh the excuſes and accuſation of the Apoſtles, which others make for vſing the Iewiſh Ceremomnies vnlawfully: For the one affirming their practiſe to be vnlawfull, the other granting it to bee done by direction of the ſpirit, doe miſtically ouerthrow one another, ſo that both cannot ſtand as true. This being obſerued, I anſwere; Firſt, if the Apoſtles were immediatly from God authorized, and did thoſe things by direction of the holy Ghoſt, as vndoubtedly they did, wee may be the bolder to immitate them in their practiſe, and in their doctrine, and in ſo doing wee ſhall not erre: For in ſo doing wee may ſay, wee doe no more about matters of Ceremonies, then the Apoſtles hauehave done before vsus. It is a point wee wiſh the Church of Rome could ſay. Secondly, though wee may not immitate the Apoſtles in things peculiar to their office, perſons and times: yet we may follow them, and are bound in conſcience ſo to doe, in matters of common equitie and generall reaſon. For as the Apoſtles had warrant from the holy Ghoſt, ſo wee hauehave warrant from the example of the Apoſtles, and from the reaſons, for which the holy Ghoſt mooued them to do thoſe things. For the holy Ghoſt being euer the ſame, teacheth, and ruleth the Church by one and the ſame reaſon reuealed in his word, as well now as then. Now the Apoſtles in this caſe, did vrge the practiſe of theſe Ceremonies, not from their immediate authoritie from God, nor from inſpiration onelyonly of the holy Ghoſt: but by reaſons and rules of common and perpetuall equitie, namely expediencie; It ſeemed good to the holy Ghoſt and vsus, Acts 15. 28. and neceſſitie: theſe neceſſary things, Acts 15. 28. alſo to winne more, 1. Cor. 9. 19, 20, 21, 22. to further and propagate the Goſpel, 1. Cor. 9. 23. By the which rules the holy Ghoſt doeth teach the Church, in the like caſes of the Church, to follow the like example by the ſame generall rules: namely to practiſe the ſame Ceremonies in the like caſe, or other Ceremonies of like nature in other caſes: no leſſe then he doeth teach the Church to pray, and ſingin a language vnderſtood from the generall rule of edification. [Let all things in the Church be done to edification] 1. Cor. 14. 12, 26. And for Prophets to ſpeake one after another, not many at once: and for women to hold their peace in the Church, to auoyd confuſion: from the generall rule of order and honeſty. [Let all things bee done honeſtly, and by order in the Church] 1. Cor. 14. 27, 30, 31, 34, 35, 40. Which may the rather appeare, becauſe they be all caſes of one nature, namely of order, and Ceremonie in the Church and worſhip of God, which I thinke a ſufficient anſwere to this obiection.

Obiection. There is a great difference betweene the Ceremonies of the Church of England, and thoſe preſcribed by the Apoſtles, Maſter Parker of the Croſſe. part 2. ſect. 13. fol. 69.and at firſt ordained of God, and muſt hauehave honourable buriall: for that our Ceremonies are farre worſe in many reſpects and circumſtances; As being Antichriſtian, more ſcandalous, more hurtfull, more dangerous, more ſtrictly inioyned, then ſometimes Gods commandements, theſe the inuentions of men, yea of Antichriſt, &c. ſtubble and ſtraw, or rather ſtraw when they are at the beſt.

Anſwere. I know and grant there is a great difference, in many circumſtances betweene the Iewiſh Ceremonies, and the Ceremonies of this our Church, but for anſwere I ſay; there is agreement betweene them, in the moſt part of thoſe many things, whereby our Ceremonies are vrged and accuſed to be ſimply euill and vnlawfull, as before appeareth, ſo that this obiection is nothing to the pointin queſtion, or to giuegive direct anſwere to this argument. For my allegation of theſe things doeth confirme thus much: Namely that it is good and neceſſary to practiſe inconuenient, ſcandalous, and hurtfull Ceremonies in a caſe of ſuperior reaſon, namely of procuring the Churches peace, and libertie of the Goſpel and the like: which no man will deny, and I ſeeke no more. For admit theſe Ceremonies with vsus in controuerſie to be inconuenient, hurtfull, and ſcandalous more or leſſe, it skilleth not, ſo long as they bee of no other nature, then thoſe Iewiſh Ceremonies preſcribed, and practiſed by the Apoſtles; (as hath beene prooued they are not) how will it be auoyded, but that in caſe of ſuperior reaſon, as of auoyding depriuation of the Miniſtrie, they may lawfully, and needfully be practiſed, and that according to the minde of the holy Ghoſt, and the direction of the holy Scripture.

Obiection. But the Church of England, hath not the like cauſes and reaſons, to preſcribe and enioyne the preſent Ceremonies, as the Apoſtles had to preſcribe the Iewiſh.

Anſwere. Firſt, this obiection is nothing to the poynt in hand: For the queſtion is heere, not whether our Church doth well to preſcribe theſe Ceremonies: But whether ſuch Ceremonies being preſcribed, as the Church conformed to by the Apoſtles decree in a caſe of neceſſitie, ought not to be conformed to by our depriued Miniſters in a caſe of like or greater neceſſitie.

Secondly, But the Church of England in preſcribing Preface to the book of common Prayer, tit. Of Ceremonies.theſe Ceremonies, profeſſeth a reſpect of winning and profiting two ſorts.

Firſt, Some thinking it a matter of great conſcience to depart from a piece of the leaſt of their Ceremonies.

Secondly ſome new fangled would innouate all things, and deſpiſe the old, nothing liking them, but that which is new: therefore they thought it expedient to take away ſome ſuch as were moſt apt to bee abuſed to ſuperſtition, and to retaine others: and in their practiſe they tooke away ſo many ceremonies, as time would ſerue quietly to doe it, the reſt were reſerued to keepe order, and quiet decipline in the Church. Which is further noted to King Edwards anſwere to the Deuonſhire and Corniſhe rebells: who being Anſ. to 3. Artic. Act & monument.Papiſtes would hauehave the Maſſe in Lattine: To whom the King replyeth, that the good things in the Maſſe-bookes were onelyonly tranſlated into Engliſh for their ſakes, onelyonly the ſuperſtition taken out.

Obiect: The Apoſtles, Acts, 16. 3. and 18. 18. and 21. 26. Did vſe the Iewiſh ceremonies voluntarily without compulſion of any ſuperior authority or Law, to ſtoppe a ſcandal with the weake brethren of the Iewes. If therefore that be preſſed for the vſe of our ceremonies, it will proue a neceſſitie of vſing them out of the caſe of depriuation, aſwell as in that extremity, and that a man muſt practiſe them voluntarily without any compulſion or hazard of Miniſtry.

Anſ: Firſt though the caſes of the Apoſtles practiſe in Act. 16. 18. 23. were voluntarily performed, that is, without commaund of any ſuperior authority: yet the caſe of practiſe in Acts, 15. 28. 29. Was inioyned, decreed, and commanded: Acts, 16 4. and 21. 25. And that by the rule of neceſſitie, then which there can hardly be a greater argument of compulſion. Act. 15. 28.

Secondly, and beſides the very caſes alleadged were done by compulſion alſo of preuenting the Iewes offence: yea in a caſe of danger alſo of depriuation to the Apoſtles, if they had not conformed, as appeareth by the tumult made by the Iewes, Acts. 21. 27 28, 29, 30. VponUpon a ſuppoſition of thoſe Iewes that Paul taught non-confirmitie vntounto the Iewiſh ceremonies. Verſe 21. By the which tumult they raiſed, it came to paſſe, that Paul was indeed depriued from any free vſe of his Apoſtleſhip in Iudea, til he came to Rome, as appeareth in the ſequell of the hiſtory. And if there were no Law for depriuation of Miniſters, yet if the execution of their office were in hazard, I doubt not but they ſhould conforme; for compulſion may aſwell be vſed without Law, as with Law.

Obiect. Thoſe ceremonies were practiſed but once or twice vponupon extraordinary occaſions: But ours are vrged for a perpetuity, and vponupon an ordinary and ſtanding reaſon, and are like to continue without euer remoouing them.

Anſw. Neither doeth this obiection come neere the poynt in hand: which prooueth that ſuch ceremonies as ours are in themſelues not ſimply euill, nor of noe other nature, then thoſe ceremonies enioyned and practiſed by the Apoſtles; which therefore in a caſe of neceſſity may bee practiſed by vsus, yet I anſwere. Touching the ceremonies practiſed by the Apoſtles.

Firſt, it is true they were not alwayes by them practiſed but vponupon certaine occaſions: Howbeit they were alwayes practiſed by them, when they met with the ſame occaſion of neceſſity, and would oftner hauehave practiſed them if by the like neceſſity they had beene driuen to it, which ſhewes the neceſſity of conforming to inconuenient ceremonies, in the caſe of depriuation.

Secondly, when the Apoſtles decreed the abſtaining from blood and ſtrangled, it was inioyned without limitation of time: whereupon a man might hauehave made this obiection vntounto their decree, and ſay They are vrged for a perpetuitie, and vponupon an ordinary and ſtanding reaſon, namely of neceſſity and fitneſſe, and are not euer like to be remooued.

Thirdly alſo, ſome of the preſcribed Iewiſh ceremonies endured longer in the Church, then on the ſudden may be imagined: For it is obſerued that Chriſtians abſtayned from blood and ſtrangled, till the time of Tertullian, Origen, Whitaker de Ro. pon. cont. 4. queſt. 7. fol. 832. 833.Syrill, Euſebius, Councell of Ganga, yea of Auguſtine, 400. yeeres after Chriſt.

2 Concerning our ceremonies▪ it is vntrue, that they are vrged for a perpetuity: for the preface of the common prayer booke expreſly ſaith of the ceremonies preſcribed thus [they are retained for a diſcipline and order, which vponupon iuſt cauſes may be altered and changed, and therefore not to be eſteemed equall to Gods Law] And for the continuance of practiſe of our ceremonies, I ſuppoſe noe ſound Proteſtant will pleade for the neceſſity of their practiſe, or continuance, longer then the reaſon of neceſſity doeth hold.

Our caſe is rather to be matched with the time of Pauls refuſing Obiect. part. M Parker 2. ſect. 14. fol. 71to circumciſe Titus, and of his reproouing Peter for his diſſimulation in cōforming to the Iewes, Ga. 2. 3. 11. 13.

Anſw. This can by noe meanes hold, as appeareth, becauſe Paul in a caſe of hazard of his Miniſtry, diſquiet of the Church, and interruption of preaching the Goſpell (which is our caſe) did circumciſe Timothy, Acts 16. 3. But did vtterly refuſe (as alſo all the Apo…tles at Ieruſalem) to circumciſe Titus: *Aretius in act. 16. 3. fol. 75. Gualter in act. 16. hom. 106. fol. 149. Beza annotat. in Gal. 2. 5.Becauſe they were vrged as neceſſary to ſaluation, Acts 15. 15. Becauſe by them falſe brethren laboured to bring their Chriſtian libertie into bondage, Gal. 2. 3. 4. Becauſe by that practiſe in that ſenſe he ſhould teach iuſtification by workes, Gal. 2. 14. 15. 16. This caſe ſorteth therefore to the Papiſts, who teach that God is worſhipped by them; That a man is iuſtified by practiſing of them; That a man is bound in conſcience to vſe them, as hee is the precepts of God: al which falſe doctrines are in ſo many words diſclaimed, both by oath, doctrine, and confeſſion of the Church, in the booke of the Articles of religion, as alſo in Artic. 11. 20. 34.the preface to the booke of common Prayer, where the ſuperſtitious vſe of theſe Ceremonies is diſclaimed, as alſo the opinion of Gods worſhip by them, and the reaſons ſet downe of preſcribing theſe, namely the quiet and decent order in the Church. And that the conueniency or agreement of our caſe with the Apoſtles conforming, (not with the Apoſtles refuſing the Iewiſh Ceremonies) may the better appeare, I hauehave added theſe paralells, which I deſire may be conſidered.

The Apoſtles and the Church of Ieruſalem,	The Church of England,
To auoid offence of weak and obſtinate Iewes, and to winne them,	To auoid offence of weak and obstinate Papiſts, and to winne them,
Preſcribed and inioyned Ceremonies abuſed ſuperſtitiouſly.	Preſcribe and enioyne Ceremonies abuſed ſuperſtitiouſly.
Holden as the worſhips of God and needfull to ſaluation.	Holden as the worſhips of God and needefull to ſaluation.
By the vnbeleeuing and weake Iewes.	By the ſuperſtitious Papists popiſhly affected.
But not by the Apoſtles nor faithfull Chriſtian.	But not by any ſincere Proteſtant, teachers, or people.

The members therefore of eyther Church, may and ought equally to conforme to either Ceremonies, in a caſe of neceſsitie, and of ſuperiour reaſon.

Againe.

The Apoſtles,	The depriued Miniſters,
In a caſe of ſuperiour reaſon, as to further the Goſpel, & to preuent the hindering of their preaching,	In a caſe of ſuperior reaſon, as to further the Goſpell, to preuent their depriuation and ſuſpenſion,
Conformed to Ceremonies many wayes inconuenient, abuſed ſuperſtitiouſly, and holden neceſſary by the Iewes.	Ought to conforme to ceremonies, though many waies inconuenient in their opiniō, abuſed to ſuperſtitiō & holden neceſſary by the Papiſts.
Impoſed by weakeneſſe and violence of the Iewes.	Impoſed and vrged (as they construe it) by weak Chriſtians, & authority threatning depriuation.

Obiect. Others perceiuing more force in this argument then ſome hauehave done, to preſſe them to the practiſe of our Ceremonies in the caſe of depriuation, and yet remaining peremptory in their former iudgement, doe anſwere it another way, thus: Anſw. That Saint Paul did euill in vowing, ſhauing himſelfe, contributing, offering ſacrifice, circumciſing Timothy, becauſe they were Ceremonies of practiſe: But the Apoſtles conſtitution, Acts 15. 28, was onelyonly of Ceremonies of omiſsion, of like nature with our abſtaining from fleſh on faſting daies, not of the Croſſe, or Surpleſſe.

They who thus reply hauehave had, I confeſſe, a light of this their anſwer from ſome *Hier. apud Auguſt. Epiſt. 19. Hierom. Ep. 89. Gualt. in act. 23. hō. 138. fol. 248. Bullin. in act. 21. M. Parker of the Croſſe, part. 2. ſect. 14 fol. 70.learned men, which vſually hauehave their differences from others according to the reaſons mouing them, who thus did cenſure Saint Paul in theſe actions. Yet Gaulter and Bulling doe onelyonly doubt of the place, Acts 21. not of the reſt: but to this I ſay;

We may probably ſee how theſe repliers, if they had liued in theſe dayes would hauehave behaued themſelues towards the holy Apoſtle, at leaſt they would hauehave reprooued him, and condemned him for committing a ſinne, and would by all meanes hauehave diſliked his doings: yea they would hauehave caſt off a thouſand weake beleeuing and obſtinate Iewes, and ſuffered depriuation of a thouſand miniſtries, rather then to conforme to that, which the inſpired Apoſtle Paul did ſubmit himſelfe vntounto. But withall we may conſider, whether authoritie in practiſe were rather to bee eſteemed theirs, or Saint Pauls. And indeed it is a miſerable ſhift, when no better anſwer can be framed to accuſe the inſpired Apoſtles in their doings, becauſe their practiſe will not ſtand with the reaſons, which themſelues hauehave framed or vndertaken to maintaine the ſuffering of depriuation for refuſing to conforme. A very feeble anſwer, as I ſuppoſe, which will not ſtand, but by heauing at the pillars of the Church of Chriſt.

Though they accuſe the Apoſtles for this conformity, yet the Scriptures doe not ſo, and it may ſeeme to much boldneſſe to ſpeake, eſpecially in ſo dangerous a caſe, of laying ſin vntounto the charge of ſuch and ſo great perſons, where the Holy Ghoſt is ſilent.

But this practiſe of S. Paul may be eaſily and ſtrongly iuſtified.

1. Becauſe he was aduiſed to this practiſe by Saint Iames, and the Church of Ieruſalem, Acts 21. 18, 20, 21, 23, 24. Which perſons inioyning other Iewiſh Ceremonies in the like caſe were directed and inſpired by the holy Ghoſt in ſo doing, Acts 25. 28, 29.

2. Becauſe the Holy Ghoſt ſeemeth to iuſtifie the reaſon of Paul in circumciſing Timothy, not onelyonly in not condemning him in his practiſes, but in approuing of his reaſon in ſo doing, Acts 16. 3. Paul circumciſed him, becauſe of the Iewes of thoſe quarters. For (ſaith the holy Ghoſt in the text) they knew all that his Father was a Grecian.

3. Becauſe Paul iuſtifieth this practiſe of his in thoſe Scriptures of his Epiſtles, wherein vndoubtedly he did not erre, as the 1. Cor. 9. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. and 10. 13. and giueth a maine reaſon thereof; becauſe by his practiſe hee would winne the more vntounto the liking of the Goſpel, and be a meanes of their ſaluation.

4 Becauſe it cannot bee immagined, that Paul was ignorant if it were a ſinne, for hee was at the Synod at Ieruſalem, Chap. 15. where circumciſion & other Ceremonies were denied in other caſes: and if he knew it to bee a ſinne, it were ſtrange hee ſhould ſo many times fall into a relapſe, Acts 16. 18. and 21. and obſerue the Iewiſh Sabboth ſo continually, Acts 17. 8. and 18. 4. and 13. 14. 44.

5 Aretius giueth another reaſon, to iuſtifie this fact of Paul: *Aretius in cap. act. 21. fol. 95.Antiocheia eccleſia bona parte constabat ex gentibus, itaque maior pars non erat offendenda in gratiam paucorum: Hic vero Ieroſolymis maior pars, imo omnes Iudaei ſunt quos Paulus debuit conſiderare. And of his iudgement are the beſt interpreters, namely, Augustine, Caluin, Beza, Aretius, Piſcator, Gualter, Zanchius, Iunius, Bucanus; who with one conſent doe hold theſe things indifferent; which indifferent things ſhould ſerue for the edification of the Church.

Touching the Apoſtles conſtituion, Acts 15. that it was of matter of omiſſion, it maketh little to infring the practiſe of Saint Paul: Becauſe,

1 They were Ceremonies of the Law aſwell as the other.

2 They were ſignificatiue one as well as the other.

3 They were aboliſhed by the comming of Chriſt, as well one as the other: In which reſpect they were in their nature no leſſe euill, though they might be leſſe in conuenient then the Ceremonies, of practiſe in ſome reſpects. To this obiection I anſwere a little the more ſharpely, becauſe it ſauours of a little to much inſolence▪ and ſmall regard vn-the holy Apoſtles of Chriſt: and I would ſhew the abſurdity thereof; let the reader take the leſſe offence thereat: And thus much of this point.

To the former argument let theſe Propoſitions following be added, and obſerued.

A Man may lawfully for the edification of the Church, Propoſition.and furtherance of Gods ſubſtanciall worſhippes, and for the propagation of the Goſpel. Acts 16. 3. 1. Cor. 9. 23. Practiſe and obſerue ſuch Ceremonies, which he preacheth eueryevery where againſt, that men ſhould not doe, Acts 21. 21. Neither hee himſelfe in ſome other caſes would doe. Gal. 2. 5. 11. 14.

Burdenſome Ceremonies. Acts 15. 28. For the edification and peace of the Church, and vnitie of brethren. Acts 15. 2. 5. 24. May lawfully bee impoſed and inioyned on Churches, euen by the minde of the holy Ghoſt. Acts 15. 28. 29.

Burdenſome Ceremonies, and many wayes inconuenient, may be neceſſary in ſome caſes to be impoſed on ſuch Churches, as neuer obſerued them before, Acts 15. 19. 28. and 21. 25.

It may bee expedient for Minſters, in a caſe of ſuperior reaſon, to procure greater good vntounto the Church, and to auoyd greater miſchiefe, to perſwad others. Acts 21. 18. 23. 24. And to be perſwaded by others to conforme, Acts 21. 26. to ſuch Ceremonies, as in many reſpects are fit to bee preached againſt, Acts 21. 21. as burdenſome traditions, Acts 15. 28. Col. 2. 20. impotent and beggarly rudiments, Gal. 4. 9. and occaſions of ſundry euill effects, Vt ſupra.

It may bee expedient and neceſſary, for a Miniſter or other Chriſtian in the like caſes of ſuperior reaſon, to practiſe the like Ceremonies voluntarily, of his owne free accord, not being enioyned or commanded by authoritie there vntounto. Acts 16. 3. and 18. 18. 1. Cor. 9. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. and 10. 33.

Thoſe Miniſters and people doe well, Actes 15. 29. and according to the will of God, and minde of the holy Ghoſt, Acts 15. 28. who in a like caſe of neceſſitie, and furtherance of the Goſpel, 1. Cor. 9. 23. do practiſe the like Ceremonies, being enioyned them by authoritie, Acts 15. 28. and 16. 4. and 21. 25.

Paul to redeeme his Miniſtrie, and to gaine liberty to the Goſpel, to adde ſoules vntounto the Church, and to winne the more vntounto Chriſt, Acts 16. 3. and 21. 20. 21. 1. Cor. 9. 20. 21. 23. might as well and lawfully hauehave worne a linnen Ephod, or a linnen Surpleſſe, as well as to hauehave purified, and ſhaued himſelfe, vowed, circumciſed Timothy, or to hauehave ioyned in offering ſacrifice.

Paul might as well hauehave vſed the ſigne of the Croſſe, to a baptized perſon, in a caſe of depriuation, or of redeeming the Goſpels libertie, or of winning vntounto Chriſt, as to hauehave vſed the ſigne of circumciſion, to a baptized perſon, as hee did to Timothy. Acts 16. 3. And thus much of this argument, being the firſt member of the maine reaſon.

Argu. 2 Now I proceede to the ſecond member of the firſt reaſon, which is this, Reaſon 1 [Becauſe the doctrine, and practiſe of ſuffering depriuation, is againſt the grounds of Gods word] whereupon I conclude, that ſuch doctrine and practiſe, is an error and a ſinne.

The grounds of Gods word, which are contraried by this doctrine and practiſe, are two in number, and they doe Miniſter two arguments, which I will proſecute in order by the helpe of God. The firſt ground is this;

When two workes, or deuties commanded of God, doe meete in one practiſe, ſo as we cannot doe them both, but one of them muſt of neceſſitie be done, the other of neceſſitie muſt be left vndone, in this caſe the worke or dutie of greater reaſon, muſt be performed, and that of leſſer reaſon muſt bee neglected and omitted, and it is a ſinne to neglect the greater to performe the leſſer: Out of which ground I aſſume:

But the doctrine and practiſe, of ſuffering depriuation, for refuſing to conforme, doth cauſe men to neglect greater duties, to performe the leſſer.

Therefore the doctrine and practiſe of ſuffering depriuation for refuſing to conforme to our preſcribed ceremonies is an errour and a ſinne.

For the confirmation of this argument there are two poynts to be prooued.

1 That it is contrary to Gods word, and therefore a ſinne to paſſe by a greater worke or duety to performe a leſſer.

2 That to ſuffer depriuation for refuſing to conforme vntounto the ceremones preſcribed in our Church, is to paſſe by a greater worke or duety to performe a leſſer; whereupon the former concluſion muſt follow of neceſſity.

Touching the former poynt, namely that it is contrary to Gods word and therefore a ſinne to paſſe by a greater worke or duety to performe a leſſer: The which poynt although it be in it ſelfe euident, and muſt needs bee graunted by eueryevery ſound diuine, yet for illuſtration ſake I make more manifeſt by theſe reaſons.

Reaſon 1 Firſt, becauſe the will of God is ſuch, then when mercy (a greater duety) and ſacrifice (a leſſer duety) doe meete, ſo as both at the ſame time cannot bee done, mercy muſt be done, and ſacrifice left vndone. Mat. 12. 4. 7. I will hauehave mercy and not ſacrifice.

Becauſe hypocrites are reprooued of God for paſſing by greater dueties to performe leſſer: thus were the Scribes and Phariſes reprooued by our Sauiour, for letting paſſe the weightier matters of the Law, and following the ſmaller: As ſtrayning at a gnat, and ſwallowing of a Cammell, Mat. 23. 23. 24. Luke 11. 42. For vrging ſacrifice of ceremoniall dueties, and for omitting and reproouing mercy, Mat. 12. 7. Luke 13. 14. 15. 16. For offering ſacrifices and oblations with the neglect of parents, Matthew 15. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Becauſe the Godly are excuſed, and approued of God for paſſing by ſmaller dueties to performe greater: thus were excuſed and reprooued.

Firſt, the Prieſts of the Law for breaking the Sabboths ceremoniall, and ſtrict reſt by ſacrificing and other buſineſſe to performe Gods Publique worſhip (a greater duety) & are pronounced blameleſſe therein. Mat. 12. 5.

Secondly: Dauid for eating ſhew-bread (not lawfully for him to doe) in a caſe of neceſſity, hee and they who were with him, were acquitted as innocent and blameleſſe. Mat. 12. 3. 4.

Thirdly, the Apoſtles of Chriſt, for plucking, rubbing, and eating the eares of corne, ſo violating the Sabbaths ſtrict and Ceremoniall reſt (a leſſer duety) to ſatiſfie hunger, the neceſſity of nature (a greater and morrall duety) were called innocent. Mat. 12. 2. 3. 4.

Fourthly, Ieſus Chriſt preferring the healing of the ſicke a greater duety, before the ſtrict keeping the Ceremoniall reſt a leſſer duty, and commanding a kind of ſeruile labour viz. the carying home of a bed in ſome caſe vnlawfull. Io. 5. 8. 9. proueth it not onelyonly by a peculiar reaſon, proper vntounto himſelfe, that hee is Lord of the Sabbath, and therefore might ouerrule in this caſe. Mat. 12. 8. But euen by reaſons of Common equity, namely; Firſt becauſe it is lawfull, (by not ſtrictly keeping ceremoniall reſt) to doe (morrally) well on the Sabbath day, omitting ſacrifice to doe mercy. Mat. 11. 12.

Secondly, becauſe the end is ſuperior to the meanes: for the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath, Mar. 2. 27.

4 Fourthly, becauſe it is contrary to the inſpired examples in the Scripture, which are of common equity and reaſon, and to the practiſe of the faithfull Saints of God, namely (beſides the forenamed examples of the Prieſts, of the Apoſtles, of Dauid, of our Sauiour) firſt of Salomon, who in a caſe of neceſſity, did offer vponupon another Altar then the Altar appointed for the worſhip of God: becauſe it was not able to receiue the offrings. 2. Chro. 7. 7. but was to little for that end. 1. King. 8. 64. Whereas they were to offer ſacrifice, and to burne incenſe vponupon one onelyonly Altar in the Temple. 2. King. 23. 12. It being a Type of Chriſt, the only ſacrifice and mediator. Heb. 13. 10. 2. of Hezekias, who to ſet forward the mayne and ſubſtantiall worſhips of God did admit of many to the Paſſeouer, albeit they were not ceremonially ſanctified, but legally vncleane: and did not receiue the ſame as it was written in the Law, nor according to the purification of the Sanctuary; yet with a true heart ſeeking the Lord, they were accepted, namely in a caſe of ſuperiour reaſon. 2. Chron. 30. 17. 18. 19. 20. Thirdly of Paul who to ſaue his life (a greater duety) did with his owne hands caſt away into the Sea the good creatures of God, which otherwiſe ſhould hauehave beene preſerued, and ſo for that cauſe neglected a leſſer duety, Act. 27. 30. Fourthly, of the inſpired Apoſtles of Chriſt, who (as before is noted) did practiſe on themſelues: Act. 21. 26. and vponupon others: Acts 16. 3. and did aduiſe: Act. 21. 23. 24. yea ordaine, inioyne, and command the practiſe of Iewiſh ceremonies, as circumciſion, ſhauing, purifying, abſtayning from blood, and ſtrangled meate, and that as a duty good and neceſſary, Act. 15. 28. which to auoide, and not to vſe was a duety required of God: which to vſe and practiſe in other caſes was reprooued by the holy Ghoſt: Acts 15. 10. and 21. 21. Gal. 4. 9. 10. 11. and 2. 12. 13. 14 and 5. 2. 3. 4. Colo. 2. 20. 21. 22. 23. and were needleſſe ſhadowes, Col. 2. 20. Ordinances of the world. Col. 2. 20. Commandements of men turning from the trueth Col. 2. 12. Titus 1. 14. Impotent and beggarly rudiments, Gal. 4. 9. 10. And of ſundry perillous, and perniciouſe effects: yet this they did admit (albeit the violation of a duety) to doe a greater duety of ſuperior reaſon, namely, to procure the vnity of brethren: Act. 15. 2. 4. 6. 7. 24. The wyninng of ſtrangers to the faith: 1. Cor. 9. 19 20. And to propagate the Goſpell. 1. Cor. 9. 23. To preuent the ſcandall of weake beleeuers, Act. 16. 3. and 21. 20. And the danger of interruption or depriuation of the Miniſtery, by the violent Iewes perſecution, Act. 21. 12. 24. 27. 28. Thus is the firſt point confirmed; to the which doctrine ſundrie godly learned men, euen ſo many as I hauehave reade of this point, doe alſo conſent both in the ſame words and proofes. viz. *vid. Caluin: in Mat. 12. 1. 3 fol. 260. Vrſin. cat. part. 3. fol. 707. immediat. ante praecept. 1. impreſſ. Cantabridg: anno. 1585. Piſcator in Mat 12. 1. 2. 3. in analiſi. fol. 190. & in obſeruat. ad eundem locum. fol. 205. 106. 107 Idem in obſeruat. in Mat. 9. 13. fol. 156. Idem. in obſer. ad Mat. 15. 3. 4. 5. 6. fol. 243. Polan. ſyntagm. Theolog. lib. 9 c. 29 fol. 4077. 4078. Martyn in ſummula. verbi dei cap. 2. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. fol. 47. 48. de-calogo. Mr. Perkins vol. 1. of his workes treatiſe of conſcience Cap. 2. fol. 520.Yet to this poynt or propoſition howſoeuer firme it bee in it ſelfe, as hath appeared, and is approoued by the beſt diuines, yet ſome obiections hauehave beene layd againſt it, which I will heere ſet downe.

Ob. Where it is ſayd in the former propoſition [when two dueties doe meete at one time] it is obiected that they cannot bee dueties both at once. For if they were both dueties they would both bind, and ſo a man muſt needes commit a ſinne, ſeeing hee is ſtraitned betweene two dueties, and muſt omit the one, this therefore is not well propoſed.

Anſ. The mentioning of theſe two duties meeting together at one time in our practiſe doeth not intend that they doe both of them bynd the conſcience at the ſame inſtant, but they are called dueties as they are conſidered apart; being both workes are commanded of God in two ſeuerall commandements: Which two workes being dueties conſidered apart, doe ſometimes offer themſelues to our practiſe at one inſtant; As to heare a Sermon at the Church on the Sabboth, and to tend a ſicke perſon ready to die at home at the ſametime, both are duties being cōſidred apart, but meeting together, and offering themſelues to our practiſe at one time, there is indeede but one duety, becauſe both cannot be performed in one inſtant; In which caſe the greater worke is the duety, the leſſer bindes not for that preſent: In like caſe for a miniſter to refuſe inconuenient ceremonies, albeit it be a duty being cōſidered apart from the duty of preaching the word; yet when it meeteth with the duty of preaching, ſo as preaching the word will not ſtand with refuſing inconuenient ceremonies, this refuſing of ceremonies bindeth not the cōſcience, but leaueth to be a duty. There are not two duties at that inſtant, but only one, which is to preach the word of God: In which caſe the refuſing of inconuenient Ceremonies is no duety, neither is their practiſe a ſinne, yea the practiſe of them is a duety, if otherwiſe they cannot preach the Word; this obiection therefore needeth not.

Obiection. The doctrine included in that point or propoſition is not true [becauſe there may be a greater duetie neglected for the performance of a leſſer] which may then be done, when the performance of the leſſer keepeth him frō ſin, as for example: A Preacher enioyned to preach naked, ought to neglect preaching. Beſides it is contrary to the rule of the Apoſtle, Rom. 3. 8. The leaſt euil muſt not be done, that the greateſt good may be performed. For when I cannot doe it without ſinne, it is no duety, and therefore you ſhould propoſe the matter thus; It is neceſſary to performe a leſſer ſinne for to performe a duety that is greater.

Anſwere. Firſt, the doctrine of the propoſition remaineth true notwithſtanding this obiection. For the caſe is propoſed not of a ſinne and a duetie, but of two dueties being conſidered a part, being both commanded of God, and there is no ſuch caſe wherein a greater duetie is to bee neglected for the performance of a leſſer, which alſo is in reaſon abſurd.

Secondly, to the inſtance of preaching in a naked manner I ſay, that in this caſe there are two things to bee conſidered: Neceſſitie, and Decency: if then he cannot preach naked but with the perill of his life, he ought to refuſe preaching, it being a caſe of neceſſity, and mercy is better then ſacrifice. But if his life will conſiſt with his naked preaching, hee ought to preach notwithſtanding the ſcandall or indecencie, if there bee no other meanes admitted for his preaching.

1 Becauſe a mans naked body, being conſidered as it is naked, it is the good creature of God, and is not indecent to be looked on but to vncleane and vaine mindes, it is decent enough to the pure.

2 Becauſe the gayning of ſoules and meanes of mans ſaluation, is a duety of farre greater reaſon and waight, then the auoyding of an inconuenient circumſtance of ſcandall, or of ſeeming indecencie, ariſing only by accident, not from the nature of the obiect: and the like caſe is of the practiſe of our Ceremonies to redeeme the libertie of preaching, to the place. Rom. 3. 8. which ſheweth that we may not doe the leaſt euill to compaſſe the greateſt good: I ſay, that to the preſent purpoſe wee may conſider euill two manner of wayes.

For firſt, euill is either that which is formally ſimply, and in nature euill, which no circumſtance can amend: As to redeeme preaching vponupon condition of blaſpheming God, Inuocating the Deuill, committing of idolatry, periury, idultery, teaching of hereſie, or the like, the which kind of euill, is intended by the Apoſtle, and may not bee done at any hand for the gayning of the greateſt good.

2 Againe, euill may bee taken for that which is onelyonly circumſtantially, ceremonially or accidentally euill: which kind of euill may in ſome caſes bee practiſed without ſinne, namely, in caſe of ſuperior reaſon, at what time it is improperly called euill. That this is ſo, appeareth in the Prieſts, who brake the Sabbath: in Dauid, who did that which was not lawfull for him to doe, and yet were blameleſſe and innocent. Mat. 12. 4 5. 7. Alſo in the practiſe of Iewiſh inconuenient, and many wayes euill Ceremonies, which practiſe was ſo farre from being euill in that caſe, that it was good and neceſſary. Act. 15. 28. 29. touching this obiection ſee more at the end of the argument.

Obiect. Mordecay refuſed to bow, and performe the geſture of reuerence to Haman, yea though hee were commanded by the King. Heſt. 3. 1, 2, 3. by which refuſall of obedience to a ceremoniall, hee violated two greater dueties: One was the Kings command: and the other was the hazard of his life, and deſtruction of the Church of the Iewes, and thereby for performance of a leſſer duetie hee did violate a greater.

Anſw. Either this geſture was Spirituall or Ciuill: if the former, hee ought to auoide ſpirituall adoration to a creature, an heathen, a wicked perſon, an Amalekite, and an enemy of the Church, which is a ſufficient and the true anſwere, and thus doe all interpreters vnderſtand this place: thus the Hebrew gloſſe, thus the Apocryphall prayer in the additions to Heſter, Lyra, Ʋataplus, Iunius, Druſius, Merlyne vponupon theſe places. If the latter, either his action was euill or good; if euill in diſobeying the Magiſtrate in a thing indifferent, it is impertinently alledged: if well the reaſon is vnknowne and not expreſſed, wee cannot iudge of the qualitie of the dueties compared, if he did refuſe this reuerence.

1 Becauſe hee was of the Amalekites, which were eſpecially caſt out by God. Exod. 11. 14. Deut. 25. 7. Num. 24. 7.

2 Becauſe an open prophane perſon, a malitious and profeſſed aduerſary of Gods Church.

3 Becauſe himſelfe was a better man then Haman, being the Queenes Vncle, it may bee conſiderable, whether hee did not well, euen in this reſpect to refuſe this reuerence. Touching the hazard of his life, and ruine of the Church it was vnknowne to Mordecai; for Haman practiſed it becauſe he did refuſe it.

Obiect. Daniel neglected a greater duety to performe a leſſer, for hee continued to pray three times a day, kneeling vponupon his knees, his window being open towards Ieruſalem, notwithſtanding that he knew that he ſhould die for doing it: ſo hee preferred the ceremonie and circumſtance of prayer which was a ſmaller duetie, before the ſafety of his life which was a greater: Dan. 6. 10. Alſo the Iewes choſe rather to die then to eate Swines fleſh. 2. Mac. 7. 1. and 6. 8. preferring obſeruance of a ceremoniall duetie before their life.

Anſw. To theſe inſtances I firſt demaund whether theſe bee brought therefore to conclude, that therefore Miniſters ſhould rather die, then to vſe the Ceremonies preſcribed in our Church. And let it bee conſidered ſeriouſly by eueryevery perſon truely fearing God: whether they thinke it fit for another, or could reſolue himſelfe to looſe this life by being at a ſtake for none other cauſe, then for refuſing the preſcribed Ceremonies, eſpecially in a true Church of Chriſt, wherein there are otherwiſe a true confeſſion of faith, and ſufficient meanes of their ſaluation. If it ſhould fall out that they would not die in ſuch a caſe, I would know further, how then they could looſe their Miniſtery for not vſing them, ſeeing it were better for a Miniſter to looſe his life, then to looſe the comfort of his Miniſterie, Act. 20. 24. 1. Cor. 9. 15. If they would rather ſuffer death then vſe the Ceremonies, let them ſhew the ground and comfort they ſhould hauehave before the Lord in this proceeding. If they alleadge theſe inſtances, I wil ſhew to how ſmall purpoſe they ſerue therein: therefore I ſay, that their caſes doe farre differ from the caſe in queſtion.

Firſt, they were controuerſies depending betweene the heathen and profeſſed enemies of Gods Church, and betweene the people of Gods couenant and members of the Church: our controuerſies are in the Church, and betweene profeſſed louers and beleeuers in Chriſt.

Secondly, they were caſes of confeſſion, wherein they were called to confeſſe the trueth and religion of God amongſt Gods enemies, as alſo the neceſſitie of inuocation of Gods name, and of obedience to Gods precepts: With vsus the doctrine of Ceremonies is true, and according to Gods word, and the parts of our generall confeſſion in the Booke of Articles is agreeable to the word of God.

Thirdly, the dueties were of exceeding great moment, for the performance whereof they ſhould hauehave hazarded and loſt many liues. Daniel ſtood in obedience of a maine ſubſtantiall duetie (not Ceremoniall or circumſtantiall) of the firſt commandement, namely prayer to God, and prayſing of his name: for which a man ſhould rather die then intermit for the pleaſure of any mortall man: and the ceremonie of his praying toward Ieruſalem in farre diſtant place, was ſuch as ſpecially did exerciſe his faith, and to which the promiſe of audience was tyed, 2. Chron. 6. 34. The Iewes refuſing the eating of Swines fleſh, did confeſſe the whole religion of God and faith of the Church, and totall obedience to all Gods Commandements, which was that which Antiochus did aime at, as appeareth, 2. Mac. 6. 2. 7. and 18. 24. and 7. 1. 2. 4.

Laſtly, to both caſes, the meere commandement of a Magiſtrate and an idolater, was oppoſed to the eſpeciall commandement of God, Dan. 6. 7. 9. 10. 2. Mac. 7. 30. In which reſpect God muſt of neceſſitie bee obeyed before man, Act. 5. 29. There being no ſuch materiall circumſtance in the caſe in queſtion, whereby it alſo appeareth, that they did not neglect a greater dutie to performe a leſſer, but paſſed by an inferior dutie to performe a farre greater. And thus much of obiections to the firſt point, which being anſwered, I proceede vntounto the ſecond point which is this:

That to ſuffer depriuation for refuſing to conforme, is the neglecting of a greater duetie to performe the leſſer.

For the proofe and clearing this point, two trueths muſt be confirmed:

The firſt that two duties, both commanded of God, doe offer themſelues in the queſtioned caſe to bee obſerued: where one of the two cannot be done, and therefore muſt be left vndone: The former dutie is to preach the word, the which duety is commanded to all the Miniſters of Chriſt, Mat. 28. 19. 20. 2. Tim. 4. 2. 1. Pet. 5. 1. 2. 1. Cor. 9. 16. and is included in the ſecond Commandement: Now this duety cannot bee done with vsus ordinarily, as things doe ſtand, if Miniſters doe not conforme: for by order they are to be depriued of their Miniſtery, as very many wee ſee hauehave beene.Lincol. Apo. arg. 1. againſt the ceremonies: Except. 2 fol. 17. & arg. 4 excep. 2. fol. 45. 49.

The other duty, is to refuſe Ceremonies, as they pretend, incōuenient in their vſe, though in their nature indifferent, which is commanded in the ſecond cōmandement, Ez. 14. 7, as alſo to auoid occaſions of ſuperſtition. And to preuent ſundry offences, and other inconueniences, ariſing from the vſe of things in different commanded, 1. Theſ. 5. 21. Iude verſe 23. 1. Cor. 10. 32. and 8. 9. 12. Rom. 14. 3. 4. 10. 15. 16. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. The which deuties, in reſpect of diuerſe and ſundry perſons, which will take offence in the vſe of them, cannot be well performed, if Miniſters doe conforme vntounto the Ceremonies.

The ſecond point is this, that for a Miniſter to continue in preaching, is a greater deutie of ſuperior reaſon, and of higher bond to tye the conſcience, then the dutie of labouring vntounto fit Ceremonies, or of refuſing inconuenient Ceremonies, ſuch as ours are preſumed to be. And this appeareth by reaſons, drawne firſt from their nature, and ſecondly, from their effects.

Firſt, from the nature of either worke or dutie: it is manifeſt that the dutie of preaching, is a duty of farre greater moment, then the dutie of performing fit Ceremonies, or of refuſing inconuenient Ceremonies, ſuch as they pretend ours are, or the like. Firſt, becauſe the dutie of preaching the Goſpel, is a matter ſimply good in nature, but the refuſing of ſuch Ceremonies as ours are, ſuppoſing them to be inconuenient, or the practiſe of other Ceremonies in their ſteede ſuppoſing them to bee more fit, is a labouring about matters in their nature ſimply indifferent, as before is manifeſt, and after appeareth further, ſo that in this caſe there is a refuſall, of a thing ſimply good, as preaching of the word, and propagation of the Goſpel. Secondly, becauſe the dutie of preaching the Goſpel, is a ſubſtantiall externall worſhip of God: the dutie of vſing fit Ceremonies, or of refuſing vnfit (ſo they be not impious) is a matter ceremoniall, and circumſtantiall: For the Ceremonies are but circumſtances, tending to the better performance of the ſubſtantiall worſhippes, and doe ſerue thoſe ſubſtantiall worſhips of God: that is, they muſt be ſo ordered, as they may beſt ſerue to edifie, and further the ſubſtantiall worſhips of God, and meanes of edification. Wherefore to omit preaching, is the violation of a dutie ſubſtantiall, the conforming to inconuenient Ceremonies, is but the violating of a dutie circumſtantiall. It is better ſuffering an vntoward handmaide in the houſe, then by thruſting out the handmaide, to thruſt the miſtreſſe out of dores. Thirdly, becauſe preaching the word is a dutie particularly commanded in the word: but the dutie of the practiſe of fit Ceremonies, or of refuſing the practiſe of vnfit (ſo they bee not ſimply and in nature euill) is included onelyonly vnderunder generall rules of neceſſitie, of edification, expediencie, &c. Fourthly, becauſe the dutie of preaching is preſſed on the Church, as a dutie perpetuall to the worlds end, Matth. 28. 19. 20. till we all meete, Epheſ. 4. 11. 12. till the appearing of Chriſt. 1. Tim. 6. 14. But the performance of Ceremonies are variable, as appeareth by the frequent and lawfull variation of them: as in the chang of the time of the Lords ſupper from night to morning aboliſhing of the kiſſe of louelove: and of the feaſt of charitie; ſometimes in ſome Church Ceremonies burdenſome and ſcandalous are needefully impoſed and practiſed as Iewiſh rites by the Apoſtles: ſometimes in other Churches, others more needfull and they pernitious, Galath. 2. 3. 5. and 4. 9. 10. and 5. 2. Colloſſ. 2. 20. 21. Beſides all Churches differ in their Ceremonies one from another, and that in ſuch like Ceremonies as ours are: The Primitiue from the reformed, and all among themſelues, ſome vſing more, others leſſe conuenientrites and ceremonies. But the preaching of the Goſpel, which giueth life and being to the Church, is perpetuall and vniforme for the ſubſtance thereof in all true Churches of all times and places; They all agree therein. Fifthly, Becauſe the preaching of the Word, is an eſſentiall and inſeparable marke of the true Church, without the which a Church cannot conſiſt, fit ceremonies are no marke of the Church, neither doe vnfit and inconuenient ouerthrow the being thereof: and to this I adde that by continuance of preaching (by which the Church is gathered and vpholden) the danger of the ceremonies, whatſoeuer it would be preuented and auoyded by the purity of doctrine: but the purity of ceremonies, or the refuſing incō uenient ceremonies will not counteruaile the loſſe of preaching. Corrupt ceremonies deface the wals, & perhaps may in time impaire ſome part of the out houſe: But the nullity of preaching ouerthroweth the whole Church, walls, couering, ornament, foundation, and all.

Sixthly, Becauſe the preaching of Gods Word is the ordinary meanes of new birth, faith, hope, and of all grace, and finall ſaluation, 1. Cor. 1. 21. 1. Tim. 4. 16. Rom. 10. 15. 17. Eph. 4. 12. Fit Ceremonies are no ſuch meanes, neither do vnfit Ceremonies deſtroy the power & efficacy thereof.

Seuenthly, Becauſe the dutie of preaching is ſimply neceſſary, both in reſpect of Gods particular command, and alſo in reſpect of the preacher, who is attended with a woe if he neglect, 1. Cor. 9. 16. Hoſ. 4. 6. and in reſpect of the people who are ordinarily by this meanes gathered, edified and ſaued, Epheſ. 4. 11, 12, 1. Cor. 1. 21, and doe periſh if they hauehave it not, Prou. 29. 18, Hoſ. 4. 6. But the vſing of conuenient Ceremonies is not ſimply neceſſarie, onelyonly ſecundum quid, for the ſake of preaching to further and vphold it, in which reſpect ſcandelous and dangerous ceremonies may be neceſſary to be inioyned and practiſed, Act. 15. 28. 29. And with inconuenient and hurtful Ceremonies, a Church may be a true church (as the Apoſtolical Church of Antioch was, as the moſt part of primitiue churches were, and of reformed Churches vſing far worſe ceremonies then ours are pretended to be:) Alſo a Chriſtian may hauehave the being of a true Chriſtian, & may ſo remaine ſtanding in the true practiſe of faith, repentance, louelove, patience, &c. and in the aſſurance of his election, adoption, iuſtification, and in that ſtate may finally be ſaued, albeit hee liue and die in the practiſe of as euill ceremonies as ours are ſuppoſed; who if he ſhould continue without the meanes of preaching, the Word might hauehave great cauſe to doubt of all.

Eightly, Becauſe of their ſubordination, for Ceremonies (as before is noted) and the determination of them doe ſerue the ordinance of preaching the Word, and are by the Church to be determined, as may beſt ſerue for the furtherance thereof, ſo they be not formally & in their nature impious, in which reſpects (as before is ſaid) it may be expedient to admit of very inconuenient, and accidentally hurtfull Ceremonies namely for the furtherance of the Goſpel, & edification of the church: Elſe the Apoſtles by direction of the holy Ghoſt, ſinned in their doctrine and practiſe. But the ordinance of preaching doth at no time ſerue fit Ceremonies, neither ſhould giuegive place by laboring againſt vnfit.

Thus from the nature, now from their effects it doth in like ſort appeare, that the duty of preaching tieth the conſcience with a farre greater bond, then the duty of refuſing of the preſcribed Ceremonies. Firſt on the better part: The benefit of preaching the Word is incomparably greater, then the benefit of auoyding theſe or the like inconuenient Ceremonies. By the preaching of the Word, the Church hath name and being, yea, though Ceremonies, as is noted, be very inconuenient, and doe remaine in the Church as timber, hay, and ſtuble vponupon Chriſt the foundation: Ceremonies be they euer ſo well ordered without preaching, are of no force to giuegive name or being to the Church. Now farre greater is the Churches being, the progreſſe and liberty of the Goſpell, the publike vſe of the meanes of new birth, faith and ſaluation, and the viſibility of Chriſt his kingdome vponupon earth, then the auoyding of offence, and ſuch other inconueniences accidentall, not inherent, neither purpoſed by Ceremonies in their nature not euill, but meerely indifferent: the one bringing a publike good to the whole Church, the inconuenience of the other but priuate to a few, who take offence, and in this caſe by their owne default. Beſides experience ſheweth, how God hath proſpered multitudes of latter times, that hauehave entred by conformitie in eueryevery place, and ſuch who ſtanding in their places hauehave with a grounded conſcience, not by ſiniſter reſpects conformed to preuent their depriuation, or to redeeme it being loſt: The Lord hath done as much good by them, as by any Miniſter depriued, by the conuerſion, confirmation, conſolation, reclamation, excitation, edification, I ſay not refuſing Ceremonies, ſpeaking againſt Biſhops, pleading for Church diſcipline, but in the maine doctrines and duties of ſauing grace and goodneſſe: Gods bleſsing hath beene on them as much as euer before, the Papiſts and enemies of righteouſneſſe hauehave beene no leſſe vexed and conuinced; yea Saints no leſſe comforted and confirmed; the Church no leſſe fortified, and the truth of the Goſpell no leſſe propagated if not much more. And the reaſon hereof is plaine: becauſe experience ſheweth, that the Church is not builded vp, but deſtroied rather, afflicted conſciences nothing quieted, but troubled rather, doubtful mindes not ſetled, but diſtracted rather, zealous mindes not rectified but diſordered rather, Papiſts and Browniſts not wonne or conuinced▪ but rather driuen further backe by the doctrine, practiſe, & endleſſe diſputations of diſcipline, ceremonies, conſtitution of Churches, and the like: but by the ſound doctrine & eſſentiall practiſe of repentance from dead works, faith in Chriſt, louelove, patience, and good works, which ſauing points of the miſtery of godlineſſe are more taught and better practiſed by ſimple hearts, when the ſtumbling blockes of theſe leſſe pertinent queſtions (as Mint and Cummin in reſpect of Mercy and Iudgement) are remoued, or more ſparingly and peaceably debated.

Secondly, on the worſer part: The miſchiefe, offence, and inconuenience of the Miniſters depriuation, for not conforming to the Ceremonies, ſeemeth in reaſon, and hath appeared in experience, to bee more by many degrees, then the ſcandall, and inconueniences ariſing of conforming to redeeming of their preaching, which thing appeareth;

Firſt, becauſe the Papiſtes doe more reioyce, the Godly are much more grieued, the Libertines doe much more triumph, and ſo are like to doe (as they hauehave all more cauſe) to behold the Goſpel interrupted, the trueth obſcured, the Church weakened, the Miniſters of God throwne out, the flocke of Chriſt ſcattered, and the viſible kingdome of Chriſt diuided and deſſolued, then they would be to behold ſome inconuenient Ceremonies: theſe greater things of the law remaining entire, whereby Antichriſt and ſinne is dayly diſcouered and waſted; and by the which trueth and pietie, doe more encreaſe and preuaile. Admit that by inconuenient Ceremonies, the Church ſhould bee blemiſhed, and the conſciences of many ſcandalized: yet in depriuation of teachers, without ſupply of as good, the Church of God tendeth to deſſolution, and vtter ruine: yea the ſoules of all the people are endangered to periſh. Prouerb. 29. 18. Hoſ. 4. 6. Math. 15. 14. For without the preaching of the worde, there is no publique ordinary meanes of ſaluation left: and ſo by conſequence no ordinary meanes of the hope of ſaluation, though all both Miniſter and people, ſhould abſtaine from theſe inconuenient Ceremonies: Wheras ſo long as the word and Goſpel preached doeth remaine, Chriſt the foundation doeth remaine, both in ſound and doctrine, 1. Cor. 3. 11. Ephe. 2. 20. as alſo in aſſured preſence, Matth. 18. 20. and 28. 20. the infinite value of whoſe blood clenſeth from all ſin, 1. Ioh. 1. 7. and 5, 12, howſoeuer the ſtubble of corrupt doctrine, & Ceremonies do remaine withall, and ſo the Church, both Miniſter, and people retaining and laying hold, on the foundation may bee ſaued, though as by fire, 1. Cor. 3. 15.

Secondly, experience teacheth vsus, what a decay of grace, and backe ſliding of many moſt forward profeſſors of religion, what increaſe of Popery, and all prophaneneſſe in eueryevery corner of the Land, and euen in ſundry of the places, where the depriued Miniſters were placed, hauehave enſued this their ſuffering of themſelues, to be thus put beſides their Miniſtrie. And being thus depriued, what good hauehave they done vntounto the Church? Or what good vſe hauehave they imployed their talent, in more then to ſome few priuate families, wherein ſome of them hauehave beene exerciſed? Verily in ſundry others, eſpecially the younger and more vnſtaied ſort, eſpecially of them which draw neere the brincke of Browniſme, it hath falne out, that after the loſſe and leauing their Miniſtrie, ſmall other fruite hath happened in them, then to make the Churches rent the wider, to ſpeake euill, and ſcoffe at perſons in authoritie, which had more neede to hauehave beene prayed for in theſe dangerous times: to breede diſtraction in the hearts of the people, to vilifie their Godly breathren, which hauehave ſubmitted themſelues to conformitie, to ſwell in ſcorne and pride againſt them, and to prepare the mindes of vnſtable perſons, of tender conſciences, and ſhallow knowledge to ſchiſme and ſeperation, and in the meane time, to neglect the maine dueties of true Godlineſſe, as meekenes, merciemercy, tender heartednes, patience, viſiting the ſicke, comforting the feeble minded, inſtructing the ignorant, chatechiſing children, perſwading of Papiſts to the trueth, reproouing raigning ſinnes in wiſedome, louelove, and meekeneſſe: conference of godlines to edification, prouoking to louelove, to good workes, painefull labouring in ſome honeſt trade of life, to preuent the eating of the bread of idleneſſe: which I write not in reproach, but in ſoberneſſe, and tender hearted greife, declaring that which I hauehave ſeene not in a few. And further to this end, it may be profitably noted, what degrees of grace doe appeare in ſuch as are violently carried this way: ſurely it is commonly ſeene, that the more eager people are againſt the Ceremonies, and for reformed diſcipline, their zeale is ſo exerciſed, and their affections carried to things without them, as that they finde ſmall leaſure to looke into Gods kingdome within them: their tongues, pennes, practiſe are carried this way together with their hearts, ſo that they commonly neglect mercy, iudgement, fidelitie, and louelove of God, mortification of ſinne, moderation of affections, holy guidance of the tongue, fruites of louelove, and conſcience in their walking before men, and are brought at laſt ſo neere vntounto their practiſe, who were taxed by our Sauiour that they can hardly eſcape their reproofe, viz. To ſtraine at a Gnat, and ſwallow a Cammell. Let the Browniſts and ſuch as draw neere vntounto them, witneſſe for themſelues, both in their owne practiſe and report of faithfull witneſſes, and in the diſmall proceedings of ſuch fierie ſpirits, whom Arianiſme, Familiſme, Anabaptiſme, Libertiſme, or plaine prophaneneſſe hauehave ſwallowed and vndone at laſt. For it is a true maxime in Theologie, That when men beſtowe more zeale vponupon circumſtantialls or ceremonialls, matter right or wrong, one way or another, for them or againſt them, then they doe vponupon ſubſtantialls, they are vndoubtedly ſetled in the high way to hypocriſie. Laſtly, this poynt will the rather appeare by the enumeration of ſundrie inconueniences, which are by ſome alleadged to ariſe from the preſcribed Ceremonies, and comparing of thoſe euills, with the euill or inconueniences, which would ariſe from the generall doctrine and practiſe of ſuffering Depriuation, by refuſing to conforme.

Obiect. The preſcribed Ceremonies, doe blemiſh the worſhips of God, viz. the Word, the Sacraments, and the pure adminiſtration of them.

Anſw. But Depriuation of all preaching Miniſters ouerthroweth them quite: Vtrum horum?

Obiect. The continuing in the practiſe of theſe Ceremonies, will be occaſion of future ſuperſtition.

Anſw. They will much more ſo doe, when all preaching is taken away, which ſhould teach the people the true nature of them.

Obiect. It is moſt expedient to reduce the Church from humane mixtures & burdens, to Apoſtolicall ſimplicitie and purity.

Anſw. But if it be not in the power of priuate perſons, ſhall we all giuegive ouer, and let all alone, & the whole Church fall downe on the ground, becauſe we cannot doe all the good that we would?

Obiect. The Ceremonies preſcribed, doe hinder the true knowledge of Chriſt, and ſincere worſhips of God, and the maine duetie of godlineſſe: the mindes of ignorant people being led aſide by theſe, ſo that they put religion, and Gods worſhip in them.

Anſw. How much more will the knowledge of Chriſt be obſcured, the ſincere worſhip of God, and duties of pietie bee neglected, and theſe Ceremonies turned into will worſhip, if the generall preaching of the Word (which is our direction) ſhould be interrupted.

Obiect. Theſe Ceremonies, are vailes and ſhadowes to couer Antichriſt, and the myſterie of iniquitie, from the eyes of the people, that they cannot ſo well diſcerne, deteſt, and flee from Popery, as is enioyned by Gods expreſſe Commandement.

Anſw. Generall depriuation of Preachers, is the high way, not ſo much to hide, as to bring in Antichriſt againe, with all his abhominations.

Obiect. The Ceremonies doe diſgrace our Church, and hinder the growth thereof.

Anſw. Generall ſuffering of depriuation, kills the Church, and ouerthroweth not the growth and grace, but the life and being thereof.

Obiect. The continuing of Ceremonies, doeth take away all hope of future reformation.

Anſw. The diſcontinuing of Preaching, doeth take away the hope of the continuing of the Goſpell, yea the ordinarie meanes, of the hope of our ſaluation.

Obiect. The Ceremonies doe take from many good chriſtians a great part of the comfort of their conſciences in the ſeruice of God.

Anſw. Suffring depriuation, taketh away the ordinary meanes of ſaluation and bringeth a greater diſcomfort in the place.

Obiect. The Papiſts, & other enemies of godlines & religion wil reioyce greatly, to ſeevs conforme, and draw neere to them.

Anſw. But will they not more reioyce to ſee you depriued: and being emptied of Preachers, will they not thinke the places fitter for their Maſſe-prieſts?

Obiect. The Papiſts by thoſe Ceremonies are ſhrouded, are confirmed by them in ſuperſtition, are occaſioned by them to commit ſuperſtition, they kindle in them, an hope of letting Popery in againe.

Anſw. All theſe things are tenne times more effected by generall depriuation of the Word.

Obiect. Very many godly mindes, are vexed and grieued in their conſciences, at the Ceremonies in the Church, much more if their Paſtors doe conforme.

Anſw. But will they not be much more troubled and grieued to be vtterly depriued of them?

Obiect. It wil be very inconuenient for the Miniſter to conforme in many reſpects.

Anſw. And in many more, it will bee inconuenient for him to ſuffer depriuation, to looſe the comfort of his labour, to bid farewell to his deere neighbours, and hearers, to bee turned with his wife and children, from his houſe and meanes of liuing, into ſilence, contempt, and beggery. Thus is this ſecond point confirmed, viz. that the duty of preaching the Word, is a greater dutie, tying the conſcience with a greater band, then the dutie of refuſing to conforme, or the like. Theſe two points therefore being thus confirmed it followeth: That for a Miniſter to ſuffer himſelfe to be depriued of his Miniſtery for refuſing to conforme to the preſcribed Ceremonies, is contrary to Gods word, and ſo an error in doctrine, and ſinne in practiſe.

Now I will anſwere the obiections, which are brought againſt this poynt.

Obiect. The Ceremonies preſcribed in our Church, are vnlawfull, as they are prooued by ſundry reaſons, by the depriued Miniſters: therefore wee may not conforme vntounto them, but rather ſuffer depriuation: for wee may not doe euill, that good may come thereof, Rom. 3. 8.

Anſw. If it ſhould be granted which they cōtend for: It followeth Anſw. not, that becauſe they be vnlawfull in ſome reſpect, therefore they may or bee conformed vntounto: becauſe a man may doe that which is vnlawfull in ſome reſpect and yet not ſinne againſt God, as appearth by theſe inſtances out of Scripture. A man may breake the Sabboth (It is our Sauiours phraſe) in ſome reſpects, and yet be blameleſſe before God, Mat. 12. 5. A man may doe that in ſome caſe, which by Gods Law is not lawfull for him (as our Sauiour Chriſt ſpeaketh) to doe, and yet bee innocent, Matth. 12. 3. A man may in ſome caſes performe ſome circumſtances in a ſubſtantiall worſhip of God, not as it is written, and yet performe that worſhip in Gods acceptation, and with his bleſſing, 2. Chron. 30. 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26. A man may in ſome caſe practiſe lawfully and neceſſarily, Act. 15. 19, 20. ſuch Ceremonies, which in ſome other caſes to practiſe were impotent and beggarly rudiments, Gal. 4. 9. will worſhips, traditions, commandements, and doctrines of men, Colloſ. 2. 20, 21, 22, 23. and in many maine reſpects, euill and vnlawfull. Againe, vntounto the Apoſtles ſaying, I further ſay, that a man may bee ſayde to doe ſome euill to doe ſome good. Which anſwere will appeare out of the ſayde places; For to breake the Sabboth was euill, yet to breake the Sabboth in ſome duetie, to further a greater duetie in Gods worſhip, which was good, made the Prieſts blameleſſe. To doe a thing not lawfull was euill, yet to preſerue life, which is good, made Dauid innocent before God. To performe Gods worſhip not as it was written, was foreign, and a ſinne: yet to further Gods ſubſtantiall worſhips, which was a good thing, was not regarded of God. To practiſe antiquated, and ſuperannuated, vnprofitable, yea very hurtfull Ceremonies was vnlawfull: yet to purchaſe the libertie of the Goſpell, and vnitie of brethren, which was good, made their practiſe good and neceſſary. So that this rule of the Apoſtle muſt bee limited, and in ſome caſes holdeth not: for that as wee ſee a man may bee ſayde to doe ſome euill, that ſome greater good may come thereof; the reaſon whereof is included in the foregoing argument, the ſumme whereof is this; Becauſe the relinquiſhing of obedience to a leſſer duty leaueth to be a ſinne, when a greater duety commeth in place, which yet were euill if the greater duety were abſent. As for example, to violate ſacrifice, (namely to breake the Sabbath by rubbing eares of corne: to eate that which is expreſly forbidden him of God, and ſo to doe a thing not lawfull) is noe ſinne, when mercy and neceſſity comes in place, which if mercy or other ſuperior worke and duety were away, were ſinne. In a word a man may doe a thing euill in vſe, circumſtance, and by accident, ſo it be not ſimply and in nature euill: alſo a man may violate a duety ceremoniall to further or accompliſh a morrall good thing, in which caſe the euill of the action ceaſeth, and this was the Apoſtles in the practiſe of the Iewiſh ceremonies. Obiect. But the ceremonies preſcribed in our Church are not onelyonly euill in the vſe or inconuenient, but are in their nature ſimply euill, eſpecially in their vſe, as appeareth by the reaſons made againſt them in ſundry writings of the depriued Miniſters. Ergo by noe meanes may they bee conformed vntounto, to procure the greateſt good.

An. 1 The reaſons alleadged by the depriued Miniſters to prooue theſe ceremonies to be ſimply euill are very weake, and friuolous, becauſe (as it is noted in the firſt argument) they al of them, or the moſt part be applied to the Iewiſh ceremonies practiſed & enioyned by the inſpired Apoſtles, and therefore either the practiſe and preſcription of ſuch ceremonies in a caſe of neceſſity leaueth to bee a ſinne, or elſe the Apoſtles muſt be accuſed for practiſing of ſuch things as were ſimply a ſinne: and it is not in Apoſtolicall power to make a matter ſimply and in nature ſinne to be noe ſinne at all.

Howſoeuer theſe ceremonies bee now iudged in their nature ſimply euill by the depriued Miniſters, yet they were neuer ſo iudged of in the church of chriſt in any age or place by any ſound teacher, or wel grounded Chriſtian, & the moſt curious ſights among them that moſt ſtand for reducing of the Church to the primitiue purity in diſcipline & ceremonies that euer looked on them in theſe dayes, though they wiſhed them to bee aboliſhed, as being many wayes inconuenient, yet they iudged of them in their nature as things indifferent, not onelyonly as they are conſidered in themſelues, but as they are in vſe with vsus. Thus iudged they of a ſurpleſſe or linnen garment in the worſhip of God.

In a ſurpleſſe there is no impious thing per ſe, noe not Bucer.in the vſe of it. Script. Anglican fol. 79. Hoopero.

Theſe garments are not impure of themſelues ſpeaking alſo of their vſe. idem in his Epiſtle to Io. Alaſco.

In the Engliſh litargie there is nulla manifesta impietas. Epiſt Caluin. P. Martyr.200. fol. 336. Per ſe ſunt foreign; theſe garments are of themſelues indifferent. Loc. com. fol. 1085. amico cuidam.

The vſe of them not impious or pernitious per ſeſe, aut ſua natura verbo dei contrariae. ibidem. 1086. Hoopero.

Theſe garments are not per ſe impiae impious of themſelues, that a Miniſter ſhould rather leaue his Miniſtry then Beza.vſe them. Epiſt. 12. fol 98. I graunt them to bee indifferent, being conſidered in themſelues.

It is adiaphoron natura, in the vſe a matter indifferent in nature. Enchirid. Tit. 1. de Adiaph. Claſ. 3. cap. 16. Hemingius.fol. 375.

It is liberum per ſe, a free matter of it ſelfe to vſe or not Zanchius.to vſe. de redempt. lib. 1. cap. 16. fol. 445. yea magis deceret veſtis linea quam lanea.

It is an indifferent thing. Lo. 33. Quaest. 13. fol. 382.Bucan.

It is a thing indifferent in vſe, in Ezech. cap. 44. fol. 807.Polanus.

The ſurpleſſe in the owne nature indifferent, meaning Cartwrightin the vſe, for hee perſwaded to the vſe, in the caſe of depriuation. Reſt. of the ſecond reply. fol. 262.

Thus alſo iudged they of the Croſſe in Baptiſme, and of kneeling at Communion, & the reſt, which afterward ſhalbe alleadged. The reaſons prouing this poynt are theſe.

Becauſe they are neither expreſly Commaunded nor forbidden of God. Bucanus vbi ſuperius, this rule alſo of a thing indifferent hath Polanus Syntag. lib. 6. cap. 38. fol. 3036. Paraeus Colleg. 2. cap. 31. ſect. 15. fol. 274. Illyricus claue Scriptur. fol. 22. part. 1. Adiap. And are diſtinguiſhed from things ſimply good, which are expreſſely Commaunded, from things ſimply euill which are expreſſely forbidden of God, being in their nature neither morrally good or euill, neither Commanded nor forbidden of God, and by accident may bee both good and euill. Exerc. part inter. Theſ. fol. 826.

Obiection. Beza contra Sarauiam cap. 25. fol. 200. ſaith indifferent things I call which are neither expreſſely nor ſecretly Commaunded, nor forbidden by the word, neither maketh vsus the better being vſed, nor the worſe if wee vſe them not. But our ceremonies are forbidden in the word in generall, and in particular in our vſe. Ergo.

Anſwere. So may be ſaid of the Iewiſh ceremonies rather then of ours: both they and theſe are in nature indifferent not impious, and in the caſe of depriuation or neceſſity are not forbidden any way, but commaunded rather: becauſe wee muſt vſe indifferent things for the furtherance of the Churches edification, and not refuſe them, (though they ſeeme to vsus inconuenient,) to the Churches deſtruction; And as for Beza with all other ſound writers, that are of other mindes concerning our ceremonies they hold them in their nature indifferent, and not forbidden in the word, eſpecially in our vſe, and in the caſe of ſimple neceſſity.

2 Becauſe in ſome caſes a man may vſe them and not ſinne: which, a thing in nature euil, he can neuer vſe, but he ſhal incuitably ſin: of this nature are Idolatry, adultery, blaſphemy, periury: which ſins no circumſtance can euer amend. Beza cont: Saraui. cap. 25. fol. 199. Indifferentia ſunt, quorum vſus modo bonus, modo illicitus prout viz bene vel male illis vtitur, quae naturam habeant neque ad bonum neque ad malum determinatam.

3 Becauſe in ſome reſpects, and in ſome vſe they may bee good: a thing in nature euill, can neuer bee put to any profitable vſe: Peter Martyr ſaith, Adiaphoris bene vel male vti poſſumus: L. Claſ. 4. cap. 4. fol. 707.

4 Becauſe in ſome reſpects and in the ſame vſe they may bee good and neceſſary, as the Iewiſh rites were in the Apoſtles practiſe.

5 Becauſe they are of the ſame nature with the Iewiſh rites, practiſed by the Apoſtles. Of this opinion is Peter Martyr Loc: cum. inter Epiſt. fol. 1087. Zanchius in Philip. 1. fol. 45. Polanus in Ezech. 44. fol. 807. which ceremonies by the ſtreame of all ſound writers are holden as indifferent in nature in the caſe wherein they vſed them.

6 Becauſe a man vſing them all the dayes of his life, as they are preſcribed in our Church, and that without repentance, for ſuch vſe of them, may ſtill remaine a godly and good man, and preſuppoſing him otherwiſe to walke in holineſſe, may in that eſtate bee ſaued, whereas one ſinne in nature, as to liue in fornication, 1. Cor. 6. 9. 10. Being continued in eſpecially if it ſhould bee pleaded for, and defended, Mat. 5. 9. Cannot ſtand with his ſaluation. So Bucer. ſcript. Anglican. 1458. Martyr inter Epiſto. fol. 1085. Amico cuidam. Aretius ſayth that indifferent things are ſuch as are in equall reſpect to good and to bad, Prob. cap. 83. de Adiaph. fol. 266.

7 Becauſe if they were in nature euill, a godly perſon could not communicate with a good conſcience with our Church (which doth preſcribe and practiſe them, and remoueth them not being admoniſhed) neither in the Miniſtery or any worſhip of God. Bucer Epist. Io. Alaſco. Martyr. fol 1086. Hoopero.

8 Becauſe all ſuch as hauehave continued in the vſe of them, and defended, the ſame might be iudged impiouſe and wicked, ſuch as are the Martyrs and other worthy perſons of our Church, and other Churches alſo: yea the Apoſtles and all faithfull teachers and Churches ſince their time ſhould be condemned; yea it might bee taught as a doctrine, that ſuch as vſe them with continuance, or maintaining them, could not be ſaued, which I ſuppoſe none of the Miniſters which are depriued will iuſtifie, Martyr. fol. 1086. Hoopero.

Simply euill may be taken for any thing particularly forbidden of God, or the omiſſion of a thing particularly commanded of God: ſundry things of which kind, though in themſelues conſidered are euill, may bee done lawfully for a ſuperior good, and in that caſe doe leaue to be ſimply euill, as to doe ſeuile labour on the Sabbaoth day, to eate ſuch bread as God had forbidden to the perſons which did eate thereof, to come, or admit commers in a legall vnſanctified eſtate to the Sacraments, and the like, which ſhall bee after mentioned more fully: therefore to this purpoſe I diſtinguiſh of euill (as before) which may bee two wayes conſidered: either for that which is intrinſically, formally, and in the nature thereof euill, not onelyonly becauſe God hath forbidden it, or commaunded the contrary, which kinde of euill is immutabiliter malum, as murther, periury, adultery, &c. Being againſt the immutabilitie of Gods nature, no circumſtance can make them good, though by circumſtances they may bee leſſened or made greater: of this nature our Ceremonies are not, neither can they bee euills of this kinde; or elſe euill is taken for that, which being indifferent in nature, yet by accident is euill, namely in vſe, when offence will be taken thereat, by diuers perſons in diuers reſpects, or rather inconueniences will ariſe, which were euill therefore to vſe, if it lay in mans power to refuſe them: Againe, for that which being particularly forbidden of God in his Word, is therefore vnlawfull to doe.

The euill of both which latter kinde may by circumſtances bee amended, and the practiſe thereof may leaue to be a ſinne, namely in a caſe of ſuperiour reaſon, when a dutie of greater band doth tie the conſcience; which that it may be the better manifeſted, we may obſerue two points.

Firſt the degrees; Secondly, the ſubordination of duties commanded in the Law of God. Conſider firſt, that there are degrees of duties of both Tables of the Law, which appeareth in reaſon: for there are duties ſubſtantiall, and duties circumſtantiall. Subſtantiall duties are both internall of the firſt Table, as louelove, knowledge, feare, and confidence in God: of the ſecond Table, as louelove, reuerence, patience, kindneſſe, compaſſion, iuſtice, &c. Subſtantiall externall alſo of the firſt Table, ſtandeth in the maine worſhips of inuocation, preaching, and hearing of the Word, receiuing of the Scraments, lawfull ſwearing, &c. Of the ſecond Table, as outward reuerence, obedience, helpe, and tribute to ſuperiours, kindneſſe and thankfulneſſe ſhewed to equalls, almes, reward, correction, and inſtruction to inferiours: The circumſtantiall duties of either Table are externall circumſtances, actions, or Ceremonies, for the more orderly, fit, and decent performance of the ſubſtantialls: as obſeruation of fit time, as either night or day, and this or that houre, in either place publike or priuate, ſite of body, as ſitting, ſtanding, kneeling, high or low, ſinging, ſaying, and the like. The which degrees, and differences of duties are thus diſtinguiſhed vntounto vsus by the holy Ghoſt himſelfe, who hath taught vsus to ſeuer the louelove of God, a ſubſtantiall of the firſt Table, and iudgement, mercy, fidelitie, ſubſtantialls of the ſecond Table, from the tithing of mint, cummin, anniſſe, rue, and all manner of hearbes, a ceremoniall Law, which yet was a duty being commanded, and muſt be done, calling the one ſort of duties, the weightier matters of the Law, Matthew 12. 23. Luk. 11. 43. ſeparating them by that title, from the other which muſt be leſſe weightie, or (as they called) the leſſer commandement, Matthew 25. 19. Calling the one mercy, the other ſacrifice, Matthew 12. 7. the one, the knowledge of God, the other burnt offerings, Hoſea 6. 6. the one Gods kingdome, the other not ſo, Rom. 14. 17. betweene the which he teacheth vsus to put as much difference, as betweene a Cammell, and a Gnat, Matth. 23. 23. 24. himſelfe accepting the former without the latter, Marke 16. 15. 16. but not the latter without the former: tying the promiſe of ſaluation ſimply to the greateſt, but not to the inferiour without the greater. Conſider that there is a ſubordination of theſe duties of the Law (whereof there are theſe forenamed degrees) as namely, that the greater duties, ſuch as hauehave in them greateſt reaſon and band, doe tye the conſcience, doe ouerrule the leſſer, and command obedience with the neglect of the other for that preſent, when they meete together. So as the neglect of the leſſer leaueth to bee a ſinne, for the performance of the greater: as the neglect of obeyſance to a noble man, or inferiour perſon is no offence in preſence of a King: and this ſubordination is generall to all the duties of the Law, except the ſupremeſt of all other, then which there is none higher; as the higheſt duties vntounto God, feare, louelove, confidence, repentance, which muſt neuer be commanded & ouerruled by other duties inferior, whatſoeuer they be: and the reaſon is, becauſe the ſupremacy of God, and the immediate proximity betweene theſe duties and God: which alſo in reſpect of the immutable nature, & attributes of God, which muſt leaue to be God, and deny his titles of iuſtice, of mercy, goodneſſe, truth, &c. if hee ſhould diſpence with them. Now the truth of this ſubordination I wil in order manifeſt in 4. propoſitions following.

Firſt, the ſubſtantiall duties of the firſt Table, doe ouerrule Propoſ. 1.the ſubſtantialls of the ſecond Table. LoueLove of Chriſt (a ſubſtantiall of the firſt Table) ouerruleth the louelove of parents, of wife, children, friendes, brethren, ſubſtantialls of the ſecond Table, Matthew 10. 37. yea ſo farre muſt the one yeeld vntounto the other, that for the loues ſake of Chriſt, the louelove of parents muſt bee turned into hate, Luke 14. 26. 33. and tokens thereof, Deut. 13. 6. 7. 8. 9, 13, Pſalme 139. 21. 22. 2. Chronicles 19. 2. Obedience to good meeting, the obedience to the Magiſtrate ouerruleth it, Acts 4. 19. and 15. 29. This was the caſe of the three children, of Daniel praying, and of the Iewes refuſing Swines fleſh: who diſobeyed the Magiſtrate to obey GOD, and neglected life, a ſubſtantiall of the ſecond Table, to profeſſe GODS trueth, and to refuſe Idolatrie, ſubſtantialls of the firſt Table.

Secondly, The ſubſtantialls of the ſecond Table, doe ouerrule the ceremonialls of the firſt Table: ſo to ſuſtaine nature in prouiding and eating corporall food, meeting with the ſtrict ceremoniall reſt of the Iewiſh Sabbaoth, the one a ſubſtantiall of the ſecond Table, the other a ceremoniall appendix to the firſt Table, the former ouerrules the latter: in which caſe GOD ſayth, I will hauehave mercy and not ſacrifice, Matthew 12. 47. Alſo workes of neceſſitie, implying ſeruile labour, as the carrying whom of a bed, Iohn 5. 8. 9, 10, merciemercy to a man ſicke and diſeaſed, Matthew 12. 10. 12, 13, Luke 13. 14. 15, 16, merciemercy to a beaſt to ſaue his life, Matthew 12. 11. 12, to giuegive him neceſſaries, Luke 14. 5. 6, and 13, 15, meeting at the ſame time with a ceremoniall obſeruation of the Sabbaoth, though commaunded in the Law, and a dutie, Exodus 20. 10. and 31, 15, 16, and 35. 3. The former ouerrules the latter, by the reaſon yeelded by our Sauiour, That the Sabbaoth was made for man, and not man for the Sabbaoth, Mark. 2. 27, and it is lawfull (though violating ceremoniall reſt) to doe morrally well vponupon the Sabbaoth, Matthew 12. 12, for in theſe caſes God will hauehave mercy and not ſacrifice.

Thirdly, the ſubſtantials of the ſecond table, of greater reaſon do ouerule the ſubſtantialls of the ſecond table of leſſer reaſon. Thus it is a duty of Magiſtrates to put wilfull murtherers to death Gen. 9. 6. Exo. 21. 12. 14. Leuit. 24. 17. Deut. 19. 11. 12. 13. Num. 35. 16, without recompence or diſpenſation, Numb. 35. 31. 32. the not executing of which law draweth on the whole land, the heauy plagues of God, Numb. 35. 33. Deut. 21. 8. 9. And this was a ſubſtantiall dutie of the ſecond table, yet this dutie is ouer ruled by a caſe of neceſſitie: for the ſafetie of the policie of the kingdome and ſtate of the Church, (ſo Ioab the wilfull murderer of Abner, 2. Sam. 3. 27. of Amaſa, 2. Sam. 12. 10. and that in the time of peace, 1. Kin. 2. 5. and of Vriah, 2. Sa. 11. 16. 17. is ſuffered to liue all the time of King Dauid, viz. becauſe he was (being Captaine of the hoſt) too hard for him, 2. Sam. 3. 39. which implyed the ſafetie of himſelfe, and of all the whole ſtate, which was a ſubſtantiall of the ſecond table, of greater reaſon then the other: neither is Dauid reprooued, or the land plagued for this thing: neither was it repented, becauſe it was no ſinne in him, to paſſe by leſſer worke commanded for the performance, of a worke of greater reaſon. Againe it is a breach of a ſubſtantiall dutie of the ſecond table, Exo. 10. 14. and euen of the law of nature, for ab initio non fuit ſic, Mar. 10. 6. 7. 8. 9. Math. 19. 8. for the Mageſtrate or the Church, Mat. 19. 3. 4. 8. Mar. 10. 6. 7. 8. 9. to command, Deut. 24. 1. 2. Mar. 10. 3. 5. Mat. 19. 7. or to permit Matth. 19. 8. husbands to put away their wiues for eueryevery cauſe, Matth. 19. 3. as namely for ſome filthyneſſe eſpied in them, Deut. 24. 1. yet this did Moſes to preuent the breach of an higher precept: namely many grieuious inconueniences in the whole policie of the Iewes, ariſing from the obſtinacie and cruelty of an obdurate people, ſuch as were the Iewes. In which reſpect, Moſes is not reproued for this thing by our Sauiour Chriſt, and that from the reaſon, for which Moſes did permit this inconuenient precept, which was the hardneſſe of the Iewiſh nations heart, Matth. 19. 8. Marke 10. 5. Alſo it is not lawfull, for it is not good, to caſt away the good creatures of God, which may ſerue for the life of man, but they muſt bee preſerued that nothing bee loſt, Matthew 15. 26. Iohn 6. 12. 13. yet in a caſe of neceſſitie to preſerue life, and preuent violent death, a ſubſtantiall of the ſecond table of greater reaſon, Paul and the reſt of his company which were in the Ship, with him in danger of Shipwracke, did lawfully caſt with their owne handes the tackling, and the wheate out of the Ship into the Sea, where it was ſpoiled and deſtroyed. Acts 27. 19. 38.

Fourthly and laſtly, the ſubſtantials of the firſt table, doe ouerrule the ceremonials of the firſt table, which includeth the caſe in queſtion. It was vnlawfull in the law for the Prieſtes to admit, or for the people to come vntounto the Sacraments, otherwiſe then as it was written, though the failing was but a ceremoniall matter: yet ſo did the people come, and the Prieſtes admit the people in the time of Hezekias, that the ſubſtantiall worſhip of God in the Paſſeouer ſhould not bee hindred: In which reſpect God layed not the breach of dutie to the charge of ſuch as ſought God in that Sacraments with their whole heart, 2. Chron. 33. 18. 19. 20. likewiſe the ſubſtantiall worſhips of God, requiring paines and labour of body, ſuch as the ſacrifice of the law, and other buſineſſe to be done vponupon the Sabboth, meeting the precept of bodily reſt vponupon the Sabboth, by which practiſe the Sabboth in reſpect of the reſt is broken, Mat. 5. 12. yet in reſpect of performance of the ſuperior and ſubſtantiall worſhips, they were blameleſſe for breaking the Sabboth in the ceremoniall reſt thereof. The vnlawfulneſſe of Iewiſh Ceremonies, in many reſpects hath before appeared: whereby was violated a ceremoniall circumſtantiall dutie of the firſt Table: which yet the Apoſtles we ſee did practiſe to further the ſubſtantials thereof, namely the libertie of the Goſpel, and edification, and peace of the Church of God. By all which inſtances wee may ſee this concluſion prooued: A matter euill by it ſelfe alone conſidered, leaueth to be euill when a ſuperior dutie commeth in place to ouerrule it, whereby we may inferre, that admitting the Ceremonies preſcribed to bee euill in ſome ſence, yet in performance of a ſuperior worke, as to continue in preaching of the worke they leaue to bee a ſinne. Becauſe the dutie of refuſing of ſuch like Ceremonies, is a ſubordinate dutie to the practiſing of the word by preaching, the one being a dutie circumſtantiall, the other an externall dutie ſubſtantiall.

Obiection. To conforme to theſe Ceremonies preſcribed, is the violation of a negatiue precept, now negatiue precepts doe bind ad ſemper, and as Maſter Perkins ſaith, (Golden Chaine. cap. 19.) they bind at all times, and to all times: The affirmatiue bindeth at all times but not to all times: A negatiue is broken by acting or doing a thing forbidden: an affirmatiue is broken by omitting ſome dutie poſitiuely commanded, as for example; I may for a time omit preaching or prayer, I am not bound continually to vſe them, but hauehave houres of omiſſion: But no ſinne of adultery, bowing to an idoll, murther, ſwearing, prophaning of the Sabboth, ſo neither of conforming to forbidden Ceremonies. The negatiues are theſe; Thou ſhalt not make to thy ſelfe any ſimilitudes, Exodus 20. 4. giuegive no offence to the Church 1. Cor. 10. 32. vſe not the faſhions of idolaters, Leuit. 19. 27. 28. wherefore we may not neglect the refuſing of Ceremonies to redeeme our dutie of preaching.

Anſwere. 1 This rule is not rightly conceiued, for Maſter Perkins ſaith not, that all negatiues doe alway bind, and in all caſes, ſo that in no caſe, they may at any time be violated, but only addeth, that negatiues are of more force then affirmatiues, which indeede is trew.

Alſo this rule is not generally true: for theſe precepts were negatiue, which yet were violated, none but Prieſtes muſt eare ſheaw bread: let none of the people eate thereof [not lawfull but onelyonly for Prieſtes, Matth. 12. 4.] yet Dauid did lawfully violate it, and they that were with him out of ſtanding reaſon, I will hauehave merciemercy not ſacrifice, Matthew 12. 7. thou ſhalt doe no worke, Exodus 20. 10. yet the Prieſtes brake this and are blameleſſe: the Apoſtles violate it and are innocent by the former reaſon, I will hauehave merciemercy and not ſacrifice, Matthew 12. 1. 2. 5. 7. In the the like caſe men doe lawfully feede and ſaue the life of their cattle, Mat. 12. 11. 12. Lu. 14. 5. 6. and 13. 15. ſeruile labour is vſed as carrying of a bead, Ioh. 5. 8. 9. 10. caſt not bread to whelpes, Matth. 15. 26. let nothing of Gods good creatures be loſt, Ioh. 6. 12. 13. yet Paul and his company doe lawfully caſt away the goods in the Ship, to ſaue their liues, Acts 27. 19. 38. Let no murtherer liue▪ let not thine eye ſpare a man hating and killing his neighbour, Deut. 19. 11. 12. 13. Num. 35. 30. 31. 32. 33. yet Dauid ſuffered Ioab the murtherer of Amaſa, Abner, Vriah all his dayes, vponupon this ground hee was to hard for Dauid, 2. Samuel 3. 39. till after his death, 1. Kings 2. 5. 6. neither was Dauid reprooued, or the land plagued as it was threatned, Numb. 35. 33. Deut. 21. thou ſhalt not kill, Exodus 20. 13. no not in heart or intention, Matthew 5. 21. 22. yet Abraham ſinned not, but is commended and rewarded of God, for purpoſing and ſetling himſelfe to kill his onelyonly ſonne, Geneſis 22. 11. 16. grant no diuorce betweene man and wife for eueryevery cauſe, not for light cauſe, Ab initio non fuit ſic. Matthew 19. 8. yet Moſes is not blamed for permitting or commanding ſuch a bill, Matthew 19. 8. Deut. 24. 1. 2. but is iuſtified, becauſe hee did it for the hardneſſe of their hearts, Matthew 19. 8. Marke 10. 5. Let none bee vncircumciſed after eight dayes, Geneſis 8. 11. 12. 13. yet for fortie yeeres there was not one circumciſed, Ioſ. 5. 5. 6. 7. 9. let none legally vnſanctified be admitted to the Paſſeouer, 2. Chron. 30. 18. Matth. 7. 6. yet in caſe of neceſſitie ſome were admitted and approued of God, being internally ſanctified, 2. Chro. 30. 19. 20. hate not father, mother, brother, ſiſter, wife, life, Exodus. 21. 17. Pro. 20. 20. yet when Chriſt calleth vsus to ſhew our louelove to him, and that the louelove of theſe will not ſtand with our louelove to Chriſt, we muſt hate them indeede, and teſtifie it by our outward practiſe, Luke 14. 26. 33. Deut. 13. 6. 7. 8. 9. 2. Chro. 15. 16. for the better explication of this rule, and to ſee how farre it holdeth, and how ſmally it concernes our caſe, I ſay firſt, that this rule holds in the duties of the firſt table, which forbides ſinne which by no circumſtance can be amended, but are formally euill, and in nature, and oppoſite to the puritie and immutability of Gods nature, as in theſe, HaueHave none other gods, Commit not Idolatry, Take not Gods name in vaine. There is no time, or occaſion, or duety ſuperior, wherein a man may violate the precepts, they are ſempiternally, and irreuocably inuiolable, without exception. Duties alſo of the ſecond table, as reſiſt not the Magiſtrate Rom. 13. 2. deſpiſe not thy parents. Prou. 23. 22. commit not murther, commit not adulterie, ſteale not, beare not falſe witneſſe, couet not, neither may theſe duties in any caſe bee, or for any ſuperior reaſon violated: neither hauehave they beene heretofore broken, but onelyonly in a caſe of exception, and that is of Gods ſpeciall command. For in this caſe the common rule holdeth: That a particular command of God vntounto one perſon or more ouer rules a generall; In which caſe the ſubſtantiall negatiues of the ſecond table, doe yeeld to the ſubſtantiall affirmatiues of the firſt, as being all ſubordinate to the louelove of God: As the particular command of God to Abraham, to kill and offer his ſonne Iſaack, Gen. 22. 10. 12. ouerrules the generall command of God, Thou ſhalt doe no murther: and in Abraham it was no murther, notwithſtanding that command which elſe had beene. The particular command of God to Iehu, if not Ieroboam, 1. Kin. 11. 35, 37, 38, and 12. 24. to ſmite the houſe of Ahab his maſter, the Queene, and the blood royall. 2. Kin. 9. 6, 7, 9, 10, & 10, 15, 16, 17, 30. which elſe had beene vtterly vnlawfull for him to doe. So Gods particular command vntounto the Iſraelites to borrow that of the Egyptians, which they neuer paid and ſo ſpoyling them, Ex. 3. 22, and 11. 2. and 12. 35. ouerſwayd the general command, Thou ſhalt not ſteale, which elſe had bin theft in them. Alſo the particular command of God vntounto the Prophet Ezechiel not to mourne for his dead and moſt deere wife, Eze. 24. 15, 16, 17, 18. which elſe had beene argued want of naturall affection. I will not giuegive inſtance of Gods particular command to Hoſea, cap. 1. 2. to marry a wife of fornications, becauſe the place is otherwiſe interpreted by duplicate page duplicate page the beſt iudgements, as Zanchius, Druſius, Iunius, Paraeus, item. Eman. Sad. in hunc locum, though others vnderſtand it otherwiſe, that is litterally. The like is of the Lord particular command of ſmiting the Prophet, 1. King. 20. 35, 36, 37. In which caſe it was no ſinne to ſmite and wound the innocent Prophet, and it was a good worke of obedience to ſmite him, which without the particular command of God, had beene a ſinne. Secondly, this rule holdes, excepting in a caſe of ſimple neceſſitie: In which reſpect, it was lawfull for Paul to caſt the wheate into the Sea, though otherwiſe it were not good to doe it, Mat. 15. 26. and for Dauid to ſpare Ioab the murtherer, in a caſe of neceſſity, becauſe he was too hard for him: alſo Moſes command for permiſſion of diuorce, is heereby iuſtified, for the hardneſſe of the Iewes hearts, a caſe of neceſſitie: Alſo the Apoſtles preſcribing and practiſing the Iewiſh Ceremonies was vnlawfull, but in a caſe of neceſſitie: of like nature, is Dauids eating the Shew-bread, the Apoſtles rubbing of the eares of Corne: vnderunder this kinde commeth the lawfull vſe of all indifferent ſcandalous things, ouerruled by neceſſitie: and ſo is the conformity vntounto the Ceremonies preſcribed, made lawfull, for all the negatiue prohibitions, whether one or other in this caſe of neceſſitie. Thirdly, this rule holdeth alſo in matters circumſtantiall and ceremoniall, excepting when a ſuperior duety meetes with them, to ouerrule them: of this kind is the caſe of Dauids eathing Shew-bread, and the Apoſtles practiſing and preſcribing Iewiſh Ceremonies, for the Churches peace and furtherance of the Goſpel: which hade not elſe beene lawfull to hauehave done, and here is alſo an image of our caſe. Here it is demanded, whether an affimatiue ſubſtantiall of the firſt table, meeting with a negatiue circumſtantiall of the firſt table, the former doeth ouerrule the latter? I anſwere yea: For ſuch were the former caſes of Dauids eating the Shew-bread, of the Apoſtles practiſe of Moſaicall Ceremonies, and the like. By this alſo we hauehave an anſwere againſt the objection; That we may lawfully omit good, to doe ſome ſuperior duety, or to omit good for a time, to preuent a miſchiefe of ſinne, or harme to others or our ſelues: as to conceale a trueth to ſaue ones life, or to omit preaching, to quench an houſe on fire. But we may not commit an euill, to purchaſe or procure any good. Which obiection is both vntrue, for Dauids eating Shew-bread, the Apoſtles practiſing of Iewiſh, ſcandalous, and hurtful Ceremonies, and the like inſtances before rehearſed, were matters of commiſſion, not of omiſſion, and beſides, this obiection is incident into the former: For omiſſion is of duties affirmatiue, and commiſſion is againſt duties negatiue.

Obiect. Theſe Ceremonies are againſt the ſecond Commandement, which forbiddeth humane inuentions in Gods worſhip, ſignificatiue Ceremonies, abuſed to ſuperſtition, by Idolators, and apt to be abuſed by vsus alſo, which commandeth vsus all poſſible purity and ſimplicity, in the worſhips of God; Ergo our Ceremonies are vnlawfull, ſimply, and in nature euill, as being idolatrous, and may not be practiſed.

Anſw. This obiection is not wel vrged by any as yet, that I know, becauſe it is vrged confuſedly, and diſtinguiſheth not of the parts of this commandement, neither declareth the degrees of the duties commanded, or of the ſinne committed againſt this command, that ſo the reaſon might bee euident, why, and how farre theſe Ceremonies are againſt the ſecond Commandement. But I anſwere, though a man ſhould admit the antecedent, that theſe Ceremonies in theſe reſpects are againſt the ſecond commandement, yet it followeth not, therefore wee may not vſe them to preuent depriuation, or to redeeme the libertie of the Goſpell; and the reaſon is, that as the reaſon of the refuſing of ſuch Ceremonies as ours are, be commanded, ſo alſo is the preaching of the Word commaunded in the ſecond Commandement: the former as a circumſtantiall duety, to which all Ceremonies are as a leſſer worke to a greater. The leſſer may not commaund or ouerrule a greater: if it bee ſayde theſe Ceremonies are Species idoloatriae kindes or degrees of idolatry: I anſwere, that admit it were ſo, yet it is ſuch aſpecies, as the wearing of ſome apparrell a little too fine (yet not being euill in it ſelfe) or the ſmile of the wife of another man, a little too familiar, without euill intention may bee aſpecies, or gradus of adultery, that is of the leaſt degree thereof, quatenus, it may be an occaſion, and accidentall meanes of ſcandall in ſome, and vncleaneneſſein others, which is farre from making a diuorce, or ſo much as ſturring indignation in the husband: But if we would make a paralell and equall cauſe, betweene that caſe and ours, it muſt be thus, namely, in a caſe of neceſſitie, that a man muſt either goe naked, and ſo impaire his health, or indanger his life, and goe after an vnſeemely faſhion, or elſe hee muſt weare ſome inconuenient apparrell, in the wearing whereof, ſome good mindes will bee offended with him in the vſe, others will take it as an occaſion by the faſhion, to bee vnlawfully inamored with his perſon, and ſo may be an occaſion to draw them to actuall adultery in thought, deſire, intreatie, or attempt: ſuppoſe alſo, that other men doe vſe the ſame faſhion or fineneſſe to pride, and intention of adultery, take away the neceſſitie, and I confeſſe, euen the leaſt occaſion of theſe ſcandalles were vnlawfull: but with the neceſſitie, it leaueth to bee a ſinne in the wearing thereof, becauſe a greater dutie comes in place: nay it were a ſinne to neglect health, by leauing the apparrell; and compare this caſe with ours, it may as well bee ſay de to bee adultery, as this idolatrie, it being a violation of a negatiue precept as well as this is ſuppoſed to be, for all the occaſions of the ſinne, are forbidden with the ſin, that a ſinne of commiſſion as well as this is conceiued to bee, and the redeeming of preaching the Word, the meanes of mans life ſpirituall and celeſtiall, may be paralled, and put in ballance, with the redeeming of our health, and naturall life, in compariſion of the other: other compariſons may bee made out of other precepts, but this ſufficeth. Secondly, This Obiection doeth ineuitably accuſe the Apoſtles of idolatry in preſcribing and practiſing Ceremonies ſcandalous, ſignificant, abuſed, and apt to bee abaſed to ſuperſtition, and in many other reſpects in conuenient: yea, what Church in the world ſhall eſcape cenſure, for preſcribing and practiſing Ceremonies of the like nature, which euer in the pureſt Churches hauehave beene vſed more or leſſe? yea if this hold, how can any manioyne to the Church of England, or to any primitiue or reformed Church of any age; ſeeing by this they may all be ſayd to be Churches, practiſing and maintaining of idolatry, and ſo idolatrous Churches? How can any depriued Miniſter communicate in any aſſembly in England, where kneeling at the Communion is, if kneeling at Communion be idolatry, albeit hee ſit himſelfe, ſeeing he communicateth with an idolatrous Church, and with a company of idolators? and ſo muſt needes be driuen to ſeparate from England, with the Browniſts, and from all the moſt and beſt reformed Churches, primitiue and latter? For we muſt come out from idolators and touch no vncleane thing, 2. Cor. 6. 17. Rom. 18. 4. By which reaſon alſo our Sauiour Chriſt himſelfe, his Mother, his Apoſtles, & al the faithfull of thoſe times, could not eſcape the gilte of a ſinne, for communicating with the Word, Sacraments, inuocation, and Miniſtery of ſuch a Church, as propoſed ſome Ceremonies of meere humane inuention, as the worſhips of God, and neceſſary to ſaluation, Mat. 5. 8. 9. Laſtly it takes away ſaluation from the Apoſtles, the Martyrs, and all faithfull teachers which communicate with ſuch like ceremonies, both becauſe Idolators ſhall neuer enter, 1. Cor. 6. 11. Gal. 5. 19. 20. 21. Reu. 21. 8. as alſo becauſe preſuppoſing it to be a breach of the loweſt degree thereof: yet breakers of the leaſt commandement, and teaching ſo cannot be ſaued. Mat. 5. 19.

Obiect. Admitting the ceremonies of our Church to bee indifferent, yet we may not by the vſe of any indifferent thing offend or ſcandalize our brethren, rather wee muſt neuer vſe it. 1. Cor. 8. 9. 12. 13. & 10. 28. Rom. 14. 15. 16. 21.

Anſw. True, we may not vſe any indifferent thing, by which our weake brother is offended, if the not vſing or vſing thereof be voluntary & within our power, as that indifferent thing ſeemeth not to be, the vſe whereof is commanded by a Magiſtrate, or publique law: whom therefore wee muſt obey whoſoeuer bee offended, and the offence that any doth take in this caſe, is Scandalum acceptum, non datum.

A Magiſtrate onelyonly commandes my outward man, and inflictes an outward penalty, whom albeit I am commanded to obey, and that of conſcience in a thing indifferent: yet if I diſobey him not of purpoſe or contempt, but with a conſcionable and charitable reſpect of not offending weake or godly Chriſtians, that ſo I may not deſtroy my brother, Ro. 14. 15. 20. 1. Cor. 8. 10. 11. neither wound his conſcience, neither ſinne againſt Chriſt▪ 1. Cor. 8. 12. I doe not ſin againſt God, but am onelyonly lyable to the penalty enioyned, my conſcience is not herein touched before God, becauſe I reſpect and follow a greater duety. 2. A Magiſtrate cannot command me to vſe a thing, whereby either purpoſely, or by accident I ſhal offend my weake brother, & ſin againſt Chriſt 1. Chro. 8. 12. though he ſhould, yet God commands me to auoyde it, and tells me it is a ſinne againſt Chriſt, 1. Cor. 8. 1…. a ſuperior command and of ſuperior reaſon, better obey God then man.

Anſw. All this is in ſome ſence true, howbeit al this holdeth onelyonly in caſe of outward and ciuill penalty, where I ought to beare ſome corporall paine, or externall loſſe, to violate the magiſtrates command, in not offending the godly weake brother. But it holdeth not in a caſe of ſpirituall, publique & generall penalty, as of depriuation of the miniſtry, which to auoyd by vſing a thing indifferent is a duty of ſuperior reaſon, then by not vſing a thing indifferent to giuegive offence, where (in that caſe) it ſhould not be broken, which apeareth two wayes. Firſt by the greatneſſe of in conuenience; for it is ten times more in conuenient by not vſing of the ceremonies (things indifferent in nature to ſuffer depriuation of miniſtery, the Goſpell to be hindred & ſuppreſſed the whole Church, & viſible kingdome of Chriſt to be vtterly diſſolued and diſſipated, then by vſing them to redeeme theſe benefits, to offend ſome few, who in this caſe ſhould not be offended, and that they are is meerely their ſinne. Secondly, by the proportion of offence and ſcandall. For the Papiſt & Athieſt will much more triumph and reioyce, and a Godly Chriſtian wil much more grieue & be troubled, to ſee a worthy, painefull, and profitable miniſter be depriued and ſilenced, then to weare a ſurpleſſe & vſe ſome few ceremonies, the one being a ſmal in cōuenience, but the other a deadly miſchiefe to the Church of Chriſt, & ſo much of the ſecond argument of the firſt reaſon.

Argum. 3 Now followeth the third prouing, That to ſuffer depriuatiō for the refuſing to cōforme to the preſcribed ceremonies, is contrary to Gods word, and therefore a ſin; becauſe it is contrary to a ſecond ground of Gods word, namely the royall law of louelove: for the further euidencing of this reaſo, there are two points to be conſidered and proued. Firſt that to do any thing that is contrary to the law of louelove, is contrary to the word of God. Secondly to refuſe conformity to the preſcribed ceremonies in caſe of depriuation, is contrary to the law of louelove. The firſt point is of it ſelfe cleere ynough without any further proofe, howbeit it appeareth by theſe reaſōs, that namely it is cōtray to Gods word to do any thing cōtrary to the law of louelove. Firſt becauſe if louelove be the fulfilling of the law, Ro. 13. 8. 12. thē the violatiō of this law, is the violatiō of the law of God, which is a ſin. 1. cor. 16. 14. al our things muſt be done in louelove. Secondly becauſe of the fulfilling of the law of louelove, according to the ſcrip. by wel doing; for the Apoſt ſaith, If ye fulfil it ye do wel, Iam. 2. 10. thē the violatiō of the law is euil doing, which is ſin. Thirdly becauſe the violation of the law of louelove is a breach of the end of the cōmandemēt, 1. Tim. 1. 5. 6. which is a ſin. Fourthly becauſe the violatiō of the law of louelove is a breach of the law of louelove to God, Io. 3. 17. & 4. 20. 21. & 5. 1. therefore a ſin. Fiftly Becauſe the violation hereof putteth out the infallible and true badge in vsus of being ture chriſtians, *Ioh. …3 35. 1. Ioh. 4. 7. & 13. 10. 19. which is a ſin. Sixtly becauſe the violatiō of this law putteth out the internall aſſurance of regeneratiō, & of being the childrē of God, *& that wee be tranſlated from death to life, which is a ſinne.

The ſecond point is alſo prooued thus, namely, That to incurre and ſuffer depriuation for refuſing to conforme, 2 Poynt.is contrary to the royall law of louelove. The reaſons are theſe;

Reaſon. 1 Firſt, becauſe this doctrine and practiſe is a greate enemy to mans ſaluation, which is a breach of this law of louelove in the higheſt degree. Rom. 14. 15. This appeareth, becauſe it doeth by abſtaining from a thing in nature indifferent (ſuch as our ceremonies are prooued to be) needleſly depriue him of the ordinary meanes of his ſaluation, which is the preaching miniſtry of the word of God, and of the Sacraments. For as things doe ſtand, all ſuch as doe not conforme vntounto the ceremonies, are to be depriued without exception.

Obiect. A man may hauehave the miniſtry of others, though ſome be depriued.

Anſw. Surely very hardly: For where almoſt in any place many thouſands of perſons fearing God, in this land, enioy a preaching miniſter, hauing loſt their faithfull teachers by this doctrine of ſuffering depriuation for refuſing conformity to our ceremonies, which hauehave no teachers neerethem in a greate compaſſe, and are tyed by neceſſitie of outward meanes that they cannot remooue their dwelling, where they may enioy this ordinary meanes of their ſaluation. Secondly this obiection is nothing to the point in hand: for in that ſome preachers remaine for the comfort of Gods people, is Gods extraordinary bleſſing and grace, of whoſe mercy it is, that wee are not conſumed, becauſe his compaſſion fayles not. Howbeit this is no thanke to this doctrine of ſuffering depriuation for indifferent ceremonies, which if it might preuayle according to their minde, would leaue noe preacher in England at this houre, but ſweepe them all away at once, which I thus manifeſt. Firſt our Soueraigne King and the Eccleſiaſticall gouernors vnderunder him with the whole ſtate (as appeareth by the Statutes yeat in force) doe remaine reſolued and vnremooued to maintaine the practiſe of ceremonies preſcribed indifferent, and that it is not a conuenient thing, neither yet ſafe, neither ſtanding with the credit of the Church, or commonwealth, to remoue theſe things, which they hold to hauehave bin at firſt with mature aduice eſtabliſhed; and this reſolution of theirs, experience in the loſſe of many woorthy preachers hath taught vsus. Secondly, the doctrine of ſuffering depriuation for inconuenient ceremonies, if it bee truth, as they ſuppoſe it be, who hauehave beene for that cauſe depriued, doth tie all Miniſters alike, ſo that if it tie the conſcience of one, it tieth alſo the conſcience of another, yea of a thouſand beſides, not one excepted. Wherefore no man (if wee preſuppoſe the ſtate of things to remaine as they doe) may by that doctrine without ſinne, conforme to redeeme his Miniſtery, not onelyonly at this time, but not in any poſteritie heereafter: and ſo this doctrine doth vniuerſally depriue all places of this Land at all times (things ſtanding as they doe) of the ordinary meanes of their ſaluation, which is the Miniſtery of the Word and Sacraments.

Obiect. God bleſſeth the priuat meanes of priuat reading, catechiſing, inſtruction, reproofe, comfort, exhortation, and inuocation, in the abſence of the publike.

Anſw. True vntounto ſuch perſons, as are not cauſe of depriuing themſelues needleſly of the publike meanes: in which caſe I know God accepteth a man according to that he hath, and not according to that he hath not. But what is that to the Miniſters, that doe not on iuſt cauſe, but needleſly ſuffer depriuation for refuſing to conforme? whereby it ſeemeth that they incurre the danger of two miſchiefes. One by needleſly ſuffering the light of Gods publike ordinance to be quenched, they create to themſelues iuſt feare that hee will not bleſſe their priuat meanes to them, being guilty of the needleſſe leauing of the publike. The other, that they may alſo feare leaſt they hauehave done (though in ignorance & purpoſe of well doing) as much as in them lay, needleſly to deſtroy the flocke committed to their charge, by denying further inſtruction to them, and publike ordinary meanes of their ſaluation, which they might hauehave with good conſcience continued in, to the comfort & conuerſion of many a ſoule.

Obiect. Wee muſt ſo louelove our neighbour, as that wee muſt louelove Chriſt aboue our deereſt friends, Matth. 10. 37. Luk. 14. 26. Secondly, louelove reioyceth in the truth, not in iniquity, 1. Cor. 13. 6. Thirdly, wee muſt ſo louelove our neighbour, as that we offend not God, by breaking his will. Fourthly, wee muſt ſo louelove our neighbour, as that we offend not God, by violating a good conſcience, and breaking our peace, Heb. 13. 18. Fifthly, we muſt not doe euill, that good may come thereof: wherefore wee muſt not vſe the ceremonies, though wee ſuffer depriuation, and by this practiſe wee breake not the law of louelove, but keepe it.

Anſw. Firſt wee louelove Chriſt, when we keepe his Commaundements, Ioh. 14. 21. 24. who hath commanded his Miniſters to preach his Word to the worlds end, Matt. 28. 19. 20. he breaketh not Chriſts commandement, that doth practiſe indifferent ceremonies, though in ſome reſpects accidentally inconuenient, to redeeme the fulfilling of his greater duty of teaching the Goſpel to the flocke, which is a great argument of our louelove to him, Ioh. 21. 15. 16. 17. Secondly, the truth is this, wherein true louelove reioyceth, that for tender louelove vntounto the ſheepe of Chriſt, that Miniſters muſt conforme and practiſe euen inconuenient ceremonies, that the Goſpell may hauehave a free paſſage, which truth is proued, Act. 16. 1. 3. & 15. 28. 29. & 21. 23. 24. 25. 26. Thirdly, we breake the will of God, if we neglect the preaching of Gods Word, 2. Tim. 4. 2. but vponupon iuſt cauſe, and draw the heauy woe vponupon vsus, 1. Cor. 9. 16. Fourthly, what good conſcience may a man hauehave by breaking a greater duty, to performe a leſſer? by committing a greater ſinne, to auoid that which in this caſe leaueth to bee a ſinne? to make conſcience of that, where none in this caſe is to be made, and to make no conſcience of that, where great conſcience is to bee made, namely of continuing to feede the flocke committed to their charge. Fifthly, this obiection is anſwered before, and holds in matters euill onelyonly by nature, not in things indifferent of nature, and in vſe onelyonly inconuenient.

Reaſ. 2 Becauſe the doctrine and practiſe of ſuffering depriuation for inconuenient ceremonies, is a great enemy to the edification of the Church, which is a ſpeciall property and effect of louelove: for louelove edifieth, Epheſ. 4. 16. 1. Cor. 8. 1. For by ineuitable conſequence, it ouerthroweth all the Churches and miniſtery of Chriſt in England, yea al the reformed churches Zanch. in Phil. 1. fol. 45. b. Read the Queſtion.of Chriſtendome at this houre yea all Churches ſince Chriſt and his Apoſtles. Wherefore this doctrine and practiſe is oppoſite vntounto the law of LoueLove. The ineuitable ouerthrow, diſſipation, and deſtruction of all Churches by this doctrine and practiſe, appeareth by this that followeth. Firſt wee muſt conſider this, that no Church ſince the Apoſtles time, but hath practiſed inconuenient Ceremonies in ſome reſpect: neither is there any true reformed Church at this houre in the Chriſtian world, German, Daniſh, Bohem, Heluetian, Dutch, or French, which doth not practiſe ſome inconuenient ceremonies: ſome of them doe practiſe farre more then ours, and more liable to exception; all which is made euident in Argument the fourth. Yea, the Apoſtolicall Churches did practiſe inconuenient ceremonies & that by the Apoſtles command, and that as things good and neceſſary for the Church, Act. 15. 28. 29. Secondly, it therefore followeth by this doctrine of ſuffering depriuation for inconuenient ceremonies, that all the Miniſters of England, yea of al Chriſtendom, muſt neceſſarily ſuffer depriuation for refuſing their inconuenient ceremonies (ſeing all Churches doe ſtrictly tie their Miniſters to the practiſe of their ceremonies:) yea the Apoſtles by this doctrine did very ill, and committed ſin to perſwade others to conforme to inconuenient ceremonies, Act. 21. 23. 24. yea to command them to conforme to them, as good and neceſſary in that caſe, Acts 15. 28. 29. Yea to practiſe this conformity on themſelues, Act. 21. 26. Yea and on others alſo, Acts 16. 1. 3. Yea, they ſhould rather hauehave ſuffered their Apoſtleſhip to hauehave bene forfeited, and left the preaching of the Goſpel to hauehave bene ſuppreſſed, the Churches of Chriſt to hauehave bene diſſolued and deſolated, then to hauehave yeelded to this conformity of inconuenient ceremonies. But to admit of this is apparantly abſurd: wherfore the reaſon followes and remaines in force.

Reaſ. 3 Becauſe this doctrine and practiſe doth needleſly, on no ground or iuſt cauſe, breed or produce ſundry ſcandalls and offences againſt diuers ſorts of perſons, which is againſt the law of louelove, as appeareth. Firſt, it is the occaſion of fraternall diſcord, mouing the Miniſters to …udge and account of the reuerend Biſhops, as of Antichriſtian, and tyrannous Prelates, and the Biſhops to eſteeme of them, as of pernitious and vnſufferable Schiſmatickes. This diſturbeth the Churches peace, maketh the common enemy inſult and blaſpheme the Goſpel, at our mutuall diſcords, and deuoureth our owne ſtrength, by biting one another, and is Ergo againſt the law of louelove, 1. Theſſ. 5. 13. Galat. 5. 13. 14. 15. Rom. 12. 8. Whereas if in the caſe of depriuation, the Miniſters did peaceably conforme, this ſcandall would be cut off, or exceedingly made leſſe and mittigated: of which ſin the authors and acceſſaries are guilty before God. Secondly, it two fold more ſcandalizeth the Papiſt, then conformity: for hee doth farre more reioyce and inſult to ſee a godly Miniſter thruſt out, and with him all the truth of the Goſpel, feruently and continually preſſed (the greateſt enemy to Popery that can be) then to ſee him weare a Surpleſſe in the face of our Church, with his mouth opened, and ſtomacke inlarged againſt Antichriſt, and his ſuperſtitions, and will worſhips. Thirdly, it two fold more ſcandalizeth the Atheiſt, and carnall Libertine and Epicure, who by the painfull Miniſters depriuall, will exceedingly triumph to ſee a doore opened for him without reſiſtance, to liue in drunkenneſſe, whoordome, ſwearing, oppreſſing, & to bring in ſecurely wanton dancings, Church-ales, profane wakefeaſts, reuells, vnlawfull ſports, and a thouſand euills, much more then to ſee the Miniſter, though conforming to the ceremonies, yet preſent to withſtand, diſgrace and ſuppreſſe theſe ſins and therein to glorifie God, to further his kingdome, to edifie his Church, to propagate his Goſpel, with a Surpleſſe on his backe.

Fourthly, it two fold more ſcandalizeth ſuch one as doth truly feare the name of God, who could bee more contented to enioy the meanes of his Faith and ſaluation, and of the Communion of Saints, and viſible proſperity of Chriſt his kingdome vponupon earth, with a ſmall inconuenience of ſome Ceremonies, which hee grieueth at, and is not guilty of, then to loſe his Paſtor, the Goſpel and ordinary meanes of his ſauing faith, yea of his ſaluation: and heereby to ſee (if it ſo fall out) loyterers and Wolues in ſheepes clothing, take the charge of the flocke of Chriſt, and to behold the ſheepe and lambes, ſo deerely bought, and heeretofore ſo well inſtructed, to lie ſcattered vp and downe, which were vnited in one fold together, and led into the greene paſtures of grace and life.

Fiftly, it offendeth the Magiſtrate, by prouoking him (perſwaded and reſolued as hee is) to diſgrace theſe otherwiſe well deſeruing Miniſters, and to ſtrike them with the ſword of authoritie, and that in the dayes and light of the Goſpel, which would ceaſe by conforming in this caſe. And if wee ſhould not offend a priuate perſon, much leſſe ſhould we offend the Magiſtrate, which is a publicke perſon, about the vſe of a thing indifferent. If it be ſaide, that therefore they abſtaine from the Ceremonies that they might not giuegive offence to godly mindes, I ſay againe, that good mindes ſhould not bee offended in this caſe, which if they do we muſt neglect, for that by refuſall of conformity the Magiſtrate is prouoked to depriue them; and ſuch as are well minded hauehave farre more occaſion of offence at the depriuation of a good teacher, (which is a miſcheefe) then at his conformity (which is but a ſimple inconuenience at the moſt.)

6 Sixtly, it vniuſtly condemneth the harmonie of all true Churches, that euer were Primitiue and reformed, for teaching falſe doctrine, and many godly and moſt reuerend perſons, who in caſe of depriuation partly hauehave taught the doctrine of neceſſary conformity to inconuenient Ceremonies, partly who aduiſed thereunto, partly who practiſed the ſame themſelues: which hath bene an vniuerſall doctrine of all ſound Teachers, of all times, and places: (as appeareth elſe where in the following arguments) yea it condemneth the very inſpired Apoſtles of Ieſus Chriſt, and the Churches of their planting, which (for performance of greater duties) did conforme themſelues, perſwade others to conforme, and commanded the ſame to others as a duty good and neceſſary. All which inconueniences by conformity, euen vntounto inconuenient Ceremonies, in the caſe of depriuation would bee wholy auoyded: which by not conforming are needleſſely maintained, ſtrengthened and vpholden. It followeth therefore, that the doctrine and practiſe of ſuffering depriuation for refuſing Ceremonies, though in ſome reſpect inconuenient, is oppoſite vntounto the law of louelove, and ſo by conſequence, and error and a ſinne.*Touching the doctrine of this point, and application thereof vntounto the practiſe of like Ceremonies to ours in a like caſe, looke Gual. in act. 16. 3. hom. 106. fol. 199. P…ſc. in act. 15. 28. Idem in act. 21. 20. Idem in act. 16. 3 Calu. in act. 15. 28. fol. 265. Idem in act. …8. 18. Aret. in act. 15. 28. fol. 72. Idem in act. 16. 3. fol. 75. Beza annot. in act. 15. 29. & in act. 16. 4. & 21. 20. & 18. 18.

Reaſon 2 Thus much of the firſt maine reaſon, prouing that the doctrine and practiſe of ſuffering depriuation, for refuſing to conforme to the preſcribed Ceremonies, is contrary to Gods word, and therefore an error and a ſinne.

Argu. 4 Now the ſecond maine reaſon ſtandeth in this: becauſe the doctrine and practiſe of ſuffering depriuation for refuſing to conforme to the Ceremonies preſcribed (in the preſent Church of England) or the like, tendeth directly to condemne all true Churches of Chriſt, Primitiue and latter: and all ſound teachers and ſincere Chriſtians of all times and places ſince the time of the Apoſtles, which appeareth to bee an errour in doctrine, and a ſinne in practiſe.

For the further manifeſtation of this reaſon, there muſt be proued, theſe two points.

That to condemne all true Churches, and ſound Teachers of all times and places, primitiue and latter, for teaching error in any doctrine, or maintaining or committing maintained ſinne in practiſe, is a ſinne and error.

That this Doctrine and practiſe of ſuffring depriuation, for refuſing to conforme to the preſcribed Ceremonies, in our preſent Church of England, or to the like, doth condemne all true Churches, and ſincere Teachers, of all times and places, ſince the times of the Apoſtles.

Which points being prooued, the concluſion will ineuitably follow, that to ſuffer depriuation for refuſing to conforme, is a ſinne and an error to be taught and practiſed.

Touching the former point: That namely to condemne 1. Point.all true Churches and ſound teachers for teaching, and maintaining falſe doctrine and ſinne, is both an error and a ſinne: Firſt, I ſay it is an error:

Becauſe in condemning their doctrine for falſe doctrine, euen in this point they condemned the inſpired doctrine of the holy Apoſtles for falſe doctrine (as before appeareth) which muſt needes bee an error and a ſinne, of no light degree.

Becauſe it condemneth their doctrine & practiſe, which are followers of the Apoſtles in their inſpired doctrine and practiſe, and which walke ſo as they hauehave them for an example: which rule of doctrine and practiſe, being commended as true, and commanded as iuſt, Phil. 3. 17. and 4. 9. the contrary thereto muſt needes be an error.

Becauſe the true Catholike Church indefinitely, taken for the company of the faithfull in all ages, being as they are euer built on the foundations of the Prophets, and Apoſtles, and Chriſt the corner ſtone, Eph. 2. 20. is the pillar and ground of trueth, 1. Tim. 3. 15. but whatſoeuer is againſt the ground of trueth, muſt needes be an error.

Becauſe the true Church of all ages being defined truely, ly, to bee the congregation of the faithfull, conſiſteth of a company of ſpirituall perſons, (not of carnall blinde or prophaine perſons, or hereticall Idolatours and tiranious Popes or Prelates as the Papiſtes:) Now the ſpirituall man diſcerneth all things, 1. Corinth. 2. 15. euen the deepe things of God, verſ. 10. by the ſpirit which God hath giuen him, ver. 12. how much more is the whole company of all the ſpirituall, able to performe the ſame: wherefore the contrary to their doctrine muſt needs be an error.

Becauſe it condemneth the whole ſtreame of the faithfull teachers, and Churches of all ages, of an hainous and damnable crime, namely the breaking the leſſer commandements of God, and the teaching of men ſo to doe: whereby they exclude them, by neceſſary conſequence out of heauen, Matthew 5. 19. which muſt needes bee a groſſe error, and no ſmall ſinne.

Becauſe no ſcripture is of priuate interpretation, 2. Peter 1. 20. either of priuate ſpirits of carnall perſons, though they be many as the interpretations of the Romiſh Popes and Doctors, or of other heretickes failing in the foundation: or of a few Godly and well affected Perſons, againſt the Ocean and world of the faithfull: but the iudgements of the Engliſh depriued Miniſters, being againſt the whole true Church of Chriſt, is but as a litle ſtreame vntounto the Ocean, or a ſmall field vntounto the world: their opinion therefore againſt the whole Church is of priuate interpretation, and an error.

Becauſe it is againſt the rules of Gods word, and meanes appointed of God for the finding out of the trueth, euen in ſuch like caſes as this, for a few Miniſters and other perſons, be they otherwiſe neuer ſo faithfull, to be oppoſite in iudgement to the whole Church.

1 One meanes is for learners to obey their teachers, Hebrew. 13. 17. eſpecially teaching ſecundum legem, according to the law, Deut. 18. 11. but the Fathers and Godly learned Doctors, ſince them being the Miniſters of the Church of Chriſt in all ages, are the Teachers of all others, ſpecially, if they teach ſecundum legem, which muſt be hearkened vntounto and obeyed, and whoſoeuer doth not hearken to them ſo teaching, erreth.

2 An other meanes and ordinance of God is this, that two or three Prophets ſpeaking, the reſt muſt iudge of that they ſpeake: and that the ſpirit of the Prophets muſt bee ſubiect to the Prophets, 1. Cor. 14. 29. 32. When therefore a few Engliſh Miniſters doe ſpeake in the Church, the will of God is this; that the whole Church of all ages and places ſhould iudge: but for the whole Catholike Church of all ages and places to ſpeake, and a few Miniſters of one only Prouince and of one time to iudge and cenſure them, is the mother of confuſion, and an enemie to peace, as the Apoſtle ſaith, 1. Cor. 14. 32. 33. and contrary to this rule and ordinance of God, and therefore the way to error.

3 An other meanes of Gods appointment euen in the like caſe with this: that in matters of difference, not onelyonly about fundamentall points, but alſo in matters of Ceremonies, when the peace of the Church is broken about them, the vnitie of brethren deuided, and the courſe of the Goſpel hindred and interrupted: to aske and ſeeke the iudgement of other true Churches and Teachers, about the caſe in queſtion: As the Apoſtles did in, Act. 15. 2, 3, 4, 6. and the Primitiue ages following after their example, alſo did imitate as their duty was, Ph. 3. 17. and 4. 8, 9. in which caſe if the iudgment of one, two, or twenty Churches be to be harkned to, and not deſpiſed or contradicted raſhly, how much leſſe the iudgement, of all true Churches, of all times and places. Now for a few perſons of one Prouince (as of England and of one ſeaſon, to ſway againſt all Churches, & to condemne their doctrine, and practiſe of ſinne and error, is againſt this ordinance of God, and the way to error.

Becauſe the ſwaying againſt the iudgement and practiſe VIII.of all Churches and Teachers, is againſt the equity of many forcible and maine reaſons: For:

1 Who are more likely to know the trueth, euen in ſuch a point as this, then the whole company of ſuch? Firſt, who are indued with the moſt excellent gifts in the Church, and greateſt degrees of knowledge and vnderſtanding of Gods word, and with meanes tending thereunto? doe not the beſt ſights, beſt iudge of colours? Secondly, who are and hauehave been endued with greateſt degrees of euident ſanctity? Thirdly, whoſe labours hauehave beene moſt of all bleſſed of God, for the conuerſion of ſoules, for the ouerthrow of ſinne, and Antichriſt, and Hereſies? Fourthly, who hauehave liued and died moſt comfortably in the Lord? If a man ſhould not reſt in the iudgements of the whole company of ſuch, where ſhould he reſt? or what peace or aſſurance ſhall hee hauehave to hauehave all theſe (ſo many as all and ſo incomparable perſons) his aduerſaries: as in condemning ſuch for ſinners and falſe Teachers.

2 No one point of error can be ſhewed, which is eſtabliſhed by this rule: namely, by the conſent of iudgement and practiſe of all Churches, primitiue, and reformed latter. For albeit▪ ſome faithfull perſons, and ſome true Churches, may differ from ſome other in ſundry points, and thereby there muſt needes bee error in one part or other: yet it were hard for a few priuate perſons, to conuince them all of errour, in a matter wherein they all agree: if they were in errour; is it not ſtrange, no age ſhould bee able to diſcerne it?

3 Such as hauehave wilfully and profeſſedly differed from this rule, hauehave beene found to hauehave beene Newfangles, Heretickes, Schiſmatickes, and prophane perſons; ſuch as Donatiſts, Anabaptiſts, Browniſts, Arians, Fameliſts, and the like: and are of infinite varieties, one from another, and therefore all, or the very moſt, muſt needes bee an errour, for there is but one trueth.

4 By the reiecting of this rule, eueryevery Sect maketh a way open to their owne contempt. For if the iudgement of ſo reuerend, and ſo excellent lights and agreement of them all, is to bee deſpiſed and reiected by any particular: why ſhould not others reiect and contemne them and their iudgement, the matter being difficult, and of diſputable nature, and themſelues being ſo many thouſand degrees behind the perſon whom they thus deſpiſe, in their worth or number?

5 It opens a doore to ſingularitie, noueltie, and of endleſſe differences, errors and contentions, and leaues no rule of Peace, or of ending diſſentions in the Church of God: For if one may vnderunder colour of trueth, teach and practiſe what he liſt in his diuerſitie: why may not another do the like? or what rule will there be, to compoſe the diſſention, that doe and will ariſe in the Church! which one part hauing the trueth, may vrge vntounto the other voyd of truth: why ſhould hee rather follow this part then that? wherefore in this caſe wee are to note, that no priuate perſon or perſons, may raiſe vp any new opinion, and pretend Scripture for it, and ſo propoſe it for a Doctrine and a truth in the Church, though hee condemne the whole Church beſide for an error and a ſinne. Becauſe as the Scriptures are not of priuate interpretation, ſo Gods Spirit is not priuate, but generall to all the faithfull.

Thus wee ſee this doctrine of ſwaying againſt all true Churches and Teachers of all ages and places, and condemning them of ſinne and error, is falſe doctrine. Whereupon alſo it followeth ſecondly, that it is a ſinne: which alſo appeareth further.

I Becauſe Dauid doth iudge himſelfe that he treſpaſſed, in that he being a priuate man condemned and cenſured all the generation of Gods children, Pſal. 73. 13. 14. 15. Againe becauſe God laieth a woe vponupon the practiſe of taking away the righteouſneſſe of the righteous from him, Eſa. 5. 23. or of condemning the iuſt, Pr. 17. 15. But that doctrine & practiſe which laieth a ſin vntounto the charge of all Gods Church, takes away their righteouſnes and condemnes them in that point. Therefore it is a ſinne, euen of bearing falſe witneſſe againſt the whole congregation of neighbours.

2 Becauſe the cenſuring of all true Churches, for a ſin, or of falſe Doctrine, is contrary to the Commandements of God: who would hauehave the Teachers obeyed and hearkened vntounto, which doe teach and define ſecundum legem: as aboue I noted, Heb. 13. 17. Deut. 17. 9, 10, 11, 12. and would hauehave the reſt to iudge of the words of a few which propheſie, 1. Cor. 14. 29. 32. and of the commandement, of walking in the wayes of good men, Pro. 2. 20. Phil. 3. 17. and 4. 9. It is alſo contrary to the practiſe of the holy Apoſtles, who determined one Churches differences by another, Act. 15. 2. as before I noted.

3 Becauſe this Doctrine is the ground, and mother of ſchiſme: For S. Paul noteth, that they cauſe diuiſion and offences, that teach and practiſe contrary to the doctrine which the whole Church hath receiued eſpecially from the Apoſtles, Rom. 16. 17. Therefore this doctrine is a ſinne.

Obiect. Againſt this point it is alleadged, firſt, that it is a Popiſh ground, to make the Church the ground of our Faith: It contradicteth the Doctrine of our Churches againſt the Papiſts.

Anſw. This point includeth no Popiſh ground; nor doeth it contradict the Doctrine of our Churches againſt the Papiſts: For the Churches deſire nothing ſo much againſt the Papiſts, then that they would grant the elect and faithfull to bee the onelyonly Church: and then that they would ſtand to the iudgement, determination, and practiſe of ſuch as are faithfull in all ages. But that this may the better appeare to bee no Popiſh ground, Wee are to note:

1 The Papiſts vnderſtand the Church, to conſiſt onelyonly of perſons in office, and thoſe often hereticall, ſacrilegious, and prophane perſons ſuch as their Popes, Cardinalls, carnall Biſhops: Wee, the only faithfull in all times and places, whether in office or not.

2 They vrge Apocriphall and baſterd Fathers, for the patronage of their errors: Wee the vndoubted writings of the approued Fathers.

3 They vrge the Fathers errors, and things wherein they differ: we their truth, ſo farre foorth onelyonly as they agree and conſent.

4 They alleadge the vngrounded opinions of ſome priuate fathers: we their trueth, ſo farreforth as they agree to Gods word, and examples of the Prophets of Chriſt and his Apoſtles.

5 They inſiſt vponupon Fathers further from the Apoſtles, & from Apoſtolicall and Primitiue purity, wee moſt of all inſiſt on thoſe who were moſt neere to the Apoſtles, as being moſt pure and free from Antichriſtian contagion.

6 They are only for the former Fathers we bring the conſent of all our later worthy Fathers and teachers of the moſt reformed and pureſt Churches of the world.

Obiect. This were to giuegive and to aſcribe as much to man as to God, to make them the grounds and iudges, of our faith or practiſe: yea it is ſo farre from being a ſinne, to ſway from all iudgements, that it is a ſinne to iudge that all iudgements ſhould bee the rule of our conſciences.

Anſw. This obiection is both vnfit and vntrue: It is vnfit becauſe the argument concludeth not that they are, or that we ſhould make them the grounds and iudges of our faith and practiſe: But that it is an errour and a ſinne to condemne the whole Church of Chriſt, for teaching errour, and for practiſing and maintaining ſinne. Next it is an vntruth to call the whole company of Saints and ſpirituall perſons, (Man) oppoſed vntounto God. Which appeareth further by conſidering the aequiuocation of the word (Man). For man is taken either for meere man (ⁱ) a carnall man, or to the poynt, a company of carnall men, prophane, ignorant and erronious, which cannot know nor perceiue the things of God, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned, 1. Cor. 2, 14. and ſo it is true, if the caſe were thus, that wee ſhould put the iudgement of this thing, to a company of carnall perſons, for in this caſe, it is ſayde that all men are lyers, Rom. 3. 4. But there is alſo the ſpirituall man which hath vnderſtanding to iudge what other men do ſay, 1. Cor. 10. 15. and diſcerneth all things, euen the deepe things of God, Pſal. 25. 14. 9. 1. Cor. 2. 15. 10. 12. Dan. 12. 10. Iohn 7. 17. 1. Iohn 2. 27. The conſent in iudgement of which company, is not to be termed a company of men oppoſed againſt God: But ſuch as being built one the foundation of the Prophets, Apoſtles, and Chriſt, the corner ſtone, Eph. 2. 20. are alſo called by holy the Ghoſt in this reſpect the pillar and ground of trueth, 1. Tim. 3. 15.

Obiect. A priuate man may ſee a truth which a great many Godly men may not diſcerne.

Anſw. Though a priuate man may ſee more into ſome trueth, and explicate or confirme it better than many other: yet it were abſurd to ſay, that one man might ſee more then all the faithfull, all godly learned Teachers, all true Churches that euer were in the world, for the rule is good which Lyrinenſis giueth, Nouè non noua: The Papiſts take the Church, for onelyonly perſons in office, as Pope, Cardinall, Biſhops, and Abbots, and other Doctors gathered in a Councill: and it was well maintained by Gerſon, that a priuate man, by the light of Gods word, may ſee more then they all: And the reeſon is plaine. Firſt, becauſe thoſe perſons hauehave many wayes prooued themſelues to be carnall, and prophane, and not able to diſcerne the things of God, which are ſpiritually to be diſcerned. And againe, becauſe they iudge not as it was inioined to the Prieſt in the law, Secundum legem Deut. 17. 11. and ſo there can be no light in them, Eſa. 8. 20. But the caſe in queſtion is quite oppoſite to this, in either part, and therefore this obiection toucheth not the point.

Obiect. The whole Church of God may erre in ſome circumſtantiall matters: All viſible Churches may erre in matters, not fundamentall: The conſent of Churches and of the faithfull teachers, according to Gods word, a rule of fundamental truths; that is of al ſuch truths as may quiet a mans conſcience, it is not ſo in matters of circumſtance.

Anſw. 1 Wee hold rightly againſt the Papiſts that all particular Churches may erre: whereupon wee aſſume and inferre: But the Roman Church is a particular Church: Therefore it may erre. But that the Catholique Church taken in the ſence, that our part doe explicate it, (ⁱ) for the company of the faithfull in all ages, it was neuer holden by any ſound diuine: But the cleane contrary.

2 Though the iudgement of all true Churches in matters fundamentall, be infallible, becauſe without fundamentalls, they could not be Churches: and againe albeit all particular Churches may erre in matters circumſtantiall and ceremoniall: yet it is an hard ſpeach to ſay that the generall or Catholique Churches, or company of the faithfull, in all ages hauehave generally conſented in an error, neither can there poſſibly on inſtance be ſhewed of ſuch a point, no not of a circumſtantiall point.

3 The depriued Miniſters hold it a ſinne in nature to practiſe the ceremonies preſcribed in our Church or the like: but ſinne in nature is a thing ſubſtantiall, in the practiſe whereof a mans conſcience cannot bee quieted, and therefore if the iudgements of all Churches bee brought againſt them, either they muſt confeſſe their doctrine in this point, to be an error: or elſe that the whole general Church, ſince Chriſt hauehave erred fundamentally, which is not farre from haereſy and blaſphemy, and I earneſtly do pray them to conſider of this poynt.

Obiect. Churches and fathers hauehave exceedingly differed among themſelues in all times: heere ſhould wee make their iudgement, and conſent to bee a rule of our doctrine and practiſe.

Anſw. This is ſoone anſwered becauſe I ſpeake not of their differences or of the things wherein they are deuided: but only of ſuch things wherein they all conſent and agree: as namely they all agree that the Chriſtian Sabbath muſt bee ſanctified, and that from the ground, and in memoriall of Chriſt his reſurrection: for they agree that al the bookes of Scripture are the word of God: and in the point in queſtion, they agree that Churches may vary in their ceremonies and diſcipline, and yet retaine their peace one with another. And that ceremonies, as inconuenient (as our ceremonies are ſuppoſed to be,) & in ſome reſpect, fit to be aboliſhed, yet may they be retained, and ought to be practiſed to preuent the diuiſion of brethren: diſquiet of the Church, & hinderance of the Goſpel; and there are few points wherein they agree more conſtantly then in this.

Obiect. We are commanded to call no man our teacher vponupon earth, becauſe one is our Doctor and teacher, euen Chriſt, Mat. 23. 8. 10. there is one law giuer, Iam. 4. 12.

Anſw. This obiection is much vrged by Browniſts, as ſome of the others are. But what will they conclude from hence? ſurely if any ſuch thing, it muſt be this. Therefore we may not make the iudgement of the Fathers or whatſoeuer men in earth, a rule of our conſcience. And indeed I ſay that it is wel concluded, neither verely would I nor any other, that I know of ſound iudgement hold otherwiſe. But that it may appeare how little to the purpoſe it is alleadged, I ſay:

1 If they will apply this to our Church in reſpect of our ceremonies preſcribed: then may they conclude againſt the Apoſtles, for preſcribing Iewiſh ceremonies, notwithſtanding the end and accompliſhment of them all, by the death and conſummatum est, of Chriſt.

2 The Primitiue auncient and latter reformed Churches, are all of them deficient this way: either in diſipline or ceremonies, they are faulty and doe faile more or leſſe; yet they will not accuſe them for denying Chriſt, to be their teacher and Prophet.

3. They onelyonly deny Chriſt to be their Prophet and teacher, who doe preach another Goſpell to the Church, Gal. 1. 6. 7. which teach any thing beſides, Gal. 1. 8. 9. Ro. 16. 17. otherwiſe, 1. Tim. 6. 3. Contrary to the word of God, Tit. 1. 9. diuers and ſtrange doctrines, Heb. 13. 9. Hereſies, Tit. 3. 10. which will not heare him in all things whatſoeuer hee ſhall ſay, Act. 3. 22. Mat. 28. 20. Ioh. 3. 36. & 10. 5. All which our Church with all other reformed Churches doe vtterly diſclaime, and are free from: and namely in preſcribing and vſing of theſe ceremonies, or the like, as appeareth by conſidering; Firſt, the matter which is taught, which is of two ſorts, ſome things are fundamentall and of greater moment, ſome things circumſtantiall and of leſſer: againe ſome things are ſpecially commaunded, others included vnderunder generall rules and are left free to eueryevery Church to bee determined, as ſhall beſt ſerue for the edification thereof, ſometimes after one manner, and at other times after ſome other: where we are to obſerue that our Church (as other reformed Churches) doe teach nothing fundamentall, which is not expreſly taught in the Word, neither doth it teach any thing contrary to that which is expreſly commanded by Chriſt in his Word; onelyonly it varieth the circumſtantialls or ceremonialls, according to the liberty left vntounto all Churches, and practiſed by all Churches, which the gouernours doe ſuppoſe beſt to further or edifie the ſubſtantialls. Secondly, conſider we the manner of our Churches propoſing of theſe things. The fundamentall points, and ſpeciall precepts of Chriſt ſhee propoſeth as binding the conſcience vnderunder paine of condemnation to eueryevery wilfull and impenitent tranſgreſſour. The circumſtantialls or ceremonialls determined by her, out of the generall rules of the Word, ſhe propoſeth and inioyneth as free, not binding the conſcience in themſelues, as variable not perpetuall, as accidentall not as neceſſary. In which caſe our Church cannot bee ſaide to deny Chriſt for her onelyonly teacher and Prophet, but rather to confeſſe him, ſeeing ſhee teacheth nothing but that Chriſt hath commanded. In which reſpect hee is with our Church by promiſe, ad finem ſaeculi, Matthew 28. 19. 20. and hee that heareth the teachers thereof thus teaching heareth Chriſt, Luke 10. 16. Ioh. 13. 20.

And thus the firſt point is confirmed: The ſecond followeth Point. 2.to be ſpoken of: which is this, [That the doctrine and practiſe of ſuffering depriuation for refuſing to conforme to the preſcribed Ceremonies, doth tend to condemne all Churches and godly teachers, Primitiue and latter, of teaching falſe doctrine, & of practiſing a maintained ſin:] Which point is thus made euident: Becauſe ſuch Miniſters as hauehave ſuffered depriuation for refuſing to conforme, or doe hazard their miniſtery for the ſame, doe account and conclude it to bee a ſin ſimply to conforme vntounto the Ceremonies propoſed in the preſent Church of England, or the like: and that all that doe conforme in any caſe vntounto them, ſhall therein commit a ſinne againſt God: and further that whoſoeuer teacheth the contrary, they ſtand out to confute them and conuince them of an errour. But all true Churches of Chriſt, and all true Orthodoxall Teachers, both auncient and latter of all times and places, without exception of any one, hauehave vniformely and conſtantly taught this concluſion: That it is a truth and no errour to teach; a dutie and no ſinne to practiſe the preſcribed Ceremonies of the preſent Church of England, or the like, rather then to violate and breake the peace of the Church, or that a Miniſter ſhould ſuffer depriuation, and ſo the preaching of the Goſpell ſhould bee interrupted, or that a Miniſter, or any other Chriſtian ſhould ſeparate themſelues, or ſuffer themſelues to bee ſeparated from the publike worſhips of God in a true Church: Wherefore it muſt needes follow, that they who iuſtifie the former muſt needs condemne the latter.

Now, that it may appeare that all Orthodoxall Churches and Teachers of all ages and places, ſince the time of the Apoſtles of Chriſt, are of this iudgement and practiſe and not of the other: I will firſt begin with the Primitiue Churches, before the Reuelation and raigne of Antichriſt, and next in order of the latter reformed Churches, ſince the reſtauration of the Goſpell, and declination of Antichriſt.

Showing the Necessity of Conformity, Treatise

p. 1THE NECESSITIE OF CONFORMITIE IN THE CASE OF DEPRIVATION.

THE NECESSITIE OF CONFORMITIE IN THE CASE OF DEPRIVATION.