Divine Worship, Chapter 5 – Chapter 6
CHAP. V. Of Ceremonies peculiar to Religion.
THOSE Ceremonies that are proper to Religion are ſuch as in a peculiar manner are tied to religious perſons actions and purpoſes only, eſpecially ſuch as are in a ſpeciall manner tied to the ſolempne worſhip of God. In theſe ceremonies conſiſtes the external forme of divine worſhip, and they are the outward badges & cognizances of the ſame.
2. All Ceremonies vſed in the ſervice of God, are either civill ceremonies (to witt ſuch as are alſo of the ſame vſe out of the ſervice of God) or holy Ceremonies, to wit ſuch wherin holines conſiſtes in the due vſe of them; or els they are prophane, that is ſuch as have no vſe, or a ſuperſtitious vſe. The ceremonies in cōtroverſie are not *For then the bare omiſsion of thē, would argue rudenes and incivilitie.civil ceremonies: again it is graū ted there is no holynes in the vſe of them †Som nigher his M. hauehave given it out yt he would (if he could) hang thoſe that put holines in thē., Therefore they are prophane ceremonies, and by conſequent not to be mingled with holy things.
3. As there are diverſities of religion and Churches, ſo there are diverſities of Rites and Ceremonies by which they are diſtinguiſhed, and ceremonies are the partitiō walles wherby (for the moſt parte) one Church is devided frō another. For he that ſhall with a more narrow eye ſeeke into theſe things ſhall ſee, that for the moſt parte, the diverſities and varieties of Ceremonies are the begetters of diverſitie of doctrines, and opinions, whereby one Religion differeth from another.
4. The more one Church differeth from another in Rites and Ceremonies, the more it vſeth to differ in ſubſtance of doctrine; and the more one Church draweth neare vntounto another in Ceremonies, the more it draweth neare vntounto it in ſubſtance of doctrine. The Churches of France & Scotland in ſubſtance of doctrine doe ſo much the more differ from the Synagogue of Rome, by how much the farther they differ from her in Ceremonies, then other Churches; and ſome in the Church of England that doe ſtrive to come to Rome in Ceremonies, come ſo much the nearer to her in doctrine, as might appeare by divers inſtances if the matter were not too too apparent.
5. He that hates the Religion it ſelfe, hates all the ſhadowes and ſhewes of the Religion; & he that loves the ſhadowes and rytes of a Religion, he loves the Religion it ſelf; he loves a Pope wel that loves the triple Crown; he loves a Fryer well, that dotes vponupon his Cowle, and ſhaven crowne; and out of queſtion he loves a Maſprieſt with all his heart, that is mad, vponupon his maſſing attire, or any part therof.
6. As it is rudenes and want of civilitie, to neglect or contemne a Civill Ceremonie, ſo it is prophanes & irreligion to neglect or contemne a Religious Ceremonie: & as outward civilitie conſiſts in the due vſe of civill Ceremonies, ſo outward holines & religion conſiſts in the due vſe of all Religious Ceremonies: Thoſe Ceremonies therefore are prophane and not beſeeming the true worſhip of God, that are ſo far from any ſhew of holines in the vſe of them, that they make the partie that refuſeth the vſe of them to ſeeme, and to be reputed pure, holy, and preciſe, of which nature our Ceremonies in controverſie are.
7. As civill Ceremonies tend to the honor of them vntounto whō civil worſhip is due, & is a part therof: So Religious Ceremonies tend to the honor of him vntounto whom religious worſhip is due and is a parte therof, neither can a man poſſibly imagine how any thing ſhould be religious whether a Subſtance or a Ceremonie, but it muſt needes reſpect him that religion it ſelfe reſpecteth, as therefore we performe civill honor vntounto thoſe vntounto whō we performe civill ceremonies, ſo we performe Religious & Divine honors vntounto thoſe that we obey in a religious ceremonie. They therfore that claime & perform obedience therin, do claime & perform that which is due only to God.
8. Nothing intended or done by man is an honour to God, but that which is an obedience vntounto God in ſome Commandement. All Ceremonies therefore of Religion that are an honour vntounto God, muſt be commāded by God himſelfe: and to bring in ſuch Ceremonies into his worſhip as are no honour to him, is to mocke God.
9. All Religious Ceremonies or Ceremonies of Religion, are ſpiritnall, that is, are ordeyned for ſpirituall vſes and endes, and not for civill or temporall, and therefore are outward notes and teſtimonies of thoſe things that make vsus ſpirituall men, and they are partes of ſpiritual honor due vntounto ſpirituall authoritie and lordſhip.
10. All ſpirituall Lordes may clayme as their due, ſpiritual worſhip, and therefore may inſtitute religious Ceremonies: for looke what difference there is betweene humane and divine, Temporall & Spirituall, the ſame differēce there is betweene the peculiar worſhip due to the one, and to the other: if therefore Temporal Lords may require all civill rites and honors, Spirituall Lordes may require all Divine and Spirituall rites and honors.
11. Civill honor & reverence onelyonly can not nor ought not to pleaſe a Spirituall Lord, hence it is that the Spirituall Lordes of our Church cānot cōtent them ſelues with ſuch honor that we giuegive to civill Magiſtrates and Princes, but we muſt obey them in peculiar religious duties and ſervices; and ſurely it is meete that if there bee any ſuch beſides Chriſt, that we performe ſpirituall homage vntounto them, and they are not worthie that high ſtyle that wilbe content with temporalls, when ſpiritualls are due.
12. Thoſe Ceremonies that are enioyned by true ſpirituall Lords, are truely ſpirituall & holy, even as ſpirituall and holy as the Sacraments, though they conſiſt of ſom things in their own nature indifferent; and thoſe Lordes are not ſpirituall, that are not able by their ſole authoritie and word, to hallow that which before was not holy.
13. Thoſe that can make a Surplice, a Cope, a Croſſe, &c. to be ornamentes of Religion and holy Ceremonies: can, whē it pleaſeth them, make a ſhaven Crowne, a Monkes habit, ſpitle in Baptiſme, holy Water, the triple Crowne, & all the Miſſall rytes, as holy. For they are al of the ſame nature: and thoſe that can finde no reaſon to prove thoſe vnholy and vnlawful, would finde none to proove anie other externall Rite to bee ſo, if they ſhould in the ſame maner be impoſed.
14. Thoſe that have power vponupon their owne will and pleaſure to bring into Gods ſervice ſome indifferent thing, may bring in any *For all indifferent thinges are of the ſame nature.indifferent thinge: thoſe that may bring in without ſpecial warrant from God, pyping into his ſervice, might aſwell bringe in dauncing alſo; thoſe that hauehave authoritie to ioyne to the ſacrament of Baptiſme the ſign of the croſſe, hauehave authoritie alſo (no doubt) to ioyne to the Sacramēt of the Supper, fleſh, broth, butter or cheeſe, and worſe matters then thoſe, if they will. Yea, thoſe that have power to make peculiar formes of Religion & worſhip, have power to make and invent a Religion & worſhip of their owne.
CHAP. VI. Of Divine worſhip in ſpeciall, and first of true worſhip.
THvs much of Divine Worſhip in generall, both Inward and Outward, & of Ceremonies wherein Outward Worſhip eſpecially conſiſteth. Now lett vsus in ſpeciall conſider the ſame. Divine worſhip therefore is eyther true Worſhip or falſe.
2. True worſhip is that immediate ſervice that the true GOD him ſelfe requireth to bee performed vntounto him ſelfe. In the exerciſe whereof conſiſteth true holynes and Religion.
3. True worſhip both for matter and manner, ought to be according to the preſcript rule of Gods word only: neither hath any mortall mā authoritie to frame according to his owne conceyte, any forme or faſhion of Gods ſervice and worſhip; for the manner of worſhip alſo muſt be holy, and not the matter only; and no man hath power to make any thinge holy, that God halloweth not by his word and ſpirit.
4 All civill furtherances and neceſſarie circumſtances of Gods ſolemne worſhip, though they be not eſſentiall partes of the ſame, nor by ſpeciall Nomination commaunded: Yet are they to bee eſteemed Ordinances of God, and not humane inventions. As God having ordayned that his Saints dwelling together both Men, Women and children, of all ſortes and degrees, ſhould ordinarilie at appointed times meet together, it muſt needs be preſuppoſed to bee his ordinance that they meete together in ſome ſuch ordinarie places, as are fitteſt for to receive moſt commodiouſlie ſuch Aſſemblies: ſo God having ordeyned that his Miniſters ſhould preache or proclayme ſalvation to a multitude geathered together, and that they ſhould ſit at his feete, hath alſo ordeyned that the Miniſters ſeate ſhould be higher then the reſt of the peoples; and the like may bee ſaid of all other ſuch Circumſtances of Divine worſhip, which are matters of ſo baſe and low conſideration, and ſo ſubiect to cōmon ſence, that it neither beſemeth the maieſtie of the worde of GOD in ſpeciall, or humane authoritie derived frō God, to make any lawes in particuler about them; no more then to make lawes that one ſhold not ſit in the Congregation vponupon anothers lappe, or one ſpit vppon anothers clothes, or face: or that men ſhould not make antick faces in the Church.