Examination of those Plausible Appearances in the Romish Church, Chapter 10
CHAP: X. That the Ceremonies of the Romish Church, doe not Commend, but disparage her.
BVt let vsus examine, whether the multitude of ceremonies in the Romish …hurch, can giuegive her that title, which her pompe cannot, and whether the want of such a troupe amongst vsus, will procure vsus that disparagement, which the meanesse of our estate cannot. Certainely all alike, one as much as the other. So that wee still stand vponupon the same tearmes with them: their glory shameth, them our ignominy honoureth vsus: their ceremonies make them superstitious: our simplicitie notifieth that we hauehave the true Religion·
This will clearely be discerned, if we consider, that there was indeedea.Gal. 3.23. time whē the ceremonies, & the rudimēts of the world had place, and were vsefull in the Church of God: who then b.Cols. 2 17.manifested himselfe in types, and shadowes. But this time c.Colos 4.1.2 3.4.5.lasted no longer, then whilst the Church was in her infancie, while the heire was a child, he was to be gouerned as a child, his tendernesse being not capable of a full liberty, and of a manlike instruction. The d.Luc 1.78day spring from on high,e.Malach. ….2
e..the sunne of righteousnesse was not yet risen. The bodie of the shadowes, fCol 2 7.g.Ioh: 1.17.the truth of the figures was not then exhibited. But the h.Gal. 4.1. et seq.fullnesse of time being accomplished, the time of the Churches infancy being expired, the heire being come to a perfect stature, the Sunne of righteousnesse being already risen, the i.Col…s. 2.17. Heb: 10.body and rea;l truth being now represented; the k.Gal. 4 3.rudiments of the world tooke their leaue, the shadowes vanished, the l.Gal 2.35.26types gaue place to truth, the carnall schoole-mastership yeelded to a spirituall liberty, mHeb. 7.16.obscurity and imperfection, to clearnesse and perfection.
For this cause, the Apostle said, n.Colos. 2.19.17.Let no man condemne you in meate, or in drinke, or in respect of an Holy day, or of the new moone, or of the Sabbath daies, the reason was, because these things were shadowes of things to come, but the body (as he addes) is of Christ· Proceeding farther, he comes even to cut off a…l those ceremonies, which were got into the Church by humane institution. If ye be dead (saith he) with Christ, from the rudiments of the world, why, a… though liuing in the world are ye subiect to ordinances. (Touch not, taste not, handle not, which are to perish with the vsing) after the commandements and doctrines of men, which things hauehave indeede a shew of wisedome, in will worship and humilitie in that they spare not the body, and hauehave no regard to the satisfying of the flesh.
What could be more effectually and vrgently spoken, for the banishment of ceremonies out of the Church? for by this we see that they are altogether incompatible with the nature of the Church vnderunder the Gospell: 1 the Church is dead with Christ, and so to liue spiritually, 2 these ordinances are a burden, the Lord hath eased her of it, 3 they are perishable, true piety is permanent, 4 they are doctrines of men, the doctrine of Gods worship is divine, sent downe from heauen: 5 They hauehave a flash of humane wisedome, some shew of humilitie, but they are indeede will-worships& Vainely then, and impertinently in this case are the pretences of a good meaning vsed, meere fig-leaue couerings. It is for Princes to prescribe rules according to which they will be serued, not for subiects to inuent them to themselues, he is a …ebell who attempts it. How much more rebellious shall the bole sacriledge of them be accounted, who either bringe in to, or keepe in the church a seruice of God patched vp meerely of humane institutions? The more these ceremonies increase, the more vnm…nnerly presumption and sacriledge, there is in the Church, and shall they be the markes of a true Church?
Let vsus consider the Primitiue Church flourishing more in times of the Apostles then euer it did afterwards, who will not admire her great simplicity in all points, and especially in ceremonies? For excepting the celebration of baptisme by washing of water; and of the holy supper, according to the lords institution, in taking the bread and wine, and distributing them after thanks giuing: excepting also, the imposition of hands vponupon those which extraordinarily receiued the holy Gost, whether it weare in a Heb. 6.2.generall calling, or a p1 Tim. 4. d…e 5· 22.particular to a charge in the Church, qmarke. 6.13. Iam. 6, 14. Aug. ep. 118. ad Ianuar.and annealing for a miraculus effect of healing the fick, I say these excepted, their will not be found any other ceremony in those primitiue times, so admirable was their simplicity. But the number of them was multiplied after wards, not by diuine but by humane institutiō. St. Austē entring in to discourse about ceremonies with Ianuarius, s…yes wel, that our Lord hath subiected vsus to ā easie yoke and a light burden; and therefore hath vnited his new people, by the sacraments very few in number, v…ry easy to be o…serued, very excellent in their signification, as is Baptisme cons…crated in the name of the Trin…ty, and the Communion of his body and b…ood▪ and if their bee any other thing commended in Scripture, not comprehending the ceremonies which are to bee read in the Pentateuch, which made the seruitude of the antient people heauy and toile some. If he adde that it is to be presupposed, that those things which are obserued by the whole world,Aug. Jbid. although vnwritten, hauehave notwithstanding beene ordained either by the Apostles, or by the Councells, this he restraineth neverthelesse to a small number of feastes, of the passion, Resurrection, and ascension of our Lord, of the comming of the Holy Ghost, yea in closing his discourse with this supposition, and if their bee any thing obserued by the whole Church, he plainely giues vsus to vnderstand, that their were very few things, beside those by him specified, and those to of very small moment. The doubting particle, If their be any, imports that necessarily. And truely if the ceremonies had amounted then as they doe now, to an heavy burden by reason of their number, the difficulty and trouble of obseruing them. If in obscurity of signification, they had matched the Iewish ceremonies, yea if they had beene taken from the ceremonies of the law (as the Popish are all, excepting those which are borrowed from Paganisme) this good father should hauehave contradicted himselfe, if hee had thought that either the Apostles would, or Councels could hauehave imposed them vponupon the Church. He had said that our Lord had subiected his Church to an easy yoke, and a light burden, should he then say, that the Apostles and Councels had beene willing to make this yoke irksome, and burden heauy?Aug. 119. Epi. c. 9. Elsewhere he complaineth of the excessiue number, and intollerable multitude of ceremonies admitted into particular Churches: bemoaning the condition of the Church, by this meanes more slauish, then that of the Iewes. But this number was not so insupportable in respect of the seruitude it brought vponupon the Church, as dangerous in regard of the superstition it begate.
And certainely here is the venome incorporated into humane inventions,Aug. ib. which vnderunder some well composed lookes of piety and deuotion, insinuating themselues into the true seruice of God, they stifle that, and aduance themselues into its roome. Our Lord marked ou… this euill when his Disciples being accused of transgressing the traditions of their fathers, he not only iustifieth them but also condemneth their accusers, for hauing made void the commandement of God by their traditions. who is so blind that hath not seene, that sees not daily that the commandements, but falsely called the commandements of the Church, are more religiously respected, and with more scruple violated, then those, which all confesse to be the commandements of God? Notwithstanding the infinitenes of their number and variety, the sottishest, & dullest amōgst thē hauehave thē at their fingers ēds: the spirituall seruice of God in the meane time, and the manner of its performance is vnknowne vntounto them, the precepts which inioyne and teach it are strange to the greatest part of them. A pregnant argument of the hypocrisie and corruption of mans nature, which is delighted in that which is fleshly and outward: neglecting that which is spirituall, and inward. This is that which gaue occasion to that antient and grievous complaint of the Prophet, conceiued in the name of God. This people draweth neere vntounto mee with their lips, but their heart is farre from me, Esa. 29.15.for their feare and seruice is the commandement of men.
A man continuing without any exercise of religion, can hardly be at peace with himselfe, and therefore he ventureth vponupon some kind of deuotion, but the mischiefe is, that he is not pleased, but in that which is outward and sensuall, carnall as he is in that which is carnall. the more then that a religion is sensible, and mechanicall (as wee may terme it) the more acceptable it is vntounto him, the more intellettuall, and spirituall, the more vncouth and harsh. For this cause even vnderunder the new testament, and vnderunder grace,Ioh: 4.21.23. now when the Lord hath advanced his Church to an estate meerely spirituall, he hath left her neuerthelesse some ceremonies, by reason of her infirmity, but few in number, and without brauery, accompanied with the preaching of the word for feare of danger, namely, the Sacraments of Baptisme and the holy supper.Colos. 3.…. For he would elevate our hearts vntounto a sublime pitch, and set them on high, and fixe them vponupon their Principall obiect, drawing them from sensible and materiall obiects, to more refined and purified affections and meditations.
Pondering these reasons, we make no more apologies for our selues to those who cast in our teeth our penu…y of ceremonies. Nay wee thinke this our glory, seeing in this point we stand vpō the same tearmes with the blessed Apostles, wee hauehave the same defence which they had, the condemnation of our accusers, for that by their trumperies, they hauehave smothered the syncere simplicitie of true worship. Wee tell them that this multitude of rites, and traditions is more suteable to the superstition of Turkes, Iewes, and infidels, amongst whome all these vanities hauehave beene, and are still in re…uest. Christian religion is not capable of them, they cannot stand either with the spirituall estate, or poore condition of the Church. Superstition the mother of ceremonies is lavish, & prodigall, Spirituall whordome as it is, it hath this comōn with the bodily. Both of them must hauehave their paintings, their trinkets, their inveaglemēts & this cānot be without charges. The Church cannot afford such cost vponupon ceremonies, and bables, her stock is so employed in succouring the liuing images of Christ, that shee cannot t…inke vponupon wooden babies: the world is so hard w…th her, that shee hath nothing to cast away in the guilding of Alters, in erecting proud edifices, in adorning walles with t…pe…lrie, in maiestick and stately processions through the streets.