Against Human Ceremonies in Gods Worship, Part 1 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Concerning the difference betwixt popish Ceremon. and ours, in regard of necessity, holines and efficacy, wherein how far we joyne with the Papists, is fully discussed by the confession of papists themselves.
TO lett passe the first abuse of Idolatry: Superstition is confessed to be present, where the proper service of God or merit, necessity, holines, and efficacy, by the churches …nstitution or the doers merit, or when omission of them is …ounted a synne without contempt or scandall, as it is amongst …he Papists, sayth the Rej.
We are now come by this distinction, to discerne the differences betwixt the popish Cerem. and ours, theirs being condemned and abominated, and that justly for …hese evills which are found in them: but ours are whol…y acquitted, as though they shared not in the same guilt: Lett us therfore enquire into this busines, with that receaved caution, heare the other syde.Audi alteram Partem.
First as touching merit, which is attributed to the doing of Ceremo. by Papists: the difference here, lyes not firstly in Cerem. in particular, but about good works in generall, the Papists making all good works of beleevers to be meritorious, and we denying that presumption. But set that controversye asyde, our Prelates professed, the observation of our Cerem. to be good works of the same kynd, that many of the learned Papists doe many of theirs. The mainy enquiry lies about, propriety of worship, necessity, holines, efficacy: And (merit being excluded) if these be found in ours, as well as in those of the papists, they will prove guilty as thers, and with thers to be condemned.
How we joyne with Papists in giving propriety of worship to Cere. Balthasar Chavasius Iesuita de notis verae religionis lib. …. cap. 2. sic dicit: Minores Ceremoniae de respectu ma…orum, quod cum hae praecipui sunt momenti, ac divinū cultum per se & directe respiciunt, illae catenus tantum ad colendum Deum conferant, quatenus ad ornatū significationem que ejusmodi cultus, vel praecipuarum ejus praetium conferant.Enquire we then, of the severalls: 1. In the doctrine of worship I see not how, or wherein the Iesuites doe differ from the Def. and Rej. about such Ceremonies as ours. Balthasar Chavasius the Iesuite, in his notes of true religion sayth thus: Ceremonies are called lesser, in respect of those which are tearmed greater, because these are held of greatest consequence, and to appertaine to divine worship, of themselves, and directely: but those to witt such are cerem. of lesser note, they so farr conduce to the worshipping of God, as they serve for the ornament & signification of such worship, or the speciall parts thereof: which is so pat the Rej. & Def. doctrine, that they may seeme to have translated his words.
For necessity to salvation, no learned Papist ever writt or taught any such thing of all their Cerem. Darbyshyre Bonners Chapplyne, and Kynsman, professed to Mr. Thomas Haukes Martyr, that no Ceremon. (besyde those which Christ himself instituted) are necessary to salvation, but only for instruction: whereupon Mr. Haukes answered; God send me the salvation, and take you the instruction. If necessity of observance be respected (which the Def. ca. 6. sect. 3. calleth obedientiall,) that is not only as great in our Cere. as in any of the Papists, and more also, but advanced by Dr. Covell to aequipage with the Decalogue, and Dr. B. by his silence yeelding unto him, and imitating of him, doth seeme to subscribe to his sentence, and certaine it is, that he writt with Achyepis. allowance. Ecclesiasticall constitution, sayth he, doth change the nature of indifferent things, & by vertue of the commaundement they become necessary, Mens Lawes whyle they are in force, commaunding or forbidding, bynde the conscience as the Decalogut doth, in his preface to the confutation of Dr. B. his Apologye: The Rej. comes not far short of this plea, pag. 42. where he sayth: They are ordeyned to be used necessarily, in respect of order and peace, though in respect of judgment, and immediate conscience to God freely: How the Rej. and Papists agree touching the necessity of Ceremonies.The former part of these words, layeth more necessi…y upon our Cerem. then the learned Papists do upon all theirs: The latter doth take away no more, then the like words of theirs do, as by and by shall appeare. In the meane tyme let him that can unriddle me this: They are ordained to be used necessarily in respect of order and peace, though in respect of Iudgment, and immediate conscience to God freely: Is there one conscience mediate, and another immediate? Is necessity of order and peace free in judgment and immediate Conscience? Can any creature, or is any so foolish as to say, they can lay a bond upon conscience immediate to God? Is it not a contradiction, for men by their authority, to bynd immediatly to Gods authority? The truth is our convocation doth make our Ceremonies, as necessary as they can, either by ecclesiasticall, Civill, or Divine authority, whereas the Papists say, they can make many of theirs more necessary, then they doe, if they would: And yet in all, their highest pitch is, they call them necessary:Non ex necessitate sal… tis, sed ex institutione Ecclesiae. Non ex necessitate sacramenti, sed praecepti. Bell. do effect. Sacra. cap. 21. propo…. 2. … Not out of any necessity to salvation, but out of the churches institution: and enjoyned the Sacramentalia, not by any necessity of a sacrament, but of a commaundement of the church, and we do no lesse.
For making it synne to omitt these cere. even without the case of scandall & contempt. 1. This no learned papist doth say of all their cer. as you shall heare streight. 2. Our practise doth say so much in that, bare ommission where none are scandalized or contemned, is made a fault punishable, nay more then that, when by the practise of them, many are scandalized, and great contempt doth follow to some users of them, yet is it, a capitall fault for them to omitt them so longe, untill they may use them without scandall, and contempt: And what hath beene sayd of worship, necessity, and synne as that we concurr with papists cerem. pressing our Ceremon. vponupon the same conditions, as they in the former considerations, the like is true also touching holines.
Now because some of these things, which I have affirmed, concerning the doctrine of the Papists about Cerem. may seeme strange to those, that take the measure of their opinion, not from them, but from the occasionall and imperfect sayings of their adversary partyes: It shall be necessary, to heare themselves speake: First let us heare Cassander with his allegations, who so much consenteth with D. Burges, that his Rej. might better have beene called, and intituled Cassander Anglicanus, then M. Sprints book was, save only, that there is more passion shewed in it, then Cassanders temper, and professed moderation could be brought unto.Cassand. in consult art. 7. Illud falsum e…le existimo, aliquos docuisse, externos lilos ritus & cerem. e…le cultus necessarios ad promerendam justificationem coram Deo, nec aliud i…us nubus … quam quod corū externa observatio, de vero & interno cultu nos admoneat, & ad eum manu ducat, & … ex vera in Christum fide & obedientiae Ecclesiae Christi fiant, cui Christus obtempe…ari praecepit, ead apud Deum laudem habent, quam caetera pieratis opera: Id autem ingenue omnes confitentur, in ijs fiduciam saluvis non esse collocandam. Idem pag. 869. Opinionem falsam cultus, meriti, necessitatis. Pō tisicij ipsi (quibus illam assignat Mell.) non agnoscūt, sed fals… sibi attribu… dicunt: Sic Thomas & B…el apud cundem pag 871.872. Idem pa. 875. St. huiusmodi praerepterum positivorū explicatione consideretur haud multum … consilio, sous exhortatione differre comperientur, &c. Si quorundam sentent a rigidior hie videtur, nemo c…edo …rohibebit mitiorem sentennam sequi, quae a Gersone, ut a multis optimisque viris Gersonem imitantibus …xplicatur, qui in hujusmodi praeceptorum transgre. Tone, in sole scandal… & contemptu peccatum mortale …ll…c…nt: Idem ibid. Alphonsus Verbesius sic: Nostrae traditiones nihil capitalis periculi adferunt transgressoribus, nisi adsit animus impius & contemnens. Perionius (ex Sorbona… opinor sua sententia) sic: … sunt in ecclesia Ceremoniae, quae sub consiltum cadunt, quae autem sub praeceptum cadunt ut ca… …dem violatores, omnes nostri peccati reos esse volunt nifi sorte contemnant. Cassander in his consult. article 7. I conceave that to be false, that any of ours should have taught, those externall rites and Ceremo. to be worships necessary to procure justification before God: Neither is any other thing attributed to those rites, but that their externall observation may admonish us of the true and internall worship, and might by the hand lead us thereunto: And if they be done out of true faith in Christ and obedience unto the Church of Christ, to which Christ hath commaunded as to be subject, they receave that acceptance from God, which other works of pyety do: But that all ingeniously confesse, our hope of happiness is not to be placed in them: Againe, the same Cassander pag. 869. The false opinion of worship, merit, necessity, the Pontificans themselves (upon whom that conceit is fa…hered) do not acknowledge, but affirme that it is falsely attributed unto them. Of this judgment Thomas Aquinas, and Byell are sayd to be by the same Author pag. 870.871. And in p. 875. If the explicatiō of those positive precepts be considered, they will be found, not to differr much for an …dvise or exhortation, &c. If the sentence of some may ap…eare more riged: I beleeve, that no man is forbid to follow …he more moderate opinion, which is explained by Gerson, and followed by many worthy men, who in the transgression of such kynd of precepts, place the mortall synne only in …candall, and contempt. The same author in the same places. Alphonsus Verbesius thus: Our traditions bring no deadly …anger unto the transgressors therof, unlesse the heart be im…ious and contemning. Perionius (out of the sentence of the …orbone Schoole as I suppose) writes thus: ther be many Cere. …n the church, which fall under the nature of a counsell, but …hose which come under the nature of a praecept, the violators …o not of them, all ours would make guilty of synne, unlesse peradventure they shall be found contemners.
This which Cassander sayth is fayre, yet to make it more full, I will add some other testimonies, and those of note.Gregor. de Valent. Tom. 4 Disp 3. qu. 1. pa…t. 4 Clarum cit …endacium quod his ritibus tantum tribuan…ns. quantum ipus Sacramentis, item quod eo loco habeatur, quasi nequeat sine illis confici verū Sacramentum: Si aliqui vulgares in ea parte errant, & sie sentiunt, id certe neque ecclesia docer neque Theologi: Si caetera scadalum & contemptumomittantur, & res sit exigua, vel etiam de…t voluntas & deliberatio plena, peccatum erit tantum veruale. Cajetan. summ voce praecept. Vniversalis est regula, quod in ijs quae sunt positivi juris fi absque contemptu & ref…atione …, ex apparente sibi excusatione transgressio fiat, ab eo qui animum habet multo pacto conse…i… d…r, contra praeceptum obligans ad mortale, non incurritur mortale peccatum, quoniam non e…t intetio, … & jultae matris, ecclesiae, bonas hujusmodi animas illaqueare tam hostili vinculo. Gregorius de Valentia a Iesuite, Tom. 4. disput. 3. quaestion. 1. part. 4. It is a notorious lye, that we attribute so much to these rites as we do to the Sacraments, and that we have them in the same account, as though a true Sacrament could not be instituted without them: If any of the vulgar sor… erre in that behalf and so conceave, assuredly; neither the church nor divines so teach: If they be omitted without scandall and contempt, and the matter be small and that a seriou… will and full deliberation be wanting, it will be only a veniall synne. So Cajetan a Cardinall: The rule is universall, that in those things which stand by a positive law, if the transgression be made without contempt, and crossing the end of th… law, from some excuse appearing to the party, if it procee… from him, who hath a mynd no wayes syding against the commaund which bynds to a mortall synne, a mortall synne is no… by that breach committed, because it is not the intention of th… holy and just mother the church, to ensnare such good soules▪ with so dangerous a bond.
Bellarm. de effect. Sacram. lib. 2. cap. 29. Quaedam Cere. sunt immediate cultu…, quaedam disponunt ad eni…um, quadā sunt instrumeta cultus Id. ibid. …ap 31 Calvinus indi…ar crimenesse si per contemptū vel crassam negligentiam omittantur Cerem. at nihil aliud ecclesia de sum Ceremonijs d… cet. Idem de Rom. Pontif. lib 4. cap. 18. Catera non sunt l…ges, fed adm…nitiones, vel pia institutiones sine obligatione ad culpam, qualet s…nt plurimi ritus Christianorum: Necenim peccat, qui citra contemptum non aspergit se aqua luftrali, cum ingreditur templum, &c.Bellarmine also thus: Certaine Cerem. are immediate worship, some dispose unto worship, some are instruments of worsh…p: The same author in the s…me place, cap. 31. Calvyn sayt… he judgeth it a fault, if Cerem. be omitted out of contempt o… grosse negligence, and our Church teacheth no other thing touching her Ceremonies. The same authour againe: Other Ceremonies are not lawes, but admonitions, and holsome institutions, which bynd not a man over to any blame, such as many of the rites of Christians be, for he doth not offend, that without contempt, doth not sprinkcle himself with holy water, when he enters into the temple.
It was but a poore proof therfore of the Rej. to alledge, that which Bell▪ sayth of some Ceremonies, as if it did agree to all popish Cerem. and that in the common judgment of Papists. Calvin speaking in the person of Sorbonicall Drs, declareth their opinion to be; That Ceremonies bynd consciences by accident, to witt, Quod Cereligant cōscientias per accidēs propter ratificationem, quia ecclesia hoc intendit, & populus consentit▪ Antid. ad art. Paris. ar…. 25.because of their ratification, in that the church intend this, and the people consent. Lastly the judgment of Papists is cleare, that they putt no holinesse in the Cerem. instituted, you must place no holines in images, Concil. Trid. Sess. 25. By this which hath beene said, it is (as I think sufficiently manifested, that the differences betwixt all popish Cere. and ours, of worship, necessity, holines, and synfull omission, are vainely and without ground alledged by the Rej.
1. Doe the Defend. and Rej. affirme, that our Cere. are not properly worship,The summe of agreement betwixt the Rej. and Papists. but only to admonish us thereof: The Papists say the same.
2. Doe the Defen. and Rej. affirme, that the omission of them without scandall and contempt, is not a synne: The Papists say the same.
3. Doe the Def. and Rej. affirme, ours are not necessary to salvation, but necessary by the commaund of the Church to be practised: The Papists say the same, nay of some of theirs, they say lesse, for they say, that many of theirs, are only appointed by way of counsell, not of commaund.
There is one other difference, which is added to the former, that Sacramentall operation and efficacy is infeoffed upon Popish Cerem. as he mentioneth pag 40. out of Bellar. I add concerning this: 1. That Bell. doth not affirme this of all Cere. 2. that he doth not ascribe this virtue to the crosse as a humaine Ceremo. but as an imagined institution of God:What kynd of operative virtue the Papists place in their rites. Potissimum …x instituto Dei De effect. Sac…amen, lib. 2. cap. 3. Sacramentalia non operā tur remisitonē peccatorū venalium, neque instituta sunt ad eam significandam, sed ad excitandū animū in d…testationem illorum, Vasque… on 3. dispie…. 28. cap. 5. art. 4. Balthasar Chavasius de notu verae religioni…, lib. 1 ca, 21. Tantam rev…ra differentiam po…mus, inter Cerem. & …a quibus accedunt, Sacra. quantum corticem inter & truncum, corpus & animā, foli…. & arborem, unde concedimus illar omitti posse in gravi necessitate. Verba quadam visibilia. That our Prelati give a morall operation to their rites and Cerem. and the Papists do no more: Arg. especially from the institution of God: The cheif Iesuites do disclaime this operative virtue of many Cerem. Sacramentalls do not work remission of veniall synnes, neither are they appointed to signifie that, but to stirr up their mynd to detestation of them: So the Iesuite Vasquez. Balthasar Chavasius another Iesuite: It is without quaestion, that we putt so much difference betweene Cerem. and the Sacraments, to which they are applyed, as betweene the bark, and the wood, the body and the soule, the leaves and the tree, whence it is we graunt that they may be omitted in any wayghty necessity. Cassander also Consult. art. 9. well observeth, that the best Papists doe make the Cere. of Bapt. only, certaine visible words: from whence it followeth, that they give no other operation to them then to words, which all favourers of sig. ceremo. must needs give: And our prelats do give in all their proceedings, and expressions: as by the following arg. shall appeare.
1. What ever is a meane any manner of way ordained, to bring in divine worship, and to cary the mynd and heart to God in that: is so morally efficacious, as the Papists require, and so as our Divines condemne it. Nay if it be by teaching, & stering towards these supernaturall works, as Gods spirituall worship: Its that which the Lord condemnes in images, which tell lyes, its that which the Lord threatens Isay. 29.13. that his feare is taught, according to mens commaunds. And this kynd of efficacy our Cerem. have by their institution as they are appointed, and enjoined to be used. The preface to the book of common Prayer, discovering the intendement of the imposers, hath these words: Such are retained, which are apt to stirr up the dull mynd of man to the remembrance of his duty to God, by some notable and speciall signification, wherby he might aedifyed.
2. These Ceremo. which are of the same kynd, and homogeneal with the significative part of the actions in the Sacrament, they may be said, to have a reall and true efficacy of teaching, and so be a work of proper worship: because that part of the Sacrament, which is placed in signification, is so: but these ceremonies are homogeneall, & of like nature, with that part of the Sacrament, doth baptisme consecrate the child to God? and so doth the crosse: doth baptisme signifye the covenant, betweene Christ & the child? so doth the crosse: its openly sayd, to betoken the engagement, that is betwixt Christ and the child, that he shall be Christs servant, and souldier to followe his colours, and to fight under his banner unto his dying day: though this image have no tongue of it owne, yet its speaks by the mouth of the Prelats appointing, and their substitutes the ministers acting this image.
3. Consider that which is made end of our Cerem. that our Cerem. are able, or at least are conceaved to be able to attaine, for every rationall meanes can reach the end, now this is the end of the crosse his institution, the white at which it shoots, and the minister makes it spell this lesson, even our dedication unto Christ▪ and our continuall perseverance in his service, so that as the end is, so the meanes are, the end is properly holy, and religious, ergo, the meanes appointed thereunto (such this is) must be holy religious and efficacious therunto, in the intendement of the institutor.
4. Those which are of the same ranke, and sett in the same roome, with Gods owne Cere. they must be conceaved to have holines, and efficacy in them, for so Gods ordinances have. But these significant Cere. thus instituted, are of the like nature with some of Gods owne spirituall rites, As the Phylacteries Nub. 15.39. were appointed by God, for this end, to be remembrances, and admonishers of the law to those that used them: the same place our Cerem. supply, and are ordained for the same purpose.
If it be here sayd, that God himself appointed his, and therfore they are holy and religious, but ours being instituted by man have no more then man can give them, I answ: God appoints his, and therfore they are truely holy, and religious, and ought to be embraced: Mens inventions being sett in the same ranke, are holy, …nd religious, but falsely and superstitiously such, and …herfore are to be abandoned.