Against Human Ceremonies in Gods Worship, Part 2 · Chapter 1 · Section 8
SECT. 17. Concerning the ancient Fathers allowing of Humane Ceremonies.
1. OF these, the Repl. answered, it cannot be proved, nor is probable, that from the first beginning of the Primitive Churche they brought in any new inventions. VponUpon this, the Rej. accusing not him alone, but others also, that they can beleive no trueth crosse to their opinion, because they seeke honour one of another, & praesume of their new traditions, as if the spirit of trueth had come onelyonly to them, or from thē alone, answereth that it is a matter of fact, proved by Records of Churches, against which nothing can be sayd. But if he could keep-in his passion, so longe, as to hear this onelyonly word, that there are no sufficient Records of any suche thing, exstant from the beginninge, then he might see that sufficient answer is given, unto the name of all Fathers, allways.
Yet I will adde one conjecture, to shew, that those observations which seem to have been universall, in the Primitive Churche, were not so in deed, without exception. Praying toward the East, hath as ancient testimonie, as any other humane Rite. Tertullian Apol. cap. 16. witnesseth, that that was one cause why the Christians were esteemed to worship the Sunne. And yet Socrates, lib. 5. cap. 22. doeth witnesse, that at Antioche which was the first Churche of Christians by name, they used not to place their Mysteries which directed their posture of prayer, toward the East, but rather toward the West. And why may we not conceyve the like of Easter, as well as of this East observation?
2. It was secondly answered, that those, Feasts, which the Primitive Churche is sayd to have observed, were not by Canonicall imposition, but voluntarie accommodation to the infirmitie of some, as appeareth by the varietie of their observation, and Socrates his testimonie. Marke now, what a Rejoynder is given? 1. Hee telleth us of a strange conjecture of his, even from this answer▪ viz. that the Churches held, it not onelyonly lawfull, but also convenient, to impose upon themselves suche Feasts. As if occasionall accommodation, were all one with imposition, or voluntarie joining in action for the good that is in it, were always a certaine argument of holding that opinion which others doe affixe unto it. But if they had thought them so cōveniēt, yet that Arg. would be of litle force. For many Ceremonies were thought then convenient, which longe since are universally thought otherwise of, & therfor left off, though no reason of inconvenience can be shewed, which did not agree to those times as well as to succeeding times, except further abuse: which cannot be denied of our Ceremonies in question, as religious use of milke, hony, & absteyning from washing ones hands for certayn days after Baptisme etc. 2. That which was mentioned of infirmitie occasioning this accommodation, the Rej. (after his manner) crieth downe as a fiction, boldly delivered, without proof, or colour, meerly for opposition sake: Wheras notwithstanding it is so clear, that the infirmitie of men newly converted from Iudaisme, and Gentilisme, did bringe into Christian Churches customes like unto those in use amonge Iews and Gentils, that Cardinall Baronius, from that ground mainteyneth many Ceremonies.Quid mirum, si imolitat apud Gentiles (adde etiam & Iudaeos) consuetudines, a quibus eos, quamvis Christiani effecti essent, penipus posse divelli, impossibile videretur, easdem in Dei cultum transferri, sanctissimi Episcopi cineessetunt: ad an. 58. p. 606. What wonder if the growen customes among the Gentiles (and we may add the Iewes also) were such as from which, tho they were converted to Christianisme, they were yet so hardly taken, that it might seeme impossible to putt them quite off, what wonder I say then if the most holy Bishops have graunted them place in the worship of God?
Doctor Iackson, in his Originall of Idolatrie sect. 4. chap. 23. sheweth the first occasion of Superstition in Christians, to have been the infirmities, wherby it came to passe, that heathenish (and Iewish) Rites, wherto men had been longe accustomed, could not easily be extirpated. Where also about suche accommodations, he hath this remarkable observation. To outstrip our adversaries in their owne policies, or to use meanes abused by others to a better ende, is a resolution so plausible to wordly wisedome that even Christians have mightilie overreached and intangled themselves, by too muche seeking to circumvent or goe beyond others.
About the Varietie which was of olde in the observation of these feasts, the Rejoynder answereth, that it notwithstanding, the agreement for the thinges themselves was universall. Which if he would take with a graine of salt, viz. that after some space of time, it was (for ought we know) universall, but not upon any Ecclesiasticall imposition, nor upon any knowne groundes out of Gods word, it is the same that the Repl. affirmeth, and Socrates lib. 5. cap. 22. laboreth to confirme.
3. Mention was further made of the mischeife that came in by those humane observations. To which the Rejoynder answereth, that the Anniversarie solemnities have not obscured, but praeserved that simplicitie of the Gospel. And if they had so doen, by accident Satans malice, and mans frailtie, that is nothing but what may be affirmed of Divine ordinances, But 1. the Def. his position was in generall of universall Ceremonies by humane institution, and not Feasts alone? Now those first Ceremoniall observations are guiltie of opening that gate, for all the humane praesumtions to enter into Gods house, which pressed in after them: which gate could never be shutte from that day to this. 2. Those very Feasts made a composition or mixture of humane institutions with divine, and therfore did not praeserve simplicitie. They also were from their first rise not onelyonly aequalled unto, but also extolled above the Lords day. Easter brought in a superstitions Lent to attend upon it, made Baptisme wayt for her Moon: and conformed our Lords Supper unto the Iewish Passeover in unleavened bread, etc. It was the first apple of contention amonge Christians, the first weapon, wherw…h the Bishop of Rome played his prises against other Churches, & after slew so many Bri…tons with, by Austin the monke. Holie-days in honor of Christ invited unto them Saints holy Days etc. 4. It is praesumtion, to make mens inventions as guiltlesse of evill consequences, as Gods holy ordinances. They are active efficacious occasions given of evill: these are onelyonly passive occasions taken.
Neyther is ther any corruption of Gods ordinances, whose originall occasion may not be founde in mens (nay fathers) Ceremonious praesumtions.
4. It was finally answered by the Repl. that the allways of these Feasts, cannot include the Apostolicall times, and for other allways, Bellarmine Cont. 1. l. 4. c. 9. hath the same plea, and the answer given unto him by our Divines, may serve here. The Rejoynder here 1. insinuateth that it is very likely, these Feasts, or some of them, were on foot while some Apostles lived: because Polycarpe praetended Iohn to have taught Easter.
On foot indeed was the mysterie of Antichristian corruption in the Apostles times. But that which Polycarpe is sayd to have praetended, was for the fourteen day of the monethmonth, and is confuted by a contrarie praetense of the latine Churches, from Peter and Paul. Socrat. l. 5. cap. 22. He 2. addeth, under Augustines name that it is insolent madnesse, to thinke that not to be well doen, which hath been doen by all the Churche, though it beganne after the Apostles times. Now though I finde no suche saying of Augustines, in the epistle quoted for it, but to the Contrarie, I finde this rule, that it is lawful or not lawfull to beleeve or not to beleeve other witnesses or testimonies besides that of the Scriptures) so far as you see they beare or do not beare weight to make us give more credit to a thinge. Alijs testibut, vel testimonijs (preterquam Divinarum Scripturarum) c…edere, vel non credere, liceat, quantum ea moments ad faciendam sulem, vel habere, vel non habere perpenderis.Which being granted, the fact of the Churche cannot so confirme, this or that to be right and well, as that it should be madnesse to denie it. Yet let it be his saying, I answer, if this be true then it must needs follow, that giving of the Communion (and that as is most likely sopped) upon opinion of necessitie, cannot be denied well and good, for that (as is well knowen) was doen generally in Augustines time, and longe before. It must follow also, that they were speciall insolent mad men, that first began to disalow eyther that, or any other ancient thinge of generall observatiō:Ecclesia Dei, intermultam pal…am, multaque, Zizanta, constituta, multa toleravit. which Augustine would never have sayde, whoe professed of his time, that the Churche of God sett in the heape of chaffe and tares, did onelyonly suffer many things, onelyonly ep. 119.
He 3. distinguisheth betwixt Bellarmines, and the Defendants alledging of traditions, because Bell. spake of doctrines necessarie to salvation. Which is not true for Bell. in that chapter maketh no mention of doctrines necessarie to salvation: and in the next chapter but one cap. 11. he confesseth, that all thinges absolutely necessarie to salvation, are written in the Scriptures, and (which is muche more) all thinges that are eyther necessarie, or profitable for all men to know.