Commissioners Petitioning for Review of Book of Common Prayer, Commentary 2 · Preface · Section 9
Sect. 9.
[To the second,Ans. 2. Ans. That it is not a violation of Christs Royalty, to make such Laws for decency, but an exercise of his Power and Authority which he hath given to the Church, and the disobedience to such Commands of Superiours, is plainly a violation of his Royalty; As it is no violation of the Kings Authority, when his Magistrates command things according to his Laws, but disobedience to the Command of those injunctions of his Deputies, is violation of his Authority. Again, it can be no impeachment of Christs Laws, as insufficient, to make such Laws for decency, since our Saviour, as is evident by the Precepts themselves, did not intend by them to determine every minute and circumstance of time, place, manner of performance, and the like; but only to command in general the substance of those Duties, and the right ends that should be aimed at in the performance, and then left every man in particular (whom for that purpose he made reasonable) to guide himself by Rules of reason for private Services; and appointed Governours of the Church, to determine such particularities for the publick. Thus our Lord commanded Prayers, Fasting, &c. But for the times and places of performance, he did not determine every of them, but left them to be guided as we have said. So that it is no impeachment of his Laws, as insufficient, to make Laws for determining those particulars of decency, which himself did not, as is plain by his Precepts, intend to determine, but left us Governours for that purpose, to whom he said [As my Father sent me, even so send I you, and let all things be done decently, and in order] of whom he hath said to us, [Obey those that have the oversight over you] and told us, that if we will not hear his Church, we must not be accounted as Christians, but Heathens and Publicans; And yet nevertheless they will not hear it, and obey it in so small a matter, as a Circumstance of time, place, habit, or the like, which she thinks decent and fit, and yet will be accounted the best Christians, and tell us that it is the very awe of Gods Law, Deut. 12. 32. that keeps them from obedience to the Church in these Commands; not well considering that it cannot be any adding to the Word of God, to command things for order and decency, which the Word of God-commands to be done, so as they be not commanded as Gods immediate Word, but as the Laws of men; but that is undeniable adding to the Word of God, to say, that Superiours may not command such things which God hath no where forbidden, and taking from the Word of God, to deny that Power to men, which Gods Word hath given them.]
Repl. Rep.To make Laws (to determine of undetermined Circumstances, necessary in genere, to be some way determined, and left to Magistrates or Ministers de specie, and to do this according to the general Rule of Scripture, and in order to the main end, and not against it) is not against the Royalty or Will or Christ; but to make new dedicating Covenanting Symbols, to signifie the Doctrine of the Covenant of Grace, and solemnly engage us unto God, and place these in the publick Worship, which are not meer Circumstances, but substantial Institutions, not necessary in genere (that there should be any such at all, besides Gods Sacraments) we fear this is a violation of the Royalty of Christ, and a reflection on his Laws, as insufficient. For, 1. If it belong to the Power proper to Christ, then it is a violation of his Royalty, for any man to exercise it; but it belongeth to the Power proper to Christ, Ergo, &c. The Minor is proved thus: If it belong to the universal Head, or Ruler of the Church, as such; then it belongs to the Power proper to Christ; (for we are ready to prove there is now under him, no universal Head or Ruler, personally, or collectively and civilly one) But, &c. If in the Reason of it, it should be the matter of an universal Law, if any, then it should be the work of the universal Law-giver, if any: But, &c. If in the Reason of it, it be equally useful to the Church, universal as to any particular Church, or Age, then it should according to the reason of it, be the matter of an universal Law, if of any: But, &c. It hath the same aptitude, to engage us to a duty of universal necessity, and hath no reason proper to this Age, or Place for it; but common to all. Moreover, it is no where committed to the power or care of man; Ergo, it is proper to the Care and Power of Christ; no Text is shewed that giveth man power in such things: To do all things decently and orderly, and to edification, is no giving of power on that pretence, to make new Covenanting dedicating Signs: To do Gods work decently, &c. is not to make more such of our own heads; it's but the right modifying of the work already set us. And to do all decently, orderly, and to edification, was a duty in Moses time, when yet such things as these in question might not be added by any but God: (when we say by God, we mean by his inspired Instruments; and when we say by Christ, we mean by his inspired Instruments) If we should make Laws, that every one is publickly to taste Vineger and Gall, as a Sign that we are not ashamed of, but resolved through all fresh-displeasing di…ficulties to follow Christ, that did so, and thus to engage and dedicate our selves to him; this were to do more than to [do all things decently and orderly] which he appointed. If milk were to be publickly suckt or drank by all in profession, that we will feed on the sincere Milk of his Word, and so to dedicate us to him by Covenant: Or, if we were to put on an Helmet, and other Armour, in token that we will be his Soldiers to the death, and manfully fight under, &c. These Ingagements, by such publick signs, are Sacraments in the sense, as the word was used of old, when it signified a Soldiers solemn listing, or covenanting with his Commander. Thus by distinguishing decent and orderly modes, and Circumstances necessary in genere, from new Ordinances, even solemn dedicating, covenanting, or such like mystical Signs; we have shewed you what we grant, and where you fail, and what is indeed a wrong to Christ, and an accusation of his Laws, and what not? and how unjust your following accusation of us is (who never yet told you, we would be accounted the best Christians; but to desire to please Christ as neer as we can, is not blame worthy.) Abundance of things of lesser moment than these, are commanded by God in the Law, to which he addeth, that Sanction, Deut. 12. 12. Whatever things I command thee, &c. And we conceive, that the words [As my Father sent me, so, &c.] had somewhat proper to the extraordinary Mission: [And if he hear not the Church, &c.] is neither spoken of a Church universal, nor of Magistrates making Laws for such Ceremonies or Signs: But if he hear not that Church, with which he was in Communion, and which admonisheth him for his sin, let that Church reject him from their Communion.