A Short View of the Prelatical Church of England 2, Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Of the Covenant.
THe third Motive for removal of the Book may be taken from the Proteſtation dated May 5. 1641. Confirmed, ſent abroad, and ſolemnly ſworn unto; yea, and bound up with a publick Covenant, on the publick day of T…ankſgiving, by Miniſters and People, ſo that it is an inviolable Covenant ſtricken between God and us, like unto that in Nehemiah, which is there called a ſur… Coverant, Neh 9.38.Coverant, a written Covenant, to which our Princes, Miniſters and People ſeal unto, from which we cannot depart, except we will incur that fearful Judgement threatned againſt Covenant breakers, Emblemed out un ous in Scripture,Pſal 15.4. by dividing of the Sacrifices, and cauſing the parties to go betwixt them, Gen. 15.17.admoniſhing, that God will ſo divide them in his wrath, if they forſake the Covenant: The ſubject of the Covenant conſiſteth of three parts: In the firſt we are ſworn and tied to maintain all the Rights of Religion,Jer. 34 18 King and State: In the ſecond to oppoſe all Perſons and things, that do oppoſe the three former mentioned, and more ſpecifically, to oppoſe with all our life and power, all Popery and Popiſh Inno…ations, which Expreſſions are thrice mentioned; once in the Proteſtation, or Oath, and twice in the Explanation: The third and laſt piece of the ſubject i…, the Peace of the three Kingdomes, England Scot a…d, and Ireland, which we by Oath are alſo bound to maintain: H…nce two Arguments will offer themſeives; one more directly, and the other by way of conſe…uence.
For the former,Sect. if all Popery, and Popiſh Innovations are to be oppoſed, then it will follow, that the Service book and Ceremonies ſhould be oppoſed, and by conſequence, by your Authority aboliſhed, Verba Statuti ſunt amplianda, non r…ſtringenda, the words of Acts and Statutes for good, and againſt evil, are to be taken in the largeſt extent: but the words themſelves are univerſal enough. Now, that the Service-book and Ceremonies therein contained, and preſſed upon mens Conſciences, are Popery, we, and many others have cleared; yea, they are Popiſh Innovations, Nam omnia quae a Chri…o non ſunt, nova ſunt, all things that are not from our King Chriſt in his worſhip, are meer Innovations,Cant Prax. as Tertullian was wont to call Praxeas, heſternum Praxeam, a yeſterdaies upſtart: ſo one, and all of them, are Exotick & upſtart things. It is true indeed, by the malignity of the Maſters of thoſe Ceremonies, the bulk was increaſed, and would have been like Crocodiles, who grow ſo long as they have a being; if you had not come in place of the T…tyrites, a creature terrible to the Crocodiles, which leapeth upon their backs, and brings them to the ſhore; but otherwiſe for the kind, they are all, non ejuſdem farinae, ſed furfuris, the ſame kind of Bran; and as the woman ſaid of the Foxes, Plin. lib. 8. c 25.If one be good, all are good. For the further confirmation, that they are Popiſh, we have proof from that Treatiſe of Ceremonies annexed to the Service-book: Bible in the Du… letter, Anno. 1561in ſome antient Copies we have read, that they thought good to retain ſome Popiſh Ceremonies; but in another Copy they call them, the old Ceremonies retained ſtil, all one in effect.
The latter Argument, from the Proteſtation, Sect.by way of ſequel, is from our mu…ual Covenant and Oath, joyntly and ſeverally to maintain the peace of the three Kingdoms, which is impoſſible to be done, in the opinion of our Brethren the Scots, without Identity of Diſcipline and Worſhip; witneſs the very words of the Arguments by the Scotiſh Commiſſioners given to the Lords of the Treaty, perſwading conformity in theſe, to be the chief meanes of peace.
We will tranſcribe ſome paſſages, for all we cannot, leaving the thing it ſelf to your Honours review. It is (ſaid they) t… be wiſhed, that there were one Conſeſſion of Faith; one form of Catechiſme, one Directory for all the parts of Gods publick Worſhip: as Prayer, Preaching, Adminiſtration of Sacrame…ts, &c.Page 2.
The Arguments that they uſe, are firſt, from the Conjunction of ſpirit and preſence, both of great and ſmall; of Aſſemblies in the Courts, and other where; where there is oneneſs of worſhip: but by the contrary, there is diviſion, where the worſhip is diverſe.
Secondly, Ʋnity of worſhip will extinguiſh thoſe Nick-names; as Puritanes and Sciſmaticks, put upon Profeſſors.
Thirdly, This will make the Miniſters of both Nations, with face to face, labour ſtrenuouſly, and chearfully to build up the body of Chriſt.
Fourthly and laſtly,Pages 3, 4. This will break the back of the Recuſants hope of bringing Rome into England, all which works ſtrongly for peace, the ſenſe whereof we cite; though not the very words: But if this unity of Worſhip be not (ſay the Commiſſioners) there is no unity in Policy, or Church, to be looked for: for as all the former combuſtions, and ſtormy tempe…s, formerly aroſe from that Popiſh Service-book, born it upon them, whereby all the three States were much indangered: ſo they profeſſe in plain terms, that their Reformation ſo dearly bought, Page 8.ſhall again be ſpoiled and defaced from England; and whatſoever peace ſhall be agreed upon, they do not conceive, how without Reformation it ſhall ever be firm and durable: for that Service, Government, and Officers, being none of Chriſts: but the main evil, and the cauſe of all evil in the three Nations: That Maxime obſerved by the Commiſſioners, we may fear will prove too true; the ſame cauſes will not fail to produce the ſame effects: witneſs Simeon and Levi's digging thorow the wall, that is, the preſent conſpired Plots of Treaſon, like to blow up all, if they be not hindered, even when you and your brethren are making up the breach: Now as we are tied by Oath to the preſervation of this Peace, according to our Power; We can look for no peace with God, nor bleſſing from God, if we give way to that, or ſuffer that, according to our power, that breaketh this peace. They ſay in the Preface of the Ceremonies, that without Ceremonies it is impoſſible to keep Order, or quiet Diſcipline in the Church. So we reply, that Mans Ceremonies in Gods Worſhip, will ſpoil the peace and quietneſſe, both of Diſcipline and Worſhip, witneſſe the putting of the Ark upon the Philiſtims Cart,Apoph. 66 though it was a new one. Eraſmus telleth us, quod mala non ſunt tantum abolenda, ſed etiam quae ſpeciem mali in ſe habent things evil of themſelves, are not onelyonly to be aboliſhed, but thoſe that have in them appearance of evil. In all this, Noble Senators, We take not upon us to put uncouth gloſſes upon your Edicts, but under favour, we uſe the words without forcing, to overturn that which croſſeth the Truth and peace of Religion and State: as means conduce to the end, ſo impediments fruſtrate the end, if they be not removed. And now ſince (under favour) We have preſumed to inlarge our ſelves in this point o… Peace, We beg leave of your Honours to ſpeak a word or two of the Improbabilities of Peace here among our ſelves, without removal of that ſtumbling block, the Service-book, People can worſe be without the Ordinance, than without Liberties, Lives and Being. When Pompey the Great was about to ſupply Rome with food, in a great Famine, the Maſter of the Ship told him, when he went abroad (a great Storm appearing) that he could not ſayle and live. Pompey replyed foreign. There is neceſſity of Sayling, but not of Living: and in this caſe what ſhall they do? for with this Mock-ordinance, or Will-worſhip, of the Service-book, they dare not joyn: There are ſuch multitudes of people (ſaith Smectymnuus) that diſtaſte this Book, that unleſſe it be taken a courſe withall, there is no hope of any mutual agreement, between Gods Miniſters and their people. We will ſay no more of this, but let the ſudden tumult raiſed by that Make-bate Service-book in Scotland, be a ſeaſonable Caveat to us and all other Nations, to ſtrike with Authority, leſt that which ſhould be done with the Right hand, be done unhappily with the left hand.
Here might be place for another Motive, namely, from the reward, ſed recte feciſſe praemium, to do nobly is reward enough, God employeth not man, propter indigentiam, ſed propter munificentiam, ſo much for any need of him, as for honouring of him, by that employment: up then, as the Lord biddeth you, your Honour ſhall be blazoned through the world, you ſhall be called the Saviours upon Mount Zion in ſetting Chriſt on his Throne, and the Kingdom ſhall be the Lords.
Anſwer of the Surplice.
WE had almoſt forgotten to ſay ſomewhat of one rag of the Ceremonies, namely, the Surplice, of all the Idolatrous Rites not leaſt, yea, worſe (we dare averre) than that Plague fore-clout which was ſent, as ſhould appear, to infect Mr. Pym, and the reſt of the Houſe; for this rag is ſo infectious in Gods worſhip, that many thouſands of Gods people dare not joyn with it, and that upon good grounds, as ſhall appear: for as it hath been argued againſt all the rabble of the Ceremonies, it is mans device, and hath been an Idol in Gods worſhip.
Therefore in the worſhip of God it muſt be an Idol ſtill. The Antecedent no man will deny; for it hath been the Maſter Idol in worſhip amongſt the Papiſts, ſanct fying all other Idols, and without which, it is unlawful to offici…te.
The conſequent is as clear from induction of particulars, as hath been inſtanced from groves and things of that nature, yea, from the Brazen Serpent, though of God his Inſtitution: now according to the rule of Art, either let the Defendant give an inſtance extra propoſitum, beſides the thing in queſtion; or acknowledge the truth of the Conſequent without contradiction.
This hath been a grand Inſtrument of much miſchief againſt the Miniſters and People of God, as we can ſhew at large, depriving the people of their faithful Miniſters, and the Miniſter and theirs of all means of livelihood. The unlawfulneſſe of this Babyloniſh Garment will further appear, if we look to the original whence we have it.
We muſt either have it from Heathen Rome, Galleſtus.which in her Idolatrous ſervice did Apiſhly imitate Aaron his garments, as it is inſtanced in the reign of Numa, 800. years after the Law; or we muſt have it from the Dreides, the mad Heathen Prieſts amongſt the Gaules and Britains, or from the Antichriſtian Rome, as we have indeed, it being one of the Popiſh Ceremonies retained: or laſtly, from the P…ieſtly attire of Aaron, which Heathen and Popiſh Rome hath impiouſly followed, denying thereby the Lord Jeſus to be come in the fleſh, who with his graces was typified out by thoſe goodly and beautiful garments,Col. 2.17. which being ſhadows, are done away, and Chriſt the Body is come; for us then to imitate them in this fooliſh Relique, or to deviſe a Prieſtly garment of our own head in Gods worſhip, is to rob Chriſt of his honour exceedingly, and to make our ſelves deeply guilty of will-worſhip: Had not God himſelf clothed thoſe garments in the Law, with a particular and punctual command for matter and manner, they had been fooliſh and ridiculous things:Exod. 39.1. Simler. they made the holy garment (ſaith Moſes) as the Lord commanded, which later words, as the Lord commanded, are repeated, as the learned obſerve, nine ſeveral times in this Chapter, intimating that they did not ſwerve one jot from Gods …irection, teaching all Gods ſervants thereby, as the learned apply it,Pelarg. ut ſe contineant intra limites verbi Dei) that they contain themſelves within the limits of Gods Word, and bring nothing into the ſervice of God of their own invention: for the Apoſtle calls that,Simler. foreign, will-worſhip: this being ſo, it appears what evil workers thoſe Miniſters are, who with an high hand do diſplay this Banner of the Man of Sin againſt Gods own face in the time of his worſhip, interpoſing betwixt Gods preſence,Exod. 39.43. and the worſhip, and diverting of the bleſſing upon the worſhip, for Moſes is ſaid to bleſs the work of the worſhip, upon this ground, becauſe he ſaw it done, as Jehovah had commanded. The Hebrewes adde, and that truely, that becauſe of this, the preſence of God was in it.Iſa. 20.22.
Wherefore we humbly intreat your Honours, as ye would have God to be in his worſhip, and his bleſſing upon it, and upon you and us in a perfect hatred of that menſtruous Cloth and Garment ſpotted with the fleſh, to caſt it out, and all the reſt, as Carcaſes of abominable things: but withall, we intreat you, to ſet the Maſters of the Wardrobe on packing with them.
It is obſerved as a cuſtom among the Papiſts, that they bury their Prelates in all their Pontifical robes, of which a learned Divine tells us, he could give no reaſon, except they meant they ſhould do ſervice when they were dead, that had never done any thing alive. If your Honours will lap up the Prelates in the Sear-cloth of their own Surplices, and intomb them in the Tabernacle of the Service-book, imbalmed with the ſtrange ointment of their own Ceremonies, and bury them under the Oake that is in oblivion,Gen. 35.2. Verſe 5. Joſ, 2.9. as Jacob did the Idols of his family, and as our neighbours and brethren have done with the l ke ſtuffe, then the fear of you ſhall be upon all your enemies, and the child that is to come ſhall bleſſe God for you.