Diatribe Triplex, Title page – Preface
DIATRIBE TRIPLEX: OR A Threefold Exercitation, Concerning
1. Superſtition.
2. Will-worſhip.
3. Chriſtmas Feſtivall.
With the Reverend and Learned Dr HAMMOND.
BY Dauiel Cawdrey Preacher of the Word, at Billing-Magn. in Northampton-ſhire.
Col. 2.4.8.
4. This I ſay leaſt any man ſhould beguile you, with enticing words.
8. Beware leaſt any man ſpoyle you, through Philoſophie, and vaine deceit, after the Tradition of men, after the rud…ments of the World, and not after Chriſt.
LONDON, Printed for John Wright at the Kings-Head in the Old-Bayley. 1654.
The Preface.
WHat was ſaid of old, "That in the accuſation of Hereſie, no man ought to be ſilent; may well be applyed, to a charge of Superſtition, and Wil-worſhip, The one is a crime againſt the Truth of God, the other two againſt the worſhip of God; and the queſtion is, which is the greater ſinne, "To corrupt the Doctrine, or the worſhip? That, Hereſie is a great and a damnable ſinne, all men confeſse; That Superſtition, and Will-worſhip, are as criminall, and abhominable to God, (though ſome men accompt them rather their vertues, than their crimes) is as demonſtrable; and hath been demonſtrated elſe-where. The words (and things imported by them) have ſo long heard ill, in the Reformed Churches, that men must either deny themſelves guilty of the things, or ſtudy to defend, and vindicate the words from the evill ſenſe and ſavour put upon them. Pref. to 6. tracts.The Reverend Doctor (with whom I deale) takes it very hainouſly, "that the crimes of Superſtition and will-worſhip, ſhould bee charged upon the late Government and Diſcipline of the Church, and the ceremonies and obſervances, either preſcribed or cuſtomary among us. Particularly, Of Feſt. ſ. 26.that any ſhould charge his Chriſtmas Feſtivall (as it was of late obſerved) with thoſe two crimes, beſides the Riot attending on it. He will not (by his good will) grant, that foreign, or foreign, that is, Superſtition and wil-worſhip, in the Scriptures, are to be taken in an ill notion; much leſſe to bee accounted crimes; or if they be ſo, to be juſtly charged, upon his Chriſtmas Feſtivity. And no mervail, if the matter be as he makes it ſeem to be; For firſt, Of Superſt. ſect. 2.for Superſtition he ſaies, it is moſt clearly according to the uſe of the word, Superſtitum cultus, the worſhip of ſome departed from this World, alive in another, which though hee grants, juſtly charged on Heathens and Papiſts, and properly called Superſtition; Yet not on Proteſtants at all: Or if Proteſtants be guilty of any Superſtition, it is onelyonly of one kind, that is, To affirm (as a falſe Teacher) God to command, Sect. 46, 47, 48.when he doth not command, or to forbid when he doth not forbid. And ſecondly, as for VVil-worſhip, thats far from a crime, in his opinion; its nothing but voluntary worſhip, as innocent, as the Freewill-offerings, allowed by God in the time of the Law; Sect. 9.the more voluntary, the more acceptable. Which aſſertions, if they be true; it will be eaſie for him, to vindicate his Feſtivities, from thoſe charges laid agai…ſt them, as the grounds of laying them aſide. But that I may, at once and together, both ſhew and remove the grounds of the Reverend Doctors miſt…kes, and facilitate the way to the reading of the following Diſcourſes; I ſhall here very briefly recapitulate, what I ſuppoſe to be the cauſes of his Miſcarriages, in this whole buſineſſe. And they are theſe four miſpriſions.
1. That a man cannot be too Religious: This he confidently aſſerts, Sect. 33. both of the intention or degree, and of the extenſion or number of rites and ceremonies, taken into the worſhip of God, ſect. 34. A diſtinction or two, will cleare the way. A man may be ſaid to be too Religious, either becauſe he gives more to God than he deſerves, but ſo he cannot be too Religious; or becauſe he gives more than he requires, by the rule of worſhip; and ſo a man, may be too Religious. 2. In regard of worſhip commanded, eſpecially naturall worſhip, a man cannot be too Religious, in reference to the intention of the Devotion; as in love, fear, truſt in God: (though in inſtituted worſhip, a man may be too Religious: as if he pray, or Faſt to the waſting of his health, or neglect of his calling, &c.) Put in uncommanded worſhip, the leaſt Addition to the Rule of Worſhip, is too much, and ſuch a man, may be ſaid to be too Religious. This I prove.
1: If a man, or Church, may adde to the Rule of Religi…n, then he, or they may by too Religious: But a man or Church may adde to the Rule of Religion, ergo. The conſequence is clear. The aſſumption is proved by Deut. 4.2. where all Additions to the word are prohibited.
2. Religion, (ſaies the great Schoolman) is a morall virtue (or very like is) and ſtands betweene 2. extremes; ergo. a man may as well be too much Religious, as too little.
3. The Doctor himſelfe grants, there may be a Nimiety or exceſſe of Religion, in adding to the commands of Chriſt, the Goſpell rule, thoſe things which belong not to it, and ſo is not an exceeder in the feare and ſervice of God. Of Superſt. ſect. 46. And this is the firſt ground of the Doctors miſtake.
4. The ſecond is, That exceſſe in Religion, is not wel called Superſtition; or that Superſtitiis on not an exceſſe of Religion. Sect. 27. &c. which is proved to be ſo.
1. Becauſe it is an Addition to the Rule of worſhip, and ſo an exceſſe, as Super ſtatutum. Though the originall of the Word was Heatheniſh to ſignifie Superſtitum cultus, yet its well applyed by Divines, to thoſe Additions made to the Rule of worſhip. That which the old Teſtament calls Addition to the word, the new calls Doctrines, traditions of men, VVil-worſhip and Superſtition.
2. As the defect in Religion is called prophaneſſe, ſo the exceſſe is called Superſtition, as ſtanding in oppoſition to it.
3. By the Doctors own conceſsions. For firſt hee grants, Superſtitious may denote ſuch an exceſſe Sect 31.2. The worſhip of Angells is an exceſſe or Addition to the object of worſhip, and by him ſtiled, that crime of Superſtition. 3. Superſtitum cultus, the worſhip of the worthies departed, by Heathens, or of Saints and Angells, by Papiſts, is called Superſtition, Sect. 3. moſt properly, why? but that it addes to the Rule of worſhip. 4 Slaviſh fear of God, is granted to be Superſtition, becauſe Feare of God, being worſhip commanded in the firſt Commandement, Slaviſh fear is an exceſſe of that Feare. ſect. 24.25. 4. To affirm God to command when he doth not, is granted to be Superſtition, under the notion of Nimiety or exceſſe, becauſe that man addes to the commands of Chriſt. Sect 46.5. To place more vertue in things, than God or nature hath put in them, is granted to be an exceſs, becauſe it addes to the promiſes of Chriſt, and called Superſtition. ſect. 45. Thats the ſecond ground of miſtake.
3. The third is. That foreign, or will-worſhip, is nothing but voluntary worſhip, as innocent as the Freewil-offering, &c. Which ſeems a contradiction in adjecto; that voluntary worſhip and uncommanded, ſhould be innocent. For 1. Its expreſly againſt the ſecond Commandement; which forbids all worſhip not commanded by God. 2. Voluntary Worſhip is an Addition to the Rule of worſhip, and eo nomine, Superſtition, and thats ſinfull. 3. Why is the worſhip of Angells, of Saints, &c. criminall? but becauſe it was worſhip invented and added by the will of man; but thats granted to be ſinfull. Yet they do not urge it as a Commandement of God. 4. If Wil-worſhip be innocent, I cannot ſee, how all that rabble of Superſtitious worſhip at Rome, can be condemned; for they are not held out as Commandements of God, but as the Traditions of men.
4. The laſt ground of Miſtake is, that the Doctor takes for granted, That a Church or particular perſon, hath power to inſtitute & obſerve, worſhip not commanded by God. Which remaines, upon him to prove; before he can vindicate his Feſtivall, (as he and others maintain it) from the double crime, of Superſtition, and Willworſhip: which I prove by this one argument; If all Additions to the word in matter of worſhip, be criminous and ſinfull, as prohibited by God Deut. 4.2. and elſewhere; then no man or Church can without ſinne adde any worſhip, to that commanded by God; But the firſt is true: ergo. Theſe (I take it) are the principall grounds of the Doctors Miſpriſions, and are more largely ſhewed in the Tracts themſelves: To ſhut up this, If Superſtition be an exceſſe of Religion, (as allready it is proved to be, and more hereafter) if Willworſhip or uncommanded worſhip, be an Addition to the Goſpell Rule (as cannot well rationally be denyed) I ſee not how the Doctor can waſh his hands, or his Holiday, from thoſe two crimes. For he makes the conſecration & obſervation of the day, to be a part of (uncommanded) worſhip; the day to be more holy than other daies; as holy as the Lords day; places virtue in it by pleaſing God by it, and of more acceptance becauſe voluntary, &. (all which and more, appeare in the Tract it ſelf) which if they be not Additions, and exceſſes againſt the ſecond and fourth Commandement; I leave to the judgement of the indifferent Reader, when he hath ſeriouſly conſidered and weighed, what hath been, and ſhall be ſpok…n hereafter.