Mixture of Scholastical Divinity with Practical Part 2, Excerpt and reply 24 – Excerpt and reply 25
Dr. Hammond.
And then for the Surplice: It is no newes, I hope, for severall sorts of men to have solemne Garments, for solemne actions which they doe not use at other times. The Judges upon the Bench, or the Lords at their coming to Parliament, are a sufficient evidence of this, who weare not those Robes in common occasions, which there they do, as betokening their quality. and the imployments they are about. And then what is thus customary in civill matters (viz. to difference persons and imployments, yea and dayes, by distinction of garments) and is allowed to be decent therein, this by analogy undeniable, is as fitly and decently from thence derived to solemne sacred actions also, such are the publick offices of the Priest: and the commands of our Superiours being added to this decency of the matter, foreign to foreign, it is, I am sure, more than undecent for inferiors to be obstinate, and deny obedience to them. In the choice of the garment, there bath been also, as near as may be, a resemblance observed of those garments, which in Scripture are mentioned for the like solemnities, long, shining, i. e. white robes or garments. And if the constant usage of other Churches besides this of ours, Eastern as well as Western, for so many Centuries together, be considered, it will be competently able to … stablish an Ecclesiastical custome also, which, in things of this nature, externall ornaments and formalities, is a more … onal ground, and rule or measure of decency, than any Mr. J. (or Amesius to boot) will readily he able to produce for the rejecting of them, or breaking and casting away those bands which tyed no harder a … than this upon their shoulders.
Jeanes.
The Surplice was used not onelyonly as a note of distinction, but also for its mystical signification, to betoken sanctity of life, and untill this latter use of them be proved lawfull, your four arguments will be but a begging of the Question, as you will soon perceive, when you attempt the reducing of them into forme.
This may suffice for answer unto all your arguments; but I shall also give unto each of them a several answer.
The first argument is taken from the Analogy betwixt civill and sacred persons and actions: Civil persons wear solemn garments for solemn actions, which they doe not use at other times; therefore it is decent for Ministers to weare solemne garments in their solemne sacred actions, which they doe not use in common occasions, as whilst they are walking in the streets, or the like.
To answer this, I need not trouble my …, but only referre the Reader unto what Ames answereth unto the like objection of Bishop Mortons in his Reply to his particular Def. &c pag. 4. To which I answer.
1. That if all this be granted, yet it maketh not for the Surplice; which is not a Civil … an Ecclesiastical, Religious habit; there is great difference betwixt a grave, civil habit, and a mystical garment.
2. The consequence doth not follow; because in the exercising of the Ministerial duty, nothing is requisite which the Lord himselfe doth not impose upon his Ministers. A Minister then hath another person, than when he walkoth in the street.
3. There is a great disparity betwixt Judges and Ministers, in regard of their Functions; for Judges Functions are civill, and therefore subject unto mans Institutions: but Ministers in their Functions are onelyonly to observe what he, whose service they are to perform hath appointed.
This answer fits your argument, as if it had been purposely made for it, and by this the … may see, that it was baffled long agoe, and … you should not have propounded it anew without some reinforcement.
But your second argument will strike the matter dead; The Command of our Superiours added unto the decency of the matter. But this mends the matter nothing at all; for our Superiours, as well as others, are prohibited to make any additionals unto the Worship instituted by the supream Law-giver, who had infinite Wisdome, and so could sufficiently provide whatsoever was fitting in his own Worship and Service: All additions unto the Ceremonial Law under the Old Testament … unlawfull, Deur. 12. 32. And why then should it be lawfull to adde unto the Ceremonial Law in the New Testament? Christ was faithfull in the House of God, as Moses, Heb. 3. 2. and therefore his provision for … was as perfect and exact, though not as numerous.
Your third Argument, The resemblance of the Surplice unto those Garments which in Scripture are mentioned for the like solemnities, long, shining, white Robes or Garments, I suppose you mean some of the holy Garments of Aaron, that were appointed for glory and for beauty, Levit. 16. 4. and then this reason may involve the Surplice in the guilt of Judaisme, rather than prove its decency. Hath God, think you, abrogated those mystical Garments that were of his owne …, to make way for such as shall bee of mens invention: If we must needs have mystical apparel, what can be more sitting than that which God himself ordained?
The Word and Sacraments doe sufficiently minde a Minister of his duty, and the light of them is so full and clear, like that of the Sun, as that it needs not the candle of a Surplice. This instruction of the Church by humane Ceremonies, is to teach her with a Fescue, to hide the light of the Gospel under a bushel, and it is a … and shadowing of its brightnesse.
Some have concluded the Surplice to be decent, because the Angels appeared in shining garments, Luk. 24. 4. in raiment white as snow, Mat. 28. 3. because the glorious Saints in heaven are … with white robes, Revel. 7. 9. and the Lambs Wife shall be arraied with fine linnen, clean, white, Revel. 19. 8. But these inferences are, as they say, … ad angulum, and you are wiser than to own them, and yet the strength of your argument is little, if at all, superiour to them.
Your fourth argument is, the constant usage of other Churches, besides this of ours, Eastern as well as Western, for many Centuries together.
But first, the not using the Surplice by Christ and his Apostles, and some Centures immediately following their times, is a saser prosident to imitate, than the usage of it in succeeding Centuries, which were not so pure and incorrupt as the Primitive time.
2. Those which are utterly unskilled in the Ancients, may collect from the confession of your great and learned Hooker, Ecclesiastical Politie, rag. 245. That the true and Primitive antiquity of the Surplice, is a matter very doubtful, notwithstanding, saith he, I am not bent to stand stiffly upon these probabilities, that in Hieromes and Chrysostomes times any such …, as a white garment, was made several unto this purpose, to wit, for Ministers to execute their Ministery in, and it is without doubt that in the next age, the cumbersome weight of Ceremonies, as you call it, burdened the Church; for Augustine who lived in the times of Hierome complained hereof, Epist. 119. ad Januar. Quamvis enim neque hoc inveniti possit, quomodo contra fidem sint, … tamen religionem, quam paucissimis & manifestissimis celebrationum Sacramentis misericordia Dei esse liberam voluit, servilibus oneribus premunt, ut tolerabilior sit conditio Judaeorum, qui etiam si tempus libertatis non agnoverint, legalibus tamen sarcinis, non humanis praesumptionibus subjieiuntur. Sed ecclesia Dei inter multam paleam multaque, zizanta constituta multa tolerat.
In the next place you averre, that Ecclesiastical custome in things of this nature, is a more rational ground and rule of decency … any Mr. J. or Amesius to boote, will readily be able to produce, for the rejecting of them, &c. But untill Amesius his argument against things of this nature, humane mystical ceremonies, be answered, this comparison with impartial Readers will passe for nothing but vapouring.
In the end of the Section, you give a hint of the tolerablenesse of the Ceremonies, they were bands which tyed no harder … than this, upon your shoulders.
But first, God hath broken the yoke of his own Ceremonies, and our Pre lates cannot shew us any commission for their pretended authority to make a new yoke of their own, and with it to gall the necks and consciences of Christs Members and Ministers. Paul, though he thought all indifferent things to be lawfull, yet he professeth that he would not be brought under the power of any, 1 Cor. 6. 12. Now we were brought under the power of the Crosse and Surplice; for as Aquinas …, qui utitur eo, quod non expedit, sive licitum sive illicitum, redigitur … sub rei illius potestate, and we were enthralled unto the use of them, when they were not expedient, when they did not edify, but destroy and scandalize.
2. If we may judge of the late Bishops zeal by their punishments, they shewed more zeal against the neglect of their Ceremonies, than against the omission of the weightiest matter of both the Law and Gospel; the most scandalous and ignorant Ministers found more favour at their Tribunals, than such of the Nonconformists as were renowned for parts and learning, and exemplary for personal piety and diligence in their Ministerial function.
3. Their rigour in imposing these bands was unexcusable and unsupportable; for it was upon no lesse penalties than silencing and deprivation, and these were upon the most peaceable and conscientious Dissenters: and when these arguments satisfied them not (and they were the best arguments their Consistories yeelded) the poor men were judged obstinate and contumacious, and then the Secular power was called upon for their … imprisonment, they must not breath in English …, unlesse in the close, and perhaps infected one, of a … prison; and there they must … and …, except they conform against their consciences: But I hope the Prelares sufferings have awakened them unto a sight of, and sorrow for this their over …, if not, I shall pray unto God to open … ears, that they may hear the voice of his rod.
Dr. Hammond. sect. 30.
In this case I beleeve (though not in the garments themselves) there is place for that decency, the omission of which necessarily inferres indecency, and for such order the breaking of which must soon end in foreign (which Mr. J. saith St. Paul opposes to foreign) viz. down right confusion.
Jeanes.
Here we have a great deale of confidence in your conclusion, but upon a diligent and most impartial search, I cannot find any premises of a proportionable strength to … it up; indeed you are like to meet with some partial Readers, who will think your proofs irrefragable, because you have … out so many quotations out of the Fathers, whereas all the while there is nothing in all this your discourse that looks like an Argument: If you think my censure injurious, you may right your self, by reducing your Arguments unto form, and then, … they be found convincing, the shame will be mine, and until this be done, I shall … my self with that which Aines speakes concerning the pretence of …, In his reply to Mortons particular def. &c. pag. 3. As for the rule of decency, which is here made the ground-of all this affirmation; it were to be wished that the … would have brought … into a …, that we might have seen the force of it; for now I … devise what Logick will conclude different Ministerial Garments, from decency; … decency was, and is without them, in a multitude of Christian Churches and Ministers; but as some blundering Logicians, make their rule de omni & de nullo, serve to prove everything so this Defendant would make us beleive that his rule of decency will … any thing that it pleaseth … spirituall Lords to impose upon us.