Mixture of Scholastical Divinity with Practical Part 2, Excerpt and reply 36
Dr. Hammond. sect. 48, 49.
I proceed then to the second thing, that if what he pretends to be possible also, were indeed the only possible, or (by way of supposition, but not concession) if foreign did really import no more than in Order, as that is opposed to disorder or confusion, yet, I say, it will soon appear, that the Apostles commanding such order, or orderlinesse, and forbidding all confusion in Ecclestasticall …, must by consequence … interpreted to command the instituting and observing … of Ceremonies in a Church. This I thus deduce.
First there is no possibilitie of worshiping God externally and publickly, without use of some Ceremonies, … of time, place, and gesture, &c.
2. There is no possibility of order in a multitude, without uniformity in the same circumstances.
3. There is as little possibility of uniformity among many, without either agreement one with another, or direction of some superior to them all, what shall by all be uniformely performed.
4. The agreement one with another, if it … only voluntary, and such, as by which … are obliged, no way secures the end; but if it be such an agreement, that every single person is obliged to observe, then still is that a law of that body, as of a councel, &c. and as truely so, as the constitution of a single Prelate can be thought to be. And so the conclusion regularly followes, that to the preserving but of order, or orderlinesse in a …, it is necessary, there be appointment, what shall by all be … performed; confusion anavoidably coming in, where no certain rules are prescribed … uniformity. What can be denyed in this processe I foresee not.
Here it shall suffice to note, that time, place, and such like circumstances, are so manifestly necessary in their kind, that the … may be deduced from them, by … …, without any institution; but no man can deduce our … from those kinds named. Mans will is the only reason, of them, as Gods will is the only reason of Ceremonies truly divine by institution. No man can conclude thus: we must every where have some garment, and therefore in England a Surplice. We must alwaies in Baptisme, have some admonition to professe the faith, and … in England, a Crosse. We must use reverent gestures in receiving the holy ``…; and therefore in England we must kneel in the act of receiving. But we may conclude thus; we must have a fit place to meet in, and this place is generally fittest for our Congregation, therefore we must have this. We must have a convenient time to meet in, and this hour is generally most convenient for our Congregation: therefore this. The Monks may as well conclude: we must have some garments; therefore we must in one order have black; in another white; in a third, black over white, or white over black; in a fourth, gray; a fifth, … coloured; in some, all woollen; in some, all linnen; &c. ad insinitum, as well (I say) every …, as the Rejoynder can conclude from a garment, to a …; from …, to the sign of the Crosse, or from reverence in a table-gesture; … kneeling.
Jeanes.
Though you cannot see what can be denied in this process, yet he that … may read what is constantly denied by the Non-conformists, if he ever read their books: they deny over and over, over and over &c. Your two first conclusions if applied unto the Ceremonies in question: Indeed they grant, that circumstances of time, place, order and decency, and the like, are necessary genere in their kind, but these, I will tell you, are not the Ceremonies in controversy; the Ceremonies which they oppose are not circumstantial, but doctrinal, of moral signification, and the mere divises of men, such as the surplice, …, &c. And you may affirm, but can never prove, that there is no possibility of worshipping God externally, and publickly without such ceremonies, for it is …, that such Ceremonies are not necessary in their kind. In hoc vertitur cardo …, therefore if you can prove this, we shall yield you the cause, and ly … at your feet to be trampled upon and triumphed …: and until this proof be made, you can never regularly inferre, that to the preserving but of order or orderlyness in a Church, it is necessary there be appointment, what … religious Ceremonies shall by all be uniformely performed.
If you shall say that by Ceremonies you understand onelyonly circumstances … time, place, decency, order, and the like, I shall confesse my selfe to be mistaken, but must withall for my own discharge …, that you alone ere guilty of this my mistake, for who could reasonablely imagine that in a controversy with the opposers of Ceremonies, you should exclude from the Ceremonies mentioned by you, all such Ceremonies as they oppose.
Your … conclusion call's for confirmation, and until you shall bethink your selfe of some reason to confirme it, I shall offer against it these following instances, unto which it is no difficult matter to adde many more; suppose the … of Churches in a City meet at nine of the clock for Gods …, and in the Country Parishes adjoining, where many people live at a great distance from their Churches, they meet at tenne or halfe an houre after nine, nay in the same Church at one and the same time, whilst the word of God is read or preached, those that sit in seats may have their heads uncovered, and those that stand in allies may keep on their hats the whole Sermon …, because the crowd or throng may render it in convenient to keep them off. Now in both these instances there is not uniformity in the same circumstances, and yet there may be order observed, and confusion may very well, notwithstanding, be avoided in all the parts of Gods worship and service.
But to give an instance ad hominem out of Parker, some of our Churches in … … Organs, some not; some discant and broken singing, some …; here was no uniformity, but you will not, I beleeve, …, that there was confusion. This point of uniformity in rites and Ceremonies, the Reader may find at large debated in the now mentioned Mr. Parker …. of the Cross part 2. pag. 91. usque ad …. These two conclusions being thus …, I need not stay upon the following, which will be uselesse and …, without the two former be presupposed as true.