The Unreasonableness of Separation, Part 1 · Section 5
Sect. 5. But the most Material Question they ever Ask, is, Why were these few retained by our Reformers, which were then distastful to some Protestants, and were like to prove the occasion of future Contentions?
I will here give a Just and True Account of the Reasons which induced our Reformers either to Retain, or to Apoint these Ceremonies, and then proceed.
1. Out of a due Reverence to Antiquity. They would hereby convince the Papists they did put a difference between the Gross and Intolerable Superstitions of Popery, and the Innocent Rites and Practises which were observed in the Church before. And What could more harden the Papists, then to see Men put no difference betwen these? It is an unspeakable Advantage which those do give to the Papists, who are for Reforming 1600 years backward, and when they are pinch'd with a Testimony of Antiquity, presently cry out of the Mystery of Iniquity working in the Apostles times: as though every thing which they disliked, were a part of it. Next to the taking up Arms for Religion, which made Men look on it as a Faction and Design, there was scarce any thing gave so great a check to the Progress of the Reformation in France, especially among Learned and Moderate Men, as the putting no difference between the Corruptions of Popery, and the innocent Customs of the Ancient Church. For the time was when many Great Men there, were very inclinable to a Reformation; but when they saw the Reformers oppose the undoubted Practises of Antiquity, equally with the Modern Corruptions, they cast them off, as Men guilty of an unreasonable humor of Innovation; as may be seen in Thuanus, and Fran. Baldwins Ecclesiastical Commentaries, and his Answers to Calvin and Beza. But our Reformers, although they made the Scripture the only Rule of Faith, and rejected all things repugnant thereto; yet they designed not to make a Transformation of a Church, but a Reformation of it; by reducing it as near as they could, to that state it was in, under the first Christian Emperors, that were sound in Religion; and therefore they retained these few Ceremonies as Badges of the Respect they bore to the Ancient Church.
II. To manifest the Iustice and Equity of the Reformation; by letting their Enemies see, they did not Break Communion with them for meer indifferent things. For some of the Popish Bishops of that time were subtle and learned Men, as Gardiner, Heath, Tonstall, &c. and nothing would have rejoyced them more, than to have seen our Reformers boggle at such Ceremonies as these; and they would have made mighty advantage of it among the People. Of which we have a clear instance in the case of Bishop Hoopers scrupling the Episcopal Vestments. Peter Martyr tells him plainly, That such needless scrupulosity would be a great hindrance to the Reformation. For, saith he, since the People are with difficulty enough brought to things necessary, if we once declare things indifferent to be unlawful, they will have no patience to hear us any longer. And, withall, hereby we condemn other Reformed Churches, and those Ancient Churches, which have hitherto to been in great esteem.
III. To shew their Consent with other Protestant Churches,Calvin. Epist. ad Sadolet. De verâ Eccl. Reformatione, c. 16. …olamp. Epist. f. 17. which did allow and practice the same, or more Ceremonies, as the Lutheran Churches generally did. And even Calvin himself, in his Epistle to Sadolet, declared, That he was for restoring the Face of the Antient Church; and in his Book of the true way of Reformation, he saith, He would not contend about Ceremonies, not only those which are for Decency, but those that are Symbolical.Bucer. Scri…t. …gl. p. 479. Oecolampadius looked on the Gesture at the Sacrament, as indifferent. Bucer thought the use of the Sign of the Cross after Baptism neither indecent nor unprofitable. Since therefore, so great a number of Protestant Churches used the same Ceremonies; and the Chief Leaders of other Reformed Churches thought them not unlawful, our first Reformers for this, and the foregoing Reasons, thought it fit to retain them, as long as they were so few, so easie both to be practised and understood.