Abolishing of Things Abused to Superstition and Idolatry, Title page – To the reader
Nehuſhtan: OR, A ſober and peaceable Diſcourſe, concerning the Aboliſhing of things abuſed to Superſtition and Idolatry; Which may ſerve as one intire, and ſufficient Argument, to evince that the LITƲRGY, CEREMONIES, and other things uſed at this day in the Church of England, ought neither to be impoſed, nor retained, but utterly extirpated and laid aſide: and to vindicate the NON-CONFORMISTS in their refuſal to cloſe with them.
Deut. 12.2, 3.
Ye ſhall utterly destroy all the places wherein the Nations which ye ſhall poſſeſs ſerved their gods.
— Ye ſhall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire, and ye ſhall hew down the graven images of their gods, and deſtroy the names of them out of that place.
Concil. Carthag. 5. can. 15.
Item, placuit ab Imperatoribus glorioſiſſimis peti, ut reliquiae, non ſolum in ſimulachris, ſed in quibuſcunque locis, vel lucis, vel arboribus, omnimodo deleantur.
LONDON, Printed in the Year 1668.
To the Sober and Ingenuous READER.
IT is the certain and unqueſtionable duty of every man in his reſpective place and calling, to endeavour to the utmost of his power, the preſervation and furtherance of true Religion, and the extirpation and aboliſhing of what ever is, or in probability may be, prejudicial thereunto. In conſideration and purſuance hereof, it is that I have penned this Treatiſe; wherein I have endeavoured from the ſeveral Topicks and Principles, from which Divines commonly argue, to evince that all unneceſſary things, by whomſoever brought into the Church, having been groſly abus'd to Superſtition and Idolatry, and by virtue thereof being apt to ſcandalize and offend, are for the neceſsary preſervation of the ſyncerity of Religion, the ſafety of mens Souls, and the peace of the Church, to be aboliſhed and laid aſide. This I know, thoſe who are in love with Popiſh cuſtoms, and ſtand ill affected to the carrying on of the work of Reformation, will look upon as Doctrine ſavouring of Novelty, Singularity, and Schiſm; but it is ſo far from that, that divers as learned,Tenenda eſt haec regula, ſi quae in abuſum venerunt, &c. Zanch. vol. 2. col. 678. Regula eſt, adiaphora non neceſſaria, &c. Rivet vol. 1 p. 1346. Laudant religioſi Theologi regulam, adiaphora non neceſtaria, &c. Wend Syſt. Maj. part 2. c. 6. p. 1641. Hooker Eccl. Pol. l. 4. ſect. 12. p. (ed. noviſſ) 115. ſober judicious Divines, as the Proteſtant Church hath afforded, have openly and conſtantly maintained it, and ſtill as occaſion hath been, had recourſe to it, as an undenyable, ſtanding rule, which none without incurring the crime, laeſi principii, may withſtand, or gainſay. Nay, ſome of the moſt able and zealous defenders of thoſe ſcandalous things we have amongst us, have found themſelves ſo perplex'd and tortur'd with this very Argument, that they have expreſly acknowledged it, the chief weapon made uſe of againſt them. Which I urge not, as if I thought this ſufficient to ſatisfie all diſſenters, touching the validity of it, but as that which I conceive may ſerve as a proper expedient, to allay prejudice, and make way for a more ingenuous and candid weighing of the caſe; which is all, that I can rationally either expect or deſire. I ſhall never ſolicit men to cloſe with this, or any other Principle, till they are firſt convinced, and ſatisfied of the truth and juſtneſs of it. That we muſt cloſe with the will of God, when revealed to us, there is no queſtion; but then we muſt do it, in that method that he hath appointed, and in ſuch a way, as is agreeable to the nature and order of the faculties and powers he hath beſtowed on us. We must not firſt cloſe with a Principle or Opinion, and then inquire into the ſoundneſs of it (that's prepoſterous) but we muſt firſt inquire into the ſoundneſs of it, and then according as the reaſon attending it do's more or leſs oblige us, cloſe with it. So that he, who laying aſide prejudice, allows me a ſerious and fair audience in the preſent caſe, and cloſes with what I propound in a way proportionable to the reaſon and evidence I offer to him, do's me all the right I can challenge from him. That this Argument, hath by men both of our own and other Nations, been heretofore urged againſt the Reliques and Monuments of Superſtition and Idolatry yet remaining in the Church, I readily grant; but by none that I know of, in ſo clear and full a manner, as the weight and uſefulneſs of it calls for. Thoſe who have gone the furtheſt, and ſaid the moſt of it, have left it in ſtraights and troubles, labouring under thoſe obſcurities and objections, which their handling of it in a tranſient way, in the midſt of other Arguments, would not give them leave to deliver it from. Now theſe I have taken care to meet with and endeavoured to diſpel and remove. I have conſulted Saravia, Dr. Burgeſs, Dr. Pridoaux, Dr. Hammond, with other of the beſt Authors that I know of, who have appeared againſt it, and peruſed their exceptions, and there is not any, if I am not much miſtaken, which I have not fully anſwered. If any upon their entring on the Treatiſe, and reading the ſeveral particulars, which I contend upon their being abuſed ought to be laid aſide, think I expreſs my ſelf in too large and general terms, I deſire them to weigh the Scriptures and proofs alledg'd: and in caſe thoſe ſatisfie not, to ſuſpend their cenſure till they come to the limitations, and the anſwering of the Objections; in the management whereof, I have endeavoured to restrain preceding expreſſions, that ſeem'd too full and large, to their juſt extent and bounds (which I could not well do, before) and remov'd all ſcruples, and exceptions of any weight, that have prepoſterouſly, or otherwiſe, been taken up againſt the preſent truth. The diſadvantage it may undergo through the inſufficiency of the inſtrument, in whoſe hands it is, to manage it in that exact way, wherein it ſhould be handled, muſt needs be great; however, upon ſerious inquiry into it, and impartial weighing of what I find is, or I conceive may be, alledg'd for, and againſt it, I am very confident, that being duely weilded and improved, it will afford ſufficient ſtrength to batter down all the fortifications, thoſe who preſide in the Church, or their Aſſiſtants, can erect in defence of thoſe abuſed and ſcandalous things which they do with ſo much zeal contend for, and with ſo much rigour impoſe on the Miniſters and People of theſe Nations, to the begetting of moſt lamentable diſcords amongſt his Majeſties Subjects, and the expoſing of us to the certain undergoing of thoſe evils, which the peaceableſt reception, and higheſt improvement of them, would never countervail. For my own part, I am ſo well ſatisfied with what I maintain, that were there no other argument againſt Conformity than this one (whereas it is well known there are multitudes more, which never were, nor never will, be anſwered any otherwiſe than the Papiſts anſwer us about other things of the like nature, that we have cast off) I ſhould never, I think, he Conformiſt. But I ſhall not offer to impoſe my belief on others: let them read, and then do as they find cauſe. As for what ſome may alledge, that theſe matters have been inſiſted on long enough: it's a frivolous pretence, ſavouring of lukewarmneſs and carnal oſcitancy. How can it be imagin'd ſuch things have been inſiſted on long enough, when as they ſtill remain as ſtumbling blocks and ſnares to overthrow ignorant and unstable Souls? We proceed otherwiſe, in matters of leſs danger, and importance. So long as the wound continues, we apply the plaiſter; and ſo long as the fire remains, we caſt on water. And if ſuch conſtant ſedulity, be allowable and neceſsary in lower matters, why ſhould it not be thought ſo in higher? Let thoſe who have power once remove offenſive things out of the way, and we have done; but till then, they may make account that witneſs will be born againſt them. What oppoſition hath by good men been made againſt ſuch things, what influence the retaining of them hath had towards the begetting of our unhappy diſtractions, who are to be blam'd,Non negarim multos initio, pio ſtudio ad acricrem reprehenſionem quorundam manifestotum abuſuum impulſos fuiſſe, &c. Conſult. art. 7. p. 56. and what courſe is to be taken for our cure, I ſhall give you an account of, in thoſe ſober words of Caſſander, a moderate and learned Papiſt. I ſhall not (ſaith he) deny but many in the beginning, were by a pious ſtudy moved to a ſharper reprehenſion of manifeſt abuſes, and that the chief cauſe of this calamity and diſtraction of the Church, is to be charged upon thoſe who being puff'd up with ambition of Eccleſiaſtical power, have proudly and diſdainfully contemned and repelled thoſe who have duly and modeſtly admoniſh'd them. Wherefore I conceive there is no firm peace to be expected to the Church unleſs thoſe begin who have given the occaſion of the diſtraction, that is, unleſs thoſe who preſide in Eccleſiaſtical Government, do remit ſomething of their rigour, and yield ſomewhat for the Churches peace; and complying with the deſires and admonitions of many pious perſons, correct manifeſt abuſes, according to the rule of the Divine Scriptures, and the antient Church, from which they have turn'd aſide. Theſe words Conradus Vorſtius, though none of the ſoundest men, thought ſo remarkeable, that he hath ſet them down on the back ſide of the Title Page to his Enchiridion-Controverſiarum. Would thoſe who are over us reſent the maladies, under which we labour, but even as this Papiſt did, we might hope our diſtractions and troubles were nearer to an iſsue. However, we muſt go on in giving our teſtimony, and offering our requeſts and reaſons for the removal of what offends; and though the ſucceſs be not anſwerable to our deſires, yet we ſhall have this to comfort us, that we have done our duty.