Uniformity in Human Doctrinal Ceremonies, jeanes 8 – hammond 14
Jeanes.
Both Ames and my poor ſelf confeſs, that God hath by the Canon of the Apoſtle, and by the light of Nature, appointed and commanded, that decency in his worſhip and ſervice, the neglect whereof would be undecent; but that hee holds that there is need of a special divine inſtitution to render a thing decent, is diſclaimed by Ames in ſeveral places of his writings: Medul. Theol. lib. 2. c. 14. ſect. 24, 25, 26. Hujuſmodi igitur circumſtantiae, quae ſuâ naturâ ſunt civiles, aut communes▪ non ſunt particulariter in ſcripturis praeceptae, partim, quia in communem hominum ſenſum incurrunt; & partim, quia infra dignitatem & majeſtatem legis divinae eſſ…t, ut talia figilla…im in illa praeſcribantur, hâc etenim ratione ridieula multa fuiſſent ſingulari lege cavenda: Exempli gratiâ, ne in eccleſiaſtico coetu unus in alterius ſinu ſeſe colocaret, in alterius faciem cenſpueret, aut ne popijmos faccret in ſacris actionibus. Habendae tamen ſunt tanquam ex voluntate Dei praeceptae. 1. Quia in genere praecipiuntur, ſub lege ordinis, decori, & aedificationis. 2 Quia pleraeque earum neceſſario ſequuntur ex iis quae à Deo ſunt expreſſè conſtituta. Cum enim Deus constituit, ut fideles omnis generis convenirent, ad ipſius nomen & cultum celebrandum, conſequentèr etiam inſtituit, ut idoneum & commodum aliquem locum habeant, in quo poſſint convenire. & horam etiam aſſignatam, qua ſimul p…ſſint adeſſe; c…m etiam miniſter à Deo ſit conſtitutus ad alios publice inſtituendos, ſimul etiam conſtituitur, ut ſedem & ſitum corporis illum habeat, qui tali actioni congruit.
25. Illa igitur quae pertinent ad ordinem & decorum, non ita relinquuntur hominum arbitrio; ut poſsint, quod ipſis libet, ſub illo nomine Eccleſ…is obtrudere; ſed partim determinantur generali…us De… praeceptis, partim natura ipſarum rerum, & partim circumſtantiis illis, quae ex occaſione ſeſe offerunt.
26. Variae enim ord…is & decori circumſtantiae tales ſunt, ut nulla inſtitutione publica accedente, debeant tamen à ſingulis obſervari, neque poſſunt ab hominibus prohiberi ſine peccato.
24. Such like circumſtances therefore, which of their own nature are civil or common, are not particularly commanded in the Scriptures, partly becauſe they come into mens common ſenſe, and partly becauſe it would not ſtand with the dignity and majeſty of the Law of God, that ſuch things ſhould be ſeverally preſcribed in it. For by this means many ridiculous things ſhould have been provided for by a ſpecial Law; as for example, that in the Church aſſembly one ſhould not place himſelf in anothers boſome, ſpit in anothers face, or ſhould not make mouthes in holy actions: Yet they are to be accounted as commanded from God: 1. Becauſe they are commanded in generall under the Law of Order, Decency, and Edification. 2. Becauſe moſt of them doe neceſſarily follow from thoſe things which are expreſly appointed by God. For when God appointed that the faithfull of all ſorts ſhould meet together to celebrate his name, and worſhip, he did conſequently ordaine that they ſhould have a fit and convenient place, wherein they may meet together, and an hour alſo aſſigned at which they may be preſent together; when alſo there is a Miniſter appointed by God to teach others publiquely, it is withall appointed that he have a ſeat which is meet for ſuch an action.
25. Thoſe things therefore which pertain to order and decency, are not ſo left to mens wills, that they may under the name of that, obtrude what they pleaſe upon the Churches: but they are partly determined by the general precepts of God, partly by the nature of the things themſelves, and partly by thoſe circumſtances which doe offer themſelves upon occaſion.
26. For divers circumſtances of order and decency are ſuch, as though there be no publique inſtitution of them, yet they ought to be obſerved of every one, neither can men forbid them without ſin. Unto this adde another place in his f…eſh ſuit againſt Ceremonies, diſput. pag. 29. We never ſaid, or thought, that all particular rites pertaining to order and decency are punctually determined in the Scripture. We never dreamed, that all ſuch rites being beſide the particular determination of the Scripture, are againſt it, we ſpeak of double, or treble rites as the Rejoinder ſtileth them, which no meer order and decency doth neceſſarily require, but onelyonly the meer will of man injoyne. That which is inſtituted by God in his worſhip, Ames knew very well to be a part of Gods worſhip; but that decency is no part of Gods worſhip, Ames in his diſput. pag. 176. proves by a Reaſon quoted out of Dr. Abbot, Def of Mr. Perk. pag 844 Order and comelineſs (ſaith the Popiſh Biſhop) is ſome part of Gods worſhip. But (ſaith Dr. Abbot) who taught him this deep point of Philoſophy, that an accident is a part of the ſubject, that the beauty or comelineſſe of the body is a part of the body, order and comelineſſe properly and immediately reſpect men, and therefore can be no parts of the worſhip of God. To be inſtituted by God, if we ſpeake ſtrictly & properly, is to be injoyned by a divine poſitive Law ſuperadded unto the law of nature; and in conformity hereunto it is that our Author Ames divides Gods worſhip, Med. lib. 2. cap. 5. into natural and inſtituted: Now if this be your meaning, when you impute unto Ames and me, that our opinion is, that nothing is decent in ſacris, which is not instituted by God, as the charge is falſe in it ſelf, ſo it proveth not that which you bring it for, viz. that in our ſenſe decency in the Apoſtle, is only that decency which the law of nature preſcribes; but confirmeth the clean contrary, becauſe that which is inſtituted by a poſitive law ſuperadded to the law of nature, is not preſcribed proximè and immediatè by the law of nature.
You are by this time, I hope, conſcious of the great injury you have done unto poor Dr. Ames, in affixing unto him ſo irrational an opinion, and hereupon I ſhall be bold to give you this advertiſement, that however you may deſpiſe him as a mean Author, unworthy of your peruſal, yet, if you undertake to cenſure and refute him, you muſt read him, or elſe you will be very lyable unto the breach of the ninth Commandement, Thou ſhalt not bear falſe witneſſe againſt thy neighbbour.
But you will perhaps ſay in defence of your ſelf, that if it were not the opinion of Ames, it is the ſequele of his words; and for this you have two reaſons.
The 1. becauſe the mode or manner agreeable unto the dignity of ſacred things is inſtituted by God, as the ſacred things are inſtituted by God: But this propoſition, if it be particular, proves nothing, and if it be univerſal, is falſe, as you might have ſeen in the next reaſon of Ames, but that you cannot ſee wood for trees, as the Proverb is; There is a mode or manner in the uſe of ſacred things agreeable unto their dignitie, that is not adequate, proper, and peculiar to them, but common unto civill matters of a grave nature together with them; and this is a matter inculcated by Dr. Ames in many places, which if you had weighed, you would never have troubled the Reader with this objection, Medul. Theol. lib. cap. 14. th: 23. Quamvis igitur hujuſmodi circumſtantiae vocari ſoleant à nonnullis ritus & ceremoniae▪ religioſae, aut eccleſiaſticae, nihil tamen habent in ſua natura, quod proprium eſt religionis, atque adeo in iis non propriè conſiſtit cultus religioſus, quamvis ex eorum neglectu, & contemptu violatur aliquo modo ſancti…as cultus religioſi; quia communis illa ratio ordinis & decori quae aequè convenit religioſis actibus, atque civilibus, à religioſo cultu non poteſt ſeparari, quin aliquo modo laedatur ipſius dignitas & majeſtas. Although theſe circumſtances of time, place, and other lïke, are wont by ſome to be called rites, or religious Eccleſiaſtical ceremonies, yet in their nature they have nothing that is proper to Religion, and therefore religious worſhip doth not properly conſiſt in them, however by neglect and contempt of ſuch circumſtances, the ſanctity of ſuch religious worſhip is in ſome ſort violated, becauſe the common reſpect of order and decency, which do equally agree to religious and civil actions cannot bee ſevered from religious worſhip, without diminiſhing of the ſanctity and dignity of it.
Thus alſo largely in his Manuduction to the diſpute about humane Ceremonies, pag. 55, 56. If men and women come purpoſely in their beſt apparel to Church, if they compoſe themſelves to a grave poſture, give the upper place to the chiefeſt perſons, and take ſuch to themſelves as they may hear the Preacher in, and yet have no exception taken againſt them for it, if all the places and ſeats be made cleanly, and fit for a meeting, to be held in a comely faſhion, all theſe are Ceremonies according to the Rejoinder his definition, yet no man but out of contention will affirm, they are meerly religious or eccleſiaſticall: For all theſe in the ſame manner, and to the ſame immediate end, the ſame perſons would doe, if the meeting were to hear the Magiſtrate propound unto them a grave civil buſineſſe, concerning the Commonwealth affairs. And ſurely that which remaining the ſame may be civil, is not meerly and properly eccleſiaſtical, but common to both uſes, and rather meerly civil, than meerly eccleſiaſtical; becauſe civility is ſuppoſed and included in eccleſiaſtical affairs, but eccleſiaſtical proceedings are not ſuppoſed and included in civil. Dr. Jackson in his original of unbelief, pag. 337. doth well obſerve, that decent behaviour doth change the ſubject onelyonly, not alter its own nature and form, whilſt it is uſed in matters ſacred: nor is the habit of civil complement, or good manners, ſuch an unhallowed weed, as muſt be layd aſide when wee come into the Sanctuary. And indeed there is no more reaſon to ſhut civility out of the Church or ſacred buſineſſe, than to ſhut Religion out of the Town-houſe, or civil affairs.
Dr. Hammond. ſect. 15.
And ſo likewiſe on the ſecond head that of civill offices, for that indecency which is a vice or ſin muſt be contrary to ſome law of God, &c.
Jeanes.
Indecency in things civil, however it may be a vice in Ethicks againſt civility and good manners, yet it is not alwaies a ſin in divinity contrary to ſome law of God: but undecency in things ſacred in the worſhip and ſervice of God, if it be voluntary and avoydable, is againſt the command of the Apoſtle, which is a rule of the law of nature, ſaith Hooker; and this I beleeve you will not deny in cold blood: and indeed you have no reaſon to deny it; for it will not hereupon follow that the Apoſtle injoyneth onelyonly that decency which is immediately preſcribed by the Law of Nature, and my reaſon is, becauſe as the Apoſtle, ſo the light of Nature injoyneth as that decency the neglect whereof would be undecent by the light of nature; ſo alſo that, the omiſſion whereof would be uncomely by civi… cuſtome, and therefore as undecency by the light of nature is againſt the light and Law of Nature immediately, ſo alſo undecency by civill cuſtome is againſt the law of nature mediately. The long hair of women is one note by which cuſtome hath diſtinguiſhed them from men; and therefore 'tis undecent for men to wear ſuch long hair as women, and this ſuppoſed, mens wearing of ſuch long hair is a mediate tranſgreſſion of the Law of nature; whereupon the Apoſtle propounds this ſmart interrogation unto the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 11.14 Doth not even nature it ſelf teach you, that if a man have long hair, 'tis a ſhame to him? We may ſay the ſame of the long garments of women: doth not even nature teach you that if a man wear ſuch garments it is a ſhame unto him, and very undecent, and yet the undecency thereof ariſeth immediately from civil cuſtome, and not from any immediate Law of Nature.
Dr. Hammond.
For that indecency, which is a vice, or ſin muſt be contrary to ſome Law of Gods, and ſo alſo that which is oppoſed to the due manner which is required, and ſo is neceſsary either neceſſitate medii, or praecepti alſo, to obtain in a juſt end, this ſure is more then the omiſſion of an indifferent cuſtome, which may, or may not be continued without any offence againſt nature, even the omiſſion of ſtrict univerſal duty, either naturall decency, or ſomewhat that bears proportion with it.
Jeanes.
That decency in Gods worſhip and ſervice, the neglect of which would be undecent, is neceſſary both neceſsitate med…i and praecepti.
1. Medii is required as a means unto the acceptable celebration of Gods worſhip, but then it is not a means proper and peculiar thereunto, for it hath the ſame immediate end both in civil and religious matters, and therefore is common unto both.
2. That it is neceſſary neceſſitate praecepti you cannot queſtion, unleſſe you will deny the title and obligation unto the Apoſtles injunction, for that it binds as an edict of nature we have the teſtimony of your own Hooker: if this twofold neceſſity of decency be chargeable with any abſurdities, you are as deeply concerned to anſwer them as my ſelf: indeed that decency, from the omiſſion whereof we cannot inferre indecency is neceſſary, neither neceſſitate praecepti, nor medii.
But with ſuch a decency we have nothing to doe; for it comes not within the compaſſe of the Apoſtolical command, and ſuch is the decency of your ceremonies altogether unneceſſary; neither commanded by any Law of God, nor neceſſary as a means for the better ſervice of God. But perhaps you may attempt to prove, that God is better ſerved with your Ceremonies, than without them; when I ſhall have ſuch proof from you, I ſhall return it an anſwer.
In the mean while let us conſider the abſurdity with which you charge the aſſertion of the, but now mentioned, double neceſsity of decency in Gods worſhip: If that be neceſſary, neceſsitate praecepti, or medii, then undecency, ſay you, which is oppoſed thereunto, is more than the omiſſion of an indifferent cuſtome, which may, or may not be continued without any offence againſt nature.
For anſwer, the undecency here prohibeted by the Apoſtle, is either by the light of nature, or by civil cuſtome.
The former is more than the omiſsion of an indifferent cuſtome, and is an immediate tranſgreſsion againſt nature.
As for the latter, we muſt diſtinguiſh of a twofold conſideration of ſuch cuſtomes, they may be conſidered either actu ſignato in the generall, as abſtracted from all ſingularizing circumſtances, or actu exercito hic & nunc, as clothed with ſuch and ſuch circumſtances, and ſo they are not indifferent but neceſſary neceſſitate both praecepti and medii. I might exemplifie this by inſtancing in the long hair, proper apparel, viz. long garments of women, and the like. There is a paſſage in Ames, already quoted, that will be here very appoſite; Biſhop Morton had demanded of him whether the womens vailes, 1 Cor. 11. were not a thing indifferent, and his anſwer is, it is indifferent in the generall nature of it, yet at that time, and in that place, they ſinned that did otherwiſe, even before Paul, or any of their Overſeers gave them charge about it.
Dr. Hammond. ſect. 16.
Now this being thus far explained, it is time to cloſe with Mr: J. and mind him, what he cannot but know, that the decency which I ſaid, implyed custome, is certainly another thing from natural decency, and hath place onelyonly in thoſe things, the omitting of which doth not neceſſarily inferre indecency. That omiſſion which neceſſarily infers indecency, infers it in all that ever did it, or ſhall omit it: We know in Logick that no propoſition is neceſſary, which is not foreign, true in the whole ſpecies of all, and every one, and I leave it to his judgement, whether he think the Dr. and his party (i.e. Prelatiſts, I ſuppoſe) doe conceive, that Adam, (whether in, or out of Paradiſe) Noah in, or out of the Ark, &c. were obliged to pray in Surplices under pain of indecency? And ſo (in his other inſtance) that John Baptiſt, that Chriſt, or (becauſe the Text ſaith that he baptiſed not, but his Diſciples) that thoſe Diſciples, euen before the death of Chriſt, might not baptiſe any without the ſign of the Croſſe, but under the ſame penalty?
Jeanes.
Natural decency is a branch, nay the principal branch of that decency commanded by the Apoſtle, and therefore I could not think it excluded by you; but withal, I muſt conclude your interpretation of the Apoſtle, to be very imperfect and defective, when you ſaid the clear importance of the Apoſtles words was, Let all things be done according to cuſtome; I was ſo fooliſh to ſuppoſe that you meant this clear importance of the Apoſtles words, was alſo the full importance of them, neither can you aſſign any reaſon, why I ſhould think otherwiſe.
But that, I ſee, which ſo much ſtumbleth you, is the word neceſſarily, concerning which I hope you are ſatisfied by what I have already ſaid, and therefore I ſhall only adde this one thing, that neceſſarily hath two acceptions.
1. In regard of an abſolute neceſſity.
2. In respect of an Hypothetical neceſſity ariſing from ſome extrinſecal circumstance or condition. Now, I doe not reſtrain it unto either of theſe ſenſes, but take it abſtractively in ſuch a latitude, as that 'tis appliable unto either of the ſignifications according unto the nature of the things ſpoken of: the omiſſion of natural decency infers undecency neceſſarily, in regard of an abſolute neceſſity; the omiſſion of civil undecency, infers undecency neceſſarily onelyonly ex Hypotheſi: and that inference of indecency which is only neceſſary ex Hypotheſi, is more than an inference thereof, which is fallacious, or at the moſt but probable; and if we ſpeak of this neceſſity, it is very falſe which you ſay, that that omiſſion which thus neceſſarily inferres undecency, inferres it in all that ever did, or ſhall omit it.
But you ſay that, we know in Logick, that no propoſition is neceſſary, which is not de omni true in the whole species of all and every one.
Unto which I anſwer, that he who hath any tolerable knowledge in Logick, knoweth that what you ſay is to be limited onelyonly unto that neceſſity which is ſcientifical and demonſtrative; for to ſay nothing of ſuch propoſitions as are neceſſary onelyonly hypothetically, there are divers propoſitions abſolutely in themſelves neceſſary, ſetting aſide all outward circumſtances and conditions, which are not yet de omni.
1. I ſhall inſtance in divers particular propoſitions, as, Quaedam ſubſtantia eſt spiritus: quo…dam corpus eſt mixtum.
2. In ſeveral negative propoſitions, as, nullus spiritus eſ… corpus: nullus lapis eſt rationalis. Now theſe are neceſſary propoſitions, becauſe of an immutable truth, and they are not de omni: For,
1. A particular propoſition is not de omni, but de aliquo: And then 2. a negative propoſition is not de omni; for de omni is oppoſed unto that which is foreign de nullo.
Dr. Hammond. ſect. 17.
Nay, 'tis already past queſtion, that Mr. J. in his firſt argument againſt my dictate (as he calls it) ſaith, that the light and law of nature is alſo a rule of decency, and ſo not onelyonly cuſtome: And if ſo, then cuſtome is a rule of decency alſo, and not only the law and light of nature, and where custome, and not the light of nature is the rule, there the omiſſion of that doth not neceſſarily inferre indecency. And of ſuch decency alone it is evident that I spake, on the head of Ʋniformity (and could not speak ſenſe, if I ſpake, either of any other, or of the generall notion of decency, which is competible to any other) and from thence it follows demonſtratively that of that decency of which I spake (though not of that, of which it is certain I spake not) ſtill cuſtome is the onelyonly rule of decency.
This therefore I hope may ſerve in anſwer to his firſt charge, that of my timidity, that I dared not ſay what I ſaid not; together with a view of his conceſſion of the truth of what I did ſay, and the wary limitation of that conceſſion.
Jeanes.
1. I called your aſſertion, viz. Cuſtome is the onelyonly rule of decencie, a dictate, and ſhall call it ſo ſtill, untill you can prove it, and when you bring any ſolid proof of it, abſtracted from your ſubterfuges, for limitations I cannot call them, I ſhall be contented to be your vaſſal.
2 You ſeem to intimate, that in the things you ſpeak of, cuſtome, and not the light of nature is the rule, but this is very falſe; for cuſtome is menſura paſſiva, as well as activa: When it is a rule of decency, it is firſt meaſured and regulated by the light of nature, and without ſuch regulation it is no rule of decency in any matter whatſoever; for cuſtome hath not the force of a law niſi ſit rationabilis, that is agreeable unto the dictate of right reaſon and the law of Nature; the law of Nature then is ſtill the principal rule of decency, ſpeake of what decency you will or can, and cuſtome is but a rule ſubordinate thereunto, and to be examined thereby.
3. If you ſpeak of ſuch decency alone, the omiſſion whereof doth not neceſſarily inferre undecency, in reſpect either of an abſolute, or hypo…hetical neceſſity, you doe not ſpeak of that decency which the Apoſtle commandeth; for that the Apoſtle ſhould command ſuch a decency, in the omiſſion of which, men onelyonly boldly affirm, or meerly opine there is undecency, and cannot make good ſuch an affirmation or opinion, by any other than ſophiſtical, or at the beſt, but probable arguments, me thinks ſhould not ſink into the head of any rational man.
Yea, but you ſay, that you could not ſpeak ſenſe, if you ſpake either of any other, or of the generall notion of decency which is competible to any other.
Suppoſe I grant this, what then? this argument is of little prevalency with me, who am in this particular your Antagoniſt; for though I acknowledge and admire your great parts and learning, yet I think it not onelyonly poſſible, but probable for you, or any other, though never ſo great a ſcholar, to ſpeake nonſence in oppoſition of the truth.
2. It is evident and certain that the Apoſtle ſpake of the general notion of decency, which is competible unto natural decency, and from thence it follows demonſtratively, that if it be ſo certain, that you ſpeak not of this decency, it is as certaine that your gloſſe of the Apoſtles foreign is la…e and maimed; for it leaves out what is chiefly meant by it, but of this before.
Dr. Hammond. ſect. 18.
Secondly, then to his ſecond charge, the unſufficiency of that limited truth (which is the utmoſt he will yeild my propoſition) to prove what I would have from it] It will ſoon appear of how little force it is, when 1. my meaning was quite another thing from what he affixt to my words, or yeilded me in his limited conceſſion, as hath already been largely manifeſted, and 2. my concluſion is regularly conſequent to that which was alone my meaning. This latter the addition of a few words will clear alſo.
Jeanes.
For anſwer unto this I ſhall referre unto what hath been ſaid already.
Dr. Hammond. ſect. 19.
My concluſion deſigned in that Section was the juſtifying of Ʋniformity of Ceremonies in the ſervice of God, and one of the grounds to ſupport that, the decency of thoſe ceremonies, wherein all ſhould joyn, and that decency ruled, and judged of by the cuſtom of the place in which ſuch and ſuch a ceremony was an uſual indication, and expreſſion of that reverence, which being due from all inferiours to their ſuperiours, is much more due from all Christians to God.