Uniformity in Human Doctrinal Ceremonies, jeanes 18 – hammond 19
Jeanes.
Here you heap up many Teſtimonies of the Fathers for the Sign of the Croſs, unto which it is no difficult matter to adde more, but you might very wel have ſpared all this labour; for firſt, it is not unknown unto you, how your Adverſaries hold, that the Hyperbolical ſayings of the Fathers, touching the Croſſe, are no wales juſtifiable; hear what Biſhop Morton quotes out of the Abridgement, and Mr. Hy, pag. 237, 238. Sundry of the Fathers put holyneſs in the Sign of the Croſse, and wrote of it very ſuperſtitiouſly. Some telling us that it was a terrour against D…vils, attributed a power thereunto of working Miracles; What ſhall we ſay? but that the Croſse hath been as ſuperstitiouſly abuſed by the Fathers, as by the ranckest Papists, ſaving that the Papiſts have rancked it with divine worſhip, and ſo beſtowed more honour upon …t than ever the Fathers did afford it. Biſhop Morton hath attempted to give an Anſwer hereunto, but Dr Ames hath ſo replyed unto him, as that hee hath ſate down, and neither he, or his Second, have in this rejoyned any thing unto Ameſius.
Unto this of the Abridgement, and Mr. Hy, let me adde what Mr. Farker hath obſerved in the Fathers ſpeeches concerning the Croſſe, Treat, of the Croſs, part. 1. pag. 90. Chew a little upon theſe ſpeech…s, it may be they will tell thy taſte how unſavoury the Fathers are, in the matter of the Croſſe: oAuguſt. de tempor. 181.With the ſign of the Croſſe it is that the Body of our Lord is conſecrated, and the Font of Baptiſm ſanctified. With pIdem Cont. Pelagium. lib. 6 c. 8.the Sign of the Croſſe is the wave of Bapt…ſme conſecrated. qChryſoſt. in Mat. 16. homil. 55.By the Sign of the Croſſe is the Lords Body conſecrated. The Font of Baptiſme ſanctified, and all things whatſoever are made holy, they are made holy with the ſign of the Lords Croſſe. rCypr. lib. de bapt.we glory in the Croſſe of the Lord, whoſe virtue worketh throughout all Sacraments: without which ſign nothing elſe is holy, nor any other conſecration that commeth to effect. ſAug. de Sanct. Serm. 19.With the ſign of the Croſſe is the Fonte of Regeneration made holy; and to ſpeak fully, all Sacraments are perfected by his virtue. tAug. in Johan tractat. 18.Unleſſe the ſign of the Croſſe be applyed to the foreheads of the Beleevers, or to the water whereby they are regenerated, or to the ſacrifice whereby they are fed, none of theſe are rightly performed. uAug. de utilitat. poenitent.The water of ſalvation is not the water of ſalvation, unleſſe being conſecrated in Chriſts name, it be ſigned with his Croſſe. Again. wAmbroſ. de iis qui initiatur. Myſt. cap. 3,The water is good for no uſe of future health, without the Preaching of the Lords Croſſe. But when it is conſecrated with the Myſterie of the ſaving Croſſe, then it is tempered to the uſe of a ſpiritual waſhing, and of a ſaving Cup. As therefore Moſes threw the wood into the waters of Marah, and made them ſweet, ſo the Prieſt ſends the Preaching of the Lords Croſſe into this Font, and the water thereof is made ſweet unto grace.
By this you may ſee that your allegations out of the Fathers are in vaine, unleſſe you had added a proof of their infallibility, or that they are to be a rule of our faith in matters of this nature.
2. One Papiſt is found (ſaith Parker, part. 1. pag. 77.) who ſaith, the Fathers meant not of the outward ſign, but of the thing ſignified, which is Chriſts death: It is well, that we have this confeſſion from him, that the Fathers cannot be juſtified, in caſe they mean the outward ſign, which they mean undoubtedly, or elſe our oppoſites doe us great wrong, who object the Fathers againſt us in the Outward ceremony of the Croſſe, &c.
3. Thoſe that are but tolerably verſed in the Fathers, cannot but confeſſe, that they aſcribe very ſtrange things unto the ſign of the Croſſe; as that it is a neceſſary requiſite of Baptiſme, that it was an Amulet againſt the Devil, and an inſtrument of Miracles, a fence or fortification of the ſoul againſt all ſpirituall adverſaries; but theſe Hyperbolies, however you may excuſe them, yet they are ſo groſſe, as that they are utterly uncapable of any juſt Apology to be made for them; and this without more adoe might ſuffice for anſwer unto ſect. 25, 26, 27, 28. But I ſhall farther give you ſome general exceptions againſt thoſe teſtimonies of the Fathers you alledge, and next, ſay ſomething unto them taken ſeverally and apart.
My general exceptions ſhall be ſix.
The firſt, the not uſing of the Croſſe by Chriſt and his Apoſtles, is a greater prejudice againſt it, than all the countenance can be given unto it by the Fathers of after ages; alaſſe! what are Auguſtine, Athanaſius, Tertullian, &c. whom you quote, in compariſon of our bleſſed Saviour: unto them the Spirit was given but in meaſure, unto him without meaſure, Joh. 3.34. And, it was a ſpirit of wiſdome and underſtanding, a ſpirit of counſel and knowledge, Iſa. 11.12. and ſo was able to make ample and ſufficient proviſion for any religious Ceremonies in his Church that he thought requiſite: Why ſhould not we content our ſelves with thoſe few that he hath ordained? eſpecially ſeeing no mortal men can produce a patent from him for the inſtitution of any other: and why ſhould we think the omiſſion of the Croſs in Baptiſm undecent? ſeeing it was omitted by Chriſt himſelf and his Apoſtles; for that it was omitted by them, is confeſſed by a learned Conformiſt, Dr. Fulk, in anſwer unto the Rhemiſts, pag▪ 252. Neither was the ſign of the Croſſe, ſaith he, in any eſtimation with the Apoſtles, or the faithful in their time. Tertullian indeed, reckoneth ſigning with the Croſſe to be an old Tradition, which yet is no more certain to have been uſed by the Apoſtles, than other like Ceremonies which he there nameth, as the taſting of Milk and Honey by them that were baptiſed, and the abſtinence from waſhing for a week after baptiſm, oblations for birth dayes, and ſuch other, …long ſince aboliſhed, which they ſhould not have been, if they had been ordained by the Apoſtles as neceſſary for Chriſtian Religion. As a man runneth to the Fountain, ſaith Cyprian, when the channels are defiled, ſo muſt we repair to the practiſe of the firſt Church, which is the Fountain of all piety: non eſt attendendum (ſaith he) quid aliquis ante nos faciendum putaverit, ſed quid, qui ante omnes eſt, Chriſtus fecerit, & faciendum praeceperit. Agreeable hereunto is that which Mr. Parker part. 1. pag. 100. quotes out of Sadeel againſt the Monks of Burdeaux. When the Monks of Burdeaux affirm the ſigns which are added to Baptiſme, are an ornament to it, we thus reply: Are they wiſer than Chriſt Jeſus, who hath ordained his Sacrament in ſo great purity and ſimplicity, and who knoweth better than all the men in the world, what ornament was fitteſt for it? If it be but the covenant of a man, when it is confirmed, no man abrogateth it, or addeth any thing to it: What arrogancy is it then to adde to the inſtitution of Chriſt?
A ſecond exception of the Non-conformiſts againſt the Teſtimonies of the Fathers for the ſign of the Croſſe, is, that they doe not contribute ſo much honour thereunto, as the ſuſpected infamous birth and original of it doth diſcredit: In all probabilities, ſay they, that Devilliſh Heretick, Valentinus, was the firſt Author and Father of it, the firſt that advanced it unto any religious uſe; and this they prove out of Irenaeus. Parker part. 1. pag. 75 averreth, that it appeareth by the Text of Irenaeus, that Valentinus did uſe the figure of the Croſſe, to expreſſe one of his Aeones by; and as Valentinus was the Father of it, ſo Montanus, ſay they, was the Nurſe of it. Dr. Fulk, as I told you, was a Conformit…ant, and no enemy unto the ſign of the Croſſe, ſo he profeſſeth of himſelf in his confutation of the Rhemiſts pag. 87. As for the ſign of the Croſse, ſo it be without ſuperſtition, we can abide well enough. And yet this man pag. 252. tels us, that Valentinus the Heretique was the firſt that made any great account of it; and cites for it too Irenaeus, as well as the Non-conformiſts.
A third exception againſt the pretended antiquity of the Croſſe, and the Teſtimonies of the Fathers in that behalf, is, that divers Ceremonies Coëval with the Croſſe are not urged, but aboliſhed, and yet they were never proſtituted unto ſuch ſuperſtitious and idolatrous abuſes as the Croſſe hath been: And therefore why ſhould the Croſſe be ſuch a Favourite, as to be retained? This exception you may ſee thus managed by Parker, part. 1. pag. 39. If our Oppoſites muſt needs drink of this Ciſtern of antiquity, then let the qBeat. Rhenan. in Tertul: de Coron. milit. Magdebu…genſ. centur. 3▪ cap. 6. tit. rit. Baptiſ.Oyle it ſelf of Baptiſme, be revived: Yea, rMadgeburg. ex Tertulde Baptiſt.Baptizing by Lay-men; for theſe be as ancient as the Croſſe, and ſprang about the ſame time with it. Sure with farre better reaſon may they rake out of their graves, the ceremony ſCypri lib. 3 Epiſ. 8.of Kiſſing the Infant Baptiſed; the ceremony of the tTertul. de pudicit.Ring given in Baptiſm, for an obſignation of Faith and Profeſſion; the ceremony of puting uTertul. lib. de coron. milit.Milk and Hony into his mouth; And laſtly …he Ceremony of the wIdem de Bapt. & Beat. Rhenan. in lib. de coron. milit.White Garment, wherewith the Baptiſed was wont to be clothed. Theſe being equal to the Croſſe, both for Antiquity, and for profitableneſſe of ſignification, and ſurmounting it in other reſpects, as that they were never ſo much abuſed as the Croſſe hath been, nor now import ſo much perill as the Croſſe bring eth with it, may give wiſe men cauſe to wonder, why thoſe ſhould be buried in a tomb ſealed up, while the Croſſe not onelyonly liveth, but alſo domineereth.
A fourth exception againſthe ancient uſe of the Croſſe by the Fathers, is that it is over-ballanced by the Papiſts abuſe of it unto Idolar…y: The Brazen Serpent was ordained by God, and yet when it was abuſed unto Idolatry, Hezekiah did well to break it in pieces, 2 King. 18.4. And therefore the Croſſe being a humane invention altogether unneceſſary in Gods worſhip, is for the Idolattous abuſe of it rightly aboliſhed. The force of this conſequence may be gathered from what two Engliſh Biſhops ſay.
1. From what Biſhop Abbot hath from a tranſlation of a paſſage out of the Canon Law, Def… of Mr. Perkins part. 1. pag. 168. If our Predeceſſors have done ſome things, which at that time might be without fault, and afterwards be turned to errour, and ſuperſtition, we are taught (ſaith the Law) by Hezekiahs breaking the Brazen Serpent, that the Poſterity may aboliſh the ſame without any delay, and with great authority. The very ſame words are urged in the like manner by Dr. John Rainolds in his Conference with Hart, page 510. As alſo by Hooker in his Eccleſiaſtical Politie, pag. 347.
2. From what Jewel ſaith for the abolition of Images, becauſe of their Adoration, Repl to Hardings Anſw: artic 14. pag 383. The beſt remedy in this behalf, and moſt agreeable with Gods Word, is utterly to aboliſh the cauſe of the ill▪ So the godly King Hezechtas took down, and brake in pe…ces the Brazen Serpent; notwithſtanding Moſes himſelf by Gods ſpecial commandment had erected it; notwithſtanding it were an expreſſe figure of Chriſt hanging upon the Croſſe; notwithſtanding it had continued ſo many years; notwithſtanding God by it had wrought ſo many Miracles. So the godly Biſhop Epiphanius …ent in ſunder the Image of Chriſt painted in a cloth; and ſaid, It was againſt Gods commandment, a thing ſuperſtitious and unmeet for the Church, and people of God; notwithſtanding it were the Image of Chriſt. So the godly Emperour Theodoſius made his Proclamation over all his Dominions in this ſort; Signum Servatoris noſtri, quocunque l…co reperietur, toll jubemus: We ſtraitly command, that the Image of our Saviour be taken down, in what place ſoever it ſhal be found: notwithſtanding it were the Image of our Saviour. So it is decreed in the late Council of Ments, that, when Images happen to be abuſed by the people, they be either notably al…ered, or utterly aboliſhed.
Unto theſe two I ſhall adde the teſtimony of Auguſtine, De Civitate Dei lib. 10. c. 8. Aeneum ſane Serpentem propter facti memoriam reſervatum cum poſtea populus errans tanquam Idolum colere coepiſſet, Ezechias Rex…eligioſa poteſtate Deo ſerviens, cum magna p…e…atis laude contrivit. Suppoſe then, though not grant, that the Ancients lawfully and laudably uſed the ſign of the Croſſe, as a commemorative ſign of Chriſts death, and a monitory ſign of their duty, yet ſeeing it hath been made by the Papists ſuch an abominable Idol, there is very good reaſon for the utter caſheering it out of Gods worſhip.
A fifth exception is, that our Croſſe is not the Fathers Croſſe, who never annexed any word unto it, and therefore ours is the more Sacramental; for this ſee Ames in his Reply to Mortons particular Def page …7. As alſo Mr. Parker part. 1. pag. 114.
My ſixth exception I ſhall give you in the words of Mr. Parker, part. 1. page 133. What though the cuſtome of the Fathers, who uſed the Croſſe for a ſign of Chriſt, were on all ſides good, the times doe differ. They lived in an age when it was deſpiſed; wee in a time when it is adored. They in a time when it profeſſed the Faith; we in a time when it is common to Papiſts. They in a time when it was uſed over all the Church for the ſign of Chriſtianity; we in an age, when out of our own Church it is no where uſed but for a ſign of Antichriſtianity. In regard whereof we may wel appeal to the old Canons, Regulae Patrum traditae ſunt (ſaith Gregory) prout res postulare videbatur, temporis, loci, perſonarum, reique i…ſius habitâ ratione. And Leo, ſ…cut quaedom ſunt, quae nulla poſſunt ratione convelli, ita multa ſunt, quae pro neceſſitate temporum, ac conſideratione aetatum …porteat temporari.
But I ſhall proceed to the examination of your teſtimonie… apart.
Dr. Hammond.
Saint Auguſtines words are worth remembring, and cannot be denied to have truth in them bIn Joh. Tr. 118.Signum crucis niſi adhibeatur, ſive f…ontibus credentium, ſive ipſi aquae qua regeneramur, &c. nihil ritè pe…ficitur; unl…ſſe the figh of the Croſſe be uſed either to the foreheads of the beleevers (who are baptiſed) or to the water it ſelf by which we are regenerate, it is not duly performed, i. e. with ſuch ceremonies as by cuſtome of the Church, the rule of decency, belong to it.