Uniformity in Human Doctrinal Ceremonies, jeanes 2 – hammond 7
Jeanes.
1. The cuſtomes of ſome places in geſtures, habits, and the like circumſtances of Gods worſhip are very undecent, and it is not neceſſary to obſerve ſuch cuſtomes: But you will perhaps ſay, that you except undecent cuſtoms, and then you are to be underſtood onelyonly of decent cuſtomes; for every cuſtome is decent or undecent: becauſe decency and undecency are privatively oppoſed, and interprivativè oppoſita non datur medium in ſubjecto capaci, between privative oppoſites there is no middle either of abnegation or participation in a capable ſubject: The reſult and upſhot then of your meaning is, that, decently implyes, according unto decent cuſtomes; and then
1. The full of your meaning is but a trifling ſpeech, that proves nothing in the Controverſie, unleſſe you alſo prove the Ceremonies controverted, to be ſo decent, as that the omiſſion of them will be undecent in the ſervice of God.
2. I would fain know, how you will ſuit unto it the proof of it: Cuſtome is the onelyonly rule of decency, for there too, by cuſtome you underſtand that which is decent, ſo that your argument runs thus: decent cuſtome is the onelyonly rule of decency; therefore foreign decently, implyeth decent cuſtoms. And this argument moſt of your learned Readers will (to borrow your words concerning a ſaying of mine) deſpiſe under the appearance of a tautologie.
2. If the full of your meaning in that paſſage, that foreign decently, implyes according to cuſtome, be, that in ſuch things as theſe, of which then you ſpake, geſtures, habits and the like circumſtances of Gods publique ſervice, &c. it is neceſſary to obſerve the cuſtomes of the place wherein wee live, why then I muſt be bold to tel you, that the full of your meaning is very ſhort of the meaning of the Apoſtle; for theſe words of the Apoſtle, let all things be done decently foreign, &c. foreign, prohibits al undecency, not only that undecency againſt the cuſtom of the place wherin we live, but alſo that undecency which is againſt the dictates of the Law of Nature. By this the Reader may ſee, how defective your expoſition is: the Apoſtle ſaith, let all things be done decently, and your gloſſe is, let ſome things in Gods worſhip be done according unto ſome cuſtomes, to wit, ſuch as are decent.
3. I ſuppoſe that by geſtures, habits, and the like circumſtances in the ſervice of God, you mean ſuch of them as are Symbolical ceremonies; for otherwiſe your full meaning is nothing unto the purpoſe, becauſe it will be no ground for that uniformity you plead for. Now that the Apoſtles words, let all things be done decently implyeth, that in humane Symbolical ceremonies it is neceſſary that we obſerve the cuſtomes of the place wherein we live, is a thing which I utterly deny, and ſhall be conſtant in ſuch denyal, untill you drive me from it by ſome convincing argument; and that I do not do this out of ſtomack, will appear by the reaſon that I ſhall alledge: The words of the Apoſtle, let all things be done decently, are not diſobeyed, unleſſe there be ſome undecency committed in the worſhip and ſervice of God; for decency and undecency are privatively oppoſite, and therefore there is decency in thoſe actions where there is no undecency; but now by the omiſſion of Symbolical ceremonies of humane inſtitution, ſuch as the Croſſe in Baptiſm, Surplice in Prayer and Preaching, which can plead cuſtome of the preſent place we live in, there is committed no undecency in the worſhip and ſervice of God, viz. in Baptiſm, in Preaching and Praying, as will be apparent unto any man that will attempt to prove ſyllogiſtically the contrary; therefore the Apoſtles precept is not diſobeyed by the omiſſion of ſuch Symbolical ceremonies, and conſequently the Apoſtles precept doth not in any way imply ſuch Ceremonies.
Dr. Hammond. ſect. 6.
This I then thought ſufficiently explicated by exemplifying in mens wearing long hair, which the Apoſtle proved indecent by its being againſt foreign, i. e. ſaith Suidas, foreign, a cuſtome of ſome continuance in that place (which yet in women there, and men in other places, where that cuſtome prevailed not, had nothing indecent in it.)
Jeanes.
1. This conceit that you have out of Suidas, Salmaſius de C…ma diſputes againſt; but his argument ſatisfyeth me not, and therefore I ſhall wave all that he ſaies, and confine my ſelf unto the very words of the Apoſtle for diſproof of your ſenſe of them, and my reaſon is taken from the joyning of foreign with foreign; for ſuppoſe that foreign, Nature, may ſometimes ſignifie cuſtome, yet that foreign, nature it ſelf ſhould ſignifie cuſtome, is very improper.
2. Womens wearing of long hair is no religious myſtical ceremony, but uſed out of Gods worſhip and ſervice, as well as in, and therefore a moſt impertinent exemplification of that which you plead for, Ʋniformity in religious myſtical Ceremonies, that are proper and peculiar unto the ſpecial and ſolemn worſhip of God.
I readily grant, that in ſome places, cuſtome hath made the long hair of women one badge of diſtinction between them and men; but being by cuſtome made ſuch a badge, nature it ſelf dictates the obſervation of it; and if a man wear ſuch long hair as women; he ſins againſt the law of nature, if not immediately and proximè, yet mediately ex interventu rationabilis conſuetudinis.
As impertinent is your ſecond exemplification, if Chryſoſtomes and others expoſition may have place; for they refer [we have no ſuch cuſtome] unto the words immediately foregoing (and why we ſhould goe farther for a coherence, I can ſee no reaſon) if any man ſeem to be contentious: So that the meaning of the Apoſtle is, we have no cuſtome to be contentious: Now to be contentious, is a ſin againſt the Moral Law, the Law of Nature, and therefore belongs not unto your diſcourſe of Ceremonies.
Dr. Hammond. ſect 7.
But this exemplification of my meaning he thought fit to conceale from the Reader, and ſupply that vacuity onelyonly with an &c. yet reciting at length, to a word, what was immediately before, and after it. His deſign in ſo doing, I judge not, but ſhall endeavour to undeceive the Reader for the future, by farther enlarging on it.
Jeanes.
1. Womens wearing of long hair is no Symbolical ceremony, and therefore what you ſaid of it was an impertinency, and no exemplification of your meaning, and therefore I had no reaſon to take notice of it.
But 2. ſuppoſe it were an exemplification, yet unleſſe it were alſo for confirmation of your concluſion; that cuſtome is the onelyonly rule of decency, I was no wiſe obliged to recite what you ſaid herein; for I expreſly told the Reader, I would tranſcribe what was argumentative in your words; now what I left out was not argumentative; for from it, neither you, nor any man elſe can ever infer your now mentioned concluſion.
Dr. Hammond. ſect. 8.
All people, I think, in the world, have ſome outward ſignifications, and expreſſions of Reverence; but all have not the ſame, but according to Topical cuſtomes, ſome different, ſome contrary to others: We of this and all our neighbour nations expreſse reverence by uncovering the head, the Turks doe the contrary. Again, among Chriſtians, 'tis cuſtomary for men ſo to expreſſe their reverence, but for women, ſaith the Apoſtle, it is not, but the contrary; and ſo it is ſtill among us. Nay it was once among ſome Heathens (that worſhipt Mercury) an act of the higheſt reverence, even of adoration, to throw ſtones at their God; among others, to cut themſelves with Lances, when they were a praying to him. And it can be no news to Mr. J. that theſe customes were not obſerved by other Countries; the Jews that threw ſtones at Christ, and the Daemoniack that cut himſelf with them, were neither of them interpretable to worſhip him.
Jeanes.
1. Unleſſe you can prove, that there cannot be outward ſignifications and expreſſions of reverence in Gods ſervice, without humane Symbolical ceremonies, all this your enlargement about the expreſſions of reverence will be to no purpoſe. We require reverence in all parts of Gods worſhip as well as you; but then we hold, that Gods worſhip may be performed reverently, and in a ſeemly manner, without myſtical ceremonies of humane invention.
2. Kneeling in Prayer is an expreſſion of the higheſt degree of Reverence, Adoration; and it hath a higher rule than Cuſtome, viz. Scripture and the light of Nature: No Cuſtome can render this Kneeling undecent; unleſſe you will ſay thoſe words of the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 95.6, doe not oblige Chriſtians: O come, let us worſhip and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our maker.
3. There be ſome cuſtomary expreſſions of reverence, that are undeniably unjuſtifiable, and you cannot ſay that they are implyed in the Apoſtles foreign. Thus for expreſſion of reverence, 'tis a cuſtome with Papiſts not to touch the bread with their hands, but to have it put into their mouths; and upon the like pretence of reverence, it is cuſtomary amongſt them, for Lay-men to abſtain from the Cup altogether.
Laſtly, why you bring in the Heathens throwing of ſtones at Mercury in a way of worſhip, I cannot divine; for I cannot imagine, that you think it to be a decent way of worſhip, and if it be undecent, then it ſerveth nothing unto the exemplification of your meaning.
Dr. Hammond. ſect. 9.
This therefore was no dark, but viſible foundation of what I ſaid; In aſſigning any rite or ceremony for the ſervice of God, decency, ſaith the Apoſtle, was to be obſerved, the onelyonly rule to judge of that, is, ſay I, to conſider the Cuſtomes of that particular place, of which we conſult. Where bewing the knee, or kneeling on the ground is cuſtomarily uſed as a token of reverence, where putting off, or keeping off the hat, there the choice of Ceremonies muſt be made with respect to thoſe particular customes: Here 'tis evident, that I mean not the frequent uſage of that ceremony, in oppoſition to a firſt uſage of it, as Mr. J. is willing to miſtake me, and found one of his arguments upon that miſtake, but the ſtanding-cuſtome of the place, by which, as by an argument or evidence, ſuch a ceremony is demonstrated to be a reverential reſpect, and ſo (for the ſervice of God, to whom all reverence is due) decent in that place, though in nature or in the estimation of all other men, it be not ſo.
Jeanes.
1. If the Apoſtle had ſaid, as you ſay, he ſaith, there ought to be no farther controverſie about the lawfulneſſe of humane ceremonies; but that clauſe [in aſſigning any rite or ceremony for the ſervice of God, &c. …is an Apocryphal addition of yours, without any colour from the Text it ſelf, or from the coherence; and therefore all you build upon it is but fancy and fiction: That the Apoſtles decency cannot be obſerved without aſſigning ſuch Rites and Ceremonies as you diſpute for, you may dictate and boldly affirm, but can never with all your learning ſolidly prove; and unleſſe you can make proof hereof, you and your party have juſt reaſon to be aſhamed of urging this place for ceremonies, with ſuch an unſhaken confidence as you do.
2. Whereas you tell us, 'tis evident that you mean not … the frequent uſage of that ceremony in oppoſition to the firſt uſage of it: This evidence of your meaning you have not ſo much as attempted to prove; and if you ſhall for the future make ſuch an attempt, it would, I am afraid, prove ſucceſleſs. The cuſtome of a thing (unleſſe you can faſten upon it a ſenſe or meaning never yet heard of) is oppoſed unto the firſt uſage of that thing; for cuſtome implyeth the frequent uſage of a thing, and to ſay that the frequent uſage of a thing is the firſt uſage of it, is an evident repugnancy and an apparent contradiction, contradictio in adjecto oppoſitum in oppoſito, as they ſay. I am therefore much to ſeek for the ſenſe and reaſon of that Antitheſis you make in theſe words, I mean, not the frequent uſage of that ceremony in oppoſition to a firſt uſage of it, but the ſtanding cuſtome of the place, &c. for 'tis impoſſible that the ſtanding cuſtome of the place in a ceremony, ſhould be the firſt uſage of that ceremony; where the miſtake is let the Reader judge.
3. In that which followeth, there is nothing of argument, unleſſe you can prove every ceremony, which can plead the ſtanding cuſtome of a place, to be a fitting and decent expreſſion of that reverential reſpect, which is due unto God. Biſhop Morton in his Book of the Inſtitution of the Sacrament of the bleſſed Body and Blood of Chriſt, p. 80, 81. ſheweth that the opinion of reverence, hath been the damme and nurſe of manyfold ſuperſtitions; and after ſuch demonſtration he quotes a ſaying of Chryſoſtome upon Joh. 13.8. Let us therefore learne to honour and reverence Christ as he would, and not as we think fit.
Dr. Hammond. ſect. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.
10. Certainly this is ſo evident in it ſelf, and ſo undeniably the importance of my words, that there can be no need farther to inlarge on it, much leſse to examine the weight, or meaning of his conceſſion, that it cannot be dented but that decency doth imply ſuch cuſtomes, the omiſſion of which neceſſarily inferres indecency]
11. This ſaying of his ſome Readers may look on with Reverence, as not readily comprehending the importance of it, others may chance to despiſe it under the appearance of a tautologie. But upon pondering, it will appear that the Author had a meaning in it; which he deſigned ſhould bring in ſome advantage to his cauſe, and without which he was not likely to advance far, or ſucceed in it.
12. Some cuſtomes▪ we know there are, which are ſo highly decent, as that the omiſſion of them neceſsarily infers indecency: But what are they? why ſuch as the law of (at least lapſt) nature preſcribes, covering of nakedneſſe, and the like; of which 'tis evident among all that have not learnt of Carneades industriouſly to raſe out all naturall meaſures of honeſt and diſhoneſt, that the omiſſion of them infers indecency, yea and neceſſarily infers it, this ſort of decency being naturall to all men that ever were, or ſhall be in the world, born and educated in what nation, or inured to what cuſtome ſoever, and this the very firſt hour after our firſt Parents fall, before any cuſtome had been contracted which might recommend it to them.
13. And as of theſe his rule is true, that the omiſſion of theſe neceſsarily inferrs undecency, ſo it is in a manner proper to theſe, and belongs not to any other ſort of things▪ whoſe decencie flowes but from ſome poſitive command though it be of God, or cuſtome, or command of men. To ſuch things whoſe decency flowes from any command either of God or man, this rule cannot be fully applyed; for that command might have been not given, or there might be a ſpace before it was given, or a people to whom it was not given, and then in any of thoſe caſes the omiſſion would not be indecent, to whom the law was not given; and ſo it doth not neceſſarily and abſolutely, but onelyonly dependently on the law, and conditionally, inferre indecency; ſo in like manner the rule holds not in thoſe things, whoſe decency is introduced onelyonly by cuſtome, for that Mr. J. truly ſaith, ariſing from frequency of actions, it must againe bee granted, that there was a time when that which now is cuſtome, was new, and ſo not custome; and againe, there are, or may bee Nations, with whom that cuſtome (whatſoever can be instanced in) hath not prevailed, which prejudges ſtill the neceſſity spoken of, that ſuch omiſſion ſhould inferre indecencie.
And ſo we ſee the Jumme of Mr. J. his liberal conceſſion, viz. that decency implyes naturall decency, or ſuch cuſtomes, which are naturally decent, and ſo the omiſſion of them naturally indecent; and if the Doctor or his party do not prove, or make good, that the adminiſtration of Baptiſm without the Croſſe is againſt the law of nature, that the Preaching without the Surplice beares analogie to the diſcloſing of nakedneſſe, he is utterly refuted by Mr. J. in his interpretation of foreign, or notion of decency.