A SCHOLASTICAL DISCOURSE AGAINST SYMBOLISING WITH ANTICHRIST IN CEREMONIES: ESPECIALLY IN THE SIGN OF THE CROSS. Anno Domini, 1607. To the Reader. GEntle Reader, thou mayest perceive by the following Protestation, how the Author was forced to compile this Treatise, to prevent the discredit he might reap by some scattered notes. The like necessity doth compel, the present publishing hereof, to avoid the scandal which may arise, by a large answer, penned to the first papers, which were scribbled out by the Author in few days, and are not the true copy to which he doth slande: In which respect I hope the Author will not be offended hereat, when it shall come to his knowledge, though he were altogether unwilling it should pass into the hands of his friends for so public a purpose. And to thee good Reader I doubt not but it shall be very acceptable, for the great learning, acuteness, modesty, fidelity and sufficiency thou shalt find therein: It containing a full answer to whatsoever hath been materially objected by the Prelates, or any of their Champions in defence of the Ceremonies, and in special, to the Sophistications of such, as have written for the Cross in Baptism. Thus forbearing to commend the work which will much better commend itself, I commend both thee and it, to the rich blessing of God in Christ jesus. Farewell. A protestation of the Author. AS Augustine once thought it fit, upon occasion to make known, both whereof he stood in doubt, and also wherefore: so judged I it my part of late (touching the Controversies about the Ceremonies) to show in writing, both what the points be I stood upon, Augustinde Genefi. ad litter. lib. 10. c. 26 and what are my grounds and reasons. To this purpose I addressed a certain Treatise (such as it was) against the Cross: which I imparted to some of my friends: either to have their censure of it, or to approve myself unto them in my forbearance to conform. This being copied out by some (who I know not) was made more common than I would: and that unliked, & more unfashioned, then might be for my credit. By this means I was enforced to take pen in hand again, & to frame this sorry Treatise: as to set right what before was out of square, so to polish (as I was able) what was unfyled, and to take in (by some additions) some things that wanted. Now because I do not know, into whose hands this poor labour of mine may come: therefore I beg of the indifferent Reader, to take knowledge before hand from me of these few things. First, let none think me to be one that standeth upon terms of learning: I am too much privy to overmuch ignorance: I know well (although not so well as I should) quàm mihi sit curta supellex: besides I want books and conference, and my School studies have been long discontinued. In regard hereof I am to crave common humanity at the least, which is to read my abortive oversightes with due compassion: some of which I have myself already found: as Malta mistaken out of Surius for Nilenus: Nazianzen forgotten in Germans allusion, and the time of the Germane triple Crown, not so distinctly set down as it should. Secondly, as I do not stand upon any challenge to learning at all, so neither do I stand peremptorily, upon the assertions of this Treatise (not as if I doubted of what I have written, whether it be true or not) but because my determination is no more, then to suppone and propound the reasons which I have against the Ceremonies, and that Dicis causae only, by way of disputation. To have set down every thing with a Quaere, had been for a Discourse unfit, to have annexed to every period and proposition As it seemeth to us, or As we think, absurd and tedious: I expect it shall suffice, that I protest here once for all, that these Clauses be understood throughout this whole Discourse. What then? I writ here, in Psal. 85: as Augustine elsewhere, non tanquam affirmator, sed tanquam scrutator, which can any mislike? For a very Papist himself will have leave to dispute against a Synod, so he do it inquirendo non astruendo: Nicol. Clau. disputat. de Concil. Melchior Canus. Amos 7.10 yea more, an Inquisitor himself giveth leave to detect the corruptions of a church Liturgy, so it be dolenter done, not calumniosè. Thirdly, because our adversaries rack our speeches, and oftentimes without all colour make them speak against the state (after the example of Amaziah against Amos, The land is not able to bear his words, and of Eusebius, the Court is against Laserius, Facis Imperatorem nostrum Nabuchodonosorem? Theodorit. histor. eccles. lib. 2. ca 16. when he had pleaded in simplicity, Non diminuitur solitudine mea verbum fidei, sic enim est olim tres tantum inventi sunt qui edicto Regis non resisterent): Therefore I protest, that whatsoever shallbe found within this Treatise Reprehensoriè, is intended of the Prelates and those Opposites of ours, that be Scholars and Divines: it is not written of any Civil Magistrate, much less is it meant of his sacred Majesty, (whom the Lord bless, long to reign over us): so that I claim here that common Equity of all ages, The King, and a man's own Mother must be always excepted when they be not expressly named. fourthly, let no man say, I have an ambition and vainglory, stuffed the margin with quotations. Being charged with Novelty and Singularity, I was in all wisdom to die myself in a tincture concolor mortuis, as near as I could. Being a dwarf in stature likewise, I was to creep upon the shoulders of some tall men, and with Zacheus to climb some trees to see the better. Further, who knoweth not how much it availeth with what arm a Dart is thrown, in which respect who can mislike, if wanting sides of mine own, I have used the strength of theirs who first or last have fought the battles of the Lord? Last of all, shall it be lawful for our Opposites to rake out of the grave against us, the rotten reasons of Papists, Lutherans, Adiaphorithes: but unlawful for me to summon ancient and reverend Protestants, to bear witness to the Truth? This I speak, because (pull the vizard away) and the soldiers with their muster against us, will be found no other, Polycen●s de stratage. than such as the soldiers of Gastro were, to wit, Egyptians in Grecian harness: whereas on the other side none can justly censure me, who before condemneth not Ennius and Naeius, I mean our ancient standard bearers and forerunners in the faith. Fiftly, let no man put me to business about the length of this Discourse, to which my earnest desire carried me, which was to search every corner of the controversy which I handle with the lantorne of the Word, Pro. 20.27. and by the light thereof, to scatter (as much as lay in me) the gross corruptions that infect the bowels of our Churches. What that I may plead example? For Clodis Tarcinensis wrote a very great volume of the very same argument, jonas Anielianens. de cultu Imag. lib. 1. Bonaventu. Vulcanius in epist. ad Ordin. Belgic. I mean against the very having of Crosses and Images in the Church: and Nilus Suziceus, no less than 120. chapters in an argument of the same kind, to wit, about the leaven. Having thus advertised touching the purpose of my writing: I come to satisfy some of them who think I should not have written at all: And of these Censors I observe four sorts. The first sort do judge all contending about Ceremonies, to be no better then vain disputing, such as the Apostle doth forbid. I ask: Are not Ceremonies matters of faith? Yea certainly. They are indeed matters of faith, and therefore not vain, but necessary to be known and discerned by us. 1 Tim. 6.5. That we may not guess, but clearly understand how they are all established, or condemned by God's word. Howbeit were they but things indifferent, as indeed they are not in God's worship; yet must they not (specially in this use) be done in faith? or can there any faith be of them that is not grounded on the word, which is the only word of faith? It is sufficient if the scripture be not against them. True: but (as Tertullian of old) If the scripture doth not permit them, it doth forbid them, and sine lege & contralegem (as in Policy, lib. de Cor●. milit. Thom. Mor ton. Apolog pa. 2. lib. 1. cap. 4●. Idem p. 420 ●eza Annot. in 1. Cor. 11 10. 1 Cor. 11.7.14.16.34 so in Divinity) are both one. In deed if not viva ratio out of the word, yet manifesta aequitas always is ever needful to the very circumstances of God's service: as for lawfulness so for expedience: expedience I say, and the same, not only general according to the perpetual circumstances which cleave to their kind: but also special, according to the occasional circumstances that occur in their particular practice. So much is manifest by Paul who proveth the Expedience of the veil (a civil custom in the Church of Corinth) by reasons drawn from the law of God and Nature, before he forbiddeth contending against it: and putteth over the ordering of other circumstances of celebrating Gods public worship in that Church, till by oculata experientia he had seen their estate, and weighed what was most convenient. What when this course is not observed? Why men are set to eat their meat without salt (saith Hierome) when they are commanded any thing that hath no relish from the word: and to build without hay and stubble, like Israel in Egypt, when they be not allowed some warrant out of the Scripture, which only can combine the matter of the work, & make the frame of the building sure. But Augustine will have us follow a Synod of a Church etiam latente veritate. What and will he have us follow it too, without using the means that may bring the truth to light? No, but here he requireth even certa documenta, lib. de peccat. merit & remiss ca 36 Fasc●cul. rer. expetend. artic. 18. folio 129. in 1 Cor. Homil. 13. Rom. 14.5. out of the word to the commandments of the Church: even as john Wiclephe taught since his time. We must take nothing from the Prelates which is not clarè, even clarè demonstrated by the scriptures. Chrysostome giveth a reason hereof: Our cogitation halteth, when the word wanteth, which halting is sin, because we are bound to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a full persuasion even in indifferent things and all. And in this Controversy of the Ceremonies the truth is not latens. I trust this very Discourse will show there is not only no reason to conform, but also reason strong and evident against Conformity: at the least I doubt not, but it will clear us from that stomach and stubborns wherewith we are unjustly burdened, as bearing us witness we are the men that keep the old rule, Non est a consuetudine recedendum facile, nisirationi adversetur. Augusti. de Mufic. lib. 2. cap. 8. Tertull. de veland virg. Digest. lib. 1 Ticul. 3. cap. 39 Tho. Aqui. sum. p. 2. q. 92. art. 3. for which we protest according to the ancient tenor, Nullam respicimmus consuetudinem quam damnare non possumus: and thereupon call at the Tribunal for that old sentence, Quod non ratione introductum est, sed ex errore primum, deinde consuetudine obtectum est, in alijs similibus non obtincat: in the Schools, for that Decision Theological, For as much as the law Diume proceedeth from the will of God, the human only from the will of man, usus authoritati cedat, prawm usum lex & ratio vincat. The second sort of our Censors, though they mislike not all sticking at Ceremonies, yet all standing they condemn against an Order once established in a Church. What, and have we then lived to the time to hear Zion speak in Sorbons' language: No further reason must be sought, than a Synods own authority, that which the wiser sort of Papists themselves condemn? nicol Clau. collat. de Concil. Cyril Hierosol ca 4. Mat. 23.8. Sure to believe any, or each simpliciter dicent, upon his bare word: is to set up a Master on earth, to no small prejudice of our Master in heaven, whom we are only in this manner to believe. It is also to enthrall the Church to a servitude Babylomeall, if not worse, for so much as some childrè of Babel herself, refuse to bow down their necks to this yoke, as we see by Alphonsui, Alphons. de Cast. count haeres. lib. 1. cap. 7. Martin Luther li. cont. papat. Nicol. Clau. disputat. de Concil. Miserrima servitus est (saith he) jurare in alicuius verba Magistri. I omit to object here, yea so much to inquire, whether the Synod that made this order, sit as judges in their own case, which is against the law of Nature: whether they assumed an Immunity to themselves, to have all accusing of them reputed schism, which is our exception against the council of Trident. whether they came resolute against Reformation, and fully bend to make such Decrees as best might strengthen their own estates, whereby the council of Pisa once barred and shut out the Holy Ghost from their assembly: whether the name of the house itself knew not of many Canons made, as at the second Council of Ephesus many subscribed to what they knew not. Last of all, whether some Canons were only read, as at the Diet. of Augusta the Jnterim was proposed only by the chancellor of Charles the fifth, & so thought sufficiently ratified, although the States and Peers there present, never gave their voice to it. The Inquisition of these things and other the like, I say, I omit. This is the answer I rely on: the Reformation we seek, Zepper de polit, ecclesiast. in epist. dedicator. is in substance the same, which not one, but many: Why speak I of many? which even all the godly Synods have agreed on, that have been gathered from time to time, since the restoring of the Gospel, in all the Churches best reform beyond the Seas. The third sort of our Censors will give us leave, to gainsay a Peter, Nilus Thessalonicens'. de precat. Papae. when in Ceremonies he walketh awry: howbeit in conference to his face only and not in writing. Nilus' supposed it was in vain to debate with the Pope, alwhile he looked to be judge himself, and do the Prelates look for less? The Bishop Argensius found by experience in the Council of Basile, that there is no dealing with Superiors who expect the inferior must succumbere: Aeneas Sylue in gest. Concil. basilians. lib. 1. Polydor. Virgil. de Inventor. rer. li. 8. ca 4 Augustin. epist 174. Carol. Sigon. de regn. Ital. lib. 9 and do not the Prelates expect as much? Luther stepped away from Caietan, even after the lists were entered, because he saw he would magis imperio rem definire, quam disreptatione: and have we not cause to suspect them & fear the same of the Prelates? Augustine when he conferred with a great man, he was overcome, though not veritate, yet clamore: and it was given forth against him, that he was foiled when he was not: and have former conferences with the Prelates sorted to any better event? For my own part I had a private defence for myself. Albericus was better at writing, then at disputing: so is it with me, by reason of the dullness of my wit, I must plodd on what I do, and when I have advised myself all that I can, yet all cometh short of that which should be. The fourth and last sort of our Censors, mislike not writing, save at this time, when we should busy out selves (they think) about more needful matters. Certain it is that we their mistake. For it is an Hercules that is fit to throw out the dung itself of Popery: such as I am, serve best, to sweep down (as they are taken) the Cobwebs of it which yet remain in the house of the Lord. When the Cobwebs fell down all on a sudden at the Council in Trullo, the Fathers there present took it as ominous: Concil. Tom. 2 p. 895. Caro. Sigon. ubi. supra. p. 49 so may we now ourselves learn from it how clean the house of the Lord must be kept from all coinquination with hereticques. Suppose the Ceremonies were no more than that they are taken, the cobwebs of popery? Do not even cobwebs foster poisonful spiders? sure these cobwebs of ours do. And see ye not how they have gotten even to the very top of the Palace, as Solomon speaketh? Shall we suffer them there with silence? Pro. 30. 2●. must we not write to sweep them down at the least from thence? And let others look to those matters, which some repute only able to shake the mountains of our religion, whom the Lord (as a Father speaketh) hath taken up into the mount: my standing is at the foot of the hill, therefore it shallbe enough for me to acquit the place I stand in, from those corruptions, Which howsoever counted molehilles, yet much molest the holy vineyard of the Lord. Even this also must needs be done by some or other. For though the people were foolish, whom Gerebrard mentioneth, who thought the mountains were endangered as often as the moles did wag: yet I remember I have read that even Moles in Thessaly once overthrew a whole Town: Plin. histor. lib. 8. c. 29. sure I am (I see it with my eyes and am sorry) that these Moles against which I writ, have even already annoyed, if not uctie near decayed diverse goodly Congreganous. And as for the time, 1. Cor. 16.9 where is assistance to the truth most necessary, but where it hath most adversaries? It is time for the ass himself (saith one) to open his mouth, Gildas de excid Britan. in proaem. Inc. 19.40. when things run to ruin. And our Saviour, where other witnesses do fail, let the stone himself cry. These premises considered, I am not deterred from proceeding to the Search following, into which I now enter in the name of the Lord: premising that common and beaten rule, non est obstinatus qui paratus est corrigi: for which I finally protest with job: Teach m●● and I will hold my tongue, job. 6.24.2.26. and cause me to understand wherein I have erred? How steadfast are the words of righteousness, and what can any of you justly reproone? Do ye imagine to reproous words that the talk of the afflicted should be as wind? Now therefore be content to look upon me, for I will not lie before your faces. A Scholastical discourse against Symbolizing with Antichrist in ceremonies: especially in the sign of the Cross. The Cross in baptism, Idolatry against God The Idolatry of the Cross. CHAP. I. WHat 1 2. Cor. 1.26. agreement hath the temple of God with Idols? 2 Hose. 14.9. What have I to do with Idols? 3 1. joh. 5.21. Babes keep yourselves from Idols. These Scriptures and the like, not only control, but also cashier the sign of the Cross; it being an Idol that is many ways polluted. The first way respecteth God, whose heavenly Majesty while it transformeth by carnal thoughts, there is that a August. in Io. tract. 19 Idol of the heart begotten, which must as b Idem de verb. Dom, see. Mat. serm. 6 carefully be expelled out of the mind, as any Idol that is external out of the Temple. Is not every lie of God a c Tertul. de prescript? kind of Idolatry? But the Cross turneth his glorious essence into a vile and shameful lie, when it putteth on him a certain esse d Suarez. Tom. 1. in Thom. disput. 54. sect. 4. vestitum imagine, an essence clothed with an Image. And every e Hierom. in jerem. cap. 32. heresy transforming God is an idolatry in like manner, whereas there is none that doth more change him then the heresy of this sign; teaching that he may be united with a Cross (with a Cross I say, a detestable Idol) and so united, that the Cross may be f Caiet. in Tho. part. 3. Q. 25. art. 3. ut citatur A. said to be Christ, Christ and the Cross to be one and the same in g Suarez. ut. supra. apprehension: which is more than to set a Dagon by him, it is to marry a Dagon to him; yea to turn him into a Dagon, partly flesh, and partly fish: which is it not monstrous? To this belongeth that fantastical Christ of Papists which is conclusus, h Vazquez. de adorat. li. 2. dispur. 5. cap. 6. & 14.4. in imagine, Christ enclosed in a Cross, a worse transmutation of him then 4 Act. 17.24. God enclosed in a Temple. For what enclosing prison is there more loathsome to him, than an Idol which is as 5 Deut. 29.17 The doct. of the Cross 〈◊〉 teaches G●od to be de●●ighted wi●th will-worship dongue; and more abominable in his presence then may be spoken? Another metamorphosis there is behind, little better than these. The Cross setteth God before us, as delighting in Will-worship, which is ever carnal worship; by name in such a carnal Will-worship as doth worship him in a Cross, yea in a Cross l Th●o. Aqui. p. 3. Q. 25. coworshipped with him in the very same worship, at the sight and sense whereof if our hearts rise not, if our spirits burn not (like Paule● Athens) it is because we want his zeal. But be his zeal sound with in us, it ●●ll not suffer the sound so much as of such an Idol to be amongst us. For, know we not that all will-worship is flat Idolatry, by m Aug de. confens. evang. lib. ● cap. 18. fathers, n Varq, de adotat. lib. 2. dispur. 1. cap. 3. adversaries, own o Doct. Bills. ag. Apolog. p. 4. pa. 344. writers, and all? The Papists themselves confess, it is Idolatry to worship God as present there, where he is not p Catharin, count Dog●●at. Ca●●●. present, that which this sign doth cause at this hour, the papists praying to a cross, as to Christ jesus q Thou Aqu. p. 3. Q 15. art 4. Suaz. in comment. ibid. present in it, and teaching wittingly in their writings r Andrad. Orthodox explicat. 9 Deus est ubicunque (crux) eius signum est, that God is there, where this sign of his is. Last of all, It is an Idolatrous conceit of God to think he will suffer any s Doct. fulk. rejoind. to Mart. art. 1. pag. 145. Guil. perk. li. de Idolo. lat. grace to drop towards any, without himself distil it down, by his own means; amongst the which, although it never came into his heart to ordain this sign, yet is it believed t Tripart. histor. lib. 2. cap. 1●. jon. Aurelianens. de cult. imag. lib. 2. t Martial. de cruc. art. 4. fol. 48. that there hath been no grace bestowed by the ministry of man or Angel without the same, since his coming in the flesh: which also is held to be an necessary u Rhem. annotat. in 2. Thes. 2. sect. 17. mean and instrument of man's salvation. Yea, so necessary for his part herein▪ as that it is matched with w Martial de cruc. fol. 21. faith, with x Ibid. fol. 20. charity, with the y Ibid. fo. 16 Sacraments: Yea the incarnation of our z Doct. Fulk. rejoind. art. 1. pag. 143. Lord Christ jesus. And these many ways is the Cross an Idol in regard of God, sith these many ways it doth conceive him qualis non est, such as he is not, a gross idolatry by all the a August. quaest. sup. joh. lib. 6. cap. 29. fathers, yea, by some b Suar. tom. 1. in. Tho. disput. 34. sect. 7. Papists own confession. #Sect. 2. The doctrine of the Cross teacheth merit, satisfaction and pardon for sin. THe second Idol found in the Cross is the man that doth use it, who is said to merit by it, to satisfy by it, sometime also to pardon by it, which none but God himself can do. The sign of the Cross is an act of devotion, a part of God's worship, a profession of Christian faith, therefore in signing ourselves with it, how can we not merit, saith the a Bellar. de effect sacra. cap 31. proposit. ●. Papists? And whereas a venial sin is not the death but the wound of grace, that may satisfy for it, saith b Tho. Aquin. q. disput. 7. de peccar. venial. art. 12 he that can recover to our souls our former fervour of devotion by the considering of some what else that is able to inflame it. Now among these, the sign of the Cross excelleth for that it raiseth a remembrance of the passion itself of Christ, so that here hath place that of the Apostle, God forbidden I should rejoice save in the cross of jesus Christ. No need (say they) to interpret this of the death of Christ alone: we may c Martial. de cruc. cum reliquis. interpret it of Christ's death as remembered by a Cross, sith this sign by remembering of it d Rhem. annotat. in 1. Tim 4. sect. 14. purgeth the impurities of the soul, being (to omit all other means) enabled thereto by the ordinance of the Church, which doth e Bellar. de effect. Sacra. cap. 31. proposit. 3. impetrat for the ceremonies which it doth bless a power to cleanse from venial sins. And this is ordinary. Another trick there is on foot whereby the treasurers of the Church join f Rhem. ibi. their blessing to the Cross by way of indulgence. For as john g Durant. de ritib. lib. 3. cap. 11. sect. 3. the 22. annexed an indulgence of 40. days pardon to the office of the Cross, so are there standing pardons adjoined to the crosses h Chemnit. in exam. p. 4. de indul. station. urb. Rom. pag. 84. Church at Rome for every day 48. years: for every Sunday 300. years: and for the Dedication day remission plenary. Now what grossness of idolatry call you this? For none can pardon but God alone, none merit of God or make satisfaction but only Christ: and he by virtue of his Godhead, without the which his Manhood could not have done any thing i Heb. 9.14. Act. 20.28. either meritorious or satisfactory for our redemption. #Sect. 3. The effects of the Cross Spiritual great and marvelous. Two objections to the same answered. THe third Idol is the sign of the Cross itself endued with a Bellar. de effect sacra. cap. ●. virtue for effects spiritual, great and marvelous, for whi●● he is also worshipped. The Cross b Martial. art. 5. pe●. totum. Rhem. annotat. luk, 24 sect. 5. blesseth, which only the blessed seed can do. The Cross c Martial. fo. 114.115. conc. Nicen. a. act. 4. converteth sinners, which is a new creation. The Cross d Bellar. de imag. c. 29.30. Rhem. 1, Tim. 4. sect. 11. sanctifieth, which is the office of the holy ghost. The Cross e Belar. ib. cum reliquis. driveth away the devil, which is the honour of the woman's seed. The Cross worketh miracles, whereas it is the Lord alone which worketh wonders (Psal. 136.4.) what will ye more? The Cross f Matrial. art. 2. fo. 16 saveth like the g Goncil. Nicen. 2. Act. 2. serpent, like Noah's Ark, like Ezechtels' mark, (which were figures of Christ jesus) yea saveth h Coste● In Enchi. c. 11 all that are marked with it, which is to be a jesus. Two things I look to have objected: First they make the Cross a mean under God of these effects, which freeth them from Idolatry. Not so, as long as they hold it a mean that is worthy to be adored even as our l Doct. Fulk. rejoind. 2. Apoc. 9 v. 20. Lord had been an Idolater if he had adored the devil out of an acknowledgement that he was a distributer of things earthly under God. Let not this instance be despised: for the sign of the Cross (as all other Popish Idols) is ᵃ flatly a devil, yea, a devil adored by them, as a distributer under God; not of temporal blessings only but also of heavenly graces. And what though some teach in their subtlety, that the Cross maketh holy by stirring up devotion only, not by m Vasq. de adorat. li. 3 disput. 2. cap. 5. imprinting any holiness, & moreover deny it to be holy per se but in n Bella. controuers 7. lib. 2. ca ●9 relation of Christ alone they decree it worthy to be o Vasq. lib. 2. disput. 6. cap. 2. worshipped for this relative holiness, yea some to be adored p Bellar. ibi. cap. Suar in Thom. 21. tom. 1. disput. per se. The former of these evicteth Idolatry; the latter of them a q Danae. count Bellar controvers. 7. li. 2. ca 19 contradiction to maintain it. The second objection will be this. The Papists r Concil. Trident. sesl. 25. decret. de ima. deny there is any holiness, power, or virtue in the Cross. True, inherently and per se. Which, what is it to the purpose, while adherently and in relation they say it hath s Bellar. controvers. 7. lib. 3. cap. 7 Caesar, Baron Annal. in anno 253. Rhem. in 1. Tim. 4 sect. 9.10.12.13. holiness and virtue through Christ's institution and the Church's benediction; yea power to make actually t And. willet. controvers. 9 Q. 7 part. 5. holy even by bare u Bellar. de imag. ca 30 touching, and to drive away the devil even ex opere operato: To wit, they compare the power of the Cross to the power of David's Harp, Tobithes Liber, Elishaes' Salt, Christ's Hemme, Paul's Napkins: in all of which our writers find an Idolatrous fancy in them, although being asked, I know they will answer, that none of these (to speak properly) had any power inherent in them, but an assisting virtue only. No more did the Pagan w Sozom. lib. 7. cap. 15. Olympias think any power celestial to be inherent in his Images perpetually. Neither did the jews imagine any power habitually to be immanent in the serpent. Hereby these became to be Idols, that a certain power divine was thought to be (with x Ric. Hook. lib. 5. ca 65 pag. 164. them) and present to them, which is now ascribed to the Cross in a manner y Danae controvers. 7. lib. 2. ca 18 little better than that of the Pagans; sure in a manner out z Ric Hook. Ibid. right as idolatrous as that of the jews when they idolized the serpent. And this is verified, even in the learned of the Papists a john Reynold. de Idololat. lib. 2. cap. 3. sect. 81. tanquam si presence vis inesset, they seek to Crosses and to Images, as once the heathen did to their Idols; they think there is b Rhem. in Act. 19 sect. 8.9. a power given to relics, to cross; and unto the name of jesus they attribute a c Luc. Marinaeus de reb. hispanie. lib. 5. Numen to a crucifix, howsoever in the schools they gull us with d Vazq. de adorat. lib. 2. disput. 8. cap. 3. Nihil est Numinis, in an Image, or in a Cross. And john the 22. Pope ascribed a virtue to the Veronica: Salue vultus Domini, imago beat, lumen fund cordibus ex vi tibi data. In regard hereof our writers flatly call the cross an e And. willet controvers. 9 art. 4. pag. 411. Idolatrous sign, an insinuat, f Doct Fulk. answer. to Rhem 1. Tim. 4. sect. 11. that he cutteth to near upon the office of the Holy Ghost, and g Danae. contro. 7. li. 3. cap. 7. openly cry out upon the sacrilege of Rome for ascribing even the extraordinary effects of power divine unto these consecrate things of theirs. Therefore to conclude, as the tree 2 Gen. 3.5, 6.22. of knowledge was an Idol when there was ascribed to it a power to make happy, the 3 2. King. 18.4. brazen serpent an Idol, when a power of healing was conceived to be with it, the h johan Satisbur. Polycratic. lib. 2. cap. 19 star an Idol when he was deemed to have a power of effecting or foreshowing things below: as 4 Gen, 30.6. jacob and 5 Reg. 5.7. jehoram were made Idols when there was given to the one a power to give children, to the other a power to give life: finally as the earth of Israel was made an Idol by 6 Ibid. v. 17. Naaman, and 7 1. Sam. 5.5. Dagon by his priests and servants, when the first was made able to sanctify a sacrifice, the latter made able by his touching to make holy a threshold, so is the Cross an Idol: now seeing he is imagined able to do that which the Lord can only do, and thereupon is adored and worshipped with the honour which belongeth to him alone. #Sect. 4. In grace given and received by men, as also in forms of Oaths, the Cross is not only joined and matched with Christ, but sometime overmatcheth him as being more effectual then be. THe Cross is become an Idol in that it is joined with Christ, there being nothing more commonly heard then these copulatives among the Papists, the a Martial. art. 1. fol. 21. name of Christ and the sign of the passion, the, b Martial. in reply. art. ●. faith of Christ and the banner of the Cross, the c Miss. de. invent, cruc. passion of Christ, & the Cross. When mention is made of grace to be given or to be received by men. And if the Agnus which the Cross doth consecrate, purgeth d Lib. ceremo. 1. tit. 7. sin, sicat Christ sanguis as the blood of Christ itself which should it seem incredible to us, that the Cross the efficient of such power in the Agnus should be able himself to do as much in their opinion? Sure when Tecelius the pardoner taught that the Cross was able to cleanse our sin aswell as the Cross of Christ, e Amand. Polan. in orat de, scient cruc. our writers interpret him to mean aswell as the passion of Christ itself: why should they not? Pray not Papists at the consecrating of a Cross f Pontifical. Roman. p. 2. tit. de benedict. novae crucis. sicut per crucem Christi, etc. As by the Cross of Christ the world is expiated from all guilt, so by the merit of this Cross let them that offer it be clear from all committed offences. He that will clear the Cross aereal from this attainder, he must consider the speeches are general there is a h Marti. de cruc. art. 6. water flowed into the Cross which is known to be the salvation of faithful souls and again, l jopas Aurelian de cult. imag. lib 2. Torrens. in. confess. Augustin. lib. 4. cap. 9 tit. 4. Durant. de rit. lib. 2. cap. 45. sect. 3. Martial de cruc. art. 6. fol. 92.93. The Cross doth as much as the presence of Christ on earth, and proceedeth with like efficacy, as he himself the sampler. Howbeit, there is wherein the sign of the Cross overgoeth Christ's flesh, as it was present here on earth, for as much as it had no effective virtue in it by the sight of itself and by bare touching to drive away Satan, or to make holy or to work miracles: but it was the mighty power of the Godhead, whereby these things were wrought. And before we leave this point, see we how he was matched with Christ in the worship of an oath when the old Christians were willed to swear by God, Christ, the Holy Ghost, per m Veget. de. re milit. lib. 2. Maiestatem Imperatoris, by the Majesty of the Emperor Tertullian seemeth to mislike the form, n Tertul. de coron milit. cap. 11. Credimus humanum sacramentum divine super induci licere & in alium dominum respondere post Christum? Think we it lawful to add an human oath to the divine, and to swear after Christ by an other Lord? Sure it is in o Pamel in Tertul. apolog cap. 31. nota. 5. France forbidden after this manner to swear by God and by the King or by the King's children. Now this form of swearing is performed to the honour of the Cross, as appeareth by the oath which Otho took unto the Pope, p Carol. Sigon. de reg. Ital. lib. 6. anno 960. juro per Patrem, & filium, & spiritum sanctum, & per signum hoc vivifica crucis. I swear by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and by the sign of this life-bringing Cross. When q Lib. Pontifical. in Pelag. 1. Pope Pelagius cleared himself, he went up to to desk having the book of the Gospels and a cross upon his head. r Concil. tom. 3. pag. 917. Martin the fift when he adjureth the followers of Wiclife, and of john Husse, he commandeth them to touch the book of the Gospel and the Image of the crucifix. The Cross then was honoured in an oath aswell as the Gospel's book, which that it was matched with Christ, it doth appear by the abjuration of s Concil. tom. 3. pag. 600. Beringarius who swore by the Holy trinity, & per haec sacro sancta Christi evangelia, by the holy Gospel also. Now lest any should reply, that Christ had the honour which the Cross signified as once in t Carol. Sigon. ibid. lib. 3 anno 742. Anastatius oath, who holding a Cross in his hand said, per eum qui huic ligno affixus est inro: I swear by him who was fastened to this Cross, it must be considered that the very Cross itself had a part in this honour as appeareth by that n Decret. p. 2. ca 22. q. 5. cap. 2. Canon which enjoineth three years penance to him that hath forsworn himself upon a Cross consecrate, The sign of the cross pertaketh both of the inward and outward worship of God. but in case the cross were not consecrate (by which he forswore himself) than the penance of one year only. Thirdly, the sign of the Cross is an Idol in that it partaketh of God's worship both inward and outward. Of the inward he partaketh when men are x Breviar. Roman. in hebdomad. 4. in quadragesimo. Tho. Aqui. par. 3. q. 25. art 4. Andrad. Orthodox. explicat. ●. taught to put their trust in him. a moral Idolatry (saith one of their y Rodolph. Arden's. homil. 9 post. Trinitat. own.) Sure an Idolatry by many of their own z Concil. Trident. sess. 25. Bellar. de imag. confessions, that which also is great, both because it is an a Epiphan. haeresi. 79. adultery of the spirit which God, a spirit, much respecteth, and also because it setteth up a b August. count Ma●imin. lib. 1. cap. 11. spiritual temple to an Idol, which is far worse than when some material temple is erected. And the Cross is to be worshipped outwardly with latria itself which is God's worship, for so the Church of Rome doth c Tho. Aqu. pa. 3. q. 25. art. 3.4. Anton. Possevin. bibliothec. lib. 1. cap. 10. Bellar. de imag. cap. 23. teach not only for a Cross material, but even for an aereal also. For who is ignorant of this distinction, the true nails and spear and sepulchre we adore, but not their Images. The true Cross we adore for his sake and his d Alexand. Alice. p. 3. q. 30. memb 3. art 3. Durant. de rit, lib. 1. cap. 6. images also, him for touching and representing, these for representing only? And it is indeed e Nic. Saund. de imag cap. 13. Bellar. de imag. cap. 24.26. directly taught that the sign of the Cross is to be worshipped among the rest of these representations, and their practice is answerable. For they invocate this sign, f Catechis. Regin. Maria. Anglic. per crucis signum fugiat hinc omne malignum; per idem signum saluetur quodque benignum. Yea in invocation they join it with Christ. Per misericor dian jesu Christi? g Offic. Miss. in praeparat. Per auxilium & signum sanctae crucis, Per intercessionen beatae Mariae, etc. And they adore it in their solemnities. h Portifor. Sarisbur. in fest. exaltat. crew. Adoramus crucis signaculum per quod sumpsimus salutis sacramentum: but more of this in place convenient. #Sect. 5. The sign of the Cross, a part of the devils worship: A Character to effect things supernatural and devilish miracles. An instrument of witchcraft: an enchanting rod, a magical sign. THe fourth Idol of the sign of the Cross is the devil himself the adversary of God, who here obeyed and not God, is worshipped here in stead of God as he was once in the hill 2 Levit. 17.4.7. altar, though set up for the worship of God as well as this sign is now. Think we the spirit without cause calleth him a devil, as it is 3 Apoc. 9.20. evident that he doth it being one of the popish Idols against which the Turk is loosed? sure being a character used to effect things supernatural without promise from the Lord, it cannot be less than a a Magdeburgens. apud Bellar. de imag. cap. 30. Doct Fulk. con. Saund. de imag. c. 12. p. 652. rite of the devil, an instrument of b Goulart. in Cyprian epist. 56. not. 31. witchcraft, yea a very enchanting c Calfhil. count Mat. art. 8. & passim. rod as our writers use to term it, why not? Seeing the pieces of the Cross were d Hierom. in Mart. c. 23. charms and enchantments, by a certain woman borne in the bosom in Hieroms days, it no way helping which e Rhem. in 1. Tim. 4. sect. 15. some allege there is no covenant made with the devil, for even an f Zanch. de oper. redemp. c. 17 thes. 5. implicit covenant maketh up witchcraft, such as was between Eve and him in Paradise though not expressed. And whereas the heathen hanged g Macrob. saturnal. li. 1. cap. 7. Imagines Maniae before their doors to keep out hurtful spirits, the h Sebast. Munster. lib. de Imperat & prohibit. judaeor. jews at this hour set up a circle about their houses to keep out the devil, the Cross among Christians taketh up the reversion of this office even as we see him over many a country door for the very same purpose. l Hierom. in Isa. li. 16. ca 57 Hierom could not brook the Deus Tutelaris which stood in the entry with a candle before it, to preserve the house from evil: for that it did hurt even to Christians and all converted, because as they went into such houses and went out of them, they were ever put in mind inoliti erroris of their old and wont error. The Cross in baptism is more powerful to remember a wont error, than a Cross in an entry or over a door, which also will never go from the possession of private houses until the public house of God do spew it out. Neither is it nothing that the Papists give it the name even of an m Tholossan. Syntax. Tom. 2. li. 28. ca 24. Amulete against the devil, and fear not to say they conjure (even n Lindan. panopl. li. ca conjure) the devil by it. Somewhat also it is, that the devil hath wrought many o Zanch. in operib. redemp. ca 15. thes. 3. Whitak. controner. 1. qu. 6. ca 12. Fulk rejoined. Art. 1. pa. 145. miracles by it, and at this hour colludeth in it as in a cricle feigning he is chained or chased away, when (indeed) he p Hospin. de orig. imag. Calih. count Mart. passi. giveth back to get the more ground, and flieth from the sight to surprise the soul with greater advantage. As for the crosses of the Mass q Microlog. de ecclesia. obsetuat. cap. 14. I ●an. Reynold. conference. ca 8. diui. 4. Gregory the seventh took them immediately from the circle, which is the cause they run in odd numbers to keep the old rule, Numero deus impari gaudet. The crosses of r Danae. contro. 7. li. 3. ca 7. And. Willet con. consecration, and of the s Herman. Hamelman. de tradit. p. 1. lib. 4. col. 373.369. Fulk. answer, to Rhem, 1. Tim. 4. sect. 15. exorcism, are conjuring maces in like manner. What that the figure of the Cross is even by t to 9 q. 7. p. 5. nature magical, and a ceremony used in magic throughout all ages. So that the Papists may seem to provide two strings for their bow when they chose him against the devil, no less than when for the matter of their Beads they choose a stone that hath a w Durand. de rit. lib. natural force against him not only a spiritual. t Cael. Rhogiin. Antiquit. lib. 10. cap. 8. Plin. lib. 28. cap. 4. #Sect. 6. The Surplice as a Priestly and holy vestiment, is to be adored. NOw while we thus wholly bend our force against the Cross, the Surplice happily may hope to escape, which must not be suffered. The things that be dead (saith the Papist) are not capable of adoration (per se). Howbeit as they have ( a Vazq. de adorat. lib. 2. disputat. 6. ca 2. ordinem) & relation unto God, so they are capable and they have an order to him which are b Suar. tom. prim. in Thom. disputat. 54. sect. 5. consecrate to his service by the authority of the Church, which if it be public it is authentic & in this business doth suffice. For though there be not in these, saith he, such a relation unto God as can c Ibid. formally & d Vazq li. 2. disput. 8. cap. 14. expressly represent him like an Image and a Cross, yet being once consecrate to his service, they begin to be things of God: yea e Ibid ca 7. parts of God whose worship is a worship of God, so that with him they are to be worshipped as the purple is wont to be worshipped with the king. Some difference I grant there is among them about the manner of adoring, some think they are to be adored f Suar. vb. supra disput. 54. sect. 4. & disput. 56. sect. 2. (per se) quatenus holy with an inferior adoration: g Vasq. li. 2. disput. 8. cap. 10. others think it is superstitious to worship any thing (per se) without relation unto God: and that the adoration due to holy things in this relation is not an inferior worship, but the worship of h Ibid. cap. 14. p. 12. latria, wherewith God himself is worshipped. Howbeit, about the matter they all accord that holy things must be adored aswell as Images, aswell as Crosses, or any thing else that appertaineth to the lord l Synod. 8. can. 3. Vasq. li. 2. disput. 8. cap. 14. Doct. Bills. against Apolog part 4 pa. 319. They say, Images and Crosses themselves must be adored like holy vessels, holy books, holy vestments, with the like. m Vasq. ibi. cap. 7. & 10. & 14. They say the cause of worshipping Images, and of worshipping other things holy is one and the same: n Suar. disputat. 54. sect 3. Vasq. li. 2. disput. 6. cap. 2. They prove by these reasons Images must be adored and worshipped, because they are (res sacrae) holy things: at a word holy things are even n proprie, that is, properly to be worshipped in their opinion, as the ground (say they) was to be adored and worshipped where Moses stood, because it was holy: and the Ark, the Tabernacle with the rest of the Temple were all worthy to be adored because all holy to the Lord. This our own o Doct. Bills. count Apolog. par. 4. pa. 319. divines see well, who charge the Papists with Idolatry to be abhorred in their worshipping of holy books, vessels, instruments, with the like. Indeed their worships speak so much though they and we and all men else were silent, p Vasq. li. 2. disput. 8. cap. 14. oblations, censings, lights, kiss, bowings, vayling: which, are they not q Doct. Bills. ibid. p. 321 322, 323. Idolatrous worshippings when communicated to a creature religiously? But the Surplice (you will say) is none of these. That were great pity, considering how eminent above the rest he is in r Durand. ra●iona. li. ● cap. 1. jacob. a Vitriac. histo. Occident. lib. 2. ca 34. holiness, both for use and signification, wherewith because I am loath to encumber myself, let this suffice, the vestes sacrae and the s Suar. disput. 154. sect. 3. Saund. de visibls. Monarch. tract. de imag. 〈◊〉 2. cap. 1. Vasq. lib. 2. disput. 6. cap. 2. & lib. 3. disput. 1. cap. 1. vestes sacerdotales, the holy and the priestly garments are not forgotten in the writings of the Papists, but named expressly for holy things that must be adored and worshipped. And must not the Surplice (then) pack with the Cross, and go with him for company, it being a filthy Idol like him? For if it were but a stone in a field, that had been worshipped as Papists adore and worshipped it, it ought to have been long since abolished as a t Council. Nanne●ens. cap. 20. council doth decree. In consideration that such Idolatry renounceth Christianity: which Idolatry cannot be remedied but by an utter desolation of the Idol. And this we have to say against the Cross and Surplice in that they are Idols. Now to proceed, if they were but Idolothites they were to be abhorred by us, the which we can easily prove against them. #Sect. 7. The Cross, Surplice, etc. incurable and inerecoverable Idolothites. The Cross no creature of God, therefore utterly to be abolished. THe Idolothite is wont to be described unto us, either actively, or passively. Actively, that is Idolothious (saith a Anselmi. in gloss. interlinear. in 1. cor. 10. the ancient description) quod est sub veneratione Idoli, which reflecteth any glance of the least honour, credit, or countenance to an Idol. So the Canon Law doth reackon a Pagan poem to be an Idolothite not to be used, b Decret. par. 1 distinct. 37. cap. 15. quia non solum thura offerendam daemonibus immolatur, sed etiam corum dicta libentius capiendo: and we know willingness to use an Idol as a sign of God's covenant graceth him more than when we read a poëme of his in some Grammar school or other for a lesson of Poetry. The c Tertul. de spectat. August. de civit. dei cum reliquis. Fathers do also enrol a stage-play among other Idolothites which represented heathen Gods, although the Theatre honoureth not so much as an holy Sacrament of the Lords. d Decret. p. 2. caus. 1. qu. 4. ca 12 Gatian accounteth meat sacrificed in a temple to be Idolothious even out of the Temple, and at a private table itself to the man that knoweth so much; for that honour in truth or in show at lest which it sendeth to the Idol, to which it appertaineth. Passively, when a thing Idolothious is described in sense most large it is defined to be an unclean thing of Idolaters which we must not touch, because they defile whatsoever belongeth unto them, if their use which is religious hath but touched it. For as in the Law of Moses, that was unclean which had been touched by any other thing or person that was unclean, so now what heretics and Idolaters touch take any way into use religious, that is unholy and Idolothious, as 1 2. Cor. 6.17. Scriptures, 2 jud. 23. vid. Bara ibid. Fathers, and the practice of the primative Church do show. For, was not the zeal of Christians such, that a babble was therefore held to be unclean, e Hieron. in Aggeum. cap. 2. because by chance one of the f Theodoret. histor. li 4. ca 15. Arrians beasts had touched it, and that in the street. As for the Church, Constantine forbade his picture to be hanged in an Idols Temple, g Euseb. de vit. Constantin. lib. 4. cap. 16. ne ipsa tabella vel minima lineamentorum part prop●er vetitorum Idolorum errorem labem aliquam contraheret. But if an heretics touching in use civil, the touching of an heretics Temple defileth that which is not incorporated into their worship: then much more is that defiled which hath even state religious in their service, as the Cross and Surplice have, and that by way of consecration? Properly therefore that is Idolothious which hath been consecrate to an Idol with state religious in his worship. So the jewels of the jamnites were unlawful, because before they had been consecrate unto Idols. So h Tertul. li. de idololat. Tertullian profanationis suae maculam haec habent ab initio Idolatria dicata. These things are spotted by their consecration unto Idolatry. 2. Mac. 12.40. So Augustine, when he defineth the Idolothite which is unlawful, he hath these words, Omni● creatura dei ●ona est, sed si illud quod in agris na scitur consecratur Idolo, vel sacrificatur i●te● Idoloth y●a, de putandum est. So Ambrose (last of all) Aliquid p●ll●rum est p●●a●●identiam (id est) oblationem Idoli. By virtue hereof, m Ambros. in 1. cor. 10 whatsoever guilt there was in the Idols meat at Corinth, and at Pergamus, that lighteth upon the Cross and Simplice, because although they have been never sacrificed, yet have they been not only offered privately, but also publicly been consecrate to idolatrous service. Which doth it not make them Idolothites even in the n Vazq. de adorat. lib. 3. disput. 1. cap. 1. & 2 Rhemist. annotat. in Apoc. 2. sect. highest degree? For, as God o though Aqu. p. 3. qu. 83. art. respon ad quart. ever blesseth to good, so the Devil to evil. As things well consecrate become p Chrysost. 2. cor. homil. 20. Gregor. Nissen. de sanct. bapt. holy, so things ill consecrate must of necessity become unholy. As things well dedicate receive an q Thom. Aquin. quo supra respon ad tertium. aptness for the service of God, so the contrary receive an aptness for the service of the Devil. Last of all, as right consecrations are blessings, so the profane blessings of heretics and Idolaters are r Decret. p. 2. caus. 1. qu. 1. cap. 66. & pass. maledictions and mere s Rhemist. in Apoc. 2. sect. 8. cursings that make most execrable. But if God's creatures by such consecration become the creatures of the Devil, become unholy, become parts of the devils service and so accursed, then into what sink deserveth the sign of the Cross to be cast which never was good nor a creature of Gods, and is now become so evil, as that he passeth the pollution of all other Idolothites whatsoever? What is the Agnus, what the holy Water, what the holy Bread to the Cross? What all the rest of Popish trumpery for which we are wont to raise such outcries against the Popish t Fulk. answer to Rhem. 1. Tim. 4. come reliq. consecration? Hath the Cross any need of the Church's consecration, as these have need? No, the Cross is holy of itself; the sign n Euthym. panopl. tit. 20. cap. 14 aerial of the Cross especially without any further consecration. But if he had need, there is not any whose patent is so large as his, as whereby he is not only himself w Decret. p. 3. de consecrat. distinct. 5. cap. 10. consecrate to Idols service, but also installed a grand consecrator of all things else in Idolatrous worship. The common creatures that are, are not x Rhemist. in 1. Tim. 4 blessed without the Cross to common use. What other things to use religious, y Vazq. de adorat. li. 3 disput. 1. cap. 1. Omnia nobis ipso signo crucis benedicuntur & sanctificantur. Are not the Sacraments excepted? No not the Sacraments, But, Omnia Sacramenta crucis signaculo perficiuntur, z Decret. ut supra. saith the Canon. At a word, a Dutand. de rit. li. 2. cap. 45. sect. 7. Torrens. in confess. August. li. 4. c. 9 tit 4 sine hoc signo nihil sanctum, neque aliqua consecratio qua meretur effectum. Come hither you that plead for this adulteress, see ye not how deeply she hath drunk of the bitter water of cursing to the rotting of her thigh, and the swelling of her belly? And this curse is as incurable, as it is bitter. When Gods creatures are polluted they may be reddita suis benedictionibus, restored again unto their blessings as an ancient b Tertul. de cib. ludaic. 2 Isa. 2.20. Father speaketh. For example, the Idols meat by the word and prayer may be restored to the common blessing of feeding the body which God did give it in the day that he created it, & the bread of the Sacrament Idolized to the special blessing of feeding the soul which Christ did give it in the night he ordained the supper, whereas this wretched and unworthy sign can recover no benediction by either of these two ways he being neither a creature of God, nor yet a rite of his sons ordaining. Such an Idolothite as this so deeply and irrecoverably polluted, shall it not be defaced through some injurious use or other? Yea be cast out of the Temple of God? Yea thrown unto the moules and backs the common receptacle of all defiled relics? For defacing with some injury, we have the ancient c Vazq. de adorat li. 2 disput. 2. cap. 2. ●. Mac. 4.45 Albingenses for our torchbearers, who in disgrace of Images and Crosses, painted the holy and blessed Virgin with one eye, and set forth the Crucifix with one nail only through both the feet. For remoovall out of God's Temple, we have the famous Maccab●us for our leader, who when the Pagans had defiled the Altar, he would suffer it to stay no longer in the Temple. For throwing to the Moules & backs, we have the renowned & zealous d Concil. Nicen. 2. act. 7. pag. 188. Grecians for our example; who not only threw out Crosses and hurled Images out of the Church, but also qua ex c●ra fusa●rant in singularim ornatum, in turpes usus converterunt. Keep we then the Cross & Surplice within the church and break we wilfully those two cautions which have been evermore prescribed and accordingly practised against the Idolothite? First to show our detestation of the Idol, we must either destroy him, or in keeping him for private use, so alter and change him that c August. ad Publicol. epist. 154. Omnis honor Idoli cum apertissima destructione sub●ertatur. that all the honour which the Idol gaineth by him or giveth to him, may be turned upside down. Secondly, for so much as in every ceremony we are to provide not only for the glory of God, but also for the good of our neighbour, therefore not only for his e Ibid. honour must all this honour be despoiled, but also all show thereof, as these words show, Apparet illud esse prohibitum nein honorem alienorum Deorum aliquare utamur; aut uti existimemur, sic eam accipiendo ut quamvis animo contemnamus eos tamen qui nostrum animum ignorant ad haec honoranda aedificemus. We talk of an use of Cross and Surplice with a divers mind from papists. but talk only. Do not f Ih. How●let in refusal. rat. 2. papists themselves gather out of this rule of Augustine, that it sufficeth not in mind to hate our service and our ceremonies, unless all show be made also of their hatred by forbearing both the one and the other? g Aeneas Sylui. hist. Bohemic. cap. 6●. Sygismund in heart honoureth the Sacrament: yet when Rochezana carrieth it in procession, he will not uncover to it, and all to avoid offensive show, Ne Rochezanam approbasse videretur. It is not enough for good Eleazar that he eat no swine's flesh, Mac. 2.6. but certain meat of his own bringing, which although of itself it was lawful, yet must he rather lose his life then eat it, for that show of conformity to Idolaters in the eating of swine's flesh which it bore and carried with it. h Caesar. Baroni Annal, anno 303. Secundus is commanded to deliver his Bibles, he maketh answer, Christianus sum & non Traditor. Hereupon he is commanded to deliver aliqua ecvola (that is) certain stuff which was cast aside for that it had no use. Will he not deliver this to save his life? no not this. It was lawful, but it had a show of their sin whom the Church called Traditores for their delivering the holy books to be burnt by the officers of the tyrant Dioclesian. Last of all, l Phil. Melancthon. in epist. ad eccles. marchiac. Was it lawful for the poor man at Berne to use the ceremony of fasting from flesh with a divers mind from the papists? then was he to blame to burn as he did, to avoid all show of communicating with them. But if m Decret. par. 2. caus. 32. qu. 4. cap. 8. Augustine may be his judge, he was not to blame; who holdeth it better to die for famine, then to eat an Idolothite. This as it may excite our governors to hate the sign of the Cross & the Surplice (they being polluted in the highest degree of Idolothisme, so to second the ancient zeal of their forerunners in the faith, who hated all customs of the alienes even in common use itself, and all things else if but only touched by them: so may it justify our loss of livings rather than to honour them apertissimè by advancing them into the service of the most high, so to follow aloof of those worthy witnesses who leave example to lose life, not living only, rather than incur so much as a show, so much as in the least ceremony of the least approbation of foreign Idolatry. #Sect. 8. Two several sins committed in retaining the Cross: The first reserving it as a special and scandalous Monument of Idolatry past: with six reasons against the retaining of it. WE have viewed the sign of the Cross in his Idolothisme considered in general; now to the end we may proceed, descend we down to the several sins thereof, which are two. The first, in that he is a monument of Idolatry past. The second, in that he is an enticement to Idolatry for time to come. Concerning the former, what is Monumentum? but that which movet mentem (saith a August. d● cura pro mort. Augustine?) but now the Cross cannot but admonish the mind of popery, & that to think the better of it, as long as they see it, being b jac. Ledesima Catechis. in initio. the principal badge of popery; enthroned and sitting in a Sacrament amongst us, where ought to be seen no sign but such as men should tremble at. 3 Deut. 21.23. Moses cross must be pulled down because no c Francisc. jun. in Analy● ibid. (monument) of any heinous crime committed must be seen amiddst the holy people of God. Is the Cross a Monument of what he hath revenged and punished but none of that which he hath served and honoured? It is too good a d Decret. par. 2. caus. 13. qu. 3. Monument for a wicked man to have his body buried in the Churchyard, or his name mentioned in the Church-service among the names of holy men. And is it not then too good a Monument for the Cross to be revived at the font, and there be mentioned honourably, together with the sign of the water, the sign of the covenant? What that these ceremonies of Cross and Surplice are expressly termed relics of popery (as they are left behind in our church) by the best of our e joh. Caluin. epist. to Francford. Pet. Martyr in●pist. Amic cuid. in Angl. writers. In regard hereof, say we to them as we are prompted, 4 Isa. 30.22 get ye hence, for ye are menstruous. Yea as our own f Homil. ag. peril of Idolat. Iniunct. art. 343. Laws enjoin, and leaders direct. root we out thoroughly all the monuments of popish Idolatry, even to the g johan Wolph. in 2. Reg 18. least relic; even to the h Pe●. Martyr amic. cuidam in Angl. least leavem; even to the least l Gualt. in Luk. 5. ver. vlt. quisquilliae. even to the least m Pet Martyr in epist. alia amico cuidam in Angl. foot step; which if it be done, all the friends in the world are not able to save the cross, it being so grand a monument of popery, as that the papist is n Humble mo●. for tollerat. tickled at the very heart to see it entertained amongst us. What then letteth that we should not renew the ancient request o Concil. Cartha 3.5 can. 15. Placuit ab Imperatoribus gloriosissimis peti ut reliquiae Idololatriae in quibuscunque locis omnimodò deleantur. Seeing all the reasons are liable against these Relics controversed, which moved Aurelius with his Colleagues to sue for the razeing of those remainders of Idolatry which in their times were left. First, the Cross is a jewel of the harlot; while we keep it we repent not of former adultery as we ought. Secondly, it is a Trophy of Antichristes conquest; while it standeth Christ is dishonoured and put to shame. Thirdly, it is a sign of commoderation with God's enemies; while we bear it we forbear to confess against them as we are commanded Thou shalt destroy all signs and monuments of their religion, because thou art an 5 Deut. 7.5.6 holy people to the Lord. Fourtly, It is a stumbling block to the popishly minded, while it continueth, some regard seemeth to be had of their service and of their ceremonies. Fiftly, It is a 6 judg. 2.3. snare like to one of Canaan's monuments. while it surviveth, occasion is given to abuse, yea to worship it. Sixtly, It is a 7 Isa. 44 10 vanity, even as every Idol is, which can no way be profitable. More than these six reasons, the best of our p Gui. Perk. de Idololat. p. 109. writers cannot allege against any monument of Idolatry, which being all of them found in these relics controversed, it is apparent that the jealousy of the Lord is provoked to see them: and that it standeth not with the holiness of our Church to keep them, whose duty is to 8 Isa. 30.22 pollute the ornament; to hate the employment of 9 Ind. 23. every Idol, and to account his gold 1 Deu. 7.26 execrable, his meat 2 Apoc. 2.20. abominable, his name itself 3 Psal. 16.4. detestable: yea a name to be 4 Exod. 23.13. rooted out from under heaven. This duty we see practised from time to time. 5 Gen. 35.2 jacob not only burning the bodies of his Idols, but abolishing their earings too. Elias abhorring an 6 1. Reg. 18 32. Altar of Baal's, as well as Baal himself. jehu not only defacing Baal's Image, but his 7 2. Reg. 10 22. Temple and Vestry also. Daniel detesting the meat 8 Dan. 1.8. of Bell as well as Bell himself. And josuah (last) razing forth whatsoever monument he could find of 9 josu 23.7 Canaan's Idolatry. The faithful in jacob when they reform and purge the Church to take away the sin thereof, make all the stones of the Altars as Chalk stones broken in pieces, that the 1 Isa. 27.9. groves and Images may not stand up. That which is left of first love in the decayed church of Ephesus hateth all 2 Apoc 2.6. Nicolaitan participation in the appurtenances of Idolatry. Thus Augustine, the Christian soul that is truly thankful for her conversion from Idolatry, q August. in Mat. serm. 6 non vult in terra sua aliquid esse in contumeliam Dei, speaking of the monuments of former Idolatry which is repent of. To this agreeth that of r Chryso. in 1. cor. 10 Chrisostom, with what face canst thou give thanks for thy conversion from Idolatry with that mouth which thou defilest with the leavings of the Idol? #Sect. 9 The second sin committed in retaining the Cross, is the danger of Idolatry in it for time to come. THe second hurt of the Crosses Idolothisine is the danger that is in it for the time that is to come. For the relics of Idolatry, saith Augustine, s August. etiam sopitae solunt recale scere. What then will these relics do of Cross and Surplice? which as sparkles fly about and are not only not quenched, but also not covered so much as with embers? And the common sort of men are entangled with superstition oftentimes even in the midst of Religion t August demoribus eccles. lib. ● cap. 34. thoroughly purged, What hope then they can be pure, when unpurged relics lie in their way, as stumbling blocks and snares unto them? Seeing then u Concil. Chalced. act 3. principalis prudentiae est, omne malum initio opprimere, & serpentem morbum legum medicinaresecare, Yea a duty, w Pelag. 2. epist. ad vniuers. episcop. Italiae. ante providere remedia quam morbus increscat, in consideration that x Concil. tom. 1. pa. 760. sera sunt remedia quae adactis iam vulneribus opponuntur. The Cross and Surplice should be so far from the open honour they have in the worship of God amongst us, as that indeed they should be forbidden to be in sight at all. What dost thou in the way towards Egypt, to drink the dirty waters of Geon (saith y Hierom. comment. in Abbac. lib. 1. ca 2. Hierome?) meaning that the very way must be stopped which leadeth back to the Egypt spiritual; & every pleasant fountain, barred & kept from the people that may enlure to return. The same Hierome z Idem in Isa. lib. 17. cap. 63. proveth by Gods stopping of the Israelites way with thorns, lest they should return to their former lovers; that there is need of a strong fence from all occasions, that may reduce unto Idolatry. The very Papists themselves accord hereto when they affirm, that to keep the people of Israel from Idolatry, God forbade there should be any a Vazq de adorat. li. 2 disputat. 4. cap. 2. Image at all amongst them; and b Sixt. Senens. Bibliothe. annot. 247 justify the Council of Eliberis, in forbidding every Image for a remedy to prevent Idolatry. To come to our own Church we must have a care c Homil. agperil of idolat. par. 3 (saith it) not only for ourselves, and for our own times, but also for other Churches abroad; and for our posterity, for whose sake, we must away with all Images, that may be abused, after the ensample of d Ibid. pa. 2. Epiphanius: much more with them which have been e Ibid. pa. 1. abused already, in consideration that Idolatry will come of them, which is an f Ibib. pa. 3. inseparable accident to them. All these premises being considered, can any doubt, but the sign of the Cross sinneth through Idolatry against God's first commandment? What our own Law? pronouncing that in the Church an g Ibid pa. 1. pag. 4, 5. Idol which hath been, is, or is likely to be worshipped? Have we not here an Act of Parliament, backing all that hath been written hitherto? If any say, the Homilies meaning, is of Images that are material, a double rejoinder is ready at hand. First, The Cross cannot be kept in, but by this general position, that Images and all may be had in the Church, ad usum historicum, a point which our opposites stoutly maintain, but the Holy refuteth strongly. Secondly, The Homily is grounded upon these general tenants h Ibid. pa. ●. pag. 27.28 every similitude of every thing, every l Ibid. pa. 1● pa. 32. likeness of any thing at all, even all kinds m Ibid. p. 3● of similitudes are unlawful in the Church which have been, are, or be likely to be worshipped, which take more hold of the sign of the Cross, then of many other Images that be material. To conclude therefore, the sign of the Cross and Surplice are Idols, Idolothites, Monuments of Idolatry, and Incentives to the same, therefore they must pack (cum pannis) out of God's holy worship. #Sect. 10. How some contrary to the Papists meaning and writings deny adoration to be given to the aerial Cross. THe friends of the Cross deny (some of them) our antecedent. Some of them our consequent: which disagreement is such amongst them, as that on both the former heads, there grow more heads than one. For even of them that deny our proposition, some stand on this, the sign of the Cross is not purposely adored by the Papists; some on this, we confess the Papists have a purpose to adore it, but they cannot: the vanishing nature of this sign being not capable of their worship. As for the former of these twain, they coin a distinction between a material Cross and aereal, as if the Papists did only worship the Cross material with Latria which is abolished, and not this aereal sign, the use whereof is urged. And this distinction is held forth by them, as if it were an ajax buckler, under which they are secure, whereas (indeed) it will not serve so much as for an Ostrich-bush, to cover the least part of their nakedness from our agumentes which they can never award nor answer. First, whatsoever Papists writ, of the Cross in general, that must be meant of every Cross, else both of the laws are broken, of which the Canonical speaketh thus: a Regul. jur. in sext. 80. In toto partem non est dubium contineri. The Civil thus, b Digest. li. 50. tit. 17. semper specialia, generalibus in sunt. And the jesuits words are clear, c Vazq. de adorat. lib. 3. disputat. 2. cap. 4. bactenus probatum manet, in universum, signum crucis, in honore & reverentia habendum, ex quibus idem dicendum de signo in aere, etc. Another speaking of the aereal Cross by name hath these words in special of it: d Suar. tom. 1. in Tho. disput. 56. sect. 3. Modus hujus adorationis juxta ea, quae de imaginibus & de nominibus sacris diximus, est explicandus. Do they not press the miracles of the aereal sign when they prove the Crosses worship? Give they not instance in the Cross * Vid. Attil. serran. de 7 eccles. urb. Rom. pag. ●5. aereal, when they prove the Crosses virtue? not to be tedious; the testimonies which they cite belong they not indifferently now to the aereal, now to the material, as they first come to hand or serve fittest for the purpose. Secondly, we must not distinguish of their worship, when they themselves distinguish not. Now they hold that every Cross is to be worshipped, e Vazq. de adorat. li. 3. dispu. 2. c. 4 Quocunque modo expressa, as they speak of themselves: Sub quacunque figura à se facta, & fabricata (say we) and our f Whitak. count Durae. lib. 10. pag. 868. Amand. Polan. in Orat. de scient. cruc. writers of them. Photius a g Phot. de 7 Concil. ca 7. Patriarch of Coustantinople doth thus interpret the Council of Nice, erucis signum adoramus, etc. We adore the sign of the Cross, by which the troops of Devils are chased, and diseases cured, grace and power being once exhibited in the sampler which now diffuseth like virtue down into the examples: worshipping therefore all these (to wit) the Image of Christ and his Cross, and the note of his Cross with honour, and with adoration etc. h Concil. 8. Constantinopl. can. 3. But let a Council itself speak. Dignum est, etc. It is a worthy thing and according to congruity of reason, and ancient tradition, that for the honour of the principal, all other derivative Images should be honoured, and adored as typus praetiosa crucis, the type of the precious Cross. When Papists cite out of Sedulius, l Sedulius. Carruin. paschal. lib. 5. Neve quis ignoret, speciem crucis esse colendam. Quae Dominum portavit ovans ratione potenti, Quatuor in de plagas quadrati colligit orbis: And out of m Saund. de imag. ca 13 Chrysostome, Crucis effigies & figura colenda est, adorandaque. Who can shut out the aereal sign which is a figure of the Cross, as well as the material? There is nothing more often in their writings, than the adoration of the sign. n Pottifor. satisbur. in fest. exaltat. cruc. Adoramus crucis signaculum. o Durand. de rit. lib. 1. pac. 6. sect. ●4. Crucis signum adorandum est omnibus populis. p Damasce. de sid. lib. 4. ca 12. Adorandum est signum Christi. q Phot. ut supra. Signum crucis adoramus, with the like. Mow I ask which is the sign of the Cross properly? Bellarmine, answereth me. It is the aereal Cross. ● Bellar. de imag. ca 29 And will any man then exclude from these speeches the Cross aereal, it being signum crucis properly and only include the material Cross, which so properly is not such? Thirdly, the same reasons that move Papists to worship the material Cross, are all found in the Cross aereal, what one of them is wanting? The material bulk? But we worship not any thing, say they, for the s Suar. ut supra. Alphons. de cast. in verb. adorat. Rhemist. in Phil. 2. sect. 2. matter, but for Christ's representation in it. I ask (then) wherefore worship they the Cross? because it t Tho. Aqu. pa. 3. qu. 25. art. 4. representeth Christ's death: that doth the u Remis. quo supra. aereal Cross aswell as the material. Wherefore worship they the Cross? because it is consecrate in Christ his blood; and receiveth virtue from it: this is common w Rhem. in Luk. 24. sect vlt. to the aereal, aswell as to the material. Wherefore worship they the Cross? because God is present in it, to work spiritually and miraculously by it. This is done by the x Bellar. de imag. c. 29. Mart. repl. art. 1. aereal aswell as by the material. Last of all, wherefore worship they they cross; because it is, Quid y Alphons. de cast. in verb. adora. ad Christum pertinens; z Bellar. de imag. ca 28 Vexillum eius; signum eius. Because it pertaineth to Christ, and is his sign and banner? The aereal a jon. Aurelianens. de cult. imag. lib. 1. sign hath as great a part in these titles, as any material Cross. Fourthly, we have flat and evident testimonies for the adoration of this sign: go we to the fountain of the Crosses Idolatry, the second Council of Nice. Which after it had said that the Cross is holy in itself, and to be worshipped, subjoineth this of the aererall Cross by name, b Concil. Nicen. 2. Act. 6. satisfacit nobis figura, etc. The figure is sufficient for us, which then receiveth sanctification, when it is adored by us. For whether we imprint him as a seal in the forehead, or whether we draw in the empty air the sign thereof, we hope and believe it is able to put the Devil to flight. c Euthym. Panopl. tit. 20. cap. 14. Euthymius having to deal against the Armenians, that consecrated the material Cross, after their manner before they adored it, disproveth them by the holiness of the sign aereal, which by the common consent between them, was deemed more holy than the material, and so more worthy of adoration, although it were not consecrate. d Damas'. de fide. lib. 4. cap. 12. Damascen after he had taught that the sign of the Cross is to be worshipped, inferreth instances, and citeth figures which belong to the Cross aereal. The University of Colen, after much spoken of the Cross, hath this conclusion, e Censura. colonians. in Catechis. Mohem. dialog. 3. Sitanta est, etc. If the efficacy of our Lords Cross be so great, when he is only with the hand imprinted in the fluyd air, then why should it not be the same when he is pictured in a table? So speaking, as if the aereal Cross & the material were of the same condition. What should I here set down at large the words f Bellar. de imag. cap. 29. & 20. of Bellarmine? Who calleth it, Signunsacrun, & venerabile, An holy sign and venerable. Of g Coster. Enchirid. cap. 11. Costerus, who saith, that the sign of the Cross whereby men do fence themselves, is, Summa veneratione colendum, Is to be worshipped with most high veneration or trouble myself with the large discourse of Gretzerus or any other? The two last jesuits that have written shall suffice. Thus h Suar. in. Tho. tom. 1. disputat. 56. sect. 3. Suarez, ex his intelligitur, etc. By this it is given to understand, that the sign of the Cross is venerable, and worthy to be adored. For he hath an holy use & signification. Neither is it material that he consisteth in a matter and action transeunt, because the only diversity of matter, when the figure and signification is the same, doth not hinder adoration. Our other witness is Vazquez. Whose main theme runneth in these words, l Vazq. de adorat. lib. 3. disputat. 2. cap. 2. pag. 487. Non solum cruxilla, etc. Not only is that Cross to be adored, on which Christ died, but also every figure of the Cross, whether it be carved or painted, in some matter permanent, or whether it be fashioned with the hand or with the fingers in the air, than which, what can be plainer spoken on our side? Fiftly, Our own writers are our witnesses in this truth. Yea, our enemies their own judges. m Simon Goulart. i● Cypri. epist. 56. fol. 158. Goulartius is cited against us by Master Hooker. Now he findeth even manifold Idolatries in the aereal sign of the Cross. So that although it were indifferent when the Father's first used it, yet now he holdeth it no longer Indifferent, but an Idol to be abolished. n Lamb. Dan. come. 7. li. ●. c. ●9 Danaeus giveth his judgement thus, Etiam crucis signo in aere facto, etc. Even to the aereal Cross which hath no subsistence. Bellarmine contendeth, religious worship ought to be given. o Guil. whitak. count Dur. lib. 10. pag. 859. Doctor whitaker's answering Duraeus, about the aereal Cross, hath these words, Idololatriam vestram, etc. Your Idolatry and superstition whereby you worship the Cross with Latria, and sign yourselves daily with Crosses innumerable, as the Devils do like well, so all good men with all their hearts detest with execration. Nay our most bitter opposites themselves, that most desire to clear the Cross, have felt the light of this truth so brightly shining in their own consciences, as that one of them acknowledgeth that the very p S. Harsnet in declarat. of weston's impostures cap. 20. expression and signification of the Cross, is the same to the Papists, that the horn of jupiters' Goat, was to the heathens, and that they give to it the supreme honour of our Saviour Christ himself. An q Gab. powel. de Antich. lib. 2. cap. 10. thes. 11. other citeth out of Vazquez, that they worship the Cross and the sign thereof (to wit) the aereal sign, for that is Vazques Doctrine. A r Tho. Hutton. ag. Devonshiere minist. third maketh this difference between the aereal Cross of the Papists, and ours at home, that they worship theirs, but we do not ours. Neither hath the shift which some have broached any covert to hide them. They only give a reverence to it (say they) whereas the material Cross they worship even with Latria which is the worship of God himself. For to omit all former profess which manifestly show, they worship the aereal sign in the very same manner with the Material? What distinction call you this which is without difference? For do not the Papists directly tell us, that s Vanq de adorat. li. 1. ca 1. Idem sunt reverentia & adoratio, Reverence and adoration are one and the same, that which Doctor Fulke long since observed. He confoundeth reverence and adoration. Consider the titles themselves of their Treatises▪ Go they not thus, t Doct, Fulk ag▪ Saund. of imag. cap. 13. De veneratione, when they writ of the worship due to the u Durand. de rit. lib. 1 cap. 6. Vazq. de adorat. li. 3 material Cross itself, or to w Suar. in Tho. tom. 1. disputat. 55. relics, or to x joh. Eckius. Enchirid. Saints? All which worships are Idolatrous? Consider the reasons used in their Treatises, prove they not the y joh. Gropper. de Eucharist. eucharist, the Image, the a Rhem. in Mat. 4. sect. 3. apud Fulk. ibid. relic, must be adored, because they are venerabiles? Consider (lastly) the conclusions of their Treatises. We have ( b Coster. Enchirid. cap. 11. summa veneratio) ascribed by them, to the aereal sign of the Cross. When the highest adoration which they give to the greatest Image is but a c Laurent. Surius. in monitiuncul. ante Concil. Nicen. ●. reverence; a godly d Greg. Mart. in discover of English translat. cap. 3. sect. 16. reverence; a due e Rhem. in Act. 17. sect. 4. reverence; a small f W. Bishop. ag. reformed Catholic. cap. de imag. reverence; to wit, such a small g Concil. Nicen. 2. act. 2. pag. 69. reverence only, as is that reverent salutation which we sinful men do give in love one to an other. #Sect. 11. How the airy sign of the Cross is Idolized and worshipped though transcant. THe second sort of our opposites grant their wanteth no will in the Papist to Idolize the aereal Cross, howbeit he cannot worship it, neither make an Idol of it, because it is transeunt, while one part is, the other is not, wholly it doth never subsist; to be adored by him. And what letteth (then) to cry out, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have found. Howbeit, not what Archimedes once, but quod pueri in faba now. Indeed had not this trivial shift appeared personally, when time was against a certain preacher, and deprived him; and were it not that since I see it taken up in the mouths of many others, and that it is a common gig to shift of all things brought against this filthy Idol, by (Tush, the aereal Cross is nothing.) I would have scorned to have looked on it, much more to have answered it. But now, what matter is it, whether the object of Idolatry be capable of pollution or no? Honour non est in honorato sed in honorant, and as a August. count Faust. Manichae. lib. 21. cap. 22. S●per●i & imp● spiritus, non nidore ac funio sacrificiorum sicut nonnulls v●●i opinantur, sed hominum pascuutu● erroribus, So it is not for any pollution in the Idol itself, that we are commanded to root it out, but to cure the disease of their error that commit Idolatry to him. Secondly, on how lain a leg doth this rejoinder stand? Nothing can be made an Idol, whose parts are transeunt and aereal, and presently vanishing. Which if it be true, than the Idol of b Hieron. comment. in Isa. lib. 13. ca 46. Clem. recognit. ad jacob. frat. dom. li. 5. Pelusium, which the Fathers condemn for the greatest that ever was, was none at all. I know it cannot be unknown to the ordinary of this case, that the heathen adored the c August. ad publicol. epist. 154. wind and the air itself. For even to the fluyd air under the name of Dius & Dia were there Temples without Rome, that were uncovered at the top. To omit the flood Nilus which the old Egyptians worshipped, & the d Agathias. Scholast. histor. justinian. li. 1 fluminum lapsus which the Galli did adore. Now by this reason none of these were Idols. For what more aereal than the wind and the air itself? & what more transeunt in the parts than rivers, falling down and running? And what will be answered to the name jesus (the name of him that is God blessed for ever?) more aereal than the Cross, because a found? which thus describeth itself in the Poet, e joh. Lauterb. oenigmat. 86. Corpore colliso vel rupto nascor in auras Vanesco, atque animam vix generatus ago. Say we (then) the material Cross is an Idol with the Papists, not the aereal? we may say as well the material name of jesus (as it is painted or engraved) is an Idol with them, but not the aereal. Whereas vox jesus, velaudita vel visa, is indifferently worshipped by them. f Anton. de Corduba. lib. 1. qu. 5. dub. 4. art. 2. Dominie Soto de instit. li. 2. q. 4. art. 2. By some of them improperly, by others g Suar. tom. 1. in thom. disput. 54. sect. 5. Vazq. de adorat. lib. 2. disput. 8. cap. 10. properly: so that our writerers do not err who censure their bowings to the h Fulk. anns●● Rhem. in Phil. 2. sect. 2. aereal name of jesus, for Idolatrous, to which also there is an l The relat. of the relig. of the Western etc. pag. indulgence annexed for pardon of sin. Thirdly, the reason why the aereal sign of the Cross is thought (though worshipped by the Papists) to be made no Idol by them, is the slender subsistence it hath, for which men say, it is a thing of nothing. First here, how cannot the stomach be moved to see God & the Church so mocked? The Church is mocked, because commanded to make a thing called a Cross, which is no Cross; because cross-wise never existing. God is more mocked by this opinion. For what have we here brought into his service? to wit a Cross, not a Cross; a thing that is nothing, like Sphinxes' riddle; a man, not a man: standing, not standing; upon a tree, not a tree? Secondly; the Cross had as little subsistence in the primative Church, as it hath in these late days. In these hath it so little being, that popish Idolatry cannot discredit it? then was it such a thing of nothing in those times also, that the use of the Fathers could not credit it, and now it is so thin a shark, that our own Church cannot countenance it neither, though command it most unworthy. Thirdly, know we not that it was never denied to Bellarmine that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in near sense and signification, is a m joh. Reynold. de Idololat. lib. 2. cap. 7. sect. 1. vanishing aereal shadow, like the umbra of one dead in Eustathius, which being true, the vanishing ayrenes of the Cross furthereth (indeed) but stayeth not the idolising of it. So doth it further the guilt of it (likewise) Quasi vero. etc. as if it were not better (saith n August count Faust. Manich. lib. 20. cap. 15. Augustine) to worship a stone which hath a being, then in the doting of our fancy, to adore that which hath no being? As if it were not better (say I) to adore a Cross of stone, than a Cross aereal, which our Opposites give forth, is a thing of nothing. When the Septuagint ad to the Hebrew (Gods that are not.) o Hieron. comment. in Isa. li. 1● cap. 65. Hierome liketh the amplification well enough in regard of [not being in subsistence] as heresies are Idols so much the worse (saith he) (and so by consequent aereal Crosses) because in similitudinem umbrarum, transeunt & intereum; They vanish & pass away like shadows. Fourthly, be the subsistence of the Cross outwardly never so transeunt, subsistence it hath in the minds of men constant enough, yea too constant as is seen by our opposites. What a thing is it, that they who talk so much of the [nothingness] of the [vanishing] of the [not subsisting] of this sign, should make (notwithstanding) so great a thing of it in their hearts, and give it so permament subsistence there, that neither the tears of the poor, nor the suits of the rich, neither the scandal of religion, nor the damage of the Church; neither the triumph of the Papist, nor the worsting of the Protestant, nor any thing else, by any means possible, can cause it to vanish away from thence? What though the Raynbow be but a shadow of the sun, transeunt and vanishing, as singeth the Poet. mill rapit varios adver sa luce colores? the mind for all that doth apprehend it, as a constant p Hieron. in Comment. in Ezechi. lib. 1. ca 2. sign of God's covenant, which hath no show nor shadow of changing. Mulium differt, etc. there is great difference (saith q August. de civit. dei li. 11. c. 29. Augustine) between knowing a thing as it is made, and as it is in itself. as the straightness of a line, is known one way as it is conceived in the understanding, an other way as it is written in the dust. What then, though the Cross be transeunt, as he is made, yet he is permanent as he is considered in se ipso, as a line is permanent in the mind, though not in the dust, wherein he is drawn. For the r Ludovic. vives ibid. Geometer draweth his lines in the dust, that he may mend and mar as he list; dash out and draw new, when (yet) in his understanding they are permanent, and in his mind, as we may see by Archimedes, whose lines if they had not been deeper printed in his mind, then in his dust, he would not have been found poring on them, while Syracuse was in surprising. To be short, that which s August. confess. li. 11. c. 27. Augustine saith of a sound, though the parts of it be transeunt: Quod eius utique peractum est sonuit: Quod autem restat sonabit. Yet it is totally & actually existing in the mind, that which is passed in the memory; that which is to come in the intention, all of it together in the affection; that may be applied to the cross aereal. So that the vanishing ayrines of it, excuseth it not from being an Idol with the papists; condemneth it with us to our greater guilt, who though an aery vanishing idol do yet nourish more than a vanishing likening towards it in our heart's #Sect. 12. Reasons with objections answered, why the Cross may not be entertained by us, etc. WE have strengthened our Antecedent, and proved the Cross to be an Idol among the Papists. Isa. 52.11. 2. Cor. 6.17 Apoc. 18 4. Now must we show the strength of our consequent against the second sort of Opposites, who confessing that the Papists Idolize it, make this their iussue, It may be used by us notwithstanding, because with us (say they) it is no Idol. First, we are not only forbidden to continue in our own uncleanness, but also to touch any uncleanness of [theirs] as if that which is unclane with Idolaters, could no way be made clean to us. They who think otherwise speak the language of Ashdod. What though the papists use the cross, what is that to us? Just so Baronius, a Caesa. Baron. Annal. Anno 132. siquis dicat Gentiles habuisse in usu aquam lustralem, quid tum? And we use the Cross which they use, not imitating it, but correcting it rather. Just so b Suar. in Tho. tom. 1. disput. 54. sect. 7. Suarez, We worship Images, which Gentiles worship, non imitando sed corrigendo. Secondly, It is with us in the service of God an image which without warrant we have made to ourselves, c Doct. Bills. ag. Apolog. p. 4. pag. 340. Doct. Fulk annsw. to Rhem. Act. 17. sect. 4.5. Perk. in reform. Cathol. ca de imag. therefore an Idol. It is an Image consecrated (that is) addicted to holy use, d Doct Bills. Ibid p. 34●. therefore an Idol. It is a mean to many, whereby they worship, and many hold it a part of God's worship, therefore e Doct. Bills. ibid. p. 345 348. an Idol, to them especially, who serve herein f August, de consens. evang. lib. 1. cap. ●8. Hieron. in Hos. ca 4. quod ipsi fingunt even their own fancies. Thirdly, There is a g joh. Reynold de Idololat. lib. 2. ca 1. sect. 1. Metaphorical Idol that transgresseth, and an Idolatry h Thom. Aquin. comment. in epist. ad coloss. 3. lection. 2. secundum similitudinem, although not secundum speciem [per accidens] though not [per se.] Whereof, let them that be able excuse this sign, for we can not. Be there a few in the Realm (think ye) that do put as much confidence in the cross, as the coverous in his wealth? Now if any shall say, that for this the cross must be no more removed, than wealth and riches, we have to answer, that all the l Hospin. de re templar. Fathers remove gold, and all pompous ornaments out of the Church, & all carnal lasciviousness in painting or singing, and every thing else, which by the covetous or unclean, or any other, might in likelihood be made an Idol there. Fourthly, There is an Idol [reatu] through guilt remaining, and an Idol [actu] by actual committing Idolatrous sin, and the sign of the Cross is an Idol with us of the first sort, if not of the second. Idolatrous worship is the soul of an Idol (say some of our Opposites) therefore seeing we worship him not, his soul is departed from him. First, m August. epist. 19 col. 76.77. Augustine accounteth, that the ceremonies of the jews are dead, and thereupon argueth that they were to be abolished. Now, the Cross ought to be as dead unto us totally (for it is not better the the ceremonies of the jews) and we have as great need to bury his carcase, which if it be left above the ground, will not the stink thereof be intolerable? And seeing our reviving of him, with a new style which we say is not idolatrous (for as yet he liveth in popery) beareth show (at least) of favour to him, remember we the ancient canon, n Leo epist. 90. add rustic. Narbonens. cap. 7. Nos quibus viventibus non communicavimus, mortuis communicare non possumus, we may not communicate with him dead, with whom we might not communicate when he was alive. Secondly, we must not compare any creature of God with an Idol which is the creature of the Deity: if we keep ourselves within the bounds of the scripture, we must compare the Cross with an harlot. Say we (then) the Cross is no Idol now, because it hath no adoration, which is the soul of an Idol? this is as if we should reason, this woman ceaseth to be an adulteress any longer, because now at this present she is not actually in that copulation, which is the life, & the very soul of adulterous crime. No, an harlot remaineth an harlot though her sin be passed: & so the sign of the cross an Idol, though his Idolatry be ceased amongst us. And look what laws are made against the bodily harlot (although repenting) they are all in equity liable against the Cross, although purged thoroughly from former Idolatry, which I would to God it were. He (then) that will not permit his Priest that standeth before him, and ministereth unto him, Lenit. 21.7. to marry an harlot (though repenting) will he endure the sign of the Cross (the harlot herself) to minister before him in his Sacrament? Yea, to be married to his Sacrament, and matched with it? Deut. 23. 1● He that will not suffer the price of an harlot to be brought into his house, to the benefit of it: will he endure the sign of the Cross (the harlot herself) to the defiling of his house, to be brought not only into his temple, but also into the service thereof? and there to be rated at such a [price] as that the holy priests themselves, that before did minister before him, must now become a price for her, to bring a greater sin upon our Church, then that which joel taxed once, they gave the child for the harlot: joel. 3.3. seeing they are the Fathers themselves, even the Fathers of many in Christ, that are sold by us for the Cross? Deut. 23. 1● 2.3 etc. Last of all, he that will not permit the issue of the harlot, to bear any office in his congregation, till both her memory and her blood be quite worn out, will he endure the sign of the Cross (the harlot herself) and that even flagranti crimine, while her fornication reaketh, & Idolo vivo, (as speaketh Tertullian) while the Idol (the Cross abroad) is yet living? I refer it to indifferent judgement, whether this be not like that rebellion of a wife, when she putteth her lover into office, in the house of her husband, if not in despite of his teeth (as usually we speak) yet sure underneath his nose. Fiftly, there is an Idol more strictly taken, and an Idol of larger sense, which will include the Cross. For the better understanding hereof, we must borrow a distinction from the o Thom. Aquin. comment. in epist. ad Coloss. ca 1. lection. 4 schoolmen, by which a thing may be guilty of Idolatry, essentialiter, participative, or causaliter: which our doctrine at home doth back, that is confirmed by Act of Parliament; Affirming that to be an Idol in God's service, which is, o Homil. ag. peril of Idolat. p. 1. pap. 4.5. hath been, or is like to be worshipped. What [is] worshipped by ourselves, that is an Idol essentially. What [hath] been worshipped, or [is now] worshipped abroad by others, that is an Idol by [participation]. What is [likely] to be worshipped, that is an Idol [causing] idolatry in time to come. In which sense Gedeons' Ephod may be termed an Idol p August. quaest. vet. testament. lib. 7. q. 41 Vazq. de adorat. disput. 1. ca 3. quodammodo; and that it may be even before it was adored. And hereby are many objection answered. Our Writers deny an Image in the Church (say some) to be an Idol, in case it be not worshipped. True, an Idol essentially, as many of them as desire to have Images thrust out of the Church (of which sort q joh. Reynold de▪ Idololat. lib. 2. ca 2. sect. 2. there be a great number) they hold them guilty of Idolatry by participation and by occasioning, or else why will they thrust them out? A second objection is wont to be made. If the sign of the Cross be an Idol with us, then must men separate from our Church, and from our Baptism; which followeth not. From Idols (essential) men ought to separate by the example of the Levites and the two Tribes that made separation from the calves of jeroboam. 2. Cron. 11.13, 16. From Idols by participation and occasion men are to keep their own selves pure, but not to separate, by the ensample of the Godly, who separated not from the Temple of God, for Damascus' Altar there, or from the church because of her high places. 2. King. 16.11.1. King. 22.43. It is objected once more against us, If our sign of the Cross be an Idol, than our Ministers that do make it are Idolaters, and our Churches idolatrous also. This followeth not neither. For denomination being from the form, and the Cross not being formally an Idol amongst us, but materially (I speak in comparison to the Cross popish, in regard whereof, we may be said to use that, which is an Idol, but we do not use it idolatrously) therefore as Doctor r Doct Fulk ag. Greg. Mart. cap. 3. sect. 20. Fulke concludeth of the Lutherans for having Images in their Churches, the same must be said of all those Protestants that will retain Crosses, they sin against the first two commandments (through Idolothisme) not directly through Idolatry, and therefore they may not be termed Idolaters. Howbeit by way of reduction, Idolothisme is in some sort guilty of Idolatry, as showeth the Apostle, who in steed of saying Fly from Idolothisme, saith, fly from Idolatry. This Idolatry by reduction what is it else, 1. Cor. 10.24. but idolatry by participation, as doth appear by the 18.20. and 21. verses following. But this participation is not in our Cross (will our Opposites say) who first, least happily they should mistake us, we desire to recount the ancient distinction a Chrysost. Pet. Martyr in 1. cor. 10.16. plus est communio, quam participatio, nam ad hanc satis est partem habere, sed ad illam requiritur, ut prorsus uniamur: atque totum percipiamus, quod nobis proponitur. This being premised (to wit) that we charge the Cross, not with a total communion, but with a participation in part only, we thus bring in our evidence against him. #Sect. 13. We commit Idolatry in receiving the Cross, because we do not Zealously banish it. FIrst, we are guilty of participation in defect through omission, because we come short of that zeal against this Idolothite of Rome, which is enjoined in this word [fly from it.] For, 1. Cor. 10. ver. 14. this doth not coidly bid us to avoid it, but (as it were pulling us out of the flame) it crieth fervently, use all a Gloss. interlinear. diligence to separate it from thee. Be zealous in heart b Pet. Martyr Ibid. to detest it with honour, & shake thine hands from the least communication with it, c Gualt. in Archetyp. etiam minima ex part. This partaking forbidden again, Ephe. 5.11. Have no fellowship, but reprove them rather, is committed * Tho. Aquin. commentar. in cum loc. three special ways: Imitando, coadiwando, consentiendo. By imitating, helping, and consenting. Of all which three the Cross is guilty. Forinpart we imitate the Papists in making like them a Cross like theirs, in the very same Sacrament to many of the very same ends; which being more than [minima ex part] it maketh us participants, like unto the Corinthian eating. We make no account of the Cross (we say) so they judged the Idol nothing. We use not the Cross for any liking to the popish crossing, but for peace and for the winning of them: 1. Cor. 8.1.2, 3, etc. so the Corinthians did not eat for any honour to the Idol, but to continued d Gualt, in Archityp. in ver. 14. love & likening with old friends, & to draw them to the faith. In regard hereof they bring nothing, who ro clear our cross from imitation, say, we use it diversly, & to a good end, & lawul. First, this stoppeth our mouths before Papists: whom how shall we answer, alleging the very same defence for their Images (aswell they may) it being as lawful for them to erect e Turrian. pro. canon. Apostol. li. 1. cap. 25. Fevardent. in Iren. lic 1 cap. 24. Caes. Baro. Annal. an. Christian Images against Pagan Images, in holier manner, as is to erect in holier sort, a Protestants Cross, against their popish one. Secondly, the very using of that rite which heretics use, hath always been held a following of them, and an unlawful imitation. The first Council of Nice will not celebrate Easter on the same day, whereon the jews did keep the Passeover. Wherefore? they hold it to be an imitation of the jews, and the same unlawful to them, as these words show: f Tom. concil. 1. pag. 352 Indigna res est sanctissimum eum diem, imitatione atque consuetudine judaorum celebrare. Again, the fourth Council of Toledo will not use the rite of threefold dipping which the heretics used, because they held it to be an imitation evil in the show at least, to them especially who take no knowledge g Aúgúst ad publicol. epist. 154. animi nostri of our diverse manner of using. Thus go their words, h Concil. Tolet. 4. cap. 5. Propter vitandum (autem) schismatis scandalum, vel haeretici dogmatis usum simplam teneamus Baptismi mersionem, ne videantur apud nos, qui tertiô mergunt, haereticoruns approbare assertionen, dum sequuntur & morem. Thirdly, the pretence of winning Papists, cleareth us not from an unlawful imitation, but yoketh us with them unlawfully. Here I think worthy to be remembered the words of Gelasius, l Gelas. 1. in epist●ad Euphemiam. We may condescend for peace, but not descend down into any [praecipitium] hoc descensu num saluare est aegrotantem, an cum languenti consumi? He is preposterous that willeth the Physician to be sick, and not rather the sick to receive health from him. Is this the best way to repair peace, or rather that, which rejecting all contagion, and preventing all infection, keepeth the unity & the communion pure, unmixed, and undefiled? The way to help one that is sick (saith m August. epist. 9 Augustine) is not febres mentiri, but in the strength of his health cum patientis affectu, to minister the means that may rid his sickness. Hierome writing of Peter's imitating the jews in their ceremonies: Nova clementia Apostoli (saith n Hieron▪ ad Augustio. ibid. epist, 11. he) etc. a new gentleness of the Apostle, while he goeth about to make the jews to be Christians, he himself (a Christian) is made a Iew. For he could not reduce the luxurious to frugality unless he proved luxurious himself; nor mercifully secure miserable men, unless he felt himself in misery. The effect is, we must not make ourselves sick, for the healing of others: neither must Protestants participate with Papists, to reduce them from popery, but in compassion heal them rather with medicine contrary to their disease; that is with all purity from their error, and from all show of communicating with the same. #Sect. 14. The second kind of participation with Idolatry is when we may hinder it, and do not. THe second participation is [Coadiuvando] by helping and furthering, from which, who so flieth as this Scripture doth command, he chaseth the Idolothite before him, and maketh it to fly as from a whirlwind. For this text requireth all a Nicol. Lyra. in hune locum. possible diligence to resist Idolatry by preventing those occasions which the Idolothite procureth, so that from hence b August. serm. d● a temper, 241 Augustine of old, our c Gualt. Archityp. in ver. 20. own writers of late, collect, that they participate with Idolaters, who do not root all the Monuments and the Relics of Idolatry out of their territories and possessions. Qui non prohibet cùm potest, jubet, (saith the d Senec. in Orestes. Poet.) He only is guiltless, saith the e Digest. lib. 50. tit. 17. cap. 51. civil Law) qui cù scit, prohibere non potest: And the Canon Law thus, f Docret. p. 2. caus. 23. qu. 8. ca 12 Qui non emendat & corrigit, is committit. g Ibid. qu. 5. cap. 38. Qui parcit vitijs, is favet nutriendis. h Decret. p. 1 distict. 85. cap. 3. Error cui non resistitur, approbatur: negligere, cùm possis deturbare, nihil aliud est quam fovere. Non caret scrupulo socitatis occullae, qui manifesto crimini, desinit obuiare. What then? we should have grubbed up all * Heb. 12.15. Deut. 29. ●8. root of bitterness. We have left a Surpplice and a Cross behind for a stompe in the ground which will reflourish. We should have taken all evil away from the 2 Deut. ●3. 5. midst of Israel. Our eyes have spared the abetters of it; nay our hands have advanced them. We should, have purged out the old 3 1. Cor. 5.7. leaven, that we might be a new lump that is unleavened, we suffer it still to abide in the house▪ yea more, we set it upon the table. We should have slain every Amalekite beast, we keep the Cross, the Surplice, and other popish rites alive, because we think they are the best amongst those which we have abolished, upon pretence they are fat (that is) 4 1. Sam. 15 15. sit to be used in the sacrifice of the Lord. Last of all, we should have shut our lips from 5 Psal. 16.5 saluting the Cross, we reach forth that Ahabs' have to embrace, yea to lift up into the 6 1. King. 20.33. chariot, wherewith indeed we should have slain him. What excuse is left for us? Popery is furthered, if so notorious brokers of it be not resisted Whereas we (as if our connivency were too little) even command them and commend them, and plead for them. Now, Quo modo l Leo. 1. apist. 91. cap. 15. decipi simplices possunt, nisi venenata pocula, quodam melle perlinirentur, ne usque quaque sentirentur insuavia quae essent futura. The Cross and Surplice being Idols, must needs be poisonful; my glory therefore join thou not with their sweet tongues that sprinkle them over with fair excuses, as it were with honey. m Ennodius in lib. defensor. pap. sym●anch. Non grandis est differentia utrum laethum inferas, an admittas▪ mortem languentibus, qui cum possit non excludit, inflixit: and these do more then barely admit, or not resist. The third participation here forbidden is consent & approbation, not only manifest but also secret, not only by ourselves intended, but so interpreted by the Lord. When this text here willeth to [fly] from the Idolothite, think we an open consent unto Idolaters, is only forbidden? No, the Corinthians did not think they consented to Idolatry, even as we now think of ourselves: they consented (notwithstanding) in their eating the Idolothite, so do we now approve of popery. If any ask how? the n Vid. Lynd. Wood Laiwer will tell him, what a secret consent is in general. And as for the secret consent in hand a o joh. Owlet. in Refusal. rat. 5 jesuit himself will answer, that though a man doth not intend to consent to heretics, yet, that then he is guilty, when in appearance he maketh that show of communication, which maketh the Lord to [interpret] that he consenteth. The question than is, how the Lord will interpret our retail of popish rites, which may be assoylde, by that interpretation which he gave once of jacobs' catriage. jacob loveth Leah well enough if he may be suffered to be his own judge▪ but why (then) doth he not take her into him aswell as Rahell? This argued he loved her not in so high a degree as he should, 7 Gent. 29.31. therefore doth the Lord [interpret] that he doth hate her. In like manner we hate the Papists well enough in our own judgement but why (then) put we not away from us, these Thamar's of theirs, which they have defiled, as well as other reformed Churches? this argueth we hate it, than not in so high a degree as we ought. How can (then) the Lord but [interpret] that we love them and approve them. We are in the Angel's case of Pergamus and of Thiatyra. We have some ●eale against Nichol●itan Idolothisme, as our removal of many of Rome's trumperies showeth▪ to which notwithstanding like these 8 Apo●. 2. ●4. 20. Angels we consent, in that we proceed not to an utter riddance of them. We are in the prophet of Bethel● case, we have some zeal against the bread and water of Rome, with which notwithstanding we participate, as he did with that of bethel; in that by the persuasion of our elder prophets, we do not forbear them in their 9 1. Reg. 13 19 society. Last of all, we bear some proportion, though not total, with Elies' case; we abhor that any fornication should be committed within the Tabernacle, but because the harlots there have proceeded out of the loins of our own brains (for so we may say of the Cross and Surplice) therefore we are loath to thrust them out: and do we not then i 1. Sam. 2.29. consent like him? p Decret. p. ●. distinct. 88 cap. 5. Consentire videtur (saith Gregory) qui ad resecandum non occurrit. q Council Aquisgran. sub Ludo. vic. 1. c. 25. Si corrigere potest & dissimulat, verum est quod consensum erroris alieni habet. We see popery is spread by these pedlerie wares of hers; and yet we forbidden not the opening of them. r Concil. Pistens. ad Sequanam. cap. 4. Non est liber à consensu, qui quod emendare potest, emendare negligit. Qua propter sine dubiò, peccati se participem facit. Our negligence in amending the corruptions that are left is manifest to men and Angels. s Suar tom. 1. in Tho. disput. 55. sect. 1. Consentiunt, qui licet expressè hoc non intendunt, facto tamen ips●, ita se gerunt, ac si intenderent. Our fact is the same whatsoever our mind is, they can but use the tites of Rome that do intend to consent to them, and so do we. In this case how can the mind be pure? In show at least. t Ennod. v● supra. For, as Nemo creditur odisse, quorum relatione non laeditur. So none will believe we hate from the heart, the rites of Rome, as long as they see we are not grieved (I say even grieved) at the use of them. #Sect. 15. Three objections fully answered, whereby the opposite endeavoureth to prove that to communicate with our Cross, is no Idolatry. IT being thus proved we participate because we [fly] not from Idolothisme so far as the Corinthian should, what matter though we come not so [near] it as once the Corinthian did? Howbeit how much are we short of him. The Corinthian protested not against the Idol, we profess and publicly teach against the popish Cross (say some.) First, the Corinthian did profess, 1. Cor. 8.1. he held the Idol to be nothing, and did make known he did not eat for any honour to the Idol, but for love, and for the a Gualt. in Archity p. in 1. cor. 10.14. & in cap. 8. company of his neighbours. Secondly, the thing being known to be Idolothious, a protestation that we honour not the Idol, serveth not the turn: we must also forbear, as by the plain text of the 28. verse, so by plain reason, (to wit) because without forbearance, our protestation will seem b Pet. Martyr in ver. 29.30. ridiculous, neither will it be believed; if it might, yet is it no little sin towards God, c joh. Caluin. in ver. 20. Obire eas actiones, quae Idolorum cultum prae se ferunt. The second difference which our Opposites do allege is, that the Corinthian went in to the Temple of the Idol to eat, while the Idolater was eating there. But we go not into any popish Church to use the Cross together with them. First, the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is not the Temple by any likelihood, but the d Erasm in 1. cor. 8. Pet. Martyr ibid. ver. 20. feasting chamber rather, as doth appear by this, that the Apostle, 1. Cor. 10.21. doth not charge them for presenting themselves before the Altar of the Idol, but for being present rather in a room where is a [table] for eating only, and not an Altar for sacrificing. Secondly, e August. in ● Psal. 99 Hoc est presentem vel absentem esse, sensu abbess vel presentem esse. Was not Paul present at Corinth, when he was in spirit there? So long (then) as by the use of Cross and Surplice, we seem present in good [liking] we give as great honour (well near) to popery, as the Corinthian bodily presence gave to the Idol. Thirdly, the Corinthian participated when he did eat the Idolothite 2 1. Cor. 10.28. even out of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it being once made known to be such, even as it was out of the Temple in private and civil use, that 3 1. Reg. 13.22. Bethels water, and 4 Dau. 1. ver. 8. Bells meat were unlawful. The Papists (indeed) say that the feasts the which Paul writeth against were only at the Altar, but our writers affirm the contrary, proving out of the Scriptures, that the manner was to feast at 5 1. Sam. ●. 8.9 pro. 7 14. home, after the sacrifice was once ended: and out of the heathen writers likewise; for the manner of the Gentiles was the same, as appeareth by f Virgil ●●e ad. ●. Evander, who when he had sacrificed to Hercules, invited Aeneas to a feast at home. They prove out of the Fathers (also) that the known eating of the Idolothite out of the Temple g Clement. exam. p. 2. de missa. col. 175. Math. Sutcliff. de missa. li. 3. cap. 13. wheresoever, doth in Paul's doctrine make a man guilty of participating with the Idol. Whereby it appeareth that our using of Cross and Surplice (so it be reverent) makes us participant wheresoever we use them, and not only when we are present in the act of their Idolatry. Fouthly, our transporting of Cross and Surplice from their Temples into our Churches, is as great a participation as if we had gone to some Church of theirs in the eyes of our k Ludovic. Lavat. in Hest. homil. 46. pag. 89. Pet. Martyr loc. comm●. clas. 2. ca 5. sect. 24. writers, who hold it a Corinthian sin in an high degree, to bring into holy use, any rite of the heretics. The ancients agree to this. m Concil. Aphrican. tempore Bonifac. Pap. 1. can. 27. Feasts which were used by imitation of the Gentiles are abominable; if they be used [in ipsis locis sacris] in the very Churches themselves of the Christians. So in like manner, as it was held detestable to enter into an heretical Temple, so was it counted an execrable matter, n Concil. Epaunens'. can. 33. basilicas haereticorum, sanctis usibus applicare, to apply the Churches of the heretics to God's service, unless they were such, as they had taken from the Catholics themselves before. But whether it be as great a participation or no, as if we went into an Idols Temple after the supposed Corinthian manner. Sure I am, it is greater than that of the Corinthian was, when he did eat the Idolothite at home at a private table. For wherefore must he not be eaten, but because it returneth a certain o Pet. Martyr 1. cor. 10. honour to the Idol, to which it belongeth? And p Tertul. li. de Idololat. Omnis honor Idoli, Idololatria. And it skilleth not whether it be verus honour, or, q Thom. A. quin. in ●. cor. 10. lect. 4. putatiws, it being Idolothisme when the Idol is honoured by us in the estimation of other men. Now this is done when by our use of Idolatrous rites, we make their Idolatry to be r Pet. Martyr 1. cor. 8.10. thought the better of; and when s Ambros. 1. cor. 10. ver. 28. alius qui Idolis seruit, gloriatur. Which cannot be avoided in our religious use of the Cross; because he that seethe thee eat the Idols meat, (saith t Chrysost. 1. cor. 10. Chrysostom) Existimabit te non nihil Idolorum cultui defer. And u Ambr. ibid. in ver. 29. Ambrose, judicatur non distare ab eo, qui colit Idol●●, quando non horret quod oblatum est simulachro. What that the Cross is worse than Corinth's Idolothite, even in private use and all like unto the jewish meat? Because the very common crossing of the Papist, being known to be evil, we partake with their Idolatry if we use their Cross in private, even as they w Decret. p. 2. caus. 28. qu. ●. cap. 14. partaked with the jewish superstition, that sat with the jew at a private table, for that even here his meat was known to be superstitious; whereas Corinth's meat, against which Paul writeth, was often unknown to be Idolothious. The third difference which our opposites make, is this: The Cross and Surplice are sanctified by the comment of our Church, which the Corinthian Idolothite lacked and wanted. First, the Idolothite at Corinth must be forborn when he is known to be such, 2. Cor. 10.30. although sanctified by giving of thanks. This deceived the young Prophet at bethel, he thought he might eat the bread and the water there, so it were not in the fellowship of Idolaters; in the society of an old Prophet, who commandeth him in the name of the Lord, and sanctified them before they were eaten; he thought it to be lawful enough, 1 King. ●3. 18.19. which is up and down our error. x August. de temp. serm. 241. Augustine handleth the very case, we are to fly (saith he) from the Idolothite, as if we saw the Devil himself, and that in our own houses, not only in Idolatrous places, where some say, ego signo & sic manduc●, I cross myself and sanctify the meat before I eat: take heed of this. This were for a man to cross his mouth, and to stab his heart. What God hath sanctified, pollute thou not: so what God hath polluted, sanctify thou not. No Church, no holy society, can make holy a Cross or Surplice, or any other Idolothite, because the word of God defileth them and pronounceth them unclean. Secondly, the Temple cannot sanctify what is unclean, but what is unclean can pollute the Temple. Agge. 2. vlt. 2. Cor. 6.16 What agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols, saith Paul? either here he reasoneth a y Glossa. or. dinat. ibid. genere, No Idol must dwell in any Temple, therefore not in any spiritual one or à z Guak. Arehitip. in hunc. loc. Comparatis. The material Temple must have no Idol in it, ergo not the spiritual neither. The Cross (then) being proved a notorious Idol, what maketh he in any Christian Church, or holy society, to the pollution of the same? I conclude with * August. epist. 11. Hierome: The jewish ceremonies used in our Churches (saith he) cannot make the jews to be Christians, but they will make us Christians to be jews: even so, our holy use of popish rites, will not make Papists to be Protestants; but they will make us Protestants to be Papists (to wit) through participation with them. #Sect. 16. An objection of the Opposites answered, saying, they may use the Cross, because they have changed the Cross. Though there be four sorts of things that may be changed, yet the Cross is none of them. HOwbeit; there is an hope in our Opposites, cleanly enough to shift themselves even of all this. How can we in Cross and Surplice participate with the Papists (say they) seeing we have changed the Popish Cross, and have altered it from what it was, & it is not the same. First, the consequent hereof soundeth not well in their mouths, who were a M. Fenner. ag. Doct. Bridges in his treat. of the Cross. wont to reason we may use the Cross although an Idol, because the sun though Idolized, because this excuse supposeth the Cross were unlawful if he were the same unchanged, where as that reason matcheth the Cross with the sun which remaineth, we know, unchanged and is even Numero, still the same. Secondly, the consequence is unsound, because of things that may be changed from their abuse, the sign of the Cross is none. The first sort of these are the things of the Idolater not Idolatrous. Which by the change of fire and water, became lawful in Moses 1 Num. 31. ●3. law, like the garment of the Leper not 2 Levit. 14.8. leprous, which being washed might be put on▪ whereas the Cross because itself is become leprous (as hath been proved) ought to be burnt, as also because it was at the first (when it was at the best) but hay b M. Calf●●. ag. Mart. art. 5. fol. 125. and stubble which the 1 2. Cor. 3.11. fire of the word hath in other reformed Churches long since consumed. The second sort, are things Idolatrous, but without state in Idolatrous service. As the c August. ad Publicol. epist. 154. fountain of any Idols water, & the sun in the firmament which beholdeth without all d Tertul. de spectac. contagion, the Idolatry that is committed to him: whereas the Image of the sun (to which the sign of the Cross now answereth) for that state which he hath had in worship Idolatrous, is not tolerable in a Christian congregation, for who can endure there the e joh. Reynold. de Idololat. li. 2. c. 3. sect. 25. fire of the Persians? the f Ibid. sect. 25. Colossus of the Rhodians, and the g Sect. 55. Romans? or his Image of a man termed h Sect. 51. Bell in Assyria? l Lib. 1. ca 5. sect. 17. Baal in Palestina? The third sort are things which have been in state Idolatrous: howheit, because they have been inspired by God with a purpose they should continue, therefore they may, and sometines must be changed to the use of their first inspiration. But how shall we know whether they be inspired by God? to wit, by this mark, A deo inspiraia sunt (saith m Tertul de coron. millit. Gen. 4.22. Gen. 3.21. Tertullian) qua procurant meras utilitates, certa sub sidia, honesta solatia, necessitatibus humanae vita. As the Mechanical arts devised by cain's Idolatrous posterity were from God, aswell as the skill of clothing was, which he taught Adam immediately. To this the schoolmen do agree. n Tho. Aquin. p. 3. qu. 25. art. 3. respon ad 2. Aquinas teaching in rebus fructuo sis gentilium, we may communicate. Where as in rebus infructuosis (such as are the Cross & Surplice) we may not come near them. The fourth sort, are the ordinances of the Lord, such as are the holy Sacraments which must even after abuse Idolatrous, which [change] from former superstition, be to God's service restored again. For that haec o Bucer. in Censur. Leiturg. Anglic. ca 9 pa. 472. nobis nulla potest, impiorum vitiare perversitas, they p August. de Bapt. cont. Donatist. li 6. ca 25. passing through their abuse without contagion, as the q Decret. p. 2. caus. 15 qu. ●. ca, 5. ray of the sun striketh into the dounghill, and is not defiled. What mean (then) our Opposites to allege r August. ad deograt. epist. 49. qu. ●. Augustine likening well of Pagan rites, when they be altered to the true God? For he meaneth of Sacrifices and of Temples which were commanded in Moses law. Are Cross and Surplice commanded also? No more, are Temples commanded now (will they reply) concerning these, they have had no state in Idolatrous service, such as Cross and Surplice have, they are not mere inventions of man, as the Cross and Surplice are. When circumstances do not hinder, they bear the [Mark] formerly mentioned, of a purpose in God to continue them still (to wit, commodity and needful use) which stamp, and superscription of Gods, the Cross and Surplice cannot show to prove themselves his lawful coin. They therefore who reason, A Temple may be still continued, therefore a Cross, trace the footsteps of Tertullians' adversaries. We use physic though it be consecrat to Aesculapius, therefore a garland too: and of the Papists our own adversaries, We may retain a Pagans temple, therefore his s Durant. de rit. lib. 1 cap. 9 sect. 10. frankincense also. ᵗ Tertullian denied the former consequence, because Physic is profitable, whereas a Garland was unnecessary. t Tertul. quo supra. Our writers the latter, because a Temple hath necessary use, whereas frankincense is good for nothing, which yet is better (or not so bad) as the Cross and Surplice are. Let me, to the contrary, use a weapon of our own men. All rites abused popishly must be abolished, u Bucer. in censur. quo supra. Nisi existant ex ijs rebus, verbis, & signis, quae dominus nobis commendavit. The sign of the Cross hath been abused popishly, and is no ordinance of the Lord; therefore he must down, when Temples sometimes may w Concil. Aphrican. come. 25. stand: as in the days of Constantinus, though at other times they must be raised (necessary circumstances so requiring) as in the reign of Theodosius, some of them were, and in the time of the Council Epaunense of which before. #Sect. 17. An enlargement and continuance of the matter contained in the former Section. THirdly, what if the Cross might be changed, as the things forenamed may? It appeareth in sight it hath with us no change sufficient. The natural Sympathy, a julias' Scaliger. Nulla intercapedine impeditur, No more can the spiritual Bee let or stopped, which is between our and the Popish Cross, as long as the Cross hath a being in Baptism, it will offer towards the Popish no less than the needle towards the Pole; in so small a distance (also) as now is between them, they will close like the Adamant & the Iron together, neither can any wisdom of man keep them asunder; Even in our Opposites grant, the change is not total, but in part only, to wit, in the manner of using, which if it be so, Mat. 9.16. there is a new patch put to the old which will (say I) nay which already hath made, the breach the worse. And to say it is not the same Cross, because a patch or a piece is diverse, it is as if the old disputers about b Plutarch. in symposiac. Argo, should have said, it was not the same ship, because it is new peeced, or as if Elias might have repaired one of Baal's Altars upon mount Carmell, 1 Reg. 18.30. and have c Pet. Martyr in hunc loc. Ios●●. 6.26. sacrificed on it, upon a pretence that now it was not the same, because he had patched it, or as if Hiel should have pleaded, jericho (indeed) is justly accursed, howbeit I (the repairer of it) deserve no blame, for why it is not now the same, I have made a new one of it. Howbeit, that this interchange of patching and piecing may the better appear to be insufficient, it shall be showed. First, that the old piece is too great; then that the new piece is too little. First our Cross hath too great a piece of the old, in regard of his honourable use. For being a vessel of Moab he should have been made a washpot, Psal. 108.9. whereas now being set in Baptism, as on the cupboard where the rest of the plate standeth, he hath the place of a vessel of honour. The Idolothite is never lawful (saith d August. epist. 154. Augustine) till the honour of the Idol be most openly subverted, that is never done till his benediction be clean wiped off, this cannot be done, but by some e sylvest Prior. in sum verb. benedict. injurious use: this use injurious who dareth offer to the Cross? When a f Baeat. Rhenan. i● Tertul de coron. milit. Christian soldier came with a garland in his hand which he should have worn upon his head, he was put to death under the reign of Severus the Emperor, in the days of Tertullian, who defendeth this fact of his. g Baron. Annal. in anno 201. Baronius condemneth it, but upon this ground, that it was a civil and a necessary ornament for his head, and elsewhere he is contented to parallel this Act of his, with the caution of holy Christians, which in other Pagan rites, avoided and shunned all show of Symbolizing with them. The Cross (then) being a Symbol and badge of popery, it ought by the pattern of this example to have been turned in use from the head to the hand at least; whereas now we see it is set still, even on the head of baptism, for a garland to adorn it, and we will not turn it so much as from religious use to civil handling, whether the Christians wished the washing of the feet, when it seemed in l August. epist. 119. cap. 18. Augustine's days, pertinere ad baptissimum, but to pertain to baptism. Secondly; our Cross is not sufficiently changed from the popish, because too great a piece of his old bonorable names remain. For the very t Exod. 23.13. josu. 23.7. Zach. 13.2 name itself of an Idol ought to be left, and every regardful remembrance of him, and that in civil use and all, where even a custom to say meherculè is m Tertul. de Idololat. Idolatrous to Hercules, and every other mention else of any Idol is unlawful, m Ibid. nisi adijciatur aliquid, quo appareat, that he is not named with honour. As for a contract, though it be civil, I must be so far from naming in it an n Tertul. lib. cod. heathenish Idol as that I sin if I keep silence when an other doth name him. What watch keep I over the door of my lips (then) in case I name in the heavenly contract between God and man (for such is Baptism) this abominable Idol of the Cross? Yea, name him there, that he may consecrate my seed to God, as a sign of the Son of man, as an holy sign of Christ, for so we are taught to speak by the o Ric. Hook li. 5. ca, 65. doctrine of our Church, in whose practice vulgar abroad, these honourable titles do sound oftener in men's mouths, a blast to the Crosses honour, than a due and lawful praise to baptism itself. Marc. Bibulus once complained of Caesar his colleague, that he drowned his name as Castor the name of his brother Pollux. For though the Church was erected to them both, yet was it not called Pollux Temple, but the Temle of Castor only. A greater suit may the water of Baptism commence against the sign of the Cross, which never being ordained a sign of Christ at all, yet ruffleth under the honourable name, whereof it robbeth Baptism. this is a thing unworthy of us, who use to p joh. Crispin. in cronolog. control the Papists because in their common speech, they call Corpus Christi day by the name of [God Feast] more often, than the holy Sabbath day which was the holy Feast indeed, which God himself ordained. #Sect. 18. Our Cross not changed from the Papistical Cross, whilst ours as also theirs resemble Christ's death: and whilst the old piece of his figure and form remaineth. THirdly, the Cross is not changed sufficiently, all while the piece of his old offices still remain. For I ask, wherefore do Papists adore their Crosses, because they a Tho. Aquin. p. 3. q. 2●. art. 4 resemble Christ. If so, than all while we use the Cross to be a sign of him and of his death, we cannot deny that he retaineth, and that entirely his old Idols office with us. Fourthly, the change of the Cross is insussicient, all while the old piece of his figure, & form remaineth. We observe the b Cant. miss. cantle of the Mass book itself, drawing his lines atwhart not a slope, which ought not to be so, because in an Idol it is the c August. epist. 49. qu. 3. form which doth maximè afficere infirmos animos. and as for the Cross it is the d Alphons. de Castr. in verb. adorat. Damasc de fid. lib. 4. cap. 11. form, for which the Papists do adore it. The sensers of Corah 1 Num. 17. ●. & Abiram themselves, though never consecrat to an Idol; though far from being Idols such as the sign of the cross is, were not admitted into the Tabernacle, till despoiled of former form. The woman 2 Deut. 21.12. Idolatrous taken captive, may not be married till by the change of her outward habit (even to hair and nails themselves) she give assurance she hath as bewailed, so also renounced her former country. Now by what outward formal change doth our Cross give security, that he hath either bewailed duly her former Idolatry, or renounced truly her Idolatrous country Rome, which hath not so much as a fair new garment dight her, which this woman was to have: unless it be in some pieces and patches only as hath been said. Sure to dissolve the two Cross lines was e Athanas. fict. Antioch. qu. 16 thought of old to be the only change sufficient to prevent the suspicion of that abuse, wherewith Papists in the highest degree, have since defiled it. This change corrumpent of the form, being not in our Church performed; our Cross remaineth the same in specie, that it was among the Papists for figura f Thom. Aquin. in epist. ad colos. cap. 2. lect. 4. is signum always spetici. Fiftly, (therefore) our Cross is not sufficiently changed because the piece of his old [kind] is still the same. Are not the excuses of them that were bidden to the marriage said to be [ 3 Luk. 14.18. one] for that [Community] of denial which was between them, though otherwise diverse in themselves? The duties of masters and of servants are they not said to be the [ 4 Ephe. 6.9 same] although different in themselves, because of that [Common] proportion that was incident to them both? Do we not hold against the Papists their oil, their lights and their Frankincense are g joh. Reynold. confer. with Hart. cap. 8. diuis. 4. pag. 49●. jewish, because in [kind] they be shadows of Christ like them? What (then) though there be some petty differences, to be given between the Popish Cross and ours, as long as our Cross partaketh of [Common] properties, of [Common] proportion; and doth [like] him shadow forth the death of Christ, he may well be termed popish, yea in some sort the same. For when we accuse them of jewish rites, we do not require they be the same h Idem. pa. 494. absolutely if they l Ibid. pag. 495. resemble the jewish rites, and in their [kind] be shadows of Christ, we think it sufficient. Patere legem quam ipse tuleris, and our English Cross is popish, though absolutely he be not the same with Rooms, but in some common and general properties doth resemble him. And surueye we the Scripture herein, which flatly condemneth even all [likeness] and all proportion, and all similitude with alien rites: as an Altar like in fashion to the Altar of 5 2. Kin. 16 11. Damascus, is unlawful, and a cart provided for the Ark like that which the 6 1. Sam. 6.8. Philistines provided for it, is no 7 1. Cor. 15.13. due seeking of the Lord. Survey we the practice of the Primative Church. A laurel bough and a light set at the doors [like] that of Idolaters, was jodolatrous, even in m Caesar. Baro●. Annal. an. 201. Papists own confession. Survey we late writers, they n Bulling de orig. error. lib. 1. cap. 33. affirm the same Idolatry is amongst Papists which was amongst Pagans. They mean a sameness for some proportion that is between them. They o Whitak. de not. eccles. not. 6. affirm the same heresies are taught by them, as the ancient heretics broached, but mean a sameness for some likeness that is between them. They p Math. Sutclif. in Turco-papism. brand diverse of their superstitions, with the infamous mark of turcism, because they come too near to Turkish superstition. And there be some Papists that in some things see no difference between q Ludonic. vives in August. de civit. dei li. 8. ca 27. their own Idolatry, and the r Polydor. Virgil. de inventor. rerum. li. 5. cap. 1. superstition of the heathens, who yet in diverse petty differences, could not but find diversity. #Sect. 19 The Opposites first difference, why our Cross not the same with the Papists sz. because not the same Numero. WE have performed our first task and have proved the old pieces of the Cross to be too great, to admit a change sufficient. Take we now the second in hand, where we shall find his three new patches to be to little to endure it. The first difference (forsooth) in our new Cross is [Numeral.] It cannot be said to be the same with theirs (say some) because it is not the same in number. In which sort, if Papists may reason, they will easily prove against us that none of their rites are jewish or Paganish. And if we may be suffered to use like reasoning, we are able to make clear, that the antiquity that is alleged for the Cross, is quite impertinent, our Cross not being the Father's Cross, because Numero not the same. Our high Court of Parliament hath established no less than [three] Homilies against the use of all Images in the Church. What? speak they only against those Images which were [Numero] the same, that Papists had abused? speak they not against all Images like to theirs, although in number not the same? a Decrer. p. 3. de onsecrat. distinct. 5. cap. 10. Steven the fift, Pope of that name, consecrated to Idolatrous service no numeral Cross, but the sign of the Cross in general. If (then) the sheaf of the first fruits consecrated all the rest of the harvest, the consecration of the sign of the Cross in general hath much more hallowed to use Idolatrous (and so defiled) all numeral Crosses. All the meats that were brought to the table of Nabuchadnezzar, were not offered to Bell, only b Amand. Polan. Francis. jun. in Dan. 1.8. one dish was set on his Altar for the rest, and this hallowed all the rest. Would Danieli eat upon our excuse, this meat [Numero] is not the same, which Bell hath defiled? But when the weak of the Primative Church did eat c August. de morib. Manicheorum. li. 2. ca 14. herbs for fear they should among other pieces of flesh light upon some which had [Numero] been sacrificed, they show that scrupulosity itself stuck only at that, which was abused indivitually, and when the Christians (on the other side) that were at Antioch, ate of the meat that julian had dedicated to his Idols in the shambles they show that a general consecration doth not defile particulars. As for the the first, the weak of the Christians that stuck at meat Idolothious, would have stuck much more at the holy use of the Idol, and at his habit in God's worship, which now is the blot that staineth Cross and Surplice. The latter instance putteth this distinction quite out of fashion For did they not at Antioch eat even of that meat which even Numero had bene consecrat at the shambles? Its killeth not (then) whether it be [Numero] the same or no, that hath been consecrat, but the manner of consecrating and of eating is here the point which is all in all. Hath the Idolater consecrated specially with state in Idolatrous service, and doth the Christian use the thing so consecrat in God's holy service? Then caeteris paribus, the thing is unclean. Hath the Idolater consecrated generally only at the d August. epist. 154. fountain or at the shambles without bestowing any e Lambert. Danae. in August. de haeres. special state religious in the worship of the Idols temple, and doth the Christian use the same in civil use? then may it be used as it was at Antioch, howbeit with some f Theodoret. histor. li. 3. ca 15. sighing; that which I thus apply to our purpose. Though Antioch meat was without state, our Cross and Surplice in state of Idolatrous service, though that was fetched from the shambes, our Cross sent us out of the Temple of the Idol though that was necessary our Cross needless; though that was a creature of Gods in one civil use, our Cross a mere invention of man, out of one element in use religious: yet Christians partaked of that lugentes & gementes, being thereto by need constrained. Whereas our Opposites even ridentes & deridentes enforce a necessity of a Cross needless, to the general [gemitus] and to the luctus of Christian Churches. #Sect. 20. Our second Opposite different why our Cross not the same with the Papists, sꝪ. because ours is made at the fount only: theirs at the Church door also. THe second difference between the popish Cross and ours may be termed circumstantial. It pleadeth our Cross is not the same, because made at the font only whereas Papists make it at the Church-door also: & ours is not daubde, with oil on the child's forehead, as their Cross was daubde, and is. First, accept of this difference and justify the popish ceremonies from being jewish, sith the same (if not greater) may be even alleged for them: as that the a Durand. rational. lib. 4. ca 8. jewish frankincense was a perfume, their simple frankincense without any ingredient else, and the b Idem lib. ●. cap. 7. Marcell. Corcy●ens. lib. ce tem. 1. rit. 2. jews lights were of oil, whereas theirs be of wax. We c joh. Reynold. confer. with Hart. cap. 8. diuis. 4. pag. 490. use to deride such differences of theirs; and are bold to affirm that a sacrifice were now jewish, although the matter totally differed; to wit, though a dog were offerred in stead of the jewish sheep. Secondly, there be as great differences as this in many Crosses, which never yet were held sufficient to vary any common case, that is incident unto the Cross. The Cross which Christians d Euseb. histor. li. 8. cap. 7. made with their arms, placed a twhart, when the Panthers were now ready to devour them: the Cross which the ancient communicants made with their hands, when being to receive the bread of the supper, they did e Cyril. Hirosol. Catechis. 5. Darand. de rit. lib. 2. cap. 55. sect. 17. subijcere sinistram, veluti sedem dextra, The Cross; which the f Durand. de rit. li. 1. c. 6 sect. 11 Gentiles made with the thoumbe, put a twhart over the forefinger, which they kissed in adoring the Sun, are cast into the heap with other Crosses; and brought by authors to prove the virtue, the use, and the holiness even of the Cross aereal which differeth from them, with greater [circumstance material] then our Cross from the Popish. What g Vid. Pet. Viret. in Cantel. miss. exception was ever taken either by the Burgonions against the French Cross; or by the French against the Burgonions, the one of which was asloope, the other atwhart? h Durant. de rit. li. 2 cap 45. sect. 10. What difference was ever imagined between a Cross with five fingers, and a Cross with two? between a Cross from the right side to the left, and a Cross from the left side to the right? Wherein was it ever judged that the Stola cancellata in pectore, ad modum crucis, l Durant. lib. 2. ca 9 sect. 15. ad signan dum passionem Christi, that the m Ibid. sect. 26. Raban. de institut. cleric. lib. 7 cap. 20. Dalmatica which doth praferre crucis formam, to be an indicium passionis dominica, that the stretching forth of the Priests arms at mass to make a Cross to signify n Durant. lib. 2. cap. 42. sect. 2. Microlog. de obserua. Miss c. 16. extentionem Christi in cruse; that the o Durant. li. 2. cap. 9 sect. 44. Raba●. Maur. li. 1. cap. 25. four red Crosses which are in the bishops pall, to be a memoriace passionis redemptoris, did differ from the aereal Cross, or any Cross else material? Thirdly, make good these differences of former circumstances, between the popish Cross and ours, and then our Cross will not be the Father's Cross, as it is boasted and given forth. For our Cross is after Baptism (men say) whereas the Cross of the ancient Fathers, was both before and after, the water even p Wolfgan. Lazins' in Carol. magn. epist ad alcuin. many times repeated. Before Baptism, the Cathechumeni were examined with interrogations and q Brissonius de spectacu. p. 150. 151 Cross, which also was done when they were r Ibid. p. 153 exorcized. The oil (also) went before the consecrating of the font, which was done with a s Ibid. p. 154 & 201. Cross, the t Ibid. p 167 consecrating of the font followed, and that was also done with a Cross. After these (some say) the Baptized was crossed in the u Durant. de rit. li. 1. c. 19 sect. 28. Wolfgang. Lazius. ut supra. forehead, though others seem to contradict it; who are of opinion the Presbyter w Brisso. de spect. pag. 190. 191. 204. 206. signed in vertice only. Howsoever this be, after Baptism there was another annoyting used with diverse oil, by (a Bishop forsooth) who lastly x Durant. lib. 1. cap. 20. sect. 12. Brisson. ut supra. pag. 188. 190. 198. crossed him on the forehead by the general consent of all. Fourthly, such differences of circumstance make no difference else where, and why then should they here? The Passeover in Canaan had neither shoes on the feet, nor girdle about the loins, nor staff in the hand, as the Passeover in Egypt had, and yet it was the very same Sacrament. Our Lord's supper is in the forenoon and with the leavened bread whereas Christ was after supper, with bread unleavened, yet the Sacraments be not diverse. Our Baptism (also) is one with the Father's Baptism, though ours be in the day, their was at y Brisson. pag. 179. night, which had a special signification; as also their z Ibid. pag. 181. staying of the Baptized in the Church, or in the Baptistery until midnight. #Sect. 21. The Opposites third difference of our Cross and theirs, is in the meaning, end and use. THe third and last difference alleged for our Cross, to make it diverse from the popish, may in this sense be termed [formal] in that it is drawn from a diverse manner, in our meaning, end, and use. First, this justifieth both the Lutheran in his Images, and the Adiaphorist in all his mixtures, and meashing with popery; a Augustan. consulta. Mait. 15. 1548. c. de ceremon. both of them protesting the rites they retain, are not popishly used by them, but [ad ornatum] only, and ad decorem, and ad adificationem. Yea, this justifieth the Papist (also) in all his jewish, and heathenish ceremonies. Who, why should he not plead as well as we, I use them not as Pagans use them? Charles the great condemneth the Baptizing of Bells (to wit) the b Durant. de rit. li. 1. cap 22. sect. 6. superstitious manner of Baptizing (saith Vitus Amerbachius) not the Baptizing itself. The Council of Eliberis condemned lights at funerals (that is say the Papists) the manner of them c Idem. cap. 23. sect. 14 ex superstitione gentilium, not the lights themselves. Our tapers (also) which burn on our Altars, are diverse from those of the heathens (say they) Wherefore? because Christiani, d Idem. li. 1. c. 8. sect. 5. non eadem mente, coque fine, lumina offerunt. The Christians offer lights not with the same mind, not with the same end that Pagans do. Again, the Priests of the heathen used the stole, yet their stole is not heathenish, because the heathen did not use it, e Durant. lib. 2. ca 9 sect. 12. eadem ratione, qua nunc Christiani. Secondly, the general plea of this excuse must needs be this, the Papists Cross to an ill end, we to a good. Which, is it good in an evil adulteress, such as the Cross is proved to be? then excuse f August. de sermon. domin. in monte. li. 1. p. 1123. Augustine too, excusing adultery, when it is committed to a good end, as to save an husband's life. Thirdly, we have Scriptures against this excuse, and we have the Fathers against it. Peter, used he not the jewish rites g joh. Reynold. confer. cap. 8. diuis. 4. diversa mente, and yet is not excused? If we use the Cross for edification, and not as the Papists use it, so he used the jewish meats for edification, and put no merit or necessity in them, as they of the Concision did. Augustine speaking of him, It is unlawful (saith he) to retain any of the jews ceremonies (and Popish ceremonies, are worse than theirs) h August. epist. 19 pag. 77. Quolibet affectu, & quovis animo id fiat; how diverse so ever our mind and meaning be. Fourthly, I appeal to our own writers, whereas l Extravagant. de sacra unerion. cap. unjco. Innocentius pleadeth, their oil is not jewish, because it signifieth diversly, they refute him, because a diverse m joh. Reynold. confer. with Hart. cap. 8. diuis. 4. manner maketh no lawful diversity, and because it is not lawful to borrow form Iewes, (therefore not from Papists) and n Pet. Martyr in 1. Reg. 19 addere novam significationem. martial maketh a difference between the heathens incense and theirs, because they use it better. o D. Fulke. rejoind. art. 7. pag. 187. Doctor Fulke disdaineth the difference, and scorneth to answer it, it is so foolish. Bonner holdeth their Images diverse from the Pagan Images, because used by them to better end; p Act. & monu. in histor eius. Hos. 6.11. Master hawks careth not for the diverse use, as long as both laid together, have eyes and see not, ears and hear not, and so agree in common properties the one with the other, he counteth them all one. Finally, this change of a popish rite, upon pretence of a diverse use, is but a transplantation only, which out of the Scriptures q Philip. Morn. de Eucharist. lib. 2. ca 1. Guil. Perk. in problem. praeparat. 3 all our writers do condemn; affirming that it is our duty, to grub them clean out of the Church. Fiftly (and last of all) I appeal to our own practice, whereas some Churches retain the r Alexand. Alesi. in proaem. liturg. angli. elevation still, not for adoration like the Papists, but for ostension to the people, as if this difference of diverse manner, bore no meat in mouth, we have abolished it. Where as some t Bullinger. de orig. error. l. 2. c. 6 allow of a stone Altar so it be erected for a Sacrament, not for a Sacrifice, as if this diversity of use and end were insufficient, we have removed them like to u Zepper de polit. eccles. lib. cap. other reformed Churches. Whereas Lutherans retain Images in the Church for use historical as if this diverse end were nothing, we have turned them w Homil. ag. peril of Idolat. p. 1 & 3. headlong out of our Churches. We might use in diverse manner the popish Crosses of the supper, as well as their Cross in Baptism; them we cashier under this general and peremptory doom, x Bucet. in censur. ca 5 papisticorum gestuum licentia, prorsus tollenda. And is not the Cross in Baptism a popish gesture, as well as that of the Lords Supper? #Sect. 22. Our use of the Cross, the same with the Papist in senen respects. The Opposites distinction of effectiuè and significative in defence of it answered. WE have proved a diverse manner in using of the Cross, is no sufficient change. Now what if our manner be not diverse, but in a manner the very same? For do we use the sign of the Cross, not as a substantial part of Baptism, but as a ceremony for order, decency, and edification? even a Pet. Lombard. lib. 4. distinct. 3. so do they. Do we use it as an ancient rite, that bringeth reverentiam Sacramento? even so b Canisius de Sacram. in gen. ca 8 do they. Do we set it in the forehead, the seat of shame to profess Christ crucified? c Bellar. de imag. c. 29. even so do they. Do we use it for a sign to stir to patience, to fight under Christ his banner? even d Canis. de fid. & symbol. ca 12. so do they. Do we use it to dedicate ourselves and our children unto God? even e Francisc. Coster. Enchirid. c. 11 so do they. Do we use it for a thankful memorial, to call to mind our redemption by Christ jesus? f Canis. ut supta. even so do they. Do we use it to confirm our faith in the same redemption, or to put ourselves in mind of the forgiveness of our sins? g Coster. ut supra. even so do they. But whereas they use it effectiuè, we use it only significatiuè. Hui? And is all come to this? Is it possible so great a cry, should yield so little wool? For first the Adiaphorist (whom we were wont to call a h Elmer in Harbour. of faithful subjects. Sattanist) useth the very same distinction, he will have his l Conrade, Schlusselburg. tom. 13. cap. ●. p. 76. candles and Images, to be signifying memorials only, without all such effective power, as papists give to them. Yea, m Georg. Cassand. consultac. art. 21. Cassander himself (the very Godfather of Adiaphorisme) will have Images retained only upon this condition, ut rerum gestarum, etc. That they be accounted monuments of things done, not instruments, and that no power or virtue be ascribed unto them. We all n Hospinia. de re templ. ca de imag. cry out upon Paulinus, for first bringing Crosses, and other pictures into the Churches; which, were they other then significative? guess by his Cross begirt with a crown, two doves standing on the top, which, what was it else but a mere Emblem? which the o Prudent. Poet thus expoundeth. Cerne coronatam domini super atria Christi stare crucem, Celso spondentem Celsa labori pramia, tolle erucem, qui vis auferre coronam, Quaeque super signum resident caeleste columbae Simplicibus produnt regna patere dei. There be Papists that tolerate Images only for their signification and as they are p joh. Picus Mirandula Gabri. Biel. supra canon miss. lect. 49 recordative. In the Canon of the Mass, the Crosses were made, Ad q Durant. de rit. li. 2. cap 45. sect. 9 comemorandam veritatem crucis, & passionis Christi. Quid enim est (ut ait Iuo Carnotencis) inter mysteria rebus sacratis vel sacrandis signum crucis super ponere, quam mortem domini commemorare? Read r Tho. Aqu p. 3. q. 83. art. 5.6. Alexand. de Ales. pa. 4. q. 33. Innocent. lib. 5. ca 11. Mi●●olog. c. 15 others, and you shall find the Crosses of the lords Supper to be significative alone, which have we not for all this abolished? therein destroying this significative excuse, which now we go about to build? Secondly, we have condemned all interpretations in all rites popish, by one of our writers thus: Nullus fingat sibi commodas in spetiem interpretationes, etc. t Muscu. loc. commu. de tradit. ca 6. Let no man forge interpretations to himself, though never so glorious in show, by them to persuade himself, he may lawfully observe any papal traditions, without the hurt of his own conscience. Now this excuse of ours for the Cross, is not an interpretation only, but to speak with Saint s August in Psal. 113. part. 2. Augustine, even interpraetatio simulachrorum. The Pagan of his time, thought he was purgatioris religionis, in that he held his Image to be a sign of his God only, even so think we our Cross purgatior, because we make him not a God as Papists do, but only a sign and a monument of him? When Innocentius maketh this difference between the jewish oil and his own, that the former was significative only, his effective; doth this excuse it from being jewish in the eyes of our u joh. Reynold. confer cap. 8. diuis. 4. writers? The school Sophisters maketh the Cross of Baptism and other compliments to differ in [efficacy] from the water in Baptism, and therefore they coin a distinction between them, that the one is Sacramentum, the other Sacramentalia only. This distinction savoureth ill before our writers▪ one w Pet. Martyr. in 1. Reg. 8. fol. 73. 1. Cor. 8.1.2. calleth it sophistical, because it is not sumpta ex re, these ceremonies, being outward signs aswell as the water, and that of the same things a diverse conceit of a power effective, is but vain to make sound difference, it being in cogitation only. Thirdly, this interpretative excuse, is inward we know being able to plead no further than the Nicholaitan once, though I use the Idols meat yet is mine heart free from all Idolatry & superstition. What though we should grant, that the effective power of the Cross, being abolished, his body, flesh, and bones were gone? are we commanded to avoid the Idol himself, or his service only? are we not bound to refrain even x Tertul. de corona. milit. ab effigy also, from his shape, and from the y Rolloc in 1. thes. 5. vers. 22. superficies of him? that is his skin: Yea from his very upper 2 jud. ve. 22 garment? at a word, from all z Pet. Martyr. amie. cuid. in Angli. Zanch de Imag. thes. 2. Bucer in censur. cap. 3. p. 459. show and from all spice of popery? Two a Tripart. histor. li. 6. cap 30. Christians throw incense into the fire before julian, not with the same meaning that others did. A soldier weareth a garland in the days of b Tertul. de coron. milit. Tertullian with a mind free from the Idolatry of his fellows. joseph useth the same oath that Idolaters do, when they ascribe a certain kind of immortality unto Pharo, how be it his mind is diverse from theirs. This difference is nothing worth, as long as the incense, the garland, c Franc. Inn. in Gen. 42.15. joh. Piscator. in mat ca 5. the oath is the same (as we now use the same sign with the Papists) there is a partaking with Idolaters by show and in appearance. But we remedy this show, in that we make our meaning known to use it only as a sign. As if Ezechias had not wit to think on this? whereas the inward Idolatry to the brazen serpent ascribeth to it an effective power of healing, I will let him alone, and make known to the people, he is kept only (as Moses appointed) for a signifier & memorial of so much. This protesting against the outward show we give, is (indeed) no other but that which once deceived great Origen. For thus he, d Epiphan. li. 2. haeres. 64. venite accipite frondes Christi, non iam frondes simulachri: For so we call men to the Protestants cross as if it were now the popish cross no longer. Remember the fondness of Marcellinus, e Caesar. Baron. Annal●. anno. 303, Non dijs sacrificavi, sed tantum graua thuris, levatis manibus, superprunas combus●i. I did not sacrifice, I only took a little frankincense and did burn the same upon the wales. What more ridiculous? and yet it as good (well near) as this excuse which we do make, we make no popish Cross at all, we only wag our fingers a little, and draw two lines a cross. Fourthly, this [interpretative] difference which is [inward] consisteth only in a lower estimation of the heart, we ascribe not the same power to the Cross that Papists do, this is all; which is the very ground they stand on, that worship the Cross both by East and by West, we perform the same outward reverence to our Images, that the Pagans do to theirs, but here is the difference (say they) we do it f jerem. patriarch. in epist. ad Crusium. 〈◊〉 ●o● only without ascribing any g Gregor de valent. de Idololat. lib. 2. cap. 7. power divine unto them. Fiftly, our communion book must be gently handled, or else our sign of the Cross is effective. For we sign the child in token, that he shall continue Christ's faithful soldier to his lives end: these words [shall continue] to his lives end, compared with the like in the Epistle of the 22. Sunday after Trinity [God shall continue the work in you to the end] show unto us, that we use the cross for a pleadg to give assurance to the child to continue in grace unto the end, which if it be so, than he serveth to work faith, and is used effectively. And who can conceive that the book giveth less power to the sign of the Cross, then to the sign of imposing hands? which that it is effectively used, it is out of question, for it is ministered to the baptised, [ h Rubric. before the Gatechiss. that he may receive strength agains sin, and against temptation.] So hitherto, it hath been proved, that neither the Cross may be changed to use religious; neither is changed sufficiently by us. Now, what if it might and were? for we plead. #Sect. 23. Evils occasioned by the Cross in regard of the Cross itself, people, Minister and Governors that urge it. THirdly, we are not to consider so much whether the Cross itself be changed, as whether the events of the Cross be changed or no, which we find are not, much evil still flowing from it by the fault of the Cross itself, by the fault of the people; by the fault of the minister that doth make it, and last of all by the fault of our governors, that do enforce it. It is the Cross fault that it is too like a Popish Idol. For a Ludovic. vives. similitudo is even to the wisest men, the mother of error. What (then) shall become of a vulgar company who have even a b Rolloc. in epistol. ad ephes. 4. vers. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in them of inconstancy they do so lean to superstition? And it is the Crosses fault that he draweth too near to the popish Idolatry. For let all the former excuses speak what they can, they can say no more than this, We march on with the Papists a good way, but we go not so far as they; and we agree in many uses with them, but one of their uses (to wit) their [effectivenes] we forbear. Which what is it for us, who are forbidden not only to plunge ourselves so deep as Idolaters do, but also to touch any of their unclean things, or (indeed) to come near the least imitation of them? 2. Cor. 6.17 Deut. 12.30 Might not the virgins of d Cypri. li. 1 epist. 11. Cyprians time plead the fame. Indeed we go far (we grant) in the way of fornication we walk with young men; we talk with them; yea, we go to bed to them. But when it cometh to the act, than we forbear, & therefore are guiltless. For that we talk with the harlot the Cross, it is apparent by the conference which we have with her about Christ jesus, which she representeth, more apparent is it that we walk with her who hath chosen her for our teacher and our guide, most of all apparent is it, that we go to bed to her, for we use her in the Church, which is known to be the bed both of chaste & unchaste worship. What (then) though we use her not effectively? Isa. 57.8. Hos. 7.14. Cant. ●. 15. This is but to forbear when it cometh to the adulterous act, like Cyprians virgin, so that there is liable against us now, what then she heard. Non est locus dandus Diabolo, nemo diu tutus periculò proximus, graves multorum ruina inde sequantur. Come we to the people in the second place. e Ludovic. vives in August de civitat. dei li. 8. ca 27. It was the desire of Ludovicus vives and f joh. Gerson. de negligent. praelat. Gerson before him, that the Images might be removed, because the people finding them in outward appearance like the Idols of the Pagans, they would eftsoons worship them in the same manner. If we seek the like removal of the Cross, we have like cause; the people being as prone (now) to doth o● the fame in popish manner, as long as they see it before their eyes, after their old popish fashion. I say after their old fashion, because populus non novit distinguers (as one saith our of Arist●●le) especially in so acquaint a difference, g Mat. Flace. Illyrric. in lib. de Adiaphor. as this of [effectivenes] or in such a ceremony as the Cross, which they have so long abused as one of our h Bucer. in censar. ca 9 & alibi pas●im. writers well, populus, etc. the people either understandeth not, or considered not the right use of those ceremonies, which they have so long abused, as also their for fathers before them. To come nearer home: l Idem in cens●●. c. 12 M. Bucer will not have the cross in Baptism, unless he be both purely understood, & religiously received by the people. Which condition finding no place in the people to this hour, what reason to put him to any longer trial. In regard hereof lay we to heart, even what a m B●llar de Sacram. in gene. ca 21 jesuit speaketh. The changes of a Sacrament (saith he) must be regarded, not as they are Mathematical, but as they are moral; not according to the problems of the learned, but according to the opinion and the practice of the people. So that the Mathematical change, which our law is said to have made in the Cross, is not material, alwhile the moral estimation and use of him in the people, is the same. The change of Haedera in stead of Cucurbita in the translation of jonas, was mathematically little, yet morally it was very great, because the n August. in epist. ad Hieron. 10 people took head against it, and made great a do about it. On the other side, the change of the ancient Church's Liturgy in the days of Nicholas, was mathematically great, o Rodolph. de Rivo. Tungrens. because it brought in perfection of the mass: but morally it was nothing at all, because few or none observed it, neither were the people grieved at it. I come in the third place to the Minister that maketh the Cross, he saith, I make it not [effectiuè,] the Image maker said the like. I make the Image, not for any favour to the worshipping of it, but to follow my trade and calling. But if he did Colere, because he fashioned it, p Tertul. li. de Idololar. ut coli possit, than he that fashioneth a Cross in use religious, ut ad superstitionem converti possit, incurreth himself the blame of superstition. Ex hoc quod vetor facere curandum est ne fiat per me. Again, the schoolmaster, who in the days of Tertullian, read the stories of heathenish Gods unto his scholars, did not in intent approve them, yet because he refrained not from occasion of approbation in other men, q Tertul. ibid. dum docet commendat, dum tradit affirmat. And doth not (then) a Minister much more commend the honour of the Idol, when he maketh it? and affirmeth it when he fashioneth it in honourable manner, and in the reverent service and Sacrament of the Lord? he cannot say, I make no such Cross as Papists do. What if he could? r Tertul. li. de spectat. Nobis satis non est si ipsi nihil tale faciamus, nisi & talia facientibus non conferamur? I come in the fourth place to our governors, who lay (in vain) the fault upon the people's abuse, that our Cross is not morally changed from the popish, but hatcheth the same effects amongst us. For God will ask them, why do you keep it in your Churches to be abused? s Tertul. de coron. milit Nulla distantia est abutendi cum cessat veritas utendi. The people could not abuse the Cross, if it were not used at all, Nulli abuti apud Apostolum licet facilius non uti docentem. We hold t Caelius Rhodigin. antiquar. Lection. li. 9 ca 14. Tullus Hostilius unwise for adventuring on jupiter Elicius, sith the least swerving A formula, would burn him, & his house to powder; which also fell out. So (me thinks) it is unwise to adventure on the Cross, our distinction of [effectivenes] is a nice point, and such as bringeth to the brink of danger; and let the people serve never so little from the [formula] of it, and they are in the pit. As for teaching them to the contrary (alas) what is it? For if the u August in Psal. 113. p. 2. sight of an Idols ears and eyes, persuadeth them more, that he seethe and heareth, than their hearing to the contrary that he heareth not, that he seethe not: then much more will their eyes prevail to persuade them that there is an effective Cross amongst us, (the very same that was of old in time of popery) than their ears when they hear from us it is not such, which they do not consider. I would (therefore) we could follow the wariness of Rome herself in a matter of like danger. Why may not a written piece of Scripture with a Cross be boar in the bosom with this caveat, modo ne ex superstitione, modo ne spes habeatur, in modo scribendi, that is, so it be not used effectively? She considereth it is dangerous to bring her children so near the brink of effective hope; therefore she concludeth, though a man may lawfully bear these in his bosom, yet it is, w Thom. Aquin. 2.2. q. 96. art. 4 tutius & laudabilius, ab his abstinere. So though it were lawful to use a Cross, with a proviso against the effective use thereof, yet were it tutius to abandon it quite, to acquit all danger. #Sect. 24. Five defences of the Cross objected by the Opposites: The first whereof is answered in this Section, and that which followeth. WE have strooken through the loins of them, who deny the sign of the Cross to be so much as an Idol amongst us through participation, upon pretence, that it is not the same with the popish, but that it is changed sufficiently with us. Now make we a stand against them, who plead five things, against the sentence of abolition, for this gross Idol pretencively changed. First, the commandment which Moses gave touching the abolishing of all monuments of Canaan's Idolaty, bindeth not (say they.) It was a temporal exercise for the jews only, and other Pagans were not devoted to destruction as they were, and popery is not so bad as Paganism; and therefore there is not required of us the like severity in the abolishing of her relics. First, let them remember themselves do hold, that Moses Law concerning Tithes is perpetual, even according to the letter, by which tithes are [de iure divino] in their opinion. A strange thing they should strain the very letter itself of Tithes, but clean pass by the main equity of this law, that abolisheth alien rites; seeing a Bellar. de cleric. cap. 25. Bellarmine himself doth see (that which the Apostle plainly showeth) that a sufficient maintenance only of the minister is to be enforced hence, 1 Cor 9.14 and more than this we go not about to wring out of this 2 Exod. 23.24. Deut. 12.1.2.3. Exod. 34. 1●. Deut. 7.5. Num. 23.52. Law; we crave only an equity of it, to wit, such an abolishing of Idolatrous relics, as may be sufficient for God's glory, for the edifying of his people, and for the preserving of religion in holy pureness. But Master Caluine himself confesseth the letter of it was an exercise that was temporal to the jews; which we willingly grant, so that our Opposites will allow us that everlasting equity of it, which he averreth: Fateor (saith b joh. Caluin. Apendic. precept. 2. pag. 286. he) quaecunque ad superstitionem fovendam spectant, è medio tollenda esse. Again, Summa huc tendit, quo melius pateat, quantopere detestatur Deus Idololatriam, velle eorum omnium memoriam aboleri, quae semel dicata sunt Idololis. I ask how the Idols themselves may remain in honourable use, (such as Cross and Surplice are) when the very memory itself, must be razed of every thing, that heretofore hath been consecrate to their service? Lo the equity of this Law? behold the equivalent, to which this equity bindeth for ever? even as the causes are perpetual, whereon it is grounded (to wit) 3 Deut. 7.4. the jealousy of the Lord, against each remnant of Idolatry, the Church's duty to abhor it for ever; the 4 1. Cor. 10 24. ensnaring 5 Deut. 8.6. of the Idol and of his monument, the danger of abuse in his people with the rest that have been heretofore c Supra. sect. 8. rehearsed. Secondly, though the Canaanites were more devoted to destruction, for their persons then other Pagans, yet the Idolotries of other Pagans, were as much as theirs devoted to abolition, both before them, from the beginning, and in time after them eversince▪ Before them, jacob doth aware, not only the Images, but also the earings of his wives Idols, and that by the law of nature, that was written in his heart. Gen. 35.4. After this law of Moses, (made against the Canaanites) we see it continued against the Idolatries of other Pagans, whose 6 Isay. 2.20. Images, whose 7 Isa. 30.20 ornaments, whose very 8 Psal. 16.4 name, whose 9 Apoc. 2.13.20. Idolothites; whose 1 2. Cor. 6.16. unclean things, whose very 2 jud. 23. garment, and each appurtenance, must be cleansed and cast away. They were the jews not the Canaanites, that committed Idolatry to the brazen serpent, which Hezechias did abolish, though by Moses himself preserved, to be a figure of Christ crucified▪ of which honour the Cross cometh short; yea his very figure itself, (to wit) the 3 2. Reg. 18.4. post whereon the brazen serpent hanged. But Hezechias was not bound to break the serpent (say our Opposites) he might have chosen (as every Christian Prince may now) in the Idols of the Papists. But the text is clean to the contrary: Vers. 6. Hezechias did this according to the Law of Moses, and the interpreters of the text are to the contrary. d Zanch. de imag. thes. 3 fol. 3●4. Quidquid fecit Hezech. fecit ex lege, and some e Vazq. de adorat. li 2 disput 4. cap 5. Papist (also) are to the contrary, what needeth more? Our Opposites themselves are to the contrary; who rehearse this fact of Hezechia not only among things f Doct. Bills. ag. ●he Apolog. p. 4. pag. 339. well done, but also amongst things which God required to be done. And when Gratian meateth the same measure to them, The Pope might have chosen whether he would have submitted himself to the Emperor or no (which they meat to us.) Hezechias might have chosen whether he would have broken the serpent or no, they can tell how to detect the shift with that reply which we must now return home to them. h Idem ibid. p. 2. pag. 204. It is a very short & an easy method, g Idem p. 2. pag. 179. to be rid of all examples and histories, to say they did so, but it was more than needed to be done. Let them satisfy me in two things, would God have commended it, if he had not commanded it? or can any thing be well done, that is not commanded to be done? l August. Tom 10. serm. 6. decret. 1. distinct. 63. cap. 18. Pet. Martyr in lib. judic. cap 2. Zanch. de operib. redempt cap 15. thes 3. joh. Wolph. in 2. Reg. cap. 18. jewel. arr. 14. devis. 2. D. Fulk. count Saund. de imag. cap. 4. p. 584. Zepper. de polit. eccles. etc. Say the former, and bring in traditions, grant the latter, & grant works of supererogation. To make short work, the example of josua destroying the monuments of the Canaanites, and of Hezechias breaking down the brazen serpent, bind for ever, to the razing of all Idols, their rites and monuments, to the end of the world, in the eyes of all good writers. Sect. 25. THirdly, there is no Idolatry Cananitish, Paganish, jewish, or what else soever, against which the equity of this law, is more liable, then against the Idolatry popish, so far is it, that her relics may be better spared than theirs. For what is there written literally against Paganish Idolatry in the old Testament, which is not Anagogically applied by the a Hieron. in Abac. 2. & Amos 5.6. & 8. Hos. 11. & 12. Zanch. 13. Lyran. in deu. 7. vid. Conrade. Lutzenburg. & Greg. Mardiscour. c. 3. fol. 29. Fathers against the heresies of the new, of which (we know) the popish is the greatest? Nay it is the common divinity of all ages, that heresy in pretended Christians, is far b Hieron. in Hos. ca 4. August. de bapt. count Donatis● lib. 6. c. vir. Tho. Aquin. 2. ●. q. 10. art. 6 worse than any Idolatry of open Pagans. As for the heresy of modern popery in particular, we find it described through the Scripture, as the quintessence of all paganism, so that the second beast of Rome overtopped by the Papacy, that rideth on it, is arraigned and found guilty of 1 Apoc. 17. 1.2, 3, etc. more whoredom and blasphemy, more spiritual drunkenness and tyranny finally of more abomination, than the first of 2 Apoc. 13. 1.2.3. etc. Rome. Paganish when the papacy did not rule it. And because we are in a comparison of the old Idolatry of the Canaanites and other Pagans that were before the coming of Christ: as Rome for her Empire 3 Apoc. 13.2 quartereth her Schutchion with the Lion of Assyria, the Bear of Persia, the Leopard of Macedonia, and with the uncouth ten horned beast of Syria and Egypt, as if all the wickedness of all the enemies of the Church were to the full transfused into her; so for her papacy she is styled 4 Apoc. 11.8 Sodom, Egypt, Babylon, with the like, as if she were (as indeed she is) the very Sea that receiveth into her channel all the filthiness of all Pagans that were before. Neither is there Cananite, Moabite, Philistine, or any other, to whom the Papists are not equal. For it is to these Gentiles and heathenish nations, to which the spirit doth allude when he calleth Papists by the name of 5 Apo. 11.2 Gentiles & heathen men; that tread down with their feet the out court of the Temple, that 6 Apo. 20.9 compass about the tents of the Saints. Finally that 7 Apoc. 19.15. fight against Christ's Church, for which he smiteth them with the sword of his mouth, and breaketh them with his iron sceptre. And as the Papists are in equipage with former Pagans so likewise with all modern aliens, the Turk himself being not excepted who is loosed 8 Apoc. 9.13.14.15 from the East to punish them, and is not half so much aimed at in the book of God's Counsels (which the Lamb hath unsealed to john) as they are aimed at. No merucile, c Cypri. de simplicit. praelator. Plus metueudus & cavendus est inimicus (saith Cyprian) cum latenter obrepit, ea est Diaboli astucia, ut sub ipso Christiani nominis, titulo, fallat in cautos. It is the Pope that is the Antichrist, even by our own d Doct. Bills. count Apolog. p. tot. confession. It is the Pope that is the 9 2. Thes. 2.4. adversary of God. He is also the 1 Apoc. 9.11 Apolluon the destroyer. Yea the 2 Apoc. 13.11. dragon tongued beast, The man of sin, the child of perdition; the whore of Babel, the 3 Apoc. 17.5. mother of fornication and of all abomination through the earth. This considered, what meaneth our torpor? what our frozen coldness in zeal? we may not (forsooth) be so forward against the Papist, as the godly have been before us against the Pagans. Oh speech unworthy, because making ourselves unworthy to be in the number of those faithful and blessed instruments, who shall be called by the Lord, to be the men that shall burn the very flesh itself of the 4 Apoc. 27.16. harlot with fire; that so no footstep, no remnant, no relic of her may remain. Go ye 5 Apoc. 18.21. Angels and blessed spirits, and (without us) throw ye Babel like of stone into the bottom of the sea. Go ye 6 Apoc. 19.17. fowls of the air, and ye beasts of the field, and (without us) devour and swallow the flesh of her soldiers, and leave not so much as a jezabels' skull behind. Go ye 7 Apoc. 18.20. Heavens Apostles, Prophets, and ye the Saints of the living God, and (without us) rejoice in her ruin. Yea, Go ye 8 Apoc. 17.14. & 19.14.11. warryers' faithful and chosen, and (without us) fight under your glorious Captain against her, and make your swords drunken with the blood of her slain. While you are labouring, that never 9 Apoc. 18.23. candle shine in her again, we must nourish her sparkles lest her light be quite extinguished. While you cleanse and rinse your garments from her pollution, and put on linen 1 Apoc. 19.14. pure & white, to war against her, we must buy of her Merchandise, and of the 2 Apoc. 18.12. linen which she selleth to the nations, while you like Sampsons' stir yourselves, and shout against the beast of Rome, (as against the greatest enemy, that ever our good jesus had upon the earth) we must let our weapons down, and hang down our hands, and cool our zeal. Yea sound for Parlé, and think upon conditions of peace. More than this, we must even turn our weapons against our own brethren (who are our own bowels) as if they were worse than Papists, and in favour of Christ's enemies, become enemies unto the faithful soldiers of Christ; we must take the crowns of our Martyrs and surrender them to e Parson. in convers. of Engl. p. 2. cap. 2. Parsons, as if they were not as blessed 3 Apoc. 14.13. now, who die in these days against Rome Popish, as they who died in older time against Rome Paganish. We must repeal our Act of Parliament, which findeth f Homil. ag. peril. of Idolat. p. 3. Paganisime itself in popery; we must yield, and give up the very ancients of our army, & break their g joh. Reynold. de Idolat. li. 2. ca 3. sect. 3.4.6.13.16 17.67. etc. Mat. Sutcliu. in Turc. papism. cum reliquis. golden pens in pieces, who have taught that the Images of God in popery are as vile Idols, as the Images of the Pagans were; and that their worshipping in the papacy is as abominable, as the Pagan adoration. But what is the worst that can be said of Turks and Pagans? I trow this, that they served devils. And is not 4 Apo. 18.2 Rome an habitation, and cage of devils? The factors of Rome, the 5 Apoc. 16.14. spirits of devils? The 6 Apo. 9.20 Idols of Rome, even devils themselves? This bringeth us home to the Cross & Surplice which being Idols of theirs, h August. de tempor. serm. 241. are no otherwise to be thought of, then we think of the devil himself. When the Corinthian thought it a thing indifferent to eat of the Idolothite, what (saith 7 1. Cor. 10 21. Paul) call you that indifferent, which maketh you partake with devils? The same may be said of the Cross and Surplice, not only by virtue of the former text, which calleth them devils (as they are used in popery:) but also by our l Gault. Architip. in 1. cor. 10. joh. Reyn. de Idolola. li. 2. ca 3. sect 44. writer's verdict, who give good reason the devil is worshipped in popish Idols aswell as in Paganish. As for the Cross, doth not m Ambros. de obit. Theodos Ambrose directly say, the adoring of it is a paganish error? I conclude with one of our writers. n Bulling. de orig. error. li. 1. cap. 36. Cum paromnino cultus ratio utriusque gentis sit, consequens est omnia quae contra deos & Idola gentium, pronuntiata sunt, à sanctis etiam contra nostros divos, corumque imagines esse pronuntiata, & Idololatriam hanc, nobis non minus persequendam esse, quam sui saeculi Idololatriam, maiores nostri persecuti sunt. #Sect. 26. Objections of the Opposites for the Cross confuted in this Sect. and 27. following. Ceremonies honourable in their ancient beginning must be corrected, not removed. THe first defence which maintaineth the Cross and Surplice in possession, pleadeth as we see, the abusers of it must be spared. The second followeth; and it saith, the first users of it are to be honoured, and for their sakes they must not be abandoned by us, but restored to their first use. The a Alexand. Alesini. Proaem. leiturg. Angl. member curable must be healed, not cut off. It is sufficient to b Ric. Hook lib. 5. ca 65 shear the ceremonies of the Papists, though we do not slay them. The c Admonit. de cerem. abolit. & relent. in leiturg. Anglic ceremonies which may be used well, may not be canceled, if it be but for their antiquity, which purchaseth to them sufficient authority; yea in things that are abused, the abuse only must be removed, the things themselves must still remain. First be it considered, that the d Vazq. de adorat. li. 2 disput. 5. cap. 2. Suar. Tom 1. in Tho. disput. 54. sect. 2. Papists plead the same for their Baal, the Lutherans for their Images, the Adiaphorists for their mixtures; as Cassander by name, pleadeth the same, for his hodgepodge in Germany. Baldwin the same, for his gallimawfry among the French. Orichovius the same for his medley in Polonia. Nay more, we may here repeat that of e Tertul. de Idololat. Tertullian: Quid aliter dixisset Ethnicus? I mean, what can the Papist say more, for all the pack of his ceremonies, than what he speaketh in this our language? f Canis. in summa. tit. de Sacram. in gen. c. 8. Praeterquam quod decorem sacramentis afferunt. & reverentiam quandam conciliant, singulari quoque antiquitatis commendatione nobis sunt venerande. Secondly, the sign of the Cross, had never any ancient use that was laudable, to speak the best it was but g D. Fulk. in rejoind. art. 5. pag. 175. tolerable; to speak the least it was l Calfh. ag. martial. passin. superfluous, to speak the worst it was m Guilihel. Whitak. controuers 1, q. 6. c. 12 pag. 443. Guil. Perk. problem. tit. Chrisu●. D. Fulk. ag. Saund. of imag. c. 13. p. 657 joh. Breut. in prolegomen. superstitious and near montanical. Such a mere tore it was sowed by the enemy in the Lord's field; yea nothing better than o Calsh. ag. Mart. art. 5. fol. 125. hay and stubble, built unadvisedly upon Christ. I omit that in ceremonies, p Pet. Martyr in lib. judie. ca 1. non tam origo, spectanda est, quam ut consentiant cum verbo dei, but if our Opposites must needs drink of his cistern of antiquity, then let the q Bear. Rhenan. in Tertul. de coron. mulit. Magdeburgens. cantur. 3. cap 6. tit. tit. Baptis. oil itself of Baptisine, be revived: yea, r Magdeburg. ex Tertul. de Bapt. Baptizing by lay men, for these be as ancient as the Cross, and sprang about the same time with it. Sure with far better reason may they be raked out of their graves, the ceremony s Cypri: lib. 3. epist. 8. of [kissing] the infant Baptized: the ceremony of the t Ter●●●de pudsair. ring; given in Baptism, for an obsignation of faith and profession: the ceremony of putting u Tert●l. lib. de coron inilit. milk and honey into his mouth: and lastly the ceremony of the w Iden 〈◊〉 Baptis. 〈◊〉 Beat. Rhenan. in lib de coron mil it. white garment wherewith the Baptized was wont to be clothed. These being equal to the Cross, both for antiquity, and for profitiblenesse of signification, and surmounting it in other respects, as that they were never so much abused as the Cross hath been, not now import so much peril, as the Cross bringeth with it, may give wise men cause to wonder why these should be buried in a Tomb sealed up, while the Cross not only liveth, n Pet. Martyr loc. comu. de imag. sect. 17. but also dominiereth. But if the Cross must needs be renewed above his fellows (though far better than himself) then renew we the use effective, and operative of it: renew we also the necessity of his use, for such was his use at first, as shall be showed hereafter. Yea (than) take we up the x Tertul. de coron. milit. crossing of ourselves too, in all our business; Yea the crossing of our beds, and other things which are without life▪ It may be (also 〈◊〉 we must take up the very material Crosses and all. For so some guess out of y Baat. Rhenan. ibid. Tertul. lib. ad uror. Tertullian, who giveth instance in wooden statutes of the heathens, which were like to those Crosses among Christians which they so much misliked. z Migdeburg. cent. 3. cap. 6. tit. de cerem. THirdly, what if the Cross had in old time an indifferent use (for good I a Folk. rejoind. art. 5 p. 175. am forbidden to term it) is not the b Cypri. de singularit. cleric. contradictio calumniosa, quae de bonis praescribit ut asserat mala? For the abuse of it hath since been such, as that now it is the Father's Cross no longer. What one c Place. Illyric. lib. de Ad●aphor. porro quod quidam dicunt, etc. They say nothing for excuse, who say they restore those ceremonies, which because they have been used by the Fathers, therefore penitus do not appertain to Antichrist? For after that things have served Idolatry, they are Idolatrous, and they please not God; but God would have them to be castaway. The brazen serpent was ordained by God; and that by Moses (so great a Prophet) yet after it had served Idolatry, it was no longer the serpent of God but the serpent of Idolaters, and the serpent of the devil. And praised is Hezechias who broke him in pieces, therefore although these popish ceremonies were extant in the Church, even from the days of the first Fathers, yet notwithstanding seeing they are (and have been for so long a time) defiled penitus with Idolatry and abuse papistical, they are no longer the Father's ceremonies, but the ceremonies of Antichrist, and they are piously abolished, but impiously and against Gods will restored again. d joh. Wolf. 2. Reg. 18. joh. Reynold. confer cap. 8. diuis. 4. pag. 5 10. How many of other writers subscribe to this? Gideon did set up an Ephod to the same end, that e Euseb de vit. Constantin. lib. 3. cap. 48. judge 8.33. Constantine did erect the Cross, to wit, for a thankful monument that his victory came from God but when it once became an Idol, was it any longer his? or his intent and zeal this way, did it any way excuse the f Ludovic. Lavat. in judic. ca 8. suffering of it when once the people stumbled at it? The Ephesians set up an g August. de mirabl. sacra. script. li. 1. ca 15. Ox by josephes' tomb, for a thankful monument of their preservation by him, and by his husbandry. This intent at first was good, after it grew to be adored in Egypt. After this abuse, was it josephes' ox any longer? or was it for his sake to be spared, and so restored to his first use? ask the Council of Rome herself and be ashamed. h Baleus in Adrian. 4. Adrian the fourth, when the papacy is degenerate, he saith it is the papacy of Peter no longer, but the papacy of Romulus rather. l Polydore Virgil. de inventor. rerum. lib. 3 cap. 12. Polydor Virgil counteth sanctuaries abused, not the sanctuaries of Moses, but of Romulus. Pius secundus calleth the Mendicants, the m Thom. Moresin. de depravat. relig. origi. in verb. Monastic. Monks of the devil, when they are degenerated from the ancients. Paulus Thaebeus, Antonius Hilarion with the rest. n Poly dor. Virgil. li. 7. cap. 1. Polydor Virgil counteth not the Monks of his time degenerated, the Monks of Benedict, Augustine, Hierome, quine cale quid unquam cogitarunt futurum, not to be tedious. o joh. Molan. de canonic. li. 1. cap. 26. johannes Molanus reckoneth the fasts of his time degenerated, to be none of the ancient fasts any longer. Si ad veterem disciplinam atque rigorem respiciamus, vix ullus hoe tempore ieiunare censebitur. We ourselves count not the tapers of the Papists (abused) although abused only to signification and no operation, to be any of the ancient lights which were used in the p Hieron. count vigilant. East, and their holy bread now abused to operation, to be q Guil. Perk. problem in werb benedict. none of the hallowed bread used of old for a sign of friendship only. As for the Cross, which hath received all the abuses which can be named of operation, adoration, etc. there may be better said of it, then of any other relic; of any Idolatry whatsoever, what one of our writers hath, r Place Illyric in lib. de Adiaphor. sicue faris aut scorti, ipsimaetiam vestem, etc. as we detest the very garment itself of a these, and of an whore, though it be innocent; and there is no honest man that willingly doth so much as touch it so they that be truly pious from the heart, do abhor these Popish tristes, because in the papacy they have been put to extreme abuse, and to impiety, and have been therewith defiled. Necest tantum delicati 〈◊〉 s●l●m palati istud f●sti dium. But indeed it is the Holy Ghost himself that doth seriously detest these ceremonies that are polluted with abominations. But whether the Cross may be called the ancient Father's Cross or no, sure it is the pretence of restoring it to the ancient Father's use, will not be received, neither will it serve to save it from the executioners hands. Might not Hezechias have restored the serpent to the ancient use which it had in David's time, by setting it besides the Rod and the Manna, and other monuments? or by hiding it behind the Ark where David laid Go●iahes sword? but he knew a thing so abused, was to be broken and not restored. Neither hath the Church since him thought any course fit to be taken with the relics of Idolatry, them the same which he did take which is s Concil. Aphrican. circa tempora Benifac. 1. can. 25. penitus amputare, even wholly and altogether, without that sparing which adviseth to shear only, and not to slay the popish ceremonies, and to spare them from abscision, in hope they may be cured. And not only against the relics of Idolatry hath the Church showed this severity, but we shall find things more profitable, have been abolished and removed from time to time, and that for less abuse. Feasts of charity at communions were more t Tertul. apolog. ca 39 Cypri. li. 3. ad Quirin ca 3. August, count Faust. li. 20. ca 4. & 20. ancient than the Cross, and more profitable to nourish love, yet when they grew once to abuse, we see them cashiered, as by the Apostle so by diverse u Laodicen. can. 28. Trullan. can. 74. Antisiodore●s. cap. ●. Counsels following. The confession before the communion how little was it abused, yet when abuse grew out of it, although but once, Nectarius with other w Socrat: histor. eccles. lib. 5. cap. 9 Bishops, thought it meet to be abolished. The night Vigils of men and women, when abused had more colour of defence than our Cross can have now. x Hierom. cont. vigilant. ca 4. Hierome might plead for their abuse, paucorum culpa non praeiudicat religioni, qui & absque vigilijs possunt errare, vel in suis, vel in alienis domibus. We come short of Hierome even in this excuse of his; it being by the Cross that very many be ensnared and he containing no holy exercise of religion, which may be prejudiced by his abolition: and yet we find these forenamed y Concil. Elibertin. can. 35. August. ad fratres in ceremo. serm. 25. Concil. Antisiodorens. can. 5. Vigils, not only misliked, but also surceased. Last of all, the sanctuaries are ancient, which nevertheless because abused, are now long since z Polydot. Virgil. de inventor. rerum. lib. 3. cap. 12. misliked, a Vid. Pet. Martyr in loc. communi. cap. de Asylis & Hospin. d●●e templ. tit. de Asylis. condemned, and in France and other places totally b Durant. de rit. lib. 1. cap. vlt. sect. 9.10.11. abrogated. Let the Cross be judged by the Canon law and his privilege of antiquity, for late abuse will be taken away. For the doom is just, c Decret. part. 2. distinct. 74. cap. 7. Privilegium meretur amittere, qui permissa abutitur potestate. #Sect. 28. The abuse of the Cross cannot be removed the Cross itself remaining. FOurthly, this defence implieth, that the abuse of the Cross may be removed, the Cross itself remaining: which is both against that general rule, a joh. Caluin. de necessitat. reformand. eccles. Carol. 5. Certum est Idolomaniam, qualiter nunc illa fascinatae sunt hominum mentes, non aliter quam subducta insaniendi materia curari posse. And also that particular tenant of our writers which one hath, b Calsh. ag. Martial. in praefat. so. 5 It is as impossible to cure the abuses of the Cross (the Cross itself remaining) as it is to quench the flame all while the wood and fuel lasteth. Indeed a poisonful rust hath so deeply eaten into it, as that it can no more be cured then those other abused ceremonies, of which our own communion book, c Admonst. touching ce●em. before commun, hook. apud Bucer. Censur. 454. their superstition cannot be taken away; the ceremonies themselves remaining. The experience of forty years hath proved this true, even as the experience of two hundred hath proved that true in the popish Church, which was d Theodor. A. Niem. in lib. de Concil. Nicol●de Clemangi● in lib. de corrupt. eccles stat●●. foretold to the Council of Constance, to wit, that the abuse of Images could not be remedied but by an abolition of them: hereof there be many reasons: The Idol is a e Zanch de imag. thes. 3. fol. 369. tempting harlot, the Cross in particular a very ringworm that spreadeth mightily. Men by nature (the men of England by custom also) are most prone to superstition, the devil is present with the Idol to insinuat bad g Calsh. ut supra. suggestions, which are much furthered by the h joseph Antiquit. judaic. lib. 17. cap, 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same and by the honourable l August. de civit. dei lib. 8, cap. 24. Hierom. in psal. 113. p. 2. sublimity of it which the Cross obtaineth in Baptism, it being a place of chief advancement in God's service. What that the common multitude doth reverence it there, which is an especial m August, ad deo great, epist. 49. qu. 3. motive, and the authority of the magistrate, doth there countenance, yea command it, nay more revenge the quarrel of it, f D. Fulke ag. Saund. of imag. cap. 13. p. 659. upon the grave and reverend preachers of the Gospel, which, striketh it a little stroke with the simple and vulgar man? Last of all (which is most of all) God doth in justice curse their course, who upon any pretence retain any Idol or any monument of Idolatry, making it a 7 Deu. 7.25 snare, to all that will needs try their strength upon it, against his word. This hath he done in the use of this sign, even from the beginning, it being scarce out of the cradle, when it became a fertile mother of much superstition. Which curse will now be doubled on us) according to our just deserving) if we presume to harden ourselves against this tried experience past, and against the former punishment, or if we shall be n Calsh ag. Mart. art. 4 bold to adventure upon like danger in an age more corrupt, amiddst a people more infected, and on a ceremony more abused in latter times, then heretofore it hath been. Against these volleys of deadly shot, what one Bulwark, what one Blockehouse will suffice? It will be replied that the people may be taught against these abuses, which if it be done (as their is liberty given to do it) there is no peril to be feared. First, this voice cometh even out of the Dragon's mouth; o Vazq. de adorat. lib. 2. disput. 3. cap. 4. Snar. tom. 1. in Tho. disput. 54. pa●●●m. Si quid periculi ex imaginibus dei potest accidere, assidua doctrina pastorum, & traditione parentan● auferri debet. Yea, this policy if I term it the very seed of all Idolatry, I do it no wrong; as they easily will assent that do but weigh and well consider the rising and the growth thereof. For when it began to blossom first p Philipp. Mor●●●●. de Eucharist. lib. 2. cap. 3. fol. ●24. among Christians lately converted from their paganism, at what time they were desirous to have Crosses and other Images in room of their heathenish Idols, in which honour the unwary pillars of the Church then living, did to much favour them: if then the rule had been observed, Let no root of any bitterness be found among you, They had happily at the first crushed and bruised this serpent's head. Whereas following the tract of this carnal policy of keeping Images and Crosses to please the people, upon an hope a preaching against their adoration would clear all danger, they gave them scope (before they perceived it,) not only to more but also to spread, and finally to gain that height in which at this day we find them. And who was the Father of this policy, but that Gregory. from whom (as from a Trojan horse) many other superstions issued forth. For when Serenus Bishop of Marseilles in the spirit of Hezechias broke down the Images and the Cross of his Diocese, because he saw they were Idolatrously abused. This Gregory wrote an Epistle to him tart and sharp. Wherein, after he had reproved him of much rashness and indiscretion, he giveth him direction to call the people of his Diocese before him, and so q Gregor. li. 9 indict. 4. epist. 9 homil ag. peril. of Idolat. p. 2. & 3. reach them out of the Scripture that their worship was unlawful, but as for the Images and Crosses themselves, to let them stand untouched. And this was the r D. Fulke ag. Saund. of Imag. cap. 3. p. ●80. prima labes about the year 600. After in the 700. age, Crosses and Images go down in the East; especially after the seventh Counsel at Constantinople had decreed the abolishing of them. Which being crossed by the second of Nice, the Emperor Charles called a Council at Frankford (which walking in the midway between them both) decreed that Crosses and Images should stand against the Council of Constantinople, but that they should not be worshipped against the second of Nice. And this policy and course continued in the West (in France especially) for a long season, as these words of Strabo show; s Walafrid. Strab. de reb eccles. cap. 8. Non ideo, quia novimus non adorandas, ideo conculonadae & delenda pictura. Now I need not be long to show to how little effect this policy sorted: the fact of Claudius Taurinensis bewrayeth sufficiently the Idolatry which it brought forth; who upon the same occasion that moved Serenus of Marseillis before, broke the Law to break down t Catalogue. testium ve●etat. in Claudio. etc. Crosses, and other Images, because he saw the abuse of them so increased as could no longer by any preaching be redressed. And for this fact he was never u Philipp. Mo●nar. ut supra. troubled. Yea, whereas he wrote an Apology for himself, Ludovicus the king received it graciously; and gave it to jonas Bishop of Orleans to survey it. To suffer the sign of the Cross (then) and to have the abuse of it preached against, is to imitate among the Bishops of Rome w Sz●ged. in specul pontifit malorum Primum; among the Emperors that are revived from not [being] through the Lombard's desolation, and the Goths the bestiam i Apoc. 17.8. primam which the spirit hath foreshowed: whereas our writers call us to an imitation of Claudius (rather) in consideration that x Philip. Mornae de Eucharist. lib. 2. cap. 3 for the raising of superstition, no means are left, as long as the Bishops think they do service sufficient, if they preach against the worshipping of images. Secondly, the precedents which we have to keep the Cross, and preach against the abuses of it, are not so unworthy of imitation but the precedents which we have to the contrary, are as necessary to be followed. josuah did not bid the Priests to preach against the Idols of Canaan, but with his hands he threw them down. And Hezechias willed not the Levites to preach against the serpent's abuse, but he broke it all to pieces, and showed it all the disgrace he could. Our Lord, not only preached against the Oxen and Doves sold in the Temple, but also (as the king of the Church) he cast them forth. Epiphanius took no course with the Pastor of Anablatha, or with john Patriarch of jerusalem, to have the image of Christ (hanging in the Church) to be preached against, but he reproved them for suffering it there, and y Epiphan. in epist. ad joh. Hierosol. pulled it down himself. The Council of z Coucil. Elibertin. Can. 36. Eliberis, and the fift of a Concil. Carthag. 5 cap. 15. Carthage (where Augustine himself was precedent) and the Council of b Concil. Mogunt. cap 42. Mentz, leave not a relic nor a remnant of Idolatry in the Church, upon a colour of preaching against the abuses of them, but they remove and abolish them all, or sue to the magistrate for their abolition. Constantine the great would not suffer the least rag of Pagan Idolatry to remain to be preached against, but razed out all memorial of it; as which he acknowledged to be c Euseb. de vita Constantin. lib. 3. cap. 47. & 52. Sonzom. lib. 1. cap. 8. lapidem offensacula ante pedes proiecta. Theodosius was more earnest: d Theodor. histor. li. 5. cap. 20 Tripartit. histor li 9 cap. 33. who not only overthrew funditus, but also oblivioni dedit, those few ceremonies which had escaped the hands of Constantine; or which julian had repaired. The same together with Valentinian, took out of the way, e Pet. Crinitus de honest. discipline. li. 9 cap. 9 Quodcunque signum salvatoris: and suffered them not upon an hope to have their abuses preached against. f Idem ibid. Leo the third did the like; and Constantine the sift his son, which was the Emperor that called the seventh general Synod at Constantinople, to ratify and confirm this course of abolition. #Sect. 29. Preaching as it is now in England is not sufficient to remove the abuses of the Cross, the Cross itself remaining. THirdly, Sect. 29. it is no a M. Calsh. ag. Mart. art. 9 fol. 170. wisdom to prescribe a medicine that doth not reach so far as the disease doth reach, as preaching doth b Bucer. in Censur. ca 2. p. 458 not. For preaching c Homil. ag. peril. of Idol●t. p. 3 wants in many places where the Cross is used, & where it is, many preachers neglect as notorious faults as this, and some are corrupted in their judgement, some desirous to please; some are infected with the spirit of emulation to add affliction to the misery of their brethren, who are of a diverse judgement. Polidore Virgil desireth more preaching, against abuses of Crosses & Images of his time. Howbeit, as a man out of hope to have them ever by these means amended. When e Gabriel. Biell. in canon. miss. lect. 49. Gabriel Biell setteth down, teaching (as we do now) for a remedy against the abuse of Images. f Georg. Cassand. in consultat art. 11. Cassander himself replieth, istud quidem rectè dicitur, etc. This is well said, but I would these teachers were not themselves the causes of this superstition, or at the least the nourishers of it, in the hearts of the simple: neither is it enough, if the people by sermons and admonitions be revoked from error, unless by the common care of Princes & Bishops it be effected, that with as little a do as may be, omnis huiusmodi errorum occasio praescindatur. What that our book of g Homil. ag. peril. of Idolat. p. 3. Homilies itself, rejecteth this pretence of preaching as insufficient? not only because it often wanteth, but also because when it informeth, yet it doth not so much prevail as when the monuments of Idolatry themselves are removed. Lastly, thus Bucer, h Bucer. in censur. cap. 10. fol. 478 Si dicamus usum istorum, signorum salutarem posse restitui per doctrinam, videmus doctrinam alijs deesse, alijs covsque non prodesse: sublata itaque haec signa malim, quam retenta. Fourthly, whether is it better to l Baeza. in epistol. fill up the pit (as God 1 Exod. 21.33. commandeth) or set one to warn the passengers they fall not into it? Must not our governors make good to the Lord, every soul that shall miscarry, either by his own blindness or deafness; or by the watchman's sleep or doumbnesse, for that his course is disobeyed; a course that would have cleared all danger? and a contrary course taken, which neither is so wise nor safe? And let the commandment of the 2 Deu. 22. ● rail, and of the battlement be adjoined. For as the former forbids all occasions of throwing down, so this commandeth to bring in place all occasions and all means of staying up. Woe worth (therefore) the careless exposing of the precious souls of men to the danger of any Idol, from which the Lord in love hath fenced them (as it were) with a double hedge. I speak not here, how this course doth tempt the Lord; or how near it approacheth to that m Nichol. Saund. de imag. c. 17. hardiness (yea hardness of heart) that will have Crosses and other Images for the trial of men's strength, lest it should be idle. For the credit of the Church, lest it should be esteemed weak, and for a private credit also (to wit) to avoid the blot and stain of pusilanimity. Such men, if they disdain to learn of n Quint. Curtius. Scythians, Nemo contemnendo vicit, etiam ferrum rubigo consumit. I send them to a Christian writer, who thus can counsel him in the like case of adultery bodily, the victory o Author. lib dsi ugularit. cleric. apud Cyprian. is uncertain, quando pugnatur inter arma hostilia; and it is a foolish thing, Arctari cupere ad laborem quando offertur abque ullo periculo delicatus triumphus, the sight of the harlot (such as spiritually this sign is) serveth for nothing, save ad augendas impugnationes, it is far better, ut homo cognoscat se infirmum, ut fortis existat, quam ut fortis videri velit, & infirmus emergat, Last of all, quanto quisque magis ab adversis est, tanto minus adversa sentit. Fiftly, what shall the people be taught? the right use of the Cross? what need they be troubled about learning his use at all? who hardly are brought to hear willingly the necessary points of their salvation. What that the doctrine of the right use of it is so hard, that a man may say of the Cross in particular, what p Erasm. in Cateches. Erasmus of all other Images. They may more easily themselves be thrown out of the Church, than their right use defined. And know we not the beaten proverb, which experience trieth too true, q Flace. Illyrie. in lib. de Adiaphor. populus non intelligit acuta? Lastly, is it safe to propose to the people, these controversies not so material of things unnecessary? For both A Paul forbiddeth to assume the 3 Rom. 14.1 weak to the controversies of disputation about things that are indifferent, (such as the Cross is held to be) and A r Euseb. de rit. Constan. lib. 2. cap. 67. Constantine will not have the people burdened with the preaching of any matter controversed, which is not of weight and moment to be known. #Sect. 30. Sixthly, what though the people might be taught, and it were fit they should, it is overruled by an Adiaphorist himself, that till occasio superstitionis praescindatur, a Georg. Cassand. in consultaes. ad Ferdinand. & Maximil. art. 21. nullus superstitionis finis sperandus est. And home authority hath permitted this to be published touching the Cross, b M. Call't h. ag. Martial. art. 4. fol. 88 Doctrine will not prevail with the people, if the Cross itself, (which is the thing they trust to, and delight in) be not taken from them. The Adiaphorisme of Saxony, and Interim of Lipsia, enjoin the keeping of the holiday of Corpus Christi with this c Conrade. Schlusslburg. lib. 13. for. 509 elusion, that there might be a Sermon on that day to teach the people (as I take it) against the abuse thereof. Hereby see, how large the mockage of this excuse is, The people may be taught against the abuse? Indeed the suffering of a thing that hath but a show of conformity with popery, doth ten times more hurt then peaching is able to do good. Doth d Homil. ag. peril. of idolat. p. 3. meat nourish so fast as poison extinguish? Or Physic heal so fast as the pestilence doth infect? or in a 1 Gal. 5.6. leaven is there not a quicker power to make sour, then is in any drug to sweeten? Add that the people are moved more with the sight of the Cross which they see made, then with any words of the preacher which they understand hardly, attend unwillingly; and they mark more what the preacher doth, than what he saith; and while the law commandeth the Cross, it will seem but Puritanisme what is spoken against it. And last of all, if a preacher shall make the Cross, and the same preach against it being abused, the people with whom the abuse of it, is (for the most part) the right use of it, will think he speaketh one thing, and doth another. So that here the Counsel hath place which one in a like case giveth. e Pet. Mart. epistol. amic cuid. in Angl. Quis videns te, etc. who seeing thee (the messenger of Christ) praying at the Altar, before the Image of a crucifix attired with the Priestly Vestments will not think, that thou also dost not only bear with these rites, but also approve them? whence it will follow, that when thou shalt afterwards teach otherwise, none will believe thee. For he that teacheth otherwise then he doth, destroyeth what he buildeth: and on the other side buildeth that which he overthroweth. There hath here place also what a whole Church wrote about the like rites of popery retained. Quod vero quidam ineptiunt, etc. f Hamburgens. epist. de Adiaphor. ad Philipp. Melanch. Whereas some fond say that the doctrine of bad ceremonies should be free, and that they should freely be reproved, it is ridiculous. For how can a Pious Pastor administer that, in which his conscience reprehendeth him, and perpetually observe that, which himself reproveth daily before the whole Church? Who will give any credit at all to their doctrine, who build up again things by themselves reprehended, condemned, rejected, and are compelled daily to preach against themselves as against impenitent men? How can peace & quietness be settled there, where the Pastors of the Church reprove and tax publicly those things, which the court commandeth shall be observed without all violation? Come we a little nearer home. It is known that Peter preached against the abuse of the jewish ceremonies, to which the Concision turned them; so that by the licence of this excuse, he might now lawfully conform to them, Act. 15.10. as to ceremonies of edification for the jews. But Paul thinketh this his conformity is but hypocrisy; destroying that which before he had built, which our writers lay open thus: g Magd●burg. centur. 1. li. 2. cap. 10. in vita Pet. Antiochiae non rectè etc. Peter at Antioch walked not with a right foot to the truth. For, eating with the Gentiles he used aright the Christian liberty, but when certain jews came from james, he withdrew himself fearing the jews: and by this means, what before he had built of the Christian liberty, that now he destroyed again, and approveth ipso facto, the necessity of the jewish rites, to give contentment to the jews. Our case (as I take it) doth symbolise with this of Peter; who by our disuse of popish ceremonies, have disclaimed (until now) the necessity and virtue of them. So that, if now (for fear to displease) or to differ from some great men (such as james was then to Peter) and should conform ourselves to them, that would be destroyed what hath been built by us; and we in [fact] should approve with Peter what our [preaching] must disprove. A miserable case and full of scandal, the people having in their mouths ever, Quid verba audiam, cum facta videam. Seventhly, to preach against the abuse somewhat, but not all. The duty of zeal towards God, of confession towards the truth, of love towards a neighbours soul, requireth also an abolition. For must Christ's spouse be chaste in word and not in deed also? abandoning from her all love-tokens of former adultery; and must not the truth be professed in practice as well as in preaching? and is not example as necessary as doctrine for the edifying of an neighbour? Well far our old divines, h Hieron. Zanch. de imag. thes. 3. fol. 368. At inquiunt docemus, etc. They tell us they teach against the worshipping of these Images, as if God of old did not this far more diligently by Moses and the Prophets, than we can do it now. Why would he (then) beyond this teaching have Images also taken away? because it sufficeth not by word of mouth, to teach that evil is not to be done, but the scandals and the provocations, the causes & the occasions of that which is evil, must also be removed. l Bucer. in Mat. 18. So another, we are not only to teach the people [sapere fortius] but we are even. [exemplo] also to [provehere] and set forward their edification. And this needful for the present, is much more necessary for time to come. Which, who knoweth whether God will bless with preaching or no? Charles the great, leaveth Crosses and Images standing; willing their worship to be preached against, this (in part) is done for his time, and gross Idolatry is stopped a little, during his life. But what after his death? Did not Idolatry then re-enter like a flood upon the West, so that m Philip. Moruae. de Eucharist. lib. 2. ca 3. pag. 128. Charles his son was constrained to write a book sharper than his Fathers was. #Sect. 31. Opposites objection answered, which is, the abuses of the Cross are sufficiently reform, because the Altars Shrines, Images, etc. be utterly removed, etc. WE have weighed in the balance of the sanctuary, the two first places of the sign of the Cross: the one extenuating the late abuse, the other extolling the first use of it, and have found them both too light, so will the third be found likewise, which justifieth our present use as if from the late abuse to the use prime, it were sufficiently restored already. To wit, not only possible is it unto us, being so good surgeons as we are, to cure the Cross from all abuse, the Cross itself remaining, but also it is done already God's commandment being satisfied by the pulling down of Altars, Shrines, Images, Crucifixes and material Crosses, with which we would content ourselves (say our Opposites) if there were any reason in us, sith the Idolatry of the Papists is by these means sufficiently disgraced. First, know we whom we justify in this excuse, and from whose wardrobe we have stolen it? If this argument do hold, than did Leontius reason well. I cannot be a favourer of Idols, seeing it is known I have destroyed, a Concil. Nicen. 2. Act. 4. pag. 104. multa Idolorum phana. Again, we need not break down all Images (saith the Papists) when the people do abuse them, b Durant. de rit. lib. 1. ca 4. sect. 11. their abuse must be corrected; if it cannot, then shall it suffice to break down that c Alphons. de cast. in verb. imag. adorat. one Image that is abused, or some d Nichol. Saund. de imag. c. 17 one of them for example to the rest, after the example of King Hezechias in breaking down the brazen serpent, which how doth e D. Fulk ag. Saund. ibid. Ezec. 13.10. Doctor Fulke confound by proof apparent, that Hezechias broke not down the serpent only, but all other Idols that were in his time abused. Secondly, distinctions framed between Idols and Idolothites to excuse any one sort of them, where the Law distinguisheth not, and where the difference which they import is only secundum magis & minus, is but for one to build up a wall without the leavell of the word; and for others to daub it over with untempered mortar. What that this mortar is tempered to our hands at Rome. The Bishop of f A discourse of the confer at. Fountainbleau. Maii. 4. an. 1600. Eurex and his g Perefius de tradit. Saunders de imag. Durant. de rit. lib. 1. cap. 5. Vazq. de adorat. Mart reply art. 3. fellows make a difference between pictures in tables, and pictures in walls: who doth not laugh at them? h Gregor. de Valent. Apolog. de Idololat. 2. cap. 7. Gregorius de Valentia out of Peter misinterpreted, 1. Pet. 4.3. maketh a difference between Idols that be abominable, and Idols that be not abominable. Who doth not abhor him? l joh Reynnold. lib. de Idololat. 2. cap. 7. Bellarmine maketh a difference between Images of true things, and Images of false things, as if the one were Idols, the other were not. m Adrian. in epist. ad Constant. & Iren in Concil. Nicen. 2. & Durant. de rit. li. 1. c. 5. sect. 11. Adrian maketh a difference between an Image and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, statue abiecti cuiusuis animalis, as if the latter were only forbidden, the former not. The Greek n David. Chytre. in praelect. chronic. Church maketh a difference between Images painted, and Images graven: who holdeth with them? Now of the same linnadge is the difference of our Opposites between the material and mystical Cross; that of the Roodloft, and this of the Font, the Cross, of the Supper, and this of Baptism; If he were not ill, why was he removed? If this be good, how is he ill? Seeing like the former Images by Papists distinguished preposterously, they be of one kind, and differ only in little and great, to grant the most that can be supposed. Now this difference excuseth not in any one commandment, because he that forbiddeth robbery, forbiddeth stealing: and he that forbiddeth adultery, forbiddeth fornication: and he that forbiddeth slaying, forbiddeth maiming: jam. 2.10. nor yet in diverse commandments neither, because he that breaketh the least is guilty of the greatest, for that he disobeyeth him that gave them all. Very fit for this purpose are the words of Hierome, o Hierom. comment. in epist. ad tit. cap. 2. Fur non solum, etc. A man is judged a thief, not only in great matters, but also in small: for that which is stolen cometh not into account: that which is considered, is the mind of the stealer. As in fornication and adultery, the fornication and adultery is not therefore made diverse, because the whore is fair or rich, deformed or poor, but whatsoever she be, the fornication and adultery is still one and the same. See we not from hence how little service this our coined distinction doth us? For as in the bodily adultery it is the mind that is respected: whether the harlot be fair or foul, rich or poor, it skilleth not: So in the spiritual it is the honour that maketh guilty, and not the Idol, whether he be material or aereal, permanent or transeunt, painted or graven, cunningly drawn or butcherly made, poor or bedecked with jewels. So in the Scripture, the popish Idols, whether they be of wood or of gold, they are all one: & the Images of the heathen are thrown all of them into one heap, Apot. 9.12. whether they be of the common sort, or of exquisite graving by the art of man. And in the Fathers, Act. 17.19. p Tertul. de Idololat. Omnis forma & formula, Idolum se dici exposcit, be it little or great, and when jesuits quarrel about Pesilim & Massecoth, which they interpret sculptile, conflatile, they are answered by us, q D. Fulke ag. Gregor. Martin. ca 3. sect. 23. that howsoever properly they are graven and cast Images, yet by a Synecdoche they are taken for Images of what making soever: the question being not, by what art Images are made, but to what use, and how they be used, that they may be condemned for unlawful. But if there be any odds between the material and mystical Cross, it is the mysticell that hath the start. Therefore #Sect. 32. Reasons why the aereal Cross ought rather to be abolished then the material. THirdly, we reply that of the two, the Cross aereal hath more need to be abolished then the material. For, Rom. 1. 20● first in the seeming of our Opposites it is a thing of less account, and we know the base the Idol is, the worse is the Idolatry. As Egypt that adored a worm, is worse than the Greek that chose a man: or Persia which chose the sun and the stars to worship them. No matter (said Hierome before) whither the harlot be rich or poor, fair or foul. True unless to this effect. The fowler the harlot and the base, and the more loathsome is the lust of the bodily adulterer: even so the base the Cross aereal, the more execrable is popish Idolatry committed to it. a ovid. in Phoedra. Ezech. 16.44. Peius adulterio turpis adulter obest. Secondly, It may be said here, as is the mother, so is the daughter. Provided that the Cross aereal be acknowledged the mother of the material. For, was it not the sign of the forehead that begat all the other Crosses that were material in the eyes of all the b Theodor. Beza. in epist. writers? c Guilihel. Perk. probl. tit. sig. crew. Heb. 7.7. Arose not the material Cross some years after the aereal sign, which at the first was a Cross simply. Afterward it grew to be a crucifix, and all out of that reverence which the Cross of the forehead had amongst the Fathers? Thirdly, there is no doubt but the less is blessed of the greater. Greater therefore is the aereal sign of the Cross which blesseth and sanctifieth a d Concil. Trident. sess. 21. c. 7 Durant. de rit. li. 2. ca 45. sect. 7. Caesar. Baron. Annal. an. 1 12. temple itself, & all things in it, and so (as I take it) the very e Vid. Pontifical Roman. & Hospinian. de re templot. lib. 4. cap. 4. material Cross and all. And seeing consecration and holiness is the fountain and the womb of all superstition, this Cross must needs be the more fertile thereof, the more in estimate of holiness it ever hath borne away the bell, wherewith the people bless themselves, whence expect they to be sanctified before God? to be helped against the devil? What is their Orcigalea? What their Delphicus gladius to speak in the common f Lindan. panopl. lib. cap. phrase they use? which is g Brisson. de spectacul. p. 151. their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whereby is wrought their obsignation, their consignation, which giveth the h Ibid p. 201. 202. 203, ibid. holy Ghost himself? which is their l Ibid. p. 201 signum vivificum, their signum salutare, their vexillum, their vexillum triumphale, is it not the Cross mystical? Shall we tread the sign of that under our feet (saith m Paul. Diacon. ●er. Roman. lib. 18. Gregor. Turonens. histor. Franc. lib. 5 cap. 19 Tiberius the Emperor) wherewith we use to bless our foreheads? Here the material Cross is but a token of the aereal which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same. If the sign of the Cross in aere fluido be of such power (saith the n Censur. Colon. in Catechis. Monhem. dialog 3. University of Collen) then why not the Cross material too? Here the material waiteth on the aereal for credit and for countenance from it. There is a o Carol. Sigon. de Regno. Ital lib. 15 table in Germinians Church at Mutina of Lucius the Pope, blessing the city with the sign of the Cross, at his departure in these words: Benedicta sit terra quam incolitis; & benedicti vos & posteri vestri in perpetuum. Here the material is a monument of the mystical. There is a p Missale in office peregrin. rule that no man make a material Cross in any part of his body: and they that in Baptism q Conrade. Lutzenburg. in verb. josim. burn Crosses material in the foreheads of their children, are enrouled among the heretics. Here the material Cross is condemned, when the aereal sanctifieth, consecrateth, and maketh holy unto God. But the material is more gross, more sensible, and it enticeth more with some perhaps. But there is reason with some to the contrary, what the aereal Cross in popish estimation? The more uncapable a thing is of worship in itself, r Vazq. de adorat. lib. ●. disput. ●. cap. 1. (saith the Papist) the more capable of [latria] and the more fit to be coadored with Christ. What the aereal Cross in popish apprehension? We adore not any Cross for the matter (saith the s Damascen. de sid. lib. 4. cap. 12. Alphons. de castro. in verb. adorat. Martial. in reply. art. 10. Papist) but for the form: so that the less material, and the more formal: so much the quicker is the passage t Thom. Aquin. p. 3. qu. 25. art. Pro. 30.20. ab imagine ad rem significatam: in which motion of the mind all the worshipping doth consist. Last of all, what the aereal Cross in popish use? Is it not more common to use? is it not more ready to be used at all assays? and doth it not serve all times and turns, better than the Cross material? Hath it not (also) more excuses attending on it, to colour hypocrisy, whereby this spiritual adulteress, may (like the bodily) wipe her mouth, and say, I have not sinned. #Sect. 33. It avails nothing to remove the material Cross, retaining the mystical. FOurthly, what though the material Crosses done away by our Church, were every way worse? To remove the material Cross, and to leave the mystical behind in God's service, is to break the 1 1. Sam. 5.4. hand of Dagon, not the head, if the head, yet to leave the stompe behind; to remove the adultery of the breasts (if of the breasts wholly) but to leave the adultery of the 2 Hos. 2.2 apud Tremel. forehead behind, and the whorish painting (as it were) of the 3 Ezech. 23 40.41 face: at a word it is, to remove the flesh of the adultery (if the flesh thoroughly) but to leave the 4 jud. 23 garment behind, which it hath touched and spotted. This, how can it stand before that God, that useth to censure a reformation (though never so upright in doctrine) if there be but an 5 1. Reg. 15.4. & 12 23. 2. reg. 12.3.14 4. high place standing? which perchance was never abused to Idolatry (as the sign of the Cross hath been) and who never contenteth himself with a reformation of his Church in part, but requireth a a Bucer. in Math. 18 Pet. Martyr in 1. Sam. 14 Marc. 11.15. total cleansing of his house, and that from the ⁶ abused instruments of his own service: how much more (then) from Cross and Surplice, which have been instrument of the service, how much more than from Cross and Surplice, which have been instruments of the service of Devils? Indeed the reformation public should be such, as may further the private purity of every man, whose throat and belly if they must be pure from the meat of the Idol: then much more his b Tertul. in lib. de spectacul. membra which are augustiora, must be kept pure from the Idol itself, as his hands, his eyes, his ears, from the Surplice and from the mystical sign of the Cross? Fiftly, whereas the abolishing of the Cross material is thought to throw disgrace sufficient upon the mystical Cross of popery, we are most humbly to entreat our godly governors to take knowledge of a contrary event, there being nothing (indeed) that doth credit it more than this, that the Cross of the forehead standeth when all other Crosses fall, and that by authority of law and magistrate: which, if they be not the only Lords of the common people's faith, yet are known to c josias Simlerus in praecep. 2. Gualt. in Luke cap. 5. sway it more, & that awry in such a case than were convenient. And as the removal of the Cross material graceth (after this fashion) the aereal left behind: so the aereal left behind another way graceth the material that is cast out; against the doctrine of our Church that is confirmed by Act of Parliament, which therefore d Homil. ag. peril. of Idolat. p. 3 excludeth an Image out of the Church, because if it be suffered there, he will give credit to other Images, that other where are worshipped. When did not the Cross material & aererall mutually scratch and claw one another? when the Cross material was to be taken for the recovery of the holy land: what course hath Bernard but to ply the c Catal. Sigon de reg. Italiae li. 11 in Conrade. 2. Cross aereal? that which he doth in healing the sicike, and so prevaileth that Conrade the Emperor himself assumeth the material Cross, & resolveth on the journey. Robert f Genebrard Chronolog. lib. 4. an. 1 148. Bishop of Nazareth stayeth the flame of the fire, with the Cross material, g Idem ann. 824. Paschalis with the Cross aereal. Was the material only graced by the former, the aereal only by the latter? do not both give credit to all Crosses, yea to the whole religion of popery in the eyes of all Papists? And now that we are lighted upon the mention of these Papists, if it be true that h Tertul. li. de coron. milit. Tertullian hath, Nihil tam dignum deo, quam quod indignum Idolo, then can we not do God better service, then to offer the greatest indignity that we are able to the aereal sign of the Cross. We may perceive by this, that they draw it to the gracing of their religion, because they take nothing more l Laurent. Surius in comment. pa. 690. joh. Grop. de Eucharist. lib. jacob Billius in Gregor. Nazianzen. indignly, then to see the least indignity offered against it. Can the sign of the Cross grow cold & he not burn? Is the sign of the Cross touched, & he not tormented? or can any take it down, & he not take on? Tush (say our Opposites) of the sign of the Cross, non in eo positae sunt fortunae graciae, but I shall never hear so much out of the mouth of the Papist. Who, as if Hannibal were before the gates, and all the forts of Rome were shaking, useth to cry out all religion goeth down, if the Cross go down, a way is open to all m Rhemist. Annotat. in Philip. 2. ver. 10. Atheism, if he be away. Yea Christ himself is abandoned, if he be abolished. And is there not (then) a way opened in his opinion to all popery, when the honour of the Cross goeth up (as it doth by our making of it in honourable use) I say by our making of it, for n Tertul. lib. de Idololat. Colimus qui facimus ut coli possit, diligentia nostra illius memor est. #Sect. 34. Another Opposites objection answered: which is, we use it as a civil ceremony, not religious. ALthough we have covered the mouth of the Cross in all former excuses of abuse extenuated, first use extolled, and late use purged, yet being an harlot that is talkative she still proceedeth to multiply words, Pro. 7.11. & 9.23. as if her present purged use were thoroughly clean both for the manner of her placing in God's service, & for her place where. Touching the former, why is the Cross cried out against (say some of our Opposites) as if it had an use religious? There is no such matter. For we do use it in our Baptism as a ceremony merely civil; in which manner used by us, it is as lawful in that sacrament, as in the coin which we bear in our purses; where we ourselves (they say) do wish it, not only hold it lawful. Howbeit, how easy is it to justify our use of the Cross to be too religious, to be lawful? for the understanding whereof, we must run over the two sorts of religious things. The first of them are religious in a sense common, rising from a sylvest summa in verb. relig. Religio as it is a virtue, in which sense all is religious that is done to an holy end: the end being it, that determineth every use, as b Tho. Aquin. 1.2. q. 16. art. 3. schoolmen teach. In this sense the Cross is [Religious] even out of God's service and ever hath been, sith at the first it served to profess the faith against c Guilihel. Perk. problem. tit. sign. cruc. Pagans, to sanctify d Tertul. de coron. milit. omnem progressam to civil business, and e Hieron. ad Eustoch. epist. 22. cap. 16. omnem actum thereof. Did Constantine set it in his banners, or on the shoulders of his soldiers? he did it f Sozomen. li. 1. cap 8. assuefacere exercitum suum ad colendum deum, and to make known g Cassiodor tripartit. histor. li. 3. cap. 4. hunc Deum colo, cuius signum meus portat exercitus. Have Christian kings since his time adorned their crowns h Hieron. ad Laetam. epist. 7. c. 2. patibuli salutaris pictura? they do it to show they profess Christ jesus. Last of all, when a malefactor saved his life by flying to sanctuary, by the ancient laws of our land, he was to be banished, carrying a Cross in his hands to the sea side. This was signum seruatae vitae, religionis ergò. This considered, the sign of the Cross is never mearely a civil thing, even in civil objects themselves. mixedly, and for the end of his use he remaineth still religious. Howbeit, our Opposites turn this against us, we use it in Baptism for a civil end (say they) therefore it is civil, and in respect of this end lawful. First, this jumpeth with the m Chytr●us in josu. 22. Lutheran, who excuseth his religious Images in the Church, by like civil end and historical use: and with the Papist, who excuseth his jewish ceremonies, in that he doth use them, n Tho. Aquin. p. 3. q. 83. art. 5. Non quasi ceremoniali praecepto legis, sed sicut ecclesiae statuto. And because the thing which he useth, is quiddam secundum se conveniens, ex instituto Ecclesia, which is our language up and down. Lastly, this jumpeth with the politic of o David. Chytreus in an. 15 84 Augusta, who enforceth the Pope's new Calendar on this colour, the Ministers shall use it in their feasts, not as received from the Pope, but as enjoined by the Senate. Secondly, though Cross and Surplice may for their end in some sense be termed [Civil] as all rites that serve for q Harmon. confess. sect. 17. confess. Augustan. art. 7. order, p Bulling. in epist. ad N. & M. yet this end maketh it not lawful, because though an ill end maketh an ill action (for that even one defect doth suffice to hatch a sin) yet a good end (such as order and decency is) and the obedience to the Magistrate cannot make an r Tho. Aquin. 1.2. qu. 10. art. 2. action good, because the integrity of the object, and all other circumstances must here concur, which in these rites are wanting. The Cross is an Idolothite; which a s Gualt. Archityp. 1. Cor. 10. Hest. 3. Corinthian may not eat for any civil use or end of peace and friendship, or any civil commodity else. The Cross is an Agagite, devoted to death and to destruction, a Mordecay may not bow down unto it, though he pretend, that it is only to perform obedience to the Magistrate, that he performeth this honour to him. The Cross sorteth us with the Papists, as much as the Garland sorted the Christians with the Pagans in the days of Tertullian. But a t Beat. Rhenan. in Tertul. de coron. milit. Christian may not wear a Garland, no not on the birth day of the Emperor, though he pretend a civil end, and civil honour to his Prince. Our sign of the Cross, the Papist interpreteth to be a liking of his rites like as the Pagan (in julians' days) interpreted frankincense thrown into the fire before the Throne and seat of julian, to be a profession of Pagan religion. This two u Theodor. histor. li. 3. cap. 16. Christians may not do, no though they do it to a civil end alone, to wit, to honour and obey their Prince. #Sect. 35. Pretence of a civil end of the Cross excuses not the Cross, used in the worship of God. THirdly, though a civil end might make such a thing lawful, yet were this sign never the near, because this end is not a Caietan. in Thom. 2.2. qu. 154. art. 4. finis operis, which giveth value to every action, but finis operantis only to which it pleaseth the user to turn him: which in this question turneth the scale neither one way nor other. The natural end of the Cross is religious as hath been showed, and the same operative; and therefore evil. It pleaseth our Church to use it to a civil end which is good, this end, is it any thing to the purpose, it being accidental? Timoleon his soldiers are much amazed for meeting an ass laden with b Polyae●. stratagem. lib. 5. sect. stratag. 376 oppium, which was used at home in funerals. his bidding them to wear garlands of it, in sign of victory, had it been any encouragement to them, if this use had been devised by himself diversly from the use of Isthmus games, where men beware it that won the prize? so until the common use of the Cross abroad be good, our good use (diverse from the common use) cannot encourage us to use it. How doth it excuse c Aelian. var. histor li. 1. cap. 21. Ismenias from adoring the king of Persia, that it is to take up a ring (let fall) that he stoopeth down before him? For as long as this stooping (in common use) is the adoring of the king, he is interpreted to have adored him. So our diverse end of crossing, maketh not our case diverse: It is the common use of the Cross which hath been ever, and (yet) is general, by which our crossing must be judged. I speak on supposal. The d Vazq. de adorat li. ● disput. 5. cap. 3. jesuits judgement is good and sound, common and usual kneeling (being in the common estimate a e Caietan. in 2.2. qu. 84. art. 1. worship divine) it would not have excused Mordecaie if he dad bowed down to Haman, though he had kneeled with a civil kneeling only, and that to perform a civil obedience to the King. It will be objected here that Naamans' bowing in the house of Rimmon was lawful enough, because f Pet. Martyr in 1. Cor. 10. Nichol. Heming. in ephes. 5.1 ● civil. And g Tertul. in lib. de Idololat. Tertullian alloweth a Christian to be present at the sacrifices of Pagan marriages; servants (also) to wait on their masters while they are worshipping of their Idols, because this was a civil presence, and not for religious end. We answer, the case is diverse from this of the Cross. The finis operis, the end of the work, in the Cross is commonly religious and evil. The finis operis, in these instances is in common estimate civil and good; performed to the marriage of the bridegroom; not to the sacrifice in the first, not to the Idol, but to the master in the second. And the sign of the Cross is an alien rite, having an estate most inward in Idolatrous worship, whereas no gesture was allowed, no rite, no ceremony, that had coincidence with Idolaters, in the instances premised, as these words show: h Tertul. de coron. mili. Nullum (puto) circa haec officia periculum observari, de flatu Idololatriae quae interuenit. Causae enim considerandae sunt quibus praestatur officium. Haec nos homini, non Idolo, officiosos habet. Sum tantum spectator sacrificij: These offices make us dutiful to men, not to the Idol. For I am but only a beholder of the sacrifice, etc. When the l joh. Sleidan. Duke of Saxony was to bear the sword before Charles the fift, he was present at the Mass; but with protestation that he was there, for a civil duty only: and beside he abstained from all Mass gestures, and was only alooker on. The like do m john Owlet. i● refusal. reas. 9 Papists themselves prescribe, not n Pet. Martyr in 1. cor. 10. Protestants only, to wit, that no civil presence sufficeth for joining with heretics, unless both naturally the action be civil, and also commonly known and rated to be such. Now the Cross being not such, nor so thought of, it can no more be used in Baptism, to the end of civil obedience; then Christians might set up boughs, and light tapers at their doors to the honour of their magistrate like as other heathen did. For I may answer out of n Tertul. li. de Idololat Tertullian, as concerning Cross and Surplice: seeing these, ad Daemonias pertinent, belong to the devils, among the Papists as much as the former boughs, and tapers among the Pagans, our use will give credit to the popish Idols, as the use of those did to the paganish: and omnis honor Idoli est Idololatria, All honour done to the Idol is Idolatry. Caesar. Baron. Annal. in. an. 200. And the honour and obedience of the magistrate was pretended as much in them, as now in these. Yet Tertullian would not justify them, but made this answer. Si hominis causa est, cogitemus omnem Idololatriam in hominis causam esse, If it be the cause of man, let us think all Idolatry to be for the cause of man. Further yet, we find some things cashiered by ourselves out of God's service which might far better pretend a civil use then these. Consider a little the permixtion of the water with the wine in the Lord's supper. The very finis operis in it from the beginning was merely civil: to wit, to abate the heat of the wine, for which cause the ancients called it a mingled o Iren. lib. 5. cap. 1. cup, a p justin. Martyr Apolog. 2. dilution, and a q Cyprian. lib. 2. epist. 3. ad Caecilium. tempering of the wine. A strange thing we should hold this addition of the water unlawful, even to the suffering of an s Concil. Trident. sess. 22. can. 9 Anathema, out of t Durant. de rit. li. 2. ca 27. sect. 4. an opinion that such addition is against Christ's institution, the ceremony being such as is thought Christ did use, such as the Papists never did so much abuse; such as had a civil end and the same good, when still to a Cross is cried without ceasing [great is Diana] a ceremony not so ancient, an abused ceremony to the depth of all iniquity, only upon a fond pretence of an end civil which is not finis operis, the end of the work, to it, but finis operantis, but the end of the worker only which never excuseth. #Sect. 36. The use of the Cross is religious not civil as the opposites proved in this Section, and that which followeth. WE have examined the first sort of things religious in nature and end, and find no shelter for the Cross. Come we now unto the second, which are religious in sense special, to wit, in [State]. Here, that is religious which is Ecclesiastical: that civil, which political: that religious which belongeth to God's service: that civil which hath the use solemn in the service of common wealth. To this agreeth the Etymology of religio and religiosum which cometh a a August. de religion. religando ad Deum, from binding to God, or else a b Aul. Gellius lib. 4. cap. 9 relinquendo, the common [state] of civil things. The Scripture doth agree likewise, which calleth the bread holy and religious, when it is set on the table in the holy place; but when it is taken away from thence, than it beginneth to be 2 1. Sam. 21.6. Communis, as Tremellius doth interpret. When a vestiment is holy, it must not be carried out of the Temple, no not to the high Priests 3 Ezech. 42.14. house. That which the Priest putteth on when he goeth out of the Temple is c Origin. in Leuit. 20. homil. 11. vestis communis. This is imitated by the Canon law, d Decret. p. 2. caus. 11. q. 2. ca 70. Opus est ut de ecclesia, mystici poculi forma non exeat, It is necessary that the form of the mystical cup go not out of the Church. The e Hieron. in ezech. li. 13 cap. 44. Amalar. de offi●. eccles. li. 2. ca 16. Fathers (also) will have the garments to be religious, that are used in the Church: the garments to be common that are without it. When f Sigebert. in ann. 795. Charles the great forbade the doorekeepers to use common garments, pitcheth he not (as it were) the bounds of things common and religious at the porch of the Church. For the first, to begin there; for the latter there to end? We ourselves say against Lutherans, that the Images are religious which are in the Church; and against Papists, that the bread of the supper is bread common [extra usum] out of the use of the holy Sacrament. Howbeit it doth not suffice to make a thing to be religious, that it is in the Temple, unless also it be of it, and have [state] in it, as was before mentioned. The old oak under which jacob buried his Images, standeth within the bounds of the Tabernacle in josuahs' time, Gen. 35.4. josu. 24.26. Mat. 21.12. and the doves and the oxen, are within the court of the Temple, which yet notwithstanding are not religious for want of investure, and of incorporation. A stranger leaveth meat in an Idols temple, is it (therefore) religious, because in a religious place? g August. ad public. epist. 154. No, because it was not consecrate to the Idol. The cup of the supper in the days of h Tertul de pudic. cap. 10. Caesar. Baron. Annal. an. 216. Tertullian had a shepherd pictured in it, bearing a sheep upon his shoulder, which yet was no more religious than the statue of a good shepherd, which l Euseb. de rit. Constantin. li. 3 cap. 48. Constantine set up in foro, in the market, because it was in the service of God without a state. Now, 3. m Tho. Aquin. 2.2. q. 183. art. 1. things are required to a state, Order, Obligation, and a kind of immobility, and the Cross and Surplice have all three of them in our Liturgy. The Cross hath an order dependent on Baptism, to which it is added. An obligation it hath, because it is ordained by our Church. It hath also [quietem] left in holy use, and a kind of immobility, a kind I say which doth suffice. As for the Cross, Leo the Emperor made a law, n Cod. li. 1. ti. 3. ca 26 Ne signum crucis inferretur in loca publica, into common places, and Theodosius, that places should be made religious, o Cod. Theodos. de pagen. cap. vlt. collocato in ijs Christianae religionis signo. As for the Surplice the old use thereof had immobility altogether in God's service; it being utterly unlawful to wear it p Durant. de rit lib. 2 ca 9 sec. 1 Caesar Baron. Annal. in art. ●60 elsewhere. I know the friends of these ceremonies would be loath to take them down, so much as one hairs breadth. Neither will they wholly swerver from Surius, misliking a Cross should be used by Archers for a mark to shoot at in their pastimes. IT will be objected that the Cross hath a state civil amongst us too, in coins, banners, and the like. Where, seeing we like him well enough, why should he be misliked in Baptism? First, we deny him to be absolutely lawful, even in such civil use, when once he cometh to be a Walafrid. Strab. in 1. cor. 10. in glossa. sub veneratione Idoli, under the worship of the Idol, and to give the least occasion to think the better of popery, or to cast some show or some shadow of it, than he 1 josu. 23.13. Mat. 5.19. 1. Thes. 5.22. groweth to be unlawful. For consider the origen and beginning of this [state] civil, in coins and banners. Even in war b Euseb li. 9 cap. 9 Sozomen. lib. 1. cap. 3. Constantine holdeth the adored [labarum] of the old Romans to be unlawful: and in coins, the old Images of Mercury and Hercules: and therefore setteth up in both the Cross which then the Idolaters most of all hated, and which made most profession against them. The Cross (then) being become an old adored I doll of Rome, must he not be done away (caeteris paribus) even out of coins and banners themselves upon like reason, and some other ensign be brought in use, which may profess against the Papists? So shall we follow the zeal of Constantine, as also of others whose coins and banners knew no mark, but such as made distinction manifest between them and Idolaters. We see this in the Machebees, who bore in their flag, c Francise. junius. in 1. macca. ● M. C. B. I. expressing the sentence which is in Exodus 15.11. Quis est par tibi deus johovah, who among the gods is like unto thee jehovah? Whence they were termed Macbaei, and after Macabaei. We see it in d carrion. Chron. in. Theodos. Theodosius, who bore in his ensign against Eugenius, this name of XRS Christ. we see it in the religious of France, whose standard spoke thus, e Comenta. de stat. religion. in Gallia. pro Christo & Patria, for Christ and the Country. That of Alphonsus was better than a mark confounding with the aliens whose symbol was a Pelican, shedding her heart blood for her young, with this imprese, pro lege & grege, for the law and the flock. Let none think this to be preciseness more than needs. An Idols name must not be mentioned in common f Tertul. in lib de Idololat. talk, ne illius maiestatem confirmemus. No book must be read in a common school, wherein Idols be mentioned, that are instantly g Idem li. de spectacul. worshipped, ne affirmentur dum traduntur, lest they be avouched whilst they be taught. No spectacle of theirs must a Christian behold in a common Theatre; no habit of h Idem. li. de coron. milit .. Aesculapius Priests must be used, no not when a cock is dressed for private use. No picture of the Sun must be seen in a Christian man's shield l Hospin. de re templar. tractat. de imag. , quando deputatur ad Persas, the adorers of the sun. No Idolothite must be suffered in common or in private use, in which the m August. epist. 154. honour of the Idol is not defaced. To go no further than scripture itself. Is not the 2 Deut. 7.26. gold of the Image abominable, even in private use, when the Idol is countenanced by it? The 3 Deut. 27.15. Image accursed in a private place, when kept with honour? The Idols jewll 4 2. Mac. 12.40. hated of God, when secretly put underneath the garment? The Idols meat a partaking with Devils, even at a common 5 1. Cor. 10.28. table when it is known? Pray let me appeal even to our own practise: Did we not deal with many Crosses material at first, even out of the Church, as Diagoras dealt with Hercules when he put him to his thirteenth labour which was to boil his lentils? And the common use of crossing, especially our beds and other dead things, we use to condemn in the n Tertul. li. ad uxor. Beat. Rhenan. in lib. de coron. milit. Fathers themselves: which, why condemn we? it being ancient, it being civil, all while we press the baptism, cross, which being no ancienter and not so civil must needs be more unlawful? who can spit at the Temple frankincense (saith o Tertul. li. de Idololat one) when he seethe it on the altar, all while he hath frankincense in his seller at home? Or with what face can a man exorcise Satan in the Church, that in his own house hath wares for his service? But with more reason may I infer from allowance religious to that which is civil, not of wares that may be Idolatrous, and superstitious, after they are sold, but of Crosses that are already, how can we condemn Crosses at home, that exact crossing in the church? or with what face can we condemn papists for Crossing, who justify them with our own example? for we may reason as Augustine doth, speaking against the riot and excessive usage in his time, upon the holidays of Martyrs, p August. epist. 64. quis audet vetare privatim, quod cum frequentatur in sanctis locis, honour martyrum nominatur? who dareth forbid home crossing as execrable, which being used in the church, is held to be honourable before the Lord? But what if the Cross were lawful, absolutely in civil use? for in the second place we answer, the argument holdeth not from civil use to use religious, as our opposites think it doth. The Cross is lawful in coins, in banners, and princes balls, therefore in the Sacrament of our new birth? First, this reasoning is popish. For so they for their Images. an Image is lawful in a joh. Albinus in praefac. Vazq. de adorat. coin, therefore in the Church: and b Fevardent. in Iren li. 1. cap. 24. Beza himself setteth forth Images, virorum illustrinm, therefore saints, Images are lawful in the church, & if the c Vazq. de adorat. li. 2 disput. 6. cap. 3. Concil. Nicen. 2. Act. 1. p. 54 Step. Gardner. in epist. ad Ridleyum, etc. Images of an earthly prince may be worshipped, then why not the Images of saints aswell? The Lutherans thus reason also up and down. The d Aegidi. Hunius in Mat. 22. Iconomachis can endure well enough in their purses a Portugal Cruzado, in which there is the sign of the Cross with this word, in hoc signo vince, and are they not blind (then) in that they are not able to see the Crosses lawfulness in the church aswell? Secondly, the ground whereupon this reason standeth, yieldeth no other foundation than this, what is lawful in civil use, is lawful also in use religious. The contrary whereof (indeed) is true in honourable and helpful things themselves. For non e Walafrid. Strab. de reb. eccles. cap. 10. Durant. de rit. li 2. c. 9 tantum illicita prohibentur in Ecclesijs, verum etiam profana quaecunque, licet alibi legitime exerceantur. What more honourable than a f Council Mogunt. sub. Carol. mag ca 40 session for judgement? What more helpful to the service of God, than i Mat. 21.12. Oxen for sacrifice, and money to buy them? What more allied to the love and charity required in the service of God, than g Decret. p. 1. distinct. 42. cap. 4. a feast of charity? All which commendable in civil use, must yet forbear the tent itself, where religious use doth dwell. It is a golden saying of Augustine, and enroled in the canon itself, h August. epistol. 109. de regul. Monach. in oratorio praeter orandi, psallendique cultum, penitus nihil agatur, ut nomini huit, & opera iugiter impensa concordet. Hence thus we reason, is the Cross a thing mearely civil, then is it a sin to bring it into the Church, where ought to be nothing, in [state] religious but the parts of God's worship. when the jews told Caius Caligula, l Philo. de legate. ad Ca●um. sacrificamus provobis, he answered in choler, at non sacrisicatur nobis. Our Governors (then) being Godly, willbe contented, that in the Church we sacrifice for them, though we sacrifice not unto them: which we should do if to please them, we should defile the worship of God with these their ordinances under a colour of a civil obedience to them. Add to the former, that of Hierome, m Hieron. in Ezech. conument. li▪ 12. ca 43 who thinketh there is a post of man, set by God's post, when Civil things are mixed with sacred, ut nihil intersit inter sacrum & profanum. But the Cross is so nearly conjoined to Baptism, that who among the vulgar people discerneth between them that the one is holy (as the ordinance of God) the other a thing merely civil, as the ordinance of man? Chrisostome (last) thought it did derogate from the honour of God, to suffer an Image of the Empress Eudoxia, set up near unto the Church with stage plays celebrated to her honour after the heathenish and paganish manner: but we have more cause to stand than he, who are required by our Godly governors for their honour, not only to suffer near the Church, but also to bring into the Church, and into the service of the same, not an Image of their own (which we love) but an Image & an Idol of Antichrist himself, which, from our hearts we hate with execration. Thirdly therefore, if the Church bar her door against civil things, because not consecrate unto God, then much more against such things, as have been consecrate unto Idols, of which the sign of the Cross is one. See we not how the jews follow in war the Roman standard though an o Dion. li▪ 40 Herodian. lib. 4. Idol to the pagans, when yet they will rather choose to p joseph. Antiquit. li. 18. ca 5. die then see it brought into the Temple? and suffer the Roman Eagle stand upon Antonia, when they will not q Ibid li. 27 cap. 8. let it stand, no not on the temples porch? and use the image of i Mat. 22.20. Caius in coin, when Petronius is resisted from r joseph Antiquit. li. 18 cap. 15. Homil. ag. peril. of Idololat. p 2. setting it in the holy place?▪ From the Idol come we to the Idolothite; which is it as lawful within the Church as it is without it? No. Paul alloweth it in the shambles (we know) and then only, not in any use religious. And the Christians at s Theodor. histor. 3. cap. 15. Antioch, when julian had consecrate their victuals to Idols, used them only upon this ground, We neither fetch them from a Temple, nor bear them to any, but use them civilly to that use, for which God created them? Next what an Image? Do not we ourselves exile t Hermon. coufess. sect. 2.17. Pet. Martyr in 1. Reg. 7. Zanch▪ in operib▪ redemption▪ cap. 1●. thes. 2.3. Images from the Church, which we now at last approve in civil use? And plead we not the ancient▪ u Innocent. Gentillet. exam. Concil. tridentin. lib. 4. sess. 25. sect. 5. Hospin. dear templar. tit. de imag cap. 9 fol. 46. Calfh. ag. Mart. in praefat. fo. 6.8. art. 3. fol. 82. Christians brought no Images into the Church, when out of the Church they used them, and great w Hospin. ibid. fo. 47. Calfh. art. 2. &. 5. fol. 128. Constantine set no Crosses up in the Church, who set up many in other places? And what a sign added by man unto the signs of Gods appointing? We allow an altar on jordan-bankes in x D. Babing. upon the 2. commandem. use civil, which in use that is religious we do not approve, y Mat. Sutclin. de sum. pontisic. lib. 4▪ cap. 6. some of us at least; who cannot allow salomon's altar which he added in the temple by any warrant that is ordinarily out of the word. Last of all, what a ceremony, received from without? The new Calendar of Pope Gregory the 13. when at Augusta it was commanded, the z David. Chytreus in an. 15 84. ministers of the Gospel there thought fit to use it in mere civil matters, not in their feasts, not in their Churches, not in the exercises of Religion. To conclude, It is sinful to bear even a 3 Mark. 11.16. common vessel through the temple, what is it then, not to bear through but to bring in (I say) not into the Temple, but into Baptism, which is the holy of holies thereof, not a common vessel only by God unconsecrate, but even a vessel that is also unclean, I mean a Cross which is an Idol, an Idolothite, an Image forbidden, a sign human, a ceremony popish? And hide we ourselves under the pretence of an use civil, when we scorn a D. Bills. ag. the Apolog. p. 4. p. 348.355.358. papists that pretend a civil worship in templarie bowing, and when b Vazq. de adorat. lib. 2. disputat. 4. cap. 6. papists themselves will have no forbidden Images in modo & statu accommodato ad adorandum, though else where they may be used? #Sect. 39 The fift objection of the Opposites answered: which is, he is not worshipped in the sacrament, but is only an attendant upon the sacrament. THe fift and last defence of the Cross to keep it in possession, standeth on denial of this last point. His state in Baptism is not a state accommodatus ad adorandum, applied to worship, (say our Opposites) seeing there he was never made an Idol by the Papists. And seeing there (now) he is used by us, as an attendant upon the Sacrament, and not as any part thereof. First, this is the jesuits language up and down. When Images were unlawful in Israel (saith a Vazq. ibid. he) yet there were Cherubins and figures of Lions in the Temple lawfully, because being ornaments to other things they were not in statu accommodato ad adorandum. Where as the lip of truth speaketh otherwise, to wit, that if these figures and these Images had not been by God commanded b Tertul. de Idololat. see D. Bills. ag. Apolog. p. 4. p. 340. specially, they had been within the Church unlawful, which is now the Crosses guilt. Secondly, so God hateth the instruments of sin, as that although they be his own creatures (which the sign of the Cross is not) and uncapable of sin themselves, yet he disgraceth them from all use for ever after; from use honourable at the least, as we may see by that course which he took against the beast abused to murder; or to an other unnamed sin. As for the instrument of Idolatry may it be used where it hath not been abused? Gen. 9.5. Levit. 20.15.16. Deut. 7.26. no, if it hath been abused any where like the gold of the Idol in Moses law, it becometh an Anathema every where: in regard of civil use itself that is c john Wolph. & joh. Caluin in Deut. 7. honourable, much more (then) in every use that is religious, which cannot but d Decret. p. 1 distinct. 4●▪ cap▪ 5.6.7. be honourable. Thirdly, it is idly said, that the sign of the Cross hath not been made an Idol in Baptism, seeing no where else he hath been more abused. Where hath he a more lively signification of Christ jesus (for which the Papists do e Suar. in Tho. tom. 1. disput. 56. sect. 3. adore him.) Where hath he more power against the Devil, f Thom A. quin. p. 3. q 66. art. to ne impediat effectum Baptismi, in which consisteth a chief part of his Idolatry? Last of all, where doth he more sanctify? where is he more operative and effective? for thus one, g Hugo de s●nct. Victor de sacrament. lib. 2. p. 6. Signatur prime Baptizandus signaculo crucis in front, in pectore, in occulis, in auribus, in over, ut totius corporis sensus, hoc signaculo muniantur, cuius virtute omnia nostra sacramenta complentur; & omnia diaboli figmenta frustrantur. Let him that is to be baptised, be signed first with the sign of the Cross in the forehead, breast, eyes, ears, mouth, that the sense of the whole body may be fenced with this sign, by virtue whereof all our Sacraments are fully perfected, and all the illusions of the Devil are frustrated. Here at home in King Edward's Communion book, the Cross was ministered with these words: N. puer, recipe signum sanctaecrucis, tam in front quam in pectore: which Master h Bucer in censur. c. 12 Bucer (not without cause) censureth as Magical: which words yet differ not altogether from ours which yet are used. Howbeit, l Ibid. cap. 16. he censureth much more the consecrations of the Cross in Baptism; which are (indeed) mere Idolatrous profanations of this Sacrament, as may appear in one of them (for all the rest,) m Missal. in benedict. fon●●●. which runneth thus: Sumat haec aqua Maiestatis tuae Imperio, etc. By the commandment of thy Majesty, let this water take the grace of thine only beloved Son by the holy Ghost; who regenerating this water (fac crucem) prepared, let him make fertile by the secret admixtion of his light: that sanctification being conceived from the immaculate womb of the divine fountain, an heavenly progeny may arise out of it, borne again unto a new creature. Let this holy (fac crucem) and innocent creature, etc. Let it be a living fountain (fac crucem) Let it be a water regenerating (fac crucem) a wave purifying (fac crucem) etc. Wherefore I bless thee thou creature of water by the living God (fac crucem) by the true God (fac crucem) by the holy God (fac crucem) and here let the wax tapers be put into the water: then the Priest must say, Let there come down into the fullness of this Font the power of the holy Ghost, and let the Priest blow thrice into the font, saying, Let him impregnate the whole substance of this water with the effect of regenerating. All these things let the Priest do thrice, both with the candles, & with the words, etc. then let him go forward, & dip his right thumb into new Chrism, and let him sign the font with the wont form of the Cross, saying, In the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the holy Ghost. Let this Font be sanctified, etc. Shake we not, do not we tremble at these abuses of prayer, these profanations of God's name, these n Herman. Hamelman de tradit. p. 1. lib. 4. Col. 372. Gualther. in Act 19 Homil. 126. incantations of the element of this Sacrament, the Cross having a deep hand in them all? Fourthly, what if the Crosses Idolising made it not every where unlawful in use religious, and it were never in the Sacrament by the Papists made an Idol to this hour, so let our governors deal with us as they shall find, that the very appearing of it in Baptism through the show that it beareth of equal honour with the same before the simple, is such à modus accommodatus ad adorandum, as that is nurseth much Idolatry even from Dan unto Bersheba. Leave the people of divers places to themselves, and they put no such devotion in any thing else, as if they had made choice of the cross in worse sense, than o Antonin. histor. p. 3. ri●. ●3. cap. 7. Thomas Aquinas once chose the crucifix, when he said to it, Nothing but thee. Leave them not to themselves, but reprove them (as if their Crossing did them no good) and then take up that of justus p Iust. Lips. annot. lib. 3 de crew. cap. 5. judg. 18.24 Lipsius, if we err in the sign of the Cross, Quid tum de nobis fiet, what shall then become of us? Lastly, leave the Cross out of Baptism, and Michaes Hubbub is presently raised, If the Preachers take the Cross away from us, what will or can they leave us? In regard hereof who can with pity leave it amongst them? If any thing excuse jehosophat or Hezechias for suffering the Idolatrous Temples which Solomon built, it was because they were lost, forlorn: which josias raised, notwithstanding to prevent all inconvenience. This he did, because these sinks were of themselves scandalous (saith q Ric. Hook li. 5. ca 65. one) and could not choose but breed offente. But is the Temple of the Idol such, nay is a Temple forlorn so dangerous, and not an Idol himself that flourisheth in service of God? But our people are strong, and not likely to be infected. So are the people of the Papists no ways easily to be infected; no not by the worshipping of the Cross, if we believe them? r Durant. de rit lib. 1. cap. 5. sect. 11. Non est indicandum (say they) quod populus hody ulla annili religione imbui possit. In like manner is it, that our Opposites hody stand on the credit of this their [hody] forsooth they have caused the Gospel so to abound in the land by their Nonresidencies, and pluralities by their idle and their dumb ministery, as that hody, let the Devil himself be let lose amongst the people, he is not to be feared to do any hurt. But as there be monsters in the sea, which the seafaring man doth meet, though the Islander will not believe it: so the poor and vigilant Pastor meeteth in the country with many a monstrous abuse of the ceremonies, though the University (little experienced) or the palace (little troubled with such matters) do not apprehend them. As for the court, their reigneth s Tho. Aquin. p. 3. q. 25. art. ● in respon ad 3. Aquinas his error. The Cross is so base, as that there is no fear of Idolatry in it, which one well answereth: t Ric. Hook. ut supra. p. 165. The meaner or base a thing worshipped is in itself, the more the people incline to think, that every man who doth adore it, knoweth there is with it or in it a presence of divine power, Let it not be said (then) the Cross is a trifle, it can do no hurt, whole popish service is little else then a Mass of trifling ceremonies, which yet are highly esteemed of the people, through the mean above rehearsed, which if any thinketh is not to be found in the people of this land, he little considereth that the Papist is incomparable for his learning in the eyes of simple men, especially in the case of the Cross, wherein they imagine the state concurreth, and the policy of the whole Realm. But if the sign of the Cross be nothing, then why is it pressed as if it were all in all? Is it fit the messengers of God, and the ambassadors of jesus Christ should well near be deprived of the air, because they cannot break the air with one of their singers, 1. Cor. 9.27. for fear of stripping and beating the air which they are careful to decline? but this may suffice for the first sin of the ceremonies controversed, which is their Idolatry. The Superstition of the Cross. CHAP. II. The Cross is an Image flatly forbidden by the second Commandment. THe second is through Superstition, which is a Isidor. aetymolog. supra statutum. For whereas the second precept admitteth no ceremony into God's worship, which hath any b Chemnit. examine. part. 1. fol. 39 mixture of Superstition, or any c joh. Brent. in tractat. de Adiaphor. condition superstitious, or so much as the least d Zanch. in precept. 1. occasion that leadeth that way, the sign of the Cross will be found guilty of all these, to the breaking of the letter itself of this commandment. For what? is not the sign of the Cross an Image? First it hath been counted of old, greater than any other Image, Charles the e Carol. magn. lib. de imag. 2. cap. 28. great himself being withes, who throweth down Images below the Cross. To him may be annexed that Monk, who in the second Council of Nice was the deputy of the East; who when he saith, f Concil. Nicen. 2. Act. 4. Imagines meo judicio cum vener anda cruse aquivalent, Images in my judgement, are equal with the venerable Cross, plainly bewrayeth the Cross was of undoubted credit when Images were not, and then the g Michael Glyeas. Annal. p. 4 fol. 351. reporter of this Synod, who giveth the pre-eminence of the first place to the Cross, desinierunt venerandam erucem una enm religiosis imaginibus adorari debere. They have determined, the venerable cross aught to be worshipped with religious Images. h Concil. Nicen. 2. Act 6. Neither may we deprive the Cross aereal of this pre-eminence, which the Council of Nice maketh equal with the material, & which never yet came short of any priulledge worth our worship, it being dedicated in l Rhem. Annotat. in Luk. 24 sect. 5. Christ his death; as well as any other Cross; & being as decent a memorial of it, as any other whatsoever. Secondly, hereby it appeareth, the cross is greater than any other Images are, because it always representing Christ jesus dying, it doth always set him as adorable before us: Whereas other figures and Images do not m sylvest summam in verb. imag. represent him dying. Yea, such a gallant is the Cross, that if a n Vazq. de adorat. li. 3 disput. 2. cap. 6. spear be but set hear him, though he were not before regarded, yet now presently he becometh a representator of Christ's death worthy to be adored and worshipped. Thirdly, it is the Cross that doth bless all other o Hospin. de re templar. lib. 4. Images: and it is without controversy that the less is bsessed by the greater. It is the Cross also that brought in the Image. First there was the p Guil. Perk problem. fig. crew. Cross simple, than the q Concil. Constan●inopl. 6. Council added the Image of a man unto it, which now is the crucifix: and there is no question, but the mother is always greater than the daughter. #Sect. 2. The Cross is directly an Image. But what if the Cross were not greater than other Images? An Image it is, in use religious, of man's devising, therefore a sinner against this holy law of God. In deed no difference in popish a Suar. tom. 1. in Thodisput. 56. sect. 1. schools, between Cross and Crucifix, the one must be adored aswell as the other and the very Cross itself simply, is as the similitude b Ibid sect. 2 of a man stretched forth and crucified, and so by consequent a figure of Christ, though no image be upon it? Be it, an Image strictly taken must bear the shape and similitude of the same c Tho. Aquin. in. epist. ad Colosens. ca 1. lect. 4 species. I trow there is none that will deny but in larger sense the calf of the Israelits was an d D. Bills. ag. Apolog. p. 4. p. 325. Image of God? The Ibis, Hyaena, e Caelius Rhodigin. Antiquar. lection. li 9 ca 5. and the Dog of Egypt were true Images of their false Gods, though they bore not the like figure and shape of kind. These beasts were the arms & the cognisences of the men when they were alive whom they represent. Therefore now they bear a kind of similitude of them, though no similitude of their kind, which kind of likeness and similitude in an Image largely taken, doth suffice. Else could not a f Vazq. d● adorat. li. 3 disput. 2. cap. 6. manger, a crown a thorn, a spear be Images of the Lord Christ, as now they are defined to be. Indeed, it is representation that is the essence of that Image which this commandment doth include, to which concordeth the very popish definition, g Idem. li. 2 disputat. 8. cap. 7. Imago nihil aliud est quam figura quadam cum relatione ad exemplar. An Image is nothing else then a certain figure, having relation to the example. h Idem. li. 2 disputat. 9 cap. 3. Suar. disputar. 54. sect. 7. Apoc. 9.20. Rom. 1.21. Imagines nihil aliud quam picturae quaedam cum relatione representationis, Images are nothing else then certain pictures with relation of representation: so that the Cross as long as he resembleth Christ, he must be needs an Image of him and of his death. And seeing his death is represented, mediately by the Cross, on which he died, it must be an Image of it likewise. Which, is it not the l Whitak. count Dureum. lib. 10. p. 269. greatest Devil amongst all the Idols of Rome, against which the Turk is loosed by God himself? For this Cross though more base than the worm himself of Egypt, which the Apostle maketh the basest, hath nevertheless attained to the honour of the most high, to wit, to m Tho. Aquin. p. 3. q. 25. art. 3. Gregor. de valent to●● 3. de Idololat. punct. 6. Bellar. de imag. c. 23. Dent. 21.23 Gal. 3.13. latria, wherewith God himself is honoured, and that by means that are more mean than ever any Idol had. It pleased the Lord to die on a cross, an accursed tree, to show that he did bear our curse. This saith the Cross hath made me blessed, and worthy ever to be honoured. A senseless sophistry: yet so plausible, as that it hath prevailed with many in most places of the earth. The n August. ●ont. Fanst. Maniche. li. 20. c. 1●. Manichees for the trees sake on which Christ died, honoured all trees: testifying their reverence towards them by forbearing to touch their fruit. As for Crosses artificial, there were who adored them in * Euthym. Panopl. Armenia, for which they were termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These Rome follow to this day, whose children do adore the Cross, because an instrument of Christ's death, as certain o Epiphan. ha●es. 38. heretics honoured judas for the very same cause. Now it being the duty of the Governor, p Leo. epist. 55. scandala etiam in longinquum nata ut resecet multo magis ea quae sub oculis surgunt, non sinat acorescere. How can he bring the living Image of so great a Beelzebub etiam ipso Idolo vivo into God's service and be innocent, especially considering that his Image cannot be there, but he himself must be there likewise? q Turrian● pro canon. Apostol. li. 1. ca 25. siquidem inseparabilis est à prototypo effigies eius. Again, r Tho. Waldens. de facrament. cap. 156. numero. 6. Qui videt imaginem alicuius, videt eum cuius est imago. s Turrian. d● character. dogmatie. lib. 3. Imago pars est Archetypi. t Euthym. penopl. par. 2. tit. 19 Imago nullum habet personam per se, sed subsistit in prototypo. u Vazq. de adorat. li. 2. disput. ●. ●●. 14. Prototypon est vita Imaginis, sicut anima est corporis, to which there answereth diverse like speeches which the w S●●r. tom. 1. in Thom. disput. 54. sect. 7● jesuits cite out of the Fathers. And there is another matter besides this matter which the sign of the Cross resembleth, to wit, the bad and disordered manner of resembling. This first of all is undecent and absurd. For although there be more natural aptness in the figure of the Cross to resemble the death of Christ, then in many other things, yet in regard of moral aptness, it is true that x Brent. in consed Wittenber. cap. vlt. Brentius saith. A circle representeth Christ's death aswell as a Cross; and what Peter Viret said: A Cow is as good a sign of it, as is this sign. Do not the Papists y Fevardent dialog. 5. scorn at Brentius and at Viret, when they charge them with this absurdity? but there be in the world who pretend communion with these men, who fight notwithstanding for this Cowish and cirole-like sign which they condemned. Secondly, the manner of the Crosses resembling is doubtful, if not double, & untrue. Is it not an unworthy thing, our church should reach forth the hand to save a tradition flouting in the main of z Chemnit. examine. p. 1. tit. de tra dit ●ol. 84. ambiguity? But now it is doubtful, whither our fashion of the Cross be the true one or no? with five a Irenae li. 2. cap 42. August. tom. 10. homil. 3. extremities (the board being reckoned for one, which was in the middle for the crucified to rest his feet) yet because there were many forms of Crosses then, as there be of Gibbets now, the true Cross lieth in the dungeon of uncertainty, by the providence of the Lord, who would have brought it unto light, if he had meant to bring it to the honour to which we have advanced it. See what b justus Lypsius in Cornel. Tacit. li. 16 &. de cruc. li. 1. ca 8.9 Bellar. de Imag ca 27 Durant. de rit. lib. 1. cap. 6. sect. 11. doubts and what varieties of conjectures the Papists themselves use to propose about this matter. Let the c justus Lypsius quo supra. authorities of Hierome, Damascen, and of Isidore be considered, who make the Roman X the Cross which is crux decussata. An Andrew's Cross which also appearing on a time to Constantine, begot an opinion that the Cross appeared unto him. This form of the Cross receiveth great credit from justinus Martyr: who apply certain words of Plato to be spoken of Christ's his death upon a Cross of this decussate form, for so the latest and d Sixt. Senens. bibliothec. li. 3. pag. 145. jacob Pammel. in Tertul. Apolog. greatest jesuits understand him. What shall be said to them; e Iust. Lypfius in annotat. ad lib. 3. de cruc. ca 5. who make the Cross and jugum one? which by likelihood differed not much from the form of the gallows which we now use. f Minut. Faelix. in Octan. Minutius Falix compareth the Cross to a common ingum of an husbandman. Cùm erigitur jugum crucis signum est. Which g Just Lypsius de cruc. lib. 3. cap. 5. Plutarch describeth in his Furca to be an ox yoke with a transuerse bar at top. Last of all, the Roman Y. which hath this transuerse bar removed, doth bear some beam, because it is the right l Idem lib. 3. cap. 3. Furca, which many think to be one with the cross, to which m Minut. Faelix. ut supra. Minutius and n August. de civit dei li. 10. ca 8. Augustine seem to come near: the first resembling the form of the Cross manibus precantis porrectis, the other manibus Moysis inter precandum extensis, which make a fork and the top of a Roman Y. Is it not o M. Calsh. ag. Mart. art. 2. said that Cardinal Poole in his new Lambeth Gallery did set up the letter Y. which is the arms of the archbishopric for a token of the Cross? There being so great diversity, and from hence so great doubtfulness, were it not to be wished all were of our p D. Fulke ag. Saund. of images cap. 13. pa. 664. Andr. Willet de cruc. art. 2. argument. 2. writers minds, who by reason of these uncertainties think the Cross a sign unworthy? The doctrine of our Church is, q Homil. ag. peril. of Idolat. D. Bilf. part. 4. pag. 329. & 335. contra Apolog. There is a lie made when there is made any Image of Christ, because his visage is unknown: so than the fashion of the Cross being as much unknown unto us we commit a lie in crossing. The Gnostickes would have no Images of Christ, but such as they were persuaded were drawn in pilate's time, hence r Caish. ag. Mart. art. 10. fol. 182. one of our writers twiteth the Papists, that whereas Irenaus called it heresy to carry about the true Image of Christ, yet they will worship a false Cross. #Sect. 3. The Opposites saying, the second Commandment forbiddeth only material Images, are confuted. The Cross now used is not simply aereal. NO great colour can our opposites find, to clear the cross from these imputations: but that which they are able to get, that they varnish with all the industry and skill that may be. The first sort of them sing the old ludden: It is the material Image that this commandment doth forbid, of such an aerial figure as this, it taketh no knowledge, alas, what is it but the wagging of a finger? First, we insist upon the letter of this Commandment temunah, signifieth any similitude whatsoever. As for Pesell though it be properly an Image material that is hewn, yet by a a D Fulke ag Gregor. Martin ca 3. sect. 20. synecdoche it doth stand for all other forms & figures. Secondly, we stand upon the intent of this Commandment, which is to forbid all man's invention in the worship of God, Whereupon it becometh unlawful, not only to adore, but also to b D. Fulke rejoined. are. 3. fol. 162. D. Bills. ag. Apolog. p 4. p. 340. 3●2. make any similitude in the service of God; any similitude (I say) of any sort or kind whatsoever, for so our c Homil. ag. peril. of Idolat p. 1 Homily biddeth me speak. Thirdly, we build upon the nature of an Image, whose essence is to represent that which an aereal sign can do aswell as any, as the aereal smoke of air the pillar of fire that was aereal, the aereal image of Endor show, and the aereal e Trelcat. transcunt actions of breaking, pouring, giving, taking, which are Symbolical in the Supper. When f Concil. Nicen. 2. Act. 1. Chrysostome is alleged, d Tho. Aquin p. 3. q 25. art. 4. Ego ex Cera fusilem picturam pietate plenam amavi: and when the little shrines of Diana, which g Baeza in Act 19 Demetrius made are condemned, and the Images of Basilides although but little as which were borne about in the bosom, the matter permanent is not respected, or the form how little or how great it is, so it be a form at all? and as little & aereal as the sign of the Cross is, Master Hooker matcheth it with the brazen serpent's picture, h Ric. Hook li 5. ca 65. Caesar. Baron Annal. in an. 120. which he thinketh might have been lawful in the Temple. Whereas it is certain that not only every picture of an Idol is unlawful (by this Commandment) in God's service, but also quicquid Papistae rapiunt ad sacrum impietatum picturam & commendationem: whatsoever the Papists snatch to the painting & commendation of their impieties. Howbeit we lean not upon Master Hooker, mortivicina Paula, crucis signum m Hieron. epist. 27. cap. 13. pingebat in labijs. Ad omnem incessum manus n Idem epist 22. add Eustoch. cap 16. pingat crucem, Paula near to death, painted the sign of the Cross in her lips. At every putting to of the hand let her make a Cross. diverse like testimonies might be brought out of the Fathers, that this sign is not so aereal, but that it may be termed a picture which is an Image in all plain sight. For q Epipha. epist ad Ioh Hierosolimit. Epiphanius calleth the picture of Anablatha, an an Image. Eusebius the r Euseb histor lib. 7. cap. 14. pictures of Paul and of Christ, the Images of them. And what the Council of s Concil. Elibertin. can. 36. Eliberis decreeth against pictures in the Church, what t August. de morib. eccles. count Manich. cap. 34. Augustine speaketh against the adoring of pictures in walls, that do we apply against Images as well we may, none making any difference between them, but the Greek, and perchance the Lutheran Churches, which are condemned on all sides. Neither doth the aerinesse of the Cross hinder but that it is amongst the pictures of largest sense, which this Commandment doth condemn. Especially seeing in ancient times the picture aereal and material were yoked together as if they were one. Pingamus in lanuijs, atque in frontibus vivisicum signum (saith u Ephreem. de. penitent. cap. 3. one) Sanctus Hilarion (saith w Severus sulpit. Carol Sigon. de occidental. imper. li. 7. an. 365. another) pinxit in Sabulo tria signa crucis. Saint Hilarion painted in the sand three signs of the Cross, and thereby stayed the inundation of the sea. Now I would feign know what difference between a Cross pictured in the sand, and a Cross pictured in the child's forehead? hath not the one as lively colours as the other? what if it had not? Nos non in coloribus & tabulis honorem constituimus, We put not honour in colours and in tables (saith x Concil. Nicen. 2. Act. 2. the Idolater). Again, Non colorum naturam adoro; ab sit sad inanimatan Characterem Christi, I worship not the natures of colours. God y Ibid. act. 4 forbidden, but the liveles Character of Christ. Fourthly, we plead proportion, for as every figurative Idol is forbidden in the first Commandment (as hath been showed) so every figurative Image here in the service of God. z Decret. p. ●. de consecret. distinct. 3. cap. 13. The Canon law holdeth a Sunday, an Image of the day wherein Christ rose, allow such a largeness of sense, & is not the Cross an Image? a Decret. p. 3 de poenirent. distinct. 2. cap. 35. The mind that is sanctified is an a Image of God, and is not a mind defiled then with fancies, an Image of that which doth defile it? This I speak because the cross worketh Images in the soul, which are unlawful by the Commandment: and we know, Quicquid efficit tale illud ipsum est magis tale, whatsoever maketh such, is itself, much more such. The Cross helpeth the inward imagination (saith Master Hooker.) This imagination apprehendeth an Image of the thing conceived (saith the b Suar. tom. 1. in Tho. disput. 54. sect. 1. Rodolph. Goclenius metaphy. sic. disput. 4 Philosopher.) This Image conceived is a true Image (saith the c Decret. p. 1 distinct. 6. cap. 1. Lawyer.) When this Image is received from the apprehension of an outward Image (which the Lord hath not commanded) it is an Image Idolatrous, saith the d August de vera. religion. c●. 38 Divine, to which our e D. Bills. ag. Apolog. p. 1. p. 30. Opposites themselves consent. If the inward Image which is no way sensible which the Cross begetteth be an Image which is unlawful by this Commandment, than the outward sensible similitude which begetteth it, must be an Image much more unlawful, be it never so little a one; be it but a fingers wagging. For even 1 Pro. 6.10. ver. 13. sloth though never so [little] is without excuse, as also the inordinate wagging of the 2 Isa. 58.9. finger, though never so transeunt, it being our finger's duty to be a weapon 3 Rom. 6.13. unto righteousness; which how can it be, alwhile it is in pay with an Idol, doth such an hand 4 Isa. 33.15. shake itself from that which is evil, as it is enjoined to do. #Sect. 4. The Opposites saying our Cross is no Image, because they intent no expression, are confuted. NO want (then) of matter in the aereal sign of the Cross, but it may be an Image well. Now to the want of form objected. Our Cross (say our Opposites) is no Image, because our Church doth not intend any [expression] which must be warily understood. If this be the meaning: our Church meaneth not in making the Cross, to draw it from the Cross of Christ, though by the a Sam. Harsnet. in declarat. of Weston. impostor. cap. 20. doctrine of our Opposites, the Cross is naturally such an expression, yet we stand rather upon this, that such expression is not needful. The Image which the Archbishop of Mentz set up in his Church, was an Image of the blessed b Thom. Morescin. in verb. representa. Virgin, though the figure was drawn and expressed from the face of a certain harlot which he kept, and not from her own countenance. If this be the meaning, [our Church intendeth not in making the Cross to make an Image] then we reply two ways. First, our Church intendeth in crossing, that which is proper to that Image, which this Commandment doth forbid. For we use it to teach by resemblance outward; and to admonish by striking the senses, which is proper to an Image largely taken, by the letter of the word. Thou heardest a voice, thou sawest no Image, As who should say, cleave to his voice. What is added in the Church without his warrant, that esteem to be an Image which he detesteth, and abhorreth. And this have some of our Opposites taught us out of Abbacuck, who reproveth the Idol (as they conceive) not only for teaching ill, but also for teaching at all, because God alloweth no teacher but himself, c D. Babing. in precept. 2. pag. 95. D. Bills. nor mean of teaching, but his holy word and Sacrament. As for these Sacraments, they are d Pet. Lombard. lih. 4. distinct. 1. Tho. Aquin. p. 3. q. 83. art. 1 joh. Iewd● Apolog. Angl. p. 37 Harmon. confess. ti●. de Sacram. in confess. Anglie. D. Bills. ag. Apolop. p. 4. p. 594 Images in the eyes of all the learned, and were unlawful by this Commandment, like this teacher of ours (the Cross) had not God himself ordained them. Secondly, we use the Cross to signify and represent, which is an office proper to an Image even by our own confession, who hold an Image & a sign to be equivalent, even as (in deed) in largnes of sense they are but one. Whereas Theodosius and e D Fulk against Sand. de imagine. c. 7. p. 695 Valentinian removed quodcunque signum Salvatoris, we use to allege it against the Cross, and all other unlawful Images. The Heathen said of their Images, f August. in psal. 113. Contion. 2 eius signum intueor quem adoro. And yet we condemn them amongst the Images here forbidden. The brazen serpent was like the cross, a sign and a figure of Christ, yet we g joh. jewel Apol. 14. Divi. 3. D. Fulke ut supra. joh Rèyn. de Idolola. li. 1. ca 2. sect. 2. allege the breaking of him for the abolishing of popish Images out of the Church. But it may be that our Opposites will deny, that they intend any such teaching, any such signifying, of Christ's death by any relation to the Cross on which he died. This if they do, then what should I say, but that it is a thing impossible (as it is in the ancient Apologue) to make a coat for the Moon. Mr Hooker and the rest hitherto; the modern Canon that is in force, many of our present Governors, do not only allow that our Cross should be a signifier and a teacher, but also commend him for his teaching and for his signifying. If there be any that since and so suddenly change like the Moon, it is time they take home to themselves that accusation of newfangledness wherewith they have so long defamed us. Was it ever heard before that the Cross was ever used without relation to Christ's cross, without signification of his death? Our Cross is the Father's Cross (we say) but little sign. For which of the Fathers ever used it not to this end? to wit, they call it h Basil de spir. sanct. salutiferae Crucis signaculum. l Hieron. Epist. ad Laetam. 7 c 2. Patibuli salutaris picturam. m August. sermo. de sanct. 19 Victoriosae Crucis insignitam memoriam. And that which is most common amongst them, n Theodor. hist. lib. 4. cap. 22. Divinae Crucis signum. And o Euseb, de vita Constant. lib. 2 ca 4. & li. 3. cap. 2. salutaris Christi passionis nota ad insignem. They think the Devils run away from it, because they see in it p Theodor-histor. lib. 3 cap. 3. Tripar. histor. lib. 6. cap. 1. Trophaei dominici figuram, and so remember the overthrow given them on the Cross. q Zozomen. lib. 1. ca 8. Constantine, or the rest of the Fathers, would they have thought it an honour to the cross of Christ, to take the death of the Cross away that no malefactor might be honoured with the death which Christ once died; had they not used it as a sign and representation of his death, and of the Cross whereon he died? unless it be for this relation, how can these r Augu. ser. deverb. Domin. 18. Homil. in johan. 36. & in psal. 36. conci. 2 speeches stand? Alocis suppliciorum fecit transitum ad frontes imperatorum, qui tantum honorem dedit poenis suis. Quid servat fidelibus suis. Quid servat fideli suo, qui talem honorem dedit supplicio suo? But this testimony putteth all out of doubt, s justus Origelitan. in Cantie. signum Crucis praenotamus in front. Ex sua enim Cruce Christus crucis signum in frontibus omnes in se credentes, edocuit. Secondly, what though our Church did not intend in the sign of the Cross that is proper to an Image, were this any thing, all while naturally it is an Image? all while the Papists repute it so? and it is such in common use? For we have this confession from the mouth even of an adversary t Rye. Hook li. 5. ca 65. himself, that things must be judged as they run in common use, and not as they are done in the special construction of some men's wits and understandings. Now in proper use that the sign of the Cross is a sign of Christ's Cross and of his death, this doth witness▪ before he died it was ever u Guilihel. Alan. de sacram. li. 1. art. 2. execrable, since his death from the time that it hath been used, it hath been ever honourable. As for the Papist, his school doctrine runneth thus? The material Cross is potissima imago Crucis: the aereal veluti successiva w Suar. tom. 1. in Tho. Imago Crucis. And in his contention against us, he objecteth that the Crosses of our Banners themselves, are x Bellar. de imag. c. 12. Nichol. Saund. de imag ca 7. Images, although they are only in Civil use and not in use religious. As for the common use of the people, must they be enthralled now at last to a private intention of the Minister, which all our writers have so long ago disclaimed in other things for y jewel art. aga. Hard. 1. divis. 12 A dungeon of untertaintie? No, the very use of the Cross in Baptism, giveth warrant sufficient to think an intendment to signify Christ jesus crucified, and the profession of him. For example. The very a Vazq. de adorat. li. 3 disput. 2. cap. 6. painting, yea setting of a spear and a thorn in the Church near a Cross, is sufficient to make them representators; which other spears and thorns are not, which stand or grow without the Church. So, though there be nothing to enforce an intendment in civil Crosses, yet the very making of a Cross in a Sacrament, (the sign of the covenant) is sufficient to make it a signifier. To dip one into a river abroad, argueth no intention to baptise, but in the Church, a Bellar. de sactam. in gener. cap. 21. cognoscitur ex ipsa actione, there is an intendment, So when a Carpenter layeth a cross beam in an house, or a Weaver a cross thread in a cloth, he argueth no intention in him to signify the death of Christ; whereas a minister in baptism [ex ipsa actione signandi] bewrayeth sufficiently in the common estimate of all the the world, that he intendeth so much. #Sect. 5. The opinion confuted, which not able to deny the Cross to be an Image, affirm Images to be lawful in case the Magistrate command them, etc. And the aereal Cross is worst of all Images. THe most learned of our Opposites, perceiving how vain a cavil it is to deny the sign of the Cross to be an Image, strike up the forehead and grow bold to affirm that Images are lawfully enough in the Church in case the magistrate should command them. This, should it not add comfort to our souls, as it addeth credit to our cause? Stand we against trifles, who stand against Papisme & Lutheranisme too? Or stand we alone who have all on our side that from the beginning ever stood out, for the purity of Gods; worship & the holiness of his house? We have with us the religious a joseph. Antiquit. lib. 17. cap. 8. & lib. 18. ca 4. & 15. & contra Appion. lib. 1. jews, that to die would never so much as receive an Image into the Temple, though they were not bound to worship it. We have the religious Christians of the primitive Church; for whom when Adrian goeth about to build churches, he is told he must build them b Aelius. Lamprid. in vita 30. Tyrannorum. without all Images. We have the religious c Concil. Elibertin. Can. 36. Concills of Eliberis & Constantinople the 7. which condemned not only the worshipping but also d Sygebert. in Anno. 755. suffering of any Images in the Church. We have the famous Emperors of Greece, who stood not only against the worshipping of Images, but also against the e Genebrard in Anno 796. Doct. Bills. ag. Apollog p. 4. p. 316. having of them in the Church. We have the Fathers; among whom f Tertul. lib. de coron. milit. Tertullian writeth, against the Images themselves, not only against the adoring of them. And g Epiphan. in epist. ad joh. serosol Epiphanius teareth with his own hands, a picture found in the Church of Anablata, although it were not worshipped. We have the ancient h Conrade. Lutzen. burg. in Catalogue. Heretic. in verb. Waldens'. Waldenses, who not only condemned the worshipping of Images, but also razed the Images themselves, and removed the Oil and the Priestly garments out of all religious houses. We have the ancient l Ibid. in verb. Orphani. & joh Zisca●. Thaborites in Boheme, who under Zisca pulled down Images, and utterly defaced them: and when they lighted upon any of the popish consecrated Oil, they greaced their shoes with it. We have the m Harmon. Confess. sect. 2. ex Heluetic. posterior. & Suevica. Confessions of the Protestant churches, against all having of Images in churches. We have the confessions even of many n Vazq. de adorat. lib. 2. disput. 4. cap. 2. papists themselves, that the very having of Images in the church is flatly forbidden in the second commandment to the jews, & not their adoring only. We have the confession, even of many of our o D. Babing. on the 2. Commandem. D. Bills. ag. Apolog. p. 4. p. 316 318.319.354. Opposites, who as, they writ against papists, that the adoring of Images, so against Lutherans, that the very having of them (in use religious) is unlawful by this law. We have the Protestants that have written of this argument; of whom, who is there p joh Caluin. Institut. lib. 1. cap. 11. Pet. Marty● class. 2. cap. 5. Zanch. de. Imag. thes. 3. josias Simler. in precept. 2. D. Fulke ag. Gregor. Mattyn cap. 3. sect. 20. cum reliquis. almost that hath written, whom we have not? Last of all (which may close up all) we have on ourside our own q Homil. ag. peril. of Idolat. p. 1. p. 29.27.28.32. law made by act of Parliament: which affirmeth that every similitude in the Church and in use religious, is a mere Idol, although it be not worshipped. And what can be here replied? that this is meant of those Images only that be dangerous? but the Homily and the rest of our witnesses do therefore condemneall Images in the Church, because in the Church they cannot but be dangerous. They condemn them also because they are r Pet. Martyr ut supra sect. 24. Idolothites, which they hold to be unlawful in the Church. They condemn them moreover, because this commandment forbiddeth not only the worshipping of Images, but also the very making of them for use religious. Where our s Homil ut supra p 3. p. 94 & 46 Homily presseth out of john [Babes, keep yourselves from Idols] which is interpreteth out of Tertullian, he saith not keep yourselves from Idolatry, as it were from the service and worshipping of them, but from the Images & Idols themselves, that is, from the very shape and likeness of them. Lastly, they condemn them because their place in the Church is t Homil. ibid. & josias Simler. in precept. 2. honourable whereby they give countenance to popish Images, that are elsewhere adored. Now the burden of all these reason's light upon the aereal Cross, which in some respects is worse than the material permanent Image of the Lutherans. First, we u Pet. Martyr loc. common. Class. 2. c. 5. sect. 26 hold the Image of Christ more dangerous than any other, because of the excellency of his person, therefore the aereal Cross is worse than another Image, because of the opinion which is had of the excellency of Christ's Cross which it doth represent. Secondly, the lutheran Image is only a looker on, having no such state among religious actions as the Cross aereal hath, which if it were nothing, then would not D. w D Fulke ag. Gregor Mart. ca 3. sect. 20. Fulk hereby excuse the cross that stood once in the Chapel of Q. Eliza. in that it had no use religious there. Thirdly, The Lutheran Image is [ x Vazq. de adorat. li. 2 disput. 5. cap. 1. ad solum ornatum] and he standeth not solely many times, but in history, whereas the cross is used solemnly in baptism, as a sign ministered apart by itself, with a word annexed to the element, which is that placing it y joh. Caluin. Institut. lib. 1. cap. 11. in sublimi, which in this matter is most vicious. But the Lutheran Image moveth more. This is that which a Alphons. Tostat. abulens. in Deut. ca 4. qu. 5. Tostatus wrote long since, A Picture is more tolerable in the church than a gravon or carved statue, because corpulentiam nullam gerent minus est motiva, nec ita simplices decipi possunt: which though (caeteris paribus) it may be true, yet here it faileth, because the intelligible & comtemplative credit (which the sign of the cross hath gotten) striketh deeper, than the sensible corpulency of a common image, and more deceiveth more sorts of men. I remember Bellarmine elsewhere proveth, that Images have been taken for the persons represented, because birds flew to Zeuxes grapes which he had painted taking them for grapes in deed. If there be any men that follow their sense like birds and beasts (as he insinuateth) they no doubt would be more moved with the corpulency of an Image. as for others who are wise, they are led by contemplation of the power and of the virtue which is conceived to be in the aereal Cross, witness these words: b Concil. Nicen. 2. Act. 2. pag. 68 Qui imaginem adspicit non ex pictura & colorum tinctura similitudinem accipit, sed ad contemplationem primi exemplaris animum reducit. and he regardeth not the quantity, or the corpulency of that he seethe, as in the Lord's supper he is moved as much with a little, as with a great loaf: even as c Hilar. decret. tom. 3 concilior. p. 285. Non est quantitas visibilis in hoc astimanda my sterio, sed virtus sacramenti spiritualis. Howsoever it is better for us to walk in the royal way of this Law, and so avoid all Images, then to ramble in the wandering paths which have distracted the commoderators of all times, some of whom will have pictures but no images. d Petrus Altiac. de reformat, Eccl. ca 3. some images, but not so many, some have no e Gregor. Cassand. consultat. art. 21. images but the Cross, which is now our Church's sin. So is the Cross proved an image; and because an Image not to be tolerated in the service of God. #Sect. 6. The aereal Cross is a new sign directly against the entendment and rule of God's worship. The danger of retaining old popish Ceremonies. FRom the letter of the law, come we to the intendment of it, which is the authorizing of the word to be the rule of all God's worship, which is wronged by all new devised signs, and by rites popish more ways than one. First, They hinder teaching, learning, and keeping of it. For whereas the word doth now teach clearly the Cross (with the rest) overcast (as it were) with a vail the brightness of it, witness the whole a Harmon. confess. sec. 17. in Wittenburg. confess. fol. 229. Church which saith: that a light in the day time to signify the Gospel's light and a Cross to show Christ's victory by his crucifying, maketh the doctrine far more dark than if the word did shine by itself without them. And it is confessed the popish ceremonies were as b Ric. Honk lib. 5. ca 65 leaves that did shadow the fruits of Baptism, whereas it is known that the Cross amongst the rest is a vine leaf of c Plin. natural. histor. lib. 16. cap. 21. Memphis more hurtful than any, for that beside it casteth more shadow, itself is never cast nor fadeth no not when others not only are faded but also fallen, and that deservedly. For umbra legis evanuit even in the judgement of a d Innocen. 3 decret. Gregor. lib. 3. tit. 47. ca 1 Pope; in the judgement of Protestants so vanished also, as that no e Homil. for Whitsunday. p. 2. Andrew Willet controuer. 2. q. 4. p. 2. shadow of any shadowing rites and ceremonies ought now to remain. For whereas it is unfit as f Euseb. hist li. 4. ca 22. Pynitus wrote of old, that the Church should still immorari lacteis sermonibus et in puerili institutione consenescere, the Cross and other popish ceremonies teach still with a fescue as the jews were anciently taught, & g Laurence Saunder in Act. & monument. p. 1494. keep the Church in her infancy and weakness still. Upon this and the like reasons, when in the Latheran council new rites were thought on, rather cut off from the old (said h Catalogue. testium veritatis. fo. 7 johannes Sarisburiensis) that God's word may be kept the better. A fit counsel for this time, when scarce any thingh else is thought on, than the pillering up of ceremonies: which if they were cut of & gone, the word of God would flourish more and be far better kept. Secondly, the substance itself of doctrine standeth in danger of the Cross and popish ceremonies not well purged forth: what first impeached the Gospel's purity in the whole Church but a delight which the Fathers had in heaping up l Pet. Cantor. in verb. Ab breviat. catalogue. testium. fo. 387 Theodor. Beza in respon ad Franc. Balduin. Phil. Mornaeus de Eucharist. lib. 2. cap. 1. ceremonies? what first deformed the faith of this land, but the rabblement of Roman rites, which m Balaeus in histor. Augustin. Augustine the Monk brought in; amongst which the Cross was chief? What hath lamed the Luteran profession (lastly) with inclination unto popery, and with a vehement smatch thereof, but popish ceremonies retained in their Church? When Charles the 5. would have obtruded upon the Churches that were reform, the ceremonies which they had left: these counterblastes were heard against him. The old popish ceremonies annexed to the doctrine of the Gospel, are an old n Confess. Theolog. Saxon. aedit an. 1560 ragged clout patched to a new garment. They are (as it were) an o Conrade. Schluselbu. tom. 13. in praefat. Incrustation both unlawful and unseemly. The retaining of them is the p Apud eundem. ibid. fol. 412. libel. supplicator. Theolog. German. an. 1561. p. 587. sweeping of the house for the ill spirit to re-enter. yea, the opening of a window to a confusion samaritical of the religion itself in the end. Indeed many ways do the ceremonies that have been popish, hurt the faith. First they are of themselves q Bellar. de offered. Sacrament. cap. 31. Gal. 5.9. Cortices religionis. so that, as good ceremonies spread the sap of true doctrine, in like manner ceremonies popish diffuse the verdure and the juice of superstition. Great advantage getteth Satan in this business by our security, which holdeth them for trifles: little considering that a little leaven is quickly able to infect an whole lump. that r Andr. Fris. parvus error in initio, fit maguns in fine, as one spoke once of popish errors. And that which our Saxon s Confess. Theolog. Saxon. ut supra. brethren alleged against the trifles of the Adiaphorisme, ex parvis sape magnarum momenta rerum pendent. and negligenda non sunt parva initia, ex quibus paulatim postea maiores fiunt accessiones. Secondly, The establishing of popish ceremonies is oftentimes [Commenium politicum] to draw in the whole body itself: that which the Preachers of t Hamburgens. in epistol ad. Philipp. Melaut●●on Hamberough saw when against the popish mixtures of the Interim, they thus protested: sunt ista Adiaphora nihil aliud quam semina Corruptela, & nervi papisticae superstitionis, & Cuniculi per quos adversarij in nostras Ecclesias irrepere conantur, ut eas à fundamento evertant. The same saw (likewise) the Preachers of u Confess. Tholog. Saxon. aedit An. 1560. Saxony, Satan non contentus uno vulnere, longam texit telam, & ab his parvis initijs Ceremoniarum progressus, facit ad Corruptelas doctrinae. Thirdly, The establishing of popish ceremonies after the Gospel a long time preached, carrieth a show of inclination to popery, and of commoderation with it. By the first of which an hope is raised of restoring again the doctrine itself. By the latter an opinion engendered, the doctrine itself is not so ill. So that the censure here hath place, which once was levied against the ceremonies retained in Germany, w Conrade. Schluselburg. tom. 13 in epist. dedicatoris rerum illarum externarum conformatio, hoc est laruae Antichristianae assumptio nequaquam sine doctrinae violatione fieri potest, iàque ipsa experientia comprobavit. Fourthly, The retaining of popish ceremonies put men to their wits, to devise colours and excuses to paint and varnish them, whereby there is woeven x Ibid. amplissimum adiaphoricum pallium, Covering all kinds of inclinations, concessions, yeeldinges, abiurgations, calumniations, lyings, railings, and reprochinges. For ensample, the Adiaphorisine of Germany brought forth these Axioms to the corruption of manners. That y Erasmus Sarcerius. in Confess. Mansfield. An. 1560. to stand with the Magistrate in small matters (though pertaining to the truth) is contamacie. The commandment of the Magistrate doth excuse the subject. Not to conform ourselves to some popish ceremonies, is to offend the Papists. A Surplice is a trifle, and not to be stood on. No z In colloquio Torgae habito. apud Conrade Schluselburg. tom. 13. duty of confession is required in Adiaphoris. It brought forth also divers Axioms to the corrupting of the judgement. a Flac. Illyric lib de Adianhor. That superstitious abuse doth not bind to a remoovall. Popish ceremonies may serve for order, decency, comeliness. When any are offended by popish ceremonies retained in the Church, it is scandalum acceptum not datum. And these which seem more dangerous, b Libel. supplicator Thelog. German. 1561. Quacunque per se impia non sunt, ea ratione circumstantiaram impia fieri non possunt. Semper perinde licet Ceremonijs uti. Licet veram Ecclesiam cum impia in omnibus Adiaphoris comformarem. Adiaphororum & Ceremoniarum Ecclesiae finis & scopus est pax politica: most of which (if not all) the Cross speaking in his language at this day. What should we do, but stand up in the gap against him? and with those arguments refute these errors wherewith our Godly Brethren in Germany, fought against their Adiaphorisme, which did disturb their Church? Fiftly, The retaining of popish ceremonies keepeth still on foot many popish principles. For show me the man that can uphold the Cross and Surplice, and the rest of the Ceremonies controversed, and not run himself a ground upon popish sands to justify them? who now give forth, The Bishops when they talk with us Papists, play the Puritans; when they talk with the Puritans, then are they Papists; and those objections that are more ancient. There be many c William Reynold. catholic things in the book written against Cartwright the Puritan. The d News out of Holland. common Protestant must fly to Catholic grounds and answers, when he dealeth against the Puritans. The e The humble mot. for tollerat. Act 16.4. Protestants can not defend themselves against the Puritans, but by our grounds and answers. We have the ceremonies called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the scripture: and no marvel, because the ceremonies bear up some doctrine, or beget some doctrine or other. When the Greek Church began to f Genebrard. An. 1273. dissent from the Latin, left it not the Ceremonies of the Latin Church withal▪ When Room first established a Church in Brittany, did she not the same time require an observation of her g Bed. in histor. Anglor. lib. 2. cap. 12. Ceremonies too? When Hierome of prague h Concil. Constantiens. session 19 was sworn to the Church of Rome, was he not bound to observe the Ceremonies, as well as to believe their faith? In the l Genebraid in an, 1549. Interim, was there not exacted a conformity unto ceremonies, and unto the doctrine both together? The reformed Churches, when they began to banish the whole doss of popish doctrine, did they not at the same time exile and banish every m D. Bills. ag. Apolo. p. 1. p. 31. dram of their ceremonies also? It cannot be (saith n Cyprian de simplicitat. praelat. Cyprian) that Novatus should keep the doctrine of the Church, if he break the discipline. He that is guilty in the ceremonies, is guilty also in the faith (saith the o Concil. Toleran. 4 Can. 40. Council of Toledo.) How do the Papists bewail an p Carol. Bovius in praefat. in Clement. Constitut. Antiquation of their ceremonies, as for causing a downfall of their religion itself? How do Protestant's on the other side foresee a danger of our religion where popish ceremonies do remain? q Pet. Martyr in epist. amic. cuidan in Angl. utinam vidissent (saith one) qua haec conseruanda censuerunt, evangelium ijs manentibus non satis esse firmum. Therefore we are by our r Con●ad. Vorstins' in praefat. Euchirid. controvers. leaders directed to hate, (as the doctrine) so also the rites of Rome. Yea (by name) we are willed to abolish the sign of the s Simon Goulatt. in Cypria. epi 56. not. 31. Cross, if we mean that the doctrine of Christ crucified, shall be thoroughly fixed and settled in our Church. These premises considered, we may well assure ourselves, that popish ceremonies retained amongst us, will rob in the end and riffle our faith. Away with them then, Nunquam securus cum the sauro, latro tenetur inclusus. t Author. lib. de singularitat clericor. apud Cypr. #Sect. 7. The Cross sinneth against this main principle of the word, he that addeth or taketh from it, etc. Popish Ceremonies worse than jewish. AS the sign of the Cross sinneth against the letter of this Commandment, Sect. 7. and the rule of God's worship which it intendeth (which is the word,) so is transgresseth against a main authorament of it which is this, 1 Deut. 4 2. & 12.32. Thou shalt not add to it, nor take away from it. 2 Exod. 20.25. He that of old lifted an axe over an Altar to hue and frame it to his own liking, did pollute it: and can it be then without the polluting of the Sacrament, that the Cross is lift up over it, not only an axe that serveth to polish according to policy, but also such as hath been whet at the Philistines forge, nay bought or borrowed from them? It this to obey the commandment, 3 Deut. 12.31. Thou shalt not do so to the Lord thy God, as they do to theirs? Is this to fear the reproof, 4 Ezech. 43.8. They set their thresholds by my thresholds, and their posts by my posts, and defile mine holy name? Lastly, Is this to reverence the inhibition, 5 Hosi. 2.16. Thou shalt not call me Baali (that is) serve me in like manner as Baal is served withal? Hear the patrons of the ceremonies controversed divide the house, some taking no shame to borrow from Papists; others (for shame) standing on a denial that these ceremonies are borrowed from them. The former of these, how do they weaken their brethren's hands, and blunt their weapons against the Papists? For against the antiquity of their lights and incense with the like, the best a Magdeburgens. centur. 4. cap. 6. plea that we have is this, that they are borrowed by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, From the Pagans and the jews. The whole body of popish ceremonies, which Durand hath anatomised, we use to thrust through with this spit, b Hospinian de re templar. lib. 4. ca 1. He professeth that they are taken from the jews. Whole Treatises and c Bulling. de orig. error. ca 33.34. Tho. Motescin. de orig. & depraunt. relig. per tot. books have we written against their apish imitation of jews, and Pagans in their feasts, in their Images, and other compliments of their service. By name we renew the ancient censure against their holy water condemned of old, because it is [ritus d Sozom. lib. 6. cap. 6. gentilium] against their Images, because they are e Euseb. lib. 7. ca 17. gentilis confuetudo, against their shaving, because the Priests f Hieron. in Ezech. lib. 23. cap. 42. of Isis used it against their lights, g Senec. lib. 14 epi. 15 because at first they were set up to heathen Gods, and not to wander from home, we censure the Christians that borrowed a Cross from the h D. Fulk again. Sand. of Images cap. 11. pag 663. Ca●th. ag. Mart. art. 5 T. of Serapis. And this we do being thereto bound not only by the word of God, but also by the general practice of the Church throughout all ages. Indeed, I know not whether the Church hath not exceeded in her zeal, sith it hath made it no less than heresy from time to time to use any rite of aliens as we may see in the l August. haetes. 2●. 50. Quartadecimani, for this only esteemed heretics, because they kept their feast of Easter upon the same day on which the jews observed their Passeover. And thus Hierome, m Hieron. Augustin. epist. 11. Cerinthus & Ebion, propter hoc solum à Patribus ana. thematizati sunt, quod legis Ceremonias & Christi Evangelium miscuerunt, & sic nova confessi sunt ut vetera non amitterent. But it will be said, this was because of the merit and of the necessity which they put in the rites which they retained, & the ceremonies now controversed, are not so urged. Of this shift we may be ashamed. A n Conrade. Lutzenb. Catalogue. heretic. lib. 4. parti. 13. fol. 85. papist himself averring etiam lege judaica non cogente, it is heresy to use their rites in case of love or in case of charity, because umbra legis is totally vanished; and the rites of the jews are now [mortiferae] to him that useth them, let him use them which way he will. And the Eastern Churches observed not the fourteenth day, as the Quartadecimiani: they observed it as an ancient custom, but we do now observe the Cross: whom yet the Council of Nice condemned, because it became Christians to have nothing common with the jews in their rites & observations. Now, where is a reason to make it more lawful to borrow from papists, then from the jews? Is there not apparent reason we may less? For the jews ceremonies were ordained of God, the Papists by the man of sin the Antichrist, and jewish ceremonies renewed are but Christi sepulchra, When they be at worst, the Ceremonies of Papists even foetida stercora in the opinion of our o joh Caluin. in Act. 16.3. best Divines. Secondly, as this tenant weakeneth our own hands, so doth it strengthen the hands of papists, who so reverence the grace and truth of the Gospel, as that withal they will retain p Adrian. in Epist. in Conc. Nicen. 2. act. 2 p. 72. veteres typos, figuras, & umbras, for notes and for signs of the same. So Innocentius will have the Laws of deuteronomy still observed, adding a reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is secunda lex. While our q Matt. Sutclif. de miss. lib. 3. cap. 6. writers protest against this vailing and shadowing of the gospels brightness, we in retaining of the Surplice do make good, r Durand. rational. lib. 3. cap. ●. confessed on all sides to be borrowed from the jews. i Dej consecrat. distin. 1. cap. 2. Gratian professeth we are to take pattern from the jews. The gloss thereupon inferreth, possumus argumentari ab exemplis infidelium. This while t Hospin. ut supra. our Writers do with all their power destroy, our imitation of the Papists worse than the jews buildeth up again. The u Rhem. annotat. in 1. Tim. 4. sect. 18. Rhemistes directly hold, we may take ceremonies from the jews. Our w D. Fulk in answer ibid. D. Willet. controvers. 2. q. 4. p. 2. Writers set foot against them; these we by retaining popish ceremonies, fear not to supplant. Caesar Baronius readeth us this lesson, x Caes. Baron. Annal. an. 200. Consulto introductam videtur ut quae essent Gentilitiae superstitionis officia, eadem verbi Dei cultum sanctificata, in verae religionis cultum impenderentur. Again, y Idem in Martyrolo. Roman. F●bru 2. In multis gentilium institutis contigit ut super stitionis corum usus sacris ritibus expiatus, ac sacro sanctus reditus in Dei Ecclesiam laudabiliter introductus sit. Which while our z joh. Reynold. de Idolat li 2. c 3. sect. 13 best writers refute with reasoning, our doing the same in Cross and Surplice, approve with practise. a Polydor. Virgil de inven. rer. Polydore Virgil deriveth the most of popish ceremonies from jews and Pagans. Blondus taketh pride to blend the rites of new Rome popish, and old Rome Paganish. Which while our b Tho. Moresein. de orig. depra. religion. Writers with their pens make odious, our retaining of popish ceremonies make to be lawful. Thirdly, this conformity of ours with Papists in their rites, destroyeth that difference and separation which ought to be between the Church of God and aliens. Well, c Melciad. in epist. Decret. ad Hispan. Epise. Melciades. No man must fast the Thursday or Sunday, ut inter iciunia Christianorum & Gentilium, & bareticorum vera & non falsa discretio habeatur. For we may if we will learn from him, that to retain an alien rite in diverse use, is falsa discretio, that the separation is never true, till heretical ceremonies be cashiered. Hear it is pleaded that Gedeon sacrificed Baal's Ox to God. That josua sanctified the goods of jericho to the Lord, and Moses turned the Censors of Corah to plates for the Altar. To omit that the last were no goods of Idolaters at all, the former no goods of Idolaters in state Idolatrous, which maketh a main difference between them and the ceremonies controversed, with many more pleas which we might allege; we rest on that which one of our d Pet. Martyrin judie. writers bringeth, There was a special warrant for these, and A special commandment, but none for Cross and Surplice. It is also e The examiner of the declarat. of the Ministers of London. objected, that God borrowed linen vestures from Egyptian Priests: that he ordained Tithes notwithstanding Hercules had his Tithes before, and appointed bread for his Sacrament, though Mythra had bread offered to him. That the Christians had their Agapae at communions, notwithstanding the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the heathen in the Temples of their Idols. That the primitive church had many things from the jews. that we ourselves retain at this day the Ring in marriage from the heathen, and Tithes from the jews, and keep set fasts, though Montanus were the first that did set down set days for fasting. We answer: The maintainer of the most of these was God; of whom if any say he borrowed, he blasphemeth. as also he presumeth in his pride, that thinketh he hath the same power that God hath, to ordain the ceremonies of his service. Howbeit to particulars. The Priests of Egypt borrowed their linen from the jews, as it is likely even as they did their circumcision. f joh. Bohem. Auhan. de morib. gentium. li. 1. ca 45. Mythra g Tertul. de prescript. borrowed his bread from God. To say the Agapae of the Christians were not an imitation of the jews feasts after their sacrifices rather than of the Gentiles, and that they were not abolished when time of abolition came; or that Hercules (which is josua) was before Moses, to have his Tithes imitated by him, is ignorance or falsehood. To justify popish rites in use religious by customs of the primitive Church, by tithes & fasting days of our own at home, either tolerated for a time only, or continued by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and perverse imitation, or used only in civil matters and not religious, is inconsequent & absurd. h August. de unico. bapt. contra. Petilian. ca 9 Augustine (also) is wont to be cited, but he only alloweth to take from heretics, the things that be good. in such as Cross and Surplice are, he is with us, as shall be showed. Now, mention we only, that grand position which ever the Church of God allowed, l Tertul. de coron. milit. Nihil dandum Idolo, nec sumendum ab Idolo. a rule so strictly and seriously kept in the primitive Church, as that they abhorred the very words and names them seiues, which did symbolise with aliens. This the Papists themselves confess: the word Priest and Sacrifice was not wont to be used (say m Durant. de rit. li. 1. ca 1. sect. 7 they) till the days of Irenaeus, For fear of Co-incidence with the jews. And wherefore feared they this Co-incidence? least they should seem (saith n Bellar. de miss ca 17. Bellarmine) to renew their rites, or to confirm them. For the very same cause another pronounceth, o Garol. Bonius schol. in Clement li. 7. ca 39 Haereticorum etiam vocabula timenda sunt. And our p Rhemist. Annotat. in 1. Tim. 6. sect. 4. Rhemistes, We shall keep the faith of our Fathers, if we keep their very words themselves. But avoid we the words of heretics although they seem to have no harm in them. Is there a sinful seeming in the use of the names of heretical rites, and doth the very use of their names renew & confirm them; And will Papists forbear the very words themselves of heretics, though they do not so much as seem to have hurt: and is there no sin for us to renew and confirm the rites of papists, when we not only use their names honourably, but also use their rites themselves, yea command them; yea revenge them, and that not only when they have a seeming of hurt, but also do effect much harm? Oh take we heed, it is an heavy thing to expect even papists themselves, to rise up in judgement against us. Howbeit, what say we to the names of Idols, 1 Act. 18.24. Apollo, 2 Act. 17.34. Dionysius, 3 Rom. 16.14. Mercurius, 4 Rom. 16. Phebe, with the like, which the Christians retained even in their baptism (as some of our Opposites would persuade us) against the letter of the old law? Thou shalt not take up their names within thy lips. In deed some think they have found out herein a great piece of matter against us, if yet it be against us, and not rather against the Lord, & against his servant Moses. The christians were called by their old names which were taken from Idols. True, as the street in Athens is called Mors street out of a necessity, for who had power to change and alter them? And mark not our Opposites this instance is wholly civil? No say they, for even in baptism these names of Idols were imposed on them. A Papist himself will not say so, who thinketh there were Godfathers in the Primative Church; and that men's names were given unto them in the administration of Baptism. For he thinketh their old Idolatrous names were q Caesar Baron. Anal. anno 258. & an▪ 259. changed when they were made Christians. As for us, who know there were no Godfathers at the first, as now there be, nor no new r john Reynold. de Idololat. li. 1. cap. 5. sect. 28. names given in Baptism, this objection might very well have been omitted. The truth is, when an Infant was baptized, the order was very strictly s Durant. de rit. li. 1. ca 19 sect. 20. kept, which is fathered upon the Council of Nice, t Council Nicen. can. 30 Nefidelis nomina gentilium filijs suis imponant. And we may even hence perceive, that the parents set the name at home: as also by an other ensample. u Caesar. Baron. Anal. in an. 290. Parents mei vocarunt me Tharacum. And also by the common order w Dionis. Ecclesiast. Hitrarch. registered thus, The Minister was wont at the Church door (not in Baptism) to ask the name of him that was to be baptized (mark, ask and inquire) and not to give the name himself. As for the aged, there was ordinarily no meddling of their names at Baptism: but the order was to come before hand, at what time they were called [competentes] and give their names, to wit, their old ones which were written down in a Register; which order continued long after Christ, as many undoubted x Cyril Hierosol. Catechis. 1. Concil. Carthag. 4. cap. 85. August. epist. 155. Baron. an● in an. 284. witnesses show. And that these names were totally civil, it appeareth by this, that men did change their names when they would. As one called Tharacus at the first, when he entereth into war, he giveth himself the new name y Caesar Baron. ana. an. 290. Cod. lib. 9 Tit. 25. ca 1. of Victor. And the civil z Law itself permitted this change. In which often the Christians of Africa changed their old Idolatrous names into such as present occasion did require: a Caesar Baron annal. an. 303. As these names show [habet Deum] he hath God, [spes in Deo] hope in God, [benè seruatus] graciously saved: which, are they not the very same which our Opposites think fantastical, when now they are imitated? #Sect. 8. The Opposites that affirm their Ceremonies to come from the primitive Church immediately, and not from popery, are confused. THe second side of our Opposites, will not deny but that it is a thing unseemly for the Church (the spouse of Christ) to attire herself with the cast apparel of the harlot of Rome, therefore they turn to an other angle, and stoutly deny that these ceremonies come from thence Dic colorem? why the parties from whom we receive them (immediately) are the Fathers of the modern Church; the parties from whom we receive them mediately, are the fathers of the primative Church. Concerning the former, Our reverend Fathers impose these rites, and from their hands we take them. But they, from whom? why (think ye) they intent any imitation of the papists? no, they impose them out of policy (as rites of order) for the Churches good. First, this answer of a good intent is merely cavillous. any sinner may use it and never be cast, unless he confess against himself. And the papist himself doth use it, who pleadeth the very same intention that we do, to wit, that he doth use his franckencense, not as it is jewish, but as a Thom. Aquin. p. 3. q. 83. ar. 5. commanded by the Church; and his holy water, not as it is a rite of the heathen, but as an b Durant. de rit. lib. 1. ca 2●. sect. 6.7. ordinance of the Churches. Secondly, There have been (and are) many unlawful imitations which want intention to follow and imitate unlawfully through the same carnal wisdom; which when it seethe an example of itself in aliens, it begetteth in men's hearts an Image thereof. For example, The jubilee of the jews and the sight thereof, hath begotten a lively Image of itself in the popish jubilee. Howbeit without intention, sith they c Clement. 8 Bulla. jubilee. deny this jubilee is drawn or borrowed of the jews, as peremptorily as we deny that these ceremonies controversed are borrowed from the Papists. And the consecrating of Mars his sword among the heathens, with the rest of their God's relics, hath d Tho. Morescin. in verb. ensis martis. begotten in Rome (howbeit perchance without any intent to imitate a reverencing of josephes' breeches; Thomas his shoes; Martin's boots; George's sword: and all other relics of their Saints. The Pagan gods painted the beasts which they did love, and the sight thereof: as e Alexand. ab Alexandro. lib. 3. cap. 12. Isis' standing in her Temple with her Goose, Venus with her Dove, Apollo f Idem. li. 4. cap. 12. Smynthius with his Mouse, Minerva with her Dragon; and the Garlands and bunches of grapes wherewith Bacchus was painted, hath g Hospin. de imag. ca 9 fol. 43. begotten (though perchance without intent of imitation) the like reverence in Rome to the beasts of their saints, so that in their Church's Wendòline is set forth with sheep. Antony with a Pig, Martin with his Geese, Eustachius with his Dogs and Dear, Gertrude with her Mice, George with his Horse and Dragon, and Vrban is painted (successor of Bacchus) with his wine-pots and with his grapes. Thirdly, our Church may easily be evicted of an intention to imitate the Papists, if not explicit, yet implicit by the open marks thereof which drop down in our ways. The first of these is emulation. For can we deny we use the Cross to the end: we may not seem to lack any good and ancient ceremonies which are in Rome? now this sufficeth to evict an intended borrowing of them, as doth appear by these examples. h Sozomen. lib. 5. ca 15 julian is said to borrow from the Christians when he did like unto them: to wit, adorn his Idols Temples, Secundum Christianorum traditionem, and appointed all rites of credit, ex aequo respondentes, lest his Religion should seem to lack any good order, which the Christian religion had. And the heretics are said to borrow from the Christians when in like manner, ad imitationem Ecclesiae, Psalmos l Durant de rit. lib. 3. cap. 13. sect. 9 componebant & canebant, not to seem less devout than they. The Pope is said to borrow from the Emperor in like sort a ceremony of state, When he dight himself a triple crown, not to seem inferior to him. For he did it to m Tho. Morescin. in verb. coron vi● that triple crown which the Emperor had. The first of silver at Aquisgrane. The second of Iron, at Milan. The third of gold which he received at Rome, as may partly appear by this. We never read of the Pope's n Platina. in Paschal. 2. Tiara, till after the broils of Gregory the seventh, which was one of the first that openly did set up himself above his Master. To come near home: Chrysostome is said to borrow from the Arrians, their singing Psalms in the streets as they went to Church, singulari pietatis specie, when least the people should be carried away with this hypocritical show of pieti, he did similia o Socrat. li. 6. cap. 8. Sozomen. lib. 8. ca 8. instituere. Additis ardentibus facibus & argenteis quibusdam crucibus. The second mark of intent to borrow, is conformity with Papists to win them, even as Paul indented an imitation of jewish rites when he shaved his head at Cenchrea, and in ceremonies that were indifferent, He became all things to all men, to the intent he might save some. So the Christians intended, (and that p Calsh. art. 6. fol. 128 & art. 1. fol 25. faultely as we censure it) to imitate one of the heathenish rites, when instead of Serapis q Ruffin. li. 2 cap. 29. Sozomen. li. 7. ca 15. T. they set up a Cross to win them. How can we deny we borrow from Rome, when we profess and bear before us, we take their Surplice and their Cross into our Churches to win them the sooner, and to give contentment to them? For this is not only the common plea for the ceremonies now r Examine. of the declarat of the Ministers of Lond. adays, but even at first, when as Master Hooker s See. Parson's convers. of Engl. pa. 2. ca p 12. sect. 21. and Master Rogers misliked the likeness of our service with the Mass-book. It was (I say) even then pleaded that this conformity was needful to fit and please the Papists. The third mark of intent, is commutation. For as goods found in a man's house industriously changed into his own mark, is evident sufficient he purposely stole them, so our careful changing of the Cross into our own livery evicteth plainly that we have taken it from the Papists. For we are hereby in the case of the papists, whose processions are t Polydor. Virgil de inventor. rerum li. 6. cap. 10. confessed to be borrowed from the heathens, in that they have changed them into Christian Litanies, the heathenish banner which was the Labarum or the u Apulei. Maetamor. phos li. 11. Caducius Mercurij being chopped into a Cross. Did not the popish Bishops borrow their w Tho. Morescin. in verb poderis. Poderis from heathen priests, when they changed it from woollen to silk? Did not Pope Eutichianus take a ceremony from the heathens, when condescending to the infirmity of men converted from their Gentilism he abolished x Szegedin, in specul. pontifis. Polydore. li. 6. cap. vlt. not their feasts in the church, but altered and changed them into refresh for the poor. Did not the Archbishop of Turone intend an imitation when he was instant to have the sacrifices and the feasts of the 11 last days of y Tho. Morescin in verb. pt●●es. February changed in festum aepularum beati Petri ad tollendum abusum et popull super stitionem male instituti in Christianismo, ut qui adhuc faperet suum ethnicismum? Seeing in all these changes our writers do accuse the papists for an unlawful imitation, how can we be excused ourselves who have changed our Cross and Surplice from their Idolatrous Cross and Surplice in manner like unto the same end? The fourth mark is substitution. For as the brother in Moses law intended a continuance of the name of the dead when he substituted in his place an other to bear it, so it will be interpreted we intent to continue the name of the popish Cross and Surplice in case they were dead (which were to be wished) in that we raise other Crosses and other Surplices to be (as it were) their heirs. By which means it will come to pass, that their names will never out in the gates of the people. Surcease we then this substitution, or cease we to charge the papists for the like: as their substituting of z joh. Reynold. de Idololat. lib. 1. ca 2. sect. 5. Mary in the place of Venus, and their substituting of other saints to fill up the room of heathen Gods and Goddesses. for example: their Theodulus is the Christian Aeolus. Their Agata the Christian Vesta. their Nicholas & Christopher the Castor et Pollux of the Christians, their urban the new Bacchus. their Katherine, a late Minerva: say a Bulling. de origin. error. li. 1. cap. 34. our writers, because they are sought to, as having power over winds, over fire, over fea-tempestes, over wine and drinking meetings, and over learning: even as the heathen sought to the former out of an opinion they had the government of the same things. But do we seek to Cross and Surplice? In profession we do not, in practice there be too many that do, who are encouraged by our substitution of cross and Surplice in holy use, for whose sakes we should avoid even all show, although but in part, of their abominable substitution. And our substitution is it not in a manner the very same which we mislike in others? as when in the room of the pagan feasts, which they made for their dead, the Christians b August. confess. lib. 6. cap. 2. substituted feasts that were like at the Martyr's memorial, as when Gregory, c Gregor. Nyssen. in vlt. eins. Thaumatourgus permisit memorias Martyrum ne vulgus imperitum propter voluptates in errore simulacrorum permanerent, as when feasts were substituted to Peter, d Theodor. de evang. veritat. cognit. li. 8 Paul, Thomas, Sergius in Room of the ancient heatenish solemnities? as when e joh. Crispin. Chronolog in valent. Sixtus substituted the feast of Saint Peter ad vincula in place of Augustus' feast, the first of august: for his victory against Antonius & Cleopatra? as when Boniface the fourth turned the pagan Pantheon at Rome which was dedicated to all their Gods, to the Church of all Saints, whose feast was in may at first, the same time that the heathenish feast was kept, we worthily, condemn all these substitutions, f joh. Funccius. Carol. Sigon. because they [ g joh. Crispin. in Phoca. Change] not [chase] away the old superstition, even as our Cross and Surplice do not. far better h Decret. p. 2. cans. 26. q. 7. cap. 14. Zacharie when he saw some celebrate the Kalends of januarie and to feast and dance Paganorum more; illico omnia haec amputavimus (saith he) because that paganisine (and so papism) will repullulare, unless all the customs of it be hewn down at the root. The fift mark and last of all; of an intended receiving from papists is retention of some likeness in name, in use, l joh Bohem Auban. de gent. morib● lib. 1. cap. 5. in office. Even the papist himself will confess an imitation where there is a likeness, as because there are like rites in Rome to them in Egypt, therefore one saith, pleraque, etc. many things translated from the Egyptians which have crept into our religion: as the linen garments, the turnings and windings at the Altar: the pomp of sacrificing, the sounds of Music: with many like. m joh. Reynold. de Idololat. li. 1. cap. 6. sect. 5. Our writers take part with Vigilantius against Hierome: therein they take part with us. For what was his quarrel but this, that in the relics of Martyrs, Christians came prope ritum gentilium: as all the quarrel which we have now against the rites that are controversed, is this, because they come prope ritum Antichristi, to near the rites of Antichrist. The Image of Ambrose & Sebastian at Milan we say are heathenish imitations. Wherefore? because the latter is not n Bulling. de origin. error. li. 1. cap. 34. multum absimilis, to Homer's Apollo casting his deadly arrows into the camp of the Grecians, the former set forth with Mitre, Staff, and Whip is o Ibid. cap. 33. haud absimilis to jupiter stator. Papists reveling at Christmas, is acknowledged to be heathenish. p Blond. de Rom. triumphant. lib. 2. Wherefore? Quia similia à nostris comittuntur, to those sports which Pagans made about the fourteenth of the Calende of januarie. The Parentalia which the Papists perform to the dead, are q Idem. in cod. lib. confessed to come from Pagans. Wherefore? because Non dissimiliter à nostris fit. The Oscilla which Papists offer with other Imagunculae of their members cured and healed, yea of their sheep and horses recovered, are professed to be an imitation, non Religionis modo, verum superstitionis etiam, of the Pagans. Wherefore? because they are r Polydor. Virgil. de inventor. rerum. li. 5. cap. 1. Consimilia like to those expiations which the Pagans were wont to offer for their lives and for their healths in the Chapel of This their God. The hearses covered with a black cloth, and with a white Cross are said to be borrowed from the Pagans. Wherefore? because Simile s Tho. Morescin. in verb. lectistern. Quid is here committed to the Lectisterina of the Pagans. Last of all, the Annulets & fascinations of the Pagans are said to be imitated by the t Idem. in verb. Amulate. Papists, when by the Cross and a piece of Scripture written, they go about to effect strange things. In all these ensamples it is a borrowing, when the rites come near, when they are not unlike; when they are done according to some like manner; and are used but in like fashion. And no marvel, sith he that retaineth but a rite that is like, sinneth against the inhibition of this Commandment, which to cut of from all borrowing of heretics, condemneth all likeness with them. What (then) shall we say to a samenes, in name, in office, in time and place, and other more circumstances? we take u D. Fulke in answ. to Rhem. in apoc. 1. ver. 10. advantage against the Papist, because their feriae retain the name of heathenish feasts: and it is thought there is a strong symbolizing between Rome Paganish, and Rome Christian in the sports of their w Blond. de Rom. triumphant. lib. 2. Carnisprivium because some foosteppe do remain of old name, time, place: and that à principio mutationis facta, à gentilium superstitione adritus Christianos. Let then the Cross and the rest of the ceremonies wipe their mouths and say they are not borrowed, sith all the prints of retention are marked in them not only for [likeness] but also for [samenes.] The same name, the same time, the same place religious: yea and in some sort the same office also. When we are forbidden to put an Ass and an Ox under one yoke, we are forbidden to put men of diverse professions into one office (saith the x Decret. p. 2. caus. 16. qu. 7. cap. 22. Canon of the Law.) Are not our professions not only diverse but also contrary? Alas (then) what doth any popish rite in our service, especially meddling with the office of the Sacrament itself? #Sect. 10. The second defence of the Cross confuted: that is, we receive it not as superstitiously abused by the papists, but as first used by the Fathers. WE have done with the first pretence, that we receive the Cross from the Fathers of our own Church, and not from the Papists, and have undone it. The second followeth: We receive them not from the Papists but from the Fathers of the primitive Church; which doth tota pellucere even of itself. First, The Fathers can be no vizard for a rite whereof the Pagans, jews, or heretics were the fathers and first begetters. It was the fault of one a Tertul. de resurrect. carn. Alexander, that he sang the Psalms of Valentinus: It is ours now that we use his Cross. I call it his, because he was the q first that used this figure. b D Fulke ag. Szund. of imag. cap. 134. the very c Idem in Luk. 24. sect vlt. first that made account of it, as appeareth by d Irenae li. 1. cap. 1. Irenaeus, who after the scriptures which this heretic wrested to the Crosses commendation, addeth this: these scriptures he applied à se male inventis. But this is spoken of one of aeones which he termeth Crux, I know it well. but pleaseth it our Opposites to know aswell wherefore he termed him Crux? to wit as he termed this aeon oros to show a separating power in him because it is the nature of a bound to separate. so in like manner he termed him Crux, to show a purging power in him, because he held the Cross a purger of man's sin, like the fan in Matthew, which purgeth the Wheat in the Lord's flower from chaff spiritual. And that he was drawn into this opinion by the same means that papists are drawn, by a supposed dedicating of it in the blood of Christ, it may in part appear by that which he saith elsewhere, to wit, that his aeon was without a [figure] until Christ by his death upon the Cross, did give him one. Let this be marked, for it is known that Valentinus did use [ e Sixt. Senens. Bibliochec. lib. 3. pag. 146. Figures] by them to express all the doctrine of his aeones: and it appeareth by the text of Irenaeus that he did use the [Figure] of the Cross to express this one of them: and till now we never read of any that used the figure of the Cross before him, or made any account thereof. therefore he it is (even Valentinus) for aught we know, that first brought it into request and reckoning. And who (then) will suffer us to say we borrow it from the Fathers and not from him? The Greek Church say, they imitate the Apostles in their abstinence from their blood and strangled. No, (say the f Stanislau●. Socolon. in Censur. Oriental. Eccles. cap. 21. very papists themselves) they are the jews ye imitate. The g Durant. lib. 2. cap. 10. sect. 2. Papists say, they imitate the Fathers in their processions. No (say h joh. Reynold. in confer. pa. 495. we) they are the Grecians whom ye imitate, in their carrying about their Idols. The same would father their life Monastical upon the Fathers, Paulus Thaebeus, Antonius, Basill, Augustine, and Hierome. l Guil. Perk. problem. tit. de monach. but we hold they borrow it from the heretics Essaei, because they were the first m Euseb. de praeparat. Euangelic. lib. 8. & histor. li. 2. cap. 27. that used it. So when they n Durant. de rit. lib. 1. cap. 8. would derive their lights from the Fathers, we will not o joh. Reynold. de Idololat. lib. 2. cap. 3 sect. 13.67. suffer them, but stand out that they borrowed them from the Pagans, who first devised them for their Gods. See we not (then) that to say we follow the Fathers in the Cross, (Valentinus the heretic, being the first deviser of it) we are forced to fly like Eutropius, to the very same sanctuary, which we have denied, and shut up to others? Secondly, The Fathers can be no vizard for a ceremony which have been abused since. What then? Popery having abused the Cross, and the Cross being none of God's ordinances, (which abuse can not defile) it is now the Popish Cross and not the Fathers: so is it from papists that we borrow it and not from them. Doth not adultery make the member of Christ, the member of an harlot? Therefore though the Cross were a member of the Fathers before, yet now it is a member of the harlot of Rome: seeing since their days he hath been found coupled with her in spiritual fornication. And when a righteous man falleth, all his righteousness is forgotten, and in the sin that he hath committed, in that he dieth. What (then) though the Cross in the days of the Fathers did some good deeds, they are now to be forgotten, and in the Idolatry which he hath committed, he is to die. Doth not every ceremony unite a man to the religion to which it belongeth much more (then) is the Cross united to Antichrist, whom he serveth, 1. Cor. 10● 17.18. whereby he forfeiteth all the communion which erst he had, or since might have with Christians? As for the Lord he will suffer nought come near him, but that which standeth in first purity: as it must be a Virgin which his Priests must marry; and a beast that never bore yoke, which his priest must offer. So that I marvel men can imagine he can endure a Cross or Surplice in his house which have bebe deflowered by the man of sin; and which have drawn in the yoke of Antichrist? Howbeit, I marvel more, men are not afraid to back such defiled ceremonies even with mere mockage. For what is it less to say, We use the Cross, not as abused by the Papists, but as first used by the Fathers. This were as if the Greek Church should elude the abrogation of the jewish ceremonies with this cavil: Gen. 9 we abstain from blood, and strangled not as it is a Levitical ordinance, but as Noah and the Father's abstayned from it before that Law was given. This were as if one should have eluded the inhibition of a grove with this cavil: Deut. 16.21. I set up a grove not to imitate late Idolaters, Ezech. 48. but such a grove do I set up as Abraham and Isaac used, and the rest of the ancient Fathers. This were (also) as if one should elude the abdication of a priest falling into Idolatry (the equity whereof r Cypr. lib. 1 epist. 7. li. 2. epist. 1 Cyprian continueth still, who barreth such as have sacrificed unto Idols for ever, from the priestly function,) with this cavil: I admit him to be a Minister, not as now of late he hath been defiled, but as at the first he was holy to the Lord through the oil of consecration that was upon him. This were as if one should have eluded the Law that abolisheth all the monuments of Idolatry with this s joh. Reynold. conference. ca 8 diuis. 4. p. 5 10. Gen. 37.3. 2. Sam. 13.18. cavil: I use not the brazen serpent as lately it hath been abused, but I restore him to the use, for which Moses first reserved him. This were, as if a wise man now should wear a party coloured coat (not as it is a fools coat, but as it was the Father's coat be Christ's coming) as if a servant should be coucred before his Master, not as covering is a late sign of pre-eminence, but as t Plutarch. in problem Roman. Chem. exam. p. 1. de tradict. Gen. 7. of old it was a sign of subjection, and take the right hand of him, because u Anton. Nebrissensin annot. in 52▪ lib. script▪ loc. of old that was the inferiors place. Suppose one should preach at Paul's Cross, that the Bishops are [Tyranni] to their brethren, Fures to the Church, Sophistae to the Truth: would they accept this excuse of their own. I use these words, as of old they signified a ruler, a servant, a student of wisdom? No, no more than Steven x Act. & Monu. pa. 1227. Gardiner would admit it, because all men know that words and actions must be interpreted, used, received, according to their modern use, and not as they have been of old. #Sect. 11. It's no good defence of the Cross to say we have it from our Fathers not from the papists, because the Fathers also abused both, the simple use of it and as it's mixed with oil. THirdly, what though from the Fathers we take this sign? this helpeth not till the Father's use be justified, which will never be. Whether we regard their simple use of it, or mixed with oil. For that the oil was imprinted in, or with the form of the Cross, is it out of controversy? a Dionis. Ecclesiasti. Hierarch▪ lib. 2. ca 2. Episcopus trino crucis signaculo unctionem inchoat. b Ibid. Adcrucis effigiem sanctissimum fundit Oleum. c Iust. Origelitan. in cantic. Signum crucis cum odore Chrismatis praenotamus in front. d Burchard. de sacram. Eccles. li. 6. Pectus codem perungitur Oleo, ut signo sancta crucis diabolo claudatur ingressus. e Bernard. in dedicat. Eccles. serm. 1. Verè crux nostra uncta est. f De consecrat. distinct. 5. cap. 10. Omnia chrismata sacerdotalis Ministerij figura crucis perficiuntur. Neither can it be said this grew up of late, for the Oil is as ancient as the Cross, and whence is the Unction called signation, consignation, obsignation, (with the like) but from the Cross? But there is a g Ibid. distinct. 4. cap. 120. Canon that forbiddeth the Priest to anoint the forehead of the Baptized, who yet did h Durand. de rit. li. 1. c. 19 se. 28 sign it with the Cross. Be it the Cross was made in Baptism on the forehead without the Oil, never was the Oil applied either in Baptism, or otherwhere without the Cross. Therefore hath he no wrong, though we sue him as partner with all the horrible superstitions of the Oil; which if he be he that readeth the Pathers' writings, shall meet indeed with such a Chaos as will make him afraid (I say not to fall into it) but even to behold it. Who can brook the efficacy that l Tertul. de resurrect. carnis. Tertullian giveth it? Caro ungitur ut anima consecretur. Caro signatur ut anima muniatur. The necessity which Cyprian gave it. For as he saith, m Cyprian. epistol. 2. Vngi necesse est baptizatum. So hath he elsewhere. n Idem. epist. 73. Baptizati signo dominico consummantur. Or (lastly) the effectual necessity, and necessary effectivenesse which Cornelius ascribeth to it, when he saith: Novatus was not well baptized because o Euseb. histor. lib. 6. cap. 33. Reliqua consecutus non est, quorum oportebat participem fieri secundum Ecclesiae Canonem, neque signatus est ab Episcopo. And what say we to Dionysius, who saith of this, Unctuous consignation p Dionis. Ecclesiasti. Hierarch. ca 2. part. 2. maxim dininos efficit? To Simeon Thessalonicenscis: who saith that it is necessary that every one be signed therewith, q Simeon. Thessalo. de mister. lib. 2. Baptismum divinissimum habeat & consummatum? Thus Nazianzen. r Nazian. oration. 4. in sanct. baptism. In Baptismo firmissimo auxilio tibi caveris animam & corpus unctione & spiritu consignans. Which last words show in what sense the Cross is called by the Fathers, spirituale signaculum, (to wit) because he bringeth the spirit. For which one place may serve our turn. Sequitur spirituale signaculum, quia post fontem superest ut perfectio fiat quando ad invocationem sacerdotis spiritus sanctus infunditur. And in the t Torrent. confess. Augustin. lib. 3. ca 4. fect. 3. opinion of the Fathers, the water of Baptism is nothing worth without the Cross. In the opinion of the Fathers the Cross is ensign Regni, & clavis Paradisi. In the opinion of the Fathers the Cross is the w Origin. in Exod. cap. 15. homil. 6. terror of the devil, and an x Lactan. lib. 4 cap. 26.27. impregnable wall against him: So that they used the Cross y Sozom. lib. 5. ●ap. 2. themselves when they were in any danger. Last of all, in the opinion of the Fathers the Cross is so necessary, as that he is to be made z Tertul. de coron. milit. coming and going, sitting a Cyrill. Hierosol. Catechis. 4.13. and standing; even (ad b Hieron. epistol. ad Demetriad & ad Eustach. omnem incessum) at every stop, and ad omnem actum, in every action that we do. One c Xystus Betulei in Lactant. de sapien. li. 4. ca 27. papist is found, who saith, the Fathers meant not of the outward sign, but of the thing signified, which is Christ's 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●els our Opposites do us great wrong, who object the Fathers against us in the outward ceremony of the Cross: as also our writers be deceived, who spare not to censure the Fathers of d Magdeburg. centur. 4. tit. de rit. Doct. Fulke rejoind. art. 3. pag. 158. & count Saund. de imagine. cap. 13. S●●ltes, mudiull. Lactant. cap. 12. Superstition in their use of it. I reckon not here Master Hooker in the number, who draweth M. Goulart (as it were) by the hair to clear the Fathers from the Superstition of the Cross which he doth not; save in comparison of the popish e Goulart. in Cypr. ad Demetrian. Not. 51. merit, and f Idem. in epist. 56. ad Tibaritan. Not. 31. enchantment, which afterward crept in. As for the operative power which they placed in the Oily Cross he flatly g Idem. in lib. de unct. Chrysmat. condemneth them. Whereupon there followeth in him that Apology of ours now which is taken up of Augustine, non putandum est aliquid verum esse quia Patres it a senserint, sed si per authores Canonicos quod à veritate non abhorreat persuadere possint. What that in rites (though anciently used by the Fathers) his h Idem annotat. in epistol. 47. doctrine is that they ought to be abolished when they gather any lose of Superstition; and that amongst these he nameth this very l Idem. annotat. in epistol. 56. not. 31. sign of the Cross, which must now be left (saith he) not only because our times must be distinguished from theirs, (which Pamelius undiscreetly doth confound) but also because of the gross Idolatries and Superstitions to which since it hath been abused. And thus far of the sin of our borrowing. #Sect. 12. The Cross is condemned as a superstitious ceremony: as superstitious will-worship, and for a superstitious Ceremony, and will-worship Sacramental. Having examined our borrowing, come we to the sign which we have borrowed, where that every man may see what a great catch we have gotten in him, we arraign him first for a Superstitious ceremony. Secondly, for a Superstitious will-worship. Lastly, for a Superstitious ceremony and will-worship Sacramental. Concerning the first. The duties of a right ceremony (respecting the Church) require an aptness to edify the same through decency and order. 1. Cor. 14.33.40. ve. 11.5.13. v. Neither hath the Church any authority to pass this bound, as within which God hath entrenched all human power, to which our a Pet. Martyr in 1. cor. 14. Danaeus Aethic. li. 2. cap. 1. writers do consent. Now how can our ceremonies in question be such, the rule holding whereon the Divines of Germany stood against the ceremonies then enforced. The b joachim. Westphal. in explicat. sentent. è duob. ma. lis minimun Illyric. in. lib. de. Adiaphor. ceremonies which have been abused to Superstition, can never serve for order or comeliness: Because they will breed a confusion between us and the Papists, and bring in Superstition, and in themselves are as undecent for the holy spouse of Christ, as an harlot's weed is for a grave Matron? What that these ceremonies that have been abused this way are vain and light, and hated of good men? What that the introducing of them disturb the Churches that have discontinued them? and set the churches that do nourish them in their boosomes in a combustion of endless contentions? What that they stain many worthy Ministers either with the slander of disobedience (if they refuse them) or with the blot of inconstancy, if they use them? This very last (though it seem little) is great unseemliness. For the laws which are made for decency, prevent revealing of all nakedness in those that ascend to the Altar of the Lord; and forbidden the shaving away of any ornament of their head, Deut. 22.12 Exod. 20.26. 1. Cor. 11.5. who are to stand in the presence of God, whereas these ceremonies yielded unto, against former sincerity, both discover the weakness of present inconstancy, and shave away (as it were) the glory of former faithfulness; and that in and from them that should be nearest to the Lord. Secondly, a right ceremony respecteth even the aliens themselves, & not the church of God only; where his duty is to separate and make distinction. For we must make the Lord our pattern, whose very civil ceremonies themselves serve to this use, not only religious. Do the heathens eat almost none but swine's flesh after they have sacrificed of the kind? Levit. 21.5. the people of God must of all other abhor this meat. Do the heathens make their pates bald, shave the locks of their beards, and make cuttings in their flesh? The people of God must of all other abhor this guise. Do the heathens usually reserve portions of the Sacrifices? the people of God must burn with fire that is left, Exod. 12.10. rather than leave any one piece of the Paschall Lamb unto the next morning. And whereas he forbiddeth them to marry with the Cananite; whereas he bandeth them in eternal hatred against the Amalechite; whereas he barreth them to admit the Moabite and the Ammonite to any preferment in his congregation: Deut. 23.3. whereas he inhibith them to go back to Egypt the same way they came thence: Deut. 34.6. what doth he else, but even in civil laws and all, draw (nay drag as it were) his Church from all co-partnership with aliens in their customs? Other laws there are of his, whose use doth serve to signify so much, as when he forbiddeth the wearing of diverse stuff together in one garment, Deut. 22.10. Levit. 19.19. Deut. 22.5. the ploughing with an Ox and an Ass together in one yoke, the mingling of diverse seeds together in one field, of diverse beasts together in one foal. The abstinence which he prescribed from unclean meats, what noted it else but holy pureness from all communion with unclean Gentiles? he is abominable that weareth apparel like the woman's, For that herein he confoundeth Sexes, especially when he doth it c Decret. p. 1 distinct, 30 cap. 6. religiously (for who will not think this worse, then when a woman of d Nie. Cragius. de reb. Lacredaeruon. tabula. 4. Institut. 6. Lacedaemon doth it in private.) How then is it likely we shall be excused, that wear the apparel of the harlot of Rome, and use the sign of her Cross, which is her chief cognifance, when ariseth a confusion even of Sects. Lastly, consider the religious ceremonies themselves which were showed in the pattern upon the Mount. Were they not set as an [ e jansen. Concord. Euangelic. cap. 114. headge] to make a pertition between the Church and the aliens? Were they not ordained for a diverse f Zanch. de cult. extero. fol. 392.396. badge to sequester God's people from all other nations? Nay, were they not squared to be even a [partition g Rolloc. in epistol. ad ephes. ca 2. ver. 14. wall] between the Church and the foreigners that were without? Last of all, were they not displayed for a flag of defiance to make his people an h Nichol. Gallas. in Exod. 8.26. ver. abomination to all other nations, & all other nations an abomination unto them. For instance take the Temple itself (the warehouse and wardrobe of all the rest) which standeth Westward contrary to the Eastward Temples of the heathen; and that (which papists themselves can observe) ad l Tho. Aquin. 1.2. qu. 3 art. 3 respon ad 5. Durant. de rit lib 1. cap. 3. sect. vlt. arcendam Idololatriam. Whom shall we follow if we follow not this course? Not the Fathers. For Epiphanius in the end of his book (saith m Bellar. de effect. Sacrament. cap. 31. Bellarmine) which he wrote against heresies, rehearseth the ceremonies of the Church for certain notes whereby the church is discerned from sects of all sorts. Not the late Writers. For they condemn every n Bucer. in Censur. cap. 25. peregrina Ceremonia: every o Pet Martyr in lib. judic. ca 1. ritus peregrinus: especially such as came in pilgrimage from p Ibid. fol. 34. popery to us, as coming out of the very stews. What that the light of this truth shineth in the hearts of papists themselves? The use of q Bellar. de effectu Sacram. c. 31. ceremonies rightly constituted and ordained (say they) is to distinguish the members of the Catholic Church, from the heretics that be without. Neither r Caesar. Baron. Annal. in anno. 303. p. 769 would the Christians have used the sign of the Cross (say they) had it not been proper unto Christians and such as did discern them; yea make Pagans angry with them. When the heretics called Monophysitae made the sign of the Cross with one s Niceph. Ca●ist. histor. li. 18. cap. 53. finger, t Innocent. lib. 2. de Sacram. altar. cap. 44. Innocentius (to be unlike unto them) decreed this sign should be made with two fingers. I conclude with the Lutherans: who notwithstanding their manifold mixtures, when they contemplate the general duty of a ceremony, are forced to give witness to us, u Conrade. Schluselburg. tom. 13. in epist. dedicat. We must not bear so much as a vizard of Rome (say they) in external conformation of ceremonies. No not so much as a show of Rome in w joh. Wigand. in Synops. Antichrist, Roman. ceremonijs sive omnibus sive aliquibus, sive maximis sive minimis. But we must avoid (say they) every x Math. judex. in lib. de graniss, mandat. ex eund. è Babylon. minutissimus Character of popery: insomuch that they much abhorred that position of the Adiaphorists touching the ceremonies which in their time were controversed. Quo propius Papae, eo melius. Let Master Bucer shut up all. y Bucer. in Censur. cap. 3. p. 460. Omnia quae sunt Antichristi Romani habentur abhominationi, saltem quo ad externam speciem, utinam & reipsa poenitus. And thus sinneth the sign of the Cross as it is a wrong ceremony. #Sect. 13. The Cross is a Wil-woship, proved by three reasons. IF we proceed in the examining of him, we shall find further that he is a will worship, as he is used among the Papists, in which regard it is not lawful for God's Church to use him in his worship at all. The first reason is, because it maketh the Church participant with the popish superstition through defect of Godly zeal against their superstitious worships. For ensample, The Greek Church abstaineth from blood and strangled, not placing in it any worship of Gods, but to obey the Apostles rule for order and for edification. Doth this excuse that Church? a Censur. Oriental. Eccles. cap. 21. p. 393. no, as long as the jews use it for a worship they are b Stanislaus Socolovi. ibid. p. 460 held to judaize. From the Church of Greece, pass we over to Afric, there the c Bernard. Bridem. bact. peregrinat. Hierosol. p. 2. cap. de Abyssin. Francisc. Aluares in descript. Aethiop. ca 96. Abyssini use circumcision; not as a worship of God like the jews, but as a ceremony which is decent for that imitation which is of Christ in it. For which also they are baptised every epiphany the day on which Christ was baptised as they suppose. Many such rites they have which they use as ceremonies only, not as worships like the jews, as these words show. d Zagazabo. alias Christopher Lichanati in confess. Aethiop. Non quod ad salutem spectare credimus; again, non ob circumcisionem gloriamur, nec caeteris Christianis nos putamus ob id meliores aut Deo acceptiores, etc. From Aethiopia pass we to Germany, where shall we excuse the adiaphorists, because they impose not their Pseudo Adiophora, as worships of God, but only for ceremonies of edification? I hope we will rather join with those constant brethren of ours, who thus replied: e Confess. Theolog. Saxoniae. aedit. ann. 1560. Ordinem in Ecclesia decentem constituendum esse clamant, quasi verò antea sine ordine in summa confusione ecclesiae nostrae vixissent. Indeed, have the Churches no order or comeliness that want the Cross and Surplice? Nay, have they not more a great deal then ours, who are out of hope ever to come near the reverend gravity of their rites, or the chaste modesty of their assemblies? We use not the Cross as a worship (say we) as the Papists do use it. By this our excuse we justify Papists in burning incense before f Bellar. de beat. sanctor. lib. 1. cap. 13. Images, and before g Missal. Roman. tit. rit. Celebran. Misl. Crosses to the defeating of that argument which our writers make hence against them. You commit Idolatry to Crosses and Images, because you burn incense to them as the jews did to the brazen serpent. Have they any colour to answer this, save this of ours, we use not the incense as a worship Divine, or as a Sacrifice as the jews did? which we h Andrew. Willet. controvers. 9 q. 5. p. 1. art. 4. hold unworthy the answering, all while the ceremony is the same? If it be no sufficient difference to use the jews incense not as a divine worship like them, how can it suffice for us to say, we use the same Cross that Papists use, but not as a worship as they use it? How the Papists use their incense before the Cross, I leave in the midst: their making of the Cross with incense is thus described: l Durant. rational. lib. 1. ca 7. Num. 36. Crucem cum incenso facere est Christi passionem patriostendere, & ipsum pro nobis interpellare. What difference here between them and us? For we use to sign with the Cross to signify the merit of Christ's death, they the Cross (and incense withal) to signify his intercession by the merit of the same? Secondly, though we use not the sign of the Cross as a worship, yet our using it in God's worship, giveth occasion of will-worship in other men. We may not think but this commandment forbiddeth all occasions as well as other commandments do, and that in the Cross itself, which because it is an occasion of superstition, it is to be done away in the judgement of our m Calfh. ag. Mart art. 1. D. Fulke rejoind. art. 1. p. 140 Exod. 12.15. writers. Is it sufficient the leaven be not put in the bread of the Paschall supper, or that it be not eaten with it as a part of that worship? No, it is further required that it be not suffered so much as in the basest room of the house. The equity hereof hath feared our Divines from suffering ceremonies less hurtful, least in the end they give occasion of a worship superstitious. As they remove the receiving of the communion with the n Bucer. in Censur. cap. 3. mouth, least in the end it should breed an opinion of holiness in the consecrate hands of the Priests. And the o Ibid. ca 4. p. 464. reserving of the communion Bread and Wine to avoid the occasion which it giveth of thinking them holy, extra usum, or changed in substance. The same Divines of ours condemn even omnem speciem of the popish superstition. (even p August. epist. 19 as Augustine long since affirmed: The man is thrown down into the dungeon of the Devil, that observeth a jewish ceremony in deed or in show) so much the more, because in this land, q Bucer. in Censur. cap. 3. Omnia sunt superstitione referta. This last clause willeth us to be more wary of show, when the people are ready to take hurt by it. I say [take hurt] even as our Communion Book forbiddeth the wafer cake to take away all superstition which any might [ r Rubrie. after the L. supper. take] mark (take in it) in which wafer cake when was there put the one half of that superstition which is now in the Cross? Nay the censure is yet more strict, If we love Christ jesus, s Bucer in Censur. cap. 9 p. 472. Nihil prorsus loci apud nos invenient eaeres omnes, verba & gestus in quibus vel appareat esse aliquid tantis impietatibus affine aut ad ullam rapiatur (quanquam improbè & absque data causa) harum suarum impietatum commendationem. Howbeit, in Cross and Surplice there is even occasion given: first by that show of a will-worship which is greater in them then of a Mass in the priests going up to the Communion table to say the prayers before the Offertory, which notwithstanding we have t Bucer. in Censur. cap. 3. p. 458.459. censured for [occasioning]. and through that representing of a popish worship, which is as great in Cross and Surplice, as in the elevation of the bread for ostension to the people which is condemned for u Alexand. Alesius in proaemio. leitourg. a provoker: And last of all, by the appointing of them to be used in holy use, which is adjudged offensive even as the w August. epist. 86. ad casulan. appointing of a fast on a Sunday, it being the same day as the Manichees do appoint, savoureth too much of approbation. But there be instances fit for this purpose even in the very Cross itself. Our Divines could not abide those nigrae cruculae which were in x Bucer. in Censur. cap. 9 p. 472. King Edward's communion book to direct the Minister how to make Crosses on the bread and on the wine. It is forbidden by the popish y Missal. secund. usum sacrum in office peregrinor. Canons, that any pilgrims should burn a Cross in their flesh. Wherefore? It seemeth because they were to meet at Jerusalem with the z Bernard. Bridenbac. peregrinat. Hierosol. p. 2. de Abyssen. Pet. Bellan obseruas. li. 2. ca 85. Aethyophians & the a Danaeus de haeresib. cap. 97. jacobites with others, who in their baptism burn some one, some two, some tree crosses with an hot iron in the forheads, in the cheeks, and above the noses of their children. By proportion from hence we may not figure the Cross in baptism because they figure it as they burn it not, because the superstitous burn it. Let the German Divines shut up all: who alleged against the Surplice and other ceremonies than enforced, that all b Lib. Concord. apud. Conrade. Schluselburg. tom. 13. P. 751. shadow of show was to be shunned with popely. #Sect. 14. The holiness and necessity of the Cross, cause it to smell very ranckely of superstition. NOw this participation and this occasioning is much advanced by the rank savour which the Cross hath amongst us, both of that holiness and of that necessity which are proper to a worship. What faults find we in a popish ceremony, but only these a Bellar. de effect. Sacrament. cap. 31. two when it is made a worship by them. But now a rank savour of these two cleaveth as closely to the Cross unto this hour, as did the leap rosy of Gehazi unto his seed. Begin we with the former, first how near are we to the yoke of fellowship with them in the efficient of the Crosses holiness. For when they recite what doth make an Image holy, and a Cross, they b Suar. tom. 1. in. Tho. disput. 54. sect 4.7. name antiquity, and the authority of holy persons that have used it, and the presence of God that hath wrought miracles by it, & the benediction of the church. In which who heareth not the very sound of our home pulpits? which declaim before the people how ancient the sign of the Cross is: How much reckoning the Fathers made of it? What miracles God hath wrought by it? & how devoutly our Church hath sanctified it to be a mean whereby to dedicate our seed to him that died upon the tree thereof? But they say that the Cross hath power against Satan c Ibid. disput. 56. sect. 3. ex divina institutione. and that it is holy by way of d Bellarm: quo supra. impetration, for that God heareth his Church when she doth bless it. But what if in the former by divine institution they mean nought else but Apostolical use? then so many of our Opposites concur with them, as hold the Cross to be Apostolical. As for impetration, are we not told of God's assistance to our Church, as if the Cross must needs be good because the Church ordaineth it? But our Church doth not ordain the Cross in so vile manner as the popish. As if there were not too great an agreement between the Armenians and the Romans, because the Armenians do consecrat the Cross in so vile manner as that the papists e Vazq. de adorat. li. 3 disput. 2. cap. 1. themselves detest it? Secondly, how near are we to the right hand of fellowship with them in the condition of the Crosses holiness, seeing they well near agree with us in what we speak against it, we with them in what they speak for it. We put no holiness in the Cross (say our Opposites) f so Harding: we put no holiness in the Surplice: so the Council of Trent. g Concil. Trident. seff. 25. you must put no virtue nor holiness in Images. So the jesuit, h Vazq. de adorat. li. 2 disput. 6. cap. 2. & lib. 3. disput. 1. ca 2 There is no holiness in any dead thing, but only in relation to some what, Cui sanctitas primario convenit. As when jacob saith, This place is holy, he meaneth no sunctitie in the earth, but a relative holiness in respect of God's presence who appeared there. On the other side, in relation to Christ and his death, and to Gods & the Church's ordinance the Cross is holy saith the papist. So do our Opposites call the Cross [ l Ric. Hook. li. 5. ca 65. an holy Cross] and the holy sign of Christ. Now I would feign know, what relation there is in it which by the Principles of our Religion can advance it to this style? Is relation to our Church's ordinance? but our religion teacheth, It is m D. Fulke in 1. Tim. 4. superstition to consecrat any thing to be holy in God's service. Yea no less superstition then that which God plagued in n D. Willet. contro. 9 qu. 7. p. 5. Abihu, when he brought into the Tabernacle holy fire of his own choosing. Is relation to Christ's death? but our religion o Idem. count 9 q. 5. art. 2. argum. 1. teacheth that to call a Cross holy in this respect is plainly to cross the holy Apostle who calleth it cursed. Indeed a p Vazq de adorat. li. 3. disput. 2. cap. 6. jesuite himself will yield that as the Cross is considered to be but an instrument of the pain of Christ his death, that so he ought to be as detestable unto us, as the gibbet is to a child which was the instrument of his Father's infamous hanging. And what other consideration will our religion allow in the Cross save this alone? For whereas the Papists count him holy, as an instrument of our redemption which was merited by the pain to which the Cross did put him, we totally deny that he may be considered so. Affirming that the Cross was only used for pain and curse that of the redemption which came by this curse and pain he was no instrument at all, upon no other ground save this continue we still the ancient argument of the q Vid Bellarm. de Imag. cap. 16. Petrobrusiani the cross ought to be as odious unto us as is the Gallows to a child on which his Father hanged. Thirdly, we come too near the society of the Papists in the act of the Crosses holiness: which is so vile, that it is a fault even a louse off to follow them. For a man to Cross himself, it is with them, r Guilhel. Wideford. a dvers. Wickleph. a rt. 10. actus Christianisimus: and the tradition of the Cross is with them perfecta the very Queen of all other traditions. So that Wicklife is thought to be out of his wits in that he thinketh there may be sin committed in so holy an s Idem. a rt. 16. act as Crossing. And when great Alphonsus chose the greatest duty in the burying of a stranger, he set his servants to dig the grave to dress the corpe and shroud it reserving the holiest part to himself which was to make an holy Cross to set at his head, and is t Panormitan. de dict. & fact. Alphons. commended for his holiness in so doing. Howbeit I doubt whither late Inquisitors will commend him, who have taken an u silvest Prior. in verb. imag. new course to keep the Cross in request for holiness; to wit, the dead must rather want the protection of his holiness, than his holiness be so debased, as to be set by a graves sides upon the ground. For the same cause must women kick the sanctification of the Cross at Rome. For as women were of old debarred from access into the Temple of Simon w Enagrius histor. li. 1. cap. 14. Stellites, and by an old Canon from all ingress in x Capitul. Grecor. Synodor. Collector. sanct. Martino. Bracarens. can. 42. Secretarium: so lest the Cross should be esteemed no more than ordinary for his holiness, no y Attillius Serranus de sept. eccles. vib. Rom. pag. ●6. woman must come into his Church but once a year, only the twentieth of May which is the dedication day. No small preferment I tell you to be admitted into the presence of the Cross, and to taste of his bounty; and to have the top of his holy sceptre reached forth unto you. The more is it to be lamented that even in the midst of our own Church some should arise, to renew a great part of this his credit. For as if Wideforde, Alphonsus, Prieras and the Crosses Priests at Rome had a nest of birds amongst us lately floush and now flown, we make more ado about a Cross then about any duty else: as if it were Actus Christianissimus, and preaching must be turned out rather than it be dispossessed so much as of a babies face; yea deeds of mercy themselves must pack, I say not to the dead but to the living; and not to women alone, but to men also, yea to jesus Christ himself; not only in his members, but even in his Ministers. And although we hold the Cross can preserve from sin in the very [instant] of the tentation, yet are we contented to deprive our brethren of it, for we may not use z Ric Hook li. 5. ca 65. common crossing, least unhappily the sign should grow into contempt And what other course can be taken for the holy things of God themselves? For no way sooner can there be procured a reverence to the holy name of God then 1 Exod. 20.7. by forbearing it in common talk: to his 2 Exod. 30.31. Oil then by forbearing it in common use, to the fat or 3 Levit. 17.11.12. blood of his sacrifice, then by forbearing them in common meat. And I pray you what great difference between separating of meats from common hands to make them holy which the 4 Mark. 7.1.2. Pharisees did, and this separating of a Cross from common fingers to make it seem holier in the eyes of the people. #Sect. 15. The Opposites first reply answered: which is, that the law commands not the Cross as an holy worship like the Papists. Four things are here replied. First, that the law commandeth it not as an holy worship like the Papists; which helpeth not, unless one of our pillars fail us, who hath these words, a D Fulke rejoind. art. 1. pag. ●140. Also he denieth that they attribute the virtue to the sign without relation to the merit of Christ's passion. Whereas M. Calsh. speaketh not of such shifts as crafty Lawyers can make for their excuse, but of the opinion of the ignorant people, who have thought without any further relations that the sign of the cross was an holy, blessed and whole some thing. The pretence then of the law (not commanding it as holy) is but a [shist] neither is it to be regarded what use the Law alloweth, alwhile the use which doth follow of the Law is awry in the people. The second excuse denieth the people's abuse herein, which maketh our time like to the fourth age of the Church. Then the relics of Martyrs were covered velamine pracioso, and thereupon too highly reverenced. Vigilantius was grieved as at the reverence itself, so at this Velamen which was b joh Reynold. de Idololat. lib. 1. ca 6. sect. 5. Ezech. 16.16. illecebra ad Idololatriam, as well he might, the scripture condemning the latae maculae wherewith the high places were interstinclae, and the versi colores vestes wherewith the Idols were operta for that they provoked to spiritual fornication, even as in the adultery bodily all enticements are forbidden, as Quid est (saith one) in capite feminae Corona quam formae laena, quam conflatio illecebrae? It pleaseth Hierome then to gainstand Vigilantius defending this illecebra, c Terrul. de coron. milit. and denying such abuse to follow as was objected. How truly an d Gaudent. Brixian. tract. 4. in Exod. indifferent man showeth, who living in the same time confesseth that diverse by occasion hereof, parentalia mortibus sues sacrificabunt. Like standeth the case of the controversy about popish relics now. The Law and the holy use they have amongst us (as a precious covering breedeth in the many to high an opinion of holiness in them, & of whole popery to which they belong. Hereupon we are grieved at them, desiring the removal of this illecebra from them, we feel herein the resistance of diverse Hieromes in our Church, whose chief argument is a denial of the abuses which we object. Our plea is just, these Hieroms having no experience of these abuses, as living either in contemplation (it may be at some University) or being otherwise busied (as they who live in Palaces) are not to be heard against those who like Vigilantius and Gaudentius see them daily with our eyes, hear them with our ears, yea (in a manner) feel them palpable with our hands. Is it not common to sew red Crosses under the shrewdes of the dead over right the heart? to lay white Crosses upon the bear, let the Minister forbidden the same with never so great vehemency? to make courtesy down to the ground, while the Minister is making of it on the forehead of the child? or to kiss the hand or bend the body towards it? Lastly to set it over the door to hallow the whole house? It beginneth also to appear openly in the boosomes and breasts of many, whence e Hieron. in Math. 23. Hierome himself once threw it out. I omit to stir this sink any further. In the time of Gregory the thirteenth, Richard Atkins f Supplem. ad Cronolog. joh. Crispin. in Gregor. 13 Englishman catched at the host, as it was carried in the street at Rome, to tear it down: but missing, he was judged by the people to have catched at the holiness of it, whereby he escaped. The like devotion remaining in them at this day when they see he Law command us to scrape a Cross in the child's forehead that is Baptized, will they not imagine we even scratch (not catch only) after the holiness of this sign? The third excuse is, that if the Cross be so abused the way is to remedy the abuse, the Crosses honour being preserved notwithstanding. This galopeth apace towards that of g Bellar. de eccles: triumph li. 2. cap. 4. Bellarmine, Non quia pauci nimium cultum praestant, ideo omnis cultus abolendus, and towards that which h Sadolet. lib. epist. 4. epist. 1. & 2 Sadolet once replied to Erasmus, wishing the removal of certain pictures, because of the abuse which followed of them, seeing it was only nimium quid quod in ijs subaccusari posse videatur opinionibus studijsque populi non est obsistendum. Our l joh. Reynold. de idol it. lib 1. ca 2. sect. 7. writers stand for a removal to remedy this [nimium quid] and so by consequent turn Cross and Surplice out of door for the opinion of too great holiness that is had of them. Suppose this opinion be denied in the people, no colour at all to deny it also in the Papist, for whose sake we are to leave them; by the example of our Lord: who therefore refused to conform to the ceremony of washing hands because he saw the pharisees put an holiness in it. Marc. 7.2.4. This is that which an m Harmon. confess. sect. 17. ex confesses. August. p. 222. whole Church saith, semper illi ritus abijciendi sunt, quibus assuunt adversarij opiniones falsas, ne confirmentur vitiosi cultus. The fourth excuse is, That ancient Laws have provided for the holy esteem of the Cross, and punished the contrary contempt thereof. Constantine to honour the Cross, forbade malefactors should be crucified. Not to honour the Cross, say I, but to honour Christ. The words of the n Sozom. lib. 1. ca 8. Tripartir. histor. li. 1. cap. 9 story going thus: Lest any in their deserved punishments should be equalled unto Christ. The like Law made by o Cod. li. 1. tit 12. leg. 10. Honorius showeth the like; who forbade the jews to burn any Cross, or any other sign of Christ in contempt of him. p julian is abhorred for tearing the Cross from the Imperial standard. The q Conrade. Lutzenb. in verb. Templar. Templars detested for spitting on the Cross. john r Genebrad. in an. 826. the twelfth, condemned in a Synod at Rome, because he used not to Cross himself, and all deservedly, because it was out of a most wicked despite of Christ and in profanes that they did it. But God have rewarded them that have reverenced the Crosses holiness? As s Gregor. Turonens. li. 5. ca 19 Paul. diacon. li. 18. Tiberius by name, who found a mass of great treasure under a Cross, when in devotion he took him up that he might not be trod upon. But the history telleth us it was his former alms to the poor that was rewarded in this treasure. I give instance of the like in them that use the sign of the Cross as little as we ourselves do wish; I mean the Protestants of t Commenta. de stat. religion. Reg. Gal. Beziers in France, who as they were digging the foundation of a Church, found a table of silver in time of extremity when they wanted pay for their soldiers: But it was the Cross that kept Tiberius his treasure. And it was an Image with a brazen head in Apulia, having this written about it: u Platina. in vit. Leonis 9 Calendis Maij sole oriente aureum caput habebo, that kept an huge mass of treasure for a long season. Robertus Guiscardi ransacking the country, was he that discovered it in the midst of a thicket; but it was a Saracen by the help of the Devil that found out the meaning of the inscription to be this: that in the Calends of May, at Sun rising the shadow of the Images head where it lighted on the ground, should have great treasure of gold underneath it. But to return to our purpose, when will our w D. Rabing upon a. commandem. Reverend Father's return to their old invectives against the holiness of crossing? Our children to the doctrine of their Fathers which is that the Cross x D. Fulke ag. Saund. of imag. cap. 13. D. Willet. contro. 9 ●. 5. art. 1. must be removed as the serpent was broken before the opinion of his holiness will out of the flesh, both Fathers and children to the ancient zeal which hath been showed from time to time against the holy things of aliens? When the Sheep and the Oxen were holy in y Nichol. Galalius in Exod. 8.26. Egypt, the people of God must put them to such use in sacrifice as will debase them. No use (then) of the holy Cross and Surplice is now pleasing to the Lord, but that which most will deseyze them of this honourable estimation; And such is the first smatch of popish leaven in Cross and Surplice, to wit, such a twang of holiness as is proper to a worship. #Sect. 16. The second pretence for defence of the Cross, is necessity. THe second is an other property which also doth pertain to a worship, and that is [Necessity] Here the a Rhemist. Annotat. 2. Thess. 2. sect▪ 17. Papist reckoneth the Cross not only among such traditions as are necessary to salvation, but also among such as are principal parts of faith. It being so, we are much in fault to dwell so near them as we do, there being almost no pretence which their necessity admitteth not as well as ours; no blame which our necessity incurreth not as well as theirs. Touching the first, what are we able to say for ourselves more than this, that we command it in Baptism not [tanquam necessarium] but oblige the conscience in respect of the Magistrates commandment only, not in respect of the rite itself. As though the Papists command it otherwise? Seeing in baptism they confess it is not necessary pierce, it must be confessed they command it there in the very same manner that we command it; as also all the rest of their rites. Thus Aquinas, b Tho. Aquin. 2.2. qu. 147. art. 4. respon ad. 1. statuta Ecclesiae sunt de his quae non per se sunt de necessitate salutis, sed solum ex institutione Ecclesia. Neither fish nor flesh of itself doth defile (say the c Rhemist. in Math 15 sect 5. Rhemistes) but a breach of the Church's precept defileth. They who hold the single life of Ministers to be indifferent, describe the necessity of it in such terms of not d Tho. A. quin. 2.2. qu. 88 art. 11. essentialiter sed ex statuto Ecclesia. accidentaliter, of not absolutè ratione ordinis, sed ex statuto Ecclesiae. of not e Durand in 4. distinct. 37. qu.1. f Caietan. opulcul. tom 2. tractat. 31. absolutely loquendo & seclusis legibus Ecclesiasticis: as that a Protestant himself cannot devise better to show that the Cross is not necessary of itself, but as authority doth command it. Is not the Cross à Satramentale? And how command they their Sacramentalia, but as we now the Cross? g Carol. Bovius. in schol. in Clement. li. 7 ca 44. Bellar. de effect. Sacrament. cap. 21. proposit. 2 not ex necessitate Sacramenti, sed ex necessitate praecepti: not h Durant de rit. lib. 2. cap 27. ex necessitate Sacramenti, but ex necessitate ministantis Sacramentum. Last of all, l Alexand. ab Alis apud Thesang. Theolog. p. 4. qu. 12. not ex necessitate faciendi, but ex necessitate facientis only. And what the very Cross itself, m Bellarm. de verb. non. script. lib. 4. ca 7. Quaedam etsi ex se, etc. some things there are which although they be not necessary of themselves, yet after they be commanded, they be so necessary as that if purposely they be omitted, men grievously sin. of which sort is the sign of the Cross in consecrating the water, etc. We have the Cross then made necessary in popery no otherwse than we ourselves do make it necessary, & yet our n Francisc. jun. count Bellar. ibid. not. 29. Math. 15.2 writers bend themselves against the necessity of it, even after this manner introduced. So did our Saviour stand out against the necessity of washing hands, though pressed upon him by virtue of the Elders commandment, and of the order of the Church: When Peter conformed to the jews ceremonies, he did it o Hieron. apud. Augustin. epist. 11. consuetudine solemnitatis, non necessitate salutis, and yet he did ill. And wherefore ill? because though he did not [predicare] that they were necessary, yet his using of them did [ p August. ad consent. count mendac. simulare] a necessity in them. which also was so much the more faulty because there were many who in error did [putare] that is, hold them to be necessary. All while (then) papists and simple men hold the Cross to be necessary as other worships of God are, it is no sufficient excuse, we do not predicare & teach a necessity in him, our using of him doth (simulare) so much, and breed such error in other men. One example more: They that kept the Passeover like the jews q Socrat histor. lib 5. cap. 21. pari ratione cum judaeis condemnantur, though they pretend a sublimior sensus in their observation, because they did pedibus proterere their diverse manner of observing by that bellum gravissimum, which they raised against their brethren about the same. Hence any may collect, that our diverse manner of crossing, saveth us not from being condemned with the Papists, all while we make them so necessary, as to make war upon our brethren about them. #Sect. 17. We can hardly accuse the Papists of any abuse of the Cross, because we abuse it almost as much as they. WE have proved the Papists may plead as good a manner in their necessity of the Cross as we well near in ours. Now proceed we to show, we can scarcely accuse them of any evil in their manner, but we have it in our own. What was said of old, non sunt Massilienses insipientes, eadem tamen faciunt quae insipientes, hath fit place here. Our Opposites are not Papists, yet do they many things touching the necessity of Cross and Surplice that Papists do, which we could wish were otherwise. First they wrist the Law against us, which if it be such as they pretend, we could wish it were only a Canon to direct, yea such a Canon as our forefathers were contented withal in the days of King Edward, when they left crossing to men's own discretions. a Rubric. vlt. Liturg. Fdw. 6. apud Bucer p. 455. Quantum adgenu flectionem, & consignationem signo crucis, elevationem manuum, tunsionem pectoris, & semiles gestus, liberum erit cuique sequi suam sententiam. What binding laws were there made about ceremonies in the primitive Church, whose ancient liberty we may wish for by the authority of b August. ad janu. 119. Augustine, who wailed the burdensomeness of human ceremonies in his time. Even c Agrip. de vanitat. scient. ca 62. Agrippa, a Papist can cry out against the fetters and chains of ceremonies which were not at first when the Church was free. As for our own d D. Fulke ag. Rhem. in 1. Tim. 4. sect. 8. Thom. Morton. Apolog. p. 2. lib. 2. cap. 9 writers they are bold against the Papists to appeal to the liberty of the ancient Church, when no binding laws were made about eating or fasting. That which is in different, e Hieron. in epist. ad Roman. cap. 14. unicuique in sua voluntate dimissum est, saith Hierome. Let then our Reverend Fathers suffer us to make that request to them, which a Papist thought fit to make even to a Pope himself. f Andr. Frisius de eccles. lib. 2. tractat. 13 in epist. ad Paul. 4. fol. 542. Quod si Adiaphorum sit, cur not liceat utroque uti ijs qui velint? Nam Adiaphororum ea natura est, ut eorum usus & intermissio nemini prodesse, nemini etiam obesse debeat: sed hanc illi Adiaphoriam aliter interpretantur, nam & dicunt quod volunt & interpretationes afferunt quales volunt. Dicunt Adiaphora esse quod de ijs litigandum non sit, sed quemcunque moribus suae Ecclesiae uti debere. He that well considereth these words, will see, though the cross were indifferent, yet that the same course which is taken with us, and the same interpretations used which the Papists take and use; yea that some things also are said and done, which the more moderate sort of Papists think to be more than needs. Finally, we desire our Opposites to remember that the sign of the Cross hath been [ g Chemnit. apud Bellarm. de verb. non script. ca 7. lib. 4. ritus liber] even from the beginning [like to the praying towards the East] which our Fathers were so far to exact with necessity, as that they have by Law h D. Fulke ag. Rastall. sect. 4. pag. 720. abolished it for that conformity which it doth bear with Papists. A second thing which is done in the urging of the Cross, like to that which Papists do, is the exaction of a [fidcs interna] unto it, by subscribing that it is well ordained. This, hath it not too great a smatch of that which Bellarmine affirmeth of rites. l Bellar. ibid. Necessarium est ad salutem credere, eos benè esse institutos, & eos non contemnere? Out writers blot our the former [credere eos benè esse institutos] which cannot be received but on Bellarmine's ground, which is, that the Church in ordaining ceremonies cannot err; and m joh. Caluin. institut li. 4. ca 10. Harmon. confess. sect. 17. leave contempt to be in the inner man, the only thing that is unlawful. And as this is done by them, because there is no infallible truth in the Church, for faith to rest on, so also because there is no absolute power in man, in things ritual to [ o Francisc: jun. count 1 lib. 4. ca 7. not. 25.26 Oblige] by itself and necessarily, for these things because they are human, they only oblige humanitus so long as no injury is done to the truth of God, to piety, to charity, to simplicity, and to christian liberty. What is here spoken of our liberty not to be injured, hath this meaning. Whereas Philip Melancton in the hurry of Germanies' Adiaphorisme, was wont to say, p Melanthon. epist. ad Hamburgens. servitus aliqua in cermonijs ferenda est. That the q Hamburgens. epist. ad Philip. loachim● West phal. apud Conrade. Schiselburg. tom. 13. p. 254. rest of the religion will have understood of the outward man only in body and goods, not of the conscience which is not to be enthralled to any rite by man commanded further than with grief to r Pet. Martyr Amico. cuid. in Angl. tolerate what is amiss. If it be further in England exacted, not only ut tolleremus, sed etiam ut Chirographo tanquam recta comprobemus (saith g Baeza in epistol. ad frat. in Angl. one) there remaineth nothing else but that de innocencia nostra testati, et omnia remedia intimore Domini experti, manifestae violentiae cedamus. #Sect. 18. The third abuse of the confuted: which is, that the Cross is urged of necessity without omission, even as with the Papists. THe third thing which the urging of the Cross doth, like that of the Papists is the exacting of a necessary use without the least omission. This is it not the very same with the Council of Trent, To a Concil. Trident. omit any rite in baptism which is ancient, and which the Church commandeth upon any cause or pretence what soever, is a damnable sin. This considered we have little cause to make many words of a diverse manner in the necessity of the Cross. Peter Martyr, was not ignorant of this manner, who yet affirmeth of the English ceremonies, that b Pet. Martyr epist. ad Hoop. episcop. Glocest. quoad aliter facere non liceat, they were grievous and burdensome. c Pilkingto● in epist. ad commit. Le●cestrens. D. Pilkington was after B. of Duresme, the manner of the English necessity was not unknown to him, yet he writeth that it destroyed Christian liberty: for that; liberty turned into necessity, is liberty no longer. But the Apostle (say our Opposites) the 15. act. 28 called the things [necessary] which they commanded being of themselves but things in different. Necessary (indeed) but how? not necessary as now the Cross is necessary whether he edify or be scandalous, do good or destroy: but necessary secundum quid, so far forth as then they served for edification and no further, witness Paul's practise in the very next chapter. For though the Council had forbidden circumcision, yet doth he break their decree, and boldly circumciseth Timothy because he saw it was the fittest course to edify. Wots ye then, what is rightly concluded hence? That the Apostles themselves cannot absolutely command in things indifferent. That things of themselves free become [ d Chemnit. examine. p. 1. tit. de bon. operib. p. 203. necessary] to be used when they edify, to be disused when they edify not, so that if the Magistrate be displeased for our forbearance of the ceremonies, it is but scandalum acceptum. in him we forbear, to edify, and this is a necessary duty to which we are bound. Indeed unless we do this, how can we walk circumspectly without offence, Ephes. 5▪ 15. especially in the creeks of Idolatry, of which Tertullian e Tertul. lib. de Idololat. inter hos scopulos & sinus inter haec vada & freta Idololatriae velificata spiritu Dei fides navigat tuta si cauta, secura si at●onita. The fourth thing which the urging of the Cross doth like that of the papist is compulsion through threat of heavy punishment, and punishing out right not only the obstinate and malicious and the contemner who only are punishable by the f Statut. of Eliz. before communi. book. 1. Cor. 8.9. & 9.19. & 6.12. law, but every one who shall omit it howsoever. Ought not our godly Governors to forego their commodity, and spare their authority in so general a perturbation of infinite consciences, as the Apostle giveth commandment, & example, g Baeza epist. 12. Num vero ista tami sunt ut propterea oporteat tam multorum consciencias perturbari? Peter compelled to the jewish ceremonies h August. exemplo only, and we see how Paul withstandeth him. When l Euseb. histor. li. 5. cap. 24. Victor compelled to a conformity in Easter, how doth Irenaeus take him up, upon this ground: m Catalogue. fest. veritat. fol. 10. That the observation of such things ought to be free? Charles the great compelled to a conformity to the service book of Rome, but how dishonourable was it to him? for he did it, Cumminis & supplicijs, saith n Naucler. generat. 22 jacob. de Vorngin. in legend. Gregor. & Eugen. the story. o Philip. Mornaeus de Bucharist. lib. 1. cap. 8. Alphonsus the sixth K. of Spain compelled to the same book of Roman rites, and how grievous grew he, and how burdensome to the people? who cried out, Quo volunt Reges, vadunt leges: The laws must sing, as will the King. Bishop Ridley enforced the Surplice upon M. Hooper, to the great regret of his conscience, and of this rigour p Act. & monu. in. epistol. annex. ad vit. Hoop. repent himself a little before the day of his death. Certain Princes of Germany to please Charles the Emperor, imposed the Surplice with other rites upon the Ministers of their several territories, and are all condemned for this, q Libel. supplicator. Theolog. German. Anno 1561. That they caused to sigh the spirit of God in the hearts of good men. #Sect. 19 The pressing of the Cross confirms popish principles. The urging of the Cross, establish a popish necessity, ex consequenti. FIftly, though our governors be not popish, yet by their pressing of the Cross, they confirm the popish principle, a Bellar. de effect. Sacram. ca 29 ritus Sacramentorum debent esse perpetui: against which our writers use to build up a contrary doctrine in Ritibus, b Zach. ursin. de Adiaphor. Gal. 2.12.13.14. ne accedat perpetua obseruatio. Sixtly, though the urging of the Cross and the rest of the ceremonies do not establish a popish necessity [ex professo] yet ex consequenti it confirmeth it, both with the Papist abroad, and the simple at home. Paul doth reprove Peter, wherefore? because by his conforming to the jews ceremonies he confirmed by his ensample that necessity which was held of them. The trin-immersion is a rite more ancient than the Cross, yet when it grew necessary in the opinion of heretics, even c Gregor. epist. ad I. ●andrum. indict. 9 cap. 41. Gregory himself doth abolish it, a man devoted otherwise to much to ceremonies: whom, how many d Pet. Martyr. de Imag. sect. 25. Hieron. Zanch. de imag. thes. 3. fol. 369. of our writers cite to prove it a duty to abolish all rites which are held necessary by the Papists? And a whole e Harmon. confess. sect 17. August. confess. p. 223 Church hath said, when there is a necessity placed in a ceremony, we are by ensample to show the contrary. Yea our f Zepper. de polit. Eccles. lib. 1. cap. 11. Divines consent, that when ceremonies are so strictly and precisely urged, that trouble doth arise about them, that then a man is bound to forbear, to give notice by his ensample against the necessity which might be conceived in them. Say not here, no necessity can be conceived in the ceremonies controversed, because the authority that doth urge them, doth openly profess the contrary. One of the Crosses proctor's telleth us: g Ric. Hook lib. 5. ca 65 p. 165. in actions of this kind we are more to respect what the greatest part of men is commonly prove to conceive, than what some few men's wits may devise in construction of their particular meaning. Now what the people are prone to conceive is evident, h Chemnit. exam. p. 1. tit. de rit. Sacrament. p. 38. Vulgi persuasio. etc. The persuasion of the vulgar people maketh the rites devised by men, to be as necessary to the integrity and efficacy of the Sacraments, as those which God himself hath ordained. What two is put to this persuasion by the practise of authority, is (indeed) more evident than can be expressed. For when they shall see them so necessarily pressed, as that the most respected preachers shall be utterly cast away before their eyes (themselves and theirs) for not relishing this necessity: how can it be but they must conceive that the men who bring this wrack do hold them necessary in their judgements? Look not for large discourses about this point, never were men able in the abuse of Images to allege more then known experience, which hath been always held sufficient, l Bellar. de imag. c 1●. adducit calvinus experientiam qua docet in cultu Imaginum superstitionem & errorem irrepsisse. m Agrip. de vanit. scient. ca 57 Dici non potest quanta Idololatria apud rudem populum alatur per Imagines. n Gregor. Cassand. consultat. art. 21. Manifestius hoc est quam ut verbis explicari possit. Who ever denied the o sufficiency of this evidence? In the abuses (therefore) of these ceremonies, our experience doth suffice; neither will any reasonable man expect more of us in that which dici non potest, which cannot verbis explicari: Neither can teaching to the contrary help. If in part it could yet is not that sufficient, as hath been showed elsewhere already, to which these testimonies for a surcharge may be added. Thus one of an whole Church, p Chemnit. ut supra. p. 39 utile est in huiusmodi Adiaphoris etiam exemplo libertatem oslendere. Th●● an whole Church of a private man, q Harmon. confess. sect. 17. ex confesses. August. p. 223. Cùm hanc de cultibus opinionem, etc. When the adversaries take up an opinion of worship then all men must know it is a good deed to cry out against the same; and by the breaking of such ceremonies to show example whereby the godly may learn what they are to think of them. So Eusebius writeth of Attalus commanded from heaven to command Alcibiades using only bread and salt, that he should feed on common meats, Ne alijs errorem offunderet. Last of all, thus one of the r Illyrie. in lib. de Adiaphor. Ministers who is to teach the contrary. Nec est, etc. It is nothing that the adiaphorists say, that they have taken order that the people should be taught the right use of the ceremonies; for such ceremonies ought to be appointed which by their goodness may help the preaching of the word; & not such as the word must daily have need to correct and chasten. The Apostle commandeth that all things be done to edification, and not the Sermons only. But if in other Church's example be needful, then in ours much more where the people can tell what our Church's tenant is, but by the Preachers. Of which, some beat continually upon a necessity to keep and observe them: and some roundly and boldly affirm, that they are worships. For proof hereof, what need I go further than to an University Act, where before a confluence and concourse of people out of all parts of the kingdom, s D. Foes. in comitiis oxonians. ann. 1605. A Doctor incipient in Divinity publisheth these verses. In Domini cultu si quid medium esse videtur, quod populi dubio, stat, cadit, arbitrio: Hoc sacrosancta parens Ecclesia si modo sanxit, Inque sacris cultum hunc si velit esse ratum: Non erit hic cultus medius, cogitur ad illum quisque: necessarius hic quoque cultus erit. #Sect. 20. The Cross as the Opposites, use it, is proved to be Sacramental. AS upon former examination we have found the sign of the Cross to be a ceremony and a worship superstitious, so if now we proceed in examining, we shall find him faulty herein also that he is Sacramental. What should an Hagar do in the house, that hath so long not only crowed against her Mistress, but also crowded into her place? For first the a August. count Fault. li. 19 ca 14. & in Psal. 141. & 65. Bernard. de bono defenden. Fathers called the sign of the Cross a Sacrament, yea such a Sacrament as the b Guil. Perk problem. in verb. Sacra. holy water & c Chemnit. exam. p. 2. ca 1. p. 7. holy bread are, which also were signed with the d Durant. de rit. lib. 2. c 58. sect. 2 cross & sanctified by it. Now the holy water hath such an efficacy (saith one) Quae certe nisi in Sacramentis esse videri non possit, so that maxim omnium videtur habere propriam rationem Sacramenti hoc illustris ceremonia. As for the holy bread wont to be given to the catechised when others did receive the Communion, it was no less than standing instead of the Sacrament unto them, therefore it was termed e●logia & f Durand. Rational. lib. 4. ca 53. vicarius communionis. What that the g August de peccator. merit. & remis●i. lib. 2. cap. 26. cross with this h Ibid. & in Regul. 75. bread ministered was thought to sanctify like a sacrament, as these words of August, show, Catechuminos secundum quendam modum per signum Christi puto sanctificari? Howbeit the sign of the cross stayed not her ambition here: e Alan. de Sacra. ca 5. she meant to catch the saddle in self before she had done, that which in Baptism she quickly attained, and with little ado, l Perk. problem verb. Chrism. sect. 2. Our writers telling us that the Fathers who set her on cock horse, made more of her then of the water itself of Baptism. The same gave power unto the Cross to m Cyprian. epist. 73. perfect Baptism, and to n Idem. de unct. chrismat. confer the spirit of God unto the Baptized. As for the former, chew a little upon these speeches, it may be they will tell thy taste how unsavoury the Fathers are in the matter of the Cross. o August. de tempor. 18●. With the sign of the Cross it is that the body of our Lord is consecrated, and the font of Baptism sanctified. With p Idem cont. Pelagium lib 6. ca 1. the sign of the Cross is the wave of Baptism consecrated. By q Chrysost. in Mat. 16. homil. 55. the sign of the Cross is the lords body consecrated: the font of Baptism sanctified, and all things whatsoever are made holy, they are made holy with the sign of the lords Cross. r Cypri. lib. de bapt. Christ. We glory in the Cross of the Lord, whose virtue worketh throughout all Sacraments: without which sign nothing else is holy, nor any other consecration that cometh to effect. s August. de sanct. serm. 19 With the sign of the Cross is the font of regeneration made holy: and to speak fully all Sacraments are perfected by his virtue. t August. in johan. tractat. 18. Unless the sign of the Cross be applied to the foreheads of the believers, or to the water whereby they are regenerated, or to the Sacrifice whereby they are fed, none of these are rightly performed. u August. de vulitat. penitent. The water of salvation is not the water of salvation, unless being consecrate in Christ's name, it be signed with his Cross. Again, w Ambros. de its qui initiantur. mister. cap. 3. The water is good for no use of future health without the preaching of the lords Cross. But when it is consecrated with the mystery of the saving Cross, than it is tempered to the use of a spiritual washing and of a saving cap. As therefore Moses threw the wood into the waters of Marah and made them sweet, so the Priest sends the preaching of the lords Cross into this font, and the water thereof is made sweet unto grace. Secondly, come we from the Fathers to the Papists, who plainly x Mart. rejoind. art. 1. Fulk. ibid. p. 141. 142 teach, that though it be not a Sacrament, yet is it like a Sacrament, for which cause they call it a Sacramentale. Now there are two things (saith Bellarmine) wanting of a Sacrament. y Bellar. de imag. ca 30 First, he conferreth no justifying grace [ex opere operato.] Secondly, he worketh not infallibiliter. But some say (and Cardinal z Bellar. de effect. sacram. c. 31. Bellarmine seaneth that way) that the ceremonies which the Church doth bless (of which I trust the Cross is one) apply Christ's merits as Sacraments do; confer their graces ex opere operato, as Sacraments do. Finally produce their effects, infallibiliter si id vttle sit hominibus; and what need is there that any Sacrament should do more? It is the Cross (saith a Durant. de rit. li. 2. ca 45. sect 7. one) whose virtue shineth in every Sacrament, the efficacy of blessing in the imposition of hands, (and that is a Sacrament with them) dependeth upon the sign of the Cross b jan Senius Concord. evangelic. cap. 150. saith another: an c Tho. Hutton. ag. Devon. Minist. other sort of them teach, that the sign of the Cross may supply Baptism, and stand in the room thereof. Thirdly, from Fathers and Papists come we down to home writers, who d Lamd. Danaeus. count Bellar de cultu. sanct. ca 7. D. Willet. de bapt. q. 8 error. 15. teach that every new devised sign, is a new devised Sacrament, and that a Sacrament e Pet. Martyr in comment. 1. Reg. 8. and a Sacramentale be all one, as long as there is an outward sign with symbolical signification, and that the Papists are f D Fulke repl. to Mart. art. p. 141. 142. sacrilegious in bringing the Cross so near a Sacrament as they do. In regard hereof they cannot be clear that do use the Cross in a Sacrament as we do. The g Theodor. haere●. ●abular. lib. 1 Manichees did eat the meat, the dressers whereof they held in execration, and are held ridiculous. As than we detest the Papists for dressing of the Cross with the relish of Baptism, so let us forbear to eat of the meat itself which they have dressed there, who should abstain even from the very broth itself, of every unclean thing. When the Nazarites were forbidden to drink wine, it was unlawful for them to taste of the liquar of the grape. h August. de haeres. cap. 46. Augustine reproveth the Manichees for that professing earnest hatred against the wine, 1 Isa. 65.4. they would fill their bellies with grapes notwithstanding. 2 Num. 6.3 Seeing then we profess hatred against the popish Cross, retain we no longer this liquorish taste of him in our Sacrament. They l Concil. Aquisgranens. ca 63 that will not eat meat, must yet touch it, to show that they did not judge it unclean like the heretics. Our use of the Cross in Baptism, if it be not an eating of this Idolothite, yet is it at least a touching of it, whereby the people judge it clean. m August. contra. Penlian. lib. 2. Augustine himself was carried away with the use of his time to think that the Oily Cross in genere signacularum visibilium was sacrosanctum sicut ipse Baptismus. Will not simple men be drawn much more to think that the sign of the Cross is holy as Baptism is, all while they see it used in Baptism? Consider the water wont to be mingled with the wine of the supper, because it was suffeted there, it grew at last to be thought as necessary as the wine. So that the n Conrade. Lutzenburg. in Georgian. Durant. de rit. lib. 2. cap. 27. sect. 3.4. Armenians and our Church are condemned as heretics for omitting the water as are the Aquarij for the leaving out of the wine. What then? as the washing of the feet was cashiered from Baptism, when it seemed o August: epist. 119. cap. 18. pertinere ad Baptismum, so now deal we with the Cross; whose first Sacramental guilt we have seen, that it is well near a Sacrament added. #Sect. 21. The Opposites saying the Cross is Sacramentale, is four ways faulty. THe second is that it is a Sacramentale, whose addition is found faulty of four sins against the second Precept. The first consisteth in a [Sacramental power] from the rust, whereof, is our Cross scoured? What meaneth this bleating then in our ears? a Ric. Hook li. 5. ca 65. fol. 160. The Cross is an holy sign. A most effectual teacher, yea, there cannot be a more forcible mean to avoid that which may deservedly procure shame. Howbeit draw we near, and we shall hear more. Master Hooker being ashamed to apply the text of Ezech. 9.4. Apoc. 7.3. to the sign of the Cross in that gross manner as jesuits do, fetcheth a windlasse which cunningly bringeth them at the last to the very same standing. They mean (forsooth) no visible mark, but security from that shame which useth to show herself in the face: whereof shall I say, (saith he) the sign of the Cross is in some sort a mean? sith he thinketh it, he may very well say it, to make known to the world an Amalekites beast is kept alive which should have died. For shall I say, the sign of the Cross is in some sort effective of grace, if in some sort it be a mean to secure from confusion everlasting? And how do not these places imply a mark visible, if they employ the Cross for a mean of the safety that they promise? Howbeit draw we near, and we shall hear yet more. He is not ashamed to cite a sentence of Cyprian, who saith, the Cross doth purify the forehead. Yea keep it pure from the Garland of Satan, in the same sort that the Sacrament of the Supper keepeth pure the mouth from the scraps of Idols. Now how cometh it to pass, that M. hooker's forcible mean to keep foreheads from shame, hath so foully deceived his Master? leaving his own forehead so void of shame, as to justify this purifying of foreheads by the Cross, and this keeping pure? But he hath made some recompense (you will say) in the second allegation out of Tertullian, which for very shame of the forehead is shuffled (as it were) out of the rank, to stand in the margin. No this was policy, because he showeth his horns too openly, and bleateth the Amalekitish Idiom too broad. If it had been shame he would not have brought him into the field: he being burnt in the ear as a Rogue of Montanus by the bench of all our b Whitak. contro. 1. q. 6. cap. 12 fol. 443. Chemnit. exam. p. 30 de tradit. fol. 94. writers. One of whom thus: Tertullianus de resurrectione carnis, etc. Tertullian in his book of the resurrection reciteth Unction, signing with the Cross, and the imposing of hands, for the ceremonies of Baptism. Neither doth he only ascribe unto them decency and signification, but efficacy also. For he saith, the flesh is anointed, that the soul may be sanctified. The flesh is signed that the soul may be fenced; the flesh is shadowed with imposition of hands, that the soul may be enlightened with the spirit: and that these are montanical, it may be gathered by this that he addeth in the same place, serophagias sordes corporis monogamiam quae montanita esse certum est. But Master Hooker doth not mean he saveth from shame, purifieth the forehead, & fenceth the soul ex opere operato, as doth the Papist: but ex opere operamis only, as he stirreth up meditation, and consideration, or (to speak in his own language) imagination, which happily are a sleep without it. He differreth (in deed) that the papist giveth unto the Cross, a power ex opere operato against the Devil which he giveth not, as for the grace which sanctifieth, some papists give no more power to the Cross than doth Master Hooker for aught I see, for he maketh it powerful (as a mean) which God blesseth to the inward stutring up of the mind: and what doth c S●●ph. Garden. in epist. ad Ridley. Steven Gardener himself give more to the Cross or to holy water, or to any thing in their imagined power of sanctifying? Doth not a d Vazq de adorat. li. 3. disput. 2. cap. 5. jesuit directly deny, that a Cross imprinteth any holiness saving by prayer? Others (it may be) give a power ex opere operato in this behalf, but I leave them in the midst, the point I drive at being apparent a power Sacramental, to stir up the soul by striking the senses, is ascribed to the Cross, and that very near in a popish manner against the doctrine of our f Chemnit. exam p. 2. cap. de ritib. pag. 36 37. 38. Writers who disclaim it. #Sect. 22. The Fathers urge a necessity of the Cross very superstitiously. The Papists more indifferent than they, therefore their authority of no value for the Cross. AS the Cross is a Sacramentale guilty, for the power Sacramental which it usurpeth, so for the necessity which it challengeth to itself, and that in the Father's monuments which we have chosen for our guides. For a Mart. of the cross. art. 4. Calsh. ibid. pag. 92. D. Fulke in reply. art. 4. pag. 164. Cyprian is cited to prove that Baptism hath no effect, but in the figure of the Cross. In the answering whereof we put ourselves to much trouble, unless we yield that Cyprian meant the very sign itself of the Cross together with Christ's death. b Durant. de rit. lib. 1. cap. 19 sect. 12. Ambrose is cited, the saving water of this Sacrament, is no more saving without the Cross, than the water of Marah was sweet without the wood that was thrown into it. August. is cited to prove no Sacrament is perfected rite without the Cross, which whether it be as much as recte in his judgement or no, it is not much material. As for the Papists their necessity is better espied by their practice and by their preaching, then by their schools and by their writings which are more crafty. Hear of late they have scattered abroad many pamphlets in rhythm after the example of the old d Sozom. hist. lib. 8. cap. Socrat. hist li. 6. cap. 8. Arrians. Now one of their Ballads runneth thus. e The Lament. of the Cross to the tune of the L. Courtn●is dump. Without the Cross S. Augustine saith, Read him, and you may see. No man is steadfast in the faith, No Christened well may be. No Sacrifice, no holy Oil, No washing in the font, Nor any thing can thee assoil, if thou the Cross do want. Christ crucified he doth affirm, When that he rose from death, Hath left his Cross here after him, For to increase our faith. Children by it have Christendom, The water blest also: The holy Ghost appears to some, And gifts of grace bestow. When that this Cross is made aright, Of them that hallowed be: Where it is not, there wanteth might, For aught that I can see. Saint Chryso stome in likewise, persuades himself herein: And saith by this a man doth rise, From death and deadly sin. The Cross is at our birth, saith he, And where that we be fed: The Cross it is most meet perdie, When that we shall be dead. For this necessity's sake the rule is to be held, which is delivered by one of our writers, which he inclusively meaneth of the very Cross itself, which he did not rehearse among the tolerable rites of the Fathers of which he had spoken before: Quodilla postea, etc. Whereas those ancient ceremonies of baptism, f Hieron. Zanch. in Ephes 6. lect. de bapt. ca 7. which arose after together with others superstitious and frivolous which are used in the papacy, have been taken away by our men, this was even necessary: because of the superstitions which were introduced, & for the opinion of necessity. Hezechias is commended for breaking the brazen serpent: which (notwithstanding) was ordained by God; because the Israelites had begun to abuse it. How much more than are our mento be commended, who have done this in rites ordained by men: quanquam per se non malis quoniam iam plenae essent: superstitionum. What (then) though the Cross were not evil [pierce] by reason of the popish necessity, it is to be removed after the example of other Churches who have abolished it: out of an opinion that it is a necessary duty to remove all rites which have mounted to an estimate of necessity. In regard hereof it is a fig leaf, covering no nakedness, which is tossed up and down, The Law doth not make the Cross a necessary part of Baptism, but a rite only needful for decency and for order. First the harlot herself can say as much for her excuse, for whose necessity notwithstanding our writers think a removal necessary in every of her rites. For the Master of the Sentences telleth us, that the g Pet. Lombard. lib. 4. distinct. 3. sacramentalia (of which the sign of the Cross is one) do not pertain, ad substantiam sacramenti, but ad solemnitatem only. h Tho. Aquin p. 3. qu 66. art. 10. Thomas Aquinas saith, that the Sacramentalia are not necessary, ad esse sacramenti, but only ad bene esse. l Bellar. de sacrem. in gen. ca 21. Bellarmine saith, the Sacramentalia are not necessary, ad integritatem sacramenti essentialem, but ad integritatem accidentalem, and no more. The Canon Law having rehearsed the Sacramentalia, addeth this, haec cum patrimis non mutant esse sed ornant. Besides these general distinctions n Tho. Aquin. p. 3. qu. 84. art. 4 ad. ●. Aquinas saith particularly of the sign of the Cross, that it is not necessary to any Sacrament. o Holcot in sentent. p. 4. distin. 3. qu. ●3. Holcot, that it is not necessary to Baptism that which also is affirmed both by p Mart. in reply. art. 4. Martial and by q Alphons. de Castro. in verb. Baptism. haeres. 6. Alphonsus, the last of whom reckoneth it an heresy to hold the Cross to be necessary in Baptism, although he seem to miss in the heretic, which by probability cannot be r jon Aurelianens. de cult. imag lib. 1. Claudius Taurinensis, because he opposed himself against the worship of the Cross; not only material, but aereal also. #Sect. 23. The Opposites give that to the sign of the Cross, which is only proper to an essential part of the Sacrament. SEcondly, though we intent not to make the Cross a part of Baptism, yet we give that to him which only is proper to an essential part thereof, and it is sacrilege (saith one of our a Chemnit: exam. p. 2. tit. de tit. writers) to give that, which is proper to a Sacrament in whole or in part to any thing else. Our writers b Calsh. ag. Mart. art. 4. D. Fulke reply art. 4 p. 166. tell us, the oil is abolished, because it encroached upon the material sign of Baptism. Now wherein doth the oil more than the cross? Though to be a sign be not proper to a sacrament, yet to be a sign [ c Tho. Aquin. p. 3. qu. 60, art. 5. ad ●. determined] in God's covenant, is in part (at least) proper to it. Now this the sign of the Cross hath with us. Seeing the jews (saith d August. come. Faust. lib. 19 cap. 14. Augustine) died for their ceremonies, how much more ought we to strive, pro Sacramento, pro Christi Baptismo, prosigno Dei? We follow him and strive for the Cross as for a Sacrament, and do we not (then) give it the honour, which is proper to an essential part of Baptism? Is there so much care for the purity of Baptism, as there is for the honour of this sign? If Baptism itself were in question, could it be more eagerly maintained then now the Cross is? What that we give it even the office of an essential part or Baptism, of which hereafter? Thirdly, though we intent not to make the Cross a necessi●ry part of Baptism, yet we seem to make it: which is faulty by that council which abolished the Trine immersion upon this reason, e Concil. Tolet. 4. can. 5. ne approbare videantur hareticorum assertionem dum sequuntur & morem. And I would we had no cause to complain of the effects of this our seeming. For it is known that some refusete be Godfathers where the Cross is not used. Others living in places where it is disused, carry their children where they may have it. It hath been known also that children have been rebaptized for the lack of it. The people are in fault for this. True, for the sin, but our Governors for the stumbling block, who though the Cross be mos haereticorum yet use it, and continue it in Baptism, together with the sign of the covenant, as if it were equal with it. For what course have we taken here to make it seem inferior to it? It is thought the Priest is prejudiced in his order when the f Tho. Aquin. p. 3. qu. 8 a. art. 3. Deacon is suffered to sit with him, or to consecrate in his presence. But the Cross sitteth with Baptism and dedicateth our seed to God. The g Damas'. Pap. in epist. decretal. Cor Episcopus is barred from faluting the people, with the sign of the Cross in the presence of the Bishop, but the sign of the Cross, not only saluteth, but also receiveth and admitteth our children into the Church, in the presence of Baptism. h Cicero pro Cecinna. Every King putteth of his Crown in an others kingdom; every l Act. & monu. Archbishop layeth down his Cross in an others Province; m Levi. decad. 1. li. 2. every Subordinate state submitteth his Mace, in the presence of a greater. Whereas no man divesteth a Cross, what should I say, lay him down or aside? in the Kingdom, Province, or presence of Baptism; when the most part strike to hoist him yet higher. The n Durant. de rit. lib. 2. cap 9 sect. 35. Abbot is bound to wear a Mitre of less ornament than the Bishop, that when both be in place together, the Abbot may be known to be inferior to the Bishop, whereas there is no order taken to make it outwardly appear, that the Cross is inferior to the water. When there is something mingled with the bread in the Lord's Supper, all is marred, if the permixture be [ o Tho. Aquin. p. 3. qu. 74. art. 3. ad 3. Magna] puta ex aequo vel quasi. When the wine is mingled with the water, there must be [ p Durant. de rit. lib. 2. cap. 27. sect. 3. paululum aquae] & plus de vino quam de aqua. Whereas therefore in all cases of emulation, the wise doom of man hath provided sensible signs and visible marks of inferiority, we are to blame that in our use of the Cross in Baptism, we ordain such a visible and such an outward administering of him, as Baptism hath itself. #Sect. 24. The Opposites objection saying the Cross in Baptism is inferior to the water, because it comes after, confuted. NOt so (say some) we cause the Cross to come after the water, which is acknowledgement sufficient of inferiority, and a sensible badge of subjection to it. First, this ill beseemeth our mouths, who cannot endure the Papist when he maketh the same excuse. The Cross (saith a Durant. de rit. lib. 2. cap. 33. sect. 6. he) which cometh after the consecration in the Lord's Supper belongeth not to it. We oppose against him, the consecration doth reach to the whole administration of the Sacrament, within which administration, whatsoever sign is administered, it cannot but (at least) in show pertain unto it. b Decret. p. 3. do consecrat. distinct. 4. cap. 76. Ipsa responsio ad celebrationem pertinet Sacramenti, theresore it is part of the Sacrament, saith the Canon. So all while the Cross is within the [celebration] of Baptism, it is [morally] a part thereof. For ensample, The feast came after the worshipping of the calf, and after the substance of Idolatry. Yet because it appertained to the solemnity, the c Gnate. Archetyp. in 1. Cor. 10. Apostle not only counteth it a part of the Idols service, but also such a principal part as includeth all the rest that went before. The Agapae came d Andre. Hipper in 1. Cor. 11 after the substance of the Lords supper, yet because they appertained to the solemniye, the Apostle allegeth the institution against them, which holdeth only against such rites of a Sacrament as be added parts thereof. The wearing of the white garment itself, usque e Beat Rhenan in Tertul de coron. milit. ad dominicam de albis: & abstinence from washing all the week long, were ever reputed to belong to Baptism, as well as any other rite, because it hanged in the extremes of Baptisms solemnity. We accuse the Papists for making Oil a part of Baptism, yet doth it follow after the water, as far of as the Cross: yea after the first crossing. Finally the worst additions in the world may be excused by this shift. The worst addition in f Bellar. de pontifis. li 4. ca 17. Bellarmine's judgement, is additio ad opus praeceptum, as if one household should have eaten two lambs in the sacrament of the Passeover in stead of one. Whereas by this divinity of ours, there is a trick to eat two Lambs within the solemnity of this Sacrament, and yet be guiltless: to wit, by eating one after another. The worst addition which we meet withal in the Fathers, is the bread and cheese of the g Epiphan. haeres. 49. Artotyritae in the Lord's Supper, which by this Theology is lawful enough: provided that the bread and cheese be eaten after the supper bread, and receiving of the wine. Secondly, this excuse holdeth by that separation, which it maketh between the water and the Cross: Whereas (indeed) there is nothing that marreth this whole ointment like this one fly (I would say plea) of separation. What maketh the fitches', tylles, tars with the like, which are mingled with the wheat, that they make no addition to the bread of the Supper? because there is no separation but id h Tho. Aquin. p. 3. q. 74. art. 3 ad 3. quod est modicum assumitur à plurimo. And what is the cause that the ancient mingling of the water with the wine was tolerable? because the water became one with the wine without separation, and was no sign of a diverse l Ibid. & Durant. de rit. lib. 2. cap. 27. species from it? as one describeth, m julius Pap. in epist. decretal. ad Episcop. Egypt. Qua copulatio aquae & vini sic miscetur in chalice domini, ut mixtio illa non poss it seperari. Let me hear (then) what saith this excuse? I have separated the Cross from the water? If thou hast made a separation, thou hast made a fair hand: this very separation maketh the Cross to be a sign of a diverse species, and so by consequent to be an addition that is unlawful. And the manner of this separation (boasted of) maketh the after place of the Cross yet worse. For, there being a word severalled to it, such (for show) as the water hath, occasion is given to the simple to imagine, that the water and Cross in Baptism are of the same sequence and consequence too, that the bread and wine are in the Lord's Supper. Indeed what hindereth? For what though the Cross and the water be diverse in matter? So are the bread and the wine in the Supper. They make one refection in Christ, and so grow to be n Aquin. p. 3 qu 73. art. 2. ad 2. formally one, these may grow to be one likewise, because they make formerly one, investing into the Church. And doth not the Cross touch the water as near as the wine doth touch the bread? The postation of the wine doth not prejudice it, therefore the postponing of the Cross doth not prejudice it neither. A separation of so small distance waggeth no corn, it casteth the Cross behind the water, but not below it. Never thought the ancient Christians there was a sufficient separation between them and the jews, till the solemnities themselves did differ on o Concil. Laodicen. cap. 29. Irenaeus li. 1 ca 26. Epiphan. haeres. 30. diverse days. So that, as long as the Cross and the water, our Cross and the popish, are seen in the same solemnity of Baptism, the separation is insufficient. Thirdly, so far is it that the Cross cometh after Baptism, thereby to be made morally at the lest no part thereof, that it hath in fight the chiefest room and seat of credit, which the administration of this Sacrament can afford. It maketh much for the Crosses credit that he receiveth into the Church, although it be out of the Sacrament, as the p Torrens. coufessi●● August. lib. 4. ca 9● tit. 4. citing of these words bear witness, q August. in exposit. Symbol. ad Catechum Nondum quidem adhuc per sacrum baptismum renati estis, sed per crucis signum in viero sanctae matris Ecclesiae iam concepti estis. What credit (then) is there done him, being set in Baptism, where we receive into the Church, and dedicate to Christ which is the whole office of Baptism itself, & the whole benefit that we reap by it. And can the oil and the lights be of little credit though they follow after the water, when they are used to help to receive into the Church? r Gregor. Turonens. histor. li. 5. cap. 11. Pontifex (saith the story) prae gaudio lachrimans cunctos aqua abluens, chrismate liniens in sinum matris Ecclesiae congregavit flagrabant Carei, lampades refulgebant. Again, The Ring cannot have a more honourable place in Marriage, then where the wisdom of man hath seated it, in regard of marriage solemnity, it is used when the conjunction is in making, in regard of the party married, it is set on the fourth finger of the left hand, the s Durant. de rit. li. 2. ca 9 sect. 37. nerve whereof runneth straight to the heart. But the very same place hath the Cross in Baptism, while we and Christ are conjoined together by our receiving into the Church, we use it, & we imprint it on the forehead, t Tho. Aquin. p. 3. qu. 72. art. 9 ad quenspirit us direclè à cord ascendunt. Moreover, why should a subsequence after the water make a rite seem the less, and a precedency before the water not make it seem greater, which yet it did never? u August. de verb. Apostol. serm. 8 Non ijs sufficit quod inuncti sunt, festinent ad Lavacrum si lumen inquirunt (saith Augustine.) Whereof two ceremonies alluded to the one going before the water (to wit the Oil) and the other coming after (to wit the light) this (we see) which cometh after, is preferred. So that from the ceremonies before the water men always pass to them that came after, as in a progression from the imperfect to those that be perfecter. There was an w Tho. Aquin. ad. 4. sentent. distinct. 6. Oil before the water in old time, and one after the water: and which of them was held the better? Sure not the oil that went before the water which was x Durant. de rit. lib. 2 cap. 20. sect. 3. Oleum simplex, serving for the shoulders, breast and forehead, but that which came after, which was Oleum principale confectum (scilicet) ex Oleo & Balsamo, and which anointed in Vertice, which is the highest part of all. Once more, When men would have the water in the Supper to be no sign by itself, nor an addition to that Sacrament, they mingled it with the wine y Durant. de rit. li. 2. ca 38. sect. 3. before it was consecrate and not after: so that the place which may give seeming the Cross is no part of Baptism, is to use it before the water rather than after, which is the place of greatest ambition serving to perfect, seeming to consummate all the rest that went before, as experience itself hath tried, and that in the greatest men. Thus Cyprian z Cyprian. epist. 73. ad jubaian baptizati signo dominico consummantur, Thus Ambrose, a Ambros. de Sacra. lib. 3. ca 2. superest signaculum ut perfectio fiat. Thus b Euseb. hist. lib. 6. cap. 35. Cas. Baron Annal. in an. 254. Cornelius, because Novatus was not signed, therefore he had not all his christendom. Thus the custom of the whole Church, the c Durant. de rit. li. 1. ca 20. sect. 8. obsignation is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even the upshot of all the rest. The d Censur. oriental. cap. 3. Greek Church saith of the after compliments of Baptism: to wit, the Oil of confirming, and of the bread of the Supper which they put into the mouth of the Infant that is Baptized, hic est finis omnis mysterij. It hath a long time been held by the Latin Church that the rites of Baptism which came after the water, did make a Christian, and give Christendom, which none could have (it was thought) without them. Illa e Dionis. eccles. Hierarch. perficiens unctio facit perfectum, quip divinae regenerationis perfectio. f Tho. Aquin. p. 3 q. 66. art. 10. Durant ●●. supra. Qui confirmatus non est, non est perfectus Christianus, nec sidem habei inter perfectos. A place cited out of Clemens, to which there acordeth another brought out of Rabbanus: Omnes fideles per manus impositionem Episcoporum, accipere debent spiritum sanctum, ut pleni Christiani inveniantur. Evermore then hath the last place of the folemnitie of this Sacrament been a stage where those ceremonies have showed themselves that would be esteemed the perfecters and finishers of our Christendom. The water we see is powered on, and here is not finis Mysterij. Neither is a man made hereby a Christian, no he shall not be called a Christian by any nor suffered to sit among Christians until he partake of the after rites of Baptism, and by name the Oylie-Crosse. It may be some will think I will apply the former testimonies to the after rites of Baptism which seem to belong to the Sacrament of confirmation. But let them not deceive themselves. There was at the first no confirmation out of Baptism, but it was within the solemnity of Baptism, that the child received the water, the bread of the Supper & the oil of confirmation; g Simon. Goulart. in Cypri. de uncti. Chrismat. Carol Bonius schol. in Clemen. Stanisla. Socolovins in Censur. Oriental. eccles. ca 3. Perk. problem. chris. art. 7. as all evidences and writings show. Have we not done (then) a great deed, and with admirable wisdom prevented occasion of a necessary estimation in the Cross? To wit we have set him at the latter hand of the water, as Peter is set at the left hand of Paul h Act. & Monu. fol. 241. in the Pope's Bull, I end with the title of the Canon, which doth it say: of the sign of the Cross after Baptism? No, but it goeth thus: of the sign of the Cross in Baptism. #Sect. 25. A third fault wherein th'Opposite usurpeth upon Sacramental offices. THus have we seen how guilty this Sacramentale is in a Sacramental power, and in a necessity Sacramental. Come we now to a third fault wherein he usurpeth upon Sacramental offices which he beareth in this Sacrament or unto it. Touching the former; we rejoice (I know) to follow the Fathers, and so to use the Cross in Baptism as they did use it; but there and in the other Sacrament of the Supper which was a August. in johan tractat. 118. signare Christi bona; which how can it be justified? For first as none can sign a lease but he that hath power to let and demise it: so none devise a sign of the covenant, or of any grace thereof, but God alone that promiseth. This the school men saw & taught, b Tho. Aquin. p. 3. qu. 60. art. 5. ad. 1. determinare quo signo, etc. It pertaineth only to the signifier to determine what sign must be used to signify. But it is God who is the signifier unto us of things spiritual by things sensible in the Sacrament, and by words similitudinary in the scriptures; therefore as it is determined by the judgement of the holy spirit, by what similitudes things spiritual should be signified in certain places of the Scripture, so it ought to be determined also by divine institution what things should be chosen to signify in this, or in that Sacrament. I add to this the commentary added by a Cardinal. c Caietan. Ibid. Aduerte quam, etc. Consider from hence how presumptuous, and injurious their wittiness is, which writ or preach, or interpret the similitudes of poets or some of their own, thereby to represent things spiritual. For they usurp the office of the Holy Ghost, by whose judgement some things are ordained to be figures of other things; and they vilify the sacred Sripture, while by such fiction they give occasion to believe that the things which are in the Scripture, are figurs by human spirit, even as these which they have framed by the dexterity of human wit, so much authority is detracted from the figures of the holy Scripture. I press here that God only is significans: that it cometh from carnal wisdom to devise any significations; that he usurpeth the office of the holy Ghost that added new signs: and lastly that new signs devised are so far from adorning the water of Baptism, as that they vilify it and detract much authority from it. One main ground of this doctrine is mainly refused (I know) by the d Bellar. de sacram. in gen. ca 21. proposit. 2 papists, which is that no man may devise any worship of God: and another ground is brought in place (to wit) the Sacraments of the new Testament do give grace and none can give grace but God only: And therefore none ordain a sign but God alone. How near our Opposites come to this jesuit, all men may know who hear them distinguish, though a man may not devise an exhibitive sign, yet he may devise a significative, one such as is the sign of the Cross. Alas to what poor shifts are these men driven! For we have heard out of the school men already that God is the only signifier both in things and in words: therefore a sign even quatenus it signifieth must be from him. Nay, this cannot stand before Bellarmine himself, even he therefore shall be their judge. For though the signs of the old Testament be not in his judgement, exhibitive of any grace, but significative only, yet he saith, they were all ordained of God & so ought to be. Upon this reason (which now taketh hold on the sign of the cross, seeing we use him to receive into the Church) e Bellar. ibid. etiamsi Sacramenta vetera non efficiebant gratiam iustificantem, camen introducebant in populum dei, at nemo potest determinare aliquid ad introducendun incertan rempublicam nisi qui author est illius legis & reipublicae. Secondly even in the time of the old law when signs reigned, none were lawful which were not showed in the pattern of the mount: the letter of which commandment then the equity now keepeth out all signs devised by man which are not found in the pattern of the word. The signs which now man deviseth, it keepeth out the more strongly because they obscure the Gospel: for nothing ought to be adumbrated now in the clear light thereof, say f joh. Brent. in confess. Witenberg cap. vlt. joh. Caluin instit. li. 4. ca 10. sect. 14. our writers. So that we thus plead against the oil (& the oil & the cross are twins of one birth) g Athanas. oratio. 2. cont. Arrian. Christus transsadit in nos unctionem spiritus absque tali Ceremonia. Again. h Euseb hist li. 1. ca 4. Christianinon unguntur amplius per typos & imagines, fed per ipsas nudas virtutes. l August. adverse. judeos. ca 4. Christus mutanit unctionem carnalem in spiritualem. No ceremony in Baptism like to the oil, it goeth beyond all the rest, in this that the smell of it affecting the sense, m Brisson. de spectacul. pag. 189. 192. it striketh adeeper force & impression into the mind. If therefore it must vanish away, and the oil spiritual be only left, much more the sign of the cross must be taken away, & the cross spiritual be left only behind, which is faith in Ch. jesus crucified, & patience to bear his cross. Whereas it was an ancient custom ( n Ducant de rit. li. 2. ca 55. sect. 14 saith a papist) to wash the feet before Bapt. the Church is now contented with the thing signified only, which is internal preparation: why should not we be then contented with the thing signified of the Cross, in consideration that God hath not abolished his own signs in this time of the Gospel, to give o D. Fulke ag. Saund. of imag. joh. Dearing. in Heb. lect. 2 man leave to set up others in their rooms. Thus August. p August. de doctrine. Christian. lib. 3 ca 8. Christiana libertas eos quos invenit sub signis utilibus, interpretatis signis quibus subditi erant ad cas res quarunilla signa sunt elevauit. Is it not a singular benefit to be taught clearly without signs: which to understand some Oros Apollo had need still be present with us to expound them: what shall the people of Egypt do with the hierogliphical letters of their priests which are significative? plain letters q joh. Bohem Auban. lib. 1. cap. 5. are best for them whereby to write. So was it a benefit for the people of the East, that the Emperor r Anton. Gubert. Costan. Polyhistor. cap. 9 abolished the significative writing of the law by Notae, which served for Compendium, bringing ina plain manner of writing, with out any such signs. So was it a s Genebrard li. 2. ann. mundi. 1791. benefit for Philosophers that Aristot. abolished the figures & numbers of the Platonics & Pythagorians reducing lodgike into such an Art, as proved an instrument of plains in teaching. So was it a benefit (last of all) that t Socrat. hist lib. 6 ca 3. Sozom. li. 8. ca 2. Diodorus Tarsensis (Chrysost. schoolm.) brought in a simple & literal meaning of the Scriptures, abolishing mystical significations. What then? very bad service do our Opposites to the Church, to make way to a new servitude of signs to be by man devised against our own u Homil. for Whitsontyd pag. 2. law, which proveth at large against all signs which the papists have brought into Bapt. that no signs now should burden the church, save those which the L. hath left which are not burdensome. I end with one of our writers. w joh Keynold. confer. cap. 8. diuis. 4. p. 521. To devise new signs, is to set the Church to school again after the jewish manner. This jewish fashion how intolerable now it is, an other telleth x Chemit. exam. p. 2. rit. de rit. Quod vero praetendunt, etc. whereas they pretend that many things may be godly & profitably signified, admonished & taught by those rites which are added be men, to that it may be answered, that figurs are proper to the old Testa. Look what things Christ will have taught & admonished in the new, those things he will have proposed and delivered not in shadows, but in the light of his word, & we have a promise from him for the efficacy of the word but none for the efficacy of figurs devised by men. But such rites as he would have added to his word, those he hath ordained himself. #Sect. 26. Though the devising of new signs corrupt the simplicity of Sacraments ordained by Christ: yet it hindereth not but something is left to the Church concerning circumstances, as time, place, order, etc. THirdly, the devising of new signs corrupteth the simplicity of the Sacraments which are perfectly ordained by Christ: What (then) is there nothing left to the Church? Yes, the disposing of the a Zepper de politia. eccles. c. 12 circumstances of God's service, as time, place, order of doing with the like: and of the particulars of those things which the word commandeth in general: as the profession and preaching of faith & repentance at Baptism, & the applying of the element with prayers fit, beyond which there must nothing be added as one of our Writers saith, who after he had rehearsed all these b Zanch. in. ephes. 6. lect de bapt. ca 7. hoc est primum rituum genus (saith he) quoth & necessarium est, & solum sufficit. Indeed when Christ said, hoc c Theodor. Baeza. epi. 8 facite, he tied his church to his own signs, and to them only, as one thus showeth, d Chemnit. examp. p. 2. de rit. p. 37 Mat. 19.8. 1 Cor. 11.23 Cumfilius Dei sacramenta ita instituerit, ut ea certis à se institutis ritibus praeceperit administrari, valde ardua est quaestioan hominibus permissum sit alios praeterea quocunque praetextu superaddere. Fourthly, ask the Fathers of the primative Church, whether any signs were used in their days besides them which the Lord ordained. For it sufficeth against every upstart sign that ab initio non fuit sic: because nothing must be received in a Sacrament, but that which the Lord ordained as Paul wrote once to Corinth & it was xxuj. years after the ascension that he thus wrote. Whereby it appeareth, e Bulling. de orig. error. lib. 2. ca 5. Neijs quidem unquam venisse in memtem auctiorem ritum Ecclesijs profuturum. Now we are recalled to the simplicity of these first times well near by all our f Philip. Moruae. de Eucharist. lib. 1. ca 1. D. Willet. count 2, q. 4 p. 2. writers. Some g D. Pilkin. epist ad commit. Leicest. Ann. 1578. of them wish that the glory of Christ may shine nakedly of itself as in the beginning when it was purest: when all these devices of men were unknown; h Chemnit. ut supra. Bucer. in Censur. Others will, that it be now as it was then, when in Baptism there was no ceremony, but that which had express commandment or ensample in the Scripture. As a man runneth to the fountain (saith Cyprian) when the channels are defiled, so l Cypr. count epist. Stephan. must we repair to the practice of the first Church which is the m Anton. Sadeel. count Mon. Burdegalens. art. 1.3 fountain of all piety. All customs which are grown up since, we are to reject, be they never so ancient, not sparing the signs which the Fathers themselves did use; whose ceremonies arose from an n Ibid. p. 98. evil root, which was indeed a fond desire to please the Pagans & the jews, proceeded with a mind not humble nor obedient, and ended in an evil event. For God accursed this their presumption, & suffered Satan to o Theodor. Baeza count Balovin. work out of it even Antich. defection itself from the faith. Fiftly, to bring in ceremonies & to give them a signification, is to p Hamburg. epistol. ad Philip. melanthon conficere nowm rationale divinorum officiorum, to the justifying of Durand, yea of the whole church of Rome in all her symbolical signs devised, if not in all (the worst of which is not worse than the Cross) yet in the white garment, the taper in Baptism, and the head veil sith these were not abused by them to operation, but were used for signification only, as we pretend we use the cross. Our q D Willet. de bapt. q. 8. error. 5.1. cor. 11.2 3. Mat. 28.19. Act. 10.47. writers use to allege that of the Apost. What I have received, that do I deliver: that of our Lord: Go & baptise, teaching to observe all that I have commanded. That of Peter: Can any forbid water that these may not be baptised, against the oil, the salt, & the spittle, & the rest of that ragged rue. I ask, are these scriptures forcible against these? then they exclude the cross [as well] which is worse than these. And when r Bellar. de bapt. ca 24 Bellarmine biddeth us cease to teach, we must have no other signs in Baptism then such as the scripture warranteth, or else leave out our cross, what shall we answer him? Sixtly, we have on our side, all the Protestants down from Wickliefe, not one of them but hath fled to this bulwark: No sign must be received in Baptism, which hath been devised by man. It was s Tho. Waldens tom. 3. de sacra. tit. 5. ca 45. Wicklief himself that set it on foot; t joh. Crisp. Cronolog. an. 1400. john Husse continued it: u joh. Calu. instit. li. 4. c. 15 sec. 19 Mr Caluin resumed it: w Harm. conf. sect. 17 whole Churches confess it: x Magdeb. cent. 1. li 2. ca 6. & cent. 2 c. 6. D. Willet. de bapt. q. 8. error. 5. All Writers make it good against the Papists. When Bellarmine excuseth the signs of his Church, and sayeth, they are not adumbrations, because the things that are signified by them, are res spirituales presents, and not things that be to come: he receiveth answer from us. y Lambert. Danae. count Bellar. de cult. sanct. lib. 3. ca 7. It is blasphemy to think, that any outward thing may be made a sign in the Church of any thing that is spiritual, unless it be expressly ordained in the word, and commanded by God himself to be used to that end. When the Monks of Bordeaux affirm the signs which are added to Baptism, are an ornament to it, we thus reply: a Sadeel. count Monach. Burdegalens. art. 12. Num igitur sunt, etc. 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 add to the institution of Christ? b Bucer. in Censur. cap. 25. Master Bucer condemneth them that devise, ullum signum inusum religionis. c Act. & monu, in hist. cius Master hawks (holy Martyr) I deny (saith he) in Baptism all things devised by man, as your oil, salt, spittle, etc. john d Ibid. in hist. cius Denlie (a Martyr likewise) the Punuch (saith he) said to Philip: Lo here is water; we do not read that he asked for Oil, cream, spittle, or any thing else. Hereby it appeareth, that the ancient Religion of the Protestants is with us, that liberty to devise new signs is but a young wanton novice, which the licentious Adiaphorisme hath begotten. #Sect. 27. Though it were lawful for the Church to device new signs, yet not for religious use, especially where God hath ordained signs for the same purpose already. SEcondly, though it were lawful to devise new signs, yet not where and for what God hath ordained signs already in use religious, as the Cross (we know) signifieth that which Baptism hath already signed by the ordinance of the lord Exod. 30.38. Levit. 17.3. Levit 10.1. Eccles. 3.14. Psal. For first it beseemeth us to acknowledge God so wise, in the sign that he hath chosen, as to hold it presumption for any to imitate him in devising of the like. For ensample, None must devise an Oil like his, none an Altar besides his, none a fire like the fire which he hath chosen. Yea in his works themselves he is not magnified as he deserveth till we confess none is able to come after him: and till we say, who is able to do the like? Secondly, when man deviseth new signs, the signs of God are a Caiet. in Thom. p. 3 qu. 6. art. 5. vilified, as if they also were but from an human spirit. Yea, as if they were b Chemnit. exam. p. 2. tit. de rit. p. 37. minus idoneae & sufficientes: in particular, as if the water were not enough even as our own c Homil. for Witson. p. 2. Law speaketh. Thirdly, whereas man is carnal, blind and impotent, and yet a lover of his own devices (no less than Pygmalion of his own picture) if he should be suffered to invent new signs, they would be carnal and not spiritual; dead having no power, they would be dark also, vailing the brightness of the Sacrament, and yet more loved and delighted in, than the Sacraments themselves. For ensample, Gedcon setteth up an Ephod and other ceremonies like them in the Tabernacle. For the Ephod as a principal one includeth all the rest (saith d August. in judic. li. 8. Augustine) which made it not Ophra in very short time more famous than the Tabernacle? So a Temple built on e joseph. Antiquit. It. 15. ca 8. Garezim (like the Temple at jerusalem) overtoppeth the Temple, and to what fame ariseth a Temple which Onias built f Aegesip. li. 2. ca 13. in Heliopolis, like to that of the Lords in jury, abusing to his purpose Esay 10. I will set up an Altar in the midst of Egypt. What need we go further than to the very sign in hand? For no sooner was it added to Baptism and made a sign like to the Lords, (there being abused to his commendation. Ezech. 9.4. Apoc. 7.3.) but he presently became g Perk. problem. in verb. Chris. greater than the water which was Christ's sign, and that in the eyes of those who so advanced him. Fourthly, we have here the judgement of the learned with us. h joh. Brent. in confess. Witemberg. art. 35 What say we to him that condemneth all the ceremonies of the Mass that signify Christ's passion, the same that the Supper signifieth? l Bucer in Census. cap. 9 What to him that condemneth the staying of the child at the Church door, to signify original sin, because Baptism signifieth this well enough without it? Last of all, what to all m D. wills de confirmat. p. 4. our writers, who condemn confirmation for that signifying the same that Baptism signified before, it robbeth the Sacrament of his honour? Let there be considered what our n john Wolph. in 2. Reg. 17.10.11. writers have against the Altars of the high places, because they were set up for the same use which the Altar had in the Temple. As for the cross, he is an Altar fetch from Damascus and set in the Temple cheek by jowl with the Altar of the Lord, which what is it else, quam Ethnicam suscipere religionem (saith o Idem in ca 16. ver. 15. one?) but to partake, say I, with the religion of that Damascus from which we borrow him? #Sect. 28. And though it were lawful there to ordain new signs where God hath already ordained, yet is it not lawful to annex them to the holy signs of God, as with us the Cross is. THirdly, though it were lawful to devise new symbolical signs, where the Lord hath ordained some already, yet is it not lawful to annex them to the holy signs of God, as we see the Cross adjoined to the water in Baptism in the very same solemnity. a joh. Caluin. institut lib. 4. ca 10. sect. 20. Master Caluin calleth the holy water a mere profanation and repetition of Baptism, and yet it is used out of Baptism. What (then) is the Cross used in Baptism to signify the same that Baptism doth? Is not Baptism the seal of the heavenly king? and can any new print be added to the seal of a King, without high treason? b Rolloc. ibid. ex etymo. grec. What that this heavenly King of ours delivereth his people to be marked with no other form or print save that which is framed in his word and in his own Sacraments, Rom. 2.21. and 6.17. It will be replied, there may be many fit signs of one and of the same thing. To which the school men answer, Idem c Tho. Aquin p. 3. qu 60 art. 5. ad. 1. potest per diversa signa significari, determinare tamen quo signo sit utendum ad significandum pertinet ad solum significantem. There is Typus factus, and there is typus destinatus. A man may use the former to his private use, but none the latter in use public and religious, God having here sole authority to ordain the signs of his covenant. For example I give instance in that sign which some of our Opposites object unto us was lawfully used by some of the Fathers. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a fish, is at large 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is used in the Acrostich of Sibilla. What if d Tertul. Tertullian or Ambrose, or e Brisson. de spectat. pag 115. Rupertus use the emblem of a fish to put themselves in mind of Christ and of their duty towards him, whose fishes they are made by the water of Baptism. For f Ambros. de Sacram. lib. 3. ca 1. Ambrose may well infer, As the water of the creation begat fishes to life, so the water of regeneration begat thee to grace. Fsto igitur tu piscis quem saculi unda non mergat: when yet he may not make a Typus determinatus of it in use religious, and thereupon paint a fish upon the forehead of a child at the time of his baptizing. Do we not cry out upon the Dove g Durant. de rit lib 1. ca 19 sect. 7. let down of old upon the baptised (one of which I saw at Wickham not abolished some 25. years passed) for a sign of regeneration by the spirit? Nay, whereas h Damas' in vit. silvest some say, Constantine set a lamb in the Baptisterie of Lateran, to signisie our sins are washed away in the Sacrament of Baptism by the blood of jesus Christ, we cannot l Hospin. de re templar. lib. 2. ca 4. savour it. and yet this lamb never had any such state religious in the Sacrament as the sign of the Cross hath now. Sure a sign in such manner determined with state in Baptism, we can easily prove to have been abhorred throughout all ages, howsoever in the particular of the Cross, the Oil, and some other signs, God permitted the ancient Fathers to fail in heart, to bring in (through their oversight against their own general doctrine) that Apostasy from the faith which he foretold. For prose hereof, I begin with the Agapae of the ancient Christians annexed to the supper; and so much the more willingly I begin with them, because our Opposites prove by them the lawfulness of our adding of the Cross. First the Agapae were far more tolerable than the Cross, they followed after the whole administration and the prayers thereof, they had no state among the actions of the Supper; they were in corporable into the bread and wine to make one banquet with them. Secondly, If we may add the sign of the Cross to Baptism by the pattern of these feasts, then may we add roastmeat or sodd meat to the Supper of the Lord, after the manner of the m Concil. Constantinopl. 6. in Trullo. Can. 99 Armenians, who added sodmeate to the bread and wine of the Lords Supper. The Council abhorreth this addition, condemneth it, counteth it execrable. And where as some feasts with the vessels of the Supper, the Council of Bracara thus exclaimeth: n Concil. Bracarens. 3. can. 2. Hoc malum & obstupenies deflemus, & deflentes obstupescimus ut illic humana temeritas sibi epulum praeparet ubi sanctum spiritum cognoscitur advocasse et ibi esum Carnium crapulatus assumat ubi divina visus est celebrasse mysteria. By this we perceive how odious an addition of meat would be to the Sacrament of the Supper, and (me thinks) our addition is worse. For the Agapae are more ancient than the Cross, and they follow after the bread and wine with greater distance than the Cross doth after the water; & are more homogene to the bread and to the wine than he is to the water. Thirdly, If our Opposites will match the Cross and these feasts together, then must he pack out of the Church. For the o Carol Bovius in Scholar ad Clement. li. 2. ca 32. papist himself will confess that the Apostle misliked these feasts, and quite p Durant. de rit. li. 1. ca 26. sect. 8. abolished them. Known it is that diverse q Concil. Laodi. en. can. 28 Trullan. can. 74. Councils did forbid them in the Church, and the Canon r Decret. p. 1 distinct. 42 cap. 3.4. Law still keepeth them out, when Paulinus could not banish them out of saint Faelix Church at Nola, he mourneth thus: s Paulin. Nolan. Natal. 9 Verum utinam suis agerent haec gaudia votis Nec sua liminibus miscerent pocula sanctis. Which is a precedent to our Governors to grieve at the Cross in Baptism, as long as they see it there. #Sect. 29. No outward sign ought to be added by the Church to Christ's institution. MY second instance is in the addition of the water to the wine of the Supper. For as much as against this addition, and in it the former rule hath ever been kept (to wit) that no outward sign must be added by the Church to Christ's institution. Against it a Tho. Mort apolog. part 1. cap. 78. Master Morton allegeth a Canon out of a Synod at Orleans that runneth thus: Nullus in oblationibus sacri calicis nisi quod ex fructu sacrae viniae speratur & hoc sine aqua mixium offerre praesamat; quia sacrilegium judicatur aliud offerre quam quod in mandatis sacratissimis salvator instituit. What edition Mr. Morton followeth I know not, but the doctrine is acknowledged by our Church, which holdeth the adding of the water to be against the institution, as the Council of Trent interpreteth. And what reason then to add the Cross to Baptism▪ b Concil. Trident. sess. 22. can. 9 The water of the Supper is more ancient, the Cross in Baptism younger. Christ used the water in the Supper by all probability, the Cross he used never in all certainty. The water was mixed before the solemnity of the Supper began, the Cross is adjoined in the cheese place of it. The water was added for civil use to allay the wine at first; the Cross was added for use religious, yea Sacramental. The water was never abused but to signification only, the Cross even to Idolatrous operation. The water of the Supper became one with the wine, the Cross remaineth still a sign by itself, and that of a diverse kind. If then our Church hath yet abolished the water from the wine of the Supper, lest it should hear from the former council. Thou that abhorrest Idols committest thou sacrilege? much more should the Cross be removed from the water of Baptism, Rom. 2.22. seeing in the addition thereof, there is both sacrilege committed (as the former Council censureth) and an Idol blest beside. And the duty of not adding hath been severely kept by those who have added this water, for that they c Hieron. in Marc. c. 14 Damas'. li. 4 de fid. c. 14. hold it instituted by Christ, prophesied of by Solomon, d Cypr. cpist 48. & de consecrat. distinct. 2. cap. 2. bibite ex vino quod miscui vobis, and commended for ever to be used in the Sacraments of Christ's death, because it flowed forth from e Ibid Martin. Bracarens. in Synod. can. 55. his side what time he died, whence Sacraments flow. Upon these grounds the f Aurelianens. Concil. 4. ca 4. 4. Council of Orleans in the common edition commandeth this mixture upon the very same reason that is in the Council, which Mr Morton alleged before, to wit, because it is sacrilege to use any outward sign in the Supper which is not ordained by Christ. So the Council of g Hipponen. Concil. can. 25. Hippo & h Concil. Carthag. 3 can. 24. Carthage commandeth this mixture & no more, ut in sacramentis nihil aliud offeratur quam quod Dominus tradidit. So the decree of l julii. 1. decret. 7. julius & the m Bracanens 3. cap. 1. council of Bracara command this mixture and no more upon this reason that nothing be done in the Sacrament, but that the Lord did. So the Council of Constantinople commandeth this mixture to the Armenians, because nothing must be diminished nor added to that n Synod. 6. in Trull. can. 32. Quod Dominus tradidit. Last of all, So the Council of o Wormatiens. Concil. can. 4. Worms held in the year 868. commandeth this mixture & no more, because aliud offerri non debet quam quod Christus sub hoc Sacramento praebuisse cognoscimus. My third instance is in the honey added to the wine of the Supper: like to which addition was the honey added to the water of Baptism, and put into the mouth of the infant baptised. These are as p Tertul. de coron. milit Baron, ann. 294. ancient as the Cross, and they were never so much abused, neither are they now likely to do like hurt. Yet a q Antisiodorens. Concil. can. 8. Exod. Council thought the honey added to the wine unlawful, because our L. ordained it not, & our own Church hath cast out the other. Moses forbade honey in every sacrifice. Wherefore? to shut out all human additions, which are honny-sweet to his carnal wisdom, in which relish the cross exceedeth all his fellows. My fourth instance is in the addition of the milk to the L. supper; like to which was the milk added to the water in Baptism, and put into the mouth of the party baptised. This was as r Tertul. de coron. milis ancient as the cross, & it was never so much abused, & it hath his analogy of signification out of the scripture. it was given to the baptised s Hieron. epist. count Luciferianos. ad infantiae significationem: out of Peter's words, As new borne babes desire the sincere milk of the word, etc. which is still the epistle read now as of old (saith t Bellar. de bapt. ca 27. Bellarmine) to the baptised in Dominica in albis the next Sunday after Easter. Howbeit for all this, we have turned it headlong out of Baptism, as the Councils u Bracarens. 3. cap. 1. julii. 1. decret. 7. cashiered it out of the supper, because the L. ordained it not. This is in the w Decret. p. 3. de consecrat. distin. 2. cap. 7. Canon-law expressed at large quam hoc sit, etc. how contrary this is to the Apostolical doctrine, it will not be difficult to prove by the fact of the truth itself, by whom the Sacraments are ordained. For when the Mr of the truth commended the true sacrifice of our salvation to his Disciples, we know he gave them in this Sacrament no milk but bread only & the cup. let therefore milk cease to be offered, because a manifest & evident example of evangelical truth hath shined forth, that besides bread & wine it is not lawful to offer any thing else. We have here that the institution must be kept pure from all addition of any signs, & that a sign added is contrary to the institution. The very memory is abhorred of the x Lambert. Dane. in August. de haeres. c. 64 Barsanianis and Semidalitae, for that instead of bread they used meal, even as others are utterly condemned for bringing y Concil. Bracarens. 3 de consecr. v●supra. grapes in steed of wine. Others for giving the bread dipped in wine pro complemento communionis. The Greek church now at Constantino. crumbleth the bread into the wine, & so take both in a spoon together. If these sin through defect against the complement of the Sacrament, judge (then) whether the cross sinneth not in excess, added for a further complement to the same? My last instance is in the bread & cheese, which the z Epiphan. in haeres. 49. August. de haeres. cap. 28. Artotyritae brought into the Supper upon an imitation of ancient times when the fruits of the earth & the fruits of the cattle were wont to be offered to the Lord; for they brought the chief for the fruit of the cattle, & the bread for the fruit of the earth. We plead antiquity for the cross in Baptism, bread & cheese pretend as much for a place in the supper. Notwithstanding this pretence, the bread and cheese are sent packing, because not commanded a Conrade. Lutzenburg. Catolog. haeres. in verb. A●totyrit. in the institution, at the terror whereof the Cross would begin to truss up his pack, trusted he not in our partiality, who pull him back even when we see the backs of his betters. #Sect. 30. Though it were lawful to devise new symbolical signs in the Sacrament where God hath ordained already, yet not to take a Cross from the brothelhouse of superstition. FOurthly, though it were lawful to devise new symbolical signs in the Sacrament where God hath ordained some already, and to append them to these Sacraments, and by name to Baptism: yet is it not lawful to take a Cross from the brothelhouse of God's great enemy, all whose signs must out to the dunghill: as our a Whitak. count Dureum li. 8. p. 657. Anton. Sadeel. count Monath. Burdegalens. art. 13. best Divines do teach. Thus Augustine, b August. de doct. Christian. Il. 3. cap. ●. 1. Cor. 10.22. Quod ad eos quos Dearinuenit sub signis inutilibus non solum seruilem operationem sub talibus signis sed ipsa etiam signa frustravit, removitque omnia. What plainer evidence can we have as to remove the superstitious use of this sign, so likewise this sign itself: we in stead of removing, bring him into the holy place. What mean we thus even to despite the Lord (saith Paul unto us?) For as Adrian could not spite the jews worse, then to set up the Image of a swine over the gate c Genebrard lib. 3. in an. D. 129. Isay. 66.2. of jerusalem which they most hated, so for aught that I can see we cannot more provoke the Lord, then to set up, his Sacrament this sign (most odious) of his enemy, which is as swine's flesh to him. And must we needs amongst those his enemies signs make choice of the Cross, the very worst of all the rest? For as the sottishness of d Hieron. in Dan. ca 11 Ptolemeus Philopater, was the more ignominious, the more base his harlot Agathoclea was, so is our provocation the greater (wherewith we provoke the Lord) in that our inordinate love hath lighted on the Cross, than which there is not amongst all other signs of Rome a more gross or dirty harlot. What that we love her even in her filthiness: to wit, in her signification which is the shame of her adultery and fornication. The Cross must be worshipped (saith e Suar. tom. ●. in Tho. disput. 56. sect. 3. one) Quia habet significationem sacram, he must be adored (saith f Bellar. de imag. c. 20. another) Non solum quatenus goret vicem prototypi sed etiam quatenus similitudinem geritrei sacrae, & quatenus signum. It may be here will arise some scruple; as if our writers thought not the Cross to be the worst of Baptisms pollutions: because they are silent and name not the Cross, when they name others: to wit, the oil, salt, and spittle, & write against them. But it may be their purpose was to rehearse the rites that were proper to Baptism. Tertullian himself nameth not the Cross in his book which he writeth of Baptism, who yet holdeth it one of the chiefest rites thereof. The Papists think most highly of the Cross; yet do they often omit it: as in these verses. Sal, oleum, chrisma, cereum Chrismale, saliva Flatus virtutem Baptismatis ista figurant, Haec came patrimis non mutant esse sedornant. As for our writers when they name not the Cross, they include it. And there be g Bulling. decad. 5. serm. 8. who among the pollutions of Baptism, name the sign of the Cross for the very first. Who h Gualt. in Mat. ca 3. among the fords of Baptism name the sign of the Cross for one. Lastly, who among the l Stephan. Szegedin. de bapt. tabul. 2. profanations of Baptism reckon the Cross, & therefore m Zepper. de polit. ecclesiastic. li. 1. ca 10. pag. 50. throw him out of the Sacrament, as out of a sling. Indeed why not he aswell as his fellows? because the Cross is aereal, & not so gross as the rest that be material. As if we have not abolished the Flatus of the exorcism, which is as aereal as is the cross, and n Whitak. quo supra. count Dureum lib. 8. pag. 658. condemned it for superstitious even as it was used anciently amongst the Fathers? Great exception sure to be taken against the aërealnes of a popish sign, seeing to them there is even a Character that is invisible and yet a sign; words also are signs with them in their Sacraments of penance and marriage, which are more aereal than the Cross. Another objection is wont to be made we may well choose the sign of the Cross above his fellows, because God in nature hath commended him, a thing not lightly thought of by the Fathers: who use to cite for the Crosses commendation, that no man can sail in the sea without it; or till the land; and that the foul flying, yea man himself praying doth make the Cross. These were but rhetorications in the Fathers; and they had use against the pagans who depended on nature, as for us who depend upon Christ's institution, we o Iust. Lip. de cruc. leave them to papists to play withal. For if we go to the best signs in nature, what form comparable to a circle? of which the very Fathers themselves: p Circulirotundi figura est figura caeteris pulchrior. d August. de quantitat anim. cap. 15. Hieron in job. cap. 38. If to the best by art, why is not the q Council. Constan. triangel of Hierome of prague, as good as the best, that which he termed scutum fidei? But we must take heed, in a Sacrament how we rely upon nature's commendation. Some Christians once used r Caesar Baron. Anal. ann. 257. water in the Lord's supper not wine, lest the smell of it should have detected them to their persecutors. These did ill, but the Aquarij worse, who even out of the time of persecution and of danger used water and not wine, which sprang from the s Lambert. Dane. in August. de. heres. ca 64 Taciani, and the Encratita who advanced water above wine, for natural qualities and commendations. Nay, we must turn a quite contrary leaf admiring the goodness, and the wisdom of God, who hath chosen common t Pet. Lom. lib. 4 dist. 4. creatures for the signs of his Sacraments and such as be in u nature base, that so no virtue may be put in them, and our obedience be tried by submitting ourselves unto them. A third objection is wont to be made. v Catechis. Roman. pag. 177. Many of the reformed Churches beyond the seas retain still the Cross in Baptism, for I have heard the sound of such a blast, which maketh me much to marvel. For the harmony of confessions maketh no such things to appear unto us: we find not by it the sign of the Cross received, or approved in any protestant Church on the earth, we find an observation rather which inclusive speaketh some what against it. Quadam istorum, etc. (speaking of the popish rites of Baptism) w Harmon confess. sects 13. obsera. 2. ad Helu. posterior. certain of these as merely superstitious; others as manifestly translated from the Baptism of old men to the Baptism of infants, by the negligence of the Bishops others of them (last of all) as being altogether unprofitable. We have dashed out, as is plainly confessed in the confession of Wittenberg. Doth not x jacob. Pamel. in Tertul. de coron. mili. Pamelius make this difference between the Lutherans and the calvinists, that the one doth use the sign of the Cross, the other doth not use it? And y Bellar. de Bapt. ca 24. Bellarmine citeth no protestaut Church, when he would prove that we use the Cross in Baptisine without the warrant of the word, he only citeth a catechism of Lutherans which hath these words: signum Crucis signetur in front & in pectore Baptizandi. Now as for this Luther he crossed himself every morning and every evening, and is never seen z Calsh. ag. mart. art. 7. fol. 143. painted but praying before some crucifix. Shall we approve him in this also as we approve him in the former? No, but in both let us consider how contrary he is even to his own doctrine delivered else where, in Baptism a Luther, homil. 1. de bapt. anno. 1535 eadem signa quae Christus instituit & non alia sant adhibenda. And such is the sinful office of the Cross in Baptism, seeing man hath planted him there for a sign, the heavenly Father's will is, that he should be rooted out. #Sect. 31. Objections of the Opposites: The Cross is sooner to be used in that it teacheth good things, and hath a profitable signification: therefore every ceremony is significant, or else vain: that the Lord delighted much in signs which the woman showed, and blamed Simon for not showing the like, etc. HOwbeit our Opposites lack not a painting to make it seem even fair and beautiful. They tell us the Cross is the sooner to be used in that it teacheth good things, and hath a profitable signification. Hereupon it is objected (first of all) that every ceremony is significant, a Hook. li. 5. cap. 65. fol. 15●. Luke 7.44. or else vain; that our Lord delighted much in signs which the woman showed; and blamed Simon▪ for not shewing the like: and that the kneeling, knocking of the breast, and the lifting up of the eyes, are all of them signs which signify somewhat. At a word, that no ceremony can add a decency to God's worship unless it signify. And is there any answer expected to so gross a paralogism, and so wilful an ignorance of the Elench? For we dislike not all signs, but only such as are b Theodor. ●aza epi. ● ad Grindal Episc. London●●. Symbolical, of which the sign of the Cross is one, but these forenamed are none. For seeing God hath reserved to himself all authority to ordain the seals and signs of his own Covenant, we are worthily jealous against all other signs, in cause they be Sacramental. Now what is a Sacramental sign? For the understanding hereof we must consider that some signs are Nata only, some only data, some nata and data both, and these are Sacramental, as c Bellarmin. de sacram. in gen. c. 9 Bellarmine truly deduceth out of Augustine and others. It being so, our Opposites wander from the question, when they talk of kneeling knocking of the breast, and lifting up the hands in prayer, because these are not signs Sacramental, of which the question is, but signs natural: witness this they are common to all men of what Religion soever they be. And this our neighbour d Confess. Scor●●. aedit. jun. ●0 25●0. churches see who use the former signs of knocking, kneeling, lifting, who yet renounce all Crosses and cross, and all simbolical signs of popery. Upon the same string do our Opposites jar when they prove man may ordain the sign of the Cross in the service of God, because Paul approveth the sign of avail to show the subjection of the wife unto the Husband. For what have we to do with this sign which is not Sacramental, but Artificial, which Paul (we see) proveth to agree with the Law of nature, and so doth the Canon e Chem●i●. examine. p. 2. titul. de rit. ● Cor. 10. Law itself. Again, our Opposites wander from the question when they tell us, that man may ordain signs for order and decency, as a fair cloth on the communion table, is a sign of reverence, and the ringing a Bell is the sign of a Sermon. What have we to do with these signs again, which are not Sacramental, but merely Artificial? not Simbolica, but marè indicantia? not signifying but showing only. What aptness have these signs of their own nature to intimate these things? sure none at all, neither could they be signs of them more than an Ivie-bushe is of itself a sign of wine, had not institution of man ordained them to this purpose. Neither of these signs than are within the Question as the sign of the Cross is, which way be thus demonstrated. Two things are required to a Sacramental sign, the first is, that it have by nature some analogy, and relation to the thing it signifieth. Secondly, that this Analogy and reverence be but confuse f ●ellar●●●●●sup●a. apta quidem vs significet, sed acta non significans nisi humana institutione determinetur. For ensample, the particular Image of Titius is no Sacramental sign but natural, because the similitude is so vehement, that of itself it representeth him. The Image that hath but the general shape of a man, is no sign of Titius more than of Caius. Yet when it is determined by the painter to be the Image of Titius, whose name he writeth underneath it to restrain it unto him, now it a sign of Titius, not merely natural, nor merely artificial, but in the middle between both (or mixed of both rather) that is, Symbolical: So fareth it with the sign of the Cross. The Cross is a similitude of a man crucified, as the g Suarez tom. 1. in Thom. disput. 56. sect 2. jesuite teacheth truly. Hereby he is of nature apt to represent any one man crucified, Peter, Andrew, or whosoever. The Church's determination cometh and restraineth him to the son of man Christ jesus crucified, and is he not now a Sacramental signifier of him? Yes, as well as the member of generation was a sign of original sin in the Sacrament of circumcision. This member hath Analogy to the propagation of it, because it is an instrument of propagation. The very same habitude and relation hath the Cross to the death of Christ. For was it not an instrument of it? Gedeons' Ephod had no natural fitness to represent the God that gave him victory; but the sign of the Cross hath as good to represent Christ's death: because it is an instrument of his death as well as the h August. quest. sup. judic. cap. 41. Ephod was an instrument of God's worship. l joh. Bohe. Auba. de moribu● gent. lib. 1. cap. 5. The Emperor of Ae●hiopia when he goeth forth, hath a Cross carried before him, and an earthen pitcher full of earth: the one signifying his profession, the other his mortality. Hath this pitcher of earth a Symbolical signification? Then hath the sign of the Cross aswell. For it is only by the adjunct or effect of mortatalitie that he Symbolizeth with the same, and a metonimical Symbolizer, the Cross is as well as he. The m August. de mirabi. sacr. senp. lib. 1. ca 16 Egyptians for a monument of josephes' feeding them with corn, set up an Ox by his Tomb: which was the cause (as Augustine thinketh) that the jews chose the figure of an Ox in the wilderness. Now look what Analogy this Ox had to represent the husbandry of joseph, and the same hath the Cross to represent the death of Christ: it being an instrument thereof aswell as the Ox was an instrument of josephes' husbandry. This * joh. Rainold. de Idolat. lib. 2 cap. 3. sect. 1●. joseph is called Bos Dei, by God himself, and his feeding of Egypt with corn, is represented in Pharaohes dream by seven fat Kine, because in Egypt they were the instruments of husbandry, as josephus telleth us. The Romans also honoured Minucius, aureo 'bove, when he retained them in time of dearth. all which make clear that a figure drawn from the instrument is Symbolical, and so by consequent prove the Cross to be Symbolical, it being an instrument of Christ's death which it representeth to us. The beasts that were worshipped in Egypt had Symbolical relation sufficient to represent their Gods, because they were the badges of n Ludoni. vives in August. Godes●alk Steweceius in veget. de re military. them which they bore in their banners, while they were alive. How much more hath the Cross a relation sufficient to Christ's death seeing he more nearly pertains unto it: then these beasts did to the men whom they resemble? How is the serpent apt to figure Christ crucified, but by the pole on which he is hanged, which figured the Cross the nearest instrument of his crucifying? What need more a do? such aptness hath the Cross to signify the crucifying of Christ, as that the Fathers, yea Scriptures themselves use by the name of the Cross to describe his death, even as the Canon of the Cross itself confesseth. No marvel, the one being the Suppositum; the other the Appositum (as Bellarmine speaketh) which are so nearly linked together as that the one may very well stand for the other. o silvest insumma. ver. imag. Figura Christi est, quae ducit ad Christum argurtiuè. Now what argument hath quicker passage then that which cometh from such a subject to such an adjunct? But Sacramental signs are similitudinary. True, but there is a similitude metonimical, as well as Metaphorical, which Metaphorical similitude is not wanting in the Cross, neither as those words of p Tho. Aq. pag. 3. qu. 75. art. 9 Aquinas show insignitur signo Crucis, sicut miles signo ducis. They shall have their Father's name written in their forheads. This hath allusion to the sign of the Cross (say some) which is not so, but to the writing of the emperors q Iust. Lips. de Roman. militia. li. 1 dialog. 9 mark and name in the flesh, yea foreheads of those who were priest to war, until the writing of it in the forehead was by the r Cod▪ lib. 9 ti. 7. ca 17. Law forbidden. Howbeit, as soldiers are separated to their Emperor by his mark, so are men set apart unto Christ, to fight under his banner by the sign of the Cross. The very word token [we sign him with the sign of the Cross in token, etc.] showeth that the Cross is used as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à figura à typus; all which the Scriptures, 1. Pet. 3. 2●. s Gregor. Nazianz, oration. de pasch. 2. August. epist. 23. Fathers, our t Anglican. confess. art. 10. selves appropriate to a Sacramental signifying. To conclude (then) as there are words merely indicant which show, & words figurative which signify: so are there signs merè indicantia which show, and signs symbolical which signify, and a man may determine the first, but not the latter: even as we were told by Thomas and Caietan in part before. Now this power to determine signs indicant, whether it be a devising or no I will not dispute, it may seem man may only in the service of God dispose. It is apparent he cannot devise any of the natural indicant signs mentioned before, but dispose them only. As for the signs which are artificial and depend on man's institution, in this sense he is only a disposer of them, & not a deviser in that he is tied to such as are decent in use already. So that he may not devise any new ceremony against common decency: witness Paul, who taketh not upon him to approve the veil before he hath proved it decent, 1. Cor. 11. and who beateth down every contrary rite to this. It is not decent in common practice, we have no such custom, nor the Churches of God, which now fighteth strongly against the Cross and Surplice: because where are they used out of our Church? And this may suffice for this first objection. #Sect. 32. The second objection of the Opposites, There be many similitudes in scripture drawn from God's creatures, which employ so many signs, etc. THe second telleth us, Sect. 32. there be many similitudes drawn in the Scriptures from God's creatures which employ so many signs. which doth warrant us to use God's creatures not only to uses natural, but a Bucer. in lib. de re vestiar. Rom. 1.20. ad significationes etiam, & ad pias admonitiones. First the Cross and Surplice quatenus talia are no creatures of God, but of Antichrist rather: which, will he endure as signs determined in his covenant? Secondly, God's creatures show him, but signify him not: that of Antony is famously known: b Tripartit. hist. lib. 8. cap. 1. The Theatre of the world is my book: and a book teacheth indicantly, not Sacramentally. So that our c Gualt. in Luke 8. homil. 75. writers will hence conclude, that having natural images, we need neither artificial nor Sacramental to be devised. Thirdly, though in civil use, yet not in the Church, may the * See D. Bills ag. apolog. p. 4. p. 388 Allegories and similitudes of the Scriptures be painted, seeing [dicere] and [pingere] are so [imparia] as that the words themselves of Scripture (in some d josias Simler. in Exod. 20. fol. 83.86. men's judgement) must not be painted on the Church walls, because that place serveth for the preaching not for the painting of them. swerver we from this, and suffer the Papist to overrun us, who hath chosen the best Similitudes that are in the Scripture, to paint and act them in God's service. He putteth salt into the mouth of the Baptized to act the similitude of salt used in the Scripture, and this rite is very ancient, for August. mentioneth it: e August. li. 1. confess. cap. 11. signabor signo eius & condiebar eius sale. and Origen alludeth unto it when he willeth men to prepare themselves [ut f Origen. in Ezech. homil. 6. fiant sal domini.] and not be Baptized like Simon Magus. He hath incense to act these words: g Durant. de rit. li. 2. ca ●9. sect. 1. Let my prayer ascend as the incense, and we h Idem. li. 1. ca 9 sect. 8 spread abroad the savour of life. He hath lamps which he putteth into the hands of the l Durant. de rit. li. 1. ca 19 sect. 41 Baptized, to act the parable of the virgin's lamps, and other similitudes of light in the Scripture. and the light is (also) ancient, as being used in the m Gregor. Nazianz. in oration. de sanct. bapt. days of Nazianzen. He hath a white garment which he putteth upon the body of the Baptized, to act the wedding garment and the armour of light, and the keeping of garments pure, and other similitudes of the same stamp. the antiquity of which ceremony needeth no prove. And to what end? for through this liberty of acting similitudes out of the scripture in God's service, it is come to pass, that there is nothing now without signification. no part of the Church, but it is a sign of somewhat. the shutting of the door; the coming in; the going to the desk, etc. have n Maximin. in mystagogia. all of them their significations. yea without the church and all, scarce any thing is free for us to behold, not as a sign; witness the o Durant. de ●rit. li. 1. ca 22. sect. 8. Cock that standeth on the steeple to act the crowing of Peter's cock, to put men in mind of awaking to repentance. Now what is that which our Cross blundreth? the scripture itself useth the name of the Cross to express Christ's death, therefore we may use the figure of it to act what Christ speaketh? Then are the Papists just and righteous, & we must no more cry out against them for any of their forenamed actings. There are no better similitudes to be chosen out of the scripture than those which they do act already. If those be not lawful, none are lawful. if none, than not the acting of the Crosses similitude neither. Augustine telleth us that Christ in the scripture is compared to a Bull, p August. count Faust. Manich li. 18. cap. 6. propter virtutem Crucis cuius cornibus impios ventilavit. q Ribera in Habac. cap 3. num. 26 Hierome is very often to prove, that where the word horn in the old testament is spoken of Christ, there he figureth the Cross. This being granted, let this position hold, it is lawful to act what the scripture speaketh by way of figure and similitude, and it will be found as warantable, as the sign of Christ's death, to put a pair of Bulls horns upon the forehead of the baptised. A red thread by this reason willbe found as warrantable as the sign of the Cross for life, not only because the Fathers make Rahabes red thread a sign and figure of Christ's death, but also because former r jacob. Vitriac. histo. Occident. lib. 2. ca 36 pa. 396. times have in Baptism used it accordingly to this end, together with the Cross. #Sect. 33. The third objection of the Opposites: There be divers signs added in the scripture by man lawfully as the knife of stone, etc. THirdly, it is objected, That there be diverse signs found in the scripture added by man lawfully. First (say our Opposites) what say ye to the knife of stone added by josua or the jews to the Sacrament of Circumcision with a symbolical signification, for a justinus Martyr in Tryphon. August. de temp. serm. 141. Nicho. Lyran. in josuah 5. he signified Christ our rock and corner stone. First, there is no comparison between this knife and the cross, because the cross is a sign of state by itself, whereas the knife was an instrument of the sign of Circumcision, and so by consequent no more an addition than the silver pipe which lay men used in the sacrament of the Supper, as the statute of the Carthusians showeth, which was, they should possess nothing but a silver cup and a pipe of silver b Beat. Rhenan. in Tertul. de coron. milit. qua laici dominicum absorbeant sanguinem. Secondly, There was never added a knife of stone to the sacrament of Circumcision but it was always a knife of iron as justinus Martyr c justinus Martyr. ut supra. witnesseth. But the text calleth them knives of stone. The Caldee paraphrast interpreteth giadiolos acutos, as well he might. For what is here a knife 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Septuagint, or ex petra acutus as the ordinary gloss. At a word, what is the knife of stone, but a knife of the d Arrias Monta. in hunc locsi. whetstone: that whetstone which may not be sold by the e Digest. lib. 39 tit. 4. ca 11. civil law to an enemy under pain of death, it is so fit to sharpen. But what shall we say to the Fathers (then) who make this knife of stone a figure of Christ? who say more over that Circumcizion was on the 8. day to figure out Christ's resurrection. Why, as it is f Andre. Masius in hunc loc. pa. 83. pertinacy in them who defend this stony knife though they do it because they are loath to lose that figure of Christ which the Fathers have placed in it, so now it will be partinacie for thee to defend the sign of the Cross in Baptism for that significations sake wherewith the Fathers dignify it. Alas, thou must consider how playful they were in their significations. and thou mayest easily see from hence what little hurt it is to lose the fond figures they have devised. The second sign added by man (which our Opposites do allege) is the Altar of jordan bank. The altar of the two Tribes and an half was lawfully added to the Altar of the Temple (say they) therefore the Church may lawfully add the sign of the Cross to the water of Baptism. First let me reason a little better: The Altar like to that of Damascus, was added unlawfully in the Temple: and the Altar of the high places was an unlawful addition likewise: therefore the addition of the sign of the Cross to the sign of the water, is unlawful altogether. Secondly, who lamenteth not to see how gross our Opposites are grown? For what coherence in this argument, what coincidence in these two signs? For neither was the Altar of the two Tribes in state religious as the Cross is, nor in use. it was civil in the judgement of the most g D. Babing. in the 2. comment. learned of our Opposites. Or if it were to an holy use, yet not to the same for which the Altar of the temple served. The Tribes had sinned (say our h Ludovic. Lavater. in josu. 22: homil. 61. writers) if out of the Temple they had determined an Altar to the same use, for which the Lord had set up one in the Temple already. And sith it was out of the temple, it was not in state religious like the Cross. What if it were? It had been but like the Altar which Solomon reared, when Moses Altar could not bear all the sacrifices that were brought. From this Altar it is, that Bellarmine argueth a great deal more strongly, than our Opposites from the other of jordan bank. The addition of an new Altar added by Solomon, was lawful (saith he) therefore additions of men are lawful to the whorships of God. How do we answer him? First, this was done upon special warrant, as Solomon was a Prophet who had extraordinary inspiration (say some l Matt. Sutclive cont. Bellar. de summo Pontific. lib. 4. cap. 6. of our writers) and from these it will follow against Bellarmine and our Opposites, that there is no warrant ordinary in the word to add in any religious use, either Altar, Cross, or any sign else. Secondly, this Altar was added out of the equity, even of Moses law itself (say m Franc. junius controvers. 3. lib. 4. cap. 17. nota 4. others) neither was it any addition at all, seeing no new sign of a diverse kind. These put this answer into our mouths: The Altar of jordan was no such addition, in respect of the kind, as is the addition of the Cross which is a new sign, of a diverse species from the water, to which he is added. Another Altar is set by the old, to this answers not a Cross, set by the water but two Fontes of water, set one by the other, when one of them doth not suffice, that which in deed is no addition. Thirdly, (and last of all) either our Opposites have very bad hap, or else they cannot speak one syllable save out of the popish, or Lutheran Grammar. They think it much when they are able to say, that our Cross serveth only for a memorial (even as this Altar did) but a papist from this place, speaketh as honestly, as they for their lives. The sign of the Cross (saith n And. Maefius in Ios. 22.28. he) is like this Altar, which the Church proposeth to us, not that we should adore it, but that we should remember the Altar, whereon our Priest (according to Melchizodeches' order) offered himself, as a sacrifice for us. And they think they have excuseth their Cross sufficiently from being popish, when they have said, we use him not to the same end, but in a diver se manner. But there is a o David Chytre in hunc locsi. Lutheran, that speaketh as strongly, and as honestly for the Images of his Church: As here the Tribes (saith he) being challenged about this Altar, make answer, they set him not up for sacrifice, but to another end: so when the Iconomachis challenge us about our Images, we may well excuse out selves in the like manner: We do not set them up to adore them, as papists do, but we use them for monuments only. The third sign added by man, which our Opposites do allege, is the sign of the Cross added to the Sacrament of the Passeover, for as much as it appeareth by p justinus Martyr in Tryphon. justinus Martyr, the Paschall Lamb was roasted in the form of a Cross. One of my brethren hearing of this, said, that he had often heard of a tale of a roasted horse, but never of a roasted Cross before. This reply will serve the turn. For either the Paschall Lamb was not dressed in form of a Cross, or if it were, it was no typus destinatus: or if it were, it was instituted from the beginning. #Sect. 34. The 4. sign alleged for the defence of the Cross, is the imposition of hands: and why should not the sign of the Cross be as lawful as it. THe fourth sign added by man which our Opposites do allege, is the Imposition of hands. why should not the sign of the Cross be as lawful as it (say they). First, as our writers answer the Papists imposition of hands, in the Apostles times was a sign, but not a sacrament, so we answer our adverse brethren. It was a sign merely indicant by institution from God in the old Testament; by the custom of Christ and his Apostles in the new: whereas the Cross is a sign Symbolical and Sacramental with a word annexed unto it just like the water. Secondly, our writers defend this imposition of hands was ever [ritus liber] whereas we are bound now to the Cross although it want that ensample in the word which this sign hath. Thirdly, whereas the Catechised had the hands laid on them before they were baptised, and thereby were received into the Church, though some differences may be alleged between the sign of the cross and it, yet we hold it superstitious like the Cross which was made in it, and with whom it arose, for the highest mentioner of it is a Concil: Carthag. senten. 37. Vincentius Tibaritanus, coequal with Cyprian, for that counterfeit Dionysius b Dionis. Areopag. in Ecclesiast. Hierarch. Areopagita who cannot be more ancient. fourthly, imposition of hands following Baptism, is canceled by the reformed Churches for the popish abuse thereof: no where is it used but in England and in Boheme, where some think it to be c Harmon. confess. in observat. in sect 13. add Bohemic. tolerable because it hath some profit there, and breedeth no offence. neither of which can be said here of this sign of the Cross. The fift sign added by man is the [Osculum pacis] which was used in the primitive Church. Which seeing it was lawfully added to the Sacrament of the Supper, why may not the Cross (a like sign unto it) be adiected unto Baptism? First, this went d justi. Martyr apolog. 2. ad finem Tertul. in lib. de oration. before the very solemnity of the supper, e Chrysost. Homil. de prodit. judae. to prepare men to a worthy receiving in love and charity. It had no state in the sacrament itself, as the Cross hath now in Baptism. Secondly, this was a mere natural sign of peace, and not symbolical or sacramental. all the people of the earth use to embrace, and to strike hands, and to kiss, when they will show forth indicant signs of peace and reconciliation. Two men that were enemies join hands together in the Church before they go to the communion table in token of reconciliation. will you make a sacramental sign of this? or will you say it is an addition to the sacrament or affirm the sign of the Cross is no worse, nor no more an addition than it? but now the kiss of the primitive Church was such: men joined hands in it: men embraced one another in it; as f Chrysost. ad popul. Antiochen. homil. 51. Chrysostome telleth us: and these verses of Paulinus: Tunc ambo nexi ad invicem dextras damus. In osculo pacis sacrae, etc. Quisquisne tibi ( g Hieron. ad Theophil. Alexand. saith Hierome) invitus communicate? quisquamne extensa manu vertit faciem & inter sacras apulas judae osculum porrigit? So is this kiss a sign of Love, as the turning away of the face is a sign of hatred, that is, a natural indicant sign, & not symbolical or sacramental like the Cross. Thirdly, what is now become of this kiss? It is cast forth of the Church. Wherefore? because it was abused. for it begat in popery the kissing of a table, which had the Image of Christ, or of some saint in it (called the Pax.) and wherefore was it turned at first into the kissing of this Pax? why, for the same reason, that kissing h Clemens in constie. li. 8. ca 11. of men and women together was forbidden before, l Gabr. Biel. in can. missae. lect. 8 1 Durant. de rit. lib. 2. ca 54. sect. 7. ne recti specie aliquid libidinis diabolico afflatu irrepat. Alas then for us, who cannot even by this learn to abolish the sign of the Cross, less ancient, less profitable, more abused: itself having begotten a worse Idolatry? no, though it be needful to abolish it, not only to prevent ne quid irrepat, but also to remedy that which is crept in already. Now, besides this kiss before the Communion, there was one given to the party baptised before his baptism, about which we need be no more careful then about the exsufflation which went immediately before it: or the salt that followed after it: and as it quickly n Durant de rit. li. 1. ca 19 sect. 24 vanished away, so I would it had taken the Cross away with it; it could not have had better company. Thus far of the sin of the Crosses office which it doth bear in Baptism, where we use it for a symbolical and a sacramental sign. There follow now the offices which he performeth to Baptism, which are in number 4. #Sect. 35. Four offices which the Cross performeth in Baptism. THe first is to consecrate the water thereof, Sect. 35. to make it effectual▪ whereof if we be ashamed, why loath we not the rest aswell? seeing this office is as ancient as they are. What though it be fathered upon Augustine by a Amolar. de Ecclesiast. office lib. 3. cap. 24. some? Is Augustine no body? but we may fetch it a great deal higher, as these words of Cyprian show: b Cypri. lib. 1. epist. 12. Oportet mundari & sanctificari aquam prius à sacerdote ut possit Baptismo suo peccata hominis qui baptizatur abluere. The second is to procure reverence to Baptism c Thom. Aquin. p. 3. qu. 66. art. 10. ne putetur esse communis ablutio. Which is the office of the salt, the taper, and the rest of popish signs, which how cut we of, but with this axe that beheadeth the Cross aswell d D. Whita. contra Dureum. li. 8. pa. 65 8. Non existimandum, etc. We must not think but that the baptism of Christ and of the Apostles was performed with reverence enough when these signs were wanting: neither must we take upon us to be wiser than they. To procure right reverence to the Sacrament is to lay open the institution by the preaching of the word, and then to deliver it in that simplicity in which we have received it. To add signs over and above, is not to honour it but to defile it. In deed had not the Ark been more honourably entreated, if it had been sent home again as it came into the land and hand of the Philistians. They thought they could not honour it sufficiently, ● Sam. 6. unless they set a budget by it of certain new devised signs to wait upon it which did defile it. David emptied this budget, & did well. Howbeit, their cart he thinketh cannot well be spared, for which the Lord made a breach in Israel, ● Chron. 13 until he drove him to confess that he was not sought in due order, as long as one ceremony of the Philistines did remain. The Lord show mercy to our Church, otherwise he will show that our emptying of the popish budget in banishing the salt, the oil, the spittle with the rest, will not be judged sufficient, unless we cease also with a Cross of theirs to cart Baptism, which should be borne up to reverence, no other way than by the shoulders of the Levites, I mean the labours of those preachers which now (alas) lie in the dust, because they will not defile their hands by touching of this Philistine-carte, for to uphold it. The third office of the Cross which he performed to Baptism, is to drive away the Deull, e Thom. Aquin. ut supra. Ne inpediat effectum Sacramenti, for which, why is he not himself driven away, as well as we have scattered into the wind the flatus of the exorcism, seeing he is f Goulart. in Cypri. epist. 56. not. 31. simbolum magica in●antationis as well as it in the eyes of all good writers: The fourth & the last office of the Cross which it performeth to Baptism, is to put us in g Ric. Hook li. 5. ca 65. mind of our vow therein, and that in the instant of every tentation that so we may keep ourselves from fin. what, and serveth the sign of the water (then) for the time only of the perfusion? or must we needs have a sign of a sign? If so, Then how many, and to how many degrees I ask? For if a new sign of a Cross be needful to put us in mind of the water, then holy water (a new sign) is needful too, both of it and of the Cross, why do papists keep holy h jansenius. Concor. evangelic. cap. 106. the dedication day of every Church? Why to the same end, that we use the Cross, (to wit) to put themselves in mind of their Bapt. when they were washed & when they were crossed to be dedicated an holy Temple to the Lord. But to the holy water again which was no rather mentioned. There was once a fellow that carried about holy water to put men in mind of their Baptism, & therefore when he sprinkled it, he was wont to say, memineris te esse baptizatum. This man all wise men l Pet. Martyr. in 2. Reg. ca 2. laughed at. howbeit, whereas Bellarmine allowed this course for good, m Bellarm. de cult. sanct. c. 7. non negarem per aquam benedictam refricari memoriam Baptismi & admoneri Christianos ut cogitent se aliquando per aquam purgatos fuisse & pactum cum Deo contra Diabolum inijsse. how shall we answer him, alwhile ourselves do use the Cross, a sign that is more unfit to the very same purpose? More unfit (say our n Ric. Hook lib. 5. ut supr. Opposites) how can that be, seeing the cross is ever ready at hand to stay us from sliding even in the instant of the temptation, which other signs are not? Excellent. For now at last I perceive it was for somewhat that o Anselm. apud August. de tempor. serm. 181. Anselme telleth us, Christ chose rather to die by a Cross, then by a sword or a stone, or by any other instrument, that we might have always a weapon ready against Satan: to wit, the sign of the same Cross: whereas all men cannot have always ready a stone or a sword against him. But what (now) shall we do with those writers of ours, that besides the two Sacraments condemn all signs though never so fit in the eyes of carnal wisdom? when martial citeth out of August. Crucem nobis dominus reliquit in memoriam passionis p Calf hill. ag. Mart. fol. 82. Master Calfhill replieth, the word and the Sacraments are memorials sufficient. We must not devise signs to ourselves (saith q D. Fulke ag Rhem. in Philip. 2. sect. 2. another) but use such as God hath appointed. There were some that to move the people the more, brought pictures with them into the pulpit, whom we have on this ground censured. The r Calfh. ag. count Mart. arric. 9 word being the ordinance of God sufficient, all these additions of signs sensible are vain and superfluous: upon the same ground it is that we condemn the sign of ashes s Tho. Morofin. in verb. cinis. upon Ashwendsday, which Gregory the great brought in not without pretence of great antiquity, seeing it was used by men (we know) anciently in their mourning. Last of all, in the year. 1420. one t Antonin. tit. 22. ca 7. sect. 5. Bernardinus à Minorite, carried about the name jesus painted in a table, which he used to show to the people to put them in mind of Christ. This Martin the fist condemned in his consistory, not only as superstitious, but also as scandalous, giving occasion to worship the Characters rather than Christ, which is just the Crosses cause. I would know how we can use the Cross to put us in mind of our vow in Baptism, seeing the common Crossing of the people is forbidden by u And. Willet. de crew. art. 3. D. Fulke rejoined. art. 5. sol. 177. writers. They only forbidden the superstitious crossing (you will say,) so said Harte Hierome only forbiddeth the superstitious bearing of the Cross in the boosom. But w joh. Reynold confer. cap. 8. dinis. 4. as it was replieth to him [all bearing it, there is superstitious] so is all using of it here. This will not our Opposites hear of; x Ric. Hook ut supr. who object to the contrary that the ancient Fathers draw an argument for the ceremony of the Cross, when they exhorted to constancy. First, the Fathers make the sign of the Cross operative in this their arguing: Thus Leo: y Leo. epist. 81. ad Monach. Palestin. Hi non erant digni confessione filii & patris, quibus nunc caro Christi verecundiam facit, probabuntque se nullam de signo Crucis sumpsisse virtutem qui quod preferendum frontibus acceperunt, promere labijs erube scunt. Thus Cyprian. z Cypr. epistol. 65. Arm yourselves (saith he) with all boldness, that this sign of God may be kept safe. where the former part of the exhortation being thus, never let the hand that hath received the body of Christ, offer sacrifice to Idols: he matcheth the Cross with the bread of the Supper preferreth it before the water of Baptism, in whose room the Cross is mentioned. Secondly, when the Fathers draw an argument of exhortation from the Cross, they call us not to a new crossing at the instant of the temptation like Master Hooker; they only will us to call to mind the Cross received once in Baptism. And in this manner they drew exhortations from other rites, which yet notwithstanding we have abandoned. Doth not Dionysia exhort her soon Maioricus to a Victor. de persecut. Vandalic. constancy, willing him to remember the pure white garments which in baptism he had received? It was usual in like manner to exhort by calling to mind the oil of baptism, b Theodor. in cantic. cap. 1. recordare sancti baptismatis mister ium in quo qui initiantur spiritualis unguenti Chrismate inuncti etc. What then? Must we wear white garments still, and bear oil in our boosoms to put us in mind of baptism? But enough of the third sin of this sign in regard of his offices whether in the Sacrament or unto it. #Sect. 36. The fourth sin that maketh this Cross Sacramentale in these words, we receive this child into the congregation of Christ's flock. THe fourth point which maketh the Cross a sacramental unlawfully added is the complement of a word wherewith it is graced (to wit) this: Sect. 36. We receive this child into the Congregation of Christ's flock, and sign is with the sign of the Cross, in token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified, & manfully to fight under his banner against the flesh, the world, and the Devil, and to continue his faithful soldier unto his lives end. Herein we cannot deny but that we are passed the ancient bounds. We stand on the Fathers, but which of them (tell me) used the Cross with any word annexed unto it, and not rather as a a Perk. problem. in figno crew▪ sect. 5. gesture of prayer either explicit or implicit at the least, and that not by itself existent, but subsistent in prayer? Lest this should seem strange unto us, we must consider that the sign of imposition of hands was at the first no other (as these words of b August de bapt. count Donatist. August. show) Quid est impositio manaum nifi invocatio suprà hominem. And of c Tertul. lib. de bapt. Tertullian, Dehine manus imponitur per benedictionem advocans & invitans spiritum sanctum. And lastly of Hierome, d Hieron, adverse. Luciferian. Episcopus ad invocationem spiritus manum impositurus excurrit. The Oil likewise at the first had no word ceremonial annexed unto it: neither was it used without prayer, as now we use the cross. e Ambros. de iis qui initiant. myster. cap. 7. Ambrose witnesseth it had this prayer, Deus omnipotens qui te regenera●●t ex aqua & spiritu sancto, remisitque peccata tua, ipse te ungat in vitam aternam. f August. serm. 19 de sanct. Augustine saith of the cross itself (if the words be his own) hoc facit cum fideli invocatione nominis Christi victoriosae Crucis insignita memoria. To conclude, Mr Bucer g Bucer. Cansur. cap. 12 479. wished the words of the Cross were turned to a prayer. Howbeit there be who think the cross the more tolerable even for this words sake, because it declareth to what end we use it, & so distinguisheth it from the cross popish. First, Cassander used this apology, for the consecrating of the water by the cross and for other gross ceremonies: Istae ceremoniae (saith he) movent hominù animos si accedas interpretatio & intelligentia. Which, while our h Herman. Hamelman. detradit. p. 1. lib. 4. colum. 374. writer's refure as frivolous, we by this sacramental word which we give unto the cross in practice justify. But by this means the cross becometh signum commonefaciens, and is not mute Not so. For this signum l Chemnit. exam. part. 2. fol. 38. commonefaciens which our writers do approve, is that which speaketh out of the word which the sign of the Cross doth not. When the Gentiles objected that there were many mysteries signified in the histories of their Gods, Arnobius replied, m Arnob. count Gent. lib. 5. Christiano satis est quod scriptum est, & quod auditur, accipe●e. So let the cross speak what mysteries he can, in this his sacramental word, if he speak not out of the scriptures, we Christians care not for it. Mr n joh. Caluin. lib 4. institut. cap. 10. Caluin knew the popish ceremonies do admonish by the word of man (& the cross doth no more) who (yet) termeth them dumb & separate from doctrine. To Martial objecting That the church had ordained the cross for a remembrance of Christ's passion. o D. Fulke rejoind. art. 3. pag. 157. D. Fulk thus replieth: Christ committed to the prelates the government of his church to feed it with his word, & not with dumb signs and dead images, such as he hath forbidden. Have we not here the Cross termed [A dumb sign] & no teacher, because he speaketh out of the mouth of the Prelates of the church only? Secondly, what though the addition of this word did open the mouth of the Cross and make him a teacher? this helpeth not as long as he is a superfluous reacher, and a teacher that is unlawful. Superfluous he is, because the common plea against Images lieth flat against him. p josias Simler. in Exod. 20. fol. 86. Quod sierudiunt vel absque interpret id faciunt vel opus habent iuterprete. absque interpret mutae sunt. Quod si autem verbis docendum est, poteru id absque ijs commodi●is fieri. He is also a teacher unlawful. God will not have his Church taught by the Devil. and the sign of the Cross is a Devil. Who will have his child taught by a papist? but the sign of the Cross is popish. Mark 1.25. Apoc. 9.20. In the third place, he is a teacher insufficient. When marial affirmeth that Images teach like the word, and the word becometh a scandal to diverse aswell as Images: q D. Fulke rejoined. artic. 9 pag. 201. D. Fulke replieth that the scriptures do plainly condemn the errors and vice to which they are wrested: whereas Crosses and Images do not for. Although then it be true, what this Sacramental word of the Cross doth teach yet it cannot be approved as long as it teacheth insufficientlie: and do not like the scripture condemn the vices and the errors to which his word is arrested In that monument of the Cross which Costantine the great sat up, this word was annexed r Nicephor. Calist. histor. lib. [ne●s vinae which, though it were good, yet did it hurt, men hereby grew into a conceit that the Cross was a chosen instrument of Christ, to overcome by. which eftsoons falleth out in the word of our Cross. Because (like the scripture) it doth not pretend all occasions of such error▪ neither teacheth any one lesson against the same. So far of the word of the Cross in general. Now to the form in which it speaketh, and to the matter what. The form cannot be denied to be Sacramental, like unto these, s Durant. de rit. lib. 1. c. 19 sect. 33 ungo te oleo, I anoint thee with oil. t Bellarm. de confirmat. cap. 10. Consignote signo sanctae Crucis, & Chrismo te oleo salutis. I sign thee with the sign of the Cross, and anoint thee with the oil of salvation. Compare with these, the form how our Cross doth speak, We receive: We sign, etc. speaks it not as the popish Oil speaketh in Baptism, and in the sacrament of Confirmation: to partake with the iniquity of them? It may be added, it speaketh like the water in Baptism (I Baptize) to steal away the honour of it. As for the Quidditi which some have light on, the Minister saith not [I sign] etc. as he saith in the water [I Baptize] but [We receive, and we sign] it maketh no material difference, as a gross papist himself will yield: u joh. Molan. de Sacrament. c. 3. coclus. 4. in hac forma [Ego] non est planè necessarium: Et si commutetur in (Nos) non vitiatur forma. But when the Book saith (We receive) it speaketh in the person of the Congregation. And speaketh it in the person of the Minister only, when it saith, [I Baptize]? If it do, the Minister may say [We Baptize] if he list you see, and so take in the Congregation. But this is the very same miserable shift which is used when men excuse the infants Credo & volo Baptizari, when yet he hath neither any faith, nor desire to be baptised. Forsooth he speaketh not this (say w jacob. a Vitriac. histor. Occidental. lib. 2. cap. 36. some) in his own person, but in the person of the Congregation. Which, how like you? is it not acute like the other? Be they spoken in whose person they may be, the words are still sacramental, uniting the Cross to the other parts, and to the other actions of the sacrament, as both the precedencies and the sequencies show. Before the Book maketh request for the Infants that are to be dedicated to God by our office and ministery. Compare these words with the Canon that telleth us, the child baptised is dedicated to God by the sign of the Cross which followeth them. After, the Book directeth us to give thanks that the child is received into the Congregation. Compare these with the words of the Cross to which they have relation, yea which they repeat, and whereby the infant was received: and tell me whether the Book doth not incorporate the sign of the Cross into the Sacramental actions: seeing this, it combyneth and knits it to them both, à priori and à posteriori, as it were with a couple of strong cords, never to be unloosed by them who say, the Cross cometh after Baptism, and if not morally, at the least a part thereof: unless they take up the sword of Alexander (that which already they begin to do): to cut off with violence, what they cannot by art untie. #Sect. 37. It followeth not because we use the Lords prayer & Creed in Baptism, that therefore we may use the Cross. For the word Cross implieth 3. senses contrary to the word. FRom the form, come we to examine the matter, when Bellarmine would prone we add in Baprisme the Lord's prayer, and the Creed, and the renuntiation as culpably as they the Cross and Oil, he hath these words: a Bellarmin de bapt. ca 24. neque his repugnat quod or atio domivica sit in scriptures & simbo lum qu●ad sensum. Name inscriptur● non habetur or recitetur in Baptism. But we have for addition of the creed and the Lords prayer the general warrant out of the word, which willeth decency in administering of the Sacrament: whereas the Cross is in double transgression. First; Non habetur in Scriptures that he and his word should be used in Baptism, either by special or general warrant. Then his word is so far from being in scripture [Quoad sensum] as that it implieth three senses which are contrary to the word. First, when i● saith: We receive this child into the congregation of Christ's flock, and sign him with the sign of the Cross▪ the copulation of this word [and] taketh in the Cross, to have an hand in the child's incorporation, which the Canon beareth before it, when it affirmeth that the sign of the Cross doth serve in Baptism to dedicate the child to Christ. This what is it less, then that which the b Torrens. confess. August. lib. 4. cap. 9 sect. 4. grossness of popery itself would countenance by Augustine, c Augustin. de lymbol. ad catech. cap. ●. per signum Crucis in utero Ecclesia concepti estis: ᵈ Per signum Cru●●s suscipit vos matter Ecclesia. Our Church to the contrary, investeth the water unto this honour: e Harmon. confess. sect. 13. confess. Belgica. Baptismo in Ecclesiam Dei, re●ipimur & à peregrinis omnibus religionibus segregamur, ut pote illi soli consecrati cuius symbola & insignia gestamus. Secondly, when the words of the Cross say in token he may not be ashamed to fight under his banner against the Devil, and they make the Cross to be the banner of Christ's soldiers: if not to confirm them to the fight, yet out of question to make them known. Which, have we it any where taught in the scriptures? First, saith f Bellar. de imag. ca 2● Bellarmine calleth for adoration to the Cross, even for this, because it is Christ's Banner (for we may not come short of the heathen saith he) we must aswell adore the banner of our Christ, as they g Sozom. histor lib. ●. cap. 4. adore the military banners of their Emperors▪ me thinks it is an hard thing for us, to confirm them in this Idolatry with such an acknowledgement as that it is indeed his banner. Secondly, it hath ever been a quarrel between our writers & the papists that the Cross is no banner of Christ's soldiers, no not so much as by it to make them known. martial affirmeth that the Cross is Christ's banner Master Calfhill h Calfh against Mart art. 7. denieth it, and he is thus seconded by Doctor Fulke. l D● Fulk rejoind. art. 7. p. 190. Further you say the note, that the material Cross is no Ensign of Christ, hath simple proof, but (indeed) your assertion that it should be the ensign of Christ hath no prove at all. And again: m Idem. ibi. art. 1. pag. 144. That Cassiodorus & Lactantius spoke of the sign of the Cross it is granted, but because they speak of it besides the book of God▪ Master Calfhill doth well to disprove their reasons, as where Cassiodore compareth the sign of the Cross, upon the faithful to the Prince's stamp on the coin▪ the comparison is nought, for the sign of the Cross which is upon hypocrites showeth them not to be Christ's servants. Neither did Christ give any such outward sign, by which they should be known who would profess themselves to be his servants but only Baptism. To the last foot of his sentence there is another that setteth n Gualt. in Luc. homi. 9●. Quin potius m●mi●eyimus, etc. we must remember that we were by baptism made the soldiers of jesus Christ, to fight under his banner against the Devil. Thirdly, not only to make Christ's soldiers known, but also to strengthen them in the warfare do the words of the Cross make him their ensign and their banner. When one of our writers bendeth himself to shake the power of confirmation, he speaketh thus: They o And Willet▪ de confirmat. p. 4. deprive Baptism of the proper use thereof, which is a sign to us of the assistance of God's spirit, to sight manfully against the Devil: Now Baptism be a sign of our victory against the Devil, yet they rob Baptism of his honour, and give it to Confirmation. I care not for the quintessentiall interpretations which some have distilled of late, these words (in token, he shall not be ashamed to fight, but continue his faithful soldier) do in the intent of the authors of our communion book, and in common construction make the Cross a sign of the assistance of God spirit to fight manfully against the Devil, so that the Cross doth prejudice Baptism even as confirmation doth. Indeed confirmation speaketh no otherwise their the Cross, the cross no otherwise than it: p Thom Aquin. pa. 3. qu. 75 ar. 9 signantur confirmandi Chrismate sig●● Crucis in fro●●d, ut in manifesto ostendant se Christianos esse. Et ne nomen Christi ob timorem vei ●r ubessentiam praetermittant. q Bartholo. Caranz. in Concil. Florentin. Again, Ideo in front ubi verecondiae sedes est confirmand●● in ungitur ne Christi nomen confiteri erubescat, et praecipuè crucem eius propr●r quod c●ucis signo signatur. Compare with these words: in token he be not ashamed to confess the faith of Christ jesus crucified, savour they not of the same spirit? speak they not the same languadge? may not the same Dialect of Rome be most easily discerned in both? #Sect. 38. The Opposites saying that the Cross is the sign of Christ crucified, confuted. THe third doctrine which the word of the cross bringeth in, is that it is the sign of Christ crucified. Which, where have we in the scripture, unless in the places which papists cite, which our a Calfh. ag. Mart. ar. ● fol. 38. D Fulk rejoind. art. 1. p. 135.136. D. Willer de crew artic. 3. writers long since have proved to mean the word and the Sacraments joined with the inward seal of the spirit, but not the Cross. These places are (Isay. 49.22.) whence they prove the Cross to be Christ's standard. (jere. 4.6.) whence they prove it to be Christ's banner. Ezech. 9.4. whence they prove it to be Christ's mark. Apoc. 7.3. whence they prove it to be Christ's sign Ephes. 1.13. whence they prove it to be Christ's seal. Math. 24.30. whence they prove it to be the sign of the son of man. Now so distressed is the cause of the Cross, as that our Opposites are not ashamed to cite some of these places of the papists for it: that which (indeed) Master Hooker himself was ashamed once to do, who no doubt considered that if it be a shame for papists to cite for the Cross, those places of scripture which Valentinus the heretic cited (as our b D. Fulse. writer's object unto them): that then it is an utter shame for any Protestant to defend a cross as different from the popish, & yet to be able to bring no diverse scripture for it. Again, we cry out against the papists for citing scriptures for the Cross, because it is held by their own Church to be a tradition that bath no ground at all in scripture: as c Decret. p. 1. distin. 〈◊〉 cap. 5. Quae scriptura salutiferae Crucis signaculo fideles docuit insign●r● (saith their canon law it self.) But our Opposites may not in this case cry out against them, the beam is in their own eye, who join with the basest of the papists, to prove the sign of the Cross by scripture, against the principal f Magdeb●. centur. 1. li. 2. cap. 6. colum. 406 407. D. Full rejoin art. 1. pa. ●54. Calf. art. ● fol 20. lights of our Church, who though they grant the Cross itself is prefigured in the old Testament, and named in the new, to describe the curse of our Lord's death, and the merit thereof, yet stand out strongly against his sign of it, that it is neither prefigured not mentioned from the beginning to the end, much less mentioned with so honourable a style, & tittle as to be counted the sign of Christ. Nay our g Calfh. art. 2. pag. 44. writers go further, they tell us the scriptures will not suffer us to use the cross for a sign of Christ. O happy age of ours (then) that hath found out what never could be found before, to wit, that there be scriptures that do warrant it, what might they be? The first that is stood on (by our Opposites) is Ezech. 9.4. where when the Angel preserveth from destruction by setting T. in the forehead of the faithful, the sign of the Cross in the forehead is made (say they) or alluded unto; for thus (now) they reason, jump with h Bellarm. de imagine. cap. 29. Mart. de Cruc. art. ● Bellarmine and with martial, and with the rest of the papists. First it is not the letter T but Tau the word that is here used, which signifieth a sign, so that the Angel is said only here to set a mark or a sign in their foreheads: l Chryso. ad popul. Antioc. homil. 18. apud Sixt. senens. Bibliothec. li. 2. fo. 121 Cypri. cont▪ Demetrian. ap. D. Fulk rejoined. ar. 2. p. 147. & count Saund. de imag. cap. 13. p. 663. as in Apoc. 7.3. & 9.4. So doth the Septuagint render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do Aquila & Symmadus; so do the Fathers take it for signum indeterminatum, and for quodcunque signum. There be learned papists themselves, that either cite this place in their m Arrius Montain. Lexicons to prove that the Hebrew Tau doth signify a sign; or leave it n saints Pagnin. indifferent between the letter T. & the word. But Theodosion understandeth the letter. No, but leaveth only the word Tau o Hieron. in hunc loc. 1 Sam. 21.14. untranslated, as he doth the word Baddim, a little before, and as his manner is to do in every word which he taketh to be mystical. Now what is this to the Cross? sure no more than the Tau, which some say, was set on Cain, neither doth the Angel make Crosses here more than David made crosses on Achis his gates for the word Tau is used there as well as in this place. The Tau that was set on Cain and preserved him (say some of our Opposites) was but a praeludium to those other which should figure the salvation of Christ's Cross: but (me thinks) the text showeth plainly enough what cain's mark was, to wit, these words engraven in his flesh, he that killeth Cain shallbe revenged 7. sold: for (to omit all other reasons) how else could this promise be so famous as by Lamech the profane we see it was? And the Crosses which David, may be concluded by this reason, to have scraped on Achis door, are they for the Crosses credit too? who is censured by the Church, as a poor and miserable man, Psal. 34.7. for the making of them? for these Taves preserved him too, even as the Cross preserves now a days many a Minister fat, and shining in his benefice, howsoever before the Lord they are poor and miserable that do make him, especially they that do make him for fear of their living, as David made his Taves and marks for fear of life. But to conclude, it is here the word Tau that signifieth signum in general, which cannot be restrained to the sign of the Cross of all other signs, because during the time of the old Testament, it was held and esteemed execrable: as a papist p Alanus. de sacrament. lib. 1. ar. 2. himself confesseth. #Sect. 39 Though Tau were in the text, yet cannot a Cross be colleleth from it, unless we ground doctrine upon the mysteries of Letters, which the Gnostickes, Valentinians, and the Cabalists use. SEcondly, what if the letter T. be in the text, yet cannot a Cross be collected hence without wring and churning, yea without part of that vanity also of grounding doctrines upon the mysteries of letters which the gnostic heretics, & the Valentinians, & the Cabalists use, & the a Sixt. senens: Bibliothec. li. 3. pag. 146. Genebrad. in ann. ante Christum▪ nat. 87. papists themselves condemn. All the letters of the Hebrew Alphabet are mystical (saith b Hieron. de nominibus Hebra. Hierome) who holdeth not this position vain? yet is it the ground whereupon the Cross is foundded in this place, and that by this mystical Hierome, who yet resolveth not on the matter but rather rehearseth what the opinions of others are, as these words show, c Hieron. in hunc loc. et us ad mostra veniamus: and his whole drift, not in this place only, but in all his commentaries: in which as he telleth his reader elsewhere, he writeth rather out of the opinions of other men, than out of his own judgement. And when he explicateth the sign here meant by the words of Solomon, pone me sicut signum, Cant. 8. of David: signatum est super nos jumen vultus tui. Psal. 4. and of Paul: Nolite contristari spiritum à quo signati estis, it is plain that some of the authors, whom he followed, understood this sign to be spiritual & not an outward mark, which is the tenant of all our d Calfhil. again. Mart. art. 1.2. D. Fulk relo●●d. ibid. writers. If our Opposites have found out since the sign of an outward Cross in this place, I would they would tell us which way they came by it. The Maccabees in their banner used the first-letter of the words in Exod. 15.11. M. C. B. I. to express the whole sentence. Is this coarse here used? Then by the letter T. what more likely to be meant then the word Torah which signifieth the Law; to show the men here preserved, were such as kept the Law; and bewailed the transgressions which were committed against it which was the opinion of the jews as e Hieron, in hunc loc. glos. ordi. Hierome mentioneth, and which conlecture f f●●●t-s●●en▪ biblist he●. li. 2. fo. 121 some papists with g Lyran. in hunc loc. others cannot reject. In the Apoc. the situation of α and ω in the Alphabet is used to describe the Lord Christ jesus to be the beginning and the end. Is this course here taken? then what more likely by the letter T. the last consonant to be meant then either Christ the end of all (as h Hector Pintus in hunc loc. some) or the perfection of knowledge taught by Christ (as l Petrus Serranus in hunc loc. others) or perfection of science in the men here signed (as m Hieron. Strab. in glos. ordi. others) or a n Sixt. S●nens. ut supr. perfection of obedience in them as human frailty did permit. Last of all, the figures of letters were respected by Pythagoras when he described the life of man by the letter Y. and by the o Idem Bibliot. li. 3● pa. 145. officers of war, when T. noted the living ☉. the dead and slain, because this letter hath the form of a men thrust through, as it were with a dart. It were hard to say the holy Ghost taketh this course here. But what if he do? For a papist himself confesseth, long p Hector Bint. in hunc. loc. falluntur opinione qui asserunt hanc literam apud Hebraeos crucem esse, nullam enim habet crucis figuram. Ita. n. scribitur ∩. which maketh a fair pair of q Calfhil. art. 2. fo. 44 gallows in deed, but cometh nothing near a Cross Hence it is, that the chief defenders of this opinion waver much; as is to be seen in one of them for all the rest. r Sixt. senens. Bibliothec. li. 2. pag. 120. Fuit signum T. nifallor, (mark ni fallor) figura Crucis. But it is objected out of s Hieron. ad Paulln. Hierome, that the old Hebrew T. had the form of a t 〈…〉 Cross like to the Greek, that this ∩ which now hath not the form of a Cross, was changed by Ezrah, witness this, that the Tau of the Samaritans, who kept the old Hebrew letters, was of the Crosses form. First, it is unlikely that Ezrah would leave to the Samaritans, the enemies of God the ancient characters of Gods own finger wherein the Oracles of God were written, & put the Church to new. Secondly, though he changed in other places, yet not here, because the fashion of this T. being marred, the mystery was marred which depended upon it. which he (no question) understood, if there were any such. Thirdly, It is untrue that the old Samaritane T. was a cross. u Guilibelm postel. de litter. Faenitum. Postellus telleth us it was of an other fashion. a man in this matter to be rather believed than they, who cannot tell how to refer it, whether to this figure ✚. as w Sixt. Senens. ut supra. some, or to this T. out of x Tertul. count Martion. ca 30 Tertullian, as others which by y Isidor. Hispalens. some is called the Greek T. by z Mart. in reply. art. ● others the Roman T. Others say Ezechiell had reference to the Hebrew, Greek, and Roman, and all. as a Act. & more nument. pa. 1940. Friar Billing, Parson of Wilton at the burning of Spicer and Maundrell at Sarum. Fourthly, there is no agreement about Ezrahes' exchange of the Hebrew letters. One b Genebrar. Chronic. li. 2. in anmun. 36●● affirmeth, there was a change a while, but after, a return to the old letters again. Rabbi Simon denieth that ever there was any change at all. Rabbi Moses Gerundensis saith, The change of them was at the first c Ibid. in anmun. 3203 Division of the Kingdom in the days of Rhehoboam, to differ from the ten Tribes that were grown Idolatrous. The d Ibid, in an. 3710. most common opinion is, that Ezra changed them immediately upon the return from Babylon, to differ from the Samaritans. But all this is strooken dead in the nest by e Caesar Baron. anal. in an. Christ. 180. Caesar Baronius, who lahoureth to prove that Ezra never changed the letters: that the old ancient Copies of the Hebrew Bibles were many of them remaining in Ezralies' time. that they all are in one character (to wit the old and ancient character of the Hebewes. Howbeit Baronius himself saileth in part, the whole matter is here of late brought clearly to light by joseph Scaliger, who writeth thus: The old Hebrew and the Samaritane letters be all one, and the letter Tau in neither of them is like a Cross or the Greek or Roman T. Hierome what he reciteth of Ezraes' change & of the old Samaritane Tau, he taketh word by word out of Origene in Romans Origine was deceived by a jew, on whose bare relation he grounded himself: which relation was also false. Whereas Hierome saith elsewhere, he saw a Samaritane copy, that was after he had written this: if before he had seen it, he would have seen Origens' error, and have prevented it in himself. But if there be any thing worth the learning in this error, it is this, Hierome and others think it a worthy thing for Ezra to change the letters of the scripture, to the end that the Church may differ from Samaritans and from aliens, even in their writing. An ensample of like zeal we see in f Paul. D●●t. 〈◊〉. ●●. Vlid the Arabian, who when he meant to enlarge the religion of Mahomet, not only razed the churches of the Christians that were in Damascus, but also abolished their very letters. making a law that nothing should be written in Greek but in Arabic only. And when the Christians were after afflicted because they would not menscrizare (that is) conform, who can say but that they stood out against these characters amongst the rest which they refused. What then? We may not conform to the Cross especially in religious use, it being a Character of the beast, but our Church must change it, and make a law against it, if it mean to be zealous after the pattern and proportion of these examples. Thirdly, let it be the word Tau, or the letter T. let the letter be changed or not changed: all is one, and this one thing is nothing for the Cross. Then are the Fathers nothing, neither (say our Opposites) for they are all of them for the Cross even in this text. But may we not a little change the words of Christ, and say to the Fathers in this matter, Men what have we to do with you? even as we are prompted by Doctor Fulke. Master Calfhill (saith h D. Fulke rejoin. art 1. pa. 137. he) doth justly reprove the Fathers for so high extolling the sign of the cross which hath no ground in the word of God, but was brought in either by contention against the heathens who despised it, or in emulation of heretics who first used it. We must give the Father's leave to play, and according to their own pleasure not only to fetch the figure of the cross out of this Tau, but also out of the l Aug●. count Faust. lib. 12. cap. 34. two sticks which the Widow of Sarepta gathered, yea to fetch a Cross and a T. too out of the 300. m Augusti. questi. suplib. judle, lib. 7. ca 17 soldiers of Gedion, who (me thinks) resemble the 300. ministers, who now stand out against the Cross: for that, disdaining to ley down under the burden of an evil conscience to drink at ease the pleasant waters of conformity, they are contented to lap like dogs the waters of marah, or rather to be used like dogs: surely, no more to be called Naomi (although their gifts and their labours in the Church had made them beautiful) but Marah rather, because the Lord beginning judgement at his own house, hath showed them bitterness. Secondly, what though the Cross be here insinuated, that is nothing to the sign of the Cross in the forehead, but to n Pet. serran. in hunc loc. Calfhill. ag. Mart. art. 2 D. Fulke. rejoin. ibid. pag. 146. Christ's Cross only, on which he died, which is not here insinuated neither for any honour to itself, but for the forshewing of Christ's death, whereof it was the cursed instrument. As for the sign of the forehead mentioned in the Revelation, o Hector Pintus in hunc loc. it is as fond (after Aquinas, martial, the Rhemistes, and the rest of that ●●●ble) drawn to the aereal sign of the Cross, as this sign of Ezechiell is. For, this p Mr. Calfh ag. Mart. art. 1. D. Fulke. reio. ar. 1. p. 137 sign in the revelation giveth the Spirit of life and faith, so doth not the Cross. this sign maketh a difference between good and bad, so doth not the Cross; this sign in the forehead noteth those who with open q Ioh●n. de ●a●●o. in Apo●. ca 7 foreheads should profess the Gospel, even as they, who are not signed in the forehead. vers. 9 note those who should lie hid, and not so openly profess as the former; who yet made the sign of the Cross in the forehead, as well as the former, called to martyrdom and confession, if antiquity be true. Thirdly, what if the sign of the Cross in the forehead, be alluded to in Ezechiell and in the apocalypse? yet this maketh nothing for the sign of the Cross in Baptism, because it was tolerable in old time, r Lambet Dane. count Bellarm. de Imag. c. 29 quatenus erat testimonium confessionis in trepida contra ethnicos, not r Lambert. Dane. dont, Bellarm. de Imag. c. 29 quatenus it was a sign in baptism. Fourthly, Our Opposites that entitle the sign of the Cross to the place of Ezech. and that of the Apoca. the same must needs entitle it to an effective and operative power, for such a power doth the text give to the signs of these scriptures. witness the very Fathers themselves, who thinking these texts to speak of the Cross, conclude out of them that the sign of the Cross doth arm, defend, preserve us. of which error we are ashamed to our shame until we disclaim their interpretation of this scripture, and the obligation of their authority in this question of the Cross. #Sect. 40. That the sign of the Cross, is not the sign of the Son of man. THE second scripture which of late we have heard alleged against us, is the 24. chap. of Math. 30. vers. where some of our Opposites will have the sign of the son of man to be the sign of the Cross, even as the Fathers teach. Alas, whether will the Fathers carry them? Because of the Fathers they will believe that a sign of the Cross shall appear in heaven, for a forerunner of Christ his coming unto judgement. Will they not awake to see that this is no other dream then that which Lactantius dreameth, There shall be a great sword let fall from the heaven into the earth, before Christ's coming unto judgement, for a token and sign thereof? which (me thinks) they are bound to believe, as well as the other. for he hath scripture as good, [ a Lactant. lib●▪ ●e vita Beat. cap. 19 When I come I will send a sword into the earth]. And how is it probable that Christ should call that his sign which himself ordained not? which can be no b D. Fulk. ag. Rhem. Luk. 24. sect. 5. convenient sign of his, because a mere invention of man's: and which he foresaw in time should become an Idol of abomination, and a mark of his enemy the man of sin and perdition? There is (then) no probability for the Cross. is there probability for any thing else? first it is c Caluin: Baeza, Buc●. thought that by this sign of the son of man, there are meant (by way of Synecdoche) the great signs of glory & majesty, which then shall compass him round about: and shall omnium oculos convertere ad se, quasi signo dato. which seemeth to have strength from the explication which doth follow, He shallbe seen come in the clouds with power and great glory. Secondie, it is d johan: Piscator. in schol. D● Fulk. in rejoind. are. ● pag. 136. thought, that as the sign of Circumcision is nothing else but Circumcision itself, so here the sign of the son of man is nothing else, but the son of man himself, as a certain sign that the time is come of the last judgement▪ which receiveth strength by the conference of the other Evangelistes, who in steed of these words [Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man, Rom. 4. Luk. 21. Marc. 13. ] have only these, Then shall the Son of man appear. Near to this one, e Chrisost. In Math. homil. 49. Quidam putant Crucem Christi ostendendam esse in coelo: verius autem est ipsum Christum in corpore suo habentem testimonia passionis, (id est) vulnera lanciae & clavorum. thirdly, it is f Muscul. thought, that a sign here standeth for a signification of Christ's coming to this sense: These foresaid eventes shall be a certain signification, and (as it were) a sign of my coming. And because the g Rollocus. in 1. Thess. cap. 4. & Park. on the Creed. firing of the heaven and of the earth, is one of the chief of all the rest, therefore chiefly it is accounted to be this sign. I can not omit the words of one: h Lambert. Dane. cont. The sign of the Son of man, is the very same things which Christ foreshowed in the 29. verse, before should fall out in the Sun, Moon, & Stars, and not any other thing. Therefore after Christ had foreshowed the signs that were nearest to his coming, he addeth for conclusion and explication sake, that these signs are the very signs of his coming. And what can be alleged against these things? The Fathers? But they agree not. l Bellarm. de Imag. ●a. 28 Bellarmine's mouth runneth over exceedingly, when he sayeth that the ancient Father's omnes ad unum interpret this sign to be the Cross. For Chriso stome thinketh it to be the body of Christ itself. Hierome writeth thus: Signum hic aut Crucis intelligamus. of't vexillum victoriae trium phantis. Beda followeth him in the same words. Theophilacte holdeth the true Cross shall appear whereon Christ died. So doth Sibylla, O lignum faelix in quo Deus ipse pependit. Nec te terra capit, sed coeli tecta videbis. And m Tho. waldens. Tom. 3. tit. 20. cap. 158. Thomas Waldensis followeth them. Abulensis & jansenius are of another opinion. They think it shallbe a Cross compacted of glorious & of lightsome air. Now is it likely that the wood of the Cross which hath been so long ago rotten, shallbe raised up again in glory? Seeing the promise hereof belongeth to the members of Christ only; who receive it from the power of his own rising? Thirdly, If ihe sign of the son of man be here admitted to be the Cross, the true cross & the crosses image which is material, is here authorised, (which our church hath broken & overthrown) but the aereal sign of the forehead is never the nearer, if our Opposites keep their old tens still. #Sect. 41. An answer to the argument of the Opposites which is taken from Visions and Apparitions. FRom scriptures we must come to Visions and Apparitions whereby God himself from heaven hath showed (say our Opposites) that the Cross is a sign of his sons, Sect. 41. and a mark of his own. For when Constantine was in suspense on what God he were best to rely for victory, did not the Cross appear in the air unto him with this subscription, In hoc signo vinces, In this sigh thou shalt overcome. First, this word [sign] is foisted in by a sixth singer. a Euseb. de vit. ●●●st. lib. 1. cap. 22. Eusebius naming only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 huic vince. b Socrat. Histor. lib. ●. cap. Niceph. lib 2. cap. 29. Zonar. in Constanti. Socrates and others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in hoc vince (to wit) in this Christ. Secondly, It was not the sign of the cross that appeared, but a sight somewhat like it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the story, made after the fashion of a Cross, to wit, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a mark of Christ's name. This mark containeth the two first letters of his name X c Euseb. quo supra. c. 25. P. so that the P. was made an X. by crossing as it were a spear a sloop, d joh. Reyn. confer. divis 4. ca 8. pag. 508. either after this manner or as Lypsius upon the view of ancient coins doth draw it thus, . The former of these cometh nearest to the description of Eusebius, therefore the latter may be some imitation of it, even as in coins there was a diversity in imitation. e Prosper. pag. 3. de promis cap 34. Arcadius' stamped his coin with a common cross upon a victory which he obtained against the Persians. before which, as the battle was joining, certain crosses appeared on the garments of his soldiers. This stamp (saith the story) grew f Genebras. in anno Chri. 404. common to all the world, especially it was used in Asia; and the use of it doth endure unto this day. As the stamp of Arcadius differed from that of Constantine's, so did the stamp of Theodosius which was X. P. S. which the latter age hath viciously imitated. taking the middlemost for a Roman P. which in Greek is an g Godescal. Steweckiu. in Veget. dear milit. lib. ●. ca 18 R. There have been coin of Magnentius seen with Lypsius his form, which why it might not be an imitation of Constantine's figure rather than the figure of Constantine himself, I see no manifest reason. But what form soever the two first letters of Christ's name had in Constantine's days, the m Onuphri. de fast. lib. 2. Vazq. de adorat. lib. 3. disput. 2 cap. 4. letters of his name they were not (say Papists themselves h D. Fulk. rejoind▪ art 1. pag. 138 to which we add not) the cross, which he wore in his helmet, and set in his Labarum, whether it were on the top, framed of some matter or in his flag drawn and embroidered or both these ways in both these places (which I take to be the d Prudent. stan. lib. 1. in symach. truest) with this banner he overcame (without thanks to the cross) l Euseb. de vit. Constan. lib. 2. cap. 54. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wit, m D. Fulk. rejoind. art 2. pag. 148 holding forth the forenamed characters of Christ's name. See you not (then) the cross discorded from this apparition? For whatsoever honour hath accrued to him by the same, it came either from the alchemy of the Bishops in those days, who drew a Cross out of the sight which Constantine saw, or from the sophistry of Papists since. The Bishops of those days thought it good polity to make n Euseb. de vit. Constant lib. ● cap. 22. Constantine and the world believe, that not only the name of Christ had appeared, but also the cross; as the sight (you see) was somewhat like. Hence is it that Constantine is set up in the forum at Rome with a Cross in his hand, with this inscription, o Euseb. histor. lib. 9 cap. 9 Hoc salutari signo verac● fortitudinis inditio Civitatem nostram à iugo tyranni ereptam liberavi, & S. P. Q R. liberatum pristino splendori & claritati restitui. Hereupon also they adored p Zozom. histor. lib. 1. cap. 4. labarum of the Romans is changed to a Cross, to draw the Army to the adoring of Christ the sooner. Yet so, q Bellarm. de imag. cap. 27. ut vexilli formam non amitteret. It is said by some, the labarum was a Cross before this change, so that the Cross bar whereupon the r Euseb. de vit. Constant. lib. 1. cap: 25. jewel art. 14. diuis. 3● Lambert. Dane. con. Bellarmin. de Imag. ca 28. ●lagge did hang seemeth to be the Cross of this Labarum. which though it were there before, yet was it not eminent by the name of a Christian Cross as now it is. Latter ages added the rest of this Labarum, as now Papists do s Duran▪ de rit. li. ●c. 6. sect. 11. Bellar. de Imag. c. 27. jaco. Pamel. in Tert. Vazq. de adorat. describe it: who also have turned it into a t Vaz li 3. dis. ●. c. 4 ✚. which now is set over the flag in the room of it in all processions. #Sect. 42. Answers to the arguments, which the Opposites take from miracles. FRom Apparitions we must come to Miracles, whereby God hath manifested in the judgement of our Opposites, that the cross is a sign undoubted of his holy fonnes passion. When he would foreshow to a Zozom. Histor. lib. 5. cap. 2. julian that his Gospel should prevail, he did it by a Cross environed with a crown, which he caused to appear unto him in the entrulles of a beast in the midst of his divining. When he would make known to the jews, his gospel should prevail against them repairing the Temple of jerusalem to deface it, he did it by certain b Ibid. ca 2● signs of crosses appearing in the bvilder's garments. Last of all, when he would foreshow the renewing of his Gospel by Martin Luther, he did it in Anno 1450. by c joh Picus. Mirandula de mist. cruc. ad Maxim. bloody Crosses, Nails, Sponges and Spears; which appeared in the garments of men and women, yea in their rocks as they were a spinning. First I answer with one d D. Fulk. rejoin. art ●. pag. 14● of our writers: If the Lord would in those times use the Cross for an outward sign, what is that to defend any present abuse of it? Did not God work a great miracle by the brazen e ●o. Reynol. Confer. ca 8. diuis. 4. pag. 508. serpent, which must be broken for all that when it is abused? Secondly, It was not for the Crosses sake that God ever used it (as if it were any sign of his sons) but per accidens, for that occasion which then it afforded, as Paul once used f Socr. histo. lib. 5. ca 17 the Altar of Athens for his turn, a thing much esteemed of amongst the Idolaters. And the Christians the T. of Sirapis, much accounted of among his Priests, as signifying in their theology vitam venturam? What then? to retain a cross for an ordinary sign, because God or man have sometimes made use extraordinary of it, is as if we should still set up Altars because of that g D. Fulk. ag. Saint. of Imag. cap. 13. extraordinary use which Paul had once of an Altar at Athens. & retain h Theodo. lib. 5. ca 2● Beda histo. Anglor. lib 1. cap. 17. holy water & l Euagri. lib. 4. cap. 35. holy bread for the sakes of those miracles which are storried of them, or finally the m D. Fulk. rejoin. art. 3. pag. 15●. Oil and Imposition of hands, for the diseases which they cured, & the gifts of the holy Ghost which were miraculously bestowed by them. Thirdly, These miracles were done to grace the n Willihel. Perk. pro●. pag. 84. faith which the cross then commonly signified, & the prayer which the cross gestured wrought all in all, it was not to grace the Cross itself, neither was it the cross itself that did effect these things. The Image which julian broke was revenged o Zozom. histor. lib. 5. cap. 10. miraculously. What? to grace Images? No, but to punish julian, who in the Image dishonoured Christ. A baptizing p Theodor. histo. lib. 2. cap. 27. garment by Constantius the Emperor is given to Macarius of jerusalem. this garment is sold to a stageplayer, who falleth down dead whiles he had it on his back. what to grace holy vestures, as the q Duran. lib 2. c. 9 sect 4 papists will have it? No say we, but to revenge the despite, contempt, & profaneness of the player. Leo r 1 Naucler the 4. Emperor of Constantinople taketh the Crown that was full of precious stones out of the treasury of Sophia▪ a while after he had set is on his head, he falleth into a fever and dieth. what to grace sumptuous adorning of Churches? No, but to punish sacrilege. Fourthly, seeing the papist adoreth the Cross with the greater honour, the greater miracles that he hath wrought, a bad office do we perform who use the Cross the more honourably for his Miracles sake. It was ill done of the jews to make Elias his Altar upon Mount Carmell, s Cornel. Taci. histo. lib. 2. an high place to serve God in for the t john Reynold de Idolo●at. lib. 2. cap. 3 sect 46. miracles sake which God showed in it. How (then) can it be well done of us to bring the Cross into God's service for the miracles which God hath wrought by him against all Protestant writers, who not only refute papists error for their superstitious and unlawful worship to the Cross, but also for this their u joseph. Scaliger. de idol. Halens. unsound reasoning for the same. Fiftly, our common w Ibid. p. 45 objection against the Papists is, that their Saints, Images and Crosses had store of miracles when they had no need, and when there was none, that did impugn them but want miracles now a days at, greatest need, when so many rise up against them. Against this there arise in the midst of us, who set a broach even modern miracles for the Cross. As a Father (sayeth one) wishing his child had been cross in the seat of nature's impurity, had a next child borne without vent there. First let the time be considered when this miracle is rung, which was grateful to the papists of those parts, to back a former miracle of theirs about the Crucifix. justus x Iust. Lips. de Maria Halans. Lypsius Deifieth the Lady of halls, because her image remaineth untouched when fire confirmeth round about her: even so the Papists of those parts, were in a cry, Great is the Crucifix, because in fresh memory, a Crucifix of Dunneid remaineth without hurt, when round about it, the Church and windows were thorn with thunder, that which diverse went forth to see. Secondly, let the person of the Father be considered, upon whom it is fathered. For how could the proclaimer hereof either better revenge himself, then to set him upon the stage, who stopped at home his popish leaven, & detected abroad many of his bad proceed; or gratify better his friends of the other side, then to make him a spectacle of God's judgement in the Crosses revenge, who had before made himself odious to them, all by service effectually performed in the apprehension of diverse of them? At one time being unable to enter a certain popish house he beateth down a Cross in jest, that standeth over the door. A great matter is made hereof, as if there were renewed the miracle of the Cross, which hindered y Paul. Diacon lib. 1. Homar in his attempt, until it was taken away. Thirdly, let the subject of this miracle be considered, how homely it is, and how much savouring of that spirit, which coined a miracle of our home Kentismen, borne with tails, because they hanged tails upon z Beda. hist. Anglor. Genebrar. in Anno Do. 595. Augustine the Monk, and of the a Vincent. Beluacens. lib. 23. cap 159. Pa●cic. Tempor. in an. 754. wife of Gingolphus, letting escape with her tail as oft as she spoke, because deriding her husbands miracles she had said before, that her tail made music, as much as he made miracles. Fourtly, let the malice be considered of this miracle: For suppose the child was so borne, are there not instances of children so borne, even in the same country, whose parents never offended the Cross? Is it not folly in b Cesar. Barph. Anal. In ann. 271 julius Firmicus (a favourer of fate) to impute all the plagues of Plotinus his death, to fate's revenge, because he had written against it? If c joseph. Scaliger de Idolo. Halens. pa. 48 Zwickius have his nose cut of with a shot, must it needs be the Lady of Hales that hath done it, to revenge herself upon him? or if Risselman, lose his chin, in like manner, must this needs befall him for his contempt of that Idol. Fiftly, consider the falsehood of this miracle. If he could have reported of this child, that he was borne solid and flat posteriore d julius Obsequens lib de prodig. cap. 85. natura part, (as once one at Rome) their had the birth been (indeed) prodigious. But this child was not so borne, only he had a stoppage within. Which being removed by the Physicians advise, he died afterward of a scouring. He reporteth (also) that the Father had wished before, the Minister had Crossed his brother there howbeit being wary, he putteth in [I hear say] this hearsay since, upon inquiry, is found a liar. By reason hereof the Father slandered, may well take up the words of Hierome, e Hieron. in Episto. 62. Ne probare cogatur audisse se dicit. O si & mihi liberet dicere quae multi clamitant & aliorum maledictis acquiescerem. iam & nos intelligeret scire quae omnes sciunt & me quoque audire quae nullus ignorat. 〈…〉 conclude, which is the worst miracle of all? that which doth not only f Chrisost. in 2 Thess. cap. 2. indu●er● ad falsa, but is also falsum, even such a one is this. #Sect. 43. The refuge which the Opposites seek to have by the Fathers, removed, both because they passed measure herein, as also, that the case and time is now far changed. THE last refuge of our Opposites is the hold which they have by the Fathers, who generally term and call the Cross Signum fidei, a Cesar Baron. Anal. in ann 286 Trophaum fidei, Signum Dei, Signum Christi, Signum Dominicum, with the like. First the custom of the Fathers herein, none ever yet was able to justify. as who are known to crown the Cross with this honourable name more often then the water itself of Baptism. Quid b August. count Faust. lib. 19 c. 14. est (sayeth Augustine) quod omnes noverunt esse signum Christi, nisi Crucem Christi? speaking as if all men had forgotten that it is the water in Baptism that is Christ's sign. Nay, the Cross not only jetteth in the name of Christ's sign whereof it hath rob the water in Baptism, but also throughout the Father's writings bestoweth this name away from the water on whom please him, even on as many of his attendants as he thinketh good. The Fathers call the Creed c Ambros. de veland. virgin. Signaculum cordis nostri. Wherefore? For the Crosses sake it seemeth that did go with it, as these words show: d August. de symbo. ad catecu. lib. 2 cap. 1 Quando volverit adversarius insidiari noverit redemptus cum symboli Sacramento & Crucis vexillo debere occurrere. So is the imposition of hands called, a e Dionis. de Ecleesiast. Hierach. Consignation for the Crosses sake wherewith it was administered. On the Oil many are the tyties which he bestoweth in the writings of the Fathers. who call it for the Crosses sake, f Cypri. in Episto ad jubaian. Signaculum dominicum. g Ambros. de Sacram. lib. 3. ca 2 signaculum spirituale. h Synod. Trullan. cap. 95. signaculum Dei & Spiritus sancti: yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also, that is l Euseb. hist. lib. 6. c. 35. sigillum. Seeing the Father's overlashe thus far, we need not be moved much with their authority brought against us, who are not the first that hold this sign was m D. Fulk. rejoind. art. 3. pag. 158. grown superstitious, even in their chiefest age; yea long before the time of Augustine. Is it not a maxim in the Canon Law, n Paul. Launcelo. Perusin. institut. lib. 1. tit. 2. prava consaetudo non ligat? Hath not a Council determined, o Concil. Sardicens'. cap. 1. prava consaetudo non minus extir panda est quam perniciosa corruptela? Secondly, what though the custom of the Fathers who used the Cross for a sign of Christ, were on all sides good, the times do differ. They lived in an age when it was despised: we in a time when it is adored. They in a time when it professed the faith: we in a time when it countenaunceth heresy. They in a time when it was proper to Christians: 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 Antichristianitie. In regard, whereof we may well appeal to the old Canons, Regula Patrum traditae sunt (saith p Decret. pa. 1. distinct. 29. cap. 2. Gregory) prout res postulare videbatur, temporis, loci, personarum, reique ipsius habita ratione. And q Ibid. disti. 14. cap. 2. Leo, Sicut quaedam sunt quae nulla possunt ratione convelli, ita multa sunt quae pro necessitate temporum at consideratione aetatum oporteat temperari. And thus far of the Crosses sin against this second commandment. The hypocrisy of the Cross. Cap. 3. Vanity is all one with privation: Rom. 8.20.21. as the vanity of the creatures with Paul is the privation of their liberty from corruption. Now in privation, sin so consisteth as that the habits of sin which are Nullam habent rationem mali nisi ratione privationis justitia debitae, as the a Caiet. in Primam. 2. quest. 18. art. 9 school divines determine. Hence 1 1. King 17 15. the Idols sin is vanity against the first commandment, & a wrong worship a worshipping 2 Isay. 29.13 in vain, against the second, and all hypocrisy and miscarriage in every name and worship of Gods, a taking of his name in vain, as this 3 Exo. 20.7 third precept speaketh. For this cause it will not be in vain, to show that the sign of the Cross is vain a thing most easy to be done. First, there is a vanity of superfluity in it, in that it is a b D. Fulk. rejoin. art. 4. pag. 164 & 166. needless ceremony; in that we are as well c Calfh cont. matt. art. 1. fol. 30. with out it, as with it: and it is a ceremony that is d D. Fulk. rejoin art. 1. pag. 143 superfluous altogether. Christ's person being considered (saith e Andrew. willet. de Bapt. cap. 8 one) It was fit, the Cross, Salt, Spittle etc. should have been used in his Baptism, if God had seen they were needful for his Church. Now when Christ sendeth for any thing, his argument is: 4 Marc. 11.3 for the Lord hath need of it. And when he receiveth any thing he will not suffer this blot to rest on it. What 5 Math. 26.8.10.11. need? But he will wipe this suspicion of a needlessnes away, and so will prove it needful. This example our superiors cannot follow, unless before they urge the Cross, they prove unto us that the Sacrament hath need of it; and that it is not vain and needless which this precept doth condemn. Doth not the Law discarg from a vow, that which hath a superfluous, 6 Levit. 22. ●2. member, and from a sacrifice that which hath a superfluous wen? Why vow we then a Cross in Baptism? why by the Cross vow we our children unto God? a member superfluous, as used in popery, & by the people, a wen superfluous sticking in the upper skin, though used according to the skill of our one Church. Nay (to search this point to the quick) the superfluity of this sign maketh (indeed) our sin to be admirable, in that we have the water already (a better sign ordained to our hands) even as it is a thing much to be merviled, and not to be believed by f Bellarm. de Imag. c. 13 Bellarmine, that the jews should desire a calf for a sign of God's presence, having the cloud and the pillar which did resemble it better before. What increaseth the sin of the jews when they desire superfluous flesh, the sin of the adulterer, and covetous person how is it augmented, but by this there is no need, the jews having 7 Num. 11.5 Manna a better meat already to their hands provided? The 8 Pro. 6.30.31. 2. Sam. 12.8. adulterer being blessed with a wife of his own already, and the covetous man with food and 9 1. Tim. 6. raiment as much as is needful for him. This also made the sin of Euae f Decret. pa. 2. caus. 33. quest. 3. c. 1 heinous, that having so many blessed fruits, she lusted after that needless fruit which was forbidden notwithstanding, which now is our g A french. discourse of the honour of the Cross. part. 1. sin, who tempt God and fall a lusting after a superfluous Cross, a meat Idolothious, an harlot spiritual, a jewel of Anthichrist, a fruit forbidden not being contented with the water an heavenly Manna, a chaste ceremony, a jewel left for a pledge by Christ, and a fruit of his, whereby he feedeth us till he himself do come in place, the true tree of eternal life, which standeth in the midst of the paradise of God. Last of all, we condemn the papists in their Agnus Deies and other consecrate signs of theirs even h joh. Reyn. de Idolola. lib. 2. cap. 3 ●ct. 6. for this, that Baptism and the Lords Supper, not only suffice, but also excel: which, with what face can we do any longer, as long as we keep the sign of the Cross, to signify Christ jesus to us, a superfluity as bad as they, if not far worse. #Sect. 2. That the using of the Cross is but an idle apish roye, and lighter than the Surplice, which is also too light. SEcondly, There is a vanity of lightness in it which maketh it worthy to be cut of (as Balthasar was) when in the balance he was found to light. For every idle ceremony must away from the service of God ( a Muscul. loc. de trad. cap. 5. say some) even b Io. Husse. in Con●l. Consta. soss. 12. pag. 834. omnis ritus levis & infundabilis ex scriptura. and every ceremony which hath either c Chemnit. in exam. p. 2. pag 39 otiosum spectaculum, or ludum otiosum. And the sign of the Cross is an idle ceremony (say d Calfn. con Mart. art 4 fol. 92. D. Fulk. reio. art. 3. pag. 159. others) which all reason will make plain. Doth any know a reason weightier to balance the Cross then that which a e Durant. de rit. lib. 1 cap. 6. sect. 11. Papist bringeth, who proveth out of Caelius Rodigin lib. 10. cap. 8. that the Cross is a sacred sign, grave and religious, even by the law of Nature, because the Heathens in their adorations, moving their right hand to their mouths, did kiss their thumb laid a twart over their forefinger in the manner of a cross? If he do, let him speak. For, as for this reason it weigheth nothing with me, sith every Italian fashioneth f so. Crispi. Frederic. 2. such a cross as this, as oft as he gestureth Eccola fico. Howbeit, what ask I? When the friends of the cross themselves acknowledge it to be a toy. and our writer's chalk it up amongst other g Andr. willet de Baptis. cap. 8. toys popish whereof I am sorry. For how can we keep our mouths open against papists for using h D. Fulk. retent. aga. Bristol. in mot. 34. pag. 99 toys in the service of God while we ourselves use these ceremonies which in common estimation are but trifles? The Surplice hath more gravity in it then hath the gesture of the cross. For the wear of white was of old time honourable, and now it is l Bucer. de re vestiar. Pet. Marti. Epistol. ad Hooper. pleaded with some colour, it serveth to set forth the Ministers dignity. and yet we see how our Fathers have hissed at it. One terming it. m Gualt. in Hos. 2. Calui. institut. lib. 4 c. 10. sect 29 playerlike apparel, and a vain vizard. an other a n Baleus. in declarat. of Boner. arti. pag. 100 pretty toy an other an o D. Tailor act. & mon. pag. 1659. Apish toy. an other p Baecon. p●. 1. Cathec. pag 480. histrionical, scenical, & hic scorner like. It is lighter than the Surplice which yet is esteemed too light, and is it weightier than the ceremonies which are singled out of God's service because they are q Pet. Mart. in 1. Sam. cap. 14. minutiae. because r Idem in judic. ca 2. fol. 33. Caluin. institut. lib. 4 c. 10 sect. 29 Nugatoriae; because they yield nothing s Ibid. praeter inane oblectamentum. because they seem t Pet. Mart. in 1. cor. 14 decorae only sensui Carnis, & mundi judicio, & non constant mortificatione, sanctitate, modestia? Mr Buter misliketh the stay of the child at the Church-door, and the white garment that is done on him in the church, because the former is actio scenica, and in so holy a mystery as this we may not do any thing u Bucer. in Censur. cap 9 magis leviter. the latter a sign that serveth for little, save only w Ibid. c. 10 ad augendum ludum, cuius etiam occasio omnis, est amputanda. and he concludeth at the last, even of the words of the Cross itself, as they stood in King Edw. communion book, x Ibid c. 12. Nihil tale decet scriptura, & ludicra omnia debent ab his mysterijs long abbess. It is no sin with y Pet. Viret. annotat. in Miss. Peter Viret to term the crosses in the Lord's supper, juggling feats, and an Egyptians fast and lose. And as for the Priest that stretcheth his arms to express a Cross to the people, he laugheth at him, and saith, he is too z Ibid. c 42. merry a Christ. Is not a Cross in a child's forehead, as very a play-game as a white Chrism upon his face? or a Cross in baptism a fast and lose gesture as well as it is in the Lord's supper? And what difference to express a Cross with arms, and to make a cross with the finger? Alas this finger cross is but levis agitatio manus (as Auselme telleth us in sober sadness) a August de temp. serm. 181. elegit crucem, quae levi motu manus exprimitur; qua & contra inimici versutias, armamur. Therefore is it too merry a gesture to represent the sorrowful torments of the Lord Christ jesus, especially those unspeakable torments which in his soul he suffered. Can the bloody sweat of his whole body, be represented to us by the wagging of a finger? the groans, the tears, and strong schritches wherewith he filled the whole firmament of heaven, be well resembled by a little breaking of the air? Can the hell of his heaviness, be proportioned with a playful gesture of ease, or can any gesture though never so uneasy (unless God's ordinance underprop it) bear up with gravity, the fearful mystery of this Sacrament? which to reverence as we ought, Exod. 3.6. we stand rather in need of a cloak to cover our faces then of a cross to write on the face, after the manner that Christ with his finger wrote on the ground, john ●. 6. when he would show the matter was trifling which was in hand. Nay, our Forefathers devised a far more reverend sign (as some conceive) to express the dying of the Christ to come. not in God's service which was unlawful, but in the firmament of the heaven. When amongst their Astronomical figures they proportioned a man dolefully praying on his knees termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the first and no more, though aftertimes have named him Hercules. and in his praying stretching his arms in form of a cross, and composing the rest of his body as if he were hanging (for so b Arat. in Phainom. Aratus doth describe him) and treading with his right foot upon the serpent's head. This was a sign of some sablenes, of some saddnes. as for the crossing of the finger, what feather more light? sure not the feathers of the fan of which Hierom, in that they drive away the flies they have an eligant signification c Hieron. Epist. 20. ad Marcel. debere luxuriam cito restinguere quia muscae moriturae oleum suavitatis exterminant. No nor the feathers of the Mass-flapp neither. For when he driveth away the flies from the cup of the d Duran. de rit. lib 1 c. 10 Lord Supper, he serveth for better use and purpose then the sign of the Cross hath any, and when he signifieth the driving away of evil thoughts ventilabro fidei after Abraham's example, who drove away the fowls with a staff that came to hinder his sacrifice he keepeth the decorum a great deal better, than the sign of the Cross, which our e Idem. li. 2 cap. 45. sect 5. jacob. Billius. in Gregor. Nazianz. brethren use to call flabellum muscarum for the vanity of lightness in it; and as a vain and f Vazq. de adorat. lib. 3. disput. 2. cap. 5. empty ceremony do much detest. #Sect. 3. That the Cross is unprofitable, fleshly, smelling of Idolatry, and of too light a colour. THe Crosses 3. vanity is of unprofitableness for the which he must be banished by this commandment; For what? The unsavoury salt cast forth, because good for nothing? Math. 5.13. jer. Heb. 13.9. The frutlesse Vine thrown into the fire, because good for no use▪ The old ceremonies of the jews forbidden because they did not profit them that were exercised in them: do all declare how ill God is pleased with that which is vain, through inanity of commodity and of profit which ought to be in it. Doth not this suffice to cashier a thing: It is not profitable, it edifieth not, even as a Thom. Aquin. comen. 2, cor. 5. Aquinas himself observeth? Nay, doth not our own Law b Admonit. de ceremo. apud. Buce, in Censur. pag. 45 3. condemn the ceremonies quae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. And what though they have been profitable here to fore, must they be kept for their old service? No, c Chemnit examine. pag. 2. tit. de rit. pag. 39 omnes ritus removendi sunt qui ad adificationem utiles esse desinunt. and again d Pet. Mart. in 1. Sam. cap. 14. Ceremonia ubi nullus est amplius earum usus absque omni dubitatione tollenda. The light hereof hath forced our adversaries to make this their issue e The, examinat. of the declare. of the Minist. of London. we doubt not but great good will be done by the ceremonies controversed, what great good of a trifle? for so you judge yourself of the Cross. Then behold either a great miracle (to wit) a thistle bringing forth, not only a fig, but also a pomegranate; or else a great Monster (to wit) a fountain sending forth both sour water and sweet. And what means in the Cross by which these proffites may arise. First, be the reverend antiquity of it, which giveth contentment to the people, with whom experience itself showeth f Rich. Hook. lib. 5. cap. 65. how much through custom a ceremony worketh. This reason when time was would have served Pilate well. [ 1 Mar. 15.8 When to content the people of jewry] crying for their old custom, he let Barrabas lose amongst them, not much worse than the Cross, unless we count soul-murther nothing, and the stirring of sedition in our Church. And it would have well serveth Symmacus also, backing his paganism with the custom of former times, whom when one answereth he replieth for us in the cause of the Cross. o Prudent. count Simach. Quid mihi tu ritus solitos Roman Senator Obiectas? cum scita Patrum, populique frequenter In tabulis placiti sententia flexa novarit Nunc etiam quoties solitis decedere prodest Praeteritosque habitus cultu damnare recenti. And the abuse of this sign considered, the more ancient the worse, & the more contentment it giveth the more superstition it breedeth. there having place, hear what one said of the Surplice once: g Bucer. in censur. c 2. pag. 45 8. St singulis parochijs idonei mittantur doctores, pijs hominibus grata erit, ista vestium sublatio, impiorum vero gratia si Christi servi esse volumus, nulla modo captanda est benevolentia, multo minus eorum ulla ratione sustentanda est superstitio. The second way whereby the Cross is supposed able to bring in profit, is, that complement that is in it ad ornatum. O say the Proctors of it, The Cross h Ric. Hook vb. sup. must not be pulled of. Will ye so strip this Sacrament from the attire with which the wisdom of man hath clothed it? The wisdom of man had devised chariots in Christ's tyme. But what he? Even when he was to show forth his greatest pomp, l Francis. jun. paral. 36. recalled he not the ancient simplicity of the judges in Israel, who 2 judge 5.10. & 10.4 road upon Asses? Whereupon one against the adiaphorists: m Herman. Hamelman. de tradit. pa. 1. lib. 4. colum. 373 Christus non opus habet isla externa sapientia in suis Sacramentis. Venit pauper sedens in Asina ad filiam Zion, in quo adventu noluit aliquam exornationem, ergo non vult quoque illam in suis Sacramentis. Shall we think the Baptism of the primitive Church was not as richly attired as ours, for want of the Cross? or that the Baptism of the modern Churches now, is more beggarly clothed then ours, because they do not use this sign? Think not to say: we cloth Baptism with the Cross, not as with an ornament of necessity, but of decency only. n Bellarm. de cult. sanct. ca 6. Bellarmine himself will plead so much for the whole wayne-loade of popish ceremonies. Do but think the rob of man's wisdom to be necessary for a decency, and run into Montanisme. which pleadeth in like manner: o Chemnit. examine p. 1. de tradi. gen. 8. pag. 93. The rawness of the first times must be perfected with an ampliation of Ceremonies, such as may be vestimentum quodammodo fidei quae retro erat nuda. and into papism, which reasoneth in like sort: p Marcell. Corcyrens. in praefat. ad lib. de ceremoniis Religio sine debito ceremoniarum ornatu inculta est informis & omni pulchretudine vacua. And last of all into Lutheranisme and Adiaphorisme, which contend for images, and all [ad ornatum]: in like fashion out of Rupertus, q Herman. Hamelman. de tradit. pa. 1. lib. 4. colum. 373 fides Apostolorum rudis fuit: A posterioribus verò adhibitis ceremonijs exornata. But if there were needful some robes of man's wisdom, he is a bad tailor that hath chosen the cross, which indeed dishiteth baptism more ways than one. First, because it is to gay in the eyes of the people, like the brave attire of a servant that turneth away the people's eyes from his Master to himself; or like the painting of a woman's face which disfigureth the natural beauty of this sacrament, and maketh men think that r Tertul. de cult. foeminar. plastica Dei and the ordinance of the water is not beautiful enough, reprehendunt●n. qui emendant. As it is an injury (saith s August. de tempore. serm. 247. Augustin) to a painter when another cometh to add ornament to his picture: so is it an injury to God when men will presume to add beauty to his creature, and so by consequent to his ordinance. Cyprian speaking against those who added beauty to their faces by painting, t Cypri. de habitu virgin. opus Dei est (saith he) omne quod nascitur, diaboli quodcunque mutatur. So likewise here: All that is instituted is Gods. all that is added against the word of God by man (indeed) is the Devils. Secondly, The rob of the Cross is too fleshly for baptism. Know we not the Queen's garment (saith u August. epist. 86. ad Casulan. Augustine) which is woven of ceremonies, must be suitable to her inward beauty, and so be spiritual? especially in this time of the gospel? Thirdly, the rob of the Cross smelleth too much of the stews. whereas the Church's simplicity in outward ceremonies maketh her like unto a woman that doth modestly put in her hair 3 Cant. 4.1. ex Tremel. within her kercher, and doth not frouze it like the wanton. Cloth her now with the Cross & Surplice, and the habit of the harlot is upon her. against which the Fathers cry out so much, w Tertul. de coron. milit. Si in Idoleio vesci vetitum sit, Quid in Idoli habitu videri? Again, x Idem in li. de Idolola. Nullus habitus licitus est apud nos illicito actui ascriptus. habet. n. ab idolo profanationis suae maculam And last or all. Tunicam si induas inquinatam poterit forsitan illa inquinari part, sed tu per illam mundus esse non poteris. Is not the Surplice the Idols habit? the sign of the cross the Idol himself? Fourthly, The rob of the Cross is of too light a colour. For it is vain (as hath been showed). and even a y Bellarm. de cult. sanctor. cap. 6. Bellarmine himself will banish all things used ad ornatum, if they be [vana or inepta]. We have freed Baptism (you will say) from all Romish immodesty, in that we have packed all other of her gauds away. But what said one z Socrat. histor. lib 5. cap. 22. once, receive the Passeover of the jews, and receive all the rest of their Ceremonies also: So receive the Cross and Surplice (which are their chiefest badges) and then give countenance to all the rest of their ceremonies [ad ornatum]. which (me thinks) we should the less do, because the jesuits blaspheme for them, as if God a Bellar. ubi supra. delighted in them: which is to make him flesh not spirit; yea took such a delight in them, as to take charge bestowed upon them in better sort, then if it were bestowed in mercy on the poor. #Sect. 4. The profits alleged to accompany the cross, for commendation thereof, as to keep from sin, confusion, cause zeal, and to help in the instant of temptation, are refuted. THE third way whereby it is thought the Cross is profitable, is that sensible efficacy of it whereby it worketh on the mind, after the manner thus described: a Ric. Hook li. 5. ca 65. The forehead is the closet of fancy: upon fancy our mind beateth day and night, as upon an anvil: the Cross (then) set in the forehead, awaketh the fancy, and stirreth up imagination, and becometh a powerful worker on the mind, especially to make it ashamed of sin, and to stay it in the instant of the tentation. Now well far a wet finger, (say I). For will ye know? The Chrism of confirmation layeth claim to this Panegyric, and pleadeth it is stolen from her. who must be in the forehead, even for the same cause, to wit, b Thom. Aquin pa. 3. qu. 72. ar. 9 propter propinquitatem imaginationis, the nearness of the imagination. But view we the several pagentes of this Architecture. The first commendation is drawn from the place, to wit, the forehead. Which the Fathers never knew from whom (we say) we receive our light. It appeareth they did not cross according to this project, because they signed themselves in those parts which dwell far from this cell of our fancy. It was the c Hieron. Epist. 27. cap. 10. mouth and the stomach of Paula her mother that Eustochium crossed, when she lay upon dying. and Paula herself d Ibid. c. 13. morti vicina crucis signum pingebat in labijs. and the counsel given by Hierome is this: e Hieron. epist 8. ad Demet. c. 6 Claudas cubiculum pectoris, as well as this, & signo Crucis munias frontem. The counsel given by Prudentius is, f Prudent. in hymno. aute somnum. fac cum vocante somno castum petis cubile frontem locumque cordis crucis figura signet. Ephracem is old, though counterfeit. Now he thus: g Ephreem. de poeniten. cap. 3. Pingamus in ianuis atque in frontibus nostris & in ore & in pectore & in membris omnibus vivificum signum. Chrisostome willeth us on our hearts to imprint the sign of the Cross, h Chrisost. homil. in Matt. 88 ad cohibendos & continendos turbatos animi motus, & effrenatos concupiscentiae impetus. l Luther in catec. Luther followed this counsel it seemeth. For he also crossed in pectore. And when the Fathers crossed in the forehead, it was because the forehead was the openest place for profession, and the best member in the body. Non sine causa signum suum (sayeth m August. in Psal. 30.36. ca 3. Augustine) Christus in frontibus figi voluit tanquam in sede pudoris, ne Christi opprobrio Christianus erubescat. n Idem de catechi. Zaud. rudic. ca 20. Crucis signo in front hody tanquam in post signandus es. o Chrisost. in oration. advers. gentle. quod Christus sit Deus. Subinde omnes cruce se signant inscribendo in nobilissimum membrum nostrum: in front enim nostra tanquam in Columna quotidiè figuratur. The second commendation that here is given to make the Cross profitable, is drawn from the manner of his proceeding, in awaking the fancy by stirring up the imagination, and thereby working on the mind. But this, is it not the right p Suarez. tom. 1. in Thom. disput. 54. sect. 1. Image working of popery? q Nichol. S●und. de imag. ca 7. where the painting of Christ's death moveth the eye: the eye advertiseth the common sense; the common sense informeth the fancy: out of our fancy reason draweth a consideration, etc. and wherein? there is an abstraction from the matter of the image to the form so abstracted, and from the form that is abstracted to the apprehension of Christ himself, for that our fancy doth consider it to be his Image. I for my part can see no difference between this cross and image-working, therefore let it receive the same answer. These abstractions (saith r D. Fulk ag Saund. of imag. p. 612 D. Fulke) are Metaphysical and too hard lessons for the people to learn: & when they have learned them, they are nothing worth. And as for conjoying the outward sign which Christ signified by means of our fancy, it is a toy to mock an Ape. s Ibid. pag. 163. Last of all. A Christian is taught by hearing and not by seeing. Blessed are they (saith Christ) which believe and have not seen: and he hath learned that an Image is profitable for nothing, that he is a teacher of lies; and that he is cursed that saith an Image shall teach him. It will be objected that this abstraction and progression, and moving of the fancy is found in the Sacrament. which, what is it to the purpose? For where as in the working of outward signs, it is the passage of the mind from the sign to the thing signified that doth t August. in epist. ad januar. 119. cap. 11. enkindle it after the manner that a firebrand taketh flame by being wagged & shaken, there is in a Sacrament a fire of the spirit to enkindle this passage, which hath thoughts & imaginations that are grounded on the word: whereas in the Cross it is a strange fire that doth enkindle with fancies sensual & imaginations fantastical against his rule, who writeth thus against crosseworship: u jonas Aurelianens. l. 1. de cult. imag. Ne sit religio nostra in phantasmatibus nastris. The 3. commendation which is here given to the Cross, is drawn from the effect. which is a restraint from sin, through shame conceived and that in the very instant of the temptation. Concerning this, who will not commend the cleanly conveyance of this Author, who will have the cross a weapon against the Devil still. howbeit, not so gross a one as the papists or as the Fathers themselves do make it. These hold that the sight of the cross driveth the tempter away even w Bellarm. de imag. cap. 30. ex opere operato, through God's ordinance, and because it is a Trophy of Christ, & putteth the Devil in remembrance of the foil which he received by Ch. death. The Fathers some excuse as if they held that the sign of the cross driveth the tempter away x Perk. problem. in sign. cruc. Athanas. li. 2. cap. 16. pag. 153. ex opere operantis only, as it is a sign of faith & gesture of prayer. Who, whether they be right or no, I will not here determine: only I will uncover the fountain from whence Mr hooker's doctrine floweth unto the papists, and from them with some cleansing and refining unto himself. y Constitut. Clement. lib. 3. Crucis signum infractum signum quia cuflodia munitissima Crux. z Cypri. advers. judaeos. cap. 21. Hic est lapis quo David frontem Goliae percussit. quo signo nos & tuti semper sumus & vivimus. a Orige homil. 8. in diverse. Evangel. loc. Immortal lavacrum portemus in frontibus nostris cum viderint demones contremiscunt, qui aurata capitolia non timent crucem riment. b Ephraem. de armatu. spiritual. & de poeniten. Signo crucis teipsum muni, validissima. n. armatura est. sive dormias, five iter agas sive evigiles sive operi insistas sive māduces sive bibas sive maria naviges sive flumina transmittas, hac te lorica circumtege membraque tua omnia, salutari signo exorna, atque circumsepi, & non accedent ad te mala hoc. n. signo circumspecto adversariae potestates conterritatrementesque recedent. c Cyrillus Hierosol. Cateches 4 Signate front ut daemones signum regis videntes, trementes procul fugiant. d Idem Cateches. 13. Crux signum fidelium & timor daemonum. Gregory Nazianz. speaking of julian crossing himself when the Devil affrighted him, e Gregor. Nazianze. oratio 3. in julian. Valuit (saith he) cedunt daemons, pelluntur timores. f Theodor. histor. li. 3 cap. 3. Tri. par. hist. li. 6. cap. 1. Theodoret speaking of the same, Daemons trophei dominici figuram respicientes & sua recordati devictionis repentè disparuerunt. g Hieron. in epistol. ad Heliodor. Muniar crucis tua signo quod videntes potestates adversae fagiant confusae & discedant àme. h Gregor. Mag. dial. lib. 3. c. Gregory tells us that a jew in a Christian church saved himself from a Senate of Devils by signing his forehead with the sign of the cross. An l Guilihel. Non bringens de reb. Anglor. li. 2. cap. 21. Angel chideth one Ketellus for not crossing himself, giving him warning, ne in posterum insidiantes hosts inermen eum invenirent. Peruse this fountain from whence this profit of the Cross floweth against tentation. Consider with what puddle the papists, infect it when they use it as weapon against the tempter, being thereunto confirmed by these authorities, and then resolve whether they do not better service, who m Calsh. again Mart. ar. 1. fo. 28 reject the cross quite in the combat of temptation, because it is none of the Christian weapons, but is omitted by Paul where he rehearseth the whole armour of God: and n D. Fulk rejoind. art. 2. pa. 145. esteem all use of the Cross against the devil, to be superstitious, and the Cross itself no better than a straw to run at tilt withal; or they who dubb it with this honour, that it is a forcible mean to keep from sin: a mean to save from confusion: it causeth zeal and shame of sin, and helpeth at the instant against the temptation of the devil? It fell o Commanta. de stat. religion. in Reg. Galliae Collect. of Massacr. in France. out once by the great mercy of the Lord upon the Protestants of Beziers in France, that a drunken Drummer saveth the whole Town by waking of it, at the very instant that their walls were surprising, by ringing of their Towne-bell, as he was going home at midnight from his drink. If the sign of the Cross save at the instant of the tentation by awaking the fancy, he saveth like this Drummer. And as the Senate of Beziers would not suffer drunken men to ring the Alarm bell of the Town, when soever their drink should move them; notwithstanding this strange deliverance: so though some drunken (but not with wine) shall think themselves awaked by the Cross at the push of their tentation, yet will not the p D. Fulk rejoind. art. 2. pa. 145. Andr. Willet. de cruc. art. 3. joh Reynold. confet. cap. 8. diuis. 4. Senate of Divines permit to bless ourselves with it, or to use it in common use. So (then) neither by the contentment of it, nor by the complement of it, nor by the efficacy of it, doth the cross any good, but the promise of much good by it, proveth like the promise which papists q Nic. Saund. de imag. cap. 17. make of much good to be done by Images, both which are the promise of the apple: promising much good, but paying much evil. If any reply, this cometh of the abuse, the answer is ready: r Chemnie. examine. pa. 2. tit de rit. p. 39 every ceremony must be removeth, that doth degenerate into abuse when it is found to be incorrigible, as the Cross hath proved itself for more than these forty years. And so far of the Crosses sin, against the letter of this Law. #Sect. 5. That the Cross is now not only unprofitable, but also very hurtful. WHen we come to examine it according to the sense and meaning, we find it hurtful, not unprofitable only, a jewel. art. 1 diuis. 2. pa. 442. as one of our writers saith: verily in the house of God, that thing is hurtful that doth no good. All the ceremonies of the church ought to be clear and lively and able to edify. This speak he of dividing the bread of the Sacrament into; parts, of which Harding demanded of him, what many now demand of us concerning the Cross: [what hurt is there in it]? Too much hurt, and more than we would more (also) than Master jewel could find in the breaking of the host: we need not reply as he of that. The Cross doth hurt in that he doth no good: for behold many hurts which he doth by hindering good, & furthering harm. The first is seen in the bearing of God's name before the papists who are his enemies, where it stayeth profession, & staineth or hindereth it, or maketh it halt. This we see in our Magistrates, who have ceased to execute b Iniunct. Elizab. art. 23. can. Episcop. anno. 1559. art. 59 law against the Crosses of Church-windowes for the Crosses sake in Baptism. This we see in our writers; who when they writ against the Cross, are calm (if not cold) where foreigners are servant, and are feign to come in with [though] and [if] and the like provisoes as if they were put to the same exigent for the excusing of our Church in the use of the Cross, as Civil was once (by our c Do. Fulk rejoind. art. 9 pag. 104. 2 Sam. 2.23 own confession.) When julian the Apostata took advantage from the reverence which the Christians than gave unto it. This we see in our Preachers whose lips in a manner are sowed up from speaking against the very abuse and superstition of the Cross, lest they should seem to speak against the Cross in Baptism, and to break the Law and that per contemptum. This we see in our people, who be at a stand in their zealous pursuit of popery, because they stand as men discouradged, yea amazed to see the falls of their Asahelles and of their Amasaes', I mean their spiritual captains whom the sign of the Cross hath wracked. And as the Cross stayeth profession against the papists, so doth he stain it with that conformity with him, which hath ever been esteemed a flaw, yea a brack in Christian zeal. For what they who retain the old ceremonies of the jews, who are not so bad as popish rites d Hieron. apud Augu. Epist. 11. dum volunt & judei esse & Christiani, nec judei sunt nec Christiani. Augustine speaking of women wearing man's attire e August. solil●qu. lib. 2. cap. 16. Nescio (saith he) utrum falsas mulieres an falsos viros melius vocem: veros tamen histriones verosque infames sine dubitatione possumus vocare. The communion of rites confoundeth sects, more than the communion of attire confounded sexes: who then would judge us to be good protestants, who communicate with popish rites, besides ourselves? Thus f Gualt. in Hos. cap. 2. one of our writers, bominum traditiones etc. The traditions of men defile the confession of faith, whereupon the scripture reprehendeth those who in the reforming of the Church, left the high places, because these retained in face the footsteps of former fornication. And in like manner now a days they have not taken their fornications from their face, who retain still in their Churches popish Images and Chalices, and playerlike vestures with the like, who all of them do (as if an adulteress after she is reconciled to her husband) should bring the gifts and love tokens of her former adultery impudently into his sight, and go about to procure his goodwill by them. What Protestant hitherto ever renounced the common tenant, we must have g Buces. in Censur. ca 5. pa. 458. nihil commune with papists in their ceremonies and their rites? The first excuse here allegeth there is such an utter difference made between the popish crosses and ours, as that there is no scar or blemish to our confession by the same. First, suppose there were some dissimilitude (which yet in sight and show is none) what say we of the h Socrat. histor. lib. 5. cap. 2●. Samaritans, were they not foolish when they thought they made a goodly separation from the jews by keeping their Passeover at a divers season? And what judge we of the l Narrat. de Tartaror. relig. ad David. Ch● tree. mist. Tartars? Do we not hold them absurd when they think they differ sufficiently from the jews, because their circumzion is at the. ●. or. 3. year of their age, as their Pope shall think fit? Last of all, what think we of the men of m joh. Sacran. de rit. Ruthenor. Russia? Do we not imagine them fond when they think they spite Rome with a marvelous difference of their Images, for that they are not of the same fashion, but according to their own country making? Secondly, God forbiddeth all likeness of ceremonies with Idolaters: I say all [likeness] that cometh near the rites of the aliens, as a 1 Levit. 19.28. like cutting and marking of the flesh. A like 2 Deut. 16.21. grove to that of Idolaters. 3 Hos. 6.11. A plant taken out of Samaria, which is like hers. 4 2. cro. 13.9 A Priest like unto the Priests of other Countries. n Harmon. confess. sect 13. Wittemberg confess. c. 10. Qua authoritate, etc. With what authority and profit we may take example of administering Sacraments from Ethnics, that speech of Moses testifieth: Take heed thou imitate not the Heathen, nor ask after their Ceremonies▪ saying: As those Nations worship these gods, so will I worship. Non facietis similiter Domino Deo vestro. ye shall not do the same unto your God as they do to theirs. Thirdly, the practice of the Church hath ever shunned all similitude with exterior rites, the better to bear up the profession of the Gospel. The Council of Nice chose a divers Easter-day from the Passover of the jews, o Socrat. histor. lib. 5. cap. 22. ut ecclesia cum judeis nibil co●sor●● habere videatur, which was according to the scripture, as one of our writers p whitaker: controvers. 1. quaest. 6. ca 9 pag. 408. Qu●●t●deciman● fuerunt ex scripuris expugnati, quia sci diver sum esse debebat Chisti●●●rum & I●d●●um Pascha, To make the Cross himself his own judge. Was there any other cause that chose him at first, but that the Gentiles hating him most, q G●●●●●●●. Gro●●l●g. li. ●. in ●n. Chri. 〈◊〉 he served best to make separation from them▪ Neither is he well used at this day unless it be in the East Indies; where the Christians are said to have a cross in their church, & nothing else to distinguish themselves from Pagans: and at Constantinople where the Patriarch r Idem in ann. 1549. payeth a great tribute to have a golden Cross stand on the pinnacle of his patriarchal Palace, to distinguish from the Turks. s Chrisost. de ieinn. judeor. Chrisostome holdeth it better to be drunk then to fast the jewish fast: he meaneth a fast upon the same day with theirs. And t August. in Epistol 86 ad Casula. Augustine condemneth all likeness of fasting with the Manichees, Die Dominico iciunare scandalum est magnum, maxim post quam innotuit haeresis Manichaorum qui suis anditoribus ipsum constituerunt ad iciunandum tanquam legitimum diem. Per quod factum est ut jeiunium die Dominico horribilius haberetur. Leo will not have incurvation towards the East like to that which Heathen use, v Leo Serm. 7. de natiu. Domin. upon this reason, ᵘ abstinendum est ab ipsa huiu smodi specie officij, quam cum in nostris invenit qui deorum cultum reliquit, nun hanc secum partem opinionis vetustae, tanquam probabilem retentabit quam Christianis & impijs viderit esse communem? Gregory the great abolished an ancienter cermonie than the Cross, to avoid communion with the w Gregor Regist. in dict. 9 c. 41 Arrians quia hucvsque ab haereticis infans tertio mergebatur, a pub nos fiendum esse non censeo. x Bernard. in Apolog. ad Willihelm. Comit. Bernard will not have any thing in the Church (the pompous adorning there of by name) that may quodammodo representare antiquum judeorum ritum. Come we down to modern times. The y Censur orient. cecl. c. 10. p. 137. Greek Church objected to the Roman that it judaizeth: because it useth unleavened bread like to the jews. The z Stanislau. Socolu Ibid in c. 21. pag. 416. Roman objected to the Greek that they judaize because they use abstinence from blood and strangled like them. The Churches of France, Helvetia, Germany have a form of prayer changed of purpose to be unlike the Mass-book, & these Churches as they have abolished the whole dross a D. Bilshon count apo. log. pag. 1 pag. 31. of popish doctrine, so they retain not so much as any one dram of their ceremonies. What our own Church at home (though at the first it tolerated the Cross) whereas the papists pray towards the east, our Church bids the Ministers to stand at the North side of the communion table: the reason whereof is this: as the Primative Church (saith b D. Fulk. ag Rast. sect. 4. pag. 710. Doctor Fulke) did choose to pray towards the East, to avoid the superstition of the jews, that prayed towards the West: so we do now pray towards the South to avoid the superstition of the Papists: who use to pray towards the east. Nay our very adversaries themselves will yield to us herein: A Lutheran c Herman. Hamelma. de tradit. apendic. ad pag 1 Colum. 456. affirming the vail is how unfit in marriage which was used in Ambrose time, because it is a rite of the jews, and Bellarmine himself condemning them who have more care to adorn Churches then to fill them with Preachers, because howsoever their meaning be divers, d Bellar. de cult. Sanct. cap. 6 yet videntur factis aliquo modo affines esse superstitioni judeorum. So is the nakedness of this first excuse detected, which denieth a communion with papists, because the Cross is not used with us, as it is with them, for as much as we see that not only the same use but the same rites themselves are unlawful, yea all likeness, all nearnes, all imitation, all show, all representation, and as Bellarmine himself speaketh, all affinity in fact with them. #Sect. 6. The second excuse, that the cross is imposed by Christian Magistrates, is taken away, in divers respects, especially because it is taken as a consenting in a part to the ceremonies of the Church of Rome. THe second excuse fumbleth thus. If the Cross were imposed by papists, for a mark of their profession it were somewhat: but being imposed by Christian governors to an other end, now the use of him no way crazeth our confession against them. First, the papist drawed the very command of the Magistrate itself to a certain kind of confession and approbation of his rites, and in them of his Religion which maketh his rites unlawful. This is that which a whole Church saith, Cum Adi●phora rapiuntur (mark rapiuntur) a Narmon. confess. sect ●7. in Hel●●●i. post. ad confessionem libera esse de sinunt sicuti Paulus ostendit: licitum esse vesci carnibus si quis non submon●as Idolis esse litatas, alioquin fore illicitas; quod qui his vescituriam vescendo Idololatriam approbare videatur. Now it is easy to show the papists do draw the ceremonies controversed to an approbation and confession of their religion. b Mart of the Cross. in praefat. martial justifieth the popish cross by the cross which standeth in the Queen's Chapel. c Nic. Saund de imag. cap. 13. Saunders justifieth popish images by the crosses which we use. d Harding. ag. Apolo. in praefat. Harding justifieth his church service by our Cross and Surplice and other rites which we retain from them. No e Parsons of the 3 converse. of England p. 2. little advantage do they suck out of our communion book, which they term an English translation out of the Mass-book, and out of the difficulty whereby it came in, many Protestants themselves adjudging that the stable of popish superstition was not thoroughly purged out of it. Doth no Bristol f Brist more. 34. draw the likeness of our service book to a countenancing of their Mass-book? g Will Reynold. in praefat. Raynoldes draw our private Baptism to a proof of that necessity that they put in the Sacrament? The h Rhem. in joh 20. sect. 5. Rhemistes draw the absolution of the sick prescribed in the communion book, to an approbation of their absolution, auricular confession, and Sacrament of penance? Our home l Humble mot for tolerat. Pseudo-catholiques, draw they not the sign of the Cross to a motive for their religion as which they hold a special cognizance of their faith? Seeing these things be thus drawn to confession, it skilleth not whether we intend to confess their faith or no. Secondly, our governors profess an intent to give contentment to the papists by the retention of the Cross and Surplice which the zeal of English Preachers if they cannot endure, it is to be pardoned, as m Conrade: Schlusselburg. li. 13 pa. 566.571. having the Divines of Germany before them, who stood out with a greater edge against the ceremonies enforced upon them in the days of Charles the fift, because they saw their Princes sought no other thing in them, but to please the popish faction. And until these ceremonies be abolished, they will be abused to the gracing of popery itself, to the disparagement of the Gospel, and to the gagging of the mouths of many a painful and profitable a Preacher. so that we are in Paul's case then refusing to circumcize when his liberty was spied into and spited at, & when the gospels disgrace was sought by his conformity. In this respect we are also often in the case of julians' soldiers, then disclaiming all incense burning, when by the relation of their host they saw it was a decipula to grace Idolatry by a show of their conformity & approbation. The third excuse of the Cross now followeth, which inferreth that though lightness of ceremonies stain profession, and that then when they be drawn to countenance popery, yet that in the Cross there is no such hurt, it being a trifle and a thing of nothing, than which there is nothing that can be more rashly spoken. First, what though the ceremonies controversed were small and little, we are to follow that constant Marcus Arethusius, who when his adversaries were contented with any thing from him so he would give somewhat towards the repairing of a paganish Temple which before he had pulled down, made this reply, n Tripart. histor. li. 6. cap. 12. Ne obulum quidem. Moses yielded not in an house. Daniel forbeareth not so much as the ceremony of opening his window towards jerusalem. The name of Passion Sunday is less than the making of the Cross, and it was never so much abused, and yet on the other side putteth us in mind of the passion of Christ, aswell as the sign of the cross doth, yet o jewel. repl to Hard. arti. 1. divis. 4. Bishop jewel refuseth to call it so, as unwilling to yield even so much to the fancies of the papists. The Surplice is a lesser matter than the Cross, yet Peter p Pet. Martyr. in epist amic. cind. in Angl. Martyr would never wear it, no though his Canon's place in Ch. Church required it of him. The square cap is less than either yet q Pilking. in epist ad Comit. Leycest. an. 1570. Martin Bucer would never wear it. and being demanded a reason why, he said because his head was round. Secondly, since the time that the Cross saw the sun, he hath been as king in the midst of ceremonies: especially in the case of profession. Consider we it but as papists use in for an Image, even so serveth it for [special r Bellar. de imag. c. 10 confession]. For hereby (say they) we especially testify against the novelties of the Lutherans and Calvinistes, whiles we religiously worship that, which they sacrilegiously do destroy. Consider we it, as they use it apart by it self. Hear the Sacraments (say s Bellarm. de effect. Sacra. c. 31. they) do not so well distinguish from heretics: where the ceremoninies (notwithstanding) make an excellent difference: as now a days the sign of the cross, is a notable sign (saith one) whereby to know a Catholic How can we hold up our foreheads for shame of the beasts mark, whiles our ears hear this? or with what forehead can we say the Cross is no great badge of popery, when the papists call it the great t Epist. aposoget. sect. 7. pa. 54. Character of their glory. u Hippoli. in li. de consum. mund. Hippolytus foreshowed, that as the Cross is Christ's sign, so Antichristes sign on the other side should be [non uti signo Crucis] sed illud potius execrari & abolere. As counterfeit as this Hippolytus is, yet w Bilaem. de Roman. Pontif. lib. 3. cap. 11. Bellarmine with the rest of the papists accepteth his judgement, making the Cross to be the very sign of Christ and Christian Religion: and counting the Calvinistes the forerunners of Antichrist, because they do not use this sign. This saw our Fathers that saw our deliverance out of Egypt & were more sincere: They accounted in the matter of profession, that the Cross is as dangerous now as a false x Calfh contia Mart. art. 1. ensign is in war, which most deceiveth and breedeth most confusion. And this confusion bred by the Cross, is so much the more horrible, if it be true which some do y Io Napier. in Apoc. proposit. 31 Apoc 13.17 teach, that the sign of the Cross is that special mark of the beast, and that Antichristes sign (by name) which the Apocal. doth foreshow. Amongst these one writeth thus: z And. Willet. in Synop. de character. Anti. pag. 199. The superstitious marks of the Cross arise out of the beasts name, to wit, from the number of it, thus expressed in the greek original Ξξ s for the letter Χ is a Saint Andrew's cross. the letter ξ is in latin X which is also a sliding cross. the last letter s containeth 〈◊〉 and r, the latter whereof is an headless cross: & thus it appeareth that the marks whereby they say they honour Christ, are a dishonour to him, and the [cognizance] of Antichrist. But if the Cross be not in special sort the beasts mark, whether made simply as these conjecture, or with oil which a Bulling. in Apoc. 13. others judge, yet all our b joh. Fox. johan de Vado. Ibid D. Abbot. Antich. demonstrat. ca 11. sect. 25. writers do consent that the ceremonies of the Roman church are a part of this mark, amongst which the cross is chief. Sin they not grievously who with certain instruments c Pet. Martyr. in 1. Cor 7.18. gathered their uncircumcizion again, to be like to the Gentills? Alas then, what is our sin, who not only receive the cross ourselves (one of Antichristes marks) but also with it as it were d Sixt. Senens. bibliothec. li. 4. pa. 305. spatisteri quadam, and as it were with a pair of pincers do draw on others the uncircumcizion popish, or at the least a likeness with the papist? Let it be considered with what probability the Divines of e Conrade. Schluss●lburg. li. 13 pa. 593.594.572. Germany held that the Adiaphorisme of rites popish retained, is the very Image of the beast, Cuius notae & characteres, & nomen sunt haec ipsa adiaphora: and that the third Angel who preacheth against the Image of the beast and the receiving of his mark, representeth the Preachers that withstand the tail of Antichrist, left behind in the Church of God. But whether this be so or no, there is some certainty in this that followeth, which is that the retention of popish ceremonies under pretence they be f Thes. de adiaphorism. Theolgot. Saxonr. p. 593 Adiaphora, is a countermand to that precept exite ab ea populus meus, seeing hereby men do even g Conrade. Sceluffelburg. li. 13 pa. 515. redire, yea introire ad Antichristum, not only not [exire] from him. #Sect. 7. That the Cross fostereth hypocrisy in the mids of our Church, and hindereth spiritual worship. FRom the hypocrisy of the Cross in bearing God's name before the Papists, come we to the hypocrisy of it found in the bearing of God's name in the mids of our own church. Here our main foundation is, that this commandment forbidding all occasions themselves as well as other commandments do, the sign of the Cross must pack away for that occasion of hypocrisy which is in it, even as one of our a D Fulk. rejoind. art. 1. pa. 140. Writers: Well, seeing the Cross hath been a cause that the inward faith hath been neglected, nay if it be but an occasion hereof, that were sufficient to remove it. To remove the hypocrisy of the jewish ceremonies, God removed the b August. Epist 5. painted wall itself of the jewish priesthood. so to remove the hypocrisy of these ceremonies controversed, the ceremonies themselves must be removed. The purity of the Gospel requireth of us to retain the verity of the jewish c August. count Faust. Manich. li. 31. cap. 11 azimes, but to let the azimes themselves alone. So the purity of a Church's reformation requireth now to retain the verity of the popish Crosses (which is Christ crucified) but to let their Crosses themselves alone. For know we not, they have defiled verity, fervency, singleness, all the three parts of that Uprightness which this commandment doth enjoin, with the leavin of all the three parts of contrary hypocrisy. preposterousnes, vacuity and pollution? An example of the first we have in the Crosses that certain women bare in their boosomes, for these are censured as d Hieron. 〈◊〉 Math. 23. joh. Reynold. confer. ca 8. divi. 4 D. Fulk. rejoind. art. 6. pag. 184. tythers of Annisseed and Commin, to the omission of a greater duty: which was to bear the power of the death of Christ in their hearts? Example of the second we have in that common and vulgar opinion which cometh from Gregory, to wit, that a Christian is safe enough from the Devil, though e Gregor. dialog lib. 3. cap 17. Vas vacuum, if he be but signatum with the Cross. Which, while the papists defend as good, and much people at home do practise, the pens of our f Calfh. ag. Mart. arti. 1. pag. 36. Writers, are embittered against the Cross, as against an occasion of much empty hypocrisy: to make the spirit to re-enter again, as g Gregor in job. li. 17. cap 13. 2 Cor. 6.17 Agge. 2.14. john. 4.23. Gregory more truly teacheth elsewhere. Corda fide vacua Diabolo sunt subdita. As for the third the word is plain, that the touching of Antichristes things, maketh unclean now in the soul, as the touching of meats unholy, defiled the body in Moses law, for a figure of this pollution. Now to particulars. For the sanctifying of the sensible and reasonable soul, as they use to work, together all signs devised by man, must be displanted out of God's service, as occasions of sensual service: yea as enemies to the spiritual worship of God: after the example of God himself, who to be served in spirit and truth, removed the ceremonies of his own ordinance: not to make place for Image or h D. Fulke ag. Saund. of imag. p. 697. Cross, or any other carnal rite ordained by man, but l Origen. in Numb. ca 28. homil. 23. ut animas nostras avelleret ab hoc intuitu ad Contemplationem retum spit itualium, Cultumque suum à visibilibus ad invisibilia transferret. This doctrine we are to hold fast, against crosses, against Images, against all other carnal objectes in God's service, even as we have received it not only from the mouth of Christ, but from the writings of the Fathers likewise. For whereas Origen commendeth the jews for banishing all Image-makers from amongst them upon this reason, Ne m Origen. count Celsum. lib. 4. qua hiresset fabricandorum simulacrorum occasio quae ad contemplanda terrena animae oculos retorqueret. Whereas Lactantius condemneth all Images upon this reason: n Lactant. instirut. divin li. 2. c. 19 Galcanda terrestria ut caelestia consequamur, and willeth spiritually to look up to God. that so o Idem de justice. li. 5. cap. 8. in domicilio pectoris eum statuamus. Whereas Epiphanius is cited, exhorting thus: p Concil. Constantinopl. 7. Ne in Ecclesiam Imagines inferatis, sed perpetuò circumferte Deum in cordibus vestris. Non enim fas est Christianum per oculos suspensum teneri, sed per occupationem mentis. To which q D. Fulke cont. Sa●id. of imag. c. 15. p. 685. our writers use to add [we walk by faith and not by sight] [blessed are they that believe & see not]. Last of all, whereas the whole Argument of St Bernard's Apology (even in r Bellarm de cult. sancto. cap. 6. Bellarmine's own confession) is this, That the Cluniacenses were carnal in that they used outward spectacles qui impediunt affectum, dum retorq●ent aspectum. The Cross being as much guilty of hindering spirituull worship, of retorting the sense to an earthly sight, of hurting of the hearts affection as any other carnal object formerly mentioned, he must be thrust out as well as they. From this preposterousness of the Cross setting the sense before the spirit, come we to his Vaaevitie for his inward Devotion. which being the s Thom. Aquin. 2. 2. quaes. 82. fat of every sacrifice, yea the t Durant. de rit. lib. 3 c. 24. sect. 18 marrow of every service, how great is the sin of the Cross to cool it? how great also their oversight that put such a cooler in trust to kindle it? First choose we a Cross to stir up reverence and devotion to the Sacrament, and leave we ourselves without excuse for excluding the Oil, Salt▪ Spittle, and the like, because these are annexed to Baptism for like reverence u Thom. Aquin. pa 3. qu. 66. art. 10. and devotion towards it: and open we a window on the other side to other of their jewish ceremonies as to their Incense, sith it serveth only to admonish w Duran. de rit. lib. 1. ca 9 sect 8 Con nostrum ignitum veluti thuribulum coram Deo odor atissimum facere. Secondly, our x joh Reynold. confer. cap. 8. devil. 4. pa. 101. writers hold the Cross with other ceremonies of the Papists, beggarly ceremonies. Beggarly, that is wanting power to entic he with grace spiritual. And when Saunders objecteth, the Cross and Images breed devotion. The Devil they do (quoth D. y D. Fulke cont. Safid. de imag. cap. 17. pa. 697. Fulke.) Censure him not. The scripture saith, the a Apoc. 9 ●0. Cross is a Devil. the greatest effects of whose devotion, when they are registered are said to be these: z Pic. Miran dull. tom. ●. de mort. ch. li. 1. ca 10. The Image of the Crucifix found pictured in the heart of S ● Clara, and the wounds of Christ imprinted in the body of Saint Francis. which pretty images of himself begotten by him, putteth me in mind of him that a Ludovic. Vives in August. de ci●it. Dei. li. 10. ca 2●. going in to his wife in the habit of a devil through his wife's imagination (and it is through imagination whereby the sign of the cross doth work saith Mr Hooker) begat a child in a devils shape likewise. Let not Master Calf hill be forgotten. It is impossible ( b Ma Calfh ●ont. Mart. praefa fo. 6 saith he) that Christ should be served as he ought, where a cross is erected in his service, because the mind is rapt from an heavenly consideration to the earthly creature; from the soul to the sense; from the hart to the eye. Thirdly, the dregs of the popish doctrine stick (to this hour) in the teeth of the people▪ in regard whereof the cross cannot but slay devotion For it even teacheth hypocrisy when it avoucheth an opus operatum in it: although the hart be not upright. And how many drugs are ingredients to this poison. For thus Bellarmine: the cross hath c Bellarm. de effect. Sacrament. cap. 31. spiritualem virtutem, yea miram virtutem, even ex opere operato, and that ex institution d Idem de imag. ca 30 divina, even to blessing with e Ibid. etc. de cul●. san●t. cap. 7. bare touching. The third hypocrisy of the cross upon the soul and sense together, is [Pollution.] For who feeleth not a popish qualm in the use of this sign: seethe not a popish humour nourished by it in the people? Is not our zealous retail of the cross, our lovely entertainment we give him in baptism, our devout gracing him there, as good as a spiritual Osculum, a spiritual amplexus of him, at least in show? In the show we have no excuse: seeing it setteth the alluring harlot before the eyes of incontinent men, against the wariness of our f Chrisoft. in Math c. 23 Homil. 74. Forefathers, who set a wall of separation in the Church, even between honest men and women, that they should not have the sight of one another there. And consider we the effect that commonly followeth and falleth out. For as g Thom. Aquin. 2.2. quaes 154. art. 4. vide Caiet. ibid. Oscula & amplexus, in that they are circumstances of adultery bodily, sunt libidinist for the delectatio tactus which is in them, though no concubitus Bee intended. So though the people have no intent to adore the Cross, and pretend that they use it for decency only, yet their delight in it, their ●agernes to defend it, their malice to revenge it, their intemperate desire to have it, is a spiritual kiss & embracing, and delighting which doth pollute them with adultery towards it. Against these occasions of hypocrisy in the Cross, he setteth up a paper wall that apposeth the counsel which a certain Council giveth: this may be amended. h Concil. Magunt. cap. 39 Si Pastures sedule deceant against the hypocrisy of opus operatum, and inform the people that the Cross doth all per Divina virturis operationem, & san●tisici Numinis invocationem, which I repeal by an appeal even to the Adiaphoristea themselves, l Interim Caroli quin●. si quid in Ceremonijs, succreverit ex quo superstitio ca●sari possit, illud tollatur, would the Lord Christ or Paul (think ye) suffer a Pharisaical garment in the service and worship of God, after a virtue is once place in it, Math. 23.5. to make men holy, who so mightily invayeth against it for that occasion and purpose of hypocrisy which was in it: which is the case of every garment that deceiveth? Zach. 13 4. Naaman thinketh the earth of Israel is able to make holy a sacrifice. The jews think the ceremonies sanctify. 2 Ring. 5.17 Is teaching against hypocrisy sufficient here? Doth not Elisha deny the earth itself unto Naaman? God m Rolloc. in Ephes. 2.14 take away the Temples ceremonies themselves from the people? But the Fathers when they saw the Cross abused hypocritically contented themselves with a reproof of the hypocrisy, but still retained the cross itself, n Orig. in d● vers. Evangel. loc. homil. 8 Cruces non solum in frontibus, sed in animabus quoque nostris habere debemus. o Chrisost. in Mat. homil. 55. Crucem non simpliciter digito in corpore, sed magna profecto fide in mente formare oporteret. p August. in johan. tratat. 43. Christus elegit ut in Cruse penderet, ut ipsam crucem in cordibus fidelium figeret. Signum Christi ex pellit exterminatorem, si cor nostrum recipiat Salvatorem. q Ambros. de Isaac. & anima. ca 8 Signaculum Christus in front est; signaculum in cord; in front ut semper confiteamur: in cord ut semper diligamus: in brachio ut semper operemur. The Fathers were not free from superstition in this sign, and these reproofs of theirs, show that the cross was an occasion of hypocrisy in their time that they waned the people from this hypocrisy by these reproofs in vain: and the Fathers who lived to see the grossness of the hypocrisy popish, they did not content themselves with such reproofs, but proceeded to the removal even of the cross itself. So it is r Alphons. de cast. in verb adorat. testified of john Wicliffe, that he took away all outward use of the cross, and taught only a cross spiritual to be used. Doth not s Elmar in Harbour of faithful subject. Elmar run on a cross spiritual when he writeth of Q. Elizabeth that she was the English Helena that digged up the cross out of the rubbel where papists had buried it, in that she restored the Gospel? Sure our foundest writers teach, u joh. Keyn. conference ca 8. divi. 4 pag 491.493. Andr. Willet. de templ. pag. 3. that popish rites renew a jewish and a carnal worship, and are but veils which must away, that the inward veil of the heart may be removed the sooner, & Gods worship become spiritual, whereby the cross is cast. #Sect. 8. The hypocrisy of the cross in preposterating, evacuating, and polluting the understanding, which is the first part of the soul reasonable, is proved. WE are now to examine the Crosses hypocrisy in the several powers of the soul reasonable. The understanding whereof (which is the first) the Cross is said to instruct like a very effectual a Ric. Hook li. 5. ca 65. teacher. Against which brag we take upon us to prove that the Cross is guilty against this comment, both for preposterating, and for evacuating, and for polluting [knowledge.] The preposterousnes of the cross appeareth herein, in that the sign is matched with the word, yea in some sort preferred before it. The least of which two hipocrisies can be no little sin. To begin with the first. Add the cross for a teacher to the word and pull down at once all the blockhouses which our writers from time to time have reared against the popish teaching of it, such as be these: b D. Fulk ag. Saund. of imag. c. 11. pa. 638 though all other things may be taught by the eye, yet faith & religion can not be taught save by the eat. Rom. 10.17. teaching to the eye is sufficiently performed by the Sacraments, c D. Bills cont. Apolog. p. 4. pa. 349. the word & the Sacraments were appointed by Christ to teach us (saith one of our Opposites) a Crucifix was not, ergo, not a cross neither, which to add ( d D. Fulke rejoined. arric 9 pag. 205. say our writers) is injurious e Zanch. de imag. thes. 3. fol. 370. unto them, & presumptuous against the Lord. as when a scholar will choose him a book & not keep himself to that which his Master hath set him. At a word, it is the fountain of all Idolatry. Fron whence came the f Io. Calvin. in Act. 7. josi. Simlet in Exo. 32. calf, but from a desire to have a visible sign of God's presence? And the heathenish g Hospin. de orig. imag. so. 56 Rom. 1.23.28. Idolatry, whence? but from a desire to advisible signs to the book of the creatures. The injury whereof, if God revenged so severily on them, what revenge reserveth he for us, who to the contumely of his word written seek to the cross to teach us? The second preposterousnes of this sign doth yet much worse. It doth not only match itself with the word h Concil. Nicen. 2. in Tharas. apistol. quidquid sanctum Evangelium per lectionem nobis demonstrat, hoc idem Imagines per inspectionem. l Hosius. And a cross is able to teach a simple man all things necessary to salvation. m Io. Dowley instruc. cap. 1. And the Cross is the sum & the abridgement of the christian Faith. But it preferreth itself before it: n Bellarm de imag. c. 10. Melius docet inter dum pictura, quam scriptura. o Concil. Senonens. Per picturam plus discimus brevi temporis spatio, quam longo sludio scripturarum. p Concil. Nicen. ●. Imago mator est quam oratio. Which, whiles Saunders defendeth, he maketh the Cross q D. Fulk agai. Saund. de imagine. ca 15 pa. 681. better than a sermon. As also Martial doth, r Mart. of the Cross art 9 fol. 117. The Cross is needful (saith he) though we may have godly instructions by reading of scriptures, and hearing good preachers, because every man cannot read scriptures or understand them when he readeth them: and every man cannot at all times so conveniently hear a good preacher, as he may see the sign of the Cross: and things seen do move more affection than those which be heard or read. Add to this, that for this common and continual; and this speedy teaching sake, they s Nie. Saund de imag. cap. 11. teach the Cross is worthy of worship and adoration. How can we find it in our hearts to make it a teacher to ourselves, which cannot be done without giving show of justification to this injurious presumptuous, sacrilegious & Idolatrous teaching? But from this preposterating of the means of knowledge, come we now to the Evacuating of knowledge itself. Here our ground is what one of our t jewel. art. 10 in si●e. writers layeth: The Cross and the Image must be removed in that he is an occasion of ignorance, Deut. 27. Cursed be he that leadeth the blind out of the way. And Levit. 19 Thou shalt not lay a stumbling block before the blind. First, the Cross is an occasion of ignorance, because he deceiveth those that look to be taught by him, it being a mute u D Fulk. rejoind. art. 3.59. character and dumb sign, a w Calfh ag Mart. art 9 pa 170. blind guide, the sight whereof teacheth a man no more than it doth an x Ibid. pag. 167. horse: yea more a dumb y Ibid. pag. 169. Vicar of the Devil. Secondly, if it teach any it is to no good. Claudius' z Catalogue. testium veritat. in vita eius. Taurinensis would not suffer the Crosses and Images of his time to meddle with teaching, because it was not Christ glorified which they taught, but Christ according to the flesh. In which manner we know him no longer. A a Condil Constantinop. 7 Council, yea our own b Homil ag. pe●l of ido lat. Doctrine findeth fault with the picture of Christ, because it representeth him as man, not as God also: which is the Crosses lamnes. A French c The true honouring of the cross. part. 1. discourse that answereth a Placard about the Cross disclaimeth his teaching for that he presenteth the bodily sufferings of Christ only, and not the sufferings of his soul withal. d Calth. ag. Mart. art. 9 pa. 166. Another of our Writers layeth against it, that it stayeth men in the general history of Christ his death, and neither teacheth for whom he died nor to what end, or what is the power of his death, or how we may apply the same to ourselves. Thirdly, let the event speak. For as Bucer affirmed of our land, touching ceremonies retained in general from the Papacy, e Bucerus in censur. ca 2 pa. 458. They are no where cared for, where the Gospel is painfully preached, whereas in places where the Gospel is unknown, they are highly reverenced. That truly (by one) is applied to the sign of the Cross by name, f Calfh. art. 9 fol. 171. They who most set by him, are grossly ignorant of the power of Christ's passion. May this be the event of the Cross and he no occasion of blindness▪ hen repeal we our g jewel. art. 14 divis. 10 pa 560. writers reasoning against Images, proving they are the occasions of blindness, because they are most in request with the blind, and were brought in, in the h Holpin de re templ. c. de imag. deepest times of blindness; and sway most where Christ is most untaught l Mai. Calfh ag. Mart. art. 1. and unknown: and then devise we also a better answer than a ᵐ bare denial, to the papists that reason thus: n D. Hill in quartron of reasons. rat. 20. The Cross is a profitable teacher, because our lay people who are used to it, have more knowledge in the mysteries of religion, than some of your ministers who use it not. The third hypocrisy of the Cross in Man's understanding soul is a pollution. The old proverb is known, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 o Concil. Nicen. 2. art. 1. an ill doctor teacheth nought but ill doctrine. Now the Cross is an ill teacher, it hath no instructions in it (saith p Calfh. art 9 fol. 169. one of our writers) but only the lessons of Cross Idolatry penned by the Devil. The same affirmeth in an other q Ibid pag. 170. place, That the Cross teacheth errors many. If you ask me what errors? I ask again, what were the errors which Peter taught by his conformity to the ceremonies of the jews, by which he is said to have r Andre Hipeonid de stud. Theolog p. 73. Fulk ag. Rhem. in Gal. ca 2. erred in the faith, & to have walked not with a right foot in the preaching of the Gospel. And there be many private errors which he broacheth. Agenerall faith that Christ died, sufficeth. The Cross is an holy sign of his death. The Cross doth dedicated our children to God. The sign of the Cross doth s D Fulk rejoind art. ● pa 140. bless. with divers others before rehearsed. Oh but it teacheth a divers good things touching Christ jesus crucified▪ True. As the ligatures of old, and as the charms of late have the name of Christ, and divers other good things in them, which Augustine calleth honey mixed with poison ut t August. 1 Pet. 2.2. 2 Cor. 2.17 perid quod dulce est, lateat quod amarum est. Ought not the milk be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unmixed, which is taught in the Church? when there is but water mixed with wine, is it not a tapsterlike merchandizing to be abhorred? but here is mingled not only l Tho. Morton. Apol. pag. 2. li. 1. cap 49. Ezech. 34.19. water with wine, but also puddle (moddy water at the least) I might say also poison. But suppose the Cross were never abused in teaching, doth this suffice to authorize a ceremony in the Church, That it doth teach good things? The Cross teacheth not out of the scripture, the horn doth u Hieron. in Psal 91. Omnia sacrificia cornuta fuerunt. and of the Godly it is said, exaltavit sicut unicornis cornu meum: so that, unless a man hath a strong faith, tanquam cornu quo inimicos ventilet non est dignus immolari Deo. The Cross teacheth not out of the scripture, the dung doth, w August. de verb. Dom. in Luc. serm. 31. cophinum stercoris in bono intellige sordes sunt sed fructum daunt; Sordes cultoris dolores sunt peccatoris. If therefore the sign of the Cross as a profitable ceremony must be received because it teacheth good things (howbeit without the word) then by the same reason a minister may wear an horn as Moses is painted, and bear dung upon his head, as the jews once ashes, sith these teach very good things, and that out of the word of God. #Sect. 9 That the Cross is not a monitorium to the memory, but defileth it with the hypocrisy of preposteration, with vacuity of the remembrance pretended, and with forgetfulness of God, and of his word. THE memory which is the next power of the reasonable soul receiveth great profit, men say, by the Cross, it being a monitorium of it. whereas in deed it willbe found that the cross even here (also) defileth like an Harpy whatsoever he toucheth with all his hipocrisies. Concerning preposteration. First, whereas it is the meditation of the spiritual Cross of Christ that only pleaseth him, a August. in Psal 118. dum diligentissima pietate Christus ipse crucifixus attenditur, quam intuentes salutiferam crucem omni calumniantium superborum virus expellimus: the use of this sign poyzeth men down to a carnal crossing, and diveth (as it were) the spirit into the senses channel: And it is too carnal a remembrance, to which this preposteration bindeth, and unwarrantable by the word. For the Cross cannot be set up for a remembrancer, but upon that popish ground, b Concil. Nicen. 1. are 6 p. 177 Omne quod in recordationem Dei erigitur, acceptum illi esse constat. Which while our Writers refute by the word, we approve by our practise of the cross. Hereby also we open a gap to draw in Lutheranisme, whose Images serve for like memorials: to draw in c Interun. Carol 5. in ca de ceremon. Adiaphorisme, whose crosses are for like monuments: at a word to draw in all Idolatry. For d Fulke ag. Rhem. in Philip. 2. ver. 10. if it be once lawful for us to bring into God's worship all memorials we will ourselves, all Idolatry may be excused. And for the present we are endangered to a participation with the crosses idolatry present: for under what pretence is it worshipped, save this of remembering and putting us in mind of Christ? So the counterfeit e August de visit. infirmor. l 5 c 3 Augustine. So f Damasc de fid orthod. li. 4 ca 12. Damascen. So the g Council. Nic. 2. act. 2.4 p. 69. Nicene Council, whose doctrine a late papist thus expresseth: h Alphons. de Castr. lib. 8. in ●ebi. & adorat. Non aliam ob causam veneramur Imagines quam quod nos venire faciunt in memoriam exemplaris & inde affectus nostros monent. To clear ourselves from all foresaid guiltiness, return we to the ancient [tenant] of the protestants, and to their reasoning of old. The old l Zanch. de Imag. thes. 1. fol 351. josi. Simle● in Exod. D Bilson. tenant is, that besides the word and the Sacraments, we are not to seek to any further memorials outward. The old reasoning is this: The Cross is a memorial not m Fulk. ag. Rhem. in Luck. 24. sect. vlt. ordained by the Lord, therefore unlawful: chosen by ourselves, n Idem in Philip. 2. vers. 10. therefore unlawful. Forbidden by God, therefore o Idem in rejoind. art. 1. pag. 209. unlawful. The second hypocrisy of the memory by the cross occasioned is the vacuity of the remembrance which is pretended. First, no memorial is lively and powerful for the sanctifying of our remembrance but such as God himself doth bless: which are such as himself ordained; to which when we add the cross p Calfh. ag. Mart. praefat. fol. 12. as we put them out of their function, so rob we ourselves of the blessing annexed: annexed I say and tied to them, because the spirit that bloweth where he will, q And. Wiiler. de bap. cap. 8. will only blow upon his own ordinance, & not to lackey after a cross or any mean else to which man presumeth to tie him all in vain. Secondly, outward signs hinder remembrance which should be perpetual as r Hieron. ad Cela●tiam epi 14. c. 3. Hierome telleth us: We are now to keep (saith he) not a literal (by outward signs) but a spiritual memorial of God's law, which commandeth, ut non tam frequenter recordanda sint praecepta Domini, quam semper cogitanda. While we depend (saith s Calfh art. 9 fo. 174. one) on such a memorial as the cross, our remembrance vanisheth with the cross; whereas by the meditation of the word we may (as we are bound) remember Christ always without it. Hence Charles the great, t Caro. mag. de Imag. li. 4. cap. 2. infoelix memoria quae ut Christi memoretur qui nunquam à pectore justi hominis recedere debet imaginariae visionis est indiga. A third hypocrisy which in the memory the cross occasioneth is [pollution] through that forgetfulness of God and his word, u Hospin. de imag. fo. 56 wherewith we charge papists, when they set up images for remembrancers, out of judges 3. Hose. 2. For what reason but that a cross should cause such forgetfulness of him, aswell as other images do, being as warrantlesse by the word of God as they. But it was used by the w Perck. problem. pag. 82. Fathers as a common Monitorium, whereof thus Cyrill, x Cyril. cont julian. li. 6 Haeo omnia recordari nos facit salutare signum: and counterfeit Augustine thus, y Augustin. serm. 19 de sanct. Crucem nobis reliquit Christus in suae memoriam passionis. Our answer is the same which Cassander and Martial received: when the one z Cassand. in consult. pleaded the oil cannot be left: the other a Mart. of the cross art. 5. that the sign of the cross cannot be disused but we must needs dishonour the Fathers: why may not the Cross be left as well as other of their Ceremonies without b D. Fulke rejoind. art. 5. pag. 177. injury to them? as their honey and their milk, yea their ministering of the communion unto infants? Did not Hezechias abolish the monument of the brazen serpent without dishonour unto Moses that set it up? The c Council. Constantinop. 6. c●. 82. Vid. Caranz. ibid. Council of Constantinople abolished the Agnus in memorial of Christ jesus, without dishonour to their ancestors? what that the abuse of papists hath made it naked of all former privilege? For even d Alphons. de Cast. in verb. imag. papists themselves do yield out of the example of the brazen serpent, that Crosses and Images must be abolished, when the greater part abuse them, and not our own writers e jewel art. 14. in fine. only. As for ourselves, how can we think better of a Cross which f Hieron. in Mat. 23. Hierome himself condemneth when it is borne in the bosom for Pharisaical: then of a Phariseiss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The Phariseiss added writings to their foreheads for memorials, and are g janson. concord. Evangel. cap. 120. condemned by papists themselves: and is not the cross of the forehead of the same rank? When the Phariseiss did but enlarge their fringes which were Phylacteries & memorials by God ordained, we see our Lord reproveth them. In h Ibid. Hieromes time they added sharp thorns, to put themselves in mind by their pricking when they walked and sat down. Our Reverend Fathers not only enlarge baptism with the cross, under pretence it is a Philacterie, that is a preserver of memory, but also in enlarging it, disgrace it, even as the Phariseiss disgraced the fringe of the Lords ordaining with their inlargementes. What, that it is a thorn not in the Fringe of a Phariseie only, Proveth. 26.9. to prick himself for his own remembrance, but in the hand, as it were of a violent man, to hurt others, and to undo them? #Sect. 10. That the Cross occasioneth, and breedeth a canker in the conscience, and that which the Opposites allege, that conscience is but a pretence, is anticipat. THE third hypocrisy of the reasonable soul which the sign of the Cross occasioneth much (like a canker) breedeth in the conscience. Here (often) we hear our plea of conscience is but a pretence: we leap over blocks, & stumble at a straw (men say) which accusation would move us much, if it were made manifest, either what the blocks are over which we leap, or that the cross is no more than a straw, which we know to be a block, and that of stumbling, which, who so counseleth, let him remember Balaam. But what if it were a straw only? Apoc. 2.14. even a straw that doth offend, must be taken out of the way, as well as cummine and aniseed tithed. and wherein will our governors spare us, or show their mercy and clemency towards us, if not in a straw? For a Illyric. in lib de Adiaphor. Conformitas in minoribus ceremonies, non est perinde necessaria to them, and yet this mote and gnatt (as they speak) is of great peril unto us, Mat. 7.5. for that the conscience being tender (like the eye) a very mote molesteth it much: and strait in passage like an infant's throat, a very gnat is able to choke it, as once it did Pope Adrian. But the help is to reform our consciences. Alas tell us which way: we are loath to walk with a * Ephes. 6.15. barefoot conscience without any shoe from the word shaped; especially in the † Luke 3.5. rough ways of subscription, where every step will (we fear us) be a gash. “ josu. 5.15 Loth are we also in so holy a ground as baptism in steed of putting of foul shoes, to put on shoes on this 3 Eccles. 4.17. foot of our soul so foul, as have not to this hour shaked 4 Luke 10.11. of the dust of Rome's streets, which they ought to have done long since. And with the wings of our meditation we have soared over all the region of this controversy, and find no place where the 5 Gen. 8.9. sole of our foot may rest, or whence we may pluck an olive leaf for a pledge of peace to ourselves. Hear we meet with a doubting conscience, there with an accusing conscience, elsewhere with an audacious conscience: in another place with a benumbed conscience: there is also where we find a conscience superstitious. The sight hereof striketh many fearful thoughts into us. Better to keep us in the Ark where now we are, then to venture abroad, unless we can content ourselves to rest (as it were) on the outside of it. Howbeit, who knoweth whether God will deny unto us even this hovering of a raven about his Ark, and not throw us rather into the surges of that Deluge, wherewith we shall find our earth swallowed, whose place we have bought with so dear a price, there to taste of the unquietness of that conscience of which it is said: Isay. 57.20. The wicked are like the raging Sea that cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. This I presage of ourselves only, who must make shipwreck of a good conscience if we conform; for want of that full b joh. Piscator. sail of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some of our brethren (they say) have attained, which if they have, we count them blessed. They may congratulate to themselves the warm side they walk in; beak themselves in their sunshine, and sail merrily whether the present gale doth carry them: while we in our lepers tent, and in the house of our mourning (as men rejected out of the host, and in whose face the Lord hath spirit) must go and mourn for our old sins which have made us unworthy of that place in the house of our God, which they enjoy, and which we ourselves had once, till now that judgement is begun at his house: Who is he that saith, we may help all this if we will? Is there any such savour in the white of an egg as that any will taste it for delight? job. 6.6. what pleasure now in the learning of some new trade or occupation whereby to live? what pleasure to bow down at the gates of other men (it may be of papists) for a morsel of bread? Last of all, What pleasure now in our old years when our strength (wasted in the labours of the Church) doth fail us, and when the natural days draw on, of which men naturally use to say, we have no pleasure or delight in them. now I say to lie under the walls of those houses which once were ours, to bid long farewell to our long-loved harbours, to go and embrace the thistle for a dwelling, and the rock for a covering, the dongue for a palate, the Ostrich or Pelican for a companion: where Ishmael starveth, Hagar weary, Elias fainteth, and weary of life, desires to die, because by reason of disastrous times, he is no better than his fathers. Howbeit all this is welcome, all while there is walking in the midst of us one that is like to the son of man: c Cyri. lib. 4 epist. 6. 2 Sam. 25.31. solus non est, cui Christus Comes est. * Tiburtius martyr apud Baron in An. 168. Omnis nobis vilis est poena, ubi pura Comes est conscientia. We know, we feel what force Abigaels' persuasion hath: So shall it be no grief of mind. Whereas on the other side, how do we fear the grief and knowledge of an ill conscience upon the eating of this fruit? We stand now on the holy of holies, and look up boldly and have hope. Nevertheless let it be proved that the throwing down of ourselves into some other conscience, is warrantable by the word of God, Psal. 91.11. Mat. 4.6. and we will adventure to be borne up. But if this clause [in his ways] be left out in this temptation (as of old) then blame us not, if we shake, if we shiver, to see, to surveye, the stones, the flatts, upon which we are like to fall. For what? the doubting conscience foundeth heavily like a shawm [to him that doubted to him it is sin] and if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts. The accusing conscience chattereth dolefully like a swallow or a crane: 2. Reg. 5.18. The Lord be merciful in this point. 1 Groom 13.15 1 Sam. 13.10. The benumbed conscience which seethe not what sin is committed when baptism is carted with a Philistines cart, willbe awaked to sense and feeling by some judgement. The audacious conscience is too profane. It saith with Saul: I willbe bold whether it be well or no. and as for the conscience superstitious, it crieth like a prisoner out of the chains wherewith the Council of trent hath fettered it. d Concil. Trident. de Sacram. can. 13. says. 7. It is damnable sin to omit any of the rites of baptism that be commanded. Neither will it be comforted or reform by all our e Chemnit. examine. p. 2. tit de rit. Sacrament. Writers, standing for our christian liberty against this bondage. By this it appeareth, to what exigent this unworthy rite hath brought us. Unhappy times you must hear again the old complaints of the f Conrade. Schlnssenburg li. 13 pag 506. 589. German Divines, when the Adiaphorisme ceremonies were priest on them: the heart sigheth, the mind is troubled, the spirit is sad, the joy of the holy ghost itself is obscured. Have pity upon us, have pity upon us, O you our governors, how long will you feed us with that you tread on? how long fill us with the puddle & the mud? how long make us in your presence as a troubled & muddy spring, & all for a beggarly ceremonies sakes? Are ye not led from such a course to an abolition of the cross by the example of Epiphanius? he taketh down g Hieron in translat. epist. Epiphan. ad johan. Hierosol. Anablathaes' Image, and forbiddeth all other Images, because occasions of scrupulosity in the Church. And as for the conscience superstitious, (which this sign breedeth) may it be any other way remedied save exemplo h Zach. Vrsi. de Adiaphor. omissionis? For besides that the scripture (like an Notrh wind) scattereth away all the human constitutions that tie men's consciences to themselves as it were with a l Io. Piscator in 1 Cor. 7 35. cord, or 1 Colos. 2.20. burden the soul, or 2 Gal. 5.1. enthrall liberty, or bring the free men of the Lord into 3 1 Cor. 6.12. subjection, we have a plain censure that wipeth the Cross out of our Leyturgie when there is found an m Bucer in censu. c. 12 elementi servitutis in it: as also every ceremony else a n Ibid. ca 8. Cuius inviili servitute populus abstrahi se aegrè patitur. #Sect. 11. The hypocrisy and preposteration of the Cross, in the Will, in respect of the means for ●●cayning to the right end, is proved. THE fourth hipocrie of the Cross is in the Will: which when is upright, when it desireth a Thom. Aquin. 2.2. ques. 9 art. 7. bonum sub ratione boni for the end, and electeth bonum propter bonum in the means whereby the end is compassed. This sincerity of the election, the cross preposterateth first of all. in that it is chosen being an unlawful ceremony before those that are lawful: being a tradition of man's before God's precept: and being but Annisseed and Cummin before weightier things of the Law. For consider we the Cross (first) as an ancient custom, Master Bucer speaking against the consecrating of the Font, b Bucer in censur. cap. 16. p. 482. sunt perquam multae constitutiones Patrum (saith he) etc. there be very many constitutions of the Fathers and many observations of theirs pertaining to the discipline of the Church, which are taken out of the word of God itself: these (alas) most severely are trodd under foot, when they seem to be contrary to our humours. what a preposterous thing is it then to borrow those rites from the Fathers which as they agree not with the word of God, so they serve Satan's turn amongst too many men, for the confirming of manifest superstitions & opinions plainly magical. That this lighteth on the Crosses back in comparison of other ancient observations, an instance in one or in two of them will make plain: when Cassander strove for the Chrism and pleaded the antiquity of it, it was replied he dealt absurdly to c Herman Hamelma. de tradit. appendi. ad primam colum. 499 arripere from the Fathers, Quod humanum, omittere quod divinum (to wit) the government of the Church communi consilio Praesbyterorum. This may we not apply to some who enforce the Cross upon us by reason of the antiquity of it, when in the mean time they shut the door against this government, which is d Io Whitgifc. defence. of the ans. to the admonit. pag. 638 Mat. Sutclif. de Roman. pontifis. c. 5 confessed by some of their own to have been used in the primative Church, and that long before the Cross; that which the e Irenae li. 4 cap. 43. Tertul. Apolo. ca 39 Hiero. in Tit. 1. Ambros. in 1. Tim. 5. ver. 17. view of the Fathers doth confirm. Again it was an f Cypri. in serm. de eleemofin. Irenae. lib. 4 ca 32.34. August. retractat. lib. 2. cap. 11. ancient custom that none should receive the Lords Supper empty handed, but guy somewhat to the poor, which certain Deacons did distribute to the needy that did work, the idellbeing excommunicated out of the Church: of which thus Bucer once again g, Nimis magno. etc. It is too great a shame for this Kingdom that this part of Ecclesiastical reformation hath been hitherto neglected: whereas in the Low countries it hath been long a go received, where nevertheless the true profession of the Gospel is punished with death. I ask, is there not a preposteration to renew a Cross so zealously, while we burry so carelessly this ancient custom? raising up in the room thereof new courses of our own which do no good. Again, there was in old time a custom, there should be a communion every h Chrisos●● homil. 3 in Ephes. Regino lib. de Ecclecsiast. Discipline. cap. 191. Hugo Cardinal. in Luc. 24. lords day, every one not receiving without lawful excuse being l Nicol. Cusan. Epist. ad Bohe. 7. excommunicated, which m Ansegis. in leg. Franci. lib. 1. c. 132 Charles the great in some sort renewed, b Bucer in censur. cap. 4 pag. 464. and which Bucer advised King Edward in this land to restore n Bucer. in Censur. c. 3 p. 460. 461. again. what now? There is not any one piece of the canon for the Cross which is not eagerly pursued, whereas all the Canons made for the Sacrament of the Supper, itself lie low in the dirt: men thinking it sufficient to come for fashion once a year, as they were wont to do in popery, and that without all examination (for the most part) reconciliation or separation of offenders though most notorious. Last of all, it was the custom of the primative church to have no assembly without a sermon (as shall be showed in the next chapter,) which through the hypocrisy of the Cross is now neglected: this rite must have place, whether Preacher or preaching have any or no. o Alexan. Alice. in proaem. Lieturg. Anglic. Quo tamen neglecto frustra in alijs constituendis apice sci: & cultu ministri de gestu rituque sacrorum opera sumitur. Inducitur. n. ita parieti vicioso & labanti tectorium quod ruinas & hiatus diu non poterit tegere: vel erunt haec potius sepulchra incrustata intus refer ta foeditate abhominabili. Secondly, consider the Cross as a custom which for the present is in use, and we cannot miss of an other preposteration in it. We prove p D. Whit●. count Dureum. lib. 9 hereby the papists prefer their own traditions before God's Laws, because they punish more severely the breach of one of their own fasts then when the Law of God is broken by fornication or the like. It is also observed amongst Saules hipocrisies that he was more ready to punish with death the breach of a Law of his own in jonathan, then to punish the people with the least mulct, when they broke the law of God in eating blood, which fact of his also when an q Ambros. sem. 25. Ambrose allegeth to make the sin of a man sinful that doth break a Lenten-faste, he is r Herm. Hamelman. de tradit p. 1. lib 5. folio 446. censured as one in error. Ought not the Nonresidentes, the Idle and Idol ministers be rather punished, who break God's Law in feeding (not on the blood of beasts) but on the blood of the souls of men, than those poor jonathans' transgressors of an human law, and that in a trifle, whose deserts to the Church have not been so small but that they call for a better reward? What a thing is this there should be no law to punish a loiterer that hideth his talon in the ground, to put out a dumb dog that can not bark, or that a drunkard, a fornicator, a gamester, should scarce have their names called into question; nay that s Math Sutcliu. in answer to the humh. motit for tolerat. papists themselves should be used kindly, while the painful and profitable Minister is pursued even to proscription for a Cross, and is made the t Poenicentiarius Asini Act. & Monument. p. 359. Ass that must die for a straw, when the u Gualt Mapes in Cathalog. testium verit. fol 422. Non pastor ovium, sed pastus ovibus, much like to the Fox or the Wolf escapeth in his soul murder? Chrisostome began with the life of the Ministers, he did not for the breach of a Ceremony thrust out the most painful that were in the Church, but those who answered not to their calling: w Theodoret. histor. lib. 5. c. 28. A sacris arcebat quod negaret frui Sacerdotali honore eos oportere qui vererum Sacerdotum vitam non sequerentur. We taking on the other side run within the censure of Augustine, x August. ad januar. epi. 119 c. 19 sed hoc nimis doleo. etc. This I much bewail, that the commandments of the holy Scripture, which are most wholesome, are neglected, and all things are so full with so many presumptions, that he is punished more grievously that toucheth the earth with his bare feet per octavas suas, than he that shall drown his mind in drunkenness. A like hypocrisy unto this is that which an Historiographer mentioneth, y Socrat. li. 5 cap 22. Nonnulli islis neglectis omnem scortationem rem quidem indifferentem arbitrantur, sed tamen de diebus festis tanquam de vita deceriant. Is not the breach of the Cross more severely punished then drunkenness? Is there not more stir to uphold this Ceremony, than the preaching of the word? We cry out upon the papists, because they take more care about the ceremonies of the sacrament, them about the Sacramentit self. as because he will have z Durant. lib. 2. cap. 4. sect. 8. Missa sicca, without consecration when he is on the sea, be cause of the logging of the ship. On dry land when he consecrateth, he will not minister the Wine ad a Durant. li. 2. cap. 41. sect. 6. evitanda quaedam pericula. Last of all, though the colour of red wine represonteth Christ's blood far better to the edifying of the people, b Concil. Mediolan. 1. c. quae pertinent ad celebr. yet white wine must be used to prevent the staining of the clothes of the Altar. What if (as Diogenes once) some bid us here, Begin with our selves? who although it be apparent, that integrity of Baptism and the people's edification would be far better provided for, by the remoovall of the Cross, yet keep it still, being as loath to see it stained, as the papists their Altar clothes, and to see it fall to the ground as they, as they some drops out of their Chalice, an hypocrisy so much the nearer touching the Cross, in that it came in with the Cross, witness Tertullian: who in the same place where he speaketh of this sign hath these words: c Tertul. de coron. milit. Calicis & panis etiam nostri aliquid decuti in terram anxie patimur. Thirdly, consider the Cross, as retained in our Church to win the papist (upon supposal) it is the best that might be chosen amongst all his other rites: which, is it not preposterous? A Council d Concil. Cabilonens. cap. 3●. crieth out upon them, who being under penance, abstain (in deed) from Wine and flesh, as they are enjoined, but in the mean time in tantum delitijs indulgent ut delitio sius his interdistis aliorum ciborum vel potionem appetitu vivere cognoscantur. Hierome e Hieron. epist ad Ne potian. invayeth against their hypocrisy, who pretending to fast from Bread and from Water, used (notwithstanding) quasdam sorbitianculas magis delicatas, which they did sorbere non Calice sed concha. f August. de moribus Manicheor lib. 2. ca 13 Augustine lastly thinketh it an hypocrisy execrable to drink no wine, to eat no flesh, and yet to have pomorum nonnullorum expressos success vini speciem satis imitantes, vel etiam suavitate vincentes. After the proportion hereof we exclaim against papists that will eat no flesh, and yet swill wine: and gobble sweet delicates which have greater power to stir up lust. Now here that of Plato would do well: Numnam & nos tales sumus? For we pretend hatred and zeal against the very reliquys of popery, and thereupon defile their Oil, quench their Tapers, spew out their spittle, when in the mean time their Cross and Surplice we keep in with might and main, which are Idoli sorbitiunculae magis delicata, that do vincere superstitiosa suavitate, and more imitate speciem papalem, and stir lust popish a great deal more. Here I expect the old song, It is not their cross we use, which savoureth it not of their fancy who thinking it g Concil. Vormatiens. can. 65 unmeet to eat swine's flesh, hanged up their bacon for a year in the smoke, and then did eat it; as if it were now the same no longer. Nay hath our Cross had so much changing, as a years drying in the smoke cometh to? It seemeth not so much: sith our diversity is in the different manner only of our using, which maketh no difference that may be sufficient in case we mean to keep our ground against the papists. We lay to their charge a communion with Corpocrates in worshipping Images: with the Hieraclionitae in anointing the dead with oil: with the Tatiani in abstaining from marriage: with the Pepusiani in suffering women to be priests: with the Manichees in abstaining from meats: with the Angelici in worshipping Angels: with the Apostolici and Hieraclitae in their Monks, Nuns & Friars with the like. When yet our own hearts do know they can shift with distinctions to make h Parsons of the conver. of England Caesar Baron. Annal. in an. 120. appear (for manner and meaning) a certain distance between these heretics and themselves. #Sect. 12. How the Cross is urged by our Opposites for sinister end and not in sincerity. WE have seen how the Cross defloureth the election of the Will, which is for the means. Now proceed we to examine how it defileth the intention of it, which is for the end. Singleness is the virtue here which this commandment doth enjoin, which aimeth at the right end of all human actions which is the glory of the Lord. This singleness we plead for our selves like to the a joh. Dubravius in histor. Bohemic. li. 4. Thaborites, who when they were accused for purging their Churches, made this reply, they were wooden Images and Crosses which they had thrown down, and not silver and golden stuff, such as Sigismond had taken away. O that the world would consider but that of a Roman judge, cui bono, who stand for their gain, who for their conscience? who for wooden, who for silver and golden stuff? would not singleness of hart be hereby found out on which side it standeth? yes, or else Paul reasoneth weakly, when he proveth himself single-harted because he 1 Gal. 5.11. suffered in his refusal of jewish ceremonies: whereas his adversaries conformed themselves to enjoy their ease & 2 Gal. 6.12. their credit in the world. And Theodoret after him, sufficit vel perpessionum testimonium ad ostendendam veritatem predicationis. Let no man (then) put us to business, they are the marks of jesus which we bear. God grant our Opposites a godly care, they bear not the marks of hypocrisy wherewith a jesuit beyond the seas hath branded them. The Protestants (sayeth b Odoard Weston. de triplic. hominis officio. he) abolish some of our traditions, but they are lean ones, fat traditions they keep still, and will not leave them. To wipe away this imputation it were to be wished: first of all that our Oppos●es would stand less for the superfluous Lordly pomp, which the Hierarchy of the papists hath left behind in diverse churches, against the position of john Wickleffe, c Concil. Constant. sess. 8. art. 32. & 39 ditare ecclesiam, est contra regulam Christi. Did not Moses forbidden that superfluity should be brought in to the use of the Tabernacle? and our d Perck in Epist. jud. Divines do they not conclude from hence, that where there is a superfluity in church goods, their abatement should be made to a mean, that so the wants of the church elsewhere may be supplied? For even an heathen trajan himself thinks it unfit the milt should be suffered to swell, to the pining of the rest of the members, as now we see it cometh to pass, whiles some few do superabound, the country parishes are in want. e Concil. Lateranen. ●ub Innocent. 3 c. 32 judg. 17.8. Hence doth there arise the ignorant ministery, the very bane of all things, as God himself showeth when he bringeth in a Levite seeking where he may serve: for the origen of all corruption amidst his people. Secondly, To wipe away this imputation, it were to be wished our Opposites would less stand on the fat tradition of sole ordaining, sole excommunicating, of confirming young men, which as john Husse long since hath detected, have been reserved unto Bishops f Concil. Constant. sess. 12. art. 19 ad sui exaltationem propter g Ibid. art. 28. cupiditatem lucri temporalis & honoris, & h Ibid. pag. ●34. ut episcoporumi solemnitas & necessitas plus credatur. Thirdly, to wipe away this imputation, it were to be wished our Opposites would stand less on the fat tradition of Nonresidencies and Pluralities, against which, how many Canons and Councils fight, as against most horrible merchandise, l Decret. pa. 2. caus. 21. qu●. ca 1. Clericus ab instanti tempore (saith one of them and which shall serve for all the rest) non connumeretur in duabus ecclesijs: negotiationis enim hoc est & turpis lucri proprium, & ab Ecclesiastica consuetudine pemtùs alienum. Fourthly, for the wiping away of this imputation, it were to be wished our Opposites would stand less on the fat tradition of Substitutes and Curates, which ancient times would not endure, as who allowed not a m Decret. p. 2 caus. 21. qu. 2. ca 5. Conductitious Presbyter to be an out leate for the laziness of others. Fiftly, To wipe away this imputation, it were to be wished our Opposites would stand less on the fat tradition of rigour in ceremonies: as in which a Papist or a Brownist would draw suspicion of many hipocrisies. First, they will suspect a spirit of Demetrius pretending the public, but intending own private state in them, who Cry out, No Ceremony, No Bishop, and thereupon proceed in such rigour against the Preachers of the word as give show they use the ceremonies for a mean to thrust out of Sibaris every clamorous cock that interrupteth their quiet sleep, and for an Ostrachisme to expel out of Athens, qui excellunt in painfulness, in faithfulness, in sobriety of life, lest they should foil the laziness, the man pleasing, and the flaunt of others. Secondly, a Brownist will suspect that they are frogs of Euphrates, and not single before the Lord that take on against good men, Apoc. 16.12.13. because they like not the corruptions of of Church whereby they gain & live, for as much as it is a property of those frogs to crook most when their waters are nearest to drying up. Thirdly, a Brownist will suspect he is a Demas who was with the reformation till the taste of the present world changed his understanding against it, and he will resemble him to Islebius the Master in Germany, of whom the common proverb ran, that he defended the Chrism and the Oil, n joh. Sleydan. comment. li. 21. ut ipse unctior discederes. And to Georgius Maior the scholar, who when he turned Adiaphorist, had these verses made upon him: o Conrade. Schulsselburg. li 13 pa. 696. Maior eras quondam, cum nondum bella tenebant. Dum saevit bellum factus es ipse minor. Maximus esse potes tibi cum quingenta dabuntur, Sic Minor & Maior quilibet esse potest. Fourthly, A Brownist will suspect a Pharisaical spirit in them, laying burdens upon others, Matth. 23.4 which they will not touch themselves with their least finger: who charge good men with authority in things indifferent, wherein they keep not the Law themselves. This is to be seen in their apparel against the statute: in their eating flesh on fish days against the law: in their neglect of more profitable Canons; yea by their omission of the like ceremonies, as the Alba, the Cappa, the Casula, the Baculus Pastoralis, all which are enjoined by law as well as the Cross and Surplice, because p Anglic. leiturg. in regul. de ceremon. ap. Bucer. pag. 455. statut. named in K. Edw communion book, to which our q Eliz. 1. c. 2 rubric. in init. leiturg Law and Rubric sendeth us. Is it a small thing that we are able to object as 2 Gal. 6.13 Paul did once, they themselves keep not the Law wherewith they press us? Fiftly, A Brownist will suspect, the heart is not single in them who use extremities in these trifles, both because of the ancient rule r Decret. p. 1 distinc. 4●. Qui asperitatibus student suas illi magis quam Dei causas probantur attendere and also of our modern tenant against the papist, which is this, s Tho. Morton. Apol. p. 1. lib. 2. cap. 18. their cruelty by fire and faggot showeth they seek not the glory of God, but their own wills and pleasures. Sixtly, A Brownist will suspect their heart is double, that make Decrees for the strengthening of their own state rather than for the reformation of God's house, where that Augustine hath place, t August. de civet dei. li. 19 cap. 21 Ludovic. vives. Ibid Non iura dicenda sunt vel putanda iniqua hominum Constituta, faisumque est quod à quibusdam non recte sentientibus dici solet, id esse ius quod ei qui plus potest utile est. For as much then as our Lord when he saw gain was intended by the Oxen of the out-court, howsoever the furtherance of God's service was the thing that was pretended, took a whip and drove them out, lest the house of his Father should become a shop of Merchandise: and whereas our forefathers also have hereupon thrust out of the u Durant. de rit. li. 1. ca 26. sect. 7. Churchyard all things whatsoever exposed for gain; these ceremonies (to whom gain is godliness) must be scourged out, rather than be permitted to be a scourge unto good Preachers, that so w Andre. Hipper. de sacr. stud. non deserend. p. 112 Oxen and Asses may keep in not only in the out-court, but in the holy place and all. #Sect. 13. That the Cross preposterateth, evacuateth, and polluteth the affection of fear. THE fift hypocrisy of the reasonable soul neasteth itself in the affections of the heart: the first of which is fear. This is preposterated by the ceremonies in them who conform for fear of man. For quae a Concil. Chalcede. act. 1. ex necessitate est, fides non est, saith the Council. And b August epist. ad Ca sulan. 86. quisquis metu potestatis veritatem occultat, iram Dei super se provocat (saith Augustine) and c Decret. p. 2 caus. 11. q. 3 cap 81. melius est pro veritate pati supplicium, quam pro adulatione recipere bene ficium. For this cause they are better to be judged of who at this hour do suffer, than they who are within the compass of that censure which the German Divines passed over them, who yielded to the Interim, not with an upright and single heart, but d Conrade. Schlussel. burg. li. 13 pa. 565. & 173. ad grati ficandum Caesarem only. Doth not Paul make it heinous in Peter that he conformed to the ceremonies of Moses law, to please the jews of whom he stood preposterously in fear? which fear of his (also) he termeth gross dissimulation? Secondly, the Cross evacuateth fear, partly by reason of the popish persuasion that it driveth the Devil away, even e Bellarm. de imag. c. 30. ex opere operato, though a man have not the fear of God, as f Mart. art. 1 pag. 35. julian had not; and partly because it is a play-game of itself, as well as a g Mat. Sutcliu. in answer. to mot. for tollerat. Mat. 21.25. Cross raised out of a tomb on Easter day, to represent the rising of Christ. Men think they may be ever bold with the work of their own hands, and seeing the Cross is not from heaven (as every Baptisms sign should be) nought can be in it to procure reverence▪ as well Lanctantius, h Lactant. institut. li. 2. cap. 19 si religio etc. If religion be a divine thing, and nothing be divine but that which is heavenly, the Image must want all religion, because there can be nothing heavenly in that which is from the earth. Now for this cause he must be removed from the service of God, in Bucers' judgement, together with every ceremony else that is an occasion l Bucer in Censur. cap. 9 pa. 478 profani judi, illudit. n. nobis continenter Satan, & seria Domini salutaria convertere in fuos noxios ludos conatur. As every occasion of playfulnes is dangerous in the service of God, because of Satan's illusion, so also by reason of Man's For know we not we are as prone to trifle in the service of God, as is the m Gualt. in Luc cap. 7 Homil. 70. child to play in the market. Thirdly, The Cross polluteth fear even with an Irony and contempt, it being subject to irreverence as much as the Image is of which Lactantius, n Lactant. de orig. error. li. 2. cap. 19 There is no religion, where there is an Image. of which Varro, they took away all fear of the Gods who first set up Images to them▪ last, of which thus Augustine, o August de civi●. D●i. li. 4. ca 31 simulacrorum (so Crucium) stoliditate facile contemnitur Deus. When Alexander p Cabala historica. met jaddo the high Priest of jerusalem in his priestly attire, he fell down & adored because God had appeared to him before he came out of Macedonia in the very same habit, what hence? the profane is not brought to reverence by the appearance of any Ceremony whatsoever, unless it have assistance of a Majesty from the Lord, which the Apparel of jaddo had: but the sign of the Cross hath not. The sign of the Cross must be made (say some) by us as well as by the ancient Fathers to make profession against the Atheist, that is amongst us. But if any Atheist be amongst us to laugh at Christ crucified, let him be nailed to a Cross, but let not a Cross be made with a finger against him, which will but increase his laughing. q Dyonis. Hierrarch. Ecclesiast. cap. vlt. Dionysius mentioneth that some laugh at the answers which the Godfathers made for the child, as if alius pro alio were Baptized. r Gregor. Nazianz. lib. 4. rat. 4 cont, julian. Gregory Nazianzen reporteth, that julian laughed at the sufflations of Baptism. Is there not as great an occasion given in the sign of the Cross towards laughter and contempt, as in either of these? The former of which is abolished by the Churches that are reform as s Zepper. de polit. Eccle siastic. li. 1. cap. 10. pag. 52. a ridicle, the later by ourselves and all. Because the jews laughed at the Papists for painting Moses like a Devil with a pair of horns, the t Sixt. Senen bibliothec. lib 5. annotat. 116. sounder papists would have removed it, it being an error of antiquity brought in by Hierome interpreting [Moses facies erat cornuta] instead of [erat radians.] The profane deriding our masking attire and juggling gesture in our Church. now we have as great cause to have them abolished, they being (if ancient) yet ancient errors, like to the horns of Moses. #Sect. 14. How the sign of the Cross is an enemy to our affiance in the merits of Christ. THE second affection of the hart which the sign of the Cross defloureth, is Faith and affiance in the merits of Christ: where I had rather lament then express how near our Opposites come to the Papists. For, hold they not the sign of the Cross to be a profession & a testimony of our faith, not fearing Bellarmine's society, a Bellarm. de effect. Sacrament. cap. 31. Crux est exercitium fidei? Valde. n. etc. For we do very much exercise our faith when we do arm ourselves with the sign of the cross against the Devil. For we do protest by this ceremony, that we do believe that the power of the Crucified is so great, as that the Devils are forced to fly before his very Image itself. They hold that our profession of the faith by the sign of the cross is an honouring of the merits of Christ his death, not fearing the society of Durantus in all other Images, b Duran. de rit lib 1. c. 4. sect. 11. Imaginibus Christi non minuitur eius honour, sed augetur. For if Christ be honoured by a cross, then why not by an Image as well? Why not by a Crucifix also? Last of all there be who give forth, that our defacing of the Cross diminisheth the honour of the merits of Christ. not fearing a society in that old and rotten slander, The Armenians deserve confusion, who use not the sign of water with the wine in the Sacrament of the supper: c Theophil in joh. c. 19 Non. n. credunt ut videtur, quod aqua ex latere egressa sit. For in that new devised slander of the papists, the d Rhem in Annotat. in Philip. 2. sect. 2. Protestants in disusing Crosses and Images, do nos only dishonour jesus Christ, but also deface him in Oblivion: and open a window wide to Atheism. It is like also that slander of Dureus: For (as he saith) we do e joh. Durae us count Whitaker, fol 380. in respon Whitaker. resurrectionis fidem quasi cuniculis evertere, for that we fast between Easter and Whitsonty de, and make not the good cheer which they have devised for a memorial of his rising. So this imputation chargeth us with a dishonouring of the merits of Christ, for that we use not the Cross, which man hath chosen, not the Lord for a remembrance of the same. Now we doubt not but we shall be justified when that tincture of hypocrisy is well considered, wherewith it infecteth our faith. Here we find, that first he doth preposterate it much in that he occasioneth trust in himself: yea more trust oft times in himself, than in Christ jesus represented How can it be otherwise the papists doctrine being still on foot? f Mart in reply art a There is a virtue flown into the Cross from Christ's death. The g Pan● epist 11. cited by Rhem▪ in joh. 19 sect. 1 Cross whereon Christ died, drunk in virtue from his blood▪ not for himself only but for h Bellarm. de imag. cap 26. all other Crosses also that are like to him. l Thom Aquin p 3. quaes 2●. art 4. In Christi cruce ponimus spem salutis: Cantat enim Ecclesia, ave Crux spes unica. Men must believe still in the sign of the Cross (when m Act, and monument in his 7. art. Thomas Man would not believe in it, he was burnt.) Last of all: The n Bellarm. de cult. sanctor cap▪ 7. Cross with other sacramentalia apply Christ's blood unto us to the washing away of sin. and that as a fellow worker with our faith. And the complaint is true of them which one of our writers p Phillip Mornaeus de En charist. li. 1 cap. 6. p 49 maketh roundly and altogether at a blow: we see them come down from this cross that is the death and passion of our Lord, o See Fulk rejoind. art. 5. the effectual powerfulness whereof is adored of the Angels to the only sign of the Cross. and there passing over according to their custom from the signs to the things, & from the things to the signs, they come to attribute all whatsoever is said by the Apostles or by the old Fathers of the true and very cross of Christ, unto this dumb and naked sign. By means hereof crossing hath bred such inconvenience (saith q M. Calfh. count Mart. art. 1. fo. ●6 one) that the extern action had in reverence, hath made the inward faith to be neglected: and that virtue ascribed to the sign which only proceedeth from him that was signified, in regard whereof it may well be left. PLACE =" mark" Philip. 3.19. In deed as Moses ceremonies became enemies to the cross of Christ, when men began to believe in them (for which cause they were removed) so the sign of the Cross now is an enemy to Christ's cross much people trusting in it, for which cause it ought to be displanted. Had it been fit for the Apostles to have used in God's service the rob, the Reed, the Crown, the Sceptre, wherewith Christ at that time was mocket? but now it is with the sign of the cross in popery that Christ and his cross is mocked? when they have rob him of his Sceptre, and of his Priesthood, they give him a Cross to mock him withal (saith one r And Willet. contro. 4. Q 10▪ p. 3. art. 2. of our writers.) #Sect. 15. That the Cross evacuateth and polluteth Faith. SEcondly, The sign of the Cross doth evacuat faith. Whereas Paul saith, 2. Cor. 5.7. We walk by faith and not by sight, it may a And. Willet controvers. 9 qu. 6. pa. 3. be inferred, that the sight of outward representations which are earthly hurteth faith which is of things that are spiritual and not seen. Upon this ground (as I take it) reasoneth Arnobius against the Heathen, b Arnobius contr. gent. lib. 6. Convincitur non habere sua religioni fidem, cui opus est videre quod credit, ne inane forte sit quod non videtur. Upon this ground it was, that when c Cyrill. con. julian. li. 6 Num● would invre his people to serve the Gods spiritually, he built temples to faith: whence he removed all Images & all representations, as which he thought contrary unto faith. Last of all, upon this ground it is that our d D Bilson cont. Apolog. pag 4. pag. ●49. own writers dealing for a [sound faith] beholding and adoring God in spirit and truth, cashier all [dourn be shows] that man's wit can furnish to win the eye or moon the heart binding us only to the hearing of his word, and partaking of his mysteries which only can instruct ciur faith. Another way the sign of the Cross doth hinder faith in that it occasioneth divers to rest in the historical knowledge of Christ's death only: all of which he remembreth not, neither because not the sufferings of his soul, which are the chief, whereof one thus: e M. Calfh. count Mart in praefat. fol. 1●. Suppose the Cross tell me, that Christ died, what am I the better for that, unless I know that he died for me: and the mean how his death may be applied to me? which no picture can express▪ the promises of the word must declare me that without the which the Image is nothing (yea worse than nothing). Thirdly, the Cross polluteth faith, and that with infidelity. For as when Bellarmine teacheth: charges expended upon garnishing Churches, is an action of faith. It f Lambert. Dane. count Bellarmin. de Cult. Sanctor. cap 6. is replied that it is infidelity rather and disobedience, because a presumption without the word. So when it is said, [the Cross is a gesture of faith] it may be replied, It is a gesture of infidelity and unbelief, seeing is hath no warrant from the scripture. And look on the effects it worketh: For as a man in danger of drowning, catcheth even at a rush or a flag for want of better stay, so it is out of fearful distrust of better refuge that men catch at the cross to help them. For example: g Act and Monu in Histor. eius Thomas Becket armeth himself with a Crucifix in his bosom, and with a Cross in his hand when he cometh to the court in danger. The h Historica collect. of Massacr. in France, in Hen 3. Archbishop of Lions of late at the sight of the executioner, as he first entered into the prison, fled straight to the Crucifix. Certain l Act and Monumen. heads of houses in Oxon. being in St Maries, and thinking the Church had been on light fire, betook them to the Crucifix on the Altar. Compare not this with m Sozom. li. 2. cap. 29. Alexander's flying to the Table of the Lord, when the Arrians straightened him. with Ambrose his flying to the same table when n Ambros. Epist. 33. justina the Empress pursued him. with o Gregor. Nazeanze. orat. 11. de Land. Gorgon. Gergonia her flying thither in the dark night when she was extremely sick. Lastly, with Theodosius his circuting p Ruffian lib. 2 cap 33. Omnia orationum loca, when Eugenius made war against him: neither say that this is no other, then that which the Christians did when they always crossed themselves in the time of danger, for these men fled to these places mentioned, because they were the fittest for prayer, as it is said of q Epiphan. in epist. ad joh. Hierosolomit. Epiphanius, that seeing a light at Anablatha, and thereby perceiving it was a Church, he took occasion to go and pray in it. As for the custom of the Christians crossing themselves in time of danger, let it be surveyed first in these ensamples, and then be rightly judged of. A Deacon when he entered the ship to go into exile, r Theodor. histor. lib. 4 cap. 22. signum Divina Crucis fronti afformavit. When Christians s Euseb. histor. lib. 8. cap. 7. stood ready to be devoured by the Panthers, they clap their arms athwart, to express a cross. Tiburtius t Cesar Bar. Annal in ann. 286. when he is to walk barefoot upon hot coals, signeth himself with a cross, and so prepareth himself to the miracle. The stuff of v Ibid in ann. 293. Domnax Macrina & holy Christians wherewith their chambers were wont to be furnished, are said to be a book of scripture, a Cross, a censor, and a little box to keep the Eucharist. Glycerius w Ibid. in ann. 301 crosseth himself when now he is to be tied to the stake. x Ibid ann. 303. Anisia fenceth herself with the sign of the cross, when she is tempted to adultery. y Ibid ann. 303. Emplius doth the like when he was to be examined. z Ibid. anno 253. Gregorius Thanmaturgus cleanseth a Temple from Devils with the sign of the Cross, and teacheth others to work miracles by it. Will any justify this ancient crossing as an action of saith? For mine own part▪ I will not justify it: if there be any good in it, it is profession against the Pagans, which now having no place amongst us, it ought to be left. For that with papists and in the people it is become a sign and cloak of infidelity and distrust. For this cause it is termed by a Andre. Willet de Cruc art. 4. our Writers, a deceitful toy, because it causeth men to come to it, but confoundeth them when they are come (like Theman waters) even as divers examples show. The history is common of the Bishop of Byzantium, who signed himself against Satan in vain, answering him thus: b Leoniter. Theatrum. Historical. fol. 1 ●0. Signate signa temere me tangis & angis, as common is the story c Vide▪ Calfhil. art. 1. fol. 37. of Sylvester the 2. arrested by Satan even in the Chapel sancta Crucis, and in the time of Mass too, when as he was in his deepest crossing. e The french discourse of the true honour of the Cross pag. 2. We are told, the great d Bodin. Daemonolog lib. 3. cap 6. Doctor Picardus in the year 1552. spent many crosses all in vain, to chase a spirit out of a maid in Paris. In the year 1554 a Cardinal sendeth for an holy Monk of St Bennets, to dispossess some 82. may dens at Rome; who were belaboured with infinite Crosses for the space of six months, but to no purpose. f so Cripin Chrondlog. Certain soldiers come into the field (like the jamnites) with Crosses and charactes in their bosoms: which, what good did they? For after the fight they were taken up dead with these Crosses in their bosoms. The g joh Lasicius theolog Muscovit ca 7. Priests of Russia overcome, come forth with Crosses about their necks, which they kiss often; and their Images they bring in their hands, holding them forth like so many bucklers, and are hewed all to pieces. h Act & More nu. 2104. Pauckney and Harrington two fellows of new College in Oxon. drowned themselves, and were taken up with their Crucifixes about their necks. Lewes' II. of France, after he had kissed every Relic he heard of to get his health, l Io Crispin Cbronolo. in an. 1479 and well near worn out his hat and his bosom with Crosses, dieth most unwillingly, and without comfort, and with great fear and horror of death, as showeth the exceeding monthly pay which he gave to his Physicians for the prolonging of his life. Oppose to this the death of the greatest enemy that ever Crosses or Images had, to wit, Constantinus m joh. Crispin in Constant 5. Isay 50.11. Deut. 17.17. Coprominus, whose last words are said to be these: I am delivered from the fire eternal. We see in these, we might see in more, that they who kindle this spark to themselves, meet with the threat: This shall ye have at mine hands, ye shall lie down in the sorrow. And shall we not remove it then, as God himself doth use to remove the occasions of vain confidence in men? And as a Council doth command, n Concil. colonians. p. 9 ca 16. Quicquid in Ceremonijs ad abusum & superstitionem spectat, & quo populus à Deo ad collocandam in rebus externis fiduciam abduct poss it, prohibemus. The Fathers (as the ordinary shift) will be objected here: Who used the Cross as a testimony and profession of their faith. First the Fathers are not justified in this their practise: Our Writers say, the Cross at the first was a o Calfh ag. Mate. in praefar. fol. 12 & art. 1. fol. 26. & 30. faithless invention taken up without all warrant, yea without all good occasion, and without all need. The most that can clear them is this, that they command the printing of the merits of Christ's passion in the mind first, and afterward the sign of the Cross in the body. Now to this it is answered: Frustra fit per plura quod fieri possit per pauciora. there is nothing in the world that the cross can do, but faith can do without it: Leave we therefore that which may tend to superstition and is uncommanded, and betake we ourselves to that which is of faith and force through God's commandment. Secondly, what though at first the Cross were devised well to testify faith, now it is abused to the crossing of saith (even p Calfh. ar●. 1. fol 25. as one writeth): That which was at first a testifying of Christianity, came to be made a magical enchantment. That which was a reproof to the enemies of the Cross, became in the end a cause of conquest against Christians. But these abuses may be spoken against the cross itself remaining, which precedent the Fathers give us. Doth not Origen exhort, that this sign be q Origen. in Exod. cap. 15. homil. 6. consignatum fideliter? r Cyril in Catech●s. 13. Cyrill that it be ostensum fortiter. s Chrisoft. in Math. homil 55 Chrisostome, that it be made magna side in Cord? t August in joh. tracta. 43. Augustine, that it be fastened in the heart? And what of this? For this showeth that the sign of the Cross hath bred hypocrisy even from the beginning and that the pruning knife of doctrine was never able to this hour to lop off the abuses of it. so that now we are taught by experience, there is no reason but to root and pluck it up. Another of our Writers well adviseth, u Fulke rejoind. art▪ 15. pa. 17●. Although the elder and better ageretained and used this sign tolerably, yet considering the shameful abuse thereof, it ought now of right and of conscience to be condemned, as Master Calf hill faith. #Sect. 16. That the Cross evacuateth and polluteth love and zeal, both for matter, and measure. A Third affection of the heart doth this sign season with the leaven of hypocrisy, and that is love and zeal. whose vacuity is thus described: a Bucer. in censur. c. 10. pag. 478 The white Garment is not far to be used at baptism, because it is hypocrisy to multiply love signs where love itself is not superabondant. As for others to kiss so often as doth the mother, it is hypocrisy because their love is not so tender. In regard whereof our Forefathers at the first might better multiply signs of love in this Sacrament, than we may now. Flagrabant enim summa De● observantia & gratitudine adversus eius benesicia, & p●p●lus ad bapi●smum magna religione advenerat. Whereas now through the coldness of these our days, ista signa hody singula apud minime pauces magis retinendae & augendae superstitioni & ludis, quam pietati serviunt & religioni. Who is then desirous of the Cross to be added to the water for a sign to express his love to Christ jesus crucified? For he must confess his love & zeal doth so burn and abound in him, that the one sign of the water doth not suffice to express the same. Which, if any will say of himself, I would gladly see with what face he looketh▪ For mine own part I could thus resemble him: b Carionis & Pencer. Chronis. lib. 5. in Adolph● Nass●niens. pa. 849. Margaret Countess of Turinge being loath to departed from her children, and constrained to fly at midnight to save her life, sitteth by the bedside of Fredericus her eldest son, embracing him, kissing him, bedewing his face & breast with her tears, and when the companions of her flight pulled her away for hastening departure, out of a strange motherly passion, she biteth his cheek in kissing of him, so that he was surnamend admorsus ever after. The like is done now by them in Baptism, who not contented to express their love to Christ by the ordinary sign of the water, must needs kiss him with a second sign, the sign of the cross, which faith so illfavoredly, as that in kissing him they bite him so deeply in his members, that if not in their names, yet in their goods, wines and children, they bear the mark all their lives after. One c Pliniu● natural histo. lib. 7. ca ●. apple in an eye is wholesome, when two in women do hurt and bewitch: so the one sign of the water in baptism which God hath ordained, is always comfortable, when the sign of the Cross (unnaturally doubling what God would have single) doth under the mask of counterfeit zeal, who can express what hurt: as to the soul which it bewitcheth, so to the body which it blasteth, and goods which it wasteth without all pity. The bewitching is with a love-drench towards Antichrist, to the quenching of zeal: the manifest signs whereof are these. First, Zeal d B●cer. in Mat. 1●. nihil penitùs ferre potest Antichristi, no not the name of any thing that belongeth unto him and is defiled by his polluted members. When Nebuchadnezzer is zealous for Bell, doth he not abolish the very names that savour of piety towards the holy God of Israel? When e Carol. Sigon. d● reg. Ital. Constantine the Pope hath a zeal against Philippicus, doth he not abandon his name itself? and that from common coin and all, not only from the diptich? When God is jealous against Hatt● the Archbishop of Meniz, doth he not send rats as to consume his body from the face of the earth, so to gnaw f Genebrard in Cronolog. Ann. Chri. 970. out his name itself out of all papers, parchementes walls? to wit, this is the love that hath fiery coals and vehement flames, this is the jealousy that will not abide the sight of ransom; this the zeal that is strong to the death, and cruel to the grave: which if we bear to our heavenly husband in any good measure, we will entertain no policy to spare to ransom. I say not the Idol of the cross itself, but the sound of his name so much from death, & from the pit of full destruction. Secondly, g Bucer. in Censur. c. ●. p. 460 Omnia quae sunt Antichr. Romoni habentur abominations, saltem quo ad externam speciem attinet. It is a sign them that the ceremonies controversed, have crazed our zeal in that we stick not at the show and appearance of popery that is in them. God so detesteth all show of idolatry even in the eyes of papists themselves, as that they h Vasq. de ad●rat. li 1. disput. 5. cap. 2. think God forbade images to the people of Israel, to avoid all show of Canaan's images. Wherefore chose God the form of an Ark for a testimony of his presence, but to be in show l Idem. lib. ● disp. 4. c. 4. contrary to Idolaters, for there was never any people that ever did abuse this form? Wherefore doth God forbid to set up stones & monuments in Israel, but to avoid all show of likeness with Idolaters? m Idem lib. 2. disput. 4. cap 3. per titulos. n. intelligit statuas quas Gentiles in sui memoriam posteris relinquebant, ut docent Isichius & Rodolphus Flaviacensis in eum locum. n Caesar. Baron. Annal. in anno 100L. The primitive church could not endure that any should look towards jerusalem in time of prayer, to avoid all show of judaisme. Although to continue fasting until midnight to hear the word, be lawful enough upon a Sunday, as the example of Paul doth show, yet because the Manichees appoint that day for fasting, Augustin thinketh it to be unlawful, for that show that it beareth towards them, and thence forbiddeth it, o Augustin. Epistol. 86 ad Casula. Ne maius malum incurratur in scandalo quam bonum percipiatur ex verbo. It is lawful enough to sing songs p Concil. Toletan. 4 Can. 10. of Halleluiah and of joy in the kalends of januarie, yet because the Heathens then solemnize the feasts of their chiefest mirth, therefore propter errorem Gentilitatis, and to avoid all [show] towards them, the Christians keep no feast of mirth throughout that season. Doth not the equity hereof shine in the hearts of q Caesar. Baron. Annal. 184. papists themselves, who condemn Christians for madness and lightness, who personati agere consuescunt, the like plays in the beginning of the Spring which the Heathen were wont to perform about the same time to the Mother of their Gods? When divers abstained from the trimming and garnishing of their houses, and from the dressing of their victuals upon the Lord's day, they were forbidden this show of judaisme in these words: r Concil. Aurelian. 3. Can. 27. Quia ad judaicam magis quam ad Christianam observantiam hoc pertinere probatur. The consideration hereof may make us ashamed to count ourselves zealous, who forbear not show of likeness with the papists, no not in the chiefest ceremonies. Thirdly, Zeal cannot endure any conformity with aliens, no not in civil guises: as the primitive church doth show, of which one truly giveth this testimony, s Magdebur. Centur. 3. cap. 6. column▪ 141. hoc unum egregie maxim inter caetera Christianos cavisse videas, ne quid Ethnicorum moribus, & consuetudinibus commune haberent. A Christian would not be seen in a Theatre, wherefore? because this place t Tertul. in lib. de spectacul. ad idololatriam pertinere videbatur. A Christian man and woman must not wash together in one bath, wherefore? haec est u . n. apud gentiles prima repraehensio. A Christian must not celebrate a birth day, wherefore? v Decret. pag. 1. dis. tin. ●1. c. 28 because it is a rite & a custom w Orig in Levit. homil. 8. Ethnicorum & peccatorum. It is of private use, of which Tertullian speaketh thus: x Tertul lib de coron. mili●. Ego mihi gallum gallinacium macto & si me odor alicuius loci offendit arabiae aliquid incendo, sed non eodem ritu & habitu, & apparatu quo agitur apud Idola. The Christians were thought to be enemies to the Emperor, because they do not set lights and bay bows at their doors as others do. yet for all this, y Caesar. Baron. Anal in ann. 200 Nefas sibi esse putant because the temples of the Idols and the doors of Idolaters were wont to be thus adorned. Fourthly, If zeal cannot endure any civil fashion of Idolaters, than their religious rites, much less such as the Cross and Surplice are. Tertullian will have no lights in worshipping God, because it was [ z Tertul. de Idololatr. mos haereticorum]. The Tolletan Council will have no such shaving as doth leave long hair below, a Concil. Tolet. 4. cap. 40. quoniam ritus haereticorum est. The Christians may not observationes agere Calendarum, neque lauro aut viriditate arborum cingere domos; wherefore? because b Decret. pag. 2. caus. 26. quest. cap. 13 omnis haec observatio paganismiest. The readers must not c Concil. Bracarens. 1. Can. 29 demittere granos or gradus gentili ritu. The feasts of the Martyr's birthdays are misliketh wherefore? d Concil. Aphric. temp. bonifac. 1. Can. 27. Quia a Gentili errore attracta. The old dancings e August. de Tempore. Sermon. 215. ante basilicas sanctorum are unlawful. wherefore? quia haec consuetudo ex paganorum observatione remansit. The f Synod. in Trullo. Can. 82. 2 Cor. 6.14 Council will have no lamb to represent Christ. wherefore? because it cometh to near the jews. Fiftly, Zeal can not endure any countenance towards the persons of Idolaters or of heretics. For when Paul forbade fellowship with Idolaters upon this reason: What communion hath light with darkness, Christ with Belial, he taught there aught to be as great difference between the professors as there is between the g Rolloc. in Daniel. professions. Now in this duty, how many ways do the ceremonies cause us to fail? Ne dixeris ave (sayeth the text) but when there is an imitation of their ways, then [ave] is given not only to the person, but also to the superstition, h Tertul. de coron. milit For either oderis ea, quorum authores odisse non poteris; l Hieron. ad Nepoti. aut si aurum judaeorum placet, placeat & judai. It is the wish of zeal, m Tertul. de spectacul. utinam ne in saculo (quidem) una cum illis moraremur. but because this may be wished, but not obtained, therefore it is wary to make such a separation, that though we be n Idem in li. de coron. milit. Compossessores mundi, yet [non erroris] by partaking with them [in saculo] only o Idem. in lib de spectacul. quod Dei est, non in saecularibus quae sunt Diaboli: Against this separation there be who offend by too much leaning to the errors of the papists while they are in their company, whom they admonish not, neither reprove, much less leave or forsake after once or twice admonition, as the Apostle doth command. These the Canon doth excommunicate, because it is a thing intolerable ut vasa misericordiae vasis irae misceantur, and because p Decret pa. 2. caus. 24. qu 3. cap. 34. superfluo extra ecclesiam positis resistimus si ab his qui intus sunt in ijs quos decipimus, vulneramur. Again, when men for bribes favour papists, spare them, shift them from punishment, or give them countenance, & who are separated from the body of Christ: because [contra fidem Christi q Concil. Tolet. 4. Can 73. agit qui Christi inimicis patronus efficitur.] The papists should not be suffered to mix themselves in common company with the weak protestants, r Decret p. 2 caus. 28. q. 1. cap 12. saepè malorum consortia bonos corrum punt, quanto magis pronos ad mala: neither s Ibid c. 13.14 should a protestant be suffered to feast with a papist, or dwell with him, or receive physic from him, with the like. And whereas the Church of old kept herself in the mean between t Caesar Baron. annal. in an. 255. foelicissimus that would receive into the church those that were fallen, though they made no confession nor showed any signs of repentance, and Novatus who would not receive them into the church at all: we, though we deal with the most polluted heretics that ever were, yet receive them into our church when so ever they will themselves, without sit trial of unfeigned conversion, whereby we arm them to more hurt by their secret dissimulation, then when they were our open enemies and without our churches pale. Against this there goeth a Canon even of an Idolatrous Council itself: u Concil. Nicen. 2. can. 8. Quoniam Hebraeorum. etc. because certain jews feigning themselves to be Christians, do privily and in secret deny Christ: keep sabbaths and observe many other jewish rites, we decree, that they be not received to the Communion nor to Prayer, no nor suffered to enter into the Church itself. Sixtly, Zeal cannot endure any relics of Idolatry, such as Cross and Surplice are. where I would there could be observed amongst us what a very popish Council itself decreeth, jews must not retinere priores ri●us reliquias: this is w Concil. Laceran. sub Innocen. 3. c. 70 Christiana religionis decorem mixtione confundere, and to put on a garment of Lynsey-woolsey, statuimus ut tales per Praelatos Ecclesiae ab observantia veteris ritus omnimode compescantur. How do we suppress in papists or any other popish old rites, who give them countenance in use religious? seventhly, Zeal cannot abide any confusion with Aliens, but in all religions hath ever desired a manifest and open distinction from them: x Irenae. li 1. cap. 25. Ireneus telleth us, the Carpocratians being zealous to their religion, did dextere auris posteriorem partem perforare, ut eo signo ab alijs secerni atque dignosci possint. This was superstitious: not so superstitious was the scutum which the old Waldenses bore in sotulari and in Sabbate, whence they were called [ y Conrat. Lutzenbu. in Catalo Hae●eticor. insabbatati] to make a difference and distinction. As for the first love of England, it was admirable herein▪ Master z Act. and Monum in hu●o. ●orum Rogers, out Proto Martyr refusing the Cap unless there were a Chalice set on the Massepriestes sleeve, that so there might be a difference between them. And M ● Philpot choosing to lose his place in the convocation house rather than to enter thither with cap and tippet. we must bid this zeal farewell all while we confound ourselves with papists, even in the chiefest badges. And thus we see how the present Adiaphorisme slayeth Zeal in every matter wherein it useth to show itself. Now what for the measure whereby it is wont to be strong as death, cruel as the grave, having sierie coals, and a vehement flame, which much water cannot quench? Me thinks all while we symbozise with Antichrist, we are but as Lukewarm water, as a Cake half baked; Apoe. 3.16. Hos. 7.8. or as a beta a Hieron. Comment. in If lib 14 cap. 51. semicocta in Hierome. By whom will we be tried? If by the papists, we are cast. They b john Dowley. plainly profess, that the more our Church doth despise the Cross, the more their Church doth reverence and honour it. we then, if we had their measure of zeal would we not the more disgrace it, by how much they honour it Idolatrously? sure we would, if one of our writers had his wish whose words are these: c Pet. Martyr. epis●o. Amic●●uid. in Angl. utinam hostium nostrorrum. etc. I would we could learn a little more zeal by the perverle zeal of our adversaries, they carefully avoid all things whatsoever savour in any sort of our religion: and swerver of purpose as far as they can, from the simple worship of Christ, and from the most ancient rites of the Apostles. why then do not we take care (on the other side) to fly as far as possibly we can, from their pernicious customs, and follow the simplicity of the Apostles, not only in doctrine, but also in the administration of our Sacraments? Tertullian counteth it a coldness in zeal (not to be excused) when Christians fly not as far from the ceremonies of aliens, as they do from the ceremonies of the Christians: d Tertul in lib. de Idololat. Melior fides nationumin suam sectam, quae nullam Christianorum solemnitatem sibi vendicat, timerent. n. ne Christiani viderentur, nos ne Ethnici pronuntiemur non veremur. To this there appertained the old Canon which forbade a Christian to feast with a jew: Quia e Consil. Meldens'. cap. 73. sic incipiunt Catholici esse inferiores quam judai. si nos illis quae ab ijs apponuntur utamur, illi vero à nobis oblata, contemnunt. To this also there belongs the zeal of the Council of Nice, who would retain none of the ceremonies of the jews upon this reason: f Niceph. Calift lib. ●. cap. ●●. Omnium absurdissimum est, illos gloriando iactare sine illo. rum obseruationibus, Christi institutis obseruamdis nos sufficere non posse. It is a great sin to be less careful not to seem Heathens, than Heathens are not to seem Christians, we in retaining of popish ceremonies, when papists will retain none of ours, are apparently less careful to avoid an approbation of their rites, than they are to eschew all good liking towards ours. It is a sin to make religion inferior to heresy, by receiving what is theirs, when they comtemne that which is ours: we in this case make our religion inferior to popery, by retaining some of their rites, when they abhor all ours. It is a sin (last of all) to cause heretics to boast, that we are not able to serve our God, without their ceremonies. Our retaining of Cross and Surplice, hath caused the Sons and Daughters of the Philistines thus to boast, witness g Hard. answer to the Apolog. in praefat. Harding by name, craking the very words themselves of this boasting. Thus if we compare ourselves with papists, we come short in zeal. Compare we ourselves with the reformed Churhches of Christ, and we are shamed yet worse. what Cross, what Surplice, what one dram h D. Bilson count apolo pa. 1. p. 31. of popish ceremonies is found in them. condemn we these, or contemn we their providence, and look we to hear that of the Apostle. Are you of England the mother Church? Came not the word first from these unto you, and is not your Church a near Daughter of these? When Constantine would decide the question, 1 Cor. 14.36 what course did he follow, but that which Maior Ecclesiarum numerus did chalk forth to him? Hereupon we must be divers from the jews in the observing of the passover, because this course l Euseb. de vir. Constant. lib. 3. c. 18. servant omnes Ecclesiae, quae orbis partes vel versus Occidentem, vel versus Meridiem, vel versus septentrionem, sitas incolunt. Again, upon what reason doth a Council establish a rite, but upon this, m Consil. Tollet. 4. Can. ●. Quia haec obseruatio per multarum loca terrarum in Ecclesijs commendatur? When home-custome was objected to Tertullian for the casting off of the veil, he opposeth the custom of other Churches which did retain it: huic n Tertul in lib. de veland. virgin. consuetudini alia opponitur (saith he) per Greciam n●plures Ecclesiae, vergines suas abscondunt. ex duabus igitur consuetudinibus ca est eligenda, quae virgines includit. Hitherto (then) even from the beginning the general example of the Churches hath been much made of, which now is cast behind the back. what though all other Churches abandon the cross, abolish the Surplice, (say our Opposites) this is nothing unto us? to wit, wisdom must live and die with us. with us I say alone. But this may suffice to show how the Cross evacuateth zeal, and polluteth it, both for matter and measure. #Sect. 17. The hypocrisy of the Cross in prayer, is proved in respect it is thought to be operatine, sanctificative, and helpful thereto. WE have discovered (as we are able) the hipocrisies of the Cross, as they show themselves in general sort, over all the powers of man's soul: now see we some special objects, wherein they bud and blossom forth. particularly such as is prayer first, and then our common conversation, concerning the former: The ancient crown, of the Crosses commendation, was wont to be this; that it served as a stone of Horeb to help to hold up the hands in prayer, of which prayer it was a a Perek. problem. pag. 84. gesture; but the hypocrisies of it now, hath laid this honour in the dust. The first of them is, that it is no longer an indifferent gesture in prayer, but an necessary, holy, yea an operative one: a gesture, that prayeth not for holiness only, but also b Mart. of the Cross art. 5. conferreth it. which our c D. Fulk. reioy. art. 5 pag. 174. writers esteem no less than gross hypocrisy. Secondly, the Cross is not now annexed to prayer, as a circumstance of it, but he is beside the word, and besides prayer, scored up for a third d Rhem. in 1. Tim. 4. sect. sanctifier by himself. the English whereof may be picked out of Bellarmine, who teacheth that beside mental and vocal prayer, the Cross is a Nutuall prayer by himself. e Bellarmi. de effect. Sacramen. cap. 3●. De inde vim habet (saith he) etc. this sign hath virtue, by the devotion of the person who signeth himself, after the same manner, that vocal prayer hath virtue; for the sign of the cross is a certain invocation upon the merits of Christ expressed by sign, loquimur. n. ore, cord, & Nutubus. No mervell if this doctrine seem harsh unto our f D. Fulk. reioy. art. 5 writers: for neither hath this sign warrant from the word to be a prayer: whereof one thus: g Andre. Willet. controve. 9 quest. 7. pag. 5. they have no word of God for their warrant, neither do they use a prayer of faith but a superstitious kind of crossing▪ neither can there be found that reverence in it, which a warrantable prayer hath. There is a custom to knole a bell, at the hearing whereof, the papists fall down on their knees to prayer, may a protestant fall down on his knees at these knoles, and say good prayers when papists say bad? our writers h Hospi. de orig. Campana. go. 84 say no: and they allege amongst other reasons, that here wanteth reverence and preparation, for one is a dancing, another is a drinking; another a working, another a walking: when suddenly they are all down on their knees, as if some planet (as they say) had strooken them. Is it not as great a show of conformity with papists to use a Cross, for a gesture of prayer, as they do, as it is to fall down on our knees, at the knole of a bell? and leap we not, as suddenly without preparation unto prayer, in the one as in the other? And the sign of the Cross is guilty of hypocrisy, for want of devotion, in time of the action, whether outward or inward, both of which must l Damasee. de sid. lib. 4 cap. 13. Mas. 1.8. kindle prayer, to make it incense that may ascend. I speak with the words of Malachi, offer it to thy Prince, will he receane thy face, or take it acceptable at thine hands? if having a petition to him, thou shouldest nothing but nod and beck, which was the proud and scornful gesture, which Nazianzen observed in julian, nutus, renutus, absque sermone? Now we know iudignum m Distinct. 49. c. sacer. est dare Deo, quod dedignaretur homo. One of the Fathers. well, if we make petition but to some earthly king (saith he) n Cassian. collat. ●3. cap. 7. totam in cum & mentis & corporis aciem defigimus, & de nutu eius trepida expectatione pendemus, non mediocriter formidantes, ne quod forte incongruum verbum audientis, miscricordiam avertat. And shall we (then) hold it sufficient reverence towards the Lord, to give him a nutus of our own only, in steed of that fearful dependence on his Nutus, which we yield to one of his creatures? The same Father goeth forward: when we are but before an earthly judge, we compose ourselves to all humility, and to all carefulness, against every Tussis screatus, oscitantia, eructatio, whereas this nutuall prayer of the Cross, what is it else, but an eructation of the mind, per ossitantiam, which o Pet. Martyr. in 1. Sam. 1. we worthily tax? and that evagation of the soul, which is not p Basi. se●m. de aman. Deum. ex fragilitate or negligentia, but as it seemeth ex proposito, which very q though Aquin pag 3 quest. 83. art 13 papists themselves condemn. But are there not r Durand. de ri. lib. 3 c. 14. sect 9 Rom. 8. Exo. 14.15. orationes i●culatorie? amongst these what hindereth, but that the prayer of the Cross may be one? Because this kind and sort of prayer, being the most fervent in the time of greatest need, and out of the depth of most heavy temptations, is less nutuall than any prayer; for either the groans and the sighs of it cannot be expressed at all, or if they be uttered, it is not an [nutus] that beareth them up, but some scalding (though brief) outcry, as we see in our Lord: who although in the days of his flesh, spent whole nights in prayer, yet s Gault. in Lu●. ● i. homil. 106 postea cum mortis hora instaret, quo propius ea accescit, eo preces breviores, ad patrem quasi eiaculatus est. So (then) the nutuall prayer of the Cross wanteth inward devotion. What now of the outward? why that we find describeth thus: t Salutan. de provident. lib 7 Corpora humi sternimus, mixtis cum fletu gandij●, supplicamus. u Ambros. Hexamer. lib. 6. cap. 9 Flexibile genu quo prae caeteris domini mitigatur offensa, ira mulcetur, gratia promovetur, w August. lib de cura. pro mort. agend. ca 5 Orantes de membris sui corporis faciunt quod supplicantibus congruit, cum genua figunt, cum extendunt marius, vel etiam prostern●ntur solo, per quae, cor dis affectus; qui ut fierent ista, praecessit, quia facta sunt cres●it. x Hieron li. 2. comen. cap. 3. a● ephes. Deum genu posito suppliciter adoramus, & fixo in terram poplite, magis quod ab eo petimus impetramus. This last Father commendeth y Hieron de viris. ●●lnitrib. in jacob. james surnamed justus, for a man, and z Idem. epist ●5. ad Marcel. Asella for a woman, that they hardened their knees in praying like a Camels house. These signs are not always necessary (you will say.) No, but the reverence which they signify, is ever needful. As we see in them who stand in the presence of the Lord, for the Greek a joh. Pise●. in Luk. 19.8.18.11. ●● word signified a settelling and composing of their bodies to all reverence. standing seemeth the least sign of outwardreverence, yet it bringeth with it all the members of the body: not so the Cross, which bringeth the worst part of the body like him that bringeth the worst of his flock, for what is the sign of the Cross, (saith b Calfh. ● 1. fol. 29. one) but the breaking of a little air, with one of our thumbs? Last, of all whereas when our prayer is done, we are c Cassian vb. supra. gravissime crimine ad stricti, si subito à conspectu Dei, qua si ab oculis non videntis, nec andientis, cogitationis improbae vanitatem secuti abcesserimus. We ought to use no gesture of ours at our leaving of his presence, but that which may serve for such a stay as d Muscul. 1 Psal 39 verse. 5. Selah is, to retain meditation. Whereas the Cross dispatcheth a way this meditation with a quick finger, and is found worse than the e Duran. de rit. lib. 2. c. 17. sect. 5. sectile, or the pupillum amen, which the Rahbines and the papists themselves condemn. For these causes, as the f Catalogue. cest. verita. in Walden. Waldenses stood out against the Creed to be used for a prayer which was none, so stand we out now against the Cross, used for a prayer when it is none: or if it be any, a prayer unreverent. Suppose a man should lift up a shoesole for a prayer Nutu. I ask because g Act. & monu. pa. 95●. Robert Couper (a Confessor) affirmed once, that blessing with the sign of the Cross, was no whit better, than blessing with an old shoe sole. The third hypocrisy of the Cross maketh it not only a prayer but also an operative prayer, that helpeth our vocal & mental prayer, as if it were not so powerful without it as when it hath the help of a Cross which is the aim of these words. h Mart in reply. art. 4 It is evident that as soon as paayer is duly made and the sign of the Cross made, the holy ghost according to the promise of Christ, cometh down & sanctifieth, and the Devil is driven away. This hypocrisy how can it not breed a disgust of this sign amongst us? For it turneth the sighs & groans of the holy Ghost in prayer to a bringing of him down at the l D. Fulk. rejoin. art. 4 pag. 163.164. wagging of a finger: and tied the m D. Willet. de Bapt●s. que●t. 8. holy ghost himself to a dounghill cross that will not in this manner be tied either to 1 Act 7. Temple, or to 2 Gal. 6. Circumcizion, or to 3 Mar. 3. Baptism itself, or to any other of his own signs. When in a plague at Rome some died with sneezing, some with gaping, there was a custom taken up when any sneezed, to pray God help, when any gaped to make a Cross n Carol. Sigon. de reg. It●l. in anno 590. praesidium querentes in this sign unto themselves. We may see here a picture and Image of the vulgar sort of people in this land, using the Cross as they use prayer, and flying to the help of the Cross as they seek for help by prayer, for the curing of which disease why abandon we not the Cross as we have done other things that in like sort have been annexed to prayer? o August. de symbol. ad Catech. Whereas the symbolum (that is) the creed and the Crucis vexillum were wont to be joined for fellowhelpers together with prayer against the Devil, dislike we not this unequal kind of yoking? whereas Sanctus p Gregor. Turonens. de vit. patrum, ca, 6. Gallus, and q Nitephor. lib. 5. c. 22. Sanctus Martianus join with prayer the book of the Gospel which they take in their hand when they go forth to repress the fury and the flame of fire. whereas it hath been a common custom in common distresses to carry about Images and Relics which men have added unto prayer to help the same: in which manner the Image of Rochus & the r Gregor. T●tonens. in lib. de glot. confe. cap. 79. Pall of Remigius is carried about upon a Cross in time of a plague: and the Tunica s Idem. lib. 3 histor c. 29 Vincentij ad Augusta when once it was beleguerd● we disclaim and disunite this combination: the bells are joined by papists to prayer as helpers of it, as the trumpets in Moses Law stirred up God to mercy, so do the bells now (say t Durant. de rit. lib. 1. c. 22. sect. 4. they) which have also power against the Devil. witness this▪ The Devils before day ran away from certain women whom they had led and molested the night before as soon as they heard the morning bell sound. u joh. Reynold. de Idololat. li. ●. c. 6. sect 7 The beads also are joined to prayer as helpers of it. we that have freed prayer from the creed; from the book of the Gospel; from the Images, palles, coats, and relics of saints from the beads and bells of papists, how are we bewitched that we cannot leave the Cross, in which each part, of their hypocrisy and superstition overfloweth? It will be replied, that this abuse implieth not the Crosses ruin, but a restoring to prime use. First the prime use of the Cross in prayer was not so good, v Magdebu. Centur. 3. cap. 6. tit. de mor. Christi. sith it did adjure and ᵘ charm, and that the very beasts themselves. for thus Tertullian: Nobis w Tertull. in lib▪ de scorpiac. fides prae sidium signandi statim & adiurandi & ungendi bestiae calcem. And the Cross at the first did bless and sanctify things void of life as x Beat. Rhenan. in Tertull. de Coron. milit. beds and y Orig. lib. 3. in job. meats: which while the z Catalogue. test. verita. in W●lden. Waldenses preposterously followed, they retained the sign of the Cross in the blessing of their meats. which though we mislike, yet the restoring of the cross his ancient use will bear them out as well as us, who must have this sign in Baptism. Secondly, to pray standing between Easter and Whitsuntide in memorial of Christ his glorifying, is a gesture of prayer as ancient as the sign of the Cross, as also to pray towards the east which we must restore again to ancient use if this axiom on which we stand, have strength & force, even as one of our writers well: a D. Fulk. rejoinnd. art. 5. pag. 177. seeing none of these ceremonies have been worse abused, than this custom of Crossing, this aught to be abrogated of every Church as well as those. Thirdly, there is a 4 Mat. 6.7. commandment we must not be like the heathen in our prayers. whereupon one b Guall. in Luk. 11. pag. 106. Communis sensus admonet Christian●s ab omnibus ethnicorum atque infidelium ritibus aut ceremonijs abstinere debere. Take we a standling from the first Churches, whereas Idolaters use certain ceremonies in their praying, as a washing of the hands before a putting off of the cloak in the action itself and a formal sitting after, there was a special c Tertull. lib. de ●ratione. proviso taken that no Christian should use the like in time of his prayer. It is very needful we should eschew the Cross and Surplice at prayer-time with as great care, if it be but for the show which giveth countenance to popish hypocrisy in the simple of the land. These use the Cross as papists do. they think it is a prayer. they think it helpeth prayer. they think it make holy. they think it driveth away the Devil. which whosoever will not acknowledge, I must say of him as Mr d D. Fulk. rejoind. pag. 17●. Fulke of martial once: whereas martial will acknowledge no abuse in this sign, what else should we say but whose blind as he that will not see? #Sect. 18. The special hypocrisy of the Cross is evidently declared in the life and conversation of those that did bear it. THE second special hypocrisy of the cross is seen in the life and conversation. Where once it was a true principle (how now it holdeth I know not) a Calsh. count. Mart. art. 9 fol. 174. There are no worse livers in the world, than the likers of the Cross. Indeed from of old hath the cross marshaled the hypocrites band: one of which he did long since christian with his own name, to wit, the order of the b Volater. hist or. lib. 21. Bergomens. l. ●3. Crucigeri. whose rule Innocent the fourth perfected, bidding them to carry a cross always in their hands, after that Innocent the third before him in the Council of Lateran had authorized their order. All other ecclesiastical orders, although they have not the name of the cross called upon them like unto this, yet they call upon his name: and they bear him for their badge even to the c Abraham. Fransus. de insignib. Knights themselves that have entered into any religious order. One order there was of these knights in d Io. Funct. in Cronol. comentar. ad ann. 1 204. Libonia who wore in a white vesture a red sword with a star on the top, and therefore were called Fratres gladiferi: but these at the length (the Pope so willing) united themselves to the order of the Crucigeri, & so took the cross upon them. As for the rest they wear all the crosses, amongst whom, who more famous than the Knights of jerusalem? who lie buried with cross legs upon their graves, quia e Camden. in Britan in Trinoban●. crucem susceperunt. Now f Naucler. four orders there were of these. the order of the Canons of the sepulche of the Lord, and they had double red crosses. The order of the knights of St john, otherwise called the knights of the Rhodes, they wore black apparel with white crosses on their breasts. The order of Templars, they wore a white habit with a red cross. and lastly, the order of Teutoniques or Almains, otherwise called the knights of the Virgin Marie, who had white habits and a black cross, and these arose from the East (I omit their hipocrisies, for which at the last they were destroyed: the Templars by g Cronie. carrion. li. 5. in Alber. Austriac. name, through a privy conspiracy of Clemens the Pope, & Philip of France) after the holy war begun under Goddefi it of Bullen, whose voyage thither if it had any “ Gualther. in Luc. Homil. 87. hypocrisy in it, the cross (be sure) was at one end of it. sith than it was that every country chose their crosses which they bear in the wars this day. From the West since these holy wars begun, it is incredible how many assembled armies of hypocrites the cross hath guided, it being a policy which urban h Sigon de regn. Ital. lib. 9 in ann. 1095. the 2. set on foot. and his successors after continued that when they would weaken christendom, and send out the strength of it to pray upon it at home the while, or when they would gather some great sum of money, there should a Croysade be proclaimed against the Turk, and that (O Lord) with how great hypocrisy! Thus one l Auent. in Annal. li. ● of that time. To stir up the people to Asia's and Aphricaes' wars the Bishop of Portua and others preached, Quicunque sceleri obnoxius, parricidio, incestu, sacrilegio pollutus, continuò ubi cruciculam vesti assuerit, solutus est & crimine & poena. Plerique ansa hinc arrepta, inimicos suos prius tollebant: hinc in militiam sacram nomina dabant. Another thus: m Vsperg. in Fredri. 2 In the year 1221. under Fredrick the 2. Conradus Portuensis sendeth forth preachers: and amongst the rest one johannes de Argentina, who preached to them that would take the cross, not only expiation of their ownesinne, but also deliverance of their friends souls that were in Purgatory. Hence grew a common speech: faciam igitur scelera, & postea crucis receptione, ero mundatus. The Georgians & Armenians have the cross for a standard to lead their superstitious pilgrimages to jerusalem. whose lay men also have shaven n Magdebn. Centur. 3. cap. 5. col. 563. heads in the form of a cross. The o Lambert. Dane. in. Augusti. de Heres. c 97 jacobites in Chald●● and Arahia have a cross or crosses printed in their faces with an hottiron. as also divers nations and people under Pretions john in Afric, of whom before. And this Emperor himself, when he goeth any whither, a wooden Cross is borne before him. When he goeth to war 12. Crosses of gold. A p Beda hist. gent. Anglor. lib. 1. c. 25.29.41 Cross was the harbinger of all Rome's ceremonies, when they first entered into England. I mean the Cross that was borne before Augustine when he arrived: which Cross of his if the British sea had swallowed with his rellowes in the passage, the Church of the Christians at q Baleus in histor. Augustin. Bangor had still enjoyed their peace and purity, both from Rome's trash and tyranny. The great abuse of the Cross in Russia is too well known: the hypocrisy of it there, may be seen in one for all, to wit, in that great Tyrant johannes Basilius, than whom the earth never searce saw a more fell monster. and yet none more devout in the use of the Cross than he: none could more often adhthere signum Orucis fronti pectorique, or more religiously collo suspendere, r To. Lasicide Theolo. Muscourn. c. 6. fol. 56. as speaketh the story: at whose death also (as is reported) three bloody Crosses appeared in the firmamen over the great city Moscow where he died with a bar that went through them. Thus we see the Crosses hypocrisy is catholic for place: so is it also for persons and times. The s Io. Crispin ●●an, 1350 Eagellantes (notable hypocrites) in their whipping of themselves, used to prostrate themselves on the ground in the form of a cross, and as they went ordnarily with their whips tied to their robes, so they all carried Crosses, both before and behind in their apparel, hats and caps. Saint Francis is also a renowned hypocrite. Now he had (they say) t Pisan. de conformit. sancti. Francisci. the 5. wounds of Christ printed in his body and he hath for his u Rhemist. in Margin. in Gal. 6. Gospel upon his holy day, I bear in my body the marks of the Lord jesus. And, God forbidden I should rejoice save in the Cross of Christ. Hear of late, none came near in same of hypocrisy to Magdalena Crucia, and Maria de la Anuntiada in Spain. The former of whom, as she bore the name of the Cross, so the Cross bore up her name with such an estimate of holiness that the Queen of Charles the fift being great with Philip the second, must needs send before hand to her to bless with the crosses of her holy hands, the w Leonicer. Theatrum histor. pag. 134. swaddling clouts wherein the infant was first wrapped. The latter in the time of her greatness before her five wounds (like those of St Francis) were washed away and her hypocrisy detected, she seated her chiefest and greatest miracle with a wooden cross, as in her x Cypri de Valera. pag 431. story may be seen. The same story or hers showeth, that the year before she was detected, the sign of the Cross became in her hands a traitor to England, blessing the standard Royal of Spain, & delivering it to the General (the Duke de Medina Sydonia) with promise he should returned a Victor, and a conqueror of this Realm. The next hypocrites most notorious in these our days I take to be the jesuits. especially those of the East judies, whose miracle-worker that famous Xaverius, like unto another jambres (as y The auth. of the Iesuite● cathee. some papist himself discovereth him) sendeth little children with little z Idem lib. 1. cap. 17. crosses to certain men that were possessed, whom as soon as his crosses touch the Devils roar, wallow, tumble, and lastly fly away like mad. Did not Henry the third of France make himself famous by the Crucifix devoutly carried a Collect of Massacr. in Franc. in Henry. 3. about his neck, till he obtained this word, Non ego iam vivo, sed in me Christus? Did b Calsh. art 8. fol. 156. not a paper in the forehead at Windfor take up the reversion of the infinite crosses which a Warden of New college did make there? who for the time that he was in Oxon. never miss any one of his hours before the Crucifix? And c Idem. art. 5. fol. 129. Martial (that marshal champion of the cross) taught Wincester boys, being Usher there, that iniquity, which a modest adversary is loath to utter. And what they were who in the days of great Elizabeth pursued the Preachers about the Cross and the rest of the ceremonies, I will not censure some of them proclaimed themselves hypocrites in this, that striving for the cross, which signifieth patience to sight under the cross of Christ, they were so far of from this duty of suffering, as that they offered it unto others, making many companions in the patience of the word. When Blandina was nailed to a cross, the Christians that saw her, d Caesar Baron. Annal in an, 179. ipsum Christum qui pro nobis crucisixus est, oculis corporeis quodammodo vide bant. Will you have an outward spectacle, wherein to see Christ, go not to a cross that is made at a Font, but go to a Christian that beareth the cross. While I speak this, I may take up what one of our writers speaketh, e D. Willat. controver. 4 q. 10. p. 198. who taught you, that thè sign of the cross is to be borne in men's foreheads? You know the marks which Pause boar in his body were the signs of his sufferings? And f Chrisost. de crnc. & latron. Chrisostomus thus: An ut unusquisque lignum suum ferat jubet dominus? Non quae. n. haec virtus est sed ut ad pericula instructi simus. When Mr Harding objected profanes against us for breaking down Crosses, Bishop g jewel. art. 14. diuis. 3 pa. 502.504. jewill replied, we have (God be thanketh) more true Cross-bearers than you. because our church yieldeth more sufferers for the truth. The same is our glory now, we that refuse the sign of the cross do more truly bear the cross then our pursuers; who while they strive about the sign, let go the substance. Our Lord hath commanded us (saith Claudius h jonas Aurelianens. de cult. Imag. Taurinensis) to bear the cross and not to worship it. who performeth this commandment best? they who will not make the cross for fear to countenance the worshipping of it, and so bear it in their bodies, goods and names, or they who bore it in the finger only upon a pretence to put themselves in mind of fight under the cross? which when it cometh to performance, they mistake their brethren's shoulders for their own, & find none to fight against, or on whom to lay the cross save only them? Sure if Augustine be our judge, he will give his sentence with us. by occasion of the stone that struck Goliath in the forehead, he speaketh of the sign of the cross in the forehead, affirming the making of it there to be nothing, in these words: l Pe. Martyr in 1. Sam. cap. 17. Deus delectatur non pictoribus, sed factoribus. what these doers are, we may learn out of Hierome, who crieth out against superfluity in Church and Church men in these words: Cum m Decret. pa. 2. caus. 12. qu. 2. cap. 71. paupertatem domus suae pauper dominus dedicarit, portemus crucem & divitias lutum putabimus. As long as our Opposites will not leave their superfluities, and bear the cross that way, but to uphold and maintain them rather, retain a cross in sign, to bring their brethren underneath the cross, in suffering, we may well renew towards them, what Charles the great spoke once to Boniface Archbishop of Mentz, when he covered his cross with gold, n joh. Crisp. Chronolo. in An. 798 Is it thus that you make profession of the Cross of Christ? Innocent the 4. gave red hats and gowns to his Cardinals at his Council held at Lions, for a o Christian Marssaeus. Genebrar. sign to admonish them they were to suffer for the truth even to blood. This sign letteth not but these Cardinals make other to suffer in steed of themselves: no more doth this sign of the Cross which our Opposites do retain in very like manner, to remember themselves of the very same suffering which they lay upon their brethren. And so an end of the vanity and hypocrisy of the cross against this third commandment, which I shut up with the words of one of our Writers against Images in general. howbeit Images set up for edification and decency only: So that our Cross is one of the number. p Zanch. de Imag. thes. 4. p. 370. Summa, ut concludam. etc. To conclude, in two words, the sum of all is this: Our men have nothing whereby (I say not they may defend, for defended it cannot be) but whereby they may cover so gross an error save fig leaves. to wit, reasons human, and those very lean, whose root is pertinacy. another chief cause of this error is, that men will be more wise than God, and for their human wisdom sake, oppose themselves against the wisdom of God. For neither have they scriptures to stand with them, nor any consequences necessary or probable, that may be gathered out of the scriptures, nor good antiquity, nor any reasons à vero, utili, atque honesto, deductas. DEO SOLI GLORIA. The impiety of the Cross. Chap. 4. WHEREAS the dung that polluteth the Sabbath must be cast out by us, or be cast in our faces, the sign of the Cross though it were guiltless otherwise, Malach. 2.3 yet because it diverse ways polluteth this day, it must either pass through the dounge-port, or pass over our own backs for a deserved cross unto us. The doctrine which heretics broach is as the dung of a Hieron. comment. in Abac. 2. saul's cave. The b Idem in lament. jere. cap. 4. & Ezech. ca 4 ceremonies of the jews retained, are by the Apostle esteemed as dung. The 1 Deu. 29.17 scripture calleth the Idol dung. In Malachi the worships themselves of God are termed dung, when in manner of worshipping they are defiled. Is it possible for the cross (then) to pass through all these censures and not be attainted for a Sabbath dung unlawful? The doctrine of it in the papacy is it not heretical? the retaining of it in churches reform, is it not worse than the retaining of the ceremonies of the jews? Is it not an Idol in the papacy? Is not the religious use of it in churches reform worse than a worship of the Lords which only is defiled in manner, and by the worshippers misbehaviour? Begin we with it, as it committeth a Sabbath breach among the papists. Do we not fear (if not this expostulation, have you brought a stranger into my Sabbath day to mock it?) yet surely this, what doth 4 stranger in mine house that mocketh my sabboth's through so many Antichristian churches as be in the world? Now first the Cross mocketh the Sabbath, by the c And. Willet contro. 9 q. 8 p 4 mock sabbaths which it hath set up to itself. The first of these, the feast of the invention of it though it be wounded and stricken through as Apocryphal by a d Gelas. de Apocriph. decret p. 1 dist. 15. c. 3 Canon of it own law. The feast of the exaltation of it, though it be fabulous, as the miracle e Io. Beleth. rational. divinor. officior▪ c 151 ja, ob. de Vorag in legend aur. Breviar. Roman. in fest exalt. crew. diversely related, showeth. and the uncertainty of the institution of it: some referring it to f Concil. tom. 1. epist. Euseb Eusebius; some to the time of g Niceph. li. 8. cap. ●9. Silvester the first: some to the time of h Genebrad Cronolog in An. 616 Heraclius the Emperor, yet must they both of them be esteemed l Rhemist. annotat. in Gal▪ 4. sec. 5. Bellarmi. de enle. sanctor. cap. 10. proposit. 3. as holy and as necessary as the holy Sabbath day which the Lord himself ordained. There be but nine great Masses in the year that do require special solemnity, & the m Concil. tom 2 in Epist Pelag. 2 ad episco german & Galliae. eight of them is for the Cross. And where there is a difference made between the crosses feasts, these are in the first rank who bear this title, n council. Tom. 3. in constitut. oxonians. aedit. per Stephan. Statuimus quod festa subscripta sub omni veneratione serventur. The Sabbath of the cross then are holy in an high degree; now the keeping of them holy, what blasphemy and what Idolatry hath it? Consider first the prayers made: o Breniar. Rom in sect. inven. Cruc. Crux ave spes unica, in hoc paschali tempore, Auge pus justitiam reisque dona veniam: and salva presentem cateruam in tuis laudibus congregatam. Again, p Ibid. in exaltat. O Crucis victoria & admirabile signum in coelesti curia, fac nos captare triumphum. And Salva nos Christ & servator per virtutem crucis Ab inimicis nostris libera nos Domine. Again, q Miss. second. usum Sarum in fest. invent. Cruc. Protege Domine plebem tuam per signum sanctae crucis, & sacrificium nostrum placatus intend, ut per vexillum sanctae Crucis ad conterendas potestates aereas, noi in securitate constituat. Again, r Potifotiu. Sarisburie. ibid. Adesto nobis, & quo sanctae Crucis laetari facis, honore eius quoque perpetuis defendas subsidijs. After these prayers, consider these praises. s Breviat. Roman. Tuam Crucem adoramus Domine; nos gloriari oportet in Cruse Domini: hoc signum erit in coelo cùm Dominus ad judicandum venerit. Again, t P●●●tif●●. ●arisburie. in miss. de Ofux. horrificum tue● semper signum inimicis, Crux sancta saevis. quam mors pavet, infernusque timet; quae Christo suos reconsignas. Again, u O Crux gloriosa; O Crux adoranda: O lignum praeciosum & admirabile signum: per quod & Diabolus victus est, & mundus Christi sanguine redemptus. Crux alma fulget, per quam salus reddita est mundo. Crux vincit, Crux 〈◊〉 Or●●●●pe●●●om●e c●i●●en. Ecce Crucem Domini, fugite partes adversae. As for the Hymns; Crux pellit omne crimen: fugiunt Crucem v Ibid. in fest. ex altat. w Prudent. in hymn. tenebra: tali dicata signo mens fluctuare nescit, with the like. and the homilies that are set forth upon these feasts for the honour of the Cross, although they contain much horrible blasphemy and Idolatry, yet must I omit them, contenting myself with this one Hymn, the x Missal. second. usu. Sarum. in fest exalta. Cruc. pride (as it seemeth) of all the rest. Laudes Crucis attollamus, Nos qui crucis exultamus Speliali gloria. Dulce melos pulsat coelos Dulce lignum, dulci dignum Credimus melodia. Voci vita non discordet Cum vox vitam non remordet Dulcis est symphonia. servi crucis crucem laudent, Qui per crucem sibi gaudent, Vitae dari munera. Dicant omnes, & dicant singuli, ave Salus communis populi Arbour Salutifera. O quam faelix quam preclara Fuit haec salutis ara Rubens Agni sanguine? Agnisine macula. Qui mundavit saecula Ab antiquo crimine. Haec est scala peccatorum Per quam Christus Rex coelorum Adse traxit omnia. Forma cuius hoc ostendit Quae terrarum comprehendit Quatuor confusia. Non sunt nova sacramenta Nec recenter est inventa Crucis haec religio. Ipsa dulcis aquas fecit Per quam silex aquas iecit Moysi officio. Nulla salus est in domo Nist Cruse munit homo Super liminaria Neque sensit gladium Nec amisit filium Quisquis egit talia. Ligna legens in Sarepta Spem salutis est adepta Pauper mulier cula. Sino lignis fidei Nec lecythus olei Valet nec farinula. In scriptures sub figuris Ista latent, sediam patent Crucis beneficia. Reges credunt hostes cedunt Sola Cruce Christo duce Hostis fugat millia. Ista suos fortiores Semper facit & victores Morbos sanat & languores Reprimit daemonia. Dat captivis libertatem Vitae confert novitatem Ad antiquam dignitatem Crux reducit omnia. O Crux signum trium phale Mundi vera salus vale Inter ligna nullum tale Frond, flore, germine. Medicina Christiana salva sanos, aegres sana Quod non valet vis humana Fit in tuo nomine. Insistences crucis laudi Consecrater Crucis audi Atque servos tuae Crucis Post hanc vitam verae lucis. Transfer ad palatia Quos tormento vis servire Fac tormenta non sentire Sed cùm dies erit ●re Nobis confer & largire Sempiterna gaudia. What is here less than Israells' Idolatry? Qui dicit ligno pater mens es, Et lapidi tu peperisti me? jer. 2.27. For that this is said to the cross and not to Christ crucified only, yea to the aereal sign of the cross, and not alone to the material, there are many manifest reasons. Upon these words of Prudentius his hymn [tali dicata signo mens fluctuare nescit] y Lib. expo. hymnor secund. usum Sarum. fol. 25. this is the commentary, mens confirmata signo sanctae Crucis nessit dubitare de fide & errare à conscientia intentionis virtuosa▪ upon these words formerly mentioned [Quae Christo suos reconsignas] z Ibid in exposit. sequentiar. fol. 34. this is the exposition, Crux reconsignat, id est marketh again, cui, sci. Cruci laus, id est honour, sit in awm, id est eternaliter. The Fathers and the papists, do they not apply the figure of the blood sprinkled on the posts, the wood that made the water sweet: the two sticks of the widow of Sarepta, even to the aerial sign of the cross? One of our a Lambert, Danaeus count Bellarmin. controuer. 7. l. 2. c. 29 writers, speaking of the aereal cross: etiam isti Cruci (saith he) Innocentius Sextus anno Dom. 1460. festum solemn instituit. And the homilies of these feasts entitle even the cross aereal to the honour of these solennities as one b Frederic. Nausea. centur. 2. homil. 92. in feriis. exalta. 5. cru. may show in steed of all: In whom this very sign is praised as signum vivificum cut in nostram salutem Christus mirabiles contulit virtutes & utilitates, and of which his will is that it should be tanto honoratius & gloriosius quanto crebrius efformaretur. One of our c Sam. Hars. in Declara. of weston. imposture. Cap. 20. Opposites referreth also a piece of the last hymn, morbos sanat & languores, deprimit damonia even to the aerial Cross. Consider all these premises and then think with thyself whether the stommakes of the people will ever be eased of these surfietes of the Crosses idolatrous sabbaths until there be a vomit given them to cast the sign of the Cross itself out of our Church? #Sect. 2. That the Cross mocketh the Lor. sabboth's, in darkening them: guiding the popish processions, and with whorish bravery, in the worship of God. SEcondly, the Cross mocketh the Lords sabbaths in that it darkeneth the light of them with a latin tongue unknown, sith this tongue holdeth his title by the title of the Cross, which set over the head of our Lord when he was crucified, is said to a Rhem. in johan. 19 sect. 1. Item in Annota. in 1. cor. 14. sect. 14 hollow it to his service. Thirdly, the Cross mocketh the Lord sabbaths in that he is become the guide of the popish processions, as one of them b Polider. virgil. de inventor. rer. l. 6. c. 11 writeth Modus iste. etc. This manner of supplication is brought in that being marshalleth in the order of a certain heavenly army we should joyfully triumph of the victory purchased in the Cross of Christ, for which cause it is that the Cross itself is borne before as a standard of Christ his warfare. The same writer detecteth the Crosses sabbaths breach herein, when he maketh little better of this procession then of an heathenish may-game, and a pompous Athenian sacrifice, not so acceptable as a simple and chaste offering of Lacedaemon. As for our c joh. Reynold confe. ca 8. diuis. 4. pa. 495. writers they draw the first original of it from the Grecians who bore their Idols in procession in like manner: and from the d C●lfh. art 7. fol. 138. D. Fulk. rejoin. art. 7. p 186. montanists and the Arrians who of Christians were the first that set it on foot. And our Matyrs they chose rather to die then to bare a cross or a taper in it, even as e Act. and monum 20 33. in his article. object. 7. Richard Gibson did, to omit others. Of the same kind is their creeping to the cross, like to the Sicilians f Io. Reyno. vb. Supra. creeping to Hercules, which offereth indignity more to man then any other Idolatry else, because it maketh him subject to a worse thing than a creature (which is the point whereby the g Cypri. contra Deme. trian. Lacta. lib. 2. institut. cap. 2. Father's use to amplify the Idolatry of the Heathens) and how subject? even by a beastlike fower-foot creeping, than which there is nothing more unworthy of him, who is created to look up when he worshippeth: as the ancient Christians did witness: Tertulli. Occulis ad Co●lum sublatis adoramus. Fourthly, the cross mocketh the Sabbath through out all the Churches of popery, in that it together with Images and other ornaments, bring in a certain whorish bravery into the service of God: the worship whereof they make to be l Andr. Willet. contro. 2. quest. 4. p. 1. Doct. Fulk. count Rhem. in 1. Tim. 4. sect. 1. Baeza in li. ●●nf●ss. de eccle. art. 1●. 19.20. Carnal: m Concil. Nie●●. 2. act. 1. Templi nulla ratio quod non ornatur Imagine, saith the Council of Nice. The protestant Church is like a barn (saith n Bellarmi. de effect. Sacramen. cap. 3●. Bellarmine, it hath only a pulpit ad Concionandum and a table to take the Sacrament, therefore there must be Crosses in it to draw men thither with delight for which end in o Durand. rational. lib. 1. c. de pictor. & ornamen▪ Eccles. other will have Ostrich eggs with the like rare sights to be hanged up in the Church likewise well and truly p Hospin▪ de re Temp. lib. a c. 1● one of our own: vera causa. etc. the true cause of this is, that the stupid people having their minds occupied in these external sights, should neglect Christ jesus, and his merit and his word. Indeed this was that which Satan aimed at from the first day that the Cross drew breath, therefore hath he from time to time set him out to the uttmost like a Virgin of Moab. q Evagri. lib 6. ca 21. Theodora confecrateth two Cross of pure gold to Saint Sergius Church at Antiohe. r Paul. Diacon lib. 16 Belifarius giveth a golden Cross of an hundred pound to saint Peter Church at Rome and the same adorned with most precious gems in qua suas victorias inscripserat. An other setteth up a Cross of gold in the Church of Mentz with this inscription s Beat. Rhenan lib. 2. rer. germa. Auri sexcentas habet haec crux aurea libras. Honorius at Rome setteth up a great Cross, adorned with pearl, so that it is said the Council of Aquisgrane did not well like it. St Ludovicus redeeming the piece of the Cross which Baldwin the Emperor had laid in mortgage to the Venetians t Genebra. Cronolog. lib 4. in ann. 1243. in Regio saecello Lutetiae condidit institutis ibi sacrorum ministris. What should I speak of the famous Churches that have been built throughout whole Christendom, as to the name, so to the honour of the Cross? For from the mother which is the Church de sancta Cruse at Jerusalem, standing in Rome adorned which no less than u Baleus in Honor. 3. great stations every year, to the least of the daughters, v On●phri. de station. urb. Rom. they are all enriched with the spoils of Christ jesus. It is observed in the church of Simon Stellites w Euagri. lib. 1. c. 14. Templi aedificium extructum est in mod in Crucis: are not other Churches built in the same form? If they be, there is an ambition in the Cross to be honoured in every Church, & with what honour one of his proctor's will plainly show us: In this position, x Detzesin● de indulge. Amand Polanus in orat. de scient. cruc. Crux rubra. etc. A red Cross set up in the midst of the Church with the Pope's arms according to the similitude of the Lords Cross, hath no less power to do away sins quam Crux ipsa domini nostri jesu Christi. The Cross so many ways Idolized must when it standeth in [an holy place] come within that general dooume [where is aught not] more than the people of an Idol, Mar. 13.14 when they stand only without the walls of a city that hath been holy. For are the people of an Idol abominable and not the Idol itself much more? or may not they be better permitted to stand in an holy place than it be suffered in an holy worship? #Sect. 3. That the Cross corrupteth the simplicity of the Sabbath. But if the popish Sabbath breach be not a sufficient guilt to condemn the Cross, we have further cuidence of home pollution, for that even amongst ourselves he both corrupteth the simplicity, & hindereth the sanctity of this day. Touching the former, the Cross being not found in the Leiturgies of the primative Church, it ought not to appear in ours; no more than the surplice ought of which thus one; a Bucer. in Censur ca 2. pag 458. Consentaneum est. etc. It is meet that we should aspire as in all outwards things, so in the attire of the Minister unto the simplicity of Christ our Saviour, & of his Apostles. when jewel, Bullinger, Mornaeus and the rest of our writers cite the Leiturgies of the first Churches as justinus & Irenaeus do describe them to exclude the ceremonies of the Mass, dispute they not upon this ground: the simplicity of the first Church is a pattern for us to follow? The purer Church of those whom we term sub una in Boheme, bear the torch (as it were) before us in this duty: b David. Chytreus in oration. prelect. Cronic. an●. 1569. Pontificios ritus. etc. They have altogether hissed out all popish rites, either as impious of themselves, or otherwise unprofitable to edification, & to the discipline of true piety: and have recalled omnes Ceremonias, even all their ceremonies; to the gravity and to the simplicity of the first Apostolical Church. Ascend we upward and we find the like doctrine: c Gregor. Nazians. ad Gregor. Nissen. orat. 3. Sanctorum patr●m constitutiones qui proximiores fuerunt Christo agnoscamus. Come we downward and we meet (again) with the like doctrine: d Act. and monu. pa. 1494. Those orders be most pure that come most nigh to the ensample of the primative Church, saith Saunders holy Martyr; when we are come quite down we find the same doctrine: Those times be purest (saith one e Andre. Willet. controner 2. quest. 4. of our writers) that be nearest to Christ and to the Apostles, as the waters be clearest that be nearest the fountain. yea, when we are come home to the cross itself we find the like doctrine. f Philip Motnae. de Euchari. lib. 1. cap. 6. pag. 50. Dispute we not against the Papists: the Cross was not used in the Lord's Supper, in the primative times of the Church as appeareth by Dionysius Areopagita, who amongst so many Ceremonies which he rehearseth, maketh no mentioned of the sign of the Cross? It is here replied that the Cross was an Ecclesiastical and a sabboth's rite before Tertullian. for in his book de praescriptionibus which is one of his first works, among other ancient rites of the Christians (which Satan imitated) he reckoneth the sign of the Cross for one, in these words: g Tertul de prescript. signat & illic in front milites suos. First, we are made believe h Genebr. lib. 3. in anno 220. by some, that this book was one of the last he wrote for a testimony of his return from Montanisme. l Caesat. Baron. Annal. in hi●tor eius. Others tell us it was one of the first he wrote before Montanus had infected him; Neither of which conjectures is probable, because in this very place cited, he approveth the monogamy of Montamus. which beareth witness unto us, who hold the Cross came into the Sabbath by Montanus and grew to credit with the rest of his inventions. Let it be [then] the sign of the Cross which Satan doth imitate in the words of Tertullian. so in these words of Tertullian he doth imitate the monogamy which is no ancienter than Montanus. Secondly, why should it be the sign of the Cross that here is imitated, or not rather some jewish ceremony, seeing the conclusion of the whole treatise is this: that Satan doth imitate morositatem judeae. he maketh mention of a summus pontifex; which, was it not the high Priest of the jews? the devil in Mytraes' bread doth imitate panis oblationum, that is the bread of proposition. For Mytraes' bread is more ancient than the bread of the Supper. Will our Opposites say that though the bread of Mytrae be more ancient than the bread of the Supper, yet that Tertul doth say that Satan doth imitate it: then we say on the other side, that this place proveth not any ancientness in the Cross, because Tertullian may refer it to some ceremony of the pagans which was ancienter than itself. What then? we cannot read of any Idolatrours' sign in the forehead, unless it be the foreheads garlands, which may be said to imitate the oil in the Forehead or the priests petalum, as m Rhenan. ibid. in aedit. Basil. 2528. Rhenaenus in his first notes seemeth to insinuate. Thirdly, Tertullian saith, it is Satan that imitateth Morositatem judeae in her rites. is Rome better than jerusalem, that we may imitate her morosity in her ceremonies, and yet be led by a good spirit? frons cum signo Dei pura (saith Cyprian) diabolt cotonam far not potuit. no more will the water in Baptism abide the Cross. which being an heretical and Idolatrous rite of the forehead, it is as bad as a pagan garland about the forehead, else is Tertullian much deceived who in the very place affirmeth: Non distat Haeresis ab Idololatria. #Sect. 4. That the sign of the Cross defileth the sanctity of the Sabbath. SEcondly, Sect 4. Exod. 31.17 1. cor. 10.17 the sign of the Cross defileth the Sanctity of the Sabbath both in the general end thereof and also in the special worships which it performeth. The general durie of the Sabbath is, to be a mark of outward difference between the Church and a Andr. Willer. Controve. 9 quest. 5. p. 1. p. 4●●. other religions. This doth appear by the change of the Sabbtoh day itself. For did not the Apostles change it from the last day of the week to the first, to make difference and distinction between the Christians and the jews, even as b Bellarmi. de effect. Sacramen. cap. 31. jacob. Ledesin. de di vin. etc. ca 24. Thomas Morton. Apolog. p. 2. li. 1. c. 43 Ignarius in epist. ad Philadelp●● Decret. p. 1 disti. 30. c. 7 Decret. p. 1. distinct. 30 cap. 17. Augustin. epist. 86. Decret. pa. 2. caus. 26. q. 7. ca 6. Epiphan. heres. 42. Caesar Baron. Annal in an. 146. Idem in ann. 102. Concil. Eliber. ca 26. Ignar. Epist. 1. Concil. Nicen. 1. in Concilior. tom. 1. pa. 352. Can. Apostol. 8. Concil. Carthag. 4 can. 89. Carol. Bovius in Cl●ment. li. 5. cap. 8. Epiphan. haeres. August. haeres. Nicephor. li. 8. ca 1●. Concil. Laodicens'. Can. 29. Clement. constitue; lib. 7. ca 24 34. August. n 1 Epist. 86. Carol. Bovius in Clement. ibid. Tripartit. histor. lib. 6. ca 4●. Bellarmine himself doth tell us, the jews did fast on that day in contempt of it. And when the Manichees fasted upon this day, saith a jesuite (howbeit falsely, for the Manichees sprang up long after) but when the jews in deed fasted upon this day: the Christians, to be unlike unto them, appointed the contrary: Nefas est Sabbato ieiunare, as speaketh Tertullian. And that it were the jews which the Church herein avoided: it is plain, first by Ignatius words which allude to them: jeiunare in Sabbato, est Christum occidere: and then by the reason of after times, which bendeth themselves in this custom against all jewish contempt of this day. afterward the Manichees fasted upon it: and now to avoid all likeness with them, Qui ieiunaverit die Dominica sicut Manichaei, anathema sit. So Augustine affirmeth, that since the time that the Manichees appointed that day for fasting, it is a fearful and an horrible thing for the Christians to fast like them upon it. This conformity was the more horrible, the more earnest a man was in it: (as men now are eager in Cross, and Surplice) in like manner to conform with papists, Qui Dominico die studiose ieiunat, non creditur esse Catholicus. The like care had the primitive Church to avoid the Saturdays fast, because it did conform with Martion, Qui Sabbato ieiunavit in odium Dei Creatoris omnium. Before this fast of Martions, the Christians of the West did use to fast upon the Saturday: after he once arose, this fast was forbidden to a lay man upon pain of excommunication; to a Cleric upon pain of deposition by the sixtiefifth Canon of the Apostles, which was not devised till now, even in the judgement of Baronius. If they left an ancient fast, when once heretics did abuse it, should not we leave an ancient Cross, now the papists do abuse it? The like care we see taken, to avoid likeness with the jews in the celebration of their Passcover, or any other of their festivities. This being found in one of the Epistles of Ignatius, Si quis cum judaeis celebrat Pascha, aut Symbola festivitatis eorum recipit▪ particeps est eorum qui Dominum occiderunt, & Apostolos eius. The Council of Nice did after appoint a divers day upon this reason: There ought nothing to be common between the jews and the Christians. The Canons of the Apostles of Christ excommunicated him, that folemnized his Easter upon the fourteenth day of the month like to the jews. and so do the councils. A contrary day to make unlike unto the jews was thought to be fit and convenient by all. In so much that the Audaeani and Quartadecimani were censured for heretics, that did concur in the same day with them. When certain Countries in the East did the like, how did Constantine take on against them? Further yet: Do the jews rest on a Saturday? The Christian that doth the like, is excommunicate he may on the Saturday meditate; there may be an Assembly upon that day, but he that resteth upon that day judaizeth, and is not to be suffered. We read amongst julians' policies for the subversion of Christianity, this to be one: that he set on the jews to set up their Temple and the Sabbath service thereof, partly to disgrace the Christian service, which used not that outward splendencie in their ceremonies to please the eye; and partly to grace the Ethnic worship which concorded with the jewish in sacrificing and in diverse other rites. I add this to the former, that by the comparison of contrariety, it may the better appear unto us how necessary a duty it is to make our Sabbath a distinction between ourselves and the panistes: let our sabbaths, our feasts, and the rites and ceremonies of them be different, and we trace the steps of the primitive Church, and keep our faith in purity, let them be like, and then we disgrace our Sister Churches that are reform, but grace the Antichristian Synagogue with whom we choose to concur, then to concord with them. As if a Cross or a Surplice (say our Opposites) were such matters of importance to breed concordance or concurrence? Who must consider that we do concur with papists in holiday “ Tertul. in Apolog. cap. 21. and in feasts themselves, in singing & chanting and in church Music, in Copes, in Caps, in fasts, and I know not how many things beside. But speak we of the Cross alone and of the Surplice. a Concil. Laodicon. Can 37. Concil. Meldens'. cap. 73. Neque de victus exceptionibus, neque de solemnitatibus, dierum neque de signaculo corporis cum judaeis agimus. It should seem by this that signaculum corporis (such as the sign of the Cross is) when it is like to that which jews and heretics use, doth breed an unlawful conformity between us, aswell as the same solemnitas dierum and the same Sabbath doth. b Theodor. histor. li. 3. cap. 16. Non oportet à judaeis vel haereticis ea qu mitruntur muncra festina suscipere, nec cum ijs festa celebrare, nec à judaeis Azyma suscipere, & communicare in pietatibus ipsorum. It seemeth by this, that as we may not solemnize the same sabbaths & feasts with papists, that so we may not use any rite of their sabboth's or feasts, whereas we know the Sabboth-service of the papists hath not any ceremonies more regardable than those which our church retaineth. Even one drop of heathenish holy water seemeth intolerable to Valentinian when it lighteth on his cloak, and that in the church porch. what would he have said to the Image of Mercury translated out of julian's Labarum into the service of the Sabbath and lighting on the forehead itself the seat of profession? He that cometh to a Sacrament (saith c August. epist. 73. Augustine) with an heathenish ear-ring, such as the Gentiles superstitiously use in the service of their Gods, cometh to the Lords table with a badge of the devil. But the sign of the Cross being an Idol itself of the papists and not only an appurtenace thereof, is it not a badge of the devil more lively and more sinful? especially seeing it doth not hang in his ear that cometh to our Sacrament and Sabbath service, but is soldered (in a manner) into the very forehead of the Sacrament itself? When certain observed like dancings d August. de Tempore. 215. ante basilicas sanctorum, to them which the heathens did observe in their sabbaths and their feasts (he saith) they come Christians to Church, but go away pagans. The same is mentioned in an other place thus: e August. Epist. 11. si licebit (saith he) judaeis observare in Ecclesijs Christi quod exercuerunt in Synagogis Sathanae dicam quod sentio, non illi Christiani fient, sed nos judaeos facient. It is apparent by all this that if we keep not our sabbaths pure and holy from all the rites and ceremonies which the popish Synagogue used in her sabbaths, we defile our sabbaths and make them popish, and we ourselves participate with popery. Neither shall it avail to say, that the Cross and Surplice are but trifles & slight matters, for even one dead fly marreth all the ointment f Seneca. etiam capillus unus habet umbram suam. and the Germane g Conrade. Sch●ussel. lib. 1●. pag. 572. divines, who withstood the Adiaphorisme pleaded from the example of Marcus Arethusius: Ec●les. 10.1. tam est in peccato qui confert obolum, quam qui confert omnia. But, the Cross is none of the popish rites and ceremonies, it was used before popery. How can that be, seeing popery began to work even in the Apostles time? But O Marcellinus, dull of wit, and the rest of you Mittentes, yea Thurifieati, you could not tell how to excuse yourselves as we can excuse ourselves now. What is one grain of Franckeneense, sith it is but one? beside Franckencense is not an heathenish ceremony: for why, it was used in the Church of God long before ever Idolaters knew it. 2 Thes. 2.7. Therefore I will set a h Duran. de rit. lib. 1. ca 9 sect. 3 papist himself to pull that vizard from our faces: apud gentiles. etc. although Frankincense were not in use among the gentiles at the first as largely it is proved by Arnobius in his seventh book, yet after they began to sacrifice with Franckencense, the burning of Franckencense, became a certain token of sacrifying, so that they taught Christians did sacrifice though they did but with the top of their finger, take a little grain of Frankincense, and put it but into the Censor. What (then) though the cross was used before popery? I mean before popery grown up to the full, now that they coeperunt to use it in their Idolatry, g Tertul. in Apolog. cap. 16. it is become theirs: so that if we use it but with a little finger, it is certum inditium of fellowship with them, at the least in their credence. But this Sabboth-crosse of ours being not used eadem ratione maketh a difference sufficient by the plea of Tertullian excusing Christians because they do aequè diem solis laeticiae indulgere, yet they do it longè alia ratione quam religione solis. This instance is ab imparibus: the Sabbath is commanded one [die solis] the Cross is uncommanded. Therefore the Sunday is amongst the things in which h August. de Doct. Christian. lib 3 cap. 4 non usus rei, l Decret. p. 1. distin. 41. cap. 1. sed ratio only & libido utentis est in culpa: that which Thomas Aquinas calleth m Tho. Aquin. commentar. in Epist. jud. corruptio modi: whereas the very use itself of the Cross is evil, it being not necessary nor commanded, even as the papists themselves confess: n Alphons. de castr. in verb Imag. illa quae necessaria non sunt, etsi bona quantumlibet sint, saepè tamen tollenda aut prorsus abroganda sunt, propter mala quae inde oriri cognoscuntur. Augustine holdeth it sufficient, in necessary things (as in meats and in marriages) with the like, to differ from Heathens ratione utendi only. non aliud edendo (saith he) sed aliud sentiendo. because in these things o August. count Faust Manich. lib. 20. c. 23 long aliter ijs utitur, qui in alium finem refert, who in the Sabbath fast unnecessary, cannot endure a same day with the Manichees, although he knew the Christians might fast (longè diver saratione) from them. Our own p Andt. Willet. controvers. 9 quest. 5. pag. 1. pag. 429. Writers, do they not hold the popish holy days to be jewish? though q Bellarmi. de cult. Sanct. c. 10 Bellarme frameth many differences between the jewish [use] and theirs? #Sect. 5. That the Ceremonies, and the Cross in special, steal away true devotion from the hart, and are occasions of irreverence. FROM this general use of the Sabbath which the ceremonies do pervert, come we down to the general manner of Sabboth-worships, which in like manner they defile. For whereas it is a mere doctrine of hypocrisy taught by the a Bellarmin. de cult. sanct ca 10 proposit. 4 papists, that the internal act of the mind pertaineth not to the Sabbath duty, but the external only. And again, b Tollet instruct. lib. 4 cap. 24. Homo tenetur sub mortali ad sanctificandum Sabbatum sed non ad bene sanctificandum. the smatch hereof is so bred in the bones of our country, as that it will never out of the flesh, as long as so strong occasions of of it do remain. To speak but of the cross itself, is he not among those gestures of the papists which c Andre. Willet. controvers. 13. quest. 7. one calleth frivoulous and hypocritical? stealing away true devotion from the hart, and making men rest in the outward gestures of the body? Who prepareth himself to the worship of the Sabbath any other way (I speak of the Crosse-mongers amongst the vulgar and simple people) then by the crossing of his foread, when he entereth into the church, and when he kneeleth down in his seat? And as for the affection of the hart in the time of the Sabboth-worship, there is nothing that either sooner reviveth the fault that anciently taxed, d Arnob. count gent● lib. 2. dissoluti est pectoris in rebus serijs quaerere voluptatem: or reneweth the complaint anciently made, e Lactant. adeone Deorum religio nihil aliud est quam quod humanos sensus delectat? then the sight of the Cope, Cross and Surplice, and the hearing of the descant and the Organs in God's service? Even in the singing of a Psalm, f Bernar. meditat. ca 1● libido audiendi sonum magis quam sensum: g Hieron. in Ephes. 5. modulationes, magis quam verba: h August. lib. confess. cap. concentum magis quam sensum: through which the vox doth l Glos. decret. distin. 92. praedominari non votum, cordula non cor, is very sinful. But for this carnal delight in singing, must singing itself be quite removed, (as Hilarius thought m August. retractat. li. 2. cap. 1● once) and was censured as heretical? I answer: The singing of Psalms and the Water of Baptism do symbolise. The Descant and Organs, and a carnal delightful serving of God, are of the very same stamp, therefore the singing of Psalms, must not be abolished, though some abuse it because it is a thing l Ephes 5.19. Coloss. 3.16. commanded, when the n Hieron. in Ephes. 5. Theatralis musica must: and the o Hieron. Zanch. in Ephes. 5. Pet. Martyr. loc-commun. de music. Reforma. ecclesiastic Edward. 6. pag 43. jewel ar. 3 divis. 2. tun. etc. musica fracta of Cathedral churches. and light p Concil. colonians. pag 2. c. 12 Erasm. in 1. Cor 14. Harmon. Confess. in obserua. sect. 15. observat. 2. Hospin. de re templa. cap. de organ. playing on Organs, and the q Organs themselves Quibus fit ut ad Templum concurratur tanquam ad Theatrum. Lastly, there is wherein the ceremonies controversed defile and hinder the after duty of the sabbath, that rumination of the word especially, whereof the Bereans do give us ensample. For the appearance hereof set we down the Crosses pageants, which I take to be so many instruments of exsection, that have cut out the cudd from the people, that might chew the wholesome word which on the Sabbath they receive. The Deacon (forsooth) must be blest with a cross before the reading of the Gospel, because r Duran. de rit. lib 2. ca 23. sec. 3 Quomodo predicabunt, nisi mitt antur? Two s Sect. 8. tapers are carried before him when he goeth to the desk, to signify the illumination of mankind by the preaching of the Gospel; and with them a Censor of incense to signify the t Sect. 9.10. sweet savour of it wheresoever it is preached. This done, he ascendeth the u Sect 11. pulpit ut ab omnibus audiatur. juxta illud Esaiae, Super montem ascend tu qui Evangelizas' Zion. being there, he setteth his face towards the North w Sect. 14. ut ostend at verbum Dei, & annuntiationem spiritus sancti, contra eum dirigi qui semper spiritui sancto contrarius existit. Having thus placed himself on the stage, he saluteth the people, Dominus vobiscum, illud obseruans quod Dominus iusserat in quamcunque domum intraveritis, salutate. The people make answer (as men that have received their [cue] & cum spiritu tuo: then the Deacon x Sect. 15. he falleth to crossing himself in the forehead, ut cum Aposto lo non erubescat de Evangelio Christi, & in the breast, ne aliqua suggestio Diaboli eum impediat quin puro cord Evangelium Dei annuntiare valeat: and in the mouth, quia praedicamus (inquit Apostolus) jesum Christum, & hunc crucifixum: and then beginneth, sequentia sancti Evangelij. etc. The people hearing the Gospel named, cry out: Gloria tibi Domine, glorificantes Dominum quod ijs miserit verbum salutis, and so fall a y Sect 16. crossing, mouth, breast, and forehead, ut contra Diabulum se z Amalar. lib. 3. c. 18. muniant; & à a Alemin. de office ca de celebrat. Miss. malis cogitationibus corda sua emundent, ut ad intelligenda verba salutis pura permaneant: and as one singeth in verse thus. Neve b Hildebert. Cenoman. de myster. Miss. superveniens zizania seminet hostis Frontibus imprimitur mystica forma crucis. Add to this that the very making of the Cross in Baptism hath been commonly held to be c Duran. de nt. lib. 1. c. 19 sec. 12 praedicatio crucis. and what of this? This showeth the Origen of the common tenant of our Opposites: that reading is preaching of the Gospel. of the common error of the people, that a bodily presence at a lesson or a Gospel sanctified with the sign of the cross, is hearing sufficient and learning enough▪ which, though it be an notorious Sabboth-breach, yet are they hardened to this hour in it, by the same pulpit where the Gospel is read: by the same attire wherein by the same gesture of standing up, by the same answers which they used of old: yea by their cross in the forehead too: which none will reprove, or leave, all while they see the cross countenanced by our use thereof in Baptism. And whereas the papists set up the Mass for a proper work of the d Catechis. Trident ad Parocho▪ pag 649. Eccles. 4.17. Sabbath, whence the error is grown that it is sufficient to afford a bodily presence in a fools sacrifice; I mean an ignorant seeing and praying: the ceremonies in present controversy can not be cleared from occasion of like Sabbath breaking now as the even itself doth witness, sith in the churches in which are preachers that do disuse them, the Sabbath is spiritually kept & with great holiness; but in most churches where Curates use them both e Bucer. in Censur. ca 7. pag. 466 1 Cor. 11.17. sacra ipsa perturbatè leviter & praecipitanter recitantur, and the people unprepared by their Levites to Sabboth-worship, non plus ea quae leguntur intelligunt, quam si lingua recitarentur Turcita aut Indica. Now because in this manner men come to Church [to their own hurt] so that qui ingreditur ad placandum, f Saluian. de provident. lib. 3. egreditur ad exacerbandum, these aught to be present order taken for means of better reverence. Amongst these none like to the vision that awaked jacob unto reverence; or to the sounding of Aaron's bells which stirred up reverence in the people, when he entered into the sanctuary, I mean the preaching of the word and the sounding of the Gospel which these ceremonies have laid waste: But reverence is procured not only by this, but also by outward signs and rites. which I acknowledge out of g Thom. Aquin 2.2. quest. 84. art. 3. ad 3. Aquinas, the people must be stirred to reverence in the Church per illa sanctitatis signa quae ibi conspiciuntur. But (alas) what are these but dead, when the preaching of the word wanteth which is the life and the light of them? If they were available, what is that to the ceremonies controversed which are not such? First, they are themselves parts of irreverence. For as rudeness of habit and gesture are parts of irreverence offending a King (witness the Emperor h Caro Sigon. de occidental imperio. Valentinian, who grew to such collar by reason of the base apparel and rude gesture of the Legates of Sarmatia as cost him his life) so the habit and apparel of an Idol (as the Surplice is) and the gesture idolatrous (as the Cross is) can not but through an odious irreverence offend the holy one of Israel. secondly, they are occasions of irreverence in regard of the Minister: none must be put to 2 1. Cor. 11.22. shame in the Church, the man of God be least of all made either an hatred 3 Hos. 9.8. or offence in the house of his God. Whereas these ceremonies are shameful to him by so much more, and are by so much the more hateful than a fools coat, by how much Idolatry (the chiefest and most odious sin) is worse than folly which is a judgement from the Lord. It being so, these ceremonies punish a Preacher worse for his reverent and holy attendance on God's service, than the l Cuspini. lib. de origin. & relig Ture. Cauda vulpina ad collum sispensa doth punish the Turk, when for his neglegence or irreverence in Mahomet's service, he is led up and down the City, in this fools attire to shame him. Thrdly, these ceremonies are occasions of irreverence for that they give a beck to popery which is as bad as mus●itare or nutus facere in the Church, fore the suppressing where of in ancient times there was a Deacon m Clemens. constitut. Aposto. li 8. cap. 11. sert to walk up and down the Church to find them out and punish them. What Chrysostome once spoke against the love signs, which some in the Church did make one to another: n Chrisost. in Math. 23 homil. 74. pro stibulum tibi videtur Ecclesia & foro ignobilior? that may be applied to these ceremonies. no modest man will so much as in foro wear the colours of an whore or make show open of her love-tokens towards him, where as these (alas) bring into the Church the badges of Antichrist: and the love-tokens of former adultery which are polluted by him. #Sect. 6. That the ceremonies controversed, not only defile but hinder the worship of the Sabbath. FRom the manner of Sabbath worship defiled, come we to the matter of it: not only defiled by these ceremonies controversed but also hindered. a Walafrid. Strab. de reb. Ecclesiast. c. 24. Boniface the Martyr can not think a Sabbath well sanctified with golden Chalices, if the Preachers be wooden and therefore wisheth for the golden Preachers that were in the Church when the Chalices and Cups were wooden. The ceremonies in present strife have drawn their patrons (as it seemeth) to a contrary strain. better to have these golden ceremonies (say they in themselves) to adorn the Sabboth-worship, then golden preaching, whereupon they exchange (not like Glaucus' gold for brass) but like the people of Boniface his age, golden preaching for wooden ceremonies: or at the least for a wooden kind of preaching. For to supply the want of Preachers: which the ceremonies have brought upon us, they set up the reading of homilies, which they dubb with the name of preaching, yea which they hold a preaching sufficient for the sanctifying and for the saving of the Church. But (alas) an homily is too lean a sacrifice for a Sabbath▪ reading being the weekly lamb which every day we are to offer. there is in the Sabboth-day. required a 4 Numb. 28 9 Cant. 1.7. special one over and above which is the hearing of the word preached. An homily is also too lean a feeding for the Sabbath: a fatter pasture in the tents of the shepherds hath the Lord for his kids provided, to wit, a right and discreet cutting of the word. 2 Tim. 2.15 whereas an homily showeth a loaf but doth not divide it, yea showeth a b Gualt in Luc. homil. 76. Medicine, but doth not apply it to the sore. and a ministery of the spirit whereas the homily is but a dead letter. What wanteth in it (say our Opposites?) There wanteth in it the gift of the spirit which is given for edification there wanteth in it the art of the husbandman which useth to make the Viniyard fat. 1 Cor. 12 there wanteth in it the heat of the Nurse that doth digest and concockt the milk to make it sweet. there wanteth in it the opening of the book, without which it is but shut. there wanteth in it the dressing of the meat which giveth it a powerful taste. there wanteth in it that interpreter which is one amongst a thousand, and without whose guidance none understandeth there wanteth in it that ordinance of God which only bringeth the blessing with it, through c B●cer in Censur. cap. 7. pag. 463. viva vox quae aedificat dante domino incrementum. to which we may add that out of Hierome: d Hieron. Paulino. 1 Epist. ●30. habet nescio quid latentis energiae viva vox & in aures discipuli de auctoris ore transfusa fortius sonat. But the people that have homilies may be glad: better homilies than nothingh: and many there are which want them for their spiritual comfort. Just as once Macarius told Anthony coming to him in the extremity of his thirst for want of water: e Tripartit. histo. lib. 8. cap. 2. Vmbratibisufficiat, saith he, multi namque nunciter agentium aut navigantium etiam hac relevatione privantur. Now I know not whether it were not better for the people of this land, that may repair to preaching elsewhere as the Sunamite did on every Sabbath and new Moon: if they wanted this shadow of preaching by an homily in their parishes at home. because than they would know their want, and the famine of the word in which they are: and run to and fro to increase knowledge: and go forth with their kids to the tents of the shepherds, whereas now this shadow maketh them hope they are well enough already, and the Church Governors would for shame provide golden preaching indeed if this wooden shadow of preaching did not shroud them. Is not golden preaching the water which the empty thirsteth after? or this water, may it not be had? For the state of our Church is glorious (say our Opposites,) the state of our Church will be glorious (say we) and many golden preachers would enter, if the bar of subscription and the clog of ceremonies were (like unto the stone of the sepulchre) rolled away. It was hard with the people of Israel, after their return from Babylon, they had but a little stone (some f Genebrard lib. 2. in anno mundi. 3640. 3. fingers high) with a Censor on the top of it, instead of the glorious Ark whence before the Lord did teach them. and in place of the Oracle by urim and Thummim which never failed them that sought counsel of the Lord, they were only taught per Bathkol, which was a little slender voice sounding in the ears of the assembly met together once at the hundreths end. Now what should I say? that the state is very like of those places which have homilies for to teach them in steed of preaching. Oh therefore that the Lord would in his goodness once awake to restore us our Ark again & our Oracle, & our urim and our Thummim: and to that end remove these ceremonies, as one exhorteth (speaking of the Surplice) g Bucer. Censur. ca 2. pa. 458. Doctores si desint idonei. etc. If there want fit Preachers, both the using & the removing of these popish garments will be hurtful and they make themselves guilty of an outrageous injury against the blood of the son of God, & will pull down the wrath of God unsufferable upon the whole Kingdom, by whose means it shall stand that before all things there be not caretaken, that as Christ our Lord both in word & deed hath taught there be appointed able Preachers to all Baptized in his name, to teach them to observe whatsoever he hath commanded, Mat. 10. & vlt. joh. 10. & vlt. #Sect. 7. The Ceremonies hinder the preaching of the Sabbath, both in part and in whole. SEcondly, as the ceremonies controversed transform the peaching of the Sabbath into reading after this manner aforesaid, so also they hinder it both in part and in whole▪ In part, they straighten it by a long Liturgy touching which (lest I be mistaken) we premise these two provisoes and premunitions for ourselves; First, we are no Brownistes, we condemn not a Liturgy, but like well enough of that a Concil. Laodien. Can. 59 Council that forbadd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the service of God, and those forms of service which are not antea b Council Carthag. 3. can. 23. probata in Concilio, vel cum prudentioribus collata, c Concil. Milenitan. can 12. African. can 17. Microlog. de Ecclesiast. cap. 5. ne forte aliquid contra fidem vel per ignorantiam vel per minus studium sit compositum. Charles the great d Ansegif. in legib. Franc. constituit ut omnia missalia viderentur, & quae ab Ecclesia probata non essent, reijcerentur, e Walafrid. Strab. de reb. Ecclesiasti. c. 22. Gelasius and f Idem & Microlog. c. 24.31. Gregory are said politius limasse & in ordinem redigisse. the Leiturgies that were before them. Augustine approved this industry who lived in the time of the aforesaid g Philip. Mornae. de Eucharist. lib. 1. cap. 6. pag. 44. Council of Malta. Did not h Io. Calui. in Epist. Mr Caluin advertise the Bishops of King Edward that they were to limare politius the communion book? What have been our seeking from time to time, arazing of the communion book? no, but a purging and a filing of it, after the pattern of that care which the former examples set us. Secondly, we condemn them who out of a profane mind, & out of a loathing of holy things distaste the length of a Liturgy, which savoureth not only of that short service, for which Roger l Act. and mon. in vit Henric. 1. B. of Sarum was once preferred (to wit) because he whipped up the whole Mass before the King, and the rest of the hearers hath thought he would have been half way over: but also of that blasphemous Atheism of john the 23. Pope, who loathing the length of morning service was wont to say to the Deacon that helpeth him, m Andre. Hiper. de stud. sacr. pag. 155. deligamus in libre horario, precationes matutinas breviores, de memoria alicuius divi in nomine centum diabolorum. What then? the length of a Liturgy we mislike, when through an unnecessary tediousness it wearieth the people before the Sermon beginneth, in which if our adversaries cross us they are more opposite than some papists: who mislike the men that n Durant. rationali. lib. 4. c. 15. Petr. Alliac. de reforma. Ecclesi. c. 3. extra modum & ordinem orationes multiplicant: unde auditores sibi ingratos efficiunt & populum Dei potius, faslidio avertunt quam alliciunt: & even so to the contrary, ut non tam onerosa prolixitas quam devota brevitas servetur. We mislike also the length of a Liturgy which cloyeth the Minister prolixitate & multitudine precationum quotidie recitandarum and which must not be omitted for study to preach, or be shortened to have time for preaching. The former joineth against our own Law, which permitteth to a student of Divinity which doth preach the omission of the weekdays prayer. which that axiom of the papists o Durant. de rit. lib. 3 c. 23. sect. 6 melius est exse orare quam studere & legere. and maledictum studium propter quod pretermittitur divinum officium: to which the patrons of the ceremonies lean to much. The second is against the old p Bucer. in Censur. pag 455. rubric of King Edward communion book: propter concionem ad populum. etc. For a Sermon or for some other just cause the Minister shall as he will himself, omit the Litany; the creed. etc. and it joineth with an other position of papists: q Duran. de rit. lib 3. ca 5. sect. 5 Diutnum officium clerici recitare debent perfectè, and nullus Minister r Concil. Toletan. 7. cap. 2. 1 Cor. 1.17. Act 6.4. vel sacerdos cum coeperit, imperfecta officia prasumat omnino relinquere. Now we find that even Baptism itself must be omitted rather than preaching should be hindered, that the attendance of the poor themselves must be left, that a Preacher may the better give himself to the word. So that we need not to speak of s Concil. Roman. sub Grego. 1. can. 1. decret distinct, 92. cap. 2 Gregory, who commandeth to give over singing for the study of preaching, or of t Philip. Mornae. de Eucharist. lib. 1. ca 4 Hierom that first cut short the lessons (when whole books were read in order before) that so there might be time for preaching. or of the Council that u Concil. Colonies. pag 2. c. 12 commandeth the Church-musicke be omitted rather than preaching should be straitened, which our w And. Wil let. contro. ●3. quest. 7 Harmon. confess. obserua sec 15 observat. 2 Divines approve. Know we not the length and multitude of Collects was first brought in, to fill up the x Lambert. Marty. vid. Whitak. count Dureum. li. 8. pa. 726. room of preaching? even as the 7. Canonical hours brought in by Pelagius, or by Sabinian, thrust out the reading of the y Cypr. de Valera. in vita. Sabin. Bible? so that a breviary is to be found in all the Cells of the papacy, which now is termed the Catholics book, where a Bible is not to be found, which they term the book of hereticques? #Sect. 8. That the Ceremonies controversed, hinder the word in whole. Moreover, these ceremonies controversed hinder the preaching of the word in whole, Sect. 8. whereof no marvel. For whereas they arose in barbarous times out of a want of preaching, either they see they must scant it still or lose their possession: for they know too well, a Sallust. in lugurth. Regna seruantur ijsdem modis, quibus parantur. Now their first hindrance is by their strife and burden, even as they who writ of the impediments that hinder from the ministery, writ down these two for special ones: b Andre. Hipper. de sacr. stud. non deserend. p. 152 A too rigid exaction of certain troublesome traditions: and the observation of certain unprofitable ceremonies, to which in many places they are tied which are set over charges. and then c Ibid. p. 140 An heat of differences & diversities in judgement about jurisdiction, about rites or ceremonies, or the like. It being so, the present ceremonies must be abolished, because d Ibid. fo. 23 Math. 9 vlt. occasions that deter from the ministery, must very carefully be weeded out: and all means possible brought in place that may thrust (I say thrust) into the Vineyard. e Tripartit histor. lib. 7. cap. 8. Valentinian rejoiced when he heard that Ambrose was made a Minister, whom he before had made a Praetor, and praised God for it. The like rejoicing spirit now to see many enter into the ministery of the word, if it were in all men, how would the Cross and Surplice be handled, the two Gilliadites that keep the passages of our Church to stay (if not stab) every able and worthy scholar that will not pronounce their Shibboleths, judg. 12.6. and dance roundly after the pipe of their subscription. Alas that ever such sworn servaunts to the man of sin, should be made porters of Christ his house. or that the keys should be committed unto them to open and shut, who cannot longer stay in office then whiles the keys of heavenly knowledge are taken from the people away. So Bucer, f Bucer. in Censur. ca 2. pag. 458 & de re vestiar. pag. 706. The Ceremonies and the preaching of the word do mutually, for the most part, expel one another. where knowledge prevaileth, through the preaching of the Gospel, there the love of them withereth, and where the love of these prevail, there knowledge decayeth. Who can express the good that one good Preacher is able to do (through God's blessing) for the spreading of his glory: for the building of Christ's kingdom; for the gathering of the Saints, and for the comforting of the called. On the other side, what loss is there even in one able preacher turned to some other course of life: and how irrecoverable? For it is a plague of all plagues, when Ministers want: a judgement of all judgements, when in the want of a Church already Satan is suffered to trump hindrances in their way, who are able to make supply. And seeing God (the only Father of a Prophet) enableth not without the means of long study and education when he sendeth any, 1 Sam. 12.10 and is provoked to send no more when those whom he hath fitted already, are spurned out, what hope is there now of our Church, 2 Cron. 36.15. when God's wrath is likely to kindle because his Messengers are refused: and when the contempt of his great grace rising early and sending to us, because he hath compassion on us and on his holy habitation amongst us, groweth up to so full a measure as that there seemeth to be no remedy. Now this abuse & refusing is committed in our Church by the subscription in the highest degree: which hath put thee (O England) to the loss of preachers, thou knowest not how many. O take up a lamentation ye that love Zion over the many that are gone over, some to Galen, some to justinian, some to Littleton, whom we might long since have seen in Moses chair, had not the subscription like the blade of a fiery Cherubin kept them out. And can we see the haps of the Sanctuary hanged on the Willows: the silver Trumpets of the Temple hanged up like Trophies on the Walls of these arts, and not curse the Cross and Surplice, by whose treason they are lost? Sure, sith the word preached is the tree of life, these Ceremonies in that they do hinder preaching, are as bad g And●. Hipper. de sacr. stud. non deserend. pag. 22. 23. as the serpent, and bring in all manner of evil into the world: error, wickedness, Atheism, Papisme, blindness, darkness, and an utter desolation of soul and body. He that doth h Digest. li. 47. tit 14. de abiges. abigere but alienum pecus invite domino, is held worthy of most sharp punishment. What indignation (then) from the Lord do these Ceremonies in justice deserve, that drive from his service many and many worthy Ministers, which he with long & much preparation had bred and brought up to his work. #Sect. 9 That the Ceremonies with their subscription, shut out good shepherds, suffers and foster byrelings, ignorance, plurality, and nonresidency. SEcondly, as the Ceremonies with their subscription hinder the preaching of the Sabbath by shutting out good Preachers, Sect. 9 so do they hinder it by opening the door to hirelings, idle and Idol shepherds, & by suffering, yea fostering of them when they are in. There are found in an old manuscript certain verses made in King a Petitio. Lollardorum. ad H. 5. manuscr. Henry the 5. his days, when he conjoined France and England. Rex ne curet mundi sonum Mundus vocat malum bonum Dicat Coeli vox de eo Regna juncta iunxit Deo. Tum vos tandem muti canes Puerorum Christi panes Quos voratos nunc tenetis Suffocati evometis. Tum qui verbo sunt Sodales Erunt etiam facto tales Nunc in Clero hi sunt oves Illi à Basane boves. Sunt Aselli, sunt & apri Pardi, Vulpes, Lupi, Capri, Romanostram in ruinam Hic egessit hanc sentinam. Christus dixit quodam loco Vos non sic: nec dixit ioco. Dixit suis; ergo isti Cuius sunt? non certe Christi. This happy purging of the Church now at the instant of a more happy conjunction of kingdoms then that of King Henry the fifth, what one thing hath hindered more than the unhappy and wretched ceremonies: loath to part company from this drove of their own country cattle, for that ever since they came forth of Rome together, they have enterchaunged mutual help for conjoining Antichristes kingdom. In consideration hereof we digest easily the doom of some who demand of us, why we bend not ourselves rather against the Idol & dumb ministery, b Bucer. 〈◊〉 re vestiar. pag. 706. which are the very sinews of Antichrist, which once if they were cut of, the Geremonies which are but shadows, must needs vanish of themselves. For it is not out of the ignorance of Attila his policy, c Carol. Sigon. de occidental. imperio: lib. 13. Contemnentes leaves Romanorun acies Alanos Gothosque invadite, his. n. tanquam neruis earum praesectis totum corpus ad terram collabatur necesse est, that we do this: but for that we see these Roman troops of the controversed ceremonies do so guard the strong Garrisons of the foresaid ministry in which the sinews of Antic. lie both on the right hand & on the left, that unless these be first quited the place, we cannot drive out the other. Therefore are they most obstinate enemies to the preaching of the Sabbath, sith even the armory of Rome itself, yieldeth weapons sufficient against this unworthy ministery. For what their Canon Law itself d Decret. p. 1. distinct. 49. ca 2. caecum animal offered, qui ordinat indoctum in loco docti, magistrumque facit, qui vix discipulns esse poterat. Claudum offert qui lucra terrena quaerentem locat, utpote pedem in diversa ponentem unum in divinis alterum in carnalibus cui potest inferri illud de libro Regum usquequo claudicatis in duas parts? Languidum offert qui vitiosum habet pro religioso, qui tardum & pigrum probat. Hath it not an whole e Ibid. disti. 48. ca 2. treatise against the admitting of raw Divines that want experience, that want knowledge: and doth it not compare them unto green timber which in the end layeth the whole building in the ground? Against pluralities it speaketh thus: f Decret. p. 2 cause 19 q. 3. ca 3. sed & hoc necessario instituendum diligimus, ut plures ecclesiae uno presbytero non committantur, quia solus per totas ecclesias officium non valet persoluere. and whereas there be diverse places that are not able to maintain a Pastor, it commandeth that such places be united to other parishes. Again, g Ibid. caus. 13 ca 1. Ecclesias singulas singulis presbyteris dedimus. again, h Ibid. caus. 16 q. 1. ca 38. satis incongruum est, si cum unum ex his praesui magnitudine diligenter quis non possit explere, ad utrunque iudicetur idoneus. Again, the church is the wife of the minister, and therefore in l Ibid. caus. 21 q. 3. c. 4. unaquaque ecclesia, unus praesbyter esse debet. if he have more churches than one, it is a polygamy. Lastly, m Decret. p. 1. distinct. 89. cap. 1. Nulli quantumlibet exercitatae personae duo simul officia committantur: singula ecclesiastici juris officia singulis quibusque personis singulatim committi jubemus. What their Popes? n Gregor li. 1 epist. 33 Gregory denieth the minister to be sent of God, or to be able to beget faith, that is not able to preach. ᵒ Damasus compared Nonresidentes that set others in their charges, unto harlots that put out their children to Nurse, that they may give themselves to lust. Clemens the fourth, having an Nephew that had three prebends, he took away two of them, affirming that he was resolved p Genebrad li 4 in ●n. 1271. acquiescere Deo non carni & sanguini. q Idem in an. 1363. Innocent the sixth could not abide Nonresidents, and compelled them to go home to their charges. Pius secundus hath these Apothegms, r Plarin. in Pio second indoctus Episcopus asino comparandus: corpora mali medici: animas imperiti Sacerdotes occidunt. What their Councils? s Io. Molan. Theolog. practic. tractat. 5. cap. 13. Quoniam Ecclesiasticus ordo pervertitur & avaritiae fomentum praebetur, cùm unus plurium sinitur occupare officia clericorum, salubriter post complures sacrosanctos Canon's à Synodo Tridentina cautum fuit, ut unicum singulis ministris beneficium conferatur. What their Cardinals? The choice t joh. Sleid. lib. 12. Cardinals that were selected by Paulus tertius, for reformation, were pictured by Luther with long fox tails sweeping up and down the house, and raising more dust than ridding: yet even these can freely cry out of the old ground; beneficia sunt incompatibilia, and protest a desolation to the Church, if pluralities were not redressed. What their Universities? when pluralities first arose, u Hipper. de sacr. stud. non deserend pa. 122. gravissimè de ijs disputatum est ut memorat qui historiam congessit inscriptione fasciculi temporum ciciter annum 1050. semper autem optimi quique definierunt nullo modo ferendum, ut quis diversarum Ecclesiarum proventus recipiat. w Io. Crisp. in an. 1056 The University of Paris was then of only account, which did condemn pluralities. Whereas x Genebrad cronolog. in an. 1237 Genebrard addeth, si unum sufficeret, he addeth it to salve the practise of his own tyme. what their Writers? That great y Parisiens'. de vitiis p. 4 ca 21. Parisiensis hath a great Treatise against pluralities, and he affirmeth amongst other things, that he that letteth out his benefice to an other, is like to a man that marrieth a wife, and then setteth some other man to beget issue for him. z Dominic. Asot. de justice. & iure li. 10. q. 3. art. 1, 2, 3. Dominicus Asoto condemneth plurality and Nonresicencie by the law of Nature, by the law of God, by Councils, and by Fathers. not omitting to cite that sentence out of Damasus, that was before alleged. Claudius' a Claud. Espehe. in Timoth. Espencaeus writeth, that they who serve God and his church by others not by themselves, shall be saved also by others and not in their own persons. It were too long to set down the speeches of other papists about this point: therefore I refer myself to their several treatises against Nonresidencie and Plurality especially these: Alphonsus de Castro de puniendis haereticis. lib. 3. cap. 3.4.5. Caranza de necessitute. Residenc. Ministrorum. Ruffinus in praxi beneficiortim, Pet. Alciac. de re sorne. cap 2. jacobus de Vitriac. histor. Occident. lib. 2. cap. 30. part 8. tit. de dispensat. ad plura beneficia. Duaren. de sacr. ministerijs. lib. 8. cap. 5. It is written of b Genebrar. lib. 4. in an. 1503. Georgius. Amboesius, although he were a Cardinal & a Legate of France, yet that he contented himself unico Rothomagensi Sacerdotio absque ullis Abbotijs, and is thus commended Vir antiqua virtute & fide, nondum conscientijs ad Sacerdotiorum poligamiam prostitutis. One of the papists poets (on the other side) taketh this boldness to himself against the ignorance and idleness and epicurism of the Clergy of his time, c Ma●cel. Palingen. lib. 9 proh pudor hos tolerare potest Ecclesia porces: dum taxat ventri, veneri, somnoque vacantes▪ But we live in the times of which d Aventin. annal Boiorum. praefac. aventinus (speaking of the negligence, ignorance, and riot of the Clergy) such is the misery of these times, that we may not speak that we think, nor think that we speak. Our e Hyper. de sacr. stud. non deseren. pa. 121. Writers heretofore could call these men the vomica & Carcinomata of the church, but now if we commend with Genebrard the conscience, that brooketh not a polygamy in benefices we are enemies to the church, if we speak like Palingenius against the riot of Nonresidents and Pluralities, we are held enemies to the Law. By this means there hasteneth apace upon the land what was long ago fore-prophecied: Some of you (quoth f Act and monu. histor cius. p. 1355. Mai. Roger's holy martyr) to his fellows in Newgate, shall live to see the Gospel again restored in this land. Commend me to my brethren then, and tell them from me, that if Mass-priestes and ignorant ministers be not displanted, and the congregations furnished with able Pastors, their end will be worse than ours. What? worse than theirs? then must it be more than lamentable. g Pars. in conversion of Engl. pa. 2 ca 12. sect. 37. Parson's recording this prophesy, saith, Rogers threatened this desolation, if his and Hoopers' plot t were not followed different from that of Cranmers and others. From this mouth have our brethren borrowed their exprobration, when they say all our stirring is to have our own plot; all our difference, because we cannot have what we will: but willing to have the removal of subscription and of ceremonies. For the removal of a dumb mininisterie, we shall (I trust) when God riseth to judgement, feel the less what we will not, the more that we will this now, according to his holy will. #Sect. 10. That the ceremonies controversed, hinder preaching, shutting out the Preachers, and putting the light under a bushel. THirdly, these ceremonies controversed hinder the preaching of the Sabbath, in that they lay waste the chair of Moses, & thrust out good preachers, for the thrusting in of which we are willed to pray & to do our best endeavours. It is written of the ancient destruction of Britain that this was the forrunner of it, a Beda histo gent. Anglor. lib. 1. cap. 14. Odiunin veritatis professores tanquam subversores, omnia tela & odiunin hos. It is written b Commentar. de stat. relig. in Gall. in Carol. 9 of the Massacre in France, that the forrunner of it was, a delight in a tickling & in a pleasing kind of preaching, joined with a loathing of those that preached simply, purely, powerfully & sharply against sin. It is written by one of our writers thus, c Hyper. de sacr. stud. non deserend. p. 243 when God doth mean to destroy a society or a commonwealth, he putteth out good & wise men, and suffereth ungodly & unwise men to prevail in the same, speaking of preachers disgraced or degraded. The application hereof unto our times I leave to the wise, let him consider whether in the putting out of preachers, the devil doth not now as of old bend himself against the pastors, d Cypri. lib. 〈◊〉 i 3. ut in gregen atrocius grassetur? If it be so, what evil did our church deserve of them who at the first set up subscription, to the putting down of preachers? For whom (I trust) there willbe one day renewed the law of Theodosius & Valentinian: e Theodoret. histor. lib. 4. ca 8. Nostrapotentia ubique edixit nequis persequatur, neque exagitet, neque irritet operarios Christi. This if any think may be done subscription remaining, he forgetteth how it hath been fleshed ever since the first years of Elizabethes' reign. Then fed the flocks quietly every one in his place, when it came into the heart of the ceremonies not well purged from their ancient Roman pride, to advance themselves over the preachers of the land, to try their power upon them. Here, when some Mordecayes could not bow nor find quiet in their conscience to honour such Agagites, they got them horns wherewith they pushed towards the East and towards the South, and thrust with side and shoulder, till many worthy Pastors were strooken, and great flocks scared. This was (in comparison) the prima labes of our Church. which the less it was regarded at the beginning, the more it got strength according to that Axiom of f August confess. lib. 9 cap 8. Augustine's, Qui modica contemnit, paulatim decidit. which while a g Concil. Toletan. 8. ●an. 9 Council repeateth, it putteth in [minima] in steed of [modica] qui minimo despicit, paulatim decidit: that which another Council enlargeth even unto the danger of very great evil in the end, h Concil. Ma●scolnens. circa temp. Pela. ●. can. 1●. Solent & minima paulatim despect in malum magnum trahere The ceremonies are trifles & small matters (men say) but we see with our eyes they do great hurt. What say I, they do now that they are grown to strength? when they were but newly borne, their hurt was not little. They said to the Sun, shine not; and to the stars withdraw your light, and did prevail. They called for a bushel to measure forth into the Preachers what they should preach, Math. 5.15. and to stint them in their zeal, & it was done accordingly. The light of the Gospel being hereupon clapped underneath a bushel indeed, so that the people did eat their bread by weight and measure. It began also to be put underneath a bed, Isay. 56.11. because captived to their bedsides, who slept stretched upon their beds, and delighted in sleeping. From this time downward, men rarely sanctify themselves to be Levites: the Aaron's sanctified enter into the Congregations, and their bells sound not. Chrisostome is thrust out, and Arsatius (proh l Nycephor. histor. lib. 13. ca 28. pudor quis cui) succeed him. Homilies stand up in empty pulpins Church-governors delight to enhance their credit by being terrible upon their brethren. Finally, jordan is turned backward, and every thing groweth out of course. Who hath not seen this with his eyes, and sorrowed even through the cloud of those mists which have been cast to cover it? #Sect. 11. An answer to there proche of the Opposites, which is, that these who stand for Discipline, are unlearned. NOw the first fog is, that they who stand for the Discipline & the reforming of the Church, are men of no worth. There is not one learned man amongst them: It is pity a church should be troubled with them. First, this cannot be objected without that suspicion, a Hieron. count Hel●id. arbitror te veritate convictum ad maledicta converti. we are asses and fools and not one learned man amongst us: which is indeed the ancient hissing of the serpent which gave forth in like manner, the Christians are no b Genebrad chron. li. 3. in an. 406. scholars, they have no learning in them: which constrained Hierome to write that book of his de viris Illustribus. What is this also but the new language of Stapleton against D. whitaker's, whom he calleth an Ass, a clown, and a fool? which our c Hireon ut slip. Writers censure as inhuman and barbarous, and fit for women ( d And Wilter. t●rras●●lon. p. 1. pa. 22.23. as Hierome speaketh) then for scholars: especially when the adversary is known able to make his part good against such railers, as the churches of the Discipline have ever been and will be able against all bishops in the world. Allen and Champion give forth great words of the learning of their side, debasing us as having no learning at all amongst us. This comparison would rather beseem boys in the schools, then Divines in the church (saith one e D. Bills. p. 1 pag. 5. of our Opposites) and this vaunting of learning is fit for phariseiss, unfit for Christians. Harding objecteth to jewel, that he & his side are men of no learning. he f jewel. in epist. ad Harding. replieth (as we do now) take from us what learning you list, we plead for truth and not for learning: He is over well learned that bendeth his learning against God. Secondly, this cannot be objected without pride intolerable, in men whom knowledge hath puffed up▪ even as one of our Opposites proveth out of Solomon, g D. Bills. vb. sup. let another man praise thee, & not thine own mouth what that this pride is as the same most truly affirmeth: the very just reward of error. what that it serveth for nothing but to raise irrision in all foreign protestant churches which are without the reach of that perch whereon we clap our wings & crow without controlment? what that it debaseth all foreign churches; for they being all of our opinion, we may here reply with Hieron: h Hieron. count Vigilant. si omnes tecum fatui sunt; sapiens quis esse poterit? Howbeit the hurt of the church is the worst. for what will this conceit of learning but overthrow all in the end? as the beginnings shrewdly threaten which are these: l Amand Polan. in Dan 9 ●er. 20. Doctrinam recte traditam ab antecessoribus. etc. The doctrine that hath been well delivered by our predecessors (he meaneth Caluin and Beza) they carp & cavil at, by their censures, and make it suspected, always seeking the truth but never finding it they travill with newefound doctrines▪ as if they were with child loathing the old and ancient doctrine which they have learned. who swell with so great a conceit of learning as that they think they are the only men that are wise: and that other wander like shadows in comparison of them, to whom no man is learned enough, whom no man satisfieth, that they themselves might be esteemed most learned. who seek not Disciples unto Christ but to themselves. Hence is it that so many scifines, so many heresies have invaded the Church: whereby (as it were with a weighty burden) she is oppressed. Some hath rather be Lutherans then Christians, they that would seem to be the chief prelate's of evangelical Religion what books set they forth and print? what broach they? the purposes and projects of these men, the more grateful they are to Epicures & to the enemies of piety, so much the more bitter and the more grievous be they to good men: as they move laughter to them; so what can they wring from these but sobs and sigh? Thirdly, minus est malum (as m August. count Academic. li. 3 cap. 8. Augustine saith) esse indoctum quam indocilem as our Opposites are unteachable. whereas of us it may be well & truly said, we have learning enough, who have learned the truth. Now as long as we match our Opposites in the knowledge of the word, the vaunt of other learning is but the vaunt of a Gnosticke whose deep learning is but the dept of Satan. Apoc. 2.24. This I speak not against secular learning unless it swerver from the wholesome word as doth the learning of our Opposites in the controversies that are between us. Hence it cometh that their learning is like n Decret. p. 1. distinct. 37. ca 7. honey, very sweet and pleasing, but unholy for a sacrifice. their knowledge like the o August. quaest evan gelic. lib. 2. cap. 33. jansenius concor. evang. c. 94. husks of pescodes, sweetish in the mouth but swelling in the stomach and not having power to feed like the bread that is in the father's house, their acutnes in reasoning (last of all) like the p Decret. quo sup. Cyniphes of Egypt, their pomp of words like the Frogs of Egypt, which serve for nought but to sting the minds and to trouble the cares of men. Famous r Zozomen. hist. lib. 7. cap. 6. Eunomies for eloquence, learning, and for sharpness in disputing is against the Orthodox, and they have not any one amongst them all but is afraid of him. what is this to the cause? so s Theodor. histor li. 5. cap. 34. many good, great, and learned men are against Chrisostome, as that Theodores standeth amazed, and sinketh under the credit of them when he cometh to write his story: was chrysostom therefore in the wrong, his enemies in the right? But the puritans have been ever overcome. t August. Epist. 174. Augustine's Apology (in the very same reproach) shall serve our turn, facile est ut quisque Augustinum vincat. videris vetrum veritate an clamore, non est meum dicere: nisi quia facile est ut quisque Augustinum vincat. quanto magis ut vicisse videatur, aut etsi non videatur, vicisse dicatur, facile est? noli miendore q●om●do vincatur Augustinus qualiscunque unus homo, sed attend potius utrum vinci potest Veritas, non bonum hominis est hominem vincere, sed bonum est homini ut cum veritas vi●cat volentem, qui● malum est homini ut cum veritas vincat inuttam. na●t ipsa vincat necesse est: five negamen five confitentem. Fourthly, what though we be not so learned? the more●● are we for the Churches & Congregations of the land which must have precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little, thut which great learning will scorn to do. As there be charges one under an other, so there be vessels one under another in the lords house (saith u Hyper. de sacr. stud. non desere. pag. 36. one) as there are places higher and lower in the Church, so there are talents greater or less bestowed on the Preachers (saith w Gualt. in Luc Homil 73. another.) In regard whereof they who contemn the meanly learned, call the wisdom of God into question, & wrong the mean assemblies, x Gregor. Pastoral. lib. 3 in prolog. council. Aquisgran●. cap. ● 4. saepe alijs officiunt, quae alijs prosunt, panisque qui vitam fortium roborat paruulorum necat. quid sunt intentae mtēes auditorumnisi quaedam in Cytheram tentiones tractae chor darum quae uno plectro sed non uno impulsu feriendae. Great learning therefore boasted of, hurteth: the middle Congregations of a Church because it straineth the weak strings to a key too high, and cloyed their infantlike stomachs with meat too strong: whereas mean learning will not disdain to condescend unto the weakest weakness. Let the effect of our ministery be examined without partiality: 2 Cor. 3.1. and if the churches in which we have laboured be not letters of commendation speaking for us, we will be contented to preach and speak no more to them. Let the Churches of our learned Opposites be surveyed on the other side, they are such for the most part as are little profited or nothing at all, because not fed with milk and honey. No marvel, for it is not unknown what a windy kind of teaching this affectation of great learning in our Opposites hath brought forth, making the y Decret. pag. 1. distin. 43. c. 1 Preacher unclean like one that doth pati fluxum seminis, because the seed of the word that he soweth begetteth no issue, and making our Auditors like those of the judiens, where one doth mulgere hircum, another doth supponere cribrum, because z Th. Morton. Apolo. pag. 1. lib. 2 cap. 18. nought is understood. and our preaching to a sacrifice that hath tortum nasum and is misshapen, because not shaped to the hearers profit: qui enim ea docet quae ab auditoribus non valent intelligi non adeorum utilitatem sed ad sui ostentationem facit. a Decret p. 1. distinct. 43. cap. 5. And seeing b Decret. ibid. distin. 59 cap. ●. rarum est 〈◊〉 qu●d magnum est the preaching of great learning will make preaching rare: for great learned Preachers are thinlie sown, and great learned preaching bringht forth seldom (as it is in the proverb) unum pario, sed leonem, great learned sermons also, must be strawberry Sermons, against which Latymer cried out so much. Fiftly. A life unspotted in the world, a conversation wanting covetousness, a sober carriage free from ambition and from seeking of great things, jer. 45.5. doth ever in the Church more good, then great learning in great men which for the most part is accompanied with great vices contrary: Howsoever, experience showeth that God doth bless the labours of the painful Minister (though his learning be but mean) so that he bringth in a greater harvest for the most part, than he that standeth upon his learning. This he doth to have the glory to himself. 2 Cor. 4.7. 1 Cor. 1.27. 1 Cor. 1.17. 1 Cor. 4.20 This he doth to confound the wise and learned. This he doth to show the power of his Cross, which eloquence and affected learning doth evacuate. This he doth to show the power of the spirits evidence, and how spiritual his working is in them that be called. Last of all, This he doth to build up the faith of his chosen, that it might not depend on the learning of men but on his own wisdom. a Cor. 2.4.5 For these causes it often falleth out, what fell out once at the Council of Nice b Ruffin. histor. Ecclesiastie. lib. 1. cap. 3 where a Christian of no great learning converteth one learned with whom all the learned Bishops could do no good ut oslenderet Deus (saith the story). etc. that God might show that his kingdom consisteth not in words but in power, even as the convert himself acknowledged. Harken (saith he) O ye learned men, as long as the matter went by words, against words, I opposed words again. and that which was spoken I overthrew by the art of speaking: but when in stead of words power proceeded out of the mouth of the speaker non p●terant resistere verba virtuti, nec hom● adversari potuit Deo. The like fell out before Constantine. c Soxomne. histor. lib. 1. cap. 17. Alexander Bishop of Constantinople: vita magis quam doctrina conspicuus, converted a man famously learned, whom the learned could not persuade. Non in dialectica complacuit Deo saluum facere populum suum, regnum enim Dei in simplicitate fidei est, non in contentione sermonis. d Decret. p. 1. distinct. 37. cap. 6. Sixtly, I think our heviestand hardest adversaries will not deny, but we are likely to do more good than either a Nonresident, that preacheth not at his charge, unless he drop now and then a shower which never maketh fruitful, Heb. 6. because the rain must often come upon the earth before it be able to bring forth fruits: meet for their use by whom it is dressed, or then the dumb dog which is not able to preach at all: whom notwithstanding they suffer still to reward if not his creeping yet his capping to the Cross. They shall not need to degrade us as Rusticus was degraded once: e Decret. p. 1 distinct. 85. cap 1 Quia psalmos ignorat, we have as much learning as their Canon f Ibid distin. 38. cap. 6. Law requireth of a Bishop himself we do omnibut modis psalterium noscere & in promptu habemus legere scrutabiliter & non transitory divinam scripturam and for that purpose for the most part we have the knowledgs of the tongues which [many] of our Opposites want. At the least we have the priests knowledge, we g Ibid cap. 5 scann our communion book, the liber Sacramentorum we are skilled in the Computus, we know the Psalterium, and we can fetch the homilias per circulum anni Dominicis diebus & singulis festivitatibus aptae. Alas what hard hap is ours, others can be held white sons that have the learning to do this, we have this learning (and somewhat over and above) and yet we can find no favour. Luc. 9.50. But blessed be he which quencheth not the smoking flax, but doth at this power speak from heaven in our behalf unto our Governor: forbid them not. what though we be the feet? h Leo. 9 in epist ad Michael. Constanti. epi●cop. Tho. Morton. Apolo. pag. ●. lib. 5. cap. 19 frustra matris familias caput et faciem magnifieat, qui minimos filiorum eius impugnas, tamquam digitos pedum illius conculcat. The head, saith Ambrose, cannot be without the feet, nor the superior without the inferior ferrum potest quod non potest aurum. #Sect. 12. That the fault why faithful Ministers are cast out of their Ministry, lieth not upon themselves. THe second excuse brought for the ceremonies, Sect. 12. and their proceed against the Preachers, casteth the whole fault on them. The ministers are to blame (say some of our Opposites) who leave their ministery for such trifles: if they would be ruled, what needed deprivation? First of all, it is not nothing that this objection: Ecclesia non est deserenda cometh from Wittenbergh, infected with the Adiaphorisme: when now the students had ceased to a Flaccus. Illyric. in li de Adiaph. p. 3. in solut Argume. 1 hortari pios ad constantiam ut tales viros omnino facere oportuisset, and had begun to languefacere pios, and labefactare totas Ecclesias, and to confirmare impios by an yielding to the ceremonies which the Interim did command. But this University followed the direction of Philip Melancthon (will our Opposites say) whom who can in this cause remember without that sighing of King David, how was the mighty overthrown? b Concil. Philip. Melantho● ad Eccles. Marchiaca. discernenda est confessio privata (saith he). etc. A man must put a difference between his own private confession, and between the counsel which he is to give, to others, that be weak, and not like to himself. Laurentius did well that he preferred death before the edict of Decius, for the delivery of the Church's money, for his confession was made the more glorious by this occasion, and such a celsitude of spirit, was helped by a singular motion of the holy Ghost. Another more fearful would have rather delivered the money then have lost his life, and his infirmity had been excusable. here (therefore) I will prescribe nothing to the strong who are resolute to show an illustrious confession upon their own danger, even on every light occasion. Again, let us remember that in a place near Basill there was one burnt for eating flesh, although we justly detest the cruelty of the judges and worthily praise the constancy of the good man in his confession, yet he had not done amiss if he had avoided this danger. and certainly no man may bind others to throw themselves into danger upon the like occasion. Again, I am not ignorant multa horrid & stoice dici, seeing the beginnings of a change do confirm the adversaries, indifferent things are not to be accounted small. This hard opinion if any good will embrace let him embrace it with his own danger & not with the danger other men, speaks good Melancthon in these words? shall I think it my duty to confess, & give others contrary counsel not to confess together with me? may a man do well to suffer in things indifferent, & others do well in not suffering for them? might Laurence have delivered the money and not be a traditor, as the church called those that delivered either books or goods unto the persecutors? sure thy good mind I easily acknowledge, but I cannot see how thy counsel may be good, and speaks great Melancton in these words? then let the soul of him that hears them advance itself to greatness of courage. for how can he animate us more to suffering then by comparing us with Saint Laurence and with the Martyr that died for a thing that was more indifferent than these things are for which we stand, or shame more those that suffer not with us then beholding them weak, and wanting that celsitude of mind upheld by God's spirit which willingly embraceth that danger which others will not venture on, but are contented to say unto us: take you the crown from us. A strange thing, though he doubled his own spirit: c Idem. in Epist ad Christop. Carolou. fortassis sum ingenio seruili, & much grieved at the banishment of honest men, put out of their ministry about the Interim: yet the fig-leaved excuse wherewith he lulled his conscience a sleep: d Ibid. pax●st servanda, doctrina & invocatio non est impedienda & considerandum est quid mediocribus pastoribus persuaderi possit not only drew him largiri multa & multa dissimulare which were amiss, but also to yield to all the ceremonies of the Interim and to leave the Church to the government of popish Bishops e Conrade. Schlusselb. lib 13. pag. 490. etiam in ipso actu persecutionis conslitutis if we may believe what is written of him. If we may believe also what is set forth in his name it drew him even to protest touching Rome herself f Phili. Melanth. in Epist. Theophi. Orato. parati sumus obedire Romanae Ecclesiae modo. etc. and touching the Pope himself, Romani Pontificis authoritatem & universam politiam Ecclesiasticam reverenter colimus modo nos non abijciat Ramanus Pontisex, yea touching the popish doctrine itself: Nullam aliam ob rem plus odij sustinemus in Germania quam quia Ecclesiae Romanae dogmata summa constantia defendimus. For mine own part I can hardly believe that this epistle was his own, but if it were his fall was fearful: and the pretence of keeping the ministery and of doing good, & the preserving of the Church's peace, is a pretence much g Conrade. Schlusselb. quo supra. pag 5●5. to be feared, seeing it turned the heels upward of this great servant of the Lord, and who can but fear where such a Cedar fell? g Velleius. Paterculus. hath there not place here even what an heathen man adviseth: ubi semel à recto deerratum est in praeceps pervenitur? #Sect. 13. The calumny of peevishness and foolishness imputed to the Ministers, for not receiving cap and Surplice, is answered. SEcondly, Sect 13. whereas we are censured as peevish or foolish for leaving our ministery for a cap or a surplice, beit known there are things more material whereat we stick. as the subscription (we know) is larger, than a surplice though never so wide sleeved. Howbeit, why should Christ be again exposed to laughter in a white garment a Illyr. de Adiaph p. 2. as Illyricus saith he was by the surplice in Germany in the time of the Adiaphorisme there? Did not the German divines at that time disclaim that Adiaphoristicall principle, b Conf. Eccles Mansfeld. aedit. an. 1560. Rem paruam esse de linea vest? others exclaim against the depriving of profitable pastors, c Confess il. justris prin. cip. & Ducum Saxon. aedit. 1560. tantum propter sordidam lineam vestem? others proclaim, that d Flac. Illyric. quo sup. plurimae Ecclesiae sunt in quibus conscientiae & externa forma Ecclesiae per paruas mutationes ut per paruam vestem misere turbatae sunt. And when the divines of Misnia asked counsel in this question, whether they were to leave their places or put on a surplice the answer hath first this Lamentation e Respon. N Galli & Plac. Illyri. ad quorun. Mis●e. con●ionatores literas apud Conrade Schlusselburg. lib. 15. p. 641 Quale obsecro est. etc. What a thing I pray you is even this, most cunning invention of the Devil about the white garment? which if it be resisted, there is a small thing [to the seeming] stood upon: and so the Godly preachers fall into dislike and hatred, and are thrust out with every man's good leave: as if they were removed upon just causes, but denied conformity out of a seditious spirit, and out of a desire to contend. but if they yield unto this garment, them open they a beginning and entrance to greater changes. Then this reprehension. It is g Pag. 641. evident that those preachers do willingly deceive themselves who receive the Exceptum, & after forge unto themselves I know not what interpretations. that they do not this for the Pope but for the Church, and that therefore they still preach against popish errors; and that they will not have men's consciences to be bound to these ceremonies as if they were worships, and therefore they do them one day and omit them another: for they know for what purpose this new Interim is pressed: they know also that howsoever some such liberty may be granted them at the first for some few weeks, yet that within a while that odious song will be chanted to them: Non si●ut tibi libet sed ad verbum: this although they know well, yet wilfully they will not know it: and give miserable counsel unto the Church: Nihil adhuc mali adesse, that so the beginning of the disease may not be resisted. Then this h Pag. 644. admonition. Again, we answer we do not see how they are likely to leave other things free unto you seeing they will not promise you to be contented with a white Garment. l Pag. 645. Often doth Aristotell beat upon this point, we must take heed of small changes, because they make way to great. therefore in our judgement it is not only the white Garment that is aimed at, but by it the preparing of a passage unto greater evils. Then m Pag. 646. this refutation, whereas you say this limans shirt is not now the Pope's Vesture but the Church's Garment, Paul commands 1. Cor. 10. that we should diligently consider what the wicked do think of the Idolothites: therefore it excuseth not that it is your Prince, & state, and people, that do require the same things of you which the enemies of Christ do, for their own tranquility sake and for the avoiding of danger: for whosoever they be that are the procurers and promoters of these changes although they be learned, holy, and sound in the religion, yet these things do not therefore cease to be the characters of Antichrist their chief and sovereign Lord and last of all this n Ibi. p. 64●. counsel▪ we would have you ask of them seeing they are such wise men, that they would show what great and weighty causes they have thus to trouble the Church of jesus Christ about a white Garment? whether they do know that they be able to appease the devil, Antich. and the wicked world by these means? Or to effect some excellent discipline & order by this divine vesture, or what at length is that singular excellent good thing which they are sure to obtain by the same? #Sect. 14. The calumny of leaving the ministry, is answered, & the ignorants and others, who subscribe, to abide in the ministry, are by the way, challenged & convicted. THirdly, it is a jest that we leave our ministries: whom Angels, men, & all the world see thrust out against our wills. a Decret pa. 2. caus. 15. que. 1. c. 10 Non habent crimen quae inferuntur, reluctantibus: and what can there be more against our heart then the loss of that which is the comfort of our lives: b August. epist. 204. Quis nescit nec damnari hominem nisi merito malae voluntatis, nec liberali nisi habue●it bonam voluntatem. have we a good will to go out of our ministery? So have we to go to Golgotha too. indeed we are in Ambrose his cause. c Decret. p. 2 cause 25. que. 8. c. 3. Fugere & relinguere Ecclesiam non soleo, resistere nec possum, nec debeo. for unless our Opposites would have us resist, thereby to show ourselves willing to keep our ministery, I see not what they can require more than we have done, what goodly means have we omitted which are lawful for us in the fear of the Lord? have we not sued & that with tears? have we not written & that with invincible reasons? Have we not made our appeals which against all equity are bardd? have we not also kept possession until by force we have been pulled out? but we will not conform to stay in? No, nor to be preferred neither, which hath been offered unto some of us, who think it our duty to reply with Benevolus: d Carol. Sygon. de occidental. Imper. lib. 9 fol. 200. Quid mihi pro impietatis mercede, altiorem promittis gradum? hunc ipsum quem habeo auferte dum integram fidei conscientiam tuear. this spoken Protinus Cingulum ante pedes Imperatricis abiecit. which though we imitate in laying down not only our benefices but all that we have at the feet of our reverent Fathers, yet cannot we be said voluntarily, wilfully, sinfully to give over our ministry, no more than he his office. fourthly, it is not the e joachim. Westphal. in explicat. sentent. è duob. mal. minimum. leaving of the ministry that is a sin, but the causes why, the end wherefore the circumstances wherein, that maketh the leaving of it sinful. which we have described john 10. Now the leaving of the flock condemned there, is the leaving of the hireling for his gain, we if we leave our flocks it is not only to our great loss, but also to our utter undoing. Again, the leaving of a flock condemned there, is the leaving of an evil shepherd that flieth danger, we if we leave our flocks, leave our security and peace withal, and throw ourselves into a sea of troubles. The leaving of the flock condemned there, is the leaving of a careless shepherd: who leaveth them to the claws of the wolf: we (if we leave our flocks) we do it to keep them by our example from the wolf and from all liking of his faire-shewes whereby he lieth in wait to deceive. The Council worthily condemneth them: f Concil. Aquisgran. sub. Ludo. nic. 1. c. 17. Qui parere utilitati proximorum in predicatione refugiunt for the ease of a private life, for the sweetness of private study and for the quietness and delight of contemplation, whereas our Lord that he might profit many by preaching, came down even from heaven itself, from the boosom of the Father. The canon Law worthily condemneth them: g Decret. p. 2. caus. 21. ques. 3. c. 1. Qui seipsos à ministerijs sanctis per desidiam seperant by taking themselves to secular businesses for filthy lucre sake. Cassiodorus h Tripartit. histo. li. c. 11 reporteth of diverse that they left their stations in the ministery and conveyed themselves, into woods and deserts, because of the difficult times of the Church in which they lived. amongst whom I know not whether I may reckon l Suppleme. Cronic. in. Valen. Hilarius of Arles who is said to have left his charge and to have gonein to an hermitage for his quietness and for his private speculations. Such men who can excuse? for they do m Decret. pa. 2. caus. 7. q. 1. c. 46 eligere vacationem ab episcopatus laboribus, & appetere in silentio at que otio vitam degere magis quam in his quae sibi commissa sunt permanere. whereas it is n Ibid. c. 47. pernitiosum pro re tam in tranquilitate navim deserere, they leave their ship committed unto them even in fluctibus which is more wicked & more dangerous. At such a time they should o Ibid. c. 48. ex adverso ascendere & in die belli seipsos murum apponere pro domo domini, & animas suas ponere pro ovibus suis, ut exemplo suae passionis accendant quos sermone doctrinae diutius confirmare non valent. Blame these who are blame p Hiper. de Sacr. stud. non deseren. pag. 169. worthy, blame not us who in the leaving of our ministries perform that duty of suffering: for the avoiding of which these men are accused when they do leave their charges. It is our ease to keep our benefices: in leaving of them we lose that pleasantness of that land, and that rest, for the sweetness whereof because it is good, many lie down as Issachar did under that burden of subscription and conformity which wring the shoulders of their consciences, Gen. 49.14.15. which indeed if they could tell how, they should shake off. Is it not so, that we do now ex adverso ascendere and oppose ourselves as a wall in the gap ut accendamus eos passionis exemplo quos sermone doctrinae diatius confirmare non valemus? for we would continue our preaching still, but we are not suffered, in which case with what face can our Opposites inpute any blame unto us against their own law, which saith thus: q Decret. p. 2. caus. 7. ques 1. c. 36 Aliud est mutare, aliud mutari: aliud est spontè, aliud coacte aut necessitate transire, non isti mutant civitates sed mutantur, quia non sponte sed coacte hoc agunt. quia non r Ibid. c. 34. ambitu nec propria voluntate faciunt: sed vi à propria sede pulsi & necessitate coacti Fiftly, we may retort this imputation on our accusers, who leave their flock in staying with them in Zacharies' sense. O Idol shepherd who leavest the flock. Zach 12.16 and 17. Ammonius to avoid the ministery, cut of his right ear, which made him uncapable. Evagrius inveigheth against him, but when after being elected by Theophilus of Alexandria, himself secretly fled away. Ammonius meeting him: t Socrat. histor. lib. 4. cap. 18. Tuevagri (saith he) etc. Thou Evagrius that didst taunt at me for cutting off of mine ear, dost thou not think that God will plague thee for that for love unto thyself, thou cuttest out thy tongue, because thou wouldst not take pains to use the gift that God hath given thee? Sure we cut not of our right ears but we have them (like Malcus) cut of by the sword: whereas our Opposites many of them cut out their tongues. For either they use not their gifts at all or they have no gifts to use, or abuse their gifts or use them to no purpose. so according to their own distinction of a non Resident, loco, & a non Resident officio, whiles we loco leave our flocks against our wills, they officio leave them willingly to follow after their lusts & pleasures. As for the ignorant sort amongst them a time will come when they will wish they had left their ministries, for which they rail at us so loud, because then they shall perceive u Decret. p. 1. destin. 50. cap. 6. satius est in inferiori habitu Domino famulari in hac vita, quam alta indebitè appetendo damnabiliter in profundum demergi. Zach. 13.5. which if they had done with the penitent Prophet in Zacharie I am no prophet, but men taught me to be an Husbandman from my youth, than had they escaped the wrath to come, which james denounceth: be not many maislers, jam. 3.1. knowing that ye shall receive the greater condemnation. As for those that be negligent amongst them, what are they else but the ill servants that hide their talentes in the ground? yea what do they else but hide the wheat underneath the earth, & that in the time of want (whom Solomon and God's people curse) until it be rotten there, Pro. 11.26. whereby they make themselves guilty of as many souls as by the diligence of some other might have been won. As for those who by their conformity grace popery, & who for the upholding of their conformity broach many popish points in their preaching: they in plain and open sight leave their flock, in keeping it as they did in x Flac. Illyrin lib. de Adiaphor. pag. 3. Germany, who by their conformity to the Interim, opened the door of the found for the wolf to enter, barked not against him: winked at the entrance of him: yea bargained and trucked with him, giving some of the sheep in Merchandise, to give contentment and to have peace themselves. The reason was, because whereas the wolf hurteth none of the sheep till they assent, these ministers by their yielding, induced the sheep to like well of him, because they saw their Pastor came in some things to agreement with him, and in other things did not resist him seriously as if he were an enemy. Sixtly, Apoc. 1.16. whereas Christ holdeth the stars of the Church in his right hand, whence none can pull them against his will; it is certain that not one minister is deprived in this land but by his sufferance and toleration. Now he will not tolerat the silencing of any Preacher until he be perfected like himself: and until the work be finished unto which he did call him. Luk. 13.32. It being so, we are called from the ministery by the same that called us to it, and the work of our ministery is ended and finished for the which we were called. Should we in this case stay in a servile and powerlesse ministry which he will not bless: in which we can find no comfort: and wherein we are disabled from doing good? For we cannot discharge a good conscience, nor do our duties as we should, which being so, why may we not lament with Gregory y Gregor. epist lib. 4. cap 78. unhappy man that I am, what make I here in this Church? It is approved that a Minister should leave his flock z Decret. pa. 2. caus. 7. quest. 1. cap. 48. si soluatur, provided that he leave it like a dove, quae dilectionem non amittit sed semper gemit, and separateth corpore non amore quibus non potest prodesse. Are we not loosed? do we separate so much as in dody? are not our bodies distracted rather? ye our bowels rend & torn because we can prodesse no longer, those bowels of ours which we desire to profit & benefit even to loss of life it felse in case we might be suffered? It is also approved that a Minister should leave his charge a Ibid. quando subditorum est obstinata malitia, nec prodest ijs Praelatorum praesentia, ne & illorum nequitia semper in deterius proficiat, & isti quidem fructum amittant, quem de aliorum profectu possent invenire. Is it not so that many of our charges are stirred up to a contempt of us? that our Governors do disgrace us, and disable us from doing good? Is it not so, that our ministery is wounded by manifold slanders, yea defiled with many unconscionable observations in case we stay in? so that we may say with Martyrius, b Theodor. Lector. collectan. lib. 1. populo rebelli & ecclesiae contaminatae renuntio? All these circumstances make our leaving of the ministery much the more excusable in case we willingly did leave it (which we do not) unless it be in this sense that we willingly submit ourselves unto the providence of the Lord, who for the present calleth us from it. Now because his mercy is great, we have confidence he will one day return again and build up Zion. therefore we stand upon our watch to hear what he will speak of us, and in hope wait for the time when he will take the filthy garments away from jehosua, Haba●. 2.1. and clothe his priests with glory and beauty; Zach. 3.4. and cleanse his house, and then we doubt not but that he will in mercy give us a room amongst his servants again. When this time cometh, then shall our sufferings be in cause that we shall c Cypri. lib. 3. epist. 1. maiores redire ad Ecclesiam, for the which how ready are we even at an hours call, if the Lord call us, the Church need us, or we find in conscience we must re-enter. #Sect. 15. That the loss of the ministry, unto the faithful Ministers rather than to approve the Ceremonies, shall be the Lords gain also, as the judgement of our best divines, is so to do. SEventhly, the loss of our ministery shall (we doubt not) be the Lords gain and the Churches, and that many ways. The Lord shall gain glory by us, the truth receive a patiented and constant witness from us, the Church a pattern and example to be constant in that we have taught them, and to suffer when need requireth, even as a Cypri. lib. 1 epist. 1. Cornelius when he suffered he did retundere Diaboli conatus Constantia sua, and became pulcherrimo exemplo suis auditoribus. b Flac. Illyric lib. de Adiapho. pag. 3. Christus ex Nazareth discedens. etc. Christ leaving Nazareth, & meaning to return as soon as occasion offereth itself, doth not forsake that Church but by his constant confession and exile edifyeth it, & confirmeth it against the Phariseiss superstition which in his preaching he had before impugned. But if to have the more liberty and sufferance to gather his assemblies he would have taught the doctrine of justification fearfully, coldly, or (as we now speak) modestly: and have touched the pharisees but softly and gently and observed their traditions, and have sought their love and good liking being manifest enemies to the truth, than had he [forsaken indeed] both that Church and the truth itself also. So Elias, when he fled, he did not forsake the church, or leave it to Baalls wolves, but by his constant confession and sorrowful exile, he did confirm it in the truth: but if he would have received some of Baalls ceremonies, have painted them, excused them, if he would have spared the Baalites and reproved their abuses in general only, and so have served the time, than had he (indeed) forsaken the church. So Paul departing from Ephesus, and purposing to confirm the Ephesians either present by voice, or absent by writing did not forsake that church, but by his constant confession and affliction did confirm it. but if for peace and quietness he would have brought into the church the vestments, rites, Images, and other ceremonies of Diana, or have restored the observations of the Phariseiss, and have winked at many things, than had he forsaken (indeed) that church, and many other infinite churches which he had built, yea all posterity. So Athanasius choosing rather to go from his church, then to yield any thing to the Arrians, or to come to composition with them, or to use generalities and ambiguities in the cause that was between him and them, he did not forsake the church, but by his constant confession and manifold afflictions & writings, he doth strengthen and confirm it to this day. When we consider these things, as we clear our own consciences with joy from all scruple of guilty leaving of the church, so we fill them with a trembling fear of guilty leaving it, if we should leave our former faithfulness, and thereby leave or rather lose ourselves. Upon a false alarm of late that some had yielded, the papists cried out, O foolish Protestants to believe your preachers any more, for their sakes, or your religion for which ye see there is none that will suffer as we do for ours the common people they swore they were turn-cotes that had yielded, & that for their sakes the would neur● believe any more in deed, preach while they would. Neither would this frustration of our labours only follow, but a deprivation also of former gifts, Mal. 2.9. zeal, love, painfulness, joy, yea knowledge & all, until the threat were brought upon us, I will make you also vile. The Hebrues have a proverb, c Io. Drusiu. in adag. ● Hebraic. decur. 9 adag. 5. Camelus cornua quaerens aures amisis: and it is spoken of Balaam, who to exalt his horn on high by the preferrements which Balaac offered him, lost both it and the spirit of prophecy, which was before within him. Were not we well holp up, trow ye, if for a benefice or some other preferrment, less than that horn which Balaam sought, we should lose a better spirit of prophesy then ever he had? a better ear bored through & opened, together with a cloven tongue touched, purged, and enkindled with the coal of the Altar? Better a desertion of the benefice than this defection from the Lord▪ better to be deprived of earthly then of heavenly graces; yea better to lose earth then heaven; a living then life spiritual. As for the Church, if any hurt come to it by our departure ipsi viderint who are the cause (to wit) our ecclesiastical Governors even as their own Law witnesseth: Speaking of them who are constrained to leave their charges: non ipsi in hoc peccant ( d Decret. pa. 2. caus. 7. qu. 1. c. 36. Gen. 19 saith the Canon) quoniam non sponte sed coacte hoc agunt, sed ili qui eos persequuntur, nec ipsis episcopis hoc imputari potest sed illis qui hoc agere cogunt. In respect of us, the hurt cometh per accidens only, and we cannot help it, who may not do evil that good may come of it, which was Loathes fault, nor yield unto a lesser sin to avoid a greater that which was e Epiphan. count haeres. lib 2. c. 64. Origens'. Whereas it is objected to us as once to the divines of Germany in the broil of the Adiaphorisme there: è duobus malis minus, f joachim. Westphal. in exposit. sentent. è mal. mini. the answer hath been given by them: that this holdeth not in malis culpae, but in malis poenae only. Cleave we (then) without separation to that which we know is good, and do we our duty as it becometh us, and leave we to God the care of his Church, g Concil. Roman. tom. 2. pa. 282. Deus dat successores. When Zeno had obtained a Bishop for Carthage, the Clerici there resolved thus: h Victor. de persecut. Vandalic. si ita est interpositis his periculosis conditionibus Ecclesia Episcopum non delectatur habere: gubernet eam Christus qui semper dignatus est gubernare. Eightly, and last of all: the judgement of foreign divines directeth us to this course. For in the controversy of the Adiaphorisme in Germany, the whole church of l Epistol. Hamburg. ad Philip. Melantho. Hamborough: of m Io Sleidan. lib. Illyric. lib de Adiapho. Magdeburgh: of n Io. Calui. in epist. ad. P. Melanth. Geneva: with divers others, thought it the better way to departed then to conform to the Surplice & some other popish ceremonies then imposed. Divers private men have written to this purpose, some of which writ purposely even of our English ceremonies. o Io. Calui. Master Caluin writing his judgement to the English Church at Franckforde, doth utterly condemn the ceremonies now controversed. Mr p Theodor. Beza. epist. 12. Beza writing his judgement to the Ministers of England, adviseth them to give over their places rather than to subscribe to the ceremonies & the rest of the corruptions controversed, or by silence to foster them. Mr Bullinger and q Pet. Martyr. in epist. amic cuidan in Angl. Pet. Martyr gave advise to conform to the clothes at first, who after perceiving what hurt came of them, reclaimed their judgement, as these words show: At de vestibus & sacris. etc. as for the holy garments which are to be used in the ministery, seeing they resemble a show of the Mass, and are mere relics of popery. Mr Bullinger thinks they are not to be used lest the thing which tendeth to scandal be confirmed by your example. I myself, although I was ever an adversary to the use of such ornaments, yet nevertheless because I saw there was present danger lest you should be deprived from preaching & that perhaps there would be some hope that as altars and Images are taken away, so also those shows of the Mass should be removed if you and others of the ministry would do your best endeavours, which parchance would not be done if another should succeed in your place, which should not only not seek the removal of these relics but also defend, maintain and foster them, therefore I was the slower to persuade that you should rather refuse the ministry then reaceave the use of those garments. Notwithstanding, because I have seen scandals arise which are unavoidable therefore now I have easily condescended to Mr bullinger's judgement. what then these men have to the contrary in their epistles, that ought not be prejudicial to us, sith here they recant it: & in that which they wrote they prescribed no rule to r Beza. vb. sup● & in Epistol. 23 Bullinger. in epist. ad. N. & M. bind: and the counsel which they gave for direction was general, only such as left men to their own discretion touching circumstances which were particular: s Pet. Mart. in epistol. alia amico. cuid. in Angli. tu autem qui es in ipso certamine concilia hic non expecta, valde quip sumus à vobis procul, in ipsa consultetis arena. And our case differeth much, they when they couselled yielding, they hoped the ceremonies might the better be abolished by the staying of good men in the ministry, which hope is superannuated, & they intended a forbearance and t Theodor. Beza. epi 12 toleration, whereas we are pressed, under our hands to approve them: and this toleration they limited also to be continued for a u Idem epist 8. while: they ever condemned the reducing of the Ceremonies controversed into the Churches, where they had been difused before, which thing is sought for now. #Sect. 16. That the small estimation of preaching, under pretence to care for praying, as the Opposites allege, is the abaddone or murdering sin of these days, and takes away the right use of the Saboth. THe third and last refuge is, that it is no great matter though the proceed of conformity have no such great care for Preachers and preaching as we do wish, because preaching is not so much to be cared for as praying is, a praying ministery will do well enough in a Church already established if there be Preachers here and there to preach now & then, that which I may call even the Abaddon, I mean the destroying and murdering heresy of these last days. First, the Saboth being a Council. Parisiens'. lib. 1. ca 50 ensign Christianitatis, how chaste should we keep it from all alien adulterations? after the example of the ancient Christians, who preserved it pure from carnal mirth, from superfluity in feastings and apparel, and from strowing the ways with flowers upon this reason, b Gregor. Nazianze. cont julia. orat. 2. haec enim Gentium sunt. This reason little prevaileth with this heresy, which what broacheth it, but ea quae sunt gentium? The little power which it ascribeth to preaching, is the Swenckfeldians, the Libertines, & the anabaptists: for c Whitaker. count 1. q 1. cap. 3. pag. 8. john. Caluin. count Anabapt. art. 5. even so hold they that the word preached, is of no great efficacy, and that the hearing and preaching of it is not necessary, against which not only our c writers, but our d D Babing. on the Lor. pray peti. 2 Opposites are wont to inveigh. The greater care which it hath of a praying Liturgy, proceedeth from the papists, for even so hold they that the Saboth is sanctified well enough by hearing Mass said, although there be no sermon: which what e Do Willet contro. 9 que. 8. p. 2. sound protestant can endure? And seeing the contemner, the negligent, the ignorant, practise that other position of papists, auditio Missae, est praeferenda auditioni verbi, which our f Thom. Morton. Apolo pa. 1. lib 2. cap. 21. Luc. 20.9. Writers distaste so much: is this a time to spread the infection of this heresy to their encouragement? Secondly, this Abaddon overthroweth the good which the Church should reap by the Magistrate's office, who cannot be Lord of the Vineyard to do in it what please himself, without great wrong to Christ the heir: who selleth not the inheritance of it unto any, but letteth it out to hire only, that it may be tilled & made fruitful, which this heresy doth forbid: yea so forbiddeth as that withal it biddeth the quite contrary. Lording and ploughing (said Latimer once) cannot agree, but this heresy setteth up Lording, not caring whether the plough stand still. The g Cornel. jansen. concord Euangel. ca 114. Lord commandeth the 1 Isa. 5.2. stones to be cast out of his Vineyard, and a Watch-towre build: that the 2 Marc. 11.15.17. Oxon be thrown out of his Temple, and a pulpit erected forthwith filled: that 3 Math. 21.33. a hedge be made about the Vineyard, and a Winepress set up therein that may continually run with wine for the comfort of his called: whereas this heresy crieth to the husbandmen, Let the stones alone in the Vineyard, Let the Oxen, yea Asses alone in the Temple, and what needeth such forwardness of reformation, to fill the tower with watchmen, the Temple with Preachers, the winepress with dressed and mingled wine? There was goodness out of question of late intended towards God's house, but this heresy hath supplanted this intention and averted the blessing from us: by that mockage of the Council of Trent, Pro. 9.5. when it bound bishops to diligent preaching to give hope of reformation: for we have cause (sithence nothing is done) to complain again, Num h Claud. Espencaeu. apud. Tho. Morton. Apolog. P. 1 li 1. c. 10. ludimus in re seria vel potius decretorum specie reformationem poscentibus illudimus? far better fared it with the Church, when l Carol Sig de regn. Italic. lib. 5. in ann. 835 Ludovicus the second Emperor of that name, was blessed with better bishops. They excused not the unpreaching ministery of those days, much less did they maintain and defend it as do our Opposites in this their heresy. Being put in trust by him, they took pains to find out the evils of the Church: and when they perceived the want of preaching was the most dangerous, they faithfully informed him of it, plainly confessing, Sacerdotum unlla est excusatio: whereas lay men excused themselves in their not repair to sermons, by their home Chapels of ease, they moved him to suppress those chapels, that so all sorts might be drawn to come to such Churches as had maintenance for Preachers, & Preachers accordingly labouring in them. In deed to cram a few bishops superfluousness, is mere hypocrisy, the Church cannot be nursed as it should, until all such high places be put down as can not have preaching, and all such dens and chapels of ease m Toletan. conncil 16. c. 4 Parisien. lib. 1. ca 49 Decret pa. 2. cap. 9 quest. 3. c. 3. be united to other Churches which cannot be n Synod Aquisgranen. cap. 16. 2 chron. 17.7 & 31.4.5.6 Nehem. 13 10.11. Malac. 310 supplied by one: until also these churches have in them maintenance for a Preacher, and that in abundance, as the word of God enjoineth, & the o Concil. Lateranen. sub. Innoc. 3. cap. 32. practice of all ages. Thirdly, this Abaddon overthroweth the ministery of the word, by encouraging the Clergy in their dumbnes, Idleness, Nonresidencies, Lordlines, the shames of this rich Kingdom, and blains of this poor Church. It is out of this heresy, that men adventure to sue for benefices, to buy them, all conscience and sense being quenched in them of unableness and unworthiness, or of a true and good calling if they be worthy: against the old and ancient Canons which thun der thus: To suffer men to sue for benefices, p Decret. p. 1. distinct. 61. cap. 5. non est consulere populis, sed nocere, nec praestare regimen sed erigere discrimen. Integritas enim praesidentium est salus subditorum, principatus autem quem ambitus occupavit, etiamsi moribus atque actibus non offendit, ipsius tamen initij sui est pernitiosus exemplo: & difficilè est ut bono peragantur exitu quae malo sunt inchoata principio. Howbeit this heresy hath brought about, that many seek for church dignities, which sue for them only, against which the Canon q Decret. p. 2. caus. 1. que. 1. c. 28 thus: Vulnerato pastore quis curandis ovibus adhibeat medicinam? aut qualem de se fructum producturus est cuius gravi pest radix infecta est? And it is out of this heresy also, that Bishops think they may discharge themselves by governing, though they preach not, even as they were in a manner told in the speech that Mr Barlowe once made to them at the beginning of a Convocation. Now it is somewhat, that this is the vomit of Bellarmine r Bellarmin. de pontiff. lib. 1. c. 14. himself, Etsi Pontifices non concionantur, tamen multos alios pastorales actus exercent, ligant, soluunt, controversias judicant, etc. even that s Maldon. in Sun ques. 10 act. 3.5.6. a Maldonate himself abhorreth it. Notarunt Hieronymus in caput 4. ad Ephes. & August. epist. 57 Proptereà palam non distinxisse pastors & Doctores, quia omnis Pastor debet docere, & nomen Pastoris significat actionem personalem, sicut nomen medici. As for the hurt which cometh hence, the church even groaneth already under it, which cannot be at a worse hand than when t Decret. vb. supra. loco ultoris ipse ulciscendus is advanced in it, and they set to punish others. who are to be deposed sooner than they that be negligent in the duty of preaching? For the v Canon Apostol. 58. old canon runneth thus: Episcopus non docens deponatur: whereas now these men are advanceth to the place of preaching and deposing, who should for their negligence this way, be first of all deposed themselves. Whence also it followeth that none but Preachers are deposed, who should alone stay in. Moreover it is out of this heresy, that men think it sufficient, if they preach by others, which jumpeth again with that position of the Papists, w Bellarmi. de pontiff. lib. 3. c 24. Satis est si ista curent ab alijs praestari. And again, x Idem ibid. lib 1. ca 14 Ez 44.8. Episcopi quod per se concionando non saciunt, hoc faciunt per alios. Now God contesteth against this setting forth of the charge of the Sanctuary unto others. Our y Thom. Morton. Apolog. p. 1 li. 1. c 10 Writers affirm, That he that preached by others, shall go to heaven by others, but to hell in his own person. There be z Maldon. vb. supra. jesuits who teach, a Minister can no more feed by another, than a Physician can cure by another. And that if a Minister would labour by another, than he must eat by another also, but himself eat nothing. Last of all, this heresy seareth the conscience of hundreds, so that they pass over many Sabothes without preaching, and some of them, preach not at all, neither by themselves, nor others. But a Gregor. in pastor. p. 2 cap. 4. Gregoric, the b Decret. p. 1. distinc. 43. cap. 1. Canon Law, yea our c D Babing. on the Lords pra. pag. 194. Opposites themselves have taught, that a Minister can no more enter into the Church upon a Saboth without preaching, and not be culpable of a damnable sin: then Aaron could enter at any time into the Congregation without death, in case he soundeth not his bells at what time he entered. Some d Idem. in. 4 command. p. 165. of our Fathers have also taught, that he sinneth the sin of a dumb dog, that passeth over a Saboth-day without preaching: and that he suffereth the people to pollute the Saboth for want of teaching, in so sinning: To this e Thom. Morton. quo. sup. doth Origene, & out of him Espencaeus draw and apply that Law of Moses: which commandeth the Priest not to departed from the Tabernacle of the Lord. But as for them. whom this heresy hath so paded & benumbed, that they think they are well enough discharged, if the Liturgy be read, though preaching Bee wanting even for whole months together: I leave them to a papist doom, which is thus passed over them: f joh Ferus in comment. in math. 16 Olim portenti inslar habitum fuit, si pro Episcopo haberetur, qui non etiam re ipsa, verum Episcopi munus exhibuisset, quod hody plusquam monstri loco habetur, si quis exhibeat, quos cum temporum natura, scriptura, Ecclesia, Consilia, Pontifices, Patres, Superi, Inferi, accusent, damnentque, quis est qui absoluat? Further, this heresy layeth waste the Saboth, sith it dismembreth it of preaching, the chiefest worship of all the rest. It is more principal than the administering of the Sacraments, as Paul was sent to preach the Gopsell, rather than to Baptize, that which our Opposites g D Bilson. agai. Apol. p. 2. p 360 themselves confess: who also add, that it is better than governing is, & the administering of the discipline, when they say, God h Ibid pa. 3 pag. 300. gathereth his Church by the mouths of preachers, not by the summons of consistories. It is above reading, where the Apothecary breaketh not the perfume to cause it to smell, the householder cutteth not the whole loaf, that every one may have a full morsel, nor the bellows stir up the fire, to cause it to flash into the hearts of the hearers, as preaching doth; even as our l D. Babing. on the lords pray. p 185 1. Cro. 14.1. Eccles. 4.17. Eccles. 4.17. Opposites themselves have taught. It is more excellent than prayer also, because Paul himself preferreth prophesying, even where he speaketh of prayer: and prayer must be sanctified by the the word, & be directed by preaching of it: and prayer is a speaking of ours to God, whereas preaching is Gods voice itself to us. To come to Church then, and there to pray but not to hear, were the unmanerlines of a clown, that being in his Prince's presence, will have all the talk himself, and not suffer his Prince to speak: it were also that m Thom. Morton. Apolog p 2 li. 1 c. 24. Popish barbarousness, which holdeth that the duties of the Saboth, serve not to edify the Church, but to serve the Lord forsooth, with the sacrifice of a fool, with a sacrifice that is blind, because without knowledge, which his soul abhorreth. In respect hereof a whole volume sufficeth not, to show the indignity of this heresy. Why then conclude we not with our n D Babing on the lords pray. pag. 189. Opposites, who confess some of them, that the Lord hath ordained preaching as the most notablest of all other means, and as o Pag. 194. the chiefest, for the erecting of his kingdom in the word: which if it be true, 1 Exod 10.19. Deut. 18.17. must not prayer give place to sit below it, althought an holy worship? But whether it be the most principal of the Saboth worships, or no, a worship it is that is necessary, so that a Saboth can not be sanctified well without it. This all reason yieldeth, forasmuch as it is an ordinance of the Lord, a 2 Math 231 Ronvere 1.7. commandment of Christ's, a 3 Act 18.4. & 17.1 2 3 practice of the Apostles, yea ever through all ages, till here of late in the 4 Nehe. ●. 8 act ●● 14. old Church and in the new, 5 Act 2 42 & ●5. 21. there was preaching every Saboth, 6 Am. 8.10.11. 1 Sam. 3.1 2. C●o. 15.3. so that the meeting was thought to suffer a notable deformity, whensoever it was wanting. In p justin. Martyr Apolog. 2. justinus days, reading and opening of the word lasted for an hour long ordinarily on every Saboth: In Tertullians', q Ter●ullia. Apolo c. 3 there was not a meeting of the Christians, but their souls were fed sacris sermonibus, before they broke up the assembly. Now it is preciseness to say, a sermon is needful in every Saboth, not so of old: Fuerunt ante haec tempora▪ sanctissimi Patres, (saith r Roffeus. art. 33. a papist himself) qui singulis Dominicis homilias ad populum declamitarant. Which our s though Morton. Apolo. pag 1. lib. 1 cap 80. Writers require, as needful to be performed & practised now. This Homely declaimed, was a Sermon preached: read and homily, the Minister could not, and so be discharged in ancient times: the rising t Valens. concil. 2. cap. 2. of Homilies was this, when the Minister of a Countrey-parish was sick, and could not preach, than the Deacon was set to read an Homily: I say, the Deacon at the first, and not the Pastor, who never failed to preach the word, if he were able to come to the Church. Hence is it, that another u Mogunti. council. jub. Carol. Magn c. 25 Council took order in Cities and Towns, that though the Bishop were sick, yet the place should be supplied, ut nunquam defit Dominicis diebus aut festivitatibus qui verbum Dei praedicit, iuxtà quod intelligere vulgus possit. To the same purpose tend the Decrees of other Councils, to wit, ut w Synod. Trullan. can. 10. ovibus diebus praecipue Dominicis populum doceat pietatis eloquia, which, that it passed through all ages, we have this witness: x Concil. Coloni. pag. 9 ca 9 Dies Dominicus à temporibus Apostolorum celebris, ut in unum oves convenirent ad audiendum verbum Domint. The Liturgy of public prayer yielding thereto, as these words show: y Synod. August. cap 18. evangelia et Epistolae diebus Dominicis lingua Germanica exponantur, eoque tempore nulla Missa, ne populum ab auscultatione distrahi contingat, celebretur. Indeed the reading itself of the Law, the Psalms, the Epistles and Gospels reverently used, did not prejudice preaching as now it doth, but furthered it rather, forasmuch as the cutting of the Lessons a joh. Belet. diume offi. cap. 56. by Hierome (before b Philip. Mot●ae. de Eucharist. lib. 1. cap. 4 whom whole books were read in order, as they be now in the Churches reform) was to shorten the Liturgy, that so there might be time for preaching: and the Lessons did ordinarily yield c lord. p. 31. texts for the Preachers, or the Psalms, unless it were on the feasts of the Nativity, Easter, and Pentecoste, when special texts were wont to be chosen, fit for the solemnity of those times. Hence it is that the d Durant▪ de rit lib. 2 cap. 23. Act. 13.15. & 15.21. Papists themselves can allege for the antiquity of their readings such places only, as prove they were afterward preached upon (after the example of the Church of the jews) as these do show: e Ambros. lib. de offic. 1. cap. 8. Pulchrè dum legimus hody evangelium, spiritus sanctus obtulit nobis l ctionem, etc. Audivistis lectionem evangelii. etc. with the f Ambrof. epistol 75. & 33. & in lib de Ele. & jeiu ca 20. August in epistol. 1 joan. etc. like, which were their entrances into their sermons. The modern Churches continue preaching as a necessary duty of the Saboth, both in their judgement and in their practice. As for their judgement, they teach, g Pet. Ram. commenta de Relig lib. 2. ca 6. Schola Domini praecipuè commendatur in the precept of the Saboth, and they set down h Philip. Melancth. pie fungi ministerio verbi for a principal duty of it. As for their practice, whereas we think it a point of preciseness to have a sermon every Saboth, the laws of Geneva command l in praecep. 4 joh. Reyn. de Idolola. lib. 1. cap. 8. sect. 3. two in every church within their territory: and of other places we have this testimony, which showeth our coldness. m Bucer. in Math 12.11 Diebus Dominicis apud nos in singulis parochijs ad minimum duae, si non tres habentur conciones. fiftly, this Abaddon slayeth all piety and religion in the people, and quencheth all zeal, through contempt of prophesying. This of n Constitu. Aposto. cap. 61. Act. 1.12.1 1● eg. 4.23. Cantic. 1.7 Dan 12.4. Deut. 33.19. Psal 84 7. Is. 23. old they held it a matter without excuse, to be absent on a Saboth from the hearing of the word: whereas now to seem to excuse such a manner, is become a show of preciseness, and that out of this heresy. This of old appointed a Saboth-dayes journey to travail abroad to hear the word, when no sermon was at home, and that in our o D. Rabing 4 commau. pag. 157. Opposites own confession: whereas now so to do, is sermon-gadding, and sermon-ringe, and that out of this heresy. This of old ruminated the word at home which had been preached, and meditated on it even the Saboth throughout, yea in private p Conrade. Heresbach Christian. jurispruden. edict. 4 pag. 105. conferred about it, as our q Opposites them selves have taught: which now is become factious, gathering of conventicles, and that by reason of this heresy. This last of all will abhor all hindrance of r Aureliane. council. 3. Can. 27. travailing, s Cabilonen. conercan 18 husbandry, t Matiscone. 2. can. 1. sitting upon civil causes, u Colenien. pag. 9 c. 10 keeping of fairs, w Mogunt. cap. 61. stage-plays, dancings, with the like: that use to hinder this one duty of hearing the word, 3 Luc. 10 42 which only is necessary; all of which now are lawful enough, upon any pretended excuse, and that out of this heresy. Sixtly, this Abaddon bringeth the curse of God on men, and eternal damnation of soul and body. For the preaching of the word being the ordinary means of 4 1. cor 4.15. Gal 4.19. 1. Pet. 1.23. jac. 1.18. regeneration; and the special applying of the word by the same, the ordinary mean of our special 5 Rom. 1.16 &. 10.14. 1 Cor. 1.21. faith, without which there is no grace, or favour with God, or salvation to be looked for: this heresy that scanteth preaching, and maketh men to be careless of it, is it not a murderer? 6 Ronvere 10.14. How shall they believe without a Preacher? 7 Marc. 9.50. How shall they be seasoned without the salt of the word? 8 Cant●●. 8. What shallbe done for the sister that hath no breasts to feed her young? These speeches do they not even as it were, despair of them that want the practice of the word? So x Decret pa. 2. caus. 8. q 1. cap. 18. Hierome saith: The Minister that preacheth not, is sent for a plague, sub quo famem & sitim populus patiaetur, non famem panis neque sitim aquae, sed famen audiendi verbum Domini. Espencaeus, a papist himself accordeth, under a Minister that is not diligent to preach, paeruuli petunt panem (saith he) & non est qui frangat ijs. Which our y Thom. Morton. Apolog. p. 1. cap. 20. Exod. 16.25 Writers do approve. If this matter should be handled to the full, there would be none end. To conclude therefore, whereas all means of Saboth pollution must be abolished, as God himself doth give example, in taking the Manna out of the way, when once it grew to be an occasion of Saboth-breach: and the ceremonies of present controversy are many ways guiltier of his impiety: pray we against them, as Mr Foxe prayed heartily once against the Surplice: z Act and Monumen. pag. 1873. It is pity such baits of popery are left (saith he) to take christians in. God take them away from us, or else us from them: for God knoweth they be the cause of much blindness and strife amongst men. AMEN. A Table of the contents of the several Chapters, and Sections of this book. The Idolatry of the Cross. CHAP. I. THe Cross in Baptism is Idolatry against God, and teacheth that God is delighted with will-worship, Sect. 1. The doctrine of the cross teacheth merit, satisfaction, and pardon for sin, sect. 2. The effects of the cross spiritual, great & marvelous. Two objections to the same answered, Sect. 3. In grace given and received by men, as also in forms of Oaths, the cross is not only joined and matched with Christ, but sometime overmatcheth him as being more effectual than he, Sect. 4. The sign of the cross, a part of the devils worship: A character to effect things supernatural and devilish miracles. An instrument of witchcraft: an enchanting rod, a magical sign, Sect. 5. The Surplice as a Priestly and holy vestiment, is to be adored, Sect. 6. The Cross, Surplice, etc. incurable and irrrecoverable Jdolothites: the cross no creature of God, therefore utterly to be abolished, sect. 7. Two several sins committed in retaining the cross: the first reserving it as a special and scandalous monument of idolatry past: with six reasons against the retaining of it, sect. 8. The second sin committed in retaining the cross, is the danger of Idolatry in it for time to come, Sect. 9 How some contrary to the Papists meaning and writing deny adoration to be given to the aereal cross, sect. 10. How the airy sign of the cross is Jdolized and worshipped tho transeant, sect. 11. Reasons with objections answered, why the cross may not be entertained by us, etc. sect. 12. We commit Idolatry in receyving the cross, because we do not zealously banish it, sect. 13. The second kind of participation with idolatry is, when we may hinder it, and do not, Sect. 14. Three objections fully answered, whereby the Opposites endeavoureth to prove that to communicate with our Cross, is no Idolatry, sect. 15. An objection of the Opposites answered, saying, they may use the Cross, because they have changed the cross. Though there be four sorts of things that may be changed, yet the cross is none of them, Sect. 16. An enlargement and continuance of the matter contained in the former section, sect. 17. Our Cross not changed from the Papistical cross, whilst ours as also theirs resemble Christ's death: and whilst the old piece of his figure and form remaineth, sect. 18. The Opposites first difference, why our cross not the same with the Papists, sz because not the same Numero, sect. 19 The opposites second difference why our cross not the same with the Papists, sz. because ours is made at the fount only: theirs at the church door also, sect, 20. The oppesites third difference of our cross and theirs, is in the meaning, end and use, sect. 21. Our use of the Cross, the same with the Papists in seven respects. The opposites distinction of effectiuè and significatiuè in defence of it, answered, sect. 22. Evils occasioned by the cross itself, people, Minister, and Governors that urge it, sect. 23. Five defences of the cross objected by the Opposites: The first whereof is answered in this section, and that which followeth, sect. 24.25. Objections of the opposites for the cross confuted in this sect. and in the 27. following. Ceremonies honourable in their ancient beginning, must be corrected, not removed. sect. 26.27. The abuse of the Cross can not be removed, the Cross itself remaining, Sect. 28. Preaching as it is now used in England, is not sufficient to remove the abuses of the cross, the cross itself remaining, Sect. 29.30. Opposites objection answered, which is, the abuses of the Cross are sufficiently reform, because the Altars, Shrines, Images, etc. be utterly removed, etc. Sect. 31. Reasons why the aereal cross ought rather to be abolished then the material, Sect. 32. It avails nothing to remove the material cross, retaining the mystical, sect. 33. Another Opposites objection answered: which is, we use it as a civil ceremony, not religious, sect. 34. Pretence of a civil end of the cross, excuses not the cross used in the worship of God, sect. 35. The use of the Cross is religious not civil, as the Opposites proved in this section, and that which followeth, sect. 36. The 5. objection of the Opposites answered: which is, he is not worshipped in the Sacrament, but is only an attendant upon the sacrament, sect, 39 The superstition of the Cross. Sect. 1. CHAP. II. THE Cross is an Image flatly forbidden by the second commandment, sect. 1. The Cross is directly an Image, sect. 2. The Opposites saying, the second commandment forbiddeth only material Images, are confuted. The cross now used is not simply aereal, sect. 3. The Opposites saying our cross is no Image, because they intent no expression, are confuted, sect. 4. The opinion confuted, which not able to deny the cross to be an Image, affirm Images to be lawful in case the Magistrate command them, etc. And the aereal cross is worst of all Images, sect. 5. The aereal cross is a new sign directly against the intendment and rule of God's worship. The danger of retaining old popish ceremonies, Sect. 6. The cross sinneth against this main principle of the word, he that addeth or taketh from it, etc. Popish ceremonies worse than jewish, sect. 7. The Opposites that affirm their ceremonies to come from the primitive church immediately, and not from popery, are confuted, sect. 8. and 9 The second defence of the cross confuted: that is, we receive it not as superstitiously abused by the papists, but as first used by the Fathers, sect. 10. It's no good defence of the cross to say we have it from our Fathers, not from the papists, because the fathers also abused both, the simple use of it, and as it is mixed with oil, sect. 11. The Cross is condemned as a superstitious ceremony: as superstitious will-worship, and for a superstitious ceremony, and will-worshippe sacramental, sect. 12. The cross is a Wilworshippe, proved by three reasons. sect. 13. The holiness and necessity of the cross, cause it to smell very rankly of superstition, sect. 14. The Opposites first reply answered: which is, that the law commands not the cross as an holy worship like the Papists, sect. 15. The second pretence for defence of the cross, is necessity, sect. 16. We can hardly accuse the Papists of any abuse of the cross, because we abuse it almost as much as they, sect. 17. The third abuse of the cross confuted: which is, that the cross is urged of necessity without omission, even as with the Papists, sect. 18. The pressing of the cross confirms popish principles: the urging of the cross, establisheth a popish necessity, Ex consequenti, sect. 19 The cross as the Opposites use it, is proved to be sacramental, sect. 20. The Opposites saying the cross is Sacramentale, is four ways faulty, sect. 21. The Fathers urge a necessity of the cross very superstitiously: the Papists more indifferent than they, therefore their authority is of no value for the cross, sect. 22. The Opposites give that to the sign of the cross, which is only proper to an essential part of the sacrament, sect. 23. The opposites objection saying the cross in Baptism is inferior to the water, because it comes after, confuted, sect. 24. A third fault wherein the opposites usurpeth upon sacramental offices, sect. 25. Though the devising of new signs corrupt the simplicity of Sacraments ordained by Christ, yet it hindereth not but something is left to the Church concerning circumstances, as time, place, order, etc. sect. 26. Though it were lawful for the Church to devise new signs, yet not for religious use, especially where God hath ordained signs for the same purpose already, sest. 27. And although it were lawful there to ordain new signs where God hath already ordained, yet is it not lawful to annex them to the holy signs of God, as with us the Cross, Sect. 28. No outward sign ought to be added by the church to Christ's institution, sect. 29. Though it were lawful to devise new symbolical signs in the Sacrament where God hath ordained already, yet not to take a Cross from the brothelhouse of superstition, Sect. 30. Objections of the Opposites: the cross is sooner to be used in that it teacheth good things, and hath a profitable signification: therefore every ceremony is significant, or else veins: that the Lord delighted much in signs which the woman showed, and blamed Simon for not showing the like, etc. sect. 31. The second objection of the opposites: there be many similitudes in scripture drawn from God's creatures, which employ so many signs, etc. sect. 32. The third objection of the Opposites: there be diverse signs added in the scripture by man lawfully as the knife of stone, and such like, sect 33. The fourth sign alleged for the defence of the Cross, is the imposition of hands: and why should not the sign of the cross be as lawful as it, sect. 34. Four offices which the cross performeth in baptism, sect. 35. The fourth sin that maketh this cross Sacramentale, in these words: We receive this child into the congregation of Christ's flock, sect. 36. It followeth not, because we use the Lords prayer and Creed in Baptism, that therefore we may use the cross. For the word cross implieth three senses contrary to the word, sect. 37. The opposites saying, that the cross is the sign of Christ crucified, confuted, sect. 38. Though Tau were in the text, yet can not across be collected from it, unless we ground doctrine upon the mysteries of letters, which the Gnostickes, Valentinians, and the Cabalists use, sect. 39 That the sign of the cross, is not the sign of the Son of man, sect. 40. An answer to the argument of the Opposites, which is taken from Visions and Apparitions, sect. 41. Answers to the arguments, which the opposites take from miracles, sect. 42. the refuge which the opposites seek to have by the Fathers, removed, both because they passed measure herein, as also, that the case and time is now far changed, sect. 43. The Hypocrisy of the Cross. Sect. 1. CHAP. III. That the using of the Cross, is but an idle apish toy, and lighter than the Surplice, which is also too light, Sect. 2. That the cross is unprofitable, fleshly, smelling of Idolatry, and of too light a colour, Sect. 3. The profits alleged to accompany the cross, for commendation thereof, as to keep from sin, confusion, cause zeal, and to help in the instant of temptation, are refuted, sect. 4. That the cross is now not only unprofitable, but also very hurtful, sect. 5. The second excuse, that the cross is imposed by Christian Magistrates, is taken away in diverse respects, especially because it is taken as a consenting in a part to the ceremonies of the church of Rome, sect. 6. That the cross fostereth hypocrisy in the mids of our church, and hindereth spiritual worship, sect. 7. The hypocrisy of the cross in preposterating, evacuating, and polluting the understanding, which is the first part of the soul reasonable, is proved, sect. 8. That the cross is not a monitorium to the memory, but defileth it with the hypocrisy of preposteration, with vacuity of the remembrance pretended, and with forgetfulness of God and his word, sect. 9 That the cross occasioneth, and breedeth canker in the conscience, and that which the Opposites allege, that conscience is but a pretence, is anticipat, Sect. 10. The hypocrisy and preposteration of the cross, in the Will, in respect of the means for attaining to the right end, is proved, Sect. 11. How the cross is urged by our Opposites for sininister end, and not in sincerity, Sect. 12. That the cross preposterateth, evacuateth, and polluteth the affection of fear, sect. 13. How the sign of the cross is an enemy to our affiance in the merits of Christ, sect. 14. That the cross evacuateth and polluteth faith, sect. 15. That the Cross evacuateth and polluteth love & zeal, both for matter, and measure, sect. 16. The hypocrisy of the cross in prayer, is proved in respect it is thought to be operative, sanctificative, and helpful thereto, sect. 17. The special hypocrisy of the cross, is evidently declared in the life and conversation of those that did bear it, sect. 18. The Impiety of the Cross. Sect. 1. CHAP. FOUR THAT the Cross mocketh the Lords sabboth's, in darkening them: guiding the popish Processions, and with whorish bravery, in the worship of God, Sect. 2. That the cross corrupteth the simplicity of the Sabbath, sect. 3. That the sign of the cross defileth the sanctity of the Sabbath, sect. 4. That the ceremonies, and the cross in special, steal away true devotion from the heart, and are occasions of irreverence, sect. 5. That the ceremonies controversed, not only defile, but hinder the worship of the Sabbath, sect. 6. The Ceremonies hinder the Preaching of the Sabbath, both in part and in the whole, sect. 7. That the Ceremonies controversed, hinder the word in whole, sect. 8. That the Ceremonies with their subscription, shut out good shepherds, suffers and fosters hirelings, ignorance, plurality, and non residency, sect. 9 That the Ceremonies controversed, hinder preaching, shutting out the Preachers, and putting the light under a bushel, sect. 10. An answer to the reproach of the Opposites, which is, that these who stand for Discipline, are unlearned, sect. 11. That the fault why faithful Ministers are cast out of their ministery, lieth not upon themselves, sect. 12. The calumny of peevishness and foolishness imputed to the Ministers, for not receyving Cap and Surplice, is answered, sect. 13. The calumny of leaving the ministery, is answered, and the ignorantes and others, who subscribe, to abide in the ministery, are by the way challenged and convicted, sect. 14. That the loss of the ministery, unto the faithful Ministers, rather than to approve the Ceremonies, shall be the Lords gain also, as the judgement of our best Divines, is so to do, Sect. 15. That the small estimation of Preaching, under pretence to care for praying, as the opposites allege, is the abaddone or murdering sin of these days, and takes away the right use of the Sabbath, sect. 16. The end of the contents of the several Chapters and Sections of the first part of this book. An Alphabetical Table of some special points interlaced here and there in this Book. A. God accursed the presumption of the Fathers in using other fignes besides his, pa. 99 To add new signs is to usurp the office of the holy Ghost, pa. 97. and to defile the institution, ibid. & pa. 112. We may add roast-meat, or sodmeate to the Supper of the Lord, as well as the sign of the cross to Baptism, pa. 102. Any addition in God's service, without his warrant, is an Image which he detesteth, pa. 62. The addition of a new Altar by Solomon, was upon special warrant, he being a prophet, and it was added out of the equity of Moses law, p. 100 All that is added to the institution, by man, is the Devils, pa. 129. R. p. 1. The Adiaphorisme of popish rites retained, is the very image of the beast, pa. 136. and a countermand of that precept, Reve. 18.4. ibid. The affectation of great learning hath brought forth a windy kind of teaching, pa. 184. The Altar of the two Tribes and a half, was not in state religious as the cross is, nor in use, but was civil, pa. 100 Antiquation of popish ceremonies bewailed by the papists, as a downfall of their religion itself, pa. 68 The Apostles themselves cannot absolutely command in things indifferent, pa. 87. The armory of Rome yieldeth weapons sufficient against the dumb ministery, Pluralities, and Nonresidencie, pa. 180. B. The Beads and Bells of the papists not so bad as the cross, pa. 162. The Brazen serpent, after it had served idolatry, was no longer the serpent of God, but the serpent of idolaters, & the serpent of the devil, pa. 40. Bread & cheese in the Lord Supper as lawful as the cross in baptism, pa. 95.103. A pair of Bulls horns put upon the forehead of the baptised, is as warrantable as the cross, pa. 109. C. The Calf of the Israelites was an Image of God, pa. 59 Every ceremony uniteth a man to the Religion to which it belongeth, pa. 75. Ceremonies which have been abused to superstition, can never serve for order or comeliness, pa. 78. Our ceremo, a scourge to good preachers, and a means to keep in Oxen and Asses, pa. 151. The ceremo. in controverse (viz the Cross and Surplice) have been not only offered privately, but they have also been publicly consecrated to idolatrous service, and so are become Idolothytes in the highest degree, pa. 9.10. They are idols, monuments of idolatry, and incentives to the same, pa. 13. They are relics of popery, p. 12. They are notorious brokers of popery, and poisonful, pa. 22. In retaining of them we approve of popery, ibid. & 23. They are harlots that have proceeded out of the loins of man's brains, & pedlery wares of popery, pa. 23. No Church or holy society can make them holy, pa. 24. they are mere inventions of man, pag. 26. They have no needful use to prone themselves Gods lawful coin, ibidem. They are no otherwise to be thought of then we think of the devil himself, pa. 38. They have been instruments of the service of devils, pa. 49. If they were cut off & gone, the word of God would flourish more, pa. 66. They hazard the substance of the doctrine itself of our Church, ibid. They have been deflowered by that man of sin, & have drawn in the yoke of Antichrist, pa. 76. They are vain, & light, & hated of good men, pa. 78. They disturb the churches that have discontinued them, & set the churches that nourish them in their bosoms, in a combustion of endless contentions, ibid. There is an opinion of too great holiness had of them, p. 84. there is no use of them pleasing to the Lord, but that which most disseiseth them of that honourable estimation which they have, pa. 85. There is in them, a smatch of the popish leaven, & such a twange● of holiness, as is proper to worship, ibid. They are creatures of Antic. pa. 108. They are relics of idolatry, pa. 158. They cause the sons & daughters of the Philistines to boast, pag. 159. they are more shameful & hateful to a minister of God, them is a fools coat, pa. 175. they are badges of Antic. & love tokens of former adultery, ibi. they are the two Gileadites that keep the passages of our church, to stay (if not stab) every able and worthy scholar, that will not pronouce their Shibboleths. & dance roundly after the pipe of their Subscription, pa. 178. they are sworn servants to that man of sin, and yet made Porters of Christ's house, ibid. the keys are committed to them to open & shut, & yet they can no longer stay in office, them whilst the keys of heavenly knowledge are taken away from the people, ibid. They are as bad as the Serpent, and bring in all manner of evil into the world, pa. 179. they drive from God's service many worthy Ministers, ibid. They hinder the purging of our church, as being loath to part company from that drove of their own country cattle, that came from Rome with them, ibid. they are most obstinate enemies to the preaching of the Sabbath, pa. 180 They lay waste the chair of Moses, pa. 181. They are not well purged from their ancient Roman pride, ibi. They are Agagites, which have got them horns, & they thrust with side & shoulder, to the smiting of the shepherds, and scattering of the flocks, pa. 182. When they were newly borne, their hurt was not little, ibid. Chapels of case would be united to other churches, where there may be provision for preaching, pa. 193. The Church barreth her doors against all such things as have been consecrat unto Idols, pa. 55. It must be fed with the word, and not with dumb signs and dead images, pa. 114. The state of our Courch would be glorious, and many golden Preachers would enter, if the bar of Subscription, and the clog of Ceremonies were rolled away pa. 176. Many Churches have been built to the name, and honour of the cross, pa. 169. The Churches of France, Helvetia, & Germany, as they have abolished the whole dross of popish doctrine, so they retain not so much as a dramine of their ceremonies, pa. 134. R. 3. p. 2 Our Communion book termed by the papists an English translation of the Mass-book, pa. 135. R. 4. p. 1. It is not thoroughly purged of popish superstition, ibid. We concur with papists in holy days and in feasts, in singing & chanting, & church music, in Copes & Caps, & in fasts, pa. 172. Confirmation at the first was only within the solemnity of Baptism, p. 97. It robbeth Baptism of his honour, pa. 101. Our comform▪ with papists in their rites destroyeth that difference & separation which ought to be between the church of God and aliens, p. 69. All Coparturship with aliens in their rites and customs is unlawful, pa. 78. 79 133, R. 3. p. 1.171 A Cow is as good a sign of Christ's death, as is the cross, pa. 60. A Cross was the harbinger of all Rom. cerem. when they first entered into England. pa. 163. The Cross is an Idol many ways polluted, p. 3. 5. 18. 48. 169. It is held to be a necessary instrument & mean of man's salvation, pa. 4. 85. It is supposed to bless, convert sinners, sanctify, drive away the Devil, work miracles, and save all that are marked with it. p. 4. 5. It is a Devil and adored by the papists as a distributer both of temporal blessings and heavenly graces, pa. 5. It is an idolatrous sign, as bad as the serpent idolized by the jews, and it cutteth too neat upon the office of the H. Ghost, ibid. It partaketh of God's worship both inward and outward, pa. 6. 7. It is a Rite of the devils, an instrument of witchcraft, & a very enchanting rod. p. 7 It will never go from the possession of private houses, until the public house of God do spew it out, ibid. It is made an Amulete against the devil, ibi. It passeth the pollution of all other Idolothites, pa. 10. It is a grand Consecratour of all things in idolatr-worship, ibid. It must be cast out of the Temple of God, and thrown to the moules & backs, the common receptacle of all defiled relics, p. 10. It is a principal badge of popery, pa. 11. 12. R. 1. p. 2. 136. It is not to be mentioned honourably with the sign of the Covenant, pa. 12. It is a jewel of the harlots, a Prophee of Antic. conquest, a sign of commoderation with God's enemies, a stumbling block to the popishly minded, a snare like to one of Canaan's monuments, & a vanity no way profitable, ibi. It must pack out of god's worship, pa. 13. If but the carcase of it be left above ground, the stink thereof willbe intolerable, pa. 19 It is an unlawful imitation of the popish crossing, though it be pretended that with us it is used to a divers end, pa. 21. 72. 73. 74. 134. R. 3. p. 2. It is leprous & aught to be burnt, as being (when it was at the best) but hay & stubble, pa. 25. 39 It is too too like the popish cross, p. 26. 28. 32. 34. 80. It hath too honourable a place in God's service, pa. 26. 27, 41. It retaineth with us (& that entirely) his old idols office, pa. 27. It is not only signify stive, but effective, pa. 33 91. 129. 160. People are prone to dote upon it in popish manner, so long as they see it before their eyes after their old popish fashion, pa. 34. It had never any ancient use that was laudable, pa. 39 Many other superstitions ceremonies as ancient as it, ibid. It hath received in popery all the abuses which can be named, pa. 40. It is not the ancient Father's cross, ibid. & 75. A poisonful rust hath so deeply eaten into it, that it cannot be cured, pa. 41. It is a ringworm that spreadeth mightily, ibid. It hath been a fertile mother of much superstition, even from the infancy of it, pa. 42. 57 The aereal cross much worse than the material, p. 47. It is a harlot that is talkative, pa. 49. It is a ceremony abused to the depth of all miquitie, pa. 52. It is an Idol an Idolothite, an Image forbidden, a sign human, a ceremony popish, pa. 55. It hath been no where more a●used then in Baptism, pa. 56. It hath a deep hand in all the incantations of the water in baptism, pag. 57 It is a breach of the very letter of the second commandment, pa. 58. 59 It is greater than any other Image, pa. 58. It is the greatest Devil amongst all the Idols of Rome, pa. 59 It reacheth with a fescue, & keepeth the church still in her infancy, pa. 66. It sinneth against a main authorament of the 2. command. pa. 68 It is a member of the harlot of Rome united to Antichrist. p. 75. It is partner with the Oil in all the horrible superstitions of it. It is the chief cognisance of the harlot of Rome, p. 78. It is the very Queen of all other Traditions, pa. 82. It ought to be as odious to us, as is the Gallows to a child, on which his father was hanged, ibid. It is preferred before preaching & deeds of mercy ibid. It is made as necessary with us as it is in popery. pa. 85. It is an Hagar that hath a long time not only crowed against her mistress, but also crowded into her place, pa, 89. It is a Sacramental, if not a Sacrament, pa. 90. It fitteth with Baptism, & dedicateth out seed to God, pa. 94. It is worse than the worst of the Romish symbolical signs, pa. 99 104. 149. It is an Altar fetched from Damascus, and set in the Temple cheek by jowl with the Altar of the Lord, pa. 101. It is sacrilege, pa. 102. It is taken from the brothelhouse of God's great enemy, and must out to the dunghill, pa. 104. It is as swine's flesh to the Lord, ibid. Among all the signs of Rome, there is not a more gross or dirty harlot, ibid. It is cashiered out of all protestant Churches, pa. 105. 159. It being a plant of man's, it must be rooted out, ibid. It is beheaded with the same Axe that cutteth off other popish signs, pa. 112. It was used by the Fathers as a gesture of prayer, without any word annexed unto it, pa. 114. It is a superfluous, unlawful, and insufficient Teacher, no better than the Devil, pa. 115. It is incorporated (even with us) into the Sacramental actions, ibid. It is not Christ's banner, pag. 116. It is a Character of the Beast, pag. 120. It hath no ground in God's word, ibid. It jetteth in the name of Christ's sign, whereof it hath rob the water in Baptism, pa. 133. Out of our church, it is no where used but for a sign of Antichristianitie, ibid. It is needles and superfluous, a jewel of Antichrist, and a fruit forbidden, pag. 134. It is a very play-game, no better then fast and lose, pa. 135. It is too merry a gesture, to represent the sorrowful torments of Christ, ibid. No feather lighter, no not the feathers of the Masse-flap, pag. 128. Q. 4. pa. 2. It is a soule-murtherer, and a stirrer of sedition in our church, ibid. The more ancient it is, the worse? and the more contentment it giveth, the more superstition it breedeth, pa. 129. R. pa. 1. As much may be said for the whole waine-lode of popish ceremonies, as the Proctors of the cross say for it, ibid. It smelleth too much of the stews, ibid. It is a strange fire, pa. 131. R. 2. pag. 1. The use of it against the Devil, is no better than a straw to run at Tilt withal, pa. 132. R. 2. p. 2. It stayeth and staineth out profession, ibid. It is the special mark of the Beast, and the cognisance of Antichrist, pag. 136. It is a beggarly ceremony, wanting power to enrich with grace spiritual, pa. 138. It is matched with the word, & in some sort preferred before it, p. 136 It is held to be better than a sermon, and worthy of worship and adotation, pa. 140. It is a mute character, & dumb sign, a blind guide, and a dumb vicar of the Devil, ibid. It hath no instructions in it, but only the lessons of gross Idolatry, penned by the Devil, ibid. It defileth like an Harpy, whatsoever it toucheth, with all his hypocrisies, pa. 141. By retaining it, we open a gap to Lutheranisme, Adiaphorisme, and all Idolatry, pag. 141. It is a thorn in the ●ande of a violent man, to hurt others, and to undo them, pag. 142. It is but a Tradition of man's, and yet it is preferred before the laws of God, pa. 147. There is more stir to uphold it, than the preaching of the word, pa. 148. It is a deceitful toy, pag. 154. It was at the first a faithless invention taken up without all warrant, occasion, or need, pag. 155. It is made a Magical enchantment, Ibid. The pruning knife of doctrine was never able, to this hour, to lop of the abuses of it, ibidem. It bewitcheth the soul, it blasteth the body, and wasteth the goods without all pity, pag. 156. It is a mutual prayer. pag. 160. The maintainers of it have nothing to cover it withal but figge-leeves, pa. 165. It is dung that polluteth the Sabbath, pa. 166. It mocketh the Sabbath by the mocke-sabbaths which it hath set up to itself, ibid. It is not found in the Leiturgies of the primitive Church, pag. 169. It came into the Sabbath by Montanus, and grew into credit with the rest of his inventions, pa. 170. It is an heretical and idolatrous rite of the forehead, as bad as a pagan garland, ibi. It is a badge of the Devil, fodered into the very forehead of the Sacrament itself, pa. 172. Blessing with it is no better than blessing with an old shoe-sole. pa. 161. D. The Deacon was wont to teade an Homily, when the Minister of a Countrey-parish was sick, and could not preach, pa. 195. The Devil doth bend himself against the Pastors, that he may make the more havoc of the flock, pa. 181. To devise new signs is to set the church to school again after the jewish manner, pa. 98. and to vilify the signs which God hath appointed. pa. 100 Every new devised sign is a new devised sacrament, pag 90. Great diversity and doubtfulness touching the fashion of the cross, pa. 60. A Done let down of old upon the baptised, for a sign of regeneration by the spirit, an unlawful sign, pa. 101. The duties of the Sabbath serve to edify the Church, as well as for the service of God, pag. 195. E. The Ephod set up by Gedeon in short time made Ophra more famous than the Tubernacle, pa. 100 F. The Fathers hold the water in Baptism to be nothing worth without the cross, pa. 77. 90 92. 113. They can be no vizard for a ceremony which hath been abused since, pag. 75. They called the sign of the cross a sacrament, pa. 89. They are very unsavoury in the matter of the cross. pa. 90. The Feast came after the worshipping of the calf, and after the substance of Idolatry: and yet the Apostle counteth it a principal part of the Idols service, pag. 95. Formalistes' for livings sake lie down under the burden of Subscription and conformity, which wring the shoulders of their consciences, pag. 188. Many of them cut our their tongues, either not using their gifts at all, or having no gifts to use, or abusing their gifts, or using them to no purpose, pag. 189. Some of them are nonresidentes loco, others officio, by their conformity gracing popery, and for the upholding of their conformity broaching many popish points in their preaching. Ibid. Master Fox prayeth heartily against the Surplice, pa. 196. G. GOD bestoweth no grace upon any, but by his own means; which the cross is not, pa. 4. He alloweth no Teacher but himself, nor means of Teaching, but his holy word and Sacraments, pa. 62. There were no Godfathers in the primitive church, pa. 71. H. Heathenish idolatry sprang from a desire to add visible signs to the book of the creatures, pag. 139. Hezekiah was bound to demolish the brazen serpent, pa. 36. 37. 41. The holy kiss is cast out of the church, though it went before the solemnity of the Supper, & was a mere natural sign of peace, and had no state in the Sacrament itself, pag. 111. Holy water a mere profanation, and repetition of Baptism, pag. 101. Homilies dubbed with the name of preaching, and held to be a preaching sufficient for the sanctifying and saving of the church, pa. 175. A Homily is too lean a sacrifice for a Sabbath▪ Ibid. It is but a dead letter, pa. 176. There wanteth in it the gift of the spirit, the art of the husbandman, the heat of the nurse, the opening of the Book, the dressing of the meat, the interpreter which is one amongst a thousand, and that ordinance of God, which only bringeth the blessing with it, Ibid. It is but a wooden shadow of preaching, and nothing worth, Ibid. How Homilies began, pa. 195. Hony added to the wine of the Supper, and to the water of Baptism, is as ancient as the cross, and hath been less abused, and yet is unlawful, pag. 103. I. An Jdole is to the Lord as doungue, pa. 3. Jdolaters defile whatsoever belongeth unto them, if their use which is religious, hath but touched it, pa. 9 Yea so as it cannot be made clean to us, pa. 18. 24. Things that have once served Idolatry, are Idolatrous, pa. 40. 56. An Jdoles' name must not be mentioned in common talk, pag. 53. The Idol and ignorant ministery is the bane of our church, pag. 150. It is the very sinews of Antichrist, pa. 179. An Jdolothite defined, pag. 9 A thing being known to be Idolothious, a protestation that we honour not the Idol, serveth not the turn, pag. 23. All images in churches dangerous and unlawful, though not worshipped, pa. 64. 65. images of God in popery are as vile Idols as the Images of the Pagans were, pa. 38. Imposition of hands is used with us effectively, pa. 34. All Inventions of man in the worship of God, are forbidden in the second commandment. pag. 61. K. Sundry sorts of Knights, which bear the cross for their badge: and why? pa. 163. L. In what case the leaving of the ministery is sinful, pa. 188. A long Liturgy wearieth the people before the Sermon beginneth, cloyeth the Minister, and filleth up the room of preaching, pa. 177. Liberty turned into necessity, is liberty no longer, pa. 87. Liberty to devise new signs, is but a young wanton novice, which the licentious Adiaphorisme hath begotten, pag. 100 All likeness of Cerem. with Idolaters forbidden, pa. 78. 133. R. 3. pa. 1. 134. R. 3. p. 2. 171. No worse livers in the world, than the likers of the Cross, pa. 163. Lordlines in Prelates is one of the shames & blains of this church, pag. 193. The Love-feastes were more ancient and far more tolerable than the cross, and yet romoved by the Apostle, pa. 95. 102. M. Melanthons' fall was fearful, and all formalistes may take warning by him, pa. 186. Milk added to the Lords supper & to Baptism is as ancient as the cross, and as significant, and hath been less abused, and yet is unlawful, pag. 103. No one Minister deprived in this land but by Christ's sufferance and toleration, pa. 189. A Minister that laboureth by another, must eat by another also, but himself eat nothing, pag. 194. A Minister that entereth into the church upon a Sabbath without preaching, is culpable of a grievous sin, ibid. He sinneth the sin of a dumb dog, and suffereth the people to pollute the Sabbath, Jbid. All monuments of Idolatry are to be demolished, pa. 12. 36. 37. 41. 43. N. nonresidency unlawful, pa. 150. 180. It is one of the shames and blains of this church, pag. 193. The Nonresident droppeth but now & then a shower, which never maketh fruitful, pa. 185 Nonresidents, idle and Idol ministers, drunkards, fornicators, and ganisters, should be punished rather than the painful and profitable Ministers, who notwithstanding are pursued, whereas there is no law to punish the other, pag. 148. O. All occasions that may reduce to Idolatry, are to be removed, pa. 13. Occasions that defer from the ministery, must be very carefully weeded out, and all means possible brought in place, that may thrust men into the vineyard, pa. 178. In the Old law no signs were lawful which were not showed in the pattern in the mount, pag. 98. Those Orders be most pure that come most nigh to the ensample of the primitive church. p. 170. No outward sign must be added by the church to Christ's institution, pa. 102. 103. Oil is as ancient as the cross, pa. 76. & yet to be abolished, pag. 93. The Oil and the cross are twins of one birth, pag. 98. P. Papisme will sprout up again, unless all the customs of it be hewn down at the root, pag. 73. Plurality of Benefices unlawful, pag. 180. Popery is furthered whilst such notorious brokers of it (as the Surplice and the cross) are not resisted, pa. 22. Popery is the greatest heresy of the new Testament, pag. 37. It is the quintessence of all Paganism, ibid. Popish ceremonies are worse than jewish, pa. 31. 69. 133. R. 3. pa. 1. 166. The establishing of them is a devise to draw in the whole body of popery, and carrieth a show of inclination thereto, pag. 67. The retaining of them keepeth still on foot many popish principles, and will in the end rob and rifle our faith, pa. 68 They must be grubd clean out of the church, pag. 31. Popish rites renew a jewish and carnal worship, and are but veils which must away, pag. 139. Popish consecrated Oil good to grease shoes withal, pa. 64. The Popish Procession is little better than a heathenish May-game, and a pompous Atheman sacrifice, pa. 168. Popish Saints are painted in their churches with the beasts which they loved, as the Pagan Gods were with thence. pag. 72. No Popish rite should have to do in our service, especially it should not meddle with the office of the Sacrament, pag. 74. One good Preacher is able to do exceeding much good: and there is a great loss of such a one turned to another course of life. pa. 178. The painful Preacher (though not so learned) bringeth in a greater harvest for the most part, than he that standeth upon his learning: and the reasons why, pag. 184. Preachers lips are in a manner sowed up from speaking against the abuse of the Cross, lest they should seem to speak against the cross in Baptism, pa. 132. R. 2. p. 2. The Preachers which refuse the sign of the cross, do more truly bear the cross than their pursuers, pag. 165. The Preachers who have their mouths gagged, are in Paul's case, and in the case of julians' soldiers, pa. 135. R. 4. p. 1. and in Ambrose his case, pa. 187. They can not conform without making shipwreck of a good conscience, pag. 145.146. They have learning enough, as having learned the truth, pa. 183. Their Churches are letters of commendations speaking for them, pa. 184. They leave not their ministery, but are thrust our against their wills, their ministery being the comfort of their lives, pa. 187. They have used all lawful means for the keeping of their ministery, ibid. and 188. They are called from their ministery by him that called them to it: the work being ended for which they were called, yag. 189. They are ready, even at an hours warning, if the Lord call them, the Church need them, or they find in conscience they may re-enter, pag. 190. They leave their Churches no other ways then our Saviour Christ, Elias, & Saint Paul did, ibid. None but Preachers are deposed, whereas none but they should stay in pag. 194. Great learned Preaching is very fruitless, and great learned Sermons are strawberry sermons, pag. 184. Preaching by others is not sufficient, pa. 194. He that preacheth by others, shall go to heaven by others, but to hell in his own person, ibid. Preaching is the chiefest worship of God more excellent than administering the Sacraments, exercising the Discipline, reading, or prayer, ibid. It is the most notable and the chiefest means for the erecting of God's kingdom in the world, pa. 195. A Sabbath cannot be well sanctified without it, and the reason why, ibid. It is the ordinary means of regeneration, and of our special faith, pa. 196. The Prelates, by their rigorous exaction of ceremonies, give suspicion of many hypocrisies, pa. 150. 151. They retain a cross in sign to bring their brethren under the cross in suffering, pa. 165. They exchange golden preaching for wooden ceremonies, pa. 175. Their deep learning is but the depth of Satan, p. 183. R. Reverence to the Sacrament is best procured, by laying open the institution by the preaching of the word, and then delivering it in that simplicity in which we have received it, pa. 112. The Ring hath too honourable a place in marriage, pa. 96. All Rites abused popishly (if they be not ordained of God) must be abolished, p. 26. 77. 93. All Rites, which are held necessary by the papists, are to be disused, pa. 88 Rome the greatest enemy that ever Christ had upon the earth, pag. 38. It is an habitation & cage of Devils, her factors the spirits of Devils, and her Idols even Devils themselves, ibid. S. A Sacrament and a Sacramental, all one, pa. 90. The second commandment authoriseth the word to be the rule of all God's worship, pa. 66. All show of Idolatry, even in the least ceremony, is to be avoided, pa. 11. No signs now should burden the church, save those which the Lord hath left, which are not burdensome, pa. 98. The sign of the son of man, what it is, pa. 129 The simplicity of the first church, is a pattern for us to follow, pa. 169. R. 4. p. 1. A square cap, unfit for a round head, pa. 135. Subscription is a rough way to walk in, where every step willbe a gash, pa. 143. It spurneth out of our church many Preachers, whom God hath fitted for his work, pa. 178. It hath been so fleshed, that it will hurt so long as it is retained, pa. 181. Suing for benefices & church dignities, is very pernicious, pa. 193. That is Superstition, which is supra statutum, pa. 58. The Surplice is a filthy Idol. p. 9 In retaining it, we approve of Popery. pa. 22. It is the Idols habit. pa. 29. 130. R. 1. p. 2. It is one of the pedlery wares of popery, pa. 23. It may be worn no where out of God's service, pa. 53. It is the cast apparel of the harlot of Rome, pa. 71. 78. 129. R. 1. p. 1. It is as undecent for the holy spouse of Christ, as a harlot's weed is for a grave matron, pa. 78. It is used no where out of our church, & in that regard also is undecent, pa. 108. It is playerlike apparel, histrionical, scenical, a vain vizard, & a pretty apish toy, pa. 135. By it Christ is again exposed to laughter in a white garment, pa. 186. It is a cunning invention of the Devil, pa. 187. It is a character of Antichrist. ibid. T. A Temple built on Garezim, soon overtopped the Temple at jerusalem, pa. 100 Things of themselves free, become necessary to be used when they edify, to be disused when they edify not, pa. 87. Those Times be purest that be nearest to Christ and his Apostles, pa. 170. The three hundredth soldiers of Gedeon resemble the 300. Ministers, who now stand out against the cross, pa. 120. The Traditions of men defile the confession of faith, pa. 133. R. 3. p. 1. The fat Traditions of the papists are retained still amongst us, pa. 149. 150. V Valentinus the heretic was the father and first begetter of the cross, pa. 75. W. The Wafer-cake was never half so superstiouslie abused as the cross, pa. 80. Want of preaching is very dangerous, pag. 193. 196. Water mingled with the wine in the lords supper, is more tolerable than the cross in baptism, pa. 52. 95. 102. 103. The White garment, not fit to be used at baptism, pa. 156. All Will-worship is carnal worship and flat idolatry, pa. 3. God's Worship is wronged by all new devised signs, and popish rites, pa. 66. Worshipping in the Papacy is as abominable as the pagan adoration, pa. 38. Y. We must not Yield one whit to papists, pag. 135. R. 4. p. 1. They yielding of Ministers openeth the mouths of papists, and of the common people, pa. 191. Upon yielding to Conformity there followeth a deprivation of former gifts, zeal, love, painfulness, joy, yea knowledge and all, pa. 191. Z. Zeal can endure nothing of Antich. no not the name of any thing that bolongeth unto him, & is defiled by his polluted members, pa. 156. It abhorreth all show of popery, ibi. It cannot endure comform. with aliens, no not in civil guises p. 157 much less in their relig. rites, such as the cross & Surplice are, ibi. It will show no countenance towards Idolaters or heretics, ibi. It can abide no relics of idolatry, pa. 158. The Names of the Authors, Treatises, and Counsels cited in this Discourse. A. Antonius' Nebrissensis Antonius' historians. Antonius Gubert. Antonius Sadael Antonius Possevin. Antonius de Corduba Antonius Fayus Antonin. Histor. Aeneas Silvius Aelianus Varro Aegidius Hunniu● Aegesyppus. Athanasius. aventinus. Amalar. Alcuinus. Albertus Magnus, Abraham Scult. Agrippa. Andrea's Frisius. Andrea's Hipperius Augustinus. Andradius. Amandus' Polanus. Alexander Alesius. Anselmus. Ambrose. Attil▪ Serranus. Alphonsus de Castro. Agathias Scholasticus. Ad●ianus. Aulus Gellius. Arnobius. Abraham. Fransus. Arius Montanus. Andrea's Masius. Alphonsus Tostat. Aubanius. Alexander ab Alexandro. Apuleius. Aratus. Abbot's Auent. Angesismus Albertus Crantz. Adrian. Papa. Answ. to the petit. by the vicechanc. and Doctor of Oxon. Author. lib. de singularit. Clericorum. A discourse of the conference at Fontainbleau. Anglic. Historia. B. BIlsonus Bellarminus Breviar. Romanum. Bucerus. Beatus Rhenanus Bullingerus Brissonius Balaeus. Babington. Blond. Basilius Beda histor. Burchardus Bernardus Bridenbachius. Bartholom Laran. Becon. Bristol motives Benedictus Aretius. C. CAjetanus Catharinus Chemnitius. Caesar Baronius Costerus Carolus Sigon. Cal●hil. Coelius Rhoding. Chrysostomus Clemens Cyril●us Hierosol. Canisius Conradus Schlasselburg. Cyprianus. Conrade Lutzenburg. carrion Cambdenus Cassiodorus Cod. Theodofij Carolus Magnus Cornelius Tacitus Carolus Bovius Conradus Worstius Cicero Constant. polyhistor. Christianus Marseus Cuspinianus Cyprianus de Valera Claudius' ●spenc●rus Cor●elius jansenius Cousius Canus Cathechism. Regin. Mari. Censura colonians. Cantel Miss. Catalogus Testium veritatis Comment. de statu Religion. in Gallia. Catalogus Haereticorum Confessio Theologo. Saxon Colloquium Torger habitum. Censura Oriental. Eccles. Capitul. Graec. Synodor. Confessio Scotiae Collect. of Massac. in France Catechism. Trident. Confessio Eccles. Mansfeld. Confessio Princip. & Ducum Saxon. Charta Magna Canon Episcopal. Concilia. Nicenum Nannerens. Carthaginens. Tridentinum Chalcedonens. Constantinoposit. Aquisgranens. Pistense Aphricanum Epaunense Laodicenum Antisiodorens▪ Gerundens. Meldens'. Turonicum. Arimenense. Florentinum Neocaesar. Rhemens'. Bracharens. Vacens. jardens. Agathens. Cabilonens. colonians. Matiscoinens. Milevitan Lateranens. Sardicens'. Wormacens. Elibertin. Mogunti. Constantiens. Toletanu● August. Parisiens'. Romanum. Trullo. Senonens. Aurelianens. Hipponens. Mediolan. D. DEtzelius Damascenus. David Chytraeus Dominicus Asoto. Dion. Dionis. Ecclesiast. Dionis. Areopagita Decret. Damasus Digest. A French discourse of the honour of the Cross. E. EPiphanius Euthym. panopl. Ennodius. Erasmus Eusebius Extravagant Elmar Ephreem Erasinus Sarceriu● Euagrius. Edmund Bonesid. Epistol. Hamburg. Examinat. of the Declar. of the ministers of London. The answer thereunto. F. Fennerus. D. Fulk. Francisc. junius. Fevardentius. Francisc. Aluares D. Foes. in count. Oxon. Fredericus Nausea. D. Field. Fitzharb. Fasciculus Temporum Fascicul. rerum repetend. G. GOulartius. Gregor. Nissenus. Gualterus. Gabriel Powel Gregor. Martin Gelasius Georg. Cassander Gabriel Biel. Gregor. de Valent. Gregor. Turonens. Genebrardus Guliel. Alanus Guliel. Wideford Gaudent. Brixian Godescal. Sleweccius. Guliel. postella. Guliel. Nonbrigens'. Gualt. Mapes Gregor. Pastoral. Gratianus Guliel. Lindword. Gaguin. H. HIeronimus Hospinianus Herman. Hamelma● Hamburgensis Hugo de saucto Victor. Hilarius Holcot Hector Pintus Henricus Stephanus Harding Hippolytus. Hosius D. Hill. Hugo Cardinal. Hildebert. Cenoman. Hispan. Hostiens. Homil▪ Anglic. Humble motive. I. jonas Arelianens. joan. Reynaldus joan. Sarisburiens. jacob. a Vitriac. joan. Howset jacob. Ledesima joannes Calvinus joannes Wolfrius joan. Eckius joan. Gropper joan. lauterbach. joan. lauterbach. jacob. de Vorag. jacob. Vitriac. histor. josephus Scaliger joan. Husse jacob Billius joan. Sarran. joan. Napier joan. Fox joan. Dowley joan. Whitegift. joan. Duraeus julius Scaliger joan. Crispin. joan. Picus Mirandula Innocentius. jeremias Patriarch joan. Gerson joan. Brentius joan. Molanus joan. Sleidanus joan. Bohem. Auban. Isidorus hispalens. joan. de Vado joan. Piscator jacob. Paniel julius Obsequens joan. Dubitaviu● joan. Lasicius jacob. Ledesin Ignatius joan. Drusius joachim Westphal. joan. Ferus joan. Bodin joachim Vadianus josephus antiqui. Iudai●. josias Symlerus Irenaeus joan. Albinus justus Lipsius Isidor. Etimolog. jacob. Pammel. joan. juellus justus Origelitan. joan. Ziscar joan. Funccius joan. Wigand julius pap. joan. Dearing. joan. Beleth Ignatius Laiola joh. pap julius papa. 1. jujunction. Elixab. Index expurgat. hispan● L. Luc. Marinaeus Lindanus Laurent. Surius. Ludovic. Vives Ludovic. Lavaterus Lyranus Laurent. Saunders Lactantius Lutherus Leonicer Liberatus Carthag. Lampridius Lambertus Danaeus. Lib. Ceremo. Lib. pontificial. Lib. supplicat. Theolo. herman. Lib. Concord Lollardorum petitio. M. MArtial Magdeburgensis Macrobius Microlog Math. Sutclif Marcel. Coicyrens. Musculus Matth. Flaccus Illyricus Michael Glycas Minut. Foelix Melciad. Math. judex Maximin. Marcell. Palingenius Martin Bracarens. Maldonat. Math. Beroald. Math. Kellison Missale de invention. Cruci● Missale Sarum. N. NIcol. Saunders Nicol. Lyra. Nicol. Hemingius. Nicol. Cragius Nicol. Galasius Niceph. Calist Nauclerus Nicol. Cusan. Nicol. Gallus. Nowell Nicephor. histor. Nicol. de Clemangis Nilus Thessalonicens'. Nanar. Enchirid. News out of Holland. O. ovidius Origines Onuphrius Oedoard. Weston Otho frisingen's. Offic. Missal. P. Perkinsus. Polycratie. Portifor. Sarisbur. Philippus Melanchton Pettus Martyr. Pelag. Photin. Plutarch. Polydorus Virgilius Petrus Viret. Philippus Mornaeus Petrus Lombardus Prudentius. Parsons. Petrus Crinitus. Peresius. Paulus Diacon. Paul. Lancelot. Park. Pisan. Pet. Aliacus. Paul. Odorbor. Plinius Secundus Parisiensis. Poliaen. Stratag. Philo. Pet. Alciac. Plinius nature. hist. Petrus Cantor. Platina. Petrus Bellan. Panormitanus Pilkington. Paulin. Nolan. Pet. Serranus. Prosper. Peucerus. Plutharchus. Perald. Primasius. Pererius. Paul. 4. Pet. Cluniacens. Pontific. Roman. The humble petition to Q. Elizabeth. Q. Quintus Curtius. R. Rheims annotations. Richard Hooker. Rodolph. Arden's. Rabanus. Rollocus. Rodolphus de Rivo. Rodolph. Goclenius. Ruffinus. Ribera Regino. Rabidinera. Rudolph. Tungrens. Roderic. Toletan. R. Bretius Roffensis. Regul. luris▪ Rubric. S. Suarez. Sozomen. Sebastian. Munsteru● Sixt. Seriens. Sedulius. Sam. Harsnet. Soto. Seneca. sylvest Prior. Socrat. histor. Segedinus. Sigebert. Stephan. Gard. Severus Sulpitius. Stanisiaus Socolovius. Simeon Thessaly. Sadolet Saluian. Sigon. Sibrandus Lubert. Stanleton. Siluestrin. saints Pagninus. Saluian. Salustius. Stephan. Durant. Sigebert. Sigon. Sixt. 3. Suidas. Supplementum ad Chron. joan. Crispini. Statuta Reginae Elizab. T. Tertullianus. Thomas Aquina●. Torrensis. Tholossan. Theodoret. histor. Thomas Hutton. Turtian. Thomas Morescin. Theodor. Beza. Trelcatius. Thomas Morton. Tole●us. D. Tailor. Tremellius. Tiburt. Martyr. Titus Livius. Thom. walden's. The telat. of the religion of the western, etc. The humble motive for toll. Tripartit. historia. Theses Theolog. Saxon. The author of the Ies. catechism. The treatise whether it be a moral sin to transgress a civil precept. Turcica historia. V VAzquez. Vegetius. Virgilius. Victorius. Vincentius Beluacens. Vellerus Paterculus. Volateran. Vsperg. W. Willet. Whitaker. W Bishop. Wolfangus Lazius. Walafrid. Strab. Walsingam. W. Giffor. Wilfridus. X. Xistus Betulei. Z. ZAnchius. Zepperus. Zagazabo alias Christopher Lichanati. Zacharias Vrsinus. Zonaras. Zozom. histor. Zosun. Pap. To the Reader. CChristian Reader, I must advertise thee, that, either through the negligence of the Printer, or for want of a diligent Corrector, many faults have escaped in the printing of this Book. Divers of them are very gross, and do quite mar the sense of the place, which I would pray thee to amend with thy Pen, before thou begin to read. As for the rest which be but literal, I would entreat thee in love to pardon them, or to correct them as thou readest. Amongst other things, I think it not amiss, here in this place, to admonish thee of one in particular, namely that the figures set to number the pages are very faultily set; after the number 120. there following the number 129.130. and so on forward, till thou come to the number 135. and after that there beginning again the number 128.129, etc. from which number 128. till thou come to the number 136. I am constrained in the Table to add to the number of the page, the letter and page of the sheet: for example, pa. 128. Q. p. 129. R. and so in the rest: which I thought good to let thee understand, lest thou shouldest be mistaken in seeking for any thing contained in this Table. Faults escaped in the printing of the first part. Pag. 3. in margin litera (h) put out 4. pag. 4. li. (q) read 25. ibid. Suar. & lit (a) supra josu. pa. lit. (f) fol. 26. and l. (p) cap. 21. ibid. put out 21. ibid. sigura (5) read 2. Reg. pag. 5. linea. 22. read liver. ibi. lin. 25. Olympus. & lin; 49.50. an Idol now: pag. 6. lin. 9 why for which. lin. 37. to the desk. pag. 7. sect. 5. li. (c) readecont. Mart. pa. 8. lin. 51. (then) & sect. 6. lit. (s) teade disput. 54. p. 9 lin. 15. offerendo l. 29. touch and take l. 31. that a ball. p. 10. li. (o) art. 3. p. 11. l. 45. monet p. 12. l. 36. implement ibid. li. (f) 3435. p. 13. l. 5. solent and l. 11. medicina and l 38. homily p. 14. l. 48. now ibid. li. (c) cap. 5. p. 17. lit (m) sect. 1. p. 18. lin. 31. issue pag. 19 lin. 17. Devil. pag. 20. lin 43 horror pag▪ 21. lin ●. liking. pag. 22. lin 15 hand pag. 25. lin. 50. liking. p. 29. l. 22. individually▪ l. 41. shambles. l. 42. & 43. own for one. p. 30. l. 29. memorial p. 33. l. 40. coals. l. 41. it is as good p. 36. l. 38. away 37. l. 31.32. Rome paganish, p. 39 l 44. statues p. 40. l. 21 Egyptians set up. p. 43. l. 6. rasing p 45. l. 39 we should l. 44. is somewhat p. 48. put out the last line. p. 49. l. 34. Graeciae p. 52. l. 29. hath use. p. 57 l. 21 they take l. ●7. razed l. 34. anili. p. 58. l. 29. or worship. p. 59 l. 44. nullam p. 60. l. 10 floating l. 31. rain for beam p. 61. l. 17. of the pillar l. 28. sacram. l. 33. paint for make l. 44. januis p. 62. l. 1. absit ibid. inanimatum p. 63. l. 26. put out the cross of p. 65. l. 29. gerens ibid. in the mangin● at the letter (e) add Auton faius de obitu Bezae. p 67. l. 31. conformare. p. 68 l. 10. qui for quae p. 69. l. 35. introductum & l. 36. eadem veri Deicultu. p 70. l. vit. Mars. p. 71. l. 10 fideles p 72. l. 7. with the beast l. 47. Hooper l. 51. evidence p 73. l. 10. epularum l. 35. mortuis suis sacrificabant p. 75. l 9 his aeones p 76. l. 23. before Christ's. l. 38. it is out of p. 77. l 22. every▪ step. p. 83. l. 29. coloris l. 32. pleased p. 86. l. 34. put out which p 87 l. 36. acceptum in him p. 89. l. 19 cannot for can l. 30. cogetur l. 42 haec p. 95. l. 41. formally p. 97. l. 2. ill apply. l 19 both there p. 101. l. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 102. l. 9 feasted p. 104. l. 19 up in his p 105. l. 30. inclusively l. 34. unproffit. we p. 106. l. 19 in case l. 46. reference p. 107. l. 2. now it is l. 31 relieved p. 109 l. 2. proof bid. put out to p. 110. l. 42. excused p. 113. l. 36. replied l. 37. it there p. 115. l. 15. wrested l. 20 prevent l 51. put out this p. 116. l. 16. seeing for saith l. 48. his Quin. p. 118. l 8. so do Aquila & Symmachus p. 120. l. 2. put out in Romanos l 31. down p. 128. Q. l vlt. Quid p. 129. R. l. 7. place here l. nullo l. 34. disheriteth p. 130 l. 40 put out not l. 45 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 31. l. 6. the adored p. 132. l. 24. remained l. 25. torn p. 133 l. 41 scarce any where p. 134. Q l. 22. discard & l. 27. of our own church p. 128. l. 42 first by. l. 48 served Symmachus p. 133. R. 2 l 10. with Christ p 132. R. l. 25. removed p. 134. l. 14. faciendum l. 46. draweth p. 135 l 3●. likeness of p. 130. S. l. vit. put out & purpose p. 139. S. l. 15. our father's l 30. commandment p. 140. S●l. 38 be no ib. then p 141. l. 31. omne p. 142▪ l. 8. put out to l. 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 135. 8. l. 34. peace for place. p. 146. l. 44. elementi servitus p. 147. l 8. securely l. 29. raising up for the poor in p. 148 l. 38. put out as they & l 39 that the seed● of it came & l. 47. potionum p. 151. l. 13. that of Aug. p 152 l. 24. Mosis & l. 25. church now, and l. 46. & in that p. 153. l. 29. mocked p. 156. l. 21. fadgeth & l. 42. to spare or ransom p 158 l. 2. placeant l. 11. put out in ijs quos decipimus & l 13. for they are & who l. 33. priotis pa. 161. l. 14. described & l. 14. signifieth & l. 48. tieth p. 162 l 14. at Augusta & l. 40. a scantling p. 163 l. 13. Livonia & l. 17. put out the p. 166 l. 31. betweme feasts p. 167. l 7. speciali. p. 170. l. 12. mention p 172. l. 1. concur rather p. 173. l. 38. that is p. 177. l. 16. a rasing & l. 22. had & l. 24. helped & l. 30 & who wish to & l. 36. with that p. 181. l. 26. And for p. 185. l. 8. hurteth thee & l. 9 cloyeth & l. 21. their for our p. 185. l. 14. aptas & l. 17. hour & l. 18. Governors & l. 20. impugnat p. 186. l. 2. put out good ibid. of other men & l. 13. then by holding & l. 16. doubted p. 187. l 45. liberati p. 188. l. 45. would p. 193. l. 29. superfluously & l. 45. put out which sue for them only & l. 52. for that which even that p. 194. l. 1 put out it & l. 2. Paulum & l. 6. others, who are to be deposed themselves & l. 15. preacheth & l. 36. put out temporum. p. 195. l. 30. praedicat & l. 31. omnibus p. 196. l. 9 put out whereas now to seem to excuse such a manner & read which doctrine now is & l. 13. sermon running. The end of the first part. The second part of this Treatise. Of the Injustice of the Cross. Chap. 5. THe sins of the Ceremonies against the fift precept, we mean as much as we can to cover, for the love and reverence sake, which we bear to our Christian Governors; whose hard measure towards us, though it run over, yet are we desirous not to run beyond those bounds of the holy apostle: I have nought to accuse my Nation of: and brethren ye have not hurt me at all, Act. 28.19. Gal. 4.12. Nevertheless, lest our speechless silence should hurt our good cause, we are to crave leave, though not to expostulate or accuse, yet after the example of the same Apostle, to appeal and beseech, that which (we trust) none will deny us, especially seeing we appeal no further, then from Philip displeased to Philip appeased: & beseech no other way, than children use to beseech the men whom they hold for their Fathers. The very Canon Law itself affirmeth: a Fasciculter. expetend in appellat. Parisiens'. fol. 34. Nullus Princeps tollere potest appellationis remedium, eùm sit quaedam defensio, que iure divino, naturali, & humano, cuique competit. Neither are the children (or rather slaves) themselves of Antichrist, so bound in judgement unto their Church, their Pope, their Counsels, but that lawfully they may appeal from them, male consultis, so it be to themselves b Ibid. bene consultis, and to c Nichol. de Clemangis sup: materia concilgeneral. examine by the word, whether been or male, they have advised themselves, or no. In regard hereof, we have good confidence, our humble petitions will be admitted into the presence of our reverend Fathers, the first of which is, that they would remove these ceremonies controversed, for fear the Lord will plead against this church of ours: I have a few things against thee, because thou hast them that maintain the doctrine of Balaam, to put a stumbling block before the people, that they should eat of things sacrificed to Idols. Apoc. 2.14. Against this petition reasonable, we hear hitherto, nought objected, which savoureth not of some injustice against this precept. First it is said, that the Doctrine being reform, no matter is to be made of Ceremonies: and as for the Cross and Surplice, which are in the number of minores Ceremoniae, the Magistrate would be counted unwise, & it would be a dishonour unto him, if he should trouble himself about them. First, he that standeth upon the smallness of these Ceremonies, let him consider whether he stand not on Hardings' ground, when he pleaded the things were small, wherewith jewel charged his Church; seeing, what Mr jewel d jewel in defence of Artic. ag. Hard. praefac. returned to him, that serveth us in our whole cause. How great or small these matters are, it forceth not: indeed they are avouched with very small proofs, as if they were small. and yet as small as ye would have them, it appeareth ye keep no small ado about them. Nothing ought to be accounted small, wherewith so great multitudes of God's people, may be deceived and scandalised: the matters wherewith Christ charged the Scribes and pharisees, were not so great, and yet he saith: ye strain at a gnatt, and swallow a Camel. Saint Paul saith, a little leaven, soureth the whole lump: an hair is small, and yet we read it hath chook a big man. Plato saith, Robbery is no less in a small matter, then in a great: the Cyniplees were but small, yet are they reckoned, among the great plagues of God. alia sunt frivola & innoxia, alia frivola & noxia, saith e Gregor. li. 6. epi. 30 Gregory. Though these matters be small, yet the evils that rise of them, are not small: remove them, and popery receiveth no small wound. To conclude, if these ceremonies be great, they are the more worthy to be considered. if they be small, there is the less hurt in leaving of them, & the more wilfulness in defending of them: Christ saith, qui in modico iniquus, & in maiori iniquus. Verily the greatest part of the land, is weary of them: thus far out of jewel. Hear we the judgement of one of the Crosses friends, speaking thus of him, to make him great and not small: f Ric. Hook lib. ●. c. 65. Ceremonies are more in weight then in sight. they work by commonnes of use much. Another will not have the Surplice, upon pretence of any smallness, to be made unworthy of a Prince's care, and therefore averreth, g Examine. of the declarat. of the Minist. of London. Princes have thought it their service, not only to establish sound doctrine, but also to ordain and redress rites. Last of all, thus saith Master Bucer, h Bucer. in Mat. 18. Nibil dicunt, qui perpetuo iactant, maiora esse quae urgeri oporteat, quam reformationem ceremoniarum, Antichristi reliquis, patrocinantes. Ceremoniae enim sunt testes religionis. Secondly, The case so standeth now, that the Magistrate must be a remoover, or reviver of the Ceremonies controversed: a weeder or a waterer of them. For, whereas in the latter times of Queen Elizabeth, they grew towards an Antiquation, now let them prevail against the suits of the godly Ministers, who have put them in feat, and they will crow [vae victis] and triumph more than ever before. Like the pride of women's apparel in Rome, when being feared by the Lex Oppia, it got the victory over it. The superstition of these weeds, hath grown mightily heretofore, Mat. 13.25. even in the husbandman's sleep and negligence, how much more will it sprout then now, when they shall receive a watering from his countenance which is like dew, Pro. 19.12. and that to the hurt of the good wheat itself, Heb. 6.8. jer. 23.29. Pro. 24.31. for whose sake the Lord hath appointed a fire to burn not only an hook to cut them down? It is well that jehu throws down Baal, but it was l Pet. Martyr in 2. Reg c. 10. 2 King. 12.3. expected of him, that he should have banished the Calves of Dan and bethel also. It is well that joash reformeth Idols, but his m Gualt. in Hos. c. 2. duty was to down with the high places too. Pilate in policy whippeth Christ, to save him alive, and to content the jews. Let the Lutheran follow this policy, who reformeth popery but in part: Let us think on Master john Calvines' speech: n joh. Calvin in comment. in Io han. 19: 1. At qui praestare sepultam esse doctrinam, quam sic flagellari: and upon that of Peter Martyr, who, speaking of reforming the Doctrine, and not of Ceremonies, o Pet. Martyr. ut sup. Non est ad hunc modum, in religione agendum (sayeth he) tota enim repurganda est, & ad viwm emendanda. If God's glory move us not, yet let our own shame. For if a stranger should come over, and see in one prison a papist committed, for not conforming himself to England, and an Antipapiste punished, (I mean a Preacher) for not conforming himself to Rome, would he not take up again the old Italians admiration, Act & Monum. 1096. Deus bone, quomodo hic viwnt gentes? #Sect. 2. Objection answered: If our Church were now in her first constitution; it were fit to remove the Ceremonies: but being established, they are to be let alone. SEcondly, It is to this our most just petition replied, that if our Church were now in her first constitution, it were fit to remove the Ceremonies, whereas being already established, they are to be let alone. First, this supposeth that the law hath established these ceremonies, and that to continue, which is not so. they were tolerated for a season, not established. the law expecteth a time convenient for the altering of every rite that shall degenerate or grow to abuse, as these words do plainly show, a Stat. 1. Eliz. c. 1. service & Sacram. until other order be taken. As Augustine saith of the abuses of Martyrs memorials, b Augustin. epist 64. 2 Sam. 3.39 quod erat tunc dolendum, nunc auferendum est, that layeth hold on popish ceremonies, which though at first they were to be lamented by us, all while that Zerviahes sons were to hard for Queen Elizabeth; yet now they must be done away by that power, into whose hands God hath given power, to do it without peril. In deed the time hath brought an opportunity with it, which our Forefathers could not see. than they could not, but now they may, c Cicero ad Artic. li. 11 epist. 9 quam minimo sonitu be divorced. Why (say our Reverend Fathers) seeing they were not done away at first, therefore now they must stay still: seeing policy calleth for Augustus' course and defighteth to d Cornel. Tacit. Anal li. 1. insurgere paulatim. which another e Dion. li. 5● Historiographer thus describeth, non omnia statim ubi decretum erat executus est. veritas ne parum succederet, si simul homines transfer & in vertere vellet, sed quaedam ex tempore disposuit quaedam reiecit in tempus. Secondly, this reason holdeth (me thinks) to the contrary. john 4.31. because the imperfection of predecessors, is by the successors to be perfected: as what is left in the herb by them, that must by these be ripened: Cant. 8.9. and where predecessors have set up a door of wood, there successors must build a palace of silver. A worthy example doth jehosaphat give herein: 2 Chron. 1●. 6. For when the spirit of God commendeth him in these words, elato animo suo ad vias jehovah, amplus adhuc amovit excelsa, & lucos ex jehuda: what doth he else prescribe to successors, but that they reform amplius adhuc, than the main doctrine: and that amplius adhuc then their predecessors did before, as he reform the high places adhuc amplius then Asa his Father: who, though he reform much, yet left them standing? Would David let alone the Ark of the Lord where Saul did leave it? Or Solomon suffer it where David his Father left it? Pulled not Hezechia down the high places, which jehosiphat threw not down? josias the Idols Temples, which Hezechias did not raze? The same josias, reform he not the feast of the Passeover? Nehemias the feast of the Tabernacles, more than ever it was reform, by any godly or zealous Magistrate, that went before him? What adverse power (then) envieth that honour, to our most gracious Sovereign now, above famous Elizabeth, which she got above King Edward, and which Constantine got above Philip, and Theodosius above him? Of Constantine it is reported, f Caesar Baron. Anal. An. 127. perfecit Constantinus, quod Philippus iam coeperat. Concerning Theodosius, thus goeth the story, g Theodor. histor. Ecclesiast li. ● cap. 20 Magnus, dignissimus omni laud, qui primus exornavit Imperium pietate, cùm adhuc insanire cerneret orbem terrarum, interdicto suo: sacra Daemonum prorsus sustulit; found (tamen) non subvertit; sed Theodosius, funditus subversa, oblivioni dedit. Whence it came to pass, ut h Ruffin. histor Ecclesiast lib 2. cap. 19 Idolorum cultus, qui Constantini Magni instituttone negligi, & destrui coeptus fuerat, eo imperant, collapsus sit poenitus. It King Edward, or Queen Elizabeth did not poenitus overthrow popery, we must mark and consider, they had all the world, (as it were) in fury against them, as Constantine had. Now the Gospel shineth amongst us, as at l Math ●urcleef survey o● discipl. cap. 28. high noon. and is it not a shame (then) for us, if any of their morning clouds (which eclipsed their reformation) remain to be seen in our Horizon? And the day star was not risen so high in their days, when yet Elizabeth reform the defects of K. Edw. communion book; and K. Edw. the defects of his own, (and that in the m Bucer in Censur. cap. 12. case of the cross itself) by the edition of a second: Even Rome herself, (though affecting immunity from error) hath suffered her Breviaries to bereformed, once under n Breviar. Roman. ex sacra scrip. per Cardinal. Quignonium. Paul the 3. another time under Pius the 5. Go but to reason, it will not have us to follow o Senec. in lib. de beatitude. Antecedentium gregem, so precisely, as if we were sheep, and not reasonable men? Go to equity, it forbiddeth a p Cornel. Tacit. histor. lib. 1. priscus rigour, cui iam pares non sunt homines. and the Ceremonies grow more intolerable every day than other, on men that are less able to brook them. Go to policy, it condemneth a perverse affectation of constancy, which doth not turn the stern q Plutarch. in Photion of the ship, to serve for every wind & water; both which are now against the ceremonies, throughout the most part of the Churches. Go to Religion (last of all) what more r Bucer in Censur. contrary unto it, then old popish fashions? The Kings of juda were not blessed of God, but when they purged the land of jury from all s D. Bills. ag. apolog. p. 1. p. 32. ceremonies, not prescribed by Moses law. When Valetinian took the course, which our Opposites now think best, which was to meddle with nothing in Church affairs, but to leave them as he found them, he escapeth not the Censure of the Godly, no nor of some, of our t D. Bills. ibi. p. 2. p. 243 adversaries themselves. Anastasius for peace will have nothing changed, but he will have every Bishop to be thrust out that either defendeth or condemneth the Chalcedon Council against the tenant and the custom of his place. what great hurt he did by this not changing, the u evagr. li. 3 cap. 30. story will tell you. Germanus standeth for Images, the course which he taketh to keep them up, is the same which our Opposites now do follow (to wit) he chargeth the Emperor with his oath, w Carol. Sigon. de reg. Ital. lib. 3. An. 729. se Divinos Ecclesiae ritus, nulla ex part moturum. Their excuse (therefore) is nothing worth, which think the ceremonies controversed, must stay amongst us, because at first they were not thrust out. #Sect. 3. Answer to this Objection: There is difficulty in the Remo●vall of Ceremonies, Therefore they are rather to be let alone. THirdly, it is objected against this our petition, that there is difficulty in the removal of the Ceremonies, which rather than it should breed inconvenience, they are to be let alone. First of all it excuseth not the sluggard when he saith there is a Lion in the way, nor the bad husband when he soweth not, because he feareth there is foul weather towards. Pro. 26.13. Ecclesi. 11.4. The Priests of a Theodor. histor. li. 5. cap. 22. Serapis in old time made the people believe, that if any should draw near his Image to remove it, motum exoriturum & omnia occidione interitura. The like craft use our Opposites in their maintaining of the corruptions of our Church: They bear men in hand, the reforming of them, would bring heaven and earth together. Hear who is wise, like Theophil, of Alexandria, to discern this scarecrow? In deed, what difficulty in this business, unless it be in the continuing, & perpetuating of them, sith their removal is ever looked for: the people of Parliament speaking now as once of old, Rise, for the matter pertaineth to thee, be of good courage, and do it, Ezra 10.4. Secondly, This excuse hath place, when there is no need of a change, as there was no need to change the old Calendar, for the Pope's new one, whereupon happened great hurlyburlye, both at b David Chytre. in Rodolph. 2 Riga in Lyvonia, & at Augusta: whereas the removal of these needless ceremonies, is most needful, for that they make against faith and good manners, as hath been showed: in which case c Augustin. epist. 119. cap. 19 Augustine will not have them to be tolerated in a Church. Thirdly, this fear of difficulty and inconvenience, goeth for good payment, when the evil to be changed, is likely in time to languish of itself in case it be let alone, but to get strength, if it be stirred, the Magistrate being as a Physician, who then must let an abuse alone, d Titus Livius lib. 22 quando quiet magis proficit, quam agendo & movendo: which here hath no place, because it is impossible that either the scandal, or superstition of these ceremonies, should in their lives time die, or be healed by their rest, which doth (indeed) much strengthen them. Fourthly, fear of inconvenience and difficulty than holdeth water, when time convenient is not stayed for, and therefore served for Q. Elizabeth and K. Edward, if for any, when men's weak vessels newly converted, could not bear (without breaking) the new wine, of an exact reformation in all things: whereas to us there may be applied, Mat. 9.17. what one of our writers hath, e Bucer in Mat. 18. non pauci, etc. not a few fearing trouble, endeavouring in vain to please God & men together, even where the Gospel hath been a long time preached, & where the word doth now require example of deeds, pretending the infirmity of others (whereas their own weakness doth only withhold them) do both themselves serve man's traditions, and compel others thereunto. Fiftly, this fear of inconvenience, doth pass for currant, when a Magistatte is unable to reform: in this case only f Senec. honestè succumbit, qui seruit tempori. at this time only g Cicero ad Attic. li. 12 epist. 1. parendum tempori. they being h Cornel. Tacit. Anal. lib. 3. adulta, & prevalida vitta, which are alone to be tolerated, in which potius est omittere, quam illud assequi, ut palam fiat, quibus flagitijs impares simus. And the physic which must be forborn, as immature, is when the sickness being in full strength, it rather l Senec. de consolat. ad Heluia Matrem. irritateth than cureth. even as the old counsel goeth; multa m August. epist. 119. tolleranda, ubi facultas non datur resecandi, and the new, n Francis. jun. instit: princip. in praefat. expendere convenit, non solum quod debeas, sed quid possis. Now what strength in the corruptions of our Church, to make resistance? who are struck through, throughout the Realm, and have no means to maintain life, but the plasters, drugs, and salves which the Bishops and their dependants; minister to them? Now by the judgement of Saint o Augustin. ibid. Augustine, we are not only to leave them languishing, but also even to stop their breath. for his words are these: Though a Ceremony have not evident hurt, yet because it is unfit, the Church (now) should be burdened with human presumptions, if it have no authority from scripture, nor from general councils, nor from the custom of the Universal Church, but is of a variable and doubtful beginning, ubi facultas tribuitur, absque omni dubitatione, resecanda. Are not our ceremonies human presumptions? are they not burdensome to the Church? doth any modern Council command them? doth any Church, beside our own, use them? are they not in nature variable, and uncommanded in the word? Nay, are they not (indeed) to be varied, because contrary to the word? I end with the words which one writeth against the Cross, p Calfh. against Mar. praesa. fol. 10. Beware of these Siren tunes, these enchanting charms, that the wise men of the world are wont to use, bear for a time; use discretion; be not rash in reformation. etc. we are rather to hearken to Christ himself, To walk in the light, whiles we have the light: if the mist, through our sufferance, once overcast the clear shining of the Sun, darkness sooner will overtake us, than we would. #Sect. 4. Answer to this Objection, The change of a law bringeth dishonour of an Innovation, and extenuates the laws authority. FOurthly and last of all, It is replied to this our petition, that though no inconvenience be discerned, nor difficulty seen, yet the very change of a law, bringeth dishonour of an innovation, and extenuateth the laws authority. First this excuse holdeth, when there is no need of change, nor profit by it: even as a Augustin. epist. 112. cap. 5. Augustine doth restrain it in these words: mutatio quae utilis non est, perturbatione infructuasa, consequenter noxia est. In the cause of Ceremonies, as it swerveth too far from the true line, b P. Martyr. in 1. Sam. cap. 14. Hester 2.1. and 1.8. Dan. 6 13.16. when ceremonies once cease to be profitable, they are without all sticking to be removed. So also it draweth too near the iron leavell of a Persian affected constancy: which while some imitate, they draw upon themselves this censure, Magistratus c Amand. Polan. in Dan. ibid. ne quidem inconsideratum edictum retractabunt, ne vilescat ipsorum authoritas; & quia affectant laudem constantiae, quam non discernunt à perversa animi obstinatione, tum denique ne videantur concessisse quicquam servis Dei recta monentibus. This excuse holdeth also where the change inferreth a violent, burdensome, and notorious novelty; as Augustine doth restrain it again, d August. epist. 18. ipsa mutatio consuetudinis, etiam quae utilitate adiuvat, novitate perturbat. which in the ceremonies hath no place, because the Churches long since have banished them, and many Parishes here at home, a long time disused them, with the good & willing contentment of the people. In the third place this excuse holdeth, when the change is for the worse, even as an historian doth restrain it e Cornel. Tacit. Anal li. 15. melius atque rectius olim provesum, & quae convertuntur in deterius, mutantur: which in the ceremonies hath no place neither, because the corn (I mean the doctrine) will prosper the better, when they are purged of these weeds: in which case Ambrose is to be heard, f Ambros. in epistol. ad Theodos. & Valent. Nullus pudor est, ad meliora transire. And g Augustin. epist. 45 Augustine's comfort: Foelix est necessitas, quae in meliora compellit. There will be perchance objected, what an Emperor hath, h Augustin. Imperat apuddion. lib. 52. Quae in suo statu eademque manent, etsi deteriora sunt, tamen utiliora sunt reipublicae quam quae per innovationem vel meliora inducuntur. But what is this to rites religious? the end of which is not properly l pax politica (as the Germane Divines once held against the Adiaphorisme Ceremonies) but the glory of God and the edifying of the Church, bo●h which require that every custom of Forefathers, which is amiss, be presently purged, and new rites settled in their room, which may be fitted diversly as the times themselves are m Ludovic. Lavater. in Hest. Homil. 34. divers. where the Canon law taketh strictest order for the Church's observations, that none should change them, there Gratian putteth in this caveat, n Gratian. decret. p. 2. caus. 35. q. 9 cap. 2. quae illi●ttè à praedecessoribus admissa inveniuntur, in melius revocari oportet. And in the chapter that next followeth, when the decree itself speaketh thus: o Ibid. c. 3. Qui in causis Dei, quod perperam fecit abolere, aut quod à praedecessoribus suis male invenerit admissum vitare noluerit, in se quicquid in alio non resecaverit inveniet: it plainly teacheth, that though in civil affairs, an old bad custom may seem better, than some good new one, yet that in causis Dei, an old bad custom must be cut of, or punishment expected. A little after, a change is commanded p Ibid. cap. 6 pro consideratione aetatum, vel temporum, as Paul did some things without lenity, quae postea dignoscitur reprobasse. In this case Augustine hath this similitude: As a patiented may not mislike or call in question his physicians skill, q Augustin. count Paust Manich. li. 32. c. 14. si aliud ille hody praecipiat, aliud cras, prohibens (etiam) quod antea praeceperat, sic. n. se habet sanandi, eius corporis ratio: so none must mislike a variable, or a contrary change, in the ceremonies of God's service, because the Church's edification doth require it. Secondly, the imposition of the ceremonies, breedeth the greatest change that may be in the Churches where they have been long time disused. Can there be any change like to this, that the people after twenty or thirty years, must now in the Church see dumb dogs in stead of Preachers? in the pulpit hear Homilies in stead of Sermons, and have those ceremonies return again, of which some say, we have lived long enough, if now we must see this popish trash re-enter? Never yet did the reducing of popish ceremonies, but breed disguste: to continue them is one thing (say our r Beza in epist. 8. & 12 writers) to reduce them, an other. To reduce them (said the s Conrade. Schlusselb. ●o●. 13. Divines of Germany) is to disturb the peace of the Church, to grieve the Godly, to wound the weak, to countenance popery, by show of inclination towards it, or of commoderation with it. It will be said the fault hereof is in the men, who first disused them; whom the Canon Law excuseth, t silvest Prior. in summa verb. conluetud. sect. 6. si consuetudo contra legem sit contra privatam utilitatem & in nullius preiudicium, & superior scit & tolerat legem abrogat, & non requiritur alia prescriptio secundum Dominum Antoninum, quia ex quo superior vidit & tolerat, non videtur velle inijcere vinculum. Et Panor. dicit: quod sufficit binus aut trinus actus ut tollatur. Thirdly, whereas laws sometimes, must be changed, upon some causes, these causes (all of them) will be found in the ceremonies controversed. The u Thom. Aquin. 1.2. qu. 97, first Cassander himself yieldeth to (though most infamous for Adiaphorisme) w Herman. Hamelman de tradit. appendic. ad p. 1. colum. 498: In traditionibus ratio & causa spectanda est, qua manente, & ipsas manner utile est: cessant verò, & ipsae cessare, vel possunt vel debent. For example; abstinence from blood and strangled are they not ceased, now that the reason is extinct, for which the Apostle did command them, which was the weakness of the jews, and the coalition of the Gentiles with them? change but the name, and this is spoken of the ceremonies now in handling: for as much as they were left by K. Edw. and Q. Elizabeth, for our own weakness, and for the winning of papists to us, the former of which is now out of date, the latter out of place. The second cause to abolish ceremonies, is, when x Thom. Aquin. 1.2. qu. 97. art. 1. through change of times and persons, they do even hurt (as y Augustin. epist. 118. Augustine saith) propter fidem & bonos mores, velemendare oportet, quod perperam fiebat, vel institui quod non fiebat. What a thing is it, that the Ceremonies which first were tolerated for the winning of papists, should still be suffered, now that they harden them? Must incurvation towards the East be still continued, because Forefathers left it in use? No, a Leo 2 Leo serm. 7. de Nat. Dom. will change and alter it, though never so ancient; because he seethe, it hardeneth Pagans in their adoring the Sun. Must the custom of oblations for the memorials of the Martyrs be still continued because it is ancient? No, z Ludovic. vives in August de civitat. Dei. lib. 8. c. 27. an Ambrose will change and alter it, for that show of conformity which it hath with the heathen. A a Concil. Antisiodorens. can. 5. vigil in S te Martin's honour was changed and altered, though very ancient. Feasts b Martin. Braccarens. in collect. Sinodor. can. 60. at the sepulchers of the dead were changed and altered though very ancient. c Concil. Cabiloneus. Can. 19 Dancing at the dedication of Churches & Festivities of Martyrs was changed & altered, though very ancient. It may be objected, that tract of time, maketh alien rites more lawful than they were at first, as bays set up before the door, was in the primitive Church unlawful for that conformity, whereof it made show with Idolaters, whereas afterward Nepotian is praised by Hierome, d Hieron. epist. 3. Quod Ecclesias Martyrum diversis floribits, vitiumque pampinis exornaret. But either Hierome was too blame to allow of this conformity with the Pagans, now that the time of their weakness was passed, or else there were no Pagans near, to be hardened by the same. The third cause to remove a Ceremony, is to vindicate Christian liberty, from the servitude of the element, as Bucer saith, e Bucer. in Mat. 18. It is time when the Gospel hath been long preached, exemplo tueri libertatem, for which he wisheth the Surplice away: inferring thus: It is our duty f Idem in Censur. c. 2. p. 458. libertatem Christianam, in rebus quibusvis, praeclarè tueri & prae nobis far. It is to be marked, that in rebus quibusvis, we are to abstain, though never so small, and use exemplis libertatis contra adversarios pertinaces, I mean the Papists, as Luther taught, and many g Conrade. Schlusselb. Catalogue. haere●cor. 573. Divines in Germany after him: in following whom, we trace the steps of the holy Apostle, who though he circumziseth Tymothie, yet refuseth to circumcize Titus to uphold the Christian liberty against those jews who thought Circumcizion necessary, as now the papists think of the Cross and Surplice. And such is the equity of our first petition, Gal. 2.16 that these ceremonies may be removed. #Sect. 5. Second suit, that Ceremonies may neither be judged good or indifferent in regard of circumstances being hurtful. Our second suit is, that if they must needs have a tent amongst us, that then it be pight without the host amongst the lepers, I mean amongst things acknowledged evil, that so they may be no longer approved either for good or for indifferent, but be in policy tolerated only for the hardness of men's hearts, like Moses divorce. For what though the Cross and Surplice [per se] be things indifferent, ratione circumstantiarum, they are certainly evil. If any here renew the tenant of the ancient Adiaphoristes, Mat. 19.8. a Libellus supplicato. Theolog-German. ann. 1561 Rom. 14.14 〈◊〉 Flac. Illirc. in lib. de Adiaphor. 2 Cor. 10.23. Quod per se malum non est, id ratione circumstantiarum, malum fieri non potest, we make our appeal to Scriptures, Fathers, Scholedivines, new Writers, or whomsoever. Paul affirmeth of meats 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per se they are good, or as Chrisostome, Theophylact, Erasmus, render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 natura, when by reason of a circumstance, by him there mentioned, they become unclean and evil. Neither hath Paul the words only of the former distinction, but also the doctrine, which" one delivereth in these terms, saepè accidit, ut ea quae sua natura licita sunt, vel etiam aeliquatenus piae, tamen ob circumstantias aliquas, fiant illicita in quam sententiam Paulus inquit, b Tertul. de coron. mili Omnia mihi licent; sed non omnia expediunt. Thus the scriptures. Now what the Fathers? Substantia munda, ut Dei resest, saith Tertul. & hac sua conditione communis usui, sed ipsius usus administratio interest. c August. epist. 86. ad Casulan. August. holdeth a fast on the Sabbath, a thing per se indifferent, which yet because of this circumstance that it is scandalous, by reason of the Manichees fasting, he holdeth to be unlawful. What now the Schoole-divines? as actions (say d Thom. Aquin. 1.2. q 18 art. 3. they) are qualified to be good or evil, formaliter by their objects & their ends. so accidentaliter they are qualified to be good or to be evil by the circumstances, that do attend them. Thus the Schoole-divines. What now the canonists? They e Gratian. decret. p. 2. c. 22. q. 4. cap 23. teach a thing is lawful or unlawful, not only natura sui, but also ex causa extravenienti. And what our own writers? They make Ceremonies f Conrade. Schulsselb. catalogue. haereti. tom 13. p. 466. vel per se, vel per accidens superstitiosas. and the doctrine in general which they deliver touching things that are indifferent, runneth thus: g joh. Brentius in lib. de Adiaph. Adiaphora neque bona sunt neque mala, respectu sui, ex conditionibus ergo suis iudicanda sunt. h Zanch. comment. in Ephes ca 5. loc. de bap Zanchius speaking of salt, spittle, and the rest of the Crosses fellows in baptism, these are not per se mala (saith he) yet by reason of the circumstance of superstition, they must be abolished. Our Opposites busily object against us, l Pet. Martyr in epist ad Hooper Glocest. that Peter Martyr holdeth the ceremonies that are in controversy, to be indifferent. and that Master Beza saith, m Theod. Beza epist. 11. the Cross and Surplice have nihil impium per se. we answer: though Peter Martyr held the Surplice indifferent per se, yet for some circumstance he held it unlawful. witness this, he never n Pet Mart. in epist. amie. ●uidam in Angl. wore it, though his Canon's place at Oxon did require it. Mr Beza, though he hold the sign of the Cross to be indifferent per se, yet ratione circumstantiarum he saith of it, o Beza epi. 8 multo minus velim Crucem inter Adiaphora numerare, quam aeneum illum serpentem Hezechias. Thus another of our Writers, p Calfhill. count Mart art. 5. fol. 125 Certain provisoes had, the order of the Church must be kept in things indifferent, but in this number ye can not justly comprise the Cross. and although of some of the Fathers it hath been accounted such, yet must you remember they did not always build gold and silver but sometimes hay & stubble on Christ. Now the circumstances which make these ceremonies to be unlawful being general, and such as always cleave to their religious use, as their Idolatry, superstition, and hypocrisy, whereof before with the rest that must follow, we cannot hear them, who would have us, for the testifying of our obedience now & then, to use them: even as the q Conrade. Schlusselb. tom 13. p. 641. Divines of Germany could not allow of those Pastors of Misnia, which one day performed the ceremonies of the Interim, but an other day omitted them. Our own doctrine maketh r Homil. tom 〈◊〉 ag. peril. of Idolat pa. 1. pag 43. Images of themselves indifferent, whereas their circumstance of standing in churches maketh them evil & no longer s Ibid. pa. 3 p●. 96. 97. indifferent. So it is with the ceremonies, the circumstance of their religious use is totally unlawful: And this for their first error, who deny us this second petition, which is, that things indifferent per se, do not become by reason of circumstance to be indifferent no longer. A second error they run into, like the adiaphorists once t Libellus s●o●li●●●o. Theolog. German. 1561. semper perinde licet ceremonijs uti, as if the things were the same in particular action which they are in their kind, and so aswell in the one, as in the other indifferent alike. For thus one, u examine. of the declare. of the M. of London. there may be a good use of these ceremonies, therefore the Magistrate may call for the execution of them: meaning such an execution as is exact and absolute. For the breaking of this spear, we tender a second schoole-position, w Tho. Aquin. 1.2.18 art. 9 Indifferency resteth only in the general kind, when we come to the particular execution, every action is good or evil. So that in actu exercito nullum datur indifferens. To this our Writers do agree, Atque de his rebus, etc. about things indifferent, this must be received for a sure rule (saith x P. Matyr in comm●̄. in 1. cor. 6.12. Peter Martyr) that they have their indifferency seated in their kind & nature only, but when we come down to election, there nothing is indifferent, because our election must of necessity be either good or evil. y joh Brent. in lib. de Adiaphor. Si bona est conditio. etc. A thing indifferent becometh good, when the condition of his practice is good; and then his observation is commanded: but he becometh evil, when the condition of his practice is evil, and then his observation is forbidden. Maist. z Thomas Morton. Apolog. p. 1. li. 1. c. 47 Morton citing this sentence of Vasquez, Nulla est individua actio, humana quae est indifferens, sed propter circumstantias necessario vel bona vel mala, si Thomae & omnibus Thomastis credimus, addeth of his own for his judgement herein, credendum est omnino. what a lose reasoning (then) is this, there may be a good use of these ceremonies, therefore the Magistrate may call for an exact execution of them? For as there may be a good use of them, so may there be an ill: else are they not indifferent. For what is the meaning of the word, but this, a Benedic. Aret. Problem lo 58 Adiaphora sunt indistincta, dubia, utroque vergentia. What is the definition of a thing indifferent, but this, b P. Martyr commenta. in 1. Sam, cap. 14. Adiaphora sunt quibus benè aut malè uti possumus? So Hierom. c Hieron. count lo●iman li. 2. cap. 29. Indifferentia nec bona, nec mala sunt, sed velut in meditullio posita, usu & eventu, vel bona vel mala fiunt. Again, d Idem in Isay ca 55. Indifferentia sunt nec bona nec mala, & pro utentium qualitate variantur. August. e August. epist 19 considering a Saturdays fast in general, calleth it [medium] when he consideres it done expediently, he calleth it acceptabile. By all this it is apparent, that the use of a thing indifferent, may be ill aswell as good: what reason to the contrary? For f Ca●●tan. in Thom. Aquin. vb. sub. non est in re indifferenti pa●ticipatio boni sed abnegatio tantum. Let the Magistrate then command an exact execution of a thing indifferent, & let it also be lawful for him, sometimes to command a sin. I trust I need not fear here that any opposite will affirm, that the evil use of a thing indifferent becometh good when the Magistrate doth command it, seeing one of the most learned of them hath given us a quietus esto from this objection, when he saith, g D. Bills. ag. the Apolo. p. 2. p. 338. Good & evil are to be measured by God's laws, not by man●: for as no man is good but only God, so no man's law is the rule of good & evil, but only Gods. And temporal things are neither good nor evil but altogether indifferent, ergo Princess were not ordained of God for temporal things, but the goods, bodies and lives of their subjects be committed to them for the preservation of faith and good manners. In the margin hereof we find these words: Worldly things be neither good nor evil, Rom. 13.4. 1 Pet 2.14. for which two causes Princes bear the sword. I marvel what those Opposites of ours will say to this, who have nothing in their mouths against us, but this, that if we leave not an absolute power in things indifferent to the Magistrate, that then we leave him no power at all. For what have we here affirmed? Princes are not ordained for worldly things, because they are indifferent. Princes are ordained for good and evil, to further the one, and resist the other: worldly things are not such, & indifferent things are not such: therefore the power of the Prince doth not consist in worldly things, quatenus worldly. nor in things that are indifferent, quatenus they be indifferent. This out of our Opposites own confession: to show that the Magistrate hath no other power, but that which the Apostle had, to wit, a power to edification, and not to destruction: which in things that are indifferent, furthereth the good use thereof, because it doth edify, but correcteth the evil use, because it doth destroy. But what if it were granted, that the Magistrate had absolute power in a thing indifferent? know they not, that when an ill circumstance cleaveth to their use, that then h Benedict. Arct. Proble. loc. 58. desinunt esse adiaphora? l Magdebu. centur. 1. li 2. cap. 10. Adiaphororum naturam exuunt? m Harmon. confess. sect 17. ex Helvet posterior. libera esse desinunt? n Ibid. confess. Augusta. art. 7 Non iam sunt medio. o josias Simler. in Exod. 20. mandat. 2. fol. 85. jam non sunt libera. p Zaveh. de Imag. c. 15. pag. 357. jam est ab illis abstinendum. #Sect. 6. 3. Suit, that practised commanding of Ceremonies be reform for time to come, and the Church freed from diverse grievances: As that there be 2. Gods. etc. Our third suit is, that the practised commanding of them be reform for time to come, and we freed from divers grievances, brought upon us by the same. First we are grieved to hear, that there are two Gods, the one in heaven commanding absolutely in matters necessary: the other in earth, commanding absolutely in things indifferent. a Bellarm. de Pontifi. lib. 4. c. 16 Bellarmine himself speaketh not so audaciously: for he draweth the absolute authority of Man, not from God as he is God, but as he is Legis-lator only. Now this distinction notwithstanding, b Mat. Sut. de Pontifi. lib 4. cap. 7 Sybrand. Lubbert. de pap. Roman. li. 8. c. 7 Fran. jun. controvers. 2. lib. 4. ca 16. not. 8. our writers all hold his allotting of an absolute power to man, is blasphemous. his allotting it to the Pope, maketh him Antichrist, sitting in the Temple of God, as if he were God. And whereas Andradius agreeth with Bellarmine, and so holdeth that man may partake an authority non limitata, our common writers build up against him this sure principle, c Chemnit. exam. pag. 202.204. Nulla est plenitudo potestatis amongst men. d Fran. jun. controvers. 3. lib. 4 ca 16. not. 89. Plenitudo potestatis non est instrumenti, sed solius principalis causae. e A. Willet. controvers. 4. qu. 5. p. 3 The Princes high, and sovereign authority, we make not infinite; the word of God must be his rule & square. So that the f Idem controuer. 2. que. 4. p. 2. ceremonies which he commandeth, must be limited to the rules of the scripture, which require order and decency, for the glory of God, and the edification of the Church. This is that which Tertul. wrote long since and August. after him. the former of which, requireth in a ceremony, g Tertul. de coron. milit. ut fidei congruat, saluti proficiat, disciplinae conducat. The latter denieth that to be indifferent, which is h August. epist. 118. cap. 11. contra fidem & bonos mores. l Ibid cap 4 freeing us from every ceremony that hath either of these faults, as these ceremonies now in handling have them both. Here of late Peter Martyr m P. Martyr comment. in hunc. loc taught, No rite by any man's authority, is well ordained, unless the rules be observed, which God setteth down, to wit, in the 1. Cor. 14. The latest of all, thus one of our Opposites: n D. Bills. ag. Apolog. p. 2. pa. 344. To devise new rites and ceremonies of the Church, is not the Prince's vocation, but to receive and allow such as the Scriptures and Canons commend, & such as the Bishops and Pastors of the place shall advise, not infringing the scriptures or Canons, and so for all other Ecclesiastical things and causes. Princes be neither the devisers, nor directors of them, but the Confirmers & establishers of that which is good, and displacers of that which is evil. secondly, we are grieved, that we have these ceremonies enforced upon us, by the mere will of our Reverend Fathers, who have thought us unworthy that any reason should be given us, or assuming us unto conference, 1 Cor 11.6. have expected we should obey although they have given us no better reason than such as (for the sleightness of them) have confirmed us in our opinion more than before. Paul himself will prove the covering of the woman to be decent, both by the law of God & nature, before he throw it on the church. o Tertuli. in Apolo. cap. 4. Nulla lex sibi soli conscientiam justitiae suae debet, sed ijs à quibus obsequium expectat, (sayeth Tertull.) coeterum suspecta lex est quae probari se non vult, improba (autem) si non probata, dominetur. When Augustine was asked his judgement about the ceremony of the Satersdayes fast, he would not p 〈◊〉 epist. 118. cap. 11. admonere sola sua authoritaete, nulla addita ratione. The same thrusteth out every ceremony of which it is doubtful, q Idem epist. 119. quam rationem secuti sunt, who first ordained it. Constantine in the question of Easter, followed that, which r Socrat. histor. lib. 5 cap 22. accurata ratione appetebatur. s Hieron. epist 152. Hierome condemneth every Pythagoras in the Church, that looketh to be believed or obeyed for his own credit and authority without good reason. The papists themselves affirm, that t Andr. Piris de leg. lib. 2. cap. 2 ratio is anima legis. yea the most ridged and sternest papists, that it is u silvest Prior. in summa. verb. consuetud. & alib. passim de essentia legis to be r●tionabilis. They which gainestande this tenant, w Io. Bodin de re publi. attaint the justice of our English Laws, which always come forth with a reason premised, showing the cause, the ground, and the equity of them. As for Ecclesiastical ceremonies, the admonition prefixed before our common. book, thinketh well of none, which have not x Bucer. in Censur. rationem manifestam for edification. There is objected unto this, y Senec. epist. 95. lex jubet, non disputat. It belongeth to the nature of a law, ut z Aristot. ethic. lib. 10. cap 9 vim habeat cogendi. And the Apostles impose their Canons on the church a Chrysost. in act. honul. 33. per brevem epistolam neque epich remata, neque sillogismos habentem, sed imperium. But the best is, none but b Bellarmi. controvers. 3 li 4. c. 16 papists hitherto have thus objected as for our c F. jun. controuer. 3. li 4. c. 16 Nota. 8. writers, they thus confront them, seeing the laws of man come short of that perfection which is in the law of God, & that which is best in them, receiveth weight, not of itself, sed à ministerij authoritate, therefore they bind not to obedience, without some reason, that can prove, that they agree with the law of God most perfect, & have warrant from his word. They reply beside, that d F. jun vb● sup. nota. 86.87.95. dispositiones ecclesiasticae, non sunt verae leges. they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as they are usually called, Canon's, quae dirigunt agentes voluntario, non. a necessitatem faciunt, ut leges solent. who have the administering of these laws, but the bishops? Now it is not for a Bishop to e Mat. Sutcliu. de Pontific. li. 4. cap. 7. ex Origine. offer vim & necessitatem. It is for them f Chrysost. tract 12. in Math. suadere only, not vim offer. As for the Magistrate, let him consider, how Constantine the great, proceeded in the ceremonies of the Church. For when he took orders for Easter, and that as Bellarmine will have it, with this direction, g Bellarm. de cult Sanctor. c 12 visum est ut omnes obtemperarent, he presented it with a letter of exhortation h Socrat. histor. lib. 5. cap. 21. only. wherein he proveth it with such reasons, as fight directly against the ceremonies controversed. this one especially he will not have Easter kept the same day with the jews, l Euseb de vit. Constant. li. 3. c 18 ut nihil nobis cum illorum consuetudine sit commune. Neither did the Apostles enjoin their Canons on the Church imperio only. james and Peter alleged very good reason for them: the rest of the Assembly had great disputation and reasoning about them before they were concluded. In regard hereof we wish that equity were now surviving, which we find in a little book that beginneth with this treatise, whether it be mortal sin to transgress a Civil Law or no. The whole book was set forth, by some great man at the beginning of this broil; it containeth the judgements of learned men for a conformity to these rites. It were hard if our Reverend Fathers now would not allow us the bread it breaketh, which is this, Alleging Gerson, he maketh even the civil laws which are for necessity, and which are for comeliness only (such as our ceremonies controversed are pretended to be) members opposite in one division: and then inferreth, this difference liketh me, not only because [REASON] breedeth sundry bonds, but rather because the mind of the Magistrate is evident, which in the former matters that serve for common peace and quietness, as of theft, murder, and so forth, simply requireth obedience. in other lighter matters which are only for comeliness (as that a woman marry not, till she hath left mourning for her former husband) he doth not so exact it. By this our Governors should not intend any simple obedience in a matter of comeliness; much less intend it without good reason: whose bond we see tieth not men necessarily to observation. G. Cassander, speaking out of Erasmus about Church Ceremonies: m G. Casian. in Consult. art. 15. Nullus est verè pius (saith he) qui si rem attentè consideret, non mallet in his rebu obligationem versam in exhortationem. What? shall an Adiaphoriste be more moderate, than Orthodox Bishops? Cardinal Aliacus in the binding of Clerks ad Matutina & vespaereina officia, & to the fastings of their Church, hath these words, n Pet. Aliac de reform. Eccle. ca 3. de his (saith he) & de multis alijs similibus videtur expediens declarare, quod non sunt praecepta, sed consilia. What? shall a Cardinal be a better reformer, than a true Christian? wherein are our ceremonies better accounted of by us, than the ave Maria, the palm, the holy water, with the like, by the papist? which are not enjoined o Bellar. de pontific. li. 4. cap. 8. tanquam leges sed tanquam admonitiones, & ut piae institutiones sine obligatione ad culpam. What? shall Antich. give more liberty in his ceremonies, than the true church of jesus Christ? p D. Bilson vb. sup. p. 3 pag. 75. Princes have a warm suit (saith one of our Reverend Fathers) to depend on his laws, a reason of whose fact, no man may ask him? The q Ibid. pag. 2. pag. 316. same thinketh it sacrilegious in the papists to apply the words of Samuel, not to obey is the sin of witchrafte to enforce obedience to the constitutions of their Church. Mr Morton imputeth it as heinous to the Romish inquisition, that as Agrippa said before, r Thomas Morton. Apolog. p. ●. li. 2. c. 19 si quis opinionem suam defendere conetur, mox iratis buccis respondent, non esse illi negotium cum scholaribus ad cathedram, sed cum judicibus ad tribunal. Now I appeal unto the consciences of our heaviest adversaries, whether they have not known us scorned for ask a reason? Whether they have not heard the words of Samuel laid to our charge? Finally, whether it be not to their knowledge a common answer, ye stand before your judge; you come hither to be judged: ye are not now in the schools, but before a tribunal? Against these courses, we tender this our third petition in the words of their own law, si ergo de hac re. etc. If ye can give a reason (for Conformity) I would you would show it us, s Decret. p. 2 c. 24. quest. 3. cap. 1. ut possimus & nos (that so we may remain in our ministery, and conform with you.) But if you cannot, consider what rashness it is for you to do that, unde si interrogati fueritis rectam rationēnon valeatis invenire? #Sect. 7. Divers instances wherein the imposing and defence of Ceremonies, are found grievous. THirdly, we feel the imposing of these Ceremonies to be grievous and burdensome, in that as we have received hitherto no satisfaction from our governors,, Sect. 7. by any sound reason for them, so liberty is denied to us, to satisfy ourselves, by seeking reasons whereon to ground, either our judgement in their general nature, or our conscience in the use individual of them. Touching the former, for a subject to examine the Law of his Magistrate (saith a See the answer to the examinat. of the declarat. of the M. of London. pag. 27. one of our Opposites) is to presume, and usurp authority above his Superiors, more than is allowed now: that the prophesy is fulfilled, Kings shall be their nursing Fathers, and Queens their nursing Mothers. If this were spoken of Civil laws, it had some colour, but in matters that are religious, it hath none. Civil matters are proper to the Magistrate, private men have not to do with them, but matters religious are juris publici. In civil matters also, it is often God's commandment, that the reason with the whole project, should be kept close, whereas the matters of his service, all must be clear and manifest to all men's consciences; and every thing preached and published (as it were) upon the house top. Upon these and the like grounds, thus one of our writers, b P. Martyr commenta. in 1. Sam. cap. 14. magnum est discrimen inter ecclesiastica decreta, & politica. quorum necesse est, illa minus obstringere conscientias. nam in ecclesiasticis spectanda est eutaxia, in politicis (autem) parendum est, quamvis tu eam eutaxiam non videas. In these ceremonies (then) controversed, what hindereth a private man to say, what a c F. Pic. Mirandula. in orat. ad Leonem. to de reform moribus. papist said once to a Pope, out of that desire of reformation, which now sincerely is in us, Quod suapte natura pertinet ad omnes, id à me alienum esse non cogito. To think the contrary, to wit, that private men have not d Thes. de Adiaphor. Theolog. Saxon: apud. Conrade Schlnsselb. Tom. 13. pag 464. potestatem repudiandi Ecclesia ceremonias, quantumvis pias & iustas, causas proffer pos●int, sive ea obtrusio à politicis, sive ab Ecclesiasticis fiat, is to nenewe that ancient servitude, of the German Adiaphorisme, wherewith the Godly would never suffer themselves to be entangled. And (indeed) what reason? Is not the law of Nature against it? For what e Chrysost. 1 Thess. 5. Chrisostome pleaded, for the duty, that may we plead for the liberty of examining: Oues estis, sed rationales. Is not the law of God's word against it, prove all things, hold fast that which is good? On which f Hieron. Epist. 152. Hierome, estote probati nummularij, ut si quis nummus adulter est, & figuram Caesaris non habeat, nec signatus est moneta publica, reprobetur. Is it not against the doctrine of the Fathers? Origen (I grant) requireth obedience in the Church's observations, g Orig in lib. Num. et si ratio non pateat. and Chrisost. is alleged as peremptory, h Chrysost. in Thess. homil. 4. traditio est, nihil amplius desidera. which if they mean not de ratione privata, they rush against that, which is more truly delivered thus, l Chrysost. in psal 95. homil 1. Si quid dicitur absque scriptura, auditoris cogitatio claudicat, mutatque. And again, m Tertul in lib. de coron. milit. rationis divinae patrocinium expostula, saluo traditionis respectu: quocunque traditore censetur: nec authorem respicias, sed authoritatem. Is it not against the doctrine of the modern Churches? Thus n Muscul. loc. common. de tradit. cap. 5. one of our writers, There needeth diligent discretion, that a Minister accept not those things for indifferent, which either because they are against the word of God, or because of superstition, and wicked service, deserve just abomination. Another thus: o Chemnit. exam. pag. 2. fol. 35. Liberty must not be taken away, to condemn or disuse a ceremony, whemby the word of God, it is found that he serveth not for edification, neither can be kept without impiety. Another thus: p Willet. controvers. 4. q. 5. p. 3 This we hold, that it is the duty of all Christians to try & examine the truth of all things, which they are to receive, though they sit not formally and judicially as in Consistories, to judge their spiritual Pastors. Last of all, when martial inveigheth against us, as curious (as now we are by our own brethren inveighed against) for that in the custom of the cross we require scripture: It is our duty (saith Master Calfhill) to have an eye to God's law, & to see what accordeth with it. seeing our Opposites receive not this Divinity of theirs, neither from the light of nature, nor from the word, nor from the Fathers, nor from the late writers, from whom (I marvayle) do they borrow it, unless it be from papists. Surely not from all of them neither. Thomas Aquinas upon these words [judge you what I say] demandeth the question, whether an inferior may judge of the facts of his Superior, & resolveth, q Thom. Aquin. in 1. cor. 10. sect 4. see D. Bilson aga. Apolog. p. 2. pa. 353. non debent judicare judicio superordinationis, sed licet judicio discretionis. Whereas r Bernard de precept & dispensat. Bernard speaketh somewhat blindly for blind obedience imperfecti cordis, & infirmae prorsus voluntatis inditium est, statue Seniorum, studiosius discutere, haerere ad singula quae iniunguntur exigere de quibusque ratione & malè suspicari de omni praecepto cuius causa latuerit. Thus Molanus (though a papist) to make him plain, s Io. Molan. de fid heretic seruam. li. 5. ca 22. etsi non deceat. etc. Although it be not seemly for private men to search too curiously the commandments of their Superiors, yet a subject may modestly and reverently examine when an oath is tendered to him, whether it be hurtful to his conscience or not. Bellarmine himself affirmeth, that the ill laws of the Pope himself, are not only not to be received, (as though they did bind the conscience) but also that they are to be rejected. Hence it followeth, (saith t Sibrand. Lubbert. de pap. Roman. lib. 8 cap. 7 pag. 693. one of our writers) that Christians have power to judge even of the Pope's laws themselves, whether they be good or ill. What then? this divinity questionless floweth from the sink of jesuitisme, and from the Canons of Ignatius Laiola, which are these: If u jesuit. Catechif li 2. ca 17. & 18 a man's judgement be against the commandment of his superiors, he must remove it Caeca quadam obedientia. Prudentia non obedientis, sed imperantis est. Nothing more contrary to obedience, quam mora in superiorum iussis examinandis, which he holdeth to be arrogancy. Non est dignus nomine obedientis, qui legitimo superiori non cum voluntate judicium etiam submittit. He that thus submitteth his judgement caeca quadam obedientia, doth perform sapientem sanctamque stu●titiam. Accordingly the puny jesuits do profess, they work in regard of the commandment of their superiors, as dead carcases. howbeit, not to depend upon the testimony of one man, talem, etc. This obedience (saith an w Rabidinera. Ies. de vita Ignatii lib. 5. ca 4. other) did Ignatius profess, I must not be mine own, but his that created me, he meaneth his governor that made him a jesuite: & I must suffer myself to be drawn & framed by him (like tender wax) quae sequitur fingentis manum. x Erasm Annota in colos. 2.23 Erasmus opposeth himself against this obedience, thinking it to be that counterfeit humbleness of mind, which the Apostle by name condemneth. And he thus describeth the absurdity of it: Col. 2.18.23. It is the part of an abject mind, for a man to suffer himself to be led by the precepts of men, as it were a calf by the nose. The y Index expurgato. Hispan. in Erasm. Inquisition commandeth these words to be blotted out of him. What? because they dislike this humbleness? No, but because they will not have it esteemed calvishe, which yet (notwithstanding) an other maketh to be the patience of an Ass, which is worse than a calf. Patientia Asinina est (saith z Perald. Episcop. sum. virtur. tom. 1. de beatitude. he) non curare quid ei imponatur, aurum aut lutum. Doth not the subscription require of us, that not will only, but that iudegment also be submitted? Do not the tribunals cry out against us, as against men presumptuous and arrogant, for our reasoning against our betters and superiors? Do not the modern pulpits proclaim us anabaptists, for that we cast a vail of scripture over the commandments of our governors? Teach not the pamplettes of our Opposites, a Thom. H. that we must obey a law though we have some probable, or some forcible reasons against it? was it not long since written as God hath given power to the Church to ordain ecclesiastical laws, so hath he also b examine. of the decla. ●at. of the M. of London. in the answ. p. 56 promised his spirit to Synods, yea for ordaining rites & ceremonies? Is it not rise, and every where said, to obey in the Lord, is to obey the Magistrate, by acknowledging his ●oyce to be the voice of God himself? which is the very corner c jesuit. catechism. vb sup. stone of the jesuitishe blind obedience. Being thus many ways called to an obedience counterfeit, which (as it hath been showed already) better befitteth beasts then men: we must crave pardon to reply with Ambrose (breaking a ceremony prescribed at Rome, which very willingly he would have followed) d Ambros. de Sacram. lib. 3. ca 1. & nos quoque homines seusum habemus. For our justification herein, we will not cite what one of our e Reynald. de Idolola. in epist. ad Anglo. Rhemens'. writers hath against this obedience blind, but I conclude out of Augustine, f August. ad frat. in Erem. serm. 7. Cavete in obedientia (fratres mei:) tenete, & in cordibus alligate, quod obedientia sine discretione, cassa est & vana: & obedientia sine honestate privata, superbia est▪ discretio, honestas, justicia, & humilitas, socij sunt sanctae obedientiae: sine quibus, omnino obedientia vana est, & inutilis. #Sect. 8. The warrant of Ceremonies ought to be Rerson and Edification, neither Will nor Authority. A Thanasius is approved by our a Thom. Morton. Apolog. p. 1. li. 1. c. 68 writers, when he writeth to Eustachius, they do renovare, nay superare cunctas haereses, qui iubent accipere simpliciter, quae dicuntur, ut nemo exquirat quid deceat, aut non deceat, quid utile, quid proposito consentaneum, quid mysterio dignum, quid concordans cum veritate. These words (to mine understanding) reprove not only that injustice which taketh away from us a free and modest examination of the lawfulness of these ceremonies controversed, whereof we have spoken, but also that, which barreth particular examination of the expediency, which they should have in use and practise, of which now we are to speak. For as Bellarmine b Bellar. de Pontific. lib. 4. c. 16. holdeth there is no ceasing of a law of a ceremony quomodocunque (he meaneth upon particular circumstances which do occur) until it cease universaliter, so here at home it is denied, that the rigour of the law ceaseth in these ceremonies, at any one time, in any one place for any circumstance whatsoever, until it be removed away universally. We grant (say some) the ceremonies must not be used, when inexpedient. But who shall judge? For if it be left to every Minister, than what confusion? First, 1 Cor. 6.12 1 Cor 12.8 Colos. 1.9. Eccles. 8 4. Pro. 25.11. as there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to see what is lawful, so is there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to judge according unto circumstances what is c Zanch comentar. in Colos. 1.9. expedient. If then the Magistrate permit not the minister to judge expediency in what he doth, as present circumstances shall change or vary; he forbiddeth the practise of a virtue & the use of a gift which God hath given him; and without which he can no more profit the souls of them that are committed to his charge, than d Conci. Aquigranen. cap. 24. a physician can cure the body when it is not permitted to him, to use his discretion according to the present circumstances of the cure. secondly, we see that which is good per se, groweth evil per accidens if it be not duly e Caietan. in Thom. 1.2. que. 9 circumstantionatum. For f Lambert. Dane. Ethi▪ cor. l. 1 c. 16 non tantum considerandum est id quod agimus, sed etiam quibus circumstantijs. To give instance: An alms though good of itself, yet groweth to be evil, if it be faulty in the circumstances of due time, measure, manner, and of fit persons upon whom it is bestowed. How much more (then) do things indifferent, which are not good (such as the ceremonies are held to be) then grow to be evil, when by the discretion of the Minister, they be not guided to right circumstances, and rid from evil? Thirdly, the Magistrate's power is no greater than Paul's. Now he leaveth the managing of things indifferent, to the discretion of every man. For his words are these: Let every man use his judgement, that he lay no stumbling block before his brother. In deed as the Magistrate is bound to institute, abrogate, and change rites generally, g Chemn●t. examine. pa. 1. de tradit. pag. 84. pro generali ratione aedificationis, locorum, personarum, temporum: so it is his duty to oversee the Minister, that a ceremony be privately changed or omitted, as private circumstances do change and vary, seeing private circumstances have power to make evil the private use, as well as the general ones have power to make the whole genus evil, as hath been showed already. Fourthly, seeing the expediency of the ceremonies consisteth in particular circumstances, which a law general cannot comprise, therefore a good law will give liberty to omit them, in case they do not edify, even the papists themselves being judges. h Tho. Aquin. 1▪ 1. q. 97. art. 3 respons. ad ● Leges humanae. etc. The laws of man in some cases are defective, in which it is not expedient for the public good, that they should be kept. whereupon it may fall out sometimes, that a man may do beside the law, to wit, in a case in which the law faileth, & yet the action shall not be evil. Fiftly, See we the judgement of the godly: l August. epist. 118. cap. 2. totum hoc genus liberas habet ob servationes. The observation of things indifferent, is free. A m Harmon. confessi. sect 17 ex Helueri. post. art. 25. godly man may at all times and in all places use them freely. howbeit he must use them only to the glory of God, and the edification of his brother. Men n Ibid. exconfes. Bohemic. c. 15 must be taught to acknowledge that there is no perpetual or inevitable law to be made about man's traditions; but as for just causes they are ordained, so for just causes, & re ita postulante, they may without sin be broken, abrogated, & changed, even by the example of the Apostles. who broke the tradition of the Elders, when they did eat with unwashen hands, and kept not the fasts which others did keep, & yet never sinned therein. o A. Hiper. de sacris stud. non deserend. pag. 156. Potest qui praeest. etc. A Pastor of a church may by his private authority, abrogate rites and observations, when they degenerate from true piety, or grow openly superstitious. Quid verò dico potest? immo si functioni tuae facere vis satis, debes medijs omnibus in id laborare, idque ne aliorum peccatis te contamines. Again, p Idem pag. 158. Ceremonies, although they be not of themselves impious, yet it is certain they may be omitted, if the circumstance of time, person, place do so require, or rather profitable and necessary causes do occur, as the set number of prayers, which the bishops do prescribe, may be omitted upon need of time. other like things upon due circumstances may be left, nay (indeed) they must be left, and pretermitted. And such is our third petition against the grievances which the commanding of the Ceremonies in present practise hurleth on us. #Sect. 9 4. Suit, beseecheth that they may not be thought to offend against a law, who observe the intention of it. Our fourth beseecheth, a mitigation of those rigours, which the execution of this command hath hitherto brought with it. Here (as we take it) we have miss not only of equity, but of ordinary justice also. It is a common saying, that equity must ever dwell in the bosom of the Prince. which as the a Aeneas Silui. de gest. council. basilians. li. 1. fol. 4. council of Basil interpreteth, is to leave the letter of the Law, and to follow the reason of it. This the b Tho. Aquin. 2.2. q 120. art. 1. schoolmen thus enlarge; Law makers respect that, which most usually falleth out, and frame their law accordingly▪ which law notwithstanding in some cases to observe, is against the equality of justice, and the common good which the law doth intend. As for example: Sometimes it is hurtful to restore that, with which we are put in trust withal, to wit, to restore a sword to one that is mad. where to follow the law, is to his hurt: but it is for his good (leaving the words of the law) to follow that which justice, reason, and common profit doth require. ad quod ordinatur aequitas. This considered, we are cleared when we omit the Cross and Surplice, because we keep the intent of the law, which intendeth edification, which is bonum common, but condemned when we use them, because then in giving scandal, we follow the letter against the certain c The treatise of the ceremon. prefix. before the communi. book. stat. Elizab. 1. c. 2. in fin. intent of the law, which is resolved to be malum. What are the Cross & Surplice but knives wherewith the simple hurt themselves? but equity we see forbiddeth, though generally the law commandeth, I say not to give a popish knife, but to give a man his own knife, when he is likely to hurt himself with it. And there is an other instance of common equity, which serveth our turn. The letter of the Law forbiddeth d Cicer. de office transcendere muros, when equity biddeth a man to climb them, and leap over them too, so it be to repel the enemy: This now is our case. For if we break the laws letter, and so leap over Cross and Surplice, and some other ceremonies of our church, yet we keep the laws equity, in that we do it to fight against the common enemy (who is the papist) and the common superstition popish, which men place in them. An Inquisitor himself cannot condemn us in this case, in case he stand to his own decision, which is this, he is e silvest Prior. in Summa verb. inobedientia. not guilty of disobedience, which doth against the words of the Law, keeping the intent thereof; so that it may be probably thought, if the lawgiver himself were present, he would not oblige and bind. Speaketh he not of a Lawgiver, whose intent is upright and rectified? if he do, then hath Pilate himself washed us, from imputation of disobedience, because not only it may probably be judged, but also it is certainly known, that our lawmakers, whose hearts are upright within them, would never bind unto the ceremonies controversed, if they were in re presenti, and saw that hurt, which we see daily to come of them. #Sect. 10. The Opposites in defence of Ceremonies, offend against ordinarium jus. FRom equity which we have not received, I come to ordinarium ius, which walketh in the midst between this equity and contrary rigour, of which we suppose we have failed likewise: whether the ius of a good law in general be respected, or the ius of this law of our land in special. Touching the first for as much as the end of the law is love, which hath two daughters Goodness & justice, we are to consider this ius ordinarium, first as it is overswayed by goodness, then as justice doth direct it apart by itself. The first goodness that maketh intercession is gentleness, which will not be 1 Nehen 5.24 burdensome, but abstain rather from the bread of the governor: nor be 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Thes. ●. 7. grievous, but forbear rather the 3 1. cor. 9▪ 15 power of the governor. which leadeth with the bonds of 4 Hos. 11.4. Love, taketh away every hard yoke, delighteth in willingness of obedience rather than fear, & therefore enlureth, not terrifieth only, which is a Sum. Siluestrin. verb. just. proper unto rigour. b Gregor. epist. 126. tit. 6. Ipsa gubernacula sunt mag no moderamine temperanda, ne potestas mentem surripiat. Then is the government righteous ( c Idem in rescrip. Faeli●i. Siciliae. Tom council. ●. p. 7●2. saith he elsewhere) quando nihil potestati, sed totum equitati tribuitur. what though (then) our Reverend Fathers have a power to exact these things: doth not gentleness entreat them, not to use this power of theirs, rather than to encumber & burden quiet consciences & hearts single before their God? Let none say, they may choose (also) whether they will forbear their power or no, but he that thinketh it is in their choice whether they willbe gentle or no. which how can they be, sith they must needs make their little finger heavy, who make a gesture of the finger so heavy, 1 Reg. 12.14 toso many prophets of the Lord? This is not with Irenaeus to be gentle in a ceremony; this is rather to walk with Victor, like unto them of whom Erasmus, his d Erasm. in Scholar virae. Irenae. modis & nos magnam orbis partem per didimus, dum omnes ceremonias ad viwm exigimus. Know est thou not (said Pharaoh's servants once to him) that Egypt goeth to wrack? know not out River. Father's now, what a great part of the church is wasted? If things were in integro, we would beseech them to be left to ourselves, even as in e Zozom. histor li. 7. cap. 19 Easters controversy, all were at the first permitted to do as they would. But seeing now there is a law made, which bindeth to one side we wish that gentle carriage towards us, which hath evermore been showed in matters of like quality. August. speaking of the Lenten fast, which was by the church in his time commanded, giveth liberty to keep it f August. conita Faust. Manichae lib. 30 cap. 5. quanto magri● quis●ue vel minus, seu volverit, seu potuerit. Theodoret speaking of the s●● 〈◊〉 notwithstading it was a custom) yet hath these words: g Theodor: epi. divin. decret. Abstinentia. etc. sas parti ●●●tie s●nt ●●mentis potesi●te. Prosper, affirmeth the commandment of fasting was ●●gently ●●●cted, that men fasted, h Prosp. de vin contem: 2. c vlt. non coacti, sed denoti. to wit, the commandment was a canon rather than a law, as appeareth by Primasius. l Primas. in Rom. 14. De ieiunto (saith he) ●ex no●●est posita, sed quomodo potest unusquisque & vult. Chrisostome is alleged by m Bellat. de Pontifie. lib. 4 ca 17 Be●●armi●, to prove a necessary observation of this faesting, who yet notwithstanding leaveth both itself & the circumstances of it, in n Chrysost. in 1. cor. homil. 9 Mal. 2.6. Mat. 15.3. Isa. 10.1. cuiusque opinion. I need not show how we have failed of this gentleness in these ceremonies, who have sued for it to this hour, & yet sue to our Reu. Fathers, without any other answer than this, There is a law, it must be obeyed. But doth it suffice thus to say, without respect to him that will ask, should not my law, the law of truth be in your mouths, that so ye might have walked with me in peace and equity? Is it not so that ye have broken my law, to set up your own? and that against my heavy threat, woe unto them that make heavy laws? The second goodness tempering justice is indulgence, which exacteth no performance in a ceremony, but that which the party is ablero do, & that without an Inconvenience to himself. For may not the Sabbothday be broken, when the observation of it doth hurt the body? Mat. 12. 12● the Sabbath being made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Then are we bereaved of christian indulgence, when to these ceremonies we are enforced to the hurt of our consciences, or else forced to lose our states, as if we were made for the ceremonies, & not the cerem. made for us▪ which were themselves never made by God, as was the Sabbath Hierom for the necessity of the Lenten fast, leaveth men notwithstanding to do in their fastings o Hie●on. episto ad Nepotian. quantum possunt, & requireth moderatum jeiunium only, as the body is able to bear: further than which, if any man fast, he calleth it superstitiosum. Nay p Bel●ar. de Poncific. li. 4▪ ca 18. Bellar. exacteth not now the canon of fasting, though his church severely enjoineth it, either of children, old men, or sick, who cannot bear it, or whose health it would hurt, so that, it seemeth, it were well with us, if we had but the bread which Antichrist himself breaketh to his children in any good proportion, for as much as we can protest against these ceremonies, that they stand not with the health of our souls which are more precious than our bodies, and that our consciences are made sick with them. This is our weakness (some will say) as if Christ spared not to conform his disciples to the rigour of the pharisees fastings, yea of the fastings of john's disciples▪ when by reason of their infirmity he saw they were as vessels weak, Mat. 9.17. that could not bear it without bursting. In regard hereof, if we call on our Reverend Fathers to be spared, we do but recall their own doctrine to their minds, which even speaking of the Magistrate hath these words, q Doc. Bills. count Apolog. pag. 1. pag. 46. we may not for things indifferent, trouble the weak minds of the brethren. #Sect. 11. Thirdly, justice borrowed temper from Equinanimitie which dispenseth on just cause. Fourtly, from forbearance, which passeth by a ceremonial transgression. THe third goodness, from which justice is contented to borrow temper, is that equinanimitie, which dispenseth upon just cause, and accepteth a just excuse, which yet the cross would never. The doctrine of the first Bishop of this land, when this controversy first broke forth, was this, a The treatise whether it be mottall fin to transgress a civil precept A man without sin, may transgress a civil law upon just excuse. No marvel, the very papists teach the same: b Tho. Aquin. 2.2. quest. 147. art. 4. in conclus. & respons. ad 1 statuta ecclesiae, non sunt per se, de necessitate salutis, sed solum ex institutione ecclesiae. & ideo non obligant si affuerit rationabile impedimentum. Name legislator in ijs statuendis attendit id quod communiter habetur, & in pluribus accidit; si quod. a. sit impedimentum, non intendit legislator tum obligare. Another: c Bellar. de Pontific. lib. 4. c. 18. Impeditus justa de causa, non tenetur Missam audire. An other: d Navar. Enchirid. praelud. 9 Num. 8. A man may break the laws of the Church, Quando habet iustam causam non parendi. Yea, they so enlarge our liberty herein, as that not only e silvest sum. verb. ●obedien. vera rationabilis causa excusat (say they) sed etiam aestimata. Now, have we not cause to forbear the ceremonies? Is there not an impediment? are we not able (I say not to excuse, but also) to defend our cause? Suppose we were not able to give cause reasonable, to give cause vera causa aestimata, injustice herself cannot deny us, who have on our sides the common estimate of all the reformed Churches of God, that are in Christendom, besides our own. As for our private estimation, David thought the feeding of his body, was cause sufficient to break the law of the showbread. Christ thought the satisfying of the Disciples hunger to be cause sufficient to break the ceremony of the Sabbath▪ He thought also that the healing of the Lepers bodies, was a just excuse, to break the law that forbade the touching of them. Much more (then) may we think now in our estimation that the feeding of other men's souls, the satisfying of our own consciences, together with the consciences of other men, & the healing of men's spiritual leprosy and superstition, are causes sufficient to break the law of the ceremonies and of the cross, which are not Gods, but men's. The fourth goodness by which justice suffereth herself to be couselled & directed, is that Forbearance which passeth by a ceremonial transgression, because it is of small consequence in comparison, and taketh no forfeiture of it. This a Reverend Bishop once awarded to us, whose words are these: f Jewel. art. ●. devis. 9 fol. 117. Ceremonies should be used freely, & not with rigour, as Cyprian saith; why (then) are they so precise and earnest in ceremonies, that be the abuse of them never so great, they will remit nothing? This he spoke upon occasion of the Trin-immersion, which though it were in Cypri. time, a tradition & order of the church, yet doth he g Cypr. lib. epistola. 4. epist. 7. allow the omitting of it, & the using of Aspersion. And out of him, an Harding himself can justify a Compendious baptism, though all the ceremonies of the church be not observed: and our baptism, when we do not use the cross, what is it but such a compendious baptism? & h Harding. answ. to Maist. lieu. Challenge. art. 2. diuis. 9 Harding giveth this toleration even after that canon of Trent was given, which maketh the omission of any rite which the church of Rome commandeth in any Sacrament, to be no less than damnable sin. so that, excuse who can the severity now showed to us, against l Chemnit. exam. p. 2. pag. 37. our writers affirming the servitude of this canon to be heavy in that it taketh away all liberty of omission. For this severity, as it is practised in visitations, not only denieth liberty to us, to omit the cross in baptism, but also to add, omit, altar, any one word of the whole Liturgy; a plain renewal of the German Adiaphorisme, which was, that the book should be kept m Respons. Nichola. Galli. & Flac. Illiric. ad contion. Misniae. ad verbum, and ⁿ ad amussim: at a word, o Hambur. epist. ad P. Melanc. h. absque omni violatione whatsoever. The late famous Maria de la Anuntiada told her confessor, that Christ her hus band did daily come down, and in his own person helped her to say her canonical prayers. Her confessor beleveeth it, yet being told, that because Christ himself was present, she used to say Gloria Patri, & tibi, & spiritni sancto, he condemned her upon this reason, there must no p Cyprian. Valera. in histor. eius. word of the churches use be altered: and therefore enjoined her to say & Filio. Leo the 9 q Albert. Crantz li 4. histor. Saxon. c. 45. Pope of that name, being with Henry the 3. at Mass on a Christmas day at Worms, deprived a Subdeacon, & that forthwith, because he song the Epistle unconformably, not to the tune of the church of Rome. The Archbishopp refused to go forward in the Mass till he were restored again. Such hurries about conformity, if they had never visited this Church of ours, it had never been deprived of so many Godly and profitable Pastors, as are deprived now. Tertullian misliketh r Tertul. de prescript. adverse. haeres. Rhenan, in annotat. ibid. morositatem judeae, when any Church doth imitate the same in a precise and strickte observing of ceremonies. Now what should I stand to prove that by us it is imitated, when our Liturgy is more pressed, than the book of God itself: and the prayers thereof, so strictly observed, as that (in a manner) they be turned into a charm: We may not alter a word of the Liturgy, and yet make bold to alter I know not how many words in our Church-translation of the Bible, and that of them to a contrary sense; which is the only corrumpent s Bellar de pontific. B. 4. cap. 17. altering that can be named: and compel men by subscription to approve it when we have done. And we must not add any thing to the Liturgy, and yet we are bold to add to the Baptism of the Lord, a sign to his seal, a cross to his water, which is additio ad opus praeceptum: as if the jews in their passover in stead of one Lamb, had eaten two, that which a t Bellar. ibid. Bellarmine himself condemneth: to omit that our addition of cross to water, is not an addition eiusdem generis, as when a lamb to a lamb is added, but an addition of a sign of a divers kind, which yet as we add it, is made to be of the same use, them which, u Fran. Lun. controvers. 3. lib. 4. ca 17. nota. 4. Apoc. 11.8. Exo. 32.3.4 no addition can be worse. whereas then the treasurehouse of our prayers, hath jewels in it which have been borrowed from the spiritual. Egypt of Rome, which are thus enhanced, we may well divine that jewels from without borrowed, will never scarce thrive well, sith even at first when jewels were borrowed from Egypt bodily, they proved but matter at last, for the making of a calf. Do not the Evangelistes themselves alter in their citations the words of the old text often, as Act. 7.43. Heb. 10.5. & 1.6.7.? w A. Willet. controvers. 11. quest. 1, appendic. ad pag. 2. affirm we not the words of the Lords prayer & of the Sacram. may be altered without fault? Condemn we not x Bellar. de sacram. in gen. ca 21. papists on the other side when they will not permit so much as an accidental change in the word of the Sacram. and think their peevishness in this respect, not only worse than that scrupulosity which Augu. y August. count Donatist. de Bapti. lib. 6 ca 25. & de Doctr. Christian. lib 4. ca 5 condemneth in cleaving too much to the words themselves of scripture, but also to be a kind of charm? And how is the popish charming in our praying spread abroad by this our servility to the words of the liturgy? For let the minister change but some words for explanation, (which Rome itself holdeth to be lawful, and no church ever yet condemned except the z Ceusur. Orient. eccles cap. 1. Stanisla. Socolon. ibid. Greek, in our adding to the Nicene Creed; filioque, to express the proceeding of the holy spirit) and such a stir presently followeth, as justifieth the ancient proverb, There is much dust raised, when an old wise danceth. In deed they can no more pray to God many of the common people, when the wonted Idea of their common Liturgy is taken from them, then could one Serapion once (as I remember) when his Anthropomorphitishe and his carnal Idea of God was taken from him. Alas (saith he) I have lost my God, how shall I now pray? And thus have we hitherto miss of justice as it is overlooked by charity, and counseled by goodness. Come we now to consider her as she walketh in her own equality for distribution of good and evil. #Sect. 12. Imposition of Ceremon, as now urged, take away Christian liberty. WHereas justice giveth to every man his own, the ceremonies have taken from us (as we take it) our Christian liberty, both for the objects and subjects of it. Concerning the former; first they enslave us unto Antichrist, which is a great grief to us, even as it was our a Conrade. Schlusselb. Catolog. haeret. tom. 13. p. 466. brethren in Germany to have the ceremonies of the Pope enforced upon them, as wherein they thought they were reduced under the yoke of Antichrist again. They add, they were reduced aliquo modo, which I mention that our Opposites may perceive there is aliquis modus of bondage to Antich. although it be not he that doth command the things imposed: and although the necessity of the commandment doth not bind after his manner. Paul held it was subjection to them of the circumcision, if their rites were received in what manner soever. Gal. 2.4.5. Nolite jugum ducere cum infidelibus: quae. n.est societas luci ad tenebras. this was cited by the b Lib. Concord. apud Conrade. Schlusselb. Ibid. p. 596 Divines of Germany, to prove the enforcement of popish ceremonies doth bring us under the yoke of bondage. Whence it appeareth that it is a yoke, if we do but draw with Antichrist by conformity unto his rites. c Libellus Supplicat. Theolog. anno 1561 Ibid. p. 590 Others more bold affirm the imposing of popish rites enthralleth ecclesiam sponsam Christi even to his yoke, and compelleth her service etiam agnito Antichristo. the reason is, because we borrow these rites from him, & the borrower (we know) becometh a servant to him that dareth: and our religion is (thereby) made inferior to his, because we debase it, to receive from him, while he scorneth to receive from us. and (finally) because he triumpheth while we are made sad, yea prevaileth by the countenance of these ceremonies while we are worsted in our ministery; Nay he is countenanced by these ceremonies, when we are put to shame. Miserrimus est qui misero servit; not little therefore is the servitude, to which the sign of the Cross doth sell us: we cannot say of it as Hector once, if we were sold to be slaves, we could have borne it. Secondly, we are enthralled to man, which although we can bear better, in respect of ourselves, yet in respect of the glory of God, 1 Cor. 7.27 we cannot wholly bear it neither, because it is said, be ye not the servants of men. whereupon our “ Fran. jun. controuer. 3. lib. 4. ca 17. nota. 19 writers observe, that Christ hath freed us not only from the Law, from sin, and from the ceremonies of Moses law, but also à servitute hominum. for we are pressed with the bare will, and with the bare pleasure of our reverend Fathers, which is a servitude both by the scriptures, Colos. 2.18. Heb. 12.10, and also by reason. For it is the will of God only that can make a thing to be good, therefore it only must be obeyed. Let us not be worse than papists: even they d Stapleto. controuer. 5. q. 7. art. 2 affirm that the will of the Magistrate of itself, cannot bind any, why hear we so often, it is the pleasure of our superiors, e D. Field. of the Church. lib. 4. c. 33. non ex voluntate Legislatoris, sed ex ipsa legum utilitate. Do human laws bind to obedience? As the ceremonies do enthrall us to man's will, so much more unto his power. It is written of an Adiaphoriste himself, that he accused the Adiaphorisme of the Interim which was in Germany, that it did f Conrade. Schlusselb. vb sub. pa. 590. exequare homines potentes Deo, & perinde adorare. If I should say the like of our present Adiaphorisme, I should be asked wherein? For answer to which, be it considered, whether absolute power ascribed to man in things indifferent doth not equal him to God or no? And when the practice of our church bringeth into greater fear to break a ceremony of man's ordaining, then to break a law of Gods, in that it presseth more precisely, and punisheth more strictly the one than the other: who can deny, but that it induceth an adoring of man, as if he were God, or at the least a servitude to him? Thirdly, we are enthralled to the ceremonies themselves commanded, against that part of christian liberty, Gal. 4.10. which setteth us free A servitute rerum & elementorum huius mandi, both by the scriptures and by all g Fran. jun. vb. sub 1 Cor. 6.12 good writers. I will not be brought under the power of any thing (saith Paul) but we are brought under the power, both of the Cross and Surplice, when we are constrained to use them, whether they edify or destroy. For qui utitur eo quod non expedit, sive licitum sive illicitum, redigitur quodammodo sub rei illius potestate, saith h Tho. Aquin. in 1. cor. 6. lect. 8 Aquinas. The Law of the ceremonies inflicteth punishment ipso facto, but if the fact itself be punished which omitteth any rite, them is it for the rite sake itself that the punishment is inflicted. which cannot be but the person is made subject unto the rite, for which he is corrected. when without impeachment of christian liberty, a law beareth rule, it is by reason of the prossit which it bringeth to common good: which profit when it ceaseth, than the law itself doth cease, as the canon law doth teach: l Decret pa. 1. distinct. 61 cap 8. Ecclesiasticae prohibitiones proprias habent causas, quibus cessantibus, cessant & ipsae. so that punishment rightly executed, m Ibid pa. 2 c. 1 q. 5. c. 3 is not ex rigore Canonum, but ex intuitu rationis. If then it were to the law only, that we were subjecteth, them should we not be punished but for an hindering of the reason & of the profit of the law. These do we keep, because we edify in what we do. If then we be punished, it is ex rigore canonis, non ex consideratione discretionis, according to the letter, not according to the reason of the law: and so it is the rite itself, for which we are corrected, whereby it appeareth the rite itself doth bear rule over us. And these are the objects to which the ceremonies do enthrall us, to the impeachment (as we take it) of our christian liberty. #Sect. 13. Ceremonies as now urged, take away liberty of Conscience. COme we now to the subjects wherein, whether inward or outward. Concerning the former, the law of man binding no further, then where he is able to take notice of a transgression, & where he hath power to punish, reacheth not to the soul of any, but bindeth only the outward man, on the inward man, if it make any invasion, a breach is made upon the liberty of the same. what then (will some say) is not the affection of the heart required, in the obedience of human laws? yet by the general law of God, by the law a D. Field. of the Church. li. 4. ca 34. of man, it is not required, which may be obeyed although the affection of the heart be bad: whence cometh the rule, A man may be a good Citizen, that is not a good man. But now the law of the ceremonies setteth up a throne within our hearts more ways than one, both for the matter, and for the manner of their proceeding. They impeach our christian liberty in the matter of their command, in that they require a submission of our judgements without any reason out of God's law: as appeareth by the subscription, which requireth us to believe that all is well, which now is in force for the government of the Church. They impeach it also in the matter of their punishing, because they threaten to kill the soul, with which no man hath power to meddle, as it is evident by the Canons, who excommunicate ipso facto, which is to deliver unto Satan, and to thrust out of Christ's kingdom. And is there not a curse pronounced, and an Anathema to the breakers of the same Canons If so, then is the soul usurped on, as a man famous among our late writers hath lately taught, b D. Field. vb. sup. cap. 32. mortal men forget themselves, when either they command under pain of damnation, or take upon them to prescribe inward actions of soul or spirit. Again, c Ibid. c. 33. they impiously usurp, who publish all their Canons and constitutions in such sort, that they threaten damnation to all offenders. As for the injury, by the manner of proceeding, be it considered that in d joh. Gerson. de vita spirituali animae lectione. 2. Gersons opinion, they only leave our liberty free, who deal now as he thinketh the best and wisest among the guides of God's church dealt, who have not so ill a meaning as to have all their constitutions to be taken for laws properly so named, but for threatenings, admonitions, counsels and directions only. The ceremonies quite contrary set upon us with the power of a law to force, which what doth it effect in our hearts but grief, whereby is not the joyful liberty of the spirit impaired much in many? Siterrerentur (saith e August. epist. 48. Augustine) & non docerentur, improba quasi dominatio videretur. Therefore he prescribeth elsewhere: * Augustin. epist. 64. Non asperè quantum existimo, non duriter, non modo imperioso ista tolluntur, magis docendo quàm iubendo, magis monendo quam minando. Now if the Law of the ceremonies would proceed by this way of persuasion, and show us reason, and teach us out of the word of God, then should it in all sweetness lead us, as when a Nurse doth lead a child. Terrifying without this teaching, is for a slave: even as indeed, it doth beget a servile spirit in men's hearts, like to the German Adiaphorisme, of which one “ Flace. Illyrie. in lib. etc. Adiaph. complaineth thus: libertatae quae à Christo donata est, privamur, neque. n. per istas ceremonias politica libertas tollitur, sed religionis; ubi tristis servitus est in Ceremonijs (sicut ipsemet Adiaphoristae affirmant Ceremoniae istae tristi servitute ecclesiam onerant) ibi certè non potest esse laeta Christi libertas. From the thraldom which the ceremonies bring upon our inner man, come we now to that injury wherewith it cloyeth the outward. First, remember we the general neglect, and antiquation of this Law, in the days of Q. Elizabeth. This is * D. Field. of the Church. li. 4. ca vlt. one difference between the laws of God and man, that every prescription or contrary use is a corruption and a fault, which is against the law of God, whereas a long continued disuse prevaileth against the laws of men, and are a just abrogating of the same. This may be gathered out of that common and beaten tenant, lex instituitur cum promulgatur, vigorem habet cùm moribus utentium approbatur. Howbeit, it must be granted, that the common use and disuse of the inferiors is not to be thought to have any force or vigour, either to 'stablish or to abrogate without the consent, & the contentment of those that have authority. What then, from hence perchance some will say: seeing the governors are not consenting to the removal of the corruptions controversed. First, the greater part of the land do even desire a remoovall of them, when we go from bishops, and from others that are parties in them; much more doth it consent to the disuse and antiquation that is past. They that consent not to it, should consent. If they do not, they make this law, like unto the law of God, as if no disuse could prevail against it, as none prevaileth against God's law, and strive against the society in which they live, and that for a ceremony, which is too high an honour for him, and throw a necessity thereof on them who have given forth sufficient show of their unwillingness, by their general disuse aforesaid: in all of which, as the ceremonies are advanced too high, so christian liberty is too low depressed. As the proceeding of the ceremonies, oppress our liberty in regard of former disuse, which the inferior hath showed, so also doth he impeach the same in regard of the present use which the superior presseth. This is a necessary observation, the fountain, and the ground whereof do show sufficiently what it is. The fountain of it is popery. To what end should Canons be made (say some) if men should not be tied to a necessity of keeping of them? just so Bellarmine, f Bellarmin. de Pontifie. lib. 4. ca 17 actus indifferens, si praecipiatur iam erit necessarius, alioquin frustra praecipitur. The ground from whence this fountain issueth, is an opinion, that man's law doth bind the conscience: even as it appeareth by Bellarmine, who being to speak of a necessity of observation in the outward use of ceremonies, g Bellarmi, de effect. Sacrament. cap 31. hoc dependet (saith he) ab alia quaestione. Anleges ecclesiasticae obligent conscientias? This fountain thus flowing our of this ground, falleth into a marish (to speak with Ezechiel.) where standeth a pool of unwholesome water, which is this, h Bellarmi. controvers. 5. li. 3. c. i 1 as God's commandment maketh actions indifferent to be virtues, his inhibitions to be sins, so men's precepts do likewise. This blasphemy of theirs, equaling the creature with the Creator, how do our l D. Field. vb. sub. cap. 34. writers handle? which notwithstanding our Opposites must fortify, or else their whole tower will like to a Babel down to the ground. For if the ceremonies be of necessary observation, and must absolutely be kept, then must they become things absolutely good, forasmuch as there is nothing to be done necessarily, but that which is good and virtuous. And as the papists equal man with God, so shall we by this our conceit of a necessary observation: that which we may see by m Gers. de auferibili. papae. consideratio. 8. Gerson, who complaineth that men will have their constitutions to be observed aequali tenore with God's laws, because they will have them necessarily kept Quemadmodum custodiri divinam legem, absque ulla variatione necesse est. Sweeter waters are they far, which flow from the sanctuary of our home writers, upon these grounds, The law of man is not infallible as Gods is. ruleth not over the heart, as Gods doth: is not absolute and perfect, as Gods is: cometh not from a supreme Lord, as Gods doth. therefore there is due unto it no certain obedience; no obedience in the heart at all, no absolute obedience in the outward behaviour, in the outward behaviour only. such obedience is due to it, as is proportionable to the right end, of that subordinate power and authority, to which the supreme Lord hath chosen him. This being bonum common, which nothing hurteth, but scandal only and contempt: it cometh to pass, that extra casum contemptus & scandali, the observation of hamane law is left free to us. This do all our n D. Whitak. controvers. 1. quest 6. ca 16. pa. 503 Sibrand. Lubbert. de Pap. Roman. li. 8. cap. 8. Mat Sutcl. lib. 4. cap. 7 Pran. jun. controuer. 3. lib. 4. ca 17. D. Willet. controvers. 9 qu. 8 pag. 2. etc. writers testify. yea this whole churches confess unto us; yea this our own church holdeth. There be books lately set forth, (saith the o Harmon. confess. sect 17. ex confesses Saxon. 228. church of Saxony) full of labytinthes, in quibus scribitur peccata esse mortalia violationes talium rituum extra casum scandali, but the true consolation, is the voice of the Gospel, which will have a contrary understanding of our liberty to be known in the Church against this error. another church thus: p Ibid. Augustan. confessed. p. 218. sentiendum est quod res adiaphorae extra casum scandali omitti possunt. And again, q Ibid. pag. 224. contra libertatem nostram sancitam authoritate divina, non est recipienda opinio, ut violatio rerum mediarum, extra casum scandali sit peccatum. Yea, r The trearise whether it be mortal sin to transgress a civil law. whole home treatises affirm as much: yea our own communion s Admonit. de ceremo. praefix. leiturg. book: yea some of the very papists themselves, as the Author of summa t Sum. Sisuestrin in verb. inodience. & verb. neyligen. jer. 35 11. 2. act. 15.19.3. 1. cor. 1●. 27. Angelica, and as many as follow his way. The apposition of examples, I trust will not be tedious. The Rechabites retire unto jerusalem, when Nabuchadnezzar invadeth the land, so breaking the commandment which their Father jonadab gave them, against dwelling in any city, and are guiltless, because they break it on private occasion without contempt. and a 2 Corinthian eateth an Idolothire, breaking the Apostles decree, and 3 sinneth not because he breaketh it without scandal. But v Bellar. d● Pontifie. lib. 4. ca 17 Blandina thought it a sin, to break their law against blood, even in private, where was no danger of any scandal, & even in secret did other Christians abstain from blood aswell as she: Our answer is, she with the rest abstained for danger of w Fra. jun. ibi. nota ●0 future scandal, which might have followed. They were charged by the pagans to spill the blood of infants in secret, if they had not even in secret abstained from blood, how could they have contested openly as now they do? It is not likely that we should eat the blood of infants, whose custom is, to abstain from the very blood of beasts. Spiridion doubted not to break the order of the Church in Lent, and to use his christian liberty when without scandal it might be used. For when his guest said, I can eat no flesh in Lent, because I am a christian: he replied, x Sozom. histor. lib. 2. cap. 11. 2 Cor. 6.17. tanto minus recusare debes, quia omnia munda mundis. we have more cause to omit the Cross, than he his fish. he only did it because he had none ready, we because the Cross is a meat unclean. It was the y council. Gerunden. & Melden. cap. 6. order of the church to baptise solemnly at no other time, but at Easter and Pentecoste only, so that z Leo de consecrat. distinct. 5. ca ut jeiuni. Leo calleth it a rash presumption to baptise at any time else. and a certain a Concil. Antisiodor. Council excommunicateth them that do so. and yet this order did not all men keep. some b Socrat. Histor. lib. 5. cap. 22. wrote against it, because by this means many died unbaptized, others c Chryso. in Genes. homil. 40. Bafil. in orat. ad Bapt. Nazianze. orat. 3. ad sanct. lava. preached against it, and so (by all likelihood) practised against it too, because all times werealike for baptism. When the whole d Socra. hist. li. 5. ca 22. Church received the communion in the morning, they of Alexandria and Thebais did use to receive it after Supper, and did not sin; even as at Antioch in Syria prayer was made towards the West, against the order of all the whole Church, and no transgression made. In e Nicephor. lib. 12. c. 34 Epiphanius it is a tradition of the church to have a public assembly and meeting thrice every week, which was broken without sin. So f August. epist. vlt. ad Hieron. Augustine justifieth Rome, against the order of the whole church in a Satersdayes fast. give unto us our liberty (then) and we are free in our disusing of the ceremonies, because it is without contempt, and without scandal, that we disuse them. #Sect. 14. non-conformity is neither contempt nor scandal. THis are we now to make manifest against our Opposites, who lay to our charge both these transgressions, and hotly charge us, that our forbearance of conformity, doth both contemn and scandalise. Concerning the former, A man may omit a thing commanded without contempt, and so do we, whereas our Opposites think the contrary, and imagine our bare omission is a contempt, for that they think us bound in conscience to observe what is commanded, they may have a Bellarm. controvers. 5. li. 3. c. 11 Bellarmine to back them, who out of Rom. 13. ye must obey for Conscience sake, objecteth the same against our Writers, but other Divines they must expect to have against them, whether they be old or new. Contumaciae crimen est (saith b August. de verb. Dom. in joh. serm 57 Augustine) quod iubetur contemnere, quod praecipitur nolle, quod imperatum est declinare. so that, it is not a contempt [non obedire] simply, but nolle obedire. that which another more plainly explicateth after this manner. He observeth, that when Samuel chargeth Saul with a contempt, he doth not say, c Bernard. li. de precept. & dispensa. non acquievisti verbo Domini, but noluisti acquiescere, whereupon he inferreth, non est id ipsum, nolle obedire, & non obedire, hoc quippè interdum erroris est, nonnunquam & infirmitatis, illud verò aut odiosae pertinatiae, aut contumatiae non ferenda. Non ergo qualiscunque mandati praeteritio criminalem facit inobedientiam, sed repugnare, sed nolle obedire. The schoolmen d Tho. Aquin 2.2. quest. 1●6. art. 9 respon ad. 3. teach the very same; to wit, that to omit, is not to contemn, but to omit for this, because we [will not be subject.] Of the same judgement are our own Writers: Non censendi sunt illi (saith e Mat. Surclive. de Pontifie. lib. 4. cap. 7. pa. 352. one) Magistratum contemnere, qui aliquam ei●s legem particularem transgrediuntur. Apostolus enim ubi dicit, necessitate subditi estote propter conscientiam, de generali obedientia loquitur, & non de particulari. An other to the same sense: f D. Whita, count Dureum. lib. 8 pag. 731. Quoad genus parendum est propter conscientiam, quia generali praecepto iubemur Magistratni parere, particulares tamen Magistratuum leges, nullum habent in conscientias dominatum. An g D. Field of the Church li. 4. cap. 34. other more plainly: we answer first, that the matter of Conscience due to the Magistrate, is to be subject to him in all things: for subjection is required generally, and absolutely, where obedience is not. secondly, it is even to obey when obedience is profitable, and for the good of the common wealth: even as the reason why we are to obey a law human is this, because it maketh a thing to be good, and to be profitable, by a general observation, which before was not profitable when it was observed in private. This considered, our Opposites cannot lay contempt unto our charge, unless they will break into our consciences, and take upon them to see our hearts, and censure our thoughts, & pass this sentence & doom over them, that it is even h Decret. p. 1. distinct. 30. cap. 8. superbiendo that we omit the present ceremonies, that we break the law stimulo propriae cogitationis impulsi, and because we challenge to ourselves perfectam in nostra scientia rationem, whereof (we thank the Lord) we are clear. They cannot object it unto us neither, as long as we subject ourselves unto our Governors to do to us whatsoever they please, which excuseth from contempt, when obedience is not profitable, as in our case it is not. This have we sealed even with the testimony of an adversary: suffering ( “ Do. Bills. ag. Apolo. p. 2. p. 349 saith he) is as sure sign of subjection, as obeying. Secondly, what is omitted ex necessitate, is not omitted ex contemptu (say the l silvest Prior. in summa. in ver. contempt. schoolmen) to whom one of our m Sibrand. Lubbert. de Pap. Roman. li. 8. cap. 7. pag. 705. own accordeth, He that omitteth what he is commanded, sinneth not si it a affectus sit ut libenter esset facturus, modo non impediretur. as we are now willing to keep these rites and ceremonies, were not their sinful and scandalous circumstances, so many lets and impediments to us. Thirdly, that which is done ex fragilitate aut ex ignorantia non affectata, is not done (as the n silvest P. vb. sup. & in verb. in obedienc. Schoolmen do imagine) ex contemptu, so that we protesting before God and man, we think we do well in forbearing the ceremonies: and doubt we should sin, if we should use them, we are in charity to be judged to offend (in case we offend at all) of weakness, frailty, and of error, and not of contempt. Thus Augustin, o August. de serm. Dout. in mont. lib. 2 Si quis conquastus de stomacho, ieiunare noluerit, & tu id non credens edacitatis vitio tribueris, temerè indicabis. Now we complain our weak stomachs brook not the cross, judge us (then) to have omitted it of contempt, and thou hast rashly judged. Fourthly, whereas our Opposites object against us, that our former continued custom, and present purpose not to conform for time to come, are evident signs whereby they may judge us of contempt: we answer first, that this contemptus inter pretatiws is no sure and certain ground. The ground it standeth upon is this, p Zosim. Pap. epist. ● contumeliae study fit, quicquid interdictum toties usur patur. and a custom without purpose to amend, doth argue an habit of contempt. This interpretation, is not secundum veritatem always (sayeth q silvest P. vb. sub. one) but secundum praesumptionem oftentimes. The party may use (sayeth r Tho. Aquin. 2.2. quest. 186. art. 9 ad. 3. another) an accustomed omission, for some other cause, then for an irreverence, and the same wilful against the Law: which when he so doth, it is not out of contempt he doth it. Now God be thanked our witness on high, who hath not left us void of causes more than many, which we are able to allege out of his word for that we do. Secondly, for as much as this interpretation leadeth us, to judge by outward signs, we desire our Opposites to remember, that ancient equity, s joh. Pap. ● epist. 1. de occultis cordis alieni, temerè judicare, iniquum est: & eum, cuius non videntur opera ni si bona, peccatum est ex suspicione repraehendere. We appeal (then) to the carriage of ourselves, in the accustomed course of our lives. t August. de serm. Dom in mont. li. 2. pa. 1154 Augustine speaking of one that was singular in his attire, and broke in apparel the common order, ye must judge him (sayeth he) ex caeteris operibus, utrum contemptu superflui cultus aut aliqua ambitione hoc faciat. Nam ex fructibus cognoscetis eos: One of our late Writers treadeth in the same steps, v A. Hiper. de sact. stud. non deferend. pag. 161. ᵘ Ex certis signis facile deprehenditur, num quis per contumaciam seu contemptum aliquid insolens faciat. Piorum igitur est dare operam, ut ea conspici in ipsis signa possint, quae simplicitatem, modestiam, charitatem fraternam teslentur. For example: If w Socrat. histor. li. 2. c. 32. conci. ton. 1.373. Eustathius be held schismatical, he evidently showeth forth many signs and tokens of pride: amongst the rest, the affected peregrinity of his strange attire, is one. when Eunomius is censured for a x Zozom. lib. 6. cap. 26. contempt, in breaking of the Trin-immersion, used downward from the Apostles days, there appeareth an audaciousness in his spirit, an insolency in his words and carriage, yea and in his doctrine. Last of all, the ceremony-breakers of Augustine's time, bewray plainly an affectation of strange things, seen in their travill and peregrination, y August. epist. 118. cap. 11. Quam eo doctiorem putant, quo remotiorem à suis. together with a wayward pride, ut nisi quod ipsi faciunt, nihil rectum existiment. So it is not the omitting of an Ecclesiastical fast which the Council z Can. 19 Gangrense condemneth, but when some propter superbiam communia totius Ecclesiae jejunia contemnunt. And the Council a Concil. Toletan. 9 can. 9 Toletan doth punish them only, Qui ausu temerario omnia contemnunt, in their breaking of the Churches fast. When the contempt of the Bogomilici, is condemned, it is withal thus described, b Decret. p. 1. distin. 30 cap. 8. Omnia sibi indifferentia putant, nullisque praeceptis obligantur. Augustine and Epiphanius condemn Aerius, not for his not fasting simply, according to the Church's custom, but for c Mat. Sutell li. de pontific. 4. ca 7 disturbing of the Church, with his insolency and his pride. Put us then in an even balance: weigh us as we are found in ourselves, and not as we are transformed and metamorphized from ourselves by our accusers. What signs see men in us of pride or contempt? What be our caetera opera that bewray such an humour? Do we despise all the ordinances of the Church? Refuse we to be obliged to any? And what be our ausus temerarij? What disturbance also of the Church can they justly lay to our charge? Nay (indeed) on the other side, do we not as our infirmity doth permit, give forth signs of faith, charity, simplicity, modesty, which give savour to the contrary? There is in d August. de tempor. serm. 62. Augustine, a man excused, for breaking of a Church fast, that doth break it by himself, and inviteth not others to break it with him. even so we: we incite no man to the refusal of the ceremonies for which we suffer, but suffer all men to abound in their own sense●. Chrysostome e Chrysost. in Gen. homil. 10. cleareth a man in breaking the same, that upon a fasting day spendeth the time in prayer, alms, reconciling of enemies, and such like duties. in quibus infirmitas corporis nihilob stat. a just proportion from hence cleareth us, if we conform in other things, in quibus animi conscientia non obstat, though otherwise they bring their burden with them. Now let it be named wherein we go not two mile when we are commanded to go but one. Mat. 5.41. yea, wherein we go not, as many miles as any shoe of the preparation of the Gospel, Ephes. 6.15 will bear us? What payment, what pain, what labour, what taxation, made us ever to murmur? Survey our charges, where we have laboured, if they be not found to be of the faithfullest subjects that be in the land, we deserve no favour. Nay there is wherein we stretch our consciences to the uttermost to conform and to obey in divers matters, which our best Writers find fault withal. f Doctor Willet. controvers. 9 quaest. 8. pag. 2. One of these speaking of the heathenish names of the days which are used, which the g Rhem. in Annotat. in Apoc. 1. vers. 10. jesuits themselves condemn, applieth to them that of Augustine, h Augustin. in Psalm. 93. Nolumus ut dicant, & utinam corrigantur ut non dicant. The same we may well apply, I say not to these names, but to many other ceremonies; to the feast days of saints; therefore l Ioha. Reynold. conference. c. 8. divis. 2. worthy to be abolished, because they breed an error in men, as if the saint himself were honoured. to abstinence from flesh, and fastings, conformable to those of the papists, which the m Thes. de Adiaphor. Theolog. Saxon. apud Conrade. Schlusselburg. Tom. 13. pag. 510.512.514. German Divines condemned, although commanded as they are here, for polity only and not for religion to the seiunctio chori à reliquo templo for the minister alone to pray in, which n Bucerus in Censur. cap. 1. one holdeth Antichristian. to the going up of the priest to the communion table to say all the prayers of the canon till he come to the offertory, which is called o Ibidem cap. 3. quoddam coenae simulachrum, idoneun ad confirmandam missae fiduciam, with others like, of which we may say, Nolumus ut fiant, & utinam corrigantur ut non fiant. to which notwithstanding we do conform, and are we yet contemptuous? we are able to say, are we refractory in other things, as Balaams' Ass said to his Master: have I used to serve thee so at other times? therefore the Canon law doth clear us, for they are without fault (saith it) who when they disobey their Prelates, are able to plead in the words of this Ass, p Decree-. p. 2. cap. 2. qu. 7. ca 41 cur nos verberibus affligit is? cur nobis iniustè irascimini? nunquid vobis inobedientes fuimus, nist nunc cum ad malum cogimur? videte illum qui prohibet ab incepto. #Sect. 15. They that disobey or displease in unlawful Ceremonies, do not scandalise. I come now to Scandal, which is also laid to our charge, to make us sinners when we omit these ceremonies. You make show of conscience not to give scandal, say our Opposites, and should ye not (then) be chiefly wary, that you do not offend the Magistrate, which is the greatest scandal that may be? This objection seemeth to imply, that the Magistrate is scandalised, as often as he is displeased, which is not true. Our Opposites in their conformity perchance please their Reverend Fathers, when yet they scandalise them. We in our not conforming do indeed edify them, although it may be we displease them, of which we are sorry. joab despleaseth David, 2 Sam. 24.3 when he contesteth against the numbering of the people which he was commanded to do. jehosaphat doth not please King Ahab, when he speaketh for the Prophets, 1 King. 22, 8. of whom he thought ill without a cause. Daniel did not what Darius did command, when he honoured him not before his people, by praying unto him alone. Yet did not joab scandalise David, but edified him. even as jehosaphat edified Ahab, Dan. 6.10. and Daniel Darius, so did Isaacus edify Valens, though he displeased him, when he requested, a Theodor. histor. li. 4. cap. 34. red gregibus optimos pastors. even as Terentius did, in the very same case. He b Ibid. c. 32 returning with victory out of Armenia, and being willed by the same Emperor to ask what he would, he put up a petition to him, for a Church to be given pro Apostolica doctrina sufferentibus. The Emperor tore the petition to pieces, and willed him to make his suit for somewhat else. which he gathering up the pieces, refused to do with this reply, Accepi inquit, habeoque Imperator abs te domum, neque aliud petiturus sum. quid verò ego spectaverim judicet huius universitatis judex. c Ibid. c. 33. Traianus his general was more rough, yet did he edify him, when he displeased him, in these words: non ego sum victus, sed tu victoriam corrumpis Imperator, qui adversus deum aciem instruis an te fugit quos ab ecclesijs abegeris, & quibus eas commisseris. d Theodo. histor. lib. 2. cap. 16. Liberius at the first defendeth the innocency of Athanasius, and suffereth banishment rather than he will subscribe to his condemnation. afterward being weary to live in exile, he subscribed. at which of these times did he edify Constantius the Emperor? or at which scandalise him? Did he not scandalise him at the last when he pleased him, by subscribing? seeing thereby he did confirm him in his bad course? for all the while he did displease him, with this apology what the Synod did against Athanasius, it was done gloriae & metus à te, infamiae causa, & coram he was never condemned; the Synod heard him not speak for himself ne ulciscaris inimicitias (O Imperator) in Episcopos: manus. n●ecclesiasticorum sanctificationi vacare debent. proinde si tibi videtur, iube in suum quenque locum restitui: so long he did edify him. By analogy from hence it appeareth, that men are far from scandalising their Superiors, when in a righteous cause or suit they do offend them. But by omission of the ceremonies (will some say) you do vilify the authority of the Superior, which, as it is an hurt to him, so is it a scandal to the people, before whom it foundeth (as it were) the alarum of disobedience, & make many bold against the law in greater matters. First, this cometh not per se, from our omission of the ceremonies, but per accidens only: and the scandalum is not datum by us, but acceptum by the people. Daniel will not omit the ceremony, Danial 6.10 of looking out of the window towards jerusalem. Mordecay omitteth the ceremony of bowing the knee to Haman. Christ will not use the ceremony of washing hands, Hest. 3.2. though a tradition of the elders, & governors of the church then being: Mat. 15.2. The authority of the Magistrate was violated by these, and an incitement of disobedience was in their ceremonial breach, as much as there is now in ours, yet were they guiltless notwithstanding, because they did, but that which was their duty to do: and we now do the like. Secondly, our covering of the laws imperfection is such in our preaching (for we jump with e Melanct. in Rom. ca 13. Melancthon in this, if the faults of a private neighbour must be covered, then of the public ones much more) our preaching for obedience is also such, as that no hurt accrueth at all, unto authority, by our omission of the ceremonies, while great good cometh by our preaching for the sanctifying of the heart to true obedience, even as the subjection of our charges in which we labour, give evident witness to all the world. As for the good which our Opposites boast of in their conformity, in that they think it teacheth obedience to the people, let them consider, whether they edify not the people to such an unholy kind of obedience, which the German f Confess. eccles. Mansfeld. aedit. An. 1560. apud Conrade. Schlusselburg. tom. 13. p. 530. Adiaphorisme once brought forth: which was, that men were to obey what was commanded without examining, without trying by the word. the least occasion whereof now cannot be little sin with us, considering the general profanes abroad, which is thus resolved already; Let the Magistrate look to my soul, he hath charge of it: If I be not right he shall answer for me: I need meddle with no matters of religion, he that is bound, he must obey. Thirdly, If there come any hurt by our forbearance of conformity, as it is per accidens, so is it less than that which conformity brings forth per se. and we know that in things indifferent, we must always avoid that course, which threateneth amplius detrimenti, & follow that which offereth to us g August epist. ad lanuat. 119. cap. 18. maiora lucra to be hoped for. First the hurt of our omission is the less, because it may be more easily prevented. many rites may be omitted (saith h A. Hip. de sacris stud. non deserend. pag. 159. one) without offence, yet so as we be not authors of public scandal. This danger will be prevented, if the weak brethren, who are likely to be offended, and to judge that we omit them of contempt, be fully instructed in the whole matter: that so they may understand, that we do not omit them, for any contempt of public authority, but for other just causes. Our Reverend Fathers I trust willbe contented with that measure which themselves meat to the Lord, but behold we afford them better. The dishonour of the Lord (say they) in the use of the cross will be sufficiently prevented, by the Ministers preaching, but far better (say we) may the Magistrates dishonour be prevented, by the Ministers preaching, and all other hurt that may follow his disuse, because his preaching against contempt and irreverence of the law, is more understandable, remarkable, approvable, than his preaching against the abuse & superstition of the cross, when he doth use it: which is seldom understood by the people for the hardness, regarded for the show which it hath of preciseness, obeyed for the harshness, in that it overtwhattly crosseth their old inveterate custom of crossing. Secondly, the hurt that ensueth upon the disuse of the ceremonies is less, because it may be more easily remedied in that authority (if at any time it be defaced) hath power in her hands to right itself, whereas the hurt of the cross, as long as the cross itself remaineth, admitteth no remedy. Thirdly, in the hurt that cometh of the ceremonies there is [amplius detrimenti] to wit, the loss of the precious souls of men, more worth than a world. For these Christ jesus lost his life: will not our Reverend Fathers (then) lose one jott of their authority, nor forbear so much as a ceremony, that is hurtful unto them? then if any not repenting hear at his coming, thy life shall go for his life, and thy Soul for his Soul: yea as his soul was vile in thine eyes, so shall thy soul be in mine. 1 King. 20.39. let him be justified in his judging▪ we know that l Theodor. Beza epist. 24. art. 12. nulla causa est cur ob privatorum quorundam offensiones, Ecclesiae hoc vel lud recte constitutum mutet. but what is this to the retaying of Cross and Surplice which are ill constituted? and in which to plead after this manner, is to plead as Saunders pleadeth for his Images: It is better ( m Saund. de imag c. 17. or 16. apud Fulk. pag. 696. saith he) that some one should do amiss, then to falsify the whole law. To this Alphonsus doth accord: n Alphons. de Castr. verb. imag. Deut. 27. 1● Mat. 18.6. Si unus aut alter, simplicitate deceptus erat, ille docendus est; & non propter illum imagines prorsus sunt tollendae. Leges siquidem & statuta, non pancorum numero, sed maiori populi multitudini prospiciunt. Did these men never read, Cursed is he that layeth a stumbling block in the way of the blind, and all the people shall say Amen? and woe unto him, that doth offend any one of these little on's? Thus being cleared, both from contempt and from scandal, in disusing of the ceremonies, we hope we may justly entreat for our liberty from them. #Sect. 16. The punishments inflicteth for not conformity, are greater than the faults committed. IF justice will give us that liberty which is our own, Sect. 16. in her distribution of good, then in her distribution of evil she will overpass us, at the least she will forbear to suspend, to deprive, to excommunicate, as being punishments in a triste, against the light of nature itself, Cavendum est, ne paena maior sit quam culpa. Cicero lib. de office An Innkeeper looketh to be paid for the fume and smell of his flesh: within which a poor man did eat his own bread. his recompense was, that the poor man should pay him, with the sound of his money: than which sentence, a Panormit. in c. ad nostram Ext. de consuet. Cato himself could not give a better. An airy commodity, requiring but an aereal payment, it seemeth our transgression in an aereal Cross, deserveth but an aereal punishment, such as is a christian reproof. If it had been injustice, if this poor man had paid his substance for a commodity which was not substantial, then what justice on our transgression in a matter of no substance, to lay that punishment, than which transgressions in the matters of great substance, cannot receive greater? Against this, there is broached of late, a strange position: Contempt is greater in a small matter, then in a matter of greater moment: and that of purpose, to make our punishment the greater, the smaller the cross & the Surplice are, in which we offend. They pretend in which we contemn: but of that we have cleared ourselves already. now examine we the point itself. The drowned of it seemeth to be borrowed out of Bernard, c Bernard. de precept. & dispens. In difficilioribus agendis obetitio gratior, quam gravior pravaricatio indicatur. in facilioribus minusque onerosis contemptus damnabilior quam actus laudabilior aestimatur. which if it be, then may the raude of the allegation (for they even translate these words) be with one eye discovered. First he esteemeth not contempt in a small matter, a greater sin than contempt in a great. he only holdeth contempt in a small matter to be worse than an actual breach of a great. because here the difficulty of the thing extenuateth the fault, and man's infirmity pleadeth some excuse. For what can be replied to these words of his, in the same treatise, maioribus mandatis maior, minoribus minor, opera nostra & cura debetur. de quorum etiam contemptu juxta eandem consider ationem gravior leviorve offensa contrahitur. Makes not this plain, that contempt is greater or less, as is the matter wherein it offendeth? the reason is, because according to the matter, groweth the commandment more strick or remiss, even in the will and right intent of the Superior, of which thus Bernard a little after: pro varijs necessitatibus, vel utilitatibus agendorum iniungentium affectio variatur. quodque putaverint rectius & commodius, hoc amplius cupiant & exigant observari. Tam ergo qualitas praceptorum, quam authoritas praecipientium, & obedientiae praefigit metam, & inobedientia terminat culpam. quando ut dictum est in praelatis quibusque maioris authoritatis, & in eorum mandatis, quibusque maioris utilitatis, quo diligentior debetur obsequendi cura, eo & culpa gravior incurritur. Secondly, suppose he compareth a contempt in great and small matters, together in the foresaid allegation, yet what is that to our cause, wherein the small ceremonies imposed (as it often cometh to pass) are very burdensome, hard, and difficult to our consciences: seeing it is apparent, that he speaketh of matters small in such manner, as that they be easy also, which these commanded rites are not. In regard whereof I return home to them the argument thus: The easier it is for our Superiors to forbear their command in these controversed rites, the greater is their contempt of us: whom they burden needlessly. Is it a small fault (think ye) to lay heavy burdens upon other men's shoulders? especially when it is done by them, who should be the first to take of the heavy burdens, Isai 58.6. and to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Thirdly, Bernard doth not hold every breach of an easy matter (in case these ceremonies be easy to us) to be a contempt▪ much less a contempt punishable more, than the contempt of a matter great: which our Reverend Fathers have both held hitherto against us, and executed on us, but he affirmeth (indeed) the contrary, Non qualiscunque mandati praeteritio criminalem facit inobedientiam, sed repugnare, sed nolle obedire. and he prescribeth a more just proceeding, such as putteth a great matter into the balance, when it doth punish with great punishment minorum mandatorum transgressio parit peccata leviora, nec unius subinde discriminis iussorum est omnium censenda transgressio: unde pater Benedictus, secundum inquit mensuram culpae excommunicationis extendatur censura. Here let me mention, what Anachar sis saith, in Plutarch: O rem publicam brevi interituram, ubi Principes consultant, populus decernit. Wherefore? d Bulling. comment. in Act. ca 12. quia huic proprium est in minimis maximè formidare, in maximis minimè prospicere. leaving it to the judgement of all that are indifferent, whether the practise of the foresaid principle, excommunicating and depriving propter haec minima, while the maxima (to wit) nonresidency, dumb ministery, with the like, are not prevented, were not to renew that preposterousnes, which in his judgement decayeth a state? From this course, doth e Io. Cris. in Carol. Mag. Charles the great call us, renowned for reforming the Clergies idleness. & f Idem in Carol. 4. Charles the fourth, whose chief care was to remove their superfluity. And g Idem in Sigismond Sigismond, who strove at the Council of Constance, with all his power to redress their enormities: yea h Idem in Benedict. 12. Benedict the 12. Pope himself, who is said to have removed many Priests, that were unlearned, out of the Church. Our Opposites taking a contrary course, show themselves most guilty in that, which they are wont to lay to our charge. For who now are the men (I pray you) that strain at a gnatt, but swallow a camel? For to make an omission of a trifling ceremony, an heinous sin, is to make a gnatt a monster, and to live in soul murder through nonresidency, and through doumbnes, Zacha. 11.5. and to say, I sin not, like the Pastors of Israel. They that keep them slay them and sin not, is to bring down a camel, not only to smallness, but also to nothing. And (me thinks) if it were but for shame of papists, we should mitigate this mood. h Ambros. lib. 10. epist. 83. die Dominica ieiunare non possumus (said Ambrose once) qui● Manichaeos' (etiam) ob istius diei jejunia, iure damnamus. In like manner we can not well punish, with deposition or excommunication, or the like in such small matters, who justly condemn, the papists injustice in some proceedings. When l Bellarm. de Ponti. li. 4 cap. 16. Bellarmine objecteth, that certain Councils have excommunicated lay men, and deprived Ministers for breach of ecclesiastical canons, this answer he receiveth from one of our writers, m Fr. jun. controver. 3. li. 4 c. 16 nota. 74. Negamus primum Concilia prisca, olim de re qualibet leges talisse, sub poena anathematis, vel depositionis. tum si qua fecerunt (causam fundamentalis doctrinae excipio) negamus fecisse legitimè potestate sua ad destructionem, non ad aedificationem, abutentia. what was the worst of the Adiaphorisme of Germany, save this, n Adiaphor. Theolog. Saxon. apud Conrade. Schluf. selburgh. tom. 13. pa. 466. persequi vera membra Christi, ereptione bonorum aut honorum, exterminatione, captivitate, famosis libellis, qui ceremontarum receptionem, cum laesione propriae conscientiae modestè & graviter sine omni seditione improbant. o Ibid. pag. 179. another more roughly: who calleth them Achitophells', by whose means the two Preachers Ecclesiae Torgensis were thrust out, because they would not consent to the innovations of the Interim; not sparing them in the mean season, who propter albam vestem, laid the Church waste of Preachers, in miserable manner. When p Socrat. histor. l. 7, cap. 17. Chrisostome was deposed, it was thought by some to be a just judgement of God upon him, because before he had deprived diverse of their churches, because they differed in the ceremony of Easter from him: Yet might he better deprive them, than our Superior can now deprive us. If he deprived any, it was for a rite which all the whole church observed. If we be deprived, it is for a rite which all the churches (except our own) have banished. and he deprived men that conformed themselves to aliens, we are deprived because we will not conform to aliens, (to wit to Antichrist) but to the true churches rather. q Zanch. in comment. in epist. ad Philippen. c. 1. doct. 2. Zanchius handleth the question of deposing ministers about the ceremonies, and he turneth the edge of the Magistrates sword against them, who will not disuse popish ceremonies, when the Magistrate doth abolish them. that a Minister should be deprived for disusig popish ceremonies, when was it ever the judgement of any of note for learning unless he were interessed in the quarrel? If any were then to be deprived it should be those who countenance popery, savour of it, and thereupon hold fast her rites▪ we lest of all other should be deprived, who most resist popery, and who have deserved no deprivation, unless it be for our hatred of Antichrist, & for our zeal against his relics. And considering the season, though we were worthy, yet should we least be deprived now, when popery riseth like the swellings of jordan; yea maketh invasion like an armed man when there wanting many on the other side in many churches, to stand up in the gap against it. Doth not the Canon law itself spare depriving for greater faults, when there is r Decret. pa. 2. ca 1. q. 5 c. 3. penuria sacerdotum? and quando utilitas Ecclesiae exigit? #Sect. 17. The jus of the law of the land whether comprehensive or extensive, doth not justify our Opposites rigour against us. FRom the ordinary ius of a good law in general, whereof heretofore we have often miss, we come to the ius of the law of the land, which layeth not on us the rigour practised, if the true meaning be well weighed: whether comprehensive or extensive. The comprehensive meaning of it, a Statut. Eliza. prefix. before the common. book. bendeth itself totally against the refusal of the form of the service book, not against a bare forbearance of some one or two Rubrickes, and it punisheth no bare omission at all, but only an obstinate kind of refusal, and the same joined with contempt: of which, if we cannot clear ourselves, we crave no favour. But the meaning extensive of the Statute, doth perchance in all equality reach home to us: Not it neither. For the extension of the law, being but identit as rationis non scriptae, out of this ground de similibus ad similia idem est judicium, and this law being made against popish recusantes, or recusants of the whole book, it can not now in any reason be extended, unto any other then to such as do recuse more simili. what that we are free from this law, and from the sentence whether comprehensive or extensive of it, because it is not the same book, with that of K. Edward's, but is altered in very many and sundry points: yea so altered as that when it was proposed to be confirmed to the most honourable court of Parliament, it was refused. Secondly, as we have miss of ordinary ius, in respect of our judgement, so in respect of our judges also. we are not to think so ill of our law, as that it hath any purpose or meaning, to overthrow the law of nature. ᶜ Nemo in suae cansa judex & pars, & testis esse potest. Why then are we cast into the hands of the bishops, who are known to be parties against us. I compare them not to the Arrians, yet when it is said to us, d Victor. de persecut. Vandalic. vade ad Episcopos, quiae ipsihabere, huius rei cognoscuntur, per omniae potestatem, we are put out of hope to have any remedy, their bowels are so barren towards us. And why should we not claim the privilege, which we have by Charta Magna, and so be shielded from the loss of our freehould, unless it be by the verdict of 12. men? If the Bishops were judges indifferent, yet were it hard, from the wise counsel and deliberation of ●2. men to be turned over to the will and lust of one, which by their canon law itself, can not depose e Charta. M●gu. c. 19 alone. But if the law put us into the hands of such one man, yet doth it not leave us there, but giveth issue out of these straits, by the remedy of an f Eccles. 4.1. appeal, which with what justice it may be barred and stopped against us, it will one day be decided by the great judge of the whole earth, when he shall set up his throne for judgement. until that time we must be subject to the sentence which is past, and not be amazed seeing our sufferings have been fulfilled in our Fathers heretofore, behold the tears of the oppressed, and none comforted them, and lo the strength is of the hand of them that oppress them, and none comforteth them. Howbeit, heavier is this yoke of ours then ordinatie, g Capitul. per Adrian. Pap. ex Synod. Collect. council. tom. 3. pa. 25 5. Dent. 23.15 placuit ut accusato, si indicem suspectum habuerit, liceat appellare quia non oportet negare andientiam roganti: and again, si quis judicem adversum sibi senserit, vocem appellationis exhibeat, ut cùm ei concessum fuerit integro negotio apud alium judicem possit audiri. we fly for rescue from an hard Master, why are we refused, and turned back into his hands again? We fly to the sanctuary of holy justice, why are we drawn back, to try the mercy of unmercifulness, yea of contempt and wroth? But do I not forget myself, who now at last begin to accuse against my promise at the first? for this promise sake, I stay myself, and lay mine hand upon my mouth, and commit the whole cause to him, that judgeth righteously. as for that which hath been spoken, I desire the consideration of three things. First, of the necessity that lieth upon me, to speak for the truth: in regard whereof, h Gelasius. in epist. ad Anastas. August. pietatem tuam precor, ne arrogantiam indices divinae rationis officium; absit (quaso) à Romano Principe, ut intimatam suis sensibus veritatem arbitretur iniuriam. Secondly, that the very Canon itself, which forbiddeth the sheep to accuse the Pastor, hath this exception, nisi pro sua iniustitiae, even when it saith of other faults, l Concil. Roman. 5. tom. 2. pa. 34●. Pastorum actus gladio oris non sunt feriendi, quamquam ritè reprahendi astimentur. Last of all, that what here is spoke, is spoken with reverence, non adcontumeliam tuam, sed ad defensionem meam, as m August. epist. 174. Augustin speaketh, yea with grief, as once n Cyrill. Apolog. in tom. ●. Concil. pa. 662. Theodoret, verae lamentis dignasunt haec quod Sacerdotes contra Sacordotes talia dicant: verum hoc dicimus, non quod tantum accusemus, quantum nostricuram gerimus. And so an end of the injustice of the Ceremonies, and of the Cross. The murder of the Cross: Chapter 6. FOR as much as the instrument itself of cruelty, is by the equity of Moses law to be abolished, Exod. 21.28 which destroyeth the beast itself, though not capable of any sin that hath been a mean of any man's death, the Cross and ceremonies must away, or else we must hear the Lord complain, The instrument of cruelty is in mine habitation. Gen. 49.51 This laws equity is acknowledged by a a Concil. vormatians. can. 64. Council, yea too much acknowledged; the murder of the Cross and Ceremonies is known, yea too much known. For to begin with the blood of the body first of all, what wars have the crawling frogs of the Dragon's mouth, raised at any time in the world, of which the Cross was not a guide, like judas? It guided first the wars of the holy land, Act. 1.16. wherein the strength of christendom fell, as one doth b Carol. Sigon de reg. Ital. lib. 6. in H. 3. ann. 1095. witness, The sign of that expedition, was a cross of purple cloth, which urban the 2. first gave in indulgence for a sign of expiation to salvation, which he commanded to be affixed to their garments upon their right shoulder: whereupon, they that went into that war, they were called Cruse signati, and the expedition itself Cruciata. Secondly, It hath led the wars that have been raised against the Emperors, and States of Christendom, for as much as it hath been used from time to time, for an agent & a solicitor to arm the people of the earth, against their lawful Lords. It is c Thom. Morton. Apolog. p 2. in epist dedicat. acknowledged, that the head of all monstrous attempts against Kings and Princes, is the 3. Canon of the second Council of Lateran, where a power is given unto the Pope, to absolve subjects from their fidelity to their Princes, that neglect to purge their kingdoms of hereticques, that so Catholicques may posse them. Now it is not fit that the world should be ignorant, that the very next words of the Canon, ordain the Cross, for the best vizard that can be devised, to call these wars, & for the fittest and wisest Factor to manage and to set them forward in these words, Catholici. etc. As for the Catholics which shall assume the sign of the cross for the rooting out of these heretics, they shall have the same indulgence and privilege, which is given unto them, that go to war for the holy land. How the cross deserveth to be used, for this most prodigious treason, it may appear by that worthy fact of d Carol. Sigon. de reg Ital pa. 2. lib. 18 in Frederic. 2. D. Bills. ag. Apolo. pa. 3. pa. 198. 2. Sam. 15.8 12 Frederick, who to recompense the Crosses which were borne in the field by Gregoric the 9 against him, cut the heads of them that were dead in 4. parts, and laid them cross-wise on their shoulders, and with an hot iron burned a cross in their foreheads, whose lives he spared: and caused the crowns of the clergy to be cut square to the very skulls. Thirdly, the cross hath served for an Absalon's sacrifice, to grace the conspiracies that have been made, & the wars that have been moved against the people of the high saints. In the war against the Albingenses, e Vincent. Belnac. specul histori. lib. 29. cap. 103 & lib. 30 cap. 9 many thousands were slain: and at one time f Bellarmin. de laic. ca 22. 1080. burnt together in one fire. all which was countenanced by the cross. For g Antonin. histor. p. 3. tit. 19 ca 1 tect. 3.4. Crux in Gallia predicabatur, ex Innocentij tertij mandato, contra Albingenses. & S ze Dominic (the ringleader of the whole voyage) made the sign of the cross his broker, h Theodor. Appold. lib. 1. de vit. sanct. Dominic. ca 7. ap. Surium de probat. sanct. histor tom. 4. ad quem congregabatur caetus fortis viribus cruce signatorum. And the war which was after levied against the Hussites in Bohemia, was an expedition called l joh. Dubrau. histor Bohemic. lib. 24. cruciata. the m Guil. Lindwood provintial. voyage itself being not excepted, which was furnished out of England against them. Such was the war which n Io. Sleydan. comment. lib. 26. Paul the third, moved against the Protestants, under the conduct of Farnesius, who when he took his leave of him, promised to spill so much Lutheran blood, as that his horse should swim therein. This war was, before intended by o Act. Paul. 3. Willet. controvers. 7. in praesa. Marcellus secundus, holding it a better deed, to make war upon Lutherans, then against Turks: whose confidence was such in the cross, that he purposed to discharge his gaurde upon this reason, p Onuphri. in Marce. 2 The cross is a better weapon and defence, than any sword or shield. This confidence is not of late sprung up, which I will make plain, that all may see, what a deep hand a cross hath had in the murder of all the wars forenamed, A great q Epist. ad Leonem. Imperator. council tom 2. pa. 254. number of Bishops, writing in the defence of the Council of Chalcedon. commend their Emperor, because he did pro purpura, virtutibus fulgere, & armis uti adversus hostes venerabili Cruse. when Attila maketh war on Rome, Leo goeth forth unto him, praelata r Genebr. Cronolog. lib. 3. in an. 463. argentea cruse, that which Lupus Trecensis also did at an other time, & so appeased him: whence grew the jest, that Attila feared nothing, praeter Leonem & Lupum. when Alexander the first, proclaimed the cross against Isilinus, for the recovery of Padna, Philippus Fontaena his Legate in the voyage, when now the whole troops were setting forward, under their ensigns, commandeth an hymn to be sung in honorem sanctae crucis. vexilla regis prodeunt, s Carol. Sigon. de Reg. Ital. lib. 19 in aun. 1257 crucis fulget mysterium, which while it was singing, 2000 men both on horse and foot were seen to weep for joy. At t Ibid. in ann. 713. Ravenna, no way to stay the slaughter of a conflict, but to send in priests amongst the weapons with a cross & the book of the gospel: at the sight whereof all presently was hushed. On the other side, u Pius. 2. in Europe. pag. 190. jacobus Benevensis at Orleans, cometh with a crucifix in his hand to appease a tumult, & the seditious take him up, and carry him about, being encouraged, as if now Christ himself were come amongst them to be their captain. Hereby it appeareth, what an abettor, comforter, counsellor, yea commander, the sign of the Cross hath been, Act. 7.58. in bloody wars at all times. Fourthly, the Cross like a Saul, keepeth the clothes of the executioners of the Martyrs, for as much as at every execution, in Spain and other where, there be two jesuits at the least appointed to stand by with holy crosses in their hands, to grace the murder: And many of the saints of God, hath the cross himself condemned. The denial of the crosses worship was one w Act. & monum. pag. 518. of the Articles, for which the old L. Cobhan died, Five men were put to death at once, about the x Ibid. pag. 940. Crucifix and Rood of Donor Court. Tho. y Ibid. pag. 746. Man was condemned, for that he would not believe in the crucifix. z Ibid. pag. 848. Franciscus Romanus was martyred at Burges in Spain, An. 1540 amongst other things, for refusing to worship the cross. a Ibid. pag. 952. Robert Couper was much troubled, for denying the virtue of the sign of the cross in blessing. Tho. b Ibid. pag. 1589. Hawks was in part brought to the fire about the cross, as showeth his dispute with D. Chedsey. c Ibid. pag. 1735. Tho. Spicer, and john Dennye, died for refusing to follow the Cross in a procession. d Ibid. pag. 1829. Ralph Allerton for that he would not bear the cross in procession. Spicer, Mandrell, and Coverdale, the three Martyrs of Sarum, had a combat even at the stake with Friar billing (than Parson of Wilton) e Ibid. pag. 1940. about the Cross. he proved the sign of the Cross by the 9 chap. of Ezech. which in Hebrew and Greek was Tau he said, in latin Tee. which when a Merchant of Poole heard, he set spurs to his horse; after that, with hands lift up to heaven, he had cried out, O lamentable thing, Psal. 116.15. job. 16.18. that poor men should lose their lives, for Tee Taw! Precious blood (then) hath the Cross spilled: which the earth will not cover. These Martyrs dying against the second beast of Rome, the Pope, being as blessed, as those of the Primitive church, that died against the first thereof, to wit, the Roman Emperor, Renel. 14.13. the more detestable should the name, not only the sign of the cross be to us: Mal. 23.32. who (God forbidden) we should bring upon ourselves, the blood of these Saints by continuing their persecution against our brethren, about Tee Taw again. fiftly, The Cross doth murder as many Ministers, as he doth undo. Exod. 2. 11. For how could Moses punish the striking of an Hebrew, with the punishment of murder, if violence were not a kind thereof? Or David the rapine of a lamb, 2. Sam. 12.5 if wrong outrageous, draweth not near unto the bounds of it? Indeed as the fire is quenched, by taking of the wood away, that doth maintain it, as well as by pouring on of water, so man's life is destroyed, by taking away the maintenance and comfort of it. which the sign of the cross hath done, unto as many, as now sit weeping with their wives and with their children, who for the wrack which the cross hath put them too, are constrained eftsoons, to ingeminate that of Rebecca: what availeth it [us] to live? This measure, Gen 27.46. when Cassander that f Hermon. Hao●elmā. de tradit. pag ●. li 4. Column. 377. Adiaphorist, measured once to a Preacher of Geistengem called Antonius, because he refused with the sign of the cross, to consecrate the Font of Baptism, he is censured thus: Illi satius fuisset amittere vitam, quam it a miserè incertis sedibus oberrare, in miseria & calamitatibus: & meo judicio satius esset, ut illi potentes qui in exillum pies viros eijciunt, potius talibus vitam adimerent. When Dioscorus constrained certain Orthodox Ministers, errare de loco in locum, and to fugere à creditoribus, and would not admit them to dwell in any Monastery, where they might be relieved; nor himself show any mercy on them, nor command that alms, according unto Christ's commandment should be extended to them: he is complained on, to have made men, g Libel. Athanas. Presbyter. ad Concil. Chalcedo. tom. 2. pa. 114. omni miseria miserabiliores, and to have showed such wrongs, qualia nec Barbari aliquando adversus subjects sibi commiserunt. Now we leave it to the consideration of all those, who have not shut up their eyes against the sight of our misery, whether the cross hath not attempted to bring upon us, even as much as this, seeing he doth not permit unto us, any trade whereby to live, driveth us from place to place, to seek our bread, and not only not commandeth, or provideth we should be relieved, us? And seeing all this is purposed against us by the cross, we pray to the Lord, to give better bowels of mercy to our Reverend Fathers, then to contemn his admonition, who speaking of the elevation, retained to the hurt of the godly, hath these words: Qui haec ad exagitandum arripiunt, ipsi reddituri suntrationem tudici, vivorum & mortuorum, inclementiae erga alios, non certè malos & impios suae: & tumultus in Ecclesia Christi commoti, & audaciae decernendi, judicandi, condemnandi, vel innocentes, vel eos saltem, quibus parcere, vel quos revereri etiam criminatores illos, & capitalium sententiarum pronunciatores, aequum fuerat, And this for the crosses bodily murder. #Sect. 2. The soul murder of the Cross. THE soul murder of it, is through scandal, which how can it be little sin, Sect. 2. sith it offendeth against Christ himself, and destroyeth those whom Christ hath redeemed. If any reply, none of the elect can perish, we easily grant it, 1. Cor. 8.12 Rom. 14.15. sith even a jesuit a Ribera. in commenta. in Amos. ca 9 Num. 8. Rolloc. in Rom. 14.15. himself will yield it. yet he that offendeth is said to destroy them, because he doth that, that is b apt to destroy, & of which destruction would ensue, were they not by the Lord preserved, which is no thanks to him that giveth scandal. So the life of David is bound up in the bundle of life, & none is able to take it from him: yet in that Saul riseth up against him, & seeketh his blood, he is guilty of his murder. So David himself counteth the water fetched from Bethlehem, to be the blood of the men that fetch it, 1. Sam. 25: 2. Sam. 23.17. 1. Cor. 8. vlt Mat. 5.29.30. although God being merciful to them they have escaped, because he did that which was apt to shed their blood, in that he put their lives in hazard. For this cause every instrument of offence must be removed, even to meat; yea even to an hand and eye: nay more to truth and c Thom. Aquin. 2.2. qu 43. are, 7 justice itself. for the truth must be concealed, and justice omitted in punishing sin, when there will a scandal grow, even as the d Summa Siluest ver. scandal. verses run, est veritas vitae, doctrinae, iustitiaeque: Prima semper habe, duo alia propter scandala linque. Our Opposites in answering this, agree not together. some of them yielding there is an aptness in the Ceremonies to breed scandal, to wit, an inconvenience: others hotly contending, they are most convenient, and so apt for edification. And of the former, there are three paths, which they choose to themselves in the course of their conformity. The first sort of them stand on this, though a thing per se unlawful, can never be done without offence, yet that things inexpedient may be yielded too without transgression. The first scripture which I know alleged for this (to wit the 1. Cor. 6.12. All things are lawful, but all things are not expedient, maketh more against them, than any scripture that I know, and that in Pet. Martyr's judgement, who thus commenteth on it: Agit de indifferentibus. etc. he handleth things indifferent, & preventeth an objection. They boasted all things indifferent are lawful for me, Paul replieth, but all of them are not expedient, e P. Martyr in humc. loc he beateth down their boasting by this first exception. For although many things be lawful of themselves, yet we must take heed of them, when they are not expedient. The same appeareth by the practise of Paul, who abstaineth from meats here, refraineth elsewhere from taking wages, because he saw inconvenience in them which hindered the edifying of the Church. This hindering must not be passed over without consideration. There are two f Thom. Aquin. commentar. in 1. Cor. 6. Lection. 2. sorts of inexpediency. the one totally excluding the end, which is edification, as that which destroyeth. the other in part hindereth only the easy attaining of the end of edifying: and not only the former but the latter also did the Apostle Paul forbear: witness this, he would not marry, because it hindered, that facility of going about the world to preach, which now he enjoyeth all while he remaineth unmarried. who then will bring this scripture to prove a man may use the ceremonies though inexpedient, that hath his 〈◊〉. wits about him, sith they destroy as shallbe showed, not only let and hinder the means whereby easily otherwise men might be edified. The second scripture alleged against us, pleadeth even the practise of this Apostle, who yielded (say they) to an inconvenience, when he purified himself in the temple, Act, 12.12. witness these words, As concerning the Gentiles, we have commanded that no such thing be observed. we answer, that which Paul did here, was thought to be convenient, because now he is amongst jews, for the winning of whom, this his purifying is thought to be a mean and furtherance. his purifying was thought inconvenient, in regard of the Gentiles; amongst them (therefore) he must not use it. this circumstance moving him to use it here, that he is not now amongst them. By this means, that which naturally floweth from this place, maketh much for us: to wit, that circumstances vary the case, making things sometimes convenient, at other times inconvenient: also that when by reason of circumstances, things grow inconvenient (as the ceremonies now are grown) that then we must not use them. so much all reason doth persuade. Is not that which is expedient a duty, to which we are bound? that which is inexpedient a sin, from which we are bound? then all hail to the popish g Rhem. annot. in Luc. c. 10. sect. 5 argument, There are works of supererogation, to wit, works of expediency, to which we are not bound by God, and works of abstinence, from things inexpedient, from which we are not bound to abstain. Our writers cannot answer this argument but with our former distinction, though Paul was not bound h D. Fulk in answer. ibid. Hiero. Zanch. in 1 Thes. ca 2. lege communi, to abstain from wages, when he was at Corinth, yet [lege particulari] he was, because, by reason of particular circumstances, his taking wages was inexpedient there; yea he had bereft himself of the Gospel, if he had yielded, or willingly run into this inexpediency. ● Cor. 9.22 From scriptures and reasons, come we down to the Fathers. Non quicquid licet bonum est (saith l Tertul. in lib. de castitat. Tertull.) Augustine, though he seem somewhat injurious to this truth, yet do these words break forth, from the light of it, which shined within him, m August. de adulter. coniug. ad Pollent. li. 1 cap. 15.16 quae licita sunt, tractanda sunt sicut expedit; non praescripto legis, sed ex consilio charitatis, that is, though not [lege communi] (as I take him) yet league particulari. Again, quae licita sunt, & non expediunt, in ijs dici non potest, bonum est hoc, sed illud melius, to wit, that which is expedient, as private circumstances are in place again, quod licilum est, quoniam non expedit, non est utique faciendum. n Hieron. commenta. in Ezech. lib. 6. ca 20 Hierome hath this: there is bonum, good: malum, evil; and non bonum, not good: by which, what can he mean but quod non expedit, that that which is not convenient? Especially considering that later times speaking as it seemeth after him, divide a scandal into that which is malum, and then into that which is “ janson. concord. Euange. cap. 71. ius rectum, by which they mean either a good thing or indifferent, inexpedientlie done. From Fathers come we to the Canon law, o Decret. p. 2. cap. 28. que. 1. c. 91 Id quod non expedit, Apostolus prohibet, dante sibi Domino, liberum prohibendi locum. From the canonists come we to the Schoolmen, which call that which is expedient, p Thom. Aquin. in 1. Cor. 10. lect. 1.2. etc. necessarium. which is the phrase of the holy Ghost himself, which calleth the ceremonies which are expedient, Ceremonies necessary to be used, to wit, as long as this expediency of theirs shall last: as Hierome expresseth, q Hieron. commenta. in epist. ad Galat. ca 4. fuerunt corum infirmitati necessaria, pro temporis qualitate. From the Schoolmen, come we to the papists their late disciples, r joh. Molan. de fid. heretic. servan. lib. 3. c. 17. id, rectè dicimur non posse, quod expedit non facere. I conclude with the doctrine of our own church; which when the Lutherans object, the greatest thing which can be laid to the charge of Images, is only that they are inexpedient, s Homil. ag. peril. of Idolat. pa. 3. acknowledgeth this inexpediency of theirs, to be such, as maketh them unlawful, to be tolerated in the church: so that, the ceremonies, even for their inexpediency sake, must be thrust out. #Sect. 3. Ceremonies may not be used in Relatione nor in Comparison. THE second sort of our Opposites, who yield the ceremonies are inconvenient, Sect. 3. make this their issue, that though in regard of themselves they may not be used, yet in relatione, and in comparison they may: because compared with other circumstances they grow to be convenient. Now of these circumstances the first is the avoiding of a worse mischief, which cometh near to that conceit of some old Papists, who thought it lawful to commit a venial sin, to prevent a mortal. against whom Thomas Aquinas replied, a Thom. Aquin. 2.2. quest. 43. art. 7. respon ad. 5. Nullum peccatum est eligibile. and that of Gratian, that when a man is perplexed between two sins, he may choose to commit the less: which the Gloss reprobateth: & late b Summa. Siluestrin. in verb. lex. quest. 13. papists themselves condemn. But è duobus malis minus. true, in malis poenae, but we are in malis culpae. wherefore by no relation to greater offences, doth any thing become lawful, which of itself is evil; because that which is evil, doth never become good, until it do exuere, I say not relativam only, but also realem rationem peccati, as the c Thom. Aquin. vb. supra. Schoolmen do make plain. Now the real inexpediency of the ceremonies, is not put off, as long as any hurtful circumstance doth cleave to them. so that we have to plead against them, with one of the Father's words, d Bernard. de dispens. ex pr●c●p●. prudenter advertendum est, scandalum scandalo non emendari; qualis emendatio erit, si ut alijs scandalum tollas, alios scandalizas? It is not good to eat with offence (saith Paul) therefore to conform with scandal, is a thing that is evil: but now we have a certain rule, We must not do evil, that good may come of it, Rom. 14.21 or less evil which is less. It is here objected, that Paul circumcizing Timothy, after the council had forbidden circumcision as scandalous, was lawful enough although scandalous, Rom. 3.8. to do the greater good with the jews, and to avoid a greater scandal of them. First, if Paul had seen it had been scandalous, Act. 16.3. he would no more here have circumcised Timothy, than other where Titus, whom he refused to circumcize, because he saw it would breed scandal. The Council having forbidden circumcision when it is scandalous, will Paul now disobey (think we) and circumcize with scandal? Secondly, there is no scandal but that which is per accidens only and acceptum, when it ariseth from doing of a necessary duty, but now it was a duty necessary unto Paul, to use these ceremonies of the jews to their edification, until such time as the preaching of the Gospel, had made their abolition manifest. We have an instance of the like in our Lord himself, who doing a necessary duty of love in breaking conformity, with the common and usual fastings of his time, yea with the fastings of john himself, for the sparing of the weak vessels of his Disciples, and for the more convenient cleansing them from all old dregs of weakness, the scandal which ariseth hereof in john's disciples, is a scandal taken by them, and no way given by him. What then? we breaking conformity unto ceremonies, Mat. 9.14. which do more hinder edification, than the fastings of john's disciples, we do but that which is necessary, to rid the old dregs of popery out of men's hearts, and to prepare them to the wine of the gospel: so that, if any offence come of it, men take it only without any fault in us. secondly, what though the avoiding of greater mischief, made a thing inexpedient to become convenient (which we see it doth not) this were nothing for the ceremonies in present controversy, because we may say the same of them, which the German Divines long since spoke of the ceremonies of their Adiaphorisme, e joachim. Westphal. in explicat. sentent. è duob. mal. min. Nihil mali ex ceremonijs istis reiectis, ex receptis verò provenit plurimum. Take we a little pains to survey these evils. f P. Melane. loc. theolo. Melancthon, while he was upright, wrote thus of the hurt that cometh by ceremonies, which are borrowed and translated out of popery into the churches, pertinacia eorum laudanda non est. etc. their pertinacy is not to be commended, who when they acknowledge the doctrine is true, tam acerbe flagitant omnes ritus. this partinacie is a manifold scandal, because it confirmeth the enemies of the truth, and bringeth the weak into a doubting, that the use of christian liberty is not approved, by those great men that are of learning and in authority, and the holy ghost is made sad in the hearts of other weaklings, who are much grieved to be accused of lenity. g Thes. de Adiaphor. Theolog. Saxon. apud Conrade Schluss. pag. 521. The Divines of Saxony drew these inconveniences from the yielding of the adiaphorists, even from their own mouths, and there is not any one of them, but may be imputed to the corruptions of our church. By the reducing of popish ceremonies, good men are troubled, and made sad, so that invocation is hindered in them, Papists are confirmed and made glad: this change is so taken, as if it were a beginning to greater things hereafter, mutatio ipsa per se, est obscuratio doctrinae: Item, abalienant hae animos hominum à concionatoribus & alijs. h Confess. Eccles. Manifeld. aedit. Ann. 1560. Ibid pag. 554. Others of them describe the hurt of the popish corruptions retained on the one side of the cloth, and the good of their purging out on the other. First, by yielding to popish Ceremonies, an evil example is left behind unto posterity, if any persecution shall hereafter befall, ut & ipsi similiter agant languide, unde similia oriantur certamina & offensiones. Secondly, Papists are exceedingly confirmed in their impiety, whereas if we had stood steadfast, our constancy would have made them perpetually doubtful of their own religion. Thirdly, certain weak men of our own brethren, are so offended with our inconstancy, yea so weakened and cast down, that they are in a mammering whether the doctrine be true or no, which heretofore we have preached to them. Fourthly, the minds of our Divines are so distracted, ut metuenda sint in futurum maiora mala. For where Divines consent not, there truth is corrupted, and piety in the end quite lost. fiftly, there is nothing more certainly to be expected, from the strife about ceremonies, quam ut & alios novos errores pariat, sicut est error foecundus. Sixtly, these questions will be so beaten into the minds of our young scholars, as that there will be no hope of concord with our posteririe, & ita rursum aliud ex alio malum. Seventhly, unless these quarrels be appeased, all occasion of conversion will be shut up against papists, and others that be uncalled, and so the kingdom of Christ will be hindered. eightly, the opinion of indifferency, will be always a veil, for all false doctrines quae iam irrepserunt, quaeque postea excogitabuntur, ad palliandas eas & ornandas: many other incommodities are there, which arise from conformity to popish rites, which if they cannot move our Opposites, yet let them be moved by that happiness which will reflorish, as soon as these scandals, are removed out of the way. For first, (say these men) all posterity will be admonished to take heed, how they admit the least leaven of popery, or give occasion of declining to superstition, or of dissipating of the church. Secondly, the papist will be the sooner brought to doubt of his religion. Thirdly, the weak and doubtful amongst ourselves, will be raised and comforted. Fourthly, the minds of our Divines shall be joined together in peace and unity, and shall do and preach, many profitable things, to the glory of God, and to the utility of the church. Fiftly, new errors lately sprung up, by occasion of these controversies, shall quite be cut off, & petulantia ingenia occasionem habebunt nullam, deinceps alia fingendi nova. Sixtly, the young Divines, after the example of their Elders, shall be lovers of peace, and haters of contention. Seventhly, great occasion shall be opened to convert papists: for there is nothing more effectual, for their conversion, than our agreement, & quis omnes utilitates potest resensere? tempus verò plures dabit, quam quisquam nunc excogitare queat. #Sect. 4. Present Necessity pretended by the Opposites, makes not the Cross convenient. THE second circumstance, which in the opinion of our Opposites; maketh these ceremonies to grow convenient, though inexpedient in themselves, is present necessity: for necessitas non habet legem (saith a Bernard. de precept. & dispensa. Bernard) and the Canon law affirmeth, b Decret. Gregor. li. 5. rit. 41. c. 4 Mat. 12.4. quod licitum non est, hoc necessitas facit licitum: which our Opposites back with David's fact. the show bread eaten by him, is termed (say they) unlawful, and yet to him, in time of necessity, it did become lawful. First, that which is spoken of necessity [non habet legem] [ipsa sibi facit legem,] must be understood of c Io. Molan. de jurame. tyrant. praestand. c. 24 Navarre li. ●. c. 27. Num 35. human laws: that when some sudden case falleth out, so that the inferior cannot have recourse to the lawmaker, that then he may himself d Summa. Siluestrin. in verb. lex sect. 8. interpret the law, and break the letter of it, to follow the reason and intent thereof. The law forbiddeth to open the gate of the city: the enemy cometh upon a sudden, here necessity maketh that lawful which was not so before. Secondly, in the law of God, necessity hath power to break a ceremony, for the performance of some moral duty, even as it is said, I will have mercy rather than sacrifice. This is the instance which the decretal forenamed giveth. Necessity made it lawful for the Machabies to fight on the Sabbath, which before was unlawful. Such is the instance which our Opposites bring likewise. For if Abimelech doth that which is unlawful, it is in the breach of a ceremony only, to perform a moral duty. This striketh at those, who for the sacrifice, and for the ceremony of Cross and Surplice, with draw mercy and love from us, & from poor men that are scandalised by them: but justifieth the course we take, who prefer love to the souls of men (being a moral duty) before these ceremonies, even as we ought. In deed, if Abimelech broke lawfully a ceremony of God, for the good of the body, how much more (then) must we break these ceremonies of man's commanding, for the good of the soul? On the other side, had Abimelech sinned, if to keep this ceremony he had omitted this duty of love to David's body, then much more sin they, who to keep these ceremonies of their own, omit that duty of edification, which they own to their brethren's souls? Thirdly, the same Bernard that saith necessitas non habet legem, affirmeth and avoucheth, that no dispensation is admittable against God's law. When the Schoolmen, Praecepta decalogi sunt indispensabilia. This holdeth most in negative precepts, which as they do oblige semper, so also ad semper. So that, what necessity can dispense, with the scandal of these ceremonies, whose precept negative runneth thus, 1. Cor. 10.32 Ezra. 8.21. give no offence to jew or Gentile, or to the Church of God. Ezra is in necessity, he wanteth horsemen and other soldiers, to conduct the people safe, yet will he not for this necessity ask such forces of the King, lest he should scandalise him. Tertull. speaking of conformity to an heathenish ceremony in wearing a garland, non admittit status fidei (saith e Tertul. de coron. milit he) allegationem necessitatis: nulla est necessitas delinquendi, quibus una necessitas est, non delinquendi. To this we may add that of Cyprian: f Cypr. in serm. de lapsi●. Non excusat oppressum, necessitas criminis, ubi crimen est voluntatis. Fourthly, though necessity might make conformity lawful, yet no necessity is in place, to make it lawful. as for the necessities which are pretended, there is no necessity in them. First it is objected, we ought to conform, for the performing of a necessary duty, which we own to the weak to win them. to which our answer is most just, Rom. 15.2. we must please the weak only in that which is good. charity rejoiceth not in iniquity, 1. Cor. 13.6 but in the truth. Peter conforming scandalously to please & win, is sharply by Paul reproved. The second necessary duty objected, 1. Cor. 9.16 is the continuance of our ministery; for a necessity is laid upon us to preach the Gospel, therefore woe unto us in that we disable ourselves from preaching of it. That we disable not ourselves, it hath been showed elsewhere: that being called from the preaching of the gospel, by the violence and injustice of our Reverend Fathers, no necessity lieth upon us, it is evident: for as much as Paul speaketh of them only to whom the dispensation is committed, and who being called thereto, do it not willingly through their negligence and their sloth: which is not our sin, who desire nothing more willingly, then to have again that liberty of preaching: which while we had once, we showed not ourselves so unwilling and negligent, as many of our Opposites do. The Priests of Holland were condemned by their own side, when to remain with their flocks (forsooth) they took the oath, to the true reformed church, in a sense secret, whereby they meant their own church of Rome: excusing this equivocation of theirs, because they were compelled. Somewhat is here, which toucheth our case. We are told it is lawful to bear the servitude of these ceremonies, for our flocks sakes, seeing it pleaseth our superiors to compel us unto them. to which we answer, as one answered them, “ Io. Molan. de fid heretic. seruam. lib. 4. cap. 9 primum; non videntur cogi, qui possunt abire: deinde nomen Dei, verbum Dei, claram & apertam confessionem requirit. The third necessary duty objected, is obedience to the Magistrate. For which (men say) we are bound to conform; which Christ was not, in the ceremony of washing hands: nor Daniel (neither) in the ceremony of opening the window towards jerusalem, when there was such a scandal towards the Magistrate's law to ensue. And the doctrine of the Protestants Churches denieth this necessity likewise, which is this: Fransc. jun. count 3. cap 16. nota. 7. Nemo efficere poterit ullo praecepto suo ut actus per se indifferens sit per se bonus aut necessarius per se. The commandment of the Magistrate maketh a thing indifferent good per aliud only and propter aliud, to wit, by the word, and for the profit of edification which the same word doth enjoin, Ibid. nota. 21.22. Nota. 59 which because it is not ever in place, therefore leges Principum non obligant semper. And this we have against this supposed necessity in case the ceremonies were indifferent, which we worthily hold to be evil. Neither is it any thing, when it is said, the Magistrate doth not impose these rites, but only as a political ordinance for order and decency. So did divers Princes impose the ceremonies of the German Adiaphorisme, to whom there was returned that answer, which now fitly serveth our turn, g Io. Brent. de Adiaph. apud Conrade. Schlusselburgh. pag. 564 etiam si politicus Magistratus postulat recipi Adiaphora, tanquam politicas constitutiones, & res externas, è quibus tamen scandalum & contumelia Evangelij exoritur, non sunt recipienda. In one only case, doth necessity dispense, & that is when it so altereth a fact as that it taketh away from it all reason of sinning: as extreme necessity maketh it lawful h Bellarmn de matri mon. lib 1 cap. 27. tollere alienum. wherefore because it is now alienum no longer. for the law of nature itself maketh all things common in such extremity. Now, the ceremonies remain still scandalous, neither can the commandment of the Magistrate bring it about, that they should do no longer hurt, therefore the necessity of his obedience, dispenseth not. what say I. the commandment of the Magistrate doth not take away from the ceremo. the real hurt & scandal of them, seeing (indeed) it much increaseth it? the papists being the more confirmed, the godly more grieved, the simple more entangled with the superstition of them, the more the Magistrate doth command them. In this case our Opposites saying, the Magistrate doth bear out the scandal of them, is to affirm, that he hath power to dispense against the law of God, yea against the law of nature: that which the papists are ashamed to do. when Molinaeus affirmeth Quandoque Papa contra ius divinum dis pensat, the Inquisitors l Index exputgator. Hispan. fol. 40. command his words to be blotted out. But a scandal still remaining in the ceremo. is forbidden iure Divino; so that, if the Magistrate hath power to dispense with them he is able in the judgement of our Opposites, to dispense against the law of God. Again, to give scandal is against the law of nature, even as the m Io. Owlet refusal. ration vlt. papists themselves will confess, & all reason demonstrate. For scandalum properly is such an obex in n joh Piscat in Mat. 18 via, as enemies use to throw in war to turn the horse heels upward, & to shed the blood of war in peace, & to do that hurt to a brother, which an enemy doth to an enemy, is it not unnatural? To this there is nothing to reply, but that which Bellarm. o Bellarmi. de matrimon lib. 1 cap. 27. suggesteth, to make it lawful for the Pope to dispense with those degrees of affinity, which nature in marriage itself forbiddeth. That which is against nature in itself (saith he) may become natural & good ob mutatas circumstantias. as to kill a man is in itself a thing against nature, which yet commanded by public authority ob bonum common is agreeable to nature, which doth desire that societies be preserved. Our Opposites then must say, that the commanding of the ceremo. doth mutare the circumstance of their scandal, so that they hurt no more. For than to say, that remaining scandalous & hurtful as now they are, the Magistrate hath power to make them lawful to be used, is to be worse than papists themselves, whose tenant is, p Bellarm. ibid. ca ●● Non potest inferior dispensare in lege superioris, proinde nec homo in lege Dei. & q ca● 17. quod est contra ius naturae, est indispensabile. I would feign know, whether a Magistrate commanding ceremo▪ that be scandalous, cometh not within the compass of that threat, vae homini per quēvent scandalum? and whether the German divines were not in the right, when they taught r Thes de Adiaphor. Theolog. Saxon ap. Co●●ad. Schlust. lb. rome 13. pa. 466. Ecclesiae ceremonias rebus & commodis politicorum, sub praetextu politicae potestatis & ordinationis, attemperare velle, cum scandalo Ecclesiae, is an heinous transgression? But our governors may be in sin to command, and yet we bond to obey them. True, if the sin were only in the manner of their commanding: but here their sin is in the matter, it being scandalous what they command: in which case, s Seneca. bis peccat, qui peccanti obsequtum accommodat. #Sect. 5. Inexpediency of Ceremo. makes not them guilty that only tolerate them, confuted. THe third principle whereupon this sort of our Opposites standeth, Sect. 5. who grant the ceremonies are inconvenient, is that the inexpediency of them maketh not guilty, seeing we do but tollerat them only against our wills, for the avoiding of a greater evil, which ever hath been lawful. First, beit considered, that this was Melanct, song, a P Melanthon respon ad script. concio●ar. Hamburg. plus rituum imponunt, qui utcunque tollerari possunt, ne de se●ātur ecclesiae ut in Suevia accidit, ubi in multis templis iamprorsus solitudo est, aut lupi iam praesunt. whose conformity notwithstanding how odious it was to the best divines of that age, it hath been showed elswher. Secondly, our conformity to the ceremo. is more than a tolerating of them. For what is it to tollerat? It is nothing else, but to omit the duty of punishing & of removing, to prevent a greater hurt. upon this axiom, b joh. Molan. de fid. haetetic. ser●and lib. 3 cap. 17. imperativa praecepta non ligant ad semper, sed ad aliquid, sci. ad id quod expedit. Hereupon it followeth, that tolerating is only a permission of others void of doing, & of approving what they do. So Tertul. c Tertul lib de Monog. possum contendere non merè bonum esse quod permittitur: quod n. merè bonum est, non permittitur sed ultro licet. So August. d August. epist 119. cap. ●●. multa eccle sia, inter multa zizanta constituta tollerat, quae tamen nec approbat, nec docet, nec facit. Lastly, so the papists themselves (although most gross in toleration, as the tolerating of the stews doth show) who define a toleration to be that, which permitteth others, e joh Molan ibid. non probando. Herupon we reason 3. ways. 1. Conformity is a commission against a negative precept, ●. Cor. 10.32 give no offence, which bindeth ad semper. whereas toleration, is a bare omission only of a precept affirmative quando expedit; which here also hath no place, because conformity is inexpedient. Secondly, conformity is a doing ourselves not only a permission of others to do, that which a lawful toleration only doth. Here are mustered against us, certain cessions of the godly, who yielded even to the very doing of certain things imposed on them, which they yet held to be inexpedient. f Gregor li. 2. epist. 61. Gregory proclaimed the law of Mauritius the Emperor, forbidding a soldier to become a Mon●e, writing notwithstanding to him against the iniquity of it. Mr g Beza. in vit. eius. Calvin conformed to the wafer cake at Geneva, preaching still notwithstanding against the inexpediency of it. Mr Beza giveth counsel to tolerate the english ceremonies, rather than to be barred from the preaching of the word. But Gregory's case is not the same with ours: he held Mauritius law to be evil, not inexpedient only, therefore if he did execure it he was in sin, as joab was when he executed the King's commandment & numbered the people, when he knew it was sinful. Howbeit, he executed it not, he only published what (as he thought) h joh Molan vb sup. lib 4 ca 2. ad tempus modicum tollerari potuit. Mr Calvins' wafer cake & ours, differ in circumstances of scandalising, & yet our commu. book itself, doth refuse to tolerate it. Mr Beza m Beza. epist. 12. denying the sign of the cross to be indifferent, what reason have we to be ruled by him, if he counsel us to use it? But these count conformity a toleration. They speak not properly; they mean it is mixedly a toleration, which is partly a suffering, and partly a doing like the Philosophers [mixta actio] partly voluntary, & partly involuntary: which they justify not neither, if we do n Beza. epist. 8. fovere silentio, the inexpediency of these rites, and not earnestly preach against it, which we are not permitted to do, but are forbidden by the canon to speak against them. Suppose then a man were in Turkey, where is a law that no man speak o Cairo. Pencer. chronic. in H●racl●o. pag. 419. against the Alcoran, were it a toleration only, there to conform, were it not a plain execution rather? Thirdly, conformity requireth even an approbation of us. First it defileth us with an approbation real [in fact.] against which p Ambros. epist. 33. Ambrose giveth example: when the Emperor Valentinian required the church in Milan should be given to the Arrians, he was not behind to suffer & tolerate; but to deliver the church door keys, he thinketh it an actual approbation in fact, as we now sin, if by any fact of ours, we give countenance to these ceremonies, that are imposed, or do any thing save to suffer the punishment only. So is Peter q Magdeb. centur. ●. li 2. ca 10. in vit. pero. said to approve (facto) the necessity which was put in the ceremonies of Moses law: and the r Hamburg. epist. ad P. Melancton. adiaphorists in Germany to teach (facto) the superstition of the ceremon, of the Interim, when they conformed to the use of them, though they preached against the abuse: and when a man hath more care to adorn the church with outward ornaments, them with a preacher, though his mind be not jewish, yet doth he facto (saith g Bellarm. controuers de cult. c. 6. Bellarmine) representare judaicam superstitionem. Our not conformity is judged by law, a Refusal in fact, & so punishable by the statute, though by word of mouth, we protest all reverence to the law. Ergo our conformity on the other side, is an approbation in fact likewise, though we testify never so much by word of mouth, we do not approve them. Indeed, if conformity be in fact an approbation of the popish abuse of them, then much more of the English use: for which causes we must forbear, as these words show, t P. Martyr. epist. amic. cuida●● in Auglia. Quis paulo rectius de religione institutus, vidons te Christi nuntium, ad altare vestibus indutum, coram imagine crucifixi precari, verba sacra recitare, distribuere sacramenta, non existimabis abs te quoque ritus istos, non tantum ferri, sad etiam approbari? Secondly, conformity doth require of us a confessionarie approbation of the ceremonies by subscription, in which case we are to departed, even by Mr u Beza. opist. 8. Bezaes' judgement: and not of the ceremonies only but even of the imposing of them, & punishing of the neglect of them, to the justifying of our governors in all their proceedings, by their suspentions, excommunications, deprivations, degradations of good men, & to the condemning of the generation of the just, in their sufferings about them. so that I know not whether here we have not an Image renewed of Germans conformity, of which some thus, w Confess. Mans field. apud Conrade Schluselburg. lib. 13. pa. 562 by our yielding we should condemn ourselves, & offer our brethren to the severity of the oppressors, as if they were men that stood in these matters contumaciter, & sine aliqua justa & necessaria causa: & our enemies would hereby be confirmed in their hard proceed, & be hindered from repentance. Here are 3. excuses framed. First we intent no such matter in our subscription, but an yielding only to the use of these ceremo. which what is to the purpose? for all while our church intendeth, that by thy subscription, thou shouldest approve all her proceedings mentioned, it is now dolus malus in thee, if thou subscribe & conform not plainly, according to her intention & meaning: even as x Cicero de office lib. 1. heathens themselves & y joh. Mol●̄ de sid heretic seruan. li. 1. cap. 15 papists, and not z Amb● of. de office lib 3. ca 10. 12 Isidor. d● sum bon. lib 1. ca 31 Orthodox writers only hold it fraud in oaths & contracts, not to follow their intention with whom we deal: much more than is it equivocation, when it is a Magistrate that dealeth with us, who representeth the person of God, & of whom a Bernard. li. de praecep & dispens. Bernard well exvoluntate iubentis pendet intentio exequentis. The 2. excuse is, that the Bishops before whom they subscribe, do allow them favourable interpretations, exceptions, limitations in their subscribing, which help not neither. first it is known, that the Bb. hath no authority to give such exception, limitation. etc. as no b Thom. Aquin. 1.2. quest. 97. art. 4. cairt. ibid. inferior officer hath against the intent of any common law. But our law giveth special liberty to the Bishop to interpret the common. book. true, to interpret, by giving of the right sense of it, which is no ease to the subscriber, seeing the original intent, of those that first framed it, is manifestly corrupt. First it is a manifest corruption, that popish phrases are left in it, which must needs turn to danger, howsoever by the Bishop's interpretation, they may be turned to some good sense. know we not, that the German divines, thought it a sin against confession, c Thos. de Adiaphor. Theolog. Saxon. ap. Conrade. Schlusselb. Isa 3. p. 467 phrases papisticas recipere in the Interim? & to d Io Wigand in Synops. Antichrist. ibid. p 300 imitari ambiguas & flexiloquas phrases Antichristi? Secondly, there be rubrickes & sentences which cannot be solved, unless it be by some shifting gloss, which swerveth from the intent of the book itself, & serveth only for a fig leaf to cover (as it were) the nakedness of it. This ingenuity itself abhorreth so much the more, the more it draweth near to that glozing of the Valentin. whereby the successors of that sect e Lambert. Dane de haeres. c 12 tantum sibi permittebant, quantum lupae & meretrices faeminae, quibus formam quotidie suppurare solemn est as speaketh Tertull. f Tertul. de prescript. unusquisque proinde suo arbitrio modulatur quae accepit, quemadmodum de arbitrio ea composuit, ille qua tradidit. As for religion and a good conscience, they much more abhor this painting, as we see by the German Divines, who score this up for an Adiaphoristicall sin, g Thes. de Adiaphor. Theolog. Saxon ap. Conrade. Schlusselb. pag. 464. Non necessarias, vel etiam scandalosas, imo etiam impias ceremonias, fucis ac praestigijs artificiose pingere ac commendare, ad decipiendum simpliciores. But this is the Bishop's fault (you will say) that tempereth these paintings: As if the minister that suffereth himself to be induced to subscription by them, doth not when he hath done, defend his subscription by them also? whereby they sin with those adiaphorists, who to decline from the duty of confession h Confess. illustris●i. mor. princi. & Duc. Saxon. aedid. ann. 1560. apu. Conrade. Schlusselb. pag 580. humana sapientia latebras quaerebant, & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sive astuta effugia captabant, quibus elaberentur, ne propter confessionem eliquid periculi sustinere cogerentur: and who pertinaci & sophisticae propugnatione, iniu ste factorum, recteque sentientium, ac monentium damnatione, non solum augebant dissidiam, l Io. Wigand. vb. sup. sed & sibijpsis iram Dei accersebant, juxta illud Isa. 5. vae vobis qui dicitis malum bonum. To omit this, it is the duty of a Minister to preach to others, what the third Angel in the 18. of the Apocal. suggesteth to him, to wit, l Ne larva Ceremoniarum Antichristi induatur: & ne ipsius corruptelae, aliqua callida glossula fucentur. Hear the m Conrade. Schlusselb. lib. 13. in epist. dedicator. complaint which one maketh against all those who swarm from this rule, insuper palam & publicè. etc. openly and publicly they go about to reconcile with the truth erroneous speeches, that is, the foundations of errors with their violent expositions. Now these erroneous speeches, themselves are still left remaining, sed inter pretationes illae fucosae & fumosae disperiunt, so the Preachers suffer the fountain itself to be troubled: they suffer sluttish chaunnels to flow: they suffer the sheep to drink muddy water, and what (then) shall post ritie receive at our hands? Is this faithfully to discharge ourselves of that dep ositum which God hath committed to our keeping? n pag. 58. Again, erroneous sentences against the rule of truth, and their own consciences, with glosses and interpretations, devised with exceeding craft, they excuse, cloak, instill, contrary to the authors meaning. Now, is not this to give false testimony before God and his Church? evanescunt. a. illae philosophicae & bellae glossulae seu clusiones, in teneras a uras, ipsa verò axiomata, ipsique nervi errorum, manent. Glossator ille subtilis, errores cuns veritate concilians, non semper erit praesto, & textus ipse repugnat. As for the exceptions and limitations, whereby subscribers excuse themselves, what authority hath the Bishop to allow them, in which their consciences may rest? The best exception which is stood on, is that the Rubric and the Calendar sometimes are excepted of which we may say as was replied to the like exception, wherewith the conformers to the German Adiaphorisme smoothed over their consciences, o Conrade. Schlussel. li. 13. p. 519 Caesar nequaquam vult esse contentus, tali partiali cessione, sed integram postulat obedientiam, id quod extra omnem controversiam est. As for limitation stood on they have the same evil in them, which the limitations of the German Adiaphorisme had, p Thes. de Adiaphor. Theolog. Saxon, apud Conrade. Schlusselb. pag. 510. Confess. Eccles. Mansfeld. ap. eundem pag 529. et si quaedam limitationes adduntur, tamen scandalum non tollitur. therefore, the q German Divines would nullas recipere de rebus medijs conditiones, ne haberent adversarij quod gaudeant, pij quo turbentur, and least themselves should be proclaimed inconstant, and men trembling at every fear of danger, seu tremit à quovis fraxina virga noto. The third excuse which our Opposites bring, is, that they are suffered to use protestation by word of mouth, which cleareth from a total approbation. Marcellinus is said to have used r Chemnit. judic. de Adiaphor. ap. eundem pag. 720. protestation, when he threw his frankincense into the fire, yet did he afterward repent deeply this fall of his. Saint s Conrade. Lutzenbn. in catalogue. heteticor. verb. Ital. Martin, for one hour hath communion with the Priscilianistes, to deliver certain captived christians, which Maximus otherwise would have slain. Notwithstanding this necessity, and notwithstanding that he did it with protestation against their heresy, notwithstanding that he refused hanc communionem subscriptione firmare, yet he lamented afterward this fact of his, with many bitter tears. When they of t Io. Molan. de fide haereti. seruan. li. 5. ca 25. Antwerp, swore to the Duke of Alencon, they excused themselves in like manner by protestation, & subintellect a conditione, to whom it was answered (which is common to this our case) quasi protestatio aliquid operaretur, ubi protestans facit contrarium sua protestationi? ad hunc modum, turare ad rem turpem, subintellecta conditione, non differt à protestatione Pilati, qui Christum condemnavit, praemissa specie quadam protestationis. And thus far to those, who think conformity may and must be performed to the ceremonies, though they be inexpedient. #Sect. 6. The second sort of Opposites confuted, affirming no inconvenience in Cerem. nor any aptness to breed scandal or offence. A Second sort of our Opposites there are who stoutly avow there is no inconvenience in the ceremonies, nor any aptness to breed scandal or offence, It is but a a Exam. o● the declara. of the Ministers of London. fancy that they be rocks or flattes. I acknowledge here the popish carelessness of soul blood, & their hardiness in hazarding souls; who plead the same for the rest of their images, there is no b Nichol. Saund. de imagine. ca 17. ag. Fulk pag. 606. inconvenience in them: no, nor fear of any scandal in the worshipping of them; so that no other reply here needeth, but that which our writers have made to them, this d D. Fulke. rejoind. to Mart. art. 10. pag. 216 argument holdeth from the place of stoutness, for other consequence there is none in it. And lest we should seem to offer wrong in this comparison, make we a parallel between the reasons, which Saunders bringeth for no scandal in Images, c Mart in reply. art. 10 and those which our Opposites bring for no scandal in the cross. Thus Saunders first. The new Gospel hath so much prevailed, that there is no fear that Images should be honoured too much. Thus these. The preaching of the Gospel may so much prevail, that the cross, & the rest of the ceremonies controversed, may not be abused. Thus Saunders for his second reason. The Images are often polluted with cobwebes, & such like stuff, and so made vile in the eyes of the people. Thus these. the cross is a base thing, and of little account in the eyes of the people, and therefore unlikely that any will put holiness in it. Thus Saunders for his third reason. It is less evil that some one should do amiss, then to falsify the right of the whole law. Thus these: better that some be scandalised, then that the law of the ceremonies be repealed. Thus Saunders for his 4. reason. If the faith and intent be good, the worshipping of an Image cannot be amiss. Thus these. Our use of the cross and surplice are without superstition, and the law intendeth a good end in them, therefore their use is good. Thus Saunders for his 5. reason. Christians now must not be judged weak as were the jews, but strong according to Isaies' prophesy, & full of knowledge. Thus these. The people of England must not be judged either weak or ignorant, as they were in time of popery to hurt themselves with these old popish ceremonies. Thus Saunders for his sixth reason. Though some of the people may be weak, yet it is best to let images alone, lest they seek to worse superstition. Thus these. The people must be pleased with Cross and Surplice, lest in discontent, they wish for their old mumpsimus altogether. Thus Saunders for his 7. reason. because the people have not the sacrifices of the jews, it is fit they have before them the Martyr's Images, who did sacrifice their bodies. Thus these. The people want their old Crucifixes and wont Images, to put them in mind of Christ's sacrifice on the cross, therefore the cross must steed them. Thus Saunders for his 8. reason. Images are not given to the people for their weakness, but for the exercise of their strength, and not to have them, were pusilanimity. Thus these. To fear hurt by the Cross and Surplice were pusilanimity. to remove them upon this fear a dishonour, and to judge the people not of strength to bear them, a greater discredit to our Church, than it deserveth. Thus (last) Saunders for his ninth reason. The place of john 4. which commandeth spiritual worshipping is not against Images, because they increase spiritual devotion. Thus these. The worshipping of God in spirit and truth, not only not excludeth, but also requireth such outward helps of inward devotion, as are the Cross and Surplice. There being such a near alliance between these two disputes, I rely on the answer of D. Fulke, for what he e D. Fulke 95.61. pag. ibid. 696. speaketh against this popish Magnanimity (as he calleth it) in the use of the Images, that lighteth down right upon this our magnanimity in the use of the Cross and Surplise. Saul denieth in vain to Samuel his disobedience, all-while the bleating of the sheep, & the lowing of the Oxen, Sam. 15.14 did evict him. So all in vain is it now denied, that an Amalakitish beast is living in the Cross, sith the din of his crying and of his lowing, yea of his stamping, nay of his goring, (whereby he hurteth both sheep and shepherds) doth daily evict us. #Sect. 7. The Opposites confuted: confessing hurt to follow of the Ceremonies, yet without their fault. THere be a second sort of this opinion, who will ingeniously confess, there doth hurt follow of the ceremonies controversed, Sect. 7. howbeit (say they) without their fault. It is scandalum acceptum & non datum: passiwm and not actiwm, through the people's abuse without any fault in the Minister, who useth it well. First, the occasion even of a passive scandal must be removed by de Magistrate, & disused by the Ministers: especially if it be a monument of Idolatry, that a Homil. ag. peril of Idolat pag. 2. pa 4. hath been, is, or is likely to be abused superstitiously. For example, the scandal of the brazen Serpent was acceptum, through people's abuse, the right use of it was good: yet had not Hezechias been excused, if he had let it alone. Again the hurt of Gedeons' Ephod was acceptum, 2. King. 18.3 and passiwm: it was to a good end, it was first set up, to wit, judg. 8.27. to witness as a monument that his victory came from God. yet in that it is let alone, Exod. 20.24 when hurt cometh of it, it is the destruction of his house. last of all, the hurt of the high places, came by a passive scandal: the altar at first is set up in them to good use, yet if a Forefather suffer his altar to stand still, and doth not deface it, he is guilty, because he hath not prevented the scandal and the offence, which by the degenerate abuse of time might one day come of it. I come to an instance more familiar, which the Canon Law remembreth. b Decret. p. 2 cause. ●3. qa. 3. ●. 3● Qui vitijs nutriendis parcit ac favet, ne contrislet peccantium voluntatem, tam non est misericors, quam qui non vult cultrum rapere puero, ne audiat plorantem, & non timet ne vulneratum doleat vel extinctum. For as much then as the Lord hath set the Magistrate and the Minister, Isay. 4●. 23. to be the Nurses of his Children, he will no more accept this excuse, It was not an hurt [datum] by me, num. 11.12. the children themselves they were in fault, I meant no such thing, ●. Thes. 2.7. and now I am sorry it is so fallen out, than a man will accept the like from a Nurse, who findeth his Child dead under her charge, by a knife which she negligently left abroad Doth not a man expect that care in a Nurse to leave nothing in the way, whereby a child may hurt itself? so God requireth a care in us to remove all ceremonies, whereby the simple may hurt themselves. c Synod. mutiny. 2. Can 18. Cauta est ad salutem provisio, ad effugiendam culpam delecti, aditum delinquendi repellere, and that not in ourselves only, but in all others committed to us, à d ●●thor. serm de si●gui●m. eler●● ag. Cyprian. nobis exigetur quicquid per inertiam nostram male commissum custoditur. To touch the matter a little deeper to the quick: in a passive scandal, a man may be in fault, dolo, culpa, negligentia. Concerning the first. Dolus and unfaithfulness will be chiefly laid to their charge (if there be any) who suffer these Ceremonies to remain of purpose to reduce again to popery. as for others, what though they have no direct purpose, to nourish popery in the people by them, yet will they be guilty of dolus presumptus before man, and dolus verus before God, if they seriously and deliberatively slack of the diligence which should prevent it, seeing ubi e Summa. Siluestr. in verb. culpa. est deviatio seriosa, ab ea diligentia, quam communiter habent homines, qui sunt eiusdem professionis, ibi est dolus: & dissoluta f Ibid. in verb negligen. G●●● Lind woo● provincial. Pio negligentia propriè est dolus, or at the least it is propè dolum. which is backed by that of Solomon, The negligent man is companion to the Wasler. Concerning culpa, it will be laid to their charge, who know these Ceremonies to be dangerous, and yet want will to prevent the danger. Howbeit, what if it be through inconsideration, that they know not the danger of them, are they (then) guiltless? No, whereas it is g Summa. Siluests. ibid. culpa, when id quod potuit à diligenti provideri, provisum non est: culpa lata, when that is not prevented with men communiter diligentes would have foreseen: culpa levissima, which cometh short of preventing that, which homines diligentissimi would have looked unto. I see not how a Magistrate or a Minister may be excused, who suffereth or commandeth, or doth use the Cross, and the rest of the Ceremonies received from popery, seeing it is evident, they prevent not the danger which hath been and is prevented, not only by the churches abroad, which are most careful and diligentissimi in this respect, but also by some at home, that are but communiter diligentes. Concerning the third, h August. contra Parmenian lib. 3. cap. 1. Augustine speaketh of the duty, of auferte malum ex vobis, ipsa negligentia (saith he) in re tanta grave malum est, & ideo sicut Apostolus admonet, si auferat malum à seipso, non solum auferet audatiam committendi, aut pestilentiam consentiendi, sed etiam pigritiam corrigendi, & negligentiam vindicandi. Now this negligence to take away evil is found in the patrons of the ceremonies, with all her compliments. First, there is in them an affected ignorance of the dangers of the ceremonies, and a careless not knowing the need and sickness of their own flocks, Ezech. 34.4 which is it not even more than negligence? for l Summa. Siluestrin. vb sup. sect 1. ignorare quod communiter scitur, est lata culpa. Secondly, there is in them a vacuity of fear, an other daughter of m Thom. Aquin. 2.2. q. ●4 art. 2 negligence. for whereas sagax est parentum cura lest the child should hurt himself, these spiritual Father's cast that such fear about the ceremonies, is pusilanimity. Thirdly and last of all, there is in them a defect of care, which suffereth the ceremonies abroad with the same guilt, Exod 21.29 vers. 34. that a Master suffereth a goring ox to go abroad, whereby he hurteth. A work man suffereth a pit to lie open, whereby somewhat falleth into it. A man suffereth fire to remain abroad, so that it taketh into the dry hedges, and consumeth them. The equity of these laws must still be kept. If a man suffer a goring ox to go abroad, he must by the civil law restore n Summa. Siluestrin. in verb. restitutio pa. 2. sect 10 17 the hurt he doth. The ancient o Carol Sigon de reg. Ital. lib 9 ann 1 105. law of Milan was, to prevent the danger of fire. Ne quis (slante vento) ignem in aedibus haberet, so that when a Nobleman p Ibid li. 10 ann. 1 106. nuptiarum causa ignem spirante vento in aedibus accendisset, ac propterea novo urbem incendio afflixisset, ipse cum tota progeny, perpetuo exilio est mulctatus. The equity of the middle law is to be seen in those courses, which have been commanded, & practised always, in which those things have been quite removed from all use, by whose abuse there might any danger any way ensue. For example: to avoid the abuse of Images, there is forbidden to the jews in the judgement of some q Vazq de adorat. li. 2 dispu 4. c. 3 papists, that there be no use of any Image at all agmongst them. and to the end there might be no Image at all, there was no Image-maker r Origen. count Celsu. lib. 4 suffered to live amongst them. So the s Can. 36. Council of Eliberis, to prevent all danger of Idolatry, forbadd there should be any Image at all as juocarnotensis, t Vazq. vb. sub disput. 5. cap. 2. Martinus de Ayala, and Sixtus Senensis do interpret. This, doth it nor cashier the Cross out of all use? to prevent the danger of Idolatry and superstition which may come of it. #Sect. 8. The Cross is scandalum datum, notwithstanding there be no intent to draw any sin thereby. SEcondly, it will appear, Sect. 8. that there is even a scandalum datum in the Cross and the rest of the ceremonies controversed, it not hindering (which some do argue) there is no intent to draw any to sin by them. First, who can think there be none in the land, that retain and urge their use, with an intent to draw back to Egypt again? Is our church happier (especially in these declining days) than the church of Israel was in her growing time, in which there were found Egyptians many, which not well purged from old Idolatry, took every occasion, to solicit to a return. Secondly, a man may intend to draw to sin and superstition, other explicitè (which men for the most part do not in these ceremonies) or a implicitè, num. 11.4. as a thing is intended in the occasion and in the cause, u Somma. Silvestrin. in verb scandal. sect. 2. of which intent they must be guilty, who now do use them. For example, he that intendeth to run through a river, doth intent implicitè to dirt and wet his feet. he that intendeth to touch pitch, doth intend implicitè to defile his hands. she that intendeth to come into the company of him, that is in love with her (necessary business only excepted) doth intend implicitè to stir up love or lust. so in case we intent to use the Cross, we must implicitè intend of necessity, to dirt and defile, and stir up popish lust. stand we a little upon this last instance. Is not the cross an harlot? suppose she were but a beautiful woman, that hath no necessary business to do in the service of God (even by our adversaries own confession) in this case the Crosses presence itself is scandalous. This appeareth by b Cypr. lib. de singular. clericor. Cyprian (or the author of that work which is commonly imputed to him) omnis inconveniens sodalitas mulierum, gluten est delictorum, & viscus toxicatum, quod diabolus aucupatur. this appeareth by the canon law, which forbiddeth to priests all cohabitation and presence with woman, where no necessary business intercedeth: because c Decret. pa. 1. distinct. 81. cap. 29. ubi talis fuerit commorantium cohabitatio, antiqui hostis stimuli, non desunt. This appeareth by Saint d Gregor. li. 7. epist. 39 Augustine, who would not dwell with his own sister, because quae cum sorore mea sunt, sorores meae non sunt. as now the things which do accompany the English Cross, are not the English Cross. This appeareth by the councils. e council. Turonic. 1. Can. 3. one of which thus, nullam clerici, cum exiraneis faeminis (and the Cross is a strange women) habeant familiaritatem. quia frequenter per hanc indecentem occasionem contingit, ut diabolus, qui in sidiatur sicut Leo in cubili suo de ruinae servorum Dei exultat. We read of f Caesar. Baron. anal. in. ann. 233 Alexander (after Bishop of Comana) that being very beautiful, he became a Collier, ne alienis oculis, casus & offensiones materi●n praeberet. whose example if we follow, we must remove the Crosses beauty into some coal-house, which till it be done, there will be a matter left behind of stumbling to God's people. Thirdly, an active scandal is not only given by a purpose to draw to sin, but also when having g Thm. Aquin. 2.2. quest. 43. art. 1. respon ad 4. no intent a man doth that, which of itself is inductive to it, because not intentio operantis, maketh up a scandalum datum only, but conditio operis also. And this conditio operis maketh scandalum datum, even when it is the corrupt mind of the party scandalised, that is chiefly in fault. whence ariseth that h Ibid. scandal, which is datum and acceptum, actiwm and passiwm also. In regard hereof it is nothing which some say, none is hurt by the ceremonies, but through his own fault. for so it is granted, that there is nulla causa sufficiens scandali, l Ibid. in respon ad 3. but ⁱ propria voluntas, it sufficing to a conditio operis scandalosa that it do inducere aliqualiter, not as a cause, but as an occasion, to wit, as cause imperfect, such as the sign of the Cross is in the highest degree: as every careful man doth know in his experience that taketh knowledge of common courses. Further, that this scandalous conditio operis should inducere aliqualiter, as an imperfect cause, it is not needful it should be an example of sin, it may do this, though it be but a m Ibid. in respon ad 2. show of sin, a likeness of sin, a simititude of that which is sinful, from which none without sin, can clear the Cross, as hath been showed elsewhere. Fourthly, the very hurtful event itself that followeth of a thing indifferent, is enough to evict a scandalum datum, because men being commanded to forbear all things indifferent, to avoid offence, when hurt is known to come usually of them, a scandal is given for the neglect of this duty of forbearing. The scandal passiwm sine activo, is that, which is guiltless only, now this is only in n Thom. Aqui. vb. sub. art. 1. respon ad 4. Math. 15.12 rectè factis: o Magdebu. Centur. 1. lib. 2. cap. 4 Col. 448. or as our writers use to speak, quando impij offenduntur, in vera doctrina, & bonis moribus. as when the pharisees are, offended with christ, for doing of an necessary duty, if it be in facto non necessario that hurt riseth, there it maketh a man guilty, by whom after it shall be used. I come to the very papists themselves, when Paul will eat no meat all while it offendeth, they interpret it de p Thom. Aquin. vb. sup. art. 8. respon. ad 3 tali cibo which is not necessary to be eaten, not the tali which is needful to preserve life. q Caietan. in comen. ibid. art. 7 Even the popish school than holdeth, that things not necessary must all be forborn, rather than offence should rise. So Caietan, abstinendunest etiam à bonis spiritualibus, non necessarijs, when scandal groweth out of them. To this tendeth, the decree of Gregory, r Gregor. li. 9 epist. 39 sunt quaedam scandala, quae omninò despicienda sunt: quaedum verò cum vitarisine culpa possunt, despicienda non sunt, ne cum culpa seruentur, for as much as he holdeth a man giveth a scandal, when he doth that, which is not necessary to be done, but may without fault be omitted. Against this doctrine I find there are two things objected: First, there is s Summa. Siluestrin. in verb. scandal. sect. vlt. scandalum pusillorum, and there is scandalum Phariscorum, and though for the weak man's sake a thing not necessary must be forborn, yet not for the pharisees sake that is malicious, whose, offence our Saviour saith, is not to be cared for. If this be all the warrant we have, not to forbear in a thing indifferent for the malicious, then have we no warrant at all, because the scandal (there) not cared for, is when the pharisees are offended, at his abstaining from their washings, and his preaching of true doctrine: both of which were necessary duties for him to do. Luk. 13.15. Mat. 12.7. And when he defendeth his healing on sabbaths, and his Disciples plucking ears, upon this reason they are duties of necessity and of charity, he plainly insinuateth, there is no defence for deeds unnecessary, when the malicious are scandalised, when the thing was indifferent, doth he not forego his liberty to please them? as when he paid tribute lest he should offend them, Mat. 17.27. although he knew they were malicious? Hereupon Gregory, t Gregor. Concil. tom 2. pag. ●99 Quid est quod de scandalizatis, dicitur, finite illos: & alijs ne scandalizentur à Domino tributum solvitur, quod etiam non debetur? Quid est quod aliud scandalum esse permisit. alijs veró venire prohibuit, Nisi ut nos doceret, & illa scandala quae non adpeccata implicant, contemnere, & ea quae placare sine peccato possumus, modis omnibus mitigare They were malicious at Corinth and seekers of occasion against Paul, that were likely to be offended by his taking of wages there, 1. Cor. 9.11. yet the thing being no necessary duty, he thinketh it his duteie to forbear his power therein. The Heathens are malicious to take offence, when Christians go to Law for their own, yet because going to Law is not a duty necessary, it must be forborn, and Christians rather must lose their own, 1. Cor. 6.7. then give occasion of scandal to them. The papists are malicious now, if they do rapere u Bucer. in Censur. ca 9 pa. 472. absque data causa some accustomed ceremony of ours to an approbation of their superstition, yet our writers do affirm, that to prevent, this offence of theirs, we are to forbear all such things as are not necessary in God's service, and such as Christ himself commandeth. Secondly, it is objected, that if we tender a reason for that which we do in a thing indifferent, than the scandalum is sedatum and we are guiltless, though we do what scandalizeth. This if it be true, then see we an end of all the duty of bearing with the 1 1. Thess. 5 14. weak: of forbearing our 2 Rom. 14.16. own liberty, 3 1. Cor. 9.12. power, and 4 1. Thess 2.7. authority in things indifferent for their 5 Act. 20.34. supportance: yea, an end of all the 6 Mat. 18.6.7. care, to prevent their offence, by giving them w Cornel. janfenius in concord Euangelic. cap. 71. occasion aut condemnandi factum nostrum, aut illud imitandi, contra conscientiam, which we have so x August. de morib. Manickeor. lib 2. cap. 14. often, so seriously, with so many reasons, obtestations, yea woes & threatenings, commanded to us throughout the word, what needed Paul to write so much against the scandal of 7 Rom. 14.20. meats, and against the scandal of 8 1. Cor. 8. Idolothius' meats? this one precept might have suffized, let the strong give a reason for his eating, the Nicholaitan give a reason of his eating meats that are sacrificed and there an end. Paul 9 1. Cor. 8. vlt. 1. Cor. 10.28 protesteth he will never eat meat as long as he liveth, rather than offend a brother. Foolish Paul, what needeth this forbearance, give him a reason of thine eating and so eat on, omnia munda mundis. But he, though he hath given many reasons to them of Corinth, for the lawfulness of taking wages: though he hath given divers reasons, for the lawfulness of all forts of meats to them of Rome, yet neither will he take wages himself, nor suffer others to eat all meats, when others are offended. And what is that which he writeth, Rom. 14. take and receive the weak for their supportance? and not for controversy of disputation? For disputing & reasoning here, being opposed to supportance, is not a bare reasoning condemned, which worketh supportance by forbearing? Further, when a Corinthian is told, this meat is sacrificed to idols, is he willed only to give a reason, as to show that it was bought at the shambleses? or that in private use it was lawful, & so to eat it? must he not forbear it also? Once more, Ma●. 5.29. what need to pull out an eye, that offendeth, to cut off an hand that offendeth, as Christ prescribeth, if in case a reason given, appeaseth a scandal sufficiently? Is the cross as dear as an eye? the surplice as near as an hand unto us, with which so many are now offended, that upon a reason given they must still remain? when the eyes, & ears themselves of the churches, cannot be suffered to remain in their places, although they give many sufficient reasons for their staying in: and against these offensive rites, which are so far from being members, as that (indeed) they deserve not to be called, so much as the humours or superfluities of a body? But whosoever is offended, after a reason is once given in a thing that is indifferent, we may hold him obstinate? God forbidden: for what if God deny understanding? what if peace and resolution of conscience? to receive a reason is a point of strength: he that is weak, hath this for a part of his weakness, that he cannot receane a reason. The Romans have received reasons many, yet Paul doth nor hold them obstinate, that do not believe them, but willeth the meats be forborn, that do offend them. We are willed to receive the weak, & to bear with them, as we would that Christ should receive & bear with us. Now are we contented, that Christ should cast us off for obstinate, Rom. 15.3. when we receive not all his word, nor consent to it, nor perform it? & what if the papists condemn this uncharitableness? sure thus a x Caietan. in Thom. Aquin 2.2 q. 43. a●●. 7 Cardinal. whereas it is said in the 7. article, touching the scandal of the weak, if after a reason given, the scandal do still remain, it seemeth to be of malice, you must note the Author doth not use [verbo assertiu e] [sed opinatino] saying, it seemeth to be of malice. for it may fall out, that the weak are not capable of the reason that is rendered, either by reason of his former custom, which maketh that to appear discordant which is concordant with the truth, or for some reason which in his eyes is more apparent, or by reason of some such like cause, & then it is not out of malice that he is offended, but out of ignorance & infirmity. So it appeareth by these premises, that this first exception of those who acknowledge the hurt of the ceremonies healeth no sore, to wit, that their hurt is not scandalum datum, but acceptum only. #Sect. 9 The second exception of elevating the scandal, confuted. THe second exception standeth not so much upon the denial, as the elevating of the scandal: Sect. 9 which they think to be trifling, & a matter not to be stood on by discreet men. First this jumpeth with the papists, a Hostiensis Silvest. Prior. in scandal. non est curandum de scandalo, nisi sit grave. & when it causeth b Thom. Aquin. 2.2. ●. 41. art. 4 in pactionem sine ruina, or riseth only ex specie mali, cum aliqua levi indiscretione commissa, them it is no mortal scandal, but venial only. & as for a c Ibid art 5 respon ad tertium. one of them enwrappeth within the woe that Ch. denounceth to scandalisers, etiam doctos & charitate plenos when they offend through a defect of discretion qua etiam optimos quandoque destituit per cuius carentiam Petrus gentiles scandalizabat. Secondly, be the sin great or small, it must be avoided, f Hieron, ad Demetriad epist. 1. contemptus cuiuscunque praeepti, pracipientis iviuria est. Nay the smaller a sin is, the sooner through Satan's sleight, doth it grow to be greater. Whence Augustine thus: g August 〈◊〉. 9 v●ter●● & novi Testament. ca 1 Quantae minora peccatae sunt, tantum subtiliorae, & dum contemnuntur non vitantur, maiora enim longè apparent. What that this pretence hath evermore been insiduous. It is pity (say some of our Opposites) that the Church should be distracted, about two or three ceremonies: in which, the word speaketh neither off nor on. So the g Theodor. histor. li. 2 cap. 18. Arrians of old, ferendum non est, ut Ecclesiacorpus distrabatur, propter duas voculas; praesertim qua inscriptura nusquam reperiantur. By the clamour whereof, how many of the simple sort, were couched & lauguefied? It is also ever dangerous (as h August. tom. 10. homil. 42. August. relleth us, sed ipsa levia & minuta, ne contemnantur. de minutis guttis flumina implentur. non contemnantur velminora, per angustas rimulas insudat aquae, impletur sentina, & si contemnatur sentina, mergitur navis. Thirdly, the blood of souls is cheap with us, l Heming. in Rom. 14. if we think the least scandal is not a great sin; sith the scripture holdeth it murder, not only to offer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which causeth to fall. but also scandalon which maketh but to halt: yea, 1 Cor. 8.12. every knock that doth weaken, which is less than to cause to halt: yea, that doth but grieve the foot of the soul, which is the conscience, which is less than to weaken, Rom. 14.21 if any thing can be less. The equity hereof appeareth, not only from the consideration of the tender love which Christ beareth to our brethren, whom he 1 Isa. 42. beareth in his bosom, and 2 Hos 11.3 leadeth in his hand, as a Nurse leadeth: yea 3 Psal. 91.11. beareth up with the hands of Angels, that they incur not the least jutt against a stone, but also from the consideration of the great hurt which by the least offence is done. a straw being able to clog a little 4 Mat. 18.10. child. a drop to quench a smoking 5 Isa. 42.3. flax and the least jutt that is, to put 6 Heb. 12.13. out of joint the foot that hanged lose before. It is m Plini. natural. lust. lib. 7. c. 53. storied, that Q. Aemilius died incusso pollice limini cubiculi. C. Aufidius by iutting his foot, when he was entering into Senat. no marvel then, if the jutt or rub of a scandal, take away the life spiritual which is in a weaker degree posssessed, than the life of the body is. Fourthly, the scandal of the ceremonies must not be accounted small. The first circumstance (as I take it) that will make a scandal great, is the manner of scandalising with n Cornel. janssenius vb. sup. contempt which then offendeth in the highest degree, when a little one is contemned, by those that are n puffed up with their knowledge and with their greatness, and so are void of charity. Now alitle 1 Mat. 18.10. one is contemned, when out own 2 1 Thes. 2.7. power, will and credit only is cared for. when we seek only to 3 Rom. 15.1 & 1 Cor. 6 12. please ourselves, that is, to have our own forth and pleasure. to which the schoolmen themselves agree: teaching that a venial scandal than groweth mortal, o Thom. Aquin. 2.2. q. 43. art 4. quando contemnitur salus proximi, ut, pro ea conservanda, non praetermittit quis aliquid facere quod sibi libuerit. Can there be any greater scandal than that which is thus described? Quis est proximus mens interrogant, & p Enimund. Bonefid. de iure Oriental. fol. 202. stantium decem millia deijcimus, ut nostram impleamus voluntatem. What when with this arrogancy, there goeth a seeking of own things, the Helena of the Council of Pisa, which one in these words describeth, q Nichol. de Clemang. disput 2. sup. materiam council general. Quae alia res in Pisana congregatione ecclesiam Dei, populumque decepit, & clamare fecit, pax, pax, cum nulla esset pax, nisi quia carnales & cupidi homines, beneficiorum ardore succensi, prorsusque excaecati ecclesiasticam reformationem (quam boni & fideles plaerique ante omnia fieri volebant impedierunt) & promotionibus quas concupierant adeptis pacem esse clamarunt solutoque conventu cum illa quam quaesierant pace hoc est promotione reversi sunt. The author (though a papist) cannot think, that the H. Ghost would ever assist such a Synod & such a convocation as this what, when with this arrogancy & seeking of own things, there goeth a pertinacy which will not reform any thing, because it will not yield. When the Cardinals selected in the time of Paul the 3. were about the business of reformation, Nicholaus r joh Sleidan commenta. lib. 12. Archiepiscopus Capuanus. omnis emendationis impatiens erat; magna itaque contentione reclamabat, ne quid omnino reformaretur: ac inter alia dicebat fore alioquin, ut Lutherani iactent quascab ipsis propemodum adacti illud fecerint. What when with this arrogancy, this seeking of own things, this pertinacy not to yield, there goeth an obstinacy most vayneglorious, s Thomas Morton. Apolog p. 1. l. 1. c. 1● quae (malum) haec religio est, errores suos quamvis minimos retinere mall, quam errasse videri (sayeth one of our Writers against Bellarmine, refusing to leave out the 8. verses which are added to the 13. Psalm, quia longè iam tempore ibi fuerunt. The rest of the Papists are censured t joh. Reynold conf. cap. 8. divis. 4. Tho. Mo●ton. vb. su. cap. 31. by us, for that though the Latin tongue doth not edify, yet it must not be reform to keep their credit: lest there should be found an error in them in any one thing. In steed of applying these things, I only pray, it be not laid to the charge of some of our Opposites at that day, that they have hurt our church and hindered the reformation of it, by answering our petitions by their authority to command in ceremonies, as if in them liceret quicquid libet, by seeking no other peace to the church in their assemblies, then that which serveth to their own promotion, and setteth their own nest on high, by contending that nothing at all be reform: lest they should seem to be driven by us, or to have yielded in any thing to us, by keeping in corruptions still because they have been a long time rooted, and beggarly ceremonies that edify not, lest they should seem to have erred in any thing, in their former government over us. If this be laid to the charge of any, & it be true which themselves u Answer to the petit. by the Vice. chaunc. and Doct. of Oxon. teach, the less the thing the greater the contempt, then must a great contemptuous scandal be answered for, when the Lord at that day shall ask: what? could ye not have forborn your brethren in a trifle? not so much as in a trifle to have regarded so many glorious churches reform beyond the seas? so many worthy Gentlemen at home, representing the body of the realm? so many sighs and groans of Preachers? so many tears of the rest of the brethren? The second circumstance that doth aggravate a scandal, regardeth the place where it is done. and it is the w Thom. Aquin. 2.2. quest. 43. silvest Prior. in verb. scandal. doing of it in public. whereas the ceremonies we see are used, not only in a public place, but also in a place religious, to wit, in a church: the cross in particular is used in a Sacrament also; than which, the very church itself hath not a place more honourable. The Apocrypha cannot be read in the church where scriptures only use to be read, but they must presently be x Concil. Carthagin. 3. Can. 47. accounted scriptures. There cannot a y Epiphan. in haeres. Aerii. commemoration of the names of the dead, be used in the midst of service, where prayers only are wont to be used, but it must presently grow to be a prayer for them: so now the ceremonies cannot be used in God's worship and in his service, but they must needs grow to be worships in estimation, & parts of his service. The cross hath been more idolized, than any of the popish Images: of which one of our writers thus, “ josias Simler. in exod c. 20. fol. 85 Locireligio admirationem illis conciliat, & ita occasio fiunt idololatriae. homines proclives sunt ad idololatriam: quod si illis proponantur Idola, error corum alitur. What is holy-water to the sign of the cross that halloweth it? yet for the holiness that was put in it, we have banished it out of the church-portch. our brethrens (also) call the stick which doth usually sprinkle it, even z Stephan. Durant. de rit. li. 1. c. 21 clavem infernalem, the key of hell. And what are the Bells to the sign of the Cross, or to the Surplice that hollow them? (for eos a Concil. colonians. pag. 3. c. 31 qui campanas pulsant congruit superpelliceis indui) to which our brethren that are in b Durant. de rit. li. 1. c. 22 France do bellum indicere for that power which was imagined to be in them to drive away Devils. A strange thing, we would be accounted as zealous as they, when yet we set up in the midst of the church, a grand idol of popery, the very handmaids whereof, they cannot suffer, so much as in the church-portch or bellfraye. The third circumstance that doth make a scandal great, is the authority of the scandalizer: who, the more credit he hath, the more he multiplieth transgression amongst men, and causeth Israel to sin. Thus one of old, c Soxomen. histor. lib. 7 cap. 19 possunt multi ritus per civitates & pagos inveniri quos propter reverentiam velauthorum vel corum qui eos primum receperunt, ij qui illis sunt innutriti sine piaculo intollerabili praevaricari non posse putant. The cross and a Lutheran image set up add decorum, are of the same rank of which our writers, d josias Simler. in mandat. 2. Qui rebus praesunt, eas in templis ferre non debent, alioqui simplices qui ipsas tollerari animadvertunt, eo nomine plus ipsis tribuunt, quod Principes & Episcopos & pastors eas vident non abijcere. Another thus, e P. Martyr loc. com●●n elass. 2 ca 5. sect. 25. No small spur to idolatry is the authority of the Dedicator. so that, the scandal of the cross, cannot be small, backed with the antiquity of the Fathers, strengthened with the authority of the governors: and credited with the use and practise of the Pastors of the church. The fourth circumstance, that doth increase a scandals guilt, is drawn from the matter of it. and what more apt to work out a scandal then the cross? For as a monument of idolatry, God hath accursed it to be a snare: and so hath it proved accordingly. Deut. 7.25. Whence one of our f D. Fulke ag. Saund. de imag. ca 13. pa. 659 Writers, Even from the beginning, the superstition of the sign of the cross did creep like a ringworm: at the first as a tolerable indifferent matter: then as an holy thing: next as an necessary thing: last of all into open and gross idolatry. Indeed, the popish idolatry began out of the adoration of the cross, which presently (in a manner) began upon the beginning of the use of this sign. Thus g Propert. in Apothe. Propertius, iam purpura supplex sternitur Aeneadae rectoris ad atria Christi: vexillumque crucis summus dominator, adorat. Another, h Paulin. Nolan. epist. 11. Crucem Episcopus Hierosolymitanus cum pascha Domini agitur adorandum populo, princeps ipse adorantium promit. A third, l Hieron. in. in Epitaph. Paulae Prostrata Paula ante crucem, quasi pendentem Dominum cerneret, adoravit. Again, m Idem epist. 17. ad. Marcellam. desideravit Eustochium crucis lambere lignum. More witnesses n Durant. de rit. lib. 1 cap. 6. & lib. 2. ca 45 may be had, if they may be credited, that in the space of one hundred years the sign of the cross begat adoration, being itself for public use, at the o D. Fulke quo. sup. pag. 659. highest begotten but about Tertullians' age, after the 200. year after Christ. Come we down a little lower, to the year 540. or thereabout, & then the crosses adoration is grown exceedingly, as appeareth by the p Euagriu. lib. 4. c. 25. Apameenses, of whom it is said productam in medium crucem adorant & amplexantur. Whereas therefore, some matters are more q Thom. Aqui. vb. sub. apta nata, to breed scandal, than others are, nothing at all cometh near to the cross in the fruitfulness of idolatry: no not the brazen serpent itself which had far longer time to bring forth abuse, & yet was removed before it had been so long time abused. The first circumstance which doth make a scandal great, is drawn from the persons scandalised. Where the sign of the cross is, and hath been from time to time an offence to all sorts of men both little & great, touching the common and vulgar sort: r Calsh. ag. Mart. art. 4 fol. 88 whereas we see the people so prone, to repose their affiance in this earthly sign, we are enforced to leave the same. And touching the learned thus, not only the simple did in this case abuse themselves, but such as had more learning than the rest, and aught to have been good schoolmasters to others. The sixth circumstance, that useth in a ceremony to make a scandal great, is the unseasonableness of the time. The soul of the cross, which is the profession of the cross against the the aliens being departed, what maketh his dead carcase above ground amongst us? For as s August. ad Marcellin. epist. 5. Augustine saith, Non est verum quod dicitur semel rectè factum, nullatenus esse mutandum: mutata namque temporis causa, quod rectè ante factum fuerat, ita mutari vera ratio plerumque flagitat, ut cum ipsidicant non fierirectè si mutetur, contra veritas clamet non rectè fieri nisi mutetur: quia utrumque hoc erit rectum, si erit pro tem porum varietate diversum. And the continuance of the crosses time is scandalous likewise. Claudius' Taurinensis pulleth down Images, when the people out of an ill custom, did abuse them. Who t D. Fulke rejoind. ag. Marur. art. 10. pa. 213. doth not justify him? jonas Aurelianensis v jonas. Aurelianen. lib. 1. de cult. imag. confesseth some of his parts were sick of the same disease, who yet doth uphold them. which of our writers condemneth him not? And such is our apology against this second exception of them, which see some hurt do come of the ceremonies, Their scandal is in a manner nothing, they are peevish that stand upon it. #Sect. 10. The third exception answered, viz. That laws must not be changed for that a few are scandalised. THE third, is drawn from policy: there are but a few that are scandalised by the ceremonies, and must we change laws for a few sake? But what sort of men are not offended by them, whether abroad or at home? Concerning the former, whereas scandalum is aedificatio a Tertul. lib de veland. virgin. ad delictum, we cannot but scandalise the papists, by our retaining of the ceremonies, by our strife and contention for them, by our pursuit of faithful preachers to revenge them, and sith hereby we build and edify them unto idolatry and superstition many ways. First, they draw them to an approbation of their religion, against which thus one of our b jofias Simler. in Exod. 20. fol. 85. writers, etsi aliquis bonus usus imaginum esse possit, tamen propter illam horrendam idolomanian Pontificiorum ijs abstinendum esset. Illi enim cum imagines vident, in nostrorum templis, nos secum convenire arbitrantur, in earum cultu & veneratione, & eas ad confessionem rapiunt. Secondly, whereas they would be brought to doubt of their religion, if it were thoroughly resisted by us, they now seeing it in part, received even by their adversaries, put themselves out of doubt. against which our writers thus: It is scandalum datum c Magdebu. Contur. 1. lib. 2. cap. 4 colum. 450 quando justa gravitas in ceremonijs adversus obstinatos non exercetur: as Peter gave scandal to the jews, when he conformed himself to their ceremonies, because thereby, illorum pravam de illis opinionem fovebat. Thirdly, d P. Martyr loc commun. clas. 2. ca 5. sect 25. were as the chief way to win the papists, is to put them out of hope, because man naturally e Velleius. Paterculus. sequi de sinit, quod assequi non potest, the reducing of their Ceremonies hath caused the people not well resolved, to say the rest will follow shortly: and the recusant, what reason have we to come to you, seeing you so fast are coming to us? fourthly, there is nothing that more hindereth the conversion of aliens, then when there is an occasion given them to rejoice, glory, & boast, as men that have gotten the upperhand, as a chief matter which was objected to Marcellinus was this, f Caesat Baron. anal. tom. 2. in Marcellin. super te in illo die gloriabatur Imperator, and the offence that is given by the strife of the Christians is this, g Epist. Synod Arime. nens. ad Constant, Imperat. Concil. tom. 1. pa. 437. quae nunc ab istis novantur fidelibus quidem incredulitatem, infidelibus autem ferocitatem adferunt. Doth not our strife (now) about these Ceremonies adferre ferocitatem to the papists? Thus Hierom. h Hieron. commenta. in Abdiam cap. 1. Quis haereticorum non despicit ecclesiasticos? quis non exultat in malis corum? Si qui in negationem corruerit, videas illos exultare, gaudere, nostram ruinam, suam putare victoriam? Doth not the papist make himself glee, to see the preachers that were before most zealous against him, thrown down into the depth of misery? & that for no other cause, but for their zeal against his relics? & laugheth he not (on the other side, at their inconstancy, who now conform unto his badges, who would not wear before, or bear the least cognizance of his Church, as at a ruin of theirs, a victory of his own? Ambrose l Ambros. 1 Cor. 10 saith, that the very eating of a meat idolothious, maketh the idolater gloriari, to boast and vaunt. m Gregor. epist. 41. ad Lean dr. Gregory will not use the Trin-immersion when haeretiques used it, ne morem nostrum se vicisse glorientur. Our very use (then) of these rites, dedicated to their idolatry, is sufficient to advance their spirits, as if they had gotten the field against us. To these and some other ways of scandal, which might be mentioned, there are three things replied. The first is that the papists after this manner are scandalised with other things, with our saints n Rhem. in annotat act 1. sect 7 holidays, with our bowing at the o Rhem in Phil sect. 2 name of jesus, with our kneeling before p Mart. in reply. art. 10. images in glaswindowes, with the lifting up of our hands at Paul's cross, with our bowing to the cloth of estate: and seeing swearing is a kind of adoration with our swearing on a book: forasmuch as from hence they suck advantage for their idolatry to saints, to the name jesus, to images, to crosses, and for their swearing by creatures, and yet all these may not be abolished. For answer, first if these ceremonies harden the papist, then doth the use of the Cross much more, which is with him the q Vaur. Catechism. grand hallower and consecrator, of all holy things and actions. Secondly, if the former ceremonies, which are not necessary duties, do confirm him, why should not we make riddance of them, as well as other Churches have, especially bowing to the name jesus, which the most learned even of our r D. Fulke answer to Rhem in Philip. 2. sect. 2. D. Babington. in Levity. own church condemn. Thirdly, our holding up of hands when we pray at Paul's Cross, and our bowing down to the cloth of estate are necessary duties, and so not to be abolished like Cross and Surplice which are not necessary, even as the Christians were not to leave, their reverent (not popish) bowing, when they did curis Dei adge inculari (as speaketh Tertullian) although the pagans hence drew a scandal, that they did x Caesar Baron. Anal. ann. 211. Antistitis genitalia colere: or their lifting up of hands in prayer though by reason of it, the Gentills accused them for adoring the clouds, as t D Fulke rejoind. art 10 pag. 214 & 217. appeareth by Tertullian, & by a Poet of their own, qui puras nubes & caeli Numen adorant. Secondly, It is replied to the scandal of the papist●● that it maketh not the Ceremonies guilty, because it is [acceptum] by them, who for that they are malicious, are not to be regarded. First, they are erroneous as well as they are malicious: so that, to confirm them in their error were that inhumanity in us, which layeth a stumbling block in the way of the blind who bath most need to be led aright. Levit. 19.14 Deut. 17.18 They that were offended at Christ, were as malicious, of whom Bernard notwithstanding, u Bernard. in lib. de precept. & disputat. magni peccatores, sed tamen & pusilli aestimatores, beati essent si non scandalizati fuissent. nunc vero quid nisi miseri sed tamen & miserandi. Secondly, this confirming of the papists is scandalum datum for that show where by we come near him, or fly not from him so far as we should: for we know that even a show is scandalous, as not only scriptures teach, i Thes. 5.22 jud. 23. but also the ancients with whom even similitudo venerationis idoli is w Glossae in 1. Cor. 10. & 8. whose tenant is, x Thom. Aquin. 2.2. quest 43. etiam species mali scandalum confecit. and our y Magdebu. Centur. 1. lib. 2. cap. 4. Col. 450. own writers whose position is in general the same with this tenant mentioned. and in particular, that we are to avoid from all things that do bear but a show z D. Fulke ag. Bristol mot. 24. pag. 98. of popery. This last writer confesseth that some of our english Ceremonies are not wholly purged, from all similitude of popish actions, wherein he cannot but include our cross, sith it beareth greater show and greater similitude of a popish action than any other. But seeing he confesseth it, he doth approve it (you will say.) No, but quite contrary he excuseth it by this, they were only tolerated at the first for the weak, whereby it appeareth we have since ourselves proffited well towards the confirming of ourselves in error not only the papists in that we are come to a continuance and to an approbation of them. Let us consider the doom that was passed over the Ceremonies of the German Adiaphorisme for the like show and similitude. a Lib●rt. Concor. a● Schlusselb. li. 13. p. 59● inter res adiaphoras non numerandae sunt tales ceremoniae, qua speciem quandam prae se serunt●dut quibus simulatur quasi nostra religio, à pontificia non multum distaret, aut certe quasi ab ea animus noster non admodum abhorreret, aut cum earum restauratio ita accipitur quasi hoc ipso dissentientes duae illae religiones, iam in unam redactae essent: aut cum periculum est ne videamur ad papatum rursus accessisse, & à sincera evangelii doctrina recessisse, vel paulatim recessuri. b Thes. de Adiaphor. Theolog. Saxon. ibid. pag. 504. Again, pessima species est quod sicut Lutherus (vir Dei) nos ex larua Antichristi extraxit, ita iam illi in ipsissimam veterem Antichristi laruam spon same Christi introducere conantur, cum summo dedecore sponsi Christi: Nam is nequa quam vult nos colores & charecteres Antichristi hostis sui acerrimi suscipere: neque ullus vir honestus id tolleraret, si sponsa sua vestem & colores sui capitalis hostis, idque in gratiam illius sui hostis scienter & volenter acciperet. Thirdly, though the confirming of the papists be in part a scandal taken by them, yet it is withal a scandal given in part by us, because the ceremonies being no necessary duties, they ought to be set a side even for the malicious sake. The scandal is taken and maliciously taken, if any arise by the single life of a Christian young widow, yet Paul thinketh if she marry not she will in this cause give occasion, mark: [give] to the adversary to speak evil. mark, 1. Tim. 5. 1● he will have us to incur no show of scandal, no not before a malicious adversary. It is for Boos not only not to touch Ruth, Ruth. 3.14. but also to prevent all show of touching her: as to prevent that no man know she hath been in the flower with him. So it is for us now, not only not to defile ourselves with the popish superstition, but also to prevent all show of communicating with them, which we do not in the cross: for as long as it is in church publicly used, it is more than in our flower, it is in the same bed with us: and as long as we countenance it by law, we spread the wing of our garment over it: Even as c Plutarc. in vit. Caesar. Caesar requireth in a wife that she be free not only from the fact of adultery, but also from the suspicion of it. And ought not the spouse of Christ be as chaste even from all show of spiritual fornication? Whereas Ambrose requireth of an honest man, that he be clear not only à crimine, d Ambros. lib. de office sed etiam à criminis suspitione: we will provide for our honesty, who put not from us all show of dishonesty in popish rites and ceremonies. When certain Divines of Misnia were purposed not to care for the grunnitus suûm, they meant of the papists in the use of the Surplice, they were advised by the e Respons. Nichol. Galli. & Placci. Ill●ri. ad Concionator. Mis●iae. wiser sort of their brethren to take heed, how by the putting of it on, they gave to these sues iustam causam grunniendi, which now is our case. Thirdly, It is replied to the scandal of the papists, that it is prevented already sufficiently: in that we have purged these ceremonies from their abuse, which being done, we have liberty to retain them, and we turn them to a good use, for the using of our f Examine. of the declarat of the M. of London liberty, from which why should we suffer ourselves to be hindered by them? First a scandal is not prevented in a thing unnecessary, unless for the abuses sake it be removed as the brazen serpent was: for which Hezechias had not such evidence, g D. Fulke rejoind. ag Mart. art. 10. p. 216. but we have as good now for the putting down of the cross. Did not Pius h joh. Crisp in vit. eius. secundus put down the Nuns of the order of S te Bridget, for the scandal and abuse of their single life? For the like scandal whereof in Priests, he was also wont to say, he saw more causes why Priests should marry, then live single. Did not the selected l Vide Whitak. conr. Durevio. l. 5. fol. 378 Cardinals writ thus to Pope Paul the third, Alius abusus in ordinibus religio sorum quod adeo multi deformati sunt, ut magno sint scandalo, whence they conclude, Conventuales ordives abolendos esse putamus omnes. Thirdly, our liberty we may use, 2. Cor. 10.8 but not to destruction, either of papists, or of any other: in this case of scandal our liberty ceaseth m josias Simler. in Exod. 20. fol. 85. quae libera sunt in caesu scandali, desinunt esse libera. and our liberty against papists is this, not to suffer ourselves under their subjection for one hour by conformity to their ceremonies, but to free our liberty as Paul did from the servitude of that necessity which they put in them by a disuse and removal of them. ●al. 2. So then the ceremonies controversed, deserve a removal for the scandal which they offer to the papists. #Sect. 11. The Opposites opinion thinking greater scandals would come upon the Remoovall of Ceremonies, confuted. SOme there are who oppose two greater scandals towards the papists, which would follow upon a remoovall of the ceremonies, Sect. 11. for which they think it is most fit they should be still retained. First this is the law of the German adiaphorists, a Flac. Illiric in li. de Adiapho. p. 2. accipiendae sunt aliquae papisticae ceremoniae, ut papistae nostra lenitate, ceremoniarumque similitudine ad nostram doctrinam invitemus. Paulus factus est omnia omnibus: nostra ista horriditate, & ceremoniarum dissimilitudine absterrentur papistae à nostra doctrina. that which also they extended thus far, b Confess. Mansfild. ●edit. ann. 1560. ap. Conrade. Schlusselb. tom. 13. pa. 533. nemini dandum est scandalum: quapropter non est ita malum, assistere ceremonijs & missificationi papisticae ne illi offendantur. Secondly, ne veniale quidem peccatum committendum est (say the c Thorn. Aquin. 2.2. quest. 43. art. 7. respon ad 5. silvest Priet. in summa. verb. scandal Papists) ut evitetur scandalum. Let us not be worse than they to commit a great sin (for such we have proved the cross to be) to avoid a supposed scandal only, which indeed is none at all. Thirdly, the papist is best edified when he is most displeased by our refusal of his rites: as Christ to edify the pharisees, and Paul the jews, took a course of not conforming which did displease them. Against pleasing of them we have this sure and certain rule levied against all conformity with the Ceremonies of the Germane Adiaphorisme, d Decret. Eccles. Ge●man. apu● Conrade. Schlussel●. tom. 13. pag 566. Nulla est concedenda in gratiam adversariorum mutatio externi cullus seu ceremoniarum, e Ibid. nisi prius nobis consentiant in fundamento: hoc est, in vera doctrina & usu sacramentorum are not the papists obstinate? now, contra veritatis obstinatos hosts, exercenda est Christiana libertas. Fourthly, to please the papists, whom we are to displease, and to displease our own brethren at home, whom we are to please is to incur the fault of Peter which was this: f Beza. in Gal. 2. he chose rather to please the jews by conforming to their Ceremonies, when he should have rather pleased the converted gentiles by abstinence from them, g Docret. Eccles. German. vb. sup. Offendicusum infirmorum quod existit ex abnegation veritatis, vel inconstantia in confession pluris factendum est, quam omnium hostium gratia & benevolentia. h josias Simler. in Exod 26. fol. 87. Si volumus consulere obstinatis papistis plures interea è nostris laedemus. Peter so doing, who feared to displease the jews, and thereupon displeased the Gentiles, was reprehended of Paul. An l Bucer. in Math. 18. other giveth a general direction in this comparison infirmorum rationem ita hebebunt, ut eas & exemplis provehere dabunt operam, neque paucorum (qui Antichristi Ceremonijs plus aequo addictiores sunt, & fortassis non ver● fratres) morabuntur caecitatem ut plurimos interim alios offendant quibus nunequam ista cogitatio non in animis versatur. Si ista tam male essent abolerentur, si tam bona, opera ca cuncti prafertim qui Christs haberi volunt, am plecterentur. we are not then to use the ceremonies in regard of any offence, which the papists may take of our disuse or any of our own brethren at home that are popishly given. But now what might those offences be, which may arise on our refusal and removal of their rites? First, it is said, that if the ceremonies be removed, the papist will hold it a point of profanes in us. as also an affectation of novelty joined with a contempt of the grey hairs of antiquity, which ought to be reverenced by us. First, the removal of these ceremonies hath been proved a duty, therefore all obtrectations are to be trodden under foot. was not our Lord held common and profane, Mark. 7. when he refused the ancient ceremony of washing hands? Isa. 36.7. was not Hezechias counted profane and new fangled for pulling down the ancient altars and high places? was not m Eunapi●● Constantine esteemed profane for defacing the Idols temples? were not the Christians held the most profane, and the most irreligious men in the world, for refusing the incense of pagan Gods? well one. n Bucer. in Cens●s. Net quicquam no●itatis temerè & irreligiose admissuri estis, ut malevoli semper obijcere solent de omnibus ijs qui expurgare student vetus Antichristi fermentum, & novam domino exhibere student populi conspertionem. Secondly, if for this calumniation we must keep the Cross and Surplice, then must we reduce the rest of their trash which we have long since abolished. They affirm our communion will come at last, to a profane o Rhem. in annotat. in Io. 4. sect. 4 sacrifice of Ceres and Bacchus, and the bread of our p Fidem in ●. Cor. 11. sect. 18. communion they hold profane. as for the want of a Surplice, so for the want of a consecrated altar, of a Priest unmarried, of hallowed hands, and of the sign of the Cross. all which, seeing we have abolished notwithstanding this imputation, why should it hinder us from the abolishing of the baptism cross aswell? where do they lay to our charge, that we abolish all true religion out of the world, and make men plain atheists for the removal of Crosses, where they lay not the same to our charge for abolishing of other q Rheum. 〈◊〉 Philip. 2. sect. 2. Images we have abolished other Images notwithstanding this obtractation, why not (then) this Cross aswell? And we pull down unnecessary chapels and Churches without all fear, which is more subject ten times r Bristol. Mo●●●e. to this slander, than the removal of the Ceremonies controversed: for they s Duraut. de rit. lib. 1. ca 2. sect. 5. match us for doing this even with Arrians, and with Donatists, and with Eustathians, and with what not? Neither can the removal of present Ceremonies bear the like colour, or hear the like clamour of profanes as the breaking of Images doth, for which they yoke us with the t Idem. li. 1. c. 4. sect. 13. Manichees with Xenaias the heathen, and with Andrew u Mart. of the Cross. art. 8. Lampugnan beginning his murder of Galiatius Maria Duke of Milan, with a stabbing of his Image to get him couradge. Finally, we break down their altars still, though herein they make us w D●rant. lib. 1. ca 15 sect. 12. Donatists, and match us with julianus Praefectus for profanes, stricken with a fearful disease, for his pissing against an altar: and lastly with the soldiers of Stillico, torn in pieces with Leopards, for that they violated an altar by drawing one Cresconius from it, who had made it his sanctuary. #Sect. 12. A scandal of the papists removed, saying, If Ceremo be removed, it will harden them against us, and breed an hostile alienation of their minds from our religion. THere is a second scandal pressed, in case the ceremonies be removed, to wit, an hardening of them against us, Sect. 12. & an hostile alienation of their minds from our religion, who by the retention of these ceremonies might be won. First, this is to run with the papists with a Feverdent. in Irenaeun, lib. 1. c. 24. Fevardentius by name, who knoweth no other course to win pagans, than this: Gentium idolomanià, & sudaeorum superstitioni opponendae sunt imagines. b The examine of the declarat of the Minist. of London One of our Opposites to maintain this axiom [we must retain some of the popish rites to win them,] willeth us to see what course Gregory took with Nellitus. This course we have seen: he c Beda histo. li. 1. ca 30. Gregor. Epistol. l. 9 in dict. 4. epist. 7. forbiddeth Nellitus to pull down the idolatrous temples. he commandeth to let their festivities alone: he will have their temples sanctified with altars, holy-water, and relics of Saints: he adviseth that on their birth days of the Martyrs, whose Relics be there laid, the people should set up green bowers about the church, and make holy banquets, such as the heathen used to make in the feasts of their idols. See what a goodly popish course for winning, we are set to see? secondly, It is a duty, that there be a difference in rites and ceremonies between God's Church and heretics. d Tertul. in Il. de coton. milit. Longum divortium (saith Tertullianus) mandas Deus ab idolatria, in nullo proximè agendum: Draco etiam terrenus de longinquo hominis spirit●s absorbet, c Bellarmin. controvers. 6. ca 4. de Monach. Bellarmine himself confesseth, that the shaving of the head was forbidden to the jew, in respect of the Gentiles, lest they should be like them: which the reason of the text confirmeth, for ye are an holy people to the Lord. Hereupon one, f D. Willet. controvers. 6. q. 6. p. 2. It was unlawful, because a superstitious rite of the Heathen which did not beseem the people of God. In regard hereof, the only lawful course to win, is that which accordeth with this duty, and that is to root out all heretical rites and ceremonies & idolatrous observations. God is wisest: now he ordained an abolition of all the idolatrous rites of Canaan, to win the remnant of the Canaanites, which he foresaw would be reserved as the offspring of Rahab and of the Gibeonites, and all other proselytes that should come over to the Church. And the Fathers of the Church give like advice, g August. de verb. Dom. serm. 6. Si quaeritis unde vincantur Pagani (saith Augustin) unde illuminentur, unde ad salutem vocentur? Deserite ●●●●as solennitates ipsorum. Deserite nugas eorum. Et si non consentiunt veritati nostra, saltem pudeat paucitatis suae. The councils (also) take like order: For whereas h Concil. Eliberti. can 34. one of them forbiddeth Tapers at funerals with such like, this reason is rendered even by a l Du●ant. de rit. li. 1. c. 4. sect. 11. & ca 23. sect. ●4. papist himself, because the people of Spain, but newly converted, were still distained with some of their old superstitious customs, therefore this Council forbiddeth many things ad extirpandas & funditus tollendas, Gentilium superstitiones, quas novi Christiani, in ijs Hispaniae locis, tum retinebant. But have ye never read (say our Opposites) that old rites & ceremonies have been retained in the Church for their sakes, who would have been alienated, if they might not have been permitted to use them, as they and their Forefathers had done long time before? Yes, we have read, and now allow of a certain toleration of old customs; but that maketh nothing for our retail of popish ceremonies, now controversed. First, a toleration is an involuntarie permission against our wills. it doth m Decret. p. 2. caus. 1 qu. 7. c. 18. quaedam tollerare, quaedam amputare, with the same unwillingness that a n Cap. 16. Pilot in a tempest saveth some of his wares, and others of them he doth cast over board. and when o Ibid. caus. 23. qu. 4. cap. 5. quod salvo pacis vinculo, excludere non possumus, equitate improbamus. yea toleration is with p August epist 64. grief: yea with lamentation, as August. q Idem de civit. De● lib. 18. lamented those common sins, which he was constrained to tollerat, for that he could not redress them. Now what like to this, in our retention of these ceremonies controversed? Is it out of an unwillingness, that our governors keep in these ceremonies? Is it not rather their will and pleasure? and do they disprove them equitate, do they not constrain us to approve them rather? do they grieve at them? do they not rather increase the grief of them that do grieve, and bring lamentation on them and theirs, who heartily lament to see the Church so pestered with them? Secondly, a toleration of alien rites, is only a liberty to new converts which cannot well be waned from them: such as the decree gave once to the jews r Decret p. ● distin. 45. cap. 3. omnes festivitates suas sicut hactenus tam ip si quam patres eorum per longa colentes tempora tenuerunt, liberam habeant obseruandi colendique potestatem. the reason is given by Augustine, s August. d● utilitat. ●eiun. modestè vetusia vulnera pertractemus, & cauti simus ne inter manus medici deficiat qui curatur, and by an other canon else where t Decret. pa. 1. dinct. 4. c. 6. Quia tali consuetudine averti non possunt, ideo cum venia suo ingenio relinquendi sunt, ne fortè peiores existant si à tali consuetudine prohibeantur. what like to this (again) in our retention of the ceremonies controversed? Is it only a liberty to the raw converted papists that desire them? Is it not a necessity rather thrown on the children of the church that have been bread and brought up in it? yea on the Fathers of the church them. selves that do abhor them, and that to the utter loss and impeachment of their own christian liberty? Thirdly, a toleration is only ad diem ne u Augustin. count Par●nem. lib. 3. cap. 1. eradicetur triticum, not excusing either pigritiem corrigend: or negligenti Turrian vindicandi after a long time and season, when now a scandal may without hurt be done away, and it worketh on men that are not firma radice w Decret. p. 2. cans. 35. qu. 3● cap. 20. sollidati, giving milk not meat unto them ne bonum quod infirma adhuc radice plantatum erat erueretur, sed aliquantulum firma. retur & usque ad perfectionem custodiretur. What like to this (once more) in our retention of these ceremonies controversed, is it not after forty years preaching of the Gospel that they continue? And hath there been no opportunity found in so long time to root them out? And is not the time of our Church's infancy past as yet? Is it not yet fit for meat, so to lay this milk aside? Fourthly, toleration is only of those things, x Ibid. ca●●●. 2. qu. 1. ca 23. quae sola nocere non valent, si caterorum confletintegritas: illa magnopere praecavenda sunt [in a toleration] quae recepi, nisi manifesta decoloratione, non possunt. Again, Ea sinenda sunt, quae nullo detrimento aliquoties indulgenda creduntur, & quae rerum temporumque cogit intuitus, velacceleratae provisionis respectus excusat. To this y August. epist. 64. Augustine accordeth, who when the abuse of Martyr's festivities grew to an height, he thought them to be no longer tolerable, upon this reason, res sacrilega non tolleranda. The Schoolmen likewise walk in the same path: the toleration of heretical rites, is not held lawful by them, no not in the raw converts themselves: z Thom. Aquin. 2.2. q. 10. art. 1● no not in the times of weakness but derationabili causa, such as is the good of the Church, or the avoydinge of a worse mischief, meant by Saint Matthew chapter 13. lest ye pluck up corn and all. a a Ibid object. 2. proof being brought from the example of Godly Emperors qui templaidolorum primum claudi, deinde destrui fecerunt, which St Augustine approveth. No reason in the earth then left that these ceremonies should survive, which do they not hurt? Are they not a manifest blemish to our Church? Are they not so far from being such, as the state of the time exacteth, or acceleratae provisionis respectus excuseth, as that presently they must be abolished, if the voice of the time may be heard or their suit that live therein? And if there be any care left to make speedy provision of the churches good? are they not sacrilegious also? Last of all, they do no good, they do draw in mischief, but drive none away: the corn would far better thrive, if they were gone. Fastly, a toleration proceedeth thus, when by reason of the multitude an abuse cannot be redressed, it first setteth upon those that are the more spiritual. than it doth b August. epist. 64. monere till they be won: then are they set to admonish others, till what by their counsel, what by their example all be reclaimed. Now I need not to say, this course is not taken, in this our tolerating old popish rites and customs, when all the world may perceive there is taken a quite contrary to it. no winning here of multitudes from them, that will not leave them: there is an enforcing here of whole multitudes to them who would not have them: no admonishing here to leave them, there is a punishing here of those who do leave them: no encouraging here of those, that are the more spiritual, that they might draw others from them these are first nipped, crushed, and discouraged, as men too forward when they endeavour to draw men from them. Against this and the like courses in Africa a c Concil. Aphric. ●●n. 27● Council thus requested, illud etiam petendum ut quae contra praecepta divina convivia multis in locis exercentur quae ab errore gentili attractae sunt (ita ut nunt à paganis Christiani ad haec celebranda cogantur. ex qua re temporibus Christianorum imperatorum persecutio altera fieri occultè videatur vetari talia iubent. how many things are there here to be observed? A law must be made against all customs which do arise from the old & accustomed error of aliens, none of the Christians must be compelled to the use of them though the aliens themselves be suffered to use them. When the Christians be compelled, it is a show of a secret persecution. this may fall out in the time of godly Princes, if things be not looked to: the aliens themselves, will grow to such height as that they will be able diverse ways to vex and molest the servants of God that will not conform themselves to these their customs. Sixtly, a prudent toleration will consider whether it doth win or no, d Gregor. li. 11. spi. 15. cur judais qualiter Cerem●nias suas colere debeant regulas ponimus, si per hoc eos lu●rari non possumus. so to what end should papists be permitted now to use their ceremonies: or to what end should we ponere regulas how our own Church should use them, seeing the experience of more than forty years doth show, that by this means we can do no good, to gain and win them? For mine own part I never knew papist yet truly converted, but he grew to that religious detestation of popish Crosses which is e Fenarden. in Irenaesi. lib. 1. ca 24 imputed unto Beza, confiteor me Crucifixi imaginem, etiam ex animo detestari. and as I remember on the other side, I have read in the story of France, that the leaguers would never believe, when they had taken any town, that any were Catholics until they did swear and cross hemselues. Indeed the papist cannot think any to be truly converted to this faith, until he do cross himself, by a principle of his faith, which is this, f jacob. Ledesima catechiss. vaux catechiss. Doul. instruction. (that which also they set down in the beginning of every catechism that they make) It is the sign of the cross, that is, the sign, mark, and badge of a Catholic Christiam man, No pretence then to keep in the ceremonies for the winning of the papist. #Sect. 13. The defence of toleration of ceremonies from Act. 15. confuted. THe reply that is wont to be brought against this plea, Sect. 13. is drawn from the example of the Apostles, and primitive Church, who are said to retain certain jewish, and certain hearhenish rites to win them. And here is objected first, the decree made by the Apostles for the retaining of blood and strangled. First, as an old a Wilfridus ap. Bedam. in histor. lib. 1. ca 25 stickler for conformity said once: there is a difference between the rites of Idolaters, which by and by must be thrown away, & the rites of the jews which john and the Apostles observed for a time ad vitandum scandalum. that say I here. there is great difference between the ceremonies of the jews, and the ceremonies of the man of sin, the Antichrist. they were instituted of God, and therefore b August. epist. 19 non continuo deserendae, vel canum morsibus obijciendae: but they were to stay till the Gospel was preached and the people instructed to a leaving of them: and when the day of funeral came (which is c Hieron. Zanch. de viti●s. exter. cult opposite. Thes. 11. p. 40● supposed to be the time of the Temples destruction) then to be laid in the grave with honour: whereas to these there must be applied, what one of our writers d Io Calu●● in act 13. vers. 3. hath, Nunc cum satis contat tales ceremonias, nec vela esse, nec sepulchra, quibus tegitur Christus, sed foetida potius stercora, quibus obruta est sincera fides & religio, qui promiscuè faciunt liberum earum usum, longè plus Papae arrogant quam legi suae Deus concedit. Secondly, the Apostles retained the abstinence from blood and strangled for a time only, during the weakness of the jews: which reason ceasing, they are now e August. quo sup. mortiferae, quocunque, animo quis eas observaverit. as our rites at home in controversy are much more, now that the time of weakness & of first coming out of popery hath overgone us. Even a f Lyra▪ in act. 15. Lyranus himself can comment hereupon, cessant causa, cessat effectus, to show that alien rites must cease, when the cause of their first stay is ceased which is the weakness of them that are to be converted. The g Concil. Aur●hanes. 2. Can. 19.20. Counsel of Orliance some ●oo years after, renewed these ceremonies of blood, and strangled, and it is h Fran. jun. controuer. 3. lib. 4▪ ca 16. nota. 25. & 34. censured as superstitious. Let them look to this, who deserve worse censure for their renewing of these popish ceremonies. l August. epist. 19 August affirmeth, that the observation of jewish Ceremonies was at the first time of weakness, to wit, in the Apostles time approbanda, but this time being once paste, that nunc est detestanda, Let this be considered of them, that not only continue still popish and Antichristian ceremonies, but also impose them. It will be said, the abstinence from blood was still in use after the weakness of the jews was passed: as appeareth by the m Bellarmi. de pontifis. lib 4. ca 16 Fathers. We confess it was but to an other end, which now cutteth the crosses throat, to wit, to avoid the n Fran. jun. ibid. nota. 34.37. offence of the Gentiles, an end drawn proportionally out of the Apostles first decree which prevented the like offence against the jews. And the offence which this abstinence of blood prevented was all show of communion with the Gentiles in bloody sacrifices: for which also the Idolothite was forborn o Origen. count Celsum. lib. 8. Ciril. Cateches▪ 4. Euseb. li. 5. cap. 1. August. epist. 154. Leo ad. Nicet. epist. 79. c 5 together with it. By a proportion drawn (then) from this objection against the Cross: It must be forborn, to avoid all show of participation with the papists, in their superstitious & idolatrous crossing. This decree of the Apostles (say our Opposites) retained in the Church cettaine ceremonies of the jews. but (alas) for their blindness which cannot see, that though some ceremonies of the jews were for a season suffered, yet that the idolothite (such as the Cross and Surplice are) is in the same decree forbidden, and not permitted to remain in use, so much as one hour. Thirdly, Act. 15.29. no human p lun. vb. su. not. 24. & 57 Math. Sutcliu. d● pontlfic, li▪ 4. cap. 6. pa. 334. etc. c. 7. p. 348. law can have like force now to retain Ceremonies popish, as this decree had of the Apostles to retain ceremonies jewish, seeing as it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it came from men, that were authorized extraordinarily not to r William Perk. in epist. jud. err in their decrees, and as it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it came from the King of the Church Christ jesus: and from the most blessed holy ghost-Fourthly, and last of all, the law of the ceremonies now retained, is more heavy than that of the blood and strangled: for as much as it enforceth a necessity of observation which that did not. For Calvins' argument is strong against Bellarmine, seeing the Apostles intendment was, to deliver the Church from the [ s jun. vb. sup. not● 27.29. yoke] of the jews ceremonies, they cannot be deemed in any sense to enact these ceremonies of blood and strangled with an intent to have them observed necessarily. But they call them necessary. This maketh against those, who impose a necessary yoke upon this church in these ceremonies which they acknowledge to be trifles: which if they be they are not necessary to edification, like these ceremonies which the Apostles do enjoin, especially for perpetual continuance which now is sought, which if they be also, they are made more necessary than these Ceremonies of the Apostles, which they held necessary for a time only & no longer: and necessary only so t Whitak. count Durium. lib. 8. pag. 731. far forth as they should edify the weak of the jews, and no further: and necessary propter aliud only, to wit, the word. what that the Apostles u August. count Faust lib. 32. cap. 21. Herman. de tradit. Col 498. eligerunt pro tempore rem facilem, & nequaquam obsernantibus onerosam 〈◊〉 in qua cum Israelitis genies aliquid communiter obseruarent. for even the gentiles were before accustomed to abstain from blood and strangled, especially they which had been, w Harmon Confess. sect. 17. ex confesses. August. pag. 224. domiti à judeis, and were bordering round about them. Whereas these ceremonies received from popery are not easy but burdensome: nor accustomed, which we ourselves have long time used, but uncouth and quite contrary to us: yea they are as the bread of mourning: nay more as gall and as wormwood to our souls. #Sect. 14. The argument of tolerating Ceremonies drawn from Paul's purisying, and the jewish observation of Penticost, confuted. I Come now to the second allegation against us drawn from Paul purifying himself in the Temple: Sect. 14. and observing the feast of the jewish Penticoste, both which conformities to jewish rites, Act. 21.26. Act. 20.16. with every other which he used I join together, gether, because they may a D. Willet. controuer. 9 qu. 8. p. 2 receive one answer. First, this reason runneth with all adiaphorists, both of all times and sorts: Symmachus drew the example of Christ, living in the Nazarites vow as he supposed, out of Math. 2.23. to prove that the observing of jewish rites must be perpetual. The heretical Nazarites proved the same by these examples of the Apostles which we have touched, b Lambert. Dane. in August. de ●●●res. ca 9 Augustinus scribit ex conatam haeresin, quod quae Apostoli concesserunt ad tempus, inter judaeos observari, illi semper eavellent esse retinenda inter omnes Christianos. Let them look to this, who out of these examples of Paul, and of the rest of the Apostles endeavour in like manner to prove a perpetual retention in the church, not of jewish ceremonies, but of popish which are far worse. Sure if they look not well unto it, they will do great hurt by justifying those, who reason from hence in very like manner, not only for an Adiaphorisme (as they in Germany) c Conrade. Schluffell●. come. 13. pag. 520. Apostoli quaedam concesserunt judaeis, ut abstinere à fanguine & suffocato, ergo & nos fratribus & cupientibus iware ecclesiam aliquae concedamus: but also for a Nichodemyisme, for why may not we present ourselves in a popish temple and adstare missificationi (say d Zanch. vb sup. pag 492. Col. 2. Conrade Schlusselb. rom. 12. the Nichodemites now) aswell as he afforded his presence in the temple, of the jewish and stood before their Altars there in the time of their sacrificing? secondly it is doubted, whether Paul's conformity in the temple were lawful or no. there be e Zanch. de vitil● extern cult opposite. Thes. 11. pa. 491 many that condemn it, both of f Tertul. count Martion. lib. 1. cap. 20. Hieron. apist. 89. old and of g Gualt. in Act. 21. homil. 138 Bullenger. comen. in Act. 11. vers. 26. Magdebu●entur. 1. li. 2. ca 10. de vit. Paul. new writers: and with very great show of reason. The jews were Zelo accensi towards the ceremonies of the law. against these Paul hath preached elsewhere: and it is after twenty years, that the Gospel hath now been preached: and God did not bless it: so that his conformity strengthened the perverse zeal of the jews; gave occasion to them, to think he was a dissembler: and lastly, nourished them in their judaisme over long. Receive these reasons, and then conformity to our ceremonies controversed is likewise unlawful, because we know it will harden the papist in his superstition: open men's mouths to report of us, as of turne-coates, keep our own brethren in their popery overlong, and God will not bless it in us, especially who cannot conform without sin against our consciences in his sight. Thirdly, though this conformity of Paul's were lawful, yet is it not able to justify us, because our case and his are diverse in sundry respects. First, this was counseled by james and performed by Paul, upon a supposal the jews were weak, and as yet not well instructed in their liberty from the ceremonies of Moses law: which error of theirs (as h August: epist. 19 Augustine termeth it) their charity in part excused, whereas the papists have been instructed against their idolatry and superstition in these ceremonies, and are grown obstinate in the same. Paul's cause here was the same that it was at Corinth, when he took the vow of the Nazarites, to draw on them, who were though already coming onward. Ours is now against his then, when he would not circumcize Titus to drown them deeper in superstition, who were drenched already in it. Secondly, there is a difference in the tyme. Though the ceremonies of Moses were deprived of life, yet the l Zanch vb. sup. 492. Willet controvers. 6. quest. 3. p. 1 time was not come that they were to be actually buried; their funeral day being past, to wit, the day of the Temples m A manned. Polan. in Dan. 9 verse ruin, (for it was the rubble of the temple under which all the ceremonies of it lay healed and buried) now Paul might not as he might before, conform himself to them, nor in n August. epist. 19 Colum. 76 Augustine's judgement, any man use them, because now tanquam sopitos cineres eruens, non erit pius deductor & baiulus corporis, as Paul was here in his conformity, sed impius potius sepulturae violator. Now the ceremonies controversed, coming not from heaven but from the land of the uncircumcized, we never owed to them any honourable burial which was due to these of the jews: but the burial rather of the uncircumcized, which was to cast them to the Moules and to the backs: Isa. 2.20, 1● and to throw them away like a menstruous cloth. Isa. 30.22. But if for a time they were to be kept to a solemn funeral day, yet who knoweth not, this funeral day ought to have been long since hastened, even as our writers teach. One of them thus: o Gualt. in hunc loc. Act. 21, 26. Docemur hinc quanto incommodent, etc. we are taught hereby how much hurt cometh to the Gospel by those superstitious patrons of ceremonies (he speaketh of them who labour still to keep rites popish above ground) who nourish infirmity of faith, by their too long continuing of them, & sud indulgentid, ardentioribus ministris remoras obijciunt. So another▪ upon pretence of the people's weakness (saith p Bucer. in Math. 18. he) they defer the reforming of popish rites, whereas it is nonce weakness (indeed) but their own that doth withhold them. Ceremonies (saith q Laurenc. Saund. Act & Monument pag. 1494. another) are ordained for man's imperfection, so that popish ceremonies retained, must needs both argue imperfection, and also nourish it. The papist must be healed like the Melancholy man, who was to besmoothed up a while to get credit with him, when he thought his nose was great. howbeit still to have soothed him, now when credit was gotten with him, or when no credit was to be gotten at all, this had been to have nourished his conceit, as we now nourish the conceit of the papists, in that we endeavour to please them still in the use of these ceremonies, now that we see there is no good to be done with them. Thirdly, between our, and Paul's conformity, there is a difference in regard of the place. If Paul conform himself to the ceremonies of the jews, it is at jerusalem, where they have not been r joh Caluin. in Act. 21. vers. 26 preached against, or if preached against at all, yet very remisslie, would he have conformed himself at s joh. Reynold. de Idololat. lib. 1. cap. 4. sect. 18. Antioch, where he himself had preached against them, to the strengthening of the jews in their error, and to the discouradging of the Gentiles, in their zeal? it appeareth by his withstanding of Peter's conformity in that place that he would not: which now is our case: for as much as it is at Antioch that we must conform ourselves: and in those very churches, where they have been disused, where we ourselves have preached against them: where the papist will be encouraged: the christian cooled in his zeal against popery. Fourthly, there is a difference in the end: For Paul was reported to be an Apostata from the law, and in his t August. Zanch. doct willet. vb. suq profanes to have condemned aswell these rites, as he condemned the idolatries of the Gentiles: and it was to wipe away this scandal that he conformeth: thereby to get audience to preach unto them. This end of his we are only to follow by conforming ourselves to all good works, thereby to defeat the imputation of profanes and lose life, which the papists object unto us. in conforming to the ceremonies we cannot follow it, unless our governors will have us show by our conformity to these their badges, that it is false we hate their religion, and condemn it, as idolatrous. fiftly, there is a difference in the subject, and the same double. First, the ceremony in which Paul conformed himself was indifferent, till the total abolishing of all the rest: whereas the cross we hold to be evil, which answer we hold by them, who when a Nichodemite argueth, I may be present at mass aswell as Paul in the temple, give this u Zanch. vb. sup pa. 492. Colum. 2. reply, The mass and popish service, is evil, but Paul's vow was indifferent. Secondly, the ceremony to which Paul conformed, was a moral ceremony: to wit, a ceremony of thanksgiving: it was none of them in which the jews placed then salvation: in regard whereof, it had not then w joh. Galuin. in Act. 21. vers. 16 Fran jun. alibi. been lawful for him to have gone to the brazen altar to offer there an expiatory sacrifice for his sin; that which we must do now if we conform ourselves to the cross. For do not the papists hold him necessary to salvation, and expiatory of venial sin: and meritorious, as hath been showed elsewhere? #Sect. 15. The practice of the prime Church retaining Rites to win them that were without, and to content them that were lately converted, confuted. I Come to a third reply objected against us, Sect. 15. drawn from the example of the primitive church, which retained rites to win them that were without: and to content them that were lately converted. First the prime Church took not this course ordinarily, as hath been showed, and may further appear by Constantine, who first set up the faith of Christ. He would not retain the auncinet Labarum, which the Pagans were accustomed to adore, as the papists have been accustomed (we know) to adore the cross. But he a Zozom. I●. cap. 4. changed it into a cross? true, because than nothing more proper to christian profession, nothing more hated by the Pagans, nothing more separating from the Gentiles, to which end he caused it to be b Nicepth or lib. 7. ca 46 engraven on their armour, ut frequenti hoc spectaculo in c Zozom. ibid. desuetudinem prislinae superstitionis venirent. & ut sensim d Nicap. ibid. ita pertraherentur ad Christi crucifixi religionem. As the Labarum was then abolished (because in former times adored by the Pagans) so ought the sign of the cross now, which the papists have made an idol. And as the sign of Christianity was settled in room thereof (to wit the cross) so now some contrary sign to the cross should rather be used, than the sign of the cross itself: it being become the mark of the beast, & Antichristes ensign. From public courses of 〈◊〉 first church, come we to private. A very e Caesar. Baton. Annal. 〈◊〉 ●n●. 256 papist himself will show us that be●●● Constantine's days, the christians had a care to leave of, the very mourning attier itself, which the pagans used in funerals and in their common garments, whe● need so required, to distinguish themselves by wearing black in those places where they wore white, and by wearing white in those places where they wore black. This duty was not forgotten, no not in the days of Innocentius the▪ who commanded a like distinction between the Christians and the jews, to wit, that the Christians should use one kind of f Council Leteranen. cap. 68 habit, the jews an other, and when the jews came over to the faith, that they should not be permitted to continue any of their old customs, g Ibid. ca 70 Quia scriptum est, maledictus homo qui terram duabus vijs ingreditur, & indui vestis non debet lino lanaque contexta. Secondly, when any old custom of the pagans was retained, it stayed not long: whereupon h Bear. Rhenan. anno●at. in Ter●ul. de Co●on. milit. one speaking of birth days, after the heathenish manner kept, hoc tames si ethnicum aliquando ecclesia toleravit, Concilium Nicenum & sequentia apart damnant: opus a erat olim mulia Christiants indulgere, quae plerumque iam senes ad nostram religionem convertebantur difficulter ea relinquentes, quibus per omnem vitam assueverant, secus est hody. Thirdly, If the rites of the Pagans were continued in the church, they did hurt, to wit, by corrupting the christians doctrine, and by confirming the pagans in their idolatry. Here I fear not, the wont instance of the cross itself retained. l Socrat. histor. Eccles. l. 5. c. 17. The Greek T. which doth bear some form of the cross, was one of the hieroglyphical letters which the Priests of Serapis used: and it signified in their mysteries, vitam venturam, life to come. When Serapis was defaced, this letter of his scaped better than his fellows, because the christians changed, and turned it into a cross. whose example why should we not follow (say some) now, and so change the popish cross into the cross which our Church useth? First, if this course of the christians be justified, it is because this hieroglyphical letter retained gave testimony of the christian faith like the m I●●●. altar at Althens; which doth the sign of the cross now? No, it giveth witness of the faith of Antichrist rather, whose mark it is since become. Secondly, this course of borrowing a cross from Pagans, is by our writers often censured. n D. Fulk. ag Saund. de imag. c. 13. p. 663. thus one: The mystical letter in the Temple of the Idol Scrapis, could have no relation to the cross of Christ, which the idolaters knew not: therefore the folly of those ecclesiastical writers is bewrayed, that thought christianity much helped by such heathenish and superstitious fancies. Thirdly, as another o Calfh. ag. Mart. in art. 5. fol. 129. writeth, though the Cross did good then amongst the Heathens that had before hand an high estimation of it, and might in like case do good again, yet among Christians where Christ crucified is daily preached, and aught to be known without such external means, great folly it is to have it. And so far of the scandal which the sign of the cross giveth to the Papist. #Sect. 16. The second sort of men whom Cerem offend, are Separistes, of whom more regard aught to be had then of a Turk or jewe. A Second sort of men abroad, whom the ceremonies retained offend, are these of the separation, of whom we are to have as great care as of a Turk or a jew I trust. we hate popish & Lutheran images, because they offend the Turks & the jews, not remembering that the cross, and the rest of the ceremonies controversed, do give as much offence to those of the separation, which doth more nearly touch our church. Thus one of our a Zanch de imag. Thes. 3. p. 315. writers, Negare non potest, etc. It can not be denied, but that the presence of images in the church doth partly offend the godly, & partly confirm the wicked in their impiety, as papists, jews & Turks: howbeit in a divers manner. the papists are confirmed by retention of images, which without adoration, are set up in churches. the jews and the Turks they offend, because our retaining of images in our churches, is one of the chief impediments whereby they are detained from being converted to our christian religion, ut narrant omnes. Translate this now to the ceremonies controversed, and the case is all one. for the image set up add decorum only, may as lawfully be excused in the impediment which he offereth to Turk & jew, as these ceremonies may when they hinder that they of the separation do not join in communion & fellowship with us ut narrant omnes, nay ut narant ipsi, and the books which they have written. contemn their scandal with what conscience can we: who so much condemn the papist for the very same scandal which he offereth to Turks & jews? They b D▪ willoe▪ contro 9 q 5. art. 3. hear from us, that a jew sailing on the Rhine told M. Georg Wiseheart, c john Fo● in ein. histor. p. 1269. col. ●. that the let which hindered him & others of his nation from the christian faith, were the images which they saw in the churches of the christians. They hear from us that Paulus Riccius a learned jew, d Hospin. de re templar. tit. de imag. P. Morn. de Eu harist. baptised at Papia, did protest that they were the christians images that kept the jews from Christ. Last of all they hear e Calfh ag. Mart. praefat fol. 15. from us that the f Histor. Turcie. annexa alcho rano c. 10. Legate of the Turk at Chios, & Haumar the Saracen long ago, & the Turks to this g Matth. Sulclivi. Turco papism lib. 1. c. 4 hour, dash all the reasons that can be brought for christian tie by the instance of images in Christian churches what needeth more? This showeth these ceremonies must be thrust out, because like images they hinder Separators from the unity of the faith, according to the common tenant, h P Martyr. loc. communi. deimag. sect. 24. ea in templis non sunt habenda, qua à Christi religione avocant homines. Secondly, the scandal which the ceremonies give to the Separators is greater than that which is given by images to Turks and jews: first, is the scandal small which is given them by the slovenly performance of God's service, by dumb dogs and scandalous ministers, with idolatrous attire, & with idols themselves? let then the scandal of Hophni and Phineas be little too, when they made the people to loathe the sacrifice of the Lord. Secondly, there is an old Canon, that a priest should not be put to public penance though he deserved it, ˡ ne grex fidelis in eo scandalum patiatur: and our Reverend Fathers accordingly use now to cover the offences of priests conformed, 1. Sam 2.17 Council Carthag●● 3. Can 30 and all to avoid the scandal (forsooth) which might ensue upon their public & condign punishment. This shall condemn them, if they proceed to offer scandal to the Separators, not only by not covering the deserved faults of Preachers, but also by imputing to them faults which (the Lord knoweth) they never knew. Thirdly, m August in Psal 49. cùm detrabitur bonis ab his, qui videntur alicuius momenti esse, & docti esse in scandalum cadunt infirmi, qui adhuc nesciunt judicare. The Prophet Hosea reckoneth this amongst the greatest sins of Israel, for which it was shortly to be captived, that by their continual invectives, the priest was become an hatred and offensive in the house of his God. ●●●os. 9 ●. Now, is it not so, that by the slanders of unclean mouths, & by the daily revile of inveighing pulpits, the most zealous, painful & profitable Preachers in the eyes of the Separators, are made an hatred & offence to their no small offence and scandal: when to this there is added a thrusting of them out of the house of their God, them is their scandal much increased. For what more common in their mouths then this, It can not be that in a true Church one should persecute another. Fourthly, this was their sin, who did eat Idolothious meat, n August. de morib Manicheor. l. 2. c. 14. infirmos offendebant, non ijs congruendo & faciebant ut putarent eos qui fide omnia munda iudicabant in obsequium idolorum à talibus epulis & potu nolle abstinere. Sith (then) it is evident, that by our use of these Idolothites, the Separatist is scandalised, with an opinion that we grace popery by them, why do we not leave them, that so we may congruere with them, as our duties is to do? #Sect. 17. The third scandal given by Ceremonies, is to the Members within the Church. THE third scandal which the ceremonies offer, is to the members of the church within: where (first of all) they offend the ministers and the Pastors, who are principal members of it. Heb. 13.17. Many of these are brought to an Acedia by them: as in the works of their ministery, so in the duties of christian life: as grief (we know) maketh unprofitable in the service of God & of the Church. others are brought to a crossing and conforming without faith, & so to sin. what reason then to trouble the minds of men for such trifles? It is replied, that we are not indeed to trouble the minds of the weak, about such indifferent things, but these fellows be not weak, they take upon them, to teach the learned themselves of the land, at the least being a The examine. of the declarat. of the M. of Lond. persuaded in greater matters, they may (if it please them) be persuaded in these the lesser. which if they will not be nor cannot, what good are they like to do in the church? First, there is weakness in the strongest during this life, that God's power may be made known in weakness: that man's imperfection may appear, Gal. 6.2. & that there may be place for charity to bear one an others burden. Secondly, strong men otherwise for doctrine, Rom. 14. have been left by God to weakness, in things indifferent. as the Romans were resolved in greater matters of faith, who yet could not persuade themselves, about meats which were indifferent. Science which contemplateth good & evil in general, and Prudence which discerneth in things particular, what is convenient and what is inconvenient, are two b Tho. Aquin. ●. 2 q 47. art. 5 & comment in Philippens. lict. 1. distinct virtues, even as they are mentioned in the 1. Col. 1.9.23. vers. Ephes. 1. ●. Philip. 1.9. word for divers: and God giveth not every gift to every one: yea, of these 2. Cor. 12.8. two, he giveth an excellency of the one to some, of the other, to others: so that men may for their science, be profitable ministers, and yet fail of that measure of prudence, whereby to judge of a particular use of indifferent things, wherein others do excel them. They beyond the seas, judge they not many of our ministers incomparable in doctrine, but weak in the discipline? Our Opposites themselves, admire they not many beyond the seas for their doctrine, whom yet in the discipline they despise. Thirdly, there is no reason to count resolution in ceremonies a matter easy, there have been about c Bellarm▪ de effect. Sacrament. c. 31. proposit 4. them from the beginning, very great controversies among the greatest. often (aiso) more about them then about matters of the faith. so an whole church, d Confess Eccles. Mansfild. aedit an no 1560. ap. Conrade. Schlussel. burg. tom. 13. p. 526. sic fieri solet, ut semper adiaphora, maiores excitent tumultus, quam ipsa doctrina. they prove it by these instances: the Prophets had more to do, to dispute against human traditions, them to deliver the true doctrine. Christ in his time had many bicker against the ceremonies of the pharisees. In the time of St August in, tanta fuerunt certationes de traditionibus humanis, & rebus indifferentibus, ut secuta sit inde miserabilis vastitas in ecclesia, of which he complaineth (say they) in his answer ad inquisitiones januarij lib. 1. cap 2. They proceed, nec dubitamus affirmare, quandocunque tandem erit concilium plus nobis facesset negoiij controversia de adiaphoris, quam tota doctrina. and they give two reasons hereof: the first is, because men contemn the simplicity of God's service, & are delighted with the magnificence and with the splendencie of rites and ceremonies, ut expleantur aures & oculi. Et quidam veluti habitus nudo per se cultui accommodetur. whereupon they assume, that ornament of ceremonies qui fuit adhibitus in papatu, etiumsiipsas ceremonias non probant. The second is, because divers men do hope, by admitting & multiplying the adiaphora, to mitigate, content, and appease the papists. Against the first of these (say they) we must hold fast this consolation, that God doth choose & love that, which is base & abject in the eves of the world. Against the second, that omnes spes, de placatione hostium, frustra sunt, because they will never rest in our admission of their indifferent things until the whole body of their falsehoods be received withal. To leave this church, go we to the greatest lights of the former churches, where we shall find that many profitable for the ministery, have not been able (often times) to be persuaded in things indifferent. as the controversy of Easter showeth. in which, Neque e Euseb. histor. lib. 5. c. 23. Anicetus, Polycarpo persuadere poterat, nec Polycarpus Aniceto suasit. Take another instance in the fast of a Sabbath day (where scripture speaketh neither one way nor other. Is this easy to be resolved, f August. Epist. 86. ad Caesul●●. when once controversy is moved about it? No, interminabilis est ista contentio (saith August.) generans lights, non finiens quaestiones. There may another instance be given in the controversy about long hair of Monks: of which August. again, g August. l. de opere. Monachor. c. 33. Existunt inter fratres infirmiores & firmiores, amarissimae & periculosissimae contentiones: quod illi, fortè si scirent, hoc quoque sine dubitatione corrigerent; quorum caetera & miramur & amamus. Are there no profitable ministers, that cannot persuade themselves in our retail of popish ceremonies, Quorum caetera, & miramur, & amamus? then are there no profitable Ministers neither through out Germany, France, Helvetia, and the rest of the Churches. One speaking about popish rites & ceremonies retained in our church, h Alexand. Alice. in proem. leirurg. Anglic. magna & ardua res est indicium (saith he). And as for the addition of the cross to baptism, an proceres in ecclesia (saith l Herman Hamelman. de tradit, p. 1. l. 5. in fine. another) addere aliquid debeant in Sacramentis, magna est quaestio. In which language another speaketh likewise, m Chemnit. Exam. p. 2. de rit p. 37 cùm ipse silius Dei Sacramenta ita instituerit, ut ea certis à se institutis ritibus, praeceperit administrari, valde ardua est quaestio, an hominibus permissum sit, alios praeterea quocunque consili● superaddere. Indeed though adherent circumstances (which one calleth n A Hiper. non sacramentales) be in the church's disposition, as time, place, etc. yet of inherent that belong to the manner of administration, as eating, giving, etc. or to the matter administered, such as the elements are, and the signs which are ceremoniae sacramentales, he that doubteth not whether the church may add or no, he may perchance come too near the jesuitical o Bellarmi. de Effect. Sacram. c. 31. assertion, Christ ordained but a few ceremonies about the Sacraments, of purpose to leave the adding of more, to the Pastors of the Church. And is it an easy question to be resolved on, that the Magistrate hath authority to diminish from the signs? Now he may aswell diminish as add, in all proportion. #Sect. 18. The 4. scandal of the Cerem. is that they offend all sorts of men among the people. A Fourth scandal give the ceremonies in that they offend all sorts of men among the people. The first sort is of them, who as yet cleave to their old mumpsimus. where their ancient cross most dear, how doth it confirm them? The Israelites must needs have a calf, for a sign of God's presence, it is because of the old a Ios. Simler. in Exod. 32. joh. Caluin. in Act. 7.1. Cronic. 17.6. 1. King. 22 44. twang of Egyptes' idolatry, which yet sticketh in their stomachs. jehosaphat forbiddeth the high places, yet the people will use them still: which incorrigibleness of theirs must be greater in a cross, then in a calf or high place, because it hath the commendation of antiquity aswell as it, & the Magistrates command too boot. Because the b Hospin. de origin. templor. c. 1. viscus of an old Oak, was among the Heathens of old accounted signum à Deo electae arboris, therefore the converted Christians could not be waned, no not from buying with their money this prisca stultitia. so that the cross counted of old signum à Deo electum, yea sanctified with Christ's own blood, and being commanded by law beside, how mad will men be upon it? The Gnostickes, have they images like the Heathen? then will they grow at last to c Epiphan. ●●●res. 27. perficere Gentium mysteria about them. The papists, have they images after the manner of the Gentiles? then will the Gentiles superstition be sound in them. as one of their own, d Ludoui●. vives in August. de civita. Dei. l. 8. c. vlt. non video in multis quod sit discrimen inter corum opinionem de sanctis & id quod Gentiles putabant de suis dijs. In like manner, have the people a popish cross in use amongst them? they will use it no otherwise, than papists use it many of them, Quicquid lex praetexat (as one of e Beza. Epi●●. 8. our writers speaketh) or what divers use soever it prescribeth. what meaneth else their decking of crosses in gang-weeke? their feasting and reveling every holly-roode day? and their keeping of that day holy to the honour of the cross? their sewing of red crosses over right the hearts of the dead under their shrouds, their open proclaiming the child wanteth his christendom when he is not crossed? their putting off those children out of their wills & out of their reversions, who were not crossed when they were baptised, as if they were no better than pagans? their making of a cross in their own foreheads, when now the child is to be crossed, and their making of a low courtesy at the font while he is a crossing, with the like pranks many? To these it is first replied, that we are to judge the best of the minds and of the meanings of the people: which being the same that f Mort of the cross art 10. martial pretendeth when the people do adore the cross, it deserveth the same answer which Doct. Fulke giveth him, Let me then not judge amiss (neither) when I see a Priest kissing an barlot. but as the Canon law commandeth me, let me think he doth it to bless her. Secondly, it is replied, that this being but an event of the ceremonies not intended, bringeth on us no guilt of sin: as when Augustine thus, h August. in epist. 154. ad Publi ●. non reus est mortis aliena qui suae possessioni murum circumduxerit si aliquis ex ipsius ruinis percussus intereat: neque reus est christianus si bos eius aliquem feriendo & equus caleem iaciendo aliquem occidat: & ideo non debent christiani boves habere cornua, aut equi ungulas, aut dentes canes. First, this excuseth, when it is good, and when it is necessary that which we do, not otherwise, as it appeareth in the words following: Absit ut ea qua propter usus nostros facimus & habemus si quid per haec praeter nostram voluntatem cuique mali acciderit nobis imputetur: whereas the cross & the rest of the ceremonies are unnecessary, yea evil, as hath been said. Secondly, this holdeth in events, non praecogitatis, not otherwise, si l Tho. Aquin. 1.2. q. 21. art. 5 eventus sit praecogitatus manifestum est quod addit ad malitiam actus. cum. n. aliquis cogitans quod ex opere suo multa mala possint sequi nec propter hoc dimittit ex hoc apparet voluntatem eius esse magis inordinata. For example, a man hath a wall that is likely to fall, & he amendeth it not, nay he compelleth men to go under it: or a beast doth use to gore, and he doth not tie him up, nay he constraineth men to go unto him, this man is guilty of what hurt followeth by his wall and by his beast: seeing (then) our governors cannot but see, that hurt followeth of these ceremonies, and they not only suffer them to stand, or permit them to go abroad but also compel men to undergo them, and to go to them, can they be guiltless? especially considering, that m Decret. Hormis. Pap. ap. Concil. tom. 2. p. 365. ipsa est fidei innocentia ut provideat, ne vol casu possit errare. Thirdly, the event maketh none guilty, that is per accidens or when it followeth in rarissimis only the event n The. Aquin. ibid. cuius virtus praeexistebat in eo quod agitur. and which followeth, ut in pluribus, this doth make guilty. Now this event followeth the cross, and the rest of the ceremonies in men, addicted to their old customs, ut in pluribus. and the cross hath a virtue in it: for it is a monument of idolatry, and therefore is a snare (saith God) to infect the heart. It is also a lay man's book, and the same evil, Deut. 7.25. and ill books must be burnt, Act. 19.19. see Rhem. annotat. ibid. if they do but contain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much more if they contain superstitious doctrine o Synod. Constantinop. 5. collat. 5. p. 530. per hoc. n. radix impietatis amputabitur ne in posterum erroris semina generentur, ad errorem simplicium qui facile ad illius laqueos collabantur. Our Opposites hold the ceremonies to be teachers of good things, we have proved them to be teachers of bad, so that the eventes that follow of them must be eventes per se, even as the events of good writing and teaching, are events p Tho. Aquin. ibid. in respon ad. 2. 1. Thess. 2.15.16. per se redounding to the reward of the writer and the teacher. These ceremonies drive out good Preachers, therefore they come within the censure of the Apostle: with whom though they that drove Preachers away, intended not that the Gentiles should not be saved, yet because of this their fact it followeth that they are not saved, therefore this event is imputed to them, as if they had intended it. The harlot intendeth not, that her lovers shall die by her adultery, Pro. 6.26. yet because death is an event that most usually followed of it, therefore it is imputed to her, that she hunteth after his precious soul: so that it is nothing that our governors intend not the death of any by the harlot the cross, as long as death doth follow from the scandal of it. Once more. A man may ask (saith a q Ribera i● Amos. c. 2. ●●m. 19 jesuit) why the Prophet Amos saith, they went in to a maid to defile mine holy name. seeing they went not in to her with a mind to violate God's name, but to have pleasure. Touching this thing (saith he) the canon is out of the words of Chrysostome, Homil. 66. and 80. in johan, that the scriptures phrase putteth the event for the cause. Thirdly, it is replied, that if it be thus with the people, than the ceremonies are the more to be tolerated and let alone, by Aagustines' example, r August. Epist. 119. ad Ianu●●● multa buiusmodi propter nonnullarum vel piarum vel turbulentarum personarum scandala devitanda liberius improbare non audeo. We say not it is thus with the people, but with the popishly minded: about whom we need not Augustine's fear or care: besides the ceremonies are such as may not be suffered ad evitandum scandalum, by the doctrine above delivered; we must rather imitate s Iosta● Simler. in exod. 32. Hur; who chose rather to be stoned by the people, then to yield to them in the calf. we must not be as Aaron was, who yielded to the multitude, which yielding a very t Canus. loc. Theologic. lib. 11. c. 6. 1. Cor. 8.12. Papist himself condemneth in Augustine and others, when he saith their scriptae are not perfecta, for that they did indulgere vulgo. This for the scandal of the popishly affected. The second rank of the people containeth such as be zealous, & these we scandalise through grief in the use of the ceremonies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hindering their zeal. By this latter we bring on ourselves Peter's fault in his conformity, which was u joh. Reynol. de Idolat l. 1 cap. 4. sect. 18. retardare zelum of the late couverted Gentiles: and so to incur the reproof of them who do w Gualt. in Act. 21. Gal. 5.7. remoras obijeere ardentioribus by their retaining of popish ceremonies, if not also the Apostles curse, our brethren ran well, who are these that have hindered them? By the former we incur the censure of the Council of Eliberis, which forbiddeth to conform to the pagan ceremony of lighting tapers at the monuments of Martyrs upon this reason, x Concil. Elibetin. can. 39 sanctorum spiritus non sunt inquietandi. doth not our conformity to popish ceremonies disquiet now the hearts of the saints, as much as that conformity of theirs unto the Gentiles? For this is the disquieting which the Council there forbiddeth in the judgement of the most y Vasq. de adorat. lib. 3. disput 3. cap. 7. Durant de rit. etc. learned, among the very papists themselves. The third rank of the people containeth such as be weak, and these this controversy troubleth now, Act. 15.19.24. as much as the weak were once encumbered, about the ceremonies of Moses law. While they doubt which side they should condemn: whether the one for their cruelty in pursuing their brethren for these trifles; or the other for their niceness to stand on trifles: for these are their censures on both. they end in a loathing of the ministery of both: yea of the whole religion. They are also hereby inclined towards Antichrist both by the reducing itself of the ceremonies of which Melancthon, though he were a counsellor of conformity in the German adiaphorisme, z P. Melanc. in epist. ad Christophor. Carlowit●. Nihil tam tenerum est, nihil facilius iurbatur quam innovatio in mentibus hominum (he meaneth the innovation of the popish trash reduced) nec maius ullum malum est, nec atrior ullus dolor quam innovationis languefactio. and then by the common opinion which is had of this reducing, like to that which was had, to wit, that we are à a Lib. concord. ap. Conrard. Schlusselburg. tom. ●3. pa. 599. vera Evangelij doctrina, paulatim recessuri. The first reply to this denieth there is any such effect wrought by the ceremonies: which, when it was replied once in the German adiaphorisme, it was answered first by Augustins authority in multitudine ceremoniarum, periclitatur fides, & then by experience, for as the white and pale colour of the inhabitants is a sign sufficient that the air is unhealthy, so the indifferency of religion, and the lithernes of profession against popery, which is found in those places where these ceremonies are in greatest estimate, is a sign sufficient they are unwholesome to the soul. others thus reply unto it: The b Libel. supplicator. Theolog. ann. 1561. apu. Courad. Schlussel. tom. 13 p. 594. apocalypse teacheth, that after the revealing of the gospel, there shall other Angels follow that shall command to come out of Babylon, & forbid to receive any of her marks or badges. Woe (therefore) to them, that shall extenuate the fights and combats of these Angels, or go about to stop their mouths. For if the revealing of Antichrist be an unspeakable benefit of Gods, than an adiaphoristical collusion with him, which is contrary to the same, must needs include much impiety: Plurimum (enim) Antichristi patefactionem obscurat. Sure from hence we have this evil unto this day, that many altogether doubt, whether the pope be the Antichrist or no. The second reply e The Examim. of the declarat. of the Minister● of Lond. throweth the fault on us, we seed not the weak people with milk, nor condescend unto their weakness, as we ought: we should have used the ceremonies to please them, than would they have profited more by our teaching, in which also we might have instructed them that these ceremonies are not imposed for the Pope's sake, but for obedience to the civil Magistrate. First our forbearance of conformity is a necessary duty, there is (therein) no fault of any scandal in us, either towards the weak or any sort of people else. d Terrul de veland. virgia. Scandalum (ni fallor) non bonae rei, sed mali exemplum est. Bonae res neminem scandalizant, nisi malam mentem. Secondly, by the use of the ceremonies we should not feed the people with milk, but with antichrist's leaven; or if with milk, yet not with milk unmixte. 1. Pet. 2.1. whereas these ceremonies are denied to be a milk mixed with the leaven of Antichrist, because they are conmaunded only as things indifferent, & not as any necessary whorships of Gods, as Antichrist commandeth them, we reply with the German Divines, e Ap. Conrade. Schlusselburg. tom. 13. p. 599. si quamdetalia sub titulo & praetextu externarum rerum adia phorarum proponuntur, quae licet alius color illis inducatur, revera verbo Dei adversantur ea nequaquam pro rebus Adiaphoris habenda, sed tanquam verbo Dei prohibita vitanda sunt. Thirdly, this objection supposeth, that we offend the people, because we displease them, & will not let them have their desire, whereas the sick craving and calling for things hurtful, are then most offended when they have that they ask for (as none more offended julius the third, than they that pleased him f Onuphri. in julio 3. capis è Caietta advectis, & with other gross meats which he desired) are not the weak sick in soul? Are not these gross ceremonies fert from Rome? too gross a feeding for them that be soul sick? Fourthly, where are the people strong, if not where we have laboured? where weak, if not where our Opposites have been over them? for we see fulfilled with our eyes which Bucer foresaw, where the Gospelis preached, these shadows of Antichrist vanish away, he meaneth in regard of love and good liking. #Sect. 19 The fift scandal that Ceremo. give, is against the whole Church and Gospel which it professeth. THe fift scandal which is given by the ceremonies is against the whole church of God, and the gospel which it professeth. Sect. 19 our conformity being now the very same which Peter was, who then scandalised the gospel, when he conformed to the ceremonies of the jews: for which even by a papist himself he is censured thus, a Tho. Aquin. in Gal. c. 2. lect. 3. veritas nunquam dimittenda est propter timorem scandali. In publicum ergo crimem incurrit Petrus, neque levem dedit Paulo reprehendendi occasionem, sci. periculum Evangelicae veritatis. Now these ceremonies hurt the Gospel many ways. First they help to the restoring of popery in time to come: which as it groweth up, the Gospel must go down, like as we see in a pair of scales. consider what our own b Homil. ag. peril. of Idolac. p. 3. Homilies by law established: A man must have regard of posterity & therefore no Image must be suffered in the Church, nor any remnant of popish idolatry by causse though n●w they be not honoured, yet there is danger for time to come. Gedeons' Ephed is ill suffered to stand still, if it be but for future danger. and the Altars of the high place must down, lest hereafter they should hurt. And Moses body must be buried out of the way, to prevent occasion of future idolatry. judg. 8. Exod. 20.25. Deut. 34.6. Gen. 34.2. Reg. 23.13. that which also must be done with Rahells' images. Salomons Temples stand now forlorn, yet must they be razed because in time they may recover credit again. & so must the temples of the heathens, of which one thus, c P. Martyr● loc. common. de imag. sect. 24. etiam extera etc. Images must not be kept whole, no not out of the church, because if there be a change they will be restored again. Constantine the great shut up the temples of the Gods, but razed them not. These julian the Apostata opened again; which if they had been overthrown before, non tam facilè reaedificari potuissent, which Theodosius and other Princes marking, either they razed them altogether, or granted them to the uses of Christians. Gratian removed the Ara victoriae which stood in Curia Senatoria, and at which the Senators were wont to be sworn for fear of danger in time to come. Symachus sued to Valentinian who succeeded to have it restored: the christians themselves that were of his counsel yielded: those the Emperor accused perfidiae, and further replied, d Carol. Sigon. de Imper. occidental. lib. 9 quomodo quod frater eripuit me reddere suadetis, cùm & religionem laesurus sim & fratrem, à quo nolo pietatis officio superari? These ceremonies laedunt fidem, & laedunt fratres in other churches that have removed them, and they will be a mean to re-edify popery magis facile. they embolden the popish Symachùs, not only to hope, but also to sue for toleration: and they are a root of bitterness to defile many in time. and lastly, a stompe of the popish tree remaining to make it reflorish at last again. Heb. 12.15 Dan. 4.12. I conclude (therefore) with that saying of Zisca the famous e Ludonie. Lavat. in Deuteron. leader of the Thaborites. diruendi sunt etiam ipsi ciconiarum nidi neredeant. Secondly, these ceremonies hurt the gospel in regard of the present prosperity of it, and that many ways, which I will set down in order out of one f Flaccus. Illirie. in lib. de Adiaph. of our writers. First the ceremonies are the sinews of popery in which they place the whole sum of their religion. neither is it possible these foundations of their superstitious standing to keep away from us their superstition. we see our Preachers are scarce able to hiss out abuses, when the foundations of abuses are abolished. nothing more light than the foolish multitude, which can not be kept within the bounds of their duty, no not when all occasions of impiety are taken away: how much less than can they be contained, when occasion shall be restored. Secondly, these ceremonies breed discord and strife. which weakeneth the gospel, devideth the church, and giveth advantage for popery to grow. Thirdly, these ceremonies both keep out Preachers and turn out preachers until the flocks be left without shepherds, yea left to wolves or hirelings. Fourthly, the zealous when they see these ceremonies reinforced, which they have despised, will loathe the service of God the more, the simple who will think the worse of all the religion, because they will indge summan● esse lenitatem ministrorum, qui iam abrogant ceremonias pontificias & extreme vituperant, iam verò easdem restituunt. Fiftly, when the Minister yieldeth to these ceremonies, he being their captain, and thus shrinking, it cometh to pass what Chabrias said once, Better an army of hearts with a Lion to their Captain, than an army of. Lions with an Hart to their Captain. the people are most unwilling to suffer, though there be never so great need, & when they can draw the inconstancy of their Minister to cloak their coldness, they think they have excuse sufficient. and the Minister himself whatsoever need should be, can not exhort them unto perseverance and to suffering: if he do, his words move not, because he is but held a turncoat. Sixtly, these ceremonies hinder the refutation of popery in the pulpit, they make men believe Preachers are too vehement against the papists, as the Interim when it came forth, made men to say of Martin Luther, he was not a man of moderation. they make the people believe also, that the vehement and zealous Preachers against popery, are Stoics and precise, and inhuman, and too strict and severe, even as the German Preachers were judged of at the same time. Seventhly, by reason of these ceremonies, the people will be induced to say as they did once when popish ceremonies did re-enter in Germany, we perceive now the Pope is not so black as Luther made him: and that we may come to some agreement if we will: so by these means the Preachers labouring to season men's hearts with an hatred of popery, will see their labours come all to nothing. eightly, our yielding to the ceremonies, will draw others by our example against their consciences, for that the German Epiphonema will be taken up again, vide quid illi num tu es illis doctior aut sanctior, qua machina constat partim oppugnatas, partim subrutas Ecclesias tum in Germania, tum in Hungaria. Ninthly, These ceremonies yielded to by us, will make the sons of Gath to rejoice, and the daughters of the Philistines to triumph, which were little discretion in us, if the old rule hold, neque tu tuae occasioni deses, neque svam hosti Dei. They make accounted that their side shall now go up, & that as many as return to their ceremoni. are coming towards them, & will be wholly theirs in the end, even as Luther was wont to say, papistae nostras concessiones intelligunt largè, largius, largissimè suas. a. strictè strictius, strictissimè quod cum sctant nostri Theologi, tanto malo occasionem dare non deberent. And the libertine, who maketh more account of his swine then of Christ, will hereby count himself freed from all care of religion, as which he seethe left in the suds, even by the chief professors themselves, when once they come ad vocem ancillae. for let a Minister but conform (who before was zealous) and who will think better of him than of one that is arundo vacua inclinans ad quemvis ventum? Here I apply not to our Reverend Fathers, what once was spoken of this scandal, yet think I it fit to set it down that they may consider of it, g Hilar. l. 1. contra Constant. defunct. only dogs treturne to their vomit, and will you compel the ministers of Christ to sup up those things which they had spit forth? Tenthly, & last of all, there be not preachers enough in the land (men say) and therefore the Nonresidents & the dumb dogs must continue: what wound (then) will there be given in this want, when the subscription shall sweep out a great part of them which ordinarily preach on every Sabbath? that which will follow hereof is this: the people will return to their old lipp-labour, which now for the want of preachers, is said to be found in the Greek church. if their priests (saith h David. Chytre. in praerat. Antelection Chtonie. one) can read the common Orologie, they count nothing more required to the duty of a true Pastor. And if the people hear it read, or read it themselves in private, they think nothing unperformed which true devotion requiteth of them. This who seethe not, in great part, is come upon our church already? but this may suffice for the murder of ceremonies through scandal. #Sect. 20. The third murder of the Cross is thorough home contention. FRom the crosses murder of the body through cruelty: of the soul through scandal, we are to come now to a third murder of them both, through contention. For the home dissension which these ceremonies have raised amongst us, hath brought forth no fewer evils than the contention of Nazianzens days, of which so tragically he a Gregor. Nazianz. in Apalog. complaineth. whither we respect the consuming quite of all remnant of love at home, or our growing contemptible to papists, hateful to the churches abroad, or the loss of our name & credit among the better sort of our brethren or their building on our backs that are lewd, while what we object one against another, they catch greedily to the common disgrace of us all. It being so, 2. Sam. 20.21. who is wise amongst us to cut of the make bats head, that the inheritance of the Lord be no longer troubled, the peaceable in Israel no longer pursued, Psal. 35.20. nor the quiet of the land molested. b joachim. Vadian. in jovia. Claudius' the Emperor was unjust: they were the jews that raised the tumult in Rome, but he exiled and banished the christians as if they had been the authors of it. To prevent the like injustice now, we crave of every in different man before he condemn us, for the authors of this dissension which is in our Church, to hear with patience this our Apology and defence: 1. King. 17.18. Fir●te, it is no contention to contend for the truth, or to labour to purge corruptions out of the Church, in regard whereof, john. c. 4. we can no more be accused for troubling the Land, who endeavour to cleanse it of all relics of superstition than Elias could when he cleansed Israel from the Altars of Baal: or be blamed more than the Angel was to be blamed for troubling the water, sith it is to cure the sicknesses and diseases of the Church that we do trouble it. Let there be considered here the similitude which c Gelas. in epist. ad Anastas. August. Gelaesius useth: It is the quality and condition of the sick, to accuse his Physician rather than to repress his own hurtful lusts & humours: but if we be proud who minister a salve for health, quid vocandi sunt qui resultant? If we be proud who say there must be obedience yielded to God's word, qui refragantur, quo appellandi sunt nomine? If we be proud, qui divinum cultum pùro atque illibato copimus tenore servari, what are they to be called, who defile it with the things unclean of Antichrist? ubi spiritus superbiae veraciter pugnet, veritas ipsa indicat. It must be the truth that must be judge which side is contentious. A strange thing (cry our Opposites here) that men should be found crying out for truth in a church that professeth the truth, Zeph. 1.4. & under pretence of the gospel, breeding disturbance in such peace of the gospel, as by the infinite blessing of God our land at this time enjoyeth. As if under josias himself that great reformer of the church, there were not remnants of Baal left, against which a Zephaniah is bound to contend & strive, until they be removed & cleansed? the very idolatrous garments themselves of the Chemarims not excepted: as bad as which, the Cope & the Surplice are, or else our d Gualt. in Sophon. ho nil 2. writers are deceived. Thus one of them, even when the Magistrate retaineth rites of baptism popish, it is the duty of the Minister to e Z●nch. in Epist. ad Philippens cap. 1. doctrine. 2. d●cere publicè & privatim quid faciendum sit, modo placidè & prudenter hoc fiat, absque seditione & turbatione ecclesiae. Secondly, wise men will remember the loving consent, wherein the Pastors laboured together, in the beginning of Eliza. days: at which time, seeing there was no such hammering noise in our temple, no● cry in our streets (I speak in comparison) till the subscription stepped in like an Usher, & cried room for the ceremo. they will (I doubt not) judge this subscript. & conformity, to be the very evil spirits that have divided Sichem. So Paul judgeth the circumcision to be the concision, because the stir began about it, whereas the church was quiet before. When joab was accused by Abner, for devouring th'inheritance of the Lord by civil dissension, judg. 9.23. he excuseth himself thus, who provoked? which now is our Apology, who would be quiet in our places, but cannot be suffered. who strike neither first nor second blow, Philip. 3.2. nor offer any occasion of strife, but suffer only, & only defend, & that with a quiet Apology only. 2. Sam. 2.27. & deserve not so much as that complaint that we do not totum telum recipere. when did we ever offer to drink above them, who now tear us in pieces for troubling their waters? when ever refused we to bow down our backs to them, although they have fetched the blood with their spurs in which case, is there not f joh. Sarisburiens. Exra. 4.15. leave given even to Balaams' ass herself to open her mouth? Thidly, it is not nothing, that it may be objected, The city hath been of old seditious now thus a whole church: g Harm. confess sect 17. ex confesses. Saxonica p 228. 8. August. 223. the necessity of imposing ceremo. is that which hath bred contention from time to time. let it be examined whether there was not more peace in the primitive church, when no h Socrat histor. lib. 5. cap. 22. laws of an necessary observation in rites and ceremonies were enacted? Let it be examined on the other side, since a necessity of rites and ceremonies hath been imposed, what controversies from time to time have been in the church about them? judge by the first tumult of all the rest: Victor goeth about to throw a necessity of conformity upon the churches in observing Easter day: did not Irenaeus reprove him for this tanquam pacis perturbatorem, which our l Morton. Apolog. p. 2. lib. 2. cap. 2. own Divines approve? Howbeit, Victor might better exact a conformity to the observing of Eastet day, than our Reverend Fathers may drive us to these ceremonies controversed, because being Idolatrous and Antichristian, they are like to those heathenish stage-plays to which when Christians are compelled, it is esteemed a persecution. which is thus complained against, Non m Concil. Aphtican. Can. 28. operiet quenquam Christianorum cogi ad haec speclacula, maximè quia in his exercendis, quae contra pracepia Dei sunt, nulla persecutionis necessitas adhibenda est. Fourthly, wise men will consider in every controversy, which side it is that seeketh their own, Marc. 11.18. as it is easy to know the Priests are the authors of the trouble between Christ and them, because they stand for their own gain, Act. 19.27. when they gainstand his purging the Temple. That Demetrius with his companions, were the bellows of the stir between Paul and him, seeing it was for the upholding of his Schrines, that he contended. and last of all, Act. 19.27. That the Papists are the stirrers of the dissension that now is between them & us, because it is for fear their waters will dry up, Apoc. 16.12.13. that like so many Babylonian frogs, they crook against the Gospel. Now as for us, we are as little profitable to ourselves in our forbearance of conformity, as were the old Christians when they protested, n Tertul. Apolog. cap. 38. si oblectari nolumus, nostri iniuria est. si fortè nostra, & non vestra: seeing we seek for nothing else unto ourselves, but a troublesome and painful ministery: forgive us this contention. whom wrong we save ourselves? unless it be that our wrong and loss of delights, redoundeth to the loss of the church. Yes (mary) say our Opposites, ye go about to pull down the church, & to beggar the ministery. to which we reply with the ancient christians, we are only o Tertul. Ibid c. 43. infructuo si ijs quibus infructuosum esse maximus fructus est, to wit, to pompous Lords, to nonresidents, & idle ministers, to whom when we are most unprofitable, then are we most profitable to God's church. On the other side, although we are loath to accuse any, yet for the clearing of ourselves we must desire indifferent men, to take knowledge of those presumptions, which make probable, they be our Opposites in this controversy, of whom we may most truly complain, p Leo. epist. 23. dum privata causae religionis exercentur obtentu, commissum est impietate paucorum, quod universam Ecclesiam vulneravit. Amongst these, none so bitter against us, as they who before were with us, but now have subscribed: of many of which, may it not besayde, q Ibid. impijs subscriptionibus captivas manus dederunt, quod nociturum statui suo scirent, nisi imperata fecissent? As for our Reverend Fathers, whose wrath pursueth always, we only apply to them these words of Cassander. I will never deny (sayeth he) but that many Protestants at the first, were stirred up with a pious desire, to a sharp reproof of certain manifest abuses: and that the chief cause of this distraction of the Church, r Georg. Cassaud. consultac▪ act. 7. illis assignandam esse, qui inani quodam faslu, ecclesiasticae potestatis inflati, rectè & modestè admonentes, superbè contempserunt, & repulerunt. Therefore I think there is no hope left for peace in the Church, until they be begun with all, who first gave cause of this distraction: to wit, that they, qui ecclesiasticae gubernationi praesunt, de nimio sue rigore aliquid remittant; & ecclesiae paci aliquid concedant, & multorum piorum votis ac monitis obsequentes, manifestos abusus, ad regulam divinarum literarum, & veteris Ecclesiae, à qua deflexerunt, corrigant. Fiftly, Is not this a fruit of strife and contention in our Opposites, that they cross us so much the more, the more that in all humility we sue and seek for reformation of things amiss? Exod. 5.10. even as it was contention in Egypt taske-maisters, to grow the more heavy in their burdens, the more that liberty was sought for? And in the Ephesians to cry the more, f Sigibert. Anno 712. Great is Diana (as now men cry, Great is the cross) the more her idolatry was oppugned? When Philippicus at Constantinople, to prevent idolatry unto Images, scraped out the images of the Fathers of the sixth Council that were in the porch of the church of Sophia, Constantinus the Pope of purpose to spite him, painteth them up in the church porch of Saint Peter at Rome? To no other issue have there sorted the humble petitions that have been made for the remoovall of popish rites and ceremonies out of this church, seeing our adversaries the more they see them wiped out by us with the sponge of God's word, the more have they painted them with ill tempered colours, & that to the wiping out of the images of the Apostles, which many an t Act. & monu. in histor. eius. Huss had painted gloriously before in the spiritual walls of his Bethlehem. It it written of julius u joh. Sleidan. comment. lib. 6 the third, that what he could find or hear to be most contrary to the protestants, or if he knew any thing that would grieve them most, that he caused to be decreed in the Council of Trent. Our Reverend Fathers have taken the like course against us, in all their courses, especially of late; and is no spirit of contention (then) within their bosoms? When the Thab●rites of Boheme would have the popish rites removed, the Priests popishly addicted, strove so much the more, to have them retained: and because the Chalice was chiefly pushed at, they painted chalices, till one (not unfitly) wrote underneath, w joh. Dubranius histor. Bohemic. lib. 26 tot pingit calices Bohemorum terra per urbes, ut credas Bacchi numina sola coli. Have not the ceremonies in like manner been the more painted, preached, commended, pressed, punished, since here of late that their removal hath been sought for? Sixtly, who have exceeded in this controversy? they are the men that are contentious: and they be our Opposites. It was contention in Cynesias at Athens, x P. Melane. in respon ad Hamburgens. festos dies contrarios populi consuetudini celebrare: in Asiaticis sues mactare & contrarium anni initium constituere: ut ostenderent prorsus se alienos esse ab Israelitis. The like excess was contentious in the Priscilionistes, when they fasted on the Lord's day, y Leo epist. 91. capit. 4. ut per omnia essent à nostrae fidei unitate discords: & dies quae à nobis in laet itia habetur, ab illis in afflictione ducatur. & in z August. epist l. 86. ad Casialan. Vrbicus when he condemned church-assemblies on the Saturday, because the jews solemnised their assemblies then. such excess is contentious in the a Cuspinian de relig. Turcor. Turk, choosing Friday for his Sabbath to be contrary to the christians: in the b joh. Laficius de relig. Muscovit. ca 5. Muscovite to reject the Sabbath wholly, and the whole law, in hatred of the jews. Our Opposites are guilty of this excess, in that to be contrary to Geneva, they have opposed bad doctrines & orders to be against them: as in the controversy of Christ's sufferings: of his descending into hell: of divorce to separate à thoro only, & not à vinculo, with the like. Give we instance in an excess of an other kind. which is to stretch a thing too far. The Apostles observed certain days for a time to win the jews, & so was c Whitak. controvers. 5. q. ●. c. 9 p. 405. Easter kept at first. Hence it grew to a custom, which while some strove to continue, a contention arose, whereby exilium rerum pretextu, alij ab alijs seperati sunt: change but the name, and the case is ours. The ceremonies were intended at first to be kept for a while for the winning of the papists: hereby they grew to be a custorne: some are found that will needs continued this custom still, and that with such contention, that the moderation of Victor and Policarpe is quite forgotten: who thought it undecent d Zo●om. lib 7. ca 19 Consuetudinum causa se ab invicem seperari: and the advise of e August. epist. 86. ad Casulan. Augustine trodden under foot, Nequaquamde vestis regiae varietate litigemus, ne ipsius reginae interiora membra vexemus. Another excess, The Fathers are misliked in that f Sint. Sene●s. in praefat. l 5. bibliothec. dum unum errorem deserunt, in alium incidere solent: Agricolarun more, qui incuruum arboris stipitem corrigere volentes, immodica nonnunquam attractione extra modum excedunt plantamque in contrariam diversamque deducunt formam In this contention of the ceremonies it were to be wished our Reverend Fathers would turn their edge against the papists, and not against their own brethren, whom now they writhe & wrest too far towards the papists: upon a supposal they are wandered too far from them. Seventhly, we are clear from the g Tho. Aquin. 2.2. q. 38. effects of contention, contumely, slander, wrath, wrong, contempt, with the like: which in our Opposites are more than manifest against us. First, what their words and writings? it is noted for contention in the Fathers, that often times non h Hieron. Apolog. pro lib. cont. jovinian. c. 4. quod sentiunt, sed quod necesse est dicunt, adversus ca quae dicunt Gentiles. how sick our Opposites are of this disease, their writings, and pulpit invectives show: in which they that will judge the best of them, will deem they speak not often times what in their consciences they think to be true: but quod necesse est dicere contra fratres, as if we were Gentiles. what their doings? for if they separate us not for trifles, in such sort as the Donatists did, yet separate us they do, and cast us forth out of the inheritance of the Lord, as if we were schismatics, yea heretics: or if they be our fellow Ministers that be conformed, they break off all familiarity with us: and as they are able by word or deed, do us all the spite they can. They m Examine. of the declarat of the M of London. say we judge them: that we condemn them: which is one of the greatest fruits of contention in things indifferent. The greatness of the fault we acknowledge, the fault itself we disclaim. It was contention in Eunonius that he would not enter into a church where the relics of a Martyr were, lest he should seem to adore the Martyr. Vigilantius is not of indifferent men condemned for opposing himself against these relics for the danger of idolatry that was in them. In like manner for us to oppose ourselves against the relics of idolatry, it is not contention. contention resteth in the bosom of those who wholly refuse to come to a church where the relics of popery are: Now if we condemned our brethren that be contrary minded; we would separate from them, as some do from us, and as we ourselves do from the papists whom we condemn. As long as we hold unity with them, they that accuse us for judging and condemning of them, know not what it is to judge, or what to condemn. when the Interim giveth leave to minister the Communion under both kinds, they give it with this condition, n Conrade. Schlusselburg. tom. 13. p. 77. sic tamen ne reprehendant eos qui diuer sum faciunt. It may be when they would not have us to judge or condemn them, they aim at that the Interim did, to wit, that we should not mislike them in quo diversum faciunt: nor so much as reprehend them in their conformity: but it is one thing to condemn this fact of theirs out of the word (which when we do it is the word of God that judgeth them and not we) an other thing for this fact of theirs to condemn their faith or persons, which is the only condemning or judging that is forbidden. Now as for this judging or condemning thus forbidden, I would they would pull out the beam out of their own eyes, who so deal with us as men use to deal with them that are not acknowledged to be brethren, partakers of the benefit, members of the same Christ jesus, and fellow heirs of the same kingdom. Aidanus was unconformable in Easter, which o Beda. histor lib. 3. cap. 17. p. cap. 17. q. cap. 25. Beda much detesteth in him: yet was he p cap. 17. beloved of the adverse part, and judged a good man, q cap. 25. humble, peaceable, not contentious, not vain glorious so much the sooner that though he did not celebrate Easter as the Church did, yet he did not celebrate it with the r cap. 10. jews: and when he did celebrate it, he preached the same resurrection that others did. Preach not we the same doctrine that others do? in that we conform not is it not for hatred against the papists (as bad as the jews) seeing we preach the same Christ, and hate the same Antichrist, why are we judged more than he was, or miss of that brotherly love and fellowship which was showed him? I hear some object unto us, the leaving of our ministery, as if that were a breach of unity and a separation from them. I bear more love to them that separate in this respect both us and themselves then to wish that the Lord should judge them who are guilty in this fault. But in the same Beda it is s Ibid. c. 29. p. 124. storied, that Colman did loco cedere, rather than he would conform, and mutare consuetudinem, and yet notwithstanding the King both loved him and maintained him. In steed of this measure, there is renewed, the miserable image of that distraction which once arose about conformity between one t Beda histor. lib. 2. cap. 4. Laurentius and the Scots: Laurentius judged and condemned the Scots, that they were out of the christian unity, because their Passeover was divers; as we are now judged by our Opposites. The Scots on the other side, refused to eat with Laurentius, as now they of the separation refuse their fellowship and communion, who press the use of these ceremonies controversed, under a colour to maintain the peabe and unity of the Church. #Sect. 21. The objection of the Opposites, that inferiors not yielding in small matters be guilty of contention against Superiors, answered. THe first objection against us here, is that we being inferiors, and not yielding in so small matters, Sect. 21. must needs be guilty of contention against those that be over us. This objection would be our prejudice very great, if our superiors might not with a better conscience for bear to commanude, 1. Sam. 17.25. than we may perform what is commanded by them. when David was charged by his elder brother, he replied, is there not cause? now this may we reply at this time, have we not reason: and is not rationum efficacia praestantior omni a Maldonat. apud Tho. Morton. Apolog. p. 2. lib 2. cap 17. authoritate, even in the eyes of a jesuit himself, unless it be authority divine? By which, we are so strengthened, as that we require but the measure which another Papist meateth b Arrius Montan. in Gal. 1.8. in rebus divinis, authoritas divina spectanda est: neque decet conditionem personarum, sed rem ipsam aestimari. The contrary is the same argument wherewith the adiaphorists in cumbered the Divines of Germany. c Conrade. Schlusselburg. tom. 13. Caesar is to be gratified in the ceremonies. Thankfulness to him requireth you to yield. To which they replied, It is neither obedience nor thankfulness to give to Caesar that which is Gods, but plain flattery rather. Must we not take heed how by renewing Bellarmine's principle Episcopisoli babent authoritatem judicandi, non quia docti sunt, sed quia sunt personae publicae, id est, principes habentes ecclisiasticā jurisdictionem (for we are bound, men say, to conformity upon our obedience canonical unto these peers) we open a way to that ruin of the church, which one of our d Tho. Mor ton. Apolog p. 2. l. 4. c. 8. writers proveth will come of it. out of Arelatensis, If all must be in the hands of the bishops, what will become of the catholic faith cùm praesertim Episcopi delitijs indulgeant, soli ferè praesbyteri prounitate Christi, persecutiones sustineant: omnes dicunt voluntati regis parere se velle nullus dei. Out of this Arelatensis many other things e AEneas silvius de gest. Concil. Basilions lib. 1. apud. may be drawn to prove that we own no such obedience to the bishops, as that we are bound for the sake of their authority to conform. For he thinketh by the word of God we are equal to them, he proveth by Hierome that they are sola consuetudine preferred before us: of which custom he also addeth, fieri utique potest, ut hanc consuetudinem contraria tollat consuetudo. In deed not only a contrary custom may be introduced: but also must unless we leave him in this tenant of his nihil esi quod magis sequi decet quam ecclesiae primativae consuetudinem to follow that of Ludovicus, which much astonished the Council of Basill, we are not to follow the custom of the primitive Church, and by name not in this, that in the Council of jerusalem the Elders of the Church were joined with the Apostles in all decrees and determinations. He affirmeth moreover, that Praesbyteri debent Ecclesiam Dei cum Episcopis in com●uni regere, and that no Episcopal authority bindeth any minister without the warrant of the word which in this controversy is on our side. I conclude (therefore) with these words of his, non dignitas patrum sedratio spectanda est: nec aliquid est quod in singulis rebus spectari magis quam veritem conveniat: nee ego cuinsvi● Episcopi mendacium, quamvis ditissime, veritati praeponam, pauperis praesbyteri. Orthuinus f Fasciculrer. expetend. fol. 12.13. Gratius setteth in the margin over against these words: O pieta●, O vex Christiana. which, may it not fill their faces with shame, who give forth, that it is the voice of puritanism itself, and of faction, and of schism? Whereas the smallness of these matters is by our Opposites greatly stood on, we desire that Basils' answer to Modestus may be remembered. The Emperor is to be obeyed (said he) what soever ye pretend it is obstinacy for you to gainestande him in tam tenui exquisitione dogmatis▪ to which his reply was this: g Theodoret. histor. l. 4. c. 19 Qui divinis innutriti sunt literis, ij nullam syllabam illarum in discrimen venire pati possunt. would Moses yield in one house? Christ in one rite of washing hands? would Daniel forbear but one ceremony of looking towards the Temple? would Eleazar eat but one morsel that might give scandal, nay would he but seem to eat it? would Paul yield in one ceremony for one hour? The second contention wherewith we are charged, is against the papist: because we set ourselves against him in such things, wherein we have no need to strive. First, the matter is good wherein we stand, therefore no contention can be imputed to us, save that which the schoolmen call g silvest Prie. summa in verb Contentio. contentionem per accidens, as when a man exceedeth. This contention where it is found, besides that it is personal, hath this extenuation in the eyes of a papist, h Conrade. Lutzenburg. Catalogue. haereticor. verb. Novatiani. venialiter peccant quando hareticifaciunt aliquem in quo est zelus infirmitate excedere. For example, the Georgians forbidden stooping down, though it be to pull a thorn out of the foot, overright the church of the ˡ Armenians, for fear to countenance their religion. The ᵐ Grecians when they were in contention with the Romans, washed every altar, where any one of their Priests had said a Mass. The noble men of ⁿ Muscovia wash their hands as unclean, when they have taken the Pope's Legate by the hand, either at his first coming or at his last farewell. Suppose a good cause in all of these, & zeal will cover easily all that savoureth of contention which seemeth to be in them. Secondly, the popish ceremonies being o Flac. Illiric. lib. de Adiapho●. etiam ipsa summa superstitionis papisticae, and that by their own p joh Dowley. instruction. cap. c. Gal 2.12. confession the cross is the very abridgement of their faith, our conformity to please them would be a Peterlike desire to please, if not a Manichees desire to get liking, which was this, q August. count Adamant l. 13. videbatur velle favere simulachris, ut hac ratione ethnicorum etiam conciliaret benevolentiam. let this be considered by them who giving way to this desire of pleasing papists upon a pretence to avoid the sin of contention against them, have fallen at last into that coldness which was reproved in Tymotheus: when the heretics saw him in the streets they were wont to cry out to him r Liberatus Car●hag. in breuiar. cap. 16. vel si non tibi communicamus tamen amamus te. He puffed up with these acclamatious mansuete agebat. and although the Emperor checked him for his remissness, yet would he not stir against them. Nay it were well if the effect of this desire not to stir and contend against the papists bred in our Opposites, were nothing else but a remissness against them, doth it not breed in them a fierceness also against us their own brethren? For this is ill provided for and can have no excuse, that some, not to contend with papists, should contend with their brethren, and displease the sons of their own mother to please the enemies of their Father: and beat, not the dog before the Lion, but the Lion for favour of the dog, and make the natural child to weep, while the son of the bound woman doth triumph. Such would be loath to be judged by the ancient tenant which is this, s Agathias. scholastic. histor. Instinian. l. 4. hostis nomen, non et solum qui remote: ssimè est dissitus convenit, sed cui vis etiam populari qui hostibus gratificart studet. Now although I will not judge them by this rule, yet may I not suffer them to go clear with that excuse, which saith that this their proceeding against us is the same which t Concil. Chalcedo. act. 3. p. 134. Martianus the Emperor took, who punished those that did contend about religion before jews and before pagans, to the scandalising of them, and to the public derogation of the catholic faith itself. For the contending which in this case is to be punished, is when it is against the truth that men contend such as was decreed in the council of Chalcedon in the days of Martianus: for us to contend against that smatch of popery which attainteth our religion, is to contend for the truth against their superstition. Little cause hath the papist to glory and boast of us, even as the Samaritan had little cause to boast of them in jerusalem, that stood with a sword in one hand to fight and with a trowel in the other to biuld up against them. nehem. 4.17. If the Samaritan hath glory in any thing it is in this, that he hath some within the walls of jerusalem that do savour him. But shall it be suffered, that the papist shall glory in the unity of his church, and laugh at ours for our contention? To omit all other replies, this glorying of his may be ransomed and repressed, without so dear and great a price, as is their wrack, who for the truth contend against him, to wit, by returning home unto their own doors this impatation of disagreement in the very same matters. For not only the main doctrine of images is in controversy amongst them, while u Bellarm. de imag. cap. 20. some hold the image is not to be worshipped at all: others not with latria, which yet is the common tenant amongst them: But also there is great strife amongst them in particular about the worship of the cross. w In Iosu● cap. 22. Andrea's Masius saith the cross is proposed in the, church, non ut illam adoremus: the x Index expurgator. Hispan. in Andre. Mas. Spanish Inquisitors finding this, deleatur (say they) non ut illam adoremus. Neithet was Masius the ringleader of this opposition: we find elsewhere, y Concil. Colon. in explic. decalog Durant. de rit. lib 2. c. 23. sect. vlt. non veneramur crucis materiam, sed id quod typo signoque exprimitur. But this perchance more obscurely; more plainly that famous Earl of z joh. Picus. Mirandul. Conclus. 3. Mirandula, nec crux Christi, nec illius imago adoranda est adoratione latriae etiam co modo quo ponit Thomas. For the favourers where of there are a G. Cassander. Consultac. art. 21. rehearsed. Durandus, Henricus de Gandavo, johannes Guevarra, Robertus Holcot: Petrus de Aquila, Franciscus Maronis: Gabriel Biel with others. And they may remember that our difference about the communion book, cometh not near the contention that was of old about the Ambrosian b P. Mornzus de Eucharist. lib 1. c. 8. and Gregorian order: with which whole Kingdoms were disturbed in Italy, France, and Spain. Neither is our difference like to that, which fell out in latter times about the French and English order within this land, which broke forth to the shedding of blood, and that in the quire itself of c Act. and moun. in Guilhih●l. conquest. Glassenbury. and no contention amongst us about the image of the cross did ever proceed to that extremity as was found amongst them, when john d Auentin. Anal l. 7. the 22. condemned them for Anthropomorphites, and brunt some with fire who represented God the Fathers in the form of an aged man: the son in the form of a young man, and the holy ghost in the shape of a dove. About the year 1321, the Fransiscanes began to teach, that Christ was poor, and his Apostles far from the pomp wherein the Prelacy then did live: the foresaid john thought it his part to look to this matter, therefore he e Ibid. fol. 751. Sabellie. Aenead. 9 l. 8 condemned them, and some of them he burned with fire. And for the strengthening of himself, he set the Dominican Friars against them, whence crucifixes of quite contrary shape began to be seen in churches. f Hospinian. de retemplar. cap de imag. fol. 71. The Franciscans painted Christ hanging naked on the cross with a crown of thorns on his head. The Dominicans, they painted him on the cross with a purple rob limmed with gold, with a crown of gold, with gilded shoes: and though he had one hand fastened to the cross, yet the other was painted lose, putting a couple of the fingers into a rich and costly purse, as if he were a pulling out some store of money. When will the papists show such an heavy and yet ridiculous contention, about the sign of the cross amongst us? The 3. contention that is objected, is against the greater part of our own church. The fault of this contention, must needs be in the preachers (say our Opposites) because being the fewer in number, they are in all reason to yield, which was the course that Constantine g Socrat. histor lib. 5. cap. 22. took in the Council of Nice, to appease the controversy about Easter day. First, this argument drawn from the many, is in our understanding, popish: who have learned a contrary lesson, from the Fathers, h August. in Psal. 39 non numeranda suffragia, sed appendenda▪ yea from our Opposites l D. Bilf. p. 3. p. 301. cont. Apolog. themselves who fear not to say, that one man preaching the truth, hath warrant enough against the whole world. Nay from some papists themselves, both old we are m Gerson. de exam. doctri. p. 1. Confiderat. 3. Panormic. extrauag. de election. c. significasti. more to believe one man skilled in the scripture, though not authorized, then whole Council that hath no warrant out of the word: and new, n Gregor. de Valent. Analys. l. 8. cap. 7. potest errare maior pars. Again, o Canus. Theolog. l. 5. c. penult. scimus frequenter usu venire ut maior pars vincat meliorem. As for Constantine, he decreed not with the multitude, but with reason, yea such reason, as now maketh againstour ceremonies in present strife, We must not conform ourselves to the jews (said he) no more ought we to the papists now. secondly, all things well considered, this argument drawn from the multitude, maketh for us. Some two or three Bishops at the first were the beginners of this strife and contention about the Ceremonies: at this day, there be of the bishops, of the lay, Gentry, of the Clergy a very great number, who (notwithstanding their conformity) wish the abolishing of these rites and ceremonies. As for the rabblement of idle, and of Idol ministers, what reason is there, they should come into the reckoning p August. vb. supra. multi sunt, & quis number at? Again. q Chrysost. homil. 40. ad popul. Antiochen. quaenam (quaeso utilitas est, multum esse foenum potius, quam paucos lapides praetiosoes? non in numeri multitudine, sed in virtutis probitate, multitudo consistit. But suppose, not only the greater part, but also the whole English church were for the ceremonies, is the English church all the church? their very popish argument itself, commandeth Germany (a greater Church than England hath) to conform to the Latin service of Rome upon this reason, non debet totum parti cedere, sed pars toti, which our r T. Morton. Apolog. p. 2. lib. 1. cap. 28. p. 101. Writers do approve. If then in cceremonies the fewer must yield to the greater part, then much more must England (being but a part) abolish the ceremonies controversed, so to yield to the whole Orthodox church, or at the least to the greater part thereof, which long since hath removed them. Sure, they can not say to us, as once Eugenius the fourth said, s Concil. Florentin. in union. Armenior. Conforment se Armenij, cum vniverso orb Christianorum. we may rather beseech them to suffer us to conform ourselves, with the whole universal Church of Christ beyond the seas, that so we may be relieved, themselves delivered from that objection of t Beda histor. lib. 3. cap. 25. p. 125. Wilfrid, All the world is against you, praeter Pictos & Britanes, qui contra totum orbem, vano labore pugnant. #Sect. 22. Ceremonies not only make the contention of the Church, but also nourish it: neither will the Church be quiet, so long as they continue. WE have proved that the ceremonies have raised the strife and contention that is in our Church: we come now to prove, that they are the maintainers of it: Prover. 26.20. so that our Church will never have peace as long as they remain. Doth not this commandment enjoin to use all means of peace and concord? Or can there be any readier mean, then to remove the matter itself of the contention, if it may lawfully be taken away as here it may and must? So salomon's strife is appeased as the fire is quenched by the remoovall of the fuel that feedeth it. To set peace in Abraham's house, Gen. 16. Hagar must be turned out of doors, who is the occasion of the bate. To have peace between Lot and Abraham's servants, Gen. 13.8. the matter must be made out of the way whereupon they fall out and contend, which is nearness of pasturing. To come nearer to the matter, God to have peace between jews and Gentiles, Ephes. 2.14.15. abolished the ceremonies of his own institution and ordinance, because otherwise the remaining they would be a partition wall between them to keep them a sunder. Master Bucer is contended to suffer any a Bucer da re vestiar. p. 708. hard thing in his flesh to have the Surplice removed and taken away, because b Idem in Censur. c. 2. p. 458. rapitur ad contentionem magis pernicio same, quam ut quisquam explicare possit. Philippus Melancthon in like manner, c Conrade. Schlusselburg. tom. 13. though he conformed to the rites and ceremonies of the Interim, yet wished he with tears that it were removed, because as long as it remained, it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Church. Master d Act. and Monu. p. 1873. john Fox prayed to God for he remoovall of our Ceremonies by name, for that they made much strife amongst us. At a word, all the e P. Matyr. Bullinger. Beza. in epist. Divines who have written about the rites and ceremonies controversed, pray God with one sigh to take them away, that so the home dissension amongst us may be appeased. The Cross and the ceremonies not able to satisfy, fall into a rage, which prompteth to them an other way, that is, to cut off and to destroy all the Preachers that brook them not: which to effect, they give forth there will be no quietness in the land, as long as such bellows of contention be suffered in it. First, this were right the course which once f Platina in Innocent. 7 Ludovicus took (nephew to Innocontius the seventh) who when men came to him to complain, he put them to death upon this reason, factions can by no other means be ceased. Was Achitophel right, when to have quietness he counseled the destroying of David? Haman when he advised to cut off the jews, that obeyed not the King's laws, to have conformity? Or Cayaphas, when out of a persuasion the land would never be in quiet as long as Christ lived, persuaded it was expedient to put him to death for the good, and for the security of the land, whether he did deserve it or no? Let no man think I compare our Revered Fathers unto those, God forbid, lest any of them should follow these. my purpose is to prove by these, it is no lawful mean to gain peace by oppossing the innocent. Secondly, as Hester told XERXES (for so it is in g joseph Scalliger. Animaduers. in Euseb. Chronic. Hebrew) haman's monny could not recompense the loss of the jews, so peace in rites and ceremonies and the profit of them, can never recompense the loss of so many worthy Preachers, and what wisdom to use a medicine worse than the disease? Thirdly, we are commanded a contrary mean, which is easy and without any hurt, yea to much good▪ for cast this jonas out of the ship, and what a calm will there presently follow? In the controversy about Images at Constantinople, Germanus purposing not to yield, h Carol. Sigon. do reg. Ital. si ego sum jonas (sayeth he) mittite me in mare, and so resigned. It seemeth he borrowed this out of Epiphanius, who writing against Manes hath these words: l Epiphan. haerel. 66. Nun oportebat cum Iona dicere, tollite me & proijcite in mare: propter me enim tempestas ista? What then? A man of jonas spirit will not stick to throw into the Sea, to gain unity and peace unto the Church, I say not such trifling wares as these Ceremonies are in strife, but also their honours and dignities themselves, they being the matters of that strife and contention, which doth so trouble it unnecessarily. The wise and skilful m Decret. p. 2. c. 1. q. 7. cap. 16. Pilot, tempestate urgente, quaedam exonerat, ut caetera salva permaneant. yea though the wares be precious. And shall we (then) cast out the Pilots of the ship themselves, and all to spare the wares of Rome, which are no lawful Traffic? And when Christ commandeth to pull out the very eye: to cut off the very hand itself that offendeth: this course, to spare the paring of an nail or worse, commandeth to cut off not the member that doth offend, but all the members, yea principal members (to wit) the faithful Preachers of the Gospel, that are justly offended by it. Itane propter Consuetudines, audes jubere, ut pij viri qui alias sincerè docent, eijciantur, said n Herman. Hamelman. de tradit. p. 1. lib. 4. col. 377. one to Cassander once? And this is the first lawful mean, for the appeasing of our contention, the remoovall of the ceremonies and subscription: who are the make-bates of our Church. But if this cannot be obtained, than the next way to appease contention, is that which is next unto it, to leave these ceremonies, as they are held to be indifferent, so to be used indifferently, as every man thinketh good. The example hereof we have in Polycarpe and Anicetus. Polycrates and Victor, who, though they dissented in the controversy of Easter day, yet communicated one with another, & suffered all men to enjoy their own judgements. and by this means o Sozora. l. 7. c. 19 Nicephor. lib. 12. cap. 31. sapienter extinxerunt hanc contentionem. The very same course was there taken for unity and concord by certain bishops, assembling together, who made a Canon which they called p Socrat histor. lib. 5. cap. 20. adiaphoron, because it left the observation of Easter day, indifferent as men would themselves. The long war between the Greek and the Latin Church, how was it comprimised at the last but by the same course? the decree of the union running thus: q council. Florentin. sess. vlt. Item in Azimo sive fermentato pane unusquisque Domini corpus conficiat, juxta suae ecclesiae sive Occidentalis sive Orientalis morem. Augustin (speaking of a Satersdayes fast or Dinner, hath these words; r August. epist. 86. ad Casulan. In his nihil mihi videtur tutius pacatiusque servari, quam ut qui non manducat, manducantem non spernat, sive judicet. and speaking of a like matter, he hath these; s Idem epist. 118. Si quis dixerit non quotidie accipiendam esse Eucharistiam, alius affirmet quotidie, faciat unusquisque quod secundum fidem suam pie credit faciendum. Hierome speaking of receiving the communion (as it seemeth for private eating) in a white linen cloth, t Hierom. in Apolog count Iou●nian. scio Romae (saith he) hanc esse consuetudinem, ut fideles corpus Christi accipiant, quod nec repraehendo nec probo, unusquisque enim in suo sensu abundat. Gregory speaking of the trim-immersion, u Gregor. Epistolar. l. 1. epist. 41 non est repraehensibile (saith he) infantem vel semel vel ter immergi. Come we to the Cross, w Amalar. de Ecclesiast. office li. 3. cap. 24. Satius est signum Crucis semel fieri super panem & vinum: non tamen est abs re si bis fiat. One thus of our English ceremonies, x Alexand. Alice. in proemio. Leiturg. Anglican. sunt haec certe eiusmodi cuiusmodi sunt illa de quibus beatus Paulus jubet ut unusquisque intellectu proprio abundare (hoc est) sine dubitatione sequi debeat suam sententiam. This holdeth only (will some say) in the private use of things indifferent, of which there is no Canon made: As if these things forementioned, were not all of them overruled by the custom of the church: if they speak of a Canon inferring necessity, they must know, there were no such Canons in ancient time: christian liberty was more tendered in those days: It was popery that first brought in Canons of necessity, y Decret. p. 1. distinc. 4. cap. 6. Decretum necessitatem facit, exhortatio autem liberam voluntatem excitat, saith Gratian. Add to him z Bellarm. Bellarmine, aspersio aquae lustralis utomnis traditio, quae traditur in forma concilij, non in forma praecepti, libera dicitur. We see by these whence Canons of necessity came, in rites and ceremonies, to wit, out of an opinion that the Church hath power in such matters to take away christian liberty. This opinion, who will say is not popish, unto the ancient times unknown? One of our latest writers of reverend and of great account, proveth out of Socrates, that holy days were antiquitus liberi, and that therefore a Tho. Morton. Apolog. p. 2. li. 2. cap. 9 non imponendam esse christinis ullam necessitatem. to which he addeth of his own quod non docet papale jugum videtur excutere. A plain testimony that necessity in rites taketh away liberty. that antiquitus there was in rites a liberty permitted and no necessity imposed, Lastly, that necessity in rites is jugum papale never heard of the church till Antichrist began to usurp over the liberty of christian men. #Sect. 23. Conformity in Ceremon. ought not to hinder peace, though with diversity of Ceremony. AGainst this second mean of peace anciently used, there is conformity now opposed: which our Opposites hold so necessary, as that this liberty forespoken of can have no place or hearing. But if she might be suffered to speak, she would justify first, that variety of ceremonies no way impeacheth the unity of faith, but sometimes adorneth it, in which faith the true peace of the church consisteth. So Irenaeus to a Euseb hist. lib. 5. c. 23. Victor, dissonantia jejunia commendat unitatem fidei. which how b Lib. concord apud Conrade. Schlusselb. tom. 13 p. 597. Articul. Smalcaldic. An. 1537. ap. eundem. p. 608. often did the German Divines allege to prove that conformity to the ceremonies of their Adiaphorisme was not necessary for the church's peace? Socrates hath these words: c Socrat. histor. lib. 5. cap. 22. Nulla religio eosdem ritus custodit: etiamsi eandem de illis doctrinam amplectantur. Nam qui eiusdem sunt fidei, de ritibus inter se dissentiunt. Sozomen that the like, d Sozom. histor. lib. 7. cap. 19 stultum est consuetudinis gratia, se invicem seperari eos qui in primarijs religionis capitibus consentiunt. Etenim easdem, & per omnia similes traditiones in omnibus concordibus Ecclesijs in venire non datur. Augustine resembleth the church's ceremonies to the Queen's garment, in which variety serveth for beauty: and addeth, e August. epist 86 add Casulan. sit una fides ecclesiae universae, quae ubique dilatatur tanquam intus in membris, etiamsi ipsa fidei unitas quibusdam diversis observationibus celebratur, quibus nullo modo id quod in fide verum est impeditur. Gregory hath the like, f Gregor. ad Leandrum epist. 41. In una fide nihil officit consuetudo diversa. to which effect he wrote g Idem epist lib. 12. cap 3. epist. also to Augustine the Monk, when for England he required of him some uniform order in the ceremonies of the Church. Leo is of the same judgement: h Decret. pa 1. distinct. 11. cap. 3. Nihil obsunt saluti credentium, diversae pro loco & tempore consuetudines, quando una fides per dilectionem operans bona, quae potest uni Deo commendat omnes. Waltramus Bishop of Nurenburgh, writeth to l Anselm. epist. 327. Anselme about the question of leavened bread, and receiveth this answer: The diversity of rites I think, is rather to be borne with in agreement of peace, then to be condemned with offence: For we have this from the holy Fathers, that if the unity of charity be kept in the Catholic faith, the diversity of customs hurt nothing. But if it be demanded whereof this diversity of customs doth spring, I perceive no other cause thereof, but the diversity of men's wits: which although they differ not in strength and truth of the thing, yet they agree not in the fitness and comeliness of the ministering: For that which one judgeth to be meeter, often times another thinketh less meet. wherefore not to agree in such diversities, I think it not to fwerue from the truth of the thing. Our m Harmo. conf. sec 17 own Churches that be reform are of the same judgement. Yea some of our n D. Bills. count Apolog pa. 2. p 305.306. Opposites, and our own o jewel. defence. of Apolo. ●. p. 2. c. 1●. diui. 1 writers: One of whom citeth Lindanus. p Thom. Morton. Apolog. p. 2 li ●. c. 39 Paschae celebranda illa olim varietate per regiones diversitas, nihil fidei officiebat. There is first replied to this, that though these ancient Fathers have taught that the unity of faith may stand in diversity of rites, yet that they have ever laboured for a conformity in ceremonies for a further strengthening of it. So a Council q Council Toleta. 10 cap 1. confesseth, that unitatem Catholicae regulae varietas nulla deser pit, who yet will have a conformity in the celebration of the Annunciation: lest in time the diversity of it might bring forth discord and dissension in the Church. Others will have a conformity in ceremonies, lest there should be thought to be a diversity where there is none. So a Council, r Concil. Venetic. can. 15. rectum quoque duximus ut vel intra provinciam nostram sacrorum & ordo psallendi, una sit consuetudo. ut sicut unam cum trinit●tis confessione fidem tenemus, unam & officiorum regulam teneamus: ne variata observatione in aliquo observatio nostra discrepari credatur. An other, s Council Toletan. 4 Can. 5. propter quod in Hispanijs quidam Sacerdotes trinam, quidam simplam mersionem faciunt, à nonnullis scisma esse conspicitur, & unitas fidei scindi videtur. nam dum partes diversae in baptizandis aliqua contrario modo agunt, alij alios, non baptizatos esse contendunt. The same Council before. post recte fidei confessionem placuit ut nihil diver sum aut dissonum in ecclestaslicis sacramentis agamus ne quaelibet nostra diversitas apud ignotos seu carnales scismatis errorem videatur ostendere: & multis extet in scandalum varietas Ecclesiarum. unus ergo ordo orandi, atque psallendi à nobis conservetur. First, this conformity was anciently sought, t Thes. de metaphor. ●●●colog. ●●●on. ap. ●●ourad. ●●●luselb●r Tom. 13. p ●62. quantum fieri potuit, and no further. in which manner the greatest resisters of the conformity in Germany will allow of an honest, seemly, and godly similitude even as we ourselves do now. This appeareth by u Anselm vb. sup. Anselme, If the Sacrament (saith he) were ministered after one sort, & agreeing throughout the whole church, it were good and laudable: but this because it can not well be obtained, therefore a diversity is to be borne withal. So a certain Council wisheth that there might be an agreement through the whole church in the single life of ministers: who yet because it could not well or conveniently be brought about, giveth this liberty of diversity placet caeteros clericos ad hoc non cogi, sed secundum uniuscuiusque Ecclesiae consuetudinem observari debere. In regard hereof, this conformity giveth no countenance to the uniformity present, which our Opposites do seek after, which fieri non potest without innumerable hurts, evils, inconveniences, scandals, as hath been showed already. Secondly, This ancient conformity objected was therefore wished and sought, that every particular congregation might be united to the whole universal Church. So Leo forbiddeth disagreement in the Passeover, because w Leo. epist 62. ex coplerunque fit, quod non licet ut non simul omnes Ecclesiae quod non nisi unum esse oporiet observet. So a Council will have a conformity in a ceremony upon this reason, x Concil. Tol●tan. 4 Can. 8. quia haec observatio per multarum loca terrarum in ecclesijs, commendatur, dignum est propter unitatem pacis, ut in Gallicanis ecclesijs conservetur. So the Council of Nice will have a conformity in fastings and in the Passover, y Nicephor li. 8. ca 25. ap Concil. Tom. 1 pa 352. ut decens extet ordo quem omnes habitabiles orbis Ecclesiae observant. In regard hereof, the ancient conformity sought for, giveth no countenance (once again) to that which our Opposites do now pursue, which is so far from uniting our church to other church's Orthodox, as that it divideth us from them all. so that thereof, there is like to ensue (unless this sparkle be speedily quenched) as great a contention and distraction, as once there was about the Adiaphorisme, or is at this present about Consubstantiation. Thirdly, the ancient conformity objected was therefore wished for, that the catholic church might join together, in rites of her own against all aliens, jews, and heretics. This appeareth by the Council of Nice (lastly cited): who if it labour for a conformity about Easter, it is upon this reason, z Nieephor vb. sup. exactior ratio flagitare videtur, ut nihil nobis commune sit, eum infestissima judaeorum turba. Aga●ne, M●nimè decet in re tam sancta, aliquam extare dissentionem: & pulchrius est sequi eam sententiam, in qua nulla sit alieni erroris & peccati contagio. Another Council, a Concil. Toletan. 10. cap 1. Hinc est quod Paschale festum uno die celebramus & tempore, ne in judaicum decidamus errorem. When the stir was about the b Beda in histor de gont. Anglor. lib 5. cap. 21. tonsura, there fell out this disputation, c pag ●37. Simonis tonsuram, quis non simulcum ipsa magia detestetur? as we plead now, zeal doth require to detest popish rites together with their doctrine. The other answered, that though he were Simon Magus [tonsura] yet he communicated not in his Magia: Just like our Opposites now, though we communicate with the papists in their rites, yet not in their superstition. It is replied: you must show in fancy, what you do in Cord: d pag 238. sepera à tuo vultu illius habitum, qui à Deo seperatus est, and put on their habit who truly love God. even as we do now dispute, we must show in outward appearance the hatred we bear against ceremonies superstitious: and we must separate ourselves from their rites who are separated from God: conforming ourselves to the rites of those churches who truly serve him. We have this confession from a e jacob. L●●esima lib de dium. quavis lingua non legen. c. 24 jesuit, when the ●bionites heresy began to spread, which held the jewish rites necessary, and so by consequent required bread that was unleavened in the Eucharist necessarily, whereas the thing being indifferent, the church might have conformed unto them, we see at the first it took course quite contrary, Ecclesia contrarium praecepit (sayeth he) ut infermentato pane sacra consice●etur Eucharisita. In regard hereof, the ancient conformity giveth no countenance (once again) to that which our Opposites seeketh for, because it combined the church to conform in rites of their own against all ceremonies of heretics, whereas our Opposites would have us conform to the rites of those heretics that are the most horrible and the most detestable that are living. And this to the first exception which is taken against that liberty in rites and ceremonies which we claim from the practise of the old and ancient Church. #Sect. 24. THe second followeth: and it saith though the ancient church requireth no conformity as necessary to peace in divers churches, yet that in one and in the same church it is to be required. First, the Fathers did as well require a conformity in the universal church, as in any particular congregation, as hath been plainly showed: and the difference about leavened and unleavened bread was in diverse churches the Greek and the Latin. yet what the Fathers spoke against the necessity of conformity therein, is applied by one of our reverend writers against the necessity of conformity within this one church of ours. To this letter of Anselme, I have (saith a Act. and Monu. pag 170. he) adjoined an other Epistle of his to the said Waltram: appertaining to matters not much unlike to the same effect: wherein is entreated touching the variety & diverse usages of the sacraments in the church: where by such as call and cry so much for uniformity in the Church may note peradventure in the same something for their better understanding. Secondly, why should diversity of rites break peace more in one church then in diverse, seeing the faith is the same which is affirmed to be inviolat by this diversity: and diversity of ceremonies is likewise the same in all places: having as great power beyond the seas to disturb peace, as it hath behither them? To have peace in the church the papists require an uniformity in the languadg of God's service, b Bellarmin de verb. Dei li 5 ca 1● & de effect. Sacram. c. 31. alioqui communicatio Ecclesiae tolleretur. Indeed who seethe not that a conformity in languadg is a necessaratie for peace as conformity in trifling ceremonies: whereupon the Interim imposed the Latin tongue to be used for the peace of Germany as well as conformity in other rites and Ceremonies. Now would not he show himself ridiculous that should thus reason: the diversity of language will not break peace between England & Spain, but it will break peace between England and Wales, between Cornwall and Yorkshire: and England and Scotland can have no Union unless the languadg be first made one? Surely the Council of Lateran made account that diversity of rites, would no more break peace in one church then in diverse: even as the diversity of language doth not when it decreed c Concil. Latera. sub Innocent. 3. cap. 9 quoniam in plerisque partibus inter eandem civitatem permixti sunt populi diversarum linguarum habentes sub una fide varios ritus & mores, praecipimus ut provideantur viri idonei qui secundum diver sitates rituum & linguarum divina officia illis celebrant, & Ecclesiastica Sacramenta ministrent. Give we another instance: The Isles of Gersey and Garnsey differing in language and discipline from us, have yet evermore agreed in the faith with us: and in obedience unto one supreme Sovereign. Hath not the disagreement of language & discipline as great power to trouble peace as the diversity hath of Cross and Surplice? Givewe a third instance. Some of our churches have Organs, some not: some discant and broken singing, some plain: some none at all. hath this diversity ever disturbed or troubled our peace? Give we instance last of all in the Cross and Surplice themselves: what breach of peace either in the state or church did the Preachers raise all the days of Queen Elizabeth, who differred in them from their fellows? For, as for the state, where more peaceable or loyal subjects throughout the Land, then in the places where they have laboured? As for the church, the unity of it hath been upheld against these of the separation, by no men's writings (that I know of) but by theirs? As for the faith, show me one that hath broached one point against it, as some have done, who are for the Ceremonies? Thirdly, I see no reason why the churches of this Island should be held to be one Church, and the churches of the continent beyond the seas to be divers churches, seeing if we speak of one church collectiuè, we believe out of the scriptures that there is but one Catholic church over all the earth: if we speak of one church distributiuè, we find by the phrase & speech of scripture, that every visible congregation is one church by itself. Howsoever, of such diverse churches, and such churches held to be one, the foresaid testimonies and these following, mean indifferently, to wit, that variety in rites breedeth jar in neither of them. The Italians and d Durant. rational li. 4 cap. 2●. Germenes use two Corporals without any breach of peace, from the French, who use one only: and yet all the three make up but one church Roman. In e Ni●ephor. li 12 c 34. Antioch of Syria altaria diversum prorsus quam alibi situm habent: yet all these make up one Greek church. That f August epist l 19 cap 27. Haleluiah should be sung only between Easter & Whitsontyde, non usque quaque obseruatur, nam & varijs diebus variè cantatur alibi. In the Union of the Greek and Latin, they were both made one, and yet the diversity of leavened and unleavened bread is permitted without all fear that it would impeach this Union. g Thom. Aquin p. 3 quest. 74. art. 4 vidi. Thomas also and Caietan think that the difference of this ceremony is not to be reckoned among the parts of the schism of that church, h Walafrid. Strab. de reb eccleasti ca 15. See Walafridus Strabus what variety he confesseth in the celebration of divine service, which never bred any jar or discord: and consider that of l Socrat. histor. lib. 5. cap. 21. Socrates apud nos Ecclesiarum & sectarum Ecclesias nusquam re perire poteris duas qui in precand● more inter se consentiant. It was a sacred order to have 7. collects in the Mass, neither more nor less: & a great matter was made of it, usu tamen m Rodulph Tungr●ns. de canon. observat. prop of. 23 Leodiensi ultra quinque non di●untur: and all these uncomformities were within one Greek or Roman church. Fourthly, take the churches of England to be one, and it is easy to bring examples of diversity in the ceremonies, even in one and the same church, where they have broke no peace: In one and in the same region (saith n Sozom. histor lib. 7. cap. 19 one) permulti ritus per civitates & pagos in veniri possunt, quos sine piaculo intollerabili praevaricari non posse putant. At Rome the Gregorian o P. Morn o● Eucharist l. 1. c. ●. Liturgy obtained: the Ambrosian at Milan was used the same time in the same Italy: & yet after they were settled the peace and unity of the church was not disturbed by them. There were divers forms of service in one Spain for a long time. The Council Gerundense: first taking order that there should be one form under one Metropolitan, which after the Council of Toledo the 4. extended over all Spain: and while these rites were thus divers, there was more peace then after that one and uniform order which Alphonsus the 6. brought in. At p Socrat. histor. li. 5. cap. 20. Rome it was decreed that christians might celebrate Easter day differently with out any fear of breach between them. Here in England of old the use differed: and although the use of Sarum overtopped all the rest, yet did it not conquer them. even as in Germany q Illi●i. ill. de Adiaph Brandeburg had one breviary: Magdeburg an other: and so in the rest when as yet there Satan kept all his Ministers in a league and peace together. In Russia to this hour, the Bishop of r Durant. de rit. l 2. c. 9 Novograde differed in Ceremony from all the rest: wearing a white Mitre with two horns, such as the popish Bishops wear: whereas other Bishops wear round Mitres like the Turkish: black in colour, and what hurt breedeth this difference there? Whereas (then) s P. Morn. de Eucharist. l. 1. c. ● Charles the great, having a purpose to unite the Church of Rome and of France together, and being Romish abolished Cantum Gallicanum and established ordinem Romanun, which before Pipin his Father decertavit ut fieret though he could not bring it to pass, so were it a worthy thing for our Sovereign, purposing to unite the two protestant churches of England and scotlan, being himself a Protestant to abolish, ordinem quemcunque Romanum, and to establish the order of the Scottish church, and of the other reformed churches, with whom he is in faith united. And this is the first plea of the ancient Christian liberty, unconformitie breaketh no peace either in the whole Orthodox church, or in the diverse parts thereof, or in any one church visible. #Sect. 25. An exact uniformity in Ceremonies, hath ever disquieted the Church and hindered the growth of it. THe second is, an absolute and exact uniformity in rites and in Ceremonies hath ever disturbed the peace of the church, and hindered much the growth of the Gospel: For the understanding hereof we must consider that there are Maiores Ceremoniae and ritus Catholici, such as kneeling is in prayer, in which conformity as it is easy to be made, so is it a Mother a Bucer, in Censur. c. p 459. F. Illiric. in li. de Adiaphor. of peace, a Nurse of reverence, a Preserver of decency. There are other Ceremoniae which are minores, and not b Beza. epist 24. Catholicae. such as is the woman's sitting in the church behind the men. and in these conformity is heavy and burdensome to be borne: hard and difficult to be effected, so that Christian liberty is for the most part oppressed by it, and so by consequent the church distracted. Hence come those protestations of the German Divines against the conformity of the Adiaphorisme. c F. Illiric. ap. Conrad. Schlusselburg. tom. 13. p. 166.167. Nonest necessaria rituum conformitas: deinde & nimis exacta impossibilis. in mediocribus Ceremonijs verè Adiaphoris conformitas sectanda est aliquatenus. d Confess. Eccles. Mansfeld. ap. eund. p. 560. Dissimilitudo Adiaphororum prodest ad conseruandam libertatem Christianam. statim. a. quando coguntur homines ad carecipienda, eaqueve obtruduntur tamquam res necessariae, amittunt suum verum titulum. e Lib. Concord ap. eund. p. 597. Quando ceremoniae constitutiones Ecclesiae, coactione quadam tanquam necessaria obtruduntur, & quidem contra libertatem Christianam quam Ecclesiam Christi in rebus eiusmodi externis habet, falsa doctrina inducitur, quam oportet reijcere. For this cause they that tender the church's peace, will use that moderation in rites and ceremonies which Aliacus once persuaded to the council of Constance. No man more strict than Augustine for the observation of the church's constitutions: f P. Aliacus reformat. Eccles. g mos populi Dei (saith he) & instituta maiorum pro lege tenenda sunt, & sicut pravaricatores divinarum legum, it a contemptores Ecclesiasticarum consuetudinum coerceudi sunt. yet can this l Idem. epist. ad januar. 119. c. 18. August: in a thing truly indifferent (which our ceremonies are not) give a man leave and scope to differ, h August. epist. 86. ad Casulan. when aliquorum infirmitas requireth a breach: and when there is a detrimentum in conformity. The trim▪ immersion was strengthened with I know not how long continuance: in which notwithstanding was permitted m Glossa. in distinct. 4. de consecrat cap. de trina. diversa ecclesiarum consuetudo. The Gregorian order hath been established a long time in Spain, yet never was there an uniformity so precisely exacted, but that to this hour from the beginning the old Nozorabique is n P. Morn. de Eucharist. lib. 1. cap. 8. permitted in six churches of Toledo: in the Cathedral church itself of Salamanca: in the chapels of Doct. Talabricas, and of the Cardinal Ximenes. Secondly, though an exact uniformity in these ceremonies not catholic were lawful and good for the church's peace, yet not when it compelleth to foreign rites, as our uniformity doth. o F. Illiric. apud conrad. Schlusselburg. tom. 13. P. 166. Cicero disputeth much, de proprio decoro, which being now in every church, it must have ceremonies of it own. Besides the people stay at home, and go not abroad so much as to see the ceremonies of other churches. The divines of Germany, p Thes. de Adiaphor. Theolog. Saxon. ap. eund. P. 462. non sunt cogendae Ecclesiae (saith they) rectè sentientes & benè constitutae, ut se prorsus aliorum ceremonijs accommodent, seu conforment. Thirdly, though it were for the church's peace to press an exact uniformity in the lesser ceremonies, and the same fetched from other places, yet were it not either peace or piety to fetch them from Rome, the throne of Satan, and seat of Antichrist, the Sodom and Egypt of our times. q Gelas epi. ad Anastas. Augustum. Gelasius well: Quomodo potest esse pax vera, cut charitas intemerata defuerit, quae est de cor de puro & conscientia bona & fide non ficta? Quomodo (quaeso te) de cord erit puro si contagio inficiatur externo? quomodo de conscientia bona si pravis fuerit malisque commixta? quemadmodum fide non ficta, si maneat sociata cum perfidis? Haec à me: necesse est tandius non taceri, quandiu nomen pacis obtenditur, ut talem pacem doceamus, qualis & solapax est, & praeter quam nulla esse monstratur. Ought not we to say to Rome, as jehu to jezabel, what peace as long as thy witchcrafts and thy whoredoms abound in great number? Sure we must according to the German rule, r De●●●. eccles. German. apud Conrade. Schlusselb. tom. 13. p. 666. Nulla est concedenda gratia adversarijs in mutatione ceremoniarum, nisi prius nobiscum consentiant in fundamento, hoc est in vera doctrina & usu Sacrameutorun. What mean we (then) for a peace to our own church, to make a kind of peace with Rome, for that conformity in these ceremonies doth make us to partake with her (according to Gelasius words) it hath been showed long s Cap. 1. since? Is such a peace godly? Suppose it were, it may be well said of this way there is no peace in it: seeing it is easy to be proved, that uniformity to popish ceremonies, whether in whole or in part, hath continually (like a fury leapt out of hell) set all in flame and fiery combustion. t Nucler. generat. 22. Charles the great commandeth an Uniformity to the Roman order, what a do this bred, the complaints of those days testify. Alphon sus the sixth, of Spain, enjoineth an uniformity to the Gregorian order, what hurly burly it bred, the u Roderic. Toletan. lib. 6. c 14 records of that age do witness. w P. Morn vb. sup. Venofride an English man (afterward named Boniface) commandeth in Germany an uniformity to the Roman order: the resistance of it bred not civil war, because Charles Martill did assist him, whom none in that age could match: howbeit an hot contention it raised up, in which Vergilius Bishop of Saltzburg, Clemens Scotus, Samson, and other great persons suffered great things: one Albertus died in prison for writing against it. Augustine the Monk commandeth the christians about Bangor to conform to Rome, which they refusing, a cruel war is moved against them, as Beda showeth. Augustine the Monk required of them of Bangor (saith x Beda. hist. gent. A●glor. li. 2. ca 12. he) primum ut codem. etc. first that they should observe the Easter the same time that Rome did. Secondly, that in the administration of Baptisine, they should use the same rites and ceremonies which the Romans used. Thirdly, that they should join with them to preach the Gospel genti Angliae. And not only a total imposing of Roman rites, doth breed this mischief, but also a pressing of them in part through a certain kind of mixture. Doth not our Lord himself forewarn us, that piecing of old and new patches together, maketh the breach wider? That mingling old and new wine together, marreth barrel & all? The first reconciliation made between papists and a church reform, was at Basil. 1436. There Rochezana with some other Hussites, yielded to a certain mixture: they to have their communion under both kinds, and liberty to be governed by the Senate of prague, not by the Pope, with some other few things: and the papists to retain the rest as of old. And what followed of this mixture? The y David Chytreus in praelect. Chronic. sincerer sort of the Hussites separated themselves into Moravia, Polonia, & other places where Pontificios ritus omnes planè exploseruut. And whereas the followers of Rochezana thought hereby to have made their peace with the papists, that also failed them, because it was not long after, that by the preaching of johannes Capistranus, they were reduced to their sub una again, and made subject to the tyranny of the Pope. This first conformity and mixture (then) sped very ill, as failing in that peace which it promised with the papists, & bringing war into the Church in steed of peace. The conformity of Germany sped as ill. Great expectation was there of peace by the Interim, which notwithstanding broke forth like a fire, not only between Protestants and papists, but also between the protestant Churches themselves, just as the sincerer sort of Divines foresaw, and divined would (questionless) follow upon such mingled compositions. z Math. Index in lib. de gravissimo mandat exeundi de Babylon. One of them giveth many instances: Constantius to have a reconciliation made a mixture, to wit, homoousios must be turned into homoiousios to concord the Arrians. Zeno to have peace maketh an Henoticon to hush the strife about the Council of Chalcedon. Anastasins to accord all parts, establisheth an Amnestia, and commandeth every one to preach according to the custom of his place. Heraclius to pacify the hot contention between the Orthodox that held there were two Wills in Christ, and the Movothelites that held he had but one, enjoineth silence to both sides. These mixed conformities (saith this Author) made for peace, made all more war than ever before: which also hath followed of the like forms of late compoundings, such as were the Sphynx Augustana, compounding matters of Religion, till there were a Council. The Lypsicum Interim, where Christ and Beliall were made friends: The Pandora Francofurdiana, and Cothurnus Neoburgicus, where an Amnestia was commanded, ne dissidentes de quibusdam eapitibus confessionis Augustanae, se invicem damnarent. We might come down to the compositions that have at divers times been made, between the Lutherans and the Orthodox, which all have sorted to like issue. Our Reverend Governors may hope (then) to make peace by this mixture and medley of ceremonies, but little faith can we have hereof, when we make our prayers for them, and for the public peace of this Church: which who so loved not from his heart, O let him not prosper. The Adultery of the Cross. Chap. 7. THough the sign of the Cross may seem to be free from the sin of adultery, yet being tried by the seventh commandment, Rom. 1.24. he will be found guilty for that occasion which it containeth of uncleanness. First it occasioneth adultery, Apoc. 9.20. in that it is an abominable Idol: it being a just thing with the Lord to punish the spiritual adultery of the soul, by giving the Idolaters over to defile their own bodies the Idolaters of the sixth trumpet by name (which are the Idolaters of the cross) so far to defile them, Apoc. 11.8. till Rome become as an Egypt for the spiritual, so a Sodom for the bodily fornication. Secondly, suppose the cross were no Idol, an Idolothite it must needs be, because it pertaketh of that definition which the jesuits deliver, a Rhem. in annot. in Apoc. 2. sect. 8. Though the creature be good by creation, yet doth it become an Idolothite, and is made execrable, by the profane blessings of heretics & of Idolaters. Now God giveth over to adultery, not only for the Idols sake, but also for the Idolothites, as doth appear by two examples. The first is of the Israelites, who being presented with dainty b josephus Antiquit. lib. 4. c. 6. dishes, that had been consecrate to Baal Peor, and not refraining but eating of them, were left by the Lord to commit uncleanness with Moabs' virgins, who brought these Idolothites to them. The other example is of the Nicholaitans, num. 25.21 Apoc. 2.14.20.21. who defiling themselves with meats Idolotious, were likewise by the Lord relinquished to like uncleanness. Thirdly, the very monument of Idolatry not detested nor abolished in the service of God, is cursed by him, for that honour which it giveth to foreign Idolatry, and for that occasion which is in it to home superstition both for the present and for the time that is to come: even as the doctrine of our own church teacheth, which is confirmed by act of Parliament: To throw out Images though unworshipped out of the church (in whose rank we most worthily repose the cross) it reasoneth thus: c Homil. ag. peril of idolat. p. 1. p. 16. Usually spiritual and carnal fornication go together. Again, d Ibid. p. 3●. p. 21. it is very agreeable (as Paul teacheth) that they which fall to idolatry, which is spiritual fornication, should also fall into carnal fornication, by the just judgement of God, delivering them over to abominable concupiscence. Again, the Image retained in the church, hath annexed unto it (as an e Ibid. p. 3. p. 44. accident inseparable) an f Ibid. p. 7. unavoidable danger of idolatry: as the g pag. 44. image came unto us from the Gentiles which were idolaters: and as the invention of them was the beginning of spiritual fornication, so will they naturally (as it were) and of necessity, turn to the origen from whence they came, and most violently draw us with them to idolatry. Thus, many ways doth the Cross occasion the fornication of the body, as a just deserved plague of the adultery of the soul, which he committeth as he is an Idol: with which he partaketh as he is an Idolothite: and which he occasioneth as he is a monument of Idolatry. Survey the continual execution of this plague from time to time. First, whereas the papists make h Io. Beleth. de divin. office cap. 151. Heraclius the author of their Idolatry which they commit in the feast of the Crosses exaltation (although we might prove he adored it not as they do now) yet omitting this defence we only will them to consider, how little cause they have to boast of him, seeing the Lord did give him over to commit incest by the marriage of his Niece: and further punished him with so l Sigon. de reg. Ital. li. 2. an. 629. Genebrad. Chronol. lib. 3. An. 616. strange a disease; as that when soever he uttered his urine, it sprinkled his face if a table had not been placed about his navel to drive it back. Secondly, who are the greatest cross coiners of christendom, but the Popes, whose open and impious toleration of the stews ( m Mat. Surclin. in Tur co papism. 3000: Roman harlotts being at one time enroled in the exchequer book of Paul the third, that paid yearly tribute to him) showeth how unclean they are in body, to omit particulars, as the famous Marozia of Sergius: the Mathildis of Gregory the seventh, the Lucretia of Alexander the sixth: the Magdalena of Leo the tenth: the Constantia of Paul the third (the three last of whom were own daughters or sisters: and that which I am ashamed to speak of the Riarius of Sixtus the fourth: the Germanus of julius the second: the Hippolytus of Leo the tenth: and (last of all) Innocentius de Monte, who was the Ganymed of julius the third. Thirdly, who are the greatest Crossmongers of Christendom, but the inhabitants of the Monasteries? who what they were for uncleanness bodily, some of their own do witness: who report of their Cells, that they are become n Synod. Aquisgran. de ordin. rectotum. c. 12. Aliacus de reformat. eccles. c. 4. F. Pie. Mirandul in epistol. ad Leon. 1●. mere stews? Fourthly, who are the chief champions for the Cross, but they that writ for it? of whom Bellarmine belcheth forth his bodily filthiness, o Bellar. de Monach. lib. 2. c. 34 Est maius malum sic nubere quam fornicari: speaking of a Votary unable to contain. Martial was a special writer for the Cross: Now he, when he was Usher p Calfh. ag. Mart. art. 5 fol. 129. of Wincester, caused the boys to know that, which Master Hid schoolmaster there severely punished. In Queen Mary's reign, one being taken in adultery in red cross street in London, made this excuse when his friends chodde with him, q Idem Art. 8. fol. 156 Yet I thank God I am a good Catholic, I think well of the Sacrament of the Altar. whose ways I would fewer followed now a days: who amidst all enormity of life, smooth up their consciences with this comfort, Yet I thank God, I am no puritan, I live in order and obey the laws: For other examples of the crosses unchastity, I refer myself to one of our t Calfh. Ibi. writers, who doth mention them. The wrong of the Cross. Chap. 8. further evidence may be brought against the ceremonies for the great & manifold injuries which they offer: they consume many tanquam iniecta favilla, to use the phrase of the holy Ghost. Exod. 22.6 and can any sparkle be left lawfully abroad, which may take into the ricks or into the hedges of other men, whereby they may be hurt? First, they wrong us in our subjection to the Bishops, in taking away the power of binding & losing from us, by the censures of the church: and all things else that are of credit and authority, leaving bare labouring in the word unto us: which also must be limited by them, and referred to them, for they are the Pastors of the Church (they say) we only are their delegates. This wrong the Greek church counteth not little he that challengeth this pre-eminence over the Ministers of the Gospel, under humble titles of Paternal authority, with the like doth a Nilus' Thes salonicens. de Primate. Pap. verbis magnam humilitatem praese ferentibus magnaraepere: seeing Ministers b Tho. M●t to apolo. p. 1. l. 1. ca 21. iure divino are all equal, and succeed the Apostles all alike: from whom (also) they receive like power not only for preaching, but also for binding and for losing. Secondly, they rob many a worthy and able Minister, in that they keep him from preferment in the Church, it being theft even in the eyes of c Silvest. Prior. summa silvestrin. in verb. r●stitut. papists themselves, to keep a man from a benefit whereof he is worthy. To this it is replied by our adversaries, none is worthy to be preferred, that cannot conform and like of the ceremonies and of the orders of our church: which reply will be found Ecclesiam Dei penè universam verbis iniuriosissimis, nequaquam d August. epist. 86. ad Casulan. lacerare timuisse, since all the Ministers of the Churches reform, who jump in judgement with us. Secondly, it will be replied by some, that in this complaint of ours, we touch the boil which doth indeed grieve us: the whole quarrel arising, from a discontentment, taken for lack of preferment. Here, what better than Dingenes course? for as his best refutation of one, denying there was any motion, was to arise himself and move: so now not words, but deeds are fittest, such as show contrary motions in us: I mean motions of zeal borne to God's glory and the Churches good: even to our own prejudice: such as are these, our refusal of preferment offerred; our walking painfully in poor livings, our leaving of benefices (as it is called) to keep a good conscience: our readiness to preach the Gospel even now, although we have no benefice. And this slander hath been too long in the Deck. So it was given forth of e Epiphan. haeres. 30. Paul, that he turned Christian, because he could not be preferred to the marriage of the high priests Daughter. So was it given forth of f Acts and monum. in hist. ●io●. Wickliefe, he raised a schism because he could not be a Bishop. So is it given forth against Luther to this hour, that he fell into g apostasy through discontentment, because he could not be preferred. The like imputation lay to the charge of john Husse & Hierome of prague, I keep till the last, because it speaketh in the language of this our slander word for word, h AEneas Sil. in Bohem. orig. ca 35 his & non nulli, etc. there were joined with these two men others famous for their learning, who because they could not be preferred, grew discontented to see the greatest benefices bestowed on them, who were inferiors in worth unto them. Hereupon envy blinded them, not to see what they saw or understand what they understood: proruperunt in blasphemias, & cum aliquibus ignavis fortasse & vitiosis maledicere possent in omnes latrare Sacerdotes caepere. Last of all, this obiecton worst befitteth some of their mouths, who openly show it is preferment that hath made them adversaries to us: for as much as some times they were with us till advauncement did choke them; so that now they are feign to take up that of AEneas silvius respuit AEneam, l Balaeus in Pro. 2. suscipite Pium howbeit, many of them (the Lord blowing upon their dignities and pluralities) with that success which Alexander the 5. found in his preferment. m jon. Crispin. in Alexand. 5. Pauper Episcopus pauperior Cardinalis, pauperrimus Papa. Thirdly, the ceremonies are guilty of robbery and of theft, in that they have wasted the goods of many a godly Preacher in unnecessary travel, in suits of Law, expenses of courts, yea in suspensions, and deprivations from their livings on which their maintenance did all depend. This if it be not to thrust both with side and 1 Ezech. 34 21. shoulder: to beat and 2 Mat. 24.49. punch a fellow servant: to strike 3 Isai 58.4. with the fist of wickedness: and under pretence of a 4 jer. 29.26 Ichoiadaes' zeal to put a raving and frantic jeremy in the stocks, I know not what is? And how many circumstances are there in this wrong and violence which make it great? First, the persons do exaggerate it, to whom it is offered. For these amplfications must not be forgotten. 5 1 Sam. 22 18. This he did, even to them that wore the Ephod. Do this to honour him, 6 Gen. 20.7 for he is a Prophet. 7 Psal. 105.15. Touch not mine anointed, do my prophets no harm. how dare ye do this against 8 Num. 12.8 my servant, even against my servant Moses? They misused his 9 2 Chron. 36.16. Prophets and despised his Messengers, until there was no remedy: he that 1 Mat. 10. despiseth you, despiseth me. He added this to all his sin, that he 2 Luk. 3. ●0 put john into prison. not to be tedious, They drive us away (saith 3 1 Thes. 2.16. Paul) and forbid us to preach that men may be saved to fulfil their sins always, for the wrath of God is come down on them to the uttermost. It was said once by Arioaldus an earthly king, [the heavenly King will now say it much more] n Sigon. de reg. Ital. lib. 2. An. 629. minimè favebo eis qui negotium famulis Dei facessunt. The reason is given by a Bishop of Rome, o julius Pap. 1. decret. ca 33. non vult Dominus tam leviter suos tractari ministros; Columnas suas firmiter stare vult, nec à quibuscunque agitari. Secondly, the fault pretended for this punishment maketh this wrong and robbery great. For we plead with David: what have we done, what evil is in our hands? Or with the later Orthodox Ministers, ● Sam. 26.18. p Victor. de persequnt. Vandal. ut quid taliter affligimur, pro quibus malis forte commissis ista perpetimur? When our adversaries themselves can lay nothing to our charge: no nor an angry judge condemn us for any thing else, then for disusage of a trifle, even as themselves confess? what, & is the robbing of the church of worthy Ministers in this great want, the robbing of the people of their great comfort, the undoing of sincere Preachers of the Gospel of jesus Christ, are these I say trifles also? I fear how they will pass for trifles at that great day, when it will be in vain to use that gloze of julian, q Theodor. histor. li. 3. ca 15. Not for your conscience do I punish you, but for your obstinacy and contempt. There was a Bishop not long since living, who misliked his Chancellor, for excommunicating in light matters. he replied what now is common, not for the matter, but for the contempt. to whom it was answered (which now serveth for our apology and defence,) to a great contempt is required [à subiectum eiusdem generis,] to wit, a great offence. Why did the r Vorm atiens. council. can. 13.14. Council of Worms (I trow) forbidden to suspend from the Communion, pro parvis & levibus causis? Why did it censure a Bishop that should so excommunicate, for one that had passed the bounds omnis sacerdotalis moderationis? was not the wit then come into the world, which now is grown aged, though the matter be small, yet the contempt deserveth more punishment, then is suitable to the subject of the crime and fault committed? The Empress s Soxom. l. ● c. 20. Eudoxia caused Chrysostome to be deposed, for inveighing against the abuses which were committed at the setting up of her Image, and all ages since have abhorred her violence. Yet what show of contempt can there be imputed to us, like that appearance which was in this fact of his? his opposition was in the Image of the Empress herself: our forbearance in a popish image only. and he had not so much cause to invaigh against the setting up of the one near to the Church, but we have more cause against the other, used religiously in God's service, and in the very church itself. And make we comparison (once more) out of a like story. t Theodo●. histor li. 5. c. 20. When the Image of Theodosius his Empress was broken at Antioch, and men of war were now approaching near the City to revenge it, one Macedonius fell a board with them in these words: the Emperor must consider, that man is the Image of God, and therefore more to be tendered then the Image of the Empress: which also may be repaired again, whereas the Emperor with all his power, cannot restore so much as one hair of the head, when once it is perished. These, with the like considerations did appease the Emperor well. but as great now do plead for us. we break down no Image of our superiors: we only profess that word of God, that doth disable a popish Image, from use religious in his Church. when yet notwithstanding there are wronged for his sake the men that bear, more than a commo Image of God: because the Ministers of the Gospel, bear before their several churches, a special Image and representation, Gal. 4.14. which deserveth they should be received as the Angels of God. yea even as Christ jesus. when john, Patriarch u Zonoras'. in hist. ei●● of Constantinople pulled out the eyes of the Image of Marie, which in the reign of Theodora, a whole Synod had set up, she giveth sentence, his eyes should be pulled out likewise: which, what age hath not disliked, although she executed not the sentence but gave him pardon? But the ceremonies controversed, (and the cross by name) have even executed eye for eye, tooth for tooth, upon the preachers many of them: as they have disgraced the cross, so have they been disgraced themselves. as by the word, they have thrust it out of Baptisine, so through unjustice have they been themselves thrust out from their ministery and from their flocks, thirdly, the matter of our punishment maketh the wrong great. It being true what the w Thom. Aquin. 2. ●. q. 66. Scholmen teach: The theft is great, when res ablata (though of itself little) is Chara possessori: or when the possessor or owner is poor, whom a little (being taken away) doth x Summa. silvestrin. verb. furt. sect. 4. 5. multum gravare. even as obolus aliquando is quid magis pauperi, quam aureus diviti, that which our Saviour backeth, when he affirmeth, a Mite is as much to a widow, as a Sehecle to one that is rich. For the first of these, that which is taken away from us is dear unto us. When Theophilus thrust Chysostome out of his charge which he had at Constantinople, he y Sorom. l. ● c. 18. compareth him to Pharaoh's servants, by whose means and incitation Abraham had his Wife taken from him. Paul, 1 Thes. 2.17. when the jews of Thessalonica drove him away from the Church that was there, he compared himself to an Orphan that had lost (as it were) his Father. So that when the Cross bereaveth us of our flocks, there is a man bereft of his Wife: a child be reaved of his Father whom he loveth: when it reaveth us of our ministry, more is done then even animae dimidia pars is torn, rend, sawed of from our bodies. As for the latter, the Cross and the cemonies take away from us, what doth multum gravare. for we are poor men; and that one benefice which it taketh away, is all the 1 2 Sam. 12.3. sheep we had, and there with sustained we our 2 Deut. 24.6. lives: and now it is gone, there cometh in place wherewith shall we be 3 ver. 15. Deut. 20.5.6. covered? God so desireth a man should have comfort in his own, that to go home and eat of his vinyeard and dwell in his house, he is to be freed from the war which is a service of the church, whereas the cross even to the hindrance of the church's service, taketh from us all comfort in the blessings wherewith the Lord and not man had blessed us, and for which he is so careful we should enjoy them. And the infamy which doth accompany this great wrong, must not be pretermitted. When Nehemiah would exaggerate the oppression of his time: nehem. 5.9 Ought we not (saith he) to live in the fear of God, because of the Canaanites our enemies? In like manner, ought not this to have stayed the hand of the crosses revengers, that there be papists and libertines amongst us, that will not only nod the head, but also clap the hand? And the papist hath great z Bilkington. in epist. ad Comitem Leycestr. cause given him to see his ceremonies (as he taketh them) to find such friendship: and he and the Libertine hath this common cause of hatred, which feedeth itself in the sight of our ruin, 1 Sam. 18.7 Are not, these they of whom men say, they have slain their ten thousand of us? #Sect. 2. Unjust manner of proceeding and oath ex officio. etc. just causes of complaint. FOurthly, the manner unjust of proceeding against us, doth exaggerate this wrong of ours not a little. Where first we complain of the oath ex officio: howbeit not first of all. we only renew the ancient complaint of john Lambert, an holy Martyr of God's truth. It a Act. and monum. pa. 1022. pitieth me (saith he) to hear and see, what is used in some of our nation: and such (also) as name themselves spiritual men, and should be head Ministers of the church. who incontinent as any man cometh before them, anon they call for a book, and do move him to swear, without any longer respite. yea and will charge him by virtue of the contents in the evangely, to make true relation of all that they shall demand him. First we take this course to be against the law of Nature itself registered in the civil law, Nemo tenetur accusare seipsum: or, as the foresaid Lambert citeth it, prodere seipsum, to betray himself. The Canon law hath received some light hereof, inrowling the oath of Sixtus the third, with this proviso, b Decret. p. 2. causa. 2. q. 5. c. 10. licet evadere satis aliter potuissem, suspicionem tamen fugiens, coram omnibus me purgavi. sed non alijs qui noluerint, aut sponte hoc non elegerint, faciendo formam exemplumque dans. Gratian (though much injurious in this case) is constrained to gather from hence this observation, ecce qualiter. etc. See how the chief Bishop purgeth c Ibid. ca 18 himself by oath, and yet prescribeth no necessity of the like course to others. Whence we are given to understand, that satisfaction of purgation by oath, resteth in the will of the accused, not in the will, choice, or pleasure of the judge. The ancient practise perverted not this natural equity, as appeareth by an ancient d Co●il. Neocaesar. cap. 9 Council speaking of a Minister fallen into some sin, quod si de se non fuerit confessus, & argui manifestè nequiverit, potestatis suae judicio relinquatur. Secondly, this maketh a breach upon the order which God hath settled and appointed in his providence, which Paul presseth as an order, 1 Tim. 5. vlt to which the Presbytery ought of duty to submit themselves, in judicial proceeding against Elders and Ministers. When he saith, some men's faults are manifest, and these are to be brought unto judgement. other men's faults are secret, and these God hath reserved unto himself, to follow after judgement. The practise of ancient times fought not against this providence of the Lord, as now the oath ex officio doth: e Decret p. 2. caus. 15. q. 6. c. 1. Non potest humano condemnari examine, quem Deus suo reservabit judicio. Confessio in talibus extorqueri non debet, sed potius sponte profiteri. Pessimum. n. est, de suspitione, aut extorta confession, quenquam judicare. Again, f Ibid. caus. 2. q. 5. c. 20 spontanea confessione vel testium approbatione publicata, delicta habito prae oculis Dei timore commissa sunt regimini nostro judicare. occulta verò & incognita illi sunt relinquenda, qui solus novit corda filiorum hominum. Gratian commenting hereupon, affirmeth that purgation by oath is inhibited, by this authority of the Pope, by which no man must be compelled to confess against himself, but the confession must be voluntary, that must condemn a man. Again. Adultery is not to be punished nisi flagitium detegatur. If it cannot be proved, all judgement ceaseth, h Innocen. 1 epist. 3. ad Exuper. Tholoss. c. 4. non habent latentia peccata vindictam; probatione cessant, vindictae ratio conquiescit. Last of all: l Synod Rhemens'. can. 19 Episcopi & judices judicia discernant, quia sunt quaedam iudicanda modo quaedam Dei judicio reservanda. Thirdly, the oath ex officio fighteth directly against God's word: who requireth two or three witnesses unto every lawful eviction and condemnation. This holdeth in the Elder and in the Minister especially: against others an accusation may be received, if the accuser will bind himself to trial, but the Minister hath this privilege, that it must be tried before hand, whether there be two or three witnesses or no before his name be called in to question. For this is the sense of those words Receive not an accusation against an Elder under two or three witnesses. In deed the governing Elder hath this privilege by this place: 1 Tim. 5. the preaching Elder is here meant by our Opposites own confession. And this hath been anciently practised. m Concil. Bracharen. 2. ca 8. Placuit ut si quis aliquem clericorum in accusatione fornicationis impetit, secundum praeceptum Pauli Apostoli, duo vel tria testimonia requirantur ab illo. quod si non potuerit (datis testimonijs) approbare quod dixit, excommunicationem accusati, accusator accipiat. Again, n julius 1. cont. Oriental. pro Athanas. c. 30.31. when a Minister is to he judged, the proceeding must not slightly pass: nothing must be done till the accuser come in place: none must go further than the libel of the accusation which is put up, the rest must be reserved to God's judgement. man must not de illis quae ei inconcessa sunt, ullo modo judicium praesumere. What oath ex officio here? for the accusation is not so much as received, till the accuser himself come in place, no captious interrogatories are here proposed after he is come, beyond the libel of accusation, which he did put up: and if proof fail to make good the libel, the minister remaineth untouched: yea without any oath of his own he is sent away cleared, and the accuser only is stayed behind to be punished for his slander. Thus the Canon, o Decret. p. 2. caus. 2. q 5. c. 1.3. Nos sacramentum Episcopis nescimus oblatum, nec unquam fieri debet, nisi pro recta fide. If a minister of old was put to his oath only in the causes of faith, then now they swerver from ancient practise, who put ministers to their oaths ex levi p C 4. causa, which the canon by name condemneth, as upon some light suspicion, or perchance some fancy only of their own heads: of which we may reply, as one did once at the Council of Chalcedon, q Chalcedonens. Concil. act. 15. p. 183. Praesbyter sum, & cogitis me jurare? Howbeit, they break the bounds which the ancient Fathers pight much more, who so lift up and exalt themselves above their brethren, as they use them worse than servants, who notwithstanding have fellowship with them in the gospel. for is not this in criminal causes an ancient decree, r Concil. Epaunens'. can. 39 de peccatis verò, vel quocunque opere, placuit à dominis iuramenta non exigi? Is it not now thought sufficient, that they are our lords who put us to our oaths, there being now no consideration taken whether we be their servants or fellows? sure if in case we be slaves to them if we had lived in elder times we should not in criminal matters have been thus used. How be it, the indignity here resteth not. their Canonical Lordship over us is so far stretched, as that their ill conceit of us is sufficient prejudice against us. It must be thought they will accuse none, but such as are guilty: which as it maketh way to the Spanish s Act and monu p. 849. Inquisition, into whose proceed none must inquire, when they accuse good men without more witnesses than themselves, which are unknown to the party accused, upon supposal they cannot err so it offendeth against the contrary justice practised of old, t Vacens. Concil. cap. 7.8. si quis Episcopus aliquem de crimine putet esse damnandum, accusatoris vice discutiendum se sciat: Fas est enim ut quae uni probantur, probentur ab omnibus: quod si tantum alieni sceleris se conscium novit, quamdiu probare non potest, nihil proferat sed cum ipso ad compunctionem eius secretis correptionibus elaboret. It followeth in the Canon, that if the private admonitions of the Bishops be contemned, what, that he should be bewrayed by an oath? No such matter. only pro persona maioris authoritatis, he is to abstain from the communion of the Bishop himself: in the communion of all others he still enjoyeth, until somewhat be proved against him. This course is confirmed by times ancienter than this Council. u Damasus epist. 6. ad Episcop. ●●al. Christus ludam furem esse sciebat, sed quoniam non est presenttaliter accusatus, ideo non est eiectus. nec vos ullo modo agere oportet, quod ille noluit facere. Leges enim saculi accusatores presentes exigunt, & non per scipta absentes: Nullus (igitur) iudicetur, antequam legitimos accusatores presentes habeat. But there is alleged to prove this oath ex officio lawful by the word, the oath to which the adulteress was put in Moses law. touching this, let the world understand, that w Decret. p. 2. Caus. 2. q. 5. ca 21. Gratian himself, though he cite this oath, yet resteth not in it, neither thinketh it sufficient to approve in criminal matters any enforcement of an oath upon a party that is suspected, against his will. In deed who seethe not that this law was not moral, but judicial: not general but particular to the policy of the jews? and that upon particular cause, to wit, the inborn jealousy of that Nation which could not otherwise be appeased? Exod. 22.12 Besides, though in matters of controversy about goods, there was an oath allowed, yet in what criminal matter besides this of adultery? Once more, If our Opposites will have this law to authorize an oath ex officio in matters criminal for purgation, then may they minister by the same an oath also in causes of death: for, adultery (as it is known) was death by Moses law. Now this seemeth to be even more than can be warranted by the example of the z Act. and ●●n. vb. supra. Spanish inquisition itself. Sure example in the scripture we have none of it but that of Caiphas, adjuring our Lord in the name of the living God. Matth. 26. 6●. Upon which, let the Interpreters be consulted withal, they y Bera. homil. ibid. will tell us how tyrannous such an adjuration is. We read in the Canon u Decret. p. 2. Caus. 2. q. 5. ca 11. Law, of one called Guillandus a priest, suspected to have killed his Bishop. touching whom the order taken is, that si certi accusatores defuerint, that he should be restored to his ministery, and to his Benefices, although he was very vehemently grown infamous about the fact. Fourthly, The oath ex officio, perverteth the duty of a righteous oath, which Master a Act. and mon. p. 1021. 1022 Lambert stood upon when he was examined about the oath ex officio, whether he thought it lawful or no. It is not lawful (saith he) for a man to swear when a man knoweth not what they will demand of him, or whether it be lawful to show them the truth of their demands or no. or whether the matter will bear an oath, or if it will, whether there be no other means left to bowlt out the truth. judges have need to be spare in requiring of oaths: for in customable taking of oaths, & that for every trifle creepeth in betwixt times some perjury or other. If the judge require an oath in lawful and convenient manner, as in controversies which can not otherwise be decided betwixt neighbour and neighbour, I think myself bound to swear: but if he put me to mine oath to bewray myself, or to bewray any other, this being contrary unto charity, I count it inexpedient to hold me still. When the Ministers of b victor. de persecut. Vandalic. Aphric were tendered such an oath as this, Nunquid bruta irrationalia (said they) nos putatis, ut iuremus nescientes quid charta contineat? The oath ex officio (then) we cannot take with reverence. Fiftly, the oath ex officio perverteth the law and justice of all nations, times and countries. This c Ap●d. Plin li. 10. epist 98. trajan sine authore propositi libelli nulla crimina locum habere debent. nam & pessimi exempli, nec nostri saculi est. By the civil d Digest. lib law, there is no proceeding till some accuser hath bound himself to pursue the accusation. The e Decret. pag. 2. cause 23. quest. 4 Canon law which is ancient, followeth the same course, peccata quae publicis judicijs deseruntur punienda non sunt. The f Canon's Synedor. collect. p Adrian. tom. Conciliar. 3. councils that be ancient take the same course, there must be an accuser present before any thing be done. When the accuser presenteth himself, g Sixt. 3. in epist. ad Episcop. Oriental. scribat se prius probaturum. without this course criminationes adversus doctorem nemo recipiat. The Fathers are of the same judgement, h Am●●● o●. in epist. 1. ad Corint. c. ●. si quis potestatem non habet quem scit reum eijcere aut probare non valet, immunis est. & judicis non est sine accusatore damnare, quia & Dominus judam, & cùm fur esset quia non est accusatus, minime abiecit. Thus we see, till the Church was corrupted, the oath ex officio in matters criminal, had no access nor entrance. One of the first l Concil. Ilardens. tom. 2. p. 357. councils that ordained purgation by oath, is late: and it requireth this oath to be taken, because Leo the Pope had so purged himself before in the presence of Charles the great. Hence we may gather the first rising of the oath ex officio, how preposterous it was: Some voluntarily took an oath to purge themselves, and by their example future times brought in a necessity: contrary to the proviso taken by m Decret. p. 2. caus. 2. q. 5. c. 18. Leo himself and Sixtus the third, who forbadd (as we heard before) that any should bring in any necessity by his example: who, if he swore for his own purgation, he did it voluntarily and of his own accord, without any meaning to bind others to the like. There is a Council n Concil. A gathens. tom. 1. p. 716. somewhat higher than this, that putteth a Minister to his oath of purgation, but it is after that his parish have come in and taken an oath that he is publicly infamous, ne populus in eo scandalum patiatur. but what is this to the oath ex officio, which now is tendered to us? Howbeit, the fountain of this oath for purgation in common infamy, is neither so ancient, nor so clear: it first came in ex superabundanti, as we may perceive by o Gregor. ●. 2. indict. 1●. epi. 2● Gregory, who in the common infamy of one Leo, caused him to swear upon the Relics of Saint Peter ex abundanti: that so no doubt or any scruple might remain. The fondness of the times, when the oath ex officio first arose, as it plainly appeareth by this superaboundance mentioned, so by another superadded unto this: when an oath was not believed, he was put to an other kind of purgation, ferventi aqua, vel candenti ferro se expurget, sayeth p Decret. p. 2. caus. 2. q. 5. c. 15. one of the councils. This course continued long, as may appear by an after Synod, q Synod. Mogont. sub Rabban c. 14 servus per 12. Vomeres ferventes se purget: till r Gen●brar. chronolog l. 4. in An. 892. Steven the sixth forbadd the trial both of hot water and of hot iron, about the year eight hundredth ninety and two. And the oath ex officio for purgation had more fellows then either the Relics of Saint Peter, or this hot and burning iron. for the same superstition that brought it in, brought in Monomachy also. which was to try a matter in controversy by the sight of two men. Lotharius was he that devised this way of purgation, not believing the oath of Theuperga his wife, he would try whether she were chaste or no by the fight of two men. But this was forbidden by the s Decret. vb. sup. c. 22. decree of Nicholas. another companion of the oath ex officio for purgation escaped better, which was to go to Mass & to receive the body of Christ, in these words, t Ibid. c. ●3. corpus Domini sit mihi ad probationem hody. Sixtly, the oath ex officio is against the law of this Land: it grew first by the Statute of 2. Henry the fourth, cap. 15. made for the punishment of Lollards, that is to say, of true christians. which Master Fox in his book of Martyrs, in regard of that proceeding ex officio, calleth a cruel law, a bloody law, a law of Maximinus. The statute of 25. Henry the eight, cap. 14. in that blind time brandeth it with this mark, that the Ordinaries of this Realm were wont to examine upon captious interrogatories. Besides, it standeth not with the justice of our Land, that any person should be convict, or put to the loss of his life, goods, or good name, but by due accusation and witness, or by presentment, verdict, confession, or process of outlawry. How can it be reasonable (then) that any Ordinary by any suspicion conceived in his own fantasy, without due accusation or presentment, should put any subject of the Realm, unto any infamy or slander of heresy, to the peril of life, or loss of goods, etc. Note also, that by this Statute 25. of King Henry the eight, c. 19 no Canons, Constitutions, or Ordinances, may be put in ure within this Realm that are repugnant to the K. prerogative, or to the customs, laws, or statutes of this Realm. So that, the laws of the land being against the oath ex officio, no canon or constitution can hold it in. I omit what the u The humble perit. to Q. Eliz. p. 25. 62. 67. out of Crompt. 182. Firzharb de nature. bre. p. 41. Regist. p. ●6. Rastal. pro. 5. learned of the Laws have collected of this point. proving that the law of the land tendereth no oath but in causes Matrimonial and Testamentary only. #Sect. 3. The violence of subscription justly complained off as most unjust. SEcondly, Sect. 3. we complain of the violence which is showed us in the emforcing of Subscription. little less than that which a Concil. Chalcedom. act. 1. p. 68 Dioscorus afferred to the Bishops of his tyme. For though we fall down before them and contest as they did then, noli per vestigia reverentiae vestrae, yet are we exclaimed upon (as he cried out on them) seditionem mihi movetis, da commites. neither can we appease them, unless for fear we subscribe, as they for fear subscribed to him. It will be the Law which here they will plead: which suppose it were with them, what vizard have they gotten better than that of Ulpian, b Caesar. Baron. annal. anno 225. Qui in libro quem scripsit de officio pro Consulis, cuncta qua valuit adversus Christianos statuta, collegit. quo se in eos ture agere non impetu animi demonstraret. Now this covereth not their violence, as long as we are able to reply with c Lactantius li. 5. c. 11. Lactantius, their constitutions together with the disputations of those Lawyers that prostitute their help unto them, are unjust. Howbeit, what if the Law be (indeed) with us, the violence which they offer against us in this behalf, be a violence offered against the very laws themselves. For when the statute d Statut. 13 Eliza. c. 12 requireth subscription with this exception to The articles of religion which [only] concern the confession of the true christian faith & the doctrine of the Sacraments, the word [only] must needs exclude somewhat, which what can it be but matter of ceremony and of Church-governement. to which the honourable state of the Parliament would bind no man, because they saw them controversed, not only by private men, but also by whole churches? Now it is not unknown that our Reverend Fathers require a subscription not only to Faith and Sacraments, but also to the Discipline, communion book, ceremonies and all things else, so imposing articles of their own, which no subject by the law is permitted to do. I say of their own notwithstanding the Canon. For seeing the statute law is against it, no e Statut. 25 of H. 8. c. 19 canon, no constitution ecclesiastical can make it good. Howsoever, seeing divers Ministers have been repelled, and deprived that offered to subscribe juxta formam Statuti, so far forth as the law of the land doth bind them, it sufficiently appeareth we are denied the benefit of law, and that a transcendent power above the law hath been claimed, whereby to wrong us. And what will be said to this, that if we were bound by the law to subscribe as they would have us, that then we must subscribe against the cross in baptism. For they will have us to subscribe unto the books of Homilies which are established by act of Parliament, and to acknowledge no doctrine is contained in them, but that which is sound and true, whereas we are able to prove plainly by the principles that are contained partly in the homily against the peril of Idolatry, partly in the homily for Whitsentyde which handleth baptism, that no room ought to be for the cross in the service of God, or in the sacrament of Baptism, as hath been showed in several places of this treatise. Thirdly, we complain that we are put out from our benefices, which are freeholdes, by the bare and sole sentence of a Bishop; whereas the liberty of an English man is this, to be put from his f Magna Charta. c. 29. freehold by none, but by the verdict of 12. men. And as we are wronged by the bare and sole sentence, so also by the mere will and sole pleasure of a Bishop. What law have they else? For the Statute of Eliz. the 1. punisheth no bare omission with obstinacy and contempt of any one rubric of the service book, especially in them who receive the whole body of it, so far forth as a book of man's framing may be received. to omit that the book for which we are punished now is not that communion book which the Statute of Eliza. doth establish but a new one, a divers one, a different one. which when it was afferred to the most honourable Court of Parliament to be confirmed, it was refused, rejected, cast out and disannulled. Consider these things a while, and then ask of thyself, why doth not a Crozier staff appear in the hands of a Bishop, as well as the cross in Baptism: sith the law g Ordinat. minist. Anglican. ap. Bucer. rubric. ultim. in the book of ordaining Minist. p. 65. requireth the one aswell as the other? Is it because there is a meaning not to use that gentle direction which the upper end betokeneth, but that rigour which the lower end doth signify, according to the ancient verse, h Durant d●rit li. 2. c. 9 sect. 40. curva trahit quos recta regit, pars ultima pungit. In Russia the bacculus pastoralis is cruciatus, whereof our Governors should not be ashamed, as long as they love so well as they do the cross in Baptism But if they may spare themselves at their pleasure, though they spare not us, yet (me thinks) it can not but be hardly done of them to keep the Staff of this crozier still in their hands for a truncheon wherewith to strike and beat their fellows. The bird in the l Act. and monu pa. 374. parable of johannes de Rupe scissa is deplumed by those who first clothed her with her gay feathers, when in the pride of them she began with her beak to punge and to tear with her talants. If our Reverend Fathers cease not to punch us, and to tear us as they begin, it is the duty of every true christian, Ezech. 3●. 16. to give the Lord no rest in his prayer, until he remember his merciful promise to judge between the fat & lean of his flock. And this we trust he will do in due time, against their expectation: who according to ancient hypocrisy, Isai 66.5. look for a [blessing] from the Lord notwithstanding they thrust [out] as if the whole fault were in us, who for such small matters as these, incur our own undoeing. But this is to mock both with God and with man: and that somewhat like to m Socrat. histor. lib. 3. cap. 12. julian (if I be not deceived) who when he had impoverished the christians, laughed at them as at fools, because they would impoverish themselves to have the blessing which their Master giveth to the poor, Now who are we to be thus conformed unto the first begotten of God, who are now in heaven? as now it is said to us, what great matter is it to make a cross, to put on a Surplice: so was it said of old to them, what great matter is it to swear ⁿ by Caesar? Nay we are herein conformed to our Lord himself, for so it was said to him, truth, what is truth? john 18.38 Is that such a matter to be stood on? Is he wise that will cast away himself for truth? And so much of the sin of the ceremonies against the 8. commandment. The Slander of the Cross. Chap. 9 Our ninth indictment against the ceremonies is the shame & defamation, which they throw upon our church & upon sundry members of it, against the ninth commandment. First, they defame our church before the papist, whose badges they are. For seeing they make us like the spiritual Egypt Rome, Apoc. 11.8. as the foreskin uncircumcized, Iosu● 5.9. likened the Israelites to the earthly, they must needs prove to be a shame of Rome to us, as that was A shame of Egypt to them: in regard whereof, we must humbly beseech our josuahs' to take them from us. a joh. Drusius in Proverb. Bo●. Sirae. Qui honorat contemnentes se, similis est A sino, saith the proverb of the jews, how base (then) do the Ceremonies make us, honouring the papist, by wearing his cognizance when he scorneth to communicate with us, in the least of all our rites and Ceremonies? Secondly, these Ceremonies do disgrace us, before our brethren of the reformed churches. Is it not much, not to be able to hold up the face before a brother? But now the Cross disableth us, to hold up our crossed foreheads, before our brethren of other churches, who writ it amongst the marks of the beast. a Sam. 1.22 Look (then) with what shame the Armenian army looked on their brethren, when they came home with faces marked with the enemy's b Magdeburg. centur. 7. col. 92. ink, and with no less do we look on them, because it is with the enemies cross that we are blatched. Nemo est signandus in front (saith the c Cod. l. 9 ●it. 47. c. 17 civil Law) quia non debet facies hominis ad similitudinem Dei formata fadari. we call for the equity of this Law. Be it that the cross in intent be the sign of our Emperor: the forehead of a christian man must not be in baptism defiled with any sign devised by man. but (alas) he is the sign of Antichrist our emperors enemy, which none will deny but that it defileth, and that with the deepest stain. From this dishonouring of our church before our friends and enemies, come we to the defamation wherewith the Ceremonies stain the principal members of it: making the very ancient vile. Mal. ●. 3. For hath not God (true of his threat) cast this dung into the faces of the reverent Fathers themselves of this Church, that abroad amongst them that dare to judge, they are held little better than Adiaphoristes', and the persecutors of their brethren? Now the time was, when d ●lmar. harborough of faithful subiect●. one that after became a Bishop joined Adiaphoristes and Sattanistes together. the more is it to be wished that every good and godly Bishop would be careful, to avoid that imputation of Adiaphorisme which the similitude (if not identity) of these Ceremonies, pseudoadiaphorical will otherwise (at least in show) still cast upon them. But whether the ceremonies besprincle our reverend Fathers or no, sure it is they ploung the preachers over head and ears: who what have they not heard for their sakes even from them who were more bound to cover our faults with their rotchets, than e Th●●dor. histor. l. 1. ●. 11. Constantine was to cover the adultery of a Minister with his people. Sacerdotum exorbitationes vulgo innotessere non oportet (said he) the reason is given by a general Council, f Chalcedonens. act. 3. p. 117. delicta sacerdotum communis est turpitudo. Now we have against this rule without all cause been termed g Answ to the peter. of the M. by the Vice chant. and the doct. 10 pretat. Puritans and Donatists: been pinioned with Barrowistes, yea anabaptists: yea Familistes': been accused of singularity in our selaes, of schism in the church, of sedition in the common wealth. The Lord rebuke thee Satan: yea, the God of heaven rebuke thee in these lewd slaundes. For, are we puritans (first of all?) No more than the Waldenses were, our predecessors in the faith: who yet were termed h Lambert. Dane. heres. 38. p. 96. Cathari of old: and are now surnamed puritans by the papists. No more neither then Master Rogers the proto Martyr, or Bishop Hooper that glorious Martyr were: who yet to this day are m Parsons in his converse. of Engl. renowned for the puritans of their times. Howbeit, it was after the sect of the Novatians that they werd esteemed puritans: we after the sect, l Genebrar. lib. 4 in An. 1100. of the anabaptists which are far worse. And according to that ugly description of a puritan in the Quodlibets; one monster of which shape where will the author be able to find out of the Utopia of his own brain? And they were termed puritans by their en imies, we by our brethren and our friends; whom God for give, for what have they done? First, whereas this odious name was first brought up by the n Saunders de monarc. Eccles. lib. 5. c. 4 Genebrar. Chronolog. lib. 4. An. 1●60. papists, of purpose to make our religion odious, as if it were the vomit of those dogs to spit it maliciously into our faces: who as little have deserved it as themselves. Secondly whereas our writers, to clear our religion from the infamy of division, which the papists do object, aver and avouch, there is no o D. Whitak in praefat. ag. W. Reynold. Matth. Sutcliu. in answ. to the humh. moti. for tollerat. sect of puritans in the land, and prove this p joh. Reynold. de Idololat. in epist. ad Anglic-Seminar. sect. 5. nick name doth but fill up the old reproach of the christians termed Nazareni, Physici, Homousiani, Eustachiani, Machariani, with the like: these spare not to give them the lie justifying the untrue slander of the jesuits and the papists: and little caring though it be our religion itself, that is thus wounded through our sides. Thirdly, where as the papists count all to be q Concertatio. Eccles. Catholic. in Anglia. concra-Caluino papistas. & puritanoes. Caluino papistae, that is half papists that are not puritans: and daily invite them to an association with them against the puritans: in r Humble. mot. for tollerat. Cant. 5.7. consideration they can never hold out against them with out their help, or stand in argument but upon their grounds and principles, these are contented in giving way to this nicke-name of puritans against us: to give way also to that other name or rather shame of Caluino-papistes or protestant papists against themselves. Fourthly whereas this nick name of puritans serveth for a colour in eperie papistes & Atheists mouth to rail at religion and all honesty under neathe the name of puritanism, whereby it is come to pass that zeal hath her veil of holiness taken from her, and walketh at this day disguised (as it were) in an harlot's habit, these notwithstanding keep this vile name on foot, as if it were a small thing with them to see piety, zeal, religion trodd under foot. Fiftly, whereas for the better nourishing of concord, it was thought fit in the beginning s Admonit. added to the book of iniunce of Elizabethes' reign that none should use the odious name of papist and protestant, but that every man should be acknowledged to be a good subject that did acknowledge her highness Supremacy: they who uphold these names of protestants and puritans (names savouring of debate and division more pernicious than the former) considering we acknowledge his majesties Supremacy as for forth as themselves, they are to be held by the affore said admointion, for disturbers of public peace. Sixtly as the Hugonotes were transformed in France by the friars who made the people believe they were monsters with asses ears and swine's faces with the like, so are we transformed from ourselves before these who know us not, when we are described as puritans, a sect most vile and monstrous. They t Euseb. lib. 6 cap. 35. affected the name of puritans out of an opinion that they were pure. They called themselves u Hieron. in Hos. c. 14. catharous idest mundos cùm sint omnium immundissimi. Cathari sunt (saith Augustine) qui seipsos isto nomine quasi propter munditiem w August. hercs. 38. superbissimè, atque odiosissimè nominant. Decipiebant seipsos cathari haeretici, (saith x Tholossan li. 13. de republs. c. 1. another) qui haberi volebant alijs sanctiores, despicientes alios: quique propter munditiem, catharos se nominabant: gloriantes de suis meritis. In regard hereof we turn ourselves first to the papist (the first deviser of this name) giving him to understand, that he is (indeed) the right puritan himself, in that he holdeth his church to be pure, y Decret. p. 1 distinct. 21 c. 3. non habens maculam, neque rugam, nec aliquid huiusmodi: and thinketh he can z Bellarmin. l. 4. de Eccles. milit. perfectly keep the law and be a Bellaromin. de justificat li. 4. ca 10. etc. pure from sinning against it: and trusteth (last) in his merits Next we turn ourselves unto our Opposites: whom we put in mind, to follow the steps of those who are famous in the Gospel: who turn this b Tho. Morton apolog p. a. l. 1. c. 29. nicke-name of puritanes upon the papists who deserve it. But if any beso malicious as to turn it upon us, we wish him to appease his malice, to consider with himself and duly meditate both what an odious name it is that he doth give us, & what an odious malice it is for any to give it, to them (especially) who least deserve it. To be a puritan is to be a new Pharisie in c Ribera in Hebreos. c. 6. Num. 11. Nazianzenes judgement. To be one of the puritanes, is to be one of the heretics called d Tho. Morron apolo. p. 1. li. 2. cap. 20. Essei, who were so called quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est sancti. Yea, it is to be one of the anabaptists, who think they live an holy, perfect, and Apostolical life. None but e August. de heres. c. 46. Manichees will call themselves puritanes. who have affected this name of purity, since the days of Novatus, save only they? And will any man have the conscience to call us pharisees, Esses, Manichees? if they will, we must not think much to be as our Master was, howbeit, we contest in the mean season the God of heaven, even the good God of heaven knoweth, and all Israel knoweth, yea our very adversaries I am persuaded, and our accusers, even they themselves, they know the contrary. In the third place, we beseech our Governors, to renew amongst us, Gen. 1.19. if not the state of innocency when every name was according to nature, yet the estate of that happy government which doth provide that the name of every man be answerable to his desert: Isai 32.5. Isai 33.15. so that neque flagitioso amplius induatur nomen ingenui, neque tenax dicatur liberalis. which then will be done, when informations of things manifest be judged by knowledge, and not by the hearing of the ear: and suggestions of things secret by those our demeanours which are manifest: according to the ancient rule, f Tertul. Apologer. c. 3. iustius est occulta de manifestis preiudicare, quam manifesta de occultis praedamnare. In the fourth place, we beseech our brethren, who are opposed against us puritanes, as Calvino-papistes or half papists, and who are daily called upon to associate with the papists themselves against us, that they would bethink themselves whether some thing hath not been done by them which is not well, seeing they please the papists so well in this their Opposition to us, even as g Hiper. de sacr. stud. p. 106. Photion was wont always to be jealous of himself when he saw he had pleased the people: and Antistines ever suspected ne quid imprudens mali fecisset quando placuisset malis. Placui noverca? saith Hippolytus. What have ye pleased Rome (my brethren) the stepmother of all piety? Et haec sponsi iniuria est expectare placituram. this cannot be done without injury to your husband jesus Christ, that his corrival should look for love or liking from you. Pereat. h Caesar. Baron. Annal. in an. 304. corpus (said this holy Martyr Agnes) quod amari potest occulis quibus nolo. Away with these cercmonies (say you) which are beloved of their hearts which we would not should love them. Last of all, of our brethren in Christ, which are of the laity, we heartily crave, that now at the last they would take knowledge of our innocency, and wisely consider whether papists be so unwise, as either to love them best who do help them least, or to hate us most who do them least hurt, If you can evict us of puritanism, spare us not: if you cannot, then remember what the ancient Christians pleaded, l Tertul in Apologet. ca 7. in Ibid. c. 8 aut eruite si creditis, aut nolite credere qui non cruistis. Shall it suffice, that by this name you often hear us inveighed against: answer you yourselves, m famae nemo credit nisi inconsideratus: quia sa piens non credit incerto. What that the contumely of a nick name is amongst all other reports, the most unworthy to be believed, even as the same our Fathers contested, n Ibid. c. 3. nomen expugnatur, vox sola predamnat: quia nominamur, non quta revincimur. But if other nicke-names were worthy of some credit, yet not this which useth to report well of us even while it doth slander us: for thus runneth the common saying, he were an honest man, it he were not a puritan. as once the nickname of the Christians spoke, Bonus vir Caius Saius, sed malus tantum quod Christianus: tanti non est bonum esse quanti est odium Christianorum. #Sect. 2. Seekers of Reformation, neither Donatists, nor anabaptists, with neither of whom they have any thing to do. THE second slander of the ceremonies accuseth us for Donatists, Sect. 2. whom the anabaptists revive. with either of whom what have we to do? For besides that we make no separation, as they did then, & these do now, we are as far both from their judgement and from their practise as our accusers. This (then) is the same slander, that the ceremonistes of a David Chytre. in praefect. Chroni●. Boheme raised against their sincere & faith full brethren that would not conform▪ for even so they brought upon them, that they were Donaristes▪ whereof they easily cleared them selves, as soon as they came to hearing. Now the first position of the Donatists was, That the Church is pure without spot and without wrinkle in this life: and whereas Christian Churches tolerated infamous men, advanced also one Caecilian accused of relapse, they held it their duty to separate from them, as being no true churches. I see here a perfect image of the Brownistes and of the anabaptists, but not so much as any liniament of any English Protestant Preacher that is desirous of reformation. And in our understanding, our accusers draw more near to this error than we do. For whereas Doctor Whitguift accuseth Master Cartwright for an Anabaptist, in that he held the Church might be perfect for the outward constitution of Discipline in points essential, me thinks he taketh them by the nose who hold that the Church of England is so pure, so perfect, as that nothing, nothing at all needs to be reform in it. Secondly, The Donatists held, the Magistrate might not compel to Godliness, nor punish hereticques: and because they were punished themselves by the Law of Arcadius and Theodosius, therefore they barked at the Magistrate, (the holy ordinance of the Lord) tanquam semper Ecclesiae Lupi, & pests Magistratus essent. Of this we are guilty (as Christ was guilty of denying Caesar's tribute: it being a mere b Bexa a●● Saravia●●. calumniation to affirm, that we do Principi omnia adimere, because we do not omnia tribuere, to wit that unlimited and Pope-like power which doth not bind him to the rules which God in his holy word prescribeth in the ordering of the ceremonies of the Church. What, must Bellarmine now at last be justified, c Bellarmin. de notis eccles. l. 4 c. 7 iam re ipsa Calvinistis in Anglia mulier quaedam summum Pontificem agit? or that speech of Constantius, d Athanas. ad vitam solitar. de gent. At quod ego volo, pro Canone sit, ita me loquentem Syriae Episcopi sustinent. Aut ergo obtemperate aut exules estote. Which our e D. Bilson count Apol. p. Opposites themselves condemn. Shall we sup up the error which Hart f joh Reynold. confer ca un. p. 589. himself retracted, or return to Gardeners vomit, g joh. Caluin in Amoi c. 7. potestas est penes Regem ut statuat pro suo arbitrio quidquid volverit. whom King Henry the eight himself reproved and checked for his flattery? Shall we make our religion parliamentary (as the l D. Hill. quartron of Reasons. papists object? Or subscribe to that flaunder, m Allen. in Apolog. of Engl. Catholiq. cap. 4. sect. 6. Absolute power is ascribe to the h Polus Cardinal. de unitat eccles. l. 4. Parliament, so that nothing there determined must be counted error or schism, what order, decree, sentence, constitution, or law soever be to the contrary, holy Scriptures themselves not excepted? If we be blamed for not giving this power to the King, then blame the n Ambros. epist. 33. ad foror Athanas. vb. sup. Hilar. count Constant. defunct Gregor. lib. 9 epist. 41. Fathers, and all our lante o Nowell. in reproof of Dorman joh. Reynold. confer. c. 10. P. jun. controvers. 3. lib. 4. c. 16.17 Writers, one of whom because he is both learned and revered, I cannot omit; over the Word and Sacraments ( p D Bills. count Apolo. p. 2.235 saith he) we grant Princes no power. Again, q Ibid. pag. 237. Princes have no imperial right over divine things, to alter and abrogate what they think good: which is lawful for neither men nor Angels. Again, r Ibid pag. 298. Dominion, power and majesty belong as right to God alone, and are by him imparted to Princes to the end they should reign under him not over him: command for him not against him: be honoured and obeyed after him not before him. Donatists than we cannot be for denying the absolute power of the Prince in matters of God's service: or for tying him to the holy word of God without the company of the Godly. But now this absolute power excepted, who giveth any thing to the Magistrate which we do not? The admonition of the injunctions acknowledgeth him for a good subject that will acknowledge the Prince's Supremacy, which we most willing lie both acknowledge and perform, according to the statute s Statut. 1. Eliza. ca 11 & 13. c 12 made in that behalf. as also we give to the King the authority which the book of t Articl. ann 1562. articles doth. we say with u August. epist 166. Augustine, It is Christ himself that commandeth in Princes when they command that which is good: when otherwise, we agree with w Gregor. l. 9 epist. 41 Gregory, & bear it with silence, so long as we may without sin on our parts. and last of all, in matters indifferent, we submit both our bodies and goods unto him, and all save our consciences, which is all, that some of our x Mat Sutcliu de Pontific. li 4. ca 6 pa. 338. Opposites themselves require. But we hold that Princes must lick the dust of the church's feet, and be subject to our Consistories. This latter clause, as it is not found in our writings, so is it far from our hearts. The former is taken out of Isaiah, and that we affirm in our y D Bills vb. sup. pag. 2. pag 224. & pag. 3. pag. 64. Psal. 7. title. Psal. 52. adversaries sense: of a spiritual not temporal submission: voluntary not coacted: of soul not of body: to the ministery not to the Minister. or if our accusers themselves can frame any other interpretation more commodious, we will subscribe to it. Not so, for we hold the Eldership hath power to depose a Prince. In deed I hear that some Shimeis have so given forth to incense the power against us: for whose curse (also) we trust the Lord will bless us the sooner, and look down on our affliction: Never was a church more impudent, a Doeg more virulent, never an Onager that ever had an hart of more lead, a mouth of more iron, a forehead of more brass than they that so speak. who if they should be put to their proofs, must make that sluttish shift again which one of their z D. Cousins answ. to the Abstract. p. 28 fellows was once driven to, when to prove the Puritans held, the people may resist the Prince that hindereth the presbytery, he was feign to cite Franciscus junius in steed of Stephanus junius. or if they cite any man truly of any foreign part whatsoever, we protest against him truly, We know him not. And as for ourselves, name one amongst us, that doth claim more power over Princes, then that which the Bishops themselves do claim and challenge to themselves. whose words are these: a D. Bis. v● sup. pag 301.342. Princes touching the regiment of their own persons & lives own the very same reverence and obedience to the Word & Sacraments that every private man doth. And if any Prince would be Baptized, or approach to the Lords Table, with manifest show of unbelief, or irrepentance, the Minister is bound freely to speak: and rather to lay down his life at the Prince's feet, then to admit him. And they make b Idem. pa. 3. pag. 65. good the words of Nazianzen to the Emperor, The Law of Christ hath committed you to my power and to my pulpit, for we rule also: and that with the more excellent & perfect government, you are a sheep of my fold, & a weanling of the great shepherd. when they justify the fact of Ambrose excommunicating Theodosius out of the c Homily, and drive us to subscribe unto it, they subject the K. more than we subject him. that which they do in other matters also. what meaneth else the d See Potit. to her Majesty, p ●● licence which the Prince must have in some cases under the Arch BB. hand and seal? what meaneth else their tying of him to the e D. Bilson vb sup p. 2 p 33●. Canons of the church, as well as to the word of God? what meaneth else the new tenant, That Bishoplike autho. over their brethren, is not from the Prince or at his pleasure, as heretofore it hath been f jewel taught, but even iure divino, which Q. Elizabeth would never endure? Last of all, what meaneth else the new position, that the Prince hath no g Admonit. ag. Mar● in Marprel at p. 252. power to dispose of the temporalities of the church, by alienating them to an use profitable. which crosseth quite the ancient divinity of Saint Ambrose, Si agros Ecclesiae desiderat Imperator, potestatem habet vendicandorum: h Amb●os. count Aurentium tollat eos si libitum est. Imperatori non dono, sed non nogo: which words the l Decret. p. 1 caus. 11 q. 1 c 17. Canon itself accepteth. and the latter divinity of John Wiclife, m Walsingam hist. in Rich. 2. Licet Regibus auferre temporalia viris Ecclesiasticis ipsis abutentibus habitualiter. yea and the policy of the Emperor n Catalogue. testi. verit. in Freder 2 Frederic also, auferamus illis nocentes Divitias, hoc enim facere, est opus charitatis. Thirdly, the Donatists separated from their communion, all that were not of their opinion, even in the least points. The o Augustin. haeres 6 9 Lambert. Dane. abide. Circumcellians also amongst them thought it good service done to God, to offer all violence to all that were not on their side in the fields, in the high ways, and in every other place where soever they met them. Here let a man lay his hand upon his heart, & ask of himself who are they who in these days deprive, imprison, excommunicate, even their fellowe-labourers themselves in the Gospel, when they will not in every trifle condescend to their opinion, and he will easily see and perceive, that Donatisme dwelleth not on our side of the street. If not Donatisme, than not Anabaptistry, and Brownisme neither. What we think of the subjects duty (sayeth Master Beza) to the Magistrate, you shall far more certainly learn by our doctrine, then by their slanders, which are not ashamed to join us with the frantic anabaptists, subverting the Magistrate's authority. The very same say we now in the very same cause. for Mr Beza is one of us. so that when our p D. Bills vb. sub. p. 3. p. 268. Opposites justify these words of his for true and righteous, therein they clear us together with him from this most odious imputation. As for those of the separation, who have confuted them more than we? or who have written more against them? Some things of truth they hold, with which we think it no more sin for us now to agree, than Cyprian once to agree with Novatianus, in that which he esteemed right. q Cypri. Quid est quia hoc facit Novatianus ut nos non putemus faciendum? Augustine thought it no sin in some things to be nearer to the Pagans than the Manichees were, who thought they had gotten a great advantage against him, as our Opposites now think they have great advantage on us in that we are nearer to the Brownistes then themselves. Hear our Apology our of him, r Augustin. count Faust Manich. li. 20. c. 10. Si propterea vos putatis. etc. If you think yourselves to have the truth, because you are farther of from the error of the Pagans, us to be in error because we are more distant from you then from the Pagans, then let a dead man be said to be whole, because now he is not sick: and let a whole man be therefore reprehended, because he cometh nearer to the sick, than the dead man doth. Or if the most part of the Pagans must be reckoned not as sick men but as dead men, than let the ashes in the grave be praised because now they have not the form of a carcase: and let the members of the living be blamed, because for the form which they retain they are more like unto a carcase then are the ashes which have not his form & shape. Howbeit wear not ignorant, that the Brownists & we are jumbled together, and reported to be one in their errors themselves: so that all their excesses whatsoever, are imputed unto us. Let not any man think this strange; let every man rather herein acknowledge the old cunning and the subtlety of the serpent. So whatsoever stir or sedition was moved by the unbelieving jews, it was imputed to the jews that were ˢ Christians, who were thought to be all one with them. So the impurity of the t Caesar Baron. Anal. in An. 201 Gnostickes was drawn to the defamation of all other christians, no difference being made between them. So whereas the Egyptians were u Idem ex Vopisco. An. 283. viri ventosi. furibundi, iactantes, vani, liberi, novarum rerum cuptentes, the Christians and all, that are there dwelling, are thought to be the very same. even as the narration addeth, Christiani sunt & Samaritae & quibus presentia semper tempora cum enormi libertate displiciunt. Out of these last words, it is easy for any to see, that our reproach is not an upstart, or an yesterdays birth, which giveth forth that all is an humour in us, which will never be contented with the state of present things, or be subject to order of Laws, we are so wayward, so given to contradiction, men of so unquiet a spirit, so malcontented, so contemptuous also against authority, and desirous to live at liberty: whereof if the Egyptians be guilty, therefore must we Christians also? Last of all, I may well compare some of unbridled spirit, to the Flaccians, whose intemperate fury made w Amand. Polan in Dan. ca 9 Ernestus to deal the more hardly with the Protestants, out of a fear they were all of the same spirit, and would in the end procure like mischief. #Sect. 3. Defence of the Ministers against the imputation of schism, showing what schism is. THE third slander of the ceremonies, putteth in a bill of schism against us: to which we answer. First, this slander is directly against the admonition added to the injunctions, which forbiddeth to call any man a schismatic that acknowledgeth the Supremacy of the Prince, and liveth underneath the obedience of it, as all the world knoweth we do. Secondly; there is no schism properly where there is no separation, Schismaticus facit communionis dirupta societas (saith a Augustin. questionum Evangel. secund. Mat. q. 11 Augustine) Schisma ab Ecclesia separate, b Hieron. in epist. ad Tit. c. 3. saith Hierome. Schismatici sunt (saith c August. de vera relig. ca 5. Augustine again) ijsdem utentes Sacramentis, ac dissentientes opinionibus & seor sim celebrantes conventus. Schismaticus est qui à communione seipsum suspendit, & collectam facit, & altar constituit saith the d Decrer. p. 2. caus. 23. q. 5. ca 42. Council of Chalcedon. Cyprian held rebaptisation an opinion more erroneous than is any to us imputed, yet never was he counted an heretic or a schismatic. Wherefore? because he then as we now (if error be with us) e August. epi. 48. Idem de baptis. con. Donatist. l. 1. c. 28. nawm illum candidissimi pectoris cooperuit ubere charitatis & se ab Ecclesiae unitate nunquam seperavit. But you want this love will our Opposites say, therefore ye are schismatics, although in regard of outward communion you make no utter separation. There is the church's unity, which who so breaketh, he is a schismatic. and there is the Church's peace, this who so breaketh, he is properly seditious. a schismatic sometimes he is called, but through improper and larger sense. In which St Augustine speaketh when he maketh a difference between those that separate & those that remaining in the unity of the church, f Gratian. decret. p. 2 caus. 24. q. 3. c. 8. inter se dissentiunt, pro ut Corinthij faciebant: ad quos Paulus scribens epistola prima, carnales eos vocat, quia dicerent ego sum Pauli, ego vero Apollo. which is schisina long diversa ab illo de quo referi Apostolus Iuda qui segregant semetipses, animales, spiritum non habentes. Of this schism, I would our Opposites were as well able to clear themselves, as we are able. who run within that censure of Augustine, g Andrea's Hiper. de sacr. stud. non deserend. p. 76 Quicunque invident bonis ut quarant occasiones excludendi eos, aut degradandi, vel crimina sua sic defendere parati sunt, si abiecta vel prodita fuerint ut etiam conventiculorum segregationes vel ecclesiae perturbationes cogitent excitare, iam schismatici sunt, & ab unitate cord discissi etiam si non inventis occasionibus, aut occultatis factis suis sacamento Ecclesiae corporali conversatione socientur. Besides this abuse of their authority, their authority itself is such, as will divide & rend the church, as is to be seen with eyes this day. h Rolloc. in Ephes 4. ver. 11. Dicunt Episcopum praesbyterio praefectum, removendi fchismatis causa, sed (ut de contraria experientia nihil dicam) quid ad hoc respondet Gregorius Nazianzenus in oratione ad Maximun: utinam (inquit) nulla esser Throni prerogatina nunc autem dextrum hoc latus, & sinistrum, & medium, superior & inferior sedes, & illa praeeundi, vel eodem gradu incedendi, invecta consuetudo; nos in multas partes confregerunt. Pardon me if I relate the words of another in some things against us, though I do not apply them, l Alexand. Alice in pr●em. leiturg. Anglic. videat aliquis eosqui pastores gregis, & Episcopi populi esse debebant, ubi studium doctrinae apud eos? ubi legum, vel pietatis verae, vel propriorum potius, & ipsorum custodia? & quid iam inter horum, & tyrannica veterum imsperia distant? an minus ardent regni cupiditate? aut remissins expetunt splendorem divitiarum? aut clementius dominantur? As I said before, I would not apply this, so is it not needful to be applied. Suppose the inclemency of the present Bishops that be over us, be different from that which was of old, distract the Church it doth: and we have read, m Ennodiu● lib defence. Simach. non interest quibus itineribus ad mundi Principem currat, qui à sancta vntiate discordat. and the courses they run, breed much sighing in the church, and pingues hostias litat diabolo qui contristat ecclesiam. and they keep in the very make-bates of the church, which Satan in these days hath raised to lose the conjunction of it. and nimis armatus est qui illa quae adversarius concordiae, ministrat, tela contemnit. #Sect. 4. Defence of the Ministers against the imputation of sedition and faction. THE fourth slander of the ceremonies araygneth us for sedition and faction, and that well near with Hamans' words, There is a people scattered over the Provinces, that are divers from others. they keep not the King's laws: Hester 3.8 it is not for the kings profit to suffer them. First we break no lawful law: we receive the Communion book in what we may; and in omitting of the ceremonies, we do in equity keep the law, because of the end which is to edify. Secondly, suppose the Law hath no active obedience from us, as long as it hath our passive we perform subjection, as one of our a D Bilson cont. Apolog. p. 2. p. 349. Reverend bishops writeth, Suffering is as sure a sign of subjection as obeying. so another, b Mat. Sutcli de Pontisic. l. 4 c. 6. p. 338. subiecteth bodies and goods only in things indifferent, which in all patience we lay down at our Prince's feet. Conscientia non est subditae cuipiam legi, nisi quatenus ex lege divina praecipit: bona autem & corpora quatenus praeter legem Dei quae ad decorem & ordinem in Ecclesia ab ea legittime praecipiuntur. Thirdly, if we show ourselves no subjects for breaking the ceremonies, than our accusers much more who break more profitable Canons than these: as the canon of c The rubri. next the cōsien●at Instruct art. 44. Catechizing their Parishes. The d Ca●on Episcopal. p. 14. 16. Canon of examining all men of all sorts. The e Rubric. before the communion. Iniunct. art. 21. Canon that debarreth from the Communion all notorious offenders. The f Iniunct. art 20. Canon that commandeth to keep holy the sabbaths, by visiting the sick, and reconciling of enemies at leisure times. The g Canon Episcopal. p. 19 Canon that prescribeth admonishing of Parishioners privately, both by the Ministers and by the Churchwardens. The h Iniunct. artic. 11. Canon that alotteth to the poor the 40th part of Nonresidentes live. The l Ibidem artic. 12. Canon that separateth four pound yearly out of every living that is worth an hundred pound, for the maintenance of a poor scholar at one of the Universities. The m Ibid. art. 3.4. Canon that requireth twelve Sermons every year in every Parish church of England, Wales, and Irlande. The n Canon Episcopal. p. 5. Canon that forbiddeth the granting of advousions. The o Canon. Episcopal. p. 25. Canon that saith, Pluralities and Nonresidences are res in se foeda, in vulgus odiosa, & Ecclesiae Dei pernitiosa. the p Iniunct. art. 34.35. Canon that enjoineth, that all superstitious pictures and paintings in walls or glass-windows should be abolished out of Churches and houses. In all these things, good and profitable and well commanded seeing our accusers fail of performance, who yet hold themselves good subjects, they are void of all reason to sound so loud the blast of faction and disobedience against us, who swerver in a few trifles only not needful not profitable: and (as we take it) not well commanded. Fourthly, we appeal to the common carriage of our lives, to the loyalty of the parishes in which we labour to the effects of our ministery, to which the Apostle Paul appealed: yea our very Lord himself when they were burdened with this slander, a slander that hath pursued the professors of the truth from time to time without any ceasing. Athanasius called in his time propugnaculum veritatis, could not enjoy his innocency long in Constantius his court, by reason he had informers against him, that he was a q Socra. l. 1 c. 13. Soxom l. 6. c. 5. Niceph. l. 9 c. 29. pestilent man, a sour of discord between Constance and the Emperor his brother. one that troubleth the Church: yea set whole Egypt & whole Lybbi in a combustion. But our Sovereign (whom the Lord preserve) is not a Constantius to believe any thing that is untrue: no, we compare him with Constantinus, who the better he was, the more ready to think well of their informations who were in place to be believed, till Athanasius lost his favour and his credit even with him also. r Epiphan. heres 68 habebat enim divinum zelum beatus ille, non tamen novit quod sycophantae essent propter aemulationem, etc. even s Theodoret histor. l. 2. c. 11. he that burned the libels which were offerred against bishops, yet burned not the libel which was presented against Athanasius to him, because they were bishops that presented it, whom he trusted preposterously. And by such was t D. Bilson count Apolog. p. 2. p. 220. Chrysostome also defamed before Arcadius, and that in such sort that whosoever petitioned for him, was reproached as a troubler of the Empire: and the more that he was sued for, the further was he sent in exile, and new edicts were sent forth against all those that took part with him, or bore him favour. For the preventing of a like mischief now, let it be considered what julian himself said once, Quis erit innocens si accusasse sufficiat? For there will be accusers always, as long as the Maxim liveth which one gave once in Alexander's Court, fortiter calumniare. nam etsi unlnus curetur, cicatrix tamen remanebit. Be there no more captains (think ye) to lay to the charge of Paul that he is the Egyptian? think not, why should these reports be given of us unless they were true? for there was no reason in the world, why Paul should be thought to be the Egyptian: Act. 2.38. it must be considered, invidia loquitur non quod est, sed quod subest, as Seneca telleth us. As (therefore) we desired before, so do we still, let our Carriage be remembered: of which we may say (as said the old Christians once, we are defamed concerning the emperors Majesty, but never yet Albinians, Nigrians, nor Cassians, Albinus Niger, and “ Tertullian ad Scapul. Cassius being rebels in those times) could be found to be christians. Thus much to this slander in gross. Now to the particular branches of it. The first of which is obstinacy. wherein we have the old Christians for our fellows, who because they would not yield to the wills of their superiors in matters of Religion, had this proverb passed upon them, u Caesar Baron. Annal nihil obstinatius Christiano. we have Chrysostome partaking with us in this slander above all others. Severianus then saying of him as our accusers speak of us, w Tripartit. histor. l. 10 c. 13. Et si nullo alio vituperandus johannes est, eius tamen superbiae crimen est ad damnationem sufficiens. Now one maketh an apology for him which cleareth us, x Suidas in Chrysost. We must not think that he who refuseth to flatter, is by an by proud: nor on the other side, that he who yieldeth out of a base and flattering spirit, is by and by moderate. but that he is moderate rather who keepeth himself within a fit and a free course. For it beseemeth to be magnanimus, and yet not proud: manly, and yet not rash: mild, and yet not basely, servile: free (lastly) and not a slave. The second slander is that we are singular. But wherefore singular? others conform but we will not. so the Proconsul said once to Pionius y Caesar Baion. Annal ann. 254. caeteri immolarunt. to whom he answered for all that: ego Proconsul non immolo. But they are the whole church that have conformed besides yourselves? and all the Bishops of Asia subscribed when time was against the council of Chalcedon upon the letters of the Emperor who would have them so to do: who yet afterward came and acknowledged z Evagr. histor. l. 3. c. 9 nos, non nostra voluntate, sed necessitate adducti subscripsimus: non animo sed verbis duntaxat consensimus. what if the whole world did conform against us? we might answer (notwithstanding) with Liberius, hoc orbis terrarum comprobanit (said the Emperor to him) quota tu pars es orbis terrarum, qui pacem orbis dissolnis? He replied, a Theodor. histor. lib. 3. cap. 16. non diminuitur solitudine mea verbum fidei: sicolim tres pueri tantum in venti sunt, qui regis edicto non parerent. Howbeit (the Lord be blessed) we may turn the scaffold & ask of our Opposites, how great a part they be of the church, who in these ceremonies controversed, separate themselves from the rest that are called in the world? As Basil once touching singing, that may we say now, b Basil epist 66. ad cleric. Eccles. Neocaesari. ad id vero quo accusamur, & qua re potissimum simpliciores perterraefaciunt, qui nos traducunt, hoc habeo quod dicam: the course I take omnibus Ecclesijs Dei concors est & consona. Tertullian thinketh it no small argument, that he hath on his side the agreement of the churches: c Tertul. in lib de prescrip. advers. heres. ecquid verisimile est ut tot ac tantae Eeclesiae errarint. nullus inter multos eventus unus, exitus variasse debuerat ordinem doctrinae Ecclesiarum caeterum quod apud multos unum invenitur non est erratum: I grant he speaketh of unity in doctrine, but the argument holdeth more strongly in the ceremonies, because the conveniency of them varying according to circumstances of time and place, it is (indeed) admirable that so many churches should leave and abolish them, without finding any one inconvenience arising from their abolition. But what if our church have more learned men within it, than all the rest of the churches have. It becometh me to say no more, but I would it had. In the mean season the men of Hamborough put this answer in my mouth, d Hamburg epist. ad Philip. Melancthen. ipse sibi habeat suae eruditionis laudem Islebius, relinquat nobis simplicitatem nostrae innocentiae, & ut sequamur sacrae scripture & Orthodoxae Ecclesiae judicium, quae Adiaphora libera pronuntiat, quae bis vult Ecclesiam aedificari non destrui, scandalis mederi non ea suscitari, superstitionem & corruptelas & impietates Ecclesia excludi non introduci. The third slander bewrayeth it own venom: For when it giveth forth, the puritans are worse than papists, & more dangerous to be tolerated in a common wealth than they, what faith it else but that Christ jesus is worse than Barrabas, and more dangerous to the state. why speaketh it not out, like the e W. Giffoe, in Caluino Turcisin. Frogs of the Dragon's mouth, the Protestants are worse them Turks? for these false puritanes are true protestants, and they that be but as bad as papists be in some sort as bad as Turks, or else f Math. Sutcli. in Turk papism. our writers err Howbeit we see herein we are not better than our Fathers: so the Christians were counted g Caesar Baron. Annal ann 100 omnium scelestissimi. quam obrem summa pietas, summaque visa est esse religio, hos urgere vexare, ac penitus profligare. they were counted also so dangerous to the state, as that their very meetings together were forbidden upon most severe punishment. All the h Idem. anno. 170. public evils also were thrown on then backs; it was never well since they began, it never will be well until they be rooted out. So the Arrian Bishops persuaded Valens that the Orthodox Christlans were worse then pagans: whereupon he l Theodor. histor. lib. 5. cap. 20. cum cunctis alijs quam delegissent religionem eiusque cultum permisserit cum solis propug natoribus dogmatum Apostolicorum, bellare nunquam cessavit. So now in Rome the jews are counted then Protestant's: so that the jews have toleration when true Christians are put to the fire. So in m Io. Bodin de republs. Genebrard Chron. anno. 1560. Frankford the (exiled calvinists (are worst of all others, Papists, Lutherans, deserve to be tolerated, they must be thrust out. But the fittest for our turn is the division of Boheme. the Hussites there that were conformed Pontificijs in suis ritibus esteemed better of the papists then of their sincere brethren called the Waldenses & Picardi in despite: for these because they were ab utrisque seiuncti in their ceremonies and their rites, David Chytre. in praelect. Chronit. therefore they were held velut n Catharmata & peripsemata. here may men see (as in a glass) the true picture of a false puritan: against whom not Ephraim only but judah also band themselves without all cause or merit. #Sect. 5. Seekers of Reformation no Newfangelistes, no haters of Antiquity, nor delighters in Novelty. etc. THE fift slander of the ceremonies is, that we are Newfanglistes, hating antiquity and delighting in novelty: and through a certain giddiness of head, seeking after innovations. First let the fountain of this slander be considered, for it sloweth both from papism and from Adiaphorisme also. among the papists we have a Concil. Tridentin. fession. 7. can. 13. condemned by the Council of Trent, all those that shall think any ancient rite of any Sacrament may be omitted without damnable sin. And as for the Sacrament of Baptism in particular, they are novatores, that is newfanglistes (in b Bellar. de baptism. c. 24. Bellarmine's judgement) that shall now thrust out any rite, that hath been anciently used therein. This he crieth with open mouth against all the protestant churches for dashing our the Oil and Spittle with the rest. c Mart. Art. 5. see Calfh Ibid tol. 119. Martial more particularly reveleth at us about the cross: which in case it be disused, all antiquity is disauthorized in his judgement. Among the Adiaphoristes d Harman. Hamelman. de tradit. apendic. ad p. 1. col. 499. Cassander contesteth all Antiquity is defaced, f the Fonts consecration, with the oil and with the cross be left. why will our brethren take a shaft out of the quiver of these men, to throw it at their fellows, which cannot hurt but by the venom wherewith the enemy himself hath dressed it? For the ground of these our accusers must be the same with Bellarmine's, as long as the newfanglistes cannot prove our baptism rites to be e Bellamin. quosup. contra sacras literas, it shall suffice si adferamus testimonia antiquitatis. Secondly, we plead it is neither levity nor novelty, nor contempt of antiquity for which we disuse & forbear the ceremonies, but we have other causes justifiable, which induce us to that we do: in which manner to leave antiquity, it was never deemed unlawful. For example: The administering of the Communion to infants, is now disused: a rite as ancient as Cyprtans f Cypri. de laps. time: and a rite that did g Ansegis de legib Fran cor lib. 1. c. 155. continue in the church above 600. years. The custom of not fasting between Easter and Whitsontyde, is disused although h August. epist. 86. ad Casulan. ancient: that which also we may say of l Just Mart. q 155. Ba●●l. de spirit. sanct. not keeling in prayer between these two feasts enacted in the 20. Canon of the Council of Nice. and after growing to be m Cassand. in defence. libel. de office pii viri. firmata observatio, divina Ecclesiarum consuetudine. It is Cassander the Adiaphorist that testifieth this: who also affirmeth of the Satersdayes fast, religio sissime celebrabatur: adding moreover of these ceremonies, ne vestigium quidem superest, quia non tanti momenti putabantur ut earum observatio retinenda putaretur. Come we to Tertull. ceremonies: amongst which the cross arose the trin-immersion, the honey & the milk of Baptism, the abstinence from washing for a wecke after baptism, the receiving of the L▪ Supper in time of meat: oblarions on birth days, with the like. of all which, thus one of our writers, n D. Whitak cont. Bellarmin. controue●s. 1. q 6. c. 12. p. 450. respondeo: omnes has traditionet quas Tertullianus laudat & pro quibus tam acriter pugnat, abrogatas iam esse à Papistis ipsis si unum signum crucis excipias. An other o Thom. Morton. Apolog. p. 2. l. 1. cap. 43. of our writers glorieth to prove out of the papists themselves the abolishing of these rites: one of whom affirmeth, that the trin-immersion in baptism, was enacted by a Canon of the Apostles themselves, yet that iam diu per contrariam consuetudinem abolita est. another nor fasting on the Sab. that since the Manichees began to fast upon that day, it is not only become lawful, but also necessary, atque etiam hody ex praeccepto rectè ieiunamus Sabbato. another p Maldona● comment. in johan. cap. 6. thus of another ancient rite and ceremony now left of. missam ego faciam. etc. I omit the opinion of Augustine and Innocentius the first, that the Eucharist is necessary to infants, which continued in the Church about 600. years hath now been left by the custom of many ages, not only as not necessity but also as not decent▪ the night Vigils (saith another) which Tertull. and Hierome, and other of the Father's praise so much q Ledesima. l. de divin. quavis lingua non legend. c. 19 in desuetudinem abiere, & afterwards in the Council of Eliberis, it was decreed, ne foeminae ad eas se conferant: the same affirmeth that the Eucharist was wont to be given into men's hands, at modò eius usum non imitamur. If these churches of popery & of the Adiaphorisme have left all these ancient rites, the sign of the cross only excepted without newfangledness, then why are we new-fangled now for omitting the cross itself, seeing it is confessed to be a ceremony non tanti momenti: and seeing our r D. Fulk reioyn● ag. Mart. art. 4 p. 163. Writers thus reason against it, why should not crossing be left as well which hath no better ground, and hath been worse abused? And again, s Ibid. art. 52 p 177. seeing none worse abused than the cross, the cross must be abrogated as well as they: The oblations of Martyrs memorials were forbidden by Ambrose, t Luddovie. Vives in August do civet. Dei. l. 8 c. 27. quia quasi parentalia super stitioni gentilium essent similima. and the meliores Christiani, in u August. l. retractat. c. 11. Augustine's time, did of themselves omit them, till at the last it was said of them, in plerisque mortalium nulla talis est consuetudo. What more like to the custom of crossing then this tradition? for it is ancient: and the Cross is tam similis papistis, as that was to the Heathen; and in plerisque Ecclesijs nulla est crucis signandi consuetudo. w Ambros. l. 3. de Sacramen. c. ●. Ambrose striveth much for the rite and ceremnie of washing the feet in baptism, against them who would have turned it out of baptism to civil use only, to wit, to the washing of strangers feet. the succession of whom prevailed so, both against him, and against antiquity, that x August epist. 119. Augustine was able to say of them, because it seemed quasi observatio baptismi, quidam came de consuetudine auferre, non dubitarunt. Every thing here speaketh for▪ us, what if we doubt not to auferre the Cross from Baptism? it seemeth quasi pars baptismi: Away with him (then) into civil use, if into any use at all. Indeed, in that we abide the cross for his antiquity in Banners, Coins, Princes Balls, and Noble men's arms, and every where else where he is used without superstition, which is all the use that our writers require, y D. Fulkes answar to Rhem. in Mat. 24. vers. 30. therein we show our love and reverence to antiquity: and that we do omit it in Baptism for some other cause then for newfangledness, even as the rest of our carriage testifieth. Popery hath defiled doles at burials, yet because the custom is ancient to have oblations z Origen. in job l. 3. Ephreem. de penitent. c. 2 August confess. l. 6. c. 2. at the funerals, and memorials of the dead, and the use is civil not religious, therefore (you see) we suffer it. Popery hath likewise defiled Lent, yet because the ancients had a certain fast before the commemoration of the passion of the Lord, and the use thereof is also civil not religious, therefore we tolerate it. Last of all, it is b Math Beroald chronolog. l. 4. c. 2. evicted by scripture & reason that the Nativity of our Lord was about the point of Aequinoctium Autumnale, so that we cannot approve the communion book, which willeth us to acknowledge it to have fallen out as on December 25. Neverehelesse because this observation is ancient, and the use of it is mixedly civil, although we subscribe not to it, yet we bear with it. Seeing (then) we reverence Antiquity even in customs defiled by popery to the uttermost bound and limit of a good conscience, what reason have any to condemn us for contemners of the same or one or two ceremonies, that are said to be of light moment? But it is made hey nous in Eunomius, that he broke a rite of baptism the Trin-immersion, even for this, c Zorom. l. 6. c. 26. because it was in use downward from the Apostles. true, and he deserved to be condemned who did this out of a pride & singularity to the corrupting of the doctrine itself of baptism, there immediately eusuing out of it an opinion that it was sufficient to baptise into the death of jesus Ch. whereas the Toledan d Toletan. Council▪ 4. c. 5. council did abrogate this rite and ceremony: and e Gregor. epist. 11. ad Leaned. Gregory persuaded the omission of it, without any violating of antiquity, because they did it upon just cause, to separate the church from the custom of heretics, who used it amiss; for which we now omit the cross. In Africa men f Zago. Zabo in Confession. Aethiop. aedit. 15.34 baptise themselves every epiphany, not for any worship of God, but for an imitation of Christ only, which is far to be preferred before the imitation of any of the ancient Fathers. Now would our accusers if they lived in that church, think it newfangledness and novelty for them to forbear this ancient rite? And whereas the communion is given to infants both in g David. Chythre. in praelection. Chronic. Bohemia and in h Paul. Odorbor. de relig. Russo rum. Russia, are the sincere fort of the Hussites called Waldenses to be condemned for newfangledness and innovation, because they will not conform themselves to this ceremony old and ancient, like the cross? #Sect. 6. Aiust excuse both in regard of the matter and manner of the Cross. AS we are able to justify ourselves for the manner whereby we swerver from Antiquity in the ceremonies controversed, so also for the matter itself in which we leave it. First we plead with Arnobius, a Amob. count gent. lib. 1. quasi verò errorum non antiquitas plenissima matter sit? which we have by b R. Brottus in prefat. translation Simeon. Metaphor. one applied against the antiquity of the cross by name. Tell me not here what c August. ad januar. Augustine hath, Antiquns mos populi Dei pro lege habendus est. his meaning is not we must follow the Fathers ad ultimum iota, as the gloss of the canon law commandeth. The canon d Decret. pag. 1. distine. 9 c. 3 itself out of August. himself condemneth such slavish scrupulosity, as well it may: sith every one of the ancient Fathers had his errors, as not only our own e Philip. Mome. de Eucharist. in prefat. writers, but also the f Canus de loc. The ol. lib. 7. cap. 3 & li. 11. ca ●. Villa. Vincent. de ration. stu. Theolog li 4 c. 6. observat. 2. papists themselves confess. In regard whereof we have this liberty from the mouth even of one of the slaves of Antichrist, non g Claud. Espeus. de adorat. lib. 2. cap. 8. andiendi sunt qui circa Dei & sacramentorum cultum omnia reduci volunt ad vesustum morem. non. n. semper melius quod antiquius. As for this matter of the cross, who can excuse the necessity, the virtue, the effective power which they put in it as hath been already showed. unless he do it perverso favore, which h August. in joham. tractat. 66. Augustine condemneth in the excusing of a Peter himself. or excogitato aliquo commento, or sensum commodum affingendo, which is the trick that we our l Io. reynold Idolotat lib. 2. cap. 2. sect. 10. selves condemn in papists. And seeing it was a sheepish kind of following the Fathers, that hath brought the cross down hitherto (an example whereof is to be seen in m Alcain. in johan. lib. 7. ca 19 Alcuinus, who is not ashamed when he writeth of it, to write verbatim out of Augustine) the more it is to be mervayled, that for the continuing of it still, our Opposites will so cleave to the Fathers, as to reject all new writers, whom some of the papists themselves n Andrad. defence. fid. Triden. l. 2 confess to have received more light & knowledge, than ever the Fathers saw of old. Secondly, we are less tied to the Fathers in ceremonies then in doctrine, and to their practise less then to their judgement. Whereas then a papist contesteth, o Roffens. in proem. confutat. Luther. contestatoes esse volo, me prorsus nullius quantumvis sancti Patris, authoritate cogi velle, nisi quatenus judicio divinae scripturae fuerit probatus. What folly were it now for us to follow them strictly in their practise, which less bindeth then their saith, as one of them saith, p August. li. 2 cont. epi. Gaudent. 2 Non debemus imitari semper & probare quidquid probati homines urgent, sed judicium scripturarum adhibere, an illae probent ca facta. The q Tertul. li. ●. ad uxor. Durant. li. 1. ca 16. sect. 10. Fathers used to take the bread of the Sacrament and wrap it up and carry it home, and eat it in private: which we r Bucer. in Censur. mislike. The Fathers used s Euseb. de vit. Constantin. li 4. ca 66. tapers in funerals, & t Origen. in job. li. 1. Euseb histor. li. 7. ca 16. Hieron. invit. Pauli. Eremit. clothed the bodies that were dead with costly attire, and many other solemnities of burial: which not only we condemn, but also our u Aeneas. Silu. de orig. Bohem. ca 35. Fathers that saw but the dawning (as it were) of the gospel. The Fathers used w Ducant. de rit. lib. 2. cap. 43. sect. 6. anniversary solemnities for the dead, & anniversary x Tertul. de coron. milit. oblations for them also: which had y Idem de Monora Epipha he res. 23. Am 〈◊〉 of de mort Saryr & obit. Va lentia. Chry in Act honul. 21. & in 1. Cor. homil. 41. prayers adjoined for the refrigerium of their souls, which we z Bu●or in cenfur. c. 9 p. 467. condemn. Thirdly, the soul & the life of every practise being the cause for which the Fathers used it, this cause ceasing, the practice itself must cease, though never so ancient. which of our writers laugheth not at papists for a D. Fulke rejoind. art 7. p. 189 retaining diverse ceremonies for their antiquity, now that their ancient use is ended? and for b Chemnit. exam. p. 2. p. 38. keeping umbram veterum rituum etiamsi nullam habeant veram observationis causam? as well they may, because absurdum est (saith the law) ipsa origine rei sublata eius imaginem relinqui. For example, were it not absurd now to suffer every man to receive the communion at home in private without a minister, because the d Duran de rit l. 1. c. 16 sect. 11. Fathers of old time used it. for the same reason is not in place. we may now come to the church which they could not, who were compelled to live in the woods where was no minister? were it not absurd now and smelling of Anabaptisme to sell all for such a communion, as was in the Apostles time, for we have not the like cause now to travel abroad into the world for the spreading of the Gospel? we read in e Beda. hist. gent Angl. l 4 c 3. Beda, c Cod lib 7 tit. 6. leg. 1. that some ministers would not ride but go on foot like the Apostles. was this wisdom in them think ye? was not the Archb. wiser than they who constrained them to break of such imitation of antiquity? were it not absurd now and savouring of Paganism, to have f Plin. Secsid in epist 98 tapers and lights in divine service, such as were used in the g ancient church, for we have not the like necessity to assemble in the darkness of the night or in the morning as they had then? were it not absurd now and savouring of popery to have Eremites, after the example of Paulus Thaebeus and others ancient, for we are not driven forth by persecution into solitary and desert places as they were then. g Otho. frisingen's. l. 4 c. 3. Paulus Thaebeus, Deccis fugiens persecutionem vixit in deserto, necessitatem vertens in voluntatem. and h Sozom l. 1 c. 13. memorant alij persecutionum procellas homines ad hoc vitae genus suscipiendum impulisse. what that l Herman Hamelman. de tradit. appendic. ad p. ●rim. col. 498. Cassander himself (that Adiaphorist) thinketh it unfit that any ceremo. should continue, unless he have rationem & causam perpetuam. of which, how many is he able to name. For quis nescit temporum momenta & inclinationes multa monere, quaedam subijcene, nonnulla etiam extorquere, as now in the case of the cross is to be seen? For origine eius sublata (which was to profess against the heathens with whom we live not) & a cause contrary to the origen of it being come in place, to wit a contrary disease in papists who too much honour it, (amidst whom we converse) this change of time & causes of use changed by the time doth not only monere or subijcere, but also even extorquere, we should away with it. Fourthly, though a practise be never so ancient, it must be abolished when it groweth to abuse, even as Pope Stephen himself ordaineth, Si n Decret p. 1. distinct. 63. c. 28. nonnulli ex praedecessoribus aut maioribus nostris fecerunt aliqua, quae ullo tempore potuerunt esse sine culpa, & postea vertuntur in errorem & superstitionem sine tarditate aliqua, & cum magna authoritate, à posteris destruantur. Bellarmine in these words showeth the practise of this Canon, o Bellar. de eccles. Triumphant. c. vit. Quoniam occasione nocturnarum vigiliarum, abusus irrepere caeperat, placuit Fcclesiae nocturnos conventus & vigilias (propriè dictas) intermittere: ac solum in ijsdem diebus celebrare jejunia. Our p joh. Reynold. de idololat l. 1 c. 9 sect. 12 Writers say, the papists here leave the Fathers and cleave to Vigilantius, who required the abolishing of these Vigils. So that we require but that their measure be meat to us, when in the room of Vigilantius, we desire that our Opposites would leave the Fathers in the use of these rites and ceremonies controversed, or at the least not throw them on us, being more grossly than a Vigil abused, upon a vizardlike pretence of their antiquity. Know we not, that this was the q Sozom. l. 5. c. 16. trick of julian, when he removed the cross from the Labarum, thereby to deface Christianity itself? for he pleaded the former labarum was ancient: the Cross but an upstart. the Pagan faith ancient, the christian Religion but newly borne: in this manner abutens veteribus institutis ad suam libidinem? We know there is no intent in our Reverend Fathers to reduce popery by the reducing of the cross to her antiquity; but this is their fault that they consider not what one of our Writers doth advise, ʳ As Elisha to heal the streams went to the fountain and healed that first: So to reform an abuse, we must stop the very fountain from whence it floweth. which how can we do in these ceremonies controversed, unless we both remove their use, and also disclaim that antiquity, whereby it is graced preposterously? Fiftly, It is a ruled case by the doctrine which now is published by the authority of our church, that s Tho. Morton. Apol. p. 2. l. 1. ca 42. Traditiones rituales quae ad ordinem & ritus cultus divini pertinent, are to be received upon this condition only, modo ne veritati, pietati, simplicitati, & libertati Christianae, adversentur. against all which, that the Cross and Surplice fight, it hath been showed elsewhere. And such is our first exception, Antiquity is not of such authority, as to evict us of newfangledness, the manner and matter being considered of our swerving from the same. #Sect. 7. The second exception proveth that the Cross is neither truly, nor soundly ancient. OUR second exception denieth that the cross is ancient with true, sound, sufficient antiquity. First the antiquity of it is a prescription without true title, which if it hold not against a King here below on the earth, according to the common axiom, nullum tempus occurrit Regi, much less holdeth it against the heavenly K. of kings, who is most ancient? This is that which Arnobius once replied, when the heathens objected to him the antiquity of their religion & the lateness of his faith spread a Arnob. count gent. l. 2. prop. finem. religionis authoritas (saith he) non est tempore aestimanda, sed numine. Deus omnipotens non est res novella. non quod sequimur nowm est; sed nos sero addidiscimus quidnam sequi oporteat. The rest of the Fathers are of the same judgement, which one of our b D. Bilson against the Apol. p. 4. p. 392. Reverend Fathers thus rehearseth: In cases of Religion (speaking against an ancient custom, to wit saying of service in Latin) we must respect not what men have, but what they should have been used too. Cyprian saith well: Consuetudo sine veritate vetustas erroris est. And Tertullian, Quodcumque adversus veritatem sapit, hoc erit haeresis etiam vetus consu●tudo. And the Council of Carthage (last of all) The Lord saith in the Gospel, I am truth, he doth not say, I am custom. We are to follow the word of God (saith Mr c Bucer. in Censur. c. 10.11.13. Bucer) which is most ancient. this who so hath, he hath antiquity on his side (saith D d D. Bilson ag Apolog Bilson.) We care not (sayeth Mr e Bullonger. Decad 5. serino. 9 p. 462.461. Bullinger) how ancient the additions of the Sacrament are, si instituentis authoritas, doctrina & sanctitas, si vetustas valere debet vicimus nos qui Christum pro nobis habemus cum electissimo Apostolorum Choro. Hereupon he entereth into a large proof that the Apostles and the primitive Church that followed them, added not so much as one rite in the administration of any Sacrament, besides those that are mentioned in Matthew, Mark and Luke. Yea he proveth, that neither they nor any other may multiply or increase the rites, which the Son of God hath ordained sufficiently or perfectly, seeing even in Moses time itself the Passeover was simply administered as Moses left it: and the duty of Sacrificing was simply to be performed according to the rites of Moses & no other: to which appertain the judgements of God upon Nadab and Abihu, and upon Vzziah, when either a Sacrament of Gods was handled otherwise then precisely according to the strict rites of God's command, or a new ceremony brought into his worship which he commanded not. For as much (then) as the Lord ordained not either Cross or Surplice, it is only a mediate Antiquity which they have: for which who so saith they are old, he followeth 1 jer. 44.17 Idolaters, 2 joh. 4.20. Samaritans, 3 Mat. 5.21 pharisees, and that against the Fathers themselves, on whom he relieth: whose doctrine is this, f Cypri. epi stolar. li. 2. epist. 3. Non est attendendum quid aliquis ante nos faciendum putaverit, sed quid quiante omnes est Christus fecerit, & faciendum praeceperit. Our Opposites perceiving thus much, strive as much as in them lieth, to draw the antiquity of the cross immediately from Christ himself, or at the least from his Apostles. First, say they, it cannot be proved but that the Apostles themselves did use it, or that at the least it hath been used even from their days. which kind of reasoning, is it not shameful? for ponenti non inficienti incumbit onus probandi. we deny it to be so ancient. they put us to prove it. absurd: g Docret. p. 2. caus. 6. q 5. c. 2. cùm per rerum naturam factum negantis probatio nulla sit. I appeal to themselves. A papist objecteth, can ye prove the primitive church had no images? just as now they object to us, how can ye prove that the primitive church had no crosses? what then they answer to this objection, that serveth us now, h D. Bilson ag. Apolog p. 4. p 351 doth your discretion serve you to put us to preove the negative? you cannot prove they had, & that is cause sufficient for us to avouch they had not. Again: the proof l Ibid. p 346 must be yours since the fact is yours. Again speaking of a matter of antiquity, m Ibid p. 1 p. 56. presume you no more than you can prove. Last of all, when the papist reasoneth after this manner, sure the Apostles had some precise form of service, though we know it not, the reply is to them (which may be in our case replied) n bid. p. 4. p 409. since you know it not, why make you it your ancre hold, seeing what the Apostles did observe, none would have dared, but have observed it after their example. Another reason there is used to prove the antiquity of the cross to be immediate, Did not Christ use it for an instrument of his death, why do we call it his cross in case it be not his? To which D, o D Fulke ag. Saund. of Imag c. 12. p. 652. Fulke thus answereth: Christ did not choose the cross but the jews and his judge, they appointed it to him. If any mean of his eternal counsel, so he chose judas and Caiaphas to be the instruments of his death, as well as the cross, who gain no credit by this choosing. and if the cross be the instrument of man's redemption, because the instrument of his death, then say the Axes and Gallows and Gibbettes are the holy instruments of the Martyr's felicity. Whereas also it is objected, that we ourselves do call it his cross, to wit, Christ's: men must know we do it in the same sense whereby we call judas his traitor, the jews his enemies, the soldiers his executioners, and not otherwise his. A third reason for the antiquity of the cross immediate, may chance to renew the popish p Albert: Magn. cum reliquis lansenius concord. Evang. c. vlt Rhem annorat in Luc. 24. sect. 5 etc. assertion, That Christ did cross his Disciples at his ascending: the bread of his sacrament at his last supper: the little children which he took into his arms when he did bless them. That he blessed the bread with the cross, q Amalar. de ecclesiast office l. 3. c. 24 Amalarius doubteth: & a r W. Alanus de Sacram. in gen. l. 1. art. 2. grand Papist himself denieth, not without reason. How is it likely (saith he) that Christ should cross when he blessed, seeing the sign of the cross was execrable, and ever had been before his time throughout all ages? so that I need not cite our s D. Fulk agai. Rhem. on Luk 24 sect 5. D. Bills. ag. Apolog. p. 4 p. 466.468. own writers in this behalf. A fourth reason to prove the sign of the cross immediate is drawn from the Apostles phrase which compriseth in the cross all the sum of our redemption, by the merits of Christ's death. Better do our t D. Willet. controver. 9 q 5. ar. 3 writers prove from this phrase, that the sign of the cross is not mentioned in the scripture, because all the crosses that are mentioned there, are either the efficacy of Christ's death. 1. Cor. 1.17. or the preaching of Christ's death, Philip. 3.18. or the affliction that doth follow the preaching and the professing of it, Galat. 6.14. But the use of the crosses sign was taken up by reason of this phrase and speaking. But this is not to dispute but to divine, and that absurdly. For it is as if I should say, that Images took their rising from those similitudes which u Hospin. de re templar. c. de imag. fol 46. Athanasiut and Basil, and the rest of the Fathers drew from Images in their sermons. A fift reason which is brought to prove the antiquity of the Cross immediate, is, that the Fathers who are themselves ancient, do give it the title of an ancient tradition: yea, they term it w Durant. de rit l. 2. c. 45. Apostolical. The ancientest Father that is said to do this is x Rhem. in Luke 24. sect. 5. Tertullian, who reckoneth it up for a tradition (indeed). howbeit not for an ancient tradition: that is a sixth finger of the x Rhem. in Luk 24. sect. 5. jesuits: No, he reckoneth it up for a tradition so new, raw and as yet unsettled, as that he is fain to make a long exhortation to the Church, that they would settle it by their receiving it: and conform it by the continuance of their practise. And we may perceive by him how it grew to be Apostolical, to wit, as did the honey, the oil, the milk in baptism, not because it came from the Apostles, but as y Tertul. de coron. milit mos habiturus qandoque Apostoli authoritatem, to wit, through long custom ex inter praetatione rationis, not otherwise. Thus goeth the text in the Basil edition, Anno 1528. whereof I thought good to advertise the reader, lest he should be astonished at the edition of Pamelius or any other from which these words are gelded. Basil is an other Father that is alleged to prove the cross to be Apostolical. but his treatise of traditions I take to be counterfeit: and since inserted. one reason is, St Ambrose translateth this book of Basil de spiritu sancto (whether ex bonis Graecis faciens latina non bona, or no, as St Hierome seemeth to censure him, I will not judge) and leaveth it out. But beit he calleth the cross Apostolical, know we not that tempera Apostolorum (in z Isidor. de council prae fix. tom. 1. Concilior. Isidors' account) last down to the Nicene Council? so that they who were present at it might very well be called Apostles in that speech of Damassus, a Damass. op. 5. haec sola fides, quae Nicea Apostolorum authoritate fundata est, perpetua est firmitate servanda. Caesar Baronius mannureth much upon this, that Scithianus and Terebinthus are said to live temporibus Apostolorun, who lived in Aurelians' time towards 300. years after Christ. But the good man considered not, that b Epiphan. here●. 66. Epiphanius spoke according to the ancient phrase, which termed the 300. years after Christ even Apostolical. Again, divers traditions are termed Apostolical which rose long after, because they seemed grounded upon the Apostles, and to be drawn from their practise and example. In which sense speaketh Hierome, c Hieron. epi. ad Luc unaquaeque provincia, precepta maiorum, leges Apostolicas arbitratur. So the d Cyril in joh. ll. 12 c. 64. threefold demand in Baptism, and the threefold confession of the baptised is said to be Apostolical, because it rose up long after out of an imitation of Christ's threefold demand and Peter's threefold answer. So Lent is held by the Fathers to be e Ambros. serin 25. consecrate by Christ himself. and to proceed from f Theophil. Alexandri. epist. 1. evangelical constitution when it is certain (nevertheless) that fasting was equal and alike at all times in the primitive church, g Cassian. collat. 21. c 30. per totum annum. and that the Lenten fast was enjoined, because the devotion of men in fasting began to wax cold. So Monachisme is called Apostolical, yea more ancient, because when afterward it arose it was fathered upon h Hierom. ad Paulinam epist. 13. Elisha and Elias, and l Chryso on Mark homil. 1. john Baptist, and on the m Cassian. collat. 18. c. 5. Apostles. whereas notwithstanding it is most true, that Chrysostome doth affirm elsewhere, in n Chrysost in epist. ad Hebre. homil. ●5. Paul's time there was not so much as any vestigium Monachorum. This considered it maketh not much though the cross be termed Apostolical by some p Basil. de spirit sanct c. 27. counterfeit, or by some q Durant. de rit l. 2. c. 45 papist: whom let no protestant follow because all the grounds which the Fathers have for it, are only these. jacobs' blessing with his r vid Pereri um in illum loc. hands a cross: the s Cyprian. fid advers. judeos cap. 16. stone that wounded Goliath in the forehead: and the rod of Moses upon mount Syna, wherewith Amalet was overcome: the t Lactant. li. 4 cap. 26.27. Chrysost. homil. in March. homil. 88 paschal blood sprinkled on the post: the u Augustin. two sticks of the widow of Sarepta: the wood of w Ambros. Marah making water sweet. And to make an end, the sign of the forehead in Ezech. and in john's revelation. Behold by what string the cross holdeth his antiquity? which he that will strengthen can find no other instances than these, though he turn again and again over all the Fathers. Howbeit have I said then these? I am deceived. there be some other which are alleged besides these. It is believed that the Church of Saint x Gagvin. lib. 3. Chronic. Saxon. li. 1. cap. 32. Dionise near Paris, was hallowed by Christ himself. which if it be true, he made the sign of the cross out of question. for without it no church can be hallowed. It is a tradition also, that when the start of the wise men was scene first to shine in monte Victoriano, it had the form of a little child in it, y Chrysost in op●r. imperfect. in Matt. 2. homil. 2. & super se similitudinem crucis. He that seethe such antiquities for the sign of the cross and will yet refuse to conform and subscribe, is he not worthy to stand without door and to sit without his benefice? Our z W. Perk. Problem. Writers cannot endure those rites and ceremonies which are Apostolical no otherwise then the new porch is salomon's porch which Herode late erected, that are old a Th. Morton Apolo. p. 1. l. 1. ca 52. no otherwise then the Gibionitish bread, and shoes and clothes were old. What reason (then) to endure the cross which is no otherwise apostolical than the Temple's porch was salomon's, or the shoe of the Gibeonite ancient? Lighting hereon, it cometh to my mind to ask upon supposal that the cross were truly ancient, what must we prefer a pair of old shoes for their antiquity before a new pair which are fit for the foot? But now, we may say by the sign of the cross as is affirmed of the Wensdayes and Saturdays fast, b Apost canon 68 ordained by the Canon of the Apostles, it is not Apostolical, and so by consequent not truly ancient, c Epiphan. haeres. 75. nisi nomine tenus only. and such is our first exception against the antiquity of the cross, for that it is not immediate. #Sect. 8. The second Exception against the Antiquity of the Cross. THE second exception is against the mediate time, wherein it was borne, Sect. 8. bred up, and brought to perfect stature, which is thus drawn forth by writers. In the time of a Tertul. de resurrect. Carn. Tertullian the sign transeunt began to be used in Baptism somewhat after the year 200. our b Homil. ag peril. of Idolat. pa. 2 homily setteth down 260. Into the Sacrament of the Lords Supper it entered after the year 300. first ut signaret c August. in johan. tract 118. Christi bona. after, ut ipsa elementa consecraret, which some d Amalar. de Ecclesiast. office li. 3. ca 24. ascribe to Augustine. And at the first, it was but a simple rite, till after the year 1000 then it began to be used in odd numbers by the e Microlog. cap. 14. appointment of Gregory 7. according to his circle rule numero Deus impari gaudet. whom the Council of Trent doth cross. For whereas he f Ibid. c. 17. abroged the crossing twice with the host near the Chalice, the g Consil. Trident. rit Celebrand missam. Council doth restore it again, as it was used before his time, as Amalarius telleth us. As for the cross permanent or composed, though some by guess refer it to the days of Tertullian, others with more probability to Constantine's time, yet for certain it was not known before the year h Perk. problem. in sign. Cruc. 400. The first that was set up in England was erected by King l Beda histo gent. Anglor. Oswald in the place where he fought with Cadwalla, about the year 635. And this cross wanted an Image by the space of many years, it being about the year of the Lord 710. that the m Synod. in Trull●. cap. 82. Council of Constantinople changed the Agnus, because it came too near the jews into a cross, with the image of a man upon it: which now we call a Crucifix. Having calculated the crosses age, hear now the exceptions we make against it. Paulus jovius surmised that the latter end of the age 1400. and the beginning of the age 1500 was a time fatal by the stars for the alteration of religion. whereupon it fell out that about the year 1499. Ishmael surnamed Sophus brought in the way of Haly whereby the Persians are now directed. putting down Hanmars' interpretation. and about the year 1497. the West-Indies were discovered by Americus Vespitius, and taught a new religion. and about the year 1515. Marthin Luther arose, Genebrard. and began to reform the Church from Popery: Change fate of stars into the providence of the Lord, and I think in like manner, the end of the age 200. and the beginning of the age 300. to be fatal for the heaping up of ceremonies, to the heaving out of the doctrine, which came to pass at last. For the Church ceased to be a chaste virgin immediately after the death n Euseb. histor. lib. 3. cap. 29. of the Apostles: even as of old she ceased to be chaste immediately after the death of the Elders who saw her deliverance out of Egypt. judg. 2. They who succeeded the Apostles (saith o Nicephor. i. 4. c. 1. one) came greatly short of them: according to the beaten proverb, pauci filii, p Clemens Alexand l. stromat. in initio. patribus similes. Papias was one of john's hearers, yet the error of the Chiliastes sprang from him. He gave cause of error (saith the story) to many Ecclesiastical men, q Euseb. histor. l. 4. c. 36. quia ad eius antiquitatem respexerunt. If it be not safe to believe an Apostles hearer for his antiquity, then much less the crosses Fathers, who drew near to r Hieron. Hieromes time, when the church drew near to her lees, and when the s Augu. epi. burthensomnes of the ceremonies made the estate of the Christians worse than that of the jews. I am told that t Herman. Hamelman. de tradit. col. 460.461.50. Bugenholgius upon jonas collecteth the history of the ceremonies, showing how they corrupted the church of God by little & little, even from the Apostles days, & that in the age of the crosses rising common corruption was grown to some height. To him accordeth one at u Calfh. art. 4. fol. 96. home, I know right well, that within the 200. years after Christ, there were crept into the church many idle ceremonies, and the simplicity of Christ's ordinance was refused. Each man as he had either credit or authority, presumed of himself to add somewhat to Ch. his institution: and the flesh delighting in her own devises, delivered the same with as straight a charge, as if Christ himself had taken order for it. But see we some particulars. There began in this mixtage above mentioned, the w Author l. de duplic. Mattyr. Ap. Cypri. Rabban. l. 1. c. 27. Dionis. Ecclesiastic. Hierar. c. 2 exufflation of the baptised, looking towards the West into the devils face. There began in this age the x Cypri. epist. 7. Ambros. de Sacran l. 1. c. 5. consecration of the Font with oil and cross. There began in this age, the y Cypri. epi. Author. de unction. Chrismat. ap. eund. oil in baptism, without the which none was thought to be well baptised. There began in this age the reserving of the bread in the Sacrament, & the eating of it at home in private. There began here about the a Cypri. in epist. ad Quintin. exorcism. the b Tertul. de coron. milit offering and praying for the dead. z Tertul. ad uxor. l. 2. c Idem cont. Psychic. Fasting on certain days, with opinion of necessity and satisfaction. The bishops d Euseb. hist l 7. c. 17. throne, through the pride of Samosatenus. and the seeds of e Otho Frifingens. l. 4 c 5. Monkery through the example of Paulus Thaebeus: Anthony following proved (they say) the first Master that gave rules for that kind of life. So (then) amongst what weeds the cross grew up, and in what a dounged soil of many other superstitions: so shall we admire the less to see him in f Rabban. de institut. cleric c. 27 Rabbanus days waited upon with salt, spittle, tapers, and diverse such like, of which the surplice itself is one. Of this one writeth how it was lately brought in by the Pope, primis temporibus ( g Walafrid. Strab. de reb. ecclesiastic. c. 24. saith he) communi vestimento induti missas agebant sicut & hactenus: quidem Orientalium facere perhibentur. Stephanus. a. constituit Sacerdotes & Levitas vestibus sanctis in usu quotidiano non uti, nisi in Ecclesia tantum. Statutum est in Ecclesia Bracarensi, ne Sacerdos sine orario celebret missam. addiderunt in vestibus sacris alij alia, vel ad imitationem eorum quibus veteres utebantur Sacerdotes, vel ad mysticae significationis expressionem. #Sect. 9 The third Exception against the Antiquity of the Cross. THE third exception which we have against the antiquity of the Cross, bendeth against the persons of them who either begot it or bred it, or preferred it in the church. Ptolemy is said to have killed the workmen of the image of Diana, or secretly to have made them away, that so the image might be esteemed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an image that came down from jupiter. In like manner, the authors of the cross and the first devisers of it, have been concealed as much as might be, that so itself might seem to come from Christ. Draw we them out of their corners wherein they lie hid, will they be found such as Vincentius Lyrinensis doth prescribe, when he giveth the church this rule, we must only depend upon those Fathers which are knowme to have continued evermore both in the faith and in the communion of the Catholic Church. Now the Fathers of the cross cannot abide this trial. For the begetters of this sign were the Valentinian heretics, who a Epiphan. herel. wrested the same scriptures to it, and gave it the same effective power the papists do now, as these words do witness, b Irenae l. 1. c. 1. Ventilabrum illud, Christi Crucem interpretatur esse, quae scilicet consumit materialia omnia quemadmodum paleas ignis: immundat autem eos qui salvantur sicut ventilabrum triticum. Let now the patrons of the cross go, and boast of the antiquity of it: who if they be not papists, must needs be ashamed to see their antiquity ascribe such a power unto it, as they must condemn, wrist those Scriptures for it which they must confute, and send it out of such a womb, as the memory whereof they must abhor. And in case they can harden their foreheads to all this, good leave have they, to confront their own Fathers in the faith, who boldly c D. Fulke ag Bristo. motiuc. 46 p. 124. say and affirm, that the Devil did in Valentinus as well sow the seeds of Idolatry to the Cross, as he sowed in Carpocrates the seed of idolatry to images. In the juggling of Marcus, making the wine to show like blood, the seed of Transubstantiation. and in Tacianus (last of all) the seed of popish single life, and of their superstitious abstaining from flesh. But whether this be so or no, sure enough it is, that this heretic was the first that used this sign, or made any d Idem count Rhem. Luk 24. sect. 5. account thereof. because we hear no news at all of it, until we come to him and his sect, in any ancient or authentical Writer, even as our e D. Willet. de cruc ar. 3 D Fulke ag. Saund. of imag. c. 13. p. 625. and in rejoind. ag. Mart. art. 1 137. art. 4.161 art. 5 177. Writers tell us. Secondly, as Valentinus begatt the Cross, so was it Montanus that first gave it credit, among Christians, not only for common use, but also for religious in the Church, as all our f Magdebu. centur. 3. c 10. in Tertul Herm● Hamelman. de tradit in apend ad p. 1. joh. Dearing in epi. ad Heb lect. 2. joh. Crispin. chronolo. in Sever. Imper. W. Whitaker. controver. 1. q 6. c. 12 Chemnit. exam. p. 2. fol 84. D. Fulke reioyd. art. 1. p. 138. Mat. Surel. de ●eremo. missae c 8. W. Perk. problem. in sign cin. Abra. Sculter. in Medul. Athanas. cap. 1. Writers do accord. The chief instrument under Montanus who was it but Tertullian? A man so infamous after his fall, as that although Agrippinus sucked first his error of rebaptisation from him, yet he was ashamed to be known of so much, because an enemy demonstrasse tantum eius primum sententiae Tertullianum fuisse assentorem, g Caesar Baron. Annal. Anno 217. vicisse adversarios videri propemodum potuisset. Now, is it not Tertullian, in whom we first hear of the Baptism Cross? Is it not Tertullian that is the first gracer of it? For men confess themselves ashamed of all the rest. If we must be ashamed of Tertullian too (as Baronius sayeth we must) alas (than) whether shall we cause our shame to go? Nos ab alienis demonstrationes fidei non recipimus might one say once; whereas we h D. Willet. vb sup. receive a badge of our faith (for such is the cross) from the blackest, and grossest heretics some of them that ever were. we fain would avoid Valentinus: we feign would avoid Montanus, but these must be our Fathers in the matter of the Cross, unless we would say, that the Gospel of Nichodemus is our catechism: which maketh mention indeed of a crosses sign that Christ should make upon Abraham in hell; yea upon hell gates themselves to set them open. And I am not ignorant that some of our writers refer the origen of the cross even to this fountain. Thirdly, as Valentinus did beget the cross, Montanus christened it, so they were the vulgar people that bread it up. For this let one of our m joh. Reynol. confer. c. 8. divis. 4 p. 504. writers be read, by whom (as also by the text of n Tertul. de coron. milit. Tertullian) this will appear. l Chem●●it. in exam. in Decret. 4. de tradit. p. 90. Herman Hamelman. p. 1 de tradit. l. 1. col. 259 Tertullian having mentioned the cross and other rites & ceremonies (as one eager to get passage for them, and continuance in the Church) groweth to an exhortation to use them still: the end of which he bewrayeth, as throughout the whole tract of his speech, so by the upshott most of all. For when he reasoneth that every faithful man, hath power to bring in a rite si saluti proficiat, disciplinae conducat, & that the people must receive every such rite à quocunque traditore cens●tur, he showeth plainly enough his intent was to get credit to his Mr Montanus, that so his rites might be receiveth with the more honour and estimation. But when he cometh to this, mos iste habiturus quandoque Apostoli authoritatem, now he bewrayeth too plainly both that the cross and the restof these rites were not as yet settled. and also that the custom of the people was to be mean to settle them. As then we count the rising of images base, because they o Euseb. histor. l. 7. c. 28. came from a private custom of some men, who kept them in their houses: the rising of prayer to saints base because it grew p W. Perk. proble Interces. p. 90 ex consuetudine vulgi & ex privata quorundam devotione, which also grew out of an opinion that they were present at their tombs, and wheresoever they would themselves, which q Hieron. count Vigilant c. 2. Hierome backed: and the rising of shaving base, because when people ware long r Perk. prob. tit. de res sacrae missae hair & the priests shaved first for example of modesty, this grew at last from a custom to a s Isidor. de office ecclesiast. l. 2. c. 4. Amalar. de office l. 3. c 5. signification, & after that to a superstitious ceremony, so must the rising of the cross be held base, because from a private memorial such as the image of Ch. was: & from an opinion that Ch. is present at this sign (an opinion like to that of soul's presence at their tombs) he grew like the shaving from a custom to a ceremony not only significant, but also superstitious. The t Mart. in reply. art 1. papist himself disdaineth a ceremony which is begotten by a provincial Council only: especially a ceremony which groweth by a private custom, u Bellar. de pontific l. 4. c 18. till paulatim vim obtineat legis: and a w Herman Hamelman. de tradit. apend ad p. 1. col. 455. Lutheran a chemical baptism growing from a vulgar custom that was corrupt. I ascend to the Fathers themselves: one of whom imputeth this to the Lenten fast, that at the first it was x Euseb histor l. 5. c. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another imputeth this to the lights of divine service, because they arose y Hyeron. count Vigilant. c 3. à quibusdam imperitis, qui zelum habebant, sed non secundum scientiam. another z August. epi ad janu 〈◊〉 19 c. 19 excepteth against all rites in general, whose Origen is not illustrious but they are doubtful for what cause they are brought up. another excepteth against rites of vulgar beginning (how agreeably to himself I speak not) as that he spareth not these words, a Tertul. de veland. virgin. veritati nemo praescribere potest, consuetudo praesertim quae initium ab alique ignorantia sortita, in usum per successionem corroboratur, & ita ad versus veritatem vindicatur. To come home to the cross itself, whereas Martial allegeth that diverse holy men & women, got diverse little pieces of the cross enclosed them in gold & silver, hanged them about their necks (as Helena, b Mart. de cruc art. 6 Paulinus, Gregory) we here reply that a common & vulgar custom is not to be cared for. I doubt not (saith c Calfh. art. 6 fol. 125 one of our writers) but these had a zeal of their own, & that they thought to serve God, yet serving their fancy first they did offend against the Ma. of God, & were occasion of fall to many that came after them. Fourthly, after Valentinus had begotten the cross Montanus backed it, the people bread it up, it was preferred by the Fathers (indeed) howbeit ill, as it usually cometh to pass in things received from vulgar custom as is to be seen in Images: the private custom of which acceptam ecclesia Dei magis magisque adauxit: non modo effigies & statuas, verum etiam baculos, & vestes, & lectos sanctorum virorum conservans ad illorum memoriam sem piternam. As for their advancing of it, consider first the root thereof, for it was either an d D. Fulke ag. Saund. of imag. c. 23. rejoin. to Mart. art. 1. emulation of the foresaid heretics that first devised it, or a contention against the heathen that did despise it: or an imitation e Lactan. de vera sapient. c. 16. August. de catechizan. rud. & de verb. Apo. serm. 8. of the jews in their posts marked with the paschal blood, who were thought to figure it: or a mistaking of Ezechtels' sign which was thought to foreshow it: or last of all, a certain kind of a magical superstition to have in it an effectual “ Hospin. de re temp. tit. de cru. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against the Devil, & against all evil, with other like humours (any one of which, let any who can) make lawful. Next consider the top of that height to which they advanced him, of which one of our writers thus: the Fathers f D. Fulk rejoind. ag Mart. art. 1. p 137. cannot be justified in their speeches of the cross, & of the g Ibi. p. 139 cross they speak more than they themselves can justify. Chysostom's hath his hand deepest in this excess. Him nothing can excuse, saving an h Beza epi. Hyperbole only: to wit, such an l D. Fulke ibid. p. 132. Hyperbole as we must understand in this like spreach of his, I had rather have a piece of St Paul's chain, quam si quis me coelo condonet omni. What a speech is this of Ambrose in epistola ad Rom. cap. 8. signatos cruce in morte secunda Diabolus tenere non audet. which some take m Herman Hamel. de tradit p. 3. l. 3 col. 302 heinously. as also others n Magdebu. Centur. 4. c. 4. tit de tradit. col. 302. censure Prudentius and Ephreem as overlavishing in their speeches about the cross. To omit particulars, all our o D. Whita. controuer. 1 q. 6. pag. 443. D. Fulke rejoind. pa. 145.146. writers censure all the Fathers for the power which they ascribe unto the cross against the Devil: for which they p Perk. problem. tit. sign. cruc. send us to these quotations Tertullian de resurrect. car. Lactant. de vera relig. l 4. c. 27. Cyril. Cateches. 13. Origen. contra Cells. l. 3. Nazianz. ad Nemes. Theodoret. in Petro & Thalasio. Euseb. li. 8. cap. 7. Sulpit. epist. ad Euseb. Presbyter. Gregor. Dialog. l. 1. c. 1. Victor. de persecut. Vandal. li. 2. Paulin. l. 2. de vit sanct. Martin. to which may be added that quotation out of Augustine which q Bellarmin. Bellar. Suarez, & the rest of the jesuits do allege to prove that this power of the cross is in the judgement of the Fathers even ex opere operato. But what say we to this, that according to Vincentius rule, this rite of crossing was universal? Why to omit that this reason is popish which they in like manner r Durant. de rit. li. 1. c. 4 sect. 8. urge for images, universally observed, we can give instance in other things which we ourselves do now condemn though when time was they were with an uniformity universal throughout the whole church kept. The exorcism of baptism hath this testimony, that the church s August de Ecclesiast. dogmat. 3● uniformiter in universo mundo kept it. So that an adversary was thus priest t August. de nupt. & concupiscent. l 2. c 18. accusat ecclesiam toto orb diffusam in qua ubique omnes baptizandi infantuli non ob aliud exufflantur nisi ut ab ijs princeps munds mittatur foras. Hence thus a papist against us all: u Durant de rit. l. 1. c. 19 sect. 23. hinc insignis. etc. here the notable impudency of the Calvinistes is detected: who deride the custom of exorcizing and exufflation, kept and continued from the Apostles themselves down to this times in the whole world with one voice, and with one accord of mind and judgement: imitating julian (that impure Apostata) who as Gregory Nazian. orat. 4 witnesseth, sufflationes symbolicas in baptismo, in calumniam & risum trahebat. The thrice dipping in baptism was also in ancienter times, them the sign of the cross can w Zozom. l. 6. c. 26. Hierom. advers Luciferian. v. reach to, universally kept, which yet was after left of and x Concil. Toletan. 4 c 5. Greg. epist. 41. abolished, when it grew to abuse by heretics. y Cont. Vigilant. Hierome saith, per totas Orientis ecclesias, quando Evangelium legendum est, accenduntur luminaria sole rutilante. Augustine hath these words, hoc à Patribus traditum, z August. de verb. Apostolor. 23. universa observat ecclesia, ut pro ijs qui defuncti sunt, cum ad ipsum sacrificium suo loco commemoratur, oretur. Ambrose a Tom. 1. exhortat. ad virgin. speaketh thus: Venit Paschae dies quo toto orb velantur virgins. who knoweth not that the oil was universal, as well as the cross? yea, the salt and the spittle when once they entered, and the ministering of the communion to infants, with diverse rites and customs. #Sect. 10. The 4. Exception against the Antiquity of the Cross, proving the cross now used, not to be that the Fathers used. THE fourth exception which we make against the antiquity of the cross, bendeth against the cross itself of late times used, because it is not the same which the ancient Fathers used. Baronius speaking of the Annulets anciently used, approveth them only on this condition, a Caesar Baron. annal. anno 232. sancta piaque maiorum haec fuit consuetudo, nisi aliqua accedente superstitione labifactetur. b Antonin. p. 4. tit. 11. c. 8. sect. 2. Aquinas condemneth the anointing of a Priest in time of necessity, though anciently used as a corruptela rather then consuetudo. This our exception then is strong, even in the judgement of papists themselves as long as we are able to prove that the sign of the cross, as very an Amulet as was the book of the Gospel which Caecilia bore in her bosom: and the pieces of the Gospel which women hanged about their necks in c Chrysost. in Mat. homil. 73. Chrysostom's days: hath degenerated to more superstition then at the first was in it: and from the custom of the ancient Fathers hath grown to be a mere corruption. It is strong also even in the judgement of ourselves. We laugh at the papist, when he maketh his Introit ancient by the d Durant. de rit. l. 2. c. 11. sect. 1. singing of the ancient church before their assemblies: for as much as it is nothing the same: they singing a Psalm of David's only, e Beat. Rhenan. in Tertul. de coron mili. ● dum conveniebant Christiani in templum, after the manner of some reformed churches now. We laugh at them also when they prove their Dedication of churches by the ancient f Durant. l. 1 ca 24. consecrating of them in Constantine's time because it is nothing like, they dedicating only with the word g Euseb. histor. l. 10. ca 4. and with prayer, as the reformed churches do. We laugh at them in like manner, when they make their elevation ancient (whereby the priest lifteth the bread, and the bread only over his head) by the h Harding answer to jewel. art. 11. ancient showing of the bread & of the cup, because it is nothing like, the ancient showing being l jewel. in respon ibid. only to procure reverence in coming to the communion, not to procure adoration to the element: for which cause when the bread was a showing, there was cried sancta sanctis, in which manner and to which end some churches reform m Alexand. Alice. in pro 'em. leiturg Anglican. retain it still. We laugh at them when they prove their pax by the ancient kiss of the primitive church, because it was only a mutual kiss for a sign of mutual love, even as n Durant. de rit. l. 2. c. 54. sect. vlt. some of themselves confess, and some of our o jewel art. 3. divis. 2. Divines have proved. Last of all, we laugh at them when p Durant. de rit. l. 2. c. 38. sect. 6. they go about to prove their round wafers by the round oblations of bread in the old church called Coronae, because they are nothing the same, they being the loaves which were offered by the people for the poor, & for the sacramental element which then was an whole and a round q jewel. art. 11. P. Morn. de Eucharist. great loaf, such as the reformed churches do use at this day. In all these we have severed ourselves from the popish corruptelae, falsely hiding & cloaking themselves under the name of ancient customs. What is the reason we cannot do the like in the cross? Is it because it is a matter of little moment? But Harding himself confesseth the elevation to be a small matter, which will not confess so of the cross, as no man else can, because it is an Idol of itself not only a provoker to Idolatry as their elevation is. Is it because it is more necessary than Pax or Wafer? The practise of our Church hath acknowledged the wafer to be more needful in the supper, & now acknowledgeth the pax to be as needless. Howbeit our cross itself is degenerated from ancient use, and is not now the same at this present which it was to the Fathers. For the first use of it amongst the Fathers was a common crossing ad omnem exitum & aditum, which seeing we have abolished, we have abolished the first and the chiefest use to which the Fathers turned it. another chief use of the Father's cross, we will likewise confess to be unseasonable, which was to profess against the pagans. Now condemn we the chiefest uses of the Fathers, and retain the very worst under pretence of their antiquity, this is strange do we ourselves abolish the cross in the tollerablest uses without newfangledness, & cannot our brethren omit it in the worst, but they must be newfanglistes? this is hard. Howbeit, is the use of it in baptism itself the same with the Father's use? No, we are ashamed even of that also, and have (therefore) coined a new use of our own, which yet is little better than theirs whereof we are ashamed. I speak of the first Fathers of the cross who used it in baptism, not to dedicate the child to God as we do now that office they assigned to the Oil, r Tertull. de resurrect. carnis. Caro ungitur, ut anima consecretur▪ but to arm the soul with spiritual defence, Cara signatur ut anima muniatur. Now what shuffling call you this, to retain the use of that Oil which we have banished, & to banish the use of the cross which we have retained. Or what partiality to take the crosses deformity from him to make him gracious, to take the Oils beauty from him to make him odious? or lastly, what chopping that the cross should be braved with the Oils use, the oil be branded, whose use was more tolerable than the crosses among the Fathers? Such is our second main exception against the slander of newfangledness, the antiquity of the sign of the cross from which we swerver, it is no true and sound antiquity. #Sect. 11. The third Apology against the slander of newfangledness in denial of the Cross. OUR third apology against the slander of newfangledness, is this, That though antiquity did bind, Sect. 11. and the antiquity of the cross were without all these exceptions, yet were we not to be branded with this infamy, because a good part of antiquity standeth on our side. This a writer of ours affirmeth, a D Fulk. count Rhem Luk. 14. sect. 5. Neither was the sign of the Cross in any estimation with the Apostles, nor with the faithful in their time. To which we add the primitive church that next succeeded knew the sign of the cross as little as we ourselves would have it known. Now have not they the best part of antiquity, whose part is in these times? and that by the confession of our Opposites? who to disparaged the antiquity of all imagery, It is too young ( b D. Bills. count Apolog. p. 4. p. 315. say they) to be Catholic, that began but of late: you must go nearer Christ & his Apostles, if you will have it Catholic or ancient. The nearer (then) that our antiquity draweth to the time of Christ and to the Apostles, so much the stronger, sounder, better, now it shallbe evidently proved to be as near as may be. For what Nichodemus, what joseph (first)? 1. Sam. 21.9 Sith David laid Goliahes sword behind the Ark, that was but an instrument of a bodily victory: these, would they not have laid up the cross, or preserved it at the least, if they had thought it (I say not such a sovereign thing as the papists make of it) but such a true instrument or fit monument of Christ his spiritual victory as it is held by some at home? They took down the body, what the cross? they c Doct. Willet. de cruc. art. threw it away: at the least they regarded it not: so that the L. d Act and mon. in histor. eive. Cobham, who after suffered about the cross, yieldeth it seemeth more to his commissioners then he needed, when he told them he would lay up decently wrapped the true cross whereon Christ died in case he had him. And was not the hand of the Lord in this work, burying the true cross itself, as once he buried Moses body in an unknown place, to prevent Idolatry, or to make it the more inexcusable when in time it should break forth as since it hath done? Oh but he gave e Bellarmin. de imag c. 27. argument. 3. Helena power to find it as soon as it could be had in honour, which was when paganism was abolished: so that he buried it in the mean season (indeed) to save it from their contempt. See the facility of these men. Doth the cross want honour by the space of 300. years? It was to reserve himself to the honour of the Christians of those times only. And although the christians of the former ages were far more zealous, that was nothing, they would have honoured him, but the cross would not be honoured by them. What did he scorn them? No it was not his pleasure. So when f Act. and mon in H. 8. p. 848. Franciscus San Romanus refused to honour a certain cross that stood in the way as he was going to the fire, there was presently a shout given among the people, O the miraculous virtue, power, and the wisdom of the Cross, that will not be honoured by an heretic: but whose will and pleasure is to be honoured by Catholics only. Howbeit, as touching the invention of the cross, by Helen, it is a true counterfeit: as appeareth not only by many sound reasons which our g Magdebur gens. centur. 4. c. 13. col. 1438. Calsh ag. Mart art. 8 fol. 152. D. Willet. de cruc. art. 1. john Reynold. writers do allege, but also by the open confession of the canon itself, h Gelas. decret. de Apochriph. Mat. 24.14. scripturae de inventione Crucis Dominicae, novellae quaedam relationes sunt, & alia de inventione capitis johannis Baptistae. But to proceed. It is written of the West Indies, that there was no footesteppe of religion found amongst them because no cross, no Temple etc. whence may be concluded, that the first times preached the Gospel to the nations without the use of any crossing. For I make no question but the gospel was preached unto them in case they were a people. Here at home the gospll was preached even from the beginning (as many undoubted evidences show) whereas yet there were no crosses in this land, until Augustine the Monk brought over his silver cross, which was l Beda histo. de gent Anglor. li. 1. cap 1 ●. D Fulk rejoind. art. 5 p. 177. carried before him at his entrance together with an image which was painted in a table. From jews & Gentiles that had the gospel planted amongst them without all crosses, come we to their next successors who professed it without all crosses likewise. As for Martialis Abdias justini quaestiones, whom martial mustereth in this quarrel for the sign of the cross together, they are Apocryphal saith Mr Calfhill and not to be cared for, as Mr Beza with the rest of our writers tell us. Martialis is found counterfeit by Eusebius, Hieronimus, Genadius, who in their registers which of purpose they wrote of Ecclesiastical writers, make at all no m Calfh. art. 1. p. 27 mention of him. Abdias is branded by a n Paulus 4. ap. Sixtum Senens. bibliothe. l. 2 Bellarm. de. Eccles. triumphan. l. 1. c. ●0 Io. Molan de sid heret. servand. l. 1 c. 6. Pope & by papists themselves: and so o Sixt. Senens. bibliothec. in prefat. are the questions that are ascribed to justinus Martyr, which cannot be his, because Origen is cited in them who lived long after them. they savour something of Theodoret, but I will not presume to interpose my judgement. Now these discarded, it will be found true what one of our Writers hath, p D. Fulkre joined. ag. Mart. art. 5. fol. 177 As touching the credit of the old writers, who had all their errors, I like well the counsel of Vincentius Lyrinensis, that we should still have recourse for trial to the most ancient, in which we must needs account the writings of the Apostles, both of most antiquity and of greatest authority. Wherefore seeing the manner of blessing with the cross is not found either in the writings of the Apostles, or in the most ancient Fathers. justinus and Clemens Alexandrinus: by Vancentius counsel, we may justly account for a corrupt custom crept into the church, either by emulation of heretics, or in contention against the pagans. But doth not justinus Martyr make mention of the cross: of the cross whereon Christ died he maketh mention, of the sign of the cross we have no mention in him at all, nor in any other: till we come down to the times of Valentinus, when it began to be used by heretics, and unto Tertullians' age when orthodox Christians first received it. Well then you will grant that here your antiquity endeth, some fourteen hundred years ago? No, that we will not neither. q Minut. Foelix in Octavio. 1 Thes. 3.8 Minutius Foelix lived long since, who hath these words, Cruces nec colimus nec optamus. which if our Governors would now speak and perform accordingly, we would catch their words from their mouths as greedily as ever Benhadads' servantes did the words of Ahab: and upon their performance we should be as glad as Benhadad himself, because if the cross were not cared for by them, we should live, whereas now our life can scarce be termed a being alive. The Emperor Theodosius is on our side: who made a law to void all r P. Crinit. de honest. discipli●. li 9 c. 9 crosses, which the papists elude in vain, when they restrain him to crosses only on the ground: else are all our s D. Fulk ag Saund. of imag. c. 13 pa. 660. Morn. confer. of Font Bleau. Zanch. de imag. Iew. aga. Harding etc. writers vain: yea, the doctrine t Homil. ag. peril of idolat. p. 2. of our Church itself which is confirmed by act of Parliament, is not only vain but false, which taketh upon it to refute this cavil. u Basil. in psal. 45. Basil inveigheth against the vanity of characters, & what is the cross better? In the days of the Author of the Questions w Athanal. ad Antioch Q 16. ad Antiochum, they used to dissolve the cross when they were suspected to honour it. let us but dissolve these two cross lines now that the papists do adore it, and we by our use grace this idol adored by them, & we are relieved. If he say all the Fathers approved crossing, I answer of them, as D. x D. Fulk in rejoind. Fulke of Cyprian once about anoyling, if they will do against themselves, their own reasons, grounds and rules (which we have with us throughout this treatise) what can I help it? y Homil. ag peril of idolat. p. 2 Serenus Bishop of Marciles, (is approved by our Church) who putteth down all images and all crosses out of the church. So are the Emperors of the East, who were against the having of all images in the Church. So is Claudius of Taurinum who pulled down the very images & the crosses that were established by law, by which they were not honoured but served for memorials only and for decency, as now our cross is said to be used. In the age ●100. the professors of the truth (then termed despitefully z Pet Cluni acens epist 1. & 2. Petrobrusiani) burned all the crosses that they could come by. The a Bellarmin. de imag. c. 26. Waldenses who succeeded them, abhorred crosses. john Wicklife who followed them, allowed only a b Tho. Waldem ●om. 3. ●it ●0. cross spiritual. c Act & more. p. 735: George Browne a disciple of his, thinketh it as unfit to make a cross a memorial of Christ, as for a child to make much of the halter or of the gallows, wherewith his father was hanged There was at the Bow in London in the very room where some of the Martyrs were wont to be examined in the days of Q. Marry (as I have received from them who know it) an ancient picture in a glass window, well near worn out, and so not observed by the examiners, set up by all likelihood by some of the scholars of Wicklife, the painting was this; A tree half withered: two Angels labouring at the feet to throw him down. the one with a spade, the other with an axe or sith: at the top hung paxes, crosses, holy-water, sprincles. etc. From this time downward there have not wanted famous witnesses against the cross which have been mentioned d Cap 6. sect. 1. elsewhere. Our late Writers be ours likewise: and all the Churches well reform. We are charged with a Corinthian fantasying of men's persons, and to be carried away with an over great reverence towards men: which is in deed the fault of our adversaries, who suffer themselves to be overswayed by the present learning, credit, power, and authority of the L bishops and their adherentes So was it objected not long since to the Count e joh Crisp●●. supplement in Marcell. 2. Palatine, that his revence towards Master Calvine, carried him away: whereas (indeed) it was their pretenced reverence towards Master Luther that carried them. whereupon he protested that though the truth were scandalised under Mr Calvines' name, yet notwithstanding he would embrace it: not believing in S te Martin, nor in S te james, (he meant Martin Luther and jacobus And●eas, whom the ubiquitaries servily followed) but in Christ jesus only. I trust we shall have leave given us (being unable to advise ourselves) to seek to the advice of those, whom God hath honoured with his special gifts, and raised up to hold forth light to others. Now amongst these, as no sword fit for David, than that which had slain Goliath, so no writings to theirs, who have fought against the Antichrist, and have slain him lived not these before the controversy grew so hoot? Fellow we (then) that good f Cairo ●e●ces ●hroni. p 336. Theodosius, who maketh trial by those Fathers, who were no parties in the strife, but lived before the stuire began. If having these we cannot be heard, what should we say else, but that we are used as Paulus Vergerius was at the Council of Trent: being called into question for calling into question the Legends of Saint George and Christopher, he is able to cite Catholic Doctors on his side: yea Paul the third Pope himself, who commanded that these Legends should be struck out, as false and forged. Marcellus Cervinus cannot deny it. What then? For all this his judgement is he must not be held for a good man that will preach any thing that cometh near to Lutherans. So are we dealt withal by some: No matter though we can cite our own Writers and other Churches that are reform, it is become a ruled case, nothing is good in any Writer or in any Church, that seemeth to make for puritanes: neither can any man be honest, or a good subject, that doth but look towards them in their desires of reformation. and hereupon we are thrust out from the ministery as he was from the Council. What should we say? but as the son of Barachias, The Lord look down, behold, and judge. and so far of the sin of the Ceremonies against this ninth commandment. S. D. G. The concupiscence of the Cross. Chapter 10. THE last transgression of the cross is against this last commandment, in that it feedeth lust habitual, breedeth lust actual: both of which are forbidden in this precept. For whereas it willeth us to fight against these foresaid lusts; as we fight against enemies whom we besiege, stopping all passages of our senses whereby they may come by victual, the sign of the cross not only serveth for a porter that letteth in, but even for a purveyor also that carrieth in the out temptations that do nourish them in idolatry and superstition. worthy are the words of Augustine to be considered, a Augustin. serm. 3. de common. vit cleric. & epist. 109. ad Monach Non solo tactu sed & aspectu appetitur & appetit foemina: Nec dicatis vos animos habere pudicos, si habeatis oculos impudicos. quia impudicus oculus impudici cordis est nuncius: & cùm se invicem sibi etiam tacentelingua conspectu mutuo corda nunciant impudica: & secundum concupiscentiam carnis alterutro delectantur ardore, etiam intactis ab immunda violatione corporibus fugit castitas ipsa de moribus. Add unto this, the admonition of a Council, speaking of those that are not to marry, they must not only provide that no women dwell with them, but also that they have not so much as any access to them: upon this reason, b Concil. Carthagi●ens. 1. c. ● etiam occasiones amputandae sunt peccatorum & tollendae quibus subtilitas Diaboli sub pretextu charitatis & dilectionis incautas animas velignaras irretire consuevit Omit we not the Canon neither which tendeth to the very same purpose, c Decret. p. 1 distinct. 8. 〈◊〉. 9 Congruum est inde etiam corporaliter avelli ubi quisquis illecebris deservivit. Name & locus ipse hoc in aspecta mentis apponit, quod saepè ibi cogitavit vel gessit. And that the consort of our witnesses may be full, refuse we not the admonition of a private & common man, who upon the experience of stratonice causing her lover's pulse to beat as often as she came in sight, giveth this rule against concupiscence, d Antoni●● Gubert. Costan. poly. histor. c. 8. Nihil facilius quam amor recrudescit, & oculos & aures avertat qui alicuius rei desyderium p●nere vult. What then? though we touch not the lips of this Baal (the cross) as long as we feed our senses with his sight, our hearts remain not pure & chaste, neither are the occasions done away, wherewith Satan will insinuat himself into them (pretend the law what end it will in the retaining & keeping of him) the sensual pulse will ever beat as long as the senses are not turned from him: the very place itself putteth into the mind ill thoughts, where any wanton action of ours hath been committed: how much more than the representation of the wanton action itself, both which together in the cross are renewed unto the senses. But to speak more particularly, the first way whereby the cross stirreth up concupiscence is that occasion which an idol or image hath, when it is placed in the church though not adored: against which our own doctrine which is confirmed by act of Parliament, allegeth many reasons. The first is drawn from the original of the image, and it hath this ground, e ●●om●● ag. peril of idolat. p. 1. what was ill at first rising, can never prove good or profitable after. Our Opposites say the cross may be turned to good use howsoever it hath been abused heretofore. therefore must they not subscribe unto this homily, because the rising of the cross was evil at first in Valentinus and Montanus, and here of late it arising out of the ashes of the Antichristian cross, hath according to the homily, not since grown profitable, but hath rather looked back toward Sodom ever since, no whit breaking the Poet's position, Ortus quaeque suos repetunt. The second is drawn from the nature of an image, and it hath this ground, f Ibid pa. 3. pag. 36. good things do ever by little and little decay: ill things by little and little increase: as the image was g Pa. 50. first painted. after it grew to be engraved: and at first it was used but in private houses: after it crept into Churches & temples: where at first it was not worshipped, but shortly after it began to be adored: first by the people that were ignorant: at last by learned men and all. None can deny but that all this down right lighteth on the cross that doth consider how from the beginning he hath increased by little and little, from heretics to christians: from use private to public: from a sign to an Idol: and since that time that it hath been refined amongst us from a block offending the foot to a stone crushing even the whole body, as is to be seen this day. The third reason of the Homily, is drawn from the proanes of men to idolatry: For the image is an h Ibid pa. 3● pag. 45. harlot, and man is no otherwise bend to the worshipping of it (if he may have it and see it) than he is bend to fornication in the company of a strumpet. For a l Pag. 46. man given to lust to sit down by an harlot is to tempt God. so the setting up of an image in the Church, and the sitting of people by it, is in this proanes of man's nature nothing better than a temptation to idolatry. Now if any will say (saith this Homily) that this similitude proveth nothing, yet let God's word, out of which it is taken, prove some thing with them. Doth not the word of God call idolatie fornication? doth it not call a painted Image, a strumpet with a painted face? be not the spiritual wickednesses of an Idols enticing like the flattery of a wanton harlot? be not men and women as prone to spiritual fornication as to carnal? It must needs follow therefore that as it is the duty of the godly m Pag. 48. Magistrate, loving honesty and hating whoredom, to move all strumpettes, especially out of places notoriously suspected or resorted unto by naughty packs, so after the example of the godly Kings Hezechias and josias, to drive away all spiritual harlots (I mean Idols and Images) specially out of suspected places, Churches and Temples, which are dangerous for idolatry to be committed unto images, when they are placed in them. Damascene hath these words of the holy Sacrament, n Damas'. de orthodoxfid. cap. 14. Let us go to it with ardent desire, ut & oculis & labijs & frontibus impositis divini carbonis participes efficiamur. Now, as a good sign ordained by God is a fiery coal to enkindle love, when the senses are stricken by it: so a sign evil ordained by man (such as is the sign of the cross) and an harlot (such as is every image else) is not only a coal to heat, but also a fire to inflame with lust, as it is in the Comedy, accede ad ignem hunc, calesces plus satis. The fourth reason, is drawn from the inveterate love which men commonly bear unto their old customs: so that the people having heretofore honoured images (and the cross is an image that hath been honoured) they will never be waned from them: as long as they have them they will honour them. This we see in the jews (saith the o Pag. 2. p. 13.14. homily) they have been so long enured to the rites and ceremonies that now they cannot tell how to leave them: which if God abolished to take all occasion from them, than how much more ought all Images to be abolished which are no ordinances of the Lord but devices of man brought in through blind zeal and devotion? Here let me turn to our Opposites a little: who think there is no need to suffer in the cause of the Ceremonies against papists as yet: First the doctrine p Pa. 2. p. 8. of the homily is, we must follow the example of the ancient Fathers by name of Epiphanius, who removed every Image out of the church assoon as they spied it, because though yet they were not worshipped, yet they were likely in time to breed lust & concupiscence to Idolatry. Secondly, the doctrine of our q Ibid. p. 13 church inhibiteth out of Euschius to keep an Image indifferently, that is in a continued sequence of years & times without interruption. so that by it a man must suffer, rather than suffer by his fault cerem. so deeply infected to run on without interruption as now it is purposed these shall do. The first r Pa. 3. p. 27 reason of our homily is drawn from experience past & present. we see it come to pass (saith it) that the Christians entertaining the rites and ceremonies of the heathen, fell to the heathens idolatry also: which s Pa. 2. p. 19 Serenus foreseeing, threw all Images out of the church: which course if it had been pursued, all idolatry had been overthrown whereas their suffering in the church by Gregory's means who commanded them to stand, though ne forbade them to be worshipped, ensnared both the West and the East in a public adoring of them, & that by law: as when Gregory and Leo the third made a decree in the West, Irene the Empress a law in the East they should be worshipped. Hereby came to pass which Serenus feared, and Gregory the first forbade in vain; so that indeed it is impossible any long time to have images in public churches & in temples without idolatry: as by the space of little more than one hundred years, betwixt Gregory the 1. forbidding their worship, and Gregory, Paul and Leo the 3. commanding their worship, most evidently appeareth. All this being common to the cross, condemn we it rather than our own church which thus t Pa. 3. p. 4● adviseth: It is truly said, the times past are schoolmaisters of wisdom to us that follow and live after. Let us therefore of these latter days learn this lesson from experience of ancient antiquity, that Idolatry cannot possibly be separated from church images, but is an unseparable accident to them: as a shadow followeth the body when the sun shineth, so idolatry followeth the having of images in the church. Finally, as idolatry is to be abhorred, so are images (which cannot be long without idolatry) to be put away and destroyed. #Sect. 2. Three replies against the evidences of the Crosses Concupiscence. AGAINST these evidences of the crosses concupiscence, there are three things replied. First, that the material crosses only tempt, like Idols and Images, and not the aereal, which now we call the sign of the cross. We answer, It hath been proved, that the cross aereal is an Image and an Idol, aswell as the material: and in some respects far worse. and all the reasons whereby our Homily throweth other Images out of the Church to prevent their tempting, beat directly against this Cross. First ( a Homil ag peril of Idolat pag. 3. pag. 13. saith it) the Image is in the church a tempter, because it hath heretofore been worshipped: and the aereal sign of the cross hath been worshipped, yea even adored with higher honour than any other representation of Christ material. Secondly, the Image cannot be placed in the Church without danger of tempting, because though we worship him not, yet is he worshipped in sundry places now in our time: so is this aereal cross. What if he were not? For seeing the Homily casteth out of the Church of God not only that which maketh love unto itself, but also that which maketh love to other things which it doth countenance, the sign of the Cross must needs be cashired, because though it tempt not to superstition towards itself, yet doth it towards the Idols of crosses material, whom it resembleth unto the people, & graceth before them. The third reason of the homily, proveth the image in the church to be a tempter, in respect of time to come: superstition being an inseparable accident to the image that is in the church; so that though the cross aereal for the present did not tempt, yet there is danger he will stir & raise concupiscence in time to come Secondly, our Opposites themselves will grant that the aereal cross partaketh of the inward idolatry as well as the material doth: we say it doth more for that virtue, yea admirable virtue which the b Bellarmin de effect. sacra. c. 31. papists repose in it ad producendos effectus spirituales: and for that special help it hath against the Devil, of which one thus, c joh. Molan. de decalog. ca 4. conclus. 3. Nota. 19 ea adhibenda sunt remedia quae adversus Daemonum illusiones, vexationesque ecclesiastica sanxit authoritas, ususque firmavit, uti sunt signum Crucis, aqua benedicta. etc. It being so, they must needs grant likewise, that it hath a power and virtue, to raise concupiscence towards inward idolatry: which is it small? d Confess. Eccles. Mansfel. ap. Conra. Schluilelba tom. 13. p. 558. cum per Ceremonias Diabolus arcetur & quotidiani lapsus eluuntur ut docet agmen Pontificium, tum verò in perniciosam idololatriam vertuntur, quam Deus prohibuit, as one of the foreign Churches teacheth. I needed not gone over the seas for this, our own Church at home doth e Homil pa 3. pag 98. teach us, that Idolatry chiefly consisteth in the mind: and in f Ibid p. 109 particular it telleth us, that to ascribe a power of supernatural effects to any creature (as the papists do to this sign) is such an Idolatry, as may not be tolerated. yea g D. Bills. ag Apolog. p. 4 p. 344.345. our Opposites themselves are very large in their invectives against the idol of the heart, when only God is not served as he should, how much more than should they inveigh against this sign, which doth not only raise idolatrous fancies of God, through conceiving & worshipping of him besides his word, but also stir up idolatrous thoughts & cogitations towards itself: for which cause, if not in it then in nothing, is h August. de verb. dom secun. Math. serm. 6. Augustine's counsel to be followed, prius id agamus ut Idola in eorum cordibus confringamus. Thirdly, the effects of the cross aereal bewray that he is a tempter: which in the people (not well reform from their old customs) are the same which l joh. Reynold de Idolotat. lib 2. ca 3. lect 26. & 68 our writers use to bring to prove the idolatry of the pagans towards their images & their idols. The Tyrians bewrayed, they thought to have help by the image of Apollo when they bound it fast with chains to keep it fast & sure to their city against Alexander who then besieged it. The Athenians bewrayed the like when they made an image to Victoria without wings to the end she should not fly away from them. And the Sicilians when they complained they had now no God in their cities to fly unto, because Verres had taken away their Images. If the popishly addicted within this realm are not in like fear to lose the power & presence of Ch. upon the loss of this sign, then are we gulled, not only by our own experience, but also by the prudence of our Reverend Fathers which hath resolved that it cannot be removed without a mischief: for that the people will not miss it nor by any means leave it: which if it be true, then even in their own confession they chain it fast with the Tyrians, clip the wings of it from flying away with the Athenians, & complain with the men of Sicily in case it be taken from them against their wills. The second reply to the premises is, that seeing they that be wise use the sign of the cross well enough, it is indifferent, & so at the Magistrate's pleasure whether he will remove it or no. especially for the sake of a few who are not to be regarded by him. To this our m Homil. vb. sub pa. 3. p. 13. homily first replieth, that if it doth hurt to any it must be removed: that though a man receive no hurt by it himself, yet that he must forbear & remove it for other men's sakes, as Paul commandeth 1. Cor. 8. the Magistrate himself not being excepted: touching whom it n Ibid. 61. demandeth, The good K. Hezechias did know well enough that the brazen serpent was but a dead image, therefore himself took no hurt thereby through idolatry to it: did he therefore let it stand, because himself took no hurt thereof? and last of all, that there is danger to the most wise by every idol and by every image in the Church: as we see in o Pag. 50. Solomon himself the wisest. Whereupon it is thus concluded, It is better p Pag. 51. even for the wisest to regard this warning: He that loveth danger, shall perish therein, and let him that standeth beware lest he fall. rather than wittingly and willingly to lay a stumbling block for his own feet and others. The third reply to the premises is, that though the sign of the cross be a tempter, yet the concupiscence to which he tempteth may be prevented by other means, as by preaching, & by the autho. of the Magistrate. First, this course is no other than that which Antich. doth prescribe, as doth appear by the q Concil. Trident. sess. 25. decret. de imagine. Council of Trent, although it granteth it is superstition credere quod insit in imaginibus aliqua virtus propter quam sint colendae, yet will it not have them to be removed, but prescribeth only the parish priest must remove the superstition, but let alone the images. Secondly, God prescribeth another course: which is to remove all occasions of Idolatry and superstition, r Zanch. de imag. Thes 3 p. 355. Homil. vb. sup. p. 1. p. 4. & p. 3. pag. 12. amongst which the very having of an image or an idol in the Church, is one of the chiefest. Thirdly, our own doctrine of our church maketh answer to this objection: g p. 3. p. 42. affirming that neither the preaching of Bishops, nor the Decrees of councils, nor the Laws of 8. Emperors in the East could ever remedy the idolatry or the abuse of images, when once they were to be had in churches: upon the experience whereof, and upon many other reasons which show that t Ibid. p. 34 35. preaching against the abuse, is insufficient; it flatly determineth that in the retaining of every Idol, & of every image in the church, there is a danger u Ibid p. 7. unavoidable of superstition: & that there is not only a difficulty, but also an w pag. 36. impossibility of any remedy in this behalf. and such is the first way whereby the cross tempteth to concupiscence: to wit, as an image and an idol, when it is found in the service of God. #Sect. 3. The second temptation the cross giveth, is, that it maketh men to think it is the same in our use with the popish and superstitious cross. THE second way whereby the sign of the cross tempteth, is by that show which he hath to make men think he is the same in our use with the popish and with the superstitious cross. Thamar's habit whereby she is like a common strumpet to be hired enlureth juda, together with her sitting in place convient for the sin. The cross, as used in our church, beareth the habit of the harlot, and sitteth in the very place where the spiritual fornication was wont of old to be committed. which being also an holy place and religious, augmenteth much our sin. The Council forbiddeth any sacred person to be present in such places, a Concil. Agathens. 〈◊〉. 39 ubi amatoria cantantur, aut obscoeni motus corporuns choreis & saltationibus efferuntur: ne auditus aut obtutus sacris mysterijs deputati turpium spectaculorum, atque verborum contagione polluantur. Are not the senses deputed to holy sights in baptism? have not the making of the cross and our signing the infant with it, thereby to receive him into the church, and to dedicate him to God a greater show of spiritual & the popish fornication than the sight of dancing hath of the bodily? and hath not this a greater incitment to the one, than that hath to the other? What that the Council forbiddeth every tempting sight and spectacle at other times, and in other places, whereas this is proposed in the time of God's service itself, whereby it offendeth against that Canon, b Decret. p. 2. caus. 18. q. 2. c. 6. Missas quoque publicas in Coenobijs sieri omnimodo prohibemus: ne in servorum Dei recessibus & in eorum receptaculis ulla popularis conven tus praebeatur occasio, vel mulierum fiat illis introitus, quia non expedit animabus corum. And for as much as it is in a sacrament where this tempter sitteth to enlure, there may be very well applied against it, what once was spoken against Severus, c Synod. 5. Conftantinop. ar. 1 impudicitiam muliebrem non dignam divini baptismatis introduxit, & stare fecit juxta sacrum fontem. again, excaecatus est animi oculus, cùm stat in sacrificio sine sanguine quod dignis utile fuit, non illi qui omnem intellectum proijcit in intuitum mulierum; nesciens quod ex solo adspectu peccatum contrahitur juxta divinam scripturam. Secondly, as the show of our cross tempteth like an harlot's habit in place convenient, so also like the painting of a woman's face: who for herself is honest. Now this cannot but d Tertul. lib de cult. foe mivar. tentationibus viam aperire & permovere scandalum saltem in spiritu: So that we may say of our cross, though of herself she were honest and lawful, what was said against such painting, simus & moribus ijsdem, si supersicie eadem, Christianae pudicitiae non satis est esse, verum & videri. In regard of this our seeming not to be chaste, and of this show of famenes with popish unchastity, we answer to them who say the cross is indifferent per se what was answered to the women that did stand upon the indifferency of their painting, omnia licent sed non omnia aedificant, facilius illicita timebit qui licita verebitur. Again, when we are told it is peevish to fear a scandal by the cross, we may well answer, what was to them likewise replied who laughed at choose who feared such painting would prove a snare, timor fundamentum salutis est. praesumptio impedimentum timoris. qui saecurus agit, non possidet firmam securitatem, at qui est sollicitus, is verè poterit esse saecurus. Last of all, when it is said we use the cross without superstition, what hindereth to borrow the answer which was given to them when they protested in like manner, we use our painting without all concupiscence of unchastity, as knoweth the Lord who knoweth our hearts, probum tamen vestrum non apparet coram hominibus, that so you might be probae etiam alijs both exemplo & testimonio, as ye ought to have been. Thirdly, as the sign of the cross tempteth like the habit of an harlot, and the painting of an honest woman, so also like the wanton carriage between men and between women: an example whereof we have in him who was e Antonin. Gubert. Costam. Poly hist. c. 4. censured even by the heathen themselves for kissing his wife before his daughter. who will deny, but that this gesture was lawful enough, yet because there was a show and a representation in it which would put ill thoughts into the mind of a young & tender Virgin, therefore it was scandalous. Now a show there is greater in our crossing, not of any lawful action, but of a wanton dalliance. #sect. 4. The third temptation of the cross is by renewing the spiritual fornication and popish delight which it bred in former times of darkness. THE third way whereby the sign of the cross tempteth, is by calling unto mind the spiritual fornication, and by renewing the popish delight which was wont to be taken in it in former times of darkness: for that such a remembrance is a tempter, and therefore aught to be removed, appeareth clearly by the equity of Moses' law: of which thus Augustine, a August. sup. Levit. ad cap. 19 q. 74. pecora inde credendum est jussa interfici, quia tali flagitio contaminata, indignam refricant facti memoriam. Now the cross rubbeth up the memory of cross idolatry both by word and by deed. We will begin with this latter first. Know we not that the very expressing of the dalliances of adultery upon a stage infecteth with thoughts at least involuntary, which be forbidden in this commandment? For we are forbidden by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to any lust of our former ignorance, to wit, Pet. 1.14. as a b H. Stephan. in Thesau. player is framed and fashioned to the gestures and words either of drunkenness or of adultery, when he played them on the scaffold of the Theatre. In regard hereof the crosses superstition being a lust of former ignorance, we do ill, as it seemeth to express the fashioning of it in a sacrament, a place which is such (in respect of provoking to spiritual fornication) as is the stage in respect of the bodily. Remember we here that which Cyprian spoke once against a stage play, etiam c Cypri. epistolar. lib. 2. gestus in. quinat: adulterlum discitur etiam cùm auditur. and it is a provocation etiam exprimere impudicam Venerem. You will say, we have no purpose to make the popish cross: but so the player hath no purpose to commit the act of adultery: his sin is in that he gestureth and expresseth the dalliances of it to the polluting of their thoughts, that hear and behold him. Now it will seem very strange unto me, if our gesturing and expressing of the crosses unchaste dalliance in the sacrament of Baptism be not granted to have, even a greater and stranger tempting power than that of a player upon a stage, seeing his spectators have a light in them to resist ill thoughts for that they know the adultery which he expresseth is a sin, which the beholders of the cross in baptism want, in that they think the very popish use thereof is pious and good. and as for the church itself wherein this gesturing is acted, it tempteth more than a stage, because it is the bed itself, which also adorned with spiritual complement, hath a greater force to enlure than a bed decked with ornaments of Egypt. to give instance but in one: the countenance of autho: Pro. 7.16. the grace which the law doth give it, the power that maketh it to seem great before the people, is it a small temptation to them? Sure, as Cyprian said once of the stage play when it was by law authorized, the same may we now say of this sign, it is malum publicae authoritatis Lenocinans ad vitia. So by deed our cross rubbeth up the remembrance and the memory of the ancient cross adulterous. Come we now to that memory which it doth renew by word. Ephes. 5.3. for as the very name itself of the bodily fornication ought not to be heard amongst the saints, so the very name itself of the popish adultery ought to have been long since buried, which our cross not only keepeth above ground, but also on foot. Nullius rei atrocis aut vilis commemoratio melior est, quod in facto reijcitur in dicto etiam reijciendum. and so by consequent in gestu. Again, d Tertul. li. de spectacu vetustas horror expressa ad imaginem, veritatis actione replicatur, ne saeculis transcuntibus exolescat quod aliquando commissum est. Nunquam crimen by these means temporibus obruitur. numquam scelus oblivione sepelitur. It can not be denied but that our cross commemorateth the popish cross, replicateth in action the popish crossing, continueth the memory of idolatry committed to it, so that it cannot be forgotten. all which open a window to concupiscence towards the same. In deed what force such commemoration and representation of adultery hath to open a window even to very Satan himself, this author showeth by the example of a christian woman possessed at a Theatre, Satan giving this reason why at that time he entered in to her, quia invenerat eam in suo. No marvel then, if divers be possessed still with the crosses superstition, sigh whom he findeth at this replication, commemoration, representation of the old popish crossing, he doth (in a manner) find them in suo. Our e R. Hooke li. 5. ca 65. adversaries talk how the sight of the cross worketh much by imagination upon whose cell it beateth. speak they not herein more truly than they be a ware of? For the example of our crossing throughout the conceit & apprehension of the simple is much available to breed in them an imagination, or rather an image of a superstitious crossing, sith a f Math. Kellison in Survey. in epist. to the King. jesuit himself affirmeth of the superiors example in general, that it effecteth as much in the soul as the sight of jacobs' rods wrought in his sheep which saw them. This effect of this imagination is foretold us by the Apostle, he that seethe thee using an Idolothious cross of Rome, will he not begin to like the better both of Rome herself and of her idolatry, 1. Cor. 8.10 and of her idol of the cross by their example? When the concubine of Pope Nicholas▪ had brought forth a child like a bear, his successor Martin, who entertained the same concubine, commanded the arms of the g joh. Crispin. Chronolog. in Martin. 4. Ursini to be razed out, because the sight of a Bear in them had bred through her imagination (as he supposed) this monster. So we must away with all the arms and badges of popery, else the sight of them will bring forth popish monsters again in the minds of the simple, in whose infected imagination, what will not our example do? #Sect. 5. The cross tempteth alike to spiritual fornication as the presence of a woman to bodily fornication. FIftly, the cross tempteth to a concupiscence of a spiritual fornication, as the scandalous presence of a woman (otherwise honest) tempteth to the bodily. a Gualt. in Math. 5. Spurina, perceiving that many women were tempted to lust at the view of his beauty, mangled and deformed his face: which needed not, sith he might have forborn their company. or if he had any necessary business with them, the fault was theirs not his. Indeed without necessary business, for him to have presented himself before them, or for a beautiful woman now to present herself before those who are in love with her, it is no less than a scandalum datum, as the school b Summa. Siluestri●s. in verb. scandal. Divines determine. The c Concil. Turonic. 2 cap. 14. councils also are of the same judgement, which forbidden, that if a Bishop have no wife of his own, that then no women shall be in his house upon this reason, because in such case there is no necessary business for any woman in his house. also they forbidden unto Clerikes, d Cap. 10. Nullus deinceps Clericorum pro occasione necessitatis faciendae vestis aut causa ordinandae domus extraneam mulierem in domo sua habere praesumat upon this reason, because nihil opus est in domo serpentem includere pro vest. The e Decret pa 1. distinct. 23. cap. 3. Canon law thinketh the same, which prescribeth to the clerics, Ne spectaculis & pompis intersint: ut convivia publica fugiant: as also Viduarum & Virginum frequentationem. The Father's walk in the same spirit, amongst whom thus Hierome, f Hieron. ad Neporian. & alibi vid distinct. 32 cap. 17. Hospitiolum tuum aut raro aut nunquam mulierum pedes terant, quia non potest toto cord cum Deo habitare, qui foeminarum accessibus co pulatur. Foemina conscientiam secum paritur habitantis exurit nunquam de formis multerum disputes: foeminae nomen tuum noverint, vultum nesciant: foeminam quam benè videris conversantem mente dilige, non corporali presentia. The practise of the church hath been answerable: for upon this cause in ancient time (as g Durant. de rit. lib. 2 ca 54. sect. vlt. Amala. de Ecclesiastic. office lib. 3. ca 32 Amalarius testifieth) men and women were severed in the church non solum ab osculo carnali, sed etiam situ locali: ne h Cyril. in prefat. Cateches. salutis studium esset occasio perditionis. Thus Aagustine, m August. ad psal. 50. M●lier long, libido prope. Further yet, The Turkeish n joachim. Vadian. women when they come abroad, cast a veil over their faces. a custom and fashion used by them, because the light of nature tells them, that the scandal which useth to come by sight itself, is by every convenient mean to be prevented. As the custom of Turkey hath made this veil of the women a mean convenient to prevent scandal, so also the custom of the church of o Beat. Rhenan. in Tertul de veland. virgin. Carthage made the veil of the Virgin when she came abroad to church a mean convenient in that place for the very same purpose. Apply this to the cross we may well: he is beautiful in the eyes of the popishly addicted he hath no necessary business that he should be presented to them: pretended necessity such as was [pro vest] mentioned before will not dispense for the nourishing of such a serpent, therefore the people must be severed from him and from the Surplice. And the like after the example of Amalarius his days, & the cross itself must be separated from them by every mean, whether generally commanded such as the equity of destroying Canaan's monuments doth prescribe, or particularly convenient such as the proportion of the Turkeish and Carthage veil enjoineth to us. We are not ignorant we shall be hated as too pure & peevish for this doctrine, but so at Carthage they were hated as too precise who came with a veil into the church. Turtullian would take part with p Tertul. de Veland. Virgin. us now, as than he took part with them. For these reasons of his, non de integra conscientia venit studium placendi per decorem, quem naturaliter invitatorem libidinis scimus ipsa concupiscentia non latendi non est pudica. patitur aliquid quod virginis non est studium placendi viris. etc. may be thus applied to the cross we think we cannot with a good conscience desire to please the simple people with the sight of the crosses seemliness: which we know by tried experience inciteth usually to a popish humour in them: and our serving of God suffereth some thing as we suppose which is not chaste, when it unvayleth before their eyes a tempter to unchastity. To the same effect may be applied what he hath elsewhere, q Tertul. de cult. Faeminar. sancta foemina sit naturaliter speciosa, non adeo sit occasioni: certe si fuerit non ignorare sed etiam impedi●e se debet. by proportion from whence should we not stay & hinder the cross from that occasion which he giveth of superstition. But this is denied which though it be a matter of fact, and therefore may be sufficiently proved by experience, yet let me reason with the same Tertullian. When it was said to him, the stage-plays were no accasions of evil, he proved it thus: r Idem de spectacul. Nemo ad voluptatem venit sine affectu: nemo affectum sine casibus suis patitur: ubi voluptas ibi studium, per quod scilicet voluptas sapit. The same reason may we use now. the popishly minded take more pleasure and delight in the cross of Baptism, than the well instructed do, therefore they love it with an other love, and bore a dear affection towards it of another kind, which doth not want his popish passions, how else could this delight of theirs be savoury to them if they had not a months mind to that, wherein they do delight so much? But what if the sign of the cross do not breed in men the ill thoughts of popish concupiscence, doth he not satisfy this commandment, unless he fill the souls of men with thoughts of love spiritual. This do all the ceremonies which God hath ordained. who, because he hath not sanctified to so good a work this sign, therefore we may boldly thus s Idem ibid. conclude of it, An Christianus cogitabit de Deo positus illic ubi nihilest de Deo? avertat Deus à suis, tantam voluptatis exitiosam Cupiditatem. AMEN. S. D. C. A Table of the contents of the several Chapters and sections of this second part. Of the Injustice of the Cross, Sect. 1. CAP. I. Objection answered: If our Church were now in her first constitution, it were fit to remove the Ceremonies: but being established, they are to be let alone. Sect. 2. Answer to this objection: There is difficulty in the Removal of Ceremonies, Therefore they are rather to be let alone. sect. 3. Answer to this objection, The change of a Law bringeth dishonour of an Innovation, and extenuates the laws authority. sect. 4. Second suit, that Ceremonies may neither be judged good or indifferent in regard of circumstances being hurtful Sect. 5. 3. Suit, that practised commanding of Ceremonies be reform for time to come, and the church freed from diverse grievances: as that there be 2. Gods, etc. Sect. 6. Divers instances wherein the imposing and defence of Ceremonies, are found grievous. sect. 7. The warrant of Ceremonies ought to be Reason and Edification, neither Will nor Authority. Sect. 8. 4. Suit beseecheth that they may not be thought to offend against a law, who observe the intention of it. Sect. 9 The Opposites in defence of Ceremonies, offend against ordinarium jus. Sect. 10. Thirdly, justice borrowed temper from equanimity which dispenseth on just cause. Fourthly, from forbearance, which passeth by a ceremonial transgression. Sect. 11. Imposition of Cerem. as now urged take away Christian liberty. Sect 12. Ceremonies as now urged, take away liberty of Conscience, sect. 13, non-conformity is neither contempt nor scandal. sect. 14. They that disobey or displease in unlawful ceremonies, do not scandalise, sect. 15. The punishments inflicted for not conformity, are greater than the faults committed, sect. 16. The Ius of the law of the land whether comprehensive or extensive, doth not justify our Opposites rigour against us. sect. 17. The Murder of the Cross, Sect. 1. CAHP. 6. THe soul murder of the Cross. Sect. 2. Ceremonies may not be used in Relation, nor in Comparison, sect. 3. Present Necessity pretended by the Opposites, makes not the Cross convenient, sect. 4. Jnexpediencie of ceremo. makes not them guilty that only tolerate them, confuted, sect 5. The second sort of Opposites confuted, affirming no inconvenience in ceremonies nor any aptness to breed scandal or offence, sect. 6. The Opposites confuted confessing hurt to follow of the ceremonies, yet without their fault, sect. 7. The Cross is scandalum datum, notwithstanding there be no intent to draw any sin thereby, sect. 8. The second exception of elevating the scandal, confuted s●ct. 9 The third except on answered, viz. That laws must not be changed for that a few are scandalised, sect. 10. The Opposites op●●●ion thinking greater scandal would come upon the Removal, confuted, sect. 11. A scandal of the Papists removed, saying, If ceremonies be removed, it will harden them against us, and breed an hostile alienation of their minds from our religion, sect. 12. The defence of toleration of ceremonies from Act. 15. confuted. sect. 13. The argument of tolerating ceremonies drawn from Paul's putrefying, and the Jews observation of Pentecost, confuted, sect. 14. The practice of the prime Church retaining Rites to win them that were without, and to content them that were lately converted, confuted, sect. 15. The second sort of men, whom ceremonies offend, are Separistes, of whom more regard aught to be had then of a Turk or Jewe, sect. 16. The third scandal given by ceremonies, is to the members within the Church, sect. 18. The 4. scandal of the Cerem. is, that they offend all sorts of men among the people sect. 18. The fift scandal that ceremonies give, is against the whole Church and Gospel which it professeth, sect. 19 The third murder of the cross is through home-contention, sect. 20. The objection of the Opposites, that inferiors not yielding in small matters, be guilty of contention against Superiors, answered. sect. 21. Ceremonies not only make the contention of the church, but also nourish it: neither will the church be quiet, so long as they continue. sect. 22. Conformity in ceremonies ought not to hinder peace, though with diversity of ceremony, sect. 23. and 24. An exact uniformity in ceremonies, hath ever disquieted the church, & hindered the growth of it, sect. 25. The Adultery of the Cross. CHAP. VII. The wrong of the Cross. Sect. 1. CAHP. VIII. Unjust manner of proceeding and ●th ex officio, etc. just causes of complaint sect. 2. The violence of subscription justly complained of as most unjust, sect. 3. The Slander of the Cross, Sect. 1. CHAP. IX. Seekers of Reformation, neither Donatists, nor anabaptists, with neither of whom they have any thing to do, sect. 2. Defence of the Ministers against the imputation of schism, sheving what schism is, sect. 3. Defence of the Ministers against the imputation of sedition and faction, sect 4. Seekers of Reformation, no New fangelistes, no haters of Antiquity, nor delighters in noviltie, etc. sect. 5. Aiust excuse both in regard of the matter and manner of the cross, sect. 6. The second exception proveth that the cross is neither truly nor soundly ancient, sect. 7. The second Exception against the Antiquity of the cross, sect. 8. The third Exception against the Antiquity of cross sect. 9 The 4. Exception against the Antiquity of the cross, proving the cross, now used, not to be that the fathers used. sect. 10. A third Apology against the slander of newfangledness in denial of the Cross, sect. 11. The Concupiscence of the Cross, Sect. 1. CHAP. X. Three replies against the evidences of the crosses concupiscence, sect. 2. The second temptation the Cross giveth, is, that it maketh men to think it is the same in our use with the popish and superstitious cross sect. 3. The third temptation of the cross is by renewing the spiritual fornication & popish delight which it bred in former times of darkness, sect. 4. The cross tempteth alike to spiritual fornication, as the presence of a woman to bodily fornication, sect. 5. An Alphabetical Table of some of the principal matters contained in the second part of this Treatise. A. ABsolute power ascribed to man in things indifferent, doth equal him to God. pa. 21 Abstinence from blood and strangled, is ceased, and the reason why, pa. 7. It was retained by the Apostles for a time only, during the weakness of the jews, pa. 69. Abstinence from flesh, though commanded for policy only and not for religion, is to be condemned, as a kind of conformity to the papists, pa. 34. Abstinence from washing for a week after Baptism is abolished by the papists themselves, though it be as ancient as Tertullianus time, pa. 120. Adherent Circumstances be in the church's disposition, so be not inherent, pa. 76. The Administering of the communion to infants, is now disused, though it be a rite as ancient as Cyprianus time, and had continued in the Church above 600. years. pa. 120. In Africa men baptise themselves every Epiphany▪ pa. 122.27. The Anointing of a Priest, in time of necessity, though it was anciently used is a mere corruption, pa. 131. Antichrist giveth more liberty in his ceremonies, than our church doth in hers, pa. 12. C. pa. 1. & pa. 2. The Apostles, & the primitive church that followed them, added not one Rite in the administration of any Sacrament, besides those mentioned in the Evangelistes, pa. 124. Divers traditions termed Apostolical, which rose long after the Apostles times; pa. 126. An Appeal from the unmerciful Prelates, cannot without great injustice, be denied to the poor Ministers, pa. 40. B. All Badges of popery, must be done away, pa. 142. Men Baptize themselves in Africa every Epiphany, pag. 122. The bishops being known parties against the Ministers, are not competent judges in their causes, pa. 40. their bowels are very barren towards them, ibid. The bishops are held abroad, amongst such as dare judge, little better than Adiaphoristes', and persecutors of their brethren, pag. 110. bishops were at the first the beginners of this contention about the ceremonies, pa. 89. Bishop Elmar joined Adiaphoristes' and Satanistes together, pa. 110. The Bishops please the papists well in their opposition to the Ministers, pa. 112. they hold not now (as heretofore they were wont) their authority over their brethren from the Prince or at his pleasure, but even iure divino, which Q. Elizabeth would never endure, p. 115. they deprive, unprison, & excomm micate even their fellowlabourers in the Gospel, when they will not in every trifle condescend to their opinion, ibid. their Authority itself is such as will divide and rend the church, as lamentable experience showeth, pa. 117. In Bohemia, and in Russia, the Communion is given to Infants, pa. 122. The Book of the Gospel is by some made a very Amulet, pa. 131. Bowing to the name of jesus, is condemned by the most learned of our church, pa. 62. The Brazen serpent cometh not near to the cross in fruitfulness of idolatry, pa. 61. C. The Ceremonies in controversy (to wit, the Cross & the Surplice) are pretended to be small, and are avouched with very small proofs. and yet there is no small ado about them, pa. 1.2. they are not to be accounted small, & why, pa. 2. if they prevail now, they will triumph more than ever before, ibid. the superstition of them is exceeding great, and willbe much greater if they be any whit countenanced, ibid. they were never established to continue, but only tolerated for a season, pag. 3. they ought to be done away by the Magistrate, ibid. they grow more and more intolerable on men that are less able to brook them, pa. 4. their removal is looked for, and there is no difficulty but in the continuing and perpetuating of them, ibid. they make against faith and manners, and are not to be tolerated in a church, ibid. the scandal and superstition of them, cannot die or be healed, so long as they live and have rest, pa. 5. they have no means to maintain life, but the plasters, drugs, and salves which the Bishops and their dependants minister to them, ibid. they are not only to be left languishing, but their breath is to be stopped, as being human presumptions, burdensome to the church, disused of all churches of God save ours, in natute variable & uncommaunded in the word, nay contrary to the word, ibid. many parishes here at home have disused them with the good contentement of the people, pa. 6. the doctrine would prosper better if it were purged of these weeds, ibid. & pa. 68 they harden papists, p. 7. their religious use is totally unlawful, pag. 9 they are popish knives wherewith the simple hurt themselves, pa. 16. they enslave us to Antichrist, of whom they are borrowed, & bring us under the yoke of bondage, p. 20. they make our religion inferior to Antichrists, ibid. they impeach our christian liberty divers ways; pa. 21.22. they are the instruments of cruelty & murder in God's habitation, pa. 41. the scandal of them is not small, pa. 59 they cannot be used in god's worship & service, but they must needs grow to be worships in estimation, & parts of his service, p. 60. thereby we scandalise the papists many ways, p. 62, they are a manifest blemish to our Church, pag. 67. they are sacrilegious, & draw in much mischief. pa. 68 they are Idolothyrs, p. 69. they are as the bread of mourning, nay as gall & as wormwood to our souls, pa. 70. they came not from heaven but from the land of the uncircumcised, & are to be thrown away like a menstruous cloth, pa. 71. they hinder them of the separate. from joining in communion & fellowship with us, pa. 73. they make the Ministers unprofitable in the service of God & of the church, pa. 74. they drive out good Preachers, & so are within the censure of the Apostle, pag. 77. they are unwholesome to the soul, pag. 78. they are Antichristes leaven, pa. 79. they are fetched from Rome, and are too gross a feeding for them that be soul-sick, ibid. they hurt the Gospel many ways, ibid. they are a mean to re-edify popery, a root of bitterness to defile many, & a stump of the popish tree remaining, to make it reflourish again, pag. 80. they are the sinews of popery, they breed discord and strife: they keep out & turn out Preachers, & are very scandalous in diverse respects, ibid. they are trifling wares, & are to be cast into the Sea, as being the occasion of much contention, pa. 90. they are the wares of Rome, & no lawful traffic, ibid. they rob many a worthy and able minister, pa. 101.102. they defame our Church before the papist. whose badges they are, pa. 110. they disgrace us before our brethren of the reformed churches, ibid. they stain the principal members of our church, making the very ancient vile, ibid. when Ceremonies cease to be profitable, they are with out all sticking, to be removed, pa. 6. The Christians have of old been slandered to be dangerous to the state, and all public evils have usually been thrown upon their backs, pag. 119. Christian liberty must be maintained, pa. 7. Circumstances make things sometimes convenient, and at other times inconvenient, pa. 44 Conforming is a great deal more than tolerating, pa. 50.51.67. The Conformity of our Opposites edifieth the people to an unholy kind of obedience, pa. 36 Conformity with Pagans and Idolaters, unlawful, pa. 66. Conformity to our ceremonies controversed, is unlawful, pa. 70. Contempt is not to be judged of, by a man's forbearing to do a thing commanded, but by his other carriage, pa. 33.34. The Counsel of Laterane giveth power to the Pope to absolve subjects from their fidelity to their Princes, pa. 41. The Cross is not a thing indifferent, pa. 8. it is an addition to Baptism. pa. 19 it selleth us to no little servitude, pa. 20. It is a meat unclean, pa. 32. It hath been a guide like Judas of all the wars which the crawling frogs of the Dragon's mouth have at any time raised in the world, pa. 41. It hath served for an Absalon's sactifice to grace conspiracies & murtiners, ibid. like a Saul it keepeth the clothes of the executioners of the martyrs, p. 42. It hath shed much precious blood which the earth will not cover, ibid. not only the sign but the very name of it should be odious to us, ibid. It hath murdered many Ministers. ibid. and pa. 43. it is an instrument of offence, pa. 43. It is an harlot, and stirreth up popish lust, pag. 56.140. it hath been more idolized than any of the popish images, p. 60. It is a grand idol of popery, set up in the midst of our Church, whereas the very handmaids of it should not be suffered so much as in the church-porch or belfray, ibid. God hath accursed it to be a snare, and so it hath proved accordingly, pa. 61. the soul of it being departed, what maketh the dead carcase of it above ground amongst us? ibid. It is a grand hallower & consecrator of all holy things and actions, pa. 62. It is to be abolished as well as other Images, pa. 65. it must be forborn to avoid all show of participation with the papists in their superstitious & idolatrous crossing, pag. 69. it is the mark of the Beast, & Antic. ensign, pa. 72. It giveth witness of the faith of Antichrist, whose mark it is, pa. 73. The people are exceedingly mad upon it, pa. 76.139. it is a monument of idolatry, & a snare to infect the hart, pa. 77. It is a lay man's book which deserveth to be burnt ibid. it is an abominable Idol, an idolothite. a monument of idolatry, p. 99 it hath no better ground than many other ceremo. now disused by the papists themselves, and hath been worse abused, pa. 121. It holdeth his antiquity by a very weak string, pag. 126. it is no otherwise Apostolical, than the new porch which Herode erected was Solomon's, or the shoe of the Gibeonite ancient, pa. 127. The age of it, ibid. & 134. the first devisers of it have been concealed as much as may be, pa. 128. It is a badge of our faith taken from the blackest and grossest heretics that ever were, Q. pa. 1. It had a base beginning, and grew from a custom to a ceremony, not only significant, but also superstitious Q. p. 2. it is not only a provoker to idolatry, but an Idol. pa. 132. it is degenerated from ancient use, and is not the same now which it was to the Fathers, ibid. It was not known in the Apostles days, nor in the Primitive Church that next succeeded them. pag. 133. it feedeth lust habitual, and breedeth lust actual. Q. 4. p. 2. it is a Porter that lettch in, and a Purveiour that carrieth in the Temptations, that do nourish men in Idolatry and superstition. ibid. it increased by little and little. R. p. 1. it is a coal to heat, and a fire to inflame lust. ibid. the aereal sign of it must be thrown out of the Church upon the same grounds that other Images are R. p. 2. and pa. 139. it beareth the habit of a harlot, and sitteth in the very place where spiritual fornication was wont of old to be committed. p. 140. it tempteth like the painting of a woman's face. ibi. it hath in it the show of a wanton dalliance. pag. 141. it rubbeth up the memory of Crosse-idolatry both by word and deed, ibid. It breedeth in the simple an imagination, or rather an image of a superstitious crossing, pag. 142. It is beautiful in the eyes of such as are popishly addicted, and hath no necessary business to be presented to them, p. 143. The Cross whereon Christ died, was buried (as was Moses body) in an unknown place, to prevent idolatry, pa. 133. the invention of it by Helen, is a very counterfeit, ibid. There were no Crosses in England till Augustine the Monk brought in his silver cross, pa. 133. It is as unfit to make a Cross a memorial of Christ, as for a child to make much of the halter or the gallows wherewith his father was hanged, Q. 4. pa. 1. A Crozier staff in the hands of the Bishop is required by law, as well as the cross in Baptism, pa. 109. Customs though never so ancient (if they be evil) are to be altered, pa. 6.7.32. D. Dedication of churches, amongst the papists, is ridiculous, and nothing like to that in Constantine's time, pa. 132. The Disagreements of papists amongst themselves, are greater than the differences amongst us, pa. 88 No Dispensation is admittable against God's law, pa. 48. Diversity of customs spring from the diversity of men's wits, pa. 92. Doles at burials are defiled in popery, yet because the custom is ancient, and the use civil not religious, they are suffered with us, p. 121 The Donatists hold that the church is pure without spot, and without wrinkle in this life, pa. 113. they hold that the Magistrate may not compel to godliness, nor punish heretics, ibid. they separated from their communion, all that were not of their opinion, even in the least points, pa. 115. E. Easter-dayes observation bred much controversy in the church, pag. 82. The Eldership neither hath not challengeth to have any power to depose Princes, as it is impudently & wickedly slandered by some, p. 114 The Elevation amongst the papists is absurdly defended by the ancient showing of the bread and of the cup, pa. 132. No Episcopal authority bindeth any Minister without the warrant of the word, pa. 86. The Eucharist is not necessary to infants, neither is it now administered unto them, although that custom continued in the church about 600. years, pa. 121. The Exorcism of Baptism is disused though in former times it hath been universally received, pa. 131. F. Fasting was equal and alike at all times in the primitive church, pa. 126. The custom of not Fasting between Easter and Whitsuntide is disused, though ancient, pa. 120. The aucient Fathers had their errors, pag. 122. we are less tied to them in ceremonies than in doctrine, and to their practice less then to their judgement, ibid. The Fathers advanced the cross upon a very slender ground, Q. p. 2. they cannot be justified in their speeches concerning it, ibid. they are censured by our Writers for ascribing to it power against the Devil, pa. 131. Feasts at the sepulchers of the dead were altered, though very ancient, pa. 7. Feaste-dayes of Saints are worthy to be abolished, and why, pag. 34. The Forehead of a christian man must not in Baptism be defiled with any sign devised by man, pa. 100 The Formalistes break more & far more profitable Canons, than the silenced ministers, pa. 117.118. they take shafts out of the quiver of the papists & the adiaphorists, to throw them at their fellows; which can not hurt but with the venom wherewith the enemy himself hath dressed them, pa. 120. G. Gedeons' Ephod not to be suffered for fear of future danger, pa. 79. H. Our Hatred against superstitious ceremonies must be showed in outward appearance, pa. 93. In Hieromes time the church drew near to her lees, & the burthensomnes of the Ceremonies made the estate of the christians worse than the state of the jews, pa. 128. Holy days were in ancient times left to men's liberty, pa. 91. Holy water banished out of the church porch for the holiness that was put in it, pa. 60. Our Homilies condemn Images in churches upon divers good grounds, & so by consequent our ceremonies, pa. 137. R. p. 1. Hony and milk in Baptism, though they be as ancient as Tertullians' time, are abolished by the papists themselves, pa. 120. The Hugonotes were strangely transformed in France by the Friars, who made the people believe they were monsters with Ass' cares, and swine's faces, and the like, so are the silenced Ministers amongst us dealt withal at this day by their Opposites, pag. 111. human laws bind not the Conscience, pa. 21.31. the observation of them is left free to us out of the case of contempt and scandal▪ pa. 31. The Hussites that conformed in Boheme, esteemed better of the papists, their of their sincere brethren, pag. 120. I. All Idolatrous Rites and Ceremonies are to be rooted out, pa. 66. Idolatry cannot possible be separated from Church-Images, but is an inseparable accident to them, pa. 138. jewels borrowed from Egypt proved at last matter for the making of a calf, pa. 19 The Jews in Rome and in Franckforde, are counted better than protestants, pag. 119. The jewish ceremonies were not presently to be left, but were to stay till the Gospel was preached, and the jews instructed to a leaving of them, pa. 69. The time of their funeral was the time of the Temples destruction, after which they might not be used, ibid. and pag. 71. Images in Churches offend the godly, and confirm the wicked in their impiety, pa. 73. images had a base beginning, Q. p. 2. they are to be put out of the church, Q. p. 2. and R. p. 1. they are harlots, and temptations to Idolatry, R. p. 1. they came into churches by degrees, ibid. they are devises of man brought in through blind zeal and devotion, ibid. they are dangerous, even to them that be most wise, pag. 139. their danger is unavoidable, pag. 140. The Imperfection of predecessors is by the successors to be perfected, pa. 3. That which is Inexpedient and Jnconvenient, is sinful, pag. 44. Inexpediency is of two sorts, ibidem. Inferiors have liberty to examine the laws and constitutions of their Superiors, pag. 11. The Israelites are a plain precedent of man's proneness to Idolatry and superstition, pa. 76. K. The Kings of Judah were not blessed of God, but when they purged the land of jury from all ceremonies not prescribed by Moses law, pag. 4. King's have not an unlimited and Pope-like Authority, pa. 113. 114. When Kings command that which is good, Christ himself commandeth in them, pa. 114, Kings own the same reverence and obedience to the Word and Sacraments, that every private man doth, pa. 114. The custom of not Kneeling in prayer, between Easter and Whitsuntide, is disused, though it be very ancient, pa. 120. L. The Law of the land punisheth not a bare omission of any part of the service book, but only an obstinate kind of refusal of the form thereof, joined with contempt, pa. 39 109. To Leave Antiquity upon causes justifiable, was never deemed unlawful, pa. 120. Our Liturgy is more priest than the book of God itself: and the prayers thereof are so strictly observed, as that they are in a manner turned into a Charm, pa. 19 Lighting of tapers at the monuments of Martyrs, forbidden by a Council, pa. 78. M. The Magistrate must wholly abolish popery, pa. 2. The Magistrate's commandment doth not take away from the Ceremonies, the real hurt and scandal of them, but doth rather much increase it, pa. 26. The Magistrate hath no power to make Ceremonies lawful to be used, so long as they remain scandalous and hurtful, ibid. The Magistrate, and the Minister be the Nurses of God's people, pa. 54. The godly Magistrate must drive away all Idols vnd Images out of churches, R. p. 1. Malicious persons are not to be scandalised by our doing of any thing that is unnecessary, pa. 57 63. The Ministers which conform not, are not refractory, but ready to obey in all things, so far forth as they may with a good conscience, pap. 34.35. they are deprived for disusing Rites which all Churches (except our own) have banished, pag. 39 they are called from preaching of the Gospel by the violence and injustice of the Prelates, pag. 48. they can no more be accused for troubling the Land, then might Elias, or the Angel, pag. 81. their Apology, ibid. and pa. 82. 83. etc. & 117.118. they are unjustly thrust from their ministery, and from their flocks, pag. 103. they are as far from the judgement and practice of Donatists and anabaptists, as their accusers, pag. 113. Ministers, iure divino, are all equal, & succeed the Apostles all alike, from whom they receive like power, not only for preaching, but for binding and losing, pa. 101. and 86. Ministering the Communion to Infants, was in former times universally observed as well as the cross, pa. 131. Mixture and medley of ceremonies is no way to make peace, pa. 98. Monachisme, is falsely fathered upon Elias, Elishah, john Baptist, and the Apostles, pag. 126. N. Names of Protestants and Puritans, are names savouring of pernicious debate and division, pa. 111. The Nativity of our Lord, was about the point of the Autumnal Equinoctial, pa. 121. Necessity doth sometimes so alter a fact, as that it taketh away from it all reason of sinning, pa. 49. Necessity in rites was never heard of in the church, till Antichrist began to usurp over the liberty of christian men. pa. 91. Nonresidents, pompous lords, and idle ministers, are unprofitable to God's church, pag. 83. O. The Occasion even of a passive scandal, must be removed by the Magistrate, and disused by the Ministers, especially if it be a monument of Idolatry, that hath been, is, or is likely to be abused superstitiously, pa. 34. All Occasions of contentions, which may lawfully be taken away, are to be removed, pag. 89. He that offendeth is said to destroy, because he doth that which is apt to destroy, & of which destruction would ensue, were not men by the Lord preserved, which is no thanks to him that gweth scandal, pa. 43. Bare Omission of any thing commanded by the Magistrate, is no contempt, pag. 32. The Oath ex officio is against the law of nature, the Civil and the Canon Law, pag. 104. It maketh a breach upon the order which God hath settled and appointed in his providence, ibidem. It fighteth directly against God's word, pag. 105. It maketh way to the Spanish Inquisition, and offendeth against the contrary justice practised of old, ibidem. It pervertech the duty of a righteous Oath, & crosseth the law & justice of all nations, times, and Countries, ibid. It is against the law of this land, pa. 107. the Oath, to which the Adulteress was put in Moses law, maketh nothing for it, pa. 106. Oil was heretofore as universally used as the cross, pa. 131. P. Pagan's Rites, continued in the church, corrupt the christians doctrine, and confirm the Pagans in their idolatry, pa. 73. The Papist must be healed like the melancholic man, pa. 71. The Papist is the right Puritan, & the reasons why, pa. 112. The patrons of the ceremonies are negligent in diverse regards, pa. 55. Paul, though he circumcised Timothy, refused to circumcise Titus, because he saw it would breed scandal, pa. 45. Paul was necessarily to use the Ceremonies of the jews to their edification, till such time as the preaching of the Gospel had made their abolition manifest, pa. 46. Paul's conformity in the Temple was held of diverse to have been not warrantable, pa. 70. yet our case and his are very different, p. 71. 72. The Pax of the papists is very absurdly defended by the ancient kiss of the primitive church, pa. 132. Every show of Popery, is to be avoided, p. 63. Popish ceremonies far worse than jewish, pa. 70. Popish Rites are to be detested together with their doctrine, pa. 93. The Practice of our Church induceth an adoring of man, as if he were God, or at least, a servitude to him, pa. 21. Prayer to Saints had a base beginning, Q. p. z The Prelate's sin in pressing the cerem. p. 77 The Priests going up to the Communion table, to say some of the prayers, is superstitious, pag. 34. The Prince's authority is not infinite, but limited to the rules of the scripture, pa. 10. 113. 114 Private circumstances have power to make evil the private use of a thing, as well as general ones have power to make the whole kind of it evil, pa. 15. The nickname of Puritan was first brought up by the papists, of purpose, to make our religion odious, pa. 111. It serveth for a colour in every papists and Atheists mouths, to rail at Religion, and all honesty, under the name of Puritanisme, ibid. The Puritans are slandered to be worse than papists, and more dangerous to be tolerated in a common wealth: as if Christ jesus were worse than Barrabas, pag. 119. Nothing is held good in any writer, or in any Church, that maketh for them, Q. 4. pa. 1. Puritans are true Protestants, and they that be as bad as papists be in some fort as bad as Turks, ibid. The nickname of Puritan, while it staundreth us, it commendeth us, pa. 113. R. Receiving of the Lords Supper in time of meat, though it be as ancient as Tertullians' time, is abolished by the papists themselves; pa. 120. The first Reconciliation between the papists and a church reform, sped very ill, pag. 97. Reconciliation was never obtained by mixtures, but strife hath always ensued, ibid. Reducing of popish ceremonies, is very scandalous, pa. 46. Nothing more contrary to Religion, then old popish fashions, pa. 4. Resolution in ceremonies, is no easy matter, there being commonly more controversy about them, then about matters of faith, pa. 75. Rites are not to be multiplied or increased, inasmuch as the Son of God hath ordained sufficiently, or rather perfectly. pa. 124. Rome the throne of Satan, and seat of Antichrist, the Sodom and Egypt of our times, pag. 96. Rome is become an Egypt for spiritual, and a Sodom for bodily fornication, pa. 99 Rome the stepmother of piety, pa. 112. Rome herself hath suffered her Breviaries to be reform, pa. 4. Some Rubrickes and sentences in the Service Book cannot be salved, but by some shifting gloss, which swarveth from the intent of the Book, and serveth only for a figge-leafe to cover the nakedness of it, pa. 51. S. Salt and spittle are the Crosses fellows in Baptism, pa. 8. they were heretofore universal as well as the cross, pag. 131. The least Scandal is a great sin, pag. 59 A Scandal is not prevented in a thing unnecessary, unless for the abuses sake it be removed, as the brazen Serpent was, pag. 64. The Scandal is not small which is given to the Separatistes by the slovenly performance of God's service by dumb dogs and scandalous ministers, with Idolatrous attire, and Idols themselves, pa. 74. He is a Schismatic which breaketh the unity of the church, as he is seditious that disturbeth the peace of it, pag. 116. Our Service book is not that book of King Edw. to which the law bindeth us, pa. 39 109. Spiritual and carnal fornication go usually together, pa. 99 A strange thing it is to see in one & the same Prison, a papist committed for not conforming himself to England, & an Anti-papist (to wit a Preacher) punished for not conforming himself to Rome, pa. 1. Subscription, like an Usher, steppeth in, and crieth room for the ceremonies, pag. 82. Subscription and Conformity be the evil spirits that have divided Sichem, pa. 82. they are the make-bates of our church, pa. 90. The Subscription required of the Ministers, is directly against the laws of the land, p. 108. Suffering is as sure a sign of subjection, as obeying, pa. 33. The Surplice and Cope are as bad as the idolatrous garments of the Chemarims, pa. 82. T. Tertullian was a man very infamous after his fall, Q p. 1. Things of themselves good may by reason of circumstances, become evil, pa. 8. 9 15. Things indifferent are to be left to the discretion of every man, pa. 15. the observation of them i● free, so that respect be had to the glory of God, and the edification of out brethren, abide. Tolerating is only a permission of theirs, void of doing and of approving which they do, pag. 50. It is an involuntary permission with grief & lamentation, pa. 67. A Transgression in an aereal Cross, deserveth but an aereal punishment, p. 37. Trin-immersion was in Cyprianus time a tradition and order of the church yet doth he allow the omitting of it, and the using of Aspersion. C. p. 2. It is abolished by the papists themselves, pa. 120. 132. Turkish women come not abroad but with a veil over their faces, pa. 143. V Valentinus, or rather the Devil in him, begat the cross; Montanus first gave it credit amongst christians for religious use in the church, and the common people bred it up, Q. p. 1. Variety of ceremonies no way impeacheth the unity of faith, which may stand in diversity of Rites, pa. 91. 92. 94. 95. The Virgins of Carthage wore veils when they came abroad to church, pa. 143. Uniformity in foreign Rites unlawful, p. 96. Uniformity to popish ceremonies, whether in whole or in part, hath continually (like a fury stepped out of hell) set all on a flame & fiery combustion, pa. 97. W. The round Wafers of the papists are very ridiculously defended by the round oblations of bread in the old church, pa. 132. There is Weakness in the strongest during this lif●, and the reason why, pa. 75. Y. Yielding in popish ceremonies, is very dangerous, it is an evil example to posterity: it confirmeth papists in their impiety: it offendeth our weak brethren, etc. pa. 46. We may not Yield one jot in God's matters, pa. 86. 87. Z. Zeal hath her veil of holiness taken from her, and walketh at this day disguised (as it were) under an harlot's habit, pa. 111. Faults escaped in the printing of the second part. PAge. 2. l. 4●. read abqui praestare● pa. 8. l. ●9. delighteth and l. 21. veriu● pa. 6. l. 36. levity pa. 10. l. 9 media p. 13. l. 3. renew & l. 15. nutatque & p. 26. l. 12. and 16. equanimity p. 19 l. 27. and ●●a●some of p. 20. l. 14. to our & l. ●4. He●ter pa. 〈…〉, yes, by the etc. p. 22. l. 21. liberate and l. 48. doth it p. 35. l. 31. donum p. ●●. l. 9 ora●. &. l. 36. ground & l. 39 fra●de p. 38. l. 48. the same Papists p. ●●. l. 28. want p. 40. l. 39 vere p. 41. l. 40. 180. p. 42. l. 12. ●onja●● p. 45. l. 7. minus rectum p. 46. l. 27. ●evi●e. p. 47. l. 18. rece●●●● p. 51. l. 4. existinab●● & l. 42. 〈…〉 p. 53. l. 7. parallel p. 54. l. 47. 〈…〉 l. 50 detotal● p. 97. l. 33. 〈…〉 p. 58. l. 1 condemned without ●uppo●●ante p. 59 〈…〉 p. 6●. l. 2 〈…〉 62. l. 2. char●● 〈…〉 p. 64. l. 7. we ill 〈…〉 p. 65. l. 14. 〈…〉 l. 36. 〈…〉 p. 70. l. 〈…〉 and l. 39 Iewes p. 75. l. 2. qui● p. 75. l. 35. ●●iam●● 〈…〉 p. 78. l. 9 〈…〉 pa. ●●. l. 2●. put ou● 〈…〉 l. ●● ditis●●●● p. 89. l. ●● otherwise they & l. 42. con●●●●ed p. ●0. l. 5. to men 〈…〉 l. 10. 〈◊〉 p. 91. l. 10. 〈…〉 &. 〈…〉 p. 93. 〈…〉 & l. 14. habit●● & l. 32. wore & l. ●7. combineth p. 94. l. 32. celebrent p. 95. l. 4. Germane p 96. l. 19 Ecclesia. p. 9●. l. ●. Monothelits & l. 16. loveth p 99 l. 11. spiritual tyranny p. 101 l. 25. put out who & l. vlt. read, laid p. 103. l. 38. shecle p. 105. l. 20. be judged p 106. l. 4. put out in & l. 42 read expedient p. 107. l. 33. fight p. 108. l. 10. offered & l. 13. comites & l. 16. proconsulis p. 1●9. l 2 without obstinacy p. 10 l. 40 purple & l vlt. innote scere p. ●11. l. 6. slanders & l. 11. were & l 44 as far forth p 114. l. 34. a Cush p. 115. l 13. nego. p. 116. l. 27. Schismaticum & l. 44. diversum & l. 48. objecta p. 117. l. 1. Sacramento p. 120 l 40. with the Cross p. 121. l. 21. cruse & l. 47. for one or two p. 124. to the letter (r) add in the margin Pet. Martyr is. ●. Reg. 2. & l. 30 the Council p. 125. l. 7. inficianti p. 126. l. 4. confirm and in the margin l. 15. ad Lyc. p. 128. l. 29. See then & l. 34. hactenus quidam Q. pa. 121. l. 50. received Q. p. 122. l. ●. a me●ne & l. 35. ecclesia & l. 48. speech pag. 131. l. 40. labefactetur & l. 44. is as very p. 134. l. penult. Petrobusiani Q. p. 127. l. 29. hot R. p. 138. l. 2. fifth p. 139. l. 9 have gone p. 149. l. is convenient p. 141. l. 8. and 9 securus & l. 37. playeth p. 142. l. 16. vet●●tus p. 143. l. 16. pariter p. 144. l. 1. occasions and l. 10. yet doth. If any other thing not here observed, hath escaped; I would pray thee (gentle Reader) to pardon it, especially, literal faults, many of which being of no great moment, I have purposely omitted. FINIS.