CHURCH-CUSTOMES VINDICATED: IN TWO SERMONS PREACHED AT Kingston upon Thames:  
THE ONE At the Primary Visitation of the Right Reverend Father in God RICHARD by the grace of God late L. B. of Winton, Anno 1628.  
THE OTHER At the first Metropolitical Visitation of the Most Reverend Father in God WILLIAM by the grace of God Lord Arch Bishop of Canterbury his Grace, etc. July 9 1635.  
BY WILLIAM QUELCH B. D. and R. of East-horsly SURREY.  ROM: 16.17. 
Now I beseech you brethren, mark them which cause divisions, and offences contrary to the doctrine which you have received, and avoid them, etc.  
LONDON, Printed by M. F. for Nathaniel Butter near S. Augustine's Gate at the Sign of the Pied Bull. 1636.   

To the courteous Readers, especially my Brethren of the CLERGY;  
Peace be multiplied, etc.  
FOr this end I first set upon this work; and for the same I thought good to set it forth: had it found the effect of my first desire; I had never thought of a second publication: But when I understood upon later experience, by the frivolous exceptions cast out against me, how much I had failed of my expectation, I knew not which way to come off from private censure, unless I should put myself and my poor endeavours upon the trial of public censure.  
To hear of contentions breaking out against the customs of the Church is no news at all, neither must it stumble us: 
Ver. 19  he that for the trial of his children suffers heresy, hath his ends in the least and smallest oppositions: and if it be the will and pleasure of God, by the light skirmishes of some few to bring to pass a greater good, I shall learn to magnify the wisdom of the Almighty, that turns the cavils of contentious men to the further enlargement of his glory. Howsoever it be, thou hast the same that was first delivered, nothing is altered but the outward dress, much less any word or sentence changed, which I could hear was subject to exception. If thou light upon any thing worth the reading, thank not me for my good will, who never intended to make it public, but thank the ill will of those carping hearers, who put me upon it in mine own defence, and think of me as of the poorest unworthy Minister of Christ jesus, who shall be ever ready upon all occasions to approve myself  
Thine, in all Christian offices to be commanded, W. Q.   

PErlegi has duas Conciones in 1. Ep. ad Cor. Cap. 11. ver. 16. in quibus nihil reperio sanae doctrinae, aut bonis moribus contrarium, quominus cum utilitate publicâ imprimantur, ita tamen, ut si non intra quinque menses proximè sequentes typis mandentur, haec licentia sit omnino irrita.  
Ex Aedibus Lambethanis 14. Cal. Martii. GUIL. BRAY Rmo. P. & D. D. Arch. Cant. Sacel. Domesticus.   

CHURCH-CUSTOMES VINDICATED.  
The first Sermon.  1 COR. 11.16. 
If any man lust to be contentious, We have no such Custom, nor the Churches of God.  
THE customs of the Church, through the stubborn humours of contentious men, are grown so obsolete and out of custom in most places, that I fear I may be thought to break the custom, while I seek to vindicate and defend her customs.  
But when I look back unto purer times, and find how the Church could stand upon her customs in the very infancy and childhood of the Gospel, 
Aetatem habet, Ipsu interrogate. joh. 9.23.  before the customs were come to age, I make no doubt but the same customs being grown at length to man's estate, in the ripeness, and maturity of the Church, may now have leave to speak for themselves, at least in their own defence. Si quis videtur contentiosus; If any seem, etc.  
Contentions and customs appear unto us at the first sight like two sturdy and valiant Champions, ready to assault each other in a single combat: Contention stands up like proud Goliath, swelling and pouting against all the customs of the Churches. 
1 Sam. 17.4.  Custom stands up like little David to accept the challenge of Contention, and bids defiance to the proud Philistime.  
Upon the issue of this Skirmish hangs all the peace and liberty of the Church: for if Contention win the day, and chance to prove master of the field, then farewell the Church and all her customs; but if the Church prevail and get the mastery, then down the wind goes contention, and down go they that love contention.  
You would be glad I trow to see the issue of this battle, stay but a while and stand your ground; and when the Philistime hath braved himself against the armies of the living God, you shall see how little David shall knock him down, as it were with a stone taken from the Church's Scrip. Non habemus consuetudinem: 
Divis.  We have etc.  
Contention is the first that makes the challenge, and if you desire to know the ground of this deadly quarrel; you must be pleased to consider three things.  
1. Time and place where the quarrel first began, and that was in the Church; in the Church of Corinth; in her young days, when S. Paul himself was yet alive.  
2. The nature, and quality of this contention: for it was a poor and slender quarrel against a Ceremony, and no more.  
3. By whom the quarrel was begun, and that's implied here, to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some busy fellow of a wrangling humour, that loved contention more than peace.  
Lo this you have for the notifying of contention: and then for the Churches-customes you have three like circumstances.  
1. The nature and quality of the customs, for we must not stand upon every custom, but upon a decent and reverend custom.  
2. Who they are that maintain the customs; noted here to be Churches of God.  
3. Who were the founders of the customs; and they are employed here to be the Apostles of Christ that could not err in doctrine, much less in the ordination of a custom.  
These are the chief heads both of this custom, and of that contention; and when I shall come in the end to compare them both together, and to lay mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, and hands to hands: I mean such a grave and decent custom, against such a slight and trifling quarrel: 
2 Kings 4.34.  the Churches of God that kept the custom against that one single Church that broke the custom: 3 the Apostles of Christ the founders of this custom, against that one contentious man, the ringleader and broacher of innovation; I shall think it fit to refer the cause to your own judgement, whether ye think such a custom maintained by all the Churches, and allowed by the warrant of the blessed Apostles, be not worthy to beat down such a fond and frivolous quarrel but newly brought into the Church of Corinth, by that  sect-master that stands upon record for a contentious man.  
Of all these I shall have fair occasion to speak something.  
And first I must begin to deal with contention, a troublesome and turbulent spirit I am like to find him, 
Contention what it is.  that loves wrangling as he loves his life, and can no more be tied to any good order, than the waters of Nile to the banks of their own channel.  
He never appears to us in a still voice, as the Lord appeared unto Eliah; but whensoever he comes, he comes in a tempest, storming and blustering against all good order, both of Church and State: Did you ever hear the pedigree of Contention? There was a bastard begotten by anger, nursed by pride, and maintained by wilful contradiction, and when they came to give him a name, they bestowed upon him the name of Contention.  
As was the name of the child so was his nature, for a soon as ever he began to go, he went backward like the Sea-crab: as soon as ever he began to read, he read backward like the Hebrews: as soon as ever he began to row, he rowed backward evermore, against tide & stream.  
Pity such a cross, disorderly mate should find harbour in any civil society, 
Psal. 122.3.  much less in the Church of God, which ought to be composed as a City at unity. If contention must needs be, let it be sent to Bedlam, or Paris-garden where it may converse with none but dogs and Bears, or men more wild than those savage creatures; never let it enter into God's inheritance, lest the fiends of hell take more delight in the quarrels of God's people, than men are wont to fancy to themselves when they see the quarrels of dogs and bears.  
It were to be wished that these discords of schism and dissension, that make music only for the devil, may never be heard in the Church of God: but I fear me as long as the Church consists of men, and men consist of sundry passions, we shall hardly be free from all contention. The devil is grown such a cunning politician, that when he cannot rob us of our truth, he will do the best he can to rob us of our peace; and when he cannot pluck up the good wheat of wholesome doctrine that is sown in our field by the good seedsman, he does all that he can to mingle the wheat with the tares and darnel of contention. 
Aug. epist. 48. Neque propter paleam relinquam aream domini, neque propter pisces malos rumpimus retia.   
And what though? shall we therefore forsake the good field, and renounce the wheat of wholesome doctrine because we find it mingled with some cockle? Shall we forsake the Church, and shipwreck the faith, and cast off the truth, because we cannot have it clean from all kind of weeds? Nay rather, if we may have the word and Sacraments as so cheap a rate, and pay nothing for it but a little contention, let us never complain of a dear bargain.  
Contention hath been and will ever be the unwelcome companion of the Church militant: Christ himself came not into the world to bring peace, 
Contention hath ever been in all Churches.  but to bring a sword: and if any Church upon earth can show me a perfect charter of exemption from all contention, I should begin to think that we had our heaven already upon earth, and that the militant Church were turned triumphant.  
Take a short survey of all the Churches, whether Jewish or Christian, Eastern or Western, ancient or modern; and you shall not find any one of them that ever could free themselves from this eating gangrene of contention.  
I am sure the Jewish Church had no such privilege: for as long as she swarmed with sundry sects of Pharisees, and Sadduces, & Essens, and Herodians, and Hemerobaptists, 
In the jewish Church. Vid. joseph. Antiquit. lib. 13. Philo jud. Euseb. & aliot. In the Christian Chur:  and Samaritans, and I know not what, that differed both in course of life, and point of belief, how could she be free from all contentions?  
But it may be in the Christian Church there was no contention for all that: No? does Epiphanius reckon up no less than fourscore heresies raging in the Church of God like the Bulls of Basan, and shall we believe there was no contention all that while?  
But, say they had some contentions in those times betwixt the Orthodox and the heretics, yet I hope among the Orthodox themselves there was perfect union. But whatsoever you may think of those times, as if they had rest from all contention; yet if you knew the differences betwixt the best learned of those ages: (i) Anicetus and Polycarpus, Chrysostome and Epiphanius, 
apud Euseb. eccl: hist. lib. 5. cap. 24. Hieron. part. 1. tract. 3. ep. 36, 37. etc. Ep. Caeles. pap. ad quosdam Galliarum episcopos.  Jerome and Ruffinus, Stephanus and Cyprian, Victor and the Eastern Churches, Prosper and the Doctors of France, and many hundreds more that might be named; you would soon believe that the Churches in their times could hardly be free from all contention.  
But what if contention crept into the Church in after ages, yet I hope in the Apostles time, and the Churches planted by their hands, we shall not hear of the least murmuring, or whispering of contention: Surely if ever the Church were free from all contention, it is most like to be in those days of innocence; and yet if you look into 1. Cap. of this our Epist. and the 11. ver. ye shall hear S. Paul complain of some contentions: It is reported to me by those of the house of Cloe, that there are contentions among you.  
To hear of contentions among the members of the Church was a small matter: but if you look into the 22. Cap. of S. Luke ver. 24. 
Among the Apostles themselves.  you shall hear of contention among the Apostles themselves; and if you look into the 2. Gal. you shall hear of contention among the chief pillars of the Church, S. Peter and Paul, and that about no mean point of Christian polity, that concerned the abrogation of Jewish Ceremonies. 
Bellarm. 1. tom. cont. 4. lib 4. Staplet. & alii.   
It makes me wonder so much the more why the Church of Rome at this day should stand so much upon the unity of the Church, and bear us in hand that their unity and concord in religion is a certain badge and character of the true Church. They have found that pearl it seems in the field of their Church, which could never be found in former ages; and though we sell all that we have, like the good Merchant in the Gospel, to get possession of that pearl, they will make us believe we shall be gainers by the bargain.  
It is a good purchase indeed to buy truth at what rate soever, but to buy truth attended with unity, were a purchase in my mind beyond the rules of Numeration.  
But is this purchase to be had at Rome? Yes surely: for all the members of their Church are so colligated and bound together in a kind of subjection and subordination to one head, that you shall seldom hear of any contention among them that ever breaks out into open flames.  
A happy Church they must needs have, if things be answerable to their vaunts, but if it do not appear upon just trial out of the best Records of their own Church, 
Dr. Hall's dissuasive from Popery.  that they have contentions as well as we, as great as ours, as loud as ours; I shall be ready to subscribe to the Church of Rome, and return again to her communion.  
Did you never hear of any difference betwixt the Thomists and the Scotists, 
In the Church of Rome.  of any jars between the Seculars and the jesuits, of any quarrels among the Cardinals themselves in the sacred conclave? what Church, what State in the whole world that is not conscious of their dissensions? and if all these be not proof enough that their peace comes short of ours, their dissension is more than ours, let us appeal to Bellarmine himself, the chief Advocate of the Roman cause, who reckons us more than 200 opinions diversely maintained pro and con among the Doctors of their Church.  
A goodly unity I durst to warrant you that shines in the midst of so many quarrels, and a goodly Church by the same reason that must be known by this jarring unity: if they have no better badge and livery of their Church then such a counterfeit pretended unity, we shall never have cause I dare say either to be fond of their church, or to be jealous of our own.  
And yet 'tis a wonder to see with what a face of brass and impudence the Romanists of these times are wont to upbraid us with the quarrels of our Church, as if Rome had engrossed all the unity: Your Church, say they, 
Pacianus citat. à Bellar. Christianus (inquit) est mihi nomen, Cat ●olicus cegnomen. jerom. count. Lucifer. prope fi●em.  what is it but a beast of many heads, patched up with diverse and sundry factions, while one adheres to Luther, another to Calvin, a third to Zuinglius, another to Arminius, as if we delighted more to be called from names of men, then to be called Christians from the name of Christ, or Catholics from the faith professed by them.  
For our parts be it known to all the world we hate to be called from the name of any man be he what he will, yea though it be the name of Peter and Paul, we are free enough from those contentions which S. Paul imputes to this Church of Corinth; 
1 Cor. 1.11 12, 13.  and though they impute unto us any other differences which have been always incident to the purest Churches, they must not think to shake our faith by such poor and slender exprobrations.  
We know that these were the common darts which both the Heathens of old, and the Turks of latter times were wont to cast against the Christian faith, 
Chrysost: in Act. Aphom. 33. et in ●od Gal. Cypr: de unitate ●●cles. Celsus apud Origen. lib. count. Celsum Cortugal. orat. habit. Rhod.  and if they can find no other arguments to confute us, but what they are fain to borrow from Turks and Heathens, and such as equally concern both them and us, they will make us think they are hardly driven.  
Let them free themselves from their own contentions, and then they may the better object ours; in the mean while as long as we see no other remedy, we will set us down by the Church of Corinth, and patiently bear both her lot and ours.  
We can hardly look to be in better state than the Apostolic Churches, and if they were fain to suffer contention, why should we grudge to bear the like? our case can hardly be worse than theirs, for they had contentions in this ver. schisms in the 18. ver. heresies in the 19 ver. and therefore if all these should fall to our lot, (which God of his mercy turn away from us) yet we have learned of the blessed Apostle not to think strange of any such trial, as if some new thing were fallen upon us, but patiently to share in that common calamity that equally belongs to all the Churches. When all is done, the Church of Corinth shall be our apology, we suffer no more than she hath done, and seeing we are joined with her in the same cause, let us make enquiry a little further, and perhaps we shall match her somewhat nearer in the special ground and reason of contention.  
Though every Church hath some contention, 
Contention against a ceremony  yet every Church hath not the same. There is a (talis) for contention as well as for custom; for one is like the Palmerworm that eats nothing but the leaves: another like the Caterpillar that destroys the fruit: and another like the Canker that devours the body of religion. Some quarrels are but light and gentle waves that dally and play with the ship of Christ; others are proud and lofty surges that crack the cordage of the ship; 
1 Leve● undae. 2 Majora volumina. 3 Ignei globi.  and some are fiery balls that ascend to heaven, and threaten the safety of the Church.  
Of all the quarrels that ever were moved in the Church, you will think that this in my text was one of the least: Nothing was opposed, for for aught we find, but a bare ceremony, and the outward gesture in praying or prophesying was the only cause of this sharp contention. 
Vid. ver. 2. & 3.   
A poor occasion to make a difference when they were agreed upon the substance: yet considering withal what mischief may grow upon the Church by the least quarrel once begun, the Apostle thinks it meet to bestir himself, and to quench the fire of contention, that it may not break out into greater flames.  
Our wise Apostle was not to learn that a ceremony of itself was of little reckoning, but when a ceremony is enjoined by lawful authority, 
Quod minimum est, minimun est, sed in minimo, te fidelem essemagnum est. Aug. de doct. Chri. lib. 4.  he knew well enough that obedience or disobedience in a small matter was not to be counted a small matter.  
There is the same reason of obedience or disobedience, whether in smaller or in greater matters: for 'tis not the thing commanded that binds the conscience, but the power from whence the commandment comes; be the thing commanded never so great, it commends the obedience never the more: be the thing commanded never so small, it cannot excuse the disobedience.  
Christ commends the good servant because he was faithful in the least things, 
Mat. 25.25  to teach us that faithfulness or unfaithfulness in the least things cannot be counted the least thing: well may the least things aggravate the unfaithfulness, but I am sure of that they cannot excuse it: and therefore as the Lord himself doth often punish the least unfaithfulness, 
Gen. 3.16, 17. Num. 15.32.  whether in eating an apple, or gathering of sticks when 'tis forbidden, with greater punishments then fouler sins, because it proceeds from mere wilfulness: so the Apostles of Christ and their lawful successors may safely punish the least contention against a ceremony, when they see it proceeds from mere stubbornness, as well as some greater and fouler sins that spring from weakness and infirmity.  
More danger there is in this poor contention than the common sort of men do commonly think, 
The danger of such a conntention Pro. 18.19.  not only because it kindles a fire among brethren of the same faith and the same religion, whose emulous vying and mutual contestations among themselves cannot choose but aggravate and increase the flame, but also because 'tis commonly grounded upon I know not what pretence of misguided conscience that makes the quarrel the more presumptuous.  
Other sins, whether of adultery, theft, or drunkenness, dare not appear in open light: and if they do, you shall find them ready to plead guilty: but the sin of schism that spurns men on against the orders of the Church, is so bold and saucy of its own nature, 
Cypr. lib. 3. ep. 9 Haec sunt initia haereticorum, ut sibi placeant, et Praepositum superbo tumore contemnant. Psa. 55. ver. 12. & 13.  that it ever stands upon justification, and being vainly passed up with self-conceit, it dares outface all authority.  
Other sins fight against the Church, not directly, but by way of consequence; but this fights against her with downright blows: and therefore as the Prophet David, in a figure of Christ, complains more grievously of the plots of his nearest friends, then of all the treacheries of known foes; so the Church of Christ his only Spouse hath more cause to complain of the civil uncivil wars of her own children, then of all the oppositions of foreign enemies, that seek to bring her into bondage.  
'tis a maxim agreed upon by weeping cross that contention goes before destruction: there's no State nor Kingdom of the world but have made it true by their own experience: and if the Church of God be divided against herself by sundry factions, and her children like a routed disordered Army begin to fall upon their own fellows, what privilege have we more than others against the general sentence of our Saviour. A Kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. 
Mat. 12.25   
Optatus said of the factions of the Donatists, that were not much unlike to these contentions, that betwixtour yea, 
Inter licet nostrum, & non licet vestram nutant & remigant ●nime Christianorum. Optat. cont. Parmen.  and your nay, the cause of Religion lies a bleeding; and have not we brought it to the same pass by our domestic quarrels among ourselves, that betwixt the conformity of some, and the inconformity of other some, many a Christian soul stands unresolved, and means to continue a mere neutral.  
As long as the languages are confounded, the building of the Church can never go forward; as long as the ship is tossed with waves, many are afraid to come a shipboard, some that are without are loath to come in, and some that are within are loath to continue; so the poor Church being suspected and forsaken on both sides, is fain to complain with the Prophet jeremy: Woe is me, that ever I was made the cause of contention.  
We cannot choose but see, unless we wilfully shut our eyes, 
Auximus Philippum nos ipsi Athenienses.  how much our adversaries are enriched by these contentions: how many good professors upon these grounds have leapt aside into the tents of Popery: how many quire and peaceable congregations have been torn and distracted into sundry factions: how many zealous and painful labourers only for the cause of their bare conformity are grown suspected to their own flocks: and which is most to be lamented, many a faithful and learned Prelate that should be counted worthy of double honour, is traduced as a favourer of Popish tyranny, because he labours and strives (as S. Paul does here) to beat down these fond and trifling quarrels.  
Oh the day, that ever religion should be guilty of so much irreligion! 
Tanium religio potiat suadere malerum?  Oh, that the Church should suffer martyrdom in a heap of vain unnecessary quarrels! Have we not quarrels enough against the Church of Rome for her Purgatory, 
Cumque superba soret Babylon spolianda trophaeis. etc. Luc: initio.  and Transubstantiation, and prayer for the dead, and invocation of Saints, and adoration of Images, and pretended infallibility, and many other points of the same alloy, but we must sheathe our swords in our own bowels, and wilfully invite our own destruction?  
O ye sons of men, how long will you love vanity, how long will you dote upon your own misery? Are we all agreed about the garment, and shall we differ about the trimming? are we agreed about the freehold, and shall we quarrel about the bounds? Away with those unkind, 
Certatum est totis etc. in commune nefas. Philip. 2.  unhappy contentions that procure the loss and shame of both sides, If there be any joy, if any love, if any compassion either to yourselves, or to the Church, or to the cause of reformation, fulfil my joy, and the joy of our Apostle, and the joy of the Church, and the joy of Christ Jesus, and with it the joy of your own souls, that we may hear no more of these fond contentions.  
'tis a shame to be seen in any quarrel against a ceremony, 
Contention against the bareing of the bead in praying and prophesying.  yet some ceremonies there are among the rest so nearly concerning the honour of God, that a wilful and stubborn opposition cannot choose but aggravate and increase the fault.  
If ever contention against a ceremony could threaten to bring us within danger of sin, I doubt this quarrel in my Text will trench hard upon it, because it trenches so near upon Apostolic power.  
The very Apostles of Christ had a hand themselves in this holy custom; for among some other orders composed by them for the furtherance and decoration of God's service, they ordained this rule for all the Churches, 
Ver. 2. & 3.  that the men when they came to prayer or prophecy should uncover their heads, and the women should veil or cover their heads, as oft as they appeared in the congregation. 
Theophilact. Pet. Mart. & aliiin loc. Gualt in loc. probat hunc Ethnicorum suisse morem: idque ex Plutarch. & Virgilio. Jdem Chrysost. graecorum fuisse institutum: & certum est hunc more. rem hodie apud ●urcas invaluisse.   
That this injunction was in force in the Apostles time, for aught I find, no man denies: yea some there be that give the reason of that Canon, that the late converted Christians might not fashion themselves to the customs of the Heathens, where the men were wont to sacrifice with their heads covered, and the women with their heads bare, and their hair disheveled, as a greater sign and pledge of holiness.  
Whatsoever the reason were, I am sure of this, that the one member at least of that reverend order, that I mean that concerns the men, is so fully ratifyed and confirmed by the Canon of our Church, that no man may presume to cover his head during the whole time of divine Service, 
Canon. 1●  without the breach of Church order.  
For the women indeed we have no commandment in our Church, for nature itself & the rules of modesty have taught them freely to yield conformity. But for the men, at least some of them in some places, where they have been trained in a course of schism, they are so loath to stoop to this Apostolic order, that the Church is fain to interpose her power to bind them to it by a double bond.  
That any man covers of wilful stubbornness against the Canon of the Apostle, it were little charity to believe: for my part I rather impute it to mere weakness; and could they be throughly resolved that the reason of this Canon were yet in force, I presume there is none of them all of what sort soever, but would think themselves bound to yield conformity.  
They think perhaps that this Apostolic order may concern the Ministers of the Church, 
Objections against the bareing of the head, &c Ob. 1.  because it is laid upon fuch as pray and prophesy: but by their leave, if the hearing of a Sermon be not prophesying as well as the preaching, and that in the sense and meaning of our own Apostle, 
Ver. 4.  I desire to know how the same Apostle in the next words immediately following could apply the same words of praying and prophesying as well to the women as the men, 
Ver. 5.  when they were not allowed by his own rule either to speak or preach in the congregation? 
1 Cor. 14.34. & 35. Ob. 2.   
But say it concern the people as well as the Ministers, as being equally engaged in praying and prophesying, yet perhaps it may lay a tie upon the people of those times, and not upon the Churches in after ages. 
Dr. Field, lib. 4. ca 20  'tis true that all customs of what sort soever, are things dispensable in their own nature, yea the very customs of the Apostles themselves are no certain and perpetual rules to all Churches to abridge their liberty in things indifferent. And what of that? will any man deny them a binding power for the time being while they are allowed by the present Church, because the Church hath power to change when time and place shall so require? no surely, but the stamp and impress of the present Church must make them current for the time being: and seeing this custom is allowed as you heard before, and that under the seal of our own Church, let no man presume to strive against it as long as it stands so allowed, unless he desire to seem contentious.  
Perhaps you may say, this Apostolic Canon may not be suitable to these times, 
Ob. 3.  for the Apostle seems to allow no covering at all, 
Ver. 4.  & if that should be strictly observed in this crazy age, we should soon make the Churchyard full, and the Church empty. Well, be it so: and what of that? were there not any weak in the Apostles time aswell as now? yes surely: why then no doubt the exception is employed, though it be not expressed in the Text, to show that if we conform ourselves as near as we can, and make use of a coif or nightcap in stead of a hat (as our Church hath dispensed with the Apostles rule) 
Gan. ut supra.  in case of weakness and infirmity, we shall never incur the Apostles censure, nor seem to the Church to be contentious.  
But the most of our people for aught I see are ready to uncover in the time of prayer, 
Ob. 4.  only they stick at the strictness of some that require the bearing of the head in the time of preaching: belike they are willing to show reverence when they speak unto God by their earnest prayers, but they think it too much to show the like when God speaks to them by his sacred ordinance. Let me ask them, is it not as great a favour to receive a blessing, as to crave it? and shall we not receive the blessing with as much reverence when 'tis offered, as we would crave it when 'tis wanting? Saint Paul for his part makes no odds betwixt prayer and prophecy: and if any man think that the Canon of the Church will not reach to both because it mentions no more but the whole service, let him please to compare the words of the Canon to the rubric of the service book, 
Immediately after the Nicen Creed.  and he shall find that the Sermon or exhortation is no other but a part of divine Service.  
There is no dispensation for aught I can see more for the Sermon then for the prayer: 
Ob. 5. Cypr. ep. 73. Quale. est ut quia hoc Novatianus facere audet, nos putemusnon esse saciendum.  neither can I believe for mine own part that any man of reason or sound religion would ever stick at this reverend order, but that 'tis the use of the Church of Rome, with which they dare not comply in outward ceremonies, for fear of the danger of superstition. Indeed 'tis like enough this Apostolic order hath been abused, and scarce can you name any thing else that hath not been abused to superstition, yet when the thing itself is charged upon us by the Apostle, 
August. debap. con. Don lib. 6 cap. 44 Jpsi gentiles sl quid rectum babuerunt non improbarunt sanctipatres, et in hunc modum lib 3. ca 11.  and the superstition is brought upon it by the fault of men, we must not presume for the fault of men to stir a duty of Saint Paul's prescribing, but we must learn a better way of reformation, to mend the fault of our own devising, and let the duty still remain.  
To be wary of superstition is a good thing, but there is another extreme to be avoided, which religion hates as well as that: and if we run so far from superstition that we fall into profaneness, and think we have never driven superstition far enough, unless we drive together with it all decent order from the Churth of God, I fear we shall bring a mischief upon the cause of religion, while we seek to avoid an inconvenience.  
Say the Lord hath forbidden superstition, 
Ageneral apology for the bareing of the head in prayer and prophecy. Psal. 2.11. Heb. 12.28. etc.  yet I trow he hath commanded reverence all along, and if the bearing of the head in the house of God during the time of divine service be not a sign of holy reverence, I am yet to learn what reverence means.  
Sure we make it a sign of reverence in civil worship, for servants uncover to their masters, children to their parents, subjects to their prince, yea and to the chair of his state to, as a type and figure of his presence: and will you refuse to give the same reverence in divine worship to the great King of all the earth, when he claims it of you by the same titles of respect, 
Mal. 1.5.  If I be a father, where is my honour; if I be a Lord, where is my reverence?  
You will not come into the court of a Prince as Chrysostom notes, but you will compose yourselves in gate, and eye, and habit, and gesture, 
Hom. 24. in Act. & 36. in 1. Cor. Idem Martyr, in loc. & Erasm. de morum civil. in templo in huc modum: Si quis regem hominem allocuturus circumstante procerum corona nec caput aperiat, nec genu flectat, non iam pro rustico sed pro insano haberetur.  lest you may offend in any respect, and will ye come into the palace of the great King with wand'ring eyes, and mincing feet, and heads covered, as if you made no more of the house of God, then of a tavern or barber's shop?  
I hear good jacob crying out when the Lord appeared to him by the way to Haran: 
a Gen. 28.19, 20. Leu. 19 30 Exod. 30.18.  Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not ware; how fearful and terrible is this place, this is no other but the house of God, and the gate of heaven: and canst not thou behold the presence of God in the assemblies and congregations of his Saints, when thou speakest to him by thy zealous prayers, or he to thee by his sacred word?  
I hear the Lord charging the Jews, that they should reverence his very Sanctuary, as being the place where the Lord appeared; and shall not we reverence his word, and his sacraments, and his oracles, and his ordinances, when we appear before him in his holy Sanctuary?  
Did the wise King give it in charge, that we should look to our feet when we enter into God's house, 
Eccl. 4.17.  and is there no regard to be had to our heads? 
Exod. 3.5.  Was Moses commanded to put off his shoes when he appeared before the Lord, and do we think much to put off our hats? 
1 Sam. 5.5.  Did the Philistines give so much unto Dagon, and the Syrians so much to their god Rimmon, 
2 Kings 5.18.  and cannot we afford as much as they, to the great Creator of heaven and earth?  
Let me ask the question with divine Salvian, Wherefore do ye come to the house of God, 
Anides tantum ingredimu ad placandum simul et exacerbandun etc. anejusdemest officis indulgentiam poscere & iracundiam provocare?  if you show no more regard to his holy ordinances? Do ye come to pacify and assuage his wrath, and do ye kindle and provoke his wrath? Is it the same work both to honour God, and dishonour him too? To sue for his favour, and set a bar against his favour? Wilt thou presume to offer unto God that surly service, which thou wouldst take in scorn from thine own servant? Must God take that for an honour to himself, which thou thyself wouldst take for a foul dishonour? Must he account it a pacification, which thou thyself wouldst take for a provocation? Away with such a proud and saucy submission, away with such a rude, unmannerly service; Let us never be guilty of such dishonour unto God, 
Ver. 4 supr:  Let us never be guilty of such dishonour to ourselves: If we stand not so much upon our own honour, yet take heed how we betray the honour of God; if we fear not so much the censure of men, 
Sigenus humanum & mortalia temaitis arma, at sperate Deum. etc.  yet take heed how we fall into the hands of God: Let it never be said of the Christian religion, that the heathens worship their own handy works with more reverence and devotion, than we adore the maker of all things: let it never be laid to the reformed Churches, that we have chosen to ourselves an easy and slovenly kind of service, 
Stapleton orat. quodl:  to the shame and dishonour of religion: If other Churches are guilty of that fault, oh let not us suffer for their offence; if any of our peevish brethren have offended, oh let not our mother bear the blame. She hath done what she can for the honour and reverence of her husband, for she hath made a law to bind her children, she hath practised that law in the godly examples of her governor's, she hath censured the breach of it in some of her stubborn and rebellious children; and if all this be not enough to persuade reverence, what can she do more, but give them over to the just censure of her husband, who will surely prove a sharp avenger upon the heads of those that love contention.  
We have seen the ground of this vain contention, together with the time it began to hatch; 
By whom this contention was set a foot.  and now could we search a little further, and find out the author of this quarrel, we might do a gracious work to the Church of God, to draw the pedigree of Contention.  
That some notorious schismatique began this quarrel, we may easily judge by S. Paul's (Si quis) no famous schism ever began without some head and ringleader of the faction, yet because the head of this trifling faction, may seem to be a man of unworthy parts, as most of that brood have ever been, the Apostle would not vouchsafe to give him a name, for fear he should give him too much honour. 
〈…〉   
All the title he gives him here is (contentiosus, a contentious man,) to teach us that whosoever strives against the orders of the Church, specially those that tend to reverence, he may enjoy the name of a contentious man, and must not look for a better title.  
Whatsoever may be thought of other ceremonies, yet. I am sure this quarrel in my text will bear the title; 
Vide canon. 18. ut supr:  for when the Church allows a coif or nightcay in case of weakness and infirmity, and men, shall wilfully refuse to enjoy that favour, to pick a quarrel with the Church of God; what Advocate will undertake to plead their cause that they may not stand upon record for contentious men?  
I should be loath to say that the bare omission of this order, or any other should conclude a man to be contentious; Nay, S. Paul himself doth not go so fare, till he had showed the ground of this holy order: but if any shall wilfully oppose themselves after lawful warning and instruction, than we have our warrant from the blessed Apostle to write them down for contentious men.  
To seem contentious is a small matter, but S. Paul himself goes a great deal further, and sets him down to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is to say, a lover of contention, as if he loved contention as he loved his life, and doted upon it as the wanton dotes upon his mistress.  
We know it is one thing to fall into contention, and another thing to fall in love with contention itself: 
Psal. 120.5, 6, 7.  David himself may fall into contention and singa [Vae] to himself, when he cannot avoid it, but to be enamoured and besotted with the love of contention is such a fearful sickness, and frenzy of the soul, that it seems to be past all hope of cure. 
Pro. 17.19.   
Where this love of contention is, there is much transgression, Nay there is a whole swarm of ugly vices, 
jam. 3.16.  there is envy, there is pride, there is tumult, there is malice, there is revenge, there is murder, there is sedition, there is treason, there is schism, there is heresy, there is all things; as if all the maladies of the soul were epitomised and summed up in this word, (contentious)  
Take but a view of this one contention in my text, and see what bordering mischief hangs upon it: the Apostle is so well acquainted with all the neighbourhood, 
The love of contention tends to schism and that seldom ends till it comes to heresy.  that in the compass of two 
* Viz. 18, & 19  verses he makes it shake hands with schism and heresy, as if they both took head from the love of contention.  
Perhaps the neighbourhood of schism will hardly stagger us, for many think it a title of honour, and when they suffer in that cause, they think they suffer as a Christian: but S. Paul that was better acquainted with the nature of schism, is bold to rank it with the foulest sins that can be named, Adultery, Murder, Idolatry, Witchcraft, 
Gal. 5.19. & 20. Lib. 2. de bapt. count. Donat. ca 6. Idem Optat. 1. lib. contr: Parmen: Quis dubitet celeratius commissum quod gravius punitum.  and such like; and S. Augustine will tell us, if we can believe him, that when it is put on with wilful violence, and maintained with heat of pharisaical pride, it proves no lesser sin in the sight of God, than either Adultery, Theft, or Murder, and hath been commonly revenged with greater punishments.  
If you are not stirred with the danger of schism that borders so near upon the love of contention; what do you think of the nature of heresy that is commonly entailed to the sin of schism?  
Surely the Apostle had never coupled heresies and schisms both together, but that he knew well enough that schism is nothing else but a green heresy newly hatched in the Church of God, and heresy nothing else, but a grown schism that is come to ripeness and perfection.  
There is neither of them both but spring from the same fountain, for contention is the head of both the factions, and as it spurs on the one with earnest violence against the discipline of the Church; so it eggs on the other with headstrong fury against the doctrine of the Church.  
Though every contentious man be neither a schismatic, nor an heretic, yet he hath a disposition to be made both, he runs so fierce upon a full career of headstrong passion, like a man that gallops down a hill, that he can hardly take up and stay his pace until he come to the bottom of heresy.  
No man becomes an heretic on a sudden, but winds into it by certain steps; and lo the stairs are set by the blessed Apostle: First contention, in this verse; then schism in the 18. then heresy in the 19 to teach us that if we desire to avoid heresy, we must first begin to cut off schism, and if we desire to fly the danger of schism, we must first begin to strike at contention.  
These waters of contention must be stopped in the first breach, 
Pro. 17.14  that they may not turn to an inundation.  
These Bab lonish brats must be dashed against the walls, 
Psal. 137.9  that they may not grow to further mischief.  
This Cockatrice's egg must be cracked in the shell, that it may not bring forth a flying serpent.  
Oh who will take these foxes, these young foxes in the nest, that they may not infest the tender grapes! 
Can. 2.19.   
Oh who will quench these coals of dissension, that they may not increase to a greater flame.  
Stand to your tackle O ye Champions of the Lord, and let not the enemy get ground upon you: If it be possible, as much as in you lies have peace with all men: If discord arise betwixt man and man, let it never encroach upon God's inheritance, Behold how good and joyful it is brethren to live together in unity: O blessed Peace, we are all thy clients; nothing can comfort us without thy company, Pray for the peace of jerusalem; 
Ps. 122.6, 7  they shall prosper that love thee, peace be within thy walls, and plenteousness within thy palaces: for my brethren and companions sake, I cannot choose but wish thy peace.  
Let every one bestir himself in the Lords work, as it were in a time of common danger; one to speak for peace, another to labour for peace, another to fight for peace, another to pray for peace, that so by the blessing of God upon our joint endeavours, we may live to see the happy greeting and salutation of the Psalmist, 
Psal. 85.10  to the joy and comfort of all our hearts.  
Mercy and truth shall meet together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall bud on't of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven: The Lord shall show his loving kindness, and our land shall give her increase: Righteousness shall go before him, and he shall direct our doings in the way.  
Even so be it: Lord say Amen.   

CHURCH-CUSTOMES VINDICATED.  
The second Sermon.  1 COR. 11.16. 
If any man lust to be contentious, We have no such Custom, nor the Churches of God.  
IN this very place upon the like occasion about five years since, we made an entrance upon this theme, and being now pressed again upon the same service, I thought myself directed and led by the hand to the further explanation of the same Scripture, that as I spoke before you at that time of the contentions. of the Church that let themselves against the customs, so now I may speak before you of the Church's customs, that strenuously oppose against contention.  
What I then delivered concerning contention, I will not call to your mind again, I desire that custom being defendant may have a fair and legal hearing, as well as contention that was the plaintiff in the cause.  
Whether any such spirits live amongst us that deserve the title of contentious, I could not say, nor yet can: for my part I confess I know of none, neither do I speak to gall any, I did but only put a case as S. Paul does, 
Conditionalis propositio nihil ponit in esse.  (and a mere supposition infers nothing) but if any be, or hereafter may be, though it be more than appears to me, yet you may know by the case put, how to file their teeth, and muzzle their mouths, that they may not infest the flock of Christ.  
If you know of any contentious men what ever they be, 
How we may deal with contentious men.  that live like the Salamander in the fire, and love to wrangle & spend their breath against the decent orders and constitutions of the Church, you were best to ask of the blessed Apostle, and he will teach you how to handle them.  
You must be sure to use all gentle means, before you come to sharpness and severity: for many will lead, that will not drive, and yield themselves to a gentle entreaty, that will not be forced by compulsion.  
You shall do well in the first place to set before them your own example, for so the Apostle doth in the 1. ver.  
You may take occasion to commend them for their zeal and strictness in some thing else; for so the Apostle hath taught you, ver. 2.  
You must not fail to instruct them in the meaning and signification of the ceremonies, for so the Apostle taught you, ver. 3.  
What shall I say? you may persuade them by reason, by authority, by decency, by nature itself, for none of these hath Saint Paul omitted, and if all this be not able to persuade (for who can persuade a contentious man, you shall not persuade though you do persuade, not persuade his practice I mean, though you persuade and convict his conscience) than you must bear him down with the Church's custom, and tell him plainly to his face that the customs of the Church must stand in force maugre the spite of contentious men.  
The power of custom no doubt is great, and that of the Church not lest of all, but lest I may be thought to press the custom before I have taught you to understand the custom, you shall give me leave to speak something concerning the theory of the custom, that so I may rise with the more force to the practice and observation of the custom.  
While I entreat of Church order, me thinks I am bound to keep order, and because the nature of the subject will scarce afford any acquaint order, I will content myself with a plain method.  
Three things there be that offer themselves.  

1. The use of the Church in having of customs.  
2. The right of the Church in making of customs.  
3. The power of the Church in pressing of customs.   
For the custom, 
Custom what it is  first, to understand that throughly, you must please to look back to the 2. ver. there the Apostle mentions some ordinances or traditions which he had delivered to the Church of Corinth: 2. there he commends their zealous care, because they had kept the most of them. 3. and then he condemns their halting obedience, because they had failed in some particulars.  
What those ordinances were is all the matter that concerns us, and because there is mention made of one or two, and the Apostle tells the reason of them, we must judge of the Lion by his paw, and guess that the rest were all of the same stamp, being all commended at one time to one and the self same Church of Corinth.  
What our Apostle meant by his ordinances, ver. 2. and by his orders, ver. ult. the same he means by his customs here: all matters of rite and outward ceremony annexed to the preaching of the Word and administration of the Sacraments, not as parts of God's holy worship, but as appendices thereunto only for the order of God's house, and disposition of his service.  
Such were the customs of the Church of Corinth, 
Such customs allowed in all Churches.  and such customs as these were about time and place, and outward gesture, whether it be kneeling, standing, bowing, crossing, uncovering, or whatsoever else of the same alloy, as they were freely used in the Church of Corinth, so they must needs be allowed in every age in all the assemblies of the Christians.  
You shall never hear of any famous Church since the Apostles time that hath not freely enjoyed some customs of this kind; and you shall never read of any learned orthodox father since the Apostles time that ever oppugned the use of these customs. 
In the primitive Church. August. ep. 118. ad jan. Amb. in 4. Ephes. Socra. hist. li. 5. ca 22. z●zomen. li. 7. ca 9 Tertul. de veland. vir.   
I could easily show you upon good authority that all the ancient Churches had their several customs, and that while they enjoyed the same faith, and which is more to be observed and admired, the difference and contrariety of their customs did neither dissolve the bond of charity, nor disturb the unity of religion.  
The Apostolic Churches had their customs to, yea, for aught we know, several customs, yet all by Saint Paul's free allowance: 
In the Apost. churches.  for though he stover a little as good cause he had against a new-fangled custom of their own devising, which contentious men would fain keep up, yet withal he seems to imply by way of concession, that they had some customs of another kind, which he would not suffer to be borne down, by the heat of wilful opposition.  
Those customs what ever they were, were not only allowed to the Church of Corinth, 
In all the Apost. churches.  but to all the Churches of that time, or at least to many of them; for the Apostle doth not speak in the singular number, as of one Church, but in the plural number, as of many. And if the Churches in the purest times had all their customs, and those in the Apostles time their customs to, I wonder why the Churches in these times, and the Church of England among the rest, the gracious Mother of us all, may not be quietly suffered to enjoy her customs.  
Were the ceremonies and orders of the church an ornament to religion in the Apostles days, and are they now become in these latter times a stain and blemish to religion? had the Churches of God their earrings, their bracelets, and their jewels in the nonage and childhood of religion, and must they now be stripped of all in the growth and ripeness of the gospel? Alas poor mother, what hast thou done to be so shamefully used of thine own children? alas good children, what do you mean to offer such wrong to your dear mother? Did David bring a scorn upon his person when he uncovered himself before his subjects, 
zSam. 6.20  and would not you bring a scorn upon your mother if you should uncover her shame before all her children? 
Psutarch. Cat. Vtic.  Did Cato Utican draw a scorn upon his justice when he went to his praetorian seat without his robes, and may not we bring the like upon God's service, if we should repair to the seat of God in common garments? I beseech you for the honour of God, for the honour of religion for the honour of yourselves, think upon your bold and rash adventures: it is not the custom she regards so much as your obedience to the custom: and if you be so stiff and cruel to your mother, that she may not enjoy her ancient customs, why should she allow your ancient discipline (as you call it) which you can never demand upon better warrant? You say the Apostles had the Discipline, but we are sure of this, they had the customs, and if you seek to rob us of those rites which we know the Apostles once delivered, why should we give way to your new pretended form of Geneva discipline, which I doubt the Apostles never heard of? Show us that warrant for your discipline, as we have showed you for our customs, and we shall have cause to hearken to you: In the mean while we have right enough to enjoy our ceremonies by the Apostles leave if not by yours; and though you think it a rag of Rome, and a relic of Popery and superstition; yet we shall rejoice and triumph at all your taunts, as long as we can say with the blessed Apostle, habemus consuetudinem, we have a custom, etc.  
To have a custom is not much, 
Right of the Chu: in holding the customs  but all the matter is by what pretended right we hold the customs.  
No man hears of the customs of the Church for the ordering and disposing of God's service, but presently he gins to examine our Patent, and to renew the question of those Priests and Elders, Qua potestate? 
Mat. 21.23  By what authority do you these things, and who gave you that authority?  
The Church I trow will do nothing without a warrant, and if she have that warrant from her husband, bequeathed unto her in his Testament, read us the Will and it sufficeth; But if she take her power from the will of man, or from the favour of Princes, or from the authority of her governor's; than you must give us leave to put in a caveat, until it be tried by the Law.  
Lo this is the plea of all the sectaries in the world, 
Nulla specie illustriore s●duci pos sunt miseri Christians, etc. Calv. adver. Anabapt.  [Show us your ceremonies in the word of God and we shall be willing to obey] and it prevails the more with many a man, because it seems to give to the written word: but if it appear upon just trial that the word of God (with honour and reverence be it spoken) was never constituted as the judge for the special designation of particular ceremonies; then we come upon them, 
Luk. 11.22  like the strong man armed in the Gospel, that take away their weapons wherein they trust, and liave them nothing to object.  
Whilst I take upon me to make this good, 
Particular customs depend not upon the immediate and express warrant of the word.  let no man think I dishonour the Scriptures; let shame and confusion fall to my portion, if I cast any blur upon that sacred volume: I know well that it is the privilege of the Scripture to be the only rule of faith and manners, and it was the only scope of the holy Apostles 
* joh. 20.30  to leave a perfect record of all those things that might essentially conduce to our salvation: For other accidental adventitious circumstances that were no part of the service of God, but only an ornament to the service, it seemed not good to the Spirit of God that they should pass by the same Patent.  
Well may they pass in general terms (as many things are conveyed in every deed under the name of the appurtenances) but they are never expressed in that gracious Patent by any special intimation.  
Well may they belong to those traditions which the Apostle delivered by word of mouth, 
2 Thes. 2.15.  but they can be no part of that holy tradition which he delivered to the Church by his written Epistle.  
Well may you refer them to those ritual orders which our Apostle promised to compose when he came to Corinth, 
ver. ult.  but you cannot refer them to that heavenly doctrine of which the Apostle says a little before; Accepi à Domina, 
ver. 23.  I have received from the Lord.  
The truth is, all that I can find in the new Testament concerning ceremonies, is nothing else but a general warrant, that you have in express terms: 1 Car. 14.40. 
1 Cor. 14.40.  That all things be done decently, and According to order; but for the special practisie and application of this order; whether this or that be more agreeable to the rule, there the word is so mute and ●●lent, that you 〈◊〉 find the least title.  
No doubt the Apostles composed some special orders: 
Calvin. Theophil. & a●● in 〈◊〉.  S. Paul 〈…〉 composed the Churches observed what he delivered; and if 〈◊〉 of those can be found in 〈◊〉 Scriptures, why should we look for a special warrant for the ordering and disposition of things indifferent.  
If the Churches were bound to those straight conditions, 
The Church is not ti●d to any. 〈◊〉 such warrant in matter of custom.  there is none of them all for aught I can see, but have forfeited their recognizance long ago, in as much as they have used some special customs which were not expressed in the sacred Scriptures.  
Cartwright himself, 
Pag. 22. sect. 1. & 2. apud Dr. Whitgift answer to the defence, etc.  the great scourge of all our customs, while he seeks to bind us to the special warrant of the word for all particulars, is forced to confess for the jewish Church, that she had many and sundry customs, at least twenty for our one, about sacrificing, and preaching, and burying, and marrying, and fasting, etc. which were no where expressed in the law of Moses. 
Vid. S. Bas. ep 63. Cypr: l. 10. ep. 12. & l. 4 ep. 6. Epist. ad Vict. Rom apud E●. seb. l. 5. cap. 25. & 26.   
Whether the Christian Church had the same liberty no man can doubt that hath read any thing; for beside the records of the ancient Fathers, who give us some hints of sundry customs about prayer, and baptism, and singing of Psalms, and celebration of Easter, which I could never find in the word of God: 
* Adver. Praxeam & lib. de corona militis.  Tertullian for his part is resolute and peremptory upon his own knowledge, that for matter of rite and outward order, Si legem expost●●es scriptu●●r 〈◊〉 i●venies nu●●am: If you look for the Law of the word of God, you shall be sure to find none.  
But to show this liberty of the Church in some particulars. 
Vid. Hila. praefat. in Ps. Ie●o●●. advers. Lucifer. Just. Mart. lib. quaest. idem confirmat. Synod. Ni●. can 20.   
Where can you find in the holy Scriptures that we ought to pray standing on the Lord's day? yet that was the custom of the ancients for a certain season, to preserve the memory of the resurrection.  
Where can you show in the word of God that we ought to communicate every day? yet that was the use in the ancient Church, 
Hieron. ep ad Lu●n. & Aug. ep. ad Casulanum.  to keep the memory of the passion.  
Where do you read in the word of God that you ought to receive the Communion fasting? yet that was the universal custom of all the Church in Saint Augustine's time, 
Epist. 118. ad januar.  to preserve the honour of the blessed Sacrament.  
To be short, if you think the letter of the word be so requisite to every custom, you were best to survey the writings of the Apostles, and see what order you can find for standing holidays: what special warrant for set fasts upon certain days: what express charge to keep the first day of the week for the Christian Sabbath: 
Vid Dr. Field, li. ●. ca 20. & Episc. Elien●●● tract. de Sab. pap. 98.  what express immediate warrant to christian or baptise a young Infant: I doubt you will find no more but a general warrant for any of these, though they have been constantly observed in all ages: and if every of these have been held by custom, being only grounded upon the general warrant of the Scriptures, and deduced from thence by good consequence without any special intimation, why should we be tied to a special order for the ruling and disposing of every ceremony?  
If the special warrant of the Word be so necessary, you were best to blame the Apostles of Christ, 
The Apostles never composed any set form of outward rite. Instit. li. 4. ●a. 10. sect. 30.  because they forgot to entreat of particular rites: and if a general warrant be not sufficient, you were best to blame the Churches of God, because they took too much upon them.  
For the Apostles, first, you cannot blame them; for Calvin himself can tell you that they had no commission from the Lord to set down a form of outward discipline; inasmuch as he foresaw how that depended upon the state of the times, neither could he judge any one form to be agreeable to all people.  
He knew well enough that the Church was subject to waxes and wanes, to fulls and changes, and vicissitudes; and therefore as a rare and cunning workman can hardly make a garment for the moon, as Plutarch notes, that should equally fit her at all seasons, as well in the new as in the full, no more could the Apostles judge any one form of unchangeable custom to be agreeable to all times and the various conditions of all people. 
All particulars in this kind depend upon the authority of the Church.   
But then perhaps you will blame the Church because she presumes to run of herself without a special commission for every custom: No surely, but where the Word of God is dumb and silent, there the voice of the Church must be attended: In this case the very silence of the word gives consent that the cause belongs to another court: and seeing the word is silent concerning ceremonies, and speaks nothing of them in explicit terms, where may we look for a certain direction and resolution in that case, but from the power of the Church, and from the authority of her pastors? 
Ep. ad Casulanum, In quibu● 〈◊〉 certi statuit script. m●s populi Dei & instituta majorum pro lege temenda sunt.   
Saint Augustine being asked his opinion concerning a custom used in his time, takes occasion to answer in brief, not only for that, but for all others of the same stamp, that where the Word of God determines no certainty, there the custom of the Church, and the constitutions of her Pastors are to be taken for a law.  
That this was the general judgement of all the Churches in all ages, if any man doubt, let him read the Canons of the Counsels: 
Beza. lib. conf. fidei Chri. ca 5.  for why should the Counsels be called together to order the government of the Church, and to settle the form of outward discipline, but that they held it a maxim in all ages, that the Church had power of things indifferent.  
There is no Divine of our own side of any note that stick at this power, 
Beza. conf. fidei. Gualt. praefat. in 2. Cor. Zuin. li. de bapt. Chem. loc. come. tit. tradit. Mar. in 1 Cor. 1. Calv. come. in loc.  so it go no further: for besides the judgement of Beza, Bucer, Zuinglius, Chemnitius, Peter Martyr, and generally all the Worthies of these latter times that freely allow it with one consent, you shall take the opinion of Calvin, one for all, who sets it down for a certain rule upon the light he drew from this present Cap. that every Church of what place soever may safely compose such a form of discipline, as may be most agreeable to itself, because the Lord therein hath prescribed no certainty.  
The truth is, the Apostle himself is so clear in this, that no man can make any further doubt: for when he seeks to suppress an upstart custom by a (non habemus talem,) and grounds himself upon this reason, because they nor the Churches had none such, what doth he but infer by way of consequence, that the practice of the Church; and determination of her Pastors, is warrant enough for any ceremony.  
It makes me wonder the more, and who doth not wonder at the froward humour of some peevish Novelists, that think all the practice of the Church in things indifferent, to be nothing else but usurpation, and all her decent and reverend customs that serve for the furtherance of Gods' service to be nothing else but a mere will-worship.  
Their spite is so great against the present government, because it crosses their self-willed humours, that they will scarce allow that power to the Church in the meanest things, that every Churchwarden and mean Artificer would soon challenge, if they might be left to their own liberty.  
Belike the Seers of the Lord are become blind, that they cannot discern the meanest things; or else the stewards of the Lord are become unfaithful, that they may not be trusted with the poorest ceremony.  
But well far the good and courteous Samaritan; he was not half so straight to the good Innkeeper when he gave him the care of the wounded traveller in the Gospel, so willing was he to enlarge his favour, that beside the two pence he left to discharge the reckoning, he gave him leave to spend more, and to run upon the score till his next return. 
Vid. Aug. de quaest. Euang. li. 2. quaest. 59 Ambro. & Origen. in Luc. Maca. Cyrill. & alios in Cat. G●ae●. patrum in Luc.   
No doubt a large allowance given to a stranger, but if we be the wounded travellers, as indeed we are, that unhappily miscarried in Adam's sin, and if the two pence he left us to discharge the reckoning may seem to allude, as most expound it, to the two Tables of the Testament, I wonder what course we may take to spend the overplus that he may allow it at his coming.  
In necessary expenses for food or physic we need not spend above our two pence: in points of faith and works of supererrogation, we must not spend above our allowance: perhaps we may spend somewhat more to advance the honour of the good Samaritan: and if we spend the overplus in his honour for the furtherance and advancement of his service, I make no doubt when he comes again to take the account of all our expenses, he will not stick to allow the overplus, with an ego reddam, I will pay it.  
But they may chance to say, 
Ob. Con. Tridér. decret. 1. Se●●. 4. Paripietatis affectu traditiones una cum libris veteris & novi Testamenti suscipimus.  this fair allowance given to the Church, may make too much for the Church of Rome, that makes the voice of the Church, the voice of God, and equals the power of her own traditions with the peerless authority of the written word. And what if some offend in excess and lavishness, must we therefore offend in defect and want? what if they give the Church too much, must we give too little or nothing at all? what if they strain the power of the Church, even to points of doctrine, and articles of faith, shall we abridge and scant her power, that she may not reach to points of discipline? Nay rather let the Scripture enjoy her right in matter of faith, and the Church her interest in matter of custom: that's a privilege given to the Scripture, this a permission left unto the Church: He that is Lord of all, may do what he will with his own goods, whether he give more or less to the sacred Scripture, what is it to thee, Sume quod tuum est, & vade. O Church, take thine own, and go thy way, thou hast power enough to use a ceremony, thou hast power enough to make a ceremony; let us now proceed a little further, and see what power thou hast to press a ceremony.  
The making of a ceremony is not much, 
How the Church may urge her cust:  and the use of a ceremony least of all; all the matter is about the urging of a ceremony, that may chance to urge a many of us.  
But if you give us leave to make a custom, and give us no power to press the custom, you do as much in effect, as if you gave us a gift with one hand, and sought with the other to snatch it from us.  
Saint Jerome gives counsel to Lucinius, 
Epist. ad Lucin.  that all the customs of the Church, that were no prejudice to the faith, should be strictly observed: and S. Paul is so stiff for the custom here, that he will not suffer it to be overborne by the stubborn humour of contentious men.  
Now if the customs had such a stroke in the first beginning and infancy of the Gospel, when they could not be of many years standing, what power may belong unto them in these latter times, being now confirmed by long use, whereby they are become the more a custom?  
There is no company nor society of men but stand upon the right of their own customs, 
All men stand upon their own customs.  nay every parish, and private house is ready to lay claim to one or other; and when the Church herself hath taken up a custom that tends to the furtherance of God's service, may not she have power to stand upon it, and to bind her children to conformity?  
Can you but show for your Civil customs, what we can allege for our Church-customs, good leave may you have to stand upon them; but I doubt, by your favour, it will be long enough ere you can show the Apostles seal for the warrant and justification of your customs.  
Some customs you have, I must needs grant, which you may safely hold by the same right, as being not determined by the written laws, of that nature are your Ways, and Mounds, and fines, and quitrents, and suits, and services, and commons, and releefes, and heriots, and 1000 more of the like kind, that must be judged by the custom, because the Law therein hath prescribed no certainty; but when you set up customs of your own devising, which former ages never heard of, to stint the Church to a kind of pension, and to justle out the laws in that case provided, well may you force us to suffer such customs, but you shall never persuade us to allow them.  
The Lord foresaw in his own wisdom that such injurious customs were like to grow upon his own law, 
Leu. 27.28. & 31.  and therefore he makes provision aforehand, that if any had a mind to buy out their tithes for ready money, they should yield a fifth part over and above the real value of the thing redeemed, to prevent ungodly compositions.  
If any custom or composition of these times shall freely allow that fifth part over, well may they hold and enjoy their customs, but if they come short of that proportion, as commonly they do which are most urged, that scarce allow one fifth for all the due; I trow every honest and well disposed heart will first consult with his own conscience how his plea will hold in the inner court, before he stand upon such a custom.  
Such customs as these in their own nature, as being delivered to us by word of mouth, beside the warrant of the word, are much alike to some Romish traditions, which our adversaries seek to obtrude upon us: but if the word of God be sufficient against the one, as I trow it is, I hope it may be thought as sufficient against the other, and so the matter is soon agreed.  
Consider I pray how God shall bless the labours of our hands, as long as we seek to bind his hands? how shall he vouchsafe to enlarge us, as long as we seek to straighten him? how can we look for a full increase, while we mean to allow him no increase?  
It is not for me to cry down these customs, wherein every one pretends some interest, but if you stand so much upon these upstart customs, that tend to the hindrance of religion; I trow there is no man can think ill of us, if we plead hard for the ancient customs, that serve to the honour of religion, and to the furtherance of God's service.  
You must needs know that Mos populi dei is a great deal more than Mos populi; 
The Church may städ upon hers much more. Inst. l 4. ca 10. sect. 30.  they are but only humane customs that proceed from man & tend to man; but the customs of the Church, that serve for the furtherance of devotion, if you please to believe Mr. Calvin himself, are not only humane, but also divine, and so may the better be stood upon.  
You say well (may some reply) so they be good and wholesome customs, 
Objections against customs Ob. 1.  but if they breed offence to the people of God, and may not be kept with a safe conscience, were they not better be taken away then maintained to breed more offence?  
To this objection let the wise Lawgiver make an answer: 
Sol. Nulla lex satis commoda omni bus, idton tum quaritur, etc. Cat. apud Liv. decad. lib. 4. Singulos per dies n●vum aliquid affectant. Iren. lib. 1. Ob. 2. Sol.  There is no Law (says he) profitable and commodious unto all; that is the thing to be enquired, whether it suit with the greater part; and if it be liked of the most and better part, we must not alter a Law so generally allowed, to give content to a few humorists, that will hardly be pleased with any Law.  
But another will say, these pretended customs are a great impeachment to Christian liberty.  
If any man think so, let 
* Inst. l. 4. c. 10. supr: Ob. 3.  Calvin answer (if they will take his word) That the outward orders of the Church can lay no bond upon the conscience, as long as they are no fixed and perpetual laws, but external rudiments of humane weakness and infirmity.  
Whatsoever they are may another say, as long as they deal in things indifferent, they may be used indifferently, and not pressed upon such as cannot brook them.  
I marry, 
Sol.  if every one should be left to his own will, when the Church hath agreed upon a rule, 
Resalioquin per se mediae mutant quodammodo naturam, etc. Thes. eccl. Belg. art. 6  we should have a goodly Church in a short time. Such a liberty (M. Calvin can tell you) could not choose but cause great confusion, and that confusion and disorder could not choose but breed sundry quarrels.  
I, 
Ob. 4.  but they need not be urged for all that with such rigour and extremity, as if they were equal to the law of God.  
No, 
Sol. Obligatio si●● coertione null●. Aug. jura n●n ju●a dicenda s●●●.  God forbidden it should come to that yet: they must be urged upon some to make the bond so much the stronger. Give us a law without a binding power, and 'tis like a bell without a clapper: every man will be ready to put it off like a slipper or pantofle at his pleasure, so the Church herself & all her customs shall become a scorn and byword to contentious men.  
It may be some may urge further, 
Ob. 5.  if your customs were such as the Apostle stands upon, none would deny them a binding power. Those it seems were framed by the Apostles, and generally allowed by all the Churches; and if it were not so indeed, Saint Paul had never employed so much by his (nos habemus, & Ecclesiae Dei) we have them, and the Churches of God: whensoever you make it appear that any of your customs were either delivered by the Apostles, or universally received of all the Churches, you shall find us ready to subscribe without more ado, that we may not be thought to be contentious.  
Whether any of our customs be such or no, 
Sol. Ambr. in 4. Ephes. at least if it were his ownwork. To. 3. tit. 7. cap. 63.  I dare not avouch upon any certainty: I hear St. Ambrose complain in his time, that the Churches had swarved from the Apostolic customs; and Waldensis likewise in his time, that the Apostolic traditions could hardly be discerned from such as were merely ecclesiastical: yet if the rule of Saint Augustine go for current, as 'tis allowed by some of our best Divines, 
Li. 4. cont. Don. ca 23. Zuing. de bapt. Field li 4. ca 21.  that whatsoever hath been generally observed in any age, and yet not prescribed in any Council, may be certainly believed to be Apostolical. I see no reason but some of our own customs which found such general allowance in the days of our Fathers, whereof we can find no beginning, neither in the Counsels of the Church, nor in the writings of the Fathers, may safely pass for Apostolical.  
It were to be wished (if wishes might stand for good proofs) that all the customs of the Church were only such, and that nothing might be used in any one, but what were allowed by all the rest: when antiquity and universality meet both together in the same custom, 
Aug. 118. ep. ad Jan. insolentissimae est insaniae. etc.  they give such credit and countenance to the practice of the Church, that no man can refuse to join with us without suspicion of distraction.  
But what if our customs be not such, have we therefore no right to stand upon any, unless they come home to Saint Paul's conditions? I warrant you habemus talem will be sufficient for a ceremony, though we cannot say, habemus candem: for neither the 
a Doct. Field, li. 4. c. 20. ut sup.  Apostolic customs can bind us, nor any else that have been general, unless the present Church give free allowance; and seeing we have the same power in things indifferent, the same I say to frame a custom, the same if need be to 
b Tert. de veland. virg.. Caetera quidë disciplinae admittunt novitatem correctionis. E● Aug. ep. ad Jan. vel emëdari oportet quod fi●bat, vel institui quod non fiebat.  change a custom, let not us dispute any more either of the novelty or particularity of the custom, but readily submit to the Church's order without any further disputation.  
Before the custom was ordained, it was free for every one to put in a caveat; but when the rule is once settled, there is no further place for disputation: a simple obedience without any special inquisition, in such a case, is most absolute: and if the Church can hardly err, as you heard before, in the ordination of a custom, why should I doubt that I should err in yielding obedience to the custom?  
No argument holds against a custom, 
Custom a good plea for matter of rite.  nay it is so far from that, that the Apostle makes the bare allegation of the custom a special argument of itself against innovation.  
Many arguments had he used in the former verses, some from 
* Ver. 13. Ver. 7. Ver. 14  decency, some from authority, some from nature, according as the nature of the matter would best allow: and now being desirous to strike home, and to set a bar against all reply, he brings them up to the Church's custom, that if the rest of his arguments could not persuade, yet this might be sure to enforce obedience.  
Blessed Saint Paul, thou hast now taught us an easy way to put an end to all contention that ever shall arise concerning ceremonies, henceforth if any shall seem contentious, we shall not need to beat him down either with Fathers, or Counsels, or Apostles, or Scriptures, no nor yet the authority of other Churches; what shall we need to go about when Saint Paul hath showed us a nearer way, 
Acclamatio patrum in 1. Con. Nicen.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, let the custom prevail in the name of God, and let no man presume to speak against it.  
If any private man shall attempt in time to come to bring upon us a new custom, either in praying, or preaching, or baptising, or communicating, or marrying, or burying, whatsoever it be, or by whomsoever it be allowed, we will say no more then S. Paul does, Non habemus talem, we have none such: You may not set up a new custom.  
On the other side, if any shall seek to put down the old, whether in standing, or kneeling, or crossing, or bowing, or uncovering, or whatsoever else of the same alloy, that hath been either prescribed in our book of Canons, or religiously continued in the reverend practice of our mother Churches, we shall need to say no more then S. Paul implies, habemus talem, we have such a custom allowed amongst us, and you have no power to put it down.  
Indeed custom is a good plea for outward rite, 
Custom no good plea for matter of doctrine.  but for the doctrine of God's worship, that concerns the essence of religion, we must not plead a bare custom. When any part of that gracious charter shall be called in question by stubborn heretics, we must not follow the customs of men, 
Cypr: ep. 63. & ad Pomp: 78. & add Quint. 74.  but the truth of God; nor must we regard what men have done, but what Christ hath said for our direction. Ad legem & testimonia, to the law and the testimonies must we go for trial, there must we seek for our direction; but for matter of rites, and outward discipline, which are things in themselves merely arbitrary, and no where expressed in the word of God: we can never use a more strong demonstrative argument then S. Paul hath used in the words of my text, We have, or, we have not such a custom.  
The very name of custom hath some weight, because the allowance of the Church is added to it, yet it is not the allowance of every Church, that takes up a rite of her own head, contrary to the order of other Churches; but the unanimous consent of sundry Churches agreeing in one, that gives the name and force of a custom.  
S. Paul doth not stand upon the custom of one Church, much less doth he urge it against all the rest; but lo he stands upon the general use of the Apostolic Churches, and urges the harmony of the most, against the private use of the Church of Corinth; to teach us that if any question should arise in time to come about the different orders of sundry Churches, that we could hardly know which to follow, we should ever prefer the customs of the most, and specially those which are most Apostolic, before the private orders of some few that have degenerated from the rule.  
You see the nature of S. Paul's customs, 
1 Cor. 14.40. & 26.  and what power you have to stand upon them; a better custom you cannot have, nor better authority to bear you out: I will but only add this one word more, that your customs be decent and reverend customs, surnished with all those special properties which S. Paul requires in every custom, and then you come fully up to the Apostles (talis) you have a custom I warrant you against all exception; and if any man seem to be contentious, you may safely plead it in open Court (habemus talem) we have such a custom.  
But I fear I shall exceed the time, and so break the custom while I stand so long upon the Church's custom; but if I have tired the patience of any in tracing this strange unusual argument, I desire the blame may rest upon them whose wilful and stubborn oppositions have forced me to break my usual custom.  
For most of you, this labour might be spared, for I have seen your order and approved it, but others there are of that cross and peevish spirit, that I think if S. Paul himself would supply this place, he could hardly win them to conformity.  
Let the Church stand upon her customs while she will, the rulers of the Church observe the custom, and all the Doctors of the Church both old and new allow the custom, yet they resolve to hold their custom, their custom of wilful contradiction.  
If any custom at all go down with them, it must be the custom of some foreign Church: Great is Diana of the Ephesians, and they are apt enough to admire her customs; but for the customs of our own Church, 
Sr. George Paul in the life of Archb: Whitgift. Apoc. 3.17 18, 19  which all our neighbours so much renown; and our very adversaries themselves account an honour to our reformation, they must not be allowed upon any terms.  
Alas poor Mother, thou sayest thou art rich, and wantest nothing, and knowest not that thou art poor, and naked, and miserable, and blind, that thou canst not judge of the least custom: Thou must buy thy gold of them if thou wilt be rich, and thy raiment of them, if thou wilt be clothed, and thy eyesalve of them if thou wilt be cured of thy blindness; and yet the most of them will freely confess (if they are not too ingrateful) that they themselves have been debtors unto thee, not only for the light of heavenly truth, but for the help of outward supportation.  
Did the fame of thy children never spread beyond the Alps, or their glory beyond the Lemanian lake? Why then should thy children despise thy customs, and dote upon the love of foreign Churches, unless they mean to play the parts of ungracious children, to discredit the womb that brought them forth, and the paps that brought them up.  
For our parts, we are loath to discredit our neighbour Churches, such as have joined with us in the reformation; whatsoever customs they have, we envy them not, good leave may they have to stand upon them, and if any of us should converse among them, we would not stick to use their customs.  
The rule that S. 
a Apud Aug. ep. ad Casulanun. Quando Rome sum, etc. & ad quamcunque aliam ecclesiam veneritis ejus m●●em servate, si pari scanda●um, nec vultis, aec facere. ibid.  Ambrose gave to his friend S. Augustine, when he asked his opinion concerning fasting on the Saturday, which was the custom at Rome, but not at Milan, that when he was at Rome, he used to fast, and when he was at Milan he used to eat; the same must we always observe in matter of Rite, as S. Augustine teaches, If we will neither offer nor suffer scandal.  
Let me give the counsel that 
b jer. ep. ad Lucin. Ego illud te breviter admonendum puto, etc. Necalierun consuetudi. nem ali●rum contrario modo subverti.  Jerome gave to his friend Lucinius, that thou keep the customs of the Church inviolable, and suffer not the customs of one Church to be undermined, to bring in the customs of another. Thou mayst easily offend either way, but chief in opposing thine own Church: for if it be matter of scandal as you heard before, to refuse the customs of foreign Churches whensoever we chance to communicate with them, how can we free ourselves from cause of scandal, when we spurn at the rites of our own Church, and refuse to conform to her authorised customs?  
I must say no more of these kind of men, for I doubt my doom is passed already; I must go for a formalist, a , and I know not what if I plead so hard for the Church's custom; but if I suffer in this cause, S. Paul may best answer for me, he hath deceived me if I be deceived, and if he have a share in this hard censure, I shall be well content to suffer with him, although they should make me yet more vile.  
Howsoever it be, I shall yet entreat for all that, and I will not entreat in mine own name, but in the words of the blessed Apostle; 
1 Cor. 1.10.  Now I beseech you brethren by the name of the Lord jesus Christ, that you all speak one thing, and that there may be no schisms and dissensions among you.  
Let no man strive against the customs of the Church, for that will turn to his own confusion, these wars are like the wars of Saul and David, 
1 Sam 3.1  where the house of Saul grew still weaker, and the house of David gathered strength.  
It is hard to kick against these pricks, for you may sooner gall your own feet by a foolish opposition, than you can blunt or spurn down the Church's custom.  
There is neither comfort nor gain in this rash adventure, but only the shame of your own mother; but if you will yield yourselves like dutiful children to observe the custom, or like stout champions to plead the custom, you have the warrant of the Apostle to defend you, and the countenance of your Mother to encourage you, and the promise of your Father to reward you, even the Father of peace, and the Father of all comfort, who shall sanctify you all throughout, and keep you both in soul and body, and spirit, blameless until the day of jesus Christ.  
Amen.  
FINIS.