Corporal Worship Discussed and Defended: IN A SERMON Preached at the VISITATION April 21. 1670. In Saviours-Church Southwark. And Published to prevent farther Calumny. By W. B. LONDON, Printed for Tho. Basset, at the George near Cliffords-Inne in Fleetstreet, 1670. To the Right Worshipful Sir Mondeford Bramston Knight; Dr. of Laws; and one of the Masters of his Majesty's High Court of Chancery; and Chancellor of the Right Reverend Father in God George by Divine Permission Lord Bishop of Winton, my Diocesan. Right Worshipful, COnsciousness of my own weakness sufficiently deters me from public censure: therefore I should not have entertained one thought of appearing abroad, had not this discourse been made both a Chimney, and (as I may speak) a Pulpit-talk, amongst the froward Enemies of our Church: yet, had they any thing of truth, and modesty, in their reflections, I should have lain unconcerned beneath them: but as it is their practice to load whatever makes against them (to speak modestly) with all the aggravations it is capable of receiving; so it is the people's pleasure to embrace whatever they say as Folia Sibyllae, articles of faith, or undoubted maxims of truth: be pleased to take one instance, I have heard several particular persons affirm (I am loath to say one of their Preachers too, who pretended he had read, and understood the book) that the Author of the Eccles. Pol. declares it more excusable for any man to be guilty of all manner of debauchery, than to go to a private Meeting; and though I knew it was so grand an abuse of that Ingenious Author, yet could by no means drive them from that persuasion, some of their Leaders had brought them to: and if they had the confidence to abuse that piece, that was offered to the view of any, that would give themselves the trouble of reading; how much more will they abuse my Notes, if not suffered to speak for themselves! These considerations put me upon some inlargements in transcribing the first Copy, a task You was pleased to lay upon me: but since your commands of making it public have brought my wavering thoughts to a fixed resolution: and since it is abroad, I wish them more candour, and ingenuity in the reading, than some had in the hearing of it: shall they think fit to oppose, I am ready (as much as in me lies) to strengthen those assertions, which too much haste hath huddled over: but as you was pleased to call this piece to skirmish from the Pulpit; and since to face its Enemies in the open Field; I leave it under your Conduct, and Protection; wishing your Authority may be both its Encouragement, and also a Bulwark to secure our Church against the assaults of her peevish Enemies: so having fought for Religion in this Church, which they have made Militant more than in a figure, you may be a Member of that, which is Triumphant, is the Prayer of Your Humble Orator W. B. 1 Epist. Cor. 6.19, 20. — Ye are not your own; For ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and your spirit, which are Gods. MAn being a rational Creature, we should deal with him by reason; not endeavouring to affright him into the worship of a Deity, or the closer embraces of Virtue and Religion, by some thundering speeches, which have (it may be) neither sufficient ground to stand on, nor are strengthened with any considerable arguments; which is a folly, that would certainly be not only decried, but easily amended too; if (in this) all would frame their discourses by the Apostles pattern, who lays down such arguments, that the duty he presses to, doth flow as a necessary consequence from them: for dissuading the Corinthians from fornication, he shows they belong to God by dedication and redemption; and consequently by that double tye, are obliged to all manner of virtue, and religious worship: For, Know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost, and Ye are not your own; For ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and your spirit. The Text is a perfect Enthymeme, or, if you will, an imperfect Syllogism; with an argument inserted between the proposition, and conclusion. 1. A proposition: Ye are not your own. 2. An argument to prove it: For ye are bought with a price. 3. A conclusion from that proposition, which is ushered in with the Illative [therefore] Therefore glorify God in your body, and spirit, which are Gods. The meaning of the proposition is clear; Ye are not your own, i. e. not proprii juris, to live as you please yourselves: for it is contrary to the law of reason, as well as the express law of the land, that any man should employ that, which is, alienum, belonging to another, as he thinks fit himself. But lest the proposition should be denied, the Apostle brings an argument to prove it; Ye are bought with a price; and therefore belong to him that purchased you. But certainly there is another way, at least in order of time, before that of redemption or dedication, by which we belong to God: and that is Creation. He made, he redeemed us, therefore we are not our own. Seeing our duty of glorifying God will follow more strongly from both, I shall discourse on each. That we belong to God by creation is evident, for man, and all the world, must Have been from Eternity, Or be made by chance, Or be the makers of themselves, Or else be made by another, which can be none but God, to whom they belong. No other way, surely, can be imagined, how things could possibly come to an actual existence: therefore the three first being evidently false, the last must needs be true, that we belong to God by creation; and therefore are not our own. Had the world been from Eternity, Unless from Scripture. what is the reason that we have no certain knowledge of any thing done before a few of the last Generations; nor any monuments of Antiquity, whose beginning is not either known, or shrewdly guessed at? If we come to the Pyramids in Egypt, they were thought by Josephus to have been built by the Jews during their bondage there; and by others more probably since: whereas— It is but of late years, since many parts of the world were discovered; and no longer since, than in the time of Alexander the Great, that little which was known, was so poorly fortified, and thinly inhabited by unskilful and timorous people, that he soon made himself Master of it all. Many ingenious Arts are but of late invention; and Seneca tells us it was not in his time one thousand years since ingenuity and learning began to flourish in the world: therefore if any savour this opinion, they must have very high thoughts of this, and some few of the last Generations, and but little or no charity at all for millions before them; in leaving them like Bruits without understanding, and be beholding to a few of the last for whatever is worthy of notice. Hence the world seems but of late crept out of her infancy, not yet ascended to the Meridian of ingenuity and learning: whence we may as rationally conclude, that it is not of so long a standing, as that a youth by his looks, and parts, hath not attained the age and experience of a fullgrown man. The Heathens did generally believe that all things had a beginning: and though some fly to Aristotle as the great Patron of the world's Eternity; yet, whatever arguments he might lay down to prove it, Barlow in his Metaphysical Exercitations, denies him to have been constantly, if ever purely of this mind: by reason (particularly) of his speaking of an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a being from whence all other beings flow: but if this seems not prevalent enough, the world is composed of parts, and the parts must of necessity be before whole, in order both of time and nature; but was the world Eternal, either the whole must have been as soon as the parts, or else the parts must have been before Eternity itself: neither of which reason can allow. It is as evident too, that things could never be made by chance, or the fortuitous union of some straggling atoms, as Epicurus saith: for though matter, and motion, may do something, yet 'tis impossible they should ever produce a world so admirably seated, and fitted for the entertainment of so many creatures; and then furnish it too with such variety of beings, which are all (in a manner) necessary; and seem not only intended for some end, but are so exactly fitted for the several ends they seem to be made for: all the wit in the world can never contrive how things should be better; neither the whole, nor any part, wants any thing necessary, nor hath any thing superfluous: the Sun, Moon, and other Stars, for so many thousand years together, are so constant and regular in their motions, that day and night, Winter and Summer, are always exactly at their wont seasons; all which (with much more, that might be named) can never be the work of mere matter, and a fortuitous motion. It is also as apparently contrary to reason, that man, or any thing else, should make itself: for the cause must act before the effect be produced: therefore if man be the maker of himself, he must be both the causa, and the causatum, and consequently must act in order to his own being: and hence it will follow that he must have a being before he is made, else he could not act in order to his own being; for action necessarily presupposes being: and so he must be, and not be at the same instant; which is so repugnant to reason, that we may safely conclude we were all made by another, which can be none but God. He made us, and not we ourselves; we are the work of his hands, and the sheep of his pasture: in the beginning God made Heaven, and Earth, and whatever is contained in either, himself only excepted: and that, which Moses calls the void and formless earth, was the materia prima, out of which all earthly beings were produced; neither was this any Eternal matter, but was created by him, and made fit for the reception of any manner of forms, as preparatory (if I may so speak) to the great work of Creation: hence, though things were made of pre-existing, yet not of co-existing matter: and consequently there never was any thing, but what lies under the notion of a Creature: and therefore we belong to him by Creation, And are not our own. But the express argument the Apostle uses to prove the proposition is Redemption. Ye are not your own; For ye are bought with a price. This supposes man's fall by sin; for unless he had revolted from his Creator, there had been no need of Redemption; for none buy that, which is their own: and as it supposes man's sin, and folly, so it proclaims God's goodness, and mercy, in not leaving him to perish in his own devices; but in laying help upon one, that is Mighty, and able to rescue us from the paw of the Lion: For We are bought with a price. As Justice could be satisfied with no price of less than an infinite value; so we are bought not with corruptible things, as gold, and silver, but with the precious blood of the Son of God: though it be impossible there should be in God any potentia passiva; yet there being so near an union between the Divinity, and Humanity of Christ, that what was done too, or suffered by one, was attributed to the other, we are truly said to be redeemed by the blood of the Son of God: this is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or price in the Text. Ye are bought with a price. Now we cannot in reason doubt, but that we are bought, the price already paid, and that by him too, whom we own to be the Messiah, having so many things, that may serve as very strong preparatories to bring us to this belief; and others, that do more clearly evince it. Among the preparatories I might reckon some of the Prophecies both of Sibylla Cumaea, and Sibylla Erythraea; and also the ceasing of Oracles, mentioned by Plutarch, though by his strange sancies in that discourse, he plainly shows, he knew not the reason of it; which we must fetch from the Prophet, not the Philosopher: as likewise the confession of the Jews themselves, and some of the Heathen, as Cornel. Tacitus in particular, lib. 15. Annalium. par. 44. who own that there was such a person as Christ, and that he suffered death under Pontius Pilate, which is agreeable with one of the Articles of our Faith: and should we from hence cast an eye upon the world, which lay groaning under the bondage of sin, some of the Heathen being puzzled, and nonplussed, in conceiving how divine justice should be satisfied; and the Apostles also telling us that we were without strength, spoiled of all power of doing any thing in order to our own recovery, we shall be much helped toward this belief, that We are bought with a price. But there are other things, that do more clearly evince it, as Types under the Law, both persons, and things, which were shadows of things to come, and like so many fingers, point out him to be the Messiah; and all the Prophecies, like so many lines, do meet in him, as in their proper centre. Then his Birth was set off with a train of wonders, as an extraordinary Star, supposed by some to be hinted at in Balaam's Prophecy; and a Choir of Angels singing, To us a Child is born, to us a Son is given. Next, behold his works, which being real miracles, must have been wrought by a supernatural power; as dispossessing of Devils, raising the dead etc. only by a word, which he wrought both to prove his Divinity, and also the end of his coming to be the Redemption of the world. His Death likewise was not only followed by a praternatural Eclipse, cleaving of Rocks, opening of Graves, and rending the Vale; which made the Centurion say, Truly this was the Son of God.: but also in all points agreed with the Prophecies in the Old, and his own words in the New Testament: after which, having rose again according to the Scripiure, he appeared to above five hundred at once; and having commanded his Apostles to teach, and baptise all Nations, he fitted those illiterate men for so great a task, by extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost, by which they spoke in so many tongues, as wrought admiration in all the Proselytes that heard them: all which, both proves his Divinity, and shows he came to Buy us with a price. Now God having such an absolute Sovereignty over, right to, and propriety in us, as he is our Creator and Redeemer: the conclusion very strongly follows: Therefore glorify God in your body, and spirit, which are Gods. As man is compounded of matter, and form, so God commands us to glorify him in both: glorify God in your body, and spirit: the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with the Soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The meaning of which words we may take thus; Glorify, i. e. declare the divine perfections, and excellencies of God; which is done several ways. By intention of the Soul in all the duties, In Spirit, and Body. or exercises of religious worship. By innocence, and purity of life, which is opposed to the Corinthians fornication. And also by decent gestures, reverend behaviour, and corporal adoration in all places, and times of divine worship. Without intention of the Soul, you give God but the husk and shadow. Without such reverence and adoration, you offer him but an imperfect service: Therefore those which God hath joined together, let no man put a sunder: but Glorify him in your body, and spirit, which are his. In all the several factions, and parties amongst us, there is scarce a man, that will not grant it a duty to glorify God in the Spirit; and indeed they separate from us merely upon pretence of setting up a more pure and spiritual worship: and when we speak of such reverence and adoration, they think to stop our mouths with that Text, John 4.24. The true worshippers shall worship in spirit and in truth: if we take the words as much in their sense as we can, they do not exclude such reverence and adoration; for this is in, and flows from a spiritual devotion: they may as well hold that he, that prays, or sings, should not speak at all, because the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 14.15. That he will do both in the spirit, and in the understanding: but though this be a Text very illy, and absurdly applied to their purpose, as having quite another design; for by this Christ shows the Samaritan woman, that the time is coming, when the true worshippers shall worship, not with types, and shadows of things to come, as in the Old Testament, but according to the verity of things exhibited in Christ: yet their quoting and wresting of this Scripture, doth plainly show, that as on the one hand, they seem very zealous of glorifying God in their spirits; so, on the other, they are very averse from, and resolute against glorifying him in their bodies: I need not therefore insist on the chiefer part, it being owned, not only by our Church, but by all those, who would make themselves our Adversaries too; consider them under what notion or terms you please: and will therefore discourse on glorifying God in our bodies, by decent gestures, reverend behaviour, and corporal adoration. They cannot deny but that God made the body, as well as the soul; for else the body can be no creature, or part of the creation. Neither can they deny but that God redeemed both, for else the body can never partake of future happiness, seeing without redemption there is no salvation: and consequently if there be any glorified souls, they shall never be reunited to their bodies after the resurrection, but remain in perpetual separation: and if so, what reason can they give for denying God that glory, and worship, which is due from one; seeing he hath the same right and title to both! They likewise, as well as we, expect, and hope, that their bodies should be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus: and we know that a reward doth necessarily presuppose a duty: upon what ground then can they hope that God should glorify their bodies hereafter, if they refuse to glorify him in their bodies here? Should they say, they do it sufficiently by keeping their bodies, as much as in them lies, from being instruments of sin; as fornication, or the like. I think, I may answer, this is but a negative devotion, which alone cannot denominate any man religious, for— ex puris negativis nihil concluditur: as there is a positive happiness for body, and soul; so there are positive commands and consequently positive duties to be performed by each. But because they may instance in some positive duties, they perform with their bodies, as well as the soul; such as be singing, praying, and preaching. I therefore add, As God hath by Creation, Redemption, Preservation, Promises, and the like, laid all the obligations upon us, that can be, to be religious; so we should use all means, or ways possibly of glorifying him; and if such reverence, and adoration, be not one, I hardly know what is: for as the soul is the chiefer part of man, but yet is no man, till it be joined with the body; so the internal devotion of the soul is the chiefer part of religious worship; but yet this worship is imperfect, till it be accompanied with the reverence and adoration of the body, and that exercise of the body before mentioned, in singing, praying, and preaching, if there be any other such small things, do make up but a very lame service; whilst reverend gestures, and corporal adoration is wanting: they throw in their Annis, and Cummin, whilst the greater matters of the body are still neglected. Let me urge for adoration; which being proved, decent gestures, and reverend behaviour will be proved too: as omne majus continet minus: or as they are smaller parts of such adoration. God did forbid the Jews, Exod. 20.5. to bow down to any graven Image: which corporal adoration is a part of divine worship, else it would not be forbid to be done to Idols; whence it appears that this bowing the head, or body, is unlawful only when terminated to wrong objects, as Images; and consequently is lawful, and necessary too, when terminated to the right, as the true God; and therefore this manner of worship must needs be (at least) lawful, nay necessary, if done to the true God only; or out of reverence to him, toward the place where he is most especially present: and accordingly we find that this was practised by the Jews without any imputation of sin: as I shall show anon. Neither can they say, that this was abolished by Christ. For the morality of this command doth sufficiently show its perpetuity: as it is a perpetual prohibition, Thou shalt not bow down to any graven Image; so it is a perpetual obligation, Thou shalt bow down to the true God: for so long as corporal adoration of Images remains forbidden, so long corporal adoration of the true God is a part of divine worship, and so remains our duty: and, I hope, you will be unwilling enough to take away this command, when you consider the consequences of it; for the command being taken away, that, which is forbid by it, will become lawful, and so we may worship Images. They cannot possibly wind off this by saying they do it sufficiently in kneeling to him in prayer; for this is but a part of corporal adoration: but (to come so far to them) should they answer thus, they must allow kneeling to be a duty: and if so, why (I wonder) should it be a duty in their private families, and none in the public Congregation: where their practice shows, that they think it enough, forsooth, to sit upon their tails, with their hats (it may be) half on their heads. We read of such manner of adoration, before there was any law in the world, beside that of nature, and special revelation: for Abraham bowed himself before God, and the Gentiles in all parts of the world did the same to those things, which they owned as Gods; which shows that this is natural, and consequently perpetually obliging: for as reason, and conscience, tells us that there is a God, so they oblige us to worship that God with all reverence, and adoration imaginable: and as many Authors build an argument upon the former to prove the existence of a Deity; so we may build as strong an argument on the latter to prove corporal adoration: for the law of nature binds as strong in the one, as in the other: and though in that first age of the world, God appeared by created Angels, or otherwise, in visible shapes; which some (possibly) may think required such special reverence, and adoration; yet we have his promise, that when two, or three, are gathered together in his name, he will be in the midst of them: and the Apostle likewise, 1 Cor. 11.10. tells us that Angels are present in places, and times of divine worship, and therefore we are as much obliged to pay this reverence, and adoration, as if God by those Angels, or any otherwise, was visibly amongst us; being undoubtedly assured both by his promise, and the Apostle too, that he is present (especially) in consecrated places, at such times of worship. As this is a part of worship, and therefore necessary in itself, so it is necessary, not only as it speaks the internal devotion of the soul; for how can I declare this, or any awe, or fear of God, without reverence and adoration: words are not sufficient, for many will hardly believe words, unless they see suitable actions: nor yet is a sober, virtuous life enough, for some of the Heathen were eminent for moral virtues, and yet were very slack, or no worshippers of any God at all: and we find it no great rarity to see virtue shine very bright in some, whom the Presbiterians themselves confidently brand for carnal men: but also as it heightens that internal devotion, for a being bare, standing, kneeling, bowing, and the like, must needs affect man with thoughts of his own vileness, and the awefulness of that Majesty he is before; like Abraham, who falling on his face said, I am but dust, and ashes: it being natural to man to ascend from things sensible to those, that are purely intelligible: and certainly 'tis a part of prudence, as well as duty, to use all means possible of raising our devotion as high as we can. That men may not still think this a late invention of our Church, or an old error of Rome, from whence they fancy we have whatever is decent, and comely, they may see the Apostle himself very pressing to this purpose; 1 Cor. 11. where he both tells the men their duty in Churches, and likewise reproves the woman's irreverence there: verse 4, 5. Every man praying, or prophesying, with his head covered, dishonours his head; and every woman, that prays, or prophecies, with her head uncovered, dishonours her head: where by prophesying we must understand singing, which hath commonly that term put upon it, not only in the Old Testament, but amongst the Heathen too, who sometimes called their Poet's Prophets, as the learned Mede doth very largely show: for women were not suffered to speak in the Church in a way of teaching: now the fault was the same in the women to be uncovered, or the men to be covered: and the argument he uses to dissuade them from those undecent customs to this more reverend behaviour, is, because of the Angels, verse 10. they being present in places, and times of divine worship, we ought to behave ourselves reverently; and as they are there all the time, so should we be reverend all the time too: which is very poorly practised by those, who are willing to be so far reverend, as to be uncovered at the singing Psalms, which are almost spoiled in Hopkin's Poetry; or, as one speaks, in Meeter, and good meaning; but are unwilling to be uncovered at the reading Psalms, or any other parts of Scripture, which they have purely from the original: which being covered, and uncovered, we may extend to other parts of external reverence, and corporal adoration: for it is impossible there should be too much of decency, reverence, and adoration, where God is present by his Angels: as Jacob having seen them ascending, and descending in a vision, said, when he waked, how dreadful is this place, it is no other than the house of God so methinks their presence in such places should awe us into the greatest of internal devotion, and external reverence too; for how dreadful are such places, because of the Angels! It is very strongly held by some, the forequoted Author in particular; that some, or other of the Angels are constantly in consecrated places, and therefore when ever we enter into, or pass through those places, we ought to show something of reverence, whether it be at time of Service, or no, and that upon the same reason, because of the Angels. Suppose we cannot undoubtedly prove this so, yet, I am confident, we can bring far better arguments toward the undeniable proof of it, than can possibly be brought against it; therefore this must needs be the safer way: and certainly except men out of a spirit of contradiction, were grown foolhardy in matters of Religion, they would never run the hazard of irreverence, and contempt of holy things, and places: but in time of service it is undeniable from the Apostle's words, that we ought to be reverend, because of the Angels. I may urge farther, Churches ought not to be profaned, or put to common uses, as the Apostle shows by an allusion in the next preceding verse; viz. know ye not that your bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost? which he urges as an argument to dissuade them from polluting themselves by fornication: for as Temples are dedicated to God, and upon that very account ought to be set apart from all common uses, which are a profanation of them: so man being dedicated to God, by his baptismal vow, beside voluntary engagements he lays upon himself after he comes to years of discretion, which I suppose at one time, or other, to be done by all; aught likewise upon that account, as well as others, to keep himself from pollution by sin: by this allusion it is undeniably evident, that Temples ought to be kept holy; but if any should say the Apostle alludes here chief, if not only, to the Jewish Temple, the non-prophanation of which was a part of the ceremonial law, which is abrogated by Christ: I think it very improbable he should allude to that place, which, with all the ceremonies belonging to it, were very imperfectly known to these Corinthians; but to put you quite out of doubt, you may see the same Apostle speak more plainly, and expressly of Christian Churches, there being some even in St. Paul's time, in 1 Cor. 11.22. where he reproves the Corinthians for feasting in those sacred places, Have ye not houses to eat and drink in? Or despise you the Church of God? The Church, though it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which most commonly signifies the people, yet we must here understand it of the place; it being opposed to house: Have ye not houses to eat and drink in? Or despise ye the Church of God? Which exposition is very agreeable to Mr. Vine's sense on the place, about the beginning of his second Chapter of his Treatise on the Sacrament: whom I name, because his authority is very prevalent with those, I have to do with: which manifestly shows, that a putting Churches to any common use, is a profaning, or despising of them; even according to Scripture, as well as the Canon: from whence I argue: If we ought not to put those places to common uses, certainly we ought not to come into them with common gestures, and behaviour: for I can see very little, if any difference at all, between one, and the other: because the sin lies in making consecrated, or separated places, common with others; which is done by common gestures, rude behaviour, and want of corporal adoration, as well as by eating, and drinking. Though not many years since, Churches were turned to Stables; and even now a profanation of all things Sacred is made a piece of Religion, and accounted a charectiristical letter to distinguish the good people (as they call themselves) from others; yet if eating, and drinking, which is good, and necessary in itself, was unlawful only upon this account, because done in that place, to be sure rude, and unseemly behaviour is unlawful too upon the same account; because a needless doing any thing, that is common in the Church of God, is a despising it, it being set a part for holy uses. Questionless holiness is most fit for holy places; the greatest reverence, and adoration, best becomes the house of the great God. But I am confident I might have spared all this pains, If I could persuade these men to be as zealous of glorifying God in their spirits, as they profess: for, as out of the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks; so internal devotion, if it be intense, will certainly discover itself in external reverence, and adoration: for it seems very near an impossibility, very improbable, I am sure, that any man should come into the house of God, affected as he ought with the greatness, and awfulness, of that Majesty he appears before, and not show it in such external worship. The most they have to say against is Idolatry; which is enough indeed, if they could prove it so; but this sufficiently shows either their ignorance, or ill natures: for the proper notion of Idolatry consists in a giving that honour, and religious worship, to any creature, which is due to God only: now I would fain know of these men to what creature we pay any thing of religious worship in any act before mentioned: suppose we proceed to a bowing at the name of Jesus, I am confident we may prove this full as lawful, and necessary, as standing up at the Creed, which some of them do allow: for the former was sometimes used in some places in opposition to the Arrians, who denied the Divinity of Christ, that by this act they might show they owned him to be God as well as man, by allowing him a fit object of divine worship; which they held the Arrians could not do without Idolatry, as they denied him to be any more than a creature: and the latter was practised by some to show that they gave a full assent to all the Articles of the Christian Faith, in opposition to those, who denied some of them: now if we look barely upon the action, it is almost the same in both; if upon the reason, or end of it, it is wholly the same in each; the one owns the truth of Christ's Divinity; the other the truth of those Articles rehearsed: why then should one be more Idolatry, than the other? If they say the former hath a bow added to it: If we stand up to show our assent to the truth of the Articles of our faith; certainly reason will oblige us to add a bow, when we stand up in token of assent to the truth of his Divinity, who is the Author, and Finisher of our Faith. Should they reply, that that bow altars the nature of the action, as making this an act of adoration, whilst the other is but a bare token of assent. I add (to run so far with them) suppose we should ground it on some place of Scripture, and so make it more strictly a duty: I would fain know here again to what creature do we in this give any thing of divine worship? I am sure not to any Image, or the like, as the Papists do, and therefore cannot see how there should be any thing of Idolatry in it. Should we do the same toward the Altar, yet we make this only motivum cultus, not terminativum: but because the Papists have the same plea for their bowing to Images; take this, we do not bow toward this, as the Papists do toward their Images, as any representation of any thing in Heaven, or Earth, or under the Earth: neither was it ever made for any such intent; and therefore is not at all against the second Commandment: but only in regard of God's especial presence there, which if you grant, you may as easily allow adoration toward this place, as reverence in other places of the Church: but should you doubt of this, because every part of the Church hath the same consecration; I refer you to the learned Mr. Mede, who about the latter end of his first Volume, hath much to this purpose, which, I am persuaded, will give any man some reasonable satisfaction, that doth not read him with a prejudice, and resolution not to be swayed by argument, and reason: we find that the Jews did the same toward their Altar, and that upon the command of Hezekiah too, in the 1 Chron. 32.12. which Hezekiah is recorded in chap. 29. vers. 2. to have done that, which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his Father had done; and therefore could be no Idolater: our Altar is the very same with theirs, they offered Sacrifice on that, we offer the Christian Sacrifice on this; the difference lies only in the Sacrifice itself, which is changed for the better, not for the worse: upon which account the same was practised by the Primitive Churches; and why should this be any more Idolatry in us, than in the Jews, and Primitive Christians? I hope you will not make that Idolatry in Hezekiah, for which the Scripture commends him: nor condemn those Primitive Christians, which were generally so eminent for Piety, and many died Martyrs too. Should others more modestly say we are Superstitious, they would charge us with a lesser crime, but with as little reason as the other: for Aquinas in his Sum. Theol. arguing about Superstition, comes at last to that 22. Quest. 93. Art. 2. which our opponents will be most ready to catch at, viz. to show that whatever is superfluous in the worship of God is Superstitious: now in this case he tells us a thing is superfluous, secundum quantitatem proportionis, when so needlessly thrust into the worship of God, that the end of this worship doth not require it; now the end of Divine worship is (according to that in my Text) that men might glorify God in their body, and spirit; but what external reverence, and adoration, our Church enjoins, is not only a duty by the Law, both of God, and Nature; (as the former Arguments prove) but is also necessary as it heightens, and declares our spiritual devotion; without which the Soul can very hardly be so intense as it ought, neither can we sufficiently make a visible profession: therefore there can be nothing superfluous, and consequently nothing Superstitious in this manner of worship. Neither can they run from our subject by this to condemn Ceremonies: for he concludes a few lines after, that that is needless, and so superstitious, which is not of some good use: for our Ceremonies are of considerable use, as they are decent, and gain reverential thoughts of the worship of God: and adds farther, which is done, praeter Dei, & Ecclesiae institutionem: whence it appears, that as God hath appointed the substance of his service; so he hath left to the Church to appoint the external form, manner, and circumstances of it: as is evident also from the Apostle, who commands that all things should be done decently, and in order; but he not showing what this decency and order is, hath left it to the discretion of the Church to appoint: therefore whatever lawful, and decent thing, the Church thinks fit to enjoin, becomes necessary; and consequently can be neither superfluous, nor Superstitious. But others very strongly hold that Superstition is in the opinions of men about things, not in the things themselves: as when any think it a sin to do those things, that may lawfully be done; or not do those, that may be lawfully let alone: see the Friendly Debate, part 3. page 118. whence the Author doth notably prove, that 'tis they, not we, that are Superstitious: others (to the same effect, though differing in words) hold it a placing Religion in the doing, or not doing those things, that are in themselves indifferent: which likewise removes Superstition from our Churches to their Conventicles; for the Church commands Ceremonies not as parts of Religion; but only as things decent, and comely, whereas they make a refusal of such things a necessary piece of Religion itself. But we are here treating of decent gestures, reverend behaviour, and corporal adoration, which are not things indifferent, but necessary parts of religious worship, (as is before proved) and therefore cannot possibly be brought under that notion. Should they say 'tis a worshipping God after any unseemly, or unbecoming manner: they will yet be as far from their end, as before: for these gestures, and adoration, are expressions, or signs, of the greatest honour, and reverence imaginable, according to the custom of the place, we live in; and therefore are the most becoming the greatest Majesty. They are daily crying Superstition, Superstition, among their followers; but I could never perfectly understand what they will have it to be: would they be pleased to give us a definition of it, we should know the better how to handle them. Let me argue thus, If Superstition be not in the opinions of men about things, but in the things themselves; than it must be either in Ceremonies, or in these gestures, and adoration. But it cannot be in our Ceremonies, for they being in themselves indifferent, may be imposed, which imposition makes them necessary: as our men have abundantly proved, see Eccles. Pol. ch. 6. Neither can it be in these gestures, and adoration; for than they must either condemn all manner of bodily worship, the highest act of adoration, our Church enjoins, being founded on Scripture, and reason, as well as the lowest; and so refuse to glorify God in their bodies by any positive duties, which will exclude their bodies from all positive happiness, for a negative duty can receive no more than a negative reward; and withal must condemn themselves too, who sometimes use some postures of reverence, as a sitting bare at the singing Psalms, and kneeling in Prayer in their private families; or, should they be unwilling to do this, they must acquaint us with some more fit, and becoming modes of external worship; which they can never do; because these we use (as is above hinted) are, according to custom, signs of the greatest reverence, which is most fit for the greatest being. In a fewer words thus, If this bodily worship be Superstitious, they must either change it to better, which is impossible; or take away all, which is contrary to Scripture, and their own practice: for taking one part, and refusing another, is irrational, and humoursome, seeing the whole stands upon the same foundation of truth, and reason: wherefore we disown the Brat, they have laid at our door, and return it back to be Fathered by themselves. But for the comfort of tender Consciences, our Cannot doth not oblige men to bow toward the Altar, but leaves it ad libitum; neither do I press any to it, but endeavour to prove it is no Idolatry in them, that think fit to do it: wherefore I may with the less offence speak my thoughts to be these, that there is nothing, that can rationally bar any from entering into the arms of our Church, and joining with us both in body, and spirit to glorify God. To wind up all: It lies upon all sorts of men, whether Ministers, or people, as much as they can, to promote the glory of God, and interest of Religion: and First for you, Fathers, and Brethren; (if I may assume the confidence of speaking to those, who are so much my Seniors) as we are set over, so we should be both Teachers, and Leaders of the people, by Doctrine, and Example, bringing them into these paths of Religious worship. As the Priest's lips should preserve knowledge, so we should enable ourselves, not only to show, but also to defend the lawfulness, and goodness of that Old way, in which our happy Fathers walked, before our late unhappy divisions; as Cicero speaks of some points of Philosophy, so may we of some of Divinity: there is so great obscurity in the things themselves; so much weakness in our own judgements, that we may almost despair of finding out the truth, and idly fall into a Socratical dubitation: but this path of religious worship is plain, and easy, in which the Primitive Churches all along did walk: only of late years it hath met with so many adversaries, who have made it their design, and business, to lay stumbling-blocks before the dim-sighted people, and to bury it in the mire of frivolous objections, and nicer scruples; that now the generality look upon it, as on Vaults about antiquitated Monasteries, which were made, and used only by the Sons of Rome; therefore we should make it our business too, to remove the filth of these objections, and make it again plain, and passable: but because most, if not all of us, are blest with such a people, that will hate us, if we tell them the truth; we should therefore prudently insinuate these things by degrees, and by this innocent lenocinium, unawares steal their affections into all the paths of truth: for I cannot see how it is consistent with our duties to conceal any part of religious worship, which is necessary to be known, and practised: much less should we tread in the dirty steps of those worse than Nonconforming Brethren, who to gain the affections of the giddy, and injudicious vulgar, and make their low parts seem tall, and reverend, discover a dislike of that innocent Garment, and those Rites, and Ceremonies, which they have voluntarily obliged themselves to wear, and observe: by which means they work a kind of averseness in those, who were in a fair way to be brought to all the parts of divine worship; and confirm those, who have already forsaken them, and our Church together. And because many are more easily led by example, than drawn by the sweetest strains of Rhetoric, or strongest arguments in Divinity, we should therefore be ensamples to others; not only pointing out, but leading our people into the paths of duty: Cicero lib. 2. Tuscul. Quest. speaking of some of the Philosophers, saith we may see, alios pecuniae cupidos, gloriae nonullos, multos libidinum servos, cum quorum vita mirabiliter pugnat oratio; quod quidem mihi videtur turpissimum: and with good reason too; but let it not be so with us: for sad observation tells, that this present age makes such things as these a main argument, upon which they build the lawfulness of a separation from us: our Adversaries round about have so much charity as to proclaim us all either Swine, or Asses, that either know, or practice nothing: that by this means they may gather the more Disciples, and the better colour their own separation: which should teach us (especially in these perilous times) to abstain not only from those things, which are really evil; but from those too, that have any appearance of it: that so the people having our precepts, and seeing our good examples, may be brought both in body, and soul, to glorify our Father, which is in Heaven. And as We should teach, both by Doctrine, and Example, so You ought to be followers of us, as we are of Christ. Especially those, who are chosen Officers in the several Parishes, should be careful to walk in all the parts of religious worship: for the meaner sort are ready to shelter themselves under your wings; and think the example of those, whom they style the Masters of their Parish, a sufficient authority, either in good, or evil. And know, that a separation from us is far from glorifying God: for how can that, which rends the seamless Coat of Christ into fractions, and divisions, tend to his glory, or the interest of Religion! Whilst one saith, I am of Paul, another, I am of Apollo's, a third, I am of Cephas, are you not carnal? But whilst we press all to Uniformity, the leaders of these people do make them err: who being deposed, as I may speak, like the Priest at Jerusalem, presently fled to Samaria, and set up a worship in opposition to ours, and ever since cry, the Mount of the Lord! the Mount of the Lord! being like those spirits, which some fabulous stories tells us, have pulled down Churches in the night, as fast as they were built in the day; undoing in private, what we endeavour in the public: for they affright men by making a noise about Idolatry, though none of them are able to prove it; nor (as far I as can hear) ●●er seriously endeavoured it amongst their people: and especially since this last Act passed against them, some of their meetings have sounded as loud with a— Take ye joyfully the spoiling of your Goods, as some of their Pulpits have done formerly with a— Curse ye Meroz, Curse bitterly! Wonder will hardly suffer me to proceed! to think that men, who make so great a show of Purity, and holiness to the people; that wrap up themselves in Doublets of Zeal, and write Precifian on their Brow; should have the confidence, nay impudence rather, so miserably to wrest the Sacred Scriptures! for we know, that then the Church was Persecuted by the Heathens, and constrained either to suffer, or to part both with a good Conscience, and the totum of Religion together: whereas we differ only about decent Ceremonies, and reverend Gestures, which best become the house of him, who is the God of decency and order: now I wonder how any man can tell the ignorant people, that they may take as much joy, and comfort in the spoiling of their goods; because they unjustly refuse to satisfy authority in securing the peace of the Nation, and comply with some things, that are but decent ceremonies; and others, that are necessary parts of worship; whilst they are suffered freely to embrace all the Fundamentals of Religion; as those Primitive Christians did, who must otherwise have parted with the whole substance of Religion, and have embraced Heathenism itself! but though some Jehu's drive thus furiously, yet I hope the most have more wit, and reason, than to talk at this rate: but as I would not have these men charge us with Idolatry, before they can prove it amongst us; nor press the people to persevere to the spoiling of their goods; and a resisting unto blood, with I know not what beside, unless they can prove that we are all in the wrong, and themselves only in the right: for if salvation may be had from the public Ordinances, as well as from private Preaching, which none of them dare deny, I think it their prudence to secure their peace, and estates, by coming over to us: so neither would I have the poor people regard what is spoken out of a lose, ungrounded zeal, without a sufficient foundation of arguments to stand on: we may easily handle them with their own weapons; for I can instance in some of the chief of their party, who speak a separation, or any thing, that tends that way, utterly unlawful; as Mr. Baxter in particular about the end of his reasons of the Christian Religion, denies it lawful for any man to separate, though he finds he can really profit more elsewhere; which is but pretended, or sansied by most of our Separatists; and the reason he gives for it is, because we should prefer the good, and peace of the Church in general, above our own particular profit: and to press the people to this necessary duty, he tells them in the same Paragraph, That if any do, out of such an end, deny themselves some present advantage, there is no question but that God will make him amends one way, or other: what, I wonder, can be spoke more rational, and advantageous to our cause than this! And yet these are the words of your great Father Mr. Baxter: and Vine's on the Sacrament, denies it lawful for any one to separate from the Sacrament, much less from the Church, which is not so barred, and fenced about, as the Table of the Lord; upon any thing less than flat Idolatry: and gives the challenge to any man in the world to bring one place of Scripture, that doth in the least favour the contrary: understanding those places, which many wind to their own cause, such as be— have no fellowship with them, that walk disorderly,— be ye separate, and the like, of a moral, not a local conjunction: and adds further, that such Principles tends to the utter overthrow of the Church; and I wish I may not add, of the State too, if not timely prevented. Wherefore, if our Arguments can prevail nothing, let a Presbyterian Authority oversway you: unless you can prove us Idolaters, be persuaded, as we have all but one Creator, but one Redeemer, as we agree (I hope) in all the Fundamental points of Religion, and expect to meet together in a blessed Eternity, to join with us, and walk hand in hand, in Glorifying God both in our bodies, and our spirits, which are his. FINIS. ADVERTISEMENT. SInce I Preached this Sermon, I met with an excellent Book (newly Published) Entitled, A Persuasive to Conformity, Written by way of a Letter to the Dissenting Brethren; which I wish all Dissenters would peruse. Imprimatur, Tho. Tompkins R. R more. in Christo Patri ac Domino Dom. Gilberto Divina Providentia Archiepisc. Cant. a Sac. Dom. Ex Aed. Lambethani●, Apr. 29. 1670.