Part 7 (1/2)
The policy, then, which in most simple and single, and least l.u.s.tred with the pomp and bravery of ceremonies, cannot but be most expedient for edification. The king's daughter is most like herself when she is all glorious within, not without, Psal. xlv. 13, and the kingdom of G.o.d appeareth best what it is, when it cometh not with observation, Luke xvii.
20, 21. But ”superst.i.tion (saith Camero),(313) the mother of ceremonies, is lavish and prodigal; spiritual wh.o.r.edom, as it is, it hath this common with the bodily; both of them must have their paintings, their trinkets, their inveiglements.”
_Sect._ 2. Secondly, The ceremonies are impediments to the inward and spiritual wors.h.i.+p, because they are fleshly and external. In the second commandment are forbidden _omnes ritus, qui a spirituali Dei cultu discrepant_.(314) ”The kingdom of G.o.d is within you,” saith Christ, Luke xvii. 21. Now, if the Apostle, 1 Tim. iv. 8, say, that bodily exercise, such as fasting, watching, &c., which are requisite as helps and furtherances to the humiliation of the soul, do but profit a little, then may we say of our unnecessary and unprofitable ceremonies, that they are exceedingly nocent and harmful to true and spiritual wors.h.i.+p. The Apostle is not speaking of plays and pastimes, as Bellarmine would have us to think. Who can believe that Timothy was so much addicted to play, that the Apostle had need to admonish him, that such exercise profiteth little? He is speaking, then, of such bodily exercises as in those primitive times were used religiously, as fasting, watching, lying on the ground, and such like; and he would have Timothy rather to exercise himself to the life and power of G.o.dliness, and to substantial wors.h.i.+p, than to any of these outward things. Neither doth the Apostle condemn only the superst.i.tious use of these exercises, as Calvin well observeth,(315) _alioqui in totum d.a.m.naret_: whereas he doth only extenuate and derogate from them, saying, that they profit little. Therefore (saith he), _ut maxime integer sit animus, et rectus finis, tamen in externis actionibus nihil reperit Paulus quod magnifaciat. Valde necessaria admonitio, nam semper propendet mundus in illam partem, uti Deum externis obsequiis velit colere._ But what will some say? Do we allow of no external rites and ceremonies in divine wors.h.i.+p?
Saravia tells us,(316) that _dum vitia vitant stulti, in contraria ruunt_, and that he is no less in the fault, _qui nullas in externo Dei cultu ceremonias admitt.i.t, quae tantum decori serviunt, hominesque sui admoneant officii, quam qui quasvis citra, delectum recipiunt, &c._ Wherefore, because a transition from idolatry and superst.i.tion is more easy to Atheism and the profanation of holy things, than to the golden mediocrity, he saith, he could have wished that Beza had not generally condemned all ceremonies without making any difference.
_Ans._ Neither Beza, nor any other, who dislike the English ceremonies, condemneth such rites and circ.u.mstances in the external wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d as serve only for decency, but those sacred and significant ceremonies which admonish men of their duty are not of this sort. What shall we say then of such a conjunction as this, _quae tantum decori serviunt, hominesque sui admoneant officii_? Why would not Saravin write a chronology; I say not _magnarum_ (as others), but _mirandarum conjunctionum_, and record that at such a time he found out the conjunction and compatibility of two things which were ever thought incompatible in former ages, namely, rites serving only for decency, and holy significant ceremonies admonis.h.i.+ng men of their duty in G.o.d's wors.h.i.+p? Had there been no moralist (trow we) then to note, that decency and things serving only for decency, have place in civility and all moral actions, in which notwithstanding there is no significant nor admonitory sacred signs of men's duty in G.o.d's wors.h.i.+p? And thus should these two things be severed, which he hath conjoined and confounded.
To conclude, we condemn the English controverted ceremonies which are regarded as holy and significant, as most inexpedient, because they derogate from the true inward and spiritual wors.h.i.+p; for man's nature, saith Camero,(317) ”is delighted in that which is fleshly and outward, neglecting that which is spiritual and inward.” And this is the reason why least spiritual, lively, and holy disposition hath followed upon the addition of unnecessary ceremonies; and why there was never so much zeal, life, and power of religion inwardly, in the church of Christ, as then, when she was freest of ceremonies. This much(318) a Formalist of great note is forced to acknowledge. Let us consider, saith he, ”the primitive church, flouris.h.i.+ng more in times of the apostles than ever it did afterwards. Who will not admire her great simplicity in all points, and especially in ceremonies? for excepting the celebration of baptism by was.h.i.+ng of water, and of the holy supper, according to the Lord's inst.i.tution, in taking the bread and wine, and distributing them after thanksgiving; excepting also the imposition of hands upon those who extraordinarily received the Holy Ghost, whether it were in a general calling or a particular, to a charge in the church, and availing for a miraculous effect of healing the sick; I say, these excepted, there will not be found any other ceremony in those primitive times, so admirable was their simplicity.”
_Sect._ 3. Thirdly, the ceremonies are a great hinderance to edification, because they make much time and pains to be spent about them, which might be, and (if they were removed) should be spent more profitably for G.o.dly edifying. That which is said of the ceremonies which crept into the ancient church, agreeth well to them.(319) _Ista ceremoniarum acc.u.mulatio, tum ipsos doctores, __ tum etiam ipsos auditores, a studio docendi atque discendi verb.u.m Dei abstraxit, atque impedivit necessarias et utiles divini eloquii inst.i.tutiones._
Pulpits sound oftentimes with declamations for the ceremonies, when there is need of pressing the power of G.o.dliness upon the consciences of people, and when there are many more necessary things to be urged. The press also sends forth idle discourses and defences of the ceremonies which might be employed more profitably.
And, moreover, faithful men whose labours might be very profitable to the church in the holy ministry, have neither a door of entrance nor a door of utterance licentiated to them, and that because they will not consent nor yield themselves to be the unhappy instruments of imposing this yoke of ceremonial bondage upon the necks of G.o.d's people. Others who have entered, and have been both faithful and painful labourers in the Lord's vineyard, are thrust from their changes for no other quarrel, but that of non-conformity. O unhappy ceremonies! woe unto you, you mischievous lets and prejudices to the edification of the church.
CHAPTER V.
THAT THE CEREMONIES ARE INEXPEDIENT, BECAUSE THEY ARE OCCASIONS OF INJURY AND CRUELTY.
_Sect._ 1. The ceremonies serve to be instruments of cruelty against the sincere servants of Christ, they are used as Absalom's sacrifice, to be cloaks of wicked malice, they occasion the fining, confining, depriving, imprisoning, and banis.h.i.+ng of very worthy and good men.
Such instruments of cruelty brought into the habitation, not of the sons of Jacob, Gen. xlix. 5, but of the G.o.d of Jacob, are to be accursed by all who love the peace of Jerusalem, or bear the bowels of Christian compa.s.sion within them, because they are not of Christ the meek Lamb of G.o.d, who did not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street, who did not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax, Isa. xlii. 2, 3; but they are of antichrist, to whom it is given to make war with the saints.(320)
Surely those bowels of mercies, kindness, and forbearance, which the Apostle requireth, as they should be in every Christian, Col. iii. 12, 13, so chiefly _in iis qui praesunt_, as Melancthon noteth,(321) in them towards all, but chiefly towards these who are both good Christians and good subjects; towards these in all things, but chiefly in matters of ceremony and indifferency. In such matters always, but chiefly when there is no contempt nor refractory disposition, but only a modest and Christian desire to conserve the peace of a pure conscience, by forbearing to do that which it is persuaded is not right. Let magistrates remember well,
”Parcere subjectis et debellare superbos.”
_Sect._ 2. If there were no more but such a doleful and woeful effect as the cruel dealing with the faithful ministers of Jesus Christ, occasioned by the ceremonies, this is too much for evincing the inconveniency of them.
Dr Burges, in a sermon preached before King James, related a speech of the emperor Augustus, who commanded that all the gla.s.ses should be broken, that no man might incur such a fright as one Pollio was put into, for breaking one of his master's gla.s.ses. Whereby (as he expounds himself)(322) he meant to intimate unto that wise king, that it were better to take away the ceremonies than to throw out the ministers for them. Yet it is the verdict of some,(323) that the blame lieth not upon the ceremonies, but upon ministers themselves, who leave their places and draw all this evil upon themselves. This is even as Nabal blamed David for breaking away from his master, when he was chased away against his will, 1 Sam. xxv. 10, and as Julian,(324) when he had impoverished the Christians, laughed them to scorn, as if they had impoverished themselves to get that blessing which Christ had promised to the poor.
The canon law speaketh for the Lord's bishops, which are persecuted from city to city:(325) _Nec ipsi in hoc peccant, quoniam non sponte sed coacte hoc agunt: sed illi __ qui eos persequuntur, nec ipsis episcopis hoc imputari potest, sed illis qui eos hoc agere cogunt_. How is it that they are not ashamed, who say, that ministers have their own places and callings, when they would fain abide in them, and with heavy hearts are thrust from them.
_Sect. 3._ Neither is this all the injury which is occasioned by the ceremonies, they make G.o.dly and zealous Christians to be mocked and nick-named Puritans, except they can swallow the camel of conformity. Our consciences bear us witness, how without all reason we are branded with the name of those ancient heretics, from whose opinions and manners, O, how far are we!(326) And as for ourselves, notwithstanding all this, we shrink not to be reproached for the cause of Christ. We know the old Waldenses before us,(327) were also named by their adversaries, Cathares or Puritans, and that, without cause, hath this name been given both to them and us. But we are most sorry that such as are walking humbly with their G.o.d, seeking eagerly after the means of grace and salvation, and making good conscience of all their ways, should be made odious, and that piety, humility, repentance, zeal, conscience, &c., should be mocked, and all by occasion of the ceremonies.
CHAPTER VI.
THAT THE CEREMONIES ARE INEXPEDIENT, BECAUSE THEY HARDEN AND CONFIRM THE PAPISTS.
The Papists make advantage of the ceremonies, and thereby confirm themselves in Popery. First, in that they use them as the bellows to blow up the fire of contention among us, remembering the old rule, _divide et impera_. They set us by the ears among ourselves, that they may be in peace, and that intestine discord may make us forget the common adversary.(328) Calvin wrote to the Earl of Somerset, _Fieri non posse qum Papistae superbius insolescerent, nisi mature compositum esset dissidium de ceremonus_. Dr White saith,(329) that our strife about ceremonies is kindled and nourished by Papists. If we were liberate from the ceremonies, then might we do more against the Papists, and they should not insult as they do.
_Sect._ 2. But they have yet more advantage from our Formalists, for they like very well the course of conformity, as the way of returning to Popery, and some of them tell us in broad terms, that they hope we are coming fast home to them. They perceive us receiving and retaining their Roman rites and popish policy, which makes them resolve to stay where they are, promising, that themselves are in the surest hold, and looking for our returning back to them. This was ere now both foreseen and foretold by the wiser sort.
Zanchius told,(330) that he seemed to himself to hear the monks and Jesuits saying among themselves, _Ipsa quoque Regina Angliae doctissima et prudentissima, paulatim incipit ad Sanctae Romanae ecclesiae redire religionem, resumptis jam sanctissimus et sacratissimis clericorum vestibus, sperandum est fore ut reliqua etiam omnia_, &c. Papists count all to be _Calvino Papistae_, _i.e._, half Papists, who are not Puritans, and daily invite them to an a.s.sociation with them against the Puritans, as Parker(331) showeth out of a treatise ent.i.tled, _Concertatio Ecclesiae Catholicae in Anglia contra Calvino Papistos et Puritanos_. And we may perceive out of Franciscus a Sancta Clara,(332) that they despair of any agreement with Puritans, yet hoping that Formalists will agree with them.