A SCHOLASTICALL DISC …

A SCHOLASTICALL DISCOVRSE AGAINST SYMBOLIZING WITH AN­TICHRIST IN CEREMONIES: ESPECIALLY IN THE SIGNE OF THE CROSSE.

Anno Domini, 1607.

To the Reader.

GEntle Reader, thou mayest perceiue by the following Protestation, how the Author was forced to compile this Treatise, to preuent the discredit he might reape by some scattered notes. The like necessitie doth compell, the present publishing hereof, to avoyde the scandall which may arise, by a large answere, penned to the first papers, which were scribled out by the Author in few dayes, and are not the true copie to which he doth slande: In which respect I hope the Author will not be offended hereat, when it shall come to his knowledge, though he were altogether vnwilling it should passe into the handes of his frindes for so publick a purpose. And to thee good Reader I doubt not but it shall bee very acceptable, for the great learning, acutenes, modestie, fidelitie and sufficiencie thou shalt finde therein: It containing a full answere to whatsoeuer hath bene materially obiec­ted by the Prelates, or any of their Champions in d [...]fence of the Ceremonies, and in special, to the Sophistications of such, as haue written for the Crosse in Baptisme. Thus forbea­ring to commende the worke which will much better commende it selfe, I commende both thee and it, to the rich blessing of God in Christ Iesus. Farewell.

A protestation of the Authour.

AS Augustine once thought it fitt, vpon occasion to make knowne, both whereof he stood in doubt, and also wherefore: so iudged I it my parte of late (touching the Cōtrouersies about the Ceremonies) to shewe in writing, both what the poyntes be I stood vpon, Augustin­de Genefi. ad liter. lib. 10. c. 26 and what are my grounds and reasons. To this purpose I addressed a certayne Treatise (such as it was) against the Crosse: which I imparted to some of my friends: either to haue their censure of it, or to approoue my selfe vnto them in my forbearance to conforme. This being copied out by some (who I know not) was made more cōmon then I would: and that vnliked, & more vnfashioned, then might be for my credit. By this meanes I was inforced to take penne in hande againe, & to frame this sorie Treatise: as to set right what before was out of square, so to polish (as I was able) what was vnfyled, and to take in (by some additions) some things that wanted. Now be­cause I doe not know, into whose handes this poore labour of myne may come: therefore I begge of the indifferent Reader, to take knowledge before hande from me of these fewe things. First, let none thinke me to be one that standeth vpon termes of learning: I am too much priuie to ouermuch ignorance: I know well (although not so well as I should) quàm mihi sit curta supellex: besides I want bookes and conference, and my Schoole studies haue ben long discontinued. In regard hereof I am to craue common humanitie at the least, which is to read my abortiue ouersightes with due compassion: some of which I haue my selfe alreadie found: as Malta mistaken out of Surius for Nilenus: Nazianzen forgotten in Germanes allusion, and the time of the German triple Crowne, not so distinctly set down as it should. Secondly, as I doe not stande vpon any chalenge to learning at all, so neither doe I stande peremptorilie, vpon the assertions of this Treatise (not as if I doubted of what I haue written, whether it be true or not) but because my determination is no more, then to suppone and propound the reasons which I haue against the Ceremonies, and that Di­cis causae onlie, by way of disputation. To haue set downe euery thing with a Quaere, had bene for a Discourse vnfitt, to haue annexed to euerie period and proposition As it seemeth to vs, or As we thinke, absurd and tedious: I expect it shall suffice, that I protest here once for all, that these Clauses be vnderstood throughout this whole Discourse. What then? I [Page]write here, in Psal. 85: as Augustine elswhere, non tanquam affirmator, sed tanquam scrutator, which can any mislike? For a very Papist him selfe will haue leaue to dispute against a Synode, so he do it inquirendo non astruendo: Nicol. Clau. disputat. de Concil. Melchior Canus. Amos 7.10 yea more, an Inquisitor him selfe giueth leaue to de­tect the corruptions of a church Leiturgie, so it be dolenter done, not calumniosè. Thirdly, because our Aduersaries racke our speeches, and oftentimes without all colour make them speake against the state (after the example of Amaziah against Amos, The lande is not a­ble to beare his wordes, and of Eusebius, the Court is against Laserius, Facis Imperatorem nostrum Nabuchodonosorem? Theodorit. histor. eccles. lib. 2. ca. 16. when he had pleaded in simplicitie, Non diminuitur solitu­dine mea verbum fidei, sic enim est olim tres tantum inuenti sunt qui edicto Regis non resiste­rent): Therefore I protest, that whatsoeuer shalbe founde within this Treatise Reprehenso­riè, is intended of the Prelates and those Opposites of ours, that be Schollers and Diuines: it is not written of any Ciuill Magistrate, much lesse is it meant of his sacred Maiestie, (whom the Lord blesse, long to raigne ouer vs): so that I clayme here that common Equi­tie of all ages, The King, and a mans owne Mother must be alwayes excepted when they be not expreslie named. Fourthlie, let no man say, I haue an ambition and vaynglorie, stuffed the margent with quotations. Being charged with Noueltie and Singularitie, I was in all wisedome to dye my selfe in a tincture concolor mortuis, as neare as I could. Being a dwarfe in stature likewise, I was to creepe vpon the shoulders of some tall men, and with Zacheus to clime some trees to see the better. Further, who knoweth not how much it auayleth with what arme a Dart is throwen, in which respect who can mislike, if wanting sides of myne owne, I haue vsed the strength of theirs who first or last haue fought the battayles of the Lord? Last of all, shall it be lawfull for our Opposites to rake out of the graue against vs, the rotten reasons of Papistes, Lutherans, Adiaphorithes: but vnlawfull for me to sum­mon auncient and reverend Protestantes, to beare witnes to the Trueth? This I speake, be­cause (pull the vizard away) and the souldiers with their muster against vs, will be found no other, Polycen [...]s de stratage. then such as the soldiers of Gastro were, to wit, Aegyptians in Graecian harnesse: whereas on the other side none can iustlie censure me, who before condemneth not Enni­us and Naeius, I meane our auncient standerd bearers and forerunners in the faith. Fiftly, let no man put me to busines about the length of this Discourse, to which my earnest de­sire carried me, which was to search euery corner of the controuersie which I handle with the lantorne of the Word, Pro. 20.27. and by the light thereof, to scatter (as much as laye in me) the grosse corruptions that infecte the bowelles of our Churches. What that I may pleade ex­ample? For Clodis Tarcinensis wrote a verie great volume of the verie same argument, Ionas Anie­lianens. de cultu Imag. lib. 1. Bonauentu. Vulcanius in epist. ad Or­din. Belgic. I meane against the verie hauing of Crosses and Images in the Church: and Nilus Suzice­us, no lesse then 120. chapters in an argument of the same kinde, to wit, about the leauen. Hauing thus aduertised touching the purpose of my writing: I come to satisfie some of them who thinke I should not haue written at all: And of these Censors I obserue foure sortes. The first sorte doe iudge all contending about Ceremonies, to bee no better then vayne disputing, such as the Apostle doeth forbid. I aske: Are not Ceremonies matters of faith? Yea certainly. They are indeed matters of faith, and therefore not vaine, but neces­sarie to be knowne and discerned by vs. 1 Tim. 6.5▪ That we may not guesse, but clearely vnderstande how they are all established, or condemned by Gods word. Howbeit were they but thinges indifferent, as indeed they are not in Gods worshipp; yet must they not (specially in this vse) be done in faith? or can there any faith be of them that is not grounded on the word, which is the only word of faith? It is sufficient if the scripture be not against them. True: but (as Tertullian of olde) If the scripture doeth not permit them, it doeth forbid them, and sine lege & contralegem (as in Policie, lib. de Cor [...]. milit. Thom. Mor ton. Apolog pa. 2. lib. 1. cap. 4 [...]. Idem p. 420 [...]eza Annot. in 1. Cor. 11 10. 1 Cor. 11.7.14.16.34 so in Diuinitie) are both one. In deed if not viua ra­tio out of the word, yet manifesta aequitas alwayes is euer needfull to the very circumstan­ces of Gods seruice: as for lawfulnes so for expedience: expedience I say, and the same, not onely generall according to the perpetuall circumstances which cleaue to their kinde: but also speciall, according to the occasionall circumstances that occurre in their particular practise. So much is manifest by Paule who proueth the Expedience of the vayle (a ciuill custome in the Church of Corinth) by reasons drawen from the lawe of God and Nature, before he forbiddeth cōtending against it: and putteth ouer the ordering of other circum­stances of celebrating Gods publique worship in that Church, till by oculata experien­tia he had seene their estate, and weighed what was most conuenient. What whē this course is not obserued? Why men are set to eate their meate without salt (saieth Hierome) when they are commaunded any thing that hath no relishe from the worde: and to builde without haye and stubble, like Israel in Egypt, when they bee not allowed some warrant out of the Scripture, which only can combine the matter of the worke, & make the frame [Page]of the building sure. But Augustine will haue vs followe a Synode of a Church etiam latente veritate. What and will he haue vs followe it too, without vsing the meanes that may bring the trueth to light? No, but here he requireth euen certa documenta, lib. de pec­cat. merit & remiss ca 36 Fasc [...]cul. rer. expetend. ar­tic. 18. folio 129. in 1 Cor. Homil. 13. Rom. 14.5. out of the worde to the commaundements of the Church: euen as Iohn Wiclephe taught since his time. We must take nothing from the Prelates which is not clarè, euen clarè demonstrated by the scriptures. Chrysostome giueth a reason hereof: Our cogitation halteth, when the worde wanteth, which halting is sinne, because we are bounde to the [...] of a full perswasion euen in indifferent things and all. And in this Controuersie of the Ceremonies the trueth is not latens. I trust this verie Discourse will shewe there is not onely no reason to conforme, but also reason strong and euident against Conformitie: at the least I doubt not, but it wil cleare vs from that stomacke and stubburnes wherewith we are vniustly bur­thened, as bearing vs witnes we are the men that keepe the olde rule, Non est a consue­tudine recedendum facile, nisirationi aduersetur. Augusti. de Mufic. lib. 2. cap. 8. Tertull. de veland virg. Digest. lib. 1 Ticul. 3. cap. 39. Tho. Aqui. sum. p. 2. q. 92. art. 3. for which wee protest according to the auncient tenor, Nullam respicimmus consuetudinem quam damnare non possu­mus: and therevpon call at the Tribunall for that olde sentence, Quod non ratione in­troductum est, sed ex errore primum, deinde consuetudine obtectum est, in alijs simili­bus non obtincat: in the Schooles, for that Decision Theologicall, For asmuch as the law Diume proceedeth from the will of God, the Humane onely from the wil of man, vsus authoritati cedat, prauum vsum lex & ratio vincat. The second sorte of our Cen­sors, though they mislike not all sticking at Ceremonies, yet all standing they condemne against an Order once established in a Church. What, and haue we then liued to the time to heare Sion speake in Sorbons language: No further reason must be sought, then a Sy­nodes owne authoritie, that which the wiser sort of Papistes them selues condemne? nicol Clau. collat. de Concil. Cyril Hie­rosol ca. 4. Mat. 23.8. Sure to beleeue any, or each simpliciter dicent, vpon his bare worde: is to sett vp a Maister on earth, to no small preiudice of our Maister in heauen, whom we are onely in this maner to beleeue. It is also to inthrall the Church to a seruitude Babylomeall, if not worser, for so much as some childrè of Babell her self, refuse to bowe downe their neckes to this yoake, as we see by Alphonsui, Alphons. de Cast. cont. haeres. lib. 1. cap. 7. Martin Lu­ther li. cont. papat. Nicol. Clau. disputat. de Concil. Miserrima seruitus est (saith he) iurare in alicuius verba Ma­gistri. I omitt to obiect here, yea so much to inquire, whether the Synode that made this order, sate as Iudges in their owne case, which is against the lawe of Nature: whether they assumed an Immunitie to them selues, to haue al accusing of them reputed schisme, which is our exception against the Concill of Trident. whether they came resolute against Re­formation, and fully bent to make such Decrees as best might strengthen their owne e­states, whereby the Concill of Pisa once barred and shut out the Holy Ghost from their assemblie: whether the name of the house it self knew not of many Canons made, as at the second Councell of Ephesus many subscribed to what they knew not. Last of all, whether some Canons were only read, as at the Diet. of Augusta the Jnterim was proposed only by the Chaūcelour of Charles the fifth, & so thought sufficiently ratified, although the States and Peeres there present, neuer gaue their voyce to it. The Inquisition of these things and other the like, I say, I omitt. This is the answere I rely on: the Reformation we seeke, Zepper de polit, eccle­siast. in epist. dedicator. is in substance the same, which not one, but many: Why speake I of many? which euen all the godly Synodes haue agreed on, that haue bene gathered from time to time, since the re­storing of the Gospell, in all the Churches best reformed beyond the Seas. The third sort of our Censors will giue vs leaue, to gainsaye a Peter, Nilus Thes­salonicens. de precat. Papae. when in Ceremonies hee walketh awry: howbeit in conference to his face onely and not in writing. Nilus supposed it was in vayne to debate with the Pope, alwhile he looked to bee iudge him selfe, and doe the Prelates looke for lesse? The Bishop Argensius found by experience in the Councill of Ba­sile, that there is no dealing with Superiours who expect the inferiour must succumbere: Aeneas Sylu [...] in gest. Concil. Basiliens. lib. 1. Polydor. Virgil. de Inuentor. rer. li. 8. ca. 4 Augustin. epist 174. Carol. Sigō. de regn. Ital. lib. 9. and doe not the Prelates expect asmuch? Luther stept away from Caietan, euen after the listes were entred, because he saw he would magis imperio rem definire, quam disreptatione: and haue we not cause to suspect them & feare the same of the Prelates? Augustine when he conferred with a great man, he was ouercome, though not veritate, yet clamore: and it was giuen foorth against him, that he was foyled when he was not: and haue former con­ferences with the Prelates sorted to any better euent? For my owne parte I had a priuate defence for my selfe. Albericus was better at writing, then at disputing: so is it with me, by reason of the dulnes of my witt, I must plodd on what I doe, and when I haue aduised my selfe all that I can, yet all cometh short of that which should be. The fourth and last sorte of our Censors, mislike not writing, saue at this time, when wee should busie out selues (they thinke) about more needfull matters. Certaine it is that we their mistake. For it is an Hercules that is fitt to throw out the dounge it selfe of Poperie: such as I am, serue best, [Page]to sweepe downe (as they are taken) the Cobwebbes of it which yet remayne in the house of the Lord. When the Cobwebbes fell downe all on a suddayne at the Councell in Trul­lo, the Fathers there present tooke it as ominous: Concil. Tom. 2 p. 895. Caro. Sigon. vbi. supra. p. 49 so may we nowe our selues learne from it how cleane the house of the Lord must be kept from al coinquination with hereticques. Suppose the Ceremonies were no more then that they are taken, the cobwebbes of poperie? Doe not euen cobwebbes foster poysonful spiders? sure these cobwebbes of ours doe. And see ye not how they haue gotten euen to the verie toppe of the Pallace, as Salomon spea­keth? Shall we suffer them there with silence? Pro. 30.2 [...]. must we not write to sweepe them downe at the least from thence? And let others looke to those matters, which some repute only able to shake the mountaynes of our religion, whom the Lord (as a Father speaketh) hath ta­ken vp into the mount: my standing is at the foote of the hill, therefore it shalbe inough for me to acquite the place I stande in, from those corruptions, Which howsoeuer counted molehilles, yet much molest the holy vineyard of the Lord. Euen this also must needes be done by some or other. For though the people were foolish, whom Gerebrard mentio­neth, who thought the moūtaines were endangered as often as the Moales did wagg: yet I remember I haue read that euen Moles in Thessalie once ouerthrewe a whole Towne: Plin. histor. lib. 8. c. 29. sure I am (I see it with my eyes and am sorie) that these Moles against which I write, haue euen alreadie annoyed, if not vctie neare decayed diuerse goodly Cōgreganous. And as for the time, 1. Cor. 16.9 where is assistance to the trueth most necessarie, but where it hath most aduersaries? It is time for the asse him selfe (saieth one) to open his mouth, Gildas de excid Bri­tan. in proaem. Inc. 19.40. when things runne to ruine. And our Sauiour, where other witnesses doe fayle, let the stone him selfe crie. These pre­mises considered, I am not deterred from proceeding to the Search following, into which I now enter in the name of the Lord: premising that common and beaten rule, non est obstinatus qui paratus est corrigi: for which I finally protest with Iob: Teach m [...] and I will holde my tongue, Iob. 6.24.2.26. and cause me to vnderstande wherein I haue erred? How stedfast are the wordes of righteousnes, and what can any of you iustly reproone? Doe ye imagine to reproous words that the talke of the afflicted should be as winde? Now therfore be content to looke vpon me, for I will not lye be­fore your faces.

A Scholastical discourse against Symbolizing with Antichrist in ceremonies: especially in the signe of the Crosse.

The Crosse in baptisme, Idolatry a­gainst GodThe Idolatrie of the Crosse. CHAP. I.

WHat 2. Cor. 1.26. agreement hath the temple of God with Idoles? Hose. 14.9. What haue I to doe with Idoles?1. Ioh. 5.21. Babes keepe your selues from Idoles. These Scriptures and the like, not onely controule, but also cashire the signe of the Crosse; it being an Idoll that is many wayes pol­luted. The first way respecteth God, whose heauenly Maiestie while it transformeth by carnall thoughts, there is thatAugust. in Io. tract. 19 Idoll of the heart begotten, which must asIdem de verb. Dom, see. Mat. serm. 6 carefully be expelled out of the minde, as any Idoll that is externall out of the Temple. Is not euery lye of God aTertul. de praescript? kind of Idolatrie? But the Crosse turneth his glorious essence into a vile and shamefull lye, when it putteth on him a certaine esse Suarez. Tom. 1. in Thom. dis­put. 54. sect. 4. vestitum imagine, an essence clothed with an Image. And eueryHierom. in Ierem. cap. 32. heresie transforming God is an idolatry in like ma­ner, whereas there is none that doth more chaunge him then the haeresie of this signe; teaching that he may be vnited with a Crosse (with a Crosse I say, a dete­stable Idoll) and so vnited, that the Crosse may beCaiet. in Tho. part. 3. Q. 25. art. 3. vt ci­tatur A. said to be Christ, Christ and the Crosse to be one and the same inSuarez. vt. supra. apprehension: which is more then to set a Dagon by him, it is to marrie a Dagon to him; yea to turne him into a Dagon, partly flesh, and partly fish: which is it not monstrous? To this belongeth that fantasti­call Christ of Papists which is conclusus, Vazquez. de adorat. li. 2. dispur. 5. cap. 6. & 14.4. in imagine, Christ inclosed in a Crosse, a worse transmutation of him thenAct. 17.24. God inclosed in a Temple. For what inclosing prison is there more lothsome to him, then an Idoll which is asDeut. 29.17 The doct. of the Crosse [...] teaches G [...]od to be de [...]igh­ted wi [...]th wil-worship dongue; and more abominable in his presence then may be spoken? Another metamorphosis there is behinde, little better then these. The Crosse setteth God before vs, as de­lighting in Wil-worship, which is euer carnall worship; by name in such a carnall Wil-worship as doth worship him in a Crosse, yea in a CrosseTh [...]o. Aqui. p. 3. Q. 25. coworshipped with him in the verie same worship, at the sight and sense whereof if our hearts rise not, if our spirits burne not (like Paule [...] Athens) it is because we want his zeale. But be his zeale sound with in vs, it [...]ll not suffer the sound so much as of such an Idoll to be amongst vs. For, know wee not that all wil-worship is flat Idolatrie, byAug de. confens. euang. lib. [...] cap. 18. fathers,Varq, de adotat. lib. 2. dispur. 1. cap. 3. aduersaries, owneDoct. Bils. ag. Apolog. p. 4. pa. 344. writers, and all? The Papists themselues con­fesse, it is Idolatrie to worship God as present there, where he is notCatharin, cont. Dog [...]at. Ca [...]. present, that which this signe doth cause at this houre, the papists praying to a crosse, as to [Page 4]Christ IesusThou Aqu. p. 3. Q 15. art 4. Suaz. in coment. ibid. present in it, and teaching wittingly in their writingsAndrad. Orthodox explicat. 9. Deus est vbi­cun (que) (crux) eius signum est, that God is there, where this signe of his is. Last of all, It is an Idolatrous conceit of God to thinke he will suffer anyDoct. fulk. reioynd. to Mart. art. 1. pag. 145. Guil. perk. li. de Idolo. lat. grace to drop to­wards any, without himselfe distille it downe, by his owne meanes; amongst the which, although it neuer came into his heart to ordaine this signe, yet is it belee­uedTripart. histor. lib. 2. cap. 1 [...]. Ion. Aurelianens. de cult. imag. lib. 2. Martial. de cruc. art. 4. fol. 48.that there hath beene no grace bestowed by the ministery of man or Angel without the same, since his comming in the flesh: which also is held to be an neces­sarieRhem. annotat. in 2. Thes. 2. sect. 17. meane and instrument of mans saluation. Yea, so necessarie for his part herein▪ as that it is matched withMartial de cruc. fol. 21. faith, withIbid. fol. 20. charitie, with theIbid. fo. 16 Sacraments: Yea the incarnation of ourDoct. Fulk. reioynd. art. 1. pag. 143. Lord Christ Iesus. And these many wayes is the Crosse an Idoll in regard of God, sith these many waies it doth conceaue him qua­lis non est, such as he is not, a grosse idolatrie by all theAugust. quaest. sup. Ioh. lib. 6. cap. 29. fathers, yea, by someSuar. tom. 1. in. Tho. disput. 34. sect. 7. Pa­pists owne confession.

#Sect. 2. The doctrine of the Crosse teacheth merite, satis­faction and pardon for sinne.

THe second Idoll found in the Crosse is the man that doth vse it, who is said to merit by it, to satisfie by it, sometime also to pardon by it, which none but God himselfe can doe. The signe of the Crosse is an act of deuotion, a part of Gods worship, a profession of Christian faith, therefore in signing our selues with it, how can wee not merite, saith theBellar. de effect sacra. cap 31. proposit. [...]. Papists? And whereas a veniall sinne is not the death but the wound of grace, that may satisfie for it, saythTho. A­quin. q. dis­put. 7. de peccar. ve­nial. art. 12 hee that can re­couer to our soules our former feruor of deuotion by the considering of some what else that is able to inflame it. Now among these, the signe of the Crosse excelleth for that it raiseth a remembrance of the passion it selfe of Christ, so that here hath place that of the Apostle, God forbid I should reioyce saue in the crosse of Ie­sus Christ. No neede (say they) to interpret this of the death of Christ alone: we mayMartial. de cruc. cum reliquis. interpret it of Christs death as remembred by a Crosse, sith this signe by remembring of itRhem. an­notat. in 1. Tim 4. sect. 14. purgeth the impurities of the soule, being (to omit all other meanes) enabled thereto by the ordinance of the Church, which dothBellar. de effect. Sa­cra. cap. 31. proposit. 3. impetrat for the ceremonies which it doth blesse a power to clense from veniall sinnes. And this is ordinarie. Another tricke there is on foote whereby the treasurers of the Church ioyneRhem. ibi. their blessing to the Crosse by way of indulgence. For as Iohn Durant. de ritib. lib. 3. cap. 11. sect. 3. the 22. annexed an indulgence of 40. dayes pardon to the office of the Crosse, so are there standing pardons adioyned to the crossesChemnit. in exam. p. 4. de indul. station. vrb. Rom. pag. 84. Church at Rome for euery day 48. yeeres: for euery Sunday 300. yeeres: and for the Dedication day remissi­on plenarie. Now what grossnesse of idolatrie call you this? For none can par­don but God alone, none merite of God or make satisfaction but onely Christ: and he by vertue of his Godhead, without the which his Manhood could not haue done any thingHeb. 9.14. Act. 20.28. either meritorious or satisfactorie for our redemption.

#Sect. 3. The effects of the Crosse Spirituall great and marueilous. Two obiections to the same answered.

THe third Idoll is the signe of the Crosse itselfe indued withBellar. de effect sacra. cap. [...]. vertue for effects spirituall, great and merueilous, for whi [...] he is also worshipped. The CrosseMartial. art. 5. pe [...]. totum. Rhem. an­notat. luk, 24 sect. 5. blesseth, which onely the blessed seede can doe. The CrosseMartial. fo. 114.115. conc. Nicen. a. act. 4. conuerteth sinners, which is a new creation. The CrosseBellar. de imag. c. 29.30. Rhem. 1, Tim. 4. sect. 11. sanctifyeth, which is the office of the holy ghost. The CrosseBelar. ib. cum reliquis▪ driueth away the deuill, which is the honour of the wo­mans seede. The Crosse worketh miracles, whereas it is the Lord alone which [Page 5]worketh wonders (Psal. 136.4.) what will ye more? The CrosseMatrial. art. 2. fo. 16 saueth like theGoncil. Nicen. 2. Act. 2. serpent, like Noahs Arke, like Ezechtels marke, (which were figures of Christ Ie­sus) yea sauethCoste [...] In Enchi. c. 11 all that are marked with it, which is to be a Iesus. Two things I looke to haue obiected: First they make the Crosse a meane vnder God of these effectes, which freeth them from Idolatrie. Not so, as long as they hold it a meane that is worthy to be adored euen as ourDoct. Fulk. reioynd. 2. Apoc. 9. v. 20. Lord had beene an Idolater if he had adored the deuill out of an acknowledgement that he was a distributer of things earthly vnder God. Let not this instance be dispised: for the signe of the Crosse (as all other Popish Idols) is a flatly a deuill, yea, a deuill adored by them, as a distributer vnder God; not of temporall blessings onely but also of heauenly graces. And what though some teach in their subtiltie, that the Crosse maketh holy by stirring vp deuotion onely, not byVasq. de adorat. li. 3 disput. 2. cap. 5. imprinting any holines, & moreouer denie it to be holy per se but inBella. con­trouers 7. lib. 2. ca. [...]9 relation of Christ alone they decree it worthie to beVasq. lib. 2. disput. 6. cap. 2. worshipped for this relatiue holinesse, yea some to bee adoredBellar. ibi. cap. Suar in Thom. 21. tom. 1. disput. per se. The former of these euicteth Idolatrie; the latter of them aDanae. cont. Bel­lar Con­trouers. 7. li. 2. ca. 19. contradiction to main­taine it. The second obiection will be this. The PapistsConcil. Trident. sesl. 25. de­cret. de ima. denie there is any ho­linesse, power, or vertue in the Crosse. True, inherently and per se. Which, what is it to the purpose, while adherently and in relation they say it hathBellar. con­trouers. 7. lib. 3. cap. 7 Caesar, Ba­ron Annal. in anno 253. Rhem. in 1. Tim. 4 sect. 9.10.12.13. holines and vertue through Christs institution and the Churches benediction; yea power to make actuallyAnd. wil­let. contro­uers. 9. Q. 7 part. 5. holy euen by bareBellar. de imag. ca. 30 touching, and to driue away the deuill euen ex opere operato: To wit, they compare the power of the Crosse to the power of Dauids Harpe, Tobithes Liber, Elishaes Salt, Christs Hemme, Pauls Napkins: in all of which our writers find an Idolatrous fancie in thē, although being asked, I know they will answere, that none of these (to speake properly) had any power inhe­rent in them, but an assisting vertue onely. No more did the PaganSozom. lib. 7. cap. 15. Olympias thinke any power celestiall to be inherent in his Images perpetually. Neither did the Iewes imagine any power habitually to be immanent in the serpent. Hereby these became to be Idols, that a certaine power diuine was thought to be (withRic. Hook. lib. 5. ca. 65 pag. 164. them) and present to them, which is now ascribed to the Crosse in a mannerDanae con­trouers. 7. lib. 2. ca. 18 little better then that of the Pagans; sure in a manner outRic Hook. Ibid. right as idolatrous as that of the Iewes when they idolized the serpent. And this is verified, euen in the learned of the PapistsIohn Rey­nold. de Ido­lolat. lib. 2. cap. 3. sect. 81. tanquam si presens vis inesset, they seeke to Crosses and to Images, as once the heathen did to their Idols; they thinke there isRhem. in Act. 19. sect. 8.9. a power gi­uen to reliques, to crosse; and vnto the name of Iesus they attribute aLuc. Ma­rinaeus de reb. hispa­nie. lib. 5. Numen to a crucifixe, howsoeuer in the scholes they gull vs withVazq. de adorat. lib. 2. disput. 8. cap. 3. Nihil est Numinis, in an Image, or in a Crosse. And Iohn the 22. Pope ascribed a vertue to the Veronica: Salue vultus Domini, imago beate, lumen funde cordibus ex vi tibi data. In regard heereof our writers flatly call the crosse anAnd. willet controuers. 9. art. 4. pag. 411. Idolatrous signe, an insinuat,Doct Fulk. answer. to Rhem 1. Tim. 4. sect. 11. that he cutteth to neere vpon the office of the Holy Ghost, andDanae. contro. 7. li. 3. cap. 7. openly cry out vpon the sacriledge of Rome for ascribing euen the extraordinarie effects of power diuine vnto these consecrate things of theirs. Therefore to conclude, as the treeGen. 3.5, 6.22. of knowledge was an Idoll when there was ascribed to it a power to make happie, the2. King. 18.4. brazen serpent an Idoll, when a power of healing was conceaued to bee with it, theIohan Satisbur. Polycratic. lib. 2. cap. 19. starre an Idoll when he was deemed to haue a power of effecting or foreshewing things belowe: asGen, 30.6. Iacob andReg. 5.7. Iehoram were made Idols when there was giuen to the one a power to giue children, to the other a power to giue life: finally as the earth of Israel was made an Idoll byIbid. v. 17. Naaman, and1. Sam. 5.5. Dagon by his priests and seruants, when the first was made able to sanctifie a sacrifice, the latter made able by his touching to make holy a threshold, so is the Crosse an Idoll: now seeing he is imagined able to doe that which the Lord can onely doe, and thereupon is adored and worshipt with the honor which belongeth to him alone.

#Sect. 4. In grace giuen and receiued by men, as also in formes of Oathes, the Crosse is not on­lie ioyned and matched with Christ, but sometime ouermatcheth him as being more effectuall then bee.

THe Crosse is become an Idoll in that it is ioyned with Christ, there being nothing more commonly heard then these copulatiues among the Papistes, theMartial. art. 1. fol. 21. name of Christ and the signe of the passion, the, Martial. in reply. art. [...]. faith of Christ and the banner of the Crosse, the Miss. de. in­uent, cruc. passion of Christ, & the Crosse. When mention is made of grace to be giuen or to be receiued by men. And if the Agnus which the Crosse doth conse­crate, purgethLib. cere­mo. 1. tit. 7. sinne, sicat Christ sanguis as the blood of Christ it self which should it seeme incredible to vs, that the Crosse the efficient of such power in the Agnus should be able himselfe to doe as much in their opinion? Sure when Tecelius the pardoner taught that the Crosse was able to clense our sinne aswell as the Crosse of Christ,Amand. Polan. in orat de, scient cruc. our writers interpret him to meane aswell as the passion of Christ it selfe: why should they not? Pray not Papists at the consecrating of a CrossePontifical. Roman. p. 2. tit. de be­nedict. no­uae crucis. sicut per crucem Christi, &c. As by the Crosse of Christ the world is expiated from all guilt, so by the merit of this Crosse let them that offer it be cleare from all com­mitted offences. He that will cleare the Crosse aereall from this attainder, hee must consider the speeches are genenerall there is a Marti. de cruc. art. 6. water flowed into the Crosse which is knowne to be the saluation of faithfull soules and againe,Iopas Au­relian de cult. imag. lib 2. Tor­rens. in. confess. Augustin. lib. 4. cap. 9 tit. 4. Du­rant. de rit. lib. 2. cap. 45. sect. 3. Martial de cruc. art. 6. fol. 92.93. The Crosse doth as much as the presence of Christ on earth, and proceedeth with like efficacie, as hee himselfe the samplar. Howbeit, there is wherein the signe of the Crosse ouergoeth Christes flesh, as it was present here on earth, for asmuch as it had no effectiue vertue in it by the sight of it selfe and by bare touching to driue away Satan, or to make holy or to worke miracles: but it was the mightie power of the Godhead, whereby these things were wrought. And before we leaue this point, see we how hee was matched with Christ in the worship of an oath when the old Christians were wil­led to sweare by God, Christ, the Holy Ghost, per Veget. de. re milit. lib. 2. Maiestatem Imperatoris, by the Maiestie of the Emperour Tertullian seemeth to mislike the forme,Tertul. de coron milit. cap. 11. Credimus humanum sacramentum diuine super induci licere & in alium dominum respondere post Christum? Thinke we it lawfull to adde an humane oath to the diuine, and to sweare after Christ by an other Lord? Sure it is inPamel in Tertul. a­polog cap. 31. nota. 5. France forbidden after this manner to sweare by God and by the King or by the Kings children. Now this forme of swearing is performed to the honour of the Crosse, as appeareth by the oath which Otho tooke vnto the Pope, Carol. Si­gon. de reg. Ital. lib. 6. anno 960. Iuro per Patrem, & filium, & spiritum san­ctum, & per signum hoc vivifica crucis. I sweare by the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghost, and by the signe of this life-bringing Crosse. WhenLib. Pon­tifical. in Pelag. 1. Pope Pelagius cleared himselfe, he went vp to to deske hauing the booke of the Gospels and a crosse vpon his head.Concil. tom. 3. pag. 917. Martine the fift when hee adiureth the followers of Wiclife, and of Iohn Husse, he commandeth them to touch the booke of the Gospell and the Image of the crucifixe. The Crosse then was honoured in an oath aswell as the Gospels booke, which thar it was matcht with Christ, it doth appeare by the abiuration ofConcil. tom. 3. pag. 600. Beringarius who swore by the Holy Trinite, & per haec sacro sancta Christi Euangelia, by the holy Gospel also. Now least any should re­plie, that Christ had the honour which the Crosse signified as once inCarol. Si­gon. ibid. lib. 3 anno 742. Anastatius oath, who holding a Crosse in his hand said, per eum qui huic ligno affixus est inro: I sweare by him who was fastned to this Crosse, it must bee considered that the very Crosse itselfe had a part in this honour as appeareth by thatDecret. p. 2. ca. 22. q. 5. cap. 2. Canon which enioyneth three yeeres penance to him that hath forsworne himselfe vpon a Crosse consecrate, The signe of the crosse pertaketh both of the inward and outward worship of God. but in case the crosse were not consecrate (by which hee for­swore himselfe) then the penance of one yeere onely.

Thirdly, the signe of the Crosse is an Idoll in that it partaketh of Gods worship [Page 7]both inward and outward. Of the inward he partaketh when men areBreuiar. Roman. in hebdomad. 4. in qua­dragesimo. Tho. Aqui. par. 3. q. 25. art 4. An­drad. Or­thodox. ex­plicat. [...]. taught to put their trust in him. a morall Idolatry (sayth one of theirRodolph. Ardens. ho­mil. 9. post. Trinitat. owne.) Sure an Idolatry by many of their owneConcil. Trident. sess. 25. Bellar. de imag. confessions, that which also is great, both be­cause it is anEpiphan. haeresi. 79. adultry of the spirit which God, a spirit, much respecteth, and also because it setteth vp aAugust. cont. Ma­ [...]imin. lib. 1. cap. 11. spirituall temple to an Idoll, which is farre worse then when some materiall temple is erected. And the Crosse is to be worshipped out­wardly with latria it selfe which is Gods worship, for so the Church of Rome dothTho. Aqu. pa. 3. q. 25. art. 3.4. Anton. Posseuin. bibliothec. lib. 1. cap. 10. Bellar. de imag. cap. 23. teach not onely for a Crosse materiall, but euen for an aereall also. For who is ignorant of this distinction, the true nayles and speare and sepulchre wee adore, but not their Images. The true Crosse we adore for his sake and his Alexand. Ales. p. 3. q. 30. memb 3. art 3. Durant. de rit, lib. 1. cap. 6. images also, him for touching and representing, these for representing onely? And it is indeedNic. Saund. de imag cap. 13. Bellar. de imag. cap. 24.26. directly taught that the signe of the Crosse is to be worshipped among the rest of these re­presentations, and their practise is answerable. For they inuocate this signe,Catechis. Regin. Maria. Anglic. per crucis signum fugiat hinc omne malignum; per idem signum saluetur quodque benignum. Yea in invocation they ioyne it with Christ. Per misericor diā Iesu Christi? Offic. Miss. in praeparat. Per aux­ilium & signum sanctae crucis, Per intercessionen beatae Mariae, &c. And they adore it in their solemnities.Portifor. Sarisbur. in fest. exaltat. crue. Adoramus crucis signaculum per quod sumpsimus salutis sacra­mentum: but more of this in place conuenient.

#Sect. 5. The signe of the Crosse, a part of the deuils worship: A Character to effect things supernaturall and deuilish miracles. An instrument of witchcraft: an inchaunting rod, a magicall signe.

THe fourth Idoll of the signe of the Crosse is the deuill himselfe the aduer­sarie of God, who here obeyed and not God, is worshipped here in stead of God as he was once in the hillLeuit. 17.4.7. altar, though set vp for the worship of God as well as this signe is now. Thinke we the spirit without cause calleth him a deuill, as it isApoc. 9.20. euident that he doth it being one of the popish Idols against which the Turke is loosed? sure being a character vsed to effect things supernaturall without pro­mise from the Lord, it cannot be lesse then aMagde­burgens. a­pud Bellar. de imag. cap. 30. Doct Fulk. con. Saund. de imag. c. 12. p. 652. rite of the deuill, an instrument ofGoulart. in Cyprian epist. 56. not. 31. witchcraft, yea a very inchauntingCalfhil. cont. Mat. art. 8. & passim. rod as our writers vse to terme it, why not? Seeing the peeces of the Crosse wereHierom. in Mart. c. 23. charmes and inchauntments, by a certaine womā borne in the boosome in Hieroms dayes, it no way helping whichRhem. in 1. Tim. 4. sect. 15. some al­leage there is no couenant made with the deuill, for euen anZanch. de oper. re­demp. c. 17 thes. 5. implicit couenant maketh vp witchcraft, such as was betweene Eue and him in Paradise though not expressed. And whereas the heathen hangdMacrob. saturnal. li. 1. cap. 7. Imagines Maniae before their doores to keepe out hurtfull spirits, theSebast. Munster. lib. de Im­perat & prohibit. Iudaeor. Iewes at this houre set vp a circle about their houses to keepe out the deuill, the Crosse among Christians taketh vp the reuersi­on of this office euen as we see him ouer many a countrey doore for the very same purpose.Hierom. in Isa. li. 16. ca. 57. Hierom could not brooke the Deus Tutelaris which stood in the entrie with a candell before it, to preserue the house from euill: for that it did hurt euen to Christians and all conuerted, because as they went into such houses and went out of them, they were euer put in mind inoliti erroris of their old and wonted er­ror. The Crosse in baptisme is more powerfull to remember a wonted error, then a Crosse in an entrie or ouer a doore, which also will neuer goe from the possession of priuate houses vntill the publique house of God doe spue it out. Neither is it nothing that the Papists giue it the name euen of anTholossan. Syntax. Tom. 2. li. 28. ca. 24. Amulete a­gainst the deuill, and feare not to say they coniure (euen Lindan. panopl. li. ca. coniure) the deuill by it. Somewhat also it is, that the deuill hath wrought manyZanch. in ope­rib. redemp. ca. 15. thes. 3. Whitak. controner. 1. qu. 6. ca. 12. Fulk reioind. Art. 1. pa. 145. miracles by it, and [Page 8]at this houre colludeth in it as in a cricle faining he is chained or chased away, when (indeed) heHospin. de orig. imag. Calih. cont. Mart. passi. giueth backe to get the more ground, and flieth from the sight to surprize the soule with greater aduantage. As for the crosses of the MasseMicrolog. de ecclesia. obsetuat. cap. 14. I [...]an. Rey­nold. confe­renc. ca. 8. diui. 4. Gregorie the seuenth tooke them immediatly from the circle, which is the cause they runne in odd numbers to keepe the olde rule, Numero deus impari gau­det. The crosses ofDanae. con­tro. 7. li. 3. ca. 7. And. Willet con. consecration, and of theHerman. Hamelman. de tradit. p. 1. lib. 4. col. 373.369. Fulk. answer, to Rhem, 1. Tim. 4. sect. 15. exorcisme, are coniuring maces in like maner. What that the figure of the Crosse is euen byto 9. q. 7. p. 5. nature magicall, and a ceremonie vsed in magique throughout all ages. So that the Papists may seeme to prouide two strings for their bow when they chose him against the deuill, no lesse then when for the matter of their Beades they choose a stone that hath aDurand. de rit. lib. natu­rall force against him not onely a spirituall.Cael. Rhogiin. Antiquit. lib. 10. cap. 8. Plin. lib. 28. cap. 4.

#Sect. 6. The Surplice as a Priestly and holy vestiment, is to be adored.

NOw while we thus wholy bend our force against the Crosse, the Surplice happilie may hope to escape, which must not be suffered. The things that be dead (saith the Papist) are not capable of adoration (per se). Howbeit as they haue (Vazq. de adorat. lib. 2. disputat. 6. ca. 2. ordinem) & relation vnto God, so they are capable and they haue an or­der to him which areSuar. tom. prim. in Thom. dis­putat. 54. sect. 5. consecrate to his seruice by the authoritie of the Church, which if it be publique it is authentique & in this busines doth suffice. For though there be not in these, sayth he, such a relation vnto God as canIbid. formally &Vazq li. 2. disput. 8. cap. 14. expres­ly represent him like an Image and a Crosse, yet being once consecrate to his ser­uice, they begin to be things of God: yeaIbid ca. 7. parts of God whose worship is a wor­ship of God, so that with him they are to be worshipped as the purple is wont to bee worshipped with the king. Some difference I graunt there is among them about the manner of adoring, some thinke they are to be adoredSuar. vb. supra dis­put. 54. sect. 4. & disput. 56. sect. 2. (per se) quatenus holy with an inferiour adoration: Vasq. li. 2. disput. 8. cap. 10. others thinke it is superstitious to worship any thing (per se) without relation vnto God: and that the adoration due to holy things in this relation is not an inferior worship, but the worship ofIbid. cap. 14. p. 12. latria, where­with God himselfe is worshipped. Howbeit, about the matter they all accord that holy things must be adored aswell as Images, aswell as Crosses, or any thing else that appertaineth to the Lord.Synod. 8. can. 3. Vasq. li. 2. disput. 8. cap. 14. Doct. Bils. against A­polog part 4 pa. 319. They say, Images and Crosses themselues must be adored like holy vessels, holy bookes, holy vestiments, with the like.Vasq. ibi. cap. 7. & 10. & 14. They say the cause of worshipping Images, and of worshipping other things holy is one and the same:Suar. dis­putat. 54. sect 3. Vasq. li. 2. disput. 6. cap. 2. They proue by these reasons Images must be adored and wor­shipped, because they are (res sacrae) holy things: at a word holy things are euen n proprie, that is, properly to be worshipt in their opinion, as the ground (say they) was to be adored and worshipt where Moses stood, because it was holy: and the Arke, the Tabernacle with the rest of the Temple were all worthy to be adored because all holy to the Lord. This our owneDoct. Bils. cont. Apo­log. par. 4. pa. 319. diuines see well, who charge the Papists with Idolatrie to be abhorred in their worshipping of holy bookes, ves­sels, instruments, with the like. Indeed their worships speake so much though they and we and all men else were silent,Vasq. li. 2. disput. 8. cap. 14. oblations, censings, lights, kissings, bowings, vaylings: which, are they notDoct. Bils. ibid. p. 321 322, 323. Idolatrous worshippings when communicated to a creature religiously? But the Surplice (you will say) is none of these. That were great pitie, considering how eminent aboue the rest he is inDurand. ra [...]iona. li. [...] cap. 1. Iacob. a Vitriac. histo. Occident. lib. 2. ca 34. holines, both for vse and signification, wherewith because I am loath to incumber my selfe, let this suffice, the vestes sacrae and theSuar. disput. 154. sect. 3. Saund. de visibl. Monarch. tract. de imag. [...] 2. cap. 1. Vasq. lib. 2. disput. 6. cap. 2. & lib. 3. disput. 1. cap. 1. vestes sacerdotales, the holy and the priestly garments are not forgotten in the writings of the Papists, but named expresly for holy things that must be adored and worshipped. And must not the Surplice [Page 9](then) packe with the Crosse, and goe with him for company, it being a filthie Idoll like him? For if it were but a stone in a field, that had bin worshipped as Pa­pists adore and worshipped it, it ought to haue bin long since abolished as aC [...]ncil. Nanne [...]ens. cap. 20. coun­cell doth decree. In consideration that such Idolatry renounceth Christianitie: which Idolatry cannot be remedied but by an vtter desolation of the Idoll. And this we haue to say against the Crosse and Surplice in that they are Idoles. Now to proceede, if they were but Idolothites they were to be abhorred by vs, the which we can easily prooue against them.

#Sect. 7. The Crosse, Surplice, &c. incurable and inerecouerable Idolothites. The Crosse no creature of God, therefore vtterly to be abolished.

THe Idolothite is wont to be described vnto vs, either actiuely, or passiuelie. Actiuely, that is Idolothious (saythAnselmi. in gloss. in­terlinear. in 1. cor. 10. the auncient description) quod est sub veneratione Idoli, which reflecteth any glaunce of the least honour, credit, or countenance to an Idoll. So the Canon Law doth reackon a Pagan poeme to bee an Idolothite not to be vsed,Decret. par. 1 di­stinct. 37. cap. 15. quia non solum thura offerendam daemonibus immola­tur, sed etiam corum dicta libentius capiendo: and we know willingnes to vse an Idoll as a signe of Gods couenant graceth him more then when we read a poëme of his in some Grammer schole or other for a lesson of Poetrie. TheTertul. de spectat. August. de ciuit. dei cum reli­quis. Fathers doe also inroule a stage-play among other Idolothites which represented heathen Gods, although the Theater honoureth not so much as an holy Sacrament of the Lords.Decret. p. 2. caus. 1. qu. 4. ca. 12 Gatian accounteth meat sacrificed in a temple to bee Idolothious euen out of the Temple, and at a priuate table it selfe to the man that knoweth so much; for that honour in truth or in shewe at least which it sendeth to the Idoll, to which it appertaineth. Passiuely, when a thing Idolothious is described in sence most large it is defined to bee an vncleane thing of Idolaters which we must not touch, because they defile whatsoeuer belongeth vnto them, if their vse which is religious hath but touched it. For as in the Law of Moses, that was vncleane which had bin touched by any other thing or person that was vncleane, so now what heretiques and Idolaters touch take any way into vse religious, that is vn­holie and Idolothious, as2. Cor. 6.17. Scriptures,Iud. 23. vid. Bara ibid. Fathers, and the practise of the prima­tiue Church doe shew. For, was not the zeale of Christians such, that a bable was therefore held to be vncleane,Hieron. in Aggeum. cap. 2. because by chaunce one of theTheodo­ret. histor. li 4. ca. 15. Arrians beasts had touched it, and that in the streete. As for the Church, Constantine forbad his picture to be hanged in an Idols Temple,Euseb. de vit. Con­stantin. lib. 4. cap. 16. ne ipsa tabella vel minima lineamen­torum parte prop [...]er vetitorum Idolorum errorem labem aliquam contraheret. But if an heretiques touching in vse ciuill, the touching of an heretiques Temple defi­leth that which is not incorporated into their worship: then much more is that defiled which hath euen state religious in their seruice, as the Crosse and Surplice haue, and that by way of consecration? Properly therefore that is Idolothious which hath beene consecrate to an Idoll with state religious in his worship. So the Iewels of the Iamnites were vnlawfull, because before they had beene con­secrate vnto Idols. So Tertul. li. de idololat. Tertullian profanationis suae maculam haec habent ab initio I­dolatria dicata. These thinges are spotted by their consecration vnto Idolatry. 2. Mac. 12.40. So Augustine, when hee defineth the Idolothite which is vnlawfull, hee hath these words, Omni [...] creatura dei [...]ona est, sed si illud quod in agris na scitur consecratur Idolo, vel sacrificatur i [...]te [...] Idoloth y [...]a, de putandum est. So Ambrose (last of all) Aliquid p [...]ll [...]rum est p [...]a [...]identiam (id est) oblationem Idoli. By vertue hereof,Ambros. in 1. cor. 10 whatsoeuer guilt there was in the Idols meat at Corinth, and at Pergamus, that lighteth vpon the Crosse and Simplice, because although they haue beene neuer sacrificed, yet haue they beene not onely offered priuatly, but also publiquely beene consecrate [Page 10]to idolatrous seruice. Which doth it not make them Idolothites euē in theVazq. de adorat. lib. 3. disput. 1. cap. 1. & 2 Rhemist. annotat. in Apoc. 2. sect. high­est degree? For, as GodTho Aqu. p. 3. qu. 83. art. respons. ad quart. euer blesseth to good, so the Deuill to euill. As things well consecrate becomeChrysost. 2. cor. ho­mil. 20. Gregor. Nissen. de sanct. bapt. holy, so things ill consecrate must of necessitie become vnholie. As things well dedicate receiue anThom. A­quin. quo supra re­spons. ad tertium. aptnesse for the seruice of God, so the contrary receiue an aptnesse for the seruice of the Deuill. Last of all, as right consecrations are blessings, so the profane blessings of heretiques and Idolaters areDecret. p. 2. caus. 1. qu. 1. cap. 66. & pass. maledictions and meereRhemist. in Apoc. 2. sect. 8. cursings that make most execrable. But if Gods creatures by such consecration become the creatures of the Deuill, become vn­holy, become parts of the Deuils seruice and so accursed, then into what sincke deserueth the signe of the Crosse to be cast which neuer was good nor a creature of Gods, and is now become so euill, as that he passeth the pollution of all other Idolothites whatsoeuer? What is the Agnus, what the holy Water, what the holy Bread to the Crosse? What all the rest of Popish trumpery for which wee are wont to rayse such outcries against the PopishFulk. an­swer to Rhem. 1. Tim. 4. com reliq. consecration? Hath the Crosse any neede of the Churches consecration, as these haue neede? No, the Crosse is holy of it selfe; the signeEuthym. panopl. tit. 20. cap. 14 [...]ereall of the Crosse especially without any further consecration. But if he had neede, there is not any whose patent is so large as his, as whereby he is not onely himselfeDecret. p. 3. de con­secrat. di­stinct. 5. cap. 10. consecrate to Idols seruice, but also installed a Grande consecrator of all things else in Idolatrous worship. The common creatures that are, are notRhemist. in 1. Tim. 4 blessed without the Crosse to common vse. What other things to vse religious,Vazq. de adorat. li. 3 disput. 1. cap. 1. Omnia nobis ipso signo crucis benedicuntur & sanctificantur. Are not the Sacraments excepted? No not the Sacraments, But, Omnia Sacramenta crucis signaculo perficiuntur, Decret. vt supra. sayth the Canon. At a word,Dutand. de rit. li. 2. cap. 45. sect. 7. Torrens. in confess. August. li. 4. c. 9. tit 4 sine hoc signo nihil sanctum, ne (que) aliqua consecratio qua meretur effectum. Come hither you that pleade for this adultresse, see yee not how deepely shee hath drunke of the bitter water of cursing to the rotting of her thigh, and the swelling of her belly? And this curse is as incurable, as it is bitter. When Gods creatures are polluted they may be reddita suis benedictionibus, restored againe vnto their blessings as an auncientTertul. de cib. ludaic. 2 Isa. 2.20. Father speaketh. For example, the Idols meate by the word and prayer may bee restored to the common blessing of feeding the bodie which God did giue it in the day that he created it, & the bread of the Sacrament Idolized to the speciall blessing of feeding the soule which Christ did giue it in the night he ordained the supper, whereas this wretched and vnworthy signe can recouer no benediction by either of these two wayes he being neither a creature of God, nor yet a rite of his sonnes ordayning. Such an Idolothite as this so deepely and irrecouerably polluted, shall it not be defaced through some iniu­rious vse or other? Yea be cast out of the Temple of God? Yea throwne vnto the moules and backes the common receptacle of all defiled reliques? For defa­cing with some iniurie, we haue the auncientVazq. de adorat li. 2 disput. 2. cap. 2. [...]. Mac. 4.45 Albingenses for our torch-bearers, who in disgrace of Images and Crosses, painted the holy and blessed Virgine with one eye, and set forth the Crucifixe with one nayle onely through both the feet. For remoouall out of Gods Temple, we haue the famous Maccab [...]us for our lea­der, who whē the Pagans had defiled the Altar, he would suffer it to stay no longer in the Temple. For throwing to the Moules & backs, we haue the renowmed & zealousConcil. Nicen. 2. act. 7. pag. 188. Graecians for our example; who not onely threw out Crosses and hurled Images out of the Church, but also qua ex c [...]ra fusa [...]rant in singularim ornatum, in turpes vsus converterunt. Keepe we then the Crosse & Surplice within the church and breake we wilfully those two cautions which haue bin euermore prescribed and accordingly practized against the Idolothite? First to shew our detestation of the Idoll, we must either destroy him, or in keeping him for privat vse, so alter and chaunge him thatAugust. ad Publicol. epist. 154. Omnis honor Idoli cum apertissima destructione sub [...]ertatur. that all the honour which the Idoll gaineth by him or giueth to him, may bee turned [Page 11]vpside downe. Secondly, for so much as in every ceremonie wee are to provide not only for the glory of God, but also for the good of our neighbor, therfore not onely for hisIbid. honor must all this honor be despoyled, but also all shew thereof, as these words shew, Apparet illud esse prohibitum nein honorem alienorum Deorum a­liquare vtamur; aut vti existimemur, sic eam accipiendo vt quamvis animo contem­namus eos tamen qui nostrum animum ignorant ad haec honoranda aedificemus. We talke of an vse of Crosse and Surplice with a diverse minde from papistes. but talke on­ly. Doe notIh. How­ [...]let in refu­sal. rat. 2. papistes themselues gather out of this rule of Augustine, that it suf­ficeth not in minde to hate our service and our ceremonies, vnlesse all shew bee made also of their hatred by forbearing both the one and the other?Aeneas Sylui. hist. Bohemic. cap. 6 [...]. Sygismund in heart honoreth the Sacrament: yet when Rochezana carrieth it in procession, he will not vncouer to it, and all to avoyde offensive shew, Ne Rochezanam appro­basse videretur. It is not inough for good Eleazar that hee eate no swines fleshe, Mac. 2.6. but certaine meate of his owne bringing, which although of it selfe it was lawfull, yet must he rather loose his life then eate it, for that shewe of conformitie to Ido­laters in the eating of swines fleshe which it bore and carried with it.Caesar. Baroni Annal, an­no 303. Secundus is commaunded to deliuer his Bibles, he maketh answer, Christianus sum & non Tra­ditor. Herevpon he is commanded to deliuer aliqua ecvola (that is) certaine stuffe which was cast aside for that it had no vse. Will he not deliuer this to saue his life? no not this. It was lawfull, but it had a shew of their sinne whom the Church cal­led Traditores for their deliuering the holy bookes to be burnt by the officers of the tyrant Dioclesian. Last of all,Phil. Me­lancthon. in epist. ad eccles. mar­chiac. Was it lawfull for the poore man at Berne to vse the ceremonie of fasting from flesh with a diverse minde from the papistes? then was he to blame to burne as he did, to avoyde all shew of communicating with them. But ifDecret. par. 2. caus. 32. qu. 4. cap. 8. Augustine may be his iudge, he was not to blame; who holdeth it better to dye for famine, then to eate an Idolothite. This as it may excite our go­uernors to hate the signe of the Crosse & the Surplice (they being polluted in the highest degree of Idolothisme, so to second the auncient zeale of their forerun­ners in the faith, who hated all customes of the alienes euen in common vse it selfe, and all things else if but onely touched by them: so may it iustifie our losse of liuings rather then to honour them apertissimè by aduauncing them into the seruice of the most high, so to follow aloofe of those worthy witnesses who leaue example to loose life, not liuing onely, rather then incurre so much as a shewe, so much as in the least ceremonie of the least approbation of for­raigne Idolatrie.

#Sect. 8. Two seuerall sinnes committed in retaining the Crosse: The first reseruing it as a speciall and scandalous Monument of Idolatrie past: with sixe reasons against the retaining of it.

VVE haue vewed the signe of the Crosse in his Idolothisme considered in generall; now to the end wee may proceede, descende we downe to the seuerall sinnes thereof, which are two. The first, in that hee is a monu­ment of Idolatrie past. The second, in that he is an inticement to Idolatry for time to come. Concerning the former, what is Monumentum? but that which mouet mentem (saythAugust. d [...] cura pro mort. Augustine?) but now the Crosse cannot but admonish the mind of poperie, & that to thinke the better of it, as long as they see it, beingIac. Lede­sima Cate­chis. in ini­tio. the principall badge of poperie; enthroned and sitting in a Sacrament amongst vs, where ought to be seene no signe but such as men should tremble at.Deut. 21.23. Moses crosse [Page 12]must be pulled downe because noFrancisc. Iun. in A­naly [...] ibid. (monument) of any heynous crime commit­ted must be seene amiddst the holy people of God. Is the Crosse a Monument of what he hath revenged and punished but none of that which he hath served and honored? It is too good aDecret. par. 2. caus. 13. qu. 3. Monument for a wicked man to haue his body bu­ried in the Church-yarde, or his name mentioned in the Church-service among the names of holy men. And is it not then too good a Monument for the Crosse to be reuiued at the Fonte, and there be mentioned honorably, togither with the signe of the water, the signe of the couenant? What that these ceremonies of Crosse and Surplice are expresly termed reliques of poperie (as they are left be­hinde in our church) by the best of ourIoh. Cal­uin. epist. to Franc­ford. Pet. Mar­tyr in [...]pist. Amic cuid. in Angl. writers. In regard heereof, say wee to them as we are prompted,Isa. 30.22 get ye hence, for ye are menstruous. Yea as our owneHomil. ag. peril of I­dolat. In­iunct. art. 343. Lawes enioyne, and leaders direct. roote we out throughly all the monuments of popish Idolatrie, euen to theIohan Wolph. in 2. Reg 18. least relique; euen to thePe [...]. Mar­tyr amic. cuidam in Angl. least leavem; euen to the leastGualt. in Luk. 5. ver. vlt. quisquilliae. euen to the leastPet Mar­tyr in epist. alia amico cuidam in Angl. foot steppe; which if it bee done, all the friendes in the world are not able to saue the crosse, it being so grande a monu­ment of poperie, as that the papist isHumble mo [...]. for tollerat. tickled at the very heart to see it entertained amongst vs. What then letteth that wee should not renewe the ancient re­questConcil. Cartha 3.5 can. 15. Placuit ab Imperatoribus gloriosissimis peti vt reliquiae Idololatriae in quibus­cunque locis omnimodò deleantur. Seeing all the reasons are lyable against these Re­liques controversed, which moued Aurelius with his Collegues to sue for the razeing of those remainders of Idolatrie which in their times were left. First, the Crosse is a Iewell of the harlot; while we keepe it we repent not of former adul­terie as we ought. Secondly, it is a Trophee of Antichristes conquest; while it stan­deth Christ is dishonored and put to shame. Thirdly, it is a signe of commodera­tion with Gods enemies; while we beare it we forbeare to confesse against them as we are commaunded Thou shalt destroye all signes and monumentes of their religi­on, because thou art an Deut. 7.5.6 holy people to the Lord. Fourtly, It is a stumbling blocke to the popishly minded, while it continueth, some regard seemeth to be had of their service and of their ceremonies. Fiftly, It is aIudg. 2.3. snare like to one of Canaans mo­numents. while it surviueth, occasion is giuen to abuse, yea to worship it. Sixtly, It is aIsa. 44 10 vanitie, euen as euery Idoll is, which can no way be profitable. More then these sixe reasons, the best of ourGui. Perk. de Idolo­lat. p. 109. writers cannot alleadge against any monument of Idolatrie, which being all of them found in these reliques controuersed, it is ap­parant that the ielousie of the Lord is prouoked to see them: and that it standeth not with the holines of our Church to keepe them, whose duty is toIsa. 30.22 pollute the ornament; to hate the imployment ofInd. 23. euery Idoll, and to account his goldDeu. 7.26 ex­ecrable, his meatApoc. 2.20. abhominable, his name it selfePsal. 16.4. detestable: yea a name to beeExod. 23.13. rooted out from vnder heauen. This dutie we see practised from time to time.Gen. 35.2 Iacob not only burning the bodies of his Idols, but abolishing their earings too. Elias abhorring an1. Reg. 18 32. Altar of Baals, as well as Baal himselfe. Iehu not onely defa­cing Baals Image, but his2. Reg. 10 22. Temple and Vestrie also. Daniel detesting the meatDan. 1.8. of Bell as well as Bell himselfe. And Iosuah (lastly) razing forth whatsoeuer monu­ment he could find ofIosu 23.7 Canaans Idolatry. The faithful in Iacob when they reforme and purge the Church to take away the sinne thereof, make all the stones of the Altars as Chalke stones broken in peeces, that theIsa. 27.9. groues and Images may not stand vp. That which is left of first loue in the decaied church of Ephesus hateth allApoc 2.6. Nicolaitan participation in the appurtenances of Idolatrie. Thus Augustine, the Christian soule that is truely thankfull for her conuersion from Idolatry,August. in Mat. serm. 6 non vult in terra sua aliquid esse in contumeliam Dei, speaking of the monuments of for­mer Idolatrie which is repented of. To this agreeth that ofChryso. in 1. cor. 10 Chrisostom, with what face canst thou giue thankes for thy conuersion from Idolatrie with that mouth which thou defilest with the leauings of the Idoll?

#Sect. 9. The second sinne committed in retaining the Crosse, is the danger of Idolatrie in it for time to come.

THe second hurt of the Crosses Idolothisine is the daunger that is in it for the time that is to come. For the reliques of Idolatry, sayth Augustine, August. etiam sopitae solunt recale scere. What then will these reliques do of Crosse and Surplice? which as sparcles flie about and are not onely not quenched, but also not couered so much as with embers? And the common sort of men are entangled with superstition oftentimes euen in the middest of ReligionAugust demoribus eccles. lib. [...] cap. 34. thoroughly purged, What hope then they can be pure, when vnpurged reliques lye in their way, as stumbling blockes and snares vnto them? Seeing thenConcil. Chalced. act 3. principalis prudentiae est, omne malum initio opprimere, & serpentem morbum legum medicinaresecare, Yea a dutie,Pelag. 2. epist. ad vniuers. episcop. Italiae. ante prouidere remedia quam morbus increscat, in consideration thatConcil. tom. 1. pa. 760. sera sunt remedia quae adactis iam vulneribus opponuntur. The Crosse and Surplice should be so farre from the open honour they haue in the worship of God a­mongst vs, as that indeed they should be forbidden to be in sight at all. What doest thou in the way towards Aegypt, to drinke the dirtie waters of Geon (saythHierom. comment. in Abbac. lib. 1. ca. 2. Hierome?) meaning that the very way must be stopt which leadeth backe to the Aegypt spirituall; & euery pleasant fountaine, barred & kept from the people that may enlure to returne. The same Hierome Idem in Isa. lib. 17. cap. 63. proueth by Gods stopping of the Israelites way with thornes, least they should returne to their former louers; that there is need of a strong fence from all occasions, that may reduce vnto Ido­latrie. The very Papists themselues accord hereto when they affirme, that to keepe the people of Israel from Idolatrie, God forbad there should bee anyVazq de adorat. li. 2 disputat. 4. cap. 2. Image at all amongst them; andSixt. Se­nens. Bi­bliothe. annot. 247 iustifie the Councell of Eliberis, in forbidding euery Image for a remedie to preuent Idolatry. To come to our owne Church we must haue a careHomil. ag­peril of i­dolat. par. 3 (sayth it) not onely for our selues, and for our owne times, but also for other Churches abroade; and for our posteritie, for whose sake, we must away with all Images, that may be abused, after the ensample ofIbid. pa. 2. Epipha­nius: much more with them which haue beeneIbid. pa. 1. abused alreadie, in considerati­on that Idolatry will come of them, which is anIbib. pa. 3. inseparable accident to them. All these premisses being considered, can any doubt, but the signe of the Crosse sinneth through Idolatry against Gods first commandement? What our owne Law? pronouncing that in the Church anIbid pa. 1. pag. 4, 5. Idoll which hath beene, is, or is likely to be worshipped? Haue we not here an Act of Parliament, backing all that hath beene written hitherto? If any say, the Homilies meaning, is of Images that are materiall, a double reioynder is ready at hand. First, The Crosse cannot be kept in, but by this generall position, that Images and all may be had in the Church, ad vsum historicum, a point which our opposites stoutly maintaine, but the Ho­lie refuteth strongly. Secondly, The Homilie is grounded vpon these generall tenentsIbid. pa. [...]. pag. 27.28 euery similitude of euery thing, eueryIbid. pa. 1 [...] pa. 32. likenes of any thing at all, euen all kindes Ibid. p. 3 [...] of similitudes are vnlawfull in the Church which haue beene, are, or be likelie to be worshipped, which take more holde of the signe of the Crosse, then of many other Images that be materiall. To conclude therefore, the signe of the Crosse and Surplice are Idols, Idolothites, Monuments of Idolatrie, and Incentiues to the same, therefore they must packe (cum pannis) out of Gods holy worship.

#Sect. 10. How some contrarie to the Papists meaning and writings denie adoration to be giuen to the aëreall Crosse.

THe friends of the Crosse denie (some of them) our antecedent. Some of them our consequent: which disagreement is such amongst them, as that on both the former heads, there grow more heads then one. For euen of them that denie our proposition, some stand on this, the signe of the Crosse is not purposely adored by the Papists; some on this, we confesse the Papists haue a purpose to adore it, but they cannot: the vanishing nature of this signe being not capable of their worship. As for the former of these twaine, they coyne a distinction be­tweene a materiall Crosse and aereall, as if the Papists did onely worship the Crosse materiall with Latria which is abolished, and not this aereall signe, the vse whereof is vrged. And this distinction is helde forth by them, as if it were an Aiax buckler, vnder which they are secure, whereas (indeed) it will not serue so much as for an Ostrich-bush, to couer the least part of their nakednesse from our agumentes which they can neuer awarde nor answere. First, whatsoeuer Papists write, of the Crosse in generall, that must be meant of euery Crosse, else both of the lawes are broken, of which the Canonicall speaketh thus:Regul. Iur. in sext. 80. In toto partem non est dubium contineri. The Ciuill thus,Digest. li. 50. tit. 17. semper specialia, generalibus in sunt. And the Iesuites words are cleare,Vazq. de adorat. lib. 3. disputat. 2. cap. 4. bactenus probatum manet, in vniversum, signum crucis, in honore & reuerentia habendum, ex quibus idem dicendum de signo in aere, &c. Another speaking of the aereall Crosse by name hath these words in speciall of it:Suar. tom. 1. in Tho. disput. 56. sect. 3. Modus hujus adorationis iuxta ea, quae de imaginibus & de nominibus sacris diximus, est explicandus. Doe they not presse the miracles of the aereall signe when they proue the Crosses worship? Giue they not instance in the CrosseVid. Attil. serran. de 7 eccles. vrb. Rom. pag. [...]5. aereall, when they proue the Crosses vertue? not to be tedious; the te­stimonies which they cite belong they not indifferently now to the aereall, now to the materiall, as they first come to hand or serue fittest for the purpose. Second­ly, we must not distinguish of their worship, when they themselues distinguish not. Now they hold that euery Crosse is to be worshipped,Vazq. de adorat. li. 3. dispu. 2. c. 4 Quocun (que) modo ex­pressa, as they speake of themselues: Sub quacun (que) figura à se facta, & fabricata (say we) and ourWhitak. cont. Durae. lib. 10. pag. 868. Amand. Polan. in Orat. de sci­ent. cruc. writers of them. Photius aPhot. de 7 Concil. ca. 7. Patriarch of Coustantinople doth thus interpret the Councell of Nice, erucis signum adoramus, &c. We adore the signe of the Crosse, by which the troupes of Diuils are chased, and diseases cured, grace and power being once exhibited in the samplar which now diffuseth like vertue downe into the ex­amples: worshipping therefore all these (to wit) the Image of Christ and his Crosse, and the note of his Crosse with honour, and with adoration &c. Concil. 8. Constanti­nopl. can. 3. But let a Councell it selfe speake. Dignum est, &c. It is a worthy thing and according to congruitie of rea­son, and auncient tradition, that for the honour of the principall, all other de­riuatiue Images should bee honoured, and adored as typus praetiosa crucis, the type of the precious Crosse. When Papists cite out of Sedulius,

Sedulius. Carruin. paschal. lib. 5.
Neue quis ignoret, speciem crucis esse colendam.
Quae Dominum portauit ouans ratione potenti,
Quatuor in de plagas quadrati colligit orbis:

And out ofSaund. de imag. ca. 13 Chrysostome, Crucis effigies & figura colenda est, adoranda (que). Who can shut out the aereall signe which is a figure of the Crosse, as well as the materiall? There is nothing more often in their writings, then the adoration of the signe.Pottifor. satisbur. in fest. exal­tat. cruc. Adoramus crucis signaculum. Durand. de rit. lib. 1. pac. 6. sect. [...]4. Crucis signum adorandum est omnibus populis. Damasce. de sid. lib. 4. ca. 12. Ado­randum est signum Christi. Phot. vt supra. Signum crucis adoramus, with the like. Mow I aske which is the signe of the Crosse properly? Bellarmine, answereth me. It is the aereall Crosse. [...] Bellar. de imag. ca. 29 And will any man then exclude from these speeches the Crosse aereall, it [Page 15]being signum crucis properly and only include the materiall Crosse, which so pro­perly is not such? Thirdly, the same reasons that mooue Papistes to worship the materiall Crosse, are all found in the Crosse aereall, what one of them is wanting? The materiall bulke? But we worship not any thing, say they, for theSuar. vt supra. Al­phons. de cast. in verb. ado­rat. Rhe­mist. in Phil. 2. sect. 2. matter, but for Christs representation in it. I aske (then) wherefore worship they the Crosse? because itTho. Aqu. pa. 3. qu. 25. art. 4. representeth Christs death: that doth theRemis. quo supra. aereall Crosse aswell as the materiall. Wherefore worship they the Crosse? because it is consecrate in Christ his blood; and receiueth vertue from it: this is commonRhem. in Luk. 24. sect vlt. to the aereall, aswell as to the materiall. Wherefore worship they the Crosse? because God is present in it, to worke spiritually and miraculously by it. This is done by theBellar. de imag. c. 29. Mart. repl. art. 1. aereall aswell as by the materiall. Last of all, wherefore worship they they crosse; because it is, Quid Alphons. de cast. in verb. adora. ad Christum pertinens; Bellar. de imag. ca. 28 Vexillum eius; signum eius. Because it pertaineth to Christ, and is his signe and banner? The aereallIon. Aure­lianens. de cult. imag. lib. 1. signe hath as great a part in these titles, as any materiall Crosse. Fourthly, wee haue flat and euident testimonies for the adoration of this signe: goe wee to the fountaine of the Crosses Idolatrie, the second Councell of Nice. Which after it had said that the Crosse is holy in it selfe, and to be worshipped, subioyneth this of the aererall Crosse by name,Concil. Nicen. 2. Act. 6. satisfacit nobis figura, &c. The figure is sufficient for vs, which then receiueth sanctification, when it is adored by vs. For whether we imprint him as a seale in the forehead, or whether we draw in the emptie ayre the signe there­of, we hope and beleeue it is able to put the Diuill to flight.Euthym. Panopl. tit. 20. cap. 14. Euthymius hauing to deale against the Armenians, that consecrated the materiall Crosse, after their manner before they adored it, disproueth them by the holines of the signe aereall, which by the common consent betweene them, was deemed more holy then the materiall, and so more worthy of adoration, although it were not conse­crate.Damas. de fide. lib. 4. cap. 12. Damascen after hee had taught that the signe of the Crosse is to be wor­shipped, inferreth instances, and citeth figures which belong to the Crosse aereall. The Vniuersitie of Colen, after much spoken of the Crosse, hath this conclusion,Censura. Coloniens. in Cate­chis. Mo­hem. dia­log. 3. Sitanta est, &c. If the efficacie of our Lords Crosse be so great, when he is onely with the hand imprinted in the fluyd ayre, then why should it not be the same when he is pictured in a table? So speaking, as if the aereall Crosse & the materiall were of the same condition. What should I here set downe at large the wordsBellar. de imag. cap. 29. & 20. of Bellarmine? Who calleth it, Signūsacrū, & venerabile, An holy signe and venerable. OfCoster. Enchirid. cap. 11. Costerus, who saith, that the signe of the Crosse wherby men do fence themselues, is, Summa veneratione colendum, Is to be worshipped with most high veneratiō or trouble my self with the large discours of Gretzerus or any other? The two last Iesuits that haue written shal suffice. ThusSuar. in. Tho. tom. 1. disputat. 56. sect. 3. Suarez, ex his intelligitur, &c. By this it is giuen to vnderstand, that the signe of the Crosse is venerable, and worthy to be adored. For he hath an holy vse & signification. Neither is it materi­al that he consisteth in a matter and action transeunt, because the only diuersity of matter, when the figure and signification is the same, doth not hinder adoration. Our other witnes is Vazquez. Whose maine theame runneth in these wordes,Vazq. de adorat. lib. 3. disputat. 2. cap. 2. pag. 487. Non solum cruxilla, &c. Not onely is that Crosse to be adored, on which Christ died, but also euery figure of the Crosse, whether it be carued or painted, in some matter permanent, or whether it be fashioned with the hand or with the fingers in the ayre, then which, what can bee playner spoken on our side? Fiftly, Our owne writers are our witnesses in this truth. Yea, our enemies their owne iudges.Symon Goulart. i [...] Cypri. epist. 56. fol. 158. Goulartius is cited against vs by Maister Hooker. Now he findeth euen manifold Idolatries in the aereall signe of the Crosse. So that although it were indifferent when the Fathers first vsed it, yet now he holdeth it no longer Indifferent, but an Idoll to be abolished.Lamb. Dan. com. 7. li. [...]. c. [...]9 Danaeus giueth his iudgement thus, Etiam crucis signo in aere facto, &c. Euen to the aereall Crosse which hath no subsistence. Bellarmine [Page 16]contendeth, religious worship ought to be giuen.Guil. whitak. cont. Dur. lib. 10. pag. 859. Doctor Whitakers answering Duraeus, about the aereall Crosse, hath these words, Idololatriam vestram, &c. Your Idolatry and superstition whereby you worship the Crosse with Latria, and signe your selues daily with Crosses innumerable, as the Diuels do like well, so all good men with all their hearts detest with execration. Nay our most bitter opposites themselues, that most desire to cleare the Crosse, haue felt the light of this truth so brightly shining in their owne consciences, as that one of them acknowledgeth that the veryS. Hars­net in de­clarat. of Westons impostures cap. 20. expression and signification of the Crosse, is the same to the Pa­pists, that the horne of Iupiters Goate, was to the heathens, and that they giue to it the supreme honour of our Sauiour Christ himselfe. AnGab. Po­well. de Antich. lib. 2. cap. 10. thes. 11. other citeth out of Vazquez, that they worship the Crosse and the signe thereof (to wit) the aereall signe, for that is Vazques Doctrine. ATho. Hut­ton. ag. De­uonshiere minist. third maketh this difference betweene the aereall Crosse of the Papists, and ours at home, that they worship theirs, but we doe not ours. Neither hath the shift which some haue broached any couert to hide them. They onely giue a reuerence to it (say they) whereas the materiall Crosse they worship euen with Latria which is the worship of God himselfe. For to omit all former profes which manifestly shew, they wor­ship the aereall signe in the very same manner with the Materiall? What distin­ction call you this which is without difference? For doe not the Papists directly tell vs, thatVanq de adorat. li. 1. ca. 1. Idem sunt reuerentia & adoratio, Reuerence and adoration are one and the same, that which Doctor Fulke long since obserued. He confoundeth reue­rence and adoration. Consider the titles themselues of their Treatises▪ Goe they not thus,Doct, Fulk ag▪ Saund. of imag. cap. 13. De veneratione, when they write of the worship due to theDurand. de rit. lib. 1 cap. 6. Vazq. de adorat. li. 3 materiall Crosse it selfe, or toSuar. in Tho. tom. 1. disputat. 55. reliques, or toIoh. Ecki­us. Enchi­rid. Saints? All which worships are Idola­trous? Consider the reasons vsed in their Treatises, proue they not theIoh. Gropper. de Eucharist. Eucha­riste, the Image, theRhem. in Mat. 4. sect. 3. apud Fulk. ibid. relique, must be adored, because they are venerabiles? Consider (lastly) the conclusions of their Treatises. We haue (Coster. Enchirid. cap. 11. summa vene­ratio) ascribed by them, to the aereall signe of the Crosse. When the highest ado­ration which they giue to the greatest Image is but aLau­rent. Surius. in monitiuncul. ante Concil. Nicen. [...]. reuerence; a godlyGreg. Mart. in discouer of English translat. cap. 3. sect. 16. reue­rence; a dueRhem. in Act. 17. sect. 4. reuerence; a smallW. Bishop. ag. reformed Catholique. cap. de imag. reuerence; to wit, such a smallConcil. Nicen. 2. act. 2. pag. 69. reuerence one­ly, as is that reuerent salutation which we sinfull men doe giue in loue one to an other.

#Sect. 11. How the ayrye signe of the Crosse is Idolized and worshipped tho transcant.

THe second sort of our opposites graunt their wanteth no will in the Papist to Idolize the aereall Crosse, howbeit he cannot worship it, neither make an Idoll of it, because it is transeunt, while one part is, the other is not, wholy it doth neuer subsiste; to be adored by him. And what letteth (then) to cry out, [...] I haue found. Howbeit, not what Archimedes once, but quod pueri in faba now. Indeed had not this triuiall shift appeared personally, when time was against a certaine preacher, and depriued him; and were it not that since I see it taken vp in the mouthes of many others, and that it is a common gigge to shift of all things brought against this filthie Idoll, by (Tushe, the aereall Crosse is nothing.) I would haue scorned to haue looked on it, much more to haue answered it. But nowe, what matter is it, whether the obiect of Idolatrie be capable of pollution or no? Honor non est in honorato sed in honorante, and asAugust. cont. Faust. Manichae. lib. 21. cap. 22. S [...]per [...]i & imp [...] spiritus, non nidore ac funio sacrificiorum sicut nonnulls v [...]i opinantur, sed hominum pascuutu [...] erroribus, [Page 17]So it is not for any pollution in the Idoll it selfe, that we are commaunded to roote it out, but to cure the disease of their error that commit Idolatrie to him. Secondly, on how laine a legge doth this reioynder stand? Nothing can be made an Idoll, whose parts are transeunt and aereall, and presently vanishing. Which if it be true, then the Idoll ofHieron. comment. in Isa. lib. 13. ca 46. Clem. re­cognit. ad Iacob. frat. dom. li. 5. Pelusium, which the Fathers condemne for the greatest that euer was, was none at all. I know it cannot be vnknowne to the or­dinary of this case, that the heathen adored theAugust. ad publicol. epist. 154. winde and the ayre it selfe. For euen to the fluyd ayer vnder the name of Dius & Dia were there Temples with­out Rome, that were vncouered at the top. To omit the flood Nilus which the old Aegyptians worshipped, & theAgathias. Scholast. histor. Iu­stinian. li. 1 fluminum lapsus which the Galli did adore. Now by this reason none of these were Idols. For what more aereal thē the wind and the ayre it selfe? & what more transeunt in the partes then riuers, falling down and running? And what will be answered to the name Iesus (the name of him that is God blessed for euer?) more aereall then the Crosse, because a found? which thus describeth it selfe in the Poet,

Ioh. Lau­terb. oenig­mat. 86.
Corpore colliso vel rupto nascor in auras
Vanesco, at (que) animam vix generatus ago.

Say we (then) the materiall Crosse is an Idoll with the Papists, not the aereall? we may say as well the materiall name of Iesus (as it is painted or engraued) is an Idoll with them, but not the aereall. Whereas vox Iesus, velaudita vel visa, is indifferently worshipped by them.Anton. de Corduba. lib. 1. qu. 5. dub. 4. art. 2. Dominie Soto de instit. li. 2. q. 4. art. 2. By some of them improperly, by othersSuar. tom. 1. in thom. disput. 54. sect. 5. Vazq. de adorat. lib. 2. disput. 8. cap. 10. properly: so that our writerers doe not erre who censure their bowings to theFulk. anns [...] [...] Rhem. in Phil. 2. sect. 2. aereall name of Iesus, for Idolatrous, to which also there is anThe relat. of the relig. of the We­sterne &c. pag. indulgence an­nexed for pardon of sinne. Thirdly, the reason why the aereall signe of the Crosse is thought (though worshipped by the Papists) to be made no Idoll by them, is the slender subsistence it hath, for which men say, it is a thing of nothing. First here, how cannot the stomacke be moued to see God & the Church so mocked? The Church is mocked, because commaunded to make a thing called a Crosse, which is no Crosse; because Crosse-wise neuer existing. God is more mocked by this opinion. For what haue we here brought into his seruice? to wit a Crosse, not a Crosse; a thing that is nothing, like Sphinxes riddle; a man, not a man: stan­ding, not standing; vpon a tree, not a tree? Secondly; the Crosse had as little subsistence in the primatiue Church, as it hath in these late dayes. In these hath it so little being, that popish Idolatrie cannot discredit it? then was it such a thing of nothing in those times also, that the vse of the Fathers could not credit it, and now it is so thinne a sharke, that our own Church cannot countenance it neither, though commaund it most vnworthy. Thirdly, know we not that it was neuer denied to Bellarmine that [...] in neere sense and signification, is aIoh. Rey­nold. de Idololat. lib. 2. cap. 7. sect. 1. vanishing aereall shadow, like the vmbra of one dead in Eustathius, which being true, the vanishing ayrenes of the Crosse furthereth (indeed) but stayeth not the idolizing of it. So doth it further the guilt of it (likewise) Quasi vero. &c. as if it were not better (saythAugust cont. Faust. Manich. lib. 20. cap. 15. Augustine) to worship a stone which hath a being, then in the doting of our fancie, to adore that which hath no being? As if it were not better (say I) to adore a Crosse of stone, then a Crosse aereall, which our Oppo­sites giue forth, is a thing of nothing. When the Septuagint ad to the Hebrew (Gods that are not.) Hieron. comment. in Isa. li. 1 [...] cap. 65. Hierome liketh the amplification well ynough in regard of [not being in subsistence] as heresies are Idols so much the worse (sayth he) (and so by consequent aereall Crosses) because in similitudinem vmbrarum, transeunt & intereum; They vanish & passe away like shadowes. Fourthly, be the subsistence of the Crosse outwardly neuer so transeunt, subsistence it hath in the mindes of men constant ynough, yea too constant as is seene by our opposites. What a thing is it, that they who talke so much of the [nothingnes] of the [vanishing] of the [not subsisting] of this signe, should make (notwithstanding) so great a thing [Page 18]of it in their hearts, and giue it so permament subsistence there, that neither the teares of the poore, nor the suites of the rich, neither the scandall of religion, nor the dammage of the Church; neither the triumph of the Papist, nor the worsting of the Protestant, nor any thing else, by any meanes possible, can cause it to vanish away from thence? What though the Rayn-bow bee but a shadow of the sunne, transeunt and vanishing, as singeth the Poet. Mille rapit varios aduer sa luce colores? the minde for all that doth apprehend it, as a constantHieron. in Comment. in Ezechi. lib. 1. ca. 2. signe of Gods couenant, which hath no shew nor shadowe of changing. Mulium differt, &c. there is great difference (saythAugust. de ciuit. dei li. 11. c. 29. Augustine) betweene knowing a thing as it is made, and as it is in it selfe. as the straitnes of a line, is knowne one way as it is conceaued in the vnderstanding, an other way as it is written in the dust. What then, though the Crosse be transeunt, as he is made, yet he is permanent as he is considered in se ipso, as a line is permanent in the minde, though not in the dust, wherein hee is drawne. For theLudouic. viues ibid. Geometer draweth his lines in the dust, that he may mende and marre as he list; dash out and draw new, when (yet) in his vnderstanding they are permanent, and in his minde, as we may see by Archimedes, whose lines if they had not bene deeper printed in his minde, then in his dust, hee would not haue bene found poring on them, while Syracusa was in surprizing. To be short, that whichAugust. confess. li. 11. c. 27. Augustine sayth of a sound, though the parts of it be trans­eunt: Quod eius vti (que) peractum est sonuit: Quod autem restat sonabit. Yet it is totally & actually existing in the minde, that which is past in the memory; that which is to come in the intention, all of it together in the affection; that may be applied to the crosse aereall. So that the vanishing ayrines of it, excuseth it not frō being an Idol with the papists; condemneth it with vs to our greater guilt, who though an aerie vanishing idol do yet nourish more thē a vanishing likening towards it in our harts

#Sect. 12. Reasons with obiections answered, why the Crosse may not bee entertayned by vs, &c.

WE haue strengthened our Antecedent, and prooued the Crosse to bee an Idoll among the Papistes. Isa. 52.11. 2. Cor. 6.17 Apoc. 18 4. Now must wee shewe the strength of our consequent against the second sort of Opposites, who confessing that the Papists Idolize it, make this their iussue, It may be vsed by vs notwithstanding, because with vs (say they) it is no Idoll. First, we are not onely forbidden to continue in our own vncleannes, but also to touch any vncleannes of [theirs] as if that which is vnclane with Idolaters, could no way be made cleane to vs. They who thinke otherwise speak the language of Ashdod. What though the papistes vse the crosse, what is that to vs? Iust so Baronius, Caesa. Ba­ron. Annal. Anno 132. siquis dicat Gentiles habuisse in vsu aquam lu­stralem, quid tum? And we vse the Crosse which they vse, not imitating it, but cor­recting it rather. Iust soSuar. in Tho. tom. 1. disput. 54. sect. 7. Suarez, We worship Images, which Gentiles worship, non imi­tando sed corrigendo. Secondly, It is with vs in the service of God an image which without warrant we haue made to ourselues,Doct. Bils. ag. Apo­log. p. 4. pag. 340. Doct. Fulk annsw. to Rhem. Act. 17. sect. 4.5. Perk. in reform. Cathol. ca. de imag. therefore an Idoll. It is an Image consecrated (that is) addicted to holy vse,Doct Bils. Ibid p. 34 [...]. therefore an Idoll. It is a meane to many, whereby they worship, and many hold it a part of Gods worship, there­foreDoct. Bils. ibid p. 345 348. an Idoll, to them especially, who serue hereinAugust, de consens. euang. lib. 1. cap. [...]8. Hieron. in Hos. ca. 4. quod ipsi fingunt euen their owne fancies. Thirdly, There is aIoh. Rey­nold de Idololat. lib. 2. ca. 1. sect. 1. Metaphoricall Idoll that transgresseth, and an IdolatrieThom. Aquin. comment. in epist. ad coloss. 3. lection. 2. secundum similitudinem, although not secundum speciem [per accidens] though not [per se.] Whereof, let them that be able excuse this signe, for we can not. Be there a fewe in the Realme (thinke ye) that doe put asmuch confidence in the crosse, as the couerous in his wealth? Now if any shall say, that for this the crosse must be no more remoued, then wealth and riches, we haue to answer, that all theHospin. de re templar. Fathers remoue golde, and all pompous ornaments out of the Church, & [Page 19]all carnall lasciuiousnes in painting or singing, and euery thing else, which by the couetous or vncleane, or any other, might in likelihood be made an Idoll there. Fourthly, There is an Idoll [reatu] through guilt remayning, and an Idoll [actu] by actuall cōmitting Idolatrous sinne, and the signe of the Crosse is an Idoll with vs of the first sort, if not of the second. Idolatrous worship is the soule of an Idoll (say some of our Opposites) therefore seeing we worship him not, his soule is de­parted from him. First,August. epist. 19. col. 76.77. Augustine accounteth, that the ceremonies of the Iewes are dead, and therevpon argueth that they were to be abolished. Now, the Crosse ought to be as dead vnto vs totally (for it is not better thé the ceremonies of the Iewes) and we haue as great neede to burie his carcase, which if it be left aboue the grounde, will not the stincke thereof be intollerable? And seeing our reviving of him, with a new style which we say is not idolatrous (for as yet he liueth in po­perie) beareth shew (at least) of fauor to him, remēber we the ancient canon,Leo epist. 90. ad ru­stic. Nar­bonens. cap. 7. Nos quibus viventibus non communicauimus, mortuis communicare non possumus, we may not communicate with him dead, with whom we might not communicate when he was aliue. Secondly, we must not compare any creature of God with an Idoll which is the creature of the Deitie: if we keepe our selues within the bounds of the scripture, we must cōpare the Crosse with an harlot. Say we (then) the Crosse is no Idoll nowe, because it hath no adoration, which is the soule of an Idoll? this is as if we should reason, this woman ceaseth to be an adultresse any longer, be­cause now at this present she is not actually in that copulation, which is the life, & the very soule of adulterous crime. No, an harlot remaineth an harlot though her sinne be past: & so the signe of the crosse an Idol, though his Idolatry be ceased a­mongst vs. And looke what lawes are made against the bodily harlot (although repenting) they are all in equitie lyable against the Crosse, although purged throughly from former Idolatry, which I would to God it were. He (then) that will not permit his Priest that standeth before him, and ministreth vnto him, Lenit. 21.7. to marry an harlot (though repenting) will he endure the signe of the Crosse (the harlot her selfe) to minister before him in his Sacrament? Yea, to be married to his Sacrament, and matched with it? Deut. 23.1 [...] He that will not suffer the price of an har­lot to be brought into his house, to the benefit of it: will he endure the signe of the Crosse (the harlot her selfe) to the defiling of his house, to be brought not onely into his temple, but also into the seruice thereof? and there to be rated at such a [price] as that the holy priests themselues, that before did minister before him, must now become a price for her, to bring a greater sinne vpon our Church, then that which Ioell taxed once, they gaue the child for the harlot: Ioel. 3.3. seeing they are the Fathers themselues, euen the Fathers of many in Christ, that are sold by vs for the Crosse? Deut. 23.1 [...] 2.3, &c.

Last of all, hee that will not permit the issue of the harlot, to beare a­nie office in his congregation, till both her memorie and her blood bee quite worne out, will hee endure the signe of the Crosse (the harlot her selfe) and that euen flagranti crimine, while her fornication reaketh, & Idolo viuo, (as speaketh Tertullian) while the Idoll (the Crosse abroad) is yet liuing? I referre it to indifferent iudgement, whether this bee not like that rebellion of a wife, whē she putteth her louer into office, in the house of her husband, if not in dispite of his teeth (as vsually we speake) yet sure vnderneath his nose. Fiftly, there is an Idoll more strictly taken, and an Idoll of larger sence, which will include the Crosse. For the better vnderstanding hereof, we must borrow a distinction from theThom. A­quin. com­ment. in epist. ad Coloss. ca. 1. lection. 4 scholemen, by which a thing may bee guiltie of Idolatry, essentialiter, participatiue, or causaliter: which our doctrine at home doth backe, that is confir­med by Act of Parliament; Affirming that to be an Idoll in Gods seruice, which is,Homil. ag. perill of Idolat. p. 1. pap. 4.5. hath bene, or is like to be worshipped. What [is] worshipped by our selues, that [Page 20]is an Idoll essentially. What [hath] bene worshipped, or [is now] worshipped a­broad by others, that is an Idoll by [participation]. What is [likely] to bee wor­shipped, that is an Idoll [causing] idolatrie in time to come. In which sense Gede­ons Ephod may be termed an IdollAugust. quaest. vet. testament. lib. 7. q. 41 Vazq. de adorat. dis­put. 1. ca. 3. quodāmodo; and that it may be euen before it was adored. And hereby are many obiection answered. Our Writers denie an Image in the Church (say some) to be an Idoll, in case it bee not worshipped. True, an Idoll essentially, as many of them as desire to haue Images thrust out of the Church (of which sortIoh. Rey­nold de▪ Idololat. lib. 2. ca. 2. sect. 2. there be a great number) they hold them guiltie of Idolatrie by participation and by occasioning, or els why will they thrust them out? A second obiection is wont to be made. If the signe of the Crosse be an Idol with vs, then must men seperat from our Church, and from our Baptisme; which fol­loweth not. From Idolls (essentiall) men ought to seperate by the example of the Levites and the two Tribes that made separation from the calues of Ieroboam. 2. Cron. 11.13, 16. From Idolls by participation and occasion men are to keepe their owne selues pure, but not to seperat, by the ensample of the Godly, who seperated not from the Temple of God, for Damascus Altar there, or from the church because of her high places. 2. King. 16.11.1. King. 22.43. It is obiected once more against vs, If our signe of the Crosse bee an Idoll, then our Ministers that doe make it are Idolaters, and our Churches idola­trous also. This followeth not neither. For denomination being from the forme, and the Crosse not being formally an Idoll amongst vs, but materially (I speake in comparison to the Crosse popish, in regard whereof, we may bee saide to vse that, which is an Idoll, but we doe not vse it idolatrously) therefore as DoctorDoct Fulk ag. Greg. Mart. cap. 3. sect. 20. Fulke concludeth of the Lutherans for hauing Images in their Churches, the same must be said of all those Protestantes that will retayne Crosses, they sinne against the first two commaundements (through Idolothisme) not directly thorough I­dolatrie, and therefore they may not be termed Idolaters. Howbeit by way of reduction, Idolothisme is in some sort guiltie of Idolatrie, as sheweth the Apostle, who in steed of saying Fly from Idolothisme, saith, flye from Idolatrie. This Idolatrie by reduction what is it els, 1. Cor. 10.24. but idolatrie by participation, as doth appeare by the 18.20. and 21. verses following. But this participation is not in our Crosse (will our Opposites say) who first, least happily they should mistake vs, we defire to re­count the auncient distinctionChrysost. Pet. Mar­tyr in 1. cor. 10.16. plus est communio, quam participatio, nam ad hanc satis est partem habere, sed ad illam requiritur, vt prorsus vniamur: atque totum per­cipiamus, quod nobis proponitur. This being premised (to wit) that we charge the Crosse, not with a totall communion, but with a participation in part onely, we thus bring in our euidence against him.

#Sect. 13. Wee commit Idolatry in receiuing the Crosse, because wee doe not Zealously banish it.

FIrst, we are guiltie of participatiō in defect through omission, because we come short of that zeale against this Idolothite of Rome, which is enioyned in this word [flie frō it.] For, 1. Cor. 10. ver. 14. this doth not coidly bid vs to auoid it, but (as it were pulling vs out of the flame) it cryeth feruently, vse allGloss. in­terlinear. diligence to separate it from thee. Be zealous in heartPet. Mar­tyr Ibid. to detest it with honour, & shake thine hands from the least communication with it,Gualt. in Archetyp. etiam minima ex parte. This partaking forbidden againe, Ephe. 5.11. Haue no fellowship, but reproue them rather, is committedTho. A­quin. com­mentar. in cum loc. three speciall wayes: Imitando, coadiuuando, consentiendo. By imitating, helping, and consenting. Of all which three the Crosse is guiltie. Forinpart we imitate the Papistes in ma­king like them a Crosse like theirs, in the very same Sacrament to many of the very same endes; which being more then [minima ex parte] it maketh vs partici­pants, like vnto the Corinthian eating. We make no account of the Crosse (we [Page 21]say) so they iudged the Idoll nothing. We vse not the Crosse for any liking to the popish crossing, but for peace and for the winning of them: 1. Cor. 8.1.2, 3, &c. so the Corin­thians did not eat for any honor to the Idol, but to cōtinueGualt, in Archityp. in ver. 14. loue & likening with old friends, & to draw them to the faith. In regard hereof they bring nothing, who ro cleare our crosse frō imitation, say, we vse it diuersly, & to a good end, & lawul. First, this stoppeth our mouthes before Papists: whom how shall we answere, al­leadging the very same defence for their Images (aswell they may) it being as law­full for thē to erectTurrian. pro. canon. Apostol. li. 1. cap. 25. Feuardent. in Iren. lic 1 cap. 24. Caes. Baro. Annal. an. Christian Images against Pagan Images, in holier maner, as is to erect in holier sort, a Protestants Crosse, against their popish one. Secondly, the very vsing of that rite which heretiques vse, hath alwayes bene held a follow­ing of them, and an vnlawfull imitation. The first Councell of Nice will not celebrate Easter on the same day, whereon the Iewes did keepe the Passeouer. Wherefore? they hold it to be an imitation of the Iewes, and the same vnlaw­full to them, as these words shew:Tom. con­cil. 1. pag. 352 Indigna res est sanctissimū eum diem, imitatione at (que) consuetudine Iudaorum celebrare. Againe, the fourth Councell of Toledo will not vse the rite of three-fold dipping which the heretiques vsed, because they held it to be an imitation euill in the shew at least, to them especially who take no know­ledgeAúgúst ad publicol. epist. 154. animi nostri of our diuerse manner of vsing. Thus goe their words,Concil. Tolet. 4. cap. 5. Prop­ter vitandum (autem) schismatis scandalum, vel haeretici dogmatis vsum simplam te­neamus Baptismi mersionem, ne videantur apud nos, qui tertiô mergunt, haereticoruns approbare assertionen, dum sequuntur & morem. Thirdly, the pretence of winning Papists, cleareth vs not from an vnlawfull imitation, but yoketh vs with them vnlawfully. Here I thinke worthy to be remembred the words of Gelasius, Gelas. 1. in epist [...]ad Euphemi­am. Wee may condescend for peace, but not descend downe into any [praecipitium] hoc descensu num saluare est aegrotantem, an cum languenti consumi? He is preposterous that willeth the Physition to be sicke, and not rather the sicke to receiue health from him. Is this the best way to repayre peace, or rather that, which reiecting all contagion, and preuenting all infection, keepeth the vnitie & the communion pure, vnmixt, and vndefiled? The way to helpe one that is sicke (saythAugust. epist. 9. Augustine) is not febres mentiri, but in the strength of his health cum patientis affectu, to minister the meanes that may rid his sicknesse. Hierome writing of Peters imitating the Iewes in their ceremonies: Noua clementia Apostoli (saythHieron▪ ad Augustio. ibid. epist, 11. he) &c. a newe gentlenesse of the Apostle, while he goeth about to make the Iewes to be Christians, he himselfe (a Christian) is made a Iew. For he could not reduce the luxurious to frugalitie vn­lesse he proued luxurious himselfe; nor mercifully succour miserable men, vnlesse he felt himselfe in miserie. The effect is, we must not make our selues sicke, for the healing of others: neither must Protestants participate with Papists, to reduce them from poperie, but in compassion heale them rather with medicine contrarie to their disease; that is with all puritie from their error, and from all shew of com­municating with the same.

#Sect. 14. The second kinde of participation with Idolatrie is when wee may hinder it, and doe not.

THe second participation is [Coadiuvando] by helping and furthering, from which, who so flyeth as this Scripture doth commaund, he chaseth the Idolothite before him, and maketh it to flie as from a whirlewind. For this text requireth allNicol. Ly­ra. in hune locum. possible diligence to resist Idolatry by preuenting those occasions which the I­dolothite procureth, so that from henceAugust. serm. d [...] a temper, 241 Augustine of old, ourGualt. Ar­chityp. in ver. 20. owne writers of late, collect, that they participate with Idolaters, who doe not roote all the Monuments and the Reliques of Idolatrie out of their territories and possessi­ons. Qui non prohibet cùm potest, iubet, (sayth theSenec. in Orest. Poet.) He onely is guiltlesse, [Page 22]sayth theDigest. lib. 50. tit. 17. cap. 51. ciuill Law) qui cù scit, prohibere non potest: And the Canon Lawe thus,Docret. p. 2. caus. 23. qu. 8. ca. 12 Qui non emendat & corrigit, is committit. Ibid. qu. 5. cap. 38. Qui parcit vitijs, is fauet nutriendis. Decret. p. 1 distict. 85. cap. 3. Error cui non resistitur, approbatur: negligere, cùm possis deturbare, nihil aliud est quam fouere. Non caret scrupulo socitatis occullae, qui manifesto crimini, desinit obuiare. What then? we should haue grubbed vp allHeb. 12.15. Deut. 29. [...]8. roote of bitternesse. We haue left a Surpplice and a Crosse behinde for a stompe in the ground which will reflourish. We should haue taken all euill away from theDeut. [...]3.5. midst of Israell. Our eyes haue spared the abetters of it; nay our handes haue aduaunced them. We should, haue purged out the old1. Cor. 5.7. leauen, that we might be a new lumpe that is vnlea­uened, we suffer it still to abide in the house▪ yea more, we set it vpon the table. We should haue slaine euery Amalekite beast, we keepe the Crosse, the Surplice, and other popish rites aliue, because we thinke they are the best amongst those which we haue abolished, vpon pretence they are fat (that is)1. Sam. 15 15. sit to be vsed in the sacrifice of the Lord. Last of all, we should haue shut our lippes fromPsal. 16.5 salu­ting the Crosse, we reach forth that Ahabs haue to imbrace, yea to lift vp into the1. King. 20.33. charet, wherewith indeed we should haue slaine him. What excuse is left for vs? Popery is furthered, if so notorious brokers of it be not resisted Whereas we (as if our conniuency were too litle) euen command them and commend them, and plead for them. Now, Quo modo Leo. 1. apist. 91. cap. 15. decipi simplices possunt, nisi vene­nata pocula, quodam melle perlinirentur, ne vsque qua (que) sentirentur insuauia quae essent futura. The Crosse and Surplice being Idols, must needes bee poysonfull; my glory therefore ioyne thou not with their sweet tongues that sprinkle them ouer with faire excuses, as it were with honny.Ennodius in lib. de­fensor. pap. sym­ [...]anch▪ Non grandis est differentia vtrum lae­thum inferas, an admittas▪ mortem languentibus, qui cum possit non excludit, inflixit: and these doe more then barely admit, or not resist. The third participation here forbidden is consent & approbation, not onely manifest but also secret, not onely by our selues intended, but so interpreted by the Lord. When this text here willeth to [fly] from the Idolothite, thinke we an open consent vnto Idola­ters, is onely forbidden? No, the Corinthians did not thinke they consented to Idolatry, euen as we now thinke of our selues: they consented (notwithstan­ding) in their eating the Idolothite, so doe we now approoue of poperie. If any aske how? theVid. Lynd. Wood. Laiwer will tell him, what a secret consent is in generall. And as for the secret consent in hand aIoh. How­l [...]t. in Re­fusall. rat. 5 Iesuit himselfe will answere, that though a man doth not intend to consent to heretiques, yet, that then he is guiltie, when in appearance he maketh that shew of communication, which maketh the Lord to [interpret] that he consenteth. The question then is, how the Lord will inter­pret our retayle of popish rites, which may be assoylde, by that interpretation which hee gaue once of Iacobs catriage. Iacob loueth Leah well ynough if he may be suffered to be his owne iudge▪ but why (then) doth he not take her into him aswell as Rahell? This argued he loued her not in so high a degree as he should, 7 Gent. 29.31. therefore doth the Lord [interpret] that he doth hate her. In like maner we hate the Papists well ynough in our owne iudgement but why (then) put we not away from vs, these Thamars of theirs, which they haue defiled, as well as o­ther reformed Churches? this argueth we hate it, then not in so high a degree as we ought. How can (then) the Lord but [interpret] that we loue them and approue them. We are in the Angels case of Pergamus and of Thiatyra. We haue some [...]eale against Nichol [...]itan Idolothisme, as our remouall of many of Romes trumperies sheweth▪ to which notwithstanding like theseApo [...]. 2. [...]4.20. Angels we consent, in that we proceed not to an vtter riddance of them. We are in the prophet of Be­thel [...] case, we haue some zeale against the bread and water of Rome, with which notwithstanding we participate, as he did with that of Bethell; in that by the per­swasion of our elder prophets, we doe not forbeare them in their1. Reg. 13 19. society. Last [Page 23]of all, we beare some proportion, though not totall, with Elies case; we abhorre that any fornication should be committed within the Tabernacle, but because the harlots there haue proceeded out of the loynes of our owne braines (for so we may say of the Crosse and Surplice) therefore we are loth to thrust them out: and doe wee not then1. Sam. 2.29. consent like him?Decret. p. [...]. distinct. 88. cap. 5. Consentire videtur (sayth Gregorie) qui ad resecandum non occurrit. Concil Aquisgran. sub Ludo. vic. 1. c. 25. Si corrigere potest & dissimulat, verum est quod con­sensum erroris alieni habet. Wee see poperie is spred by these pedlerie wares of hers; and yet we forbid not the opening of them.Concil. Pistens. ad Sequanam. cap. 4. Non est liber à consensu, qui quod emendare potest, emendare negligit. Qua propter sine dubiò, peccati se participem facit. Our negligence in amending the corruptions that are left is manifest to men and Angels.Suar tom. 1. in Tho. disput. 55. sect. 1. Consentiunt, qui licet expressè hoc non intendunt, facto tamen ips [...], ita se gerunt, ac si intenderent. Our fact is the same whatsoeuer our minde is, they can but vse the tites of Rome that doe intend to consent to them, and so do wee. In this case how can the minde be pure? In shew at least.Ennod. v [...] supra. For, as Nemo creditur odisse, quorum relatione non laeditur. So none will beleeue wee hate from the heart, the rites of Rome, as long as they see we are not grieued (I say euen grieued) at the vse of them.

#Sect. 15. Three obiections fully answered, whereby the opposite endeuoreth to proue that to communicate with our Crosse, is no Idolatrie.

IT being thus proued we participate because we [flye] not from Idolothisme so farre as the Corinthian should, what matter though we come not so [neare] it as once the Corinthian did? Howbeit how much are wee short of him. The Corinthian protested not against the Idoll, wee professe and publiquely teach a­gainst the popish Crosse (say some.) First, the Corinthian did professe, 1. Cor. 8.1. hee held the Idoll to be nothing, and did make knowne he did not eate for any honour to the Idoll, but for loue, and for theGualt. in Archity p. in 1. cor. 10.14. & in cap. 8. company of his neighbours. Secondly, the thing being knowen to be Idolothious, a protestation that we honor not the Idol, serueth not the turne: we must also forbeare, as by the plaine text of the 28. verse, so by plaine reason, (to wit) because without forbearance, our protestation will seemePet. Mar­tyr in ver. 29.30. ridiculous, neither will it be beleeued; if it might, yet is it no little sinne towards God,Ioh. Cal­uin. in ver. 20. Obire eas actiones, quae Idolorum cultum prae se ferunt. The second difference which our Opposites doe alleadge is, that the Corinthian went in to the Temple of the Idoll to eate, while the Idolater was eating there. But we goe not into any popish Church to vse the Crosse together with them. First, the [...] here is not the Temple by any likelihood, but theErasm in 1. cor. 8. Pet. Mar­tyr ibid. ver. 20. feasting chamber rather, as doth appeare by this, that the Apostle, 1. Cor. 10.21. doth not charge them for presenting themselues before the Altar of the Idoll, but for being present rather in a roome where is a [table] for eating onely, and not an Altar for sacrificing. Secondly,August. in [...] Psal. 99. Hoc est presentem vel absentem esse, sensu abesse vel presentem esse. Was not Paul present at Corinth, when he was in spirit there? So long (then) as by the vse of Crosse and Surplice, we seeme present in good [liking] wee giue as great honour (well neare) to poperie, as the Corinthian bodily presence gaue to the Idoll. Thirdly, the Corinthian participated when hee did eate the Idolothite1. Cor. 10.28. euen out of the [...] it being once made knowen to be such, euen as it was out of the Temple in priuate and ciuill vse, that1. Reg. 13.22. Bethels water, andDau. 1. ver. 8. Bels meate were vnlawfull. The Papists (indeed) say that the feastes the which Paul writeth against were onely at the Altar, but our writers affirme the contrary, prouing out of the Scriptures, that the manner was to feast at1. Sam. [...].8.9. pro. 7 14. home, after the sacrifice was once ended: and out of the heathen writers likewise; for the manner of the Gen­tiles was the same, as appeareth byVirgil [...] ­ [...]e ad. [...]. Evander, who when he had sacrificed to Her­cules, [Page 24]invited Aeneas to a feast at home. They prooue out of the Fathers (also) that the knowen eating of the Idolothite out of the TempleClement. exam. p. 2. de missa. col. 175. Math. Sut­cliff. de missa. li. 3. cap. 13. wheresoeuer, doth in Pauls doctrine make a man guiltie of participating with the Idoll. Whereby it appeareth that our vsing of Crosse and Surplice (so it be reuerent) makes vs par­ticipant wheresoeuer wee vse them, and not onely when we are present in the act of their Idolatrie. Fouthly, our transporting of Crosse and Surplice from their Temples into our Churches, is as great a participation as if we had gone to some Church of theirs in the eyes of ourLudouic. Lauat. in Hest. ho­mil. 46. pag. 89. Pet. Mar­tyr loc. comm [...]. clas. 2. ca. 5. sect. 24. writers, who hold it a Corinthian sinne in an high degree, to bring into holy vse, any rite of the heretiques. The auncients agree to this.Concil. Aphrican. tempore Bonifac. Pap. 1. can. 27. Feastes which were vsed by imitation of the Gentiles are abho­minable; if they be vsed [in ipsis locis sacris] in the very Churches themselues of the Christians. So in like manner, as it was held detestable to enter into an here­ticall Temple, so was it counted an execrable matter,Concil. Epaunens. can. 33. basilicas haereticorum, sanctis vsibus applicare, to applie the Churches of the heretiques to Gods seruice, vnlesse they were such, as they had taken from the Catholiques themselues before. But whether it be as great a participation or no, as if we went into an Idols Temple after the supposed Corinthian manner. Sure I am, it is greater then that of the Corinthian was, when he did eate the Idolothite at home at a priuate table. For wherefore must he not be eaten, but because it returneth a certainePet. Mar­tyr 1. cor. 10. honour to the Idoll, to which it belongeth? AndTertul. li. de Idololat. Omnis honor Idoli, Idololatria. And it skilleth not whether it be verus honor, or,Thom. A. quin. in [...]. cor. 10. lect. 4. putatiuus, it being Idolothisme when the Idoll is honoured by vs in the estimation of other men. Nowe this is done when by our vse of Idolatrous rites, we make their Idolatry to bePet. Mar­tyr 1. cor. 8.10. thought the better of; and whenAmbros. 1. cor. 10. ver. 28. alius qui Idolis seruit, gloriatur. Which cannot bee auoyded in our religious vse of the Crosse; because he that seeth thee eate the Idols meate, (saithChrysost. 1. cor. 10. Chrysostom) Existimabit te non nihil Idolorum cultui deferre. AndAmbr. ibid. in ver. 29. Ambrose, Iudicatur non distare ab eo, qui colit Idol [...], quando non horret quod oblatum est simula­chro. What that the Crosse is worse then Corinthes Idolothite, euen in priuate vse and all like vnto the Iewish meate? Because the very common crossing of the Papist, being knowen to be euill, we pertake with their Idolatry if we vse their Crosse in priuate, euen as theyDecret. p. 2. caus. 28. qu. [...]. cap. 14. partaked with the Iewish superstition, that sate with the Iewe at a priuate table, for that euen here his meate was knowen to be superstitious; whereas Corinthes meate, against which Paul writeth, was often vnknowen to be Idolothious. The third difference which our opposites make, is this: The Crosse and Surplice are sanctified by the comment of our Church, which the Corinthian Idolothite lacked and wanted. First, the Idolothite at Corinth must be forborne when he is knowen to be such, 2. Cor. 10.30. although sanctified by giuing of thankes. This deceiued the young Prophet at Bethell, he thought hee might eate the bread and the water there, so it were not in the fellowship of Ido­laters; in the societie of an old Prophet, who commaundeth him in the name of the Lord, and sanctified them before they were eaten; he thought it to be lawfull ynough, 1 King. [...]3.18.19. which is vp and downe our error.August. de temp. serm. 241. Augustine handleth the very case, we are to flie (saith he) from the Idolothite, as if we saw the Deuill himselfe, and that in our owne houses, not onely in Idolatrous places, where some say, ego signo & sic manduc [...], I crosse my selfe and sanctifie the meate before I eate: take heede of this. This were for a man to crosse his mouth, and to stabbe his heart. What God hath sanctified, polute thou not: so what God hath polluted, sanctifie thou not. No Church, no holy societie, can make holy a Crosse or Surplice, or any other Idolothite, because the word of God defileth them and pronounceth them vncleane. Secondly, the Temple cannot sanctifie what is vncleane, but what is vncleane can pollute the Temple. Agge. 2. vlt. 2. Cor. 6.16 What agreement hath the Temple of God with Idoles, saith Paul? either here he reasoneth aGlossa. or. dinat. ibid. genere, No Idoll must dwell in any [Page 25]Temple, therfore not in any spirituall one or à Guak. Ar­ehitip. in hunc. loc. Comparatis. The materiall Temple must haue no Idoll in it, ergo not the spirituall neither. The Crosse (then) being prooued a notorious Idoll, what maketh he in any Christian Church, or holy societie, to the pollution of the same? I conclude withAugust. epist. 11. Hierome: The Iewish ceremonies vsed in our Churches (saith he) cannot make the Iewes to be Christi­ans, but they will make vs Christians to be Iewes: euen so, our holy vse of po­pish rites, will not make Papists to be Protestants; but they will make vs Prote­stants to be Papists (to wit) through participation with them.

#Sect. 16. An obiection of the Opposites answered, saying, they may vse the Crosse, because they haue chaunged the Crosse. Though there be foure sorts of things that may be chaunged, yet the Crosse is none of them.

HOwbeit; there is an hope in our Opposites, cleanely ynough to shift them­selues euen of all this. How can we in Crosse and Surplice participate with the Papists (say they) seeing we haue changed the Popish Crosse, and haue alte­red it from what it was, & it is not the same. First, the consequent hereof soundeth not well in their mouthes, who wereM. Fenner. ag. Doct. Bridges in his treat. of the Crosse. wont to reason we may vse the Crosse al­though an Idol, because the sunne though Idolized, because this excuse supposeth the Crosse were vnlawfull if hee were the same vnchaunged, where as that reason matcheth the Crosse with the sunne which remaineth, we know, vn­chaunged and is euen Numero, still the same. Secondly, the consequence is vn­sound, because of things that may be chaunged from their abuse, the signe of the Crosse is none. The first sort of these are the things of the Idolater not Idolatrous. Which by the chaunge of fire and water, became lawfull in Moses Num. 31. [...]3. lawe, like the garment of the Leaper notLeuit. 14.8. leaprous, which being washed might be put on▪ wheras the Crosse because it selfe is become leaprous (as hath bin proued) ought to be burnt, as also because it was at the first (when it was at the best) but hayM. Calf [...]. ag. Mart. art. 5. fol. 125. and stubble which the2. Cor. 3.11. fire of the word hath in other reformed Churches long since consumed. The second sort, are things Idolatrous, but without state in Idola­trous seruice. As theAugust. ad Publicol. epist. 154. fountaine of any Idols water, & the sun in the firmament which beholdeth without allTertul. de spectac. contagion, the Idolatry that is committed to him: whereas the Image of the sunne (to which the signe of the Crosse now aunswe­reth) for that state which he hath had in worship Idolatrous, is not tollerable in a Christian congregation, for who can endure there theIoh. Rey­nold. de Idololat. li. 2. c. 3. sect. 25. fire of the Persians? theIbid. sect. 25. Colossus of the Rhodians, and theSect. 55. Romans? or his Image of a man termedSect. 51. Bell in Assyria?Lib. 1. ca. 5. sect. 17. Baal in Palestina? The third sort are things which haue bene in state Idolatrous: howheit, because they haue bene inspired by God with a purpose they should continue, therefore they may, and sometines must be chan­ged to the vse of their first inspiration. But how shall we know whether they bee inspired by God? to wit, by this marke, A deo inspiraia sunt (saithTertul de coron. millit. Gen. 4.22. Gen. 3.21. Tertullian) qua procurant meras vtilitates, certa sub sidia, honesta solatia, necessitatibus humanae vita. As the Mechanicall arts deuised by Cains Idolatrous posteritie were from God, aswell as the skill of clothing was, which he taught Adam immediatly. To this the scholemen doe agree.Tho. A­quin. p. 3. qu. 25. art. 3. respons. ad 2. Aquinas teaching in rebus fructuo sis gentilium, we may communicate. Where as in rebus infructuosis (such as are the Crosse & Surplice) we may not come neare them. The fourth sort, are the ordinances of the Lord, such as are the holy Sacraments which must euen after abuse Idolatrous, which [chaunge] from former superstition, be to Gods seruice restored againe. For that haec Bucer. in Censur. Leiturg. Anglic. ca. 9. pa. 472. nobis nulla potest, impiorum vitiare peruersitas, theyAugust. de Bapt. cont. Donatist. li 6. ca. 25. passing through their a­buse without contagion, as theDecret. p. 2. caus. 15 qu. [...]. ca, 5. ray of the sunne striketh into the dounghill, and is not defiled. What meane (then) our Opposites to alleadgeAugust. ad deograt. epist. 49. qu. [...]. Augustine likening well of Pagan rites, when they be altered to the true God? For hee meaneth of Sacrifices and of Temples which were commanded in Moses lawe. Are Crosse [Page 26]and Surplice commaunded also? No more, are Temples commaunded nowe (will they reply) concerning these, they haue had no state in Idolatrous seruice, such as Crosse and Surplice haue, they are not meere inuentions of man, as the Crosse and Surplice are. When circumstances doe not hinder, they beare the [Marke] formerly mentioned, of a purpose in God to continue them still (to wit, commoditie and needfull vse) which stampe, and superscription of Gods, the Crosse and Surplice cannot shewe to prooue themselues his lawfull coyne. They therefore who reason, A Temple may be still continued, therefore a Crosse, trace the footesteppes of Tertullians adversaries. We vse phisicke though it be consecrat to Aesculapius, therefore a garland too: and of the Papists our owne adversaries, We may retaine a Pagans temple, therefore hisDurant. de rit. lib. 1 cap. 9. sect. 10. frankencense also. t Tertullian de­nied the former consequence, because Phisicke is profitable, whereas a Garland was vnnecessarie.Tertul. quo supra. Our writers the latter, because a Temple hath necessarie vse, whereas frankencense is good for nothing, which yet is better (or not so bad) as the Crosse and Surplice are. Let me, to the contrary, vse a weapon of our owne men. All rites abused popishly must be abolished,Bucer. in censur. quo supra. Nisi existant ex ijs rebus, ver­bis, & signis, quae dominus nobis commendauit. The signe of the Crosse hath bin abused popishly, and is no ordinance of the Lorde; therefore he must downe, when Temples sometimes mayConcil. Aphrican. com. 25. stand: as in the dayes of Constantinus, though at other times they must bee raysed (necessary circumstances so requiring) as in the raigne of Theodosius, some of them were, and in the time of the Councell Epaunense of which before.

#Sect. 17. An enlargement and continuance of the matter contained in the former Section.

THirdly, what if the Crosse might be chaunged, as the things forenamed may? It appeareth in sight it hath with vs no chaunge sufficient. The naturall Sympathy,Iulias Sca­liger. Nulla intercapedine impeditur, No more can the spiri­tuall bee let or stopped, which is betweene our and the Popish Crosse, as long as the Crosse hath a being in Baptisme, it will offer towards the Popish no lesse then the needle towards the Pole; in so small a distance (also) as now is be­tweene them, they will close like the Adamant & the Iron together, neither can any wisedome of man keepe them asunder; Euen in our Opposites graunt, the chaunge is not totall, but in part onely, to wit, in the manner of vsing, which if it be so, Mat. 9.16. there is a new patch put to the olde which will (say I) nay which al­readie hath made, the breach the worse. And to say it is not the same Crosse, be­cause a patch or a peece is diuerse, it is as if the old disputers aboutPlutarch. in sympo­siac. Argo, should haue said, it was not the same ship, because it is new peeced, or as if Elias might haue repayred one of Baals Altars vpon mount Carmell,Reg. 18.30. and hauePet. Mar­tyr in hunc loc. Ios [...]. 6.26. sacrifi­ced on it, vpon a pretence that now it was not the same, because he had patched it, or as if Hiel should haue pleaded, Iericho (indeede) is iustly accursed, howbeit I (the repayrer of it) deserue no blame, for why it is not now the same, I haue made a newe one of it. Howbeit, that this enterchaunge of patching and pee­cing may the better appeare to be insufficient, it shall be shewed. First, that the olde peece is too great; then that the newe peece is too little. First our Crosse hath too great a peece of the old, in regard of his honourable vse. For beeing a vessell of Moab he should haue bene made a washpot, Psal. 108.9. whereas nowe being set in Baptisme, as on the cubbard where the rest of the plate standeth, he hath the place of a vessell of honour. The Idolothite is neuer lawfull (saithAugust. epist. 154. Augustine) till the honor of the Idoll be most openly subuerted, that is neuer done till his be­nediction be cleane wiped off, this cannot be done, but by someSyluest. Prier. in sum verb. benedict. iniurious vse: [Page 27]this vse iniurious who dareth offer to the Crosse? When aBaeat. Rhenan. i [...] Tertul de coron. milit. Christian souldier came with a garland in his hand which he should haue worne vpon his head, he was put to death vnder the raigne of Seuerus the Emperour, in the dayes of Ter­tullian, who defendeth this fact of his.Baron. Annal. in anno 201. Baronius condemneth it, but vpon this ground, that it was a ciuill and a necessary ornament for his head, and elswhere he is contented to paralell this Acte of his, with the caution of holy Christians, which in other Pagan rites, auoyded and shunned all shew of Symbolizing with them. The Crosse (then) being a Symboll and badge of poperie, it ought by the pattern of this example to haue bin turned in vse frō the head to the hand at least; whereas now we see it is set still, euen on the head of baptisme, for a garland to a­dorne it, and we will not turne it so much as from religious vse to ciuill handling, whether the Christians wished the washing of the feet, when it seemed inAugust. epist. 119. cap. 18. Augu­stines dayes, pertinere ad baptissimum, but to pertaine to baptisme. Secondly; our Crosse is not sufficiently chaunged from the popish, because too great a peece of his old bonorable names remaine. For the veryExod. 23.13. Iosu. 23.7. Zach. 13.2 name it selfe of an Idoll ought to be left, and euery regardfull remembrance of him, and that in ciuill vse and all, where euen a custome to say meherculè isTertul. de Idololat. Idolatrous to Hercules, and euery other mention els of any Idoll is vnlawfull,Ibid. nisi adijciatur aliquid, quo ap­pareat, that he is not named with honour. As for a contract, though it be ciuill, I must be so farre from naming in it anTertul. lib. cod. heathenish Idoll as that I sinne if I keepe silence when an other doth name him. What watch keepe I ouer the doore of my lippes (then) in case I name in the heauenly contract betweene God and man (for such is Baptisme) this abhominable Idoll of the Crosse? Yea, name him there, that hee may consecrate my seede to God, as a signe of the Sonne of man, as an holy signe of Christ, for so wee are taught to speake by theRic. Hook li. 5. ca, 65. doctrine of our Church, in whose practise vulgar abroad, these honourable titles doe sound oftner in mens mouthes, a blast to the Crosses houour, then a due and lawfull prayse to baptisme it selfe. Marc. Bibulus once complained of Caesar his collegue, that he drowned his name as Castor the name of his brother Pollux. For though the Church was erected to them both, yet was it not called Pollux Temple, but the Temle of Castor onely. A greater suit may the water of Baptisme commence against the signe of the Crosse, which neuer being ordained a signe of Christ at all, yet ruffleth vnder the honorable name, whereof it robbeth Baptisme. this is a thing vnworthy of vs, who vse toIoh. Cris­pin. in cronolog▪ controule the Papists because in their common speech, they call Corpus Christi day by the name of [Gods Feast] more often, then the holy Sabboth day which was the holy Feast indeed, which God himselfe ordained.

#Sect. 18. Our Crosse not chaunged from the Papisticall Crosse, whilst ours as also theirs resemble Christs death: and whilest the old peece of his figure and forme remaineth.

THirdly, the Crosse is not chaunged sufficiently, all while the peece of his olde offices still remaine. For I aske, wherefore doe Papistes adore their Crosses, because theyTho. A­quin. p. 3. q. 2 [...]. art. 4 resemble Christ. If so, then all while wee vse the Crosse to be a signe of him and of his death, we cannot denie that he retayneth, and that entirely his old Idols office with vs. Fourthly, the change of the Crosse is insussicient, all while the old peece of his figure, & forme remayneth. We obserue theCant. miss. cantell of the Masse booke it selfe, drawing his lines atwhart not a sloape, which ought not to be so, because in an Idoll it is theAugust. epist. 49. qu. 3. forme which doth maximè afficere infirmos animos. and as for the Crosse it is theAlphons. de Castr. in verb. adorat. Damasc de fid. lib. 4. cap. 11. forme, for which the Papists do adore it. The sensers of Corah Num. 17. [...]. & Abiram themselues, though neuer consecrat to an Idoll; though far from being Idols such as the signe of the crosse is, were not [Page 28]admitted into the Tabernacle, till dispoyld of former forme. The womanDeut. 21.12. Ido­latrous taken captiue, may not bee married till by the chaunge of her outward hab it (euen to haire and nayles themselues) she giue assurance shee hath as be­wayld, so also renounced her former countrey. Now by what outward formall chaunge doth our Crosse giue securitie, that he hath either bewayld duly her for­mer Idolatry, or renounced truly her Idolatrous country Rome, which hath not so much as a faire new garment dight her, which this woman was to haue: vnlesse it be in some peeces and patches only as hath bene sayd. Sure to dissolue the two Crosse lines wasAthanas. fict. Anti­och. qu. 16 thought of old to be the only chaunge sufficient to preuent the suspicion of that abuse, wherwith Papists in the highest degree, haue since defiled it. This chaunge corrumpent of the forme, being not in our Church performd; our Crosse remayneth the same in specie, that it was among the Papists for figura Thom. A­quin. in epist. ad colos. cap. 2. lect. 4. is signum alwayes spetici. Fiftly, (therefore) our Crosse is not sufficiently chaunged because the peece of his olde [kind] is still the same. Are not the ex­cuses of them that were bidden to the marriage saide to bee [Luk. 14.18. one] for that [Communitie] of deniall which was betweene them, though otherwise diuerse in themselues? The duties of maisters and of seruants are they not said to be the [Ephe. 6.9 same] although different in themselues, because of that [Common] propor­tion that was incident to them both? Doe we not hold against the Papists their oyle, their lights and their Frankencense areIoh. Rey­nold. con­fer. with Hart. cap. 8. diuis. 4. pag. 49 [...]. Iewish, because in [kinde] they bee shadowes of Christ like them? What (then) though there bee some pettie differences, to bee giuen betweene the Popish Crosse and ours, as long as our Crosse partaketh of [Common] properties, of [Common] proportion; and doth [like] him shadow forth the death of Christ, he may well be termed po­pish, yea in some sort the same. For when we accuse them of Iewish rites, we doe not require they be the sameIdem. pa. 494. absolutely if theyIbid. pag. 495. resemble the Iewish rites, and in their [kinde] be shadowes of Christ, we thinke it sufficient. Patere legem quam ipse tuleris, and our English Crosse is popish, though absolutely he bee not the same with Roomes, but in some common and generall properties doth re­semble him. And surueye we the Scripture herein, which flatly condemneth euen all [likenes] and all proportion, and all similitude with aliene rites: as an Altar like in fashion to the Altar of2. Kin. 16 11. Damascus, is vnlawfull, and a carte prouided for the Arke like that which the1. Sam. 6.8. Philistines prouided for it, is no1. Cor. 15.13. due seeking of the Lord. Suruey we the practise of the Primatiue Church. A lawrell bough and a light set at the doores [like] that of Idolaters, was Iodolatrous, euen inCaesar. Baro [...]. An­nal. an. 201. Papists owne confession. Suruey we late writers, theyBulling de orig. error. lib. 1. cap. 33. affirme the same Idolatrie is amongst Papistes which was amongst Pagans. They meane a same­nesse for some proportion that is betweene them. TheyWhitak. de not. ec­cles. not. 6. affirme the same here­sies are taught by them, as the auncient heretiques broached, but meane a samenesse for some likenesse that is betweene them. TheyMath. Sut­clif. in Tur­co-papism. brand diuerse of their superstitions, with the infamous marke of Turcisme, because they come too neere to Turkish superstion. And there be some Papists that in some things see no difference betweeneLudonic. Viues in August. de ciuit. dei li. 8. ca. 27. their owne Idolatry, and thePolydor. Virgil. de inuentor. rerum. li. 5. cap. 1. superstion of the heathens, who yet in diuerse petty differences, could not but find diuersitie.

#Sect. 19. The Opposites first difference, why our Crosse not the same with the Papists sz. because not the same Numero.

WE haue performed our first taske and haue proued the old peeces of the Crosse to be too great, to admit a chaunge sufficient. Take we now the second in hand, where wee shall find his three new patches to bee to little to en­dure [Page 29]it. The first difference (forsooth) in our new Crosse is [Numerall.] It cannot be said to be the same with theirs (say some) because it is not the same in number. In which sort, if Papists may reason, they will easily prooue against vs that none of their rites are Iewish or Paganish. And if we may be suffered to vse like reaso­ning, wee are able to make cleare, that the antiquitie that is alleadged for the Crosse, is quite impertinent, our Crosse not being the Fathers Crosse, because Numero not the same. Our high Court of Parliament hath established no lesse then [three] Homilies against the vse of all Images in the Church. What? speake they onely against those Images which were [Numero] the same, that Pa­pists had abused? speake they not against all Images like to theirs, although in number not the same?

Decrer. p. 3. de on­secrat. di­stinct. 5. cap. 10. Steuen the fift, Pope of that name, consecrated to Idolatrous seruice no nu­merall Crosse, but the signe of the Crosse in generall. If (then) the sheafe of the first fruits consecrated all the rest of the haruest, the consecration of the signe of the Crosse in generall hath much more hallowed to vse Idolatrous (and so de­filed) all numerall Crosses. All the meates that were brought to the table of Ne­buchad-nezzar, were not offered to Bell, onelyAmand. Polan. Francis. Iun. in Dan. 1.8. one dish was set on his Altar for the rest, and this hallowed all the rest. Would Danieli eate vpon our excuse, this meate [Numero] is not the same, which Bell hath defiled? But when the weake of the Primatiue Church did eatAugust. de morib. Ma­nicheorum. li. 2. ca. 14. herbes for feare they should among other pee­ces of flesh light vpon some which had [Numero] bene sacrificed, they shewe that scrupulositie it selfe stucke onely at that, which was abused indiuitually, and when the Christians (on the other side) that were at Antioch, ate of the meat that Iulian had dedicated to his Idols in the shambles they shewe that a generall con­secration doth not defile particulars. As for the the first, the weake of the Chri­stians that stucke at meate Idolothious, would haue stucke much more at the ho­ly vse of the Idoll, and at his habit in Gods worship, which now is the blot that staineth Crosse and Surplice. The latter instance putteth this distinction quite out of fashion For did they not at Antioch eate euen of that meate which euen Numero had bene consecrat at the shambles? Its killeth not (then) whether it be [Numero] the same or no, that hath bene consecrat, but the manner of consecra­ting and of eating is here the point which is all in all. Hath the Idolater consecra­ted specially with state in Idolatrous seruice, and doth the Christian vse the thing so consecrat in Gods holy seruice? Then caeteris paribus, the thing is vncleane. Hath the Idolater consecrated generally onely at theAugust. epist. 154. fountaine or at the sham­bles without bestowing anyLambert. Danae. in August. de haeres. speciall state religious in the worship of the Idols temple, and doth the Christian vse the same in ciuill vse? then may it bee vsed as it was at Antioch, howbeit with someTheodo­ret. histor. li. 3. ca. 15. sighing; that which I thus apply to our purpose. Though Antioch meate was without state, our Crosse and Surplice in state of Idolatrous seruice, though that was fetcht from the shambes, our Crosse sent vs out of the Temple of the Idoll though that was necessary our Crosse need­lesse; though that was a creature of Gods in one ciuill vse, our Crosse a meere inuention of man, out of one element in vse religious: yet Christians partaked of that lugentes & gementes, being thereto by neede constraind. Whereas our Op­posites euen ridentes & deridentes inforce a necessitie of a Crosse needlesse, to the generall [gemitus] and to the luctus of Christian Churches.

#Sect. 20. Our second Opposite different why our Crosse not the same with the Papists, sꝪ. because ours is made at the fount only: theirs at the Church doore also.

THe second difference betweene the popish Crosse and ours may bee termed circumstantiall. It pleadeth our Crosse is not the same, because made at the [Page 30]font only wheras Papists make it at the Church-doore also: & ours is not daubde, with oyle on the childes forehead, as their Crosse was daubde, and is. First, accept of this difference and iustifie the popish ceremonies from being Iewish, sith the same (if not greater) may be euen alleadged for them: as that theDurand. rational. lib. 4. ca. 8. Iewish fran­kencense was a perfume, their simple frankencense without any ingredient else, and theIdem lib. [...]. cap. 7. Marcell. Corcy [...]ens. lib. ce tem. 1. rit. 2. Iewes lights were of oyle, whereas theirs be of waxe. WeIoh. Rey­nold. con­fer. with Hart. cap. 8. diuis. 4. pag. 490. vse to de­ride such differences of theirs; and are bold to affirme that a sacrifice were now Iewish, although the matter totally differed; to wit, though a dogge were offer­red in stead of the Iewish sheepe. Secondly, there be as great differences as this in many Crosses, which neuer yet were held sufficient to vary any common case, that is incident vnto the Crosse. The Crosse which ChristiansEuseb. histor. li. 8. cap. 7. made with their armes, placed a twhart, when the Panthers were now ready to deuoure them: the Crosse which the auncient communicants made with their hands, when be­ing to receiue the bread of the supper, they did Cyril. Hi­rosol. Ca­techis. 5. Darand. de rit. lib. 2. cap. 55. sect. 17. subijcere sinistram, veluti sedem dextra, The Crosse; which the Durand. de rit. li. 1. c.6 sect. 11 Gentiles made with the thoumbe, put a twhart ouer the forefinger, which they kist in adoring the Sunne, are cast into the heape with other Crosses; and brought by authors to proue the vertue, the vse, and the holinesse euen of the Crosse aereall which differeth from them, with greater [circumstance materiall] then our Crosse from the Popish. WhatVid. Pet. Viret. in Cantel. miss. exception was euer taken either by the Burgonions against the French Crosse; or by the French against the Burgonions, the one of which was asloope, the other atwhart?Durant. de rit. li. 2 cap 45. sect. 10. What difference was euer imagined betweene a Crosse with fiue fingers, and a Crosse with two? betweene a Crosse from the right side to the left, and a Crosse from the left side to the right? Wherein was it euer iudged that the Stola cancel­lata in pectore, ad modum crucis, Durant. lib. 2. ca. 9. sect. 15. ad signan dum passionem Christi, that theIbid. sect. 26. Raban. de institut. cleric. lib. 7 cap. 20. Dalma­tica which doth praferre crucis formam, to be an indicium passionis dominica, that the stretching forth of the Priests armes at masse to make a Crosse to signifieDurant. lib. 2. cap. 42. sect. 2. Microlog. de obserua. Miss c. 16. ex­tentionē Christi in cruce; that theDurant. li. 2. cap. 9. sect. 44. Raba [...]. Maur. li. 1. cap. 25. foure red Crosses which are in the Byshops pall, to be a memoriace passionis redemptoris, did differ from the aereall Crosse, or any Crosse else materiall? Thirdly, make good these differences of former circum­stances, betweene the popish Crosse and ours, and then our Crosse will not bee the Fathers Crosse, as it is boasted and giuen forth. For our Crosse is after Bap­tisme (men say) whereas the Crosse of the auncient Fathers, was both before and after, the water euenWolfgan. Lazins in Carol. magn. epist ad alcuin. many times repeated. Before Baptisme, the Cathe­chumeni were examined with interrogations andBrissonius de spectacu. p. 150. 151 Crosse, which also was done when they wereIbid. p. 153 exorcized. The oyle (also) went before the consecrating of the font, which was done with aIbid. p. 154 & 201. Crosse, theIbid. p 167 consecrating of the font follow­ed, and that was also done with a Crosse. After these (some say) the Baptized was crost in theDurant. de rit. li. 1. c. 19 sect. 28. Wolfgang. Lazius. vt supra. forehead, though others seeme to contradict it; who are of opi­nion the Presbyter Brisso. de spect. pag. 190. 191. 204. 206. signed in vertice onely. Howsoeuer this be, after Baptisme there was another annoyting vsed with diuerse oyle, by (a Bishop forsooth) who lastlyDurant. lib. 1. cap. 20. sect. 12. Brisson. vt supra. pag. 188. 190. 198. crost him on the forehead by the generall consent of all. Fourthly, such differences of circumstance make no difference els where, and why then should they heere? The Passeouer in Canaan had neither shoes on the feet, nor girdle about the loynes, nor staffe in the hand, as the Passeouer in Aegypt had, and yet it was the very same Sacrament. Our Lords supper is in the forenoone and with the leauened bread whereas Christ was after supper, with bread vnleauened, yet the Sacraments be not diuerse. Our Baptisme (also) is one with the Fathers Bap­tisme, though ours be in the day, their was atBrisson. pag. 179. night, which had a speciall signifi­cation; as also theirIbid. pag. 181. staying of the Baptized in the Church, or in the Baptistery vntill midnight.

#Sect. 21. The Opposites third difference of our Crosse and theirs, is in the meaning, end and vse.

THe third and last difference alleadged for our Crosse, to make it diuerse from the popish, may in this sense be termed [formall] in that it is drawne from a diuerse manner, in our meaning, end, and vse. First, this iustifieth both the Lutheran in his Images, and the Adiaphorist in all his mixtures, and meashings with poperie;Augustan. consulta. Mait. 15. 1548. c. de ceremon. both of them protesting the rites they retaine, are not popishly vsed by them, but [ad ornatum] only, and ad decorem, and ad adificationem. Yea, this iustifieth the Papist (also) in all his Iewish, and heathenish ceremonies. Who, why should he not plead as well as we, I vse them not as Pagans vse them? Charles the great condemneth the Baptizing of Bels (to wit) theDurant. de rit. li. 1. cap 22. sect. 6. superstitious manner of Baptizing (saith Vitus Amerbachius) not the Baptizing it selfe. The Councell of Eliberis condemned lights at funerals (that is say the Papists) the manner of themIdem. cap. 23. sect. 14 ex superstitione gentilium, not the lights themselues. Our tapers (also) which burne on our Altars, are diuerse from those of the heathens (say they) Wherefore? because Christiani, Idem. li. 1. c. 8. sect. 5. non eadem mente, co (que) fine, lumina offerunt. The Christians offer lights not with the same minde, not with the same end that Pa­gans doe. Againe, the Priests of the heathen vsed the stole, yet their stole is not heathenish, because the heathen did not vse it,Durant. lib. 2. ca. 9. sect. 12. eadem ratione, qua nunc Christiani. Secondly, the generall plea of this excuse must needs be this, the Papists Crosse to an ill end, we to a good. Which, is it good in an euill adultresse, such as the Crosse is proued to be? then excuseAugust. de sermon. domin. in monte. li. 1. p. 1123. Augustine too, excusing adultery, when it is com­mitted to a good end, as to saue an husbands life. Thirdly, we haue Scriptures against this excuse, and we haue the Fathers against it. Peter, vsed he not the Iew­ish ritesIoh. Rey­nold. con­fer. cap. 8. diuis. 4. diuersa mente, and yet is not excused? If we vse the Crosse for edificati­on, and not as the Papists vse it, so he vsed the Iewish meates for edification, and put no merit or necessitie in them, as they of the Concision did. Augustine spea­king of him, It is vnlawfull (saith he) to retaine any of the Iewes ceremonies (and Popish ceremonies, are worse then theirs)August. epist. 19. pag. 77. Quolibet affectu, & quouis animo id fiat; how diuerse so euer our mind and meaning be. Fourthly, I appeale to our owne writers, whereasExtraua­gant. de sacra vne­rion. cap. vnjco. Innocentius pleadeth, their oyle is not Iewish, because it signifieth diuerslie, they refute him, because a diuerseIoh. Rey­nold. con­fer. with Hart. cap. 8. diuis. 4. manner maketh no law­full diuersitie, and because it is not lawfull to borrow form Iewes, (therefore not from Papists) andPet. Mar­tyr in 1. Reg. 19. addere nouam significationem. Martiall maketh a difference betweene the heathens incense and theirs, because they vse it better.D. Fulke. reioynd. art. 7. pag. 187. Doctor Fulke disdaineth the difference, and scorneth to answere it, it is so foolish. Bonner holdeth their Images diuerse from the Pagan Images, because vsed by them to better ende;Act. & monu. in histor eius. Hos. 6.11. Maister Hawkes careth not for the diuerse vse, as long as both layd together, haue eyes and see not, eares and heare not, and so agree in common properties the one with the other, he counteth them all one. Finally, this change of a popish rite, vpon pretence of a diuerse vse, is but a transplantation only, which out of the ScripturesPhilip. Morn. de Eucharist. lib. 2. ca. 1. Guil. Perk. in problem. praeparat. 3 all our writers doe condemne; affirming that it is our du­tie, to grubbe them cleane out of the Church. Fiftly (and last of all) I appeale to our owne practise, whereas some Churches retaine theAlexand. Alesi. in proaem. li­turg. angli. eleuation still, not for adoration like the Papists, but for ostension to the people, as if this difference of diuerse manner, bore no meate in mouth, we haue abolished it. Where as someBullinger. de orig. er­ror. l. 2. c. 6 allow of a stone Altar so it be erected for a Sacrament, not for a Sacrifice, as if this diuersitie of vse and end were insufficient, we haue remoued them like toZepper de polit. eccles. lib. cap. other reformed Churches. Whereas Lutherans retaine Images in the Church for vse historicall as if this diuerse end were nothing, we haue turned themHomil. ag. peril of Idolat. p. 1 & 3. headlong [Page 32]out of our Churches. We might vse in diuerse manner the popish Crosses of the supper, as well as their Crosse in Baptisme; them wee cashire vnder this gene­rall and peremptorie doome,Bucet. in censur. ca. 5 papisticorum gestuum licentia, prorsus tollenda. And is not the Crosse in Baptisme a popish gesture, as wel as that of the Lords Supper?

#Sect. 22. Our vse of the Crosse, the same with the Papist in senen respects. The Opposites distinction of effectiuè and significatiue in defence of it aunswered.

WE haue proued a diuerse manner in vsing of the Crosse, is no sufficient chaunge. Now what if our manner be not diuerse, but in a manner the very same? For doe we vse the signe of the Crosse, not as a substantiall part of Baptisme, but as a ceremonie for order, decencie, and edification? euenPet. Lum­bard. lib. 4. distinct. 3. so doe they. Do we vse it as an ancient rite, that bringeth reuerentiam Sacramento? euen soCanisius de Sacram. in gen. ca. 8 doe they. Doe we set it in the forehead, the seat of shame to professe Christ crucified?Bellar. de imag. c. 29. euen so doe they. Doe we vse it for a signe to stirre to patience, to fight vnder Christ his banner? euenCanis. de fid. & sym­bol. ca. 12. so doe they. Doe we vse it to dedicate our selues and our children vnto God? euenFrancisc. Coster. En­chirid. c. 11 so doe they. Doe wee vse it for a thankefull memoriall, to call to mind our redemption by Christ Iesus?Canis. vt supta. euen so do they. Doe we vse it to confirme our faith in the same redemption, or to put our selues in minde of the forgiuenes of our sinnes?Coster. vt supra. euen so doe they. But whereas they vse it effectiuè, we vse it only significatiuè. Hui? And is all come to this? Is it possible so great a cry, should yeeld so little wooll? For first the Adia­phorist (whom we were wont to call aElmer in Harbor. of faithfull subiects. Sattanist) vseth the very same distinction, he will haue hisConrad, Schlussel­burg. tom. 13. cap. [...]. p. 76. candles and Images, to be signifying memorials onely, without all such effectiue power, as papists giue to thē. Yea,Georg. Cassand. consultac. art. 21. Cassander himselfe (the very Godfather of Adiaphorisme) will haue Images retained onely vpon this condi­tion, vt rerum gestarum, &c. That they be accounted monuments of things done, not instruments, and that no power or vertue be ascribed vnto them. We allHospinia. de re templ. ca. de imag. cry out vpon Paulinus, for first bringing Crosses, and other pictures into the Churches; which, were they other then significatiue? Guesse by his Crosse be­girt with a crowne, two doues standing on the top, which, what was it els but a meare Embleme? which thePrudent. Poet thus expoundeth.

Cerne coronatam domini super atria Christi
stare crucem, Celso spondentem Celsa labori
pramia, tolle erucem, qui vis auferre coronam,
Quae (que) super signum resident caeleste columbae
Simplicibus produnt regna patere dei.

There be Papists that tollerate Images only for their signification and as they areIoh. Picus Mirandula Gabri. Biel. supra canon miss. lect. 49 recordatiue. In the Canon of the Masse, the Crosses were made, Ad Durant. de rit. li. 2. cap 45. sect. 9. comemo­randam veritatem crucis, & passionis Christi. Quid enim est (vt ait Iuo Carnotencis) inter mysteria rebus sacratis vel sacrandis signum crucis super ponere, quam mortem do­mini commemorare? ReadTho. Aqu p. 3. q. 83. art. 5.6. Alexand. de Ales. pa. 4. q. 33. Inno­cent. lib. 5. ca. 11. Mi­ [...]olog. c. 15 others, and you shall finde the Crosses of the Lordes Supper to be significatiue alone, which haue we not for all this abolished? there­in destroying this significatiue excuse, which nowe wee goe about to build? Se­condly, we haue condemned all interpretations in all rites popish, by one of our writers thus: Nullus fingat sibi commodas in spetiem interpretationes, &c. Muscu. loc. commu. de tradit. ca. 6. Let no man forge interpretations to himselfe, though neuer so glorious in shew, by them to perswade himselfe, he may lawfully obserue any papall traditions, without the [Page 33]hurt of his owne conscience. Now this excuse of ours for the Crosse, is not an interpretation onely, but to speake with SaintAugust in Psal. 113. part. 2. Augustine, euen interpraetatio simu­lachrorum. The Pagan of his time, thought he was purgatioris religionis, in that hee held his Image to bee a signe of his God only, euen so thinke we our Crosse purgatior, because we make him not a God as Papists doe, but onely a signe and a monument of him? When Innocentius maketh this difference betweene the Iewish oyle and his owne, that the former was significatiue onely, his effectiue; doth this excuse it from being Iewish in the eyes of ourIoh. Rey­nold. con­fer cap. 8. diuis. 4. writers? The schoole Sophisters maketh the Crosse of Baptisme and other complements to differ in [efficacie] from the water in Baptisme, and therefore they coyne a distinction betweene them, that the one is Sacramentum, the other Sacramentalia onely. This distinction sauoureth ill before our writers▪ onePet. Mar­tyr. in 1. Reg. 8. fol. 73. 1. Cor. 8.1.2. calleth it sophisticall, because it is not sumpta ex re, these ceremonies, being outward signes aswell as the water, and that of the same things a diuerse conceit of a power effectiue, is but vaine to make sound difference, it being in cogitation onely. Thirdly, this interpretatiue excuse, is inward we know being able to pleade no further then the Nicholaitan once, though I vse the Idols meat yet is mine heart free from all Idolatry & super­stition. What though we should graunt, that the effectiue power of the Crosse, being abolished, his body, flesh, and bones were gone? are we commaunded to a­uoyd the Idoll himselfe, or his seruice only? are we not bound to refraine euenTertul. de corona. milit. ab effigie also, from his shape, and from theRolloc in 1. thes. 5. vers. 22. superficies of him? that is his skinne: Yea from his very vpperIud. ve. 22 garment? at a word, from allPet. Mar­tyr. amie. cuid. in Angli. Zanch de Imag. thes. 2. Bucer in censur. cap. 3. p. 459. shewe and from all spice of popery? TwoTripart. histor. li. 6. cap 30. Christians throw incense into the fire before Iulian, not with the same meaning that others did. A souldier weareth a garland in the dayes ofTertul. de coron. milit. Tertullian with a mind free from the Idolatry of his fellowes. Ioseph vseth the same oath that Idolaters doe, when they ascribe a certaine kinde of immortalitie vnto Pharo, how be it his minde is diuerse from theirs. This difference is nothing worth, as long as the incense, the garland,Franc. Inn. in Gen. 42.15. Ioh. Piscator. in mat ca. 5. the oath is the same (as we now vse the same signe with the Papists) there is a partaking with Idolaters by shew and in appearance. But we remedie this shew, in that we make our meaning knowne to vse it onely as a signe. As if Ezechias had not wit to thinke on this? whereas the inward Idolatry to the brasen serpent ascribeth to it an effectiue power of hea­ling, I will let him alone, and make knowne to the people, hee is kept onely (as Moses appointed) for a signifier & memorial of so much. This protesting against the outward shew we giue, is (indeed) no other but that which once deceiued great Origen. For thus he,Epiphan. li. 2. haeres. 64. venite accipite frondes Christi, non iam frondes simulachri: For so we call men to the Protestants crosse as if it were now the popish crosse no lon­ger. Remember the fondnes of Marcellinus, Caesar. Ba­ron. Annal [...]. anno. 303, Non dijs sacrificaui, sed tantū graua thu­ris, leuatis manibus, superprunas combus [...]i. I did not sacrifice, I onely tooke a little frankensence and did burne the same vpon the wales. What more ridiculous? and yet it as good (well neare) as this excuse which we doe make, we make no po­pish Crosse at all, we onely wagge our fingers a little, and draw two lines a crosse. Fourthly, this [interpretatiue] difference which is [inward] consisteth onely in a lower estimation of the heart, wee ascribe not the same power to the Crosse that Papists doe, this is all; which is the very ground they stand on, that worship the Crosse both by East and by West, we performe the same outward reuerence to our Images, that the Pagans doe to theirs, but here is the difference (say they) we doe itIerem. Pa­triark. in epist. ad Crusium. [...] [...]o [...] onely without ascribing anyGregor de valent. de Idololat. lib. 2. cap. 7. power diuine vnto them. Fift­ly, our communion booke must be gently handled, or else our signe of the Crosse is effectiue. For wee signe the childe in token, that hee shall continue Christs faithfull souldier to his liues end: these words [shall continue] to his liues end, compared with the like in the Epistle of the 22. Sonday after Trinitie [God shall [Page 34]continue the work in you to the end] shew vnto vs, that we vse the crosse for a pleadg to giue assurance to the child to continue in grace vnto the end, which if it be so, then he serueth to worke faith, and is vsed effectiuely. And who can conceiue that the booke giueth lesse power to the signe of the Crosse, then to the signe of imposing hands? which that it is effectiuely vsed, it is out of question, for it is mi­nistred to the baptized, [Rubric. before the Gatechis. that he may receiue strength agains sin, and against tempta­tion.] So hitherto, it hath bin proued, that neither the Crosse may be changed to vse religious; neither is chaunged sufficiently by vs. Now, what if it might and were? for we plead.

#Sect. 23. Euils occasioned by the Crosse in regard of the Crosse it selfe, people, Minister and Gouernours that vrge it.

THirdly, we are not to consider so much whether the Crosse it selfe be chan­ged, as whether the euents of the Crosse be chaunged or no, which we finde are not, much euill still flowing from it by the fault of the Crosse it selfe, by the fault of the people; by the fault of the minister that doth make it, and last of all by the fault of our gouernours, that doe enforce it. It is the Crosse fault that it is too like a Popish Idoll. ForLudouic. Viues. similitudo is euen to the wisest men, the mother of error. What (then) shall become of a vulgar company who haue euen aRolloc. in epistol. ad ephes. 4. vers. 14. [...] in them of inconstancy they doe so leane to superstition? And it is the Crosses fault that he draweth too neare to the popish Idolatry. For let all the former excuses speake what they can, they can say no more then this, We march on with the Papists a good way, but we goe not so farre as they; and we agree in many vses with them, but one of their vses (to wit) their [effectiuenes] we forbeare. Which what is it for vs, who are for­bidden not only to plunge our selues so deepe as Idolaters doe, but also to touch any of their vncleane things, or (indeed) to come neare the least imitation of them? 2. Cor. 6.17 Deut. 12.30 Might not the virgins ofCypri. li. 1 epist. 11. Cyprians time plead the fame. Indeed wee goe farre (we graunt) in the way of fornication we walke with yong men; wee talke with them; yea, we go to bed to them. But when it commeth to the act, then we forbeare, & therfore are guiltlesse. For that we talke with the harlot the Crosse, it is apparant by the conference which we haue with her about Christ Iesus, which shee representeth, more apparant is it that we walke with her who hath chosen her for our teacher and our guid, most of all apparant is it, that we goe to bed to her, for we vse her in the Church, which is knowne to be the bed both of chaste & vnchaste worship. What (then) though we vse her not effectiuely? Isa. 57.8. Hos. 7.14. Cant. [...].15. This is but to forbeare when it commeth to the adulterous act, like Cyprians virgin, so that there is lyable against vs now, what then she heard. Non est locus dandus Diabolo, nemo diu tutus periculò proximus, graues multorum ruina inde sequantur. Come wee to the people in the second place.Ludouic. Viues in August de ciuitat. dei li. 8. ca. 27. It was the desire of Ludouicus Viues andIoh. Ger­son. de neg­ligent. praelat. Gerson before him, that the Images might be remoued, because the people finding them in out­ward appearance like the Idols of the Pagans, they would eftsoones worship them in the same maner. If we seeke the like remouall of the Crosse, we haue like cause; the people being as prone (now) to doth o [...] the fame in popish maner, as long as they see it before their eyes, after their old popish fashion. I say after their old fa­shion, because populus non nouit distinguers (as one saith our of Arist [...]le) especially in so quaint a difference,Mat. Flace. Illyrric. in lib. de A­diaphor. as this of [effectiuenes] or in such a ceremonie as the Crosse, which they haue so long abused as one of ourBucer. in censar. ca. 9 & alibi pas [...]im. writers well, populus, &c. the people either vnderstādeth not, or cōsidered not the right vse of those ceremo­nies, which they haue so long abused, as also their for fathers before them. To come nearer home:Idem in cens [...]. c. 12 M. Bucer will not haue the crosse in Baptisme, vnlesse he be both purely vnderstood, & religiously receiued by the people. Which cōdition finding [Page 35]no place in the people to this houre, what reason to put him to any longer triall. In regard hereof lay we to heart, euen what aB [...]llar de Sacram. in gene. ca. 21 Iesuit speaketh. The chaunges of a Sacrament (saith he) must be regarded, not as they are Mathematicall, but as they are morall; not according to the problemes of the learned, but according to the opinion and the practise of the people. So that the Mathematicall change, which our lawe is said to haue made in the Crosse, is not materiall, alwhile the morall estimation and vse of him in the people, is the same. The chaunge of Hae­dera in stead of Cucurbita in the translation of Ionas, was mathematically little, yet morally it was very great, because theAugust. in epist. ad Hieron. 10 people tooke head against it, and made great a doe about it. On the other side, the chaunge of the auncient Churches Leiturgie in the dayes of Nicholas, was mathematically great,Rodolph. de Riuo. Tungrens. because it brought in perfection of the masse: but morally it was nothing at all, because few or none obserued it, neither were the people grieued at it. I come in the third place to the Minister that maketh the Crosse, he saith, I make it not [effectiuè,] the Image maker sayd the like. I make the Image, not for any fauour to the worshipping of it, but to follow my trade and calling. But if he did Colere, because he fashioned it,Tertul. li. de Idololar. vt coli possit, then he that fashioneth a Crosse in vse religious, vt ad superstitio­nem conuerti possit, incurreth himselfe the blame of superstition. Ex hoc quod vetor facere curandum est ne fiat per me. Againe, the schole-master, who in the dayes of Tertullian, read the stories of heathenish Gods vnto his schollers, did not in intent approue them, yet because he refrained not from occasion of approbation in o­ther men,Tertul. ibid. dum docet commendat, dum tradit affirmat. And doth not (then) a Minister much more commend the honour of the Idoll, when he maketh it? and affirmeth it when he fashioneth it in honourable manner, and in the reuerent ser­uice and Sacrament of the Lord? he cannot say, I make no such Crosse as Papists doe. What if he could?Tertul. li. de spectat. Nobis satis non est si ipsi nihil tale faciamus, nisi & talia fa­cientibus non conferamur? I come in the fourth place to our gouernours, who lay (in vaine) the fault vpon the peoples abuse, that our Crosse is not morally chaun­ged from the popish, but hatcheth the same effectes amongst vs. For God will aske them, why doe you keepe it in your Churches to be abused?Tertul. de coron. milit Nulla distan­tia est abutendi cum cessat veritas vtendi. The people could not abuse the Crosse, if it were not vsed at all, Nulli abuti apud Apostolum licet facilius non vti docentem. We holdCaelius Rhodigin. antiquar. Lection. li. 9. ca. 14. Tullus Hostilius vnwise for aduenturing on Iupiter Elicius, sith the least swaruing A formula, would burne him, & his house to powder; which also fell out. So (me thinkes) it is vnwise to aduenture on the Crosse, our distinction of [effe­ctiuenes] is a nice point, and such as bringeth to the brinke of daunger; and let the people swarue neuer so little from the [formula] of it, and they are in the pit. As for teaching them to the contrary (alas) what is it? For if theAugust in Psal. 113. p. 2. sight of an Idols eares and eyes, perswadeth them more, that he seeth and heareth, then their hearing to the contrary that he heareth not, that he seeth not: then much more will their eyes preuaile to perswade them that there is an effectiue Crosse a­mongst vs, (the very same that was of old in time of poperie) then their eares when they heare from vs it is not such, which they doe not consider. I would (therefore) wee could follow the warynes of Rome herselfe in a matter of like daunger. Why may not a written peece of Scripture with a Crosse be bore in the boosome with this caueat, modo ne ex superstitione, modo ne spes habeatur, in modo scribendi, that is, so it be not vsed effectiuely? She considereth it is daungerous to bring her children so neare the brinke of effectiue hope; therefore shee concludeth, though a man may lawfully beare these in his boosome, yet it is,Thom. Aquin. 2.2. q. 96. art. 4 tutius & laudabilius, ab his abstinere. So though it were lawfull to vse a Crosse, with a prouiso against the effectiue vse thereof, yet were it tutius to abandon it quite, to aquit all daunger.

#Sect. 24. Fiue defences of the Crosse obiected by the Opposites: The first whereof is aunswered in this Section, and that which followeth.

VVE haue strooken through the loynes of them, who denie the signe of the Crosse to be so much as an Idoll amongst vs through participation, vpon pretence, that it is not the same with the popish, but that it is chaunged sufficient­ly with vs. Now make we a stand against them, who pleade fiue things, against the sentence of abolition, for this grosse Idoll pretenciuely chaunged. First, the commaundement which Moses gaue touching the abolishing of all monuments of Canaans Idolaty, bindeth not (say they.) It was a temporall exercise for the Iewes onely, and other Pagans were not deuoted to destruction as they were, and poperie is not so bad as Paganisme; and therefore there is not required of vs the like seueritie in the abolishing of her reliques. First, let them remember them­selues doe hold, that Moses Law concerning Tithes is perpetuall, euen according to the letter, by which tithes are [de iure diuino] in their opinion. A strange thing they should straine the very letter it selfe of Tithes, but cleane passe by the maine equitie of this lawe, that abolisheth aliene rites; seeingBellar. de cleric. cap. 25. Bellarmine himselfe doth see (that which the Apostle plainely sheweth) that a sufficient maintenance only of the minister is to be inforced hence,Cor 9.14 and more then this we goe not about to wring out of thisExod. 23.24. Deut. 12.1.2.3. Exod. 34.1 [...]. Deut. 7.5. Num. 23.52. Law; we craue only an equitie of it, to wit, such an abolishing of Idolotrous reliques, as may be sufficient for Gods glory, for the edifying of his people, and for the preseruing of religion in holy purenes. But Maister Caluine himself confesseth the letter of it was an exercise that was temporall to the Iewes; which we willingly graunt, so that our Opposites will allow vs that euerlasting equitie of it, which he auerreth: Fateor (saithIoh. Cal­uin. Apen­dic. prae­cept. 2. pag. 286. he) quaecun (que) ad superstitionem fouen­dam spectant, è medio tollenda esse. Againe, Summa huc tendit, quo melius pateat, quanto­pere detestatur Deus Idololatriam, velle eorum omnium memoriam aboleri, quae semel dicata sunt Idololis. I aske how the Idols themselues may remaine in honourable vse, (such as Crosse and Surplice are) when the very memorie it selfe, must be ra­zed of euery thing, that heretofore hath bene consecrate to their seruice? Loe the equitie of this Law? behold the equiualent, to which this equitie bindeth for euer? euen as the causes are perpetuall, whereon it is grounded (to wit)Deut. 7.4. the iealousie of the Lord, against each remnant of Idolatrie, the Churches dutie to abhorre it for euer; the1. Cor. 10 24. ensnaringDeut. 8.6. of the Idoll and of his monument, the daun­ger of abuse in his people with the rest that haue bene heretoforeSupra. sect. 8. rehearst. Se­condly, though the Cananites were more deuoted to destruction, for their per­sons then other Pagans, yet the Idolotries of other Pagans, were as much as theirs deuoted to abolition, both before them, from the beginning, and in time after them euersince▪ Before them, Iacob doth aware, not onely the Images, but also the earings of his wiues Idols, and that by the law of nature, that was written in his heart. Gen. 35.4. After this law of Moses, (made against the Canaanites) wee see it continued against the Idolatries of other Pagans, whoseIsay. 2.20. Images, whoseIsa. 30.20 orna­ments, whose veryPsal. 16.4 name, whoseApoc. 2.13.20. Idolothites; whose2. Cor. 6.16. vncleane things, whose veryIud. 23. garment, and each appurtenance, must be cleansed and cast away. They were the Iewes not the Cananites, that committed Idolatry to the brazen ser­pent, which Hezechias did abolish, though by Moses himselfe preserued, to bee a figure of Christ crucified▪ of which honour the Crosse commeth short; yea his very figure it selfe, (to wit) the2. Reg. 18.4. poste whereon the brasen serpent hanged. But Hezechias was not bound to breake the serpent (say our Opposites) he might haue chosen (as euery Christian Prince may now) in the Idols of the Papists. But the text is cleane to the contrary: Vers. 6. Hezechias did this according to the Law of Moses, [Page 37]and the interpreters of the text are to the contrary.Zanch. de imag. thes. 3 fol. 3 [...]4. Quidquid fecit Hezech. fecit ex lege, and someVazq. de adorat. li 2 disput 4. cap 5. Papist (also) are to the contrary, what needeth more? Our Opposites themselues are to the contrary; who rehearse this fact of Hezechia not onely among thingsDoct. Bils. ag. [...]he A­polog. p. 4. pag. 339. well done, but also amongst things which God required to be done. And when Gratian meateth the same measure to them, The Pope might haue chosen whether he would haue submitted himselfe to the Emperor or no (which they meat to vs.) Hezechias might haue chosen whether he would haue brokē the serpent or no, they can tell how to detect the shift with that reply which we must now returne home to them.Idem ibid. p. 2. pag. 204. It is a very short & an easie method, Idem p. 2. pag. 179. to be rid of all examples and histories, to say they did so, but it was more then needed to be done. Let them satisfie me in two things, would God haue commended it, if he had not commaunded it? or can any thing be well done, that is not commaunded to be done? August. Tom 10. serm. 6. de­cret. 1. di­stinct. 63. cap. 18. Pet. Mar­tyr in lib. Iudic. cap 2. Zanch. de operib. redempt cap 15. thes 3. Ioh. Wolph. in 2. Reg. cap. 18. Iewell. arr. 14. deuis. 2. D. Fulk. cont. Saund. de imag. cap. 4. p. 584. Zepper. de polit. eccles. &c. Say the former, and bring in traditions, graunt the latter, & graunt workes of supererogation. To make short worke, the example of Iosua destroying the monuments of the Ca­nanites, and of Hezechias breaking downe the brazen serpent, bind for euer, to the razing of all Idols, their rites and monuments, to the end of the world, in the eyes of all good writers.

Sect. 25. THirdly, there is no Idolatry Cananitish, Paganish, Iewish, or what els soeuer, against which the equitie of this law, is more lyable, then against the Idola­try popish, so farre is it, that her reliques may bee better spared then theirs. For what is there written literally against Paganish Idolatry in the olde Testament, which is not Anagogically applied by theHieron. in Abac. 2. & Amos 5.6. & 8. Hos. 11. & 12. Zanch. 13. Lyran. in deu. 7. vid. Conrad. Lutzen­burg. & Greg. Mar­discour. c. 3. fol. 29. Fathers against the heresies of the new, of which (we know) the popish is the greatest? Nay it is the common di­uinitie of all ages, that heresie in pretended Christians, is farreHieron. in Hos. ca 4. August. de bapt. cont. Donatis [...] lib. 6. c. vir. Tho. A­quin. 2. [...]. q. 10. art. 6 worse then any Idolatry of open Pagans. As for the heresie of moderne popery in particular, we find it described through the Scripture, as the quintessense of all paganisme, so that the second beast of Rome ouertopt by the Papacie, that rideth on it, is araig­ned and found guiltie ofApoc. 17. 1.2, 3, &c. more whoredome and blasphemie, more spirituall drunkennes and tyrannie finally of more abhomination, then the first ofApoc. 13. 1.2.3. &c. Rome. Paganish when the papacy did not rule it. And because we are in a comparison of the old Idolatry of the Cananites and other Pagans that were before the com­ming of Christ: as Rome for her EmpireApoc. 13.2 quartereth her Schutchion with the Lyon of Assyria, the Beare of Persia, the Leopard of Macedonia, and with the vncouth ten horned beast of Syria and Aegypt, as if all the wickednesse of all the enemies of the Church were to the full transfused into her; so for her papacie she is stiledApoc. 11.8 Sodom, Aegypt, Babilon, with the like, as if she were (as indeed she is) the very Sea that receiueth into her channell all the filthines of all Pagans that were before. Neither is there Cananite, Moabite, Philistine, or any other, to whom the Papists are not equall. For it is to these Gentiles and heathenish nations, to which the spirit doth allude when hee calleth Papists by the name ofApo. 11.2 Gentiles & heathen men; that treade downe with their feet the out court of the Temple, thatApo. 20.9 compasse about the tents of the Saints. Finally thatApoc. 19.15. fight against Christes Church, for which he smiteth them with the sword of his mouth, and breaketh them with his yron scepter. And as the Papists are in equipage with former Pa­gans so likewise with all moderne aliens, the Turke himselfe being not excepted who is loosedApoc. 9.13.14.15 from the East to punish them, and is not halfe so much aymed at in the booke of Gods Counsels (which the Lambe hath vnsealed to Iohn) as they are aymed at. No merucile,Cypri. de simplicit. praelator. Plus metueudus & cauendus est inimicus (saith Cyprian) cum latenter obrepit, ea est Diaboli astucia, vt sub ipso Christiani nominis, titulo, fallat [Page 38]in cautos. It is the Pope that is the Antichrist, euen by our owneDoct. Bils. cont. Apo­log. p. tot. confession. It is the Pope that is the2. Thes. 2.4. aduersary of God. He is also theApoc. 9.11 Apolluon the destroyer. Yea theApoc. 13.11. dragon tongued beast, The man of sinne, the child of perdition; the whore of Babell, theApoc. 17.5. mother of fornication and of all abhomination through the earth. This considered, what meaneth our torpor? what our frozen cold­nesse in zeale? wee may not (forsooth) bee so forward against the Papist, as the godly haue bene before vs against the Pagans. Oh speech vnworthy, because ma­king our selues vnworthy to be in the number of those faithful and blessed instru­ments, who shall be called by the Lord, to bee the men that shall burne the very flesh it selfe of theApoc. 27.16. harlot with fire; that so no footstep, no remnant, no relique of her may remaine. Goe yeApoc. 18.21. Angels and blessed spirits, and (without vs) throw ye Babell like of stone into the bottome of the sea. Goe yeeApoc. 19.17. foules of the ayre, and ye beasts of the field, and (without vs) deuoure and swallow the flesh of her souldiers, and leaue not so much as a Iezabels skull behind. Go yeeApoc. 18.20. Heauens Apostles, Prophets, and yee the Saints of the liuing God, and (without vs) re­ioyce in her ruine. Yea, Goe yeApoc. 17.14. & 19.14.11. warryers faithfull and chosen, and (without vs) fight vnder your glorious Captaine against her, and make your swords drunken with the blood of her slaine. While you are labouring, that neuerApoc. 18.23. candell shine in her againe, we must nourish her sparcles least her light bee quite extinguished. While you cleanse and rince your garments from her pollution, and put on lin­nenApoc. 19.14. pure & white, to war against her, we must buy of her Marchandize, and of theApoc. 18.12. linnen which she selleth to the nations, while you like Sampsons stirre your selues, and shoute against the beast of Rome, (as against the greatest enemie, that euer our good Iesus had vpon the earth) wee must let our weapons downe, and hang downe our hands, and coole our zeale. Yea sound for Parlé, and thinke vp­on conditions of peace. More then this, we must euen turne our weapons against our owne brethren (who are our own bowels) as if they were worse then Papists, and in fauour of Christes enemies, become enemies vnto the faithfull souldiers of Christ; we must take the crownes of our Martyrs and surrender them toParson. in conuers. of Engl. p. 2. cap. 2. Par­sons, as if they were not as blessedApoc. 14.13. now, who die in these dayes against Rome Popish, as they who died in older time against Rome Paganish. We must repeale our Act of Parliament, which findethHomil. ag. peril. of Idolat. p. 3. Paganisime it selfe in poperie; wee must yeeld, and giue vp the very auncients of our army, & breake theirIoh. Rey­nold. de Idolat. li. 2. ca. 3. sect. 3.4.6.13.16 17.67. &c. Mat. Sut­cliu. in Turc. pa­pism. cum reliquis. golden pennes in peeces, who haue taught that the Images of God in poperie are as vile Idols, as the Images of the Pagans were; and that their worshipping in the papacy is as abhominable, as the Pagan adoration. But what is the worst that can bee said of Turkes and Pagans? I trow this, that they serued deuils. And is notApo. 18.2 Rome an habitation, and cage of deuils? The factors of Rome, theApoc. 16.14. spirits of deuils? TheApo. 9.20 Idols of Rome, euen deuils themselues? This bringeth vs home to the Crosse & Surplice which being Idols of theirs,August. de tempor. serm. 241. are no otherwise to be thought of, thē we thinke of the deuill himselfe. When the Corinthian thought it a thing indiffe­rent to eate of the Idolothite, what (saith1. Cor. 10 21. Paul) call you that indifferent, which maketh you partake with deuils? The same may be sayd of the Crosse and Sur­plice, not onely by vertue of the former text, which calleth them deuils (as they are vsed in poperie:) but also by ourGault. Ar­chitip. in 1. cor. 10. Ioh. Reyn. de Idolola. li. 2. ca. 3. sect 44. writers verdict, who giue good reason the diuill is worshipped in popish Idols aswell as in Paganish. As for the Crosse, doth notAmbros. de obit. Theodos Ambrose directly say, the adoring of it is a paganish error? I conclude with one of our writers.Bulling. de orig. error. li. 1. cap. 36. Cum paromnino cultus ratio vtrius (que) gentis sit, consequens est omnia quae contra deos & Idola gentium, pronuntiata sunt, à sanctis etiam contra nostros diuos, corum (que) imagines esse pronuntiata, & Idololatriam hanc, nobis non minus perse­quendam esse, quam sui saeculi Idololatriam, maiores nostri persecuti sunt.

#Sect. 26. Obiections of the Opposits for the Crosse confuted in this Sect. and 27. following. Ceremo­nies honorable in their auncient beginning must be corrected, not remooued.

THe first defence which maintaineth the Crosse and Surplice in possession, pleadeth as we see, the abusers of it must be spared. The second followeth; and it saith, the first vsers of it are to be honoured, and for their sakes they must not be abandoned by vs, but restored to their first vse. TheAlexand. Alesini. Proaem. lei­turg. Angl. member curable must be healed, not cut off. It is sufficient toRic. Hook lib. 5. ca. 65 sheere the ceremonies of the Pa­pists, though we doe not flea them. TheAdmonit. de cerem. abolit. & relent. in leiturg. An­glic ceremonies which may be vsed well, may not be cancelled, if it be but for their antiquitie, which purchaseth to them sufficient authoritie; yea in things that are abused, the abuse onely must be re­mooued, the things themselues must still remaine. First be it considered, that theVazq. de adorat. li. 2 disput. 5. cap. 2. Suar. Tom 1. in Tho. disput. 54. sect. 2. Papists plead the same for their Baall, the Lutherans for their Images, the Adiapho­rists for their mixtures; as Cassander by name, pleadeth the same, for his hodge­podge in Germanie. Baldwin the same, for his gallimawfry among the French. Orichouius the same for his medly in Polonia. Nay more, we may here repeat that ofTertul. de Idololat. Tertullian: Quid aliter dixisset Ethnicus? I meane, what can the Papist say more, for all the packe of his ceremonies, then what he speaketh in this our lan­guage?Canis. in summa. tit. de Sacram. in gen. c. 8. Praeterquam quod decorem sacramentis afferunt. & reuerentiam quandam conciliant, singulari quo (que) antiquitatis commendatione nobis sunt venerande. Second­ly, the signe of the Crosse, had neuer any auncient vse that was laudable, to speake the best it was butD. Fulk. in reioynd. art. 5. pag. 175. tollerable; to speake the least it wasCalfh. ag. Martiall. passin. superfluous, to speake the worst it wasGuilihel. Whitak. controuers 1, q. 6. c. 12 pag. 443. Guil. Perk. problem. tit. Chrisu [...]. D. Fulk. ag. Saund. of imag. c. 13. p. 657 Ioh. Breut. in prolego­men. superstitious and neere Montanicall. Such a meare tare it was sowed by the enemy in the Lords field; yea nothing better thenCalsh. ag. Mart. art. 5. fol. 125. hay and stub­ble, built vnaduisedly vpon Christ. I omit that in ceremonies,Pet. Mar­tyr in lib. Iudie. ca. 1. non tam origo, spectanda est, quam vt consentiant cum verbo dei, but if our Opposites must needes drinke of his cesterne of antiquitie, then let theBear. Rhe­nan. in Ter­tul. de co­ron. mulit. Magdeburgens. cantur. 3. cap 6. tit. tit. Baptis. oyle it selfe of Baptisine, bee re­uiued: yea,Magdeburg. ex Tertul. de Bapt. Baptizing by lay men, for these be as auncient as the Crosse, and sprange about the same time with it. Sure with farre better reason may they be raked out of their graues, the ceremonieCypri: lib. 3. epist. 8. of [kissing] the infant Baptized: the ceremonie of theTer­ [...]de pudsair. ringe; giuen in Baptisme, for an obsignation of faith and pro­fession: the ceremonie of puttingTer­t [...]l. lib. de coron inilit. milke and honie into his mouth: and lastly the ceremonie of theId [...]n [...] Baptis. [...] Beat. Rhenan. in lib de coron mil it. white garment wherewith the Baptized was wont to bee clothed. These being equall to the Crosse, both for antiquitie, and for profitible­nesse of signification, and surmounting it in other respects, as that they were neuer so much abused as the Crosse hath bene, not now import so much perill, as the Crosse bringeth with it, may giue wise men cause to wonder why these should be buried in a Toumbe sealed vp, while the Crosse not onely liueth,Pet. Mar­tyr loc. comu. de imag. sect. 17. but also dominiereth. But if the Crosse must needes bee renewed aboue his fellowes (though farre better then himselfe) then renewe we the vse effectiue, and opera­tiue of it: renew we also the necessitie of his vse, for such was his vse at first, as shall be shewed hereafter. Yea (then) take we vp theTer­tul. de coron. milit. crossing of our selues too, in all our businesse; Yea the crossing of our bedds, and other things which are without life▪ It may be (also [...] we must take vp the very materiall Crosses and all. For so some guesse out ofBaat. Rhenan. ibid. Tertul. lib. ad vror. Tertullian, who giueth instance in woodden statutes of the heathens, which were like to those Crosses among Christians which they so much misliked.Migdeburg. cent. 3. cap. 6. tit. de cerem.

THirdly, what if the Crosse had in old time an indifferent vse (for good IFolk. re­ioynd. art. 5 p. 175. am forbidden to terme it) is not theCypri. de singularit. cleric. contradictio calumniosa, quae de bonis praescribit vt asserat mala? For the abuse of it hath since bene such, as that now it is the Fa­thers Crosse no longer. What onePlace. Illy­ric. lib. de Ad [...]aphor. porro quod quidam dicunt, &c. They say no­thing for excuse, who say they restore those ceremonies, which because they haue bene vsed by the Fathers, therefore penitus doe not appertaine to Antichrist? For after that things haue serued Idolatry, they are Idolatrous, and they please not God; but God would haue them to be castaway. The brazen serpent was or­dayned by God; and that by Moses (so great a Prophet) yet after it had serued Idolatry, it was no longer the serpent of God but the serpent of Idolaters, and the serpent of the deuill. And praised is Hezechias who brake him in peeces, there­fore although these popish ceremonies were extant in the Church, euen from the dayes of the first Fathers, yet notwithstanding seeing they are (and haue bin for so long a time) defiled penitus with Idolatry and abuse papisticall, they are no lon­ger the Fathers ceremonies, but the ceremonies of Antichrist, and they are piously abolished, but impiously and against Gods will restored againe.Ioh. Wolf. 2. Reg. 18. Ioh. Rey­nold. con­fer cap. 8. diuis. 4. pag. 5 10. How many of other writers subscribe to this? Gideon did set vp an Ephod to the same end, thatEuseb de vit. Con­stantin. lib. 3. cap. 48. Iudg 8.33. Constantine did erect the Crosse, to wit, for a thankefull monument that his victory came from God but when it once became an Idoll, was it any longer his? or his intent and zeale this way, did it any way excuse theLudouic. Lauat. in Iudic. ca. 8. suffering of it when once the people stumbled at it? The Ephesians set vp anAugust. de mirabl. sa­cra. script. li. 1. ca. 15. Oxe by Iosephes toumbe, for a thankefull monument of their preseruation by him, and by his husbandrie. This intent at first was good, after it grew to be adored in Aegypt. After this abuse, was it Iosephes oxe any longer? or was it for his sake to be spared, and so restored to his first vse? aske the Councell of Rome herselfe and be asha­med.Baleus in Adrian. 4. Adrian the fourth, when the papacy is degenerat, he saith it is the papacy of Peter no longer, but the papacy of Romulus rather.Polydor Virgil. de inuentor. rerum. lib. 3 cap. 12. Polydor Virgil counteth sanctuaries abused, not the sanctuaries of Moyses, but of Romulus. Pius secundus calleth the Mendicants, theThom. Moresin. de deprauat. relig. origi. in verb. Monastic. Monkes of the deuill, when they are degenerated from the auncients. Paulus Thaebeus, Antonius Hilarion with the rest.Poly dor. Virgil. li. 7. cap. 1. Polydor Virgil counteth not the Monkes of his time degenerated, the Monkes of Benedict, Augustine, Hierome, quine cale quid vnquam cogitarunt futurum, not to be tedious.Ioh. Mo­lan. de ca­nonic. li. 1. cap. 26. Iohannes Molanus reckoneth the fastes of his time degenerated, to bee none of the auncient fastes any longer. Si ad veterem disciplinam at (que) rigorem respiciamus, vix vllus hoe tempore ieiunare censebitur. We our selues count not the tapers of the Papists (abused) although abused onely to signification and no operation, to be any of the auncient lightes which were vsed in theHieron. cont. vigi­lant. East, and their holy bread now abused to operation, to beGuil. Perk. problem in werb bene­dict. none of the hallowed bread vsed of old for a signe of friendship onely. As for the Crosse, which hath receiued all the abuses which can be named of operation, adoration, &c. there may be better said of it, then of any other relique; of any Idolatrie whatsoeuer, what one of our writers hath,Place Illy­ric in lib. de Adia­phor. sicue faris aut scorti, ipsimaetiam vestem, &c. as we detest the very garment it selfe of a these, and of an whore, though it be innocent; and there is no honest man that willingly doth so much as touch it so they that be truely pious from the heart, doe abhorre these Popish tristes, because in the papacy they haue bene put to extreme abuse, and to impietie, and haue bene therewith defiled. Necest tan­tum delicati [...] s [...]l [...]m palati istud f [...]sti dium. But indeed it is the Holy Ghost him­selfe that doth seriously detest these ceremonies that are polluted with abhomina­tions. But whether the Crosse may be called the auncient Fathers Crosse or no, sure it is the pretence of restoring it to the auncient Fathers vse, will not be recei­ued, neither will it serue to saue it from the executioners hands. Might not Heze­chias haue restored the serpent to the auncient vse which it had in Dauids time, [Page 41]by setting it besides the Rodde and the Manna, and other monuments? or by hi­ding it behinde the Arke where Dauid laid Go [...]iahes sword? but he knew a thing so abused, was to be broken and not restored. Neither hath the Church since him thought any course fit to be taken with the reliques of Idolatry, thē the same which he did take which isConcil. Aphrican. circa tem­pora Be­nifac. 1. can. 25. penitus amputare, euen wholy and altogether, without that sparing which aduiseth to sheere only, and not to flea the popish ceremonies, and to spare them from abscision, in hope they may be cured. And not onely against the reliques of Idolatrie hath the Church shewed this seueritie, but wee shall finde thinges more profitable, haue bene abolished and remooued from time to time, and that for lesse abuse. Feasts of charitie at communions were moreTertul. apolog. ca. 39. Cypri. li. 3. ad Qui­rin ca. 3. August, cont Faust. li. 20. ca. 4. & 20. auncient then the Crosse, and more profitable to nourish loue, yet when they grew once to abuse, wee see them cashiered, as by the Apostle so by diuerseLaodicen. can. 28. Trullan. can. 74. Antisiodo­re [...]s. cap. [...]. Councels following. The confession before the communion how little was it abused, yet when abuse grew out of it, although but once, Nectarius with otherSocrat: histor. ec­cles. lib. 5. cap. 9. Bishops, thought it meete to be abolished. The night Vigills of men and wo­men, when abused had more colour of defence then our Crosse can haue now.Hierom. cont. vigi­lant. ca. 4. Hierome might plead for their abuse, paucorum culpa non praeiudicat religioni, qui & abs (que) vigilijs possunt errare, vel in suis, vel in alienis domibus. We come short of Hie­rome euen in this excuse of his; it being by the Crosse that very many be ensnared and he containing no holy exercise of religion, which may be preiudiced by his abolition: and yet we finde these forenamedConcil. Elibertin. can. 35. August. ad fratres in ceremo. serm. 25. Concil. Antisiodo­rens. can. 5. Vigills, not only misliked, but also surceased. Last of all, the sanctuaries are auncient, which neuerthelesse because abused, are now long sincePolydot. Virgil. de inuentor. rerum. lib. 3. cap. 12. misliked,Vid. Pet. Martyr in loc. communi. cap. de Asylis & Hospin. d [...]e templ. tit. de Asylis. condemned, and in France and other places totallyDurant. de rit. lib. 1. cap. vlt. sect. 9.10.11. abrogated. Let the Crosse be iudged by the Canon law and his priuiledge of antiquitie, for late abuse will be taken away. For the doome is iust,Decret. part. 2. distinct. 74. cap. 7. Priuilegium meretur amittere, qui permissa abutitur potestate.

#Sect. 28. The abuse of the Crosse cannot be remoued the Crosse it selfe remaining.

FOurthly, this defence implieth, that the abuse of the Crosse may be remoued, the Crosse itselfe remayning: which is both against that generall rule,Ioh. Cal­uin. de ne­cessitat. re­formand. eccles. Ca­rol. 5. Certum est Idolomaniam, qualiter nunc illa fascinatae sunt hominum mentes, non aliter quam sub­ducta insaniendi materia curari posse. And also that particular tenent of our writers which one hath,Calsh. ag. Martial. in praefat. so. 5 It is as impossible to cure the abuses of the Crosse (the Crosse it selfe re­mayning) as it is to quench the flame all while the wood and fewell lasteth. Indeed a poy­sonfull rust hath so deeply eaten into it, as that it can no more be cured then those other abused ceremonies, of which our owne communion booke,Admonst. touching ce [...]em. be­fore com­mun, hook. a pud Bu­cer. Cen­sur. 454. their supersti­tion cannot be taken away; the ceremonies themselues remaining. The experience of fortie yeeres hath proued this true, euen as the experience of two hundred hath proued that true in the popish Church, which wasTheodor. A. Niem. in lib. de Concil. Nicol [...]de Clemangi [...] in lib. de corrupt. eccles stat [...]. foretold to the Councell of Constance, to wit, that the abuse of Images could not be remedied but by an abo­lition of them: hereof there be many reasons: The Idoll is aZanch de imag. thes. 3. fol. 369. tempting harlot, the Crosse in particular a very ring-worme that spreadeth mightilie. Men by na­ture (the men of England by custome also) are most prone to superstition, the deuill is present with the Idoll to insinuat badCalsh. vt supra. suggestions, which are much fur­thered by theIoseph Antiquit. Iudaic. lib. 17. cap, 8. [...] of the same and by the honorableAugust. de ciuit. dei lib. 8, cap. 24. Hierom. in psal. 113. p. 2. sublimitie of it which the Crosse obtaineth in Baptisme, it being a place of chiefe aduancement in Gods seruice. What that the common multitude doth reuerence it there, which is an especiallAugust, ad deo grat, epist. 49. qu. 3. motiue, and the authoritie of the magistrate, doth there counte­naunce, yea commaund it, nay more reuenge the quarrell of it,D. Fulke ag. Saund. of imag. cap. 13. p. 659. vpon the graue [Page 42]and reuerend preachers of the Gospell, which, striketh it a little stroke with the simple and vulgar man? Last of all (which is most of all) God doth in iustice curse their course, who vpon any pretence retaine any Idol or any monument of Idola­try, making it aDeu. 7.25 snare, to all that will needes try their strength vpon it, against his word. This hath he done in the vse of this signe, euen from the beginning, it being scarce out of the cradle, when it became a fertill mother of much super­stition. Which curse will now bee doubled on vs) according to our iust deser­uing) if we presume to harden our selues against this tried experience past, and against the former punishment, or if wee shall beCalsh ag. Mart. art. 4 bolde to aduenture vpon like danger in an age more corrupt, amiddst a people more infected, and on a ceremo­nie more abused in latter times, then heretofore it hath bene. Against these vol­lies of deadly shot, what one Bulwarke, what one Blockehouse will suffice? It will be replyed that the people may be taught against these abuses, which if it be done (as their is libertie giuen to doe it) there is no perill to be feared. First, this voyce commeth euen out of the Dragons mouth;Vazq. de adorat. lib. 2. disput. 3. cap. 4. Snar. tom. 1. in Tho. disput. 54. pa [...]m. Si quid periculi ex imaginibus dei potest accidere, assidua doctrina pastorum, & traditione parentan [...] auferri debet. Yea, this police if I terme it the very seed of all Idolatry, I do it no wrong; as they easily will assent that doe but waigh and well consider the rising and the grouth thereof. For when it began to blossome firstPhilipp. Mor [...]. de Eucha­rist. lib. 2. cap. 3. fol. [...]24. among Christians lately conuer­ted from their paganisme, at what time they were desirous to haue Crosses and other Images in roome of their heathenish Idols, in which honour the vnwary pillars of the Church then liuing, did to much fauour them: if then the rule had bene obserued, Let no roote of any bitternesse be found among you, They had happily at the first crushed and brused this serpents head. Whereas following the tract of this carnall policie of keeping Images and Crosses to please the people, vpon an hope a preaching against their adoration would cleare all daunger, they gaue them scope (before they perceiued it,) not only to moare but also to spread, and finally to gaine that height in which at this day we find them. And who was the Father of this pollicie, but that Gregorie. from whom (as from a Troian horse) many other superstions issued forth. For when Serenus Bishop of Marsellis in the spirit of Hezechias brake downe the Images and the Crosse of his Diocesse, be­cause he sawe they were Idolatrously abused. This Gregorie wrote an Epistle to him tart and sharpe. Wherein, after he had reproued him of much rashnesse and indiscretion, he giueth him direction to call the people of his Diocesse before him, and soGregor. li. 9. indict. 4. epist. 9. homil ag. peril. of Idolat. p. 2. & 3. reach them out of the Scripture that their worship was vnlawfull, but as for the Images and Crosses themselues, to let them stand vntouched. And this was theD. Fulke ag. Saund. of Imag. cap. 3. p. [...]80. prima labes about the yeere 600. After in the 700. age, Crosses and Images goe downe in the East; especially after the seuenth Counsell at Con­stantinople had decreed the abolishing of them. Which being crost by the se­cond of Nice, the Emperour Charles called a Councell at Frankford (which wal­king in the midway betweene them both) decreed that Crosses and Images should stand against the Councell of Constantinople, but that they should not be worshipped against the second of Nice. And this pollicie and course conti­nued in the West (in France especially) for a long season, as these wordes of Strabo shewe;Walafrid. Strab. de reb eccles. cap. 8. Non ideo, quia nouimus non adorandas, ideo conculonadae & de­lenda pictura. Now I neede not be long to shewe to how little effect this pol­licie sorted: the fact of Claudius Taurinensis bewrayeth sufficiently the Ido­latry which it brought forth; who vpon the same occasion that mooued Serenus of Marseillis before, brake the Lawe to breake downeCatalog. testium ve­ [...]etat. in Claudio. &c. Crosses, and other Images, because he saw the abuse of them so increased as could no longer by any preaching be redressed. And for this fact he was neuerPhilipp. Mo [...]nar. vt supra. troubled. Yea, where­as he wrote an Apologie for himselfe, Ludouicus the king receiued it gratiously; [Page 43]and gaue it to Ionas Bishop of Orleance to suruey it. To suffer the signe of the Crosse (then) and to haue the abuse of it preached against, is to imitate among the Bishops of RomeSz [...]ged. in specul pon­tifit malorum Primum; among the Emperours that are reui­ued from not [being] through the Lombards desolation, and the Gothes the bestiam Apoc. 17.8. primam which the spirit hath foreshewed: whereas our writers call vs to an imitation of Claudius (rather) in consideration thatPhillip. Mornae de Eucharist. lib. 2. cap. 3 for the raysing of superstition, no meanes are left, as long as the Bishops thinke they doe seruice suf­ficient, if they preach against the worshipping of images. Secondly, the presidents which wee haue to keepe the Crosse, and preach against the abuses of it, are not so vnworthy of imitation but the presidents which wee haue to the con­trary, are as necessary to be followed. Iosuah did not bid the Priestes to preach against the Idols of Canaan, but with his hands he threw them downe. And Hezechias willed not the Leuites to preach against the serpents abuse, but hee brake it all to peeces, and shewed it all the disgrace he could. Our Lord, not on­ly preached against the Oxen and Doues sold in the Temple, but also (as the king of the Church) he cast them forth. Epiphanius tooke no course with the Pastor of Anablatha, or with Iohn Patriarch of Ierusalem, to haue the image of Christ (hanging in the Church) to be preached against, but he reproued them for suffering it there, andEpiphan. in epist. ad Ioh. Hie­rosol. pulled it downe himselfe. The Councell ofCoucil. Elibertin. Can. 36. Eliberis, and the fift ofConcil. Carthag. 5 cap. 15. Carthage (where Augustine himselfe was president) and the Councell ofConcil. Mogunt. cap 42. Mentz, leaue not a relique nor a remnant of Idolatry in the Church, vpon a colour of preaching against the abuses of them, but they re­mooue and abolish them all, or sue to the magistrat for their abolition. Constan­tine the great would not suffer the least ragge of Pagan Idolatry to remaine to be preached against, but razed out all memorials of it; as which he acknowledged to beEuseb. de vita Con­stantin. lib. 3. cap. 47. & 52. Sōzom. lib. 1. cap. 8. lapidem offensacula ante pedes proiecta. Theodosius was more earnest:Theodor. histor. li. 5. cap. 20 Tripartit. histor li 9. cap. 33. who not onely ouerthrew funditus, but also obliuioni dedit, those few ceremonies which had escaped the hands of Constantine; or which Iulian had repayred. The same together with Valentinian, tooke out of the way,Pet. Crini­tus de ho­nest. disci­plin. li. 9. cap. 9. Quodcun (que) signum saluatoris: and suffered them not vpon an hope to haue their abuses preached against.Idem ibid. Leo the third did the like; and Constantine the sift his sonne, which was the Emperour that called the seuenth generall Synod at Constantinople, to ratifie and confirme this course of abolition.

#Sect. 29. Preaching as it is now in England is not sufficient to remoue the abuses of the Crosse, the Crosse it selfe remayning.

THirdly, Sect. 29. it is noM. Calsh. ag. Mart. art. 9. fol. 170. wisdome to prescribe a medicine that doth not reach so farre as the disease doth reach, as preaching dothBucer. in Censur. ca. 2. p. 458 not. For preachingHomil. ag. peril. of Idol [...]t. p. 3 wants in many places where the Crosse is vsed, & where it is, many preachers neglect as no­torious faults as this, and some are corrupted in their iudgment, some desirous to please; some are infected with the spirit of emulation to adde affliction to the mi­sery of their brethren, who are of a diuerse iudgment. Polidore Virgil desireth more preaching, against abuses of Crosses & Images of his time. Howbeit, as a man out of hope to haue them euer by these meanes amended. WhenGabriel. Biell. in canon. miss. lect. 49. Gabriell Biell setteth downe, teaching (as we do now) for a remedy against the abuse of Images.Georg. Cassand. in consul­tat art. 11. Cas­sander himself replyeth, istud quidem rectè dicitur, &c. This is well said, but I would these teachers were not themselues the causes of this superstition, or at the least the nourishers of it, in the hearts of the simple: neither is it ynough, if the people by sermons and admonitions be reuoked from error, vnlesse by the common care of Princes & Bishops it be effected, that with as little a do as may be, omnis huiusmodi errorum occasio praescindatur. What that our booke ofHomil. ag. peril. of Idolat. p. 3. Homilies it selfe, reiecteth this pretence of preaching as insufficiēt? not only because it often wanteth, but also because whē it informeth, yet it doth not so much preuaile as whē the monumēts [Page 44]of Idolatrie themselues are remoued. Lastly, thus Bucer, Bucer. in censur. cap. 10. fol. 478 Si dicamus vsum istorum, signorum salutarem posse restitui per doctrinam, videmus doctrinam alijs deesse, alijs covs (que) non prodesse: sublata ita (que) haec signa malim, quam retenta. Fourthly, whether is it better toBaeza. in epistol. fill vp the pit (as GodExod. 21.33. commandeth) or set one to warne the passengers they fal not into it? Must not our gouernours make good to the Lord, euery soule that shall miscarry, either by his owne blindnesse or deafenesse; or by the watchmans sleepe or doumbnesse, for that his course is disobeyed; a course that would haue cleared all daunger? and a contrary course taken, which neither is so wise nor safe? And let the commandement of theDeu. 22. [...] raile, and of the battle­ment be adioyned. For as the former forbiddes all occasions of throwing downe, so this commandeth to bring in place all occasions and all meanes of staying vp. Woe worth (therefore) the carelesse exposing of the precious soules of men to the daunger of any Idoll, from which the Lord in loue hath fenced them (as it were) with a double hedge. I speake not here, how this course doth tempt the Lorde; or how neare it approcheth to thatNichol. Saund. de imag. c. 17. hardinesse (yea hardnes of heart) that will haue Crosses and other Images for the triall of mens strength, least it should bee idle. For the credit of the Church, least it should be esteemed weake, and for a priuate credit also (to wit) to auoid the blot and staine of pusilanimitie. Such men, if they disdaine to learne ofQuint. Curtius. Scithians, Nemo contemnendo vicit, etiam ferrum rubigo consumit. I send them to a Christian writer, who thus can counsell him in the like case of adultery bodily, the victoryAuthor. lib dsi u­gularit. cleric. apud Cyprian. is vncertaine, quando pugnatur inter arma hostilia; and it is a foolish thing, Arctari cupere ad laborem quando offertur ab (que) vllo periculo delicatus triumphus, the sight of the harlot (such as spiritually this signe is) serueth for nothing, saue ad augendas impugnationes, it is farre better, vt homo cognoscat se infirmum, vt fortis existat, quam vt fortis videri velit, & infirmus emergat, Last of all, quanto quis (que) magis ab aduersis est, tanto minus aduersa sentit. Fiftly, what shall the people be taught? the right vse of the Crosse? what need they be troubled about learning his vse at all? who hardly are brought to heare willingly the necessarie points of their saluation. What that the doctrine of the right vse of it is so hard, that a man may say of the Crosse in particular, whatErasm. in Cateches. Erasmus of all other Images. They may more easily themselues be throwen out of the Church, then their right vse defined. And know we not the beaten prouerbe, which experience tryeth too true,Flace. Illy­rie. in lib. de Adia­phor. populus non intelligit acuta? Lastly, is it safe to pro­pose to the people, these controuersies not so materiall of things vnnecessary? For both A Paule forbiddeth to assume theRom. 14.1 weake to the controuersies of dispu­tation about things that are indifferent, (such as the Crosse is held to be) and A Euseb. de rit. Con­stan. lib. 2. cap. 67. Constantine will not haue the people burthened with the preaching of any matter controuersed, which is not of waight and moment to be knowne.

#Sect. 30.

SIxtly, what though the people might be taught, and it were fit they should, it is ouerruled by an Adiaphorist himselfe, that till occasio superstitionis praescindatur, Georg. Cassand. in consul­tae. ad Ferdinand. & Maxi­mil. art. 21. nullus superstitionis finis sperandus est. And home authoritie hath permitted this to be published touching the Crosse,M. Calt h. ag. Martial. art. 4. fol. 88. Doctrine will not preuaile with the people, if the Crosse it selfe, (which is the thing they trust to, and delight in) be not taken from them. The Adiaphorisme of Saxonie, and Interim of Lipsia, inioyne the keeping of the holyday of Corpus Christi with thisConrad. Schlussl­burg. lib. 13. for. 509 elusion, that there might be a Sermon on that day to teach the people (as I take it) against the abuse thereof. Hereby see, how large the mockage of this excuse is, The people may bee taught against the abuse? Indeed the suffering of a thing that hath but a shew of conformitie with poperie, doth ten times more hurt then peaching is able to doe good. DothHomil. ag. peril. of idolat. p. 3. meat nou­rish so fast as poyson extinguish? Or Physicke heale so fast as the pestilence doth infect? or in aGal. 5.6. leauen is there not a quicker power to make sower, then is in any [Page 45]drugge to sweeten? Adde that the people are moued more with the sight of the Crosse which they see made, then with any words of the preacher which they vnderstand hardly, attend vnwillingly; and they marke more what the preacher doth, then what he saith; and while the law commaundeth the Crosse, it will seeme but Puritanisme what is spoken against it. And last of all, if a preacher shall make the Crosse, and the same preach against it being abused, the people with whom the abuse of it, is (for the most part) the right vse of it, will thinke he spea­keth one thing, and doth another. So that here the Counsel hath place which one in a like case giueth.Pet. Mart. epistol. amic cuid. in Angl. Quis videns te, &c. who seeing thee (the messenger of Christ) praying at the Altar, before the Image of a crucifixe attired with the Priestly Ve­stiments will not think, that thou also doest not only beare with these rites, but also approue them? whence it will follow, that when thou shalt afterwards teach o­therwise, none will beleeue thee. For hee that teacheth otherwise then hee doth, destroyeth what he buildeth: and on the other side buildeth that which he ouerthroweth. There hath here place also what a whole Church wrote about the like rites of poperie retained. Quod vero quidam ineptiunt, &c. Hambur­gens. epist. de Adia­phor. ad Philipp. Melanch. Whereas some fondly say that the doctrine of bad ceremonies should be free, and that they should freely be reprooued, it is ridiculous. For how can a Pious Pastor admini­ster that, in which his conscience reprehendeth him, and perpetually obserue that, which himselfe reprooueth daily before the whole Church? Who will giue any credit at all to their doctrine, who build vp againe things by themselues reprehen­ded, condemned, reiected, and are compelled daily to preach against themselues as against impenitent men? How can peace & quietnes be setled there, where the Pastors of the Church reprooue and taxe publiquely those things, which the court commaundeth shall bee obserued without all violation? Come wee a little nearer home. It is knowne that Peter preached against the abuse of the Iewish ceremonies, to which the Concision turned them; so that by the licence of this excuse, hee might now lawfully conforme to them, Act. 15.10. as to ceremonies of edification for the Iewes. But Paul thinketh this his conformitie is but hipocrisie; destroying that which before he had built, which our writers lay open thus:Magd [...] ­burg. cen­tur. 1. li. 2. cap. 10. in vita Pet. Antiochiae non rectè &c. Peter at Antioch walked not with a right foote to the truth. For, eating with the Gentiles he vsed aright the Christian liberty, but when certaine Iewes came from Iames, he withdrew himselfe fearing the Iewes: and by this meanes, what before he had built of the Christian libertie, that now hee de­stroyed againe, and approueth ipso facto, the necessitie of the Iewish rites, to giue contentment to the Iewes. Our case (as I take it) doth symbolize with this of Peter; who by our disvse of popish ceremonies, haue disclaimed (vntill now) the necessitie and vertue of them. So that, if now (for feare to displease) or to differ from some great men (such as Iames was then to Peter) and should conforme our selues to them, that would be destroyed what hath bene built by vs; and wee in [fact] should approue with Peter what our [preaching] must disproue. A mise­rable case and full of scandall, the people hauing in their mouthes euer, Quid verba audiam, cum facta videam.

Seuenthly, to preach against the abuse somewhat, but not all. The dutie of zeale towards God, of confession towards the truth, of loue towards a neighbors soule, requireth also an abolition. For must Christes spouse be chaste in word and not in deed also? abandoning from her all loue-tokens of former adultry; and must not the truth be professed in practise as well as in preaching? and is not example as necessary as doctrine for the edifying of an neighbour? Well fare our old diuines,Hieron. Zanch. de imag. thes. 3. fol. 368. At inquiunt docemus, &c. They tell vs they teach against the wor­shipping of these Images, as if God of old did not this farre more diligently by Moses and the Prophets, then we can doe it now. Why would he (then) beyond [Page 46]this teaching haue Images also taken away? because it sufficeth not by word of mouth, to teach that euil is not to be done, but the scandals and the prouocations, the causes & the occasions of that which is euill, must also be remoued.Bucer. in Mat. 18. So ano­ther, we are not only to teach the people [sapere fortius] but we are euen. [exem­plo] also to [prouehere] and set forward their edification. And this needfull for the present, is much more necessary for time to come. Which, who knoweth whe­ther God will blesse with preaching or no? Charles the great, leaueth Crosses and Images standing; willing their worship to be preached against, this (in part) is done for his time, and grosse Idolatry is stopt a little, during his life. But what after his death? Did not Idolatry then reenter like a floud vpon the West, so thatPhilip. Moruae. de Eucharist. lib. 2. ca. 3. pag. 128. Charles his sonne was constrained to write a booke sharper then his Fathers was.

#Sect. 31. Opposits obiection aunswered, which is, the abuses of the Crosse are sufficiently refor­med, because the Altars Shrynes, Images, &c. be vtterly remoued, &c.

WE haue waighed in the ballance of the sanctuary, the two first places of the signe of the Crosse: the one extenuating the late abuse, the other extolling the first vse of it, and haue found them both too light, so will the third be found likewise, which iustifieth our present vse as if from the late abuse to the vse prime, it were sufficiently restored already. To wit, not onely possible is it vn­to vs, being so good surgeons as we are, to cure the Crosse from all abuse, the Crosse it selfe remaining, but also it is done already Gods commandement being satisfied by the pulling down of Altars, Shrines, Images, Crucifixes and materiall Crosses, with which we would content our selues (say our Opposites) if there were any reason in vs, sith the Idolatry of the Papists is by these meanes sufficient­ly disgraced. First, know we whom we iustifie in this excuse, and from whose ward-rope we haue stolne it? If this argument doe hold, then did Leontius reason well. I cannot be a fauourer of Idols, seeing it is knowne I haue destroyed,Concil. Nicen. 2. Act. 4. pag. 104. mul­ta Idolorum phana. Againe, we neede not breake downe all Images (saith the Pa­pists) whē the people doe abuse them,Durant. de rit. lib. 1. ca. 4. sect. 11. their abuse must be corrected; if it cannot, then shall it suffice to breake downe thatAlphons. de cast. in verb. imag. adorat. one Image that is abused, or someNichol. Saund. de imag. c. 17 one of them for example to the rest, after the example of King Hezechias in breaking downe the brazen serpent, which how dothD. Fulk ag. Saund. ibid. Ezec. 13.10. Doctor Fulke confound by proofe apparant, that Hezechias brake not downe the serpent onely, but all other Idols that were in his time abused. Secondly, distinctions framed betweene Idols and Idolothites to excuse any one sort of them, where the Law distinguisheth not, and where the difference which they import is onely secundum magis & minus, is but for one to build vp a wall without the leauell of the word; and for others to daube it ouer with vntempered morter. What that this morter is tempered to our handes at Rome. The Bishop ofA discourse of the con­fer at. Foun­tainbleau. Maii. 4. an. 1600. Eurex and hisPerefius de tradit. Saunders de imag. Durant. de rit. lib. 1. cap. 5. Vazq. de adorat. Mart reply art. 3. fellowes make a difference betweene pictures in tables, and pictures in walles: who doth not laugh at them?Gregor. de Valent. Apolog. de Idololat. 2. cap. 7. Gregorius de Valentia out of Peter misinterpreted, 1. Pet. 4.3. maketh a difference betweene Idols that be abhominable, and Idols that be not abhominable. Who doth not abhorre him?Ioh Reyn­nold. lib. de Idololat. 2. cap. 7. Bellarmine maketh a difference betweene Images of true things, and Images of false things, as if the one were Idols, the other were not.Adrian. in epist. ad Constant. & Iren in Concil. Ni­cen. 2. & Durant. de rit. li. 1. c. 5. sect. 11. Adrian maketh a difference betweene an Image and [...], that is, statua abiecti cuiusuis animalis, as if the latter were onely forbidden, the former not. The GreekeDauid. Chytre. in praelect. chronic. Church maketh a difference betweene Images painted, and Images grauen: who holdeth with them? Now of the same linnadge is the difference of our Opposits betweene the materiall and mysticall Crosse; that of the Rood-loft, and this of the Font, the Crosse, of the Supper, and this of Baptisme; If hee were not ill, why was he remoued? If this be good, how is he ill? Seeing like the [Page 47]former Images by Papists distinguished preposterously, they be of one kind, and differ onely in little and great, to graunt the most that can be supposed. Now this difference excuseth not in any one commandement, because he that forbid­deth robbery, forbiddeth stealing: and he that forbiddeth adultery, forbiddeth fornication: and hee that forbiddeth slaying, forbiddeth mayming: Iam. 2.10. nor yet in diuerse commandements neither, because he that breaketh the least is guilty of the greatest, for that he disobeyeth him that gaue them all. Very fit for this purpose are the words of Hierome, Hierom. comment. in epist. ad tit. cap. 2. Fur non solum, &c. A man is iudged a thiefe, not onely in great matters, but also in small: for that which is stollen commeth not into account: that which is considered, is the minde of the stealer. As in for­nication and adultery, the fornication and adultery is not therfore made diuerse, because the whore is faire or rich, deformed or poore, but whatsoeuer she be, the fornication and adultery is still one and the same. See we not from hence how little seruice this our coyned distinction doth vs? For as in the bodily adulterie it is the mind that is respected: whether the harlot be faire or foule, rich or poore, it skilleth not: So in the spirituall it is the honour that maketh guilty, and not the Idoll, whether he be materiall or aereall, permanent or transeunt, painted or gra­uen, cunningly drawne or botcherly made, poore or bedecked with Iewels. So in the Scripture, the popish Idols, whether they be of wood or of gold, they are all one: & the Images of the heathen are throwne all of them into one heap, Apot. 9.12. whether they be of the common sort, or of exquisit grauing by the art of man. And in the Fathers, Act. 17.19. Tertul. de Idololat. Omnis forma & formula, Idolum se dici exposcit, be it little or great, and when Iesuites quarrell about Pesilim & Massecoth, which they interpret sculptile, conflatile, they are aunswered by vs,D. Fulke ag. Gregor. Martin. ca. 3. sect. 23. that howsoeuer properly they are grauen and cast Images, yet by a Synecdoche they are taken for Images of what ma­king soeuer: the question being not, by what art Images are made, but to what vse, and how they be vsed, that they may be condemned for vnlawfull. But if there be any oddes betweene the materiall and mysticall Crosse, it is the mysti­cell that hath the start. Therefore

#Sect. 32. Reasons why the aereall Crosse ought rather to bee abolisht then the materiall.

THirdly, we replie that of the two, the Crosse aereall hath more need to bee abolisht then the materiall. For, Rom. 1.20 [...] first in the seeming of our Opposites it is a thing of lesse account, and we know the baser the Idoll is, the worse is the Idola­try. As Aegypt that adored a worme, is worse then the Greeke that chose a man: or Persia which chose the sunne and the starres to worship them. No matter (said Hierome before) whither the harlot be rich or poore, faire or foule. True vnlesse to this effect. The fowler the harlot and the baser, and the more lothsome is the lust of the bodily adulterer: euen so the baser the Crosse aereall, the more execrable is popish Idolatry committed to it.Ouid. in Phoedra. Ezech. 16.44. Peius adulterio turpis adulter obest. Secondly, It may be said here, as is the mother, so is the daughter. Prouided that the Crosse aereall be acknowledged the mother of the materiall. For, was it not the signe of the forehead that begat all the other Crosses that were materiall in the eyes of all theTheodor. Beza. in epist. writers?Guilihel. Perk. probl. tit. sig. crue. Heb. 7.7. Arose not the materiall Crosse some yeeres after the aereall signe, which at the first was a Crosse simply. Afterward it grew to be a crucifixe, and all out of that reuerence which the Crosse of the forehead had amongst the Fathers? Thirdly, there is no doubt but the lesse is blessed of the greater. Greater there­fore is the aereall signe of the Crosse which blesseth and sanctifieth aConcil. Trident. sess. 21. c. 7 Durant. de rit. li. 2. ca. 45. sect. 7. Caesar. Ba­ron. Annal. an. 1 12. temple it selfe, & all things in it, and so (as I take it) the veryVid. Pon­tificall Ro­man. & Hospinian. de re tem­plot. lib. 4. cap. 4. materiall Crosse and all. And seeing consecration and holinesse is the fountaine and the wombe of all supersti­tion, [Page 48]this Crosse must needes be the more fertill thereof, the more in estimate of holinesse it euer hath borne away the bell, wherwith the people blesse themselues, whence expect they to be sanctified before God? to be helped against the deuil? What is their Orcigalea? What their Delphicus gladius to speake in the commonLindan. panopl. lib. cap. phrase they vse? which isBrisson. de spectacul. p. 151. their [...], their [...], their [...] Whereby is wrought their obsignation, their consignation, which giueth theIbid p. 201. 202. 203, ibid. holy Ghost himselfe? which is theirIbid. p. 201 signum vivificum, their signum salutare, their vexillum, their vexillum triumphale, is it not the Crosse mysticall? Shall we tread the signe of that vnder our feete (saithPaul. Dia­con. [...]er. Roman. lib. 18. Gregor. Turonens. histor. Franc. lib. 5 cap. 19. Tiberius the Emperour) wherewith we vse to blesse our foreheads? Here the materiall Crosse is but a token of the aereall which is the [...] of the same. If the signe of the Crosse in aere fluido bee of such power (sath theCensur. Colon. in Catechis. Monhem. dialog 3. Vniuersitie of Collen) then why not the Crosse materiall too? Here the materiall waiteth on the aereall for credit and for countenance from it. There is aCarol. Sigon. de Regno. Ital lib. 15 table in Germinians Church at Mutina of Lucius the Pope, blessing the citie with the signe of the Crosse, at his departure in these wordes: Benedicta sit terra quam incolitis; & benedicti vos & posteri vestri in perpetuum. Here the materiall is a monument of the mysticall. There is aMissale in offic. pere­grin. rule that no man make a materiall Crosse in any part of his bodie: and they that in BaptismeConrad. Lutzen­burg. in verb. Iosim. burne Crosses materiall in the foreheads of their children, are enrouled among the heretiques. Here the materiall Crosse is condemned, when the aereall sanctifi­eth, consecrateth, and maketh holy vnto God. But the materiall is more grosse, more sensible, and it inticeth more with some perhaps. But there is reason with some to the contrary, what the aereall Crosse in popish estimation? The more vncapable a thing is of worship in it selfe,Vazq. de adorat. lib. [...]. disput. [...]. cap. 1. (saith the Papist) the more capable of [latria] and the more fit to be coadored with Christ. What the aereall Crosse in popish apprehension? We adore not any Crosse for the matter (saith theDamascen. de sid. lib. 4. cap. 12. Alphons. de castro. in verb. adorat. Martial. in reply. art. 10. Pa­pist) but for the forme: so that the lesse materiall, and the more formall: so much the quicker is the passageThom. A­quin. p. 3. qu. 25. art. Pro. 30.20. ab imagine ad rem significatam: in which motion of the minde all the worshipping doth consist. Last of all, what the aereall Crosse in popish vse? Is it not more common to vse? is it not more ready to be vsed at all assayes? and doth it not serue all times and turnes, better then the Crosse mate­riall? Hath it not (also) more excuses attending on it, to colour hypocrisie, whereby this spirituall adultresse, may (like the bodily) wipe her mouth, and say, I haue not sinned.

#Sect. 33. It auailes nothing to remooue the materiall Crosse, retayning the mysticall.

FOurthly, what though the materiall Crosses done away by our Church, were euery way worse? To remoue the materiall Crosse, and to leaue the mysticall behinde in Gods seruice, is to breake the1. Sam. 5.4. hand of Dagon, not the head, if the head, yet to leaue the stompe behind; to remoue the adultery of the breastes (if of the breastes wholly) but to leaue the adultery of theHos. 2.2 apud Tre­mel. forehead behinde, and the whorish painting (as it were) of theEzech. 23 40.41 face: at a word it is, to remoue the flesh of the adultery (if the flesh throughly) but to leaue theIud. 23 garment behinde, which it hath touched and spotted. This, how can it stand before that God, that vseth to censure a reformation (though neuer so vpright in doctrine) if there be but an1. Reg. 15.4. & 12 23. 2. reg. 12.3.14 4. high place standing? which perchaunce was neuer abused to Idolatry (as the signe of the Crosse hath bene) and who neuer contenteth himselfe with a refor­mation of his Church in part, but requireth aBucer. in Math. 18 Pet. Mar­tyr in 1. Sam. 14 Marc. 11.15. totall clensing of his house, and that from the 6 abused instruments of his owne seruice: how much more (then) from Crosse and Surplice, which haue bene instrument of the seruice, how much [Page 49]more then from Crosse and Surplice, which haue bene instruments of the seruice of Deuils? Indeed the reformation publique should be such, as may further the priuate puritie of euery man, whose throte and belly if they must be pure from the meat of the Idoll: then much more hisTertul. in lib. de spe­ctacul. membra which are augustiora, must be kept pure from the Idoll it selfe, as his hands, his eyes, his eares, from the Sur­plice and from the mysticall signe of the Crosse? Fiftly, whereas the abolishing of the Crosse materiall is thought to throwe disgrace sufficient vpon the mysticall Crosse of popery, we are most humbly to intreat our godly gouernours to take knowledge of a contrary euent, there being nothing (indeed) that doth credit it more then this, that the Crosse of the forehead standeth when all other Crosses fall, and that by authority of law and magistrate: which, if they be not the onely Lords of the common peoples faith, yet are known toIosias Simlerus in praecep. 2. Gualt. in Luke cap. 5. sway it more, & that awry in such a case then were conuenient. And as the remouall of the Crosse materiall graceth (after this fashion) the aereall left behind: so the aereal left behind another way graceth the materiall that is cast out; against the doctrine of our Church that is confirmed by Act of Parliament, which thereforeHomil. ag. peril. of Idolat. p. 3 excludeth an Image out of the Church, because if it be suffered there, he will giue credit to other Images, that other where are worshipped. When did not the Crosse materiall & aererall mutu­ally scratch and claw one another? when the Crosse materiall was to be taken for the recouery of the holy land: what course hath Bernard but to ply theCatal. Si­gon de reg. Italiae li. 11 in Conrad. 2. Crosse aereall? that which he doth in healing the sicike, and so preuaileth that Conrade the Emperor himself assumeth the material Crosse, & resolueth on the iourney. Robert Genebrard Chrono­log. lib. 4. an. 1 148. Bishop of Nazareth stayeth the flame of the fire, with the Crosse materiall,Idem ann. 824. Pas­chalis with the Crosse aereall. Was the materiall onely graced by the former, the aereall only by the latter? do not both giue credit to all Crosses, yea to the whole religion of popery in the eyes of all Papists? And now that wee are lighted vpon the mention of these Papists, if it be true thatTertul. li. de coron. milit. Tertullian hath, Nihil tam dignū deo, quam quod indignum Idolo, then can we not doe God better seruice, then to offer the greatest indignitie that we are able to the aereall signe of the Crosse. We may perceiue by this, that they drawe it to the gracing of their religion, because they take nothing moreLaurent. Surius in comment. pa. 690. Ioh. Grop. de Eucha­rist. lib. Iacob Bil­lius in Gre­gor. Nazi­anzen. indignly, then to see the least indignity offered against it. Can the signe of the Crosse grow cold & he not burne? Is the signe of the Crosse touched, & he not tormented? or can any take it downe, & he not take on? Tush (say our Opposits) of the signe of the Crosse, non in eo po sitae sunt fortunae graciae, but I shall neuer heare so much out of the mouth of the Papist. Who, as if Haniball were before the gates, and all the forts of Rome were shaking, vseth to cry out all religion goeth downe, if the Crosse goe downe, a way is open to allRhemist. Annotat. in Philip. 2. ver. 10. Atheisme, if he be away. Yea Christ himselfe is abandoned, if he be abolished. And is there not (then) a way opened in his opinion to all popery, when the honour of the Crosse goeth vp (as it doth by our making of it in honorable vse) I say by our making of it, forTertul. lib. de Ido­lolat. Co limus qui facimus vt coli possit, diligentia nostra illius memor est.

#Sect. 34. Another Opposites obiection aunswered: which is, we vse it as a ciuill ceremonie, not religious.

ALthough we haue couered the mouth of the Crosse in all former excuses of abuse extenuated, first vse extolled, and late vse purged, yet being an harlot that is talkatiue she still proceedeth to multiplie words, Pro. 7.11. & 9.23. as if her present purged vse were throughly cleane both for the manner of her placing in Gods seruice, & for her place where. Touching the former, why is the Crosse cryed out against (say some of our Opposits) as if it had an vse religious? There is no such matter. For we doe vse it in our Baptisme as a ceremonie meerely ciuill; in which manner [Page 50]vsed by vs, it is as lawfull in that sacrament, as in the coyne which we beare in our purses; where we our selues (they say) doe wish it, not only hold it lawfull. How­beit, how easie is it to iustifie our vse of the Crosse to be too religious, to be law­full? for the vnderstanding whereof, we must run ouer the two sorts of religious things. The first of them are religious in a sense common, rising fromSyluest. summa in verb. relig. Religio as it is a vertue, in which sense all is religious that is done to an holy end: the end being it, that determineth euery vse, asTho. A­quin. 1.2. q. 16. art. 3. scholemen teach. In this sense the Crosse is [Religious] euen out of Gods seruice and euer hath bin, sith at the first it serued to professe the faith againstGuilihel. Perk. pro­blem. tit. sign. cruc. Pagans, to sanctifieTertul. de coron. mi­lit. omnem progressam to ciuill busi­nesse, andHieron. ad Eustoch. epist. 22. cap. 16. omnem actum thereof. Did Constantine set it in his banners, or on the shoulders of his souldiers? he did itSozomen. li. 1. cap 8. assuefacere exercitum suum ad colendum deum, and to make knowneCassiodor tripartit. histor. li. 3. cap. 4. hunc Deum colo, cuius signum meus portat exercitus. Haue Christian kings since his time adorned their crownesHieron. ad Laetam. epist. 7. c. 2. patibuli salutaris pictura? they doe it to shew they professe Christ Iesus. Last of all, when a malefactor sa­ued his life by flying to sanctuary, by the auncient lawes of our land, he was to be banished, carrying a Crosse in his hands to the sea side. This was signum seruatae vitae, religionis ergò. This considered, the signe of the Crosse is neuer mearely a ciuill thing, euen in ciuill obiectes themselues. Mixtly, and for the end of his vse he remayneth still religious. Howbeit, our Opposites turne this against vs, wee vse it in Baptisme for a ciuill end (say they) therefore it is ciuill, and in respect of this end lawfull. First, this iumpeth with theChytr [...]us in Iosu. 22. Lutheran, who excuseth his re­ligious Images in the Church, by like ciuill end and historicall vse: and with the Papist, who excuseth his Iewish ceremonies, in that he doth vse them,Tho. A­quin. p. 3. q. 83. art. 5. Non quasi ceremoniali praecepto legis, sed sicut ecclesiae statuto. And because the thing which he vseth, is quiddam secundum se conueniens, ex instituto Ecclesia, which is our language vp and downe. Lastly, this iumpeth with the politique ofDauid. Chytreus in an. 15 84 Augusta, who infor­ceth the Popes newe Callender on this colour, the Ministers shall vse it in their feastes, not as receiued from the Pope, but as enioyned by the Senate. Secondly, though Crosse and Surplice may for their end in some sense be termed [Ciuill] as all rites that serue forHarmon. confess. sect. 17. confess. Au­gustan. art. 7. order,Bulling. in epist. ad N. & M. yet this end maketh it not lawfull, because though an ill end maketh an ill action (for that euen one defect doth suffice to hatch a sinne) yet a good end (such as order and decencie is) and the obedience to the Magistrate cannot make anTho. A­quin. 1.2. qu. 10. art. 2. action good, because the integritie of the ob­iect, and all other circumstances must here concurre, which in these rites are wan­ting. The Crosse is an Idolothite; which aGualt. Ar­chityp. 1. Cor. 10. Hest. 3. Corinthian may not eate for any ciuill vse or ende of peace and friendship, or any ciuill commoditie els. The Crosse is an Agagite, deuoted to death and to destruction, a Mordecay may not bow downe vnto it, though he pretend, that it is onely to performe obedi­ence to the Magistrate, that hee performeth this honour to him. The Crosse sorteth vs with the Papists, as much as the Garland sorted the Christians with the Pagans in the dayes of Tertullian. But aBeat. Rhe­nan. in Tertul. de coron. milit. Christian may not weare a Garland, no not on the birth day of the Emperour, though he pretend a ciuill end, and ci­uill honour to his Prince. Our signe of the Crosse, the Papist interpreteth to be a liking of his rites like as the Pagan (in Iulians dayes) interpreted frankencense throwne into the fire before the Throne and seate of Iulian, to be a profession of Pagan religion. This twoTheodor. histor. li. 3. cap. 16. Christians may not doe, no though they doe it to a ciuill end alone, to wit, to honour and obey their Prince.

#Sect. 35. Pretence of a ciuill end of the Crosse excuses not the Crosse, vsed in the worship of God.

THirdly, though a ciuill end might make such a thing lawfull, yet were this signe neuer the neare, because this end is notCaietan. in Thom. 2.2. qu. 154. art. 4. finis operis, which giueth value to euery action, but finis operantis only to which it pleaseth the vser to turne him: which in this question turneth the scale neither one way nor tother. The naturall end of the Crosse is religious as hath bene shewed, and the same operatiue; and therefore euill. It pleaseth our Church to vse it to a ciuill end which is good, this end, is it any thing to the purpose, it being accidentall? Timoleon his souldiers are much amazed for meeting an asse laden withPolyae [...]. stratagem. lib. 5. sect. stratag. 376 oppium, which was vsed at home in funerals. his bidding them to weare garlands of it, in signe of victorie, had it bene any incouragement to them, if this vse had bene deuised by himselfe diuersly from the vse of Istmus games, where men ware it that wan the prize? so vntill the common vse of the Crosse abroad be good, our good vse (diuerse from the common vse) cannot encourage vs to vse it. How doth it excuseAelian. var. histor li. 1. cap. 21. Ismenias from adoring the king of Persia, that it is to take vp a ring (let fall) that he stoupeth downe before him? For as long as this stouping (in common vse) is the adoring of the king, he is interpreted to haue adored him. So our diuerse end of crossing, maketh not our case diuerse: It is the common vse of the Crosse which hath bene euer, and (yet) is generall, by which our crossing must be iudged. I speake on supposall. TheVazq. de adorat li. [...] disput. 5. cap. 3. Iesuites iudgement is good and sound, common and vsuall kneeling (being in the common estimate aCaietan. in 2.2. qu. 84. art. 1. worship diuine) it would not haue excused Mordecaie if hee dad bowed downe to Haman, though he had kneeled with a ciuill kneeling onely, and that to performe a ciuill obedience to the King. It will bee obiected heere that Naamans bowing in the house of Rimmon was lawfull enough, becausePet. Mar­tyr in 1. Cor. 10. Nichol. Heming. in ephes. 5.1 [...] ciuill. AndTertul. in lib. de Ido­lolat. Tertullian alloweth a Christian to bee present at the sacrifices of Pagan marriages; seruants (also) to waite on their maisters while they are worshipping of their Idols, because this was a ciuill presence, and not for religious ende. Wee aunswere, the case is diuerse from this of the Crosse. The finis operis, the end of the worke, in the Crosse is commonly religious and euill. The finis operis, in these instan­ces is in common estimate ciuill and good; performed to the marriage of the bridegroome; not to the sacrifice in the first, not to the Idoll, but to the mai­ster in the second. And the signe of the Crosse is an aliene rite, hauing an estate most inwarde in Idolatrous worship, whereas no gesture was allowed, no rite, no ceremonie, that had coincidence with Idolaters, in the instances premised, as these wordes shewe:Tertul. de coron. mili. Nullum (puto) circa haec officia periculum ob­seruari, de flatu Idololatriae quae interuenit. Causae enim considerandae sunt quibus praestatur officium. Haec nos homini, non Idolo, officiosos habet. Sum tantum spectator sacrificij: These offices make vs dutifull to men, not to the Idoll. For I am but onely a beholder of the sacrifice, &c. When theIoh. Slei­dan. Duke of Saxonie was to beare the sword before Charles the fift, hee was present at the Masse; but with protestation that he was there, for a ciuill dutie onely: and besides hee abstai­ned from all Masse gestures, and was onely alooker on. The like doeIohn Howlet. i [...] refusal. reas. 9. Pa­pistes themselues prescribe, notPet. Mar­tyr in 1. cor. 10. Protestantes onely, to wit, that no ciuill pre­sence sufficeth for ioyning with heretiques, vnlesse both naturally the action bee ciuill, and also commonly knowne and rated to bee such. Now the Crosse being not such, nor so thought of, it can no more be vsed in Baptisme, to the ende of ciuill obedience; then Christians might set vp boughes, and light tapers at their doores to the honour of their magistrate like as other heathen did. [Page 52]For I may answere out ofTertul. li. de Idololat Tertullian, as concerning Crosse and Surplice: seeing these, ad Daemonias pertinent, belong to the deuils, among the Papists as much as the former boughes, and tapers among the Pagans, our vse will giue credit to the popish Idols, as the vse of those did to the paganish: and omnis honor Idoli est Idolo­latria, All honour done to the Idoll is Idolatrie. Caesar. Ba­ron. Annal. in. an. 200. And the honour and obedience of the magistrate was pretended as much in them, as now in these. Yet Tertullian would not iustifie them, but made this aunswere. Si hominis causa est, cogitemus omnem Idololatriam in hominis causam esse, If it be the cause of man, let vs thinke all Idolatry to be for the cause of man. Further yet, we finde some things casheered by our selues out of Gods seruice which might farre better pretend a ciuill vse then these. Consider a little the permixtion of the water with the wine in the Lords supper. The very finis operis in it from the beginning was meerely ciuill: to wit, to abate the heat of the wine, for which cause the auncientes called it a mingledIren. lib. 5. cap. 1. cup, aIustin. Martyr Apolog. 2. dilution, and aCyprian. lib. 2. epist. 3. ad Caeci­lium. tempering of the wine. A straunge thing we should hold this addition of the water vnlawfull, euen to the suffering of anConcil. Trident. sess. 22. can. 9. Anathema, out ofDurant. de rit. li. 2. ca. 27. sect. 4. an opinion that such addition is against Christes institution, the ceremonie being such as is thought Christ did vse, such as the Papists neuer did so much abuse; such as had a ciuill end and the same good, when still to a Crosse is cryed without ceasing [great is Diana] a ceremonie not so auncient, an abused ceremonie to the depth of all iniquitie, onely vpon a fond pretence of an end ciuill which is not finis operis, the end of the worke, to it, but finis operantis, but the end of the worker onely which neuer excuseth.

#Sect. 36. The vse of the Crosse is religious not ciuill as the opposites proued in this Section, and that which followeth.

WE haue examined the first sort of things religious in nature and end, and find no shelter for the Crosse. Come we now vnto the second, which are religious in sense speciall, to wit, in [State]. Here, that is religious which is Ecclesiasticall: that ciuill, which politicall: that religious which belongeth to Gods seruice: that ciuill which hath the vse solemne in the seruice of common wealth. To this agreeth the Etimologie of religio and religiosum which commeth aAugust. de religion. religando ad Deum, from binding to God, or else aAul. Gel­lius lib. 4. cap. 9. relinquendo, the common [state] of ciuill things. The Scripture doth agree likewise, which calleth the bread holy and religious, when it is set on the table in the holy place; but when it is ta­ken away from thence, then it beginneth to be1. Sam. 21.6. Communis, as Tremellius doth in­terpret. When a vestiment is holy, it must not be carried out of the Temple, no not to the high PriestsEzech. 42.14. house. That which the Priest putteth on when he goeth out of the Temple isOrigin. in Leuit. 20. homil. 11. vestis communis. This is imitated by the Canon lawe,Decret. p. 2. caus. 11. q. 2. ca. 70. Opus est vt de ecclesia, mystici poculi forma non exeat, It is necessary that the forme of the mystical cup go not out of the Church. TheHieron. in ezech. li. 13 cap. 44. Amalar. de offi [...]. eccles. li. 2. ca. 16. Fathers (also) will haue the gar­ments to be religious, that are vsed in the Church: the garments to be common that are without it. WhenSigebert. in ann. 795. Charles the great forbad the doorekeepers to vse com­mon garments, pitcheth he not (as it were) the bounds of things common and religious at the porch of the Church. For the first, to begin there; for the latter there to end? We our selues say against Lutherans, that the Images are religious which are in the Church; and against Papists, that the bread of the supper is bread common [extra vsum] out of the vse of the holy Sacrament. Howbeit it doth not suffice to make a thing to be religious, that it is in the Temple, vnlesse also it be of it, and haue [state] in it, as was before mentioned. The old oke vnder which Iacob buried his Images, standeth within the bounds of the Tabernacle in Iosuahs time, Gen. 35.4. Iosu. 24.26. Mat. 21.12. and the doues and the oxen, are within the court of the Temple, [Page 53]which yet notwithstanding are not religious for want of inuesture, and of incor­poration. A straunger leaueth meat in an Idols temple, is it (therefore) religious, because in a religious place?August. ad public. epist. 154. No, because it was not consecrate to the Idoll. The cup of the supper in the dayes ofTertul de pudic. cap. 10. Caesar. Baron. Annal. an. 216. Tertullian had a shepheard pictured in it, bearing a sheepe vpon his shoulder, which yet was no more religious then the sta­tue of a good shepheard, whichEuseb. de rit. Con­stantin. li. 3 cap. 48. Constantine set vp in foro, in the market, because it was in the seruice of God without a state. Now, 3.Tho. A­quin. 2.2. q. 183. art. 1. things are required to a state, Order, Obligation, and a kind of Immobilitie, and the Crosse and Surplice haue all three of them in our Leiturgie. The Crosse hath an order dependant on Bap­tisme, to which it is added. An obligation it hath, because it is ordained by our Church. It hath also [quietem] left in holy vse, and a kind of immobilitie, a kind I say which doth suffice. As for the Crosse, Leo the Emperour made a lawe,Cod. li. 1. ti. 3. ca. 26 Ne signum crucis inferretur in loca publica, into common places, and Theodosius, that places should be made religious,Cod. The­odos. de pagen. cap. vlt. collocato in ijs Christianae religionis signo. As for the Surplice the old vse thereof had immobilitie altogether in Gods seruice; it being vtterly vnlawfull to weare itDurant. de rit lib. 2 ca. 9. sec. 1 Caesar Ba­ron. Annal. in art. [...]60 elswhere. I know the friends of these cere­monies would be loath to take them downe, so much as one haires breadth. Nei­ther will they wholy swerue from Surius, misliking a Crosse should be vsed by Archers for a marke to shoot at in their pastimes.

IT will be obiected that the Crosse hath a state ciuill amongst vs too, in coynes, banners, and the like. Where, seeing we like him well enough, why should he be misliked in Baptisme? First, we denie him to be absolutely lawfull, euen in such ciuill vse, when once he commeth to beWalafrid. Strab. in 1. cor. 10. in glossa. sub veneratione Idoli, vnder the wor­ship of the Idoll, and to giue the least occasion to thinke the better of popery, or to cast some shewe or some shadow of it, then heIosu. 23.13. Mat. 5.19. 1. Thes. 5.22. groweth to be vnlawfull. For consider the origen and beginning of this [state] ciuill, in coynes and banners. Euen in warreEuseb li. 9 cap. 9. Sozomen. lib. 1. cap. 3. Constantine holdeth the adored [labarum] of the old Romans to be vnlawfull: and in coynes, the old Images of Mercurie and Hercules: and there­fore setteth vp in both the Crosse which then the Idolaters most of all hated, and which made most profession against them. The Crosse (then) being become an olde adored I doll of Rome, must he not be done away (caeteris paribus) euen out of coynes and banners themselues vpon like reason, and some other ensigne be brought in vse, which may professe against the Papists? So shall we follow the zeale of Constantine, as also of others whose coynes and banners knewe no marke, but such as made distinction manifest betweene them and Idolaters. We see this in the Machebees, who bore in their flagge,Francise. Iunius. in 1. macca. [...] M. C. B. I. expressing the sentence which is in Exodus 15.11. Quis est par tibi deus Iohouah, who among the gods is like vnto thee Iehouah? Whence they were termed Macbaei, and after Macabaei. We see it inCarion. Chron. in. Theodos. Theodosius, who bore in his ensigne against Eugenius, this name of XRS Christ. we see it in the religious of France, whose standart spake thus,Comenta. de stat. re­ligion. in Gallia. pro Christo & Patria, for Christ and the Countrey. That of Alphonsus was better then a marke confounding with the aliens whose symbole was a Pellican, shedding her heart bloud for her yonge, with this imprese, pro lege & grege, for the law and the flock. Let noue thinke this to bee precisenes more then needes. An Idolls name must not be mentioned in commonTertul. in lib de Ido­lolat. talke, ne illius maiestatem confir­memus. No booke must be read in a common schole, wherin Idols be mentioned, that are instantlyIdem li. de spectacul. worshipped, ne affirmentur dum traduntur, least they be avou­ched whilest they be taught. No spectacle of theirs must a Christian beholde in a common Theater; no habit ofIdem. li. de coron. milit.. Aesculapius Priestes must be vsed, no not when a cocke is dressed for private vse. No picture of the Sunne must be seene in a Chri­stian mans shieldHospin. de re templar. tractat. de imag., quando deputatur ad Persas, the adorers of the sunne. No Idolo­thite [Page 54]must be suffered in common or in private vse, in which theAugust. epist. 154. honour of the Idoll is not defaced. To goe no further then scripture it selfe. Is not theDeut. 7.26. gould of the Image abhominable, euen in private vse, when the Idoll is countenanced by it? TheDeut. 27.15. Image accurssed in a private place, when kept with honour? The Idolls Iewll2. Mac. 12.40. hated of God, whē secretly put vnderneath the garment? The Idolls meat a partaking with Devills, euen at a common1. Cor. 10.28. table when it is knowne? Pray lett me appeale euen to our owne practize: Did we not deale with many Crosses ma­teriall at first, euen out of the Church, as Diagoras dealt with Hercules when he put him to his thirtenth laboure which was to boyle his lentils? And the common vse of crossing, especially our bedds and other dead things, we vse to condemne in theTertul. li. ad vxor. Beat. Rhe­nan. in lib. de coron. milit. Fathers themselues: which, why condemne wee? it being auncient, it being ciuill, all while we presse the baptisme, crosse, which being no auncienter and not so ciuill must needes be more vnlawfull? who can spitt at the Temple franken­sence (saithTertul. li. de Idololat one) when he seeth it on the altar, all while he hath frankensence in his seller at home? Or with what face can a man exorcise Satan in the Church, that in his owne house hath wares for his seruice? But with more reason may I inferre from allowance religious to that which is ciuill, not of wares that may bee Idolatrous, and superstitious, after they are solde, but of Crosses that are already, how can we condemne Crosses at home, that exact crossing in the church? or with what face can we condemne papistes for Crossing, who iustifie them with our owne example? for we may reason as Augustine doth, speaking against the riot and excessiue vsage in his time, vpon the holy-dayes of Martirs,August. epist. 64. quis audet vetare priuatim, quod cum frequentatur in sanctis locis, honor martyrū nominatur? who dareth forbid home crossinge as execrable, which being vsed in the church, is helde to be honorable before the Lorde?

BVt what if the Crosse were lawfull, absolutely in ciuill vse? for in the second place we answere, the argument holdeth not from ciuill vse to vse religious, as our opposites thinke it doth. The Crosse is lawfull in coines, in banners, and prin­ces balls, therefore in the Sacrament of our new birth? First, this reasoning is po­pish. For so they for their Images. an Image is lawfull inIoh. Albi­nus in prae­fac. Vazq. de adorat. coine, therfore in the Church: andFeuardent. in Iren li. 1. cap. 24. Beza himselfe setteth forth Images, virorum illustrinm, therefore saincts, Images are lawful in the church, & if theVazq. de adorat. li. 2 disput. 6. cap. 3. Concil. Nicen. 2. Act. 1. p. 54 Step. Gard­ner. in epist. ad Ridley­um, &c. Images of an earthly prince may be worshipped, then why not the Images of sainctes aswell? The Lutherans thus reason also vp and downe. TheAegidi. Hunius in Mat. 22. Iconomachi can endure well inough in their pursses a Portugall Cruzado, in which there is the signe of the Crosse with this word, in hoc signo vince, and are they not blind (then) in that they are not able to see the Crosses lawfulnes in the church aswell? Secondly, the ground wherupon this reason standeth, yeldeth no other foundation then this, what is lawfull in ciuill vse, is lawfull also in vse religious. The contrary wherof (indeed) is true in honora­ble and helpfull things themselues. For non Walafrid. Strab. de reb. eccles. cap. 10. Durant. de rit. li 2. c. 9 tantum illicita prohibentur in Ecclesijs, verum etiam profana quaecunque, licet alibi legitime exerceantur. What more hono­rable then aConcil Mogunt. sub. Carol. mag ca. 40 session for iudgement? What more helpfull to the seruice of God, thenMat. 21.12. Oxen for sacrifice, and money to buy them? What more allied to the loue and charitie required in the seruice of God, thenDecret. p. 1. distinct. 42. cap. 4. a feast of charitie? All which commendable in ciuill vse, must yet forbeare the tent it selfe, where religious vse doth dwell. It is a golden saying of Augustine, and enrolled in the canon it selfe,August. epistol. 109. de regul. Monach. in oratorio praeter orandi, psallendique cultum, penitus nihil agatur, vt nomini huit, & opera iugiter impensa concordet. Hence thus we reason, is the Crosse a thing meare­ly ciuill, then is it a sinne to bring it into the Church, where ought to be nothing, in [state] religious but the parts of Gods worship. when the Iewes told Caius [Page 55]Caligula, Philo. de legat. ad Ca [...]um. sacrificamus provobis, he answered in choller, at non sacrisicatur nobis. Our Gouernours (then) being Godly, wilbe contented, that in the Church wee sacrifice for them, though we sacrifice not vnto them: which we should doe if to please them, we should defile the worship of God with these their ordināces vn­der a colour of a ciuill obedience to them. Adde to the former, that of Hierome, Hieron. in Ezech. conument. li▪ 12. ca. 43 who thinketh there is a poste of man, set by Gods poste, when Civill things are mixte with sacred, vt nihil intersit inter sacrum & profanum. But the Crosse is so nearly conioyned to Baptisme, that who among the vulgar people discerneth be­tweene them that the one is holy (as the ordinance of God) the other a thinge mearly ciuill, as the ordinance of man? Chrisostome (lastly) thought it did dero­gate from the honour of God, to suffer an Image of the Empresse Eudoxia, set vp neare vnto the Church with stage playes celebrated to her honor after the heath­nish and paganish manner: but we haue more cause to stande then he, who are required by our Godly gouernours for their honour, not only to suffer neare the Church, but also to bring into the Church, and into the service of the same, not an Image of their owne (which we loue) but an Image & an Idoll of Antichrist him selfe, which, from our heartes we hate with execration. Thirdly therefore, if the Church barre her doore against ciuill things, because not consecrate vnto God, then much more against such thinges, as haue bene consecrate vnto Idolls, of which the signe of the Crosse is one. See we not howe the Iewes followe in warre the Romane standarde though anDion. li▪ 40 Herodian. lib. 4. Idoll to the pagans, when yet they will rather choose toIoseph. Antiquit. li. 18. ca 5. dye then see it brought into the Temple? and suffer the Ro­mane Eagle stande vpon Antonia, when they will notIbid li. 27 cap. 8. let it stande, no not on the temples porche? and vse the image ofMat. 22.20. Caius in coyne, when Petronius is resisted fromIoseph An­tiquit. li. 18 cap. 15. Homil. ag. peril. of Idololat. p 2. setting it in the holy place?▪ From the Idoll come we to the Idolothite; which is it as lawfull within the Church as it is without it? No. Paul alloweth it in the shambles (we knowe) and then only, not in any vse religious. And the Christians atTheodor. histor. 3. cap. 15. Antioche, when Iulian had consecrate their victualls to Idolls, vsed them only vpon this ground, We neither fetche them from a Temple, nor beare them to any, but vse them civillie to that vse, for which God created them? Next what an I­mage? Doe not we our selues exileHermon. coufess. sect. 2.17. Pet. Mar­tyr in 1. Reg. 7. Zanch▪ in operib▪ re­demption▪ cap. 1 [...]. thes. 2.3. Images from the Church, which we now at last approoue in civill vse? And plead we not the auncient▪ Innocent. Gentillet. exam. Con­cil. triden­tin. lib. 4. sess. 25. sect. 5. Hospin. dere templar. tit. de imag cap. 9. fol. 46. Calfh. ag. Mart. in praefat. fo. 6.8. art. 3. fol. 82. Christians brought no Images into the Church, when out of the Church they vsed them, and greatHospin. ibid. fo. 47. Calfh. art. 2. &. 5. fol. 128. Constantine set no Crosses vp in the Church, who sett vp many in other places? And what a signe added by man vnto the signes of Gods appointing? We allow an altar on Iordan-bankes inD. Babing. vpon the 2. cōmandem. vse civill, which in vse that is religious wee doe not approue,Mat. Sut­clin. de sum. pon­tisic. lib. 4▪ cap. 6. some of vs at least; who cannot allow Salomons altar which he added in the temple by any warrant that is ordinarily out of the word. Last of all, what a ceremonie, receiued from without? The new Callender of Pope Gregorie the 13. when at Augusta it was commaunded, theDauid. Chytreus in an. 15 84. ministers of the Gospell there thought fit to vse it in meere ciuill matters, not in their feastes, not in their Chur­ches, not in the exercises of Religion. To conclude, It is sinfull to beare euen aMark. 11.16. common vessell thorough the temple, what is it then, not to beare through but to bring in (I say) not into the Temple, but into Baptisme, which is the holy of holies thereof, not a common vessell only by God vnconsecrate, but euen a vessell that is also vncleane, I meane a Crosse which is an Idoll, an Idolothite, an Image forbidden, a signe humane, a ceremony popish? And hide wee our selues vnder the pretence of an vse civill, when we scorneD. Bils. ag. the Apolog. p. 4. p. 348.355.358. papistes that pretende a ciuill wor­shippe in templarie bowing, and whenVazq. de adorat. lib. 2. disputat. 4. cap. 6. papistes them selues will haue no forbid­den Images in modo & statu accommodato ad adorandum, though else where they may be vsed?

#Sect. 39. The fift obiection of the Opposites answered: which is, he is not worshipped in the sacrament, but is onely an attendant vpon the sacrament.

THe fift and last defence of the Crosse to keepe it in possession, standeth on deniall of this last point. His state in Baptisme is not a state accommodatus ad adorandum, applied to worship, (say our Opposites) seeing there he was neuer made an Idoll by the Papists. And seeing there (now) he is vsed by vs, as an atten­dant vpon the Sacrament, and not as any part thereof. First, this is the Iesuites language vp and downe. When Images were vnlawfull in Israel (saithVazq. ibid. he) yet there were Cherubins and figures of Lyons in the Temple lawfully, because being ornaments to other thinges they were not in statu accommodato ad adoran­dum. Where as the lippe of truth speaketh otherwise, to wit, that if these figures and these Images had not bene by God commandedTertul. de Idololat. see D. Bils. ag. Apo­log. p. 4. p. 340. specially, they had bene within the Church vnlawfull, which is now the Crosses guilt. Secondly, so God hateth the instruments of sinne, as that although they be his owne creatures (which the signe of the Crosse is not) and vncapable of sinne themselues, yet he disgraceth them from all vse for euer after; from vse honourable at the least, as we may see by that course which he tooke against the beast abused to murther; or to an other vnnamed sinne. As for the instrument of Idolatrie may it be vsed where it hath not bene abused? Gen. 9.5. Leuit. 20.15.16. Deut. 7.26. no, if it hath bene abused any where like the gold of the Idoll in Moses lawe, it becommeth an Anathema euery where: in regard of ciuill vse it selfe that isIohn Wolph. & Ioh. Cal­uin in Deut. 7. honorable, much more (then) in euery vse that is religious, which cannot butDecret. p. 1 distinct. 4 [...] ▪ cap▪ 5.6.7. be honourable. Thirdly, it is idlye said, that the signe of the Crosse hath not bene made an Idoll in Baptisme, seeing no where else he hath bene more abused. Where hath he a more liuely signification of Christ Iesus (for which the Papists doeSuar. in Tho. tom. 1. disput. 56. sect. 3. adore him.) Where hath he more power against the Deuill,Thom A. quin. p. 3. q 66. art. to ne impediat effectum Baptismi, in which consisteth a chiefe part of his Ido­latry? Last of all, where doth he more sanctifie? where is he more operatiue and effectiue? for thus one,Hugo de s [...]nct. Vi­ctor de sa­crament. lib. 2. p. 6. Signatur prime Baptizandus signaculo crucis in fronte, in pectore, in occulis, in auribus, in ore, vt totius corporis sensus, hoc signaculo muniantur, cuius virtute omnia nostra sacramēta complentur; & omnia diaboli figmenta frustrantur. Let him that is to be baptized, be signed first with the signe of the Crosse in the forehead, breast, eyes, eares, mouth, that the sense of the whole body may bee fenced with this signe, by vertue whereof all our Sacraments are fully perfected, and all the illusions of the Deuill are frustrated. Here at home in King Edwards Communion booke, the Crosse was ministred with these words: N. puer, recipe signum sanctaecrucis, tam in fronte quam in pectore: which MaisterBucer in censur. c. 12 Bucer (not with­out cause) censureth as Magicall: which words yet differ not altogether from ours which yet are vsed. Howbeit,Ibid. cap. 16. he censureth much more the consecrations of the Crosse in Baptisme; which are (indeed) meare Idolatrous profanations of this Sacrament, as may appeare in one of them (for all the rest,)Missal. in benedict. fon [...]. which runneth thus: Sumat haec aqua Maiestatis tuae Imperio, &c. By the commaundement of thy Maiestie, let this water take the grace of thine onely beloued Sonne by the holy Ghost; who regenerating this water (fac crucem) prepared, let him make fertill by the secret admixtion of his light: that sanctification being conceiued from the immaculat wombe of the diuine fountaine, an heauenly progeny may arise out of it, borne againe vnto a new creature. Let this holy (fac crucem) and innocent creature, &c. Let it be a liuing fountaine (fac crucem) Let it be a water regenera­ting (fac crucem) a waue purifying (fac crucem) &c. Wherefore I blesse thee thou creature of water by the liuing God (fac crucem) by the true God (fac crucem) by [Page 57]the holy God (fac crucem) and here let the waxe tapers be put into the water: then the Priest must say, Let there come downe into the fulnesse of this Font the power of the holy Ghost, and let the Priest blow thrice into the font, saying, Let him impregnate the whole substance of this water with the effect of regenerating. All these things let the Priest doe thrice, both with the candels, & with the words, &c. then let him goe forward, & dippe his right thumbe into new Chrisme, and let him signe the font with the wonted forme of the Crosse, saying, In the name of the Father, of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost. Let this Font be sanctified, &c. Shake we not, doe not we tremble at these abuses of prayer, these prophanations of Gods name, theseHerman. Hamelman de tradit. p. 1. lib. 4. Col. 372. Gualter. in Act 19. Homil. 126. incantations of the element of this Sacrament, the Crosse hauing a deepe hand in them all? Fourthly, what if the Crosses Idolizing made it not euery where vnlawfull in vse religious, and it were neuer in the Sacrament by the Papistes made an Idoll to this houre, so let our Gouernours deale with vs as they shall finde, that the very appearing of it in Baptisme thorough the shewe that it beareth of equall honour with the same before the simple, is such à modus accom­modatus ad adorādum, as that is nurseth much Idolatry euen from Dan vnto Bershe­ba. Leaue the people of diuers places to themselues, and they put no such deuo­tion in any thing else, as if they had made choise of the crosse in worse sense, thenAntonin. histor. p. 3. ri [...]. [...]3. cap. 7. Thomas Aquinas once chose the crucifixe, when he said to it, Nothing but thee. Leaue them not to themselues, but reprooue them (as if their Crossing did them no good) and then take vp that of Iustus Iust. Lips. annot. lib. 3 de crue. cap. 5. Iudg. 18.24 Lipsius, if wee erre in the signe of the Crosse, Quid tum de nobis fiet, what shall then become of vs? Lastly, leaue the Crosse out of Baptisme, and Michaes Hubbub is presently raysed, If the Preachers take the Crosse away from vs, what will or can they leaue vs? In regarde hereof who can with pittie leaue it amongst them? If any thing excuse Iehosophat or Hezechias for suffering the Idolatrous Temples which Salomon built, it was because they were lorne, forlorne: which Iosias raysed, notwithstanding to preuent all incon­uenience. This he did, because these sinckes were of themselues scandalous (saithRic. Hook li. 5. ca. 65. one) and could not choose but breede offente. But is the Temple of the Idoll such, nay is a Temple forlorne so daungerous, and not an Idoll himselfe that flourisheth in seruice of God? But our people are strong, and not likely to be infected. So are the people of the Papists no wayes easily to be infected; no not by the worship­ping of the Crosse, if we beleeue them?Durant. de rit lib. 1. cap. 5. sect. 11. Non est indicandum (say they) quod popu­lus hodie vlla annili religione imbui possit. In like manner is it, that our Opposites hodie stand on the credit of this their [hodie] forsooth they haue caused the Gos­pel so to abound in the land by their Nonresidencies, and pluralities by their idle and their dumbe ministerie, as that hodie, let the Deuill himselfe be let loose a­mongst the people, he is not to be feared to doe any hurt. But as there be mon­sters in the sea, which the seafaring man doth meete, though the Ilander will not beleeue it: so the poore and vigilant Pastor meeteth in the countrey with many a monstrous abuse of the ceremonies, though the Vniuersitie (little experienced) or the pallace (little troubled with such matters) doe not apprehend them. As for the court, their raignethTho. A­quin. p. 3. q. 25. art. [...] in respons. ad 3. Aquinas his error. The Crosse is so base, as that there is no feare of Idolatry in it, which one well answereth:Ric. Hook. vt supra. p. 165. The meaner or baser a thing worshipped is in it selfe, the more the people incline to thinke, that euery man who doth adore it, knoweth there is with it or in it a presence of diuine power, Let it not bee said (then) the Crosse is a trifle, it can doe no hurt, whole popish seruice is little else then a Masse of trifling ceremonies, which yet are highly esteemed of the peo­ple, through the meane aboue rehearsed, which if any thinketh is not to be found in the people of this land, he little considereth that the Papist is incomparable for his learning in the eyes of simple men, especially in the case of the Crosse, wherin they imagine the state concurreth, and the policie of the whole Realme. But if [Page 58]the signe of the Crosse be nothing, then why is it pressed as if it were all in all? Is it fit the messengers of God, and the embassadors of Iesus Christ should well neare be depriued of the ayre, because they cannot breake the ayre with one of their singers, 1. Cor. 9.27. for feare of stripping and beating the ayre which they are carefull to decline? but this may suffice for the first sinne of the ceremonies controuersed, which is their Idolatry.

The Superstition of the Crosse. CHAP. II.

The Crosse is an Image flatly forbidden by the second Commaundement.

THe second is through Superstition, which isIsidor. aetymolog. supra statutum. For whereas the second precept admitteth no ceremonie into Gods worship, which hath anyChemnit. examin. part. 1. fol. 39. mixture of Superstition, or anyIoh. Brent. in tractat. de Adia­phor. condition superstitious, or so much as the leastZanch. in praecept. 1. occasion that leadeth that way, the signe of the Crosse will be found guiltie of all these, to the breaking of the letter it selfe of this commaundement. For what? is not the signe of the Crosse an Image? First it hath bene counted of old, greater then any other Image, Charles theCarol. magn. lib. de imag. 2. cap. 28. great himselfe being withes, who throweth downe Images below the Crosse. To him may be annext that Monke, who in the second Councill of Nice was the deputie of the East; who when he saith,Concil. Nicen. 2. Act. 4. Imagines meo iudicio cum vener anda cruce aquiualent, Images in my iudgement, are equall with the venerable Crosse, plaine­ly bewrayeth the Crosse was of vndoubted credit when Images were not, and then theMichael Glyeas. Annal. p. 4 fol. 351. reporter of this Synod, who giueth the preheminence of the first place to the Crosse, desinierunt venerādam erucem vna enm religiosis imaginibus adorari de­bere. They haue determined, the venerable crosse ought to be worshipped with religious Images.Concil. Nicen. 2. Act 6. Neither may we depriue the Crosse aereall of this prehemi­nence, which the Council of Nice maketh equall with the material, & which ne­uer yet came short of any priulledge worth our worship, it being dedicated inRhem. Annotat. in Luk. 24 sect. 5. Christ his death; as well as any other Crosse; & being as decent a memorial of it, as any other whatsoeuer. Secondly, hereby it appeareth, the crosse is greater then any other Images are, because it alwayes representing Christ Iesus dying, it doth alwayes sett him as adorable before vs: Whereas other figures and Images do notSyluest. summam in verb. imag. represent him dying. Yea, such a gallant is the Crosse, that if aVazq. de adorat. li. 3 disput. 2. cap. 6. speare bee but set heare him, though he were not before regarded, yet now presently he be­commeth a representator of Christes death worthy to bee adored and worship­ped. Thirdly, it is the Crosse that doth blesse all otherHospin. de re tem­plar. lib. 4. Images: and it is with­out controuersie that the lesse is bsessed by the greater. It is the Crosse also that brought in the Image. First there was theGuil. Perk problem. fig. crue. Crosse simple, then theConcil. Constan­ [...]inopl. 6. Councill added the Image of a man vnto it, which now is the crucifixe: and there is no question, but the mother is alwayes greater then the daughter.

#Sect. 2. The Crosse is directly an Image.

BVt what if the Crosse were not greater then other Images? An Image it is, in vse religious, of mans deuising, therefore a sinner against this holy lawe of God. In deed no difference in popishSuar. tom. 1. in Tho­disput. 56. sect. 1. scholes, betweene Crosse and Crucifixe, the one must be adored aswell as the other and the very Crosse it selfe simply, is as the similitudeIbid sect. 2 of a man stretched forth and crucified, and so by consequent a figure of Christ, though no image be vpon it? Be it, an Image strictly taken must beare the shape and similitude of the sameTho. A­quin. in. epist. ad Colosens. ca. 1. lect. 4 species. I trowe there is none that will deny but in larger sense the calfe of the Israelits was anD. Bils. ag. Apolog. p. 4. p. 325. Image of God? The Ibis, Hyaena, Caelius Rhodigin. Antiquar. lection. li 9. ca. 5. and the Dogg of Egipt were true Images of their false Gods, though they bore not the like figure and shape of kinde. These beastes were the armes & the cognisences of the men when they were aliue whom they represent. Ther­fore now they beare a kind of similitude of them, though no similitude of their kinde, which kinde of likenes and similitude in an Image largly taken, doth suf­fice. Else could not aVazq. d [...] adorat. li. 3 disput. 2. cap. 6. maunger, a crowne a thorne, a speare be Images of the Lord Christ, as now they are defined to be. Indeed, it is representation that is the es­sence of that Image which this commaundement doth include, to wich concor­deth the very popishe definition,Idem. li. 2 disputat. 8. cap. 7. Imago nihil aliud est quā figura quadam cum rela­tione ad exemplar. An Image is nothing els then a certaine figure, hauing relation to the example.Idem. li. 2 disputat. 9. cap. 3. Suar. dis­putar. 54. sect. 7. Apoc. 9.20. Rom. 1.21. Imagines nihil aliud quam picturae quaedam cum relatione represen­tationis, Images are nothing els then certaine pictures with relation of representa­tion: so that the Crosse as long as he resembleth Christe, he must be needes an I­mage of him and of his death. And seeing his death is represented, mediatly by the Crosse, on which he died, it must be an Image of it likewise. Which, is it not theWhitak. cont. Du­reum. lib. 10. p. 269. greatest Deuill amongst all the Idolls of Rome, against which the Turk is loo­sed by God him selfe? For this Crosse though more base then the worme him selfe of Aegypt, which the Apostle maketh the basest, hath neuerthelesse attayned to the honour of the most high, to wit, toTho. A­quin. p. 3. q. 25. art. 3. Gregor. de valent to [...] 3. de Ido­lolat. punct. 6. Bellar. de imag. c. 23. Dent. 21.23 Gal. 3.13. latria, wherewith God him self is ho­noured, and that by meanes that are more meane then euer any Idol had. It plea­sed the Lord to dye on a crosse, an accursed tree, to shew that hee did beare our curse. This saith the Crosse hath made me blessed, and worthy euer to be honou­red. A senselesse sophistrie: yet so plausible, as that it hath preuayled with many in most places of the earth. TheAugust. [...]ont. Fanst. Maniche. li. 20. c. 1 [...]. Manichees for the trees sake on which Christ died, honoured all trees: testifying their reuerence towardes them by forbearinge to touch their fruit. As for Crosses artificiall, there were who adored them inEuthym. Panopl. Arme­nia, for which they were termed [...] These Rome follow to this day, whose children doe adore the Crosse, because an instrument of Christes death, as cer­taineEpiphan. ha [...]es. 38. heretiques honored Iudas for the very same cause. Now it being the dutie of the Gouernour,Leo. epist. 55. scandala etiam in longinquum nata vt resecet multo magis ea quae sub oculis surgunt, non sinat acorescere. How can he bring the liuing Image of so great a Belzabub etiam ipso Idolo viuo into Gods service and be innocent, especial­ly considering that his Image cannot be there, but he himselfe must be there like­wise?Turrian [...] pro canon. Apostol. li. 1. ca. 25. siquidem inseparabilis est à prototypo effigies eius. Againe,Tho. Wal­dens. de facrament. cap. 156. numero. 6. Qui videt imaginē alicuius, videt eum cuius est imago. Turrian. d [...] character. dogmatie. lib. 3. Imago pars est Archetypi. Euthym. penopl. par. 2. tit. 19. Imago nullum habet per­sonam per se, sed subsistit in prototypo. Vazq. de adorat. li. 2. disput. [...]. [...].14. Prototypon est vita Imaginis, ficut anima est cor­poris, to which there answereth diuerse like speaches which theS [...]r. tom. 1. in Thom. disput. 54. sect. 7 [...] Iesuites cite out of the Fathers. And there is another matter besides this matter which the signe of the Crosse resembleth, to wit, the bad and disordered maner of resembling. This first of all is vndecent and absurd.

For although there be more naturall aptnesse in the figure of the Crosse to resem­ble the death of Christ, then in many other things, yet in regard of morall aptnes, it is true thatBrent. in consed Wittenber. cap. vlt. Brentius saith. A circle representeth Christes death aswell as a Crosse; and what Peter Viret sayd: A Cowe is as good a signe of it, as is this signe. Doe not the PapistsFeuardent dialog. 5. scorne at Brentius and at Viret, when they charge them with this absurditie? but there be in the world who pretend communion with these men, who fight notwithstanding for this Cowish and cirole-like signe which they condemned. Secondly, the manner of the Crosses resembling is doubtful, if not double, & vntrue. Is it not an vnworthy thing, our church should reach forth the hand to saue a tradition flouting in the maine ofChemnit. examin. p. 1. tit. de tra dit [...]ol. 84. ambiguitie? But now it is doubtfull, whither our fashion of the Crosse be the true one or no? with fiueIrenae li. 2. cap 42. August. tom. 10. homil. 3. extremities (the boord being reckoned for one, which was in the middle for the crucified to rest his feet) yet because there were many formes of Crosses then, as there be of Gibbets now, the true Crosse lyeth in the dungeon of vncertaintie, by the prouidence of the Lorde, who would haue brought it vnto light, if he had meant to bring it to the honour to which we haue aduanced it. See whatIustus Lypsius in Cornel. Tacit. li. 16 &. de cruc. li. 1. ca. 8.9 Bellar. de Imag ca. 27 Durant. de rit. lib. 1. cap. 6. sect. 11. doubts and what varieties of coniectures the Papistes themselues vse to propose about this matter. Let theIustus Lypsius quo supra. authorities of Hierome, Damascen, and of Isidore be considered, who make the Romane X the Crosse which is crux de­cussata. An Andrewes Crosse which also appearing on a time to Constantine, begot an opinion that the Crosse appeared vnto him. This forme of the Crosse recei­ueth great credit from Iustinus Martyr: who applieth certaine words of Plato to be spoken of Christs his death vpon a Crosse of this decussate forme, for so the latest andSixt. Se­nens. bib­liothec. li. 3. pag. 145. Iacob Pam­mel. in Tertul. Apolog. greatest Iesuites vnderstand him. What shall be sayd to them;Iust. Lyp­fius in an­notat. ad lib. 3. de cruc. ca. 5. who make the Crosse and iugum one? which by likelihood differed not much from the forme of the gallouse which we now vse.Minut. Faelix. in Octan. Minutius Falix compareth the Crosse to a common ingum of an husbandman. Cùm erigitur iugum crucis signum est. WhichIust Lyp­sius de cruc. lib. 3. cap. 5. Plutarch describeth in his Furca to be an oxe yoke with a transuerse barre at toppe. Last of all, the Romane Y. which hath this transuerse barre remooued, doth beare some beame, because it is the rightIdem lib. 3. cap. 3. Furca, which many thinke to bee one with the crosse, to whichMinut. Faelix. vt supra. Minutius andAugust. de ciuit dei li. 10. ca. 8. Augustine seeme to come neere: the first resembling the forme of the Crosse manibus precantis porrectis, the other mani­bus Moysis inter precandum extensis, which make a forke and the top of a Romane Y. Is it notM. Calsh. ag. Mart. art. 2. sayd that Cardinall Poole in his new Lambeth Gallerie did set vp the letter Y. which is the armes of the Archbishopricke for a token of the Crosse? There being so great diuersitie, and from hence so great doubtfulnesse, were it not to be wished all were of ourD. Fulke ag. Saund. of images cap. 13. pa. 664. Andr. Willet de cruc. art. 2. argument. 2. writers mindes, who by reason of these vncertain­ties thinke the Crosse a signe vnworthie? The doctrine of our Church is,Homil. ag. peril. of Idolat. D. Bilf. part. 4. pag. 329. & 335. contra Apolog. There is a lye made when there is made any Image of Christ, because his visage is vn­knowne: so then the fashion of the Crosse being as much vnknowne vnto vs we commit a lye in crossing. The Gnostickes would haue no Images of Christ, but such as they were perswaded were drawne in Pilates time, henceCaish. ag. Mart. art. 10. fol. 182. one of our wri­ters twiteth the Papists, that whereas Irenaus called it heresie to carry about the true Image of Christ, yet they will worship a false Crosse.

#Sect. 3. The Opposites saying, the second Commandement forbiddeth only mate­riall Images, are confuted. The Crosse now vsed is not simply aereall.

NO great colour can our opposites finde, to cleare the crosse from these impu­tations: but that which they are able to get, that they varnish with all the in­dustry and skill that may be. The first sort of them singe the old ludden: It is the materiall Image that this commaundement doth forbid, of such an aeriall figure as this, it taketh no knowledg, alas, what is it but the wagging of a finger? First, we insiste vpon the letter of this Commandement temunah, signifyeth any simili­tude whatsoeuer. As for Pesell though it be properly an Image materiall that is hewn, yet by aD Fulke ag Gregor. Martin ca. 3. sect. 20. synechdoche it doth stand for all other formes & figures. Secondly, we stand vpon the intent of this Commandement, which is to forbid all mans in­uention in the worship of God, Whereupon it becommeth vnlawful, not only to adore, but also toD. Fulke reioind. are. 3. fol. 162. D. Bils. ag. Apolog. p 4. p. 340.3 [...]2. make any similitude in the seruice of God; any similitude (I say) of any sort or kind whatsoeuer, for so ourHomil. ag. peril. of Idolat p. 1 Homilie biddeth me speake. Thirdly, we build vpon the nature of an Image, whose essence is to represent that which an aereall signe can doe aswell as any, as the aereall smoke of ayre the pillar of fire that was aereall, the aereall image of Endor shewe, and the aereallTrelcat. trans­cunt actions of breaking, powring, giuing, taking, which are Symbolicall in the Supper. WhenConcil. Nicen. 2. Act. 1. Chrysostome is alleadged,Tho. A­quin p. 3. q 25. art. 4. Ego ex Cera fusilem picturam pietate ple­nam amaui: and when the little shrines of Diana, whichBaeza in Act 19. Demetrius made are condemned, and the Images of Basilides although but little as which were borne about in the bosome, the matter permanent is not respected, or the forme how lit­tle or how great it is, so it be a forme at all? and as litle & aereall as the signe of the Crosse is, Maister Hooker matcheth it with the brazen serpents picture,Ric. Hook li 5. ca. 65. Caesar. Ba­ron Annal. in an. 120. which hee thinketh might haue bene lawfull in the Temple. Whereas it is certaine that not onely euery picture of an Idoll is vnlawfull (by this Commandement) in Gods seruice, but also quicquid Papistae rapiunt ad sacrum impietatum picturam & commen­dationem: whatsoeuer the Papists snatch to the painting & commendation of their impieties. Howbeit we leane not vpon Maister Hooker, mortivicina Paula, crucis sig­num Hieron. epist. 27. cap. 13. pingebat in labijs. Ad omnem incessum manus Idem epist 22. ad Eustoch. cap 16. pingat crucem, Paula neere to death, painted the signe of the Crosse in her lips. At euery putting to of the hand let her make a Crosse. Diuerse like testimonies might be brought out of the Fa­thers, that this signe is not so aereall, but that it may be termed a picture which is an Image in all plaine sight. ForEpipha. epist ad Ioh Hiero­solimit. Epiphanius calleth the picture of Anablatha, an an Image. Eusebius theEuseb hi­stor lib. 7. cap. 14. pictures of Paul and of Christ, the Images of them. And what the Councill ofConcil. Elibertin. can. 36. Eliberis decreeth against pictures in the Church, whatAugust. de morib. ec­cles. cont. Manich. cap. 34. Augustine speaketh against the adoring of pictures in walles, that doe we applie against Images as well we may, none making any difference betweene them, but the Greeke, and perchaunce the Lutheran Churches, which are condemned on all sides. Neither doth the aerinesse of the Crosse hinder but that it is amongst the pictures of largest sence, which this Commaundement doth condemne. Especially seeing in auncient times the picture aereall and materiall were yoked together as if they were one. Pingamus in lanuijs, at (que) in frontibus viuisicum sig­num (saithEphreem. de. paeni­tent. cap. 3. one) Sanctus Hilarion (saithSeuerus sulpit. Carol Si­gon. de occidental. imper. li. 7. an. 365. another) pinxit in Sabulo tria signa crucis. Saint Hilarion painted in the sand three signes of the Crosse, and thereby stayed the invndation of the sea. Now I would faine know what difference betweene a Crosse pictured in the sand, and a Crosse pictured in the childes forehead? hath not the one as liuely colours as the other? what if it had not? Nos non in coloribus & tabulis honorem constituimus, We put not honour in coloures and in [Page 62]tables (saithConcil. Nicen. 2. Act. 2. the Idolater). Againe, Non colorum naturam adoro; ab sit sad inanimatā Characterem Christi, I worship not the natures of colours. GodIbid. act. 4 forbid, but the liueles Character of Christ. Fourthly, we plead proportion, for as euery figu­ratiue Idoll is forbidden in the first Commaundement (as hath bene shewed) so euery figuratiue Image heere in the seruice of God.Decret. p. [...]. de consecret. distinct. 3. cap. 13. The Canon law holdeth a Sunday, an Image of the day wherein Christ rose, allow such a largnesse of sense, & is not the Crosse an Image?Decret. p. 3 de poeni­rent. di­stinct. 2. cap. 35. The minde that is sanctified is an a Image of God, and is not a mind defiled then with fancies, an Image of that which doth defile it? This I speake because the crosse worketh Images in the soule, which are vnlawfull by the Commandement: and we know, Quicquid efficit tale illud ipsum est magis tale, whatsoeuer maketh such, is it selfe, much more such. The Crosse helpeth the inward imagination (saith Maister Hooker.) This imagination apprehendeth an Image of the thing conceiued (saith theSuar. tom. 1. in Tho. disput. 54. sect. 1. Rodolph. Goclenius metaphy. sic. disput. 4 Philosopher.) This Image conceiued is a true Image (saith theDecret. p. 1 distinct. 6. cap. 1. Lawyer.) When this Image is receiued from the ap­prehension of an outward Image (which the Lord hath not commaunded) it is an Image Idolatrous, saith theAugust de vera. reli­gion. c [...]. 38 Diuine, to which ourD. Bils. ag. Apolog. p. 1. p. 30. Opposites themselues consent. If the inward Image which is no way sensible which the Crosse beget­teth be an Image which is vnlawfull by this Commandement, then the outward sensible similitude which begetteth it, must bee an Image much more vnlawfull, be it neuer so little a one; be it but a fingers wagging. For euenPro. 6.10. ver. 13. slouth though neuer so [little] is without excuse, as also the inordinate wagging of theIsa. 58.9. finger, though neuer so transeunt, it being our fingers duty to be a weaponRom. 6.13. vnto righte­ousnes; which how can it be, alwhile it is in pay with an Idoll, doth such an handIsa. 33.15. shake it selfe from that which is euill, as it is inioyned to doe.

#Sect. 4. The Opposites saying our Crosse is no Image, because they in­tend no expression, are confuted.

NO want (then) of matter in the aereall signe of the Crosse, but it may be an Image well. Now to the want of forme obiected. Our Crosse (say our Op­posites) is no Image, because our Church doth not intend any [expression] which must be warily vnderstood. If this be the meaning: our Church meaneth not in making the Crosse, to drawe it from the Crosse of Christ, though by theSam. Hars­net. in de­clarat. of Weston. impostur. cap. 20. do­ctrine of our Opposites, the Crosse is naturally such an expression, yet we stand rather vpon this, that such expression is not needfull. The Image which the Archbishop of Mentz set vp in his Church, was an Image of the blessedThom. Morescin. in verb. re­presenta. Virgin, though the figure was drawne and exprest from the face of a certaine harlot which he kept, and not from her owne countenance. If this bee the meaning, [our Church intendeth not in making the Crosse to make an Image] then we re­ply two wayes. First, our Church intendeth in crossing, that which is proper to that Image, which this Commaundement doth forbid. For we vse it to teach by resemblance outward; and to admonish by striking the senses, which is proper to an Image largely taken, by the letter of the word. Thou heardest a voyce, thou saw­est no Image, As who should say, cleaue to his voyce. What is added in the Church without his warrant, that esteeme to be an Image which he detesteth, and abhorreth. And this haue some of our Opposites taught vs out of Abbacuck, who reprooueth the Idoll (as they conceiue) not onely for teaching ill, but also for teaching at all, because God alloweth no teacher but himselfe,D. Babing. in praecept. 2. pag. 95. D. Bils. nor meane of teaching, but his holy word and Sacrament. As for these Sacraments, they arePet. Lom­bard. lih. 4. distinct. 1. Tho. A­quin. p. 3. q. 83. art. 1 Ioh. Iewd [...] Apolog. Angl. p. 37 Harmon. confess. ti [...]. de Sacram. in confess. Anglie. D. Bils. ag. Apolop. p. 4. p. 594 Images in the eyes of all the learned, and were vnlawfull by this Commaunde­ment, like this teacher of ours (the Crosse) had not God himselfe ordained them. Secondly, we vse the Crosse to signifie and represent, which is an office proper to [Page 63]an Image euen by our owne cōfession, who holde an Image & a signe to be equi­valent, euen as (in deed) in largnes of sence they are but one. Whereas Theodosi­us andD Fulk a­gainst Sand. de imagin. c. 7. p. 695 Valentinian remoued quodcunque signum Salvatoris, we vse to alleadge it a­gainst the Crosse, and all other vnlawfull Images. The Heathen said of their Ima­ges,August. in psal. 113. Concion. 2 eius signum intueor quem adoro. And yet we condemne them amongest the I­mages heere forbidden. The brazen serpent was like the crosse, a signe and a figure of Christ, yet weIoh. Iewel Apol. 14. Diui. 3. D. Fulke vt supra. Ioh Rèyn. de Idolola. li. 1. ca. 2. sect. 2. alleadge the breaking of him for the abolishing of popish Ima­ges out of the Church. But it may bee that our Opposites will denie, that they intende any such teaching, any such signifying, of Christes death by any relation to the Crosse on which he died. This if they doe, then what should I say, but that it is a thing impossible (as it is in the auncient Apologue) to make a coate for the Moone. Mr Hooker and the rest hitherto; the moderne Canon that is in force, ma­ny of our present Gouernours, doe not onely allow that our Crosse should bee a signifier and a teacher, but also commende him for his teaching and for his signi­fying. If there be any that since and so sudainly chaunge like the Moone, it is time they take home to them selues that accusation of newfanglednes wherewith they haue so long defamed vs. Was it euer heard before that the Crosse was euer vsed without relation to Christes crosse, without signification of his death? Our Crosse is the Fathers Crosse (we say) but little signe. For which of the Fathers e­uer vsed it not to this ende? to wit, they call itBasil de spir. sanct. salutiferae Crucis signaculum. Hieron. E­pist. ad Lae­tam. 7 c 2. Pati­buli salutaris picturam. August. sermo. de sanct. 19. Victoriosae Crucis insignitam memoriam. And that which is most common amongst them,Theodor. hist. lib. 4. cap. 22. Diuinae Crucis signum. AndEuseb, de vita Con­stant. lib. 2 ca. 4. & li. 3. cap. 2. salutaris Christi passio­nis nota ad insignem. They thinke the Deuills runne away from it, because they see in itTheodor-histor. lib. 3 cap. 3. Tripar. hi­stor. lib. 6. cap. 1. Trophaei dominici figuram, and so remember the overthrow giuen them on the Crosse.Zozomen. lib. 1. ca. 8. Constantine, or the rest of the Fathers, would they haue thought it an honour to the crosse of Christ, to take the death of the Crosse away that no ma­lefactor might be honoured with the death which Christ once died; had they not vsed it as a signe and representation of his death, and of the Crosse whereon hee dyed? vnlesse it be for this relation, how can theseAugu. ser. deverb. Do­min. 18. Homil. in Iohan. 36. & in psal. 36. conci. 2 speaches stande? Alocis sup­pliciorum fecit transitum ad frontes imperatorum, qui tantum honorem dedit poenis suis. Quid servat fidelibus suis. Quid servat fideli suo, qui talem honorem dedit supplicio suo? But this testimonie putteth all out of doubt,Iustus O­rigelitan. in Cantie. signum Crucis praenotamus in fronte. Ex sua enim Cruce Christus crucis signum in frontibus omnes in se credentes, edocuit. Se­condly, what though our Church did not intende in the signe of the Crosse that is proper to an Image, were this any thing, all while naturally it is an Image? all while the Papistes repute it so? and it is such in common vse? For wee haue this confession from the mouth euen of an adversarieRie. Hook li. 5. ca. 65. him selfe, that things must bee iudged as they runne in common vse, and not as they are done in the special con­struction of some mens wittes and vnderstandings. Now in proper vse that the signe of the Crosse is a signe of Christes Crosse and of his death, this doeth wit­nes▪ before hee died it was euerGuilihel. Alan. de sa­cram. li. 1. art. 2. execrable, since his death from the time that it hath been vsed, it hath been euer honorable. As for the Papist, his schole doctrine runneth thus? The materiall Crosse is potissima imago Crucis: the aereall ve­luti successiua Suar. tom. 1. in Tho. Imago Crucis. And in his contention against vs, hee obiecteth that the Crosses of our Banners them selues, areBellar. de imag. c. 12. Nichol. Saund. de imag ca. 7. Images, although they are on­ly in Civill vse and not in vse religious. As for the common vse of the people, must they bee enthrald nowe at last to a private intention of the Minister, which all our writers haue so longe agoe disclaimed in other things forIewell art. aga. Hard. 1. diuis. 12 A dungeon of vntertaintie? No, the verie vse of the Crosse in Baptisme, giueth warrant suf­ficient to thinke an intendement to signifie Christ Iesus crucified, and the pro­fession of him. For example.

The veryVazq. de adorat. li. 3 disput. 2. cap. 6. painting, yea setting of a speare and a thorne in the Church neare a Crosse, is sufficient to make them representators; which other speares and thornes are not, which stand or grow without the Church. So, though there be nothing to enforce an intendment in ciuill Crosses, yet the very making of a Crosse in a Sacrament, (the signe of the couenant) is sufficient to make it a signifier. To dippe one into a riuer abroad, argueth no intention to baptize, but in the Church,Bellar. de sactam. in gener. cap. 21. cognoscitur ex ipsa actione, there is an intendment, So when a Carpenter layeth a crosse beame in an house, or a Weauer a crosse thread in a cloth, he argueth no in­tention in him to signifie the death of Christ; whereas a minister in baptisme [ex ipsa actione signandi] bewrayeth sufficiently in the common estimate of all the the world, that he intendeth so much.

#Sect. 5. The opinion confuted, which not able to deny the Crosse to bee an Image, affirme Images to be lawfull in case the Magistrate command them, &c. And the aereall Crosse is worst of all Images.

THe most learned of our Opposites, perceiuing how vaine a cauill it is to deny the signe of the Crosse to be an Image, strike vp the forehead and grow bold to affirme that Images are lawfully nough in the Church in case the magistrate should commaund them. This, should it not adde comfort to our soules, as it ad­deth credit to our cause? Stande we against trifles, who stande against Papisme & Lutheranisme too? Or stand we alone who haue all on our side that from the beginning euer stood out, for the puritie of Gods; worship & the holinesse of his house? We haue with vs the religiousIoseph. Antiquit. lib. 17. cap. 8. & lib. 18. ca. 4. & 15. & contra Appion. lib. 1. Iewes, that to dye would neuer so much as receiue an Image into the Temple, though they were not bound to worshippe it. We haue the religious Christians of the primitiue Church; for whom when Adri­an goeth about to build churches, he is tolde he must build themAelius. Lamprid. in vita 30. Tyran­norum. without all I­mages. We haue the religiousConcil. Elibertin. Can. 36. Concills of Eliberis & Constantinople the 7. which condemnde not only the worshipping but alsoSygebert. in Anno. 755. suffering of any Images in the Church. We haue the famous Emperours of Greece, who stood not only against the worshipping of Images, but also against theGenebrard in Anno 796. Doct. Bils. ag. Apol­log p. 4. p. 316. hauing of them in the Church. Wee haue the Fathers; among whomTertul. lib. de coron. milit. Tertullian writeth, against the Images them selues, not onely against the adoring of them. AndEpiphan. in epist. ad Ioh. serosol Epiphanius teareth with his owne handes, a picture found in the Church of Anablata, although it were not worshipped. We haue the auncientConrad. Lutzen. burg. in Catalog. Heretic. in verb. Waldens. Waldenses, who not onely condemned the worshipping of Images, but also razed the Images them selves, and remooued the Oyle and the Priestly garments out of all religious houses. Wee haue the auncientIbid. in verb. Or­phani. & Ioh Zisca [...]. Thaborites in Boheme, who vnder Zisca pulled downe Images, and vtterly defaced them: and when they lighted vpon any of the popishe consecra­ted Oyle, they greaced their shoes with it. We haue theHarmon. Confess. sect. 2. ex Heluetic. posterior. & Suevica. Confessions of the Pro­testant churches, against all hauing of Images in churches. We haue the confessi­ons euen of manyVazq. de adorat. lib. 2. disput. 4. cap. 2. papistes them selues, that the very hauing of Images in the church is flatly forbidden in the second commandment to the Iewes, & not their adoring only. We haue the confession, euen of many of ourD. Babing. on the 2. Commandem. D. Bils. ag. Apolog. p. 4. p. 316 318.319.354. Opposites, who as, they write against papistes, that the adoring of Images, so against Lutherans, that the very hauing of them (in vse religious) is vnlawfull by this lawe. We haue the Protestantes that haue written of this argument; of whom, who is thereIoh Caluin. Institut. lib. 1. cap. 11. Pet. Marty [...] class. 2. cap. 5. Zanch. de. Imag. thes. 3. Iosias Simler. in praecept. 2. D. Fulke ag. Gregor. Mattyn cap. 3. sect. 20. cum reliquis. almost that hath written, whom we haue not? Last of all (which may close vp all) wee haue on ourside our owneHomil. ag. peril. of Idolat. p. 1. p. 29.27.28.32. law made by act of Parliament: which affirmeth that [Page 65]euery similitude in the Church and in vse religious, is a meere Idoll, although it be not worshipped. And what can be here replyed? that this is meant of those Ima­ges only that be daungerous? but the Homilie and the rest of our witnesses doe therfore condemneall Images in the Church, because in the Church they cannot but be daungerous. They condemne them also because they arePet. Mar­tyr vt supra sect. 24. Idolothites, which they holde to be vnlawfull in the Church. They condemne them moreo­uer, because this commaundement forbiddeth not only the worshipping of Ima­ges, but also the very making of them for vse religious. Where ourHomil vt supra p 3. p. 94 & 46 Homilie presseth out of Iohn [Babes, keepe your selues from Idolls] which is interpreteth out of Tertullian, he saith not keepe your selues from Idolatrie, as it were from the seruice and worshipping of them, but from the Images & Idolls them selues, that is, from the very shape and likenes of them. Lastly, they condemne them because their place in the Church isHomil. ibid. & Iosias Sim­ler. in prae­cept. 2. honorable whereby they giue countenance to popish Images, that are elswhere adored. Now the burthen of all these reasons light vpon the aereall Crosse, which in some respectes is worse thē the material permanent Image of the Lutherans. First, wePet. Mar­tyr loc. commun. Class. 2. c. 5. sect. 26 holde the Image of Christ more daungerous then any o­ther, because of the excellencie of his person, therefore the aereall Crosse is worse then another Image, because of the opinion which is had of the excellencie of Christes Crosse which it doeth represent.

Secondly, the Lutherane Image is only a looker on, hauing no such state among religious actions as the Crosse aereall hath, which if it were nothing, then would not D.D Fulke ag. Gregor Mart. ca 3. sect. 20. Fulk heerby excuse the crosse that stood once in the Chapell of Q. Eliza. in that it had no vse religious there. Thirdly, The Lutheran Image is [Vazq. de adorat. li. 2 disput. 5. cap. 1. ad solum ornatum] and he standeth not solie many times, but in historie, whereas the crosse is vsed solemnly in baptisme, as a signe ministred apart by it selfe, with a word an­nexed to the element, which is that placing it Ioh. Cal­uin. Insti­tut. lib. 1. cap. 11. in sublimi, which in this matter is most vitious. But the Lutheran Image moueth more. This is that whichAlphons. Tostat. abulens. in Deut. ca. 4. qu. 5. Tosta­tus wrote long since, A Picture is more tollerable in the church then a grauon or carued statue, because corpulentiam nullam gerent minus est motiua, nec ita simplices decipi possunt: which though (caeteris paribus) it may be true, yet here it fayleth, be­cause the intelligible & comtemplatiue credit (which the signe of the crosse hath gotten) striketh deeper, then the sensible corpulencie of a common image, and more deceyueth more sortes of men. I remember Bellarmine elswhere proueth, that Images haue been taken for the persons represented, because birds flew to Zeuxes grapes which he had painted taking them for grapes in deed. If there bee any men that follow their sense like birds and beastes (as he insinuateth) they no doubt would be more moued with the corpulēcie of an Image. as for others who are wise, they are ledd by contemplation of the power and of the vertue which is conceiued to be in the aereall Crosse, witnes these wordes:Concil. Nicen. 2. Act. 2. pag. 68. Qui imaginem adspi­cit non ex pictura & colorum tinctura similitudinem accipit, sed ad cōtemplationem pri­mi exemplaris animum reducit. and he regardeth not the quantitie, or the corpulen­cie of that he seeth, as in the Lords supper he is moued asmuch with a litle, as with a great loafe: euen asHilar. de­cret. tom. 3 concilior. p. 285. Non est quantitas visibilis in hoc astimanda my sterio, sed virtus sacramenti spiritualis. Howsoeuer it is better for vs to walke in the royall way of this Law, and so avoyde all Images, then to ramble in the wandring pathes which haue distracted the commoderators of all times, some of whom will haue pictures but no images.Petrus Al­tiac. de re­format, Eccl. ca. 3. some images, but not so many, some haue noGregor. Cassand. consultat. art. 21. images but the Crosse, which is now our Churches sinne. So is the Crosse prooued an image; and because an Image not to be tolerated in the seruice of God.

#Sect. 6. The aereall Crosse is a new signe directly against the entendment and rule of Gods worship. The danger of retayning old po­pish Ceremonies.

FRom the letter of the lawe, come we to the intendement of it, which is the au­thorizing of the word to be the rule of all Gods worship, which is wrongd by all new devised signes, and by rites popishe more wayes then one. First, They hin­der teaching, learning, and keeping of it. For whereas the worde doth now teach clearly the Crosse (with the rest) ouercast (as it were) with a vaile the brightnes of it, witnes the wholeHarmon. confes. sec. 17. in Wit­tenburg. confes. fol. 229. Church which saith: that a light in the day time to signifie the Gospels light and a Crosse to shew Christes victory by his crucifying, maketh the doctrine farre more darke then if the word did shine by it selfe without them. And it is confessed the popish ceremonies were asRic. Honk lib. 5. ca. 65 leaues that did shaddow the fruites of Baptisme, whereas it is knowne that the Crosse amongst the rest is a vine leafe ofPlin. natu­ral. histor. lib. 16. cap. 21. Memphis more hurtful then any, for that besides it casteth more shadow, it selfe is neuer cast nor fadeth no not when others not only are faded but also fal­len, and that deseruedly. For vmbra legis evanuit euen in the iudgment of aInnocen. 3 decret. Gregor. lib. 3. tit. 47. ca. 1 Pope; in the iudgement of Protestantes so vanished also, as that noHomil. for Whitsun­day. p. 2. Andrew Willet controuer. 2. q. 4. p. 2. shaddow of any shaddowing rites and ceremonies ought now to remaine. For whereas it is vnfit asEuseb. hist li. 4. ca. 22. Pynitus wrote of olde, that the Church should still immorari lacteis sermoni­bus et in puerili institutione consenescere, the Crosse and other popish ceremonies teach still with a fescue as the Iewes were anciently taught, &Laurence Saunder in Act. & monument. p. 1494. keepe the Church in hir infancie and weakenes still. Vpon this and the like reasons, when in the La­theran councill newe rites were thought on, rather cut off from the old (saidCatalog. testium ve­ritatis. fo. 7 Io­hannes Sarisburiensis) that Gods word may be kept the better. A fitt counsell for this time, when scarce any thingh else is thought on, then the pillering vp of cere­monies: which if they were cut of & gone, the word of God would flourish more and be farre better kept. Secondly, the substance it selfe of doctrine standeth in danger of the Crosse and popishe ceremonies not well purged foorth: what first impeacht the Gospels puritie in the whole Church but a delight which the Fa­thers had in heaping vpPet. Cātor. in verb. Ab breuiat. ca­talog. testi­um. fo. 387 Theodor. Beza in re­spons. ad Franc. Bal­duin. Phil. Mornaeus de Eucha­rist. lib. 2. cap. 1. ceremonies? what first deformed the faith of this lande, but the rabblement of Roman rites, whichBalaeus in histor. Augustin. Augustine the Monke brought in; a­mongst which the Crosse was cheefe? What hath lamed the Luteran profession (lastly) with inclination vnto poperie, and with a vehement smatch thereof, but popishe ceremonies retained in their Church? When Charles the 5. would haue obtruded vpon the Churches that were reformed, the ceremonies which they had left: these counterblastes were heard against him. The old popishe ceremo­nies annext to the doctrine of the Gospell, are an oldConfes. Theolog. Saxon. ae­dit an. 1560 ragged clout patcht to a new garment. They are (as it were) anConrad. Schluselbu. tom. 13. in praefat. Incrustation both vnlawful and vnseem­ly. The retayning of them is theApud eun­dem. ibid. fol. 412. libel. sup­plicator. Theolog. German. an. 1561. p. 587. sweeping of the house for the ill spirit to reen­ter. yea, the opening of a windowe to a confusion Samariticall of the religion it selfe in the end. Indeed many wayes doe the ceremonies that haue bene popishe, hurt the faith. First they are of themseluesBellar. de offert. Sa­crament. cap. 31. Gal. 5.9. Cortices religionis. so that, as good cere­monies spread the sappe of true doctrine, in like maner ceremonies popish diffuse the verdure and the iuice of superstition. Great aduantage getteth Sathan in this busines by our securitie, which holdeth them for trifles: little considering that a little leauen is quickely able to infecte an whole lumpe. thatAndr. Fris. paruus error in ini­tio, fit maguns in fine, as one spake once of popishe errors. And that which our Sax­onConfes. Theolog. Saxon. vt supra. brethren alleaged against the trifles of the Adiaphorisme, ex paruis sape magna­rum momenta rerum pendent. and negligenda non sunt parua initia, ex quibus paulatim postea maiores fiunt accessiones.

Secondly, The establishing of popish ceremonies is oftentimes [Commenium po­liticum] to drawe in the whole body it selfe: that which the Preachers ofHambur­gens. in epistol ad. Philipp. Melaut [...]on Hambe­rough sawe when against the popish mixtures of the Interim, they thus protested: sunt ista Adiaphora nihil aliud quam semina Corruptela, & nervi papisticae superstitio­nis, & Cuniculi per quos aduersarij in nostras Ecclesias irrepere conantur, vt eas à funda­mento evertant. The same sawe (likewise) the Preachers ofConfess. Tholog. Saxon. aedit An. 1560. Saxonie, Satan non con­tentus vno vulnere, longam texit telam, & ab his paruis initijs Ceremoniarum progres­sus, facit ad Corruptelas doctrinae. Thirdly, The establishing of popish ceremonies after the Gospell a long time preached, carieth a shewe of inclination to poperie, and of commoderation with it. By the first of which an hope is raised of restoring againe the doctrine it selfe. By the latter an opinion ingendred, the doctrine it selfe is not so ill. So that the censure heere hath place, which once was leavied against the ceremonies retayned in Germanie,Conrad. Schlusel­burg. tom. 13 in epist. dedicatoris rerum illarum externarum conformatio, hoc est laruae Antichristianae assumptio nequaquam sine doctrinae violatione fieri potest, iàque ipsa experientia comprobauit. Fourthly, The retayning of popish ceremonies put men to their wittes, to devise colours and excuses to paint and varnish them, whereby there is woeuenIbid. amplissimum adiaphoricum pallium, Covering all kindes of inclinations, concessions, yeeldinges, abiurgations, calumniations, lyinges, raylinges, and reprochinges. For ensample, the Adiaphorisine of Germanie brought foorth these Axiomes to the corruption of manners. That Erasmus Sarcerius. in Confess. Mansfield. An. 1560. to stande with the Magistrate in small matters (though pertayning to the trueth) is contamacie. The commaunde­ment of the Magistrate doeth excuse the subiect. Not to conforme our selues to some popish ceremonies, is to offende the Papistes. A Surplice is a trifle, and not to bee stoode on. NoIn collo­quio Tor­gae habito. apud Con­rad Schlu­selburg. tom. 13. dutie of confession is required in Adiaphoris. It brought foorth also diuers Axiomes to the corrupting of the iudgement.Flac. Illy­ric lib de Adianhor. That superstiti­ous abuse doeth not binde to a remoouall. Popish ceremonies may serue for order, de­cencie, comlines. When any are offended by popish ceremonies retayned in the Church, it is scandalum acceptum not datum. And these which seeme more dange­rous,Libell. supplicator Thelog. German. 1561. Quacunque per se impia non sunt, ea ratione circumstantiaram impia fieri non possunt. Semper perinde licet Ceremonijs vti. Licet veram Ecclesiam cum impia in om­nibus Adiaphoris cōformarem. Adiaphororum & Ceremoniarum Ecclesiae finis & scopus est pax politica: most of which (if not all) the Crosse speaking in his language at this daye. What should we doe, but stande vp in the gappe against him? and with those argumentes refute these errors wherewith our Godly Brethren in Germa­nie, fought against their Adiaphorisme, which did disturbe their Church? Fiftly, The retayning of popish ceremonies keepeth still on foote many popish princi­ples. For shew me the man that can vphold the Crosse and Surplice, and the rest of the Ceremonies controversed, and not runne him selfe a ground vpon popish sandes to iustifie them? who nowe giue foorth, The Bishoppes when they talke with vs Papistes, play the Puritans; when they talke with the Puritanes, then are they Papistes; and those obiections that are more auncient. There be manyWilliam Reynold. ca­tholike thinges in the booke written against Cartwright the Puritan. TheNewes out of Holland. com­mon Protestant must flye to Catholique groundes and answeres, when hee dea­leth against the Puritans. TheThe hum­ble mot. for tollerat. Act 16.4. Protestantes can not defende them selues against the Puritans, but by our groundes and answeres. We haue the ceremonies called [...] in the scripture: and no mervayle, because the ceremonies beare vp some doctrine, or begette some doctrine or other. When the Greeke Church began toGene­brard. An. 1273. dissent from the Latine, left it not the Ceremonies of the Latine Church with­all▪ When Roome first established a Church in Brittanie, did shee not the same time require an observation of herBed. in histor. An­glor. lib. 2. cap. 12. Ceremonies too? When Hierome of Prage Concil. Constan­tiens. sessi­on 19. was sworne to the Church of Rome, was hee not bounde to obserue the Ceremonies, as well as to beleeue their faith? In theGenebraid in an, 1549. Interim, was there not [Page 68]exacted a conformitie vnto ceremonies, and vnto the doctrine both together? The reformed Churches, when they beganne to banish the whole dosse of po­pishe doctrine, did they not at the same time exile and banish eueryD. Bils. ag. Apolo. p. 1. p. 31. dramme of their ceremonies also? It cannot bee (saiethCyprian de simpli­citat. prae­lat. Cyprian) that Nouatus should keepe the doctrine of the Church, if hee breake the discipline. Hee that is guiltie in the ceremonies, is guilty also in the faith (saieth theConcil. Toleran. 4 Can. 40. Councill of To­ledo.) How doe the Papistes bewaile anCarol. Bouius in praefat. in Clement. Constitut. Antiquation of their ceremonies, as for causing a downefall of their religion it selfe? How doe Protestants on the o­ther side foresee a daunger of our religion where popish ceremonies doe remaine?Pet. Mar­tyr in epist. amic. cui­dā in Angl. Vtinam vidissent (saith one) qua haec conseruanda censuerunt, euangelium ijs manenti­bus non satis esse firmum. Therefore wee are by ourCon [...]ad. Vorstins in praefat. Eu­chirid. con­trouers. leaders directed to hate, (as the doctrine) so also the rites of Rome. Yea (by name) we are willed to abolish the signe of theSimon Goulatt. in Cypria. epi 56. not. 31. Crosse, if we meane that the doctrine of Christ crucified, shal be throughly fixed and setled in our Church. These premisses considered, we may well assure our selues, that popish ceremonies retained amongst vs, will robbe in the end and riffle our faith. Away with them then, Nunquam securus cum the sauro, latro tenetur inclusus. Author. lib. de singularitat clericor. apud Cypr.

#Sect. 7. The Crosse sinneth against this maine principle of the word, he that addeth or taketh from it, &c. Popish Ceremo­nies worse then Iewish.

AS the signe of the Crosse sinneth against the letter of this Commaundement, Sect. 7. and the rule of Gods worship which it intendeth (which is the word,) so is transgresseth against a maine authorament of it which is this,Deut. 4 2. & 12.32. Thou shalt not adde to it, nor take away from it. Exod. 20.25. He that of old lifted an axe ouer an Altar to hew and frame it to his owne liking, did pollute it: and can it be then without the pollu­ting of the Sacrament, that the Crosse is lift vp ouer it, not onely an axe that ser­ueth to polish according to policie, but also such as hath bene whet at the Phili­stins forge, nay bought or borrowed from them? It this to obey the cōmaunde­ment,Deut. 12.31. Thou shalt not doe so to the Lord thy God, as they doe to theirs? Is this to feare the reproofe,Ezech. 43.8. They set their thresholdes by my thresholdes, and their postes by my postes, and defile mine holy name? Lastly, Is this to reuerence the inhibition,Hosi. 2.16. Thou shalt not call me Baali (that is) serue me in like manner as Baal is serued withall? Heere the pa­trones of the ceremonies controuersed diuide the house, some taking no shame to borrow from Papists; others (for shame) standing on a deniall that these cere­monies are borrowed from them. The former of these, how doe they weaken their brethrens hands, and blunt their weapons against the Papists? For against the antiquitie of their lights and incense with the like, the bestMagde­burgens. centur. 4. cap. 6. plea that we haue is this, that they are borrowed by a [...], From the Pagans and the Iewes. The whole bodie of popish ceremonies, which Durand hath anatomized, we vse to thrust through with this spit,Hospinian de re tēplar. lib. 4. ca. 1. Hee professeth that they are taken from the Iewes. Whole Treatises andBulling. de orig. error. ca 33.34. Tho. Mo­tescin. de orig. & de­praunt. re­lig. per tot. bookes haue we written against their apish imita­tion of Iewes, and Pagans in their feastes, in their Images, and other comple­ments of their seruice. By name we renew the auncient censure against their holy water condemned of old, because it is [ritus Sozom. lib. 6. cap. 6. gentilium] against their Images, be­cause they areEuseb. lib. 7. ca. 17. gentilis confuetudo, against their shauing, because the PriestsHieron. in Ezech. lib. 23. cap. 42. of Isis vsed it against their lights,Senec. lib. 14 epi. 15 because at first they were set vp to heathen Gods, and not to wander from home, we censure the Christians that borrowed a Crosse from theD. Fulk a­gain. Sand. of Images cap. 11. pag 663. Ca [...]th. ag. Mart. art. 5 T. of Serapis. And this we doe being thereto bounde not onely by the [Page 69]word of God, but also by the general practise of the Church throughout all ages. Indeed, I know not whether the Church hath not exceeded in her zeale, sith it hath made it no lesse then heresie from time to time to vse any rite of aliens as we may see in theAugust. haetes. 2 [...].50. Quartadecimani, for this only esteemed heretiques, because they kept their feast of Easter vpon the same day on which the Iewes obserued their Passeover. And thus Hierome, Hieron. Augustin. epist. 11. Cerinthus & Ebion, propter hoc solum à Patribus ana. thematizati sunt, quod legis Ceremonias & Christi Evangelium miscuerunt, & sic noua confessi sunt vt vetera non amitterent. But it will be said, this was because of the merit and of the necessitie which they put in the rites which they retayned, & the ceremonies now controuersed, are not so vrged. Of this shift we may be ashamed. AConrad. Lutzenb. Catalog. haeretic. lib. 4. parti. 13. fol. 85. papist him selfe averring etiam lege Iudaica non cogente, it is heresie to vse their rites in case of loue or in case of charitie, because vmbra legis is totally vanished; and the rites of the Iewes are now [mortiferae] to him that vseth them, let him vse them which way he will. And the Easterne Churches obserued not the fourtenth day, as the Quartadecimiani: they obserued it as an ancient custome, but we do now obserue the Crosse: whom yet the Councill of Nice condemned, because it be­came Christians to haue nothing common with the Iewes in their rites & obser­uations. Now, where is a reason to make it more lawful to borrow from papistes, then from the Iewes? Is there not apparent reason we may lesse? For the Iewes ceremonies were ordayned of God, the Papists by the man of sinne the Antichrist, and Iewish ceremonies renewed are but Christi sepulchra, When they be at worst, the Ceremonies of Papists euen foetida stercora in the opiniō of ourIoh Cal­uin. in Act. 16.3. best Diuines. Secondly, as this tenent weakneth our owne handes, so doeth it strengthen the handes of papistes, who so reverence the grace and trueth of the Gospell, as that withall they will retaineAdrian. in Epist. in Conc. Ni­cen. 2. act. 2 p. 72. veteres typos, figuras, & vmbras, for notes and for signes of the same. So Innocentius will haue the Lawes of Deutronomie still obserued, ad­ding a reason [...] is secunda lex. While ourMatt. Sut­clif. de miss. lib. 3. cap. 6. writers protest against this vay­ling and shadowing of the Gospells brightnes, we in retaining of the Surplice do make good,Durand. rational. lib. 3. cap. [...]. confessed on all sides to be borrowed from the Iewes.Dej conse­crat. distin. 1. cap. 2. Gratian pro­fesseth we are to take paterne from the Iewes. The glosse thervpon inferreth, possumus argumentari ab exemplis infidelium. This whileHospin. vt supra. our Writers do with al their power destroye, our imitation of the Papistes worse then the Iewes buildeth vp againe. TheRhem. an­notat. in 1. Tim. 4. sect. 18. Rhemistes directly hold, we may take ceremonies frō the Iewes. OurD. Fulk in answer ibid. D. Willet. cō ­trovers. 2. q. 4. p. 2. Wri­ters set foote against them; these we by retaining popish ceremonies, feare not to supplant. Casar Baronius readeth vs this lesson,Caes. Barō. Annal. an. 200. Consulto introductam videtur vt quae essent Gentilitiae superstitionis officia, eadē verbi Dei cultū sanctificata, in verae religionis cultū impenderentur. Again,Idem in Martyrolo. Roman. F [...] bru 2. In multis gentiliū institutis contigit vt super stitionis corum vsus sacris ritibus expiatus, ac sacro sanctus reditus in Dei Ecclesiā laudabiliter introductus sit. Which while ourIoh. Rey­nold. de I­dolat li 2. c 3. sect. 13 best writers refute with reasoning, our doeing the same in Crosse and Surplice, approue with practize.Polydor. Virgil de inven. rer. Polydore Virgil deriueth the most of popish ceremonies from Iewes and Pagans. Blondus taketh pride to blende the rites of new Rome popish, and old Rome Paganish. Which while ourTho. Mo­resein. de orig. depra. religion. Writers with their pennes make odious, our retaining of popish ceremonies make to bee lawfull. Thirdly, this conformitie of ours with Papistes in their rites, destroyeth that difference and separation which ought to be betweene the Church of God and aliens. Well,Melciad. in epist. De­cret. ad Hi­span. Epise. Melciades. No man must fast the Thursday or Sunday, vt inter iciunia Christianorum & Gentilium, & bareticorum vera & nō falsa discretio habeatur. For we may if we will learne from him, that to retaine an alien rite in diuerse vse, is falsa discretio, that the separatiō is neuer true, till hereticall ceremonies be cashie­red. Heere it is pleaded that Gedeon sacrificed Baals Oxe to God. That Iosua sancti­fied the goods of Iericho to the Lord, and Moses turned the Censors of Corah to plates for the Altar. To omit that the last were no goods of Idolaters at all, the for­mer [Page 70]no goods of Idolaters in state Idolatrous, which maketh a maine difference betweene them and the ceremonies controuersed, with many moe pleas which we might alleadge; we rest on that which one of ourPet. Mar­tyrin Iudie. writers bringeth, There was a speciall warrant for these, and A speciall commaundement, but none for Crosse and Sur­plice. It is alsoThe exa­miner of the decla­rat. of the Ministers of Lon­don. obiected, that God borrowed linnen vestures from Aegyptian Priestes: that he ordained Tythes notwithstanding Hercules had his Tythes be­fore, and appointed bread for his Sacrament, though Mythra had bread offered to him. That the Christians had their Agapae at communions, notwithstanding the [...] of the heathen in the Temples of their Idols. That the primitiue church had many things from the Iewes. that we our selues retaine at this day the Ring in mariage from the heathen, and Tythes from the Iewes, and keepe sett fastes, though Montanus were the first that did sett downe sett dayes for fasting. Wee an­swer: The ordayner of the most of these was God; of whom if any say hee bor­rowed, he blasphemeth. as also he presumeth in his pride, that thinketh he hath the same power that God hath, to ordaine the ceremonies of his seruice. Howbeit to particulars. The Priestes of Egypt borrowed their linnen from the Iewes, as it is likely euen as they did their circūcision.Ioh. Bo­hem. Au­han. de mo­rib. gentiū. li. 1. ca. 45. Mythra Tertul. de praescript. borrowed his bread frō God. To say the Agapae of the Christians were not an imitatiō of the Iewes feastes after their sacrifices rather then of the Gentiles, and that they were not abolished when time of abolition came; or that Hercules (which is Iosua) was before Moses, to haue his Tythes imitated by him, is ignorāce or falshood. To iustifie popish rites in vse religious by customes of the primitiue Church, by tythes & fasting dayes of our owne at home, either tollerated for a time only, or cōtinued by a [...] and per­verse imitation, or vsed only in civill matters and not religious, is inconsequent & absurde.August. de vnico. bapt. contra. Pe­tilian. ca. 9. Augustine (also) is wont to be cited, but he only alloweth to take from heretiques, the things that be good. in such as Crosse and Surplice are, he is with vs, as shall be shewed. Now, mention we only, that grand position which euer the Church of God allowed,Tertul. de coron. mi­lit. Nihil dandum Idolo, nec sumendum ab Idolo. a rule so strictly and seriouslie kept in the primitiue Church, as that they abhorred the very wordes and names them seiues, which did symbolize with aliens. This the Pa­pistes them selues confesse: the word Priest and Sacrifice was not wont to bee vsed (sayDurant. de rit. li. 1. ca. 1. sect. 7 they) till the dayes of Irenaeus, For feare of Co-incidence with the Iewes. And wherefore feared they this Co-incidence? least they should seeme (saiethBellar. de miss ca. 17. Bel­larmine) to renew their rites, or to confirme them. For the very same cause another pronounceth,Garol. Bo­nius schol. in Clement li. 7. ca. 39. Haereticorum etiam vocabula timenda sunt. And ourRhemist. Annotat. in 1. Tim. 6. sect. 4. Rhemistes, We shall keepe the faith of our Fathers, if we keepe their verie wordes themselues. But avoid we the wordes of heretiques although they seeme to haue no harme in them. Is there a sinfull seeming in the vse of the names of hereticall rites, and doeth the verie vse of their names renew & confirme them; And will Papistes forbeare the very words them­selues of heretiques, though they doe not so much as seeme to haue hurt: and is there no sinne for vs to renew and confirme the rites of papistes, when we not on­ly vse their names honorably, but also vse their rites themselues, yea commaunde them; yea revenge them, and that not only when they haue a seeming of hurt, but also doe effect much harme? Oh take we heed, it is an heauy thing to expect euen papistes themselues, to rise vp in iudgement against vs. Howbeit, what say wee to the names of Idolls,Act. 18.24. Apollo, Act. 17.34. Dionysius, Rom. 16.14. Mercurius, Rom. 16. Phebe, with the like, which the Christians retayned euen in their baptisme (as some of our Opposites would perswade vs) against the letter of the old law? Thou shalt not take vp their names within thy lippes. In deed some thinke they haue found out herein a great peece of matter against vs, if yet it be against vs, and not rather against the Lord, & against his seruant Moses. The christians were called by their old names which were ta­ken from Idols. True, as the street in Athens is called Mors street out of a necessi­tie, [Page 71]for who had power to chaunge and alter them? And marke not our Oppo­sites this instance is wholy ciuill? No say they, for euen in baptisme these names of Idols were imposed on them. A Papist himselfe will not say so, who thinketh there were Godfathers in the Primatiue Church; and that mens names were giuen vnto them in the administration of Baptisme. For hee thinketh their old Idola­trous names wereCaesar Ba­ron. Anal. anno 258. & an▪ 259. chaunged when they were made Christians. As for vs, who know there were no Godfathers at the first, as now there be, nor no newIohn Rey­nold. de I­dololat. li. 1. cap. 5. sect. 28. names giuen in Baptisme, this obiection might very well haue bene omitted. The truth is, when an Infant was baptised, the order was very strictlyDurant. de rit. li. 1. ca. 19. sect. 20. kept, which is fathered vpon the Councill of Nice,Concil Ni­cen. can. 30 Nefidelis nomina gentilium filijs suis imponant. And we may euen hence perceiue, that the parents set the name at home: as also by an other ensample.Caesar. Ba­ron. Anal. in an. 290. Parentes mei vocarunt me Tharacum. And also by the common orderDionis. Ecclesiast. Hitrarch. registred thus, The Minister was wont at the Church doore (not in Bap­tisme) to aske the name of him that was to be Baptised (marke, aske and enquire) and not to giue the name himselfe. As for the aged, there was ordinarily no med­ling of their names at Baptisme: but the order was to come before hand, at what time they were called [competentes] and giue their names, to wit, their old ones which were written downe in a Register; which order continued long after Christ, as many vndoubtedCyril Hie­rosol. Ca­techis. 1. Concil. Carthag. 4. cap. 85. August. epist. 155. Baron. an [...] in an. 284. witnesses shew. And that these names were totally ciuill, it appeareth by this, that men did chaunge their names when they would. As one called Tharacus at the first, when he entreth into warre, he giueth himselfe the new nameCaesar Ba­ron. ana. an. 290. Cod. lib. 9. Tit. 25. ca. 1. of Victor. And the ciuill z Law it selfe permitted this chaunge. In which often the Christians of Africa chaunged their olde Idolatrous names into such as present occasion did require:Caesar Ba­ron annal. an. 303. As these names shewe [habet Deum] hee hath God, [spes in Deo] hope in God, [benè seruatus] graciously saued: which, are they not the very same which our Opposites thinke fantasticall, when now they are imitated?

#Sect. 8. The Opposites that affirme their Ceremonies to come from the pri­mitiue Church immediatlie, and not from poperie, are confused.

THe seconde side of our Opposites, will not deny but that it is a thing vnseem­ly for the Church (the spouse of Christ) to attire hir selfe with the cast ap­parell of the harlot of Rome, therefore they turne to an other angle, and stoutly deny that these ceremonies come from thence Dic colorem? why the parties from whom we receiue them (immediatly) are the Fathers of the moderne Church; the parties from whom we receiue them mediatly, are the fathers of the primatiue Church. Concerning the former, Our reuerend Fathers impose these rites, and from their hands we take them. But they, from whom? why (thinke ye) they in­tend any imitation of the papistes? no, they impose them out of policie (as rites of order) for the Churches good. First, this answer of a good intend is meerly cauil­lous. any sinner may vse it and neuer be cast, vnlesse he confesse against himselfe. And the papist himselfe doth vse it, who pleadeth the very same intention that we do, to wit, that he doth vse his franckencense, not as it is Iewish, but asThom. A­quin. p. 3. q. 83. ar. 5. commaun­ded by the Church; and his holy water, not as it is a rite of the heathen, but as anDurant. de rit. lib. 1. ca. 2 [...]. sect. 6.7. ordinance of the Churches. Secondly, There haue ben (and are) many vnlaw­full imitations which want intention to follow and imitate vnlawfully thorough the same carnall wisedom; which when it seeth an example of it selfe in aliens, it begetteth in mens hartes an Image thereof. For example, The Iubile of the Iewes and the sight therof, hath begotten a liuely Image of it selfe in the popish Iubile. [Page 72]Howbeit without intention, sith theyClement. 8 Bulla. Iu­bile. deny this Iubile is drawen or borrowed of the Iewes, as peremptorily as we deny that these ceremonies controuersed are borrowed from the Papists. And the consecrating of Mars his sword among the heathens, with the rest of their Gods reliques, hathTho. Mo­rescin. in verb. ensis martis. begotten in Rome (how­beit perchaunce without any intent to imitate a reuerencing of Iosephes breeches; Thomas his shooes; Martins bootes; Georges sword: and all other reliques of their Sainctes. The Pagan gods painted the beastes which they did loue, and the sight thereof: asAlexand. ab Alexan­dro. lib. 3. cap. 12. Isis standing in her Temple with her Goose, Venus with her Doue, Apollo Idem. li. 4. cap. 12. Smynthius with his Mouse, Minerua with her Dragon; and the Garlands and bunches of grapes wherewith Bacchus was painted, hathHospin. de imag. ca. 9. fol. 43. begotten (though perchaunce without intent of imitation) the like reuerence in Rome to the beasts of their saincts, so that in their Churches Wendòline is set forth with sheepe. Antonie with a Pigge, Martine with his Geese, Eustachius with his Dogges and Deere, Ger­trude with her Mice, George with his Horse and Dragon, and Vrban is painted (suc­cessor of Bacchus) with his wine-pots and with his grapes. Thirdly, our Church may easily be euicted of an intention to imitate the Papists, if not explicit, yet im­plicit by the open markes therof which droppe downe in our wayes. The first of these is emulation. For can we denie we vse the Crosse to the end: we may not seeme to lacke any good and auncient ceremonies which are in Rome? nowe this sufficeth to euict an intended borrowing of them, as doth appeare by these examples.Sozomen. lib. 5. ca. 15 Iulian is said to borrow from the Christians when hee did like vnto them: to wit, adorne his Idols Temples, Secundum Christianorum traditionem, and appointed all rites of credit, ex aequo respondentes, least his Religion should seeme to lacke any good order, which the Christian religion had. And the here­tiques are said to borrow from the Christians when in like manner, ad imitationem Ecclesiae, Psalmos Durant de rit. lib. 3. cap. 13. sect. 9. componebant & canebant, not to seeme lesse deuout then they. The Pope is sayd to borrow from the Emperour in like sort a ceremony of state, When hee dight himselfe a triple crowne, not to seeme inferior to him. For he did it toTho. Mo­rescin. in verb. coron vi [...] that triple crowne which the Emperour had. The first of siluer at Aquisgrane. The second of Iron, at Millane. The third of gold which he recei­ued at Rome, as may partly appeare by this. We neuer reade of the PopesPlatina. in Paschal. 2. Tia­ra, till after the broyles of Gregorie the seuenth, which was one of the first that openly did set vp himselfe aboue his Maister. To come neere home: Chrysostome is said to borrow from the Arrians, their singing Psalmes in the streetes as they went to Church, singulari pietatis specie, when least the people should be carried away with this hypocriticall shew of pieti, he did similia Socrat. li. 6. cap. 8. Sozomen. lib. 8. ca. 8. instituere. Additis ardentibus facibus & argenteis quibusdam crucibus. The second marke of intent to borrow, is conformitie with Papists to winne them, euen as Paul indented an imitation of Iewish rites when he shaued his head at Cenchrea, and in ceremo­nies that were indifferent, He became all things to all men, to the intent hee might saue some. So the Christians intended, (and thatCalsh. art. 6. fol. 128 & art. 1. fol 25. faultely as we censure it) to imitate one of the heathenish rites, when insteed of SerapisRuffin. li. 2 cap. 29. Sozomen. li. 7. ca. 15. T. they set vp a Crosse to winne them. How can we denie we borrow from Rome, when we professe and beare before vs, we take their Surplice and their Crosse into our Churches to winne them the sooner, and to giue contentment to them? For this is not onely the common plea for the ceremonies nowExamin. of the decla­rat of the Ministers of Lond. adayes, but euen at first, when as Maister Hooker See. Par­sons con­uers. of Engl. pa. 2. ca p 12. sect. 21. and Maister Rogers misliked the likenesse of our seruice with the Masse-booke. It was (I say) euen then pleaded that this conformitie was need­full to fit and please the Papists. The third marke of intent, is commutation. For as goods found in a mans house industriously chaunged into his owne marke, is euident sufficient he purposely stole them, so our carefull changing of the Crosse into our owne liuery euicteth plainely that wee haue taken it from the Papistes. [Page 73]For we are heerby in the case of the papistes, whose processions arePolydor. Virgil de inuentor. rerum li. 6. cap. 10. confessed to be borrowed from the heathens, in that they haue changed them into Christian Letanies, the heathenish banner which was the Labarum or theApulei. Maetamor. phos li. 11. Caducius Mercurij being chopt into a Crosse. Did not the popishe Bishops borrowe theirTho. Mo­rescin. in verb po­deris. Poderis from heathen priestes, when they changed it from woollen to silke? Did not Pope Eutichianus take a ceremony from the heathens, when condescending to the infir­mitie of men conuerted from their Gentilisme he abolishedSzegedin, in specul. pontifi. Po­lydor. li. 6. cap. vlt. not their feastes in the church, but altered and changed them into refreshings for the poore. Did not the Archbishop of Turone intende an imitation when he was instant to haue the sacrifices and the feastes of the 11 last daies ofTho. Mo­rescin in verb. pt [...] ­ [...]es. February changed in festum aepula­rum beati Petri ad tollendum abusum et popull super stitionem male instituti in Christia­nismo, vt qui adhuc faperet suum ethnicismum? Seing in all these changes our wri­ters do accuse the papistes for an vnlawfull imitation, how can we be excused our selues who haue changed our Crosse and Surplice from their Idolatrous Crosse and Surplice in manner like vnto the same end? The fourth marke is substitution. For as the brother in Moses lawe intended a continuance of the name of the dead whē he substituted in his place an other to beare it, so it will be interpreted we in­tend to continue the name of the popishe Crosse and Surplice in case they were dead (which were to be wished) in that we raise other Crosses and other Surplices to bee (as it were) their heires. By which meanes it will come to passe, that their names wil neuer out in the gates of the people. Surcease we then this substitution, or cease we to charg the papistes for the like: as their substituting ofIoh. Rey­nold. de Idololat. lib. 1. ca. 2. sect. 5. Mary in the place of Venus, and their substituting of other sainctes to fill vp the roome of hea­then Gods and Goddesses. for example: their Theodulus is the Christian Aeolus. Their Agata the Christian Vesta. their Nicholas & Christopher the Castor et Pollux of the Christians, their Vrban the new Bacchus. their Katherine, a late Minerua: sayBulling. de origin. error. li. 1. cap. 34. our writers, because they are sought to, as hauing power ouer windes, ouer fire, ouer fea-tempestes, ouer wine and drinking meetings, and ouer learning: euen as the heathen sought to the former out of an opinion they had the gouernment of the same things. But do we seeke to Crosse and Surplice? In profession we doe not, in practise there be too many that do, who are incoraged by our substitutiō of crosse and Surplice in holy vse, for whose sakes we should avoyd euen all shew, although but in parte, of their abhominable substitution. And our substitution is it not in a manner the very same which we mislike in others? as when in the roome of the pagan feastes, which they made for their dead, the ChristiansAugust. confess. lib. 6. cap. 2. substituted feastes that were like at the Martyrs memorials, as when Gregorie, Gregor. Nyssen. in vlt. eins. Thaumatourgus per­misit memorias Martyrum ne vulgus imperitum propter voluptates in errore simulacro­rum permanerent, as when feastes were substituted to Peter, Theodor. de euang. veritat. cognit. li. 8 Paule, Thomas, Sergius in Roome of the auncient heatenish solemnities? as whenIoh. Cris­pin. Chro­nolog in valent. Sixtus substituted the feast of Saint Peter ad vincula in place of Augustus feaste, the first of Auguste: for his victorie against Antonius & Cleopatra? as when Boniface the fourth turned the pagan Pantheon at Rome which was dedicated to all their Gods, to the Church of all Saincts, whose feaste was in Maye at first, the same time that the heathenish feaste was kept, wee worthely, condemne all these substitutions,Ioh. Func­cius. Carol. Sigon. because they [Ioh. Cris­pin. in Phoca. Change] not [chase] awaye the old superstition, euen as our Crosse and Sur­plice do not. Farre betterDecret. p. 2. cans. 26. q. 7. cap. 14. Zacharie when he sawe some celebrate the Kalends of Ianuarie and to feaste and daunce Paganorum more; illico omnia haec amputauimus (saith he) because that paganisine (and so papisme) will repullulare, vnlesse all the customes of it be hewne downe at the roote. The fift marke and last of all; of an intended receauing from papistes is retention of some likenes in name, in vse,Ioh Bohem Auban. de gent. mo­rib [...] lib. 1. cap. 5. in of­fice. Euen the papist himself wil confesse an imitatiō where there is a likenes, as be­cause there are like rites in Rome to them in Aegipt, therfore one saith, plera (que), &c. [Page 74]many things translated from the Aegyptians which haue crept into our religi­on: as the linnen garments, the turnings and windings at the Altar: the pompe of sacrificing, the soundes of Musique: with many like.Ioh. Rey­nold. de Idololat. li. 1. cap. 6. sect. 5. Our writers take part with Vigilantius against Hierome: therein they take part with vs. For what was his quarrell but this, that in the reliques of Martyrs, Christians came prope ritum gentilium: as all the quarrell which wee haue now against the rites that are controuersed, is this, because they come prope ritum Antichristi, to neare the rites of Antichrist. The Image of Ambrose & Sebastian at Millaine wee say are heathenish imitations. Wherefore? because the latter is notBulling. de origin. error. li. 1. cap. 34. mul­tum absimilis, to Homers Apollo casting his deadly arrowes into the campe of the Gretians, the former set forth with Miter, Staffe, and Whippe isIbid. cap. 33. haud absimilis to Iupiter stator. Papistes reuelling at Christmasse, is acknowledged to bee heathenish.Blond. de Rom. tri­umphant. lib. 2. Wherefore? Quia similia à nostris comittuntur, to those sportes which Pagans made about the fourteenth of the Calende of Ianuarie. The Parentalia which the Papistes performe to the dead, areIdem. in cod. lib. confessed to come from Pagans. Wherefore? because Non dissimiliter à nostris fit. The Oscilla which Papistes offer with other Imagunculae of their members cured and hea­led, yea of their sheepe and horses recouered, are professed to bee an imi­tation, non Religionis modo, verum superstitionis etiam, of the Pagans. Where­fore? because they arePolydor. Virgil. de inuentor. rerum. li. 5. cap. 1. Consimilia like to those expiations which the Pagans were wont to offer for their liues and for their healthes in the Chappell of Dis their God. The herses couered with a blacke cloth, and with a white Crosse are said to be borrowed from the Pagans. Wherefore? because Simile Tho. Mo­rescin. in verb. lecti­stern. Quid is heere committed to the Lectisterina of the Pagans. Last of all, the Amulets & fascinations of the Pagans are said to be imitated by theIdem. in verb. Amu­late. Papistes, when by the Crosse and a peece of Scripture written, they goe about to effect strange things. In all these ensamples it is a borrowing, when the rites come neare, when they are not vnlike; when they are done according to some like manner; and are vsed but in like fashion. And no maruaile, sith he that retaineth but a rite that is like, sinneth against the inhibition of this Commaundement, which to cut of from all borrowing of heretiques, condemneth all likenes with them. What (then) shall we say to a same-nes, in name, in office, in time and place, and other mo circumstances? we takeD. Fulke in answ. to Rhem. in apoc. 1. ver. 10. aduantage against the Papist, because their feriae retaine the name of heathenish feastes: and it is thought there is a strong symbolizing betweene Rome Paganish, and Rome Christian in the sportes of theirBlond. de Rom. tri­umphant. lib. 2. Carnispriuium because some foosteppe do remaine of old name, time, place: and that à principio mutationis facta, à gentilium superstitione adritus Christianos. Let then the Crosse and the rest of the ceremonies wipe their mouthes and say they are not borrowed, sith all the printes of retention are marked in them not onely for [likenes] but also for [same-nes.] The same name, the same time, the same place religious: yea and in some sort the same office also. When we are forbidden to put an Asse and an Oxe vnder one yoke, we are for­bidden to put men of diuerse professions into one office (saith theDecret. p. 2. caus. 16. qu. 7. cap. 22. Canon of the Law.) Are not our professions not onely diuerse but also contrary? Alas (then) what doth any popish rite in our seruice, especially medling with the office of the Sacrament it selfe?

#Sect. 10. The second defence of the Crosse confuted: that is, we receiue it not as supersti­tiouslie abused by the papistes, but as first vsed by the Fathers.

WE haue done with the first pretence, that we receiue the Crosse from the Fathers of our owne Church, and not from the Papists, and haue vn­done [Page 75]it. The second followeth: We receyue them not from the Papistes but from the Fathers of the primitiue Church; which doeth tota pellucere euen of it selfe. First, The Fathers can be no vizard for a rite whereof the Pagans, Iewes, or here­tiques were the fathers and first begetters. It was the fault of oneTertul. de resurrect. carn. Alexander, that he sange the Psalmes of Valentinus: It is ours nowe that we vse his Crosse. I call it his, because he was the q first that vsed this figure.D Fulke ag. Szund. of imag. cap. 134. the veryIdem in Luk. 24. sect vlt. first that made account of it, as appeareth byIrenae li. 1. cap. 1. Irenaeus, who after the scriptures which this heretique wre­sted to the Crosses commendation, addeth this: these scriptures hee applied à se male inventis. But this is spoken of one of aeones which he termeth Crux, I know it well. but pleaseth it our Opposites to know aswell wherfore he termed him Crux? to wit as he termed this aeon oros to shew a separating power in him because it is the nature of a bound to separate. so in like manner he termed him Crux, to shewe a purging power in him, because he held the Crosse a purger of mans sinne, like the fanne in Mathew, which purgeth the Wheat in the Lords flower from chaffe spi­rituall. And that he was drawne into this opiniō by the same meanes that papistes are drawne, by a supposed dedicating of it in the bloud of Christ, it may in parte appeare by that which he saieth elswhere, to witt, that his aeon was without a [fi­gure] vntill Christ by his death vpon the Crosse, did giue him one. Let this bee marked, for it is knowen that Valentinus did vse [Sixt. Se­nens. Bi­bliochec. lib. 3. pag. 146. Figures] by them to expresse all the doctrine of his aeones: and it appeareth by the text of Irenaeus that he did vse the [Figure] of the Crosse to expresse this one of them: and till nowe wee neuer read of any that vsed the figure of the Crosse before him, or made any account therof. therefore he it is (euen Valentinus) for ought we knowe, that first brought it into request and reckoning. And who (then) will suffer vs to say we borrowe it from the Fathers and not from him? The Greeke Church saye, they imitate the Apo­stles in their abstinence from their bloud and strangled. No, (say theStanislau [...]. Socolon. in Censur. Oriental. Eccles. cap. 21. very papists them selues) they are the Iewes yee imitate. TheDurant. lib. 2. cap. 10. sect. 2. Papistes say, they imitate the Fathers in their processions. No (sayIoh. Rey­nold. in confer. pa. 495. we) they are the Gretians whom yee imi­tate, in their carrying about their Idolls. The same would father their life Mona­sticall vpon the Fathers, Paulus Thaebeus, Antonius, Basill, Augustine, and Hierome. Guil. Perk. problem. tit. de mo­nach. but we holde they borrowe it from the heretiques Essaei, because they were the firstEuseb. de praeparat. Euangelic. lib. 8. & histor. li. 2. cap. 27. that vsed it. So when theyDurant. de rit. lib. 1. cap. 8. would deriue their lightes from the Fathers, we will notIoh. Rey­nold. de Idololat. lib. 2. cap. 3 sect. 13.67. suffer them, but stande out that they borrowed them from the Pagans, who first devised them for their Gods. See we not (then) that to say wee followe the Fathers in the Crosse, (Valentinus the heretique, being the first deviser of it) we are forced to flie like Eutropius, to the verie same sanctuarie, which we haue de­nied, and shut vp to others? Secondly, The Fathers can be no vizard for a ceremo­nie which haue bene abused since. What then? Poperie hauing abused the Crosse, and the Crosse being none of Gods ordinances, (which abuse can not defile) it is nowe the Popish Crosse and not the Fathers: so is it from papistes that we borrowe it and not from them. Doeth not adulterie make the member of Christ, the member of an harlot? Therefore though the Crosse were a member of the Fathers before, yet nowe it is a member of the harlot of Rome: seeing since their dayes he hath bene founde coupled with her in spirituall fornication. And when a righteous man falleth, all his righteousnes is forgotten, and in the sinne that he hath committed, in that he dyeth. What (then) though the Crosse in the dayes of the Fathers did some good deedes, they are nowe to bee for­gotten, and in the Idolatrie whiche hee hath committed, hee is to dye. Doth not euery ceremonie vnite a man to the religion to which it belongeth much more (then) is the Crosse vnited to Antichrist, whom he serueth, 1. Cor. 10 [...] 17.18. where­by he forfeiteth all the communion which earst he had, or since might haue with Christians? As for the Lord hee will suffer naught come neare him, but that [Page 76]which standeth in first puritie: as it must be a Virgin which his Priests must mar­ry; and a beast that neuer bore yoke, which his priest must offer. So that I mar­uaile men can imagine he can endure a Crosse or Surplice in his house which haue bebe defloured by the man of sinne; and which haue drawne in the yoke of Antichrist? Howbeit, I maruaile more, men are not afraid to backe such de­filed ceremonies euen with meare mockage. For what is it lesse to say, We vse the Crosse, not as abused by the Papists, but as first vsed by the Fathers. This were as if the Greeke Church should elude the abrogation of the Iewish ceremonies with this cavill: Gen. 9. we abstaine from bloud, and strangled not as it is a Leuitical ordinance, but as Noah and the Fathers abstayned from it before that Law was giuen. This were as if one should haue eluded the inhibition of a groue with this cavill: Deut. 16.21. I sett vp a groue not to imitate late Idolaters, Ezech. 48. but such a groue doe I set vp as Abraham and Isaack vsed, and the rest of the auncient Fathers. This were (also) as if one should elude the abdication of a priest falling into Idolatrie (the equitie wherofCypr. lib. 1 epist. 7. li. 2. epist. 1 Cyprian continueth still, who barreth such as haue sacrificed vnto Idolls for euer, from the priestly function,) with this cauill: I admit him to be a Minister, not as now of late he hath bene defiled, but as at the first he was holy to the Lord thorough the oyle of consecration that was vpon him. This were as if one should haue eluded the Lawe that abolisheth all the monuments of Idolatry with thisIoh. Rey­nold. con­ferenc. ca. 8 diuis. 4. p. 5 10. Gen. 37.3. 2. Sam. 13.18. cauill: I vse not the brazen serpent as lately it hath bene abused, but I restore him to the vse, for which Moses first reserued him. This were, as if a wise man now should weare a partie coloured coate (not as it is a fooles coate, but as it was the Fathers coate be Christes comming) as if a seruant should be coucred before his Maister, not as couering is a late signe of preheminence, but asPlutarch. in problem Roman. Chem. exam. p. 1. de tradict. Gen. 7. of old it was a signe of subiection, and take the right hand of him, becauseAnton. Nebrissens­in annot. in 52▪ lib. script▪ loc. of old that was the inferious place. Sup­pose one should preach at Pauls Crosse, that the Bishops are [Tyranni] to their brethren, Fures to the Church, Sophistae to the Truth: would they accept this ex­cuse of their owne. I vse these wordes, as of old they signified a ruler, a seruant, a student of wisedome? No, no more then Steuen Act. & Monu. pa. 1227. Gardiner would admit it, be­cause all men know that words and actions must be interpreted, vsed, receiued, ac­cording to their moderne vse, and not as they haue bene of old.

#Sect. 11. Its no good defence of the Crosse to say we haue it from our Fathers not from the papistes, because the Fathers also abused both, the simple vse of it and as its mixt with oyle.

THirdly, what though from the Fathers we take this signe? this helpeth not till the Fathers vse bee iustified, which will neuer bee. Whether we regard their simple vse of it, or mixt with oyle. For that the oyle was imprinted in, or with the forme of the Crosse, is it out of controuersie?Dionis. Ecclesiasti. Hierarch▪ lib. 2. ca. 2. Episcopus trino crucis sig­naculo vnctionem inchoat. Ibid. Adcrucis effigiem sanctissimum fundit Oleum. Iust. Ori­gelitan. in cantic. Signum crucis cum odore Chrismatis praenotamus in fronte. Burchard. de sacram. Eccles. li. 6. Pectus codem perungitur Oleo, vt signo sancta crucis diabolo claudatur ingressus. Bernard. in dedicat. Eccles. serm. 1. Verè crux nostra vncta est. De conse­crat. di­stinct. 5. cap. 10. Omnia chrismata sacerdotalis Ministerij figura crucis perficiuntur. Neither can it be saide this grew vp of late, for the Oyle is as auncient as the Crosse, and whence is the Vnction called signation, consignation, obsignation, (with the like) but from the Crosse? But there is aIbid. di­stinct. 4. cap. 120. Canon that forbiddeth the Priest to anoynt the forehead of the Baptized, who yet didDurand. de rit. li. 1. c. 19. se. 28 signe it with the Crosse. Be it the Crosse was made in Baptisme on the forehead without the Oyle, neuer was the Oyle applied either in Baptisme, or otherwhere without the Crosse. Therefore hath hee no wrong, though wee sue him as partner with all the horrible superstitions of the Oyle; which if he be he that readeth the Pathers writings, shall meet indeed with such a Chaos as will make him afraid (I say not to fall into it) but euen to behold [Page 77]it. Who can brooke the efficacie thatTertul. de resurrect. carnis. Tertullian giueth it? Caro vngitur vt anima consecretur. Caro signatur vt anima muniatur. The necessitie which Cyprian gaue it. For as he saith,Cyprian. epistol. 2. Vngi necesse est baptizatum. So hath he elswhere.Idem. epist. 73. Baptizati signo dominico consummantur. Or (lastly) the effectuall necessitie, and necessarie ef­fectiuenesse which Cornelius ascribeth to it, when he saith: Nouatus was not well Baptised becauseEuseb. hi­stor. lib. 6. cap. 33. Reliqua consecutus non est, quorum oportebat participem fieri secun­dum Ecclesiae Canonem, ne (que) signatus est ab Episcopo. And what say we to Dionisius, who saith of this, Vnctuous consignation Dionis. Ecclesiasti. Hierarch. ca. 2. part. 2. maxime dininos efficit? To Simeon Thessa­lonicenscis: who saith that it is necessarie that euery one be signed therewith,Simeon. Thessalo. de Myster. lib. 2. Vt Baptismum diuinissimum habeat & consummatum? Thus Nazianzen. Nazian. oration. 4. in sanct. baptism. In Baptismo firmissimo auxilio tibi caueris animam & corpus vnctione & spiritu consignans. Which last words shew in what sence the Crosse is called by the Fathers, spirituale signa­culum, (to wit) because he bringeth the spirit. For which one place may serue our turne. Sequitur spirituale signaculum, quia post fontem superest vt perfectio fiat quando ad inuocationem sacerdotis spiritus sanctus infunditur. And in theTorrent. confess. Augustin. lib. 3. ca 4. fect. 3. opinion of the Fathers, the water of Baptisme is nothing worth without the Crosse. In the opi­nion of the Fathers the Crosse is insigne Regni, & clauis Paradisi. In the opinion of the Fathers the Crosse is theOrigin. in Exod. cap. 15. homil. 6. terror of the deuill, and anLactan. lib. 4 cap. 26.27. impregnable wall against him: So that they vsed the CrosseSozom. lib. 5. [...]ap. 2. themselues when they were in any daunger. Last of all, in the opinion of the Fathers the Crosse is so necessary, as that he is to be madeTertul. de coron. mi­lit. comming and going, sittingCyrill. Hierosol. Catechis. 4.13. and standing; euen (ad Hieron. epistol. ad Demetriad & ad Eu­stach. om­nem incessum) at euery stoppe, and ad omnem actum, in euery action that wee doe. OneXystus Be­tulei in Lactant. de sapien. li. 4. ca. 27. Papiste is found, who saieth, the Fathers meant not of the outward signe, but of the thing signified, which is Christes death. It is well, that we haue this confession from him that the Fathers cannot bee iustified in case they meane the outward signe, which they meane vndoubtedly, or [...]els our Opposites doe vs great wrong, who obiect the Fathers against vs in the outward ceremonie of the Crosse: as also our writers be deceiued, who spare not to censure the Fathers ofMagde­burg. cen­tur. 4. tit. de rit. Doct. Fulke re­ioynd. art. 3. pag. 158. & cont. Saund. de imagin. cap. 13. S [...]ltes, mudiull. Lactant. cap. 12. Superstition in their vse of it. I reckon not here Maister Hooker in the number, who draweth M. Goulart (as it were) by the haire to cleare the Fathers from the Superstition of the Crosse which he doth not; saue in comparison of the popishGoulart. in Cypr. ad Demetrian. Not. 51. merit, andIdem. in epist. 56. ad Tibaritan. Not. 31. inchantment, which afterward crept in. As for the operatiue power which they placed in the Oylie Crosse he flatlyIdem. in lib. de vnct. Chrysmat. condemneth them. Whereup­on there followeth in him that Apologie of ours nowe which is taken vp of Augustine, non putandum est aliquid verum esse quia Patres it a senserint, sed si per au­thores Canonicos quod à veritate non abhorreat persuadere possint. What that in rites (though aunciently vsed by the Fathers) hisIdem annotat. in epistol. 47. doctrine is that they ought to bee abolished when they gather any leese of Superstition; and that amonst these hee nameth this veryIdem. annotat. in epistol. 56. not. 31. signe of the Crosse, which must now be left (saith he) not on­ly because our times must be distinguished from theirs, (which Pamelius vndis­creetly doth confound) but also because of the grosse Idolatries and Superstitions to which since it hath beene abused. And thus farre of the sinne of our bor­rowing.

#Sect. 12. The Crosse is condemned as a superstitious ceremonie: as superstitious wil-wor­ship, and for a superstitious Ceremonie, and wil-worship Sacramentall.

HAuing examined our borrowing, come we to the signe which we haue bor­rowed, where that euery man may see what a great catch we haue gotten in him, we araigne him first for a Superstitious ceremonie. Secondly, for a Super­stitious [Page 78] wil-worship. Lastly, for a Superstitious ceremonie and wil-worship Sacra­mentall. Concerning the first. The duties of a right ceremonie (respecting the Church) require an aptnes to edifie the same through decency and order. 1. Cor. 14.33.40. ve. 11.5.13. v. Nei­ther hath the Church any authoritie to passe this bound, as within which God hath intrencht all humane power, to which ourPet. Mar­tyr in 1. cor. 14. Danaeus Aethic. li. 2. cap. 1. writers doe consent. Now how can our ceremonies in question be such, the rule holding whereon the Diuines of Germany stood against the ceremonies then enforced. The Ioachim. Westphal. in explicat. sentent. è duob. ma. lis minimū Illyric. in. lib. de. A­diaphor. ceremonies which haue bene abused to Superstition, can neuer serue for order or comelinesse: Because they will breede a confusion betweene vs and the Papistes, and bring in Supersti­tion, and in themselues are as vndecent for the holy spouse of Christ, as an harlots weede is for a graue Matrone? What that these ceremonies that haue bene abu­sed this way are vaine and light, and hated of good men? What that the intro­ducing of them disturbe the Churches that haue discontinued them? and set the churches that do nourish them in their boosomes in a combustion of endles con­tentions? What that they staine many worthy Ministers either with the slaunder of disobedience (if they refuse them) or with the blot of inconstancie, if they vse them? This very last (though it seeme little) is great vnseemelinesse. For the lawes which are made for decencie, preuent reuealing of all nakednes in those that ascend to the Altar of the Lord; and forbid the shauing away of any orna­ment of their head, Deut. 22.12 Exod. 20.26. 1. Cor. 11.5. who are to stand in the presence of God, whereas these cere­monies yeelded vnto, against former sinceritie, both discouer the weaknesse of present inconstancie, and shaue away (as it were) the glory of former faithfulnes; and that in and from them that should be nearest to the Lord. Secondly, a right ceremonie respecteth euen the aliens themselues, & not the church of God only; where his duetie is to separate and make distinction. For we must make the Lord our paterne, whose very ciuill ceremonies thēselues serue to this vse, not only reli­gious. Do the heathens eat almost none but swines flesh after they haue sacrificed of the kinde? Leuit. 21.5. the people of God must of all other abhorre this meate. Doe the heathens make their pates balde, shaue the lockes of their beards, and make cut­tings in their flesh? The people of God must of all other abhorre this guise. Do the heathens vsually reserue portions of the Sacrifices? the people of God must burne with fire that is left, Exod. 12.10. rather then leaue any one peece of the Paschall Lambe vnto the next morning. And whereas he forbiddeth them to marrie with the Cananite; whereas he bandeth them in eternall hatred against the Amalechite; whereas he barreth them to admit the Moabite and the Ammonite to any pre­ferment in his congregation: Deut. 23.3. whereas he inhibith them to goe backe to Aegypt the same way they came thence: Deut. 34.6. what doth he else, but euen in ciuill lawes and all, draw (nay dragge as it were) his Church from all co-partnership with aliens in their customes? Other lawes there are of his, whose vse doth serue to signifie so much, as when he forbiddeth the wearing of diuerse stuffe together in one garment, Deut. 22.10. Leuit. 19.19. Deut. 22.5. the ploughing with an Oxe and an Asse together in one yoke, the mingling of diuerse seedes together in one field, of diuerse beasts together in one foale. The abstinence which he prescribed from vncleane meats, what noted it else but holy purenes from all communion with vncleane Gentiles? he is abho­minable that weareth apparell like the womans, For that herein he confoundeth Sexes, especially when hee doth itDecret. p. 1 distinct, 30 cap. 6. religiously (for who will not thinke this worse, then when a woman ofNie. Cra­gius. de reb. La­credaeruon. tabula. 4. Institut. 6. Lacedaemon doth it in priuat.) How then is it likely we shall be excused, that weare the apparell of the harlot of Rome, and vse the signe of her Crosse, which is her cheefe cognifance, when ariseth a confusion euen of Sectes. Lastly, consider the religious ceremonies themselues which were shewed in the paterne vpon the Mount. Were they not set as an [Iansen. Concord. Euangelic. cap. 114. headge] to make a pertition betweene the Church and the aliens? Were they not ordai­ned [Page 79]for a diuerseZanch. de cult. extero. fol. 392.396. badge to sequester Gods people from all other nations? Nay, were they not squared to be euen a [partition Rolloc. in epistol. ad ephes. ca. 2. ver. 14. wall] betweene the Church and the forreners that were without? Last of all, were they not displayed for a flagge of defiance to make his people anNichol. Gallas. in Exod. 8.26. ver. abhomination to all other nations, & all other na­tions an abhominatiō vnto them. For instance take the Temple it selfe (the ware­house and wardrop of all the rest) which standeth Westward cōtrarie to the East­ward Temples of the heathen; and that (which papistes themselues can obserue) ad Tho. A­quin. 1.2. qu. 3 art. 3 respons. ad 5. Durant. de rit lib 1. cap. 3. sect. vlt. arcendam Idololatriam. Whom shall we followe if we followe not this course? Not the Fathers. For Epiphanius in the end of his booke (saithBellar. de effect. Sa­crament. cap. 31. Bellarmine) which he wrote against heresies, rehearseth the ceremonies of the Church for certaine notes whereby the church is discerned from sectes of all sortes. Not the late Wri­ters. For they condemne eueryBucer. in Censur. cap. 25. peregrina Ceremonia: eueryPet Mar­tyr in lib. Iudic. ca. 1. ritus peregrinus: espe­cially such as came in pilgrimage fromIbid. fol. 34. poperie to vs, as comming out of the verie stewes. What that the light of this trueth shineth in the heartes of papistes them­selues? The vse ofBellar. de effectu Sa­cram. c. 31. ceremonies rightly constituted and ordayned (say they) is to distinguish the members of the Catholique Church, from the heretiques that bee without. NeitherCaesar. Ba­ron. Annal. in anno. 303. p. 769 would the Christians haue vsed the signe of the Crosse (say they) had it not bene proper vnto Christians and such as did discerne them; yea make Pagans angrie with them. Whē the heretiques called Monophysitae made the signe of the Crosse with oneNiceph. Ca [...]ist. hi­stor. li. 18. cap. 53. finger,Innocent. lib. 2. de Sacram. altar. cap. 44. Innocētius (to be vnlike vnto them) decreed this signe should be made with two fingers. I conclude with the Lutherans: who notwithstanding their manifold mixtures, when they contemplate the generall duetie of a ceremonie, are forced to giue witnes to vs,Conrad. Schluselburg. tom. 13. in epist. dedicat. We must not beare so much as a vizard of Rome (say they) in externall conformation of ceremonies. No not so much as a shew of Rome inIoh. Wigand. in Synops. Antichrist, Roman. ceremonijs siue omnibus siue aliquibus, siue maximis siue mi­nimis. But we must auoyd (say they) eueryMath. Iudex. in lib. de graniss, mandat. ex eund. è Babilon. minutissimus Character of poperie: insomuch that they much abhorred that positiō of the Adiaphorists touching the ceremonies which in their time were controuersed. Quo propius Papae, eo melius. Let Maister Bucer shut vp all.Bucer. in Censur. cap. 3. p. 460. Omnia quae sunt Antichristi Romani habentur abhomi­nationi, saltem quo ad externam speciem, vtinam & reipsa poenitus. And thus sinneth the signe of the Crosse as it is a wrong ceremonie.

#Sect. 13. The Crosse is a Wil-woship, prooued by three reasons.

IF we proceed in the examining of him, we shall finde further that he is a will worship, as he is vsed among the Papistes, in which regard it is not lawfull for Gods Church to vse him in his worship at all. The first reason is, because it ma­keth the Church participant with the popish superstition through defect of God­ly zeale against their superstitious worships. For ensample, The Greeke Chruch abstaineth from blood and strangled, not placing in it any worship of Gods, but to obey the Apostles rule for order and for edification. Doth this excuse that Church?Censur. Oriental. Eccles. cap. 21. p. 393. no, as long as the Iewes vse it for a worship they areStanislaus Socoloui. ibid. p. 460 held to Iudaize. From the Church of Greece, passe we ouer to Afric, there theBernard. Bridem. bact. pere­grinat. Hierosol. p. 2. cap. de Abyssin. Francisc. Aluares in descript. Aethiop. ca. 96. Abyssini vse cir­cumcision; not as a worship of God like the Iewes, but as a ceremonie which is decent for that imitation which is of Christ in it. For which also they are bapti­zed euery Epiphanie the day on which Christ was baptized as they suppose. Many such rites they haue which they vse as ceremonies onely, not as worships like the Iewes, as these words shew.Zagazabo. alias Christopher Lichanati in confess. Aethiop. Non quod ad salutem spectare credimus; againe, [Page 80] non ob circumcisionem gloriamur, nec caeteris Christianis nos putamus ob id meliores aut Deo acceptiores, &c. From Aethiopia passe we to Germanie, where shall we excuse the Adiaphoristes, because they impose not their Pseudo Adiophora, as worships of God, but onely for ceremonies of edification? I hope we will rather ioyne with those constant brethren of ours, who thus replied:Confess. Theolog. Saxoniae. aedit. ann. 1560. Ordinem in Ecclesia decentem constituendum esse clamant, quasi verò antea sine ordine in summa confusione ecclesiae no­strae vixissent. Indeed, haue the Churches no order or comelines that want the Crosse and Surplice? Nay, haue they not more a great deale then ours, who are out of hope euer to come neare the reuerend grauitie of their rites, or the chaste modestie of their assemblies? We vse not the Crosse as a worship (say wee) as the Papistes doe vse it. By this our excuse we iustifie Papistes in burning incense beforeBellar. de beat. san­ctor. lib. 1. cap. 13. Images, and beforeMissal. Roman. tit. rit. Ce­lebran. Misl. Crosses to the defeating of that argument which our writers make hence against them. You commit Idolatry to Crosses and Images, be­cause you burne incense to them as the Iewes did to the brazen serpent. Haue they any colour to answere this, saue this of ours, we vse not the incense as a worship Diuine, or as a Sacrifice as the Iewes did? which weAndrew. Willet. controuers. 9. q. 5. p. 1. art. 4. hold vnworthy the answering, all while the ceremonie is the same? If it be no sufficient difference to vse the Iewes incense not as a diuine worship like them, how can it suffice for vs to say, wee vse the same Crosse that Papistes vse, but not as a worship as they vse it? How the Papistes vse their incense before the Crosse, I leaue in the middest: their making of the Crosse with incense is thus described:Durant. rational. lib. 1. ca. 7. Num. 36. Crucem cum incenso facere est Christi passionem patriostendere, & ipsum pro nobis interpellare. What difference heere be­tweene them and vs? For we vse to signe with the Crosse to signifie the merit of Christes death, they the Crosse (and incense withall) to signifie his intercession by the merit of the same? Secondly, though we vse not the signe of the Crosse as a worship, yet our vsing it in Gods worship, giueth occasion of wil-worship in other men. We may not thinke but this commaundement forbiddeth all occa­sions as well as other commandements doe, and that in the Crosse it selfe, which because it is an occasion of superstition, it is to be done away in the iudgement of ourCalfh. ag. Mart art. 1. D. Fulke reioynd. art. 1. p. 140 Exod. 12.15. writers. Is it sufficient the leauen be not put in the bread of the Paschall supper, or that it be not eaten with it as a part of that worship? No, it is further required that it bee not suffered so much as in the basest roome of the house. The equitie heereof hath feared our Diuines from suffering ceremonies lesse hurtfull, least in the end they giue occasion of a worship superstitious. As they remooue the receauing of the communion with theBucer. in Censur. cap. 3. mouth, least in the end it should breed an opinion of holinesse in the consecrate handes of the Priests. And theIbid. ca. 4. p. 464. reseruing of the communion Bread and Wine to auoyde the occasion which it giueth of thinking them holy, extra vsum, or chaunged in substance. The same Diuines of ours condemne euen omnem speciem of the popish supersti­tion. (euenAugust. epist. 19. as Augustine long since affirmed: The man is throwne downe into the dungeon of the Deuill, that obserueth a Iewish ceremonie in deede or in shew) so much the more, because in this land,Bucer. in Censur. cap. 3. Omnia sunt superstitione referta. This last clause wil­leth vs to be more wary of shew, when the people are readie to take hurt by it. I say [take hurt] euen as our Communion Booke forbiddeth the wafer cake to take away all superstition which any might [Rubrie. after the L. supper. take] marke (take in it) in which wafer cake when was there put the one halfe of that superstition which is now in the Crosse? Nay the censure is yet more strict, If we loue Christ Iesus,Bucer in Censur. cap. 9. p. 472. Nihil prorsus loci apud nos inuenient eaeres omnes, verba & gestus in quibus vel appareat esse aliquid tantis impietatibus affine aut ad vllam rapiatur (quanquam improbè & abs (que) data causa) harum suarum impietatum commendationem. Howbeit, in Crosse and Surplice there is euen occasion giuen: first by that shew of a will-worship which is greater in them then of a Masse in the Priestes going vp to the Communion [Page 81]table to say the prayers before the Offertorie, which notwithstanding we haueBucer. in Censur. cap. 3. p. 458.459. censured for [occasioning]. and through that representing of a popish worship, which is as great in Crosse and Surplice, as in the eleuation of the bread for osten­sion to the people which is condemned forAlexand. Alesius in proaemio. leitourg. a prouoker: And last of all, by the appointing of them to be vsed in holy vse, which is adiudged offensiue euen as theAugust. epist. 86. ad casulan. appointing of a fast on a Sunday, it being the same day as the Manichees do appoint, sauoureth too much of approbation. But there be instances fit for this purpose euen in the very Crosse it selfe. Our Diuines could not abide those nigrae cruculae which were inBucer. in Censur. cap. 9. p. 472. King Edwards communion booke to direct the Minister how to make Crosses on the bread and on the wine. It is forbidden by the po­pishMissal. se­cund. vsum sacrum in offic. pere­grinor. Canons, that any pilgrimes should burne a Crosse in their flesh. Wherfore? It seemeth because they were to meet at Hierusalem with theBernard. Bridenbac. peregrinat. Hierosol. p. 2. de Abyssen. Pet. Bellan obseruas. li. 2. ca. 85. Aethyophians & theDanaeus de haeresib. cap. 97. Iacobites with others, who in their baptisme burne som one, som two, som tree crosses with an hot iron in the forheades, in the cheekes, and aboue the noses of their children. By proportion from hence we may not figure the Crosse in bap­tisme because they figure it as they burne it not, because the superstitous burne it. Let the Germane Diuines shut vp all: who alleadged against the Surplice and other ceremonies thē inforced, that alLib. Concord. apud. Conrad. Schluselburg. tom. 13. P. 751. shadow of shew was to be shunned with popely.

#Sect. 14. The holines and necessitie of the Crosse, cause it to smell very ranckely of superstition.

NOw this participation and this occasioning is much aduaunced by the ranke sauour which the Crosse hath amongst vs, both of that holines and of that necessitie which are propet to a worship. What faults find we in a popish ceremo­nie, but only theseBellar. de effect. Sa­crament. cap. 31. two when it is made a worship by them. But now a ranke sauour of these two cleaueth as closely to the Crosse vnto this houre, as did the leap rosie of Gehazi vnto his seede. Begin we with the former, first how neare are we to the yoke of fellowship with them in the efficient of the Crosses holines. For when they recite what doth make an Image holy, and a Crosse, theySuar. tom. 1. in. Tho. disput. 54. sect 4.7. name antiquitie, and the authoritie of holy persons that haue vsed it, and the presence of God that hath wrought miracles by it, & the benediction of the church. In which who heareth not the very sound of our home pulpits? which declaime before the people how ancient the signe of the Crosse is: How much reckoning the Fathers made of it? What miracles God hath wroght by it? & how devoutly our Church hath sanctified it to be a meane whereby to dedicate our seede to him that dyed vpon the tree therof? But they say that the Crosse hath power against SathanIbid. dis­put. 56. sect. 3. ex diuina institutione. and that it is holy by way ofBellarm: quo supra. impetration, for that God hea­reth his Church when she doth blesse it. But what if in the former by diuine in­stitution they meane naught else but Apostolicall vse? then so many of our Oppo­sites concurre with them, as hold the Crosse to be Apostolicall. As for impetrati­on, are we not told of Gods assistance to our Church, as if the Crosse must needs be good because the Church ordaineth it? But our Church doth not ordaine the Crosse in so vile maner as the popishe. As if there were not too great an agree­ment betwene the Armenians and the Romans, because the Armenians do consecrat the Crosse in so vile manner as that the papistesVazq. de adorat. li. 3 disput. 2. cap. 1. themselues detest it? Secondly, how neare are we to the right hand of fellowship with them in the condition of the Crosses holines, seeing they well neare agree with vs in what we speake against it, we with them in what they speake for it. We put no holines in the Crosse (say our Opposites) f so Harding: we put no holines in the Surplice: so the Councill of Trent. Concil. Trident. seff. 25. you must put no vertue nor holines in Images. So the Iesuit,Vazq. de adorat. li. 2 disput. 6. cap. 2. & lib. 3. dis­put. 1. ca. 2 There is no holi­nes [Page 82]in any dead thing, but only in relation to som what, Cui sanctitas primario conuenit. As when Iacob saith, This place is holy, he meaneth no sunctitie in the earth, but a relatiue holines in respect of Gods presence who appeared there. On the other side, in relation to Christ and his death, and to Gods & the Churches ordinance the Crosse is holy saith the papiste. So do our Opposites call the Crosse [Ric. Hook. li. 5. ca. 65. an holy Crosse] and the holy signe of Christ. Now I would faine knowe, what relation there is in it which by the Principles of our Religion can advaunce it to this stile? Is relation to our Churches ordinance? but our religion teacheth, It is D. Fulke in 1. Tim. 4. supersti­tion to consecrat any thing to be holy in Gods seruice. Yea no lesse superstition then that which God plagued inD. Willet. contro. 9. qu. 7. p. 5. Abihu, when hee brought into the Tabernacle holy fire of his owne choosing. Is relation to Christes death? but our religionIdem. cont. 9. q. 5. art. 2. argum. 1. teacheth that to call a Crosse holy in this respect is plainely to crosse the holy Apostle who calleth it cursed. Indeed aVazq de adorat. li. 3. disput. 2. cap. 6. Iesuite himselfe will yeeld that as the Crosse is considered to be but an instrument of the paine of Christ his death, that so hee ought to bee as detestable vnto vs, as the gibbet is to a child which was the instrument of his Fathers infamous hanging. And what other consideration will our religion allow in the Crosse saue this alone? For whereas the Papistes count him holy, as an instrument of our redemption which was merited by the paine to which the Crosse did put him, we totally denie that he may be con­sidered so. Affirming that the Crosse was onely vsed for paine and curse that of the redemption which came by this curse and paine he was no instrument at all, vpon no other ground saue this continue we still the ancient argument of theVid Bel­larm. de Imag. cap. 16. Petrobrusiani the crosse ought to be as odious vnto vs as is the Gallouse to a child on which his Father hanged. Thirdly, we come too neare the societie of the Pa­pistes in the act of the Crosses holinesse: which is so vile, that it is a fault euen a louse off to follow them. For a man to Crosse himselfe, it is with them,Guilhel. Wideford. a dvers. Wickleph. a rt. 10. actus Christianisimus: and the tradition of the Crosse is with them perfecta the very Queene of all other traditions. So that Wicklife is thought to be out of his wits in that he thinketh there may be sinne committed in so holly anIdem. a rt. 16. act as Crossing. And when great Alphonsus chose the greatest dutie in the burying of a straunger, hee set his seruaunts to digge the graue to dresse the corpe and shroude it re­seruing the holiest part to himselfe which was to make an holy Crosse to set at his head, and isPanormi­tan. de dict. & fact. Al­phons. commended for his holines in so doing. Howbeit I doubt whither late Inquisitors will commend him, who haue taken anSiluest. Prier. in verb. imag. newe course to keepe the Crosse in request for holines; to wit, the dead must rather want the pro­tection of his holines, then his holines be so debased, as to be set by a graues sides vpon the ground. For the same cause must women kicke the sanctification of the Crosse at Rome. For as women were of old debarred from accesse into the Temple of Simon Enagrius histor. li. 1. cap. 14. Stellites, and by an olde Canon from all ingresse inCapitul. Grecor. Synodor. Collector. sanct. Martino. Bracarens. can. 42. Secreta­rium: so least the Crosse should be esteemed no more then ordinarie for his ho­lines, noAttillius Serranus de sept. eccles. vib. Rom. pag. [...]6. woman must come into his Church but once a yeere, onely the twentieth of May which is the dedication day. No small preferment I tell you to be admitted into the presence of the Crosse, and to taste of his bountie; and to haue the toppe of his holy scepter reached forth vnto you. The more is it to bee lamented that euen in the middest of our owne Church some should arise, to renewe a great part of this his credit. For as if Wideforde, Alphonsus, Prie­ras and the Crosses Priestes at Rome had a neast of birdes amongst vs lately floush and nowe flowne, wee make more adoe about a Crosse then about any duetie else: as if it were Actus Christianissimus, and preaching must bee turned out rather then it bee dispossessed so much as of a babies face; yea deeds of mercie themselues must packe, I say not to the dead but to the li­uing; and not to women alone, but to men also, yea to Iesus Christ himselfe; [Page 83]not onely in his members, but euen in his Ministers. And although wee hold the Crosse can preserue from sinne in the very [instant] of the tentati­on, yet are wee contented to depriue our brethren of it, for wee may not vseRic Hook li. 5. ca. 65. common crossing, least vnhappily the signe should grow into contempt And what other course can bee taken for the holy things of God themselues? For no way sooner can there be procured a reuerence to the holy name of God thenExod. 20.7. by forbearing it in common talke: to hisExod. 30.31. Oyle then by forbearing it in common vse, to the fatte orLeuit. 17.11.12. blood of his sacrifice, then by forbearing them in common meate. And I pray you what great difference betweene seperating of meates from common hands to make them holy which theMark. 7.1.2. Pharisees did, and this seperating of a Crosse from common fingers to make it seeme holier in the eyes of the people.

#Sect. 15. The Opposites first reply answered: which is, that the law commaunds not the Crosse as an holy worship like the Papistes.

FOure things are here replied. First, that the law commandeth it not as an holy worship like the Papistes; which helpeth not, vnlesse one of our pillars faile vs, who hath these words,D Fulke reioynd. art. 1. pag. [...]140. Also he denieth that they attribute the vertue to the signe without relation to the merit of Christs passion. Whereas M. Calsh. speaketh not of such shifts as crafty Lawyers can make for their excuse, but of the opinion of the ignorant people, who haue thought without any further relations that the signe of the crosse was an holy, bles­sed and whole some thing. The pretence then of the law (not cōmanding it as holy) is but a [shist] neither is it to be regarded what vse the Law alloweth, alwhile the vse which doth follow of the Law is awry in the people. The second excuse deni­eth the peoples abuse herein, which maketh our time like to the fourth age of the Church. Then the reliques of Martyrs were couered velamine pracioso, and there­upon too highly reuerenced. Vigilantius was grieued as at the reuerence it selfe, so at this Velamen which wasIoh Rey­nold. de Idololat. lib. 1. ca. 6. sect. 5. Ezech. 16.16. illecebra ad Idololatriam, as well hee might, the scrip­ture condemning the latae maculae wherewith the high places were interstinclae, and the versi colores vestes wherewith the Idols were operta for that they prouoked to spirituall fornication, euen as in the adultery bodily all inticements are forbidden, as Quid est (saith one) in capite feminae Corona quam formae laena, quam conflatio ille­cebrae? It pleaseth Hierome then to gainstand Vigilantius defending this illecebra, Terrul. de coron. milit. and denying such abuse to followe as was obiected. How truly anGaudent. Brixian. tract. 4. in Exod. indifferent man sheweth, who liuing in the same time confesseth that diuerse by occasion hereof, parentalia mortibus sues sacrificabunt. Like standeth the case of the controuersie a­bout popish reliques now. The Law and the holy vse they haue amongst vs (as a pretious couering breedeth in the many to high an opinion of holines in them, & of whole poperie to which they belong. Hereupon we are grieued at them, de­siring the remouall of this illecebra from them, we feele herein the resistance of di­uerse Hieromes in our Church, whose chiefe argument is a deniall of the abuses which we obiect. Our plea is iust, these Hieroms hauing no experience of these a­buses, as liuing either in contemplation (it may be at some Vniuersitie) or being otherwise busied (as they who liue in Palaces) are not to bee heard against those who like Vigilantius and Gaudentius see them daily with our eyes, heare them with our eares, yea (in a manner) feele them palpable with our hands. Is it not com­mon to sewe redde Crosses vnder the shrewdes of the dead ouer right the heart? to lay white Crosses vpon the beare, let the Minister forbid the same with neuer so great vehemencie? to make curtesie downe to the ground, while the Minister is making of it on the forehead of the child? or to kisse the hand or bend the bo­dy towardes it? Lastly to set it ouer the doore to hallowe the whole house? [Page 84]It beginneth also to appeare openly in the boosomes and breasts of many, whenceHieron. in Math. 23. Hierome himselfe once threw it out. I omit to sturre this sinke any further. In the time of Gregorie the thirteenth, Richard Atkins Supplem. ad Crono­log. Ioh. Crispin. in Gregor. 13 Englishman catched at the hoste, as it was carried in the street at Rome, to teare it downe: but missing, hee was iudged by the people to haue catched at the holinesse of it, whereby he esca­ped. The like deuotion remaining in them at this day when they see he Lawe commaund vs to scrape a Crosse in the childes forehead that is Baptized, will they not imagine we euen scratch (not catch onely) after the holinesse of this signe? The third excuse is, that if the Crosse be so abused the way is to remedie the abuse, the Crosses honour being preserued notwithstanding. This galopeth apace towards that ofBellar. de eccles: tri­umph li. 2. cap. 4. Bellarmine, Non quia pauci nimium cultum praestant, ideo om­nis cultus abolendus, and towards that whichSadolet. lib. epist. 4. epist. 1. & 2 Sadolet once replied to Erasmus, wi­shing the remouall of certaine pictures, because of the abuse which followed of them, seeing it was onely nimium quid quod in ijs subaccusari posse videatur opinioni­bus studijs (que) populi non est obsistendum. OurIoh. Rey­nold. de Idolol it. lib 1. ca. 2. sect. 7. writers stande for a remouall to reme­die this [nimium quid] and so by consequent turne Crosse and Surplice out of doore for the opinion of too great holines that is had of them. Suppose this opi­nion be denied in the people, no colour at all to denie it also in the Papist, for whose sake we are to leaue them; by the example of our Lord: who therefore re­fused to conforme to the ceremonie of washing hands because he saw the Phari­sies put an holines in it. Marc. 7.2.4. This is that which anHarmon. confess. sect. 17. ex confess. August. p. 222. whole Church saith, semper illi ritus abijciendi sunt, quibus assuunt aduersarij opiniones falsas, ne confirmentur vitiosi cultus. The fourth excuse is, That auncient Lawes haue prouided for the holy esteeme of the Crosse, and punished the contrary contempt thereof. Constantine to honour the Crosse, forbad malefactors should be crucified. Not to honour the Crosse, say I, but to honour Christ. The words of theSozom. lib. 1. ca. 8. Tripartir. histor. li. 1. cap. 9. storie going thus: Least any in their deserued punishments should be equalled vnto Christ. The like Lawe made byCod. li. 1. tit 12. leg. 10. Honorius sheweth the like; who forbad the Iewes to burne any Crosse, or any other signe of Christ in contempt of him. p Iulian is abhorred for tearing the Crosse from the Imperiall standard. TheConrad. Lutzenb. in verb. Templar. Templars detested for spitting on the Crosse. Iohn Genebrad. in an. 826. the twelfth, condemned in a Synod at Rome, because he vsed not to Crosse himselfe, and all deseruedlie, because it was out of a most wicked despite of Christ and in prophanes that they did it. But God haue rewarded them that haue reuerenced the Crosses holines? AsGregor. Turonens. li. 5. ca 19. Paul. dia­con. li. 18. Tiberius by name, who found a masse of great treasure vnder a Crosse, when in deuotion he tooke him vp that he might not be trod vpon. But the historie telleth vs it was his former almes to the poore that was rewarded in this treasure. I giue instance of the like in them that vse the signe of the Crosse as little as we our selues do wish; I meane the Protestants ofCōmenta. de stat. re­ligion. Reg. Gal. Beziers in Fraunce, who as they were digging the foundati­on of a Church, found a table of siluer in time of extremitie when they wanted pay for their soldiers: But it was the Crosse that kept Tiberius his treasure. And it was an Image with a brazen head in Apulia, hauing this written about it:Platina. in vit. Leonis 9. Ca­lendis Maij sole oriente aureum caput habebo, that kept an huge masse of treasure for a long season. Robertus Guiscardi ransacking the countrey, was he that discouered it in the middest of a thicket; but it was a Saracen by the helpe of the Deuill that found out the meaning of the inscription to be this: that in the Calends of May, at Sunne rising the shadow of the Images head where it lighted on the ground, should haue great treasure of gold vnderneath it. But to returne to our purpose, when will ourD. Ra­bing vpon a. com­mandem. Reuerend Fathers returne to their old inuectiues against the ho­lines of crossing? Our children to the doctrine of their Fathers which is that the CrosseD. Fulke ag. Saund. of imag. cap. 13. D. Willet. contro. 9. [...].5. art. 1. must be remoued as the serpent was broken before the opinion of his ho­lines will out of the flesh, both Fathers and children to the auncient zeale which [Page 85]hath bene shewed from time to time against the holy things of aliens? When the Sheepe and the Oxen were holy inNichol. Galalius in Exod. 8.26. Aegypt, the people of God must put them to such vse in sacrifice as will debase them. No vse (then) of the holy Crosse and Surplice is now pleasing to the Lord, but that which most will deseyze them of this honorable estimation; And such is the first smatch of popish leauen in Crosse and Surplice, to wit, such a twange of holines as is proper to a worship.

#Sect. 16. The second pretence for defence of the Crosse, is necessitie.

THe second is an other propertie which also doth pertaine to a worship, and that is [Necessitie] Heere theRhemist. Annotat. 2. Thess. 2. sect▪ 17. Papist reckoneth the Crosse not only among such traditions as are necessary to saluation, but also among such as are princi­pall partes of faith. It being so, we are much in fault to dwell so neare them as we do, there being almost no pretence which their necessitie admitteth not as well as ours; no blame which our necessitie incurreth not as well as theirs. Tou­ching the first, what are we able to say for our selues more then this, that we com­maunde it in Baptisme not [tanquam necessarium] but oblige the conscience in re­spect of the Magistrates commaundement only, not in respect of the rite it selfe. As though the Papistes commaunde it otherwise? Seeing in baptisme they con­fesse it is not necessarie perse, it must be confessed they commaund it there in the very same manner that we commaund it; as also all the rest of their rites. Thus A­quinas, Tho. A­quin. 2.2. qu. 147. art. 4. re­spons ad. 1. statuta Ecclesiae sunt de his quae non per se sunt de necessitate salutis, sed solum ex institutione Ecclesia. Neither fishe nor flesh of it selfe doeth defile (saye theRhemist. in Math 15 sect 5. Rhe­mistes) but a breach of the Churches precept defileth. They who hold the single life of Ministers to be indifferent, describe the necessitie of it in such termes of notTho. A. quin. 2.2. qu. 88. art. 11. essentialiter sed ex statuto Ecclesia. accidentaliter, of not absolutè ratione ordinis, sed ex statuto Ecclesiae. of notDurand in 4. distinct. 37.qu.1. Caietan. opulcul. tom 2. tractat. 31. absolutely loquendo & seclusis legibus Ecclesiasti­cis: as that a Protestant him selfe cannot deuise better to shew that the Crosse is not necessarie of it selfe, but as authoritie doeth commaund it. Is not the Crosse à Satramentale? And how commaund they their Sacramentalia, but as wee nowe the Crosse?Carol. Bo­uius. in schol. in Clement. li. 7 ca. 44. Bellar. de effect. Sa­crament. cap. 21. proposit. 2 not ex necessitate Sacramenti, sed ex necessitate praecepti: notDurant de rit. lib. 2. cap 27. ex ne­cessitate Sacramenti, but ex necessitate ministantis Sacramētum. Last of all,Alexand. ab Alis apud The­sang. The­olog. p. 4. qu. 12. not ex ne­cessitate faciendi, but ex necessitate facientis only. And what the very Crosse it self,Bellarm. de verb. non. script. lib. 4. ca 7. Quaedam etsi ex se, &c. some things there are which although they be not necessa­rie of them selues, yet after they be commaunded, they bee so necessarie as that if purposely they be omitted, men grieuously sinne. of which sort is the signe of the Crosse in consecrating the water, &c. We haue the Crosse then made necessarie in poperie no otherwse then we our selues doe make it necessarie, & yet ourFrancisc. Iun. cont. Bellar. ibid. not. 29. Math. 15.2 wri­ters bende them selues against the necessitie of it, euen after this manner introdu­ced. So did our Sauiour stand out against the necessitie of washing hands, though pressed vpon him by vertue of the Elders commaundement, and of the order of the Church: When Peter conformed to the Iewes ceremonies, he did itHieron. apud. Au­gustin. epist. 11. consue­tudine solemnitatis, non necessitate salutis, and yet he did ill. And wherefore ill? be­cause though he did not [predicare] that they were necessary, yet his vsing of them did [August. ad consent. cont. men­dac. simulare] a necessitie in them. which also was so much the more faultie be­cause there were many who in error did [putare] that is, hold them to be necessa­rie. All while (then) papistes and simple men holde the Crosse to be necessarie as other worships of God are, it is no sufficient excuse, we doe not predicare & teach a necessitie in him, our vsing of him doeth (simulare) so much, and breed such er­ror in other men. One exāple more: They that kept the Passeouer like the IewesSocrat hi­stor. lib 5. cap. 21. pari ratione cum Iudaeis condemnantur, though they pretende a sublimior sensus in [Page 86]their observation, because they did pedibus proterere their diuerse manner of obser­uing by that bellum grauissimum, which they raysed against their brethren about the same. Hence any may collect, that our diuerse manner of crossing, saueth vs not from being condemned with the Papistes, all while we make them so necessa­rie, as to make warre vpon our brethren about them.

#Sect. 17. We can hardly accuse the Papistes of any abuse of the Crosse, because wee abuse it almost as much as they.

WE haue prooued the Papistes may pleade as good a manner in their ne­cessitie of the Crosse as we well neare in ours. Now proceede wee to shew, we can scarcely accuse them of any euill in their manner, but we haue it in our owne. What was said of old, non sunt Massilienses insipientes, eadem tamen fa­ciunt quae insipientes, hath fit place heere. Our Opposites are not Papists, yet doe they many things touching the necessitie of Crosse and Surplice that Papists do, which we could wish were otherwise. First they wrest the Law against vs, which if it be such as they pretend, we could wish it were onely a Canon to direct, yea such a Canon as our forefathers were contented withall in the dayes of King Edward, when they left crossing to mens owne discretions.Rubric. vlt. Liturg. Fdw. 6. apud Bucer p. 455. Quantum adgenu flectionem, & consignationem signo crucis, eleuationem manuum, tunsionem pectoris, & semiles gestus, liberum erit cui (que) sequi suam sententiam. What binding lawes were there made about ceremonies in the primitiue Church, whose auncient libertie we may wish for by the authoritie ofAugust. ad Ianu. 119. Augustine, who waild the burthensom­nesse of humane ceremonies in his time. EuenAgrip. de vanitat. sci­ent. ca 62. Agrippa, a Papist can cry out a­gainst the fetters and chaines of ceremonies which were not at first when the Church was free. As for our owneD. Fulke ag. Rhem. in 1. Tim. 4. sect. 8. Thom. Morton. Apolog. p. 2. lib. 2. cap. 9. writers they are bould against the Papistes to appeale to the libertie of the auncient Church, when no binding lawes were made about eating or fasting. That which is in different,Hieron. in epist. ad Roman. cap. 14. vnicui (que) in sua voluntate dimissum est, sayth Hierome. Let then our Reuerend Fathers suffer vs to make that request to them, which a Papist thought fit to make euen to a Pope himselfe.Andr. Fri­sius de ec­cles. lib. 2. tractat. 13 in epist. ad Paul. 4. fol. 542. Quod si Adiaphorum sit, cur not liceat vtro (que) vti ijs qui velint? Nam Adiaphororum ea natura est, vt eorum vsus & intermissio nemini prodesse, nemini etiam obesse debeat: sed hanc illi Adiaphoriam aliter interpretantur, nam & dicunt quod volunt & interpre­tationes afferunt quales volunt. Dicunt Adiaphora esse quod de ijs litigandum non sit, sed quemcun (que) moribus suae Ecclesiae vti debere. He that well considereth these words, wil see, though the crosse were indifferēt, yet that the same course which is taken with vs, and the same interpretations vsed which the Papists take and vse; yea that some things also are said and done, which the more moderate sort of Pa­pists thinke to be more then needes. Finally, we desire our Opposites to remem­ber that the signe of the Crosse hath bene [Chemnit. apud Bel­larm. de verb. non script. ca. 7. lib. 4. ritus liber] euen from the beginning [like to the praying towards the East] which our Fathers were so farre to exact with necessitie, as that they haue by LaweD. Fulke ag. Rastall. sect. 4. pag. 720. abolished it for that conformitie which it doth beare with Papists. A second thing which is done in the vrging of the Crosse, like to that which Papistes doe, is the exaction of a [fidcs interna] vnto it, by subscribing that it is well ordained. This, hath it not too great a smatch of that which Bellarmine affirmeth of rites.Bellar. ibid Necessarium est ad salutem credere, eos benè esse institutos, & eos non contemnere? Out writers blot our the former [credere eos benè esse institutos] which cannot be receiued but on Bellarmines ground, which is, that the Church in ordaining ceremonies cannot erre; andIoh. Cal­uin. institut li. 4. ca. 10. Harmon. consess. sect. 17. leaue con­tempt to be in the inner man, the only thing that is vnlawfull. And as this is done by them, because there is no infallible truth in the Church, for faith to rest on, so also because there is no absolute power in man, in things rituall to [Francisc: Iun. cont. 1 lib. 4. ca. 7. not. 25.26 Oblige] by [Page 87]itselfe and necessarily, for these things because they are humane, they only oblige humanitus so long as no iniury is done to the truth of God, to pietie, to charitie, to simplicitie, and to christian libertie. What is here spoken of our libertie not to be iniured, hath this meaning. Whereas Philip Melancton in the hurrey of Germa­nies Adiaphorisme, was wont to say,Melan­thon. epist. ad Ham­burgens. seruitus aliqua in cermonijs ferenda est. That theHambur­gens. epist. ad Philip. loachim [...] West phal. apud Con­rad. Schi­selburg. tom. 13. p. 254. rest of the religion will haue vnderstood of the outward mā only in body and goods, not of the conscience which is not to be enthralled to any rite by man cō ­manded further then with grife toPet. Martyr Amico. cuid. in Angl. tollerate what is amisse. If it be further in Eng­land exacted, not only vt tolleremus, sed etiam vt Chirographo tanquam recta compro­bemus (saithBaeza in epistol. ad frat. in Angl. one) there remaineth nothing else but that de innocencia nostra testati, et omnia remedia intimore Domini experti, manifestae violentiae cedamus.

#Sect. 18. The third abuse of the confuted: which is, that the Crosse is vrged of necessitie without omission, euen as with the Papistes.

THe third thing which the vrging of the Crosse doth, like that of the Papistes is the exacting of a necessary vse without the least omission. This is it not the very same with the Councill of Trent, To Concil. Trident. omit any rite in baptisme which is aun­cient, and which the Church commaundeth vpon any cause or pretence what soeuer, is a damnable sinne. This considered we haue little cause to make many words of a di­uerse manner in the necessitie of the Crosse. Peter Martyr, was not ignorant of this manner, who yet affirmeth of the English ceremonies, thatPet. Mar­tyr epist. ad Hoop. episcop. Glocest. quoad aliter facere non liceat, they were greuous and burthensom.Pilkingto [...] in epist. ad comit. Le [...] ­cestrens. D. Pilkington was after B. of Du­resme, the manner of the Englishe necessitie was not vnknowne to him, yet he wri­teth that it destroyed Christian libertie: for that; libertie turned into necessitie, is libertie no longer. But the Apostle (say our Opposites) the 15. act. 28 called the things [necessary] which they commaunded being of themselues but things in different. Necessary (indeed) but how? not necessary as now the Crosse is neces­sary whether he edifie or be scandalous, do good or destroy: but necessary secun­dum quid, so farre forth as then they serued for edification and no further, witnesse Paules practize in the very next chapter. For though the Councill had forbidden circumcision, yet doth he breake their decree, and boldly circumciseth Timothie because he saw it was the fittest course to edifie. Wot ye then, what is rightly con­cluded hence? That the Apostles themselues cannot absolutly commaunde in things indifferent. That things of themselues free become [Chemnit. examin. p. 1. tit. de bon. ope­rib. p. 203. necessary] to be vsed when they edifie, to be disused when they edifie not, so that if the Magistrate bee displeased for our forbearance of the ceremonies, it is but scandalum acceptum. in him we forbeare, to edifie, and this is a necessary dutie to which we are bounde. Indeed vnlesse we do this, how can we walke circumspectly without offence, Ephes. 5▪ 15. espe­cially in the creekes of Idolatry, of which Tertullian Tertul. lib. de Ido­lolat. inter hos scopulos & sinus inter haec vada & freta Idololatriae velificata spiritu Dei fides nauigat tuta si cauta, secura si at­ [...]onita. The fourth thing which the vrging of the Crosse doth like that of the pa­pist is compulsion through threat of heauy punishment, and punishing out right not only the obstinate and malitious and the contemner who only are punishable by theStatut. of Eliz. before communi. booke. 1. Cor. 8.9. & 9.19. & 6.12. lawe, but euery one who shall omit it howsoeuer. Ought not our godly Gouernours to forgoe their commoditie, and spare their authoritie in so generall a perturbation of infinit consciences, as the Apostle giueth commaundement, & example,Baeza epist. 12. Num vero ista tami sunt vt propterea oporteat tam multorum consciencias perturbari? Peter compelled to the Iewish ceremoniesAugust. exemplo only, and wee see how Paul withstandeth him. WhenEuseb. histor. li. 5. cap. 24. Victor compelled to a conformitie in Easter, how doth Irenaeus take him vp, vpon this grounde:C [...]talog. fest. veri­tat. fol. 10. That the obseruation [Page 88]of such things ought to be free? Charles the great compelled to a conformitie to the seruice book of Rome, but how dishonorable was it to him? for he did it, Cummi­nis & supplicijs, saithNaucler. generat. 22 Iacob. de Vorngin. in legend. Gregor. & Eugen. the story.Philip. Mornaeus de Bucha­rist. lib. 1. cap. 8. Alphonsus the sixt K. of Spaine compelled to the same booke of Romane rites, and how grieuous grew he, and how burthen­some to the people? who cried out, Quo volunt Reges, vadunt leges: The lawes must sing, as will the King. Bishop Ridley enforced the Surplice vpon M. Hooper, to the great regret of his conscience, and of this rigourAct. & monu. in. epistol. annex. ad vit. Hoop. repented himselfe a little be­fore the day of his death. Certaine Princes of Germany to please Charles the Em­perour, imposed the Surplice with other rites vpon the Ministers of their seuerall territories, and are all condemned for this,Libell. supplicator. Theolog. German. Anno 1561. That they caused to sigh the spirit of God in the hearts of good men.

#Sect. 19. The pressing of the Crosse confirmes popish principles. The vrging of the Crosse, establish a popish necessitie, ex consequenti.

FIftly, though our gouernours be not popish, yet by their pressing of the Crosse, they confirme the popish principle,Bellar. de effect. Sa­cram. ca. 29 ritus Sacramentorum debent esse perpetui: against which our writers vse to build vp a contrary doctrine in Ritibus, Zach. vrsin. de Adiaphor. Gal. 2.12.13.14. ne acce­dat perpetua obseruatio. Sixtly, though the vrging of the Crosse and the rest of the ceremonies doe not establish a popish necessitie [ex professo] yet ex consequenti it confirmeth it, both with the Papist abroad, and the simple at home. Paul doth reprooue Peter, wherefore? because by his conforming to the Iewes ceremonies he confirmed by his ensample that necessity which was held of them. The trin-im­mersion is a rite more auncient then the Crosse, yet when it grew necessary in the opinion of heretiques, euenGregor. epist. ad I. [...]andrum. indict. 9. cap. 41. Gregorie himselfe doth abolish it, a man deuoted o­therwise to much to ceremonies: whom, how manyPet. Mar­tyr. de I­mag. sect. 25. Hieron. Zanch. de imag. thes. 3. fol. 369. of our writers cite to proue it a duty to abolish all rites which are held necessary by the Papists? And a wholeHarmon. confes. sect 17. Au­gust. con­fess. p. 223 Church hath sayd, when there is a necessitie placed in a ceremonie, wee are by ensample to shew the contrary. Yea ourZepper. de polit. Ec­cles. lib. 1. cap. 11. Diuines consent, that when ceremo­nies are so strictly and precisely vrged, that trouble doth arise about them, that then a man is bound to forbeare, to giue notice by his ensample against the neces­sity which might be conceiued in thē. Say not here, no necessity can be conceiued in the ceremonies controuersed, because the authoritie that doth vrge them, doth openly professe the contrary. One of the Crosses proctors telleth vs:Ric. Hook lib. 5. ca. 65 p. 165. in acti­ons of this kinde wee are more to respect what the greatest part of men is common­ly proue to conceiue, then what some fewe mens wits may deuise in construction of their particular meaning. Now what the people are prone to conceiue is euident,Chemnit. exam. p. 1. tit. de rit. Sacrament. p. 38. Vul­gi persuasio. &c. The perswasion of the vulgar people maketh the rites deuised by men, to be as necessary to the integritie and efficacy of the Sacraments, as those which God himselfe hath ordained. What two is put to this perswasion by the practize of authoritie, is (indeed) more euident then can be expressed. For when they shall see them so necessarily pressed, as that the most respected preachers shall be vtterly cast away before their eyes (themselues and theirs) for not relishing this necessity: how can it be but they must cōceiue that the men who bringe this wracke doe hold them necessarie in their iudgements? Looke not for large dis­courses about this point, neuer were men able in the abuse of Images to alleadge more then knowne experience, which hath bene alwayes held sufficient,Bellar. de imag. c 1 [...]. addu­cit Caluinus experientiam qua docet in cultu Imaginum superstitionem & errorem ir­repsisse. Agrip. de vanit. sci­ent. ca. 57. Dici non potest quanta Idololatria apud rudem populum alatur per Imagines. Gregor. Cassand. consultat. art. 21. Manifestius hoc est quam vt verbis explicari possit. Who euer denied the o suffici­encie of this euidence? In the abuses (therefore) of these ceremonies, our expe­rience [Page 89]doeth suffice; neither will any reasonable man expect more of vs in that which dici non potest, which cannot verbis explicari: Neither can teaching to the contrary helpe. If in part it could yet is not that sufficient, as hath bene shew­ed elsewhere alreadie, to which these testimonies for a surcharge may bee added. Thus one of an whole Church,Chemnit. vt supra. p. 39. Vtile est in huiusmodi Adiaphoris etiam exemplo libertatem oslendere. Th [...] an whole Church of a priuate man,Harmon. confess. sect. 17. ex confess. August. p. 223. Cùm hanc de cultibus opinionem, &c. When the aduersaries take vp an opinion of worship then all men must knowe it is a good deed to cry out against the same; and by the breaking of such ceremonies to shew example whereby the godly may learne what they are to thinke of them. So Eusebius writeth of Attalus commaun­ded from heauen to commaund Alcibiades vsing onely bread and salt, that hee should feede on common meates, Ne alijs errorem offunderet. Last of all, thus one of theIllyrie. in lib. de Adiaphor. Ministers who is to teach the contrary. Nec est, &c. It is nothing that the Adiaphoristes say, that they haue taken order that the people should be taught the right vse of the ceremonies; for such ceremonies ought to bee appointed which by their goodnes may helpe the preaching of the word; & not such as the word must daily haue neede to correct and chasten. The Apostle commaundeth that all things be done to edification, and not the Sermons onely. But if in other Churches example bee needfull, then in ours much more where the people can tell what our Churches tenent is, but by the Preachers. Of which, some beat con­tinually vppon a necessitie to keepe and obserue them: and some roundly and boldly affirme, that they are worships. For proofe heereof, what need I goe further then to an Vniuersitie Acte, where before a confluence and con­course of people out of all parts of the kingdome,D. Foen. in comitiis Oxoniens. ann. 1605. A Doctor incipient in Diui­nitie publisheth these verses.

In Domini cultu si quid medium esse videtur,
quod populi dubio, stat, cadit, arbitrio:
Hoc sacrosancta parens Ecclesia si modo sanxit,
In (que) sacris cultum hunc si velit esse ratum:
Non erit hic cultus medius, cogitur ad illum
quisque: necessarius hic quo (que) cultus erit.

#Sect. 20. The Crosse as the Opposites, vse it, is prooued to bee Sacramentall.

AS vpon former examination we haue found the signe of the Crosse to be a ce­remonie and a worship superstitious, so if now we proceed in examining, we shall find him faulty herein also that he is Sacramentall. What should an Hagar doe in the house, that hath so long not only crowed against her Mistresse, but also crouded into her place? For first theAugust. cont. Fault. li. 19. ca. 14. & in Psal. 141. & 65. Bernard. de bono de­fenden. Fathers called the signe of the Crosse a Sa­crament, yea such a Sacrament as theGuil. Perk problem. in verb. Sacra. holy water &Chemnit. exam. p. 2. ca. 1. p. 7. holy bread are, which also were signed with theDurant. de rit. lib. 2. c 58. sect. 2 crosse & sanctified by it. Now the holy water hath such an efficacy (saith one) Quae certe nisi in Sacramentis esse videri non possit, so that maxime omnium videtur habere propriā rationem Sacramenti hoc illustris ceremonia. As for the holy bread wont to be giuen to the catechised when others did receiue the Com­muniō, it was no lesse then standing insteed of the Sacrament vnto thē, therfore it was termed e [...]logia & Durand. Rational. lib. 4. ca. 53. vicarius cōmunionis. What that theAugust de peccator. merit. & remis [...]i. lib. 2. cap. 26. crosse with thisIbid. & in Regul. 75. bread ministred was thought to sanctifie like a sacramēt, as these words of August, shew, Catechuminos secundū quendā modum per signū Christi puto sanctificari? Howbeit the signe of the crosse staied not her ambition here:Alan. de Sacra. ca. 5. she meant to catch the sadle in self [Page 90]before she had done, that which in Baptisme shee quickely attained, and with little adoe,Perk. pro­blem verb. Chrism. sect. 2. Our writers telling vs that the Fathers who set her on cocke horse, made more of her then of the water it selfe of Baptisme. The same gaue power vnto the Crosse toCyprian. epist. 73. perfect Baptisme, and toIdem. de vnct. chris­mat. conferre the spirit of God vnto the Baptized. As for the former, chewe a little vpon these speaches, it may bee they will tell thy taste how vnsauory the Fathers are in the matter of the Crosse.August. de tempor. 18 [...]. With the signe of the Crosse it is that the bodie of our Lord is consecrated, and the Fonte of Baptisme sanctified. With Idem cont. Pelagium lib 6. ca. 1. the signe of the Crosse is the waue of Bap­tisme consecrated. By Chrysost. in Mat. 16. homil. 55. the signe of the Crosse is the Lordes bodie consecrated: the Fonte of Baptisme sanctified, and all thinges whatsoeuer are made holie, they are made holy with the signe of the Lordes Crosse. Cypri. lib. de bapt. Christ. Wee glorie in the Crosse of the Lord, whose vertue worketh throughout all Sacraments: without which signe nothing else is holie, nor any other consecration that commeth to effect. August. de sanct. serm. 19. With the signe of the Crosse is the Fonte of regeneration made holie: and to speake fully all Sacraments are perfected by his vertue. August. in Iohan. tractat. 18. Vnlesse the signe of the Crosse bee applyed to the fore­heades of the beleeuers, or to the water whereby they are regenerated, or to the Sa­crifice whereby they are fedde, none of these are rightly performed. August. de vulitat. poenitent. The water of saluation is not the water of saluation, vnlesse being consecrate in Christes name, it bee signed with his Crosse. Againe,Ambros. de its qui initiantur. Myster. cap. 3. The water is good for no vse of future health without the preaching of the Lordes Crosse. But when it is consecrated with the my­sterie of the sauing Crosse, then it is tempered to the vse of a spirituall washing and of a sa­uing cappe. As therefore Moses threw the wood into the waters of Marah and made them sweete, so the Priest sendes the preaching of the Lordes Crosse into this font, and the water thereof is made sweete vnto grace. Secondly, come we from the Fathers to the Papistes, who plainelyMart. re­ioynd. art. 1. Fulk. ibid. p. 141. 142 teach, that though it be not a Sacrament, yet is it like a Sacrament, for which cause they call it a Sacramentale. Now there are two things (saith Bellarmine) wanting of a Sacrament.Bellar. de imag. ca. 30 First, he conferreth no iusti­fying grace [ex opere operato.] Secondly, he worketh not infallibiliter. But some say (and CardinallBellar. de effect. sa­cram. c. 31. Bellarmine seaneth that way) that the ceremonies which the Church doth blesse (of which I trust the Crosse is one) apply Christes merits as Sacraments doe; conferre their graces ex opere operato, as Sacraments do. Finally produce their effects, infallibiliter si id vttle sit hominibus; and what neede is there that any Sacrament should doe more? It is the Crosse (saithDurant. de rit. li. 2. ca. 45. sect 7. one) whose vertue shineth in euery Sacrament, the efficacy of blessing in the imposition of handes, (and that is a Sacrament with them) dependeth vpon the signe of the CrosseIan Senius Concord. euangelic. cap. 150. saith another: anTho. Hut­ton. ag. De­von. Minist. other sort of them teach, that the signe of the Crosse may sup­ply Baptisme, and stand in the roume thereof. Thirdly, from Fathers and Papistes come we downe to home writers, whoLamd. Danaeus. cont. Bellar de cultu. sanct. ca. 7. D. Willet. de bapt. q. 8 error. 15. teach that euery new deuised signe, is a new deuised Sacrament, and that a SacramentPet. Mar­tyr in com­ment. 1. Reg. 8. and a Sacramentale be all one, as long as there is an outward signe with symbolicall signification, and that the Papistes areD Fulke repl. to Mart. art. p. 141. 142. sacrilegious in bringing the Crosse so neare a Sacrament as they doe. In regarde hereof they cannot bee cleare that doe vse the Crosse in a Sacrament as wee doe. TheTheodor. haere [...]. [...]a­bular. lib. 1 Manichees did eate the meate, the dressers where­of they held in execration, and are held ridiculous. As then wee detest the Papistes for dressing of the Crosse with the relish of Baptisme, so let vs forbeare to eate of the meate it selfe which they haue dressed there, who should ab­staine euen from the very broth it selfe, of euery vncleane thing. When the Nazarites were forbidden to drinke wine, it was vnlawfull for them to taste of the liquar of the grape.August. de haeres. cap. 46. Augustine reprooueth the Manichees for that professing earnest hatred against the wine,Isa. 65.4. they would fill their bellies with grapes notwithstanding.Num. 6.3 Seeing then wee professe hatred against the popishe Crosse, retaine wee no longer this liquorishe taste of him [Page 91]in our Sacrament. TheyConcil. Aquisgra­nens. ca 63 that will not eate meate, must yet touch it, to shew that they did not iudge it vncleane like the heretiques. Our vse of the Crosse in Baptisme, if it bee not an eating of this Idolothite, yet is it at least a tou­ching of it, whereby the people iudge it cleane.August. contra. Penlian. lib. 2. Augustine himselfe was carried away with the vse of his time to thinke that the Oylie Crosse in ge­nere signacularum visibilium was sacro-sanctum sicut ipse Baptismus. Will not sim­ple men bee drawne much more to thinke that the signe of the Crosse is ho­lie as Baptisme is, all while they see it vsed in Baptisme? Consider the wa­ter wont to bee mingled with the wine of the supper, because it was suffe­ted there, it grewe at last to be thought as necessary as the wine. So that theConrad. Lutzen­burg. in Georgian. Durant. de rit. lib. 2. cap. 27. sect. 3.4. Armenians and our Church are condemned as heretiques for omitting the water as are the Aquarij for the leauing out of the wine. What then? as the washing of the feete was cashiered from Baptisme, when it seemedAugust: epist. 119. cap. 18. pertinere ad Baptismum, so now deale we with the Crosse; whose first Sacramentall guilt we haue seene, that it is well neare a Sacrament added.

#Sect. 21. The Opposites saying the Crosse is Sacramentale, is foure wayes faulty.

THe second is that it is a Sacramentale, whose addition is found faulty of foure sinnes against the second Precept. The first consisteth in a [Sacramentall power] from the ruste, whereof, is our Crosse scoured? What meaneth this bleating then in our eares?Ric. Hook li. 5. ca. 65. fol. 160. The Crosse is an holy signe. A most effectuall teacher, yea, there cannot be a more forcible meane to auoyde that which may deseruedly procure shame. Howbeit drawe we neare, and wee shall heare more. Maister Hooker being asha­med to apply the text of Ezech. 9.4. Apoc. 7.3. to the signe of the Crosse in that grosse manner as Iesuites doe, fetcheth a windlasse which cunningly brin­geth them at the last to the very same standing. They meane (forsooth) no visi­ble marke, but securitie from that shame which vseth to shewe her selfe in the face: whereof shall I say, (saith hee) the signe of the Crosse is in some sort a meane? sith he thinketh it, he may very well say it, to make knowne to the world an Amalekites beast is kept aliue which should haue died. For shall I say, the signe of the Crosse is in some sorte effectiue of grace, if in some sort it bee a meane to secure from confusion euerlasting? And how doe not these places im­ply a marke visible, if they imploy the Crosse for a meane of the safety that they promise? Howbeit draw we neare, and we shall heare yet more. He is not asha­med to cite a sentence of Cyprian, who saith, the Crosse doth purisie the forehead. Yea keepe it pure from the Garland of Sathan, in the same sort that the Sacrament of the Supper keepeth pure the mouth from the scraps of Idols. Now how com­meth it to passe, that M. Hookers forcible meane to keepe foreheads from shame, hath so fouly deceiued his Maister? leauing his owne forehead so voyd of shame, as to iustifie this purifying of foreheades by the Crosse, and this keeping pure? But hee hath made some recompence (you will say) in the second allegation out of Tertullian, which for very shame of the forehead is shuf­fled (as it were) out of the ranke, to stande in the margine. No this was policie, because he sheweth his hornes too openly, and bleateth the Amalekitish Idiom too broad. If it had bene shame he would not haue brought him into the field: he being burnt in the eare as a Rogue of Montanus by the bench of all ourWhitak. contro. 1. q. 6. cap. 12 fol. 443. Chemnit. exam. p. 30 de tradit. fol. 94. writers. One of whom thus: Tertullianus de resurrectione carnis, &c. Tertul­lian in his booke of the resurrection reciteth Vnction, signing with the Crosse, and the imposing of hands, for the ceremonies of Baptisme. Neither doth he onely ascribe vnto them decencie and signification, but efficacy also. For he [Page 92]saith, the flesh is annointed, that the soule may bee sanctified. The flesh is sig­ned that the soule may bee fenced; the flesh is shadowed with imposition of hands, that the soule may be enlightened with the spirit: and that these are Montanicall, it may be gathered by this that he addeth in the same place, serophagias sordes corporis mono­gamiam quae montanita esse certum est. But Maister Hooker doth not meane he saueth frō shame, purifieth the forehead, & fenceth the soule ex opere operato, as doth the Papist: but ex opere operamis onely, as he sturreth vp meditation, and considera­tion, or (to speake in his owne language) imagination, which happely are a sleepe without it. He differreth (in deed) that the papist giueth vnto the Crosse, a pow­er ex opere operato against the Devill which he giueth not, as for the grace which sanctifieth, some papistes giue no more power to the Crosse then doeth Maister Hooker for ought I see, for he maketh it powerfull (as a meane) which God blesseth to the inward stutring vp of the minde: and what doethS [...]ph. Garden. in epist. ad Ridley. Steuen Gardener him self giue more to the Crosse or to holy water, or to any thing in their imagined pow­er of sanctifying? Doth not aVazq de adorat. li. 3. disput. 2. cap. 5. Iesuit directly denie, that a Crosse imprinteth any holines sauing by prayer? Others (it may be) giue a power ex opere operato in this behalfe, but I leaue them in the middest, the point I driue at being apparant a po­wer Sacramentall, to stirre vp the soule by striking the senses, is ascribed to the Crosse, and that verie neare in a popish maner against the doctrine of ourChemnit. exam p. 2. cap. de ri­tib. pag. 36 37. 38. Wri­ters who disclaime it.

#Sect. 22. The Fathers vrge a necessitie of the Crosse very superstitiously. The Papists more indifferent then they, therefore their authoritie of no value for the Crosse.

AS the Crosse is a Sacramentale guilty, for the power Sacramentall which it v­surpeth, so for the necessitie which it chalengeth to it selfe, and that in the Fa­thers monuments which we haue chosen for our guides. ForMart. of the crosse. art. 4. Calsh. ibid pag. 92. D. Fulke in reply. art. 4. pag. 164. Cyprian is cited to proue that Baptisme hath no effect, but in the figure of the Crosse. In the answe­ring whereof we put ourselues to much trouble, vnlesse wee yeelde that Cyprian meant the very signe it selfe of the Crosse together with Christes death.Durant. de rit. lib. 1. cap. 19. sect. 12. Ambrose is cited, the sauing water of this Sacrament, is no more sauing without the Crosse, then the water of Marah was sweet without the wood that was throwne into it. August. is cited to proue no Sacrament is perfected rite without the Crosse, which whether it bee as much as recte in his iudgement or no, it is not much materiall. As for the Papistes their necessitie is better espied by their practise and by their preaching, then by their schooles and by their writings which are more crafty. Heere of late they haue scattered abroad many pamphlets in rithme after the example of the oldSozom. hist. lib. 8. cap. Socrat. hist li. 6. cap. 8. Arrians. Now one of their Ballades runneth thus.

The La­ment. of the Crosse to the tune of the L. Courtn [...]is dumpe.
Without the Crosse S. Augustine saith,
Reade him, and you may see.
1 No man is stedfast in the faith,
No Christened well may be.
No Sacrifice, no holy Oyle,
No washing in the Fonte,
2 Nor any thing can thee assoyle,
if thou the Crosse doe want.
Christ crucified he doth affirme,
3 When that he rose from death,
Hath left his Crosse here after him,
For to increase our faith.
Children by it haue Christendome,
The water blest also:
4 The holy Ghost appeares to some,
And gifts of grace bestow.
When that this Crosse is made aright,
Of them that hallowed be:
5 Where it is not, there wanteth might,
For ought that I can see.
Saint Chryso stome in likewise,
Per swades himselfe heerein:
6 And saith by this a man doth rise,
From death and deadly sinne.
The Crosse is at our birth, saith he,
And where that we be fed:
7 The Crosse it is most meet perdie,
When that we shall be dead.

For this necessities sake the rule is to be held, which is deliuered by one of our writers, which he inclusiuely meaneth of the very Crosse it selfe, which hee did not rehearse among the tollerable rites of the Fathers of which he had spoken be­fore: Quodilla postea, &c. Whereas those ancient ceremonies of baptisme,Hieron. Zanch. in Ephes 6. lect. de bapt. ca. 7. which arose after together with others superstitious and friuolous which are vsed in the papacie, haue bene taken away by our men, this was euen necessarie: because of the superstitions which were introduced, & for the opinion of necessitie. Heze­chias is cōmended for breaking the brazen serpent: which (notwithstanding) was ordained by God; because the Israelites had begun to abuse it. How much more then are our mento be cōmended, who haue done this in rites ordained by men: quanquam per se non malis quoniam iam plenae essent: superstitionum. What (then) though the Crosse were not euill [perse] by reason of the popish necessity, it is to be remoued after the example of other Churches who haue abolisht it: out of an opinion that it is a necessary dutie to remoue all rites which haue mounted to an estimate of necessitie. In regard hereof it is a figge leafe, couering no naked­nesse, which is tossed vp and downe, The Lawe doth not make the Crosse a necessarie part of Baptisme, but a rite only needfull for decency and for order. First the harlot her self can say as much for her excuse, for whose necessity notwithstanding our wri­ters think a remouall necessary in euery of her rites. For the Master of the Senten­ces telleth vs, that thePet. Lom­bard. lib. 4. distinct. 3. sacramentalia (of which the signe of the Crosse is one) do not pertaine, ad substantiam sacramenti, but ad solemnitatem onely.Tho. A­quin p. 3. qu 66. art. 10. Thomas A­quinas saith, that the Sacramentalia are not necessarie, ad esse sacramenti, but onely ad bene esse. Bellar. de sacrem. in gen. ca. 21. Bellarmine saith, the Sacramentalia are not necessarie, ad integritatem sacramenti essentialem, but ad integritatem accidentalem, and no more. The Canon Lawe hauing rehearst the Sacramentalia, addeth this, haec cum patrimis non mu­tant esse sed ornant. Besides these generall distinctionsTho. A­quin. p. 3. qu. 84. art. 4 ad. [...]. Aquinas saith particularly of the signe of the Crosse, that it is not necessary to any Sacrament.Holcot in sentent. p. 4. distin. 3. qu. [...]3. Holcot, that it is not necessary to Baptisme that which also is affirmed both byMart. in reply. art. 4. Martial and byAlphons. de Castro. in verb. Baptism. haeres. 6. Alphonsus, the last of whom reckoneth it an heresie to hold the Crosse to bee necessary in Baptisme, although he seeme to misse in the heretique, which by probabilitie cannot beIon Aurelianens. de cult. imag lib. 1. Claudius Taurinensis, because he opposed himselfe against the worship of the Crosse; not onely materiall, but aereall also.

#Sect. 23. The Opposites giue that to the signe of the Crosse, which is onely pro­per to an essentiall part of the Sacrament.

SEcondly, though we intend not to make the Crosse a part of Baptisme, yet we giue that to him which onely is proper to an essentiall part thereof, and it is sa­criledge (saith one of ourChemnit: exam. p. 2. tit. de tit. writers) to giue that, which is proper to a Sacrament in whole or in part to any thing else. Our writersCalsh. ag. Mart. art. 4. D. Fulke reply art. 4 p. 166. tell vs, the oyle is abolished, be­cause it incroched vpon the materiall signe of Baptisme. Now wherein doth the oyle more then the crosse? Though to be a signe be not proper to a sacrament, yet to be a signe [Tho. A­quin. p. 3. qu. 60, art. 5. ad [...]. determined] in Gods couenant, is in part (at least) proper to it. Now this the signe of the Crosse hath with vs. Seeing the Iewes (saithAugust. com. Faust. lib. 19. cap. 14. Augustine) died for their ceremonies, how much more ought we to striue, pro Sacramento, pro [Page 94]Christi Baptismo, prosigno Dei? We follow him and striue for the Crosse as for a Sacrament, and doe wee not (then) giue it the honour, which is proper to an essentiall part of Baptisme? Is there so much care for the puritie of Baptisme, as there is for the honour of this signe? If Baptisme it selfe were in question, could it be more egerly maintained then now the Crosse is? What that we giue it euen the office of an essentiall part or Baptisme, of which hereafter? Thirdly, though we intend not to make the Crosse a necessi [...]ry part of Baptisme, yet we seeme to make it: which is faulty by that councell which abolished the Trine immersion vp­on this reason,Concil. Tolet. 4. can. 5. ne approbare videantur hareticorū assertionem dum sequuntur & mo­rem. And I would we had no cause to complaine of the effectes of this our see­ming. For it is knowne that some refusete be Godfathers where the Crosse is not vsed. Others liuing in places where it is disused, carry their children where they may haue it. It hath bene knowne also that children haue bene rebaptized for the lacke of it. The people are in fault for this. True, for the sinne, but our Gouernors for the stumbling blocke, who though the Crosse be mos haereticorum yet vse it, and continue it in Baptisme, together with the signe of the couenant, as if it were equall with it. For what course haue we taken here to make it seeme in­ferior to it? It is thought the Priest is preiudiced in his order when theTho. A­quin. p. 3. qu. 8 a. art. 3. Deacon is suffered to sit with him, or to consecrate in his presence. But the Crosse sitteth with Baptisme and dedicateth our seed to God. TheDamas. Pap. in epist. de­cretal. Cor Episcopus is barred from faluting the people, with the signe of the Crosse in the presence of the Bishop, but the signe of the Crosse, not onely saluteth, but also receiueth and admitteth our children into the Church, in the presence of Baptisme.Cicero pro Ce­cinna. Euery King putteth of his Crowne in an others kingdome; eueryAct. & monu. Archbishop layeth downe his Crosse in an others Prouince;Leui. de­cad. 1. li. 2. euery Subordinate state submitteth his Mace, in the pre­sence of a greater. Whereas no man diuesteth a Crosse, what should I say, lay him downe or aside? in the Kingdome, Prouince, or presence of Baptisme; when the most part strike to hoyste him yet higher. TheDurant. de rit. lib. 2. cap 9. sect. 35. Abbot is bound to weare a Miter of lesse ornament then the Bishop, that when both be in place together, the Abbot may be knowne to be inferior to the Bishop, whereas there is no order ta­ken to make it outwardly appeare, that the Crosse is inferior to the water. When there is something mingled with the bread in the Lords Supper, all is marred, if the permixture be [Tho. A­quin. p. 3. qu. 74. art. 3. ad 3. Magna] puta ex aequo vel quasi. When the wine is mingled with the water, there must bee [Durant. de rit. lib. 2. cap. 27. sect. 3. paululum aquae] & plus de vino quam de aqua. Whereas therefore in all cases of emulation, the wise dome of man hath prouided sensible signes and visible markes of inferioritie, we are to blame that in our vse of the Crosse in Baptisme, we ordaine such a visible and such an outward admini­string of him, as Baptisme hath it selfe.

#Sect. 24. The Opposites obiection saying the Crosse in Baptisme is inferior to the water, because it comes after, confuted.

NOt so (say some) we cause the Crosse to come after the water, which is ac­knowledgment sufficient of inferioritie, and a sensible badge of subiection to it. First, this ill beseemeth our mouthes, who cannot indure the Papist when he maketh the same excuse. The Crosse (saithDurant. de rit. lib. 2. cap. 33. sect. 6. he) which commeth after the con­secration in the Lords Supper belongeth not to it. We oppose against him, the consecration doth reach to the whole administration of the Sacrament, within which administration, whatsoeuer signe is administred, it cannot but (at least) in shew pertaine vnto it.Decret. p. 3. do consecrat. distinct. 4. cap. 76. Ipsa responsio ad celebrationem pertinet Sacramenti, theresore it is part of the Sacrament, saith the Canon. So all while the Crosse is within the [celebration] of Baptisme, it is [morally] a part thereof. For ensample, The feast [Page 95]came after the worshipping of the calfe, and after the substance of Idolatry. Yet because it appertained to the solemnitie, theGnate. Archetyp. in 1. Cor. 10. Apostle not only counteth it a part of the Idols seruice, but also such a principall part as includeth all the rest that went before. The Agapae cameAndre. Hipper in 1. Cor. 11 after the substance of the Lords supper, yet be­cause they appertained to the solemniye, the Apostle alleadgeth the institution a­gainst them, which holdeth onely against such rites of a Sacrament as be added partes thereof. The wearing of the white garment it selfe, vs (que) Beat Rhe­nan in Tertul de coron. milit. ad dominicam de albis: & abstinence from washing all the weeke long, were euer reputed to belong to Baptisme, as well as any other rite, because it hanged in the extreames of Bap­tismes solemnitie. We accuse the Papistes for making Oyle a part of Baptisme, yet doth it follow after the water, as farre of as the Crosse: yea after the first crossing. Finally the worst additions in the world may bee excused by this shift. The worst addition inBellar. de pontifi. li 4. ca. 17. Bellarmines iudgement, is additio ad opus praeceptum, as if one houshold should haue eaten two lambs in the sacrament of the Passeouer in stead of one. Whereas by this diuinitie of ours, there is a tricke to eate two Lambes within the solemnitie of this Sacrament, and yet be guiltlesse: to wit, by eating one after another. The worst addition which we meete withall in the Fa­thers, is the bread and cheese of theEpiphan. haeres. 49. Artotyritae in the Lords Supper, which by this Theologie is lawfull ynough: prouided that the bread and cheese be eaten after the supper bread, and receiuing of the wine. Secondly, this excuse holdeth by that separation, which it maketh betweene the water and the Crosse: Where­as (indeed) there is nothing that marreth this whole oyntment like this one flye (I would say plea) of separatiō. What maketh the fitches, tylles, tares with the like, which are mingled with the wheate, that they make no addition to the bread of the Supper? because there is no separation but id Tho. A­quin. p. 3. q. 74. art. 3 ad 3. quod est modicum assumitur à plurimo. And what is the cause that the auncient mingling of the water with the wine was tollerable? because the water became one with the wine without se­peration, and was no signe of a diuerseIbid. & Durant. de rit. lib. 2. cap. 27. species from it? as one describeth,Iulius Pap. in epist. de­cretal. ad Episcop. Aegypt. Qua copulatio aquae & vini sic miscetur in calice domini, vt mixtio illa non poss it seperari. Let me heare (then) what saith this excuse? I haue seperated the Crosse from the water? If thou hast made a seperation, thou hast made a faire hand: this very se­peration maketh the Crosse to be a signe of a diuerse species, and so by consequent to be an addition that is vnlawfull. And the manner of this separation (boasted of) maketh the after place of the Crosse yet worse. For, there being a word seue­ralled to it, such (for shew) as the water hath, occasion is giuen to the simple to imagine, that the water and Crosse in Baptisme are of the same sequence and conse­quence too, that the bread and wine are in the Lords Supper. Indeed what hin­dereth? For what though the Crosse and the water be diuerse in matter? So are the bread and the wine in the Supper. They make one refection in Christ, and so grow to beAquin. p. 3 qu 73. art. 2. ad 2. formally one, these may grow to be one likewise, because they make formerly one, inuesting into the Church. And doth not the Crosse touch the water as neare as the wine doth touch the bread? The postation of the wine doth not preiudice it, therefore the postponing of the Crosse doth not preiudice it neither. A seperation of so small distance waggeth no corne, it casteth the Crosse behinde the water, but not below it. Neuer thought the auncient Christians there was a sufficient seperation betweene them and the Iewes, till the solemni­ties themselues did differ onConcil. Laodicen. cap. 29. Irenaeus li. 1 ca. 26. Epiphan. haeres. 30. diuerse dayes. So that, as long as the Crosse and the water, our Crosse and the popish, are seene in the same solemnitie of Baptisme, the seperation is insufficient. Thirdly, so farre is it that the Crosse commeth after Baptisme, thereby to be made morally at the least no part thereof, that it hath in fight the chiefest roume and seat of credit, which the administration of this Sa­crament can afford. It maketh much for the Crosses credit that he receiueth into [Page 96]the Church, although it be out of the Sacrament, as theTorrens. coufessi [...] August. lib. 4. ca. 9 [...] tit. 4. citing of these wordes beare witnes,August. in exposit. Symbol. ad Catechum Nondum quidem adhuc per sacrum baptismum renati estis, sed per crucis signum in viero sanctae matris Ecclesiae iam concepti estis. What credit (then) is there done him, being set in Baptisme, where we receiue into the Church, and dedi­cate to Christ which is the whole office of Baptisme it selfe, & the whole benefit that we reape by it. And can the oyle and the lights be of little credit though they follow after the water, when they are vsed to helpe to receiue into the Church?Gregor. Turonens. histor. li. 5. cap. 11. Pontifex (saith the story) prae gaudio lachrimans cunctos aqua abluens, chrismate lini­ens in sinum matris Ecclesiae congregauit flagrabant Carei, lampades refulgebant. Again, The Ring cannot haue a more honourable place in Marriage, then where the wisedome of man hath seated it, in regard of marriage solemnitie, it is vsed when the coniunction is in making, in regard of the partie married, it is set on the fourth finger of the left hand, theDurant. de rit. li. 2. ca. 9. sect. 37. nerue whereof runneth strait to the heart. But the very same place hath the Crosse in Baptisme, while we and Christ are conioyned together by our receluing into the Church, we vse it, & we imprint it on the fore­head,Tho. A­quin. p. 3. qu. 72. art. 9. ad quēspirit us direclè à corde ascendunt. Moreouer, why should a subsequence after the water make a rite seeme the lesse, and a precedencie before the water not make it seeme greater, which yet it did neuer?August. de verb. Apo­stol. serm. 8 Non ijs sufficit quod inuncti sunt, festi­nent ad Lauacrum si lumen inquirunt (saith Augustine.) Whereof two ceremonies alluded to the one going before the water (to wit the Oyle) and the other com­ming after (to wit the light) this (we see) which commeth after, is preferred. So that from the ceremonies before the water men alwayes passe to them that came after, as in a progression from the imperfect to those that be perfecter. There was anTho. A­quin. ad. 4. sentent. distinct. 6. Oyle before the water in old time, and one after the water: and which of them was held the better? Sure not the oyle that went before the water which wasDurant. de rit. lib. 2 cap. 20. sect. 3. Oleum simplex, seruing for the shoulders, brest and forehead, but that which came after, which was Oleum principale confectum (scilicet) ex Oleo & Balsamo, and which annoynted in Vertice, which is the highest part of all. Once more, When men would haue the water in the Supper to be no signe by it self, nor an addition to that Sacrament, they mingled it with the wineDurant. de rit. li. 2. ca. 38. sect. 3. before it was consecrate and not after: so that the place which may giue seeming the Crosse is no part of Bap­tisme, is to vse it before the water rather then after, which is the place of greatest ambition seruing to perfect, seeming to consummate all the rest that went before, as experience it selfe hath tryed, and that in the greatest men. Thus Cyprian Cyprian. epist. 73. ad Iubaian baptizati signo dominico consummantur, Thus Ambrose, Ambros. de Sacra. lib. 3. ca. 2. superest signaculum vt per­fectio fiat. ThusEuseb. hist. lib. 6. cap. 35. Cas. Baron Annal. in an. 254. Cornelius, because Nouatus was not signed, therefore he had not all his christendome. Thus the custome of the whole Church, theDurant. de rit. li. 1. ca. 20. sect. 8. obsig­nation is the [...] the [...] euen the vpshot of all the rest. TheCensur. oriental. cap. 3. Greeke Church saith of the after complements of Baptisme: to wit, the Oyle of confir­ming, and of the bread of the Supper which they put into the mouth of the In­fant that is Baptized, hic est finis omnis mysterij. It hath a long time bene held by the Latine Church that the rites of Baptisme which came after the water, did make a Christian, and giue Christendome, which none could haue (it was thought) without them. Illa Dionis. eccles. Hie­rarch. perficiens vnctio facit perfectum, quippe diuinae rege­nerationis perfectio. Tho. A­quin. p. 3 q. 66. art. 10. Durant [...]. supra. Qui confirmatus non est, non est perfectus Christianus, nec sidem habei inter perfectos. A place cited out of Clemens, to which there acordeth another brought out of Rabbanus: Omnes fideles per manus impositionem Episcoporum, accipere debent spiritum sanctum, vt pleni Christiani inueniantur. Euermore then hath the last place of the folemnitie of this Sacrament bene a stage where those ceremonies haue shewed themselues that would be esteemed the perfecters and finishers of our Christendome. The water we see is powred on, and here is not finis Mysterij. Neither is a man made hereby a Christian, no he shall not be called a Christian [Page 97]by any nor suffered to sit among Christians vntill he partake of the after rites of Baptisme, and by name the Oylie-Crosse. It may be some wil thinke I will apply the former testimonies to the after rites of Baptisme which seeme to belong to the Sacrament of confirmation. But let them not deceue themselues. There was at the first no confirmation out of Baptisme, but it was within the solemnitie of Baptisme, that the child receaued the water, the bread of the Supper & the oyle of confirmation;Simon. Goulart. in Cypri. de vncti. Chrismat. Carol Bo­nius schol. in Clemen. Stanisla. Socolouins in Censur. Oriental. eccles. ca. 3. Perk. pro­blem. chris. art. 7. as all evidences and writings shew. Haue wee not done (then) a great deed, and with admirable wisdome preuented occasion of a necessary estimation in the Crosse? To wit we haue set him at the latter hand of the water, as Peter is set at the lefte hand of PauleAct. & Monu. fol. 241. in the Popes Bull, I ende with the title of the Canon, which doth it say: of the signe of the Crosse after Baptisme? No, but it goeth thus: of the signe of the Crosse in Baptisme.

#Sect. 25. A third fault wherein th'Opposite vsurpeth vpon Sacra­mentall offices.

THus haue we seene how guilty this Sacramentale is in a Sacramentall power, and in a necessitie Sacramentall. Come we now to a third fault wherin he v­surpeth vpon Sacramentall offices which he beareth in this Sacrament or vnto it. Touching the former; we reioyce (I knowe) to follow the Fathers, and so to vse the Crosse in Baptisme as they did vse it; but there and in the other Sacrament of the Supper which wasAugust. in Iohan tra­ctat. 118. signare Christi bona; which how can it be iustified? For first as none can signe a lease but he that hath power to lett and demise it: so none de­uise a signe of the couenant, or of any grace therof, but God alone that promiseth. This the schoole men saw & taught,Tho. A­quin. p. 3. qu. 60. art. 5. ad. 1. determinare quo signo, &c. It pertaineth only to the signifier to determine what signe must be vsed to signifie. But it is God who is the signifier vnto vs of things spirituall by things sensible in the Sacrament, and by words similitudinarie in the scriptures; therefore as it is determined by the Iud­gement of the holy spirit, by what similitudes things spirituall should be signified in certaine places of the Scripture, so it ought to be determined also by divine in­stitution what things should bee chosen to signifie in this, or in that Sacrament. I adde to this the cōmentary added by a Cardinall.Caietan. Ibid. Aduerte quam, &c. Consider from hence how presumptuous, and iniurious their wittines is, which write or preach, or interpret the similitudes of poetes or some of their owne, therby to re­present things spirituall. For they vsurpe the office of the Holy Ghost, by whose iudgement some things are ordained to be figures of other things; and they vilifie the sacred Sripture, while by such fiction they giue occasion to beleeue that the things which are in the Scripture, are figurs by humane spirit, euen as these which they haue framed by the dexteritie of humane wit, so much authoritie is detracted frō the figures of the holy Scripture. I presse here that God only is significans: that it commeth from carnal wisdom to deuise any significations; that he vsurpeth the office of the holy Ghost that added new signes: and lastly that new signes deuised are so farre from adorning the water of Baptisme, as that they vilifie it and detract much authoritie from it. One maine ground of this doctrine is mainly refused (I knowe) by theBellar. de sacram. in gen. ca. 21. proposit. 2 papistes, which is that no man may deuise any worship of God: and another ground is brought in place (to wit) the Sacraments of the new Te­stament do giue grace and none can giue grace but God only: And therfore none ordaine a signe but God alone. How neare our Opposites come to this Iesuit, all men may knowe who heare them distinguishe, though a man may not deuise an exhibitiue signe, yet hee may deuise a significatiue, one such as is the signe of the Crosse. Alas to what poore shiftes are these men driuen! For we haue heard out of the schoole men already that God is the only signifier both in things and in [Page 98]words: therfore a signe euen quatenus it signifieth must be from him. Nay, this cannot stand before Bellarmine himselfe, euen he therfore shall be their iudge. For though the signes of the old Testament be not in his iudgment, exhibitiue of any grace, but significatiue only, yet he saith, they were all ordained of God & so ought to be. Vpon this reason (which now taketh hold on the signe of the crosse, seeing we vse him to receaue into the Church)Bellar. ibid etiamsi Sacramenta vetera non efficiebant gratiā iustificantē, camen introducebant in populū dei, at nemo potest determinare aliquid ad introducendū incertā rempublicā nisi qui author est illius legis & reipublicae. Secondly euen in the time of the old law whē signes reigned, none were lawful which were not shewed in the patterne of the mount: the letter of which cōmandement then the equity now keepeth out all signes deuised by man which are not found in the pattern of the word. The signes which now mā deviseth, it keepeth out the more strōgly because they obscure the Gospel: for nothing ought to be adūbrated now in the cleer light therof, sayIoh. Brent. in confess. Witenberg cap. vlt. Ioh. Cal­uin instit. li. 4. ca. 10. sect. 14. our writers. So that we thus plead against the oyle (& the oyle & the crosse are twins of one birth)Athanas. oratio. 2. cont. Ar­rian. Christus transsadit in nos vnctionem spiritus abs (que) tali Ceremonia. Again.Euseb hist li. 1. ca. 4. Christianinon vnguntur amplius per typos & ima­gines, fed per ipsas nudas virtutes. August. aduers. Iu­deos. ca. 4. Christus mutanit vnctionē carnalē in spiritualē. No ceremonie in Baptisme like to the oyle, it goeth beyond all the rest, in this that the smell of it affecting the sense,Brisson. de spectacul. pag. 189. 192. it striketh adeeper force & impressiō into the mind. If therfore it must vanish away, and the oile spirituall be only left, much more the sign of the crosse must be taken away, & the crosse spiritual be left only behind, wch is faith in Ch. Iesus crucified, & patiēce to beare his crosse. Wheras it was an anci­ent custom (Ducant de rit. li. 2. ca. 55. sect. 14 saith a papist) to wash the feet before Bapt. the Church is now con­tented with the thing signified only, which is internal preparatiō: why should not we be then contented with the thing signified of the Crosse, in consideration that God hath not abolished his own signs in this time of the Gospel, to giueD. Fulke ag. Saund. of imag. Ioh. Dea­ring. in Heb. lect. 2 mā leaue to set vp others in their roomes. Thus August. August. de doctrin. Christian. lib. 3 ca. 8. Christiana libertas cos quos invenit sub signis vtilibus, interpretatis signis quibus subditi erant ad cas res quarūilla signa sunt ele­uauit. Is it not a singular benefit to be taught clearly without signes: which to vn­derstand some Oros Apollo had need stil be present with vs to expoūd thē: what shal the people of Egipt doe with the Hierogliphicall letters of their priests which are significatiue? plain lettersIoh. Bo­hem Au­ban. lib. 1. cap. 5. are best for thē wherby to write. So was it a benefit for the people of the East, that the EmperorAnton. Gubert. Costan. Polyhistor. cap. 9. abolisht the significatiue writing of the law by Notae, which serued for Compendiū, bringing ina plain maner of writing, with out any such signes. So was it aGenebrard li. 2. ann. mundi. 1791. benefit for Philosophers that Aristot. abolisht the figures & numbers of the Platonickes & Pythagorians reducing lodgike into such an Art, as proued an instrument of plaines in teaching. So was it a benefit (last of all) thatSocrat. hist lib. 6 ca. 3. Sozom. li. 8. ca. 2. Diodorus Tarsensis (Chrysost. schoolm.) brought in a simple & literal meaning of the Scripturs, abolishing mystical significatiōs. What then? very bad seruice do our Opposites to the Church, to make way to a new seruitude of signes to be by man devised against our ownHomil. for Whitsōtyd pag. 2. law, which proueth at large against all signes which the papists haue brought into Bapt. that no signes now should burthē the church, saue those which the L. hath left which are not burthensom. I end with one of our writers.Ioh Key­nold. con­fer. cap. 8. diuis. 4. p. 521. To deuise new signes, is to set the Church to schoole againe after the Ie­wish maner. This Iewish fashion how intollerable now it is, an other tellethChemit. exam. p. 2. rit. de rit. Quod vero praetendunt, &c. wheras they pretend that many things may be godly & profi­tably signified, admonished & taught by those rites which are added be mē, to that it may be answerd, that figurs are proper to the old Testa. Look what things Christ will haue taught & admonished in the new, those things he wil haue proposed and deliuerd not in shadows, but in the light of his word, & we haue a promise frō him for the efficacy of the word but none for the efficacy of figurs deuised by men. But such rites as he would haue added to his word, those he hath ordained himselfe.

#Sect. 26. Though the devising of new signes corrupt the simplicitie of Sacraments ordained by Christ: yet it hindreth not but something is left to the Church concerning circumstances, as time, place, order, &c.

THirdly, the deuising of newe signes corrupteth the simplicitie of the Sacra­ments which are perfectly ordained by Christ: What (then) is there no­thing left to the Church? Yes, the disposing of theZepper de politia. eccles. c. 12 circumstances of Gods ser­uice, as time, place, order of doing with the like: and of the particulers of those things which the word commandeth in generall: as the profession and preaching of faith & repentance at Baptisme, & the applying of the element with praiers fit, beyond which there must nothing bee added as one of our Writers saith, who after he had rehearst all theseZanch. in. ephes. 6. lect de bapt. ca. 7. hoc est primum rituum genus (saith he) quod & neces­sarium est, & solum sufficit. Indeed when Christ said, hoc Theodor. Baeza. epi. 8 facite, he tyed his church to his owne signes, and to them onely, as one thus sheweth,Chemnit. examp. p. 2. de rit. p. 37 Mat. 19.8. 1 Cor. 11.23 Cumfilius Dei sacra­menta ita instituerit, vt ea certis à se institutis ritibus praeceperit administrari, valde ar­dua est quaestioan hominibus permissum sit alios praeterea quocun (que) praetextu superaddere. Fourthly, aske the Fathers of the primatiue Church, whether any signes were v­sed in their dayes besides them which the Lord ordained. For it sufficeth against euery vpstart signe that ab initio non fuit sic: because nothing must be receiued in a Sacrament, but that which the Lord ordained as Paul wrote once to Corinth & it was xxvj. yeres after the assention that he thus wrote. Wherby it appeareth,Bulling. de orig. error. lib. 2. ca. 5. Neijs quidem vnquam venisse in memtem auctiorem ritum Ecclesijs profuturum. Now we are recalled to the simplicitie of these first times well neare by all ourPhillip. Moruae. de Eucharist. lib. 1. ca. 1. D. Willet. cont. 2, q. 4 p. 2. writers. SomeD. Pilkin. epist ad comit. Lei­cest. Ann. 1578. of them wishe that the glory of Christ may shine nakedly of it selfe as in the beginning when it was purest: when all these deuises of men were vnknowne;Chemnit. vt supra. Bucer. in Censur. Others will, that it be now as it was then, when in Baptisme there was no cere­mony, but that which had expresse cōmaundement or ensample in the Scripture. As a man runneth to the fountaine (saith Cyprian) when the channels are defiled, soCypr. cont epist. Ste­phan. must we repaire to the practise of the first Church which is theAnton. Sadeel. cont. Mon. Burdega­lens. art. 1.3 fountaine of all piety. All customes which are growne vp since, we are to reiect, be they neuer so ancient, not sparing the signes which the Fathers themselues did vse; whose cere­monies arose frō anIbid. p. 98. euill roote, which was indeed a fond desire to please the Pa­gans & the Iewes, proceeded with a mind not humble nor obedient, and ended in an euill euent. For God accursed this their presumptiō, & suffered Satan toTheodor. Baeza cont. Balouin. work out of it euen Antich. defection it self frō the faith. Fiftly, to bring in ceremonies & to giue them a signification, is toHamburg. epistol. ad Phillip. melanthon conficere nouū rationale diuinorū officiorū, to the iustifying of Durand, yea of the whole church of Rome in all her symbolicall signes deuised, if not in all (the worst of which is not worse then the Crosse) yet in the white garment, the taper in Baptisme, and the head vayle sith these were not abu­sed by them to operation, but were vsed for significatiō only, as we pretend we vse the crosse. OurD Willet. de bapt. q. 8. error. 5.1. cor. 11.2 3. Mat. 28.19. Act. 10.47. writers vse to alleadge that of the Apost. What I haue receiued, that doe I deliuer: that of our Lord: Goe & baptize, teaching to obserue all that I haue cōman­ded. That of Peter: Can any forbidde water that these may not be baptized, against the oyle, the salt, & the spittle, & the rest of that ragged rewe. I aske, are these scriptures forcible against these? then they exclude the crosse [as well] which is worse then these. And whenBellar. de bapt. ca. 24 Bellarmine biddeth vs cease to teach, we must haue no other signes in Baptisme then such as the scripture warrāteth, or else leaue out our crosse, what shall we answer him? Sixtly, we haue on our side, all the Protestantes downe frō Wick­liefe, not one of them but hath fled to this bulwark: No signe must be receiued in Bap­tisme, which hath ben deuised by man. It wasTho. Wal­dens tom. 3. de sacra. tit. 5. ca. 45. Wicklief himself that sett it on foote;Ioh. Crisp. Cronolog. an. 1400. Iohn Husse continued it:Ioh. Calu. instit. li. 4. c. 15 sec. 19. Mr Caluin resumed it:Harm. cōf. sect. 17 whole Churches confesse it:Magdeb. cent. 1. li 2. ca. 6. & cent. 2 c. 6. D. Willet. de bapt. q. 8. error. 5. All Writers make it good against the Papistes. When Bellarmine excuseth the signes of his Church, and sayeth, they are not advmbrations, because the thinges [Page 100]that are signified by them, are res spirituales presentes, and not things that be to come: hee receiueth answere from vs.Lambert. Danae. cont Bellar. de cult. sanct. lib. 3. ca. 7. It is blasphemie to thinke, that any out­ward thing may be made a signe in the Church of any thing that is spirituall, vnlesse it be expresly ordained in the word, and commaunded by God himselfe to be vsed to that end. When the Monkes of Burdeaux affirme the signes which are added to Baptisme, are an ornament to it, we thus reply:Sadeel. cont. Mo­nach. Bur­degalens. art. 12. Num igitur sunt, &c. Are they wiser then Christ Iesus, who hath ordained his Sacrament in so great puritie and simplici­tie, and who knoweth better then all the men in the worlde, what ornament was fittest for it? If it be but the couenant of a man when it is confirmed, no man abrogateth it, or addeth any thing to it: what arrogancy is it then to adde to the institution of Christ?Bucer. in Censur. cap. 25. Maister Bucer condemneth them that deuise, vllum signum invsum religionis. Act. & monu, in hist. cius Maister Hawkes (holy Martyr) I denie (saith he) in Baptisme all things deuised by man, as your oyle, salt, spittell, &c. Iohn Ibid. in hist. cius Denlie (a Martyr likewise) the Punuch (saith he) said to Phillip: Loe here is water; we doe not read that he asked for Oyle, creame, spittell, or any thing else. Hereby it appeareth, that the ancient Religion of the Protestants is with vs, that libertie to deuise new signes is but a young wanton nouice, which the licentious Adiaphorisme hath begotten.

#Sect. 27. Though it were lawfull for the Church to denise new signes, yet not for religious vse, especially where God hath ordained signes for the same purpose already.

SEcondly, though it were lawfull to deuise new signes, yet not where and for what God hath ordained signes already in vse religious, as the Crosse (wee know) signifieth that which Baptisme hath already signed by the ordinance of the Lord. Exod. 30.38. Leuit. 17.3. Leuit 10.1. Eccles. 3.14. Psal. For first it beseemeth vs to acknowledge God so wise, in the signe that he hath chosen, as to hold it presumption for any to imitate him in deuising of the like. For ensample, None must deuise an Oyle like his, none an Altar besides his, none a fire like the fire which he hath chosen. Yea in his workes themselues he is not magnified as he deserueth till we confesse none is able to come after him: and till wee say, who is able to doe the like? Secondly, when man deuiseth newe signes, the signes of God areCaiet. in Thom. p. 3 qu. 6. art. 5. vilified, as if they also were but from an humane spirit. Yea, as if they wereChemnit. exam. p. 2. tit. de rit. p. 37. minus idoneae & sufficientes: in particular, as if the wa­ter were not inough euen as our owneHomil. for Witson. p. 2. Law speaketh. Thirdly, whereas man is carnall, blinde and impotent, and yet a louer of his owne deuises (no lesse then Pigmalion of his owne picture) if he should bee suffered to inuent newe signes, they would be carnall and not spirituall; dead hauing no power, they would be darke also, vayling the brightnesse of the Sacrament, and yet more loued and de­lighted in, then the Sacraments themselues. For ensample, Gedcon setteth vp an Ephod and other ceremonies like them in the Tabernacle. For the Ephod as a principall one includeth all the rest (saithAugust. in Iudic. li. 8. Augustine) which made it not Ophra in very short time more famous then the Tabernacle? So a Temple built onIoseph. Antiquit. It. 15. ca. 8. Garezim (like the Temple at Ierusalem) ouertoppeth the Temple, and to what fame ariseth a Temple which Onias builtAegesip. li. 2. ca. 13. in Heliopolis, like to that of the Lords in Iurie, abusing to his purpose Esay 10. I will set vp an Altar in the middest of Aegypt. What need we goe further then to the very signe in hand? For no sooner was it added to Baptisme and made a signe like to the Lords, (there being abused to his commendation. Ezech. 9.4. Apoc. 7.3.) but he presently becamePerk. pro­blem. in verb. Chris. greater then the water which was Christs signe, and that in the eyes of those who so aduaun­ced him. Fourthly, we haue here the iudgement of the learned with vs.Ioh. Brent. in confess. Witem­berg. art. 35 What say we to him that condemneth all the ceremonies of the Masse that signifie Christs passion, the same that the Supper signifieth?Bucer in Census. cap. 9. What to him that condem­neth [Page 101]the staying of the child at the Church doore, to signifie originall sinne, be­cause Baptisme signifieth this well inough without it? Last of all, what to allD. Willes de confir­mat. p. 4. our writers, who condemne confirmation for that signifying the same that Baptisme signified before, it robbeth the Sacrament of his honour? Let there be conside­red what ourIohn Wolph. in 2. Reg. 17.10.11. writers haue against the Altars of the high places, because they were set vp for the same vse which the Altar had in the Temple. As for the crosse, he is an Altar fetch from Damascus and set in the Temple cheeke by ioule with the Altar of the Lord, which what is it else, quam Ethnicam suscipere religionem (saithIdem in ca 16. ver. 15. one?) but to partake, say I, with the religion of that Damascus from which wee borrowe him?

#Sect. 28. And though it were lawfull there to ordaine new signes where God hath already ordained, yet is it not lawfull to annex them to the holy signes of God, as with vs the Crosse is.

THirdly, though it were lawfull to deuise new symbolicall signes, where the Lord hath ordained some already, yet is it not lawfull to annex them to the holy signes of God, as we see the Crosse adioined to the water in Baptisme in the very same solemnitie.Ioh. Cal­uin. institut lib. 4. ca. 10. sect. 20. Maister Caluin calleth the holy water a meere profanation and repetition of Baptisme, and yet it is vsed out of Baptisme. What (then) is the Crosse vsed in Baptisme to signifie the same that Baptisme doth? Is not Baptisme the seale of the heauenly king? and can any new print be added to the seale of a King, without high treason?Rolloc. ibid. ex etymo. grec. What that this heauenly King of ours deliuereth his people to bee marked with no other forme or print saue that which is fra­med in his worde and in his owne Sacramentes, Rom. 2.21. and 6.17. It will bee replied, there may be many fit signes of one and of the same thing. To which the schole men answere, Idem Tho. A­quin p. 3. qu 60 art. 5. ad. 1. potest per diuersa signa significari, determinare tamen quo signo sit vtendum ad significandum pertinet ad solum significantem. There is Typus fa­ctus, and there is typus destinatus. A man may vse the former to his priuate vse, but none the latter in vse publique and religious, God hauing here sole authoritie to ordaine the signes of his covenant. For exāple I giue instance in that signe which some of our Opposites obiect vnto vs was lawfully vsed by some of the Fathers. The word [...] which signifyeth a fishe, is at large [...] as it is vsed in the Acrostich of Sibilla. What ifTertul. Tertullian or Ambrose, orBrisson. de spectat. pag 115. Rupertus vse the embleme of a fishe to put them selues in minde of Christ and of their duty to­wardes him, whose fishes they are made by the water of Baptisme. ForAmbros. de Sacram. lib. 3. ca. 1. Ambrose may well inferre, As the water of the creation begate fishes to life, so the wa­ter of regeneration begate thee to grace. Fsto igitur tu piscis quem saculi vnda non mergat: when yet he may not make a Typus determinatus of it in vse religious, and therevpon painte a fishe vpon the forehead of a childe at the time of his bapti­zing. Doe we not crie out vpon the DoueDurant. de rit lib 1. ca. 19. sect. 7. let downe of olde vpon the baptized (one of which I saw at Wickham not abolisht some 25. yeeres past) for a signe of regeneration by the spirit? Nay, whereasDamas in vit. Siluest. some say, Constantine set a lambe in the Baptisterie of Lateran, to signisie our sinnes are washt away in the Sacrament of Baptisme by the bloud of Iesus Christ, we cannotHospin. de re templar. lib. 2. ca. 4. sauour it. and yet this lambe neuer had any such state religious in the Sacrament as the signe of the Crosse hath now. Sure a signe in such manner determined with state in Baptisme, we can ea­sily proue to haue ben abhorred throughout all ages, howsoeuer in the perticular of the Crosse, the Oyle, and some other signes, God permitted the auncient Fa­thers to fayle in heart, to bring in (through their ouersight against their owne ge­nerall doctrine) that Apostacie from the faith which he foretold. For prose here­of, I begin with the Agapae of the auncient Christians annexed to the supper; and so much the more willingly I begin with them, because our Opposites prooue by [Page 102]them the lawfulnes of our adding of the Crosse. First the Agapae were farre more tollerable then the Crosse, they followed after the whole administration and the prayers thereof, they had no state among the actions of the Supper; they were in corporable into the bread and wine to make one banquet with them. Secondly, If we may adde the signe of the Crosse to Baptisme by the patterne of these feasts, then may we adde roastmeat or sodd meat to the Supper of the Lorde, after the manner of theConcil. Constan­tinopl. 6. in Trullo. Can. 99. Armenians, who added sodmeate to the bread and wine of the Lords Supper. The Councill abhorreth this addition, condemneth it, counteth it execrable. And where as some feastes with the vessels of the Supper, the Coun­cill of Bracara thus exclaimeth:Concil. Bracarens. 3. can. 2. Hoc malum & obstupenies deflemus, & deflentes ob­stupescimus vt illic humana temeritas sibi epulum praeparet vbi sanctum spiritum cognos­citur aduocasse et ibi esum Carnium crapulatus assumat vbi diuina visus est celebrasse my­steria. By this we perceiue how odious an additiō of meat would be to the Sacra­ment of the Supper, and (me thinkes) our addition is worse. For the Agapae are more auncient then the Crosse, and they followe after the bread and wine with greater distance then the Crosse doth after the water; & are more homogene to the bread and to the wine then he is to the water. Thirdly, If our Opposites wil match the Crosse and these feastes together, then must he packe out of the Church. For theCarol Bo­uius in Schol. ad Clement. li. 2. ca. 32. papist himselfe will confesse that the Apostle misliked these feastes, and quiteDurant. de rit. li. 1. ca. 26. sect. 8. abolished them. Knowne it is that diuerseConcil. Laodi. en. can. 28 Trullan. can. 74. Councils did forbid them in the Church, and the CanonDecret. p. 1 distinct. 42 cap. 3.4. Lawe still keepeth them out, when Paulinus could not banishe them out of saint Faelix Church at Nola, he mourneth thus:Paulin. Nolan. Natal. 9.

Verum vtinam suis agerent haec gaudia votis
Nec sua liminibus miscerent pocula sanctis.

Which is a president to our Gouernours to grieue at the Crosse in Baptisme, as long as they see it there.

#Sect. 29. No outward signe ought to be added by the Church to Christes institution.

MY second instance is in the addition of the water to the wine of the Supper. For as much as against this addition, and in it the former rule hath euer ben kept (to wit) that no outward signe must be added by the Church to Christes institution. Against itTho. Mort apolog. part 1. cap. 78. Maister Morton alleadgeth a Canon out of a Synode at Orleans that runneth thus: Nullus in oblationibus sacri calicis nisi quod ex fructu sacrae viniae speratur & hoc sine aqua mixium offerre praesamat; quia sacrilegium iudicatur aliud offerre quam quod in mandatis sacratissimis saluator instituit. What edition Mr. Morton followeth I knowe not, but the doctrine is acknowledged by our Church, which holdeth the adding of the water to be against the institutiō, as the Council of Trent interpreteth. And what reason then to adde the Crosse to Baptisme▪ Concil. Trident. sess. 22. can. 9. The water of the Supper is more auncient, the Crosse in Baptisme yonger. Christ vsed the water in the Supper by all probabilitie, the Crosse hee vsed neuer in all certaintie. The water was mixt before the solemnitie of the Supper began, the Crosse is adioyned in the cheese place of it. The water was added for civill vse to alay the wine at first; the Crosse was added for vse religious, yea Sacramentall. The water was neuer abused but to signification only, the Crosse euen to Idolatrous operation. The water of the Supper became one with the wine, the Crosse re­mayneth still a signe by it selfe, and that of a diuerse kinde. If then our Church hath yet abolished the water from the wine of the Supper, least it should heare from the former councill. Thou that abhorrest Idols committest thou sacriledg? much more should the Crosse be remoued from the water of Baptisme, Rom. 2.22. seeing in the ad­dition therof, ther is both sacriledge cōmitted (as the former Council censureth) [Page 103]and an Idoll blest besides. And the dutie of not adding hath ben seuerely kept by those who haue added this water, for that theyHieron. in Marc. c. 14 Damas. li. 4 de fid. c. 14. hold it instituted by Christ, pro­phesied of by Salomon, Cypr. cpist 48. & de consecrat. distinct. 2. cap. 2. bibite ex vino quod miscui vobis, and commended for euer to be vsed in the Sacraments of Christs death, because it flowed forth frō Ibid Mar­tin. Braca­rens. in Sy­nod. can. 55. his side what time he died, whence Sacraments flowe. Vpon these grounds theAurelia­nens. Con­cil. 4. ca. 4. 4. Coun­cill of Orleans in the cōmon edition cōmandeth this mixture vpon the verie same reason that is in the Council, which Mr Morton alledged before, to wit, because it is sacriledg to vse any outward signe in the Supper which is not ordained by Christ. So the Coūcil ofHipponen. Concil. can. 25. Hippo &Concil. Carthag. 3 can. 24. Carthage cōmandeth this mixture & no more, vt in sa­cramentis nihil aliud offeratur quam quod Dominus tradidit. So the decree ofIulii. 1. de­cret. 7. Iulius & theBracanens 3. cap. 1. councill of Bracara commaunde this mixture and no more vpon this reason that nothing be done in the Sacrament, but that the Lord did. So the Councill of Cōstantinople cōmandeth this mixture to the Armenians, because nothing must be diminished nor added to thatSynod. 6. in Trull. can. 32. Quod Dominus tradidit. Last of all, So the Councill ofWormati­ens. Con­cil. can. 4. Wormes held in the yeare 868. cōmandeth this mixture & no more, because a­liud offerri non debet quam quod Christus sub hoc Sacramento praebuisse cognoscimus. My third instance is in the honnie added to the wine of the Supper: like to which addition was the honny added to the water of Baptisme, and put into the mouth of the infant baptized. These are asTertul. de coron. milit Baron, ann. 294. ancient as the Crosse, and they were neuer so much abused, neither are they now likely to doe like hurt. Yet aAntisio­dorens. Concil. can. 8. Exod. Coūcil thought the honny added to the wine vnlawful, because our L. ordained it not, & our own Church hath cast out the other. Moses forbad hony in everie sacrifice. Wherfore? to shut out all humane additions, which are honny-sweet to his carnall wisdome, in which relishe the crosse exceedeth all his fellowes. My fourth instance is in the addition of the milke to the L. supper; like to which was the milke added to the water in Baptisme, and put into the mouth of the partie baptized. This was asTertul. de coron. milis an­cient as the crosse, & it was neuer so much abused, & it hath his analogie of signifi­cation out of the scripture. it was giuen to the baptizedHieron. epist. cont. Luciferia­nos. ad infantiae significationē: out of Peters words, As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word, &c. which is still the epistle read now as of old (saithBellar. de bapt. ca. 27. Bellarmine) to the baptized in Dominica in albis the next Sunday after Easter. Howbeit for all this, we haue turned it head­long out of Baptisme, as the CouncillsBracarens. 3. cap. 1. Iulii. 1. de­cret. 7. cashiered it out of the supper, because the L. ordained it not. This is in theDecret. p. 3. de conse­crat. distin. 2. cap. 7. Canon-law exprest at large quam hoc sit, &c. how contrarie this is to the Apostolicall doctrine, it will not be difficult to proue by the fact of the truth it self, by whom the Sacraments are ordained. For whē the Mr of the truth cōmended the true sacrifice of our saluation to his Disciples, we know he gaue thē in this Sacrament no milke but bread only & the cuppe. let therfore milk cease to be offred, because a manifest & evident example of evangelical truth hath shined forth, that besides bread & wine it is not lawfull to offer any thing else. We haue here that the institution must be kept pure frō al additiō of any signes, & that a signe added is contrary to the institution. The very memory is abhorred of theLambert. Dane. in August. de haeres. c. 64 Barsaniani and Semidalitae, for that insteed of bread they vsed meale, euen as others are vtterly cōdemned for bringingConcil. Bracarens. 3 de consecr. v [...]supra. grapes in steed of wine. Others for giuing the bread dipt in wine pro cōplemento cōmunionis. The Greek church now at Cōstantino. crumbleth the bread into the wine, & so take both in a spone together. If these sin through defect against the complement of the Sacrament, iudge (then) whether the crosse sinneth not in excesse, added for a further complement to the same? My last instance is in the bread & cheese, which theEpiphan. in haeres. 49. August. de haeres. cap. 28. Artotyritae brought into the Sup­per vpon an imitation of auncient times when the fruites of the earth & the fruits of the cattell were wont to be offered to the Lord; for they brought the cheefe for the fruit of the cattell, & the bread for the fruite of the earth. We plead antiquitie for the crosse in Baptism, bread & cheese pretēd as much for a place in the supper. [Page 104]Notwithstanding this pretence, the bread and cheese are sent packing, because not commaundedConrad. Lutzen­burg. Ca­tolog. haeres. in verb. A [...] ­totyrit. in the institution, at the terror whereof the Crosse would begin to trusse vp his packe, trusted he not in our parcialitie, who pull him backe euen when we see the backes of his betters.

#Sect. 30. Though it were lawful to deuise new symbolicall signes in the Sacrament where God hath ordayned alreadie, yet not to take a Crosse frō the brothelhouse of superstition.

FOurthly, though it were lawfull to deuise new symbolicall signes in the Sa­crament where God hath ordained some already, and to append them to these Sacraments, and by name to Baptisme: yet is it not lawfull to take a Crosse from the brothelhouse of Gods great enemie, all whose signes must out to the dunghill: as ourWhitak. cont. Du­reum li. 8. p. 657. Anton. Sadeel. cont. Mo­nath. Bur­degalens. art. 13. best Diuines doe teach. Thus Augustine, August. de doct. Chri­stian. Il. 3. cap. [...]. 1. Cor. 10.22. Quod ad cos quos Dearinuenit sub signis invtilibus non solum seruilem operationem sub talibus signis sed ipsa etiam signa frustrauit, remouit (que) omnia. What plainer euidence can wee haue as to remooue the superstitious vse of this signe, so likewise this signe it selfe: we in stead of remoouing, bring him into the holy place. What meane we thus euen to despite the Lord (saith Paul vnto vs?) For as Adrian could not spite the Iewes worse, then to set vp the Image of a swine ouer the gateGenebrard lib. 3. in an. D. 129. Isay. 66.2. of Ierusalem which they most hated, so for ought that I can see we cannot more prouoke the Lord, then to set vp, his Sacrament this signe (most odious) of his enemie, which is as swines flesh to him. And must we needes amongst those his enemies signes make choise of the Crosse, the very worst of all the rest? For as the sottishnes ofHieron. in Dan. ca. 11 Ptolemeus Philopater, was the more ignominious, the more base his harlot Agathoclea was, so is our prouocation the greater (wherewith we prouoke the Lord) in that our in­ordinate loue hath lighted on the Crosse, then which there is not amongst all o­ther signes of Rome a more grosse or dirtie harlot. What that we loue her euen in her filthines: to wit, in her signification which is the shame of her adultery and fornication. The Crosse must be worshipped (saithSuar. tom. [...]. in Tho. disput. 56. sect. 3. one) Quia habet significa­tionem sacram, he must be adored (saithBellar. de imag. c. 20. another) Non solum quatenus goret vicem prototypi sed etiam quatenus similitudinem geritrei sacrae, & quatenus signum. It may be here will arise some scruple; as if our writers thought not the Crosse to be the worst of Baptismes pollutions: because they are silent and name not the Crosse, when they name others: to wit, the oyle, salt, and spittel, & write against them. But it may be their purpose was to rehearse the rites that were proper to Baptisme. Tertullian himselfe nameth not the Crosse in his booke which he writeth of Bap­tisme, who yet holdeth it one of the chiefest rites therof. The Papists thinke most highly of the Crosse; yet doe they often omit it: as in these verses.

Sal, oleum, chrisma, cereum Chrismale, saliua
Flatus virtutem Baptismatis ista figurant,
Haec cam patrimis non mutant esse sedornant.

As for our writers when they name not the Crosse, they include it. And there beBulling. decad. 5. serm. 8. who among the pollutions of Baptisme, name the signe of the Crosse for the very first. WhoGualt. in Mat. ca. 3. among the fordes of Baptisme name the signe of the Crosse for one. Lastly, who among theStephan. Szegedin. de bapt. tabul. 2. profanations of Baptisme reckon the Crosse, & ther­foreZepper. de polit. ecclesiastic. li. 1. ca 10. pag. 50. throw him out of the Sacrament, as out of a sling. Indeed why not he aswell as his fellowes? because the Crosse is aereall, & not so grosse as the rest that be ma­teriall. As if we haue not abolisht the Flatus of the exorcisme, which is as aereall as is the crosse, andWhitak. quo supra. cont. Dureum lib. 8. pag. 658. condemned it for superstitious euen as it was vsed aunciently [Page 105]amongst the Fathers? Great exception sure to be taken against the aërealnes of a popishe signe, seeing to them there is euen a Character that is invisible and yet a signe; wordes also are signes with them in their Sacraments of penance and marriage, which are more aereall then the Crosse. Another obiection is wont to be made we may well choose the signe of the Crosse aboue his fellowes, be­cause God in nature hath commended him, a thing not lightly thought of by the Fathers: who vse to cite for the Crosses commendation, that no man can sayle in the sea without it; or till the lande; and that the foule flying, yea man him­selfe praying doth make the Crosse. These were but rhetorications in the Fa­thers; and they had vse against the pagans who depended on nature, as for vs who depend vpon Christs institutiō, weIust. Lip. de cruc. leaue them to papists to play withal. For if we go to the best signes in nature, what forme comparable to a circle? of which the verie Fathers themselues: p Circulirotundi figura est figura caeteris pulchrior. August. de quantitat anim. cap. 15. Hieron in Iob. cap. 38. If to the best by art, why is not theCouncill. Constan. triangel of Hierome of Prage, as good as the best, that which he termed scutum fidei? But wee must take heed, in a Sacrament how we relye vpon natures commendation. Some Christians once vsedCaesar Baron. Anal. ann. 257. water in the Lords supper not wine, least the smell of it should haue detected them to their persecutours. These did ill, but the Aquarij worse, who euen out of the time of persecution and of daunger vsed water and not wine, which sprang from theLambert. Dane. in August. de. heres. ca. 64 Ta­ciani, and the Encratita who advaunced water aboue wine, for naturall qualities and commendations. Nay, wee must turne a quite contrary leafe admiring the goodnes, and the wisdome of God, who hath chosen commonPet. Lom. lib. 4 dist. 4. creatures for the signes of his Sacraments and such as be in u nature bace, that so no vertue may be put in them, and our obedience be tryed by submitting our selues vnto them. A third obiection is wont to be made.Catechis. Roman. pag. 177. Many of the reformed Churches beyond the seas retaine still the Crosse in Baptime, for I haue heard the sounde of such a blast, which maketh me much to mervaile. For the harmonie of confessions maketh no such things to appeare vnto vs: wee finde not by it the signe of the Crosse recea­ued, or approoued in any protestant Church on the earth, we finde an obserua­tion rather which inclusiue speaketh some what against it. Quadam istorum, &c. (speaking of the popishe rites of Baptisme)Harmon confes. sect [...] 13. obsera. 2. ad Helu. posterior. certaine of these as meerly superstiti­ous; others as manifestly translated from the Baptisme of old men to the Baptisme of infants, by the negligence of the Bishops others of them (last of all) as being altogether vnprofitable. We haue dasht out, as is plainly confessed in the confessi­on of Wittenberge. Doth notIacob. Pamel. in Tertul. de coron. mili. Pamelius make this difference betweene the Lu­therans and the Caluinistes, that the one doth vse the signe of the Crosse, the other doth not vse it? AndBellar. de Bapt. ca. 24. Bellarmine citeth no protestaut Church, when he would prooue that we vse the Crosse in Baptisine without the warrant of the word, hee only citeth a catechisme of Lutherans which hath these wordes: signum Crucis sig­netur in fronte & in pectore Baptizandi. Now as for this Luther he crossed himselfe euery morning and euery euening, and is neuer seeneCalsh. ag. mart. art. 7. fol. 143. painted but praying be­fore some crucifixe. Shall we approue him in this also as wee approue him in the former? No, but in both let vs consider how contrary he is euen to his owne doctrine deliuered else where, in Baptisme Luther, homil. 1. de bapt. anno. 1535 eadem signa quae Christus instituit & non alia sant adhibenda. And such is the sinfull office of the Crosse in Baptisme, seeing man hath planted him there for a signe, the heauenly Fathers will is, that hee should be rooted out.

#Sect. 31. Obiections of the Opposites: The Crosse is sooner to be vsed in that it teacheth good things, and hath a profitable signification: therefore euery ceremonie is significant, or els vayne: that the Lord delighted much in signes which the woman shewed, and blamed Si­mon for not shewing the like, &c.

HOwbeit our Opposites lacke not a painting to make it seeme euen faire and beautifull. They tell vs the Crosse is the sooner to bee vsed in that it teacheth good things, and hath a profitable signification. Heereupon it is obiected (first of all) that euery ceremonie is significant,Hook. li. 5. cap. 65. fol. 15 [...]. Luke 7.44. or else vaine; that our Lord delighted much in signes which the woman shewed; and blamed Symon▪ for not shewinge the like: and that the kneeling, knockinge of the breast, and the lifting vp of the eyes, are all of them signes which signifie somewhat. At a worde, that no ceremonie can adde a decencie to Gods wor­ship vnlesse it signifie. And is there any aunswere expected to so grosse a pa­ralogisme, and so wilfull an ignoraunce of the Elench? For wee dislike not all signes, but onely such as areTheodor. [...]aza epi. [...] ad Grindal Episc. Lon­don [...]. Symbolicall, of which the signe of the Crosse is one, but these forenamed are none. For seeing God hath reserued to himselfe all authoritie to ordaine the seales and signes of his owne Coue­nant, wee are worthely ielous against all other signes, in cause they be Sacramen­tall.

Now what is a Sacramētall signe? For the vnderstanding hereof we must consi­der that some signes are Nata only, some onely data, some nata and data both, and these are Sacramental, asBellarmin. de sacram. in gen. c. 9. Bellarmine truly deduceth out of Augustine and others. It being so, our Opposites wander from the question, when they talke of kneeling knocking of the brest, and lifting vp the handes in prayer, because these are not signes Sacramentall, of which the question is, but signes naturall: witnes this they are common to all men of what Religion soeuer they be. And this our neighbourConfess. Scor [...]. ae­dit. Iun. [...]0 25 [...]0. churches see who vse the former signes of knocking, kneelinge, lifting, who yet renounce all Crosses and crossings, and all Simbolicall signes of popery. Vpon the same string do our Opposites iarre when they prooue man may ordaine the signe of the Crosse in the seruice of God, because Paule approueth the signe of avayle to shewe the subiection of the wife vnto the Husband. For what haue we to doe with this signe which is not Sacramentall, but Artificiall, which Paule (we see) prooueth to agree with the Law of nature, and so doth the CanonChem [...]i [...]. examin. p. 2. titul. de rit. [...] Cor. 10. Law it selfe. Againe, our Opposites wander from the question when they tell vs, that man may ordaine signes for order and decencie, as a faire cloth on the commu­nion table, is a signe of reuerence, and the ringing a Bell is the signe of a Sermon. What haue we to doe with these signes againe, which are not Sacramentall, but meerly Artificiall? not Simbolica, but marè indicantia? not signifying but showing only. What aptnes haue these signes of their owne nature to intimate these things? sure none at all, neither could they be signes of them more then an Ivie-bushe is of it selfe a signe of wine, had not institution of man ordained them to this purpose. Neither of these signes then are within the Question as the signe of the Crosse is, which way bee thus demonstrated. Two things are required to a Sacramentall signe, the first is, that it haue by nature some analogie, and relation to the thing it signifieth. Secondly, that this Analogie and reuerence bee but confuse [...]ellar [...] [...]sup [...]a. apta quidem vs significet, sed acta non significans nisi humana institutione determinetur. For en­sample, the particular Image of Titius is no Sacramentall signe but naturall, because the similitude is so vehement, that of it selfe it representeth him. The Image that hath but the generall shape of a man, is no signe of Titius more [Page 107]then of Caius. Yet when it is determined by the painter to be the Image of Titius, whose name hee writeth vnderneath it to restraine it vnto him, now it a signe of Titius, not meerely naturall, nor meerely artificiall, but in the middle betweene both (or mixt of both rather) that is, Symbolicall: So fareth it with the signe of the Crosse. The Crosse is a similitude of a man crucified, as theSuarez tom. 1. in Thom. dis­put. 56. sect 2. Iesuite teacheth truely. Heereby he is of nature apt to represent any one man crucified, Peter, Andrew, or whosoeuer. The Churches determination commeth and restraineth him to the sonne of man Christ Iesus crucified, and is he not nowe a Sacramentall signifier of him? Yes, as well as the member of generation was a signe of originall sinne in the Sacrament of circumcision. This member hath Analogie to the propagation of it, because it is an instrument of propagation. The very same habitude and relation hath the Crosse to the death of Christ. For was it not an instrument of it? Gedeons Ephod had no naturall fitnesse to represent the God that gaue him victorie; but the signe of the Crosse hath as good to represent Christes death: because it is an instrument of his death as well as theAugust. quest. sup. Iudic. cap. 41. Ephod was an instrument of Gods worship.Ioh. Bohe. Auba. de moribu [...] gent. lib. 1. cap. 5. The Empe­rour of Ae [...]hiopia when he goeth foorth, hath a Crosse carried before him, and an earthen pitcher full of earth: the one signifying his profession, the other his mortalitie. Hath this pitcher of earth a Symbolicall signification? Then hath the signe of the Crosse aswell. For it is onely by the adiunct or effect of morta­talitie that he Symbolizeth with the same, and a Metonimicall Symbolizer, the Crosse is as well as he. TheAugust. de mirabi. sacr. senp. lib. 1. ca. 16 Aegyptians for a monument of Iosephes feeding them with corne, set vp an Oxe by his Toumbe: which was the cause (as Augustine thinketh) that the Iewes chose the figure of an Oxe in the wilder­nesse. Now looke what Analogie this Oxe had to represent the husbandrie of Ioseph, and the same hath the Crosse to represent the death of Christ: it beeing an instrument thereof aswell as the Oxe was an instrument of Iosephes husbandrie. ThisIoh. Rai­nold. de I­dolat. lib. 2 cap. 3. sect. 1 [...]. Ioseph is called Bos Dei, by God himselfe, and his feeding of Aegypt with corne, is represented in Pharaohes dreame by seuen fatt Kine, be­cause in Aegypt they were the instruments of husbandrie, as Iosephus telleth vs. The Romanes also honoured Minucius, aureo boue, when hee reteyned them in time of dearth. all which make cleare that a figure drawen from the instrument is Symbolicall, and so by consequent proue the Crosse to bee Symbolicall, it being an instrument of Christes death which it representeth to vs. The beastes that were worshipt in Aegypt had Symbolicall relation sufficient to represent their Gods, because they were the badges ofLudoni. Viues in August. Godes [...]alk Steweceius in veget. de re militar. them which they bore in their banners, while they were aliue. How much more hath the Crosse a relation suffi­cient to Christes death seeing he more neerly pertaines vnto it: then these beastes did to the men whom they resemble? How is the serpent apt to figure Christ crucified, but by the poale on which hee is hanged, which figured the Crosse the neerest instrument of his crucifying? What need more a doe? such aptnes hath the Crosse to signifie the crucifying of Christ, as that the Fathers, yea Scriptures themselues vse by the name of the Crosse to describe his death, euen as the Canon of the Crosse it selfe confesseth. No marueile, the one being the Suppositum; the other the Appositum (as Bellarmine speaketh) which are so neerely linckt together as that the one may very well stand for the other.Siluest. in­summa. ver. imag. Figura Christi est, quae ducit ad Christum argurtiuè. Nowe what argument hath quicker passage then that which commeth from such a subiect to such an adiunct? But Sacramentall signes are similitudinary. True, but there is a similitude Metoni­micall, as well as Metaphoricall, which Metaphoricall similitude is not wanting in the Crosse, neither as those wordes ofTho. Aq. pag. 3. qu. 75. art. 9. Aquinas shewe insignitur signo Crucis, si­cut miles signo ducis. They shall haue their Fathers name written in their forheades. [Page 108]This hath allusion to the signe of the Crosse (say some) which is not so, but to the writing of the EmperoursIust. Lyps. de Roman. militia. li. 1 dialog. 9. marke and name in the flesh, yea foreheads of those who were prest to warre, vntill the writing of it in the forehead was by theCod▪ lib. 9 ti. 7. ca. 17. Law forbidden. Howbeit, as souldiers are separated to their Emperour by his marke, so are men set apart vnto Christ, to fight vnder his banner by the signe of the Crosse. The very word token [we signe him with the signe of the Crosse in token, &c.] sheweth that the Crosse is vsed as a [...] à figura à typus; all which the Scriptures, 1. Pet. 3.2 [...]. Gregor. Nazianz, oration. de pasch. 2. August. epist. 23. Fathers, ourAnglican. confess. art. 10. selues appropriate to a Sacramentall signifying. To conclude (then) as there are words meerely indicant which shew, & words figu­ratiue which signifie: so are there signes merè indicantia which shew, and signes symbolicall which signifie, and a man may determine the first, but not the latter: euen as we were tolde by Thomas and Caietan in part before. Now this power to determine signes indicant, whether it be a deuising or no I will not dispute, it may seeme man may onely in the seruice of God dispose. It is apparant he cannot de­uise any of the naturall indicant signes mentioned before, but dispose them only. As for the signes which are artificial and depend on mans institution, in this sense he is only a disposer of them, & not a deuiser in that he is tyed to such as are decent in vse already. So that he may not deuise any newe ceremonie against common decencie: witnes Paul, who taketh not vpon him to approue the vayle before he hath proued it decent, 1. Cor. 11. and who beateth downe euery contrary rite to this. It is not decent in common practise, we haue no such custome, nor the Churches of God, which now fighteth strongly against the Crosse and Surplice: because where are they vsed out of our Church? And this may suffice for this first obiection.

#Sect. 32. The second obiection of the Opposites, There be many similitudes in scripture drawne from Gods creatures, which imploy so many signes, &c.

THe second telleth vs, Sect. 32. there be many similitudes drawn in the Scriptures from Gods creatures which imploy so many signes. which doth warrant vs to vse Gods creatures not only to vses naturall, butBucer. in lib. de re vestiar. Rom. 1.20. ad significationes etiam, & ad pias ad­monitiones. First the Crosse and Surplice quatenus talia are no creatures of God, but of Antichrist rather: which, will he endure as signes determined in his coue­nant? Secondly, Gods creatures shew him, but signifie him not: that of Antonie is famously knowne:Tripartit. hist. lib. 8. cap. 1. The Theater of the world is my booke: and a booke teacheth indicantly, not Sacramentally. So that ourGualt. in Luke 8. homil. 75. writers will hence conclude, that hauing naturall images, we need neither artificiall nor Sacramentall to be deuised. Thirdly, though in ciuill vse, yet not in the Church, may theSee D. Bils ag. apolog. p. 4. p. 388 Alegories and si­militudes of the Scriptures be painted, seeing [dicere] and [pingere] are so [im­paria] as that the words themselues of Scripture (in someIosias Simler. in Exod. 20. fol. 83.86. mens iudgement) must not be painted on the Church walles, because that place serueth for the preaching not for the painting of them. Swerue we from this, and suffer the Papist to ouer­runne vs, who hath chosen the best Similitudes that are in the Scripture, to paint and acte them in Gods seruice. He putteth salt into the mouth of the Baptized to act the similitude of salt vsed in the Scripture, and this rite is very auncient, for August. mentioneth it:August. li. 1. confes. cap. 11. signabor signo eius & condiebar eius sale. and Origen alludeth vnto it when he willeth men to prepare themselues [vt Origen. in Ezech. ho­mil. 6. fiant sal domini.] and not be Baptized like Simon Magus. He hath incense to act these words:Durant. de rit. li. 2. ca. [...]9. sect. 1. Let my pray­er ascend as the incense, and we Idem. li. 1. ca. 9 sect. 8 spread abroad the sauour of life. He hath lampes which he putteth into the handes of theDurant. de rit. li. 1. ca. 19. sect. 41 Baptized, to acte the parable of the virgins lampes, and other similitudes of light in the Scripture. and the light is (also) aun­cient, as being vsed in theGregor. Nazianz. in oration. de sanct. bapt. dayes of Nazianzen. He hath a white garment which he putteth vpon the body of the Baptized, to acte the wedding garment and the [Page 109]armour of light, and the keeping of garmentes pure, and other similitudes of the same stampe. the antiquitie of which ceremonie needeth no prooue. And to what ende? for through this libertie of acting similitudes out of the scripture in Gods seruice, it is come to passe, that there is nothing now without signification. no part of the Church, but it is a signe of somewhat. the shutting of the doore; the com­ming in; the goeing to the deske, &c. haueMaximin. in mysta­gogia. all of them their significations. yea without the church and all, scarce any thing is free for vs to behold, not as a signe; witnes theDurant. de [...]rit. li. 1. ca. 22. sect. 8. Cocke that standeth on the steeple to acte the crowing of Peters cock, to put men in minde of awaking to repentance. Now what is that which our Crosse blundreth? the scripture it selfe vseth the name of the Crosse to expresse Christes death, therefore we may vse the figure of it to act what Christ speaketh? Then are the Papistes iust and righteous, & we must no more cry out against them for any of their forenamed actings. There are no better similitudes to be chosen out of the scripture then those which they doe act already. If those be not lawfull, none are lawfull. if none, then not the acting of the Crosses similitude neither. Augustine telleth vs that Christ in the scripture is compared to a Bull,August. cont. Faust. Manich li. 18. cap. 6. propter vir­tutem Crucis cuius cornibus impios ventilauit. Ribera in Habac. cap 3. num. 26 Hierome is very often to prooue, that where the word horne in the old testament is spoken of Christ, there hee figureth the Crosse. This being graunted, let this position hold, it is lawfull to act what the scripture speaketh by way of figure and similitude, and it will be founde as waran­table, as the signe of Christes death, to put a paire of Bulls hornes vpon the fore­head of the baptized. A redde threed by this reason wilbe found as warrantable as the signe of the Crosse for life, not only because the Fathers make Rahabes red threed a signe and figure of Christes death, but also because formerIacob. Vi­triac. histo. Occident. lib. 2. ca. 36 pa. 396. times haue in Baptisme vsed it accordinglie to this ende, togither with the Crosse.

#Sect. 33. The third obiection of the Opposites: There be diuers signes added in the scripture by man lawfully as the knife of stone, &c.

THirdly, it is obiected, That there be diuerse signes founde in the scripture ad­ded by man lawfully. First (say our Opposites) what say yee to the knife of stone added by Iosua or the Iewes to the Sacrament of Circumcision with a sym­bolicall signification, forIustinus Martyr in Tryphon. August. de temp. serm. 141. Nicho. Lyran. in Iosuah 5. he signified Christ our rocke and corner stone. First, there is no comparison betweene this knife and the crosse, because the crosse is a signe of state by it selfe, whereas the knife was an instrument of the signe of Cir­cumcision, and so by consequent no more an addition then the siluer pipe which lay men vsed in the sacramēt of the Supper, as the statute of the Carthusians shew­eth, which was, they should possesse nothing but a siluer cuppe and a pipe of sil­uerBeat. Rhe­nan. in Tertul. de co­ron. milit. qua laici dominicum absorbeant sanguinem. Secondly, There was neuer added a knife of stone to the sacrament of Circumcision but it was alwayes a knife of iron as Iustinus Martyr Iustinus Martyr. vt supra. witnesseth. But the text calleth them kniues of stone. The Cal­dee paraphrast interpreteth giadiolos acutos, as well he might. For what is heere a knife [...] the Septuagint, or ex petra acutus as the ordinarie glosse. At a word, what is the knife of stone, but a knife of theArrias Monta. in hunc locsi. whet-stone: that whet-stone which may not be sold by theDigest. lib. 39. tit. 4. ca. 11. ciuill lawe to an enemie vnder payne of death, it is so fitt to sharpen. But what shall we say to the Fathers (then) who make this knife of stone a figure of Christ? who say more ouer that Circumcizion was on the 8. day to figure out Christes resurrection. Why, as it isAndre. Masius in hunc loc. pa. 83. pertinacie in them who defende this stony knife though they doe it because they are loth to loose that figure of Christ which the Fathers haue placed in it, so now it will be partinacie for thee to defende the signe of the Crosse in Baptisme for that significations sake wherewith the Fathers dignifie it. Alas, thou must consider how playfull they were in their [Page 110]significations. and thou mayest easilie see from hence what litle hurt it is to loose the fonde figures they haue deuised.

The second signe added by man (which our Opposites do alleadge) is the Altar of Iordan bancke. The altar of the two Tribes and an halfe was lawfully added to the Altar of the Temple (say they) therefore the Church may lawfully adde the signe of the Crosse to the water of Baptisme. First let me reason a litle better: The Altar like to that of Damascus, was added vnlawfully in the Temple: and the Altar of the high places was an vnlawfull addition likewise: therfore the addition of the signe of the Crosse to the signe of the water, is vnlawfull altogether. Secondly, who lamenteth not to see how grosse our Opposites are growne? For what cohe­rence in this argument, what coincidence in these two signes? For neither was the Altar of the two Tribes in state religious as the Crosse is, nor in vse. it was ciuill in the iudgement of the mostD. Babing. in the 2. cō ­ment. learned of our Opposites. Or if it were to an holy vse, yet not to the same for which the Altar of the temple serued. The Tribes had sinned (say ourLudouic. Lauater. in Iosu. 22: homil. 61. writers) if out of the Temple they had determined an Altar to the same vse, for which the Lord had set vp one in the Temple already. And sith it was out of the temple, it was not in state religious like the Crosse. What if it were? It had bene but like the Altar which Salomon reared, when Moses Al­tar could not beare all the sacrifices that were brought. From this Altar it is, that Bellarmine argueth a great deale more strongly, then our Opposites from the other of Iordan banke. The addition of an new Altar added by Salomon, was lawfull (saith he) therefore additions of men are lawfull to the worshipps of God. How doe we answer him? First, this was done vpon speciall warrant, as Salomon was a Prophet who had extraordinarie inspiration (say someMatt. Sut­cliue cont. Bellar. de summo Pō ­tific. lib. 4. cap. 6. of our writers) and from these it will followe against Bellarmine and our Opposites, that there is no war­rant ordinarie in the worde to adde in any religious vse, either Altar, Crosse, or any signe else. Secondly, this Altar was added out of the equitie, euen of Moses law it selfe (sayFranc. Iu­nius cōtro­uers. 3. lib. 4. cap. 17. nota 4. others) neither was it any addition at all, seeing no newe signe of a di­uerse kinde. These put this answere into our mouthes: The Altar of Iordan was no such addition, in respect of the kinde, as is the addition of the Crosse which is a new signe, of a diuerse species from the water, to which he is added. Another Al­tar is set by the old, to this answeres not a Crosse, set by the water but two Fontes of water, set one by the other, when one of them doeth not suffice, that which in deed is no addition. Thirdly, (and last of all) either our Opposites haue very bad happe, or else they cannot speake one syllable saue out of the popish, or Lutheran Grammar. They thinke it much when they are able to saye, that our Crosse ser­ueth only for a memoriall (euen as this Altar did) but a papist frō this place, spea­keth as honestly, as they for their liues. The signe of the Crosse (saithAnd. Mae­fius in Ios. 22.28. he) is like this Altar, which the Church proposeth to vs, not that wee should adore it, but that we should remember the Altar, whereon our Priest (according to Melchizo­deches order) offered him selfe, as a sacrifice for vs. And they thinke they haue ex­cuseth their Crosse sufficiently from being popish, when they haue said, we vse him not to the same ende, but in a diuer se manner. But there is aDauid Chytre in hunc locsi. Lutheran, that speaketh as strongly, and as honestly for the Images of his Church: As here the Tribes (saith he) being challenged about this Altar, make answere, they set him not vp for sacri­fice, but to another ende: so when the Iconomachi challenge vs about our Images, we may well excuse out selues in the like manner: Wee doe not sett them vp to adore them, as papistes doe, but we vse them for monuments only.

The third signe added by man, which our Opposites doe alleadge, is the signe of the Crosse added to the Sacrament of the Passeouer, for as much as it appeareth byIustinus Martyr in Tryphon. Iustinus Martyr, the Paschall Lambe was rosted in the forme of a Crosse. One of my brethren hearing of this, said, that he had often heard of a tale of a rosted horse, [Page 111]but neuer of a rosted Crosse before. This reply will serue the turne. For either the Paschall Lambe was not dressed in forme of a Crosse, or if it were, it was no typus destinatus: or if it were, it was instituted from the beginning.

#Sect. 34. The 4. signe alleadged for the defence of the Crosse, is the imposition of hands: and why should not the signe of the Crosse be as lawfull as it.

THe fourth signe added by man which our Opposites doe alleadge, is the Im­position of handes. why should not the signe of the Crosse be as lawfull as it (say they). First, as our writers answer the Papistes imposition of handes, in the A­postles times was a signe, but not a sacrament, so we answer our adverse brethren. It was a signe meerly indicant by institution from God in the old Testament; by the custome of Christ and his Apostles in the new: whereas the Crosse is a signe Symbolicall and Sacramentall with a worde annext vnto it iust like the water. Second­ly, our writers defend this imposition of handes was euer [ritus liber] whereas we are bound now to the Crosse although it want that ensample in the word which this signe hath. Thirdly, whereas the Catechized had the handes laide on them before they were baptized, and thereby were receiued into the Church, though some differences may be alleadged betweene the signe of the crosse and it, yet we holde it superstitious like the Crosse which was made in it, and with whom it a­rose, for the highest mentioner of it isConcil: Carthag. senten. 37. Vincentius Tibaritanus, co-equall with Cy­prian, for that counterfeit Dionisius Dionis. A­reopag. in Ecclesiast. Hierarch. Areopagita who cannot be more auncient. Fourthlie, imposition of handes following Baptisme, is cancelled by the reformed Churches for the popish abuse thereof: no where is it vsed but in England and in Boheme, where some thinke it to beHarmon. confesse. in obseruat. in sect 13. ad Bohemic. tollerable because it hath some profit there, and breedeth no offence. neither of which can be saide here of this signe of the Crosse. The fift signe added by man is the [Osculum pacis] which was vsed in the primitiue Church. Which seeing it was lawfully added to the Sacrament of the Supper, why may not the Crosse (a like signe vnto it) be adiected vnto Baptism? First, this wentIusti. Mar­tyr apolog. 2. ad finem Tertul. in lib. de ora­tion. before the very solemnitie of the supper,Chrysost. Homil. de prodit. Iu­dae. to prepare men to a worthie receiuing in loue and charitie. It had no state in the sacrament it selfe, as the Crosse hath now in Baptisme. Secondly, this was a meere naturall signe of peace, and not symbolicall or sacramentall. all the people of the earth vse to im­brace, and to strike handes, and to kisse, when they will shew forth indicant signes of peace and reconciliation. Two men that were enemies ioyne handes together in the Church before they goe to the communion table in token of recōciliation. will you make a sacramentall signe of this? or will you say it is an addition to the sacrament or affirme the signe of the Crosse is no worse, nor no more an addition then it? but now the kisse of the primitiue Church was such: men ioyned hands in it: men embraced one another in it; asChrysost. ad popul. Antiochē. homil. 51. Chrysostome telleth vs: and these verses of Paulinus: Tunc ambo nexi ad invicem dextras damus. In osculo pacis sacrae, &c. Quis­quisne tibi (Hieron. ad Theophil. Alexand. saith Hierome) invitus communicat? quisquamne extensa manu vertit fa­ciem & inter sacras apulas Iudae osculum porrigit? So is this kisse a signe of Loue, as the turning away of the face is a signe of hatred, that is, a naturall indicant signe, & not symbolicall or sacramentall like the Crosse. Thirdly, what is now become of this kisse? It is cast forth of the Church. Wherefore? because it was abused. for it begate in poperie the kissing of a table, which had the Image of Christ, or of some saint in it (called the Paxe.) and wherefore was it turnde at first into the kissing of this Paxe? why, for the same reason, that kissingClemens in constie. li. 8. ca 11. of men and women together was forbidden before,Gabr. Biel. in can. mis­sae. lect. 8 1 Durant. de rit. lib. 2. ca. 54. sect. 7. ne recti specie aliquid libidinis diabolico afflatu irrepat. Alas then for vs, who cannot euen by this learne to abolish the signe of the Crosse, lesse aun­cient, lesse profitable, more abused: it selfe hauing begotten a worse Idolatrie? no, [Page 112]though it be needfull to abolish it, not onely to prevent ne quid irrepat, but also to remedie that which is crept in alreadie. Nowe, besides this kisse before the Com­munion, there was one giuen to the partie baptized before his baptisme, about which wee need bee no more carefull then about the exsufflation which went im­mediatly before it: or the salt that followed after it: and as it quicklyDurant de rit. li. 1. ca. 19. sect. 24 vanished away, so I would it had taken the Crosse away with it; it could not haue had bet­ter companie. Thus farre of the sinne of the Crosses office which it doeth beare in Baptisme, where we vse it for a symbolicall and a sacramentall signe. There fol­lowe now the offices which he performeth to Baptisme, which are in number 4.

#Sect. 35. Foure offices which the Crosse performeth in Baptisme.

THe first is to consecrate the water thereof, Sect. 35. to make it effectuall▪ whereof if we be ashamed, why loth we not the rest aswell? seeing this office is as auncient as they are. What though it be fathered vpon Augustine byAmolar. de Ecclesiast. offic. lib. 3. cap. 24. some? Is Augustine no body? but we may fetch it a great deale higher, as these wordes of Cyprian shewe:Cypri. lib. 1. epist. 12. Oportet mundari & sanctificari aquam prius à sacerdote vt possit Baptismo suo peccata hominis qui baptizatur abluere. The second is to procure reuerence to BaptismeThom. A­quin. p. 3. qu. 66. art. 10. ne putetur esse communis ablutio. Which is the office of the salt, the taper, and the rest of popish signes, which how cut wee of, but with this axe that beheadeth the Crosse aswellD. Whita. contra Du­reum. li. 8. pa. 65 8. Non existimandum, &c. We must not thinke but that the baptisme of Christ and of the Apostles was performed with reuerence inough when these signes were wanting: neither must we take vpon vs to be wiser then they. To procure right reuerence to the Sacrament is to lay open the institution by the preaching of the word, and then to deliuer it in that simplicitie in which we haue receiued it. To adde signes ouer and aboue, is not to honour it but to defile it. In deed had not the Arke bene more honorably intreated, if it had bene sent home againe as it came into the lande and hand of the Philistians. They thought they could not honor it sufficiently, [...] Sam. 6. vnlesse they set a budget by it of certaine new de­vised signes to waite vpon it which did defile it. Dauid emptied this budget, & did well. Howbeit, their cart he thinketh cannot well be spared, for which the Lord made a breach in Israell, [...] Chron. 13 vntill he draue him to confesse that he was not sought in due order, as long as one ceremonie of the Philistins did remaine. The Lord shew mercy to our Church, otherwise he will shewe that our emptying of the popishe budget in banishing the salt, the oyle, the spittell with the rest, will not be iudged sufficient, vnlesse wee cease also with a Crosse of theirs to cart Baptisme, which should be borne vp to reuerēce, no other way thē by the shoulders of the Levites, I meane the labours of those preachers which now (alas) lie in the duste, because they will not defile their hands by touching of this Philistine-carte, for to vphold it. The third office of the Crosse which hee performed to Baptisme, is to driue a­way the Deull,Thom. A­quin. vt su­pra. Ne inpediat effectum Sacramenti, for which, why is he not himselfe driuen away, as well as we haue scattered into the winde the flatus of the exorcisme, seeing he isGoulart. in Cypri. epist. 56. not. 31. simbolum magica in [...]antationis as well as it in the eyes of all good wri­ters: The fourth & the last office of the Crosse which it performeth to Baptisme, is to put vs inRic. Hook li. 5. ca. 65. minde of our vowe therein, and that in the instant of euery tenta­tion that so we may keepe our selues from finne. what, and serueth the signe of the water (then) for the time only of the perfusion? or must wee needes haue a signe of a signe? If so, Then how many, and to how many degrees I aske? For if a new signe of a Crosse be needfull to put vs in minde of the water, then holy water (a new signe) is needfull too, both of it and of the Crosse, why do papistes keepe ho­lyIansenius. Concor. e­uangelic. cap. 106. the dedication day of euery Church? Why to the same ende, that we vse the [Page 113]Crosse, (to witt) to put themselues in minde of their Bapt. whē they were washed & whē they were crossed to be dedicated an holy Temple to the Lord. But to the holy water againe which was no rather mentioned. There was once a fellow that carried about holy water to put mē in minde of their Baptisme, & therfore whē he sprinkled it, he was wont to say, memineris te esse baptizatum. This man al wise menPet. Mar­tyr. in 2. Reg. ca. 2. laughed at. howbeit, wheras Bellarmine allowed this course for good,Bellarm. de cult. sanct. c. 7. non nega­rem per aquam benedictam refricari memoriam Baptismi & admoneri Christianos vt cogitent se aliquando per aquam purgatos fuisse & pactum cum Deo contra Diabolum inijsse. how shall we answer him, alwhile our selues do vse the Crosse, a signe that is more vnfit to the very same purpose? More vnfit (say ourRic. Hook lib. 5. vt supr. Opposites) how can that be, seing the crosse is euer ready at hand to stay vs from sliding euen in the instant of the temptation, which other signes are not? Excellent. For now at last I perceaue it was for somewhat thatAnselm. apud Au­gust. de tē ­por. serm. 181. Anselme telleth vs, Christ chose rather to dye by a Crosse, then by a sword or a stone, or by any other instrument, that we might haue alwayes a weapon ready against Satan: to wit, the signe of the same Crosse: wher­as al mē cānot haue alwayes ready a stone or a sword against him. But what (now) shall wee doe with those writers of ours, that besides the two Sacraments con­demne all signes though neuer so fit in the eyes of carnall wisdome? when Marti­all citeth out of August. Crucem nobis dominus reliquit in memoriam passionis Calf hil. ag. Mart. fol. 82. Ma­ster Calfhill replyeth, the word and the Sacraments are memorials sufficient. We must not devise signes to our selues (saithD. Fulke ag Rhem. in Philip. 2. sect. 2. another) but vse such as God hath ap­pointed. There were some that to moue the people the more, brought pictures with them into the pulpit, whom we haue on this ground censured. TheCalfh. ag. cont. Mart. arric. 9. word being the ordinance of God sufficient, all these additions of signes sensible are vaine and superfluous: vpon the same ground it is that we condemne the signe of ashesTho. Mo­rofin. in verb. cinis. vpon Ashwendsday, which Gregorie the great brought in not without pre­tence of great antiquitie, seeing it was vsed by men (we knowe) aunciently in their mourning. Last of all, in the yeare. 1420. oneAntonin. tit. 22. ca. 7. sect. 5. Bernardinus à Minorite, carried a­bout the name Iesus painted in a table, which hee vsed to shewe to the people to put them in minde of Christ. This Martine the fist condemned in his consistorie, not only as superstitious, but also as scandalous, giuing occasion to worship the Characters rather then Christ, which is iuste the Crosses cause. I would knowe how we can vse the Crosse to put vs in minde of our vowe in Baptisme, seeing the common Crossing of the people is forbidden byAnd. Wil­let. de crue. art. 3. D. Fulke re­ioind. art. 5. sol. 177. writers. They only forbid the superstitious crossing (you will say,) so said Harte Hierome only forbiddeth the superstitious bearing of the Crosse in the boosom. ButIoh. Rey­nold con­fer. cap. 8. dinis. 4. as it was replieth to him [all bearing it, there is superstitious] so is all vsing of it here. This will not our Op­posites heare of;Ric. Hook vt supr. who obiect to the contrary that the auncient Fathers drawe an argument for the ceremonie of the Crosse, when they exhorted to constancie. First, the Fathers make the signe of the Crosse operatiue in this their arguing: Thus Leo: Leo. epist. 81. ad Monach. Pale­stin. Hi non erant digni confessione filij & patris, quibus nunc caro Christi verecundiam facit, probabuntque se nullam de signo Crucis sumpsisse virtutem qui quod preferendum frontibus acceperunt, promere labijs erube scunt. Thus Cypriā. Cypr. epi­stol. 65. Arme your selues (saith he) with all boldnes, that this signe of God may be kept safe. where the former parte of the exhortation being thus, neuer let the hand that hath re­ceaued the body of Christ, offer sacrifice to Idols: he matcheth the Crosse with the bread of the Supper preferreth it before the water of Baptisme, in whose rome the Crosse is mentioned. Secondly, when the Fathers drawe an argument of ex­hortation from the Crosse, they call vs not to a newe crossing at the instant of the temptation like Maister Hooker; they onely will vs to call to minde the Crosse receiued once in Baptisme. And in this manner they drewe exhortations from other rites, which yet notwithstanding we haue abandoned. Doeth not Dioni­sia [Page 114]exhort hir soone Maioricus toVictor. de persecut. Vandalic. constancie, willing him to remember the pure white garmentes which in baptisme he had receiued? It was vsuall in like maner to exhort by calling to mind the oyle of baptisme,Theodor. in cantic. cap. 1. recordare sancti baptismatis my­ster ium in quo qui initiantur spiritualis vnguenti Chrismate invncti &c. What then? Must we weare white garmentes still, and beare oyle in our boosoms to put vs in minde of baptisme? But inough of the third sinne of this signe in regard of his of­fices whether in the Sacrament or vnto it.

#Sect. 36. The fourth sinne that maketh this Crosse Sacramentale in these words, we receiue this child into the congregation of Christes flocke.

THe fourth point which maketh the Crosse a sacramentale vnlawfully added is the complement of a word wherwith it is graced (to witt) this: Sect. 36. We receiue this child into the Congregation of Christes flocke, and signe is with the signe of the Crosse, in to­ken that heereafter he shall not be ashamed to confesse the faith of Christ crucified, & man­fully to fight vnder his banner against the flesh, the worlde, and the Deuill, and to continue his faithfull souldiour vnto his liues ende. Heerein we cannot denie but that wee are past the auncient boundes. We stande on the Fathers, but which of them (tell me) vsed the Crosse with any worde annext vnto it, and not rather as aPerk. pro­blem. in figno crue▪ sect. 5. gesture of prayer either explicit or implicit at the least, and that not by it selfe existent, but subsistent in prayer? Least this should seeme straunge vnto vs, we must consider that the signe of imposition of handes was at the first no other (as these wordes ofAugust de bapt. cont. Donatist. August. shew) Quid est impositio manaum nifi invocatio suprà hominem. And ofTertul. lib. de bapt. Ter­tullian, Dehine manus imponitur per benedictionē aduocans & inuitans spiritum sanctum. And lastly of Hierome, Hieron, aduers. Luciferian. Episcopus ad invocationem spiritus manum impositurus excur­rit. The Oyle likewise at the first had no word ceremoniall annext vnto it: neither was it vsed without prayer, as now we vse the crosse.Ambros. de iis qui initiant. myster. cap. 7. Ambrose witnesseth it had this prayer, Deus omnipotens qui te regenera [...]t ex aqua & spiritu sancto, remisit (que) pecca­ta tua, ipse te vngat in vitam aternam. August. serm. 19. de sanct. Augustine saith of the crosse it selfe (if the wordes be his own) hoc facit cum fideli invocatione nominis Christi victoriosae Crucis in­signita memoria. To conclude, Mr Bucer Bucer. Cansur. cap. 12 479. wished the words of the Crosse were tur­ned to a prayer. Howbeit there be who thinke the crosse the more tollerable euen for this words sake, because it declareth to what end we vse it, & so distinguisheth it from the crosse popish. First, Cassander vsed this apologie, for the consecrating of the water by the crosse and for other grosse ceremonies: Istae ceremoniae (saieth he) mouent hominù animos si accedas interpretatio & intelligentia. Which, while ourHerman. Hamelmā. detradit. p. 1. lib. 4. colum. 374. wri­ters refure as friuolous, we by this sacramētal word which we giue vnto the crosse in practise iustifie. But by this meanes the crosse becometh signum commonefaciens, and is not mute Not so. For this signum Chemnit. exam. part. 2. fol. 38. commonefaciens which our writers do ap­proue, is that which speaketh out of the word which the signe of the Crosse doth not. When the Gentiles obiected that there were many mysteries signified in the histories of their Gods, Arnobius replied,Arnob. cont. Gent. lib. 5. Christiano satis est quod scriptū est, & quod auditur, accipe [...]e. So let the crosse speak what mysteries he can, in this his sacramētal word, if he speak not out of the scripturs, we Christians care not for it. Mr Ioh. Cal­uin. lib 4. institut. cap. 10. Caluin knew the popish ceremonies doe admonish by the word of mā (& the crosse doth no more) who (yet) termeth them dumbe & separat from doctrine. To Martial ob­iecting That the church had ordained the crosse for a remēbrance of Christes passion. D. Fulke reioynd. art. 3. pag. 157. D. Fulk thus replieth: Christ cōmitted to the prelats the gouernment of his church to feed it with his worde, & not with dumbe signes and dead jmages, such as he hath forbiddē. Haue we not here the Crosse termed [A dumbe signe] & no teacher, be­cause he speaketh out of the mouth of the Prelates of the church only? Secondly, [Page 115]what though the addition of this worde did open the mouth of the Crosse and make him a teacher? this helpeth not as longe as he is a superfluous reacher, and a teacher that is vnlawfull. Superfluous he is, because the common plea against Images lyeth flat against him.Iosias Sim­ler. in Ex­od. 20. fol. 86. Quod sierudiunt vel absque interprete id faciunt vel opus habent iuterprete. absque interprete mutae sunt. Quod si autem verbis docendum est, poteru id absque ijs commodi [...]is fieri. He is also a teacher vnlawfull. God will not haue his Church taught by the Deuill. and the signe of the Crosse is a Deuill. Who wil haue his childe taught by a papist? but the signe of the Crosse is popish. Mark 1.25. Apoc. 9.20. In the third place, he is a teacher insufficient. When Mariall affirmeth that Ima­ges teach like the worde, and the worde becommeth a scandall to diuerse aswell as Images:D. Fulke reioind. ar­tic. 9. pag. 201. D. Fulke replyeth that the scriptures doe plainly condemne the er­rours and vice to which they are wrested: whereas Crosses and Images doe not for. Although then it be true, what this Sacramentall word of the Crosse doeth teach yet it cannot be approued as long as it teacheth insufficientlie: and do not like the scripture condemne the vices and the errors to which his worde is are­sted In that monument of the Crosse which Costantine the great sat vp, this word was annextNicephor. Calist. hi­stor. lib. [ne [...]s vinae which, though it were good, yet did it hurt, men heereby grew into a conceit that the Crosse was a chosen instrument of Christ, to ouer­come by. which eftsoones falleth out in the worde of our Crosse. Because (like the scripture) it doeth not pretende all occasions of such errour▪ neither teacheth any one lesson against the same. So farre of the worde of the Crosse in generall. Now to the forme in which it speaketh, and to the matter what.

The forme cannot be denied to be Sacramentall, like vnto these,Durant. de rit. lib. 1. c. 19. sect. 33 vngo te oleo, I anoynt thee with oyle. Bellarm. de confirmat. cap. 10. Consignote signo sanctae Crucis, & Chrismo te oleo salutis. I signe thee with the signe of the Crosse, and annoint thee with the oyle of saluation. Compare with these, the forme how our Crosse doeth speake, Wee receiue: Wee signe, &c. speakes it not as the popish Oyle speaketh in Baptisme, and in the sacrament of Confirmation: to partake with the iniquitie of them? It may be ad­ded, it speaketh like the water in Baptisme (I Baptize) to steale away the honor of it. As for the Quidditi which some haue light on, the Minister saith not [I signe] &c. as he saith in the water [I Baptize] but [We receiue, and we signe] it maketh no materiall difference, as a grosse papist him selfe will yeeld:Ioh. Mo­lan. de Sa­crament. c. 3. coclus. 4. in hac forma [Ego] non est planè necessarium: Et si commutetur in (Nos) non vitiatur forma. But when the Booke saith (We receiue) it speaketh in the person of the Congregation. And spea­keth it in the person of the Minister onely, when it saieth, [I Baptize]? If it doe, the Minister may say [We Baptize] if he list you see, and so take in the Congregati­on. But this is the verie same miserable shifte which is vsed when men excuse the infantes Credo & volo Baptizari, when yet he hath neither any faith, nor desire to be baptized. Forsooth he speaketh not this (sayIacob. a Vitriac. hi­stor. Occi­dental. lib. 2. cap. 36. some) in his owne person, but in the person of the Congregation. Which, how like you? is it not acute like the other? Be they spoken in whose person they may be, the wordes are still sacra­mentall, vniting the Crosse to the other partes, and to the other actions of the sa­crament, as both the precedencies and the sequencies shewe. Before the Booke maketh request for the Infantes that are to be dedicated to God by our office and ministerie. Compare these wordes with the Canon that telleth vs, the childe baptized is dedicated to God by the signe of the Crosse which followeth them. After, the Booke directeth vs to giue thankes that the childe is receiued into the Congregation. Compare these with the wordes of the Crosse to which they haue relation, yea which they repeate, and whereby the infant was receyued: and tell me whether the Booke doeth not incorporate the signe of the Crosse into the Sacramentall actions: seeinge this, it combyneth and knittes it to them both, à priori and à posteriori, as it were with a couple of strong cordes, [Page 116]neuer to be vnloosed by them who say, the Crosse cometh after Baptisme, and if not morallie, at the least a part thereof: vnles they take vp the sword of Alexander (that which alreadie they begin to doe): to cut off with violence, what they can­not by art vntie.

#Sect. 37. It followeth not because we vse the Lords praier & Creede in Baptisme, that therfore we may vse the Crosse. For the word Crosse implyeth 3. senses contrary to the word.

FRom the forme, come wee to examine the matter, when Bellarmine would prone we adde in Baprisme the Lords prayer, and the Creed, and the renuntia­tion as culpably as they the Crosse and Oyle, he hath these wordes:Bellarmin de bapt. ca. 24. neque his re­pugnat quod or atio domiuica sit in scripturis & simbo lum qu [...]ad sensum. Nam inscriptur [...] non habetur or recitetur in Baptisme. But we haue for addition of the creede and the Lords prayer the generall warrant out of the worde, which willeth decencie in administring of the Sacrament: wheras the Crosse is in double transgression. First; Non habetur in Scripturis that he and his worde should be vsed in Baptisme, either by speciall or generall warrant. Then his worde is so farre from being in scripture [Quoad sensum] as that it implyeth three senses which are contrary to the word. First, when i [...] saieth: Wee receaue this child into the congregation of Christes flocke, and signe him with the signe of the Crosse▪ the copulation of this word [and] taketh in the Crosse, to haue an hand in the childes incorporation, which the Canon beareth before it, when it affirmeth that the signe of the Crosse doth serue in Baptisme to dedicate the child to Christ. This what is it lesse, then that which theTorrens. confes. Au­gust. lib. 4. cap. 9. sect. 4. grosnes of popery it selfe would countenance by Augustine, Augustin. de lymbol. ad catech. cap. [...]. per signum Crucis in vtero Ecclesia concepti estis: d Per signum Cru [...]s suscipit vos mater Ecclesia. Our Church to the contrary, investeth the water vnto this honour:Harmon. confes. sect. 13. confes. Belgica. Baptismo in Ecclesiam Dei, re [...]ipimur & à peregrinis omnibus religionibus segregamur, vt pote illi soli cōsecrati cuius symbola & insignia gestamus. Secondly, when the wordes of the Crosse say in token hee may not bee ashamed to fight vnder his banner against the Deuill, and they make the Crosse to be the banner of Christs souldiers: if not to confirme them to the fight, yet out of question to make them known. Which, haue we it any where taught in the scriptures? First, saithBellar. de imag. ca. 2 [...] Bellarmine calleth for adoration to the Crosse, euen for this, because it is Christes Banner (for we may not come short of the hea­then saith he) we must aswell adore the banner of our Christ, as theySozom. histor lib. [...]. cap. 4. adore the militarie banners of their Emperours▪ me thinkes it is an hard thing for vs, to con­firme them in this Idolatrie with such an acknowledgment as that it is indeed his banner. Secondly, it hath euer ben a quarrell betweene our writers & the papistes that the Crosse is no banner of Christes souldiers, no not so much as by it to make them knowne. Martiall affirmeth that the Crosse is Christs banner Maister Calf­hill Calfh a­gainst Mart art. 7. denyeth it, and he is thus seconded by Doctor Fulke. D [...] Fulk re­ioynd. art. 7. p. 190. Further you say the note, that the materiall Crosse is no Ensigne of Christ, hath simple proofe, but (indeed) your as­sertion that it should be the ensigne of Christ hath no prooue at all. And againe:Idem. ibi. art. 1. pag. 144. That Cassiodorus & Lactantius spake of the signe of the Crosse it is graunted, but because they speake of it besides the booke of God▪ Maister Calfhill doth well to disprooue their reasons, as where Cassiodore compareth the signe of the Crosse, vpon the faithfull to the Princes stamp on the coyne▪ the comparison is naught, for the signe of the Crosse which is vpon hi­pocrites sheweth them not to be Christes seruants. Neither did Christ giue any such out­ward signe, by which they should be knowne who would professe themselues to bee his ser­uants but only Baptisme. To the last foote of his sentence there is another that fet­tethGualt. in Luc. homi. 9 [...]. Quin potius m [...]mi [...]eyimus, &c. we must remember that we were by baptisme made the souldiers of Iesus Christe, to fight vnder his banner against the Deuill. Thirdly, not only to make Christes souldiers knowne, but also to strengthen them [Page 117]in the warfare do the wordes of the Crosse make him their ensigne and their ban­ner. When one of our writers bendeth himselfe to shake the power of confirma­tion, hee speaketh thus: They And Wil­let▪ de con­firmat. p. 4. depriue Baptisme of the proper vse thereof, which is a signe to vs of the assistance of Gods spirit, to sight manfully against the Deuill: Now Bap­tisme be a signe of our victorie against the Deuill, yet they robbe Baptisme of his honour, and giue it to Confirmation. I care not for the quint-essentiall interpretations which some haue distilled of late, these words (in token, he shall not be ashamed to fight, but continue his faithfull souldier) doe in the intent of the authors of our communion booke, and in common construction make the Crosse a signe of the assistance of God spirit to fight manfully against the Deuill, so that the Crosse doth preiudice Baptisme euen as confirmation doth. Indeed confirmation speaketh no otherwise their the Crosse, the crosse no otherwise thē it:Thom A­quin. pa. 3. qu. 75 ar. 9 signantur confirmandi Chrismate sig­ [...] Crucis in fro [...]d, vt in manifesto ostendant se Christianos esse. Et ne nomen Christi ob timorem vei [...]r ubessentiam praetermittant. Bartholo. Caranz. in Cōcil. Flo­rentin. Againe, Ideo in fronte vbi verecondiae sedes est confirmand [...] in vngitur ne Christi nomen confiteri erubescat, et praecipuè crucem eius propr [...]r quod c [...]ucis signo signatur. Compare with these wordes: in token hee bee not ashamed to confesse the faith of Christ Iesus crucified, sauour they not of the same spirit? speake they not the same languadge? may not the same Dialect of Rome be most ea­sily discerned in both?

#Sect. 38. The Opposites saying that the Crosse is the signe of Christ crucified, confuted.

THe third doctrin which the word of the crosse bringeth in, is that it is the signe of Christ crucified. Which, where haue we in the scripture, vnlesse in the places which papistes cite, which ourCalfh. ag. Mart. ar. [...] fol. 38. D Fulk re­ioynd. art. 1. p. 135.136. D. Willer de crue ar­tic. 3. writers long since haue proued to meane the word and the Sacraments ioyned with the inward seale of the spirit, but not the Crosse. These places are (Isay. 49.22.) whence they prooue the Crosse to bee Christes standart. (Iere. 4.6.) whence they prooue it to bee Christes banner. Ezech. 9.4. whence they prooue it to be Christes marke. Apoc. 7.3. whence they prooue it to be Christs signe Ephes. 1.13. whence they proue it to be Christes seale. Math. 24.30. whence they prooue it to be the signe of the sonne of man. Now so distres­sed is the cause of the Crosse, as that our Opposites are not ashamed to cite some of these places of the papistes for it: that which (indeed) Maister Hooker himselfe was ashamed once to doe, who no doubt considered that if it be a shame for pa­pists to cite for the Crosse, those places of scripture which Valentinus the heretique cited (as ourD. Fulse▪ writers obiect vnto them): that thē it is an vtter shame for any Pro­testant to defende a crosse as different frō the popish, & yet to be able to bring no diuerse scripture for it. Againe, we cry out against the papists for citing scriptures for the Crosse, because it is held by their own Church to be a traditiō that bath no ground at all in scripture: asDecret. p. 1. distin. [...] cap. 5. Quae scriptura salutiferae Crucis signaculo fideles docuit insign [...]r [...] (saieth their canon lawe it felfe.) But our Opposites may not in this case cry out against them, the beame is in their owne eye, who ioyne with the basest of the papistes, to prooue the signe of the Crosse by scripture, against the principallMagdeb [...]. centur. 1. li. 2. cap. 6. colum. 406 407. D. Ful reioyn art. 1. pa. [...]54. Calf. art. [...] fol 20. lightes of our Church, who though they graunt the Crosse it selfe is prefigured in the olde Testament, and named in the newe, to describe the curse of our Lords death, and the merit therof, yet stand out strongly against his signe of it, that it is neither prefigured not mētioned from the beginning to the end, much lesse men­tioned with so honorable a stile, & tittle as to be counted the signe of Christ. Nay ourCalfh. art. 2. pag. 44. writers goe further, they tel vs the scriptures wil not fuffer vs to vse the crosse for a signe of Christ. O happy age of ours (then) that hath found out what neuer could bee found before, to witt, that there be scriptures that doe warrant it, what [Page 118]might they be? The first that is stood on (by our Opposites) is Ezech. 9.4. where when the Angell preserueth from destruction by setting T. in the forehead of the faithful, the signe of the Crosse in the forehead is made (say they) or alluded vnto; for thus (nowe) they reason, iumpe withBellarm. de imagin. cap. 29. Mart. de Cruc. art. [...] Bellarmine and with Martiall, and with the rest of the papists. First it is not the letter T but Tau the word that is here vsed, which signifieth a signe, so that the Angel is said only here to set a marke or a signe in their foreheads:Chryso. ad popul. An­tioc. homil. 18. apud Sixt. senens. Bibliothec. li. 2. fo. 121 Cypri. cōt▪ Demetrian. ap. D. Fulk reioind. ar. 2. p. 147. & cont. Saund. de imag. cap. 13. p. 663. as in Apoc. 7.3. & 9.4. So doth the Septuagint render it [...] doe Aquila & Symmadus; so do the Fathers take it for signum indeterminatum, and for quodcunque signum. There be learned papistes themselues, that either cite this place in theirArrius Montain. Lexicons to prooue that the Hebrewe Tau doth signifie a signe; or leaue itSanctes Pagnin. indifferent betweene the letter T. & the worde. But Theodosion vnder­standeth the letter. No, but leaueth only the word TauHieron. in hunc loc. 1 Sam. 21.14. vntranslated, as he doth the word Baddim, a little before, and as his manner is to doe in euery word which he taketh to be mysticall. Now what is this to the Crosse? sure no more then the Tau, which some say, was set on Cain, neither doth the Angell make Crosses here more then Dauid made crosses on Achis his gates for the word Tau is vsed there as well as in this place. The Tau that was set on Cain and preserued him (say some of our Opposites) was but a praeludium to those other which should figure the salua­tion of Christes Crosse: but (me thinkes) the text sheweth plainly inough what Cains marke was, to witt, these wordes engrauen in his fleshe, hee that killeth Cain shalbe reuenged 7. sold: for (to omit all other reasons) how else could this pro­mise be so famous as by Lamech the profane we see it was? And the Crosses which Dauid, may be concluded by this reason, to haue scraped on Achis dore, are they for the Crosses credit too? who is censured by the Church, as a poore and mise­rable man, Psal. 34.7▪ for the making of them? for these Taues preserued him too, euen as the Crosse preserues now a dayes many a Minister fatt, and shining in his benefice, howsoeuer before the Lord they are poore and miserable that doe make him, es­pecially they that doe make him for feare of their liuing, as Dauid made his Taues and markes for feare of life. But to conclude, it is here the worde Tau that signifi­eth signum in general, which cannot bee restrained to the signe of the Crosse of all other signes, because during the time of the old Testament, it was held and estee­med execrable: as a papistAlanus. de sacrament. lib. 1. ar. 2. himselfe confesseth.

#Sect. 39. Though Tau were in the text, yet cannot a Crosse be colleleth from it, vnles we ground doctrine vpon the mysteries of Letters, which the Gnostickes, Valentinians, and the Cabalistes vse.

SEcondly, what if the letter T. be in the texte, yet cannot a Crosse bee collected hence without wringing and churning, yea without parte of that vanitie also of grounding doctrines vpon the mysteries of letters which the Gnostick here­tiques, & the Valētinians, & the Cabalistes vse, & theSixt. se­nens: Bibli­othec. li. 3. pag. 146. Genebrad. in ann. ante Christum▪ nat. 87. papists themselues condemne. All the letters of the Hebrewe Alphabet are mysticall (saithHieron. de nominibus Hebra. Hierome) who hol­deth not this position vaine? yet is it the ground wherevpon the Crosse is found­ded in this place, and that by this mysticall Hierome, who yet resolueth not on the matter but rather rehearseth what the opinions of others ar, as these words shew,Hieron. in hunc loc. et vs ad mostra veniamus: and his whole drift, not in this place only, but in all his commentaries: in which as he telleth his reader elsewhere, he writeth rather out of the opinions of other men, then out of his owne iudgement. And when hee explicateth the signe here meant by the wordes of Salomon, pone me sicut signum, Cant. 8. of Dauid: signatum est super nos Iumen vultus tui. Psal. 4. and of Paule: Nolite contristari spiritum à quo signati estis, it is plaine that some of the authors, whom he followed, vnderstood this signe to be spirituall & not an outward marke, which is the [...]enent of all ourCalfhil. a­gain. Mart. art. 1.2. D. Fulk re­lo [...]d. ibid. writers. If our Opposites haue found out since the signe [Page 119]of an outward Crosse in this place, I would they would tell vs which way they came by it. The Machabees in their banner vsed the first-letter of the wordes in Exod. 15.11. M. C. B. I. to expresse the whole sentence. Is this cours [...] heere vsed? Then by the letter T. what more likely to bee meant then the word Torah which signifieth the Law; to shewe the men here preserued, were such as kept the Law; and bewayled the transgressions which were committed against it which was the opinion of the Iewes asHieron, in hunc loc. glos. ordi. Hierome mentioneth, and which conlecturef [...]t-s [...]en▪ bibli [...] he [...]. li. 2. fo. 121 some p [...] ­pistes withLyran. in hunc loc. others cannot reiect. In the Apoc. the situation of α and ω in the Al­phabet is vsed to describe the Lord Christ Iesus to be the beginning and the end. Is this course here taken? then what more likely by the letter T. the last conso­nant to be meant then either Christ the end of all (asHector Pintus in hunc loc. some) or the perfection of knowledge taught by Christ (asPetrus Ser­ranus in hunc loc. others) or perfection of science in the men here signed (asHieron. Strab. in glos. ordi. others) or aSixt. S [...] ­nens. vt supr. perfection of obedience in them as humane frailtie did permit. Last of all, the figures of letters were respected by Pythagoras when he de­scribed the life of man by the letter Y. and by theIdem Bi­bliot. li. 3 [...] pa. 145. officers of warre, when T. no­ted the liuing ☉. the dead and slaine, because this letter hath the forme of a men thrust thorough, as it were with a dart. It were hard to say the holy Ghost taketh this course here. But what if he doe? For a papist him selfe confesseth, longe Hector Bint. in hunc. loc. fal­luntur opinione qui asserunt hanc literam apud Hebraeos crucem esse, nullam enim habet crucis figuram. Ita. n. scribitur ∩. which maketh a faire paire ofCalfhil. art. 2. fo. 44 gallowes in deed, but commeth nothing neare a Crosse Hence it is, that the cheefe defenders of this opinion wauer much; as is to be seene in one of them for all the rest.Sixt. se­nens. Bibli­othec. li. 2. pag. 120. Fuit sig­num T. nifallor, (marke ni fallor) figura Crucis. But it is obiected out ofHieron. ad Paulln. Hierome, that the old Hebrue T. had the forme of a [...] Crosse like to the Greek, that this ∩ which now hath not the forme of a Crosse, was chaunged by Ezrah, witnes this, that the Tau of the Samaritanes, who kept the olde Hebrew letters, was of the Crosses forme. First, it is vnlikely that Ezrah would leaue to the Samaritanes, the enemies of God the ancient characters of Gods owne finger wherin the Oracles of God were written, & put the Church to new. Secondly, though he chaunged in other places, yet not here, because the fashion of this T. being marred, the my­sterie was marred which depended vpon it. which he (no question) vnderstood, if there were any such. Thirdly, It is vntrue that the old Samaritane T. was a crosse.Guilibelm Postell. de liter. Faeni­tum. Postellus telleth vs it was of an other fashion. a man in this matter to be rather be­leeued then they, who cannot tell how to referre it, whether to this figure ✚. asSixt. Se­nens. vt su­pra. some, or to this T. out ofTertul. cont. Mar­cion. ca. 30 Tertullian, as others which byIsidor. Hi­spalens. some is called the Greeke T. byMart. in reply. art. [...] others the Roman T. Others say Ezechiell had reference to the Hebrew, Greeke, and Romane, and all. asAct. & mo nument. pa. 1940. Fryar Billing, Parson of Wilton at the burning of Spicer and Maundrell at Sarum. Fourthly, there is no agreement about Ezrahes exchaunge of the Hebrew letters. OneGenebrar. Chronic. li. 2. in an­mun. 36 [...] affirmeth, there was a chaunge a while, but after, a returne to the old letters againe. Rabbi Simon denieth that euer there was any chaunge at all. Rabbi Moyses Gerundensis saith, The chaunge of them was at the firstIbid. in an­mun. 3203 Diuision of the Kingdome in the dayes of Rhehoboam, to differ frō the tenne Tribes that were growne Idolatrous. TheIbid, in an. 3710. most common opinion is, that Ezra chaunged them immediatly vpon the returne from Babilon, to differ from the Samaritans. But all this is strooken dead in the neast byCaesar Ba­ron. anal. in an. Christ. 180. Caesar Baronius, who lahoureth to proue that Ezra neuer chaunged the letters: that the olde aun­cient Copies of the Hebrew Bibles were many of them remayning in Ezralies time. that they all are in one character (to witt the olde and auncient character of the Hebewes. Howbeit Baronius him self sayleth in part, the whole matter is here of late brought cleerlie to light by Ioseph Scaliger, who writeth thus: The olde He­brewe and the Samaritane letters be all one, and the letter Tau in neither of them is like a Crosse or the Greeke or Romane T. Hierome what he reciteth of Ezraes [Page 118] [...] [Page 119] [...] [Page 120]chaunge & of the old Samaritane Tau, he taketh word by word out of Origene in Romanes Origine was deceiued by a Iewe, on whose bare relatiō he grounded him selfe: which relation was also false. Whereas Hierome saith elswhere, he sawe a Sa­maritane copie, that was after he had written this: if before he had seene it, hee would haue seene Origens errour, and haue preuented it in him selfe. But if there be any thing worth the learning in this error, it is this, Hierome and others thinke it a worthy thing for Ezra to chaunge the letters of the scripture, to the ende that the Church may differ from Samaritanes and from aliens, euen in their writing. An ensample of like zeale we see inPaul. D [...]t. [...]. [...]. Vlid the Arabian, who when hee meant to enlarge the religion of Mahomet, not onely rased the churches of the Christians that were in Damascus, but also abolished their verie letters. making a law that no­thing should be written in Greeke but in Arabique only. And when the Chri­stians were after afflicted because they would not menscrizare (that is) conforme, who can say but that they stoode out against these characters amongst the rest which they refused. What then? We may not conforme to the Crosse especially in religious vse, it being a Character of the beast, but our Church must chaunge it, and make a lawe against it, if it meane to be zealous after the patterne and pro­portiō of these examples. Thirdly, let it be the word Tau, or the letter T. let the let­ter be changed or not changed: all is one, and this one thing is nothing for the Crosse. Then are the Fathers nothing, neither (say our Opposites) for they are all of them for the Crosse euen in this text. But may wee not a little chaung the wordes of Christ, and say to the Fathers in this matter, Men what haue we to doe with you? euen as we are prompted by Doctor Fulke. Maister Calfhill (saithD. Fulke reioyn. art 1. pa. 137. he) doth iustly reproue the Fathers for so high extolling the signe of the crosse which hath no ground in the worde of God, but was brought in either by contention a­gainst the heathens who despised it, or in emulation of heretiques who first vsed it. We must giue the Fathers leaue to play, and according to their owne pleasure not only to fetch the figure of the Croffe out of this Tau, but also out of theAug [...]. cont. Faust. lib. 12. cap. 34. two stickes which the Widdow of Sarepta gathered, yea to fetche a Crosse and a T. too out of the 300.Augusti. questi. sup­lib. Iudle, lib. 7. ca. 17 soldiers of Gedion, who (me thinkes) resemble the 300. mini­sters, who now stand out against the Crosse: for that, disdayning to ley downe vnder the burthen of an euill conscience to drinke at ease the pleasaunt waters of conformitie, they are contented to lapp like dogs the waters of marah, or rather to be vsed like doggs: surely, no more to be called Naomi (although their giftes and their labours in the Church had made them beautifull) but Marah rather, because the Lord beginning iudgement at his owne house, hath shewed them bitternes. Secondly, what though the Crosse bee here insinuated, that is nothing to the signe of the Crosse in the foreheade, but toPet. serran. in hunc loc. Calfhill. ag. Mart. art. 2 D. Fulke. reioyn. ibid pag. 146. Christes Crosse only, on which he died, which is not here insinuated neither for any honour to it selfe, but for the forshewing of Christs death, wherof it was the cursed instrument. As for the signe of the forehead mentioned in the Reuelation,Hector Pintus in hunc loc. it is as fondly (after Aquinas, Mar­tiall, the Rhemistes, and the rest of that [...]ble) drawne to the aereall figne of the Crosse, as this signe of Ezechiell is. For, thisMr. Calfh ag. Mart. art. 1. D. Fulke. reio. ar. 1. p. 137 signe in the reuelation giueth the Spirit of life and faith, so doth not the Crosse. this signe maketh a difference between good and bad, so doth not the Crosse; this signe in the forehead noteth those who with openIoh [...]n. de [...]a [...]o. in Apo [...]. ca. 7 forheads should professe the Gospel, euen as they, who are not signed in the forehead. vers. 9. note those who should lye hid, and not so open­ly professe as the former; who yet made the signe of the Crosse in the forehead, as well as the former, called to martyrdom and confession, if antiquitie be true. Thirdly, what if the signe of the Crosse in the forehead, be alluded to in Ezechiell and in the Apocalips? yet this maketh nothing for the signe of the Crosse in Bap­tisme, because it was tollerable in old time,Lambet Dane. cont. Bellarm. de Imag. c. 29 quatenus erat testimonium confessionis in [Page 129]trepida contra ethnicos, notLambert. Dane. dont, Bellarm. de Imag. c. 29 quatenus it was a signe in baptisme. Fourthly, Our Op­posites that entitle the signe of the Crosse to the place of Ezech. and that of the A­poca. the same must needes entitle it to an effectiue and operatiue power, for such a power doth the text giue to the signes of these scriptures. witnes the very Fathers themselues, who thinking these textes to speake of the Crosse, cōclude out of them that the signe of the Crosse doth arme, defende, preserue vs. of which error we are ashamed to our shame vntill we disclaime their interpretation of this scripture, and the obligation of their authoritie in this question of the Crosse.

#Sect. 40. That the signe of the Crosse, is not the signe of the Sonne of man.

THE second scripture which of late we haue heard alleadged against vs, is the 24. chap. of Math. 30. vers. where some of our Opposites will haue the signe of the sonne of man to be the signe of the Crosse, euen as the Fathers teach. Alas, whether will the Fathers carry them? Because of the Fathers they will beleue that a signe of the Crosse shall appeare in heauen, for a fore-runner of Christ his com­ming vnto iudgement. Will they not awake to see that this is no other dreame then that which Lactantius dreameth, There shall be a great sword let fall from the heauen into the earth, before Christes comming vnto iudgement, for a token and signe thereof? which (me thinkes) they are bound to beleeue, as well as the other. for he hath scripture as good, [Lactant. lib [...] ▪ [...]e vita Beat. cap. 19. When I come I will sende a sworde into the earth]. And howe is it probable that Christ should call that his signe which him selfe ordained not? which can be noD. Fulk. ag. Rhem. Luk. 24. sect. 5. convenient signe of his, because a meare invention of mans: and which he foresawe in tyme should become an Idoll of abhomination, and a marke of his ennemie the man of sinne and perdition? There is (then) no probabilitie for the Crosse. is there probabilitie for any thinge else? Firste it isCaluin: Baeza, Buc [...] ▪ thought that by this signe of the sonne of man, there are meant (by way of Synec­d [...]che) the great signes of glorie & maiestie, which then shall compasse him round about: and shall omnium oculos convertere ad se, quasi signo dato. which seemeth to haue strength from the explication which doeth followe, He shalbe seene come in the cloudes with power and great glorie.

Secondie, it isIohan: Piscator. in schol. D [...] Fulk. in re­ioynd. are. [...] pag. 136. thought, that as the signe of Circumcision is nothing else but Circumcision it selfe, so heere the signe of the sonne of man is nothinge else, but the sonne of man him selfe, as a certaine signe that the time is come of the last iud­gement▪ which receiueth strength by the conference of the other Evangelistes, who in steede of these wordes [Then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man, Rom. 4. Luk. 21. Marc. 13.] haue onely these, Then shall the Sonne of man appeare. Neare to this one,Chrisost. In Math. homil. 49▪ Quidam putant Crucem Christi ostendendam esse in coelo: verius autem est ipsum Christum in corpore suo habentem testimonia passionis, (id est) vulnera lanciae & clavorum.

Thirdlie, it isMuscul. thought, that a signe here standeth for a signification of Christes comming to this sense: These foresaide eventes shall be a certaine signification, and (as it were) a signe of my comming. And because theRollocus. in 1. Thess. cap. 4. & Park. on the Creed. fyring of the heauen and of the earth, is one of the chiefe of all the rest, therefore chieflie it is accoun­ [...]d to be this signe. I can not omitt the wordes of one:Lambert. Dane. cont. The signe of the Sonne of man, is the very same thinges whiche Christ foreshewed in the 29. verse, before should fall out in the Sunne, Moone, & Starres, and not any other thing. Therfore after Christ had foreshewed the signes that were nearest to his cōming, he addeth for conclusion and explication sake, that these signes are the very signes of his comming. And what can be alleadged against these things? The Fathers? But they agree not.Bellarm. de Imag. [...]a. 28 Bellarmines mouth runneth over exceedingly, when he sayeth that the auncient Fathers omnes ad vnum interprete this signe to be the Crosse. [Page 130]For Chriso stome thinketh it to be the body of Christ it selfe. Hierome writeth thus: Signum hic aut Crucis intelligamus. ant vexillum victoriae trium phantis. Beda follow­eth him in the same wordes. Theophilacte holdeth the true Crosse shall appeare whereon Christ dyed. So doth Sybilla, O lignum faelix in quo Deus ipse pependit. Nec te terra capit, sed coeli tecta videbis. AndTho. wal­dens. Tom. 3. tit. 20. cap. 158. Thomas Waldensis followeth thē. Abulensis & Iansenius are of another opinion. They thinke it shalbe a Crosse compacted of glorious & of lightsome ayre. Now is it likely that the wood of the Crosse which hath bene so long agoe rotten, shalbe raysed vp againe in glorie? Seeing the pro­mise hereof belongeth to the members of Christ only; who receyue it from the power of his owne rising? Thirdly, If ihe signe of the sonne of man be here admit­ted to be the Crosse, the true crosse & the crosses image which is materiall, is here authorised, (which our church hath broken & overthrowne) but the aereall signe of the forehead is neuer the nearer, if our Opposits keepe their old tennes still.

#Sect. 41. An answere to the argument of the Opposites which is taken from Visions and Apparitions.

FRom scriptures we must come to Visions and Apparitions whereby God him­selfe from heauen hath shewed (say our Opposites) that the Crosse is a signe of his sonnes, Sect. 41. and a marke of his owne. For when Cōstantine was in suspence on what God he were best to relye for victorie, did not the Crosse appeare in the ayre vnto him with this subscription, In hoc signo vinces, In this sighe thou shalt overcome. First, this word [signe] is foysted in by a sixt singer.Euseb. de vit. [...]st. lib. 1. cap. 22. Eusebius naming only [...] huic vince. Socrat. Histor. lib. [...]. cap. Niceph. lib 2. cap. 29. Zonar. in Constanti. Socrates and others [...] in hoc vince (to wit) in this Christ. Se­condly, It was not the signe of the crosse that appeared, but a sight somwhat like it [...] saith the storie, made after the fashion of a Crosse, to witt, [...], a marke of Christes name. This marke containeth the two first letters of his name XEuseb. quo supra. c. 25. P. so that the P. was made an X. by crossing as it were a speare a sloope,Ioh. Reyn. confer. di­uis 4. ca. 8. pag. 508. either after this maner [...] or as Lypsius vpon the vewe of auncient coynes doth draw it thus, [...]. The former of these cometh nearest to the descrip­tion of Eusebius, therfore the latter may be some imitation of it, euen as in coynes there was a diuersitie in imitation.Prosper. pag. 3. de promis cap 34. Arcadius stampt his coyne with a cōmon crosse vpon a victorie which he obtained against the Persians. before which, as the battaile was ioyning, certaine crosses appeared on the garmēts of his souldiers. This stampe (saith the storie) grewGenebras. in anno Chri. 404. common to all the world, especially it was vsed in Asia; and the vse of it doth endure vnto this day. As the stampe of Arcadius differed frō that of Constantines, so did the stampe of Theodosius which was X. P. S. which the latter age hath vitiously imitated. taking the midlemost for a Roman P. which in Greek is anGodescal. Steweckiu. in Veget. dere milit. lib. [...]. ca. 18 R. There haue ben coyne of Magnentius seene with Lypsius his forme, which why it might not be an imitation of Constantines figure rather thē the figure of Constantine him selfe, I see no manifest reason. But what forme soever the two first let­ters of Christs name had in Cōstantines dayes, theOnuphri. de fast. lib. 2. Vazq. de adorat. lib. 3. disput. 2 cap. 4. letters of his name they wer not (say Papistes themseluesD. Fulk. reioynd▪ art 1. pag. 138 to which we adde not) the crosse, which he wore in his helmet, and set in his Labarum, whether it were on the topp, framed of some solide matter or in his flagge drawne and embrodered or both these wayes in both these places (which I take to be thePrudent. stan. lib. 1. in symach. truest) with this bāner he ouercame (without thanks to the crosse)Euseb. de vit. Con­stan. lib. 2. cap. 54. [...] to wit,D. Fulk. reioynd. art 2. pag. 148 holding forth the forenamed cha­racters of Christes name. See you not (then) the crosse discorded from this appari­tion? For whatsoeuer honour hath accrewed to him by the same, it came either from the alchymie of the Bishops in those dayes, who drewe a Crosse out of the sight whiche Constantine sawe, or from the sophistrie of Papistes since.

The Bishops of those dayes thought it good politie to makeEuseb. de vit. Con­stant lib. [...] cap. 22. Constantine and the world beleeue, that not only the name of Christ had appeared, but also the crosse; as the sight (you see) was somewhat like. Hence is it that Constantine is set vp in the for [...]m at Rome with a Crosse in his hande, with this inscription,Euseb. hi­stor. lib. 9. cap. 9. Hoc salutari signo verac [...] fortitudinis inditio Civitatem nostram à iugo tyranni ereptam liberavi, & S. P. Q R. liberatum pristino splendori & claritati restitui. Herevpon also they adoredZozom. histor. lib. 1. cap. 4. la­bar [...]m of the Romans is chaunged to a Crosse, to drawe the Armie to the adoring of Christ the sooner. Yet so,Bellarm. de imag. cap. 27. vt vexilli formam non amitteret. It is saide by some, the labarum was a Crosse before this chaunge, so that the Crosse barre wherevpon theEuseb. de vit. Con­stant. lib. 1. cap: 25. Iewel art. 14. diuis. 3 [...] Lambert. Dane. con. Bellarmin. de Imag. ca. 28. [...]lagge did hange seemeth to be the Crosse of this Labarum. which though it were there before, yet was it not eminent by the name of a Christian Crosse as now it is. Latter ages added the rest of this Labarum, as now Papistes doeDurā ▪ de rit. li. [...]c. 6. sect. 11. Bellar. de Imag. c. 27. Iaco. Pamel. in Tert. Vazq. de adorat. describe it: who also haue turned it into aVaz li 3. dis. [...]. c. 4 ✚. which now is set ouer the flag in the roome of it in all processions.

#Sect. 42. Answers to the arguments, which the Opposites take from miracles.

FRom Apparitions we must come to Miracles, whereby God hath manifested in the iudgement of our Opposites, that the crosse is a signe vndoubted of his ho­ly fonnes passion. When he would foreshew toZozom. Histor. lib. 5. cap. 2. Iulian that his Gospel should pre­vayle, he did it by a Crosse invironed with a crowne, which he caused to appeare vnto him in the entrulles of a beast in the middest of his divining. When he would make knowne to the Iewes, his gospell should prevaile against them repairing the Temple of Ierusalem to deface it, he did it by certaineIbid. ca. 2 [...] signes of crosses appearing in the builders garments. Last of all, when he would foreshewe the renewing of his Gospell by Martin Luther, he did it in Anno 1450. byIoh Picus. Mirandula de myste. cruc. ad Maxim. bloudy Crosses, Nayles, Spunges and Speares; which appeared in the garments of men and women, yea in their rockes as they were a spinning. First I answer with oneD. Fulk. reioyn. art [...]. pag. 14 [...] of our writers: If the Lord would in those times vse the Crosse for an outward signe, what is that to defende any present abuse of it? Did not God worke a great miracle by the bra­zen [...]o. Reynol. Confer. ca. 8. diuis. 4. pag. 508. serpent, which must be broken for all that when it is abused? Secondly, It was not for the Crosses sake that God euer vsed it (as if it were any signe of his sonnes) but per accidens, for that occasion which then it affoorded, as Paule once v­sedSocr. histo. lib. 5. ca. 17 the Altar of Athens for his turne, a thing much esteemed of amongst the Ido­laters. And the Christians the T. of Sirapis, much accounted of among his Priests, as signifying in their theologie vitam venturam? What then? to retaine a crosse for an ordinary signe, because God or man haue sometimes made vse extraordinary of it, is as if we should stil set vp Altars because of thatD. Fulk. ag. Saint. of Imag. cap. 13. extraordinary vse which Paule had once of an Altar at Athens. & retaineTheodo. lib. 5. ca. 2 [...] Beda histo. Anglor. lib 1. cap. 17. holy water &Euagri. lib. 4. cap. 35. holy bread for the sakes of those miracles which are storried of them, or finally theD. Fulk. reioyn. art. 3. pag. 15 [...]. Oyle and Imposition of handes, for the diseases which they cured, & the giftes of the holy Ghost which were miraculously bestowed by thē. Thirdly, These miracles were done to grace theWillihel. Perk. pro [...]. pag. 84. faith which the crosse then cōmonly signified, & the prayer which the crosse gestured wrought all in all, it was not to grace the Crosse it self, neither was it the crosse it self that did effect these things. The Image which Iulian broake was reven­gedZozom. histor. lib. 5. cap. 10. miraculously. What? to grace Images? No, but to punish Iulian, who in the Image dishonored Christ. A baptizingTheodor. histo. lib. 2. cap. 27. garment by Constantius the Emperor is gi­uen to Macarius of Ierusalem. this garmēt is sold to a stageplayer, who falleth down dead whiles he had it on his back. what to grace holy vestures, as theDuran. lib 2. c. 9. sect 4 papistes will haue it? No say we, but to revēge the despite, cōtempt, & profanenes of the player. [Page 132] Leo 1 Naucler the 4. Emperor of Constantinople taketh the Crowne that was full of pretious stones out of the treasurie of Sophia▪ a while after he had sett is on his head, he fal­leth into a feauer and dyeth. what to grace sumptuous adorning of Churches? No, but to punish sacriledge. Fourthly, seeing the papist adoreth the Crosse with the greater honour, the greater miracles that he hath wrought, a badd office doe we performe who vse the Crosse the more honorably for his Miracles sake. It was ill done of the Iewes to make Elias his Altar vpon Mount Carmell,Cornel. Taci. histo. lib. 2. an high place to serue God in for theIohn Rey­nold de Idolo [...]at. lib. 2. cap. 3 sect 46. miracles sake which God shewed in it. How (then) can it be well done of vs to bring the Crosse into Gods service for the miracles which God hath wrought by him against all Protestant writers, who not only refute pa­pistes errour for their superstitious and vnlawfull worship to the Crosse, but also for this theirIoseph. Scaliger. de Idolol. Halens. vnsound reasoning for the same. Fiftly, our commonIbid. p. 45 obiection against the Papistes is, that their Sainctes, Images and Crosses had store of miracles when they had no neede, and when there was none, that did impugne them but want miracles nowe a dayes at, greatest neede, when so manie rise vp against them. Against this there arise in the middest of vs, who sett a broach even moderne miracles for the Crosse. As a Father (sayeth one) wishing his childe had bene crosse in the seate of natures impuritie, had a next childe borne without vent there. First let the time be considered when this miracle is ronge, which was gratefull to the papistes of those partes, to backe a former miracle of theirs about the Crucifixe. IustusIust. Lyps. de Maria Halans. Lypsius Deifieth the Ladie of Halles, because her image remayneth vntouched when fire confirmeth round about her: euen so the Papistes of those partes, were in a crie, Great is the Crucifixe, because in fresh memorie, a Crucifixe of Dunneid remayneth without hurt, when round about it, the Church and windowes were thorne with thunder, that which divers went foorth to see. Secondly, let the person of the Father be considered, vpon whom it is fathered. For how could the proclaymer hereof either better revenge himselfe, then to set him vpon the stage, who stopt at home his popish leavene, & detected abroade many of his badde proceedings; or gratifie better his frindes of the other side, then to make him a spectacle of Gods Iudgement in the Crosses reveng, who had before made himselfe odious to them, all by service effectually performed in the apprehension of diuerse of them? At one time being vnable to enter a certaine popishe house hee beateth downe a Crosse in ieste, that standeth ouer the dore. A great matter is made hereof, as if there were renewed the miracle of the Crosse, which hinderedPaul. Dia­con lib. 1. Homar in his attempt, vntill it was taken awaye. Thirdly, let the subiect of this miracle be considered, how homely it is, and howe much sauouring of that spirit, which coyned a miracle of our home Kentismen, borne with tayles, because they hanged tayles vponBeda. hist. Anglor. Genebrar. in Anno Do. 595. Augustine the Monke, and of theVincent. Beluacens. lib. 23. cap 159. Pa [...]cic. Tempor. in an. 754. wife of Gingolphus, letting scape with her tayle as oft as she spake, because deriding her husbandes miracles she had said before, that her tayle made musique, as much as he made miracles. Fourtly, let the malice be considered of this miracle: For sup­pose the childe was so borne, are there not instances of children so borne, euen in the same country, whose parentes neuer offended the Crosse? Is it not folly inCesar. Ba­rph. Anal. In ann. 271 Iulius Firmicus (a fauourer of fate) to impute all the plagues of Plotinus his death, to fates revenge, because hee had written against it? IfIoseph. Scaliger de Idolo. Ha­lens. pa. 48 Zwickius haue his nose cut of with a shotte, must it needes be the Lady of Hales that hath done it, to revenge her selfe vpon him? or if Risselman, loose his chinne, in like manner, must this needes befall him for his contempt of that Idoll. Fiftly, consider the falshood of this miracle. If he could haue reported of this child, that he was borne sollid and flat posteriore Iulius Ob­sequens lib de prodig. cap. 85. natura parte, (as once one at Rome) their had the birth bene (indeed) prodigious. But this childe was not so borne, only he had a stoppage within. Which being remoued by the Phisitions advise, he dyed afterward of a [Page 133]scouring. He reporteth (also) that the Father had wished before, the Minister had Crossed his brother there howbeit being wary, he putteth in [I heare saye] this hearsaye since, vpon inquiry, is found a lyar. By reason hereof the Father slaunde­red, may well take vp the wordes of Hierome, Hieron. in Episto. 62. Ne probare cogatur audisse se dicit. O si & mihi liberet dicere quae multi clamitant & aliorum maledictis acquiescerem. iam & nos intelligeret scire quae omnes sciunt & me quoque audire quae nullus ignorat. [...] conclude, which is the worst miracle of all? that which doeth not onelyChrisost. in 2 Thess. cap. 2. indu [...]er [...] ad falsa, but is also falsum, euen such a one is this.

#Sect. 43. The refuge which the Opposites seeke to haue by the Fathers, removed, both because they passed measure herein, as also, that the case and time is now farre chaunged.

THE last refuge of our Opposites is the holde which they haue by the Fa­thers, who generally terme and call the Crosse Signum fidei, Cesar Ba­ron. Anal. in ann 286 Trophaum fidei, Signum Dei, Signum Christi, Signum Dominicum, with the like. First the custome of the Fathers herein, none euer yet was able to iustifie. as who are knowne to crowne the Crosse with this honorable name more often then the water it selfe of Baptisme. Quid August. cont. Faust. lib. 19. c. 14. est (sayeth Augustine) quod omnes noverunt esse signum Christi, nisi Crucem Christi? speaking as if all men had forgotten that it is the water in Bap­tisme that is Christes signe. Nay, the Crosse not onely jetteth in the name of Christes signe whereof it hath robbed the water in Baptisme, but also through­out the Fathers writinges bestoweth this name away from the water on whom please him, euen on as many of his attendants as he thinketh good. The Fathers call the CreedeAmbros. de veland. virgin. Signaculum cordis nostri. Wherefore? For the Crosses sake it see­meth that did goe with it, as these wordes shewe:August. de symbo. ad catecu. lib. 2 cap. 1 Quando voluerit adversarius in­sidiari noverit redemptus cum symboli Sacramento & Crucis vexillo debere occurrere. So is the imposition of handes called, aDionis. de Ecleesiast. Hierach. Consignation for the Crosses sake wherewith it was administred. On the Oyle many are the tyties which hee bestoweth in the writings of the Fathers. who call it for the Crosses sake,Cypri. in Episto ad Iubaian. Signaculum dominicum. Ambros. de Sacram. lib. 3. ca. 2 signaculum spirituale. Synod. Trullan. cap. 95. signaculum Dei & Spiritus sancti: yea [...] also, that isEuseb. hist. lib. 6. c. 35. si­gillum. Seeing the Fathers overlashe thus farre, wee neede not bee mooued much with their authoritie brought against vs, who are not the first that hold this signe wasD. Fulk. reioynd. art. 3. pag. 158. growne superstitious, euen in their chiefest age; yea long before the time of Augustine. Is it not a maxime in the Canon Lawe,Paul. Launcelo. Perusin. institut. lib. 1. tit. 2. prava consaetudo non ligat? Hath not a Councill determined,Concil. Sardicens. cap. 1. prava consaetudo non minus extir panda est quam perniciosa corruptela? Secondly, what though the custome of the Fathers who vsed the Crosse for a signe of Christ, were on all sides good, the times doe differ. They liued in an age when it was despised: we in a time when it is adored. They in a time when it professed the faith: we in a time when it countenaunceth heresie. They in a time when it was proper to Christians: we in a time when it is commō to Papistes. They in a time when it was vsed over all the Church for the signe of Christianitie: we in an age, when out of our owne Church it is no where vsed but for a signe of Antichristianitie. In regard, whereof we may well appeale to the old Canons, Regula Patrum traditae sunt (saiethDecret. pa. 1. distinct. 29. cap. 2. Gregorie) provt res postulare videbatur, temporis, loci, personarum, rei (que) ipsius habita ratione. AndIbid. disti. 14. cap. 2. Leo, Sicut quaedam sunt quae nulla possunt ratione convelli, ita multa sunt quae pro necessitate temporum at consideratio­ne aetatum oporteat temperari. And thus farre of the Crosses sinne against this se­cond commandement.

The hipocrisie of the Crosse. Cap. 3.

VAnitie is all one with priuation: Rom. 8.20.21. as the vanitie of the creatures with Paule is the priuation of their libertie from corruption. Now in priuation, sinne so consisteth as that the habits of sinne which are Nullam habent rationē mali nisi ratione priuationis iustitia debitae, as theCaiet. in Primam. 2. quest. 18. art. 9. schole deuines determine. Hence1. King 17 15. the Idols sinne is vanitie against the first commaundement, & a wrong worship a worshipingIsay. 29.13 in vaine, against the second, and all hipocrisie and miscarriage in e­very name and worship of Gods, a taking of his name in vaine, as thisExo. 20.7 third precept speaketh. For this cause it wil not be in vaine, to shewe that the signe of the Crosse is vaine a thing most easie to bee done. First, there is a vanitie of superfluitie in it, in that it is aD. Fulk. reioyn. art. 4. pag. 164 & 166. needlesse ceremonie; in that we are as wellCalfh cōt. matt. art. 1. fol. 30. with out it, as with it: and it is a ceremonie that isD. Fulk. reioyn art. 1. pag. 143 superfluous altogether. Christes person being consi­dered (saithAndrew. willet. de Bapt. cap. 8 one) It was fit, the Crosse, Salt, Spittell &c should haue bene vsed in his Baptisme, if God had seene they were needfull for his Church. Now when Christ sendeth for any thing, his argument is:Marc. 11.3 for the Lord hath need of it. And when he receaueth any thing he will not suffer this blott to rest on it. What Math. 26.8.10.11. need? But he will wipe this suspition of a needlessnes away, and so will proue it needfull. This example our superiors cannot followe, vnlesse before they vrge the Crosse, they proue vnto vs that the Sacrament hath need of it; and that it is not vaine and needlesse which this precept doth condemne. Doth not the Lawe discarg from a vowe, that which hath a superfluous,Leuit. 22. [...]2. member, and from a sacrifice that which hath a superfluous wenne? Why vowe wee then a Crosse in Baptisme? why by the Crosse vowe wee our children vnto God? a member superfluous, as vsed in popery, & by the people, a wenne superfluous sticking in the vpper skinne, though vsed according to the skill of our one Church. Nay (to search this point to the quicke) the superfluitie of this signe maketh (indeed) our sinne to be admirable, in that we haue the water alreadie (a better signe ordained to our hands) euen as it is a thing much to bee merviled, and not to be beleeued byBellarm. de Imag. c. 13 Bellarmine, that the Iewes should desire a calfe for a signe of Gods presence, hauing the cloud and the piller which did resemble it better before. What increaseth the sinne of the Iewes when they desire superfluous fleshe, the sinne of the adulterer, and couetous per­son how is it augmented, but by this there is no need, the Iewes hauingNum. 11.5 Manna a better meate already to their hands provided? ThePro. 6.30.31. 2. Sam. 12.8. adulterer being blessed with a wife of his own already, and the couetous man with food and1. Tim. 6. rayment asmuch as is needfull for him. This also made the sinne of Euae Decret. pa. 2. caus. 33. quest. 3. c. 1 haynous, that hauing so many blessed frutes, she lusted after that needlesse frute which was forbidden not­withstanding, which now is ourA french. discourse of the ho­nor of the Crosse. part. 1. sinne, who tempt God and fall a lusting after a superfluous Crosse, a meat Idolothious, an harlot spiritual, a Iewell of Anthichrist, a frute forbidden not being contented with the water an heauenly Manna, a chast ceremonie, a Iewell lefte for a pledge by Christ, and a frute of his, whereby he fee­deth vs till he himselfe doe come in place, the true tree of eternall life, which stan­deth in the middest of the paradise of God. Last of all, we condemne the papistes in their Agnus Deies and other consecrate signes of theirs euenIoh. Reyn. de Idolola.lib. 2. cap. 3 [...]ct. 6. for this, that Bap­tisme and the Lords Supper, not only suffice, but also excell: which, with what face can we doe any longer, as long as we keepe the signe of the Crosse, to signifie Christ Iesus to vs, a superfluitie as badde as they, if not farre worse.

#Sect. 2. That the vsing of the Crosse is but an idle apishe roye, and lighter then the Surplice, which is also too light.

SEcondly, There is a vanitie of lightnes in it which maketh it worthy to bee cut of (as Balthasar was) when in the ballance he was founde to light. For euery idle ceremonie must away from the seruice of God (Muscul. loc. de trad. cap. 5. say some) euenIo. Husse. in Con [...]l. Consta. soss. 12. pag. 834. omnis ritus leuis & infundabilis ex scriptura. and euery ceremonie which hath eitherChemnit. in exam. p. 2. pag 39. otiosum spectaculum, or ludum otiosum. And the signe of the Crosse is an idle ceremonie (sayCalfn. con Mart. art 4 fol. 92. D. Fulk. reio. art. 3. pag. 159. others) which all reason will make plaine. Doth any know a reason waightier to ballance the Crosse then that which aDurant. de rit. lib. 1 cap. 6. sect. 11. Papist bringeth, who proueth out of Caeli­us Rodigin lib. 10. cap. 8. that the Crosse is a sacred signe, graue and religious, euen by the lawe of Nature, because the Heathens in their adorations, moouing their right hand to their mouthes, did kisse their thumbe layd a twart ouer their fore­finger in the maner of a crosse? If he doe, let him speake. For, as for this reason it wayeth nothing with me, sith euery Italian fashionethso. Crispi. Frederic. 2. such a crosse as this, as ofte as he gestureth Eccola fico. Howbeit, what aske I? When the friends of the crosse them selues acknowledge it to be a toye. and our writers chalke it vp amongest o­therAndr. wil­let de Ba­ptis. cap. 8. toyes popish whereof I am sorie. For how can we keepe our mouthes open against papistes for vsingD. Fulk. retent. aga. Bristow. in mot. 34. pag. 99. toyes in the seruice of God while we our selues vse these ceremonies which in cōmon estimation are but tryfles? The Surplice hath more grauitie in it then hath the gesture of the crosse. For the weare of white was of old time honorable, and now it isBucer. de re vestiar. Pet. Marti. Epistol. ad Hooper. pleaded with some colour, it serueth to set forth the Ministers dignitie. and yet we see how our Fathers haue hissed at it. One terming it.Gualt. in Hos. 2. Calui. in­stitut. lib. 4 c. 10. sect 29 player-like apparell, and a vaine vizard. an other aBaleus. in declarat. of Boner. arti. pag. 100. prettie toy an other anD. Tayler act. & mon. pag. 1659. Apish toye. an otherBaecon. p [...]. 1. Cathec. pag 480. histrionicall, scenicall, & hic scorner like. It is lighter then the Surplice which yet is esteemed too light, and is it waightier then the ceremonies which are singled out of Gods seruice because they arePet. Mart. in 1. Sam. cap. 14. minutiae. becauseIdem in Iudic. ca. 2. fol. 33. Caluin. in­stitut. lib. 4 c. 10 sect. 29 Nugatoriae; because they yeeld nothingIbid. praeter inane oblectamentum. because they seemePet. Mart. in 1. cor. 14 decorae onely sensui Carnis, & mundi iudicio, & non constant mortificatione, sanctitate, modestia? Mr Buter misliketh the stay of the childe at the Church-dore, and the white garment that is done on him in the church, because the former is actio scenica, and in so holy a mysterie as this we may not doe any thingBucer. in Censur. cap 9. magis leuiter. the latter a signe that serueth for little, saue onlyIbid. c. 10 ad augendum ludum, cuius etiam occasio omnis, est ampu­tanda. and he concludeth at the last, euen of the wordes of the Crosse it selfe, as they stoode in King Edw. communion booke,Ibid c. 12. Nihil tale decet scriptura, & ludicra omnia debent ab his mysterijs longe abesse. It is no sinne withPet. Viret. annotat. in Miss. Peter Viret to terme the crosses in the Lords supper, juggling feates, and an Aegyptians fast and loose. And as for the Priest that stretcheth his armes to expresse a Crosse to the people, hee laugheth at him, and saith, he is tooIbid. c 42. merrie a Christ. Is not a Crosse in a childes forehead, as very a play-game as a white Chrisom vpon his face? or a Crosse in bap­tisme a faste and loose gesture as well as it is in the Lords supper? And what diffe­rence to expresse a Crosse with armes, and to make a crosse with the finger? Alas this finger crosse is but leuis agitatio manus (as Auselme telleth vs in sober sadnes)August de temp. serm. 181. elegit crucem, quae leui motu manus exprimitur; qua & contra inimici versutias, arma­mur. Therefore is it too merry a gesture to represent the sorrowfull tormentes of the Lord Christ Iesus, especially those vnspeakeable tormentes which in his soule he suffered. Can the bloudy sweat of his whole body, be represented to vs by the wagging of a finger? the grones, the teares, and stronge schritches wherewith hee filled the whole firmament of heauen, be wel resembled by a little breaking of the ayer? Can the hell of his heavines, be proportioned with a playful gesture of ease, or can any gesture though neuer so vneasie (vnlesse Gods ordinance vnderproppe [Page 128]it) beare vp with gravitie, the fearfull mysterie of this Sacrament? which to reue­rence as we ought, Exod. 3.6. we stande rather in need of a cloake to cover our faces then of a crosse to write on the face, after the maner that Christ with his finger wrote on the ground, Iohn [...].6. when he would shew the matter was trifling which was in hande. Nay, our Forefathers devised a farre more reverent signe (as some conceyue) to expresse the dying of the Christ to come. not in Gods service which was vnlawfull, but in the firmament of the heauen. When amongst their Astronomicall figures they proportioned a man dolefully praying on his knees termed [...] at the first and no more, though aftertimes haue named him Hercules. and in his praying stretch­ing his armes in forme of a crosse, and composing the rest of his body as if he were hanging (for soArat. in Phainom. Aratus doth describe him) and treading with his right foote vpon the serpents head. This was a signe of some sablenes, of some saddnes. as for the crossing of the finger, what fether more light? sure not the feathers of the fanne of which Hierom, in that they driue away the flies they haue an eligant signification Hieron. Epist. 20. ad Marcel. debere luxuriam cito restinguere quia muscae moriturae oleum suauitatis exterminant. No nor the fethers of the Mass-flapp neither. For when he driueth away the flies from the cupp of theDuran. de rit. lib 1 c. 10 Lord Supper, he serueth for better vse and purpose then the signe of the Crosse hath any, and when he signifieth the driuing away of evill thoughtes ventilabro fidei after Abrahams example, who draue away the fowles with a staffe that came to hinder his sacrifice hee keepeth the decorum a great deale better, then the signe of the Crosse, which ourIdem. li. 2 cap. 45. sect 5. Iacob. Billius. in Gregor. Nazianz. brethren vse to call flabellum muscarum for the vanitie of lightnes in it; and as a vayne andVazq. de adorat. lib. 3. disput. 2. cap. 5. emptie ceremonie doe much detest.

#Sect. 3. That the Crosse is vnprofitable, fleshlie, smelling of Idolatrie, and of too light a colour.

THe Crosses 3. vanitie is of vnprofitablenes for the which he must be banished by this cōmandement; For what? The vnsauorie salt cast forth, because good for nothing? Math. 5.13. Ier. Heb. 13.9. The frutlesse Vine throwne into the fire, because good for no vse▪ The old ceremonies of the Iewes forbidden because they did not profit them that were exercised in them: doe all declare how ill God is pleased with that which is vaine, through inanitie of commoditie and of proffit which ought to bee in it. Doth not this suffice to cashier a thing: It is not profitable, it edifieth not, euen asThom. A­quin. Commen. 2, cor. 5. A­quinas himself obserueth? Nay, doth not our owne LawAdmonit. de ceremo. apud. Buce, in Censur. pag. 45 3. condemne the ceremo­nies quae [...]. And what though they haue bene profitable heere to fore, must they be kept for their old seruice? No,Chemnit examin. pag. 2. tit. de rit. pag. 39. omnes ritus remouendi sunt qui ad adificationem vtiles esse desinunt. and againePet. Mart. in 1. Sam. cap. 14. Ceremonia vbi nullus est amplius earum vsus abs (que) omni dubitatione tollenda. The light herof hath forced our adversaries to make this their issueThe, exa­minat. of the declar. of the Mi­nist. of London. wee doubt not but great good wil be done by the ceremonies contro­uersed, what great good of a tryfle? for so you iudg your selfe of the Crosse. Then behold ether a great miracle (to wit) a thistle bringing forth, not only a figg, but also a pomgranate; or else a great Monster (to wit) a fountaine sending forth both sower water and sweet. And what meanes in the Crosse by which these proffites may arise. First, bee the reuerend antiquitie of it, which giueth contentement to the people, with whom experience it selfe shewethRich. Hook. lib. 5. cap. 65. how much through custome a ceremonie worketh. This reason when time was would haue serued Pilate well. [Mar. 15.8 When to content the people of Iewry] crying for their old custome, hee let Barrabas loose amongst them, not much worse then the Crosse, vnlesse we count soul-mur­ther nothing, and the stirring of sedition in our Church. And it would haue well serueth Symmacus also, backing his paganisme with the custome of former times, whom when one answereth he replyeth for vs in the cause of the Crosse.

Prudent. cont. Si­mach.
Quid mihi tu ritus solitos Romane Senator
Obiectas? cum scita Patrum, populi (que) frequenter
In tabulis placiti sententia flexa novarit
Nunc etiam quoties solitis decedere prodest
Praeteritos (que) habitus cultu damnare recenti.

And the abuse of this signe considered, the more auncient the worse, & the more contentment it giveth the more superstition it breedeth. there having place, heare what one said of the Surplice once:Bucer. in censur. c 2. pag. 45 8. St singulis parochijs idonei mittantur doctores, pijs hominibus grata erit, ista vestium sublatio, impiorum vero gratia si Christi serui esse vo­lumus, nulla modo captanda est benevolentia, multo minus eorum vlla ratione sustentanda est superstitio. The seconde way whereby the Crosse is supposed able to bring in profit, is, that complement that is in it ad ornatum. O saye the Procters of it, The Crosse Ric. Hook vb. sup. must not be pulled of. Will ye so strippe this Sacrament from the attire with which the wisedome of man hath clothed it? The wisedome of man had devised chariottes in Christes tyme. But what he? Euen when he was to shewe foorth his greatest pompe,Francis. Iun. paral. 36. recalled he not the auncient simplicitie of the Iudges in Israell, whoIudg 5.10. & 10.4 rode vpon Asses? Wherevpon one against the Adiaphoristes: Herman. Hamelmā. de tradit. pa. 1. lib. 4. colum. 373 Christus non opus ha­bet isla externa sapientia in suis Sacramentis. Venit pauper sedens in Asina ad filiam Syon, in quo aduentu noluit aliquam exornationem, ergo non vult quoque illam in suis Sacra­mentis. Shall we thinke the Baptisme of the primitiue Church was not as richlie attyred as ours, for want of the Crosse? or that the Baptisme of the moderne Churches nowe, is more beggerlie clothed then ours, because they doe not vse this signe? Thinke not to saye: we clothe Baptisme with the Crosse, not as with an ornament of necessitie, but of decencie onely.Bellarm. de cult. sanct. ca. 6. Bellarmine him selfe will pleade so much for the whole wayne-loade of popishe ceremonies. Doe but thinke the robe of mans wisedome to be necessary for a decencie, and run into Montanisme. which pleadeth in like maner:Chemnit. examin p. 1. de tradi. gen. 8. pag. 93. The rawnes of the first times must be perfected with an ampliation of Ceremonies, such as may be vestimentum quodammodo fidei quae retro erat nuda. and into papisme, which reasoneth in like sort:Marcell. Corcyrens. in praefat. ad lib. de ceremoniis Religio sine debito ceremonia­rum ornatu inculta est informis & omni pulchretudine vacua. And last of al into Luthe­ranisme and Adiaphorisme, which contend for images, and all [ad ornatum]: in like fashion out of Rupertus, Herman. Hamelmā. de tradit. pa. 1. lib. 4. colum. 373 fides Apostolorum rudis fuit: A posterioribus verò adhibitis ce­remonijs exornata. But if there were needfull some robes of mans wisedome, he is a bad tayler that hath chosen the crosse, whch indeed dishiteth baptisme more wayes then one. First, because it is to gaye in the eyes of the people, like the braue attire of a servant that turneth away the peoples eyes frō his Master to him self; or like the painting of a womans face which disfigureth the natural beautie of this sacramēt, and maketh men thinke thatTertul. de cult. foemi­nar. plastica Dei and the ordinance of the water is not beautifull enough, reprehendunt [...]n. qui emendant. As it is an iniurie (saithAugust. de tempore. serm. 247. Augustin) to a painter when another cometh to adde ornament to his picture: so is it an in­iurie to God when men will presume to adde beautie to his creature, and so by consequent to his ordinance. Cyprian speaking against those who added beautie to their faces by painting,Cypri. de habitu vir­gin. opus Dei est (saieth hee) omne quod nascitur, diaboli quod­cunque mutatur. So likewise here: All that is instituted is Gods. all that is added against the word of God by man (indeed) is the Devills. Secondly, The robe of the Crosse is too fleshly for baptisme. Knowe wee not the Queenes gar­ment (saiethAugust. epist. 86. ad Casulā. Augustine) which is wouen of ceremonies, must be sutable to hir in­warde beautie, and so be spiritual? especially in this time of the gospell? Thirdly, the robe of the Crosse smelleth too much of the stewes. whereas the Churches simplicitie in outward ceremonies maketh hir like vnto a woman that doeth mo­destly put in hir hairCant. 4.1. ex Tremel. within hir kercher, and doth not frouze it like the wanton. Cloth hir now with the Crosse & Surplice, and the habit of the harlot is vpon hir. [Page 130]against which the Fathers crie out so much,Tertul. de coron. milit. Si in Idoleio vesci vetitū sit, Quid in I­doli habitu videri? Againe,Idem in li. de Idolola. Nullus habitus licitus est apud nos illicito actui ascriptus. ha­bet. n. ab idolo profanationis suae maculam And last or all. Tunicam si induas inquina­tam poterit forsitan illa inquinari perte, sed tu per illam mundus esse non poteris. Is not the Surplice the Idolls habit? the signe of the crosse the Idoll him selfe? Fourthly, The robe of the Crosse is of too light a culler. For it is vayne (as hath bene shew­ed). and euen aBellarm. de cult. sanctor. cap. 6. Bellarmine him selfe will banish all things vsed ad ornatum, if they be [vana or inepta]. We haue freed Baptisme (you will say) from all Romish im­modestie, in that we haue packt all other of hir gaudes away. But what saide oneSocrat. hi­stor. lib 5. cap. 22. once, receyue the Passeover of the Iewes, and receyue all the rest of their Ceremonies also: So receyue the Crosse and Surplice (which are their cheefest badges) and then giue countenance to all the rest of their ceremonies [ad ornatum]. which (mee thinkes) we should the lesse doe, because the Iesuites blaspheme for them, as if GodBellar. vbi supra. delighted in them: which is to make him fleshe not spirit; yea tooke such a de­light in them, as to take charge bestowed vpon them in better sorte, then if it were bestowed in mercie on the poore.

#Sect. 4. The profits alledged to accompanie the crosse, for cōmendation thereof, as to keepe from sinne, confusion, cause zeale, and to helpe in the instant of temptation, are refuted.

THE third way whereby it is thought the Crosse is profitable, is that sensible efficacie of it whereby it worketh on the minde, after the manner thus descri­bed:Ric. Hook li. 5. ca. 65. The forehead is the closet of fancie: vpon fancie our minde beateth day and night, as vpon an anvill: the Crosse (then) set in the forehead, awaketh the fancie, and stirreth vp tht imagination, and becometh a powerfull worker on the minde, especially to make it asha­med of sinne, and to stay it in the instant of the tentation. Now well fare a wet finger, (say I). For will yee knowe? The Chrisme of confirmation layeth claime to this Panegyrick, and pleadeth it is stollen from hir. who must be in the forehead, euen for the same cause, to wit,Thom. A­quin pa. 3. qu. 72. ar. 9 propter propinquitatem imaginationis, the nearenes of the imagination. But viewe wee the severall pagentes of this Architecture. The first commendation is drawne from the place, to witt, the forehead. Which the Fathers neuer knewe from whom (we saye) wee receyue our light. It appea­reth they did not crosse according to this proiect, because they signed them selues in those partes which dwell farre from this cell of our fancie. It was theHieron. E­pist. 27. cap. 10. mouth and the stomacke of Paula hir mother that Eustochium croste, when shee lay vpon dying. and Paula her selfeIbid. c. 13. morti vicina crucis signum pingebat in labijs. and the counsell giuen by Hierome is this:Hieron. e­pist 8. ad Demet. c. 6 Claudas cubiculum pectoris, as well as this, & sig­no Crucis munias frontem. The counsell giuen by Prudentius is, Prudent. in hymno. aute som­num. fac cum vocante somno castum petis cubile frontem locum (que) cordis crucis figura signet. Ephracem is olde, though counterfait. Now he thus:Ephreem. de poenitē. cap. 3. Pingamus in ianuis atque in frontibus nostris & in ore & in pectore & in membris omnibus vivificum signum. Chrisostome willeth vs on our hartes to imprint the signe of the Crosse,Chrisost. homil. in Matt. 88. ad cohibendos & continendos turbatos animi motus, & effrenatos concupiscentiae impetus. Luther in catec. Luther followed this counsell it see­meth. For he also crost in pectore. And when the Fathers crost in the forehead, it was because the forehead was the openest place for profession, and the best mem­ber in the body. Non sine causa signum suum (sayethAugust. in Psal. 30.36. ca. 3. Augustine) Christus in fronti­bus figi voluit tanquam in sede pudoris, ne Christi opprobrio Christianus erubescat. Idem de catechi. Zaud. ru­dic. ca. 20. Cru­cis signo in fronte hodie tanquam in poste signandus es. Chrisost. in oration. advers. gē ­til. quod Christus sit Deus. Subinde omnes cruce se signant in­scribendo in nobilissimum membrum nostrum: in fronte enim nostra tanquam in Co­lumna quotidiè figuratur. The seconde commendation that heere is given to make the Crosse profitable, is drawne from the manner of his proceeding, in awaking the fancie by stirringe vpp the imagination, and thereby workinge on the minde.

But this, is it not the rightSuarez. tom. 1. in Thom. disput. 54. sect. 1. Image working of poperie?Nichol. S [...]und. de imag. ca. 7. where the painting of Christes death moueth the eye: the eye advertiseth the common sense; the cōmon sense informeth the fancie: out of our fancie reason draweth a consideration, &c. and wherein? there is an abstraction from the matter of the image to the forme so abstracted, and from the forme that is abstracted to the apprehēsion of Christ him selfe, for that our fancie doth consider it to be his Image. I for my parte can see no difference betweene this crosse and image-working, therfore let it receiue the same answer. These abstractions (saithD. Fulk ag Saund. of imag. p. 612 D. Fulke) are Metaphisicall and too hard lessons for the people to learne: & whē they haue learned them, they are nothing worth. And as for conjoying the outward signe which Christ signified by meanes of our fancie, it is a toy to mocke an Ape.Ibid. pag. 163. Last of all. A Christian is taught by hea­ring and not by seeing. Blessed are they (saith Christ) which beleeue and haue not seene: and he hath learned that an Image is profitable for nothing, that he is a teacher of lies; and that he is cursed that sayth an Image shall teach him. It will be obiected that this abstraction and progression, and mouing of the fancie is found in the Sa­crament. which, what is it to the purpose? For where as in the working of outward signes, it is the passage of the minde from the signe to the thing signified that dothAugust. in epist. ad Ia­nuar. 119. cap. 11. enkindle it after the maner that a firebrand taketh flame by being wagged & sha­ken, there is in a Sacrament a fire of the spirit to enkindle this passage, whiche hath thoughtes & imaginations that are grounded on the word: whereas in the Crosse it is a straung fire that doth enkindle with fancies sensuall & imaginations fantasti­call against his rule, who writeth thus against crosse-worship:Ionas Au­relianens. l. 1. de cult. imag. Ne sit religio nostra in phantasmatibus nastris. The 3. commendation which is here giuen to the Crosse, is drawne from the effect. which is a restraint from sinne, through shame conceiued and that in the verie instant of the temptation. Concerning this, who will not cō ­mend the cleanly conveyance of this Author, who will haue the crosse a weapon against the Divill still. howbeit, not so grosse a one as the papistes or as the Fathers themselves doe make it. These hold that the sight of the crosse driveth the tempter away euenBellarm. de imag. cap. 30. ex opere operato, through Gods ordinance, and because it is a Trophe of Christ, & putteth the Divill in remēbrance of the foyle which he receyued by Ch. death. The Fathers some excuse as if they held that the signe of the crosse driveth the tempter awayPerk. pro­blem. in sign. cruc. Athanas. li. 2. cap. 16. pag. 153. ex opere operantis only, as it is a signe of faith & gesture of pray­er. Who, whether they be right or no, I will not here determine: only I will vnco­uer the fountaine from whence Mr Hookers doctrine floweth vnto the papistes, and from them with som cleansing and refining vnto him self.Constitut. Clement. lib. 3. Crucis signum infractum signum quia cuflodia munitissima Crux. Cypri. ad­vers. Iudae­os. cap. 21. Hic est lapis quo David frontem Goliae percus­sit. quo signo nos & tuti semper sumus & vivimus. Orige ho­mil. 8. in divers. Evan­gel. loc. Immortale lauacrum portemus in fron­tibus nostris cum viderint demones contremiscunt, qui aurata capitolia non timent crucem riment. Ephraem. de armatu. spiritual. & de poenitē. Signo crucis teipsum muni, validissima. n. armatura est. siue dormias, fiue iter agas siue evigiles siue operi insistas siue māduces siue bibas siue maria naviges siue flumina trās­mittas, hac te lorica circumtege membra (que) tua omnia, salutari signo exorna, at (que) circūsepi, & non accedent ad te mala hoc. n. signo circūspecto adversariae potestates conterritatremen­tes (que) recedent. Cyrillus Hierosol. Cateches 4 Signate fronte vt daemones signum regis videntes, trementes procul fugiant. Idem Ca­teches. 13. Crux signum fidelium & timor daemonum. Gregorie Nazianz. speaking of Iulian cros­sing himself whē the Divill affrighted him,Gregor. Nazianze. oratio 3. in Iulian. Valuit (saith he) cedunt daemones, pellūtur timores. Theodor. histor. li. 3 cap. 3. Tri. par. hist. li. 6. cap. 1. Theodoret speaking of the same, Daemones trophei dominici figuram respiciētes & sua recordati devictionis repentè disparuerunt. Hieron. in epistol. ad Heliodor. Muniar crucis tua signo quod videntes potestates adversae fagiant confusae & discedant àme. Gregor. Mag. dial. lib. 3. c. Gregorie tells vs that a Iewe in a Christian church saued himselfe from a Senate of Divills by signing his forehead with the signe of the crosse. AnGuilihel. Non brin­gens de reb. Anglor. li. 2. cap. 21. Angell chideth one Ketellus for not crossing him­self, giving him warning, ne in posterum insidiātes hostes inermē eum invenirent. Pervse this fountaine from whence this profit of the Crosse floweth against tentation. [Page 132]Consider with what puddle the papistes, infect it when they vse it as weapon a­gainst the tempter, being therevnto confirmed by these authorities, and then re­solue whether they do not better seruice, whoCalsh. a­gain Mart. ar. 1. fo. 28 reiect the crosse quite in the com­bat of temptation, because it is none of the Christian weapons, but is omitted by Paule wher he rehearseth the whole armor of God: andD. Fulk re­ioynd. art. 2. pa. 145. esteeme all vse of the Crosse against the deuill, to be superstitious, and the Crosse it selfe no better then a strawe to runne at tilt withall; or they who dubb it with this honour, that it is a forcible meane to keepe from sinne: a meane to saue from confusion: it causeth zeale and shame of sinne, and helpeth at the instant against the temptation of the deuill? It fellCōmanta. de stat. re­ligion. in Reg. Galliae Collect. of Massacr. in Fraunce. out once by the great mercie of the Lord vpon the Protestants of Beziers in France, that a drunken Drummer saueth the whole Towne by waking of it, at the very instant that their walles were surprizing, by ringing of their Towne-bell, as hee was going home at midnight from his drinke. If the signe of the Crosse saue at the instant of the tentation by awaking the fancie, hee saueth like this Drummer. And as the Senate of Beziers would not suffer dronken men to ring the Larum bell of the Towne, when soeuer their drinke should moue them; notwithstanding this straung deliuerance: so though some drunken (but not with wine) shall thinke themselues awaked by the Crosse at the pushe of their tentation, yet will not theD. Fulk reioynd. art. 2. pa. 145. Andr. Wil­let. de cruc. art. 3. Ioh Rey­nold. con­fet. cap. 8. diuis. 4. Senate of Diuines permitte to blesse our selues with it, or to vse it in common vse. So (then) neither by the contentement of it, nor by the complement of it, nor by the efficacie of it, doth the crosse any good, but the promise of much good by it, proueth like the promise which papistesNic. Saūd. de imag. cap. 17. make of much good to bee done by Images, both which are the promise of the apple: promising much good, but paying much euill. If any replie, this commeth of the abuse, the answere is ready:Chemnie. examin. pa. 2. tit de rit. p. 39. euery ceremonie must be remoueth, that doeth degenerate into abuse when it is found to bee incorrigible, as the Crosse hath proued it selfe for more then these fourtie yeeres. And so farre of the Crosses sinne, against the letter of this Lawe.

#Sect. 5. That the Crosse is now not onely vnprofitable, but also verie hurtfull.

WHen we come to examine it according to the sence and meaning, we finde it hurtfull, not vnprofitable only,Iewel. art. 1 diuis. 2. pa. 442. as one of our writers saith: verily in the house of God, that thing is hurtfull that doth no good. All the ceremonies of the church ought to bee cleare and lively and able to edifie. This speake hee of diuiding the bread of the Sacrament into; partes, of which Harding demaunded of him, what many now demaund of vs concerning the Crosse: [what hurt is there in it]? Too much hurt, and more then we would more (also) then Master Iewell could finde in the breaking of the hoste: we need not replie as he of that. The Crosse doth hurt in that he doth no good: for behold many hurtes which he doth by hindering good, & furthering harme. The first is seene in the bearing of Gods name before the pa­pistes who are his enimies, where it stayeth profession, & stayneth or hindereth it, or maketh it halt. This we see in our Magistrates, who haue ceased to executIniunct. Elizab. art. 23. can. E­piscop. an­no. 1559. art. 59. lawe against the Crosses of Church-windowes for the Crosses sake in Baptisme. This wee see in our writers; who when they write against the Crosse, are calme (if not colde) where foreners are seruent, and are faine to come in with [though] and [if] and the like provisoes as if they were put to the same exigent for the excusing of our Church in the vse of the Crosse, as Cy [...]ill was once (by ourDo. Fulk reioynd. art. 9. pag. 104. 2 Sam. 2.23 owne cōfession.) When Iulian the Apostata tooke advantage from the reuerence which the Chri­stians then gaue vnto it. This wee see in our Preachers whose lippes in a manner are sowed vp from speaking against the very abuse and superstition of the Crosse, least they should seeme to speake against the Crosse in Baptisme, and to breake the [Page 133]Lawe and that per contemptum. This wee see in our people, who bee at a stande in their zealous pursute of poperie, because they stand as men discouradged, yea a­mazed to see the falles of their Asahelles and of their Amasaes, I meane their spiritual captaines whom the signe of the Crosse hath wrackt. And as the Crosse stayeth profession against the papists, so doth he stayne it with that conformitie with him, which hath euer bene esteemed a flaw, yea a bracke in Christian zeale. For what they who retaine the old ceremonies of the Iewes, who are not so bad as popishe ritesHieron. a­pud Augu. Epist. 11. dum volunt & Iudei esse & Christiani, nec Iudei sunt nec Christiani. Augustine speaking of womē wearing mans attireAugust. so­lil [...]qu. lib. 2. cap. 16. Nescio (saith he) vtrum falsas mulieres an fal­sos viros melius vocem: veros tamen histriones veros (que) infames sine dubitatione possumus vocare. The communion of rites confoundeth sectes, more then the communion of attire confounded sexes: who then would iudge vs to bee good protestantes, who communicate with popish rites, besides our selues? ThusGualt. in Hos. cap. 2. one of our writers, bominum traditiones &c. The traditions of men defile the confession of faith, wher­vpon the scripture reprehendeth those who in the reforming of the Church, lefte the high places, because these retained in face the footsteps of former fornication. And in like manner now a dayes they haue not takē their fornications from their face, who retayne still in their Churches popish Images and Chalices, and player­like vestures with the like, who all of them doe (as if an adulteresse after shee is re­conciled to hir husbande) should bring the giftes and loue tokens of hir former a­dultery impudently into his sight, and goe about to procure his goodwil by them. What Protestant hitherto euer renounced the common tenent, wee must haueBuces. in Censur. ca. 5. pa. 458. nihil commune with papistes in their ceremonies and their rites? The first excuse here alleadgeth there is such an vtter difference made betweene the popish crosses and ours, as that there is no scarre or blemish to our confession by the same. First, suppose there were some dissimilitude (which yet in sight and shew is none) what say we of theSocrat. hi­stor. lib. 5. cap. 2 [...]. Samaritanes, were they not foolish when they thought they made a goodly separation from the Iewes by keeping their Passeouer at a diverse season? And what iudge we of theNarrat. de Tartaror. relig. ad Dauid. Ch [...] tre. mist. Tartars? Doe wee not hold them absurd when they thinke they differ sufficiently from the Iewes, because their circumzion is at the. [...]. or. 3. yeere of their age, as their Pope shall thinke fit? Last of all, what thinke we of the men ofIoh. Sa­cran. de rit. Ruthenor. Russia? Doe we not imagine them fond whē they thinke they spite Rome with a marveilous differēce of their Images, for that they are not of the same fashion, but according to their owne countrey making? Secōdly, God forbiddeth all likenes of ceremonies with Idolaters: I saye all [likenes] that cometh neare the rites of the aliens, as aLevit. 19.28. like cutting and marking of the fleshe. A like Deut. 16.21. groue to that of Idolaters. Hos. 6.11. A plant taken out of Samaria, which is like hers. 2. cro. 13.9 A Priest like vnto the Priestes of other Countries. Harmon. confess. sect 13. Wittem berg. con­fess. c. 10. Qua authoritate, &c. With what authoritie and profit we may take example of administring Sacramentes from Ethnickes, that speach of Moses testifieth: Take heede thou imitate not the Heathen, nor aske after their Ceremo­nies▪ saying: As those Nations worship these gods, so will I worship. Non facietis similiter Domino Deo vestro. ye shall not doe the same vnto your God as they doe to theirs. Thirdly, the practise of the Church hath euer shunned all similitude with exterior rites, the better to beare vp the profession of the Gospell. The Councill of Nice chose a diverse Easter-day frō the Passouer of the Iewes,Socrat. hi­stor. lib. 5. cap. 22. vt ecclesia cum Iudeis nibil co [...]sor [...] babere videatur, which was according to the scripture, as one of our writerswhitaker: controvers. 1. quaest. 6. ca. 9. pag. 408. Qu [...]t [...]deciman [...] fuerunt ex scripuris expugnati, quia sci diver sum esse debebat Chisti­ [...]rum & I [...]d [...]um Pascha,

To make the Crosse him selfe his owne iudge. Was there any other cause that chose him at first, but that the Gentiles hating him most,G [...] [...]. Gro [...]l [...]g. li. [...]. in [...]n. Chri. [...] he serued best to make se­paration from them▪ Neither is he well vsed at this day vnlesse it bee in the East Indies; where the Christians are said to haue a crosse in their church, & nothing els [Page 134]to distinguish them selues from Pagans: and at Constantinople where the PatriarchIdem in ann. 1549. payeth a great tribut to haue a golden Crosse stande on the pinacle of his patriar­chall Palace, to distinguish from the Turkes.Chrisost. de ieinn. Iudeor. Chrisostome holdeth it better to bee drunke then to fast the Iewish fast: he meaneth a fast vppon the same day with theirs. AndAugust. in Epistol 86 ad Casula. Augustine condemneth all likenes of fasting with the Manichees, Die Dominico iciunare scandalum est magnum, maxime post quam innotuit haeresis Manicha­orum qui suis anditoribus ipsum constituerunt ad iciunandum tanquam legitimum diem. Per quod factum est vt ieiunium die Dominico horribilius haberetur. Leo will not haue incurvation towards the East like to that which Heathen vse,Leo Serm. 7. de natiu. Domin. vpon this reason, u absti­nendum est ab ipsa huiu smodi specie officij, quam cum in nostris invenit qui deorum cultum reliquit, nonne hanc secum partem opinionis vetustae, tanquam probabilem retentabit quā Christianis & impijs viderit esse communem? Gregorie the great abolished an auncien­ter cermonie then the Crosse, to avoyde communion with theGregor Regist. in dict. 9. c. 41 Arrians quia huc­vs (que) ab haereticis infans tertio mergebatur, a pub nos fiendum esse non censeo. Bernard. in Apolog. ad Willihelm. Comit. Bernard will not haue any thing in the Church (the pompous adorning there of by name) that may quodammodo representare antiquum Iudeorum ritum. Come we downe to moderne times. TheCensur orient. cecl. c. 10. p. 137. Greeke Church obiected to the Romane that it Iudaizeth: because it vseth vnleauened bread like to the Iewes. TheStanislau. Socolu Ibid in c. 21. pag. 416. Romane obiected to the Greek that they Iudaize because they vse abstinence from bloud and strangled like them. The Churches of Fraunce, Heluetia, Germanie haue a forme of prayer chaunged of purpose to be vnlike the Masse-booke, & these Churches as they ha­ue abolished the whole drosseD. Bilshō cont. apo. log. pag. 1 pag. 31. of popishe doctrine, so they retayne not so much as any one dram of their ceremonies. What our owne Church at home (though at the first it tollerated the Crosse) whereas the papistes praye towards the Easte, our Church bidds the Ministers to stand at the North side of the communion ta­ble: the reason whereof is this: as the Primatiue Church (saithD. Fulk. ag Rast. sect. 4. pag. 710. Doctor Fulke) did choose to pray towardes the East, to avoide the superstition of the Iewes, that prayed towards the West: so we doe now pray towards the South to avoyd the superstition of the Papistes: who vse to pray towardes the Easte. Nay our very adversaries themselues will yeelde to vs herein: A Lutheran Herman. Hamelma. de tradit. apendic. ad pag 1 Co­lum. 456. affirming the vaile is how vnfit in marriage which was vsed in Ambrose time, because it is a rite of the Iewes, and Bellarmine himselfe condemning them who haue more care to adorne Churches then to fill them with Preachers, because howsoeuer their meaning be diuers,Bellar. de cult. Sanct. cap. 6 yet videntur factis aliquo modo affines esse superstitioni Iudeorum. So is the na­kednes of this first excuse detected, which denyeth a communion with papistes, because the Crosse is not vsed with vs, as it is with them, for as much as we see that not only the same vse but the same rites themselues are vnlawfull, yea all likenes, all nearnes, all imitation, all shewe, all representation, and as Bellarmine himselfe speaketh, all affinitie in fact with them.

#Sect. 6. The second excuse, that the crosse is imposed by Christian Magistrates, is taken away, in diverse respectes, especially because it is taken as a consenting in a part to the ceremonies of the Church of Rome.

THe second excuse fumbleth thus. If the Crosse were imposed by papistes, for a marke of their profession it were somwhat: but being imposed by Christian gouernours to an other ende, now the vse of him no way crazeth our confession against them. First, the papist drawed the very commaund of the Magistrate it self to a certaine kinde of confession and approbation of his rites, and in them of his Religion which maketh his rites vnlawfull. This is that which a whole Church saith, Cum Adi [...]phora rapiuntur (marke rapiuntur)Narmon. confess. sect [...]7. in Hel­ [...]i. poste. ad confessionem libera esse de sinunt sicuti Paulus ostendit: licitum esse vesci carnibus si quis non submon [...]as Idolis esse litatas, a­lioquin [Page 335]fore illicitas; quod qui his vescituriam vescendo Idololatriam approbare videatur. Now it is easie to shew the papistes doe drawe the ceremonies controversed to an approbation and confession of their religion.Mart of the Crosse. in praefat. Martiall iustifieth the popish crosse by the crosse which standeth in the Queenes Chappell.Nic. Saund de imag. cap. 13. Saunders iustifieth popish images by the crosses which we vse.Harding. ag. Apolo. in praefat. Harding iustifieth his church service by our Crosse and Surplice and other rites which we retaine from them. NoParsons of the 3 con­vers. of En­gland p. 2. little ad­vantage doe they sucke out of our cōmunion booke, which they terme an English translation out of the Masse-booke, and out of the difficultie whereby it came in, ma­nie Protestantes them selues adiudging that the stable of popishe superstition was not throughly purged out of it. Doeth no Bristowe Brist moe. 34. drawe the likenes of our ser­uice booke to a countenancing of their Masse-booke?Wil Rey­nold. in praefat. Raynoldes drawe our pri­vate Baptisme to a proofe of that necessitie that they put in the Sacrament? TheRhem. in Ioh 20. sect. 5. Rhemistes drawe the absolution of the sicke prescribed in the communion booke, to an approbation of their absolution, auricular confession, and Sacrament of pe­naunce? Our homeHumble mot for tolerat. Pseudo-catholiques, drawe they not the signe of the Crosse to a motiue for their religion as which they holde a speciall cognizance of their faith? Seeing these things bee thus drawne to confession, it skilleth not whether we intende to confesse their faith or no. Secondly, our governours professe an in­tent to giue contentement to the papistes by the retention of the Crosse and Sur­plice which the zeale of English Preachers if they cannot endure, it is to bee par­doned, asConrad: Schlussel­burg. li. 13 pa. 566.571. hauing the Divines of Germanie before them, who stoode out with a greater edge against the ceremonies enforced vpō them in the dayes of Charles the fift, because they sawe their Princes sought no other thing in them, but to please the popish faction. And vntill these ceremonies be abolished, they will be abused to the gracing of poperie it selfe, to the disparagement of the Gospell, and to the gagging of the mouthes of many a painfull and profitable a Preacher. so that wee are in Paules case then refusing to circumcize when his libertie was spied into and spited at, & when the Gospells disgrace was sought by his conformitie. In this re­spect we are also often in the case of Iulians souldiers, then disclayming all incense burning, when by the relation of their hoste they sawe it was a decipula to grace Idolatrie by a shewe of their conformitie & approbation. The third excuse of the Crosse now followeth, which inferreth that though lightnes of ceremonies stayne profession, and that then when they be drawne to countenance poperie, yet that in the Crosse there is no such hurte, it being a trifle and a thing of nothing, than which there is nothing that can be more rashly spoken. First, what though the ce­remonies controversed were small and little, we are to followe that constant Mar­cus Arethusius, who when his adversaries were contented with any thing from him so he would giue somewhat towardes the repayring of a paganish Temple which before he had pulled downe, made this replie,Tripart. histor. li. 6. cap. 12. Ne obulum quidem. Moses yeel­ded not in an house. Daniel forbeareth not so much as the ceremonie of opening his windowe towardes Ierusalem. The name of Passion Sunday is lesse then the ma­king of the Crosse, and it was neuer so much abused, and yet on the other side put­teth vs in minde of the passion of Christ, aswell as the signe of the crosse doeth, yetIewell. re­pl to Hard. arti. 1. di­vis. 4. Bishop Iewell refuseth to call it so, as vnwilling to yeeld euen so much to the fan­cies of the papistes. The Surplice is a lesser matter then the Crosse, yet Peter Pet. Mar­tyr. in epist amic. cind. in Angl. Mar­tyr would neuer weare it, no though his Canons place in Ch. Church required it of him. The square cappe is lesse then either yetPilking. in epist ad Comit. Leycest. an. 1570. Martine Bucer would neuer weare it. and being demaunded a reason why, he said because his head was round. Secondly, since the time that the Crosse sawe the sunne, he hath bene as king in the middest of ceremonies: especially in the case of profession. Consider we it but as papistes vse in for an Image, euen so serueth it for [speciall Bellar. de imag. c. 10 confession]. For here­by (say they) we especially testifie against the novelties of the Lutherans and Cal­vinistes, [Page 136]whiles we religiously worship that, which they sacrilegiouslie do destroy. Consider we it, as they vse it apart by it felfe. Heere the Sacraments (sayeBellarm. de effect. Sa­cra. c. 31. they) doe not so well distinguish from heretiques: where the ceremoninies (notwithstan­ding) make an excellent difference: as now a dayes the signe of the crosse, is a no­table signe (saith one) whereby to know a Catholique Howe can we hold vp our foreheades for shame of the beastes marke, whiles our eares heare this? or with what forehead can we say the Crosse is no great badge of poperie, when the pa­pistes cal it the greatEpist. apo­soget. sect. 7. pa. 54. Character of their glorie.Hippoli. in li. de cō ­sum. mund. Hippolitus foreshewed, that as the Crosse is Christes signe, so Antichristes signe on the other side should be [non vti signo Crucis] sed illud potius execrari & abolere. As counterfait as this Hippolitus is, yetBilaem. de Roman. Pontif. lib. 3. cap. 11. Bel­larmine with the rest of the papistes accepteth his iudgement, making the Crosse to be the very signe of Christ and Christian Religion: and counting the Calvi­nistes the forerunners of Antichrist, because they doe not vse this signe. This saw our Fathers that sawe our deliuerance out of AEgypt & were more sincere: They accounted in the matter of profession, that the Crosse is as daungerous nowe as a falseCalfh cō ­tia Mart. art. 1. ensigne is in warre, which most deceyueth and breedeth most confusion. And this confusion bred by the Crosse, is so much the more horrible, if it be true which some doeIo Napier. in Apoc. proposit. 31 Apoc 13.17 teach, that the signe of the Crosse is that speciall marke of the beast, and that Antichristes signe (by name) which the Apocal. doeth foreshewe. Amongst these one writeth thus:And. Wil­let. in Sy­nop. de character. Anti. pag. 199. The superstitious markes of the Crosse arise out of the beastes name, to wit, from the number of it, thus expressed in the greeke original Ξξs for the letter Χ is a Saint Andrewes crosse. the letter ξ is in latin X which is also a sli­ding crosse. the last letter s containeth [...] and r, the latter whereof is an headlesse crosse: & thus it appeareth that the markes wherby they say they honour Christ, are a dishonour to him, and the [cognizance] of Antichrist. But if the Crosse be not in speciall sort the beastes marke, whether made simply as these coniecture, or with oyle whichBulling. in Apoc. 13. others iudge, yet all ourIoh. Foxe. Iohan de Vado. Ibid D. Abbot. Antich. de­monstrat. ca. 11. sect. 25. writers doe consent that the ceremonies of the Romane church are a parte of this marke, amongst which the crosse is chiefe. Sinne they not grievously who with certaine instrumentesPet. Mar­tyr. in 1. Cor 7.18. gathered their vncir­cumcizion againe, to be like to the Gentills? Alas then, what is our sinne, who not onely receyue the crosse our selues (one of Antichristes markes) but also with it as it wereSixt. Se­nens. bibli­othec. li. 4. pa. 305. spatisteri quadam, and as it were with a payre of pinsers doe drawe on others the vncircumcizion popish, or at the least a likenes with the papist? Let it be considered with what probabilitie the Divines ofConrad. Schluss [...]l­burg. li. 13 pa. 593.594.572. Germanie helde that the A­diaphorisme of rites popish retayned, is the very Image of the beast, Cuius notae & characteres, & nomen sunt haec ipsa adiaphora: and that the thirde Angell who prea­cheth against the Image of the beast and the receyuing of his marke, representeth the Preachers that withstand the tayle of Antichrist, left behinde in the Church of God. But whether this be so or no, there is some certaintie in this that follow­eth, which is that the retention of popish ceremonies vnder pretence they beThes. de adiapho­rism. The­olgot. Sax­onr. p. 593 Adi­aphora, is a countermaund to that precept exite ab ea populus meus, seeing heereby men doe euenConrad. Sceluffel­burg. li. 13 pa. 515. redire, yea introire ad Antichristum, not onely not [exire] from him.

#Sect. 7. That the Crosse fostereth hypocrisie in the middes of our Church, and hindereth spirituall worship.

FRom the hipocrisie of the Crosse in bearing Gods name before the Papistes, come wee to the hipocrisie of it founde in the bearing of Gods name in the middes of our owne church. Here our maine foundation is, that this commaund­ment forbidding all occasions them selues as wel as other commaundements do, the signe of the Crosse must packe away for that occasion of hipocrisie which is in [Page 137]it, euen as one of ourD Fulk. re­ioynd. art. 1. pa. 140. Writers: Well, seeing the Crosse hath bene a cause that the inward fayth hath bene neglected, nay if it be but an occasion heereof, that were sufficient to remooue it. To remooue the hipocrisie of the Iewish ceremonies, God remoued theAugust. Epist 5. painted wall it selfe of the Iewishe priesthood. so to remooue the hipocrisie of these ceremonies controversed, the ceremonies them selues must be remoued. The puritie of the Gospell requireth of vs to retaine the veritie of the IewishAugust. cont. Faust. Manich. li. 31. cap. 11 azimes, but to lett the azimes them selues alone. So the puritie of a Churches reformation requireth nowe to retayne the veritie of the popish Cros­ses (which is Christ crucified) but to lett their Crosses them selues alone. For know we not, they haue defiled veritie, fervencie, singlenes, all the three partes of that Vprightnes which this commaundement doeth enioyne, with the leavin of all the three partes of contrarie hipocrisie. preposterousnes, vacuitie and pollution? An example of the firste we haue in the Crosses that certaine women bare in their boosomes, for these are censured asHieron. [...] Math. 23. Ioh. Rey­nold. cōfer. ca 8. divi. 4 D. Fulk. reioynd. art. 6. pag. 184. tythers of Annis-seed and Commin, to the omission of a greater dutie: which was to beare the power of the death of Christ in their heartes? Example of the second we haue in that common and vulgar o­pinion which cometh from Gregorie, to witt, that a Christian is safe enough from the Devill, thoughGregor. di­alog lib. 3. cap 17. Vas vacuum, if he bee but signatum with the Crosse. Which, while the papistes defende as good, and much people at home doe practize, the pennes of ourCalfh. ag. Mart. arti. 1. pag. 36. Writers, are embittered against the Crosse, as against an occasion of much emptie hipocrisie: to make the spirit to reenter againe, asGregor in Iob. li. 17. cap 13. 2 Cor. 6.17 Agge. 2.14. Iohn. 4.23. Gregorie more truely teacheth els-where. Corda fide vacua Diabolo sunt subdita. As for the thirde the worde is playne, that the touching of Antichristes thinges, maketh vncleane nowe in the soule, as the touching of meates vnholy, defiled the body in Moses lawe, for a figure of this pollution. Nowe to particulars.

For the sanctifying of the sensible and reasonable soule, as they vse to worke, togither all signes devised by man, must be displanted out of Gods service, as oc­casions of sensuall service: yea as enemies to the spirituall worship of God: after the example of God him selfe, who to be serued in spirit and trueth, remoued the ceremonies of his owne ordinance: not to make place for Image orD. Fulke ag. Saund. of imag. p. 697. Crosse, or any other carnall rite ordayned by man, butOrigen. in Numb. ca. 28. homil. 23. vt animas nostras avelleret ab hoc in­tuitu ad Contemplationem retum spit itualium, Cultum (que) suum à visibilibus ad invisibilia transferret. This doctrine we are to hold fast, against crosses, against Images, against all other carnall objectes in Gods service, even as we haue receyued it not onely from the mouth of Christ, but from the writinges of the Fathers likewise. For wheras Origen commendeth the Iewes for banishing all Image-makers from a­mongst them vpon this reason, Ne Origen. cont. Cel­sum. lib. 4. qua hiresset fabricandorum simulacrorum occasio quae ad contemplanda terrena animae oculos retorqueret. Whereas Lactantius condem­neth all Images vpon this reason:Lactant. instirut. di­vin li. 2. c. 19. Galcanda terrestria vt caelestia consequamur, and willeth spiritually to looke vp to God. that soIdem de Iustic. li. 5. cap. 8. in domicilio pectoris eum statua­mus. Whereas Epiphanius is cited, exhorting thus:Concil. Constanti­nopl. 7. Ne in Ecclesiam Imagines in­feratis, sed perpetuò circumferte Deum in cordibus vestris. Non enim fas est Christia­num per oculos suspensum teneri, sed per occupationem mentis. To whichD. Fulke cont. Sa [...]id. of imag. c. 15. p. 685. our wri­ters vse to adde [we walke by faith and not by sight] [blessed are they that beleeue & see not]. Last of all, wheras the whole Argument of St Bernards Apologie (euen inBellarm de cult. sancto. cap. 6. Bel­larmines owne confession) is this, That the Cluniacenses were carnall in that they vsed outwarde spectacles qui impediunt affectum, dum retorq [...]ent aspectum. The Crosse being asmuch guiltie of hindering spirituull worship, of retorting the sense to an earthly sight, of hurting of the heartes affection as any other carnall obiect formerlie mentioned, he must be thrust out as well as they. From this preposte­rousnesse of the Crosse setting the sense before the spirite, come wee to his Va­aeuitie for his inwarde Devotion. whiche beeing theThom. A­quin. 2. 2.quaes. 82. fatt of euerie sacrifice, [Page 130]yea theDurant. de rit. lib. 3 c. 24. sect. 18 marrowe of every service, how great is the sinne of the Crosse to coole it? how great also their oversight that putt such a cooler in trust to kindle it? First choose we a Crosse to stirr vp reverence and devotion to the Sacrament, and leaue we our selues without excuse for excluding the Oyle, Salt▪ Spittell, and the like, because these are annext to Baptisme for like reverenceThom. A­quin. pa 3. qu. 66. art. 10. and devotion towards it: and open we a windowe on the other side to other of their Iewish ceremonies as to their Incense, sith it serveth only to admonisheDuran. de rit. lib. 1. ca 9 sect 8 Con nostrum ignitum veluti thu­ribulum coram Deo odor atissimum facere. Secondly, ourIoh Rey­nold. con­fer. cap. 8. divil. 4. pa. 101. writers holde the Crosse with other ceremonies of the Papists, beggerly ceremonies. Beggerly, that is wan­ting power to entic he with grace spirituall. And when Saunders obiecteth, the Crosse and Images breed devotion. The Devill they doe (quoth D.D. Fulke cont. Safid. de imag. cap. 17. pa. 697. Fulke.) Cen­sure him not. The scripture sayth, theApoc. 9. [...]0. Crosse is a Devill. the greatest effectes of whose devotion, when they are registred are said to be these:Pic. Miran dul. tom. [...]. de mort. ch. li. 1. ca. 10. The Image of the Cru­cifixe found pictured in the heart of S• Clara, and the woundes of Christ imprinted in the body of Saint Frauncis. which pretty images of him self begotten by him, putteth me in mind of him thatLudovic. Vives in August. de ci [...]it. Dei. li. 10. ca. 2 [...]. going in to his wife in the habit of a divill through his wifes imagination (and it is through imagination whereby the signe of the crosse doeth worke saith Mr Hooker) begat a childe in a Divells shape likewise. Let not Maister Calf hill be forgotten. It is impossible (Ma Calfh [...]ont. Mart. praefa fo. 6 saith he) that Christ should be served as he ought, where a crosse is erected in his service, because the minde is rapt frō an hea­uenly consideration to the earthly creature; from the soule to the sence; from the hart to the eye. Thirdly, the dregges of the popish doctrine sticke (to this hower) in the teeth of the people▪ in regard whereof the crosse cannot but slay devotion For it even teacheth hipocrisie when it avoucheth an opus operatum in it: although the hart be not vpright. And how many drugges are ingredients to this poyson. For thus Bellarmine: the crosse hathBellarm. de effect. Sa­crament. cap. 31. spiritualem virtutem, yea miram virtutem, euen ex opere operato, and that ex institution Idem de i­mag. ca. 30 divina, euen to blessing withIbid. &c de cul [...]. san [...]t. cap. 7. bare touching. The third hipocrisie of the crosse vpon the soule and sense together, is [Pollution.] For who feeleth not a popish qualme in the vse of this signe: seeth not a popish hu­mor nourished by it in the people? Is not our zealous retayle of the crosse, our lo­uely entertaynement we giue him in baptisme, our devout gracing him there, as good as a spiritual Osculum, a spirituall amplexus of him, at least in shew? In the shew we haue no excuse: seeing it setteth the alluring harlot before the eyes of inconti­nent men, against the warines of ourChrisoft. in Math c. 23 Homil. 74. Forefathers, who set a wall of separation in the Church, euen betweene honest men and women, that they should not haue the sight of one another there. And consider we the effecte that commonly fol­loweth and falleth out. For asThom. A­quin. 2.2. quaes 154. art. 4. vide Caiet. ibid. Oscula & amplexus, in that they are circumstances of adulterie bodily, sunt libidin [...]s [...] for the delectatio tactus which is in them, though no concubitus bee intended. So though the people haue no intent to adore the Crosse, and pretende that they vse it for decencie onely, yet their delight in it, their [...]agernes to defend it, their mallice to revenge it, their intemperate desire to haue it, is a spirituall kisse & embracing, and delighting which doeth pollute them with adulterie towardes it. Against these occasions of hipocrisie in the Crosse, he setteth vp a paper wall that apposeth the counsell which a certaine Councill gi­ueth: this may bee amended.Concil. Magunt. cap. 39. Si Past [...]res sedule deceant against the hipocrisie of opus operatum, and informe the people that the Crosse doeth all per Divina vir­turis operationem, & san [...]tisici Numinis invocationem, which I repeale by an ap­peale euen to the Adiaphoristea them selues,Interim Caroli quin [...]. si quid in Ceremonijs, succreverit ex quo superstitio ca [...]sari possit, illud tollatur, would the Lord Christ or Paule (thinke yee) suffer a Pharisaicall garment in the seruice and worship of God, after a vertue is once place in it, Math. 23.5. to make men holy, who so mightily invayeth a­gainst it for that occasion and purpose of hipocrisie which was in it: whiche is [Page 139]the case of euery garment that deceyueth? Zach. 13 4. Naaman thinketh the earth of Israell is able to make holy a sacrifice. The Iewes thinke the ceremonies sanctifie. 2 Ring. 5.17 Is tea­ching against hipocrisie sufficient here? Doth not Elisha denie the earth it selfe vn­to Naaman? GodRolloc. in Ephes. 2.14 take away the Temples ceremonies them selues from the peo­ple? But the Fathers when they sawe the Crosse abused hipocritically contented them selues with a reproofe of the hipocrisie, but still retayned the crosse it selfe,Orig. in d [...] vers. Evan­gel. loc. ho­mil. 8 Cruces non solum in frontibus, sed in animabus quoque nostris habere debemus. Chrisost. in Mat. homil. 55. Crucem non simpliciter digito in corpore, sed magna profecto fide in mente formare oporteret. August. in Iohan. tra­tat. 43. Chri­stus elegit vt in Cruce pēderet, vt ipsam crucem in cordibus fidelium figeret. Signum Chri­sti ex pellit exterminatorem, si cor nostrum recipiat Salvatorem. Ambros. de Isaac. & anima. ca. 8 Signaculum Christus in fronte est; signaculum in corde; in fronte vt semper confiteamur: in corde vt semper dili­gamus: in brachio vt semper operemur. The Fathers were not free from superstition in this signe, and these reproofes of theirs, shewe that the crosse was an occasion of hipocrisie in their time that they wayned the people from this hipocrisie by these reproofes in vaine: and the Fathers who liued to see the grossnes of the hipocrisie popishe, they did not content them selues with such reproofes, but proceeded to the remouall euē of the crosse it selfe. So it isAlphons. de cast. in verb ado­rat. testified of Iohn Wicliffe, that he took away all outward vse of the crosse, and taught onely a crosse spirituall to bee vsed. Doth notElmar in Harbor of faithfull subiect. Elmar run on a crosse spiritual when he writeth of Q. Elizabeth that she was the English Helena that digged vp the crosse out of the rubbell where papistes had buried it, in that she restored the Gospell? Sure our foundest writers teache,Ioh. Keyn. conference ca. 8. divi. 4 pag 491.493. Andr. Willet. de templ. pag. 3. that popish rites renew a Iewish and a carnall worship, and are but vayles which must away, that the inward vayle of the heart may be remoued the sooner, & Gods worship become spirituall, whereby the crosse is caste.

#Sect. 8. The hipocrisie of the crosse in preposterating, evacuating, and polluting the vnder­standing, which is the first part of the soule reasonable, is proved.

VVE are now to examine the Crosses hipocrisie in the seuerall powers of the soule reasonable. The vnderstanding whereof (which is the firste) the Crosse is said to instructe like a verie effectuallRic. Hook li. 5. ca. 65. teacher. Against which bragge we take vpon vs to prooue that the Crosse is guiltie against this comment, both for preposterating, and for evacuating, and for polluting [knowledge.] The preposte­rousnes of the crosse appeareth heerin, in that the signe is matched with the word, yea in some sorte preferred before it. The least of which twoo hipocrisies can be no litle sinne. To begin with the first. Adde the crosse for a teacher to the word and pull downe at once all the blockhouses which our writers from time to time haue reared against the popish teaching of it, such as bee these:D. Fulk ag. Saund. of imag. c. 11. pa. 638 though all other things may be taught by the eye, yet faith & religion can not be taught saue by the eate. Rom. 10.17. teaching to the eye is sufficiently performed by the Sacraments,D. Bils cōt. Apolog. p. 4. pa. 349. the word & the Sacramēts were appointed by Christ to teach vs (saith one of our Opposites) a Crucifix was not, ergo, not a crosse neither, which to adde (D. Fulke reioind. ar­ric 9. pag. 205. saye our writers) is iniuriousZanch. de imag. thes. 3. fol. 370. vnto them, & presumptuous against the Lord. as whē a schol­ler wil choose him a book & not keepe him selfe to that which his Maister hath set him. At a word, it is the fountaine of al Idolatrie. Frō whence came theIo. Calvin. in Act. 7. Iosi. Simlet in Exo. 32. calfe, but from a desire to haue a visible signe of Gods presence? And the heathenishHospin. de orig. imag. so. 56 Rom. 1.23.28. Idola­trie, whence? but frō a desire to advisible signes to the book of the creatures. The iniurie wherof, if God revenged so severily on them, what revenge reserveth he for vs, who to the contumelie of his word written seeke to the crosse to teach vs? The seconde preposterousnes of this signe doeth yet much worse. It doeth not onely match it self with the wordConcil. Nicen. 2. in Tharas. a­pistol. quidquid sanctum Evangelium per lectionem nobis demon­strat, hoc idem Imagines per inspectionem. Hosius. And a crosse is able to teach a simple mā al things necessarie to salvation.Io. Dow­ley instruc. cap. 1. And the Crosse is the summe & the abridgement [Page 140]of the christian Faith. But it preferreth it self before it:Bellarm de imag. c. 10. Melius docet inter dum pictu­ra, quam scriptura. Concil. Senonens. Per picturam plus discimus brevi temporis spatio, quam longo sludio scripturarum. Concil. Nicen. [...]. Imago mator est quam oratio. Which, whiles Saunders defendeth, hee maketh the CrosseD. Fulk a­gai. Saund. de imagin. ca. 15 pa. 681. better then a sermon. As also Martiall doeth,Mart. of the Crosse art 9 fol. 117. The Crosse is needfull (sayth he) though we may haue godly instructions by reading of scrip­tures, and hearing good preachers, because euery man cannot read scripturs or vn­derstand them when he readeth them: and euery man cannot at all times so con­veniently heare a good preacher, as he may see the signe of the Crosse: and things seene doe mooue more affection then those which be heard or read. Adde to this, that for this common and continuall; and this speedie teaching sake, theyNie. Saund de imag. cap. 11. teache the Crosse is worthie of worship and adoration. How can we find it in our hearts to make it a teacher to our selues, which cannot be done without giving shewe of iustification to this iniurious presumptuous, sacrilegious & Idolatrous teaching? But from this preposterating of the meanes of knowledge, come wee now to the Evacuating of knowledge it selfe. Here our ground is what one of ourIewel. art. 10 in si [...]e. writers lay­eth: The Crosse and the Image must be remooued in that he is an occasion of ignorance, Deut. 27. Cursed be he that leadeth the blinde out of the way. And Levit. 19. Thou shalt not lay a stumbling blocke before the blinde. First, the Crosse is an occasion of igno­rance, because he deceyueth those that looke to be taught by him, it being a mute D Fulk. reioynd. art. 3.59. character and dumbe signe, aCalfh ag Mart. art 9 pa 170. blinde guide, the sight whereof teacheth a man no more then it doeth anIbid. pag. 167. horse: yea more a doumbeIbid. pag. 169. Vicar of the Devill. Secondly, if it teach any it is to no good. Claudius Catalog. testium ve­ritat. in vi­ta eius. Taurinensis would not suffer the Crosses and Images of his time to meddle with teaching, because it was not Christ glori­fied which they taught, but Christ according to the fleshe. In which manner we know him no longer. ACō [...]il Cō ­stantinop. 7 Councill, yea our owneHomil ag. pe [...]l of ido lat. Doctrine findeth fault with the picture of Christ, because it representeth him as man, not as God also: which is the Crosses lamnes. A FrenchThe true honouring of the cross. part. 1. discourse that answereth a Placard about the Crosse disclaymeth his teaching for that hee presenteth the bodily sufferinges of Christ only, and not the sufferinges of his soule withall.Calth. ag. Mart. art. 9 pa. 166. Another of our Writers layeth against it, that it stayeth men in the general historie of Christ his death, and neither teacheth for whom he dyed nor to what end, or what is the power of his death, or how we may apply the same to our selues. Thirdly, let the event speake. For as Bucer affirmed of our lande, touching ceremonies retayned in general from the Papacie,Bucerus in censur. ca 2 pa. 458. They are no where cared for, where the Gospell is painfully preached, wher­as in places where the Gospell is vnknowne, they are highly reverenced. That truely (by one) is applyed to the signe of the Crosse by name,Calfh. art. 9. fol. 171. They who most set by him, are grosly ignorant of the power of Christes passion. May this be the event of the Crosse and he no occasion of blindnes▪ hen repeale we ourIewel. art. 14 divis. 10 pa 560. writers reasoning against Images, proving they are the occasions of blindnes, because they are most in request with the blinde, and were brought in, in theHolpin de re templ. c. de imag. deepest times of blindnes; and sway most where Christ is most vntaughtMai. Calfh ag. Mart. art. 1. and vnknowne: and then devise wee also a better answere then a m bare denyall, to the papistes that reason thus:D. Hill in quartron of reasons. rat. 20. The Crosse is a pro­fitable teacher, because our lay people who are vsed to it, haue more knowledge in the myste­ries of religion, then some of your ministers who vse it not. The third hypocrisie of the Crosse in Mans vnderstanding soule is a pollution. The old proverbe is knowne, [...] Concil. Nicen. 2. art. 1. an ill doctor teacheth naught but ill doctrine. Now the Crosse is an ill teacher, it hath no instructions in it (saithCalfh. art 9. fol. 169. one of our writers) but onely the lessons of Crosse Idolatrie pēned by the Divell. The same affirmeth in an otherIbid pag. 170. place, That the Crosse teacheth errors many. If you aske me what errors? I aske againe, what were the errors which Peeter taught by his conformitie to the ceremonies of the Iewes, by which he is said to haueAndre Hi­peonid de stud. The­olog p. 73. Fulk ag. Rhem. in Gal. ca. 2. erred in the fayth, & to haue walked not with a right foote in the preaching of the Gospell. And there be many [Page 141]private errors which he broacheth. Agenerall faith that Christ dyed, sufficeth. The Crosse is an holy signe of his death. The Crosse doeth dedicate our children to God. The signe of the Crosse doeth D Fulk re­ioynd art. [...] pa 140. blesse. with diverse others before rehearsed. Oh but it teacheth a diverse good things touching Christ Iesus crucified▪ True. As the ligatures of old, and as the charmes of late haue the name of Christ, and diverse other good things in them, which Augustine calleth honny mixt with poyson vt August. 1 Pet. 2.2. 2 Cor. 2.17 perid quod dulce est, la­teat quod amarum est. Ought not the milke bee [...] vnmixt, which is taught in the Church? when there is but water mixt with wine, is it not a tapsterlike mar­chandizing to be abhord? but here is mingled not onelyTho. Mor­ton. Apol. pag. 2. li. 1. cap 49. Ezech. 34.19. water with wine, but al­so puddle (moddy water at the least) I might saye also poyson. But suppose the Crosse were neuer abused in teaching, doth this suffice to authorize a ceremonie in the Church, That it doeth teach good things? The Crosse teacheth not out of the scripture, the horne dothHieron. in Psal 91. Omnia sacrificia cornuta fuerunt. and of the Godlie it is said, exaltauit sicut vnicornis cornu meum: so that, vnlesse a man hath a strong faith, tanquam cornu quo inimicos ventilet non est dignus immolari Deo. The Crosse teacheth not out of the scripture, the dounge doth,August. de verb. Dom. in Luc. serm. 31. cophinum stercoris in bono intellige sordes sunt sed fructum dant; Sordes cultoris dolores sunt peccatoris. If therefore the signe of the Crosse as a profitable ceremonie must bee receyued because it teacheth good things (howbeit without the word) then by the same reason a minister may weare an horne as Moses is painted, and beare dounge vpon his head, as the Iewes once ashes, sith these teach very good things, and that out of the word of God.

#Sect. 9. That the Crosse is not a monitorium to the memorie, but defileth it with the hipocrisie of preposteration, with vacuitie of the remēbrance preten­ded, and with forgetfulnes of God, and of his word.

THE memorie which is the next power of the reasonable soule receiueth great profit, men say, by the Crosse, it being a monitorium of it. whereas in deede it wilbe found that the crosse euen here (also) defileth like an Harpie whatsoeuer he toucheth with all his hipocrisies. Concerning preposteration. First, whereas it is the meditation of the spirituall Crosse of Christ that onely pleaseth him,August. in Psal 118. dum di­ligentissima pietate Christus ipse crucifixus attenditur, quam intuentes salutiferam cru­cem omni calumniantium superborum virus expellimus: the vse of this signe poyzeth men downe to a carnall crossing, and diveth (as it were) the spirit into the senses channell: And it is too carnall a remembrance, to which this preposteration bin­deth, and vnwarrantable by the worde. For the Crosse cannot bee sett vp for a re­membrance [...], but vpon that popish ground,Concil. Nicen. 1. ar 6 p. 177 Omne quod in recordationem Dei erigi­tur, acceptum illi esse constat. Which while our Writers refute by the worde, we ap­proue by our practize of the crosse. Hereby also we open a gappe to drawe in Lu­theranisme, whose Images serue for like memorialls: to drawe inInterun. Carol 5. in ca de ce­remon. Adiaphorisme, whose crosses are for like monuments: at a worde to drawe in all Idolatrie. ForFulke ag. Rhem. in Philip. 2. ver. 10. if it be once lawfull for vs to bring into Gods worship all memorialls we will our selues, all Ido­latrie may be excused. And for the present wee are indaungered to a participation with the crosses idolatrie present: for vnder what pretence is it worshipped, saue this of remembring and putting vs in minde of Christe? So the counterfetAugust de visit. infir­mor. l 5 c 3 Augu­stine. SoDamasc de fid orthod. li. 4 ca 12. Damascen. So theCouncil. Nic. 2. act. 2.4 p. 69. Nicene Councill, whose doctrine a late papist thus ex­presseth:Alphons. de Castr. lib. 8. in [...]ebi. & adorat. Non aliam ob causam veneramur Imagines quam quod nos venire faciunt in memoriam exemplaris & inde affectus nostros monent. To cleare our selues from all foresaid guiltines, returne we to the auncient [tenent] of the protestantes, and to their reasoning of old. The oldZanch. de Imag. thes. 1. fol 351. Iosi. Simle [...] in Exod. D Bilson. tenent is, that besides the worde and the Sacra­ments, we are not to seeke to any further memorialls outward. The old reasoning is this: The Crosse is a memoriall not Fulk. ag. Rhem. in Luck. 24. sect. vlt. ordayned by the Lord, therefore vnlawfull: cho­sen [Page 142]by our selues,Idem in Philip. 2. vers. 10. therefore vnlawfull. Forbidden by God, thereforeIdem in reioynd. art. 1. pag. 209. vnlawfull.

The second hipocrisie of the memorie by the crosse occasioned is the vacuitie of the remembrance which is pretended. First, no memoriall is lively and powerfull for the sanctifying of our remembrance but such as God him selfe doeth blesse: which are such as him selfe ordayned; to which when we adde the crosseCalfh. ag. Mart. prae­fat. fol. 12. as wee put them out of their function, so robbe we our selues of the blessing annext: an­nexed I say and tyed to them, because the spirit that bloweth where he will,And. Wii­ler. de bap. cap. 8. will only blowe vpon his owne ordinance, & not to lackey after a crosse or any meane else to which man presumeth to tye him all in vayne. Secondly, outwarde signes hinder remembrance which should be perpetuall asHieron. ad Cela [...]tiam epi 14. c. 3. Hierome telleth vs: Wee are now to keepe (saieth he) not a literall (by outward signes) but a spirituall memoriall of Gods law, which commaundeth, vt non tam frequenter recordanda sint praecepta Do­mini, quam semper cogitanda. While we depende (saithCalfh art. 9. fo. 174. one) on such a memoriall as the crosse, our remembrance vanisheth with the crosse; whereas by the medita­tion of the worde we may (as we are bounde) remember Christ alwayes without it. Hence Charles the great,Caro. mag. de Imag. li. 4. cap. 2. infoelix memoria quae vt Christi memoretur qui nunquam à pectore iusti hominis recedere debet imaginariae visionis est indiga. A third hipocrisie which in the memorie the crosse occasioneth is [pollution] through that forgetful­nes of God and his worde,Hospin. de imag. fo. 56 wherewith we charge papistes, when they set vp ima­ges for remembrancers, out of Iudges 3. Hose. 2. For what reason but that a crosse should cause such forgetfulnes of him, aswell as other images do, being as warrant­lesse by the worde of God as they. But it was vsed by thePerck. problem. pag. 82. Fathers as a common Monitorium, whereof thus Cyrill, Cyril. cont Iulian. li. 6 Haeo omnia recordari nos facit salutare signum: and counterfait Augustine thus,Augustin. serm. 19. de sanct. Crucem nobis reliquit Christus in suae memoriam passio­nis. Our answer is the same which Cassander and Martiall receyued: when the oneCassand. in consult. pleaded the oyle cannot be lefte: the otherMart. of the crosse art. 5. that the signe of the crosse cānot be disvsed but we must needs dishonor the Fathers: why may not the Crosse be left as well as other of their Ceremonies without D. Fulke reioynd. art. 5. pag. 177. iniurie to them? as their honny and their milke, yea their ministring of the communion vnto infantes? Did not Hezechias abolish the monument of the brazen serpent without dishonor vnto Moses that set it vp? TheCouncil. Constan­tinop. 6. c [...]. 82. Vid. Caranz. ibid. Councill of Constantinople abolished the Agnus in memoriall of Christ Iesus, without dishonour to their auncesters? what that the abuse of papistes hath made it naked of all former priviledge? For euenAlphons. de Cast. in verb. imag. papistes them selues doe yeeld out of the example of the brasen serpent, that Crosses and Images must bee abolished, when the greater part abuse them, and not our owne writersIewel art. 14. in fine. onely. As for our selues, howe can we thinke better of a Crosse whichHieron. in Mat. 23. Hierome himselfe condem­neth when it is borne in the bosome for Pharisaicall: then of a Phariseis [...]. The Phariseis added writings to their foreheads for memorialls, and areIanson. concord. Evangel. cap. 120. condem­ned by papists themselues: and is not the crosse of the forehead of the same ranke? When the Phariseis did but enlarge their fringes which were Phylacteries & me­morialls by God ordayned, we see our Lord reproueth them. InIbid. Hieromes time they added sharpe thornes, to put them selues in minde by their pricking when they walked and sate downe. Our Reverend Fathers not onely enlarge baptisme with the crosse, vnder pretence it is a Philacterie, that is a preseruer of memorie, but also in inlarging it, disgrace it, euen as the Phariseis disgraced the fringe of the Lordes ordayning with their inlargementes. What, that it is a thorne not in the Fringe of a Phariseie only, Pr [...]veth. 26.9. to pricke him selfe for his owne remembrance, but in the hande, as it were of a violent man, to hurt others, and to vndoe them?

#Sect. 10. That the Crosse occasioneth, and breedeth a canker in the conscience, and that which the Opposites alleadge, that conscience is but a pretence, is anticipat.

THE third hipocrisie of the reasonable soule which the signe of the Crosse oc­casioneth much (like a canker) breedeth in the conscience. Here (often) we heare our plea of cōscience is but a pretence: we leape ouer blockes, & stumble at a strawe (men say) which accusation would moue vs much, if it were made manifest, either what the blocks are over which we leape, or that the crosse is no more then a strawe, which we knowe to be a blocke, and that of stumbling, which, who so counselleth, let him remember Balaam. But what if it were a strawe onely? Apoc. 2.14. euen a strawe that doth offend, must be taken out of the way, as well as cummine and an­niseed tythed. and wherein will our governours spare vs, or shew their mercie and clemencie towards vs, if not in a strawe? ForIllyric. in lib de A­diaphor. Conformitas in minoribus ceremonys, non est perinde necessaria to them, and yet this mote and gnatt (as they speake) is of great perill vnto vs, Mat. 7.5. for that the conscience being tender (like the eye) a very mote molesteth it much: and straite in passage like an infantes throte, a very gnat is able to choke it, as once it did Pope Adrian. But the helpe is to reforme our cōsciences. Alas tell vs which way: we are loth to walke with aEphes. 6.15. bare-foot conscience with­out any shoe from the word shaped; especially in theLuke 3.5. rough wayes of subscrip­tion, where euery steppe will (we feare vs) be a gashe.Iosu. 5.15 Loth are we also in so ho­ly a ground as baptisme in steed of putting of foule shoes, to put on shoes on thisEccles. 4.17. foote of our soule so foule, as haue not to this hower shakedLuke 10.11. of the dust of Romes streetes, which they ought to haue done long since. And with the winges of our meditation we haue soared ouer all the region of this controversie, and finde no place where theGen. 8.9. sole of our foote may rest, or whēce we may plucke an oliue leafe for a pledge of peace to our selues. Heere we meete with a doubting conscience, there with an accusing conscience, elswhere with an audacious conscience: in an­other place with a benummed conscience: there is also where wee finde a consci­ence superstitious. The sight hereof striketh many fearfull thoughtes into vs. Bet­ter to keepe vs in the Arke where now we are, then to venter abroade, vnlesse wee can content our selues to rest (as it were) on the outside of it. Howbeit, who kno­weth whether God will denie vnto vs euen this houering of a rauen about his Arke, and not throw vs rather into the surges of that Deluge, wherewith wee shall finde our earth swallowed, whose place we haue bought with so deare a price, there to taste of the vnquietnes of that conscience of which it is saide: Isay. 57.20. The wicked are like the raging Sea that cannot rest, whose waters cast vp mire and dirt. This I presage of our selues onely, who must make shipwracke of a good conscience if wee con­forme; for want of that fulIoh. Pisca­tor. sayle of a [...] which some of our brethren (they say) haue attayned, which if they haue, we count them blessed. They may con­gratulate to them selues the warme side they walke in; beake them selues in their sunne-shine, and sayle merily whether the present gale doth carrie them: while we in our leapers tente, and in the house of our mourning (as men reiected out of the hoste, and in whose face the Lord hath spirt) must goe and mourne for our olde sinnes which haue made vs vnworthy of that place in the house of our God, which they enioye, and which we our selues had once, till now that iudgement is begun at his house: Who is he that saith, we may helpe all this if we will? Is there anie such savour in the white of an egge as that any will taste it for delight? Iob. 6.6. what plea­sure now in the learning of some newe trade or occupation whereby to liue? what pleasure to bowe downe at the gates of other men (it may bee of papistes) for a morsell of bread? Last of all, What pleasure nowe in our olde yeares when our strength (wasted in the labours of the Church) doeth fayle vs, and when the na­turall [Page 146]dayes drawe on, of which men naturally vse to saye, we haue no pleasure or de­light in them. now I say to lye vnder the walles of those houses which once were ours, to bidd long farewell to our long-loved harbours, to goe and embrace the thistle for a dwelling, and the rocke for a covering, the dongue for a pallat, the O­striche or Pellicane for a companion: where Ismaell starveth, Hagar weepeth, Elias fainteth, and wearie of life, desires to dye, because by reason of disastrous tymes, he is no better then his fathers. Howbeit all this is welcome, all while there is walking in the middest of vs one that is like to the sonne of man:Cyri. lib. 4 epist. 6. 2 Sam. 25.31. solus non est, cui Christus Comes est. Tiburtius martyr a­pud Baron in An. 168. Omnis nobis vilis est poena, vbi pura Comes est conscientia. We know, we feele what force Abigaels perswasion hath: So shall it bee no griefe of minde. Whereas on the other side, howe doe wee feare the griefe and knowledge of an ill conscience vpon the eating of this fruite? We stande nowe on the ho­ly of holies, and looke vp boldly and haue hope. Nevertheles let it be proved that the throwing downe of our selues into some other conscience, is warrantable by the worde of God, Psal. 91.11. Mat. 4.6. and we will adventure to be borne vp. But if this clause [in his wayes] be left out in this temptation (as of olde) then blame vs not, if we shake, if we shiver, to see, to surveye, the stones, the flatts, vpon which wee are like to fall. For what? the douting conscience foundeth heavily like a shalme [to him that doubted to him it is sinne] and if our heartes condemne vs, God is greater then our heartes. The accusing conscience chattereth dolefully like a swallow or a crane: 2. Reg. 5.18. The Lord be mercifull in this poynt. 1 Gro 13.15 1 Sam. 13.10. The benummed conscience which seeth not what sinne is committed when baptisme is carted with a Philistines carte, wilbe awaked to sense and feeling by some iudgement. The audacious conscience is too profane. It saith with Saule: I wilbe bolde whether it be well or no. and as for the conscience superstiti­ous, it cryeth like a prisoner out of the chaines wherewith the Councill of Trente hath fettered it.Concil. Trident. de Sacram. can. 13. ses. 7. It is damnable sinne to omit any of the rites of baptisme that bee com­maunded. Neither will it be comforted or reformed by all ourChemnit. examin. p. 2. tit de rit. Sacrament. Writers, standing for our christian libertie against this bondage. By this it appeareth, to what exigent this vnworthy rite hath brought vs. Vnhappy times you must heare again the old complaintes of theConrad. Schlnssen­burg li. 13 pag 506. 589. Germane Divines, when the Adiaphorisme ceremonies were prest on them: the heart sigheth, the minde is troubled, the spirit is sadd, the ioye of the holy ghost it selfe is obscured. Haue pittie vpon vs, haue pittie vpon vs, O you our governours, how long wil you feed vs with that you tread on? how long fill vs with the puddle & the mudd? how long make vs in your presence as a trou­bled & muddy spring, & all for a beggerlie ceremonies sakes? Are ye not ledd from such a course to an abolition of the crosse by the example of Epiphanius? he taketh downeHieron in translat. e­pist. Epi­phan. ad Iohan. Hi­erosol. Anablathaes Image, and forbiddeth all other Images, because occasions of scrupulositie in the Church. And as for the conscience superstitious, (which this signe breedeth) may it be any other way remedied saue exemplo Zach. Vrsi. de Adia­phor. omissionis? For besides that the scripture (like an Notrh winde) scattereth away al the humane cō ­stitutions that tye mens cōsciences to themselues as it were with aIo. Piscator in 1 Cor. 7 35. corde, orColos. 2.20. bur­then the soule, orGal. 5.1. enthrall libertie, or bring the free men of the Lord into1 Cor. 6.12. subie­ction, we haue a plaine censure that wipeth the Crosse out of our Leyturgie when there is found anBucer in censu. c. 12 elementi servitutis in it: as also euery ceremonie else a Ibid. ca. 8. Cuius in­viili servitute populus abstrahi se aegrè patitur.

#Sect. 11. The hypocrisie and preposteration of the Crosse, in the Will, in respect of the meanes for [...]cayning to the right end, is proved.

THE fourth hipocrie of the Crosse is in the Will: which when is vpright, when it desirethThom. A­quin. 2.2. ques. 9. art. 7. bonum sub ratione boni for the ende, and electeth bonum propter bonum in the meanes wherby the end is compast. This sinceritie of the election, the crosse [Page 147]preposterateth first of all. in that it is chosen being an vnlawfull ceremonie before those that are lawfull: being a tradition of mans before Gods precept: and being but Annisseed and Cummin before waightier thinges of the Lawe. For consider we the Crosse (first) as an auncient custome, Maister Bucer speaking against the consecrating of the Font,Bucer in censur. cap. 16. p. 482. sunt perquam multae constitutiones Patrum (sayth he) &c. there be very many constitutions of the Fathers and many observations of theirs pertaining to the discipline of the Church, which are taken out of the worde of God it selfe: these (alas) most seuerely are trodd vnder foot, when they seeme to be contrary to our humors. what a preposterous thing is it then to borrow those rites frō the Fathers which as they agree not with the word of God, so they serue Satās turne amongst too many mē, for the confirming of manifest superstitions & opini­ons plainly magicall. That this lighteth on the Crosses backe in comparison of other auncient obseruations, an instance in one or in two of them wil make plaine: when Cassander stroue for the Chrisme and pleaded the antiquitie of it, it was re­plyed he dealt absurdly toHerman Hamelma. de tradit. appendi. ad primam colum. 499 arripere from the Fathers, Quod humanum, omittere quod diuinum (to wit) the gouernement of the Church communi consilio Praesbyterorum. This may we not apply to some who inforce the Crosse vpon vs by reason of the antiquitie of it, when in the meane time they shut the dore against this gouerne­ment, which isIo Whit­gifc. defence. of the ans. to the ad­monit. pag. 638 Mat. Sutclif. de Roman. pontifi. c. 5 confessed by some of their owne to haue bene vsed in the prima­tiue Church, and that long before the Crosse; that which theIrenae li. 4 cap. 43. Tertul. Apolo. ca. 39. Hiero. in Tit. 1. Ambros. in 1. Tim. 5. ver. 17. vewe of the Fathers doth confirme. Againe it was anCypri. in serm. de eleemofin. Irenae. lib. 4 ca. 32.34. August. re­tractat. lib. 2. cap. 11. auncient custome that none should receaue the Lords Supper empty handed, but guie somewhat to the poore, which certaine Deacons did distribute to the needie that did worke, the idellbeing excomunica­ted out of the Church: of which thus Bucer once againe g, Nimis magno. &c. It is too great a shame for this Kingdome that this parte of Ecclesiasticall reformation hath bene hitherto neglected: whereas in the Low countries it hath bene long a goe receaued, where neuerthelesse the true profession of the Gospell is pu­nished with death. I aske, is there not a preposteration to renewe a Crosse so zea­lously, while we burry so carelesly this auncient custome? raysing vp in the roome thereof newe courses of our owne which doe no good. Againe, there was in old time a custome, there should be a communion everyChrisos [...] homil. 3 in Ephes. Re­gino lib. de Ecclecsiast. Disciplin. cap. 191. Hugo Cardinal. in Luc. 24. Lordes day, euery one not receauing without lawfull excuse beingNicol. Cu­san. Epist. ad Bohe. 7. excommunicated, whichAnsegis. in leg. Franci. lib. 1. c. 132 Charles the great in some sort renewed,Bucer in censur. cap. 4 pag. 464. and which Bucer advised King Edward in this land to restoreBucer. in Censur. c. 3 p. 460. 461. againe. what now? There is not any one peece of the canon for the Crosse which is not egerly pursued, whereas all the Canons made for the Sacramēt of the Supper, it selfe lye lowe in the dyrt: men thinking it sufficient to come for fashion once a yeere, as they were wont to doe in popery, and that without all examina­tiō (for the most parte) reconciliatiō or separatiō of offenders though most notori­ous. Last of al, it was the custom of the primatiue church to haue no assembly with­out a sermō (as shal be shewed in the next chapter,) which through the hypocrisie of the Crosse is nowe neglected: this rite must haue place, whether Preacher or preaching haue any or no.Alexan. Ales. in proaem. Lieturg. Anglic. Quo tamen neglecto frustra in alijs constituendis apice sci: & cultu ministri de gestu rituque sacrorum opera sumitur. Inducitur. n. ita parieti vici­oso & labanti tectorium quod ruinas & hiatus diu non poterit tegere: vel erunt haec potius sepulchra incrustata intus refer ta foeditate abhominabili. Secondly, consider the Crosse as a custome which for the present is in vse, and wee cannot misse of an other pre­posteration in it. Wee prooueD. Whit [...]. cont. Du­reum. lib. 9. hereby the papistes preferre their owne tra­ditions before Gods Lawes, because they punishe more seuerely the breach of one of their owne fastes then when the Lawe of God is broken by fornication or the like. It is also obserued amongst Saules hipocrisies that hee was more ready to punishe with death the breach of a Lawe of his owne in Ionathan, then to punish the people with the least mulcte, when they brake the law of God in eating bloud, [Page 148]which facte of his also when anAmbros. sem. 25. Ambrose alleadgeth to make the sinne of a man sinfull that doeth breake a Lenten-faste, he isHerm. Ha­melmā. de tradit p. 1. lib 5. folio 446. censured as one in error. Ought not the Non-Residentes, the Idell and Idoll ministers be rather punished, who break Gods Law in feeding (not on the bloud of beastes) but on the bloud of the soules of men, then those poore Ionathans transgressors of an humane lawe, and that in a trifle, whose desertes to the Church haue not bene so small but that they call for a better rewarde? What a thing is this there should be no lawe to punishe a loyte­rer that hideth his talent in the grounde, to put out a dumbe dogge that can not barke, or that a drunkard, a fornicator, a gamster, should scarce haue their names called into questiō; nay thatMath Sut­cliu. in an­swer to the humb. mo­tit for to­lerat. papistes them selues should be vsed kindlie, while the paynefull and profitable Minister is pursued euen to proscription for a Crosse, and is made thePoenicenti­arius Asini Act. & Monument. p. 359. Asse that must dye for a strawe, when theGualt Mapes in Ca­thalog. te­stium verit. fol 422. Non pastor ovium, sed pa­stus ovibus, much like to the Foxe or the Woulfe escapeth in his soule murder? Chrisostome began with the life of the Ministers, hee did not for the breach of a Ceremonie thrust out the moste paynfull that were in the Church, but those who aunswered not to their calling:Theodo­ret. histor. lib. 5. c. 28. A sacris arcebat quod negaret frui Sacerdotali ho­nore cos oportere qui vererum Sacerdotum vitam non sequerentur. Wee taking on the o­ther side runne within the censure of Augustine, August. ad Ianuar. epi. 119 c. 19. sed hoc nimis doleo. &c. This I much bewayle, that the commaundements of the holy Scripture, which are most wholesome, are neglected, and all thinges are so full with so many presumptions, that he is punished more grievouslie that toucheth the earth with his bare feete per octauas suas, then he that shall drowne his minde in dronkennes. A like hipo­crisie vnto this is that which an Historiographer mentioneth,Socrat. li. 5 cap 22. Nonnulli islis neg­lectis omnem scortationem rem quidem indifferentem arbitrantur, sed tamen de diebus festis tanquam de vita deceriant. Is not the breach of the Crosse more seuerely pu­nished then dronkennes? Is there not more stirre to vpholde this Ceremonie, then the preaching of the word? We crye out vpon the papists, because they take more care about the ceremonies of the sacrament, thē about the Sacramentit selfe. as because he will haueDurant. lib. 2. cap. 4. sect. 8. Missa sicca, without consecration when he is on the sea, be cause of the logging of the shippe. On drie lande when he consecrateth, hee will not minister the Wine ad Durant. li. 2. cap. 41. sect. 6. evitanda quaedam pericula. Last of all, though the cou­lour of redde wine represonteth Christes bloud farre better to the edifying of the people,Concil. Mediolan. 1. c. quae pertinent ad celebr. yet white wine must bee vsed to prevent the stayning of the clothes of the Altar. What if (as Diogenes once) some bidde vs heere, Beginne with our sel­ues? who although it be apparant, that integritie of Baptisme and the peoples edi­fication would be farre better provided for, by the remoouall of the Crosse, yet keepe it still, being as loth to see it stayned, as the papistes their Altar clothes, and to see it fall to the grounde as they, as they some droppes out of their Chalice, an hipocrisie so much the nearer touching the Crosse, in that it came in with the Crosse, witnes Tertullian: who in the same place where hee speaketh of this signe hath these wordes:Tertul. de coron. mi­lit. Calicis & panis etiam nostri aliquid decuti in terram anxie patimur. Thirdly, consider the Crosse, as retayned in our Church to winne the Papiste (vpon supposall) it is the best that might be chosen amongest all his other rites: which, is it not preposterous? A CouncillConcil. Cabilonēs. cap. 3 [...]. cryeth out vpon them, who be­ing vnder penance, abstaine (in deede) from Wine and fleshe, as they are enioy­ned, but in the meane tyme in tantum delitijs indulgent vt delitio sius his interdistis aliorum ciborum vel potionem appetitu vivere cognoscantur. Hierome Hieron. e­pist ad Ne potian. invayeth against their hypocrisie, who pretending to fast from Bread and from Water, vsed (not­withstanding) quasdā sorbitianculas magis delicatas, which they did sorbere non Calice sed concha. August. de moribus Manicheor lib. 2. ca. 13 Augustine lastly thinketh it an hipocrisie execrable to drinke no wine, to eate no fleshe, and yet to haue pomorum nonnullorum expressos succes vini speciem [Page 149]satis imitantes, vel etiam suavitate vincentes. After the proportion heereof wee ex­claime against papistes that will eate no flesh, and yet swill wine: and gobble sweet delicates which haue greater power to stirr vp luste. Now here that of Plato would doe well: Numnam & nos tales sumus? For we pretend hatred and zeale against the verie reliquies of poperie, and therevpon defile their Oyle, quench their Tapers, spue out their spittell, when in the meane time their Crosse and Surplice we keepe in with might and maine, which are Idoli sorbitiunculae magis delicata, that doe vin­cere superstitiosa suavitate, and more imitate speciem papalem, and stirre lust popishe a great deale more. Here I expect the olde songe, It is not their crosse we vse, which sauoureth it not of their fancie who thinking itConcil. Vormati­ens. can. 65 vnmeet to eate swines fleshe, han­ged vp their bacon for a yeare in the smoke, and then did eate it; as if it were nowe the same no longer. Nay hath our Crosse had so much chaunging, as a yeares dry­ing in the smoke cometh to? It seemeth not so much: sith our diversitie is in the different maner onely of our vsing, which maketh no difference that may be suffi­cient in case we meane to keepe our ground against the papistes. We laye to their charge a communion with Corpocrates in worshipping Images: with the Hieraclio­nitae in annoynting the dead with oyle: with the Tatiani in abstayning from mar­riage: with the Pepusiani in suffering women to be priestes: with the Manichees in abstayning from meates: with the Angelici in worshipping Angells: with the Apostolici and Hieraclitae in their Monkes, Nunnes & Fryars with the like. When yet our owne heartes do know they can shifte with distinctions to makeParsons of the conver. of England Caesar Ba­ron. Annal. in an. 120. appeare (for maner and meaning) a certaine distance betweene these heritiques and them­selues.

#Sect. 12. Howe the Crosse is vrged by our Opposites for sinister ende and not in synceritie.

WE haue seene how the Crosse defloureth the election of the Will, which is for the meanes. Now proceed we to examine how it defileth the inten­tion of it, which is for the ende. Singlenes is the vertue here which this com­maundement doeth enioyne, which aymeth at the right ende of all humane actions which is the glorie of the Lorde. This singlenes we pleade for our sel­ues like to theIoh. Du­brauius in histor. Bo­hemic. li. 4. Thaborites, who when they were accused for purging their Chur­ches, made this replye, they were wooden Images and Crosses whiche they had throwen downe, and not siluer and golden stuffe, such as Sigismond had taken a­way. O that the worlde would consider but that of a Romane Iudge, cui bono, who stande for their gaine, who for their conscience? who for wooden, who for siluer and golden stuffe? would not singlenes of hart be hereby foūd out on which side it standeth? yes, or els Paule reasoneth weakly, whē he proveth himselfe single-harted because heGal. 5.11. suffered in his refusall of Iewish ceremonies: whereas his ad­uersaries conformed them selues to enioye their ease &Gal. 6.12. their credit in the worlde. And Theodoret after him, sufficit vel perpessionum testimonium ad ostendendam veri­tatem predicationis. Let no man (then) put vs to busines, they are the markes of Iesus which we beare. God graunt our Opposites a godly care, they beare not the markes of hipocrisie wherewith a Iesuit beyond the seas hath branded them. The Protestantes (sayethOdoard Weston. de triplic. hominis officio. he) abolish some of our traditions, but they are leane ones, fatt traditions they keepe still, and will not leaue them. To wipe away this impu­tation it were to be wished: first of all that our Oppos [...]es would stand lesse for the superfluous Lordly pompe, which the Hierarchie of the papistes hath left behind in divers churches, against the position of Iohn Wickleffe, Concil. Constant. sess. 8. art. 32. & 39. ditare ecclesiam, est contra regulam Christi. Did not Moses forbid that superfluitie should be brought in to the [Page 150]vse of the Tabernacle? and ourPerck in Epist. Iud. Divines doe they not conclude from hence, that where there is a superfluitie in church goods, ther abatement should be made to a meane, that so the wantes of the church elswhere may bee supplied? For euen an heathen Traian him selfe thinkes it vnfit the milte should bee suffered to swell, to the pyning of the rest of the members, as now we see it cometh to passe, whiles some few doe superabounde, the coūtrey parishes are in want.Concil. Lateranen. [...]ub Inno­cent. 3 c. 32 Iudg. 17.8. Hence doth there arise the ignorant ministerie, the verie bane of all things, as God him self sheweth when he bringeth in a Levite seeking where he may serue: for the origen of al cor­ruption amiddest his people. Secondly, To wipe away this imputation, it were to be wished our Opposites would lesse stande on the fatt tradition of sole orday­ning, sole excommunicating, of confirming yong men, which as Iohn Husse longe since hath detected, haue bene reserved vnto BishopsConcil. Constant. sess. 12. art. 19. ad sui exaltationem propter Ibid. art. 28. cupiditatem lucri temporalis & honoris, & Ibid. pag. [...]34. vt episcoporumi solemnitas & necessitas plus credatur. Thirdly, to wipe away this imputatiō, it were to be wished our Opposites would stande lesse on the fatt tradition of Nonresidencies and Pluralities, against which, how many Canons and Councills fight, as against most horrible marchan­dize,Decret. pa. 2. caus. 21. qu [...]. ca. 1. Clericus ab instanti tempore (saieth one of them and which shall serue for all the rest) non connumeretur in duabus ecclesijs: negotiationis enim hoc est & turpis lucri proprium, & ab Ecclesiastica consuetudine pemtùs alienum. Fourthly, for the wiping away of this imputation, it were to be wished our Opposites would stande lesse on the fatt tradition of Substitutes and Curates, which auncient times would not en­dure, as who allowed not aDecret. p. 2 caus. 21. qu. 2. ca. 5. Conductitious Presbyter to be an out leate for the la­zines of others. Fiftly, To wipe away this imputation, it were to bee wished our Opposites would stande lesse on the fatt tradition of rigour in ceremonies: as in which a Papist or a Brownist would drawe suspitiō of many hipocrisies. First, they wil suspect a spirit of Demetrius pretending the publique, but intending owne pri­vate state in them, who Cry out, No Ceremony, No Bishop, and therevpon proceed in such rigour against the Preachers of the worde as giue shewe they vse the ceremonies for a meane to thrust out of Sibaris euery clamo­rous cocke that interrupteth their quiet sleepe, and for an Ostrachisme to expell out of Athens, qui excellunt in paynfulnes, in faithfulnes, in sobrietie of life, least they should foyle the lazines, the man pleasing, and the flaunt of others. Secondly, a Brownist will suspect that they are frogges of Euphrates, and not single before the Lord that take on against good men, Apoc. 16.12.13. because they like not the corruptions of of Church whereby they gaine & liue, for as much as it is a propertie of those froggs to crooke moste when their waters are nearest to drying vp. Thirdly, a Brownist will suspect he is a Demas who was with the reformation till the taste of the pre­sent worlde chaunged his vnderstanding against it, and he will resemble him to Islebius the Master in Germanie, of whom the common proverbe rann, that he de­fended the Chrisme and the Oyle,Ioh. Sley­dan. com­ment. li. 21. vt ipse vnctior discederes. And to Georgius Ma­ior the scholler, who when he turned Adiaphorist, had these verses made vpon him:

Conrad. Schulssel­burg. li 13 pa. 696.
Maior eras quondam, cum nondum bella tenebant.
Dum saeuit bellum factus es ipse minor.
Maximus esse potes tibi cum quingenta dabuntur,
Sic Minor & Maior quilibet esse potest.

Fourthly, A Brownist will suspect a Pharisaicall spirit in them, laying burthens v­pon others, Matth. 23.4 which they will not touch them selues with their least finger: who charge good men with authoritie in things indifferent, wherin they keepe not the Law themselues. This is to be seene in their apparel against the statute: in their ea­ting [Page 151]flesh on fishe dayes against the lawe: in their neglect of more profitable Ca­nons; yea by their omission of the like ceremonies, as the Alba, the Cappa, the Ca­sula, the Baculus Pastoralis, all which are enioyned by law as well as the Crosse and Surplice, becauseAnglic. lei­turg. in re­gul. de ce­remon. ap. Bucer. pag. 455. statut. named in K. Edw communion booke, to which ourEliz. 1. c. 2 rubric. in init. leiturg Law and Rubric sendeth vs. Is it a small thing that we are able to obiect asGal. 6.13 Paule did once, they them selues keepe not the Lawe wherewith they presse vs? Fiftly, A Brow­nist will suspect, the heart is not single in them who vse extremities in these trifles, both because of the auncient ruleDecret. p. 1 distinc. 4 [...]. Qui asperitatibus student suas illi magis quam Dei causas probantur attendere and also of our moderne tenent against the papist, which is this,Tho. Mor­ton. Apol. p. 1. lib. 2. cap. 18. their crueltie by fire and faggot sheweth they seeke not the glorie of God, but their owne willes and pleasures. Sixtly, A Brownist will suspect their heart is double, that make Decrees for the strengthening of their owne state rather then for the refor­mation of Gods house, where that Augustine hath place,August. de civit dei. li. 19. cap. 21 Ludouic. Viues. Ibid Non iura dicenda sunt vel putanda iniqua hominum Constituta, faisum (que) est quod à quibusdam non recte sentien­tibus dici solet, id esse ius quod ei qui plus potest vtile est. For as much then as our Lord when he sawe gaine was intended by the Oxen of the out-court, howsoeuer the furtherance of Gods service was the thing that was pretended, tooke a whipp and droue them out, least the house of his Father should become a shopp of Marchan­dize: and whereas our forefathers also haue herevpon thrust out of theDurant. de rit. li. 1. ca. 26. sect. 7. Church­yard all things whatsoeuer exposed for gaine; these ceremonies (to whom gaine is godlines) must be scourged out, rather then be permitted to bee a scourge vnto good Preachers, that soAndre. Hipper. de sacr. stud. non dese­rend. p. 112 Oxen and Asses may keepe in not only in the out-court, but in the holy place and all.

#Sect. 13. That the Crosse preposterateth, evacuateth, and polluteth the affection of feare.

THE fift hipocrisie of the resonable soule neasteth it self in the affections of the heart: the first of which is feare. This is preposterated by the ceremonies in them who conforme for feare of man. For quae Concil. Chalcede. act. 1. ex necessitate est, fides non est, saieth the Councill. AndAugust e­pist. ad Ca sulan. 86. quisquis metu potestatis veritatem occultat, iram Dei super se pro­vocat (saith Augustine) andDecret. p. 2 caus. 11. q. 3 cap 81. melius est pro veritate pati supplicium, quam pro adulatione recipere bene ficium. For this cause they are better to be iudged of who at this howre doe suffer, then they who are within the compasse of that censure which the Ger­mane Divines past over them, who yeelded to the Interim, not with an vpright and single heart, butConrad. Schlussel. burg. li. 13 pa. 565. & 173. ad grati ficandum Caesarem only. Doth not Paule make it haynous in Peeter that he conformed to the ceremonies of Moses lawe, to please the Iewes of whom he stood preposterously in feare? which feare of his (also) hee termeth grosse dissimulation? Secondly, the Crosse evacuateth feare, partly by reason of the popish perswasion that it driveth the Divill away, euenBellarm. de imag. c. 30. ex opere operato, though a man haue not the feare of God, asMart. art. 1 pag. 35. Iulian had not; and partly because it is a play­game of it selfe, as well as aMat. Sut­cliu. in an­swer. to mot. for tollerat. Mat. 21.25. Crosse raysed out of a toumbe on Easter day, to repre­sent the rising of Christ. Men thinke they may bee euer bolde with the worke of their owne handes, and seeing the Crosse is not from heauen (as euery Baptismes signe should be) naught can be in it to procure reverence▪ as well Lanctantius, Lactant. institut. li. 2. cap. 19. si religio &c. If religion be a divine thing, and nothing be diuine but that which is heauenly, the Image must want all religion, because there can be nothing heauen­lie in that which is from the earth. Now for this cause he must be remooued from the service of God, in Bucers iudgement, togither with euery ceremonie else that is an occasionBucer in Censur. cap. 9. pa. 478. profani Iudi, illudit. n. nobis continenter Satan, & seria Domini salutaria convertere in fuos noxios ludos conatur. As every occasion of playfulnes is daunge­rous in the seruice of God, because of Satans illusion, so also by reason of Mans [Page 152]For know we not we are as prone to trifle in the service of God, as is theGualt. in Luc cap. 7 Homil. 70. childe to play in the market. Thirdly, The Crosse polluteth feare euen with an Ironie and contempt, it being subiect to irreverence as much as the Image is of which Lactantius, Lactant. de orig. error. li. 2. cap. 19. There is no religion, where there is an Image. of which Varro, they tooke away all feare of the Gods who first set vp Images to them▪ Lastly, of which thus Augustine, August de civi [...]. D [...]i. li. 4. ca. 31 simulacrorum (so Crucium) stoliditate facile contemnitur Deus. When Alexander Cabala historica. met Iaddo the high Priest of Ierusalem in his priestly attire, he fell downe & adored because God had appeared to him before he came out of Mace­donia in the very same habite, what hence? the profane is not brought to reuerēce by the appearance of any Ceremonie whatsoeuer, vnlesse it haue assistance of a Maiestie from the Lord, which the Apparell of Iaddo had: but the signe of the Crosse hath not. The signe of the Crosse must be made (say some) by vs as wel as by the auncient Fathers to make profession against the Atheist, that is amongst vs. But if any Atheist be amongst vs to laugh at Christ crucified, let him bee nayled to a Crosse, but let not a Crosse be made with a finger against him, which will but increase his laughing.Dyonis. Hierrarch. Ecclesiast. cap. vlt. Dionisius mētioneth that some laugh at the answers which the Godfathers made for the childe, as if alius pro alio were Baptized.Gregor. Nazianz. lib. 4. rat. 4 cont, Iu­lian. Gregorie Na­zianzen reporteth, that Iulian laught at the sufflations of Baptisme. Is there not as great an occasion giuen in the signe of the Crosse towards laughter and contempt, as in either of these? The former of which is abolisht by the Churches that are re­formed asZepper. de polit. Eccle siastic. li. 1. cap. 10. pag. 52. a ridicle, the later by our selues and all. Because the Iewes laught at the Papistes for painting Moyses like a Deuil with a paire of hornes, theSixt. Senen bibliothec. lib 5. an­notat. 116. sounder papists would haue remooued it, it being an error of antiquitie brought in by Hierome in­terpreting [Moses facies erat cornuta] insteed of [erat radians.] The profane deri­ding our masking attire and iuglinge gesture in our Church. nowe wee haue as great cause to haue them abolished, they being (if auncient) yet auncient errors, like to the hornes of Moses.

#Sect. 14. Howe the signe of the Crosse is an enemie to our affiance in the merites of Christ.

THE second affection of the hart which the signe of the Crosse defloureth, is Faith and affiance in the merites of Christ: where I had rather lament then ex­presse how neare our Opposites come to the Papistes. For, hold they not the signe of the Crosse to be a profession & a testimonie of our faith, not fearing Bellarmines societie,Bellarm. de effect. Sacrament. cap. 31. Crux est exercitium fidei? Valde. n. &c. For we doe very much exercise our faith when we doe arme our selues with the signe of the crosse against the Di­vill. For we doe protest by this ceremonie, that we doe beleeue that the power of the Crucified is so great, as that the Divills are forced to flye before his verie I­mage it selfe. They hold that our profession of the faith by the signe of the crosse is an honouring of the merites of Christ his death, not fearing the societie of Du­rantus in all other Images,Duran. de rit lib 1. c. 4. sect. 11. Imaginibus Christi non minuitur eius honor, sed augetur. For if Christ be honoured by a crosse, then why not by an Image as well? Why not by a Crucifixe also? Last of all there be who giue foorth, that our defacing of the Crosse diminisheth the honour of the merites of Christ. not fearing a societie in that old and rotten slaunder, The Armenians deserue confusion, who vse not the signe of water with the wine in the Sacrament of the supper: Theophil in Ioh. c. 19 Non. n. credunt vt videtur, quod aqua ex latere egressa sit. For in that new deuised slaunder of the papistes, theRhem in Annotat. in Philip. 2. sect. 2. Pro­testantes in disvsing Crosses and Images, doe nos onely dishonour Iesus Christ, but also de­face him in Oblivion: and open a windowe wide to Atheisme. It is like also that slaun­der of Dureus: For (as he saith) we doIoh. Durae us cont. Whitaker, fol 380. in respons Whitaker. resurrectionis fidem quasi cuniculis evertere, for that we fast betweene Easter and Whitsonty de, and make not the good cheare [Page 153]which they haue devised for a memorial of his rising. So this imputation chargeth vs with a dishonouring of the merites of Christ, for that wee vse not the Crosse, which man hath chosen, not the Lorde for a remembrance of the same. Nowe we doubt not but we shall be iustified when that tincture of hipocrisie is wel conside­red, wherewith it infecteth our faith. Here we finde, that first he doth preposterate it much in that he occasioneth trust in himselfe: yea more trust oft times in him selfe, thē in Christ Iesus represented How can it be otherwise the papists doctrine being still on foote?Mart in replie art a There is a vertue flowne into the Crosse from Christes death. The Pan [...] epist 11. cyted by Rhem▪ in Ioh. 19. sect. 1 Crosse whereon Christ dyed, drunk in vertue from his bloud▪ not for himselfe only but for Bellarm. de imag. cap 26. all other Crosses also that are like to him. Thom A­quin p 3. quaes 2 [...]. art 4. In Christi cruce ponimus spem salutis: Cantat enim Ecclesia, Aue Crux spes vnica. Men must beleeue still in the signe of the Crosse (whenAct, and monument in his 7. art. Thomas Man would not beleeue in it, he was burnt.) Last of all: The Bellarm. de cult. sanctor cap▪ 7. Crosse with other sacramentalia applye Christes bloud vnto vs to the washing away of sinne. and that as a fellow worker with our faith. And the complaint is true of them which one of our writersPhil Mor­naeus de En charist. li. 1 cap. 6. p 49 maketh roundly and altogither at a blowe: we see them come downe from this crosse that is the death and passion of our Lord,See Fulk reioynd. art. 5. the effectuall powerful­nes whereof is adored of the Angells to the onely figne of the Crosse. and there passing over according to their custome from the signes to the things, & from the things to the signes, they come to attribute all whatsoever is said by the Apostles or by the old Fathers of the true and verie crosse of Christ, vnto this dumbe and na­ked signe. By meanes hereof crossing hath bredd such inconvenience (saithM. Calfh. cont. Mart. art. 1. fo. [...]6 one) that the externe action had in reverence, hath made the inward faith to be neglec­ted: and that vertue ascribed to the signe which onely proceedeth from him that was signified, in regard whereof it may well be lefte. PLACE="marg" Philip. 3.19. In deed as Moses ceremonies became enimies to the crosse of Christ, when men began to beleeue in them (for which cause they were remoued) so the signe of the Crosse now is an enimie to Christes crosse much people trusting in it, for which cause it ought to bee displan­ted. Had it bene fit for the Apostles to haue vsed in Gods service the Robe, the Reede, the Crowne, the Scepter, wherewith Christ at that time was mocket? but now it is with the signe of the crosse in poperie that Christ and his crosse is mockt? when they haue robbed him of his Scepter, and of his Priesthood, they giue him a Crosse to mocke him withall (saith oneAnd Wil­let. contro. 4. Q 10▪ p. 3. art. 2. of our writers.)

#Sect. 15. That the Crosse evacuateth and polluteth Faith.

SEcondly, The figne of the Crosse doeth evacuat faith. Whereas Paule saith, 2. Cor. 5.7. We walke by faith and not by sight, it mayAnd. Wil­let contro­vers. 9. qu. 6. pa. 3. be inferred, that the sight of outward representations which are earthly hurteth fayth which is of thinges that are spirituall and not seene. Vpon this ground (as I take it) reasoneth Arno­bius against the Heathen,Arnobius contr. gent. lib. 6. Convincitur non habere sua religioni fidem, cui opus est vide­re quod credit, ne inane forte sit quod non videtur. Vpon this ground it was, that whenCyrill. con. Iulian. li. 6 Num [...] would invre his people to serue the Gods spiritually, hee built temples to fayth: whence he remoued all Images & all representations, as which he thought contrary vnto fayth. Last of all, vpon this ground it is that ourD Bilson cont. Apo­log. pag 4. pag. [...]49. owne writers dea­ling for a [sound fayth] beholding and adoring God in spirit and truth, cashier all [dourn be shewes] that mans wit can furnish to winne the eye or moone the heart bin­ding vs onely to the hearing of his word, and partaking of his mysteries which onely can in­struct ciur faith. Another way the signe of the Crosse doeth hinder faith in that it occasioneth diverse to rest in the historicall knowledge of Christes death onely: all of which he remembreth not, neither because not the sufferings of his soule, which are the cheefe, whereof one thus:M. Calfh. cont Mart in praefat. fol. 1 [...]. Suppose the Crosse tell me, that Christ [Page 154]died, what am I the better for that, vnlesse I knowe that he dyed for me: and the meane how his death may be applied to me? which no picture can expresse▪ the promises of the worde must declare me that without the which the Image is no­thing (yea worse then nothing). Thirdly, the Crosse polluteth faith, and that with infidelitie. For as when Bellarmine teacheth: charges expended vpon garnishing Churches, is an action of faith. ItLambert. Dane. cont. Bellarmin. de Cult. Sanctor. cap 6. is replyed that it is infidelitie rather and disobe­dience, because a presumption without the worde. So when it is said, [the Crosse is a gesture of faith] it may be replyed, It is a gesture of infidelitie and vnbeleefe, seeing is hath no warrant from the scripture. And looke on the effectes it worketh: For as a man in daunger of drowning, catcheth euen at a rushe or a flagge for want of bet­ter stay, so it is out of fearfull distrust of better refuge that men catche at the crosse to helpe them. For example:Act and Monu in Histor. eius Thomas Becket armeth him selfe with a Crucifixe in his boosome, and with a Crosse in his hande when he cometh to the court in daū ­ger. TheHistorica collect. of Massacr. in France, in Hen 3. Archbishop of Lyons of late at the sight of the executioner, as he first en­tred into the prison, fled strait to the Crucifixe. CertaineAct and Monumē. heads of houses in Oxon. being in St Maries, and thinking the Church had bene on light fire, betooke them to the Crucifixe on the Altar. Compare not this withSozom. li. 2. cap. 29. Alexanders flying to the Table of the Lord, when the Arrians straightened him. with Ambrose his flying to the same table whenAmbros. Epist. 33. Iustina the Empresse pursued him. withGregor. Nazeanze. orat. 11. de Land. Gorgon. Gergonia hir flying thither in the darke night when she was extreemly sicke. Lastly, with Theodosius his circutingRuffin lib. 2 cap 33. Omnia orationum loca, when Eugenius made warre against him: neither saye that this is no other, then that which the Christians did when they alwayes crossed themselues in the time of daunger, for these men fledd to these places men­tioned, because they were the fittest for prayer, as it is said ofEpiphan. in epist. ad Ioh. Hiero­solomit. Epiphanius, that see­ing a light at Anablatha, and thereby perceyving it was a Church, he tooke occasi­on to goe and pray in it. As for the custome of the Christians crossing them selues in time of daunger, let it be surveyed first in these ensamples, and then bee rightly iudged of. A Deacon when he entred the shippe to goe into exile,Theodor. histor. lib. 4 cap. 22. signum Diuina Crucis fronti afformauit. Whē ChristiansEuseb. histor. lib. 8. cap. 7. stood readie to be deuoured by the Pan­thers, they clappe their armes athwarte, to expresse a crosse. Tiburtius Cesar Bar. Annal in ann. 286. when he is to walke barefoote vpon hoate coales, signeth him selfe with a crosse, and so prepa­reth him selfe to the myracle. The stuffe ofIbid in ann. 293. Domnax Macrina & holy Chri­stians wherewith their chambers were wont to be furnished, are said to be a booke of scripture, a Crosse, a censor, and a little boxe to keepe the Eucharist. Glycerius Ibid. in ann. 301 crosseth him selfe when nowe he is to bee tyed to the stake.Ibid ann. 303. Anisia fenceth her selfe with the signe of the crosse, when shee is tempted to adulterie.Ibid ann. 303. Emplius doth the like when he was to be examined.Ibid. anno 253. Gregorius Thanmaturgus cleanseth a Temple from Divells with the signe of the Crosse, and teacheth others to work myracles by it. Will any iustifie this auncient crossing as an action of sayth? For mine own parte▪ I will not iustifie it: if there be any good in it, it is profession against the Pa­gans, which now having no place amongst vs, it ought to be lefte. For that with papistes and in the people it is become a signe and cloke of infidelitie and distruste. For this cause it is termed byAndre. Willet de Cruc art. 4. our Writers, a deceytfull toye, because it causeth men to come to it, but confoundeth them when they are come (like Theman wa­ters) euen as diverse examples shewe. The historie is common of the Bishop of Bi­zantium, who signed him self against Sathan in vaine, answering him thus:Leoniter. Theatrū. Historical. fol. 1 [...]0. Signate signa temere me tangis & angis, as common is the storieVide▪ Calf­hil. art. 1. fol. 37. of Sylvester the 2. arested by Satan euen in the Chappell sancta Crucis, and in the time of Masse too, when as he was in his deepest crossing.The french discourse of the true honour of the Crosse pag. 2. We are told, the greatBodin. Daemono­log lib. 3. cap 6. Doctor Picardus in the yere 1552. spent many crosses all in vayne, to chase a spirit out of a mayde in Paris. In the yeare 1554 a Cardinall sendeth for an holy Monke of St Bennets, to dispossesse some 82. may dens at Rome; who were belaboured with infinite Crosses for the [Page 155]space of sixe monethes, but to no purpose.so Cripin Chrond­log. Certaine souldiours come into the fielde (like the Iamnites) with Crosses and charactes in their bosomes: which, what good did they? For after the fight they were taken vp dead with these Crosses in their bosomes. TheIoh Lasi­cius theo­log Mus­couit ca. 7. Priestes of Russia overcome, come footh with Crosses a­bout their neckes, which they kisse often; and their Images they bringe in their handes, holding them foorth like so many bucklers, and are hewed all to pieces.Act & Mo nu. 2104. Pauckney and Harrington two fellowes of new Colledge in Oxon. drowned them­selues, and were taken vp with their Crucifixes about their neckes. Lewes II. of Fraunce, after he had kissed euery Relique he heard of to gett his health,Io Crispin Cbronolo. in an. 1479 and well neare worne out his hatt and his boosome with Crosses, dyeth most vnwillinglie, and without comfort, and with great feare and horrour of death, as sheweth the exceeding monethly pay which he gaue to his Phisitions for the prolonging of his life. Oppose to this the death of the greatest enemie that euer Crosses or Ima­ges had, to witt, Constantinus Ioh. Cris­pin in Constant 5. Isay 50.11. Deut. 17.17. Coprominus, whose last wordes are saide to be these: I am deliuered from the fire eternall. We see in these, we might see in more, that they who kindle this sparke to them selues, meete with the thret: This shall yee haue at myne handes, yee shall lye downe in the sorrowe. And shall we not remooue it then, as God him selfe doeth vse to remooue the occasions of vayne confidence in men? And as a Councill doeth commaunde,Concil. Coloniens. p. 9. ca. 16. Quicquid in Ceremonijs ad abusum & su­perstitionem spectat, & quo populus à Deo ad collocandam in rebus externis fiduciam ab­duct poss it, prohibemus. The Fathers (as the ordinarie shift) will bee obiected here: Who vsed the Crosse as a testimonie and profession of their faith. First the Fathers are not iustified in this their practize: Our Writers saye, the Crosse at the first was aCalfh ag. Mate. in praefar. fol. 12 & art. 1. fol. 26. & 30. faithlesse invention taken vp without all warrant, yea without all good occasi­on, and without all neede. The most that can cleare them is this, that they com­maunde the printing of the merites of Christes passion in the minde first, and af­terwarde the signe of the Crosse in the body. Now to this it is answered: Frustra fit per plura quod fieri possit per pauciora. there is nothing in the world that the crosse can doe, but fayth can doe without it: Leaue we therefore that which may tende to superstition and is vncommaunded, and betake we our selues to that which is of fayth and force thorough Gods commaundement. Secondly, what though at first the Crosse were devised well to testifie fayth, nowe it is abused to the crossing of sayth (euenCalfh. ar [...]. 1. fol 25. as one writeth): That which was at firste a testifying of Christia­nitie, came to be made a magicall inchauntement. That which was a reproofe to the enimies of the Crosse, became in the ende a cause of conquest against Christians. But these abuses may be spoken against the crosse it selfe remayning, which presi­dent the Fathers giue vs. Doeth not Origen exhort, that this signe beOrigen. in Exod. cap. 15. homil. 6. consignatum fideliter? Cyril in Catech [...]s. 13. Cyrill that it be ostensum fortiter. Chrisoft. in Math. homil 55 Chrisostome, that it be made magna side in Corde? August in Ioh. tracta. 43. Augustine, that it be fastened in the heart? And what of this? For this sheweth that the signe of the Crosse hath bredd hypocrisie euen from the begin­ning and that the pruning knife of doctrine was neuer able to this howre to lopp off the abuses of it. so that now we are taught by experience, there is no reason but to roote and plucke it vp. Another of our Writers well adviseth,Fulke re­ioynd. art▪ 15. pa. 17 [...]. Although the elder and better ageretained and vsed this signe tollerably, yet considering the shamefull abuse thereof, it ought nowe of right and of conscience to bee condemned, as Maister Calf hill faith.

#Sect. 16. That the Crosse evacuateth and polluteth loue and zeale, both for matter, and measure.

A Third affection of the heart doth this signe season with the leauen of hipo­crisie, and that is loue and zeale. whose vacuitie is thus described:Bucer. in censur. c. 10. pag. 478. The white [Page 156]Garment is not far to be vsed at baptisme, because it is hipocrisie to multiplie loue signes where loue it selfe is not superabondant. As for others to kisse so often as doth the mother, it is hipocrisie because their loue is not so tēder. In regard wher­of our Forefathers at the first might better multiplie signes of loue in this Sacra­ment, then we may nowe. Flagrabant enim summa De [...] observantia & gratitudine ad­versus eius benesicia, & p [...]p [...]lus ad bapi [...]smum magna religione advenerat. Whereas now thorough the coldnes of these our dayes, ista signa hodie singula apud minime pauces magis retinendae & augendae superstitioni & ludis, quam pietati serviunt & reli­gioni. Who is then desirous of the Crosse to be added to the water for a signe to expresse his loue to Christ Iesus crucified? For he must confesse his loue & zeale doeth so burne and abound in him, that the one signe of the water doth not suffice to expresse the same. Which, if any wil say of him self, I would gladly see with what face he looketh▪ For mine own part I could thus resemble him:Carionis & Pencer. Chronis. lib. 5. in Adolph [...] Nass [...]niens. pa. 849. Margret Coūtesse of Turinge being loth to depart from her children, and constrayned to flye at mid­night to saue her life, sitteth by the bedside of Fredericus her eldest sonn, embracing him, kissing him, bedewing his face & brest with her teares, and when the compa­nions of her flight pulled her away for hastening departure, out of a straūg mother­ly passion, she biteth his cheek in kissing of him, so that he was surnamend admorsus euer after. The like is done nowe by them in Baptisme, who not contented to ex­presse their loue to Christ by the ordinarie signe of the water, must needes kisse him with a secōd signe, the signe of the crosse, which fayeth so illfavoredly, as that in kissing him they bite him so deepely in his members, that if not in their names, yet in their goods, wines and children, they beare the marke all their liues after. OnePliniu [...] na­tural histo. lib. 7. ca. [...]. apple in an eye is wholesome, when two in women do hurt and bewitch: so the one signe of the water in baptisme which God hath ordained, is alwayes com­fortable, when the signe of the Crosse (vnnaturally doubling what God would haue single) doeth vnder the maske of counterfeit zeale, who can expresse what hurt: as to the soule which it bewitcheth, so to the body whiche it blasteth, and goods which it wasteth without all pittie. The bewitching is with a loue-drench towardes Antichrist, to the quenching of zeale: the manifest signes whereof are these. First, ZealeB [...]cer. in Mat. 1 [...]. nihil penitùs ferre potest Antichristi, no not the name of any thing that belongeth vnto him and is defiled by his polluted members. When Nebuchad­nezzer is zealous for Bell, doeth he not abolish the very names that savour of pietie towards the holy God of Israell? WhenCarol. Si­gon. d [...] reg. Ital. Constantine the Pope hath a zeale against Philippicus, doeth he not abandon his name it self? and that from common coyne and all, not onely from the diptich? When God is ielous against Hatt [...] the Arch­bishop of Meniz, doeth he not sende rattes as to consume his body from the face of the earth, so to gnaweGenebrard in Crono­log. Ann. Chri. 970. out his name it selfe out of all papers, parchementes walles? to witt, this is the loue that hath fierie coles and vehement flames, this is the ielousie that will not abide the sight of raunsome; this the zeale that is stronge to the death, and cruell to the graue: which if we beare to our heauenly husband in any good measure, we will entertaine no pollicie to spare to raunsome. I say not the Idol of the crosse it self, but the sound of his name so much from death, & from the pitt of full destruction. Secondly,Bucer. in Censur. c. [...]. p. 460 Omnia quae sunt Antichr. Romoni habentur ab­homination [...], saltem quo ad externam speciem attinet. It is a signe thē that the ceremo­nies cōtroversed, haue crazed our zeale in that we sticke not at the shew and appea­rāce of popery that is in them. God so detesteth al shew of idolatry euē in the eyes of papists themselues, as that theyVasq. de a­d [...]rat. li 1. disput. 5. cap. 2. think God forbad images to the people of Israel, to avoyde all shew of Canaans jmages. Wherfore chose God the forme of an Arke for a testimony of his presence, but to be in shewIdem. lib. [...] disp. 4. c. 4. cōtrary to Idolaters, for there was never any people that ever did abuse this forme? Wherfore doth God forbid to set vp stones & monumentes in Israel, but to avoyd all shew of likenes with Idolaters? [Page 157] Idem lib. 2. disput. 4. cap 3. per titulos. n. intelligit statuas quas Gētiles in sui memoriam posteris relinquebant, vt do­cent Isichius & Rodolphus Flauiacensis in eum locum. Caesar. Baron. Annal. in anno 10 [...]. The primitiue church could not endure that any should looke towards Ierusalē in time of prayer, to avoyd all shew of Iudaisme. Although to continue fasting vntill midnight to heare the worde, be lawfull enough vpon a Sunday, as the example of Paule doeth shewe, yet because the Manichees appoint that day for fasting, Augustin thinketh it to be vnlawfull, for that shewe that it beareth towards them, and thence forbiddeth it,Augustin. Epistol. 86 ad Casula. Ne maius malum incurratur in scandalo quam bonum percipiatur ex verbo. It is lawfull enough to singe songesConcil. Toletan. 4 Can. 10. of Halleluiah and of ioye in the Calendes of Ianuarie, yet because the Heathens then solemnize the feastes of their chiefest mirthe, therefore propter errorem Gentilitatis, and to avoyde all [shewe] towardes them, the Christians keepe no feaste of mirth throughout that season. Doeth not the equitie heere­of shine in the heartes ofCaesar. Baron. An­nal. 184. papistes them selues, who condemne Christians for madnes and lightnes, who personati agere consuescunt, the like playes in the begin­ning of the Spring which the Heathen were wonte to performe about the same tyme to the Mother of their Gods? When diverse abstayned from the trimming and garnishing of their houses, and from the dressing of their victualles vppon the Lords day, they were forbidden this shewe of Iudaisme in these wordes:Concil. Aurelian. 3. Can. 27. Quia ad Iudaicam magis quam ad Christianam observantiam hoc pertinere probatur. The con­sideration hereof may make vs ashamed to count our selues zealous, who forbeare not shewe of likenes with the papistes, no not in the cheefest ceremonies. Thirdly, Zeale cannot endure any conformitie with aliens, no not in civill guises: as the primitiue church doeth shew, of which one truly giueth this testimonie,Magdebur. Centur. 3. cap. 6. co­lumn▪ 141. hoc vnum egregie maxime inter caetera Christianos cavisse videas, ne quid Ethnicorum moribus, & consuetudinibus commune haberent. A Christian would not bee seene in a Theater, wherefore? because this placeTertul. in lib. de spectacul. ad idololatriam pertinere videbatur. A Christian man and woman must not washe together in one bath, wherefore? haec est u .n. apud gen­tiles prima repraehensio. A Christian must not celebrate a birth day, wherefore?Decret. pag. 1. dis. tin. [...]1. c. 28 be­cause it is a rite & a customeOrig in Levit. ho­mil. 8. Ethnicorum & peccatorum. It is of private vse, of which Tertullian speaketh thus:Tertul lib de coron. mili [...]. Ego mihi gallum gallinacium macto & si me odor alicuius lo­ci offendit arabiae aliquid incendo, sed non eodem ritu & habitu, & apparatu quo agitur a­pud Idola. The Christians were thought to be enimies to the Emperour, because they doe not set lights and bay bowes at their dores as others doe. yet for all this,Caesar. Barō. Anal in ann. 200 Nefas sibi esse putant because the temples of the Idolls and the dores of Idolaters were wont to be thus adorned. Fourthly, If zeale cannot endure any civill fashion of Idolaters, then their religious rites, much lesse such as the Crosse and Surplice are. Tertullian will haue no lightes in worshipping God, because it was [Tertul. de Idololatr. mos haere­ticorum]. The Tolletan Council will haue no such shaving as doth leaue long haire below,Concil. Tolet. 4. cap. 40. quoniam ritus haereticorum est. The Christians may not observationes agere Calendarum, neque lauro aut viriditate arborum cingere domos; wherfore? becauseDecret. pag. 2. caus. 26. quest. cap. 13 om­nis haec observatio paganismiest. The readers must notConcil. Bracarens. 1. Can. 29 demittere granos or gradus gentili ritu. The feastes of the Martyrs birth-dayes are misliketh wherefore?Concil. Aphric. temp. boni­fac. 1. Can. 27. Quia a Gentili errore attracta. The old dauncingesAugust. de Tempore. Sermon. 215. ante basilicas sanctorum are vnlawfull. wherefore? quia haec consuetudo ex paganorum observatione remansit. TheSynod. in Trullo. Can. 82. 2 Cor. 6.14 Councill will haue no lambe to represent Christ. wherefore? because it commeth to neare the Iewes. Fiftly, Zeale can not endure any countenance towards the persons of Idolaters or of heretiques. For when Paule forbadde fellowship with Idolaters v­pon this reason: What communion hath light with darknes, Christ with Belial, he taught there ought to be as great difference betweene the professors as there is betweene theRolloc. in Daniel. professions. Nowe in this duetie, howe many wayes do the ceremonies cause vs to fayle? Ne dixeris aue (sayeth the texte) but when there is an imitation of their wayes, then [aue] is giuen not only to the person, but also to the superstition, [Page 158] Tertul. de coron. milit For either oderis ea, quorum authores odisse non poteris; Hieron. ad Nepoti. aut si aurum Iudaeorum pla­cet, placeat & Iudai. It is the wishe of zeale,Tertul. de spectacul. vtinam ne in saculo (quidem) vna cum illis moraremur. but because this may bee wished, but not obtained, therefore it is wary to make such a separation, that though we beIdem in li. de coron. milit. Compossessores mundi, yet [non erroris] by partaking with them [in saculo] onelyIdem. in lib de spe­ctacul. quod Dei est, non in saecularibus quae sunt Diaboli: Against this separation there be who offende by too much leaning to the errors of the papistes while they are in their companie, whom they admonish not, neither reproue, much lesse leaue or forsake after once or twice admonition, as the Apostle doeth commaund. These the Canon doeth excommunicate, be­cause it is a thing intollerable vt vasa misericordiae vasis irae misceantur, and becauseDecret pa. 2. caus. 24. qu 3. cap. 34. superfluo extra ecclesiam positis resistimus si ab his qui intus sunt in ijs quos decipimus, vulneramur. Againe, when men for bribes favour papistes, spare them, shifte them from punishment, or giue them countenance, & who are separated from the body of Christ: because [contra fidem Christi Concil. Tolet. 4. Can 73. agit qui Christi inimicis patronus efficitur.] The papistes should not be suffered to mixe them selues in cōmon companie with the weake protestantes,Decret p. 2 caus. 28. q. 1. cap 12. saepè malorum consortia bonos corrum punt, quanto magis pronos ad mala: neitherIbid c. 13.14 should a protestant be suffered to feast with a papist, or dwel with him, or receiue physicke from him, with the like. And whereas the Church of old kept hir selfe in the meane betweneCaesar Ba­ron. annal. in an. 255. foelicissimus that would receiue into the church those that were fallen, though they made no confession nor shewed any signes of repentance, and Novatus who would not receyue them into the church at all: we, though we deale with the most polluted heretiques that euer were, yet receiue thē into our church when so euer they will them selues, without sit triall of vnfayned conversion, whereby we arme them to more hurt by their secret dissimulation, then when they were our open enimies and without our churches pale. Against this there goeth a Canon euen of an Idolatrous Councill it selfe:Concil. Nicen. 2. can. 8. Quoniam He­braeorum. &c. because certaine Iewes fayning them selues to be Christians, do pri­vily and in secret denie Christ: keepe Sabbothes and obserue many other Iewish rites, we decree, that they be not receyued to the Communion nor to Prayer, no nor suffered to enter into the Church it selfe. Sixtly, Zeale cannot endure any re­liques of Idolatrie, such as Crosse and Surplice are. where I would there could be observed amongst vs what a very popish Council it selfe decreeth, Iewes must not retinere priores ri [...]us reliquias: this isConcil. Laceran. sub Inno­cen. 3. c. 70 Christiana religionis decorem mixtione confun­dere, and to put on a garment of Lynsey-woolsey, statuimus vt tales per Praelatos Ec­clesiae ab observantia veteris ritus omnimode compescantur. How doe we suppresse in papistes or any other popish old rites, who giue them countenance in vse religi­ous? Seaventhly, Zeale cannot abide any confusion with Aliens, but in all religi­ons hath euer desired a manifest and open distinction from them:Irenae. li 1. cap. 25. Ireneus telleth vs, the Carpocratians being zealous to their religion, did dextere auris posteriorem par­tem perforare, vt eo signo ab alijs secerni atque dignosci possint. This was superstitious: not so superstitious was the scutum which the old Waldenses bore in sotulari and in Sabbate, whence they were called [Conrat. Lutzenbu. in Catalo Hae [...]eticor. insabbatati] to make a difference and distincti­on. As for the first loue of Englande, it was admirable heerein▪ MaisterAct. and Monum in hu [...]o. [...]orū Rogers, out Proto Martyr refusinge the Cappe vnlesse there were a Challice sett on the Masse-priestes sleeue, that so there might be a difference betweene them. And M• Philpot choosing to loose his place in the cōvocation house rather thē to enter thi­ther with capp and tippet. we must bidd this zeale farewell all while we confound our selues with papistes, euen in the cheefest badges. And thus we see howe the present Adiaphorisme slayeth Zeale in euery matter wherein it vseth to shewe it selfe. Nowe what for the measure whereby it is wont to be stronge as death, cru­ell as the grave, having sierie coles, and a vehement flame, which much water cannot quenche? Mee thinkes all whyle we symbozise with Antichrist, wee are [Page 159]but as Luke-warme water, as a Cake halfe baked; Apoe. 3.16. Hos. 7.8. or as a beta Hieron. Comment. in If lib 14 cap. 51. semicocta in Hie­rome. By whom will wee bee tryed? If by the papistes, wee are caste. TheyIohn Dowley. plainely professe, that the more our Church doeth despise the Crosse, the more their Church doth reuerence and honor it. we then, if wee had their mea­sure of zeale would we not the more disgrace it, by how much they honour it Ido­latrously? sure wee would, if one of our writers had his wishe whose wordes are these:Pet. Mar­tyr. epis [...]o. Amic [...]uid. in Angl. vtinam hostium nostrorrum. &c. I would wee could learne a little more zeale by the perverle zeale of our adversaries, they carefully avoyd all things whatsoeuer sauour in any sort of our religion: and swerue of purpose as farre as they can, from the simple worship of Christe, and from the most auncient rites of the Apostles. why then doe not we take care (on the other side) to flye as farre as possibly wee can, from their pernitious customes, and follow the simplicitie of the Apostles, not only in doctrine, but also in the administration of our Sacraments? Tertullian coun­teth it a coldnes in zeale (not to bee excused) when Christians flye not as farre from the ceremonies of aliens, as they doe from the ceremonies of the Christians:Tertul in lib. de Ido­lolat. Melior fides nationumin suam sectam, quae nullam Christianorum solemnitatem sibi ven­dicat, timerent. n. ne Christiani viderentur, nos ne Ethnici pronuntiemur non veremur. To this there appertained the old Canon which forbad a Christian to feast with a Iewe: Quia Consil. Meldens. cap. 73. sic incipiunt Catholici esse inferiores quam Iudai. si nos illis quae ab ijs ap­ponuntur vtamur, illi vero à nobis oblata, contemnunt. To this also there belonges the zeale of the Councell of Nice, who would retayne none of the ceremonies of the Iewes vpon this reason:Niceph. Calift lib. [...]. cap. [...]. Omnium absurdissimum est, illos gloriando iactare sine illo. rum obseruationibus, Christi institutis obseruādis nos sufficere non posse. It is a great sinne to be lesse carefull not to seeme Heathens, then Heathens are not to seeme Christi­ans, wee in retayning of popishe ceremonies, when papistes will retayne none of ours, are apparantly lesse carefull to avoyd an approbation of their rites, then they are to eschew all good liking towards ours. It is a sinne to make religion inferior to heresie, by receauing what is theirs, when they comtemne that which is ours: we in this case make our religion inferior to popery, by retayning some of their rites, when they abhorr all ours. It is a sinne (last of all) to cause heretikes to boast, that we are not able to serue our God, without their ceremonies. Our retaining of Crosse and Surplice, hath caused the Sonnes and Daughters of the Philistines thus to boast, witnesHard. an­swer to the Apolog. in praefat. Harding by name, craking the very wordes themselues of this boasting. Thus if we compare our selues with papistes, we come short in zeale. Compare we our selues with the reformed Churhches of Christe, and wee are shamed yet worse. what Crosse, what Surplice, what one drameD. Bilson cont. apolo pa. 1. p. 31. of popishe ceremonies is founde in them. condemne we these, or contemne wee their proui­dence, and looke wee to heare that of the Apostle. Are you of England the mother Church? Came not the word first from these vnto you, and is not your Church a near Daughter of these? When Constantine would deside the question, 1 Cor. 14.36 what course did he followe, but that which Maior Ecclesiarum numerus did chalke forth to him? Heerevpon we must be diverse from the Iewes in the obseruing of the passouer, because this courseEuseb. de vir. Constant. lib. 3. c. 18. seruant omnes Ecclesiae, quae orbis partes vel versus Occidentem, vel versus Meridiem, vel versus septentrionem, sitas incolunt. Againe, vpon what reason doth a Councell establishe a rite, but vpon this,Consil. Tollet. 4. Can. [...]. Quia haec obseruatio per multarum loca terrarum in Ecclesijs commendatur? When home-custome was obiected to Tertul­lian for the casting off of the vayle, hee opposeth the custome of other Churches which did retaine it: huic Tertul in lib. de ve­land. vir­gin. consuetudini alia opponitur (saith he) per Greciam n [...]plures Ecclesiae, vergines suas abscondunt. ex duabus igitur consuetudinibus ca est eligenda, quae virgines includit. Hitherto (then) euen from the beginning the generall example of the Churches hath bene much made of, which now is cast behinde the backe. what though all other Churches abandon the crosse, abolish the Surplice, (say our [Page 160]Opposites) this is nothing vnto vs? to wit, wisdome must liue and dye with vs. with vs I say alone. But this may suffice to shewe how the Crosse evacuateth zeale, and polluteth it, both for matter and measure.

#Sect. 17. The hypocrisie of the Crosse in prayer, is proued in respect it is thought to be operatine, sanctificatiue, and helpfull therto.

VVE haue discouered (as wee are able) the hipocrisies of the Crosse, as they shewe themselues in generall sort, ouer all the powers of mans soule: now see we some speciall obiectes, wherein they budde and blossom forth. particularly such as is prayer first, and then our common conversation, concerning the former: The auncient crowne, of the Crosses commendation, was wont to be this; that it serued as a stone of Horeb to helpe to hold vp the handes in prayer, of which pray­er it was aPerek. problem. pag. 84. gesture; but the hypocrisies of it now, hath laid this honour in the duste. The first of them is, that it is no longer an indifferent gesture in prayer, but an ne­cessarie, holy, yea an operatiue one: a gesture, that prayeth not for holines only, but alsoMart. of the Crosse art. 5. conferreth it. which ourD. Fulk. reioy. art. 5 pag. 174. writers esteeme no lesse then grosse hypocrisie. Secondly, the Crosse is not now annext to prayer, as a circumstance of it, but hee is besides the word, and besides prayer, scored vp for a thirdRhem. in 1. Tim. 4. sect. sanctifier by himselfe. the English whereof may bee pickt out of Bellarmine, who teacheth that besides mentall and vocall prayer, the Crosse is a Nutuall prayer by him selfe.Bellarmi. de effect. Sacramen. cap. 3 [...]. De inde vim habet (saith he) &c. this signe hath virtue, by the deuotion of the person who sig­neth himselfe, after the same manner, that vocall prayer hath virtue; for the signe of the crosse is a certaine inuocation vpon the merits of Christ exprest by signe, loqui­mur. n. ore, corde, & Nutubus. No mervell if this doctrine seeme harshe vnto ourD. Fulk. reioy. art. 5 writers: for neither hath this signe warrant from the word to be a prayer: wherof one thus:Andre. Willet. controue. 9 quest. 7. pag. 5. they haue no worde of God for their warrant, neither doe they vse a prayer of faith but a superstitious kinde of crossing▪ neither can there be found that reuerence in it, which a warrantable prayer hath. There is a custome to knole a bell, at the hea­ring wherof, the papistes fall downe on their knees to prayer, may a protestant fall downe on his knees at these knoles, and say good prayers when papistes say bad? our writersHospi. de orig. Cam­pana. go. 84 say no: and they aledge amongst other reasons, that here wanteth re­uerence and preparation, for one is a dauncing, another is a drinking; another a working, another a walking: when sodenly they are all downe on their knees, as if some plannet (as they say) had strooken them. Is it not as great a shew of confor­mitie with papistes to vse a Crosse, for a gesture of prayer, as they doe, as it is to fall downe on our knees, at the knole of a bell? and leape we not, as sodenly without preparation vnto prayer, in the one as in the other? And the signe of the Crosse is guiltie of hypocrisie, for want of deuotion, in time of the action, whether out­ward or inward, both of which mustDamasee. de sid. lib. 4 cap. 13. Mas. 1.8. kindle prayer, to make it incense that may as­cende. I speake with the words of Malachie, offer it to thy Prince, will he receane thy face, or take it acceptable at thine handes? if hauing a petitiō to him, thou shouldest no­thing but nodde and becke, which was the proude and scornfull gesture, which Nazianzen obserued in Iulian, nutus, renutus, absque sermone? Now we knowe iudig­num Distinct. 49. c. sacer. est dare Deo, quod dedignaretur homo. One of the Fathers. well, if we make peti­tion but to some earthlie king (saith he)Cassian. [...]ollat. [...]3. cap. 7. totam in cum & mentis & corporis aciem de­figimus, & de nutu eius trepida expectatione pendemus, non mediocriter formidantes, ne quod forte incongruum verbum audientis, miscricordiam avertat. And shall wee (then) hold it sufficient reuerence towards the Lord, to giue him a nutus of our own only, in steed of that fearfull dependance on his Nutus, which we yeld to one of his crea­tures? The same Father goeth forward: when we are but before an earthly Iudge, we compose our selues to all humilitie, and to all carefulnes, against euery Tussis [Page 161] screatus, oscitantia, eructatio, whereas this nutuall prayer of the Crosse, what is it else, but an eructation of the minde, per ossitantiam, whichPet. Mar­tyr. in 1. Sam. 1. wee worthely taxe? and that euagation of the soule, which is notBasi. se [...]m. de aman. Deum. ex fragilitate or negligentia, but as it see­meth ex proposito, which veryTho A­quin pag 3 quest. 83. art 13 papistes themselues condemne. But are there notDurand. de ri. lib. 3 c. 14. sect 9 Rom. 8. Exo. 14.15. orationes i [...]culatorie? amongst these what hindreth, but that the prayer of the Crosse may be one? Because this kinde and sort of prayer, being the most feruent in the time of greatest need, and out of the depth of most heavie temptations, is lesse nutuall then any prayer; for either the grones and the sighes of it cannot bee exprest at all, or if they bee vttered, it is not an [nutus] that beareth them vp, but some scalding (though briefe) out-crie, as we see in our Lord: who although in the dayes of his flesh, spent whole nightes in prayer, yetGault. in Lu [...]. [...] i. homil. 106 postea cum mortis hora in­staret, quo propius ea accescit, eo preces breuiores, ad patrem quasi eiaculatus est. So (then) the nutuall prayer of the Crosse wanteth inward deuotion. What now of the out­ward? why that we finde discribeth thus:Salutan. de prou [...]ent. lib 7 Corpora humi sternimus, mixtis cum fletu gandij [...], supplicamus. Ambros. Hexamer. lib. 6. cap. 9 Flexibile genu quo prae caeteris domini mitigatur offensa, ira mul­cetur, gratia promouetur, August. lib de cura. pro mort. agend. ca 5 Orantes de membris sui corporis faciunt quod supplicantibus congruit, cum genua figunt, cum extendunt marius, vel etiam prostern [...]ntur solo, per quae, cor dis affectus; qui vt fierent ista, praecessit, quia facta sunt cres [...]it. Hieron li. 2. commen. cap. 3. a [...] ephes. Deū genu po sito suppliciter adoramus, & fixo in terrā poplite, magis quod ab eo petimus impetramus. This last Father commendethHieron de viris. [...]lni­trib. in Ia­cob. Iames surnamed Iustus, for a man, andIdem. epist [...]5. ad Marcel. Asella for a woeman, that they hardened their knees in praying like a Cammells house. These signes are not alwayes necessarie (you will say.) No, but the reuerence which they signifie, is e­uer needfull. As wee see in them who stand in the presence of the Lorde, for the GreekeIoh. Pise [...]. in Luk. 19.8.18.11. [...] word signified a settelling and composing of their bodies to al reuerence. standing seemeth the least signe of outwardreuerence, yet it bringeth with it al the members of the body: not so the Crosse, whiche bringeth the worst parte of the body like him that bringeth the worst of his flocke, for what is the signe of the Crosse, (saithCalfh. [...] 1. fol. 29. one) but the breaking of a litle ayer, with one of our thumbes? Last, of all whereas when our prayer is done, wee areCassian vb. supra. grauissime crimine ad stricti, si su­bito à conspectu Dei, qua si ab oculis non videntis, nec andientis, cogitationis improbae vani­tatem secuti abcesserimus. We ought to vse no gesture of ours at our leauing of his presence, but that which may serue for such a staye asMuscul. 1 Psal 39. verse. 5. Selah is, to retayne medita­tion. Whereas the Crosse dispatcheth a waye this meditation with a quicke finger, and is founde worse then theDuran. de rit. lib. 2. c. 17. sect. 5. sectile, or the pupillum amen, which the Rahbines and the papistes them selues condemne. For these causes, as theCatalog. cest. verita. in Walden. Waldenses stoode out against the Creed to be vsed for a prayer which was none, so stand we out now against the Crosse, vsed for a prayer when it is none: or if it be any, a prayer vnreuerent. Suppose a man should lifte vp a shoesole for a prayer Nutu. I aske becauseAct. & monu. pa. 95 [...]. Robert Couper (a Confessor) affirmed once, that blessing with the signe of the Crosse, was no whit better, then blessing with an olde shoe sole. The third hypocrisie of the Crosse maketh it not only a prayer but also an opera­tiue prayer, that helpeth our vocall & mental prayer, as if it were not so powerfull without it as when it hath the helpe of a Crosse which is the ayme of these words.Mart in reply. art. 4 It is euident that as soone as paayer is duelie made and the signe of the Crosse made, the holy ghost according to the promise of Christ, commeth downe & sanc­tifieth, and the Deuill is driuen away. This hypocrisie howe can it not breed a dis­gust of this signe amongst vs? For it turneth the sighes & grones of the holy Ghost in prayer to a bringing of him downe at theD. Fulk. reioyn. art. 4 pag. 163.164. wagging of a finger: and tyed theD. Willet. de Bapt [...]s. que [...]t. 8. holy ghost himself to a dounghill crosse that will not in this maner be tyed either toAct 7. Temple, or toGal. 6. Circumcizion, or toMar. 3. Baptisme it selfe, or to any other of his own signes. Whē in a plague at Rome some dyed with sneesing, some with gaping, there was a custome taken vp when any sneesed, to pray God helpe, when any ga­ped [Page 162]to make a CrosseCarol. Sigon. de reg. It [...]l. in anno 590. praesidium querentes in this signe vnto thēselues. We may see here a picture and Image of the vulgar sort of people in this land, vsing the Crosse as they vse prayer, and flying to the helpe of the Crosse as they seeke for helpe by prayer, for the curing of which disease why abandon we not the Crosse as we haue done other things that in like sort haue bene annexed to prayer?August. de symbol. ad Catech. Whereas the symbolum (that is) the creede and the Crucis vexillum were wont to bee ioyned for fellow-helpers together with prayer against the Deuill, dislike we not this vnequall kinde of yoking? whereas Sanctus Gregor. Turonens. de vit. pa­trum, ca, 6. Gallus, andNitephor. lib. 5. c. 22. Sanctus Martianus ioyne with prayer the booke of the Gospell which they take in their hand when they goe forth to re­presse the fury and the flame of fire. whereas it hath bene a common custome in common distresses to carry about Images and Reliques which men haue added vnto prayer to helpe the same: in which manner the Image of Rochus & theGregor. T [...]tonens. in lib. de glot. confe. cap. 79. Pall of Remigius is carried about vpon a Crosse in time of a plague: and the Tunica Idem. lib. 3 histor c. 29 Vin­centij ad Augusta when once it was beleguerd [...] wee disclaime and disunite this com­bination: the bels are ioyned by papistes to prayer as helpers of it, as the trompets in Moses Lawe stirred vp God to mercie, so doe the bels now (sayDurant. de rit. lib. 1. c. 22. sect. 4. they) which haue also power against the Deuill. witnes this▪ The Deuils before day ran away from certaine weomen whom they had ledd and molested the night before as soone as they heard the morning bell sound. Ioh. Rey­nold. de I­dololat. li. [...]. c. 6. sect 7 The beades also are ioyned to prayer as helpers of it. we that haue freed prayer from the creed; from the booke of the Gospel; from the Images, palles, coates, and reliques of sainctes from the beades and bels of papistes, how are we bewitched that we cannot leaue the Crosse, in which each part, of their hypo­crisie and superstition ouerfloweth? It will be replyed, that this abuse implyeth not the Crosses ruine, but a restoring to prime vse. First the prime vse of the Crosse in prayer was not so good,Magdebu. Centur. 3. cap. 6. tit. de mor. Christi. sith it did adiure and u charme, and that the very beastes themselues. for thus Tertullian: Nobis Tertull. in lib▪ de scorpiac. fides prae sidium signandi statim & adiurandi & vngendi bestiae calcem. And the Crosse at the first did blesse and sanctifie things voyde of life asBeat. Rhenan. in Tertull. de Coron. milit. beddes andOrig. lib. 3. in Iob. meates: which while theCatalog. test. verita. in W [...]lden. Waldenses preposterously followed, they retayned the signe of the Crosse in the blessing of their meates. which though we mislike, yet the restoring of the crosse his auncient vse will beare them out as well as vs, who must haue this signe in Baptisme. Secondly, to praye standing between Easter and Whitsontide in memoriall of Christ his glorifying, is a gesture of prayer as auncient as the signe of the Crosse, as also to praye towards the Easte which we must restore againe to auncient vse if this axiome on which we stand, haue strength & force, euen as one of our writers well:D. Fulk. reioynnd. art. 5. pag. 177. seeing none of these ce­remonies haue bene worse abused, then this custome of Crossing, this ought to bee abrogated of every Church as well as those. Thirdly, there is aMat. 6.7. commaundement we must not be like the heathen in our prayers. wherupon oneGual [...]. in Luk. 11. pag. 106. Communis sensus admonet Chri­stian [...]s ab omnibus ethnicorum atque infidelium ritibus aut ceremonijs abstinere debere. Take we a standling from the first Churches, whereas Idolaters vse certaine cere­monies in their praying, as a washing of the hands before a putting off of the cloake in the action it selfe and a formall sitting after, there was a speciallTertull. lib. de [...]ratione. prouiso taken that no Christian should vse the like in time of his prayer. It is very needfull wee should eschewe the Crosse and Surplice at prayer-time with as great care, if it bee but for the shewe which giueth countenance to popishe hypocrisie in the simple of the lande. These vse the Crosse as papistes doe. they thinke it is a prayer. they thinke it helpeth prayer. they thinke it make holy. they thinke it driueth away the Diuill. which whosoeuer will not acknowledge, I must say of him as Mr D. Fulk. reioynd. pag. 17 [...]. Fulke of Martiall once: whereas Martiall will acknowledg no abuse in this signe, what else should we say but whose blind as he that will not see?

#Sect. 18. The speciall hypocrisie of the Crosse is evidently declared in the lyfe and conversation of those that did beare it.

THE second speciall hipocrisie of the crosse is seene in the life and cōversation. Where once it was a true principle (how now it holdeth I know not)Calsh. cōt. Mart. art. 9 fol. 174. There are no worse liuers in the world, then the likers of the Crosse. Indeed from of old hath the crosse marshalled the hipocrites bande: one of which he did longe since christen with his owne name, to wit, the order of theVolater. hist or. lib. 21. Bergo­mens. l. [...]3. Crucigeri. whose rule Inno­cent the fourth perfected, bidding them to carry a crosse alwayes in their handes, after that Innocent the third before him in the Councill of Lateran had authorized their order. All other ecclesiastical orders, although they haue not the name of the crosse called vpon them like vnto this, yet they call vpon his name: and they beare him for their badge euen to theAbraham. Fransus. de insignib. Knightes them selues that haue entred into anie religious order. One order there was of these knightes inIo. Funct. in Cronol. comentar. ad ann. 1 204. Libonia who wore in a white vesture a redd sword with a starre on the topp, and therfore were called Fra­tres gladiferi: but these at the length (the Pope so willing) vnited themselues to the order of the Crucigeri, & so tooke the crosse vpon them. As for the rest they weare all the crosses, amongst whom, who more famous then the Knightes of Ierusalem? who lye buried with crosse legges vpon their graues, quia Camden. in Britan in Trinoban [...]. crucem susceperunt. NowNaucler. fower orders there were of these. the order of the Canons of the sepulche of the Lord, and they had double redd crosses. The order of the knights of St Iohn, other­wise called the knightes of the Rhodes, they wore black apparell with white crosses on their brestes. The order of Templars, they wore a white habit with a red crosse. and lastly, the order of Teutoniques or Almaines, otherwise called the knightes of the Virgin Marie, who had white habites and a blacke crosse, and these arose from the East (I omit their hipocrisies, for which at the last they were destroyed: the Tem­plars byCronie. Carion. li. 5. in Alber. Austriac. name, through a privie conspiracie of Clemens the Pope, & Philip of Frāce) after the holy warre begonne vnder Goddefi it of Bullen, whose voyage thither if it had anyGualter. in Luc. Ho­mil. 87. hipocrisie in it, the crosse (be sure) was at one end of it. sith then it was that every countrey chose their crosses which they beare in the warres this daye. From the West since these holy warres begunne, it is incredible how many assem­bled armies of hipocrites the crosse hath guided, it being a policy which Vrban Sigon de regn. Ital. lib. 9. in ann. 1095. the 2. set on foote. and his successors after continued that when they would weaken christendome, and send out the strength of it to pray vpon it at home the while, or when they would gather some great summe of money, there should a Croysade bee proclaimed against the Turke, and that (O Lord) with how great hipocrisie! Thus oneAuent. in Annal. li. [...] of that time. To stirre vp the people to Asiaes and Aphricaes warres the Bishop of Portua and others preached, Quicunque sceleri obnoxius, parricidio, incestu, sacrile­gio pollutus, continuò vbi cruciculam vesti assuerit, solutus est & crimine & poena. Pleri (que) ansa hinc arrepta, inimicos suos prius tollebant: hinc in militiam sacram nomina dabant. Another thus:Vsperg. in Fredri. 2 In the yeare 1221. vnder Frederike the 2. Conradus Portuensis sen­deth forth preachers: and amongst the rest one Iohannes de Argentina, who prea­ched to them that would take the crosse, not onely expiation of their ownesinne, but also deliuerance of their friends soules that were in Purgatorie. Hence grewe a common speache: faciam igitur scelera, & postea crucis receptione, ero mundatus. The Georgians & Armenians haue the crosse for a standart to lead their superstitious pil­grimages to Ierusalē. whose lay men also haue shauē Magdebn. Centur. 3. cap. 5. col. 563. heads in the forme of a crosse. TheLambert. Dane. in. Augusti. de Heres. c 97 Iacobites in Chald [...] and Arahia haue a crosse or crosses printed in their faces with an hottiron. as also diuers nations and people vnder Pretions Iohn in Afric, of whom before. And this Emperour him selfe, when he goeth any whither, a woo­den Crosse is borne before him. When he goeth to warre 12. Crosses of golde. ABeda hist. gent. An­glor. lib. 1. c. 25.29.41 Crosse was the harbinger of all Romes ceremonies, when they first entred into [Page 164]Englande. I meane the Crosse that was borne before Augustine when hee arri­ued: which Crosse of his if the British sea had swallowed with his rellowes in the passage, the Church of the Christians atBaleus in histor. Augustin. Bangor had still enioyed their peace and puritie, both from Romes trashe and tyrannie. The great abuse of the Crosse in Rus­sia is too well knowne: the hypocrisie of it there, may bee seene in one for all, to witt, in that great Tyrant Iohannes Basilius, then whom the earth neuer searce sawe a more fell monster. and yet none more devout in the vse of the Crosse then hee: none could more often adhthere signum Orucis fronti pectorique, or more religiouslie collo suspendere, To. Lasici­de Theolo. Muscourn. c. 6. fol. 56. as speaketh the storie: at whose death also (as is reported) three bloudy Crosses appeared in the firmamē ouer the great citie Mosco where he dyed with a barre that went thorough them. Thus we see the Crosses hipocrisie is ca­tholique for place: so is it also for persons and tymes. TheIo. Crispin [...]an, 1350 Eagellantes (notable hypocrites) in their whipping of them selues, vsed to prostrate them selues on the grounde in the forme of a crosse, and as they went ordnarily with their whippes tyed to their robes, so they all carryed Crosses, both before and behinde in their apparell, hattes and cappes. Saint Francis is also a renowned hypocrite. Now he had (they say)Pisan. de conformit. sancti. Frā ­cisci. the 5. woundes of Christ printed in his body and he hath for hisRhemist. in Margin. in Gal. 6. Gospell vpon his holy day, I beare in my body the markes of the Lord Iesus. And, God forbid I should reioyce saue in the Crosse of Christ. Heere of late, none came neare in same of hypocrisie to Magdalena Crucia, and Maria de la Anuntiada in Spayne. The former of whom, as she bare the name of the Crosse, so the Crosse bare vp hir name with such an estimate of holynes that the Queene of Charles the fift being great with Phillip the second, must needes sende before hande to hir to blesse with the crosses of her holy handes, theLeonicer. Theatrum histor. pag. 134. swadling cloutes wherein the infant was first wrapt. The latter in the tyme of her greatnes before her fiue woundes (like those of St Frauncis) were washed away and hir hipocrisie detected, she feated hir chie­fest and greatest myracle with a wooden crosse, as in hirCypri de Valera. pag 431. storie may be seene. The same storie or hers sheweth, that the yeare before she was detected, the signe of the Crosse became in her handes a traytor to England, blessing the standart Royall of Spaine, & deliuering it to the Generall (the Duke de Medina Sydonia) with promise he should returned a Victor, and a conquerour of this Realme. The next hipocrites most notorious in these our dayes I take to be the Iesuites. especially those of the East Iudies, whose miracle-worker that famous Xauerius, like vnto another Iambres (asThe auth. of the Iesu­ite [...] cathee. some papist him selfe discouereth him) sendeth little children with litleIdem lib. 1. cap. 17. cros­ses to certaine men that were possessed, whom as soone as his crosses touche the Devills roare, wallowe, tumble, and lastly flye away like madd. Did not Henrie the third of Fraunce make him self famous by the Crucifixe devoutly carriedCollect of Massacr. in Franc. in Henrie. 3. about his necke, till he obtayned this word, Non ego iam vivo, sed in me Christus? DidCalsh. art 8. fol. 156. not a paper in the forehead at Windfor take vp the reversion of the infinit crosses which a Wardē of New colledge did make there? who for the time that he was in Oxon. neuer missed any one of his howres before the Crucifixe? AndIdem. art. 5. fol. 129. Martial (that mar­shall champion of the crosse) taught Wincester boyes, being Vsher there, that ini­quitie, which a modest adversarie is loth to vtter. And what they were who in the dayes of great Elizabeth pursued the Preachers about the Crosse and the rest of the ceremonies, I will not censure some of them proclaymed themselues hipocrites in this, that striving for the crosse, which signifieth patiēce to sight vnder the crosse of Christ, they were so farr of from this dutie of suffering, as that they offered it vnto others, making many cōpanions in the patience of the worde. When Blandina was nayled to a crosse, the Christians that sawe her,Caesar Ba­ron. Annal in an, 179. ipsum Christum qui pro nobis cru­cisixus est, oculis corporeis quodammodo vide bant. Will you haue an outwarde spe­ctacle, wherein to see Christ, goe not to a crosse that is made at a Font, but go to a Christiā that beareth the crosse. While I speake this, I may take vp what one of our [Page 165]writers speaketh,D. Willat. controver. 4 q. 10. p. 198. who taught you, that thè signe of the crosse is to bee borne in mens fore­heades? You know the markes which Pause bore in his body were the signes of his suffe­rings? AndChrisost. de crnc. & latron. Chrisostomus thus: An vt vnusquisque lignum suum ferat iubet dominus? Non quae. n. haec virtus est sed vt ad pericula instructi simus. When Mr Harding obiected profanes against vs for breaking downe Crosses, BishopIewel. art. 14. diuis. 3 pa. 502.504. Iewill replyed, we haue (God be thanketh) more true Cross-bearers then you. because our church yeldeth more sufferers for the truth. The same is our glorie nowe, we that refuse the signe of the crosse doe more truely beare the crosse then our pursuers; who whyle they striue about the signe, let goe the substance. Our Lord hath commanded vs (saith Claudius Ionas Au­relianens. de cult. I­mag. Taurinensis) to beare the crosse and not to worship it. who performeth this commaundement best? they who will not make the crosse for feare to coun­tenance the worshipping of it, and so beare it in their bodies, goods and names, or they who bare it in the finger only vpon a pretence to putt them selues in minde of fighting vnder the crosse? which when it cometh to performance, they mistake their brethrens shoulders for their owne, & finde none to fight against, or on whō to lay the crosse saue only them? Sure if Augustine bee our iudge, he will giue his sentence with vs. by occasion of the stone that strooke Goliah in the forehead, he speaketh of the signe of the crosse in the forehead, affirming the making of it there to bee nothing, in these wordes:Pe. Martyr in 1. Sam. cap. 17. Deus delectatur non pictoribus, sed factoribus. what these doers are, we may learne out of Hierome, who cryeth out against superfluitie in Church and Church men in these wordes: Cum Decret. pa. 2. caus. 12. qu. 2. cap. 71. paupertatem domus suae pauper dominus dedicarit, portemus crucem & divitias lutum putabimus. As longe as our Op­posites will not leaue their superfluities, and beare the crosse that way, but to vp­hold and maintaine them rather, retaine a crosse in signe, to bring their brethren vnderneath the crosse, in suffering, we may well renewe towards them, what Char­les the great spake once to Boniface Archbishop of Mentz, whē he covered his crosse with golde,Ioh. Crisp. Chronolo. in An. 798 Is it thus that you make profession of the Crosse of Christ? Innocent the 4. gaue redd hattes and gownes to his Cardinalls at his Councill held at Lyons, for aChristian Marssaeus. Genebrar. signe to admonishe them they were to suffer for the trueth euen to bloud. This signe letteth not but these Cardinalls make other to suffer in steed of them selues: no more doth this signe of the Crosse which our Opposites doe retayne in verie like manner, to remember them selues of the verie same sufferinge which they lay vpon their brethren. And so an ende of the vanitie and hypocrisie of the crosse a­gainst this third commaundement, which I shut vp with the wordes of one of our Writers against Images in generall. howbeit Images sett vp for edification and de­cencie only: So that our Crosse is one of the number.Zanch. de Imag. thes. 4. p. 370. Summa, vt concludam. &c. To conclude, in two wordes, the summe of all is this: Our men haue nothing whereby (I say not they may defende, for defended it cannot be) but whereby they may couer so grosse an error saue figge leaues. to wit, reasons humane, and those verie leane, whose roote is pertinacie. An other cheefe cause of this er­ror is, that men will be more wise then God, and for their humane wise­dome sake, oppose them selues against the wisedome of God. For neither haue they scriptures to stand with them, nor any con­sequences necessarie or probable, that may be gathered out of the scriptures, nor good antiquitie, nor any reasons à vero, vtili, atque ho­nesto, deductas.

DEO SOLI GLORIA.

The impietie of the Crosse. Chap. 4.

WHEREAS the dounge that polluteth the Sabbath must be cast out by vs, or be cast in our faces, the signe of the Crosse though it were guiltlesse otherwise, Malach. 2.3 yet because it divers wayes polluteth this day, it must either passe thorough the dounge-port, or passe ouer our own backes for a deserued crosse vnto vs. The doctrine which heretiques broach is as the dounge ofHieron. comment. in Abac. 2. Sauls caue. TheIdem in la­ment. Iere. cap. 4. & Ezech. ca. 4 ceremonies of the Iewes retained, are by the Apostle esteemed as dounge. TheDeu. 29.17 scripture calleth the Idoll dounge. In Malachie the worships themselues of God are termed dounge, when in manner of worshiping they are defiled. Is it possible for the crosse (then) to passe through all these censures and not bee attainted for a Sabboth dounge vnlawfull? The doctrine of it in the papacie is it not hereticall? the retayning of it in churches reformed, is it not worse then the retayning of the ceremonies of the Iewes? Is it not an Idoll in the papacie? Is not the religious vse of it in churches reformed worse then a worship of the Lordes which onely is de­filed in manner, and by the worshippers misbehauiour? Begin wee with it, as it committeth a Sabboth breach among the papistes. Doe we not feare (if not this expostulation, haue you brought a straunger into my Sabboth day to mocke it?) yet surely this, what doeth 4 straunger in myne house that mocketh my Sabboths through so many An­tichristian churches as be in the worlde? Now first the Crosse mocketh the Sabboth, by theAnd. Wil­let contro. 9. q. 8 p 4 mock sabbothes which it hath set vp to it self. The first of these, the feast of the invention of it though it be wounded and stricken thorough as Apocriphal by aGelas. de Apocriph. decret p. 1 dist. 15. c. 3 Canon of it owne lawe. The feast of the exaltation of it, though it be fabu­lous, as the miracleIo. Beleth. rational. diuinor. offi­cior▪ c 151 Ia, ob. de Vorag in legēd aur. Breuiar. Roman. in fest exalt. crue. diversly related, sheweth. and the vncertaintie of the institu­tion of it: some referring it toConcil. tom. 1. e­pist. Euseb Eusebius; some to the tyme ofNiceph. li. 8. cap. [...]9. Silvester the first: some to the tyme ofGenebrad Cronolog in An. 616 Heraclius the Emperor, yet must they both of them be estee­medRhemist. annotat. in Gal▪ 4. sec. 5. Bellarmi. de enle. sanctor. cap. 10. proposit. 3. as holy and as necessarie as the holy Sabboth day which the Lord him selfe ordayned. There be but nine great Masses in the yeare that doe require speciall so­lemnitie, & theConcil. tom 2 in Epist Pe­lag. 2 ad e­pisco ger­man & Galliae. eight of them is for the Crosse. And where there is a difference made betwene the crosses feasts, these are in the first ranck who beare this title,Concill. Tom. 3. in constitut. Oxoniens. aedit. per Stephan. Statuimus quod festa subscripta sub omni veneratione serventur. The Sabboth of the crosse then are holy in an high degree; now the keeping of them holy, what blasphemie and what Idolatrie hath it? Consider first the prayers made:Breniar. Rom in sect. inven. Cruc. Crux Aue spes vnica, in hoc paschali tempore, Auge pus iustitiam reisque dona veniam: and salva presen­tem cateruam in tuis laudibus congregatam. Againe,Ibid. in exaltat. O Crucis victoria & admirabile signum in coelesti curia, fac nos captare triumphum. And Salva nos Christe & servator per virtutem crucis Ab inimicis nostris libera nos Domine. Againe,Miss. se­cond. vsum Sarum in fest. invent. Cruc. Protege Domine ple­bem tuam per signum sanctae crucis, & sacrificium nostrum placatus intende, vt per vexil­lum sanctae Crucis ad conterendas potestates aereas, noi in securitate constituat. Againe,Potifotiu. Sarisburie. ib [...]d. Adesto nobis, & quo sanctae Crucis laetari facis, honore eius quo (que) perpetuis defendas sub­sidijs. After these prayers, consider these prayses.Breuiat. Roman. Tuam Crucem adoramus Domine; nos gloriari oportet in Cruce Domini: hoc signum erit in coelo cùm Dominus ad iudican­dum venerit. Againe,P [...]tif [...]. [...]arisburie. in miss. de Ofux. horrificum tue [...] semper signum inimicis, Crux sancta saeuis. quam mors pauet, infernus (que) timet; quae Christo suos reconsignas. Againe, u O Crux gloriosa; O Crux adoranda: O lignum praeciosum & admirabile signum: per quod & Diabolus victus est, & mundus Christi sanguine redemptus. Crux alma fulget, per quam salus reddita est mundo. Crux vincit, Crux [...] Or [...] [...]pe [...]om [...]e c [...]i [...]en. Ecce Crucem Domini, fu­gite partes adversae. As for the Hymnes; Crux pellit omne crimen: fugiunt Crucem Ibid. in fest. ex altat. Prudent. in hymn. [Page 167] tenebra: tali dicata signo mens fluctuare nescit, with the like. and the homilies that are set forth vpon these feastes for the honour of the Crosse, although they containe much horrible blasphemie and Idolatrie, yet must I omitt them, cōtenting my self with this one Hymne, theMissal. second. vsu. Sarum. in fest exalta. Cruc. pride (as it seemeth) of all the rest.

Laudes Crucis attollamus,
Nos qui crucis exultamus
Speliali gloria.
Dulce melos pulsat coelos
Dulce lignum, dulci dignum
Credimus melodia.
Voci vita non discordet
Cum vox vitam non remordet
Dulcis est symphonia.
Serui crucis crucem laudent,
Qui per crucem sibi gaudent,
Vitae dari munera.
Dicant omnes, & dicant singuli,
Aue Salus communis populi
Arbor Salutifera.
O quam faelix quam preclara
Fuit haec salutis ara
Rubens Agni sanguine?
Agnisine macula.
Qui mundauit saecula
Ab antiquo crimine.
Haec est scala peccatorum
Per quam Christus Rex coelorum
Adse traxit omnia.
Forma cuius hoc ostendit
Quae terrarum comprehendit
Quatuor confusia.
Non sunt noua sacramenta
Nec recenter est inventa
Crucis haec religio.
Ipsa dulcis aquas fecit
Per quam silex aquas iecit
Moysi officio.
Nulla salus est in domo
Nist Cruce munit homo
Super liminaria
Neque sensit gladium
Nec amisit filium
Quisquis egit talia.
Ligna legens in Sarepta
Spem salutis est adepta
Pauper mulier cula.
Sino lignis fidei
Nec lecythus olei
Valet nec farinula.
In scripturis sub figuris
Ista latent, sediam patent
Crucis beneficia.
Reges credunt hostes cedunt
Sola Cruce Christo duce
Hostis fugat millia.
Ista suos fortiores
Semper facit & victores
Morbos sanat & languores
Reprimit daemonia.
Dat captiuis libertatem
Vitae confert nouitatem
Ad antiquam dignitatem
Crux reducit omnia.
O Crux signum trium phale
Mundi vera salus vale
Inter ligna nullum tale
Fronde, flore, germine.
Medicina Christiana
Salua sanos, aegres sana
Quod non valet vis humana
Fit in tuo nomine.
Insistences crucis laudi
Consecrater Crucis audi
Atque seruos tuae Crucis
Post hanc vitam verae lucis.
Transfer ad palatia
Quos tormento vis seruire
Fac tormenta non sentire
Sed cùm dies erit [...]re
Nobis confer & largire
Sempiterna gaudia.

What is here lesse then Israells Idolatrie? Qui dicit ligno pater mens es, Et lapidi tu peperisti me? Ier. 2.27. For that this is said to the crosse and not to Christ crucified onely, yea to the aereall signe of the crosse, and not alone to the materiall, there are many manifest reasons. Vpon these wordes of Prudentius his hymne [tali dicata signo mens fluctuare nescit] Lib. expo. hymnor se­cund. vsum Sarum. fol. 25. this is the commentarie, mens confirmata signo sanctae Crucis nessit dubitare de fide & errare à conscientia intentionis virtuosa▪ vpon these wordes formerly mentioned [Quae Christo suos reconsignas] Ibid in ex­posit. se­quentiar. fol. 34. this is the exposition, Crux reconsignat, id est marketh again, cui, sci. Cruci laus, id est honor, sit in auum, id est eternaliter. The Fa­thers and the papistes, do they not apply the figure of the bloud sprinkled on the postes, the wood that made the water sweet: the two stickes of the widow of Sarep­ta, even to the aerial signe of the crosse? One of ourLambert, Danaeus cont. Bel­larmin. controuer. 7. l. 2. c. 29 writers, speaking of the aereall crosse: etiam isti Cruci (saith he) Innocentius Sextus anno Dom. 1460. festum solemne in­stituit. And the homilies of these feastes intitle euen the crosse aereall to the honor of these solēnities as oneFrederic. Nausea. centur. 2. homil. 92. in feriis. exalta. 5. cru. may shew in steed of al: In whō this very signe is praised as signū vivificum cut in nostram salutem Christus mirabiles contulit virtutes & vtilitates, and of which his will is that it should be tanto honoratius & gloriosius quanto crebrius efformaretur. One of ourSam. Hars. in Declara. of weston. imposture. Cap. 20. Opposites referreth also a peece of the last hymne, morbos sanat & languores, deprimit damonia euen to the aerial Crosse. Consider all these pre­misses and then thinke with thyselfe whether the stommakes of the people will e­uer be eased of these surfietes of the Crosses idolatrous Sabbothes vntill there be a vomit giuen them to cast the signe of the Crosse it selfe out of our Church?

#Sect. 2. That the Crosse mocketh the Lor. Sabboths, in darkning them: guiding the popish processions, and with whorish braverie, in the worship of God.

SEcondly, the Crosse mocketh the Lords Sabbothes in that it darkeneth the light of them with a latin tongue vnknowne, sith this tongue holdeth his title by the title of the Crosse, which set ouer the head of our Lord when he was cruci­fied, is said toRhem. in Iohan. 19. sect. 1. Item in Annota. in 1. cor. 14. sect. 14 hallow it to his seruice. Thirdly, the Crosse mocketh the Lord Sab­bothes in that he is becomme the guide of the popishe processions, as one of themPolider. virgil. de inventor. rer. l. 6. c. 11 writeth Modus iste. &c. This manner of supplication is brought in that beeing marshalleth in the order of a certaine heauenly armie we should ioyfullie triumphe of the victorie purchased in the Crosse of Christ, for which cause it is that the Crosse it selfe is borne before as a standart of Christ his warfare. The same writer detecteth the Crosses Sabbothes breach herein, when hee maketh little better of this procession then of an heathenish may-game, and a pompous Athenian sacrifice, not so acceptable as a simple and chast offering of Lacedemon. As for ourIoh. Rey­nold confe. ca. 8. diuis. 4. pa. 495. writers they drawe the first originall of it from the Graecians who bare their Idolls in pro­cession in like manner: and from theC [...]lfh. art 7. fol. 138. D. Fulk. reioyn. art. 7. p 186. Montanistes and the Arrians who of Christi­ans were the first that set it on foote. And our Matyrs they chose rather to dye then to bare a crosse or a taper in it, euē asAct. and monum 20 33. in his article. obiect. 7. Richard Gibson did, to omit others. Of the same kinde is their creeping to the crosse, like to the Sicilians Io. Reyno. vb. Supra. creeping to Hercules, which offereth indignitie more to man then anie other Idolatrie else, because it maketh him subiect to a worse thing then a creature (which is the poynt whereby theCypri. cō ­tra Deme. triā. Lacta. lib. 2. insti­tut. cap. 2. Fa­thers vse to amplifie the Idolatrie of the Heathens) and howe subiect? euen by a beastlike fower-foot creaping, then which there is nothing more vnworthy of him, who is created to looke vp whē he worshippeth: as the auncient Christians did wit­nes: Tertulli. Occulis ad Co [...]lum sublatis adoramus. Fourthly, the crosse mocketh the Sab­both through out all the Churches of popery, in that it together with Images and other ornaments, bring in a certaine whorish brauery into the seruice of God: the worship wherof they make to beAndr. Wil­let. contro. 2. quest. 4. p. 1. Doct. Fulk. cont. Rhem. in 1. Tim. 4. sect. 1. Baeza in li. [...]nf [...]ss. de [...]ccle. art. 1 [...].19.20. Carnal:Concil. Nie [...]. 2. act. 1. Templi nulla ratio quod non ornatur Ima­gine, [Page 169]saith the Council of Nice. The protestant Church is like a barne (saithBellarmi. de effect. Sacramen. cap. 3 [...] ▪ Bellar­mine, it hath only a pulpit ad Concionandum and a table to take the Sacrament, ther­fore there must be Crosses in it to drawe men thither with delight for which end inDurand. rationall. lib. 1. c. de pictor. & ornamen▪ Eccles. other will haue Ostrich egges with the like rare sightes to be hanged vp in the Church likewise well and trulyHospin▪ de re Temp. lib. a c. 1 [...] one of our owne: vera causa. &c. the true cause of this is, that the stupide people hauing their mindes occupied in these externall sightes, should neglect Christ Iesus, and his merit and his worde. Indeed this was that which Satan aymed at from the first day that the Crosse drew breath, thefore hath he from time to time sett him out to the vttmost like a Virgine of Moab. Evagri. lib 6. ca. 21. The­odora confecrateth two Crosse of pure golde to Saint Sergius Church at An­tiohe. Paul. Dia­con lib. 16 Belifarius giueth a golden Crosse of an hundred pounde to Sainte Peeters Church at Rome and the same adorned with most pretious gemmes in qua suas vic­torias inscripserat. An other setteth vp a Crosse of solide gold in the Church of Mentz with this inscriptionBeat. Rhe­nan lib. 2. rer. germa. Auri sexcentas habet haec crux aurea libras. Honorius at Rome setteth vp a great Crosse, adorned with pearle, so that it is said the Councill of Aquisgrane did not well like it. St Ludouicus redeeming the peece of the Crosse which Baldwin the Emperor had laide in morgage to the VenetiansGenebra. Cronolog. lib 4. in ann. 1243. in Regio saecello Lutetiae condidit institutis ibi sacrorum ministris. What should I speake of the famous Churches that haue bene built throughout whole Cristendome, as to the name, so to the honor of the Crosse? For from the mother which is the Church de sancta Cruce at Hierusalem, standing in Rome adorned which no lesse thenBaleus in Honor. 3. great stati­ons euery yeere, to the least of the daughters,On [...]phri. de station. vrb. Rom. they are all enriched with the spoiles of Christ Iesus. It is obserued in the church of Simon Stellites Euagri. lib. 1. c. 14. Templi aedificium ex­tructum est in mod im Crucis: are not other Churches built in the same forme? If they be, there is an ambition in the Crosse to bee honored in euery Churh, & with what honour one of his proctors will plainly shewe vs: In this position,Detzesin [...] de indulge. Amand Polanus in orat. de scient. cruc. Crux ru­bra. &c. A red Crosse set vp in the middest of the Church with the Popes armes according to the similitude of the Lords Crosse, hath no lesse power to doe away sinnes quam Crux ipsa domini nostri Iesu Christi. The Crosse so many wayes Idolized must when it standeth in [an holy place] come within that generall dooume [wher is ought not] more then the people of an Idoll, Mar. 13.14 when they stand only without the walles of a cittie that hath bene holy. For are the people of an Idoll abhominable and not the Idoll it selfe much more? or may not they be better permitted to stand in an holy place then it be suffered in an holy worship?

#Sect. 3. That the Crosse corrupteth the simplicitie of the Sabboth.

BVt if the popishe Sabboth breach bee not a sufficient guilt to condemne the Crosse, wee haue further cuidence of home pollution, for that euen amongst our selues he both corrupteth the simplicitie, & hindreth the sanctitie of this day. Touching the former, the Crosse being not founde in the Leiturgies of the pri­matiue Church, it ought not to appeare in ours; no more then the surplice ought of which thus one;Bucer. in Censur ca. 2. pag 458. Consentaneum est. &c. It is meet that we should aspire as in all outwards things, so in the attire of the Minister vnto the simplicitie of Christ our Sauiour, & of his Apostles. when Iewell, Bullinger, Mornaeus and the rest of our wri­ters cite the Leiturgies of the first Churches as Iustinus & Irenaeus do describe them to exclude the ceremonies of the Masse, dispute they not vpon this ground: the simplicitie of the first Church is a patterne for vs to followe? The purer Church of those whom we terme sub vna in Boheme, beare the torche (as it were) before vs in this dutie:Dauid. Chytreus in oration. prelect. Cronic. an [...]. 1569. Pontificios ritus. &c. They haue altogether hissed out all popish rites, either as impious of themselues, or otherwise vnprofitable to edification, & to the disci­pline [Page 170]of true pietie: and haue recalled omnes Ceremonias, euen all their ceremonies; to the grauitie and to the simplicitie of the first Apostolicall Church. Ascende we vpward and we finde the like doctrine:Gregor. Nazians. ad Gregor. Nissen. orat. 3. Sanctorum patr [...]m constitutiones qui proxi­miores fuerunt Christo agnoscamus. Come we downward and we meet (againe) with the like doctrine:Act. and monu. pa. 1494. Those orders be most pure that come most nigh to the ensample of the primatiue Church, saith Saunders holy Martyr; when wee are come quite downe we finde the same doctrine: Those times be purest (saith oneAndre. Willet. controner 2. quest. 4. of our writers) that bee neerest to Christ and to the Apostles, as the waters be cleerest that be neerest the foun­taine. yea, when we are come home to the crosse it selfe we finde the like doctrine.Philip Motnae. de Euchari. lib. 1. cap. 6. pag. 50. Dispute wee not against the Papistes: the Crosse was not vsed in the Lords Sup­per, in the primatiue times of the Church as apppeareth by Dionisius Areopagita, who amongst so many Ceremonies which he rehearseth, maketh no mentioned of the signe of the Crosse? It is here replyed that the Crosse was an Ecclesiasticall and a Sabboths rite before Tertullian. for in his booke de praescriptionibus which is one of his first workes, among other auncient rites of the Christians (which Satan imitated) he reckoneth the signe of the Crosse for one, in these wordes:Tertul de prescript. signat & illic in fronte milites suos. First, we are made beleeueGenebr. lib. 3. in anno 220. by some, that this booke was one of the last he wrote for a testimonie of his returne from Montanisme. Caesat. Baron. An­nal.in hi­ [...]tor eius. O­thers tell vs it was one of the first hee wrote before Montanus had infected him; Neither of which coniectures is probable, because in this very place cited, he ap­proueth the Monogamie of Montamus. which beareth witnes vnto vs, who hold the Crosse came into the Sabboth by Montanus and grewe to credit with the rest of his inventions. Let it be [then] the signe of the Crosse which Sathan doth imi­tate in the words of Tertullian. so in these wordes of Tertullian he doth imitate the Monogamie which is no auncienter then Montanus. Secondly, why should it be the signe of the Crosse that here is imitated, or not rather some Iewish ceremonie, seeing the conclusion of the whole treatice is this: that Satan doth imitate morosi­tatem Iudeae. he maketh mention of a summus pontifex; which, was it not the highe Priest of the Iewes? the deuill in Mytraes bread doth imitate panis oblationum, that is the bread of proposition. For Mytraes bread is more auncient then the bread of the Supper. Will our Opposites say that though the bread of Mytrae be more ancient then the bread of the Supper, yet that Tertul doth say that Satan doeth imitate it: then we say on the other side, that this place proueth not any auncientnes in the Crosse, because Tertullian may referre it to som ceremonie of the pagans which was auncienter then it selfe. What then? we cannot reade of any Idolatrours signe in the forehead, vnlesse it be the foreheads garlands, which may be said to imitate the oyle in the Forehead or the priestes petalum, asRhenan. ibid. in aedit. Basil. 2528. Rhenaenus in his first notes see­meth to insinuate. Thirdly, Tertullian saith, it is Sathan that imitateth Morositatem Iudeae in hir rites. is Rome better then Ierusalem, that we may imitate her morositie in her ceremonies, and yet be ledd by a good spirit? frons cum signo Dei pura (saith Cyprian) diabolt cotonam ferre not potuit. no more will the water in Baptisme abide the Crosse. which being an hereticall and Idolatrous rite of the forehead, it is as badde as a pagane garlande about the forehead, else is Tertullian much deceiued who in the very place affirmeth: Non distat Haeresis ab Idololatria.

#Sect. 4. That the signe of the Crosse defyleth the sanctitie of the Sabboth.

SEcondly, Sect 4. Exod. 31.17 1. cor. 10.17 the signe of the Crosse defileth the Sanctitie of the Sabboth both in the generall end thereof and also in the speciall worships which it performeth. The generall durie of the Sabboth is, to be a marke of outward difference betwene the Church andAndr. Willer. Contro [...]e. 9. quest. 5. p. 1. p. 4 [...]. other religions. This doth appeare by the chaunge of the Sab­btoh [Page 171]day it selfe. For did not the Apostles chaunge it from the last day of the weeke to the firste, to make difference and distinction betweene the Christians and the Iewes, even asBellarmi. de effect. Sacramen. cap. 31. Iacob. Le­desin. de di vin. &c. ca. 24. Thomas Morton. Apolog. p. 2. li. 1. c. 43 Ignarius in epist. ad Philadelp [...] Decret. p. 1 disti. 30. c. 7 Decret. p. 1. distinct. 30 cap. 17. Augustin. epist. 86. Decret. pa. 2. caus. 26. q. 7. ca. 6. Epiphan. heres. 42. Caesar Ba­ron. Annal in an. 146. Idem in ann. 102. Concil. Eli­ber. ca. 26. Ignar. E­pist. 1. Concil. Ni­cen. 1. in Concilior. tom. 1. pa. 352. Can. Apo­stol. 8. Concil. Carthag. 4 can. 89. Carol. Bo­uius in Cl [...] ment. li. 5. cap. 8. Epiphan. haeres. Au­gust. haeres. Nicephor. li. 8. ca. 1 [...]. Concil. Laodicens. Can. 29. Clement. constitue; lib. 7. ca. 24 34. August. n 1 Epist. 86. Carol. Bo­uius in Cle­ment. ibid. Tripartit. histor. lib. 6. ca. 4 [...]. Bellarmine him selfe doeth tell vs, the Iewes did faste on that day in contempt of it. And when the Manichees fasted vpon this day, saieth a Iesuite (howbeit falselie, for the Manichees sprange vpp longe after) but when the Iewes in deed fasted vpon this day: the Christians, to bee vnlike vnto them, appointed the contrarie: Nefas est Sabbato ieiunare, as speaketh Tertullian. And that it were the Iewes which the Church heerein avoyded: it is playne, first by Ignatius wordes which allude to them: Ieiunare in Sabbato, est Christum occidere: and then by the reason of after tymes, which bendeth them selues in this custome against all Iewish contempt of this day. Afterwarde the Manichees fasted vpon it: and now to avoyde all likenes with them, Qui ieiunaverit die Dominica sicut Ma­nichaei, anathema sit. So Augustine affirmeth, that since the tyme that the Ma­nichees appointed that day for fastinge, it is a fearfull and an horrible thing for the Christians to faste like them vpon it. This conformitie was the more horrible, the more earnest a man was in it: (as men nowe are eger in Crosse, and Surplice) in like manner to conforme with papistes, Qui Dominico die studiose ieiunat, non cre­ditur esse Catholicus. The like care had the primitiue Church to avoyde the Sater­dayes faste, because it did conforme with Marcion, Qui Sabbato ieiunavit in odi­um Dei Creatoris omnium. Before this faste of Marcions, the Christians of the West did vse to faste vpon the Saterday: after he once arose, this faste was forbidden to a lay man vpon payne of excommunication; to a Cleric vpon payne of depositi­on by the sixtiefifth Canon of the Apostles, which was not devised till nowe, e­uen in the iudgement of Baronius. If they left an auncient faste, when once here­tiques did abuse it, should not wee leaue an auncient Crosse, nowe the papistes doe abuse it? The like care we see taken, to avoyde likenes with the Iewes in the celebration of their Passcouer, or any other of their festiuities. This being founde in one of the Epistles of Ignatius, Si quis cum Iudaeis celebrat Pascha, aut Symbola fe­stiuitatis eorum recipit▪ particeps est eorum qui Dominum occiderunt, & Apostolos eius. The Councill of Nice did after appoint a diverse day vppon this reason: There ought nothing to bee common betweene the Iewes and the Christians. The Canons of the Apostles of Christ excommunicated him, that folemnized his Easter vppon the fourteenth day of the moneth like to the Iewes. and so doe the Councilles. A contrarie day to make vnlike vnto the Iewes was thought to be fitt and convenient by all. In so much that the Audaeani and Quartadecima­ni were censured for heretiques, that did concurre in the same day with them. When certaine Countries in the East did the like, how did Constantine take on a­gainst them? Further yet: Doe the Iewes rest on a Saterday? The Christian that doeth the like, is excommunicate he may on the Saterday meditate; there may bee an Assemblie vpon that day, but hee that resteth vppon that day Iudai­zeth, and is not to be suffered. We reade amongest Iulians policies for the sub­version of Christianitie, this to be one: that he sett on the Iewes to sett vppe their Temple and the Sabboth service thereof, partly to disgrace the Christian ser­uice, which vsed not that outwarde splendencie in their ceremonies to please the eye; and partly to grace the Ethnicke worship which concorded with the Iewish in sacrifizing and in diuerse other rites. I adde this to the former, that by the com­parison of contrarietie, it may the better appeare vnto vs howe necessarie a duetie it is to make our Sabboth a distinction betweene our selues and the panistes: lett our Sabbothes, our feastes, and the rites and ceremonies of them be different, and we trace the steppes of the primitiue Church, and keepe our faith in puritie, lett them bee like, and then wee disgrace our Sister Churches that are reformed, but [Page 172]grace the Antichristian Synagogue with whom we choose to concurre, then to concorde with them. As if a Crosse or a Surplice (saye our Opposites) were such matters of importance to breede concordance or concurrence? Who must consider that wee doe concurre with papistes in holy-dayTertul. in Apolog. cap. 21. and in feastes themselues, in singing & chaunting and in church Musicke, in Coapes, in Cappes, in fastes, and I knowe not howe many things besides. But speake wee of the Crosse alone and of the Surplice.Concil. Laodicon. Can 37. Concil. Meldens. cap. 73. Neque de victus exceptionibus, neque de solemni­tatibus, dierum neque de signaculo corporis cum Iudaeis agimus. It should seeme by this that signaculum corporis (such as the signe of the Crosse is) when it is like to that which Iewes and heretiques vse, doth breed an vnlawfull conformitie betweene vs, aswell as the same solemnitas dierum and the same Sabboth doth.Theodor. histor. li. 3. cap. 16. Non oportet à Iudaeis vel haereticis ea qu mitrūtur muncra festina suscipere, nec cum ijs festa celebrare, nec à Iudaeis Azyma suscipere, & cōmunicare in pietatibus ipsorum. It seemeth by this, that as we may not solemnize the same Sabbothes & feastes with papistes, that so we may not vse any rite of their Sabboths or feastes, wheras we know the Sabboth-service of the papistes hath not any ceremonies more regardable then those which our church retaineth. Euen one drop of heathenish holy water seemeth intollerable to Valētinian when it lighteth on his cloke, and that in the church porch. what would he haue said to the Image of Mercurie translated out of Iulians Labarum into the service of the Sabboth and lighting on the forehead it selfe the seate of professi­on? Hee that cometh to a Sacrament (saithAugust. epist. 73. Augustine) with an heathenishe earing, such as the Gentiles superstitiously vse in the seruice of their Gods, com­meth to the Lords table with a badge of the deuill. But the signe of the Crosse being an Idoll it selfe of the papistes and not only an appurtenace thereof, is it not a badge of the deuill more liuelie and more sinfull? especially seeing it doth not hange in his eare that commeth to our Sacrament and Sabboth seruice, but is sodered (in a manner) into the very forehead of the Sacrament it selfe? When certaine obserued like dauncingesAugust. de Tem­pore. 215. ante basilicas sanctorum, to them which the hea­thens did obserue in their Sabbothes and their feastes (he saith) they come Chri­stians to Church, but go away pagans. The same is mentioned in an other place thus:August. Epist. 11. si licebit (saith hee) Iudaeis obseruare in Ecclesijs Christi quod exercuerunt in Sy­nagogis Sathanae dicam quod sentio, non illi Christiani fient, sed nos Iudaeos facient. It is apparant by all this that if we keepe not our Sabbothes pure and holy from all the rites and ceremonies which the popishe Synagogue vsed in hir Sabbothes, wee defile our Sabbothes and make them popishe, and we our selues participate with poperie. Neither shall it availe to say, that the Crosse and Surplice are but trisles & sleight matters, for euen one dead flye marreth all the oyntmentSeneca. etiam capillus vnus habet vmbram suam. and the German Conrad. Sch [...]ussel. lib. 1 [...]. pag. 572. diuines, who withstood the Adiapho­risme pleaded from the example of Marcus Arethusius: Ec [...]les. 10.1. tam est in peccato qui confert obolum, quam qui confert omnia. But, the Crosse is none of the popishe rites and ceremonies, it was vsed before poperie. How can that bee, seeing poperie began to worke euen in the Apostles time? But O Marcellinus, dull of witt, and the reste of you Mittentes, yea Thurifieati, you could not tell how to excuse your selues as wee can excuse our selues nowe. What is one graine of Franckeneense, sith it is but one? besides Franckencense is not an heathenishe ceremonie: for why, it was vsed in the Church of God long before euer Idolaters knewe it. 2 Thes. 2.7. Therefore I will set aDuran. de rit. lib. 1. ca 9. sect. 3 papiste himselfe to pull that vizard from our faces: apud gentiles. &c. although Frankencense were not in vse among the gentiles at the first as largely it is proued by Arnobius in his seauenth booke, yet after they began to sacrifice with Franc­kencense, the burning of Franckencense, became a certaine token of sacrifying, so that they taught Christians did sacrifice though they did but with the toppe [Page 173]of their finger, take a little graine of Frankencense, and put it but into the Censor. What (then) though the crosse was vsed before popery? I meane before poperie growne vp to the ful, now that they coeperunt to vse it in their Idolatrie,Tertul. in Apolog. cap. 16. it is become theirs: so that if we vse it but with a litle finger, it is certum inditium of fellowship with them, at the least in their credence. But this Sabboth-crosse of ours being not vsed eadem ratione maketh a difference sufficient by the plea of Tertullian excusing Christians because they doe aequè diem solis laeticiae indulgere, yet they doe it longè a­lia ratione quam religione solis. This instance is ab imparibus: the Sabboth is com­maunded one [die solis] the Crosse is vncommaunded. Therefore the Sunday is a­mongst the things in whichAugust. de Doct. Christian. lib 3 cap. 4 non vsus rei, Decret. p. 1. distin. 41. cap. 1. sed ratio onely & libido vtentis est in culpa: that which Thomas Aquinas callethTho. A­quin. com­mentar. in Epist. Iud. corruptio modi: whereas the verie vse it selfe of the Crosse is evill, it being not necessarie nor commaunded, euen as the papistes them selues confesse:Alphons. de castr. in verb Imag. illa quae necessaria non sunt, etsi bona quantumlibet sint, saepè tamen tollenda aut prorsus abroganda sunt, propter mala quae inde oriri cognoscuntur. Augustine holdeth it sufficient, in necessarie things (as in meates and in marriages) with the like, to differ from Heathens ratione vtendi onely. non aliud edendo (saieth he) sed aliud sentiendo. because in these thingsAugust. cont. Faust Manich. lib. 20. c. 23 longe aliter ijs vtitur, qui in alium fi­nem refert, who in the Sabboth fast vnnecessarie, cānot endure a same day with the Manichees, although he knew the Christians might fast (longè diver saratione) from them. Our owneAndt. Willet. controuers. 9 quest. 5. pag. 1. pag. 429. Writers, doe they not holde the popish holy dayes to be Iew­ish? thoughBellarmi. de cult. Sanct. c. 10 Bellarme frameth many differences betweene the Iewish [vse] and theirs?

#Sect. 5. That the Ceremonies, and the Crosse in speciall, steale away true devotion from the hart, and are occasions of irreuerence.

FROM this general vse of the Sabboth which the ceremonies doe pervert, come we downe to the generall manner of Sabboth-worships, which in like man­ner they defile. For whereas it is a meere doctrine of hypocrisie taught by theBellarmin. de cult. sanct ca. 10 proposit. 4 pa­pistes, that the internall acte of the minde pertayneth not to the Sabboth duetie, but the externall only. And againe,Tollet in­struct. lib. 4 cap. 24. Homo tenetur sub mortali ad sanctificandum Sab­batum sed non ad bene sanctificandum. the smatch hereof is so bredde in the bones of our countrey, as that it will neuer out of the flesh, as long as so strong occasions of of it doe remaine. To speake but of the crosse it self, is he not among those gestures of the papistes whichAndre. Willet. controvers. 13. quest. 7. one calleth frivoulous and hipocriticall? stealing away true devotion from the hart, and making men rest in the outward gestures of the body? Who prepareth him selfe to the worship of the Sabboth any other way (I speak of the Crosse-mongers amongst the vulgar and simple people) then by the crossing of his foread, when he entreth into the church, and when he kneeleth down in his seate? And as for the affectiō of the hart in the time of the Sabboth-worship, there is nothing that either sooner reviveth the fault that aunciently taxed,Arnob. cont. gent [...] lib. 2. dissoluti est pectoris in rebus serijs quaerere voluptatem: or renueth the complainte auncientlie made,Lactant. adeone Deorum religio nihil aliud est quam quod humanos sensus delectat? then the sight of the Cope, Crosse and Surplice, and the hearinge of the descant and the Organes in Gods service? Euen in the singing of a Psalme,Bernar. me­ditat. ca. 1 [...] libido audiendi so­num magis quam sensum: Hieron. in Ephes. 5. modulationes, magis quam verba: August. lib. con­fes. cap. concentum magis quam sensum: thorough which the vox doethGlos. de­cret. distin. 92. praedominari non votum, cordula non cor, is verie sinfull. But for this carnall delight in singing, must singing it selfe bee quite remooued, (as Hilarius thoughtAugust. retractat. li. 2. cap. 1 [...] once) and was censured as hereticall? I aun­swere: The singing of Psalmes and the Water of Baptisme doe symbolize. The Descant and Organes, and a carnall delightfull serving of God, are of the verie same stampe, therfore the singinge of Psalmes, must not bee abolished, [Page 174]though some abuse it because it is a thingEphes 5.19. Co­loss. 3.16. commaunded, when theHieron. in Ephes. 5. Theatralis musica must: and theHieron. Zanch. in Ephes. 5. Pet. Mar­tyr. loc-commun. de music. Reforma. ecclesiastic Edward. 6. pag 43. Iewel ar. 3 divis. 2. tō. &c. musica fracta of Cathedrall churches. and lightConcil. Coloniens. pag 2. c. 12 Erasm. in 1. Cor 14. Harmon. Confess. in obserua. sect. 15. obseruat. 2. Hospin. de re templa. cap. de organ. playing on Organs, and the q Organs them selues Quibus fit vt ad Templum concurratur tan­quam ad Theatrum. Lastly, there is wherein the ceremonies cōtroversed defile and hinder the after dutie of the sabboth, that rumination of the word especially, wher­of the Bereans doe giue vs ensample. For the appearance hereof set we downe the Crosses pagents, which I take to be so many instrumentes of exsection, that haue cutt out the cudd from the people, that might chewe the holesome word which on the Sabboth they receyue. The Deacon (forsooth) must be blest with a crosse before the reading of the Gospell, becauseDuran. de rit. lib 2. ca. 23. sec. 3 Quomodo predicabunt, nisi mitt antur? TwoSect. 8. tapers are carried before him when he goeth to the deske, to signifie the il­lumination of mankinde by the preaching of the Gospell; and with them a Cen­sor of incense to signifie theSect. 9.10. sweet sauour of it wheresoeuer it is preached. This done, he ascendeth theSect 11. pulpit vt ab omnibus audiatur. iuxta illud Esaiae, Super mon­tem ascende tu qui Evangelizas Syon. being there, he setteth his face towardes the NorthSect. 14. vt ostend at verbum Dei, & annuntiationem spiritus sancti, contra eum dirigi qui semper spiritui sancto contrarius existit. Having thus placed him self on the stage, he saluteth the people, Dominus vobiscum, illud obseruans quod Dominus iusserat in quamcunque domum intraveritis, salutate. The people make aunswere (as men that haue receiued their [cue] & cum spiritu tuo: then the DeaconSect. 15. he falleth to crossing himselfe in the forehead, vt cum Aposto lo non erubescat de Evangelio Christi, & in the breast, ne aliqua suggestio Diaboli eum impediat quin puro corde Evangelium Dei an­nuntiare valeat: and in the mouth, quia praedicamus (inquit Apostolus) Iesum Christum, & hunc crucifixum: and then beginneth, sequentia sancti Evangelij. &c. The people hearing the Gospell named, cry out: Gloria tibi Domine, glorificantes Dominum quod ijs miserit verbum salutis, and so fall aSect 16. crossing, mouth, breast, and forehead, vt con­tra Diabulum se Amalar. lib. 3. c. 18. muniant; & à Alemin. de offic. ca. de celebrat. Miss. malis cogitationibus corda sua emundent, vt ad intelli­genda verba salutis pura permaneant: and as one singeth in verse thus.

Neue
Hildebert. Cenoman. de myster. Miss.
superveniens zizania seminet hostis
Frontibus imprimitur mystica forma crucis.

Adde to this that the very making of the Crosse in Baptisme hath bene common­lie helde to beDuran. de nt. lib. 1. c. 19. sec. 12 praedicatio crucis. and what of this? This sheweth the Origen of the common tenent of our Opposites: that reading is preaching of the Gospell. of the common error of the people, that a bodily presence at a lesson or a Gospell sancti­fied with the signe of the crosse, is hearing sufficient and learning enough▪ which, though it be an notorious Sabboth-breach, yet are they hardened to this howre in it, by the same pulpit where the Gospell is read: by the same attire wherein by the same gesture of standing vp, by the same answeres which they vsed of olde: yea by their crossings in the forehead too: which none will reprooue, or leaue, all while they see the crosse countenaunced by our vse thereof in Baptisme. And whereas the papistes sett vp the Masse for a proper worke of theCatechis. Trident ad Parocho▪ pag 649. Eccles. 4.17. Sabboth, whence the er­ror is growne that it is sufficient to affoord a bodily presence in a fooles sacrifice; I meane an ignorant seeing and praying: the ceremonies in present controversie can not be cleered from occasiō of like Sabboth breaking now as the even it self doth witnes, sith in the churches in which are preachers that doe disvse them, the Sab­both is spiritually kept & with great holynes; but in most churches where Curates vse them bothBucer. in Censur. ca. 7. pag. 466 1 Cor. 11.17. sacra ipsa perturbatè leuiter & praecipitanter recitantur, and the people vnprepared by their Levites to Sabboth-worship, non plus ea quae legūtur intelligunt, quam si lingua recitarentur Turcita aut Indica. Now because in this maner mē come to Church [to their owne hurt] so that qui ingreditur ad placandum, Saluian. de prouident. lib. 3. egreditur ad exacerbandum, these ought to be present order taken for meanes of better reve­rence. Amongst these none like to the vision that awaked Iacob vnto reverence; [Page 175]or to the sounding of Aarons belles which stirred vp reverēce in the people, when he entred into the sanctuarie, I meane the preaching of the worde and the soun­ding of the Gospell which these ceremonies haue layde waste: But reverence is procured not only by this, but also by outward signes and rites. which I acknow­ledge out ofThom. A­quin 2.2. quest. 84. art. 3. ad 3. Aquinas, the people must be stirred to reverence in the Church per illa sanctitatis signa quae ibi conspiciuntur. But (alas) what are these but dead, when the preaching of the worde wanteth which is the life and the light of them? If they were avaylable, what is that to the ceremonies controversed which are not such? First, they are them selues partes of irreverence. For as rudenes of habit and ge­sture are partes of irreverence offending a King (witnes the EmperourCaro Si­gon. de oc­cidental imperio. Valenti­nian, who grew to such coller by reason of the base apparell and rude gesture of the Legates of Sarmatia as cost him his life) so the habit and apparell of an Idoll (as the Surplice is) and the gesture idolatrous (as the Crosse is) can not but thorough an odious irreuerence offende the holy one of Israell. Second­lie, they are occasions of irreuerence in regarde of the Minister: none must be put to1. Cor. 11.22. shame in the Church, the man of God be least of all made either an ha­tredHos. 9.8. or offence in the house of his God. Wheras these ceremonies are shamefull to him by so much more, and are by so much the more hateful then a fooles coate, by howe much Idolatry (the chiefest and most odious sinne) is worse then folly which is a iudgement from the Lord. It being so, these ceremonies punish a Prea­cher worse for his reuerent and holy attendance on Gods service, then theCuspini. lib. de ori­gin. & re­lig Ture. Cauda vulpina ad collum sispensa doth punish the Turke, when for his neglegence or irre­uerence in Mahomets seruice, he is ledde vp and downe the Citie, in this fooles attire to shame him. Thrdly, these ceremonies are occasions of irreuerence for that they giue a becke to poperie which is as badde as mus [...]itare or nutus facere in the Church, fore the suppressing where of in auncient times there was a DeaconClemens. constitut. Aposto. li 8. cap. 11. sert to walke vp and downe the Church to finde them out and punishe them. What Chrysostome once spake against the loue signes, which some in the Church did make one to another:Chrisost. in Math. 23 homil. 74. pro stibulum tibi videtur Ecclesia & foro ignobilior? that may bee ap­plyed to these ceremonies. no modest man will so much as in foro weare the cul­lers of an whore or make shew open of hir loue-tokens towards him, wher as these (alas) bring into the Church the badges of Antichrist: and the loue-tokens of former adulterie which are polluted by him.

#Sect. 6. That the ceremonies controversed, not only defile but hinder the worship of the Sabboth.

FRom the manner of Sabboth worship defiled, come we to the matter of it: not only defiled by these ceremonies controuersed but also hindered. Walafrid. Strab. de reb. Eccle­siast. c. 24. Boniface the Martyr can not thinke a Sabboth well sanctified with golden Chalices, if the Preachers be woodden and therefore wisheth for the golden Preachers that were in the Church when the Chalices and Cuppes were woodden. The ceremonies in present strife haue drawne their patrons (as it seemeth) to a contrarie straine. better to haue these golden ceremonies (say they in them selues) to adorne the Sabboth-worship, then golden preaching, whereupon they exchaunge (not like Glaucus golde for brasse) but like the people of Boniface his age, golden preaching for woodden ceremonies: or at the least for a woodden kinde of preaching. For to supply the want of Preachers: which the ceremonies haue brought vpon vs, they set vp the reading of homilies, which they dubb with the name of preaching, yea which they hold a preachinge sufficient for the sanctifying and for the sauing of the Church. But (alas) an homilie is too leane a sacrifice for a Sabboth▪ reading being the weeklie lambe which euery day we are to offer. there is in the Sabboth­day. [Page 176]required aNumb. 28 9. Cant. 1.7. special one ouer and aboue which is the hearing of the word prea­ched. An homilie is also too leane a feeding for the Sabboth: a fatter pasture in the tents of the sheepheards hath the Lord for his kidds prouided, to witt, a right and discreet cutting of the word. 2 Tim. 2.15 whereas an homilie sheweth a loafe but doth not deuide it, yea sheweth aGualt in Luc. ho­mil. 76. Medicin, but doth not apply it to the sore. and a Mi­nisterie of the spirit whereas the homilie is but a dead letter. What wanteth in it (say our Opposites?) There wanteth in it the gifte of the spirit which is giuen for edification there wanteth in it the art of the husbandman which vseth to make the Viniyard fat. 1 Cor. 12 there wanteth in it the heate of the Nurse that doth digest and con­cockt the milke to make it sweet. there wanteth in it the opening of the booke, without which it is but shut. there wanteth in it the dressing of the meate which giueth it a powerful taste. there wanteth in it that interpreter which is one amongst a thousand, and without whose guidance none vnderstandeth there wanteth in it that ordināce of God which only bringeth the blessing with it, throughB [...]cer in Censur. cap. 7. pag. 463. viua vox quae aedificat dante domino incrementum. to which we may adde that out of Hierome: Hieron. Paulino. 1 Epist. [...]30. habet nescio quid latentis energiae viua vox & in aures discipuli de auctoris ore transfusa fortius sonat. But the people that haue homilies may be glad: better homilies then nothingh: and many there are which want them for their spirituall comfort. Iust as once Macarius told Anthony comming to him in the extremitie of his thirst for want of water:Tripartit. histo. lib. 8. cap. 2. Vmbratibisufficiat, saith he, multi namque nunciter agentium aut na­uigantium etiam hac releuatione priuantur. Now I knowe not whether it were not better for the people of this lande, that may repayr to preaching else-where as the Sunamite did on euery Sabboth and newe Moone: if they wanted this shadowe of preaching by an homilie in their parishes at home. because then they would know their want, and the famine of the word in which they are: and runne to and fro to increase knowledge: and goe forth with their kiddes to the tentes of the sheepheardes, wheras nowe this shadow maketh them hope they are well enough already, and the Church Gouernours would for shame prouide golden preaching indeed if this woodden shadow of preaching did not shrowde them. Is not gol­den preaching the water which the emptie thirsteth after? or this water, may it not be had? For the state of our Church is glorious (say our Opposites,) the state of our Church will be glorious (say we) and many golden preachers would enter, if the barr of subscription and the clogg of ceremonies were (like vnto the stone of the sepulcher) rolled away. It was hard with the people of Israell, after their returne from Babilon, they had but a little stone (someGenebrard lib. 2. in anno mun­di. 3640. 3. fingers highe) with a Censor on the topp of it, insteed of the glorious Arke whence before the Lord did teach them. and in place of the Oracle by Vrim and Thummim which neuer fayled them that sought counsell of the Lord, they were only taught per Bathkol, which was a little slender voyce sounding in the eares of the assembly mett together once at the hundreths end. Now what should I say? that the state is very like of those places which haue homilies for to teach them in steed of preaching. Oh therfore that the Lord would in his goodnes once awake to restore vs our Arke again & our Oracle, & our Vrim and our Thummim: and to that end remooue these ceremonies, as one exhorteth (speaking of the Surplice)Bucer. Censur. ca. 2. pa. 458. Doctores si desint idonei. &c. If there want fitt Preachers, both the vsing & the remouing of these popishe garments will be hurt­full and they make themselues guiltie of an outragious iniurie against the bloud of the sonne of God, & wil pull downe the wrath of God vnsufferable vpō the whole Kingdome, by whose meanes it shall stand that before all things there be not care­taken, that as Christ our Lord both in word & deed hath taught there be appoin­ted able Preachers to all Baptized in his name, to teach them to obserue whatsoe­uer he hath commaunded, Mat. 10. & vlt. Ioh. 10. & vlt.

#Sect. 7. The Ceremonies hinder the preaching of the Sabboth, both in part and in whole.

SEcondly, as the ceremonies controuersed transforme the peaching of the Sab­both into reading after this manner aforesaid, so also they hinder it both in part and in whole▪ In parte, they streighten it by a long Leiturgie touching which (least I be mistaken) we premise these two prouisoes and premunitions for our selues; First, we are no Brownistes, we condemne not a Leiturgie, but like well enough of thatConcil. Laodien. Can. 59. Councill that forbadd [...] in the seruice of God, and those formes of seruice which are not antea Concil Carthag. 3. can. 23. probata in Concilio, vel cum prudentioribus collata, Concil. Milenitan. cā 12. Afri­can. can 17. Mi­crolog. de Ecclesiast. cap. 5. ne forte aliquid contra fidem vel per ignorantiā vel per minus studium sit compositum. Char­les the greatAnsegif. in legib. Franc. constituit vt omnia missalia viderentur, & quae ab Ecclesia probata non es­sent, reijcerentur, Walafrid. Strab. de reb. Eccle­siasti. c. 22. Gelasius andIdem & Microlog. c. 24.31. Gregorie are said politius limasse & in ordinem redigisse. the Leiturgies that were before them. Augustine approued this industrie who li­ued in the time of the aforesaidPhilip. Mornae. de Eucharist. lib. 1. cap. 6. pag. 44. Councill of Malta. Did notIo. Calui. in Epist. Mr Caluin aduertize the Bishops of King Edward that they were to limare politius the communiō book? What haue bene our seeking from time to time, arazing of the communion booke? no, but a purging and a filing of it, after the patterne of that care which the former examples set vs. Secondly, we condemne them who out of a profane minde, & out of a lothing of holy things distaste the length of a Leiturgie, which sauoureth not only of that short seruice, for which Roger Act. and mon. in vit Henric. 1. B. of Sarum was once preferred (to witt) because he whipt vp the whole Masse before the King, and the rest of the hearers hath thought he would haue bene halfe way ouer: but also of that blasphemous Atheisme of Iohn the 23. Pope, who lothing the length of mor­ning seruice was wont to say to the Deacon that helpeth him,Andre. Hiper. de stud. sacr. pag. 155. deligamus in libre horario, precationes matutinas breuiores, de memoria alicuius diui in nomine centum dia­bolorum. What then? the length of a Leiturgie wee mislike, when thorough an vnnecessarie tediousnes it wearieth the people before the Sermon beginneth, in which if our aduersaries crosse vs they are more opposite then some papistes: who mislike the men thatDurant. rationali. lib. 4. c. 15. Petr. Alliac. de reforma. Ecclesi. c. 3. extra modum & ordinem orationes multiplicant: vnde auditores sibi ingratos efficiunt & populum Dei potius, faslidio avertunt quam alliciunt: & euen so to the contrarie, vt non tam onerosa prolixitas quam deuota breuitas seruetur. Wee mis­like also the length of a Leiturgie which cloyeth the Minister prolixitate & multi­tudine precationum quotidie recitandarum and which must not be omitted for studie to preach, or be shortened to haue time for preaching. The former ioyneth against our owne Lawe, which permitteth to a student of Diuinitie which doeth preach the omission of the weeke-dayes prayer. which that axiom of the papistesDurant. de rit. lib. 3 c. 23. sect. 6 melius est exse orare quam studere & legere. and maledictum studium propter quod pretermitti­tur diuinum officium: to which the patrones of the ceremonies leane to much. The second is against the oldBucer. in Censur. pag 455. rubric of King Edward communion booke: propter con­cionem ad populum. &c. For a Sermon or for some other iust cause the Minister shall as he will himselfe, omit the Letanie; the creed. &c. and it ioyneth with an o­ther position of papistes:Duran. de rit. lib 3. ca 5. sect. 5 Diutnum officium clerici recitare debent perfectè, and nullus Minister Concil. Toletan. 7. cap. 2. 1 Cor. 1.17. Act 6.4. vel sacerdos cum coeperit, imperfecta officia prasumat omnino relinquere. Now we finde that euen Baptisme it selfe must be omitted rather then preaching should be hindred, that the attendance of the poore themselues must bee left, that a Prea­cher may the better giue himselfe to the worde. So that we need not to speake ofConcil. Roman. sub Grego. 1. can. 1. decret di­stinct, 92. cap. 2 Gregorie, who commaundeth to giue ouer singing for the studie of preaching, or ofPhilip. Mornae. de Eucharist. lib. 1. ca. 4 Hierom that first cutt short the lessons (when whole bookes were read in order before) that so there might be time for preaching. or of the Councill thatConcil. Colonies. pag 2. c. 12 com­maundeth the Church-musicke be omitted rather thē preaching should be strai [...] ­ned, [Page 178]which ourAnd. Wil. let. contro. [...]3. quest. 7 Harmon. confes. ob­serua sec 15 obseruat. 2 Diuines approoue. Knowe we not the length and multitude of Collects was first brought in, to fil vp theLambert. Marty. vid. Whitak. cont. Dureum. li. 8. pa. 726. roome of preaching? euen as the 7. Ca­nonical houres brought in by Pelagius, or by Sabinian, thrust out the reading of theCypr. de Valera. in vita. Sabin. Bible? so that a Breuiarie is to be found in all the Cells of the papacie, which now is termed the Catholiques booke, where a Bible is not to be found, which they terme the booke of hereticques?

#Sect. 8. That the Ceremonies controversed, hinder the word in whole.

MOreouer, these ceremonies controuersed hinder the preaching of the worde in whole, Sect. 8. whereof no maruaill. For whereas they arose in barbarous tymes out of a want of preaching, either they see they must scant it still or loose their pos­session: for they knowe too well,Salust. in lugurth. Regna seruantur ijsdem modis, quibus parantur. Now their first hinderance is by their strife and burthen, euen as they who write of the impedimentes that hinder from the Ministerie, write downe these two for speciall ones:Andre. Hipper. de sacr. stud. non dese­rend. p. 152 A too rigide exaction of certaine troublesome traditions: and the obseruati­on of certaine vnprofitable ceremonies, to which in many places they are tyed which are set ouer charges. and thenIbid. p. 140 An heat of differences & diuersities in iudgement about iurisdiction, about rites or ceremonies, or the like. It being so, the present ceremonies must be abolished, becauseIbid. fo. 23 Math. 9. vlt. occasions that deterre from the ministerie, must very carefully be weeded out: and all meanes possible brought in place that may thrust (I say thrust) into the Vineyard.Tripartit histor. lib. 7. cap. 8. Valentinian reioyced when he heard that Am­brose was made a Minister, whom he before had made a Pretor, and praysed God for it. The like reioycing spirit now to see many enter into the ministerie of the worde, if it were in all men, how would the Crosse and Surplice bee handled, the two Gilliadites that keepe the passages of our Church to stay (if not stabbe) euery able and worthy scholler that will not pronounce their Shibboleth, Iudg. 12.6. and daunce roundly after the pipe of their subscription. Alas that euer such sworne servaunts to the man of sinne, should be made porters of Christ his house. or that the keyes should be committed vnto them to open and shutt, who cannot longer stay in of­fice then whiles the keyes of heauenly knowledge are takē from the people away. So Bucer, Bucer. in Censur. ca. 2. pag. 458 & de re vestiar. pag. 706. The Ceremonies and the preaching of the worde doe mutually, for the most parte, expell one another. where knowledge prevayleth, through the preaching of the Gospel, there the loue of them withereth, and where the loue of these prevayle, there knowledge decayeth. Who can expresse the good that one good Preacher is able to doe (through Gods blessing) for the spreading of his glorie: for the building of Christes kingdome; for the gathering of the Saintes, and for the comforting of the called. On the other side, what losse is there euen in one able preacher turned to some other course of life: and how irrecouerable? For it is a plague of all plagues, whē Ministers want: a iudgement of all iudgements, when in the wante of a Church already Sathan is suffered to trompe hinderances in their way, who are able to make supplie. And seeing God (the onely Father of a Prophet) enableth not without the meanes of longe studie and education whē he sendeth any, 1 Sam. 12.10 and is provoked to send no more when those whom he hath fitted already, are spurned out, what hope is there now of our Church, 2 Cron. 36.15. when Gods wrath is likely to kindle because his Messengers are re­fused: and when the contempt of his great grace rising earely and sending to vs, because he hath compassion on vs and on his holy habitation amongst vs, groweth vp to so full a measure as that there seemeth to be no remedie. Nowe this abuse & refusing is committed in our Church by the subscription in the highest degree: which hath put thee (O England) to the losse of preachers, thou knowest not how [Page 179]many. O take vp a lamētation ye that loue Syon ouer the many that are gone over, some to Gallen, some to Iustinian, some to Littleton, whom wee might long since haue seene in Moses chaire, had not the subscription like the blade of a fierie Cherubin kept them out. And can we see the Harpes of the Sanctuarie hanged on the Wil­lowes: the siluer Trumpettes of the Temple hanged vpp like Trophees on the Walles of these artes, and not curse the Crosse and Surplice, by whose treason they are lost? Sure, sith the word preached is the tree of life, these Ceremonies in that they doe hinder preaching, are as baddAnd [...]. Hipper. de sacr. stud. non deserend. pag. 22. 23. as the serpent, and bring in all manner of euill into the worlde: error, wickednes, Atheisme, Papisme, blindnes, darknes, and an vtter desolation of soule and body. He that doethDigest. li. 47. tit 14. de abiges. abigere but alienum pecus in­vite domino, is held worthy of most sharpe punishment. What indignation (then) from the Lord doe these Ceremonies in iustice deserue, that drive from his service many and many worthy Ministers, which he with long & much preparation had bredd and brought vp to his worke.

#Sect. 9. That the Ceremonies with their subscription, shut out good sheepheardes, suffers and foster byrelings, ignorance, pluralitie, and nonresidencie.

SEcondly, as the Ceremonies with their subscription hinder the preaching of the Sabboth by shutting out good Preachers, Sect. 9. so doe they hinder it by opening the doore to hirelings, idle and Idol shepheardes, & by suffering, yea fostering of them when they are in. There are founde in an old manuscript certaine verses made in KingPetitio. Lollardo­rum. ad H. 5. manuscr. Henrie the 5. his dayes, when he conioyned Fraunce and Englande.

Rex ne curet mundi sonum
Mundus vocat malum bonum
Dicat Coeli vox de eo
Regna iuncta iunxit Deo.
Tum vos tandem muti canes
Puerorum Christi panes
Quos voratos nunc tenetis
Suffocati euometis.
Tum qui verbo sunt Sodales
Erunt etiam facto tales
Nunc in Clero hi sunt oues
Illi à Basane boues.
Sunt Aselli, sunt & apri
Pardi, Vulpes, Lupi, Capri,
Romanostram in ruinam
Hic egessit hanc sentinam.
Christus dixit quodam loco
Vos non sic: nec dixit ioco.
Dixit suis; ergo isti
Cuius sunt? non certe Christi.

This happie purging of the Church now at the instant of a more happie con­iunction of kingdomes then that of King Henrie the fifth, what one thing hath hindred more then the vnhappy and wretched ceremonies: loth to parte compa­nie from this droue of their owne countrey cattell, for that euer since they came foorth of Rome together, they haue enterchaunged mutuall helpe for conjoyning Antichristes kingdome. In consideration hereof we digest easilie the doome of some who demaūd of vs, why we bend not our selues rather against the Idol & doumbe ministerie,Bucer. [...] re vestiar. pag. 706. which are the very sinnowes of Antichrist, which once if they were cut of, the Geremonies which are but shadowes, must needes vanish of themselues. For it is not out of the ignorance of Attila his policie,Carol. Si­gon. de oc­cidentall. imperio: lib. 13. Contemnentes leues Romanorū acies Alanos Gothos (que) invadite, his. n. tanquam neruis earum praesectis totum corpus ad terram collabatur necesse est, that we do this: but for that we see these Romane troupes of the cōtrouersed ce­remonies doe so gaurd the strong Garisons of the forsaid ministry in which the si­nowes of Antic. lye both on the right hand & on the left, that vnlesse these be first quited the place, we cānot driue out the other. Therfore ar they most obstinat ene­mies [Page 180]to the preaching of the Sabboth, sith euen the armorie of Rome it selfe, yeel­deth weapons sufficient against this vnworthie ministerie. For what their Canon Lawe it selfeDecret. p. 1. distinct. 49. ca. 2. caecum animal offert, qui ordinat indoctum in loco docti, magistrum (que) facit, qui vix discipulns esse poterat. Claudum offert qui lucra terrena quaerentem locat, vtpote pedem in diuersa ponentē vnum in diuinis alterum in carnalibus cui potest inferri illud de libro Regum vsquequo claudicatis in duas partes? Languidum offert qui vitiosum habet pro religioso, qui tardum & pigrum probat. Hath it not an wholeIbid. disti. 48. ca. 2. treatise against the admitting of rawe Diuines that want experience, that want knowledge: and doth it not compare them vnto greene timber which in the end layeth the whole buil­ding in the ground? Against pluralities it speaketh thus:Decret. p. 2 caus 19. q. 3. ca. 3. sed & hoc necessario insti­tuendum diligimus, vt plures ecclesiae vno presbytero non committantur, quia solus per to­tas ecclesias officium non valet persoluere. and whereas there be divers places that are not able to maintaine a Pastor, it commaundeth that such places be vnited to other parishes. Againe,Ibid. caus. 13 ca. 1. Ecclesias singulas singulis presbyteris dedimus. againe,Ibid. caus. 16 q. 1. ca. 38. satis incon­gruum est, si cum vnum ex his praesui magnitudine diligenter quis non possit explere, ad vtrunque iudicetur idoneus. Againe, the church is the wife of the minister, and ther­fore in Ibid. caus. 21 q. 3. c. 4. vnaquaque ecclesia, vnus praesbyter esse debet. if he haue more churches then one, it is a polygamie. Lastly,Decret. p. 1. distinct. 89. cap. 1. Nulli quantumlibet exercitatae personae duo simul officia committantur: singula ecclesiastici iuris officia singulis quibusque personis singulatim committi iubemus. What their Popes?Gregor li. 1 epist. 33 Gregorie denieth the minister to be sent of God, or to be able to beget faith, that is not able to preache. o Damasus compared Non-Residentes that set others in their charges, vnto harlots that put out their childrē to Nurse, that they may giue them selues to luste. Clemens the fourth, having an Ne­phew that had three prebendes, he tooke away two of them, affirming that he was resoluedGenebrad li 4 in [...]n. 1271. acquiescere Deo non carni & sanguini. Idem in an. 1363. Innocent the sixt could not abide Non-residents, and compelled them to goe home to their charges. Pius secundus hath these Apothegmes, Plarin. in Pio secund indoctus Episcopus asino comparandus: corpora mali medici: a­nimas imperiti Sacerdotes occidunt. What their Councills?Io. Molan. Theolog. practic. tractat. 5. cap. 13. Quoniam Ecclesiasticus ordo pervertitur & auaritiae fomentum praebetur, cùm vnus plurium sinitur occupare offi­cia clericorum, salubriter post complures sacrosanctos Canones à Synodo Tridentina cau­tum fuit, vt vnicum singulis ministris beneficium conferatur. What their Cardinalls? The choyseIoh. Sleid. lib. 12. Cardinalls that were selected by Paulus tertius, for reformation, were pictured by Luther with long foxe tayles sweeping vp and downe the house, and raysing more duste then ridding: yet euen these can freely crye out of the olde grounde; beneficia sunt incompatibilia, and protest a desolation to the Church, if pluralities were not redressed. What their Vniuersities? when pluralities first arose,Hipper. de sacr. stud. non dese­rend pa. 122. grauissimè de ijs disputatum est vt memorat qui historiam congessit inscriptione fasciculi temporum ciciter annum 1050. semper autem optimi quique definierunt nullo modo fe­rendum, vt quis diuersarum Ecclesiarum prouentus recipiat. Io. Crisp. in an. 1056 The Vniversitie of Paris was then of onely account, which did condemne pluralities. WhereasGenebrad cronolog. in an. 1237 Genebrard addeth, si vnum sufficeret, he addeth it to salue the practize of his owne tyme. what their Writers? That greatParisiens. de vitiis p. 4 ca. 21. Parisiensis hath a great Treatise against pluralities, and he affirmeth amongst other things, that he that letteth out his benefice to an o­ther, is like to a man that marieth a wife, and then setteth some other man to be­gett issue for him.Dominic. Asot. de iu­stic. & iure li. 10. q. 3. art. 1, 2, 3. Dominicus Asoto condemneth pluralitie and Nonresicencie by the lawe of Nature, by the lawe of God, by Councills, and by Fathers. not omit­ting to cite that sentence out of Damasus, that was before alleadged. Claudius Claud. E­spehe. in Timoth. E­spencaeus writeth, that they who serue God and his church by others not by them selues, shall be saued also by others and not in their owne persons.

It were too long to set downe the speaches of other papistes about this poynt: therefore I referre my selfe to their seuerall treatises against Non-Residencie and Pluralitie especially these: Alphonsus de Castro de puniendis haereticis. lib. 3. cap. 3.4.5. [Page 181] Caranza de necessitute. Residenc. Ministrorum. Ruffinus in praxi beneficiortim, Pet. Alciac. de re sorn [...]. cap 2. Iacobus de Vitriac. hi­stor. Occi­dent. lib. 2. cap. 30. parte 8. tit. de dispensat. ad plura beneficia. Duaren. de sacr. ministerijs. lib. 8. cap. 5. It is written ofGenebrar. lib. 4. in an. 1503. Georgius. Amboesius, although he were a Cardinal & a Legat of France, yet that he contented him selfe vnico Rothomagensi Sacerdotio absque vllis Abbotijs, and is thus commended Vir antiqua virtute & fide, nondum conscientijs ad Sacerdotiorum poliga­miam prostitutis. One of the papistes Poetes (on the other side) taketh this bold­nes to him selfe against the ignorance and idlenes and epicurisme of the Clergie of his time,Ma [...]cel. Palingen. lib. 9. proh pudor hos tolerare potest Ecclesia porces: dū taxat ventri, veneri, somno (que) vacantes▪ But we liue in the times of whichAventin. annal Boi­orum. prae­fac. Auentinus (speaking of the negligence, ignorance, and riot of the Clergie) such is the miserie of these times, that wee may not speake that we thinke, nor thinke that we speake. OurHyper. de sacr. stud. nō deseren. pa. 121. Writers heretofore could call these men the uomica & Carcinomata of the church, but now if we commend with Genebrard the conscience, that brooketh not a polygamie in benefices wee are eni­mies to the church, if we speake like Palingenius against the ryot of Non-Residents and Pluralities, we are held enimies to the Law. By this meanes there hasteneth a­pace vpon the lande what was long ago fore-prophecied: Some of you (quothAct and monu. hi­stor cius. p. 1355. Mai. Rogers holy martyr) to his fellowes in Newgate, shall liue to see the Gospell againe restored in this lande. Commend me to my brethren then, and tell them from me, that if Mass-priestes and ignorant ministers be not displanted, and the congregati­ons furnished with able Pastors, their ende will be worse then ours. What? worse then theirs? then must it be more then lamentable.Pars. in cō ­uersion of Engl. pa. 2 ca. 12. sect. 37. Parsons recording this pro­phesie, saith, Rogers threatned this desolation, if his and Hoopers plot t were not followed different from that of Crammers and others. From this mouth haue our brethren bor­rowed their exprobration, when they say all our sturring is to haue our owne plott; all our difference, because we cannot haue what we will: but willing to haue the remouall of subscription and of ceremonies. For the remouall of a doumbe mini­nisterie, we shall (I trust) when God riseth to iudgement, feele the lesse what wee will not, the more that we will this now, according to his holy will.

#Sect. 10. That the ceremonies controversed, hinder preaching, shutting out the Preachers, and putting the light vnder a bushell.

THirdly, these ceremonies controversed hinder the preaching of the Sabboth, in that they lay wast the chaire of Moses, & thrust out good preachers, for the thrusting in of which we are willed to pray & to do our best indeauours. It is writ­ten of the ancient destruction of Britaine that this was the forrunner of it,Beda histo gent. An­glor. lib. 1. cap. 14. Odiūin veritatis professores tanquam subuersores, omnia tela & odiūin hos. It is writtenCommen­tar. de stat. relig. in Gall. in Carol. 9. of the Massacre in France, that the forrunner of it was, a delight in a tickling & in a plea­sing kind of preaching, ioyned with a loathing of those that preached simply, pure­ly, powerfully & sharply against sinne. It is writtē by one of our writers thus,Hyper. de sacr. stud. non dese­rend. p. 243 when God doth meane to destroy a societie or a cōmon-wealth, he putteth out good & wise men, and suffreth vngodly & vnwise men to prevaile in the same, speaking of preachers disgraced or degraded. The application hereof vnto our times I leaue to the wise, let him cō ­sider whether in the putting out of preachers, the diuill doeth not nowe as of old bend himself against the pastors,Cypri. lib. [...] i. 3. vt in gregē atrocius grassetur? If it be so, what euill did our church deserue of them who at the first set vp subscription, to the putting down of preachers? For whom (I trust) there wilbe one day renewed the law of Theodosius & Valentinian: Theodo­ret. histor. lib. 4. ca. 8. Nostrapotentia vbi (que) edixit nequis persequatur, ne (que) exagitet, ne (que) irritet operarios Christi. This if any think may be done subscription remayning, he forgetteth howe it hath bene fleshed euer since the firste yeeres of Elizabethes raigne. Then fedd the flockes quietly euery one in his place, when it came into the heart of the ceremonies not well purged from their auncient Roman pride, to advance themselues ouer the preachers of the lande, to trie their power vpō them. [Page 182]Here, when some Mordecayes could not bowe nor finde quiet in their conscience to honour such Agagites, they got them hornes wherewith they pushed towardes the East and towards the South, and thrust with side and shoulder, till many wor­thie Pastors were strooken, and great flockes scarred. This was (in comparison) the prima labes of our Church. which the lesse it was regarded at the beginning, the more it got strength according to that Axiome ofAugust confess. lib. 9 cap 8. Augustines, Qui modica contem­nit, paulatim decidit. which while aConcil. Toletan. 8. [...]an. 9 Councill repeateth, it putteth in [minima] in steed of [modica] qui minimo despicit, paulatim decidit: that which another Councill enlargeth even vnto the daunger of very great euill in the ende,Concil. Ma [...]scol­nens. circa temp. Pela. [...]. can. 1 [...]. Solent & minima paulatim despect in malum magnum trahere The ceremonies are trifles & small mat­ters (men say) but we see with our eyes they doe great hurt. What say I, they doe nowe that they are growne to strength? when they were but newly borne, their hurt was not little. They said to the Sunne, shine not; and to the starres withdraw your light, and did prevayle. They called for a bushell to measure foorth into the Preachers what they should preach, Math. 5.15. and to stint them in their zeale, & it was done accordingly. The light of the Gospell being herevpon clapt vnderneath a bushell indeed, so that the people did eate their bread by waight and measure. It began al­so to be put vnderneath a bedd, Isay. 56.11. because captiued to their bed-sides, who slept stretched vpon their beddes, and delighted in sleeping. From this tyme downe­ward, men rarely sanctifie them selues to be Levites: the Aarons sanctified enter into the Congregations, and their belles sound not. Chrisostome is thrust out, and Arsatius (proh Nycephor. histor. lib. 13. ca. 28. pudor quis cui) succeedeth him. Homilies stande vp in emptie pul­pins Church-gouernours delight to enhaūce their credit by being terrible vpon their brethren. Finally, Iordan is turned backward, and euery thing groweth out of course. Who hath not seene this with his eyes, and sorrowed euen through the cloude of those mistes which haue ben cast to couer it?

#Sect. 11. An answere to there proche of the Opposites, which is, that these who stand for Discipline, are vnlearned.

NOw the first fogge is, that they who stand for the Discipline & the reforming of the Church, are men of no worth. There is not one learned man amongst them: It is pittie a church should be troubled with them. First, this cannot be ob­iected without that suspition,Hieron. cont. Hel­ [...]id. arbitror te veritate convictum ad maledicta conuerti. we are asses and fooles and not one learned man amongst vs: which is indeed the auncient hissing of the serpent which gaue forth in like maner, the Christians are no Genebrad chron. li. 3. in an. 406. schollers, they haue no learning in them: which constrayned Hierome to write that booke of his de viris Illustribus. What is this also but the newe language of Stapleton against D. Whitakers, whom he calleth an Asse, a clowne, and a foole? which ourHireon vt slip. Writers censure as inhumane and barbarous, and fitter for women (And Wil­ter. t [...]rras [...] ­lon. p. 1. pa. 22.23. as Hierome speaketh) then for schollers: especially when the adversarie is known able to make his parte good against such raylers, as the churches of the Discipline haue euer bene and will be able against all Bishopps in the worlde. Allen and Champion giue forth great wordes of the learning of their side, debasing vs as hauing no learning at all amongst vs. This comparison would rather beseeme boyes in the schooles, then Divines in the church (saith oneD. Bils. p. 1 pag. 5. of our Opposits) and this vaunting of lear­ning is fitt for phariseis, vnfit for Christians. Harding obiecteth to Iewell, that he & his side are men of no learning. heIewell. in epist. ad Harding. replyeth (as we doe nowe) take from vs what learning you liste, we pleade for trueth and not for learning: He is ouer well lear­ned that bendeth his learning against God. Secondly, this cannot bee obiected without pride intollerable, in men whom knowledge hath puffed vp▪ euen as one of our Opposits proueth out of Salomon, D. Bils. vb. sup. let another man praise thee, & not thine own [Page 183]mouth what that this pride is as the same most truly affirmeth: the very iust reward of error. what that it serueth for nothing but to raise irrision in all forraine protestant churches which are without the reach of that pearch whereon we clap our wings & crow without cōtroulment? what that it debaseth al forraine churches; for they being all of our opinion, we may here replie with Hieron: Hieron. cont. Vi­gilant. si omnes tecū fatui sunt; sa­piens quis esse poterit? Howbeit the hurt of the church is the worst. for what wil this cōceite of learning but ouerthrow al in the end? as the beginnings shrewdly threa­ten which are these:Amand Polan. in Dan 9 [...]er. 20. Doctrinam recte traditā ab antecessoribus. &c. The doctrine that hath bene well deliuered by our predecessors (hee meaneth Caluin and Beza) they carpe & cauil at, by their censures, and make it suspected, alwaies seeking the trueth but neuer finding it they trauill with newe-found doctrines▪ as if they were with childe lothing the olde and auncient doctrine which they haue learned. who swel with so great a conceit of learning as that they thinke they are the only men that are wise: and that other wander like shadowes in comparison of them, to whom no man is learned enough, whom no man satisfieth, that they them selues might bee esteemed most learned. who seeke not Disciples vnto Christ but to themsel­ues. Hence is it that so many scifines, so many heresies haue inuaded the Church: whereby (as it were with a waightie burthen) she is opprest. Some hath rather bee Lutherans then Christians, they that would seeme to bee the cheefe prelates of Evangelicall Religion what bookes set they forth and printe? what broch they? the purposes and proiectes of these men, the more gratefull they are to Epicures & to the enemies of pietie, so much the more bitter and the more greuous be they to good men: as they moue laughter to them; so what can they wring from these but sobbes and sighings? Thirdly, minus est malum (asAugust. cont. Aca­demic. li. 3 cap. 8. Augustine saith) esse indo­ctum quam indocilem as our Opposits are vnteachable. wheras of vs it may be wel & truly said, we haue learning enough, who haue learned the truth. Nowe as long as wee match our Opposites in the knowledge of the word, the vaunt of other learning is but the vaunt of a Gnosticke whose deepe learning is but the dept of Satan. Apoc. 2.24. This I speake not against secular learning vnlesse it swerue from the wholesome word as doth the learning of our Opposites in the controuersies that are betweene vs. Hence it cometh that their learning is likeDecret. p. 1. distinct. 37. ca. 7. honnie, very sweete and pleasing, but vnholy for a sacrifice. their knowledg like theAugust. quaest Euā gelic. lib. 2. cap. 33. Iansenius concor. Euang. c. 94. huskes of pescodes, sweetish in the mouth but swelling in the stomacke and not hauing power to feede like the bread that is in the fathers house, their acutnes in reasoning (last of all) like theDecret. quo sup. Cyniphes of Egypt, their pompe of wordes like the Froggs of Egypt, which serue for naught but to sting the mindes and to trouble the cares of men. FamousZozomen. hist. lib. 7. cap. 6. Eunomies for eloquence, learning, and for sharpnes in disputing is against the Orthodoxe, and they haue not any one amongst them all but is afraid of him. what is this to the cause? soTheodor. histor li. 5. cap. 34. many good, great, and learned men are against Chrisostome, as that Theodo­res standeth amazed, and sinketh vnder the credit of them when hee commeth to write his storie: was chrysostome therefore in the wrong, his enemies in the right? But the puritans haue ben euer ouercome.August. E­pist. 174. Augustines Apologie (in the very same reproch) shall serue our turne, facile est vt quisque Augustinum vincat. videris vetrum veritate an clamore, non est meum dicere: nisi quia facile est vt quisque Augustinum vin­cat. quanto magis vt vicisse videatur, aut etsi non videatur, vicisse dicatur, facile est? noli miēdore q [...]om [...]do vincatur Augustinus qualiscunque vnus homo, sed attende potius vtrum vinci potest Veritas, non bonum hominis est hominem vincere, sed bonum est homini vt cum veritas vi [...]cat volentem, qui [...] malum est homini vt cum veritas vincat inuttam. na [...]t ipsa vincat necesse est: fiue negamen fiue confitentem. Fourthly, what though we be not so learned? the more [...] are we for the Churches & Congregations of the land which must haue precept vpon precept, line vpon line, here a little and there a little, thut which great learning will scorne to doe. As there be charges one vnder an other, so [Page 184]there bee vessels one vnder another in the Lordes house (saithHyper. de sacr. stud. non desere. pag. 36. one) as there are places higher and lower in the Church, so there are talents greater or lesse besto­wed on the Preachers (saithGualt. in Luc Ho­mil 73. another.) In regard whereof they who contemne the meanly learned, call the wisedome of God into question, & wrong the meane assemblies,Gregor. Pastoral. lib. 3 in prolog. concil. A­quisgran [...]. cap. [...] 4. saepe alijs officiunt, quae alijs prosunt, panisque qui vitam fortium roborat paruulorum necat. quid sunt intentae mtēes auditorumnisi quaedam in Cytheram tentiones tractae chor darum quae vno plectro sed non vno impulsu feriendae. Great learning there­fore boasted of, hurteth: the middle Congregations of a Church because it strai­neth the weake stringes to a keye too highe, and cloyed their infant-like stomacks with meat too strong: whereas meane learning will not disdaine to condescend vnto the weakest weakenes. Let the effect of our ministerie be examined without parcialitie: 2 Cor. 3.1. and if the churches in which we haue laboured be not letters of com­mendation speaking for vs, we will be contented to preach and speake no more to them. Let the Churches of our learned Opposites be surueyed on the other side, they are such for the most parte as are little profited or nothing at all, because not fedde with milke and honnie. No merueil, for it is not vnknowne what a windie kinde of teaching this affectation of great learning in our Opposites hath brought forth, making theDecret. pag. 1. di­stin. 43. c. 1 Preacher vncleane like one that doth pati fluxū seminis, because the seed of the word that he soweth begetteth no issue, and making our Audi­tours like those of the Iudiens, where one doth mulgere hircum, another doth suppo­nere cribrum, becauseTh. Mor­ton. Apolo. pag. 1. lib. 2 cap. 18. naught is vnderstood. and our preaching to a sacrifice that hath tortum nasum and is mishapen, because not shaped to the hearers proffit: qui enim ea docet quae ab auditoribus non valent intelligi non adeorum vtilitatem sed ad sui ostentationem facit. Decret p. 1. distinct. 43. cap. 5. And seeingDecret. ibid distin. 59. cap. [...]. rarum est [...] qu [...]d magnum est the preaching of great learning will make preaching rare: for great learned Preachers are thinlie sowen, and great learned preaching bringht forth seldome (as it is in the prouerb) vnum pario, sed leonem, great learned sermons also, must bee strawbery Sermons, a­gainst which Latymer cryed out so much. Fiftly. A life vnspotted in the world, a conuersation wanting couetousnes, a sober carriage free from ambition and from seeking of great things, Ier. 45.5. doth euer in the Church more good, then great learning in great men which for the most parte is accompanied with great vices contrarie: Howsoeuer, experience sheweth that God doth blesse the laboures of the payne­full Minister (though his learning bee but meane) so that hee bringth in a greater haruest for the most parte, then he that standeth vpon his learning. This he doth to haue the glorie to himselfe. 2 Cor. 4.7. 1 Cor. 1.27. 1 Cor. 1.17. 1 Cor. 4.20 This hee doth to confound the wise and learned. This hee doth to shewe the power of his Crosse, which eloquence and affected learning doth evacuate. This he doth to shewe the power of the spirits euidence, and how spirituall his working is in them that be called. Last of all, This hee doth to build vp the faith of his chosen, that it might not depend on the learning of mē but on his own wisedome.Cor. 2.4.5 For these causes it often falleth out, what fell out once at the Councill of Nice Ruffin. histor. Ec­clesiastie. lib. 1. cap. 3 where a Christian of no great lerning conuerteth one learned with whom all the learned Bishops could do no good vt oslenderet Deus (saith the storie). &c. that God might shewe that his kingdome consisteth not in wordes but in power, euen as the conuert himselfe acknowledged. Hearken (saith he) O ye learned men, as long as the matter went by words, against words, I opposed words againe. and that which was spoken I ouerthrewe by the art of speaking: but when in stead of wordes power proceeded out of the mouth of the speaker non p [...]terant resistere verba virtu­ti, nec hom [...] aduersari potuit Deo. The like fel out before Cōstantine. Soxomne. histor. lib. 1. cap. 17. Alexander Bishop of Constantinople: vita magis quam doctrina conspicuus, conuerted a man famouslie learned, whom the learned could not perswade. Non in dialectica complacuit Deo saluum facere populum suum, regnum enim Dei in simplicitate fidei est, non in contentio­ne sermonis. Decret. p. 1. distinct. 37. cap. 6. Sixtly, I thinke our heuiestand hardest aduersaries will not denie, but [Page 185]we are likelie to doe more good then either a Non-resident, that preacheth not at his charge, vnlesse he dropp now and then a shower which neuer maketh fruitfull, Heb. 6. because the rayne must often come vpon the earth before it be able to bring forth fruites: meete for their vse by whom it is dressed, or then the doumbe dogg which is not able to preach at all: whom notwithstanding they suffer still to reward if not his creeping yet his capping to the Crosse. They shall not need to degrade vs as Rusticus was degraded once:Decret. p. 1 distinct. 85. cap 1 Quia psalmos ignorat, wee haue as much learning as their CanonIbid distin. 38. cap. 6. Lawe requireth of a Bishop himselfe wee doe omnibut modis psal­terium noscere & in promptu habemus legere scrutabiliter & non transitorie diuinam scripturam and for that purpose for the most parte wee haue the knowledgs of the tongues which [many] of our Opposites want. At the least wee haue the priestes knowledg, weIbid cap. 5 scann our cōmunion booke, the liber Sacramentorum we are skilled in the Computus, we knowe the Psalterium, and we can fetch the homilias per circu­lum anni Dominicis diebus & singulis festiuitatibus aptae. Alas what hard happ is ours, others can be held white sonnes that haue the learning to doe this, wee haue this learning (and somewhat ouer and aboue) and yet wee can finde no fauour. Luc. 9.50. But blessed be he which quēcheth not the smoking flaxe, but doth at this power speak from heauen in our behalfe vnto our Gouernour: forbidde them not. what though we be the feet?Leo. 9. in epist ad Michael. Constanti. epi [...]cop. Tho. Mor­ton. Apolo. pag. [...]. lib. 5. cap. 19. frustra matris familias caput et faciem magnifieat, qui minimos filiorum eius impugnas, tamquam digitos pedum illius conculcat. The head, saith Ambrose, can­not be without the feet, nor the superior without the inferior ferrum potest quod non potest aurum.

#Sect. 12. That the fault why faithfull Ministers are cast out of their Ministrie, lyeth not vpon them selves.

THe second excuse brought for the ceremonies, Sect. 12. and their proceedings against the Preachers, casteth the whole fault on them. The ministers are to blame (say some of our Opposites) who leaue their ministerie for such trifles: if they would bee ruled, what needed depriuation? First of all, it is not nothing that this obiection: Ecclesia non est deserenda commeth from Wittenbergh, infected with the Adiaphorisme: when now the students had ceased toFlaccus. Illyric. in li de Adiaph. p. 3. in solut Argume. 1 hortari pios ad constan­tiam vt tales viros omnino facere oportuisset, and had begonne to languefacere pios, and labefactare totas Ecclesias, and to confirmare impios by an yeelding to the ceremonies which the Interim did commaund. But this Vniuersitie followed the direction of Philip Melancthon (will our Opposites say) whom who can in this cause remember without that sighing of King Dauid, how was the mightie ouerthrowne? Concil. Philip. Melantho [...] ad Eccles. Marchiaca. discernenda est confessio priuata (saith he). &c. A man must put a difference betweene his owne priuat confession, and betweene the counsell which he is to giue, to others, that be weake, and not like to himselfe. Laurentius did well that he preferred death before the edict of Decius, for the deliuerie of the Churches monie, for his confession was made the more glorious by this occasion, and such a celsitude of spirit, was helped by a singular motion of the holy Ghost. Another more fearful would haue rather deliuered the monie then haue lost his life, and his infirmitie had bene ex­cusable. here (therefore) I will prescribe nothing to the strong who are resolute to shew an illustrious confession vpon their owne daunger, euen on euerie light oc­casion. Againe, let vs remember that in a place neer Basill there was one burnt for eating fleshe, although we iustly detest the crueltie of the Iudges and worthelie praise the constancie of the good man in his confession, yet hee had not done a­misse if hee had avoyded this daunger. and certainlie no man may binde others to throwe themselues into daunger vpon the like occasion. Againe, I am not igno­rant multa horride & stoice dici, seeing the beginnings of a chaung doe confirme the [Page 186]aduersaries, indifferent things are not to be accoūted smal. This hard opiniō if any good wil embrace let him embrace it with his own danger & not with the danger other mē, speakes good Melancthon in these words? shal I think it my dutie to con­fesse, & giue others contrarie coūsel not to confesse together with me? may a man doe wel to suffer in things indifferent, & others doe wel in not suffering for them? might Laurence haue deliuered the mony and not be a traditor, as the church called those that deliuered either bookes or goodes vnto the persecutors? sure thy good minde I easilie acknowledge, but I cannot see how thy counsell may be good, and speakes great Melancton in these words? then let the soule of him that heares them aduaunce it selfe to greatnes of courage. for how cā he animate vs more to suffring then by comparing vs with Saint Laurence and with the Martyr that dyed for a thing that was more indifferent then these things are for which wee stande, or shame more those that suffer not with vs then beholding them weake, and wan­ting that celsitude of minde vpheld by Gods spirit which willingly embraceth that daunger which others will not venter on, but are contented to say vnto vs: take you the crowne from vs. A straung thing, though he doubled his own spirit:Idem. in Epist ad Christop. Carolou. for­tassis sum ingenio seruili, & much greeued at the banishment of honest men, put out of their ministrie about the Interim: yet the fig-leaued excuse wherewith he lulled his conscience a sleepe:Ibid. pax [...]st seruanda, doctrina & inuocatio non est impedienda & considerandum est quid mediocribus pastoribus persuaderi possit not only drewe him largiri multa & multa dissimulare which were amisse, but also to yeld to all the ce­remonies of the Interim and to leaue the Church to the gouernement of popishe BishopsConrad. Schlusselb. lib 13. pag. 490. etiam in ipso actu persecutionis conslitutis if we may beleeue what is writ­ten of him. If we may beleeue also what is set forth in his name it drewe him euen to protest touching Rome hir selfePhili. Me­lanth. in E­pist. Theo­phi. Orato. parati sumus obedire Romanae Ecclesiae modo. &c. and touching the Pope himself, Romani Pontificis authoritatem & vniuersam politi­am Ecclesiasticam reuerenter colimus modo nos non abijciat Ramanus Pontisex, yea touching the popishe doctrine it selfe: Nullam aliam ob rem plus odij sustinemus in Germania quam quia Ecclesiae Romanae dogmata summa constantia defendimus. For mine owne parte I can hardlie beleeue that this epistle was his owne, but if it were his fall was fearfull: and the pretence of keeping the ministerie and of doing good, & the preseruing of the Churches peace, is a pretence muchConrad. Schlusselb. quo supra. pag 5 [...]5. to be feared, seeing it turned the heeles vpwarde of this great seruaunt of the Lord, and who can but feare where such a Cedar fell?Velleius. Paterculus. hath there not place here euen what an heathen man adviseth: vbi semel à recto deerratum est in praeceps peruenitur?

#Sect. 13. The calumnie of peeuishnes and foolishnes imputed to the Ministers, for not receyuing Capp and Surplice, is answered.

SEcondly, Sect 13. whereas wee are censured as pecuish or foolish for leauing our mini­sterie for a capp or a surplice, beit knowne there are things more material wher­at we sticke. as the subscription (we knowe) is larger, then a surplice though neuer so wide sleeued. Howbeit, why should Christ be againe exposed to laughter in a white garmentIllyr. de A­diaph p. 2. as Illyricus saith hee was by the surplice in Germanie in the time of the Adiaphorisme there? Did not the Germane diuines at that time disclaime that Adiaphoristicall principle,Conf. Ec­cles Mans­feld. aedit. an. 1560. Rem paruam esse de linea veste? others exclaime against the depriuing of profitable pastors,Confes il. Iustris prin. cip. & Du­cum Saxō. aedit. 1560. tantum propter sordidam lineam vestem? others proclaime, thatFlac. Illy­ric. quo sup. plurimae Ecclesiae sunt in quibus conscientiae & externa forma Ecclesiae per paruas mutationes vt per paruam vestem misere turbatae sunt. And whē the diuines of Misnia asked counsell in this question, whether they were to leaue their places or put on a surplice the answer hath first this LamentationRespon. N Galli & Plac. Illyri. ad quorun. Mis [...]e. con [...]ionatores literas apud Conrad Schlusselburg. lib. 15. p. 641 Quale obsecro est. &c. [Page 187]What a thing I pray you is euen this, most cunning invention of the Deuill about the white garment? which if it be resisted, there is a small thing [to the seeming] stood vpon: and so the Godly preachers fall into dislike and hatred, and are thrust out with euerie mans good leaue: as if they were remoued vpon iust causes, but denyed conformitie out of a seditious spirit, and out of a desire to contende. but if they yeeld vnto this garment, thē open they a beginning and enterance to greater chaunges. Then this reprehension. It isPag. 641. euident that those preachers do willingly deceaue thēselues who receaue the Exceptum, & after forge vnto thēselues I knowe not what interpretations. that they doe not this for the Pope but for the Church, and that therefore they still preach against popish errors; and that they will not haue mens consciences to be bound to these ceremonies as if they were worships, and therefore they doe them one day and omit them another: for they knowe for what purpose this newe Interim is pressed: they knowe also that howsoeuer some such libertie may be graunted thē at the first for some fewe weekes, yet that within a while that odious songe will bee chaunted to them: Non si [...]ut tibi libet sed ad ver­bum: this although they knowe well, yet wilfully they will not knowe it: and giue miserable counsell vnto the Church: Nihil adhuc mali adesse, that so the beginning of the disease may not bee resisted. Then thisPag. 644. admonition. Againe, wee answere we doe not see how they are likely to leaue other things free vnto you seeing they will not promise you to be contented with a white Garment.Pag. 645. Often doth Aristo­tell beat vpon this poynt, wee must take heed of smal chaunges, because they make way to great. therefore in our iudgement it is not only the white Garment that is aymed at, but by it the preparing of a passage vnto greater evills. ThenPag. 646. this re­futation, whereas you say this limen shirt is not nowe the Popes Vesture but the Churches Garment, Paule commaundes 1. Cor. 10. that wee should diligentlie consider what the wicked doe thinke of the Idolothites: therefore it excuseth not that it is your Prince, & state, and people, that doe require the same things of you which the enemies of Christ do, for their owne tranquilitie sake and for the avoy­ding of dainger: for whosoeuer they be that are the procurers and promotors of these chaunges although they bee learned, holy, and sound in the religiō, yet these things doe not therefore cease to bee the characters of Antichrist their cheefe and soueraigne Lord and last of all thisIbi. p. 64 [...]. coūsell▪ we would haue you aske of them see­ing they are such wise men, that they would shew what great and waightie causes they haue thus to trouble the Church of Iesus Christ about a white Garment? whether they doe knowe that they be able to appease the diuill, Antich. and the wicked world by these meanes? Or to effecte some excellent discipline & order by this diuine vesture, or what at length is that singular excellent good thing which they are sure to obtaine by the same?

#Sect. 14. The calumnie of leauing the ministrie, is answered, & the ignorants and others, who subscribe, to abide in the ministrie, are by the way, chalenged & convicted.

THirdly, it is a ieste that we leaue our ministeries: whom Angels, men, & all the world see thrust out against our wills.Decret pa. 2. caus. 15. que. 1. c. 10 Nō habent crimen quae inferuntur, reluctan­tibus: and what can there be more against our harte then the losse of that which is the comfort of our liues:August. epist. 204. Quis nescit nec damnari hominem nisi merito malae volunta­tis, nec liberali nisi habue [...]it bonam voluntatem. haue we a good will to goe out of our ministerie? So haue we to goe to Golgotha too. indeed we are in Ambrose his cause.Decret. p. 2 caus 25. que. 8. c. 3. Fugere & relinguere Ecclesiam non soleo, resistere nec possum, nec debeo. for vnlesse our Opposites would haue vs resiste, thereby to shewe our selues willing to keepe our ministerie, I see not what they can require more then we haue done, what goodlie meanes haue we omitted which are lawful for vs in the feare of the Lord? haue we [Page 188]not sued & that with teares? haue we not written & that with inuincible reasons? Haue we not made our appeales which against all equitie are bardd? haue we not also kept possession vntill by force we haue bene pulled out? but wee will not con­forme to stay in? No, nor to be preferred neither, which hath bene offered vnto some of vs, who thinke it our dutie to reply with Beneuolus: Carol. Sy­gon. de occidental. Imper. lib. 9. fol. 200. Quid mihi pro impie­tatis mercede, altiorem promittis gradum? hunc ipsum quem habeo auferte dum integram fidei conscientiam tuear. this spoken Protinus Cingulum ante pedes Imperatricis abiecit. which though we imitate in laying downe not only our benefices but all that wee haue at the feete of our reuerent Fathers, yet cannot we be said voluntarilie, wilful­ly, sinfully to giue ouer our ministrie, no more then he his office. Fourthlie, it is not theIoachim. Westphal. in explicat. sentent. è duob. mal. minimum. leauing of the ministrie that is a sinne, but the causes why, the ende wherefore the circumstances wherein, that maketh the leauing of it sinfull. which we haue de­scribed Iohn 10. Now the leauing of the flocke condemned there, is the leauing of the hireling for his gaine, we if we leaue our flockes it is not only to our great losse, but also to our vtter vndooing. Againe, the leauing of a flocke cōdemned ther, is the leauing of an evill sheepheard that flyeth daunger, we if wee leaue our flocks, leaue our securitie and peace withall, and throwe our selues into a sea of troubles. The leauing of the flocke condemned there, is the leauing of a carelesse shepherd: who leaueth them to the clawes of the woulfe: we (if we leaue our flockes) we doe it to keepe them by our example from the woulfe and from all liking of his faire-shewes wherby he lyeth in waite to deceyue. The Council worthilie condemneth them:Concil. Aquisgran. sub. Ludo. nic. 1. c. 17. Qui parere vtilitati proximorum in predicatione refugiunt for the ease of a priuat life, for the sweetnes of priuat studie and for the quietnes and delight of contempla­tion, whereas our Lord that he might proffit many by preaching, came downe euen from heauen it selfe, from the boosom of the Father. The canon Lawe worthelie condemneth them:Decret. p. 2. caus. 21. ques. 3. c. 1. Qui seipsos à ministerijs sanctis per desidiam seperant by taking themselues to secular businesses for filthie lucre sake. Cassiodorus Tripartit. histo. li. c. 11 reporteth of di­uerse that they lefte their stations in the ministerie and conveyed themselues, into woods and deserts, because of the difficult times of the Church in which they li­ued. amongst whom I knowe not whether I may reckonSuppleme. Cronic. in. Valen. Hilarius of Arles who is said to haue left his charge and to haue gonein to an heremitage for his quietnes and for his priuat speculations. Such men who can excuse? for they doeDecret. pa. 2. caus. 7. q. 1. c. 46 eligere vacationem ab episcopatus laboribus, & appetere in silentio at que otio vitam degere magis quam in his quae sibi cōmissa sunt permanere. whereas it isIbid. c. 47. pernitiosum pro re tam in tran­quilitate nauim deserere, they leaue their ship committed vnto them euen in fluctibus which is more wicked & more daungerous. At such a time they shouldIbid. c. 48. ex aduerso ascendere & in die belli seipsos murum apponere pro domo domini, & animas suas ponere pro ouibus suis, vt exemplo suae passionis accendant quos sermone doctrinae diutius confirmare non valent. Blame these who are blameHiper. de Sacr. stud. non deserē. pag. 169. worthy, blame not vs who in the leauing of our ministeries performe that dutie of suffring: for the avoyding of which these men are accused when they doe leaue their charges. It is our ease to keepe our be­nefices: in leauing of them we loose that pleasantnes of that lande, and that reste, for the sweetnes whereof because it is good, many lye downe as Issachar did vnder that burthen of subscription and conformitie which wring the shoulders of their consciences, Gen. 49.14.15. which indeed if they could tell howe, they should shake off. Is it not so, that wee doe now ex aduerso ascendere and oppose our selues as a wall in the gap vt accendamus eos passionis exemplo quos sermone doctrinae diatius confirmare non va­lemus? for we would continue our preaching still, but we are not suffered, in which case with what face can our Opposites inpute any blame vnto vs against their own law, which saith thus:Decret. p. 2. caus. 7. ques 1. c. 36 Aliud est mutare, aliud mutari: aliud est spontè, aliud coacte aut ne­cessitate transire, nō isti mutant ciuitates sed mutantur, quia non sponte sed coacte hoc agunt. quia nō Ibid. c. 34. ambitu nec propria voluntate faciunt: sed vi à propria sede pulsi & necessitate coacti [Page 189]Fiftly, we may retorte this imputation on our accusers, who leaue their flocke in staying with them in Zacharies sense. O Ido [...]l shepheard who leauest the flocke. Zach 12.16 and 17. Ammo­nius to avoyde the ministerie, cut of his right eare, which made him vncapable. E­vagrius inveigheth against him, but when after being elected by Theophilus of Alex­andria, him selfe secretly fled away. Ammonius meeting him:Socrat. histor. lib. 4. cap. 18. Tueuagri (saith he) &c. Thou Evagrius that diddest taunt at me for cutting off of mine eare, dost thou not thinke that God will plague thee for that for loue vnto thy selfe, thou cuttest out thy tongue, because thou wouldest not take paynes to vse the gift that God hath giuē thee? Sure we cutt not of our right eares but we haue them (like Malcus) cut of by the sworde: whereas our Opposites many of them cut out their tongues. For either they vse not their giftes at all or they haue no giftes to vse, or abuse their giftes or vse them to no purpose. so according to their owne distinctiō of a non Resi­dent, loco, & a nō Resident officio, whiles we loco leaue our flockes against our wils, they officio leaue them willingly to follow after their lustes & pleasures. As for the igno­rant sort amongst thē a time will come whē they will wishe they had left their mi­nistries, for which they rayle at vs so loude, because thē they shal perceaueDecret. p. 1. destin. 50. cap. 6. satius est in inferiori habitu Domino famulari in hac vita, quam alta indebitè appetendo damnabi­liter in profundum demergi. Zach. 13.5. which if they had donne with the penitent Prophet in Zacharie I am no prophet, but men taught me to be an Husbandman frō my youth, then had they escaped the wrath to come, which Iames denounceth: be not many maislers, Iam. 3.1. kno­wing that yee shall receaue the greater condemnation. As for those that bee negligent a­mongst them, what are they else but the ill seruants that hide their talentes in the ground? yea what doe they else but hide the wheat vnderneath the earth, & that in the time of want (whom Salomon and Gods people curse) vntill it be rotten there, Pro. 11.26. whereby they make thē selues guiltie of as many soules as by the diligence of some other might haue bene wōne. As for those who by their cōformitie grace poperie, & who for the vpholding of their cōformitie broach many popish poyntes in their preaching: they in playne and open sight leaue their flocke, in keeping it as they did inFlac. Illyr­in lib. de Adiaphor. pag. 3. Germanie, who by their cōformitie to the Interim, opened the doore of the found for the wolfe to enter, barked not against him: winked at the entrāce of him: yea bargained and trucked with him, giuing some of the sheepe in Marchandize, to giue contentement and to haue peace them selues. The reason was, because whereas the woulfe hurteth none of the sheepe till they assent, these ministers by their yeelding, induced the sheepe to like well of him, because they sawe their Pa­stor came in some things to agreement with him, and in other things did not resist him seriously as if he were an enemie. Sixtly, Apoc. 1.16. whereas Christ holdeth the starres of the Church in his right hand, whence none can pul them against his will; it is cer­taine that not one minister is depriued in this land but by his sufferance and tolle­ration. Now he will not tolerat the silencing of any Preacher vntill he be perfected like himselfe: and vntill the worke be finished vnto which he did call him. Luk. 13.32. It beeing so, we are called from the ministerie by the same that called vs to it, and the worke of our ministerie is ended and finished for the which wee were called. Should we in this case stay in a servile and power-lesse ministrie which hee will not blesse: in which we can finde no comfort: and wherein we are disabled from doing good? For we cannot discharg a good conscience, nor do our duties as we should, which beeing so, why may wee not lament with Gregorie Gregor. epist lib. 4. cap 78. vnhappie man that I am, what make I here in this Church? It is approued that a Minister should leaue his flockeDecret. pa. 2. caus. 7. quest. 1. cap. 48. si soluatur, prouided that he leaue it like a doue, quae dilectionem non amittit sed semper gemit, and seperateth corpore non amore quibus non potest prodesse. Are we not loosed? doe we seperat so much as in dody? are not our bodies distracted rather? yee our bowels rent & torne because we can prodesse no longer, those bowels of ours which we desire to profit & benefit euē to losse of life it felse in case we might be suffered?

It is also approued that a Minister should leaue his chargeIbid. quando subditorum est ob­stinata malitia, nec prodest ijs Praelatorum praesentia, ne & illorum nequitia semper in de­terius proficiat, & isti quidem fructum amittant, quem de aliorum profectu possent inveni­re. Is it not so that many of our charges are sturred vp to a contempt of vs? that our Gouernours doe disgrace vs, and disable vs from doing good? Is it not so, that our ministerie is wounded by manifold slaūders, yea defiled with many vnconsci­onable observations in case we stay in? so that we may say with Martyrius, Theodor. Lector. collectan. lib. 1. populo rebelli & ecclesiae contaminatae renuntio? All these circumstances make our leauing of the ministerie much the more excusable in case we willingly did leaue it (which we doe not) vnlesse it be in this sense that we willingly submit our selues vnto the providence of the Lord, who for the present calleth vs from it. Nowe because his mercie is great, we haue confidence he will one day returne againe and builde vp Syon. therefore we stande vpon our watch to heare what he will speake of vs, and in hope waite for the time when he will take the filthie garmentes away from Ieho­sua, Haba [...]. 2.1. and cloth his priestes with glorie and beautie; Zach. 3.4. and cleanse his house, and then we doubt not but that he will in mercy giue vs a roome amongst his seruauntes a­gaine. When this time cometh, then shall our sufferings be in cause that wee shallCypri. lib. 3. epist. 1. maiores redire ad Ecclesiam, for the which how readie are we euē at an howers call, if the Lord call vs, the Church need vs, or we finde in cōscience we must reenter.

#Sect. 15. That the losse of the ministrie, vnto the faithfull Ministers rather then to approue the Ceremonies, shall be the Lords gaine also, as the iudgement of our best diuines, is so to doe.

SEventhly, the losse of our Ministerie shall (we doubt not) be the Lords gaine and the Churches, and that many wayes. The Lord shall gaine glorie by vs, the trueth receyue a patient and constant witnes from vs, the Church a patterne and example to be constant in that we haue taught them, and to suffer when neede re­quireth, euen asCypri. lib. 1 epist. 1. Cornelius when he suffered he did retundere Diaboli conatus Constan­tia sua, and became pulcherrimo exemplo suis auditoribus. Flac. Illy­ric lib. de Adiapho. pag. 3. Christus ex Nazareth disce­dens. &c. ‘Christ leauing Nazareth, & meaning to returne as soone as occasion offe­reth it selfe, doth not forsake that Church but by his constant confession and exile edifyeth it, & confirmeth it against the Phariseis superstition which in his preach­ing he had before impugned. But if to haue the more libertie and sufferance to gather his assemblies he would haue taught the doctrine of iustification fearfullie, coldlie, or (as we nowe speake) modestlie: and haue toutched the Pharisies but softlie and gentlie and obserued their traditions, and haue sought their loue and good liking beeing manifest enimies to the truth, then had hee [forsaken indeed] both that Church and the truth it selfe also. So Elias, when he fled, he did not for­sake the church, or leaue it to Baalls woulfes, but by his constant cōfession and sor­rowfull exile, he did confirme it in the truth: but if he would haue receyued some of Baalls ceremonies, haue paynted them, excused them, if hee would haue spared the Baalites and reprooued their abuses in generall onely, and so haue serued the tyme, then had he (indeed) forsaken the church. So Paule departing from Ephesus, and purposing to confirme the Ephesians either present by voyce, or absent by wri­ting did not forsake that church, but by his constant confession and affliction did confirme it. but if for peace and quietnes he would haue brought into the church the vestiments, rites, Images, and other ceremonies of Diana, or haue restored the observations of the Phariseis, and haue wincked at many things, then had hee for­saken (indeed) that church, and many other infinite churches which he had built, yea all posteritie.’ So Athanasius choosing rather to goe from his church, then to yeeld any thing to the Arrians, or to come to composition with them, or to vse [Page 191]generalities and ambiguities in the cause that was betweene him and them, he did not forsake the church, but by his constant confession and manifolde afflictions & writings, he doth strenghten and confirme it to this day. When we consider these things, as we cleare our owne consciences with ioye from all scruple of guiltie lea­uing of the church, so we fill them with a trembling feare of guiltie leauing it, if we should leaue our former faithfulnes, and thereby leaue or rather loose our selues. Vpon a false alarum of late that some had yeelded, the papistes cryed out, O foo­lish Protestantes to beleeue your preachers any more, for their sakes, or your reli­gion for which ye see there is none that will suffer as we doe for ours the common people they swore they were turn-cotes that had yelded, & that for their sakes the would neur [...] beleeue any more in deed, preach while they would. Neither would this frustration of our labours only follow, but a deprivation also of former giftes, Mal. 2.9. zeale, loue, paynfulnes, joye, yea knowledge & all, vntill the threat were brought vpon vs, I will make you also vile. The Hebrues haue a prouerb,Io. Drusiu. in adag. [...] Hebraic. decur. 9. adag. 5. Camelus cornua quae­rens aures amisis: and it is spoken of Balaam, who to exalt his horne on high by the preferrements which Balaac offered him, lost both it and the spirit of prophecie, which was before within him. Were not we well holpe vp, trow yee, if for a bene­fice or some other preferrement, lesse then that horne which Balaam sought, wee should loose a better spirit of prophesie then euer he had? a better eare bored tho­rough & opened, together with a clouen tongue touched, purged, and enkindled with the coale of the Altar? Better a desertion of the benefice then this defection frō the Lord▪ better to be depriued of earthlie then of heauenlie graces; yea better to loose earth then heauen; a liuing then life spirituall. As for the Church, if any hurt come to it by our departure ipsi viderint who are the cause (to wit) our eccle­siasticall Gouernours euen as their owne Law witnesseth: Speaking of them who are constrained to leaue their charges: non ipsi in hoc peccant (Decret. pa. 2. caus. 7. qu. 1. c. 36. Gen. 19. saith the Canon) quo­niam non sponte sed coacte hoc agunt, sed ili qui eos persequuntur, nec ipsis episcopis hoc im­putari potest sed illis qui hoc agere cogunt. In respect of vs, the hurt cometh per accidens only, and wee cannot helpe it, who may not doe evill that good may come of it, which was Loths fault, nor yeeld vnto a lesser sinne to auoyd a greater that which wasEpiphan. cont. haeres. lib 2. c. 64. Origens. Wheras it is obiected to vs as once to the diuines of Germanie in the broyle of the Adiaphorisme there: è duobus malis minus, Ioachim. Westphal. in exposit. sentent. è mal. mini. the answere hath bene gi­uen by them: that this holdeth not in malis culpae, but in malis poenae onely. Cleaue we (then) without separation to that which we knowe is good, and doe wee our duetie as it becometh vs, and leaue we to God the care of his Church,Concil. Roman. tom. 2. pa. 282. Deus dat successores. When Zeno had obtayned a Bishop for Carthage, the Clerici there resol­ued thus:Victor. de persecut. Vandalic. si ita est interpositis his periculosis conditionibus Ecclesia Episcopum non dele­ctatur habere: gubernet eam Christus qui semper dignatus est gubernare. Eightly, and last of all: the iudgement of forraine diuines directeth vs to this course. For in the controversie of the Adiaphorisme in Germanie, the whole church ofEpistol. Hamburg. ad Philip. Melantho. Hamborough: ofIo Sleidā. lib. Illyric. lib de A­diapho. Magdeburgh: ofIo. Calui. in epist. ad. P. Melāth. Geneua: with diuers others, thought it the better way to de­part then to conforme to the Surplice & some other popish ceremonies then im­posed. Diverse private men haue written to this purpose, some of which write pur­posely euen of our English ceremonies.Io. Calui. Maister Caluin writing his iudgement to the English Church at Franckforde, doth vtterly condemne the ceremonies nowe controversed. Mr Theodor. Beza. epist. 12. Beza writing his iudgement to the Ministers of Englande, ad­viseth them to giue ouer their places rather then to subscribe to the ceremonies & the rest of the corruptions controversed, or by silence to foster them. Mr Bullinger andPet. Mar­tir. in epist. amic cuidā in Angl. Pet. Martyr gaue advise to conforme to the clothes at first, who after percey­uing what hurt came of them, reclaymed their iudgement, as these wordes shewe: At de vestibus & sacris. &c. as for the holy garmentes which are to be vsed in the ministerie, seeing they resemble a shewe of the Masse, and are meere reliques of [Page 192]poperie. Mr Bullinger thinkes they are not to be vsed least the thing which tendeth to scandal be cōfirmed by your example. I my self, although I was euer an adversa­rie to the vse of such ornamēts, yet neuerthelesse because I sawe there was present daunger least you should be depriued from preaching & that perhaps there would bee some hope that as altars and Images are taken away, so also those shewes of the Masse should bee remoued if you and others of the ministrie would doe your best endeauours, which parchaunce would not be done if another should succeede in your place, which should not only not seeke the remoual of these reliques but also defende, maintayne and foster them, therefore I was the slower to perswade that you should rather refuse the ministrie then reaceaue the vse of those garmentes. Notwithstāding, because I haue seene scandals arise which are vnauoydable ther­fore now I haue easely condescended to Mr Bullingers Iudgement. what then these men haue to the contrarie in their epistles, that ought not be preiudicial to vs, sith here they recante it: & in that which they wrot they prescribed no rule toBeza. vb. sup [...] & in Epistol. 23 Bullinger. in epist. ad. N. & M. binde: and the counsell which they gaue for direction was generall, only such as left men to their owne discretion touching circumstances which were perticular:Pet. Mart. in epistol. alia amico. cuid. in Angli. tu autem qui es in ipso certamine concilia hic non expecta, valde quippe sumus à vobis procul, in ipsa consultetis arena. And our case differeth much, they when they couselled yelding, they hoped the ceremonies might the better be abolished by the staying of good men in the ministrie, which hope is superannuated, & they intended a forbearance andTheodor. Beza. epi 12 tolleration, whereas we are pressed, vnder our handes to approue them: and this tolleration they limited also to be continued for aIdem epist 8. while: they euer condem­ned the reducing of the Ceremonies controuersed into the Churches, where they had ben difused before, which thing is sought for nowe.

#Sect. 16. That the small estimation of preaching, vnder pretence to care for praying, as the Opposites alleadge, is the abaddone or murthering sinne of these dayes, and takes away the right vse of the Saboth.

THe third and last refuge is, that it is no great matter though the proceedings of conformitie haue no such great care for Preachers and preaching as wee doe wishe, because preaching is not so much to be cared for as praying is, a praying mi­nisterie wil doe well enough in a Church alreadie stablished if there be Preachers here and there to preach now & then, that which I may call euen the Abaddon, I meane the destroying and murthering heresie of these last dayes. First, the Saboth beingCouncill. Parisiens. lib. 1. ca. 50 insigne Christianitatis, how chast should we keepe it from all aliene adulte­rations? after the example of the auncient Christians, who preserued it pure from carnall mirth, from superfluitie in feastinges and apparell, and from strowing the wayes with floures vpon this reason,Gregor. Nazianze. cont Iulia. orat. 2. haec enim Gentium sunt. This reason little pre­vayleth with this heresie, which what broacheth it, but ea quae sunt gentium? The little power which it ascribeth to preaching, is the Swenckfeldians, the Libertines, & the Anabaptistes: forWhitaker. cont. 1. q 1. cap. 3. pag. 8. Iohn. Caluin. cont. Ana­bapt. art. 5. euen so hold they that the word preached, is of no great effi­cacie, and that the hearing and preaching of it is not necessarie, against which not only our c writers, but ourD Babing. on the Lor. pray peti. 2 Opposites are wont to inveigh. The greater care which it hath of a praying Leiturgie, proceedeth from the papistes, for euen so hold they that the Saboth is sanctified well enough by hearing Masse said, although there be no sermon: which whatDo Willet contro. 9. que. 8. p. 2. sound protestāt can endure? And seeing the contemner, the negligent, the ignorant, practise that other position of papistes, auditio Missae, est praeferenda auditioni verbi, which ourThom. Morton. Apolo pa. 1. lib 2. cap. 21. Luc. 20.9. Writers distaste so much: is this a time to spredd the infection of this heresie to their incouragement? Secondly, this Abad­don ouerthroweth the good which the Church should reape by the Magistrates office, who cannot be Lord of the Vineyard to doe in it what please himselfe, with­out [Page 193]great wrong to Christ the heyre: who selleth not the inheritance of it vnto any, but letteth it out to hire only, that it may be tilled & made fruitfull, which this heresie doth forbidde: yea so forbiddeth as that withall it biddeth the quite con­trarie. Lording and plowing (said Latimer once) cannot agree, but this heresie set­teth vp Lording, not caring whether the plough stande still. TheCornel. Iansen. con­cord Euan­gel. ca. 114. Lord cōmaun­deth theIsa. 5.2. stones to be cast out of his Vineyard, and a Watch-towre build: that theMarc. 11.15.17. Oxon be throwen out of his Temple, and a pulpit erected forthwith filled: thatMath. 21.33. a hedge be made about the Vineyard, and a Wine-presse set vp therein that may continually runne with wine for the comfort of his called: whereas this heresie cryeth to the husbandmen, Let the stones alone in the Vineyard, Let the Oxen, yea Asses alone in the Temple, and what needeth such forwardnes of reformati­on, to fill the tower with watchmen, the Temple with Preachers, the wine-presse with dressed and mingled wine? There was goodnes out of question of late inten­ded towards Gods house, but this heresie hath supplanted this intention and aver­ted the blessing from vs: by that mockage of the Councill of Trent, Pro. 9.5. whē it bound Bishopps to diligent preaching to giue hope of reformation: for we haue cause (si­thence nothing is done) to complayne agayne, Num Claud. Espencaeu. apud. Tho. Morton. Apolog. P. 1 li 1. c. 10. ludimus in re seria vel potius decretorum specie reformationem poscentibus illudimus? Farre better fared it with the Church, whenCarol Sig de regn. I­talic. lib. 5. in ann. 835 Ludouicus the second Emperour of that name, was blessed with better Bishopps. They excused not the vnpreaching ministerie of those dayes, much lesse did they maintayne and defend it as doe our Opposites in this their he­resie. Being put in trust by him, they tooke paynes to finde out the euills of the Church: and when they perceyued the want of preaching was the most daunge­rous, they faithfully informed him of it, plainly confessing, Sacerdotum unlla est ex­cusatio: whereas lay men excused them selues in their not repayre to sermons, by their home Chappels of ease, they mooued him to suppresse those Chappells, that so all sortes might bee drawen to come to such Churches as had mayntenance for Preachers, & Preachers accordinglie labouring in them. In deed to cramme a few Bishopps superfluousnes, is meere hipocrisie, the Church cannot bee nursed as it should, vntill all such high places be put downe as can not haue preaching, and all such dennes and chappells of easeToletan. cōncil 16. c. 4 Parisien. lib. 1. ca. 49 Decret pa. 2. cap. 9. quest. 3. c. 3. be vnited to other Churches which cannot beSynod A­quisgranen. cap. 16. 2 chrō. 17.7 & 31.4.5.6 Nehem. 13 10.11. Malac. 310 supplied by one: vntill also these churches haue in them maintenance for a Prea­cher, and that in aboundance, as the worde of God enioyneth, & theConcil. Lateranen. sub. Innoc. 3. cap. 32. practise of all ages. Thirdly, this Abaddon overthroweth the ministerie of the word, by en­couraging the Cleargie in their dumbnes, Idlenes, Nonresidencies, Lordlines, the shames of this riche Kingdome, and blaynes of this poore Church. It is out of this heresie, that men adventure to sue for benefices, to buy them, all conscience and sense being quenched in them of vnablenes and vnworthines, or of a true and good calling if they be worthie: against the old and auncient Canons which thun der thus: To suffer men to sue for benefices,Decret. p. 1. distinct. 61. cap. 5. non est consulere populis, sed nocere, nec praestare regimen sed erigere discrimē. Integritas enim praesidentium est salus subditorum, principatus autem quem ambitus occupauit, etiamsi moribus atque actibus nō offendit, ipsi­us tamen initij sui est pernitiosus exēplo: & difficilè est vt bono peragantur exitu quae ma­lo sunt inchoata principio. Howbeit this heresie hath brought about, that many seeke for church dignities, which sue for them only, against which the Canō Decret. p. 2. caus. 1. que. 1. c. 28 thus: Vul­nerato pastore quis curandis ouibus adhibeat medicinā? aut qualem de se fructum productu­rus est cuius graui peste radix infecta est? And it is out of this heresie also, that Bishops thinke they may discharge themselues by governing, though they preach not, euē as they were in a manner tolde in the speache that Mr Barlowe once made to them at the beginning of a Convocation. Now it is somewhat, that this is the vomite of Bellarmine Bellarmin. de pontif. lib. 1. c. 14. him selfe, Etsi Pontifices non cōcionantur, tamen multos alios pastorales actus exercent, ligant, soluunt, controuersias iudicant, &c. euen thatMaldon. in Sun ques. 10 act. 3.5.6. a Maldonate him selfe [Page 194]abhorreth it. Notarunt Hieronymus in caput 4. ad Ephes. & August. epist. 57. Propte­reà palam non distinxisse Pastores & Doctores, quia omnis Pastor debet docere, & nomen Pastoris significat actionem personalem, sicut nomen medici. As for the hurt which co­meth hence, the church euē groneth alreadie vnder it, which cannot be at a worse hande then whenDecret. vb. supra. loco vltoris ipse vlciscendus is aduaunced in it, and they set to pu­nishe others. who are to be deposed sooner then they that be negligent in the due­tie of preaching? For theCanō A­postol. 58. old canon runneth thus: Episcopus non docens deponatur: whereas nowe these men are advaunceth to the place of preaching and deposing, who should for their negligence this way, be first of all deposed thēselues. Whence also it followeth that none but Preachers are deposed, who should alone stay in. Moreouer it is out of this heresie, that men thinke it sufficient, if they preach by o­thers, which iumpeth againe with that position of the Papistes,Bellarmi. de pontif. lib. 3. c 24. Satis est si ista cu­rent ab alijs praestari. And againe,Idem ibid lib 1. ca. 14 Ez 44.8. Episcopi quod per se concionando non saciunt, hoc fa­ciunt per alios. Nowe God contesteth against this setting foorth of the charge of the Sanctuarie vnto others. OurThom. Morton. Apolog. p. 1 li. 1. c 10 Writers affirme, That he that preached by o­thers, shall goe to heauen by others, but to hell in his owne person. There beMaldon. vb. supra. Ie­suites who teach, a Minister can no more feede by another, then a Physition can cure by another. And that if a Minister would labour by another, then hee must eate by another also, but himselfe eate nothing. Last of all, this heresie seareth the conscience of hundreds, so that they passe over many Sabothes without prea­ching, and some of them, preach not at all, neither by them selues, nor others. ButGregor. in pastor. p. 2 cap. 4. Gregoric, theDecret. p. 1. distinc. 43. cap. 1. Canon Lawe, yea ourD Babing. on the Lords pra. pag. 194. Opposites them selues haue taught, that a Minister can no more enter into the Church vpon a Saboth without preach­ing, and not be culpable of a damnable sinne: then Aaron could enter at any time into the Congregation without death, in case hee soundeth not his bells at what time he entred. SomeIdem. in. 4 commaun. p. 165. of our Fathers haue also taught, that he sinneth the sinne of a dumbe dogge, that passeth ouer a Saboth-day without preaching: and that he suffereth the people to pollute the Saboth for want of teaching, in so sinning: To thisThom. Morton. quo. sup. doth Origene, & out of him Espencaeus draw and apply that Lawe of Mo­ses: which cōmaundeth the Priest not to depart from the Tabernacle of the Lord. But as for them. whom this heresie hath so paded & benummed, that they thinke they are well enough discharged, if the Leiturgie bee read, though preaching bee wanting euē for whole monethes together: I leaue them to a papist doome, which is thus passed ouer them:Ioh Ferus in cōment. in math. 16 Olim portenti inslar habitum fuit, si pro Episcopo haberetur, qui non etiam re ipsa, verum Episcopi munus exhibuisset, quod hodie plusquam monstri loco habetur, si quis exhibeat, quos cum temporum natura, scriptura, Ecclesia, Consilia, Pontifi­ces, Patres, Superi, Inferi, accusent, damnent (que), quis est qui absoluat? Further, this heresie layeth wast the Saboth, sith it dismembreth it of preaching, the chiefest worshipp of all the rest. It is more principall then the administring of the Sacramentes, as Paule was sent to preach the Gopsell, rather then to Baptize, that which our Op­positesD Bilson. agai. Apol. p. 2. p 360 them selues confesse: who also adde, that it is better then gouerning is, & the administring of the discipline, when they say, GodIbid pa. 3 pag. 300. gathereth his Church by the mouthes of preachers, not by the summons of consistories. It is aboue reading, where the Apothecarie breaketh not the perfume to cause it to smel, the househol­der cutteth not the whole loafe, that euerie one may haue a full morsell, nor the bellowes stirre vp the fire, to cause it to flash into the harts of the hearers, as preach­ing doth; euen as ourD. Babing. on the lords pray. p 185 1. Cro. 14.1. Eccles. 4.17. Eccles. 4.17. Opposites themselues haue taught. It is more excellent then prayer also, because Paule himselfe preferreth prophecying, euen wher he speaketh of prayer: and prayer must be sanctified by the the word, & be directed by preach­ing of it: and prayer is a speaking of ours to God, whereas preaching is Gods voyce it selfe to vs. To come to Church then, and there to pray but not to heare, were the vnmanerlines of a clowne, that being in his Princes presence, will haue [Page 195]all the talke him selfe, and not suffer his Prince to speake: it were also thatThom. Morton. Apolog p 2 li. 1 c. 24. Popish barbarousnes, which holdeth that the dueties of the Saboth, serue not to edifie the Church, but to serue the Lord forsooth, with the sacrifice of a foole, with a sacri­fice that is blinde, because without knowledge, which his soule abhorreth. In re­spect hereof a whole volume suffiseth not, to shewe the indignitie of this heresie. Why then conclude we not with ourD Babing on the lords pray. pag. 189. Opposites, who cōfesse some of them, that the Lord hath ordayned preaching as the most notablest of all other meanes, and asPag. 194. the chiefest, for the erecting of his kingdome in the word: which if it bee true,Exod 10.19. Deut. 18.17. must not prayer giue place to sitt below it, althought an holy worshippe? But whe­ther it be the most principall of the Saboth worshippes, or no, a worshipp it is that is necessarie, so that a Saboth can not be sanctified well without it. This all reason yeeldeth, forasmuch as it is an ordinance of the Lorde, aMath 231 Rō 1.7. commaundement of Christes, aAct 18.4. & 17.1 2 3 practise of the Apostles, yea euer thorough all ages, till here of late in theNehe. [...].8 act [...] 14. old Church and in the new,Act 2 42 & [...]5.21. there was preaching euery Saboth,Am. 8.10.11. 1 Sam. 3.1 2. C [...]o. 15.3. so that the meeting was thought to suffer a notable deformitie, whensoeuer it was wanting. InIustin. Martir A­polog. 2. Iustinus dayes, reading and opening of the word lasted for an houre longe ordi­narilie on euerie Saboth: In Tertullians, Ter [...]ullia. Apolo c. 3 there was not a meeting of the Christi­ans, but their soules were fedd sacris sermonibus, before they brake vp the assemblie. Now it is precisenes to say, a sermon is needfull in euerie Saboth, not so of olde: Fuerunt ante haec tempora▪ sanctissimi Patres, (saithRoffeus. art. 33. a papist himselfe) qui singulis Do­minicis homilias ad po pulum declamitarant. Which ourTho Mor­ton. Apolo. pag 1. lib. 1 cap 80. Writers require, as needfull to be performed & practised now. This Homelie declaymed, was a Sermon prea­ched: read and homilie, the Minister could not, and so bee discharged in auncient times: the risingValens. concil. 2. cap. 2. of Homilies was this, when the Minister of a Countrey-parish was sicke, and could not preach, then the Deacon was set to reade an Homilie: I say, the Deacon at the first, and not the Pastour, who neuer fayled to preache the worde, if hee were able to come to the Church. Hence is it, that anotherMogunti. concil. Iub. Carol. Magn c. 25 Coun­cill tooke order in Cities and Townes, that though the Bishoppe were sicke, yet the place should be supplied, vt nunquam defit Dominicis diebus aut festiuitatibus qui verbum Dei praedicit, iuxtà quod intelligere vulgus possit. To the same purpose tende the Decrees of other Councills, to wit, vt Synod. Trullan. can. 10. ouibus diebus praecipue Dominicis populum doceat pietatis eloquia, which, that it passed through all ages, we haue this witnes:Concil. Coloni. pag. 9 ca. 9. Dies Dominicus à temporibus Apostolorum celebris, vt in vnum oues cōuenirent ad audi­endum verbum Domint. The Leiturgie of publique prayer yeelding therto, as these wordes shewe:Synod. August. cap 18. Euangelia et Epistolae diebus Dominicis lingua Germanica exponantur, eo (que) tempore nulla Missa, ne populum ab auscultatione distrahi contingat, celebretur. In­deed the reading it selfe of the Lawe, the Psalmes, the Epistles and Gospells reve­rently vsed, did not preiudice preaching as now it doth, but furthered it rather, for­asmuch as the cutting of the LessonsIoh. Belet. diume offi. cap. 56. by Hierome (beforePhilip. Mot [...]ae. de Eucharist. lib. 1. cap. 4 whom whole bookes were read in order, as they be now in the Churches reformed) was to shorten the Leiturgie, that so there might be time for preaching: and the Lessons did ordina­rilie yeeldlord. p. 31. textes for the Preachers, or the Psalmes, vnles it were on the feastes of the Natiuitie, Easter, and Pentecoste, when speciall textes were wont to bee cho­sen, fit for the solemnitie of those times. Hence it is that theDurant▪ de rit lib. 2 cap. 23. Act. 13.15. & 15.21. Papistes themselues can alleadge for the antiquitie of their readinges such places only, as proue they were afterward preached vpon (after the example of the Church of the Iewes) as these doe shewe:Ambros. lib. de offic. 1. cap. 8. Pulchrè dum legimus hodie Euangelium, spiritus sanctus obtulit no­bis l ctionem, &c. Audiuistis lectionem Euangelij. &c. with theAmbrof. epistol 75. & 33. & in lib de Ele. & Ieiu ca. 20. August in epistol. 1 Ioan. &c. like, which were their entrances into their sermons. The moderne Churches continew preaching as a necessarie duetie of the Saboth, both in their iudgement and in their practise. As for their iudgement, they teach,Pet. Ram. commenta de Relig lib. 2. ca. 6. Schola Domini praecipuè commendatur in the pre­cept [Page 196]of the Saboth, and they sett downePhilip. Melancth. pie fungi ministerio verbi for a principal duetie of it. As for their practise, whereas we thinke it a poynte of precisenes to haue a sermon euery Saboth, the lawes of Geneua cōmaundin praecep. 4 Ioh. Reyn. de Idolola. lib. 1. cap. 8. sect. 3. two in euery church within their territorie: and of other places we haue this testimonie, which shew­eth our coldnes.Bucer. in Math 12.11 Diebus Dominicis apud nos in singulis parochijs ad minimum duae, si non tres habentur conciones. Fiftlie, this Abaddon slayeth all pietie and religion in the people, and quencheth all zeale, through contempt of prophecying. This ofConstitu. Aposto. cap. 61. Act. 1.12.1 1 [...] eg. 4.23. Cantic. 1.7 Dan 12.4. Deut. 33.19. Psal 84 7. Is. 23. olde they helde it a matter without excuse, to bee absent on a Saboth from the hearing of the worde: whereas now to seeme to excuse such a manner, is become a shew of precisenes, and that out of this heresie. This of olde appointed a Saboth­dayes iourney to travayle abroad to heare the word, whē no sermon was at home, and that in ourD. Rabing 4 commau. pag. 157. Opposites owne confession: whereas now so to doe, is sermon-gadding, and sermon-ringe, and that out of this heresie. This of olde ruminated the worde at home which had bene preached, and meditated on it euen the Sa­both throughout, yea in priuateConrad. Heresbach Christian. Iurisprudē. edict. 4 pag. 105. conferred about it, as our q Opposites them sel­ues haue taught: which now is become factious, gathering of conventicles, and that by reason of this heresie. This last of all will abhorre all hinderance ofAureliane. concil. 3. Can. 27. travay­ling,Cabilonē. conercā 18 husbandrie,Matiscone. 2. can. 1. sitting vpon ciuill causes,Colenien. pag. 9. c. 10 keeping of fayres,Mogunt. cap. 61. stage-playes, dauncinges, with the like: that vse to hinder this one duetie of hearing the word,Luc. 10 42 which onely is necessarie; all of which nowe are lawfull enough, vpon any pre­tended excuse, and that out of this heresie. Sixtly, this Abaddon bringeth the curse of God on men, and eternall damnation of soule and body. For the preach­ing of the worde being the ordinarie meanes of1. cor 4.15. Gal 4.19. 1. Pet. 1.23. Iac. 1.18. regeneration; and the speciall ap­plying of the worde by the same, the ordinarie meane of our speciallRom. 1.16 &. 10.14. 1 Cor. 1.21. fayth, with­out which there is no grace, or fauour with God, or saluation to bee looked for: this heresie that scanteth preaching, and maketh men to be careles of it, is it not a murtherer?Rō 10.14. How shall they beleeue without a Preacher?Marc. 9.50. How shall they bee seasoned without the salt of the worde?Cant [...]. 8. What shalbe done for the sister that hath no brestes to feede her yonge? These speaches doe they not euen as it were, dis­payre of them that want the practise of the worde? SoDecret pa. 2. caus. 8. q 1. cap. 18. Hierome saith: The Mini­ster that preacheth not, is sent for a plague, sub quo famem & sitim populus patiaetur, non famem panis ne (que) sitim aquae, sed famen audiendi verbum Domini. Espencaeus, a pa­pist him selfe accordeth, vnder a Minister that is not diligent to preach, paeruuli pe­tunt panem (saith he) & non est qui frangat ijs. Which ourThom. Morton. Apolog. p. 1. cap. 20. Exod. 16.25 Writers doe approoue. If this matter should be handled to the full, there would bee none ende. To con­clude therfore, whereas all meanes of Saboth pollution must be abolished, as God him selfe doeth giue example, in taking the Manna out of the way, when once it grew to be an occasion of Saboth-breach: and the ceremonies of present controversie are many wayes guiltier of his impie­tie: praye we against them, as Mr Foxe prayed hartily once against the Surplice:Act and Monumen. pag. 1873. It is pitie such baytes of poperie are left (saith he) to take christi­ans in. God take them away frō vs, or els vs frō them: for God know­eth they be the cause of much blindnes and strife amongst men.

AMEN.

A Table of the contents of the severall Chapters, and Sections of this booke.

  • The Idolatrie of the Crosse. CHAP. I.
    • THe Crosse in Baptisme is Idolatrie against God, and teacheth that God is delighted with wil-worship, Sect. 1.
    • The doctrine of the crosse teacheth merit, satis­faction, and pardon for sinne, sect. 2.
    • The effectes of the crosse spiritual, great & mar­vellous. Two obiections to the same answered, Sect. 3.
    • In grace given and received by men, as also in formes of Oathes, the crosse is not only ioyned and matched with Christ, but sometime over­matcheth him as being more effectual then he, Sect. 4.
    • The signe of the crosse, a part of the Devills worship: A character to effect things super­naturall and devilish miracles. An instru­ment of witchcraft: an inchaunting rodd, a magicall signe, Sect. 5.
    • The Surplice as a Priestly and holy vestiment, is to be adored, Sect. 6.
    • The Crosse, Surplice, &c. incurable and irrre­coverable Jdolothites: the crosse no creature of God, therefore vtterly to be abolished, sect. 7.
    • Two severall sinnes committed in retayning the crosse: the first reserving it as a speciall and scandalous monument of Jdolatrie past: with six reasons against the retayning of it, sect. 8.
    • The second sinne committed in retayning the crosse, is the daunger of Idolatrie in it for time to come, Sect. 9.
    • How some contrarie to the Papists meaning and writing denie adoration to be giuen to the ae­reall crosse, sect. 10.
    • How the ayrie signe of the crosse is Jdolized and worshipped tho transeant, sect. 11.
    • Reasons with obiections answered, why the crosse may not be entertayned by vs, &c. sect. 12.
    • We commit Idolatrie in receyving the crosse, be­cause we doe not zealouslie banish it, sect. 13.
    • The second kinde of participation with Jdola­trie is, when we may hinder it, and doe not, Sect. 14.
    • Three obiections fully aunswered, whereby the Opposites endevoureth to proove that to com­municate with our Crosse, is no Idolatrie, sect. 15.
    • An obiection of the Opposites answered, saying, they may vse the Crosse, because they haue chaunged the crosse. Though there bee foure sortes of things that may be chaunged, yet the crosse is none of them, Sect. 16.
    • An enlargement and continuance of the matter contained in the former section, sect. 17.
    • Our Crosse not chaunged from the Papisticall crosse, whilest ours as also theirs resemble Christes death: and whilest the olde peece of his figure and forme remaineth, sect. 18.
    • The Opposites first difference, why our crosse not the same with the Papistes, sz because not the same Numero, sect. 19.
    • The opposites second differēce why our crosse not the same with the Papistes, sz. because ours is made at the fount only: theirs at the church doore also, sect, 20.
    • The oppesites third difference of our crosse and theirs, is in the meaning, end and vse, sect. 21.
    • Our vse of the Crosse, the same with the Papists in seaven respectes. The opposites distinction of effectivè and significativè in defence of it, answered, sect. 22.
    • Evills occasioned by the crosse it selfe, people, Minister, and Governours that vrge it, sect. 23.
    • Five defences of the crosse obiected by the Oppo­sites: The first whereof is answered in this section, and that which followeth, sect. 24.25.
    • Obiections of the opposites for the crosse confu­ted in this sect. and in the 27. following. Cere­monies honorable in their auncient beginning, must bee corrected, not remooved. sect. 26.27.
    • The abuse of the Crosse can not be remooved, the Crosse it selfe remayning, Sect. 28.
    • [Page]Preaching as it is now vsed in England, is not sufficient to remove the abuses of the crosse, the crosse it self remayning, Sect. 29.30.
    • Opposites obiection aunswered, which is, the a­buses of the Crosse are sufficiently reformed, because the Altars, Shrynes, Images, &c. be vtterly removed, &c. Sect. 31.
    • Reasons why the aereall crosse ought rather to be abolisht then the materiall, Sect. 32.
    • It avayles nothing to remoove the materiall crosse, retayning the mysticall, sect. 33.
    • Another Opposites obiection aunswered: which is, we vse it as a civill ceremonie, not religi­ous, sect. 34.
    • Pretence of a civill ende of the crosse, excuses not the crosse vsed in the worship of God, sect. 35.
    • The vse of the Crosse is religious not civill, as the Opposites prooved in this section, and that which followeth, sect. 36.
    • The 5. obiection of the Opposites aunswered: which is, he is not worshipped in the Sacra­ment, but is only an attendant vpon the sacra­ment, sect, 39.
  • The superstition of the Crosse. Sect. 1. CHAP. II.
    • THE Crosse is an Image flatly forbidden by the second commaundement, sect. 1.
    • The Crosse is directly an Jmage, sect. 2.
    • The Opposites saying, the second commaunde­ment forbiddeth onely materiall Images, are confuted. The crosse now vsed is not simply aereall, sect. 3.
    • The Opposites saying our crosse is no Image, be­cause they intend no expression, are confuted, sect. 4.
    • The opinion confuted, which not able to denie the crosse to be an Image, affirme Images to be lawfull in case the Magistrate commaunde them, &c. And the aereall crosse is worst of all Images, sect. 5.
    • The aereall crosse is a new signe directly against the entendement and rule of Gods worshippe. The daunger of retayning old popish ceremo­nies, Sect. 6.
    • The crosse sinneth against this maine principle of the worde, hee that addeth or taketh from it, &c. Popish ceremonies worse then Iewish, sect. 7.
    • The Opposites that affirme their ceremonies to come from the primitiue church immediatlie, and not from poperie, are confuted, sect. 8. and 9.
    • The second defence of the crosse confuted: that is, we receiue it not as superstitiouslie abused by the papistes, but as first vsed by the Fa­thers, sect. 10.
    • Its no good defence of the crosse to say wee haue it from our Fathers, not from the papistes, be­cause the fathers also abused both, the simple vse of it, and as it is mixt with oyle, sect. 11.
    • The Crosse is condemned as a superstitious cere­monie: as superstitious wil-worship, and for a superstitious ceremonie, and will-worshippe sacramentall, sect. 12.
    • The crosse is a Wil-worshippe, prooved by three reasons. sect. 13.
    • The holines and necessitie of the crosse, cause it to smell very ranklie of superstition, sect. 14.
    • The Opposites first reply aunswered: which is, that the law commaundes not the crosse as an holy worship like the Papistes, sect. 15.
    • The seconde pretence for defence of the crosse, is necessitie, sect. 16.
    • We can hardly accuse the Papistes of any abuse of the crosse, because we abuse it almost as much as they, sect. 17.
    • The third abuse of the crosse confuted: which is, that the crosse is vrged of necessitie without o­mission, even as with the Papistes, sect. 18.
    • The pressing of the crosse confirmes popish princi­ples: the vrging of the crosse, establisheth a po­pish necessitie, Ex consequenti, sect. 19.
    • The crosse as the Opposites vse it, is prooved to be sacramentall, sect. 20.
    • The Opposites saying the crosse is Sacramentale, is foure wayes faulty, sect. 21.
    • The Fathers vrge a necessitie of the crosse verie superstitiouslie: the Papistes more indiffe­rent then they, therefore their authoritie is of no value for the crosse, sect. 22.
    • The Opposites giue that to the signe of the crosse, which is onely proper to an essentiall part of the sacrament, sect. 23.
    • The opposites obiection saying the crosse in Bap­tisme is inferior to the water, because it comes after, confuted, sect. 24.
    • A third fault wherein the opposites vsurpeth vpon sacramentall offices, sect. 25.
    • Though the devising of new signes corrupt the simplicitie of Sacramentes ordayned by Christ, yet it hindereth not but something is left to the Church concerning circumstances, as time, place, order, &c. sect. 26.
    • Though it were lawfull for the Church to devise newe signes, yet not for religious vse, especial­lie where God hath ordayned signes for the same purpose alreadie, sest. 27.
    • And although it were lawfull there to ordaine new signes where God hath alreadie orday­ned, [Page]yet is it not lawfull to annex them to the holy signes of God, as with vs the Crosse, Sect. 28.
    • No outwarde signe ought to bee added by the churh to Christes institution, sect. 29.
    • Though it were lawfull to devise newe symboli­call signes in the Sacrament where God hath ordayned alreadie, yet not to take a Crosse from the brothelhouse of superstition, Sect. 30.
    • Obiections of the Opposites: the crosse is sooner to be vsed in that it teacheth good things, and hath a profitable signification: therefore eve­rie ceremonie is significant, or els vains: that the Lorde delighted much in signes which the woman shewed, and blamed Simon for not shewing the like, &c. sect. 31.
    • The seconde obiection of the opposites: there bee manie similitudes in scripture drawne from Gods creatures, which imploy so many signes, &c. sect. 32.
    • The thirde obiection of the Opposites: there bee divers signes added in the scripture by man lawfully as the knife of stone, and such like, sect 33.
    • The fourth signe alleadged for the defence of the Crosse, is the imposition of handes: and why should not the signe of the crosse bee as lawfull as it, sect. 34.
    • Foure offices which the crosse performeth in bap­tisme, sect. 35.
    • The fourth sinne that maketh this crosse Sacra­mentale, in these words: We receiue this childe into the congregation of Christes flocke, sect. 36.
    • It followeth not, because wee vse the Lords pray­er and Creede in Baptisme, that therefore wee may vse the crosse. For the worde crosse im­plyeth three senses contrarie to the word, sect. 37.
    • The opposites saying, that the crosse is the signe of Christ crucified, confuted, sect. 38.
    • Though Tau were in the text, yet can not acrosse be collected from it, vnles we ground doctrine vpon the mysteries of letters, which the Gno­stickes, Valentinians, and the Cabalistes vse, sect. 39.
    • That the signe of the crosse, is not the signe of the Sonne of man, sect. 40.
    • An answere to the argument of the Opposites, which is taken from Visions and Apparitions, sect. 41.
    • Answeres to the arguments, which the opposites take from miracles, sect. 42.
    • the refuge which the opposites seeke to haue by the Fathers, remooved, both because they pas­sed measure herein, as also, that the case and time is now farre chaunged, sect. 43.
  • The Hypocrisie of the Crosse. Sect. 1. CHAP. III.
    • That the vsing of the Crosse, is but an idle apish toye, and lighter then the Surplice, which is also too light, Sect. 2.
    • That the crosse is vnprofitable, fleshlie, smelling of Idolatrie, and of too light a colour, Sect. 3.
    • The profits alledged to accompanie the crosse, for commendation thereof, as to keepe from sinne, confusion, cause zeale, and to helpe in the in­stant of temptation, are refuted, sect. 4.
    • That the crosse is nowe not onely vnprofitable, but also verie hurtfull, sect. 5.
    • The seconde excuse, that the crosse is imposed by Christian Magistrates, is taken away in divers respectes, especiallie because it is taken as a consenting in a part to the ceremonies of the church of Rome, sect. 6.
    • That the crosse fostereth hypocrisie in the middes of our church, and hindereth spirituall wor­shipp, sect. 7.
    • The hipocrisie of the crosse in preposterating, e­vacuating, and polluting the vnderstanding, which is the first part of the soule reasonable, is proved, sect. 8.
    • That the crosse is not a monitorium to the me­morie, but defileth it with the hipocrisie of pre­posteration, with vacuitie of the remembrance pretended, and with forgetfulnes of God and his word, sect. 9.
    • That the crosse occasioneth, and breedeth canker in the conscience, and that which the Oppo­sites alleadge, that conscience is but a pretence, is anticipat, Sect. 10.
    • The hipocrisie and preposteration of the crosse, in the Will, in respect of the meanes for attay­ning to the right end, is proved, Sect. 11.
    • How the crosse is vrged by our Opposites for sini­nister end, and not in synceritie, Sect. 12.
    • That the crosse preposterateth, evacuateth, and polluteth the affection of feare, sect. 13.
    • How the signe of the crosse is an enimie to our af­fiance in the merites of Christ, sect. 14.
    • That the crosse evacuateth and polluteth faith, sect. 15.
    • That the Crosse evacuateth and polluteth loue & zeale, both for matter, and measure, sect. 16.
    • The hipocrisie of the crosse in prayer, is prooved in respect it is thought to be operatiue, sancti­ficatiue, and helpefull thereto, sect. 17.
    • The speciall hipocrisie of the crosse, is evidentlie declared in the life and conversation of those that did beare it, sect. 18.
  • [Page]The Impietie of the Crosse. Sect. 1. CHAP. IIII.
    • THAT the Crosse mocketh the Lords Sab­boths, in darkening them: guiding the po­pish Processions, and with whorishe braverie, in the worship of God, Sect. 2.
    • That the crosse corrupteth the simplicitie of the Sabboth, sect. 3.
    • That the signe of the crosse defileth the sanctitie of the Sabboth, sect. 4.
    • That the ceremonies, and the crosse in speciall, steale away true devotion from the heart, and are occasions of irreverence, sect. 5.
    • That the ceremonies controversed, not onely de­file, but hinder the worshipp of the Sabboth, sect. 6.
    • The Ceremonies hinder the Preaching of the Sabboth, both in parte and in the whole, sect. 7.
    • That the Ceremonies controversed, hinder the word in whole, sect. 8.
    • That the Ceremonies with their subscription, shutt out good shepheardes, suffers and fosters hyrelinges, ignorance, pluralitie, and non resi­dencie, sect. 9.
    • That the Ceremonies controversed, hinder prea­ching, shutting out the Preachers, and put­ting the light vnder a bushell, sect. 10.
    • An aunswere to the reproche of the Opposites, which is, that these who stande for Discipline, are vnlearned, sect. 11.
    • That the fault why faithfull Ministers are cast out of their Ministerie, lyeth not vppon them selves, sect. 12.
    • The calumnie of peevishnes and foolishnes im­puted to the Ministers, for not recey­ving Cappe and Surplice, is aunswered, sect. 13.
    • The calumnie of leaving the Ministerie, is an­swered, and the ignorantes and others, who subscribe, to abide in the Ministerie, are by the way chalenged and convicted, sect. 14.
    • That the losse of the Ministerie, vnto the faith­full Ministers, rather then to approove the Ceremonies, shall be the Lords gaine also, as the iudgement of our best Divines, is so to doe, Sect. 15.
    • That the small estimation of Preaching, vnder pretence to care for praying, as the opposites alleadge, is the abaddone or murthering sinne of these dayes, and takes away the right vse of the Sabboth, sect. 16.

The ende of the contentes of the severall Chapters and Sections of the first part of this booke.

An Alphabeticall Table of some speciall pointes interlaced here and there in this Booke.

A.
  • God accursed the presumptiō of the Fathers in vsing other fignes besides his, pa. 99.
  • To adde new signes is to vsurpe the of­fice of the holy Ghost, pa. 97. and to defile the institution, ibid. & pa. 112.
  • We may adde rost-meate, or sod-meate to the Supper of the Lorde, as well as the figne of the crosse to Baptisme, pa. 102.
  • Any addition in Gods service, without his war­rant, is an Image which he detesteth, pa. 62.
  • The addition of a new Altar by Salomon, was vpon speciall warrant, he being a prophet, and it was added out of the equitie of Moses law, p. 100
  • All that is added to the institution, by man, is the Devils, pa. 129. R. p. 1.
  • The Adiaphorisme of popish rites retained, is the verie image of the beast, pa. 136. and a coun­termaund of that precept, Reve. 18.4. ibid.
  • The affectation of great learning hath brought forth a windie kinde of teaching, pa. 184.
  • The Altar of the two Tribes and a halfe, was not in state religious as the crosse is, nor in vse, but was civill, pa. 100.
  • Antiquation of popish ceremonies bewayled by the papistes, as a downfall of their religion it selfe, pa. 68.
  • The Apostles them selves cannot absolutelie commaund in things indifferent, pa. 87.
  • The Armorie of Rome yeeldeth weapons suffi­cient against the dumbe Ministerie, Pluralities, and Non-residencie, pa. 180.
B.
  • The Beades and Bells of the papistes not so bad as the crosse, pa. 162.
  • The Brazē serpent, after it had served idolatrie, was no longer the serpent of God, but the ser­pent of idolaters, & the serpēt of the devil, pa. 40.
  • Bread & cheese in the Lord Supper as lawful as the crosse in baptisme, pa. 95.103.
  • A paire of Bulles hornes put vppon the fore­head of the baptized, is as warrantable as the crosse, pa. 109.
C.
  • The Calfe of the Israelites was an Image of God, pa. 59.
  • Everie ceremonie vniteth a man to the Religi­on to which it belongeth, pa. 75.
  • Ceremonies which haue beene abused to super­stition, can never serve for order or comelines, pa. 78.
  • Our ceremo, a scourge to good preachers, and a meanes to keepe in Oxen and Asses, pa. 151.
  • The ceremo. in controverse (viz the Crosse and Surplice) haue bene not onely offered privately, but they haue also been publikely cōsecrated to idolatrous service, and so are become Idolothytes in the highest degree, pa. 9.10. They are idoles, monumentes of idolatrie, and incentiues to the same, pa. 13. They are reliques of poperie, p. 12. They are notorious brokers of poperie, and poy­sonfull, pa. 22. In retayning of them we approve of poperie, ibid. & 23. They are harlots that haue proceeded out of the loynes of mans braynes, & pedlery wares of poperie, pa. 23. No Church or holy societie can make thē holy, pa. 24. they are meere inventions of man, pag. 26. They have no needfull vse to proone them selues Gods lawfull coyne, ibidem. They are no otherwise to bee thought of then we thinke of the devil him selfe, pa. 38. They haue ben instruments of the service of devils, pa. 49. If they were cut off & gone, the word of God would flourish more, pa. 66. They hazard the substāce of the dectrine it self of our Church, ibid. They haue been defloured by that man of sinne, & haue drawne in the yoke of An­tichrist, pa. 76. They are vaine, & light, & hated of good men, pa. 78. They disturbe the churches that haue discontinued them, & set the churches that nourish them in their bosomes, in a combu­stion of endles cōtentions, ibid. There is an opi­nion of too great holines had of thē, p. 84. there is no vse of them pleasing to the Lord, but that which most disseiseth them of that honorable e­stimatiō which they haue, pa. 85. There is in thē, a smatch of the popish leaven, & such a twange [...] of holines, as is proper to worship, ibid. They are creatures of Antic. pa. 108. They are reliques of idolatry, pa. 158. They cause the sonns & daughters of the Philistines to boast, pag. 159. they are more shamefull & hatefull to a minister of God, thē is a fooles coate, pa. 175. they are badges of Antic. & love tokens of former adultery, ibi. they are the two Gileadites that keepe the passages of our church, to stay (if not stabbe) every able and worthy scholler, that wil not pronouce their Shibboleth. & daunce roundly after the pipe of their Subscriptiō, pa. 178. they are sworne servants to that mā of sin, and yet made Porters of Christes house, ibid. the keies are cōmitted to thē to open & shut, & yet they can no lōger stay in office, thē whilest the keies of heavēly knowledge are taken away frō the people, ibid. They are as bad as the Serpent, and bring in all manner of evill into the world, pa. 179. they drive frō Gods service many worthy Ministers, ibid. They hinder the purging of our church, as being loth to part cōpany from that droue of their own coūtrey cattel, that came frō Rome with thē, ibid. they are most obstinate enemies to the preaching of the Sabbath, pa. 180 They lay wast the chaire of Moses, pa. 181. They are not wel purged from their auncient Romane pride, ibi. They are Agagites, which haue got thē hornes, & they thrust with side & shoulder, to the smiting of the shepheardes, and scattering of the flockes, pa. 182. When they were newly borne, [Page]their hurt was not litle, ibid.
  • Chappels of case would be vnited to other churches, where there may bee provision for preaching, pa. 193.
  • The Church barreth her dores against all such things as haue ben cōsecrat vnto Idoles, pa. 55. It must be fedde with the word, and not with dumbe signes and dead images, pa. 114.
  • The state of our Courch would be glorious, and many golden Preachers would enter, if the barre of Subscription, and the clogg of Cere­monies were rolled away pa. 176.
  • Many Churches haue bene built to the name, and honor of the crosse, pa. 169.
  • The Churches of France, Helvetia, & Germa­nie, as they haue abolished the whole drosse of popish doctrine, so they retaine not so much as a dramine of their ceremonies, pa. 134. R. 3. p. 2
  • Our Communion booke termed by the papists an English translation of the Masse-booke, pa. 135. R. 4. p. 1. It is not throughly purged of popish superstition, ibid.
  • We concurre with papists in holy daies and in feastes, in singing & chaunting, & church mu­sique, in Coapes & Cappes, & in fasts, pa. 172.
  • Confirmation at the first was only within the solemnitie of Baptisme, p. 97. It robbeth Bap­tisme of his honor, pa. 101.
  • Our cōform▪ with papists in their rites destroy­eth that difference & separatiō which ought to be betwene the church of God and aliens, p. 69.
  • All Coparturship with aliens in their rites and [...]ustoms is vnlawful, pa. 78. 79 133, R. 3. p. 1.171
  • A Cow is as good a signe of Christes death, as is the crosse, pa. 60.
  • A Crosse was the harbinger of al Rom. cerem. when they first entered into England. pa. 163.
  • The Crosse is an Idol many wayes polluted, p. 3. 5. 18. 48. 169. It is held to be a necessarie in­strument & meane of mans salvation, pa. 4. 85. It is supposed to blesse, convert sinners, sancti­fie, drive away the Devill, worke miracles, and saue all that are marked with it. p. 4. 5. It is a Devill and adored by the papists as a distributer both of temporall blessings and heavenly gra­ces, pa. 5. It is an idolatrous signe, as bad as the serpent idolized by the Iewes, and it cutteth too neate vpō the office of the H. Ghost, ibid. It par­taketh of Gods worship both inward and out­ward, pa. 6. 7. It is a Rite of the devils, an instrumēt of witchcraft, & a very inchaūting rod. p. 7 It wil never goe frō the possessiō of privat hou­ses, vntill the publike house of God doe spue it out, ibid. It is made an Amulete against the de­vil, ibi. It passeth the pollutiō of al other Idolo­thites, pa. 10. It is a grand Consecratour of all things in idolatr-worship, ibid. It must bee cast out of the Temple of God, and throwne to the moules & backes, the cōmō receptacle of al de­filed reliques, p. 10. It is a principal badge of po­pery, pa. 11. 12. R. 1. p. 2. 136. It is not to be mē ­tioned honourably with the signe of the Cove­nant, pa. 12. It is a iewell of the harlots, a Pro­phee of Antic. cōquest, a signe of cōmoderation with Gods enemies, a stūbling block to the po­pishly minded, a snare like to one of Canaans monuments, & a vanitie no way profitable, ibi. It must pack out of gods worship, pa. 13. If but the carcasse of it be left aboue groūd, the stinke therof wilbe intollerable, pa. 19. It is an vnlaw­full imitation of the popish crossing, though it be pretended that with vs it is vsed to a diverse end, pa. 21. 72. 73. 74. 134. R. 3. p. 2. It is leprous & ought to be burnt, as being (when it was at the best) but hay & stubble, pa. 25. 39. It is too too like the popish crosse, p. 26. 28. 32. 34. 80. It hath too honorable a place in Gods service, pa. 26. 27, 41. It retaineth with vs (& that intirely) his old idols office, pa. 27. It is not only signifie [...] tiue, but effectiue, pa. 33 91. 129. 160. People are prone to dote vpō it in popish maner, so long as they see it before their eies after their old popish fashion, pa. 34. It had never any ancient vse that was laudable, pa. 39. Many other superstitions ceremonies as auncient as it, ibid. It hath recei­ued in poperie all the abuses which can be na­med, pa. 40. It is not the ancient Fathers crosse, ibid. & 75. A poysonful rust hath so deeply ea­ten into it, that it cannot be cured, pa. 41. It is a ring-worme that spreadeth mightily, ibid. It hath been a fertile mother of much superstitiō, even from the infancie of it, pa. 42. 57. The ae­real crosse much worse then the material, p. 47. It is a harlot that is talkatiue, pa. 49. It is a ce­remonie abused to the depth of al miquitie, pa. 52. It is an Idole an Idolothite, an Image for­biddē, a signe humane, a ceremonie popish, pa. 55. It hath been no where more a [...]used then in Baptisme, pa. 56. It hath a deepe hande in all the incantations of the water in baptisme, pag. 57. It is a breach of the very letter of the se­cond commaundement, pa. 58. 59. It is greater then any other Image, pa. 58. It is the great [...]st Deuill amongst all the Idoles of Rome, pa. 59. It reacheth with a fescue, & keepeth the church still in her infancie, pa. 66. It sinneth against a maine authorament of the 2. command. pa. 68. It is a member of the harlot of Rome vnited to Antichrist. p. 75. It is partner with the Oyle in all the horrible superstitiōs of it. It is the chief cognisāce of the harlot of Rome, p. 78. It is the very Queene of all other Traditions, pa. 82. It ought to be as odious to vs, as is the Gallouse to a child, on which his father was hanged, ibid. It is preferred before preaching & deeds of mercy ibid. It is made as necessarie with vs as it is in poperie. pa. 85. Jt is an Hagar that hath a long time not only crowed against her mistresse, but also crowded into her place, pa, 89. Jt is a Sacra­mentall, if not a Sacrament, pa. 90.
  • [Page]It fitteth with Baptisme, & dedicateth out seede to God, pa. 94. It is worse then the worst of the Romish symbolical signes, pa. 99. 104. 149. It is an Altar fetcht from Damascus, and sett in the Temple cheeke by ioule with the Altar of the Lord, pa. 101. It is sacriledge, pa. 102. It is taken from the brothelhouse of Gods great enemie, and must out to the dunghill, pa. 104. It is as swines flesh to the Lord, ibid. Among all the signes of Rome, there is not a more grosse or dirtie harlot, ibid. It is cashiered out of all protestant Churches, pa. 105. 159. It be­ing a plant of mans, it must be rooted out, ibid.
  • It is beheaded with the same Axe that cutteth off other popish signes, pa. 112. It was vsed by the Fathers as a gesture of prayer, without anie word annexed vnto it, pa. 114. It is a superflu­ous, vnlawfull, and insufficient Teacher, no better then the Devill, pa. 115. It is incorpo­rated (even with vs) into the Sacramentall acti­ons, ibid. It is not Christes banner, pag. 116. It is a Character of the Beast, pag. 120. It hath no ground in Gods worde, ibid. It ietteth in the name of Christes signe, wherof it hath rob­bed the water in Baptisme, pa. 133. Out of our church, it is no where vsed but for a signe of Antichristianitie, ibid. It is needles and super­fluous, a Iewell of Antichrist, and a fruite for­bidden, pag. 134. It is a very play-game, no better then fast and loose, pa. 135. It is too merrie a gesture, to represent the sorrowfull tormentes of Christ, ibid. No fether lighter, no not the fethers of the Masse-flap, pag. 128. Q. 4. pa. 2. It is a soule-murtherer, and a stirrer of sedition in our church, ibid. The more auncient it is, the worse? and the more contentment it giveth, the more superstition it breedeth, pa. 129. R. pa. 1. As much may be saide for the whole waine-lode of popish cere­monies, as the Proctors of the crosse say for it, ibid. It smelleth too much of the stewes, ibid. It is a straunge fire, pa. 131. R. 2. pag. 1. The vse of it against the Devill, is no better then a strawe to runne at Tilt withall, pa. 132. R. 2. p. 2. It stayeth and stayneth out profession, ibid. It is the speciall marke of the Beast, and the cognisance of Antichrist, pag. 136. It is a beg­gerlie ceremonie, wanting power to inrich with grace spiritual, pa. 138. It is matched with the word, & in some sort preferred before it, p. 136 It is held to be better thē a sermon, and worthy of worshippe and adotation, pa. 140. It is a mute character, & dumbe signe, a blind guide, and a dumbe vicar of the Devill, ibid. It hath no instructions in it, but onely the lessons of grosse Idolatrie, penned by the Devill, ibid. It defileth like an Harpie, whatsoever it toucheth, with all his hypocrisies, pa. 141. By retayning it, we open a gappe to Lutheranisme, Adiapho­risme, and all Idolatrie, pag. 141. It is a thorne in the [...]ande of a violent man, to hurt others, and to vndoe them, pag. 142. It is but a Tra­dition of mans, and yet it is preferred before the lawes of God, pa. 147. There is more stirre to vpholde it, then the preaching of the word, pa. 148. It is a deceiptfull toy, pag. 154. It was at the firste a faithles invention taken vp without all warrant, occasion, or neede, pag. 155. It is made a Magicall inchauntment, I­bid. The pruning knife of doctrine was ne­ver able, to this houre, to loppe of the abuses of it, ibidem. It bewitcheth the soule, it bla­steth the body, and wasteth the goods without all pitty, pag. 156. It is a mutuall prayer. pag. 160. The maintayners of it haue no­thing to cover it withall but figge-leeves, pa. 165. It is dounge that polluteth the Sab­bath, pa. 166. It mocketh the Sabbath by the mocke-sabbaths which it hath sett vpp to it selfe, ibid. It is not founde in the Leiturgies of the primitiue Church, pag. 169. It came into the Sabbath by Montanus, and grewe into credite with the rest of his inventions, pa. 170. It is an hereticall and idolatrous rite of the forehead, as badde as a pagan garland, ibi. It is a badge of the Devill, fodered into the ve­rie forehead of the Sacrament it selfe, pa. 172. Blessing with it is no better then blessing with an old shooe-sole. pa. 161.
D.
  • The Deacon was wont to teade an Homilie, when the Minister of a Countrey-parish was sicke, and could not preach, pa. 195.
  • The Devill doeth bend him selfe against the Pastors, that he may make the more havock of the flocke, pa. 181.
  • To devise new signes is to set the church to schoole againe after the Iewish maner, pa. 98. and to vilifie the signes which God hath ap­pointed. pa. 100.
  • Everie new devised signe is a newe devised sa­crament, pag 90.
  • Great diversitie and doubtfulnes touching the fashion of the crosse, pa. 60.
  • A Done let downe of old vpon the baptised, for a signe of regeneration by the spirit, an vn­lawfull signe, pa. 101.
  • The duties of the Sabbath serve to edifie the Church, as well as for the service of God, pag. 195.
E.
  • The Ephod set vp by Gedeon in short time made Ophra more famous then the Tuberna­cle, pa. 100.
F.
  • The Fathers holde the water in Baptisme to be nothing worth without the crosse, pa. 77. 90 92. 113. They can be no vizard for a ceremonie which hath beene abused since, pag. 75. They called the signe of the crosse a sacrament, pa. 89. [Page]They are verie vnsavourie in the matter of the crosse. pa. 90.
  • The Feast came after the worshipping of the calfe, and after the substance of Idolatrie: and yet the Apostle counteth it a principall part of the Idoles service, pag. 95.
  • Formalistes for livings sake lye downe vnder the burden of Subscription and conformitie, which wring the shoulders of their cōsciences, pag. 188. Many of them cut our their tōgues, either not vsing their giftes at all, or having no giftes to vse, or abusing their giftes, or vsing them to no purpose, pag. 189. Some of them are non-residentes loco, others officio, by their conformitie gracing popery, and for the vp­holding of their conformitie broaching many popish pointes in their preaching. Ibid.
  • Maister Foxe prayeth hartily against the Sur­plice, pa. 196.
G.
  • GOD bestoweth no grace vpon any, but by his owne meanes; which the crosse is not, pa. 4.
  • He alloweth no Teacher but him selfe, nor meanes of Teaching, but his holy Worde and Sacraments, pa. 62.
  • There were no Godfathers in the primitive church, pa. 71.
H.
  • Heathenish Jdolatrie sprang from a desire to adde visible signes to the booke of the creaturs, pag. 139.
  • Hezekiah was bound to demolish the brazē serpent, pa. 36. 37. 41.
  • The holy kisse is cast out of the church, though it went before the solemnitie of the Supper, & was a meere naturall signe of peace, and had no state in the Sacrament it selfe, pag. 111.
  • Holy water a meere prophanation, and re­petition of Baptisme, pag. 101.
  • Homilies dubd with the name of preaching, and held to bee a preaching sufficient for the sanctifying and saving of the church, pa. 175.
  • A Homilie is too leane a sacrifice for a Sab­bath▪ Ibid.
  • It is but a dead letter, pa. 176.
  • There wanteth in it the gift of the spirit, the arte of the husbandman, the heate of the nurse, the opening of the Booke, the dressing of the meate, the interpreter which is one amongest a thousande, and that ordinance of God, which onely bringeth the blessing with it, Ibid. It is but a woodden shadow of preaching, and no­thing worth, Ibid.
  • How Homelies beganne, pa. 195.
  • Hony added to the wine of the Supper, and to the water of Baptisme, is as auncient as the crosse, and hath bene lesse abused, and yet is vn­lawfull, pag. 103.
I.
  • An Jdole is to the Lord as doungue, pa. 3.
  • Jdolaters defile whatsoever belongeth vnto them, if their vse which is religious, hath but touched it, pa. 9. Yea so as it cannot be made cleane to vs, pa. 18. 24.
  • Things that haue once served Idolatrie, are Idolatrous, pa. 40. 56.
  • An Jdoles name must not bee mentioned in common talke, pag. 53.
  • The Idole and ignorant ministerie is the bane of our church, pag. 150. It is the very sinnewes of Antichrist, pa. 179.
  • An Jdolothite defined, pag. 9.
  • A thing being knowne to bee Idolothious, a protestation that we honor not the Idole, ser­veth not the turne, pag. 23.
  • All Jmages in churches daungerous and vn­lawfull, though not worshipped, pa. 64. 65.
  • Jmages of God in poperie are as vile Idoles as the Images of the Pagans were, pa. 38.
  • Imposition of handes is vsed with vs effecti­uely, pa. 34.
  • All Inventions of man in the worshippe of God, are forbidden in the second commaunde­ment. pag. 61.
K.
  • Sundrie sortes of Knightes, which beare the crosse for their badge: and why? pa. 163.
L.
  • In what case the leaving of the Ministerie is sinfull, pa. 188.
  • A long Leiturgie wearieth the people before the Sermon beginneth, cloyeth the Minister, and filleth vp the roome of preaching, pa. 177.
  • Libertie turned into necessitie, is libertie no longer, pa. 87.
  • Libertie to devise newe signes, is but a young wanton novice, which the licentious Adiapho­risme hath begotten, pag. 100.
  • All likenes of Cerem. with Idolaters forbid­den, pa. 78. 133. R. 3. pa. 1. 134. R. 3. p. 2. 171.
  • No worse livers in the world, then the likers of the Crosse, pa. 163.
  • Lordlines in Prelates is one of the shames & blaynes of this church, pag. 193.
  • The Love-feastes were more auncient and farre more tolerable then the crosse, and yet ro­moved by the Apostle, pa. 95. 102.
M.
  • Melanthons fall was fearfull, and all forma­listes may take warning by him, pa. 186.
  • Milke added to the Lords supper & to Bap­tisme is as auncient as the crosse, and as signifi­cant, and hath bene lesse abused, and yet is vn­lawfull, pag. 103.
  • No one Minister deprived in this lande but by Christes sufferance and toleration, pa. 189.
  • A Minister that laboureth by another, must eate by another also, but him self eate nothing, pag. 194.
  • [Page]A Minister that entreth into the church v­pon a Sabbath without preaching, is culpable of a grievous sinne, ibid. He sinneth the sinne of a dumbe dogge, and suffereth the people to pollute the Sabbath, Jbid.
  • All monumentes of Idolatrie are to be demo­lished, pa. 12. 36. 37. 41. 43.
N.
  • Nonresidencie vnlawfull, pa. 150. 180. It is one of the shames and blaynes of this church, pag. 193.
  • The Nonresident droppeth but now & then a shower, which never maketh fruitfull, pa. 185
  • Non-residents, idle and Idole ministers, drū ­kards, fornicators, and ganisters, should be pu­nished rather then the painefull and profitable Ministers, who notwithstanding are pursued, whereas there is no lawe to punish the other, pag. 148.
O.
  • All occasions that may reduce to Idolatrie, are to be removed, pa. 13.
  • Occasions that deferre from the Ministerie, must bee very carefully weeded out, and all meanes possible brought in place, that may thrust men into the vineyard, pa. 178.
  • In the Old law no signes were lawfull which were not shewed in the patterne in the mount, pag. 98.
  • Those Orders be most pure that come most nigh to the ensample of the primitiue church. p. 170.
  • No outward signe must bee added by the church to Christes institution, pa. 102. 103.
  • Oyle is as auncient as the crosse, pa. 76. & yet to be abolished, pag. 93.
  • The Oyle and the crosse are twinnes of one birth, pag. 98.
P.
  • Papisme will sprout vp againe, vnlesse all the customes of it bee heawen downe at the roote, pag. 73.
  • Pluralitie of Benefices vnlawfull, pag. 180.
  • Poperie is furthered whilest such notorious brokers of it (as the Surplice and the crosse) are not resisted, pa. 22.
  • Poperie is the greatest heresie of the new Te­stament, pag. 37. It is the quintessence of all Paganisme, ibid.
  • Popish ceremonies are worse then Iewish, pa. 31. 69. 133. R. 3. pa. 1. 166. The establishing of them is a devise to drawe in the whole body of poperie, and carieth a shew of inclination thereto, pag. 67. The retayning of them kee­peth still on foote many popish principles, and will in the end robbe and rifle our faith, pa. 68. They must be grubd cleane out of the church, pag. 31.
  • Popish rites renew a Iewish and carnall wor­ship, and are but vayles which must away, pag. 139.
  • Popish consecrated Oyle good to greaze shoes withall, pa. 64.
  • The Popish Procession is litle better then a heathenish May-game, and a pompous Athe­man sacrifice, pa. 168.
  • Popish Saints are painted in their churches with the beastes which they loved, as the Pa­gan Gods were with thens. pag. 72.
  • No Popish rite should haue to doe in our ser­vice, especially it should not meddle with the office of the Sacrament, pag. 74.
  • One good Preacher is able to doe exceeding much good: and there is a great losse of such a one turned to another course of life. pa. 178.
  • The painefull Preacher (though not so lear­ned) bringeth in a greater harvest for the most part, then he that standeth vppon his learning: and the reasons why, pag. 184.
  • Preachers lippes are in a maner sowed vp frō speaking against the abuse of the Crosse, lest they should seeme to speake against the crosse in Baptisme, pa. 132. R. 2. p. 2.
  • The Preachers which refuse the signe of the crosse, doe more truly beare the crosse thē their pursuers, pag. 165.
  • The Preachers who haue their mouthes gag­ged, are in Paules case, and in the case of Iulians souldiers, pa. 135. R. 4. p. 1. and in Ambrose his case, pa. 187. They can not conforme with­out making shipwracke of a good conscience, pag. 145.146. They haue learning enough, as having learned the trueth, pa. 183. Their Churches are letters of commendations spea­king for them, pa. 184. They leaue not their Ministerie, but are thrust our against their wills, their ministerie being the cōfort of their liues, pa. 187. They haue vsed all lawfull meanes for the keeping of their ministerie, ibid. and 188. They are called from their Ministerie by him that called them to it: the worke being ended for which they were called, yag. 189. They are readie, even at an houres warning, if the Lord call them, the Church neede them, or they finde in conscience they may reenter, pag. 190. They leaue their Churches no other wayes then our Saviour Christ, Elias, & Saint Paul did, ibid.
  • None but Preachers are deposed, whereas none but they should stay in pag. 194.
  • Great learned Preaching is very fruitles, and great learned Sermons are strawbery sermons, pag. 184.
  • Preaching by others is not sufficient, pa. 194. He that preacheth by others, shall goe to hea­ven by others, but to hell in his owne person, ibid.
  • Preaching is the chiefest worship of God [Page]more excellent then administring the Sacra­mentes, exercising the Discipline, reading, or prayer, ibid. It is the most notable and the chiefest meanes for the erecting of Gods king­dome in the world, pa. 195. A Sabbath can­not be well sanctified without it, and the rea­son why, ibid. It is the ordinarie meanes of regeneration, and of our speciall faith, pa. 196.
  • The Prelates, by their rigorous exaction of ceremonies, giue suspicion of many hypocri­sies, pa. 150. 151. They retaine a crosse in signe to bring their brethren vnder the crosse in suf­fering, pa. 165. They exchaūge golden prea­ching for woodden ceremonies, pa. 175. Their deepe learning is but the depth of Satan, p. 183.
R.
  • Reverence to the Sacrament is best procured, by laying open the institution by the preaching of the worde, and thē delivering it in that sim­plicitie in which we haue received it, pa. 112.
  • The Ring hath too honorable a place in ma­riage, pa. 96.
  • All Rites abused popishlie (if they be not or­dained of God) must be abolished, p. 26. 77. 93.
  • All Rites, which are helde necessarie by the papistes, are to be disvsed, pa. 88.
  • Rome the greatest enemie that ever Christ had vpon the earth, pag. 38. It is an habitation & cage of Devils, her factors the spirits of Devils, and her Idoles even Devils themselves, ibid.
S.
  • A Sacrament and a Sacramētal, all one, pa. 90. The second commaundement authoriseth the word to be the rule of all Gods worship, pa. 66.
  • All shewe of Idolatrie, even in the least cere­monie, is to be avoided, pa. 11.
  • No signes now should burdē the church, saue those which the Lord hath left, which are not burdensome, pa. 98.
  • The signe of the son of man, what it is, pa. 129
  • The simplicitie of the first church, is a paterne for vs to follow, pa. 169. R. 4. p. 1.
  • A square cap, vnfit for a round head, pa. 135.
  • Subscription is a rough way to walk in, where every steppe wilbe a gash, pa. 143. It spurneth out of our church many Preachers, whom God hath fitted for his worke, pa. 178. It hath ben so fleshed, that it will hurt so long as it is retay­ned, pa. 181.
  • Suing for benefices & church dignities, is very pernitious, pa. 193.
  • That is Superstition, which is supra statutum, pa. 58.
  • The Surplice is a filthy Idole. p. 9. In retay­ning it, we approue of Popery. pa. 22. It is the Idoles habite. pa. 29. 130. R. 1. p. 2. It is one of the pedlery wares of popery, pa. 23. It may be worne no where out of Gods service, pa. 53. It is the cast apparell of the harlot of Rome, pa. 71. 78. 129. R. 1. p. 1. It is as vndecent for the holy spouse of Christ, as a harlots weede is for a grave matrone, pa. 78. It is vsed no where out of our church, & in that regard also is vn­decent, pa. 108. It is player-like apparel, histri­onicall, scenicall, a vaine vizard, & a prety apish toy, pa. 135. By it Christ is againe exposed to laughter in a white garment, pa. 186. It is a cunning invention of the Devill, pa. 187. It is a character of Antichrist. ibid.
T.
  • A Temple built on Garezim, soone overtopt the Temple at Ierusalem, pa. 100.
  • Things of them selues free, become necessa­rie to bee vsed when they edifie, to bee disvsed when they edifie not, pa. 87.
  • Those Times bee purest that bee neerest to Christ and his Apostles, pa. 170.
  • The three hundreth souldiors of Gedeon re­semble the 300. Ministers, who now stande out against the crosse, pa. 120.
  • The Traditions of men defile the confession of faith, pa. 133. R. 3. p. 1.
  • The fat Traditions of the papistes are retay­ned still amongst vs, pa. 149. 150.
V.
  • Valentinus the heretique was the father and first begetter of the crosse, pa. 75.
W.
  • The Wafer-cake was never halfe so supersti­ouslie abused as the crosse, pa. 80.
  • Want of preaching is very daungerous, pag. 193. 196.
  • Water mingled with the wine in the Lordes supper, is more tollerable thē the crosse in bap­tisme, pa. 52. 95. 102. 103.
  • The White garment, not fit to be vsed at bap­tisme, pa. 156.
  • All Wil-worship is carnall worship and flat idolatrie, pa. 3.
  • Gods Worship is wronged by all new devised signes, and popish rites, pa. 66.
  • Worshipping in the Papacie is as abhomina­ble as the pagane adoration, pa. 38.
Y.
  • We must not Yeeld one whit to papistes, pag. 135. R. 4. p. 1.
  • They yelding of Ministers openeth the mouths of papistes, and of the common people, pa. 191.
  • Vpon yeelding to Conformity there followeth a deprivation of former giftes, zeale, loue, pain­fulnes, ioy, yea knowledge and all, pa. 191.
Z.
  • Zeale cā indure nothing of Antich. no not the name of any thing that bolongeth vnto him, & is defiled by his polluted mēbers, pa. 156. It abhorreth all shew of poperie, ibi. It cānot indure cōform. with aliens, no not in civil guises p. 157 much lesse in their relig. rites, such as the crosse & Surplice are, ibi. It wil shew no countenance towards Idolaters or heretikes, ibi. It can abide no reliques of idolatrie, pa. 158.

The Names of the Authours, Treatises, and Councels cited in this Discourse.

A.
  • ANtonius Nebrissensis
  • Antonius Historiens.
  • Antonius Gubert.
  • Antonius Sadael
  • Antonius Posseuin.
  • Antonius de Corduba
  • Antonius Fayus
  • Antonin. Histor.
  • Aeneas Syluius
  • Aelianus Varro
  • Aegidius Hunniu [...]
  • Aegesyppus.
  • Athanasius.
  • Auentinus.
  • Amalar.
  • Alcuinus.
  • Albertus Magnus,
  • Abraham Scult.
  • Agrippa.
  • Andreas Frisius.
  • Andreas Hipperius
  • Augustinus.
  • Andradius.
  • Amandus Polanus.
  • Alexander Alesius.
  • Anselmus.
  • Ambrosius.
  • Attil▪ Serranus.
  • Alphonsus de Castro.
  • Agathias Scholasticus.
  • Ad [...]ianus.
  • Aulus Gellius.
  • Arnobius.
  • Abraham. Fransus.
  • Arius Montanus.
  • Andreas Masius.
  • Alphonsus Tostat.
  • Aubanius.
  • Alexander ab Alexandro.
  • Apuleius.
  • Aratus.
  • Abbots
  • Auent.
  • Angesismus
  • Albertus Crantz.
  • Adrian. Papa.
  • Answ. to the petit. by the vice­chanc. and Doctor of Oxon.
  • Author. lib. de singularit. Clericorum.
  • A discourse of the conference at Fontainbleau.
  • Anglic. Historia.
B.
  • BIlsonus
  • Bellarminus
  • Breuiar. Romanum.
  • Bucerus.
  • Beatus Rhenanus
  • Bullingerus
  • Brissonius
  • Balaeus.
  • Babington.
  • Blond.
  • Basilius
  • Beda histor.
  • Burchardus
  • Bernardus Bridenbachius.
  • Bartholom Laran.
  • Becon.
  • Bristow motives
  • Benedictus Aretius.
C.
  • CAjetanus
  • Catharinus
  • Chemnitius.
  • Caesar Baronius
  • Costerus
  • Carolus Sigon.
  • Cal [...]hil.
  • Coelius Rhoding.
  • Chrysostomus
  • Clemens
  • Cyril [...]us Hierosol.
  • Canisius
  • Conradus Schlasselburg.
  • Cyprianus.
  • Conrad Lutzenburg.
  • Carion
  • Cambdenus
  • Cassiodorus
  • Cod. Theodofij
  • Carolus Magnus
  • Cornelius Tacitus
  • Carolus Bouius
  • Conradus Worstius
  • Cicero
  • Constant. poly histor.
  • Christianus Marseus
  • Cuspinianus
  • Cyprianus de Valera
  • Claudius [...]spenc [...]rus
  • Cor [...]elius Iansenius
  • Cousius
  • Canus
  • Cathechism. Regin. Mari.
  • Censura Coloniens.
  • Cantel Miss.
  • Catalogus Testium veritatis
  • Comment. de statu Relligion. in Gallia.
  • Catalogus Haereticorum
  • Confessio Theologo. Saxon
  • Colloquium Torger habitum.
  • Censura Oriental. Eccles.
  • Capitul. Graec. Synodor.
  • Confessio Scotiae
  • Collect. of Massac. in France
  • Catechism. Trident.
  • Confessio Eccles. Mansfeld.
  • Confessio Princip. & Ducum Saxon.
  • Charta Magna
  • Canon Episcopal.
Concilia.
  • Nicenum
  • Nannerens.
  • Carthaginens.
  • Tridentinum
  • Chalcedonens.
  • Constantinoposit.
  • Aquisgranens.
  • Pistense
  • Aphricanum
  • Epaunense
  • Laodicenum
  • Antisiodorens▪
  • Gerundens.
  • Meldens.
  • Turonicum.
  • Arimenense.
  • Florentinum
  • Neocaesar.
  • Rhemens.
  • Bracharens.
  • Vacens.
  • Iardens.
  • Agathens.
  • Cabilonens.
  • Coloniens.
  • Matiscoinens.
  • Mileuitan
  • Lateranens.
  • Sardicens.
  • Wormacens.
  • Elibertin.
  • Mogunti.
  • Constantiens.
  • Toletanu [...]
  • August.
  • Parisiens.
  • Romanum.
  • Trullo.
  • Senonens.
  • Aurelianens.
  • Hipponens.
  • Mediolan.
D.
  • DEtzelius
  • Damascenus.
  • Dauid Chytraeus
  • Dominicus Asoto.
  • Dion.
  • Dionis. Ecclesiast.
  • Dionis. Areopagita
  • Decret.
  • Damasus
  • Digest.
A French discourse of the honour of the Crosse. E.
  • EPiphanius
  • Euthym. panopl.
  • Ennodius.
  • Erasmus
  • Eusebius
  • Extravagant
  • Elmar
  • Ephreem
  • Erasinus Sarceriu [...]
  • Euagrius.
  • Edmund Bonesid.
  • Epistol. Hamburg.
  • Examinat. of the Declar. of the ministers of London.
  • The answere therevnto.
F.
  • Fennerus.
  • D. Fulk.
  • Francisc. Iunius.
  • Feuardentius.
  • Francisc. Aluares
  • D. Foen. in count. Oxon.
  • Fredericus Nausea.
  • D. Field.
  • Fitzharb.
  • Fasciculus Temporum
  • Fascicul. rerum repetend.
G.
  • GOulartius.
  • Gregor. Nissenus.
  • Gualterus.
  • Gabriel Powel
  • Gregor. Martin
  • Gelasius
  • Georg. Cassander
  • Gabriel Biel.
  • Gregor. de Valent.
  • Gregor. Turonens.
  • Genebrardus
  • Guliel. Alanus
  • Guliel. Wideford
  • Gaudent. Brixian
  • Godescal. Sleweccius.
  • Guliel. postella.
  • Guliel. Nonbrigens.
  • Gualt. Mapes
  • Gregor. Pastoral.
  • Gratianus
  • Guliel. Lindword.
  • Gaguin.
H.
  • HIeronimus
  • Hospinianus
  • Herman. Hamelma [...]
  • Hamburgensis
  • Hugo de saucto Victor.
  • Hilarius
  • Holcot
  • Hector Pintus
  • Henricus Stephanus
  • Harding
  • Hippolitus.
  • Hosius
  • D. Hill.
  • Hugo Cardinal.
  • Hildebert. Cenoman.
  • Hispan.
  • Hostiens.
  • Homil▪ Anglic.
  • Humble motive.
I.
  • Ionas Arelianens.
  • Ioan. Reynaldus
  • Ioan. Sarisburiens.
  • Iacob. a Vitriac.
  • Ioan. Howset
  • Iacob. Ledesima
  • Ioannes Calvinus
  • Ioannes Wolfrius
  • Ioan. Eckius
  • Ioan. Gropper
  • Ioan. lauterbach.
  • Ioan. lauterbach.
  • Iacob. de Vorag.
  • Iacob. Vitriac. histor.
  • Iosephus Scaliger
  • Ioan. Husse
  • Iacob Billius
  • Ioan. Sarran.
  • Ioan. Napier
  • Ioan. Fox
  • Ioan. Dowley
  • Ioan. Whitegift.
  • Ioan. Duraeus
  • Iulius Scaliger
  • Ioan. Crispin.
  • Ioan. Picus Mirandula
  • Innocentius.
  • Ieremias Patriarch
  • Ioan. Gerson
  • Ioan. Brentius
  • Ioan. Molanus
  • Ioan. Sleidanus
  • Ioan. Bohem. Auban.
  • Isidorus hispalens.
  • Ioan. de Vado
  • Ioan. Piscator
  • Iacob. Paniel
  • Iulius Obsequens
  • Ioan. Dubitaviu [...]
  • Ioan. Lasicius
  • Iacob. Ledesin
  • Ignatius
  • Ioan. Drusius
  • Ioachim Westphal.
  • Ioan. Ferus
  • Ioan. Bodin
  • Ioachim Vadianus
  • Iosephus antiqui. Iudai [...].
  • Iosias Symlerus
  • Irenaeus
  • Ioan. Albinus
  • Iustus Lipsius
  • Isidor. Etimolog.
  • Iacob. Pammel.
  • Ioan. Iuellus
  • Iustus Origelitan.
  • Ioan. Ziscar
  • Ioan. Funccius
  • Ioan. Wigand
  • Iulius pap.
  • Ioan. Dearing.
  • Ioan. Beleth
  • Ignatius Laiola
  • Ioh. pap
  • Iulius papa. 1.
  • Iujunction. Elixab.
  • Index expurgat. hispan [...]
L.
  • Luc. Marinaeus
  • Lindanus
  • Laurent. Surius.
  • Ludovic. Vives
  • Ludovic. Lavaterus
  • Lyranus
  • Laurent. Saunders
  • Lactantius
  • Lutherus
  • Leonicer
  • Liberatus Carthag.
  • Lampridius
  • Lambertus Danaeus.
  • Lib. Ceremo.
  • Lib. pontificial.
  • Lib. supplicat. Theolo. herman.
  • Lib. Concord
  • Lollardorum petitio.
M.
  • MArtial
  • Magdeburgensis
  • Macrobius
  • Microlog
  • Math. Sutclif
  • Marcel. Coicyrens.
  • Musculus
  • Matth. Flaccus Illyricus
  • Michael Glycas
  • Minut. Foelix
  • Melciad.
  • Math. Iudex
  • Maximin.
  • Marcell. Palingenius
  • Martin Bracarens.
  • Maldonat.
  • Math. Beroald.
  • Math. Kellison
  • Missale de invention. Cruci [...]
  • Missale Sarum.
N.
  • NIcol. Saunders
  • Nicol. Lyra.
  • Nicol. Hemingius.
  • Nicol. Cragius
  • Nicol. Galasius
  • Niceph. Calist
  • [Page]Nauclerus
  • Nicol. Cusan.
  • Nicol. Gallus.
  • Nowel
  • Nicephor. histor.
  • Nicol. de Clemangis
  • Nilus Thessalonicens.
  • Nanar. Enchirid.
  • Newes out of Holland.
O.
  • Ouidius
  • Origines
  • Onuphrius
  • Oedoard. Weston
  • Otho Frisingens.
  • Offic. Missal.
P.
  • Perkinsus.
  • Polycratie.
  • Portifor. Sarisbur.
  • Philippus Melanchton
  • Pettus Martyr.
  • Pelag.
  • Photin.
  • Plutarchus.
  • Polydorus Virgilius
  • Petrus Viret.
  • Philippus Mornaeus
  • Petrus Lombardus
  • Prudentius.
  • Parsons.
  • Petrus Crinitus.
  • Peresius.
  • Paulus Diacon.
  • Paul. Lancelot.
  • Park.
  • Pisan.
  • Pet. Aliacus.
  • Paul. Odorbor.
  • Plinius Secundus
  • Parisiensis.
  • Poliaen. Stratag.
  • Philo.
  • Pet. Alciac.
  • Plinius natur. hist.
  • Petrus Cantor.
  • Platina.
  • Petrus Bellan.
  • Panormitanus
  • Pilkington.
  • Paulin. Nolan.
  • Pet. Serranus.
  • Prosper.
  • Peucerus.
  • Plutharchus.
  • Perald.
  • Primasius.
  • Pererius.
  • Paul. 4.
  • Pet. Cluniacens.
  • Pontific. Roman.
  • The humble petition to Q. Elizabeth.
Q.
  • Quintus Curtius.
R.
  • Rhems annotations.
  • Richard Hooker.
  • Rodolph. Ardens.
  • Rabanus.
  • Rollocus.
  • Rodolphus de Riuo.
  • Rodolph. Goclenius.
  • Ruffinus.
  • Ribera
  • Regino.
  • Rabidinera.
  • Rudolph. Tungrens.
  • Roderic. Toletan.
  • R. Bretius
  • Roffensis.
  • Regul. luris▪
  • Rubric.
S.
  • Suarez.
  • Sozomen.
  • Sebastian. Munsteru [...]
  • Sixt. Seriens.
  • Sedulius.
  • Sam. Harsnet.
  • Soto.
  • Seneca.
  • Syluest. Prier.
  • Socrat. histor.
  • Segedinus.
  • Sigebert.
  • Stephan. Gard.
  • Seuerus Sulpitius.
  • Stanisiaus Socolouius.
  • Simeon Thessal.
  • Sadolet
  • Saluian.
  • Sigon.
  • Sibrandus Lubert.
  • Stanleton.
  • Siluestrin.
  • Sanctes Pagninus.
  • Saluian.
  • Salustius.
  • Stephan. Durant.
  • Sigebert.
  • Sigon.
  • Sixt. 3.
  • Suidas.
  • Supplementum ad Chron. Ioan. Crispini.
  • Statuta Reginae Elizab.
T.
  • Tertullianus.
  • Thomas Aquina [...].
  • Torrensis.
  • Tholossan.
  • Theodoret. histor.
  • Thomas Hutton.
  • Turtian.
  • Thomas Morescin.
  • Theodor. Beza.
  • Trelcatius.
  • Thomas Morton.
  • Tole [...]us.
  • D. Tayler.
  • Tremellius.
  • Tiburt. Martyr.
  • Titus Livius.
  • Thom. Waldens.
  • The telat. of the religion of the westerne, &c.
  • The humble motive for tole.
  • Tripartit. historia.
  • Theses Theolog. Saxon.
  • The authour of the Ies. catechisme.
  • The treatise whether it be a moral sinne to transgresse a civil praecept.
  • Turcica historia.
V.
  • VAzquez.
  • Vegetius.
  • Virgilius.
  • Victorius.
  • Vincentius Beluacens.
  • Vellerus Paterculus.
  • Volateran.
  • Vsperg.
W.
  • Willet.
  • Whitaker.
  • W Bishop.
  • Wolfangus Lazius.
  • Walafrid. Strab.
  • Walsingam.
  • W. Giffor.
  • Wilfridus.
X.
  • Xistus Betulei.
Z.
  • ZAnchius.
  • Zepperus.
  • Zagazabo alias Christopher Lichanati.
  • Zacharias Vrsinus.
  • Zonaras.
  • Zozom. histor.
  • Zosun. Pap.

To the Reader.

CChristian Reader, I must advertise thee, that, either through the negligence of the Prin­ter, or for want of a diligent Correctour, many faults haue escaped in the printing of this Booke. Diverse of them are very grosse, and do quite marre the sense of the place, which I would pray thee to amend with thy Pen, before thou beginne to reade. As for the rest which bee but literall, I would intreat thee in loue to pardon them, or to correct them as thou readest. Amongst other things, I thinke it not amisse, here in this place, to admonish thee of one in particular, namely that the figures set to number the pages are very faultily set; after the num­ber 120. there following the number 129.130. and so on forward, till thou come to the num­ber 135. and after that there beginning againe the number 128.129, &c. from which number 128. till thou come to the number 136. I am constrained in the Table to ad to the number of the page, the letter and page of the sheete: for example, pa. 128. Q. p. 129. R. and so in the rest: which I thought good to let thee vnderstand, lest thou shouldest be mistaken in seeking for any thing contained in this Table.

Faults escaped in the printing of the first part.

Pag. 3. in margine litera (h) put out 4. pag. 4. li. (q) reade 25. ibid. Suar. & lit (a) supra Iosu. pa. lit. (f) fol. 26. and l. (p) cap. 21. ibid. put out 21. ibid. sigura (5) reade 2. Reg. pag. 5. linea. 22. reade liver. ibi. lin. 25. Olympus. & lin; 49.50. an Idoll now: pag. 6. lin. 9. why for which. lin. 37. to the desk. pag. 7. sect. 5. li. (c) readecont. Mart. pa. 8. lin. 51. (then) & sect. 6. lit. (s) teade disput. 54. p. 9. lin. 15. offerendo l. 29. touch and take l. 31. that a ball. p. 10. li. (o) art. 3. p. 11. l. 45. monet p. 12. l. 36. implement ibid. li. (f) 3435. p. 13. l. 5. solent and l. 11. medicina and l 38. Homilye p. 14. l. 48. now ibid. li. (c) cap. 5. p. 17. lit (m) sect. 1. p. 18. lin. 31. issue pag. 19. lin. 17. Divill. pag. 20. lin 43 hor­rour pag▪ 21. lin [...]. liking. pag. 22. lin 15 hand pag. 25. lin. 50. liking. p. 29. l. 22. individually▪ l. 41. shambles. l. 42. & 43. owne for one. p. 30. l. 29. memorial p. 33. l. 40. coales. l. 41. it is as good p. 36. l. 38. away 37. l. 31.32. Rome paganish, p. 39. l 44. statues p. 40. l. 21 Aegyptians set vp. p. 43. l. 6. rasing p 45. l. 39. wee should l. 44. is somewhat p. 48. put out the last line. p. 49. l. 34. Graeciae p. 52. l. 29. hath vse. p. 57. l. 21 they take l. [...]7. rased l. 34. anili. p. 58. l. 29. or worship. p. 59. l. 44. nullam p. 60. l. 10 floating l. 31. rayne for beame p. 61. l. 17. of the pillar l. 28. sacram. l. 33. paynt for make l. 44. januis p. 62. l. 1. absit ibid. inanimatum p. 63. l. 26. put out the crosse of p. 65. l. 29. gerens ibid in the mangin [...] at the letter (e) add Auton faius de obitu Bezae. p 67. l. 31. conformare. p. 68. l. 10. qui for quae p. 69. l. 35. introductum & l. 36. eadem veri Deicultu. p 70. l. vit. Mars. p. 71. l. 10 fideles p 72. l. 7. with the beast l. 47. Hooper l. 51. evidence p 73. l. 10. epularum l. 35. mortuis suis sacrificabāt p. 75. l 9. his aeones p 76. l. 23. before Christs. l. 38. it is out of p. 77. l 22. every▪ step. p. 83. l. 29. coloris l. 32. pleased p. 86. l. 34. put out which p 87 l. 36. acceptū in him p. 89. l. 19. canot for can l. 30. cogetur l. 42 haec p. 95. l. 41. formally p. 97. l. 2. ill apply. l 19. both there p. 101. l. 30. [...] 102. l. 9. feasted p. 104. l. 19. vp in his p 105. l. 30. inclusively l. 34. vnproffit. wee p. 106. l. 19. in case l. 46. reference p. 107. l. 2. now it is l. 31 relieved p. 109 l. 2. proofe bid. put out to p. 110. l. 42. excused p. 113. l. 36. replied l. 37. it there p. 115. l. 15. wrested l. 20 prevent l 51. put out this p. 116. l. 16. seing for saith l. 48. his Quin. p. 118. l 8. so do Aquila & Sym­machus p. 120. l. 2. put out in Romanos l 31. ly downe p. 128. Q. l vlt. Quid p. 129. R. l. 7. place here l. nullo l. 34. disheriteth p. 130 l. 40 put out not l. 45 [...] p. 31. l. 6. the adored p. 132. l. 24. remayned l. 25. torne p. 133 l. 41 scarce any where p. 134. Q l. 22. discarde & l. 27. of our owne church p. 128. l. 42 first by. l. 48 served Symmachus p. 133. R. 2 l 10. with Christ p 132. R. l. 25. re­moved p. 134. l. 14. faciendum l. 46. draweth p. 135 l 3 [...]. likenes of p. 130. S. l. vit. put out & purpose p. 139. S. l. 15. our fathers l 30. commandement p. 140. S [...]l. 38 be no ib. then p 141. l. 31. omne p. 142▪ l. 8. put out to l. 37. [...] p. 135. 8. l. 34. peace for place. p. 146. l. 44. elementi seruitus p. 147. l 8. securely l. 29. ray­sing vp for the poore in p. 148 l. 38. put out as they & l 39. that the seed [...] of it came & l. 47. potionum p. 151. l. 13. that of Aug. p 152 l. 24. Mosis & l. 25. church now, and l. 46. & in that p. 153. l. 29. mocked p. 156. l. 21. fadgeth & l. 42. to spare or ransome p 158 l. 2. placeant l. 11. put out in ijs quos decipimus & l 13. for they are & who l. 33. priotis pa. 161. l. 14. discribed & l. 14. signifieth & l. 48. tyeth p. 162 l 14. at Augusta & l. 40. a scātling p. 163 l. 13. Livonia & l. 17. put out the p. 166 l. 31. betweē feastes p. 167. l 7. speciali. p. 170. l. 12. mention p 172. l. 1. concurre rather p. 173. l. 38. that is p. 177. l. 16. a rasing & l. 22. had & l. 24. helped & l. 30 & who wish to & l. 36. with that p. 181. l. 26. And for p. 185. l. 8. hur­teth thee & l. 9. cloyeth & l. 21. their for our p. 185. l. 14. aptas & l. 17. hower & l. 18. Gouernours & l. 20. impugnat p. 186. l. 2. put out good ibid. of other men & l. 13. then by holding & l. 16. doubted p. 187. l 45. liberati p. 188. l. 45. would p. 193. l. 29. superfluously & l. 45. put out which sue for them only & l. 52. for that wich even that p. 194. l. 1 put out it & l. 2. Paulum & l. 6. o­thers, who are to be deposed themselfs & l. 15. preacheth & l. 36. put out temporum. p. 195. l. 30. praedicat & l. 31. omnibus p. 196. l. 9. put out whereas now to seeme to excuse such a maner & reade which doctrine now is & l. 13. sermon running.

The end of the first part.
The ſecond part of t …

The second part of this Treatise.

Of the Iniustice of the Crosse. Chap. 5.

THe sinnes of the Ceremonies against the fift precept, we meane as much as wee can to couer, for the loue and reuerence sake, which wee beare to our Christian Gouernours; whose harde measure towards vs, though it runne ouer, yet are wee desirous not to runne beyond those bounds of the holy Apostell: I haue naught to accuse my Nation of: and brethren ye haue not hurt me at al, Act. 28.19. Gal. 4.12. Neuerthelesse, least our speachlesse silence should hurt our good cause, we are to craue leaue, though not to expostulate or accuse, yet after the example of the same Apostle, to appeale and beseech, that which (we trust) none will denie vs, especiallie seeing wee appeale no further, then from Philip displeased to Philip appeased: & beseech no other way, then children vse to beseech the men whom they holde for their Fathers. The very Canon Lawe it selfe affirmeth:Fascicul­ter. expetēd in appellat. Parisiens. fol. 34. Nullus Princeps tollere potest appellationis remedium, eùm sit quaedam defensio, que iure diuino, naturali, & humano, cuique competit. Neither are the children (or rather slaues) themselues of Antichrist, so bound in iudgement vnto their Church, their Pope, their Councels, but that lawfully they may appeale from them, male consultis, so it be to themseluesIbid. bene consultis, and toNichol. de Clemangis sup: mate­ria concil­general. examine by the word, whether bene or male, they haue advised themselues, or no. In regard hereof, we haue good confi­dence, our humble petitions will be admitted into the presence of our reuerend Fathers, the first of which is, that they would remoue these ceremonies contro­uersed, for feare the Lord wil plead against this church of ours: I haue a fewe things against thee, because thou hast them that maintaine the doctrine of Balaam, to put a stum­bling blocke before the people, that they should eate of things sacrificed to Idols. Apoc. 2.14. Against this petition reasonable, we heare hitherto, naught obiected, which sauoureth not of some iniustice against this precept. First it is saide, that the Doctrine being refor­med, no matter is to be made of Ceremonies: and as for the Crosse and Surplice, which are in the number of minores Ceremoniae, the Magistrate would be counted vnwise, & it would be a dishonour vnto him, if he should trouble himselfe about them. First, he that standeth vpon the smalnes of these Ceremonies, let him con­sider whether hee stande not on Hardings ground, when hee pleaded the things were small, wherewith Iewell charged his Church; seeing, what Mr Iewell Iewel in defence of Artic. ag. Hard. prae­fac. retur­ned to him, that serueth vs in our whole cause. How great or small these matters are, it forceth not: indeed they are avouched with very small proofes, as if they were [Page 2]small. and yet as small as yee would haue them, it appeareth yee keepe no small adoe about them. Nothing ought to be accounted small, wherewith so great multitudes of Gods people, may bee deceaued and scandalized: the matters wherewith Christ charged the Scribes and Pharisies, were not so great, and yet he saieth: ye straine at a gnatt, and swallowe a Cammell. Saint Paule saith, a lit­tle leaven, soureth the whole lumpe: an haire is small, and yet we reade it hath chooked a bigge man. Plato saieth, Robberie is no lesse in a small matter, then in a great: the Cyniplees were but small, yet are they reckoned, among the great plagues of God. alia sunt frivola & innoxia, alia frivola & noxia, saithGregor. li. 6. epi. 30 Gregorie. Though these matters be small, yet the evilles that rise of them, are not small: re­mooue them, and poperie receyueth no small wounde. To conclude, if these ce­remonies be great, they are the more worthie to be considered. if they be small, there is the lesse hurt in leaving of them, & the more wilfulnes in defending of them: Christ saieth, qui in modico iniquus, & in maiori iniquus. Verely the grea­test parte of the lande, is wearie of them: thus farre out of Iewell.

Heare wee the iudgement of one of the Crosses friendes, speaking thus of him, to make him great and not small:Ric. Hook lib. [...]. c. 65. Ceremonies are more in waight then in sight. they worke by commonnes of vse much. Another will not haue the Surplisse, vpon pre­tence of any smalnes, to be made vnworthie of a Princes care, and therefore a­verreth,Examin. of the de­clarat. of the Minist. of Londō. Princes haue thought it their service, not onely to establishe sound doctrine, but also to ordaine and redresse rites. Last of all, thus saith Maister Bucer, Bucer. in Mat. 18. Nibil dicunt, qui perpetuo iactant, maiora esse quae vrgeri oporteat, quam reformationem ceremonia­rum, Antichristi reliquis, patrocinantes. Ceremoniae enim sunt testes religionis. Se­condly, The case so standeth nowe, that the Magistrate must be a remoouer, or reviver of the Ceremonies controversed: a weeder or a waterer of them. For, whereas in the latter times of Queene Elizabeth, they grewe towardes an Anti­quation, nowe let them prevayle against the suites of the godly Ministers, who haue put them in feate, and they will crowe [vae victis] and triumph more then euer before. Like the pride of womens apparell in Rome, when being feared by the Lex Oppia, it gott the victorie ouer it. The superstition of these weedes, hath growne mightelie heretofore, Mat. 13.25. euen in the husbandmans sleepe and negligence, how much more will it sprout then nowe, when they shall receaue a wateringe from his countenance which is like dewe, Pro. 19.12. and that to the hurt of the good wheat it selfe, Heb. 6.8. Ier. 23.29. Pro. 24.31. for whose sake the Lord hath appointed a fire to burne not onely an hooke to cut them downe?

It is well that Iehu throwes downe Baal, but it wasPet. Mar­tyr in 2. Reg c. 10. 2 King. 12.3. expected of him, that he should haue banished the Calues of Dan and Bethell also. It is well that Ioash re­formeth Idolles, but hisGualt. in Hos. c. 2. duetie was to downe with the high places too. Pilate in policie whippeth Christ, to saue him aliue, and to content the Iewes. Let the Lutheran follow this pollicie, who reformeth poperie but in parte: Let vs thinke on Maister Iohn Calvines speach:Ioh. Cal­vin in comment. in Io han. 19: 1. At qui praestare sepultam esse doctrinam, quam sic flagellari: and vpon that of Peter Martyr, who, speaking of reforming the Doctrine, and not of Ceremonies,Pet. Mar­tyr. vt sup. Non est ad hunc modum, in religione agendum (sayeth he) tota enim repurganda est, & ad viuum emēdanda. If Gods glorie moue vs not, yet let our owne shame. For if a straunger should come ouer, and see in one prison a papist committed, for not conforming him selfe to England, and an Antipapiste punished, (I meane a Preacher) for not cōforming him selfe to Rome, would he not take vp againe the olde Italians admiration, Act & Mo­num. 1096. Deus bone, quomodo hic viuunt gentes?

#Sect. 2. Obiection answered: If our Church were now in her first constitution; it were fit to remooue the Ceremonies: but being established, they are to bee let alone.

SEcondly, It is to this our most iust petition replied, that if our Church were now in her first constitution, it were fit to remooue the Ceremonies, whereas being alreadie established, they are to be let alone. First, this supposeth that the lawe hath established these ceremonies, and that to continue, which is not so. they were tollerated for a season, not established. the law expecteth a time conve­nient for the altering of euery rite that shall degenerate or grow to abuse, as these wordes doe plainly shew,Stat. 1. E­liz. c. 1. ser­uice & Sa­cram. vntill other order be taken. As Augustine saith of the a­buses of Martyrs memorialls,Augustin. epist 64. 2 Sam. 3.39 quod erat tunc dolendum, nunc auferendum est, that layeth hold on popish ceremonies, which though at first they were to be lamen­ted by vs, all while that Zerviahes sonnes were to harde for Queene Elizabeth; yet nowe they must be done away by that power, into whose handes God hath gi­uen power, to doe it without perill. In deed the time hath brought an oportuni­tie with it, which our Forefathers could not see. then they could not, but nowe they may,Cicero ad Artic. li. 11 epist. 9. quam minimo sonitu be divorsed. Why (say our Reuerend Fathers) seeing they were not done away at first, therefore now they must stay still: see­ing pollicie calleth for Augustus course and defighteth toCornel. Tacit. A­nal li. 1. insurgere paulatim. which anotherDion. li. 5 [...] Historiographer thus describeth, non omnia statim vbi decretum erat executus est. veritas ne parum succederet, si simul homines transferre & in vertere vellet, sed quaedam ex tempore disposuit quaedam reiecit in tempus. Secondly, this rea­son holdeth (me thinkes) to the contrarie. Iohn 4.31. because the imperfection of prede­cessours, is by the successors to be perfected: as what is left in the herbe by them, that must by these be ripened: Cant. 8.9. and where predecessours haue set vp a dore of wood, there successours must builde a palace of siluer.

A worthie example doeth Iehosaphat giue herein: 2 Chron. 1 [...].6. For when the spirit of God commendeth him in these wordes, elato animo suo ad vias Iehova, amplus adhuc amouit excelsa, & lucos ex Iehuda: what doeth he else prescribe to successors, but that they reforme amplius adhuc, then the maine doctrine: and that amplius ad­huc then their predecessors did before, as he reformed the high places adhuc am­plius then Asa his Father: who, though he reformed much, yet left them stan­ding? Would David let alone the Arke of the Lord where Saule did leaue it? Or Salomon suffer it where David his Father left it? Pulled not Hezechia downe the high places, which Iehosiphat threwe not downe? Iosias the Idolles Tem­ples, which Hezechias did not raze? The same Iosias, reformed hee not the feast of the Passeouer? Nehemias the feast of the Tabernacles, more then euer it was reformed, by any godly or zealous Magistrate, that went before him? What adverse power (then) envieth that honour, to our most gratious Soueraigne nowe, aboue famous Elizabeth, which shee gott aboue King Edward, and which Constantine gott aboue Philip, and Theodosius aboue him? Of Constantine it is re­ported,Caesar Ba­ron. Anal. An. 127. perfecit Constantinus, quod Philippus iam coeperat. Concerning Theodosi­us, thus goeth the storie,Theodor. histor. Ec­clesiast li. [...] cap. 20 Magnus, dignissimus omni laude, qui pri­mus exornavit Imperium pietate, cùm adhuc insanire cerneret orbem terrarum, inter­dicto suo: sacra Daemonum prorsus sustulit; fand (tamen) non subvertit; sed Theodo­sius, funditus subversa, oblivioni dedit. Whence it came to passe, vt Ruffin. hi­stor Eccle­siast lib 2. cap. 19. Idolorum cul­tus, qui Constantini Magni instituttone negligi, & destrui coeptus fuerat, eo imperan­te, collapsus sit poenitus. It King Edward, or Queene Elizabeth did not poenitus o­verthrowe poperie, wee must marke and consider, they had all the worlde, (as it were) in furie against them, as Constantine had. Now the Gospell shineth amongst vs, as atMath [...]ur­cleef survey o [...] discipl. cap. 28. high noone. and is it not a shame (then) for vs, if any of their [Page 4]morning cloudes (which eclipsed their reformation) remayne to be seene in our Horison? And the day starre was not risen so high in their dayes, when yet Eli­zabeth reformed the defectes of K. Edw. communion booke; and K. Edw. the de­fectes of his owne, (and that in theBucer in Censur. cap. 12. case of the crosse it selfe) by the edition of a second: Euen Rome her selfe, (though affecting immunitie from errour) hath suf­fered her Breviaries to bereformed, once vnderBreuiar. Roman. ex sacra scrip. per Cardi­nal. Quig­nonium. Paule the 3. another time vnder Pius the 5. Goe but to reason, it will not haue vs to followeSenec. in lib. de bea­titud. Antecedentium gre­gem, so preciselie, as if we were sheepe, and not reasonable men? Goe to equitie, it forbiddeth aCornel. Tacit. hi­stor. lib. 1. priscus rigor, cui iam pares non sunt homines. and the Ceremonies growe more intollerable euery day then other, on men that are lesse able to brooke them. Goe to policie, it condemneth a perverse affectation of constancie, which doth not turne the sternePlutarch. in Phocion of the shipp, to serue for euery winde & water; both which are now against the ceremonies, throughout the most part of the Churches. Goe to Religion (last of all) what moreBucer in Censur. contrarie vnto it, then olde popishe fashions? The Kings of Iuda were not blessed of God, but when they purged the lande of Iurie from allD. Bils. ag. apolog. p. 1. p. 32. ceremonies, not prescribed by Moses lawe. When Valetinian tooke the course, which our Opposites now thinke best, which was to meddle with nothing in Church affaires, but to leaue them as he founde them, he escapeth not the Censure of the Godly, no nor of some, of ourD. Bils. ibi. p. 2. p. 243 adver­saries them selues. Anastasius for peace will haue nothing chaunged, but he will haue euery Bishop to be thrust out that either defendeth or condemneth the Chalcedon Councell against the tenent and the custome of his place. what great hurt he did by this not chaunging, theEuagr. li. 3 cap. 30. storie will tell you. Germanus standeth for Images, the course which he taketh to keepe them vp, is the same which our Opposites now doe follow (to wit) he chargeth the Emperour with his oathe,Carol. Sigon. de reg. Ital. lib. 3. An. 729. se Diuinos Ecclesiae ritus, nulla ex parte moturum. Their excuse (therefore) is no­thing worth, which thinke the ceremonies controversed, must stay amongst vs, because at first they were not thrust out.

#Sect. 3. Answere to this Obiection: There is difficultie in the Remo [...] ­vall of Ceremonies, Therefore they are rather to bee let alone.

THirdly, it is obiected against this our petition, that there is difficultie in the remouall of the Ceremonies, which rather then it should breede inconve­nience, they are to bee let alone. First of all it excuseth not the sluggard when he saith there is a Lyon in the way, nor the bad husbande when he soweth not, because he feareth there is foule weather towards. Pro. 26.13. Ecclesi. 11.4. The Priestes ofTheodor. histor. li. 5. cap. 22. Serapis in old time made the people beleeue, that if any should drawe neare his Image to re­moue it, motum exoriturum & omnia occidione interitura. The like craft vse our Op­posites in their maintayning of the corruptions of our Church: They beare men in hande, the reforming of them, would bring heauen and earth togither. Heere who is wise, like Theophil, of Alexādria, to discerne this scar-crowe? In deed, what difficultie in this busines, vnlesse it be in the cōtinuing, & perpetuating of them, sith their remouall is euer looked for: the people of Parliament speaking now as once of olde, Rise, for the matter pertayneth to thee, be of good courage, and doe it, Ezra 10.4. Secondly, This excuse hath place, when there is no neede of a chaunge, as there was no need to chaunge the olde Calender, for the Popes new one, wher­vpon happened great hurly-burlye, both atDauid Chytre. in Rodolph. 2 Riga in Lyvonia, & at Augusta: wher­as the remoual of these needlesse ceremonies, is most needfull, for that they make against faith and good manners, as hath been shewed: in which caseAugustin. epist. 119. cap. 19. Augustine will not haue them to be tollerated in a Church. Thirdly, this feare of difficul­tie [Page 5]and inconvenience, goeth for good payment, when the evill to be chaunged, is likely in time to languish of it selfe in case it be let alone, but to get strength, if it be sturred, the Magistrat being as a Physition, who thē must let an abuse alone,Titus Li­uius lib. 22 quando quiete magis proficit, quam agendo & mouendo: which heere hath no place, because it is impossible that either the scandall, or superstition of these ceremo­nies, should in their liues time dye, or be healed by their reste, which doeth (in­deed) much strengthen them. Fourthly, feare of inconvenience and difficultie then holdeth water, when time convenient is not stayed for, and therfore serued for Q. Elizabeth and K. Edward, if for any, when mens weake vessells newly con­verted, could not beare (without breaking) the new wine, of an exact reformati­on in all things: wheras to vs there may be applied, Mat. 9.17. what one of our writers hath,Bucer in Mat. 18. non pauci, &c. not a few fearing trouble, indeavoring in vaine to please God & men together, euen where the Gospel hath been a long time preached, & where the worde doth now require example of deedes, pretending the infirmitie of o­thers (whereas their owne weaknes doth only withholde them) doe both them­selues serue mans traditions, and compell others therevnto. Fiftly, this feare of inconvenience, doth passe for currant, when a Magistatte is vnable to reforme: in this case onlySenec. honestè succumbit, qui seruit tempori. at this time onelyCicero ad Attic. li. 12 epist. 1. parendum tempori. they beingCornel. Tacit. A­nal. lib. 3. adulta, & prevalida vitta, which are alone to bee tollerated, in which potius est omittere, quam illud assequi, vt palam fiat, quibus flagitijs impares si­mus. And the phisicke which must be forborne, as immature, is when the sicknes being in full strength, it ratherSenec. de consolat. ad Heluia Matrem. irritateth then cureth. euen as the olde counsell goeth; multa August. epist. 119. tolleranda, vbi facultas non datur resecandi, and the new,Francis. Iun. instit: princip. in praefat. expendere convenit, non solum quod debeas, sed quid possis. Now what strength in the corrupti­ons of our Church, to make resistance? who are strooke through, throughout the Realme, and haue no meanes to maintayne life, but the plasters, drugges, and salues which the Bishoppes and their dependantes; minister to them? Now by the iudgment of SaintAugustin. ibid. Augustine, we are not only to leaue them languishing, but also euen to stoppe their breath. for his wordes are these: Though a Ceremonie haue not euident hurt, yet because it is vnfit, the Church (now) should bee bur­thened with humane presumptions, if it haue no authoritie from scripture, nor from generall Councells, nor from the custome of the Vniversall Church, but is of a variable and doubtful beginning, vbi facultas tribuitur, absque omni dubitatione, resecanda. Are not our ceremonies humane presumptions? are they not burthen­some to the Church? doth any moderne Councell commaunde them? doeth any Church, beside our owne, vse them? are they not in nature variable, and vn­commaunded in the worde? Nay, are they not (indeed) to bee varied, because contrarie to the worde? I ende with the wordes which one writeth against the Crosse,Calfh. a­gainst Mar. praesa. fol. 10. Beware of these Syren tunes, these inchaunting charmes, that the wise men of the world are wont to vse, beare for a time; vse discretion; be not rashe in refor­mation. &c. we are rather to hearken to Christ him selfe, To walke in the light, whiles we haue the light: if the miste, thorough our sufferance, once ouercast the cleere shining of the Sunne, darknes sooner will ouertake vs, then we would.

#Sect. 4. Answere to this Obiection, The change of a law bringeth dishonour of an Innovation, and extenuates the lawes authoritie.

FOurthly and last of all, It is replied to this our petition, that though no incon­venience be discerned, nor difficultie seene, yet the verie chaunge of a lawe, bringeth dishonour of an innovation, and extenuateth the lawes authoritie. First this excuse holdeth, when there is no need of chaunge, nor profit by it: even asAugustin. epist. 112. cap. 5. Augustine doth restraine it in these wordes: mutatio quae vtilis non est, perturba­tione [Page 6]infructuasa, consequenter noxia est. In the cause of Ceremonies, as it swerueth too farre from the true line,P. Martyr. in 1. Sam. cap. 14. Hester 2.1. and 1.8. Dan. 6 13.16. when ceremonies once cease to be profitable, they are with­out all sticking to be remooued. So also it draweth too neare the iron leavell of a Per­sian affected constancie: which while some imitate, they drawe vpon themselves this censure, Magistratus Amand. Polan. in Dan. ibid. ne quidem inconsideratum edictum retractabunt, ne viles­cat ipsorum authoritas; & quia affectant laudem constantiae, quam non discernunt à per­versa animi obstinatione, tum denique ne videantur concessisse quicquam servis Dei re­cta monentibus. This excuse holdeth also where the chaunge inferreth a violent, burthensome, and notorious noveltie; as Augustine doth restraine it againe,August. e­pist. 18. ipsa mutatio consuetudinis, etiam quae vtilitate adiuvat, novitate perturbat. which in the ceremonies hath no place, because the Churches long since haue banished them, and many Parishes here at home, a long time disvsed them, with the good & wil­ling contentement of the people. In the third place this excuse holdeth, when the change is for the worse, euen as an historian doth restraine itCornel. Tacit. A­nal li. 15. melius atque re­ctius olim provesum, & quae convertuntur in deterius, mutantur: which in the ceremo­nies hath no place neither, because the corne (I meane the doctrine) wil prosper the better, when they are purged of these weedes: in which case Ambrose is to be heard,Ambros. in epistol. ad Theodos. & Valent. Nullus pudor est, ad meliora transire. AndAugustin. epist. 45 Augustines comfort: Foelix est necessitas, quae in meliora compellit. There will be perchaunce obiected, what an Emperour hath,Augustin. Imperat a­puddion. lib. 52. Quae in suo statu eadem (que) manent, etsi deteriora sunt, tamen vtiliora sunt reipublicae quam quae per innovationem vel meliora inducuntur. But what is this to rites religious? the ende of which is not properly l pax politica (as the German Divines once helde against the Adiaphorisme Ceremonies) but the glorie of God and the edifying of the Church, bo [...]h which require that euery custome of Forefathers, which is amisse, be presently purged, and new rites setteled in their roome, which may be fitted diverslie as the times them selues areLudovic. Lavater. in Hest. Ho­mil. 34. diverse. where the Canon law taketh strictest order for the Churches observations, that none should chaunge them, there Gratian putteth in this caveat, Gratian. decret. p. 2. caus. 35. q. 9 cap. 2. quae illi [...]ttè à praedeces­soribus admissa inveniuntur, in melius revocari oportet. And in the chapter that next followeth, when the decree it selfe speaketh thus:Ibid. c. 3. Qui in causis Dei, quod perpe­ram fecit abolere, aut quod à praedecessoribus suis male invenerit admissum vitare nolu­erit, in se quicquid in alio non resecaverit inveniet: it plainly teacheth, that though in civill affaires, an old bad custome may seeme better, then some good new one, yet that in causis Dei, an olde bad custome must be cut of, or punishment expec­ted. A little after, a chaunge is commaundedIbid. cap. 6 pro consideratione aetatum, vel tem­porum, as Paule did some things without lenitie, quae postea dignoscitur reprobasse. In this case Augustine hath this similitude: As a patient may not mislike or call in question his physitions skill,Augustin. cont. Paust Manich. li. 32. c. 14. si aliud ille hodie praecipiat, aliud cras, prohibens (etiam) quod antea praeceperat, sic. n. se habet sanandi, eius corporis ratio: so none must mislike a variable, or a contrarie chaunge, in the ceremonies of Gods service, because the Churches edification doth require it. Secondly, the imposition of the ceremo­nies, breedeth the greatest chaunge that may bee in the Churches where they haue been long time disvsed. Can there be any chaunge like to this, that the peo­ple after twentie or thirtie yeares, must now in the Church see dumbe dogges in steade of Preachers? in the pulpit heare Homilies in stead of Sermons, and haue those ceremonies returne againe, of which some say, we haue liued long enough, if nowe we must see this popish trashe reenter? Neuer yet did the reducing of popish ceremonies, but breede disguste: to continue them is one thing (say ourBeza in e­pist. 8. & 12 writers) to reduce them, an other. To reduce them (said theConrad. Schlusselb. [...]o [...]. 13. Divines of Ger­manie) is to disturbe the peace of the Church, to greeue the Godly, to wounde the weake, to countenance poperie, by shewe of inclination towardes it, or of commoderation with it. It will be said the fault heereof is in the men, who first [Page 7]disvsed them; whom the Canon Lawe excuseth,Siluest. Prier. in summa verb. con­luetud. sect. 6. si consuetudo contra legem sit con­tra privatam vtilitatem & in nullius preiudicium, & superior scit & tolerat legem ab­rogat, & nō requiritur alia prescriptio secundum Dominum Antoninum, quia ex quo su­perior vidit & tolerat, non videtur velle inijcere vinculum. Et Panor. dicit: quod suffi­cit binus aut trinus actus vt tollatur. Thirdly, whereas lawes sometimes, must bee chaunged, vpon some causes, these causes (all of them) will be found in the cere­monies controversed. TheThom. A­quin. 1.2. qu. 97, first Cassander him selfe yeeldeth to (though most in­famous for Adiaphorisme)Herman. Hamelman de tradit. appendic. ad p. 1. co­lum. 498: In traditionibus ratio & causa spectanda est, qua manen­te, & ipsas manere vtile est: cessante verò, & ipsae cessare, vel possunt vel debent. For ex­ample; abstinence from bloud and strangled are they not ceased, nowe that the reason is extinct, for which the Apostle did commaunde them, which was the weaknes of the Iewes, and the coalition of the Gentiles with them? change but the name, and this is spoken of the ceremonies now in handling: for as much as they were lefte by K. Edw. and Q. Elizabeth, for our owne weakenes, and for the winning of papistes to vs, the former of which is now out of date, the latter out of place. The second cause to abolish ceremonies, is, whenThom. A­quin. 1.2. qu. 97. art. 1. thorough chaunge of tymes and persons, they doe euen hurt (asAugustin. epist. 118. Augustine saith) propter fidem & bo­nos mores, velemendare oportet, quod perperam fiebat, vel institui quod non fiebat. What a thing is it, that the Ceremonies which first were tollerated for the winning of papistes, should still be suffered, now that they harden them? Must incurvation towards the East be still continued, because Forefathers left it in vse? No, a Leo Leo serm. 7. de Nat. Dom. will chaunge and alter it, though neuer so auncient; because he seeth, it harde­neth Pagans in their adoring the Sunne. Must the custome of oblations for the memorialls of the Martyrs be still continued because it is auncient? No,Ludouic. Viues in August de ci­vitat. Dei. lib. 8. c. 27. an Am­brose will chaunge and alter it, for that shewe of conformitie which it hath with the heathen. AConcil. Antisiodo­rens. can. 5. vigil in Ste Martins honour was chaunged and altered, though verie auncient. FeastesMartin. Braccarens. in collect. Sinodor. can. 60. at the sepulchres of the dead were chaunged and altered though verie auncient.Cōcil. Ca­biloneus. Can. 19. Dauncing at the dedication of Churches & Festiuities of Martyrs was chaunged & altered, though verie auncient. It may be obiected, that tracte of time, maketh aliene rites more lawfull then they were at firste, as bayes set vp before the dore, was in the primitiue Church vnlawfull for that con­formitie, whereof it made shewe with Idolaters, whereas afterward Nepotian is praysed by Hierome, Hieron. e­pist. 3. Quod Ecclesias Martyrum diversis floribits, vitium (que) pampinis exornaret. But either Hierome was too blame to allowe of this conformitie with the Pagans, now that the time of their weaknes was paste, or else there were no Pagans neare, to be hardened by the same. The third cause to remooue a Cere­monie, is to vindicate Christian libertie, from the servitude of the element, as Bu­cer saith,Bucer. in Mat. 18. It is time when the Gospell hath been long preached, exemplo tueri li­bertatem, for which he wisheth the Surplice away: inferring thus: It is our dutieIdem in Censur. c. 2. p. 458. libertatem Christianam, in rebus quibusvis, praeclarè tueri & prae nobis ferre. It is to be marked, that in rebus quibusvis, we are to abstaine, though neuer so small, and vse exemplis libertatis contra adversarios pertinaces, I meane the Papistes, as Luther taught, and manyConrad. Schlusselb. Catalog. haere [...]cor. 573. Divines in Germanie after him: in following whom, wee trace the stepps of the holy Apostle, who though he circumziseth Tymothie, yet refuseth to circumcize Titus to vphold the Christian libertie against those Iewes who thought Circumcizion necessarie, as now the papistes thinke of the Crosse and Surplice. And such is the equitie of our first petition, Gal. 2.16 that these ceremonies may be remooued.

#Sect. 5. Second suit, that Ceremonies may neither be iudged good or indifferent in regard of circumstances being hurtfull.

OVr second suite is, that if they must needes haue a tente amongst vs, that then it be pight without the hoast amongst the leapers, I meane amongst things acknowledged evill, that so they may be no longer approoued either for good or for indifferent, but be in policie tollerated only for the hardnes of mens heartes, like Moses divorce. For what though the Crosse and Surplice [per se] be things indifferent, ratione circumstantiarum, they are certainly evill. If any here re­newe the tenent of the auncient Adiaphoristes, Mat. 19.8. Libellus supplicato. Theolog-German. ann. 1561 Rom. 14.14 [...] Flac. Illirc. in lib. de A­diaphor. 2 Cor. 10.23. Quod per se malum non est, id ra­tione circumstantiarum, malum fieri non potest, we make our appeale to Scriptures, Fathers, Schole-divines, new Writers, or whomsoeuer. Paule affirmeth of meates [...] per se they are good, or as Chrisostome, Theophylact, Erasmus, render [...] na­tura, when by reason of a circumstance, by him there mentioned, they become vncleane and evill. Neither hath Paule the wordes onely of the former distincti­on, but also the doctrine, which "one deliuereth in these termes, saepè accidit, vt ea quae sua natura licita sunt, vel etiam aeliquatenus piae, tamen ob circumstantias aliquas, fi­ant illicita in quam sententiam Paulus inquit, Tertul. de coron. mili Omnia mihi licent; sed non omnia expedi­unt. Thus the scriptures. Now what the Fathers? Substantia munda, vt Dei resest, saith Tertul. & hac sua conditione communis vsui, sed ipsius vsus administratio inter­est. August. e­pist. 86. ad Casulan. August. holdeth a faste on the Sabboth, a thing per se indifferent, which yet because of this circumstance that it is scandalous, by reason of the Manichees fa­sting, he holdeth to be vnlawful. What now the Schoole-divines? as actions (sayThom. A­quin. 1.2. q 18 art. 3. they) are qualified to be good or evill, formaliter by their obiectes & their endes. so accidentaliter they are qualified to be good or to be evill by the circumstances, that do attende them. Thus the Schoole-divines. What nowe the Canonistes? TheyGratian. decret. p. 2. c. 22. q. 4. cap 23. teach a thing is lawfull or vnlawfull, not only natura sui, but also ex causa extravenienti. And what our owne writers? They make CeremoniesConrad. Schulsselb. catalog. haereti. tom 13. p. 466. vel per se, vel per accidens superstitiosas. and the doctrine in generall which they deliuer tou­ching things that are indifferent, runneth thus:Ioh. Bren­tius in lib. de Adiaph. Adiaphora neque bona sunt neque mala, respectu sui, ex conditionibus ergo suis iudicanda sunt. Zanch. co ment. in E­phes ca. 5. loc. de bap Zanchius speaking of salt, spittle, and the rest of the Crosses fellowes in baptisme, these are not per se mala (saith he) yet by reason of the circumstance of superstition, they must be a­bolished. Our Opposites busilie obiect against vs,Pet. Mar­tyr in epist ad Hooper Glocest. that Peter Martyr holdeth the ceremonies that are in cōtrouersie, to be indifferent. and that Maister Beza saith,Theod. Beza epist. 11. the Crosse and Surplice haue nihil impium per se. we answer: though Peter Mar­tyr held the Surplice indifferent per se, yet for some circumstance he helde it vn­lawfull. witnes this, he neuerPet Mart. in epist. a­mie. [...]uidā in Angl. wore it, though his Canons place at Oxon did re­quire it. Mr Beza, though he holde the signe of the Crosse to be indifferent per se, yet ratione circumstantiarum he saieth of it,Beza epi. 8 multo minus velim Crucem inter Adia­phora numerare, quam aeneum illum serpentem Hezechias. Thus another of our Wri­ters,Calfhill. cont. Mart art. 5. fol. 125 Certaine provisoes had, the order of the Church must be kept in things indif­ferent, but in this number ye can not iustly comprise the Crosse. and although of some of the Fathers it hath been accoūted such, yet must you remember they did not alwayes builde gold and siluer but sometimes hay & stubble on Christ. Now the circumstances which make these ceremonies to be vnlawfull being ge­nerall, and such as alwayes cleaue to their religious vse, as their Idolatrie, super­stition, and hipocrisie, whereof before with the rest that must followe, we cannot heare them, who would haue vs, for the testifying of our obedience now & then, to vse them: euen as theConrad. Schlusselb. tom 13. p. 641. Divines of Germanie could not allow of those Pastors of Misnia, which one day performed the ceremonies of the Interim, but an other [Page 9]day omitted them. Our owne doctrine makethHomil. tom [...] ag. peril. of I­dolat pa. 1. pag 43. Images of thēselues indifferent, whereas their circūstance of standing in churches maketh them evil & no longerIbid. pa. 3 p [...]. 96. 97. indifferent. So it is with the ceremonies, the circūstance of their religious vse is totally vnlawfull: And this for their first error, who deny vs this second petition, which is, that things indifferent per se, do not become by reason of circumstance to be indifferent no longer. A second error they runne into, like the Adiapho­ristes onceLibellus s [...]o [...]li [...]o. Theolog. German. 1561. semper perinde licet ceremonijs vti, as if the things were the same in par­ticular action which they are in their kinde, and so aswell in the one, as in the o­ther indifferent alike. For thus one,examin. of the declar. of the M. of Londō. there may be a good vse of these ceremonies, therefore the Magistrate may call for the executiō of them: meaning such an ex­ecution as is exact and absolute. For the breaking of this speare, we tender a se­cond schoole-position,Tho. A­quin. 1.2.18 art. 9. Indifferencie resteth only in the generall kinde, when we come to the particular execution, euery action is good or euill. So that in actu exercito nullum datur indifferens. To this our Writers do agree, Atque de his rebus, &c. about things indifferent, this must be receaued for a sure rule (saithP. Matyr in comm [...] ̄. in 1. cor. 6.12. Peter Martyr) that they haue their indifferencie seated in their kinde & nature only, but when we come downe to election, there nothing is indifferent, because our election must of ne­cessite be either good or evill.Ioh Brent. in lib. de Adiaphor. Si bona est conditio. &c. A thing indifferent be­commeth good, when the condition of his practise is good; and then his obser­uation is commaunded: but he becōmeth evill, when the condition of his prac­tise is evill, and then his observation is forbidden. Maist.Thomas Morton. Apolog. p. 1. li. 1. c. 47 Morton citing this sen­tence of Vasquez, Nulla est individua actio, humana quae est indifferens, sed propter cir­cumstantias necessario vel bona vel mala, si Thomae & omnibus Thomastis credimus, ad­deth of his own for his iudgement herein, credendum est omnino. what a loose rea­soning (then) is this, there may be a good vse of these ceremonies, therefore the Magistrate may call for an exact execution of them? For as there may be a good vse of thē, so may ther be an ill: else are they not indifferent. For what is the mea­ning of the word, but this,Benedic. Aret. Pro­blem lo 58 Adiaphora sunt indistincta, dubia, vtro (que) vergentia. What is the definitiō of a thing indifferent, but this,P. Martyr commenta. in 1. Sam, cap. 14. Adiaphora sunt quibus benè aut malè vti possumus? So Hierom. Hieron. cont lo [...]i­man li. 2. cap. 29. Indifferentia nec bona, nec mala sunt, sed velut in meditullio posita, vsu & evētu, vel bona vel mala fiunt. Again,Idem in Isay ca. 55. Indifferentia sunt nec bona nec ma­la, & pro vtentium qualitate variantur. August. August. epist 19. cōsidering a Saterdayes faste in ge­nerall, calleth it [medium] when he cōsideres it done expediently, he calleth it ac­ceptabile. By all this it is apparent, that the vse of a thing indifferēt, may be ill aswell as good: what reason to the cōtrarie? ForCa [...]tan. in Thom. Aquin. vb. sub. non est in re indifferenti pa [...]ticipatio boni sed abnegatio tantum. Let the Magistrate then commaund an exact execution of a thing indifferent, & let it also be lawfull for him, sometimes to command a sinne. I trust I neede not feare here that any opposite will affirme, that the evill vse of a thing indifferent becometh good when the Magistrat doth commaund it, seeing one of the most learned of thē hath given vs a quietus esto frō this obiection, when he saith,D. Bils. ag. the Apolo. p. 2. p. 338. Good & euil are to be measured by Gods lawes, not by man [...]: for as no mā is good but only God, so no mans lawe is the rule of good & evill, but only Gods. And tēporall things are neither good nor evil but altogither indifferent, ergo Princes were not ordained of God for temporal things, but the goods, bodies and liues of their subiects be cōmitted to them for the preservation of faith and good manners. In the margent hereof we finde these wordes: Worldly things be neither good nor evill, Rom. 13.4. 1 Pet 2.14. for which two causes Princes beare the sworde. I marvell what those Opposites of ours will say to this, who haue no­thing in their mouthes against vs, but this, that if we leaue not an absolute power in things indifferent to the Magistrat, that thē we leaue him no power at all. For what haue we here affirmed? Princes are not ordayned for worldly things, be­cause they are indifferent. Princes are ordained for good and evil, to further the one, and resist the other: worldly things are not such, & indifferent things are not such: therefore the power of the Prince doeth not consiste in worldly things, [Page 10] quatenus worldly. nor in things that are indifferent, quatenus they bee indifferent. This out of our Opposites owne confession: to shewe that the Magistrate hath no other power, but that which the Apostle had, to wit, a power to edification, and not to destruction: which in things that are indifferent, furthereth the good vse thereof, because it doth edifie, but correcteth the evill vse, because it doth de­stroye. But what if it were graunted, that the Magistrate had absolute power in a thing indifferent? know they not, that when an il circumstance cleaueth to their vse, that thenBenedict. Arct. Pro­ble. loc. 58. desinunt esse adiaphora? Magdebu. centur. 1. li 2. cap. 10. Adiaphororum naturam exuunt? Harmon. confess. sect 17. ex Hel­vet poste­rior. libera esse desinunt? Ibid. con­fess. Au­gusta. art. 7 Non iam sunt medio. Iosias Simler. in Exod. 20. mandat. 2. fol. 85. Iam non sunt libera. Zaueh. de Imag. c. 15. pag. 357. Iam est ab illis abstinendum.

#Sect. 6. 3. Suit, that practised commaunding of Ceremonies be reformed for time to come, and the Church freed from divers gree­vances: As that there be 2. Gods. &c.

OVr third suite is, that the practised commaunding of them bee reformed for time to come, and we freed from diverse greevances, brought vpō vs by the same. First we are grieued to heare, that there are twoo Gods, the one in heaven commaunding absolutly in matters necessarie: the other in earth, commanding absolutely in things indifferent.Bellarm. de Pontifi. lib. 4. c. 16 Bellarmine him selfe speaketh not so audacious­lie: for he draweth the absolute authoritie of Man, not from God as he is God, but as he is Legis-lator only. Now this distinction notwithstanding,Mat. Sut. de Pontifi. lib 4. cap. 7 Sybrand. Lubbert. de pap. Ro­mā. li. 8. c. 7 Fran. Iun. controuers. 2. lib. 4. ca. 16. not. 8. our writers all holde his allotting of an absolute power to man, is blasphemous. his allotting it to the Pope, maketh him Antichrist, sitting in the Temple of God, as if he were God. And whereas Andradius agreeth with Bellarmine, and so holdeth that man may partake an authoritie non limitata, our common writers build vp against him this sure principle,Chemnit. exam. pag. 202.204. Nulla est plenitudo potestatis amongst men.Fran. Iun. controuers. 3. lib. 4 ca. 16. not. 89. Plenitudo potestatis non est instrumenti, sed solius principalis causae. A. Willet. controuers. 4. qu. 5. p. 3 The Princes high, and soueraigne authoritie, we make not infinite; the word of God must be his rule & square. So that theIdem con­trouer. 2. que. 4. p. 2. ceremonies which he commaundeth, must be limited to the rules of the scripture, which require order and decencie, for the glorie of God, and the edifi­cation of the Church. This is that which Tertul. wrote long since and August. af­ter him. the former of which, requireth in a ceremonie,Tertul. de corō. milit. vt fidei congruat, saluti pro­ficiat, disciplinae conducat. The latter denyeth that to be indifferent, which isAugust. e­pist. 118. cap. 11. contra fidem & bonos mores. Ibid cap 4 freeing vs from every ceremonie that hath either of these faultes, as these ceremonies now in handling haue them both. Here of late Peter Martyr P. Martyr comment. in hunc. loc taught, No rite by any mans authoritie, is well ordayned, vnlesse the rules be obserued, which God setteth downe, to wit, in the 1. Cor. 14. The latest of all, thus one of our Opposites:D. Bils. ag. Apolog. p. 2. pa. 344. To deuise new rites and ceremonies of the Church, is not the Princes vocation, but to receaue and allowe such as the Scriptures and Canons com­mend, & such as the Bishops and Pastors of the place shall advise, not infringing the scrip­tures or Canons, and so for all other Ecclesiasticall things and causes. Princes be neither the devisers, nor directors of them, but the Confirmers & establishers of that which is good, and displacers of that which is evill. Secondlie, we are grieued, that we haue these ceremonies enforced vpon vs, by the meer will of our Reverend Fathers, who haue thought vs vnworthie that any reason should be giuen vs, or assuming vs vnto conference, 1 Cor 11.6. haue expected we should obey although they haue giuen vs no better reason then such as (for the sleightnes of them) haue confirmed vs in our opinion more then before. Paule him self will proue the covering of the woman to be decent, both by the law of God & nature, before he throw it on the church.Tertuli. in Apolo. cap. 4. Nulla lex sibi soli conscientiam iustitiae suae debet, sed ijs à quibus obsequium expectat, (sayeth Tertull.) coeterum suspecta lex est quae probari se non vult, improba (autem) si non probata, dominetur. When Augustine was asked his iudgement about the [Page 11]ceremonie of the Satersdayes faste, he would not [...] epist. 118. cap. 11. admonere sola sua authoritaete, nulla addita ratione. The same thrusteth out euery ceremonie of which it is doubt­full,Idem epist. 119. quam rationem sequuti sunt, who first ordayned it. Constantine in the questi­on of Easter, followed that, whichSocrat. histor. lib. 5 cap 22. accurata ratione appetebatur. Hieron. epist 152. Hierome con­demneth euery Pythagoras in the Church, that looketh to be beleeued or obey­ed for his owne credit and authoritie without good reason. The papistes them­selues affirme, thatAndr. Pi­ris de leg. lib. 2. cap. 2 ratio is anima legis. yea the most ridged and sternest papistes, that it isSiluest. Prier. in summa. verb. con­suetud. & alib. passim de essentia legis to be r [...]tionabilis. They which gainestande this tenent,Io. Bodin de re publi. attainte the iustice of our English Lawes, which alwayes come foorth with a reason premised, shewing the cause, the ground, and the equitie of them. As for Ecclesiasticall ceremonies, the admonition prefixed before our commun. booke, thinketh well of none, which haue notBucer. in Censur. rationē manifestam for edification. There is obiected vnto this,Senec. epist. 95. lex iubet, non disputat. It belongeth to the nature of a law, vt Aristot. ethic. lib. 10. cap 9. vim habeat cogendi. And the Apostles impose their Canons on the churchChrysost. in act. ho­nul. 33. per breuem epistolam neque epich remata, neque sillogismos habentem, sed imperium. But the best is, none butBellarmi. controuers. 3 li 4. c. 16 papistes hitherto haue thus obiected as for ourF. Iun. controuer. 3. li 4. c. 16 Nota. 8. writers, they thus confront them, seeing the lawes of man come short of that perfectiō which is in the law of God, & that which is best in them, receaueth waight, not of it self, sed à ministerij authoritate, therefore they binde not to obedience, without some reason, that can proue, that they agree with the law of God most perfect, & haue warrant from his worde. They replie besides, thatF. Iun vb [...] sup. nota. 86.87.95. dispositiones ecclesiasticae, non sunt verae leges. they are [...] rather, and [...], as they are vsually called, Canones, quae dirigunt agentes voluntario, non. a necessitatem faciunt, vt leges solent. who haue the administring of these lawes, but the Bishopes? Now it is not for a Bishop toMat. Sut­cliu. de Pontific. li. 4. cap. 7. ex Origine. offerre vim & necessitatem. It is for themChrysost. tract 12. in Math. suadere only, not vim offerre.

As for the Magistrate, let him consider, howe Constantine the great, proceeded in the ceremonies of the Church. For when he tooke orders for Easter, and that as Bellarmine will haue it, with this direction,Bellarm. de cult Sāctor. c 12 visum est vt omnes obtemperarent, he presented it with a letter of exhortationSocrat. histor. lib. 5. cap. 21. onely. wherein he proueth it with such reasons, as fight directly against the ceremonies controversed. this one especially he will not haue Easter kept the same day with the Iewes,Euseb de vit. Con­stāt. li. 3. c 18 vt nihil nobis cum illo­rum consuetudine sit commune. Neither did the Apostles enioyne their Canons on the Church imperio only. Iames and Peter alleadged very good reason for them: the rest of the Assemblie had great disputation and reasoning about them before they were concluded. In regard heereof we wishe that equitie were now survi­ving, which we finde in a little booke that beginneth with this treatise, whether it be mortall sinne to transgresse a Civill Lawe or no. The whole booke was set foorth, by some great man at the beginning of this broyle; it contayneth the iudgements of learned men for a conformitie to these rites. It were harde if our Reverend Fa­thers nowe would not allowe vs the bread it breaketh, which is this, Alleadging Gerson, he maketh euen the civill lawes which are for necessitie, and which are for comelinesse onely (such as our ceremonies controversed are pretended to bee) members opposite in one division: and then inferreth, this difference liketh me, not only because [REASON] breedeth sundrie bondes, but rather because the minde of the Magistrate is evident, which in the former matters that serue for common peace and quietnes, as of thefte, murder, and so foorth, simplie re­quireth obedience. in other lighter matters which are onely for comelinesse (as that a woman marrie not, till shee hath lefte mourning for her former husband) hee doeth not so exacte it. By this our Governours should not intende any simple obedience in a matter of comlinesse; much lesse intende it without good reason: whose bonde wee see tyeth not men necessarilie to observation. G. Cassander, speaking out of Erasmus about Church Ceremonies: [Page 12] G. Casiā. in Consult. art. 15. Nullus est verè pius (saith he) qui si rem attentè consideret, non mallet in his rebu ob­ligationem versam in exhortationem. What? shall an Adiaphoriste be more mode­rate, then Orthodoxe Bishops? Cardinall Aliacus in the binding of Clerkes ad Matutina & vespaereina officia, & to the fastings of their Church, hath these words,Pet. Aliac de reform. Eccle. ca. 3. de his (saith he) & de multis alijs similibus videtur expediens declarare, quod non sunt praecepta, sed consilia. What? shall a Cardinall be a better reformer, then a true Christian? wherein are our ceremonies better accounted of by vs, then the Aue Maria, the palme, the holy water, with the like, by the papist? which are not en­ioynedBellar. de pontific. li. 4. cap. 8. tanquam leges sed tanquam admonitiones, & vt piae institutiones sine obligatio­ne ad culpam. What? shall Antich. giue more libertie in his ceremonies, then the true church of Iesus Christ?D. Bilson vb. sup. p. 3 pag. 75. Princes haue a warme suite (saith one of our Re­uerend Fathers) to depende on his lawes, a reason of whose facte, no man may aske him? TheIbid. pag. 2. pag. 316. same thinketh it sacrilegious in the papistes to applie the words of Samuel, not to obey is the sinne of witchrafte to enforce obedience to the constitu­tions of their Church. Mr Morton imputeth it as heynous to the Romish inqui­sition, that as Agrippa said before,Thomas Morton. Apolog. p. [...]. li. 2. c. 19 si quis opinionem suam defendere conetur, mox ira­tis buccis respondent, non esse illi negotium cum scholaribus ad cathedram, sed cum iudi­cibus ad tribunal. Now I appeale vnto the consciences of our heaviest adversaries, whether they haue not knowen vs scorned for asking a reason? Whether they haue not heard the wordes of Samuell layd to our charge? Finally, whether it be not to their knowledge a common answere, ye stande before your Iudge; you come hither to be iudged: ye are not now in the schooles, but before a tribunal? Against these courses, we tender this our thirde petition in the wordes of their owne lawe, si ergo de hac re. &c. If yee can giue a reason (for Conformitie) I would you would shewe it vs,Decret. p. 2 c. 24. quest. 3. cap. 1. vt possimus & nos (that so wee may remayne in our Mi­nisterie, and conforme with you.) But if you cannot, consider what rashnes it is for you to doe that, vnde si interrogati fueritis rectam rationēnon valeatis invenire?

#Sect. 7. Divers instances wherein the imposing and defence of Cere­monies, are founde greevous.

THirdly, we feele the imposing of these Ceremonies to be greevous and bur­thensome, in that as we haue receaved hitherto no satisfaction from our go­vernours,, Sect. 7. by any sounde reason for them, so libertie is denyed to vs, to satisfie our selues, by seeking reasons whereon to grounde, either our iudgement in their generall nature, or our conscience in the vse individuall of them. Touching the former, for a subiect to examine the Lawe of his Magistrate (saiethSee the an­swer to the examinat. of the de­clarat. of the M. of London. pag. 27. one of our Opposites) is to presume, and vsurpe authoritie aboue his Superiours, more then is allowed nowe: that the prophesie is fulfilled, Kings shall be their noursing Fa­thers, and Queens their noursing Mothers. If this were spoken of Civill lawes, it had some colour, but in matters that are religious, it hath none. Civill matters are proper to the Magistrate, private men haue not to doe with them, but mat­ters religious are iuris publici. In civill matters also, it is often Gods commaunde­ment, that the reason with the whole proiect, should be kept close, whereas the matters of his service, all must be cleare and manifeste to all mens consciences; and euery thing preached and published (as it were) vpon the house topp. Vpon these and the like groundes, thus one of our writers,P. Martyr commenta. in 1. Sam. cap. 14. magnum est discrimen inter ecclesiastica decreta, & politica. quorum necesse est, illa minus obstringere conscientias. nam in ecclesiasticis spectanda est eutaxia, in politicis (autem) parendum est, quamvis tu eam eutaxiam non videas. In these ceremonies (then) controversed, what hin­dreth a private man to say, what aF. Pic. Mi­randula. in orat. ad Leonem. to de reform moribus. papist saide once to a Pope, out of that desire of reformation, which now sincerely is in vs, Quod suapte natura pertinet ad omnes, [Page 13]id à me alienum esse non cogito. To thinke the contrarie, to wit, that private men haue notThes. de Adiaphor. Theolog. Saxō: apud. Conrad Schlnsselb. Tom. 13. pag 464. potestatem repudiandi Ecclesia ceremonias, quantumvis pias & iustas, causas proferre pos [...]int, siue ea obtrusio à politicis, siue ab Ecclesiasticis fiat, is to nenewe that ancient servitude, of the Germane Adiaphorisme, wherewith the Godly would neuer suffer them selues to be intangled. And (indeed) what reason? Is not the lawe of Nature against it? For whatChrysost. 1 Thess. 5. Chrisostome pleaded, for the dutie, that may we pleade for the libertie of examining: Oues estis, sed rationales. Is not the lawe of Gods worde against it, proove all things, holde fast that which is good? On whichHieron. Epist. 152. Hierome, estote probati nummularij, vt si quis nummus adulter est, & figuram Caesaris non habeat, nec signatus est moneta publica, reprobetur. Is it not against the do­ctrine of the Fathers? Origen (I graunt) requireth obediēce in the Churches ob­seruations,Orig in lib. Num. et si ratio non pateat. and Chrisost. is alleadged as peremptorie,Chrysost. in Thess. homil. 4. tradi­tio est, nihil amplius desidera. which if they meane not de ratione priuata, they rushe against that, which is more truely deliuered thus,Chrysost. in psal 95. homil 1. Si quid dicitur absque scriptura, auditoris cogitatio claudicat, mutat (que). And againe,Tertul in lib. de co­ron. milit. rationis diuinae patrocinium ex­postula, saluo traditionis respectu: quocunque traditore censetur: nec authorem respicias, sed authoritatem. Is it not against the doctrine of the moderne Churches? ThusMuscul. loc. cōmun. de tradit. cap. 5. one of our writers, There needeth diligent discretion, that a Minister accept not those things for indifferent, which either because they are against the worde of God, or because of superstition, and wicked service, deserue iuste abhomination. Another thus:Chemnit. exam. pag. 2. fol. 35. Libertie must not bee taken away, to condemne or disvse a cere­monie, whēby the word of God, it is found that he serueth not for edificatiō, nei­ther can be kept without impietie. Another thus:Willet. controuers. 4. q. 5. p. 3 This we hold, that it is the du­tie of all Christians to trie & examine the truth of all things, which they are to re­ceaue, though they sit not formally and iudicially as in Cōsistories, to iudge their spirituall Pastors. Last of all, when Martiall inveigheth against vs, as curious (as now we are by our owne brethren inveighed against) for that in the custome of the crosse we require scripture: It is our duetie (saith Maister Calfhill) to haue an eye to Gods lawe, & to see what accordeth with it. seeing our Opposites receaue not this Divinitie of theirs, neither from the light of nature, nor from the worde, nor from the Fathers, nor from the late writers, from whom (I marvayle) doe they borrowe it, vnlesse it be from papistes. Surely not from all of them neither. Thomas Aquinas vpon these wordes [Iudge you what I say] demaundeth the questi­on, whether an inferior may iudge of the factes of his Superior, & resolveth,Thom. A­quin. in 1. cor. 10. sect 4. see D. Bilson aga. Apolog. p. 2. pa. 353. non debent iudicare iudicio superordinationis, sed licet iudicio discretionis. WhereasBernard de praecept & dispensat. Ber­nard speaketh somewhat blindly for blinde obedience imperfecti cordis, & infirmae prorsus voluntatis inditium est, statua Seniorum, studiosius discutere, haerere ad singula quae iniunguntur exigere de quibusque ratione & malè suspicari de omni praecepto cuius causa latuerit. Thus Molanus (though a papist) to make him plaine,Io. Molan. de fid hae­retic seruā. li. 5. ca. 22. etsi non dece­at. &c. Although it be not seemelie for private men to search too curiouslie the commandements of their Superiours, yet a subiect may modestly and reverent­lie examine when an oath is tendered to him, whether it be hurtfull to his con­science or not. Bellarmine him selfe affirmeth, that the ill lawes of the Pope him­selfe, are not only not to be receaued, (as though they did binde the conscience) but also that they are to be reiected. Hence it followeth, (saithSibrand. Lubbert. de pap. Roman. lib. 8 cap. 7 pag. 693. one of our wri­ters) that Christians haue power to iudge euen of the Popes lawes themselues, whether they be good or ill. What then? this divinitie questionlesse floweth frō the sinke of Iesuitisme, and from the Canons of Ignatius Laiola, which are these: If Iesuit. Ca­techif li 2. ca. 17. & 18 a mans iudgement be against the commaundement of his superiours, hee must re­mooue it Caeca quadam obedientia. Prudentia non obedientis, sed imperantis est. No­thing more contrarie to obedience, quam mora in superiorum iussis examinandis, which he holdeth to be arrogancie. Non est dignus nomine obedientis, qui legitimo [Page 14]superiori non cum voluntate iudicium etiam submittit. He that thus submitteth his iudgement caeca quadam obedientia, doeth performe sapientem sanctam (que) stu [...]titiam. Accordingly the punie Iesuites doe professe, they worke in regard of the com­maundement of their superiours, as dead carcases. howbeit, not to depend vpon the testimonie of one man, talem, &c. This obedience (saith anRabidi­nera. Ies. de vita Ignatii lib. 5. ca. 4. other) did Igna­tius professe, I must not be myne owne, but his that created me, hee meaneth his go­uernour that made him a Iesuite: & I must suffer my selfe to be drawne & framed by him (like tender waxe) quae sequitur fingentis manum. Erasm Annota in colos. 2.23 Erasmus opposeth him­self against this obedience, thinking it to be that counterfeit humblenes of mind, which the Apostle by name condemneth. And he thus describeth the absurditie of it: Col. 2.18.23. It is the parte of an abiect minde, for a man to suffer him selfe to be ledd by the precepts of men, as it were a calfe by the nose. TheIndex expurgato. Hispan. in Erasm. Inquisition commaun­deth these words to be blotted out of him. What? because they dislike this hum­blenes? No, but because they will not haue it esteemed calvishe, which yet (not­withstanding) an other maketh to be the patience of an Asse, which is worse then a calfe. Patientia Asinina est (saithPerald. E­piscop. sum. virtur. tom. 1. de Bea­titud. he) non curare quid ei imponatur, aurum aut lu­tum. Doth not the subscription require of vs, that not will onely, but that iudeg­ment also be submitted? Doe not the tribunalls crie out against vs, as against men presumptuous and arrogant, for our reasoning against our betters and superiors? Doe not the moderne pulpitts proclaime vs Anabaptistes, for that we cast a vaile of scripture over the commaundements of our governours? Teach not the pam­plettes of our Opposites,Thom. H. that we must obey a lawe though we haue some proba­ble, or some forcible reasons against it? was it not long since written as God hath giuen power to the Church to ordaine ecclesiasticall lawes, so hath he alsoexamin. of the decla. [...]at. of the M. of Lon­don. in the answ. p. 56 pro­mised his spirit to Synodes, yea for ordayning rites & ceremonies? Is it not rise, and euery where saide, to obey in the Lord, is to obey the Magistrate, by acknowled­ging his [...]oyce to be the voyce of God him self? which is the verie cornerIesuit. catechism. vb sup. stone of the Iesuitishe blinde obedience. Being thus many wayes called to an obedi­ence counterfeit, which (as it hath been shewed alreadie) better befitteth beastes then men: we must craue pardon to replie with Ambrose (breaking a ceremo­nie prescribed at Rome, which verie willingly he would haue followed)Ambros. de Sacram. lib. 3. ca 1. & nos quoque homines seusum habemus. For our iustification herein, we will not cite what one of ourReynald. de Idolola. in epist. ad Anglo. Rhemens. writers hath against this obedience blinde, but I conclude out of Au­gustine, August. ad frat. in Erem. serm. 7. Cauete in obedientia (fratres mei:) tenete, & in cordibus alligate, quod obedien­tia sine discretione, cassa est & vana: & obedientia sine honestate privata, superbia est▪ discretio, honestas, Iusticia, & humilitas, socij sunt sanctae obedientiae: sine quibus, omni­no obedientia vana est, & invtilis.

#Sect. 8. The warrant of Ceremonies ought to be Rerson and Edification, neither Will nor Authoritie.

A Thanasius is approved by ourThom. Morton. Apolog. p. 1. li. 1. c. 68 writers, when he writeth to Eustachius, they doe renovare, nay superare cunctas haereses, qui iubent accipere simpliciter, quae di­cuntur, vt nemo exquirat quid deceat, aut non deceat, quid vtile, quid proposito consen­taneum, quid mysterio dignum, quid concordans cum veritate. These wordes (to mine vnderstanding) reproue not only that iniustice which taketh away from vs a free and modest examination of the lawfulnes of these ceremonies controversed, whereof we haue spoken, but also that, which barreth particular examination of the expediencie, which they should haue in vse and practise, of which nowe wee are to speake. For as Bellarmine Bellar. de Pontific. lib. 4. c. 16. holdeth there is no ceasing of a lawe of a cere­monie quomodocunque (he meaneth vpon particular circumstances which do oc­curre) vntill it cease vniversaliter, so here at home it is denied, that the rigour of [Page 15]the lawe ceaseth in these ceremonies, at any one time, in any one place for anie circumstance whatsoever, vntill it be remoued away vniversally. We graunt (say some) the ceremonies must not be vsed, when inexpedient. But who shal iudge? For if it be lefte to every Minister, then what confusion? First, 1 Cor. 6.12 1 Cor 12.8 Colos. 1.9. Eccles. 8 4. Pro. 25.11. as there is [...] to see what is lawfull, so is there [...] to iudge according vnto circumstances what isZanch co­mentar. in Colos. 1.9. expedient. If then the Magistrate permit not the minister to iudge expedien­cie in what he doeth, as present circumstances shall chaunge or varie; hee forbid­deth the practize of a vertue & the vse of a gifte which God hath giuen him; and without which he can no more profit the soules of them that are committed to his charge, thenConci. A­quigranen. cap. 24. a phisition can cure the body when it is not permitted to him, to vse his discretion according to the present circumstances of the cure. Second­lie, we see that which is good per se, groweth euill per accidens if it bee not duelieCaietan. in Thom. 1.2. que. 9. circumstantionatum. ForLambert. Dane. Ethi▪ cor. l. 1 c. 16 non tantum considerandum est id quod agimus, sed etiam quibus circumstantijs. To giue instance: An almes though good of it selfe, yet groweth to be evill, if it be faultie in the circūstances of due time, measure, man­ner, and of fit persons vpon whom it is bestowed. How much more (then) doe things indifferent, which are not good (such as the ceremonies are helde to bee) then growe to be evill, when by the discretion of the Minister, they be not gui­ded to right circumstances, and ridd from euill? Thirdly, the Magistrates power is no greater then Paules. Now he leaveth the managing of things indifferent, to the discretion of euery man. For his wordes are these: Let euery man vse his iudgement, that he lay no stumbling blocke before his brother. In deede as the Magi­strate is bounde to institute, abrogate, and chaunge rites generally,Chemn [...]t. examin. pa. 1. de tradit. pag. 84. pro generali ratione aedificationis, locorum, personarum, temporum: so it is his duetie to oversee the Minister, that a ceremonie be privatly chaunged or omitted, as private circum­stances doe change and varie, seeing private circumstances haue power to make euill the private vse, as well as the generall ones haue power to make the whole genus euill, as hath been shewed alreadie. Fourthly, seeing the expediencie of the ceremonies consisteth in particular circumstances, which a lawe generall cannot comprise, therefore a good lawe will giue libertie to omit them, in case they doe not edifie, euen the papistes them selues being iudges.Tho. A­quin. 1▪ 1. q. 97. art. 3 respōs. ad [...] Leges humanae. &c. The lawes of man in some cases are defectiue, in which it is not expedient for the pu­blique good, that they should be kept. wherevpon it may fall out sometimes, that a man may doe besides the lawe, to wit, in a case in which the lawe fayleth, & yet the action shall not be euill. Fiftly, See we the iudgement of the godly:August. epist. 118. cap. 2. totum hoc genus liberas habet ob servationes. The observation of things indifferent, is free. AHarmon. confessi. sect 17 ex Hel­ueri. poste. art. 25. godly man may at all times and in all places vse them freely. howbeit he must vse them only to the glorie of God, and the edificatiō of his brother. MenIbid. ex­confes. Bo­hemic. c. 15 must be taught to acknowledge that there is no perpetuall or inevitable lawe to bee made about mans traditions; but as for iust causes they are ordayned, so for iuste causes, & re ita postulante, they may without sinne be broken, abrogated, & chaū ­ged, euen by the example of the Apostles. who brake the tradition of the Elders, when they did eate with vnwashen handes, and kept not the fastes which others did keepe, & yet neuer sinned therein.A. Hiper. de sacris stud. non deserend. pag. 156. Potest qui praeest. &c. A Pastor of a church may by his private authoritie, abrogate rites and observations, when they dege­nerate from true pietie, or growe openly superstitious. Quid verò dico potest? im­mo si functioni tuae facere vis satis, debes medijs omnibus in id laborare, id (que) ne aliorum peccatis te contamines. Againe,Idem pag. 158. Ceremonies, although they be not of themselues impious, yet it is certaine they may be omitted, if the circumstance of time, per­son, place doe so require, or rather profitable and necessarie causes doe occurre, as the set number of prayers, which the Bishopps doe prescribe, may be omitted vpon need of time. other like things vpon due circumstances may bee lefte, nay [Page 16](indeed) they must be lefte, and pretermitted. And such is our third petition a­gainst the greevances which the commaunding of the Ceremonies in present practize hurleth on vs.

#Sect. 9. 4. Suite, beseecheth that they may not be thought to offend against a law, who observe the intention of it.

OVr fourth beseecheth, a mitigation of those rigours, which the execution of this commaunde hath hitherto brought with it. Here (as wee take it) wee haue missed not only of equitie, but of ordinarie iustice also. It is a common say­ing, that equitie must euer dwell in the bosome of the Prince. which as theAeneas Silui. de gest. cōcil. Basiliens. li. 1. fol. 4. coū ­cill of Basil interpreteth, is to leaue the letter of the Lawe, and to follow the rea­son of it. This theTho. A­quin. 2.2. q 120. art. 1. schoolmen thus enlarge; Law makers respect that, which most vsually falleth out, and frame their lawe accordingly▪ which lawe notwithstan­ding in some cases to obserue, is against the equalitie of iustice, and the common good which the lawe doeth intende. As for example: Sometimes it is hurtfull to restore that, with which we are put in trust withall, to wit, to restore a sworde to one that is madd. where to followe the lawe, is to his hurte: but it is for his good (leauing the wordes of the lawe) to followe that which iustice, reason, and com­mon profit doth require. ad quod ordinatur aequitas. This considered, we are clea­red when we omit the Crosse and Surplice, because we keepe the intent of the lawe, which intendeth edificatiō, which is bonum commune, but condemned whē we vse them, because then in giving scandall, we follow the letter against the cer­taineThe trea­tice of the ceremon. prefix. be­fore the communi. booke. stat. Elizab. 1. c. 2. in fin. intent of the lawe, which is resolued to be malum. What are the Crosse & Surplice but knives wherewith the simple hurt them selues? but equitie wee see forbiddeth, though generally the lawe commanndeth, I say not to giue a popish knife, but to giue a man his owne knife, when he is likely to hurt himfelfe with it. And there is an other instance of common equitie, which serueth our turne. The letter of the Lawe forbiddethCicer. de offic. transcendere muros, when equitie biddeth a man to climbe them, and leape ouer them too, so it be to repell the enimie: This now is our case. For if we breake the lawes letter, and so leape ouer Crosse and Surplice, and some other ceremonies of our church, yet wee keepe the Lawes equitie, in that we doe it to fight against the common enimie (who is the papist) and the common superstition popishe, which men place in them. An Inquisitor himself cannot condemne vs in this case, in case he stande to his owne decision, which is this, he isSiluest. Prier. in Summa verb. ino­bedientia. not guiltie of disobedience, which doth against the wordes of the Lawe, keeping the intent thereof; so that it may be probably thought, if the law­giuer him selfe were present, he would not oblige and binde. Speaketh he not of a Law-giuer, whose intent is vpright and rectified? if he doe, then hath Pilate him selfe washed vs, from imputation of disobedience, because not onely it may pro­bably be iudged, but also it is certainly knowen, that our law-makers, whose heartes are vpright within them, would neuer binde vnto the ceremonies con­troversed, if they were in re presenti, and sawe that hurt, which we see daylie to come of them.

#Sect. 10. The Opposites in defence of Ceremonies, offende against ordinarium jus.

FRom equitie which we haue not receyued, I come to ordinarium ius, which walketh in the middest betweene this equitie and contrarie rigour, of which we suppose we haue fayled likewise: whether the ius of a good lawe in generall be respected, or the ius of this lawe of our lande in speciall. Touching the first [Page 25]for asmuch as the end of the law is loue, which hath two daughters Goodnes & Iu­stice, we are to consider this ius ordinariū, first as it is ouerswayed by goodnes, then as iustice doth direct it apart by it self. The first goodnes that maketh intercessiō is gentlenes, which wil not beNehē 5.24 burthensome, but abstaine rather from the bread of the gouernor: nor be [...] 1. Thes. [...].7. grievous, but forbeare rather the1. cor. 9▪ 15 power of the governor. which leadeth with the bonds ofHos. 11.4. Loue, taketh away euery hard yoke, delighteth in willingnes of obedience rather then feare, & therefore enlureth, not terrifieth only, which isSum. Sil­uestrin. verb. iust. proper vnto rigour.Gregor. epist. 126. tit. 6. Ipsa gubernacula sunt mag no moderamine tem­peranda, ne potestas mentem surripiat. Then is the gouernement righteous (Idem in rescrip. Fae­li [...]i. Siciliae. Tom con­cil. [...]. p. 7 [...]2. saith he elswhere) quando nihil potestati, sed totum equitati tribuitur. what though (then) our Reverend Fathers haue a power to exact these things: doth not gentlenes intreate them, not to vse this power of theirs, rather then to encōber & burthen quiet cō ­sciences & hartes single before their God? Let none say, they may choose (also) whether they will forbeare their power or no, but he that thinketh it is in their choyse whether they wilbe gentle or no. which how can they be, sith they must needs make their litle finger heauy, who make a gesture of the finger so heavy, 1 Reg. 12.14 to­so many prophets of the Lord? This is not with Irenaeus to be gentle in a ceremo­nie; this is rather to walke with Victor, like vnto thē of whom Erasmus, his Erasm. in Schol. virae. Irenae. modis & nos magnā orbis partem per didimus, dum omnes ceremonias ad viuū exigimus. Know est thou not (said Pharoes servants once to him) that Egipt goeth to wracke? know not out Rever. Fathers now, what a great part of the church is wasted? If things were in integro, we would beseech thē to be left to our selues, euen as inZozom. histor li. 7. cap. 19. Easters controversie, all were at the first permitted to do as they would. But seeing now there is a law made, which bindeth to one side we wishe that gentle carriage to­wards vs, which hath euermore been shewed in matters of like qualitie. August. speaking of the Lenten faste, which was by the church in his time commanded, giueth libertie to keepe itAugust. conita Faust. Ma­nichae lib. 30 cap. 5. quanto magri [...] quis [...]ue vel minus, seu voluerit, seu potuerit. Theodoret speaking of the s [...] [...] notwithstading it was a custome) yet hath these words:Theodor: epi. diuin. decret. Abstinentia. &c sas parti [...]tie s [...]nt [...]mentis potesi [...]te. Prosper, affirmeth the cōmandement of fasting was [...]gently [...]cted, that men fasted,Prosp. de vin contem: 2. c vlt. nō coacti, sed de­noti. to wit, the cōmandement was a canon rather then a law, as appeareth by Primasius. Primas. in Rom. 14. De ieiunto (saith he) [...]ex no [...]est posita, sed quomodo potest vnusquisque & vult. Chrisostome is alleadged byBellat. de Pontifie. lib. 4 ca. 17 Be [...]armi [...], to proue a necessarie obseruatiō of this fae­sting, who yet notwithstanding leaueth both it self & the circumstances of it, in Chrysost. in 1. cor. homil. 9. Mal. 2.6. Mat. 15.3. Isa. 10.1. cuius (que) opinione. I need not shew how we haue fayled of this gentlenes in these ce­remonies, who haue sued for it to this houre, & yet sue to our Reu. Fathers, with­out any other answer thē this, There is a lawe, it must be obeyed. But doth it suffize thus to say, without respect to him that will aske, should not my law, the lawe of trueth be in your mouthes, that so ye might haue walked with me in peace and equitie? Is it not so that ye haue broken my law, to set vp your owne? and that a­gainst my heavie threat, woe vnto them that make heauy lawes? The second goodnes tempering Iustice is indulgēce, which exacteth no performāce in a ceremonie, but that which the partie is ablero do, & that without an Incōveniēce to himself. For may not the Sabbothday be brokē, whē the observatiō of it doth hurt the body? Mat. 12.12 [...] the Sabboth being made for man, not mā for the Sabboth. Thē are we bereaued of christian indulgence, when to these ceremonies we are inforced to the hurt of our cōsciēces, or els forced to loose our states, as if we were made for the ceremo­nies, & not the cerem. made for vs▪ which were thēselues neuer made by God, as was the Sabboth Hierom for the necessitie of the Lenten faste, leaueth men not­withstanding to do in their fastingsHie [...]on. episto ad Nepotian. quantū possunt, & requireth moderatū ieiunium only, as the body is able to beare: further thē which, if any mā fast, he calleth it su­perstitiosum. NayBel [...]ar. de Poncific. li. 4▪ ca. 18. Bellar. exacteth not now the canō of fasting, though his church severely enioyneth it, either of children, old men, or sicke, who cannot beare it, or [Page 26]whose health it would hurt, so that, it seemeth, it were well with vs, if we had but the bread which Antichrist himselfe breaketh to his children in any good propor­tion, for as much as we can protest against these ceremonies, that they stande not with the health of our soules which are more precious then our bodies, and that our consciences are made sicke with them. This is our weaknes (some will say) as if Christ spared not to conforme his disciples to the rigour of the Pharisies fa­stings, yea of the fastings of Iohns disciples▪ when by reason of their infirmitie he sawe they were as vessells weake, Mat. 9.17. that could not beare it without bursting. In re­gard hereof, if we call on our Reuerend Fathers to be spared, we doe but recall their owne doctrine to their mindes, which euen speaking of the Magistrate hath these wordes,Doc. Bils. cont. Apo­log. pag. 1. pag. 46. we may not for things indifferent, trouble the weak mindes of the brethrē.

#Sect. 11. Thirdly, Iustice borrowed temper from Equinanimitie which dispenseth on iust cause. Fourtly, from forbearance, which passeth by a ceremoniall transgression.

THe third goodnes, from which iustice is contented to borrow temper, is that equinanimitie, which dispenseth vpon iust cause, and accepteth a iust excuse, which yet the crosse would neuer. The doctrine of the first Bishopp of this lande, when this controversie first brake forth, was this,The trea­tise whe­ther it bee mottall fin to trans­gresse a ci­vill precept A man without sinne, may trans­gresse a civill lawe vpon iust excuse. No marvaile, the very papistes teach the same:Tho. A­quin. 2.2. quest. 147. art. 4. in conclus. & respōs. ad 1 statuta ecclesiae, non sunt per se, de necessitate salutis, sed solum ex institutione ecclesiae. & ideo non obligant si affuerit rationabile impedimentum. Nam legislator in ijs statuendis attendit id quod communiter habetur, & in pluribus accidit; si quod. a. sit impedimētum, non intendit legislator tum obligare. Another:Bellar. de Pontific. lib. 4. c. 18. Impeditus iusta de causa, non tenetur Missam audire. An other:Nauar. Enchirid. praelud. 9. Num. 8. A man may breake the lawes of the Church, Quando habet iustam causam non parendi. Yea, they so enlarge our libertie herein, as that not on­lieSiluest. sum. verb. [...]obedien. vera rationabilis causa excusat (saye they) sed etiam aestimata. Nowe, haue wee not cause to forbeare the ceremonies? Is there not an impediment? are we not able (I say not to excuse, but also) to defende our cause? Suppose we were not a­ble to giue cause reasonable, to giue cause vera causa aestimata, iniustice her selfe cannot deny vs, who haue on our sides the common estimate of all the reformed Churches of God, that are in Christendome, besides our owne. As for our pri­vate estimation, David thought the feeding of his body, was cause sufficient to breake the lawe of the shew-bread. Christ thought the satisfying of the Disciples hūger to be cause sufficient to breake the ceremonie of the Sabboth▪ He thought also that the healing of the Leapers bodies, was a iuste excuse, to breake the lawe that forbad the touching of them. Much more (then) may we think now in our estimation that the feeding of other mens soules, the satisfying of our owne con­sciences, together with the consciences of other men, & the healing of mens spi­rituall leaprosie and superstition, are causes sufficient to breake the lawe of the ce­remonies and of the crosse, which are not Gods, but mens. The fourth goodnes by which iustice suffreth her self to be couselled & directed, is that Forbearāce which passeth by a ceremoniall transgression, because it is of small consequence in com­parison, and taketh no forfeiture of it. This a Reverend Bishop once awarded to vs, whose wordes are these:I [...]wel. art. [...]. deuis. 9. fol. 117. Ceremonies should be vsed freely, & not with rigour, as Cyprian saith; why (then) are they so precise and earnest in ceremonies, that be the abuse of them neuer so great, they will remit nothing? This he spake vpō occa­siō of the Trin-immersion, which though it were in Cypri. time, a traditiō & order of the church, yet doth heCypr. lib. epistola. 4. epist. 7. allow the omitting of it, & the vsing of Aspersion. And out of him, an Harding him self cā iustifie a Cōpēdious baptisme, though al the cere­monies of the church be not observed: and our baptisme, whē we do not vse the crosse, what is it but such a cōpēdious baptisme? &Harding. answ. to Maist. lew. Challeng. art. 2. diuis. 9. Harding giveth this toleratiō [Page 19]euen after that canon of Trent was giuen, which maketh the omission of any rite which the church of Rome cōmandeth in any Sacrament, to be no lesse thē dam­nable sinne. so that, excuse who can the severitie now shewed to vs, againstChemnit. exam. p. 2. pag. 37. our writers affirming the servitude of this canon to be heavie in that it taketh away al libertie of omission. For this severitie, as it is practised in visitations, not onely de­nyeth libertie to vs, to omit the crosse in baptisme, but also to adde, omit, alter, any one worde of the whole Leiturgie; a plaine renewall of the Germane Adia­phorisme, which was, that the booke should be keptRespons. Nichola. Galli. & Flac. Illiric. ad concion. Misniae. ad verbum, and n ad amussim: at a word,Hambur. epist. ad P. Melanc. h. absque omni violatione whatsoeuer. The late famous Maria de la Anun­tiada tolde her confessor, that Christ her hus band did dayly come downe, and in his owne person helped her to say her canonical prayers. Her cōfessor beleueeth it, yet being tolde, that because Christ himselfe was present, she vsed to say Gloria Patri, & tibi, & spiritni sancto, he condemned her vpon this reason, there must noCyprian. Valera. in histor. eius. word of the churches vse be altered: and therfore enioyned her to say & Filio. Leo the 9.Albert. Crantz li 4. histor. Saxō. c. 45. Pope of that name, being with Henry the 3. at Masse on a Christmas day at Wormes, deprived a Subdeacon, & that forthwith, because he songe the Epistle vnconformably, not to the tune of the church of Rome. The Archbishopp refused to goe forward in the Masse till he were restored againe. Such hurries about con­formitie, if they had neuer visited this Church of ours, it had neuer been depri­ued of so many Godly and profitable Pastors, as are depriued nowe. Tertullian mislikethTertul. de prescript. aduers. hae­res. Rhenā, in annotat. ibid. morositatem Iudeae, when any Church doeth imitate the same in a pre­cize and strickte obseruing of ceremonies. Nowe what should I stande to proue that by vs it is imitated, when our Leiturgie is more preste, then the booke of God it selfe: and the prayers thereof, so stricktly obserued, as that (in a maner) they be turned into a charme: We may not alter a worde of the Leiturgie, and yet make bolde to alter I knowe not howe many wordes in our Church-transla­tion of the Bible, and that of them to a contrarie sense; which is the onely cor­rumpentBellar de pontific. B. 4. cap. 17. altering that can be named: and compell men by subscription to ap­prooue it when we haue done. And we must not adde any thing to the Leitur­gie, and yet we are bolde to adde to the Baptisme of the Lorde, a signe to his seale, a crosse to his water, which is additio ad opus praeceptum: as if the Iewes in their passeouer in steade of one Lambe, had eaten two, that which aBellar. ibid Bellarmine himselfe condemneth: to omit that our addition of crosse to water, is not an ad­dition eiusdem generis, as when a lambe to a lambe is added, but an addition of a signe of a diverse kinde, which yet as we adde it, is made to be of the same vse, thē which,Fran. Lun. controuers. 3. lib. 4. ca. 17. nota. 4. Apoc. 11.8. Exo. 32.3.4 no addition can be worse. whereas then the treasure-house of our pray­ers, hath Iewells in it which haue been borrowed from the spirituall. Aegypt of Rome, which are thus enhaunced, we may well divine that Iewells from without borrowed, will neuer scarce thriue well, sith euen at first when Iewells were bor­rowed frō Aegipt bodily, they proued but matter at last, for the making of a calfe. Doe not the Evangelistes them selves alter in their citations the words of the old texte often, as Act. 7.43. Heb. 10.5. & 1.6.7.?A. Willet. controuers. 11. quest. 1, appendic. ad pag. 2. affirme we not the wordes of the Lords prayer & of the Sacram. may be altered without fault? Condemne we notBellar. de sacram. in gen. ca. 21. papistes on the other side when they will not permit so much as an accidentall change in the word of the Sacram. and thinke their peevishnes in this respect, not only worse thē that scrupulositie which Augu. August. cont. Do­natist. de Bapti. lib. 6 ca. 25. & de Doctr. Christian. lib 4. ca. 5 cōdemneth in cleauing too much to the words thēselues of scripture, but also to be a kind of charme? And how is the popish charming in our praying spread abroad by this our servilitie to the words of the leiturgie? For let the minister chang but some words for explanatiō, (which Rome it self holdeth to be lawful, and no church euer yet condemned ex­cept theCeusur. Orient. eccles cap. 1. Stanisla. Socolon. ibid. Greeke, in our adding to the Nicene Creed; filio (que), to expresse the pro­ceeding of the holy spirite) and such a sturre presently followeth, as iustifieth [Page 20]the auncient proverbe, There is much dust raysed, when an olde wise daunceth. In deed they can no more pray to God many of the common people, when the wounted Idea of their common Leiturgie is taken from them, thē could one Serapion once (as I remember) when his Anthropomorphitishe and his carnall Idea of God was taken from him. Alas (saith he) I haue lost my God, how shall I now pray? And thus haue we hitherto missed of iustice as it is overlooked by charitie, and coun­selled by goodnesse. Come we now to consider her as shee walketh in her owne equalitie for distribution of good and evill.

#Sect. 12. Imposition of Ceremon, as now vrged, take away Christian libertie.

WHereas Iustice giueth to euery man his owne, the ceremonies haue taken from vs (as we take it) our Christian libertie, both for the obiectes and subiects of it. Concerning the former; first they enslaue vs vnto Antichrist, which is a great greefe to vs, euen as it was ourConrad. Schlusselb. Catolog. haeret. tom. 13. p. 466. brethren in Germanie to haue the cere­monies of the Pope enforced vpon them, as wherein they thought they were re­duced vnder the yoke of Antichrist againe. They adde, they were reduced aliquo modo, which I mention that our Opposites may perceaue there is aliquis modus of bondage to Antich. although it be not he that doth commaund the things impo­sed: and although the necessitie of the commandement doth not binde after his maner. Paule helde it was subiection to them of the circumcizion, if their rites were receaued in what maner soeuer. Gal. 2.4.5. Nolite iugum ducere cum infidelibus: quae.n.est societas luci ad tenebras. this was cited by theLib. Con­cord. apud Conrad. Schlusselb. Ibid. p. 596 Divines of Germany, to proue the inforcement of popish ceremonies doeth bring vs vnder the yoke of bondage. Whence it appeareth that it is a yoke, if we do but drawe with Antichrist by con­formitie vnto his rites.Libellus Supplicat. Theolog. anno 1561 Ibid. p. 590 Others more bolde affirme the imposing of popish rites enthralleth ecclesiam sponsam Christi euen to his yoke, and compelleth her service etiam agnito Antichristo. the reason is, because we borrowe these rites from him, & the borrower (we know) becometh a seruant to him that lendeth: and our reli­gion is (thereby) made inferior to his, because we debase it, to receaue from him, while he scorneth to receaue from vs. and (finally) because he triumpheth while we are made sadde, yea prevayleth by the coūtenance of these ceremonies while we are worsted in our ministerie; Nay he is countenanced by these ceremonies, when we are put to shame. Miserrimus est qui misero servit; not little therefore is the servitude, to which the signe of the Crosse doth sell vs: we cannot say of it as Hector once, if we were soulde to be slaues, we could haue borne it. Secondly, we are en­thralled to man, which although we can beare better, in respect of our selues, yet in respect of the glorie of God, 1 Cor. 7.27 we cānot wholy beare it neither, because it is said, be ye not the servants of men. whervpō ourFran. Iun. controuer. 3. lib. 4. ca. 17. nota. 19 writers obserue, that Christ hath freed vs not only from the Lawe, from sinne, and from the ceremonies of Moses lawe, but also à servitute hominum. for we are pressed with the bare will, and with the bare pleasure of our reverend Fathers, which is a servitude both by the scripturs, Colos. 2.18. Heb. 12.10, and also by reason. For it is the will of God onely that can make a thing to be good, therefore it only must be obeyed. Let vs not bee worse then papistes: euen theyStapleto. controuer. 5. q. 7. art. 2 affirme that the wil of the Magistrate of it selfe, cannot binde any, why heare we so often, it is the pleasure of our superiours,D. Field. of the Church. lib. 4. c. 33. non ex voluntate Legislatoris, sed ex ipsa legum vtilitate. Do humane lawes binde to o­bedience? As the ceremonies doe enthrall vs to mans will, so much more vnto his power. It is written of an Adiaphoriste him selfe, that he accused the Adiapho­risme of the Interim which was in Germanie, that it didConrad. Schlusselb. vb sub. pa. 590. exequare homines potentes Deo, & perinde adorare. If I should say the like of our present Adiaphorisme, I should [Page 21]be asked wherein? For answer to which, be it considered, whether absolute pow­er ascribed to man in things indifferent doth not equall him to God or no? And when the practise of our church bringeth into greater feare to breake a ceremo­nie of mans ordayning, then to breake a lawe of Gods, in that it presseth more precisely, and punisheth more stricktly the one then the other: who can deny, but that it induceth an adoring of man, as if he were God, or at the least a servitude to him? Thirdly, we are enthralled to the ceremonies them selues commaūded, against that part of christian libertie, Gal. 4.10. which setteth vs free A servitute rerum & ele­mentorum huius mandi, both by the scriptures and by allFran. Iun. vb. sub 1 Cor. 6.12 good writers. I will not be brought vnder the power of any thing (saith Paule) but we are brought vn­der the power, both of the Crosse and Surplice, when we are constrained to vse them, whether they edifie or destroy. For qui vtitur eo quod non expedit, siue lici­tum siue illicitum, redigitur quodammodo sub rei illius potestate, saithTho. A­quin. in 1. cor. 6. lect. 8 Aquinas. The Law of the ceremonies inflicteth punishment ipso facto, but if the facte it selfe be punished which omitteth any rite, thē is it for the rite sake it selfe that the punish­ment is inflicted. which cannot be but the person is made subiect vnto the rite, for which he is corrected. when without impeachment of christiā libertie, a law beareth rule, it is by reason of the prossit which it bringeth to common good: which profit when it ceaseth, then the lawe it selfe doth cease, as the canon lawe doth teach:Decret pa. 1. distinct. 61 cap 8. Ecclesiasticae prohibitiones proprias habent causas, quibus cessantibus, ces­sant & ipsae. so that punishment rightly executed,Ibid pa. 2 c. 1 q. 5. c. 3 is not ex rigore Canonum, but ex intuitu rationis. If then it were to the law only, that we were subiected, thē should we not be punished but for an hindering of the reason & of the profit of the law. These doe we keepe, because we edifie in what we doe. If then we be punished, it is ex rigore canonis, non ex consideratione discretionis, according to the letter, not according to the reason of the lawe: and so it is the rite it selfe, for which we are corrected, whereby it appeareth the rite it selfe doth beare rule ouer vs. And these are the obiectes to which the ceremonies doe enthrall vs, to the impeachment (as we take it) of our christian libertie.

#Sect. 13. Ceremonies as nowe vrged, take away libertie of Conscience.

COme we now to the subiectes wherein, whether inward or outward. Con­cerning the former, the law of man binding no further, then where he is able to take notice of a transgression, & where he hath power to punish, reacheth not to the soule of any, but bindeth only the outward man, on the inward man, if it make any invasion, a breach is made vpō the libertie of the same. what then (will some say) is not the affection of the heart required, in the obedience of humane lawes? yet by the generall lawe of God, by the laweD. Field. of the Church. li. 4. ca. 34. of man, it is not required, which may be obeyed although the affection of the heart be bad: whence com­meth the rule, A man may be a good Citizen, that is not a good man. But now the law of the ceremonies setteth vp a throne within our heartes moe wayes then one, both for the matter, and for the manner of their proceeding. They impeach our christian libertie in the matter of their commaund, in that they require a submis­sion of our iudgements without any reason out of Gods lawe: as appeareth by the subscription, which requireth vs to beleeue that all is well, which nowe is in force for the governement of the Church. They impeach it also in the matter of their punishing, because they threaten to kill the soule, with which no man hath power to medle, as it is evident by the Canons, who excommunicate ipso facto, which is to deliuer vnto Sathan, and to thrust out of Christes kingdome. And is there not a curse pronounced, and an Anathema to the breakers of the same Ca­nons [Page 22]If so, then is the soule vsurped on, as a man famous among our late writers hath lately taught,D. Field. vb. sup. cap. 32. mortall men forget them selues, when either they commaund vnder payne of damnation, or take vpon them to prescribe inward actions of soule or spirit. A­gaine,Ibid. c. 33. they impiously vsurpe, who publish all their Canons and constitutions in such sorte, that they threaten damnatiō to all offenders. As for the iniurie, by the manner of proceeding, be it considered that inIoh. Ger­son. de vita spirituali a­nimae lecti­one. 2. Gersons opinion, they only leaue our libertie free, who deale now as he thinketh the best and wisest among the guides of Gods church dealt, who haue not so ill a meaning as to haue all their constitutions to be taken for lawes properly so named, but for threatninges, ad­monitions, counsells and directions only. The ceremonies quite contrarie sett vpon vs with the power of a lawe to force, which what doth it effect in our harts but griefe, whereby is not the ioyfull libertie of the spirit impay [...]d much in ma­nie? Siterrerentur (saithAugust. epist. 48. Augustine) & non docerentur, improba quasi dominatio vi­deretur. Therefore he prescribeth elswhere:Augustin. epist. 64. Non asperè quantum existimo, non du­riter, nō modo imperioso ista tolluntur, magis docendo quàm iubendo, magis monendo quā minando. Now if the Law of the ceremonies would proceed by this way of per­swasion, and shewe vs reason, and teach vs out of the word of God, then should it in all sweetnes leade vs, as when a Nurse doeth leade a childe. Terrifying with­out this teaching, is for a slaue: euen as indeed, it doeth begett a servile spirit in mens hearts, like to the Germane Adiaphorisme, of which oneFlace. Illy­rie. in lib. &c Adiaph. complayneth thus: libertatae quae à Christo donata est, privamur, neque. n. per istas ceremonias politi­ca libertas tollitur, sed religionis; vbi tristis servitus est in Ceremonijs (sicut ipsemet Adi­aphoristae affirmant Ceremoniae istae tristi servitute ecclesiam onerant) ibi certè non potest esse laeta Christi libertas. From the thraldome which the ceremonies bring vpon our inner man, come we nowe to that iniurie wherewith it cloyeth the outward. First, remember we the generall neglect, and antiquation of this Lawe, in the dayes of Q. Elizabeth. This isD. Field. of the Church. li. 4. ca. vlt. one difference betweene the lawes of God and man, that euery prescription or contrarie vse is a corruption and a fault, which is against the lawe of God, whereas a long continued disvse prevayleth against the lawes of men, and are a iust abrogating of the same. This may be gathered out of that common and beaten tenent, lex instituitur cum promulgatur, vigorem habet cùm moribus vtentium approbatur. Howbeit, it must be graunted, that the common vse and disvse of the inferiors is not to be thought to haue any force or vigour, ei­ther to stablish or to abrogate without the consent, & the contentement of those that haue authoritie. What then, from hence perchaunce some will saye: seeing the governours are not consenting to the remouall of the corruptions contro­versed. First, the greater parte of the lande doe euen desire a remoovall of them, when we goe from Bishopps, and from others that are parties in them; much more doeth it consent to the disvse and antiquation that is past. They that con­sent not to it, should consent. If they doe not, they make this lawe, like vnto the lawe of God, as if no disuse could prevayle against it, as none prevayleth against Gods lawe, and striue against the societie in which they liue, and that for a cere­monie, which is too highe an honour for him, and throw a necessitie thereof on them who haue given foorth sufficient shew of their vnwillingnes, by their ge­neral disvse aforesaide: in al of which, as the ceremonies are advaunced too high, so christian libertie is too lowe depressed. As the proceeding of the ceremonies, oppresse our libertie in regard of former disvse, which the inferior hath shewed, so also doeth he impeach the same in regarde of the present vse which the supe­rior presseth. This is a necessarie observation, the fountaine, and the grounde whereof doe shewe sufficiently what it is. The fountaine of it is poperie. To what ende should Canons be made (say some) if men should not be tyed to a necessitie of keeping of them? Iuste so Bellarmine, Bellarmin. de Pontifie. lib. 4. ca. 17 actus indifferens, si praecipiatur [Page 31]iam erit necessarius, alioquin frustra praecipitur. The ground from whence this foun­taine issueth, is an opinion, that mans lawe doth binde the conscience: euen as it appeareth by Bellarmine, who being to speake of a necessitie of obseruation in the outward vse of ceremonies,Bellarmi, de effect. Sacrament. cap 31. hoc dependet (saith he) ab alia quaestione. Anle­ges ecclesiasticae obligent conscientias? This fountaine thus flowing our of this grounde, falleth into a marishe (to speake with Ezechiel.) where standeth a poole of vnwholesome water, which is this,Bellarmi. controuers. 5. li. 3. c. i 1 as Gods commandement maketh actions indifferent to be vertues, his inhibitions to be sinnes, so mens precepts doe like­wise. This blasphemie of theirs, equaling the creature with the Creator, how do ourD. Field. vb. sub. cap. 34. writers handle? which notwithstanding our Opposites must fortifie, or else their whole tower will like to a Babell down to the ground. For if the ceremonies be of necessarie observation, and must absolutly be kept, then must they become things absolutely good, forasmuch as there is nothing to bee done necessarilie, but that which is good and vertuous. And as the papistes equall man with God, so shall we by this our conceyt of a necessarie observation: that which wee may see byGers. de auferibili. papae. con­sideratio. 8. Gerson, who complayneth that men will haue their constitutions to bee observed aequali tenore with Gods lawes, because they will haue them necessarilie kept Quemadmodum custodiri divinā legem, absque vlla variatione necesse est. Swee­ter waters are they farre, which flowe from the sanctuarie of our home writers, vpon these grounds, The law of man is not infallible as Gods is. ruleth not over the heart, as Gods doth: is not absolute and perfecte, as Gods is: cometh not from a supreme Lorde, as Gods doth. therefore there is due vnto it no certaine obedi­ence; no obedience in the heart at all, no absolute obedience in the outward be­haviour, in the outward behaviour only. such obedience is due to it, as is propor­tionable to the right end, of that subordinate power and authoritie, to which the supreme Lord hath chosen him. This being bonum commune, which nothing hur­teth, but scandall onely and contempt: it cometh to passe, that extra casum con­temptus & scandali, the observation of hamane lawe is left free to vs. This doe all ourD. Whi­tak. con­trouers. 1. quest 6. ca. 16. pa. 503 Sibrand. Lubbert. de Pap. Roman. li. 8. cap. 8. Mat Sutcl. lib. 4. cap. 7 Pran. Iun. controuer. 3. lib. 4. ca. 17. D. Wil­let. contro­uers. 9. qu. 8 pag. 2. &c. writers testifie. yea this whole churches confesse vnto vs; yea this our owne church holdeth. There be bookes lately set foorth, (saith theHarmon. confess. sect 17. ex con­fess Saxon. 228. church of Saxonie) full of labytinthes, in quibus scribitur peccata esse mortalia violationes talium rituum extra casum scandali, but the true consolation, is the voyce of the Gospell, which will haue a contrarie vnderstanding of our libertie to be knowne in the Church against this error. An other church thus:Ibid. Au­gustan. cō ­fest. p. 218. sentiendum est quod res adiaphorae extra casum scandali omitti possunt. And againe,Ibid. pag. 224. contra libertatem nostram sancitam autho­ritate divina, non est recipienda opinio, vt violatio rerum mediarum, extra casum scan­dali sit peccatum. Yea,The trea­rise whe­ther it bee mortall sinne to transgresse a ciuil law. whole home treatises affirme asmuch: yea our owne com­munionAdmonit. de ceremo. praefix. lei­turg. booke: yea some of the very papistes themselues, as the Authour of sum­ma Sum. Sis­uestrin in verb. ino­dience. & verb. neyli­gen. Ier. 35 11. 2. act. 15.19.3. 1. cor. 1 [...].27. Angelica, and as many as followe his way. The apposition of examples, I trust will not be tedious. The Rechabites retire vnto Ierusalem, when Nebuchadnezzar in­vadeth the lande, so breaking the commaundement which their Father Ionadab gaue them, against dwelling in any cittie, and are guiltlesse, because they break it on private occasion without contempt. and a 2 Corinthian eateth an Idolothire, breaking the Apostles decree, and 3 sinneth not because he breaketh it without scandall. ButBellar. d [...] Pontifie. lib. 4. ca. 17 Blandina thought it a sinne, to breake their lawe against bloud, e­uen in private, where was no daunger of any scandall, & euen in secret did other Christians abstaine from bloud aswell as shee: Our answere is, shee with the rest abstained for daunger ofFra. Iun. ibi. nota [...]0 future scandall, which might haue followed. They were charged by the pagans to spill the bloud of infants in secret, if they had not euen in secret abstayned from bloude, how could they haue contested openly as now they doe? It is not likely that we should eate the bloud of infantes, whose custome is, to abstayne from the very bloud of beastes. Spiridion doubted not to breake the order [Page 32]of the Church in Lent, and to vse his christian libertie when without scandall it might be vsed. For when his gueste said, I can eate no flesh in Lent, because I am a christian: he replyed,Sozom. histor. lib. 2. cap. 11. 2 Cor. 6.17. tanto minus recusare debes, quia omnia munda mundis. wee haue more cause to omit the Crosse, then he his fishe. he onely did it because he had none readie, we because the Crosse is a meate vncleane. It was theConcill. Gerunden. & Melden. cap. 6. order of the church to baptize solemnly at no other time, but at Easter and Pentecoste on­lie, so thatLeo de cō ­secrat. di­stinct. 5. ca. vt Ieiuni. Leo calleth it a rash presumption to baptize at any time else. and a cer­taineConcil. Antisiodor. Councell excommunicateth them that doe so. and yet this order did not all men keepe. someSocrat. Histor. lib. 5. cap. 22. wrote against it, because by this meanes many dyed vnbap­tized, othersChryso. in Genes. ho­mil. 40. Ba­fil. in orat. ad Bapt. Nazianze. orat. 3. ad sanct. laua. preached against it, and so (by all likelyhood) practized against it too, because all tymes werealike for baptisme. When the wholeSocra. hist. li. 5. ca. 22. Church recea­ued the communion in the morning, they of Alexandria and Thebais did vse to receaue it after Supper, and did not sinne; euen as at Antioche in Syria prayer was made towardes the West, against the order of all the whole Church, and no transgression made. InNicephor. lib. 12. c. 34 Epiphanius it is a tradition of the church to haue a pu­blique assemblie and meeting thrice euery weeke, which was broken without sinne. SoAugust. epist. vlt. ad Hieron. Augustine iustifieth Rome, against the order of the whole church in a Satersdayes faste. giue vnto vs our libertie (then) and we are free in our disusing of the ceremonies, because it is without contempt, and without scandall, that we disvse them.

#Sect. 14. Non-Conformitie is neither contempt nor scandall.

THis are we nowe to make manifest against our Opposites, who lay to our charge both these transgressions, and hotly charge vs, that our forbearance of conformitie, doth both contemne and scandalize. Cōcerning the former, A man may omit a thing commaunded without contempt, and so doe we, whereas our Opposites thinke the contrarie, and imagine our bare omission is a contempt, for that they thinke vs bounde in conscience to obserue what is commaunded, they may haueBellarm. controuers. 5. li. 3. c. 11 Bellarmine to backe them, who out of Rom. 13. yee must obey for Consci­ence sake, obiecteth the same against our Writers, but other Divines they must ex­pect to haue against them, whether they be old or newe. Contumaciae crimen est (saithAugust. de verb. Dom. in Ioh. serm 57. Augustine) quod iubetur contemnere, quod praecipitur nolle, quod imperatum est declinare. so that, it is not a contempt [non obedire] simplie, but nolle obedire. that which another more plainely explicateth after this manner. He obserueth, that when Samuel chargeth Saule with a contempt, he doeth not saye,Bernard. li. de praecept. & dispensa. non acquievisti verbo Domini, but noluisti acquiescere, wherevpon he inferreth, non est id ipsum, nolle obedire, & non obedire, hoc quippè interdum erroris est, nonnunquam & infirmitatis, il­lud verò aut odiosae pertinatiae, aut contumatiae non ferenda. Non ergo qualiscun (que) man­dati praeteritio criminalem facit inobedientiam, sed repugnare, sed nolle obedire. The schole-menTho. A­quin 2.2. quest. 1 [...]6. art. 9. res­pons. ad. 3. teach the verie same; to wit, that to omit, is not to contemne, but to omit for this, because we [will not be subiect.] Of the same iudgemēt are our owne Writers: Non censendi sunt illi (saithMat. Sur­cliue. de Pontifie. lib. 4. cap. 7. pa. 352. one) Magistratum contemnere, qui aliquam e­i [...]s legem particularem transgrediuntur. Apostolus enim vbi dicit, necessitate subditi estote propter conscientiam, de generali obedientia loquitur, & non de particulari. An o­ther to the same sense:D. Whita, cont. Du­reum. lib. 8 pag. 731. Quoad genus parendum est propter conscientiam, quia genera­li praecepto iubemur Magistratni parere, particulares tamen Magistratuum leges, nullum habent in conscientias dominatum. AnD. Field of the Church li. 4. cap. 34. other more plainly: we answer first, that the matter of Conscience due to the Magistrate, is to be subiect to him in all things: for subie­ction is required generally, and absolutely, where obedience is not. Secondlie, it is euen to obey when obedience is profitable, and for the good of the common wealth: euen as the reason why we are to obey a lawe humane is this, because it [Page 33]maketh a thing to be good, and to be profitable, by a generall observation, which before was not profitable when it was obserued in private. This considered, our Opposites cannot lay contempt vnto our charge, vnlesse they will break into our consciences, and take vpon them to see our heartes, and censure our thoughtes, & passe this sentence & doome ouer them, that it is euenDecret. p. 1. distinct. 30. cap. 8. superbiendo that we omit the present ceremonies, that we breake the lawe stimulo propriae cogitationis impul­si, and because we challenge to our selues perfectam in nostra scientia rationē, wher­of (we thanke the Lord) we are cleere. They cannot obiect it vnto vs neither, as long as we subiect our selues vnto our Governours to doe to vs whatsoeuer they please, which excuseth from contempt, when obedience is not profitable, as in our case it is not. This haue we sealed euen with the testimonie of an adversarie: suffering (Do. Bils. ag. Apolo. p. 2. p. 349 saith he) is as sure signe of subiection, as obeying. Secondly, what is omitted ex necessitate, is not omitted ex contemptu (say theSiluest. Prier. in summa. in ver. con­tempt. schoolmen) to whom one of ourSibrand. Lubbert. de Pap. Roman. li. 8. cap. 7. pag. 705. owne accordeth, He that omitteth what he is cōmaunded, sinneth not si it a affectus sit vt libenter esset facturus, modo non impediretur. as we are nowe willing to keepe these rites and ceremonies, were not their sinfull and scandalous circumstances, so many lettes and impedimentes to vs. Thirdly, that which is done ex fragilitate aut ex ignorantia non affectata, is not done (as theSiluest. P. vb. sup. & in verb. in obedienc. Schoolemen doe imagine) ex contemptu, so that we protesting before God and man, we thinke we do well in forbearing the ceremonies: and doubt we should sinn, if we should vse them, we are in charitie to be iudged to offende (in case we offende at all) of weaknes, frailtie, and of error, and not of contempt. Thus Augustin, August. de serm. Dout. in mont. lib. 2 Si quis con­quastus de stomacho, ieiunare noluerit, & tu id non credens edacitatis vitio tribueris, te­merè indicabis. Now we complaine our weake stomackes brooke not the crosse, iudge vs (then) to haue omitted it of contempt, and thou hast rashly iudged. Fourthly, whereas our Opposites obiect against vs, that our former continued custome, and present purpose not to conforme for time to come, are evident signes whereby they may iudge vs of contempt: we answere first, that this con­temptus inter pretatiuus is no sure and certaine grounde. The grounde it standeth vpon is this,Zosim. Pap. epist. [...] contumeliae studio fit, quicquid interdictum toties vsur patur. and a cu­stome without purpose to amende, doeth argue an habite of contempt. This interpretation, is not secundum veritatem alwayes (sayethSiluest. P. vb. sub. one) but secundum praesumptionem oftentymes. The partie may vse (sayethTho. A­quin. 2.2. quest. 186. art. 9. ad. 3. another) an accusto­med omission, for some other cause, then for an irreuerence, and the same wil­full against the Lawe: which when he so doeth, it is not out of contempt hee doeth it.

Now God be thanked our witnes on highe, who hath not lefte vs voyde of causes more then many, which we are able to alleadge out of his worde for that we doe. Secondly, for as much as this interpretation leadeth vs, to iudge by outward signes, we desire our Opposites to remember, that auncient equitie,Ioh. Pap. [...] epist. 1. de occultis cordis alieni, temerè iudicare, iniquum est: & eum, cuius non videntur opera ni si bona, peccatum est ex suspicione repraehendere. We appeale (then) to the carriage of our selues, in the accustomed course of our liues.August. de serm. Dom in mont. li. 2. pa. 1154 Augustine spea­king of one that was singular in his attire, and brake in apparell the common or­der, yee must iudge him (sayeth he) ex caeteris operibus, vtrum contemptu superflui cultus aut aliqua ambitione hoc faciat. Nam ex fructibus cognoscetis eos: One of our late Writers treadeth in the same steppes,A. Hiper. de sact. stud. non deferend. pag. 161. u Ex certis signis facile deprehen­ditur, num quis per contumaciam seu contemptum aliquid insolens faciat. Piorum igitur est dare operam, vt ea conspici in ipsis signa possint, quae simplicitatem, mo­destiam, charitatem fraternam teslentur. For example: IfSocrat. histor. li. 2. c. 32. conci. tō. 1.373. Eustathius be helde scismaticall, hee euidentlie sheweth foorth many signes and tokens of pride: amongest the rest, the affected peregrinitie of his straunge attire, is one. [Page 34]when Eunomius is censured for aZozom. lib. 6. cap. 26. contempt, in breaking of the Trin-immersion, vsed downeward from the Apostles dayes, there appeareth an audaciousnes in his spirit, an insolencie in his wordes and carriage, yea and in his doctrine. Last of all, the ceremony-breakers of Augustines time, bewraye plainly an affectation of straunge things, seene in their travill and peregrination,August. e­pist. 118. cap. 11. Quam eo doctiorem putant, quo remotiorem à suis. together with a waywarde pride, vt nisi quod ipsi fa­ciunt, nihil rectum existiment. So it is not the omitting of an Ecclesiasticall faste which the CouncillCan. 19. Gangrense condemneth, but when some propter superbiam communia totius Ecclesiae ieiunia contemnunt. And the CouncillConcil. Toletan. 9 can. 9. Toletan doth pu­nishe them onely, Qui ausu temerario omnia contemnunt, in their breaking of the Churches faste. When the contempt of the Bogomilici, is condemned, it is with­all thus described,Decret. p. 1. distin. 30 cap. 8. Omnia sibi indifferentia putant, nullis (que) praeceptis obligantur. Augustine and Epiphanius condemne Aerius, not for his not fastinge simplie, ac­cording to the Churches custome, but forMat. Sutell li. de pon­tific. 4. ca. 7 disturbing of the Church, with his insolencie and his pride. Put vs then in an euen ballance: waighe vs as we are founde in our selues, and not as we are transformed and metamorphized from our selues by our accusers. What signes see men in vs of pride or contempt? What be our caetera opera that bewray such an humour? Doe we despise all the ordinances of the Church? Refuse we to be obliged to anie? And what bee our ausus temerarij? What disturbance also of the Church can they iustly lay to our charge? Nay (indeed) on the other side, doe we not as our infirmitie doth permitt, giue foorth signes of fayth, charitie, simplicitie, modestie, which giue sauour to the contrarie? There is inAugust. de tempor. serm. 62. Augustine, a man excused, for breaking of a Church faste, that doeth breake it by him selfe, and inviteth not others to breake it with him. euen so we: we incite no man to the refusall of the ceremonies for which we suffer, but suffer all men to abounde in their owne sense [...]. Chrysostome Chrysost. in Gen. ho­mil. 10. cleareth a man in breaking the same, that vpon a fasting daye spendeth the time in prayer, almes, reconciling of enimies, and such like dueties. in quibus infirmi­tas corporis nihilob stat. a iust proportion from hence cleareth vs, if we conforme in other things, in quibus animi conscientia non obstat, though otherwise they bring their burthen with them.

Now let it be named wherein we goe not two myle when we are commaun­ded to goe but one. Mat. 5.41. yea, wherein we goe not, as many myles as any shooe of the preparation of the Gospell, Ephes. 6.15 will beare vs? What payment, what payne, what la­bour, what taxation, made vs euer to murmur? Survey our charges, where wee haue laboured, if they be not founde to be of the faythfullest subiectes that be in the lande, we deserue no fauour. Nay there is wherein we stretch our consci­ences to the vttermost to conforme and to obeye in diverse matters, which our best Writers finde faulte withall.Doctor Willet. controvers. 9. quaest. 8. pag. 2. One of these speaking of the heathenish names of the dayes which are vsed, which theRhem. in Annotat. in Apoc. 1. vers. 10. Iesuites them selues condemne, applyeth to them that of Augustine, Augustin. in Psalm. 93. Nolumus vt dicant, & vtinam corrigantur vt non dicant. The same we may well applye, I saye not to these names, but to many other ceremonies; to the feast dayes of saints; therforeIoha. Rey­nold. con­ferenc. c. 8. divis. 2. worthy to be abo­lished, because they breede an error in men, as if the sainct him selfe were honou­red. to abstinence from fleshe, and fastings, comformable to those of the papistes, which theThes. de Adiaphor. Theolog. Saxon. apud Conrad. Schlusselburg. Tom. 13. pag. 510.512.514. Germane Divines condemned, although commaunded as they are here, for politie only and not for religion to the seiunctio chori à reliquo tēplo for the minister alone to pray in, whichBucerus in Censur. cap. 1. one holdeth Antichristian. to the going vp of the priest to the communion table to say all the prayers of the canon till he come to the offertorie, which is calledIbidem cap. 3. quoddam coenae simulachrum, idoneū ad confirmādam [Page 35]missae fiduciam, with others like, of which we may say, Nolumus vt fiant, & vtinam corrigantur vt non fiant. to which notwithstanding we doe conforme, and are we yet cōtemptuous? we are able to say, are we refractarie in other things, as Balaams Asse saide to his Maister: have I vsed to serve thee so at other times? therefore the Canon lawe doth cleare vs, for they are without fault (saith it) who when they disobey their Prelates, are able to pleade in the words of this Asse,Decre-. p. 2. cap. 2. qu. 7. ca. 41 cur nos verbe­ribus affligit is? cur nobis iniustè irascimini? nunquid vobis inobedientes fuimus, nist nunc cum ad malum cogimur? videte illum qui prohibet ab incepto.

#Sect. 15. They that disobey or displease in vnlawfull Ceremonies, doe not scandalize.

I comme now to Scandall, which is also layde to our charge, to make vs sinners when we omit these ceremonies. You make shewe of conscience not to giue scandall, say our Opposites, and should yee not (then) be chieflie warie, that you doe not offende the Magistrate, which is the greatest scandall that may be? This obiection seemeth to implye, that the Magistrate is scandalized, as often as he is displeased, which is not true. Our Opposites in their conformitie perchaunce please their Reuerend Fathers, when yet they scandalize them. We in our not conforming doe indeed edifie them, although it may be wee displease them, of which we are sorie. Ioab despleaseth Dauid, 2 Sam. 24.3 when he contesteth against the num­bring of the people which he was commaunded to doe. Iehosaphat doeth not please King Ahab, when he speaketh for the Prophetes, 1 King. 22, 8. of whom he thought ill without a cause. Daniel did not what Darius did commaunde, when he honou­red him not before his people, by praying vnto him alone. Yet did not Ioab scan­dalize David, but edified him. euen as Iehosaphat edified Ahab, Dan. 6.10. and Daniel Dari­us, so did Isaacus edifie Valens, though he displeased him, when he requested,Theodor. histor. li. 4. cap. 34. red­de gregibus optimos pastores. euen as Terentius did, in the verie same case. HeIbid. c. 32 retur­ning with victorie out of Armenia, and being willed by the same Emperour to aske what he would, he put vp a petition to him, for a Church to bee giuen pro Apostolica doctrina sufferentibus. The Emperour tare the petitiō to peeces, and wil­led him to make his suite for somewhat else. which he gathering vp the peeces, refused to doe with this replie, Accepi inquit, habeo (que) Imperator abs te domum, ne (que) aliud petiturus sum. quid verò ego spectaverim iudicet huius vniversitatis iudex. Ibid. c. 33. Trai­anus his generall was more rough, yet did he edifie him, when he displeased him, in these wordes: non ego sum victus, sed tu victoriam corrumpis Imperator, qui adver­sus deum aciem instruis an te fugit quos ab ecclesijs abegeris, & quibus eas commisseris. Theodo. histor. lib. 2. cap. 16. Liberius at the first defendeth the innocencie of Athanasius, and suffereth ban­nishment rather then he will subscribe to his condemnation. afterwarde being wearie to liue in exile, he subscribed. at which of these tymes did he edifie Con­stantius the Emperour? or at which scandalize him? Did he not scandalize him at the last when he pleased him, by subscribing? seeing thereby he did confirme him in his badde course? for all the while he did displease him, with this apolo­gie what the Synode did against Athanasius, it was done gloriae & metus à te, infa­miae causa, & coram he was neuer condemned; the Synode heard him not speake for him selfe ne vlciscaris inimicitias (O Imperator) in Episcopos: manus. n [...]ecclesiasti­corum sanctificationi vacare debent. proinde si tibi videtur, iube in suum quenque locum restitui: so longe hee did edifie him. By analogie from hence it appeareth, that men are farre from scandalizing their Superiours, when in a righteous cause or suite they doe offende them. But by omission of the ceremonies (will some say) you doe vilifie the authoritie of the Superiour, which, as it is an hurt to him, so is it a scandall to the people, before whom it foundeth (as it were) the [Page 36]alarume of disobedience, & make many bold against the lawe in greater matters. First, this cometh not per se, from our omission of the ceremonies, but per accidens only: and the scandalum is not datum by vs, but acceptum by the people. Daniel wil not omit the ceremonie, Danial 6.10 of looking out of the windowe towards Ierusalem. Mor­decay omitteth the ceremonie of bowing the knee to Haman. Christ will not vse the ceremonie of washing handes, Hest. 3.2. though a tradition of the elders, & gouernors of the church then being: Mat. 15.2. The authoritie of the Magistrat was violated by these, and an incitement of disobedience was in their ceremoniall breach, as much as there is now in ours, yet were they guiltlesse notwithstanding, because they did, but that which was their dutie to doe: and we nowe doe the like. Secondly, our covering of the lawes imperfection is such in our preaching (for we iumpe withMelanct. in Rom. ca. 13. Melancthon in this, if the faultes of a private neighbour must be covered, then of the publique ones much more) our preaching for obediēce is also such, as that no hurt accrueth at all, vnto authoritie, by our omission of the ceremonies, while great good cometh by our preaching for the sanctifying of the heart to true obe­dience, euen as the subiection of our charges in which we labour, giue evident witnes to all the worlde. As for the good which our Opposites boast of in their conformitie, in that they thinke it teacheth obediēce to the people, let them con­sider, whether they edifie not the people to such an vnholy kinde of obedience, which the Germane Confes. ec­cles. Mans­feld. aedit. An. 1560. apud Con­rad. Schlus­selburg. tom. 13. p. 530. Adiaphorisme once brought forth: which was, that men were to obey what was commaunded without examining, without trying by the worde. the least occasion wherof now cannot be little sinne with vs, considering the generall prophanes abroad, which is thus resolued alreadie; Let the Magistrate looke to my soule, he hath charge of it: If I be not right he shall answere for me: I need med­dle with no matters of religion, he that is bound, he must obey. Thirdly, If there come a­nie hurt by our forbearance of cōformitie, as it is per accidens, so is it lesse thē that which conformitie brings foorth per se. and we knowe that in things indifferent, we must alwayes avoyde that course, which threatneth amplius detrimenti, & fol­lowe that which offereth to vsAugust e­pist. ad la­nuat. 119. cap. 18. maiora lucra to be hoped for. First the hurt of our omission is the lesse, because it may be more easilie prevented. many rites may be omitted (saithA. Hippe. de sacris stud. non deserend. pag. 159. one) without offence, yet so as we be not authors of publike scan­dall. This daunger will be preuented, if the weake brethren, who are likely to be offended, and to iudge that we omit them of contempt, be fully instructed in the whole matter: that so they may vnderstand, that we doe not omit them, for anie cōtempt of publique authoritie, but for other iust causes. Our Reverend Fathers I trust wilbe contented with that measure which themselues meate to the Lord, but behold we afforde them better. The dishonour of the Lord (say they) in the vse of the crosse will be sufficiently prevēted, by the Ministers preaching, but farr better (say we) may the Magistrates dishonour be prevented, by the Ministers preaching, and all other hurt that may followe his disvse, because his preaching against contempt and irreverence of the lawe, is more vnderstandable, remarka­ble, approuable, then his preaching against the abuse & superstition of the crosse, whē he doth vse it: which is seldome vnderstood by the people for the hardnes, regarded for the shewe which it hath of precisenes, obeyed for the harshnes, in that it ouertwhattly crosseth their old inveterate custome of crossing. Secondly, the hurt that ensueth vpon the disvse of the ceremonies is lesse, because it may be more easilie remedied in that authoritie (if at any time it be defaced) hath power in her handes to right it selfe, whereas the hurt of the crosse, as long as the crosse it selfe remayneth, admitteth no remedie. Thirdly, in the hurt that commeth of the ceremonies there is [amplius detrimenti] to wit, the losse of the pretious soules of men, more worth then a world. For these Christ Iesus lost his life: will not our Reverend Fathers (then) loose one jott of their authoritie, nor forbeare so much [Page 37]as a ceremonie, that is hurtfull vnto them? then if any not repenting heare at his comming, thy life shall goe for his life, and thy Soule for his Soule: yea as his soule was vile in thyne eyes, so shall thy soule be in mine. 1 King. 20.39. let him be iustified in his iudging▪ wee know thatTheodor. Beza epist. 24. art. 12. nulla causa est cur ob privatorum quorundam offensiones, Ecclesiae hoc vel lud recte constitutum mutet. but what is this to the retaying of Crosse and Surplice which are ill constituted? and in which to pleade after this manner, is to pleade as Saunders pleadeth for his Images: It is better (Saund. de imag c. 17. or 16. apud Fulk. pag. 696. saith he) that some one should doe amisse, then to falsifie the whole lawe. To this Alphonsus doth accorde:Alphons. de Castr. verb. imag. Deut. 27.1 [...] Mat. 18.6. Si vnus aut alter, simplicitate deceptus erat, ille docendus est; & non propter illum imagines prorsus sunt tollendae. Leges siquidem & statuta, non pancorum numero, sed maiori populi multitudini prospiciunt. Did these men neuer reade, Cursed is he that layeth a stū ­bling blocke in the way of the blinde, and all the people shall say Amen? and woe vnto him, that doth offende any one of these little ons? Thus being cleared, both from contempt and from scandal, in disvsing of the ceremonies, we hope we may iustly intreat for our libertie from them.

#Sect. 16. The punishments inflicteth for not conformitie, are greater then the faultes committed.

IF iustice will giue vs that libertie which is our owne, Sect. 16. in her distribution of good, then in her distribution of evill she will overpasse vs, at the least she will forbeare to suspende, to depriue, to excommunicate, as being punishments in a triste, against the light of nature it selfe, Cauendum est, ne paena maior sit quam culpa. Cicero lib. de offic. An Innekeeper looketh to be payde for the fume and smell of his fleshe: within which a poore man did eate his owne bread. his recōpence was, that the poore man should paye him, with the sound of his money: then which sentence,Panormit. in c. ad no­stram Ext. de consuet. Cato him selfe could not giue a better. An ayerie commoditie, requiring but an aere­all payment, it seemeth our transgression in an aereall Crosse, deserveth but an aereall punishment, such as is a christian reproofe. If it had been iniustice, if this poore man had payde his substance for a commoditie which was not substanti­all, then what iustice on our transgression in a matter of no substance, to lay that punishment, then which transgressions in the matters of great substance, cannot receaue greater? Against this, there is broached of late, a straunge position: Cō ­tempt is greater in a small matter, then in a matter of greater moment: and that of purpose, to make our punishment the greater, the smaller the crosse & the Sur­plice are, in which we offende. They pretende in which we contemne: but of that wee haue cleared our selues alreadie. nowe examine we the point it selfe. The dround of it seemeth to be borrowed out of Bernard, Bernard. de praecept. & dispens. In difficilioribus agendis obe­titio gratior, quam gravior pravaricatio indicatur. in facilioribus minusque onerosis con­temptus damnabilior quam actus laudabilior aestimatur. which if it be, then may the raude of the allegation (for they euen translate these wordes) bee with one eye discouered. First he esteemeth not contempt in a small matter, a greater sinne thē contempt in a great. he only holdeth cōtempt in a small matter to be worse then an actuall breach of a great. because here the difficultie of the thing extenuateth the fault, and mans infirmitie pleadeth some excuse. For what can be replyed to these wordes of his, in the same treatise, maioribus mandatis maior, minoribus minor, opera nostra & cura debetur. de quorum etiam contemptu iuxta eandem consider ationem gravior leuiorve offensa contrahitur. Makes not this plaine, that contempt is greater or lesse, as is the matter wherein it offendeth? the reason is, because according to the matter, groweth the commandement more stricke or remisse, euen in the will and right intent of the Superior, of which thus Bernard a little after: pro varijs ne­cessitatibus, vel vtilitatibus agendorum iniungentium affectio variatur. quodque puta­uerint [Page 38]rectius & commodius, hoc amplius cupiant & exigant observari. Tam ergo quali­tas praceptorum, quam authoritas praecipientium, & obedientiae praefigit metam, & ino­bedientia terminat culpam. quando vt dictum est in praelatis quibus (que) maioris authorita­tis, & in eorum mandatis, quibusque maioris vtilitatis, quo diligentior debetur obsequen­di cura, eo & culpa gravior incurritur. Secondly, suppose he cōpareth a cōtempt in great and small matters, together in the foresaid allegation, yet what is that to our cause, wherein the smal ceremonies imposed (as it often cometh to passe) are very burthensome, hard, and difficult to our consciences: seeing it is apparant, that he speaketh of matters small in such manner, as that they be easie also, which these commaunded rites are not. In regard whereof I returne home to them the argu­ment thus: The easier it is for our Superiours to forbeare their cōmaund in these controversed rites, the greater is their contempt of vs: whom they burthē need­leslie. Is it a small fault (thinke ye) to laye heavie burthens vpō other mens shoul­ders? especially when it is done by them, who should be the first to take of the heavie burthens, Isai 58.6. and to let the oppressed goe free, and to breake euery yoke? Thirdly, Bernard doeth not holde euery breach of an easie matter (in case these ceremonies be easie to vs) to be a contempt▪ much lesse a contempt punishable more, then the contempt of a matter great: which our Reuerend Fathers haue both helde hitherto against vs, and executed on vs, but he affirmeth (indeed) the contrarie, Non qualiscunque mandati praeteritio criminalem facit inobedientiam, sed repugnare, sed nolle obedire. and he prescribeth a more iust proceeding, such as put­teth a great matter into the ballance, when it doth punish with great punishment minorum mandatorum transgressio parit peccata leuiora, nec vnius subinde discriminis iussorum est omnium censenda transgressio: vnde pater Benedictus, secundum inquit mensuram culpae excommunicationis extendatur censura. Here let me mention, what Anachar sis saith, in Plutarch: O rem publicam breui interituram, vbi Principes consul­tant, populus decernit. Wherefore?Bulling. comment. in Act. ca. 12. quia huic proprium est in minimis maximè for­midare, in maximis minimè prospicere. leaving it to the iudgement of all that are in­different, whether the practize of the foresaide principle, excommunicating and depriving propter haec minima, while the maxima (to wit) Nonresidencie, dombe mi­nisterie, with the like, are not prevented, were not to renew that preposterousnes, which in his iudgement decayeth a state? From this course, doethIo. Cris. in Carol. Mag. Charles the great cal vs, renowned for reforming the Cleargies idlenes. &Idem in Carol. 4. Charles the fourth, whose chiefe care was to remoue their superfluitie. AndIdem in Sigismund Sigismund, who stroue at the Councill of Constance, with all his power to redresse their enormities: yeaIdem in Benedict. 12. Benedict the 12. Pope him self, who is saide to haue remoued many Priestes, that were vnlearned, out of the Church. Our Opposites taking a contrarie course, shewe themselues most guiltie in that, which they are wont to lay to our charge. For who nowe are the men (I pray you) that straine at a gnatt, but swallowe a ca­mell? For to make an omission of a tryfling ceremonie, an haynous sinne, is to make a gnatt a monster, and to liue in soule murther thorough Nonresidencie, and thorough doumbnes, Zacha. 11.5. and to say, I sinne not, like the Pastors of Israel. They that keepe them slaye them and sinne not, is to bring downe a cammell, not only to smalnes, but also to nothing. And (me thinkes) if it were but for shame of papistes, we should mitigate this moode.Ambros. lib. 10. e­pist. 83. die Dominica ieiunare non possumus (said Ambrose once) qui [...] Manichaeos (etiam) ob istius diei ieiunia, iure damnamus. In like manner we can not well punishe, with deposition or excommunication, or the like in such smal mat­ters, who iustly condemne, the papistes iniustice in some proceedinges. WhenBellarm. de Ponti. li. 4 cap. 16. Bellarmine obiecteth, that certaine Councills haue excommunicated lay men, and depriued Ministers for breach of ecclesiasticall canons, this answere he recea­ueth from one of our writers,Fr. Iun. controver. 3. li. 4 c. 16 nota. 74. Negamus primum Concilia prisca, olim de re qualibet leges talisse, sub poena anathematis, vel depositionis. tum si qua fecerunt (causam funda­mentalis [Page 39]doctrinae excipio) negamus fecisse legitimè potestate sua ad destructionem, non ad aedificationem, abutentia. what was the worst of the Adiaphorisme of Germanie, saue this,Adiaphor. Theolog. Saxon. a­pud Con­rad. Schluf. selburgh. tom. 13. pa. 466. persequi vera membra Christi, ereptione bonorum aut honorum, extermina­tione, captivitate, famosis libellis, qui ceremontarum receptionem, cum laesione propriae cō ­scientiae modestè & grauiter sine omni seditione improbant. Ibid. pag. 179. another more roughly: who calleth them Achitophells, by whose meanes the two Preachers Ecclesiae Tor­gensis were thrust out, because they would not consent to the innovations of the Interim; not sparing them in the meane season, who propter albam vestem, layd the Church wast of Preachers, in miserable manner. WhenSocrat. histor. l. 7, cap. 17. Chrisostome was depo­sed, it was thought by some to be a iust iudgemēt of God vpon him, because be­fore he had depriued diuerse of their churches, because they differed in the cere­monie of Easter from him: Yet might he better depriue them, then our Superi­our can now depriue vs. If he depriued any, it was for a rite which all the whole church obserued. If we be depriued, it is for a rite which all the churches (except our owne) haue banished. and he depriued men that conformed them selues to aliens, we are depriued because we will not conforme to aliens, (to wit to Anti­christ) but to the true churches rather.Zanch. in comment. in epist. ad Philippen. c. 1. doct. 2▪ Zanchius handleth the question of depo­sing ministers about the ceremonies, and he turneth the edge of the Magistrates sword against them, who will not disvse popish ceremonies, when the Magistrate doeth abolish them. that a Minister should be depriued for disvsig popish cere­monies, when was it euer the iudgement of any of note for learning vnlesse hee were interessed in the quarrell? If any were then to be depriued it should bee those who countenaunce poperie, sauour of it, and therevpon hold fast her rites▪ we least of all other should be depriued, who most resist popery, and who haue deserued no deprivation, vnlesse it be for our hatred of Antichrist, & for our zeale against his reliques. And considering the season, though we were worthie, yet should we least be deprived nowe, when poperie riseth like the swellings of Ior­dan; yea maketh invasion like an armed man when there wanting many on the other side in many churches, to stande vp in the gappe against it. Doeth not the Canon lawe it self spare depriving for greater faultes, when there isDecret. pa. 2. ca. 1. q. 5 c. 3. penuria sacer­dotum? and quando vtilitas Ecclesiae exigit?

#Sect. 17. The jus of the law of the land whether comprehensiue or extensiue, doth not iustifie our Opposites rigour against vs.

FRom the ordinarie ius of a good lawe in generall, whereof heretofore we haue often missed, we come to the ius of the lawe of the lande, which layeth not on vs the rigour practized, if the true meaning be well waighed: whether comprehen­siue or extensiue. The comprehensiue meaning of it,Statut. E­liza. prefix. before the commun. booke. bendeth it selfe totally against the refusall of the forme of the seruice booke, not against a bare forbearance of some one or two Rubrickes, and it punisheth no bare omission at all, but only an obstinate kinde of refusall, and the same ioyned with contempt: of which, if we can­not cleare our selues, we craue no fauour. But the meaning extensiue of the Sta­tute, doeth perchance in all equalitie reach home to vs: Not it neither. For the extension of the lawe, being but identit as rationis non scriptae, out of this grounde de similibus ad similia idem est iudicium, and this lawe being made against popish recusantes, or recusants of the whole booke, it can not now in any reason be ex­tended, vnto any other then to such as doe recuse more simili. what that wee are free from this lawe, and from the sentence whether comprehensiue or extensiue of it, because it is not the same booke, with that of K. Edwards, but is altered in very manie and sundrie poyntes: yea so altered as that whē it was proposed to be con­firmed to the most honorable court of Parliament, it was refused. Secondly, as [Page 40]we haue missed of ordinarie ius, in respect of our iudgement, so in respect of our Iudges also. we are not to thinke so ill of our lawe, as that it hath any purpose or meaning, to ouerthrowe the lawe of nature. c Nemo in suae cansa iudex & pars, & testis esse potest. Why then are we cast into the handes of the Bishopps, who are knowne to be parties against vs. I compare them not to the Arrians, yet when it is saide to vs,Victor. de persequut. Vandalic. vade ad Episcopos, quiae ipsihabere, huius rei cognoscuntur, per omniae potestatem, we are put out of hope to haue any remedie, their bowells are so bar­ren towardes vs. And why should we not claime the priuiledge, which we haue by Charta Magna, and so be shielded from the losse of our freehould, vnlesse it be by the verdict of 12. men? If the Bishoppes were iudges indifferent, yet were it hard, from the wise counsayle and deliberation of [...]2. men to be turned ouer to the will and lust of one, which by their canon lawe it selfe, can not deposeCharta. M [...]gu. c. 19 alone. But if the lawe put vs into the handes of such one man, yet doeth it not leaue vs there, but giueth issue out of these straites, by the remedie of anEccles. 4.1. appeale, which with what iustice it may be barred and stopped against vs, it will one day be de­cided by the great Iudge of the whole earth, when he shall set up his throne for iudgement. vntill that time we must be subiect to the sentence which is past, and not be amazed seeing our sufferings haue ben fulfilled in our Fathers heretofore, behold the teares of the oppressed, and none comforted them, and loe the strength is of the hande of them that oppresse them, and none comforteth them. Howbeit, heavier is this yoke of ours then ordinatie,Capitul. per Adriā. Pap. ex Sy­nod. Col­lect. concil. tom. 3. pa. 25 5. Dent. 23.15 placuit vt accusato, si indicem suspectum habuerit, liceat appellare quia non oportet negare andientiam roganti: and againe, si quis Iudicem ad­uersum sibi senserit, vocem appellationis exhibeat, vt cùm ei concessum fuerit integro ne­gotio apud alium Iudicem possit audiri. we flie for rescue from an hard Maister, why are we refused, and turned backe into his handes againe? We flie to the sanctu­arie of holy iustice, why are we drawne backe, to trye the mercie of vnmerciful­nes, yea of contempt and wroth? But doe I not forget my selfe, who now at last begin to accuse against my promise at the first? for this promise sake, I stay myself, and lay myne hande vpon my mouth, and commit the whole cause to him, that iudgeth righteouslie. as for that which hath been spoken, I desire the considera­tion of three things. First, of the necessitie that lyeth vpon me, to speake for the trueth: in regard whereof,Gelasius. in epist. ad Anastas. August. pietatem tuam precor, ne arrogantiam indices divinae rationis officium; absit (quaso) à Romano Principe, vt intimatam suis sensibus veritatem arbitretur iniuriam. Secondly, that the verie Canon it selfe, which forbiddeth the sheepe to accuse the Pastor, hath this exception, nisi pro sua iniustitiae, euen when it sayth of other faultes,Concil. Roman. 5. tom. 2. pa. 34 [...]. Pastorum actus gladio oris non sunt feriendi, quāquam ritè reprahendi astimentur. Last of all, that what heere is spoke, is spoken with re­uerence, non adcontumeliam tuam, sed ad defensionem meam, asAugust. epist. 174. Augustin speaketh, yea with greefe, as onceCyrill. A­polog. in tom. [...]. Concil. pa. 662. Theodoret, verae lamentis dignasunt haec quod Sacerdotes cō ­tra Sacordotes talia dicant: verum hoc dicimus, non quod tantum accusemus, quantum nostricuram gerimus. And so an ende of the iniustice of the Ceremonies, and of the Crosse.

The murther of the Crosse: Chapter 6.

FOR asmuch as the instrument it selfe of crueltie, is by the equi­tie of Moses lawe to be abolished, Exod. 21.28 which destroyeth the beast it selfe, though not capable of any sinne that hath been a meane of any mans death, the Crosse and ceremonies must away, or els we must heare the Lord complaine, The instrument of cruel­tie is in mine habitation. Gen. 49.51 This lawes equitie is acknowledged by aConcil. vormatians. can. 64. Councill, yea too much acknowledged; the murther of the Crosse and Cere­monies is knowne, yea too much knowne. For to begin with the blovd of the body first of all, what warres haue the crawling frogges of the Dragons mouth, raysed at any time in the world, of which the Crosse was not a guide, like Iudas? It guided first the warres of the holy lande, Act. 1.16. wherein the strēgth of christendome fell, as one doethCarol. Si­gon de reg. Ital. lib. 6. in H. 3. ann. 1095. witnes, The signe of that expedition, was a crosse of purple cloth, which Vrban the 2. first gaue in indulgence for a signe of expiation to salvation, which he commaunded to be affixed to their garments vpon their right shoul­der: wherevpon, they that went into that warre, they were called Cruce signati, and the expedition it selfe Cruciata. Secondly, It hath ledd the warres that haue been raysed against the Emperours, and States of Christendome, for asmuch as it hath been vsed from time to time, for an agent & a sollicitor to arme the peo­ple of the earth, against their lawfull Lords. It isThom. Morton. Apolog. p 2. in epist dedicat. acknowledged, that the head of all monstrous attemptes against Kings and Princes, is the 3. Canon of the se­cond Council of Lateran, where a power is given vnto the Pope, to absolve sub­iectes from their fidelitie to their Princes, that neglect to purge their kingdomes of hereticques, that so Catholicques may posse them. Now it is not fit that the world should be ignorant, that the verie next words of the Canon, ordayne the Crosse, for the best vizard that can be devised, to call these warres, & for the fittest and wisest Factor to manadge and to set them forwarde in these wordes, Catholici. &c. As for the Catholiques which shall assume the signe of the crosse for the rooting out of these heretiques, they shall haue the same indulgence and priviledge, which is giuen vnto them, that goe to warre for the holy lande. How the crosse deserveth to be vsed, for this most prodigious treason, it may appeare by that worthy fact ofCarol. Si­gon. de reg Ital pa. 2. lib. 18 in Frederic. 2. D. Bils. ag. Apolo. pa. 3. pa. 198. 2. Sam. 15.8 12 Frederick, who to recompence the Crosses which were borne in the field by Gregoric the 9. against him, cut the heads of them that were dead in 4. partes, and laid them crosse-wise on their shoulders, and with an hott iron burnt a crosse in their foreheades, whose liues he spared: and caused the crownes of the cleargie to be cut square to the verie skulles. Thirdly, the crosse hath served for an Absolons sacrifice, to grace the conspiracies that haue been made, & the warres that haue been moued against the people of the high saincts. In the warre against the Albingenses, Vincent. Belnac. spe­cul histori. lib. 29. cap. 103 & lib. 30 cap. 9. many thousandes were slaine: and at one timeBellarmin. de laic. ca. 22. 1080. burnt together in one fire. all which was coūtenanced by the crosse. ForAntonin. histor. p. 3. tit. 19. ca. 1 tect. 3.4. Crux in Gallia predicabatur, ex Innocentij tertij mandato, contra Albingenses. & Sze Dominic (the ringleader of the whole voyage) made the signe of the crosse his broker,Theodor. Appold. lib. 1. de vit. sanct. Dominic. ca. 7. ap. Surium de probat. sanct. histor tom. 4. ad quem congregabatur caetus fortis viribus cruce signatorum. And the warre which was after levyed against the Hussites in Bohemia, was an expedition calledIoh. Du­brau. histor Bohemic. lib. 24. cruciata. theGuil. Lindwood prouintial. voyage it selfe being not excepted, which was furnished out of England against them. Such was the warre whichIo. Sleydā. comment. lib. 26. Paule the third, moued a­gainst the Protestantes, vnder the conduct of Farnesius, who when he tooke his leaue of him, promised to spill so much Lutheran bloud, as that his horse should swimme therein. This warre was, before intended byAct. Paul. 3. Willet. controuers. 7. in praesa. Marcellus secundus, hol­ding [Page 42]it a better deed, to make warre vpon Lutherans, then against Turkes: whose confidence was such in the crosse, that he purposed to discharge his gaurde vpon this reason,Onuphri. in Marce. 2 The crosse is a better weapon and defence, then any sword or shield. This confidence is not of late sprong vp, which I will make plaine, that all may see, what a deepe hand a crosse hath had in the murther of all the warrs forenamed, A greatEpist. ad Leonem. Imperator. concil tom 2. pa. 254. number of Bishops, writing in the defence of the Coūcill of Chalcedon. commend their Emperour, because he did pro purpura, virtutibus fulgere, & armis vti adversus hostes venerabili Cruce. whē Attila maketh warre on Rome, Leo goeth forth vnto him, praelata Genebr. Cronolog. lib. 3. in an. 463. argentea cruce, that which Lupus Trecensis also did at an o­ther time, & so appeased him: whence grewe the iest, that Attila feared nothing, praeter Leonem & Lupum. when Alexander the first, proclaymed the crosse against Isilinus, for the recouerie of Padna, Philippus Fontaena his Legat in the voyage, whē now the whole troupes were setting forward, vnder their ensignes, cōmandeth an hymne to be sunge in honorem sanctae crucis. vexilla regis prodeunt, Carol. Si­gon. de Reg. Ital. lib. 19. in aun. 1257 crucis fulget mysteriū, which while it was singing, 2000. men both on horse and foote were seene to weepe for ioye. AtIbid. in ann. 713. Ravenna, no way to stay the slaughter of a conflict, but to send in priests amongst the weapons with a crosse & the booke of the go­spell: at the sight whereof all presently was hushed. On the other side,Pius. 2. in Europ. pag. 190. Iacobus Benevensis at Orleance, cōmeth with a crucifixe in his hande to appease a tumult, & the seditious take him vp, and carrie him about, being encouraged, as if nowe Christ him self were come amongst them to be their captaine. Hereby it appea­reth, what an abettor, comforter, counsellour, yea commaunder, the signe of the Crosse hath been, Act. 7.58. in bloudy warres at all times. Fourthly, the Crosse like a Saule, keepeth the clothes of the executioners of the Martyres, for as much as at euery executiō, in Spaine and other where, there be two Iesuites at the least appointed to stande by with holy crosses in their handes, to grace the murther: And many of the saints of God, hath the crosse him self condemned. The deniall of the crosses worship was oneAct. & monum. pag. 518. of the Articles, for which the old L. Cobhā died, Fiue men were put to death at once, about theIbid. pag. 940. Crucifixe and Roode of Doner Court. Tho. Ibid. pag. 746. Man was cōdemned, for that he would not beleeue in the crucifixe.Ibid. pag. 848. Franciscus Romanus was martyred at Burges in Spaine, An. 1540. amongst other things, for refusing to worship the crosse.Ibid. pag. 952. Robert Couper was much troubled, for denying the vertue of the signe of the crosse in blessing. Tho. Ibid. pag. 1589. Hawkes was in parte brought to the fire about the crosse, as sheweth his dispute with D. Chedsey. Ibid. pag. 1735. Tho. Spicer, and Iohn Dennye, died for refusing to followe the Crosse in a procession.Ibid. pag. 1829. Ralfe Allerton for that he would not beare the crosse in procession. Spicer, Man­drell, and Coverdale, the three Martyrs of Sarum, had a combat euen at the stake with Fryar Billinge (then Parson of Wilton)Ibid. pag. 1940. about the Crosse. he prooved the signe of the Crosse by the 9. chap. of Ezech. which in Hebrue and Greeke was Tau he saide, in latin Tee. which when a Marchant of Poole heard, he set spurres to his horse; after that, with handes lift vp to heauen, he had cryed out, O lamen­table thing, Psal. 116.15. Iob. 16.18. that poore men should loose their liues, for Tee Taw! Pretious bloud (then) hath the Crosse spilt: which the earth will not couer. These Martyrs dy­ing against the second beaste of Rome, the Pope, being as blessed, as those of the Primitiue church, that dyed against the first thereof, to wit, the Romane Empe­rour, Renel. 14.13. the more detestable should the name, not only the signe of the crosse be to vs: Mal. 23.32. who (God forbid) we should bring vpon our selues, the bloud of these Sainctes by continuing their persecution against our brethren, about Tee Taw againe. Fiftlie, The Crosse doeth murther as manie Ministers, as hee doeth vn­doe. Exod. 2. 11. For howe could Moses punishe the striking of an Hebrue, with the pu­nishment of murther, if violence were not a kinde thereof? Or David the rapine of a lambe, 2. Sam. 12.5 if wrong outragious, draweth not neare vnto the boundes of it? [Page 43]Indeed as the fire is quenched, by taking of the wood away, that doth maintaine it, as well as by powring on of water, so mans life is destroyed, by taking away the maintenance and comfort of it. which the signe of the crosse hath done, vnto as manie, as now sit weeping with their wiues and with their children, who for the wracke which the crosse hath put them too, are constrained eftsoones, to inge­minate that of Rebecca: what avayleth it [vs] to liue? This measure, Gen 27.46. when Cassander thatHermon. Hao [...]elmā. de tradit. pag [...]. li 4. Column. 377. Adiaphorist, measured once to a Preacher of Geistengem called Antonius, be­cause he refused with the signe of the crosse, to consecrate the Font of Baptisme, he is censured thus: Illi satius fuisset amittere vitam, quam it a miserè incertis sedibus oberrare, in miseria & calamitatibus: & meo iudicio satius esset, vt illi potentes qui in ex­illum pies viros eijciunt, potius talibus vitam adimerent. When Dioscorus cōstrayned certaine Orthodoxe Ministers, errare de loco in locum, and to fugere à creditoribus, and would not admit thē to dwell in any Monasterie, where they might be relieved; nor him selfe shew anie mercy on them, nor commaunde that almes, according vnto Christes commaundement should be extended to them: he is complained on, to haue made men,Libel. A­thanas. Presbyter. ad Concil. Chalcedo. tom. 2. pa. 114. omni miseria miserabiliores, and to haue shewed such wrongs, qualia nec Barbari aliquando adversus subiectes sibi commiserunt. Now wee leaue it to the consideration of all those, who haue not shut vp their eyes against the sight of our miserie, whether the crosse hath not attempted to bring vpon vs, euen as much as this, seeing he doeth not permit vnto vs, any trade whereby to liue, driveth vs from place to place, to seeke our bread, and not only not cōmaun­deth, or provideth we should be relieved, vs? And seeing all this is purposed against vs by the crosse, we pray to the Lord, to giue better bowells of mercy to our Reverend Fathers, then to contemne his admonitiō, who speaking of the elevation, retay­ned to the hurt of the godly, hath these words: Qui haec ad exagitandum arripiunt, ipsi reddituri suntrationem tudici, vivorum & mortuorum, inclementiae erga alios, non certè malos & impios suae: & tumultus in Ecclesia Christi commoti, & audaciae decernē ­di, iudicandi, condemnandi, vel innocentes, vel eos saltem, quibus parcere, vel quos reve­reri etiam criminatores illos, & capitalium sententiarum pronunciatores, aequum fuerat, And this for the crosses bodily murther.

#Sect. 2. The soule murther of the Crosse.

THE soule murther of it, is through scandall, which how can it be litle sinne, Sect. 2. sith it offendeth against Christ him self, and destroyeth those whom Christ hath redeemed. If any replye, none of the elect can perishe, we easilie graunt it, 1. Cor. 8.12 Rom. 14.15. sith euen a IesuitRibera. in commenta. in Amos. ca. 9. Num. 8. Rolloc. in Rom. 14.15. him selfe will yeeld it. yet he that offendeth is said to destroye them, because he doth that, that is b apte to destroy, & of which destructiō would ensue, were they not by the Lord preserved, which is no thankes to him that gi­ueth scādal. So the life of David is bound vp in the bundle of life, & none is able to take it frō him: yet in that Saule riseth vp against him, & seeketh his bloud, he is guilty of his murther. So David himselfe coūteth the water fetched frō Bethle­hem, to be the bloud of the men that fetch it, 1. Sam. 25: 2. Sam. 23.17. 1. Cor. 8. vlt Mat. 5.29.30. although God being mercifull to them they haue escaped, because he did that which was apt to shed their bloud, in that he put their liues in hazard. For this cause every instrumēt of offence must be remoued, even to meate; yea euen to an hande and eye: nay more to trueth andThom. A­quin. 2.2. qu 43. ar, 7 iustice it self. for the truth must be concealed, and iustice omitted in puni­shing sinne, when there will a scandall growe, even as theSumma Siluest ver. scandal. verses runne, est veri­tas vitae, doctrinae, iustitiae (que): Prima semper habe, duo alia propter scandala linque. Our Opposites in answering this, agree not together. some of them yeelding ther is an aptnes in the Ceremonies to breed scandal, to wit, an inconvenience: [Page 44]others hotly contending, they are most convenient, and so apt for edification. And of the former, there are three pathes, which they choose to them selves in the course of their conformitie. The first sorte of them stande on this, though a thing per se vnlawfull, can never be done without offence, yet that things inex­pedient may be yeelded too without transgression. The first scripture which I know alleadged for this (to wit the 1. Cor. 6.12. All things are lawfull, but al things are not expedient, maketh more against them, then any scripture that I know, and that in Pet. Martyrs iudgement, who thus commenteth on it: Agit de indifferen­tibus. &c. he handleth things indifferent, & preventeth an obiection. They boa­sted all things indifferent are lawfull for me, Paule replyeth, but all of them are not expedient,P. Martyr in humc. loc he beateth downe their boasting by this first exception. For al­though many things be lawfull of them selues, yet we must take heede of them, when they are not expedient. The same appeareth by the practize of Paule, who abstaineth from meates here, refraineth elswhere from taking wages, because he sawe inconvenience in them which hindered the edifying of the Church. This hindering must not be passed over without consideration. There are twoThom. A­quin. com­mentar. in 1. Cor. 6. Lection. 2. sortes of inexpediencie. the one totally excluding the ende, which is edification, as that which destroyeth. the other in part hindreth only the easie attayning of the end of edifying: and not only the former but the latter also did the Apostle Paul for­beare: witnes this, he would not marrie, because it hindered, that facilitie of go­ing about the world to preach, which nowe he enjoyeth all while he remaineth vnmarried. who then will bring this scripture to prooue a man may vse the cere­monies though inexpedient, that hath his [...]. wittes about him, sith they destroye as shalbe shewed, not only let and hinder the meanes whereby easilie otherwise men might be edified. The second scripture alleadged against vs, pleadeth even the practize of this Apostle, who yeelded (say they) to an inconvenience, when he purified him self in the temple, Act, 12.12. witnes these wordes, As concerning the Gentiles, we haue commaunded that no such thing be observed. we answer, that which Paule did here, was thought to be convenient, because nowe he is amongest Iewes, for the winning of whom, this his purifying is thought to be a meane and furtherance. his purifying was thought inconvenient, in regard of the Gētiles; amongst them (therefore) he must not vse it. this circumstance mouing him to vse it here, that he is not now amongst them. By this meanes, that which naturally floweth from this place, maketh much for vs: to wit, that circumstances varie the case, making things sometimes convenient, at other times inconvenient: also that when by reason of circumstances, things grow inconvenient (as the ceremonies now are growen) that then we must not vse them. so much all reason doeth perswade. Is not that which is expedient a dutie, to which we are bound? that which is in­expedient a sinne, from which we are bound? then all hayle to the popishRhem. an­not. in Luc. c. 10. sect. 5 ar­gument, There are workes of supererogation, to wit, workes of expediencie, to which we are not bounde by God, and workes of abstinence, from things inexpedient, frō which we are not bounde to abstaine. Our writers cannot answer this argument but with our former distinction, though Paule was not boundeD. Fulk in answer. ibid. Hiero. Zanch. in 1 Thes. ca. 2. lege communi, to abstaine from wages, when he was at Corinth, yet [lege particulari] he was, be­cause, by reason of particular circumstances, his taking wages was inexpedient there; yea he had bereaved him selfe of the Gospell, if he had yeelded, or willing­lie runne into this inexpediencie. [...] Cor. 9.22 From scriptures and reasons, come we downe to the Fathers. Non quicquid licet bonum est (saithTertul. in lib. de casti­tat. Tertull.) Augustine, though he seeme somewhat iniurious to this trueth, yet do these wordes breake forth, from the light of it, which shined within him,August. de adulter. coniug. ad Pollent. li. 1 cap. 15.16 quae licita sunt, tractanda sunt sicut expe­dit; non praescripto legis, sed ex consilio charitatis, that is, though not [lege communi] (as I take him) yet lege particulari. Againe, quae licita sunt, & non expediunt, in ijs dici [Page 45]non potest, bonum est hoc, sed illud melius, to wit, that which is expedient, as private circumstances are in place againe, quod licilum est, quoniam non expedit, non est vti (que) faciendum. Hieron. commenta. in Ezech. lib. 6. ca. 20 Hierome hath this: there is bonum, good: malum, evill; and nō bonum, not good: by which, what can he meane but quod non expedit, that that which is not convenient? Especiallie considering that later times speaking as it seemeth after him, devide a scandall into that which is malum, and then into that which isIanson. concord. Euange. cap. 71. ius rectum, by which they meane either a good thing or indifferent, inexpedi­entlie done. From Fathers come we to the Canon lawe,Decret. p. 2. cap. 28. que. 1. c. 91 Id quod non expedit, A­postolus prohibet, dante sibi Domino, liberum prohibendi locum. From the Canonistes come we to the Schoolemen, which call that which is expedient,Thom. A­quin. in 1. Cor. 10. lect. 1.2. &c necessarium. which is the phrase of the holy Ghost him selfe, which calleth the ceremonies which are expedient, Ceremonies necessarie to be vsed, to wit, as long as this ex­pediencie of theirs shall laste: as Hierome expresseth,Hieron. commenta. in epist. ad Galat. ca. 4. fuerunt corum infirmitati ne­cessaria, pro temporis qualitate. From the Schoolemen, come wee to the papistes their late disciples,Ioh. Molā. de fid. h [...]re­tic. servan. lib. 3. c. 17. id, rectè dicimur non posse, quod expedit non facere. I cōclude with the doctrine of our owne church; which when the Lutherans obiect, the greatest thing which can be laide to the charge of Images, is onely that they are inexpe­dient,Homil. ag. peril. of I­dolat. pa. 3. acknowledgeth this inexpediencie of theirs, to be such, as maketh them vnlawful, to bee tollerated in the church: so that, the ceremonies, even for their inexpediencie sake, must be thrust out.

#Sect. 3. Ceremonies may not be vsed in Relatione nor in Comparison.

THE second sort of our Opposites, who yeeld the ceremonies are inconveni­ent, Sect. 3. make this their issue, that though in regard of them selues they may not be vsed, yet in relatione, and in comparison they may: because compared with o­ther circumstances they growe to be convenient. Now of these circumstances the first is the avoyding of a worse mischiefe, which commeth neare to that con­ceyte of some old Papistes, who thought it lawfull to commit a veniall sinne, to prevent a mortall. against whom Thomas Aquinas replied,Thom. A­quin. 2.2. quest. 43. art. 7. res­pons. ad. 5. Nullum peccatum est e­ligibile. and that of Gratian, that when a man is perplexed betweene two sinnes, he may choose to cōmit the lesse: which the Glosse reprobateth: & lateSumma. Siluestrin. in verb. lex. quest. 13. papists them selues condemne. But è duobus malis minus. true, in malis poenae, but we are in malis culpae. wherefore by no relation to greater offences, doeth any thing be­come lawfull, which of it selfe is euill; because that which is evill, doth neuer be­come good, vntill it doe exuere, I say not relativam onely, but also realem rationem peccati, as theThom. A­quin. vb. supra. Schoolemen doe make plaine. Now the reall inexpediencie of the ceremonies, is not put off, as long as any hurtfull circumstance doeth cleaue to them. so that we haue to plead against thē, with one of the Fathers wordes,Bernard. de dispens. ex pr [...]c [...]p [...]. pru­denter advertendum est, scandalum scandalo non emendari; qualis emendatio erit, si vt alijs scandalum tollas, alios scandalizas? It is not good to eate with offence (saieth Paule) therefore to conforme with scandall, is a thing that is evill: but nowe we haue a certaine rule, We must not doe evill, that good may come of it, Rom. 14.21 or lesse evil which is lesse. It is here obiected, that Paule circumcizing Timothie, after the councell had forbidden circumcizion as scandalous, was lawfull enough although scan­dalous, Rom. 3.8. to doe the greater good with the Iewes, and to avoide a greater scandall of them. First, if Paule had seene it had been scandalous, Act. 16.3. he would no more here haue circumcized Timothie, thē other where Titus, whom he refused to circum­cize, because he sawe it would breede scandall. The Councell hauing forbidden circumcizion when it is scandalous, will Paule now disobey (thinke we) and cir­cumcize with scandall? Secondly, there is no scandall but that which is per acci­dens [Page 46]only and acceptum, when it ariseth from doing of a necessarie dutie, but now it was a dutie necessarie vnto Paule, to vse these ceremonies of the Iewes to their edification, vntill such time as the preaching of the Gospell, had made their abo­lition manifest. We haue an instance of the like in our Lord him self, who doing a necessarie dutie of love in breaking conformitie, with the common and vsuall fastinges of his time, yea with the fastinges of Iohn himselfe, for the sparing of the weake vessells of his Disciples, and for the more convenient cleansing them from all old dregges of weaknes, the scandall which ariseth hereof in Iohns disciples, is a scandall taken by them, and no way giuen by him. What then? wee breaking cōformitie vnto ceremonies, Mat. 9.14. which doe more hinder edification, thē the fastings of Iohns disciples, we doe but that which is necessarie, to ridd the old dregges of poperie out of mens heartes, and to prepare them to the wine of the gospell: so that, if any offence come of it, men take it only without any fault in vs. Second­lie, what though the avoyding of greater mischiefe, made a thing inexpedient to become convenient (which we see it doth not) this were nothing for the cere­monies in present controversie, because we may say the same of them, which the Germane Divines long since spake of the ceremonies of their Adiaphorisme, Ioachim. Westphal. in explicat. sentent. è duob. mal. min. Ni­hil mali ex ceremonijs istis reiectis, ex receptis verò provenit plurimum. Take we a lit­tle paynes to survay these evills.P. Melane. loc. theolo. Melancthon, while he was vpright, wrote thus of the hurt that cometh by ceremonies, which are borrowed and translated out of poperie into the churches, pertinacia eorum laudanda non est. &c. their pertina­cie is not to be commended, who when they acknowledge the doctrine is true, tam acerbe flagitant omnes ritus. this partinacie is a manifold scandal, because it con­firmeth the enemies of the trueth, and bringeth the weake into a doubting, that the vse of christiā libertie is not approved, by those great men that are of learning and in authoritie, and the holy ghost is made sadde in the heartes of other weak­lings, who are much grieved to be accused of lenitie.Thes. de Adiaphor. Theolog. Saxon. apud Con­rad Schluss. pag. 521. The Divines of Saxonie drewe these inconveniences from the yeelding of the Adiaphoristes, even from their owne mouthes, and there is not any one of them, but may bee imputed to the corruptions of our church. By the reducing of popish ceremonies, good mē are troubled, and made sadde, so that invocation is hindred in them, Papistes are confirmed and made glad: this change is so taken, as if it were a beginning to greater things hereafter, mutatio ipsa per se, est obscuratio doctrinae: Item, abalienant hae animos hominum à concionatoribus & alijs. Confess. Eccles. Manifeld. aedit. Ann. 1560. Ibid pag. 554. Others of them describe the hurt of the popishe corruptions retayned on the one side of the cloth, and the good of their purging out on the other. First, by yeelding to popishe Ceremonies, an evil example is left behinde vnto posteritie, if any persecution shall hereafter befall, vt & ipsi similiter agant languide, vnde similia oriantur certamina & offensiones. Secondly, Papistes are exceedinglie confirmed in their impietie, whereas if wee had stood stedfast, our constancie would haue made them perpetually doubtfull of their owne religion. Thirdly, certaine weake men of our owne brethren, are so offended with our inconstancie, yea so weakned and cast downe, that they are in a mammering whether the doctrine be true or no, which heretofore we haue preached to them. Fourthly, the mindes of our Diuines are so distracted, vt me­tuenda sint in futurum maiora mala. For where Divines consent not, there trueth is corrupted, and pietie in the ende quite lost. Fiftlie, there is nothing more cer­tainlie to be expected, from the strife about ceremonies, quam vt & alios novos er­rores pariat, sicut est error foecundus. Sixtly, these questions will bee so beaten into the mindes of our yong schollers, as that there will be no hope of concord with our posteririe, & ita rursum aliud ex alio malum. Seventhly, vnlesse these quarells be appeased, all occasion of conversion wil be shut vp against papistes, and others that be vncalled, and so the kingdome of Christ will be hindered. Eightlie, the [Page 47]opinion of indifferencie, will be alwayes a vayle, for all false doctrines quae iam ir­repserunt, quaeque postea excogitabuntur, ad palliandas eas & ornandas: many other in­commodities are there, which arise frō conformitie to popish rites, which if they cannot mooue our Opposites, yet let them be mooued by that happines which will reflorish, as soone as these scandalls, are remooued out of the way. For first, (say these men) all posteritie will be admonished to take heede, how they admit the least leaven of poperie, or giue occasion of declining to superstitiō, or of dis­sipating of the church. Secondly, the papist will be the sooner brought to doubt of his religion. Thirdly, the weake and doubtfull amongest our selues, will bee raysed and comforted. Fourthly, the mindes of our Divines shall be ioyned to­gether in peace and vnitie, and shall doe and preach, many profitable things, to the glorie of God, and to the vtilitie of the church. Fiftly, newe errours latelie sprong vp, by occasion of these controversies, shall quite be cut off, & petulantia ingenia occasionem habebunt nullam, deinceps alia fingendi nova. Sixtly, the yonge Divines, after the example of their Elders, shall be lovers of peace, and haters of contention. Seventhly, great occasion shall be opened to convert papistes: for there is nothing more effectuall, for their conversion, thē our agreement, & quis omnes vtilitates potest resensere? tempus verò plures dabit, quam quisquam nunc exco­gitare queat.

#Sect. 4. Present Necessitie pretended by the Opposites, makes not the Crosse convenient.

THE second circumstance, which in the opinion of our Opposites; maketh these ceremonies to grow convenient, though inexpedient in themselves, is present necessitie: for necessitas non habet legem (saithBernard. de praecept. & dispensa. Bernard) and the Canon lawe affirmeth,Decret. Gregor. li. 5. rit. 41. c. 4 Mat. 12.4. quod licitum non est, hoc necessitas facit licitum: which our Oppo­sites backe with Davids facte. the shew bread eaten by him, is termed (say they) vnlawfull, and yet to him, in time of necessitie, it did become lawfull. First, that which is spoken of necessitie [non habet legem] [ipsa sibi facit legem,] must be vn­derstoode ofIo. Molan. de Iurame. tyran. prae­stand. c. 24 Nauar li. [...]. c. 27. Num 35. humane lawes: that when some suddaine case falleth out, so that the inferiour cannot haue recourse to the law-maker, that then he may him selfeSumma. Siluestrin. in verb. lex sect. 8. interprete the lawe, and breake the letter of it, to followe the reason and intent thereof. The lawe forbiddeth to open the gate of the citie: the enemie cometh vpon a suddaine, here necessitie maketh that lawfull which was not so before. Secondly, in the lawe of God, necessitie hath power to breake a ceremonie, for the performance of some morall duetie, even as it is said, I will haue mercie rather then sacrifice. This is the instance which the decretall forenamed giveth. Neces­sitie made it lawfull for the Machabies to fight on the Sabboth, which before was vnlawfull. Such is the instance which our Opposites bring likewise. For if Abi­melech doth that which is vnlawfull, it is in the breach of a ceremonie onely, to performe a morall duetie. This striketh at those, who for the sacrifice, and for the ceremonie of Crosse and Surplice, with drawe mercie and loue from vs, & from poore men that are scandalized by them: but iustifieth the course we take, who preferre loue to the soules of men (being a morall duetie) before these ceremo­nies, even as we ought. In deed, if Abimelech brake lawfully a ceremonie of God, for the good of the body, how much more (then) must we break these ceremo­nies of mans commaunding, for the good of the soule? On the other side, had Abimelech sinned, if to keepe this ceremonie he had omitted this duetie of loue to Davids body, then much more sinne they, who to keepe these ceremonies of their owne, omit that duetie of edification, which they owe to their brethrens soules? Thirdly, the same Bernard that saith necessitas non habet legem, affirmeth [Page 48]and avoucheth, that no dispensation is admittable against Gods lawe. Whene the Schoolemen, Praecepta decalogi sunt indispensabilia. This holdeth most in ne­gative preceptes, which as they doe oblige semper, so also ad semper. So that, what necessitie can dispence, with the scandal of these ceremonies, whose precept ne­gatiue runneth thus, 1. Cor. 10.32 Ezra. 8.21. giue no offence to Iewe or Gentile, or to the Church of God. Ezra is in necessitie, he wanteth horsemen and other souldiours, to conduct the people safe, yet wil he not for this necessitie aske such forces of the King, least he should scandalize him. Tertull. speaking of conformitie to an heathenish ceremonie in wearing a garland, non admittit status fidei (saithTertul. de coron. milit he) allegationem necessitatis: nul­la est necessitas delinquendi, quibus vna necessitas est, non delinquendi. To this we may adde that of Cyprian: Cypr. in serm. de lapsi [...]. Non excusat oppressum, necessitas criminis, vbi crimen est vo­luntatis. Fourthly, though necessitie might make conformitie lawfull, yet no ne­cessitie is in place, to make it lawfull. as for the necessities which are pretended, there is no necessitie in them. First it is obiected, we ought to conforme, for the performing of a necessarie duetie, which we owe to the weake to winne them. to which our answere is most iuste, Rom. 15.2. we must please the weak only in that which is good. charitie reioyceth not in iniquitie, 1. Cor. 13.6 but in the trueth. Peter conforming scandalouslie to please & winne, is sharpelie by Paule reprooued. The second necessarie duetie obiected, 1. Cor. 9.16 is the continuance of our ministerie; for a necessitie is layd vpon vs to preach the Gospell, therefore woe vnto vs in that we disable our selues frō preach­ing of it. That we disable not our selues, it hath been shewed elswhere: that be­ing called from the preaching of the gospell, by the violence and iniustice of our Reverend Fathers, no necessitie lyeth vpon vs, it is evident: for asmuch as Paule speaketh of them only to whom the dispensation is committed, and who being called thereto, doe it not willinglie through their negligence and their slouth: which is not our sinne, who desire nothing more willinglie, then to haue againe that libertie of preaching: which while we had once, we shewed not our selues so vnwilling and negligent, as many of our Opposites doe. The Priestes of Hol­land were condemned by their owne side, when to remayne with their flockes (forsooth) they tooke the oath, to the true reformed church, in a sense secrete, whereby they meant their owne church of Rome: excusing this equivocation of theirs, because they were compelled. Somewhat is here, which toucheth our case. We are tolde it is lawfull to beare the servitude of these ceremonies, for our flockes sakes, seeing it pleaseth our superiours to compell vs vnto them. to which we answer, as one answered them,Io. Molan. de fid hae­retic. seruā. lib. 4. cap. 9 primum; non videntur cogi, qui possunt abire: deinde nomen Dei, verbum Dei, claram & apertam confessionem requirit. The third necessarie duetie obiected, is obedience to the Magistrate. For which (men say) we are bound to conforme; which Christ was not, in the ceremonie of washing handes: nor Daniel (neither) in the ceremonie of opening the window towards Ierusalem, when there was such a scandall towardes the Magistrates law to ensue. And the doctrine of the Protestantes Churches denyeth this necessitie likewise, which is this: Fransc. Iun. cont. 3. cap 16. nota. 7. Nemo efficere poterit vllo praecepto suo vt actus per se indifferens sit per se bonus aut necessarius per se. The commandement of the Magistrat maketh a thing indifferent good per aliud onlie and propter aliud, to wit, by the word, and for the profit of edification which the same word doth enioyne, Ibid. nota. 21.22. Nota. 59. which because it is not euer in place, therefore leges Principum non obligant semper. And this wee haue a­gainst this supposed necessitie in case the ceremonies were indifferent, which we worthelie hold to be evill. Neither is it any thing, when it is said, the Magistrate doth not impose these rites, but only as a politicall ordinance for order and de­cencie. So did diverse Princes impose the ceremonies of the Germane Adiapho­risme, to whom there was returned that aunswere, which now fitlie serueth our turne,Io. Brent. de Adiaph. apud Con­rad. Schlusselburgh. pag. 564 etiam si politicus Magistratus postulat recipi Adiaphora, tanquam politicas con­stitutiones, [Page 49]& res externas, è quibus tamen scandalum & contumelia Evangelij exoritur, non sunt recipienda. In one only case, doth necessitie dispence, & that is when it so altereth a facte as that it taketh away from it al reason of sinning: as extreame ne­cessitie maketh it lawfullBellarmn de matri mon. lib 1 cap. 27. tollere alienū. wherfore because it is now alienū no lon­ger. for the law of nature it selfe maketh all things common in such extremitie. Now, the ceremonies remayne still scandalous, neither can the commandement of the Magistrate bring it about, that they should do no longer hurt, therfore the necessitie of his obedience, dispenseth not. what say I. the cōmaundement of the Magistrate doth not take away frō the ceremo. the real hurt & scandal of them, seeing (indeed) it much increaseth it? the papistes being the more confirmed, the godly more greeved, the simple more intāgled with the superstition of them, the more the Magistrat doth cōmand thē. In this case our Opposits saying, the Ma­gistrat doth beare out the scandall of thē, is to affirme, that he hath power to dis­pēce against the law of God, yea against the law of nature: that which the papists are ashamed to doe. when Molinaeus affirmeth Quando (que) Papa contra ius divinū dis pensat, the InquisitorsIndex ex­putgator. Hispan. fol. 40. cōmaund his words to be blotted out. But a scandal stil re­mayning in the ceremo. is forbidden iure Divino; so that, if the Magistrate hath power to dispence with thē he is able in the iudgement of our Opposites, to dis­pēce against the law of God. Again, to giue scādal is against the law of nature, euē as theIo. How­let refusal. ration vlt. papistes them selves will cōfesse, & all reason demonstrate. For scandalum properly is such an obex in Ioh Piscat in Mat. 18 via, as enimies vse to throw in warre to turne the horse heeles vpward, & to shed the bloud of warre in peace, & to do that hurt to a bro­ther, which an enimie doth to an enimie, is it not vnnaturall? To this there is no­thing to replie, but that which Bellarm. Bellarmi. de matri­mon lib. 1 cap. 27. suggesteth, to make it lawful for the Pope to dispēce with those degrees of affinitie, which nature in marriage it self forbid­deth. That which is against nature in it self (saith he) may become natural & good ob mutatas circūstantias. as to kil a man is in it self a thing against nature, which yet cōmanded by publike authority ob bonū cōmune is agreable to nature, which doth desire that societies be preserved. Our Opposits thē must say, that the cōmanding of the ceremo. doth mutare the circūstance of their scandall, so that they hurt no more. For thē to say, that remayning scandalous & hurtfull as now they are, the Magistrate hath power to make thē lawful to be vsed, is to be worse then papistes thēselves, whose tenent is,Bellarm. ibid ca [...] Non potest inferior dispensare in lege superioris, proinde nec homo in lege Dei. & ca [...] 17. quod est cōtra ius naturae, est indispensabile. I would faine know, whether a Magistrat cōmanding ceremo▪ that be scandalous, cometh not within the cōpasse of that threat, vae homini per quēvent scandalum? and whether the Ger­mane divines were not in the right, whē they taughtThes de Adiaphor. Theolog. Saxon ap. Co [...]ad. Schlust. lb. rom 13. pa. 466. Ecclesiae ceremonias rebus & cō ­modis politicorū, sub praetextu politicae potestatis & ordinationis, attēperare velle, cū scan­dalo Ecclesiae, is an heynous transgression? But our governours may be in sinne to commaund, and yet we bound to obey them. True, if the sinne were only in the maner of their cōmaunding: but here their sinne is in the matter, it being scanda­lous what they cōmaund: in which case,Seneca. bis peccat, qui peccanti obsequtū accōmodat.

#Sect. 5. Inexpediencie of Ceremo. makes not them guilty that only tollerate them, confuted.

THe third principle whervpon this sort of our Opposites standeth, Sect. 5. who graūt the ceremonies are inconvenient, is that the inexpediencie of them maketh not guiltie, seeing we doe but tollerat thē only against our wills, for the avoyding of a greater evill, which ever hath bin lawfull. First, beit considered, that this was Melanct, song,P Melan­thon respō ad script. concio [...]ar. Hamburg. plus rituū imponūt, qui vtcun (que) tollerari possunt, ne de se [...]ātur ecclesiae vt in Sueuia accidit, vbi in multis tēplis iāprorsus solitudo est, aut lupi iā praesunt. whose cō ­formitie notwithstāding how odious it was to the best divines of that age, it hath bin shewed elswher. Secōdly, our cōformitie to the ceremo. is more then a tolle­rating [Page 50]of them. For what is it to tollerat? It is nothing els, but to omit the duty of punishing & of removing, to prevent a greater hurt. vpon this axiom, Ioh. Mo­lan. de fid. haetetic. ser­ [...]and lib. 3 cap. 17. imperatiua praecepta nō ligant ad semper, sed ad aliquid, sci. ad id quod expedit. Herevpō it follow­eth, that tollerating is only a permission of others voyd of doing, & of approving what they doe. So Tertul. Tertul lib de Monog. possum contēdere non merè bonū esse quod permittitur: quod n. merè bonū est, nō permittitur sed vltro licet. So August. August. epist 119. cap. [...]. multa eccle sia, inter multa zi­zanta cōstituta tollerat, quae tamē nec approbat, nec docet, nec facit. Lastly, so the papists thēselves (although most grosse in tolleratiō, as the tollerating of the stewes doth shew) who define a tolleration to be that, which permitteth others,Ioh Mo­lan ibid. non probando. Hervpon we reason 3. wayes. 1. Conformitie is a commission against a negatiue precept, [...]. Cor. 10.32 giue no offence, which bindeth ad semper. wheras tolleration, is a bare omis­sion only of a precept affirmatiue quādo expedit; which here also hath no place, be­cause conformitie is inexpedient. Secondly, conformitie is a doing our selves not only a permission of others to doe, that which a lawful tolleratiō only doth. Here are mustered against vs, certaine cessions of the godly, who yelded evē to the very doing of certaine things imposed on thē, which they yet held to be inexpedient.Gregor li. 2. epist. 61. Gregorie proclaymed the law of Mauritius the Emperour, forbidding a souldier to become a Mon [...]e, writing notwithstāding to him against the iniquitie of it. Mr Beza. in vit. eius. Calvin conformed to the wafer cake at Geneva, preaching stil notwithstanding a­gainst the inexpediencie of it. Mr Beza giveth coūsell to tollerate the english cere­monies, rather then to be barred frō the preaching of the word. But Gregories case is not the same with ours: he held Mauritius law to be evil, not inexpedient only, therefore if he did execure it he was in sinne, as Ioab was when he executed the Kings cōmandement & numbred the people, when he knew it was sinfull. How­beit, he executed it not, he only published what (as he thought)Ioh Mo­lan vb sup. lib 4 ca 2. ad tempus modi­cum tollerari potuit. Mr Calvins wafer cake & ours, differ in circūstances of scandali­zing, & yet our commu. booke it self, doth refuse to tollerate it. Mr Beza Beza. e­pist. 12. denying the signe of the crosse to be indifferent, what reason haue we to be ruled by him, if he coūsayle vs to vse it? But these count conformitie a tolleration. They speake not properly; they meane it is mixtly a tolleration, which is partly a suffering, and partly a doing like the Philosophers [mixta actio] partly volūtarie, & partly invo­luntarie: which they iustifie not neither, if we doBeza. e­pist. 8. fovere silentio, the inexpediēcie of these rites, and not earnestly preach against it, which we are not permitted to doe, but are forbidden by the canon to speak against them. Suppose then a man were in Turky, where is a law that no mā speakCario. Pencer. chronic. in H [...]racl [...]o. pag. 419. against the Alcoran, were it a tol­leration only, there to conforme, were it not a plaine execution rather? Thirdly, conformitie requireth even an approbatiō of vs. First it defileth vs with an appro­bation real [in fact.] against whichAmbros. epist. 33. Ambrose giveth exāple: whē the Emperor Va­lentinian required the church in Millaine should be givē to the Arrians, he was not behinde to suffer & tollerate; but to deliuer the church dore keyes, he thinketh it an actuall approbatiō in fact, as we now sinne, if by any fact of ours, we giue coū ­tenance to these ceremonies, that are imposed, or doe any thing saue to suffer the punishmēt only. So is Peter Magdeb. centur. [...]. li 2. ca. 10. in vit. pero. said to approue (facto) the necessitie which was put in the ceremonies of Moses law: and theHamburg. epist. ad P. Melanctō. Adiaphoristes in Germanie to teach (facto) the superstition of the ceremon, of the Interim, when they conformed to the vse of them, though they preached against the abuse: and when a man hath more care to adorne the church with outward ornaments, thē with a preacher, thogh his mind be not Iewish, yet doth he facto (saithBellarm. controuers de cult. c. 6. Bellarmine) representare Iudaicam superstitionem. Our not conformitie is iudged by law, a Refusall in facte, & so pu­nishable by the statute, though by word of mouth, we protest all reverence to the law. Ergo our conformitie on the other side, is an approbation in facte likewise, though we testifie never so much by word of mouth, we doe not approve them. Indeed, if conformitie be in fact an approbation of the popish abuse of them, thē [Page 51]much more of the English vse: for which causes we must forbeare, as these words shew,P. Martyr. epist. amic. cuida [...] in Auglia. Quis paulo rectius de religione institutus, vidons te Christi nuntiū, ad altare vesti­bus indutum, coram imagine crucifixi precari, verba sacra recitare, distribuere sacramēta, non existimabis abs te quo (que) ritus istos, non tantū ferri, sad etiam approbari? Secondly, conformitie doth require of vs a cōfessionarie approbation of the ceremonies by subscription, in which case we are to depart, even by Mr Beza. opist. 8. Bezaes iudgement: and not of the ceremonies only but even of the imposing of them, & punishing of the neglect of thē, to the iustifying of our governours in all their procedings, by their suspentions, excōmunications, deprivations, degradations of good men, & to the cōdemning of the generation of the iust, in their suffrings about thē. so that I know not whether here we haue not an Image renewed of Germans cōformitie, of which some thus,Confess. Mans feld. apud Con­rad Schlu­selburg. lib. 13. pa. 562 by our yeelding we should condemne our selves, & offerre our brethrē to the severitie of the oppressors, as if they were mē that stood in these matters cōtuma­citer, & sine aliqua iusta & necessaria causa: & our enimies would hereby be confir­med in their hard proceedings, & be hindred frō repentance. Here are 3. excuses framed. First we intend no such matter in our subscription, but an yeelding only to the vse of these ceremo. which what is to the purpose? for all while our church intēdeth, that by thy subscriptiō, thou shouldest approve al her procedings men­tioned, it is now dolus malus in thee, if thou subscribe & cōforme not plainly, according to her intētion & meaning: even asCicero de offic. lib. 1. heathens thēselves &Ioh. Mol [...] ̄ de sid haere­tic seruan. li. 1. cap. 15 papistes, and notAmb [...] of. de offic. lib 3. ca 10. 12 Isidor. d [...] sum bon. lib 1. ca. 31 Orthodox writers only hold it fraud in othes & contracts, not to follow their in­tention with whō we deale: much more then is it equivocation, when it is a Magi­strate that dealeth with vs, who representeth the person of God, & of whomBernard. li. de praecep & dispens. Ber­nard well exvolūtate iubentis pendet intentio exequētis. The 2. excuse is, that the Bi­shops before whō they subscribe, do allow them fauorable interpretations, excepti­ons, limitations in their subscribing, which helpe not neither. first it is knowne, that the Bb. hath no authoritie to giue such exception, limitation. &c. as noThom. A­quin. 1.2. quest. 97. art. 4. cai [...]t. ibid. inferior of­ficer hath against the intent of any cōmon law. But our law giueth special libertie to the Bishop to interpret the cōmun. booke. true, to interpret, by giuing of the right sence of it, which is no ease to the subscriber, seeing the originall intent, of those that first framed it, is manifestly corrupt. First it is a manifest corruptiō, that popish phrases are left in it, which must needs turne to danger, howsoeuer by the Bishops interpretatiō, they may be turned to some good sense. know we not, that the Germane diuines, thought it a sinne against cōfession,Thos. de Adiaphor. Theolog. Saxon. ap. Conrad. Schlusselb. Isa 3. p. 467 phrases papisticas recipere in the Interim? & toIo Wigād in Synops. Antichrist. ibid. p 300 imitari ambiguas & flexiloquas phrases Antichristi? Secondly, there be rubrickes & sentēces which cānot be solued, vnles it be by some shifting glosse, which swerveth frō the intent of the book it self, & serveth only for a figge leafe to cover (as it were) the nakednes of it. This ingenuitie it selfe abhorreth so much the more, the more it draweth neare to that glozing of the Valētin. wherby the successors of that secteLambert. Dane de haeres. c 12 tantū sibi permittebant, quantū lupae & meretrices faeminae, quibus formā quotidie suppurare solenne est as speaketh Tertull. Tertul. de praescript. vnusquis (que) proinde suo arbitrio modulatur quae accepit, quēadmodū de arbitrio ea composuit, ille qua tradidit. As for religion and a good conscience, they much more abhorre this painting, as we see by the Germane Divines, who score this vp for an Adiaphoristicall sinne,Thes. de Adiaphor. Theolog. Saxon ap. Conrad. Schlusselb. pag. 464. Non necessarias, vel etiam scandalosas, imo etiam impias ceremonias, fucis ac praestigijs artificiose pingere ac commendare, ad decipiendum simpliciores. But this is the Bishops fault (you will say) that tempereth these paintings: As if the minister that suffe­reth himselfe to be induced to subscription by thē, doth not when he hath done, defend his subscription by them also? whereby they sinne with those Adiapho­ristes, who to decline frō the dutie of confessionConfess. illustris [...]i. mor. princi. & Duc. Saxon. aedid. ann. 1560. apu. Conrad. Schlusselb. pag 580. humana sapientia latebras quaere­bant, & [...] siue astuta effugia captabant, quibus elaberentur, ne propter confessionē eliquid periculi sustinere cogerētur: and who pertinaci & sophisticae propugnatione, iniu ste factorum, recte (que) sentientium, ac monentiū damnatione, nō solum augebant dissidiam, Io. Wigād. vb. sup. [Page 52] sed & sibijpsis iram Dei accersebant, iuxta illud Isa. 5. vae vobis qui dicitis malū bonum. To omit this, it is the duetie of a Minister to preach to others, what the thirde Angell in the 18. of the Apocal. suggesteth to him, to wit, l Ne larva Ceremoniarū Antichristi induatur: & ne ipsius corruptelae, aliqua callida glossula fucentur. Heare theConrad. Schlusselb. lib. 13. in epist. dedi­cator. complaint which one maketh against all those who swarne from this rule, insu­per palam & publicè. &c. openly and publiquely they goe about to reconcile with the trueth erronious speaches, that is, the foundations of errours with their vio­lent expositions. Now these erronious speaches, them selues are still left remay­ning, sed inter pretationes illae fucosae & fumosae disperiunt, so the Preachers suffer the fountaine it selfe to be troubled: they suffer sluttish chaunnels to flow: they suf­fer the sheepe to drinke muddy water, and what (then) shall poste ritie receyue at our handes? Is this faithfully to discharge our selues of that dep ositum which God hath committed to our keeping?pag. 58. Againe, erronious sentences against the rule of trueth, and their owne consciences, with glosses and interpretations, de­vised with exceeding craft, they excuse, cloke, instill, contrarie to the authours meaning. Now, is not this to giue false testimonie before God and his Church? evanescunt. a. illae philosophicae & bellae glossulae seu clusiones, in teneras a uras, ipsa verò axiomata, ipsi (que) nervi errorum, manent. Glossator ille subtilis, errores cuns veritate conci­lians, non semper erit praesto, & textus ipse repugnat. As for the exceptions and limi­tations, whereby subscribers excuse them selues, what authoritie hath the Bishop to allow them, in which their consciences may rest? The best exception which is stoode on, is that the Rubrick and the Callender sometimes are excepted of which we may say as was replied to the like exception, wherewith the confor­mers to the Germane Adiaphorisme smoothed over their consciences,Conrad. Schlussel. li. 13. p. 519 Caesar ne­quaquam vult esse contentus, tali partiali cessione, sed integram postulat obedientiam, id quod extra omnem controversiam est. As for limitatiō stood on they haue the same evill in them, which the limitations of the Germane Adiaphorisme had,Thes. de Adiaphor. Theolog. Saxō, apud Conrad. Schlusselb. pag. 510. Confess. Eccles. Mansfeld. ap. eundem pag 529. et si quae­dam limitationes adduntur, tamen scandalum non tollitur. therefore, the q Germane Divines would nullas recipere de rebus medijs conditiones, ne haberent adversarij quod gaudeant, pij quo turbentur, and least themselues should be proclaymed inconstant, and men trembling at euery feare of danger, seu tremit à quovis fraxina virga noto. The third excuse which our Opposites bring, is, that they are suffered to vse pro­testation by word of mouth, which cleareth from a totall approbation. Marcel­linus is said to haue vsedChemnit. Iudic. de Adiaphor. ap. eundem pag. 720. protestation, when he threw his frankencense into the fire, yet did he afterward repent deeplie this fall of his. SaintConrad. Lutzenbn. in catalog. heteticor. verb. Ital. Martine, for one hower hath cōmunion with the Priscilianistes, to deliuer certaine captiued chri­stians, which Maximus otherwise would haue slaine. Notwithstanding this ne­cessitie, and notwithstanding that he did it with protestation against their here­sie, notwithstanding that he refused hanc communionem subscriptione firmare, yet he lamented afterward this fact of his, with many bitter teares. When they ofIo. Molan. de fide hae­reti. seruan. li. 5. ca. 25. Ant­warpe, swore to the Duke of Alencon, they excused them selues in like maner by protestation, & subintellect a conditione, to whom it was answered (which is com­mon to this our case) quasi protestatio aliquid operaretur, vbi protestans facit contra­rium sua protestationi? ad hunc modū, turare ad rem turpem, subintellecta conditione, non differt à protestatione Pilati, qui Christum condemnavit, praemissa specie quadam prote­stationis. And thus farre to those, who thinke conformitie may and must be per­formed to the ceremonies, though they be inexpedient.

#Sect. 6. The second sorte of Opposites confuted, affirming no inconvenience in Cerem. nor any aptnes to breede scandall or offence.

A Second sorte of our Opposites there are who stoutly avowe there is no in­cōvenience in the ceremonies, nor any aptnes to breed scandall or offence, [Page 53]It is but aExam. o [...] the declara. of the Mi­nisters of London. fancy that they be rockes or flattes. I acknowledge here the popishe carelesnesse of soule bloud, & their hardines in hazarding soules; who plead the same for the rest of their jmages, there is noNichol. Saund. de imagin. ca. 17. ag. Fulk pag. 606. incōvenience in them: no, nor feare of any scandall in the worshipping of them; so that no other reply here needeth, but that which our writers haue made to them, this D. Fulke. reioynd. to Mart. art. 10. pag. 216 argument holdeth frō the place of stoutnes, for other consequence there is none in it. And least we should seeme to offer wrong in this comparison, make we a pararell betwene the reasons, which Saun­ders bringeth for no scandall in Images,Mart in reply. art. 10 and those which our Opposites bring for no scandall in the crosse. Thus Saunders first. The new Gospell hath so much pre­vayled, that there is no feare that Images should be honoured too much. Thus these. The preaching of the Gospell may so much prevayle, that the crosse, & the rest of the ceremonies controversed, may not be abused. Thus Saunders for his second reason. The Images are often polluted with cobwebes, & such like stuffe, and so made vile in the eyes of the people. Thus these. the crosse is a base thing, and of litle account in the eyes of the people, and therefore vnlikely that any wil put holines in it. Thus Saunders for his third reason. It is lesse evill that some one should doe amisse, then to falsifie the right of the whole lawe. Thus these: better that some be scandalized, then that the law of the ceremonies be repealed. Thus Saunders for his 4. reason. If the faith and intent be good, the worshipping of an Image cannot be amisse. Thus these. Our vse of the crosse and surplice are with­out superstition, and the lawe intendeth a good end in them, therefore their vse is good. Thus Saūders for his 5. reason. Christians now must not be iudged weak as were the Iewes, but strong according to Isaies prophesie, & full of knowledge. Thus these. The people of England must not be iudged either weak or ignorant, as they were in time of popery to hurt themselues with these old popish ceremo­nies. Thus Saūders for his sixt reason. Though some of the people may be weak, yet it is best to let images alone, least they seeke to worse superstitiō. Thus these. The people must be pleased with Crosse and Surplice, least in discontent, they wishe for their old mumpsimus altogether. Thus Saunders for his 7. reason. be­cause the people haue not the sacrifices of the Iewes, it is fit they haue before thē the Martyrs Images, who did sacrifice their bodies. Thus these. The people want their old Crucifixes and wonted Images, to put them in minde of Christes sacri­fice on the crosse, therefore the crosse must steed them. Thus Saunders for his 8. reason. Images are not giuen to the people for their weaknes, but for the exercise of their strength, and not to haue them, were pusilanimitie. Thus these. To feare hurt by the Crosse and Surplisse were pusilanimitie. to remoue them vpon this feare a dishonour, and to iudg the people not of strength to beare them, a greater discredit to our Church, then it deserueth. Thus (lastly) Saunders for his ninth reason. The place of Iohn 4. which commaundeth spirituall worshipping is not against Images, because they increase spirituall deuotion. Thus these. The wor­shipping of God in spirit and truth, not only not excludeth, but also requireth such outward helpes of inward devotion, as are the Crosse and Surplice. There being such a neere alliance betweene these two disputes, I relye on the answer of D. Fulke, for what heD. Fulke 95.61. pag. ibid. 696. speaketh against this popish Magnanimitie (as he calleth it) in the vse of the Images, that lighteth down right vpō this our magnanimitie in the vse of the Crosse and Surplise. Saul denyeth in vaine to Samuel his disobe­dience, all-while the bleating of the sheepe, & the lowing of the Oxen, Sam. 15.14 did evict him. So all in vaine is it nowe denyed, that an Amalakitish beast is liuing in the Crosse, sith the dinne of his crying and of his lowing, yea of his stamping, nay of his goring, (whereby he hurteth both sheepe and sheepherds) doth dayly e­vict vs.

#Sect. 7. The Opposites confuted: confessing hurt to follow of the Ceremonies, yet without their fault.

THere be a second sort of this opinion, who will ingeniouslie confesse, there doth hurt followe of the ceremonies controuersed, Sect. 7. howbeit (say they) with­out their fault. It is scandalum acceptum & non datum: passiuum and not actiuum, thorough the peoples abuse without any fault in the Minister, who vseth it well. First, the occasion euen of a passiue scandall must be remoued by de Magistrate, & disused by the Ministers: especially if it be a monument of Idolatrie, thatHomil. ag. peril of Idolat pag. 2. pa 4. hath been, is, or is likly to be abused superstitiously. For example, the scandall of the brazen Serpent was acceptum, through peoples abuse, the right vse of it was good: yet had not Hezechias been excused, if he had let it alone. Againe the hurt of Ge­deons Ephod was acceptum, 2. King. 18.3 and passiuum: it was to a good ende, it was first set vp, to wit, Iudg. 8.27. to witnesse as a monument that his victorie came from God. yet in that it is let alone, Exod. 20.24 when hurt cometh of it, it is the destruction of his house. last of all, the hurt of the high places, came by a passiue scandall: the altar at first is set vp in them to good vse, yet if a Fore-father suffer his altar to stand still, and doth not deface it, he is guiltie, because he hath not prevented the scandal and the offence, which by the degenerat abuse of time might one day come of it. I come to an instance more familiar, which the Canon Lawe remembreth.Decret. p. 2 caus. [...]3. qa. 3. [...].3 [...] Qui vitijs nutri­endis parcit ac fauet, ne contrislet peccantium voluntatem, tam non est misericors, quam qui non vult cultrum rapere puero, ne audiat plorantem, & non timet ne vulneratum do­leat vel extinctum. For asmuch then as the Lord hath set the Magistrate and the Minister, Isay. 4 [...].23. to bee the Nurses of his Children, hee will no more accept this excuse, It was not an hurt [datum] by me, num. 11.12. the children themselues they were in fault, I meant no such thing, [...]. Thes. 2.7. and now I am sorie it is so fallen out, then a man will accept the like from a Nurse, who findeth his Child dead vnder her charge, by a knife which she negligently lefte abroad Doth not a man expect that care in a Nurse to leaue nothing in the way, whereby a child may hurt it selfe? so God requireth a care in vs to remoue all ceremonies, whereby the simple may hurt themselues.Synod. [...]u [...]onie. 2. Can 18. Cauta est ad salutem provisio, ad effugiendam culpam delecti, aditum delinquendi repel­lere, and that not in our selues only, but in all others committed to vs, à [...]thor. serm de si [...]gui [...]m. eler [...] ag. Cyprian. nobis ex­igetur quicquid per inertiam nostram male commissum custoditur. To touch the mat­ter a little deeper to the quicke: in a passiue scandall, a man may be in fault, dolo, culpa, negligentia. Concerning the first. Dolus and vnfaithfulnes will bee chieflie layd to their charge (if there be any) who suffer these Ceremonies to remaine of purpose to reduce againe to poperie. as for others, what though they haue no di­rect purpose, to nourish poperie in the people by them, yet will they be guilty of dolus presumptus before man, and dolus verus before God, if they seriously and de­liberatively slacke of the diligence which should preuent it, seeing vbi Summa. Siluestr. in verb. culpa. est devia­tio seriosa, ab ea diligentia, quam communiter habent homines, qui sunt eiusdem professio­nis, ibi est dolus: & dissoluta Ibid. in verb ne­gligen. G [...] Lind woo [...] pro­uincial. Pio negligentia propriè est dolus, or at the least it is propè dolum. which is backed by that of Salomon, The negligent man is companion to the Wasler. Concerning culpa, it will be layd to theire charge, who knowe these Ceremonies to be daungerous, and yet want will to preuent the daunger. Howbeit, what if it be through inconsideration, that they knowe not the daunger of them, are they (then) guiltlesse? No, whereas it isSumma. Siluests. ibid. culpa, when id quod potuit à diligenti prouideri, prouisum non est: culpa lata, when that is not preuented with men communiter dili­gentes would haue foreseene: culpa leuissima, which commeth short of preuenting that, which homines diligentissimi would haue looked vnto. I see not howe a Ma­gistrate or a Minister may bee excused, who suffereth or commaundeth, or doth [Page 55]vse the Crosse, and the rest of the Ceremonies receaued from poperie, seeing it is evident, they prevent not the daunger which hath been and is preuented, not only by the churches abroad, which are most carefull and diligentissimi in this re­spect, but also by some at home, that are but communiter diligentes. Concerning the third,August. contra Par­menian lib. 3. cap. 1. Augustine speaketh of the dutie, of auferte malum ex vobis, ipsa negli­gentia (saith he) in re tanta graue malum est, & ideo sicut Apostolus admonet, si auferat malum à seipso, non solum auferet audatiam committendi, aut pestilentiam consentiendi, sed etiam pigritiam corrigendi, & negligentiam vindicandi. Now this negligence to take away evill is found in the patrones of the ceremonies, with all her comple­ments. First, there is in them an affected ignorance of the daungers of the cere­monies, and a carelesse not knowing the need and sicknes of their owne flockes, Ezech. 34.4 which is it not euen more then negligence? forSumma. Siluestrin. vb sup. sect 1. ignorare quod communiter scitur, est lata culpa. Secondly, there is in them a vacuitie of feare, an other daughter ofThom. A­quin. 2.2. q. [...]4 art. 2 negligence. for whereas sagax est parentum cura least the child should hurt him­selfe, these spirituall Fathers cast that such feare about the ceremonies, is pusila­nimitie. Thirdly and last of all, there is in them a defect of care, which suffereth the ceremonies abroad with the same guilt, Exod 21.29 vers. 34. that a Maister suffereth a goring oxe to goe abroad, whereby hee hurteth. A worke man suffereth a pitt to lye open, whereby somwhat falleth into it. A man suffereth fire to remaine abroad, so that it taketh into the drye hedges, and consumeth them. The equitie of these lawes must still be kept. If a man suffer a goring oxe to goe abroad, he must by the ciuill lawe restoreSumma. Siluestrin. in verb. re­stitutio pa. 2. sect 10 17 the hurt he doth. The auncientCarol Si­gon de reg. Ital. lib 9. ann 1 105. lawe of Millaine was, to prevent the daunger of fire. Ne quis (slante vento) ignem in aedibus haberet, so that when a Noble-manIbid li. 10 ann. 1 106. nuptiarum causa ignem spirante vento in aedibus accendisset, ac propterea novo vrbem incendio afflixisset, ipse cum tota progenie, perpetuo exilio est mulctatus. The equitie of the middle lawe is to be seene in those courses, which haue been com­maunded, & practized alwayes, in which those things haue been quite remoued from all vse, by whose abuse there might any daunger any way ensue. For exam­ple: to avoyd the abuse of Images, there is forbidden to the Iewes in the iudge­ment of someVazq de adorat. li. 2 dispu 4. c. 3 papistes, that there be no vse of any Image at all agmongst them. and to the end there might be no Image at all, there was no Image-makerOrigen. cont. Celsu. lib. 4 suf­fered to liue amongst them. So theCan. 36. Councell of Eliberis, to prevent all daunger of Idolatry, forbadd there should be any Image at all as Iuocarnotensis, Vazq. vb. sub disput. 5. cap. 2. Martinus de Ayala, and Sixtus Senensis doe interpret. This, doth it nor cashiere the Crosse out of all vse? to preuent the daunger of Idolatrie and superstition which may come of it.

#Sect. 8. The Crosse is scandalum datum, notwithstanding there be no intent to drawe any sinne thereby.

SEcondly, it will appeare, Sect. 8. that there is euen a scandalum datum in the Crosse and the rest of the ceremonies controuersed, it not hindering (which some doe ar­gue) there is no intent to draw any to sinne by them. First, who can thinke there be none in the land, that retaine and vrge their vse, with an intent to drawe backe to Egipt againe? Is our church happier (especially in these declining daies) then the church of Israell was in her growing tyme, in which there were found Egip­tians many, which not well purged from old Idolatrie, tooke euerie occasion, to solicit to a returne. Secondly, a man may intende to drawe to sinne and supersti­tion, other explicitè (which men for the most part doe not in these ceremonies) or a implicitè, num. 11.4. as a thing is intended in the occasion and in the cause,Somma. Silvestrin. in verb scā ­dal. sect. 2. of which in­tent they must be guiltie, who now doe vse them. For example, he that intendeth to runne thorough a river, doth intend implicitè to durt and wet his feete. he that [Page 56]intendeth to touch pitch, doth intende implicitè to defyle his handes. shee that intendeth to come into the company of him, that is in loue with her (necessarie busines only excepted) doth intende implicitè to stirre vp loue or lust. so in case we intend to vse the Crosse, we must implicitè intende of necessitie, to durt and defile, and stirre vp popishe lust. stande we a little vpon this last instance. Is not the crosse an harlot? suppose she were but a bewtiful woman, that hath no neces­sarie busines to doe in the service of God (euen by our adversaries owne confes­sion) in this case the Crosses presence it selfe is scandalous. This appeareth byCypr. lib. de singular. clericor. Cyprian (or the author of that worke which is commonly imputed to him) omnis inconveniens sodalitas mulierum, gluten est delictorum, & viscus toxicatum, quod diabolus aucupatur. this appeareth by the canon lawe, which forbiddeth to priestes all cohabitation and presence with woman, where no necessarie busines inter­cedeth: becauseDecret. pa. 1. distinct. 81. cap. 29. vbi talis fuerit commorantium cohabitatio, antiqui hostis stimuli, non desunt. This appeareth by SaintGregor. li. 7. epist. 39. Augustine, who would not dwell with his owne sister, because quae cum sorore mea sunt, sorores meae non sunt. as now the things which doe accompanie the English Crosse, are not the Englishe Crosse. This appeareth by the councells.Concill. Turonic. 1. Can. 3. one of which thus, nullam clerici, cum exiraneis faeminis (and the Crosse is a strange women) habeant familiaritatem. quia frequenter per hanc inde­centem occasionem contingit, vt diabolus, qui in sidiatur ficut Leo in cubili suo de ruinae seruorum Dei exultat. We read ofCaesar. Ba­ron. anal. in. ann. 233 Alexander (after Bishop of Comana) that being very bewtifull, hee became a Collier, ne alienis oculis, casus & offensiones materi [...]n praeberet. whose example if wee follow, we must remoue the Crosses bewtie into some cole-house, which till it bee donne, there will bee a matter left behinde of stumbling to Gods people. Thirdly, an active scandall is not only given by a pur­pose to drawe to sinne, but also when hauingThm. A­quin. 2.2. quest. 43. art. 1. res­pons. ad 4. no intent a man doth that, which of it selfe is inductiue to it, because not intentio operantis, maketh vp a scandalum da­tum only, but conditio operis also. And this conditio operis maketh scandalum datum, euen when it is the corrupt mind of the partie scandalized, that is cheefly in fault. whence ariseth thatIbid. scandall, which is datum and acceptum, actiuum and passiuum also. In regard hereof it is nothing which some say, none is hurt by the ceremo­nies, but thorough his owne fault. for so it is granted, that there is nulla causa suffi­ciens scandali, Ibid. in res­pons. ad 3. but i propria voluntas, it sufficing to a conditio operis scandalosa that it do inducere aliqualiter, not as a cause, but as an occasion, to wit, as cause imperfecte, such as the signe of the Crosse is in the highest degree: as euerie carefull man doth knowe in his experience that taketh knowledge of common courses. Fur­ther, that this scandalous conditio operis should inducere aliqualiter, as an imperfecte cause, it is not needfull it should be an example of sinne, it may doe this, though it be but aIbid. in respons. ad 2. shewe of sinne, a likenes of sinne, a simititude of that which is sinne­full, from which none without sinne, can cleare the Crosse, as hath been shewed elsewhere. Fourthly, the very hurtfull event it selfe that followeth of a thing in­different, is enough to evict a scandalum datum, because men being commaunded to forbeare all things indifferent, to avoyd offence, when hurt is known to come vsuallie of them, a scandall is given for the neglect of this dutie of forbearing. The scandall passiuum sine actiuo, is that, which is guiltlesse only, nowe this is only in Thom. A­qui. vb. sub. art. 1. res­pons. ad 4. Math. 15.12 rectè factis: Magdebu. Centur. 1. lib. 2. cap. 4 Col. 448. or as our writers vse to speake, quando impij offenduntur, in vera do­ctrina, & bonis moribus. as when the Pharisies are, offended with Chirst, for doing of an necessarie dutie, if it be in facto non necessario that hurt riseth, there it maketh a man guiltie, by whom after it shall be vsed. I come to the verie papistes them­selues, when Paule will eate no meat al while it offendeth, they interpret it de Thom. A­quin. vb. sup. art. 8. respon. ad 3 tali cibo which is not necessarie to bee eaten, not de tali which is needfull to preserue life.Caietan. in commē. ibid. art. 7 Euen the popish schoole then holdeth, that things not necessarie must all be forborne, rather then offence should rise. So Caietan, abstinendūest etiam à bonis [Page 57]spiritualibus, non necessarijs, when scandall groweth out of them. To this tendeth, the decree of Gregorie, Gregor. li. 9. epist. 39. sunt quaedam scandala, quae omninò despicienda sunt: quaedum verò cum vitarisine culpa possunt, despicienda non sunt, ne cum culpa seruentur, for as­much as hee holdeth a man giueth a scandall, when he doth that, which is not necessarie to be done, but may without fault bee omitted. Against this doctrine I finde there are two things obiected: First, there isSumma. Siluestrin. in verb. scandal. sect. vlt. scandalum pusillorum, and there is scandalum Phariscorum, and though for the weake mans sake a thing not necessarie must be forborne, yet not for the Pharisies sake that is malitious, whose, offence our Sauiour saith, is not to bee cared for. If this be all the warrant wee haue, not to forbeare in a thing indifferent for the malitious, then haue wee no warrant at all, because the scandall (there) not cared for, is when the Pharisies are offended, at his abstayning from their washings, and his preaching of true doctrine: both of which were necessarie duties for him to doe. Luk. 13.15. Mat. 12.7. And when he defendeth his healing on Sabbothes, and his Disciples plucking eares, vpon this reason they are duties of necessitie and of charitie, he plainlie insinuateth, there is no defence for deedes vnnecessarie, when the malitious are scandalized, when the thing was indifferent, doth he not forgoe his libertie to please them? as when hee payed tribute least hee should offende them, Mat. 17.27. although he knewe they were malitious? Herevpon Gregorie, Gregor. Cōcil. tom 2. pag. [...]99 Quid est quod de scandalizatis, dicitur, finite illos: & alijs ne scandalizentur à Domino tributum solvitur, quod etiam non debetur? Quid est quod aliud scandalum esse permisit. alijs veró venire prohibuit, Nisi vt nos doceret, & illa scandala quae non adpeccata implicant, contemnere, & ea quae placare sine peccato pos­sumus, modis omnibus mitigare They were malitious at Corinth and seekers of oc­casion against Paule, that were likely to be offended by his taking of wages there, 1. Cor. 9.11. yet the thing being no necessarie dutie, he thinketh it his duteie to forbeare his power therein. The Heathens are malitious to take offence, when Christians goe to Lawe for their owne, yet because going to Lawe is not a dutie necessarie, it must be forborne, and Christians rather must loose their owne, 1. Cor. 6.7. then giue oc­casion of scandall to them. The papistes are malitious nowe, if they doe rapere Bucer. in Censur. ca. 9. pa. 472. absque data causa some accustomed ceremonie of ours to an approbation of their superstition, yet our writers doe affirme, that to prevent, this offence of theirs, we are to forbeare all such things as are not necessarie in Gods service, and such as Christ himselfe commaundeth. Secondly, it is obiected, that if we tender a reason for that which we doe in a thing indifferent, then the scandalum is sedatum and we are guiltlesse, though we doe what scandalizeth. This if it be true, then see we an ende of all the duetie of bearing with the1. Thess. 5 14. weake: of forbearing ourRom. 14.16. owne libertie,1. Cor. 9.12. power, and1. Thess 2.7. authoritie in things indifferent for theirAct. 20.34. suppor­tance: yea, an end of all theMat. 18.6.7. care, to prevent their offence, by giving themCornel. Ianfenius in concord Euangelic. cap. 71. oc­casiō aut condemnandi factum nostrum, aut illud imitandi, contra conscientiam, which we haue soAugust. de morib. Ma­nickeor. lib 2. cap. 14. often, so seriouslie, with so many reasons, obtestations, yea woes & threatnings, commaunded to vs throughout the word, what needed Paule to write so much against the scandall ofRom. 14.20. meates, and against the scandall of1. Cor. 8. Ido­lothius meates? this one precept might haue suffized, let the strong giue a reason for his eating, the Nicholaitan giue a reason of his eating meates that are sacri­ficed and there an end. Paule 1. Cor. 8. vlt. 1. Cor. 10.28 protesteth he will neuer eate meate as longe as he liueth, rather then offend a brother. Foolish Paule, what needeth this forbearāce, giue him a reason of thine eating and so eate on, omnia munda mundis. But hee, though he hath giuen many reasons to them of Corinth, for the lawfulnes of ta­king wages: though he hath giuen diverse reasons, for the lawfulnes of all fortes of meates to them of Rome, yet neither will hee take wages himselfe, nor suffer others to eate all meates, when others are offended. And what is that which hee writeth, Rom. 14. take and receaue the weake for their supportance? and not for con­troversie of disputation? For disputing & reasoning here, being opposed to sup­portance, [Page 58]is not a bare reasoning condemned, which worketh supportance by forbearing? Further, when a Corinthian is told, this meat is sacrificed to idolls, is he willed only to giue a reason, as to shew that it was bought at the shābles? or that in private vse it was lawfull, & so to eate it? must he not forbeare it also? Once more, Ma [...]. 5.29. what need to pull out an eye, that offendeth, to cut off an hand that offen­deth, as Christ prescribeth, if in case a reason given, appeaseth a scādal sufficient­lie? Is the crosse as deare as an eye? the surplice as near as an hand vnto vs, with which so many are now offended, that vpō a reason givē they must stil remaine? when the eyes, & eares them selves of the churches, cānot be suffred to remayne in their places, although they give many sufficient reasons for their staying in: and against these offensive rites, which are so farre from being members, as that (indeed) they deserue not to be called, so much as the humors or superfluities of a body? But whosoever is offended, after a reason is once given in a thing that is indifferent, we may hold him obstinate? God forbid: for what if God deny vn­derstanding? what if peace and resolution of conscience? to receaue a reason is a poynt of strength: he that is weak, hath this for a part of his weaknes, that he cā ­not receane a reason. The Romans haue receaued reasons many, yet Paul doth nor hold them obstinate, that doe not beleeue them, but willeth the meates be for­borne, that doe offend them. We are willed to receaue the weak, & to beare with them, as we would that Christ should receaue & beare with vs. Now are we cō ­tented, that Christ should cast vs off for obstinate, Rom. 15.3. when wee receaue not all his worde, nor consent to it, nor performe it? & what if the papistes condemne this vncharitablenes? sure thus aCaietan. in Thom. Aquin 2.2 q. 43. a [...]. 7 Cardinall. whereas it is saide in the 7. article, tou­ching the scādall of the weak, if after a reason givē, the scandall doe still remayne, it see­meth to be of malice, you must note the Author doth not vse [verbo assertiu e] [sed opina­tino] saying, it seemeth to be of malice. for it may fall out, that the weake are not capable of the reason that is rendered, either by reason of his former custome, which maketh that to appeare discordant which is cōcordant with the truth, or for some reason which in his eyes is more apparant, or by reason of some such like cause, & then it is not out of malice that he is offended, but out of ignorāce & infirmitie. So it ap­peareth by these premisses, that this first exceptiō of those who acknowledge the hurt of the ceremonies healeth no sore, to wit, that their hurt is not scandalum datum, but acceptum only.

#Sect. 9. The second exception of elevating the scandall, confuted.

THe second exceptiō standeth not so much vpon the deniall, as the elevating of the scādall: Sect. 9. which they think to be trifling, & a matter not to be stood on by discreet men. First this iūpeth with the papists,Hostiensis Silvest. Prier. in scandal. nō est curandū de scādalo, nisi sit graue. & when it causethThom. A­quin. 2.2. [...].41. art. 4 in pactionē sine ruina, or riseth only ex specie mali, cū aliqua leui indiscretione cōmissa, thē it is no mortal scādal, but venial only. & as for aIbid art 5 respon ad tertium. one of thē enwrappeth within the woe that Ch. denoūceth to scādalizers, etiā doctos & charitate plenos whē they offend through a defect of discretiō qua etiā optimos quādo (que) destituit per cuius carē ­tiam Petrus gentiles scandalizabat. Secondly, be the sinne great or small, it must be avoyded,Hieron, ad Demetriad epist. 1. contemptus cuiuscunque praeepti, pracipientis iuiuria est. Nay the smaller a sinne is, the sooner through Sathans sleight, doth it grow to be greater. Whence Augustine thus:August [...]. 9 v [...]ter [...] & novi Testament. ca. 1 Quantae minora peccatae sunt, tantum subtiliorae, & dum contemnun­tur non vitantur, maiora enim longè apparent. What that this pretence hath euer­more been insiduous. It is pitie (saye some of our Opposites) that the Church should be distracted, about two or three ceremonies: in which, the worde spea­keth neither off nor on. So theTheodor. histor. li. 2 cap. 18. Arrians of olde, ferendum non est, vt Ecclesiacor­pus distrabatur, propter duas voculas; praesertim qua inscriptura nusquam reperiantur. [Page 59]By the clamour whereof, how many of the simple sort, were couched & laugue­fied? It is also euer dangerous (asAugust. tom. 10. homil. 42. August. relleth vs, sed ipsa leuia & minuta, ne con­temnantur. de minutis guttis flumina implentur. non contemnantur velminora, per an­gustas rimulas insudat aquae, impletur sentina, & si contemnatur sentina, mergitur navis. Thirdly, the bloud of soules is cheap with vs,Heming. in Rom. 14. if we thinke the least scandall is not a great sinn; sith the scripture holdeth it murther, not only to offer [...] which causeth to fall. but also scandalon which maketh but to halt: yea, 1 Cor. 8.12. every knock that doeth weaken, which is lesse then to cause to halt: yea, that doth but greeue the foote of the soule, which is the conscience, which is lesse then to weaken, Rom. 14.21 if any thing can be lesse. The equitie hereof appeareth, not onely from the considerati­on of the tender loue which Christ beareth to our brethren, whom heIsa. 42. beareth in his bosome, andHos 11.3 leadeth in his hande, as a Nurse leadeth: yeaPsal. 91.11. beareth vp with the hands of Angells, that they incurre not the least jutt against a stone, but also from the consideration of the great hurt which by the least offence is done. a strawe being able to clogge a littleMat. 18.10. childe. a dropp to quench a smokingIsa. 42.3. flaxe and the least jutt that is, to putHeb. 12.13. out of ioynt the foote that hanged loose before. It isPlini. na­tural. lust. lib. 7. c. 53. storied, that Q. Aemilius dyed incusso pollice limini cubiculi. C. Aufidius by iutting his foot, when he was entring into Senat. no marvayle then, if the jutt or rubb of a scandal, take away the life spirituall which is in a weaker degree pos­ssessed, then the life of the body is. Fourthly, the scandall of the ceremonies must not be accounted small. The first circumstance (as I take it) that will make a scan­dall great, is the manner of scandalizing withCornel. Ianssenius vb. sup. contempt which then offendeth in the highest degree, when a litle one is contemned, by those that are n puffed vp with their knowledge and with their greatnes, and so are voyde of charitie. Now alitleMat. 18.10. one is cōtemned, when out own1 Thes. 2.7. power, will and credit only is cared for. when we seeke only toRom. 15.1 & 1 Cor. 6 12. please our selves, that is, to haue our owne forth and plea­sure. to which the schoolemen themselves agree: teaching that a veniall scandall then groweth mortall,Thom. A­quin. 2.2. q. 43. art 4. quando contemnitur salus proximi, vt, pro ea conservanda, non praetermittit quis aliquid facere quod sibi libuerit. Cā there be any greater scandall thē that which is thus described? Quis est proximus mens interrogant, & Enimund. Bonefid. de iure O­riental. fol. 202. stātium decem millia deijcimus, vt nostram impleamus volūtatem. What whē with this arrogancie, there goeth a seeking of owne things, the Helena of the Coūcil of Pisa, which one in these words describeth,Nichol. de Clemang. disput 2. sup. mate­riam concil general. Quae alia res in Pisana congregatione ecclesiam Dei, popu­lum (que) decepit, & clamare fecit, pax, pax, cum nulla esset pax, nisi quia carnales & cupidi homines, beneficiorū ardore succensi, prorsus (que) excaecati ecclesiasticā reformationē (quā boni & fideles plaeri (que) ante omnia fieri volebant impedierunt) & promotionibus quas concupie­rant adeptis pacem esse clamarunt soluto (que) cōventu cū illa quā quaesierant pace hoc est pro­motione reversi sunt. The author (though a papist) cannot think, that the H. Ghost would ever assist such a Synod & such a cōvocation as this what, when with this arrogancie & seeking of owne things, there goeth a pertinacie which will not re­forme any thing, because it will not yeelde. When the Cardinalls selected in the time of Paul the 3. were about the busines of reformation, Nicholaus Ioh Sleidā commenta. lib. 12. Archiepiscopus Capuanus. omnis emendationis impatiens erat; magna itaque contentione reclamabat, ne quid omnino reformaretur: ac inter alia dicebat fore alioquin, vt Lutherani iactent qua­scab ipsis propemodum adacti illud fecerint. What when with this arrogancie, this seeking of owne things, this pertinacie not to yeelde, there goeth an obstinacie most vayne-glorious,Thomas Morton. Apolog p. 1. l. 1. c. 1 [...] quae (malum) haec religio est, errores suos quamvis minimos re­tinere malle, quam errasse videri (sayeth one of our Writers against Bellarmine, refusing to leaue out the 8. verses which are added to the 13. Psalme, quia longè iā tempore ibi fuerunt. The rest of the Papistes are censuredIoh. Rey­nold conf. cap. 8. di­uis. 4. Tho. Mo [...] ton. vb. su. cap. 31. by vs, for that though the Latin tongue doeth not edifie, yet it must not bee reformed to keepe their credite: least there should be founde an errour in them in any one thing. [Page 60]In steed of applying these things, I onely pray, it be not layde to the charge of some of our Opposites at that day, that they haue hurt our church and hindered the reformation of it, by answering our petitions by their authoritie to cōmaund in ceremonies, as if in them liceret quicquid libet, by seeking no other peace to the church in their assemblies, then that which serveth to their owne promotiō, and setteth their owne neast on high, by contending that nothing at all be reformed: least they should seeme to be driven by vs, or to haue yeelded in any thing to vs, by keeping in corruptions still because they haue been a longe time rooted, and beggerly ceremonies that edifie not, least they should seeme to haue erred in a­nie thing, in their former governement ouer vs. If this be layde to the charge of anie, & it be true which them selvesAnswer to the petit. by the Vice. chaunc. and Doct. of Oxon. teach, the lesse the thing the greater the con­tempt, then must a great contemptuous scandall be answered for, when the Lord at that day shall aske: what? could ye not haue forborne your brethren in a trifle? not so much as in a trifle to haue regarded so many glorious churches reformed be­yond the seas? so many worthy Gentlemen at home, representing the body of the realme? so many sighes and groanes of Preachers? so many teares of the rest of the brethren? The second circumstance that doth aggravate a scandall, re­gardeth the place where it is done. and it is theThom. Aquin. 2.2. quest. 43. Siluest. Prier. in verb. scan­dal. doeing of it in publique. wher­as the ceremonies we see are vsed, not only in a publique place, but also in a place religious, to wit, in a church: the crosse in particular is vsed in a Sacrament also; then which, the verie church it selfe hath not a place more honorable. The Apo­crypha cānot be read in the church where scriptures only vse to be read, but they must presently beConcil. Carthagin. 3. Can. 47. accounted scriptures. There cannot aEpiphan. in haeres. Aerii. commemoratiō of the names of the dead, be vsed in the middest of service, wher prayers only are wont to be vsed, but it must presently growe to be a prayer for them: so now the cere­monies cannot be vsed in Gods worship and in his service, but they must needes growe to be worships in estimation, & partes of his service. The crosse hath been more idolized, then any of the popish Images: of which one of our writers thus,Iosias Sim­ler. in exod c. 20. fol. 85 Locireligio admirationem illis conciliat, & ita occasio fiunt idololatriae. homines procli­ues sunt ad idololatriam: quod si illis proponantur Idola, error corum alitur. What is holy-water to the signe of the crosse that halloweth it? yet for the holynes that was put in it, we haue banished it out of the church-portch. our brethen (also) call the sticke which doeth vsually sprincle it, evenStephan. Durant. de rit. li. 1. c. 21 clavem infernalem, the keye of hell. And what are the Bells to the signe of the Crosse, or to the Surplice that hallow them? (for cos Concil. Coloniens. pag. 3. c. 31 qui campanas pulsant congruit superpelliceis indui) to which our brethren that are inDurant. de rit. li. 1. c. 22 France do bellum indicere for that power which was ima­gined to be in them to driue away Devills. A strange thing, we would be accoū ­ted as zealous as they, when yet we set vp in the middest of the church, a grand idoll of poperie, the very handmaydes whereof, they cannot suffer, so much as in the church-portch or bellfraye. The third circumstance that doth make a scan­dall great, is the authoritie of the scandalizer: who, the more credit he hath, the more he multiplyeth transgression amongst men, and causeth Israell to sinne. Thus one of old,Soxomen. histor. lib. 7 cap. 19. possunt multi ritus per civitates & pagos inveniri quos propter reve­rentiam velauthorum vel corum qui eos primum receperunt, ij qui illis sunt innutriti sine piaculo intollerabili praevaricari non posse putant. The crosse and a Lutheran image set vp ad decorum, are of the same ranke of which our writers,Iosias Sim­ler. in man­dat. 2. Qui rebus praesunt, eas in templis ferre non debent, alioqui simplices qui ipsas tollerari animadvertunt, eo no­mine plus ipsis tribuunt, quod Principes & Episcopos & Pastores eas vident non abijcere. Another thus,P. Martyr loc. com [...]n elass. 2 ca. 5. sect. 25. No small spurre to idolatrie is the authoritie of the Dedicator. so that, the scandall of the crosse, cannot be small, backed with the antiquitie of the Fathers, strenthened with the authoritie of the governours: and credited with the vse and practize of the Pastors of the church. The fourth circumstance, that [Page 61]doth increase a scandalls guilt, is drawne from the matter of it. and what more apte to work out a scandall then the crosse? For as a monument of idolatrie, God hath accursed it to be a snare: and so hath it proved accordingly. Deut. 7.25. Whence one of ourD. Fulke ag. Saund. de imag. ca. 13. pa. 659 Writers, Even from the beginning, the superstition of the signe of the crosse did creape like a ringworme: at the first as a tollerable indifferent matter: then as an holy thing: next as an necessarie thing: last of all into open and grosse ido­latrie. Indeed, the popish idolatrie began out of the adoratiō of the crosse, which presently (in a manner) began vpon the beginning of the vse of this signe. ThusPropert. in Apothe. Propertius, iam purpura supplex sternitur Aeneadae rectoris ad atria Christi: vexil­lum (que) crucis summus dominator, adorat. Another,Paulin. Nolan. epist. 11. Crucem Episcopus Hierosolymita­nus cum pascha Domini agitur adorandum populo, princeps ipse adorantium promit. A third,Hieron. in. in Epitaph. Paulae Prostrata Paula ante crucem, quasi pendentem Dominum cerneret, adoravit. Againe,Idem e­pist. 17. ad. Marcellam. desideravit Eustochium crucis lambere lignum. More witnessesDurant. de rit. lib. 1 cap. 6. & lib. 2. ca. 45 may bee had, if they may be credited, that in the space of one hundred yeeres the signe of the crosse begat adoration, being it selfe for publike vse, at theD. Fulke quo. sup. pag. 659. highest begotten but about Tertullians age, after the 200. yeare after Christ. Come wee downe a litle lower, to the yeere 540. or thereabout, & then the crosses adoratiō is growne exceedingly, as appeareth by theEuagriu. lib. 4. c. 25. Apameenses, of whom it is saide productam in medium crucem adorant & amplexantur. Whereas therfore, some matters are moreThom. A­qui. vb. sub. apta nata, to breed scandall, then others are, nothing at all cometh neare to the crosse in the fruitfulnes of idolatrie: no not the brazē serpent it self which had far longer time to bring forth abuse, & yet was removed before it had been so long time abused. The first circumstance which doth make a scandall great, is drawne from the persons scandalized. Where the signe of the crosse is, and hath been frō time to time an offence to all sortes of men both litle & great, touching the com­mon and vulgar sort:Calsh. ag. Mart. art. 4 fol. 88. whereas we see the people so prone, to repose their affiance in this earthly signe, we are enforced to leaue the same. And touching the lear­ned thus, not only the simple did in this case abuse them selues, but such as had more learning then the rest, and ought to haue been good schoolemaisters to o­thers. The sixt circumstance, that vseth in a ceremonie to make a scandal great, is the vnseasonablenes of the time. The soule of the crosse, which is the professi­on of the crosse against the the aliens being departed, what maketh his dead car­cas aboue ground amongst vs? For asAugust. ad Marcellin. epist. 5. Augustine saith, Non est verum quod dicitur semel rectè factum, nullatenus esse mutandum: mutata namque temporis causa, quod rectè ante factum fuerat, ita mutari vera ratio plerumque flagitat, vt cum ipsidicant non fierirectè si mutetur, contra veritas clamet non rectè fieri nisi mutetur: quia vtrūque hoc erit rectum, si erit pro tem porum varietate diversum. And the continuance of the crosses time is scandalous likewise. Claudius Taurinensis pulleth downe Images, whē the people out of an il custome, did abuse them. WhoD. Fulke reioynd. ag. Marvr. art. 10. pa. 213. doth not iustifie him? Ionas Aurelianensis Ionas. Au­relianen. lib. 1. de cult. imag. confesseth some of his partes were sicke of the same disease, who yet doeth vphold them. which of our writers condemneth him not? And such is our apologie against this second exception of them, which see some hurt doe come of the ceremonies, Their scandall is in a manner nothing, they are peevish that stande vpon it.

#Sect. 10. The third exception answered, viz. That lawes must not be chaunged for that a fewe are scandalized.

THE third, is drawne from policie: there are but a fewe that are scandalized by the ceremonies, and must we change lawes for a fewe sake? But what sort of men are not offended by them, whether abroad or at home? Concer­ning the former, whereas scandalum is aedificatio Tertul. lib de veland. virgin. ad delictum, we cannot but scan­dalize [Page 62]the papistes, by our retayning of the ceremonies, by our strife and conten­tion for them, by our pursuit of faithfull preachers to reveng them, and sith here­by we build and edifie them vnto idolatrie and superstition many wayes. First, they drawe them to an approbation of their religion, against which thus one of ourIofias Simler. in Exod. 20. fol. 85. writers, etsi aliquis bonus vsus imaginum esse possit, tamen propter illam horrendam idolomanian Pontificiorum ijs abstinendum esset. Illi enim cum imagines vident, in no­strorum templis, nos secum convenire arbitrantur, in earum cultu & veneratione, & eas ad confessionem rapiunt. Secondly, whereas they would bee brought to doubt of their religion, if it were throughly resisted by vs, they nowe seeing it in part, re­ceaued even by their adversaries, put themselues out of doubt. against which our writers thus: It is scandalum datum Magdebu. Contur. 1. lib. 2. cap. 4 colum. 450 quando iusta grauitas in ceremonijs adversus ob­stinatos non exercetur: as Peter gaue scandall to the Iewes, when hee conformed himselfe to their ceremonies, because therby, illorum prauam de illis opinionem fo­uebat. Thirdly,P. Martyr loc com­mun. clas. 2. ca. 5. sect 25. were as the cheefe way to winne the papistes, is to put them out of hope, because man naturallieVelleius. Paterculus. sequi de sinit, quod assequi non potest, the reducing of their Ceremonies hath caused the people not well resolved, to say the rest will followe shortlie: and the recusant, what reason haue we to come to you, seeing you so fast are comming to vs? Fourthlie, there is nothing that more hindereth the conversion of aliens, then when there is an occasion giuen them to reioyce, glorie, & boast, as men that haue gotten the vpperhand, as a cheefe matter which was obiected to Marcellinus was this,Caesat Ba­ron. anal. tom. 2. in Marcellin. super te in illo die gloriabatur Imperator, and the offence that is giuen by the strife of the Christians is this,Epist. Sy­nod Arime. nens. ad Constant, Imperat. Concil. tom. 1. pa. 437. quae nunc ab istis no­uantur fidelibus quidem incredulitatem, infidelibus autem ferocitatem adferunt. Doth not our strife (nowe) about these Ceremonies adferre ferocitatem to the papistes? Thus Hierom. Hieron. commenta. in Abdiam cap. 1. Quis haereticorum non despicit ecclesiasticos? quis non exultat in malis corum? Si qui in negationem corruerit, videas illos exultare, gaudere, nostram ruinam, suam putare victoriam? Doth not the papist make himselfe glee, to see the preachers that were before most zealous against him, throwne downe into the depth of mi­serie? & that for no other cause, but for their zeale against his reliques? & laugheth he not (on the other side, at their inconstancie, who now conforme vnto his bad­ges, who would not weare before, or beare the least cognizance of his Church, as at a ruine of theirs, a victorie of his owne? Ambrose Ambros. 1 Cor. 10 saith, that the very eating of a meate idolothious, maketh the idolater gloriari, to boast and vaunt.Gregor. epist. 41. ad Lean dr. Gregorie will not vse the Trin-immersion when haeretiques vsed it, ne morem nostrum se vi­cisse glorientur. Our verie vse (then) of these rites, dedicated to their idolatrie, is sufficient to advaunce their spirits, as if they had gotten the field against vs. To these and some other wayes of scandall, which might be mentioned, there are three things replyed. The first is that the papists after this maner are scandalized with other things, with our sainctesRhem. in annotat act 1. sect 7 holy-dayes, with our bowing at theRhem in Phil sect. 2 name of Iesus, with our kneeling beforeMart. in reply. art. 10. images in glas-windowes, with the lifting vp of our handes at Paules crosse, with our bowing to the cloth of estate: and seeing swearing is a kinde of adoration with our swearing on a book: forasmuch as from hence they sucke advātage for their idolatrie to sainctes, to the name Iesus, to ima­ges, to crosses, and for their swearing by creatures, and yet all these may not be a­bolished. For answere, first if these ceremonies harden the papist, then doth the vse of the Crosse much more, which is with him theVaur. Ca­techism. grande hallower and con­secrator, of al holy things and actions. Secondly, if the former ceremonies, which are not necessarie duties, doe confirme him, why should not we make riddance of them, as well as other Churches haue, especiallie bowing to the name Iesus, which the most learned euen of ourD. Fulke answer to Rhem in Philip. 2. sect. 2. D. Babington. in Leui [...]ie. owne church condemne. Thirdly, our hol­ding vp of hands when we pray at Paules Crosse, and our bowing downe to the cloth of estate are necessarie duties, and so not to bee abolished like Crosse and [Page 63]Surplice which are not necessarie, euen as the Christians were not to leaue, their reuerent (not popishe) bowing, when they did curis Dei adge inculari (as speaketh Tertullian) although the pagans hence drewe a scandall, that they didCaesar Ba­ron. Anal. ann. 211. Antistitis genitalia colere: or their lifting vp of handes in prayer though by rea­son of it, the Gentills accused them for adoring the cloudes, asD Fulke reioynd. art 10 pag. 214 & 217. appeareth by Ter­tullian, & by a Poet of their own, qui puras nubes & caeli Numen adorant. Secondly, It is replyed to the scandall of the papist [...] that it maketh not the Ceremonies guiltie, because it is [acceptum] by them, who for that they are malitious, are not to be regarded. First, they are erronious as wel as they are malitious: so that, to confirme them in their error were that inhumanitie in vs, which layeth a stom­bling blocke in the way of the blinde who bath most neede to be ledde aright. Leuit. 19.14 Deut. 17.18 They that were offended at Christe, were as malicious, of whome Bernard not­withstanding,Bernard. in lib. de precept. & disputat. magni peccatores, sed tamen & pusilli aestimatores, beati essent si non scandalizati fuissent. nunc vero quid nisi miseri sed tamen & miserandi. Secondly, this confirming of the papistes is scandalum datum for that shewe where by we come neere him, or flie not from him so farre as we should: for we know that euen a shewe is scandalous, as not only scriptures teach,Thes. 5.22 Iud. 23. but also the auncientes with whom euen similitudo venerationis idoli isGlossae in 1. Cor. 10. & 8. whose tenent is,Thom. A­quin. 2.2. quest 43. etiam species mali scandalum confecit. and ourMagdebu. Centur. 1. lib. 2. cap. 4. Col. 450. owne writers whose position is in generall the same with this tenent mentioned. and in parti­cular, that we are to avoyde from all things that doe beare but a sheweD. Fulke ag. Bristow mot. 24. pag. 98. of po­perie. This last writer confesseth that some of our english Ceremonies are not wholy purged, from all similitude of popish actions, wherein he cannot but in­clude our crosse, sith it beareth greater shewe and greater similitude of a popish action then any other. But seeing he confesseth it, he doth approue it (you wil say.) No, but quite contrarie he excuseth it by this, they were only tollerated at the first for the weake, whereby it appeareth we haue since our selues proffi­ted well towards the confirming of our selues in error not only the papistes in that we are come to a continuance and to an approbation of them. Let vs con­sider the doome that was passed ouer the Ceremonies of the Germane Adia­phorisme for the like shewe and similitude.Lib [...]rt. Concor. a [...] Schlusselb. li. 13. p. 59 [...] inter res adiaphoras non numerandae sunt tales ceremoniae, qua speciem quādam prae se serunt [...]dut quibus simulatur quasi nostra religio, à pontificia non multum distaret, aut certe quasi ab ea animus noster non admodum abhorreret, aut cum earum restauratio ita accipitur quasi hoc ipso dissentiētes duae illae reli­giones, iam in vnam redactae essent: aut cum periculum est ne videamur ad papatum rur­sus accessisse, & à sincera euangelij doctrina recessisse, vel paulatim recessuri. Thes. de Adiaphor. Theolog. Saxon. ibid pag. 504. Againe, pessima species est quod sicut Lutherus (vir Dei) nos ex larua Antichristi extraxit, ita iam illi in ipsissimam veterem Antichristi laruam spon sam Christi introducere conantur, cum summo dedecore sponsi Christi: Nam is nequa quam vult nos colores & charecteres Antichristi hostis sui acerrimi suscipere: neque vllus vir honestus id tolleraret, si sponsa sua vestem & colores sui capitalis hostis, idque in gratiam illius sui hostis scienter & vo­lenter acciperet. Thirdly, though the confirming of the papistes be in part a scan­dall taken by them, yet it is withall a scandall giuen in part by vs, because the ce­remonies being no necessarie duties, they ought to be set a side euen for the ma­litious sake. The scandall is taken and malitiouslie taken, if any arise by the single life of a Christian yong widowe, yet Paule thinketh if she marrie not she will in this cause giue occasion, marke: [giue] to the adversarie to speake euill. marke, 1. Tim. 5.1 [...] he will haue vs to incurre no shewe of scandall, no not before a malitious adver­sarie. It is for Boos not only not to touch Ruth, Ruth. 3.14. but also to prevent all shewe of touching her: as to prevent that no man knowe she hath been in the flower with him. So it is for vs now, not only not to defile our selues with the popishe super­stition, but also to prevent all shewe of communicating with them, which wee [Page 64]doe not in the crosse: for as long as it is in church publiquelie vsed, it is more thē in our flower, it is in the same bedd with vs: and as long as we countenance it by lawe, we spread the winge of our garment over it: Euen asPlutarc. in vit. Caesar. Caesar requireth in a wife that she be free not only from the facte of adulterie, but also from the suspi­tion of it. And ought not the spouse of Christ be as chaste even from all shew of spirituall fornication? Whereas Ambrose requireth of an honest man, that he be cleare not only à crimine, Ambros. lib. de offic. sed etiam à criminis suspitione: we will provide for our honestie, who put not from vs all shew of dishonestie in popish rites and ceremo­nies. When certaine Divines of Misnia were purposed not to care for the grunni­tus suûm, they meant of the papistes in the vse of the Surplice, they were advised by theRespons. Nichol. Galli. & Placci. Ill [...]ri. ad Concio­nator. Mis [...]iae. wiser sorte of their brethren to take heed, howe by the putting of it on, they gaue to these sues iustam causam grunniendi, which now is our case. Thirdly, It is replied to the scandall of the papistes, that it is prevented alreadie sufficient­lie: in that we haue purged these ceremonies frō their abuse, which being done, we haue libertie to retayne them, and we turne them to a good vse, for the vsing of ourExamin. of the declarat of the M. of London libertie, from which why should we suffer our selues to be hindered by them? First a scandall is not prevented in a thing vnnecessarie, vnlesse for the a­buses sake it be remoued as the brazen serpent was: for which Hezechias had not such evidence, D. Fulke reioynd. ag Mart. art. 10. p. 216. but we haue as good now for the putting downe of the crosse. Did not Pius Ioh. Crisp in vit. eius. secundus put downe the Nunnes of the order of Ste Bridget, for the scandall and abuse of their single life? For the like scandall wherof in Priests, he was also wont to say, he sawe more causes why Priestes should marrie, then liue single. Did not the selectedVide Whi­tak. conr. Dureuio. l. 5. fol. 378 Cardinalls write thus to Pope Paule the third, Alius abusus in ordini­bus religio sorum quod adeo multi deformati sunt, vt magno sint scandalo, whence they conclude, Conventuales ordiues abolendos esse putamus omnes. Thirdly, our libertie we may vse, 2. Cor. 10.8 but not to destruction, either of papistes, or of any other: in this case of scandall our libertie ceasethIosias Simler. in Exod. 20. fol. 85. quae libera sunt in caesu scandali, desinunt esse libera. and our libertie against papistes is this, not to suffer our selves vnder their subiec­tion for one houre by conformitie to their ceremonies, but to free our libertie as Paule did from the servitude of that necessitie which they put in them by a disvse and removall of them. [...]al. 2. So then the ceremonies controversed, deserue a removall for the scandall which they offer to the papistes.

#Sect. 11. The Opposites opinion thinking greater scandalls would come vpon the Remoovall of Ceremonies, confuted.

SOme there are who oppose two greater scandalls towardes the papistes, which would followe vpon a remoovall of the ceremonies, Sect. 11. for which they thinke it is most fit they should be still retayned. First this is the law of the Germane Adia­phoristes, Flac. Illiric in li. de A­diapho. p. 2. accipiendae sunt aliquae papisticae ceremoniae, vt papistae nostra lenitate, ceremo­niarum (que) similitudine ad nostram doctrinam invitemus. Paulus factus est omnia omni­bus: nostra ista horriditate, & ceremoniarum dissimilitudine absterrētur papistae à nostra doctrina. that which also they extended thus farre,Confess. Mansfild. [...]edit. ann. 1560. ap. Conrad. Schlusselb. tom. 13. pa. 533. nemini dandum est scandalum: quapropter non est ita malum, assistere ceremonijs & missificationi papisticae ne illi offen­dantur. Secondly, ne veniale quidem peccatum committendum est (say theThorn. A­quin. 2.2. quest. 43. art. 7. res­pons. ad 5. Siluest. Priet. in summa. verb. scādal Papistes) vt evitetur scandalum. Let vs not be worse then they to commit a great sinne (for such we haue prooved the crosse to be) to avoyde a supposed scādall only, which indeed is none at all. Thirdly, the papist is best edified when he is most displeased by our refusall of his rites: as Christ to edifie the Pharisies, and Paule the Iewes, tooke a course of not conforming which did displease them. Against pleasing of them we haue this sure and certaine rule levyed against all conformitie with the [Page 65]Ceremonies of the German Adiaphorisme,Decret. Eccles. Ge [...] ­man. apu [...] Conrad. Schlussel [...]. tom. 13. pag 566. Nulla est concedenda in gratiam ad­versariorum mutatio externi cullus seu ceremoniarum, Ibid. nisi prius nobis consentiant in fundamento: hoc est, in vera doctrina & vsu sacramentorum are not the papistes ob­stinate? nowe, contra veritatis obstinatos hostes, exercenda est Christiana libertas. Fourthly, to please the papistes, whom wee are to displease, and to displease our owne brethren at home, whom wee are to please is to incurre the fault of Peter which was this:Beza. in Gal. 2. he chose rather to please the Iewes by conforming to their Ceremonies, when he should haue rather pleased the converted gentiles by abstinence from them,Docret. Eccles. German. vb. sup. Offendicusum infirmorum quod existit ex abnegatione veritatis, vel inconstantia in confessione pluris factendum est, quam omnium hostium gratia & benevolentia. Iosias Sim­ler. in Exod 26. fol. 87. Si volumus consulere obstinatis papistis plures interea è nostris laedemus. Peter so doing, who feared to displease the Iewes, and therevpon displeased the Gentiles, was re­prehended of Paule. AnBucer. in Math. 18. other giueth a generall direction in this comparison infirmorum rationem ita hebebunt, vt eas & exemplis provehere dabunt operam, neque paucorum (qui Antichristi Ceremonijs plus aequo addictiores sunt, & fortassis non ver [...] fratres) morabuntur caecitatem vt plurimos interim alios offendant quibus nunequam ista cogitatio non in animis versatur. Si ista tam male essent abolerentur, si tam bona, opera ca cuncti prafertim qui Christs haberi volunt, am plecterentur. we are not then to vse the ceremonies in regard of any offence, which the papistes may take of our dis­vse or any of our owne brethren at home that are popishly giuen. But now what might those offences be, which may arise on our refusall and remouall of their rites? First, it is said, that if the ceremonies be remoued, the papist will holde it a point of profanes in vs. as also an affectation of noveltie ioyned with a contempt of the gray haires of antiquitie, which ought to be reuerenced by vs. First, the re­mouall of these ceremonies hath been proued a dutie, therfore all obtrectations are to be troden vnder foote. was not our Lord held common and profane, Mark. 7. whē he refused the auncient ceremonie of washing handes? Isa. 36.7. was not Hezechias coun­ted profane and new fangled for pulling downe the auncient altars and high pla­ces? was notEunapi [...] Constantine esteemed profane for defacing the Idolls temples? were not the Christians held the most profane, and the most irreligious men in the world, for refusing the incense of pagan Gods? well one.Bucer. in Cens [...]s. Net quicquam no­ [...]itatis temerè & irreligiose admissuri estis, vt maleuoli semper obijcere solent de omnibus ijs qui expurgare student vetus Antichristi fermentum, & nouam domino exhibere stu­dent populi conspertionem. Secondly, if for this calumniation wee must keepe the Crosse and Surplice, then must we reduce the rest of their trash which we haue long since abolished. They affirme our communiō will come at last, to a profaneRhem. in annotat. in Io. 4. sect. 4 sacrifice of Ceres and Bacchus, and the bread of ourFidem in [...]. Cor. 11. sect. 18. communion they hold profane. as for the want of a Surplice, so for the want of a consecrated altar, of a Priest vnmarried, of hallowed handes, and of the signe of the Crosse. all which, seeing we haue abolished notwithstanding this imputation, why should it hin­der vs from the abolishing of the baptisme crosse aswell? where doe they lay to our charge, that we abolishe all true religion out of the world, and make men plaine atheistes for the remouall of Crosses, where they lay not the same to our charge for abolishing of otherRheum. [...] Philip. 2. sect. 2. Images we haue abolished other Images not­withstanding this obtractation, why not (then) this Crosse aswell? And we pull downe vnnecessarie chappells and Churches without all feare, which is more subiect ten timesBristow. Mo [...]e. to this slaunder, then the remouall of the Ceremonies contro­uersed: for theyDuraut. de rit. lib. 1. ca. 2. sect. 5. match vs for doing this euen with Arrians, and with Donatistes, and with Eustathians, and with what not? Neither can the remouall of present Ceremonies beare the like colour, or heare the like clamor of profanes as the breaking of Images doth, for which they yoke vs with theIdem. li. 1. c. 4. sect. 13. Manichees with Xena­ias the heathen, and with Andrewe Mart. of the Cross [...]. art. 8. Lampugnan beginning his murther of Galia­tius [Page 66]Maria Duke of Millane, with a stabbing of his Image to get him couradge. Fi­nally, we breake downe their altars still, though herein they make vsD [...]rant. lib. 1. ca. 15 sect. 12. Donatistes, and match vs with Iulianus Praefectus for profanes, stricken with a fearfull disease, for his pissing against an altar: and lastly with the souldiers of Stillico, torne in pieces with Leopardes, for that they violated an altar by drawing one Cresconius from it, who had made it his sanctuarie.

#Sect. 12. A scandall of the papistes removed, saying, If Ceremo be removed, it will harden them against vs, and breed an hostile alienation of their mindes frō our religion.

THere is a second scandall pressed, in case the ceremonies be removed, to witt, an hardening of them against vs, Sect. 12. & an hostile alienatiō of their mindes from our religion, who by the retention of these ceremonies might be wonne. First, this is to runne with the papistes withFeuerdent. in Irenaeū, lib. 1. c. 24. Feuardentius by name, who knoweth no other course to winne pagans, then this: Gentium idolomanià, & sudaeorum super­stitioni opponendae sunt imagines. The exa­min of the declarat of the Minist. of London One of our Opposites to maintayne this axi­ome [we must retayne some of the popish rites to winne them,] willeth vs to see what course Gregorie tooke with Nellitus. This course we haue seene: heBeda histo. li. 1. ca. 30. Gregor. E­pistol. l. 9. in dict. 4. epist. 7. forbiddeth Nellitus to pull downe the idolatrous temples. he commaundeth to lett their fe­stivities alone: he will haue their temples sanctified with altars, holy-water, and reliques of Saintes: he adviseth that on their birth dayes of the Martyrs, whose Reliques be there layde, the people should sett vp greene bowers about the church, and make holy banquets, such as the heathen vsed to make in the feastes of their idolls. See what a goodly popish course for winning, we are sett to see? Secondlie, It is a duetie, that there be a difference in rites and ceremonies be­tweene Gods Church and heretiques.Tertul. in Il. de cotō. milit. Longum divortium (sayth Tertullianus) mandas Deus ab idolatria, in nullo proximè agendum: Draco etiam terrenus de longin­quo hominis spirit [...]s absorbet, Bellarmin. controvers. 6. ca 4. de Monach. Bellarmine him selfe confesseth, that the shaving of the head was forbidden to the Iewe, in respect of the Gentiles, least they should be like them: which the reason of the text confirmeth, for yee are an holy people to the Lord. Herevpon one,D. Willet. controvers. 6. q. 6. p. 2. It was vnlawfull, because a superstitious rite of the Hea­then which did not beseeme the people of God. In regard hereof, the onely law­full course to winne, is that which accordeth with this duetie, and that is to roote out all hereticall rites and ceremonies & idolatrous observations. God is wisest: now he ordayned an abolition of all the idolatrous rites of Canaan, to winne the remnant of the Cananites, which he foresawe would be reserved as the offspring of Rahab and of the Gibeonites, and all other proselites that should come over to the Church. And the Fathers of the Church giue like advise,August. de verb. Dom. serm. 6. Si quaeritis vnde vincantur Pagani (sayth Augustin) vnde illuminentur, vnde ad salutem vocentur? Deserite [...]as solennitates ipsorum. Deserite nugas eorum. Et si non consentiunt veri­tati nostra, saltem pudeat paucitatis suae. The Councells (also) take like order: For whereasConcil. E­liberti. can 34. one of them forbiddeth Tapers at funeralls with such like, this reason is rendered euen by aDu [...]ant. de rit. li. 1. c. 4. sect. 11. & ca. 23. sect. [...]4. papist him selfe, because the people of Spaine, but newly con­verted, were still distayned with some of their olde superstitious customes, there­fore this Councell forbiddeth many things ad extirpandas & funditus tollendas, Gentilium superstitiones, quas novi Christiani, in ijs Hispaniae locis, tum retinebant. But haue yee neuer read (saye our Opposites) that olde rites & ceremonies haue been retayned in the Church for their sakes, who would haue been alienated, if they might not haue been permitted to vse them, as they and their Forefathers had donne longe tyme before? Yes, we haue read, and nowe allowe of a certaine tolleration of olde customes; but that maketh nothing for our retayle of popishe ceremonies, nowe controversed.

First, a tolleration is an involūtarie permission against our wills. it dothDecret. p. 2. caus. 1 qu. 7. c. 18. quaedam tollerare, quaedam amputare, with the same vnwillingnes that aCap. 16. Pilote in a tempest saveth some of his wares, and others of them he doth cast over bord. and whenIbid. caus. 23. qu. 4. cap. 5. quod salvo pacis vinculo, excludere non possumus, equitate improbamus. yea tolleration is withAugust e­pist 64. greefe: yea with lamentation, as August. Idem de ciuit. De [...] lib. 18. lamented those cōmon sinnes, which he was constrayned to tollerat, for that he could not redresse them. Now what like to this, in our retention of these ceremonies controversed? Is it out of an vnwillingnes, that our governours keepe in these ceremonies? Is it not rather their will and pleasure? and doe they disprove them equitate, doe they not con­strayne vs to approve them rather? doe they greeue at them? doe they not rather increase the greefe of them that doe greeue, and bring lamentation on them and theirs, who hartily lament to see the Church so pestered with them? Secondly, a tolleration of aliene rites, is only a libertie to new converts which cannot well be wayned from them: such as the decree gaue once to the IewesDecret p. [...] distin. 45. cap. 3. omnes festiuita­tes suas sicut hactenus tam ip si quam patres eorum per longa colentes tempora tenuerunt, liberam habeant obseruandi colendique potestatem. the reason is giuen by Augustine, August. d [...] vtilitat. [...]e­iun. modestè vetusia vulnera pertractemus, & cauti simus ne inter manus medici deficiat qui curatur, and by an other canon else whereDecret. pa. 1. dinct. 4. c. 6. Quia tali consuetudine averti non pos­sunt, ideo cum venia suo ingenio relinquendi sunt, ne fortè peiores existant si à tali consue­tudine prohibeantur. what like to this (againe) in our retention of the ceremonies controversed? Is it only a libertie to the rawe cōverted papistes that desire them? Is it not a necessitie rather throwne on the children of the church that haue been bread and brought vp in it? yea on the Fathers of the church them. selves that doe abhorre them, and that to the vtter losse and impeachment of their owne christian libertie? Thirdly, a tolleration is onely ad diem ne Augustin. cont. Par [...] ­nem. lib. 3. cap. 1. eradicetur triticum, not excusing either pigritiem corrigend: or negligenti ā vindicandi after a long time and season, when nowe a scandall may without hurt be done away, and it wor­keth on men that are not firma radice Decret. p. 2. cans. 35. qu. 3 [...] cap. 20. sollidati, giving milke not meate vnto them ne bonum quod infirma adhuc radice plantatum erat erueretur, sed aliquantulum firma. retur & vsque ad perfectionem custodiretur. What like to this (once more) in our retention of these ceremonies controversed, is it not after fortie yeeres preaching of the Gospell that they continue? And hath there been no oportunitie found in so long tyme to roote them out? And is not the tyme of our Churches in­fancie past as yet? Is it not yet fit for meate, so to laye this milke aside? Fourthly, tolleration is onely of those things,Ibid. ca [...]. 2. qu. 1. ca. 23. quae sola nocere non valent, si caterorum con­fletintegritas: illa magnopere praecavenda sunt [in a tolleration] quae recepi, nisi ma­nifesta decoloratione, non possunt. Againe, Ea sinenda sunt, quae nullo detrimento ali­quoties indulgenda creduntur, & quae rerum temporumque cogit intuitus, velacceleratae provisionis respectus excusat. To thisAugust. e­pist. 64. Augustine accordeth, who when the abuse of Martyrs festivities grewe to an heigth, he thought them to bee no longer tollerable, vpon this reason, res sacrilega non tolleranda. The Schoole-men like­wise walke in the same path: the tolleration of hereticall rites, is not helde law­full by them, no not in the rawe converts them selves:Thom. A­quin. 2.2. q. 10. art. 1 [...] no not in the times of weaknes but derationabili causa, such as is the good of the Church, or the avoy­dinge of a worse mischief, meant by Saint Matthewe chapter 13. least yee plucke vp corne and all. aIbid ob­iect. 2. proofe being brought from the example of Godly Emperors qui templaidolorum primū claudi, deinde destrui fecerunt, which St Augustine appro­veth. No reason in the earth then lefte that these ceremonies should surviue, which doe they not hurt? Are they not a manifest blemishe to our Church? Are they not so farre from being such, as the state of the time exacteth, or accele­ratae provisionis respectus excuseth, as that presently they must bee abolished, [Page 68]if the voyce of the tyme may be heard or their suit that liue therein? And if there be any care left to make speedie provision of the churches good? are they not sa­crilegious also? Last of all, they doe no good, they doe drawe in mischiefe, but drive none away: the corne would farre better thrive, if they were gone. F [...]stlie, a tolleration proceedeth thus, when by reason of the multitude an abuse cannot be redressed, it first setteth vpon those that are the more spirituall. then it dothAugust. e­pist. 64. monere till they be wōne: then are they set to admonish others, till what by their counsell, what by their example all be reclaymed. Nowe I need not to say, this course is not taken, in this our tollerating old popish rites and customs, when all the world may perceive there is taken a quite contrarie to it. no winning here of multitudes from them, that will not leaue them: there is an enforcing here of whole multitudes to them who would not haue them: no admonishing here to leaue them, there is a punishing here of those who doe leaue them: no incoura­ging here of those, that are the more spirituall, that they might draw others from them these are first nipped, crushed, and discouraged, as men too forward when they indeavour to drawe men from them. Against this and the like courses in A­frica aConcil. Aphric. [...]n. 27 [...] Councell thus requested, illud etiam petendum vt quae contra praecepta divi­na convivia multis in locis exercentur quae ab errore gentili attractae sunt (ita vt nunt à paganis Christiani ad haec celebranda cogantur. ex qua re temporibus Christianorū im­peratorum persecutio altera fieri occultè videatur vetari talia iubent. how many things are there here to be observed? A law must be made against all customes which doe arise from the old & accustomed error of aliens, none of the Christians must be compelled to the vse of them though the aliens them selves be suffered to vse them. When the Christians be compelled, it is a shewe of a secret persecution. this may fall out in the tyme of godly Princes, if things be not looked to: the ali­ens themselues, will growe to such heigth as that they will be able divers wayes to vexe and molest the seruants of God that will not conforme themselues to these their customes. Sixtly, a prudent tolleration will consider whether it doth winne or no,Gregor. li. 11. [...]pi. 15▪ cur Iudais qualiter Cerem [...]nias suas colere debeant regulas ponimus, si per hoc eos lu [...]rari non possumus. so to what end should papistes be permitted now to vse their ceremonies: or to what end should we ponere regulas how our own Church should vse them, seeing the experience of more then fortie yeeres doth shewe, that by this meanes we can doe no good, to gaine and winne them? For mine owne part I neuer knewe papist yet trulie converted, but he grewe to that religious detestation of popishe Crosses which isFenarden. in Irenaesi. lib. 1. ca. 24 imputed vnto Beza, confiteor me Crucifixi imaginem, etiam ex animo detestari. and as I remember on the other side, I haue read in the storie of France, that the leaguers would neuer beleeue, when they had taken any towne, that any were Catholiques vntill they did sweare and crosse hemselues. Indeed the papist cannot thinke any to be truly converted to this faith, vntill he doe crosse himselfe, by a principle of his faith, which is this,Iacob. Le­desima ca­techis. vaux catechis. Doul. in­ [...]truction. (that which also they set downe in the beginning of everie ca­techisme that they make) It is the signe of the crosse, that is, the signe, marke, and badge of a Catholique Christiam man, No pretence then to keepe in the ceremonies for the winning of the papist.

#Sect. 13. The defence of tolleration of ceremonies from Act. 15. confuted.

THe replie that is wont to be brought against this plea, Sect. 13. is drawne from the ex­ample of the Apostles, and primitiue Church, who are saide to retaine cer­taine Iewish, and certaine hearhenish rites to winne them. And here is obiected [Page 69]first, the decree made by the Apostles for the retayning of bloud and strangled. First, as an oldWilfridus ap. Bedam. in histor. lib. 1. ca. 25 stickler for conformitie said once: there is a difference betweene the rites of Idolaters, which by and by must be throwne away, & the rites of the Iewes which Iohn and the Apostles observed for a time ad vitandum scandalum. that say I here. there is great difference betweene the ceremonies of the Iewes, and the ceremonies of the man of sinne, the Antichrist. they were instituted of God, and therforeAugust. epist. 19. non continuo deserendae, vel canum morsibus obijciendae: but they were to stay till the Gospell was preached and the people instructed to a leaving of them: and when the day of funerall came (which isHieron. Zanch. de viti [...]s. exter. cult oppo­sit. Thes. 11. p. 40 [...] supposed to be the time of the Temples destruction) then to be layd in the grave with honor: whereas to these ther must be applied, what one of our writersIo Calu [...] in act 13. vers. 3. hath, Nunc cum satis cōtat ta­les ceremonias, nec vela esse, nec sepulchra, quibus tegitur Christus, sed foetida potius ster­cora, quibus obruta est sincera fides & religio, qui promiscuè faciunt liberum earum v­sum, longè plus Papae arrogant quam legi suae Deus concedit. Secondly, the Apostles retayned the abstinence from bloude and strangled for a time onely, during the weaknes of the Iewes: which reason ceasing, they are nowAugust. quo sup. mortiferae, quocunque, animo quis eas observaverit. as our rites at home in controversie are much more, now that the time of weaknes & of first comming out of poperie hath overgone vs. Euen aLyra▪ in act. 15. Lyranus him selfe can comment herevpon, cessante causa, cessat effectus, to shewe that aliene rites must cease, when the cause of their first stay is ceased which is the weaknes of them that are to be converted. TheConcil. Aur [...]hanes. 2. Can. 19.20. Counsell of Or­liance some [...]oo yeeres after, renewed these ceremonies of bloud, and strangled, and it isFran. Iun. controuer. 3. lib. 4▪ ca. 16. nota. 25. & 34. censured as superstitious. Let them looke to this, who deserue worse censure for their renewing of these popishe ceremonies.August. epist. 19. August affirmeth, that the obseruation of Iewishe Ceremonies was at the first time of weaknes, to wit, in the Apostles time approbanda, but this time being once paste, that nunc est de­testanda, Let this be considered of them, that not only continue still popish and Antichristian ceremonies, but also impose them. It will be saide, the abstinence from bloud was still in vse after the weaknes of the Iewes was past: as appeareth by theBellarmi. de pontifi. lib 4. ca. 16 Fathers. We confesse it was but to an other ende, which now cutteth the crosses throat, to wit, to avoyd theFran. Iun. ibid. nota. 34.37. offence of the Gentiles, an ende drawen proportionally out of the Apostles first decree which prevented the like offence against the Iewes. And the offence which this abstinence of bloud prevēted was all shew of communion with the Gentiles in bloudie sacrifices: for which also the Idolothite was forborneOrigen. cont. Cel­sum. lib. 8. Ciril. Ca­teches▪ 4. Euseb. li. 5. cap. 1. Au­gust. epist. 154. Leo ad. Nicet. epist. 79. c 5 togither with it. By a proportion drawne (then) from this obiection against the Crosse: It must bee forborne, to avoyde all shewe of participation with the papistes, in their superstitious & idolatrous crossing. This decree of the Apostles (say our Opposites) retayned in the Church cettaine ce­remonies of the Iewes. but (alas) for their blindnes which cānot see, that though some ceremonies of the Iewes were for a season suffered, yet that the idolothite (such as the Crosse and Surplice are) is in the same decree forbidden, and not permitted to remaine in vse, so much as one hower. Thirdly, Act. 15.29. no humanelun. vb. su. not. 24. & 57. Math. Sutcliu. d [...] pontlfic, li▪ 4. cap. 6. pa. 334. &c c. 7. p. 348. lawe can haue like force nowe to retaine Ceremonies popish, as this decree had of the Apostles to retaine ceremonies Iewish, seeing as it was [...] it came from men, that were authorized extraordinarilie not toWilliam Perk. in epist. Iud. erre in their decrees, and as it was [...] it came from the King of the Church Christ Iesus: and from the most blessed holy ghost-Fourthly, and last of all, the lawe of the ceremonies now retayned, is more heavie then that of the bloud and strangled: for asmuch as it enforceth a necessitie of observation which that did not. For Calvins argu­ment is strong against Bellarmine, seeing the Apostles intendement was, to deliuer the Church from the [Iun. vb. sup. not [...] 27.29. yoke] of the Iewes ceremonies, they cannot be deemed [Page 70]in any sense to enact these ceremonies of bloud and strangled with an intent to haue them obserued necessarelie. But they call them necessarie. This maketh a­gainst those, who impose a necessarie yoke vpon this church in these ceremonies which they acknowledg to be tryfles: which if they be they are not necessarie to edification, like these ceremonies which the Apostles doe enioyne, especiallie for perpetuall continuance which nowe is sought, which if they bee also, they are made more necessarie then these Ceremonies of the Apostles, which they held necessarie for a time only & no longer: and necessarie only soWhitak. cont. Du­rium. lib. 8. pag. 731. farre forth as they should edifie the weake of the Iewes, and no further: and necessarie propter aliud only, to wit, the word. what that the ApostlesAugust. cont. Faust lib. 32. cap. 21. Her­man. de tradit. Col 498. eligerunt pro tempore rem facilem, & nequaquam obsernantibus onerosam [...] in qua cum Israelitis genies aliquid communiter obseruarent. for euen the gentiles were before accustomed to abstaine from bloud and strangled, especiallie they which had been,Harmon Confess. sect. 17. ex confess. August. pag. 224. domiti à Iudeis, and were bor­dering round about them. Whereas these ceremonies receaued from poperie are not easie but burthensome: nor accustomed, which we our selues haue long time vsed, but vncouth and quite contrarie to vs: yea they are as the bread of mour­ning: nay more as gall and as worm-wood to our soules.

#Sect. 14. The argument of tollerating Ceremonies drawen from Paules purisying, and the Iewish observation of Penticost, confuted.

I Come nowe to the second allegation against vs drawne from Paule purifying himselfe in the Temple: Sect. 14. and obseruing the feast of the Iewish Penticoste, both which conformities to Iewish rites, Act. 21.26. Act. 20.16. with euerie other which he vsed I ioyne to­gether, gether, because they mayD. Willet. controuer. 9. qu. 8. p. 2 receaue one answere. First, this reason runneth with all Adiaphoristes, both of all times and sortes: Symmachus drewe the exam­ple of Christ, liuing in the Nazarites vowe as he supposed, out of Math. 2.23. to prove that the obseruing of Iewish rites must be perpetuall. The hereticall Naza­rites proued the same by these examples of the Apostles which we haue touched,Lambert. Dane. in August. de [...]res. ca. 9 Augustinus scribit ex conatam haeresin, quod quae Apostoli concesserunt ad tempus, inter Iudaeos obseruari, illi semper eavellent esse retinenda inter omnes Christianos. Let them looke to this, who out of these examples of Paule, and of the rest of the Apostles indeauour in like manner to proue a perpetuall retention in the church, not of Iewish ceremonies, but of popishe which are farre worse. Sure if they looke not well vnto it, they will doe great hurt by iustifying those, who reason from hence in verie like manner, not only for an Adiaphorisme (as they in Germanie)Conrad. Schluffell [...]. com. 13. pag. 520. A­postoli quaedam concesserunt Iudaeis, vt abstinere à fanguine & suffocato, ergo & nos fratri­bus & cupientibus iuuare ecclesiam aliquae concedamus: but also for a Nichodemyisme, for why may not we present our selues in a popishe temple and adstare missificatio­ni (sayZanch. vb sup. pag 492. Col. 2. Conrad Schlusselb. rom. 12. the Nichodemites now) aswell as he affoorded his presence in the temple, of the Iewish and stoode before their Altars there in the time of their sacrificing? Secondlie it is doubted, whether Paules conformitie in the temple were lawfull or no. there beZanch. de vitil [...] extern cult oppo­sit. Thes. 11. pa. 491 many that condemne it, both ofTertul. cont. Mar­cion. lib. 1. cap. 20. Hieron. apist. 89. old and ofGualt. in Act. 21. homil. 138 Bullenger. commen. in Act. 11. vers. 26. Magdebu­ [...]entur. 1. li. 2. ca 10. de vit. Paul. newe writers: and with verie great shewe of reason. The Iewes were Zelo accensi towards the cere­monies of the lawe. against these Paule hath preached elsewere: and it is after twentie yeeres, that the Gospell hath nowe been preached: and God did not blesse it: so that his conformitie strengthened the perverse zeale of the Iewes; gaue occasion to them, to thinke he was a dissembler: and lastlie, nourished them in their Iudaisme ouer long. Receaue these reasons, and then conformitie to our ceremonies controversed is likewise vnlawfull, because we knowe it will harden the papist in his superstition: open mens mouthes to report of vs, as of turne­coates, keepe our owne brethren in their poperie ouerlong, and God will not blesse it in vs, especiallie who cannot conforme without sinne against our con­sciences [Page 71]in his sight. Thirdly, though this conformitie of Paules were lawfull, yet is it not able to iustifie vs, because our case and his are divers in sundry respectes. First, this was counselled by Iames and performed by Paule, vpon a supposall the Iewes were weake, and as yet not well instructed in their libertie from the cere­monies of Moses lawe: which error of theirs (asAugust: epist. 19. Augustine termeth it) their cha­ritie in part excused, whereas the papistes haue been instructed against their ido­latrie and superstition in these ceremonies, and are growne obstinate in the same. Paules cause here was the same that it was at Corinth, when he tooke the vowe of the Nazarites, to drawe on them, who were though alreadie comming onward. Ours is now against his then, when he would not circumcize Titus to drowne them deeper in superstition, who were drenched alreadie in it. Secondly, there is a difference in the tyme. Though the ceremonies of Moses were deprived of life, yet theZanch vb. sup. 492. Willet con­trovers. 6. quest. 3. p. 1 time was not come that they were to be actuallie buried; their funerall day being past, to wit, the day of the TemplesA mand. Polan. in Dan. 9. vers ruine, (for it was the rubble of the temple vnder which all the ceremonies of it lay healed and buried) nowe Paule might not as he might before, conforme him selfe to them, nor inAugust. epist. 19. Colum. 76 Augustines iudgement, any man vse them, because now tanquam sopitos cineres eruens, non erit pius deductor & baiulus corporis, as Paule was here in his conformitie, sed impius po­tius sepulturae violator. Now the ceremonies cōtroversed, comming not from hea­uen but from the lande of the vncircumcized, we never owed to them any hono­rable burial which was due to these of the Iewes: but the buriall rather of the vn­circumcized, which was to cast them to the Moules and to the backes: Isa. 2.20, 1 [...] and to throwe them away like a menstruous cloth. Isa. 30.22. But if for a time they were to be kept to a solemne funerall day, yet who knoweth not, this funerall day ought to haue been long since hastened, euen as our writers teache. One of them thus:Gualt. in hunc loc. Act. 21, 26. Doce­mur hinc quanto incommodent, &c. we are taught hereby how much hurt commeth to the Gospel by those superstitious patrones of ceremonies (he speaketh of them who labour still to keepe rites popish aboue ground) who nourish infirmitie of faith, by their too long continuing of them, & sud indulgentid, ardentioribus mi­nistris remoras obijciunt. So another▪ vpon pretence of the peoples weaknes (saithBucer. in Math. 18. he) they deferre the reforming of popish rites, whereas it is nones weaknes (in­deed) but their owne that doeth with-hold them. Ceremonies (saithLaurenc. Saund. Act & Monu­ment pag. 1494. another) are ordayned for mans imperfection, so that popish ceremonies retayned, must needes both argue imperfection, and also nourish it. The papist must be healed like the Melancholie man, who was to besmoothed vp a while to get credit with him, when he thought his nose was great. howbeit still to haue soothed him, now when credit was gotten with him, or when no credit was to be gotten at all, this had been to haue nourished his conceyte, as we nowe nourish the conceyt of the papistes, in that we indeavour to please them still in the vse of these ceremonies, now that we see there is no good to be done with them. Thirdly, betweene our, and Paules conformitie, there is a difference in regard of the place. If Paule con­forme him self to the ceremonies of the Iewes, it is at Ierusalem, where they haue not beenIoh Cal­uin. in Act. 21. vers. 26 preached against, or if preached against at all, yet verie remisslie, would he haue conformed him selfe atIoh. Rey­nold. de Idololat. lib. 1. cap. 4. sect. 18. Antioch, where he him self had preached against them, to the strengthening of the Iewes in their error, and to the discouradging of the Gentiles, in their zeale? it appeareth by his withstanding of Peters confor­mitie in that place that he would not: which now is our case: for asmuch as it is at Antioche that we must conforme our selues: and in those very churches, where they haue been disvsed, where we our selues haue preached against them: where the papist will be incouraged: the christian cooled in his zeale against poperie. Fourthly, there is a difference in the ende: For Paule was reported to bee an A­postata from the lawe, and in hisAugust. Zanch. doct willet. vb. suq prophanes to haue condemned aswell these [Page 72]rites, as he condemned the idolatries of the Gentiles: and it was to wipe away this scandall that he conformeth: thereby to get audience to preach vnto them. This ende of his we are onely to followe by conforming our selues to all good workes, thereby to defeate the imputation of profanes and loose life, which the papistes obiecte vnto vs. in conforming to the ceremonies we cannot followe it, vnlesse our governours will haue vs shewe by our conformitie to these their bad­ges, that it is false we hate their religion, and condemne it, as idolatrous. Fiftlie, there is a difference in the subiect, and the same double. First, the ceremonie in which Paule conformed him selfe was indifferent, till the totall abolishing of all the rest: whereas the crosse we hold to be evill, which answere we hold by them, who whē a Nichodemite argueth, I may be present at masse aswell as Paule in the tem­ple, give thisZanch. vb. sup pa. 492. Co­lum. 2. replie, The masse and popish service, is evill, but Paules vowe was indiffe­rent. Secondly, the ceremonie to which Paule conformed, was a morall ceremo­nie: to wit, a ceremonie of thanksgiving: it was none of them in which the Iewes placed then salvation: in regard whereof, it had not thenIoh. Gal­uin. in Act. 21. vers. 16 Fran Iun. alibi. been lawfull for him to haue gone to the brazē altar to offer there an expiatorie sacrifice for his sinne; that which we must doe now if we cōforme our selues to the crosse. For doe not the papistes hold him necessarie to salvation, and expiatorie of veniall sinne: and meritorious, as hath been shewed elsewhere?

#Sect. 15. The practise of the prime Church retayning Rites to winne them that were with­out, and to content them that were lately converted, confuted.

I Come to a third replie obiected against vs, Sect. 15. drawne frō the example of the pri­mitiue church, which retayned rites to winne them that were without: and to content them that were lately converted. First the prime Church tooke not this course ordinarilie, as hath been shewed, and may further appeare by Constantine, who first set vp the faith of Christ. He would not retaine the auncinet Labarum, which the Pagans were accustomed to adore, as the papistes haue been accusto­med (we know) to adore the crosse. But heZozom. I [...]. cap. 4. chaunged it into a crosse? true, be­cause then nothing more proper to christian profession, nothing more hated by the Pagans, nothing more separating from the Gentiles, to which ende he caused it to beNicepth or lib. 7. ca. 46 engrauen on their armour, vt frequenti hoc spectaculo in Zozom. ibid. desuetudinem pri­slinae superstitionis venirent. & vt sensim Nicap. ibid ita pertraherentur ad Christi crucifixi religio­nem. As the Labarum was then abolished (because in former times adored by the Pagans) so ought the signe of the crosse nowe, which the papistes haue made an idoll. And as the signe of Christianitie was settled in roome thereof (to wit the crosse) so nowe some contrarie signe to the crosse should rather be vsed, then the signe of the crosse it selfe: it being become the marke of the beast, & Antichristes ensigne. From publique courses of [...] first church, come we to private. A verieCaesar. Ba­ton. Annal. [...] [...]n [...]. 256 papist him selfe will shewe vs that be [...] Constantines dayes, the christians had a care to leaue of, the verie mourning attier it selfe, which the pagans vsed in fune­ralls and in their common garments, whe [...] need so required, to distinguish them selues by wearing blacke in those places where they wore white, and by wearing white in those places where they wore blacke. This duetie was not forgotten, no not in the dayes of Innocentius the▪ who cōmaunded a like distinction betweene the Christians and the Iewes, to wit, that the Christians should vse one kinde ofConcil Leteranen. cap. 68. habit, the Iewes an other, and when the Iewes came ouer to the fayth, that they should not be permitted to continue any of their old customes,Ibid. ca. 70 Quia scriptū est, maledictus homo qui terram duabus vijs ingreditur, & indui vestis non debet lino lana (que) contexta. Secondly, when any olde custome of the pagans was retayned, it stayed not long: wherevponBear. Rhe­nan. anno­ [...]at. in Ter­ [...]ul. de Co­ [...]on. milit. one speaking of birth dayes, after the heathenish manner [Page 73]kept, hoc tames si ethnicum aliquando ecclesia tolerauit, Concilium Nicenum & sequen­tia aperte damnant: opus a erat olim mulia Christiants indulgere, quae plerumque iam se­nes ad nostram religionem convertebantur difficulter ea relinquētes, quibus per omnem vi­tam assueuerant, secus est hodie. Thirdly, If the rites of the Pagans were continued in the church, they did hurt, to wit, by corrupting the christians doctrine, and by confirming the pagans in their idolatrie. Here I feare not, the wonted instance of the crosse it selfe retayned.Socrat. hi­stor. Eccles. l. 5. c. 17. The Greeke T. which doeth beare some forme of the crosse, was one of the hieroglificall letters which the Priestes of Serapis vsed: and it signified in their mysteries, vitam venturam, life to come. When Serapis was de­faced, this letter of his scaped better thē his fellowes, because the christians chan­ged, and turned it into a crosse. whose example why should we not followe (say some) now, and so change the popish crosse into the crosse which our Church vseth? First, if this course of the christians be iustified, it is because this hieroglifi­call letter retayned gaue testimonie of the christian faith like theI [...]. altar at Althens; which doeth the signe of the crosse now? No, it giveth witnes of the faith of An­tichrist rather, whose marke it is since become. Secondly, this course of borrow­ing a crosse from Pagans, is by our writers often censured.D. Fulk. ag Saund. de imag. c. 13. p. 663. thus one: The mysti­call letter in the Temple of the Idoll Scrapis, could haue no relation to the crosse of Christ, which the idolaters knew not: therefore the follie of those ecclesiasticall writers is bewrayed, that thought christianitie much helped by such heathenish and superstitious fancies. Thirdly, as anotherCalfh. ag. Mart. in art. 5. fol. 129. writeth, though the Crosse did good then amongest the Heathens that had before hande an high estimation of it, and might in like case doe good againe, yet amonge Christians where Christ crucified is dayly preached, and ought to bee knowne without such externall meanes, great follie it is to haue it. And so farre of the scandall which the signe of the crosse giueth to the Papist.

#Sect. 16. The second sort of men whom Cerem offend, are Separistes, of whom more regard ought to be had then of a Turke or Iewe.

A Second sort of men abroad, whom the ceremonies retained offend, are these of the separation, of whom we are to haue as great care as of a Turke or a Iew I trust. we hate popish & Lutheran images, because they offend the Turkes & the Iewes, not remembring that the crosse, and the rest of the ceremonies controver­sed, do giue as much offence to those of the separation, which doth more nearlie touch our church. Thus one of ourZanch de imag. Thes. 3. p. 315. writers, Negare non potest, &c. It can not be denied, but that the presēce of images in the church doth partly offend the god­lie, & partly confirme the wicked in their impietie, as papistes, Iewes & Turkes: howbeit in a diverse maner. the papistes are confirmed by retention of images, which without adoration, are set vp in churches. the Iewes and the Turkes they offend, because our retayning of images in our churches, is one of the chiefe im­pediments whereby they are detayned from being converted to our christian religion, vt narrant omnes. Translate this now to the ceremonies controversed, and the case is all one. for the image set vp ad decorum only, may as lawfully be ex­cused in the impediment which he offreth to Turke & Iewe, as these ceremonies may whē they hinder that they of the separation doe not ioyne in cōmunion & fellowship with vs vt narrant omnes, nay vt narant ipsi, and the bookes which they haue written. contemne their scandall with what cōscience cā we: who so much cōdemne the papist for the very same scādal which he offreth to Turks & Iewes? TheyD▪ willoe▪ contro 9. q 5. art. 3. heare frō vs, that a Iewe sayling on the Rhene told M. Georg Wiseheart, Iohn Fo [...] in ein. hi­stor. p. 1269. col. [...]. that the let which hindred him & others of his nation frō the christian faith, were the images which they saw in the churches of the christians. They heare frō vs that [Page 74] Paulus Riccius a learned Iewe,Hospin. de re templar. tit. de i­mag. P. Morne. de Eu harist. baptized at Papia, did protest that they were the christians images that kept the Iewes frō Christ. Last of al they heareCalfh ag. Mart. prae­fat fol. 15. from vs that theHistor. Turcie. an­nexa alcho rano c. 10. Legat of the Turke at Chios, & Haumar the Saracen long agoe, & the Turkes to thisMatth. Sulcliui. Turco pa­pism lib. 1. c. 4 hower, dash all the reasons that cā be brought for christian tie by the in­stance of images in Christian churches what needeth more? This sheweth these ceremonies must be thrust out, because like images they hinder Separators from the vnitie of the faith, according to the cōmon tenent,P Martyr. loc. cōmu­ni. deimag. sect. 24. ea in templis nō sunt haben­da, qua à Christi religione auocant homines. Secondly, the scandal which the ceremo­nies giue to the Separators is greater then that which is givē by images to Turks and Iewes: first, is the scandal small which is given them by the slovenly perfor­mance of Gods service, by dumbe dogges and scandalous ministers, with ido­latrous attire, & with idolls them selues? let then the scandall of Hophni and Phi­neas be litle too, when they made the people to loath the sacrifice of the Lord. Secondly, there is an olde Canon, that a priest should not be put to publique pe­nance though he deserued it, l ne grex fidelis in eo scādalum patiatur: and our Reve­rend Fathers accordingly vse now to couer the offences of priestes conformed, 1. Sam 2.17 Cōcil Car­thag [...] 3. Can 30 and all to avoyde the scandall (forsooth) which might ensue vpon their publike & condigne punishment. This shal condeme them, if they proceed to offer scan­dal to the Separators, not only by not covering the deserved faults of Preachers, but also by imputing to them faultes which (the Lorde knoweth) they neuer knewe. Thirdly,August in Psal 49. cùm detrabitur bonis ab his, qui videntur alicuius momenti esse, & docti esse in scandalum cadunt infirmi, qui adhuc nesciunt iudicare. The Prophet Hosea reckoneth this amōgst the greatest sinnes of Israel, for which it was shortly to be captived, that by their continual invectiues, the priest was become an hatted and offensiue in the house of his God. [...]os. 9. [...]. Now, is it not so, that by the slaunders of vn­cleane mouthes, & by the daylie revilings of inveighing pulpits, the most zea­lous, painfull & profitable Preachers in the eyes of the Separators, are made an hatred & offence to their no small offence and scandall: when to this there is ad­ded a thrusting of them out of the house of their God, thē is their scandall much increased. For what more common in their mouthes then this, It can not be that in a true Church one should persecute another. Fourthly, this was their sinne, who did eate Idolothious meate,August. de morib Manicheor. l. 2. c. 14. infirmos offendebant, non ijs congruendo & faciebant vt pu­tarent eos qui fide omnia munda iudicabant in obsequium idolorum à talibus epulis & po­tu nolle abstinere. Sith (then) it is evident, that by our vse of these Idolothites, the Separatist is scandalized, with an opiniō that we grace poperie by them, why do we not leaue them, that so we may congruere with them, as our duties is to doe?

#Sect. 17. The third scandall given by Ceremonies, is to the Members within the Church.

THE third scandall which the ceremonies offer, is to the members of the church within: where (first of all) they offende the ministers and the Pastors, who are principall members of it. Heb. 13.17. Many of these are brought to an Acedia by them: as in the workes of their ministerie, so in the duties of christiā life: as griefe (we knowe) maketh vnprofitable in the service of God & of the Church. others are brought to a crossing and conforming without faith, & so to sinne. what rea­son then to trouble the mindes of mē for such trifles? It is replyed, that we are not indeed to trouble the minds of the weak, about such indifferent things, but these fellowes be not weak, they take vpō them, to teach the learned themselues of the lande, at the least beingThe exa­min. of the declarat. of the M. of Lond. perswaded in greater matters, they may (if it please thē) be perswaded in these the lesser. which if they will not be nor cānot, what good are they like to do in the church? First, there is weaknes in the strongest during [Page 75]this life, that Gods power may be made knowne in weaknes: that mans imper­fectiō may appeare, Gal. 6.2. & that there may be place for charitie to beare one an others burthen. Secondly, strong men otherwise for doctrine, Rom. 14. haue been left by God to weaknes, in things indifferent. as the Romans were resolved in greater matters of faith, who yet could not perswade them selues, about meates which were indiffe­rent. Science which cōtemplateth good & evill in generall, and Prudence which discerneth in things particular, what is convenient and what is inconvenient, are twoTho. A­quin. [...].2 q 47. art. 5 & comment in Philippens. l [...]ct. 1. distinct vertues, even as they are mentioned in the 1. Col. 1.9.23. vers. Ephes. 1. [...]. Philip. 1.9. word for diverse: and God giveth not every gift to every one: yea, of these 2. Cor. 12.8. two, he giveth an excellēcy of the one to some, of the other, to others: so that mē may for their science, be pro­fitable ministers, and yet fayle of that measure of prudence, whereby to iudge of a particular vse of indifferent things, wherein others do excell them. They beyond the seas, iudge they not many of our ministers incōparable in doctrine, but weak in the discipline? Our Opposites them selues, admire they not many beyonde the seas for their doctrine, whom yet in the discipline they despise. Thirdly, ther is no reason to count resolution in ceremonies a matter easie, there haue bene aboutBellarm▪ de effect. Sacrament. c. 31. proposit 4. them from the beginning, verie great controversies among the greatest. often (aiso) more about them then about matters of the faith. so an whole church,Cōfess Ec­cles. Mans­fild. aedit an no 1560. ap. Conrad. Schlussel. burg. tom. 13. p. 526. sic fieri solet, vt semper adiaphora, maiores excitent tumultus, quā ipsa doctrina. they proue it by these instāces: the Prophets had more to doe, to dispute against humane tra­ditions, thē to deliuer the true doctrine. Christ in his time had many bickerings against the ceremonies of the Pharisies. In the time of St August in, tanta fuerunt certationes de traditionibus humanis, & rebus indifferētibus, vt secuta sit inde miserabilis vastitas in ecclesia, of which he cōplaineth (say they) in his answer ad inquisitiones Ianuarij lib. 1. cap 2. They proceed, nec dubitamus affirmare, quandocun (que) tandem erit concilium plus nobis facesset negoiij controversia de adiaphoris, quam tota doctrina. and they giue two reasons hereof: the first is, because men contemne the simplicitie of Gods service, & are delighted with the magnificence and with the splendencie of rites and ceremonies, vt expleantur aures & oculi. Et quidā veluti habitus nudo per se cultui accommodetur. whervpon they assume, that ornament of ceremonies qui fuit adhibitus in papatu, etiumsiipsas ceremonias non probant. The second is, because di­verse men doe hope, by admitting & multip [...]ying the adiaphora, to mitigate, con­tent, and appease the papistes. Against the first of these (say they) we must holde faste this consolation, that God doth choose & loue that, which is base & abiect in the eves of the world. Against the second, that omnes spes, de placatione hostium, frustra sunt, because they will never rest in our admissiō of their indifferent things vntil the whole body of their falshoods be received withal. To leaue this church, goe we to the greatest lights of the former churches, where wee shall finde that manie profitable for the ministerie, haue not been able (often tymes) to be per­swaded in things indifferent. as the controversie of Easter sheweth. in which, Neque Euseb. hi­stor. lib. 5. c. 23. Anicetus, Polycarpo persuadere poterat, nec Polycarpus Aniceto suasit. Take an­other instance in the fast of a Sabboth day (where scripture speaketh neither one way nor other. Is this easie to be resolved,August. Epist. 86. ad Caesu­l [...]. when once controversie is mooued a­bout it? No, interminabilis est ista cōtentio (saith August.) generans lites, nō finiens quae­stiones. There may another instance be given in the controversie about long haire of Monkes: of which August. againe,August. l. de opere. Monachor. c. 33. Existunt inter fratres infirmiores & firmiores, amarissimae & periculosissimae contentiones: quod illi, fortè si scirent, hoc quo (que) sine du­bitatione corrigerent; quorum caetera & miramur & amamus. Are there no profitable ministers, that cannot perswade them selues in our retayle of popish ceremonies, Quorum caetera, & miramur, & amamus? then are there no profitable Ministers neither thorough out Germanie, Fraunce, Helvetia, and the rest of the Chur­ches. One speaking about popishe rites & ceremonies retayned in our church, [Page 76] Alexand. Ales. in proem. lei­rurg. An­glic. magna & ardua res est indicium (saith he). And as for the addition of the crosse to baptisme, an proceres in ecclesia (saithHerman Hamelman. de tradit, p. 1. l. 5. in fi­ne. another) addere aliquid debeant in Sacramē ­tis, magna est quaestio. In which language another speaketh likewise,Chemnit. Exam. p. 2. de rit p. 37 cùm ipse silius Dei Sacramenta ita instituerit, vt ea certis à se institutis ritibus, praeceperit administra­ri, valde ardua est quaestio, an hominibus permissum sit, alios praeterea quocunque consili [...] superaddere. Indeed though adherent circumstances (which one callethA Hiper. non sa­cramentales) be in the churches disposition, as tyme, place, &c. yet of inherent that belong to the manner of administration, as eating, giving, &c. or to the mat­ter administred, such as the elementes are, and the signes which are ceremoniae sa­cramentales, he that doubteth not whether the church may adde or no, hee may perchance come too neare the Iesuiticall Bellarmi. de Effect. Sacram. c. 31. assertion, Christ ordayned but a fewe cere­monies about the Sacraments, of purpose to leaue the adding of more, to the Pastours of the Church. And is it an easie question to be resolved on, that the Magistrate hath au­thoritie to diminish from the signes? Nowe he may aswell diminish as adde, in all proportion.

#Sect. 18. The 4. scandall of the Cerem. is that they offende all sortes of men among the people.

A Fourth scandall giue the ceremonies in that they offende all sortes of men among the people. The first sorte is of them, who as yet cleaue to their olde mumpsimus. where their auncient crosse most deare, how doth it confirme them? The Israelites must needes haue a calfe, for a signe of Gods presence, it is because of the oldeIos. Sim­ler. in Ex­od. 32. Ioh. Cal­uin. in Act. 7.1. Cro­nic. 17.6. 1. King. 22 44. twange of Egyptes idolatrie, which yet sticketh in their stomackes. Iehosaphat forbiddeth the high places, yet the people will vse them still: which in­corrigiblenes of theirs must be greater in a crosse, then in a calfe or high place, be­cause it hath the commendation of antiquitie aswell as it, & the Magistrates com­maund too boote. Because theHospin. de origin. templor. c. 1. viscus of an old Oke, was among the Heathens of old accounted signum à Deo electae arboris, therefore the converted Christians could not be wayned, no not from buying with their money this prisca stultitia. so that the crosse counted of old signum à Deo electum, yea sanctified with Christes owne bloud, and being commaunded by lawe besides, how madd will men bee vpon it? The Gnostickes, haue they images like the Heathen? then will they grow at last toEpiphan. [...]res. 27. perficere Gentium mysteria about them. The papistes, haue they images after the manner of the Gentiles? then will the Gentiles superstition be sound in them. as one of their owne,Ludoui [...]. Viues in August. de ciuita. Dei. l. 8. c. vlt. non video in multis quod sit discrimen inter corum opini­onem de sanctis & id quod Gentiles putabant de suis dijs. In like maner, haue the peo­ple a popish crosse in vse amongst them? they will vse it no otherwise, then pa­pistes vse it many of them, Quicquid lex praetexat (as one ofBeza. E­pi [...]. 8. our writers speaketh) or what diverse vse soever it prescribeth. what meaneth else their decking of cros­ses in gang-weeke? their feasting and revelling every holly-roode day? and their keeping of that day holy to the honour of the crosse? their sewing of redd cros­ses over right the hartes of the dead vnder their shrowdes, their open proclay­ming the childe wanteth his christendome when he is not crossed? their putting off those children out of their wills & out of their reversions, who were not cros­sed whē they were baptized, as if they were no better then pagans? their making of a crosse in their owne foreheades, when now the childe is to be crossed, and their making of a lowe curtesie at the Fonte while he is a crossing, with the like pranckes many? To these it is first replied, that we are to iudge the best of the mindes and of the meanings of the people: which being the same thatMort of the crosse art 10. Martiall pretendeth when the people doe adore the crosse, it deserveth the same answer which Doct. Fulke giveth him, Let me then not iudge amisse (neither) whē I see a Priest [Page 77]kissing an barlot. but as the Canon lawe commaundeth me, let me thinke he doth it to blesse her. Secondly, it is replied, that this being but an euent of the ceremo­nies not intended, bringeth on vs no guilt of sinne: as when Augustine thus,August. in epist. 154. ad Publi [...]. non reus est mortis aliena qui suae possessioni murum circumduxerit si aliquis ex ipsius ruinis percussus intereat: neque reus est christianus si bos eius aliquem feriendo & equus caleem iaciendo aliquem occidat: & ideo non debent christiani boues habere cornua, aut equi vn­gulas, aut dentes canes. First, this excuseth, when it is good, and when it is necessary that which we doe, not otherwise, as it appeareth in the wordes following: Absit vt ea qua propter vsus nostros facimus & habemus si quid per haec praeter nostram volun­tatem cuique mali acciderit nobis imputetur: whereas the crosse & the rest of the ce­remonies are vnnecessarie, yea evill, as hath been said. Secondly, this holdeth in events, nō praecogitatis, not otherwise, si Tho. A­quin. 1.2. q. 21. art. 5 eventus sit praecogitatus manifestum est quod addit ad malitiam actus. cum. n. aliquis cogitans quod ex opere suo multa mala possint sequi nec propter hoc dimittit ex hoc apparet voluntatē eius esse magis inordinata. For example, a man hath a wall that is likely to fall, & he amēdeth it not, nay he com­pelleth men to goe vnder it: or a beast doeth vse to gore, and he doeth not tye him vp, nay he cōstrayneth men to goe vnto him, this man is guiltie of what hurt followeth by his wall and by his beast: seeing (then) our governours cannot but see, that hurt followeth of these ceremonies, and they not onely suffer them to stande, or permit them to goe abroad but also compell men to vndergoe them, and to goe to them, can they be guiltlesse? especially considering, thatDecret. Hormis. Pap. ap. Cōcil. tom. 2. p. 365. ipsa est fidei innocentia vt provideat, ne vol casu possit errare. Thirdly, the event maketh none guiltie, that is per accidens or when it followeth in rarissimis only the eventThe. A­quin. ibid. cuius virtus praeexistebat in eo quod agitur. and which followeth, vt in pluribus, this doeth make guilty. Now this event followeth the crosse, and the rest of the ceremonies in men, addicted to their old customes, vt in pluribus. and the crosse hath a vertue in it: for it is a monument of idolatrie, and therefore is a snare (saith God) to infect the heart. It is also a laye mans booke, and the same evill, Deut. 7.25. and ill bookes must be burnt, Act. 19.19. see Rhem. annotat. ibid if they doe but contayne [...] much more if they con­taine superstitious doctrineSynod. Cō stantinop. 5. collat. 5. p. 530. per hoc. n. radix impietatis amputabitur ne in posterum erroris semina generentur, ad errorem simplicium qui facile ad illius laqueos collabātur. Our Opposites hold the ceremonies to be teachers of good things, we haue pro­ued them to be teachers of badde, so that the eventes that followe of them must be eventes per se, even as the events of good writing and teaching, are eventsTho. A­quin. ibid. in respons. ad. 2. 1. Thess. 2.15.16. per se redownding to the reward of the writer and the teacher. These ceremonies drive out good Preachers, therefore they come within the censure of the Apo­stle: with whom though they that drave Preachers away, intended not that the Gentiles should not be saved, yet because of this their facte it followeth that they are not saved, therefore this event is imputed to them, as if they had intended it. The harlot intendeth not, that her lovers shall dye by her adulterie, Pro. 6.26. yet because death is an event that most vsually followed of it, therefore it is im­puted to her, that she hunteth after his pretious soule: so that it is nothing that our governours intende not the death of any by the harlot the crosse, as long as death doth follow from the scandall of it. Once more. A man may aske (saith aRibera i [...] Amos. c. 2. [...]m. 19. Iesuit) why the Prophet Amos saith, they went in to a mayde to defile myne holy name. seeing they went not in to her with a minde to violate Gods name, but to haue pleasure. Touching this thing (saith he) the canon is out of the words of Chrysostome, Ho­mil. 66. and 80. in Iohan, that the scriptures phrase putteth the event for the cause. Thirdly, it is replied, that if it be thus with the people, then the ceremo­nies are the more to be tollerated and let alone, by Aagustines example,August. Epist. 119. ad Ianu [...] multa buiusmodi propter nonnullarum vel piarum vel turbulentarum personarum scandala de­vitanda liberius improbare non audeo. We say not it is thus with the people, but [Page 78]with the popishly minded: about whom we need not Augustines feare or care: besides the ceremonies are such as may not be suffered ad evitādum scandalum, by the doctrine aboue deliuered; we must rather imitateIosta [...] Sim­ler. in exod. 32. Hur; who chose rather to be stoned by the people, then to yeeld to them in the calfe. we must not be as Aa­ron was, who yeelded to the multitude, which yeelding a veryCanus. loc. Theologic. lib. 11. c. 6. 1. Cor. 8.12. Papist him selfe condemneth in Augustine and others, when he saith their scriptae are not perfecta, for that they did indulgere vulgo. This for the scandall of the popishlie affected. The second ranke of the people contayneth such as be zealous, & these we scan­dalize through greefe in the vse of the ceremonies [...] and hindering their zeale. By this latter we bring on our selues Peters fault in his con­formitie, which wasIoh. Rey­nol. de Ido­lat l. 1 cap. 4. sect. 18. retardare zelum of the late couverted Gentiles: and so to in­curre the reproofe of them who doeGualt. in Act. 21. Gal. 5.7. remoras obijeere ardentioribus by their retay­ning of popish ceremonies, if not also the Apostles curse, our brethren ranne well, who are these that haue hindered them? By the former we incurre the censure of the Councill of Eliberis, which forbiddeth to conforme to the pagan ceremonie of lighting tapers at the monumentes of Martyrs vpon this reason,Concil. Elibetin. can. 39. sanctorum spiri­tus non sunt inquietandi. doth not our conformitie to popish ceremonies disquiet now the heartes of the sainctes, as much as that conformitie of theirs vnto the Gentiles? For this is the disquieting which the Councill there forbiddeth in the iudgement of the mostVasq. de adorat. lib. 3. disput 3. cap. 7. Du­rant de rit. &c. learned, among the verie papistes them selues. The third ranke of the people contayneth such as be weak, and these this controversie trou­bleth now, Act. 15.19.24. as much as the weak were once incumbred, about the ceremonies of Moses law. While they doubt which side they should cōdemne: whether the one for their crueltie in pursuing their brethren for these trifles; or the other for their nicenes to stande on trifles: for these are their censures on both. they ende in a loathing of the ministerie of both: yea of the whole religion. They are also here­by inclined towardes Antichrist both by the reducing it selfe of the ceremonies of which Melancthon, though he were a counsellour of cōformitie in the Germane adiaphorisme,P. Melanc. in epist. ad Christo­phor. Car­lowit [...]. Nihil tam tenerum est, nihil facilius iurbatur quam innovatio in men­tibus hominum (he meaneth the innovation of the popish trash reduced) nec ma­ius vllum malum est, nec atrior vllus dolor quam innovationis languefactio. and then by the common opinion which is had of this reducing, like to that which was had, to wit, that we are àLib. con­cord. ap. Conrard. Schlussel­burg. tom. [...]3. pa. 599. vera Evangelij doctrina, paulatim recessuri. The first reply to this denyeth there is any such effect wrought by the ceremonies: which, whē it was replyed once in the Germane adiaphorisme, it was answered first by Augustins authoritie in multitudine ceremoniarum, periclitatur fides, & then by experience, for as the white and pale colour of the inhabitantes is a signe sufficient that the ayre is vnhealthie, so the indifferencie of religion, and the lithernes of profession a­gainst popery, which is found in those places wher these ceremonies are in grea­test estimate, is a signe sufficient they are vnwholesome to the soule. others thus replie vnto it: TheLibel. sup­plicator. Theolog. ann. 1561. apu. Cou­rad. Schlus­sel. tom. 13 p. 594. Apocalips teacheth, that after the revealing of the gospel, there shall other Angells followe that shall commaund to come out of Babilon, & for­bidde to receaue any of her markes or badges. Woe (therefore) to them, that shall extenuate the fightes and combates of these Angells, or goe about to stopp their mouthes. For if the revealing of Antichrist be an vnspeakable benefite of Gods, then an Adiaphoristicall collusion with him, which is cōtrarie to the same, must needes include much impietie: Plurimum (enim) Antichristi patefactionem obscurat. Sure from hence we haue this evill vnto this day, that many altogether doubt, whether the pope be the Antichrist or no. The second replyThe Exa­mim. of the declarat. of the Mini­ster [...] of Lond. throweth the fault on vs, we seed not the weake people with milke, nor condescende vnto their weaknes, as we ought: we should haue vsed the ceremonies to please them, then would they haue profited more by our teaching, in which also wee might haue [Page 79]instructed them that these ceremonies are not imposed for the Popes sake, but for obedience to the civill Magistrate. First our forbearance of conformitie is a necessary duety, there is (therein) no fault of any scandall in vs, either towards the weake or any sort of people else.Terrul de veland. vir­gia. Scandalum (ni fallor) non bonae rei, sed mali exemplū est. Bonae res neminē scandalizant, nisi malā mentem. Secondly, by the vse of the ceremonies we should not feed the people with milke, but with Antichrists leaven; or if with milke, yet not with milke vnmixte. 1. Pet. 2.1. whereas these ceremonies are denyed to be a milke mixt with the leauen of Antichrist, because they are cō maunded only as things indifferent, & not as any necessarie worshipps of Gods, as Antichrist commaundeth them, we reply with the Germane Divines,Ap. Con­rad. Schlus­selburg. tom. 13. p. 599. si quā ­detalia sub titulo & praetextu externarum rerum adia phorarum proponuntur, quae licet alius color illis inducatur, revera verbo Dei adversantur ea nequaquam pro rebus Adia­phoris habenda, sed tanquam verbo Dei prohibita vitanda sunt. Thirdly, this obiecti­on supposeth, that we offend the people, because we displease thē, & will not let thē haue their desire, whereas the sicke crauing and calling for things hurtfull, are thē most offended whē they haue that they aske for (as none more offēded Iulius the thirde, then they that pleased himOnuphri. in Iulio 3. capis è Caietta advectis, & with other grosse meates which he desired) are not the weake sicke in soule? Are not these grosse ceremonies fert from Rome? too grosse a feeding for them that be soule sicke? Fourthly, where are the people strong, if not where we haue laboured? where weake, if not where our Opposites haue been ouer thē? for we see fulfilled with our eyes which Bucer foresawe, where the Gospelis preached, these shadowes of Antichrist vanish away, he meaneth in regard of love and good liking.

#Sect. 19. The fift scandall that Ceremo. giue, is against the whole Church and Gospell which it professeth.

THe fift scandall wich is given by the ceremonies is against the whole church of God, and the gospell which it professeth. Sect. 19. our conformitie being now the very same which Peters was, who then scandalized the gospell, when he confor­med to the ceremonies of the Iewes: for which even by a papist him selfe he is censured thus,Tho. A­quin. in Gal. c. 2. lect. 3. veritas nunquam dimittenda est propter timorem scandali. In publi­cum ergo crimem incurrit Petrus, neque levem dedit Paulo reprehendendi occasionem, sci. periculum Evangelicae veritatis. Now these ceremonies hurt the Gospell manie wayes. First they helpe to the restoring of popery in time to come: which as it groweth vp, the Gospell must goe downe, like as we see in a payre of scales. con­sider what our owneHomil. ag. peril. of Idolac. p. 3. Homilies by law established: A man must haue regard of po­steritie & therefore no Image must be suffered in the Church, nor any remnant of popish idolatry by causse though n [...]w they be not honored, yet there is daunger for time to come. Gedeons Ephed is ill suffered to stand still, if it be but for future daunger. and the Al­tars of the high place must downe, least hereafter they should hurt. And Moses body must be buried out of the way, to prevent occasion of future idolatrie. Iudg. 8. Exod. 20.25. Deut. 34.6. Gen. 34.2. Reg. 23.13. that which also must be done with Rahells images. Salomons Temples stande now for­lorne, yet must they be razed because in time they may recouer credit againe. & so must the temples of the heathens, of which one thus,P. Martyr [...] loc. com­mun. de i­mag. sect. 24. etiam extera &c. Ima­ges must not be kept whole, no not out of the church, because if there be a chaūg they will be restored againe. Cōstantine the great shut vp the temples of the Gods, but razed them not. These Iulian the Apostata opened againe; which if they had bene overthrowne before, non tam facilè reaedificari potuissent, which Theodosius and other Princes marking, either they razed them altogither, or graūted them to the vses of Christians. Gratian remooved the Ara victoriae which stood in Curia Se­natoria, and at which the Senators were wont to be sworne for feare of daunger [Page 80]in tyme to come. Symachus sued to Valentinian who succeeded to haue it restored: the christians them selues that were of his counsell yeelded: those the Emperour accused perfidiae, and further replied,Carol. Si­gon. de Imper. oc­ [...]idental. lib. 9. quomodo quod frater eripuit me reddere suade­tis, cùm & religionem laesurus sim & fratrem, à quo nolo pietatis officio superari? These ceremonies laedunt fidem, & laedunt fratres in other churches that haue remooued them, and they will be a meane to reedifie poperie magis facile. they emboldē the popishe Symachùs, not only to hope, but also to sue for tolleration: and they are a roote of bitternes to defile many in time. and lastly, a stompe of the popish tree remayning to make it reflorish at last againe. Heb. 12.15 Dan. 4.12. I conclude (therefore) with that saying of Zisca the famousLudonie. Lauat. in Deuteron. leader of the Thaborites. diruendi sunt etiam ipsi cico­niarum nidi neredeant. Secondly, these ceremonies hurt the gospell in regard of the present prosperitie of it, and that many wayes, which I will set downe in or­der out of oneFlaccus. Il­lirie. in lib. de Adiaph. of our writers. First the ceremonies are the sinewes of poperie in which they place the whole summe of their religiō. neither is it possible these foundations of their superstitious standing to keepe away from vs their supersti­tion. we see our Preachers are scarse able to hisse out abuses, when the foundati­ons of abuses are abolished. nothing more light thē the foolish multitude, which can not be kept within the boundes of their dutie, no not when all occasions of impietie are taken away: how much lesse then can they be contayned, when oc­casion shall be restored. Secondly, these ceremonies breed discord and strife. which weakeneth the gospell, devideth the church, and giveth advātage for po­perie to growe. Thirdly, these ceremonies both keepe out Preachers and turne out preachers vntill the flockes be left without shepheardes, yea left to wolues or hirelings. Fourthly, the zealous when they see these ceremonies reinforced, which they haue despised, will loath the service of God the more, the simple who will thinke the worse of all the religion, because they will indge summan [...] esse lenitatem ministrorum, qui iam abrogant ceremonias pontificias & extreme vitupe­rant, iam verò easdem restituunt. Fiftly, when the Minister yeeldeth to these cere­monies, he being their captaine, and thus shrinking, it cōmeth to passe what Cha­brias said once, Better an armie of hartes with a Lyon to their Captaine, then an armie of. Lyons with an Hart to their Captaine. the people are most vnwilling to suffer, though there be neuer so great neede, & when they can drawe the inconstancie of their Minister to cloake their coldnes, they thinke they haue excuse sufficient. and the Minister him selfe whatsoeuer neede should be, can not exhort them vnto perse­verance and to suffering: if he doe, his wordes moue not, because he is but held a turne-coat. Sixtly, these ceremonies hinder the refutation of poperie in the pul­pit, they make men beleeue Preachers are too vehement against the papistes, as the Interim when it came forth, made men to say of Martine Luther, he was not a man of moderation. they make the people beleeue also, that the vehement and zealous Preachers against poperie, are Stoickes and precise, and inhumane, and too strickt and severe, even as the Germane Preachers were iudged of at the same time. Seventhly, by reason of these ceremonies, the people wil be induced to say as they did once whē popish ceremonies did reenter in Germanie, we perceaue now the Pope is not so blacke as Luther made him: and that wee may come to some agreement if we will: so by these meanes the Preachers labouring to sea­son mens heartes with an hatred of poperie, will see their labours come al to no­thing. Eightlie, our yeelding to the ceremonies, will drawe others by our ex­ample against their consciences, for that the Germane Epiphonema will be taken vp againe, vide quid illi num tu es illis doctior aut sanctior, qua machina constat partim oppugnatas, partim subrutas Ecclesias tum in Germania, tum in Hungaria. Ninthly, These ceremonies yeelded to by vs, will make the sonnes of Gath to reioyce, and the daughters of the Philistines to triumphe, which were litle discretion in vs, if [Page 81]the old rule hold, neque tu tuae occasioni desis, neque suā hosti Dei. They make accoūt that their side shall now goe vp, & that as many as returne to their ceremoni. are cōming towards them, & will be wholy theirs in the end, evē as Luther was wont to say, papistae nostras concessiones intelligunt largè, largius, largissimè suas. a. strictè strictius, strictissimè quod cum sctant nostri Theologi, tanto malo occasionem dare non de­berent. And the libertine, who maketh more account of his swine then of Christ, will hereby count him self freed from all care of religion, as which he seeth left in the suddes, even by the chief professors themselues, when once they come ad vo­cem ancillae. for let a Minister but conforme (who before was zealous) and who will thinke better of him thē of one that is arundo vacua inclinans ad quemvis ven­tum? Here I apply not to our Reverend Fathers, what once was spoken of this scandall, yet thinke I it fit to set it downe that they may cōsider of it,Hilar. l. 1. contra Cō ­stant. de­funct. only dogges treturne to their vomit, and will you compel the ministers of Christ to suppe vp those things which they had spit foorth? Tenthly, & last of all, there be not prea­chers enough in the lande (men say) and therfore the Nonresidents & the dumbe dogges must continue: what wound (then) will there be givē in this want, when the subscription shall sweepe out a great part of them which ordinarilie preach on every Sabboth? that which will follow hereof is this: the people will returne to their old lipp-labour, which now for the want of preachers, is said to be found in the Greeke church. if their priestes (saithDauid. Chytre. in praerat. An­telection Chtonie. one) can reade the common Oro­logie, they count nothing more required to the duetie of a true Pastor. And if the people heare it read, or reade it them selues in private, they thinke nothing vn­performed which true devotion requiteth of them. This who seeth not, in great part, is come vpon our church alreadie? but this may suffice for the murther of ceremonies thorough scandall.

#Sect. 20. The third murther of the Crosse is thorough home contention.

FRom the crosses murther of the body through crueltie: of the soule through scandall, we are to come now to a third murther of them both, thorough con­tention. For the home dissentiō which these ceremonies haue raised amongst vs, hath brought forth no fewer evills then the contention of Nazianzens dayes, of which so tragically heGregor. Nazianz. in Apalog. cōplayneth. whither we respect the cōsuming quite of all remnant of loue at home, or our growing contemptible to papists, hatefull to the churches abroad, or the losse of our name & credit among the better sort of our brethrē or their building on our backes that are lewde, while what we obiect one against another, they catch greedily to the commō disgrace of vs all. It being so, 2. Sam. 20.21. who is wise amongst vs to cut of the make bates head, that the inheritance of the Lord be no longer troubled, the peaceable in Israell no longer pursued, Psal. 35.20. nor the quiet of the lande molested.Ioachim. Vadian. in Iouia. Claudius the Emperour was vniust: they were the Iewes that raysed the tumult in Rome, but he exiled and banished the christians as if they had bin the authors of it. To prevent the like iniustice now, we craue of e­very in different man before he condemne vs, for the authors of this dissention which is in our Church, to heare with patience this our Apologie and defence: 1. King. 17.18. Fir [...]te, it is no contention to contende for the trueth, or to labour to purge cor­ruptions out of the Church, in regarde whereof, Iohn. c. 4. we can no more be accused for troubling the Lande, who indeavour to cleanse it of all reliques of superstition then Elias could when he cleansed Israell from the Altars of Baall: or be blamed more then the Angell was to bee blamed for troubling the water, sith it is to cure the sicknesses and diseases of the Church that we doe trouble it. Let there be considered heere the similitude whichGelas. in epist. ad Anastas. August. Gelaesius vseth: It is the qualitie and condition of the sicke, to accuse his Phisition rather then to represse his owne [Page 82]hurtful lustes & humors: but if we be proud who minister a salue for health, quid vocādi sunt qui resultant? If we be proud who say there must be obediēce yeelded to Gods word, qui refragantur, quo appellādi sunt nomine? If we be proud, qui diuinū cultum pùro atque illibato copimus tenore servari, what are they to be called, who de­file it with the things vncleane of Antichrist? vbi spiritus superbiae veraciter pugnet, veritas ipsa indicat. It must be the truth that must be iudge which side is cōtētious. A strang thing (crie our Opposites here) that men should be foūd crying out for truth in a church that professeth the truth, Zeph. 1.4. & vnder pretence of the gospell, bree­ding disturbāce in such peace of the gospell, as by the infinite blessing of God our land at this time enioyeth. As if vnder Iosias him selfe that great reformer of the church, there were not remnants of Baal left, against which a Zephaniah is bound to contend & strive, vntill they be removed & clensed? the very idolatrous gar­ments themselues of the Chemarims not excepted: as badd as which, the Cope & the Surplice are, or els ourGualt. in Sophon. ho nil 2. writers are deceaued. Thus one of thē, even when the Magistrat retayneth rites of baptisme popish, it is the duty of the Minister toZ [...]nch. in Epist. ad Philippens cap. 1. do­ctrin. 2. d [...] ­cere publicè & priuatim quid faciendū sit, modo placidè & prudēter hoc fiat, abs (que) seditio­ne & turbatione ecclesiae. Secondly, wise men will remēber the loving cōsent, wher­in the Pastors laboured togither, in the beginning of Eliza. dayes: at which time, seeing there was no such hāmering noyse in our temple, no [...] cry in our streetes (I speak in cōparison) til the subscriptiō stepped in like an Vsher, & cryed roome for the ceremo. they will (I doubt not) iudge this subscript. & conformitie, to be the very evill spirits that haue divided Sichem. So Paule iudgeth the circumcizion to be the concision, because the stirre began about it, whereas the church was quiet before. Whē Ioab was accused by Abner, for devouring th'inheritāce of the Lord by civil dissention, Iudg. 9.23. he excuseth himself thus, who provoked? which now is our Apologie, who would be quiet in our places, but cannot be suffred. who strike neither first nor second blow, Philip. 3.2. nor offer any occasion of strise, but suffer only, & only de­fend, & that with a quiet Apologie only. 2. Sam. 2.27. & deserue not so much as that cōplaint that we do not totum telum recipere. when did we ever offer to drink aboue them, who now teare vs in pieces for troubling their waters? when ever refused we to bowe down our backes to thē, although they haue fetched the bloud with their spurres in which case, is there notIoh. Sa­risburiens. Exra. 4.15. leave given euē to Balaams asse her self to open her mouth? Thidly, it is not nothing, that it may be obiected, The citie hath bin of old seditious now thus a whole church:Harm. cō ­fess sect 17. ex confess. Saxonica p 228. 8. August. 223. the necessitie of imposing ceremo. is that which hath bred contention frō time to time. let it be examined whether there was not more peace in the primitiue church, whē noSocrat hi­stor. lib. 5. cap. 22. lawes of an necessarie ob­servation in rites and ceremonies were enacted? Let it be examined on the other side, since a necessitie of rites and ceremonies hath been imposed, what contro­versies from time to time haue bin in the church about them? iudge by the first tumult of all the rest: Victor goeth about to throw a necessitie of conformitie vpō the churches in observing Easter day: did not Irenaeus reprove him for this tanquā pacis perturbatorem, which ourMorton. Apolog. p. 2. lib. 2. cap. 2. owne Divines approve? Howbeit, Victor might better exact a conformitie to the observing of Eastet day, then our Reverend Fa­thers may driue vs to these ceremonies controversed, because being Idolatrous and Antichristian, they are like to those heathenishe stage-playes to which when Christians are compelled, it is esteemed a persecution. which is thus complay­ned against, Non Concil. Aphtican. Can. 28. operiet quenquam Christianorum cogi ad haec speclacula, maximè quia in his exercendis, quae contra pracepia Dei sunt, nulla persecutionis necessitas adhi­benda est. Fourthly, wise men will consider in everie controversie, which side it is that seeketh their owne, Marc. 11.18. as it is easie to knowe the Priestes are the authours of the trouble betweene Christe and them, because they stande for their owne gayne, Act. 19.27. when they gainstande his purging the Temple. That Demetrius with his companions, were the bellowes of the sturre betweene Paule and him, [Page 83]seeing it was for the vpholding of his Schrines, that he contended. and last of all, Act. 19.27. That the Papists are the sturrers of the dissention that nowe is betweene them & vs, because it is for feare their waters will drye vp, Apoc. 16.12.13. that like so many Babylonian frogges, they crooke against the Gospell. Now as for vs, we are as litle profitable to our selves in our forbearance of conformitie, as were the old Christians when they protested,Tertul. A­polog. cap. 38. si oblectari nolumus, nostri iniuria est. si fortè nostra, & non vestra: seeing we seeke for nothing else vnto our selues, but a troublesome and paynfull ministerie: forgiue vs this contention. whom wronge we saue our selues? vnlesse it be that our wrong and losse of delights, redoundeth to the losse of the church. Yes (mary) say our Opposites, ye goe about to pull downe the church, & to beg­ger the ministerie. to which we replie with the auncient christians, we are onelyTertul. Ibid c. 43. infructuo si ijs quibus infructuosum esse maximus fructus est, to wit, to pōpous Lords, to nonresidents, & idell ministers, to whom when we are most vnprofitable, then are we most profitable to Gods church. On the other side, although we are loth to accuse any, yet for the clearing of our selues we must desire indifferent men, to take knowledge of those presumptions, which make probable, they be our Op­posites in this controversie, of whom we may most truelie complaine,Leo. epist. 23. dum pri­uata causae religionis exercentur obtentu, commissum est impietate paucorum, quod vni­versam Ecclesiā vulneravit. Amongest these, none so bitter against vs, as they who before were with vs, but nowe haue subscribed: of many of which, may it not besayde,Ibid. impijs subscriptionibus captivas manus dederunt, quod nociturum statui suo scirent, nisi imperata fecissent? As for our Reverend Fathers, whose wrath pur­sueth alwayes, we onely applie to them these wordes of Cassander. I will never denie (sayeth he) but that many Protestantes at the first, were sturred vp with a pious desire, to a sharpe reproofe of certayne manifest abuses: and that the chief cause of this distraction of the Church,Georg. Cassaud. consultac▪ act. 7. illis assignandam esse, qui inani quodam faslu, ecclesiasticae potestatis inflati, rectè & modestè admonentes, superbè contempserunt, & repulerunt. Therefore I thinke there is no hope leaft for peace in the Church, vntill they bee begunne with all, who first gaue cause of this distraction: to witt, that they, qui ecclesiasticae gubernationi praesunt, de nimio sue rigore aliquid remittant; & ecclesiae paci aliquid concedant, & multorum piorum votis ac monitis obsequentes, manifestos abusus, ad regulam divinarum literarum, & veteris Ecclesiae, à qua deflexe­runt, corrigant. Fiftly, Is not this a fruite of strife and contention in our Oppo­sites, that they crosse vs so much the more, the more that in all humilitie we sue and seeke for reformation of thinges amisse? Exod. 5.10. even as it was contention in Egipt taske-maisters, to growe the more heavie in their burthens, the more that liber­tie was sought for? And in the Ephesians to crie the more,Sigibert. Anno 712. Great is Diana (as now men crie, Great is the crosse) the more her idolatrie was oppugned? When Phi­lippicus at Constantinople, to prevent idolatrie vnto Images, scraped out the images of the Fathers of the sixt Councell that were in the portch of the church of So­phia, Constantinus the Pope of purpose to spite him, painteth thē vp in the church portch of Saint Peters at Rome? To no other issue haue there sorted the humble petitions that haue been made for the remoovall of popish rites and ceremonies out of this church, seeing our adversaries the more they see them wiped out by vs with the spounge of Gods worde, the more haue they painted them with ill tempered colours, & that to the wiping out of the images of the Apostles, which many anAct. & monu. in hi­stor. eius. Huss had painted gloriouslie before in the spirituall walles of his Bethle­hem.

It it written of Iulius Ioh. Slei­dan. com­ment. lib. 6 the third, that what he could finde or heare to bee most contrarie to the protestantes, or if he knewe any thing that would greeue them most, that he caused to be decreed in the Councel of Trent. Our Reverend Fa­thers haue taken the like course against vs, in all their courses, especially of late; [Page 84]and is no spirit of contention (then) within their bosomes? When the Thab [...] ­rites of Boheme would haue the popish rites removed, the Priestes popishlie addi­cted, stroue so much the more, to haue them retayned: and because the Challice was chieflie pushed at, they painted challices, till one (not vnfitly) wrote vnder­neath,Ioh. Du­branius hi­stor. Bohe­mic. lib. 26

tot pingit calices Bohemorum terra per vrbes,
vt credas Bacchi numina sola coli.

Haue not the ceremonies in like maner been the more paynted, preached, com­mēded, pressed, punished, since here of late that their removall hath been sought for? Sixtly, who haue exceeded in this controversie? they are the men that are contentious: and they be our Opposites. It was contention in Cynesias at Athens, P. Melane. in respons. ad Ham­burgens. festos dies contrarios populi consuetudini celebrare: in Asiaticis sues mactare & contrariū anni initium constituere: vt ostenderent prorsus se alienos esse ab Israelitis. The like ex­cesse was contentious in the Priscilionistes, when they fasted on the Lords day,Leo epist. 91. capit. 4. vt per omnia essent à nostrae fidei vnitate discordes: & dies quae à nobis in laet itia habetur, ab illis in afflictione ducatur. & inAugust. epist l. 86. ad Casia­lan. Vrbicus when he cōdemned church-assemblies on the Saterday, because the Iewes solemnized their assemblies then. such excesse is contentious in theCuspinian de relig. Turcor. Turke, choosing Fryday for his Sabboth to be contrarie to the christians: in theIoh. Lafi­cius de re­lig. Mus­covit. ca. 5. Muscouite to reiect the Sabboth wholy, and the whole lawe, in hatred of the Iewes. Our Opposites are guiltie of this excesse, in that to be cōtrarie to Geneva, they haue opposed badd doctrines & orders to be against them: as in the controversie of Christes sufferings: of his descending into hell: of divorse to separate à thoro only, & not à vinculo, with the like. Giue we instance in an excesse of an other kinde. which is to stretch a thing too farre. The Apost­les observed certayne dayes for a time to winne the Iewes, & so wasWhitak. controuers. 5. q. [...]. c. 9. p. 405. Easter kept at first. Hence it grew to a custome, which while some stroue to continue, a con­tention arose, whereby exilium rerum pretextu, alij ab alijs seperati sunt: chaunge but the name, and the case is ours. The ceremonies were intended at first to be kept for a while for the winning of the papistes: hereby they grewe to bee a cu­storne: some are founde that will needes cōtinue this custome stil, and that with such contention, that the moderation of Victor and Policarpe is quite forgotten: who thought it vndecentZo [...]om. lib 7. ca. 19. Consuetudinum causa se ab invicem seperari: and the ad­vise ofAugust. epist. 86. ad Casu­lan. Augustine troden vnder foot, Nequaquāde vestis regiae varietate litigemus, ne ipsius reginae interiora membra vexemus. Another excesse, The Fathers are misliked in thatSint. Se­ne [...]s. in praefat. l 5. bibliothec. dum vnū errorem deserunt, in alium incidere solent: Agricolarū more, qui incur­uum arboris stipitem corrigere volentes, immodica nonnunquā attractione extra modum excedūt plantam (que) in contrariam diversam (que) deducunt formam In this contention of the ceremonies it were to be wished our Reverend Fathers would turne their edge against the papistes, and not against their owne brethren, whom now they wrythe & wrest too farre towardes the papistes: vpon a supposall they are wan­dred too farre from them. Seventhly, we are cleare from theTho. A­quin. 2.2. q. 38. effectes of conten­tion, contumelie, slaunder, wrath, wrong, contempt, with the like: which in our Opposites are more then manifest against vs. First, what their wordes and wri­tings? it is noted for contention in the Fathers, that often tymes non Hieron. Apolog. pro lib. cont. Io­vinian. c. 4. quod sen­tiunt, sed quod necesse est dicunt, adversus ca quae dicunt Gentiles. howe sicke our Op­posites are of this disease, their writings, and pulpit invectives shewe: in which they that will iudge the best of them, wil deeme they speak not often times what in their consciences they thinke to be true: but quod necesse est dicere contra fratres, as if we were Gentiles. what their doings? for if they separate vs not for trifles, in such sort as the Donatistes did, yet seperate vs they doe, and cast vs foorth out of the inheritance of the Lord, as if we were schismatiques, yea heretiques: or if they be our fellowe Ministers that be conformed, they breake off all familia­ritie with vs: and as they are able by word or deed, doe vs all the spite they can. [Page 85]TheyExamin. of the de­clarat of the M of London. say we iudge them: that we condemne them: which is one of the grea­test fruites of contention in things indifferent. The greatnes of the fault we ac­knowledge, the fault it selfe we disclayme. It was contention in Eunonius that he would not enter into a church where the reliques of a Martyr were, least hee should seeme to adore the Martyr. Vigilantius is not of indifferent men condem­ned for opposing himselfe against these reliques for the daunger of idolatrie that was in them. In like manner for vs to oppose our selues against the reliques of idolatrie, it is not contention. contention resteth in the bosome of those who wholy refuse to come to a church where the reliques of poperie are: Now if we condemned our brethren that be contrarie minded; wee would seperate from them, as some doe from vs, and as we our selues doe from the papistes whom we condemne. As longe as we holde vnitie with them, they that accuse vs for iudg­ing and condemning of them, knowe not what it is to iudge, or what to con­demne. when the Interim giveth leaue to minister the Communion vnder both kindes, they give it with this condition,Conrad. Schlussel­burg. tom. 13. p. 77. sic tamen ne reprehendant cos qui diuer sum faciunt. It may be when they would not haue vs to iudge or condemne them, they ayme at that the Interim did, to wit, that we should not mislike them in quo diversum faciunt: nor so much as reprehende them in their conformitie: but it is one thing to condemne this facte of theirs out of the word (which when we doe it is the worde of God that iudgeth them and not we) an other thing for this fact of theirs to condemne their faith or persons, which is the onely condemning or iudging that is forbidden. Now as for this iudging or condemning thus forbid­den, I would they would pull out the beame out of their owne eyes, who so deale with vs as mē vse to deale with them that are not acknowledged to be bre­thren, partakers of the benefit, members of the same Christ Iesus, and fellowe heires of the same kingdome. Aidanus was vnconformable in Easter, whichBeda. hi­stor lib. 3. cap. 17. p. cap. 17. q. cap. 25. Be­da much detesteth in him: yet was hecap. 17. beloued of the adverse part, and iudged a good man,cap. 25. humble, peaceable, not contentious, not vayne glorious so much the sooner that though he did not celebrate Easter as the Church did, yet he did not celebrate it with thecap. 10. Iewes: and when he did celebrate it, he preached the same resurrection that others did. Preach not we the same doctrine that others doe? in that we conforme not is it not for hatred against the papists (as bad as the Iewes) seeing we preach the same Christ, and hate the same Antichrist, why are we iud­ged more then he was, or misse of that brotherly loue and fellowshippe which was shewed him? I heare some obiect vnto vs, the leaving of our ministerie, as if that were a breach of vnitie and a separation from them. I beare more loue to them that separate in this respect both vs and them selves then to wish that the Lord should iudge them who are guiltie in this fault. But in the same Beda it isIbid. c. 29. p. 124. storied, that Colman did loco cedere, rather then he would conforme, and mutare consuetudinem, and yet notwithstanding the King both loved him and maintay­ned him. In steed of this measure, there is renewed, the miserable image of that distraction which once arose about conformitie betweene oneBeda hi­stor. lib. 2. cap. 4. Laurentius and the Scottes: Laurentius iudged and condemned the Scottes, that they were out of the christian vnitie, because their Passeover was diverse; as we are now iudged by our Opposites. The Scottes on the other side, refused to eate with Laurentius, as now they of the separation refuse their fellowshippe and cōmunion, who presse the vse of these ceremonies controversed, vnder a colour to maintayne the peabe and vnitie of the Church.

#Sect. 21. The obiection of the Opposites, that inferiours not yeelding in small matters be guilty of contention against Superiours, answered.

THe first obiection against vs here, is that we being inferiors, and not yeelding in so smal matters, Sect. 21. must needes be guiltie of contention against those that be over vs. This obiection would be our preiudice very great, if our superiours might not with a better conscience for beare to commanude, 1. Sam. 17.25. then we may per­forme what is commaunded by them. when Dauid was charged by his elder brother, he replyed, is there not cause? now this may we reply at this time, haue we not reason: and is not rationum efficacia praestantior omni Maldonat. apud Tho. Morton. Apolog. p. 2. lib 2. cap 17. authoritate, even in the eyes of a Iesuit him selfe, vnlesse it be authoritie divine? By which, we are so strengthened, as that we require but the measure which another Papist mea­tethArrius Montan. in Gal. 1.8. in rebus divinis, authoritas divina spectanda est: neque decet conditionem perso­narum, sed rem ipsam aestimari. The contrarie is the same argument wherewith the Adiaphoristes in cūbred the Divines of Germanie.Conrad. Schlussel­burg. tom. 13. Caesar is to be gratified in the ceremonies. Thankfulnes to him requireth you to yeeld. To which they replyed, It is neither obediēce nor thankfulnes to giue to Caesar that which is Gods, but plaine flatterie rather. Must we not take heede how by renewing Bellarmines principle Episcopisoli babēt authoritatē iudicandi, nō quia docti sunt, sed quia sunt personae publicae, id est, principes habentes ecclisiasticā iurisdictionē (for we are bounde, men say, to con­formitie vpon our obedience canonical vnto these peeres) we open a way to that ruine of the church, which one of ourTho. Mor ton. Apo­log p. 2. l. 4. c. 8. writers proveth will come of it. out of Arelatensis, If all must be in the handes of the Bishopps, what will become of the catholique faith cùm praesertim Episcopi delitijs indulgeant, soli ferè praesbyteri prov­nitate Christi, persecutiones sustineant: omnes dicunt voluntati regis parere se velle nul­lus dei. Out of this Arelatensis many other thingsAEneas Siluius de gest. Con­cil. Basili­ons lib. 1. apud. may be drawne to proove that we owe no such obedience to the Bishopps, as that we are bound for the sake of their authoritie to conforme. For he thinketh by the word of God we are equall to them, he proveth by Hierome that they are sola consuetudine preferred before vs: of which custome he also addeth, fieri vtique potest, vt hanc consuetudinem con­traria tollat consuetudo. In deed not onely a contrarie custome may bee introdu­ced: but also must vnlesse we leaue him in this tenent of his nihil esi quod magis sequi decet quam ecclesiae primatiuae cōsuetudinem to follow that of Ludovicus, which much astonished the Councill of Basill, we are not to followe the custome of the primitiue Church, and by name not in this, that in the Councill of Ierusalem the Elders of the Church were ioyned with the Apostles in all decrees and determi­nations. He affirmeth moreover, that Praesbyteri debent Ecclesiam Dei cum Episcopis in com [...]uni regere, and that no Episcopall authoritie bindeth any minister with­out the warrant of the worde which in this controversie is on our side. I con­clude (therefore) with these wordes of his, non dignitas patrum sedratio spectanda est: nec aliquid est quod in singulis rebus spectari magis quam veritem conveniat: nee ego cuinsvi [...] Episcopi mendacium, quamvis ditissime, veritati praeponam, pauperis prae­sbyteri. Orthuinus Fascicul­rer. expe­tend. fol. 12.13. Gratius setteth in the margen over against these wordes: O pieta [...], O vex Christiana. which, may it not fill their faces with shame, who give forth, that it is the voyce of puritanisme it selfe, and of faction, and of scisme? Whereas the smallnes of these matters is by our Opposites greatly stood on, wee desire that Basils answere to Modestus may be remembred. The Emperour is to be obeyed (said he) what soeuer yee pretende it is obstinacy for you to gaine­stande him in tam tenui exquisitione dogmatis▪ to which his reply was this:Theodo­ret. histor. l. 4. c. 19. Qui diuinis innutriti sunt literis, ij nullam syllabam illarum in discrimen venire pati pos­sunt. would Moyses yeeld in one house? Christ in one rite of washing handes? would Daniell forbeare but one ceremonie of looking towardes the Temple? [Page 87]would Eleazar eate but one morsell that might giue scandall, nay would he but seeme to eate it? would Paule yeeld in one ceremonie for one hower? The se­cond contention wherewith we are charged, is against the papiste: because we set our selues against him in such things, wherein we haue no need to striue. First, the matter is good wherein we stande, therefore no contention can be imputed to vs, saue that which the schoole-men callSiluest. Prie. sum­ma in verb Contētio. contentionem per accidens, as when a man exceedeth. This contention where it is found, besides that it is personall, hath this extenuation in the eyes of a papist,Conrad. Lutzen­burg. Ca­talog. hae­reticor. verb. No­uatiani. venialiter peccant quando hareticifa­ciunt aliquem in quo est zelus infirmitate excedere. For example, the Georgians forbid stouping downe, though it be to pull a thorne out of the foote, ouerright the church of the l Armenians, for feare to countenance their religion. The m Grecians when they were in contention with the Romanes, washed every altar, where any one of their Priestes had saide a Masse. The noble mē of n Muscovia washe their handes as vncleane, when they haue taken the Popes Legate by the hand, either at his first comming or at his last farewell. Suppose a good cause in all of these, & zeale will cover easilie all that sauoureth of contention which seemeth to be in them. Secondly, the popish ceremonies beingFlac. Illi­ric. lib. de Adiapho [...]. etiam ipsa summa superstitionis pa­pisticae, and that by their owneIoh Dow­ley. instruc­tion. cap. c. Gal 2.12. confession the crosse is the verie abridgement of their faith, our conformitie to please them would be a Peterlike desire to please, if not a Manichees desire to get liking, which was this,August. cont. Ada­mant l. 13. videbatur velle favere simu­lachris, vt hac ratione ethnicorum etiam conciliaret benevolentiam. let this be conside­red by them who giving way to this desire of pleasing papistes vpon a pretence to avoyde the sinne of cōtention against them, haue fallen at last into that cold­nes which was reproued in Tymotheus: when the heretiques sawe him in the streetes they were wont to cry out to himLiberatus Car [...]hag. in breuiar. cap. 16. vel si non tibi communicamus tamen amamus te. He puffed vp with these acclamatious mansuete agebat. and although the Emperour checked him for his remisnes, yet would he not sturre against them. Nay it were well if the effect of this desire not to sturre and cōtend against the papistes bredde in our Opposites, were nothing else but a remisnes against them, doth it not breede in them a fiercenes also against vs their owne brethrē? For this is ill provided for and can haue no excuse, that some, not to contend with papistes, should contend with their brethren, and displease the sonnes of their owne mother to please the enimies of their Father: and beate, not the dogge before the Lyon, but the Lyon for fauour of the dogge, and make the naturall childe to weepe, while the sonne of the bound woman doth triumphe. Such would be loth to be iudged by the auncient tenent which is this,Agathias. scholastic. histor. In­stinian. l. 4. hostis no­men, non et solum qui remot: ssimè est dissitus convenit, sed cui vis etiam populari qui ho­stibus gratificart studet. Now although I will not iudg them by this rule, yet may I not suffer them to goe cleare with that excuse, which sayth that this their proceeding against vs is the same whichConcil. Chalcedo. act. 3. p. 134. Martianus the Emperour tooke, who punished those that did contende about religion before Iewes and before pa­gans, to the scandalizing of them, and to the publique derogation of the ca­tholique faith it selfe. For the contending which in this case is to be punished, is when it is against the truth that men cōtend such as was decreed in the councel of Chalcedon in the dayes of Martianus: for vs to contend against that smatch of popery which attainteth our religion, is to contend for the truth against their superstition. Little cause hath the papist to glorie and boast of vs, euen as the Samaritan had little cause to boast of them in Ierusalē, that stoode with a sword in one hand to fight and with a trewell in the other to biuld vp against them. nehem. 4.17. If the Samaritan hath glorie in any thing it is in this, that he hath some within the walles of Ierusalem that doe sauour him. But shall it be suffered, that the pa­pist shall glorie in the vnitie of his church, and laugh at ours for our cōtention? [Page 88]To omit all other replies, this glorying of his may be raunsomed and repressed, without so deare and great a price, as is their wracke, who for the truth contend against him, to wit, by returning home vnto their owne doores this impatation of disagreement in the very same matters. For not only the maine doctrine of images is in controuersie amongst them, whileBellarm. de imag. cap. 20. some hold the image is not to be worshipped at all: others not with latria, which yet is the common tenent amongst them: But also there is great strise amongst them in particular about the worshippe of the crosse.In Iosu [...] cap. 22. Andreas Masius saith the crosse is proposed in the, church, non vt illam adoremus: theIndex ex­purgator. Hispan. in Andre. Mas. Spanish Inquisitors finding this, deleatur (say they) non vt illam adoremus. Neithet was Masius the ringleader of this op­position: we finde elsewhere,Concil. Colon. in explic. de­calog Du­rant. de rit. lib 2. c. 23. sect. vlt. non veneramur crucis materiam, sed id quod typo sig­no (que) exprimitur. But this perchance more obscurely; more plainly that famous Earle ofIoh. Picus. Mirandul. Conclus. 3. Mirandula, nec crux Christi, nec illius imago adoranda est adoratione latriae etiam co modo quo ponit Thomas. For the fauorers where of there areG. Cassan­der. Con­sultac. art. 21. rehearsed. Durandus, Henricus de Gandauo, Iohannes Guevarra, Robertus Holcot: Petrus de Aqui­la, Franciscus Maronis: Gabriel Biel with others. And they may remember that our difference about the communion booke, cōmeth not neare the contention that was of old about the Ambrosian P. Mor­nzus de Eucharist. lib 1. c. 8. and Gregorian order: with which whole Kingdomes were disturbed in Italie, France, and Spaine. Neither is our diffe­rence like to that, which fell out in latter times about the French and English or­der within this lande, which brake forth to the shedding of bloud, and that in the quier it selfe ofAct. and moun. in Guilhih [...]l. conquest. Glassenbury. and no cōtention amongst vs about the image of the crosse did euer proceed to that extremitie as was founde amongst them, when Iohn Auentin. Anal l. 7. the 22. condemned them for Anthropomorphites, and brunt some with fire who represented God the Fathers in the forme of an aged mā: the sonn in the forme of a yong man, and the holy ghost in the shape of a doue. About the yeare 1321, the Fransiscanes began to teach, that Christ was poore, and his Apostles farre from the pompe wherein the Prelacie then did liue: the foresaid Iohn thought it his parte to looke to this matter, therefore heIbid. fol. 751. Sa­bellie. Ae­nead. 9. l. 8 condemned thē, and some of them he burnt with fire. And for the streng thening of him selfe, he set the Dominican Friers against them, whence crucifixes of quite cōtrary shape began to be seene in churches.Hospinian. de retem­plar. cap de imag. fol. 71. The Franciscans paynted Christ hanging naked on the crosse with a crowne of thornes on his head. The Dominicans, they paynted him on the crosse with a purple robe limmed with gold, with a crowne of gold, with gilded shoes: and though he had one hand fastened to the crosse, yet the other was paynted loose, putting a couple of the fingers into a rich and costly purse, as if he were a pulling out some store of monye. When will the pa­pistes shewe such an heauy and yet ridiculous contention, about the signe of the crosse amongst vs? The 3. contention that is obiected, is against the greater part of our owne church. The fault of this contention, must needes be in the prea­chers (say our Opposites) because being the fewer in number, they are in all rea­son to yeelde, which was the course that Constantine Socrat. hi­stor lib. 5. cap. 22. tooke in the Councell of Nice, to appease the controversie about Easter day. First, this argument drawne from the many, is in our vnderstāding, popish: who haue learned a contrarie les­son, from the Fathers,August. in Psal. 39. nō numeranda suffragia, sed appendenda▪ yea from our Op­positesD. Bilf. p. 3. p. 301. cont. Apo­log. them selves who feare not to say, that one mā preaching the trueth, hath war­rant inough against the whole world. Nay from some papistes them selves, both olde we are Gerson. de exam. doctri. p. 1. Confide­rat. 3. Pa­normic. ex­trauag. de election. c. significasti. more to beleeve one man skilled in the scripture, though not authorized, then whole Councell that hath no warrant out of the worde: and new,Gregor. de Valent. Analys. l. 8. cap. 7. potest errare maior pars. Againe,Canus. Theolog. l. 5. c. penult. scimus frequenter vsu venire vt maior pars vincat meliorem. As for Constantine, he decreed not with the multitude, but with reason, yea such reason, as now maketh againstour ceremonies in present [...]trife, We must not con­forme [Page 89]our selves to the Iewes (saied he) no more ought we to the papistes now. Secondlie, all thinges well considered, this argument drawne from the multi­tude, maketh for vs. Some twoo or three Bishoppes at the first were the begin­ners of this strife and contention about the Ceremonies: at this day, there bee of the Bishopps, of the lay, Gentrie, of the Cleargie a verie great number, who (notwithstanding their conformitie) wishe the abolishing of these rites and ce­remonies. As for the rabblement of idle, and of Idoll ministers, what reason is there, they should come into the reckoningAugust. vb. supra. multi sunt, & quis numer at? Againe.Chrysost. homil. 40. ad popul. Antiochen. quaenam (quaeso vtilitas est, multum esse foenum potius, quam paucos lapides praetiosos? non in numeri multitudine, sed in virtutis probitate, multitudo consistit. But suppose, not onely the greater parte, but also the whole English church were for the cere­monies, is the English church all the church? their verie popishe argument it selfe, commaundeth Germanie (a greater Church then Englande hath) to con­forme to the Latin service of Rome vpon this reason, non debet totum parti cedere, sed pars toti, which ourT. Mor­ton. Apo­log. p. 2. lib. 1. cap. 28. p. 101. Writers doe approoue. If then in cceremonies the few­er must yeelde to the greater parte, then much more must Englande (being but a parte) abolishe the ceremonies controversed, so to yeelde to the whole Ortho­dox church, or at the least to the greater parte thereof, which longe since hath remooved them. Sure, they can not say to vs, as once Eugenius the fourth saide,Concil. Florentin. in vnion. Armenior. Conforment se Armenij, cum vniver so orbe Christianorum. we may rather beseech them to suffer vs to conforme our selves, with the whole vniversall Church of Christ beyonde the seas, that so we may be releeved, them selues delivered from that obiection ofBeda hi­stor. lib. 3. cap. 25. p. 125. Wilfrid, All the world is against you, praeter Pictos & Britanes, qui contra totum orbem, vano labore pugnant.

#Sect. 22. Ceremonies not onely make the contention of the Church, but also nourish it: neither will the Church be quiet, so longe as they continew.

WE haue prooved that the ceremonies haue raysed the strife and conten­tion that is in our Church: we come nowe to proove, that they are the maintayners of it: Prouer. 26.20. so that our Church will never haue peace as longe as they remayne. Doeth not this commaundement enioyne to vse all meanes of peace and concorde? Or can there be anie readier meane, then to remooue the mat­ter it selfe of the contention, if it may lawfully be taken away as here it may and must? So Salomons strife is appeased as the fire is quenched by the remoovall of the fuell that feedeth it. To sett peace in Abrahams house, Gen. 16. Hagar must bee turned out of doores, who is the occasion of the bate. To haue peace betweene Lot and Abrahams servauntes, Gen. 13.8. the matter must be made out of the way where­vpon they fall out and contende, which is nearenes of pasturing. To come nea­rer to the matter, God to haue peace betweene Iewes and Gentiles, Ephes. 2.14.15. abolished the ceremonies of his owne institution and ordinance, because otherwise the re­mayning they would be a partition walle betweene them to keepe them a sun­der. Maister Bucer is contended to suffer anyBucer da re vestiar. p. 708. hard thing in his flesh to haue the Surplice remooved and taken away, becauseIdem in Censur. c. 2. p. 458. rapitur ad contentionem magis per­nicio sam, quam vt quisquam explicare possit. Philippus Melancthon in like maner,Conrad. Schlussel­burg. tom. 13. though hee conformed to the rites and ceremonies of the Interim, yet wished hee with teares that it were remooved, because as longe as it remayned, it was [...] in the Church. MaisterAct. and Monu. p. 1873. Iohn Foxe prayed to God for he remoovall [Page 90]of our Ceremonies by name, for that they made much strife amongest vs. At a word, all theP. Matyr. Bullinger. Beza. in epist. Divines who haue written about the rites and ceremonies controversed, pray God with one sigh to take them away, that so the home dis­sention amongest vs may be appeased. The Crosse and the ceremonies not able to satisfie, fall into a rage, which prompteth to them an other way, that is, to cut off and to destroy all the Preachers that brooke them not: which to effect, they giue foorth there will be no quietnes in the lande, as long as such bellowes of contention be suffered in it.

First, this were right the course which oncePlatina in Innocent. 7 Ludovicus tooke (nephew to In­nocontius the seaventh) who when men came to him to complayne, he put them to death vpon this reason, factions can by no other meanes be ceased. Was Achitophel right, when to haue quietnes he counselled the destroying of David? Haman when he advised to cutt off the Iewes, that obeyed not the Kings lawes, to haue conformitie? Or Cayaphas, when out of a perswasion the lande would neuer be in quiet as long as Christ liued, perswaded it was expedient to put him to death for the good, and for the securitie of the lande, whether he did deserue it or no? Let no man thinke I compare our Revered Fathers vnto those, God forbidde, least anie of them should followe these. my purpose is to proove by these, it is no lawfull meane to gaine peace by oppossing the innocent. Secondly, as Hester tolde XERXES (for so it is inIoseph Scalliger. Animad­uers. in Eu­seb. Chro­nic. Hebrue) Hamans monny could not recompence the losse of the Iewes, so peace in rites and ceremonies and the proffit of them, can neuer recompence the losse of so many worthie Preachers, and what wise­dome to vse a medicine worse then the disease? Thirdly, we are commaunded a contrarie meane, which is easie and without any hurt, yea to much good▪ for cast this Ionas out of the shippe, and what a calme will there presently followe? In the controversie about Images at Constantinople, Germanus purposing not to yeelde,Carol. Sigon. do reg. Ital. si ego sum Ionas (sayeth he) mittite me in mare, and so resigned. It see­meth he borrowed this out of Epiphanius, who writing against Manes hath these wordes:Epiphan. haerel. 66. Nonne oportebat cum Iona dicere, tollite me & proijcite in mare: propter me enim tempestas ista? What then? A man of Ionas spirit will not sticke to throwe into the Sea, to gaine vnitie and peace vnto the Church, I say not such tryfling wares as these Ceremonies are in strife, but also their honours and dignities them selves, they being the matters of that strife and contention, which doeth so trouble it vnnecessarilie. The wise and skilfullDecret. p. 2. c. 1. q. 7. cap. 16. Pilote, tempestate vrgente, quaedam exonerat, vt caetera salva permaneant. yea though the wares bee precious. And shall we (then) cast out the Pilotes of the shippe them selues, and all to spare the wares of Rome, which are no lawfull Trafficque? And when Christ commaundeth to pull out the verie eye: to cutt off the verie hande it selfe that offendeth: this course, to spare the paring of an nayle or worse, commaun­deth to cutt off not the member that doeth offende, but all the members, yea principall members (to witt) the faithfull Preachers of the Gospell, that are iustly offended by it. Itane propter Consuetudines, audes iubere, vt pij viri qui alias sincerè docent, eijciantur, saydHerman. Hamelmā. de tradit. p. 1. lib. 4. col. 377. one to Cassander once? And this is the first law­full meane, for the appeasing of our contention, the remoovall of the ceremo­nies and subscription: who are the make-bates of our Church. But if this can­not bee obtayned, then the next way to appease contention, is that whiche is next vnto it, to leaue these ceremonies, as they are helde to be indifferent, so to be vsed indifferentlie, as everie man thinketh good.

The example heereof wee haue in Polycarpe and Anicetus. Policrates and Victor, who, though they dissented in the controversie of Easter daye, yet com­municated one with another, & suffered all men to enioy their own iudgements. [Page 91]and by this meanesSozora. l. 7. c. 19. Ni­cephor. lib. 12. cap. 31. sapienter extinxerunt hanc contentionem. The verie same course was there taken for vnitie and concord by certaine Bishopps, assem­bling together, who made a Canon which they calledSocrat hi­stor. lib. 5. cap. 20. adiaphoron, because it left the observation of Easter daye, indifferent as men would them selues. The long warre betweene the Greeke and the Latin Church, howe was it com­primised at the last but by the same course? the decree of the vnion running thus:concil. Florentin. sess. vlt. Item in Azimo siue fermentato pane vnusquisque Domini corpus conficiat, iuxta suae ec­clesiae siue Occidentalis siue Orientalis morem. Augustin (speaking of a Satersdayes fast or Dinner, hath these wordes;August. epist. 86. ad Casulan. In his nihil mihi videtur tutius pacatius (que) servari, quam vt qui non manducat, manducantem non spernat, siue iudicet. and speaking of a like matter, he hath these;Idem epist. 118. Si quis dixerit non quotidie accipiendam esse Eucharistiam, alius affirmet quotidie, faciat vnusquisque quod secundum fidem suam pie credit facien­dum. Hierome speaking of receaving the communion (as it seemeth for private eating) in a white linnen cloth,Hierom. in Apo­log cont. Iou [...]nian. scio Romae (saith he) hanc esse consuetudinem, vt fi­deles corpus Christi accipiant, quod nec repraehendo nec probo, vnusquisque enim in suo sensu abundat. Gregorie speaking of the trim-immersion, Gregor. Epistolar. l. 1. epist. 41 non est repraehensibile (saith he) infantem vel semel vel ter immergi. Come we to the Crosse,Amalar. de Ecclesi­ast. offic. li. 3. cap. 24. Satius est signum Crucis semel fieri super panem & vinum: non tamen est abs re si bis fiat. One thus of our English ceremonies,Alexand. Ales. in proemio. Leiturg. Anglican. sunt haec certe eiusmodi cuiusmodi sunt illa de quibus beatus Paulus iubet vt vnusquisque intellectu proprio abundare (hoc est) sine dubitatione sequi debeat suam sententiam. This holdeth onely (will some say) in the private vse of things indifferent, of which there is no Canon made: As if these thinges fore­mentioned, were not all of them overruled by the custome of the church: if they speake of a Canon inferring necessitie, they must knowe, there were no such Ca­nons in auncient time: christian libertie was more tendered in those dayes: It was poperie that first brought in Canons of necessitie,Decret. p. 1. distinc. 4. cap. 6. Decretum necessitatem fa­cit, exhortatio autem liberam voluntatem excitat, saith Gratian. Adde to himBellarm. Bellar­mine, aspersio aquae lustralis vtomnis traditio, quae traditur in forma concilij, non in for­ma praecepti, libera dicitur. We see by these whence Canons of necessitie came, in rites and ceremonies, to wit, out of an opinion that the Church hath power in such matters to take away christian libertie. This opinion, who will say is not po­pish, vnto the auncient times vnknowne? One of our latest writers of reverend and of great account, proveth out of Socrates, that holy dayes were antiquitus li­beri, and that thereforeTho. Mor­ton. Apo­log. p. 2. li. 2. cap. 9. non imponendam esse christinis vllam necessitatem. to which he addeth of his owne quod non docet papale iugum videtur excutere. A plaine testi­monie that necessitie in rites taketh away libertie. that antiquitus there was in rites a libertie permitted and no necessitie imposed, Lastly, that necessitie in rites is iugum papale neuer heard of the church til Antichrist began to vsurpe over the libertie of christian men.

#Sect. 23. Conformitie in Ceremon. ought not to hinder peace, though with diversitie of Ceremonie.

AGainst this second meane of peace aunciently vsed, there is cōformitie now opposed: which our Opposites hold so necessarie, as that this libertie fore­spoken of can haue no place or hearing. But if she might be suffered to speak, shee would iustifie first, that varietie of ceremonies no way impeacheth the vnitie of faith, but sometimes adorneth it, in which faith the true peace of the church consisteth. So Irenaeus toEuseb hist. lib. 5. c. 23. Victor, dissonantia ieiunia commendat vnitatem fidei. which howLib. con­cord apud Conrad. Schlusselb. tom. 13 p. 597. Arti­cul. Smal­caldic. An. 1537. ap. eundem. p. 608. often did the Germane Divines alleage to prove that conformitie to the ceremonies of their Adiaphorisme was not necessarie for the churches peace? So­crates [Page 92]hath these wordes:Socrat. histor. lib. 5. cap. 22. Nulla religio eosdem ritus custodit: etiamsi eandem de illis doctrinam amplectantur. Nam qui eiusdem sunt fidei, de ritibus inter se dissentiunt. Sozo­men that the like,Sozom. histor. lib. 7. cap. 19. stultum est consuetudinis gratia, se invicem seperari eos qui in prima­rijs religionis capitibus consentiunt. Etenim easdem, & per omnia similes traditiones in omnibus concordibus Ecclesijs in venire non datur. Augustine resembleth the churches ceremonies to the Queenes garment, in which varietie serveth for beautie: and addeth,August. epist 86 ad Casulan. sit vna fides ecclesiae vniversae, quae vbique dilatatur tanquam intus in mem­bris, etiamsi ipsa fidei vnitas quibusdam diversis observationibus celebratur, quibus nullo modo id quod in fide verum est impeditur. Gregorie hath the like,Gregor. ad Leandrum epist. 41. In vna fide nihil offi­cit consuetudo diversa. to which effect he wroteIdem epist lib. 12. cap 3. epist. also to Augustine the Monke, when for England he required of him some vniforme order in the ceremonies of the Church. Leo is of the same iudgement:Decret. pa 1. distinct. 11. cap. 3. Nihil obsunt saluti credentium, diversae pro loco & tempore consuetudines, quando vna fides per dilectionem operans bona, quae po­test vni Deo commendat omnes. Waltramus Bishop of Nurenburgh, writeth toAnselm. epist. 327. An­selme about the question of leavened bread, and receaveth this answere: The di­versitie of rites I thinke, is rather to be borne with in agreement of peace, then to be condemned with offence: For we haue this from the holy Fathers, that if the vnitie of charitie be kept in the Catholique faith, the diversitie of customes hurt nothing. But if it be demaunded whereof this diversitie of customes doeth spring, I perceave no other cause thereof, but the diversitie of mens wittes: which although they differ not in strength and trueth of the thing, yet they agree not in the fitnes and comelines of the ministring: For that which one iudgeth to be meeter, often times another thinketh lesse meet. wherefore not to agree in such diversities, I thinke it not to fwerue from the trueth of the thing. OurHarmo. conf. sec 17 owne Churches that be reformed are of the same iudgement. Yea some of ourD. Bils. cont Apo­log pa. 2. p 305.306. Op­posites, and our owneIewel. de­fence. of A­polo. [...]. p. 2. c. 1 [...]. diui. 1 writers: One of whom citeth Lindanus. Thom. Morton. Apolog. p. 2 li [...]. c. 39 Paschae celebran­da illa olim varietate per regiones diversitas, nihil fidei officiebat. There is first replied to this, that though these auncient Fathers haue taught that the vnitie of fayth may stande in diversitie of rites, yet that they haue euer laboured for a conformi­tie in ceremonies for a further strengthening of it. So a CouncellConcil Toleta. 10 cap 1. confesseth, that vnitatem Catholicae regulae varietas nulla deser pit, who yet will haue a confor­mitie in the celebratiō of the Annunciation: least in time the diversitie of it might bring forth discord and dissention in the Church. Others will haue a confor­mitie in ceremonies, least there should be thought to be a diversitie where there is none. So a Councell,Concil. Venetic. can. 15. rectum quoque duximus vt vel intra provinciam nostram sacrorum & ordo psallendi, vna sit consuetudo. vt sicut vnam cum trinit [...]tis confessione fidem tenemus, vnam & officiorum regulam teneamus: ne variata observatione in ali­quo observatio nostra discrepari credatur. An other,Concil Toletan. 4 Can. 5. propter quod in Hispanijs quidam Sacerdotes trinam, quidam simplam mersionem faciunt, à nonnullis scisma esse conspici­tur, & vnitas fidei scindi videtur. nam dum partes diversae in baptizandis aliqua contra­rio modo agunt, alij alios, non baptizatos esse contendunt. The same Councell before. post recte fidei confessionem placuit vt nihil diver sum aut dissonum in ecclestaslicis sacra­mentis agamus ne quaelibet nostra diversitas apud ignotos seu carnales scismatis errorem videatur ostendere: & multis extet in scandalum varietas Ecclesiarum. vnus ergo ordo orandi, atque psallendi à nobis conservetur. First, this conformitie was aunciently sought,Thes. de [...]aphor. [...]colog. [...]on. ap. [...]ourad. [...]luselb [...]r Tom. 13. p [...]62. quantum fieri potuit, and no further. in which maner the greatest resisters of the conformitie in Germanie will allow of an honest, seemlie, and godlie simi­litude even as we our selues doe now. This appeareth byAnselm vb. sup. Anselme, If the Sacra­ment (saith he) were ministred after one sort, & agreeing throughout the whole church, it were good and laudable: but this because it can not well be obtayned, therefore a diversitie is to be borne withall. So a certaine Councell wisheth that there might be an agreement through the whole church in the single life of mi­nisters: [Page 93]who yet because it could not well or conveniently be brought about, gi­veth this libertie of diversitie placet caeteros clericos ad hoc non cogi, sed secundum vni­uscuiusque Ecclesiae consuetudinem observari debere. In regard hereof, this conformi­tie giveth no countenance to the vniformitie present, which our Opposites doe seeke after, which fieri non potest without innumerable hurtes, evills, inconveni­ences, scandals, as hath been shewed alreadie. Secondly, This auncient conformi­tie obiected was therefore wished and sought, that every particular congregati­on might be vnited to the whole vniversall Church. So Leo forbiddeth disagree­ment in the Passeover, becauseLeo. epist 62. ex coplerunque fit, quod non licet vt nō simul omnes Ecclesiae quod non nisi vnum esse oporiet observet. So a Councell will haue a confor­mitie in a ceremonie vpon this reason,Concil. Tol [...]tan. 4 Can. 8. quia haec observatio per multarum loca ter­rarum in ecclesij, commendatur, dignum est propter vnitatem pacis, vt in Gallicanis ec­clesijs conservetur. So the Councill of Nice will haue a conformitie in fastings and in the Passover,Nicephor li. 8. ca 25. ap Concil. Tom. 1 pa 352. vt decens extet ordo quem omnes habitabiles orbis Ecclesiae observant. In regard hereof, the auncient conformitie sought for, giveth no countenance (once againe) to that which our Opposites doe now pursue, which is so farre from vniting our church to other churches Orthodox, as that it divideth vs from thē all. so that therof, there is like to ensue (vnlesse this sparcle be speedily quen­ched) as great a contention and distraction, as once there was about the Adia­phorisme, or is at this present about Consubstantiation. Thirdly, the auncient conformitie obiected was therfore wished for, that the catholique church might ioyne together, in rites of her own against all aliens, Iewes, and heretiques. This appeareth by the Councell of Nice (lastly cited): who if it labour for a confor­mitie about Easter, it is vpon this reason,Nieephor vb. sup. exactior ratio flagitare videtur, vt nihil nobis commune sit, eum infestissima Iudaeorum turba. Aga [...]ne, M [...]nimè decet in re tam sancta, aliquam extare dissentionem: & pulchrius est sequi eam sententiam, in qua nulla sit alieni erroris & peccati contagio. Another Councill,Concil. Toletan. 10. cap 1. Hinc est quod Paschale festum vno die celebramus & tempore, ne in Iudaicum decidamus errorem. When the sturre was about theBeda in histor de gont. An­glor. lib 5. cap. 21. tonsura, there fell out this disputation,pag [...]37. Simonis tonsuram, quis non simulcum ipsa magia detestetur? as we plead nowe, zeale doeth require to detest popish rites together with their doctrine. The other answered, that though he were Simon Magus [tonsura] yet he communicated not in his Magia: Iust like our Opposites now, though we communicate with the papistes in their rites, yet not in their superstition. It is replied: you must shew in facie, what you doe in Corde: pag 238. sepera à tuo vultu illius habitum, qui à Deo seperatus est, and put on their habit who truely loue God. even as we doe now dispute, we must shew in out­ward appearance the hatred we beare against ceremonies superstitious: and we must separate our selves from their rites who are separated from God: confor­ming our selves to the rites of those churches who truely serue him. We haue this confession from aIacob. L [...] ­ [...]esima lib de dium. quauis lin­gua non legen. c. 24 Iesuit, when the [...]bionites heresie began to spread, which helde the Iewish rites necessarie, and so by consequent required bread that was vnleavened in the Eucharist necessarilie, whereas the thing being indifferent, the church might haue conformed vnto them, we see at the first it tooke course quite contrarie, Ecclesia contrarium praecepit (sayeth he) vt infermentato pane sacra consice [...]etur Eucharisita. In regard hereof, the auncient conformitie giveth no coun [...]e [...]ance (once againe) to that which our Opposites seeketh for, because it combined the church to conforme in rites of their owne against all ceremonies of heretiques, whereas our Opposites would haue vs conforme to the rites of those heretiques that are the most horrible and the most detestable that are li­ving. And this to the first exception which is taken against that libertie in rites and ceremonies which we clayme from the practize of the olde and auncient Church.

#Sect. 24.

THe second followeth: and it saith though the auncient church requireth no conformitie as necessarie to peace in diuers churches, yet that in one and in the same church it is to be required. First, the Fathers did as well require a con­formitie in the vniversall church, as in any particular congregation, as hath been plainly shewed: and the difference about leavened and vnleavened bread was in diuerse churches the Greeke and the Latin. yet what the Fathers spake against the necessitie of conformitie therein, is applied by one of our reverend writers against the necessitie of conformitie within this one church of ours. To this let­ter of Anselme, I haue (saithAct. and Monu. pag 170. he) adioyned an other Epistle of his to the said Waltram: appertayning to matters not much vnlike to the same effect: wherein is intreated touching the varietie & diuerse vsages of the sacraments in the church: where by such as call and cry so much for vniformitie in the Church may note peraduenture in the same something for their better vnderstanding. Secondly, why should diuersitie of rites breake peace more in one church then in diuerse, seeing the faith is the same which is affirmed to be inviolat by this diuersitie: and diuersitie of ceremonies is likewise the same in all places: hauing as great power beyond the seas to disturbe peace, as it hath behither them? To haue peace in the church the papistes require an vniformitie in the languadg of Gods seruice,Bellarmin de verb. Dei li 5 ca 1 [...] & de effect. Sa­cram. c. 31. alioqui communicatio Ecclesiae tolleretur. Indeed who seeth not that a conformitie in languadg is a necessaratie for peace as conformitie in tryfling ceremonies: wherevpon the Interim imposed the Latin tongue to bee vsed for the peace of Germanie as well as conformitie in other rites and Ceremonies. Nowe would not he shewe himselfe ridiculous that should thus reason: the diuersitie of lan­guage will not breake peace betweene England & Spaine, but it will breake peace betweene England and Wales, betweene Cornwall and Yorkeshire: and England and Scotland can haue no Vnion vnlesse the languadg bee first made one? Surelie the Councell of Lateran made account that diuersitie of rites, would no more break peace in one church then in diuerse: euen as the diuersitie of language doth not when it decreedConcil. Latera. sub Innocent. 3. cap. 9. quoniam in plerisque partibus inter eandem ciuitatem permixti sunt populi diuersarum linguarum habentes sub vna fide varios ritus & mores, praecipimus vt provideantur viri idonei qui secundum diuer sitates rituum & linguarum divina officia illis celebrant, & Ecclesiastica Sacramenta ministrent. Giue wee another instance: The Iles of Gersey and Garnsey differing in language and discipline from vs, haue yet euermore agreed in the faith with vs: and in obedience vnto one supreame Soueraigne. Hath not the disagreement of language & discipline as great power to trouble peace as the diuersitie hath of Crosse and Surplice? Giuewe a third in­stance. Some of our churches haue Organs, some not: some discant and broken singing, some plaine: some none at all. hath this diuersitie euer disturbed or troubled our peace? Giue we instance last of all in the Crosse and Surplice themselues: what breach of peace either in the state or church did the Preachers raise all the dayes of Queene Elizabeth, who differred in them from their fellowes? For, as for the state, where more peaceable or loyall subiectes thoroughout the Land, then in the places where they haue laboured? As for the church, the vni­tie of it hath bene vpheld against these of the separation, by no mens writings (that I knowe of) but by theirs? As for the faith, shewe me one that hath broa­ched one point against it, as some haue done, who are for the Ceremonies? Thirdly, I see no reason why the churches of this Island should be held to bee one Church, and the churches of the continent beyond the seas to be diuers churches, seeing if we speake of one church collectiuè, we beleeue out of the scrip­tures that there is but one Catholique church over all the earth: if we speake of one church distributiuè, we finde by the phrase & speach of scripture, that everie [Page 95]visible congregation is one church by it selfe. Howsoeuer, of such diuerse chur­ches, and such churches held to be one, the foresaid testimonies and these follo­wing, meane indifferently, to witt, that varietie in rites breedeth iarre in neither of them. The Italians andDurant. rational li. 4 cap. 2 [...]. Germenes vse two Corporalls without any breach of peace, from the French, who vse one only: and yet all the three make vp but one church Romane. InNi [...]ephor. li 12 c 34. Antioche of Syria altaria diuersum prorsus quam alibi si­tum habent: yet all these make vp one Greek church. ThatAugust e­pist l 19. cap 27. Haleluiah should be soung only betweene Easter & Whitsontyde, non vsque qua (que) obseruatur, nam & varijs diebus variè cantatur alibi. In the Vnion of the Greeke and Latin, they were both made one, and yet the diuersitie of leavened and vnleavened bread is permitted without all feare that it would impeach this Vnion.Thom. Aquin p. 3 quest. 74. art. 4 vidi. Thomas also and Caietan think that the difference of this ceremonie is not to be reckoned among the partes of the schisme of that church,Walafrid. Strab. de reb eccle­asti ca. 15. See Walafridus Strabus what varietie he confesseth in the celebration of diuine service, which neuer bredd any iarre or discord: and consider that ofSocrat. histor. lib. 5. cap. 21. Socrates apud nos Ecclesiarum & sectarum Ecclesias nusquam re perire poteris duas qui in precand [...] more inter se consentiant. It was a sacred order to haue 7. Collectes in the Masse, neither more nor lesse: & a great matter was made of it, vsu tamen Rodulph Tungr [...]ns. de canon. obseruat. prop of. 23 Leodiensi vltra quinque non di [...]untur: and all these vn­cōformities were within one Greek or Romane church. Fourthly, take the chur­ches of England to be one, and it is easie to bring examples of diuersitie in the ceremonies, euen in one and the same church, where they haue broke no peace: In one and in the same region (saithSozom. histor lib. 7. cap. 19. one) permulti ritus per ciuitates & pagos in veniri possunt, quos sine piaculo intollerabili praeuaricari non posse putant. At Rome the Gregorian P. Morne o [...] Eucha­rist l. 1. c. [...]. Leiturgie obtained: the Ambrosian at Millane was vsed the same time in the same Italie: & yet after they were setled the peace and vnitie of the church was not disturbed by thē. There were diverse formes of seruice in one Spain for a long time. The Councell Gerundense: first taking order that there should be one forme vnder one Metropolitan, which after the Coūcell of Toledo the 4. extended ouer all Spaine: and while these rites were thus diverse, there was more peace then after that one and vniforme order which Alphonsus the 6. brought in. AtSocrat. histor. li. 5. cap. 20. Rome it was decreed that christians might celebrate Easter day differently with out any feare of breach betweene thē. Here in England of old the vse differed: and although the vse of Sarum ouertopped all the rest, yet did it not conquer them. euen as in Germanie Illi [...]i. i [...]l. de Adiaph Brandeburg had one breuiarie: Magdeburg an o­ther: and so in the rest when as yet there Satan kept all his Ministers in a league and peace together. In Russia to this hower, the Bishop ofDurant. de rit. l 2. c. 9. Nouograde differed in Ceremonie from all the rest: wearing a white Miter with two hornes, such as the popish Bishops weare: whereas other Bishops weare round Miters like the Turkish: blacke in colour, and what hurt breedeth this difference there? Wheras (then)P. Morne. de Eucha­rist. l. 1. c. [...] Charles the great, hauing a purpose to vnite the Church of Rome and of France together, and being Romish abolished Cantum Gallicanum and established ordinē Romanū, which before Pipin his Father decertauit vt fieret though he could not bring it to passe, so were it a worthy thing for our Soueraigne, purposing to vnite the two protestant churches of England and Scotlande, being himself a Pro­testant to abolish, ordinem quemcunque Romanum, and to establish the order of the Scottish church, and of the other reformed churches, with whom he is in faith vnited. And this is the first plea of the auncient Christian libertie, vnconformitie breaketh no peace either in the whole Orthodox church, or in the diuerse partes thereof, or in any one church visible.

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#Sect. 25. An exact vniformitie in Ceremonies, hath ever disquieted the Church and hindered the growth of it.

THe second is, an absolut and exact vniformitie in rites and in Ceremonies hath euer disturbed the peace of the church, and hindered much the grouth of the Gospell: For the vnderstanding hereof wee must consider that there are Maiores Ceremoniae and ritus Catholici, such as kneeling is in prayer, in which con­formitie as it is easie to be made, so is it a MotherBucer, in Censur. c. p 459. F. Illiric. in li. de Adia­phor. of peace, a Nurse of reuerēce, a Preseruer of decencie. There are other Ceremoniae which are minores, and notBeza. epist 24. Catholicae. such as is the weomens sitting in the church behinde the men. and in these conformitie is heauie and burthensome to be borne: hard and difficult to bee effected, so that Christian libertie is for the most part oppressed by it, and so by consequent the church distracted. Hence come those protestations of the Germane Diuines against the conformitie of the Adiaphorisme.F. Illiric. ap. Cōrad. Schlussel­burg. tom. 13. p. 166.167. Nonest neces­saria rituum conformitas: deinde & nimis exacta impossibilis. in mediocribus Ceremo­nijs verè Adiaphoris conformitas sectanda est aliquatenus. Confess. Eccles. Mansfeld. ap. eund. p. 560. Dissimilitudo Adiaphoro­rum prodest ad conseruandam libertatem Christianam. statim. a. quando coguntur homines ad carecipienda, ea (que)ue obtruduntur tāquam res necessariae, amittunt suum verum titulum. Lib. Cō ­cord ap. eund. p. 597. Quando ceremoniae constitutiones Ecclesiae, coactione quadam tanquam ne­cessaria obtruduntur, & quidem contra libertatem Christianam quam Ecclesiam Christi in rebus eiusmodi externis habet, falsa doctrina inducitur, quam oportet reijcere. For this cause they that tender the churches peace, will vse that moderation in rites and ceremonies which Aliacus once per swaded to the councell of Constance. No man more strict then Augustine for the obseruation of the churches con­stitutions:P. Aliacus reformat. Eccles. g mos populi Dei (sayth he) & instituta maiorum pro lege tenenda sunt, & sicut prauaricatores diuinarum legum, it a contemptores Ecclesiasticarum consuetudinum coerceudi sunt. yet can thisIdem. epist. ad Ianuar. 119. c. 18. August: in a thing truly indifferent (which our cere­monies are not) giue a man leaue and scope to differ,August. epist. 86. ad Casu­lan. when aliquorum infirmitas requireth a breach: and when there is a detrimentum in conformitie. The trim▪ immersion was strengthened with I knowe not how long cōtinuance: in which notwithstanding was permittedGlossa. in distinct. 4. de conse­crat cap. de trina. diuersa ecclesiarum consuetudo. The Gregorian order hath ben established a long time in Spayne, yet neuer was there an vnifor­mitie so precisely exacted, but that to this hower from the begining the old Nozorabique isP. Morne. de Eucha­rist. lib. 1. cap. 8. permitted in sixe churches of Toledo: in the Cathedrall church it self of Salamanca: in the chappels of Doct. Talabricas, and of the Cardi­nall Ximenes. Secondly, though an exact vniformitie in these ceremonies not Catholice were lawfull and good for the churches peace, yet not when it compel­leth to forraigne rites, as our vniformitie doth.F. Illiric. apud con­rad. Schlus­selburg. tom. 13. P. 166. Cicero disputeth much, de pro­prio decoro, which being now in every church, it must haue ceremonies of it owne. Besides the people stay at home, and goe not abroad so much as to see the ceremonies of other churches. The diuines of Germany,Thes. de Adiaphor. Theolog. Saxon. ap. eund. P. 462. non sunt cogendae Ecclesiae (saith they) rectè sentientes & benè constitutae, vt se prorsus aliorum ceremo­nijs accommodent, seu conformēt. Thirdly, though it were for the churches peace to presse an exact vniformitie in the lesser ceremonies, and the same fetched from other places, yet were it not either peace or pietie to fetch them from Rome, the throne of Satan, and seate of Antichrist, the Sodom and Aegipt of our times.Gelas epi. ad Ana­stas. Au­gustum. Gelasius well: Quomodo potest esse pax vera, cut charitas intemerata defuerit, quae est de cor de puro & conscientia bona & fide non ficta? Quomodo (quaeso te) de corde erit puro si contagio inficiatur externo? quomodo de conscientia bona si prauis fuerit malis (que) commixta? quemadmodum fide non ficta, si maneat sociata cum perfidis? Haec à me: ne­cesse est tandius non taceri, quandiu nomen pacis obtenditur, vt talem pacem doceamus, qualis & solapax est, & praeter quam nulla esse monstratur. Ought not we to say to [Page 97] Rome, as Iehu to Iezabel, what peace as longe as thy witchcraftes and thy whore­domes abound in great number? Sure we must according to the Germane rule,De [...]. ec­cles. Ger­man. apud Conrad. Schlusselb. tom. 13. p. 666. Nulla est concedenda gratia adversarijs in mutatione ceremoniarum, nisi prius nobiscum consentiant in fundamento, hoc est in vera doctrina & vsu Sacrameutorū. What meane we (then) for a peace to our owne church, to make a kinde of peace with Rome, for that conformitie in these ceremonies doeth make vs to partake with her (ac­cording to Gelasius wordes) it hath been shewed longCap. 1. since? Is such a peace god­lie? Suppose it were, it may be well saide of this way there is no peace in it: see­ing it is easie to be proved, that vniformitie to popish ceremonies, whether in whole or in parte, hath cōtinually (like a furie leaped out of hell) set all in flame and fierie combustion.Nucler. generat. 22. Charles the great commaundeth an Vniformitie to the Romane order, what a doe this bredde, the complaintes of those dayes testifie. Alphon sus the sixt, of Spaine, enioyneth an vniformitie to the Gregorian order, what hurly burly it bredde, theRoderic. Toletan. lib. 6. c 14 recordes of that age doe witnes.P. Morne vb. sup. Venofride an English man (afterward named Boniface) commaundeth in Germanie an vnifor­mitie to the Romane order: the resistance of it bredde not civill warre, because Charles Martill did assist him, whom none in that age could match: howbeit an hott contention it raysed vp, in which Vergilius Bishopp of Saltzburg, Clemens Sco­tus, Sampson, and other great persons suffered great things: one Albertus dyed in prison for writing against it. Augustine the Monke commaundeth the christians about Bangor to conforme to Rome, which they refusing, a cruell warre is mo­ued against them, as Beda sheweth. Augustine the Monke required of them of Ban­gor (saithBeda. hist. gent. A [...] ­glor. li. 2. ca. 12. he) primum vt codem. &c. first that they should obserue the Easter the same tyme that Rome did. Secondly, that in the administration of Baptisine, they should vse the same rites and ceremonies which the Romans vsed. Thirdly, that they should ioyne with them to preach the Gospell genti Angliae. And not onely a totall imposing of Romane rites, doth breede this mischief, but also a pressing of them in part thorough a certaine kinde of mixture. Doeth not our Lord him selfe forewarne vs, that peecing of olde and new patches together, maketh the breach wider? That mingling old and new wine together, marreth barrell & all? The first reconciliation made betweene papistes and a church reformed, was at Basil. 1436. There Rochezana with some other Hussites, yeelded to a certaine mix­ture: they to haue their communion vnder both kindes, and libertie to be go­verned by the Senat of Prage, not by the Pope, with some other fewe things: and the papistes to retayne the rest as of olde. And what followed of this mixture? TheDauid Chytreus in praelect. Chronic. sincerer sort of the Hussites separated them selves into Moravia, Polonia, & other places where Pontificios ritus omnes planè exploseruut. And whereas the fol­lowers of Rochezana thought hereby to haue made their peace with the papistes, that also fayled them, because it was not longe after, that by the preaching of Io­hannes Capistranus, they were reduced to their sub vna againe, and made subiect to the tyrannie of the Pope. This first conformitie and mixture (then) sped very ill, as fayling in that peace which it promised with the papistes, & bringing warre into the Church in steed of peace. The conformitie of Germanie spedd as ill. Great expectation was there of peace by the Interim, which notwithstanding brake foorth like a fire, not onely betweene Protestantes and papistes, but also be­tweene the protestant Churches them selves, iust as the sincerer sort of Divines foresawe, and divined would (questionles) followe vpon such mingled composi­tions.Math. In­dex in lib. de gravissi­mo man­dat exeun­di de Ba­bylon. One of them giveth many instances: Constantius to haue a reconciliation made a mixture, to wit, homoousios must be turned into homoiousios to concord the Arrians. Zeno to haue peace maketh an Henoticon to hushe the strife about the Councell of Chalcedon. Anastasins to accord all partes, establisheth an Amne­stia, [Page 98]and commaundeth everie one to preach according to the custome of his place. Heraclius to pacifie the hott contention betwene the Orthodox that held there were two Willes in Christ, and the Mouothelites that helde he had but one, enioyneth silence to both sides. These mixte conformities (saith this Authour) made for peace, made all more warre then ever before: which also hath follow­ed of the like formes of late compoundings, such as were the Sphynx Augustana, compounding matters of Religion, till there were a Councell. The Lypsicum In­terim, where Christ and Beliall were made friendes: The Pandora Francofurdia­na, and Cothurnus Neoburgicus, where an Amnestia was commaunded, ne dissi­dentes de quibusdam eapitibus confessionis Augvstanae, se invicem damnarent. We might come downe to the compositions that haue at diverse times been made, betweene the Lutherans and the Orthodox, which all haue sorted to like issue. Our Reverend Governours may hope (then) to make peace by this mix­ture and medly of ceremonies, but little faith can we haue hereof, whē we make our prayers for them, and for the publique peace of this Church: which who so loved not from his heart, O let him not prosper.

The Adulterie of the Crosse. Chap. 7.

THough the signe of the Crosse may seeme to be free from the sinne of adulterie, yet being tryed by the seaventh commaund­ment, Rom. 1.24. he will be found guiltie for that occasion which it con­tayneth of vncleannes. First it occasioneth adulterie, Apoc. 9.20. in that it is an abhominable Idoll: it being a iust thing with the Lord to punishe the spirituall adulterie of the soule, by giving the Ido­laters over to defile their owne bodies the Idolaters of the sixt trumpet by name (which are the Idolaters of the crosse) so farre to defile them, Apoc. 11.8. till Rome become as an Aegypt for the spirituall, so a Sodome for the bodilie fornication. Secondly, suppose the crosse were no Idoll, an Idolothite it must needes be, because it per­taketh of that definition which the Iesuites deliuer,Rhem. in annot. in Apoc. 2. sect. 8. Though the creature be good by creation, yet doeth it become an Idolothite, and is made execrable, by the prophane blessings of heretiques & of Idolaters. Now God giveth over to adulterie, not onely for the Idolls sake, but also for the Idolothites, as doeth appeare by two exam­ples. The first is of the Israelites, who being presented with daintieIosephus Antiquit. lib. 4. c. 6. dishes, that had been consecrate to Baall Peor, and not refrayning but eating of them, were left by the Lord to commit vncleannes with Moabs virgins, who brought these Idolothites to them. The other example is of the Nicholaitans, num. 25.21 Apoc. 2.14.20.21. who defiling them selues with meates Idolotious, were likewise by the Lord relinquished to like vn­cleannes. Thirdly, the verie monument of Idolatrie not detested nor abolished in the service of God, is cursed by him, for that honour which it giveth to for­raigne Idolatrie, and for that occasion which is in it to home superstition both for the present and for the time that is to come: even as the doctrine of our own church teacheth, which is cōfirmed by act of Parliament: To throw out Images though vnworshipped out of the church (in whose ranke we most worthely re­pose the crosse) it reasoneth thus:Homil. ag. peril of idolat. p. 1. p. 16. Vsuallie spirituall and carnall fornication go together. Againe,Ibid. p. 3 [...]. p. 21. it is verie agreeable (as Paule teacheth) that they which fall to idolatrie, which is spirituall fornication, should also fall into carnall fornicati­on, by the iust iudgement of God, delivering them over to abhominable concu­piscence. Againe, the Image retayned in the church, hath annexed vnto it (as anIbid. p. 3. p. 44. accident inseparable) anIbid. p. 7. vnavoydable daunger of idolatrie: as thepag. 44. image came vnto vs from the Gentiles which were idolaters: and as the invention of them was the beginning of spirituall fornication, so will they naturally (as it were) and of necessitie, turne to the origen from whence they came, and most violently drawe vs with them to idolatrie. Thus, many wayes doeth the Crosse occasion the fornication of the body, as a iust deserved plague of the adulterie of the soule, which he committeth as he is an Idoll: with which he partaketh as he is an Idolothite: and which he occasioneth as he is a monument of Idolatrie. Survey the continuall execution of this plague from time to time. First, whereas [Page 190]the papistes makeIo. Beleth. de divin. offic. cap. 151. Heraclius the authour of their Idolatrie which they commit in the feast of the Crosses exaltation (although we might proove he adored it not as they doe nowe) yet omitting this defence we only will them to consider, how little cause they haue to boast of him, seeing the Lord did giue him over to com­mit incest by the marriage of his Neece: and further punished him with soSigon. de reg. Ital. li. 2. an. 629. Genebrad. Chronol. lib. 3. An. 616. straunge a disease; as that when soever he vttered his vrine, it sprinckled his face if a table had not been placed about his navell to drive it backe. Secondly, who are the greatest crosse coyners of christendome, but the Popes, whose open and impious tolleration of the stewes (Mat. Sur­clin. in Tur co papism. 3000: Romane harlotts being at one time en­rolled in the exchequor booke of Paule the third, that payed yeerely tribute to him) sheweth how vncleane they are in body, to omit perticulars, as the famous Marozia of Sergius: the Mathildis of Gregorie the seaventh, the Lucretia of Alex­ander the sixth: the Magdalena of Leo the tenth: the Constantia of Paule the third (the three last of whom were owne daughters or sisters: and that which I am ashamed to speake of the Riarius of Sixtus the fourth: the Germanus of Iulius the second: the Hippolitus of Leo the tenth: and (last of all) Innocentius de Monte, who was the Ganymed of Iulius the third. Thirdly, who are the greatest Crossmongers of Christendome, but the inhabitantes of the Monasteries? who what they were for vncleannes bodily, some of their owne doe witnes: who report of their Cells, that they are becomeSynod. A­quisgran. de ordin. rectotum. c. 12. Alia­cus de re­format. ec­cles. c. 4. F. Pie. Mi­randul in epistol. ad Leon. 1 [...]. meere stewes? Fourthly, who are the chiefe champions for the Crosse, but they that write for it? of whom Bellarmine belcheth forth his bodily filthines,Bellar. de Monach. lib. 2. c. 34 Est maius malum sic nubere quam fornicari: speaking of a Votarie vnable to contayne. Martiall was a speciall writer for the Crosse: Nowe he, when he was VsherCalfh. ag. Mart. art. 5 fol. 129. of Wincester, caused the boyes to know that, which Maister Hide scholemaister there severly punished. In Queene Maries raigne, one be­ing taken in adulterie in red crosse streete in London, made this excuse when his friendes chodde with him,Idem Art. 8. fol. 156 Yet I thanke God I am a good Catholique, I thinke well of the Sacrament of the Altar. whose wayes I would fewer followed nowe a dayes: who amiddest all enormitie of life, smoth vp their cōsciences with this comfort, Yet I thanke God, I am no puritan, I liue in order and obey the lawes: For other exam­ples of the crosses vnchastitie, I referre my selfe to one of ourCalfh. Ibi. writers, who doeth mention them.

The wrong of the Crosse. Chap. 8.

FVrther evidēce may be brought against the ceremo­nies for the great & manifold iniuries which they offer: they cōsume many tanquā iniecta fauilla, to vse the phrase of the holy Ghoste. Exod. 22.6 and can any spa [...]cle be lefte lawfullie abroad, which may take into the rickes or into the hedges of other mē, where­by they may be hurt? First, they wrong vs in our subiection to the Bishops, in ta­king away the power of binding & loosing frō vs, by the censures of the church: and all things else that are of credit and authoritie, leauing bare labouring in the word vnto vs: which also must bee limited by them, and referred to them, for they are the Pastors of the Church (they say) we only are their delegates. This wrong the Greeke church counteth not little he that chalengeth this prehemi­nence ouer the Ministers of the Gospell, vnder humble tytles of Paternall au­thoritie, with the like dothNilus Thes salonicens. de Primat. Pap. verbis magnam humilitatem praese ferentibus magnarae­pere: seeing MinistersTho. M [...]t to apolo. p. 1. l. 1. ca. 21. iure diuino are all equall, and succeed the Apostles all a­like: from whom (also) they receaue like power not only for preaching, but also for binding and for loosing. Secondly, they robb many a worthy and able Mi­nister, in that they keepe him from preferment in the Church, it being theft euen in the eyes ofSilvest. Prier. summa silvestrin. in verb. r [...] ­stitut. papistes themselues, to keepe a man from a benefit whereof he is worthy. To this it is replyed by our adversaries, none is worthy to be pre­ferred, that cannot conforme and like of the ceremonies and of the orders of our church: which reply will bee found Ecclesiam Dei penè vniversam verbis iniurio­sissimis, nequaquam August. e­pist. 86. ad Casulan. lacerare timuisse, since all the Ministers of the Churches refor­med, who iumpe in iudgement with vs. Secondly, it will bee replyed by some, that in this complaint of ours, we touch the boyle which doth indeed grieue vs: the whole quarrell arising, from a discontentment, taken for lacke of preferment. Here, what better then Dingenes course? for as his best refutation of one, denying there was any motion, was to arise himselfe and moue: so now not wordes, but deedes are fittest, such as shew contrarie motions in vs: I meane motions of zeale borne to Gods glorie and the Churches good: euen to our owne preiudice: such as are these, our refusall of preferment offerred; our walking painfullie in poore liuings, our leauing of benefices (as it is called) to keepe a good cōscience: our readines to preach the Gospel euē now, although we haue no benefice. And this slaunder hath bene too long in the Decke. So it was giuen forth ofEpiphan. haeres. 30. Paule, that he turned Christian, because he could not bee preferred to the mariage of the high Priestes Daughter. So was it giuē forth ofActes and monum. in hist. [...]io [...]. Wickliefe, he raised a schisme because he could not be a Bishop. So is it giuē forth against Luther to this hower, that he fell into g apostasie through discōtentment, because he could not be pre­ferred. The like imputation laye to the charge of Iohn Husse & Hierome of Prage, I [Page 102]keepe till the last, because it speaketh in the language of this our slaunder word for word,AEneas Sil. in Bohem. orig. ca. 35 his & non nulli, &c. there were ioyned with these two men others fa­mous for their learning, who because they could not be preferred, grew discon­tented to see the greatest benefices bestowed on them, who were inferiors in worth vnto them. Herevpon envie blinded them, not to see what they sawe or vnderstande what they vnderstood: proruperunt in blasphemias, & cum aliquibus ig­nauis fortasse & vitiosis maledicere possent in omnes latrare Sacerdotes caepere. Last of all, this obiecton worst befitteth some of their mouthes, who openlie shewe it is preferment that hath made them aduersaries to vs: for as much as some times they were with vs till advauncement did choke them; so that now they are faine to take vp that of AEneas Siluius respuit AEneam, Balaeus in Pro. 2. suscipite Pium howbeit, many of them (the Lord blowing vpon their dignities and pluralities) with that successe which Alexander the 5. found in his preferment.Ion. Cris­pin. in Alexand. 5. Pauper Episcopus pauperior Car­dinalis, pauperrimus Papa. Thirdly, the ceremonies are guiltie of robberie and of thefte, in that they haue wasted the goods of many a godlie Preacher in vnne­cessarie travell, in suites of Lawe, expences of courtes, yea in suspensions, and de­priuations from their liuings on which their maintenaunce did all depend. This if it be not to thrust both with side andEzech. 34 21. shoulder: to beat andMat. 24.49. punch a fellowe servant: to strikeIsai 58.4. with the fiste of wickednes: and vnder pretence of aIer. 29.26 Ichoia­daes zeale to put a rauing and franticke Ieremie in the stockes, I know not what is? And howe many circumstances are there in this wrong and violence which make it great? First, the persons do exaggerate it, to whom it is offered. For these amplfications must not be forgottē.1 Sam. 22 18. This he did, euen to them that wore the Ephod. Doe this to honour him,Gen. 20.7 for hee is a Prophet. Psal. 105.15. Touch not mine annointed, doe my prophets no harme. how dare ye doe this against Num. 12.8 my seruant, euen against my seruant Moyses? They misvsed his2 Chron. 36.16. Prophets and despised his Messengers, vntill there was no remedie: he thatMat. 10. despiseth you, despiseth me. He added this to all his sin, that heLuk. 3. [...]0 put Iohn into prisō. not to be tedious, They driue vs away (saith1 Thes. 2.16. Paule) and forbidd vs to preach that men may be saued to fulfill their sinnes alwayes, for the wrath of God is come downe on them to the vttermost. It was said once by Arioaldus an earthlie king, [the heauenlie King will nowe say it much more]Sigon. de reg. Ital. lib. 2. An. 629. minimè fauebo eis qui negotium famulis Dei facessunt. The reason is giuen by a Bi­shop of Rome, Iulius Pap. 1. de­cret. ca. 33. non vult Dominus tam leuiter suos tractari ministros; Columnas suas firmiter stare vult, nec à quibuscunque agitari. Secondly, the fault pretended for this punishment maketh this wrong and robberie great. For we plead with Dauid: what haue wee done, what evill is in our handes? Or with the later Orthodox Ministers, [...] Sam. 26.18. Victor. de persequnt. Vandal. vt quid taliter affligimur, pro quibus malis forte commissis ista perpetimur? When our aduersaries themselues can lay nothing to our charg: no nor an an­grie Iudge condemne vs for any thing else, then for disvsage of a trifle, euen as themselues confesse? what, & is the robbing of the church of worthie Ministers in this great want, the robbing of the people of their great cōfort, the vndoing of sincere Preachers of the Gospell of Iesus Christ, are these I say trifles also? I feare how they will passe for trifles at that great day, whē it will be in vaine to vse that gloze of Iulian, Theodor. histor. li. 3. ca. 15. Not for your conscience doe I punish you, but for your obstinacie and contempt. There was a Bishop not long since liuing, who misliked his Chauncel­lour, for excommunicating in light matters. he replyed what nowe is common, not for the matter, but for the contempt. to whom it was answered (which nowe serueth for our Apollogie and defence,) to a great contempt is required [à subiec­tum eiusdem generis,] to witt, a great offence. Why did theVorm ati­ens. concil. can. 13.14. Councell of Wormes (I trowe) forbid to suspend from the Communion, pro parvis & leuibus causis? Why did it censure a Bishopp that should so excommunicate, for one that had passed the boundes omnis sacerdotalis moderationis? was not the witt then come [Page 103]into the world, which nowe is growne aged, though the matter be small, yet the contempt deserueth more punishment, then is sutable to the subiect of the crime and fault committed? The EmpresseSoxom. l. [...] c. 20. Eudoxia caused Chrysostome to be deposed, for inveighing against the abuses which were committed at the setting vp of her Image, and all ages since haue abhorred her violence. Yet what shewe of con­tempt can there be imputed to vs, like that appearance which was in this facte of his? his opposition was in the Image of the Empresse herself: our forbearance in a popish image only. and he had not so much cause to invaigh against the setting vp of the one neare to the Church, but wee haue more cause against the other, vsed religiouslie in Gods service, and in the verie church it selfe. And make wee comparison (once more) out of a like storie.Theodo [...]. histor li. 5. c. 20. When the Image of Theodosius his Empresse was broken at Antioch, and men of warre were now approaching neare the Citie to reuenge it, one Macedonius fell a board with them in these words: the Emperour must consider, that man is the Image of God, and therefore more to be tendred then the Image of the Empresse: which also may bee repayred a­gaine, whereas the Emperour with all his power, cannot restore so much as one haire of the heade, when once it is perished. These, with the like considerations did appease the Emperour well. but as great nowe doe pleade for vs. we breake down no Image of our superiors: we only professe that word of God, that doth disable a popishe Image, from vse religious in his Church. when yet notwith­standing ther are wronged for his sake the men that beare, more then a commo Image of God: because the Ministers of the Gospell, beare before their seuerall churches, a speciall Image and representation, Gal. 4.14. which deserveth they should be receaued as the Angels of God. yea euen as Christ Iesus. when Iohn, PatriarchZonoras. in hist. ei [...] of Constantinople pulled out the eyes of the Image of Marie, which in the raigne of Theodora, a whole Sinod had set vp, she giueth sentence, his eyes should be pul­led out likewise: which, what age hath not disliked, although shee executed not the sentence but gaue him pardon? But the ceremonies controversed, (and the crosse by name) haue euen executed eye for eye, tooth for tooth, vpon the prea­chers many of them: as they haue disgraced the crosse, so haue they been disgra­ced themselues. as by the word, they haue thrust it out of Baptisine, so through vniustice haue they been themselues thrust out from their ministerie and from their flockes, Thirdlie, the matter of our punishment maketh the wrong great. It being true what theThom. Aquin. 2. [...]. q. 66. Scholmen teach: The thefte is great, when res ablata (though of it selfe little) is Chara possessori: or when the possessor or owner is poore, whom a little (being taken away) dothSumma. silvestrin. verb. furt. sect. 4. 5. multum grauare. euen as obolus aliquando is quid magis pauperi, quam aureus diuiti, that which our Sauiour backeth, when he affir­meth, a Mite is asmuch to a widow, as a Sehecle to one that is rich. For the first of these, that which is taken away from vs is deare vnto vs. When Theophilus thrust Chysostome out of his charge which he had at Constantinople, heSorom. l. [...] c. 18. compareth him to Pharoes seruants, by whose meanes and incitation Abraham had his Wife ta­ken from him. Paule, 1 Thes. 2.17. when the Iewes of Thessalonica drave him away from the Church that was there, he compared himselfe to an Orphan that had lost (as it were) his Father. So that when the Crosse bereaveth vs of our flockes, there is a man bereaved of his Wife: a child be reaved of his Father whom he loueth: when it reaveth vs of our ministery, more is done then euen animae dimidia pars is torne, rent, sawed of from our bodies. As for the latter, the Crosse and the ce­monies take away from vs, what doth multum grauare. for wee are poor men; and that one benefice which it taketh away, is all the2 Sam. 12.3. sheepe we had, and there with sustayned we ourDeut. 24.6. liues: and now it is gonne, there commeth in place wherewith shall we be ver. 15. Deut. 20.5.6. couered? God so desireth a man should haue comfort in his own, that to goe home and eate of his vineyarde and dwell in his house, he is to bee freed [Page 104]from the warre which is a service of the church, whereas the crosse even to the hinderance of the churches service, taketh from vs all comfort in the blessings wherewith the Lord and not man had blessed vs, and for which he is so carefull we should enioye them. And the infamie which doth accompanie this great wrong, must not be pretermitted. When Nehemiah would exaggerate the op­pression of his time: nehem. 5.9 Ought we not (saith he) to live in the feare of God, because of the Cananites our enemies? In like manner, ought not this to haue stayed the hande of the crosses revengers, that there be papistes and libertines amongst vs, that will not only nodd the head, but also clappe the hande? And the papist hath greatBilkingtō. in epist. ad Comitem Leycestr. cause giuen him to see his ceremonies (as he taketh them) to finde such friend­shipp: and he and the Libertine hath this cōmon cause of hatred, which feedeth it selfe in the sight of our ruine, 1 Sam. 18.7 Are not, these they of whom men say, they haue slaine their tenne thousande of vs?

#Sect. 2. Vniust manner of proceeding and oath ex officio. &c. iust causes of complaint.

FOurthly, the maner vniust of proceeding against vs, doeth exaggerate this wronge of ours not a little. Where first we complayne of the othe ex officio: howbeit not first of all. we onely renewe the auncient complaint of Iohn Lam­bert, an holy Martyr of Gods trueth. ItAct. and monum. pa. 1022. pittieth me (saith he) to heare and see, what is vsed in some of our nation: and such (also) as name them selues spirituall men, and should be head Ministers of the church. who incontinent as any man commeth before them, anone they cal for a booke, and doe moue him to sweare, without any longer respite. yea and will charge him by vertue of the contents in the Evangelie, to make true relation of all that they shall demaund him. First we take this course to be against the lawe of Nature it selfe registred in the civill law, Nemo tenetur accusare seipsum: or, as the foresaid Lambert citeth it, prodere seipsum, to betraye him selfe. The Canon lawe hath receaved some light hereof, inrow­ling the othe of Sixtus the third, with this provisoe,Decret. p. 2. causa. 2. q. 5. c. 10. licet evadere satis aliter potu­issem, suspicionem tamen fugiens, coram omnibus me purgavi. sed non alijs qui noluerint, aut sponte hoc non elegerint, faciendo formā exemplum (que) dans. Gratian (though much iniurious in this case) is constrayned to gather from hence this observation, ecce qualiter. &c. See how the chiefe Bishop purgethIbid. ca. 18 him selfe by othe, and yet pre­scribeth no necessitie of the like course to others. Whence we are given to vn­derstande, that satisfaction of purgation by othe, resteth in the will of the accu­sed, not in the will, choyse, or pleasure of the Iudge. The auncient practize per­verted not this naturall equitie, as appeareth by an auncientCo [...]il. Neocaesar. cap. 9. Councell speaking of a Minister fallen into some sinne, quod si de se non fuerit confessus, & argui mani­festè nequiverit, potestatis suae iudicio relinquatur. Secondly, this maketh a breach vpon the order which God hath settled and appointed in his providence, which Paule presseth as an order, 1 Tim. 5. vlt to which the Presbyterie ought of duetie to submitt them selves, in iudiciall proceeding against Elders and Ministers. When he saith, some mens faultes are manifest, and these are to be brought vnto iudgement. other mens faultes are secret, and these God hath reserved vnto him selfe, to follow af­ter iudgement. The practize of auncient tymes fought not against this provi­dence of the Lord, as nowe the othe ex officio doeth:Decret p. 2. caus. 15. q. 6. c. 1. Non potest humano condem­nari examine, quem Deus suo reservabit iudicio. Confessio in talibus extorqueri non de­bet, sed potius sponte profiteri. Pessimum. n. est, de suspitione, aut extorta confessione, quenquam iudicare. Againe,Ibid. caus. 2. q. 5. c. 20 spontanea confessione vel testium approbatione publicata, delicta habito prae oculis Dei timore commissa sunt regimini nostro iudicare. occulta verò & incognita illi sunt relinquenda, qui solus novit corda filiorum hominum. Gratian cō ­menting [Page 105]herevpon, affirmeth that purgation by othe is inhibited, by this authoritie of the Pope, by which no man must be compelled to confesse against him selfe, but the confession must be voluntarie, that must cōdemne a man. Againe. Adulterie is not to be punished nisi flagitium detegatur. If it cannot be proved, all iudgement ceaseth,Innocen. 1 epist. 3. ad Exuper. Tholoss. c. 4. non habent latentia peccata vindictam; probatione cessante, vindictae ratio con­quiescit. Last of all:Synod Rhemens. can. 19. Episcopi & iudices iudicia discernant, quia sunt quaedam iudicanda modo quaedam Dei iudicio reservanda. Thirdly, the othe ex officio fighteth directly a­gainst Gods word: who requireth two or three witnesses vnto everie lawfull e­viction and condemnation. This holdeth in the Elder and in the Minister especi­ally: against others an accusation may be receaued, if the accuser will binde him­self to triall, but the Minister hath this priviledge, that it must be tried before hand, whether there be two or three witnesses or no before his name be called in to question. For this is the sense of those wordes Receaue not an accusation against an Elder vnder two or three witnesses. In deed the governing Elder hath this privi­ledge by this place: 1 Tim. 5. the preaching Elder is here meant by our Opposites owne confession. And this hath been aunciently practized.Concil. Bracharen. 2. ca. 8. Placuit vt si quis aliquem clericorum in accusatione fornicationis impetit, secundum praeceptum Pauli Apostoli, duo vel tria testimonia requirantur ab illo. quod si non potuerit (datis testimonijs) approbare quod dixit, excōmunicationem accusati, accusator accipiat. Againe,Iulius 1. cont. Ori­ental. pro Athanas. c. 30.31. when a Minister is to he iudged, the proceeding must not sleightly passe: nothing must be done till the accuser come in place: none must goe further then the libell of the accusati­on which is put vp, the rest must be reserued to Gods iudgement. man must not de illis quae ei inconcessa sunt, vllo modo iudicium praesumere. What othe ex officio here? for the accusation is not so much as receaued, till the accuser him selfe come in place, no captious interrogatories are here proposed after he is come, beyonde the libell of accusation, which he did put vp: and if proofe fayle to make good the libell, the minister remayneth vntouched: yea without any othe of his owne he is sent away cleared, and the accuser only is stayed behinde to be punished for his slaunder. Thus the Canon,Decret. p. 2. caus. 2. q 5. c. 1.3. Nos sacramentum Episcopis nescimus oblatū, nec vn­quam fieri debet, nisi pro recta fide. If a minister of old was put to his othe only in the causes of faith, then now they swerue from auncient practize, who put ministers to ther othes ex levi C 4. causa, which the canon by name cōdemneth, as vpon some light suspition, or perchance some fancy only of their owne heades: of which we may reply, as one did once at the Councell of Chalcedon, Chalcedonens. Con­cil. act. 15. p. 183. Praesbyter sum, & cogitis me iurare? Howbeit, they break the boūds which the ancient Fathers pight much more, who so lift vp and exalt them selues aboue their brethren, as they vse them worse then servants, who notwithstāding haue fellowship with thē in the gospel. for is not this in criminall causes an ancient decree,Concil. E­paunens. can. 39. de peccatis verò, vel quocunque opere, placuit à dominis iuramenta nō exigi? Is it not now thought sufficiēt, that they are our lords who put vs to our othes, ther being now no cōsideration takē whe­ther we be their servants or fellowes? sure if in case we be slaues to thē if we had lived in elder times we should not in criminall matters haue ben thus vsed. How be it, the indignitie here resteth not. their Canonical Lordship over vs is so farre stretched, as that their ill conceit of vs is sufficient preiudice against vs. It must be thought they will accuse none, but such as are guilty: which as it maketh way to the Spanish Act and monu p. 849. Inquisition, into whose proceedings none must inquire, whē they ac­cuse good mē without moe witnesses thē thēselues, which are vnknowen to the partie accused, vpon supposal they cannot erre so it offendeth against the cōtrary iustice practized of old,Vacens. Concil. cap. 7.8. si quis Episcopus aliquem de crimine putet esse damnandum, accusatoris vice discutiendum se sciat: Fas est enim vt quae vni probantur, probentur ab omnibus: quod si tantum alieni sceleris se conscium novit, quamdiu probare non potest, nihil proferat sed cum ipso ad compunctionem eius secretis correptionibus elaboret. [Page 104] [...] [Page 105] [...] [Page 106]It followeth in the Canon, that if the private admonitions of the Bishoppes be contemned, what, that he should bee bewrayed by an othe? No such matter. onely pro persona maioris authoritatis, he is to abstaine from the communion of the Bishopp him selfe: in the communion of all others he still enioyeth, vntill some­what be proved against him. This course is confirmed by times auncienter then this Councell.Damasus epist. 6. ad Episcop. [...]al. Christus ludam furem esse sciebat, sed quoniam non est presenttali­ter accusatus, ideo non est eiectus. nec vos vllo modo agere oportet, quod ille noluit face­re. Leges enim saculi accusatores presentes exigunt, & non per scipta absentes: Nullus (igitur) iudicetur, antequam legitimos accusatores presentes habeat. But there is allead­ged to proove this othe ex officio lawfull by the worde, the othe to which the a­dultresse was put in Moses lawe. touching this, let the worlde vnderstande, thatDecret. p. 2. Caus. 2. q. 5. ca. 21. Gratian him selfe, though he cite this othe, yet resteth not in it, neither thin­keth it sufficient to approve in criminall matters anie enforcement of an othe vpō a partie that is suspected, against his will. In deede who seeth not that this lawe was not morall, but iudiciall: not generall but particular to the policie of the Iewes? and that vpon particular cause, to wit, the inborne ielousie of that Nati­on which could not otherwise be appeased? Exod. 22.12 Besides, though in matters of contro­versie about goods, there was an othe allowed, yet in what criminall matter be­sides this of adulterie? Once more, If our Opposites will haue this lawe to autho­rize an othe ex officio in matters criminall for purgation, then may they minister by the same an othe also in causes of death: for, adulterie (as it is knowne) was death by Moses lawe. Now this seemeth to be euen more then can be warran­ted by the example of theAct. and [...]n. vb. supra. Spanish inquisition it selfe. Sure example in the scrip­ture we haue none of it but that of Caiphas, adiuring our Lord in the name of the living God. Matth. 26.6 [...]. Vpon which, let the Interpretours bee consulted withall, theyBera. ho­mil. ibid. will tell vs howe tyrannous such an adiuration is. We reade in the CanonDecret. p. 2. Caus. 2. q. 5. ca. 11. Lawe, of one called Guillandus a priest, suspected to haue killed his Bishoppe. Touchinge whom the order taken is, that si certi accusatores defuerint, that hee should be restored to his Ministerie, and to his Benefices, although he was very vehementlie growne infamous about the facte. Fourthly, The othe ex officio, perverteth the duetie of a righteous othe, which MaisterAct. and mon. p. 1021. 1022 Lambert stoode vpon when he was examined about the othe ex officio, whether he thought it lawfull or no. It is not lawfull (saith he) for a man to sweare when a man knoweth not what they will demaunde of him, or whether it be lawfull to shewe them the trueth of their demaundes or no. or whether the matter will beare an othe, or if it will, whether there be no other meanes left to bowlt out the trueth. Iudges haue neede to be spare in requiring of othes: for in customable taking of othes, & that for every tryfle creapeth in betwixt tymes some periurie or other. If the Iudge require an othe in lawful and convenient manner, as in controversies which can not otherwise be decided betwixt neighbour and neighbour, I thinke my selfe bounde to sweare: but if he put me to myne othe to bewraye my selfe, or to be­wraye any other, this being cōtrarie vnto charitie, I count it inexpedient to hold me still. When the Ministers ofvictor. de persecut. Vandalic. Aphric were tendered such an othe as this, Nun­quid bruta irrationalia (said they) nos putatis, vt iuremus nescientes quid charta con­tineat? The othe ex officio (then) we cannot take with reverence. Fiftly, the othe ex officio perverteth the lawe and iustice of all nations, times and countries. ThisAp [...]d. Plin li. 10. epist 98. Traian sine authore propositi libelli nulla crimina locum habere debent. nam & pessimi exempli, nec nostri saculi est. By the civillDigest. lib law, there is no proceeding till some ac­cuser hath bound him self to pursue the accusation. TheDecret. pag. 2. caus 23. quest. 4 Canon lawe which is auncient, followeth the same course, peccata quae publicis iudicijs deseruntur puni­enda non sunt. TheCanone [...] Synedor. collect. p Adrian. tom. Con­ [...]li [...]r. 3. Councells that be auncient take the same course, there must be an accuser present before any thing be done. When the accuser presenteth [Page 107]him selfe,Sixt. 3. in epist. ad E­piscop. O­riental. scribat se prius probaturum. without this course criminationes adversus doctorem nemo recipiat. The Fathers are of the same iudgement,Am [...] o [...]. in epist. 1. ad Corint. c. [...]. si quis potestatem non habet quem scit reum eijcere aut probare non valet, immunis est. & iudicis non est sine accusatore damnare, quia & Dominus Iudam, & cùm fur esset quia non est accusatus, mi­nime abiecit. Thus we see, till the Church was corrupted, the othe ex officio in matters criminall, had no accesse nor entrance. One of the firstConcil. I­lardens. tom. 2. p. 357. Councells that ordayned purgation by othe, is late: and it requireth this oathe to be taken, be­cause Leo the Pope had so purged him selfe before in the presence of Charles the great. Hence we may gather the first rising of the othe ex officio, how preposte­rous it was: Some voluntarilie tooke an othe to purge them selues, and by their example future tymes brought in a necessitie: contrarie to the provisoe taken byDecret. p. 2. caus. 2. q. 5. c. 18. Leo him selfe and Sixtus the thirde, who forbadd (as we heard before) that any should bringe in anie necessitie by his example: who, if he swore for his owne purgation, he did it voluntarilie and of his owne accorde, without any meaning to binde others to the like. There is a CouncellConcil. A gathens. tom. 1. p. 716. somewhat higher then this, that putteth a Minister to his othe of purgation, but it is after that his parishe haue come in and taken an othe that he is publiquely infamous, ne populus in eo scandalum patiatur. but what is this to the othe ex officio, which now is tendered to vs? Howbeit, the fountaine of this othe for purgation in common infamie, is neither so auncient, nor so cleare: it first came in ex superabundanti, as we may perceaue byGregor. [...]. 2. indict. 1 [...]. epi. 2 [...] Gregorie, who in the common infamie of one Leo, caused him to sweare vpon the Reliques of Saint Peter ex abundanti: that so no doubt or anie scruple might remayne. The fondnesse of the tymes, when the othe ex officio first arose, as it plainly appeareth by this superaboundance mentioned, so by an­other superadded vnto this: when an othe was not beleeued, he was put to an other kinde of purgation, ferventi aqua, vel candenti ferro se expurget, sayethDecret. p. 2. caus. 2. q. 5. c. 15. one of the Councells. This course continued longe, as may appeare by an after Sy­node,Synod. Mogont. sub Rabbā c. 14 servus per 12. Vomeres ferventes se purget: tillGen [...]brar. chronolog l. 4. in An. 892. Steven the sixth forbadd the tryall both of hott water and of hott iron, about the yeare eight hundreth ninetie and two. And the othe ex officio for purgation had more fellowes then either the Reliques of Saint Peter, or this hott and burning iron. for the same su­perstition that brought it in, brought in Monomachie also. which was to trye a matter in controversie by the sight of two men. Lotharius was he that devised this way of purgation, not beleeving the othe of Theuperga his wife, he would try whether she were chaste or no by the fight of two men. But this was forbidden by theDecret. vb. sup. c. 22. decree of Nicholas. An other companion of the othe ex officio for purga­tion escaped better, which was to goe to Masse & to receaue the body of Christ, in these wordes,Ibid. c. [...]3. corpus Domini sit mihi ad probationem hodie. Sixtly, the othe ex of­ficio is against the lawe of this Lande: it grewe first by the Statute of 2. Henry the fourth, cap. 15. made for the punishment of Lollards, that is to say, of true christi­ans. which Maister Foxe in his booke of Martyrs, in regarde of that proceeding ex officio, calleth a cruell lawe, a bloudy lawe, a lawe of Maximinus. The statute of 25. Henrie the eight, cap. 14. in that blinde tyme brandeth it with this marke, that the Ordinaries of this Realme were wont to examine vpon captious interroga­tories. Besides, it standeth not with the iustice of our Lande, that any person should be convict, or put to the losse of his life, goods, or good name, but by due accusation and witnesse, or by presentment, verdict, confession, or processe of outlawrie. Howe can it bee reasonable (then) that anie Ordinarie by anie suspicion conceaved in his owne fantasie, without due accusation or present­ment, should putt anie subiect of the Realme, vnto anie infamie or slaunder of heresie, to the perill of life, or losse of goods, &c. Note also, that by this Statute 25. of King Henrie the eight, c. 19. no Canons, Constitutions, or Ordinances, [Page 108]may be put in vre within this Realme that are repugnant to the K. prerogatiue, or to the customes, lawes, or statutes of this Realme. So that, the lawes of the lande being against the othe ex officio, no canon or constitution can holde it in. I omit what theThe humble perit. to Q. Eliz. p. 25. 62. 67. out of Crompt. 182. Firz­harb de natur. bre. p. 41. Regist. p. [...]6. Ra­stal. pro. 5. learned of the Lawes haue collected of this poynt. proving that the lawe of the lande tendereth no othe but in causes Matrimoniall and Testamen­tarie onelie.

#Sect. 3. The violence of subscription iustly complayned off as most vniust.

SEcondly, Sect. 3. we complayne of the violence which is shewed vs in the emforcing of Subscription. litle lesse then that whichConcil. Chalcedō. act. 1. p. 68. Dioscorus afferred to the Bishops of his tyme. For though we fall downe before them and contest as they did then, noli per vestigia reverentiae vestrae, yet are we exclaymed vpon (as he cryed out on them) seditionem mihi mouetis, da commites. neither can we appease them, vnlesse for feare we subscribe, as they for feare subscribed to him. It will be the Lawe which here they will plead: which suppose it were with them, what vizard haue they gotten better then that of Vlpian, Caesar. Baron. an­nal. anno 225. Qui in libro quem scripsit de officio pro Con­sulis, cuncta qua valuit adversus Christianos statuta, collegit. quo se in eos ture agere non impetu animi demonstraret. Nowe this covereth not their violence, as long as we are able to replye withLactantius li. 5. c. 11. Lactantius, their constitutions together with the dispu­tations of those Lawyers that prostitute their helpe vnto them, are vniust. How­beit, what if the Lawe be (indeed) with vs, the violence which they offer against vs in this behalfe, be a violence offered against the very lawes them selues. For when the statuteStatut. 13 Eliza. c. 12 requireth subscription with this exception to The articles of re­ligion which [onely] concerne the confession of the true christian faith & the do­ctrine of the Sacraments, the word [only] must needes exclude somewhat, which what can it be but matter of ceremonie and of Church-governement. to which the honorable state of the Parliament would binde no man, because they sawe them controversed, not only by private men, but also by whole churches? Now it is not vnknowne that our Reverend Fathers require a subscription not only to Faith and Sacramentes, but also to the Discipline, communion booke, ceremo­nies and all things else, so imposing articles of their owne, which no subiect by the lawe is permitted to doe. I say of their owne notwithstanding the Canon. For seeing the statute lawe is against it, noStatut. 25 of H. 8. c. 19. canon, no constitution ecclesiasticall can make it good. Howsoever, seeing diverse Ministers haue been repelled, and deprived that offered to subscribe iuxta formam Statuti, so farre forth as the lawe of the lande doth binde them, it sufficiently appeareth we are denyed the bene­fite of lawe, and that a transcendent power aboue the lawe hath been claymed, whereby to wrong vs. And what wil be said to this, that if we were bound by the lawe to subscribe as they would haue vs, that then we must subscribe against the crosse in baptisme. For they will haue vs to subscribe vnto the bookes of Homi­lies which are established by act of Parliament, and to acknowledge no doctrine is contayned in them, but that which is sound and true, whereas we are able to prove plainly by the principles that are contayned partly in the homilie against the perill of Idolatrie, partly in the homilie for Whitsentyde which handleth baptisme, that no roome ought to be for the crosse in the service of God, or in the sacrament of Baptisme, as hath been shewed in seuerall places of this treatise. Thirdly, we complayne that we are put out from our benefices, which are free­holdes, by the bare and sole sentence of a Bishopp; whereas the libertie of an En­glish man is this, to be put from hisMagna Charta. c. 29. free-holde by none, but by the verdict of 12. men. And as we are wronged by the bare and sole sentence, so also by the meere [Page 109]will and sole pleasure of a Bishop. What lawe haue they else? For the Statute of Eliz. the 1. punisheth no bare omission with obstinacie and contempte of any one rubric of the service booke, especiallie in them who receaue the whole body of it, so farre foorth as a booke of mans framing may be receaued. to omit that the booke for which we are punished now is not that communion booke which the Statute of Eliza. doeth establish but a newe one, a diverse one, a different one. which when it was afferred to the most honorable Court of Parliament to be confirmed, it was refused, reiected, cast out and disannulled. Consider these thinges a while, and then aske of thy selfe, why doeth not a Crozier staffe ap­peare in the handes of a Bishopp, as well as the crosse in Baptisme: sith the laweOrdinat. minist. An­glican. ap. Bucer. ru­bric. vltim. in the book of orday­ning Mi­nist. p. 65. requireth the one aswell as the other? Is it because there is a meaning not to vse that gentle direction which the vpper ende betokeneth, but that rigour which the lower ende doeth signifie, according to the auncient verse,Durant d [...] rit li. 2. c. 9 sect. 40. curva trahit quos recta regit, pars vltima pungit. In Russia the bacculus pastoralis is cruciatus, whereof our Governours should not be ashamed, as longe as they loue so well as they doe the crosse in Baptisme But if they may spare them selues at their pleasure, though they spare not vs, yet (me thinkes) it can not but be hardly done of them to keepe the Staffe of this crozier still in their handes for a trunchion wherwith to strike and beate their fellowes. The birde in theAct. and monu pa. 374. parable of Iohannes de Rupe scissa is deplumed by those who first clothed her with her gay feathers, when in the pride of them shee began with her beake to punge and to teare with her ta­lants. If our Reverend Fathers cease not to punche vs, and to teare vs as they begin, it is the duetie of every true christian, Ezech. 3 [...].16. to giue the Lord no rest in his pray­er, vntill he remember his mercifull promise to iudge betweene the fatt & leane of his flocke. And this we trust he will doe in due time, against their expectati­on: who according to auncient hipocrisie, Isai 66.5. looke for a [blessing] from the Lord notwithstanding they thrust [out] as if the whole fault were in vs, who for such small matters as these, incurre our owne vndoeing. But this is to mocke both with God and with man: and that somewhat like toSocrat. histor. lib. 3. cap. 12. Iulian (if I be not decea­ued) who when he had impoverished the christians, laughed at them as at fooles, because they would impoverishe them selves to haue the blessing which their Maister giveth to the poore, Nowe who are we to be thus conformed vnto the first begotten of God, who are nowe in heaven? as now it is saide to vs, what great matter is it to make a crosse, to put on a Surplice: so was it saide of olde to them, what great matter is it to sweare n by Caesar? Nay we are herein confor­med to our Lord him selfe, for so it was saide to him, trueth, what is trueth? Iohn 18.38 Is that such a matter to be stood on? Is he wise that will cast away him selfe for trueth? And so much of the sinne of the ceremonies against the 8. commaund­ment.

The Slaunder of the Crosse. Chap. 9.

OVr ninth indictment against the ceremonies is the shame & de­famation, which they throwe vpon our church & vpon sundrie members of it, against the ninth cōmaundment. First, they de­fame our church before the papist, whose badges they are. For seeing they make vs like the spirituall Egipt Rome, Apoc. 11.8. as the foreskin vncircumcized, Iosu [...] 5.9. likened the Israelites to the earthlie, they must needes proue to be a shame of Rome to vs, as that was A shame of Aegipt to them: in regard whereof, wee must humbly beseech our Iosuahs to take them from vs.Ioh. Dru­sius in Pro­v [...]rb. Bo [...]. Sirae. Qui honorat contemnentes se, similis est A sino, saith the prouerbe of the Iewes, how base (then) doe the Ceremonies make vs, honouring the papist, by wearing his cognizance when he scorneth to communicat with vs, in the least of all our rites and Ceremonies? Secondly, these Ceremonies doe disgrace vs, before our bre­thren of the reformed churches. Is it not much, not to be able to hold vp the face before a brother? But now the Crosse disableth vs, to hold vp our crossed fore­heades, before our brethren of other churches, who write it amongst the markes of the beast.Sam. 1.22 Looke (then) with what shame the Armenian armie looked on their brethren, when they came home with faces marked with the enemiesMagde­burg. cen­tur. 7. col. 92. inke, and with no lesse doe we looke on them, because it is with the enimies crosse that we are blatched. Nemo est signandus in fronte (saith theCod. l. 9. [...]it. 47. c. 17 civill Lawe) quia non debet fa­cies hominis ad similitudinem Dei formata fadari. we call for the equitie of this Law. Be it that the crosse in intent be the signe of our Emperor: the forehead of a chri­stian man must not bee in baptisme defiled with any signe devised by man. but (alas) he is the signe of Antichrist our Emperours enimie, which none will deny but that it defileth, and that with the deepest stayne. From this dishonouring of our church before our friends and enimies, come we to the defamation where­with the Ceremonies staine the principall members of it: making the very aun­cient vile. Mal. [...].3. For hath not God (true of his threat) cast this dounge into the faces of the reuerent Fathers themselues of this Church, that abroad amongst them that dare to iudg, they are held little better then Adiaphoristes, and the persecu­tors of their brethren? Now the time was, when [...]lmar. har borough of faithful subiect [...]. one that after became a Bishop ioyned Adiaphoristes and Sattanistes together. the more is it to bee wished that euery good and godly Bishop would be carefull, to avoide that imputation of A­diaphorisme which the similitude (if not identitie) of these Ceremonies, pseudo­adiaphoricall will otherwise (at least in shew) still cast vpon them. But whether the ceremonies besprincle our reuerend Fathers or no, sure it is they ploūg the prea­chers ouer head and eares: who what haue they not heard for their sakes euen from them who were more bound to couer our faultes with their rotchets, thenTh [...]dor. histor. l. 1. [...]. 11. Constantine was to couer the adulterie of a Minister with his people. Sacerdotum exorbitationes vulgo innotessere non oportet (said he) the reason is giuen by a generall [Page 111]Councell,Chalcedo­nens. act. 3. p. 117. delicta sacerdotū communis est turpitudo. Now we haue against this rule without all cause bene termedAnsw to the petir. of the M. by the Vice Chaunt. and the doct. 10 pretat. Puritans and Donatistes: bene pinioned with Barrowistes, yea Anabaptistes: yea Familistes: bene accused of singularitie in our selaes, of schisme in the church, of sedition in the common wealth. The Lord rebuke thee Satan: yea, the God of heauen rebuke thee in these lewde slaundes. For, are we puritans (first of all?) No more then the Waldenses were, our predecessors in the fayth: who yet were termedLambert. Dane. he­res. 38. p. 96. Cathari of old: and are now surnamed puritans by the papistes. No more neither then Maister Rogers the proto Martyr, or Bishop Hooper that glorious Martyr were: who yet to this day areParsons in his con­vers. of Engl. renouned for the puritans of their times. Howbeit, it was after the sect of the Nouatians that they werd esteemed puritans: we after the secte,Genebrar. lib. 4 in An. 1100. of the Anabaptistes which are farre worse. And according to that ougly description of a puritan in the Quodlibets; one monster of which shape where will the author be able to finde out of the Vtopia of his owne brayne? And they were termed pu­ritans by their en imies, we by our brethren and our friendes; whom God for giue, for what haue they donne? First, whereas this odious name was first brought vp by theSaunders de monarc. Eccles. lib. 5. c. 4 Ge­nebrar. Chrono­log. lib. 4. An. 1 [...]60. papistes, of purpose to make our religion odious, as if it were the vomit of those dogges to spitt it malitiously into our faces: who as little haue deserued it as themselues. Secondly whereas our writers, to cleare our religion from the infamie of diuision, which the papistes doe obiect, averre and avouch, there is noD. Whi­tak in prae­fat. ag. W. Reynold. Matth. Sutcliu. in answ. to the humb. moti. for tollerat. sect of puritans in the land, and proue thisIoh. Rey­nold. de Idololat. in epist. ad Anglic-Se­minar. sect. 5. nick name doth but fill vp the old reproach of the christians termed Nazareni, Physici, Homousiani, Eu­stachiani, Machariani, with the like: these spare not to giue them the lye iustifying the vntrue slaunder of the Iesuites and the papistes: and little careing though it be our religion it selfe, that is thus wounded thorough our sydes. Thirdly, where as the papists count all to beConcerta­tio. Eccles. Catholic. in Anglia. concra-Caluino papistas. & puritanos. Caluino papistae, that is halfe papistes that are not pu­ritans: and dayly invite them to an association with them against the puritans: inHumble. mot. for tollerat. Cant. 5.7. consideration they can neuer hold out against them with out theire helpe, or stand in argument but vpon their groundes and principles, these are contented in giuing way to this nicke-name of puritans against vs: to giue way also to that other name or rather shame of Caluino-papistes or protestant papists against them selues. Fourthly whereas this nicke name of puritans serueth for a colour in epe­rie papistes & Atheistes mouth to rayle at religion and all honesty vnder neathe the name of puritanisme, whereby it is come to passe that zeale hath her vayle of holynes taken from her, and walketh at this day disguised (as it were) in an harlots habit, these notwithstanding keepe this vile name on foot, as if it were a small thing with them to see pietie, zeale, religion trodd vnder foote. Fiftly, whereas for the better nourishing of concord, it was thought fit in the beginingAdmonit. added to the booke of iniunce of Elizabethes raigne that none should vse the odious name of papist and pro­testant, but that euery man should be acknowledged to be a good subiect that did acknowledg her highnes Supremacie: they who vphold these names of pro­testants and puritans (names sauouring of debate and division more pernitious then the former) considering we acknowledge his Maiesties Supremacy as for forth as themselues, they are to be held by the affore said admointion, for distur­bers of publique peace. Sixtly as the Hugonotes were transformed in France by the fryars who made the people beleeue they were monstres with asses eares and swines faces with the like, so are we transformed from our selues before these who knowe vs not, when we are described as puritans, a sect most vile and monstrous. TheyEuseb. lib. 6 cap. 35. affected the name of puritans out of an opinion that they were pure. They called themseluesHieron. in Hos. c. 14. catharous idest mundos cùm sint omniū immun­dissimi. Cathari sunt (sayth Augustine) qui seipsos isto nomine quasi propter mundi­tiem August. hercs. 38. [Page 112] superbissimè, atque odiosissimè nominant. Decipiebant seipsos cathari haeretici, (saithTholossan li. 13. de republ. c. 1. another) qui haberi volebant alijs sanctiores, despicientes alios: quique propter munditiem, catharos se nominabant: gloriantes de suis meritis. In regard hereof we turne our selues first to the papist (the first deviser of this name) giving him to vnderstand, that he is (indeed) the right puritane him self, in that he holdeth his church to be pure,Decret. p. 1 distinct. 21 c. 3. non habens maculam, neque rugam, nec aliquid huiusmodi: and thinketh he canBellarmin. l. 4. de Ec­cles. milit. perfectly keepe the lawe and beBellaromin. de iustifi­cat li. 4. ca. 10. &c. pure from sinning against it: and trusteth (lastly) in his merites Next we turne our selues vnto our Opposites: whom we put in minde, to followe the steppes of those who are famous in the Gospel: who turne thisTho. Morton apolog p. a. l. 1. c. 29. nicke-name of puritanes vpon the papistes who deserue it. But if any beso malitious as to turne it vpon vs, we wishe him to appease his malice, to consider with him selfe and duly meditate both what an odious name it is that he doth giue vs, & what an odious malice it is for any to giue it, to them (especially) who least deserue it. To be a puritane is to be a newe Pharisie inRibera in Hebreos. c. 6. Num. 11. Na­zianzenes iudgement. To be one of the puritanes, is to be one of the heretiques calledTho. Morron apolo. p. 1. li. 2. cap. 20. Essei, who were so called quasi [...] id est sancti. Yea, it is to be one of the A­nabaptistes, who thinke they liue an holy, perfect, and Apostolicall life. None butAugust. de heres. c. 46. Manichees will call them selues puritanes. who haue affected this name of pu­ritie, since the dayes of Novatus, saue only they? And will any man haue the con­science to call vs Pharisies, Esses, Manichees? if they wil, we must not think much to be as our Maister was, howbeit, we contest in the meane season the God of heaven, even the good God of heauen knoweth, and all Israell knoweth, yea our very adversaries I am perswaded, and our accusers, euen they them selues, they knowe the contrarie. In the third place, we beseech our Governours, to renewe amongst vs, Gen. 1.19. if not the state of innocencie when every name was according to na­ture, yet the estate of that happy government which doth provide that the name of every man be answerable to his desert: Isai 32.5. Isai 33.15. so that neque flagitioso amplius induatur nomen ingenui, neque tenax dicatur liberalis. which then will be done, when infor­mations of things manifest be iudged by knowledge, and not by the hearing of the eare: and suggestions of things secret by those our demeanours which are manifest: according to the auncient rule,Tertul. A­pologer. c. 3. iustius est occulta de manifestis preiudica­re, quam manifesta de occultis praedamnare. In the fourth place, we beseech our bre­thren, who are opposed against vs puritanes, as Calvino-papistes or halfe papistes, and who are dayly called vpon to associate with the papistes them selues against vs, that they would bethink them selues whether some thing hath not ben done by them which is not well, seeing they please the papistes so well in this their Op­position to vs, even asHiper. de sacr. stud. p. 106. Photion was wont alwayes to be ielouse of him selfe when he sawe he had pleased the people: and Antistines ever suspected ne quid impru­dens mali fecisset quando placuisset malis. Placui noverca? saith Hippolitus. What haue ye pleased Rome (my brethren) the step-mother of all pietie? Et haec sponsi iniuria est expectare placituram. this cannot be done without iniurie to your husband Ie­sus Christ, that his corrivall should looke for loue or liking from you. Pereat. Caesar. Ba­ron. An­nal. in an. 304. cor­pus (said this holy Martyr Agnes) quod amari potest occulis quibus nolo. Away with these cercmonies (say you) which are beloued of their hartes which we would not should loue them. Last of all, of our brethren in Christ, which are of the Laytie, we hartily craue, that now at the last they would take knowledge of our innocencie, and wisely consider whether papistes be so vnwise, as either to loue them best who doe helpe them least, or to hate vs most who do them least hurt, If you can evict vs of puritanisme, spare vs not: if you cannot, then remember what the auncient Christians pleaded,Tertul in Apologet. ca. 7. in Ibid. c. 8 aut eruite si creditis, aut nolite credere qui non cruistis. Shall it suffice, that by this name you oftē heare vs inveighed against: answer you your selues, m famae nemo credit nisi inconsideratus: quia sa piens non credit [Page 113]incerto. What that the contumelie of a nicke name is amongest all other reports, the most vnworthie to be beleeued, euen as the same our Fathers contested,Ibid. c. 3. no­men expugnatur, vox sola predamnat: quia nominamur, non quta reuincimur. But if other nicke-names were worthie of some credit, yet not this which vseth to reporte well of vs euen while it doeth slaunder vs: for thus runneth the com­mon saying, he were an honest man, it he were not a puritane. as once the nick­name of the Christians spake, Bonus vir Caius Saius, sed malus tantum quod Christianus: tanti non est bonum esse quanti est odium Christianorum.

#Sect. 2. Seekers of Reformation, neither Donatistes, nor Anabaptistes, with neither of whom they haue any thing to doe.

THE seconde slaunder of the ceremonies accuseth vs for Donatistes, Sect. 2. whom the Anabaptistes revive. with either of whom what haue we to doe? For besides that we make no seperation, as they did then, & these do nowe, we are as farre both from their iudgement and from their practize as our accusers. This (then) is the same slaunder, that the ceremonistes ofDauid Chytre. in praefect. Chroni [...]. Boheme raysed against their sincere & faith full brethren that would not conforme▪ for euen so they brought vpon them, that they were Donaristes▪ whereof they easilie cleared them sel­ues, as soone as they came to hearing. Nowe the first position of the Donatistes was, That the Church is pure without spott and without wrinckle in this life: and whereas Christian Churches tollerated infamous men, advaunced also one Caecilian accused of relapse, they helde it their duetie to seperate from them, as being no true churches.

I see here a perfect image of the Brownistes and of the Anabaptistes, but not so much as any liniament of any English Protestant Preacher that is desirous of re­formation. And in our vnderstanding, our accusers drawe more neare to this er­rour then we doe. For whereas Doctor Whitguift accuseth Maister Cartwright for an Anabaptist, in that he helde the Church might be perfect for the outward cōstitution of Discipline in poyntes essentiall, me thinkes he taketh them by the nose who holde that the Church of Englande is so pure, so perfect, as that no­thing, nothing at all needes to be reformed in it. Secondly, The Donatistes held, the Magistrate might not compell to Godlynes, nor punishe hereticques: and because they were punished themselues by the Lawe of Arcadius and Theodo­sius, therefore they barked at the Magistrate, (the holy ordinance of the Lorde) tanquam semper Ecclesiae Lupi, & pestes Magistratus essent. Of this we are guiltie (as Christ was guiltie of denying Caesars tribute: it being a meereBexa a [...] Saravia [...]. calumniation to affirme, that we doe Principi omnia adimere, because we doe not omnia tribuere, to witt that vnlimited and Pope-like power which doeth not binde him to the rules which God in his holy worde prescribeth in the ordering of the ceremo­nies of the Church. What, must Bellarmine nowe at last be iustified,Bellarmin. de notis ec­cles. l. 4 c. 7 iam re ipsa Calvinistis in Anglia mulier quaedam summum Pontificem agit? or that speach of Constantius, Athanas. ad vitam solitar. de gent. At quod ego volo, pro Canone sit, ita me loquentem Syriae Episcopi sustinent. Aut ergo obtemperate aut exules estote. Which ourD. Bilson cont. Apol. p. Opposites them­selues condemne. Shall we suppe vpp the errour which Hart Ioh Rey­nold. con­fer ca. vn. p. 589. him selfe retrac­ted, or returne to Gardeners vomitt,Ioh. Caluin in Amoi c. 7. potestas est penes Regem vt statuat pro suo ar­bitrio quidquid voluerit. whom King Henrie the eight him selfe reprooved and checked for his flatterie? Shall we make our religion parliamentarie (as theD. Hill. quartron of Reasons. pa­pistes obiecte? Or subscribe to that flaunder,Allen. in Apo­log. of Engl. Catholiq. cap. 4. sect. 6. Absolute power is asscribed to the Polus Cardinal. de vnitat eccles. l. 4. [Page 114] [...] [Page 115] [...] [Page 114] Parliament, so that nothing there determined must be counted error or schisme, what order, decree, sentence, constitution, or lawe soever be to the contrarie, ho­ly Scriptures them selves not excepted? If we be blamed for not giving this po­wer to the King, then blame theAmbros. epist. 33. ad foror A­thanas. vb. sup. Hilar. cont. Con­stant. de­funct Gre­gor. lib. 9. epist. 41. Fathers, and all our lāteNowell. in reproofe of Dorman Ioh. Rey­nold. con­fer. c. 10. P. Iun. cōtro­vers. 3. lib. 4. c. 16.17 Writers, one of whom because he is both learned and revered, I cannot omitt; over the Word and Sacramentes (D Bils. cont. Apo­lo. p. 2.235 saith he) we graunt Princes no power. Againe,Ibid. pag. 237. Princes haue no imperiall right over divine things, to alter and abrogate what they think good: which is lawfull for neither men nor Angells. Againe,Ibid pag. 298. Dominion, po­wer and maiestie belonge as right to God alone, and are by him imparted to Princes to the end they should raigne vnder him not over him: commaund for him not against him: be honoured and obeyed after him not before him. Do­natistes then we cannot be for denying the absolute power of the Prince in mat­ters of Gods service: or for tying him to the holy Worde of God without the companie of the Godly. But nowe this absolute power excepted, who giveth a­nie thing to the Magistrate which we doe not? The admonition of the iniuncti­ons acknowledgeth him for a good subiect that will acknowledge the Princes Supremacie, which we most willing lie both acknowledge and performe, accor­ding to the statuteStatut. 1. Eliza. ca. 11 & 13. c 12 made in that behalfe. as also we giue to the King the authori­tie which the booke ofArticl. ann 1562. articles doth. we say withAugust. epist 166. Augustine, It is Christ him self that commaundeth in Princes when they commaund that which is good: when otherwise, we agree withGregor. l. 9. epist. 41 Gregorie, & beare it with silēce, so long as we may with­out sinne on our partes. and last of all, in matters indifferent, we submit both our bodyes and goods vnto him, and all saue our consciences, which is all, that some of ourMat Sut­cliu de Pontific. li 4. ca. 6 pa. 338. Opposites them selues require. But we hold that Princes must licke the dust of the churches feet, and be subiect to our Consistories. This latter clause, as it is not found in our writings, so is it farre from our hartes. The former is taken out of Isaiah, and that we affirme in ourD Bils vb. sup. pag. 2. pag 224. & pag. 3. pag. 64. Psal. 7. title. Psal. 52. adversaries sense: of a spirituall not tem­porall submission: voluntarie not coacted: of soule not of body: to the ministe­rie not to the Minister. or if our accusers them selues can frame any other inter­pretation more commodious, we will subscribe to it. Not so, for we hold the El­dershippe hath power to depose a Prince. In deed I heare that some Shimeis haue so given forth to incense the power against vs: for whose curse (also) we trust the Lord will blesse vs the sooner, and looke downe on our affliction: Neuer was a church more impudent, a Doeg more virulent, never an Onager that euer had an hart of more lead, a mouth of more iron, a forehead of more brasse thē they that so speake. who if they should be put to their proofes, must make that sluttishe shift againe which one of theirD. Cou­sins answ. to the Ab­stract. p. 28 fellowes was once driuen to, when to proue the Puritans held, the people may resist the Prince that hindreth the presbyterie, hee was faine to cite Franciscus Iunius in steed of Stephanus Iunius. or if they cite any man truly of any forraine part whatsoeuer, wee protest against him truly, Wee knowe him not. And as for our selues, name one amongst vs, that doth clayme more power ouer Princes, then that which the Bishops themselues doe clayme and challeng to themselues. whose wordes are these:D. Bis. v [...] sup. pag 301.342. Princes touching the re­giment of their owne persons & liues owe the very same reuerence and obedi­ence to the Word & Sacraments that euery priuat man doth. And if any Prince would bee Baptized, or approach to the Lords Table, with manifest shewe of vnbeliefe, or irrepentance, the Minister is bounde freely to speake: and rather to lay downe his life at the Princes feete, then to admit him. And they makeIdem. pa. 3. pag. 65. good the wordes of Nazianzen to the Emperour, The Law of Christ hath com­mitted you to my power and to my pulpit, for wee rule also: and that with the more excellent & perfect gouernment, you are a sheepe of my fold, & a weanling [Page 115]of the great shepheard. when they iustifie the fact of Ambrose excommunicating Theodosius out of the c Homilie, and driue vs to subscribe vnto it, they subiect the K. more then we subiect him. that which they doe in other matters also. what meaneth els theSee Potit. to her Ma­iestie, p [...] [...] licence which the Prince must haue in some cases vnder the Arch BB. hand and seale? what meaneth els their tying of him to theD. Bilson vb sup p. 2 p 33 [...]. Canons of the church, as well as to the word of God? what meaneth els the newe tenent, That Bishoplike autho. over their brethrē, is not from the Prince or at his pleasure, as heretofore it hath benIewell taught, but euen iure divino, which Q. Elizabeth would neuer endure? Last of all, what meaneth else the newe position, that the Prince hath noAdmonit. ag. Mar [...] in Marprel at p. 252. power to dispose of the temporalities of the church, by alienating them to an vse profitable. which crosseth quite the auncient divinitie of Saint Am­brose, Si agros Ecclesiae desiderat Imperator, potestatem habet vendicandorum: Amb [...]os. cont Aur­entium tollat eos si libitum est. Imperatori non dono, sed non nogo: which wordes theDecret. p. 1 caus. 11 q. 1 c 17. Canon it selfe accepteth. and the latter divinitie of Ihon Wiclife, VValsin­gam hist. in Rich. 2. Licet Regibus auferre tem­poralia viris Ecclesiasticis ipsis abutentibus habitualiter. yea and the policie of the EmperourCatalog. testi. verit. in Freder 2 Frederic also, auferamus illis nocentes Divitias, hoc enim facere, est opus charitatis. Thirdly, the Donatistes seperated from their communion, all that were not of their opinion, euen in the least poyntes. TheAugustin. haeres 6 9. Lambert. Dane. [...]bid. Circumcellians also amongst them thought it good service done to God, to offer all violence to all that were not on their side in the fieldes, in the high wayes, and in every other place where soeuer they met them. Here let a man lay his hande vpon his heart, & aske of him selfe who are they who in these dayes deprive, imprison, excommunicate, euen their fellowe-labourers them selues in the Gospell, when they will not in euerie trifle condescende to their opinion, and he will easilie see and perceaue, that Donatisme dwelleth not on our side of the streete. If not Donatisme, then not Anabaptistrie, and Brownisme neither. What we thinke of the subiectes dutie (sayeth Maister Beza) to the Magistrate, you shall farre more certainly learne by our doctrine, then by their slaunders, which are not ashamed to ioyne vs with the franticke Anabaptistes, subverting the Magistrates authoritie. The very same saye we nowe in the verie same cause. for Mr Beza is one of vs. so that when ourD. Bils vb. sub. p. 3. p. 268. Opposites iustifie these wordes of his for true and righteous, therein they cleare vs together with him from this most odious imputation. As for those of the se­peration, who haue confuted them more then we? or who haue written more against them? Some things of trueth they holde, with which we thinke it no more sinne for vs nowe to agree, then Cyprian once to agree with Novatianus, in that which he esteemed right.Cypri. Quid est quia hoc facit Novatianus vt nos non pute­mus faciendum? Augustine thought it no sinne in some things to be nearer to the Pagans then the Manichees were, who thought they had gotten a great advan­tage against him, as our Opposites nowe thinke they haue great advantage on vs in that we are nearer to the Brownistes then them selues. Heare our Apologie our of him,Augustin. cont Faust Manich. li. 20. c. 10. Si propterea vos putatis. &c. If you thinke yourselues to haue the truth, be­cause you are farther of from the errour of the Paganes, vs to be in errour because we are more distant from you then from the Paganes, then let a dead man be saide to be whole, because nowe he is not sicke: and lett a whole man be therefore reprehended, because hee commeth nearer to the sicke, then the dead man doeth. Or if the most part of the Pagans must bee reckoned not as sicke men but as dead men, then lett the ashes in the graue be praysed because nowe they haue not the forme of a carcase: and let the members of the living be blamed, because for the forme which they retayne they are more like vnto a car­case then are the ashes which haue not his forme & shape. Howbeit wear not ig­norant, that the Brownists & we are iumbled together, and reported to be one in their errors themselues: so that al their excesses whatsoeuer, are imputed vnto vs. [Page 114] [...] [Page 115] [...] [Page 116]Let not any man thinke this straunge; let every man rather herein acknowledge the old cunning and the subtiltie of the serpent. So whatsoeuer sturre or sedition was moued by the vnbeleeuing Iewes, it was imputed to the Iewes that were s Christians, who were thought to be all one with them. So the impuritie of theCaesar Ba­ron. Anal. in An. 201 Gnostickes was drawne to the defamatiō of all other christians, no difference be­ing made betweene them. So whereas the Aegyptians wereIdem ex Vopisco. An. 283. viri ventosi. furi­bundi, iactantes, vani, liberi, novarum rerum cuptentes, the Christians and all, that are there dwelling, are thought to be the very same. euen as the narratiō addeth, Christiani sunt & Samaritae & quibus presentia semper tempora cum enormi libertate displiciunt. Out of these last wordes, it is easie for any to see, that our reproach is not an vpstart, or an yesterdayes byrth, which giveth forth that all is an humour in vs, which will neuer be contented with the state of present things, or be subiect to order of Lawes, we are so wayward, so given to contradiction, men of so vn­quiet a spirit, so malcontented, so contemptuous also against authoritie, and desi­rous to liue at libertie: whereof if the Aegyptians be guilty, therefore must we Christians also? Last of all, I may well compare some of vnbridled spirit, to the Flaccians, whose intemperate furie madeAmand. Polan in Dan. ca. 9. Ernestus to deale the more hardly with the Protestantes, out of a feare they were all of the same spirit, and would in the ende procure like mischiefe.

#Sect. 3. Defence of the Ministers against the imputation of schisme, shewing what schisme is.

THE third slaunder of the ceremonies, putteth in a bill of schisme against vs: to which we answer. First, this slaunder is directly against the admonition added to the iniunctions, which forbiddeth to call any man a schismatique that acknowledgeth the Supremacie of the Prince, and liveth vnderneath the obedi­ence of it, as all the world knoweth we doe. Secondly; there is no schisme pro­perly where there is no seperation, Schismaticus facit communionis dirupta societas (saithAugustin. questionū Evangel. secund. Mat. q. 11 Augustine) Schisma ab Ecclesia seperat, Hieron. in epist. ad Tit. c. 3. saieth Hierome. Schismatici sunt (saithAugust. de vera relig. ca. 5. Augustine againe) ijsdem vtentes Sacramentis, ac dissentientes opinionibus & se­or sim celebrantes conventus. Schismaticus est qui à communione seipsum suspendit, & col­lectam facit, & altare constituit saith theDecrer. p. 2. caus. 23. q. 5. ca 42. Councell of Chalcedon. Cyprian helde re­baptization an opinion more erronious then is any to vs imputed, yet never was he counted an heretique or a schismatique. Wherefore? because he then as we now (if error be with vs)August. e­pi. 48. Idē de baptis. con. Dona­tist. l. 1. c. 28. nauum illum candidissimi pectoris cooperuit vbere charita­tis & se ab Ecclesiae vnitate nunquam seperavit. But you want this loue will our Op­posites say, therefore ye are schismatiques, although in regard of outward com­munion you make no vtter separation. There is the churches vnitie, which who so breaketh, he is a schismatique. and there is the Churches peace, this who so breaketh, he is properly seditious. a schismatique sometimes he is called, but thorough improper and larger sense. In which St Augustine speaketh when he maketh a difference betweene those that separate & those that remayning in the vnitie of the church,Gratian. decret. p. 2 caus. 24. q. 3. c. 8. inter se dissentiunt, pro vt Corinthij faciebant: ad quos Paulus scribens epistola prima, carnales eos vocat, quia dicerent ego sum Pauli, ego vero Apollo. which is schisina longe diversa ab illo de quo referi Apostolus Iuda qui segregant semet­ipses, animales, spiritum non habentes. Of this schisme, I would our Opposites were as well able to cleare them selues, as we are able. who runne within that censure of Augustine, Andreas Hiper. de sacr. stud. non dese­rend. p. 76 Quicunque invident bonis vt quarant occasiones excludendi eos, aut degradandi, vel crimina sua sic defendere parati sunt, si abiecta vel prodita fuerint vt eti­am cōventiculorum segregationes vel ecclesiae perturbationes cogitent excitare, iam schis­matici sunt, & ab vnitate corde discissi etiam si non inventis occasionibus, aut occultatis [Page 117]factis suis sacamento Ecclesiae corporali conversatione socientur. Besides this abuse of their authoritie, their authoritie it selfe is such, as wil divide & rent the church, as is to be seene with eyes this day.Rolloc. in Ephes 4. ver. 11. Dicunt Episcopū praesbyterio praefectum, removēdi fchismatis causa, sed (vt de contraria experientia nihil dicam) quid ad hoc respondet Gre­gorius Nazianzenus in oratione ad Maximū: Vtinam (inquit) nulla esser Throni preroga­tina nunc autem dextrum hoc latus, & sinistrum, & medium, superior & inferior sedes, & illa praeeundi, vel eodem gradu incedendi, invecta consuetudo; nos in multas partes confregerunt. Pardon me if I relate the wordes of another in some things against vs, though I doe not apply them,Alexand. Ales in pr [...] em. leiturg. Anglic. videat aliquis eosqui pastores gregis, & Episcopi populi esse debebant, vbi studium doctrinae apud eos? vbi legum, vel pietatis verae, vel pro­priorum potius, & ipsorum custodia? & quid iam inter horum, & tyrannica veterū im­speria distant? an minus ardent regni cupiditate? aut remissins expetunt splendorem di­vitiarum? aut clementius dominantur? As I said before, I would not apply this, so is it not needfull to be applyed. Suppose the inclemencie of the present Bishops that be over vs, be different from that which was of old, distract the Church it doeth: and we haue read,Ennodiu [...] lib defens. Simach. non interest quibus itineribus ad mundi Principem cur­rat, qui à sancta vntiate discordat. and the courses they runne, breed much sighing in the church, and pingues hostias litat diabolo qui contristat ecclesiam. and they keep in the very make-bates of the church, which Sathan in these dayes hath raysed to loose the coniunction of it. and nimis armatus est qui illa quae adversarius concordiae, ministrat, tela contemnit.

#Sect. 4. Defence of the Ministers against the imputation of sedition and faction.

THE fourth slaunder of the ceremonies araygneth vs for sedition and facti­on, and that well neare with Hamans wordes, There is a people scattered over the Provinces, that are diverse from others. they keepe not the Kings lawes: Hester 3.8 it is not for the kings profitt to suffer them. First we breake no lawfull lawe: we re­ceaue the Communion booke in what we may; and in omitting of the ceremo­nies, we doe in equitie keepe the lawe, because of the ende which is to edifie. Se­condly, suppose the Lawe hath no actiue obedience from vs, as longe as it hath our passiue we performe subiection, as one of ourD Bilson cont. Apo­log. p. 2. p. 349. Reverend Bishopps writeth, Suffering is as sure a signe of subiection as obeying. so another,Mat. Sut­cli de Pontisic. l. 4 c. 6. p. 338. subiecteth bodyes and goods onely in thinges indifferent, which in all patience we laye downe at our Princes feet. Conscientia non est subditae cuipiam legi, nisi quatenus ex lege divina prae­cipit: bona autem & corpora quatenus praeter legem Dei quae ad decorem & ordinem in Ecclesia ab ea legittime praecipiuntur. Thirdly, if we shewe our selues no subiectes for breaking the ceremonies, then our accusers much more who breake more profitable Canons then these: as the canon ofThe rubri. next the cō sien [...]at In­struct art. 44. Catechizing their Parishes. TheCa [...]on E­piscopal. p. 14. 16. Canon of examining all men of all sortes. TheRubric. before the cō munion. Iniunct. art. 21. Canon that debarreth from the Communion all notorious offenders. TheIniunct. art 20. Canon that commaundeth to keepe holy the Sabbothes, by visiting the sicke, and reconciling of enimies at leasure tymes. TheCanon E­piscopal. p. 19. Canon that prescribeth admonishing of Parishioners pri­vatly, both by the Ministers and by the Church-wardens. TheIniunct. artic. 11. Canon that al­lotteth to the poore the 40th part of Nonresidentes livings. TheIbidem artic. 12. Canon that sepe­rateth foure pound yearely out of every living that is worth an hundred pound, for the maintenance of a poore scholler at one of the Vniversities. TheIbid. art. 3.4. Canon that requireth twelue Sermons everie yeare in every Parish church of England, Wales, and Irlande. TheCanon Episcopal. p. 5. Canon that forbiddeth the graunting of advousions. TheCanon. Episcopal. p. 25. Canon that saith, Pluralities and Nonresidences are res in se foeda, in vulgus [Page 118]odiosa, & Ecclesiae Dei pernitiosa. theIniunct. art. 34.35. Canon that enioyneth, that all superstitious pictures and payntinges in walles or glasse-windowes should be abolished out of Churches and houses. In all these things, good and profitable and well com­maunded seeing our accusers fayle of performance, who yet holde them selues good subiectes, they are voyde of all reason to sound so loude the blast of faction and disobedience against vs, who swerue in a fewe tryfles onely not needfull not profitable: and (as we take it) not well commaunded. Fourthly, we appeale to the common carryage of our liues, to the loyaltie of the parishes in which we la­bour to the effectes of our ministerie, to which the Apostle Paule appealed: yea our very Lord him selfe when they were burthened with this slaunder, a slaun­der that hath pursued the professors of the truth from time to time without any ceasing. Athanasius called in his time propugnaculum veritatis, could not enioy his innocencie long in Constantius his court, by reason he had informers against him, that he was a Socra. l. 1 c. 13. So­xom l. 6. c. 5. Niceph. l. 9. c. 29. pestilent man, a sower of discord betweene Constance and the Empe­rour his brother. one that troubleth the Church: yea set whole Aegypt & whole Lybbi in a combustion. But our Soveraigne (whom the Lord preserue) is not a Constantius to beleeue any thing that is vntrue: no, we compare him with Con­stantinus, who the better he was, the more readie to thinke well of their informa­tions who were in place to be beleeued, till Athanasius lost his fauour and his cre­dit euen with him also.Epiphan. heres 68. habebat enim divinum zelum beatus ille, non tamen novit quod sycophantae essent propter aemulationem, &c. euenTheodoret histor. l. 2. c. 11. he that burned the libelles which were offerred against Bishopps, yet burned not the libell which was pre­sented against Athanasius to him, because they were Bishopps that presented it, whom he trusted preposterously. And by such wasD. Bilson cont. Apo­log. p. 2. p. 220. Chrysostome also defamed before Arcadius, and that in such sorte that whosoeuer petitioned for him, was reproched as a troubler of the Empire: and the more that he was sued for, the further was he sent in exile, and newe edictes were sent forth against all those that tooke part with him, or bore him fauour. For the preventing of a like mischiefe now, let it be considered what Iulian him selfe said once, Quis erit innocens si ac­cusasse sufficiat? For there will be accusers alwayes, as long as the Maxime liveth which one gaue once in Alexanders Court, fortiter calumniare. nam etsi vnlnus cu­retur, cicatrix tamen remanebit. Be there no moe captaines (think ye) to lay to the charge of Paule that he is the Aegyptian? thinke not, why should these reportes be given of vs vnlesse they were true? for there was no reason in the world, why Paule should be thought to be the Aegyptian: Act. 2.38. it must be considered, invidia lo­quitur non quod est, sed quod subest, as Seneca telleth vs. As (therefore) we desired before, so doe we still, let our Carriage be remembred: of which we may say (as said the olde Christians once, we are defamed concerning the Emperours Maie­stie, but never yet Albinians, Nigrians, nor Cassians, Albinus Niger, and Tertullian ad Scapul. Cassius be­ing rebelles in those times) could be found to be christians. Thus much to this slaunder in grosse. Now to the particuler braunches of it. The first of which is obstinacie. wherein we haue the olde Christians for our fellowes, who because they would not yeeld to the willes of their superiours in matters of Religion, had this proverbe passed vpon them,Caesar Ba­ron. Annal nihil obstinatius Christiano. we haue Chrysostome partaking with vs in this slaunder aboue all others. Severianus then saying of him as our accusers speake of vs,Tripartit. histor. l. 10 c. 13. Et si nullo alio vituperandus Iohannes est, eius tamen su­perbiae crimen est ad damnationem sufficiens. Now one maketh an apologie for him which cleareth vs,Suidas in Chrysost. We must not thinke that he who refuseth to flatter, is by an by proud: nor on the other side, that he who yeeldeth out of a base and flattering spirit, is by and by moderate. but that he is moderate rather who keepeth him selfe with­in a fit and a free course. For it beseemeth to be magnanimus, and yet not proud: manly, and yet not rash: milde, and yet not basely, servile: free (lastly) and not a [Page 119]slaue. The second slaunder is that we are singuler. But wherfore singuler? others conforme but wee wil not. so the Proconsull said once to Pionius Caesar Ba­ion. Annal ann. 254. caeteri immola­runt. to whom he answered for all that: ego Proconsul non immolo. But they are the whole church that haue cōformed besides your selues? and all the Bishops of Asia subscribed when time was against the councel of Chalcedon vpon the letters of the Emperour who would haue them so to doe: who yet afterward came and ac­knowledgedEvagr. hi­stor. l. 3. c. 9 nos, non nostra voluntate, sed necessitate adducti subscripsimus: non animo sed verbis duntaxat consensimus. what if the whole world did conforme against vs? we might answere (notwithstanding) with Liberius, hoc orbis terrarum comprobanit (said the Emperour to him) quota tu pars es orbis terrarum, qui pacem orbis dissol­nis? He replyed,Theodor. histor. lib. 3. cap. 16. non diminuitur solitudine mea verbum fidei: sicolim tres pueri tan­tum in venti sunt, qui regis edicto non parerent. Howbeit (the Lord be blessed) wee may turne the scaffold & aske of our Opposites, howe great a part they be of the church, who in these ceremonies controversed, seperat themselues from the rest that are called in the world? As Basil once touching singing, that may wee say nowe,Basil epist 66. ad cle­ric. Eccles. Neocaesari. ad id vero quo accusamur, & qua re potissimum simpliciores perterraefaciunt, qui nos traducunt, hoc habeo quod dicam: the course I take omnibus Ecclesijs Dei concors est & consona. Tertullian thinketh it no small argument, that hee hath on his side the agrement of the churches:Tertul. in lib de pre­scrip. ad­vers. heres. ecquid verisimile est vt tot ac tantae Eeclesiae errarint. nullus inter multos eventus vnus, exitus variasse debuerat ordinem doctrinae Ecclesiarum caeterum quod apud multos vnum invenitur non est erratum: I graunt hee speaketh of vnitie in doctrine, but the argument holdeth more strongly in the ceremonies, be­cause the conveniencie of them varying according to circumstances of time and place, it is (indeed) admirable that so many churches should leaue and abolishe them, without finding any one inconvenience arising from their abolition. But what if our church haue more learned men within it, then all the rest of the chur­ches haue. It becommeth me to say no more, but I would it had. In the meane season the men of Hamborough put this answere in my mouth,Hamburg epist. ad Philip. Me­lancthen. ipse sibi habeat suae eruditionis laudem Islebius, relinquat nobis simplicitatem nostrae innocentiae, & vt sequa­mur sacrae scripture & Orthodoxae Ecclesiae iudicium, quae Adiaphora libera pronuntiat, quae bis vult Ecclesiam aedificari non destrui, scandalis mederi non ea suscitari, superstiti­onem & corruptelas & impietates Ecclesia excludi non introduci. The third slaunder bewrayeth it own venime: For when it giueth forth, the puritans are worse then pa­pistes, & more daungerous to be tollerated in a common wealth then they, what faith it else but that Christ Iesus is worse then Barrabas, and more daungerous to the state. why speaketh it not out, like theW. Giffoe, in Caluino Turcisin. Frogges of the Dragons mouth, the Protestants are worse them Turkes? for these false puritanes are true protestants, and they that be but as bad as papistes be in some sort as bad as Turkes, or elseMath. Sut­cli. in Turk papism. our writers erre Howbeit we see herein wee are not better then our Fathers: so the Christians were countedCaesar Ba­ron. Annal ann 100. omnium scelestissimi. quam obrem summa pietas, summa (que) visa est esse religio, hos vrgere vexare, ac penitus profligare. they were counted also so daungerous to the state, as that their very meetings together were forbidden vpon most seuere punishment. All theIdem. an­no. 170. publique evils also were thrown on then backes; it was neuer well since they began, it neuer will bee well vntill they bee rooted out. So the Arrian Bishops perswaded Valens that the Orthodox Christl­ans were worse then pagans: whereupon heTheodor. histor. lib. 5. cap. 20. cum cunctis alijs quam delegissent re­ligionem eiusque cultum permisserit cum solis propug natoribus dogmatum Apostolicorum, bellare nunquam cessauit. So now in Rome the Iewes are counted beter then Prote­stants: so that the Iewes haue tolleration when true Christians are put to the fire. So inIo. Bodin de republ. Genebrard Chron. an­no. 1560. Frankford the (exiled Caluinistes (are worste of all others, Papistes, Lu­therans, deserue to be tollerated, they must be thrust out. But the fittest for our turne is the diuision of Boheme. the Hussites there that were conformed Pontificijs in [Page 120]suis ritibus esteemed better of the papists then of their sincere brethrē called the Waldenses & Picardi in despite: for these because they were ab vtrisque seiuncti in their ceremonies and their rites, Dauid Chytre. in praelect. Chronit. therefore they were helde velut n Catharmata & peripsemata. here may men see (as in a glasse) the true picture of a false puritane: against whom not Ephraim onely but Iudah also bande them selues without all cause or merite.

#Sect. 5. Seekers of Reformation no Newfangelistes, no haters of Antiquitie, nor delighters in Noveltie. &c.

THE fift slaunder of the ceremonies is, that we are Newfanglistes, hating antiquitie and delighting in noveltie: and through a certaine giddines of head, seeking after innovations. First let the fountaine of this slaunder be consi­dered, for it sloweth both from papisme and from Adiaphorisme also. among the papistes we haueConcil. Tridentin. fession. 7. can. 13. cōdemned by the Councell of Trent, all those that shall thinke any auncient rite of any Sacrament may be omitted without damnable sinne. And as for the Sacrament of Baptisme in particular, they are novatores, that is newfanglistes (inBellar. de baptism. c. 24. Bellarmines iudgement) that shall now thrust out any rite, that hath been aunciently vsed therein. This he cryeth with open mouth against all the protestant churches for dashing our the Oyle and Spitle with the rest.Mart. Art. 5. see Calfh Ibid tol. 119. Mar­tial more particularly reveleth at vs about the crosse: which in case it be disvsed, all antiquitie is disauthorized in his iudgement. Among the AdiaphoristesHarman. Hamelmā. de tradit. apendic. ad p. 1. col. 499. Cas­sander contesteth all Antiquitie is defaced, f the Fonts consecration, with the oyle and with the crosse be left. why will our brethren take a shafte out of the quiuer of these men, to throwe it at their fellowes, which cānot hurt but by the venime wherewith the enimie him selfe hath dressed it? For the ground of these our ac­cusers must be the same with Bellarmines, as longe as the new-fanglistes cannot prove our baptisme rites to beBellamin. quosup. contra sacras literas, it shall suffice si adferamus testi­monia antiquitatis. Secondly, we plead it is neither levitie nor noveltie, nor con­tempt of antiquitie for which we disvse & forbeare the ceremonies, but we haue other causes iustifiable, which induce vs to that we doe: in which maner to leaue antiquitie, it was never deemed vnlawfull. For example: The administring of the Communion to infantes, is now disvsed: a rite as auncient as Cyprtans Cypri. de laps. time: and a rite that didAnsegis de legib Fran cor lib. 1. c. 155. continue in the church aboue 600. yeares. The custome of not fasting betweene Easter and Whitsontyde, is disvsed althoughAugust. e­pist. 86. ad Casulan. auncient: that which also we may say ofIust Mart. q 155. Ba­ [...]l. de spi­rit. sanct. not keeling in prayer betweene these two feastes ena­cted in the 20. Canon of the Councell of Nice. and after growing to beCassand. in defens. libel. de of­fic. pii viri. firma­ta observatio, divina Ecclesiarum consuetudine. It is Cassander the Adiaphorist that te­stifieth this: who also affirmeth of the Satersdayes fast, religio sissime celebrabatur: adding moreover of these ceremonies, ne vestigium quidem superest, quia non tanti momenti putabantur vt earum observatio retinenda putaretur. Come wee to Tertull. ceremonies: amongst which the crosse arose the trin-immersion, the hony & the milke of Baptisme, the abstinence from washing for a wecke after baptisme, the receaving of the L▪ Supper in time of meat: oblarions on byrth dayes, with the like. of all which, thus one of our writers,D. Whitak cont. Bel­larmin. controue [...]s. 1. q 6. c. 12. p. 450. respondeo: omnes has traditionet quas Tertullianus laudat & pro quibus tam acriter pugnat, abrogatas iam esse à Papistis ipsis si vnum signum crucis excipias. An otherThom. Morton. Apolog. p. 2. l. 1. cap. 43. of our writers glorieth to proue out of the papistes them selues the abolishing of these rites: one of whom affirmeth, that the trin-immersiō in baptisme, was enacted by a Canon of the Apostles them selues, yet that iam diu per contrariam consuetudinem abolita est. An other nor fasting on the Sab. that since the Manichees began to fast vpon that day, it is not onely be­come lawfull, but also necessarie, atque etiam hodie ex praeccepto rectè ieiunamus Sab­bato. [Page 121]anotherMaldona [...] comment. in Iohan. cap. 6. thus of another auncient rite and ceremonie nowe left of. missam ego faciam. &c. I omit the opinion of Augustine and Innocentius the first, that the Eucharist is necessarie to infantes, which continued in the Church about 600. yeres hath nowe ben left by the custome of many ages, not only as not necessa­tie but also as not decent▪ the night Vigills (saith another) which Tertull. and Hie­rome, and other of the Fathers praise so muchLedesima. l. de divin. quavis lin­gua nō le­gend. c. 19 in desuetudinem abiere, & afterwards in the Councel of Eliberis, it was decreed, ne foeminae ad eas se conferant: the same af­firmeth that the Eucharist was wont to be giuen into mens hands, at modò eius v­sum non imitamur. If these churches of poperie & of the Adiaphorisme haue left all these ancient rites, the signe of the crosse only excepted without newfanglednes, then why are we newfangled now for omitting the crosse it selfe, seeing it is con­fessed to be a ceremonie non tanti momenti: and seeing ourD. Fulk re­ioyn [...] ag. Mart. art. 4 p. 163. Writers thus reason against it, why should not crossing be lefte as well which hath no better ground, and hath been worse abused? And againe,Ibid. art. 52 p 177. seeing none worse abused then the crosse, the crosse must be abrogated as well as they: The oblations of Martyrs memorialles were forbidden by Ambrose, Luddovie. Vives in August do civit. Dei. l. 8 c. 27. quia quasi parentalia super stitioni gen­tilium essent similima. and the meliores Christiani, inAugust. l. retractat. c. 11. Augustines time, did of them­selues omitt them, till at the last it was saide of them, in plerisque mortalium nulla talis est consuetudo. What more like to the custome of crossing then this tradition? for it is auncient: and the Crosse is tam similis papistis, as that was to the Hea­then; and in plerisque Ecclesijs nulla est crucis signandi consuetudo.

Ambros. l. 3. de Sa­cramen. c. [...]. Ambrose striveth much for the rite and ceremnie of washing the feet in bap­tisme, against them who would haue turned it out of baptisme to civill vse only, to witt, to the washing of straungers feete. the succession of whom prevayled so, both against him, and against antiquitie, thatAugust e­pist. 119. Augustine was able to say of them, because it seemed quasi observatio baptismi, quidam cam de consuetudine auferre, non dubitarunt. Euery thing heere speaketh for▪ vs, what if we doubt not to auferre the Crosse from Baptisme? it seemeth quasi pars baptismi: Away with him (then) into civill vse, if into any vse at all. Indeed, in that we abide the crosse for his anti­quitie in Banners, Coynes, Princes Balles, and Noble mens armes, and everie where else where he is vsed without superstition, which is all the vse that our writers require,D. Fulkes answar to Rhem. in Mat. 24. vers. 30. therein we shewe our loue and reverence to antiquitie: and that we doe omit it in Baptisme for some other cause then for newfanglednes, even as the rest of our carriage testifieth. Poperie hath defiled doles at burialles, yet because the custome is auncient to haue oblationsOrigen. in Iob l. 3. E­phreem. de poenitent. c. 2 August confess. l. 6. c. 2. at the funeralls, and memo­rialls of the dead, and the vse is civill not religious, therefore (you see) we suffer it. Poperie hath likewise defiled Lent, yet because the auncients had a certayne fast before the commemoration of the passion of the Lord, and the vse thereof is also civill not religious, therefore we tollerate it. Last of all, it isMath Be­roald chronolog. l. 4. c. 2. evicted by scripture & reason that the Nativitie of our Lord was about the poynt of Aequi­noctium Autumnale, so that we cannot approue the communiō booke, which wil­leth vs to acknowledge it to haue fallen out as on December 25. Neverehelesse because this observation is auncient, and the vse of it is mixtly civill, although we subscribe not to it, yet we beare with it. Seeing (then) we reverence Antiquitie euen in customes defiled by poperie to the vttermost bound and limit of a good conscience, what reason haue any to condemne vs for contemners of the same or one or two ceremonies, that are saide to be of light moment? But it is made hey nous in Eunomius, that he brake a rite of baptisme the Trin-immersion, euen for this,Zorom. l. 6. c. 26. because it was in vse downeward frō the Apostles. true, and he deserved to be cōdēned who did this out of a pride & singularitie to the corrupting of the doctrine it self of baptisme, there immediatly eusuing out of it an opinion that it was sufficiēt to baptize into the death of Iesus Ch. wheras the Toletan Toletan. Concil▪ 4. c. 5. councell [Page 122]did abrogate this rite and ceremonie: andGregor. epist. 11. ad Leand [...]. Gregorie perswaded the omission of it, without any violating of antiquitie, because they did it vpon iust cause, to seperat the church frō the custome of heretiques, who vsed it amisse; for which we now omit the crosse. In Africa menZago. Za­bo in Con­fession. Aethiop. aedit. 15.34 baptize themselues everie Epiphanie, not for any worship of God, but for an imitation of Christ only, which is far to be preferred before the imitation of any of the auncient Fathers. Now would our accusers if they liued in that church, thinke it newfanglednes and noveltie for them to for­beare this ancient rite? And whereas the communion is given to infantes both inDauid. Chythre. in praelection. Chronic. Bohemia and inPaul. O­dorbor. de relig. Russo rum. Russia, are the sincere forte of the Hussites called Waldenses to be condemned for newfanglednes and innovation, because they will not con­forme them selves to this ceremonie old and ancient, like the crosse?

#Sect. 6. Aiust excuse both in regarde of the matter and manner of the Crosse.

AS we are able to iustifie ourselves for the maner whereby we swerue frō An­tiquitie in the ceremonies controversed, so also for the matter it self in which we leaue it. First we plead with Arnobius, Amob. cont. gent. lib. 1. quasi verò errorū non antiquitas plenissima mater sit? which we haue byR. Brottus in prefat. translation Simeon. Metaphor. one applied against the antiquitie of the crosse by name. Tell me not here whatAugust. ad Ianuar. Augustine hath, Antiquns mos populi Dei pro lege habē ­dus est. his meaning is not we must follow the Fathers ad vltimū iota, as the glosse of the canō law cōmandeth. The canonDecret. pag. 1. di­stine. 9. c. 3 it self out of August. himself cōdemneth such slavish scrupulositie, as wel it may: sith every one of the ancient Fathers had his errors, as not only our ownePhilip. Mome. de Eucharist. in prefat. writers, but also theCanus de loc. The ol. lib. 7. cap. 3 & li. 11. ca [...]. Villa. Vincent. de ration. stu. Theolog li 4 c. 6. obseruat. 2. papistes them selves con­fesse. In regard whereof we haue this libertie from the mouth euen of one of the slaues of Antichrist, non Claud. Espeus. de adorat. lib. 2. cap. 8. andiendi sunt qui circa Dei & sacramentorum cultum omnia reduci volunt ad vesustum morem. non. n. semper melius quod antiquius. As for this mat­ter of the crosse, who can excuse the necessitie, the vertue, the effectiue power wch they put in it as hath ben already shewed. vnlesse he doe it perverso fauore, whichAugust. in Ioham. trac­tat. 66. Augustine condemneth in the excusing of a Peter himselfe. or excogitato aliquo cō ­mento, or sensum commodum affingendo, which is the tricke that we ourIo. Reynol­de Idolotat lib. 2. cap. 2. sect. 10. selues con­demne in papistes. And seeing it was a sheepish kinde of following the Fathers, that hath brought the crosse downe hitherto (an example whereof is to be seene inAlcain. in Iohan. lib. 7. ca. 19 Alcuinus, who is not ashamed when he writeth of it, to write verbatim out of Augustine) the more it is to be mervayled, that for the continuing of it still, our Opposites will so cleaue to the Fathers, as to reiect all new writers, whom some of the papistes them seluesAndrad. defens. fid. Triden. l. 2 confesse to haue receaued more light & knowledge, then euer the Fathers sawe of old. Secondly, we are lesse tyed to the Fathers in ceremonies then in doctrine, and to their practize lesse then to their iudgement. Whereas then a papist contesteth,Roffens. in proem. confutat. Luther. contestatos esse volo, me prorsus nullius quantum­vis sancti Patris, authoritate cogi velle, nisi quatenus iudicio divinae scripturae fuerit pro­batus. What follie were it now for vs to followe them strictly in their practize, which lesse bindeth then their sayth, as one of them saith,August. li. 2 cont. epi. Gaudent. 2 Non debemus imitari semper & probare quidquid probati homines vrgent, sed iudicium scripturarū adhibere, an illae probent ca facta. TheTertul. li. [...]. ad vxor. Durant. li. 1. ca. 16. sect. 10. Fathers vsed to take the bread of the Sacrament and wrappe it vp and carie it home, and eate it in private: which weBucer. in Censur. mislike. The Fa­thers vsedEuseb. de vit. Constantin. li 4. ca. 66. tapers in funerals, &O­rigen. in Iob. li. 1. Euseb histor. li. 7. ca. 16. Hieron. invit. Pauli. Eremit. clothed the bodies that were dead with costly at­tyre, and many other solemnities of burial: which not only we cōdemne, but also ourAeneas. Silu. de orig. Bohem. ca. 35. Fathers that saw but the dawning (as it were) of the gospel. The Fathers vsedDu­cant. de rit. lib. 2. cap. 43. sect. 6. anniversary solemnities for the dead, & anniversarie Tertul. de coron. milit. oblations for thē also: which [Page 123]hadIdem de Monora Epipha he res. 23. Am [...] of de mort Saryr & obit. Va lētia. Chry in Act ho­nul. 21. & in 1. Cor. homil. 41. prayers adioyned for the refrigerium of their soules, which weBu [...]or in cenfur. c. 9. p. 467. condemne. Thirdly, the soule & the life of every practize being the cause for which the Fa­thers vsed it, this cause ceasing, the practise it self must cease, though neuer so aun­cient. which of our writers laugheth not at papistes forD. Fulke reioynd. art 7. p. 189 retayning divers cere­monies for their antiquitie, now that their auncient vse is ended? and forChemnit. exam. p. 2. p. 38. kee­ping vmbram veterum rituum etiamsi nullam habeant veram observationis causam? as well they may, because absurdum est (saith the lawe) ipsa origine rei sublata eius imaginem relinqui. For example, were it not absurd nowe to suffer euery man to receiue the communion at home in private without a minister, because theDuran de rit l. 1. c. 16 sect. 11. Fathers of old time vsed it. for the same reason is not in place. we may nowe come to the church which they could not, who were compelled to liue in the woodes where was no minister? were it not absurd now and smelling of Anabap­tisme to sell all for such a communion, as was in the Apostles time, for we haue not the like cause nowe to travell abroad into the world for the spreading of the Gospell? we read inBeda. hist. gent Angl. l 4 c 3. Beda, Cod lib 7 tit. 6. leg. 1. that some ministers would not ride but goe on foote like the Apostles. was this wisdome in them thinke ye? was not the Archb. wiser then they who constrained thē to break of such imitation of antiquitie? were it not absurd nowe and savoring of Paganisme, to hauePlin. Secsid in epist 98 tapers and lightes in divine service, such as were vsed in the g ancient church, for we haue not the like necessi­tie to assemble in the darknes of the night or in the morning as they had then? were it not absurd now and savouring of poperie to haue Eremites, after the ex­ample of Paulus Thaebeus and others auncient, for we are not driven forth by per­secution into solitarie and desert places as they were then.Otho. Fri­singens. l. 4 c. 3. Paulus Thaebeus, Decij fugiens persecutionem vixit in deserto, necessitatem vertens in volūtatem. andSozom l. 1 c. 13. memo­rant alij persecutionum procellas homines ad hoc vitae genus suscipiendum impulisse. what thatHermā Ha­melman. de tradit. ap­pendic. ad p. [...]rim. col. 498. Cassander him self (that Adiaphorist) thinketh it vnfit that any ceremo. should continue, vnles he haue rationē & causam perpetuā. of which, how many is he able to name. For quis nescit temporū momenta & inclinationes multa monere, quaedā subij­cene, nonnulla etiam extorquere, as nowe in the case of the crosse is to be seene? For origine eius sublata (which was to professe against the heathens with whō we liue not) & a cause contrarie to the origen of it being come in place, to wit a contrarie disease in papistes who too much honour it, (amiddest whom we converse) this chaung of time & causes of vse chaūged by the time doth not only monere or sub­ijcere, but also euē extorquere, we should away with it. Fourthly, though a practize be neuer so ancient, it must be abolished when it groweth to abuse, euen as Pope Stephen him self ordayneth, Si Decret p. 1. distinct. 63. c. 28. nonnulli ex praedecessoribus aut maioribus nostris fece­runt aliqua, quae vllo tempore potuerunt esse sine culpa, & postea vertuntur in errorem & superstitionem sine tarditate aliqua, & cum magna authoritate, à posteris destruantur. Bellarmine in these wordes sheweth the practize of this Canon,Bellar. de eccles. Tri­umphant. c. vit. Quoniam occa­sione nocturnarum vigiliarum, abusus irrepere caeperat, placuit Fcclesiae nocturnos con­ventus & vigilias (propriè dictas) intermittere: ac solum in ijsdem diebus celebrare ie­iunia.

OurIoh. Rey­nold. de i­dololat l. 1 c. 9. sect. 12 Writers say, the papistes here leaue the Fathers and cleaue to Vigilan­tius, who required the abolishing of these Vigills. So that wee require but that their measure be meat to vs, when in the roome of Vigilantius, we desire that our Opposites would leaue the Fathers in the vse of these rites and ceremonies con­troversed, or at the least not throw them on vs, being more grosly then a Vigill a­bused, vpon a vizardlike pretence of their antiquitie. Knowe we not, that this was theSozom. l. 5. c. 16. tricke of Iulian, when he removed the crosse from the Labarum, thereby to deface Christianitie it selfe? for he pleaded the former labarum was auncient: the Crosse but an vpstart. the Pagan fayth auncient, the christian Religion but newly borne: in this manner abutens veteribus institutis ad suam libidinem? [Page 124]We know there is no intent in our Reverend Fathers to reduce poperie by the reducing of the crosse to her antiquitie; but this is their fault that they consider not what one of our Writers doth advise, r As Elisha to heale the streames went to the fountayne and healed that first: So to reforme an abuse, we must stoppe the very fountayne from whēce it floweth. which how can we doe in these ceremo­nies controversed, vnlesse we both remoue their vse, and also disclayme that anti­quitie, whereby it is graced preposterously? Fiftly, It is a ruled case by the do­ctrine which nowe is published by the authoritie of our church, thatTho. Mor­ton. Apol. p. 2. l. 1. ca. 42. Traditiones rituales quae ad ordinem & ritus cultus divini pertinent, are to be receaued vpon this condition only, modo ne veritati, pietati, simplicitati, & libertati Christianae, adver­sentur. against all which, that the Crosse and Surplice fight, it hath beene shewed elsewhere. And such is our first exception, Antiquitie is not of such authoritie, as to evicte vs of newfanglenes, the manner and matter being considered of our swerving from the same.

#Sect. 7. The second exception proveth that the Crosse is neither truelie, nor soundlie auncient.

OVR second exception denyeth that the crosse is auncient with true, sound, sufficient antiquitie. First the antiquitie of it is a prescription without true title, which if it hold not against a King here below on the earth, according to the cōmon axiome, nullum tempus occurrit Regi, much lesse holdeth it against the hea­uenly K. of kings, who is most auncient? This is that which Arnobius once reply­ed, when the heathens obiected to him the antiquitie of their religion & the late­nes of his fayth spreadArnob. cont gent. l. 2. prop. finem. religionis authoritas (saith he) non est tempore aestimanda, sed numine. Deus omnipotens non est res novella. non quod sequimur nouum est; sed nos sero addidiscimus quidnam sequi oporteat. The rest of the Fathers are of the same iudge­ment, which one of ourD. Bilson against the Apol. p. 4. p. 392. Reverend Fathers thus rehearseth: In cases of Religion (speaking against an auncient custome, to wit saying of service in Latine) we must respect not what men haue, but what they should haue bene vsed too. Cyprian saieth well: Consuetudo sine veritate vetustas erroris est. And Tertullian, Quodcumque adversus ve­ritatem sapit, hoc erit haeresis etiam vetus consu [...]tudo. And the Councell of Carthage (last of all) The Lord saith in the Gospell, I am truth, he doth not say, I am custome. We are to follow the word of God (saith Mr Bucer. in Censur. c. 10.11.13. Bucer) which is most aūcient. this who so hath, he hath antiquitie on his side (saith DD. Bilson ag Apolog Bilson.) We care not (sayeth Mr Bullonger. Decad 5. serino. 9. p. 462.461. Bullinger) how auncient the additions of the Sacrament are, si instituentis autho­ritas, doctrina & sanctitas, si vetustas valere debet vicimus nos qui Christum pro nobis habemus cum electissimo Apostolorum Choro. Herevpon he entreth into a large proof that the Apostles and the primitiue Church that followed them, added not so much as one rite in the administration of any Sacrament, besides those that are mentioned in Matthew, Marke and Luke. Yea he proveth, that neither they nor any other may multiplie or increase the rites, which the Sonne of God hath or­dayned sufficiently or perfectly, seeing euen in Moses tyme it selfe the Passeover was simplie administred as Moyses left it: and the duetie of Sacrifizing was sim­plie to be performed according to the rites of Moyses & no other: to which ap­pertayne the iudgements of God vpon Nadab and Abihu, and vpon Vzziah, whē either a Sacrament of Gods was handled otherwise then precisely according to the strict rites of Gods commaund, or a newe ceremony brought into his wor­shippe which he commaunded not. For asmuch (then) as the Lorde ordayned not either Crosse or Surplice, it is only a mediat Antiquitie which they haue: for which who so saith they are olde, he followethIer. 44.17 Idolaters,Ioh. 4.20. Samaritans,Mat. 5.21 Pha­risies, and that against the Fathers them selues, on whom he relyeth: whose do­ctrine [Page 125]is this,Cypri. epi stolar. li. 2. epist. 3. Non est attendendum quid aliquis ante nos faciēdum putaverit, sed quid quiante omnes est Christus fecerit, & faciendum praeceperit. Our Opposites percea­ving thus much, striue asmuch as in them lyeth, to drawe the antiquitie of the crosse immediatly from Christ him selfe, or at the least from his Apostles. First, say they, it cannot be proved but that the Apostles them selues did vse it, or that at the least it hath bene vsed euen from their dayes. which kinde of reasoning, is it not shamefull? for ponenti non inficienti incumbit onus probandi. we denie it to be so auncient. they put vs to proove it. absurd:Docret. p. 2. caus. 6. q 5. c. 2. cùm per rerum naturam factum ne­gantis probatio nulla sit. I appeale to them selues. A papist obiecteth, can ye proue the primitiue church had no images? iust as now they obiect to vs, howe can ye proue that the primitiue church had no crosses? what thē they answer to this ob­iection, that serveth vs now,D. Bilson ag. Apolog p. 4. p 351 doth your discretiō serue you to put vs to preoue the nega­tiue? you cannot prooue they had, & that is cause sufficient for vs to avouche they had not. Againe: the profe Ibid. p 346 must be yours since the facte is yours. Againe speaking of a matter of antiquitie,Ibid p. 1 p. 56. presume you no more then you can proove. Last of all, when the papist reasoneth after this manner, sure the Apostles had some precise forme of seruice, though we know it not, the reply is to thē (which may be in our case replyed) bid. p. 4. p 409. since you knowe it not, why make you it your ancre hold, seeing what the Apostles did obserue, none would haue da­red, but haue observed it after their example. Another reason there is vsed to proue the antiquitie of the crosse to be immediate, Did not Christ vse it for an instru­ment of his death, why doe we call it his crosse in case it be not his? To which D,D Fulke ag. Saund. of Imag c. 12. p. 652. Fulke thus answereth: Christ did not choose the crosse but the Iewes and his Iudge, they appointed it to him. If any meane of his eternall counsell, so he chose Iudas and Caiaphas to be the instrumentes of his death, as well as the crosse, who gaine no credit by this choosing. and if the crosse be the instrument of mans re­demption, because the instrument of his death, then say the Axes and Gallouse and Gibbettes are the holy instrumentes of the Martyrs felicitie. Whereas also it is obiected, that we our selues doe call it his crosse, to witt, Christes: men must know we doe it in the same sense whereby we call Iudas his traytor, the Iewes his enimies, the souldiers his executioners, and not otherwise his.

A third reason for the antiquitie of the crosse immediat, may chaūce to renew the popishAlbert: Magn. cum reliquis lā ­senius con­cord. Evāg. c. vlt Rhem annorat in Luc. 24. sect. 5 &c. assertion, That Christ did crosse his Disciples at his ascending: the bread of his sacrament at his last supper: the litle children which he tooke into his armes when he did blesse them. That he blessed the bread with the crosse,Amalar. de ecclesiast offic. l. 3. c. 24 Amalarius doubteth: & aW. Alanus de Sacram. in gen. l. 1. art. 2. grand Papist him selfe denyeth, not without reason. How is it likely (saith he) that Christ should crosse when he blessed, seeing the signe of the crosse was exe­crable, and euer had bene before his tyme throughout all ages? so that I need not cite ourD. Fulk a­gai. Rhem. on Luk 24 sect 5. D. Bils. ag. Apolog. p. 4 p. 466.468. owne writers in this behalfe. A fourth reason to proue the signe of the crosse immediate is drawne from the Apostles phrase which comprizeth in the crosse all the summe of our redemption, by the merites of Christes death. Better doe ourD. Willet. controver. 9. q 5. ar. 3 writers prooue from this phrase, that the signe of the crosse is not men­tioned in the scripture, because all the crosses that are mentioned there, are either the efficacie of Christes death. 1. Cor. 1.17. or the preaching of Christes death, Philip. 3.18. or the affliction that doeth follow the preaching and the professing of it, Galat. 6.14. But the vse of the crosses signe was taken vp by reason of this phrase and speaking. But this is not to dispute but to divine, and that absurdlie. For it is as if I should say, that Images tooke their rising from those similitudes whichHospin. de re templar. c. de imag. fol 46. Athanasiut and Basil, and the rest of the Fathers drew frō Images in their sermons. A fift reason which is brought to prooue the antiquitie of the Crosse immediate, is, that the Fathers who are them selues auncient, doe giue it the title of an auncient tradition: yea, they terme itDurant. de rit l. 2. c. 45. Apostolicall. The auncientest Fa­ther that is said to doe this isRhem. in Luke 24. sect. 5. Tertullian, who reckoneth it vp for a tradition (in­deed). [Page 126]howbeit not for an auncient tradition: that is a sixt finger of theRhem. in Luk 24. sect. 5. Iesuites: No, he reckoneth it vp for a tradition so new, rawe and as yet vnsettled, as that he is fayne to make a long exhortation to the Church, that they would settle it by their receauing it: and conforme it by the continuance of their practize. And we may perceaue by him how it grewe to be Apostolicall, to witt, as did the hony, the oyle, the milke in baptisme, not because it came frō the Apostles, but asTertul. de coron. milit mos habiturus qandoque Apostoli authoritatem, to wit, through long custome ex inter prae­tatione rationis, not otherwise. Thus goeth the text in the Basil editiō, Anno 1528. whereof I thought good to advertize the reader, least he should be astonished at the edition of Pamelius or any other from which these wordes are gelded. Basil is an other Father that is alleadged to prooue the crosse to be Apostolicall. but his treatise of traditions I take to be counterfeit: and since inserted. one reason is, St Ambrose translateth this booke of Basil de spiritu sancto (whether ex bonis Graecis faciens latina non bona, or no, as St Hierome seemeth to cēsure him, I will not iudg) and leaueth it out. But beit he calleth the crosse Apostolicall, knowe we not that tempera Apostolorum (inIsidor. de concil prae fix. tom. 1. Concilior. Isidors account) last downe to the Nicene Councell? so that they who were present at it might very wel be called Apostles in that speach of Damassus, Damass. op. 5. haec sola fides, quae Nicea Apostolorum authoritate fundata est, perpetua est firmitate servanda. Caesar Baronius mannureth much vpon this, that Scithianus and Terebinthus are said to liue temporibus Apostolorū, who liued in Aurelians time towards 300. yeares after Christ. But the good man considered not, thatEpiphan. here [...]. 66. Epi­phanius spake according to the auncient phrase, which termed the 300. yeares af­ter Christ euen Apostolicall. Againe, diverse traditions are termed Apostolicall which rose long after, because they seemed grounded vpon the Apostles, and to be drawne from their practize and example. In whiche sense speaketh Hierome, Hieron. e­pi. ad Luc vnaquaeque provincia, precepta maiorum, leges Apostolicas arbitratur. So theCyril in Ioh. ll. 12 c. 64. three­fold demaund in Baptisme, and the threefold confession of the baptized is said to be Apostolicall, because it rose vp long after out of an imitation of Christs three­fold demaund and Peters threefold answer. So Lent is held by the Fathers to beAmbros. serin 25. consecrate by Christ him selfe. and to proceed fromTheophil. Alexandri. epist. 1. evangelicall constitution when it is certayne (neverthelesse) that fasting was equall and alike at all tymes in the primitiue church,Cassian. collat. 21. c 30. per totum annum. and that the Lenten fast was enioyned, because the devotion of men in fasting began to waxe colde. So Monachisme is called Apostolicall, yea more auncient, because when afterwarde it arose it was fathered vponHierom. ad Paulinā epist. 13. Elisha and Elias, andChryso on Mark ho­mil. 1. Iohn Baptist, and on theCassian. collat. 18. c. 5. Apostles. whereas notwithstanding it is most true, that Chrysostome doth affirme elsewhere, inChrysost in epist. ad Hebre. ho­mil. [...]5. Paules tyme there was not so much as any vestigium Monachorum. This cōsidered it ma­keth not much though the crosse be termed Apostolicall by someBasil. de spirit sanct c. 27. counterfeit, or by someDurant. de rit l. 2. c. 45 papist: whom let no protestant follow because all the grounds which the Fathers haue for it, are only these. Iacobs blessing with hisvid Pereri um in illum loc. handes a crosse: theCyprian. fid advers. Iudeos cap. 16. stone that wounded Goliah in the forehead: and the rodde of Moyses vppon mount Syna, wherewith Amalet was overcome: theLactant. li. 4 cap. 26.27. Chrysost. homil. in Marth. homil. 88. Pascall bloud sprincled on the post: theAugustin. two stickes of the widowe of Sarepta: the woode ofAmbros. Marah ma­king water sweet. And to make an ende, the signe of the forehead in Ezech. and in Iohns revelatiō. Behold by what string the crosse holdeth his antiquitie? which he that will strengthen can finde no other instances then these, though he turne againe and againe over all the Fathers. Howbeit haue I said then these? I am de­ceaved. there be some other which are alleaged besides these. It is beleeued that the Church of SaintGagvin. lib. 3. Chronic. Saxon. li. 1. cap. 32. Dionise neare Paris, was hallowed by Christ him self. which if it be true, he made the signe of the crosse out of question. for without it no [Page 127]church can be hallowed. It is a traditiō also, that when the starte of the wise men was scene first to shine in monte Victoriano, it had the forme of a litle child in it,Chrysost in op [...]r. imperfect. in Matt. 2. homil. 2. & super se similitudinem crucis. He that seeth such antiquities for the signe of the crosse and will yet refuse to conforme and subscribe, is he not worthie to stande without dore and to sit without his benefice? OurW. Perk. Problem. Writers cannot endure those rites and ceremonies which are Apostolicall no otherwise then the new portch is Salomons portch which Herode late erected, that are oldTh. Mor­ton Apolo. p. 1. l. 1. ca. 52. no otherwise then the Gibionitish bread, and shoes and clothes were old. What reason (then) to endure the crosse which is no otherwise apostolicall then the Temples portch was Salo­mons, or the shoe of the Gibeonite auncient? Lighting hereon, it cōmeth to my minde to aske vpon supposall that the crosse were truly auncient, what must we preferre a paire of old shoes for their antiquitie before a newe payre which are fitter for the foote? But now, we may say by the signe of the crosse as is affirmed of the Wensdayes and Saterdayes fast,Apost ca­non 68. ordayned by the Canō of the Apostles, it is not Apostolicall, and so by consequent not truely auncient,Epiphan. haeres. 75. nisi nomine tenus only. and such is our first exception against the antiquitie of the crosse, for that it is not immediate.

#Sect. 8. The second Exception against the Antiquitie of the Crosse.

THE second exception is against the mediat time, wherin it was borne, Sect. 8. bred vp, and brought to perfect stature, which is thus drawne forth by writers. In the tyme ofTertul. de resurrect. Carn. Tertullian the signe transeunt began to be vsed in Baptisme some­what after the yeare 200. ourHomil. ag peril. of I­dolat. pa. 2 homilie setteth downe 260. Into the Sacrament of the Lords Supper it entred after the yeare 300. first vt signaret August. in Iohan. tract 118. Christi bona. af­ter, vt ipsa elementa consecraret, which someAmalar. de Eccle­siast. offic. li. 3. ca. 24. asscribe to Augustine. And at the first, it was but a simple rite, till after the yeare 1000. then it began to be vsed in odde numbers by theMicrolog. cap. 14. appointement of Gregorie 7. according to his circle rule numero Deus impari gaudet. whom the Councell of Trent doth crosse. For wher­as heIbid. c. 17. abroged the crossing twice with the hoste neare the Challice, theConsil. Trident. rit Celebrand missam. Coun­cell doth restore it againe, as it was vsed before his time, as Amalarius telleth vs. As for the crosse permanēt or composed, though some by guesse referre it to the dayes of Tertullian, others with more probabilitie to Cōstantines time, yet for cer­taine it was not knowne before the yearePerk. pro­blem. in sign. Cruc. 400. The firste that was sett vp in En­glande was erected by KingBeda histo gent. An­glor. Oswald in the place where he fought with Cadwalla, about the yeare 635. And this crosse wanted an Image by the space of many yeeres, it being about the yeare of the Lord 710. that theSynod. in Trull [...]. cap. 82. Councell of Constan­tinople chaunged the Agnus, because it came too neare the Iewes into a crosse, with the image of a man vpon it: which now we call a Crucifixe. Having calcu­lated the crosses age, heare nowe the exceptions we make against it. Paulus Iovius surmized that the latter ende of the age 1400. and the beginning of the age 1500 was a tyme fatal by the starres for the alteration of religion. wherevpon it fell out that about the yeare 1499. Ismael surnamed Sophus brought in the way of Haly whereby the Persians are nowe directed. putting downe Hanmars interpretatiō. and about the yeare 1497. the West-Indies were discovered by Americus Vespitius, and taught a new religion. and about the yeare 1515. Marthin Luther arose, Genebrard. and began to reforme the Church from Poperie: Chaunge fate of starres into the providence of the Lord, and I thinke in like manner, the end of the age 200. and the beginning of the age 300. to be fatall for the heaping vp of ceremonies, to the heaving out of the doctrine, which came to passe at last. For the Church ceased to be a chast virgin immediatlie after the deathEuseb. histor. lib. 3. cap. 29. of the Apostles: even as of old [Page 128]shee ceased to be chaste immediatly after the death of the Elders who sawe her deliuerance out of Aegypt. Iudg. 2. They who succeeded the Apostles (saithNicephor. i. 4. c. 1. one) came greatly short of them: according to the beaten proverbe, pauci filij, Clemens Alexand l. stromat. in initio. patribus simi­les. Papias was one of Iohns hearers, yet the error of the Chiliastes sprang from him. He gaue cause of error (saith the storie) to many Ecclesiasticall men,Euseb. hi­stor. l. 4. c. 36. quia ad eius antiquitatem respexerunt. If it be not safe to beleeue an Apostles hearer for his an­tiquitie, then much lesse the crosses Fathers, who drewe neare toHieron. Hieromes time, when the church drewe neare to her lees, and when theAugu. epi. burthensomnes of the ceremonies made the estate of the Christians worse then that of the Iewes. I am told thatHerman. Hamelman. de tradit. col. 460.461.50. Bugenholgius vpon Ionas collecteth the historie of the ceremonies, shew­ing how they corrupted the church of God by litle & litle, even from the Apo­stles dayes, & that in the age of the crosses rising cōmon corruption was growne to some height. To him accordeth one atCalfh. art. 4. fol. 96. home, I knowe right well, that with­in the 200. yeeres after Christ, there were crept into the church many idle cere­monies, and the simplicitie of Christes ordinance was refused. Each man as hee had eyther credit or authoritie, presumed of him selfe to adde somewhat to Ch. his institution: and the flesh delighting in her owne devises, deliuered the same with as strait a charge, as if Christ him self had taken order for it. But see we some perticulars. There began in this mixtage aboue mentioned, theAuthor l. de duplic. Mattyr. Ap. Cypri. Rabban. l. 1. c. 27. Dionis. Ecclesiastic. Hierar. c. 2 exufflation of the baptized, looking towards the West into the Divells face. There began in this age theCypri. e­pist. 7. Ambros. de Sa­crā l. 1. c. 5. consecration of the Font with oyle and crosse. There began in this age, theCypri. epi. Author. de vnction. Chrismat. ap. eund. oyle in baptisme, without the which none was thought to be well bap­tized. There began in this age the reserving of the bread in the Sacrament, & the eating of it at home in private. There began here about theCypri. in epist. ad Quintin. exorcisme. theTertul. de coron. milit of­fering and praying for the dead.Tertul. ad vxor. l. 2. Idem cont. Psychic. Fasting on certayne dayes, with opinion of ne­cessitie and satisfaction. The BishoppesEuseb. hist l 7. c. 17. throne, through the pride of Samosate­nus. and the seedes ofOtho Fri­fingens. l. 4 c 5. Monkerie through the example of Paulus Thaebeus: Anthony following proved (they say) the first Maister that gaue rules for that kinde of life. So (then) amongest what weedes the crosse grew vp, and in what a dounged soyle of many other superstitions: so shall we admire the lesse to see him inRabban. de institut. cleric c. 27 Rabbanus dayes waited vpon with salt, spittle, tapers, and divers such like, of which the surplice it self is one. Of this one writeth how it was lately brought in by the Pope, primis temporibus (Walafrid. Strab. de reb. ecclesi­astic. c. 24. saith he) communi vestimento induti missas age­bant sicut & hactenus: quidem Orientalium facere perhibentur. Stephanus. a. constituit Sacerdotes & Levitas vestibus sanctis in vsu quotidiano non vti, nisi in Ecclesia tātum. Statutum est in Ecclesia Bracarensi, ne Sacerdos sine orario celebret missam. addiderunt in vestibus sacris alij alia, vel ad imitationem eorum quibus veteres vtebantur Sacerdo­tes, vel ad mysticae significationis expressionem.

#Sect. 9. The third Exception against the Antiquitie of the Crosse.

THE third exception which we haue against the antiquitie of the Crosse, ben­deth against the persons of them who either begott it or bred it, or preferred it in the church. Ptolomie is said to haue killed the workemen of the image of Diana, or secretly to haue made them away, that so the image might be esteemed [...] an image that came downe from Iupiter. In like maner, the authours of the crosse and the first devisers of it, haue ben concealed as much as might be, that so it selfe might seeme to come from Christ. Drawe we them out of their corners wherein they lye hidde, will they be founde such as Vincentius Lyrinensis doth prescribe, when he giveth the church this rule, we must only depend vpon those Fathers which are knowme to haue continued evermore both in the fayth and in the com­munion [Page 121]of the Catholique Church. Now the Fathers of the crosse cannot abide this tryall. For the begetters of this signe were the Valentinian heretiques, whoEpiphan. herel. wre­sted the same scriptures to it, and gaue it the same effectiue power the papistes do nowe, as these wordes doe witnesse,Irenae l. 1. c. 1. Ventilabrum illud, Christi Crucem interpre­tatur esse, quae scilicet consumit materialia omnia quemadmodum paleas ignis: immundat autem eos qui salvantur sicut ventilabrum triticum. Let nowe the patrones of the crosse goe, and boast of the antiquitie of it: who if they be not papistes, must needes be ashamed to see their antiquitie ascribe such a power vnto it, as they must condemne, wrest those Scriptures for it which they must confute, and send it out of such a wombe, as the memorie whereof they must abhorre. And in case they can harden their foreheades to all this, good leaue haue they, to confront their owne Fathers in the fayth, who boldlyD. Fulke ag Bristo. motiuc. 46 p. 124. say and affirme, that the Divell did in Valentinus as well sowe the seedes of Idolatrie to the Crosse, as he sowed in Carpocrates the seede of idolatrie to images. In the iugling of Marcus, making the wine to shewe like bloud, the seede of Transubstantiation. and in Tacianus (last of all) the seede of popishe single life, and of their superstitious abstayning from fleshe. But whether this be so or no, sure enough it is, that this heretique was the firste that vsed this signe, or made anyIdem cont Rhem. Luk 24. sect. 5. account thereof. because wee heare no newes at all of it, vntill we come to him and his secte, in any auncient or authenticall Writer, even as ourD. Willet. de cruc ar. 3 D Fulke ag. Saund. of imag. c. 13. p. 625. and in re­ioynd. ag. Mart. art. 1 137. art. 4.161 art. 5 177. Writers tell vs.

Secondly, as Valentinus begatt the Crosse, so was it Montanus that firste gaue it credit, among Christians, not onely for common vse, but also for religious in the Church, as all ourMagdebu. centur. 3. c 10. in Ter­tul Herm [...] Hamel­mā. de tra­dit in apēd ad p. 1. Ioh. Dearing in epi. ad Heb lect. 2. Ioh. Crispin. chronolo. in Sever. Imper. W. Whitaker. controver. 1. q 6. c. 12 Chemnit. exam. p. 2. fol 84. D. Fulke re­ioyd. art. 1. p. 138. Mat. Surel. de [...]eremo. missae c 8. W. Perk. problem. in sign cin. Abra. Scul­ter. in Me­dul. Atha­nas. cap. 1. Writers doe accorde. The chiefe instrument vnder Mon­tanus who was it but Tertullian? A man so infamous after his fall, as that although Agrippinus sucked first his errour of rebaptization from him, yet he was asha­med to be knowne of so much, because an enimie demonstrasse tantum eius pri­mum sententiae Tertullianum fuisse assentorem, Caesar Ba­ron. Annal. Anno 217. vicisse adversarios videri propemodum potuisset. Nowe, is it not Tertullian, in whom wee firste heare of the Baptisme Crosse? Is it not Tertullian that is the firste gracer of it? For men confesse them­selves ashamed of all the rest. If we must be ashamed of Tertullian too (as Baro­nius sayeth we must) alas (then) whether shall we cause our shame to goe? Nos ab alienis demonstrationes fidei non recipimus might one saye once; whereas weD. Willet. vb sup. re­ceaue a badge of our fayth (for such is the crosse) from the blackest, and grossest heretiques some of them that euer were. we fayne would avoyde Valentinus: we faine would avoyde Montanus, but these must be our Fathers in the matter of the Crosse, vnlesse we would say, that the Gospell of Nichodemus is our catechisme: which maketh mētion indeed of a crosses signe that Christ should make vpon A­braham in hell; yea vpon hell gates themselues to set them open. And I am not ignorant that some of our writers referre the origen of the crosse evē to this fountayne. Thirdly, as Valentinus did beget the crosse, Montanus christened it, so they were the vulgar people that bread it vp. For this let one of ourIoh. Rey­nol. cōfer. c. 8. divis. 4 p. 504. writers be read, by whom (as also by the texte ofTertul. de coron. mi­lit. Tertullian) this will appeare.Chem [...]it. in exam. in Decret. 4. de tradit. p. 90. Her­man Ha­melman. p. 1 de tradit. l. 1. col. 259 Tertullian having mētioned the crosse and other rites & ceremonies (as one eger to get passage for them, and continuance in the Church) groweth to an exhortation to vse them still: the ende of which he bewrayeth, as thoroughout the whole tracte of his speach, so by the vpshott most of all. For when he reasoneth that every faith­full man, hath power to bringe in a rite si saluti proficiat, disciplinae conducat, & that the people must receaue every such rite à quocunque traditore cens [...]tur, he sheweth playnely enough his intent was to gett credit to his Mr Montanus, that so his rites might be receaveth with the more honor and estimation. But when he cōmeth to this, mos iste habiturus quandoque Apostoli authoritatem, nowe he bewrayeth too playnlie both that the crosse and the restof these rites were not as yet setled. [Page 122]and also that the custome of the people was to be meane to setle them. As thē we count the rising of images base, because theyEuseb. hi­stor. l. 7. c. 28. came frō a privat custome of some men, who kept them in their houses: the rising of prayer to saincts base because it grewW. Perk. proble In­terces. p. 90 ex consuetudine vulgi & ex privata quorundā devotione, which also grew out of an opinion that they were present at their toumbes, and wheresoeuer they would thēselves, whichHieron. cont. Vigi­lant c. 2. Hierome backed: and the rising of shaving base, because whē people ware longPerk. prob. tit. de res sacrae missae hayre & the priestes shaved first for example of modesty, this grew at last from a custome to aIsidor. de offic eccle­siast. l. 2. c. 4. Amalar. de offic. l. 3. c 5. significatiō, & after that to a superstitious ce­remonie, so must the rising of the crosse be held base, because frō a privat memo­riall such as the image of Ch. was: & from an opinion that Ch. is present at this signe (an opiniō like to that of soules presence at their toumbes) he grew like the shaving frō a custome to a ceremonie not only significant, but also superstitious. TheMart. in reply. art 1. papist him self disdayneth a ceremonie which is begotten by a provinciall Councell only: especially a ceremonie which groweth by a privat custome,Bellar. de pontific l. 4. c 18. till paulatim vim obtineat legis: and aHerman Hamelmā. de tradit. apend ad p. 1. col. 455. Lutheran a chimicall baptisme growing from a vulgar custome that was corrupt. I ascend to the Fathers themselves: one of whō imputeth this to the Lēten fast, that at the first it wasEuseb hi­stor l. 5. c. 26. [...] another imputeth this to the lightes of divine service, because they aroseHyeron. cont. Vi­gilant. c 3. à qui­busdam imperitis, qui zelum habebant, sed non secundum scientiā. anotherAugust. e­pi ad Ianu [...] 19 c. 19. excepteth a­gainst all rites in general, whose Origen is not illustrious but they are doubtful for what cause they are brought vp. another excepteth against rites of vulgar begin­ning (how agreably to him self I speak not) as that he spareth not these wordes,Tertul. de veland. virgin. veritati nemo praescribere potest, consuetudo praesertim quae initium ab alique ignorantia sortita, in vsum per successionē corroboratur, & ita ad versus veritatem vindicatur. To come home to the crosse it self, whereas Martial alleadgeth that divers holy men & women, got divers litle pieces of the crosse inclosed them in gold & silver, han­ged them about their neckes (as Helena, Mart. de cruc art. 6 Paulinus, Gregorie) we here replie that a common & vulgar custome is not to be cared for. I doubt not (saithCalfh. art. 6 fol. 125 one of our writers) but these had a zeale of their owne, & that they thought to serue God, yet serving their fancy first they did offend against the Ma. of God, & were occa­sion of fall to many that came after them. Fourthly, after Valentinus had begotten the crosse Montanus backed it, the people bread it vp, it was preferred by the Fa­thers (indeed) howbeit ill, as it vsually cometh to passe in things receaved from vulgar custome as is to be seene in Images: the privat custome of which acceptam ecclesia Dei magis magis (que) adauxit: non modo effigies & statuas, verum etiam baculos, & vestes, & lectos sanctorum virorum conservans ad illorum memoriam sem piternam. As for their advancing of it, cōsider first the roote thereof, for it was either anD. Fulke ag. Saund. of imag. c. 23. reioyn. to Mart. art. 1. emu­lation of the foresaid heretiques that first devised it, or a contention against the heathen that did despise it: or an imitationLactan. de vera sapi­ent. c. 16. August. de catechizan. rud. & de verb. Apo. serm. 8. of the Iewes in their postes marked with the pascall bloud, who were thought to figure it: or a mistaking of Ezechtels signe which was thought to foreshew it: or last of all, a certaine kind of a magical superstition to haue in it an effectuallHospin. de re temp. tit. de cru. [...] against the Divell, & against all e­vil, with other like humors (any one of which, let any who cā) make lawful. Next consider the toppe of that height to which they advanced him, of which one of our writers thus: the FathersD. Fulk reioynd. ag Mart. art. 1. p 137. cānot be iustified in their speaches of the crosse, & of theIbi. p. 139 crosse they speak more thē they themselves can iustifie. Chysostom hath his hand deepest in this excesse. Him nothing can excuse, saving anBeza epi. Hyperbole only: to wit, such anD. Fulke ibid p. 132. Hyperbole as we must vnderstand in this like spreach of his, I had rather haue a piece of St Paules chaine, quam si quis me coelo condonet omni. What a speach is this of Ambrose in epistola ad Rom. cap. 8. signatos cruce in morte secunda Diabolus tenere non audet. which some takeHerman Hamel. de tradit p. 3. l. 3 col. 302 heynously. as also othersMagdebu. Centur. 4. c. 4. tit de tradit. col. 302. censure [Page 131] Prudentius and Ephreem as overlavishing in their speeches about the crosse. To o­mit particulars, all ourD. Whita. controuer. 1 q. 6. pag. 443. D. Fulke re­ioynd. pa. 145.146. writers censure all the Fathers for the power which they ascribe vnto the crosse against the Devill: for which theyPerk. pro­blem. tit. sign. cruc. send vs to these quo­tations Tertullian de resurrect. car. Lactant. de vera relig. l 4. c. 27. Cyril. Cateches. 13. Origen. contra Cels. l. 3. Nazianz. ad Nemes. Theodoret. in Petro & Thalasio. Euseb. li. 8. cap. 7. Sulpit. epist. ad Euseb. Presbyter. Gregor. Dialog. l. 1. c. 1. Victor. de persecut. Vandal. li. 2. Paulin. l. 2. de vit sanct. Martin. to which may be added that quotation out of Augustine whichBellarmin. Bellar. Suarez, & the rest of the Iesuites do alleadg to prove that this power of the crosse is in the iudgement of the Fathers even ex opere operato. But what say we to this, that according to Vincentius rule, this rite of crossing was vniversall? Why to omit that this reason is popish which they in like mannerDurant. de rit. li. 1. c. 4 sect. 8. vrge for images, vniversally observed, we can giue instāce in other things which we our selues doe now cōdemne though when time was they were with an vni­formitie vniversall throughout the whole church kept. The exorcisme of bap­tisme hath this testimonie, that the churchAugust de Ecclesiast. dogmat. 3 [...] vniformiter in vniverso mundo kept it. So that an adversarie was thus prestAugust. de nupt. & cō ­cupiscent. l 2. c 18. accusat ecclesiā toto orbe diffusam in qua vbique omnes baptizandi infantuli nō ob aliud exufflantur nisi vt ab ijs princeps munds mittatur foras. Hence thus a papist against vs all:Durant de rit. l. 1. c. 19 sect. 23. hinc insignis. &c. here the notable impu­dencie of the Calvinistes is detected: who deride the custome of exorcizing and exufflation, kept and continued from the Apostles them selues downe to this times in the whole world with one voyce, and with one accorde of minde and iudgment: imitating Iulian (that impure Apostata) who as Gregorie Nazian. orat. 4 witnesseth, sufflationes symbolicas in baptismo, in calumniam & risum trahebat. The thrice dipping in baptisme was also in ancienter times, thē the signe of the crosse canZozom. l. 6. c. 26. Hierom. advers Lu­ciferian. v. reach to, vniversally kept, which yet was after left of andConcil. Toletan. 4 c 5. Greg. epist. 41. abolished, whē it grew to abuse by heretiques.Cont. Vi­gilant. Hierome saith, per totas Orientis ecclesias, quando Evā ­gelium legendum est, accenduntur luminaria sole rutilante. Augustine hath these words, hoc à Patribus traditum, August. de verb. Apo­stolor. 23. vniversa observat ecclesia, vt pro ijs qui defuncti sunt, cum ad ipsum sacrificium suo loco commemoratur, oretur. Ambrose Tom. 1. exhortat. ad virgin. speaketh thus: Ve­nit Paschae dies quo toto orbe velantur virgines. who knoweth not that the oyle was vniversall, as well as the crosse? yea, the salt and the spitle when once they en­tred, and the ministring of the communion to infants, with divers rites and cu­stomes.

#Sect. 10. The 4. Exception against the Antiquitie of the Crosse, proving the crosse now vsed, not to be that the Fathers vsed.

THE fourth exception which we make against the antiquitie of the crosse, bendeth against the crosse it self of late tymes vsed, because it is not the same which the auncient Fathers vsed. Baronius speaking of the Amulets aunciently vsed, approveth them only on this condition,Caesar Ba­ron. annal. anno 232. sancta pia (que) maiorum haec fuit con­suetudo, nisi aliqua accedente superstitione labifactetur. Antonin. p. 4. tit. 11. c. 8. sect. 2. Aquinas condemneth the anoynting of a Priest in time of necessitie, though aunciently vsed as a corruptela rather then consuetudo. This our exception then is strong, even in the iudgement of papistes them selues as longe as we are able to proove that the signe of the crosse, as very an Amulet as was the booke of the Gospell which Caecilia bore in her boosome: and the peeces of the Gospell which women hanged about their neckes inChrysost. in Mat. homil. 73. Chrysostomes dayes: hath degenerated to more superstition then at the first was in it: and from the custome of the auncient Fathers hath growne to be a meere corruption. It is stronge also euen in the iudgement of our selues. We laugh at the papist, when he maketh his Introit ancient by theDurant. de rit. l. 2. c. 11. sect. 1. singing of the auncient church before their assemblies: for as much as it is nothing the same: [Page 132]they singing a Psalme of Davids only,Beat. Rhe­nan. in Tertul. de co­ron mili. [...] dum conveniebant Christiani in templum, af­ter the maner of some reformed churches now. We laugh at them also whē they prove their Dedication of churches by the ancientDurant. l. 1 ca. 24. consecrating of them in Con­stantines time because it is nothing like, they dedicating only with the wordEuseb. hi­stor. l. 10. ca. 4. and with prayer, as the reformed churches do. We laugh at them in like maner, whē they make their elevation ancient (whereby the priest lifteth the bread, and the bread only over his head) by theHarding answer to Iewel. art. 11. ancient shewing of the bread & of the cuppe, because it is nothing like, the auncient shewing beingIuel. in re­spon ibid. only to procure reverēce in comming to the communion, not to procure adoration to the element: for which cause whē the bread was a shewing, ther was cryed sancta sanctis, in which maner and to which ende some churches reformedAlexand. Ales. in pro em. leiturg Anglican. retayne it still. We laugh at them when they prove their pax by the auncient kisse of the primitiue church, because it was only a mutuall kisse for a signe of mutuall loue, euen asDurant. de rit. l. 2. c. 54. sect. vlt. some of them selues cōfesse, and some of ourIewel art. 3. divis. 2. Divines haue proved. Last of all, we laugh at them whenDurant. de rit. l. 2. c. 38. sect. 6. they goe about to prove their round wafers by the round oblati­ons of bread in the old church called Coronae, because they are nothing the same, they being the loaues which were offered by the people for the poore, & for the sacramentall element which then was an whole and a roundIewel. art. 11. P. Morne. de Eu­charist. great loafe, such as the reformed churches doe vse at this day. In all these we haue severed our selues from the popish corruptelae, falsely hiding & cloaking them selves vnder the name of auncient customes. What is the reason we cannot doe the like in the crosse? Is it because it is a matter of litle moment? But Harding him selfe confesseth the e­levation to be a small matter, which will not confesse so of the crosse, as no man else can, because it is an Idoll of it selfe not only a provoker to Idolatrie as their elevation is. Is it because it is more necessarie then Pax or Wafer? The practize of our Church hath acknowledged the wafer to be more needfull in the supper, & now acknowledgeth the pax to be as needlesse. Howbeit our crosse it self is dege­nerated from auncient vse, and is not now the same at this present which it was to the Fathers. For the first vse of it amongst the Fathers was a common crossing ad omnem exitum & aditum, which seeing we haue abolished, we haue abolished the first and the chiefest vse to which the Fathers turned it. An other chiefe vse of the Fathers crosse, we will likewise confesse to be vnseasonable, which was to professe against the pagans. Now condemne we the chiefest vses of the Fathers, and retaine the very worst vnder pretence of their antiquitie, this is straunge doe we our selues abolish the crosse in the tollerablest vses without newfanglednes, & cannot our brethren omit it in the worst, but they must be newfanglistes? this is hard. Howbeit, is the vse of it in baptisme it selfe the same with the Fathers vse? No, we are ashamed even of that also, and haue (therefore) coyned a new vse of our owne, which yet is litle better then theirs whereof we are ashamed. I speak of the first Fathers of the crosse who vsed it in baptisme, not to dedicate the child to God as we doe nowe that office they assigned to the Oyle,Tertull. de resurrect. carnis. Caro vngitur, vt ani­ma consecretur▪ but to arme the soule with spirituall defence, Cara signatur vt ani­ma muniatur. Nowe what shuffling call you this, to retayne the vse of that Oyle which we haue banished, & to banish the vse of the crosse which we haue retay­ned. Or what partialitie to take the crosses deformitie from him to make him gra­tious, to take the Oyles beautie from him to make him odious? or lastly, what chopping that the crosse should be braved with the Oyles vse, the oyle be bran­ded, whose vse was more tollerable then the crosses among the Fathers? Such is our seconde mayne exception against the slaunder of newfanglednes, the anti­quitie of the signe of the crosse from which we swerue, it is no true and sounde antiquitie.

#Sect. 11. The third Apologie against the slaunder of Newfanglednes in denyall of the Crosse.

OVR third apologie against the slaunder of Newfanglednes, is this, That though antiquitie did binde, Sect. 11. and the antiquitie of the crosse were without all these exceptions, yet were we not to be branded with this infamie, because a good part of antiquitie stādeth on our side. This a writer of ours affirmeth,D Fulk. cont Rhem Luk. 14. sect. 5. Nei­ther was the signe of the Crosse in any estimation with the Apostles, nor with the faithfull in their time. To which we adde the primitiue church that next succeeded knewe the signe of the crosse as litle as we our selues would haue it knowne. Now haue not they the best part of antiquitie, whose part is in these times? and that by the confession of our Opposites? who to disparage the antiquitie of all imagerie, It is too yonge (D. Bils. cont Apo­log. p. 4. p. 315. say they) to be Catholike, that began but of late: you must goe nearer Christ & his Apostles, if you will haue it Catholique or auncient. The nearer (then) that our an­tiquitie draweth to the time of Christ and to the Apostles, so much the stronger, sounder, better, now it shalbe evidently prooved to be as neare as may be. For what Nichodemus, what Iosephe (first)? 1. Sam. 21.9 Sith David layde Goliahes sword behinde the Arke, that was but an instrument of a bodily victorie: these, would they not haue layde vp the crosse, or preserved it at the least, if they had thought it (I say not such a soueraigne thing as the papistes make of it) but such a true instrument or fit monument of Christ his spirituall victorie as it is helde by some at home? They tooke downe the body, what the crosse? theyDoct. Wil­let. de cruc. art. threwe it away: at the least they regarded it not: so that the L.Act and mon. in hi­stor. eiue. Cobham, who after suffered about the crosse, yeeldeth it seemeth more to his commissioners then he needed, when he tolde them he would lay vp decently wrapped the true crosse whereon Christ dyed in case he had him. And was not the hande of the Lord in this worke, burying the true crosse it self, as once he buried Moses body in an vnknowne place, to prevent Idolatrie, or to make it the more inexcusable when in time it should breake forth as since it hath done? Oh but he gaueBellarmin. de imag c. 27. argu­ment. 3. Helena power to finde it as soone as it could be had in honour, which was when paganisme was abolished: so that he buryed it in the meane season (indeed) to saue it from their contempt. See the fa­cilitie of these men. Doth the crosse want honour by the space of 300. yeares? It was to reserue him self to the honour of the Christians of those tymes only. And although the christians of the former ages were farre more zealous, that was no­thing, they would haue honoured him, but the crosse would not be honored by them. What did he scorne them? No it was not his pleasure. So whenAct. and mon in H. 8. p. 848. Francis­cus San Romanus refused to honour a certayne crosse that stood in the way as he was going to the fire, there was presently a shout given among the people, O the miraculous vertue, power, and the wisedome of the Crosse, that will not be honoured by an heretique: but whose will and pleasure is to be honoured by Catholiques only. Howbeit, as touching the invention of the crosse, by Helene, it is a true counterfet: as appeareth not only by many sounde reasons which ourMagdebur gens. cētur. 4. c. 13. col. 1438. Calsh ag. Mart art. 8 fol. 152. D. Willet. de cruc. art. 1. Iohn Reynold. writers doe alleadge, but also by the open confession of the canon it selfe,Gelas. de­cret. de A­pochriph. Mat. 24.14. scri­pturae de inventione Crucis Dominicae, novellae quaedam relationes sunt, & alia de inven­tione capitis Iohannis Baptistae. But to proceed. It is writtē of the West Indies, that there was no footesteppe of religion found amongst them because no crosse, no Temple &c. whēce may be concluded, that the first times preached the Gospel to the nations without the vse of any crossing. For I make no questiō but the go­spell was preached vnto them in case they were a people. Here at home the gos­pll was preached even from the beginning (as many vndoubted evidences shew) whereas yet there were no crosses in this lande, vntill Augustine the Monke brought ouer his silver crosse, which wasBeda histo. de gent Anglor. li. 1. cap 1 [...]. D Fulk re­ioynd. art. 5 p. 177▪ carried before him at his entrance to­gither [Page 134]with an image which was painted in a table. From Iewes & Gentiles that had the gospell planted amongst them without all crosses, come we to their next successors who professed it without all crosses likewise. As for Martialis Abdias Iustini quaestiones, whō Martiall mustereth in this quarell for the signe of the crosse together, they are Apocriphall saith Mr Calfhill and not to be cared for, as Mr Beza with the rest of our writers tell vs. Martialis is found counterfeit by Eusebius, Hie­ronimus, Genadius, who in their registers which of purpose they wrote of Ecclesi­asticall writers, make at all noCalfh. art. 1. p. 27 mention of him. Abdias is branded by aPaulus 4. ap. Sixtum Senens. bi­bliothe. l. 2 Bellarm. de. Eccles. tri­umphan. l. 1. c. [...]0 Io. Molan de sid heret. servand. l. 1 c. 6. Pope & by papistes themselves: and soSixt. Senēs. bibliothec. in prefat. are the questions that are ascribed to Iustinus Mar­tyr, which cānot be his, because Origen is cited in them who liued long after thē. they savour something of Theodoret, but I wil not presume to interpose my iudg­ment. Now these discarded, it will be found true what one of our Writers hath,D. Fulkre ioynd. ag. Mart. art. 5. fol. 177 As touching the credit of the old writers, who had all their errours, I like well the counsell of Vincentius Lyrinensis, that we should still haue recourse for triall to the most auncient, in which we must needes account the writings of the Apostles, both of most antiquitie and of greatest authoritie. Wherefore seeing the maner of blessing with the crosse is not found either in the writings of the Apostles, or in the most auncient Fathers. Iustinus and Clemens Alexandrinus: by Vancentius counsell, we may iustlie account for a corrupt custome crept into the church, ei­ther by emulation of heretiques, or in contention against the pagans. But doeth not Iustinus Martyr make mention of the crosse: of the crosse wheron Christ dyed he maketh mention, of the signe of the crosse we haue no mention in him at all, nor in any other: till we come downe to the tymes of Valentinus, when it began to be vsed by heretiques, and vnto Tertullians age when orthodox Christians first receaued it. Well then you will graunt that here your antiquitie endeth, some fourteene hundred yeares agoe? No, that we will not neither.Minut. Foelix in Octavio. 1 Thes. 3.8 Minutius Foelix lived long since, who hath these wordes, Cruces nec colimus nec optamus. which if our Governours would now speake and performe accordingly, we would catch their wordes from their mouthes as greedily as euer Benhadads servantes did the wordes of Ahab: and vpon their performance we should be as glad as Benhadad him selfe, because if the crosse were not cared for by them, we should liue, wher­as nowe our life can scarce be termed a being aliue. The Emperour Theodosius is on our side: who made a lawe to voyde allP. Crinit. de honest. discipli [...]. li 9 c. 9. crosses, which the papistes elude in vayne, when they restrayne him to crosses only on the grounde: else are all ourD. Fulk ag Saund. of imag. c. 13 pa. 660. Morn. confer. of Font Bleau. Zanch. de imag. Iew. aga. Har­ding &c. writers vayne: yea, the doctrineHomil. ag. peril of i­dolat. p. 2. of our Church it selfe which is confirmed by act of Parliament, is not only vayne but false, which taketh vpon it to refute this cavill.Basil. in psal. 45. Basil inveigheth against the vanitie of charecters, & what is the crosse bet­ter? In the dayes of the Author of the Questions Athanal. ad Antioch Q 16. ad Antiochum, they vsed to dissolve the crosse when they were suspected to honor it. let vs but dissolve these two crosse lines nowe that the papistes doe adore it, and we by our vse grace this idoll adored by them, & we are releeved. If he say all the Fathers approved cros­sing, I aunswer of them, as D.D. Fulk in reioynd. Fulke of Cyprian once about anoyling, if they will doe against them selues, their owne reasons, groundes and rules (which we haue with vs throughout this treatise) what can I helpe it?Homil. ag perill of i­dolat. p. 2 Serenus Bishopp of Marciles, (is approved by our Church) who putteth downe all images and all crosses out of the church. So are the Emperours of the East, who were against the having of all images in the Church. So is Claudius of Taurinum who pulled down the very images & the crosses that were established by law, by which they were not honoured but served for memorialls only and for decencie, as now our crosse is said to be vsed. In the age [...]100. the professours of the trueth (then ter­med despitefullyPet Cluni acens epist 1. & 2. Petrobrusiani) burned all the crosses that they could come by. TheBellarmin. de imag. c. 26. Waldenses who succeeded them, abhorred crosses. Iohn Wicklife who fol­lowed [Page 127]thē, allowed only aTho. Wal­dem [...]om. 3. [...]it [...]0. crosse spirituall.Act & mo. p. 735: George Browne a disciple of his, thin­keth it as vnfitt to make a crosse a memoriall of Christ, as for a childe to make much of the halter or of the gallouse, wherewith his father was hanged There was at the Bowe in London in the very roome where some of the Martyrs were wont to be examined in the dayes of Q. Marie (as I haue receaved from them who know it) an ancient picture in a glasse windowe, well neare worne out, and so not observed by the examiners, set vp by all likelyhood by some of the schol­lers of Wicklife, the paynting was this; A tree halfe withered: two Angells labouring at the feet to throwe him downe. the one with a spade, the other with an axe or syth: at the toppe hunge paxes, crosses, holy-water, sprincles. &c. From this tyme downeward there haue not wanted famous witnesses against the crosse which haue been mentionedCap 6. sect. 1. elswhere. Our late Writers be ours likewise: and all the Churches well reformed. We are charged with a Corinthian fantasying of mens persons, and to be carried away with an over great reverence towardes men: which is in deed the fault of our adversaries, who suffer them selues to be overswayed by the present learning, credit, power, and authoritie of the L Bi­shopps and their adherentes So was it objected not long since to the CounteIoh Cris­p [...]. supple­ment in Marcell. 2. Palatine, that his revence towardes Maister Calvine, carryed him away: where­as (indeed) it was their pretenced reverence towards Maister Luther that carried them. wherevpon he protested that though the trueth were scandalized vnder Mr Calvines name, yet notwithstanding he would imbrace it: not beleeving in Ste Martine, nor in Ste Iames, (he meant Martine Luther and Iacobus And [...]eas, whom the vbiquitaries servily followed) but in Christ Iesus onely. I trust we shall haue leaue giuen vs (being vnable to advise our selues) to seeke to the ad­vise of those, whom God hath honoured with his speciall giftes, and raysed vp to hold forth light to others. Now amongst these, as no sword fitter for David, thē that which had slaine Goliah, so no writings to theirs, who haue fought against the Antichrist, and haue slayne him lived not these before the cōtroversie grewe so hoot? Follow we (then) that goodCario [...]e [...] ces [...]hroni. p 336. Theodosius, who maketh tryall by those Fa­thers, who were no parties in the strife, but liued before the stuire began. If ha­uing these we cannot be heard, what should we say else, but that we are vsed as Paulus Vergerius was at the Councell of Trent: being called into question for cal­ling into question the Legendes of Saint George and Christopher, he is able to cite Catholique Doctors on his side: yea Paule the third Pope him selfe, who com­maunded that these Legendes should be strooke out, as false and forged. Mar­cellus Cervinus cannot denie it. What then? For all this his iudgement is he must not be held for a good man that will preach any thing that cōmeth neare to Lu­therans. So are we dealt withall by some: No matter though we can cite our owne Writers and other Churches that are reformed, it is become a ruled case, nothing is good in any Writer or in any Church, that seemeth to make for puri­tanes: neither can any man be honest, or a good subiect, that doeth but looke to­wards them in their desires of reformation. and herevpon we are thrust out from the Ministerie as he was from the Councell. What should we say? but as the sonne of Barachias, The Lord looke downe, beholde, and iudge. and so farre of the sinne of the Ceremonies against this ninth commaundement.

S. D. G.

The concupiscence of the Crosse. Chapter 10.

THE last transgression of the crosse is against this last cōmaund­ment, in that it feedeth lust habituall, breedeth lust actuall: both of which are forbidden in this precept. For whereas it willeth vs to fight against these foresaid lustes; as we fight against eni­mies whom we besiedge, stopping all passages of our senses whereby they may come by victuall, the signe of the crosse not only serveth for a porter that letteth in, but even for a purveyer also that carrieth in the out temptations that doe nourish them in idolatrie and superstition. wor­thie are the wordes of Augustine to be considered,Augustin. serm. 3. de comun. vit [...]leric. & e­pist. 109. ad Monach Non solo tactu sed & aspectu ap­petitur & appetit foemina: Nec dicatis vos animos habere pudicos, si habeatis oculos im­pudicos. quia impudicus oculus impudici cordis est nuncius: & cùm se invicem sibi etiam tacentelingua conspectu mutuo corda nunciant impudica: & secundum concupiscentiam carnis alterutro delectantur ardore, etiam intactis ab immunda violatione corporibus fu­git castitas ipsa de moribus. Adde vnto this, the admonition of a Councell, spea­king of those that are not to marry, they must not onely provide that no women dwell with them, but also that they haue not so much as any accesse to thē: vpon this reason,Concil. Carthagi­ [...]ens. 1. c. [...] etiam occasiones amputandae sunt peccatorum & tollendae quibus subtilitas Diaboli sub pretextu charitatis & dilectionis incautas animas velignaras irretire con­suevit Omitt we not the Canon neither which tendeth to the very same pur­pose,Decret. p. 1 distinct. 8. [...]. 9. Congruum est inde etiam corporaliter avelli vbi quisquis illecebris deservivit. Nam & locus ipse hoc in aspecta mētis apponit, quod saepè ibi cogitavit vel gessit. And that the consort of our witnesses may be full, refuse we not the admonition of a privat & common man, who vpon the experience of stratonice causing her lovers pulse to beat as often as she came in sight, giveth this rule against concupiscence,Antoni [...] Gubert. Costan. poly. hi­stor. c. 8. Nihil facilius quam amor recrudescit, & oculos & aures avertat qui alicuius rei desyderium p [...] ­nere vult. What then? though we touch not the lippes of this Baall (the crosse) as long as we feed our senses with his sight, our hearts remaine not pure & chast, neither are the occasions done away, wherewith Satan will insinuat him selfe in­to them (pretend the lawe what ende it will in the retayning & keeping of him) the sensuall pulse will ever beat as longe as the senses are not turned from him: the verie place it selfe putteth into the minde ill thoughtes, where any wanton action of ours hath ben cōmitted: how much more then the representatiō of the wanton action it selfe, both which together in the crosse are renewed vnto the senses. But to speake more particularly, the first way whereby the crosse sturreth vp concupiscence is that occasion which an idoll or image hath, whē it is placed in the church though not adored: against which our owne doctrine which is cō ­firmed by act of Parliament, alleadgeth many reasons. The first is drawne from the original of the image, and it hath this ground, [...]om [...] ag. peril of i­dolat. p. 1. what was ill at first rising, can ne­uer prove good or profitable after. Our Opposites say the crosse may be turned to good vse howsoever it hath ben abused heretofore. therefore must they not sub­scribe vnto this homilie, because the rising of the crosse was evill at first in Valenti­nus and Montanus, and here of late it arising out of the ashes of the Antichristian crosse, hath according to the homilie, not since grown profitable, but hath rather looked backe toward Sodom ever since, no whit breaking the Poets positiō, Ortus [Page 137]quaeque suos repetunt. The second is drawne from the nature of an image, and it hath this grounde,Ibid pa. 3. pag. 36. good things doe ever by litle and little decay: ill things by litle and litle increase: as the image wasPa. 50. first paynted. after it grewe to be ingraved: and at first it was vsed but in private houses: after it crept into Churches & temples: where at first it was not worshipped, but shortlie after it began to be adored: first by the people that were ignorant: at last by learned men and all. None can de­nie but that all this downe right lighteth on the crosse that doeth consider howe from the beginning he hath increased by little and litle, from heretiques to chri­stians: from vse private to publique: from a signe to an Idoll: and since that time that it hath ben refined amongst vs from a blocke offending the foote to a stone crushing even the whole body, as is to be seene this day. The third reason of the Homilie, is drawne from the proanes of men to idolatrie: For the image is anIbid pa. 3 [...] pag. 45. harlot, and man is no otherwise bent to the worshipping of it (if he may haue it and see it) then he is bent to fornication in the companie of a strumpet. For aPag. 46. man given to lust to sitt downe by an harlot is to tempte God. so the setting vp of an image in the Church, and the sitting of people by it, is in this proanes of mans nature nothing better then a temptation to idolatrie. Nowe if any will say (sayth this Homilie) that this similitude proveth nothing, yet lett Gods worde, out of which it is taken, prove some thing with them. Doth not the word of God call idolatie fornicatiō? doth it not call a paynted Image, a strumpet with a payn­ted face? be not the spirituall wickednesses of an Idolls inticing like the flatterie of a wanton harlot? be not men and women as proane to spirituall fornication as to carnall? It must needes followe therefore that as it is the duetie of the god­liePag. 48. Magistrate, lovinge honestie and hating whoredome, to moove all strum­pettes, especially out of places notoriouslie suspected or resorted vnto by naugh­tie packes, so after the example of the godly Kinges Hezechias and Iosias, to drive away all spirituall harlottes (I meane Idolles and Images) speciallie out of suspe­cted places, Churches and Temples, which are daungerous for idolatrie to bee committed vnto images, when they are placed in them. Damascene hath these wordes of the holy Sacrament,Damas. de orthodox­fid. cap. 14. Let vs goe to it with ardent desire, vt & oculis & la­bijs & frontibus impositis divini carbonis participes efficiamur. Nowe, as a good signe ordayned by God is a fiery coale to inkindle love, when the senses are stricken by it: so a signe evill ordayned by man (such as is the signe of the crosse) and an har­lot (such as is every image else) is not onely a coale to heate, but also a fire to en­flame with lust, as it is in the Comoedie, accede ad ignem hunc, calesces plus satis. The fourth reason, is drawne from the inveterate love which men commonly beare vnto their old customes: so that the people having heretofore honoured images (and the crosse is an image that hath ben honoured) they will never bee wayned from them: as long as they haue them they will honour them. This wee see in the Iewes (saith thePag. 2. p. 13.14. homilie) they haue bene so long envred to the rites and ceremonies that nowe they cannot tell howe to leaue them: which if God abolished to take all occasion from them, then how much more ought all Images to bee abolished which are no ordinances of the Lord but deuises of man brought in thor [...]ugh blinde zeale and deuotion? Here let me turne to our Opposites a little: who thinke there is no neede to suffer in the cause of the Ce­remonies against papistes as yet: First the doctrinePa. 2. p. 8. of the homilie is, we must follow the example of the auncient Fathers by name of Epiphanius, who remoued euerie Image out of the church assoone as they spied it, because though yet they were not worshipped, yet they were likelie in time to breed lust & concupiscence to Idolatrie. Secondly, the doctrine of ourIbid. p. 13 church inhibiteth out of Euschius to keepe an Image indifferētly, that is in a cōtinued sequence of yeres & times with­out interruptiō. so that by it a mā must suffer, rather thē suffer by his fault cerem. [Page 138]so deeply infected to runne on without interruption as nowe it is purposed these shall doe. The firstPa. 3. p. 27 reason of our homilie is drawn frō experience past & present. we see it come to passe (saith it) that the Christians entertayning the rites and ce­remonies of the heathē, fell to the heathens idolatrie also: whichPa. 2. p. 19 Serenus foresee­ing, threw all Images out of the church: which course if it had ben pursued, all i­dolatrie had ben overthrowne whereas their suffering in the church by Gregories meanes who commanded them to stand, though ne forbad them to be worship­ped, insnared both the West and the East in a publique adoring of them, & that by lawe: as when Gregorie and Leo the third made a decree in the West, Irene the Empresse a lawe in the East they should be worshipped. Hereby came to passe which Serenus feared, and Gregorie the first forbad in vayne; so that indeed it is im­possible any long time to haue images in publique churches & in temples with­out idolatrie: as by the space of litle more then one hundred yeeres, betwixt Gre­gorie the 1. forbidding their worshipp, and Gregorie, Paule and Leo the 3. cōmaun­ding their worshippe, most evidently appeareth. All this being common to the crosse, condemne we it rather then our owne church which thusPa. 3. p. 4 [...] adviseth: It is trulie said, the tymes past are schoolmaisters of wisedome to vs that followe and live after. Let vs therefore of these latter dayes learne this lesson from experience of aun­cient antiquitie, that Idolatrie cannot possiblie bee separated frō church images, but is an vnseperable accident to them: as a shaddowe followeth the body when the sunne shineth, so idolatrie followeth the having of images in the church. Fi­nallie, as idolatrie is to be abhorred, so are images (which cannot be long with­out idolatrie) to be put away and destroyed.

#Sect. 2. Three replyes against the evidences of the Crosses Concupiscence.

AGAINST these evidences of the crosses concupiscence, there are three things replyed. First, that the materiall crosses onely tempte, like Idolls and Images, and not the aereall, which nowe we call the signe of the crosse. We an­swer, It hath been proved, that the crosse aereall is an Image and an Idoll, aswell as the materiall: and in some respectes farre worse. and all the reasons whereby our Homilie throweth other Images out of the Church to prevent their temp­ting, beat directly against this Crosse. First (Homil ag peril of I­dolat pag. 3. pag. 13. sayth it) the Image is in the church a tempter, because it hath heretofore been worshipped: and the aereall signe of the crosse hath been worshipped, yea even adored with higher honour then any other representation of Christ materiall. Secondly, the Image cannot be placed in the Church without daunger of tempting, because though we worshippe him not, yet is he worshipped in sundrie places nowe in our tyme: so is this aereall crosse. What if he were not? For seeing the Homilie casteth out of the Church of God not onely that which maketh love vnto it selfe, but also that which ma­keth love to other things which it doeth countenance, the signe of the Crosse must needs be cashired, because though it tempt not to superstition towardes it self, yet doth it towards the Idolls of crosses materiall, whom it resembleth vnto the people, & graceth before them. The third reason of the homilie, proveth the image in the church to be a tempter, in respect of time to come: superstitiō being an inseperable accidēt to the image that is in the church; so that though the crosse aereal for the present did not tempt, yet there is daūger he wil sturre & raise con­cupiscence in time to come Secondly, our Opposites themselves will graunt that the aereall crosse partaketh of the inwarde idolatrie as well as the materiall doth: [Page 139]we say it doth more for that vertue, yea admirable vertue which theBellarmin de effect. sacra. c. 31. papistes re­pose in it ad producendos effectus spirituales: and for that special helpe it hath against the Divell, of which one thus,Ioh. Mo­lan. de de­calog. ca 4. conclus. 3. Nota. 19. ea adhibenda sunt remedia quae adversus Daemonum il­lusiones, vexationes (que) ecclesiastica sanxit authoritas, vsus (que) firmavit, vti sunt signum Cru­cis, aqua benedicta. &c. It being so, they must needes graunt likewise, that it hath a power and vertue, to rayse concupiscence towards inward idolatrie: which is it small?Confess. Eccles. Mansfel. ap. Conra. Schluilelba tom. 13. p. 558. cum per Ceremonias Diabolus arcetur & quotidiani lapsus eluuntur vt docet ag­men Pontificium, tum verò in perniciosam idololatriam vertuntur, quā Deus prohibuit, as one of the forraigne Churches teacheth. I needed not gone over the seas for this, our owne Church at home doethHomil pa 3. pag 98. teach vs, that Idolatrie chieflie consisteth in the minde: and inIbid p. 109 perticular it telleth vs, that to ascribe a power of supernatu­rall effectes to any creature (as the papistes doe to this signe) is such an Idolatrie, as may not be tollerated. yeaD. Bils. ag Apolog. p. 4 p. 344.345. our Opposites them selves are very large in their invectives against the idoll of the heart, whē only God is not served as he should, how much more thē should they inveigh against this signe, which doth not only raise idolatrous fancies of God, through conceaving & worshipping of him be­sides his worde, but also sturre vp idolatrous thoughtes & cogitations towards it selfe: for which cause, if not in it then in nothing, isAugust. de verb. dom secun. Math. serm. 6. Augustines counsell to be fol­lowed, prius id agamus vt Idola in eorum cordibus confringamus. Thirdly, the effectes of the crosse aereall bewray that he is a tempter: which in the people (not wel re­formed from their old customes) are the same whichIoh. Rey­nold de I­dolotat. lib 2. ca. 3. lect 26. & 68. our writers vse to bring to prove the idolatry of the pagans towards their images & their idolls. The Tyrians bewrayed, they thought to haue helpe by the image of Apollo whē they bound it fast with chaines to keepe it fast & sure to their citie against Alexāder who thē be­sieged it. The Athenians bewrayed the like when they made an image to Victoria without winges to the end she should not flie away from them. And the Sicilians when they cōplayned they had now no God in their cities to flie vnto, because Verres had takē away their Images. If the popishly addicted within this realme ar not in like feare to loose the power & presence of Ch. vpon the losse of this signe, then are we gulled, not only by our owne experiēce, but also by the prudence of our Reverend Fathers which hath resolved that it cannot be removed without a mischief: for that the people will not misse it nor by any meanes leaue it: which if it be true, then even in their own cōfession they chayne it fast with the Tyrians, clippe the winges of it from flying away with the Athenians, & cōplaine with the men of Sicilie in case it be taken from them against their wills. The second replie to the premisses is, that seeing they that be wise vse the signe of the crosse well i­nough, it is indifferent, & so at the Magistrates pleasure whether he wil remoue it or no. especially for the sake of a few who are not to be regarded by him. To this ourHomil. vb. sub pa. 3. p. 13. homily first replyeth, that if it doth hurt to anie it must be remooved: that though a man receaue no hurt by it him self, yet that he must forbeare & remove it for other mens sakes, as Paul cōmandeth 1. Cor. 8. the Magistrate him selfe not being excepted: touching whom itIbid. 61. demandeth, The good K. Hezechias did know wel inough that the brazen serpent was but a dead image, therfore him self tooke no hurt thereby through idolatrie to it: did he therefore let it stand, because him­self tooke no hurt thereof? and last of all, that there is daunger to the most wise by every idoll and by everie image in the Church: as we see inPag. 50. Salomon him selfe the wisest. Wherevpon it is thus concluded, It is better Pag. 51. even for the wisest to re­garde this warning: He that loveth daunger, shall perish therein, and let him that stan­deth beware least he fall. rather then wittinglie and willinglie to laye a stumbling blocke for his owne feet and others. The third replye to the premisses is, that though the signe of the crosse be a tempter, yet the cōcupiscence to which he tempteth may be prevēted by other meanes, as by preaching, & by the autho. of the Magistrate. [Page 140]First, this course is no other then that which Antich. doth prescribe, as doeth ap­peare by theConcil. Trident. sess. 25. de­cret. de i­magin. Councell of Trent, although it graunteth it is superstitiō credere quod insit in imaginibus aliqua virtus propter quam sint colendae, yet will it not haue them to be removed, but prescribeth only the parish priest must remove the superstiti­on, but let alone the images. Secondly, God prescribeth another course: which is to remove all occasions of Idolatrie and superstition,Zanch. de imag. Thes 3 p. 355. Homil. vb. sup. p. 1. p. 4. & p. 3. pag. 12. amongst which the verie having of an image or an idoll in the Church, is one of the chiefest. Thirdly, our owne doctrine of our church maketh answer to this obiection:p. 3. p. 42. affirming that neither the preaching of Bishops, nor the Decrees of Councells, nor the Lawes of 8. Emperours in the East could ever remedie the idolatrie or the abuse of ima­ges, when once they were to be had in churches: vpon the experience whereof, and vpon many other reasons which shewe thatIbid. p. 34 35. preaching against the abuse, is insufficient; it flatly determineth that in the retayning of every Idoll, & of every image in the church, there is a dangerIbid p. 7. vnavoydable of superstition: & that there is not only a difficultie, but also anpag. 36. impossibilitie of any remedie in this behalfe. and such is the first way whereby the crosse tempteth to concupiscence: to witt, as an image and an idoll, when it is found in the service of God.

#Sect. 3. The second temptation the crosse giveth, is, that it maketh men to think it is the same in our vse with the popish and superstitious crosse.

THE second way whereby the signe of the crosse tempteth, is by that shewe which he hath to make men thinke he is the same in our vse with the popish and with the superstitious crosse. Thamars habit whereby shee is like a common strumpet to be hired enlureth Iuda, togither with her sitting in place convient for the sinne. The crosse, as vsed in our church, beareth the habit of the harlot, and sitteth in the very place where the spirituall fornication was wont of olde to bee committed. which being also an holy place and religious, augmenteth much our sinne. The Councell forbiddeth any sacred person to be present in such places,Concil. Agathens. [...]. 39. vbi amatoria cantantur, aut obscoeni motus corporuns choreis & saltationibus efferuntur: ne auditus aut obtutus sacris mysterijs deputati turpium spectaculorum, atque verborū con­tagione polluantur. Are not the senses deputed to holy sightes in baptisme? haue not the making of the crosse and our signing the infant with it, therby to receaue him into the church, and to dedicate him to God a greater shewe of spirituall & the popish fornication then the sight of dauncing hath of the bodily? and hath not this a greater incitment to the one, thē that hath to the other? What that the Councell forbiddeth every tempting sight and spectacle at other times, and in o­ther places, whereas this is proposed in the tyme of Gods service it self, whereby it offendeth against that Canon,Decret. p. 2. caus. 18. q. 2. c. 6. Missas quoque publicas in Coenobijs sieri omnimodo prohibemus: ne in servorum Dei recessibus & in eorum receptaculis vlla popularis conven tus praebeatur occasio, vel mulierum fiat illis introitus, quia non expedit animabus corum. And for asmuch as it is in a sacrament where this tempter sitteth to enlure, there may be very well applyed against it, what once was spoken against Severus, Synod. 5. Conftan­tinop. ar. 1 im­pudicitiam muliebrem non dignam divini baptismatis introduxit, & stare fecit iuxta sa­crum fontem. againe, excaecatus est animi oculus, cùm stat in sacrificio sine sanguine quod dignis vtile fuit, non illi qui omnem intellectum proijcit in intuitum mulierum; nesciens quod ex solo adspectu peccatum contrahitur iuxta divinam scripturam. Secondly, as the shewe of our crosse tempteth like an harlots habit in place convenient, so also like the paynting of a womans face: who for her selfe is honest. Now this cannot butTertul. lib de cult. foe miuar. tentationibus viam aperire & permovere scandalum saltem in spiritu: So that we may say of our crosse, though of her selfe she were honest and lawfull, what was said against such paynting, simus & moribus ijsdem, si supersicie eadem, Christianae pu­dicitiae [Page 141]non satis est esse, verū & videri. In regard of this our seeming not to be chast, and of this shewe of famenes with popish vnchastitie, we answer to thē who say the crosse is indifferent per se what was answered to the women that did stande vpon the indifferencie of their paynting, omnia licent sed nō omnia aedificant, facilius illicita timebit qui licita verebitur. Againe, when we are told it is peevish to feare a scandall by the crosse, we may wel answer, what was to thē likewise replied who laughed at chose who feared such paynting would prove a snare, timor fundamen­tum salutis est. praesumptio impedimentum timoris. qui saecurus agit, non possidet firmam securitatem, at qui est sollicitus, is verè poterit esse saecurus. Last of all, when it is saide we vse the crosse without superstition, what hindreth to borrowe the answer wch was given to them when they protested in like maner, we vse our paynting with­out all concupiscence of vnchastitie, as knoweth the Lorde who knoweth our heartes, probum tamen vestrum non apparet coram hominibus, that so you might be probae etiam alijs both exemplo & testimonio, as ye ought to haue been. Thirdly, as the signe of the crosse tempteth like the habit of an harlot, and the paynting of an honest woman, so also like the wanton carriage betweene men and betweene women: an example whereof we haue in him who wasAntonin. Gubert. Costam. Poly hist. c. 4. censured even by the heathen them selves for kissing his wife before his daughter. who will deny, but that this gesture was lawfull enough, yet because there was a shewe and a repre­sentation in it which would put ill thoughtes into the minde of a yong & tender Virgin, therefore it was scandalous. Nowe a shewe there is greater in our cros­sing, not of any lawfull action, but of a wanton dalliance.

#sect. 4. The third temptation of the crosse is by renewing the spirituall fornication and popish delight which it bred in former times of darknes.

THE third way whereby the signe of the crosse tempteth, is by calling vnto minde the spirituall fornication, and by renewing the popish delight which was wont to be taken in it in former times of darknes: for that such a remēbrance is a tempter, and therefore ought to be removed, appeareth clearly by the equitie of Moyses lawe: of which thus Augustine, August. sup. Levit. ad cap. 19. q. 74. pecora inde credendum est iussa interfici, quia tali flagitio contaminata, indignam refricant facti memoriam. Nowe the crosse rubbeth vp the memorie of crosse idolatrie both by worde and by deed. We will begin with this latter first. Knowe we not that the very expressing of the dalli­ances of adulterie vpon a stage infecteth with thoughtes at least involuntarie, which be forbidden in this commaundement? For we are forbidden by the A­postle [...] to any lust of our former ignorance, to witt, Pet. 1.14. as aH. Stephā. in Thesau. player is framed and fashioned to the gestures and wordes either of drunkenes or of adul­terie, when he played them on the scaffold of the Theater. In regard hereof the crosses superstition being a lust of former ignorance, we doe ill, as it seemeth to expresse the fashioning of it in a sacrament, a place which is such (in respect of provoking to spirituall fornicatiō) as is the stage in respect of the bodily. Remem­ber we here that which Cyprian spake once against a stage playe, etiam Cypri. e­pistolar. lib. 2. gestus in. quinat: adulterlum discitur etiam cùm auditur. and it is a provocation etiam expri­mere impudicam Venerem. You will say, we haue no purpose to make the popish crosse: but so the player hath no purpose to cōmit the acte of adulterie: his sinne is in that he gestureth and expresseth the dalliances of it to the polluting of their thoughtes, that heare and behold him. Nowe it will seeme very straunge vnto me, if our gesturing and expressing of the crosses vnchast dalliance in the sacra­ment of Baptisme be not graunted to haue, even a greater and straunger temp­ting power then that of a player vpon a stage, seeing his spectators haue a light in them to resist ill thoughtes for that they know the adulterie which he expresseth [Page 142]is a sinne, which the beholders of the crosse in baptisme want, in that they thinke the very popish vse thereof is pious and good. and as for the church it self wher­in this gesturing is acted, it tempteth more then a stage, because it is the bedd it selfe, which also adorned with spirituall complement, hath a greater force to en­lure thē a bedde decked with ornaments of Egypt. to give instance but in one: the coūtenance of autho: Pro. 7.16. the grace which the lawe doth give it, the power that ma­keth it to seeme great before the people, is it a small temptation to them? Sure, as Cyprian said once of the stage play when it was by law authorized, the same may we now say of this signe, it is malum publicae authoritatis Lenocinans ad vitia. So by deed our crosse rubbeth vp the remembrance and the memorie of the auncient crosse adulterous. Come we nowe to that memorie which it doth renewe by word. Ephes. 5.3. for as the very name it selfe of the bodily fornicatiō ought not to be heard amongst the saincts, so the very name it self of the popish adulterie ought to haue ben long since buried, which our crosse not only keepeth aboue ground, but also on foote. Nullius rei atrocis aut vilis commemoratio melior est, quod in facto reijcitur in dicto etiam reijciendum. and so by consequent in gestu. Againe,Tertul. li. de spectacu vetustas horror ex­pressa ad imaginem, veritatis actione replicatur, ne saeculis transcuntibus exolescat quod a­liquando commissum est. Nunquam crimen by these meanes temporibus obruitur. Nū ­quam scelus oblivione sepelitur. It cā not be denyed but that our crosse commemo­rateth the popish crosse, replicateth in action the popish crossing, continueth the memorie of idolatrie committed to it, so that it cannot be forgotten. all which open a windowe to concupiscence towardes the same. In deed what force such commemoration and representation of adulterie hath to open a windowe even to very Sathan him selfe, this author sheweth by the example of a christian wo­mā possessed at a Theater, Sathā giving this reason why at that time he entred in to her, quia invenerat eam in suo. No mervayle then, if diverse be possessed stil with the crosses superstitiō, sith whom he findeth at this replication, commemoratiō, representation of the old popish crossing, he doth (in a maner) finde them in suo. OurR. Hooke li. 5. ca. 65. adversaries talke how the sight of the crosse worketh much by imagination vpon whose cell it beateth. speake they not herein more truely then they be a ware of? For the example of our crossing throughout the conceyt & apprehen­sion of the simple is much avaylable to breed in them an imagination, or rather an image of a superstitious crossing, sith aMath. Kel­lison in Survey. in epist. to the Kinge. Iesuit him selfe affirmeth of the supe­riours example in generall, that it effecteth asmuch in the soule as the sight of Ia­cobs roddes wrought in his sheepe which sawe them. This effect of this imagina­tion is foretold vs by the Apostle, he that seeth thee vsing an Idolothious crosse of Rome, will he not begin to like the better both of Rome her self and of her idolatrie, 1. Cor. 8.10 and of her idoll of the crosse by their example? When the concubine of Pope Nicho­las▪ had brought forth a childe like a beare, his successor Martine, who entertay­ned the same concubine, commaunded the armes of theIoh. Cris­pin. Chro­nolog. in Martin. 4. Vrsini to be razed out, because the sight of a Beare in them had bred thorough her imagination (as he supposed) this monster. So we must away with all the armes and badges of po­perie, else the sight of them wil bring forth popish monsters againe in the mindes of the simple, in whose infected imagination, what will not our example doe?

#Sect. 5. The crosse tempteth alike to spirituall fornication as the presence of a woman to bodily fornication.

FIftly, the crosse tempteth to a concupiscence of a spirituall fornication, as the scandalous presence of a woman (otherwise honest) tempteth to the bodilie.Gualt. in Math. 5. Spurina, perceaving that many women were tempted to lust at the viewe of his beautie, mangled and deformed his face: which needed not, sith he might haue [Page 143]forborne their cōpanie. or if he had any necessarie businesse with them, the fault was theirs not his. Indeed without necessarie busines, for him to haue presented him selfe before them, or for a beautifull woman now to present her selfe before those who are in loue with her, it is no lesse then a scandalum datum, as the schooleSumma. Siluestri [...]s. in verb. scandal. Divines determine. TheConcil. Turonic. 2 cap. 14. Councells also are of the same iudgement, which for­bid, that if a Bishop haue no wife of his owne, that then no women shal be in his house vpon this reason, because in such case there is no necessarie busines for any woman in his house. also they forbid vnto Clerikes,Cap. 10. Nullus deinceps Clericorū pro occasione necessitatis faciendae vestis aut causa ordinandae domus extraneam mulierem in domo sua habere praesumat vpon this reason, because nihil opus est in domo serpentem includere pro veste. TheDecret pa 1. distinct. 23. cap. 3. Canon lawe thinketh the same, which prescribeth to the Clerickes, Ne spectaculis & pompis intersint: vt convivia publica fugiant: as also Vi­duarum & Virginum frequentationē. The Fathers walke in the same spirit, amongst whom thus Hierome, Hieron. ad Neporian. & alibi vid distinct. 32 cap. 17. Hospitiolum tuum aut raro aut nunquam mulierum pedes terant, quia non potest toto corde cum Deo habitare, qui foeminarum accessibus co pulatur. Foemi­na conscientiam secum paritur habitantis exurit nunquam de formis multerum disputes: foeminae nomen tuum noverint, vultum nesciant: foeminam quam benè videris conver­santem mente dilige, non corporali presentia. The practize of the church hath ben an­swerable: for vpon this cause in auncient time (asDurant. de rit. lib. 2 ca 54. sect. vlt. Amala. de Ecclesi­astic. offic. lib. 3. ca. 32 Amalarius testifieth) men and women were severed in the church non solum ab osculo carnali, sed etiam situ locali: ne Cyril. in prefat. Ca­teches. salutis studium esset occasio perditionis. Thus Aagustine, August. ad psal. 50. M [...]lier longe, libido prope. Further yet, The TurkeishIoachim. Vadian. women when they come abroad, cast a vayle over their faces. a custome and fashion vsed by them, because the light of nature tells them, that the scandall which vseth to come by sight it selfe, is by every conveni­ent meane to be prevented. As the custome of Turkey hath made this vayle of the women a meane convenient to prevent scandall, so also the custome of the church ofBeat. Rhe­nan. in Tertul de veland. virgin. Carthage made the vayle of the Virgine when shee came abroad to church a meane convenient in that place for the very same purpose. Apply this to the crosse we may well: he is beautiful in the eyes of the popishly addicted he hath no necessarie busines that he should be presented to them: pretended ne­cessitie such as was [pro veste] mentioned before will not dispence for the nouri­shing of such a serpent, therefore the people must be severed from him and from the Surplice. And the like after the example of Amalarius his dayes, & the crosse it selfe must be seperated from them by every meane, whether generally com­maunded such as the equitie of destroying Canaans monuments doth prescribe, or particularly convenient such as the proportion of the Turkeish and Carthage vayle enioyneth to vs. We are not ignorant we shall be hated as too pure & pee­vish for this doctrine, but so at Carthage they were hated as too precise who came with a vayle into the church. Turtullian would take part withTertul. de Veland. Virgin. vs now, as then he tooke part with them. For these reasons of his, non de integra conscientia venit stu­dium placendi per decorem, quem naturaliter invitatorem libidinis scimus ipsa concupi­scentia non latendi non est pudica. patitur aliquid quod virginis non est studium placendi viris. &c. may be thus applyed to the crosse we thinke we cannot with a good cō ­science desire to please the simple people with the sight of the crosses seemelines: which we knowe by tryed experience inciteth vsually to a popish humor in thē: and our serving of God suffereth some thing as we suppose which is not chaste, when it vnvayleth before their eyes a tempter to vnchastitie. To the same effecte may be applyed what he hath elsewhere,Tertul. de cult. Faeminar. sancta foemina sit naturaliter speciosa, non adeo sit occasioni: certe si fuerit non ignorare sed etiam impedi [...]e se debet. by proportion from whence should we not staye & hinder the crosse from that occasion which he giveth of superstition. But this is denyed which though it be a matter of fact, and therefore may be sufficiently proved by experience, yet let me reason with [Page 144]the same Tertullian. When it was said to him, the stage-playes were no accasions of evill, he prooved it thus:Idem de spectacul. Nemo ad voluptatem venit sine affectu: nemo affectum sine casibus suis patitur: vbi voluptas ibi studium, per quod scilicet voluptas sapit. The same reason may we vse nowe. the popishly minded take more pleasure and de­light in the crosse of Baptisme, then the well instructed doe, therefore they loue it with an other loue, and bare a deare affection towardes it of another kinde, which doeth not want his popish passions, howe else could this delight of theirs be savourie to them if they had not a monethes minde to that, wherein they doe delight so much? But what if the signe of the crosse doe not breed in men the ill thoughtes of popishe concupiscence, doeth he not satisfie this commaunde­ment, vnlesse he fill the soules of men with thoughtes of loue spirituall. This doe all the ceremonies which God hath ordayned. who, because he hath not sanctified to so good a worke this signe, therefore we may boldly thusIdem ibid conclude of it, An Christianus cogitabit de Deo positus illic vbi nihilest de Deo? avertat Deus à suis, tantam vo­luptatis exitiosam Cupi­ditatem.

AMEN. S. D. C.

A Table of the contents of the severall Chapters and sections of this second part.

  • Of the Iniustice of the Crosse, Sect. 1. CAP. I.
    • OBiection answered: If our Church were now in her first constitution, it were fit to remoue the Ceremonies: but being esta­blished, they are to be let alone. Sect. 2.
    • Answere to this obiection: There is difficultie in the Removall of Ceremonies, Therefore they are rather to be let alone. sect. 3.
    • Answere to this obiection, The change of a Law bringeth dishonour of an Innovation, and ex­tenuates the lawes authoritie. sect. 4.
    • Second suit, that Ceremonies may neither be iud­ged good or indifferent in regard of circum­stances being hurtfull Sect. 5.
    • 3. Suit, that practised commaunding of Ceremo­nies bee reformed for time to come, and the church freed from divers grievances: as that there be 2. Gods, &c. Sect. 6.
    • Divers instances wherin the imposing and de­fence of Ceremonies, are found grievous. sect. 7.
    • The warrant of Ceremonies ought to be Reason and Edification, neither Will nor Authoritie. Sect. 8.
    • 4. Suite beseecheth that they may not be thought to offend against a law, who observe the intention of it. Sect. 9.
    • The Opposits in defence of Ceremonies, offende against ordinarium jus. Sect. 10.
    • Thirdly, Iustice borrowed temper from Equani­mitie which dispenseth on iust cause. Fourth­ly, from forbearance, which passeth by a cere­moniall transgression. Sect. 11.
    • Imposition of Cerem. as now vrged take away Christian libertie. Sect 12.
    • Ceremonies as now vrged, take away libertie of Conscience, sect. 13,
    • Non-Conformitie is neither contempt nor scan­dall. sect. 14.
    • They that disobey or displease in vnlawfull ce­remonies, doe not scandalize, sect. 15.
    • The punishments inflicted for not conformitie, are greater then the faultes committed, sect. 16.
    • The Ius of the law of the lande whether compre­hensive or extensive, doth not iustifie our Op­posites rigour against vs. sect. 17.
  • The Murther of the Crosse, Sect. 1. CAHP. 6.
    • THe soule murther of the Crosse. Sect. 2.
    • Ceremonies may not be vsed in Relation, nor in Comparison, sect. 3.
    • Present Necessitie pretended by the Opposites, makes not the Crosse convenient, sect. 4.
    • Jnexpediencie of ceremo. makes not them guiltie that only tollerate them, confuted, sect 5.
    • The second sorte of Opposites confuted, affirming no inconvenience in ceremonies nor any aptnes to breede scandall or offence, sect. 6.
    • The Opposites confuted confessing hurt to follow of the ceremonies, yet without their fault, sect. 7.
    • The Crosse is scandalum datum, notwithstan­dinge there bee no intent to draw any sinne thereby, sect. 8.
    • The second exception of elevating the scandall, confuted s [...]ct. 9.
    • The third except on answered, viz. That lawes must not be changed for that a few are scan­dalized, sect. 10.
    • The Opposites op [...]ion thinking greater scandall would cōe vpon the Removall, confuted, sect. 11.
    • A scandall of the Papistes remooved, saying, If ceremonies be remooved, it will harden them against vs, and breed an hostile alienation of their mindes from our religion, sect. 12.
    • The defence of tolleration of ceremonies from Act. 15. confuted. sect. 13.
    • The argument of tollerating ceremonies drawen from Paules putrifying, and the Jewes obser­vation of Pentecost, confuted, sect. 14.
    • The practise of the prime Church retayning Ri­tes to winne them that were without, and to content them that were lately converted, con­futed, sect. 15.
    • The second sort of men, whom ceremonies offend, are Separistes, of whom more regard ought to be had then of a Turke or Jewe, sect. 16.
    • The third scandall given by ceremonies, is to the members within the Church, sect. 18.
    • The 4. scandall of the Cerem. is, that they offend all sorts of men among the people sect. 18.
    • The fift scandall that ceremonies giue, is against the whole Church and Gospell which it pro­fesseth, sect. 19.
    • The third murther of the crosse is through home­contention, sect. 20.
    • The obiection of the Opposites, that inferiours not yeelding in small matters, be guilty of con­tention against Superiours, answered. sect. 21.
    • Ceremonies not only make the contention of the church, but also nourish it: neither will the church be quiet, so long as they continew. sect. 22.
    • Conformitie in ceremonies ought not to hinder [Page]peace, though with diversitie of ceremonie, sect. 23. and 24.
    • An exact vniformitie in ceremonies, hath ever disquieted the church, & hindered the growth of it, sect. 25.
  • The Adulterie of the Crosse. CHAP. VII.
  • The wrong of the Crosse. Sect. 1. CAHP. VIII.
    • Vniust maner of proceeding and [...]th ex officio, &c. iust causes of complaint sect. 2.
    • The violence of subscription iustly complayned of as most vniust, sect. 3.
  • The Slaunder of the Crosse, Sect. 1. CHAP. IX.
    • Seekers of Reformation, neither Donatistes, nor Anabaptistes, with neither of whom they haue any thing to doe, sect. 2.
    • Defence of the Ministers against the imputa­tion of schisme, sheving what schisme is, sect. 3.
    • Defence of the Ministers against the imputati­on of sedition and faction, sect 4.
    • Seekers of Reformation, no New fangelistes, no haters of Antiquitie, nor delighters in novil­tie, &c. sect. 5.
    • Aiust excuse both in regard of the matter and maner of the crosse, sect. 6.
    • The second exception proveth that the crosse is neither truely nor soundlie auncient, sect. 7.
    • The second Exception against the Antiquitie of the crosse, sect. 8.
    • The third Exception against the Antiquitie of crosse sect. 9.
    • The 4. Exception against the Antiquitie of the crosse, proving the crosse, now vsed, not to be that the fathers vsed. sect. 10.
    • A third Apologie against the slaunder of new­fanglednes in denyall of the Crosse, sect. 11.
  • The Concupiscence of the Crosse, Sect. 1. CHAP. X.
    • Three replyes against the evidences of the cros­ses concupiscence, sect. 2.
    • The second temptation the Crosse giveth, is, that it maketh men to thinke it is the same in our vse with the popish and superstitious crosse sect. 3.
    • The third temptation of the crosse is by renewing the spirituall fornicatiō & popish delight which it bred in former times of darknes, sect. 4.
    • The crosse tempteth alike to spirituall fornicati­on, as the presence of a woman to bodily for­nication, sect. 5.

An Alphabeticall Table of some of the princi­pall matters conteined in the second part of this Treatise.

A.
  • ABsolute power ascribed to man in things indifferēt, doth equal him to God. pa. 21
  • Abstinence from bloud and strangled, is ceased, and the reason why, pa. 7. It was retai­ned by the Apostles for a time only, during the weaknes of the Iewes, pa. 69.
  • Abstinence from flesh, though commaun­ded for policie only and not for religion, is to be condemned, as a kinde of cōformitie to the papistes, pa. 34.
  • Abstinence from washing for a weeke after Baptisme is abolished by the papistes thēselues, though it bee as auncient as Tertullianus time, pa. 120.
  • Adherent Circumstances be in the churches disposition, so be not inherent, pa. 76.
  • The Administring of the communion to in­fants, is now disvsed, though it be a rite as aun­cient as Cyprianus time, and had continued in the Church aboue 600. yeeres. pa. 120.
  • In Africa men baptise them selues every Epi­phany▪ pa. 122.27.
  • The Annointing of a Priest, in time of ne­cessity, though it was anciently vsed is a meere corruption, pa. 131.
  • Antichrist giueth more libertie in his cere­monies, then our church doth in hers, pa. 12. C. pa. 1. & pa. 2.
  • The Apostles, & the primitiue church that followed them, added not one Rite in the admi­nistration of any Sacrament, besides those mē ­tioned in the Evangelistes, pa. 124.
  • Diverse traditions termed Apostolicall, which rose long after the Apostles times; pa. 126.
  • An Appeale from the vnmercifull Prelates, cannot without great iniustice, bee denied to the poore Ministers, pa. 40.
B.
  • All Badges of poperie, must be done away, pa. 142.
  • [Page]Men Baptize themselves in Africa every Epi-Phanie, pag. 122.
  • The Bishopps being knowne parties against the Ministers, are not competent Iudges in their causes, pa. 40. their bowells are verie barren towards them, ibid.
  • The Bishopps are helde abroad, amongest such as dare iudge, little better then Adiapho­ristes, and persecutours of their brethren, pag. 110.
  • Bishopps were at the first the beginners of this contention about the ceremonies, pa. 89.
  • Bishop Elmar ioyned Adiaphoristes and Sa­tanistes togither, pa. 110.
  • The Bishops please the papistes well in their opposition to the Ministers, pa. 112. they hold not now (as heretofore they were wont) their authoritie over their brethren from the Prince or at his pleasure, but evē iure divino, which Q. Elizabeth would neuer indure, p. 115. they de­prive, unprison, & excōm micate even their fel­low-labourers in the Gospell, when they will not in every trifle condescend to their opini­on, ibid. their Authoritie it selfe is such as will divide and rent the church, as lamentable ex­perience sheweth, pa. 117.
  • In Bohemia, and in Russia, the Communion is given to Infantes, pa. 122.
  • The Booke of the Gospell is by some made a very Amulet, pa. 131.
  • Bowing to the name of Iesus, is condemned by the most learned of our church, pa. 62.
  • The Brasen serpent cōmeth not neare to the crosse in fruitfulnes of idolatrie, pa. 61.
C.
  • The Ceremonies in controversie (to wit, the Crosse & the Surplice) are pretended to be smal, and are avouched with very small proofes. and yet there is no small adoe about them, pa. 1.2. they are not to be accoūted small, & why, pa. 2. if they prevayle now, they will triumph more then ever before, ibid. the superstition of them is exceeding great, and wilbe much greater if they be any whit coūtenanced, ibid. they were never established to continue, but onely tole­rated for a season, pag. 3. they ought to bee done away by the Magistrate, ibid. they growe more and more intollerable on men that are lesse able to brooke them, pa. 4. their removall is looked for, and there is no difficultie but in the continuing and perpetuating of them, ibid. they make against faith and manners, and are not to be tolerated in a church, ibid. the scan­dall and superstition of them, cannot dy or be healed, so long as they liue and haue rest, pa. 5. they haue no meanes to maintaine life, but the plasters, drugges, and salves which the Bishops and their dependantes minister to them, ibid. they are not onely to bee left languishing, but their breath is to be stopt, as being humane presumptions, burthensome to the church, disvsed of al churches of God save ours, in natute vari­able & vncōmaunded in the word, nay cōtrarie to the word, ibid. many parishes here at home haue disvsed thē with the good cōtentement of the people, pa. 6. the doctrine would prosper better if it were purged of these weedes, ibid. & pa. 68. they harden papists, p. 7. their religious vse is totally vnlawfull, pag. 9. they are popish knives wherwith the simple hurt thē selves, pa. 16. they inslave vs to Antichrist, of whom they are borrowed, & bring vs vnder the yoke of bō ­dage, p. 20. they make our religion inferior to Antichrists, ibid. they impeach our christian li­bertie diverse waies; pa. 21.22. they are the in­struments of crueltie & murther in Gods habi­tation, pa. 41. the scādal of thē is not small, pa. 59. they cannot be vsed in gods worship & ser­vice, but they must needs grow to be worships in estimatiō, & parts of his service, p. 60. therby we scādalize the papists many waies, p. 62, they are a manifest blemish to our Church, pag. 67. they ar sacrilegious, & draw in much mischief. pa. 68. they are Idolothyrs, p. 69. they are as the bread of mourning, nay as gal & as wormwood to our soules, pa. 70. they came not from heavē but frō the land of the vncircumcised, & are to be thrown away like a mēstruous cloth, pa. 71. they hinder thē of the separat. from ioyning in communion & fellowship with vs, pa. 73. they make the Ministers vnprofitable in the service of God & of the church, pa. 74. they drive out good Preachers, & so are within the censure of the Apostle, pag. 77. they are vnwholesome to the soule, pag. 78. they are Antichristes leaven, pa. 79. they are fetcht from Rome, and are too grosse a feeding for them that bee soule-sicke, ibid. they hurt the Gospell many wayes, ibid. they are a meane to reedifie poperie, a roote of bitternes to defile many, & a stumpe of the po­pish tree remayning, to make it reflourish a­gaine, pag. 80. they are the sinnewes of popery, they breed discord and strife: they keepe out & turne out Preachers, & are verie scandalous in divers respectes, ibid. they are trifling wares, & are to be cast into the Sea, as being the occasion of much contention, pa. 90. they are the wares of Rome, & no lawful traffique, ibid. they robb many a worthy and able minister, pa. 101.102. they defame our Church before the papist. whose badges they are, pa. 110. they disgrace vs before our brethren of the reformed churches, ibid. they staine the principal members of our church, making the very ancient vile, ibid. whē Ceremonies cease to be profitable, they are with out all sticking, to be remooved, pa. 6.
  • The Christians haue of old bin slaundered to be dangerous to the state, and all publike evills haue vsually bene throwne vpon their backes, pag. 119.
  • [Page]Christian libertie must be maintained, pa. 7.
  • Circumstances make things sometimes con­venient, and at other times inconvenient, pa. 44
  • Conforming is a great deale more then tole­rating, pa. 50.51.67.
  • The Conformitie of our Opposits edifieth the people to an vnholy kinde of obedience, pa. 36
  • Conformitie with Pagans and Idolaters, vn­lawfull, pa. 66.
  • Conformitie to our ceremonies controver­sed, is vnlawfull, pa. 70.
  • Contempt is not to be iudged of, by a mans forbearing to doe a thing commanded, but by his other cariage, pa. 33.34.
  • The Counsell of Laterane giveth power to the Pope to absolve subiectes from their fidelitie to their Princes, pa. 41.
  • The Crosse is not a thing indifferent, pa. 8. it is an additiō to Baptisme. pa. 19. it selleth vs to no litle servitude, pa. 20. It is a meate vncleane, pa. 32. It hath beene a guide like Judas of all the warres which the crawling frogges of the Dragons mouth haue at any time raised in the world, pa. 41. It hath serued for an Absolons sactifice to grace conspiracies & murtiners, ibid. like a Saul it keepeth the clothes of the execu­tioners of the martyrs, p. 42. It hath shed much precious bloud which the earth will not cover, ibid. not only the signe but the very name of it should be odious to vs, ibid. It hath murthered many Ministers. ibid. and pa. 43. it is an instru­ment of offence, pa. 43. It is an harlot, and stir­reth vp popish lust, pag. 56.140. it hath beene more idolized thē any of the popish images, p. 60. It is a grand idoll of poperie, sett vp in the midst of our Church, whereas the very hand­maides of it should not bee suffered so much as in the church-porch or belfray, ibid. God hath accursed it to be a snare, and so it hath prooved accordingly, pa. 61. the soule of it being depar­ted, what maketh the dead carcase of it aboue ground amongst vs? ibid. It is a grand hallower & consecrator of all holy things and actions, pa. 62. It is to be abolished as well as other Images, pa. 65. it must be forborne to avoid al shew of participatiō with the papistes in their super­stitious & idolatrous crossing, pag. 69. it is the marke of the Beast, & Antic. enseigne, pa. 72. It giveth witnes of the faith of Antichrist, whose marke it is, pa. 73. The people are exceedinglie mad vpon it, pa. 76.139. it is a monument of i­dolatrie, & a snare to infect the hart, pa. 77. It is a lay mans booke which deserveth to be burnt ibid. it is an abhominable Idole, an Idolothyte. a monument of idolatrie, p. 99. it hath no bet­ter ground then many other ceremo. now disv­sed by the papistes them selves, and hath bene worse abused, pa. 121. It holdeth his antiquitie by a very weak stringe, pag. 126. it is no other­wise Apostolicall, then the new porch which Herode erected was Solomons, or the shooe of the Gibeonite auncient, pa. 127. The age of it, ibid. & 134. the first devisers of it haue bin cō ­cealed as much as may be, pa. 128. It is a badge of our faith taken from the blackest and gros­sest heretikes that ever were, Q. pa. 1. It had a base beginning, and grew from a custome to a ceremonie, not only significant, but also super­stitious Q. p. 2. it is not onely a provoker to i­dolatrie, but an Idol. pa. 132. it is degenerated frō ancient vse, and is not the same now which it was to the Fathers, ibid. It was not known in the Apostles daies, nor in the Primitive Church that next succeeded them. pag. 133. it feedeth lust habituall, and breedeth lust actuall. Q. 4. p. 2. it is a Porter that lettch in, and a Purvei­our that carieth in the Temptations, that doe nourish men in Idolatry and superstition. ibid. it increased by litle and litle. R. p. 1. it is a coale to heate, and a fire to inflame lust. ibid. the aereall signe of it must be throwne out of the Church vpon the same grounds that other I­mages are R. p. 2. and pa. 139. it beareth the ha­bite of a harlot, and sitteth in the very place where spirituall fornication was wont of old to be committed. p. 140. it tempteth like the pain­ting of a womans face. ibi. it hath in it the shew of a wanton dalliance. pag. 141. it rubbeth vp the memory of Crosse-idolatry both by worde and deed, ibid. It breedeth in the simple an ima­gination, or rather an image of a superstitious crossing, pag. 142. It is beautifull in the eies of such as are popishly addicted, and hath no ne­cessarie busines to be presented to them, p. 143.
  • The Crosse whereon Christ died, was buried (as was Moses body) in an vnknowne place, to prevent idolatrie, pa. 133. the invention of it by Helene, is a very counterfait, ibid.
  • There were no Crosses in England till Au­gustine the Monke brought in his silver crosse, pa. 133.
  • It is as vnfitt to make a Crosse a memorial of Christ, as for a childe to make much of the halter or the gallowse wherewith his father was hanged, Q. 4. pa. 1.
  • A Crozier staffe in the handes of the Bishop is required by law, as well as the crosse in Bap­tisme, pa. 109.
  • Customes though never so auncient (if they be evill) are to be altered, pa. 6.7.32.
D.
  • Dedication of churches, amongst the papists, is ridiculous, and nothing like to that in Con­stantines time, pa. 132.
  • The Disagreements of papists amōgst them­selves, are greater then the differences amongst vs, pa. 88.
  • No Dispensation is admittable against Gods law, pa. 48.
  • Diversitie of customes spring from the diver­sitie [Page]of mens wittes, pa. 92.
  • Doles at burialls are defiled in poperie, yet because the custome is auncient, and the vse ci­vil not religious, they are suffred with vs, p. 121
  • The Donatistes hold that the church is pure without spot, and without wrinkle in this life, pa. 113. they hold that the Magistrate may not compel to godlines, nor punish heretikes, ibid. they separated from their communion, all that were not of their opiniō, evē in the least points, pa. 115.
E.
  • Easter-dayes observation bred much con­troversie in the church, pag. 82.
  • The Eldership neither hath not challengeth to haue any power to depose Princes, as it is im­pudently & wickedly slaūdered by some, p. 114
  • The Elevation amongest the papistes is ab­surdly defended by the ancient shewing of the bread and of the cup, pa. 132.
  • No Episcopall authoritie bindeth any Mini­ster without the warrant of the word, pa. 86.
  • The Eucharist is not necessarie to infants, neither is it nowe administred vnto them, al­though that custome continued in the church about 600. yeeres, pa. 121.
  • The Exorcisme of Baptisme is disvsed though in former times it hath bene vniversally recey­ued, pa. 131.
F.
  • Fasting was equall and alike at all times in the primitiue church, pa. 126.
  • The custome of not Fasting betwene Easter and Whitsontide is disvsed, though auncient, pa. 120.
  • The aucient Fathers had their errors, pag. 122. we are lesse tied to them in ceremonies thē in doctrine, and to their practise lesse then to their iudgement, ibid.
  • The Fathers advaunced the crosse vppon a very slender ground, Q. p. 2. they cannot be iu­stified in their speeches cōcerning it, ibid. they are censured by our Writers for ascribing to it power against the Devill, pa. 131.
  • Feastes at the sepulchres of the dead were al­tered, though very auncient, pa. 7.
  • Feaste-dayes of Sainctes are worthy to bee abolished, and why, pag. 34.
  • The Forehead of a christian man must not in Baptisme be defiled with any signe devised by man, pa. 100.
  • The Formalistes breake more & farre more profitable Canons, then the silenced ministers, pa. 117.118. they take shaftes out of the quiver of the papistes & the Adiaphoristes, to throwe them at their fellowes; which can not hurt but with the venime wherewith the enemie him­selfe hath dressed them, pa. 120.
G.
  • Gedeons Ephod not to be suffered for feare of future danger, pa. 79.
H.
  • Our Hatred against superstitious ceremonies must be shewed in outward appearance, pa. 93.
  • In Hieromes time the church drew neare to her lees, & the burthensomnes of the Ceremo­nies made the estate of the christians worse thē the state of the Iewes, pa. 128.
  • Holy daies were in auncient times left to mens libertie, pa. 91.
  • Holy water banished out of the church porch for the holynes that was put in it, pa. 60.
  • Our Homilies condemne Images in chur­ches vpon diverse good grounds, & so by con­sequent our ceremonies, pa. 137. R. p. 1.
  • Hony and milke in Baptisme, though they be as ancient as Tertullians time, are abolished by the papistes themselves, pa. 120.
  • The Hugonotes were straungely transfor­med in Fraunce by the Fryers, who made the people beleeve they were monsters with Asses cares, and swines faces, and the like, so are the silenced Ministers amongst vs dealt withall at this day by their Opposites, pag. 111.
  • Humane lawes binde not the Conscience, pa. 21.31. the observation of them is left free to vs out of the case of contempt and scandall▪ pa. 31.
  • The Hussites that conformed in Boheme, e­steemed better of the papistes, their of their syncere brethren, pag. 120.
I.
  • All Idolatrous Rites and Ceremonies are to be rooted out, pa. 66.
  • Idolatrie cannot possible be separated from Church-Images, but is an inseparable acci­dent to them, pa. 138.
  • Iewells borrowed from Egypt proved at last matter for the making of a calfe, pa. 19.
  • The Jewes in Rome and in Franckforde, are counted better then protestants, pag. 119.
  • The Iewish ceremonies were not presently to be left, but were to stay till the Gospell was preached, and the Iewes instructed to a leaving of them, pa. 69. The time of their funerall was the time of the Tēples destruction, after which they might not be vsed, ibid. and pag. 71.
  • Images in Churches offend the godly, and confirme the wicked in their impietie, pa. 73.
  • Jmages had a base beginning, Q. p. 2. they are to be put out of the church, Q. p. 2. and R. p. 1. they are harlots, and temptations to Ido­latrie, R. p. 1. they came into churches by de­grees, ibid. they are devises of man brought in through blinde zeale and devotion, ibid. they are dangerous, even to them that bee most wise, pag. 139. their danger is vnavoydable, pag. 140.
  • The Imperfection of predecessours is by the successours to be perfected, pa. 3.
  • [Page]That which is Inexpedient and Jnconveni­ent, is sinnefull, pag. 44.
  • Inexpediencie is of two sortes, ibidem.
  • Inferiors haue libertie to examine the lawes and constitutions of their Superiours, pag. 11.
  • The Israelites are a plaine president of mans pronenes to Idolatrie and superstition, pa. 76.
K.
  • The Kings of Judah were not blessed of God, but when they purged the lande of Iurie from all ceremonies not prescribed by Moses lawe, pag. 4.
  • Kings haue not an vnlimited and Pope-like Authoritie, pa. 113. 114.
  • When Kings command that which is good, Christ him selfe commaūdeth in them, pa. 114,
  • Kinges owe the same reverence and obedi­ence to the Word and Sacramentes, that every private man doeth, pa. 114.
  • The custome of not Kneeling in prayer, bet­weene Easter and Whitsontide, is disvsed, though it be very auncient, pa. 120.
L.
  • The Law of the lande punisheth not a bare omission of any parte of the service booke, but only an obstinate kind of refusall of the forme thereof, ioyned with contempt, pa. 39. 109.
  • To Leave Antiquitie vpon causes iustifia­ble, was never deemed vnlawfull, pa. 120.
  • Our Leiturgie is more prest then the booke of God it selfe: and the prayers thereof are so strictly observed, as that they are in a maner turned into a Charme, pa. 19.
  • Lighting of tapers at the monumentes of Martyrs, forbidden by a Councill, pa. 78.
M.
  • The Magistrate must wholy abolish pope­rie, pa. 2.
  • The Magistrates commaundement doeth not take away from the Ceremonies, the reall hurt and scandall of them, but doeth rather much increase it, pa. 26.
  • The Magistrate hath no power to make Ceremonies lawfull to be vsed, so long as they remaine scandalous and hurtfull, ibid.
  • The Magistrate, and the Minister bee the Nurses of Gods people, pa. 54.
  • The godly Magistrate must drive away al Idolls vnd Images out of churches, R. p. 1.
  • Malitious persons are not to be scandali­zed by our doing of any thing that is vnneces­sarie, pa. 57. 63.
  • The Ministers which conforme not, are not refractarie, but ready to obay in all things, so farre forth as they may with a good consci­ence, pap. 34.35. they are deprived for disv­sing Rites which all Churches (except our owne) haue banished, pag. 39. they are called from preaching of the Gospell by the violence and iniustice of the Prelates, pag. 48. they can no more be accused for troubling the Lande, then might Elias, or the Angell, pag. 81. their Apologie, ibid. and pa. 82. 83. &c. & 117.118. they are vniustly thrust from their Ministerie, and from their flockes, pag. 103. they are as farre from the iudgement and practise of Do­natistes and Anabaptistes, as their accusers, pag. 113.
  • Ministers, iure divino, are all equall, & suc­ceede the Apostles all alike, from whom they receiue like power, not onely for preaching, but for binding and loosing, pa. 101. and 86.
  • Ministring the Communion to Infantes, was in former times vniversally observed as well as the crosse, pa. 131.
  • Mixture and medly of ceremonies is no way to make peace, pa. 98.
  • Monachisme, is falsely fathered vpon Elias, Elishah, Iohn Baptist, and the Apostles, pag. 126.
N.
  • Names of Protestantes and Puritanes, are names savouring of pernitious debate and di­vision, pa. 111.
  • The Nativitie of our Lord, was about the point of the Autumnall Equinoctiall, pa. 121.
  • Necessitie doeth sometimes so alter a fact, as that it taketh away from it all reason of sin­ning, pa. 49.
  • Necessitie in rites was never heard of in the church, till Antichrist began to vsurpe over the libertie of christian men. pa. 91.
  • Non-residents, pompous lords, and idle mi­nisters, are vnprofitable to Gods church, pag. 83.
O.
  • The Occasion even of a passiue scandall, must be removed by the Magistrate, and disvsed by the Ministers, especially if it be a monument of Idolatrie, that hath beene, is, or is likelie to be abused superstitiouslie, pa. 34.
  • All Occasions of contentions, which may lawfully bee taken away, are to be remooved, pag. 89.
  • He that offendeth is faid to destroy, because he doth that which is apt to destroy, & of which destruction would insue, were not men by the Lord preserved, which is no thankes to him that gweth scandall, pa. 43.
  • Bare Omission of anie thinge commaun­ded by the Magistrate, is no contempt, pag. 32.
  • The Oath ex officio is against the lawe of nature, the Civill and the Canon Lawe, pag. 104.
  • It maketh a breach vppon the order whiche God hath setled and appointed in his provi­dence, ibidem. It fighteth directlie against Gods worde, pag. 105. It maketh way to the [Page]Spanish Inquisition, and offendeth against the contrarie iustice practised of olde, ibidem.
  • It pervertech the duetie of a righteous Oath, & crosseth the law & iustice of all nations, times, and Countries, ibid. It is against the law of this lande, pa. 107. the Oath, to which the Adulte­resse was put in Moses lawe, maketh nothing for it, pa. 106.
  • Oyle was heretofore as vniversally vsed as the crosse, pa. 131.
P.
  • Pagans Rites, continued in the church, cor­rupt the christians doctrine, and confirme the Pagans in their idolatrie, pa. 73.
  • The Papist must be healed like the melan­cholike man, pa. 71.
  • The Papist is the right Puritane, & the rea­sons why, pa. 112.
  • The Patrones of the ceremonies are negli­gent in divers regardes, pa. 55.
  • Paul, though he circumcised Timothy, re­fused to circumcise Titus, because hee saw it would breede scandall, pa. 45.
  • Paul was necessarilie to vse the Ceremonies of the Iewes to their edification, till such time as the preaching of the Gospel had made their abolition manifest, pa. 46.
  • Paules conformitie in the Temple was helde of divers to haue bene not warrantable, pa. 70. yet our case and his are very different, p. 71. 72.
  • The Pax of the papistes is very absurdly de­fended by the auncient kisse of the primitiue church, pa. 132.
  • Every shew of Poperie, is to be avoyded, p. 63.
  • Popish ceremonies farre worse then Iewish, pa. 70.
  • Popish Rites are to be detested togither with their doctrine, pa. 93.
  • The Practise of our Church induceth an ado­ring of man, as if he were God, or at least, a ser­vitude to him, pa. 21.
  • Prayer to Saints had a base beginning, Q. p. z
  • The Prelates sinne in pressing the cerem. p. 77
  • The Priestes going vp to the Communion table, to say some of the prayers, is superstiti­ous, pag. 34.
  • The Princes authoritie is not infinite, but limited to the rules of the scripture, pa. 10. 113. 114
  • Private circumstances haue power to make evill the private vse of a thing, as well as gene­rall ones haue power to make the whole kinde of it evill, pa. 15.
  • The nick-name of Puritane was first brought vp by the papistes, of purpose, to make our re­ligion odious, pa. 111. It serveth for a colour in every papistes and Atheistes mouthes, to raile at Religion, and all honestie, vnder the name of Puritanisme, ibid.
  • The Puritanes are slaundered to bee worse then papistes, and more daungerous to be tol­lerated in a common wealth: as if Christ Iesu were worse then Barrabas, pag. 119. Nothing is helde good in any writer, or in any Church, that maketh for them, Q. 4. pa. 1.
  • Puritanes are true Protestants, and they that be as badd as papistes be in som forte as bad as Turkes, ibid.
  • The nick-name of Puritane, while it staun­dreth vs, it commendeth vs, pa. 113.
R.
  • Receiving of the Lords Supper in time of meate, though it be as auncient as Tertullians time, is abolished by the papistes them selves; pa. 120.
  • The first Reconciliation betweene the pa­pistes and a church reformed, spedde very ill, pag. 97.
  • Reconciliation was never obtayned by mix­tures, but strife hath alwayes insued, ibid.
  • Reducing of popish ceremonies, is very scan­dalous, pa. 46.
  • Nothing more contrarie to Religion, then old popish fashions, pa. 4.
  • Resolution in ceremonies, is no easie matter, there being commonly more controversie a­bout them, then about matters of faith, pa. 75.
  • Rites are not to be multiplied or increased, inasmuch as the Sonne of God hath ordained sufficiently, or rather perfectly. pa. 124.
  • Rome the throne of Satan, and seate of An­tichrist, the Sodome and Egypt of our times, pag. 96.
  • Rome is become an Egypt for spirituall, and a Sodome for bodily fornication, pa. 99.
  • Rome the stepmother of pietie, pa. 112.
  • Rome her selfe hath suffered her Breviaries to be reformed, pa. 4.
  • Some Rubrickes and sentences in the Service Booke cannot be salved, but by some shifting glosse, which swarveth from the intent of the Booke, and serveth onely for a figge-leafe to cover the nakednes of it, pa. 51.
S.
  • Salt and spitle are the Crosses fellowes in Baptisme, pa. 8. they were heretofore vniversal as well as the crosse, pag. 131.
  • The least Scandall is a great sinne, pag. 59.
  • A Scandall is not prevented in a thing vnne­cessarie, vnlesse for the abuses sake it be remo­ved, as the brasen Serpent was, pag. 64.
  • The Scandall is not small which is giuen to the Separatistes by the slovenly performāce of Gods service by dumbe dogges and scādalous ministers, with Idolatrous attire, and Idolles them selves, pa. 74.
  • He is a Schismatike which breaketh the vni­tie of the church, as hee is seditious that distur­beth the peace of it, pag. 116.
  • Our Service booke is not that booke of King Edw. to which the law bindeth vs, pa. 39. 109.
  • [Page]Spirituall and carnall fornication goe vsual­l [...]e togither, pa. 99.
  • A strange thing it is to see in one & the same Prison, a papist committed for not cōforming him selfe to England, & an Anti-papist (to wit a Preacher) punished for not conforming him selfe to Rome, pa. 1.
  • Subscription, like an Vsher, steppeth in, and crieth roome for the ceremonies, pag. 82.
  • Subscription and Conformitie bee the evill spirites that haue divided Sichem, pa. 82. they are the make-bates of our church, pa. 90.
  • The Subscription required of the Ministers, is directly against the lawes of the land, p. 108.
  • Suffering is as sure a signe of subiection, as obaying, pa. 33.
  • The Surplice and Coape are as bad as the ido­latrous garments of the Chemarims, pa. 82.
T.
  • Tertullian was a man very infamous after his fall, Q p. 1.
  • Things of them selves good may by reason of circumstances, become evill, pa. 8. 9. 15.
  • Things indifferent are to be left to the discre­tion of every man, pa. 15. the observation of them i [...] free, so that respect be had to the glo­rie of God, and the edification of out brethren, [...]bid.
  • Tolerating is onely a permission of theirs, voyde of doing and of approving which they doe, pag. 50. It is an involuntarie permission with grief & lamentation, pa. 67.
  • A Transgression in an aereall Crosse, deser­veth but an aereall punishment, p. 37.
  • Trin-immersion was in Cyprianus time a tradition and order of the church yet doeth he allow the omitting of it, and the vsing of As­persion. C. p. 2. It is abolished by the papistes them selves, pa. 120. 132.
  • Turkish women come not abroad but with a vayle over their faces, pa. 143.
V.
  • Ʋalentinus, or rather the Devill in him, be­gate the crosse; Montanus first gave it credit a­mōgst christiās for religious vse in the church, and the common people bred it vp, Q. p. 1.
  • Varietie of ceremonies no way impeacheth the vnitie of faith, which may stande in diver­sitie of Rites, pa. 91. 92. 94. 95.
  • The Virgines of Carthage wore vayles when they came abroad to church, pa. 143.
  • Ʋniformitie in forraine Rites vnlawfull, p. 96.
  • Vniformitie to popish ceremonies, whether in whole or in part, hath continually (like a furie stept out of hell) set all on a flame & fierie combustion, pa. 97.
W.
  • The round Wafers of the papistes are verie ridiculously defended by the round oblations of bread in the old church, pa. 132.
  • There is Weaknes in the strongest during this lif [...], and the reason why, pa. 75.
Y.
  • Yeelding in popish ceremonies, is verie daun­gerous, it is an evil example to posteritie: it con­firmeth papistes in their impietie: it offendeth our weake brethren, &c. pa. 46.
  • We may not Yeeld one iott in Gods mat­ters, pa. 86. 87.
Z.
  • Zeale hath her vayle of holines taken from her, and walketh at this day disguised (as it were) vnder an harlots habite, pa. 111.

Faults escaped in the printing of the second part.

PAge. 2. l. 4 [...]. reade abqui praestare [...] pa. 8. l. [...]9. delighteth and l. 21. veriu [...] pa. 6. l. 36. levitie pa. 10. l. 9. media p. 13. l. 3. renewe & l. 15. nutatque & p. 26. l. 12. and 16. Equanimitie p. 19. l. 27. and [...]a [...]some of p. 20. l. 14. to our & l. [...]4. He [...]ter pa. [...], yes, by the &c. p. 22. l. 21. liberate and l. 48. doth it p. 35. l. 31. donum p. [...]. l. 9. ora [...]. &. l. 36. ground & l. 39. fra [...]de p. 38. l. 48. the same Papists p. [...]. l. 28. want p. 40. l. 39. vere p. 41. l. 40. 180. p. 42. l. 12. [...]onja [...] p. 45. l. 7. minus rectum p. 46. l. 27. [...]evi [...]e. p. 47. l. 18. rece [...] p. 51. l. 4. existinab [...] & l. 42. [...] p. 53. l. 7. paralel p. 54. l. 47. [...] l. 50 detotal [...] p. 97. l. 33. [...] p. 58. l. 1 condemned without [...]uppo [...]ante p. 59 [...] p. 6 [...]. l. 2 [...] 62. l. 2. char [...] [...] p. 64. l. 7. wee ill [...] p. 65. l. 14. [...] l. 36. [...] p. 70. l. [...] and l. 39. Iewes p. 75. l. 2. qui [...] p. 75. l. 35. [...]iam [...] [...] p. 78. l. 9. [...] pa. [...]. l. 2 [...]. put ou [...] [...] l. [...] ditis­ [...] p. 89. l. [...] otherwise they & l. 42. con [...]ed p. [...]0. l. 5. to men [...] l. 10. [...] p. 91. l. 10. [...] &. [...] p. 93. [...] & l. 14. habit [...] & l. 32. wore & l. [...]7. combineth p. 94. l. 32. celebrent p. 95. l. 4. Germans p 96. l. 19. Ecclesia. p. 9 [...]. l. [...]. Monothelits & l. 16. loveth p 99 l. 11. spirituall tyrannie p. 101 l. 25. put out who & l. vlt. reade, layd p. 103. l. 38. shecle p. 105. l. 20. be judged p 106. l. 4. put out in & l. 42 reade expedient p. 107. l. 33. fight p. 108. l. 10. offered & l. 13. comites & l. 16. pro­consulis p. 1 [...]9. l 2 without obstinacy p. 10 l. 40 purple & l vlt. innote scere p. [...]11. l. 6. slaunders & l. 11. were & l 44 as farre foorth p 114. l. 34. a Cush p. 115. l 13. nego. p. 116. l. 27. Schis­maticum & l. 44. diversum & l. 48. objecta p. 117. l. 1. Sacra­mento p. 120 l 40. with the Crosse p. 121. l. 21. cruce & l. 47. for one or two p. 124. to the letter (r) ad in the margine Pet. Martyr is. [...]. Reg. 2. & l. 30 the Councell p. 125. l. 7. inficianti p. 126. l. 4. confirme and in the margin l. 15. ad Lyc. p. 128. l. 29. See then & l. 34. hactenus quidam Q. pa. 121. l. 50. received Q. p. 122. l. [...]. a me [...]ne & l. 35. ecclesia & l. 48. speech pag. 131. l. 40. la­befactetur & l. 44. is as very p. 134. l. penult. Petrobusiani Q. p. 127. l. 29. hote R. p. 138. l. 2. fifth p. 139. l. 9. have gone p. 149. l. is convenient p. 141. l. 8. and 9. securus & l. 37. playeth p. 142. l. 16. vet [...]tus p. 143. l. 16. pariter p. 144. l. 1. occasions and l. 10. yet doth.

If any other thing not here observed, hath escaped; I would pray thee (gentle Reader) to pardon it, especially, literall faults, many of which being of no great moment, I have purposely omitted.

FINIS.

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