THE customes of the Church, through the stubborne hu­mours of contentious men, are growne so obsolete and out of custome in most pla­ces, that I feare I may bee thought to breake the cu­stome, while I seeke to vindicate and defend her customes.

[Page 2] But when I looke back unto purer times, and finde how the Church could stand upon her cu­stomes in the very infancy and childhood of the Gospell,Aetatem habet, Ipsu interrogate. Ioh. 9.23. before the customes were come to age, I make no doubt but the same customs being grown at length to mans estate, in the ripenesse, and ma­turity of the Church, may now have leave to speak for themselves, at least in their owne defence. Si quis videtur contentiosus; If any seeme, &c.

Contentions and customes appeare unto us at the first sight like two sturdy and valiant Champi­ons, ready to assault each other in a single com­bat: Contention stands up like proud Goliah, swel­ling and powting against all the customes of the Churches. 1 Sam. 17.4. Custome stands up like little David to accept the challenge of Contention, and bids de­fiance to the proud Philistime.

Upon the issue of this Skirmish hangs all the peace and liberty of the Church: for if Contention win the day, and chance to prove maister of the field, then farewell the Church and all her customes; but if the Church prevaile and get the maistery, then downe the winde goes contention, and down goe they that love contention.

You would be glad I trow to see the issue of this battell, stay but a while and stand your ground; and when the Philistime hath brav'd himselfe a­gainst the armies of the living God, you shall see how little David shall knock him downe, as it were with a stone taken from the Churches Scrip. Non habemus consuetudinem: Divis. We have &c.

Contention is the first that makes the challenge, [Page 3]and if you desire to know the ground of this dead­ly quarrell; you must be pleased to consider three things.

1. Time and place where the quarrell first be­gan, and that was 1 in the Church; 2 in the Church of Corinth; 3 in her yong dayes, when S. Paul himselfe was yet alive.

2. The nature, and quality of this contention: for it was a poore and slender quarrell against a Ceremony, and no more.

3. By whom the quarrell was begun, and that's implied here, to be [...] some busie fellow of a wrangling humour, that loved contention more then peace.

Loe this you have for the notifying of contenti­on: and then for the Churches-customes you have three like circumstances.

1. The nature and quality of the customes, 1 for wee must not stand upon every custome, but upon a decent and reverend custome.

2. Who they are that maintaine the customes; 2 noted here to be Churches of God.

3. Who were the founders of the customes; 3 and they are implyed here to bee the Apostles of Christ that could not erre in doctrine, much lesse in the ordination of a custome.

These are the chief heads both of this custome, and of that contention; and when I shall come in the end to compare them both together, and to lay mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, and hands to hands: I meane such a grave and decent custome, against such a slight and trifling quarrell: Kings 4.34. the Churches [Page 4]of God that kept the custome against that one sin­gle Church that broke the custome:3 the Apostles of Christ the founders of this custome, against that one contentious man, the ringleader and broacher of innovation; I shall thinke it fit to refer the cause to your own judgement, whether ye thinke such a custome maintained by all the Churches, and allowed by the warrant of the blessed Apostles, be not worthy to beate downe such a fond and frivo­lous quarrell but newly brought into the Church of Corinth, by that filly sect-master that stands up­on record for a contentious man.

Of all these I shall have faire occasion to speak something.

And first I must begin to deale with contention, a troublesome and turbulent spirit I am like to finde him,Conten­tion what it is. that loves wrangling as hee loves his life, and can no more bee tyed to any good order, then the waters of Nyle to the banks of their own channell.

He never appeares to us in a still voice, as the Lord appeared unto Eliah; but whensoever he comes, he comes in a tempest, storming and blu­stering against all good order, both of Church and State: Did you ever heare the pedigree of Con­tention? There was a bastard begotten by anger, nursed by pride, and maintained by wilfull contra­diction, and when they came to give him a name, they bestowed upon him the name of Contention.

As was the name of the childe so was his na­ture, for a soone as ever hee began to goe, hee went backward like the Sea-crab: as soon as ever [Page 5]he began to read, he read backward like the He­brewes: as soone as ever hee began to row, hee rowed backward evermore, against tide & stream.

Pitty such a crosse, disorderly mate should finde harbour in any civill society,Psal. 122.3. much lesse in the Church of God, which ought to be composed as a City at unity. If contention must needs bee, let it bee sent to Bedlem, or Paris-garden where it may converse with none but dogs and Beares, or men more wilde then those salvage creatures; never let it enter into Gods inheritance, lest the fiends of hell take more delight in the quarrels of Gods people, then men are wont to fancy to themselves when they see the quarrells of dogs and beares.

It were to bee wished that these discords of schisme and dissention, that make musicke onely for the devill, may never be heard in the Church of God: but I feare me as long as the Church consists of men, and men consist of sundry passi­ons, we shall hardly be free from all contention. The devill is growne such a cunning politician, that when he cannot rob us of our truth, hee will doe the best he can to rob us of our peace; and when hee cannot plucke up the good wheat of wholesome doctrine that is sowne in our field by the good seeds-man, he does all that he can to min­gle the wheat with the tares and darnell of conten­tion. Aug. epist. 48. Neque propter pale­am relin­quam are­am domini, neque prop­ter pisces malos rum­pimus retia.

And what though? shall we therefore forsake the good field, and renounce the wheat of whol­some doctrine because wee finde it mingled with some cockle? Shall wee forsake the Church, and [Page 6]shipwrack the faith, and cast off the truth, because we cannot have it cleane from all kinde of weeds? Nay rather, if we may have the word and Sacra­ments as so cheape a rate, and pay nothing for it but a little contention, let us never complaine of a deare bargaine.

Contention hath beene and will ever be the unwelcome companion of the Church militant: Christ himselfe came not into the world to bring peace, Conten­tion hath ever beene in all Chur­ches. but to bring a sword: and if any Church up­on earth can shew me a perfect charter of exemp­tion from all contention, I should begin to thinke that wee had our heaven already upon earth, and that the militant Church were turned triumphant.

Take a short survey of all the Churches, whe­ther Jewish or Christian, Easterne or Westerne, ancient or moderne; and you shall not finde any one of them that ever could free themselves from this eating gangrene of contention.

I am sure the Jewish Church had no such pri­viledge: for as long as she swarmed with sundry sects of Pharisees, and Sadduces, & Essens, and He­rodians, and Hemerobaptists,In the Iewish Church. Vid. Io­seph. Anti­quit. lib. 13. Philo Iud. Euseb. & aliot. In the Christi­an Chur: and Samaritans, and I know not what, that differed both in course of life, and point of beliefe, how could shee bee free from all contentions?

But it may bee in the Christian Church there was no contention for all that: No? does Epipha­nius reckon up no lesse then fourescore heresies raging in the Church of God like the Bulls of Ba­san, and shall we beleeve there was no contention all that while?

[Page 7] But, say they had some contentions in those times betwixt the Orthodox and the heretickes, yet I hope among the Orthodox themselves there was perfect union. But whatsoever you may think of those times, as if they had rest from all contention; yet if you knew the differences be­twixt the best learned of those ages: (.i.) Anice­tus and Polycarpus, Chrysostome and Epiphanius, apud Eu­seb. eccl: hist. lib. 5. cap. 24. Hieron. part. 1. tract. 3. ep. 36, 37. &c. Ep. Caeles. pap. ad quosdam Galliarum episcopos. Ie­rome and Ruffinus, Stephanus and Cyprian, Victor and the Easterne Churches, Prosper and the Do­ctors of France, and many hundreds more that might be named; you would soone beleeve that the Churches in their times could hardly bee free from all contention.

But what if contention crept into the Church in after ages, yet I hope in the Apostles time, and the Churches planted by their hands, we shall not heare of the least murmuring, or whispering of contention: Surely if ever the Church were free from all contention, it is most like to be in those dayes of innocence; and yet if you look into 1. Cap. of this our Epist. and the 11. ver. yee shall heare S. Paul complaine of some contentions: It is reported to me by those of the house of Cloe, that there are contentions among you.

To heare of contentions among the members of the Church was a small matter: but if you looke into the 22. Cap. of S. Luke ver. 24.Among the Apo­stles thē ­selves. you shall heare of contention among the Apostles themselves; and if you looke into the 2. Gal. you shall heare of contention among the chiefe pillars of the Church, S. Peter and Paul, and that about no meane point of [Page 8]Christian politie, that concerned the abrogation of Jewish Ceremonies.Bellarm. 1. tom. cont. 4. lib 4. Sta­plet. & alii.

It makes mee wonder so much the more why the Church of Rome at this day should stand so much upon the unitie of the Church, and beare us in hand that their unity and concord in religion is a certaine badge and character of the true Church. They have found that pearle it seems in the field of their Church, which could never bee found in former ages; and though we sell all that we have, like the good Merchant in the Gospell, to get possession of that pearle, they will make us beleeve we shall be gainers by the bargaine.

It is a good purchase indeed to buy truth at what rate soever, but to buy truth attended with unitie, were a purchase in my minde beyond the rules of Numeration.

But is this purchase to be had at Rome? Yes sure­ly: for all the members of their Church are so colligated and bound together in a kinde of subjection and subor­dination to one head, that you shall seldome heare of any contention among them that ever breakes out into open flames.

A happy Church they must needs have, if things be answerable to their vaunts, but if it doe not ap­peare upon just triall out of the best Records of their owne Church, Dr. Halls disswasive from Po­pery. that they have contentions as well as wee, as great as ours, as loud as ours; I shall be ready to subscribe to the Church of Rome, and returne againe to her communion.

Did you never heare of any difference betwixt the Thomists and the Scotists, In the Church of Rome. of any jarres be­tweene [Page 9]the Seculars and the Iesuits, of any quar­rells among the Cardinalls themselves in the sa­cred conclave? what Church, what State in the whole world that is not conscious of their dissen­tions? and if all these be not proof enough that their peace comes short of ours, their dissention is more then ours, let us appeale to Bellarmine him­selfe, the chiefe Advocate of the Romane cause, who reckons us more then 200 opinions diversly maintained pro and con among the Doctors of their Church.

A goodly unity I durst to warrant you that shines in the midst of so many quarrells, and a goodly Church by the same reason that must be knowne by this jarring unity: if they have no bet­ter badge and livery of their Church then such a counterfeit pretended unity, we shall never have cause I dare say either to be fond of their church, or to be jealous of our own.

And yet tis a wonder to see with what a face of brasse and impudence the Romanists of these times are wont to upbraid us with the quarrells of our Church, as if Rome had engrossed all the unity: Your Church, say they,Pacianus citat. à Bel­lar. Christia­nus (inquit) est mihi no­men, Cat [...]o­licus cegno­men. Ierom. cont. Lucifer. pro­pe fi [...]em. what is it but a beast of many heads, patched up with divers and sun­dry factions, while one adheres to Luther, another to Calvin, a third to Zuinglius, another to Armi­nius, as if we delighted more to be called from names of men, then to be called Christians from the name of Christ, or Catholiques from the faith professed by them.

For our parts be it knowne to all the world [Page 10]we hate to be called from the name of any man be he what he will, yea though it be the name of Peter and Paul, we are free enough from those contentions which S. Paul imputes to this Church of Corinth; 1 Cor. 1.11 12, 13. and though they impute unto us any other differences which have been alwaies inci­dent to the purest Churches, they must not think to shake our faith by such poore and slender ex­probrations.

We know that these were the common darts which both the Heathens of old, and the Turks of latter times were wont to cast against the Christian faith, Chrysost: in Act. Ap­hom. 33. et in [...]od Gal. Cypr: de unitate [...] ­cles. Celsus apud Origen. lib. cont. Celsum Cortugal. orat. habit. Rhod. and if they can find no other argu­ments to confute us, but what they are faine to borrow from Turks and Heathens, and such as equally concern both them and us, they will make us think they are hardly driven.

Let them free themselves from their own con­tentions, and then they may the better object ours; in the meane while as long as we see no other remedy, we will set us down by the Church of Corinth, and patiently beare both her lot and ours.

We can hardly look to be in better state then the Apostolique Churches, and if they were faine to suffer contention, why should we grudge to bear the like? our case can hardly be worse then theirs, for they had contentions in this ver. schismes in the 18. ver. heresies in the 19. ver. and therefore if all these should fall to our lott, (which God of his mercy turne away from us) yet we have learned of the blessed Apostle not to think strange of any [Page 11]such tryall, as if some new thing were fallen upon us, but patiently to share in that common calamity that equally belongs to all the Churches. When all is done, the Church of Corinth shall be our apolo­gie, we suffer no more then she hath done, and seeing we are joyned with her in the same cause, let us make enquirie a little further, and perhaps we shall match her somewhat nearer in the speci­all ground and reason of contention.

Though every Church hath some contention, Conten­tion a­gainst a ceremony yet every Church hath not the same. There is a (talis) for contention as well as for custome; for one is like the Palmer-worme that eates nothing but the leaves: another like the Caterpillar that destroys the fruit: and another like the Canker that devoures the body of religion. Some quarrels are but light and gentle waves that dally and play with the ship of Christ; others are proud and lofty surges that crack the cordage of the ship;1 Leve [...] undae. 2 Majora volumina. 3 Ignei glo­bi. and some are fiery balls that ascend to heaven, and threaten the safety of the Church.

Of all the quarrells that ever were moved in the Church, you will think that this in my text was one of the least: Nothing was opposed, for for ought we find, but a bare ceremony, and the outward gesture in praying or prophesying was the onely cause of this sharp contention. Vid. ver. 2. & 3.

A poore occasion to make a difference when they were agreed upon the substance: yet consi­dering withall what mischiefe may grow upon the Church by the least quarrell once begun, the Apostle thinks it meet to bestir himselfe, and to [Page 12]quench the fire of contention, that it may not break out into greater flames.

Our wise Apostle was not to learne that a ce­remony of it selfe was of little reckoning, but when a ceremony is enjoyned by lawfull autho­rity,Quod mini­mum est, minimū est, sed in minimo, te fidelē essemagnum est. Aug. de doct. Chri. lib. 4. he knew well enough that obedience or disobe­dience in a small matter was not to be counted a small matter.

There is the same reason of obedience or diso­bedience, whether in smaller or in greater mat­ters: for tis not the thing commanded that binds the conscience, but the power from whence the commandement comes; be the thing commanded never so great, it commends the obedience never the more: be the thing commanded never so small, it cannot excuse the disobedience.

Christ commends the good servant because he was faithfull in the least things, Mat. 25.25 to teach us that faithfulnesse or unfaithfulnesse in the least things cannot be counted the least thing: well may the least things aggravate the unfaithfulnesse, but I am sure of that they cannot excuse it: and there­fore as the Lord himselfe doth often punish the least unfaithfulnesse,Gen. 3.16, 17. Num. 15.32. whether in eating an apple, or gathering of sticks when tis forbidden, with greater punishments then fouler sins, because it proceeds from meere wilfulnesse: so the Apostles of Christ and their lawfull successors may safely punish the least contention against a ceremony, when they see it proceeds from meere stubborn­nesse, as well as some greater and fouler sins that spring from weaknesse and infirmity.

[Page 13] More danger there is in this poore contention then the common sort of men doe commonly think,The dan­ger of such a cōntention Pro. 18.19. not onely because it kindles a fire among brethren of the sam faith and the same religion, whose aemulous vyings and mutuall contestati­ons among themselves cannot chuse but aggra­vate and increase the flame, but also because tis commonly grounded upon I know not what pre­tence of misguided conscience that makes the quarrell the more presumptuous.

Other sinnes, whether of adultery, theft, or drunkennesse, dare not appeare in open light: and if they doe, you shall find them ready to plead guilty: but the sinne of schisme that spurns men on against the orders of the Church, is so bold and sawcy of its owne nature,Cypr. lib. 3. ep. 9. Haec sunt initia haere­ticorum, ut sibi placeāt, et Praepositū superbo tu­more con­temnant. Psa. 55. ver. 12. & 13. that it ever stands upon justification, and being vainly past up with selfe-conceit, it dares out-face all authority.

Other sinnes fight against the Church, not di­rectly, but by way of consequence; but this fights against her with downright blows: and therefore as the Prophet David, in a figure of Christ, com­plains more grievously of the plots of his nearest friends, then of all the treacheries of known foes; so the Church of Christ his onely Spouse hath more cause to complaine of the civill uncivill wars of her own children, then of all the opposi­tions of forraigne enemies, that seek to bring her into bondage.

Tis a maxime agreed upon by weeping crosse that contention goes before destruction: there's no State nor Kingdome of the world but have [Page 14]made it true by their owne experience: and if the Church of God be divided against her selfe by sun­dry factions, and her children like a rowted disor­dered Army begin to fall upon their own fel­lows, what priviledge have we more then others against the generall sentence of our Saviour. A Kingdome divided against it selfe cannot stand. Mat. 12.25

Optatus said of the factions of the Donatists, that were not much unlike to these contentions, that betwixtour yea, Inter licet nostrum, & non licet ve­stram nutāt & remigāt [...]nime Chri­stianorum. Optat. cont. Parmen. and your nay, the cause of Religi­on lyes a bleeding; and have not we brought it to the same passe by our domesticke quarrells a­mong our selves, that betwixt the conformity of some, and the inconformity of other some, many a Christian soule stands unresolved, and meanes to continue a meere neutrall.

As long as the languages are confounded, the buil­ding of the Church can never goe forward; as long as the ship is tost with waves, many are afraid to come a shipboard, some that are without are loth to come in, and some that are within are loath to continue; so the poore Church being suspected and forsaken on both sides, is faine to complaine with the Prophet Ieremie: Woe is mee, that ever I was made the cause of contention.

We cannot chuse but see, unlesse wee wilfully shut our eyes,Auximus Philippū nos ipsi Atheni­enses. how much our adversaries are en­riched by these contentions: how many good pro­fessors upon these grounds have leapt aside into the tents of Popery: how many quier and peace­able congregations have beene torne and distra­cted into sundry factions: how many zealous and [Page 15]painfull labourers onely for the cause of their bare conformity are growne suspected to their owne flockes: and which is most to be lamented, ma­ny a faithfull and learned Prelate that should be counted worthy of double honour, is traduced as a favourer of Popish tyranny, because he labours and strives (as S. Paul does here) to beate downe these fond and trifling quarrells.

Oh the day, that ever religion should be guil­ty of so much irreligion!Tanium re­ligio potiat suadere ma­lerum? Oh, that the Church should suffer martyrdome in a heape of vaine un­necessary quarrells! Have we not quarrells enough against the Church of Rome for her Purgatory,Cumque su­perba soret Babylon spo­lianda tro­phaeis. &c. Luc: initio. and Transubstantiation, and prayer for the dead, and invocation of Saints, and adoration of Ima­ges, and pretended infallibility, and many other points of the same alloy, but we must sheath our swords in our owne bowels, and wilfully invite our owne destruction?

O yee sonnes of men, how long will you love vanity, how long will you dote upon your owne misery? Are wee all agreed about the garment, and shall we differ about the trimming? are wee agreed about the freehold, and shall wee quarrell about the bounds? Away with those unkinde,Certatum est totis &c. in commune nefas. Philip. 2. unhappy contentions that procure the losse and shame of both sides, If there be any joy, if any love, if any compassion either to your selves, or to the Church, or to the cause of reformation, fulfill my joy, and the joy of our Apostle, and the joy of the Church, and the joy of Christ Jesus, and with it the joy of your owne soules, that wee may heare [Page 16]no more of these fond contentions.

Tis a shame to be seene in any quarrell against a ceremony,Cōtentiō against the bare­ing of the bead in praying and pro­phecying. yet some ceremonies there are a­mong the rest so nearely concerning the honour of God, that a wilfull and stubborne opposition cannot choose but aggravate and increase the fault.

If ever contention against a ceremony could threaten to bring us within danger of sin, I doubt this quarrell in my Text will trench hard upon it, because it trenches so neare upon Apostolique power.

The very Apostles of Christ had a hand them­selves in this holy custome; for among some other orders composed by them for the furtherance and decoration of Gods service, they ordained this rule for all the Churches, Ver. 2. & 3. that the men when they came to prayer or prophecie should uncover their heads, and the women should veyle or cover their heads, as oft as they appear'd in the congregation.Theophilact. Pet. Mart. & aliiin loc. Gualt in loc. probat hunc Ethnicorum suisse morē: idque ex Plutarch. & Virgilio. Jdem Chry­sost. graecorū fuisse insti­tutum: & certum est hunc mo. rem hodie apud [...]urcas invaluisse.

That this injunction was in force in the Apo­stles time, for ought I find, no man denies: yea some there be that give the reason of that Canon, that the late converted Christians might not fashion themselves to the customes of the Hea­thens, where the men were wont to sacrifice with their heads covered, and the women with their heads bare, and their haire disheveld, as a greater signe and pledge of holinesse.

Whatsoever the reason were, I am sure of this, that the one member at least of that reverend or­der, that I mean that concernes the men, is so fully [Page 17]ratifyed and confirmed by the Canon of our Church, that no man may presume to cover his head during the whole time of divine Service, Canon. 1 [...] without the breach of Church order.

For the women indeed we have no comman­dement in our Church, for nature it self & the rules of modesty have taught them freely to yeeld con­formity. But for the men, at least some of them in some places, where they have beene traind in a course of schisme, they are so loath to stoop to this Apostolique order, that the Church is fain to inter­pose her power to bind thē to it by a double bond.

That any man covers of wilfull stubbornnesse against the Canon of the Apostle, it were little charity to beleeve: for my part I rather impute it to meere weaknesse; and could they be throughly resolved that the reason of this Canon were yet in force, I presume there is none of them all of what sort soever, but would thinke themselves bound to yeeld conformity.

They think perhaps that this Apostolique or­der may concern the Ministers of the Church, Objectiōs against the bare­ing of the head, &c Ob. 1. be­cause it is laid upon fuch as pray and prophecie: but by their leave, if the hearing of a Sermon be not pro­phesying as well as the preaching, and that in the sense and meaning of our own Apostle,Ver. 4. I desire to know how the same Apostle in the next words im­mediately following could apply the same words of praying and prophesying as well to the women as the men, Ver. 5. when they were not allowed by his own rule either to speak or preach in the congregation? 1 Cor. 14.34. & 35. Ob. 2.

But say it concerne the people as well as the [Page 18]Ministers, as being equally ingaged in praying and prophesying, yet perhaps it may lay a tye up­on the people of those times, and not upon the Churches in after ages.Dr. Field, lib. 4. ca. 20 Tis true that all customes of what sort soever, are things dispensable in their own nature, yea the very customes of the Apostles themselves are no certaine and perpetuall rules to all Churches to abridge their liberty in things indifferent. And what of that? will any man deny them a binding power for the time being while they are allowed by the present Church, because the Church hath power to change when time and place shall so require? no surely, but the stampe and impresse of the present Church must make them current for the time being: and seeing this custome is allowed as you heard before, and that under the seale of our owne Church, let no man presume to strive against it as long as it stands so allowed, unlesse he desire to seeme contentious.

Perhaps you may say, this Apostolique Canon may not be sutable to these times,Ob. 3. for the Apostle seems to allow no covering at all,Ver. 4. & if that should be strictly observed in this crazie age, we should soone make the Churchyard full, and the Church empty. Well, be it so: and what of that? were there not any weak in the Apostles time aswell as now? yes surely: why then no doubt the ex­ception is implyed, though it be not expressed in the Text, to shew that if we conforme our selves as neere as we can, and make use of a coyfe or night­cap in stead of a hat (as our Church hath dispenced with the Apostles rule)Gan. ut su­pra. in case of weaknesse and [Page 19]infirmity, we shall never incur the Apostles cen­sure, nor seem to the Church to be contentious.

But the most of our people for ought I see are ready to uncover in the time of prayer, Ob. 4. onely they stick at the strictnesse of some that require the baring of the head in the time of preaching: belike they are willing to shew reverence when they speak unto God by their earnest prayers, but they think it too much to shew the like when God speaks to them by his sacred ordinance. Let me aske them, is it not as great a favour to receive a blessing, as to crave it? and shall we not receive the blessing with as much reverence when tis of­fered, as wee would crave it when tis wanting? Saint Paul for his part makes no odds betwixt prayer and prophesie: and if any man think that the Canon of the Church will not reach to both be­cause it mentions no more but the whole service, let him please to compare the words of the Canon to the rubrick of the service book, Immediat­ly after the Nicen Creed. and he shall finde that the Sermon or exhortation is no other but a part of divine Service.

There is no dispensation for ought I can see more for the Sermon then for the prayer:Ob. 5. Cypr. ep. 73. Quale. est ut quia hoc Novati­anus facere audet, nos putemusnon esse sacien­dum. neither can I beleeve for mine own part that any man of reason or sound religion would ever stick at this reverend order, but that tis the use of the Church of Rome, with which they dare not comply in outward ceremonies, for feare of the danger of superstition. Indeed tis like enough this Aposto­lique order hath been abused, and scarce can you name any thing else that hath not been abused [Page 20]to superstition, yet when the thing it selfe is char­ged upon us by the Apostle, August. debap.con. Don lib. 6 cap. 44 Jpsi gentiles sl quid rectum babuerunt non impro­barunt san­ctipatres, et in hunc mo­dum lib 3. ca 11. and the superstition is brought upon it by the fault of men, we must not presume for the fault of men to stir a duty of Saint Pauls prescribing, but wee must learne a better way of reformation, to mend the fault of our owne devising, and let the duty still re­maine.

To be warie of superstition is a good thing, but there is another extreame to be avoided, which religion hates as well as that: and if we run so far from superstition that wee fall into pro­fanenesse, and think we have never driven super­stition far enough, unlesse we drive together with it all decent order from the Churth of God, I feare we shall bring a mischiefe upon the cause of re­ligion, while wee seeke to avoid an inconve­nience.

Say the Lord hath forbidden superstition,Ageneral apologie for the bareing of the head in prayer and pro­phecie. Psal. 2.11. Heb. 12.28. &c. yet I trow he hath commanded reverence all along, and if the baring of the head in the house of God during the time of divine service be not a signe of ho­ly reverence, I am yet to learne what reverence meanes.

Sure we make it a signe of reverence in civill worship, for servants uncover to their masters, children to their parents, subjects to their prince, yea and to the chaire of his state to, as a type and figure of his presence: and will you refuse to give the same reverence in divine worship to the great King of all the earth, when he claimes it of you by the same titles of respect,Mal. 1.5. If I be a father, [Page 21]where is my honour; if I be a Lord, where is my reve­rence?

You will not come into the court of a Prince as Chrysostom notes, but you will compose your selves in gate, and eye, and habit, and gesture, Hom. 24. in Act. & 36. in 1. Cor. Idem Martyr, in loc. & E­rasm. de morum ci­vil. in tem­plo in huc modum: Si quis regem hominem alloquutu­rus circum­stante proce­rum corona nec caput a­periat, nec genu flectat, non iam pro rustico sed pro insano haberetur. least you may offend in any respect, and will yee come into the pallace of the great King with wandring eyes, and mincing feet, and heads covered, as if you made no more of the house of God, then of a taverne or barbars shop?

I heare good Iacob crying out when the Lord appeared to him by the way to Haran:Gen. 28.19, 20. Lev. 19 30 Exod. 30.18. Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware; how feare­full and terrible is this place, this is no other but the house of God, and the gate of heaven: and canst not thou behold the presence of God in the assem­blies and congregations of his Saints, when thou speakest to him by thy zealous prayers, or hee to thee by his sacred word?

I heare the Lord charging the Jewes, that they should reverence his very Sanctuary, as being the place where the Lord appeared; and shall not we reverence his word, and his sacraments, and his oracles, and his ordinances, when we appeare be­fore him in his holy Sanctuary?

Did the wise King give it in charge, that wee should looke to our feet when we enter into Gods house, Eccl. 4.17. and is there no regard to be had to our heads?Exod. 3.5. Was Moses commanded to put off his shoes when he appeared before the Lord, and doe we thinke much to put off our hatts?1 Sam. 5.5. Did the Philistims give so much unto Dagon, and the Syrians so much to their [Page 22]god Rimmon, 2 Kings 5.18. and cannot wee afford as much as they, to the great Creator of heaven and earth?

Let me aske the question with divine Salvian, Wherefore do ye come to the house of God,Anides tā ­tum ingre­dimu ad placandum simul et ex­acerbandū &c. anejus­demest of­ficis indul­gentiam po­scere & ira­cundiam provocare? if you shew no more regard to his holy ordinances? Doe ye come to pacifie and asswage his wrath, and doe yee kindle and provoke his wrath? Is it the same work both to honour God, and dishonour him too? To sue for his favour, and set a barre against his favour? Wilt thou presume to offer unto God that surly service, which thou wouldst take in scorne from thine owne servant? Must God take that for an honour to himselfe, which thou thy selfe wouldst take for a foule dishonour? Must he account it a pacification, which thou thy selfe wouldst take for a provocation? Away with such a proud and sawcy submission, away with such a rude, unman­nerly service; Let us never be guilty of such dis­honour unto God,Ver. 4 supr: Let us never bee guilty of such dishonour to our selves: If we stand not so much up­on our owne honour, yet take heed how wee be­tray the honour of God; if we feare not so much the censure of men,Sigenus humanum & mortalia temaitis ar­ma, at spera­te Deum. &c. yet take heed how we fall into the hands of God: Let it never be said of the Chri­stian religion, that the heathens worship their owne handy works with more reverence and de­votion, then we adore the maker of all things: let it never be laid to the reformed Churches, that wee have chosen to our selves an easie and slovenly kinde of service, Stapleton orat. quodl: to the shame and dishonour of religion: If o­ther Churches are guilty of that fault, oh let not us suffer for their offence; if any of our peevish bre­thren [Page 23]have offended, oh let not our mother beare the blame. Shee hath done what she can for the honour and reverence of her husband, for shee hath made a law to binde her children, shee hath practised that law in the godly examples of her governours, she hath censured the breach of it in some of her stubborne and rebellious children; and if all this be not enough to perswade reve­rence, what can she doe more, but give them o­ver to the just censure of her husband, who will surely prove a sharpe avenger upon the heads of those that love contention.

We have seene the ground of this vaine con­tention, together with the time it began to hatch;By whō this con­tention was set a foote. and now could we search a little further, and find out the author of this quarrell, we might do a gra­cious worke to the Church of God, to draw the pedigree of Contention.

That some notorious schismatique began this quarrell, we may easily judge by S. Pauls (Si quis) no famous schisme ever began without some head and ringleader of the faction, yet because the head of this trifling faction, may seem to be a man of unworthy parts, as most of that brood have ever beene, the Apostle would not vouchsafe to give him a name, for feare he should give him too much honour. [...]

All the title he gives him here is (contentiosus, a contentious man,) to teach us that whosoever strives against the orders of the Church, specially those that tend to reverence, hee may enjoy the name of a contentious man, and must not look for a better title.

[Page 24] Whatsoever may be thought of other cere­monies, yet. I am sure this quarrell in my text will beare the title;Vide ca­non. 18. ut supr: for when the Church allowes a coife or nightcay in case of weaknesse and infirmity, and men, shall wilfully refuse to enjoy that favour, to pick a quarrell with the Church of God; what Ad­vocate will undertake to plead their cause that they may not stand upon record for contentious men?

I should be loath to say that the bare omission of this order, or any other should conclude a man to be contentious; Nay, S. Paul himselfe doth not goe so farre, till he had shewed the ground of this holy order: but if any shall wilfully oppose them­selves after lawfull warning and instruction, then we have our warrant from the blessed Apostle to write them downe for contentious men.

To seeme contentious is a small matter, but S. Paul himselfe goes a great deale further, and sets him downe to be [...], that is to say, a lover of con­tention, as if he loved contention as he loved his life, and doted upon it as the wanton dotes upon his mistresse.

We know it is one thing to fall into contention, and another thing to fall in love with contention it selfe: Psal. 120.5, 6, 7. David himselfe may fall into contention and singa [Vae] to himselfe, when he cannot avoid it, but to be enamored and besotted with the love of contention is such a fearefull sicknesse, and frenzie of the soule, that it seemes to be past all hope of cure.Pro. 17.19.

Where this love of contention is, there is much trans­gression, [Page 25]Nay there is a whole swarme of ugly vices, Iam. 3.16. there is envy, there is pride, there is tumult, there is malice, there is revenge, there is murther, there is sedi­tion, there is treason, there is schisme, there is heresie, there is all things; as if all the maladies of the soul were epitomized and summed up in this word, (contentious)

Take but a view of this one contention in my text, and see what bordering mischiefe hangs up­on it: the Apostle is so well acquainted with all the neighborhood,The love of contē ­tiō tends to schisme and that seldome ends till it comes to heresy. that in the compasse of twoViz. 18, & 19. verses he makes it shake hands with schisme and heresie, as if they both tooke head from the love of contention.

Perhaps the neighborhood of schisme will hardly stagger us, for many thinke it a title of honour, and when they suffer in that cause, they thinke they suffer as a Christian: but S. Paul that was better acquainted with the nature of schisme, is bold to rank it with the foulest sinnes that can be named, Adultery, Murther, Idolatry, Witchcraft, Gal. 5.19. & 20. Lib. 2. de bapt. cont. Donat. ca. 6. Idem Optat. 1. lib. contr: Parmen: Quis dubi­tet celerati­us commis­sum quod gravius pu­nitum. and such like; and S. Augustine will tell us, if wee can beleeve him, that when it is put on with wil­full violence, and maintained with heat of phari­saicall pride, it proves no lesser sinne in the sight of God, then either Adultery, Theft, or Murther, and hath beene commonly revenged with greater punishments.

If you are not stirred with the danger of schism that borders so neare upon the love of contention; what doe you thinke of the nature of heresie that is commonly entailed to the sin of schisme?

[Page 26] Surely the Apostle had never coupled heresies and schismes both together, but that he knew well enough that schisme is nothing else but a greene heresie newly hatcht in the Church of God, and he­resie nothing else, but a growne schisme that is come to ripenesse and perfection.

There is neither of them both but spring from the same fountaine, for contention is the head of both the factions, and as it spurs on the one with earnest violence against the discipline of the Church; so it eggs on the other with headstrong fury a­gainst the doctrine of the Church.

Though every contentious man bee neither a schismatick, nor an heretick, yet he hath a dispo­sition to be made both, he runnes so fierce upon a full carere of headstrong passion, like a man that gallops downe a hill, that hee can hardly take up and stay his pace untill he come to the bottome of heresie.

No man becomes an hereticke on a suddaine, but windes into it by certaine steps; and loe the staires are set by the blessed Apostle: First con­tention, in this verse; then schisme in the 18. then heresie in the 19. to teach us that if we desire to a­void heresie, we must first begin to cut off schisme, and if we desire to flye the danger of schisme, wee must first begin to strike at contention.

These waters of contention must be stopped in the first breach, Pro. 17.14 that they may not turne to an inundation.

These Bab lonish brats must be dashed against the walls, Psal. 137.9 that they may not grow to further mischief.

This Cockatrices egge must be cracked in the shell, [Page 27]that it may not bring forth a flying serpent.

Oh who will take these foxes, these young foxes in the neast, that they may not infest the tender grapes! Can. 2.19.

Oh who will quench these coales of dissention, that they may not increase to a greater flame.

Stand to your tackle O yee Champions of the Lord, and let not the enemy get ground upon you: If it be possible, as much as in you lies have peace with all men: If discord arise betwixt man and man, let it never incroach upon Gods inheri­tance, Behold how good and joyfull it is brethren to live together in unity: O blessed Peace, wee are all thy clyents; nothing can comfort us without thy company, Pray for the peace of Ierusalem; Ps. 122.6, 7 they shall prosper that love thee, peace bee within thy walls, and plenteousnesse within thy pallaces: for my brethren and companions sake, I cannot chuse but wish thy peace.

Let every one bestirre himselfe in the Lords worke, as it were in a time of common danger; one to speake for peace, another to labour for peace, another to fight for peace, another to pray for peace, that so by the blessing of God upon our joynt endeavours, we may live to see the hap­py greeting and salutation of the Psalmist,Psal. 85.10 to the joy and comfort of all our hearts.

Mercy and truth shall meet together, righteous­nesse and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall bud ont of the earth, and righteousnesse shall look downe from heaven: The Lord shall shew his loving kind­nesse, and our land shall give her increase: Righte­ousnesse shall goe before him, and he shall direct our go­ings in the way.

Even so be it: Lord say Amen.

IN this very place upon the like occasion about five years since, we made an entrance upon this theame, and being now pressed againe upon the same service, I thought my selfe directed and led by the hand to the further explanation of the same Scrip­ture, that as I spake before you at that time of [Page 30]the contentions. of the Church that let themselves against the customes, so now I may speak before you of the Churches customes, that strenuously op­pose against contention.

What I then delivered concerning contention, I will not call to your mind againe, I desire that custome being defendant may have a fair and legall hearing, as well as contention that was the plaintife in the cause.

Whether any such spirits live amongst us that deserve the title of contentious, I could not say, nor yet can: for my part I confesse I know of none, neither doe I speak to gall any, I did but onely put a case as S. Paul does,Conditiona­lis propositio nihil ponit in esse. (and a meere supposition inferrs nothing) but if any be, or hereafter may be, though it be more then appeares to me, yet you may know by the case put, how to file their teeth, and muzzle their mouthes, that they may not infest the flock of Christ.

If you know of any contentious men what ever they be,How wee may deal with con­tentious men. that live like the Salamander in the fire, and love to wrangle & spend their breath against the decent orders and constitutions of the Church, you were best to aske of the blessed Apostle, and he will teach you how to handle them.

You must be sure to use all gentle meanes, be­fore you come to sharpnesse and severity: for ma­ny will lead, that will not drive, and yeeld them­selves to a gentle entreaty, that will not be for­ced by compulsion.

You shall do well in the first place to set before them your own example,1 for so the Apostle doth in the 1. ver.

[Page 31] You may take occasion to commend them for their zeale and strictnesse in some thing else; 2 for so the Apostle hath taught you, ver. 2.

You must not faile to instruct them in the meaning and signification of the ceremonies,3 for so the Apostle taught you, ver. 3.

What shall I say? you may perswade them by reason, by authority, by decency, by nature it selfe, for none of these hath Saint Paul omitted, and if all this be not able to perswade (for who can per­swade a contentious man, you shall not perswade though you doe perswade, not perswade his pra­ctice I meane, though you perswade and convict his conscience) then you must beare him downe with the Churches custome, and tell him plainly to his face that the customes of the Church must stand in force maugre the spight of contentious men.

The power of custome no doubt is great, and that of the Church not least of all, but lest I may be thought to presse the custome before I have taught you to understand the custome, you shall give mee leave to speak something concerning the theorie of the custome, that so I may rise with the more force to the practice and observation of the custome.

While I entreat of Church order, me thinks I am bound to keep order, and because the nature of the subject will scarce afford any quaint order, I will content my selfe with a plaine method.

Three things there be that offer themselves.

• 1. The use of the Church in having of customes.
• [Page 32] 2. The right of the Church in making of customes.
• 3. The power of the Church in pressing of customes.

For the custome, Custome what it is first, to understand that through­ly, you must please to look back to the 2. ver. there the Apostle mentions some ordinances or traditions which he had delivered to the Church of Corinth: 2. there he commends their zealous care, because they had kept the most of them. 3. and then he condemns their halting obedience, be­cause they had failed in some particulars.

What those ordinances were is all the matter that concerns us, and because there is mention made of one or two, and the Apostle tells the rea­son of them, wee must judge of the Lion by his paw, and guesse that the rest were all of the same stamp, being all commended at one time to one and the selfe same Church of Corinth.

What our Apostle meant by his ordinances, ver. 2. and by his orders, ver. ult. the same he meanes by his customes here: all matters of rite and outward ceremony annexed to the preaching of the Word and administration of the Sacraments, not as parts of Gods holy worship, but as appendices thereunto onely for the order of Gods house, and disposition of his service.

Such were the customes of the Church of Corinth, Such cu­stoms al­lowed in all Chur­ches. and such customes as these were about time and place, and outward gesture, whether it be kneeling, standing, bowing, crossing, uncovering, or whatsoever else of the same alloy, as they were freely used in the Church of Corinth, so they must needs be [Page 33]allowed in every age in all the assemblies of the Christians.

You shall never heare of any famous Church since the Apostles time that hath not freely en­joyed some customes of this kind; and you shall never reade of any learned orthodox father since the Apostles time that ever oppugned the use of these customes. In the primitive Church. August. ep. 118. ad Ian. Amb. in 4. Ephes. Socra. hist. li. 5. ca. 22. z [...]zomen. li. 7. ca. 9. Tertul. de veland. vir.

I could easily shew you upon good authority that all the ancient Churches had their severall customes, and that while they enjoyed the same faith, and which is more to be observed and ad­mired, the difference and contrarietie of their customs did neither dissolve the bond of charity, nor disturb the unity of religion.

The Apostolique Churches had their customes to, yea, for ought we know, severall customes, yet all by Saint Pauls free allowance:In the Apost. churches. for though hee stover a little as good cause he had against a new­fangled custome of their own devising, which con­tentious men would faine keep up, yet withall hee seemes to imply by way of concession, that they had some customes of another kind, which he would not suffer to be borne downe, by the heat of wil­full opposition.

Those customes what ever they were, were not onely allowed to the Church of Corinth, In all the Apost. churches. but to all the Churches of that time, or at least to many of them; for the Apostle doth not speak in the singu­lar number, as of one Church, but in the plurall number, as of many. And if the Churches in the pu­rest times had all their customes, and those in the [Page 34] Apostles time their customes to, I wonder why the Churches in these times, and the Church of England among the rest, the gracious Mother of us all, may not bee quietly suffered to enjoy her cu­stomes.

Were the ceremonies and orders of the church an ornament to religion in the Apostles dayes, and are they now become in these latter times a stain and blemish to religion? had the Churches of God their earerings, their bracelets, and their jewels in the nonage and childhood of religion, and must they now be stript of all in the growth and ripe­nesse of the gospell? Alas poore mother, what hast thou done to be so shamefully used of thine own children? alas good children, what doe you meane to offer such wrong to your deare mother? Did David bring a scorne upon his person when hee uncovered himselfe before his subjects,zSam. 6.20 and would not you bring a scorne upon your mother if you should uncover her shame before all her children? Psutarch. Cat. Vtic. Did Cato Vtican draw a scorne upon his justice when hee went to his pretorian seat without his robes, and may not we bring the like upon Gods service, if we should repaire to the seat of God in common garments? I beseech you for the honour of God, for the honour of religion for the honour of your selves, think upon your bold and rash ad­ventures: it is not the custome she regards so much as your obedience to the custome: and if you be so stiffe and cruell to your mother, that she may not enjoy her ancient customes, why should she allow your ancient discipline (as you call it) which you [Page 35]can never demand upon better warrant? You say the Apostles had the Discipline, but we are sure of this, they had the customes, and if you seeke to rob us of those rites which we know the Apostles once delivered, why should we give way to your new pretended forme of Geneva discipline, which I doubt the Apostles never heard of? Shew us that warrant for your discipline, as wee have shewed you for our customes, and wee shall have cause to hearken to you: In the meane while wee have right enough to enjoy our ceremonies by the Apo­stles leave if not by yours; and though you thinke it a ragge of Rome, and a relique of Popery and superstition; yet we shall rejoyce and triumph at all your taunts, as long as we can say with the bles­sed Apostle, habemus consuetudinem, wee have a cu­stome, &c.

To have a custome is not much,Right of the Chu: in hold­ing the customes but all the mat­ter is by what pretended right wee hold the cu­stomes.

No man heares of the customes of the Church for the ordering and disposing of Gods service, but presently he begins to examine our Patent, and to renew the question of those Priests and Elders, Qua potestate? Mat. 21.23 By what authoritie doe you these things, and who gave you that authority?

The Church I trow will doe nothing without a warrant, and if shee have that warrant from her husband, bequeathed unto her in his Testament, reade us the Will and it sufficeth; But if shee take her power from the will of man, or from the favour of Princes, or from the authoritie of her governours; [Page 36]then you must give us leave to put in a caveat, un­till it be tryed by the Law.

Loe this is the plea of all the sectaries in the world,Nulla specie illustriore s [...]duci pos sunt miseri Christians, &c. Calv. adver. A­nabapt. [Shew us your ceremonies in the word of God and we shall be willing to obey] and it pre­vailes the more with many a man, because it seemes to give to the written word: but if it appeare upon just tryall that the word of God (with honour and reverence be it spoken) was ne­ver constituted as the judge for the speciall desig­nation of particular ceremonies; then wee come upon them,Luk. 11.22 like the strong man armed in the Gospell, that take away their weapons wherein they trust, and liave them nothing to object.

Whilest I take upon me to make this good,Particu­lar cu­stomes depend not upon the im­mediate and ex­presse warrant of the word. let no man thinke I dishonour the Scriptures; let shame and confusion fall to my portion, if I cast any blurre upon that sacred volume: I know well that it is the priviledge of the Scripture to bee the onely rule of faith and manners, and it was the only scope of the holy Apostles Ioh. 20.30 to leave a perfect record of all those things that might essentially conduce to our salvation: For other accidentall adventitious cir­cumstances that were no part of the service of God, but onely an ornament to the service, it see­med not good to the Spirit of God that they should passe by the same Patent.

Well may they passe in generall tearmes (as many things are conveyed in every deed under the name of the appurtenances) but they are ne­ver expressed in that gracious Patent by any spe­ciall intimation.

[Page 37] Well may they belong to those traditions which the Apostle delivered by word of mouth, 2 Thes. 2.15. but they can be no part of that holy tradition which he delivered to the Church by his written Epistle.

Well may you referre them to those rituall or­ders which our Apostle promised to compose when he came to Corinth, ver. ult. but you cannot referre them to that heavenly doctrine of which the Apostle sayes a little before; Accepi à Domina, ver. 23. I have re­ceived from the Lord.

The truth is, all that I can finde in the new Te­stament concerning ceremonies, is nothing else but a generall warrant, that you have in expresse tearmes: 1 Car. 14.40.1 Cor. 14.40. That all things bee done de­cently, and According to order; but for the speciall practisie and application of this order; whether this or that be more agreeable to the rule, there the word is so mute and [...]lent, that you [...] finde the least title.

No doubt the Apostles composed some speciall orders: Calvin. Theophil. & a [...] in [...]. S. Paul [...] composed the Churches observed what he delivered; and if [...] of those can bee found in [...] Scriptures, why should we look for a speciall warrant for the order­ing and disposition of things indifferent.

If the Churches were bound to those strait conditions,The Church is not ti [...]d to any. [...] such war­rant in matter of custome. there is none of them all for ought I can see, but have forfeited their recognisance long agoe, in asmuch as they have used some spe­ciall customes which were not expressed in the sa­cred Scriptures.

[Page 38] Cartwright himselfe,Pag. 22. sect. 1. & 2. apud Dr. Whitgift answer to the de­fence, &c. the great scourge of all our customes, while hee seekes to binde us to the speciall warrant of the word for all particulars, is forced to confesse for the Iewish Church, that shee had many and sundry customes, at least twenty for our one, about sacrificing, and preaching, and burying, and marrying, and fasting, &c. which were no where expressed in the law of Moses. Vid. S. Bas. ep 63. Cypr: l. 10. ep. 12. & l. 4 ep. 6. Epist. ad Vict. Rom apud E [...]. seb. l. 5. cap. 25. & 26.

Whether the Christian Church had the same liberty no man can doubt that hath read any thing; for beside the records of the ancient Fa­thers, who give us some hints of sundry customes about prayer, and baptisme, and singing of Psalmes, and celebration of Easter, which I could never finde in the word of God:Adver. Praxeam & lib. de corona militis. Tertullian for his part is re­solute and peremptory upon his own knowledge, that for matter of rite and outward order, Si le­gem expost [...]es scriptu [...]r [...] i [...]venies nu [...]am: If you looke for the Law of the word of God, you shall be sure to finde none.

But to shew this liberty of the Church in some particulars.Vid. Hila. praefat. in Ps. Ie [...]o [...]. advers. Lu­cifer. Just. Mart. lib. quaest. idem con­firmat. Sy­nod. Ni [...]. can 20.

Where can you finde in the holy Scriptures that we ought to pray standing on the Lords day? yet that was the custome of the ancients for a cer­taine season, to preserve the memory of the re­surrection.

Where can you shew in the word of God that we ought to communicate every day? yet that was the use in the ancient Church, Hieron. ep ad Lu [...]n. & Aug. ep. ad Casula­num. to keep the me­mory of the passion.

Where doe you reade in the word of God that [Page 39]you ought to receive the Communion fasting? yet that was the universal custom of all the Church in Saint Augustines time, Epist. 118. ad Ianuar. to preserve the honour of the blessed Sacrament.

To be short, if you think the letter of the word be so requisite to every custome, you were best to survey the writings of the Apostles, and see what order you can find for standing holydayes: what speciall warrant for set fasts upon certaine dayes: what expresse charge to keep the first day of the week for the Christian Sabbath: Vid Dr. Field, li. [...]. ca. 20. & Episc. Eli­en [...] tract. de Sab. pap. 98. what expresse im­mediate warrant to christen or baptize a young In­fant: I doubt you will find no more but a gene­rall warrant for any of these, though they have been constantly observed in all ages: and if every of these have been held by custome, being onely grounded upon the generall warrant of the Scrip­tures, and deduced from thence by good conse­quence without any speciall intimation, why should we be tyed to a speciall order for the ruling and disposing of every ceremony?

If the speciall warrant of the Word be so ne­cessary, you were best to blame the Apostles of Christ,The A­postles never composed any set forme of outward rite. Instit. li. 4. [...]a. 10. sect. 30. because they forgot to entreat of particu­lar rites: and if a generall warrant be not sufficient, you were best to blame the Churches of God, be­cause they took too much upon them.

For the Apostles, first, you cannot blame them; for Calvin himselfe can tell you that they had no commission from the Lord to set downe a forme of outward discipline; inasmuch as he foresaw how that depended upon the state of the times, neither [Page 40]could he judge any one forme to be agreeable to all people.

He knew well enough that the Church was sub­ject to waxes and wanes, to fulls and changes, and vicissitudes; and therefore as a rare and cunning workman can hardly make a garment for the moone, as Plutarch notes, that should equally fit her at all seasons, as well in the new as in the full, no more could the Apostles judge any one form of unchangeable custome to be agreeable to all times and the various conditions of all people.All parti­culars in this kind depend upon the authority of the Church.

But then perhaps you will blame the Church because she presumes to run of her selfe without a speciall commission for every custome: No sure­ly, but where the Word of God is dumbe and si­lent, there the voice of the Church must be atten­ded: In this case the very silence of the word gives consent that the cause belongs to another court: and seeing the word is silent concerning ceremonies, and speaks nothing of them in explicite termes, where may we looke for a certaine dire­ction and resolution in that case, but from the power of the Church, and from the authority of her pastors? Ep. ad Ca­sulanum, In quibu [...] [...] certi statuit script. m [...]s populi Dei & instituta majorum pro lege te­menda sunt.

Saint Augustine being asked his opinion con­cerning a custome used in his time, takes occasion to answer in briefe, not onely for that, but for all others of the same stamp, that where the Word of God determines no certainty, there the custome of the Church, and the constitutions of her Pastors are to be taken for a law.

That this was the generall judgement of all [Page 41]the Churches in all ages, if any man doubt, let him reade the Canons of the Councels: Beza. lib. conf. fidei Chri. ca. 5. for why should the Councels be called together to order the go­vernment of the Church, and to settle the forme of outward discipline, but that they held it a maxime in all ages, that the Church had power of things indifferent.

There is no Divine of our owne side of any note that stick at this power,Beza. conf. fidei. Gualt. prae­fat. in 2. Cor. Zuin. li. de bapt. Chem. loc. com. tit. tradit. Mar. in 1 Cor. 1. Calv. com. in loc. so it goe no fur­ther: for besides the judgement of Beza, Bucer, Zuinglius, Chemnitius, Peter Martyr, and generally all the Worthies of these latter times that freely allow it with one consent, you shall take the opi­nion of Calvin, one for all, who sets it down for a certaine rule upon the light he drew from this present Cap. that every Church of what place soever may safely compose such a forme of discipline, as may be most agreeable to it selfe, because the Lord therein hath prescribed no certainty.

The truth is, the Apostle himselfe is so cleare in this, that no man can make any further doubt: for when he seeks to suppresse an upstart custome by a (non habemus talem,) and grounds himselfe upon this reason, because they nor the Churches had none such, what doth he but inferre by way of conse­quence, that the practice of the Church; and deter­mination of her Pastors, is warrant enough for any ce­remony.

It makes me wonder the more, and who doth not wonder at the froward humour of some pee­vish Novelists, that think all the practice of the Church in things indifferent, to be nothing else [Page 42]but usurpation, and all her decent and reverend cu­stomes that serve for the furtherance of GODs service to bee nothing else but a meere wil­worship.

Their spight is so great against the present go­vernment, because it crosses their selfe-will'd hu­mours, that they will scarce allow that power to the Church in the meanest things, that every Church-warden and meane Artificer would soon challenge, if they might be left to their owne li­berty.

Belike the Seers of the Lord are become blind, that they cannot discerne the meanest things; or else the stewards of the Lord are become unfaith­full, that they may not be trusted with the poor­est ceremony.

But well fare the good and courteous Samari­tan; he was not halfe so strait to the good Inkeeper when he gave him the care of the wounded tra­veller in the Gospell, so willing was he to enlarge his favour, that beside the two pence hee left to discharge the reckoning, hee gave him leave to spend more, and to runne upon the score till his next returne. Vid. Aug. de quaest. Euang. li. 2. quaest. 59. Ambro. & Origen. in Luc. Maca. Cyrill. & alios in Cat. G [...]ae [...]. patrum in Luc.

No doubt a large allowance given to a stran­ger, but if we be the wounded travellers, as indeed we are, that unhappily miscarried in Adams sinne, and if the two pence he left us to discharge the reckoning may seeme to allude, as most expound it, to the two Tables of the Testament, I wonder what course we may take to spend the overplus that he may allow it at his comming.

[Page 43] In necessary expences for food or physick wee need not spend above our two pence: in points of faith and works of supererrogation, we must not spend above our allowance: perhaps we may spend some­what more to advance the honour of the good Samaritan: and if we spend the overplus in his ho­nour for the furtherance and advancement of his service, I make no doubt when he comes againe to take the account of all our expences, he will not stick to allow the overplus, with an ego reddam, I will pay it.

But they may chance to say,Ob. Con. Tri­dér. decret. 1. Se [...]. 4. Paripietatis affectu tra­ditiones una cum libris veteris & novi Testa­menti susci­pimus. this faire allow­ance given to the Church, may make too much for the Church of Rome, that makes the voice of the Church, the voice of God, and equalls the power of her owne traditions with the peerelesse authority of the written word. And what if some offend in excesse and lavishnesse, must we therefore offend in de­fect and want? what if they give the Church too much, must we give too little or nothing at all? what if they straine the power of the Church, even to points of doctrine, and articles of faith, shall wee abridge and scant her power, that shee may not reach to points of discipline? Nay rather let the Scripture enjoy her right in matter of faith, and the Church her interest in matter of custome: that's a priviledge given to the Scripture, this a permission left unto the Church: He that is Lord of all, may doe what he will with his owne goods, whether hee give more or lesse to the sacred Scripture, what is it to thee, Sume quod tuum est, & vade. O Church, take thine owne, and go thy way, thou hast power enough [Page 44]to use a ceremony, thou hast power enough to make a ceremony; let us now proceed a little fur­ther, and see what power thou hast to presse a ce­remony.

The making of a ceremony is not much,How the Church may urge her cust: and the use of a ceremony least of all; all the matter is about the urging of a ceremony, that may chance to urge a many of us.

But if you give us leave to make a custome, and give us no power to presse the custome, you doe as much in effect, as if you gave us a gift with one hand, and sought with the other to snatch it from us.

Saint Ierome gives counsell to Lucinius, Epist. ad Lucin. that all the customes of the Church, that were no prejudice to the faith, should be strictly observed: and S. Paul is so stiffe for the custome here, that he will not suffer it to bee overborne by the stubborne humour of contentious men.

Now if the customes had such a stroke in the first beginning and infancy of the Gospell, when they could not be of many yeeres standing, what power may belong unto them in these latter times, being now confirmed by long use, whereby they are become the more a custome?

There is no company nor society of men but stand upon the right of their owne customes, All men stand up­on their owne cu­stomes. nay every parish, and private house is ready to lay claime to one or other; and when the Church her selfe hath taken up a custome that tends to the fur­therance of Gods service, may not she have pow­er to stand upon it, and to binde her children to conformity?

[Page 45] Could you but shew for your Civill customes, what we can alledge for our Church-customs, good leave may you have to stand upon them; but I doubt, by your favour, it will be long enough ere you can shew the Apostles seale for the warrant and justification of your customes.

Some customes you have, I must needs grant, which you may safely hold by the same right, as being not determined by the written laws, of that nature are your Wayes, and Mounds, and fines, and quitrents, and suits, and services, and commons, and releefes, and heriots, and 1000. more of the like kinde, that must be judged by the custome, because the Law therein hath prescribed no certainty; but when you set up customes of your owne devising, which former ages never heard of, to stint the Church to a kinde of pension, and to justle out the lawes in that case provided, well may you force us to suffer such customes, but you shall never per­swade us to allow them.

The Lord foresaw in his owne wisdome that such injurious customes were like to grow upon his owne law,Lev. 27.28. & 31. and therefore he makes provision a­forehand, that if any had a minde to buy out their tithes for ready mony, they should yeeld a fifth part over and above the reall value of the thing redeemed, to prevent ungodly compositions.

If any custome or composition of these times shall freely allow that fifth part over, well may they hold and enjoy their customes, but if they come short of that proportion, as commonly they doe which are most urged, that scarce allow one fifth [Page 46]for all the due; I trow every honest and well dis­posed heart will first consult with his owne con­science how his plea will hold in the inner court, before he stand upon such a custome.

Such customes as these in their owne nature, as being delivered to us by word of mouth, beside the war­rant of the word, are much alike to some Romish tra­ditions, which our adversaries seeke to obtrude up­on us: but if the word of God be sufficient against the one, as I trow it is, I hope it may be thought as sufficient against the other, and so the matter is soone agreed.

Consider I pray how God shall blesse the la­bours of our hands, as long as wee seeke to binde his hands? how shall he vouchsafe to enlarge us, as long as we seeke to straighten him? how can we looke for a full increase, while wee meane to allow him no increase?

It is not for me to cry downe these customes, wherin every one pretēds some interest, but if you stand so much upō these upstart customs, that tend to the hinderance of religion; I trow there is no man can thinke ill of us, if we plead hard for the ancient customes, that serve to the honour of reli­gion, and to the furtherance of Gods service.

You must needs know that Mos populi dei is a great deale more then Mos populi; The Church may städ upon hers much more. Inst. l 4. ca. 10. sect. 30. they are but on­ly humane customs that proceed from man & tend to man; but the customes of the Church, that serve for the furtherance of devotion, if you please to beleeve Mr. Calvin himselfe, are not only humane, but also divine, and so may the better be stood upon.

[Page 47] You say well (may some reply) so they bee good and wholesome customes, Objecti­ons a­gainst customes Ob. 1. but if they breed offence to the people of God, and may not bee kept with a safe conscience, were they not better be taken away then maintained to breed more offence?

To this objection let the wise Lawgiver make an answer:Sol. Nulla lex satis com­moda omni bus, idton tum quari­tur, &c. Cat. apud Liv. decad. lib. 4. Singulos per dies n [...] ­vum ali­quid affe­ctant. Iren. lib. 1. Ob. 2. Sol. There is no Law (sayes he) profitable and commodious unto all; that is the thing to be enqui­red, whether it suit with the greater part; and if it be liked of the most and better part, wee must not alter a Law so generally allowed, to give content to a few humorists, that will hardly bee pleased with any Law.

But another will say, these pretended customes are a great impeachment to Christian liberty.

If any man think so, letInst. l. 4. c. 10. supr: Ob. 3. Calvin answer (if they will take his word) That the outward orders of the Church can lay no bond upon the conscience, as long as they are no fixed and perpetuall laws, but externall ru­diments of humane weaknesse and infirmity.

Whatsoever they are may another say, as long as they deale in things indifferent, they may bee used indifferently, and not pressed upon such as cannot brooke them.

I marry,Sol. if every one should bee left to his owne will, when the Church hath agreed upon a rule,Resalioquin per se mediae mutant quo­dammodo naturā, &c. Thes. eccl. Belg. art. 6 we should have a goodly Church in a short time. Such a liberty (M. Calvin can tell you) could not chuse but cause great confusion, and that confusion and disorder could not chuse but breed sundry quar­rells.

[Page 48] I,Ob. 4. but they need not be urged for all that with such rigour and extremity, as if they were equall to the law of God.

No,Sol. Obligatio si­ [...] coertione null [...]. Aug. Iura n [...]n ju­ [...]a dicenda s [...]. God forbid it should come to that yet: they must be urged upon some to make the bond so much the stronger. Give us a law without a bind­ing power, and tis like a bell without a clapper: eve­ry man will be ready to put it off like a slipper or pantofle at his pleasure, so the Church her selfe & all her customes shall become a scorn and by-word to contentious men.

It may be some may urge further,Ob. 5. if your customes were such as the Apostle stands upon, none would deny them a binding power. Those it seems were framed by the Apostles, and generally allow­ed by all the Churches; and if it were not so in­deed, Saint Paul had never implyed so much by his (nos habemus, & Ecclesiae Dei) we have them, and the Churches of God: whensoever you make it ap­peare that any of your customes were either delive­red by the Apostles, or universally received of all the Churches, you shall finde us ready to subscribe without more adoe, that we may not be thought to be contentious.

Whether any of our customes be such or no,Sol. Ambr. in 4. Ephes. at least if it were his ownwork. To. 3. tit. 7. cap. 63. I dare not avouch upon any certainty: I heare St. Ambrose complaine in his time, that the Churches had swarved from the Apostolique customes; and Waldensis likewise in his time, that the Apostolique traditions could hardly be discerned from such as were meerely ecclesiasticall: yet if the rule of Saint Augustine goe for current, as tis allowed by some [Page 49]of our best Divines,Li. 4. cont. Don. ca. 23. Zuing. de bapt. Field li 4. ca. 21. that whatsoever hath been gene­rally observed in any age, and yet not prescribed in any Councell, may be certainly beleeved to be Apostolicall. I see no reason but some of our owne customes which found such generall allowance in the daies of our Fathers, whereof wee can find no beginning, neither in the Councels of the Church, nor in the writings of the Fathers, may safely passe for Apo­stolicall.

It were to be wished (if wishes might stand for good proofs) that all the customes of the Church were onely such, and that nothing might be used in any one, but what were allowed by all the rest: when antiquity and universality meet both toge­ther in the same custome, Aug. 118. ep. ad Jan. insolentis­simae est insaniae. &c. they give such credit and countenance to the practice of the Church, that no man can refuse to joyne with us without suspition of distraction.

But what if our customes be not such, have wee therefore no right to stand upon any, unlesse they come home to Saint Pauls conditions? I warrant you habemus talem will be sufficient for a ceremo­ny, though we cannot say, habemus candem: for neither theDoct. Field, li. 4. c. 20. ut sup. Apostolique customes can bind us, nor any else that have been generall, unlesse the pre­sent Church give free allowance; and seeing wee have the same power in things indifferent, the same I say to frame a custome, the same if need be toTert. de velād. virg. Caetera qui­dë disciplinae admittunt novitatem correctionis. E [...] Aug. ep. ad Jan. vel emëdari oportet quod fi [...]bat, vel institui quod non fiebat. change a custome, let not us dispute any more ei­ther of the novelty or particularity of the custome, but readily submit to the Churches order without any further disputation.

[Page 50] Before the custome was ordained, it was free for every one to put in a caveat; but when the rule is once setled, there is no further place for disputati­on: a simple obedience without any speciall inquisition, in such a case, is most absolute: and if the Church can hardly erre, as you heard before, in the ordination of a custome, why should I doubt that I should erre in yeelding obedience to the custome?

No argument holds against a custome, Custome a good plea for matter of rite. nay it is so far from that, that the Apostle makes the bare allegation of the custome a speciall argument of it selfe against innovation.

Many arguments had he used in the former verses, some fromVer. 13. Ver. 7. Ver. 14 decency, some from authority, some from nature, according as the nature of the matter would best allow: and now being desi­rous to strike home, and to set a barre against all reply, he brings them up to the Churches custome, that if the rest of his arguments could not per­swade, yet this might be sure to enforce obe­dience.

Blessed Saint Paul, thou hast now taught us an easie way to put an end to all contention that ever shall arise concerning ceremonies, henceforth if any shall seeme contentious, wee shall not need to beat him downe either with Fathers, or Councels, or Apostles, or Scriptures, no nor yet the authori­ty of other Churches; what shall wee need to goe about when Saint Paul hath shewed us a nearer way,Acclama­tio patrum in 1. Con. Nicen. [...], let the custome prevaile in the name of God, and let no man presume to speak against it.

[Page 51] If any private man shall attempt in time to come to bring upon us a new custome, either in praying, or preaching, or baptizing, or communica­ting, or marying, or burying, whatsoever it bee, or by whomsoever it bee allowed, wee will say no more then S. Paul does, Non habemus talem, wee have none such: You may not set up a new custome.

On the other side, if any shall seek to put down the old, whether in standing, or kneeling, or cros­sing, or bowing, or uncovering, or whatsoever else of the same alloy, that hath beene either prescri­bed in our booke of Canons, or religiously continu­ed in the reverend practice of our mother Churches, we shall need to say no more then S. Paul implies, habemus talem, we have such a custome allowed a­mongst us, and you have no power to put it downe.

Indeed custome is a good plea for outward rite,Custome no good plea for matter of doctrine. but for the doctrine of Gods worship, that con­cernes the essence of religion, we must not plead a bare custome. When any part of that gracious char­ter shall be called in question by stubborne here­ticks, we must not follow the customes of men, Cypr: ep. 63. & ad Pomp: 78. & ad Quint. 74. but the truth of God; nor must we regard what men have done, but what Christ hath said for our direction. Ad legem & testimonia, to the law and the testimonies must we goe for tryall, there must wee seeke for our direction; but for matter of rites, and out­ward discipline, which are things in themselves meerely arbitrary, and no where expressed in the word of God: we can never use a more strong de­monstrative argument then S. Paul hath used in [Page 52]the words of my text, We have, or, we have not such a custome.

The very name of custome hath some weight, because the allowance of the Church is added to it, yet it is not the allowance of every Church, that takes up a rite of her owne head, contrary to the order of other Churches; but the unanimous con­sent of sundry Churches agreeing in one, that gives the name and force of a custome.

S. Paul doth not stand upon the custome of one Church, much lesse doth he urge it against all the rest; but loe he stands upon the generall use of the Apostolique Churches, and urges the harmony of the most, against the private use of the Church of Corinth; to teach us that if any question should arise in time to come about the different orders of sundry Churches, that wee could hardly know which to follow, we should ever preferre the cu­stomes of the most, and specially those which are most Apostolique, before the private orders of some few that have degenerated from the rule.

You see the nature of S. Pauls customes, 1 Cor. 14.40. & 26. and what power you have to stand upon them; a bet­ter custome you cannot have, nor better authority to beare you out: I will but onely adde this one word more, that your customes bee decent and re­verend customes, surnished with all those speciall properties which S. Paul requires in every custome, and then you come fully up to the Apostles (talis) you have a custome I warrant you against all ex­ception; and if any man seeme to be contentious, you may safely plead it in open Court (habemus talem) we have such a custome.

[Page 53] But I feare I shall exceed the time, and so break the custome while I stand so long upon the Chur­ches custome; but if I have tyred the patience of a­ny in tracing this strange unusuall argument, I de­sire the blame may rest upon them whose wilfull and stubborne oppositions have forced mee to breake my usuall custome.

For most of you, this labour might be spared, for I have seene your order and approved it, but others there are of that crosse and peevish spirit, that I thinke if S. Paul himselfe would supply this place, he could hardly win them to conformity.

Let the Church stand upon her customes while she will, the rulers of the Church observe the cu­stome, and all the Doctors of the Church both old and new allow the custome, yet they resolve to hold their custome, their custome of wilfull contradicti­on.

If any custome at all goe downe with them, it must be the custome of some forraigne Church: Great is Diana of the Ephesians, and they are apt enough to admire her customes; but for the cu­stomes of our owne Church, Sr. George Paul in the life of Archb: Whitgift. Apoc. 3.17 18, 19. which all our neigh­bours so much renowne; and our very adversaries themselves account an honour to our reformation, they must not be allowed upon any tearmes.

Alas poore Mother, thou sayest thou art rich, and wantest nothing, and knowest not that thou art poore, and naked, and miserable, and blinde, that thou canst not judge of the least custome: Thou must buy thy gold of them if thou wilt be rich, and thy raiment of them, if thou wilt be cloathed, and thy eye-salve of them [Page 54]if thou wilt be cured of thy blindnesse; and yet the most of them will freely confesse (if they are not too ingratefull) that they themselves have been debtors unto thee, not onely for the light of hea­venly truth, but for the helpe of outward suppor­tation.

Did the fame of thy children never spread be­yond the Alps, or their glory beyōd the Lemanian lake? Why then should thy children despise thy customes, and dote upon the love of forraign Chur­ches, unlesse they meane to play the parts of un­gracious children, to discredit the wombe that brought them forth, and the pappes that brought them up.

For our parts, wee are loath to discredit our neighbour Churches, such as have joyned with us in the reformation; whatsoever customes they have, we envy them not, good leave may they have to stand upon them, and if any of us should converse among them, we would not stick to use their customes.

The rule that S.Apud Aug. ep. ad Casulanū. Quando Rome sum, &c. & ad quamcun (que) aliam eccle­siam vene­ritis ejus m [...]em ser­vate, si pari scanda [...]um, nec vultis, aec facere. ibid. Ambrose gave to his friend S. Augustine, when he asked his opinion concern­ing fasting on the Saturday, which was the custom at Rome, but not at Millaine, that when hee was at Rome, he used to fast, and when he was at Millaine hee used to eate; the same must we alwayes observe in matter of Rite, as S. Augustine teaches, If wee will neither offer nor suffer scandall.

Let mee give the counsell thatIer. ep. ad Lucin. Ego illud te breviter ad­monendum puto, &c. Necalierū consuetudi. nem ali [...]rū contrario modo sub­verti. Ierome gave to his friend Lucinius, that thou keepe the customes of the Church inviolable, and suffer not the customes of [Page 55]one Church to be undermined, to bring in the customes of another. Thou maist easily offend either way, but chiefly in opposing thine owne Church: for if it be matter of scandall as you heard before, to refuse the customes of forraigne Churches whensoe­ver we chance to communicate with them, how can we free our selves from cause of scandall, when we spurne at the rites of our owne Church, and refuse to conforme to her authorised customes?

I must say no more of these kinde of men, for I doubt my doome is passed already; I must goe for a formalist, a time-server, and I know not what if I plead so hard for the Churches custome; but if I suffer in this cause, S. Paul may best answer for me, he hath deceived me if I be deceived, and if he have a share in this hard censure, I shall bee well content to suffer with him, although they should make me yet more vile.

Howsoever it be, I shall yet intreat for all that, and I will not intreat in mine owne name, but in the words of the blessed Apostle; 1 Cor. 1.10. Now I beseech you brethren by the name of the Lord Iesus Christ, that you all speake one thing, and that there may be no schismes and dissentions among you.

Let no man strive against the customes of the Church, for that will turne to his owne confusion, these warres are like the warres of Saul and David, 1 Sam 3.1 where the house of Saul grew still weaker, and the house of David gathered strength.

It is hard to kick against these pricks, for you may sooner gall your owne feete by a foolish oppositi­on, then you can blunt or spurne down the Chur­ches custome.

[Page 56] There is neither comfort nor gaine in this rash adventure, but onely the shame of your own mother; but if you will yeeld your selves like du­tifull children to observe the custome, or like stout champions to plead the custome, you have the war­rant of the Apostle to defend you, and the coun­tenance of your Mother to encourage you, and the promise of your Father to reward you, even the Father of peace, and the Father of all comfort, who shall sanctifie you all throughout, and keepe you both in soule and body, and spirit, blamelesse untill the day of Iesus Christ.

Amen.