CHAP. XXIII. Their pretending to fixed Unity and settledness, and that we are at uncertainty, incoherent,
CHAP. XXIII. Their pretending to fixed Unity and settledness, and that we are at uncertainty, incoherent, and changelings.
D etect. 14. Another great Endeavor of the Papists is, to fixedness, unity, consistency and settledness in Religion: but we are still at uncertainty and to seek, incoherent, not tied together by any certain bond, but still upon divisions, and upon change: And they instance thus [A while ago you were Episcopal, and then Presbyterian, and now you are nothing, but everyone goes his own way: A while ago you worshipped God in one manner, in Baptizing, Marrying, Burying, Common Prayer, the Lord's
Supper; and now you have all new. Where is the Church of England now?
Some of you are for one Government, and some for another: the Lutherans have superintendents, the Calvinists are Presbyterians: And what names of reproach do the Episcopal give the Presbyterians? And the Presbyterians take them to be Antichristian. Some of you are Arminians; some Calvinists; some say Christ died for all, and some say no; some are for Justification only by Christ's Passive Righteousness, and some also by his active; with other such differences even in these fundamental points.]
I repeat their words just as I have heard they make use of them with the people, and now I shall open the deceit of them in particular Answers to each part.
And 1. For the matter of unity, I have spoken of it before, and dare leave it to all the world that are judicions, whether the Papists or we are more unanimons, or more divided. Only to the Instances of division, I shall speak further now. 1. For the matter of Church Government, we are all agreed in the substance of it (except a very few stragglers;) As concerning the duty of Penitence, Confession, Restitution, Contrition, and of the excommunicating the obstinate, and Absolving the penitent, &c. All this we agree is the duty of the Presbyters; and we agree that these Presbyters may have a President, only some think that the President is ejusdem ordinis, of the same order, differing but in degree, and hath no power jure divino, but what the Presbyters have, but only the exercise is restrained as to the Presbyters, by men; but others think that the President is a Bishop eminently of another order, having not only the exercise, but the power above the Presbyters. And is this difference so great a business? And do not these cheaters know, that if for this they would reproach us, they must do so by themselves? Know they not that among their own Schoolmen there is the same difference, or in most points the same? And know they not that if differences in Ceremonies or Modes should unchurch us, or disgrace us, it would fall as foul on the whole Catholic Church, and that in the very primitive times? Did they never read of the difference between the Asian and the Roman Churches, about the celebration of Easter day, and how Polycrates and the rest did plead
Tradition against the Church of Rome's Tradition; and how Irenaeus did reprehend the Bishop of Rome for his uncharitable censure of the Churches for so small a difference? And how Polycarp and Anicetus Bishop of Rome
could not agree, as building upon contrary Traditions: but yet maintained Christian peace; as Eusebius out of Irenaeus his Epistle to Victor tells us, lib. 5. Hist. Eccl. c. 26. And the English and Irish Churches long after that adhered to the Asian way; even after the Council of Nice had ended the controversy on the Roman side. And who knows not how many more controversies greater than these of ours have been among the Churches of Christ, without their unchurching or disparagement to Religion.
And for the Doctrinal Controversies mentioned, most of them lie more in words then in sense, and all of them are far from the foundation, though they be about Christ, who is the Foundation. If one of your picture-drawers mistake the complexion of Christ, or if one should say he was not buried in a sheet, these are errors about Christ that is the foundation, and yet far from the foundation. Those of us that say Christ died for all, and those that say he died not for all, do agree as your School-men do, that he died for all, as to the sufficiency of his death and price: but he died not for all as to the actual efficiency of pardon and salvation: Is not this your doctrine? And is not this ours? And are not you as much disagreed about it as we? What else meant the late decision against the Jansenists? And what meaneth the present persecution of them in France? And yet have you the faces to make this a reproach of us? And for the righteousness of Christ, we are commonly agreed that it is both his Obedience and Passion that we are justified and saved by: though we are not all of a mind about the reason of their several interests; which difference is so far from unchristening us, that it makes no considerable odds among ourselves, who are censorious enough in cases of difference.
And for different forms of worship, sure these men do willfully forget what a number of Offices and Mass books have been among themselves and
other Churches? And what a number of Litanies or Liturgies of several ages and Churches they have given us in the Bibliotheca Patrum? But more of this anon.
2. And as for the changes and unfixedness which they charge us with, we are contented that 1. Our principles. 2. And our practices be compared with the Papists, and then let even modest and judicious enemies be judges which of us are more fixed, or more mutable.
1. For our Principles: we take only Christ to be the chief Foundation of our Faith, and his inspired Prophets and Apostles to be the secondary foundation: whereas the Papists build upon many a most ungodly ignorant man, because he is the Pope of Rome. And which of these is the firmer foundation?
2. We take nothing for our Rule but the sure word of God contained in the holy Scriptures: but the Papists take the Decrees of all Popes and Councils for their Rule: Our Rule they confess to be Divine and infallible: Their Rule we affirm to be human and fallible. Which then is like to be more firm? Our
Rule (the sacred Scriptures in the Original languages, as to the words, and the matter of them, as to the sense) the Papists themselves confess unchangeable; but whether they will say as much of their own, I will try by two or three Instances. 1. What an alteration Pope Sixtus, and Pope Clement made in the Vulgar Latin Bible, which is one part of their Rule, I told you before, and Dr. James his Bellum Papale will tell you the particulars. 2. The other part is their Decrees, of which Pope Leo the tenth in Bulla contr. Luth. in Binius, p. 655, saith [the holy Popes our predecessors never erred in their
Canons and Constitutions] And yet hear what Pope Julius the second saith in his General Council at the Lateran with their approbation, Cant. Prag
Matth. sanct. monitor. Binius, vol. 4, p. 560. [Though the Institutions of
sacred Canons, holy Fathers, and Popes of Rome —and their Decrees be judged immutable, as made by Divine Inspiration; yet the Pope of Rome, who, though of unequal merits, holdeth the place of the Eternal King, and the Maker of all things, and all Laws on earth, may abrogate these Decrees when they are abused.] You see here from the mouth of Infallibility itself (if the Roman faith have any) of what continuance we may judge their Immutable Decrees to be of, which are made as by Divine inspiration: they are Immutable till the Pope abrogate them, who being in God's place, though of unequal merits (O humble confession!) is of power to do it.
3. We have a Rule that was perfected by Christ and his Apostles, to which nothing can be added, and therefore we are at a Certainty for our Religion: for we have a sure and perfect Rule from Heaven. Nothing may be added to it, or taken from it. But the Papists do profess that the Determinations of the Pope or Council may make a point (and so five thousand points, for there is no certain number) to be de fide articles of faith, and necessary to salvation, though not in se, yet quoad nos, as to us. (And what it is for a Law to be obligatory in se, and not quoad nos, is hard to understand.) So that the Papists never know when their faith is perfect and grown to its full stature.
For ought they know a thousand more Articles yet may be added. And yet these men of uncertain growing faith, have the face to persuade men that we are mutable, and they are fixed. You see our several Principles: now to our
Practices.
For our part, 1. We never changed our Head, our Lord, our Faith, or one Article of our Faith: if malice itself be able to charge us with changing the smallest Article of our Faith, let them say their worst: we change not our
Rule, the holy Scriptures, nor one clause or sentence of it, but endeavor the
preservation of the same, which at the first we received. In our contests with the Papists, our great offense is at their mutation from the ancient Rule and way; we contend but for the faith once delivered to the Saints: the old way with us is the good way: we abhor a Religion that is new sprung up, or is less than one thousand five hundred and fifty years standing at least. If we change in anything, it is but by repenting of our former changeableness while our Nation was Popish; having then changed from the Apostolic simplicity, we change from that sinful change, and return to the ancient way again. And if we have made any further changes since our first change at the Reformation, it is but a perfecting the change to Antiquity, and Apostolic simplicity which we then begun. Rome was not built in a day, and is not pulled down in a day. The work of Reformation is but one change, though it be not done all at one time. If we find some spots of Romish dirt upon us, that escaped us at our first washing, it is no dangerous mutability yet to wash it off. If a man converted by saving grace be not perfectly rid of all his former sin the first day of his Conversion, should he be reproached as mutable for striving against it all his life after, and casting it off by degrees as he is able? If a man did but recover by degrees from the relics of his disease, they will not therefore reproach him as mutable? If he sweep the dust or dirt out of his house every day, they will not say, He is mutable and knows not where to rest. These men might as well reproach us as mutable, because we rise in the morning and do not still lie in bed; or because we go to bed at night, and do not stay up still.
But what is it that we are changeable in? We have changed none of the substance of worship: did we baptize before, and do we not so still? Did we pray or administer the Lord's Supper before, and do we not so still? What is the change? Why, 1. We before used the common Prayer book and now we
do not. 2. Before we used prayers at the burial of the dead, which now are omitted. 3. Before we used the Cross and Surplice, and kneeled at the Sacrament, which are now omitted. And what then? Therefore we have changed our Religion. Even as a man changeth his clothes by brushing them, or his house by sweeping it, or his face by washing it. Do these men think us so sottish as to place our Religion in these Circumstances? God hath bid us Pray continually: but he hath not told us whether we shall use a Prayer book or not, but left that to men's necessities or conveniences to determine of. And doth a man change his Religion or Worship of God, if he either begin or cease to use a Book? If any man had so little wit or Religion, as to place their Religion in a Prayer book, its no great loss to them if they have lost their Religion, when the Prayer book is taken from them. We doubt not but Prayer books are profitable to some, and hindrances to others: some should use them, and some should not: but whether we use them, or not use them, is no part of our Religion at all, but a mere Accident, or common help and appurtenance. God hath not told preachers whether they shall use any Notes for their memory in Preaching: to one it is a hindrance; to another a help. Doth a man change his Religion when he changeth a custom of using Notes? God hath not told us what Chapter we shall read, or what Psalm we shall sing, or what Text we shall Preach on this day or that day. What if one age think it best that some Pastors give Laws to all the rest, that they shall read no Chapter, preach on no Text, and sing no Psalm but by their direction: and the next age think it meeter to leave it to each Minister, as thinking it unfit to Ordain such Ministers that have not wit enough to choose their Text, or Chapter, or Psalm according to occasions. Will you say that here is a change of Religion? These outside Hypocrites tell the world what a thing they take Religion to be, and in what they place it. What if one
man use an hour-glass in preaching, and another use none? What if one read a Chapter with spectacles, and another without? Or if one preach in a Pulpit, and another below: or if one preach in a white garment, or another in a black: or if one stand at the Sacrament, and another sit, and another kneel:
Are we therefore of several Religions? Or is this any part of the worship itself? Do we not all now either stand, sit, or kneel at the hearing of a Sermon, as we please? Do we not kneel or stand at Prayer as we please?
Yea do not men commonly in singing Psalms of Prayer or Praise to God, sit or stand as they please? And what if we do so at the Sacrament? Is it not all one? Or doth standing, kneeling or sitting make another Religion, or any part of it? And for Marrying, Burying, Baptizing, and the rest, we have altered no part at all of the worship of God; but order them in that manner as seemeth most convenient. What ignorant souls are these, that think that the using a Prayer book, or praying without book, or the using this gesture, or that, these words, or those words that are to the same sense, doth make different Religions or Ordinances of worship? These are tricks that none but the sottishly ignorant will be deluded with, that know not what Religion or worship is. They may as well say, If I change my Lecture-day from Thursday to Friday, that I change my Religion or the worship of God. These are our great changes.
Well I will you now hear whether the Papists or we be the greatest Changelings? 1. Some just changes they have made themselves, that they know well enough are as great as ours. It was so common in the ancient
Church to Pray only standing on every Lord's day, and not to kneel at all in any part of the worship of that day, that it was taken for an universal
Tradition, and to kneel was taken for a great sin, and condemned by General Councils many hundred years after Christ; and yet the Church of
Rome, and other Churches as well as we, have cast off this pretended Tradition, violated this Decree of General Councils, and forsaken this universal Custom of the Church. And the Papists receive the Eucharist kneeling, for all this Law and Custom.
In the primitive Church, and in Tertullian's days, a Common Feast of the Church was used with the Lord's Supper, and the Sacrament taken then. But now this Custom is also changed. It was then the Custom to sing extempore in the Congregation to God's praise. But now Rome itself hath no such
Custom. It was once the Custom to give Infants the Lord's Supper: but now Rome itself hath cast off that Custom. Once it was a Canon that Bishops must not read the books of Gentiles, (Council. Carthag. 4.) which yet Paul made use of, and the Papists now do too much value. Abundance such changes might be mentioned, greater than ours, in which we are justified by the Papists themselves.
2. But they have yet other kind of changes then these. They have changed the very Essence of the Catholic Church (in their esteem;) they have changed the Officers, the Doctrine, the Discipline, the Worship, and what not, as though they had been born for change, to turn all upside down.
In the Primitive times, the Church had no universal Monarch but Christ: but they have set up a new universal Monarch at Rome.
In the primitive times the Catholic Church was the Universality of Christians: and they have changed it to be only the subjects of the Pope.
In the Primitive times Rome was but a particular Church, as Jerusalem and other Churches were: but they have changed it, to be the Mistress of all
Churches.
For many hundred years after Christ, the Scripture was taken to be a sufficient Rule of faith; but they have changed it to be but part of the Rule.
In the ancient Church all sorts were earnestly exhorted to read, or hear, and study the Scripture in a known tongue: but they have changed this into a desperate restraint, proclaiming it the cause of all Heresies.
In the ancient Church the Bread and Wine was the Body and Blood of Christ Representative and Relative: but they have changed it into the real
Body and Blood.
Heretofore there was Bread and Wine remaining after the words of Consecration: but they have changed so, that there remaineth neither Bread nor Wine, but the qualities and quantity, without the substance, and this must be believed, because they say it, against Scripture and Antiquity, and in despite of sense itself.
In the ancient Church the Lord's Supper was administered in both kinds, bread and wine to all: but they have lately changed this into one kind only to the people, denying them one half of the Sacrament.
Of old the Lord's Supper was but the Commemoration of the sacrifice of Christ upon the Cross, and a Sacrament of our Communion with him and his members: but now they have changed it into a propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of the quick and dead: and in it they adore a piece of Bread as very
God, with Divine worship.
Of old, men were taught to make daily confession of sin, and beg pardon, and when they had done all, to confess themselves unprofitable servants: but now they are so changed, that they pretend not only to be perfect without sin, and to Merit by the Condignity of their works with God, but to supererogate and be more perfect then innocence could make them, by doing more than their duty.
Of old those things were accounted sins deserving Hell, and needing the blood of Christ for pardon, which now are changed into venial sins, which
properly are no sins, and deserve no more than temporal punishment.
Of old the Saints had no proper merits to plead for themselves; and now men have some to spare for the buying of souls out of Purgatory.
Of old the Pastors of the Churches were subject to the Rulers of the Commonwealth; even every soul, not only for wrath, but for Conscience sake was obliged to be subject: but now all the Clergy are exempted from secular Judgment, and yet the secular power is subject to them: for the Pope hath power to depose Princes, and dispossess them of their Dominions, and put others in their rooms, and dissolve the bonds of Oaths and Covenants, in which the subjects were obliged to them, and to allow men to murder them by stabbing, poisoning, &c. If you do not believe me, stay but till I come to it, and I shall give you yet some further proof.
Would you have any more of the Popish Changes? Why I might fill a volume with them. Should I but recite all the changes they have made in Doctrines, and all that they have made in Church Orders, and Discipline, and Religious Orders and their Discipline, and in Worship, and Ceremonies,
I should be over tedious: their very Liturgy or Mass-book hath been changed, and made by changes, such abundance of additions it hath had since the beginning of it. What changes Sixtus the fifth, and Clement the eighth made in their Bibles, I told you before: as also what changes they have had in the election of their Popes.
And now I am content that any impartial man be judge whether Papists or the Reformed Churches are the more mutable and unsettled in their
Religion? And which of them is at the greater certainty, firmness, and immutability?