A fixth Argument against hearing the prefent Minifters of England, prepofed. Of the feveral forts of Idolatry, that the Minifters of England are hereof guilty, proved. An Objection answered. That the prefent Minifters act in Divine things by vertue of a power received from Idolaters, offer up a Worship abused to Idolatry, with the Rites and Ceremonies of Idolaters. That the Romish Church are Idolaters. Obječtion's answered. of Argument 6. Hofe that are guilty of Idolatry, Saints may not have communion with (much lefs own them as their Teachers) but ought to feparate from them; But the prefent Minifters of England are Idolaters. Therefore. * Rab. M. Maimonides de The Major (or firft Propofition) will not be denied, becaufe bottom'd upon exprefs Commands from Chrift, 1 Cor.5. 11. & 10. 14. 2. Cor. 6, 14, 18, Before we defcend to the confirmation of the Minor (or fecond Propofition) we shall crave leave to premife That Idolatry may be confidered under a threefold notion. 1. Moft grofs and abfurd Idolatry, when the creature. is worshipped terminatively; this* few are guilty of, the Ifraelites of old wor fhipped not the Calf terminatively, bur God in it; therefore they are faid to proclaim a Feast to Jehovah, Exod.32.5. 2dly, Somewhat more refined Idolatry (viz. in refpect of what we but now inftanc'd in) when we offer up any worfhip or homage, proper and due to God only, before any creature, as the Medium or Reprefentative of God: Such was the Idolatry of Ifrael in the Golden-Calf, Brazen-Serpent, &c. Of this are the Synagogue of Rome, amongit all the combinations of men in the world, molt eminently guilty. To this Head may be added, 1. The afcription of the Godhead to any creature, as to Herod, Acts 12.22. 2. The afcription of the Properties of the Godhead to any creature. 3. The worshipping of God in any other way than what he hath prefcribed: which all that write upon the fecond Commandment fay, is the Ido A latry latry therein forbidden. 4. The Oblation of Worship or Service to God, that hath been offered up to Idols, for which there is no prefcription in the Scripture, 3dly. Moft refined Idolatry, when the heart goes forth in defires after any thing beyond what is limited by the Lord, or trufts and relies on any creature on this fide God. In the first sense, there are (as was faid) few or no Idolaters in the world: the Papifts come as near thereunto as any, praying to the Crofs, the Virgin Mary, Saints, Angels, &c. exprefly affirming, that the Virgin Mary may be worthipped with that worship, which they call Cultus Latria, which yet they fay is due only to God. be In the laft fenfe there are none but at one time or other may faid to be Idolaters; the hearts of the best of men too too often going forth too far in defires after, and fecret dependance upon, things beneath the Lord: which yet they are watching and warring against, waiting and longing for the day, in which they shall be compleatly fwallowed up in the will of God. 'Tis in refpect of the fecond particular, before instanc'd in, that we affert the prefent Minifters of England to be Idolaters: to the proof whereof we now address our selves. Argument 1. Those that worship the true God in any other way than he hath faid he will be worshipped in, and is prefcribed by him, are Idolaters: But the prefent Minifters of England worship the true God in another way,than he hath faid he will be worshiped in, and is prescribed by him. Therefore.. The Major (or firft Propofition) is evident, from this fingle Confideration: To worship the true God through falfe mediums is Idolatry, fuch as fo worship him are Idolaters; (this must be fo, or elfe there is little or no Idolatry in the world, nor ever was: The Athenians (and other Gentiles) worshipped the true God, for they worhipped him whom Paul declared to them, even that God that made the world, Acts 17.23,24, yet none doubts but they were Idolaters, which they cannot be charged with upon any other account, than their worthipping the true God through falfe mediums.) But to worfhip God in any other way than what is of his own prefcription, is to worship him through a falfe medium. Therefore fo to worship him is Idolatry, and they that fo worship him are Idolaters. The Minor (or fecond Propofition) viz. That the prefent Ministers of of England, worship the true God in another way than he hath faid he will be worshipped in, and is prefcribed by him, is that which is denied by fome; but the truth thereof, we doubt not, will to the unprejudiced Reader be beyond exception evident, from the enfuing demonftration, Fiz. Thofe that worship God after the way of the Common-Prayer-Book, worship him in another way, than that he hath faid he wil be worshiped in, and is prescribed by him: But the prefent Minifters of England worthip God after the way of the Common-Prayer-Book: Therefore. The Minor (or fecond Propofition) cannot be denied, their subfcription before they are admitted to the Ministry, together with their daily and conftant practice, are fufficient evidences hereof. As for the Major Propofition, That to worship God after the way of the Common-Prayer-Book, is to worship him in a way that is not of his Appointment. 1. Let any thew, when, and where, fuch a ftinted-form of Service was appointed by Chrift, and this part of the controverfie is at an end: fure we are, there are not the leaft foot. fteps of fuch a way of Worship to be found in the New-Teftament, no, not in the whole Book of God (whatever is pretended by fome touching Lyturgies (in the fenfe we are speaking) amongst the people of the Jews;) no, nor yet was there any fuch a way of worship thought of, much lefs impofed, in the first and purer times of the Gospel, for several centuries of years, after the dayes of Chrift and his Apofiles. In the Epiftles of the Church of Smyrna (about the Martyrdom of Polycarpus) and of the Churches of Vienna and Lyons (concerning their Perfecution) in the Epiftle of Clemens (or the Church of Rome) to the Church of Corinth, in the Writings of Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Clemens, Tertullian, Origen, Cyprian, and their contemporaries, there is not only an utter filence of fuch a thing, but Affertions wholly TUSTA, and oppfit thereunto. Tertullian fayes exprefly, Illuc fuspicientes Chriftiani, manibus expanfis, quia innocuis, capite nudo, quia non erubefcimus, denique fine monitore, quia de pectore oramus. Apol. cap. 30. The Christians in thofe dayes ( he tells us) looking towards Heaven (not on their Common-Prayer-Books) with their hands fpread abroad, c. prayed to God without a Monitor, becaufe from their hearts. And in feveral places he teftifies, that they praifed God in a way of Prayer and Thanksgiving according to their abilities. Indeed Clau dins de Sainctes and Pamelius (two Popish Divines) tellus of Lytur gies compofed by the Apofties, James, Peter, and Mark: Of Peter's and Mark's Cardinal Bellarmine himself, not only takes no particu lar notice, but upon the matter condemns them, as fuppofiitious and fpurious which that they are, is abundantly demonftrated by learned Morney, and no more need be added thereunto. There are fome al fo fathered upon Bafil, Chryfoftome and Ambrofe, but as thefe lived about the years 372, 381, 382, in which time many corruptions had crept into the Churches of Chrift, fo the fpurioufnefs thereof, as being fally fathered upon the perfons whofe names they bear, may eafly be demonftrated: 'Tis already done to our hands by learned Morney, in his Book De Miffa, 1. 1. chap. 6. Durantus himself (the great Lyturgy-munger) acknowledges, That neither Chrift nor his Apoftles, fed any prescribed Forms, but the Lords Prayer and the Creed (that they used thefe, he fayes, but proves not, nor will it ever be proved to the worlds end) That about the year 380. Theodofius (the Church being rent by Herefies) intreated Pope Damafus (at whofe election, though the contest was betwixt him and Urfinus, a Deacon of the Church, there were not fewer than one hundred thirty feven perfons flain) that fome Ecclefiaftical Office might be made, which was accordingly done by Hierome, and approved by Pope Damafus, and made a Rule. The unlikelihood of this latter part of the Story is manifeft: Theodofius was too well acquainted with the Spirit of Prayer, than to go about any fuch thing; had he judged it neceflary, having aflembled the great Council of Conftantinople, wherein were not lefs than an hundred and fifty perfons convened; Is it probable this good man Theodofius, would in fo momentous a concern, rather confult with one fingle perfon, than such an Affembly as were by his Authority met together? and yet fhould this be granted, it would not from hence appear, that at this time there was any Lyturgy devifed and impofed; all that is pretended to be done by Hierome, was the appointing an Order for the reading of the Scriptures, which is another thing to the impofition of Forms of Prayer in Worthip. There is one paffage in Socrates his Ecclefiaftical Hiftory, 1.5.c. 21, who lived about the year 430. that carrying an undeniable evidence with it that at that time there were no Lyturgies, we cannot pafs over in filence, 'tis this Καθόλα μέντοι πανταχέ, κάπαρα πάσεις θρησκείας τὰ ἔρχων και εςιν αυτών, LU OULTANEOUS ET TO 16; wherein he tells us, that among among all the Chriftians in that age, Scarce two were to be found that used the fame words in Prayer. Not to tire the Reader in this difquifition; Though one part of the Lyturgy was not long after introduced by one Pope, and another part by another, yet till Gregories time (who to the honour of Lyturgies be it fpoken, was the very worst of all the Bishops of Rome that preceded him) viz. about the year 600. was there any confiderable ufe, or any impofing of them? Yea till the time of Pope Hadrian (which was about the year 300. was it not (as I find) by publick Authority impofed: Then indeed the Emperour Charles the Great being moved thereunto by the forefaid Hadrian) by his Civil Authority commands the nfe of a Lyturg(viz. Gregories Lyturgy, as is thought) to which he compels his Minifters by Threats and Punishments; the ufual attendancies and fupport of Lyturgyes ever fince their production in the world. The fum is, That in as much as first, it cannot be proved (the contrary being mot manifeft in the Scripture) that any Lyturgy was enjoyned by Chrift or his Apoftles, or in ufe in the first Churches planted by them. 2dly, It is evident that for the first four hundred years and more after Chrift, there was no Lyturgy framed, nor any by folemn Authority impofed, to the year eight hundred; it follows undéniably from hence, That to worship God in the way of a Liturgy, or ftinted Forms of Prayer, is to worship him in a way that is not of his appointment. To which we adde, 2. That Worship which is an obftruction of any pofitive duty charged by Chrift, to be performed by the Saints, is not a Worship that is of his appointment. But this is undeniably true of the Common-Prayer-Book-Worship: Therefore. That Chrift did upon his Afcention give unto his Church,Officers, as fignal characters of his Love to, and Care of it, will not be denied, Ephef. 4. 11. is an evidence hereof beyond exception. That to thefe Officers He gave Gifts and Qualifications, every way fuiting the imployment which he call'd them forth unto, cannot without a moft horrid advance against the Wifdome, Faithfulness, Love and Care of Chrift towards the Beloved of his Soul, be gainsayed. That be not onely expects, but folemnly charges upon these Officers, an improvement of the Gifts bestowed upon them, for the edification of his Body, is evidently comprized, and very frequently remarked in the Scripture, 2 Tim. 1. 6. 1 Cor. 12. 7. Ephef. 4. 11. Prov. 17. 16. Luke 19. 20. To imagin after all this, that any Worship should be of the |