415 Ch. xi, 21. Danger in this Case of reasoning a priori. he hath done it? But if there be no such thing apparent BOOK III. upon record, they do as if one should demand a legacy by force and virtue of some written testament, wherein there being no such thing specified, he pleadeth that there it must needs be, and bringeth arguments from the love or goodwill which always the testator bore him; imagining, that these or the like proofs will convict a testament to have that in it which other men can no where by reading find. In matters which concern the actions of God, the most dutiful way on our part is to search what God hath done, and with meekness to admire that, rather than to dispute what he in congruity of reason ought to do. The ways which he hath whereby to do all things for the greatest good of his Church are more in number than we can search, other in nature than that we should presume to determine which of many should be the fittest for him to choose, till such time as we see he hath chosen of many some one; which one we then may boldly conclude to be the fittest, because he hath taken it before the rest. When we do otherwise, surely we exceed our bounds; who and where we are we forget; and therefore needful it is that our pride in such cases be controlled, and our disputes beaten back with those demands of the blessed Apostle, "How "unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding "out! Who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who was "his counsellor 8 ?" 8 Rom. xi. 33, 34. THE FOURTH BOOK. CONCERNING THEIR THIRD ASSERTION, THAT OUR FORM OF CHURCH POLITY IS CORRUPTED WITH POPISH ORDERS, RITES, AND CEREMONIES, BANISHED OUT OF CERTAIN REFORMED CHURCHES, WHOSE EXAMPLE THEREIN WE OUGHT TO HAVE FOLLOWED. THE MATTER CONTAINED IN THIS FOURTH BOOK. I. How great use Ceremonies have in the Church. II. The first thing they blame in the kind of our Ceremonies is, that we have not in them ancient apostolical simplicity, but a greater pomp and stateliness. III. The second, that so many of them are the same which the Church of Rome useth; and the reasons which they bring to prove them for that cause blame-worthy. IV. How when they go about to expound what Popish Ceremonies they mean, they contradict their own arguments against Popish Ceremonies. V. An answer to the argument whereby they would prove, that sith we allow the customs of our fathers to be followed, we therefore may not allow such customs as the Church of Rome hath, because we cannot account of them which are of that Church as of our fathers. VI. To their allegation, that the course of God's own wisdom doth make against our conformity with the Church of Rome in such things. VII. To the example of the eldest Churches which they bring for the same purpose. VIII. That it is not our best polity (as they pretend it is) for establishment of sound religion, to have in these things no agreement with the Church of Rome being unsound. IX. That neither the Papists upbraiding us as furnished out of their store, nor any hope which in that respect they are said to conceive, doth make any more against our ceremonies than the former allegations have done. X. The grief which they say godly brethren conceive at such ceremonies as we have common with the Church of Rome. XI. The third thing for which they reprove a great part of our ceremonies is, for that as we have them from the Church of Rome, so that Church had them from the Jews. XII. The fourth, for that sundry of them have been (they say) abused unto idolatry, and are by that mean become scandalous. XIII. The fifth, for that we retain them still, notwithstanding the example of certain Churches reformed before us, which have cast them out. XIV. A declaration of the proceedings of the Church of England for the establishment of things as they are. I. SUCH Ch. i. 1, 2. How great monies have was the ancient simplicity and softness of spirit BOOK IV. which sometimes prevailed in the world, that they whose words were even as oracles amongst men, seemed evermore use Cereloth to give sentence against any thing publicly received in in the the Church of God, except it were wonderful apparently evil; for that they did not so much incline to that severity which delighteth to reprove the least things it seeth amiss, as to that charity which is unwilling to behold any thing that duty bindeth it to reprove. The state of this present age, wherein zeal hath drowned charity, and skill meekness, will not now suffer any man to marvel, whatsoever he shall hear reproved by whomsoever. Those rites and ceremonies of the Church therefore, which are the selfsame now that they were when holy and virtuous men maintained them against profane and deriding adversaries, her own children have at this day in derision. Whether justly or no, it shall then appear, when all things are heard which they have to allege against the outward received orders of this church. Which inasmuch as themselves do compare unto "mint and cummin 1," granting them to be no part of those things which in the matter of polity are weightier, we hope that for small things their strife will neither be earnest nor long. [2.] The sifting of that which is objected against the orders of the Church in particular, doth not belong unto this place. Here we are to discuss only those general exceptions, which have been taken at any time against them. First therefore to the end that their nature and the use whereunto they serve may plainly appear, and so afterwards. their quality the better be discerned; we are to note, that in every grand or main public duty which God requireth at the 1 Matt. xxiii. 23. "The doctrine "and discipline of the Church, as "the weightiest things, ought especially to be looked unto: but the HOOKER, VOL. I. 66 "ceremonies also, as 'mint and 66 Ee Ch. i. 3. BOOK IV. hands of his Church, there is, besides that matter and form wherein the essence thereof consisteth, a certain outward fashion whereby the same is in decent sort administered. The substance of all religious actions is delivered from God himself in few words. For example's sake in the sacraments 2. "Unto the element let the word be added, and they both do "make a sacrament," saith St. Augustine. Baptism is given by the element of water, and that prescript form of words which the Church of Christ doth use; the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ is administered in the elements of bread and wine, if those mystical words be added thereunto. But the due and decent form of administering those holy sacraments doth require a great deal more. [3] The end which is aimed at in setting down the outward form of all religious actions is the edification of the Church. Now men are edified, when either their understanding is taught somewhat whereof in such actions it behoveth all men to consider, or when their hearts are moved with any affection suitable thereunto; when their minds are in any sort stirred up unto that reverence, devotion, attention, and due regard, which in those cases seemeth requisite. Because therefore unto this purpose not only speech but sundry sensible means besides have always been thought necessary, and especially those means which being object to the eye, the liveliest and the most apprehensive sense of all other, have in that respect seemed the fittest to make a deep and a strong impression from hence have risen not only a number of prayers, readings, questionings, exhortings, but even of visible signs also; which being used in performance of holy actions, are undoubtedly most effectual to open such matter, as men when they know and remember carefully, must needs be a great deal the better informed to what effect such duties serve. We must not think but that there is some ground of reason even in nature, whereby it cometh to pass that no nation under heaven either doth or ever did suffer public actions analogous Use of them in Civil Actions. 419 Ch. i. 3. which are of weight, whether they be civil and temporal or BOOK IV. else spiritual and sacred, to pass without some visible solemnity the very strangeness whereof and difference from that which is common, doth cause popular eyes to observe and to mark the same. Words, both because they are common, and do not so strongly move the fancy of man, are for the most part but slightly heard: and therefore with singular wisdom it hath been provided, that the deeds of men which are made in the presence of witnesses should pass not only with words, but also with certain sensible actions, the memory whereof is far more easy and durable than the memory of speech can be. 66 The things which so long experience of all ages hath confirmed and made profitable, let not us presume to condemn as follies and toys, because we sometimes know not the cause and reason of them. A wit disposed to scorn whatsoever it doth not conceive, might ask wherefore Abraham should say to his servant, "Put thy hand under my thigh and swear 3:" was it not sufficient for his servant to shew the religion of an oath by naming the Lord God of heaven and earth, unless that strange ceremony were added? In contracts, bargains, and conveyances, a man's word is a token sufficient to express his will. Yet "this was the ancient manner in "Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging, to establish "all things; a man did pluck off his shoe and gave it his neighbour; and this was a sure witness in Israel 4." Amongst the Romans in their making of a bondman free, was it not wondered wherefore so great ado should be made? The master to present his slave in some court, to take him by the hand, and not only to say in the hearing of the public magistrate, "I will that this man become free," but after these solemn words uttered, to strike him on the cheek, to turn him round, the hair of his head to be shaved off, the magistrate to touch him thrice with a rod, in the end a cap and a white garment to be given him. To what purpose all this circumstance 5? Amongst the Hebrews how strange and in outward appearance almost against reason, that he which was minded to make himself a perpetual servant, should not only testify 4 Ruth iv. 7. 3 Gen. xxiv. 2. 5 [See Persius, Sat. V. 75, &c. Festus, voc. "manumitti." Isidor. Orig. ix. 4.] |