A Christian Directory, Part 3: Christian Ecclesiastics

2. There are usually so many words materially false (though not proper lies) used in such actings of good and evil, as is unsavoury, and tendeth to tempt men to fiction and false speaking.

3. There are usually such multitudes of vain words poured out on the circumstantials, as are a sin themselves, and tempt the hearers to the like.

4. They usually mix such amorous or other such insnaring expressions or actions, as are fitted to kindle men's sinful lusts, and to be temptations to the evils which they pretend to cure.

5. A great deal of precious time is wasted in them, which might have been much better spent; to all the lawful ends which they can intend.

6. It is the preferring of an unmeet and dangerous recreation, before many fitter; God having allowed us so great choice of better, it cannot be lawful to choose a worse. The body which most needeth exercise, with most of the spectators, hath no exercise at all; and the mind might be much more fruitfully recreated many ways, by variety of books, of converse, by contemplating God and his works, by the fore-thoughts of the heavenly glory, &c. So that it is unlawful, as unfitted to its pretended ends.

7. It usually best suiteth with the most carnal minds, and more corrupteth the affections and passions, as full experience proveth: those that most love and use them are not reformed by them, but commonly are the most loose, ungodly, sensual people.

8. The best and wisest persons least relish them, and are commonly most against them. And they are best able to make experiment, what doth most help or hurt the soul. Therefore when the sensual say, We profit by them, as much as by sermons, they do but speak according to their sense and lust. As one that hath the green-sickness may say, coals and clay and ashes do more good than meat; because they are not so fit to judge, as those that have a healthful state and appetite. And it seldom pleaseth the conscience of a dying man, to remember the time he spent at stage-plays.

9. Usually there is much cost bestowed on them, which might be better employed, and therefore is unlawful.

10. God hath appointed a stated means of instructing souls, by parents, ministers, &c. which is much more fit and powerful; therefore that time were better spent.366 And it is doubtful whether play-houses be not a stated means of man's institution, set up to the same pretended use as the church and ministry of Christ, and so be not against the second commandment. For my part I cannot defend them, if any shall say that the devil hath apishly made these his churches, in competition with the churches of Christ.

11. It seemeth to me a heinous sin for players to live upon this as a trade and function, and to be educated for it, and maintained in it. That which might be used as a recreation, may not always be made a trade of.

12. There is no mention that ever such plays were used in Scripture times by any godly persons.

13. The primitive christians and churches were commonly against them; many canons are yet to be seen, by which they did condemn them. Read but Dr. J. Reignolds against Albericus Gentilis, and you shall see unanswerable testimonies, from councils, fathers, emperors, kings, and all sober antiquity against them.

14. Thousands of young people in our time have been undone by them; some at the gallows, and many apprentices who run out in their accounts, neglect their masters' business, and turn to drunkenness, and whoredom, and debauchery, do confess that stage-plays were not the last or least of the temptations which did overthrow them.

15. The best that can be said of these plays is, that they are controverted and of doubtful lawfulness; but there are other means enough of undoubted and uncontroverted lawfulness, for the same honest ends; and therefore it is a sin to do that which is doubtful without need.

Upon all these reasons, I advise all that love their time, their souls, their God and happiness, to turn away from these nurseries of vice, and to delight themselves in the law and ordinances of their Saviour, Psal. i. 2, 3.

[366] Psal. xxvi. 4; cxix. 113; 1 Tim. vi. 20; Matt. xii. 36, 37; 1 Pet. i. 18; Eccl. vii. 3-7; Eph. iv. 29, 30; v. 15, 16; Luke xii. 17-19; Rom. xiii. 13, 14.

Quest. CXV. Is it ever unlawful to use the known symbols and badges of idolatry?

Answ. 1. Ordinarily it is unlawful, as being the thing forbidden in the second commandment. For he that useth them, 1. Is corporally idolatrous, whatever his secret thoughts may be. 2. And he is interpretatively an idolater, and actually persuadeth others to be so.

2. But yet though no man may ever use such symbols of idolatry formaliter, qua tales, as such; yet materially he may use them in some cases.

As, 1. When an idolater will take an ordinance of God, and an appointed duty, and turn it into a symbol of his idolatry (as in the foregoing instance of the Mahometans). We may not therefore forsake that duty; but we must do it in such a manner, as may sufficiently disclaim the idolater's use of it. As if any idolaters will make a symbol of some Scripture texts, or of the Lord's day, or of the sacramental bread and wine, &c. we must not therefore disuse them.

2. When a thing indifferent is made an idolatrous symbol or badge, though I must not use it as idolaters do, yet if any act of Divine Providence make it become necessary as a moral duty, I may be obliged to use it, disclaiming the idolater's manner and end: and then it will be known that I use it not as their symbol. As if a man, by famine or a swoon, were dying in an idol's temple, I might give him meat and drink there to save his life, though such as was a badge of their idolatry, while I disclaim their ends and use. The reason is, 1. Because at such a time it is a natural duty, and therefore may not be omitted for fear of scandal, or seeming sin, which at that time is no sin. 2. Because Christ hath taught us in the instance of himself and his disciples, that positive commands give place to natural, cæteris paribus. And that the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath; and that we must learn what this meaneth, "I will have mercy and not sacrifice." And if we must break the rest of the sabbath for the life, yea, the feeding of an ox or ass, much more of a man:367 and the positives of the second commandment must be regulated as the positives of the fourth. 3. And the scandal in such a case may be avoided, by declaring that I do disclaim their use and ends.

In a country where kneeling or being uncovered to the prince is a civil, honouring custom, if the prince should be a Caligula, and command the subjects to worship him and his image as a god, and make bowing, kneeling, or being uncovered the badge or symbol of it; here I would ordinarily avoid even that which before was a duty, because it was but by accident a duty, and now interpreted a heinous sin. But in case that the life of any man lay on it, or that the scandal on religion for my denying civil honour to the prince, would be greater and of more perilous consequence, than the scandal of seeming idolatry, I would perform that civil honour which I did before, and which God enjoineth me to perform to my prince. But I would avoid the scandal, by open protesting (seasonably) against the idolatry.

Quest. CXVI. Is it unlawful to use the badge or symbol of any error or sect in the worship of God?

Answ. 1. It is unlawful to use it formally as such.

2. But not materially, when, 1. There are just and weighty reasons for it. 2. And I may disown the error.

Every sect of erring christians accordingly useth to err in worship, and have some badge and symbol of their sect and error.

For, 1. All sects and erroneous persons may turn holy words and duties into symbols of their errors. 2. All christians in the world being imperfect, do sometimes err in matter or manner in their worship. And he that will materially avoid all the badges or symbols of their errors, shall have no communion with any church or christian. 3. As we must do our best so to avoid all their errors, that we choose them not, and make them not formally our own practice; (as tautologies, vain repetitions, disorders, unfit phrases, &c. We must ourselves when we are the speakers do as much better as we can;) so we must not therefore separate from them that do use them, nor deny them our communion when they use them; else we must separate from all others, and all others from us. 4. But when we are present with them, our minds must disown all the faults of the holiest prayer in the world which we join in: we may be bound to stay with them, and join in all that is good and warrantable, and yet as we go along, to disown in our minds all that we know to be amiss.

Quest. CXVII. Are all indifferent things made unlawful to us, which shall be abused to idolatrous worship?

Answ. You must distinguish, 1. Of the symbol of idolatry before spoken of, and other by-abuses. 2. Of an abuse done in former ages or remote countries, and in our own age and country. 3. Of the reasons inviting us to use them, whether necessary or not.

1. The case of symbols or badges is not here spoken of, but other abuses.

2. An abuse committed in the age and place we live in, or any other, which will by the scandal imbolden others to the like, may not be complied in, without so great reason, as will notably preponderate the evil consequents.

3. But yet in many cases such abused, indifferent things, may after be lawfully used by believers. For instance:

1. Names may be things indifferent, abused to idolatry, and yet lawfully used by us: as the name God, Deus, Lord, holy, just, good, temple, altar, sacrifice, priest, heaven, sun, moon, Jupiter, Saturn, and a hundred such; I mean these letters and syllables in these languages. That these names are all in themselves indifferent appeareth in that they are neither naturally necessary, nor by God's institution, but arbitrary signs of human invention and choice: for we may easily and lawfully make new words to signify all the same things that these do: and that they are abused to idolatry is notoriously known: and that yet they are lawfully used, the practice of all christians, English and Latin, even the most scrupulous themselves, doth judge.

2. And the use of temples (these individuals which have been used to idolatry) is lawful.

3. So also of bells, pulpits, cups, tables, and fonts, and other utensils.

4. The Bible itself, as it is this individual book rather than another, is a thing indifferent, yet it may be read in after it hath been abused to idolatry.

5. If the king would not only give the garments, but the money, lands, lordships, houses, which have been consecrated or otherwise abused to idolatry, to any poor people, or most of the scrupulous, they would think it lawful to receive and use them; yea, it is lawful to dedicate the same lands and money afterwards to holy uses, and to maintain religious worship.

6. Otherwise it were in the power of any idolater whenever he pleased, to deprive all the christian world of their christian liberty, and to make nothing indifferent to us, seeing they can abuse them all.

7. Yea, almost nothing is then already indifferent, there being few things that some person in some time and place hath not abused to idolatry.

8. If the question be only of all individual things abused to idolatry, the decision now given will hold good; but if it be also of all species of such things, it will be a dishonour to a man's reason to make a question of it.

Quest. CXVIII. May we use the names of week days which idolatry honoured their idols with; as Sunday, Monday, Saturday, and the rest? And so the months?

Answ. 1. It were to be wished that the custom were changed; 1. Because the names have been so grossly abused; 2. And we have no need of them; 3. And as the papists say, Our monuments, temple names, and other relics among you prove ours to be the old religion, and keep possession for us till it be restored; so the heathens say to all the christians, Your very names of your days and months prove our religion to be elder than yours, and keep possession for us till it be restored.

2. It is meet that we wisely do our duty toward the reformation of this abuse.

3. But yet long custom and sound doctrine hath so far taken away the scandal and ill effects, that rather than be an offence to any by seeming singularity, it is as lawful still to use these names, as it was to Luke to use the names of Castor and Pollux, Jupiter and Mercury, historically.

4. In such cases the true solution of the question must be by weighing accidents and foreseen consequents together wisely and impartially; and he that can foresee which way is likely to do most good or hurt, may satisfactorily know his duty.

Quest. CXIX. Is it lawful to pray secretly when we come first into the church, especially when the church is otherwise employed?

Answ. 1. This is a thing which God hath given us no particular law about; but the general laws must regulate us, "Let all be done decently, in order, and to edification."

2. Our great and principal business in coming to the church assembly is to join with them in the public worship; and this is it that accordingly, as our great business, we must intend and do.

3. In a place where superstition makes ignorant people think it a matter of necessity, so to begin with secret prayer, when the church is otherwise employed, the use of it is the more scandalous, as encouraging them in their error.

4. It is the best way to come before the public worship begin, and then they that think it most decent may do it without scruple or just offence.

5. But as a man's heart may put up a short ejaculation as he walketh up the church, without losing what else he might hear, so a man may on his knees be so brief, as that his loss shall be but small; and whether his profit preponderate that little time's loss, he can judge better than another. Therefore though I like best keeping to concord with the assembly in our devotion, yet these are things in which it ill beseemeth christians to judge or despise each other; and I shall take on either side the judging and despising of those that differ from us, to be a far greater sin, than the doing or not doing of the thing.

Object. Is it not called in Eccles. v. 1, 2, "The sacrifice of fools who know not that they do evil?"

Answ. No: I have wondered to hear that text so ordinarily thus perverted. The text is, "Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to offer the sacrifice of fools. – " Which is no more, than that it is the imagination and custom of fools to think to please God by their sacrifices, and bringing somewhat to him, while they refuse or neglect to hear his commands and obey him. Whereas obedience is better than sacrifice; and the sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord: and he that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, his prayer is abominable: and because they hate instruction – they shall cry and God will not hear them. Therefore be first careful to hear what God saith to thee, and to learn his will and do it, and then bring thy sacrifice to him: leave thy gift at the altar, and go and be reconciled to thy brother: obey first, and then come and offer thy gift. This is all the meaning of the text. See also Psal. l. 8, and compare these cited texts, 1 Sam. xv. 22; Prov. xv. 8; xxi. 17; Matt. v. &c. But whether we should begin with prayer or hearing when we enter into the church, God hath left to prudence to be decided by the general rules.

Quest. CXX. May a preacher kneel down in the pulpit, and use his private prayers when he is in the assembly?

Answ. This will have the same answer with the former; and therefore I shall trouble the reader with no more.

Quest. CXXI. May a minister pray publicly in his own name singly, for himself or others? or only in the church's name, as their mouth to God?

Answ. It is good to be as exact in order and decency as we can; but they that would not have other men's ceremonies brought in on that pretence, should not bring in their own made doctrines.

1. It is certain that all the assembly come thither, not only to hear a prayer, but to pray as well as the minister; and therefore the practice of all churches in the world (as is seen in all the liturgies) is for the minister to speak in the plural number, and usually to pray in the church's name. And so he is both their guide and mouth in prayer. Therefore even when he prayeth for himself, it is usually fittest (or very fit) for him rather to say, We beseech thee, give the speaker thy assistance, &c. than I beseech thee.

2. And even subjectively it is not inconvenient to speak of himself in the third person, Give him, or Give the speaker thy help, instead of Give me.

3. But they that will place a necessity in either of these, and make the contrary a sin, must have more knowledge than I have to be able to prove it.

For, 1. In the latter case the minister doth not pray in his own person, but only for his own person, when he saith, We beseech thee, give me thy help, &c.

2. And I know no word of God that saith, either that the minister is only the mouth of the people, or that he is to speak only in their names, or that he may not pray for himself or them in his ministerial capacity in the first person.368

For, 1. He is a minister of Christ for the church, and not the minister of the church properly. And he is subordinate to Christ in his priestly office, as well as in his teaching and ruling office: and the priests did always take it for their office, not only to speak as the people's mouth, but as sub-mediators or intercessors for them to God; and as then they were types of Christ by standing between God and the people, so they were his officers as well as types; and so they are his officers to this day: and as they teach and rule in his name by office, so do they intercede in his name: all men confess that they may do this in private; and where is it forbidden to be done in public?

2. And there are some cases in which it is fittest that it should be so. That is, when it is supposed that the congregation doth not join with him. As, 1. When the whole church is fallen into some error of judgment, (as who hath not many,) and he knoweth that they differ from him, it is fitter for him to pray as a sub-intercessor for them in his own person, than to speak as in their persons, who he knoweth join not with him. For that hath a plain untruth in it. 2. If the whole church be fallen into some little sin, which seduction yet hindereth them from repenting of, he were better confess it, and profess sorrow for it, in his own person, than in theirs that join not with him in it. 3. When he prayeth for somewhat for himself and them, that is above their understanding, (as for direction in some difficult controversies, &c.) I know not that he is bound to speak in their names that understand him not.

Therefore this is no business for christians that are not possessed with a proud, peevish, self-conceited, quarrelsome humour, to censure or despise a minister for; nor should any introduce that false doctrine of man's invention into the church, that the minister is only to pray in public as the people's mouth. But the power of prejudice is great.

Quest. CXXII. May the name, priests, sacrifice, and altars, be lawfully now used instead of, Christ's ministers, worship, and the holy table?

Answ. 1. He that useth them in design to bring in the popish transubstantiation and real sacrifice of the mass, doth heinously sin in such a design and use.

2. In a time and place where they may not be used without scandal, or tempting or encouraging any to their errors, the scandal will be a grievous sin.

3. The New Testament useth all the Greek names which we translate, priests, sacrifice, and altars, therefore we may use the same in Greek; and our translation and English names are not intolerable. If priest come from presbyter I need not prove that; if it do not, yet all ministers are subordinate to Christ in his priestly office as essentially as in the rest. And Rev. i. 6; v. 10; xx. 6, it is said, that we are or shall be made priests of God, and unto God. And 1 Pet. ii. 5, we are "an holy priesthood," and ver. 9, a "royal priesthood: " if this be said of all, then especially of ministers.

And the word sacrifice is used of us and our offered worship, 1 Pet. ii. 5; Heb. xiii. 15, 16; Phil. iv. 18; Eph. v. 2; Rom. xii. 1.

And Heb. xiii. 10, saith, "We have an altar whereof they partake not," &c. And the word is frequently used in the Revelation, chap. vi. 9; viii. 3, 5; xvi. 7, &c. in relation to gospel times. We must not therefore be quarrelsome against the bare names, unless they be abused to some ill use.

4. The ancient fathers and churches did ever use all these words so familiarly without any question or scruple raised about them, either by the orthodox or any heretics, that at present I can remember to have ever read of, that we should be the more wary how we condemn the bare words, lest thence we give advantage to the papists to make them tell their followers, that all antiquity was on their side; which were very easy for them to prove, if the controversy were about the names alone. Extremes and passionate imprudence do give the adversaries great advantages.

5. The names of sacrifice and altar, were used by the ancient churches, not properly, but merely in allusion to the Jewish and heathen sacrifices and altars, together with a tropical use from the christian reasons of the names.

As the Lord's supper is truly the commemoration of Christ's sacrifice; and therefore called by protestants, a commemorative sacrifice; so that our controversy with the papists is not, whether it may be called a sacrifice, but whether it be only the sacrament of a sacrifice, or a sacramental, commemorative sacrifice, or also a real, proper sacrifice of the very body and blood itself of Christ. For we acknowledge, that This is a sacrifice, is no more tropical a speech, than This is my body and blood.

6. Yet it must be noted, that the Scripture useth the word sacrifice about ourselves, and our thanksgivings, and praises, and works of charity, rather than of the Lord's supper; and the word priests, of all men, lay or clergy, that offer these foresaid sacrifices to God. Though the ancient doctors used them familiarly, by way of allusion, of the sacrament and its administrators.

7. In a word, as no christian must use these or any words to false ends or senses, or deceiving purposes, nor yet to scandal; so out of these cases, the words are lawful: and as the fathers are not to be any further condemned for using them, than as the words (which they foresaw not) have given advantage to the papists, to bring in an ill sense and doctrine; so those that now live in churches and countries, where the public professed doctrine doth free them from the suspicion of a popish ill sense, should not be judged nor quarrelled with for the terms; but all sober christians should allow each other the liberty of such phrases without censoriousness, or breach of charity or peace.

Quest. CXXIII. May the communion table be turned altar-wise, and railed in? And is it lawful to come up to the rails to communicate?

Answ. The answer to this is mostly the same with that to the foregoing question. 1. God hath given us no particular command or prohibition about these circumstances; but the general rules, for unity, edification, order, and decency; whether the table shall stand this way or that way, here or there, &c. he hath not particularly determined.

2. They that turn the table altar-wise and rail it in, out of a design to draw men to popery, or in a scandalous way which will encourage men to or in popery, do sin.

3. So do they that rail in the table to signify that the vulgar or lay christians must not come to it, but be kept at a distance; when Christ in his personal presence admitted his disciples to communicate at the table with himself.

4. But where there are no such ends, but only to imitate the ancients that did thus, and to show reverence to the table on the account of the sacrament, by keeping away dogs, keeping boys from sitting on it; and the professed doctrine of the church condemneth transubstantiation, the real corporal presence, &c. (as ours doth;) in this case christians should take these for such as they are, indifferent things, and not censure or condemn each other for them; nor should any force them upon those that think them unlawful.