A fresh suit against human ceremonies in God's worship. Or a triplication unto. D.…A fresh suit against human ceremonies in God's vvorship. Or a triplication unto. D.…

A piece of a Comparison, betwixt the Primitive, & the praesent English Church.

A peice of a Comparison, betwixt the Primitive, & the praesent English Churche.

1. Because the Def. 3. or 4. times, repeated, and urged, (as much making for his cause) that our Church is so truly reformed, that it doeth most lively express the face, & full body of her Primitive Mother-Church; the Repl. therefore at last, was forced to say something to this; especially in this place, where it is questioned, if we will allow it to be called a reformed Church. He answered therefore in general, that in the main points of doctrine, and the grossest superstitions, our Church is reformed; but in regard of Ecclesiastical government, and some Ceremonies, it is not. To this it is rejoined, 1. That by face and body, was meant only doctrine and religion, not government, or Ceremonies. The Defend. therefore understood ⟨p. 403⟩this term, as Cardinal Peron; and the Replier as D. Andrues, who in the beginning of his answer, hath these words: Points of faith seem rather to pertain to the inward parts, then to the face. It is the Agend (of the Church, •e should have held him to. In that is the face of the Church, &c. After this, the Rejoinder making all the Primitive Church, that was within divers hundreds of years after the Apostles age, out of the Century-writers, and others, gathereth a catalogue of errors and defects, in doctrine, and observances, which by little and little, began in those times; and thence concludeth, that our doctrine is purer then it was in the Primitive Church, and also some observances. Now 1. this extension of the Primitive Church is taken without leave. 2. Those errors of doctrine may no more be attributed to the Primitive Church, then the errors of Mr. Mountague, and others like him (who are neither few in number, nor mean for power, as things go) may be to the English Church, 3. In the other matters of Ecclesiastical Policy, and Ceremonies, we hold that for which the Rejoinder formerly objected unto us, as a spirit of singular singularity, pag. 384. and now confesseth to be true; namely, that the Apostolical purity began presently after to be corrupted, and so proceeded in defection more and more. Yet all this doth not hinder, but divers corruptions may be found among us, which were not known in the first primitive ages. Nay let it be marked well, how strange an assertion is made up by this reckoning of the Rejoinders!