Casuistical morning-exercises the fourth volume /

2. Let us, now, hear, what have been the Sentiments of some, in after-ages. They were of opinion, That, to adopt some heathenish observances, into the Christian worship, was not only warrantable, but also commendable, provided, that care should be first taken, to deal with them, as the Jews were to treat those captive heathen-women, whom they intended to marry, and that was, to shave their heads, and pair their nails, Deut. xxi. 11, 12. Thus they converted many Heathenish Rites, into Christian Ceremonies, when ⟨image 134⟩they had cleansed, and varnished them, as by changing their Object, End, or Mode. For instance; A learned man of our own, hath proved, That the Invocation of departed Saints, was nothing else, but the old doctrine of Demons revived. (Mr. Joseph Mede's Apostasy of the latter times.) Let not any one surmise, That this is an undue Reflection, or a false Insinuation, seeing a very learned English Prelate hath written, a small Tract, to show, That the Ecclesiastical Government observed by the British, and ancient English Pagans, they being converted unto Christianity, many of the Paganish Ceremonies, and Usages, not contrary to the Scripture, were still retained in their Christian policy. By means whereof, tranquillity, and peace were preserved, and the alteration in the state, less dangerous, or sensible. (Bishop Andrews his learned Discourse, of Ceremonies retained, and used in the Christian Churches.) How far those reasons did influence some, when we departed from Popery, I know not. But I suppose, some things were retained, which seem not to have been desirable upon any other account, than, to make the change less sensible in its self, and less dangerous to the State. As for the Thing it self; For some Centuries before the Reformation, there was so much borrowed from Jews, and Pagans, and lodged in the Church, that, at last, the Christian Religion, became much like to that of the Samaritans, 2 Kings xvii. 24. to verse 35. A compound of the worship of the True God, and of Idols blended together. So that the Church of God groaned for a Reformation. Much was done at first by our Worthies, possibly as much as the Times could then bear. What they could not do, they left to be completed by their Successors.