Certain reasons of a private Christian against conformitie to kneeling in the very act of receiving the Lords Supper. By Tho: Dighton Gent

TO AL PRIVATE CHRISTIANS VN∣faignedly desiring to serue the Lord Christ, and preparing them∣selues, gird up the loines of their mind, & wait for his appearing, grace and peace be mul∣tiplied for euer.

BRETHREN, hearing what paines and labour many of your reverend and learned Pastors (who sometimes were o∣therwise minded) doe lately vndertake in ma∣ny places, by their publick teaching and exam∣ple, by their priuate conference, and all other meanes possible, to perswade to conformitie; I am bold (lest they should reioyce in your flesh) to present this my poore mite vnto your godly consideration, as casting it into our Lords Treasurie, most humbly beseeching those that are rich in grace, and haue siluer, gold, and precious stones conferred vpon them, to offer them freely and seasonably for the seruice of his Sanctuary, euen to build vp the decayed places of the gates, barres, and walles of the most holy Citty. Alwayes pro∣uided, that nothing be done confusedly, or at a very venture; vpon the warrant of no ill

meaning, or a supposed liberty, as if it had been sufficient to bring wood and timber, stone and morter, and all other needfull pro∣uision in all abundance, of any kinde or fa∣shion, length, bredth, thicknesse or temper, even as the most learned and wise of those times thought meet, and not to haue every thing fitted and prepared by the Lords owne direction, so as there may need neither axe nor hammer, nor any toole of Iron to be heard to reform and amend the same; but if any thing be not well, to put to or take from as occasion shall require: No, no, all Gods outward worship, and publicke or divine seruice, must in every part and ceremony or gesture thereof, bee so pure and free from all kinde of mixture of any humane invention, as all things of the very least moment whatsoever, being directly ordered according to the patterne shewed in the Mount of Gods holy word, every beleeuing heart may reioyce at the most comely order and holy beauty of Gods own Ordinances, and adiudge it high presumption to tender any in∣novation by farre-fetcht devices and novelties, or some old Tradition, or worme-eaten Cere∣mony, full of incertainty, to the direct disa∣bling of the all-sufficient truth, and offence of tender consciences. In all humilitie therefore labour to be able to giue good and sound rea∣sons why you dare not conforme to the questi∣oned gesture and ceremonies, nor to any thing else which is not within the compasse of the most vn-erring patterne, the holy word of the

all-commanding God, and bee sure to build your refusall safely upon the rocke, and not upon the sand; vpon the commandement of Christ, and not upon your owne humours, or any mens iudgement and practise, be they never so learned, zealous and holy: yea, in whatsoe∣ver you haue not Gods word for your war∣rant (Thus saith the Lord, thus did our Lord, or the Lord never tequired this at our hands) therein submit your selues loving∣ly and peaceably, yea most readily to them that are over you in the Lord. And in any case nourish not that most pestilent humour of that man of Sinne, a delight in opposition to superioritie, but in all humility, in matters that are but meerely grounded on opinion, and not on the Scriptures, thinke better of other mens iudgements then your owne: for God giues no saving grace but to the humble, to the humble in deed, not to the humble in shew. Get this vertue therefore my brethren, for then the yooke of Christ, which now you are to draw in, will be most easie and without griefe; and his burden, part whereof you are presently to beare, light and full of comfort: yea, though you be made the gazing-stockes of the world, and be hated and scorned of all men, as the very off-scouring of the earth, for bearing witnesse to this part of the truth, yet shall you by humility bee inabled with much cheerefulnesse and spirituall consolations, to endure all things, and to suffer all things; yea, consider I pray you, that the very true and

most direct way to reigne with Christ hereaf∣ter, is of necessitie to suffer for him in this evill world; and to suffer for any part of the truth in Gods worship, is to suffer for Christ. Beleeue it therefore as verily as you doe any other thing, that God hath purposely predestinated you to these particular trials, euen in every circumstance and instrument thereof. Seeing then you must drink of this Cup, pray heartily that his name may be glo∣rified, and then what matters it though wee be despised, disgraced, scorned and derided, so long as our Lord and master may haue ho∣nour thereby? Will not every true hearted subiect suffer and endure any paines, trauell, or losse of goods and life for his King and Soueraignes sake, yea and that most cheere∣fully with a manly and valiant courage? And shall not we much more doe the like for the King of Kings, who hath done and suffered a hundred thousand of millions more for vs? he lost not an eye, a hand, or a foot for vs, but was content to giue his whole body and soule also, yea he spared not his whole person for vs, and that also when we were his ene∣mies; he suffered disgrace, not onely before the Princes, but all manner of contempt by the vilest, and of torment by the cruellest, yea and the most grievous paines that the fierce wrath of God in all extremity of his iustice, could possibly inflict upon his soule and body. Doe you think he hath forgotten these things? No my deere brethren, in that

hee suffered and was tempted,, he is able to succour them that are tempted; yea assure your selues he puts euery one of your teares into his own bottle, obserues every hidden de∣vice and close practise of your adversaries, keepes a Register (not to be corrupted) of e∣very word, presentment, information or cer∣tificate, that is made, signed, put up, exhibi∣ted or uttered against you, and sets downe also every disgrace and contempt that is cast vpon you, and keeps a iust reckoning of every pen∣ny for fees that is exhausted from you for exactions, excommunications, absolutions, and of whatsoeuer other open or under-hand proceedings practised against you, and will assuredly call to iudgement both you and all your aduersaries, and backe or hollow friends, euery one to giue a particular and most strict account of all these things, and to them that haue done well herein, hee will giue everlasting life and glory; but they that haue done ill and unconscionably, rather ser∣ving the time then the Lord, shall certainly goe into eternall fire. Gird vp therefore the loynes of your minde, and feare not them that haue onely power to imprison your bo∣dies, and take away your goods or liues, let neither their perswasions nor threatnings cause you to conforme to errour (of which nature is every thing not warranted by the word of truth) but feare him, who when hee hath done as much as they possibly can, is able also to cast body and soule into hell fire,

Christ saith vnto vs all, Him feare, even feare to do any thing in his worship & seruice, but what you haue good warant for, under his hand and seale in the sacred Scriptures that he will not be offended at it, but acceptably re∣ceiue it at your hands, and so blesse the use thereof unto your soules. For else (at the ve∣ry best that can bee sayd for it) is not this directly to tempt the Lord, and to dare him to his face, when in his publick worship wee dare doe some things of speciall note, which hee most carefully obserues, and that before his face and most assured presence, yet onely upon the Canons or perswasions of sinfull men not consulting with the word whether God will be pleased or offended therewith or no? There is difference (I confesse) betwixt that which the Lord hath expresly forbidden, and that which he hath not directly nor by any good consequent commanded, but yet it is onely secundum magis & minus, to conform to the latter is to do wickedly, but to subscribe to the other, is to become abhominable. Therefore in such cases of extremity, the chusing of the lesse sinne may very well argue a most wise and carnall discretion, but not any honest heart or sincere affection. You know brethren, that in the begining the Lord put an everlasting enmitie betwixt the seed of the Woman and the seed of the Serpent, distin∣guished afterwards into the Citty or King∣dom of God, where himselfe is pleased to dwell as supreame Lord and King peramount,

ruling & governing his people especially in his owne service) by his owne Spirit according to his owne Lawes in his owne Word; and in∣to the Synagogue of Sathan, where he also sits upon a Royall throne (indeed not in his owne likenesse, but most exactly trickt vp and transformed into the similitude of an Angel of light) teaching by his seruants many things, commendable by the light of nature, yea and commanding with great authority (of all possible learning, reason, discretion, wisedome and Philosophicall vnderstanding, garnished with the pretious ornaments of most admirable Oratory) many diuine and excellent truths of the word, but enterlacing ever and anon some doctrines of darknesse, yet very covertly, alwayes in outward shew for holy ends and godly purposes, and never vn∣dertaken but upon most graue and good ad∣vice, yea very learned, sound, and divine deli∣beration, renouncing the Divell (forsooth) most directly and professedly, out upon him naughty meat, what did ever any body meane to bestow the sealding and plucking of him, the very savour or sent of him is death irre∣coverable; but retaining the broth wherein he was sodden, or the principall brewisse, or some speciall part thereof, oh it is very good and most wholesome diet indeed, (the holy fa∣ther his benedicite light upon them that sa∣ved it, for else all the fat had been in the fire) yea I tell you this with good houshold bread is even Angels food, (full glad would they

be the proudest of them to lick their lips af∣ter the leavings of it) though indeed every common understanding cannot diue into the deepe mystery thereof: Separating from and quite banishing for euer and a day, the gros∣ser doctrines of Popery, the reall presence, praying to the Saints departed, the supremacy of the Apostolike Sea, and such like, fie for shame, that any body should so much as once name them, seeing without all question they are most damnable, and came verily from hell; but yet retaining diuers gestures and ceremonies thereto appropriated, and thereby first begotten, oh here be many rare bits and sweet morsels, euen admirable and most ex∣cellent uses of, such as the Holy Ghost could never for his life foresee or thinke of, and therefore indeed it never came into the minde of the Lord to require them, euen because he did not prouidently enough consider what de∣cency and comelinesse, what vnity and much other vndiscerned goodnesse their generall conformity would instantly produce. For seeing the Diuels to deceiue the world with greater ease, and to be more free from suspiti∣on, will put upon them the likenesse of Gods holy Angels, why should not these againe to bee revenged on their enemies, transforme themselues into the likenesse of Diuels, by conforming to some of their ceremonies, that so more powerfully they might draw the seruants of Sathan vnto God? What if the damned crue were guld a little, and some

other fooles made faine a while, yet were not this an admirable peece of seruice, and do they not deserue all the packe of them to be hangd up, yea by the very heeles, that will not sub∣scribe to the lawfulnesse hereof? All which premisses being most grauely pondered, and carefully considered, certaine nice and nimble wits, of a very deepe diuing reach, and most high soaring humour, are lately risen vp, and now growen full ripe, who haue vndertaken, not to dispatch all the labours of Hercules in one houre, nor by their sweet melody to make the wilde beasts, the sea hideous monsters, the fell fowles of heaven, and all the huge mountaines of the earth in one instant to bee silent, and at a trice to conforme to their measures of most indifferent mildnesse; but with great facilitie (though it be a very strange wonder I tell you, yet do not thinke it incredible) to reconcile euen these two so contrary seeds, and by divine appointment di∣rectly opposite Citties, (O what a blessing are these peace-makers worthy to haue?) for the speedier and more safe accomplishment whereof, they haue most wisely provided and discouered to all our horizon; the full perfe∣ction of their so learned sufficiency, for they haue most strongly builded and highly erected (euen in the very aire) a very great, yea with∣out all question the goodliest castle that euer mortall eye beheld, called Saint Neuter-hall, or as the base vulgar speak. Newt-hall, which is furnished with all store of every kinde of

warlicke munition either for offence or de∣fence, so that by the place it is inaccessable, and by the power of it utterly impregnable, (all their aduersaries may cast their caps at it) the constituted Regent hereof is a most sage and honourable graue person, Lorded out of their owne loynes, one Grando, Magni∣fico, Cavileiro, Segnioro Indifferento, whose colours vnder the conduct of two great commanders they haue made full (not a man missing I warrant you) with most able fol∣lowers of an invincible temper, and indefati∣gable constitution, neither hot nor cold, nei∣ther flesh nor spirit, but indifferently dispo∣sed (I do not say for God or the Divell, but) as times and occasions do best serue for their purposes. Now this is the man, and these bee his forces and arguments my brethren, that make strongest head against you: hee perhaps will faigne hypocritically, that hee is at vtter defiance with all the seed of the Ser∣pent, and would not for a world be a meanes to perswade you to conforme to any of his damnable devices, no not in the least circum∣stance whatsoever, because they all come from one root, and flow from the same fountaine; and to make this good, he will not sticke by Drum and Trumpet to proclaime open and intestine warres against all their damnable courses and dissembling proceedings; yea, to giue you full satisfaction, hee will take his corporall oath that his iudgement is directly contrary to them, though for some speciall

considerations him thereunto moving, his practise in outward shew carries some image or resemblance of them: yea and at the very worst he protests to take neither part, but be∣ing of a most quiet and peaceable disposition, too too unwilling to disturbe the rest and ease of the Church in which he was bred and liues, but rather to bee conformable to the times, he pretends onely to stand indifferent∣ly minded, and equally disposed till matters be setled, and in the meane season looke which way the most take, he will encline, presu∣ming they are absolutely in the right; yet trust him not my brethren, for he that is not with Christ, will easily be hired by this great mans two gallant commanders knight mar∣shall Feare, and Lord generall Favour (men of exceeding prowesse, and great experience) to take Armes against Christ; yea all that are not professed and publick friends to the Citty of God, wil be content (under pretence of pre∣serving the Churches peace) at their request secretly to labour, and underhand closely, yea most strongly to practise for Sathans Syna∣gogue, and when time and opportunity serues to shew forth yea openly to professe their dissembled malice. In the meane season learned subtilty, and great shewes of peace∣able honesty, do but quite cover over grosse deformity, and most cleanly conceale vile and abhominable hypocrisie. Stand fast there∣fore and quit your selues like men, take unto you the whole armour of God, but in any case

beware of the weapons of the Synagogue, Ex∣cellency of words, entising speeches of mans wisedome, and the wisedome of this world, which will, seeme most learnedly and fully to giue any man sufficient satisfaction, if he tie not himselfe precisely to the word of God: for they haue in them as intising allurements hereunto, as any beautifull harlot in the world. Looke you therefore unto Iesus Christ our Lord, who is the authour and fi∣nisher of our faith, and of all the meanes substantiall or ceremoniall thereof, or any way circumstantially conducent thereunto, and is gone up on high, and given gifts un∣to men, according to his word, even whatsoe∣uer in calling, in doctrine, in ceremony, or in gesture is to be conformed unto: he is gone I say to prepare a kingdom and an eternall weight of glory to bestow upon every one of his Cittizes, who haue fought the good fight of faith, such honour shall all his Saints haue in the very presence and sight of all your Sy∣nagoguish aduersaries that now so molest and trouble you, who standing neither on the right hand nor on the left, but aloofe off in their ayrie Castle, even indifferently disposed betwixt both, shall finde to their cost, that whosoever is not in the right is verily in the wrong (be it doctrine or gesture) and not be∣ing of the Citty of God, is certainly for the Synagogue of Sathan (be it for calling or ceremony) and he that is not directly for the truth so farre as he sees, is (at the very best)

indifferently for errour and falsehood: yea and therefore whatsoever they pretend, all that loue not the Sheepe of Christ, but woor∣ry his Lambs, and persecute his seruants, shall haue their full portion with the filthy goats. And as for my Lord Indifferent, who will not loose his present wages of unrighte∣ousnesse for the most assured hope of future glory, vnlesse his honour very nimbly bestirre himselfe, and retire quickely into the old, or some new erected Purgatory; ten thousand to one, his portion will be fearfull in the euer∣flaming furnace, though now for the present he triumphes and makes a most glorious flo∣rish. Looke therefore my brethren to the last end of these things, and then shall you never doe amisse. Now the God of peace, who will shortly send our Lord Iesus to make triall of every mans worke, preserue and keepe you, and make you wise according unto god∣linesse, that you may discerne things that dif∣fer, and so be of one minde and of one pra∣ctise, and so may haue peace, not with the world, for all that will liue godly, and con∣forme onely to him, must haue tribulation therein; but with God, and amongst your selues having your consciences pure within, and liues outwardly unspotted in the world, for nothing is availeable but a new creature, godlinesse is the morter whereby the house of God is builded: all the gifts of Art and na∣ture without this, do pull downe and not set vp; yea, though they haue both zeale and

knowledge. I beseech you therefore let this be well tempered before any stone be layd, and then may we safely fall to building, yea then shall the worke prosper in our hands, let To∣biah, Shamballet, and all the dissembling ene∣mies of the truth doe what they can. There∣fore my brethren, whatsoever in the worship of God, helpes not by his owne appoyntment unto holinesse, cannot possibly be of Christ. For is it not the fruit of the Spirit? (if it be conformed unto) then must it needs be a fruit of the flesh, and therefore lusteth (though perhaps closely and secretly, yet most naturally and constantly) against the spirit, for these two ever were, are, and will be con∣trary one to the other: yea all the Lord In∣differents in the world with all their learned trickes, and artificiall devices, can never re∣concile them. Keepe that therefore which by the faithfull ministery of our godly and zea∣lous pastours hath been committed to you, take heed of curious, vaine, and unmortified spirits, nimblenesse of wit is no helpe to san∣ctification of the spirit. Seeing then you know the truth of the things in question, be∣ware lest yee also be ••lucked away with the bewitching errours of them that are carnally minded, and so by little & little, conforming first to this, then to that, at length by degrees you fall from your former stedfastnes, rather striue to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ, by cleaving more and more to Gods owne ordinances, and ha∣ting

more and more all humane Inventions as most vaine devices and false wayes. Con∣forme therefore to nothing in Gods publicke worship, but what is revealed in the word, which if you desire to know, seeke and you shall finde, knocke and it shall be opened unto you, for to him that hath and useth it well, more shall be given, yea he shall haue abundance. Decline not therefore, hide not your knowledge, or any other Talent upon any cause or consideration, seeme it never so rea∣sonable, but abstaine from all things wherein there is any appearance or likenesse of evill; ye〈…〉〈…〉forme to nothing, be it gesture, action, or ceremony in Gods publicke worship, (if it be not the commandement of Christ) which hath any resemblance of Idolatry in it, though the Idolatry it selfe be sent packing, for veri∣ly such inventions haue in them (though pu∣rified never so often) an Idolatheous disposi∣tion. Haue you no fellowship therefore with them: and so I pray that the peace of God may be with you all that are in Christ Iesus. Now unto him that is able to keepe you that you fall not in these times of triall, and to present you faultlesse before the presence of of his glory, with ioyes unspeakeable and glorious, even to God onely wise, bee glory and maiesty, dominion, and power both now and for evermore, Amen.

T. D.

Notes

• 1. King. 6. 7.
• Deut. 12. 32. & 32. 47.
• Math. 11. 29. 30.
• Rom. 8. 5. 10.
• 1. Pet. 1. 13
• Luk. 12. 4. 5.
• Deut. 18. 19. 20.
• 1. King. ••••. 6. 8.
• Eph. 6. 10.
• 1 Cor. 2. 1. 4. 6.
• Gal. 5. 17.
• Psal. 129. 128.
• Math. 7. 7.
• Mat. 25. 29. & 13. 12.