profitably used Bucer epist ad Joan. Alasc saith Sacraments may be distributed to men kneeling or standing and as well in the Church and in the morning and to women as well as men though our Lord celebrated it in a chamber in the evening and to men onely The substance remaining entire such circumstances may be changed Peter Martyr Loc. com class 2. loc 4. pag. 232. edit Londin 1576. teacheth that kings as kings should have care that sound doctrine and decent ceremonies be maintained and addeth Nihil interest si coenae Dominicae sacramentum stantes aut sedentes aut genibus flexis percipiamus modò institutum Domini conservetur occasio superstitionis praecidatur And In defens ad Gardiner de Eucharist part 1. object 1. fol. 5. he saith If ones minde be applied not to the elements but to the thing signified adoration may lawfully be interposed c. Vrsinus agreeth with Martyr as he professeth Exercitat part 2. fol. 835. ad fol. 840. Zanchius Tom. 4. lib. 1. cap. 17. Thes 10. de idololatria pag. 531. Thes decimâ Vt piè facit qui honore aliquo reverentiâ afficit sacramenta sic idololatriam admittit qui ea adorat colit The first part that some honour and reverence is due to the sacraments he proveth 1. by Saint Pauls words Worthily not discerning the Lords body 1. Cor. 11.29 from common and ordinary meat and drink there ought to be worthinesse principally in the minde and reverence in the outward gesture of the body and 2. by the common consent and custome of all men who come bareheaded c. and 3. by example of mens reverence to the word of God preached and read which though it be not worshipped yet is to be handled and heard reverently as the word of God and not of men The second part That adoration and worship is not to be given to the bread and wine because they be still creatures and therefore may not have that honour which is onely due to the Creatour which he explicateth that invocation and prayer for pardon of our sinnes may not be made to them for that is a worship proper to God Such kinde of worship to the bread and wine as if they were Christ himself in their elevations and circumgestations Zanchius condemneth as idolatrie and so do we Zepperus de sacramentis cap. 13. fol. 321 322. Sprint 146. teacheth that we are not bound in the new Testament to the circumstances of the time place site or position of body such as Christ used when he first ordained the Sacrament but may enjoy our Christian liberty in altering them Again Polit. Eccles lib. 1. cap. 11. fol. 76. he saith These circumstances may by our Christian liberty be differently appointed and observed The Low-countrey Churches thus 141. In the administration of the Lords supper let every Church impose or use such Ceremonies as they shall judge most expedient c. Ex Actis Synodalibus general inferior Germ. Middleburg anno 1581. Can. 45. Sculting Anachrys Hierarch lib. 9. The Bohemians receive this Sacrament In genua procumbentes kneeling on their knees Harm confess § 14. Bohem. fol. 120. Saravia contra Bezam defens cap. 25. fol. 582 147. 583. and Luther in Gen. 47. allow this ceremony of kneeling CHAP. VII Our Ceremonies are commendable for their ancient and profitable use OUr Ceremonies now questioned are ancient and of good use Sprint pag. 170. as that in ministring the Sacraments the ministers should weare a white linen garment Zanchius de Redempt cap. 16. fol. 445. who citeth S. Hierom contra Pelag. lib. 1. See before chap. 6. See also our 30 Canon that in baptisme they should signe the baptized with the signe of the Crosse Beza epist 8. fol. 75. which signing Beza saith is vetustissima and so for kneeling at the Communion that it hath a shew of godlinesse and Christian reverence and was used cum fructu Beza epist 8. fol. 100. The rites and ceremonies of Rome were not all of one suit Burges 418. Those of her virginitie had some use though after her fornication prostituted to abuse others were originally begotten of her body polluted and so some are in themselves and in the simplest use of them unlawfull as the images of the Godhead half-communions c. others such as in themselves were sometimes lawfully used as of indifferent nature and such are ours now in question as Beza confesseth epist 8. Where Sinne and Ceremonie are inseparably woven together we must separate from both even from the ceremonie for the sinnes sake and break the vessel that cannot be cleansed but in accessary pollution separable cleanse away the pollution and preserve the vessel So the ancient ceremonies which were pure among the Fathers but by tract of time gathered pollution among the Papists may yet by washing and cleansing be restored to their ancient sweetnesse and used without sinne The ancient Fathers and Churches had alwayes some universall ceremonies Dr. Burges pag. 102. seq which were not appointed in Scripture as the feasts of Christs Nativitie Resurrection Ascension Pentecost c. Zanchius Tract de Sacra scriptura pag. 279. And these customes were universall through the whole Church though there was for a time some difference in the time yet none in the fitnesse of the things and these have continued to this day if some pollution have bespotted them shall we not cleanse it away and frame our selves to the ancient custome Is the custome of the whole Church despicable of which S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 11.16 We have no such custome neither the Churches of God And again Came the Gospell from you or came it to you alone Who is he that dares thus to censure the universall militant Church Augustine epist 118. saith Insolentissimae insaniae est existimare non rectè fieri quod ab universa Ecclesia fit and he saith ibidem that universall observations not being written in Scripture must be understood to be commanded and ordained by generall Councels or else to come from the Apostles Surely we hold it an honour to our Church Burges 458. that we are come as neare the Primitive Church as we well could So saith Bishop Jewel Defence of the Apology pag. 27 28. And in the Preface before our book of Common prayer is this Profession You here have an order for prayer as touching the reading of the holy Scriptures much agreeable to the minde and purpose of the old Fathers And of Ceremonies ibid. If some be offended for that some of the old Ceremonies are retained still if they consider that without some Ceremonies it is not possible to keep any order or quiet discipline in the Church they shall easily perceive just cause to reform their judgement and if they think much that any of the old remain and would rather have all devised new then such men granting some Ceremonies convenient to be had surely where the old may be well
A SERMON NECESSARIE FOR THESE TIMES Shewing the nature of Conscience with the corruptions thereof and the repairs or means to inform it with right knowledge and stirre it up to upright practise and how to get and keep a good Conscience To which is adjoyned a necessarie brief and pithy treatise of the Ceremonies of the Church of England By ANTHONY CADE Batch of Divinitie 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this the testimonie of our Conscience that in simplicitie and godly sinceritie not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world c. Printed by the Printers to the Vniversitie of Cambridge And are to be sold by John Sweeting near Popes head alley in Corn-hill 1639. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD JOHN LORD BISHOP OF LINCOLN MY VERY good Lord and Patron RIght Reverend Father in God I have often with great comfort related among my friends what I observed about five yeares agone at my being at Buckden an ancient house belonging to the Bishoprick of Lincoln how bare naked and ruinous I had seen it in former times and now worthily repaired and adorned by your Lordship The cloisters fairly pargetted and beautified with comely coportments and inscriptions of wise counsels and sentences the windows enriched with costly pictures of Prophets Apostles and holy Fathers and beyond all the Chappell for Gods immediate service most beautifully furnished with new Seats Windows Altar Bibles and other sacred books costly covered clasped and embossed with silver and gilt with gold with Bason Candlesticks and other vessels all of bright shining silver and with stately Organs curiously coloured gilded and enameled no cost spared to set forth the dignity of that house dedicated to Gods worship And the whole service of God therein performed with all possible reverence and devout behaviour of your own person and all the assembly and with the organs of sweet ravishing angelicall voices and faces of young men lifting up with heavenly raptures all the hearers and beholders hearts to heaven and enforcing me to think and meditate When such things are found on earth in the Church Militant Oh what unconceivable joyes shall we finde in heaven in the Church Triumphant We have great cause to glorifie God for your Fatherhoods excellent care and cost in this and many * At Lincoln Westminster Cambridge Oxford c. Where this Bishop hath built chappels libraries c. or garnished and furnished them with excellent books and maintenance for Scholars other places where as I heare you have done the like As also now more lately for our most excellent worthy-minded Archbishops Grace who prosecuting his own and some other Bishops preparations hath now notably begun and happily gone forwards with the repairing of that most honourable ancient monument of Christendome S. Pauls Church in London to the comfort of all good hearts and glory of our nation and also to work an unity of faith and uniformity of practise in the service of God and by all possible means to winne all adversaries thereunto which would be an incomparable joy to all true Christian hearts But to return again to Buckden to my observations there and to my present purpose I did also ordinarily speak among my friends of the government of your great house with all subjection and gravity and of your hospitalitie such as S. 1. Tim. 3.2 Paul prescribes to Bishops entertaining your numerous guests with bountifull provision and feasting them with variety and plenty of all good things but with exemplary sobriety in your own person and with wise learned and religious discourse as wholesome for their souls as your meats for their bodies But this I passe over now slightly as beside my present purpose for my purpose was onely to shew how by the former sight of your house and Chappel and the manner of Gods service therein I well understood your Fatherhoods religious minde and intentions but much better by your private words to my self afterwards viz. That your desire was to have the Consciences of all people preachers and others in your Diocesse rightly informed and soundly convicted of the lawfulnesse and perswaded to the practise of the established service of God with the Rites and Ceremonies of our happily reformed Church and that your self would leade them the way and give them a fair * S. August epist 86. in fine Si consilio meo acquiescis Episcopo tuo noli resistere quod facit ipse sine ullo scrupulo sectare In using Rites and Ceremonies example This gladded my heart more then the rest So that not long after being appointed by your Lordship to preach at a Visitation at Leicester I addressed my self to improve my best service to God and his Church to our gracious Soveraigne Gods immediate deputy to your Lordship the generall spirituall Father of these parts and to our Countrey both ministers and people for the better setling of their Consciences in these and other necessary points My sermon presently upon the hearing procured me thanks from many even from the contrary-minded formerly and many desired copies or the publication as did also some of your own officers which I also promised And shortly after having made my copie ready with some additions which time would not give me leave to utter and with a brief Appendix at the end fitter for young preachers to reade at home then for people to heare from the pulpit I gave it to a friend to procure the printing but my friend unfriendly kept it in his own or his friends hands so long that till neare the end of this last yeare I could not get my copie again At last having recovered it and communicated it to some other learned judicious friends they again importuned me for the publication as a thing that undoubtedly would do much good to many unsetled souls To which now I have condescended My good Lord I beseech you and all my Readers to beare with my long preface I thought it necessary to let the world know the two occasions one of my preaching the other of the late publishing of this sermon Now such as it is I send and dedicate it to your Fatherhood whose it is by the first appointment and all the service it can do and so is the Authour thereof Your Lordships in all humble service and observance to be commanded ANTHONY CADE ROM 2.15 Which Gentiles shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their Conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts the mean while or between themselves accusing or else excusing one another SAint Paul to move all men to seek salvation by faith in Jesus Christ which he propounds chap. 1. vers 16. and prosecutes chap. 3. vers 21. shews in these first chapters that all men are in themselves inexcusable sinners The Jews sinning against the law written in their Books the Gentiles against the law written in their Hearts This sentence convicts the Gentiles but by an argument
chief men persecuted Paul and Barnabas and cast them out of their coasts moved by erroneous devotion By the like errour they that call themselves Romane Catholicks deceived by Jesuiticall doctrine persecute the true Catholicks that constantly hold all necessary saving doctrine grounded on the holy Scriptures Articles of 1562. art 6. and universally received in the Primitive Church as the Protestants do and refuse onely the corrupt novell doctrines brought in by later Popes Art 22. Art 37. and submission to their government these they persecute and seek by all means even by treasons insurrections and murders of Princes and massacres of people utterly to root out and think such courses not onely lawfull but meritorious and that they are bound in conscience to practise them especially upon their Popes excommunications A conceit and doctrine strange and monstrous never heard of in the Church of God of a thousand yeares after Christian religions first planting and untill Satan was * Revel 20.2 3 7 8. Greg. 7. formerly called Hildebrand by many Helbrand as one that brought this wilde-fire from hell into the Church for from heaven it could not come James 3.13 a wisdome earthly sensuall devilish aedificat ad Gehennam This Gregory was the first Pope that deposed any Princes c. as saith old Frisingensis late Onuphrius See Cades Justification of our Church pag. 42 43. pag. 46 seq lib. 2. pag. 64. seq loosed and permitted to deceive the nations Then Pope Gregory the seventh began first to depose Princes embroyling the Christian world with unchristian warres kindling that fire which hath been kept burning by many succeeding Popes and is still kept alive blown continually with the breath of Jesuites and other the Popes Incendiaries But the weapons of the first best Christians even against persecuting tyrants were patience and prayers not treasons murders rebellions We reade in Scriptures of wicked Princes reproved by the Prophets but neither deprived of their state nor subjects animated to rebell nor forreiners to invade And if any Christian Prince were excommunicated that made him not in worse state then a Heathen with losse of his goods government or life but * Matt. 18.17 sicut Ethnicus sequestred from the blessing of the Church and Sacraments onely The ancient Churches censures never proceeded further But howsoever that late unchristian doctrine is still maintained in the books of a great number of the Popes flatterers that are maintained by him in wealth and dignitie yet a great number also even of the learnedest Divines of the Church of Rome hold the contrary For this point reade the B. of Rochester de potest Papae cap. 8. who citeth many authours B. Whites reply to Fishers ansvver pag. 572. and write books in confutation thereof confessing plainly that the Pope by vertue of his office hath not any power or authoritie to depose Princes or dispose of their Crowns or lives for any cause crime or good whatsoever Whereupon most of our English Romane Catholicks have contrary to the Popes briefs Cardinall Bellarmines letters and other Romish Rabbines perswasions taken the oath of allegiance and thereby insinuate a reall confession in this main point that the Pope Cardinals Conclave Counsellers and greatest Doctours of that Church may erre and leade them into damnable sinne and therein may and ought to be disobeyed And since the infallibility of that Pope and Church hath been the greatest if not the onely ground of holding them in many errours without searching into them that ground being now acknowledged to be unsound there is great hope of their coming to us in other points of difference as they have done in some already if we be not averse and hinder it by our dissensions at home Oh that we could recover that blessed unity of doctrine and good life of that one holy primitive ancient Catholick Church Yet observe another malice and policy of Satan Some Protestants too nice Conscience against Church-ceremonies if he cannot make us swallow these Camels he will endeavour to make us strain at Gnats and in hatred of the Papists large Conscience and grosse sinnes to make our Conscience too strait and stick at things indifferent as Caps Surplesse kneeling at Communions Crossing the childe after he is baptized and such like rites or ceremonies Our people by the blessing of God hold the substance of saving religion entirely we do not teare and wound Christs body we onely strive about his garments My desire is to take up this strife and to keep that seamlesse coat unrent because I see our adversaries passing over their own great ones make themselves sport at our petty dissensions To stop their mouthes therefore and satisfie our otherwise good Christian brethren whose Consciences are afraid to receive these Ceremonies give me leave to impart unto you my meditations touching this point which I shall do the plainliest and briefliest by answering a few questions Quest 1. Doth erring Conscience binde Answer It doth binde so that he that doth against it sinneth Because whatsoever the Conscience dictates it dictates sub ratione voluntatis Dei as it informs us of Gods will and so it hath in it self the force of the Divine will and is in stead of God unto us as Gods Lieger Ambassadour to shew us our dutie and call upon us to do it therefore as long as we understand acknowledge it to be so it bindes us unto obedience as unto God To do therefore that which thy Conscience saith is unlawfull or while thou doubtest it is unlawfull is to incurre damnation Rom. 14.23 He that doubteth is damned if he do it because he doth it not of faith for whatsoever is not of faith is sinne Though it be clean in it self yet to thee it is unclean if thou thinkest it so as Saint Paul saith there See Ames de conscien lib. 1. cap. 3. n. 13. cap. 4. n. 6. Rob. Sandersons ser upon Rom. 3.8 Cicero Offic. lib. 1. Bene praecipiunt qui vetant quicquam agere quod dubites aequum sit an iniquum aequit as lucet ipsa per se dubitatio cogitationem significat injuriae vers 14. He that doth against his Conscience doth against the will of God quamvis non materialiter verè tamen formaliter interpretativè though not in matter and truely yet in form and by interpretation because he doth that which he thinks is against Gods will And this is reduced to the lack of the fear of God to venture to do that which thou judgest God hath forbidden and so hath written in thy Conscience which must be Gods witnesse with thee or against thee and whereby thou must be judged Quest 2. May a Christian Prince urge his subjects to observe such ceremonies in Gods service as he knows to be lawfull though some subjects think them unlawfull or doubt of their lawfulnesse I must answer this question by first laying some grounds thereof in a few
adversaries which charge us with continuall newfanglednesse and utter mislike of the fashions of the most ancient glorious Primitive Church This is shewed plentifully in the Appendix hereunto annexed Thirdly that our ceremonies are confessed by the most excellent Divines of forrein reformed Churches to be no way unlawfull or forbidden by the word of God either in direct words or by necessary consequence Neither are they imposed as things absolutely necessary to salvation or as parts of Gods proper worship but as things meerly in their own nature indifferent Nor as things in themselves binding the Conscience further then as they are commanded by the Magistrate Neither commanded by the Magistrate as things perpetually necessary but to be altered or abrogated by the wisdome of the governours as may best fit their times and nations And they have been so ordinarily used without scruple of Conscience by the most godly both ancient and later Martyrs who never suspected any Heathenisme Judaisme Papisme or Superstition to be nourished by them Lastly let it not be passed over without due thankfulnesse to God and great joy to our hearts that our Church continuing in the use of these ceremonies hath been continually blessed with such constant peace prosperitie happinesse and honour as no other reformed Churches have ever yet attained unto Therefore let not us be led with a spirit of contradiction or singularitie but think humbly of our selves reverently of our rulers and of the godly learned and have alwayes a desire to be rightly informed and meeknesse of minde to yeeld to the truth when it is once made evident and having alwayes one eye fixed upon the nature of things indifferent and therefore lawfull and the other upon the duty of a subject to his soveraigne and therefore necessary Generally to conclude this whole part here is 1. A necessity of much hearing and reading of the word of God for the right information of our Conscience and storing our naturall Law-book with supernaturall principles and directions both for faith and life and consequently here is 2. A necessity of learned diligent and conscionable preachers not onely to imprint true rules in the books of mens Consciences but also to stirre and rouze them up to look into and carefully to reade their book against the spirituall lethargie sleepinesse dulnesse and lothnesse which either custome of sinne love of the world fashions of men or policy of the Devil brings upon them And herein we are greatly to magnifie our gracious God who hath furnished our Church with abundance of able and diligent preachers See K. James his letters to the Archb. and the Archbeth letters to other Bishops anno 1622. and K. Charles his proclamation and letters to the Archbish in his two fust yeares the copies may be had in every Registers office by order young and old In the youngest sort our young Samuels young Daniels young Timothies I do much reverence Gods gifts and graces but withall I heartily desire them advisedly to reade and diligently to practise the profitable directions of our Gracious Princes the Defenders of our faith our late learned and judicious King JAMES and the inheritour of his fathers piety as well as of his kingdomes our present King CHARLES who finding unexpected increase of Papisme Anabaptisme and other Sects in this cleare light of the Gospel and in this plenty of Preaching thought good by their Proclamations and letters to our Bishops to give to all preachers and specially to the younger sort directions yet no other in substance then S. Paul gave to young Timothy how to behave themselves more profitably in their teaching then formerly some of them had done The chiefest directions were these 1. To forbear all deep needlesse and endlesse questions too hard for the peoples capacitie and tending rather to strife then edification as Saint Paul doth 1. Tim. 1.4 and 6.4 5 20. and 2. Tim. 2.16 23. 2. To continue in the doctrine already established and for the essence substance effect or naturall inference comprehended in the Articles of the yeare 1562 the Homilies and the two Catechismes the lesser and the greater by which doctrine superstition idolatry and heresie was driven out and this blessed reformation happily setled in our Church and thus Saint Paul did also 1. Tim. 1.3 2. Tim. 1.13 and 3.14 like that of the Galat. 1.6 7 8 9.3 To use diligent Catechizing in the after-noons and to confine all their teaching to those two speciall heads of true faith and good life as S. Paul doth 2. Tim. 1.13 1. Tim. 1.5 and 2. Tim. 2.22 24 25. These directions of our Princes and Canons of Saint Paul commended unto us both by Regall and Apostolicall authoritie I wish may be throughly observed by us all aiming above all things at the sound and profitable informing and exciting of our peoples Consciences in all saving truth and Christian duties as the chief a 1. Tim. 1.5 6 19. and 3.9 Heb. 10.22 and 13.18 end of all our preaching whereby we shall by Gods blessing make the Church b Eph. 4.14 firm in faith c Matt. 5.8 Tit. 1.15 pure in heart d 2. Tim. 2.22 Rom. 12.18 Matt. 5.9 peaceable in life and e Acts 23.1 and 24.16 2. Cor. 1.12 precious in the eyes of God and men Thirdly here is a necessity also that the hearers be well catechized in the grounds of Religion gathered out of plain places of the Scriptures and write in their Conscience all the fundamentall points and necessary doctrines of Religion by hearing reading observing and learn to draw out of them good uses for practise and guide of their lives as a good f Matt. 13.52 Scribe well instructed to the kingdome of heaven or a good housholder that for all uses can bring out of his treasury things new and old that they may be able not onely to instruct their families at home their g 1. Cor. 14.34 35. wives their h Ephe. 6.4 children and i as Abraham did Gen. 18.19 and Joshuah Josh 24.15 and David Psal 101.2 6 7. servants but also to k 1. Joh. 4.1 2. Tim. 3.5 6. Matt. 23.15 try the spirits of teachers whether they be of God not to l 1. Thes 5.20 21. despise prophesyings or preaching but to prove all things and hold fast that which is good for that precept was not given onely to Pastours and Doctours but to the whole Church of the Thessalonians 1. Thess 1.1 as the m Acts 17.11 Bereans tryed the doctrine of Paul and Silas They received the word with all readinesse of minde but they searched the Scriptures dayly whether these things were so As our Saviour biddeth n John 5.39 Search the Scriptures Trie the spirits o Matt. 7.15 Beware of false prophets and of the p Matt. 16 6 12. leaven of the Pharisees and Sadduces Fourthly a necessitie also of some ancient learned men and long students such as have read the ancient Fathers and
with fair pretences hiding thy intents from the abused people while thine own end is hid from thy self God sees all thy Conscience writes all while thou needlesly and heedlesly runnest a full careere to thine own destruction And thou David See 2. Sam. 12. and the chapters following from the shepherds staffe raised to the Kings sceptre and now setled in thy kingdome in great wealth peace honour and prosperitie wilt thou now forget thy self so farre that thine own hundred sheep will not satisfie thee but thou must take thy neighbours onely ew that lies in his bosome wilt thou commit so foul an act and yet a fouler to murder the right innocent owner and to do it the closelier wilt thou betray the Lords guiltlesse army into the enemies hand and cause his name to be blasphemed among the heathen and wilt thou hereby draw plagues upon thee and thine and cut off thy prosperitie when thou needest not and doth thy Conscience all this while sleep and will never awake No no thy Conscience is writing all the while a chronicle of all thy doings and after nine moneths when the childe is born Nathan will open thy book and make thee reade thine own sinne which will cost thee many teares and much heart-grief and many afflictions from thine own subjects from thine own children all thy life long after For our innocencie and good works Vse 2 we need not hunt for eye-witnesses to cleare and to cheere us Hic murus aheneus esto Nil conscire sibi nullâ pallescere culpâ Horat. Integer vitae scelerÃsque purus non eget Mauri jaculis nec arcu c. Idem Conscience alone giveth sufficient comfortable testimony A cleare Conscience is a brazen wall to keep off all the darts of sinne or shame which ill tongues can throw against us He that is of sound life and free from ill-doing hath his heaven within him and may say with S. Paul 2. Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicitie and godly sinceritie not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you-wards In midst of slanders and uncharitable surmises of malicious men comfort thy self with the witnesse of thy sinceritie and innocencie as S. Paul did there and Acts 23.1 Men and brethren I have lived in all good Conscience before God unto this day And Acts 24.16 Herein I do exercise my self to have alwayes a Conscience void of offence towards God and towards men and neare his death 2. Tim. 4.6 Now said he I am ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousnesse c. Our Conscience also will witnesse Vse 3 whether in doing good works we serve God or our selves that is whether we do the works of our vocation with true sinceritie and simplicitie of heart and observing all due circumstances referring all to the true ends Gods glory chiefly and secondly our own salvation comfort and profit and the good of others without hurt or wrong to any which if we do our Conscience will assure us 2. Cor. 5.5 Rom. 8.14 15 16. Eph. 1.13 14 2. Cor. 1.22 we are guided by Gods Spirit are in Gods favour have received the earnest of our inheritance the Spirit of adoption although we feel still imperfections in our selves as S. Paul did Rom. 7.21 c. or whether we do our good works in hypocrisie and for our own by-ends which may be profitable to others but neither please God nor our own Conscience soundly as they ought to do Thus to apply it onely to our present meeting Preachers may finde it written in their Conscience See Gabr. Powels consideration of the ministers supplication to the Parliament 1606. pag. 11 12. whether their preaching hath been directed to Gods true service for his glory and the right information and falvation of his people or whether to their own praise to shew their learning eloquence and wit or to please and humour their patrons friends and people for maintenance and preferment I wish we all could say with S. Paul Acts 20.26 I take you all to record this day that I am pure from the bloud of all men and have taught you all the counsell of God and Acts 24.16 and 2. Cor. 1.12 Our Visitours and their inferiour officers may finde written in their Consciences whether they make such a meeting as this Morum or Nummorum visitatio D. Boys in a visitation Sermon visiting to do good to the Church or to themselves Sure I am these offices and meetings were ordained for good and the execution thereof doth much good in our Church to see that ministers do their duties preach true and profitable doctrine and that diligently live honest and unoffensive lives and be examples of all goodnesse to their flocks to see whether Church-buildings furniture books vestments and especially people be in good order They that do all these good offices deserve good recompense for their pains and care their persons and offices are venerable honourable and exceeding profitable to the Church But the good performance of the best Visitours may be much hindered by corrupt or negligent under-officers Church-wardens Side-men Apparitours which are the eyes of the Visitours I wish them to reade seriously in their Conscience whether they serve God or Mammon or God for Mammon whether they betray not the trust committed to them making the Visitours look through false glasses D. Boys ibid. or spectacles to see Omnia bene in billis when there is rather Omnia malè in villis and their feeling is better then their seeing and so no good reformation follows because no good information went before I can go no further but onely advise men to look to their Consciences lest they become partiall causes of the continuance of any evil in the Church and thereby derive much of the guilt and punishment upon themselves whereas by conscionable execution of their office and trust they may procure much good to the Church settle true peace in their Conscience and derive upon themselves many blessings from God with love and praise from men But I must hasten to the third part of my Text and hasten through it III. PART Their thoughts accusing or excusing THeir discursive thoughts by comparing these two books together the one containing Facta the other Regulam factorum the Law of God and the Chronicle of our lives either accuse and condemne for their disagreement or excuse and acquit for their agreement The first book makes the Proposition or Major of a Practicall Syllogisme Thus thou must do The second book makes the Assumption or Minor Thus thou hast done The Conscience with the discoursing thoughts out of those Premises draws the Conclusion Ergò thou hast done evil or
Ceremonies to be approved by the reasons and testimonies of other learned reverend and pious men it would do much good to many more I have taken the pains to adde such an Appendix Wherein I might have alledged reasons out of many other worthy Authours Archbish Whitgifts books against Mr. Cartwright Dr. Bridges Mr. Richard Hooker Dr. Covel Dr. Spark Dr. Gardiner Dr. Powell Dr. Collins Mr. Francis Mason Mr. Ambrose Fisher and others But because I write specially to such younger and poorer ministers as either are not able or willing to purchase many costly books of this subject or not at leisure to reade them I have thought best to referre such Readers if they be not satisfied with my short Abstract specially to three of the last who have read and weighed all which the former Authours have written with the replies and answers to wit our Reverend Bishop Mortons Defence printed anno 1618. Dr. Burges his answer to the replie of a namelesse Authour who laboured to confute or elude B. Mortons Defence printed anno 1631. and Mr. John Sprint his Cassander Anglicus printed anno 1618. These and I hope the least shortest or lowest prized of these will satisfie any reasonable Reader if he turn in them to the larger handling of the points by my allegations Their reasons are occasionally dispersed through their whole books but I have here collected and referred them to certain heads or chapters for the Readers better ease in finding them and judgement in weighing them often contracting their larger discourses into fewer words where they may be abbreviated and onely using their words at length where they are more necessary and urgent then shorter could be These few short chapters I hope will passe and be read where greater volumes will not And this I have done simply and plainly without respect of gaining any credit or applause of learning to my self but onely of their love and out of an earnest desire to draw them with a good Conscience willingly and cheerfully to do that which otherwise of necessitie they must do ¶ A table of the Chapters and Contents of this APPENDIX CHAP. I. OVr Ceremonies are Adjuncts not Parts of Gods proper worship and alterable Set forms of prayers are of Divine institution CHAP. II. Our book of publick prayers and Ceremonies made known to the famousest forrein Divines were approved by them all CHAP. III. Answering the objection of Significancie CHAP. IIII. Answering the objections drawn from the old Testament and of things formerly abused by the Jews and Heathens CHAP. V. Answering the objection of Ceremonies abused formerly by Papists CHAP. VI. Three particulars the Surplesse Crosse in baptisme and Kneeling at Communions cleared CHAP. VII Our Ceremonies commended for their ancient and profitable use CHAP. VIII Imposed by lawfull authoritie they may not be omitted without sinne CHAP. I. Our Ceremonies are injoyned as Adjuncts not Parts of Gods proper worship and therefore alterable Set forms of prayers are of Divine institution and alwayes used in Gods Church IT is the constant doctrine of all Divines and Churches both Ancient and Modern that God hath sufficiently comprehended and perspicuously delivered the whole substance of his own proper worship and things necessary to mans salvation in the holy Scriptures and that these things must evermore be the same in all Churches and unalterable But the circumstances and ceremonies of his publick worship as of place time ornaments gestures c. for the more reverent and devout performance thereof he hath left to the wisdome of every particular or nationall Church to make choice of so that all things be done according to that generall rule the Canon of Canons delivered by S. Paul 1. Cor. 14.40 26. Let all things be done decently orderly and to edification These things the Lord left to the libertie of every Church partly because they are not of the substance of his worship or of mens salvation but adjuncts onely and partly because one form thereof cannot fit every countrey or age but must be varied and applied to severall nations and times as shall be found most convenient Thus teacheth Saint Hierom epist 28. ad Lucinum concluding thus Vnaquaeque provincia abundet in suo sensu And thus Saint Ambrose and Saint Augustine who is accounted The mouth of the Fathers epist 86 118 119. alibi passim Totum hoc genus say they liberas habet observationes And thus that old common saying Dissonantia jejunii non tollit consonantiam fidei And thus Zanchius the great reformed Schoolman tomo 8. Loco 16. De traditionibus Ecclesiasticis pag. 821 c. And thus all other late Divines as will appeare full enough in our chapters following And thus our Church professeth in our book of articles Anno 1562. Artic. 34. Every particular or nationall Church hath authoritie to ordain change and abolish ceremonies or rites of the Church ordained onely by mans authority so that all things be done to edifying And in the preface before the book of common Prayer confirmed by act of Parliament touching ceremonies we have these words We think it convenient that every countrey should use such ceremonies as they shall think fit to the setting forth of Gods honour and glory and to the reducing of the people to a most perfect and godly living without errour or superstition and that they should put away other things which they perceive to be most abused as in mens ordinances it often chanceth diversly in divers countreys And these words also These Ceremonies are retained for a discipline and order which upon just causes may be altered and changed and therefore are not to be esteemed equall with Gods law See here how vain and ignorant their doubt is that think our Ceremonies are imposed as parts of Gods proper worship And whereas some mislike that any set form of prayers should be imposed in the publick service of God I wish them to consider better that God himself not onely allowed but imposed such and his best servants used such Numb 6.23 On this wise saith the Lord shall ye blesse the children of Israel saying c. the three verses following set down the very words to be said and Num. 10.35 36. there is the set prayer which Moses must pronounce when the Ark was to go forwards All the Psalmes are prayers or praises of God in set forms and words answering the length and number of musick notes and when it was to rest And Deut. 26.3 the set form of words to be said at the offering of the first fruits and vers 5. and 13. And Psalme 92. was made properly for the Sabbath day and Psalme 22. for every morning and Psalme 102 for times of affliction This appeareth by the titles of these Psalmes The like is 2. Chron. 29.30 And we finde Rom. 1.7 1. Cor. 1.3 2. Cor. 1.2 Galat. 1.3 Ephes 1.2 Saint Paul used the same set form of words or prayers without variation And our Saviour Christ himself Matth.
26.39 42 44. prayed three severall times saying the same words and Saint Mark hath the like Mark 14.39 Beside the Lords prayer which our Saviour himself prescribed to his Apostles Luke 11.2 When ye pray say Our Father c. which prayer they used in the administration of our Lords supper as Saint Hierom witnesseth lib. 3. contra Pelagianos and Gregor lib. 7. epist. 63. And it was used generally in all Liturgies or publick prayers as is manifest by S. Augustine epist 59. by Saint Hierom and Gregory in the places above cited and Saint Ambrose lib. 5. de Sacr. cap. 4. and Saint Cyrill Catech. 5. myst If any object that prayers should be varied according to the varietie of occasions let him consider that these formerly mentioned were so so are ours in our Common prayer book There are generall prayers for generall particular for particular occasions as for rain fair weather in time of dearth famine warres plagues or sicknesse Baptismes communions marriages visitations of the sick burials of the dead c. and thanksgivings varied upon various occasions for these and the like cases In all which I cannot imagine what any godly sober-minded man can finde to stumble at And if any man think them too short let him remember that Christ condemned too much speaking like the Heathens Matth. 6.7 8. adding this reason For God knoweth our needs before we ask and long prayers are as well notes of hypocrisie as of true Christianitie Matth. 23.14 CHAP. II. Our publick prayers and Ceremonies being made known to the famousest forrein Divines were approved by them all THe Ceremonies of our Church and our book of publick prayer were made known to the most famous and best Divines of other reformed Churches then living by books thereof translated into the Latine tongue and by many letters and much conference betwixt them and our Divines and by many of them much commended by all approved to be lawfull one onely excepted Doctor Burges having searched the writings of them all concludeth that not any one can be produced except Wigandus alone that held our Ceremonies simply unlawfull Burges pag. 560 561. Even Mr. Cartwright himself our English standard-bearer to Non-conformists after his long opposition and much writing at length complaineth that he was misunderstood and wronged as if he held the unlawfulnesse whereas he held onely the inconvenience of our Ceremonies lib. 3. pag. 241. And the same man having written sharply in his first book against the Surplesse yet upon more mature consideration became more moderate in his third book and pag. 75. called it a simple inconvenience and a thing in its own nature indifferent and that it ought to be worn rather then the ministerie forsaken lib. 3. pag. 262. Hooker Eccl. polit pag. 243. And what is said by him others of the Surplesse which was most stuck at by many English is to be understood much rather of the rest of the Ceremonies and so was intended by those authours to wit that they are in their own nature indifferent and not unlawfull And this will appeare more fully in the whole discourse following Mean season heare the testimonie of Alexander Alesius a worthy Scot of great account and note he much commends our book of Common prayer and the ordering of our Church according thereunto and calleth it Praeclarissimum divinum factum and saith The vertue and piety of the English herein would rejoyce many hearts and help their endeavours to do the like and grieve the enemies of the truth for the good successe and progresse thereof and he complaineth that any contentious mindes should move any to mislike it and as if they onely were wise stirre up unnecessary questions and disputations neglecting the knowledge of necessary things And he addes That the contention of brethren about this book comes from the Devil who failing one way seeks another way to do mischief to the Church And finally he saith This book is profitable of it self and the reading thereof will do good to many and at this time it seemeth to be offered unto us from heaven Proëm before his translation of the Common prayer book in script Anglican Bucer fol. 373 375. Sprint 124 125. CHAP. III. Our Ceremonies are not to be condemned but commended for their Significancy CEremonies should be significative of morall vertues so they be not counted operative as Sacraments ordained by God of spirituall graces conferred by them as Bishop Morton well distinguisheth Defence cap. 3. sect 4. Many of the Romish Ceremonies are not onely significative but thought also to be operative as Exorcismes Holy-water Crossings Spittle Exsufflation c. to drive away the Devil and to work supernaturall effects These we condemne for none can ordain such operative Ceremonies but God onely that can give the supernaturall effects For Sacraments have a double signification Bish Mort. ibid. sect 5. one ad modum signi another ad modum sigilli and therefore are both significant and signant by conjoyning whereof they are Operative and Exhibitive by Gods ordinance and promise performing also that which they signifie and seal as Bellarmine also teacheth libro 1. de sacram in genere cap. 11. § 4. 5. definit And therefore no man or Angell can institute a Sacrament but God onely as Bellarmine confesseth De Matrimonio lib. 1. cap. 2. § Posteriore modo agreeing herein with Melancthon Calvin Chemnitius by him there alledged But our Ceremonies signifie onely morall duties giving us occasion to think and meditate of them but neither seal nor exhibite them If when I put on my ministeriall ornaments I am presently put in minde of my dutie since God by the Church hath distinguished me from my flock to be their minister that is to be their mouth unto God in offering to him their prayers confessions deprecations and thanksgivings and to be Gods Embassadour and mouth unto them to shew them his will to proclaim his gracious pardon for their sinnes upon their faith and repentance and this stirres me up to perform that great office with the greatest care wisdome faithfulnesse and reverence that I can Is there any hurt in this And if the people seeing me come in such ornaments into my place do presently consider This man though of a Acts 14.15 like infirmities with us yet is the messenger of the God of heaven and by office is more then an ordinary man b Rom. 1.1 Acts 13.2 separated from all worldly businesse to a more excellent work to be Gods c 2. Cor. 5.20 Embassadour sent unto us d Acts 26.18 to open our eyes to turn us from darknesse unto light and from the power of Satan unto God c. To him hath our Blessed Saviour committed the ministerie of reconciliation e 2. Cor. 5.18 19. to reconcile us sinfull creatures to God our glorious Creatour Him we ought to heare as f Luk. 10.16 God himself and reverence him not so much for his personall
of an indifferent Ceremonie is all the impression or inscription that it hath even as the Elements in the Lords Sacraments are onely sacramentall in the sacramentall use and not before or after as the water used in Baptisme Dr. Burges in a digression pag. 475. seq shews great differences in the operative vertue holinesse necessitie and worship of God which Papists place in their Ceremonies being wondrous many from our few and plain ordained onely for comelinesse order and edification And pag. 285. Ours are meerly significative theirs beleeved also to be operative as exorcismes crossings sprinkling of holy-water oyl chrisme exsufflation ringing of hallowed bells and such like to drive away the Devil ours arbitrary theirs held necessary ours of morall duties onely theirs signifying and shadowing out divine graces procuring and meriting them at Gods hand Our small threeds I hope may well passe through the needles eye where these their Camels cannot 295. CHAP. VI. The Surplesse Crosse at Baptisme and Kneeling at Communions approved BUt this is better seen in the particulars which our people do most stick at the Surplesse the Crosse and Kneeling at the receiving of our Lords Supper Of the good use of the Surplesse amongst us I have said enough in the third chapter now of our difference from the Papists Among them the Surplesse might not be used untill some Bishop or his deputie had solemnly hallowed it with prayers to defend the wearer from the Devils assaults and with many crossings and holy-water sprinkling which done no publick act of ministeriall service might be done without it except in the Masse which required higher geare The Masse-priest either with the Surplesse or without it at his choice must put on the Missal furniture the Amice Alb Tunicle Stole and the rest otherwise he sinnes mortally These things Dr. Burges sheweth and proveth out of their own books pag. 475 476. It is not so with us we use the Surplesse onely as a decent distinctive garment as also the additions of hoods shewing learned mens degrees in the Universities may assure us In which use the Divines of reformed Churches do allow it according to the examples of the ancient Fathers Chrysostom Hom. 83. in Matt. Hieronymus lib. 1. cont Pelag. Of this judgement is Zanchius De Redempt cap. 16. Pet. Martyr loc epist Hooper fol. 1087. citing Chrysostome and Cyprian Bullinger and Gualter citing Theodoret hist. 2.27 Socr. 6.22 Polanus Zepperus c. Thus Mr. Sprint pag. 88. Melancthon and Benhagius counselled ministers to weare the Surplesse rather then with foolish frowardnesse to trouble and hinder the Church Concil Melancth part 2. fol. 91 92. Sprint pag. 129. Bucer wrote that godly men might use these garments godly Martyr calls the Surplesse a thing indifferent which makes a man neither godly nor wicked Calvine would not have men contend de pileo veste linea Beza would not have churches forsaken for Surplesse Caps or such other things truely indifferent to whose writing herein subscribed Nicolaus Colladonus Simon Goulartius Francis Porta Henric. Stephanus and finally Mr. Cartwright himself Sprint 130. seq Bucer script Angl. Censura fol. 458. c. Martyr loc com fol. 1085 1086 1127. Calv. epist 120. fol. 217. Beza epist. 8. fol. 77. Grindallo epist 12. fol. 98 99. Of the Crosse in Baptisme our use is 1. Lawfull 2. Safe 3. Profitable 4. Necessary 1. See our 30 Canon Lawfull By the judgement of the Primitive Church which used it and gloried in it without any thought of superstition for which cause it was retained also by the reverend Fathers and great Divines in the dayes of King Edward 6. of which some suffered banishment some death for the testimony of the truth and such as returned from exile in Queen Elisabeths time continued the use of it You must condemne all these grave ancient and late-learned Divines Fathers Martyrs if you condemne us if you absolve them you absolve us Adde unto them The late harmonie of confessions of other reformed Churches allowing it and also the most learned particular Protestant Divines Bucer who saith It is nec indecens nec inutile Beza who bids rather use it then forsake the ministerie and Vtantur ipsi sicut par est libertate suâ Hemingius Adiaphora sunt let not schismes arise for them Zanchius It may be used without superstition yea with commendation and without perill and bindes not the Conscience Polanus It was used by the Fathers without sinne so saith Zepperus and Mr. Perkins and Goulartius cited by Mr. Sprint pag. 138. seq Bucer script Anglic. censur cap. 12. fol. 479. Beza quo priùs fol. 98 100. Heming Syntag. ad 4. leg decalogi § 33 34. fol. 365. comment in 1. cap. Joan. he saith Minimè improbo signum crucis Zanchius compend Relig. loc 16. de tradit eccles fol. 654. Polanus in Ezech. cap. 9. vers 4. fol. 258. Zepper de Sacrament cap. 16. fol. 357 358. de polit eccles lib. 1. cap. 10. fol. 57 58. Mr. Perkins Problem tit Signum crucis sect 1 2 3. fol. 83 84. 2. Safe without doubt See our 30 Canon § Thirdly c as it is used by our Church with sufficient Cautions and Exceptions against all Popish superstitions and errours For 1. it is no part of the substance of Baptisme but being used after the infant is fully and perfectly baptized it neither addes any thing to the vertue and perfection of Baptisme nor being omitted doth detract any thing from the effect of it And in this use we hold conformitie with the safe and honourable Primitive Church but no conformitie with the later Papists as Dr. Burges well sheweth Dr. Burges pag. 476. seq Our ministers saith he do not crosse themselves nor the people nor fonts water Communion table cups or the bread and wine or any other of Gods ordinances all which their priests are bound to for their consecration and without which nothing is with them consecrated or holy We crosse not the childe before baptisme on the forehead breast or any part which their priests must do to drive away the devill and to make the Sacraments efficacie more easy and strong And after baptisme we crosse not the infant with oyl chrisme or without on the crown as their priests must do to give them their full Christendome lest they die before confirmation And at confirmation our Bishop is not to crosse the forehead with chrisme or without which in Popery is injoyned as an essentiall part of their Sacrament of confirmation Thus Dr. Burges there who also reciteth manifold abuses of the crosse among the Papists pag. 584. seq worthy to be read but too long to be here inserted 3. Profitable for as by Baptisme we receive a great blessing so we must be mindefull to perform a great duty As the infant by Baptisme is made a member of Christ the childe of God and an inheritour of the kingdome of heaven that is a
through a glasse darkly and know but in part and neither they nor you must think too highly of them but soberly according as God hath given to every man his different measure Rom. 12.3 6. 2. We must know also that the Scriptures which teach us not to offend our brethren as 1. Cor. 8.9 12 13. and 10.28 and Rom. 14.15 16 21. do speak of things in our own power to do or not to do and not of things commanded by the Magistrate whom we must obey both for fear of punishment and also for Conscience sake Rom. 13.4 5. And thus Dr. Saravia resolves Scandall of the weak cannot take place against a publick law to which subjects must submit Saravia Defens divers grad ministr cap. 25. fol. 581. If it be a fault it is certainly a lesser fault to offend some ignorant people then to offend the governours for that is onely against Charitie this against Charitie and Dutie or Justice an exemplary disobedience tending to the dissolution of government 3. When we perform obedience to magistracie commanding things in their own nature indifferent no man ought to take offence at us if he do the sinne is his and not ours It is Scandalum acceptum non datum and he must be better taught See for this two notable discourses of Ceremonies or traditions and scandall in Zanchius tomo 8. pag. 814. seq edit Samoneti 1605. This necessity of subjection our judicious exiles and martyrs in Queen Maries time did very well know practise and perswade testifying thereby also their good opinion of our Church service and ceremonies Cranmer protested if the Queen would give him leave that he with Peter Martyr and foure or five others would prove our Common prayers Sacraments and Ceremonies lately set forth by King Edward 6. to be more pure and according to Gods word then any that had been in England these thousand yeares before Acts and Mon. fol. 1465. Bishop Ridley and Grindall judged that nothing could be disproved in them by the word of God Acts and Mon. Dr. Taylor said no Christian conscience could be offended with any thing therein Acts and Mon. fol. 1521. At Frankford when some exiles disliked them other most reverend persons stood strongly for them as Thomas Leaver John Jewel John Mullins John Parkhurst Laurence Humfrey James Pilkington Alexander Nowell James Haddon Edwin Sands Edmund Grindall c. all worthy men Bishops Deans Doctours or Martyrs afterwards sealing the truth they held with danger exile and losse of their lives See the discourse of the troubles at Frankford fol. 16.23 19. Their diversity of opinions caused them also to seek the judgements of other Churches and teachers as Calvine Beza Bullinger fol. 25 199. Also Robert Horn Thomas Leaver John Mullins Thomas Bentham William Cole John Parkhurst Laurence Humfrey c. were fully determined to use no other order or ceremonies then those aforesaid of King Edward Discours fol. 16 223. And James Haddon Edwin Sands Edmund Grindall Christopher Goodman confidently brought the same rites into the English Church there fol. 22 23. They also at Frankford wrote unto the like Exiles at Zurick perswading them to stand to the death for defence of the same Ceremonies and Mr. Fox was one of the 17. that subscribed to the letter Adde unto these those other worthies that in more peaceable times stuck at our Ceremonies for a time yet in time upon better consideration conformed themselves and used them Bishop Hooper preached and wrote earnestly against them chiefly against Episcopall garments and Surplesses and was imprisoned for it for a season but his reasons were answered and himself perswaded by Bucer Martyr and Calvine to conform so that afterwards he did weare the ornaments and preached before the King in the Bishops robes Calvin epist. 120. fol. 217. Bucer Script Anglican fol. 705. de re vestiar Hooper Pet. Mart. loc com ad finem inter epistolas fol. 1085. Mr. Greenham protested he would observe them if they were enjoyned him Mr. Dearing used them Bishop Jewel Dr. Whitakers Dr. Fulk conformed so did Dr. Humfrey after long standing out as also Dr. Raynolds Dr. Spark Dr. Chaloner Dr. Ayry Dr. Chaderton Mr. Knewstubs and very studiously perswaded others to do the like as did also Mr. Sprint and Dr. Burges having throughly examined all the reasons pro contra and many other godly learned men too long here to be reckoned And if any refuse them still because they think it a disgrace to their persons or ministery to alter their mindes and courses having never yet used them but rather spoken and preached against them I wish them to consider well and follow the examples of these aforenamed worthy men But if these worthies of later times be not sufficient let us set before our eyes that ancient glorious light of Gods Church Saint Augustine who in his age wrote and published to the world two books of Retractations wherein he acknowledged and corrected the errours which he had committed in his former books These books shewed that he religiously preferred Gods honour and the Churches good before his own credit and that he laboured both by good report and ill report to bring men to the truth and sought with Saint Paul 1. Cor. 10.33 not his own profit but the profit of many that they might be saved which turned to the great commendation of his ingenuitie and sinceritie And it may teach all men to acknowledge with him that since the Apostles times the knowledge of Gods ministers comes not unto them by sudden revelation or infusion from God immediately or all at once but by succession and degrees by labour study search conference and contention with the erroneous By which means Saint Augustine profited in knowledge more and more to his lives end as Saint Peter exhorteth all men to do in his last words of his last chapter of his last epistle And therefore to professe our profiting in knowledge ought to be no shame unto us and to confesse our slips or errours even publickly to reduce men to the knowledge of some necessary truth shews our charitie to them our piety to God and the sinceritie of our own hearts Lastly that I may speak generally to all countrey ministers and other subjects but chiefly to the younger ruder sort I say We inferiour people may well think our Princes have reasons to do what they do though we comprehend them not For we live as it were in low valleys and plains and see not far about us but Princes sit as on tops of hills and see both into former ages what was done then and into forrein countreys what is done now how all things are and have been carried with the reasons circumstances and events of all assisted also with the advice and judgement of the gravest wisest learnedest Divines and other choisest counsellours of greatest experience by whose grave counsels with due respect to former ages and the present state of neighbour nations they set down orders fittest for their times and countreys which we countrey people should not rashly censure but willingly submit unto thinking humbly of our selves and reverently of their wisdomes Farre be from us that ridiculous fable recited by Plutarch in the life of Agis and Cleomenes of the serpents tail that would needs leade the body another while as if the head had already led it too long but the tail wanting eyes and brains led the head and body into dangerous places and mangled them all to pieces or that censure of Tully in his book De senectute To the question Cedo quî vestram Rempub. tantam amisistis tam citó The answer was Proveniebant Oratores novi stulti adolescentuli We should think also seriously of that Medicall and Politicall rule Omnis mutatio periculosa which S. Augustine applies to Church ceremonies Where lawfull customes are setled saith he though some other more profitable perchance might be found out yet Ipsa mutatio consuetudinis etiam quae adjuvat utilitate novitate perturbat The very change of setled customes though it help with some commodity yet will it do hurt with the novitie Which occasioned the Locrines custome that whosoever would bring in a new law amongst them should come and declare it to the assembly with a halter about his neck that if it were not approved good for the Common-wealth he might presently be hanged for his desire of innovation To which purpose our late gracious Soveraigne King James in his proclamation prefixed before the book of Common prayer hath these words Neither are we ignorant of the inconveniences that do arise in government by admitting innovation in things once setled by mature deliberation and how necessary it is to use constancy in upholding the publick determinations of states for such is the unquietnesse and unstedfastnesse of some dispositions affecting every yeare new forms of things as if they should be followed in their unconstancie would make all actions of States ridiculous and contemptible whereas the stedfast maintaining of things by good advice established is the weal of all Common-wealths FINIS