duo volumina legit ad aedificatitonem plebis non ad authoritatem Ecclesiasticorum dogmatum confirmandum As therefore the Church readeth the books of Iudith and of Tobye and of the Machabees but receyueth them not amongst the Canonicall Scriptures so doth it also reade these two volumes for edification of the people but not to confirme any Ecclesiasticall doctrine Saint Augustine is of the same opinion and deliuereth the matter in these expresse words Hanc Scripturam quae appellatur Machabaeorum non habent Iudaei sicut Legem Prophetas Psalmos quibus Dominus testimonium perhibet tanquam testibus suis dicens oportebat impâ—eri omnia quae scripta sunt in Lege Prophetis in Psalmis de me Sed recepta est ab Ecclesia non invtiliter si sobrit legatur vel audiatur maxime propter illos Machabaeos qui pro Dei Lege sicut veri Martyres a persecutoribus tam indigna atque horrenda perpessi sunt The Scripture which is of the Machabees the Iewes repute not as they doe the Lawe and the Prophets and the Psalmes to which the Lord gaue testimonie as to his witnesses saying It behooued all things to be fulfilled which are written in the Lawe and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes of mee but the Church hath receiued it not without profite if it bee read or heard soberly especially for those Machabees who for the Lawe of God as true Martyrs suffred of their persecutors so vnworthy and horrible torments Saint Cyprian Saint Ambrose and other Fathers teache the same Doctrine and the continuall practise of the Churche in all ages doth yeelde a constant testimonie therevnto Nowe seeing the Churche of God hath thought it meete and profitable to haue the Apocryphall books read in the Church and seeing withall that Saint Austen Saint Hierome and other holy Fathers do commend the same I see no reason why a few young heads without gray beards whose authoritie is no waye comparable with the practise of the Church neither their reading experience and iudgement to bee equalized with the auncient holy Fathers should take vppon them so rashly to controll the Churche of England and to condemne her for following the practise of the Church in all ages Let these men weigh well with themselues what the holy most reuerend and learned Father Saint Austen saith to this and the like questions These are his expresse words In his n. rebus de quibus nihil certi statuit Scriptura Diuina mos populi Dei vel instituta maiorum pro lege tenenda sunt For in those things touching which the holie Scritpure hath left no certaine rule the custome of Gods people and the ordinances of our ancestours must be holden for a lawe Behold here gentle Reader a most excellent rule indeed giuen vs by this holie Father and great learned Doctor Which if they who this day impugne the governement of our English Church the Prownists and their â—â—herents I euer meane would duely ponder and regarde they would doubtlesse surceasse to vexe and distourbe the peace of our Church and receyue the ordinances of their auncestours with all reuerence and humilitie For the Church of England doth make a flat separation in which it doth in plain and expresse tearms seuer deuide the Canonicall books from the Apocryphall so as no simple Reader can but perceyue and vnderstand the same And it is not to the purpose to obiect as some haue done that the Rubricke in the booke of common prayer calleth the Apocryphall bookes holy Scripture For first when the Rubrick saith the rest of the holie Scripture it may be vnderstood fitlie of the bookes Canonicall following especially seeing it nameth not the Apocryphal expressely but quoteth some of them afterwards Secondly the Apocrypha may truely and lawfully beecalled holie Scripture Analogicè though not Univocè that is to say the wrytings of holy men or bookes conteyning holie and good matter And in this sense speaketh the Rubrick as I iudge and sundry of the holie Fathers I am well assured doe so tearme the bookes Apocryphall Howsoeuer the Rubricke be expounded or wrested two things are apparant Th' one that the Rubricke doth not call them Canonicall scripture Th' other that the Church meaneth not to equalize them with the Canonicall books of holy writ I prooue it because shee hath plainely distinguished the one from the other and preferred the authoritie of the Canonicall Neyther will it serue their turne to say as some haue done viz. That nothing may be read in the Church but onely the Canonicall scriptures For first no text of holy writ doth so affirme and consequently the Church hath power to determine thereof as is alreadie prooued Secondlie the ancient councell of Uasco which was holden aboue one thousand and one hundreth yeares agoe decreed plainlie in their publique assembly that the Deacons should read the Homelies made by the holy Fathers These are the expresse words of the Councell Hoc etiam pro aedificatione omnium Ecclesiarum pro vtilitate totius populi nobis placuit vt non solum in Ciuitatibus sedetiam in omnibus parochijs verbum faciendi daremus Presbyteris Potestatem ua vt si presbyter aliqua infirmitate prohibente per seipsum non potuerit praedicare Sanctorum Patrum Homiliae a Diaconis recitentur Wee haue also decreed for the edification of all Churches and for the good of all the people that the Priests should bee licenced to preache and not in Cities onely but also in euery Parish Churche so that the Deacons may read the Homilies of the holy Fathers if the Priest cannot preache himselfe by reason of some infirmitie Thirdly it is voyde of all reason and farre from all Christianitie to affirme it vnlawfull to read testimonialls made to signifie the distresse of our honest Neighbours that thereby wee may bee styrred vppe to releeue them more bountifullie Yea if it be true that some haue written it is a lawe amongst them of the Presbyterie to haue their orders for gouerning the Church reade publicklie once euery quarter And I knowe Expropria scientia that some of them haue done more Well now-adayes euery vpstart yongling that can rawely pronounce some Texts of the holie Byble though hee but meanely conceyue the true sense will roundly take vpon him I warrant you to reuile our most Reuerend Fathers the Archbyshops Byshoppes and to controll the gouernement of our Churche as if hee had a Commission from Heauen to doe it If I should disclose what my selfe haue heard herein and how I haue beene saluted sometimes for speaking my minde in the defence of the Reuerend Fathers and of the Godly setled Lawes of this Church of England time would sooner faile mee then matter whereof to speake CHAP. XIIII Of certaine extrauagants very offensino to the Patrons of the Presbyterie The first member of Christs Baptisme and the circumstances thereof IT is sharply reprooued that
the text in the end as in the beginning of the sermon Hereupon it followed of necessitie that some for want of skil who euer were most desirous to haue the place some for disdaine of superioritie in their betters and others vpon licentious saucinesse did destroy more and withdrawe moe people from liking of the Gospell in one moueth then graue Preachers of great learning and rare gifts were able to builde vp againe in one whole yeare I will not disclose all I knowe in this behalfe for that I haue no pleasure therein Onely I wish that all Preachers will hereafter studie seriously how and what to Preach before they take in hand that most excellent and heauenly exercise And so I wil conclude this section with the graue censure of Maister Musculus His words are these Habent ministri Christi indeterminatam quandam potestatem quam in ijs rebus esse dicimus de quibus nihiless expresso verbo determinatuÌ„a dominâ— tamen aliqua ratione ad hoc conducunt vt ministerium ipsorum velcoÌ„modius vel vtilius impleatur The ministers of Christ haue a certaine vndetermined power which consisteth in those things of which our lord hath determined nothing expressely in his word and yet the same things serue to this end that their Ministerie may be either more commodiously or more profitably accomplished Loe the Church hath power freedome to order those things which our Lord hath not expreslely determined in his holy word Now it is most euident and apparent to all that read the Scriptures that our Lord hath not expressely appointed this minister and that minister when where and in what habit he shall preach and consequently the disposition and ordering thereof pertaineth to the gouernours of the Church The third Section of reading of Homilies in the Church The reading of learned Homilies in the Church pronounced by vnpreaching Ministers so termed scornfully are vehemently impugned by the patrons of the long expected presbyterie To whom I answere first that father Latiâ—â—r that blessed Martyr compiled a whole booke of godly and learned Sermons my selfe haue seene the same which hee would neuer haue done if hee had thought it a thing vnlawfull to read or pronounce his Sermons in the Pulpit The like may be said of Saint Augustine Saint Ambrose and many others whose Sermons are this day extant in print in the greater part of Europe Secondly that the distinct reading of one of the godly and learned sermons or homilies setforth to be read in our English Churches is able to edifie and no doubt doth edifie the congregation more then doe many of their sermons who inueigh most bitterly against vnpreaching ministers But these men are therefore enemies to reading because they are carried away with a vaine Philantia and loue nothing better then to heare theÌ„selues talking For which end they wander abroad many times leauing their owne charges either distitute or onely supplied by vnpreaching Ministers whom otherwise they condemne And this they effect with desire euen in those places where their presence is neither necessary nor yet much desired I speake not this either in defence of vnpreaching ministers for I wish with all my hart that euery church in England were furnished with a godly learned preacher or in dislike of their zeale who endeuoure themselues to preach often so that be done with eutaxia obedieÌ„ce of higher powers with such reuerence ripenes due preparatioÌ„ as appertaineth to that heaueÌ„ly exercise Thirdly that one of the homilies or sermons aforenamed pronounced by an vnpreaching minister as they odiously tearme him is intrinsecally and formally a sermon or a preaching consequently that he is truly said to preach who publikely and orderly pronounceth the same I proue it because to be vttered with a shrill or meane voyce with this or that gesture vpon the booke or without the booke and other like circumstances are all and euery of them mere accidentall and extrinsecall to a Sermon Whosoeuer shal hold the contrary opinion must perforce admit grosse absurdities flat contradictions and plaine impossibilities Fourthly if an vnlearned Minister shall receiue a learned SermoÌ„ learnedly orderly peÌ„ned by his learned friend shall cunne the same without the booke and after the rehearsall of his text shall pronounce the same distinctly and orderly in the Pulpit all the learned that heare him and know not the truth of the matter will say and that truly that he made a learned Sermon although he were but calvus comatus in rei veritate And euen so say I that he preacheth in the Pulpit who readeth Homilies penned to his hand Howsoeuer that be this is out of doubt that many reading the Homilies doe more edifie the congregation then many others that preach their owne collections I will not say inuentions and fansies and thinke themselues no fooles It is likewise out of doubt that the same Ministers doe preach Theologica though not theolagicè and consequently that is accoÌ„plished by them which is principally intended by their aduersaries Homelies be pithâ—e and sound but Sermons are often vnlearned and errours The fourth Section of reading of the Apocrypha in the Church The patrons of the presbyterie make most bitter exclamations against the reading of the Apocryphall bookes in the Church and they haue preuailed so farre with some of the simple sort and vulgar people that they will not once vouchsafe to reade or looke vpon those Bibles which haue the Apocrypha in them To whom I hope in God so to answere as shall be able to satisfie them if they will be satisfied with reason I Therfore say first that the word apocryphos in the original Greek tongue signifieth hid or secret and thereupon certaine books contained within the corps of the holy Bible and deliuered to the primitiue and auncient Churches succeeding were called Apocrypha for that they were not acknowledged of the Church to be canonicall that is to say to be the canon or rule of faith as the other Scriptures are Secondly that these Apocryphall bookes were euer in high esteeme in the Church of God as the holy wrytings of holy men and were also thought meete to be read in the Churches as containing sit and necessarie matter aswell for the knowledge of the hystories as for the instruction of Godly manners This to bee so will bee cleare and euident to all those that can and 〈◊〉 to peruse seriouslie the ancient Councells the holy Fathers and the histories of the churche Whereof I shall here in briefe recounte some sâ—we for the helpe of the simple and thankfull Reader And hereby the way the gentle Reader shall vnderstand that maister Iunius a great learned man and of high esteeme in the reformed churches hath published notes vpon the Apocryphall bookes Saint Hierome hath these expresse words Siâ—utergo Iudith Tobyae Machabaeorum libros legit quidem Ecclesia sedinter Canonicas scripturas non recipit sic haec
THE Regiment of the Church AS IT IS AGREABLE WITH Scriptures all Antiquities of the Fathers and moderne Writers from the Apostles themselues vnto this present age I. Cor. 14. v. 40. v. 26. Let all things be done decently and in order Let all things be done to edification I. Cor. II. v. 16. If any man iust to be contentions we haue no such customes nor the Churches of God TC LONDON Imprinted by T. C. for William Welby and are to be sold at his Shop in Paules Church-yard at the Signe of the Grayhound 1606. TO THE MOST REVEREND FA ther my very good Lord Richard by Gods holy ordinance the Lord Arch-bishop of England grace and peace from God the father and from our Lord Iesus Christ. AS many things most reuerend father are both comely and profitable so neither is there neither can there be anything more necessarie in any well managed church or christian common weale then godly vniformitie and christian vnitie in pure Religion the proper and peculiar worship of the euerliuing God Which vnitie and vniforme conformitie for all that not onely the cruell and blood-thristie Papists in former times but the Brownists also and the Martinists cursed broodes untimely hatched detested of God and irkesome to the world haue of late daies endeuoured with might maine to disturbe extinguish it to take it quite out of the way For the speedie conuersion or else for the vtter confusion of which professed enemies of the godly vnitie and true christian peace of Gods Sion I deeme them right happie who can in any small measure concur by way of redresse and put to their helping hand Against the former sect I haue published many books challenging all English Iesuites Seminaries Iesuited Papists yea prouoking and adiuring them all ioyntly and seuerally to frame some answere either to all or to some one of the saide bookes But wil ye haue the truth their harts faile them their own consciēces accuse them they are at their wits end know not in the world what to say or write They will not answere and why I pray you because forsooth they cannot but to their owne shame and confusion euerlasting For if they could they would vndoubtedlie answere mee so to saue their owne credite and the life of their late harched Romish Religion About three yeeres agoe a railing Iesuit an odde swaggering Diuine terming himselfe E. O. in his detection against Maister D. Sutcliffe and Maister Willet taketh notice of the bookes which I haue published against them and telleth his Readers if they may beleeue him that the confutation of my workes is vndertaken But what followeth and the said confutation must be published if it shall be thought expedient By which words with the circumstances annexed thervnto wee may easily vnderstand three memorable points First that the Papists are mightilie troubled about the answearing of my bookes Secondly that they can not tell in the worlde how and in what sort to answere them Thirdly that they would haue all their Popish Vassalls to think that they haue alreadie answered them and that they are not published because it is not thought a thing expedient to bee done But I pray thee gentle Reader who will beleeue these Iesuits what wise man will euer thinke that the Iesuits haue for the space of eyght or nine yeares considered howe to answere my bookes and after the answere is vndertaken cannot tell if it bee expedient to publishe the same for as the Philosopher can tell them Vltimum in executione debet primum esse in intentione That which is the last in execution must bee the first in intention Yea the very light of Nature and daylie experience teacheth vs that in all our actions wee must chieflie and principallie respect the end for the which wee intende to doe them They dare not fight the combat valiantly neyther with the long sworde nor yet with the shorte They dare not encounter mee and cast mee their Gauntlet No no Negry quidem can bee extorted from their pennes Against the latter sect because they whollie dissent from the Papists and agree with our English Churche in the chiefest fundamentall points of Doctrine an other manner of methode and a different kinde of proceeding must bee vsed against them They exclaime with open mouthes and crie out against our English Church flying from our companies and detesting vs as prophane polluted and forlorne people They vse Conventicles Whisperings and meetings in Woodes Fieldes and odde corners They beare the simple people in hand that our Temples are prophaned our Doctrine corrupt our Sacraments impure our Byshops Antichristian and our kind of Church-gouernment repugnant to that sacred forme and order which our LORD IESVS prescribed in his holie worde They say of themselues but Laus propriioris sordescit that they are inspired of the holy Spirit that they are sent from Heauen to reforme our Church and to direct it into all Truth With which faire speeches and sugred words alas for pittie they seduce the rude vulgar sorte steale away their hearts and make them disobedient to higher powers And while these good fellowes the Brownists and Martinists seeke to bee reputed the onely wisemen vpon Earth they neither knowe what they say nor yet whereof they affirme but doe open a large window to all disloyaltie and sedition euery where and giue the Papists some comforte and hope once to enioye theyr long expected daye In regarde hereof most Reuerend Father and worthie Prelate my selfe though the meanest of manie thousands in this our English Churche haue thought it operaepretium to vse my Penne in my plaine and simple manner for the vnitie and true peace of our English Sion and for the manifestation of the lawfull gouernmēt thereof I haue in this present discourse most honourable constant wise and christian Patron of the Churches libertie power freedome auncient prerogatiue which the Brownists and foolish Martinists would turne vpside downe made euident demonstration of the lawfull gouernment of our Church And that is done in such compendious manner as neither the Reading can be thought tedious nor the price of the book chargeable with such perspicuitie as the most simple euen very babes and children may with al facility understād the same with such sufficiēcie as no Brownist or Martinist or other malitious aduersarie of our churches godly setled gouernment whosoeuer shall euer be able while the world indures either with Scriptures Councels Fathers or Ecclesiastical Histories to gain say or with stand the same I haue succinctly and euidently set down before the eyes of the indifferent Reader that the monarchical gouernāce of our English church is both the best and the most laudable of all others That there is euer hath beene in all former ages of the church superioritie of one church-minister aboue and ouer another and that one may this day lawfully haue iurisdiction ouer another That Bishops Arch-bishops Primates Metropolitains Patriarches haue euer beene in
Touching naturall propension which must needes bee referred to God the author of Nature it appeareth by it that a Monarchie or rule of one is most agreeable to nature it selfe For first in euery house the Father of the familie doth gouerne all the rest the wife the children and the seruants Againe the greatest part of the whole worlde a gouerned by kings Thirdly Monarchies and Kingdomes are farre more auncient then either Aristocraties or Democraties For proofe hereof the onely testimonie of she excellent Historiographer Iustinus may suffice These are his words Principio rerum gentium nationumque impeâ—ium penes reges erant quos ad fastigium huius maiestat is non ambitio popularis sed spectata inter bonos moderatio proueheâ—at In the beginning of the world the gouernment of people and nations was vnder Kings whome vertue not popular ambition aduaunced to that high seate of Maiestie Fourthly the creatures which are without reason and haue onely sense seeme naturally to desire the gouernment of one The holy Fathers doe so testifie of them and experience it selfe doth shew it to be so S Hierome hath these words Nulla ars absque magistro discitur Etiam muta animalia ferarum greges ductores sequuntur snos In apibus principes sunt Grues vnum sequuntur ordine literato Imperator vnus Iudex vnus prouinciae Roma vt condita est duos fratres simul habere reges non potuit parricidio dedicatur No Art is learned without a maister Yea euen the dumbe cattell and slockes of wilde beastes doe all follow their leaders The Bees haue their gouernours the very Cranes follow on in order in forme of a letter There is one Emperour There is one iudge of a prouince Rome was no sooner built then it abhorred to haue two kings at once to rule ouer it so as without cruell murder the dedication thereof was not accomplished But what neede is thereof further proofe in this dispute seeing it is euident to al that hold the Christian faith aright that God omnipotent is the supreme Monarch in heauen and earth and gouerneth by that kind of regiment which is neither Democraticall nor yet Aristocratical but monarchicall and consequently a monarchy must needes be the best kind of gouernment And whosoeuer can and list to read that holy auncient and learned father S. Ciprian shall finde this discourse so apparant as he can neuer stand long in doubt thereof I therfore conclude that whosoeuer shall denie a simple monarchie to be the best kind of gouernment must perforce fall vnawares into the error of the Marcionistes of the Manichies and of the Ethnickes For if it be true as it is most true as all Christians must confesse that the world is ruled in the best maner and best kind of gouernment by God that made it it must follow of necessitie that neither a Democratie nor yet an Aristocratâ—e is the best forme of Regiment For otherwise doubâ—lesse there must be many makers of this world and many Gods CHAP. III. Of the kind of gouernment of the Church and common weale of England NOw seeing it is true as is alreadie proued that a Monarchie is the best kind of gouernment and that the Church and common-weale of England is gouerned by a most wise most learned most vigilant and most religious Monarch Gods saithfull seruant and our gratious and most happie Soueraigne it followeth by a necessarie consequence that the kind of gouernment vsed in the Church and common-weale of England is the best and most laudable of all other For as our gratious soueraigne writeth most learnedly paritie is an enemy to vnitie and the mother of confusion The selfe same saith S. Chrysostome when he auoucheth degrees and superioritie to haue therefore bene appointed because equalitie engendreth strife and contention The same sai h S. Cyprian when he affirmeth boldly that heresie or Schisme did not rise of any other occasion but onely vpon this that there was not one Priest and one Iudge for the time appointed in the Church in the stead of Christ to whom the whole brotherhood should yeelde obedience The same saith S. Hierome when he auoucheth one to haue beene chosen among the Bishops to rule ouer the rest least euery one according to his own fansie should teare in peeces the church of Christ. Yea a Monarchicall gouernment is so necessarie euery where and in all sorts of creatures that S. Chrysostome acknowledgeth it amongst the bruite beasts in the Bees Cranes slockes of sheepe and Fishes of the Sea And therfore after a long discourse he concludeth in these wordes Libertas â— illa dissoluâ—a ac moderamine carens vbique mala confusionisque causa est For dissolute libertie without gouernment is euery where euill and the cause of confusion But because the excellencie of English gouernment shall be proued by degrees throughout this whole discourse thus much shall suffice for this place because I endeuour to auoide tautologie and not to bee tedious to the Reader CHAP. IIII. Of the supreame government of the ciuil magistrate ouer all persons and all causes within his Realmes territories and dominions OF this theame I haue written more largely in other treatises and therefore I purpose now to speake no more therof then I deeme conuenient for the matter I haue in hand For which purpose it were enough to well effected Readers to call to minde that the godly Kings as well in time of the law of Moses as in the time of the new testament and lawe of grace did manage all matters both of Church and Common-weale and therefore the ciuill magistrate was commanded to reade the booke of the whole lawe as well of the first as of the second table and to studie the same night and day Therefore was the ciuil magistrate commaunded to goe out and in before the people and to leade them out and in that the congregation of the Lord bee not as sheepe which haue no shepheard Therefore was the booke of the Lawe deliuered into the Kings hands at such time as hee receiued the crowne and was annointed Musculus a great learned man and famous writer affirmeth resolutely that the care of reforming and maintaning religion doth more appertaine to the ciuill magistrate then to the Ministers of the Church His expresse wordes are these Moses Primus catholicus Israelis magistratus personam gerens non sacerdotis quae Aaroni imposita fuit sed superioris potestatis similem regiae omnem in populo dei religioneÌ„ constituit ipsique Aaroni levitarum ordini facienda vitanda praescripsit In quo manifestè videmus disponendae religionis curam magis ad superiorem magistratum quà m ad sacerdotum ordinem pertinere Sequitur post mortem Mosis cura religionis vâ—â cum magistratis devolutae est non ad Eleazarum sacerdotem sed ad Iehosuah filium Nun de triba non Levi sed Ephraim Huic mandabat
festiuitie for the dedication of the Temple which continued for the space of seuen whole daies Secondly Queene Hester and Mordicai appointed the Iewes to keepe a solemne feast for the remembrance of their happy deliueraÌ„ce from Hamans crueltie Thirdly the Machabees Iudas and his brethren ordained that the dedication of the Altar should be kept from yeare to yeare by the space of eight daies with mirth and gladnesse Fourthly in the daies of Nehemiah the Captaine and of Ezra the Priest the Iewes were appointed to keepe the dedication of the wall at Hierusalem with thankes-giuing and with songes Cymbals Violes and Harpes Concerning which dedication instituted by Iudas Machabaeus Christ himself honoured it with his presence and maister Caluin affordeth it this explication Ac si diceres innovationes quia templum quod pollutum fuerat de integro consecratum fuit auspicijs Iudae Machabaei ac tunc institutum fuit vt quotannis festus ac celebris esset dedicationis novae dies vt dei gratiam quae finem Antiochi tyrannidi imposuerat memoria repeterent Tunc autem in templo Christus promoâ—e apparuit vt in frequenti hominum conventu vberior esset praedicationis suae fructus As if thou shouldest say innouatioÌ„s because the Temple which had bene polluted was coÌ„secrated a fresh by Iudas Machabaeus his authoritie then was it ordained that there should be yearely a feast and a solemne day of the new dedicatioÌ„ that they might remember Gods grace and mercy which had made an end of Antiochus his tyranny At which time Christ was present after his maner in the Temple that in so great a concurse of people his Preaching might haue the better effect Yea maister Caluin granteth that the Iewes instituted their Sanheâ—rim after their returne from Captiuitie This libertie the Church hath this day as may appeare by the freedome in altering the Saboth-day For as I haue proued at large by the testimonie not onely of the ancient Fathers but also of the best approued late writers Philippus Melanction Erasmus Roterodamus Iohannes Caluinus Petrus Martyr Pellicanus Bullingerus and Vrsinus in my booke of Suruey though it be constant perpetuall to haue one day in the weeke assigned for diuine seruice that being the morall part of the Sabaoth and vnalterable yet whether this or that day ought to bee appointed for that purpose it is a thing that respects the time and may bee changed by the church If any shal hold the contrary doctrine he must perforce fall into flat iudaisme tye himselfe to the obseruaÌ„ce of dayes moneths yeares against the Apostolike doctrine For to be tied of necessitie to the time is a flat Iewish superstition intrinsecally ceremonial as all the aforenamed learned men doe will testifie with me yet I neither wish nor deeme it a thing conuenient to change the Lords day or Saboath The third aphorisme of the rules which the Church must obserue in all her constitutions ordinances and decrees THe first rule which the Church must obserue in her lawes decrees constitutions is this viz. That shee prohibite nothing which God commandeth neither coÌ„mand any thing which God prohibiteth Ye shal put nothing to the word which I coÌ„mand you neither shal ye take ought there-from Take heed therfore that yee doe as the Lord your God hath commanded you turne not aside to the right hand nor to the left Let not this booke of the law depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day and night that thou maiest obserue and doe according to all that is written therein The second rule is this that the decrees and constitutions of the Church bee not made a part of Gods worship nor holden as necessary vnto saluation For as our Sauiour saith they worship him in vaine who teach for Doctrines the precepts of men And therfore doth the Apostle condemne Ethelothrescêian all voluntarie worship deuised by man The third rule is this that the decrees and constitutions of the Church be onely made of things indifferent and for one of these three endes viz. either for edification or for decencie and comelinesse or for order sake and peaceable gouernment of the Church Of these endes speaketh the Apostle where he willeth all things to be done vnto edifying and to be done decently and orderly These three Aphorismes seriously obserued duly pondered all Ceremonies Ordinances Decrees and Constitutions of our English Church will find ready and sufficient approbation The Demonstration The corollarie and illation deduced out of the precedent Aphorismes may be made cleare and euident by three inuincible and irrefragable reasons Wherof the first is taken from the authoritie of the holy Scriptures the second from the practise of the Catholique Church The third from the vniforme consent of best approued late Writers The 1. reason drawne from the holy Scriptures HOly Writt teacheth vs that the Church De facto hath altered many things which Christ himselfe did both institute and put in practise That the Church ordained and Decreed many things whereof the Scripture maketh no mention And that the Church may make decrees Lawes ordinances and constitutions in all things Adiaphorois which are of their own nature indifferent so the same tend to edification comelinesse or peaceable gouernment of the Church This reason is proued throughout all the precedent Aphorismes And it will be more plaine when I come to speake of the election of ministers The 2. reason drawne from the practise of the auncient Church IF the gentle Reader shall call to minde what I haue in this discourse alreadie set downe out of the Decrees of the auncient and holy Councels out of the holy Fathers and best approoued late Writers hee cannot rest doubtfull or stagger any longer in this behalfe Saint Austen writeth so grauely and so copiously of this matter in many of his bookes extant in the world as hee is well able to satisfie euery one that will be perswaded with reason In his Epistle to Ianuarius to omit all other his manifold testimonies he telleth vs that that Catholique Church by her freedome and authoritie hath instituted certaine solemne feastes of the passion resurrectioÌ„ ascension of Christ and descending of the holy Ghost to be yearely obserued throughout the Christian world He addeth these most golden wordes Nec disciplina vlla est in his melior graui prudentique christiano quà m vt eo modo agat quo agere viderit ecclosiaÌ„ ad quamcunque fortè devenerit Quod. n. neque contra fidem neque contra bonos more 's iniungitur indifferentèr est habenduÌ„ et pro eorum inter quos vivitur societate servandum est Neither can there be any better discipline in these matters for a graue and discrete christan then to doe so as hee shall see that Church doe to which hee hath occasion to come For that which is neither against faith
writing in this manner Nemo autem est qui non vi◠deat hac vocabula invicem confundi alterum accipi pro altero Nam apostolus etiam propheta doctor evangelista presbyter atque episcopus est Et episcopus evangelista propheta est Propheta doctor presbyter evangelista Proinde apostolus paulus varijs hisce vocabulis varia illa dona significavit qua dominus ecclesiae suae importijt ad salutem Euery man seeth that these wordes are confounded and that one of them is taken for an other For an Apostle is also a Prophet a Doctor an Euangelist a Priest and a Bishop And a Bishop is an Euangelist and a Prophet A Prophet is a Doctor an Elder and an Euangelist Therefore the Apostle Paul by these diuers names signifieth those diuers gifts which our Lord bestowed on his Church vnto saluation I therefore conclude that the pillers whereupon the presbyterie is builded are sandie rotten and vnsound and consequently that that building which is reared vpon them cannot but be vnstable and ruinous The sixt Proposition THe newe English presbyterie was not knowne or heard of in the Christian world for the space of fifteene hundred yeares together at the least This proposition is sufficiently proued by this precedent discourse if it be well marked from the beginning Yea my bare assertion is a good proofe thereof vntill the patrons of the contrarie opinion can and shall name the time and place when and where such a presbyterie was to be found The seuenth Proposition ALL Ministers created and made by the newe presbyterie are meere lay-persons and cannot lawfully either Preach Gods word or administer the sacraments This is alreadie proued I will therefore salute our Brownists Barrowists and such like as the learned and famous Writer Maister Bullinger did the Anabaptists His wordes are these Quod si dicitis vos instar apostolorum peculiarem vocationem habere probate eam signis miraculis dono linguarum doctrina apostolica quemadmodum apostoli fecerunt Hoc autem nunquam facietis ideoque vocatio vestra nihili imò pernitiosa est ecclesiae Christi Now if you say you haue a speciall and peculiar calling as the Apostles had then must you prooue the same by signes and miracles by speaking diuers languages and by doctrine apostolicall as the Apostles did Saint Hierome saith Ecclesia non est quae non babet sacerdotem Where there is no priest or minister there can bee no Church The first Obiection That not Kings Monarches and other independant ciuil magistrates haue the supreame and highest authoritie in causes ecclesiasticall but that Bishops and Priests haue that charge committed to them as their proper and peculiar function it may appeare euidently to all indifferent readers by the facts and proceedings of Bishops in the old testament Ieroboams hand dried vp Ozias was smitten with the leprosie and thrust out of the Temple king Saul deposed from his kingdome and all this befel vpon these kings because they tooke vpon them the supreame authoritie in causes ecclesiasticall Yea Iehoiada the Priest commaunded to put Queene Athalia out of the ranges and to execute the iudgement of death vpon her And king Iehosaphat affirmeth plainly that Amariah was chiefe ruler in all matters of the Lord as Zebadiah was the ciuill gouernour of all the kings affaires The Answere This obiection containeth a question of great moment and is very obscure intricate and difficult Wherefore I admonish and aduise the gentle Reader to reade my answere againe and againe and to ponder it seriously before hee giue his iudgement therein My answere standeth thus First that Ieroboams hand was dried vp and Saul deposed from his royall throne not for that they challenged a soueraigntie aboue the Priests and supreame authoritie in causes ecclesiastical but because they attempted arrogantly and presumptiously to execute priestly functiō in offering incense vpon the Altar burnt offerings peace offerings Secondly that Vzziah or Ozias was smitten with the leprosie because hee would needes burne incense to the Lord which was the Priests proper function Neither did the Priests for all that thrust him out of the Temple but dutifully as it become them told him what was his dutie and that he had offended God and therefore they willed him to surcease from his wicked enterprise and to goe foorth of the sanctuarie Which was no other vsage then S. Iohn the Baptist afforded Herode the Tetrach when he told him it was not lawfull for him to haue his brothers wife Thirdly that the fact of Iehosaphat proueth euidently the Kings supreame power ouer all his subiects as well in causes ecclesiasticall as ciuill The reason hereof is euident because King Iehosophat by vertue of his prerogatiue royall placed both Amariah and Zebadiah in their seuerall functions and prescribed the limits of their iurisdictions Neither will it helpe to say that Amariah was ruler in the matters of the Lord and Zebadiah in the Kings affaires For the meaning is not that the Kings affaires are not the matters of the Lord seeing as is alreadie proued that the King at his inauguration receiueth the whole booke of the law and charge to see Gods true worship and seruice euery where maintained But the true sense of the text is this and no other viz. that those things which the King in his owne person may execute are precisely called the Kings affaires to distinguish them from his other affaires which himselfe cannot put in execution For albeit in the preaching of the word administratiō of the Sacraments the chosen minister hath onely the charge and authoritie to execute them neuerthelesse Gods annointed Prince hath the supreame charge souereigne authoritie to command the execution thereof as also to correct and to punish the Minister for the neglect of his dutie in that behalfe Of which point I haue spoken sufficiently in my other bookes and therefore deeme it a thing needlesse now to stand long vpon the same Fourthly touching the fact of Iehoiada the Priest I answere that it can no way proue the superioritie of Priests ouer kings For first Iehoiada was not a priuate man but the high Priest in the cōmon weale of the Iewes whose office it was to iudge not ecclesiasticall matters onely but also ciuill For the Iewes had no other lawes but the holy scriptures Secondly Iehoiada did nothing against Athalia of himselfe but with the aduise assent and helpe of the Centurions and Peeres of the Realme all which were bound by the lawe of Deuteronomie to defend the kingdome from strangers Thirdly Iehoiada was bound by the right of affinitie to defend king Ioas and to establish him in his Kingdome For his wife was the kings Aunt Fourthly God had assured by his infallible promise the Kingdome to the familie of Dauid Now Athalia was not of the stocke and Progenie of David but a stranger to the Kingdome For her mother was a Sydonian and her father
Saint Chrysostome in these golden wordes Neque ideo solum sed vt tu disceres quontam super te quoque cum Sacro Fonte dilueris Sanctus Spiritus veniat iam vero non visibils specie qua vtique non egemus cum nobis pro cunctis sola fides sufficiat Nam signa non credentibus sed incredulis dantur Neither did the Doue appeare onely for that end but that thou also mayst learne that the Holy Ghost commeth vpon thee when thou art washed in the holie Font bu that appearance is not nowe adayes in any visible shape whereof wee haue no neede seeing sole faith sufficeth for all For signes are not giuen to the faithfull but to the incredulous persons These things well pondered the obiection against the booke of Common prayer will bee to no purpose vnlesse perhaps it will bee a caueat for the Author which I heartilie wish to write and speake more circumspectly in time to come For I verily am perswaded that all things contayned in the booke of Common prayer are agreable to the holy Scriptures the practise of the Church in the purest times and composed with such Iudgement Pietie Learning and Religion that all the wisedome in the worlde is not able iustlie to controll the same In so much that I wonder and greatly admire the audacious temeritie of manie who being of small reading and learning and of no iudgment and experience if they bee compared to those auncient graue Godly wise and learned fathers that compiled the booke of common prayer dare presume to condemne the same with theyr bitter invectiues vntimely censures and vnchristianlike Anathematizations True it is that Saint Hierome saith Nec sibi blandiantur si de Scripturarum capitulis videntur sibi affirmare quod dicunt cum Diabolus de Scripturis aliqua sit locutus Scripturae non in legendo sed in intelligendo consistunt Neyther must they slatter themselues if they seeme in their owne conceits to prooue so much as they say seeing the Deuill himselfe alleadged Scripture against our Lord Iesus and the Scriptures doe not consist in bare reading but in true Sense and meaning Would God this graue aduise giuen by this holy auncient and learned Father might be a president and constant rule in this doleful age to all nouices superficiall diuines and young students in Diuinitie who more rashly then Clerklie take vpon them to controll not onelie our most Reuerend Fathers the graue wise and learned Byshops but euen the whole Synode assembled in the Conuocation house yea and the King himselfe to walke circumspectlie to liue obedientlie to think modestlie of their own gifts not to esteeme better of themselues and their iudgements then there is cause but to thinke that a learned Synode can see as farre as they and would as gladly goe to Heauen as they and consequently to ponder with themselues seriouslie that it is a too too malepeart saucinesse for young heads and superficiall Diuines of slender Iudgement and lesse reading of the holy Fathers auncient Councells and Ecclsiasticall hystories to censure and controll not onely the Godlie setled Lawes of our Christian Kingdome but euen of the continuall practise of the Churche in all ages I my selfe am about three score yeares of age I haue endeuoured by Prayer and painefull Studie to attayne good literature euer since I was fiue yeares of age I haue liued conuersed studied disputed in manie famous Vniuersities aswell in England as in forraine Countries I haue employed my whole care industry and diligence now for the space of thirty yeares and odde to vnderstand Gods word aright to know what hath bene the practize of Christes church in all former ages and for that ende and purpose I haue for the space of thirtie yeares and odde prouided all the auncient Fathers Councells Hystories Ecclesiasticall and Chronographycall so far forth as my abilitie was able to extend and reach and that nothing should be wanting in this behalf I haue borrowed bookes where I could and haue also had recourse to the best Libraryes both in the Vniuersities els where to the end I might gather notes out of such bookes as I was not able to buye and prouide In which behalfe not my selfe onely but all such as reape anie commoditie by my painfull labours are more then a little beholden to these most Reuerend Fathers Iohn the late Arch-byshoppe of Canterburie Richard now the L Arch-byshoppe of Canterburie and Tobye the L Bysh. of Durham who haue for themselues the good of others most excellent costly and goodly Libraries to which I haue found free accesse at all times when I desired All this beeing performed I haue verie seriouslie weighed pondered and considered what the Papists Arrians Macedonians Eutichians Nestorians Donatists Carpocratians Ebionites Tatians Manichees Brownists and other Sectaries doe and can say for their opinions and this notwithstanding I finde the Doctrine and the Godlie setled Lawes of this Church of England amongst which I place the late Canons of Anno. 1604. to bee consonant to Gods word to the vsuall practise of the Church in all former ages These things I vtter in these tearms because I heartilie wishe to perswade all such as are carefull of their saluation to yeeld obedience to higher Powers and not to bee carryed awaye with the Sugred words of superficiall Diuines but to learne that obedience is better then Sacrifice I am now likelie euen by the course of Nature shortly to forsake this worlde and therfore I doe not seeke any preferment for my paines which I neuer to this daye hunted after and much lesse doe I seek to draw men into errrours and so to make shipwracke of mine owne Soule No no my purpose God is my witnesse is farre otherwise as who am perswaded so fullie of the Doctrine which I deliuer that I am not affrayde to ende my life in the same The second member of certaine Rites and Ceremonies vsed in Baptisme New-fangled oddely conceited persons do scornfullie inueigh against interrogatories ministred at Baptisme against Godfathers Godmothers Fonts and otherlike Ceremonies as things vnknowen in the time of the Apostles To whome I answere in this manner First that manie things are this day lawfully done in the Church which were not in vse in the Apostles time This is already prooued Secondly that the custome of the Church in things indifferent is to be esteemed among Christians for a Law This is likewise prooued And let him that holdeth the contrarie opinion tell mee by what lawe hee can iustifie that formall coniunction of men and wemen in holy wedlock which is vsed not onely in our Church of England but also in purest reformed Churches euerie where Hee shall neuer bee able to alleadge any ground in that behalfe but the vnwritten traditions of the Church Of which traditions th' Apostle spoke as learned interpreters tell vs when he said he would set other things in
see what subtiltie and craftie dealing contentious Satan vseth who goeth about by these dissentions in external matters to make againe a most ready way and passage for Poperie to enter into our gates But in such matters doubtlesse the Apostles rule must be obserued Whose vse and administration he saith is in our arbitrement and power yet so that we doe nothing against Gods ordinance neither haue any desire to trouble the publique peace whereof we must haue an especial care for these externall matters It is therefore this day lawfull for vs also to institute and ordaine a newe the baptisme of infants although it had not hither to bin vsed in the church if any commoditie or good successe of peace and concord might insue thereupon Out of these learned discourses of these graue and learned Writers I obserue these memorable rules for the benefit of the gentle Reader First that the ceremonies this day of our English Church are the same that were vsed in the church in the purest times 2 that in things which are neither against faith nor against manners the custome of the church must be a rule for vs to follow This is a most worthy lesson a most excellent rule and a most necessarie obseruation Thirdly that the dissentions and schismes stirred vp about externall rites and ceremonies proceede from the crastie and deceitful dealing of the diuel Fourthly that the Church hath power to make and constitute any lawes which are not repugnant and contrarie to the word of God Fiftly that our Church hath this day power to haue instituted the Baptisme of Infants although it had not beene vsed in former ages And consequently that it hath power a fortiori to set downe orders and lawes for the apparell of Ministers for surplesles square Caps interrogatories in baptisme and bowing of the knee at the name of Iesus for kneeling at the holy Communion for giuing thanks of women for their deliuerance from the perill of child-birth for prohibiting to Preach without licence for Reading of Homilies and the like Which rules and obseruations if they were wel remembred and duly obserued all schismes dissention whisperings and mutinies would wholy surâ—â—ase in this Church of England The third member of Deacons and their office in the Church In the booke of orders there is an office called the Deacon whose description is not to be found in Gods booke namely consisting in helping the Priest in diuine seruice especially when he ministreth the holy Communion in reading holy Scriptures Homilies in the congregation instructing the youth in the Catechisme in Baptizing and Preaching if he be admitted thereunto by the Bishoppe Thus Write the patrons of the Eldership and earnestly wished Presbiterie to whom I answere in this manner First that if it were true which they say as it is not indeed yet would it not followe that the office of a Deacon this day vsuall in the Church should be a thing vnlawfull to be vsed The reason is euident because as I haue already proued the Church hath authoritie to constitute make and ordaine any lawes ceremonies canons ordinances and orders which are for the good of the Church and not against the word of God for the better confirmation whereof let vs heare the verdict of maister Zanchius that most famous Writer These are his expresse words interea tamen non improbamus patres quod iuxta variaÌ„tuÌ„ verbi dispensandi tum regendae Ecclesiae rationem varios quoque ordines ministroruÌ„ multiplicarint quando id eis liberum fint sicut nobis quando constat id ab illis fuisse factum honestis de causis ad ordineÌ„ ad decoruÌ„ ad aedificationeÌ„ ecclesiae pro eo tempore pertinentibus Neuerthelesse we doe not discommend or reproue the fathers because they did multiply and increase the orders of the ministers according to the various manner of dispensing the word and of gouerning the Church Seeing that was in their libertie and power as it is also in ours And seeing also it is euident that they did that for honest causes for order comlinesse and edification of the Church as that time did require Out of these golden wordes I obserue first that the holy fathers in former ages did institute diuers orders of Ministers which orders though they be not found expressely in Gods booke yet this great learned man dareth not disalowe or reproue the same But our young maisters who for learning are vnworthy to carrie his bookes after him dare condemne them roundly and make hauocke of the Lawes of the ancient Church Secondly that the Church both then and now had and still hath full power and authoritie to constitute diuers orders of Ministers in the Church Let this obseruation bee well marked for it is of great importance and no small moment Thirdly that such orders and constitutions doe pertaine to the order comelinesse and edification of the Church Fourthly that these things may be changed at the discretion of the Church as the circumstances of the times places and persons doe require I answere secondly that the office of Deacons is no otherwise this day in our English Churches then it was of old in all Churches throughout the Christian world I proue it for that both ancient councells of Nice Carthage and others and also the holy fathers doe testifie the same so copiously as none but younglings of no reading can be ignorant thereof Thirdly that Deacons in the Apostolique time and primitiue Church did not onely serue the table and minister to the poore but also baptize and preach the Gospell I prooue it first because there were Deacons at Ephesus at Philippi and in Crete as may euidently be gathered of the Epistles which were written to Timothie Titus and the Philippians And for al that there was in those places at that time such paucitie of Christians as there could bee either small neede or none at all for Deacons to attend vpon the tables Secondly because the solemnitie of imposition of hands vsed in the ordering and consecration of Deacons doth argue a further and more excellent function then the bare and sole ministerie of the table This was well obserued by the great learned Doctor Illyricus whose wordes are these Hinc autem apparet eos non tantum ad dispensationem elemosynarum alimentorumque sed etiam ad institutionem auditorum fuisse adhibitos sicut illi Act. 6. etiam simul docuerunt non tantum aeconomiam administrarunt sed nimirum munus illorum fuit tantum rudiores instituere seu catechismum tradere dum presbyteri omnibus sufficere laboribus nequeunt Hence it is apparant that the Deacons were ordained not onely to distribute almes and reliefe to the poore but also to instruct and teach their auditors as they also of whom mention is made in the acts were occupied in teaching and not onely in houshold-businesse For their office was to instruct the ignorant and to Catechise
him Loe S. Luke speaketh not in the preterperfect tense or preterplusperfect tense who hath or had bene one of the seaueÌ„ Deacons but he saith in the present tense who is euen now one of the seauen For so the Originall Greeke word ontos must needs be expressed seing it is a participle of the present time or time euen now beeing And the holy Fathers together with the practise of the church haue euer so vnderstood this text of Scripture Saint Epiphanius deliuereth his minde in these plaine tearmes Omnes verò praeter ipsum susceperunt magnorum A. postolorum praesentians per impositionem manuum ipsorum acceperunt Spiritum sanctum Nam quum Philippus Diaconus esset non habebat potestatem imponendi manus vt per hoc daret Spiritum sanctum They all hee onely excepted receyued the presence of the mightie Apostles and by imposition of their hands they enioyed the holy Ghost For Philip being a Deacon onelie had not power to impose hands thereby to giue the holy Ghost S. Austen hath these expresse words Iterum multum distare inter Diaconum sacerdotem liber approbat queÌ„ dicimus actus Apostolorum Cumn ex Samaria credidissent Philippo praedicanti Diacono ab Apostolis ordinato miserunt inquit ad eos Petrum Ioannem vt venirent his qui crederâ—t darent spiritum sanctum per manus impositionem Again the booke which wee call the Acts of the Apostles prooueth that a Deacon differeth much from a Priest For when they of Samaria had beleeued the preaching of Philip the Deacon ordeined of th' Apostles they sent saith the booke Peter and Iohn vnto them that they might giue the holy Ghost by imposition of hands to those that did beleeue Thus wee see the iudgement of S. Epiphanius and S. Austen who both iointly affirme Philip to haue bene but a Deacon and yet to haue baptized and preached Yea Maister Gualter Maister Aretius and the Magaeburgenses doe all constanthe and vniformely contest the same truth with the auncient Fathers and continuall custome of the Church in all ages They write plainely that although Deacons were chieflie occupied about the dispensation of the churches goods yet did they employe their labours so far forth as they might in the other ministeries of the church The fourth member of Deacons promoted to Priesthood The Church of England is charged to doe against the word of God while shee vseth to make one and the same person first a Deacon and afterward a Priest To which calumnie I answere in briefe in this manner First that it is not against the word of God but very consonant and altogether agreable to the same For no Scripture can bee alleadged to prooue that a Deacon maye not become a Priest Maister Caluin affirmeth constantly that Philippe was first a Deacon and afterward an Euangelist Priest or pastorall elder Secondly that the church of England vsing the Deaconshippe as a steppe or degree vnto Priesthood doth nothing against the iudgement of the auncient Fathers but followeth the vsuall practise of the church in all ages The reason hereof is and euer was this viz. that there might be some time of try all of their behauiour in the Deaconshippe before they were or could bee admitted to the order of Priesthood No Councell no Father no hystorie Ecclesiasticall no time no place no person since the Apostolike age can be named to the contrary To the continuall practise of the Church from age to age th' Apostles words may sitly be applied when he saith the deacons that haue ministred well get themselues a good degree For sun 〈…〉 writer of high esteem in the church do 〈…〉 the word Degree a steppe vnto the 〈…〉 or Priesthood This notwithstanding it is not of necessitie that euery Deacon become a Priest by any canon or constitution of the church For his behauiour in the Deaconship may be such that the church will deeme him vnmeete to be preferred vnto Priesthood And therefore I conclude with these words of S. Hierome Et si scripturae authoritas non subesset totius orbis in hanc parteÌ„ consensus instar praecepti obtineret NaÌ„ multa alia quae per traditioneÌ„ in Ecclesijs obseruantur authoritateÌ„ sibi scriptae legis vsurpauerunt Although they were no authoritie in Holy Scripture yet should the consent of all the Christian worlde haue the force and strength of a law in this behalfe For many other things which the church obserueth by tradition are become equiualent to the written law Loe S. Hierome affirmeth boldly constantly as do also S. Augustine M. Caluin and others as I haue already prooued that the custome tradition of the church must bee in steede of a lawe vnto Christians Which euer is to be vnderstood in things not repugnant to the word of God or as M. Caluin speaketh which are neyther partes of doctrine nor necessarie to saluation The fyfth member of the generall confession made by priuate persons in the Church The Patrons of the expected Eldership or Presbyterie exclame against the booke of common prayer because it giueth libertie to the Laycall communicants to make a generall confession of their sinnes before the congregation then present as if therby the Laicall communicants should presently become publique ministers of the church To these men I answere in this manner first that they seeme to theÌ„selues to be the onely wise men in the worlde to condemne all the rest of follie For otherwise they would not so roundly peremptorily take vpon themselues and that without either Scripture Councell or Father nay without all time or reason to controll condemne the book of publique praier which I verily think to haue bene composed by the assistance of the Holy Ghost consequently to condemne all the ancient Byshops those glorious martyrs of our Lord Iesus the most famous Byshop of Sarisburie the Iewell of England in his time the Byshops that now liue who are both wise vertuous learned all the residue of the learned Cleargie of this our English Church Secondly that by their grosse assertion ioyned with a most vnchristian reprehension the lowly Publican highly commended in the Gospell should bee made a Minister of the Church or haue intruded him himself into the function of publique Ministerie when hee knocked vppon his breast said O God be mercifull to me a sinner Thirdly that by the same reason the notorious sinners which were put to open penance in the primitiue Church and confessed their faults before the congregation should bee in the same predicament Fourthlie that publique penitents this daye who are for all that approoued of the Patrons of the Presbyterie should be caught in the same nette Fyftlie that the same may bee saide of Women singing Psalmes in the Church and that with more probabilitie who for all that are approoued in so doing not onely in this Church of England but