their difficulties or for a need exchange any of them for some other chapter But now the Canon inhibiting all addition and exchange doth not onely sylence for euer those chapters omitted but so many moe also in our Parochiall and country Churches where our people will not come but on holidaies and where reading is most needfull in publick because â—ewe can fewer do reade in priuate as that a great part of the Bible shall neuer be read which as it crosseth the practise of the Iewes and of all Christian Churches the end of the holy Scriptures which are all written for our learning so it directly crosseth the first intention of the booke which proiected the reading of the olde Testament once and New thrise euery yeare accounting of foure chapters in euery day which takes place in Cathedrall Churches onely not in Parochiall Now how the Church may ordaine a course of drowning so much of the Canon and be innocent I doe not see ANSVVER IF the Church of England for blessings the most happy for learning the most sufficient for sincerity of Religion the most reformed and for Lawes and ordinations that concerne piety the most vpright be it spoken without enuie of all the Churches of Europe at this day haue no greater blemish to staine her with then the drowning of the Canonicall Scripture which you impute vnto her Wee are and will bee euer readie although the meanest of many thousands that liue in her bosome to proue her Innocent Whereas if shee haue wilfully silenced Gods truth and vttered vnto the people vanity and Lyes in steade thereof wee will mourne for the sinnes of our mother with hearty sorrowe and not enter into the defence of so great a fault for God forbid that any partiall affection to her who whilest she is vpon earth may erre should make vs transgresse against our father in heauen who is trueth it selfe but if shee haue done nothing in this case which well befitted not the wisdome and care of a mother howsoeuer it please others to mistake her meaning then let her great wisdome bee iustified of her owne children to reade in the Church of God the Scriptures haue beene the honour of our Liturgy the happynes of our people and the true and readiest directions to a better life but either to reade them all or onely to reade them our forefathers in discretion did not think safe seeing the one might bee to small vse the other not without great profit and both most agreable to the wisdome and practise of former times for if a hundred threescore chapters of the Canon be omitted as you say for we can be content to take your account in this case and therein some whole bookes as the Chronicles Canticles most of the Apocalipse be left out wee nether doe in this without warrant what otherwise refuse nor refuse to doe with warrant that which reasonably was practised by those that liued before and yet are neither some things in all the bookes of Apocripha nor all things in some of them by authority permitted publicklye to bee read in our Church and those which are as often you haue been told are not for confirming of faith but to reform manners And so as Saint Austen speaketh from the customary phrase of the Church wee retayne them and read them as parts of the ould TestameÌ„t All which we confesse inpropryat you of speech onlye to bee written by Moses and by the prophets but from the time of Artaxerxes to the age wherin Iosephus wrot the want of prophets was supplied for the continuance of the Historie of those times by other men godly and zealous that were no Prophets which was the true cause that they were of lesse estimation then all the rest of the Scriptures are but if we show the reputation that the Apocripha had that as Saint Cyprian speaketh these anciently were accustomed to be read in the Church then neither doth this Church deuise any new custom nor by the admission of these can worthily be iudged to silence the holy Scripture Saint Austin writing against some Pelagian Libertines of his time alleadgeth a place out of the booke of Wisedom wherunto exception was taken that this booke was not Canonicall hereof thus Saint Hilary wrot vnto him Illud testimonium quod posuisti raptus est ne malitia mutaret intellectum eius tanquam non Canonicum definiunt omittendum Vpon this occasion amongst some other reasons to iustifie his allegation he sheweth fiâ—st that excepta huâ—us libri attestatione the thing that he proueth therby is otherwise manifest then he saith that many worthy men such as Saint Cyprian was etiam temporibus Apostolorum proximis alleadging nihil se adhibere nisi diuinum testimonium crediderunt and againe non debuit repudiari sententia libri Saptentiae qui meruit in Ecclesia Christi tam longa amositate recitari ab omnibus Christianis ab Episcopis vsque ad extremos laicos fideles poenitentes Catechumenos cum veneratione diuinae authoritatis audiri So that if in Saint Austins time who liued not much aboue foure hundred yeares after Christ some of these which we call Apocripha were of long continuance read in the Church and of all euen from the Bishops to the meanest layitie heard with the attention and reuerence of diuine Scripture how can we iustly be blamed to retaine them or be thought in this so ancient and so warrantable a custome wilfully to silence the Canon of holy Scripture Saint Hierom who of al other was most earnest to distinguish these books froÌ„ the Canonical yet sheweth that they were anciently read Sicut Iudith Tobiae Machabaeorum libros legit quidem Ecclesia sed eos inter Canonicas scripturas non recipit sic haec duo volumina intelligit Sapientiam Ecclesiasticam legit ad aedificationeÌ„ plebis non ad authoritatem Ecclesiasticorum dogmatum confirmandam But if Saint Hierom who was most earnest against these bookes cannot moue you to approue as warrantable their reading in our Church the consent peraduenture and the practise of the Churches reformed may In the harmony of confessions set out at Geneua this article of the Belgick confession is there approued Differentiam porro constituimus inter libros istos sacros eos quos Apocriphos vocant vtpote quod Apocriphi legi quidem in Ecclesia possunt fas sit ex illis eatenus etiam sumore documenta quatenus cum libris Canonicis consonant At neutiquam ea est ipsorum authoritas firmitudo vt ex illorum testimonio aliquod dogma de fide religione Christiana certo constitui possit tantum abest vt aliorum authoritatem infringere vel munere valeant Hereunto agreeth the confession of this Church Zanchy giueth them the next place to the Canonicall Scripture and this as himselfe confesseth not without warrant both of the Greeke and the Latin Church hereunto wee
are glad to see them now so earnest intreaters for reading the Scriptures in the Church seeing heretofore the most of them haue beene content for a Sermon of small edification but of great length to omit the reading of many Chapters which might haue beene done at that time so that in true vnderstanding the silencing of the Scripture was rather to be feared at their hands who desired to haue it indifferent and left free for to read it at all APOLOGY AS for the corrupt Apocripha appointed in the Calender it made to me no scruple of subscribing to the Booke with reference to the Churches intention and doctrine for besides that our doctrine was and is pure touching the dignities of the Canon the reformers of the booke professing to haue ordered that nothing should be read but eyther the pure word or that which is euidently grounded vpon the same gaue me reason to thinke that howsoeuer some vnmeet Chapters kept their old standing in the Calender yet our Churchment not to vrge the reading of them in which I was the more confirmed by that prouision which vnder the Queenes authority was published with the Homelies that the minister might exchaÌ„ge any one or other lesse profitable Chap. of the old TestameÌ„t for any of the new testament more profitable if as Doctor Abbots saith of the CanoÌ„ much more of the Apocripha But now I perceiue by the Rubrick that the tale of Susanna must be read to the last verse which helps to manifest the falshood of the whole fable as Ierom calles it and I see by the order of the Canons our former liberty of exchange all â—iberty of ceÌ„sure to be repealed Now how can I suâ—scribe to the reading of an vncertain tale in stead of the more sure word of the Prophets which Peter biddeth vs attend and not to Iewish fables such as is that of Iudith for which no time can be found out to father it vpon And that of Tobit both which Luther as I haue heard thought to be plaâ—es at the first and after made stâ—râ—es How can 〈◊〉 for instruction of Gods people read these fictions better then the popish Legends or so well as Holinsheds or Eusebius Chronicles for what ground is there for conscience to build vpon when nothing can be certainly obserued for doctrine where nothing is certainely knowne for truth Finally in the 13 of Daniell as it is vnfitly called is a repugnancy to the true story of Daniels age and beginnings of honour In the ninth of Iudith a commendation of Simeon and Leuies bloody act as ordered and blessed of God vndertaken with praier yea euen of that most outragious cruelty in which for the offeÌ„ce of one they executed many innoceÌ„t harmeles persons And this womaÌ„ blessed that zeale which Iacob cursed and God plagued as a rage And this exception our men tooke against Campian in the Tower So in the 7. of Tobit 3. the Angell maketh himselfe of the tribe of Nepthaly in the 12. one of the seuen Angels that offer vp the prayers of the Saints to God in both a lyar And in the latter a lying vsurper vpon that office which none but the Angell of the couenant may meddle with Now knowing that God hath no need of lyes I dare not read as a part of diuine seruice these tales in his presence and the presence of his Angels and people much lesse allow the appointing of them to be read especially obseruing how idlely wee shall tell the common people of their basenesse while yet we read them out of the Bible ANSVVER WE are glad to heare you confesse that the intention of our Church was and is pure and I hope euer shall be touching the dignitie of the Canon which in my opinion ought to haue been a strong motiue both to you and others neyther to haue dissented from the practise of the Church in reading things ancient profitable and such as were called by the fathers Scripture though not Canonicall nor to haue quarrelled with these bookes as if all that were in them were thought by vs to be of an infallible vndoubted truth we say theÌ„ first coÌ„cerning all these bookes that neither doe wee nor any in our Church retaine them as Canonical truthes for doctrine nor of equall authoritie with the other Scriptures yet peraduenture we may giue some reasons why these things misliked by you are not of that moment that thereby they ought to be accouÌ„ted of no better authority theÌ„ Hollinsheads or Eusebius Cronicles We confes that we read by apointmeÌ„t the Historie of Susanna to the last verse but the last verse which is the greatest exceptioÌ„ to the History we read not and the Church of Rome confesseth that it ought to belong to the beginning of the foureteenth Chapter It is knowne that Africanus wrot to Saint Origen coÌ„cerning the truth of this book but what hee wrote wee haue yet no warrant neither can Origen or S. Hierom be iustly proued to bee aduersaries to our opinion in this case for hee that is most earnest against them which was Saint Hierom affirmeth as Doctor Whitakers collecteth that this storie of Susanna of Bell and the Dragon the Hymne of the three children was commonly read in the Church of God which is al for which we desire your allowaÌ„ce as a thing not new or lately inuented but auncient warraÌ„table so practised by our Church I could willingly enter into a defence of the trueth of this History if our aduersaries of the Church of Rome were not ouer-apt to make this conclusion which is not sound that whatsoeuer was aunciently read in the Church and is true ought to bee esteemed as the Canonicall Scripture so that they froÌ„ truth coÌ„cluding scripture we are forced against them to accuse them of some faults Whereas if confessing them to bee no canonicall Scriptures they or others would haue giuen vs leaue to read theÌ„ in the Church as profitable to manners wee could without violence haue afforded them the reconcilement of other Scriptures and vndoubtedly haue proued them to be most true But howsoeuer the Church of England requireth not the Subscription of you or of any other to warraÌ„t the falshood and vntruth of any Iewish fable but to approoue the forme of our Liturgy so farre that those books which anciently were read in the Church or at least those parts which containe nothing contrary to faith may still retaine their auncient place in the Church for edifying of manners which was giuen them in the first and the purest times In which doubtlesse the liberty of exchange formerly left to the discretion of the minister might haue continued stil if men would haue tempered themselues from indiscret causelesse neglect of publicke order for as Saint Austin well noteth That surely he hateth his country who thinketh himself neuer well except he trauell So little obedience or loue appeareth in those men
sinister and false collections might be deriued from it whilest some others peraduenture more probably think that you meant to beare your brethren in hand that you yeilded not so farre as in truth ye did Consider if the concealement of this subscription haue not some proportion with the hypocricy of Saul but honour me I pray thee before the elders of my people and that which you feare would be taken to be an euil conscience could not but in the iudgement of so wise a Prince be thought an obedient and an humble mind 3 The third thing is that notwithstanding your allowance of these ceremonies yet you could not conforme your selfe but would willingly allow the practise of them by some other euen in your owne cure this in my apprehension doth seeme strange for seeing your flocke haue that good opinion of you as is fit for sheepe to haue of their pastor and that you feare not any scandal amongst them as your selfe afterward confessed your example might haue remooued both from them others neare vnto you all offence if there were any who peraduenture might haue stumbled at the same things being vsed by others and scandal being so dangerous is not fit to be offered by a Curate 4 Fourthly you intreat compassion towards the ministers in a few lighter things Let me tell you that mildnesse in some other cases may be a vertue but in this a vice and surely he fayleth in his episcopall courage who through remisnesse or pitie suffereth the lawes of the Church by being wilfully broken to be vnhallowed disturbers of the Churches peace and surely if the vrging of subscription which the law required haue beene the cause of the seuerall dissentions in our Church a worse effect could not haue proceeded from so good a cause then that that which was a vertuous inuention to make peace by the vnquiet disposition of some few should become the originall fountaine of so much warr Besides experience telleth vs that the mildnes which that Reuerend Archbishop Grindall vsed in those times little auailed with those men for to make them better and the last Archbishop of famous memory found it to be most true that such as were spared eyther from his owne compassion the importunity of others or a hope to win theÌ„ by this means the fauour shewed them in that kind they esteemed but desert his mildnes patieÌ„ce to be their own merit besides the things are not to be esteemed few or light which are manifold disobedieÌ„ces to those peaceable orders lawful coÌ„stitutions which the Church maketh 5 Fiftly you feare not so much the offence of those with whom you do now liue as of other places where you haue liued This can be no good pretence for disobedieÌ„ce in this case seeing they by your example were most fit to be resolued of the true lawfulnesse of those things of whose suspected vnlawfulnes they first grew iealous by your doctrine who since I hope haue been better taught APOLOGY NOw because it may seeme a part of dishonesty or leuity now to refuse the conditions so often accepted I beseech your Lordship to wey this mine answer that for so much as the purpose if not doctrine of our Church to which I referred my subscription appeareth vnto me by the late Canons Booke of conference and some speeches of your Lordship and some others to be varied somewhat from that which I before not without reason tooke it to be I hold my selfe to be where I waâ— but the state of subscription to be changed from it selfe partly in the end of requiring subscriptioÌ„ partly in the things subscribed vnto I euer-â—ook our subscription to import an admission of things so farre tollerable taken in the Churches intention that men not otherwise preiudiced might lawfully vse them being imposed this conceit the words of the subscription in which we acknowledge the booke such as may lawfully be vsed did breed in me and the Ordinary speeches of your Lordship and other Bishops strengthen as that the ceremonies were trifles rags beggerly rudiments that in the booke were multae tollerabiles ineptiae which if it pleased the King to remoue they would be glad which all are pleas rather for tolleration then approbation of them Neither did I mistake if mistake that point alone for there be many some of geeat place that vrging subscription and conformity neuer sticke to say that authority ought to remoue some things and sinneth in not doing it thereby shewing that they thinke not Subscription to approue the voluntary imposition but the compelled obseruation of some things in the booke But now I perceiue by the close of the third Article of Subscription wherin ex animo we must professe to subscribe to all things contained in any of the three articles and by the sixt Canon where the approbation of the rites and ceremonies is prouided for as well as the vse and by the whole tenour of the Canons which apparently condemne and preiudge all clayme made or to be made for any alteration now my Lord if this be the intention of our Church in requiring Subscription I cannot yeild thereto some things a man must aequitate improbare as Austin speaketh and many things may be well obserued that are not so well commanded saith Beza be it that a man might doe well rather to vse the ceremonies then loose his calling shall I acknowledge your Lordship to doe well in the ordaining of them hath God in vaine commaunded dissimilitude with idolaters were the fathers vnwise that called so instantly from conformity with the heathen or the sects of Iewes or heretikes in matters indifferent such a garland or habit or keeping of Easter day or thrise dipping c. ANSVVER THere is little hope of sufficient strength in the sequell of this Apology whose foundation is laide vpon so false a ground nature hauing taught all men this truth that where the beginnings of things faile the deductions which are as it were an issue proceeding from the same originall must needes bee worse both because all vertue which is coÌ„municated except imediately from the author of all vertue must by participation bee weakned and all admission of concurrence in other causes cannot but make something which is weake cleaue vnto that vertue besides nothing is so easie if there were either as much honesty or safety in it as for men euill disposed to wrong those that are innocent whome if wee cleare from all fault as they deserue we shall either bee thought to flatter or else burden their modestie with their deserued praises A change in you not in opinion but in obedience can no way be iustified but by an accusation of our whole state as if that now vpon the sodaine wee varied and declyned not from the doctrine but from the intention and purpose that the Church had Wee accept very willingly that which you haue graunted which no aduersaries to this Church shal
so great betwixt them and vs as that nothing were now lawfull for vs that were vsed by them were peraduenture to traduce to our posteritie without cause as the corrupters of all religion in all parts and to denie vnto our selues the iust furtherances of pietie and holines onely because Idolatrie and superstition had corrupted those meanes amongst them but if neither they esteeme so of the Crosse that the transiant signe as you call it is to be worshipped with deuine worship nor that we haue proportioned our selues in the same ceremonie to the supposed or manifest Idolatrie amongest them The iniury must needes bee accounted greate vpon an opinion of zeale to wound euen through the sides of her enemie the vitall partes of that Church that doth giue vs life Peter Martyr from whence it seemeth you haue taken this accusation saith that the Church of Rome teach That the signe of the Crosse is to be worshipped with Latreia Which surely by him was vnderstood not of the signe transiant but of that verie crosse whereon Christ suffered which they make a relicke we will not stand to examine their errour in this point onely let me put you in mind what Bellarmin saith That it is not to be taught that any Images are to be worshipped Latreia And to this end he alleadgeth the authoritie of diuers councels What then must wee say to your reason which is grounded vpon that which they say not but we will suppose seeing Peter Martyr doth ioyne with you that it was their opinion although they haue reclaimed it at this day must it therefore needs follow that eyther it is so vsed by vs or by vs not lawfull to be vsed at all hath there beene any greater idolatrie in the Church of Rome then that which they exhibiting to the bread in the Supper vpon an opinion of Transsubstantiation haue therewith vnhallowed and prophaned the blessed Sacrament and yet may not wee nay ought wee not lawfully to retaine it as a thing holy Nay Peter Martyr himselfe confesseth whom sundry times you alleadge as your patron in this cause That the signe of the Crosse is worne by Princes vpon their crownes without superstition because by that signe they onely testifie and professe that they honour and maintaine the religion of Christ. But peraduenture you will say wee ought not to make it a significatiue ceremonie to expresse that warfare which wee vndertake when we are baptized heare what he saith If it bee lawfull for a man to beare in his armes the badge of his owne famimily It is also lawful for him by the signe of the crosse to professe Christian Religion there is some difference from them whilst we vse it in Baptisme which you giue vs occasion fitly to handle in another place onely let me tell you that if the Papists worship the Crosse more than they ought must the Church of England neglect the vse thereof more then the ancient Churcher haue done or then any moderate and wise Christians would do who glory in nothing so much as the crosse of Christ which was not vnderstood of afflictions although wee may glory in them but euen of the sufferings of Christ vpon that crosse whereon he died Neither hath the crosse as it is vsed in our Church any proportion eyther with the brasen Serpent when it was broken or the groues forbidden seeing the one continued vntill it was strangely prophaned by insence from their handes who were not allowed at any time to offer any and the groues not simply forbidden but when they were neare the altar In this respect vertuously restraint hath beene made of the ouer frequent vse of that signe tending to Idolatry to auoid superstition and yet a discreete admission of some vse thereof to eschew prophannesse Neyther can we commend your vnwillingnesse to approue the Reuerend Fathers of the Church for the continuance of these things seeing they had power to helpe them we will not examin their power wee wish it were farre greater we know their discretion and wisedome hath and shall infinitly beenefit the Church by the late Canons and for those who peraduenture allow the things as you speake but approoue not the commaunding of them we must say as Saint Austin doth he is not a friend to the truth who had rather if it were possible that that which is truth were not commaunded Neyther is the warre about these things so needlesse as you thinke seeing it is like that if euer there were out of milde patience strongly and vehemently euen with much hypocrisie importuned any truce the Church hath receiued more hurt by that then by all the seueritie which requiring obedience doth bring peace APOLOGY SO againe my Lord admit that we may lawfully read that Apocripha which is not corrupt being so commanded can I allow in your Lordship that care of keeping euen the parcels of those Chapters some parts whereof we reiect as drosse as if we must needs gather all the broken pieces of brasse into the treasurie of the Church of God and leaue so many golden plates which beare for letters of credence the stampe of Gods Spirit sleeping in the decke as if they were neither currant coyne nor good mettall Yea my Lord who can with iudgement allow the ordayning of any Apocripha to be read in the congregation in such sort as it is appointed that is at the same times with the Scriptures vnder the name of Holy Scripture as partes of the old Testament and as parts of diuine seruice and without any manner of difference or distinction for when as the booke prescribing to say onely at the reading of the Lessons heere beginneth such a Chapter taken out of such a booke and the 14. Canon forbiddeth any addition to this order in matter or for me It is plaine that we are not allowed to discypher the difference betwixt the base mettals and the Lords owne stamped coyne Now my Reuerend Father howsoeuer some of these bookes haue many godly and deuine sayings yet seeing the sacred Scripture onely is principium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inspired of God and therefore of sole power to commaund the conscience and that Scripture is so large in volume that we cannot often read it all neuer do so rich im matter that we need not for a ground-worke any other who can commend that order which is taken of reading some Apocripha oftener then any of the Canonicall much of it twice and as much of the Canonicall not once and that vpon high daies the Sonne of Sarah must giue place to Agars Sonne The Canonicall to the Apocriphall Chapter whereas it sâ—emeth as fit to dismount the vsurper from that dignitie as it seemed to Ezra to abandon from the priesthood all such as could not draw their pedegree from Aaron And though in Ruffinus and Hieronus time when they went safely vnder the name and knowledge of Ecclesiasticall or Apocriphall bookes they were read
of the people not to confirme the authoritye of Ecclesiastical opinions or decrees this peraduenture was not vnfit seeing antiquity thought as the counsel of Trent hath set downe that by a kinde of similitude they might seeme to bee Salomons Wherein notwithstanding because there are thought to bee some errors according to the graue moderation of our dread Soueraigne whose wisdome appeared in this like the wisdome of Salomon wee reiect such parcels as are faultie and retaine the rest And yet those which according to the example of the most reformed Churches for you rule vs in all things by the tyranny of example are retained amongst vs are neither read nor esteemed as the rest of the holy scriptures seing liberty is left to all men in their seuerall charges to informe their people in the different valuation of these writings which though the Canon forbid in the Lyturgy both because our additions are vnseemly and often vnsafe yet it is lawfull in your Sermon to instruct your paâ—ish what respect and authority is to bee giuen vnto these bookes and therefore your feare in my opinion is needlesse seeing the very naming of the booke from whence the lesson is taken to the most of your hearers will bee difference enough Let me aduise you therefore according to the counsell of Saint Hierom not to contemne those things as smal without which things that are greater cannot well stand And therfore it is wisdom to leaue both the reading and the often reading of these bookes to the wisdome and direction of those that doe rule ouer vs and I hope humility will conquer you in this case if neither vertue nor reason could ouercome onely I must tell you before I end this point that if Saint Hierom were taxed at the conference as the first that gaue them the name of Apocripha there wanted both duery and thankfulnesse in you to interpose that clause though not truely for Cyrill did it before him Seeing all men knowe that Hierom was the first that of all other did openly tearme them by that name without all exception amoÌ„gst the Latine Fathers for any thing that I knowe was the first neither was Cyrill his opinion equally sound to S. Hieroms in this case seeing all men knowe that by him Bâ—ruch was accounted Canonicall which worthyly is refused by our Church And therefore if you acknowledge the benfit you haue receiued discharge your debt and hauing receiued fauour as at his hands returne loue as Hugo speaketh For as S. Austin saith none that is sober will striue against reason None that is a christian against the Scripture and none that loueth peace will thinke contrary to that which the Church doth And if beyond this you will needes feare it may argue your loue but not your knowledge Besides what wisdome euen in the greatest safety can make a freedom from feare in the mindes of some melancholy humours APOLOGY AGaine though we beare and with the best rather then likliest expositioÌ„s admit som speeches as we find in some Rubricks Collects or translations in the booke being in shew daÌ„gerous or in sence idle or perhaps false yet my good Lord who can with a good conscience allow your part I meane the reuerend fathers therin that in so many Impressions of the booke could correct none of them but rather still leaue them vpon improbable defences then remooue them with ease as who can Commend in your Lordshipps still to call those peeces of Scripture Epistles which are taken out of Ieremye â—sayes the Acts and Reuelation when the verye counsell of Trent that absurditâ— in the Mâ—sse booke And though the eagernesse of some spirits to innouate to many things maye somewhat excuse your tenâ—citye of them yet in yeilding to nothing you seeme to haue forgotten Augustus Leuell of hating equallye morositie and noueltie as equall faults yea to forget how easie it may be in time for the papisâ—s to ingrosse our own speeches as by name that of confirmation That it giueth strength against temptations to sinn c. As the Gothes made the laws of the Romans to become theirs by a Gothish interpretation And in all this stiffnes what is more manifâ—st then the difficultye of denying our selues and of ayming simplie at the glorie of God when wee are once ingaged and het in the quarrells of our owne ANSVVER SEeing it pleaseth you to repeat the same things as new which often heretofore haue beene answered both by vs and others It shall not bee I hope offensiue to any If we say againe what else where wee haue vttered which peraduenture hath not come vnto your vew That because men are easily wearied in those duties that are best and prayer making vs apt to fall into speculations concerning God both that our wearines may be lesse and our thoughts more sound and more agreable to the present busines those wise men that haue beene before vs haue chosen lessoÌ„s for the church fitting seuerall occasions that as prayer make vs fitter to hear so the hearing of these may make vs fitter to pray To read scriptures in the time of diuine seruice wee hope being auncient and of such vse their wisdom will not much mislike if the name of epistle doe offend you cannot but know that the originall of this both for the name and the thing was from Paule himselfe commanding the same Epistle which he sent vnto the Collossians to be read in the Church of the Laodiceans and of that to the Thessalonians he saith I charge you in the Lord that this Epistle be read vnto all the brethren the Saints from which custome the Church hauing appoynted that portion of scripture whether out of the prophets Acts of the Apostle or Reuelation which circumstances considered was thought then fittest to be read vnto the people as if it were sent directlye vnto them thereby procuring their attention is not vnfitly tearmed by the name of Epistle to these as Saint Chrisostome noteth the minister stood vp and cryed with a loude voyce Let vs attend this practise hath resemblance to the practise of the Iewes euen vntill this daye amongst whome some thing is read euerye Sabboth out of Moses or the prophets besides these if any thing offend through the seueritye of some expositions as what scripture so holye that some expositions will not corrupt wee desire more charitye at their hands seing the cause wee defend is the Honour of our church the wisdome of our forefathers the worship of God and not our owne wils for which onlye if our Reuerend fathers had been ingaged they would I doubt not long since rather haue relinquished their owne right then with so much preiudice haue hazarded the Churches peace as for the Church of Rome we are so farre from being vnwilling that they should ingrosse our speeches as that wee daily and heartily pray that they would in all thinges both thinke and speake
as wee do And if you or any other notwithstanding all this shall labour to make the world beleeue that the courage of Bishops for defence of the Church is but a stifnesse in their owne quarrels wee must let the world vnderstand which we know to be true that greater moderation and patience ioyned with carefull thoughts of what was to be altered hath by many degrees more appeared in them then in the meanest of the Cleargie besides wherewith if you cannot rest content but desire them to followe the Counsell of Trent in the alteration of these things wee are sory that out of loue to example you will rather propound them then none to please you wee can be content to say as Duâ—antus doth that to speake properly there is no Epistle out of the old Testament but rather they are called Lessons APOLOGY AND now my Lord from the intention of subscription which I dare not answere vntil I come vnto the things subscribed vnto Wherin I pray to haue coÌ„sidered first the Liturgy in general theÌ„ some particulers in it In general acknowledging the booke to be a good and godly booke I take exception at that new imposition of the Canons which doth absolutely command against all exceptions the whole Lyturgy to be read euery Sabboth and that at the vsuall houres The Booke at the first was ordained in part to supply the want of a learned ministery and vntill now some parts might be omitted lawfully for a Sermon as the Lord Cheefe Iustice of England iudged lately at Thetford in Norfolke in Tylneys case And in this intention who could condemne the Churches godly care of supplying some meanes of Gods seruice where all could not bee at once prouided But this intention is so changed that by the Canons no peece of the seruice must giue way to a Sermon or any other respect which computed with the accessorie occasions of Christinings Buryals mariages and Communions which fall out all at sometimes some at all times in many congregations doth necessarily pretend if not a purpose yet a consequence of diuorsing Preaching and so not widowes houses but Gods house vnder pretence of long prayers while neither the time nor the ministers strength nor peoples patience can beare that taske of reading and preaching to of which intention if we be afraid who can maruell that either shall obserue my Lord of Londons motion at the conference for a praying ministery as more needefull in a Church planted then Preaching as his speech since also haue professed or that shall marke how some Canons are planted against Lectures in market townes whereby the light hath spred to many other darke places and withall how skilfully all his Maiesties godly purposes against the ignoraÌ„t negligent scandalous Ministers haue beene not so much delaid as deluded and the offendours couered as the Flauians in the battell at Cremona by the rysing of the Moone at their backs which casting long shadowes vpon which the blowes being spent fell short of the bodies themselues of which there remaines an indigne abuse to his Maiesty a foule sinne to your Lordships a heauy plague to the Church and to the offenders intollerable insolencie in stead of deserued shame Now my Lord I that could well subscribe to the vse of the Lyturgy as it was before intended cannot doe so now the intention not being somwhat shifted but to the contrary point ANSVVER FEw things are likely to escape vnreproued where the best things in our Church are repreheÌ„ded there is no duty vpon earth that concerneth man with a greater nearnes then prayer doth which vsuallye expresseth euen all the seruice that wee owe vnto God for in religioÌ„ as one wisely noteth there is no acceptable duty which deuout inuocation of the name of God doth not either presuppose or inferre neither can there be greater approbation of this action being publick then that the Temple being appointed for this end in this respect God vouchsafeth it to be accounted his house as if Sermons Sacrifices Sacraments and all other seruices performed in that place were but second intentions for the building thereof in respect of Prayer Now for the better performance of this duty the late Canons haue renewed that care which in all ages was found in the gouernours of Christes Church that the strange desire of some few to heare themselues speake might not banish from amongst vs an institution of that vse a dutie of so much profit an ordinance so holy as if for feare to displace preaching our Temples ought not now to be accounted a house of prayer We must first for answere to their iniurious accusation in this case tell them that neuer any sauing some few meane persons haue disliked a forme of publike prayer those which mislike ours euen with the greatest seueritie that eyther malice or at the best the most scrupulous conscience could inuent haue beene able but to alleadge some few shadowes of faults all which haue beene often heretofore answered and if any in the feruencie of a zealous conscience remaine as yet vnsatisfied we will be bold to vse the words vnto him of Bishop Ridley after his condemnation to Master Grindall then beyond the seas Alas that our brother Knox could not beare with our booke of common prayer in matters against which although I grant a man as he is of wit and learning may finde to make apparant reasons but I suppose he cannot be able soundly to disproue by Gods word the reason he maketh against the Leteny and the fault per sanguinem sudorem he findeth in the same I doe marueile how he can or dare auouch them before the learned men that be with you As for priuate Baptisme It is not prescribed in the booke but where solemne Baptisme for lacke of time and danger of death cannot be had what would he in that case should be done Peraduenture he will say it is better then to let them die without Baptisme For this his better what word hath he in the scripture and if he haue none why will hee not rather follow that that the sentences of the old ancient writers doe more allow from whom to dissent without warrant of Gods word I cannot thinke it any godly wisedome And as for purification of women I ween the word purification is changed and it is called thankesgiuing surely Maister Knox in my mind is a man of much good learning and of an earnest zeale the Lord grant him to vse them to his glorie Thus farre Bishop Ridley Bishop of London and a blessed Martyr with whom we say of a great number they are learned they are zealous the Lord grant them to vse them to his glorie for wee will confesse as Maister Bucer doth there are not some few things wanting in the Lyturgye of England which if they be not charitably interpreted may seeme to dissent from the word of God But accessimus as Maister Iewell confesseth quantum
maximè potuimus ad Ecclesiam Apostolorum veterum Catholicorum Episcoporum patrum quam scimus adhuc suisse integram atque vt Tertullianus ait incorruptam viâ—ginem nulla dum idolclatria nec errore graui ac publico contaminatam nec tantùm doctrinam nostram sed etiam sacramenta praecumque publicarum formam ad illorum ritus instituta direximus In al which doubtlesse there is nothing wanting which is requisite in a religious reformed Church sauing the charitable construction of our brethren who will needs eyther out of singularitie or feare bee our aduersaries in this cause And when nothing can bee said against the forme of that Lyturgy which wee vse they blame the orders of our Church which inioyne the whole Lyturgy to be read at the vsuall houres And vnder pretence of long prayers to banish preaching out of the Church I meruaile that any man will obiect it now seing it was an vntrue imputation long since by Master Cartwright layd vpon this church but as one telleth him neither aduisedly nor truly spoken wee will not compare two things of that nearenes and vse together but if some mens discretion could haue tempered their Zeale so farr that their owne paynes which they call Sermons might haue beene shorter and the orderly prayers of the church wholly read I doubt not but the religion of the people would haue beene much greater the worship of God more sound and the vnseasonable contentions of the Church farr lesse and if they continew but as some before them haue done to allow an houre half according to the pattern of reformed Churches for the whole Lyturgy or seruice wee are perswaded it will both bee time sufficient for performing the intention of the Canon which forbiddeth all diminshing in regard of preaching yet no man shal haue iust cause if he be willing to preach to complaine that hee wants time or that the length of prayers hath deuoured the Church for by this means hauing time which the wisdom of authority thinketh sufficient for both all extemporall inuention of vnsounde prayer shall bee vtterly banished out of christes Church and in Preaching the shortnesse of time shall necessarily cut off all impertinent discourses whilest they are sorced to comprize abundance of matter in few words But if any man thinke the Communion booke at first to be ordayned in part to supply the want of a Learned ministry which being obtayned may beomitted either in part or in whole as men please It is an error greatly mistaking the first vse and ouermuch differing from the modesty and humility of auncient tymes Wherein the Apostles came into the Sinagogue of the Iewes at Antioch and sat downe and after the Lecture of the law the prophetts which I take was their ordinary seruice the rulers of the Sinagogues sent vnto them saying ye men and brethren if ye haue any word of exhortation for the people say on read the ordinary marginall note vpon this place and it will seeme that the Sermon expected the finishing of ordinary diuine seruice as neither all waies necessarily following when this was nor at any time presuming to be vpon the Sabbath when this was not nor if the vnhallowed boldnesse of some in our time hath aduentured to thrust the graue religious discreete deliberate and iudicious prayers established by authoritie out of our Churches and forced them against all reason to giue place to an vnlearned vnorderly and bould exhortation without wisedome or sobrietie onely somewhat glorying in the show of a hote zeale was it not a petition necessary and seasonable humbly at the conference to intreat of his Maiestie for a praying ministery From the contempt whereof haue directly proceeded the prophannesse the Atheisme and all the want of Religion in this land yet let no man thinke that eyther the Canons or any of the Reuerend Fathers desire that preaching may be lesse but rather that with all modesty God being honoured in our praiers as we ought wee maye the better be able to profit by those lessons that sermons doe giue vnto vs. And therefore it is ouer greate boldnes of our aduersaryes in this to accuse any man in authoritye in the church as an aduersarie to preaching seing the whole scope of sundry of these late Canons prouideth better for more and more learned Sermons then any lawes heretofore concluded in this Kingdome so that wee banish not preaching for prayers as you would make the world beleeue but saye as our Sauiour doth in another case this ought ye to haue done but not to haue left the other vndone For doubtles the children of God fynd continually an excellent vse of both by prayer saith Isiodore wee are clensed by reading and hearing wee are instructed If both may be had they are both good If both cannot be had it is better to pray So then to say lesse then their vncharitable accusation deserueth in this cause wee affirme that they surmise vs to seeke to haue preaching neglected but wee know too wel that praiers are contemned by their meanes from which at the last without great care the neglecting of preaching must needs follow and therefore the restraynt of the one with discretion to giue way to the other is neither to delay or delude the Kings purpose against an vnlearned and scandalous ministery or like the shadowe of the moone at the battell of Cremona or an abuse to his Maiestie a sinn to bishops aplague to the Church or to the offenders Intollerable Insolencye in stead of deserued shame but rather to speake truly and as this wisdome deserueth in the vpright sinceritye of a good conscience an execution of the Kings vertuous and religious care an honour to his Princelye Maiestye a holye discretion in the reuerend Bishops a happines to the Church a brydle strayt enough to such as deserue shame for now all may learne to be longer in prayers and shortter in Sermons because speeches ouer much inlarged want vnderstanding saith Saint Austen And you may be aduised heareafter to blame your selfe and to pardon others APOLOGY ANd thus from the generall I descend to some particular exceptions as first those about the Scriptures to be read which are three 1. The omission of the Canon 2. The appointing of some corrupt Apocripha 3. The translations It is manifest that 160. Chapters of the Canon and therein some whole bookes as the Chronicles Canticles and most of the Apocalipse are omitted in the Rubrick as least to edifying This I excused in my owne heart thus that because most of these chapters omitted were either obscure or obnoxius to euill hearts if read without interpretation the Church in good discretion making a choyce of Scriptures which the learned allow did omit them in the direction of the Kalender but made no doubt but any able Minister might read them ouer and aboue the appointed Lessons with some exposition of
but so hard a iudgement in wisdom might haue been well spared considering that he coÌ„fesseth the place to be corrupt which might haue moued him either to acknowledge that by reason therof he is ignorant of the true sence of the place or to allow of the interpretation of the learned before him that haue deliuered such sence as may be admitted without allowing any vntruth Lyra saith It is a figuratiue speach like that in Tob. 6. vers 12. Wher Azarias is interpreted adiutor Dei so are the Angels Ananias is interpreted gloria Dei whose sons are the Angels Now if it be an vsurping vntruth for the Angels to offer vp the prayers of the Church vnto God in the mediation of his Son we shal peraduenture depriue our selues of a great part of their ministery dissolâ—e that communion of Saints which we professe to beleeue as an Article of Gods truth We doubt not but Christ maketh intercession for vs and offereth our prayers in another manner more powerfull effectuall then Angels can Zanchie concludeth thus Si hos non licet inuocare qui nos audiunt nostraque spectant nos curant quomodo igitur demâ—rtuos homines And in the same booke he alledgeth this place not doubting that this was a true Angell to whom you giue the lye to proue that the Angels are both sent vnto vs yet haue their aboad especially in the preseÌ„ce of God himself so that these bookes being in some sort innocent haue tasted of much euil through the ignorance of such as haue bin their iudges But we cannot shew our charity better then hartily to be sory for those who wil needs erre To conclude then this point I must intreat you in the spirit of meeknesse to take a second view of this your vnreuerend vncharitable ceÌ„sure both of his Angels in heauen his Church on earth for if the Angel had made the same answere which you alledge that he was one of the seuen Angels that offer vp the prayers of the saints to God he had not bin a lying Vsurper as it pleaseth you to tearme him for saith P. Martir If thou read in the scriptures note that he calleth them Scriptures and in the margent quoteth this place that the Angels offer vp our prayers this is not done of them to instruct or teach God but by discouering laying them open we our selues be the more earnestly bent to craue the helpe of God And what discommodity should arise if we affirm this selfe same thing of Angels Thus far P. Martir which was taken of S. Austin so that you see there was smal reason to account those blesâ—ed spirit the Angels Lying vsurpers hauing spoken no otherwiâ—e then truth may warrant or else to what end were that speech of our sauiour Se that ye dispise not one of these little ones for I say vnto you that in heauen there Angels alwaies behold the face of my fathâ—r which is in heauen But you cannot with a safe conscience subscribe to a translation that vttereth so vsurping an vntruth I doubt not but you haue wel considered that it is as you say or else as in the doctrine you haue wronged the Angells so for the translation you will be found for to wrong the Church You caÌ„not be Ignorant that the approued translation authorised by the church of England is that which cometh nearest to the vulgar and is commonly called the Bishops Bible wherein according to the Latine the words are onely read thus I am Raphaell one of the seauen Angels which stand in the presence of GOD. I confesse the Geneua translation readeth it as you reproue but it was a traÌ„slation neuer for the notes or the text publickly authorised in our Church so that modesty and due consideration ought to haue examined accusations of this Nature with greater care least others rightly iudge that the assertions of such cannot be sound that wrongfully without conscience dare aduenture to accuse both the church on earth and the Angels in heauen APOLOGY TOuching the corrupt traÌ„slations of the Psalmes Epistles or Gospels in the booke they made before no barre to my Subscription because I supposed that our Subscription exteÌ„ded but to the forme of Diuine seruice In which such portions of scripture were appointed to bee reade ledd thereto partly by the words of Subscription wherein wee acknowledge in the booke such a forme as may lawfully be vsed and promise to vse the same partly by the Doctrin of our Church which iustly taxing the Papists for adhering to the vulgar Latine and maintaining that all translations ought to bee corrected by the Originall made it to me vnprobable that our Church would impose an allowance of any corrupt translations and chiefly by the practise of our Church in authorising another translation of the Church Bible by which I made no doubt but any man might correct the translations in the Communion booke where they obscured or crossed the sense But you my Lord gaue me in this point another light telling mee that we must vse only and subscribe to the traÌ„slations in the booke which I also vnderstood to be auouched by some other of your brethren and lately found out to be intended in the Canon for subscription wherin it is said that the booke of Common Prayer containeth nothing in it contrary to the worde of GOD and may lawfully So be vsed so a word now put in as containing in it nothing contrarie to the word and after that I do ex animo subscribe to all things contained in the three articles Now my Lord if Austin vpon the credit of many Latin copies would not admit one word palam where the sense rather required then receiued it because it was not in the Greeke how shall I approue vnder my hand a translation which hath many omissions many additions which sometime obscureth sometime peruerteth the sense being sometime senselesse sometimes contrarie of which I pray your Lordship to take a tast in the last page of this booke where I will muster them together ANSWER IF you had continued in your former resolution not to haue feared to subscribe although some faultes were iustly to be found in the translation vsed in our Church you had neither opened a way to your owne wrong hazarded for your curious disobedience the Churches censure nor procured our labour in defending her at this time It need not to be supposed by any that the Church of England desireth to impose an allowance of any corrupt translation neither are you or any other as we haue often told you required to allow by subscription the translation but onely to approue the forme of diuine seruice and yet surely the care of this Church since the light of the Gospell did shine in it was neuer wanting to publish the scriptures translated as agreeable to the fountaines as they could deuise and to this end authoritie did commaund the allowance of
cupp of his blood may profitably and effectually passe to vs then for our sauiour himselfe prostrate to in treat that the cupp of his passion might passe froÌ„ him For seing all men in the time of that action whilest the minister vttering the words in the administratioÌ„ of the sacrament praye that they may be preserued in body and soule vnto eternall life are then vnlesse they be carelesse of so great a benefit humbly prostrate in their harts and begging with all the assistance of his grace to receiue it worthely all other offices of religion may better waÌ„t the bowing of our knees then this one whereof by reason of our sinnes we may iustly feare to want the benefit and wherein we hope to receiue our sauiour and all his merits at whose name all knees are to bow both in heauen and earth therefore our kneeling at the communion as one well noteth is the gesture of piety for if we did there present our selues but to make some show or dumb resemblance of a spirituall feast it may be that sitting were the fitter ceremonie but comming as receiuers of inestimable grace at the hands of God what doth better beseeme our bodies at that hower then to be sensible witnesses of mindes vnfainedly humbled and if the example of our sauiour ouersway any mans conscience in this case we must tell them that the church hath varyed euen with allowance both the time and the place from those which our sauiour vsed and in this our Lord himselfe did that which custome and long vsage had made fit we that which fitnesse and great decency hath made vsuall which externall decent humility if any ignorantly haue stayned with superstition it is not their voluntary seruice without warrant in doing more then they ought can priuiledg vs contrary to reason and the commaundement of our owne church to performe lesse then we should For seing all locall bodyes must haue some position in all that which they do or suffer what could be thought of in this action more conuenient for both then kneeling which fitly serueth to expresse our humility in receiuing so vnspeakeable a fauour and withall to set forth the offering vp of our thanks which prostrate vpon our knees we desire god to accept in his owne sonne wherein doubtles if all men had beene wel instructed nay if many had not been taught the contrary without lawes euen reason it selfe would haue â—ould them that nothing was better beseeming there uerence of this act then hartely to begg humbly to giue thaÌ„ks for so vnspeakable a benefit vpoÌ„ their knees And therefore you haue truly considered waighing the thing it self that it was neither vnlawfull nor vnfit vpon our knees to take such a token of gods fauour wherein how far euen at ordinary times others in former ages haue gone before the presumptuous stubbernes of our dayes saint Hierom and others may witnesse For howsoeuer the motions of the body cannot well be vnlesse the minde before be prepared with the same affection yet euen that inward inuisible humilitie of the hart which gaue strength to this outwarde receiueth strength from it and that which went before that it might be done receiueth increase from it in that it is done which decent behauiour if any mislike because what the church thinketh fit to be done it punisheth sharply when it is not done these take vnto themselues a libertie that whilst the church censureth worthely the disobedience of such as heare not her voice these ouer boldly censure the church in that her voice is not guided by their tongues And if the punishment of excommunication be thought by any ouer greeuous for the omission of so indifferent a ceremonie which in your opinion is a small offeÌ„ce you must know that wise men cannot account the offence small where the disobedience is great and the disobedience cannot be little where there is a contempt of those lawes which the church doth make nay as the seruants answered Nahaman the Syrian if you had beene commaunded any great thing especially in the humility of our soules to receiue so great a benefit ought we not to haue done it and therefore howsoeuer we pitty their case yet vnexcusable is the error of those men who chuse rather to want the food of their soule by this blessed sacrament then to receiue the sacrament prostrate vpon their knees as if an opinioÌ„ of that superstitioÌ„ wherwith some others had stayned it could hurt him that kneeleth in obedience and humility especially knowing his owne heart to be vpright in that point and seeing no reason sinisterly to suspect the vertuous intentioÌ„ of this church which professeth an vtter abolishing of al superstitious ceremonies And therefore if you thinke the reuerend fathers of the church to deale with you and others in vrging of these things as the men of Lyons and Vyenna whose hurts being often and cruell shewed that they fought for some further end theÌ„ for Nero and Galba it is but your want of charity and not their fault Neither do I se how that act can be fitting to this purpose seeing as the traÌ„slatour of Tacitus doth tell you in the margent the first inhabitans of Lyons had beene driuen by force out of Vyenna and therefore were iustly to hate them as vniust vsurpers of that which was theirs Which in my small vnderstanding can beare no proportion betwixt the bishops and those which refuse subscription against whome if seuerity be vsed I date protest for some of them vpon my knowledg it is with much griefe and for no other end but for the vnitie peace of this church And if any man be excoÌ„municated in this case I dare not excuse him seeing our sauiour commaundeth vs to account him as a heatheÌ„ that will not heare the church who notwithstanding doth not giue him to Satan to condemne him but to correct him therefore I hope we may be bold to conclude as the church doth that kneeling at the communion is a ceremonie lawfull and fitly commaunded to be vsed c. and that those iustly are excommunicate who refuse to doe it APOLOGY TO end my last exception is at those words in the order of Buriall wherein we pronounce a sure and certaine hope of resurrection to eternall life ouer the departed and pray to haue our perfect consummation and blisse with him â—â—was wont to defend the booke herein thus that the church prouiding a generall order therin for her children meant not to vrge the application thereof to euery person and in that sense subscribed thereto But now I finde by the Canon that a minister is bound to bury euery corps vnlesse the party stood excommunicate with the greater excommunication then to vse the forme prescribed in the booke whence will issue that be a man neuer so haereticall or exorbitant neuer so vile in life or in death impenitent vnlesse he stood excommunicate c. The minister