that wee doe more then precepts 〈◊〉 called works of supererogation whereby it is evident against the Protestants that there be such works Annot. in Luc. 10. sect 3. That the Ch. of Rome is the family of Iesus Hook lib. 3. p. 130. whence it wil follow that the pope is not Antichrist who cannot fit in the family of Christ So the Rhemists call it the Church and house of Christ confuted therein by our divines as D. Fulk Math. 16. sect 10. That the Sacraments are morall instruments Lib. 5. p. 128. p. 133. of salvation and in their place no lesse required then faith it selfe This differeth not far from that popish position that the sacraments giue and conferre grace Rhemist act 22. sect 1. That the Scriptures and nature ioyntly not Lib. 1. p. 8◠severally are compleate unto everlasting felicitie VVhence it followeth that the Scriptures severally by themselves are not compleate to salvation VVhat other thing is affirmd by the Rhemists saying the Scripture containeth not al necessary truth Heb. 9. s 2. That the Sacraments are no Sacraments without the serious meaning and intention of the Minister the like assertion B. Iewell confuteth against Harding calling it the very dungeon of uncertainty to stay upon the intention of a mortall man Reply art c 1. p. 34. Infants if they haue not baptisme howsoeuer c. the Church as much as in her lyeth ib. 5. p. 135. casteth away their soules So the Rhemists say no man can enter into life everlasting unlesse hee bee baptized of water and the Holy Ghost Annot Iohn 3. sect 2. This position By one Butler a Commissary of the necessity of baptisme that infants dying without it are damned hath been of late publickly taught with other positions of the like nature by an unsound dogmatist in North ampt on shire as we are enformed All these divers such like popish paradoxes haue been broached set a foote in publick writing and since the Authors death haue been again revived with whom we wish they had been buried and defended by publick writing to the great offence of sincere Protestants and the no small ioy of superstitious Papists of this sort and savouring of the same leauen are these such like doctrines that iustifying faith may be lost that it is not proper to the elect that a man cannot be sure of his salvation that a man hath free will to beleeve that Christ died not onely for the Elect. These and such like positions haue been publickly by some maintained both in pulpits and Scholes How then are not our brethren ashamed to call these false imputations and shamelesse suggestions 2. VVee charge not the Leiturgie with Popish opinions though we wish it discharged of some needlesse ceremonies and what a simple argument is this The book containeth no popish opinions Ergo none haue been taught in the Church or there is a book of articles of religiō agreed upō in thē an uniformity of doctrine in som things Ergo there is an uniformity of doctrine prescribed for all other points There are diverse hundred points of doctrine wherein Protestants and Papists dissent the fourth part of them is not conteyned in that booke VVe reverence and allow that book and wish that what is wanting may be added that an uniformity Vniformitie of dostrine of doctrine may be agreed upon for all other poynts of doctrine as is done for those already there expressed 3. VVee put not weapons into the adversaries hand to wound us which complaine of unsound teaching but they giue occasion advantage to them that depart frō the currāt doctrine of the Protestants and refine over the old Popish dregges VVherefore our brethrens words it bad been good that these men had been never able to write then to write thus to the scandale of Gods Church and his sacred truth might more truly haue been uttered against those that haue thus in their writing maintained corrupt popish doctrine then against them that haue profitably employed both their tongues and pennes against the common Adversarie How far now are our Brethren from the Spirit of Moyses who wished that all the people of God could prophecy And Numb 11. 28. our Saviour biddeth us to pray the Lord of the haruest to send forth labourers into his harvest But these wish that many Mat. 11. 38 profitable men had been never able to write VVe may say to them as Hierome to his adversary there are Papists among us Atheists Hier. ad Theophi advers Ioan. Hieros Familists c. VVhy do they not taxe them haue they a spite onely at us doe wee onely make a rent in the Church that communicate with the Church Nos soli qui Ecclesiae communicamus Ecclesiam scindere dicimur ARTIC 2. Of bowing at the name of Iesus Obiect REverence done at the name of Iesus is not superstition c. But an apparent token of devotion why doe they not find fault likewise with kneeling sighing weeping c. Answ 1 How followeth it wee may kneele sigh weep knock upon our brests hold up our hands to heaven in our prayers Ergo it is lawfull to bow at the name of Iesus seing for the one we haue warrant both by precepts and example of Scripture and so wee haue not for the other 2. In that the knee is bowed rather at the name of Iesus then of Christ or of God the Father and God the holy Ghost it is evident that this reverence is done to the name not to the divine Maiesty which equally in all these names is to be adored if then the sound of the name be adored it is superstition if the person it bringeth an inequality of the Godhead 3. As well may the name of Iesus be bowed unto when it is seene painted or written in the glasse windowes as when it is pronounced for why should not the sight thereof be as holy to the eye as the sound to the eare And indeed thus a certaine late Popish Synode perswaded to kneele down before an image because the people bow at the name of Iesus these are their words Nec maiori idololatriae periculo quam ad nomen Iesu genu flectitur quem enim vocula cursim auribus insinuat hunc eundē fidelibus oculis imago repraesentat 4. The petitioners therefore had good cause to moue that ministers be not contrary to their iudgement consciece wit hout warant of the word to teach their people for that place which is commonly alleadged Phil. 2. 10. God hath given him a name aboue all names that at the name of Iesus should every knee bow both of things in heaven things in earth c. can haue no such meaning 1. The Apostle speaketh not of the outward knee for the Angels haue no such knees which notwithstanding do bow at the name of Iesus as the Apostle saith let all the Angels Hebr. 1. 6. of God worship him And Ambrose saith
agnoscentes Angeli mysterium genu illi flectentes Ambros in ◠lim 3. the Angels do bow their knees 2. Neither doth the Apostle speake of a name consisting of letters and sillables but of the divine power given unto Iesus that shall be adored of all as the Prophet expoundeth every knee shall bow to him and every Esay 25. 23. tongue shall sweare by him This argument is urged by Ambrose nomen quod est super Ambr. in Ph. 1. 2. omne nomen c. this name aboue all names is the name of God if this name did not consist by nature it were not aboue every name appellativum enim nomen in solo vocabulo est non in natiuitate naturae a name appellatiue is onely in the word not in the naturall generation 3. Of the puklick reading of Apocrypha Obi. THEY are grossely ignorant if they know it not or wilfully malitious c. if knowing they impugne c. Answ 1. I hope our brethren will not Defens Apol p. 57◠account Reverend Bishop Iewell either grossely ignorant or wilfully malitious and turbulent though they so call vs at their pleasure who proueth out of the Laodicene and Hipponense Councell as also Laodicen cans 59. out of Chrisostome and the decrees of the French Kings liues and Charles that nothing should bee read in Christs congregation but the Canonicall Scriptures The words of the Laodicene Councell are these non oportet libros qui sunt extra canonem legere nisi solos canonicos veteris novi testamenti 2. Hierome himselfe who is here obiected giving way to those times seemeth sometime to tolerate the reading of the Apocriphall books for the stories sake yet wisheth the same to bee done cautelously Caveat omnia Apocrypha c. Take heed of the Apocrypha and if Hierom ad Laetam any will read them not for the worth of doctrine but reverence of the story know he that they are not theirs whose title they beare Multaque his admixta vitiosa grandis esse prudentiae aurum in lute quaerere And that many faulty things are mingled and it is a prudent part to seeke gold in the mire 3. But the Apocrypha giue light to the divine story Answ So doth Iosephus and Plinie with other foraine writers doth it follow therfore that they should bee read in the Church though they giue some light yet the Scripture giueth to it selfe a greater light which as his Maiesty saith is alwayes the best interpreter of it selfe And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 10 Meditat. in 20. Revel in another place his Maiesty excellently writeth We are taught onely to use Scripture for the interpretation of Scripture if we would be sure and never swarue from the analogie of faith in expounding 4. Our reasons against the publick reading of Apocripha are these 1. In the Church of the Iewes in the Apostles time onely Moyses and the Prophets were read Act. 13. 15. 15. 22. 2. The Scriptures are sufficient both for doctrine and manners 2. Tim. 3. 16. 3. Because the Apocrypha books as Hierom saith contayne many falsities mixed with truth The contradictions between the Canonicall book of Esther and the Apocryphall are divers and not to be reconciled as the learned haue noted the story of Bell and the Dragon Hierom calleth fables and so doth Augustine in Tobie the Angell is Consule Whit. q. 1. de script c. 18. Praef. in Dan. Aug. de mirabilibus lib. 2. c. 32. broght in to tel a tale that he was of the stock of Azarias c. 5. 8. The devil is driven away with the smel of a broiled liver c. 8. 3. The story of Iudith commendeth such trickes and devises as became not the modesty of a woman professing vertue Ecclesiasticus telleth us that Samuell prophecied after hee was dead c. 46. 20. In the Macchabees Iudas is commended for offering sacrifice for the dead l. 2. c. 12. Razis extolled for killing himselfe l. 2. c. 14. v. 42. 4. Books that beare false titles are not to be read in the Church which the Canon calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can Apost 59. but such are the Apochriphall books Hierom saith non eorum esse quorum titulis praenotantur they are not theirs whose title they shew Augustine saith that the booke of wisdome is thought to bee Salomons propter non nullam eloquij similitudinem but for some likenesse of the style l. 17. de Civ Dei c. 20. 5. That which giveth occasion of error should not be admitted but the reading of Apochripha is occasion of errour to induce the people to thinke that they are Scripture And therefore the Laodicene Councell ioyneth both these together quae oportet legi in authoritatem recipi haec sunt these are the books which ought to be read and received into authority can 59. Ergo c. Lastly what other thing haue the petitioners here moved then his Maiesty hath first written As to the Apocripha books I omit them because I am no Papist and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 1◠indeed some of them are no wayes like the ditement of the Spirit of God I hope now our brethren will leaue for the urging of this point of those fierce termes of grossely ignorant wilfully malicious and turbulent lest wee say to them as Augustine to Iulian when hee had produced Hilarie against lib. 2. cont Iulian. pelag him nunc ergo ne tuis stomachi fellis indigesta maledictorum cruditate rumpatur in bunc evome si audes calumniosas tuas vanitates Now lest your stomacke burst with undigested rankor cast it upon him if you dare c. THE DEFENCE OF THE SECOND part of the Petition concerning Church Ministers 1. Of a learned Ministry FIRST in that we desire that none but Preachers from hence forth bee admitted to the ministrie what do our brethren meane to impugne so honest and reasonable a petition doe we herein request any more then his Maiesty hath in his princely Book approved thus writing see all your Churches within your Dominions planted with good pastors what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 43. is there now so grosse in our Church which these men will not mayntayne taking vpon them to iustify an vnlearned ministery vnlesse they mistike this motion because it proceedeth of vs Hierome sayth in alijs probant quod in me reprobant quasi praefac in paralip virtus vitium non in rebus sit sed cum authoribus mutetur They like that in others which in me they mislike as though good and evell were not in the things but altered with their authors 2. what reason had they for the Lord day which terme the petitioners Of the name of Sunday vse to say Sunday Doth this name which was inuented of the heathen better like them then the name of that day found in scripturs Or did not the fathers much mislike those heathenish Apoc. 1. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
for these things to take away many a true Sheppard and to commit or leaue the flock unto many a Wolfe and blind guide which will either make havock of them or lead them into the ditch of destruction Thirdly to leaue the Papists cause wholy 1. by retaining their ceremonies 2. suppressing our best Ministers 3. by withdrawing or mis-spending the gifts of themselues and others to mutuall brawles and so to giue them rest to mischiefe the Church and increase their Synagogue 4. by opening their mouth to blaspheme the Gospell by these our mutuall brables Fourthly to driue many hereby on the rock of Schisme and lamentable Separation the plentifull experience whereof hath bred much griefe in the hearts of the well affected Fifthly to undoe so many Ministers and their families of very good desert of the meanes of their maintenance to their utter undoing being so fitted for the Ministerie and unfitted for any thing else Sixthly to cause the Sabboth a morall precept of God to bee prophaned for ceremonies of mens addition and that in so many places of the Nation Seventhly to punish the people for the fault of their Pastor if any be For it is the Minister that conformeth not but by his silencing the people are plagued Pro. 29. 18. Hosea 4. 6. This is iniustice to punish one man for the offence of another Eightly to do a thing cleane contrary to that themselues pray for at least which Christ commands to pray for For Christ commands his to pray to the LORD of the harvest that he would thrust forth labourers into his harvest which when he hath done they thrust them out Math. 9. 38. Ninthly it utterly undoeth the Minister a painfull labourer of Iesus Christ as also his wife and children and disableth them to liue which by Gods apoyntment should be maintained 1. Cor. 9. 14. yea well maintainded 1. Tim. 5. 17. This is opposite to the law of loue Iustice Whereby it doth manifestly appeare that the Authour is very grosly abused because his whole minde is not published but so much onely as best serveth the Prelates turne a trick not unusuall with them for their advantage Witnesse amongst others the English translation of Bucanus his Common places Whereout the Authours discourse touching Discipline translated by Doctor Hill yea imprinted is taken and a discourse of Bishops governement put into the roome thereof both without Doctor Hils knowledge Nay hath not this Index expurgatorius tampered with the holy Scriptures themselues Obserue for the present but two places Act. 14. 23. is thus translated not onely in the Geneva but also in the former Church translation And when they had ordained them Elders by election But the new translation with the Rhemists leaveth out these words by election Why It is not to be suffered that the people should haue any hand in chusing their ministers but papal Bishops must do all 1. Cor. 12. 28. is translated both by the Geneva and former Church translation Helpers Governors but the new translators herein worse then the Rhemists translate it Helpes in governments foisting into the Text this preposition in Why They cannot abide Elders to assist the minister in governing Christ his Church So that Curchwardens are but the Prelats promoters But we must passe by this as their natural weaknesse seeing it is sucked in with the milk of their mother scil the Church of Rome from whom they haue receiued their callings also these corruptions thus by them pleaded for together with this unscholler like nay dishonest means of upholding the same 2 The tearmes of the main conclusion of the whole Tractate are to be considesidered scil It is necessary for a Minister to conforme to the ceremonies prescribed in the Church of England rather then to suffer deprivation Where it is to be noted 1. that he speaketh not one word in defence of the subscription required and yet most if not all these that are debarred from the execution of the worke of the Ministery in our Churches whether they haue been heretofore silenced or not are debarred principally for refusall of the sayd subscription To very little purpose therefore are his foure inferences layd down in the third page of his book nay in truth to very little purpose were his whole book were he able to iustifie all he hath written which all wise men may easily perceiue that he is never able to performe 2. That he speaketh so saintly for those ceremonies that not daring to say the required conformity is necessary either in it self or in respect of the Magistrates command he sayth onely this That it is necessaty rather then to suffer deprivation So that as in the Paragraph gelded by the Prelats it is evident that extra casum deprivationis a Minister is not to bee blamed for not conforming to them in this Authors iudgement nay that the Prelats are rather utterly to be blamed for requiring Conformity thereto 3 Every of those three arguments whereby hee endevoureth to proue this conclusion falleth as much too short of proving the conclusion as the conclusion it selfe doth of condemning the silenced Ministers of sin for not conforming rather then to suffer deprivation which are not deprived for not conforming but for not subscribing which he himselfe amongst his religious friends hath often both of old and also of late professed he neither would nor could yeeld to do for any mans pleasure under heauen what losse or punishment soever he suffered therefore The first Argument drawne from the doctrine and practise of the Apostles who taught that the Iewish Ceremonies were beggerly rudiments Traditions Will-worships Doctrines of Men c. and yet did practise the same besides many other iust exceptions is guilty of the fallacy à bene divisis ad male coniuncta seeing it is altogether as false that the Apostle did so teach and yet so practise in the same Churches as it is true that they did so teach and yet so practise at all For among the Iewes and in their Churches onely did they so practise to whom those Mosaicall Ceremonies were even lately before the saving ordinances of God given by God himself for their edification training up in religion to eternall life And the Author hath utterly failed to proue that the Apostles did so teach as is abouesayd in any of those Churches but onely in the Gentile Churches to whom they were never given by God to any such end nor indeed at all and there the Apostle Paul would not by any meanes suffer the use and practise of those Ceremonies to bee brought in no not for the space of an houre Galath 2. 5. but rather sharply reproved Peter and Barnabas openly and to the face for giving way thereunto Gal. 2. 14. lest by building againe the things hee had destroyed he should make himselfe a transgresser Gal. 2. 18. And hereto agree the rest Acts 21. 25. And if hee would not giue way no not for an houre that the Mosaicall Ceremonies should
loue of the truth that they might be saved 2. Thes 2. 10. 11. Now the very God of peace sanctify thee throughout in thy person in all thy wayes works and I pray God that thy whole spirit soule and body may be kept blamelesse unto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ even so Amen TO THE MOST CHRISTIAN and excellent Prince our gratious and Dread Soveraigne IAMES by the grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland c. Wee the Ministers and Preachers of the Church of England that desire Reformation wish a long prosperous and happy raigne over us in this life and in the next everlasting salvation MOst gratious and dread Soveraigne we little thought when first our humble Perition was exhibited to your excellent Maiesty it being both for the matter honest and for the manner peaceable should haue found so hard entertainment abroad as that this action of ours so Answ to the Petit. Epist. Ded. p. 4. l. 21. secretly orderly and lawfully enterprised should be by publick writing traduced as unduly and dishonestly attempted Our meaning was onely to intimate to your Majesty the state of our Church not to lay open the nakednes of our Mother to the scandall of the enemy nor to appeale to inferiour iudges to the preiudice of your Maiesty to whom the cognizance of this cause and deciding of this strife of right appertayneth We trust therefore that as Abraham composed the variance between Genes 13. Exod 2. his and Lots servants Moses between the Hebrewes Constantine among the Church Ministers so it will please your Majesty to be a iudge between us and to giue us leaue to defend iustifie our innocent cause As for us we say with the Apostles We cannot but speak the things which we haue seen and heard and approue that saying Act 4. 20. of Hierome Minoris peccati est sequi malum quod bonum putaris quam non audere defendere quod pro bono Dialog 1. advers Pelagian certo noveris Now then most noble King giue your faithfull subiects and unsained lovers of the trueth your princely leaue to iustify their honest and godly petition which hath been by some of our Brethren in their heate impugned In which their enterprise we humbly craue licence to propound certain generall observations which we referre to your Highnesse Christian consideration First whereas wee your Maiesties 1. Observation Opposition between the Kings iudgement the Censurers of Oxford humble Petitioners haue throughout conformed our desires and requests to your Maiesties iudgement who haue wished us to iudge of your future proiects according to your by-past actions and haue proportioned our suites after the rule prescribed in your Majesties book which you would Preface to Basil haue taken of all men as an image of your mind and a Discovery of that which may be looked for at your hands Yet our brethren to our understanding haue been bould in diverse points to oppose their indgement to your Maiesties 1. They count it an unsufferable Pag. 7. thing to permit any thing touching the government of the Church to be so much as questioned Whereas it hath pleased your Maiesty in your princely wisdome to permit and will a conference of the learned concerning such matters 2. They will not grant that these Pag. 10. articulated are the peccant humors of the Church and so consequently acknowledge none Your Majesty saith otherwise no kingdom lackes her own diseases and seemeth not to be ignorāt of corruptions stoln into the state 3 They justifie ceremonies traditions not warranted by the word as the crosse in baptisme the surplice interrogatories ministred to infants Confirmation But your Maiesty Basil p. 18. 19. hath shewed us to ground our conscience onely upon the expresse Scripture and to discerne between the expresse will Commandement of God in his word and the invention and ordinance of man 4. They count them turbulent p. 14. that would not haue the Apocrypha read in the Church But your Maiesties iudgement is otherwise as to the apocrypha books I omit them because Basil p. 1. I am no Papist and indeed some of them are no wayes like the ditement of the Spirit of God 5. Your Majesties princely resolution Basil p. 43. is to see all your Churches within your Dominions planted with good Pastors Our brethren say it is impossible and that the defects of some p. 15. Ans men may be better supplied by other meanes then by preaching as by reading of Scripture and of homilies p. 16. p. 14. and of the service boke and that all Ministers were not preachers in the primitiue Church 6. Your Maiestie most truly affirmeth Basil p. 4. according to the Apostle that faith commeth by hearing the word preached Our brethren say that the P. 16. Ans reading of Scriptuers of Sermons and Homilies are the ordinary effectuall meanes to increase faith 7. Your Maiesties Christian motion to the Vniversity is that leases of their tithes impropriate be so demised as Ecclesiastical persons onely may be maintained inabled to execute their functions the Collegdes being provided for But our Brethren do charge the p. 19. Petitioners for this motion with lack of conscience 8. Your Majesties care is that the Basil p. 43. doctrine be preserved in purity according to Gods word The Petitioners for moving to haue an uniformity of Doctrine and all popish opinions abolished are challenged for shamelesse p. 13. suggestions 9. Your Majesties will is that the Basil 13. discipline bee likewise preserved in puritie according to the word of God The Petitioners humbly desire accordingly that the discipline may be administred according to Christs institution for this motion they are reproved p. 20. 10. Your Maiesty most princelike Basil praef professeth equally to loue and honour the learned and graue men of either opinion that like better of the single forme of pollicy in the Church of Scotland or of the many ceremonies in the Church of England Our brethren Epist. p. 5. count the Petitioners Shismaticks Hypocrites dishonest persons for misliking of some ceremonies and other abuses and wish the land were cleane purged of them 11. Your Maiesty giveth this honorable Basil praef 11. testimony of the godly ministers of Scotland that there is presently a sufficient number of good men of them in that kingdom But the Confuters p. 30. say There are not many men brought up among them in this last reformed age worthy of that wonted honorable maintenance 12. Your Majesty specially provideth for keeping holy the Lords day so that alwayes the Sabboths be kept holy and no unlawfull pastime bee used But our brethren seeme to urge the Ans p. 13 rest upon other holy dayes as strictly as upon the Lords day Whatsoeuer opinion is conceiued of our brethren and howsoeuer they are men of credit and estimation in
tela divexi sed ad Russin meo tantum vulneri admovi manum Lastly wee note our brethrens oversight 4. observat in their manner of proceeding in publique impugning what was secretly intended and in proclaiming to the world that which only we presented to your Maiesty And whereas our brethren suggest that soone after this our petition and motion being made were sent forth Epist p. 3. into all quarters of the Realme store of the sayd pretended Petitions It is true may is please your Maiesty that no copies of the sayd petition were delivered to any beside our selues excepting that only which was exhibited to your Maiesty since which time no copies at all were dispersed into any quarters of the realme much lesse into all neyther before were any hands required to it but only consent So that notwithstanding these pretenses our brerhren are found to bee troublers of the state not the petitioners and to haue blowne the coales and kindled the flames which wee goe about to quench Wherefore wee humbly desyre your Maiestie that it bee not imputed to vs as a presumptuous part to answer for our selues being provoked neyther preiudiciall to the conference determined wee may verily say with Hierome si superbum Ad Theoph. sit respondisse multo sit superbius accusasse If it be a proud thing modestly to answer much more insolently to accuse Besyde as is our Brethrens cause such are theyr proofes they haue inmayntenāce The Censurers sparing in their proofs out of Scripture of theyr fāsies throughout theyr boke alledged but one text of scripture for any matter in question betweene vs which are about the number of thirty seueral points so that wee may say vnto them in Augustines words Qui divina testimonia non sequuntur pondus humani testimonij perdiderunt They which follow not the divine testimony haue lost the credit of their owne Now we humbly commend the innocency of our felues and the goodnesse of our cause to your Maiesties Christian iudgement we sue for nothing but wherein Gods word doth beare us out whereof your Maiesty hath given us hope and for the which we doubt not but to answer for our selues in the presence of God We trust that God hath raised your Maiesty up as another David to settle the pillars of the earth Psal 73. 3. that were shaken and as the Prophet sayth to take off the heavy burthens Esay 58. 6. burthenous ceremonies burthenous censures burthenous abuses which many haue a long time groned under Augustine to this purpose sayth well handling these words of the Psalme They haue ploughed upon my In Psa 128. back Ascende in dorsum meum portare te habeo c. Nunquid semper super dorsum meum eris veniet tandem qui te inde excutiet And he is now come wee trust which shall breake these yokes and God we are perswaded will inable your Maiesty to do that which shall bee acceptable to himselfe profitable to his Church comfortable to your own soule that we may all salute your Maiesty with the salutation of the Church of David Psa 20. 4. 5 the Lord grant thee according to thine heart and fulfill all thy purpose that we may reioyce in thy salvation set up our banner in the house of God when the Lord shall performe all thy petitions that we may all triumphātly say of your Maiesty as Ambrose of Ambr. Theodosij fides the good Emperour Theodosius Iacobi regis fides nostra victoria Your Maiesties most faithfull subiects The humble Petitioners the Ministers and Preachers that desire reformation according to the word of God THE ANATOMY OF THE CONTROVERSED CEREMONIES OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND BEEING considered in their Nature and Circumstances By Iohn Sprint Minister of Thornby in GLOCESTERSHIRE 1 Beginning 1 Blinde zeale and superstition as the Fountaine 2 Tradition as the streame and Channell 3 Popish mass-Masse-booke as the puddle 2 End 1 Of inventing 1 To please Iew and Gentile by a perverse imitation 2 To paint Gods Worship with a needlesse adornation 2 Of maintaining 1 To claw and curry favour vvith Papists Atheists c. 2 Vo uphold our Church corruptions 1 Lordly Prelacie 2 Non-residency 3 Dumbe Ministery 3 To snare the faithfull professor 4 To nourish the carnall Gospeller 5 To thrust out the faithfull Teacher 6 To keepe out Christs Discipline 3 Persons 1 For them 1 Ordaining 1 Sathan inspired them 2 Man invented them 3 Fathers by tradition delivered them 2 Commanding and enforcing them 1 The Beast 1 Antichrist 2 His Bishops 2 Man 1 The Magistrate abused 2 Lordly Prelates abusing 3 Defending 1 Popish Champions 2 Dignified Chaplins alias Chop-livings 3 Covetous Chancellors 4 Ambitious Pluralists 5 Symonaicall Patrons alias Latrons 4 Approving 1 Impious Atheists 2 Ignorant Papists 3 Dumbe Homilists 4 Temporizing Statists 5 Povvling Registers 6 Provvling Paritors 7 Prating Proctors 8 All prophane livers 2 Against them 1 Refusing the most faithfull painfull blessed 1 Pastors 2 Exiles 3 Martyrs 2 Disliking the most zealous and godly people of all sorts 3 Disproving the most sincere learned forraine English 1 Writers 2 Preachers 4 Rejecting the purest and best reformed Churches 4 Matter 1 Negatiue No ordinances or commandements of God 2 Affirmatiue 1 Mans 1 Inventions 2 Precepts 3 Traditions 2 Antichrists 1 Idols 2 Will-vvorships 3 Reliques 5. Manner of urging maintaining 1 Reasoning 1 Cavilling 2 Railing 3 Slandering 4 Stirring up the Magistrate 1 Against the Innocent 2 Against their Brethren 2 Censuring 1 Suspending 2 Excommunicating 1 For a trifle 2 For things good 3 Ipsofacto 3 Deposing depriving degrading of 1 Law 2 Living 3 Ministery 6 Qualitie 1 Needlesse and superfluous because 1 Added to Gods perfect Ordinances 2 Gods Church worship may be without them 3 Not required of God nor having any speciall or generall ground out of the Word 2 Vnprofitable because they 1 Edifie not Men. 2 Glorifie not God 3 Serue not in the Church 1 For Order 2 For decencie 3 Hurtfull unto the 1 Weake by offence 2 Ignorant by superstition 3 Popish by Idolatry 4 Brethren by dissention 5 Godly by 1 Inward griefe 2 Outward persecution 6 Schismatickes by separation Occasioned 4 Wicked against the 2d. commandement 1 In disgracing the Sacraments Worship of God 2 In being defiled with superstion and Idolatry 3 In being the monuments of Idolatry 4 In being Will-worships 5 In bringing into Gods Worship the manner of 1 Iewes 2 Gentiles 3 Hereticks 4 Papists 6 In being symbolicall or signifying holy signes of mans invention Effect 1 In the persons for them 1 Prescribers and maintainers 1 Privation or abolishing of good namely of 1 Of Christian liberty to bind the conscience 1 Where God hath not tied 2 Where Christ hath freed 3 Vnder the same censures are greater penalty and strictnes then the breach of Gods commandements 4 Not to do that 1 Which is agreeing to the Word 2 which
God coÌ„maÌ„ds 2 Exercises of Religion Gods own ordinances 1 Preaching 2 Prophesying 3 Fasting 4 Dispossessing 3 Quiet and peace of the Church 4 People robbed of their Pastors 5 Painfull Pastors of their maintenance 2 Occasion of e-evill of 1 Sin 1 Abuse of censures in 1 Suspending 2 Excommunicating 1 Vainly 2 Vniustly 3 Vngodly 4 Ipso facto 3 Depriving 2 Prophanation of 1 Sabboth 2 Worship 3 Tyranny in Prelates 4 A foul-murdring ministry 1 Dumbe 2 Non-resident 5 Carnall liberty Atheisme grosse ignorance in the people 6 Contempt of GODS 1 Word 2 Ministery 2 Punishment Iudgements certainly following these evils 1 Bodily 2 Spirituall 2 Vsers a 2 In the persons against them b a Vsers 1 For loue 1 A Cloke of their 1 Ignorance 2 Slothfulnesse 3 Fleshlinesse 4 Covetousnesse 5 False and corrupt Doctrine 6 Scandalous life 2 A spur and sword unto their 1 Envy and Malice 2 Railing disgracing and persecuting of their 2 For feare 1 By present practise 1 Destroying former doctrine 2 Shutting up the mouth against corruptions 3 Quenching their zeale 4 Wounding their conscience 5 Reioycing the enemies of the truth 6 Grieving the friends of the truth 7 Estranged froÌ„ the better part 8 Linked to the worser part in 1 Affection 2 Practise 3 Fellowship 9 Confirming and countenacing the Prelates ungodly and tyrannous proceedings 10 Alluring occasioning others to fall by their 〈◊〉 2 By preparatioÌ„ unto 1 Subscription unlimited and ex animo to that all good Christians consciences do ex animo ablâ— 2 To plead for the great corruption of 1 Lordly Domination 2 Dumbe Ministery 3 Non-residency 3 To practise favour and maintaine them 4 To oppose and persecute 1 The cause of God 2 Their innocent godly breâ—â—â—â—â— b In persons against them 1 Refusing 1 God is glorified 2 The truth is iustified 3 The godly edified and strengthned 4 The adversaries mouthes stopped 5 The ignorant provoked to search and finde the truth 6 Themselues haue 1 Peace of conscience 2 Triall of patience 3 Note of faithfulnesse 4 Ioy in suffering 5 Increase of zeale 6 Hope of glory 2 Removing 1 Evill falleth 1 Corruptions in 1 Doctrine Of the Church 2 Ministery Of the Church 3 Government Of the Church 2 Scandall to the 1 Godly 2 Weake 3 Wicked 3 Prophanation in 1 Sacraments 2 Worship 3 Sabboth 4 Papistry Atheisme open wickednesse 2 Good flourisheth 1 Increase of faithfull Pastors 2 Increase of godlinesse in the people 3 Purity of 1 Doctrine 2 Worship 4 Peace loue and decent order in the Church 5 CoÌ„formity with the 1. Word 2 Best reformed Church 6 Gods blessing on 1 Church 2 Whole land BELLVM CEREMONIALE THE CEREMONIALL BATTELL Behold the Leaders and the Souldiers The better part disclaimes them The worser sort retaines them 1 God neuer planted nor his spirit inspired them 1 Sathan inspired them Man invented them 2 Christ hath freed us from them 2 Antichrist enthrales us vvith them 3 Holy Apostles neuer taught nor practised them 3 Romish Apostates euer taught practised them 4 Christian Churches reformed haue abolished them 4 Antichristian Romish church deformed retaines them 5 Word of God condemnes them 5 Masse booke justifieth them 6 Purest Writers conclude against them 6 Popish vvriters patronise them 7 Godly Martyres suffered for them 7 Vngodly Bishops persecute for them 8 The godly zealous Exiles vvithstood them 8 Carnall contentious Exiles stood for them 9 The most Reuerend Bishops vvisht them remoued to further the Gospell 9 The most tyrannous proud Prelates suppresseth the Gospel for them 10 Our soundest Doctors taught against them 10 Our popish Rabbins corrupt Statists plead for them 11 Our faithfull and vnreproued Pastors refuse them 11 All scandalous Non-residents Non-preaching Ministers use them 12 All sincere Professors are offended at them and detest them 12 All popish carnall vvicked haters of God rejoyce in them The Weapons 1 Offending svvord of the Spirit 2 Defending shield of 1 Faith 2 Patience 1 Offending 1 Svvord 2 edges 1 Railing slandering 2 persecuting imprisoning 2 Cannon 1 Excommunicating 2 Suspending 3 depriving of Living Lavv. 4 degrading or deposing 2 Defending by the buckler of authoritie 1 Fathers traditions 2 Mens precepts The Event of the Battell 1 Humiliation in Gods sight 1 Encrease of pride before God and Man 2 Exercise of Christian patience 2 Practise of Antichristian crueltie 3 Tryall of faithfullnesse 3 Discovery of unfaithfulnesse 4 Vnity of faith 4 Endlesse dissentions 5 Increase of loue among themselues 5 Increase of contentions among brethren 6 Godly zeale inflamed 6 Superstitious zeale occasioned 7 Conformity vvith Christ and the godly 7 Conformity vvith Antichrist and Worldlings 8 Peace of conscience 8 Conscience accusing 9 Ioy in suffering 9 Terror in persecuting 10 Furtherance of the Gospell 10 Hinderance of the Gospell 11 Christian liberty maintained 11 Bondage enforced 12 Offences remoued 12 Offences given 13 The elect conuerted 13 The vvicked hardened 14 The truth cleared 14 Papistry cloked 15 Gods blessing on their life labors that vvithstand them 15 Gods iudgments on the hand of them that maintaine them 16 Gods holy name glorified 16 Gods holy name blasphemed 17 Pleasing the godly greiuing the vvicked 17 Grieving the godly pleasing the vvicked 18 Confidence and gladnesse at the judgement day 18 Confusion and trembling before the iudgement seat of God THE DEFENCE OF THE PETITION FOR REFORMATION The Reply to the generall censures CENSVRE 1. IT is inconvenient and unsufferable to permit a long and well-setled state of governement to be so much as questioned Ans First then wherein the state is well-setled we neither make question nor desire alteration but where some wants and imperfections are found which are indeed no parts of our state but blemishes it is neither inconvenient for your Maiestie where you see cause to alter nor unsufferable in us to make question It is both honorable to your Maiestie to supply what is wanting to restore what is decaying to remoue what is offending and we trust not disloyall in us to desire some things to be questioned conferred upon which your M ry in your Christian policie seeth neither to be inconvenient nor insufferable It is an honour for Princes to adde to their predecessors worke as Iosua did to Moses Salomon to Davids Nehemiah to Zorobabels Religion is perfected by degrees and reformation can Religion perfected by degrees Lib. 7. in Luc. hardly be wrought in one age Ambrose saith well Non in principijs perfecta quaeruntur sed à principijs ad ea quae perfecta sunt pervenitur The perfection of things is not sought in their beginnings but men proceed from the beginnings to those things which are perfect The Law Imperiall saith Qui subtiliter factum emendat laudabilior Cod. lib. 1. tit 2. l. 1. Iustinian est eo qui primus invenit Hee that exactly bettereth that which is done deserues more commendation then he who first invented it And as
not that is good so neither in our freinds commend wee that which is euill as he well sayth nec bonis aduersariorum si quid honestum Hierom Pammach Ocean habuerint detrahendum est nec amicorum laudanda sunt vitia 4. Obiect Those men might haue better performed their obedience to God c what are these men they should assume so much Answ 1. wee haue assumed nothing Iust cōplaints not disloyall which becommeth not good subiects to lay open our complaynts to our gracious Soveraigne as the members send vp their greifes to the head 2. Neither doe wee seeke to abuse the Clergie but to honor them when wee desire they might in everie congregation shine as lampes both in life and doctrine 3. VVhat greater obedience to God then to bee found faithfull what better service to his Maiesty then to acquaint him with the wants of that body wherof he is the head what truer loue to the Church then to desire her perfection 4. VVee trust his Maiesty counteth it no trouble to heare his honest subiects complaynts as by his owne princely words wee are incouraged weary not to heare the complaints of the oppressed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 92. aut ne Rex sis Preachers and ministers that humblie sue for redresse trouble not the Church but idle non residents dumb ministers couetous pluralists are the men which are setled in their dregges and will not haue their sowre lees drawne forth As for vs wee blesse God for our externall peace and heartily desyre the true internall peace that we may be all according to the Apostles rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 4. 15. following the truth in loue and louinge in the truth and so we say with Hierome ad Theoph vnto our brethren that seeme to stand so much upon peace and quietnesse nihil grande est voce pacem praetendere opere destruere c. it is nothing to pretend peace in word and destroy it indeed VVee also would peace and we wish not onely but entreat peace the peace of Christ true peace pacem quae not ut adversarios subijciat sed ut amicos iungat such peace which may not subdue us as enemies but ioyn us as friends 5. Obiect They must prooue that those Vntruth 7. These are the peccant humors are the peccant humours of the Church which in truth is the least peccant of any other c. Ans 1. If these such like be not the Who come neerest the Catharsts peccant humors in the body of the Church there are none at all thus these men seem to come neerer to the Puritans Catharists then those whom they in their answer haue traduced that acknowledge all things pure in the Church and no thing amisse how farre are they from redressing that are so farre of from confessing their wants Ambrose well saith sensus vulneris est sensus vitae the sense of griefe is the sense of life 2. VVe wish even in our hearts it were as they say that our Church were least peccant in the world then should we haue no contention about humane rites Non-residents dumbe ministers Commendams faculties abuse of Excommunication and such like which are strange in other reformed Churches 3. Reverend Bishop Iewel where he saith we are come as neere as possibly we could to the Church of the Apostles neither meaneth How we are come neere the Apostles the abuses and peccant humors of our Church which he would never haue iustified nor yet all the ceremonies for else were he alledgeth out of Valafridius Abbas that in the beginning the cōmunion was ministred without any difference of apparrell and sheweth that it was so in Hieroms time defence Apol. 401. Neither yet doth hee meane that the discipline of the Primitiue Church is exactly restored for the booke it selfe confesseth that the godly discipline of the Primitiue Church is now wanting and besides In the commination hee sheweth in this place wherein the Church of England is departed from the Church of Rome which is not in the administration of discipline received from them and else where he reproveth Harding Defenc. apol 41. for saying Christ and his Apostles never ruled the Cburch in better order then it is now ruled by the Pope his Cardinais Our brethren say as much in effect that it is ruled as well by Bishops VVherefore his meaning must needes be that in doctrine and in the substance of the Sacraments we are come neere it and for the rest as neere as possibly we could that is as the times would permit and suffer And we desire our brethren to tell us in good sooth whether in the Primitiue Church of the Apostles the crosse in Baptisme the surplice in the Communion were used whether they read of any Chancellours officials c. Non-residents dumbe Ministers in those times It is all we desire that the discipline of our Church may be reduced to the forme of the Apostles government Lastly haue our brethren no more chariry then to wish that the petitioners whom they untruely call unquite and mal-contended humors were purged out of the land If they proceed on in such wishes they will giue us cause to complaine as Hierome doth of an uncharitable adversarie of his talibus institutus Apol. 3. advers Ruf. es disciplinis ut cui respondere non poteris caput auferas linguam quae tacere non potest seces You haue learned that whom you cannot answer his head you would chop off and cut out the tongue that you cannot silence but we wish better unto them with the Apostle if yee bee otherwise minded that God would reveale it unto you in his good time 6. Obiect To subscribe to that in respect Of subscription upon protestation c. of the times which in it selfe is vnlawfull proveth little lesse then hypocrisie c. Answ In these petitioners which subscribed to the booke in which terme is no disdaine at all there was neither dishonesty nor hypocrisie so to doe although they simply allow it not 1. They subscribed with protestation some with condition other some upon expositions giuen them which is no meere falsity but a cleere verity as some of our Bishops and their Registers do know and some of the subscribers are able to shew Fox p. 118. But this argueth no sincerity say our brethren VVhat would they then haue said of Reverend Cranmer who was sworne to the Pope upon protestation acknowledging his authority no further then it Zanch. Miscel p. 35. agreed with the expresse word of God Or what would our brethren haue thought of Zanchius that with some exceptions and interpretations subscribed to certaine Lutheran points of doctrine who aledgeth the iudgmēt of Calvin in the same matter to Gulielmus Holbracchus likewise urged by the Lutherans to subscribe praecise ut recuses non cōsulo c. nunc ergo exceptiones interponere necesse est quae
te molestia liberēt I giue not counsell precisely to refuse c. but to put in exceptions which may ease you Supplic ad Senat. Arg. of trouble Hereupon Zanchius saith se sincero pacis concordiae studio adductum subscripsisse that hee subscribed beeing thereunto moved of a sincere desire of peace But the subscribers case is far more equall and reasonable who upon protestation expositions c. subscribed not to suspicious doctrines but to certain superfluous rites 2. Because they were loath to depriue the Church of their labours and forsake their flockes for these matters which are though inconvenient yet not of the substance of Religion and hereunto agreeth the canon utilitatis intuitu quaedam in Ecclesia Caus 1. q. 7. tolerantur Thorough the shew of profitablenesse some things are tollerated in the Church The Petitioners then subscribing did not therein allow these ceremonies as profitable seeing the state intended a greater perfection howsoever it was hindred as may appeare by the statute set before the booke of Common prayer the words are these Such ornaments c. of the Ministers shal be retained till other order shal be therein takē And the book it selfe in the Cōmination aimeth at the restoring of the Discipline of the prim Church 3. And herein by subscription to tolerate Subscription of some excused things not apparantly impious for a time But now there is no reason that subscription which was yeelded to the necessity of time should either preiudice the subscribers according to the Canon temporum necessitate perfecta hac ratione ad veniam Caus 1. q. 7. c. 13. pertinere decernimus quod gestum est what the necessity of the time required in reason ought to be pardoned or hinder the reformation according to the like Canon quod necessitas pro remedio reperit c. that which Caus 1. q. 7. c. 7. necessitie found for a remedie when the necessity is removed must cease also that which is urged for a due and orderly course is one thing that which by usurpation for the time is enforced another Lastly some of the subscribers are now of another iudgment and see more into the cause then they did before and doubt not to say with Hierome imitati estis errantem imitamini correctam You haue followed him that erred be you followers of him that hath corrected his error And could wish that this vinculum subscriptionis as Ambrose calleth it in another case were dissolved as Eusebius Vercellon caused Dyonisius subscription but in an harder case to bee razed out Any of these reasons will free the petitioners subscribers from this uncharitable imputation of Hipocrisie and dishonesty 7. Obiect The Church of England had Vntruth 8. We condemn factious Sermons c. beene happy if it had not beene troubled with their factious sermons c. Answ VVe mislike factious Sermons scurrile pamphlets as much as these censurers of Oxford and some of their frends favorits are not free from the imputation of both The painfull labours of the ministers Painful Preachers not factious petitioners in the Church of England both by preaching and writing are well knowne And though the rule hath beene better no preachers then such as desired reformation therfore miscalled factious yet this is our comfort to say with the Apostle in the declaration of the truth wee approue our selues to euerie mans 2. Cor. 4. 2. conscience in the sight of God and herein wee say agayne with the same Apostle wee passe very little to be iudged of you or of 1. Cor. 4. 3. mans iudgment beeing sory that you thus account of the freinds of the gospell as of enemies and cannot endure the lovers of the truth which you professe to loue And so as Augustine sayth res multum dolenda miranda contingit c. A strange Tractat. in Ioan. and heauy thing often falls out that the man whome wee take to bee vniust and yet he is iust louing in him iustice which wee know not wee hate hominem bonum tanquam malum affligamus and afflict a good man as though he were evill 8. Obiect The number of more then a Vntr. 9. It is not a vizard There are not so few godly Preachers that wish reformation thousand is but a vizard c. Answ The number of more then a thousand is no vizard as theirs is that mask vnder the name of the heads of the vniversity yea of all the learned and obedient of the clergie as the title sheweth whereas we know there are diuers hundred of learned obedient sober discreet preachers in the vniuersities other places of the Church that neyther like nor allow their proceedings herein As at the passing of that grace in Cambridge whereof our brethren make mention in their epistle there was not present the third part of the vniuersity that gaue voyces nor one Doctor of diuinity besides the Vice Chancellor as we are credibly enformed Let them first pull of their vizard and shew themselues they should not obiect that to others which it seemeth they are ashamed of to professe their names Therefore wee may apply Augustines wordes a-against them conferamus de medio si placet Lib. 1. cont Iulian. ista communia c. let us leaue these common matters which may be said of each side though not truly of each side 2. How can that be a Christian cōmendable church government under Chancellors Officials Cōmissaries Registers Proctors Sumners which is the same in the forme nothing altered the supremacy onely and dependancy of the Pope excepted with that now used and practised in the Antichristian and papall sinagogue Therefore to this untrue assertion wee returne no other but Hieromes answer Non necesse habet vinci Ep. ad Ctepant quod sua statim professione falsum est That needeth no refutation which appeareth false in the very relation 3. The humble Petitioners haue done nothing malitiously or iniuriously we wish that they which thus censure them were as farre from both Hierome could haue told them non facilis est venia prava dixisse de rectis Pardon for Hierom. Asellae speaking evill of that which is good is not easily obtained Thus men for their conscience and unfained loue unto the Church of Christ are loaden with the reproach of sedition presumption dishonesty hypocrisie scurrility malice iniury c. A likely matter that such pleaders haue a good cause in hand when they begin their plea with such intemperate and uncharitable stuffe therein committing the same fault which Origen obiecteth Lib. 7. cont Cess to his adversarie Philosophus iste cum nos instruere velit calumnatur c. this Philosopher when he should instruct us raileth when in the beginning a wise Orator should shew himselfe friendly toward his Auditors And thus end their censures upon the preface THE DEFENCE OF THE FIRST PART OF THE PEtition concerning Church service 1.
thing 2. To bring in a new sacrament besyde those two which Iesus Christ hath ordayned is utterly vnlawfull But confirmation as it is prescribed by the booke is made a new sacrament beside those two which Iesus Christ ordained therefore confirmation as it is prescribed by the booke is utterlie unlawfull The assumption or second proposition is proued thus That which is made an outward signe and seale to assure of Gods loue and favour that is made a sacrament in most proper sense as both the scriptures shew and our own articles of religion defining Rom. 4. 11. Arti. relig 25. the sacraments to be sure witnesses and effectuall signes of grace and of Gods goodwill to us but the imposition of BB. hands is made a signe to assure us of Common booke c. of confirm Gods favour and gracious goodnesse to us so be the words of the book therefore it is made a sacrament in most proper sense But this is unlawfull and therefore this kind of confirmation is unlawfull yet the poore ministers of Christ were urged and enioyned under most greevous penalties to subscribe to all 3 That which is the generall duty of all the ministers of the Gospell ought not to be made the particular duty of some few of them But to confirme Christians in the faith of Christ is the generall duty of all the 2. Thess 3. 2 Ezek 34. 4 Eph. 4. 12. 13. Hier. ad luci ministers of the Gospell as appeareth by the Scriptures Therfore it ought not to be made the particular duty of some few of them Hierome saith plainly of confirmation by BB. disce hanc obseruationem potius ad honorem esse sacerdocij quam ad legis necessiatē Know that this order is rather for the honor of priesthood then necessity of Law Object 1. It can not be amisse that BB. pray over the children Answ 1. To thinke the BB. prayers be more holy then any other mans is superstitious the scriptures tell vs that if any man be a worshipper of God the Lord heareth Act. 9. 31 him be he BB. or preacher 2. they do not onely pray ouer them but impose hands upon them that by means therof they may com book c. of Confir receiue strength against all the tentations of sinne which is to take that power to them which the Lord neuer gaue them contrarie to that which is written No Io. 3. 27. man can receiue any thing unlesse it bee given him from aboue Obj. It is meete that such as bee baptized make open profession of their faith that it may appeare how they haue profited and that they may be further confirmed therein Ans All this may be done without any such ceremonie by diligent catechizing 1. Pet. 22. Act. 20. 32. and teaching in every congregation and if there needed any confirmation who are more fit to do it then the pastor of every congregation who best knoweth the profiting of his sheep 4. Against baptizing by women HEre we both agree in the doctrine that women ought not to baptize Our brethren say fieri non debuit women should not haue taken upon them Answ to the petition p. 11. s 2. to baptize but yet exception is taken to our speach Exception The book of common prayer doth not prescribe that baptisme should be administred Answ ibid. by women Answ Yea but if the booke permit it though it do not prescribe it it is more then true divinitie will warrant Now whether the booke seeme not to encline that way let it be considered by these reasons 1. By the booke the Priests and Curats are commanded to warne the people that without great necessity they baptize not children at home in their houses and when great need shall compell them so to doe that then they minister it on this fashion 2. This same they they that minister it is a relatiue therfore if they look back to to find the antecedent what will meete us but they whom the Priests and Curats warned not to baptize their children at home but they whom the Priests and Curats warned not to baptize their children at home were the people yea the vulgar people not ministers and therefore they that be permitted by the booke to baptize bee the people yea the vulgar people 3. If the chyld liue it is to be brought to the church by order of the booke and there the minister is to examine who baptized it which were a folly if the minister had done it himselfe and further with what words it was baptized which were as fond if it were baptized by an ordinary minister of our Church 4. The booke prescribeth no more but that they that be present call uppon God and use the right forme N. I baptize thee c. so that these two things bee observed by the midwife or whosoeuer present the minister is to certifie them by order of the booke that they haue done well and according to due order 5. The child is supposed by the booke to be baptized by such as happily knew not what they did in that great feare and trouble of mind but such as be so greatly feared and troubled at such times be not the ministers who haue nothing to do in those actions but the wiues and such as be present at such times therefore they bee not ministers but the people yea the very women that bee permitted to baptise in such times of necessity VVherefore most noble king Seeing the booke seemeth to carry this sense and Math. 28. 9. to warrant that which the word of Christ never approved VVe most humbly entreat that it may bee either quite remooved or better explained 5. Against the Cap and Surplice 1. THE Massing garments in poperie bee no fit garments for the ministers of the Gospell according to that charge of the Lord you shall pollute Is 30. 22. the coverings of the images and the rich ornaments c. and say unto it get thee hence and againe hate even the garment spotted by the Iude. 21. flesh Hence it was that Iacob when hee reformed the idolatrie of his houshould Gen. 35. 2 he made them also to change their garments But the surplice is one of the massing garments in poperie as both the Protestants Fox martir p. 501. 853 and popish writers shew M. Fox for the Protestants who declares that when a Popish Priest was to bee degraded they took away the surplice from him as one of his priestly garments For the Papists Innocentius and Durandus who bring in the popish Priest so apparelled to his Innoc. myst miss lib. 1. c. 10. Duran lib. 3. c. 1. in rationall Masse therefore it is no fit garment for the ministers of the Gospell Tertullian confirmes this reason shewing that Christians ought not in outward things to conforme themselues unto Idolaters no not in wearing a garland of flowres Nihil saith he dandum est Idolo sic nec sumendum ab
the Testaments which the holy Ghost doth alwayes obserue Doctor D. Whit. against Reyn. c. 4. 199. Whitakers saith Christ committed his Church to be ruled by Pastors and Bishops for ever and not to Priests And after whereas their office is declared diversly in great variety of names yet is this name of Priests never once given them in any Gospell Epistle or booke of the new Testament D. Reynolds saith Seing our language doth D. Reynold cons Hart. p. 538. meane by priests sacrificers which in the Apostles language are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they neuer gaue the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Pastors of the Christian Church it followeth that they gaue them not the name of Priests 3. The papists themselves confesse yea Ballar l. 3. de Rom. Pont. c. 18. Bellar. sayth Apostoli in scripturis nunquam vocant sacerdotes Christianos sacerdotes sed solū Episcopos presbyteros The Apostles in the scriptuers neuer call Christian Priests by the name of priests but onely by the name of bishops and Presbytrs or Eders And elswhere Lib. 3. de sanct invoc cap. 4 he giues the reason to be this to distinguish them from the Leviticall preists and therefore seing the holie ghost hath constantlie kept this distinction of names between the Priests of the Law and the ministers of the Gospel we may not confound them 2. The Royalties of our Lord Iesus Esay 42. 8. both in his offices and in his titles are to be preserved whole and intire to him upon which no man without the Lords own grant may presume to enter But it is one of the royalties of our Lord Iesus to bee the sole and the onely Priest of the new Testament and so to be termed according to that hee holdeth Heb. 7. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. such priesthood as can not passe to another either for name or nature so that Augustine saith Aug. lib. de conf Evang. cap. 3. D. Whit. against Reyn. c. 4. p. 42. well Dominus Iesus Christus unus verus Rex unus verus sacerdos The Lord Iesus Christ is only true king and onely true Priest And D. Whitakers Christ hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. such a Priesthood as cannot passe to another but abideth onely with himselfe whereof it doth invincibly and necessarily ensue that the onely Priest of the new Testament is Iesus Christ Therefore this being one of the Royalties of our Lord Iesus ought to be preserned whole and entyre to him 3. VVhere there is a distinction in the things there must also bee a distinction in the names according to that of Tertul. fides nominum salus est proprietatum to keep De carn Chr. p. 19. the names right is a good means to keep the things right But there is a large and a wide distinction betweene the callings and the functions of the ministers of the Gosspell and the popish Priests Therefore there ought also to be a distinction in their names This reason Doctor Fulk presseth against the Papists seeing the holy Ghost had made such a broad difference betweene the D. Fulk ans to Hard. c. 6 names and offices of the Priests of the Law and the ministers of the Gospell those ancient Fathers that confounded those names which the spirit of God will haue to bee distinct cannot bee excused 4. The name of priest in our Language is appropriated to signifie no thing but a sacrificer so our best writers affirm Tindall Tynd. of the obed of Chr. Fulk loc cit D. Fulke the name of Priest is commonly taken to signifie a sacrificer which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in greeke and Sacerdos in Latine By which names the ministers of the Gospel are never called by the holy Ghost so Doctor Reynolds the custome of our English Reyn. loc cit speech hath made the name of Priests proper to a man appoynted to sacrifice But the ministers of the Gospell cannot truely be Heb. 10. 10 called sacrificers because they haue no body and outward sacrifice to offer Therefore they cannot in true sense bee called Priests 5. To call the ministers of the Gospell by such a name as is never read in the new Testament is to put a scruple into the peoples heads that our calling and office hath no ground nor warrant in the word of God But to call them by the name of Priests is to call them by such a name as is never read in the new Testament in this sense as hath been shewed Therefore to call them by this name is to put a scruple into the peoples heads that our calling and office hath no ground in the word of God But this we may not Ergo. 1. Obiect Es 66. 21. where the Geneva Answ to the petition p. 12. sect 5. note doth shew that the ministers of the new Testament are to be termed Priests Answ Wee had need make much of this Scripture it is the onely place that is alleadged in all the booke in any matter of question the very same prophet would haue taught them better ad legem testimonium c. But to the point Esay doth not say they shall be called Priests Esay 8. 20. but they shall be taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. into the place and into the roome of Priests i. to execute the same office and ministerie of teaching and preaching in the new Testament that the legall Priests did in the old for nothing is more usuall in the Prophets then figuratly under terms of the legal service Deut. 33. 10 to set out the service and worship that was to be used in the Gospel as ibid. there shal be an altar of the Lord in the midst of the land of Egipt yet we may not gather Esay 19. 19 thence as our brethrens logick will infer that therefore the Lords table must be called an Altar and not a Table there be infinite examples to this effect Now that Esay speakes not of the name of Priests 1. Cor. 10. 21. may appeare thus 1. Esay speaks of Luke and Timothy and Titus the first preachers of the Gentiles so saith the Geneva note which is alledged But they as we heard before were never called Priests Therefore Esay doth not here speake of the name of Priests 2. If our brethrens sence be good then the Ministers of the Gospell may well be called Sacerdotes Sacrificers D. Fulk ans to Hard. c. 5. for so is the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But thus they may not be called therefore this cannot be the sence 3. If by this place of Esay the preachers of the Gospell may be called Priests then by the same reason they may bee called Levits for the words be thus Of them I will take for Priests and Levits But this were too too Iewish and therefore as we said Esay onely meanes they shall haue the same place and
the one shall not understand the other 10. Against longsomnesse of Service THat which serveth to the most edification and building up of the people of God that must especiallie be 1 Cor. 14. 4 5. Act. 20. 32. Eph. 4. 12. regarded in the Church assemblies But preaching doth much more edifie and build vp the people of God then this same long seruice Therefore it must rather bee respected Ambrose sayd well vpon these words let Ambr. in 1. Cor. 14 them speake by two or three viz. Ne occuparent diem linguis loquentes eorum interpretes non haberent tempus prophetae Scripturas discernendi qui sunt totias Eccl. illuminatores Let not them speak witb tongs and their interpreters take up the day so that the Prophets which are the light of the whole Church haue no time to open the Scriptures 2. It is a rule in divinitie that of two good duties if a man cannot doe both in Math. 12. 7 christian wisdome he must do the better So the Lord sayth I will haue mercie and not sacrifice And the Apostle sayth Christ 1. Cor. 1. 17. sent me not to baptize but to preach Now which of these two is the better we meane not in it self but in regard of the edification of Gods Church Let the scriptures decide Come let us go up to house of the Lord. And for what especially Is 2. 3 and cheiflie Ipse docebit nos vias suas the especial end is to know the wayes of God Bucer vpon these words sayth Precipuum opus indicatur veri christiani coetus sincera Lib. 1. de reg Christ c. 3. doctrina eius prompta obedientia The principall work of the true Christian congregation is noted to be sincere doctrine the ready obedience thereof See Gratians glosse Grat. 1. 9. 1. sect Interrogo Therefore seing preaching is the better when a man either through weaknes of body or want of tyme cannot do both wee take him bound to doe the better .i. to preach to the people 3. That which maketh the minister vnfitt to preach and the people vnfit to heare is to be amended But so doth the Opus tripart lib. 3. c. 1. same long and tedious service opus tripart In many Churches they read so long as scarsely any heareth all and if any stay there they commonly fall a sleepe bonum ergo fuit ut ita temperatae lectiones legantur in matutini ut fragilitas humana prae taedio non recedat Synod It was good that the lessons should be read in that order in morning prayer that mens frailty bee not wearied with Synod Ang. c. 8. the tediousnesse Augustine saith ut nimia festinatio in missae lectione religiosas aures offendit ita incongrua prolixitas fastidium generat me diocritatem igitur commendamus As the hudling in reading the masse offendeth the ears so excessiue tediousnesse is irckesome whereas a mean between botb is commendable Therefore this abuse ought to bee amended 1. Obiect This well befits these mens great devotion Answ If this argue want of devotion Answ to the pet p. 12. sect 6. in us to abridge the longsomnesse of Church service for preaching then surely the Doctors and Proctors and heads of houses in Oxford want devotion among whom no thing is more usuall in their Colledges then to abridge the prayers to go to S. Maries to the sermon 2. Againe this is such divinity as we never heard of to place all devotion in long prayer the Pharisees were Luc. 21. 47 Aug. de heres c. 57. Math. 6. 9. of this mynd and Enchits of old and the Monks and friers of late But our Saviour Christ belike measured devotion by some other rule who taught his disciples so short a prayer The humble publican said Luc. 11. 13 no more but this God bee mercifull to mee a sinner Platina writes of the Apostles that they did consecrare ad solam dominicam So Gregor lib. 7. epist 63. orationem he means they had no other set prayer then the Lords prayer VVhat shall we think they wanted devotion also Augustine writes of the religious men in Egipt dicuntur fraters in Egipto crebras quidem Epist 121. habere orationes sed eas tamen brovissimas raptim quodammodo iaculatas The Religious men in Egipt are sayd to haue frequent prayers but the same very short and as it were by sudden ejaculations This we speak Ast. 13. 15. On S. Michaels day the epist is Rev. 12. 7. there was a batell in heaven Michael c. as if this Michael fighing for the church were not Christ but an Angell p. 12. s 7. not to condemne long prayer when occasion serveth but to shew that even they that use shorter praiers may be devout 3. Beside all that we desire to be abridged is not prayer but a number of Scriptures unhandsomly shredded and pared from the rest many times neither fitly sorted as the lectures of the law and Prophets were nor truly applied to the present purpose 2. Obiect Some of these preachers spend almost an boure in senslesse and inconsequent prayer Answ 1. If devotion be measured by our bretherns rule then belyke those men be full of devotion for they pray long 2. If some spend the time in sencelesse and inconsequent prayer what doth this preiudice those faithfull and good teachers that spend it better 3. Obj. From this dislyke of all set and stinted frome of prayer c. Ibid. Ans Doe the Petitioners dislyke all set and stinted forme of prayer doe they Vntruths diuerse condemne the saying of the Lords prayer doe they refuse to vse it who told them so In the beginning of their booke they say wee maske vnder vnknowne names and yet now they can tell that we dislyke all set stinted form of prayer that some of vs omit the Lords prayer and some of vs refuse to vse it these be the strangest men wee haue heard of who though they know not a man nor his dwelling nor his country yet they can tell what prayers he vseth in his Church Nay they can tell his secret thoughts that though he vse the comunion book yet he disliketh all set and stinted kind of prayers But that our brethren would willingly blindfould themselues to traduce us they might haue well conceived by our words that wee dislike not all kind of set prayer because we desire not to haue the service removed but to haue it abridged VVherefore most noble King 1. seing preaching serveth most to the edification of the Church 2. Seing when both cannot be done the long prayer and the preaching it is Christian wisdom to do the better 3. Seeing the practise of both our Vniversities giues liberty this way 4. Seing nothing but mockes and untrue tales be opposed against it wee must renew our humble suite to your highnesse that the long and tedious service bee abridged where there bee preachers
ad verbum memoriter retenta prvnnntiant Till it appeare that the people understand that which is handled it must be opened with variety of phrase which they that repeat things word for word as they haue conned thē by hart cānot do Thus by such weak arguments as we haue seene the Confuters haue boulstered out as Mammets and men of straw the dumbe and Idoll Ministers VVee are right sorry that Oxford Doctors now under the Gospell should so much swerue in the iudgment of the truth from their predecessors in the time of Poperie who decreed much better concerning this mater then these men now write Presbyteris parochialibus districtè iniungimus c. we enioyne the presbyters of every parish to instruct the people commited to them with the word of God ne canes muti iudicentur Concil Oxoniens sub Stephan cum salubri latratu in caulis dominicis luporum spiritualium morsus non repellunt This Councell calleth them all dumbe dogges that do not instruct and preach unto their people and driue away by their wholesome doctrine the wolues VVherefore O most noble King 1. seing God refuseth them to be his ministers that The conclusion haue no knowledge 2. neither are such fit stewards over Gods house 3. they are infatuated salt 4. seing ignorāce is inexcusable in the people much more in the pastor 5. by the ignorāce of such faith decayeth 6. the destruction of many soules ensueth 7. seeing a Minister by S. Pauls description should bee apt to teach 8. and that it is a punishment sent of God to haue unskilfull shepheards 9. and all whom Christ sendeth he furnisheth with gifts 10. Seing by the canons and practise of the Church such unsufficient Ministers are condemned Seing nothing can be obiected in the contrary of any moment 1. Ob. that although there bee diverse gifts yet every pastor ought to haue them in some measure 2 Obj. neither were there any pastors in the Primitiue Church no preachers 3. neither is it a thing impossible to haue every where sufficient Pastors VVe are perswaded that your Christian Maiesty out of your Princely iudgment will in due time see the Church reformed in this point and therein follow the example of that noble Charles King of France who enacted thus providimus pro aedificatione omnium Ecclesiarum c. Wee haue provided for the edifying of all Churches that not onely in Citties but in all parishes the presbyters Synod Arelat sub Carolo caus 10 preach the word to the people that they may learne to liue well c. ARTIC 2. Of the removing or supplying of unlearned Ministers 1. Obiect HOW charitable are these men that would haue men removed out of the ministry c. Answ 1. How can the Petitioners bee counted uncharitable when they wish some charitable course to be taken for the reliefe of unsufficient Ministers Neither is it propounded simply but with a disjunction or else that they be forced to maintaine preachers according to the value of their livings c. And wee pray you how many are there to be now found that were entreated to take upon them the Ministry for want of sufficient men or that were in time past sufficient and are now decayed by age sicknesse c. are there not almost an hundred other unsufficient Ministers to one of this sort and they that are of that quality why should they not haue coadiutors as Augustine was to Valerius Eradius to Augustine Nazianzene to his Father Anysius to Acholius of Thessalonica Should the people perish for want of instruction because of their infirmitie But say it had been simply moved to haue all unsufficiēt ministers removed so they were provided for is this course uncharitable then count the Apostle uncharitable who willeth that he which laboureth not should 2. Thess 3. not eat or what think you of these ancient canons peregrini presbyteri si praedicatores sint veritatis suscipiantur sin minus ne necessaria subministrentur eis Can. apost 34. Episcopus vel presbyter c. si in pietate populum non erudit a communione segregetur si in ea socordia perseveraverit deponitur can 57. So was it also decreed in the Councell of Oxford si residere noluerint cum non nisi laborantibus panis dandus sit Ecclesijs per Episcopum spolientur Say also that they are uncharitable that thus decreed that unpreaching Ministers should not be releeved that they be put from the Communion and finally if they continue in theyr idlenes to bee deposed 2. Object How can they maintayne preachers that haue not where with to mayntayne themselues c. Answ Many vnsufficient and vnpreaching Ministers haue sufficient liuing and mayntenance and as many as wee thinke are of that sorte well provided for that wayes as are not inioying some an 100 markes some an 100. pound by the yeare some more and those might very well he charged to maintaine preachers the rest that are not able alone two or three should ioyne together to haue a preacher by course rather then the Churches shold be altogether unfurnished till better provision be made 3. Object How much better hath our Church deuised to supply the defects of some men c. by other meanes as by the frequent reading of scripture c. Answ Our brethren tell us of better supplies of these defects then by preachers To be otherwise supplied as by frequent reading of scripture by the forme of common prayer by the reading of homilies quarterly sermones for answere wherevnto wee say 1. if quarterly sermons make a good supply wee hope that weekely sermons euery Lords day afford a better how vnaduised then are our brethren to call the word seldome preached a better supply then the same diligently preached 2. Bishop Ridley is alledged to speake in commendation of the booke of common prayer neyther doe wee for the substance condemne it the times must bee considered wherin he wrote when the masse was restored in respect whereof our Leiturgy is much to be preferred His words further are these Howsoeuer in tyme past in certayn by matters and circumstances of religion your wisdome and my simplicity I grant hath a little iarred Fox Martyrol p. 1504. epist ad Hooper ex epist Rid ad Hooper Here the same Reverend Bishop giueth way to Bishop Hooper and modestly confesseth his too much stifnesse in mayntayning of some ceremonies But he was farre off from making the booke of common prayer a supply of preaching and therefore he is here very impertinently alledged 3. But what vnsauory words are these to say that the reading of homilies and of the booke of common prayer are ordinary and effectuall meanes to continue and increase the people in the true fayth 1. VVe had thought that as the word of God is the ordinary effectuall meanes to begette faith as the Apostle sheweth that faith commeth by hearing Rom 10 7. the word preached v. 14. So it had beene likewise
answere Non dico juga boum aut villam emi c. sed plane parvulos me lactare fateor c. I say not I haue bought oxen or a farme but I suckle little ones and therefore I see not how I can come without their great danger Vniversities are not maintained but hindred by non-residents when by this meanes the elder sort liue there like drones and keepe out yonger students that might doe more good As for the masters of howses most of their places are sufficient without other helps to maintaine them in competent sort the other might be provided of dignities without cure that they need not clog themselues with benefices Cathedrall Churches also may be served with residence of Prebends by course there is no necessity of continuall or long absence from their flockes for this cause the onely inconvenience is to their purse if they bee not perpetuall residents according to that Canon which forbiddeth Ne canonici non residentes quotidianas distributiones ex integro perciperent They should but so much want of their divident VVherefore most noble King 1. Seing sheepheards ought to attend upon their flock 2. and Stewards upon their charge 3. and every one must abide wherein hee is called 4. seeing ministers are watchmen 5. and they which flee from their flocks are idle shepheards and hirelings 6. they which feed not the flocks loue not Christ 7. and they which are absent cannot discharge the pastoral duties which are many 8. seeing non residency bringeth apparant danger to the flock 9. and maketh the Pastor inexcusable 10. and is condemned by the Canons and constitutions of the Church And further seeing nothing of any moment can bee alledged in excuse of Non-residents 1. Neither the smalenesse of living 2. nor largenesle of the parish 3. nor sufferance by some positiue lawes giving way to the time 4. nor absence upon some necessary occasion 5. Seing non-residency tendeth not to the maintenance of learning Court Church nor Vniversity we trust your Maiesty is resolved to cherish good Pastors and to see all Churches planted with such as shall reside to doe their duty among their people And to say with Ambrose Ego Amb epist 54. diligo eos vel Presbyteros vel Diaconos qui cum aliquo processerint nequaquam se patiuntur a suo diutius abesse munere I loue such Presbyters and Deacons who when they are gone abroade will not long be from their charge ARTIC 4. Of the Marriage of Ministers IT is well our Brethren consent with us for ratifying of the civill marriage of Ministers we would also that they did accord with us concerning their spirituall marriage whereof Ambrose thus writeth upon these words of the Apostle Vnius uxoris virum c. Prohibet bigamum Episcopum ordinari si vero ad altiorem sensum conscendimus inhibet Episcopum duas usurpare Ecclesias He forbiddeth a Bishop that hath two wiues to be ordained but if we will go to an higher sense he forbiddeth a Bishop or Pastor to usurp two Churches The fifth Article of Subscription Reasons against subscription to the book 1. MINISTERS were forced to subscribe to many things not warranted by the word In such cases the Apostle giveth this rule to whom we gaue not place by subjection not for an houre Gal. 2. 5. And Hierom confidently saith Ego libera voce reclamante mundo profiteor c. I doe Ierom. Augustine freely professe though the world say nay that the ceremonies of the Iewes are deadly and pernicious to Christians and whosoever observeth them is cast down into the Devils dungeon VVherefore in imposing subscription not to Iewish onely but which is worse to ceremonies used in the Popish Church they layd a yoake upon mens shoulders too heauy to beare Secondly seeing the preachers consented in all substantiall points of doctrine they should haue used their Christian liberty in such ceremonies according to the Apostles rule the kingdom of God is not meate nor drink nor by the like reason apparell but righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost for whosoever in those things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men let us follow those thing which concerne peace and wherewith one may edifie another Rom. 14. 18 19. Vniformity in ceremonies then should not haue been so strictly urged seeing there was a generall consent in doctrine but forbearance should haue been vsed in matters say indifferent for peace sake in una fide nihil officit Ecclesiae sanctae consuetudo diuersa Toletan 5. can 5. 3. Though it had been a fault in the preachers not to be conformable in these ceremonies yet did it not deserue so great a punishment as suspension degradation incarceration deprivation that Non-residents idle ignorant superstitious adulterous Clergie men were not so proceeded against as honest painful preachers what was this else but with the Pharisees to straine at a gnat and swallow a Camell Such severity in trifles was taxed long ago by Augustine hoc nimis doleo c. this They were wont to obserue the 8. day after baptisme Aug. contra Petil. 2. 37. Aliud est quod octave die baptizatornm nos celebramus much greeveth me that many things wholesomely commanded in Scriptures are not endevoured and all things are so full of humane presumptions that he is more censured that in his octaues setteth his bare feete upon the ground then he that is givē over to drunkennesse Epist 11. c. 19. 4. Profitable ministers though wanting in some externall matters should haue been borne with for the common good of the Church this course S. Paul tooke what then yet Christ is preached all manner of wayes whether under pretence or sincerely I therein ioy and will ioy Phil. 1. 18. Thus Hierom saith well Ecclesia numero superata Advers Ioan bierosol peccantium c. the Church overcome with the number of offenders doth pardon the shepheard to do the sheep good Yea the Canons allow a toleration for the profit of the Church Vbi Ecclesiae maxima utilitas vel necessitas postulet where the necessity or utility caus 1. q. 7. cap. 17. of the Church so requireth There was small reason to thrust out preachers for trifles there being such want of preachers 4000 Churches in England yet being without 5 Subscription was urged by force not by perswasion there was no course taken to resolue them that doubted and Bishops peremptorily required subscription without yeelding any reason further or satisfaction to the doubtfull contrary to the Apostle who saith not that we haue dominion over your faith 2. Cor. 1. 24. But they which urged subscription commanded they perswaded not mens conscience the Church of Rome some time was more equall as Leo 1. thus writeth plus erga corrigendos agat benevolentia quà m severitas plus cohortatio quà m comminatio plus Charitas quà m potestas c. with those that are to be corrected let Clemency prevaile more
then severity cohortation then commination charity then authority but they which seeke their own not Iesus Christs doe swarue from this Law which seek rather to rule then counsell their subiects for while honour pleaseth pride puffeth up that which was provided for a remedy to a malady Leo epist 82. distinct 45. 6. In the urging of subscription they forget Christian compassion stripping Ministers and some of them aged of their livings to the undoing of themselues their wiues and children Iosias shewed more compassion to the Chemarims that were idolatrous Priests who though they were not permitted to come up to the altar yet did not eate unleavened bread among their brethren 2. Reg. 23. 9. they had their maintenance from the temple The Popes Canons herein were more equall that pittied old age as Gregory thus decreeth sed quia simplicitatem tuam cum senectute novimus interim tacemus the penall sentence was ready to be inflicted but because wee know your simplicity ioyned with old age we hold our peace Caus 1. q. 7. can 11. 7. This forcing of subscription to Ceremonies not warranted by the word is contrary to the Scriptures and practise of the Church In Nehemiahs time Subscription was required and an oath of the chiefe of the people but it was onely to walk in Gods Law Neh. 10. 29. not to keepe any traditions not written VVhen Victor would haue forced the East Churches to keep Easter as the Latine Churches did and was resolved to excommunicate them certaine Christian Bishops and Irenaeus among Euseb lib. c. 22. the rest did reproue him tanquam inutiliter Ecclesiae commodis consulentem as unprofitably regarding the Churches good There arose in Gregory the first his time a Tolet. 4. c. 5 great difference in Spaine about the thrice dipping in baptisme some doing it but once Leander a Spanish Bishop sent to Gregory about it who determineth that the Infant was baptized sive trina sive simpla mersione whether with thrice or once dipped hee would haue no contention about that ceremony But his successours more rigorous then charitable one decreed that it was Evangelicum praeceptum Part. 3. dist 4. c. 82. an Evangelicall precept to dip thrice Another that hee was not a perfect Christian that was not thrice dipped Lastly Pelagius it was decreed in the 8. generall Councell at Constantinople that whereas Photius the Can. 8. 9. concil general Constantinop usurper of that sea did extorquere chyrographas c. extort from clergie handwritings promising thereby to cleaue unto him and he againe gaue them by his hand writing faculties to preach And certaine Catholicke Bishops had taken up the like custome to urge subscription The contrary was decreed by that Councell ut Episcopi nullus chyrographas c. that Bishops should no more exact such subscription sed tantummodo fierent solennitates de more but to be content with the old use they should enforce no new subscriptions but keepe the old customes solennities The Bishops then in urging new subscriptions to combine the Clergy to cleaue unto them not otherwise to grant them licenses to preach did reviue the corrupt use of Photius the pseudo-Patriark condemned in this Councell 8. To require absolute subscription to the booke is to make it almost equall to the Scripture as freed from all errour but this properly the holy writings onely haue viz. to bee perfect right pure Psal 19. 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect the statuts of the Lord are right VVhat could be required more then to subscribe absolutely to the word of God as pure perfect and without any errour Augustine well distinguisheth between divine and humane writing de Scripturis canonicis non licet dicere c. of the Canonicall Scriptures it is not lawfull to say the Author was deceived but in other books which are written by us not with authority of precept but exercise to profit though there be found the same verity yet are they not of the same authority which kind of writing must be read not with necessity of beleefe but liberty of iudgement Aug. cont Faust l. 11. 5. But there is now no liberty of iudgmēt left but necessity of beliefe imposed in this absolute subscriptiō 9. Beside this violent course of subscription hath bred a great scandale in the Church disturbed the peace thereof that whereas quietly before Ministers ioyned together in building the Lords house after the same began to be urged then suspensions imprisoning silencing depriving of many profitable ministers followed Saint Paul saith Would to God they were cut off that disquiet you Gal. 5. 12. They were disquieters of the Church that urged the ceremonies not they that refused them Conscience forced not the one to urge subscription for they themselues hold these Ceremonies not to bee necessary but conscience moved the other in not subscribing unto them VVho were then disturbers they which urged those things which with a good conscience might be left or they which refused those which with a good conscience they thought they could not use There is a rule in the law In rebus dubijs pars tutior sequenda In doubtfull matters the safer way is to be followed Not to use such rites and ceremonies is no sin but to yeeld unto them in him that is not resolved is sinne The law resolveth that the lesse doubted course should be taken not to use them at all Cyrillus thus writeth to Gemadius Sicut ij qui mare navigant c. As they which saile in the Sea when a tempest ariseth and the ship is in danger doe disburden it of some things to saue the rest so seeing it is not in our power to saue all despicimus ex ijs quaedam ne cunctorum patiamur dispendia Wee seeme to neglect or winke at some things lest wee should leese all So it had been better to haue cast out such burthenous ceremonies then to put the ship of the Church in hazard and disturbe the peace thereof 10. The forme of subscription is contrary Subscription contrary to law to the law of the land as may appeare by these reasons 1. The Law requireth subscription onely to the Articles of Religion in these words He shall declare Anno 13. Eliz. c. 12. his assent and subscribe to all the articles of Religion which onely concerne the confession of the true christian faith and the doctrine of the Sacraments But to subscribe to the booke of common praier doth not onely concerne the confession of true Christian faith Ergo by the lawe it is not to be subscribed unto 2. That which Ministers doe subscribe unto by law must appeare under the seal testimoniall of the Bishop and bee publikely declared in the Church within two moneths of induction but neither doth the testimoniall make mention of subscription to the booke neither is the Minister bound to declare his assent thereto in the Church Ergo it is not agreeable to the law 3. The
Abraham circumcised his seruant as well as his sonnes Gen. 17. 13. the faith of the parent or of some that will undertake to be as a parent to it then it suffiseth the father or hee that will undertake to be as a parent to make confession of his faith The Antecedent is true because as the covenant runnes soe runnes the seale of the couenant but the couenant is made with the father in the faith of the father not with any relation to the faith of the child as appeareth by that I will bee thy Gen. 17. 7. God and the God of thy seed Therefore it is sufficient for the father or he that will be in stead of the father to make confession of his faith because as the scriptures shew it is the faith of the parents that brings the childe within the compasse 1. Cor. 7. 14 of the covenant of grace Ob. The interrogatories be most ancient Answ Antiquitie without verity is but vetustas erroris oldnesse of errour as Cyprian Cypri ad Pomp. lib. 2. ep 3. speaketh and again Non debemus attendere quid aliquis ante nos faciendum putaverit sed quid qui ante omnes est Christus prior fecerit neque enim hominis consuetudinem sequi oportet sed Dei veritatem we are not to regard what any one hath thought good to do before us but what Christ did first before all neither should we follow the custom of men but the trueth of God Oyle in baptisme is ancient as appears by Tertullian and Cyprian so is exufflation used of the Church as Augustine speaks Tert. de resus Carn Cyp. lib. 1. epist 22. Ang. lib 2. de imp corrup c. 18. Ang. lib 1 de pecat remis c. 24. Mald. in Ioh. toto orbe diffusa in qua ubique omnes baptizandi infantuli exufflantur And yet the Church of England for good cause hath refused both In Augustines time and long before the Sacrament of the Lords Supper was giuen to Infants Maldonatus the Iesuite confesseth it was so and that with opinion of necessity that children perished that died without it And yet the antiquitie of this cannot make it good as being contrarie to the doctrine of Paul Ergo every thing that is ancient is not 1. Cor. 11. 28. therefore by and by currant 2. It cannot be proved that the use of interrogatories is most ancient we reade in scripture of interrogatories ministred to Act. 8. 37. Tert. de spec c. 4. such as were of years and discretion as to the Eunuch Si credis c. Credo If thou beleeuest c. I beleeue And Tertul. saith aquam ingressi Christianam fidem in suae legis verba profitemur renunciasse nos diabolo ore nostro contestamur Being to be baptized we professe the Christian faith according to the words of the law we solemnely professe with our mouth that we haue renounced the Divell But of any Interrogatories that were ministred to Infants we read not at all in the book of God 3 Though the Fathers mention this use yet that many disliked it euen in their times appeareth by Tertullian himselfe lib. de bape who wisheth that infants may be kept till they can make their own answer least we promise that for thē which they wil neuer perform And Boniface the BB. moues the doubt to Aug. argues against it whē the Aug. epist 23. witnesses say the infant beleeues dicunt eos facere c. they say they do that which that age is not able to think 2. If they do beleeue yet it is a thing unknown to us 3. If a man should by and by ask the witnesses of the child whether it shall be a theef or no they will answer they cannot tell and if they cannot tell this how can they tell that it will beleeue Augustine a man so learned that he could haue helped the cause if there had been any helpe in it resolues the matter very weakly habet fidem .i. sacramentum fidei the infant hath faith Com. books c. of baptis .i. hath the sacrament of faith And yet by our booke the witnesses are caused to say it doth beleeue and it hath faith before it hath the sacrament of faith .i. the water of baptisme powred upon it Therfore Bucer one of their own authors better resolues the point shewing that it is Buc. lib. 1. de reg che c. 5. fittest for those that be of yeares and discretion to make promise of obedience at the same time whē they be baptised But that children doe it after they haue been catechised and taught the doctrine of Christ And so Szegedinus si baptizandus Szeg. de bap p. 167. est infans nec fides nec fidei confessio ab illo poscatur absurdū enim est id requirere ab infante quodnec Deus ipse ab illo requirit nec ille per aetatem habere nec exprimere potest Bez. in conf c. 4. 48. Of the same iudgement is Beza VVherfore most noble King 1. Seing the interrogatories giue men occasion to utter an untrueth before the Lord. 2. Seing they giue strength to their errour that thinke children haue faith which indeed they haue not 3. Seeing the infant is not baptized into his own faith but into the faith of his father or susceptor 4. seing it is ridiculous to say they do that which in the iudgment of any reasonable man they cannot doe 5. seeing the first and best Churches knew them not Lastly seing those Churches that received them yet had many learned and good men that upon good grounds disliked them we trust your Maiestie will establish that which shall bee more pleasing to God and better liking to your best affected subiects 3. Against confirmation 1. VVHere the gift is ceased there the ceremony and the signe must cease also as annoynting of the sicke used in the Apostles time is now ceased because the miraculous gift of healing is ceased Iam. 1. 14. but the gift of giving the graces of the HOLIE GHOST by imposition of hands is now ceased as Augustine saith neque enim temporalibus sensibilibus miraculis per manus impositionem Aug. lib. 3. de Bapt. c. 16. modo datur spiritus sanctus sicut antea dabatur c. And therfore seing the miraculous gift is ceased this kind of Imposition of hands which is the signe of it must cease also This is Chemnitions reason against the popish sacrament of confirmation and so Chemnic in exam fid de confu M. Calf art 4. treat of the crosse likwise that learned man M. Calfield saith Laying on of hands serued to good vse then when it pleased God at the instance of the Apostles prayers to conferre the visible graces of his spirit But now there is no such ministrie in the Church now that miracles be ceased to what end should we haue this imposition of hands the signe without the
law especially enacted concerning An. 1 Eliz. cap. 12. the booke of Common praier onely punisheth such as doe not obserue it and use the rights and ceremonies therein prescribed it punisheth not such as refuse to subscribe thereunto so that the law requireth onely obedience in practise not subscription in iudgement to the booke 4. This may appeare in the equity of other lawes and statutes of this land as for the observation of lent and fasting daies and other such matters whereunto it requireth not subscription but onely execution and a faithfull subiect will be content to yeeld his observance and obedience unto many lawes whereto hee would be loth to giue his assent VVherefore seeing subscription to the booke is first against piety in that many things are there prescribed not warranted by the word 2. without any necessity seeing there is a consent in the substantiall points of faith 3. with great partiality in punishing more for ceremonies then other greater transgressions 4. against the utility of the Church in depriving the same of so many profitable men 5. preposterous enforcing by authority not perswading by argument 6. against charity in not sparing aged Ministers their wiues and children 7. contrary to the practise of the Church 8. equalizeth humane writings to Scriptures 9. disturbeth the peace of the Church 10. is against the law of the land A most happy service your Maiesty should doe unto Christ benefit to his Church contentment to your best disposed subiects to remoue this hard yoake and heavy burthen of subscription and doe herein as good Constantine did who when bils of complaint were brought unto him by the Bishops cast them into the fire and made a peace among them And as Pompey intercepting a packet of letters sent to Sertorius tending to sedition burned them And as Basilius the Emperour caused all the syngrapha and subscriptions which Photius had of the Ministers to be committed to the fire concil gener 8. Act. 8. Obiections 1. Obj. BVT it will bee objected that the most part of the parishes of this land haue subscribed already as the Bishops haue to shew in their bookes of subscription onely a few persons excepted Answ To this we haue answered before at large in the defence of the generall censure Art 3. And of the preface art 6. upon what grounds and reasons some were resolued in respect of the tyme to tolerate by subscribing that which simply they thought not fit to bee prescribed to the Church 2. Obiect This forcing of subscription hath made an vniformity in the Land and wrought great peace in the Church Answ 1. VVee haue shewed before that nothing hath bred greater variance and disturbance in the Church then this torture of subscription 2. It was such a peace as Hierome speaketh of which the Hierom. ad Theophil Patriarke of Hierusalem brought his Clergy to quod si pacem habere non potest cum fratre nisi cum subdito ostendit se non tam pacē capere quam sub occasione pacis vindictam If he cānot haue peace with his brother vnlesse he be his subject he desireth not so much peace as revenge vnder that colour And againe nihil grande est pacem voce praetendere opere destruere It is no great mater to pretend peace in word and ouerthrow it in deed so the urgers of subscription pretended peace but they intended it not but rather extinguished it of whō we say with Hieroms words Moneas illos pacē nō extorquere sed velle Tell them they should not extort peace but exhort vnto it 3. Object Wee know no subscription vrged not disagreeable to law Ans That the subscription vrged is not agreeable to law is shewed before arg 10 4. Object At Geneva they strictly tie all c. to the observatiō of their Church government c. Answ If the Church of Geneua vrge a But to nothing in controversie as our ceremonies and Discipline conformitie to that which they are able to warant by the word and haue a positiue lawe for the same that can bee no rule or president for such subscription and conformity which is not so warranted And if either they or any other Chur. shal impose subscription to that which is not grounded vpon the word wee neyther defend nor commend it Object 5. Not vrging a conformity in Church discipline is to set open the highe way to all disorder and confusion c. Answ Though it may be remembred that in the tyme of popery when they stood more vpon conformity in ceremonies then protestants doe there were 4 or 5 kinds of diverse seruices in the laud some following the vse of Sarum som of Bangor some of Lincolne others of Hereford orhers of Yorke yet we mislike not a conformity euen in externall matters But first let no thing bee vrged but that which may be warranted by the word then let our brethren call for an vniuersall conformity And wee could wish the same rule to bee kept which Gregory the 1. some time prescribed for England non pro locis res sed pro rebus loca amanda sunt ex singulis ergo quibuscunqe Ecclesijs c. Things must not be loued for the place but the place for the things therefore out of every Church chose such things as are godly religious right and these bound as it were in a bundle lay vp in English harts wee could wish likewise that for ceremonies wee followed the best reformed Churches The Defence of the third part Reasons and arguments against Plurality of Benefices 1. Arg. OVr Saviour Christ Describing a good shepheard in his owne persone sayth I am the good shephard and know myne owne and am knowen of mine Ioan. 10. 14. A good shepheard then must be conversant among his flocke as the preacher sayth Agnosce vultum pecoris tui Be deligent to know the state of they flock and take heed to the heards prov 27. 23. But so cannot they doe that haue many flockes Damasus herevpon well sayth si domini desideramus esse descipuli ipsius imitemur Damas epist 4. decret vestigia c. If wee desyre to bee the Lords disciples let vs walke in his steppes that it may bee sayd of vs I am a good she epheard and know myne owne and call them by name c. 2. Arg. A faithfull Pastor must not bee given to filthy lucre Titus 1. 7. but to haue two or mo benefices proceedeth of covetousnesse Nicen. 2. can 5. Clericus ab hoc deinceps tempore in duabus Ecclesijs non collocetur hoc enim est negotiationis turpis lucri proprium A Clergie man must not be placed in two churches for this savoureth of filthy lucre 3. Arg. S. Paul saith Let every man wherin he is called therein abide with God 1. Cor. 7. 24. But they which are called to one Church and after accept another remaine not in their first calling This reason is used by the same Councell against